Location: Safehouse #3 – Lower East Side, New York Time: 10:12 A.M.
You slid the Black Key Drive into an isolated, encrypted terminal buried in a Faraday-shielded bunker — one of DeadTrace's few trusted drops. Dust still hung in the air, but you weren't here for comfort.
You were here for the truth.
The monitor glowed softly.
[Item Detected: Omega Genesis Files – Encrypted Tier 5] [Activating Skill: Deep Analysis Lv. 1…] Decryption Time: 8 hours, accelerated via INT and System Boost... Estimated Time: 3 hours 47 minutes
As the files began to unpack, your system responded:
[Deep Analysis: Lv. 2 Unlocked] Encrypted file breakdown speed increased. Chance to extract hidden data: +15%
You paced.
Every minute brought you closer to answers.
And possibly to war.
FLASHBACK – Partial Memory Recovered: A child's scream. Your scream. Needles. Monitors. Voices yelling: "Subject Y/N's rate is off the charts. Shut it down!" But one woman's voice cut through the noise, calm and commanding.
"Let him adapt."
[Memory Thread Saved – Fragment: Director's Protocol Override]
Your focus snapped back as alerts pinged.
[Decryption Phase: 43% – Unlocked Data Available] You opened the first unlocked file.
Cradle Labs – Active Units:
Site A: Mexico City – Underground gene-cradle
Site B: Istanbul – Adaptive Weapon Research
Site C: Alaskan Wilderness – Test Habitat (Redacted)
Project Nexus: Relocation in progress… (status: UNKNOWN)
Total Subjects: 174 (Tagged: 8 "Exceptional", 1 "Singular")
One of those tags was you.
[Quest Updated: Destroy Cradle Sites A, B, and C before Nexus Activates]
Before you could continue, your system chimed:
[Innate Trait Unlock Progress: 80%] Adaptation Core Stabilising... Anticipated Unlock at Level 25 – "ADAPTATION"
A unique evolution-based ability will awaken. Monitoring system growth.
You leaned back.
So many lives, so many secrets buried beneath concrete, data, and blood. Ascendant wasn't gone — they'd just gone deeper.
But now, you have a map.
And they had a problem: you were getting stronger every day.
Incoming Message (Secure Channel – Origin: ll's Kitchen): Daredevil:
"Something's brewing in Brooklyn. Vigilante sightings. Gunrunners with experimental gear. Might be linked to Cradle Site A. Meet me tonight."
You closed the message and stood.
The files were being decrypted.
The clock was ticking.
And your next move?
War.