Frost went to the edge of the city and found the bandits hideout with some difficulty. He observed them from a safe distance. Their hideout was nothing more than a wooden shack. Inside it, from what he could see from the window, were 5 thieves. Using his Diagnosis skill on each of them, he found out their maximum health and satiety. It wasn’t a lot of information but he could guess what level they had based on that. Four of them had about 350 hp and considering they were thieves that needed Agility and Endurance rather than Vitality, they were probably between level 10 and 15. The last thief had 600 hp and he was probably the leader. His level was probably somewhere in the early or mid-20s.

If Frost didn’t know any better he would have thought that they were drunks that were having a party. While he was watching them their Satiety never went below 80% and one of them would always go and bring more beer and wine from time to time.

Diagnosis (Passive, Subskill, Beginner level 6)

Identification (Active, Beginner level 8)

‘At least my proficiency increases, but how the hell do I kill them?’ With a 10 level difference, any of the thieves could easily kill him and the boss could even kill him in one shot.

After thinking hard for while he decided to at least go to town and buy a weapon. He at least needed something to defend himself in case things turned for the worst. He bought a beginner sword that gave him +15 Atk and a knife with a + 9 Atk and no additional advantages. All in all it only costed him about 70 silver coins.

While passing in front of a bar a thought came to his mind and he opened the book that Nemo gave him. After he found what he was looking for, with an evil smile on his face, he went into the bar and brought 3 bottles of the most expensive wine. It costed him 15 gold but it was a good investment if everything went well. He went to a few more places to make his final preparations and then went back to the thieves’ hideout.

On the road to the hideout, one of the thieves was going on another beer run. He had an unpleasant look on his face and he clearly didn’t want to leave the shack. While he was close to the city a guy carrying 3 bottles of wine come into his sight. He smiled and took out his knife.

“Those bottles seem heavy. How about you leave them here and scram?”

“Shit!” said the guy. He dropped everything and ran as fast as he could.

The thief just took the bottles and returned while humming a song. When he returned with the wine words of praise were flying left and right along with melodramatic acting.

“Good job!”

“I didn’t know you loved us so much.”

“I never saw such a beautiful sight in my entire life.”

“This is probably the best wine in town. Where did you get the money for it?”

“I took them from a guy that was wandering outside. He wanted us to have them from the bottom of his heart. I have never seen a guy run so fast in my entire life.”

They started drinking and laughing while the thief told an embellished story about what happened. After a while the shack became silent. They thieves had their weapons unsheathed and while they stood in a five way standoff.

“Who the hell are you ugly bastards?”

“Get out before I cut all of you to pieces.”

“Nice sword you have there. My friend has one just like it. I think I’ll take it after I kill you.”

“Normally I would ask you to leave everything you have on you and scram but somehow, your faces piss me off.”

While they we killing each other, a safe distance away, Frost was reading from his medical book a chapter called, ‘Disorientation and anxiety’.

‘Beware of potions and ingredients that affect the mind. They are dangerous when you are alone and devastating in large groups. In recent history many battles were lost because soldiers of the same side started killing each other after eating such ingredients. The cure for these types of illnesses are difficult to prepare and even more difficult to administer, do to the patient’s tendency of being highly uncooperative. The following list contains ingredients and potions that may cause such effects.’

After reading the paragraph, Frost went inside the shack. Inside only the leader was still alive. With barely 5% of his health and covered in the blood of his friends, with whom he was just talking and laughing, he was really shocked. Raising his sword at Frost, he started yelling.

“You, what the hell happened? Did you do this?”

“It’s scary what you can do with a few bottles of ‘Liquid rage’ and ‘Potion of mild confusion’.

“Die you devil!”

The leader died after a few sword hits. He was barely able to walk let alone fight.

You have gained a level x 6

You have gained a new skill.

Manipulation (Passive, Beginner level 1)

With a few words and actions you can make someone do you bidding.

You have a higher chance to make people do what you want.

+5% Familiarity

You have gained a new stat.

Deception +10

Deception

Stat that increases the effectiveness of Illusion Magic and some skills that affect the mind.

‘This skill and stat seem useful but kind of evil.’

Regardless of what his conscience told him, he leveled up 6 times and gained a lot of items and money from the thieves so he was happy. The thieves dropped a knife and sword, along with a skill book, a rope and some kind of rock.

Nightshade Knife Type:Short SwordDurability:36 / 52Quality:UncommonA good Short Sword made by a skilled blacksmith. It has a black blade that becomes undistinguishable in the darkness of the night.

Requirement:

Strength 20+

Agility 30+

Equipped:

+10 Agility

+5 Strength

Black Bone Sword Type:SwordDurability:47 / 70Quality:UncommonA good Sword made by a skilled blacksmith. The material is light but durable. It is unknown what kind of bone was used in the crafting of this blade.

Requirement:

Strength 25+

Vitality 10+

Equipped:

+20 Agility

The rope was an ordinary rope that you could buy at the general goods store but the rock and skill book couldn’t be identified. Afterwards Frost spent more than an hour searching the shack. As he guessed, there was a lot of loot hidden around. He found 276 gold, 45 silver and 2 copper coins along with 9 low quality gems. He used all his funds into making the potions and buying the wine. If he didn’t find anything in the shack he would have been broke.

Going back to the doctor’s house he found him wide awake again. It was almost breaking dawn but the doctor was making coffee this time and already poured two cups like he was expecting him.

“So, how did it go?” Nemo asked in his usual cheerful self.

“The thieves are gone” said Frost showing the leaders black sword.

“You have to tell me all about it.”

The doctor listened to every word of his story from what he did to what he thought and how he did it. At the end of the story he started laughing.

“Hahaha, you made them kill each other? That is so evil.”

“Shut up!” Frost felt a pang in his heart. He was once an honorable swordsman who fought fair and squire with each and every adversary. The cowardly methods he used felt like a betrayal to that part of him and gave him a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Well, regardless of your methods, you did really well. Are you ready for your last test?”

“I’m a little tired. I haven’t slept in a few days so, I’ll do it tomorrow.”

“The last test is nothing too exhausting. You just have to answer a few questions. If you’re sleepy then drink some coffee. That’s why I made it.”

Frost took the cup and drank it in one gulp.

“So, what do you want to ask me?”

- You have been paralyzed

- Iron Stomach skill proficiency increased

- Iron Stomach reached Intermediate level 1

- Due to the effect of Iron Stomach effect and duration reduced by 23%

“What the hell, you bastard?”

“You can still talk? That’s strange. Usually I don’t mess up when making potions. Well, I think it is better this way. You can answer my question right after I finish my story.”

“Why did you have to paralyze me?”

“So you wouldn’t run away obviously. Now, try not to blink.”

Nemo’s eyes turned a dark red and horns grew on his head. The bat like wings that appeared on his back began stretching like one might stretch his arms after staying in an uncomfortable position for a very long time. Above his head the name changed from Nemo to Marbas.

“It’s so much better in this form. It’s incredibly hard to maintain a human form for a very long time.”

“Did you kill all those people in town?” screamed Frost.

“No.”

“Don’t lie to me! Did you kill all those people?”

“I told you I didn’t kill them. They were acquaintances. If I wanted to kill someone I would have done a better job, don’t you think?”

“Then, who killed them?”

“The church probably killed them. There is a chance that bounty hunters, assassins, dark mages, witches or any number of people I offended over the course of my life who tried to find out my whereabouts killed them. I really don’t know.”

“What do you want with me?”

“I want you to hear the whole story about what happened to the demons before you judge us.

Demons have lived on this continent for a very long time. We used to live in the place your kind calls the Savage Lands, in the country named Tartarus. Our kind had strong bodies that were blessed with an affinity towards magic so our society flourished and we created the most powerful artifacts in the world, the Heaven Breaker series. One item out of the series was enough to make a man as strong as an army and if anyone wore the full set, they could even challenge the gods themselves.

I didn’t care too much at the time about a few pieces of junk the old farts made. I was a count and had my own territory to look after as well as a human girl who decided to marry me after many years of dating. In the spring of the following year, after my wife had my first child and the second one was on the way, I was summoned to the battlefield. Apparently the gods were so scared of what we could do with those artifacts that they declared all of our kind evil and the first ‘Holy War’ started.

It’s hard to imagine all the slaughter but millions of our kind died in that war. Women, children and even our elderly who couldn’t even defend their selves died just because the gods decided that it was risky to let us live. Eventually I got involved in the war as well. I had an obligation to the king and left for the battlefield. When I returned home my wife, my son and my unborn child were dead along with all the villagers in our happy little town. The war wasn’t over but I didn’t have the strength to continue fighting. The war continued and at the end of it, only a hand full of us remained. We hid all the Heaven Breakers and went into hiding ever since.

Tell me, were we in the wrong? Have we done something so unforgivable that the only choice left was the extermination of our entire race? Did my wife have to die just because she was married to a demon? Are there such things as children born in sin?”

The doctor had a stern look. It was hard to see him as the same doctor who was laughing moments ago.

“Let’s just say that I believe what you just told me. What do you want from me?”

“I want you to choose. I didn’t lie. I think my profession suits you well but I can’t give it to you in good conscious if you’ll become my enemy. You need to choose a side.”

“From what you told me, you weren’t so enthusiastic about joining a war that had nothing to do with you either. What makes you think I would want to join something like a war with the gods?”

“It’s not a war. It’s extermination. Only 72 demon lords, including me, survived. I don’t want you to fight in a war; I want you to help us survive. We are friends, are we not? Are you fine with seeing a whole race die for the sins of a few?”

With a sigh, Frost gave up on his arguments. “We are friends. We have been friends since the day I came to visit. If you say you have to fight the gods then I’ll fight them together with you.” In wasn’t good to go with the flow of the conversation but he didn’t had the mental strength to continue to argue.

“Excellent. All you have to do to pass the last test is survive the process.”

“You said I only had to answer a few questions.”

“I may have lied.”

With a flick of his hand, flames erupted from under the floor, forming a circle. The fire danced inside it. It formed strange letters and two small circles on opposite sides. Just as sudden as it appeared, the flames died down and left only smoke in its wake.

“This is your last chance to walk away. Once you step inside the small circle there’s no turning back.”

- Paralysis Poison has worn off

“This better be the best profession in the world.”

“It is. You’ll love it. I think it fits you perfectly.”

Frost moved inside the magic circle. It felt strangely cold like walking into a freezer. His breath became visible and he started to shiver. On the opposite side of the circle stood Marbas in his demon form. His wings were fully extended and he looked truly imposing.

“There’s one more thing I would like to say. Be a good little demon.”

“What are you…?” Frost tried to run because he had an ominous feeling. The moment he tried to speak the magic circle shone bright and a feeling like his blood rushed to his head overcome him. His stomach churned and it took everything he had not to vomit. He became dizzy and his body became numb. The moment the magic circle stopped shining; Frost fell limp on the floor. The doctor walked over to him and smiled.

“Just sleep for now. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

- Quest completed: Doctor’s Trials

With these words his consciousness started to fade and all the accumulated exhaustion and sleep deprivation caught up to him. It felt like an eternity since he last slept.

When he woke up it was already night. The bed he was sleeping in was incredibly soft and the sheets felt like silk.

- You are well rested

- Health, Mana and Stamina have been restored

- Health, Mana and Stamina regeneration have increased by 25% for the next 3 hours

The system said he was well rested but he felt like he was hit by a train. His head especially hurt. It felt like the worst hang over of his life. While he was massaging his head he felt something hard on his head. A thought went through his mind which made him panic.

“Status window!”

Stat Window[quart=Character name,Title]Frost,N/A[/quart][quart=Race,Affiliation]Demon Lord ,Demon Race[/quart][quart=Profession,Level]Surgeon of Death,10[/quart][quart=Fame,Infamy]0,0[/quart][quart=Affinity,Satiety]Poison,43%[/quart] [quart=Health,Mana]120,120[/quart][quart=Stamina,Vitality]140,12[/quart][quart=Wisdom,Endurance]10,14[/quart][quart=Strength,Intelligence]12,12[/quart][quart=Agility,Luck]11,0[/quart][quart=Attack,Defense] 12,10[/quart]Deception10 Equipment bonus:

Novice Pants : Defense +1

Novice Shirt : Defense +1

Novice Boots: Defense +1

Novice set: Defense +1

Unused points: 45

Racial traits:

-10% to all stats during the day

+20% to all stats during the night

He got out of bed and was a bit unsteady on his feet. The balance was a bit off and his feet felt heavy. He realized he was still in the doctor’s house. The art work and the color of the walls was a dead giveaway. Going downstairs he found the doctor sitting in his chair reading a book.

“Don’t you ever sleep, doc?”

“Only when I’m bored. I see that you’re feeling better. How’s your head?”

“It has horns! What the hell?”

“You were right. I don’t want to fight in this stupid war anymore but I can’t condemn an entire race because of my selfishness so I needed a replacement. If you want to fight then you can fight as much as you want. If you want to rebuild our civilization then rebuild it. If you want to challenge the gods then by all means, gather all the Heaven Breakers and fight them head on. You can do whatever you want, but I think you’ll do the right thing.”

“Why would you do this to me?”

“I’m tired of running from assassins and mercenaries. I don’t want to fight anymore. I’m old and I think I’m entitled to go see my wife and kids.”

When Frost looked at him, he looked unlike his former self. His eyes were clear, his hair was white, his face was wrinkly and he could barely hold the book. Anyone who looked at him would say that this wasn’t the face of a demon prince; this was the face of a dying old man who wanted to see his wife. As much as Frost wanted to hate him, he didn’t have the heart to do it.

“Congratulations on your new profession” said Marbas while smiling.

“Thanks.”

“Can you keep me company until my time comes?”

“What kind of friend would I be if I said no.”

They stayed in the room and talked for most of the night. When the first light of day went through the window, Marbas went into a deep sleep and slowly disappeared in a gray light.

“Good bye, doc. Say hello to your wife for me.”

- The ‘One Month’ ban has been lifted.

- You are free to leave the city as you please.