With that thought settled in his mind, Logan reached out and spun the wheel once again, a quiet yet undeniable sense of anticipation rising within him.
He was already more than satisfied with what he had obtained so far, yet he would never turn away another powerful ability if the Vast Expanse was willing to grant it.
The wheel rotated for a short while before gradually slowing, the symbols upon its surface blurring together as fate made its final decision.
Then it stopped.
[Dimensional Chat Group]
Logan stared at the name for a moment, uncertainty flickering across his expression.
From the way it sounded, it felt far less like a fearsome innate ability and far more like the name of some distant online gathering or casual group of strangers. It certainly did not carry the same overwhelming presence as his previous rewards.
Still, curiosity urged Logan, and he immediately willed the description to reveal itself.
Instead of an explanation, however, a locked panel appeared before his eyes, its cold text offering nothing but a condition.
[Reach First Minor Evolution to gain access to Dimensional Chat Group.]
That was all it said.
No further details. No guidance whatsoever.
Logan read the message carefully before letting out a slow breath, his expectations settling into quiet patience rather than disappointment. "I suppose I will learn what this is in due time," he muttered to himself, accepting that some rewards were meant to reveal their value only when the moment was right.
Turning his attention back to the guide, Logan found her wearing a similarly puzzled expression, her gaze lingering on the wheel as though it had just defied her understanding.
It was clear that even she had no idea what the ability truly entailed.
"Well, I hope you survive long enough, golden boy. See you around," she said after a moment, her tone light yet strangely sincere.
Logan offered a brief nod in response before focusing on the symbol that marked his entry into First Expanse.
As he activated it, radiant light engulfed his vision, the endless white space dissolving around him until there was nothing left but brilliance.
A moment later, his figure vanished entirely, leaving behind only silence.
When Logan opened his eyes once more, the blinding white light was gone, replaced by an unfamiliar world stretching out before him.
He found himself standing among thousands of youths roughly his own age, their figures scattered across a vast open grassfield. At the very center of the field stood an old stone well.
Logan lifted his gaze upward, and his breath caught!
The sky above was a brilliant expanse of blue, yet instead of a single sun, three blazing suns hung high overhead, each radiating a different intensity of light. Their combined glow bathed the field in an otherworldly radiance.
"So this is the First Expanse…" Logan muttered softly, awe seeping into his voice before he could stop himself.
All around him, the teenagers wore a mix of emotions on their faces.
Some looked stunned, staring skyward as if questioning their own senses, while others appeared nervous, their bodies tense and eyes darting about in search of threats. A few whispered excitedly among themselves, unable to contain their curiosity, while others stood frozen in silence, struggling to process this new world.
Logan observed them briefly, his sharp gaze taking in their reactions and postures with quiet efficiency. It did not take long for him to reach a conclusion.
Like him, they were first-time setting foot here.
Soon after orienting himself, Logan made his way out of the open field and into the surrounding settlement. He now stood within the beginner base of humanity in the Vast Expanse, a place that served as the first foothold for those who had only just awakened.
Earth possessed many such bases scattered across the Vast Expanse, yet this one held special significance, as it was where every human walker first arrived upon entering this world for the very first time.
As Logan moved through the base, he passed by numerous walkers, some departing in small groups with weapons and nightmares at their side, while others returned with weary expressions and faint traces of battle still clinging to them.
The air buzzed with quiet urgency, conversations overlapping as people discussed hunts, rewards, and narrow escapes. It was a place that never truly rested, even at its most peaceful.
Logan was not here to socialize either.
His eyes scanned the surroundings as he walked, searching for something more secluded, and it did not take long before he found what he wanted.
A narrow alleyway branched off between two clustered buildings, hidden from the main pathways and largely ignored by passersby. He stepped into it without hesitation, the noise of the base fading into a dull murmur behind him.
The structures of the First Expanse were nothing like the towering concrete buildings of Earth. Instead, most were built from stone, wood, and unfamiliar materials. If anything, the entire base resembled a rustic village torn straight from a fantasy world rather than a settlement connected to modern civilization.
Once Logan was certain he was alone, he summoned Sage.
The owl emerged in a flash of light, stretching his wings before tilting his head upward to stare at the sky. His sharp eyes gleamed faintly as he took in the familiar surroundings.
"Ah… this stinky place again," Sage complained with a dramatic sigh. "I wanted to stay on Earth longer!"
Logan ignored him completely.
His mind was already focused elsewhere.
He needed money, and not a small amount either. Within a single month, he would need enough to settle his debts and begin searching for a cure for his sister. The abilities he had awakened were absurdly powerful, and if there was ever a right time to exploit them, it was now.
Without ceremony, Logan grabbed the protesting owl by the head and activated [Evolution Path Vision].
Sage immediately stiffened as he felt something unseen wash over him, a strange sensation crawling across his body as if he were being examined down to his very essence.
"What are you doing, boy?" Sage demanded, flapping slightly as Logan waited for the scan to complete.
"I am looking for the most suitable attacks you can learn right now," Logan replied calmly. "Because let's be honest, you are useless in combat at the moment."
Sage choked on his own indignation, but Logan did not spare him a glance.
The truth was undeniable. Sage's first minor evolution, which would grant him a significant boost in strength and abilities, could only occur at level twenty-five.
Logan did not have the luxury of waiting that long. At present, Sage knew only a single offensive skill, Wind Blade, which was far from sufficient for the hunts Logan planned to take on.
Soon, the scanning sensation faded, and a flood of information surfaced before Logan's eyes. Dozens of options unfolded in layered panels, branching paths of potential growth displayed with unsettling clarity. The data was neatly divided into two main sections.
The first listed attacks that Sage could learn as early as possible with minimal requirements.
The second outlined secondary elements that Sage could awaken alongside his original flying type.
Every nightmare in existence possessed the potential to awaken two elemental types, though most never achieved it due to the cost and risk involved.
At present, Sage was solely a flying-type nightmare, and while the option to unlock a secondary element was tempting, Logan knew he did not have the time or resources to pursue everything at once.
"What are you thinkin' about, boy?" Sage asked, noticing Logan's silence as his eyes flickered rapidly across the invisible information.
"I am wondering whether I should teach you a new attack or awaken a secondary element for you," Logan replied absentmindedly, scrolling through the options with focused precision.
"A secondary element?" Sage repeated, his voice rising in disbelief. "Is that even possible?"
"Yes," Logan answered simply.
Before Sage could press further, Logan began explaining everything that had happened, from the wheel of abilities to the broken powers he had awakened.
As the story unfolded, Sage's expression shifted from skepticism to shock, and finally to stunned silence, as he tried to process just how much had changed!