Seth had rushed home, his steps brisk, his mind already juggling numbers, levels, and resources. As soon as he arrived, he spread the files out over his large raw-wood table, until it almost disappeared beneath the neatly organized stacks. Names aligned, abilities displayed, profiles followed one after another. Each file was a decision to be made.
Nearly ten thousand soldiers. And most of them hadn't awakened yet.
He grimaced.
Essence stones from variant monsters would be crucial… but clearly insufficient. Even with the shelves full, he knew the stock wouldn't meet the demand. Choices had to be made — smart ones, maybe unpopular, but necessary.
And there came the first real dilemma.
On one hand: essence stones from constant demons. Less rare, more abundant, they provided a solid bonus — muscle enhancement, boosted affinities, increased stability — but no actual awakening. Three stones per person could raise a soldier to the level of an awakened one… without the actual awakening.
