Herald of death

Ethan pushes the door of a small Chinese restaurant, squeezed at the feet of an apartment building. A bald man who sits near the entrance raises a sawed-off shotgun at him.

Removing his helmet, Ethan asks, "Is Mister Miyï available?"

The man nods his head towards the end of the restaurant. The place shelters three families. A cook is hard at work in the kitchen, preparing chow mein.

"One more?" the cook asks, holding an empty bowl.

"Yes, please," Ethan answers.

"Adding the Language (Chinese) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 8 has been applied."

Ethan opens a door labeled 'Storage'. An old man gazes up from his desk as he's bottling gray powder.

"Welcome, Mister Ward," the old man says as he rises from his stool. "Please, take a seat."

Ethan sets himself on an inclined chair as Mr. Miyï pulls out a stethoscope from a drawer. Ethan removes his shirt, revealing a purple-painted back.

"You gained a lot of muscle. Have you taken something?" the doctor asks.

"No steroid if that's what you meant; morphine if it wasn't," Ethan explains.

"Good, steroids could get you killed even earlier than your profession," Mr. Miyï jokes. He manipulates Ethan's left arm and leg while asking for the causes of his injuries. "The good thing is that you have no fracture. And your anemia seems to be resorbing. But you have cracks all around your bones. You're looking at two to three weeks of rest."

Ethan moves his fingers, feeling pain in his forearm as the morphine fades. "I probably don't have that time given our current, … predicament."

"I may have something else for you," he says, moving to his desk. Ethan follows as the doctor opens a leather-covered book decorated with engravings of flowers and herbs.

Ethan jests, "None of the weird dead animal crotch powder your other clients come for, I hope."

"Nothing like that, Mister Ward. This is a very new arrival," the doctor says as he opens his book. The first two pages are filled with illustrations of plants and monsters, surrounded by Chinese writings. The rest of the book seems empty.

"A gift from the system?"

"I'm an Apothecary, and this book is supposed to fill with two recipes for every level I gain," the doctor explains.

'Identification,' Ethan thinks, a finger on the book.

Apothecary grimoire

An Apothecary's recipes. Two recipes will be added to this grimoire for each level of its original owner. Dropping a drop of potion on it will add its recipe to the pages.

"This says that this is a potion that can greatly accelerate the body's regeneration. And the only ingredient I need is the moss on its body," Mr. Miyï explains as he places his finger on the illustration of a monster. "A Gloom Sporling." The creature stands on slender, root-like limbs. Its body, if one could call it that, is a confluence of fungal and dark, moist earth, topped by green mush.

"Mind if I take a picture?" Ethan asks.

"Not at all. I can give you some opioids if you plan to be active instead of resting. But be careful with them; don't fall into an addiction," the doctor warns.

"I'll try to get you some soon. Thanks for the pills," Ethan says as he exits the room.

The cook finishes to dress his preparations. He places his hands above them, and glittering dust forms in the air. He looks pleased with himself for a moment. He falls backward, catching himself on a worktop before gasping for air.

Ethan holds a glass of water before him, and the cook swallows it in a hurry. The drop of potion Ethan slipped in the glass quickly restores the man, who holds his heart in surprise.

"Don't overuse your abilities. It's dangerous," Ethan says as he grabs a bowl of chow mein.

Sitting in the most isolated corner, Ethan sends the pictures to Tombstone along with the text, "Any sighting of this creature?"

He waits for someone else to start eating, and seeing that nothing happens to them, he digs in. The marinated beef offers a robust and meaty flavor that is immediately satiating. The vegetables are fresh and crunchy, lightening the dense and fatty fried noodles.

The pains in his body lighten as he finishes his meal. 'I have not taken one yet, have I?' Ethan wonders, looking at the still-sealed plastic bottle of pills. "Status."

Ethan Reed

Lv.4 (Harbinger) Human

Strength: 20 Charisma: 12

Dexterity: 18 Perception: 16

Constitution: 16(15) Willpower: 18

Intelligence: 18

Titles

Dungeon conqueror (F)

First dungeon conqueror (F)

First hunter

Slayer of the first incursion

Kin slayer

Kobold hunter

Abilities

Anonymity (F)

Identification (F)

Piercing shot (F)

Predator's sight (F)

Silent steps (F)

Alterations

Constitution boost +1

Life force exhaustion (1/10)

'I should grow my constitution next; maybe it would help me heal faster.'

Ethan's phone vibrates. "Someone posted this picture on X. It appears to be the catacombs," Tombstone writes. Along the message is an image of a Gloom Sporling along walls of bones and skulls.

"Thanks," Ethan answers as he finishes his meal.

The city calmed down, but Ethan can sense nests of creatures here and there. Despite the announcements, many are risking their lives to loot luxury shops.

The small green building leading to Paris' catacombs has been hastily blocked from outside with a bench. Ethan moves it away and equips his gear as he enters.

Blood trails paint the floor where victims were dragged, from behind the locked door to further inside. Hanged lamps lit the path, still active despite the situation.

Ethan moves in silence, his AK12 in hand. Through predator's sight, he can hear steps and the clinking of metal. 'Zombies?' he thinks to himself.

Curious, he edges a corridor and sees a walking skeleton, dragging a mace behind him. 'Silent steps,' Ethan thinks, placing himself right behind the monster. Ethan grabs the skeleton's arm and forces it to the ground. With a twist, he breaks its arm and throws it backward.

Piece by piece Ethan crushes the skeleton, which pointlessly struggles. Even with only its head left, it keeps biting the air. Ethan crushes its skull under his boot.

"You obtained the Skeleton hunter title. One characteristic point has been granted," the voice announces.

'Their only weakness is their skull. It was heavier than a skeleton should be, twenty to twenty-five kilos,' Ethan thinks as he walks back to grab the skeleton's mace. 'This should be the perfect tool to crack skulls.'

"Come down to meet me instead of destroying my helpers," a voice says. Ethan jumps back and turns to the source. A skull stuck in the wall is speaking to him.