Location: Brooklyn Waterfront – Abandoned DockyardTime: 11:24 P.M.
Rain fell in sharp sheets, splattering across the rusted containers and puddle-soaked concrete. The dockyard smelt of oil, salt, and blood long washed away. A perfect place for ghosts to linger—and deals to go down.
You crouched behind a container, cloak drawn tight, scanning the yard.
[Stealth Lv. 5 – Active][Deep Analysis Lv. 2 – Minor Weaknesses Detected in 4 Hostiles]
Your computer clicked once, then again.
You looked up.
Daredevil stood across from you on a ledge, his red suit blending into the night. He nodded, then vanished into the dark like smoke.
You tapped your system.
Objective: Identify if smugglers are trafficking stolen Ascendant tech. Avoid alerting leaders.Bonus: Secure Data Chip from Lead Buyer.
The smugglers arrived in an unmarked truck. They were armed, sloppy in formation—mercs for hire. But your system tagged one of them immediately.
[Target Identified: Seraph-04 – Enhanced Operative | Status: Cradle Affiliate]
Subquest Triggered: Capture or Eliminate Seraph-04
You crept along the shadows, fingers flexing as you activated Iron Tiger Style.
From above, you heard a soft crack. Daredevil took down a lookout with surgical silence.
You moved in tandem.
Combat Initiated – You vs 3 Smugglers
You struck first, slamming your palm into one's chin and spinning into a hook that dropped another instantly.
+300 EXP[Iron Tiger Style Lv. 4 → Lv. 5 – New Passive: Precision Flow]Attacks have a 15% chance to ignore minor armour or resistance.
The third raised a shotgun, but a billy club flew from the dark and shattered it mid-aim.
Daredevil landed beside you.
"Seraph-04 is yours," he said, voice low. "I'll clean up the others."
You nodded.
You dashed after the fleeing enhanced mercenary. He was fast, augmented legs firing hydraulics as he vaulted crates. But you used Intercepting Step Lv. 4, closing the gap.
You collided with him mid-run, slamming him into a wall.
He fought back—sharp, deliberate, trained.
But your Reflex Read Lv. 1 kicked in.
You moved before he did, avoiding a blade and driving your knee into his ribs.
CRUNCH.
He dropped a glowing chip as he fell unconscious.
[Item Acquired: Ascendant Signal Beacon – Cradle Site Network][Quest Progress: Cradle Lab Locations 2/4]
Daredevil joined you, bruised but breathing.
"You're not just some vigilante," he said, eyeing you.
"I adapt," you replied simply.
He smirked. "Good. We're going to need that. Something's shifting underground."
Back at the safehouse, your system updated:
Level Up: 13 → 14Stat Points: +5 (Auto-distributed)
STR: 20
DEX: 20
END: 20
INT: 20
WIS: 20
CHA: 20
LUCK: 10
[Trait Progress: Adaptation Core – 84%]
[New Skill Acquired: Pressure Counter Lv. 1]A reactive martial skill that activates when dodging, delivering a forceful strike from a defensive stance.
The files were almost decrypted. The Cradle sites were real.And now, you are one step closer.
They made you into a weapon.
But they forgot one thing:
Weapons adapt.