Chapter 31: Considerations

Odin could hardly contain his happiness after reading the Origin Order's notifications. Aside from clearing all the zombies from the two-mile radius around the resort, he'd also leveled up the spatial manipulation meta-power and mastered the short-range teleportation ability. He could finally move instantaneously from one point to another within a six-yard radius by relying on the mysterious foggy space.

"Spatial manipulation is a really strange and powerful ability. It'll allow me to grow more powerful at a faster rate. Incredible!"

Odin was in high spirits as he finally felt like a truly powerful meta-human. He had even managed to totally relax for the first time that day since he'd finally gotten a mighty trump card up his sleeve. Not even the decapitated corpses and gory mess of bodily fluids spread around him on the restaurant's floor could sour his mood.

With the teleportation ability, Odin could easily approach enemies or escape from them instantaneously. He could attack like a ghost whenever he wanted and flee like a specter without leaving a trace. The teleportation ability was just that potent during battles, making him feel like he'd just stepped on the true path of becoming a powerhouse.

"But I cannot use this ability often. I must keep it as a trump card."

Odin's eyes glittered as he made a resolution within his heart. He understood that any powerful ability would lose its impact during battles if the enemies learned about it beforehand. As long as his foes had time to prepare, they could devise measures to counter his short-range teleportation ability. Then, it would lose its potency as his trump card, and he would always find himself in dire straits during battles. That was a no-no for him.

Moreover, there was also the challenge of over-consumption. Odin had felt light-headed and almost drained of energy after utilizing the short-range teleportation ability twice. Even at that moment, his temples were still throbbing — a tell-tale sign that he'd just overtaxed his spirit energy reserves while fighting the baby zombie. So, Odin warned himself to remain careful and tactful while using the ability. He had to be mindful to avoid emptying his spirit energy reserves during combat. Only then would he always maintain an evident and potent advantage over his enemies, whether humans or monsters, in future battles.

"By my estimates," Odin thought, "I should now be able to utilize short-range teleportation four times successively without hurting my body. That should empower me to face off against most opponents during the initial days of the apocalypse."

Odin's eyes glittered, full of excitement. Four successive teleportations granted him a menacing sure-fire ability to face off against all sorts of opponents close to his evolutionary level. He could stealthily approach a type-I creature and blast its head into a gory mess before it could blink. And if he failed to slay it, he could immediately choose to teleport away to safety before it could retaliate.

Moreover, as he grew stronger, his spirit energy reserves would continue to expand, causing his teleportation ability to become more potent. Then, he would gain the power to teleport hundreds of times, even over long distances, without feeling any drain on his energy reserves.

Who then would be able to hold him if he wanted to flee? Who then would have the capability to harm his sisters? At the direst of times, he would choose to teleport his sisters far away from his foes and bide his time. Then, after becoming more powerful, he would again challenge his enemies and decimate them before continuing with his life.

In brief, the teleportation ability gave him more flexibility. It allowed him to fight only battles he could win and avoid those he couldn't. And that tallied well with his chosen path for survival during the apocalyptic times.

"Origin Order," Odin commanded mentally. "Please show me my current attributes."

No sooner had he given the mental command than the familiar blood-red crystal-like display manifested before his eyes. Inscribed on it were pitch-black words that summarized all his attributes and skills.

-----

Host: Odin McGill

Race: Human

Evolutionary Level: 3

Total Origin Points: 51/80

Attributes: Strength 2.9, Dexterity 3.7, Physique 4.9, Spirit 12.8

Core Meta-Powers: Spatial Sense, Spatial Manipulation (Lv.1, Basic)

Derived Meta-Powers: Short-Range Teleportation (Lv.1, Basic)

Learned Killing Arts and Related Skills: Blade Skills (Lv.3, Basic)

Unassigned Attribute Points: 0

Unassigned Skill Points: 0

Genetic Energy Life-Level: Type-0 (A Slightly More Robust Mortal)

-----

Pending Missions: None

-----

"I have really improved by leaps and bounds," Odin pondered after perusing through his attributes on Origin Order's game-like interface. "But my abilities are still like parlor tricks in front of the terrifying claw I saw at the end of the prophetic vision. I can't allow myself to grow complacent."

Odin's mood turned placid as he forced himself to come to terms with the harsh reality. He was vaguely aware that he wouldn't be able to escape from the owner of that claw even if his abilities evolved rapidly and grew a hundred times more powerful. The hell! He might not even know how he died if he faced off against the monster behind that claw attack that decimated the entire planet earth at the end of the prophetic vision. That was the blunt and ugly truth as he couldn't even estimate the power difference between him and the dreadful monster.

"I can only go all out to grow stronger quickly. That's the only way I can ensure the safety of my loved ones."

Odin made another resolution within his heart. With the Origin Order in hand, he would grow more powerful at the speed of a rocket shooting into space. He would grind his level by killing stronger monsters and hopefully gain the ability to heal Aunt Lucy in two years.

Then, if all went well and Aunt Lucy returned to normal, he would start looking for ways to face off against the monster and prevent it from destroying his home planet. That was his plan going forward.