Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty- Eight: Boiling Over
<span style="font-weight:400">“How is this allowed?!” Drake shouted his aura and mana going wild for a moment, “It can’t possibly be something the system is okay with!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Drake, you need to calm down. You are bing erratic!”</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Natto pleaded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m fine!” he shouted back, doing his best to take a deep breath.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">You are not fine! The stone should not have degenerated your mental state this much… It is possible your skills have affected you beyond the point of repair, permanently changing your underlying personality!”</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“</i><span style="font-weight:400">I said I’m fine!” Drake shouted again, before realizing he had started manifesting a fireball in his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“....I, I don’t know what’s happening… It’s never been this strong of a reaction before. Is it the Tyrant Ant’s Aura? It has to be right? I can feel the disgust in my stomach… of when that Prince tried to challenge me….” Drake said, chuckling wearily.
<span style="font-weight:400">Natto exited Drake with a light pop, resting on his shoulder as her hand went to the back of his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Drake… I-I am sorry this is my fault… I knew the risks I was putting you through when we began consuming the skill stones. But I never thought that it would catch up to you this quickly. I fear that this may not be reversible,” she exined solemnly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Are you trying to say I’ll always be stuck on a knife''s edge between going mad and killing anyone around me whenever I fight now?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“For now, yes… With time it can be managed, and controlled, but right now without unless you wish to risk further deterioration by speeding up the process of Ranking Up. I believe it would be difficult for you to control any impulse you have.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s just fucking fantastic,” Drake sighed, his shoulders slumping.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is not your fault. I should have been more adamant about spacing out your skill stone intake. I trusted that you would be able to handle the strain but I suppose I was wrong.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake chuckled, “So you’re saying that it was wrong to put faith in me? Thanks for the kick while I’m down…. Great vote of confidence.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am not saying I still do not trust you. But I have failed as an Assistant for allowing you to have your way. I should have known better based on your personality that you would go too far and outstrip your tolerance for the mental effect on yourself,” Natto exined, a look of sympathy on her face, “I know you wish to be a hero and save everyone. But that just is not how the real world works. The fire that burns bright, burns out the quickest.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That was really morbid…” Drake scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is not a joke!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“And I’m not saying it is. I’ve calmed down a bit thanks to you and I know what needs to happen,” Drake said, exhaling a long breath, “Are those stones really affecting me the way you think they are?” he asked, pointing down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, I believe they are at least exacerbating your problem. We know now that powerful foes are also a trigger. It would seem you have obtained one of the Tyrant Ant’s traits in that way, possibly even one of the Goblin King’s.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake recoiled with a grimace.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Going a bit far don’t you think?” he said, frowning.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You were nothing but arrogant with that Tyrant Ant Prince. Fighting him on his terms? The Drake I first met would have fought him with everything he had at his disposal. If not a trait from the King, what is it? Are you naturally inclined to be condescending?” she scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake pursed his lips, unable to argue.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So in the end I don’t have a choice about the box, or the stones for now. With what’s happening to me and the shitty fuck upstairs threatening Theo. I have to ept,” Drake cursed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, unfortunately, it seems you must. But this is also for the best. At least with this, we can control at least one variable that is affecting your personality,” Natto agreed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine,” Drake sighed, mentally epting the quest, “I don’t like it, but for Theo, I would have done it anyway…”
<span style="font-weight:400">With that a box materialized in a mote of light, nking to the floor.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was a porcin colored chest of small size, looking like it was possibly made of ivory or some other bone.
<b>[Mir’phyra’s Personal Chest [S-Grade]</b>
<ul>
<li><b>A small personal chest of the Dragon Matriarch Mir’phyra. Anything contained within the chest is sealed off from the world.</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Made of the bones of her predecessors this chest is of the highest quality known to the multiverse. Priceless in both craftsmanship and material it is a one-of-a-kind.</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Natto…?” Drake asked hesitantly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes….?” she answered, looking down at the same chest.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is really bad isn’t it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Certainly….”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How expensive is this box?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You do not wish to know….”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drakeughed ufortably, “Well, at least we know for sure who the sponsor is now…”
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“That wretched, worthless brother of mine! I’m ashamed to even call him a Tyrant Ant! He wears the tools of those lesser beasts topensate for his own weakness!” Rasha screeched, throwing his fist into the throne, “How dare he even suggest that I am weaker than that filthy human!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Your Majesty!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?! This better be good!” Rasha sneered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We’ve just been told, that Prince Braxor has sent all of his guards and the personnel from the Main Chamber to protect and seal off the Queen''s Lair!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Rasha screeched and stood from the throne, “Why would my brother do such a thing?!”
<span style="font-weight:400">The guardsman looked at the Prince hesitantly, not wanting to die like his predecessors.
<span style="font-weight:400">“W-we…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Out with it fool!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We have heard reports that Prince Braxor was killed inbat by the human…”
<span style="font-weight:400">The room chilled the moment the words left the guard''s mouth. The Prince’s aura thick within the room as his emotions spilled into the oppressive pressure within it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are lying, My brother would not die to some worthless human flesh bag. The only one who could kill him is I. I will be the one to take the ce as King,” Rasha said evenly, his voice calm but the aura surrounding him anything but.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-i…I… My, sincerest apologies my Prince… but we have confirmed as much-”
<span style="font-weight:400">The guard''s head rolled to the floor. As Rasha howled inside the chamber.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll kill him!! I’ll kill that filthy human!!!!”
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">Obiteron satid back on the throne inside his chamber, his jeweled ws intertwined with one another as he awaited the expectedly good news.
<span style="font-weight:400">Soon the guardsmen that he was expecting passed through the open archway into the chamber.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well?” Obiteron asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“T-the Prince has fallen… The human has in Prince Braxor.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good, and what of his guards? Have they moved as expected?” Obiteron asked again, raising a hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, they have been instructed to seal off the Main chamber and to protect the Queen at all costs.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Perfect,” Obiteron mused, standing from the throne, his arms swinging open wide, “Then all troops to the Queen''s Chamber. It is time to defend her with our lives!” he announced, his mandibles cking joyously.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“My Lord, what is it that we shall doeth now?” Theodore asked pensively, getting to his feet now that his body was healed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You,” Drake said pointing at Theodore, “Will stay out of sight, and will note out of your stealth unless we find a safe ce to rest, or it’s absolutely necessary,” Drake said, sighing slightly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But, this one can be of service! There is no need-”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Theo, there is no telling when my next freakout will be. And I have no idea if next time I’ll be able to stop before I do something I regret….”
<span style="font-weight:400">Natto had already merged once again with Drake, deciding to stay silent for now as she did her best to go over the information they had at hand. Her goal was to figure out a way to help Drake, but until the tutorial ended she was limited in what she could ess as well as divulge to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“My Lord,” Theodore said beginning to protest, “This one understands that thou may be pensive about what mayhaps in the future, but do not cast this one from thous side,” he said his hand gripping and rubbing the top of his cane in nervousness, “This one knows full well what art the perils of continuing forward. And would have it no other way.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sighed. His appreciation for Theodore’s loyalty and honest devotion was hard to reject. They had been stuck in the hive for a little more than a week already, and it may have been fine for Drake. But death was always just a stone’s throw away for Theodore.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not to mention Theodore had just as much if not more to lose as Drake did. Theodore had Harley waiting for him, his wife. For Theodore to be so devoted despite that, made Drake all the more certain.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. You will stay at a safe distance. Away from me,” Drake said sternly, “Our priority is to keep you safe until then, or until we are out of the tutorial. I may have wanted toe here, but not at the cost of losing good friends.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“But-”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No buts! Don’t make me knock you out and carry you around like a mustached handbag!” Drake shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This one, understands… If it is thous will, my Lord.” Theodore responded, his arms slumping to his sides.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sighed again, putting his hand on Theodore’s shoulder.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I appreciate your resolve, Theo. I really do, but I won’t have Harley chasing me down to the ends of the earth because I let something happen to you. Especially if it was me that did it…. I’m not myself right now. And I don’t know when I’ming back. So please, if it helps, just do it for me. For my own sanity.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Theodore’s jaw visibly clenched, but he nodded, quickly casting his spell and disappearing from sight.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Rather harsh to step on a man’s resolve like that, do you not think?”</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Natto asked softly.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Not now… I’m really not in the mood. And he’ll thank meter when he’s back with his wife. In one piece.</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake countered, beginning to walk to the chamber’s wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Do not think you can save everyone, Drake. Was it not you who said as much? You must let them eventually live their own life and make their own mistakes. Or do you n on being with them every second of every day?”</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">I said not now! I’m not delusional enough yet to believe I can keep every single person I hold dear safe. But that doesn’t mean I can’t aspire to. That’s what this whole mess was about in the first ce!</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake roared back in his head.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">I’m not going to say you’re wrong, but I’ll be damned if I admit I won’t prove you wrong! And if that means I have to push them all away for now while I get a handle on my shit, so fucking be it!</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake had finally walked to the edge of therge chamber.
<span style="font-weight:400">He felt the wall using his Magic Sight to try his best to see if he could identify anything of use. But it seemed the Ants had closed every entrance or exit anywhere with realbor and not magic, giving him no hints as to where to go.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fuck! They basically buried us alive… I can’t exactly go sting holes into the wall,” Drake cursed with a click of his tongue, “At least there are trees down here so I don’t think breathing will be a problem.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake eyed the forest again, seeing the Deer and other animals move within it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I guess I should at least grab some deer forter, those food buffs would be a weed sight, I can’t remember thest time we had F-Grade food… The Kobolds and Goblins barely had any.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Being disappointed with not getting anywhere after inspecting the wall of the chamber, Drake decided to change it up and do something that always calmed him. Cooking food.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Theo, I know what I said but, do you want to rest and eat? I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere anytime soon…” Drake said into the air but got no response.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Well… That’s to be expected…</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought letting out a sigh.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">I’ll just save him some food then.</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake took to the forest, taking out a few deer and other animals he hadn’t known were even in the forest above. He was able to capture deer, rabbits, small fowl, and even a bear.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This should be good for now. Time to set up a little roast then…” Drake said in a damper tone, taking out a fire pit and some cutlery.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sitting down Drake took to preparing the food and lighting the fire. His mind was somewhat clearing and calming as he did. He let out a rxed sigh as the background noise of the forest took over his senses.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This.. This is actually nice. Maybe taking a break was all I nee-”
<span style="font-weight:400">But his sce was short-lived, as the sound of breaking rock reverberated through the chamber, the ceiling beginning to crumble just above Drake and his fire, as he looked up.
<span style="font-weight:400">From the ceiling the dirt began to fall in small patches and thenrge boulders. The fragments of the ceiling falling around the sitting Drake as Ants suddenly began falling with them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Soon Drake was surrounded by Royal Guards and a very pissed off-looking Prince.
<b>[Rasha Trikk Level 29]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Aaaaaannnnd, now the moments gone,” Drake sighed.