Predator and Prey
Chapter Four: Predator and Prey
The world slowed.
Quinn's breath caught as the Possessed lunged, its elongated fingers curling like claws.
WHOOSH!
His body twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp swipe. The air hissed as the claws missed him by inches, carving through empty space where his throat had been.
SCHING!
The alley walls behind him were slashed apart—not just by claws, but by dark energy slashes that extended from its fingertips, carving deep gashes into the bricks.
Quinn stumbled back, heart hammering.
The Possessed straightened, its head tilting slightly, an eerie grin stretching across its bloodstained lips.
"Fast one, aren't you?" it rasped, voice like grinding metal.
Quinn didn't respond. His pulse was a war drum in his ears. His hands clenched into fists as fear surged through him.
This thing was inhuman—strong, unpredictable. And it wanted to kill him.
For a second, panic threatened to take over. His body wanted to run. His instincts screamed that he was not a fighter, that he had never faced a monster before.
But then—
His mind snapped back.
Memories flooded in—countless hours of training, every sparring match at the underground fight club. The fights against his best friend, where he had learned to counter, dodge, strike.
He wasn't just some weakling.
He knew martial arts.
Quinn's stance shifted. His feet adjusted, his shoulders squared, and his breathing steadied.
His body remembered.
The Possessed noticed.
It let out a low chuckle and lifted its hands into a mocking stance, its fingers twitching, black energy crackling around its nails.
Boom.
They moved at the same time.
The alleyway erupted into motion as Quinn launched himself forward, his muscles coiled like springs.
The Possessed swiped—Quinn ducked.
A second claw strike came for his ribs—he twisted, deflecting the attack with his forearm.
WHOOSH!
A jagged wave of dark energy shot out from its hand, splitting the pavement beside him.
"Shit!" Quinn barely avoided it. The shockwave sent bits of debris flying past his face.
And then his counter came like lightning.
BAM!
Quinn's fist drove into the monster's jaw, sending it stumbling back. The shock in its glowing eyes was unmistakable. It hadn't expected him to hit that hard.
But Quinn wasn't done.
He dashed forward—at blinding speed.
His knee rocketed into the Possessed's gut. The force sent the creature reeling, coughing up black bile.
"What's wrong?" Quinn growled. "Not so hungry now?"
The Possessed let out a guttural snarl and swung both arms in a vicious arc.
SLASH—SLASH!
Twin crescent-shaped energy waves shot toward Quinn, the sheer force splitting the air with a violent crack.
Quinn's instincts screamed—MOVE!
He dove to the side, rolling as the slashes tore through a metal dumpster behind him, slicing it clean in half.
"He's actually dangerous."
The realization only made Quinn more focused.
He weaved around a claw strike. Countered.
BAM!
His fist slammed into the creature's ribs—crack!
A wild swing came for his face. Quinn leaned back, letting the claws slice nothing but air.
His eyes gleamed. He could see everything. Every movement, every slight weight shift.
The Possessed felt slow.
"Am I really this fast?"
It didn't matter.
He had the upper hand.
The Possessed roared in frustration and lunged wildly—its biggest mistake.
Quinn stepped forward.
His fist cocked back.
A rush of power surged through his body, his muscles tightening like a coiled spring. The world seemed to pause for a split second.
Then—
BOOM.
His punch connected squarely with the Possessed's skull.
The impact detonated like an explosion. The sheer force sent shockwaves through the alley. The Possessed's head didn't just snap back—it burst.
Blood. Bone. Gray matter.
Gone.
The body collapsed instantly, twitching before falling still.
Silence.
Quinn stood over the lifeless corpse, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. His knuckles dripped with blackened blood.
Then—
Ding!
A notification flashed before him.
[Possessed (C-Rank) Eliminated]
+15000 Mana Gained.
His vision blurred for a moment, and suddenly, something shifted inside him. A warmth pulsed through his body—faint, but there.
His mana… was growing.
Quinn stared at his hands, "plus 15000 mana huh" he said to himself, he had done it.
He had killed a Possessed.
And for the first time in his life, he felt like a predator.
The silence didn't last.
Somewhere in the distance, Quinn heard voices. Footsteps.
The fight had been loud. Too loud.
His heart pounded as he realized he didn't have much time before someone arrived.
But before he left—
He remembered something.
"When humans get possessed, a core forms inside their body."
He had heard that countless times. A core, filled with mana and corruption. A source of power. And something that could be sold for a hefty price.
Quinn's gaze dropped to the lifeless body of the Possessed man.
He hesitated for a moment and then, he crouched, his fingers curling into a fist.
Then—
He drove his hand straight into the corpse's chest.
His fingers pierced through flesh, pushing past muscle and broken ribs.
His hand closed around something hard.
With a sickening squelch, he ripped it out.
A glowing red core sat in his palm, faintly pulsing, almost like it was alive.
Quinn exhaled, staring at it for a moment before stuffing it into his pocket. His hands were drenched in blood, but he didn't care.
Without another glance at the bodies—the woman and the monster—he turned and strode away from the alley.
Quinn's next stop was a place he had only ever heard about: The Awakened Guild Commission (AGC)
A massive, modernized building stood before him, easily the most impressive structure in the entire district. Unlike the rundown shops and crumbling apartments that surrounded it, the AGC gleamed under the dim streetlights, its glass panels reflecting the city's neon glow.
This organization monitored upcoming groups aiming to become recognized guilds.
It was a place to buy and sell cores. And they registered newly awakened.
Quinn stepped inside.
The interior was bustling with people. Awakened, clad in combat gear, their weapons still dripping with blood. Merchants and middlemen looking to profit off the chaos.
He walked up to the reception desk labeled CORE EXCHANGE.
Behind it sat a sharp-dressed receptionist, a woman with short silver hair and piercing green eyes. She barely glanced at him—until Quinn reached into his pocket and pulled out the red core.
Her gaze snapped to him.
Without a word, she took the core and placed it inside a machine.
The device hummed, scanning the core.
Then, the receptionist looked up.
"Did you kill a Possessed?" she asked, voice sharp with curiosity.
Quinn gave a slight nod.
The receptionist blinked. Then her eyes flicked to the screen.
"A C-rank at that…" she muttered, surprised.
A moment later—
Ding!
A notification popped up on Quinn's phone.
$55,000 credited to your account.
Quinn stared at the screen.
Fifty-five thousand dollars.
For one kill.
A slow grin crept across his face.
This wasn't just money. This was freedom.
Quinn's next stop was a place he had only ever heard about: The Awakened Guild Commission (AGC) With this, he could start changing his life.
On his way home, Quinn stopped by a grocery store.
For the first time in years, he didn't have to count his cash.
He filled the cart. Meat, vegetables, rice, snacks—everything his sister loved but could never afford.
As he checked out, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"Emily going to be so surprised when she gets home."
For once—
Today felt fruitful.