Manjiro wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning against the wall of an alley as the last of his "targets" fled into the darkness. The bruised gang member whimpered and stumbled away, leaving Manjiro alone in the shadows of New York City.
His body ached. Every joint, every muscle screamed in protest, a testament to two weeks of relentless fighting. He glanced at his system interface, which shimmered faintly before his eyes, showing two notifications that made the exhaustion worth it.
Upgrade Quest Complete
Objective: Defeat 50 criminals using Lycanthropy King or related abilities.
Reward: Lycanthropy King (Rank Up), New skill Primal Fury
Class Quest Complete
Objective: Beat up criminals brutally (30/30).
Reward: [Dark Hero - Adapt], New Class Skills unlocked!
[Primal Fury]
Allows the user to temporarily enter a heightened state of feral power. +50% Strength and Endurance for 3 minutes. Side Effect: Increased hunger and fatigue after use.
[Dark Hero - Adapt]
Skills Gained
[Shadow Bind - Rank E]
Create tendrils of shadow to immobilize or attack enemies.
[Intimidating Aura Rank F]
Emit a dark, oppressive presence that weakens the morale of enemies in the vicinity.
Night Stalker - [Rank D]
Enhanced stealth and agility in darkness.
Silent Strike - [Rank E]
Perform a precise, critical strike that deals bonus damage when undetected.
Vengeance Surge - [Rank C]
Temporarily increase power when facing multiple enemies or after sustaining damage.
Manjiro allowed himself a rare, fleeting smile as he looked at the screen. The grind had been brutal, but it was worth it. He clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of power coursing through him. With Primal Fury, he now had access to a transformation that made him even more dangerous. And the new class skills complemented his fighting style perfectly.
Despite the rewards, the past two weeks had taken a toll. Every night was a battle, ambushing gang members in dark alleyways and outmaneuvering heroes who had tried to intervene. His escape tactics had worked every time, but he could feel their suspicions growing. He needed to be more careful moving forward.
– Barbara Gordon (Oracle) –
As she read through different articles her interest increase.
She hadn't expected to return to this line of work after Bruce's death. But when Stars and Stripes, the number-one hero herself, asked for a favor, Barbara couldn't refuse.
Her favorite question recruit heroes to a newly established organization. A troubling trend had emerged over the past few months villains were organizing. The patterns were subtle, but her instincts told her something big was brewing. Jason was already on the trail, following a lead she had uncovered, but his radio silence only made her more uneasy.
At Stars and Stripes' urging, Barbara began assembling a network of potential heroes. She scoured news articles, local reports, and back-channel whispers for any lead. One, in particular, caught her eye a string of brutal vigilante attacks in New York City.
The articles described a shadowy figure targeting gang members in the dead of night. The attacks were violent, almost savage, with the victims left battered but alive. From the details, Barbara deduced this wasn't a trained hero. No arrests, no attempts to turn the criminals over to the authorities just raw, unrestrained force. A vigilante, likely young or untrained, operating outside the system.
The descriptions of the individual's quirk only deepened the mystery. Some witnesses claimed the figure manipulated shadows, while others swore they saw claws. There were even conflicting accounts of entirely different abilities, none consistent enough to form a clear picture.
Two possibilities came to mind. The first: multiple people were responsible, which seemed unlikely. A group operating in tandem would have left more evidence or slipped up enough for at least one member to be caught. The second: the vigilante had a highly versatile quirk, or more intriguingly they possessed the ability to acquire powers somehow. Such quirks were exceedingly rare and often came with steep drawbacks, but the potential they offered was enormous.
Either way, Barbara's curiosity was piqued. This individual was worth tracking down. If they could be brought into the fold, they might become a powerful asset.
So she was interested in recruiting him/her for now she only sent messages to two members of her new group setting up to New York to find this mysterious person.