A Place for Killers

Jarek moved carefully through the abandoned outskirts, past collapsed highways and broken towers.

This far from the Safe Zone, the land didn't belong to people anymore. It belonged to the things that fed on them.

Jarek's steps barely made a sound.

Shadow Step was working. His body felt smoother, more controlled. Each step wasted less energy, his movements instinctively adjusting to avoid unnecessary weight shifts.

It was becoming natural.

But he was still an idiot.

His fingers brushed over the small, jagged core from the Shadewhisper Fox in his pocket.

His first one.

How many beasts had he killed? Three? Four? And not once had he thought to take their cores?

That was money wasted.

Jarek clenched his teeth.

He had been fighting just to survive, never thinking beyond the moment.

But survival wasn't enough.

If he wanted to evolve, he had to think like a predator.

No more stupid mistakes.

Hunt. Kill. Take everything.

The Safe Zone was far behind him now, just a dim glow in the distance. Here, past the old highways and broken towers, the world still belonged to monsters.

Jarek had been tracking something for the last half hour.

Claw marks on the stone. Dried blood in the dirt.

A Ravager Boar, maybe. Something strong.

If he could take down a bigger beast, he could test how far his new strength went.

His pulse thrummed with anticipation.

Jarek heard voices.

He froze.

People?

He slipped behind the husk of a rusted-out bus, peering through shattered windows.

Two figures.

One was a girl.

She was injured. Breathing heavy. Clothes torn from a fight. A single knife in her grip.

The other?

A Hunter.

Bigger than her. Unscathed. Calm. His stance was loose, his voice too casual.

Jarek recognized that body language.

The girl wasn't his ally.

She was his prey.

"You should be thanking me," the man said smoothly. "You know what kind of things hunt out here?"

The girl's grip tightened around the knife. "I can handle myself."

The Hunter chuckled, stepping closer. "Yeah? That why you're bleeding?"

Jarek felt something coil in his gut.

Not anger. Not morality.

Hunger.

The same feeling he got when he saw beasts.

Like instinct whispering—this one is prey.

Jarek exhaled slowly.

He wasn't here to be a hero.

But this guy was bad.

And Jarek was hungry.

Jarek moved before he thought.

Shadow Step activated.

His body flowed forward—silent, precise, a ghost in motion. The Hunter didn't register the attack until it was already landing.

The steel pipe slammed into his ribs.

A direct hit. Bone cracked.

The Hunter staggered. His body flinched—not just from the force, but from the way Jarek had appeared out of nowhere.

For just a second, uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

But then—he absorbed the impact, twisting with the force.

And struck back.

Fast. Brutal. Precise.

Jarek barely saw the counterattack.

A fist lashed out—he twisted, but it clipped his jaw.

Blinding pain.

Jarek stumbled, forced to retreat.

The Hunter rolled his shoulders, smirking. "Bad move."

Jarek's grip tightened on the pipe. Shit.

This wasn't like fighting beasts.

This guy was trained.

And he was strong.

The Hunter lunged.

Jarek barely ducked the first strike but the second slammed into his ribs.

Pain exploded through his torso.

Jarek gasped, nearly dropping his weapon.

The Hunter didn't let up.

A knee shot toward Jarek's gut—he twisted, barely avoiding it.

He swung his pipe—the man ducked, and countered.

An elbow crashed into Jarek's shoulder—his arm went numb.

Jarek's vision blurred.

I'm losing.

He was faster than the Ravager. Stronger than the Striker. More skilled than Jarek.

A real Predator tier fighter.

Jarek gritted his teeth.

No.

Not yet.

The Hunter smirked, stepping forward. "What's wrong? You were quick to jump in—where's that fight now?"

Jarek forced himself to think.

Speed alone wouldn't win this.

If he was weaker—he had to be smarter.

He couldn't trade blows. Couldn't go head-to-head.

He needed to end it. Fast.

The Hunter lunged again—predictable.

Jarek sidestepped—let the attack graze past him—

Then dropped low—sweeping the Hunter's leg out from under him.

The man toppled.

Jarek drove his knee into the Hunter's ribs, striking the same spot he had cracked earlier. Bone ground against bone—a sickening crunch as pain ripped through the man's body.

The Hunter choked, his breath shattering into a gasp. His stance wavered, muscles seizing—a moment of weakness.

Jarek didn't hesitate.

He swung with everything he had.

The steel pipe crashed into the back of the Hunter's skull with a sickening crack. Bone caved inward, the impact sending a wet explosion of blood, brain matter, and shattered skull fragments spraying across the pavement—and onto Jarek.

The Hunter's body seized violently, legs twitching, fingers clawing uselessly at the ground.

Jarek pounced, grabbing his head—

And slamming it into the ground.

Silence.

Jarek breathed hard.

His ribs ached. His muscles burned.

But he was alive.

The blood began sinking into his skin.

 [GENETIC INTEGRATION COMPLETE.]

Jarek's vision flickered.

His body tensed.

 NEW COMBAT SKILL ACQUIRED: "Predator's Instinct."

 Increases reaction speed against humanoid opponents.

 Improves ability to read body movements and anticipate attacks.

Jarek's breath caught.

His stomach clenched.

Something was wrong.

This skill…

It only worked against humanoid opponents.

Why?

Every other trait had been a natural extension of his fights. Reflexes from the Striker. Strength from the Bull. Stealth from the Fox.

But this…

Was the system trying to make him fight humans?

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

Was that what he was evolving into?

The girl hadn't moved.

Jarek turned to her.

Up close, she looked younger than he expected—maybe a year or two younger than him. Not weak, but not strong enough.

She should have run by now.

Instead, she was staring at him.

Not in fear.

In awe.

"You're... not normal."

Jarek wiped his hands, the blood already gone. "Yeah. Figured that out already."

She swallowed. "You just—"

"Yeah."

Silence.

Then, she squared her shoulders. "I owe you."

Jarek frowned. "I didn't do it for you."

She smirked. "That's what makes it interesting."

Jarek sighed, glancing down at the body.

He had more important things to deal with.

But before he could take the man's gear—

Distant footsteps.

Jarek stilled.

Not one person. Not two.

An entire group.

The girl's jaw tightened. "His team."

Jarek exhaled. Of course he wasn't alone.

The voices were getting closer. They weren't shouting.

They weren't running.

They weren't worried.

They were hunting.

Jarek glanced at the girl. "Can you run?"

She smirked. "Can you?"

Jarek smirked back.

He grabbed the dead Hunter's weapon—if he had to fight, he wouldn't do it empty-handed.

Then he and the girl vanished into the ruins—with a pack of killers right behind them.