Black Widow stood around 5’7" (170 cm) tall. Her long crimson hair framed a stunning face, while her sleek black tactical suit perfectly accentuated her athletic hourglass figure.
The moment Ethan got a clear look at her, his eyes widened.
She looked exactly like Scarlett Johansson.
He also noticed the equipment she carried. Twin pistols rested on her hips, combat knives were strapped to each thigh and calf, and two black batons were secured across her back.
At the same time, a status panel appeared before Ethan.
[Black Widow – Natasha Romanoff]
[Loyalty: 100%]
[Attributes]
Endurance: 88
Strength: 79
Intelligence: 78
Agility: 89
[Specialties]
Marksmanship: S
Reconnaissance: A
Close-Quarters Combat: A
Vehicle Operation: A
"Reporting for duty, Commander," Natasha said, stepping forward and giving him a crisp salute.
"Welcome, Natasha," Ethan replied with a smile. "Stand watch and secure the area."
"Yes, Commander."
She instantly drew one of her pistols, chambered a round, and began scanning the surroundings with practiced precision.
Watching her professional movements, Ethan nodded in satisfaction.
He had no idea whether the Basic Gene Serum came with side effects. It might leave him in agonizing pain or even knock him unconscious.
If a monster attacked during that time, he’d be as good as dead.
With Black Widow standing guard, however, his chances of survival increased dramatically.
Taking out the Basic Gene Serum awarded by the System, Ethan took a deep breath before downing the entire vial in one gulp.
The slightly bitter liquid slid into his stomach.
Almost immediately, a warm current spread throughout his body.
It flowed through every bone, muscle, organ, and even every cell, strengthening them all.
A few moments later, the sensation disappeared completely.
Ethan clenched his fists, feeling an incredible surge of strength unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
He threw several punches into the air before turning to Natasha.
"What do you think of my strength?"
She observed him for a moment before answering honestly.
"Commander, your punches have no proper technique, making you vulnerable to counterattacks. However, your raw power is exceptional. If you landed a clean hit, even a well-trained soldier would likely be seriously injured—or killed outright."
Ethan nodded.
"I figured as much. Once we have some free time, teach me hand-to-hand combat."
He appreciated her honest assessment.
Despite his increased attributes, he was still an ordinary person with no real fighting experience.
Against normal people, his physical advantages would probably be overwhelming.
But if he faced a highly trained operative like Natasha, sheer strength alone wouldn’t guarantee victory.
"Of course, Commander," she replied. "If you’re willing to learn, I’ll teach you everything I know."
As they spoke, the Leader System chimed again.
[The Host has successfully recruited their first subordinate.]
[Reward Granted:]
[All Attributes +5]
[Marksmanship upgraded to Rank S.]
[Note: Each subordinate may only grant recruitment rewards once. Rewards cannot be farmed repeatedly. The Host suffers no penalties if a subordinate dies or becomes incapacitated.]
[Leader Aura activated.]
[Leader Aura: The Host can view the status of all subordinates at any time. A subordinate’s loyalty will gradually increase over time, up to a maximum of 100%.]
[When a subordinate reaches 100% loyalty, all of their attributes will gradually improve and they may undergo beneficial evolution.]
[Host: Ethan Carter]
[Subordinates: 1]
[Attributes]
Endurance: 108
Strength: 109
Intelligence: 98
Agility: 109
[Specialty]
Marksmanship: S
As the notifications finished, Ethan felt another surge of power course through his body.
At the same time, his mind filled with knowledge and experience related to firearms.
Although he had never touched a gun before, he now instinctively understood how to operate everything from pistols to sniper rifles.
With a thought, he summoned the Silent Hunter.
It was an all-black alloy hand crossbow.
Despite being a traditional weapon, its killing power was no less impressive than Natasha’s pistols.
The moment he held it, he instinctively understood every aspect of its operation.
He then equipped the Commander Equipment Set.
Interestingly, its design resembled Natasha’s black tactical suit.
Its defensive capabilities, however, were significantly superior and even included built-in temperature regulation.
"We don’t have any supplies," Ethan said. "Let’s head out and gather whatever we can."
"Understood, Commander."
After a brief pause, Natasha added,
"Your crossbow is extremely powerful, but you’re still vulnerable in close combat. I have two combat knives. You should carry them for self-defense."
She removed the knives strapped to her legs and respectfully presented them to him with both hands.
"Thanks."
Ethan accepted them without hesitation.
Although his attributes now surpassed Natasha’s on paper, raw stats weren’t everything.
His combat experience, reflexes, and battlefield instincts were nowhere near hers.
Having a pair of knives for emergencies was a wise precaution.
After making a few final preparations, Ethan followed Natasha out of the cabin.
The landscape around them was almost entirely endless desert.
The only exception was a small grove filled with dead, withered trees.
As they cautiously entered the grove, Ethan lightly touched one of the fallen trunks.
A System notification appeared.
[Normal Dead Tree ×1 detected. Collect?]
"Collect."
The fallen tree instantly transformed into a pile of firewood.
[Obtained: Firewood ×5]
With another thought, the firewood was automatically stored inside the game’s inventory.
The inventory contained only fifteen slots, each capable of stacking up to ninety-nine identical items.
Anything beyond that required another slot.
Living creatures couldn’t be stored.
A short while later, Ethan had converted every dead tree in the grove into firewood.
He opened the Universal Crafting Bench and selected the Cabin Upgrade menu.
To his disappointment, although he had enough firewood, the upgrade also required a large quantity of iron nails.
Where was he supposed to find those?
Before he could think of an answer, Natasha suddenly spoke.
"Commander... look over there. I think that’s an abandoned city."
Following the direction she pointed, Ethan could just make out the outline of a city on the horizon.
Even from this distance, it looked utterly desolate, as though it had been abandoned for decades—perhaps even centuries.
Considering they were standing in the middle of a desert, he frowned.
"Could it be a mirage?"
"That’s certainly possible," Natasha replied. "But I think it’s worth checking. Judging by the distance, it should take us about twenty minutes to reach it. We can set a time limit. If we’ve been walking for twenty or thirty minutes and still haven’t reached it, we’ll turn back immediately and avoid going any farther."
"Sounds like a plan."
Ethan nodded.
They had no food, no water, and no way to survive by standing still.
If they refused to investigate every opportunity simply because it might be a mirage, starvation would kill them long before any monster did.
About twenty minutes later, Ethan smiled in relief.
The abandoned city was real.