"You shot me!" the man yells between pained gasps.

"If you don't like the pain, blame your armor for letting you live. However, this gives us the occasion to discuss that god of yours," Ethan says as he kicks the man's sword away.

The man pulls out a vial of red potion from a satchel and uncorks it. Ethan snatches it from his hand and identifies it.

Healing potion (F)

Accelerate the natural healing of the body, reducing days of rest to seconds.

Ethan swallows a gulp of the beverage. The taste is similar to that of an earthy tea. The pain of his injuries diminishes, but he feels that it would require more than one bottle to fully heal. He dangles the rest of the potion above the man who's lying on the ground. "Give me your name. No, better, open your status," Ethan orders.

The man struggles to find his words, and with a sigh of resignation, he says, "Status."

Lucien d'Arcange

Lv.9/20 (Paladin) Human

Strength: 14 Charisma: 13

Dexterity: 12 Perception: 10

Constitution: 12 Willpower: 21

Intelligence: 11

Title

Dungeon conqueror (F)

Abilities

Banishment (F)

Divine oath (Seraphel)

Ether sight (F)

"Paladin, … I guess Seraphel is your god of light. How is he?" Ethan asks.

"I am not worthy of meeting him yet. I hear his voice, guiding me since I chose my class," Lucien answers.

Ethan remarks, "You are quite the zealot for someone who took an oath this morning."

"I have seen the favors he grants, his light, and the purity of his ways," he begins. "Nothing a dark necromancer like you could understand."

"I am not a necromancer," Ethan says impatiently. 'Did his oath brainwash him?' Ethan ponders. He asks, "What's your real job?"

"Huh, … I'm a paramedic," Lucien stutters.

"Paramedic. Then you should know the value of life," Ethan muses, still holding the potion out of Lucien's reach. "Does your devotion to Seraphel overshadow your promise to do no harm?"

Lucien's eyes narrow, a mix of anger and pain flitting across his face. "My oath … is to help and to heal … to slay the enemies of the light." Confusion is clear in his complexion.

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'He's not himself,' Ethan guesses. He pauses, waiting for Lucien to regain his calm. "One last thing, where did you go when you were transported to a dungeon?"

Confused, Lucien takes his time before answering, "An abandoned temple atop a mountain, occupied by goblins. With a city in the distance."

"Was it inhabited?" Ethan answers.

"I don't know," Lucien precises.

Ethan lowers the potion to the ground. "Remove your chest plate before drinking. Or your ribs could heal inside your lungs," he warns. Without waiting on Lucien, Ethan walks away to the entrance.

"I'm not done with you!" Lucien yells as he stands up and throws the empty vial away.

Ethan looks back to see him taking a stance. "I showed you mercy. And yet, you insist on throwing away your life," Ethan threatens.

The paladin charges, his blade armed for a thrust. Ethan pulls out the Starfeel knight long sword and adapts a basic fencing stance. Lucien's blade slides on Ethan's as he deflects the first blow.

"Adding the Melee Weapon (Long sword) skill. Based on your previous experience a level of 19 has been applied."

'Guns seem unreliable against monsters. This new world is at a medieval-like technological level. I need to learn how to use the weapons I could obtain from there,' Ethan thinks between exchanges.

The combat drags out as Ethan avoids dealing a killing blow on multiple occasions.

"Melee Weapon (Long sword) leveled up," the voice announces repeatedly.

'My muscle memory has already improved. This should not be possible. His movements are becoming increasingly complex, yet they seem slower and more predictable," Ethan notes.

Lucien steps back. His hands bleed traces of red on his sword's handle. He breathes loudly, unable to regain his stamina.

"Done?" Ethan asks.

"Never!" Lucien yells as he swings with all his might.

Ethan moves in, placing himself behind Lucien's hands. He grabs the Paladin by his chain mail shirt and tackles his feet, throwing him to the ground. Ethan steps on his back, maintaining him to the ground, and grabs his right arm, pulling inward with his entire weight. Lucien's right shoulder dislocates in an echoing pop.

Lucien's scream fills the corridors and chambers of the catacombs.

"Don't follow me," Ethan threatens as he leaves the corridor. 'If what she said is true, I should not anger another god by killing one of his followers,' Ethan thinks.

The secret door to Ethan's apartment slides open, and Russ rushes outside to greet him. The overexcited dog refuses to stop his cuddles all the way to the couch.

Ethan finally sits down. He places three glass bottles on the table from his haversack. "Mister Miyï offered me three of the potions he was able to make. And a box of today's leftover meat," Ethan says as he pulls out a plastic box of beef and cheese skewers without the pikes.

Russ' tail wags loudly on the couch, drool forming at the edges of his maw.

Ethan opens the box and places it on the ground. "Ok," he says, and Russ begins his meal. "Wake me up when you need to go outside," Ethan mutters as he lies down on the couch.

His phone vibrates on the table. He looks at it, and seeing no notification, he opens the hidden app. He picks up the incoming call.

"Welcome back, Reaper five," Tombstone says.

"It's three in the morning in France," Ethan grumbles.

"We are both working late," she begins. "Your target landed near Calais; we expect him to board a ship and leave France. But for now, we have a new mission for you."

Ethan sits up to see the screen. A map of a farming complex with fields, silos, warehouses, and houses appears.

"The system is putting many of our undercover agents at risk. One of them infiltrated a French cell of Ghaya and needs to be extracted asap," Tombstone explains. A series of pictures taken without the subjects' knowledge appear on the screen.

"I remember them. Multiple attacks in Pakistan on uranium enrichment plants. They are targeted by a multitude of international arrest warrants," Ethan recalls.

"Our agent was tracking one of them who was supposed to soon come to France," Tombstone says.

"Who is the target?" Ethan asks.

A picture of a young man appears. Tombstone explains, "Specter nine. His current identity is Samir Ghali, infiltrated as one of their soldiers."

"Send me a navigable route to the target's area. And put me in contact with Specter nine as soon as possible," Ethan demands.