The purge of Lord Zaron's faction left a vacuum, and into that vacuum flowed a new, chilling efficiency. The Saiyan war machine, now unburdened by internal dissent and guided by Astra's cold intellect, began to operate with the grim precision of a guillotine. Planet after planet fell, their defenses unraveled by strategies Astra designed to exploit very specific, very fatal weaknesses. He was no longer just a scalpel; he had become the architect of a galactic slaughterhouse.
With each victory, the King's favor grew, and with it, the flow of resources to Astra's corner of the barracks. His nutrient synthesizer now produced a paste so rich in energy it shimmered. His Power Level, fueled by constant training, secret Zenkais, and the superior sustenance, climbed steadily.
[Power Level: 520 -> 610]
But the [Stellar Forge] was hungry. It had tasted creation with the Gravity Forge, and it craved more. The simple scraps of the barracks, the donated components from warriors—it was all beneath it now. The Forge whispered of greater things, of potentials unrealized. To take the next step, to create tools that could truly challenge the coming darkness, he needed rarer, more powerful materials. Materials that weren't just lying around.
The answer came from the King himself. A new data packet arrived via the wristband, but this one was different. It wasn't a military schematic or a battle plan. It was a geological survey report, flagged with the King's personal seal. It detailed the discovery of a massive, subterranean vein of Arcosian Bio-Steel on a recently conquered world, designated X-12.
Astra's breath caught. Arcosian Bio-Steel. The primary building material of Frieza's own ships and battle armor. It was a living metal, capable of self-regeneration and adapting to energy attacks. It was the toughest, most advanced material in the known universe outside of divine realms. For the Saiyans, it was a prize beyond measure, a symbol of the power they served and feared.
The King's message was simple: [Analyze the extraction and refinement process. Maximize yield. The PTO demands a 300% increase in shipment quotas.]
This was it. The opportunity and the test, intertwined. The PTO—Frieza's Planet Trade Organization—was putting pressure on its vassals. The King was turning to his miracle analyst for another solution.
But Astra saw past the command. He saw the material. He felt the [Stellar Forge] vibrate with a desire so intense it was almost a physical pull. This was what he needed. Not the processed ingots, but the raw, unrefined ore, teeming with latent biological and energetic potential.
He composed his report, a masterpiece of industrial espionage and engineering. He outlined a new, highly efficient extraction method using resonant sonic drills, a refinement process that utilized controlled plasma baths, and a logistical plan that would indeed triple the quota. It was flawless.
But he included a single, seemingly minor footnote, buried in the technical appendices:
[Note: Initial analysis suggests a 0.01% variance in the ore's molecular cohesion post-refinement. This variance is inert and has no structural impact on the final product, but it renders that fraction of the material unsuitable for PTO-grade military applications. Recommend segregating this "inert slag" for disposal or low-priority internal use to maintain quality control standards.]
It was a lie, of course. There was no variance. The Bio-Steel was perfect. But he was creating a legal, documented loophole. A tiny, sanctioned leak in the river of resources flowing to Frieza.
The King, focused on the macro-level solution and the appeasement of his overlord, approved the plan without a second thought. The order was sent to the planetary governor of X-12.
Weeks passed. Then, a small, unmarked cargo pod was delivered to the barracks under the cover of night. Borg brought it to him, his expression unreadable. "From the mining operation on X-12. The 'inert slag' you requested for your... projects."
Astra opened the pod. Inside, nestled in a standard containment field, was a chunk of raw Arcosian Bio-Steel ore the size of his head. It was a deep, iridescent purple, pulsing with a slow, rhythmic light as if it were alive. It felt cold and warm at the same time, and the air around it hummed with contained power.
[Appraising: Arcosian Bio-Steel (Raw Ore)]
[Composition: Living Metallic-Crystalline Matrix, Unknown Organic Catalyst, Traces of Spatial Warping Properties.]
[Properties: Near-Limitless Durability, High Energy Conductivity, Self-Regeneration, Adaptive Shielding.]
[Threat Level: Inert. Requires a specific energy signature to activate.]
This was not just a material. It was a key.
That night, with the Dampening Field at maximum and his Cognitive Partitions handling vigilance, Astra placed his hands on the pulsating ore. He called upon the [Stellar Forge], not to create a device, but to perform the most delicate operation of his life: Awakening.
He poured his Ki and Mana into the ore, not with force, but with a specific, harmonious frequency the Forge had deduced from its analysis. He wasn't trying to shape it; he was trying to introduce himself to it. To make his energy signature its catalyst.
For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, the ore shivered. The pulsing light quickened, syncing with his own heartbeat. The iridescent purple deepened, and the surface of the ore became less like stone and more like a still, metallic liquid. It was recognizing him.
He didn't have the power or the knowledge to forge it into armor or a weapon yet. That would come. For now, this was enough. He had established a connection. He had a stockpile of the most powerful material in the universe, and it was slowly, slowly learning to answer to him.
He stored the awakened ore in his inventory, next to the dormant Gravity Forge. He could feel it there, a new, sleeping heart of immense potential.
The King saw a useful tool increasing his empire's productivity. Astra saw the first ingot of his own future armory. He was now siphoning the very substance of his enemy's power, diverting it right under the King's nose. The Forge had been fed, and its hunger had only grown. The path to power was no longer just about training his body; it was about building an arsenal capable of defying gods. And he had just acquired the foundation.