Though the storage room was cold, Michael's constitution allowed him to endure it without much discomfort.
The scarred man led Michael to a compartment containing the corpses of forest wolves.
They were stored on bunked shelves, two bodies per shelf, with six rows in total—12 corpses altogether.
Michael wasn't sure if this was a large or small number, but it felt like the latter.
He briefly wondered why the Association kept monster corpses in the firstplace, but the scarred man's cold demeanor dissuaded him from asking.
Eager to finally get his hands on material for creating his undead, Michael began using {Detect} on the forest wolf corpses.
[Forest Wolf Lv. 2]
[Rank: Common★]
Dead
[Forest Wolf Lv. 4]
[Rank: Common★]
Dead
[Forest Wolf Lv. 5]
[Rank: Common★★]
Dead
[Forest Wolf Lv. 2]
[Rank: Common★★]
Dead
Michael's requirements weren't high—he simply needed a monster above one star.
A one-star common-rank monster had a maximum level of 7, which was too weak, offering little advantage over his current strength.
A two-star common-rank monster could reach Rank 1 Level 4 (Level 14), which was barely acceptable in his eyes.
Michael hoped to find a three-star corpse.
However, while it would allow for growth to Level 21, he knew that a Level 21 common-rank monster would be inferior to a three-star rare-rank monster of the same level like the Gargoyle back in the Land Of Origin .
Rank wasn't just about potential but also reflected racial superiority. Even within the same species, bloodlines could vary in nobility and strength.
This was evident in the difference between harmless one-star slimes and two-star acid slimes.
Michael didn't need a powerful three-star rare-grade monster like the gargoyle that had halted his exploration in the Land of Origin.
Not to mention his inability to kill one—rare-grade monsters were rarely unranked, and even if they were, they were said to rival Awakeners, even factoring in the advantage of attribute points. He doubted he could even afford one if the option existed.
In his opinion, a few one-star rare-grade monsters at the peak of Rank One (Level 25) or in Rank Two (above Level 25), paired with several three-star common-grade undead at Level 21 (Rank One, Level 11), should be enough to overwhelm the gargoyle, provided he planned well.
Unfortunately, no three-star forest wolf corpses were available, and even the two-star corpses he found didn't exceed three.
In the end, Michael purchased the three two-star forest wolf corpses and stored them in his Mark of Origin.
As for the goblins, Michael didn't even bother.
According to a post that mentioned slimes, goblins were grouped in the same category. Goblins were barely better than slimes, excelling only in reproduction.
Michael had no interest in wasting money on such weak monsters.
What he didn't expect, however, was how his opinion about goblins—or any so-called 'weak' species—was about to change.
After leaving the storage room, Michael provided his account details to collect the remaining $5500, which would raise his balance back above $10,000 once transferred.
He decided not to sell the other three spirit crystals he had.
They might prove useful after creating an undead, assuming his talent demonstrates something, or for replenishing mana during the revival process, which consumes a significant amount.
Spirit crystals were a better option for recovery than waiting for natural regeneration or relying on mana stones, crystals, or potions.
Michael also remembered the slime cores he'd collected and decided to check if they could be sold.
Surprisingly, the Association accepted them.
While slime cores weren't particularly valuable—selling for $100 each—Michael managed to earn $1500 by selling 15 cores.
As for why he hadn't sold them earlier alongside the spirit crystal, the reason was simple: he'd forgotten.
The earlier event caused by him using {Detect} on the scarred man, followed by their rapid exchange, had shifted his focus.
Unlike spirit crystals, he never considered slime cores important.
After exchanging farewells—though the scarred man only responded with a nod—Michael quickly exited the Association building and hailed a cab home.
This time, unlike his earlier trip, Michael refrained from using {Detect} on everyone he encountered, now more cautious about his actions.
Nearly an hour later, with no traffic, Michael arrived home faster than expected.
After paying the cab fare, he hurried to his apartment, eager to enter the Land of Origin and finally summon an undead.
Inside, he noticed his cousin Lily was back from school. She gave him a bewildered look as he greeted her in passing, clearly in a rush.
Michael offered no explanation and quickly retreated to his room.
Lying on his bed, he connected his consciousness to the Land of Origin.
A moment later, a pair of eyes opened.
"I'm back."
An hour had passed since Michael left the Land of Origin, and the surroundings seemed a little brighter.
"It's probably approaching noon," he thought, standing up.
Cautiously, he stepped out of the room. Only after scanning his surroundings and confirming there was no danger did he relax.
The Land of Origin was the only place Michael felt safe enough to create an undead. Attempting such a thing at home felt unwise, and he remained wary of anything supernatural in the real world.
Here, he could afford to take risks since there was no true death, unlike in reality. This was why he hadn't dared to enter dimensional cracks himself to hunt monsters and instead opted to buy their corpses.
Michael felt his current strength wasn't enough for such risks.
Finding a wide, clear space in the abandoned dorms, Michael took a deep breath and released a forest wolf corpse from his storage space.
For the first time since his Awakening, he was one step closer to creating an undead.
"I hope my luck isn't too bad."
With his {Undead Revival} at {Intermediate Mastery}, Michael had only nine chances—three attempts per corpse—to create an undead.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.
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A/N: At least two chapters will be uploaded every day. Please show your support—it's a huge motivation!