Rain fell like broken glass on the rusted rooftops of the slums. The air reeked of sewage, oil, and regret. Potholes filled with dirty water reflected a fractured skyline, one side glittering with skyscrapers and flying transports, the other a graveyard of dreams.Fred Ashford pulled the collar of his patched jacket tighter around his neck and tightened his grip on the grocery bag, the weight of a few potatoes and rice dragging his arm down like guilt. Every coin had been bartered with sweat and bruises.He reached their building,if it could be called that. A three-story deathtrap of concrete and mold, walls papered with graffiti, warnings, and faded "Missing" posters. Kids played with scrap metal nearby, too skinny, too quiet.He climbed the cracked steps, careful to avoid the third one that caved inward. Apartment 3B smelled of damp clothes and antiseptic. Inside, his little sister Emily sat curled up on their mattress, hugging a tattered teddy bear. Their mother lay on the couch-tu

The city’s dawn was a lie. Skyscrapers bathed in golden light masked the rot below. Fred hurried through the slums, hoodie drawn tight, body humming with unfamiliar energy. His feet moved faster, his breaths sharper. Every color seemed more vivid, every sound clearer. The world had changed, or maybe he had.Behind him, Quantum Core’s gates had slammed shut. No alarms. No chase. Just eerie silence, he didn’t know what they would do next. But his gut screamed: You need to run.Back Home – Slums, Apartment 3BEmily met him at the door. “Where were you?! I thought” He grabbed her, held her tight.“Something happened,” he whispered. “But I’m okay. Are you?”She hesitated. “Two men came by. Suits. Black cars. Said they were with… Quantum Core.”Fred’s blood froze. “They asked if you lived here. I lied. Said I didn’t know you.”He cursed silently. They're tracking me already. “Did they hurt you?”“No. But they scared Mama. She had a fever all night.”Fred stepped into the bedroom. Their moth

The warehouse trembled under the sound of approaching death, two riot-class enforcers, each a mountain clad in reinforced armor, stormed toward Fred like twin battering rams forged for war. With every step, the cracked concrete groaned. Their metal fists caught the flickering overhead lights, casting shifting, monstrous shadows.Fred didn’t run. Instead, he lowered his stance, breath steadying even as his limbs ached from earlier skirmishes. His eyes narrowed, tracking every movement.[Instinct Surge: Critical Reflex – Active]Target Weakness Detected: Joint gaps – Neck, Knee, Underarm Adrenal Core: Engaged Fire Surge – Lv.0: IgnitedMutation Sync: 97%... Surge Possible He inhaled and moved. BOOM!The first enforcer’s strike came like a meteor. Fred ducked under the swing, twisted, and slammed his open palm into the armored underarm, just beneath the shoulder plating, A jet of flame erupted from his palm.FOOOOOOM!The impact melted armor like wax. Metal hissed, and synthetic muscle t

The warehouse still smoldered behind them. Fred carried Emily in his arms, her small frame wrapped in his burnt jacket. Her breathing had steadied, but her grip on his shirt remained tight, She hadn't spoken since Ivy disappeared, the night felt colder now, not just from the rain, but from the knowledge Fred carried.There are hundreds of them. Labs. Creatures. Monsters, he looked down at his hands, burned, blistered, but healing already. Faster than they should.[Health Regen Passive – Activated] Minor wounds: Recovery in 12 minutes Pain Reduction: 40% Adrenal Core: Stabilizing...He wasn’t normal anymore. Back at HomeWhen they got back to their tiny slum apartment, Fred kicked the door shut and placed Emily gently on the mattress. Their mother stirred slightly but didn’t wake, Fred went to the sink, stared at himself in the cracked mirror. The person looking back had golden veins still glowing faintly beneath his skin. What am I becoming?[System Notification] Name: Fred Ashford

The sirens wailed louder now. A red strobe pulsed from the vault’s ceiling, casting Ivy’s pale face in crimson light. Fred stood frozen between her and the damaged core. One voice pleaded for freedom. The other demanded restraint. “Step away from it,” Ivy said. Calm. Focused. Deadly. Fred glanced at the suspended orb, black veins spiderwebbing across its surface, glowing with unstable light.“Why?” he asked. “What is it?” She hesitated.“It’s the echo of a failed god,” she said. “It thinks it's alive. But it's just a scar.” Fred didn’t move.“It speaks to me.”“It lies to you.”System Prompt Choice Detected The Cracked Core is requesting integration. Accept: Gain [Primordial Instinct – Tier 0] Perks: Adaptive Combat AI (Unstable), Memory Fragment Access, Core Bleed (Risk: 87%) Reject: Gain [Stability Perk: Flame Disciplined] -Perks: Fire Efficiency +12%, Mutation Lockdown, Enhanced Focus Destroy: Unknown consequenceThis choice will permanently affect your core evolution. Fred cle