Chapter 3: Obtaining Origin Energy

Thinking up to this point, Shawn just shook his head, erasing those thoughts and just started thinking what kind of preparation he should do.

"I should prepare a weapon first so that I can defend myself, just in case something happens."

Shawn deliberated on what available weapon he could find on his house. After much thought, his eyes lit up, remembering something he could use.

Proceeding to the rear side of his house, the place where he usually places his tools. He rummaged through them and, within a minute, he finally found what he was looking for.

At Shawn's hand is a hatchet, measuring one and a half feet. The blade is sharp and looks quite new. The handle is slightly curved to enhance grip and ease of control.

Finding this hatchet alone insufficient, he walked into the kitchen and picked the two sharpest knives he could find. He found their knife sheaths and then tied it in his waist.

"Now, let's go outside and take a look. It's no use just staying in the house. I'd rather take a risk and strengthen myself rather than wait passively here."

This is what Shawn thought, knowing that the danger would not disappear if he didn't proactively eliminate it.

He first looked into the window to see if there were any people outside. Seeing that there was nobody outside, he headed to the door and carefully opened it.

Holding the hatchet with his two hands, he slowly walks forward, his eyes inspecting the vicinity. His steps were light and silent, taking care not to make a loud noise. After a few steps, he heard a noise.

"Crunch"

Silently, he headed to where he heard the noise. The sound comes from his neighbor's backyard. There, he saw a rabbit, a pet of his neighbor. The rabbit is wriggling and squirming, like it's eating something. As if sensing his presence, the rabbit looked up and stood fully.

After the rabbit stood up, he noticed that this rabbit was quite huge, reaching 2 feet in height. This is almost equivalent to Flemish Giant rabbits, one of the largest domestic rabbit breeds, who typically reach lengths of up to 2.5 feet or more, but generally not 3 feet. And he's quite sure that its previous size doesn't exceed 1 foot.

Besides reaching two feet in height, this rabbit is also quite muscular, with muscles in its legs bulging beneath its fur.

Looking further at what the rabbit was eating, Shawn's face froze up, realizing that the rabbit was actually gnawing at an arm.

A chill ran down Shawn's spine as he stared, wide-eyed, at the grisly scene unfolding before him. Cold sweats form on his forehead after seeing the rabbit readying itself, as if discovering another prey.

Shawn immediately retreated, quickly assessing the situation, knowing that fighting head-on might result in him getting unnecessary injuries.

He continued running until he stopped at a tree. He turned around, just in time to see the rabbit chasing him. Tightly clenching the hatchet, he takes a deep breath to calm himself. 

The rabbit rapidly charges at him, and after closing up, it leaps with great force. Adjusting his timing, Shawn dodges its attack, and the rabbit directly slams at the tree. A loud sound erupted, and the rabbit was dazed because of the collision.

Taking this chance, he raises his hatchet and strikes with all his might at the rabbit's leg. Without taking a break, he immediately follows up with another strike, this time targeting the head of the rabbit.

"Crack!"

He was about to hit it one more time when a yellow screen appeared in front of him.

[You've successfully killed Level 5 Mutant Rabbit.]

[You've leveled up to Level 1.]

[You've now acquired Origin Energy and leveled up, boosting your physique and spirit.]

[You've acquired Appraisal Eye!]

While Shawn is still reading the notifications, a white energy orb shoots out of the rabbit's body and directly enters his body.

Not waiting for another moment, Shawn picked up the carcass of the rabbit and headed to his house. He doesn't want to check his gains here outside, since it may compromise his safety.

In his haste, Shawn forgot about the blood flowing out of the carcass, dyeing his shirt in blood. He didn't even notice the difference in his sprint being faster than earlier.

Shawn managed to enter his house shortly and he directly headed to the bathroom. 

With a thud, he dropped the rabbit's dead body in the bathtub, thinking that the dead body might be of use later on. 

Now having some spare time, he looked at the yellow screen again and looked through the content of the message. 

"It seems that killing monsters really gives us origin energy. That means that, in order to get stronger, killing those mutated animals is a must. Getting stronger also means a higher chance of survival. I guess killing monsters is going to be my main objective in the coming days."

He then proceeded to examine his body. After that white energy orb entered his body, he felt an improvement in strength and power. His mind even grew clearer, and his thoughts flowed much faster than normal.

Now that he thinks about it, even his speed became more swift and nimble. 

"The cause of these changes might be because it's my first time assimilating origin energy. The first absorption of origin energy might give more benefits than normal absorption. I don't believe that it's always like this for every monster I kill." 

He concluded, very much convinced about his own deduction. It might not be accurate, but it's safe to say that his strength grew by 30 or 40%, hence letting him to believe his own reasoning. 

Shawn suddenly threw a couple of punches in the air, even using the hatchet to strike a few times. He did all this to get accustomed to the sudden increase in power. Right now, he needed to familiarize himself with his strength, knowing that a slight miscalculation in battle could cost him his life.

He had participated in more than a dozen fights in the past. Several of those brawls included the use of knives, baseball bats, and other makeshift weapons. Those ruffians had nothing to lose, which made them all the more dangerous.

"Those rough days are over, and yet the gruesome days are coming," he sighed, knowing that tough times are approaching.

As he continued his practice, Shawn's movements became more precise and confident. He could feel the origin energy amplifying his strength and agility. He knew he had to master this power quickly, for the world outside was unforgiving, and hesitation could be fatal.

Satisfied with his progress, he decided it was time to move. He gathered his gear and set out, keeping his senses alert. His aim this time is to enter his neighbor's house and check on the situation there. He has a feeling that the couple might have met with an unfortunate fate.

He would then continue his journey to a small forest nearby. Some small animals build their habitat there, he might be able to kill them and strengthen himself. 

Traveling the same path he took earlier, he passed by the couple's backyard again.

That's where he had spotted the rabbit; the arm it had been gnawing on was still there, cast aside when the rabbit saw Shawn.

Treading carefully, he looked through the windows, scanning the place to see if he could spot the couple. However, the curtains obstructed his view. Shawn had no choice but to enter. He opened the door and walked in silently.

The house was eerily still. Dust motes floated in the air, illuminated by the thin rays of sunlight that managed to seep through the curtains. He even smelled a faint, unsettling odor.

He continued to explore the house, his senses on high alert for any sign of movement. As he moved from room to room, the eerie silence only deepened his sense of foreboding. Finally, he reached the living room, where he noticed signs of a struggle—overturned furniture, broken glass, and a dark stain on the carpet.

"That rabbit might just have really killed them. It's better if I expect that I will be facing them as zombies," he readied himself, guessing that he might face two zombies at the same time.

He looked at the stairs, and headed upstairs. Without much effort, he saw two zombies, both being in their middle age, shambling aimlessly in the hallway. Their clothes were torn, and their skin had taken on a pallid, lifeless hue. The middle-age woman even has an empty, hollow sleeve. Evidently, the arm that the rabbit was eating is hers. The sight confirmed his worries—the couple had indeed turned.

Shawn tightened his grip on his hatchet, his heart pounding. He needed to act quickly and decisively. The element of surprise was his best advantage.

He approached the first zombie, Mr. Carter, who was closest to him. With a swift, practiced motion, he swung the hatchet, aiming for the head. The blade connected with a sickening thud, and the zombie collapsed to the floor.

Before Mrs. Carter could react, Shawn turned and struck again. His hatchet found its mark, and she too fell lifeless to the ground. Breathing heavily, he took a moment to steady himself, his mind racing with the reality of what he had just done. 

Two white energy orbs came out of their bodies and then headed to him.

[You've successfully killed Level 5 Normal Zombie]

[You've successfully killed Level 5 Normal Zombie]

[You've leveled up to Level 2.]

Since their levels are higher than him, he still receives the origin energy that boosts his strength.

"This is what it takes to survive," he reminded himself grimly.

After ensuring the zombies were truly dead, he searched the upstairs rooms for any useful supplies. He found some canned food, a first-aid kit, and a few bottles of drinkable water—valuable resources in this apocalypse. He packed them into his bag and made his way back downstairs.

Stepping outside, Shawn felt a renewed sense of urgency. The small forest awaited, and he needed to continue growing stronger. The origin energy he had assimilated made a noticeable difference, and he was determined to gather more.

And so, without much further thought, he headed straight to the small forest.