Chapter 90: Those with Nothing to Lose
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">It is the reality,” </em><span style="font-weight:400">Natto said softly, not sure how to address Drake’s displeasure.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">You’re going to tell me that humans can also drop Skill Stones? Where do theye from the sponsors as well?!</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake asked, furious.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">They are selected randomly as a dropped item from the in, that is as far as my knowledge goes I am afraid,” </em><span style="font-weight:400">Natto answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake did his best to calm himself, turning his gaze from where the two men he had killed fell in the corner of the tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">Drake the stones,” </em><span style="font-weight:400">Natto reminded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake grimaced under his mask. Not wanting to touch the stones himself. But he forced himself to pick them up as he could not justify wasting any resources.
<span style="font-weight:400">He was almost relieved to find that the stones that had dropped were anything but rare stones. Both beingmon Warrior Skill Stones. And with that he attempted to crush them in his hand, but s he was unable.
<span style="font-weight:400">Cursing, he ced them into his inventory. The stones getting lost in the piles of skill stones that he carried.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake turned his attention to the woman still shaking on the bed, not sure of what to do. But started with a few basic things.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking her up and down, they had not gotten far as she was still clothed, although a bead of red liquid was running from the middle of her lip.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you alright? What am I talking about… obviously you''re not… Are you hurt?” Drake asked, amending his statement.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-i’m fine. They pushed me into the tent, but you came j-just…” the woman tried to exin but broke down in tears on the bed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake winced not out of sympathy, his emotions still somewhat dulled, but out of knowing how wrong what was done to her had been.
<span style="font-weight:400">Once again he was forced to see the reality of what real assault was, and just how deranged Stewart was to falsely use him of such.
<span style="font-weight:400">Clenching his fists, Drake walked to the front of the tent, the sound of the screaming man growing louder.
<span style="font-weight:400">Turning Drake, gave the woman a terse word.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will be outside, take all the time you need to calm down and gather yourself. No one wille in unless they get through me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The woman rubbed her eyes and nodded her head, still doing her best to wipe the tears from her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Lifting the p of the tent Drake departed the room. Coming into view was the man he had stabbed in the leg and pinned to the ground. Around him a circle of people all looked on in horror and confusion.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked down at the man, his leg still pinned to the floor as his hands wrapped around the puncture point of his spell.
<span style="font-weight:400">Walking up to him he crouched down to eye level, ignoring the rest of the people. If anything he wanted everyone to hear what happened, and what would happen to this man.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why were you guarding the door for those men?” Drake asked evenly, being careful not to mention the act in particr.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Th-they forced me!” the man spat, wincing in pain.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake grabbed the man by the face forcing him to look him in the eyes. With that and Drake’s aura pressed down on him in such close proximity it was a reckoning.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I didn’t ask what they did to you. I asked, why were you doing <em><span style="font-weight:400">it</em><span style="font-weight:400"> for <em><span style="font-weight:400">them?</em><span style="font-weight:400">” Drake asked again.
<span style="font-weight:400">The man’s paling face stiffened and his eyes widened as he understood what Drake was alluding to.
<span style="font-weight:400">“T-they…” he started but Drake flexed his fingers, the man’s skull creaking in his grip, “W-We! Just didn’t see a point in holding back anymore! You may be strong, but we aren''t! It’s only a matter of time before we die just like the rest to some monster…” the man looked into Drake’s eyes, “Or another..”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake cursed, releasing the man.
<span style="font-weight:400">“For your crime of being an aplice in what just happened, you will be jailed for the remainder of the tutorial. Repent on what you allowed to happen to that poor woman until either a monster takes you,” Drake flooded his Tattoo Ring with Mana, it ring to life in a fire of ethereal blue mes on his arm, “Or someone like me but worse finds you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake pulled the earthen spike from the man’s leg as he screamed in pain. Drake pouring a health potion on the man’s open wound to the man’s surprise. But then grabbed him by the throat and pulled him along through the camp for all to see.
<span style="font-weight:400">Once he reached the Mines right next to Hudson’s tent, the people inside came out with confused looks, all looking at therge entourage that Drake had brought.
<span style="font-weight:400">Opening up his inventory Drake pulled out a familiar-looking wooden cage, hitting the floor with a thump. Swinging the door open Drake not so carefully threw the man to the back of it, the lock on the outside clinking with a metal chime as Drake locked it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What is this all about?” ire asked, looking on in disgust.
<span style="font-weight:400">Amir, Tom, Harley, and Hudson also looked perturbed by the disy, not sure what to make of it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He broke the rules,” Drake said loudly, “But not enough to die for it,” Drake pulled arge piece of wood from his inventory that was used in the tents, breaking it down into a smaller piece.
<span style="font-weight:400">He then used his finger to light a torch-like me, using the torch to write something on the piece of wood.
<span style="font-weight:400">Growing an Earthen spike next to the cage door, he took a moment to fix it on the makeshift pole.
<strong>[Caution Self-Centered Bastard, do not feed, will bite]</strong>
<span style="font-weight:400">Satisfied with the message enough that he wasn’t upset he hadn’t used more colorful words, Drake turned to the crowd that had followed him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I want to make this abundantly clear! I know you have been through hell and back in thest couple of days. I know you might not think you have a chance in this new world and the changes ites with. But I want you all to understand something,” Drake said looking over the crowd, “The world does not care! Not this one or the old one. To give up is to die, is now more literal than ever. You each have a decision to make. You can either give up your morals and do the unthinkable as this man has. Or you can continue to struggle and work hard, finding your ce in this changingndscape in whatever capacity that may be! If you w and crawl through the mud for yourselves, for the people that love you, for the people you may yet meet. I promise you. I will protect you. I will work harder than I ever thought possible to make sure you survive this unfair tutorial to get to those people. You need only put in the effort yourselves and not give up. This world is hard, much harder than our previous one. But I know you can get through it. And with me here, you will do more than survive, you will grow stronger, you will grow together and we will find a way to the end. Do not think of everyone here as strangers,” Drake continued, a knot forming in his chest as he began feeling something, the dullness of his emotions melting, but stayed stoic all the same, “Think of them as brothers and sisters in arms. As they have suffered as you have, they know of your struggle. Help each other, and help me help you. If you choose to reject that and harm others while in the upancy of this camp, I will be fair, but show you no mercy. In a few more days we will make for Shigure’s camp. They have a better-fortified position and you will be safe there.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake finished with a long exhale, and turned to ire and the others.
<span style="font-weight:400">“ire, I know this might be a lot to ask of you but would youe see someone with me?” he asked, his voice soft and filled with concern.
<span style="font-weight:400">“S-sure..?” ire answered, her demeanor changing after listening to his speech.
<span style="font-weight:400">The others still looked on confused, not understanding the whole situation, but held their tongues.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sorry for themotion everyone. Hudson, can you keep an eye on this bastard for me?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hudson nodded, looking back at the cage.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What the sorry sac do?” Hudson asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Something I should have killed him for,” Drake spat, “But he wasn’t in the act so he''s going to remain in that cage like the animal he is!” he shouted back into the cage, “At least for now until I know or have time to figure out something better… He- he basically gave up on life, which is his choice. But he decided to push that decision onto an innocent person with two others.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sir, what happened to the other two then?” Amir asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake didn’t say anything, just patted his hip, indicated they were in his inventory and the group seemed to have understood by their widening eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jesus dude…” Tom whispered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Some people deserve what’sing to them, and I just happen to be the one that gave what was deserved…” Drake said, his eyes firm.
<span style="font-weight:400">ire wanted to say something but hesitated to. The others not sure how to respond to hearing he had killed two people.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s get going, I don’t want to leave the person alone for too long,” Drake said, walking through the crowd as they parted like the red sea for him.
<span style="font-weight:400">ire pressed her hand to her chest but quickly followed after him with quick steps.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“You think he really did that?” Tom asked the others, still stunned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Reckon he did, we’ve all seen how he puts down those damned Goblins,” Hudson offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He seemed so hurt to have done it... Theo has hinted that it wasn’t the first time Mr. Shot has killed someone,” Harley added.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But why would he do it? Sir Shot has been blunt at times, but I have seen him verypassionate, giving food, shelter, even skill stones, and equipment, asking nothing in return. To think he has murdered people, I can only imagine what crime they must havemitted,” Amir presumed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can think of a terrible few that deserve gettin’ put down,” Hudson said, crossing his arms.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But to do it right in the camp? In front of all those people?” Amir chimed in.
<span style="font-weight:400">Harley looked like she wanted to divulge something, but chose against it, instead wrapping her arms around herself as she began to turn towards her and Theodore’s tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think I’m going to go to rest for a bit, I have a feeling it’s only going to get harder from here,” Harley said, walking off.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will also go to rest also I think, we were up most of the night,” Amir said, his face turning grim while going in another direction.
<span style="font-weight:400">Tom looked to Hudson, but he only huffed, turning to go back inside the tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t look at me boy, you got your own damn mind, go do what you want,” Hudson said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Didn’t Shot ask you to watch this dude?” Tom asked, trying to change the subject off himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can watch him from here, dontcha worry,” Hudson replied, a silver magic circle forming outside the tent as a sentry formed in moments, the barrel spinning as it pointed it at the cage.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s cool… Why in the world did I choose to be a tank….” Tom whined, “Now what the hell am I supposed to do?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Tom looked out to the dispersing crowd as he mulled over his options. He wasn’t exactly tired since he had rtively decent stamina. But there wasn’t much to do in the camp outside of meandering about.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then an idea popped into Tom’s head as he rushed to the side of the camp, a grin on his face.