Chapter 198: Falling into ce 2
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake stared down the monster. This time it looked like a real monster, straight out of a horror novel. Its head poking out of a tattered cloak looked to resemble a fly’s head, with deep maroon eyes, more than Drake could count staring back at him. Two translucent wings on its back hummed as it pped, keeping the monster hovering just above the ground. And a swarm of insects surrounded it.
<b>[Mana Wasp Level 20]</b>
<b>[Mana Bee Level 20]</b>
<b>[Mana Scarab Level 22]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">More insects inhabited the swarm that hovered around the Incectmancer but Drake was more concerned with the Orcs that had been fighting.
<span style="font-weight:400">He quickly went to their aid, a wave of his hand summoning white mes that dispersed and burned any of the summoned insects it touched.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you alright?” Drake asked quickly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“C-came out of nowhere…” the Orc warrior grunted out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry. You did well holding out…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake gritted his teeth. He may have not known the Orcs long but he was responsible for sending them out. Reminding him of the reality that not everyone was as strong as he was, that if they were to survive he would need to figure out how to help them all get stronger.
<span style="font-weight:400">His eyes never left the Muscas as his aura began to weigh on the area, his emotion of frustration bing palpable.
<span style="font-weight:400">A short time after Sah Ul’ finally caught up taking in the scene herself and rushing to her tribesmen’s aide.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What happened?!” she growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“They held out that’s what. And now, I’m going to incinerate this filthy bug. I should have never put anyone else in danger without knowing what was out here. I’m going to make up for it right here and now.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake stood, letting Sah Ul’ gather and watch the tribesmen group that had been fighting, some of them injured but not enough to be life-threatening.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">They’re tough. I''ll give them that. None of them ran even in the face of an E-Rank.</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought
<span style="font-weight:400">The Muscas screeched, the swarm suddenlying to life as it moved to smother Drake.
<span style="font-weight:400">In an instant the swarm was gone, lit by a bright white me that epassed Drake and the group of Orcs around him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good, looks like I won’t have trouble with you. Sorry buzz boy, but seems that I’m your natural counter,” Drake scoffed, “Let’s take this slow. All of you make sure to take notes, we need to know everything we can about these monsters in our area. I won’t have anyone lose their life on my watch!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shot forward, his body bulging with power as his hair cascaded into a deep scarlet.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Marked. For the thrill of battle!”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Rushing the Muscas, Drake gave a sweeping motion of his left arm backhanding the monster to the side as it collided with the trees, knocking off the snow covering them and cracking the trunks in half as it continued to crash through them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake’s hair shifted to a brilliant yellow as he stepped forward following the bug.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Pretty sturdy... Doesn’t look like many would be able to damage you physically,” Drake surmised observing the flying bug, “I would have guessed you were a Mage derivative based on summoning other insects…”
<span style="font-weight:400">The Muscas suddenly shook off the momentary shock of Drake’s blow, its wings fluttering as it shot up, scaling in height.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake followed it with his eyes, “Wings aren’t just for show, check.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Summoning wind he flew upwards keeping parallel with the monster.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fast, but not so fast a group of ranged sses couldn’t deal with… But your strength would be a problem with them… Oh?” Drake whistled as he saw the Muscas summon a new swarm of insects to its side.
<span style="font-weight:400">Only this time the bugs began to swarm around the Muscas attaching to it in certain spots.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It can equip the summons? Very game-esque of you. Looks like the higher-ranked monsters are more sophisticated in their skills,” Drakeughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">The Muscas swiped downward at Drake, a beetle on its forearm having turned into a serrated trident.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake dodged deftly in the air, using his wind and fire magic to fly circles around the monster.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s check your magic resistance shall we?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Snapping his fingers Drake summoned an instance of all of his elements starting his bombardment with Water.
<span style="font-weight:400">A disk of high-rotation water flew forward colliding with the Muscas''s raised guard only to barely scratch the monster''s newly formed shell that looked to be a deep navy blue itself.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? Is it elemental resistance based on the insect used? Scarabs? Then onto the next,” Drake said evenly pointing his hand, a torrential spinning de of wind howling forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">The de whipped and spun cutting through the distance as it found its target pushing the Muscas downward from the drop in air pressure, but no damage seemed to have been done.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wind is a no-go also… Fine, next.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sneered at the monster from above it as he looked down, his hand waving a finger downward as a spike of pure ck Earth shot forward ripping through the air and finding its home in the shoulder of the monster. The Muscas screeched in pain but seemed mostly undamaged as it shot backward, its wings fluttering as its head surveyed the area desperately looking for an escape.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Looks like you’ve finally realized you''re fucked. Toote though. <i><span style="font-weight:400">You won’t be getting away before I’m done.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake’s hand moved once more a blob of Magma gurgled as it suddenly appeared next to the Muscas, engorging itself on one of its fly-like wings burning it down to its base in an instant hardening on its back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“As expected abination of fire would work. Let''s see if Ice works shall we?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shot forward grabbing the shard of ice in his hand as he went. Appearing behind the Muscas as it fell downward from the loss of its wing making it unstable in the air. Drake pressed the shard to the side of the Insectmancer’s head.
<span style="font-weight:400">Instantly the permafrost from the ice shard spread, covering half of its head before it ripped itself away, the small smokey fog from the difference in temperature hovering above the now frozen half of its head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weak to ice as well? Looks like Insect types are still underpowered, unfortunate for you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The Muscas chittered, having enough of Drake’s games, and summoned a swarmrger than any before. Letting out a cry as the summoned insects began to glow green.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Over already huh? Suppose we’re doing ultimate moves then,” Drake dropped to the ground his hair shifting to a pure white, a wless white me breathing to life in his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Turn to dust and disappear before me.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">sping his hands together Drake pushed the mes into a solid form, condensing the mana to its limit as he molded it into a de of pure fire.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">I won’t let you regret this, Ban-”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Letting go of the de it fell to the ground dispersing into countless petals of searing hot white mes enough to easily overwhelm the massive swarm of insects.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“-kai.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">The sword bloomed and scattered the petals in a whirlwind of potent fire magic. Every petal that touched an insect went up in a puff of me leaving only a burnt husk of smoldering ash.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Senbonzakura, Kageyoshi.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">In a sh of brilliant white the field was removed of every insect in the area save for the Muscas who’s face twisted into an emotion Drake could only call fear.
<span style="font-weight:400">Raising his hand the petals coalesced forming rows of bright ming swords around them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This seems to be the end of your usefulness. Regret in your next life that you harmed those under my protection. Disappear,” Drake sneered, lowering his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Senkei!”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">With hisst words, the rows pointed at the Muscas. The monster knew immediately what was toe and turned to run, desperately fluttering its remaining wing in its attempt to escape. But it was in vain as the numerous rows of swords pierced it one after the other lighting it in a pire of ethereal white, its cries of pain not loud enough to overtake the crackling of the fire.
<b>[You have subjugated Muscas Insectmancer Level 31] [E-Rank] [Experience Earned]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">—------------------------
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake gave a breath of relief, his hair turning to a soft blue as he walked over to the corpse. The area had turned into a hot sauna from his spell, evaporating all the nearby snow.
<span style="font-weight:400">He waited for a moment eagerly to see if the Monster would drop what he was expecting as he willed his remaining Elementals to return to the encampment with the patrols.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake had miscalcted. Assuming that there wouldn’t be more E-Ranks within the area and that the system wouldn’t put the world as a whole in that much danger.
<span style="font-weight:400">From what he could tell most people hade out of the tutorial barely above level 12, yet here he was fighting E-Ranks and many other F-Ranks on the cusp of evolving. Was it just the area he was in? Or was it that the system knew and adjusted the surroundings that it pushed him into with the Territory Quest?
<span style="font-weight:400">He would have to figure that outter but for now, the people around him were in more danger than he expected.
<span style="font-weight:400">While in thought, a familiar mote of light shone and winked out of existence leaving a stone at his feet.
<span style="font-weight:400">Smiling, he picked it up.
<b>[Main ss-tree Stone: Spirit Summoner] [Epic]</b>
<ul>
<li><b>Unlocks the Spirit Summoner ss-tree.</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Requirement: Open Main ss-tree slot. Cleric-based ss level of 10 or more.</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake withdrew the other stone he had received from H, his ning together for the teens and their sses.
<b>[Main ss-tree Stone: Lightning Spearman] [Epic]</b>
<ul>
<li><b>Unlocks the Lightning Spearman ss-tree.</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Requirement: Open Main ss-tree Slot. Warrior-based ss level of 10 or more.</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight:400">Turning around he regrouped with the Orcs and Sah Ul’ a grin on his face as he moved his mask and stared at the stones.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I love it when a nes together… Ah, everyone still in one piece no serious injuries? What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?” Drake asked, touching his cheek.
<span style="font-weight:400">“D-defeated the monster… Alone…” one of the warriors murmured amazement in his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, yeah….” Drake answered casually, “You saw me take on the big chicken right? That guy was hardly half as strong as that. I didn’t even get to use many of my skills… But hey, at least we have more info on what monsters are around here right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The group of Orcs nodded slowly, whispering among themselves as they followed Drake back to the tribe’s encampment.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sah Ul’ fell in line behind him as he put his hands up behind his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake was in a good mood after the fight, he had gained just the stones he wanted and he had many more for their skills once the time came. It was just a matter of time until they both turned 16 and entered the system.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can’t wait! It’s time for a good old training arc!” Drake cheered.