What if, just... what if...

The thought hung in Tatehan's mind, dangerous and tempting.

I mean, it was really insane to even consider this. Completely insane. Reckless actually. The kind of decision that could backfire spectacularly and leave him weaker instead of stronger.

But... what if he chose the ability?

The Blind Chase. The fifty-fifty gamble.

Tatehan opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, his mind working through the possibilities.

How sensible would it be to take this risk?

On the surface, not very. He'd be throwing away fifty-four cores, resources that had taken him a hard time to collect, resources that could guarantee a tangible, measurable improvement to one of his existing abilities, on a chance. A coin flip. A gamble where the odds were literally even and the outcome was completely unknown.

That was stupid. Anyone rational would tell him that was stupid.

But then again, when had anything about his situation been rational?

He thought about the Obscuron. About the attacks on the cities. About the mech that had torn through Waython Hollow just hours ago. About the fortress they'd destroyed and the retaliation that had followed. About the summit in two days where he'd have to convince five independent city leaders to work together against a common enemy who was growing stronger and more aggressive with each passing day.

The Obscuron was on a rampage. And he wasn't slowing down. If anything, he was escalating, testing the limits of what the cities could handle, probing for weaknesses and demonstrating his power with brutality.

And Tatehan? He was supposed to stop him.

Somehow.

But could he?

With his current abilities and current strength, could he actually stand against the Obscuron and win?

Tatehan wasn't sure.

And that uncertainty was concerning.

It would only be worth it… this gamble, this risk, if he was extreme with his decisions. If he pushed himself beyond the safe, calculated choices and into territory that was dangerous but potentially game-changing.

He had to take risks. Big ones. Because playing it safe wasn't going to be enough.

He had to become significantly stronger. Not just a little better. Not just incrementally more powerful.

Instead, he needed a leap.

A transformation!

Something that would put him on a level where he could actually challenge the Obscuron and have a real chance of winning.

And he didn't think he was there yet.

Tatehan ran through his abilities in his mind, assessing each one with honesty.

Sure, he could heal faster. His Partial Regeneration at Level 8 was already impressive, letting him recover from injuries that would sideline most people for weeks. But healing didn't win fights. It just kept you alive long enough to maybe win them.

Sure, he could phase. His Phase Shift ability had already saved his life once today, letting him avoid an attack that would have melted his hand off. But it was still Level 1, still limited and still on a long cooldown. It was a defensive tool, a last resort, not something he could rely on consistently.

Sure, his Gravity Manipulation was powerful. Level 12 was nothing to scoff at. He could lift massive objects, control enemy movements and survive falls that should have killed him. It was his most versatile ability by far.

But was it enough?

Could he use Gravity Manipulation to defeat the Obscuron? Could he lift the tyrant into the sky and drop him? Could he crush him under localized gravitational pressure? Could he control an entire battlefield filled with the Obscuron's forces?

Tatehan wasn't sure. And that uncertainty was the problem.

With a new ability, a completely new power, something he didn't have yet, he could cover weaknesses he didn't even know he had. He could gain an edge that would catch enemies off guard, something unexpected, something they couldn't plan for.

But that was only if the Blind Chase gave him something useful.

If it gave him something useless, some niche ability with limited applications or some power that didn't synergize with his existing toolkit..

Or nothing!

Then he'd have wasted fifty-four cores for nothing.

That was the gamble.

Tatehan exhaled slowly, his mind turning to the alternative.

The sensible thing—the smart, rational, low-risk decision—would be to use the cores to upgrade his Gravity Manipulation. Take it from Level 12 to Level 15. Strengthen his most reliable ability, the one he used most often, the one that had already proven its worth time and time again.

At Level 15, his Gravity Manipulation would be significantly more powerful. He'd be able to affect larger areas, heavier objects and multiple targets simultaneously. Maybe he'd gain new applications: gravitational shockwaves, localized black holes, the ability to fly by negating his own gravity entirely.

That would make him much stronger. Undeniably stronger.

And it would be safe. Guaranteed actually. No risk or randomness to it. Just a straightforward, measurable improvement.

That was the smart choice.

Tatehan knew that. Logically…objectively, upgrading Gravity Manipulation was the right call.

But...

He thought about the Obscuron again. About the scale of the threat. About the fact that this wasn't just about winning one fight or surviving one battle. This was about stopping a tyrant who controlled entire armies, who had access to advanced technology, who could deploy mechs and monsters and who knew what else.

Playing it safe might not be enough.

And if it wasn't enough, if he upgraded Gravity Manipulation and still lost, then what would have been the point?

Tatehan stayed completely motionless for ten seconds, his body frozen as his mind raced through scenarios and possibilities at breakneck speed. He didn't blink. Didn't breathe either. Didn't even move a muscle.

His thoughts were a whirlwind, calculations and emotions tangling together, logic battling instinct, caution wrestling with ambition.

And then, slowly, a decision formed!

He opened his eyes.

"Fuck it," he said out loud, his voice breaking the silence of his room. "I don't think I have anything to lose anyway."

He paused, letting the words hang in the air for a moment, and then he corrected himself mentally.

'It would be really good if I played it safe but... ahhh, I have to take the risk.'

His hand didn't tremble. His resolve didn't waver too.

Tatehan focused on the system interface, on the option that glowed faintly at the bottom of the list.

[Use all 54 cores for a Blind Chase.]

He mentally selected it.

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