The rain had stopped, but the streets of Southside Chicago gleamed wet under the dim streetlights. Shaquille Jordan's chest heaved, crimson eyes scanning the shadows. Every alley, every broken streetlight whispered danger.
He was alive. He had survived the alley punks. And now… he wanted more.
The system had already assigned him a quest:
System Notification
Quest Available: "Test Your Instincts"Objective: Survive against an enemy stronger than youReward: +3 Strength, +2 Instinct, Skill Upgrade – Blood Frenzy Lv.1
Shaquille's jaw tightened. Stronger than him? Good. Let's see what this blood-altered body could really do.
The Predator Senses
Two blocks over, in an abandoned park overrun with weeds and cracked concrete, a figure waited. Broad-shouldered, scarred across his face, and eyes sharp with experience. The man moved like he was already calculating Shaquille's movements before he stepped forward.
"You're the kid they call Bloodjaw?" the man said. His voice was low, controlled, like a predator sizing up prey. "I've heard of you. Let's see if the rumors are true."
Shaquille didn't reply. He didn't need to. Every instinct screamed at him: Hunt. Kill. Survive.
The first swing came like a sledgehammer. Shaquille's body twisted, coiling and striking like a primitive animal. He ducked low, shoulder-first, catching the man in the chest and sending him sprawling back.
The Pickle-Style Fight
Shaquille moved like a force of nature. Each strike was jagged, wild, and unpredictable—more like a predator than a human. He lunged low, sweeping the man's legs out from under him, then followed up with elbows and knees, each strike designed to exploit the weakest points his instincts could sense.
Pain hit him, but he didn't flinch. He used it. Every ache, every bruise, every nerve screaming in agony sharpened his movements.
The man recovered quickly, throwing hooks and jabs, but Shaquille's Bloodjaw instincts allowed him to sense openings—a twitch in the shoulder, a fraction of hesitation, a misstep. He attacked with claw-like precision, elbows cracking ribs, knees smashing knees, shoulders battering heads.
Every move was violent, raw, and terrifying, a brawler with no technique, only instinct and predatory precision.
System Notification
Blood Frenzy Lv.1 ActivatedPassive: +50% reaction speed under adrenalinePassive: Weak point detection enhancedActive: Blood Surge – temporarily increases damage by 50%
Shaquille didn't notice the system notifications anymore. He didn't need to. Blood Frenzy coursed through him. Every strike felt amplified. Every dodge was instinctual.
The fight became chaotic—a blur of movement, grunts, bone-cracking impacts. Shaquille's grin stretched unnaturally wide. The city itself seemed to shrink around him. Only him and the prey remained.
Predator vs Predator
The man tried a sweeping kick, but Shaquille lunged low, grabbed the ankle, and slammed him into the ground. Concrete cracked. Teeth flew. Blood mixed with rainwater.
The man rolled, tried to scramble, but Shaquille was already on him—clawing, elbowing, smashing. Each strike precise, each movement unpredictable, each attack delivered with caveman brutality.
He roared, a sound that wasn't human. The red glow in his eyes reflected in the man's horror as he realized this wasn't just a fight. It was a hunt.
System Notification
Quest Complete: Test Your InstinctsReward: +5 Strength, +3 Instinct, Skill Upgrade – Blood Frenzy Lv.2Warning: Humanity decreasing. Beast instincts rising.
Shaquille stepped back, chest heaving, crimson eyes blazing. The man lay broken, barely conscious. Shaquille didn't feel remorse, didn't feel victory. Only hunger.
Somewhere in the shadows, something larger than a human moved. Watching. Waiting.
The hunt had only just begun.