Tatehan felt like he was in a dilemma.
How could he choose? He wanted both so badly.
He wanted to upgrade his gravity manipulation to level two. At level two, he would be able to use it on larger objects instead of just pebbles and rocks. Perhaps he'd be able to use it on the creatures he would be facing in the middle of a fight. Move a leg or an arm, throw them off balance, and then strike.
Thinking about the possibilities of his gravity manipulation at level two felt nice to imagine. With it upgraded, perhaps it would be easier to face greater threats, and he would be more powerful.
But then, his partial regeneration ability was very low in level. What was he going to do with a regeneration ability as low as 0.5? He felt so tempted to upgrade this one too.
Damn!
He was now on the fence. It was like choosing between children, deciding who was better and telling them right to their faces.
His initial decision was to focus on one particular ability, then when he had upgraded it to a certain point, he would do so with the others.
But thinking about it now, it sounded stupid. His system granted him many abilities, and if he was to receive more apart from these two, focusing on one wouldn't help him.
After hesitating for what felt like hours, Tatehan sighed deeply.
Of course, using the rock on his gravity manipulation would make it very cool. He'd be stronger in battle but…
That was only a WANT.
He had a NEED. What he really needed was the partial regeneration. Even though he didn't realize it, that was the truth, that was his need.
He didn't know how he would cope with the Hexapod mauler or what monstrosities he would encounter on the way. He did not know what would happen to him, how bad his injuries would be.
With the way his current partial regeneration worked, he might die, or it would take forever before his injuries healed. Not that he was expecting any but…prevention is better than cure.
So in the end, he decided he needed the partial regeneration more than the gravity manipulation. Of course it was not as cool as lifting a rock and throwing it at someone, but it was just needed.
With that, Tatehan selected partial regeneration.
Then he heard:
[Congratulations host, you have just upgraded partial regeneration]
Then he saw his stats:
[HOST STATUS]
Name: Tatehan Level: 2
Species: Human (Enhanced)
Knowledge: 24/100 [+2]
Repair points: 11/100
[ABILITIES]
• Gravity Manipulation - Level 1
• Regeneration (partial) - Level 1.5
Tatehan smirked.
1.5
Now we're talking.
It was at 0.5 when he first got it and now seeing it at 1.5, that it had been been tripled, felt nice to behold.
Even though he was satisfied, he wasn't so exhilarated. Because at this level, he wasn't exactly safe. To be sure of his safety to an extent, which would allow him take more daring risks, he needed to upgrade it to level five.
He was tempted to bite himself and see how fast it would heal, but he realized that was stupid. The last time he did something like that, it had put him in quite some pain.
But with the partial regeneration at level one point five, he'd be safer…to an extent.
It wasn't like he'd be a hundred percent safe, but he would be like a cat with nine lives, always reassured there's some backup plan in case things go wrong.
He looked at the rock in his hands. It was colorless again, and for a second, he almost dropped it in fear.
He stared at the rock like it was something straight from a museum, wondering where all the color went.
'Huh?'
When he first took the rock, it had color, but now it didn't? How was that even possible?
He thought for two seconds and came to an answer: His system had likely absorbed the core which the rock carried.
The rock was perhaps the carrier of the core, the stuff actually needed to upgrade his level.
All this was assumptions, though, and as he threw the rock back at the now dead lunatic bruteneck, he took a step…before he heard the mad and ferocious dash of footsteps.
Footsteps?
Foot…steps?!
Oh, he had forgotten that the lunatic bruteneck had been howling before.
Damn!
That had been his worry, a shout like that would definitely attract other brutenecks, making them think it was in dire danger.
It actually was. It was dead now, by the way.
Tatehan looked back and could see a dozen carapace brutenecks coming his way.
He was astonished.
Carapace brutenecks…a dozen?
He was cooked.
The only option now would be to run.
Tatehan cocked his head to the sides, stretched his hands, and decided to break into a run. The end wouldn't be pleasant, he knew.
Of course he was fast, super fast because his speed was enhanced, but the carapace brutenecks were equally fast.
If this was just a horde of normal brutenecks, Tatehan would have suggested another plan. But these were carapace brutenecks. Facing one was deadly, much less facing a horde.
His neck cocking and hand stretching might seem like stupidity when he ought to just run, but it wasn't. This was him bracing himself.
With his backpack secured, Tatehan plunged forward.
His speed was incredible, and as he took the first steps, he could see the carapace brutenecks matching his pace.
Tatehan blinked…
He had expected this, and this might lead to his death. Because whereas he might tire, the carapace brutenecks probably wouldn't.
He didn't actually see the carapace brutenecks vividly enough to study their features. But as he ran and looked back occasionally, he could see their eyes.
The carapace brutenecks' eyes.
Their goddamn eyes.
Tatehan couldn't believe what he saw as he looked into their googly eyes.
Bloody damn!
They were lunatic brutenecks.