The two of them remained standing in the narrow alley for quite some time, layered panels of information hovering invisibly between them as Logan carefully went through every available option.
Branching paths of growth unfolded one after another, showing possible skills, elements, and long-term evolutions. Logan analysed each one with calm precision, weighing cost against benefit, future synergy against immediate power.
For once, Sage did not interrupt immediately.
That alone spoke volumes about how important it was.
After a long discussion, one that was surprisingly serious on Sage's part, Logan finally made his decision. Instead of teaching Sage a single new attack, he chose to awaken a completely new element within him.
With a secondary element unlocked, Sage would not only gain access to new attacks, but his entire skill pool would expand. His combat flexibility would increase dramatically, and more importantly, his growth would no longer feel suffocatingly linear.
Sage was serious as well, more serious than he had ever been.
Scout Owls had their potential capped at level fifty, and Sage had reached that limit centuries ago. Ever since then, his life had been painfully monotonous. Every day was the same cycle of survival.
Walkers hunted him. He fled. He hid. He observed. Repeat.
To cure his boredom, Sage had started observing walkers instead. Over time, he noticed that they came in two main varieties. Ones with big footballs hanging from their chests and big asses. And others with flatter chests and bodies far too robust for his liking.
Eventually, he learned they were called women and men.
That was also when Sage discovered that he loved women. Especially the things they called boobs.
According to Sage, there was no such thing as boobs that were too big. Heck, he admired female titan boobs more than anything else in existence, calling them "the true pillars holding the Vast Expanse together."
Logan had chosen to ignore all of this every time Sage brought it up.
Just then, Logan spoke.
"Alright. The final three elements I am debating between are psychic, shadow, and fire."
"Shadow!" Sage shouted instantly, eyes lighting up as if he had seen the meaning of life itself. "Please make it shadow! Imagine how easily I can peek at panties using it! Stealth. Darkness. Subtle movements. This is clearly the best choice!"
Logan slowly turned his head and gave him a cold stare. The kind that made Sage's excitement die mid-sentence.
Without another word, Logan finalised the decision himself.
"Psychic, it is."
"What?!" Sage screeched. "Hold on! That is unfair! Shadow is clearly superior for reconnaissance and… cultural appreciation!"
"I do not care," Logan replied flatly.
Sage tried to refute him, and he did, loudly and passionately, but Logan did not budge even an inch. Sage was a physically weak nightmare, and no amount of shadow tricks would change that. Giving him mental-based attacks would allow them to bypass physical defences, disrupt stronger enemies, and control the battlefield from a distance.
It was simply the better option for their current situation.
Eventually, Sage went quiet, and after a long pause, he let out a slow sigh.
"…Fine," he muttered. "If this lets me finally break my limits, I will accept it."
With the element decided, Logan tapped the psychic element displayed on the screen before him. The previous interface dissolved instantly, replaced by an entirely new panel filled with fresh information.
This time, the screen detailed the method required to successfully awaken the element within Sage.
The information itself was not extensive. It required only three materials, along with a concise but precise set of instructions outlining the awakening process.
The required items were listed clearly.
Jade Lotus, amethyst Shard and psychic Fruit.
Logan's eyes moved down the list, and he immediately recognised two of them. Amethyst Shards and Psychic Fruits were common enough within the Human Base. They could be purchased from specialised shops at a relatively low price, especially for walkers who knew where to look.
Those two would not be a problem. But the first item gave him pause.
"Jade Lotus?" Logan murmured quietly.
He searched his memory, rifling through everything he had learned during his time at the academy. Rare materials. Unique plants. Special resources recorded in textbooks and databases.
Nothing matched that name.
It was something he was hearing about for the first time.
A faint crease formed between his brows as concern crept into his thoughts. If this Jade Lotus was extremely rare or locked behind some dangerous region, then awakening the psychic element might not be as straightforward as he had hoped.
'Where am I supposed to find something like that?' Logan wondered.
Just as that worry settled in his mind, the screen flashed once again.
The information panel vanished, replaced by a detailed map that expanded before his eyes. Logan's current location was marked clearly with an arrow, while a red dot pulsed far in the distance, standing out sharply against the terrain.
"What is this?" Logan muttered as he leaned closer.
His gaze shifted to the corner of the screen, where a line of text was written in much smaller letters.
[Currently showing Jade Lotus location.]
For a brief moment, Logan froze.
Then, a bright smile spread across his face. The Location on the map was only fifteen kilometres away from the current base Logan was in. If he played his cards right, he could successfully awaken the element in just three days. Even if something went wrong, a week would be the most it would take him.
This would leave him with three whole weeks to gather money to help his mother! And who knows, there might be more Jade Lotus present there that he could sell for a large sum of money.
Without wasting another second, he dismissed the screen and stepped out of the alleyway, heading straight toward the massive cluster of shops lining the main streets of the beginner base.
With the location revealed and hope burning steadily in his chest, the path forward no longer felt uncertain.