Kuru 2

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K2 is an incurable and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disorder that has reached pandemic-levels throughout the world. It is unknown how K2 is contracted, but it is generally agreed that approximately 95% of the adult population in western countries carry the disease, most without knowing it. The disease, which may lay dormant for up to 30 years, leads to symptoms such as loss of neurological control, causing the host to have a violent psychosis episode.

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K2 is short for Kuru 2, which is derived from the neurodegenerative disorder that was formally common among people in some parts of Papua New Guinea in the mid-20th century. Despite the name, K2 is not linked to Kuru or the consuming of human remains, and despite extensive research, there is still no definitive answer on the cause and source of the disease.

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The first patient diagnosed with K2 and subsequently experiencing psychosis (now known as a ‘K-perp’) was a 62-year-old male from the Canadian province of Ontario, on 3 December 2025. It is generally accepted that there may have been K-perp outbreaks up to 18 months prior to this diagnosis elsewhere in the world, but this has never been verified. The first fatality at the hands of a K-perp, was on 11 December 2025. Again, this is the first confirmed death, and it is suspected there may have been others before this date.

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Outbreaks of K-perps have grown exponentially since 2026 and it has affected people from all cultures, countries, socioeconomic classes, and genders. There appear to be very few distinguishing patterns for its victims, except that K2 is significantly more prominent in western countries and certain age groups – in particular people between the ages of 40­-60. Despite this, there are cases in all age brackets above 21. Cases of K-perps in children are non-existent and those in young adults (18–21) are extremely rare.

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In the early years, when much about the disease was unknown, it wasn’t uncommon for a K-perp to kill several people (often friends and/or family members) before they were euthanised by the local law enforcement. However, in recent years the ratio of deaths caused by K-perps has decreased from 1:1.8 (deaths) to 1:07. This decease has been contributed to improved community awareness around the disease, the wide-spread availability of security and emergency responder products, and a large increase in police and security presence in major population centres and high-risk areas.

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Despite this, the number of reported K-perps has increased significantly in recent years]and this has correlated with an increase of deaths as direct results of the K-perp's actions.

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Signs and symptoms

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It is theorised that K2 lies dormant for 10-30 years before it awakens within its host and triggers the violent psychosis, normally in the space of 30-45 minutes. Often there are no clear signals for its onset, however, sometimes the host may experience a trembling sensation in their hands, blurred vision, and/or memory loss. A second stage of uncontrollable talking or laughing has also been observed. Once again, these symptoms are not experienced by all. It’s at the second stage that the victim loses control of their senses and communication abilities. At this point, the victim has transitioned to a K-perp.

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The third phase is the most terrifying for people who are in the vicinity of the K-perp. The K-perp will become compelled to harm those around them. How this homicidal tendency is carried out by the K-perp can be in various and mostly unpredictable ways. An early belief was that the K-perp would enter a rageful psychosis and grab the nearest items to use as potential weapons and then attack nearby people without any premeditation – however, this is now considered a myth, and in most cases, the K-perp will display an alarming degree of premeditation to harm its victims. This includes hiding in wait for its victims and taking time to find or create tools and weapons that will be the most effective and destructive. At all times the K-perp is uncommunicative and will not respond to anyone or any external stimulation, outside of their desire to cause harm.

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Another myth is that K2 gives the K-perp an extraordinary boost in physical power and strength. This is untrue. However, it is believed that the disease mutes pain receptors and therefore increases the K-perp’s pain tolerances, which can make them hard to combat.

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In some jurisdictions, K-perps are captured alive where possible and used for research. The life expectancy of a K-perp is short (5-7 days) as they have only the bare necessity of functions to keep themselves alive—however, research institutes and some prisons have been able to keep K-perps alive for up to 6 months. There is still no cure for the disease, and no K-perp has ever returned to their prior stable state.

 

Causes

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The cause of K2 is unknown. A theory is that it is caused by an environmental factor. Potentially the consumption of food or some other toxin eaten or breathed into the body. Another theory is that K2 is an ancient disease that may have been released by the melting of permafrost and subsequently has made its way into the community. None of these theories has been proven.

 

Impact and Containment

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Most communities deal with the increasing problem of K2 through education, special enforcement agencies, and a consumer market of security products and safeguards. Naturally, a lot of research is being funded on K2 as well. Governments advise the community to spot the early symptoms of K2 and have implemented K2 hotlines and applications for reporting. Special rapid policing and/or security units are often dispatched to deal with the K-perp and to protect and rescue potential victims.

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Despite the aggressive nature of the third stage of K2, K-perps are relatively harmless when appropriately constrained. Certain drugs can also be injected to place them in a comatose state, rendering them temporarily harmless. However, where a K-perp has reached stage 3 and is a danger to the community, they are most often euthanised by a trained police officer or guard. In some jurisdictions, this is a requirement and K-perps it is illegal to not euthanise a K-perp.

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Unfortunately, not all K-perps are reported or responded to in time, often leading to the injury and loss of lives. This is not uncommon. There have been deaths caused by single K-perps numbering in the dozens, and most jurisdictions regularly report on deaths caused by K-perps.

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There is an increasing fear of K2 in most communities, noting that everyone is a potential K-perp or victim of a K-perp. Significant communities’ resources are channelled into managing the pandemic, and there is a concern if the rates keep increasing, it will be at the long-term detriment to human society. This has also led to tense local, national and geo-political climate, and many conspiracy theories abound about the source of the disease. Most government and state agencies such as law enforcement, military, health and medical, and prisons are under increasing strain.

 

Research

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Research is ongoing to find the root cause and to come up with a cure for everyone carrying K2, and potentially a cure for K-perps as well. Most countries now contribute significantly to global research efforts on K2, including technologies to safeguard people and property from K-perps. The world’s largest K2 research organization is Cardinal Research, which receives approximately 90% of global medical research spend on K2. Cardinal Research has advised that they expect to have a cure for carriers of K2 within the next decade.

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