"Ding." The loud sound incites Ethan to remove his left earpiece. He looks around to find the source and sees his perplexed waitress a few meters away. The terrace of the cafe he's patronizing falls silent. His dog, a Malinois usually so calm when ordered so, is glancing around frenetically.
The waitress resumes her steps. She sets an espresso and a set of croissants on Ethan's table. "He's so cute. Can I pet him?" she asks.
"Sure. Russ, meet," Ethan orders. Russ moves from under the table and sits in front of her to get pets.
"Your introduction to the system will begin," a ghostly feminine voice echoes sourcelessly. A flash of light precedes the appearance of a gray rectangle in front of both Ethan and the waitress. A car doesn't brake in time and hits another at a red light. A cyclist falls from his bike. A scooter rider flies off his scooter as he hits a car. White writings fade in, filling the window.
Ethan Reed
Lv.0 (classless) Human
Strength: 16 Charisma: 12
Dexterity: 16 Perception: 16
Constitution: 15 Willpower: 18
Intelligence: 15
Ethan stands up in surprise. He realizes that Russ has a window of his own. Bending to his dog's level, he reads it.
Russ
Lv.0 (classless) Dog
Strength: 8 Charisma: 6
Dexterity: 16 Perception: 22
Constitution: 8 Willpower: 14
Intelligence: 6
"What's th –," the waitress starts before interrupting herself. "I just heard the voice again."
As she looks around, Ethan peeks at her window.
Anaïs Leroi
Lv.0 (classless) Human
Strength: 7 Charisma: 13
Dexterity: 12 Perception: 9
Constitution: 7 Willpower: 5
Intelligence: 10
"I didn't hear anything," Ethan says.
"Adding the Language (French) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 76 has been applied," the voice says.
Ethan looks around, once again trying to guess the origin of the voice. "What the –"
"Adding the Language (English) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 86 has been applied." The voice announcements are almost identical, sharing the same intonations.
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"Russ, heel," Ethan orders to bring Russ to his side.
"Adding the Animal Handling skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 51 has been applied," the voice echoes. The windows blink out. "Enemies will appear around your location."
Ethan looks around and sees people panicking. Clients on the terrace and in the cafe rise from their seats. They stare in unison at the kitchen door as a red light escapes it.
Clatters of metal echo from behind the door, followed by short screams. The waitress recoils, letting go of her silver plate. Clients flee onto the street. The door creaks open, and an arrow hits the back of a fleeing man. He falls, hitting his head on a table's corner.
Ethan kicks his table. "Down," he orders. Russ rushes to lie behind the table with Ethan.
A volley of arrows pierces the cafe glass façade. Runaways fall to the ground, frozen by fear and pain. The arrows are crude, made of crooked shafts and stone heads.
Ethan grabs the waitress' silver plate and uses it as a mirror. The blurry reflection shows red, childish figures moving inside.
Gunshots resonate in the distance. A small humanoid lizard wearing rags exits the cafe. It aims its bow at a crawling wounded woman. Ethan pressed on his car key, opening the trunk and several hidden compartments inside of it.
The creature releases its arrow and hits her thigh, drawing a scream. Ethan leaves his cover, bolting to his car parked along the cafe. The creature draws another arrow. Taking cover behind the vehicle, Ethan takes out a Glock 17 from the trunk. He shoots three rounds in the creature's head, painting the terrace red. Another climbs on a table inside and receives four shots to the chest.
"Adding the Ranged Weapon (Pistol) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 60 has been applied."
Ethan moves along the trunk, picking up an HK416 and a stun grenade with his left hand. Switching weapons, he goes back behind cover, regrouping with Russ. He can hear gibberish coming from inside. Arrows bounce against the table.
He pulls the pin and throws the grenade inside. "Center," he orders before a bang resonates.
"Adding the Throwing Weapon (Grenade) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 42 has been applied."
Ethan moves in. He sees four of the creatures on the ground and shoots each of them several times. They advance towards the door, Russ moving between Ethan's legs.
"Adding the Ranged Weapon (Assault rifle) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 71 has been applied."
A creature jumps at Ethan with a dagger from below a table. Russ bites its arm and brings it to the ground. "Kill," Ethan orders. Russ releases his bite to go for the creature's neck.
"Heel, down," Ethan commands as he takes cover behind the countertop. He peeks at the door and recoils before an arrow whistles past him. The creature is behind a metallic cabinet door. Ethan peeks again and shoots five times at the door, splatters of blood signaling his success.
"Center," he orders before moving to the side of the door. "Count," he whispers.
Russ tilts his head, listening, and whines twice. Ethan kicks the door, opening it to the right, and sets his muzzle to the left. A creature waits above a stove, daggers in hand. Ethan shoots twice, his muzzle pressed against the creature's head.
Ethan steps away from the door and peeks to the right. He shoots through the door, hitting a creature arming a shot at the end of the kitchen.
"You obtained the "Slayer of the first incursion" title. Five characteristic points have been granted."
Ethan moves through the room, checking every corner and hiding spot. He tries to open the back door, but finds it locked. Inside the kitchen are the bleeding corpses of two cooks and a dishwasher.
A blue hue pierces through one of the creature's hip pouches. Ethan uses kitchen tongs to retrieve the glowing crystal. Observing it, he drops it in his hand to stash it in his coat. As he moves his hand, Russ tries to grab the crystal. Ethan moves his hand upward. "Leave it," he orders. His grip tightens, and the crystal breaks. Light fills his sight, and the world around him turns to the rough, ocher walls of a cavern.