The Janitor Who became a God

Chapter 3: Blood, Code, and Silence

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 3B

Emily 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 mother looked worse, face pale, breath shallow, The hospital was no longer an option. Not when he was now flagged and probably on every facial recognition database in the city, he reached out to brush her forehead, then flinched. A pulse ran from his fingertips into her skin. Like static. Then,

[Vital Scan Detected – Passive Ability Activated] Name: Rose Ashford Status: Critical Organ Degradation: 46% Immune Suppression: High Internal Hemorrhaging: Moderate

Recommend: Systemic Stabilization Procedure – Locked (Requires 3 Mutation Fragments)

Fred stared. He hadn’t even realized… his eyes were glowing faintly again., he could see her condition. Diagnose it. One day, maybe… he could heal her. But not yet, “Hang in there, Mom,” he whispered. He kissed her cheek and went to the bathroom, heart pounding, and stared at himself in the mirror. He barely recognized the boy who had scrubbed toilets two nights ago.

Now his muscles were lean, his eyes sharper, skin clearer. A light crackled faintly at his fingertips, he whispered, “System... open.”

[Host Profile – Fred Ashford] Evolution Tier: 0 → Advancing (8%) Mutation Fragments: 1

New Evolution Path Detected: Primordial Core: Path of the Adapted

A rare evolutionary path allowing adaptation to any hostile environment. Grants accelerated skill learning, reflex mutation, passive regeneration, and environment-based ability crafting.

Skill Unlocked: Adrenal Core Activation – Lv.1 Vital Scan – Passive

Mutation Shop: [Locked] Energy Manipulation: [Locked] Subsystems: [Coming Online]

Fred’s fingers curled into fists. No more being weak. No more begging, running, hiding. He was evolving.

Elsewhere – Quantum Core Emergency Division

Dr. Leon Voss stared at the 3D model of Fred’s DNA. What he saw should’ve been impossible, “Subject shows rapid protein restructuring,” the AI said. “Genomic variance exceeds 1300% from baseline.”

“Mutation?” an assistant asked.

“No,” Voss whispered. “Something older. Something smarter.”

He looked at the empty containment chamber on screen, “We’ve awakened a ghost,” he said grimly. “And it chose him.”

“Shall we inform the council?”

“No. Not yet. Not until I know what he can become.” Evening – Alley Behind the Market

Fred followed a quest arrow again, this one directing him to a strange signal nearby. The HUD said: [Quest: Kill or Rescue Class I Parasite Carrier Detected] Reward: Mutation Fragment x1 | System Points x50

He approached a trash bin and saw movement, A man, clearly homeless, shivering and convulsing, veins glowing faintly violet under the skin, Fred stepped forward, and the man lunged, His mouth opened too wide, revealing fangs and tendrils. His skin pulsed. Eyes bulged unnaturally, The parasite had taken over, Fred barely dodged the first strike. A claw sliced the air where his throat had been.

Adrenal Core – Activate! The world slowed, He moved like a blur, ducking, countering, striking. Every motion felt guided, like something ancient had slipped into his bones.

He grabbed a metal pipe, jabbed it into the creature’s neck, and—crack—snapped it with a surge of strength.

The man collapsed, spasming. The parasite tried to escape his body.

But Fred’s hand pulsed with instinctive heat.

[Primordial Response Detected: Fire Surge – Lv.0]

Activated subconsciously…

Flames erupted from his palm, disintegrating the parasite in a burst of ash.

[Quest Complete] Mutation Fragment Acquired x1 New Ability: Fire Surge – Lv.0 EXP +120

Mutation Fusion Now Available: 2/3 Fragments Fred fell to his knees, heart hammering. The man was still breathing, barely. Fred checked his HUD.

[Stabilization Procedure: Available. Use 1 Mutation Fragment?]

He hesitated. He could save this man... or save his mother later. His finger hovered.

He pressed YES. Light flowed from his palm. The man gasped, spasmed, then stopped shaking. Fred fell back, exhausted. The system whispered: “You are evolving. But your choices define your path.”

“Power without purpose is just chaos.”

Final Scene – Slums Rooftop

That night, Fred stood alone on the roof, staring at the glowing city above, the dirt below.

The sky whispered possibilities. But below, Don Raze was watching. “He’s changed,” one of Raze’s men said.

“He’s a problem now.”

The mob boss lit a cigar. “Then let’s send him a message.”

“Start with the girl.”

Fred returns home to find his sister… missing.