Chapter 204: Anchored
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let! Go! Deceiver!” Kalik Tu’ growled swinging his arms wildly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Calm down kid, you’ll want to see this if you wanna beat me at some point,” Drake scoffed, holding Kalik by the scruff of his leather armor like a kitten.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Won’t listen!” he barked back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then don’t listen, just watch and learn,” Drake fired back, dropping him on his tush next to Sah Ul’ and the rest of the group who were observing at the moment.
<span style="font-weight:400">Landin nced over, then turned his attention back to Mikhail’s group, “He doesn’t seem happy.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“When does Kalik ever seem happy to you?” Drakeughed, looking down at the kid.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not sure, I can’t understand him. But he’s always wearing a scowl, at least when he’s looking at us.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s true…” Charlotte agreed, “Are we going to be able to understand everyone when we get our sses?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shook his head, “Not until you be F-Rank a littleter and we would have to find a specific book, that I’m not sure drops anymore. I’ll have to bring it up with Nattoter. If it isn’t around, you two will have to learn theirnguage the hard way,” he exined, giving a shrug.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sah Ul’ looked over at Drake and Kalik briefly, giving an uninterested grunt before addressing Drake.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Woman here for Patriarch,” Sah Ul said, motioning towards the other side of the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake turned, spotting Bridgette looking on eagerly at Mikhail’s group.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sighing he moved over, honestly not looking forward to another conversation with her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you want, Doc?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without turning Bridgette greeted Drake, keeping her attention on the party dealing with another wave of monsters beyond the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hello again Mr. Wallen. I see you’ve adopted some strays and so soon…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I would hardly call them strays, they were the ones who came to find me,” Drake replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Interesting. I would have thought people would have waited until at least the anchoring of your crystal… Quite interesting indeed. That man,” Bridgette said pointing to Mikhail, “He is especially interesting. Do you know his ss?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shook his head, “Nope, I’ll know soon though. Speaking of him, he gave me the idea of how I’ll vet peopleing into the town. Assuming there will be more.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sure there will be, excluding the fact that this is a system sanctioned area. I believe the prospect of being under the protection of one who has already killed a Guardian Beast would tickle the fancy of anypetent persons….” Bridgette snickered, puffing on her cigarette, “Regardless, I will get to my reason for looking for you. I would like a ce to conduct experiments and research.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No,” Drake said tly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah thank you for- What? Why?!” she gasped.
<span style="font-weight:400">“After what you did at the library? Why would I give the green light for you to be a mad scientist?” Drake scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am nothing of the sort! I wish to simply see how these new infectious diseases affect monsters. Discovering how my paralytics and other concoctions interact with both the world and those that inhabit it will only prove to be useful to you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see, thank you for seeing it- What? Did I not just exin how it would be beneficial?!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, I mean no I don’t have time to do that. At least not until the crystal is anchored. How many things do you think I’m dealing with right now? I don’t have the infrastructure to even consider putting up anything close to buildings or the like yet. I’mcking personnel, guards, a way of defending this ce, and not to mention a school to teach the young children who take sanctuary here at the moment. Your little experiments can wait,” Drake exined, waving her off.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bridgette held up a finger, wanting to open her mouth again, but instead thinned her lips and narrowed her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I understand… You simply need to find administrators for this town, yes?” she asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked at her suspiciously, “Y-yes….?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bridgette nodded and walked away wordlessly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh that’s trouble…” Drake mumbled. But shook his head and returned to where the rest of the teens were.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Having fun?” Drake asked sarcastically.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you think…” Landin asked, still leaning forward on the wall from his seat, his head in his hands as his eyes stayed on Mikhail’s group.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake chuckled, “I know it''s probably boring right now but try not to fall asleep at least. I was never one for studying either but this will be the foundation of everything you do as a group here. I have high expectations of you three,” he looked at Charlotte who was, despite looking tired observing in earnest.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking over to Kalik, the boy was surprisingly standing next to Sah Ul’ observing as well with some interest. Whether he was interested in seeing other people fight or was just infatuated with how their teamwork seemed to be fine tuned enough to allow them to dispatch the monsters with rtive ease despite being outnumbered.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Looks like things are good here.</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought with a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t stay here toote, remember to eat and get some rest, they’ll be here for the rest of the week at least,” Drake announced.
<span style="font-weight:400">Landin gave him azy wave, Charlotte nodding. Drake said it once again, directing it at Kalik Tu’, who spat in his direction.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">I hope finding other talented kids his age will fix his attitude…</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll be returning to patrolling, don’t wait up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">With that Drake stepped back off the wall, returning to the center of the encampment where a line of people were still awaiting his return.
<span style="font-weight:400">—---------
<span style="font-weight:400">That day went by quickly without any particrly strong monsters entering their area. Drake dispatched whatever Mikhail’s group could not, also taking care of his challengers with ease as most were simply disgruntled warriors who had their eyes on Sarah and the seat of being the next chief.
<span style="font-weight:400">The next day followed the same rhythm. Drake stayed up dispatching monsters that were drawn to the presence of the crystal throughout the night, returning to Natto’s side once he was done.
<span style="font-weight:400">Once dawn broke he would fight the line of challengers who still wished to remove him from his position. All while giving them tips on their fighting as best he could.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake was no world ss fighter by any means, but his current stats and his Subtree Skill, Asuran’s Warbook, seemed to have elerated his ability to fight by an enormous degree. If you were to ask him it was almost like he had earned a skill elerator in games that allowed him to learn more quickly.
<span style="font-weight:400">When it came to fighting, he was absorbing the information like a spunge, and each time he did it invigorated a small part of his soul.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake continued this for four more days bringing him to the final day of the anchoring.
<span style="font-weight:400">Walking from the small ind over the icebridge as usual Drake was met with challengers once again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, who’s up first this time?” Drake sighed rubbing the back of his stiff neck, his breathe leaving a small puff of white mist.
<span style="font-weight:400">“First,” Kalik Tu’ grunted.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake eyed the teen, “Again?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Again!” he shouted pulling an ax from his side, but this time he pulled a knife as well making Drake raise an eyebrow.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Looks like he is teachable.</i><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake though looking at the de with a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, let me have it,” Drake scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kalik didn’t rush Drake this time, opting to slowly gauge him, moving his footwork with meticulous intention.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake simply observed, having no need to rush the fight himself. This wasn’t a proving ground for himself but for the challengers. And Drake had no intention of forcing the issue and striking first.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kalik continued to inch closer with his de and ax at the ready until he was only a few feet from Drake’s blindside. And in a quick sudden motion, he hurled the ax forward then took off to the side before itnded trying to time the impact with another strike.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake dodged the ax, letting it pass by him harmlessly as he followed the teen with his eyes. Kalik continued to circle, pulling another ax from his side this time tossing it into the air above Drake.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ignoring the ax for now, Drake followed the teen as Kalik made a hairpin turn, b-lining for Drake with his de lunging forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">Moving to the side Drake dodged the thrust, grabbing Kalik’s wrist and flipping him over onto the snow below.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kalik let out a grunt of pain as the air was pushed from his lungs but quickly recovered. Jumping into the air his eyes were slightly unfocused but he still managed to catch the ax he had thrown earlier, bringing it down with his de in a cross sh.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake whistled, impressed, but the boy had left himself vulnerable in his jumping position. And with one swift motion Drake allowed the des toe down as he lowered his stance, lunging below Kalik, his hand passing under the weapons and with a firm thrust upwards his palm struck the teen’s chin throwing him backwards.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kalik hit the floor, unconscious.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now where did you learn all that…” Drake muttered with a smile, picking up the boy.
<span style="font-weight:400">He looked at the crowd who looked just as impressed and surprised as Drake had a few moments before.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright quick break, need to make sure he isn''t dead and all that,” Drake chuckled as he quickly sprinted towards where Mikhail’s party was at the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">A few short secondster Drake arrived outside the tents he had set up for them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wakey Wakey! Yorth I have a patient for you!” Drake shouted at the tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">A few momentster a long drawn-out sigh came from the tent and a man with bright fiery red hair pulled back the p, his blue eyes sunken slightly, his hair a mess, and his clothes unkempt.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Did you knock him out again?” Yorth grumbled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That I did. Kid might be a M,” Drake smirked,ying Kalik Tu’ down next to the tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Or you’re just a sadist… Every day you knock this kid out, couldn’t you go a little easier on him?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake shook his head, “No can do, that would be an insult to his warrior spirit. You know who taught him the thing with the ax?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ax thing?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, he tossed an ax as a distraction, and when I didn’t bite he used it as a weapon to attack from above.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, he probably saw ke and Mikhail fighting? They both don’t fight directly but use more indirect methods, they aren’t strength type fighters after all,” Yorth guessed,ying a hand on Kalik’s head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">May the mother guide this weary soul to their former peace. Healing Drip.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drakeughed at the spell name like he did every time, “Healing Drip? I still don’t get this system’s naming…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey I don’t name the spells, I just chant them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right,” Drake smirked, “Last day huh…” he mused aloud, “Anyway, were there any more people showing up?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Yorth nodded, “We turned the group away though, it was pretty obvious what they were here for…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake frowned, “More?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Nodding Yorth also frowned, “We took in the ones they had but well…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You don’t have to answer to me for doing it,” Drake said, his brow furrowing, “I’ve seen it in the tutorial but people doing it here… I’d like to know where they all keeping from. Next time keep them here before anything happens. I want to ask them some questions.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Questions?” a voice asked from the side, Mikhail exiting his tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You didn’t mention new vers trying to get inside when you talked to me yesterday,” Drake scowled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I apologize. We took care of them as we have before. I just assumed that would suffice,” Mikhail said, raising his hands, “I will inform you of such things in the future, of course.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sighed. He wasn’t mad at Mikhail, he was just disgusted with the people who seemed to be popping up more and moretely for some reason.
<span style="font-weight:400">vers.
<span style="font-weight:400">They were people who specifically found other races and sometimes even other humans and ced them in chains, trying to find easier prey or even sell them off to town owners for various reasons.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake had felt disgusted the first time he saw them the day after meeting Mikhail and his group. It was a stark contrast to their group and it took all of Drake’s willpower to not just kill the worthless group of people on the spot but he wanted to do what he could without bloodshed if he could manage.
<span style="font-weight:400">Fortunately, most of the vers were not the brightest bunch, and would go back on their word constantly after seeing Drake was only a ‘Level 10’ and try to take advantage of him.
<span style="font-weight:400">And of course, Drake obliged, making sure they would never make the same mistake again as well as never harm another soul.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did you direct the rescues to the Doc?” Drake asked finally.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We did, sheined as always. There were a few beastkin, elves, and a few humans. Detestable really," Mikhail sighed his face scrunching up.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake nodded, but there wasn’t much he could do to prevent it. He didn’t have enough influence or personnel to send out on moral righteous missions like some sort of church or relief service.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully the crystal should anchor…</i>
<b>[Drake Wallen is the 13th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal]</b>
<b>[The city ‘Reunite’ has now been established and recognized by the system]</b>
<b>[Quest Complete: Be One of the first to Establish a System Sanctioned Town!]</b>
<b>[Quest Complete: A Land All Your Own!]</b>
<b>[You have been designated the rank of Baron]</b>
<b>[You have been awarded 300 Nobility Points]</b>
<b>[You have been awarded 500 Nobility Experience]</b>
<b>[You have been ced as #1 on the Nobility Board]</b>
<b>[You have received a new Title: Baron]</b>
<b>[Baron]</b>
<ul>
<li><b>You have received a Nobility Title deserving of your status.</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>+3% Experience Gain to all Affiliated persons.</li>
</ul>
<b>[You have received a new Title: Catalyst of the Capital]</b>
<b>[Catalyst of the Capital]</b>
<ul>
<li><b>You have gained great renown in your new world and are an incredible prospect.</b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>+2% to Experience Gain of all Affiliated Persons</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>+5% to Health, Mana, and Stamina Regeneration while inside Town influence.</li>
</ul>
<b>[You have been registered as the owner of the town, Reunite]</b>
<b>[You have received a Standard System Center]</b>
<b>[You may choose from a list of System Authorized Buildings]</b>
<b>[You may choose from a list of System Authorized Buildings]</b>
<b>[You have Received a Ticket to the World Summit x1]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Speak of the devil,” Drake shrugged.