Sanity

The seemingly modest blow to the head belied its true impact for the audience; one wouldn't expect a precise attack to bring down such a formidable figure.

As Jack struck Raks hard on the head, Rak abruptly halted, a momentary numbness seizing him. One might anticipate a more dramatic response, but Rak crumpled and crashed to the floor, with Jack agilely dismounting and landing.

At that moment, a system message materialized.

[Quest completed]

[Reward: 500 Exp]

[550 /800 Exp]

[First time defeating a superhuman]

[Reward: 500 Exp]

[1050/ 800 Exp]

Level up!

[Level 5]

[250/1600 Exp]

[Skill unlocked]

[Claw]

[Skill unlocked]

[Inspect]

Once again inundated by the system's notifications, Jack reveled in the wisdom of his decision to engage in combat for Exp. Jack now understood that Exp wasn't solely acquired from zombie kills but extended to triumphs over humans. Though he wondered about the Exp yield from defeating a human.

Beyond the elation of leveling up and amassing Exp, Jack found himself surprised by the skills he had gained: [Inspect] and [Claw].

'Hm, I'd like to try those skills, but that'll have to wait,' Jack thought as he rose to his feet. His ribs were still healing, slightly limiting his mobility. Despite feeling no pain, Jack's body retained a human-like vulnerability, with certain organs no longer functioning.

However, like a human, his superhuman bones could break, even though they were considered stronger than those of regular humans. As Jack observed Rak lying on the floor, completely unconscious.

The crowd stood there, their mouths agape, stunned by the shocking turn of events. It was incomprehensible to them that someone as seemingly inconspicuous as Jack could effortlessly defeat Rak, who loomed large in comparison. A single blow to the head had rendered the imposing figure powerless.

The once lively and crowded bar descended into an eerie silence, with not a single word uttered. The atmosphere shifted abruptly, leaving an air of disbelief lingering. In the midst of this palpable tension, the announcer took center stage.

"Looks like we have an unexpected winner, Jack," the announcer declared, attempting to seize Jack's hand and raise it in triumph. However, Jack resisted, slipping out of the ring and exiting the bar, clutching his broken ribs.

As Jack made his exit, the onlookers remained in a state of shock. Leo, among them, couldn't help but muse, 'Hm, I knew he wasn't normal,' as he observed Jack's departure.

The story continued to unfold, leaving the audience captivated by the enigmatic Jack and the mysteries that surrounded him.

.....

Jack, absorbed in his work along the street, felt the freedom of movement after his ribs had finally healed. Despite this newfound physical freedom, an air of contemplation surrounded him.

As he exited the bar, a peculiar system notification caught Jack's attention, introducing a feature that left him uneasy.

[New feature unlocked]

[Sanity]

Upon inspecting his stats, Jack discovered the unsettling truth.

[User: Jack Hales]

[Race: Undead]

[Sanity: 50%]

[Level 5]

[250/1600 Exp]

[Strength: 11]

[Agility: 11]

[Stamina: 11]

[Status point: 1]

Jack, familiar with undead lore, understood the potential ramifications. Traditionally, undead creatures were depicted as mindless, flesh-eating entities. The [Sanity] feature now marked his duration of sanity.

Initially intrigued by the idea of gaining powers and becoming more formidable through the system, Jack's perspective shifted with the introduction of the sanity feature.

'Why is it decreasing?' Jack worriedly pondered as his sanity dwindled by 2% with each passing hour.

[Sanity: 36%]

[Due to the high amount of damage sustained and healed, your sanity percentage will decrease by 2 every hour. Unless…]

Anxiety gripped Jack as he yearned for an explanation.

'This could be a problem,' he thought. 'Unless what? Tell me!'

With uncertainty looming over the consequences of reaching zero sanity, Jack voiced his concern.

[Unless, you feed on human flesh]

"What?!" Jack exclaimed.

...

Suddenly, Jack snapped his eyes open, rising from his bed. Sleep eluded him, not just because he was already dead, but due to the unsettling system notification urging him to consume human flesh for sanity.

'I can't possibly commit such an inhumane act,' Jack reasoned, uncertain of the repercussions. Despite his skepticism, the system notification persisted.

[Sanity: 24%]

'It's probably nothing. If it were true, I would have seen some signs,' Jack reassured himself, attempting to dismiss the ominous message.

Today marked Jack's first encounter with supernatural creatures as he joined Leo and his team on a hunting expedition. Determined to distract himself from the disturbing system message, Jack hastily prepared for the day ahead, choosing to ignore the unsettling call to feed on flesh.

When Jack completed his bout, he rendezvoused with Leo and his comrades in the hallway, seamlessly joining their company.

"So, you never mentioned your prowess in combat and strength," Leo remarked, reminiscing about the riveting match he witnessed between Jack and Rak in the ring. After Jack was declared the victor and departed, Rak was promptly whisked away for healing. In this society, with individuals possessing remarkable healing abilities, traditional hospitals had become obsolete.

"Yeah, I suppose," Jack replied, fixing his gaze on Hewitt and Bin, who nonchalantly disregarded his stares. The previous night's fight was undeniably their doing, and Jack harbored a silent determination to exact revenge on these individuals.

Exiting the hotel building, the group traversed through the bustling streets until they arrived at a grand edifice—a contemporary skyscraper with sleek glass exteriors that soared gracefully into the skyline. The lobby exuded sophistication, featuring polished marble floors and avant-garde art installations. As they ascended in high-speed elevators, each floor revealed a harmonious blend of open collaborative spaces and private offices, bathed in natural light streaming through expansive windows that framed breathtaking city views. This architectural marvel seamlessly fused functionality with aesthetic appeal, crafting an environment that fostered both dynamism and inspiration.

"Let's gear up," Leo declared, leading the way into the building, the others following suit.

.....

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