This was the first human he'd encountered in two years in this dark world. And judging by the status panel, a ridiculously powerful one at that.
"I need treatment, plus some combat potions and recovery potions," a hoarse middle-aged voice echoed from beneath the tall top hat.
Lynn stood up at once, wearing a professional smile. "Welcome! Please come in."
The demon hunter strode through the door, and the soul lamp hanging at the entrance flickered violently, nearly dying out. That alone proved just how absurdly strong he was.
He sat down at the counter, lifted his head, and fixed Lynn with a scrutinizing gaze. Instantly, Lynn felt a burning pain across his skin—merely a glance had harmed him. One could only imagine the hunter's true power.
"I never thought I'd meet a living clansman in this dark world," the demon hunter said, glancing at him casually.
He pulled a flask from his waist, took a sip, and a pungent, strong aroma of alcohol filled the air.
[Ding! Quest Triggered: Treat the Demon Hunter's Wounds. Reward: 500 Skull Coins, +50 Demon Hunter Affinity.]
[Failure Penalty: Killed by the Demon Hunter.]
[Ding! Clan Bond Activated. Failure Penalty Cancelled!]
Lynn's heart skipped a beat. The moment he saw the failure penalty, he'd sensed trouble. As expected—a demon hunter wandering the dark world must loathe all monsters. Fortunately, he was human too; otherwise, this powerful man would've sliced him in half without a second thought.
Calming his nerves, Lynn looked at the demon hunter with a smile. "May I ask which part of your body needs treatment?"
Beneath the top hat, pale lips moved slightly. The hunter then removed his cloak and turned around. In an instant, Lynn's pupils contracted.
The hunter's entire shoulder was a deep, inky crimson, crusted with jagged black blood clots—gruesome beyond words. The injury was terrifying. Lynn couldn't help but wonder what kind of creature could wound a demon hunter this severely.
"I was ambushed by a Red-Clad Wraith. I barely escaped with my life," the hunter said hoarsely. "I won't let her get away, but first, I need to heal this wound."
[Ding! System Has Completed Preliminary Diagnosis. Target's Right Shoulder Is Infected with "Black Butterfly" Venom. The Venom Has Penetrated the Bones. Condition Critical.]
"Black Butterfly?" Lynn murmured, confused.
The hunter stiffened slightly, sneering. "So you know this poison? I underestimated you."
Lynn forced an awkward laugh. No, he didn't know—it was just a reflexive repeat of the key term from the system prompt.
"System, what's the Black Butterfly?" he asked mentally.
[Ding! Black Butterfly Is a Conglomerate of Grudge and Death Aura in the Dark World. It Possesses High Corrosiveness to Living Beings. Ordinary Creatures Will Melt into Pus Within 5 Seconds of Contact.]
Lynn was shocked. Without hesitation, he put on a full set of protective gear, a mask, and gloves.
"Can I even treat this?" he asked the system silently.
[Ding! Debridement by Scraping the Poisoned Bone May Be Attempted for Initial Treatment.]
The hunter turned around, growing impatient. "Can we start?"
Lynn snapped back to his senses, composed himself, and said seriously through his mask: "Sir, your injury is severe. The venom has already seeped into your bones. To treat it, we first need to remove all the venom-infected tissue."
Screech—
Lynn held up two boning knives, his tone earnest. "We'll need to perform surgical debridement first."
The hunter hesitated. "How skilled are you at surgery?"
Lynn nodded confidently. "Don't worry—I have plenty of experience. This is only my second operation, but my last patient gave me rave reviews. I'm very confident."
The hunter fell silent, seemingly weighing his options. The wind rustled his cloak.
Then he turned around, baring his shoulder, and closed his eyes. "Fine. I'll trust you once. Do it."
"Alrighty!" Lynn's face lit up with satisfaction. He rubbed the two large knives together, creating a harsh scraping sound.
Clash—Clash—
Sparks flew. Beneath his top hat, the hunter's bearded lips twitched slightly.
[Demon Hunter's Sanity: -1]
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd come to the wrong place. This didn't look like a clinic at all—it looked like a slaughterhouse. Was it just his imagination? Why did this frail-looking boy make him want to run for the hills?
"Do you need anesthesia?" Lynn asked excitedly, eager to begin.
"No," the hunter said, taking another sip from his flask and glancing at him coldly. "Anesthesia dulls nerve reflexes. Real men don't use anesthesia."
Lynn slammed his thumb up, earnest. "Perfect! I've never used anesthesia on anyone either. This is right up my alley!"
The hunter's heart dropped. What did he just say?
Before he could react, he heard a wet squelch as the knife sank into flesh. His entire body tensed rigidly.
He turned his head stiffly, staring at the knife embedded in his shoulder, dumbfounded. "We're starting already?"
Lynn remained calm. "No. I'm just testing the knife."
"Oh," the hunter mumbled, turning back. He reached for his flask, intending to take another sip—but for some reason, his hand trembled slightly.
It's fine, he told himself. This kid seems unreliable, but he'd never dare mess with a demon hunter like m—
Squelch—
The hunter's eyes widened in shock (ヾ????????).
"What the hell are you doing now?!" he roared, spinning around to see a second knife stuck in his shoulder, his eyes blazing with fury.
Lynn held his toolbox, looking serious. "I'm finding the right-sized tool. I'll leave these two here as spares."
The hunter's face turned livid. "Couldn't you put the spares aside?! Did you have to stick them in my shoulder?!"
Lynn shook his head, calm as ever. "Sir, I'm testing the sharpness of the scalpel. You must understand—if a knife isn't sharp enough, the cutting will be more painful. That's highly unprofessional!"
"So as a doctor, I must ensure my knives fit your flesh perfectly."
"Besides, this area will be cut off anyway. You don't need to worry about keeping your shoulder intact."
The hunter froze. Goddamn it—that made sense. But was he really not doing this on purpose? Why did it sound like complete nonsense no matter how he heard it?