Chapter 26 – "Mana, Memory, and Mandatory Farming"
The mana sea glowed like someone dumped liquid neon into the Mariana Trench and called it art. The floating city, Adam's increasingly ridiculous home base, was growing—literally. Towers rose from conjured stone like skyscraper weeds, mana fields rippled with unseen energy, and the air smelled faintly of magical ozone and smug satisfaction.
Adam stood atop one of his new towers, wearing a magically conjured long coat because, as every fantasy ruler knows, the longer the coat, the more legitimate the power. Also, it flapped dramatically in the wind, and that was very important.
He opened his arms to the sky and grinned. "Tony Stark, wherever you are… I hope you're enjoying your cave of scrap metal. I just built a civilization from glitter air and boss music."
Next, Adam turned his attention to the absurdly fertile land he'd shaped around the floating city and made it fertile with a spell called "Gaia's Touch," he learned last night from the library he dosen't need seeds to plant anymore and used mana-threaded irrigation lines that would make any agriculture department cry tears of joy (or jealousy).
And then the sea. Oh, the sea. It was pure mana. As in: one cup of water here would cause an average human to either ascend or explode—maybe both. He tested planting some fruits.
Results:
Apple Tree = Spiritual Apple Tree
Carrots = "Mana Root of the Mountain King"
Potatoes = Sentient
"Okay, that one I didn't ask for."
Spiritual fruits grown here contained natural enhancements. Eat one, you gain a bit of magical resistance. Eat a dozen, you might actually start glowing like a PowerPoint slide in a rave.
"Now I just need…" Adam paused, looking around at his suspiciously empty farms. "People. Ugh. I forgot people."
Operation: Farmer Recruitment
Adam opened a world map in the Dominion Vault, linked to Earth's real-time population grid. He started scanning for ideal farmer candidates—people down on their luck, exiled, or just wanting a better life.
Then, with a smirk, he activated the Dominion Ring's projection protocol.
Dozens of sub-rings materialized from the master ring like a synchronized halo dance. Each one shined, then vanished into a portal—heading off to their chosen recipient.
Attached to each ring was a message, dictated by Adam himself:
"Congratulations! You've been chosen to join the very exclusive, slightly magical, agriculturally magnificent community of Floating Eden. Benefits include:
Safety from the impending dumpster fire of Earth's future.
Magical enhancement via seasonal fruit.
A cozy home, a personalized farm, and possibly immortality.
Terms and conditions apply. Betrayal results in immediate soul implosion. :)
He nodded, satisfied. "People farm crops. Crops grow mana fruits. Mana fruits make people stronger. It's a perfect loop of magical gains and labor delegation. Capitalism, but make it sparkly.(since everything is magical we he have magical Capitalism in our hand)"
"Cult Leader" But Make It Charismatic
Walking through his city's growing residential district—complete with floating bridges, glowing lanterns, and very judgmental mana cats—Adam felt oddly proud.
Each house was automatically infused with ambient mana, enough to make residents slowly get stronger just by existing. Sit down? +0.2 stamina. Nap? +0.3 mana control. Use the bathroom? +1 enlightenment, depending on the experience.
He even built a few taverns—because people liked bonding and complaining over drinks—and seeded them with magical alcohol recipes. He named one "The Reality Hangover."
A dragon egg-shaped fruit landed at his feet. It was glowing softly. A tiny rune blinked on its surface.
[Spiritual Fruit of Mental Enhancement: Eat this and gain +2 Intelligence for 24 hours.]
Adam stared. "If I had these during high school exams, I'd have accidentally rewritten calculus."
He took a bite. "Still might."
As the city expanded with magical farmland, sparkly energy bridges, and floaty architectural wonders, Adam stood atop his tower again, feeling like a mix of Doctor Doom, Elon Musk, and that one Animal Crossing landlord with world domination vibes.
And below him? Portals opening. Farmers stepping out one by one—confused, amazed, or screaming.
Frank Castle would be here soon. Jessica Jones after that.
The city was almost ready.
The empire was just beginning.
Adam smiled and whispered, "Tony, buddy… you're building suits. I'm building worlds."(Apparently adam is focuced on tony more than his enemies whould)
Chapter Summary:
New Spell Learned:
Gaia's Touch
Dominion Ring Functions Used:
Matter creation for city expansion
Sent magical sub-rings to recruit global farmers
Created magical alcohol and mana-enhanced living quarters
New Location Features:
Mana Sea: grows spiritual fruits/vegetables
Spiritual Crops: grants slow power-ups when consumed
Living in the city passively increases mana affinity
Recruited:
First wave of global farmers (with magical benefits)