Kiel stood at the edge of the ruins of Black Hollow, the scent of ash and blood still fresh in the air. Survivors were few. Those who remained either hid in terror or wandered in shock, muttering to themselves like ghosts trapped between worlds.
He could feel it — the silence that came after a predator marked its territory. Delta-13 had made its move. Kiel wasn't just on its radar now. He was on its list.
[MAIN QUEST UPDATED: "Apex Hunt – Survive and Ascend"]
Subtask: Form Pack (0/3 minimum members)
Reward: Unlock "Alpha Bond" ability – grants passive stat boost and skill sharing with bonded members.
Merren stood beside him, arms crossed, watching him with a mix of caution and curiosity. "You sure about this? Leading a pack means more than just being strong. It means being responsible."
"I'm not building a family," Kiel replied. "I'm building a force."
He turned toward the outpost ruins. "And we don't have time to wait."
Their first stop was the Pit, an underground arena on the outskirts of Sector 13. It was brutal, lawless, and full of system-wielders who didn't play nice with rules.
If Kiel was going to find others strong enough to stand against Delta-13, it would be here.
The crowd was wild — cheering over a duel between a fire-wielding mutant and a woman with bladed limbs who moved like liquid steel.
Kiel watched from the shadows until he saw her.
She stood over her fallen opponent, eyes glowing gold, blood dripping from elongated claws.
"Name's Sylah," Merren whispered. "Ex-militia. Got booted for killing her commanding officer and eating his heart. She's… not exactly stable."
Kiel smirked. "Perfect."
He approached as Sylah stepped out of the arena. Her golden eyes narrowed at him.
"You looking to die?" she asked, licking a blade that protruded from her wrist.
"I'm looking to recruit," Kiel said plainly. "You're strong. But you're fighting rats in a cage."
She raised a brow. "And you're offering…?"
"Freedom. Power. Purpose. I'm hunting something bigger than anything in this pit."
She paused.
Then smiled, sharp and wide.
"I like killing. But I like killing stronger things more. You get me that, I'm in."
[NEW MEMBER: Sylah – Rank: Mutant-Class Berserker]
[Bonded Trait Shared: "Razor Regeneration" – Minor HP regen over time]
[Pack Members: 1/3 Minimum]
[Alpha Bond Partially Activated]
Kiel felt it immediately — a pulse, like a thread connecting his core to hers. A shared instinct, barely noticeable, but growing.
Sylah cracked her neck. "So… who's next?"
Their second recruit was harder to convince.
His name was Drexx, a system user who had modified his body with machine augmentations. Half his skull was metal, and his spine glowed with shifting circuits. He lived in the Deadzone, where rogue AI fragments made the very air glitch.
He was smart, calculating, and one step away from becoming a machine entirely.
"I don't join packs," Drexx said flatly, as Kiel stood across from him in the static-filled ruins. "People slow me down."
"I don't need people," Kiel replied. "I need weapons. You're one."
Drexx smirked. "You sure you can handle me, Apex?"
Kiel stepped closer, letting his aura flare.
Predator to predator.
"Try me."
Ten minutes later, Drexx stood beside Sylah, both of them sharing a look that said 'This is gonna be interesting.'
[NEW MEMBER: Drexx – Rank: Techno-Warlock]
[Bonded Trait Shared: "Overclock" – Temporary speed and processing boost]
[Pack Members: 2/3 Minimum]
[Alpha Bond Strengthening – Passive boost to all bonded allies activated.]
Merren approached slowly. "That's two. Who's the third?"
Kiel looked out over the horizon.
His eyes burned.
"I don't know yet," he said. "But I'll find them."
Because to take on a monster like Delta-13…
He'd need monsters of his own.