"Initiate Replication Upgrade." Adrian couldn't get the words out fast enough.
A heat surged through him, still intense but different from the upgrades before. His body vibrated. He could feel the nanobots working furiously. They pulled at him, reshaping things and creating new connections and structures. The process was visceral, almost painful, as if his body were a forge. The overlay confirmed: Replication initiated. The power coursing through him was an intoxicating agony. A rush that made his blood zing. But the warning remained in the back of his mind. There is a faint instability in the nanobots. Like when a machine is pushed to its limits. He could feel it, a subtle tremor in his core, a whisper on the verge of chaos beneath the power.
Free Nanobots Available: 2,125
The city's unrest was growing. The sirens were louder and more frequent. A near constant wail that underscored the screams and shouts echoing through the streets. The ferals' presence was undeniable now, a shadow spreading across the city like a stain. People had started moving in groups. Their eyes darted every which way, prey on the look out for predators.
The city was holding its breath, waiting for the next attacks. Adrian moved deeper into the streets, his mind racing with possibilities. The Intelligence upgrade had given him clarity, but it had also raised more questions. The ferals weren't just accidental monsters, they were part of a design, a plan, a system he was only beginning to understand. The nanobots, the assimilation, the replication, they were tools, but for what purpose? His thoughts were interrupted by a low, guttural growl from a side street. He froze, his senses flaring, as he caught sight of a feral, this one larger than the others. Its body was hunched over but still appeared powerful.
Adrian's grip tightened on the pipe, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and disgust. This feral was different, stronger, more deliberate in its movements. He analyzed its movements: the way it paused to sniff the air, the way its muscles tensed as if sensing he was being watched. Adrian stepped into the open, his boots scuffing the pavement deliberately to draw its attention. The feral's head snapped up, its eyes locking onto his, and for a moment, they stared at each other, predator to predator.
Then it moved, faster than the others, a blur of claws and teeth. Adrian's enhanced mind processed its movement, its speed, its angles. As he dodged a blow, the pipe swung in a precise arc that caught the feral's shoulder, tearing through muscle. It roared, spinning to face him, and charged again, its claws slashing in a frenzy. Adrian ducked and weaved, his movements fluid, easily anticipating each attack. He drove the pipe into its side, feeling ribs crack, but the feral didn't falter. It grabbed the pipe, wrenching it from his hands with terrifying strength, and lunged, its teeth snapping inches from his throat.
Adrian rolled, grabbing a jagged piece of rebar from the ground. He came up swinging, the metal catching the feral across the face, splitting its cheek to the bone. Blood sprayed, but the creature kept coming. Adrian's mind raced, analyzing its resilience, this one's nanobots are different, more stable. He didn't have time to dwell on it. The feral charged again, and Adrian met it head-on, driving the rebar into its chest with all his strength. The creature howled, thrashing, but he twisted the metal deeper, pinning it to the ground. With the feral trapped he was able to grab up the pipe one more, and with a final desperate swing, he crushed its skull in.
He stood, panting, blood dripping from the rebar. The overlay flickered.
Free Nanobots Detected. Assimilate? [Y/N]
"Yes."
The silver mist was thicker this time, more potent, surging into him with a force that made his vision blur.
Assimilation complete. Free nanobots gained: 1,632. Total available: 3,757
The rush was overwhelming, his body vibrating with power, but the instability in the nanobots' was stronger now, a discordant note that set his teeth on edge. He dropped the pipe, his hands trembling, not from weakness but from the sheer intensity of the sensation. And the overwhelming reality of what he was becoming. The city was in trouble, the screams and sirens a constant backdrop now, a symphony of fear and violence. The ferals were spreading, their attacks no longer isolated.
He moved on, his mind honing ever sharper, piecing together the fragments of the puzzle. The ferals, the nanobots, the replication. He kept mulling it over. As he slipped deeper into the heart of the city he could feel the weight of unseen eyes on him. A prickling sensation at the back of his neck. He was being watched. Was he also being manipulated? Being used as a pawn in a game he didn't yet know the rules to. The nanobots whispered to him of power, enhancements, and battles yet to come. But they couldn't drown out the question burning in his mind:
Who is pulling the strings?
The city was bustling, but the morning air was thick with fear. Adrian moved through its streets, his boots splashing through puddles of rainwater. The rebar, recovered from the chest of the last feral and still slick with its blood, hung heavy in his hand. The weight of it grounding him against the relentless hum of the nanobots. The rush from his latest assimilation, 1,632 new nanobots, bringing his total to 3,757, still coursed through his system. It was an intoxicating surge of power. This time there was an edge of discord, a whisper of nanobot instability that gnawed at the edges of his mind.
His upgraded intelligence cataloged every detail of the city's descent: the boarded-up windows, the spray painted warnings like so much graffiti, the constant wail of sirens, the hurried footsteps of pedestrians moving in groups. The ferals were a plague upon the city, growing and spreading like an infection.
Signs of their rampage were everywhere. A car sat abandoned on a street corner, its windshield shattered, claw marks raking its hood like jagged scars. A streetlamp flickered, its base splattered with dried blood, nearby pavement littered with torn clothing. His predatory eyes were scanning everywhere hoping that something would help him put the pieces of the puzzle together.
A crackle of static cut through the air, followed by a megaphone's blaring command. "All citizens, return to your homes immediately. This is a citywide curfew. Stay indoors for your own safety." Adrian's gaze snapped up at the sound. He spotted a police cruiser rolling slowly down the street. Its lights flashing red and blue. Two officers walked at pace beside the rolling cruiser. They kept one hand on their holsters, eyes darting nervously to every alley. The one with the megaphone repeated the order, his voice tight with strain.
What few people on the street hurried away, their heads down, clutching belongings or each other. Adrian slipped into the shadows of an alley, his instincts screaming at him to avoid being noticed. The cops weren't just patrolling, they were scared, their movements jerky, their faces pale under their caps. His phone buzzed, startling him slightly. He pulled it out of his pocket. The screen glowed with a text from an unknown number, marked only as "City Alert": The message was cold and clinical in the way of the corporate world.
EMERGENCY NOTICE: Due to increased violent incidents, all residents are ordered to remain indoors. Avoid public areas. Report suspicious activity to authorities. Stay safe.
The government knew something, they had to. It might maybe not be the whole truth, but enough to lock the city down. He put the alert from his mind. The ferals, nanobots, and curfew were all connected. He headed in the direction to an older part of the city, sticking to the alleys where the shadows offered cover. The signs of feral presence grew more pronounced: a dumpster overturned, its contents spilling everywhere; a chain-link fence torn apart; blood smeared on doors and streetsigns.
A scream shattered his thoughts, sounding sharp and desperate. It was followed up by the crash of breaking glass. Adrian's head swung toward the sound, his body already on the move. He sprinted down a narrow street, enhanced speed blurring the world around him. As he rounded a corner he entered a scene of total chaos. A massive feral stood over a toppled newsstand, its claws buried in the wreckage. A man lay sprawled on the ground, blood already pooling beneath him, his eyes wide and unseeing.
The feral's glowing eyes locked onto Adrian, its lips peeling back to reveal jagged teeth dripping with red. It snarled, a low, guttural sound that vibrated in his chest. But before Adrian could act, another figure burst from the shadows. A man, lean and fast, moving with a grace that mirrored Adrian's own. His eyes gleamed faintly, a predatory sheen not unlike Adrian's. In his hand was a crowbar, its metal glinting in the dim light. The stranger didn't hesitate. He swung the crowbar in a brutal arc, catching the feral across the temple with a crack that echoed off the buildings. The creature staggered, blood spraying, but it lunged back in a counter attack. The stranger dodged, his movements precise and mechanical. He drove the crowbar into the feral's chest, twisting it with a sickening crunch. The feral gurgled an attempted howl, the stranger was relentless, slamming the crowbar down on its skull until it split open, blood and bone splattering in an arc.
Adrian stood frozen, his mind racing. This man was like him. Enhanced, nanobot-driven, a predator in human skin. Silver mist rose from the feral's corpse, curling upward, and flowing into the stranger. The stranger's eyes met Adrian's for a split second, a flicker of recognition passing between them, but before Adrian could speak, the man turned and sprinted into an alley. He vanished into the shadows as quickly as he'd appeared.
Adrian's overlay flickered, detecting the nanobots before flashing away. The stranger's presence changed everything, there were others like him, and they weren't all feral. Who was he? Part of the conspiracy, or another pawn like Adrian? The sound of approaching sirens snapped him out of his thoughts. He couldn't stay here, not with a body on the ground and blood on his hands. He slipped into an alley down the way a bit. His mind reexamined the encounter with the stranger. The man's movements, his strength and his eyes, were too similar to Adrian's own. The conspiracy was bigger than he'd thought, and he was no longer alone in it.
Chaos in the city was on the rise. Streets sounding of panic. Sirens wailed, lights flashed in blue and red strobes. Everywhere he looked Adrian caught glimpses of feral activity: a shattered storefront; its glass littering the sidewalk; claw marks etched into the metal shutters; a bicycle mangled beyond recognition; a child's backpack stained with blood and abandoned in the street. The curfew wasn't just a precaution, it was a desperate attempt to contain a city on the brink of total chaos.
A terrified scream tore through the air, its source nearby. Adrian's senses flared, pinpointing the sound parking lot one block over. The chain-link surrounding the lot ratted under an unseen force. He sprinted toward the sound. A low wall blocked his way, his speed and agility carried him over in a single bound. The lot was mostly cracked asphalt. Two ferals crouched in the center, their glowing eyes fixed on a group of three teenagers who were huddled behind a rusted car. Their faces pale with fear. One of the teens held a tire iron, his hands shaking, while the others clung to each other, their breaths coming in panicked gasps.
Adrian didn't hesitate. He charged, the rebar in his hand a blur as he swung it at the nearest feral. The metal connected with its shoulder, tearing through muscle and bone. The creature roared, spinning to face him, its claws slashing for his chest. Adrian ducked fast as his enhanced mind had anticipated the move. As he ducked he drove the rebar into the feral's gut. The feral staggered, blood spilling, but the second one was already on him, its teeth snapping inches from his throat. He pivoted, using its own momentum to slam it into the car, the metal denting beneath the impact. The teenagers screamed, trying to scramble even farther back, but Adrian didn't have time to stop and reassure them.
The first feral lunged again, its claws raking his arm, tearing through his jacket and drawing blood. The pain was sharp but fleeting, the nanobots buzzing to seal the wound. Adrian swung the rebar, catching the feral across the jaw, shattering bone. It collapsed, twitching, and he turned to the second, which was already charging. He met it head-on, driving the rebar into its chest with a force that chipped the asphalt beneath. The creature howled and thrashed, but Adrian twisted the metal deeper. With a final swing, he crushed its skull just like the others.
The teenagers stared, frozen, their eyes wide with terror. "Run!" Adrian barked, his voice rough with adrenaline. They didn't need to be told twice. The overlay flickered.
Free Nanobots Detected. Assimilate? [Y/N]
"Yes."
Assimilation complete. Free nanobots gained: 2,437. Total available: 6,149
The silver mist surged into him, he didn't know if he would ever get used to the jolt it gave. This assimilation pushed his total to 6,149 nanobots. The power was intoxicating, but the instability was undeniable now. His head began to throb accompanied by a low buzz. He could feel the nanobots straining, their replication pushing his body to its limits. He needed materials, organic, metallic in order to keep the process stable. The parking lot offered little: a few scraps of metal, the ferals' corpses, nothing substantial.
The sirens blared, their wail cutting like a blade. Adrian moved, slipping into another alley, his mind racing with the encounter with the stranger and the escalating feral threat. The city was a powder keg, and he was a spark, whether he wanted to be or not. His phone buzzed again, another alert: CURFEW ENFORCEMENT: All residents must remain indoors. Non-compliance will result in arrest. Report feral sightings immediately. The message was sterner now, the government's desperation clear. Adrian ignored it, his thoughts going back to the stranger. Was he an ally, a rival, or something else? The nanobots whispered of power, but they couldn't answer that question.
A woman's scream echoed from a nearby street, followed by the unmistakable snarl of a feral. Adrian's instincts kicked in once again, and he sprinted toward the sound, his speed carrying him over a pile of debris in a single leap.
Would he make it in time?