CHAPTER 151: CHAPTER 151 - DECISIONS

’’This is...’’ Logan muttered, pressing on the item catalog.

The image expanded, revealing a crystal sphere swirling with dark green light. Thorn-like patterns sat on the crystal, occasionally moving as if it was still alive.

Pressing a red arrow on the side of the screen, the image changed to a displayable video.

Instantly, the colossal tree appeared on the screen, only this time, Logan could see it from high above.

The video fully displayed its strength, each attack followed by scenes of the devastation it caused.

’There’s even detailed explanations about its affinities and basic strength.’

Logan closed the video, staring blankly at the current bid.

’’Two billion... and it’s still climbing,’’ he muttered, mind churning.

His fingers slowly tapped on the armrest. ’A creature like this... as a dark knight?’

The image of the Queen of Thorns hadn’t left his mind, her pure red eyes locking onto him while he hid in a tree. And her vines... piercing through Adam and the others with ease.

’The thought alone is intoxicating,’ he thought. ’And I definitely wouldn’t have to worry about its growth potential.’

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially given the rarity of Catastrophic-class creatures. Not to mention the fact that he’d actually seen her in person.

’I need to buy this,’ he thought. ’There’s no other way around that.’

Logan didn’t plan to use her for his first Dark Knight. That position needed to be the foundation, something reliable and manageable.

’But she’s a perfect fit to be the second Dark Knight.’

Logan didn’t hesitate and bookmarked the listing.

’There’s still four days left until the auction on her closes,’ he thought. ’It will probably head up to eight billion, maybe more.’

Logan exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples.

’I also have to buy the Titanhorn bones for the first dark knight, which will probably be around four hundred million.’

The total liquid assets amounted to thirty-two billion plus five extra from the church sponsorship. At most, he could spend 11.5 billion of those assets. Any more, and the company wouldn’t be able to meet contracts or purchase new resources for its factories.

Logan got a headache just thinking about it. ’’I’ll have to explain this to Silas and Edric too...’’ he mumbled.

After a few minutes of silence, he made up his mind.

He switched back to the Titanhorn listing, nodding approvingly.

[Current bid: 254 million USD]

[Time remaining: 07:37:22]

Logan tapped the bid button and entered the number.

’The perfect bones for my first knight,’ he thought, locking in the bid without hesitation.

[Your bid: 400 million USD]

He leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep exhale. ’’That should keep the other buyers away.’’

While the bones were valuable, there was a massive difference between bones and a soul fragment.

Bones were mainly used for crafting weapons and in alchemy. Naturally, other undead mages and sometimes even summoners needed them, but soul fragments—they were used for everything.

’From weapon catalysts to affinity research, special rituals, and evolution materials for summons,’ he thought. ’But most of all... city-scale mana barriers.’

For a moment, he fell silent.

Logan closed the hologram, his mind still a mess.

The more he thought about using the Queen of Thorns as his second knight, the more his conscience struggled.

’I released it... and over a thousand people died because of me,’ he thought, his expression darkening. ’Am I really fine with keeping it by my side?’

After a few seconds, he shook his head and clenched his fist.

’If I don’t take it, someone else will. And then I’ll be the one fighting against it.’

’Besides, I can’t pass up an opportunity to grow stronger, even if that means keeping such a creature by my side.’

Logan pushed himself up from his couch, no longer willing to dwell on it.

’I have too much to do to waste my time thinking about a decision I’ve already made.’

He sat down cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes.

The noise around him faded as he pushed aside his useless thoughts and focused on his core.

Many golden specks had appeared all over the sphere, showing him the result of his continued training.

’Progress so far isn’t bad,’ he thought. ’But it’ll take me a while before I reach the golden core stage.’

Focusing, he began pulling thin mana threads out of both elemental masses, slowly guiding them towards the core wands.

As time passed, specks of gold slowly started appearing on the places he’d guided mana towards.

Logan let out a deep breath as his eyes snapped open a few hours later.

’’It’s always so relaxing,’’ he mumbled, stretching.

Letting out a yawn, he glanced at the time. ’It’s only 10 PM, can’t go to bed yet.’

Slapping himself awake, he pulled the Dark Knights manual from his space ring and laid down on the couch.

’’Let’s see how exactly the space inside my body is supposed to work,’’ he muttered, flipping through the pages.

His eyes landed on a sketch of a pure dark circle, underneath it, a section written in dark black ink.

"The undead space must be carved directly into the host’s heart.’’

Logan stared blankly at the text, unsure what to say.

’The... heart?’

The next line made his blood run cold.

’’Be warned, one mistake will cause the heart to rupture and spell instant death.’’

Logan gulped, expression turning serious.

’So the procedure is dangerous,’ he thought, nodding slowly. ’I guess that only makes sense.’

The higher the risk, the greater the reward.

He continued reading, hoping to find further explanation.

’’After engraving several complex mana circles inside the chamber, it’ll allow you to store the knights and let them receive nourishment from the constant mana stream around the heart.’’

Flipping to the next page, Logan found a picture of a human heart with a black space in the form of a circle near its midsection.

His finger traced the picture one last time.

’Seems like I need to know every vein and artery before I try this,’ he muttered.

He wasn’t scared—he’d learned the flaming body technique despite the risk of frying his body.

Logan closed the manual, his expression hardened.

’No matter what. I will learn this technique.’