《Dual Class [LitRPG] – Current Vol 4》 Chapter 1 : Welcome Chapter 1 : Wee A light blue screen gingerly floated in front of him. His brows scrunched in confusion looking back at it. A single bold word in the middle of the game-like screen. [Wee] "This isn¡¯t what I was watching¡­ Where did this screene from?" Drake questioned. His gaze was brought again to the subtly bobbing screen in front of him. Taking better notice of it, at the bottom there was a small white blinking arrow prompting him to continue. "Oh, man... I kinda don¡¯t like that... I¡¯ve seen one too many movies like this," Drake muttered. Trying to quickly get up from his sitting position, he noticed that he was actually in afortable office-like chair, his brows rose once again suddenly taken aback. "I should have been in bed and watching my... ahem...te-night¡­ show¡­" And why is it so chilly in here? He thought looking down at his exposed feet on the cold tile floor. Oh.... that isn''t a good sign.... Ignoring the screen that still prompted him to continue, that almost seemed to blink more aggressively in his peripheral. Drake began to pat himself down. He would have thought it impossible but it looked like he had been moved out of his apartment and somehow into this white nondescript room. Moving from his head, down his body, passing over his in t-shirt, he embarrassedly stopped at his pants. Or hisck thereof. "Shit, I¡¯m pantless too? Hey! Whoever you are! You didn¡¯t even have the decency to clothe me when you kidnapped me!?" he shouted into the air at nothing in particr, but he hoped someone would hear him and give him some answers. The room he was in didn¡¯t seem to have any doors. And definitely no windows which was another confusing thing to add to the list of rather confusing things as there was light but no light sources that he could find. "Did one of my brothers put you up to this!? I know my birthday ising up soon but this goes way beyond a joke! Hello?!" Drake continued to shout for a few minutes. Eventually devolving into loud insults and indecencies. Finally resorting to just screaming at the top of his lungs as no one answered him. Until he ran out of energy and slid down against a wall to sit. After a few minutes of being slumped against a wall, his head tilted back, staring into space. A bell sounded in Drake¡¯s head, followed by a mechanical female voice. [Wee. New Persons¡¯ to the integration of your world into the fused world number 75,100,000,000,000,000. You will have the following hour to go through the introduction before the initial tutorialmences. May you gain insight, power, and renown. And most importantly, survive] The voice said coldly, only adding to the ominous and confusing pit forming in Drake''s stomach. The bell and voice faded from inside Drake¡¯s head as his vision panned down from the ceiling, focusing on the light blue screen, a new white timer counting down on the top right. [Time Remaining until Initiation: 59 Minutes, 45 Seconds] "Ahh¡­. I¡¯ve definitely seen this movie before¡­ And I really don¡¯t want to see what happens when the timer runs out..." he chuckled wearily, reluctantly pressing the continue button on the screen. Chapter 2: A Shocking Introduction Chapter 2: A Shocking Introduction "Wee," a new female voice said, startling Drake and causing him to nearly fumble over on the ground. There were no doors in the room that he could make out so it shouldn¡¯t have been possible for someone to just appear in the room without him noticing. But after the shock of hearing a new voice in the room, Drake quickly stood looking at the person across from him. On the other side of a newly ced white table -that he was wondering where it hade from- was a picturesque woman with shoulder-length ck hair, and sharp brown eyes staring back at him. Even with her sitting down Drake could clearly see her defined body features under the office-type clothing. If anything the tightly stretched clothes only made her curves more alluring. While thinking that she reminded him of one of the KPOP stars he had seen doing a video for one of his favorite games, he let out a whispered, "Wow, you are smoking...." an upward crease forming on the side of his mouth. The woman smiled in turn, casually getting to her feet. She was slightly shorter than Drake, maybe around 5 foot 5 inches. And she sauntered just as casually over to his side of the table. "Oh. Now I''ve definitely seen this movie before," Drake muttered, looking down at the extravagant woman in front of him. Unbeknownst to him the woman had pulled out a small taser in her hand. But Drake hardly noticed since he was too upied looking at the woman¡¯s smile. Before he could understand what happened he went stiff as a board, suddenly feeling an intense shock go through his body, falling back to the ground with an unceremonious thud. "W-hhh-what tttthh-the ffu-fuuckdyyyyy!" Drake shouted out through spasms. The woman never stopped smiling as she knelt down next to Drake, the taser still popping with swift and loud cracks in her hand. "I may be a system construct and only here for now to perform your introduction, but I¡¯ll be damned if you¡¯ll subject me to your low-tier game without pants. Pervert," said the woman, giving Drake another quick shock to the thigh. Drake yelped again in surprise, pain shooting up the length of his leg like being struck by lightning. "Oh don¡¯t be such a baby. This thing only does 1 damage per hit, the stun is only inconvenient since you don¡¯t have any resistances yet. Now here¡¯s an extra freebie, put them on so I don¡¯t have to look upon your disappointing lower half will you," she giggled condescending, dropping blue jeans on Drake¡¯s still spasming, drooling face. By the time Drake was able to gain control over his body, he was even more confused than before. It had been a little over 10 minutes as he nced at the top right of the weing screen. She had just wasted the little time he had here over a smallpliment. Sure, I forgot that I was half-naked. Drake thought. But it¡¯s not my fault I was brought here with no pants! I just went on auto-pilot since she¡¯s right in my strike zone! He sighed inwardly as he slipped into the jeans he was given, more confused. He tried his best to ignore the blinking green bar in the top left of his vision. Not wanting to acknowledge it. Thinking that if he had he would be admitting to going even more crazy than he already thought he was. Transported half-naked to a small nondescript room. A gorgeous hottie just spawns into it after I hear voices in my head. How was I supposed to know anything but that this might be a wild lucid dream or I went into some kind ofa?! He screamed internally. "Will you sit down so we can get started already, you don¡¯t have all day. We have a lot to go through," the woman said from her seat at the table she had gone back to at some point. "Oh, I¡¯m wasting time now, huh?!" Drake shouted, "Aren¡¯t you the one who just knocked me out for giving out a harmlesspliment!" The woman raised a brow at Drake¡¯s outburst, her hand rising from below the table. The same taser in her hand sparked to life menacingly, lighting up the side of her face with every electrifying crack, "You were half naked if you don''t remember. Want to go night night again brat?" she stated tly making it all the more terrifying. "That¡¯s fair. No, I¡¯m good Ma¡¯am, let¡¯s get started shall we!" he quickly yelled out in the most polite tone he could manage, silently sliding into the seat at the table. "Good boy," she sneered, "Now that we can finally begin, hurry up and fill out the basic information the screen is asking for," she prompted with the wave of the taser. "Bitch¡­." Drake muttered under his breath. "What was that, I didn¡¯t quite hear?" she asked, the taser again snapping to life with electricity. "No, no, nothing! I just don¡¯t really understand the first line! Haha¡­." he rambled nervously, looking down at the screen in front of him. [Please enter your name or alias.] "Why would I need an alias, I¡¯m assuming since I¡¯m here you already know my name. This seems like a sign-up for some type of job or game. Did I reincarnate, maybe?" Drake asked rapid-fire, his enthusiasm starting to eclipse his terror of being shocked again. "Ugh¡­ So many questions and we haven''t even passed the first prompt. Can¡¯t you use that thing between your fleshy ears?" the woman said dramatically with a flourish of her arms. When she popped in I could have sworn she was an angel, but what''s with all this sadistic crap! She¡¯s a 10 but her personality is like a 1! I guess that¡¯s why they say don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. Thought Drake, staring at the woman, waiting for a proper answer while willfully ignoring the taser she used so liberally. The woman¡¯s eyes thinned in annoyance, reluctantly answering, "You are lucky I¡¯m forced by the system to answer even the most mundane of questions as long as it¡¯s within a certain scope. No, you haven¡¯t reincarnated. Are you stupid? And the reason for the option of an alias is because in theing tutorial. You will be ced on specificdders for thepetition of rewards at the end of it." Drake¡¯s ears perked up at the mention of thepetitiondders. He was an avid gamer during his 26 years of life, even ying games when it wasn¡¯t mainstream. Having to hide the fact, he would turn down dates and outings just to get a few more hours in front of the screen. "So it is like a game sign-up, almost like a Gamer Tag?" he mused. "You can think of it like that if it helps," she said, twirling the taser between her fingers as she continued, "But this is no game, the system is made to promote the growth of Mana Vessels by any means." "Mana Vessels?" Drake asked. "Yeah, the most simple exnation I''m allowed to give you is that they, or more specifically; you and the rest of your race are containers for ambient mana. Meant to contain infinite sums of it throughout the multiverse. You know about the Big Bang right?" she asked pointedly. "Yeah, I went through school," he answered. "Could have fooled me," she giggled. Drake scoffed a scowl quickly forming on his face. "Well," she continued. "That didn¡¯t happen for just any reason. The build-up of mana from the Originators, or the first Vessels couldn¡¯t be held. And went pop!" the woman exined with a pop of her hands and lips. "And now all that Mana is continuing out into the multiverse just all willy-nilly. Doing whatever it likes, creatings, destroyings, creating and copsing whole sectors of the universe. So to contain the unstable mana, the surviving Originators developed the system to gather and process it," she finished. "Well doesn''t that just make two bombshells in the roomdy? I feel like you should apologize to all the people who worked so hard toe up with the Big Bang Theory," Drake said. "Nope. It isn¡¯t my fault they were uninformed, ipetent monkeys," she said tly. Drake didn¡¯t let some of the information she slipped in go past him without question either, "You said my race as if there were others. Are you insinuating that there will be other ¡®races¡¯ in this tutorial?" he asked. "Yes," she stated just as quickly. "And they are¡­.?" Drake asked exacerbated. "Can¡¯t say, won¡¯t say. Can¡¯t give you all the info, but I will say that the area you are going to only has humans in it," she quipped, adding, "At least as far as participants go," she finished coyishly. "Fair...." Drake said a little suspicious of thestment but forced himself to look back at the screen hovering in front of him nheless, pushing the thought away. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just use my gamer tag for now. He thought. Drake pressed the empty box on the screen for his name, a cursor shing in the box as a keyboard manifested into existence in front of him. Beginning to type out the name he had used in some of his more recent RPG games. [Please enter your name or alias.] [xXxDemonHunterDrakexXx¡­] Drake¡¯s hands moved nearly at the speed of light to cover his flushing face. As he started typing the name he had used for his solo-y RPG games. He slowly realized it would be seen by others. I¡¯m 26 dude! He screamed internally. This is going to be seen by who knows how many people. How embarrassing would it be to introduce yourself like this?! Oh hey! I¡¯m xXxDemonHunterDrakexXx! He continued to think, only embarrassing himself further. The embarrassment became even more physical as he squirmed slightly in his seat. "Hurry up, you have only 40 more minutes to get through everything and ask any other questions you might have. So there¡¯s no time to dance about. And if you¡¯re worried about the alias, don¡¯t be. It will onlyst for the tutorialdders and won¡¯t matter afterward," the woman said, her face giving away how bored she was growing of watching Drake mull over only the first prompt of the introduction, losing so much interest that she picked at the under of her nails with the taser blowing the dirt off asionally. "Thanks¡­" he muttered. Remembering the old MMO he had yed when he was younger. Drake smiled with nostalgia. He thought of the name he used through most of the 10 odd years that he yed. [Please enter your name or alias.] [Shot] Chapter 3: You are now Level 1 Chapter 3: You are now Level 1 Drake smiled nostalgically reading over the name. It had been a name he coined after ying one of the more popr Third Person Shooter Games, that he would rank as his number one. There had been a yer who dominated the North American Region with the name and during the time Drake had been young, so he may or may not have looked up to the yer for their skill. Going so far as to steal his IGN, and used it for himself ever since. Man, I really hope that guy never finds out I stole his IGN don''t want him getting pissed at me, haha... He nervously thought. "Done?" the woman asked from across the table. Bringing Drake out of his internal dialogue. "Yeah, all set," he answered, pressing the enter button on the screen. A bell sounded inside his head like the one before, followed by a familiar mechanical female voice. "Congrattions, you are now level 1. Please select a starter ss." Drake wasn¡¯t as startled by the voice and bell this time, another smile creeping up his face at hearing the fantasy-like statement. Well, guess I¡¯m all in now. We¡¯re officially crazy boys. He thought chuckling nervously to himself. A new load of text appeared on the screen. This time a type of drop-down selection popped up, with exnations filling the screen after. He read the first option, musing in his head that it really was like a game, the vor text almost making him lick his lips and push up his nonexistent sses. Let''s see what we''re working with. He thought bringing up the first ss. [Warrior] [Starter]
  • A starter ss of newly initiated system Vessels.
  • Strongly characterized by theirrge health pools, strength, and use of melee weapons.
  • Initial + 10 to Vitality, Strength, and Endurance.
  • A great foothold ss for those who like to bathe in the blood of their enemies. Losing themselves in the constant melee. And wish to fight close enough to see their foes'' life drain from their eyes.
Wow, that''s some unusually specific vor text now that I read it¡­ And there are actual stats, huh, so it¡¯s a ssic RPG character builder. "What kind of stats are there? And how do they affect me, are they like ssic game stats or are there any unique differences?" Drake asked, trying to glean some more information before he continued. "Ugh, another question already? You''re going to run out of time before you even pick a ss at this rate," the woman said, drooping her head slightly in faux exhaustion, but answered regardless. "They¡¯re what you would think of as typical statistics for games, Vitality affects your base health and health regeneration. Strength makes you physically stronger. Dexterity gives you more quickness, faster reflexes, finesse, and the like. Intelligence is higher base mana and makes your spells hit harder. And Wisdom is mana regeneration. Endurance has to deal with your stamina and stamina regeneration. Now based on certain skills and sses it might create and affect a sub-stat or be a multiplier of another stat, there are more skills in the multiverse than there are specs of dirt in space," the woman exined. Drake touched his chin thoughtfully. It was pretty basic, but better safe than sorry. He knew of some game systems that liked to have sub-stats affected right off the bat for main stats. "So there isn''t any hidden stats thate from these main 6? Like defensive pration with more Dexterity for example?" he asked. "Wow, a creep and a nerd, you¡¯re the whole package are n''tcha? You must have had a wonderful childhood... Pretty cringe if you ask me. And no, there are technically no sub-stats directly corrted with any of the main stats, right now, but like I said there are skills and sses that use them as multipliers for the skills damage or passive sub-stat, but you have to get the passive skill to have the sub stat, as well as grow the stat. So you won¡¯t have, say magic pration without a passive skill that uses it," she sneered. "Who''s cringe..?! You''re cringe... Stupid bitch¡­ The hell is your problem, who hurt you...?" Drake muttered, hastily going back to the screen with the ss exnations. [Ranger] [Starter]
  • A starter ss of newly initiated Vessels.
  • Characterized by their high dexterity and nimbleness. Often seen with range weapons.
  • Initial +10 to Dexterity, Strength, and Endurance.
  • A ss used by those who wish to strike from the shadows or afar. Often using hit-and-run tactics to debilitate their foes and whittle them down to watch them suffer. There¡¯s nothing like watching a hated enemy bleed out and rot from poison.
Whoa, these exnations are getting a bit out there. Drake thought selecting the next ss. [Priest] [Starter]
  • A starter ss of newly initiated Vessels.
  • Characterized by their ability to heal and support others. Often seen with a cudgel and cross.
  • Initial +10 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Endurance.
  • A boon to any party, a ss that wishes to help the wounded and the weak. Those who wish to seek power through prayer but don¡¯t mind crushing a skull with arge mace every once in a while.
"I think there¡¯s something wrong with these ss descriptions," Drake finally said, after reading the secondst description. "No," shook the woman''s head, "It says what it says." "Seems pretty biased towards bloodlust doesn''t it? It isn¡¯t just sending us into wholesale ughter is it..?" he asked. The woman was eerily silent, letting the question linger in the air like a joke that fell t, deciding not to answer that question, and keeping the customer service-like smile instead. OK! That isn''t ominous in the slightest.... Drake thought, his eyes buggering out, turning back to thest option on the screen. [Mage] [Starter] A starter ss of newly initiated Vessels.
  • Characterized by their devastating magic attack and high Intellect. Often seen standing with a staff and wizard hat.
  • Initial +10 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity.
  • A ss fantasized about for having world-leveling power and left a wanting power for those who wish to destroy swaths of enemies in a single explosive spell. There¡¯s nothing like a fiery explosion that lights up the world!
Drake¡¯s eyes widened at reading thest ss. He had assumed that there was magic as the woman had mentioned but, he didn¡¯t want to get ahead of himself. Now that he read it for himself though - a bonafide Mage ss - every game and anime he had ever watched with magic contained in it shed across his mind in a tornado of weeby excitement. He couldn¡¯t imagine selecting any other ss. Any caution he had in thinking about the merits and demerits of the sses were thrown to the wind. This was going to be his ss. Memories of speed leveling through game after game with his old MMO with friends, cheesing and sprinting through quests and levels to get to new areas and content first before any others shed like a high school photo reel in his head. Nostalgia took him through his teen years, remembering the friends that he yed with during those days. Endless hours of grinding for gear, levels, money, and items. Doing their best to organize people so they could challenge content first. Being the pioneers of anything and everything rted to new games and server releases. He began to remember his guild leader and friending up with a custom ss during a time when the game was having contests for yers that reached a designated level first in a certain time period, and the basis of that ss had been a mage. An incredibly versatile cross-ss that only scaled into thete game, eventually beingined about as being broken. A smile again crossed Drake¡¯s face. Hoping there might be a possibility here as well. "I¡¯m going with Mage," he dered as he selected the ss and pressed continue. [Congrattions. You have selected Mage as your starting ss] [You are now a level 1 Mage] [You have unlocked the basic ss skill] [Basic Starter Mana Bolt Unlocked] [Bonus Stats have been applied. +10 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity] [You havepleted the introduction. ept rewards?] A sudden torrent of notifications flooded Drake''s head as hepleted the ss selection, berating his inner ears with bells. Instinctively covered his ears to try to block out the noise to no avail. "Ah, I should have told you about the flood of notifications you would be getting. Haha, my bad." said the woman. Tilting her head back condescending sneering again at his pain. "Why¡­ is it so loud?" Drake asked, gripping his ears still as the remnant of the ringing still haunted his head. "You get used to it, I¡¯m sure. You can also mentally suppress the notifications so that you won¡¯t hear the ring and you can look at the notificationster. Would suck if that happened during a fight so, might want to do that," she snickered. "And how do I do that?" questioned Drake, raising his head and shaking it slightly in an attempt to clear the high-pitched ringing. "You know those mute buttons on videos? Just think of it like that. It will probably work," she answered. Drake did as the woman suggested and imagined clicking the button. "How do I know if it worked?" he asked quickly. "The rewards for the ss change should still be there since they haven''te out on the table. So go ahead and ept them mentally," the woman answered, not missing a beat. He mentally brought up the notifications and saw the one asking about the rewards. Mentally ascending to the notification, a small wooden staff appeared on the table in front of him. Next to it, a ck 20-sided die. Drake picked up the die between his fingers and rolled it around, "I¡¯ve seen these, isn''t this for table tops?" he wondered out loud. "Among other things, it¡¯s for your ss upgrade at level 10, and then second advancement at level 40. You should have gotten the ss quest for it. And before you ask, I can¡¯t give you the ss advancements and no it''s not just because I don¡¯t like you," she said, smirking. "Jeezdy, aren''t you just all rainbows and sunshine? And this is all they start you out with? No pointy hat, no robes? And what ques-" Drake asked, slightly ring at the woman before being cut off. [New Avable ss Quest. Reach Mage level 10 for advancement] [Reward: Base ss Upgrade, Main ss-tree Skill Stone, ss Specific Skill Stone] Oh.. there it is. He thought,ughing wryly. "For now, yes," she said tly, not continuing the conversation. As if waiting for another question she knew woulde. Drake put the die back on the table and picked up the wooden staff. It was made of smooth dark wood and about the length of his arm. So it could be used as a club he supposed but not a walking stick like Mages would in old RPGs. "So what¡¯s with this staff, can I fire magic out of it?" Drake questioned, turning it back and forth in his hand. Enjoying himself with the feeling of the smoothcquered surface on his hands. "Ew, stop rubbing your wood in front of me, pervert," the woman admonished, "And I can¡¯t say, just use the basic system identification. Just look at the item like you want to know what it is really, really, hard." Drake again did as she suggested, surprised with the new window that popped up in his vision as well as how game-like this new system was. [Novice Wooden Staff] [Common]
  • 1 to 12 Physical Damage
  • 40 to 44 Magical Damage
  • Attack Speed: Normal
  • Cast Speed: Normal
  • A starter wooden staff made of what it looks like, wood.
Drake chuckled a bit reading the vor text. Starting to enjoy how quippy the system was turning out to be. He looked back up from the staff in his hand to the woman, noticing now that the screen he had been using was now counting down from 10. "Looks like I¡¯m out of here soon, so long as this isn''t all just aa or a fever dream I guess. You were slightly less than helpful Miss, although very degrading. Which I might say isn¡¯t my kink, but no shaming here; you like what you like, safe spaces and all that," he said, standing up with staff in hand, leaning over with an outstretched hand. "Huh? Are you trying to kink shame me for a kink I don¡¯t even have? I¡¯m a construct made to handle this introduction. Made in an appearance to put you at ease for the transition to the tutorial. And you have the audacity to try and-" the woman stood up in a huff, a very familiar snapping sound at her side, but midway saw that Drake had a shit-eating grin on his face as he stretched out his hand for a handshake. "Ugh, whatever," she groaned, reaching out to meet his hand. "Well thanks for the banter, and I hope the tutorial isn''t like those ones in manga and movies," Drake said, still shaking the woman¡¯s hand. The woman smiled as she continued to shake Drake¡¯s hand. The counter counted down to the final seconds. 5¡­. 4¡­. 3¡­ She ced her other hand on top of his, now her smile bigger than ever before, her eyes turning to points, her expression turning sadistic her smile exuding a primal aura as she looked into his. "Oh, it will be much worse." She said in a crackling voice of broken octaves. Chapter 4: Recruiter Chapter 4: Recruiter The room shed in an array of bright colors, Drake feeling the woman¡¯s hand slowly disintegrate out of his. Chuckling nervously at her words as they echoed in the back of his head like that of a shout in an empty hallway, clenching the now empty hand. Looking around he was lit in a multitude of colors, the room nowhere in sight, the lights fully epassing him and even the floor. Having it fade away in a simr disy of beautiful cascading light. But somehow he was still able to stand upright. Drake assumed he was now being transferred to the tutorial zone that the construct woman had mentioned. Both anxiety and anticipation wracked his body and mind, his hands slipping ever so slightly at the cold sweat forming, both moving to wrap too tightly around the wooden staff the introduction had given him. Looking down at the staff he had ast-minute thought. If she didn¡¯t tase me and I wasn''t so caught up in it possibly being a dream, I could have asked a lot more important questions..... The rays of light began to dissipate, eventually clearing up his vision, revealing a vast dense forest. The earthy smell of the wild and trees. The sounds of rustling bushes and branches, and the cacophony of animal noises in the distance filled his senses. But the next? The next were vibrations to his ear he could have done without. The sound of crying and weeping, shouts, and muffled screams reaching him. Drake quickly turned to his left and right surveying his surroundings, bing disoriented from the motes of lightsing and going around him. Soon revealing more and more people. The sound of cryinging from some on their knees, obviously confused. "What is going on?! I¡¯m supposed to be at my boyfriend''s condo!" one woman said, her face a mess of smeared makeup. A cudgel in her clutches as she looked around desperately, the expression on her face cemented in terror and confusion. "Tyler! Where are you!? Tyler! This isn¡¯t funny buddye out! Daddy isn¡¯t ying around anymore!" a man screamed at the top of his lungs, seemingly looking for his lost son. A long iron sword in a hand, a shield in the other. Drake looked around at the panic on people''s faces, some walking around shouting names in search of others. Some falling to the ground once the motes of lights revealed them, looks of despair and confusion much like the woman before. There were also many who held smiles and eagerly looked at the new weapons in their hands, some holding swords, others bows with quivers on their back a small knife at their hip, and others with the same staff Drake held. Then there were some that held maces that Drake could only think of as the cudgels the system so fondly described, marking them as healers. He panned over therge congregation of people that had appeared. The motes of lights flickering out, finally finishing the transportation. Noticing a tower of a man standing over the crowd of people, his orange hair rough, and husky build a testament that he was someone Drake was going to stay far away from. Drake noticed through the chatter and yells that some of the people were not speaking English. He could pick up words in Spanish, German, and even Korean in the crowd. I guess it¡¯s true. The whole world got pulled into it. At least there isn¡¯t someone speaking Tagalog. Oh and that I¡¯m not going crazy. Dodged a bullet there for a few more years. Drake thought sarcastically. While Drake tried his best to cope with the sudden realization that he wasn¡¯t dreaming, a hand sped onto his shoulder. "Hey man, do you know what¡¯s going on here? Some really hot babe forced me to fill out some stuff and told me I was going to be sent to some tutorial. Are we in some kind of shared hallucination or something? Where the fuck is this?" the man asked rapid fire. Drake was forced to turn to face the man, surprised at his strength. Drake wasn¡¯t exactly a gym junkie but even with all his sedentary habits of ying games, entertainment, and his art day job. He still went to the gym at least three times a week and ate healthily - OK, somewhat healthy - so he may not be named Arnold but Drake was no slouch. But this man grasping onto his shoulder was of a thinner build and slightly shorter than him. And the strength he disyed clearly disproportionate to his appearance. Drake noticed the sword in the man¡¯s free hand, and panic quickly started to pit and knot his stomach. "I only know as much as you do. Let go of me will you, you have the grip strength of a silverback and it''s starting to hurt," Drake demanded. The man released Drake¡¯s shoulder apologetically. "Sorry, sir! Sheesh, I¡¯m just trying to figure out what¡¯s going on, and where that chick went¡­" continued the man. "I¡¯m not a sir, kid. I¡¯m 26. And didn¡¯t you ask the construct any questions at all? We had a whole hour," Drake asked, raising an eyebrow. The man clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath. "Fucking boomer¡­ No, I wasn''t really listening. I mean, I kept trying to get in the chick¡¯s pants after she forced me to pick some game ss. I just chose the first one that came up so I could keep talkin¡¯ to her." Drake put his hand over his face listening to the man. He looked no older than 18 and he was clearly more clueless than he was, not even listening to the construct. What was this guy thinking only focusing on chasing tail when he was obviously in a unique situation? His mind wandered. How did all these other people fare then during the introduction? I hope not everyone was like this kid, or we might be in big trouble. Looking over the crowd again. There must have been at least a couple thousand people here. Most of them looking just as confused as the person next to them, but he could again see some milling around and talking to others. And some groups were starting to form over the confusion. Drake scratched the back of his head with the staff nervously as he began to walk about himself. Thinking about what he should do, the only direction he had was the quest in the corner of his vision. [New Avable ss Quest. Reach Mage level 10 for advancement] This is telling me what to do in the short term I guess but I still don¡¯t know enough about what¡¯s going on. Drake pondered, again regretting getting tased and not being able to ask more specific questions. Doing his best to gauge the area they had been put into, Drake continued to walk around. Hearing suspicious rustling in the bushes now and then. As more and more groups began to gather, only a small few walked off into the dense unknown forest surrounding them. He needed to get a better grasp of his stats and own situation before he even tried to leave. He didn¡¯t exactly like the sounds of the forest that he was hearing. Distant yelling, grunts, and animal cries. Stats first. And I was so excited I never asked or figured out how my magic skill worked. He thought. Still walking, something in the back of Drake¡¯s head was telling him that staying still wasn¡¯t a good idea. He began going through all themands he knew for games in his head. Character Sheet. Stats. Status? Ah, there we go! He thought. A familiar blue window popping up in front of him [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage] Level 1 [Vitality] 17 [Strength] 10 [Dexterity] 26 [Intelligence] 24 [Wisdom] 25 [Endurance] 9 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Rank NG] [Titles] NA Drake looked over his stats for a moment. His Mage stats were his highest, he assumed from the ss bonus. Meaning he was starting around 13 on average originally for his stats. So how do I quantify these stats? Was that guy earlier a Warrior? That must be why he was so strong even though he didn¡¯t look it. And why does my skill not have a rank? Drake wondered, but before he could continue another hand grabbed his shoulder. Drake turned again to the person who had stopped him. Grumbling inwardly that he was getting tired of being touched. "Hey there! I¡¯m Chris. I¡¯m forming a group so we can figure out what¡¯s going on and finish these ss quests together. I¡¯d be happy if you¡¯d join us." the man said, pointing a thumb over his own shoulder at the small group of people gathered behind him. Drake cocked an eyebrow, looking over the man¡¯s shoulder at the people. He was certainly fast and good at gathering people. There were a little over 20 people already following him around like little chicks. They all had different weapons in their hands, some swords, some bows, cudgels, and staves. Most of them held swords though. Drake wondered if that was just because people didn''t know any better in the introduction and just picked the first choice that came up, or if everyone had just seen SAO. Looking back at the man talking to him. He was taller than Drake, so Chris was at least six feet. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and an athletic build. "I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m more of a solo yer," Drake lied, turning to walk away. He was already wasting too much time figuring out the stats and skills that he hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to ask about in the introduction. What the construct said at the end still tugged at the back of his mind. He needed to hurry up and get to grinding but he kept getting interrupted by random people. Before Drake could walk away the man grabbed his arm again. "You shouldn¡¯t go alone, it¡¯s safer if we stay together. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s out there. We should work together to finish the quests," Chris said, pushing the issue to persuade Drake to join. Drake waved off Chris¡¯s hand, rubbing his wrist from the strength of the man¡¯s grip. "I don¡¯t have to do anything. Where the hell are your manners, who raised you? Going around demanding people to join you. Good luck, but no thanks, I''ll be just fine alone," Drake retorted, Chris frowning in his response. Chris was right, Drake admitted. If this was just a game staying together was a sound n and probably the smarter choice. They would have more people and more sses, they even had Priests, which Drake assumed would get healing spells if they didn¡¯t already. But. Drake not only just didn¡¯t like this guy, but he was aplete stranger. The way he had talked to him was too demanding and entitled. He knew these types of guys who were a little charismatic and could group up people to benefit themselves. Chris kept saying ¡®we¡¯ but Drake knew he meant ¡®I¡¯. And there was also that¡­ He reminded Drake of those people in games that would party up because it was convenient for a kill quest. They would need 15 of some monsters, and party up to finish it. But they would always steal thest hit on the quest mob and then end up leaving right away when they were done. Not caring if the people they were partying with finished. As well as some things that were best forgotten from his personal life. And again all of these people were strangers, there was no telling what would happen if he haphazardly joined an already established group. What if they decided to just gang up on him at the drop of a hat? He had seen one too many tropes like that in games, tv shows, and movies to fall into it. Drake again began to walk away as Chris muttered something under his breath. But a loud scream brought the attention of all the remaining people to a man being assaulted by some furry animal alone on the edge of the gathering. "Help! Someone help me! What the hell is this thing?!" the man screamed. The animal on top of him was biting ferociously at the man¡¯s arm, scratching and wing to reach him. It looked like a little man? No... Monkey? The man continued to scream as everyone looked on, not sure what to do. Drake may have thought it was a small monkey but in truth, it was still around half the size of the man. The monkey-like thing dug into the man more and more as he screamed. Copious amounts of blood beginning to fly out of the man¡¯s arm as he screamed again for help. Finally, out of nowhere, the tall giant of a man walked over and grabbed the monkey by the scruff of its neck. The monkey iled around helplessly in his grip. The giant held the monkey at eye level as if inspecting it. And after a moment threw it up into the air and swung the sword in his hand through it in one strike, bisecting the creature. The parts of the monkey fell to the ground at his feet, a pool of blood forming around the corpse. The giant didn¡¯t seem perturbed in the slightest but frowned at his sword. Even from the distance Drake was, he could see why. The sword had snapped at the base. Was that giant¡¯s strength so massive that the basic sword couldn¡¯t even handle it? Drake chuckled lightly to himself at the scene. Watching the man throw the sword away and walk over to a small tree. The giant gripped the trunk of it and pulled it straight out of the ground, roots and all. Shaking off the dirt and cleaning the branches he made a makeshift club, walking off into the forest. Yeah, that guy isn¡¯t human. Definitely staying as far away from him as I can. Is he a superhero or something, maybe his name is Hercules. Haha¡­ Drake thought to himself, still chuckling wryly. Drake walked over to the monkey''s corpse, walking past the man, and seeing that he was still kicking just fine. While many other people went over to see if the man was alright. Looking at the corpse up close it was definitely some kind of Monkey or Ape, but it was one he had never seen on earth before. It had grayish fur with patches of ck here and there. But its face was that of a bat more than a primate. Its nose crushed and turned up, and its eyes were beady ck, most notably were the tworge fangsing from its mouth. Before Drake could inspect the creature more a new notification came into his peripheral. [New Subjugation Quest. Kill 20 Vampiric Apes] [Reward: Experience, 2 Random Sub-tree Stones] Drake smiled at the ssic game quest-like dialogue. So it was a Vampiric Ape? Simple naming sense. He thought. Drake noticed people starting to look over and gather around him now, their eyes lighting up a little as they got closer to the corpse. Oh, seeing the corpse was the trigger for the quest? I need to get going then before these things all get hunted down. I don''t want to fall behind! He thought. He began to run off into the forest away from the groups, his eagerness guiding the way. The thought of danger was an afterthought in the presence of being the first toplete the quest. Hearing a voice behind him yell as he did. "Hey, everyone look at this weird ape! Looks like it triggers a quest." While wondering why someone would announce that instead of keeping the information to themselves to get a head start, Drake continued to run until he was well away from the groups of people. Huffing a bit at the extended run, he leaned against a nearby tree. Slightly surprised he hadn¡¯t run into anyone or any of the Vampiric Apes on the way. Usually, starter areas were dense with stuff to kill. Had that one Ape just wandered off and found them? A few moments after gathering his breath, Drake heard the rustling of leaves above his head. Looking up he saw the figure of a Vampiric Ape, gapping open-mouthed drooling down at him, a finger in its mouth as if sizing up Drake as a tasty meal. "Clever girl¡­" Drake mumbled through his heavy breaths. Drake wasn¡¯t sure if the Ape had waited for him or he had run into a tree that it just happened to be in but it didn¡¯t matter since the beast was here now. The Apeunched itself off the branch outstretched like a some sort of feline siezing its prey onto Drake from above, a moment after their eyes meeting. Pushing Drake to the ground. But not before Drake had luckily managed to bring his staff up in time to meet the Ape¡¯s open maw. The ape struggled to bite through the staff to get to Drake¡¯s head, slowly chipping away at thecquered wood,ing just inches from his face. The stench of the Ape¡¯s breath filling his nose forcing him to scrunch his face up in disgust. Unsurprisingly, the Ape was slowly winning over Drake as they struggled. Both grunting in a tug-of-war over the staff. Struggling with the ape and rolling back and forth. Drake grunted out, "Get your stinking paws off me! You damned dirty ape!" he yelled through gritted teeth, swinging his leg into the back of the Ape, in a desperate attempt to push it off him. The kick connected and forced the monkey off him and fly into the tree it had leaped off of. The Ape hit the tree with a reverberatingly loud thud. He jumped to his feet as quickly as he could, gasping for breath from the struggle and gripping the staff in both hands ready to continue the fight with the Ape. But it didn¡¯t get up to charge back at him. Somehow the Ape had hit its head when it mmed into the nearby tree, knocking it unconscious or at least stunning it momentarily. Drake didn¡¯t let the opportunity slip, and ran to the unconscious Ape anxiously trying to get there before it recovered. "Always beat a mob when it''s down or stunned!" he shouted, a sneer on his face, raising his staff over his head. Bringing it down with full force on the beast, with a loud thwack. cing a small dent in the Ape¡¯s skull. But he was sure the beast wasn''t dead yet as it suddenly started iling from the impact, raising its hands in defense. But Drake knew if the monkey got back up he wouldn''t be able to beat it as he was, he didn¡¯t know how to use his spell yet and the Ape was physically stronger than him. So he did the only thing he could and beat the shit out of it. *Thwack!* *Thwack!* *Thwack!* Drake brought down the staff like a hammer on the Ape, lost in his desperate attempt to kill it before he ran out of strength and energy. After several more swings, he finally ceased, but only because he couldn¡¯t raise his arms anymore. He prayed that the Vampiric Ape had died as he fell on his back gasping for air. The adrenaline pumping through his veins, his hands shaking from it. He also shook from the realization of killing another living thing for the first time as the adrenaline wore off. The one-sided beating of the Ape after the struggle had cemented in his mind that this truly wasn''t any game. It was also far too vivid and detailed to be a dream. The smell of blood was now in the air, and gathering himself, he brought his hands holding the staff up so he could see the damage it had taken. There were teeth marks in the center of the staff but it had changed color from a dark brown to a darker red from the blood of the beast. Drake could now feel and see the blood that coated his hands from the fight and wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it. The warm sticky liquid stuck to his hands and clothes so he tried to wipe it off on the grass, barely able to scrape off some of the liquid. Finally, he got up and walked over to the beast, a mote of light flickering into existence by the foot of the beast. The light eventually faded after a second of vivid color and a small crystalline stone was left. Drake wiped his hand on some of the cleaner parts of his shirt again before he picked it up and inspected the item. [Sub-tree Stone: Internal Mastery] [Common] [Unlocks Internal Mastery Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Sub-trees. Have the Main ss-tree unlocked.] Drake lightly read over the description, but soon sumbed to the smell of blood and viscera around him. Leaning against a tree away from the scene he let loose in miserable fashion the contents of his stomach. "Uhhhh, why is it always carrots? I didn¡¯t even eat carrots¡­" Chapter 5: Two on One Chapter 5: Two on One A dribble of spit hung from Drake''s mouth until he slowly wiped it away, exhaustion clear in his eyes as he recovered from the nausea eventually standing upright. He rolled the crystalline stone between his fingers, feeling the smoothness. Why had this appeared after he killed the Ape? Was it a drop? Why did it happen only this time and not the other? Does that mean it¡¯s a random drop? And what are these Trees the description mentioned, there was one as a reward for the kill quest as well. Drake¡¯s mind bounced question after question inside his head, exacerbated and reminding him that he just didn¡¯t know enough. Speaking of the quest, Drake looked to his peripheral to see a new notifications blinking. Mentally, he opened up the notifications one at a time. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 1] [Experience Earned, 10 Tutorial Points rewarded.] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 2] [14 Free Stats have been awarded] [1 of 20 Vampiric Apes Subjugated] Drake cleared the notifications, feeling a little more mncholy than he should have about the increase in level. His mouth still tasting of bile from earlier and he was starting to feel hungry. It was still bright out but Drake didn¡¯t have anything on him to tell the time with, he hadn¡¯t had his phone or watch on him when he was swept away so the only thing he could use to guess the time with was the sun in the sky. Looking up the sun was bright and high in the sky, shooting down warm rays through the trees. If Drake had to guess he would say it was probably a little after noon, with the sun being directly above him. Remembering one of his online friends pestering him to watch an anime about camping, he slightly smiled and rxed a bit, thankful for it. Knowing just from the show that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. So he was pretty confident in his time assessment. Digressing, Drake held the crystalline stone up in the air, wondering where he should put it. It was a couple of sizes bigger than the die he was given in the introduction that he was keeping in his pocket, but after the struggle he just had with the Ape he was worried that he may lose both of the items sooner thanter. There¡¯s probably an inventory system, right? I mean they didn¡¯t hand me a bag for it, so. Bag? Inventory? He thought as a new window popped up in front of him. The new window disyed a nk humanoid silhouette on the left, a staff in one of the boxes covering a hand, the other darkened out. There were other slots covering the silhouette¡¯s parts. There was one for the head, shoulders, chest, legs, wrists, feet, and even extra slots for what he had to guess were essories. Two for his ears and two for his fingers and finally one for a ne. Drake ced his hand to his mouth to think but then quickly shook it away. Somehow forgetting that there was still blood on it. He shook his head wearily and looked over the rest of the window. There were boxes to the right of the silhouette. Counting he saw that it was a 10 by 5 space, underneath that space there were 4 separate boxes that he wasn¡¯t sure what they were for. Ok inventory found, but how do I use it? I¡¯m guessing it just works like this..? Drake thought, mentally thinking of putting the stone and die into the slots. Amazement covered Drake''s face as both the die and the crystalline stone vanished from his pocket and hand, suddenly upying their own respective slots in the window. He was also pleasantly surprised that he could identify the items while in his inventory, making it so he wouldn¡¯t have to take out items in the future to do so if he was in a hurry. Drake began to hear rustling in the trees as he closed his inventory. His hands gripping his staff once again. He looked to the treetops seeing movement but no Apes yet. He again was surprised, this time by the strength in which he gripped the staff. He had just finished the fight with that Vampiric Ape not long ago but Drake felt fine and ready to go physically. Was this a side effect of leveling up and his stats increasing? He would have to worry about itter, as he was sure he didn¡¯t have time to look at them right now, even with his free points sadly still needing to be distributed. Drake pushed his back against another nearby tree, cursing that he hadn''t moved further away from the fight. He was slowly realizing this wasn¡¯t a game but after going through his notifications it had slipped his mind again. The scent of blood was surely the reason he had been found by more beasts so soon. His eyes darted around the branches of the trees looking for the Ape or Apes that may be there. He could hear the rustling getting closer in multiple directions. Damn it, so it is more than one this time. He cursed. He again desperately wished that he had worked out how to use his magic before he darted off into the forest. He was a damned mage that had gotten his first kill by brutally beating the shit out of an ape with his staff. Trying to think quickly about the Basic Mana Bolt Skill as the rustling drew closer and closer, but he was simply just drawing nks. In the next moment Drake heard a rustle of leaves aboe him, an Ape lunging down at him from one of the tree branches above. Drake hurled himself out of the way falling into a roll, desperately avoiding the Ape. Drake got to his feet quickly but unfortunately, the second Vampiric Ape dropped from above onto his back. Drake yelped in surprise only for the Ape to seemingly snicker as if it had caught a small animal in its grips. The next second the Ape sunk its tworge fangs into Drake''s shoulder. "Fuck! You little bastard! Get off of me!" Drake howled in pain, trying to swing the staff in his hands at the Ape. The angle of his swings were awkward and he couldn''t build up the strength to do any damage as he iled around wildly. The Ape responded by sinking its teeth again into his shoulder, more blood spurting all around in a steady stream. The blood starting to drip from the mouth of the Ape. As Drake howled in pain. Drake was in serious danger now, he looked up to the top left of his vision seeing the green bar turn yellow as it looked to drop to a little above 50%. Fuck! Am I going to die here because I can¡¯t use this stupid fucking spell?! Maybe I should have just gone with that Chris guy! Drake shouted internally, his mind racing as he began regretting, but the Ape on his back wasn¡¯t the worst of it. The Ape from earlier wasn¡¯t sitting idly as it started charging toward Drake. The personification of a hungry man rushing to his dinner, its mouth nearly opened vertically. Its tworge fangs were ready to invite themselves into Drake''s throat. "No! No! No! I refuse to die here damn it!" he shouted desperately, propping his staff up as a makeshift spear to stop the charging animal. The Vampiric Ape had built up so much momentum that it couldn''t stop itself and charged its open mouth right into the front end of the staff. "Serves you right, you stupid little bastard!" shouted Drake in joy of his small victory over one of the Apes but it hadn''t killed the Ape, as it began chomping down and grabbing at the staff, trying to rip it from Drake¡¯s grasp. "You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!" yelled Drake despairingly. The Ape on his back bit down again into his shoulder reminding him that it was still there. Bellowing in pain, his health dropped down yet again, this time he saw it turn red and looked like it was just above 10%. "Come on! Please just work, anything. I¡¯m begging! It shouldn¡¯t be thatplicated! It¡¯s just a basic spell! Why didn¡¯t that bitch tell me how it worked!?" screamed Drake, as he continued to ramble in quick session. "Anything, please! Mana Bolt! Basic Mana Bolt! Come my power, Mana Bolt!" Drake continued, even resorting to more chuunibyou anime-like chants, just hoping to strike gold. "Manifest my power, Mana Bolt!" he finally rattled off, but this time he could feel something release from his whole body as if energy had just been taken right out of him. The staff that was still being bitten into by the Ape suddenly glowed in a light blue radiance, something that Drake could only call a Magic circle rotated around the end of the staff, epassing the head of the Ape that had bitten into it. The next second a loud bang emanated from the end of the staff blowing a huge hole through the back of the Vampiric Ape¡¯s head. It hung limp at the end of the staff, its mouth still around the tip. Drake¡¯s mouth opened wide in surprise, he had actually talked so fast that he had luckily found the rightbination of words in time. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. Drake felt the Ape¡¯s grip on his shoulder loosened. Apparently, its mouth fell agape at what had just been done to itsrade. Drake¡¯s health was still dangerously in the red and wouldn''t let the Ape releasing him go without punishment as he grabbed over his back, throwing the monster to the ground with a grunt. Pointing the end of his staff at the face of the surprised Ape, it frighteningly looked to its side at its limppanion. It looked back at Drake, waving its hands in front of it as if to beg for its life. "Ooo Ooo Ee ahh Ooo, Monkey Man! Manifest my power, MANA BOLT!" Drake shouted as he smiled, only for his face to grimace from the pain in his shoulder. The light and magic circle formed again around the staff¡¯s tip, temporarily illuminating the Vampiric Ape¡¯s confused bat-like face. Then a secondter, shooting the Mana Bolt right between the eyes of the Ape, killing it instantly. Drake fell on his ass and chuckled, blowing the end of his staff like a smoking gun. He wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet though, looking at his health it was still dangerously low. And he was still bleeding from his shoulder as he touched his hand to the bite. This was a pretty shitty situation. He thought. He needed to get away from this fight before more monsters showed up. Doing his best to use the short staff as a crutch he managed to get up to his feet. After which he was forced to slump over like an old man as his staff was barely half his size. But there was nothing he could do about it. He looked down at the two Apes in front of him waiting momentarily. Two motes of light eventually came into existence and winked out just as fast, leaving two small crystalline stones. Drake smiled as he scooped up the stones and ced them into his inventory. It was always nice to get loot after a fight. Drake thought, grinning widely. Chapter 6: Is it Haha Funny or Hehe Funny? Chapter 6: Is it Haha Funny or Hehe Funny? Drake had started to weakly limp away from the scene of the fight, two items richer, and able to use his spell now. He looked up again at his health and what looked like a Mana and Stamina bar below it. His Health was still in the red, and had continued to drop slightly as he continued to bleed. But once the bleeding stopped his Health ceased to fall as well. It was very close, as Drake sighed in relief as it stopped at a mere 2%. Drake praised that he hadn''t cked out from pain or blood loss. His Mana bar looked like it was dipping a bit below half around 30%. His Stamina looking just as bad. Now still limping but having a desperate need to get through his stats before he was ambushed again. His priorities were recovering and getting stronger right now. He quickly went through his notifications so he could go to his stats as he continued to limp forward, not able to rest in fear of being chased down by possibly more Apes sniffing out the bloody mess that were his clothes and shoulder. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 2] [Experience Earned, 15 TP has been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 1] [Experience Earned Points, 10 TP has been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage level 3] [14 Free points have been awarded] [3 of 20 Vampiric Apes Subjugated] Drake looked excitedly at the notifications. He had leveled up again. Looking at how much it took for level 1 and level 2 it seemed like the amount needed doubled every level. He was also happy to find out that his Basic Mana Bolt was strong enough to one shot a monster of his level. Looking back at his Mana bar he could say that he had one more Mana Bolt left in his reserves. Drake was disappointed to find out that leveling up did not refill his health and other resources like in games, further showing that this ce may have game elements but wasn¡¯t one. Finished with his notifications hemanded his status to finally open, still exhaustedly limping forward aimlessly with no shelter in sight yet. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Mage] Level 3 [Vitality] 24 [Strength] 10 [Dexterity] 26 [Intelligence] 40 [Wisdom] 31 [Endurance] 11 [Free Points] 28 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, Living on the Edge. Drake looked at the new line of text showing his free points. It must have shown up now that he had leveled, he thought. And he now had three new titles? They hadn¡¯t been a part of the notifications and he wondered why. He pushed his question to the back of his mind for now though, as he had more pressing troubles. He was dangerously low to kicking the good ol¡¯ bucket. And though it hurt him as a Mage to do so, he had to put his free points into Vitality. It was the clear choice, as he wanted to ya know, live and all. Drake didn¡¯t dump all his free points into his Vitality right away though, as he wanted to only put as much as he needed to get himself out of danger. He knew from before that he was able to endure two bites from the low level Ape¡¯s, so he hoped to put in enough that he could handle at least that much. He ced 1 point into his Vitality. Looking at his Health as he did observing for changes. Unfortunately for him the needle didn¡¯t move, so he reluctantly put another point. Again the needle didn¡¯t move immediately, but after a second he saw it tick upward. "Oh hell no, are you serious?!" he winced. He could onlyugh sadly at how the stat worked. He looked at his Health again. Doing his best not to trip over anything as he was looking up, while also doing his best to listen for more Apes. Again the bar ticked upward ever so slightly. That confirmed that there was some sort of passive regeneration, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he received the regeneration inbat as well, it was something he would have to testter. He looked at the bar longingly as he reached the conclusion that when he put points into Vitality he would not receive the difference immediately but only the increased regeneration. Which seemed to be 1% every minute at his current stats of 25 Vitality. Reluctantly he had no choice but to dump his whole remainder of 26 points into Vitality for the regeneration, shooting it up to 52 overall making it his highest overall stat. All the Mages in the world are crying right now. A Mage with more Vitality than Intelligence. He chuckled inwardly, as he admonished his decision. His health started to tick up steadily now, looking as if it had increased to 3%. This made Drake spit on the ground in sorrow though. He knew it was most likely because of his increased total Health pool but to see only a measly 3% every minute after dumping a nearly 30 points was painful. It would take him over 30 minutes to recover his health fully. His Mana seemed to recover simrly and would need around 20 minutes to be full. He couldn¡¯t gauge his Stamina as he was forced to continue to walk, not allowing it to recover very much. After 10 minutes of aimless roaming, Drake could walk without his staff as a crutch, but only slowly. Looking over his stats quickly again, Drake noticed that some of them had gone up without him putting any free stats into them. He assumed this was because there were base stats that went into them from his Mage ss every time he leveled. This is good. That means I can get my health to a decent level for now so I don¡¯t die right away and still be able to hit a little harder each level. He thought. Mentally scrolling through his status again he stopped at the titles portion where there were the new three titles. Before he tried to look at them closer though he looked around briefly to make sure there weren''t any more apes in his immediate vicinity. When he listened quietly for a minute and heard no abrupt rustling of branches or bushes he was satisfied and sat down to look at the titles and recover some of his stamina. He was sure he would need more sooner rather thanter. He hoped it would work on the titles the same way it had on the items in his inventory with the system¡¯s identify. Focusing on the first title he was ted to be prompted with vor text. [First Blood] [Kill your first monster solo. +1 to all stats] Ohhhh! So titles give stat points huh? It¡¯s only one but if i get more these could start to add up! I wonder if there¡¯s a cap to how many you can have? Drake mused, going on to the next title. [Two versus One] [Fight and defeat two enemies alone. +1 to all stats] Nice! Anotha one! Drake excitedly screamed inward. Now looking at thest and final title he had gotten. [Living on the Edge] [Drop below 5% Health and survive. +5 to Vitality] Drake¡¯s face scrunched up looking at thest title, not sure if he should be happy about the stats or sad that he had allowed himself to drop so low in health. He tried to forget about the near death experience as he wondered why this title gave more stats. Was it because it only applied to Vitality, or because it was harder and more dangerous to get? He paused for a moment while thinking about the titles, he knew now that he could look more into things on his status screen with the system¡¯s identify so he was curious. He began going down the lines of his status one by one, getting mostly what he expected. When he looked at his name and alias it gave nothing. His race surprisingly told him that his racial bonuses were locked, and offered no other information. Going from there, his ss had just given him the same vor text that the introduction had when he picked it. The various stats afforded the same, giving the exact exnation that the construct had given him. Finally he reached his Skill, the only line he hadn¡¯t identified yet. [Basic Mana Bolt] [Level NA] [Basic Mana Bolt can be casted by reciting, ¡®Manifest my Power, Mana Bolt.¡¯.] [Cost: Small Amount of Mana.] [Cast Time: Very Short] [Damage: 1 to 1 ratio based on Intelligence.] Drake stared at the text hovering in the window in front of him silently for a moment, seeing the spell''s incantation staring him right back in the face. Unblinking and unmoving. And with a sudden scream, he roared into the air. "IS THIS A JOKEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" Chapter 7: Chris Springs, Bjorn Johnson Chapter 7: Chris Springs, Bjorn Johnson Chris walked behind the group of people he had expertly gathered, going over his stats as they all walked deeper into the forest. [Chris Springs] Tutorial Alias [NA] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 5 [Vitality] 62 [Strength] 94 [Dexterity] 32 [Intelligence] 26 [Wisdom] 30 [Endurance] 30 [Free Points] 0 [Skills] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Level Headed, Leader of Sheep, Schemer, Murderer Chris smiled to himself as he looked over his stats and new level. His group consisted of around 25. Well, it was closer to 20 now after some mishaps. Some people that got mouthy may or may not have had a few idents during the fights. There weren''t any casualties after theirst fight thatted him level 5. He had been growing at a steady pace with this new world and its system. All while he was safely being protected. He would pretend to fight at the front with the rest of the warriors while only dodging the Vampiric Apes, letting the rest of the group he was in do all the real fighting and he would juste in for the final blow on some of the beasts. Filling up his experience and quest nice and steady. His stats had exploded with his fresh levels and newly obtained titles. Giving him more than enough strength to make sure anyone who saw him not fighting or maybe getting a little too ahead of him, a small little ident. And this was just the beginning. "Chris! How are you feeling? Are you alright after thatst fight?" Asked a girl around the age of 20. She wandered over to him from the front of the group. She was a short, petite, gullible, blond, ssic college party girl he had seen time and time again. And she had taken a liking to him right away when he told her that he would protect her while he was first forming their group. She had even gone as far to start recruiting people herself. And what was even better was that she was a Priest. "I¡¯m alright. It wasn¡¯t as tough as the other ones, we are getting pretty strong, haha. How is everyone else doing, Megan?" He asked, immediately moving the conversation''s focus off of himself. "Well some people had some scrapes and cuts from those nasty Vampiric Apes, but thanks to me, Julia, Jacqueline, and Mr. Park, it wasn¡¯t any problem!" She answered excitedly, hopping slightly on her toes. Chris looked over to Megan who was now walking besides him. He was surprised that she was able to integrate so well into this new environment, after how distraught she was when he found her at first. But he had to give her credit, if it wasn¡¯t for her keeping everyone motivated to keep going and healing them; they definitely wouldn''t have made the progress they had. She was almost like a bubbly poster girl for their group. She knew everyone by name now, and made sure to check up on everyone after every fight. And sure when anyone had a ¡®ident¡¯ or just straight up got unlucky by no part of his own, she was downtrodden for a time, but quickly bounced back to keep the group''s energy and morale up. "That¡¯s good, you four are doing a fantastic job. I know we wouldn¡¯t be here without you Priests healing everyone. We just need to push a little bit more, we''re halfway to 10 and almost finished with the Vampiric Ape quest." He answered back Megan beamed a smile at hispliment. "Yeah! You¡¯re right! Only a little more to go. I¡¯ll do my best to keep spirits up. We have to keep getting stronger if we don¡¯t want to lose anyone else after all." She finished slightly saddened but immediately perked back up. "I¡¯m going to go talk to everyone again and see if they need anything." She said as she waved while running back to the front of the group. Chris waved back briefly, going back to looking over his stats, thest thought he had as she left. Dumb gullible bitch.
The incrediblyrge man sat on the trunk of thergely felled tree. Corpses of crushed apes littered around him after they had continued to spill out of the dense forest¡¯s cave just a small distance in front of him. "Is that thest of them..?" Bjorn said softly, finally letting go of the ragged Ape he had in his hand. The dead battered body of the Ape slipping out of his grip and onto the forest floor at his feet. Bjorn let out a long sigh. He thought he was done with the nonsense of fighting constantly. He had grown up with hisrge frame, and it always brought him trouble. He looked down at his bloodied hands, opening and closing the massive things, a slight self-deprecating smile crossing his face. His given name had been spot-on for his entire life. Bjorn, or bear, was the closest thing he could have gotten to describe him, he thought. He was a hulking beast of a man and had the strength of one to boot, and this ¡®Tutorial¡¯ had only made him stronger. But he hadn''t liked fighting, it was just that fighting simply found him wherever he went. Most people would even be surprised to find out what Bjorn did when they first looked at him. He was the CEO of an IT Firm that had started up in Silicon Valley like many others, but like always Bjorn had kept finding fights even when there weren''t any to be had. So he quickly decided to cash out the firm and move up north to Canada, finding an out-of-the-way, cozy, secluded ranch in a low-popted area. But, even fights found him there. The locals were tight-knit and didn¡¯t want him intruding on them, so they regrly tried to force him out early on. He changed their minds quickly though. First, the hooligans that vandalized his home got a quick talking to, and their mothers even decided to nervously thank him for disciplining their sons when his lurching figure brought them home in person. The rest of the townsfolk quickly warmed up to him after he starteding to meetings and othermunity events because he had always brought food and snacks, and more importantly hard liquor for the older gentlemen. Hard booze was always the currency of the realm for distinguished gentlemen, and he was already missing his personal cab filled with his favorites. Something suddenly brushed against Bjorn¡¯s leg as he was lost in reminiscing and he looked down to find the small rabbit that had been following him around every now and again. When it first came up to him he was surprised to find actual wildlife present in this wild murder forest, he simply assumed because of all the crazed Apes he had run into so far that none of the animals would be left. "Found me again, huh little one?" he said, slowly bringing down his finger to pet the top of the rabbit¡¯s head gently. Its ears bent backward, and a slightly hummed squeak leaked from its mouth in pleasure. Just as quickly though did the rabbit¡¯s ears perk back up and it sat back on its haunches. Then it was off, scrambling for the bush of the forest. Bjorn looked in the opposite direction, slowly standing up himself, prepared for another fight. The figure of another ape walked out from behind a tree, spotting Bjorn and the encirclement of Vampiric Ape corpses around him. It threw the Ape into a furious state, as it yelled and hooted loudly making a charge straight for him. Bjorn didn¡¯t move and just waited for the beast to reach him, wondering why it hadn¡¯t run away after seeing how many of its kind he had killed. It was the same for the Apes in the cave, it was almost like they were programmed to attack people with reckless abandon, and had no actual animalistic instincts. Just when the monster got close enough to lunge at him, he wound up his right leg. When it was in range, Bjorn punted it as hard as he could back into the forest. Sitting back down, hoping for some peace and quiet for a little bit, he cleared his notifications and checked his status. [Bjorn Johnson] [Race: Human?] Tutorial Alias [Bear] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 9 [Vitality] 107 [Strength] 174 [Dexterity] 51 [Intelligence] 37 [Wisdom] 35 [Endurance] 57 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One versus Many, One Man Army, Battle of Attrition, Monkey yer, Hater of Apes, Front Runner, Big Man on Campus Bjorn scoffed looking at his status screen, the system really knew how to poke fun. What did it mean by putting a question mark by his race, of course, he was a human. And his titles had exploded after the Ape cave. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. A rustling of the branches brought him back to the present as he got back up. "That didn¡¯tst long, why can¡¯t they just let me rest a bit." Bjorn sighed. Condensed chapter. Condensed chapter. ce holder forments. Chapter 8: The next Big Ape Chapter 8: The next Big Ape "And this! Is why! I¡¯m not! A vegan!" Drake huffed, bringing his staff down on the head of the final Ape of the group. Drake leaned backward, his hands at his sides, and gasped for air in relief. He had thought he was nearly going to die again. Looking up at his health bar it was a little over 50% which wasn¡¯t awful after having to run around and fight five Apes at once, but his Mana had run out mid-fight so he was forced to kill thest two by the sheer power of will with his low damage staff. It was the morning of the second day of the tutorial and Drake had luckily found an empty cave before nightfall. He was a bit worried as there was a mountain of dead Ape corpses outside, but he didn¡¯t really have a choice if he didn''t want to sleep outside. So he chose to move the corpses elsewhere and just had to pray that nothing found the cave during the night, and since Drake woke up luckily nothing had. He had killed a few more of the Vampiric Apes the day before when he finally found the cave and now had just subjugated five more this morning. "Asshole monsters didn¡¯t even give me time to do my morning business. I thought I was going to piss myself running around," he grumbled, "I haven¡¯t eaten or had anything to drink since they dropped us off here in the tutorial like a bad parent dropping a kid off at the yground and saying they¡¯ll be back at 3." Drake continued to gripe, opening up his inventory before he checked his notifications. In one of the slots of his inventory, he eyed two of something he wished he could make use of. [Deer Carcass] [The dead carcass of a deer.] He had also found these yesterday on the way to the cave, but he had no way of cooking them. He had tried to light a fire with his Mana Bolt but it didn¡¯t produce any heat, it was just like a dense lump of energy that was shot out. Having found a couple of things out over thest day though, like items of the same type being able to be stacked. He had found this out when he had looted some more stones. He even found out that there were other ones called Skill Stones. He had picked up only two of those for now, but again it was just something he couldn¡¯t use as of at the moment. [Skill Stone: Warrior] [Common] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Warrior tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Warrior-based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] [Skill Stone: Body] [Common] [Unlocks a random skill from the Body tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] These ¡®Skill Stones¡¯ seemed to contain the only way to gain more skills from what Drake could gather, but he had no way to use them yet either. It was like the system was constantly dangling a carrot in front of him that he couldn¡¯t get to. And it wasn¡¯t the only thing he wasn¡¯t able to use. After killing his fifth Ape a new line had appeared in his inventory underneath all the slots. [Tutorial Points] 125 He had finally gained a line for his currency here but had no idea of how or where to spend it. Drake sighed as he went through his notifications and brought up his status. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 7] [Experience Earned, 45 TP has been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 7] [Experience Earned, 45 TP has been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 5] [Experience Earned, 35 TP has been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 5] [Experience Earned, 35 TP has been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape Level 6] [Experience Earned, 40 TP has been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 5] [14 Free Stats have been awarded] [11 of 20 Vampiric Apes Subjugated] [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage] Level 5 [Vitality] 67 [Strength] 13 [Dexterity] 29 [Intelligence] 71 [Wisdom] 42 [Endurance] 12 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge. And this was why Drake was convinced that he could only gain skills through the ¡®Skill Stones¡¯ but had no way of using them. He was now level 5 but still hadn¡¯t gotten another skill from his base ss, which was troubling. Am I doomed to forever put points into Vitality just to survive? He thought, dumping the free points again into Vitality for health regeneration. The only thing keeping his current damage up was the base stats from the Mage ss that he received on leveling. He had found out it was a total of 12 points, 8 going into Intelligence and 4 into Wisdom respectively. Drakenguidly walked off again as he finished dumping his free points, dragging his increasingly beaten-up staff against the grass, wiping off the blood and other viscera. It was bingughable in a nonughing sense that his Vitality was still his highest stat as a mage. He had no other choice though. Every fight had been against multiple monsters now and they were bing increasingly stronger. Thankfully, his Mana Bolt was able to still one-shot every one of them of his level or one above so far still as long as he hit them in the head, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long that wouldst. If monsters received stats just like he did, eventually they would be tanky enough to just take his damage and one-sidedly beat his ass. Or he would just find a monster spec''d in health. He digressed but the other problem was actually his Mana Bolt and his ss. Because he was a Mage he would normally be standing behind the front line in games, freely casting spells, with a plethora of support sses surrounding him. But here in reality, because of his quick decision of going into the forest alone to get a head start had left him alone and vunerable. Meaning he was now forced to fight against multiple enemies while standing still and casting his spell. Making him perpetually vulnerable to getting ganked by any monster that was looking for a quick bite of his cake. Which in truth happened yesterday as he was fighting and had gotten nked. He rubbed his rear where the stupid Ape had taken a bite out of him. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t having the best time grinding. Every fight so far he would be injured, either having to tank a bite from at least one Ape as he sted one with his Mana Bolt, or just being simply overwhelmed and not able to st the Apes down before they reached him. This resulted in him being injured and having to wait out the time to regenerate his health back naturally, he must have an endless number of puncture scars, sh marks, and the others all over his body by now. This was why he had opted to put every level of free points into Vitality to increase that regeneration. Thankfully his Mana regeneration was able to keep up with it at the moment, but looking at his stats he wasn¡¯t sure how much longer that wouldst. Drake bitterlyughed to himself, wishing this was slightly more like the game he was thinking of when he picked the ss. In that game, there were magical potions were plenty, making it actually far more efficient and easier to level solo, as you didn''t need the support sses until muchter into the game. But right now there was no sign of any potions. And no weapons or armor for that matter. Drake continued to walk while grumbling curses every now and then, checking his new titles he had just gotten, ncing at his health and surroundings mechanically. [One versus Many] [Fight and defeat 5 enemies alone. +1 to all stats.] [Monkey yer] [Defeat 10 Primates. +5% Damage to all Primates] Oh, a scaling damage boost to a species. That¡¯s going to be nice for a while. Wait, primates? Does that include humans technically, or would they specifically say, humans? Drake thought, looked up, noticing that his health had filled up, his Mana around 70% now. "It¡¯s alreadygging behind¡­" Drake mumbled. Drake had walked a fair distance away from hisst fight and sat down to rest. Thinking about what he could do to break the cycle of him having to dump points into a stat he wasn''t really utilizing except to not die. Should he go find people? But there hadn¡¯t been another soul nearby since he left, the only sign he had of people were the monster corpses left in front of the cave yesterday. Or would he have to just stick it out until hepleted the Ape quest and got to level 10 for his ss upgrade? Drake quickly stopped his musings when he heard a rumble behind him. The sound steadily getting closer, each thundering rumble increasing in volume and physical shaking of the surroundings. Whatever wasing it must have been prettyrge. "Am I in Jurassic Park now?! What is with this ce?" Drake stammered out, looking at the hulking figure casually walking out from behind a tree several feet away. Drake swore internally as he saw the jumbo-sized Ape. It stood at least 8 feet high. Having the same smushed bat-like face the smaller ones had, but this one had a distinct difference besides taking too many steroids. It was wearing armor and holding a weapon. The jumbo Ape was holding arge wooden club in its hand, a metallic helmet far too small for it resting on its head. A 17th-century-looking piece of armor around its chest. "What B-rated high school movie club wardrobe did you walk out of?" Drake scoffed. Apparently, therge Ape heard him as it raised its arms in the air and howled, charging Drake with all fours hitting the ground. "Shit! Manifest my power! Mana Bolt!" he quickly chanted. The bolt flying out from the tip of his staff trained to the Ape¡¯s head. In moments the bolt struck home and sted the Ape right in the head, forcing it to stop in its tracks, its head tilted back from the impact. The Ape¡¯s helmet rolled on the ground and its head snapped back. The monster patted its head as if looking for the armor. It quickly found the helmet on the ground next to it, a small smoldering dent in it. The Ape locked eyes with Drake as it ced the helmet back atop its head, making sure it was safely fitted there. Its eyes thinned as it growled, looking at Drake like he had done the most insulting thing in the world. It swiftly howled again as it continued its charge right for Drake. "Well, death g collected, that''s karma if I¡¯ve ever seen it..." said Drake surprised. But his joking manner onlysted seconds as the Ape closed in on him with increased speed. Drake screamed another Mana Bolt before he rolled out of the way. But it didn¡¯t turn out as he hoped. The Ape was attentive enough to see Drake jump to the side as the second Bolt hit it in the chest. Its left arm stretched out, sweeping Drake up into the air. Therge arm smacked into Drake''s midsection, pushing him into the air and a few meters across the ground he finallynded into the side of a tree, coughing up blood. Drake groaned as he struggled to get up, feeling like he had just been hit by a bus and every bone in his body was broken. No, something was definitely broken. He grimaced as he touched his left shoulder. But he didn¡¯t have time to moan. The Ape was following up already, running again at speed right at Drake. Shouting out two more Mana Bolts before ducking behind the tree next to him. Drake struggled to keep his staff in his good arm up to aim at the monster. The monster charged through the Bolts as if they weren¡¯t there, one hitting it in the shoulder, blood flying out of the impact, the other hitting it in its armored chest again. The Ape wasn¡¯t able to stop this time from its charge, running right into the tree, and through it. Therge mass of the monster had run right through the cover Drake had hidden behind, splitting the tree in half. Drake looked back in disbelief his eyes going wide. This thing is way above my pay grade. He thought incredulously. The Ape had turned right around after running through the tree, its mouth wide as it bared itsrge fangs and teeth as it howled again. Preparing to charge down Drake once more, it dropped to all fours and began galloping towards him at breakneck speed. Drake was only able to fire off one Mana Bolt this time as the monster closed in. The bolt hit the Ape in its shoulder a second time. Drake pushed off the stump of the tree he was against with as much force as his legs would allow getting out of the path of the massive bulldozer of an Ape. The monster swung its club this time in an underhand blow,pletely scooping the stump out of the ground, and hurtling it into the forest. Drake gawked at the strength it disyed. Before the Ape was able to turn around, Drake hurriedly shot off three more Mana Bolts as quickly as his words would allow. The beast turned towards him, and right into the stream of the three Bolts, all of them hitting it square in the chest. The force of the Bolts opened up a small hole in the monster¡¯s armor, a trickle of blood leaking out. But it wasn¡¯t going to take the damage lying down. Drake had nowhere else to run and the Ape was only a few feet from him. There was no way he could outrun it. He looked at his health. It was barely hovering above 50%, and his Mana was faring much worse barely filling up to the 20% mark. He looked at the hole in the ground where the tree had been, as he nervously gulped. Drake had no desire to get hit but he steeled himself for what might happen. He only had enough mana for three or four more Bolts, and that was only if he could chant them out in time. The Ape touched the wound in its chest and grew furious, walking only a few steps and raising its club in the air ready to strike down on Drake. But Drake wouldn¡¯t just sit there and be squashed. He managed to fire off a Bolt as the monster walked forward, hitting it dead in the center of its chest where the others hadnded. The Ape bellowed in pain this time as it brought down its club on Drake, but he was already jumping away, just barely dodging the club as it passed him. He rolled and got to one knee on the ground, aiming his staff at the center of the monster¡¯s chest as it turned to strike him again. Drake finished the chant for the Bolt and it fired point nk into the monster¡¯s chest into its already grizzly wound, a torrent of blood flying out from it. The Ape was not finished though. Somehow it still had strength left in it as it hefted its club upwards, hitting Drake off the ground and into the air. He wouldn¡¯t be outdone though, Drake had managed to survive the blow, the Ape evidently on itsst legs. Drake gritted his teeth, willing himself to stay conscious and aim at the beast, using hisst scrounges of Mana for onest Mana Bolt. "Manifest my Power! Mana Bolt" He screamed while flying towards the ground. Thest thing in his vision was the cold hard dirt, then darkness. Chapter 9: A Mile Behind Chapter 9: A Mile Behind Drake¡¯s eyes fluttered open, his whole body in pain. His vision was blurred by the bloody crust on his eyes and the brightness of what he hazily thought was the sun or a campfire. Definitely a fire. He thought as he heard the crackling of embers. He tried to rub his eyes to clear the filth that was apparently on them, trying to figure out what was going on. Removing the dirt and dried blood from them he blinked wildly and tried to focus his vision. Suddenly remembering he was fighting some steroid-using monkey, he shot up halfway from his lying position, his head darting back and forth looking for it. "Ape¡¯s dead little guy, no need to worry," a rumbly voice like a low thunder said. "Who are you calling little gu-" Drake began as he turned to the voice by the fire, but quickly shut up seeing who or what it was. Had the Monkey had a friend? "Nevermind, you can call me whatever you want. Alright, Big guy?" The man scoffed, "Name¡¯s Bear, you can wash up at the river over there." Bear told him, pointing a little past Drake. "The stuff from the Warrior Vampiric Ape is right here." Bear rapped his finger against the armor at his feet, a crystalline stone reflecting in the light next to it. "But I''ll¡¯ be taking this aspensation for making sure you didn¡¯t die when I found you passed out back there," he finally said, picking up the wooden club the Ape had been using. It still had some blood on it, most likely from Drake, making him shudder slightly. "That¡¯s fair. My life is worth a big stick then I guess." Drake said, fumbling over himself as he slowly stood up. "Would you rather I take everything? Not that I need it," Bear quipped. "No, we''re square. Haha¡­ My bad, I joke when I shouldn¡¯t sometimes. I- What I meant to say was- Is, thank you." Drake said sheepishly, turning to go in the direction of the river. "No worries man, ain¡¯t that deep," Bear chuckled lightly, taking Drake off guard with his response. "Ain¡¯t that deep? Where are you from dude, SoCal¡­?" Drake asked, turning back to the fire, finally getting a good look at the man. The man, Bear, was obviously using an alias. Drake didn''t have any way of confirming his name anyway, the system¡¯s identify didn¡¯t work on living beings; he had confirmed it on the Apes multiple times. "Yeah, why?" answered Bear from his seat on a fallen tree next to the fire. Hisrge figure was clearer to Drake now that his eyes were slightly more clean. It was still bright out, a little past noon. It looked like Bear''s red hair shining in the light, lit even more by the fire. He had a strong-looking face even more fierce than what he saw the day before, and a rough full beard covering it. His body was broadly framed, and although he wore a loose buttoned shirt it was easy to tell he was massive underneath from the way it draped on him. If the way he handled himself earlier wasn¡¯t telling enough. "No, I know a few people from California. You juste off as, you know, a huge Paul Bunyan or Brave Heart kinda guy." Drake said,ughing lightly. "I get that a lot. I¡¯m actually dic, moved to the States when I was just a kid. The ironic thing is I ended up in Canada up in the woods, so I guess the Paul Bunyan fits now," scoffed Bear, waving Drake off to go to the river. Drake moved a small way off and found the river, looking around now and then to scan for danger. When he felt safe enough he knelt to the edge of the running water, sshing copious amounts onto his face and cleaning off the rest of the caked-on, blood, dirt, and grime from it. Soon Drake¡¯s hands began to shake, the events of the previous day catching up to him as his body began to shake as well. He curled up his arms wrapping his body as he yelled and screamed silently into his arms. The fact of him almost being crushed and dying twice in thest 24 hours was just too much for him. He had never faced anything like this in his life, never being in the army or many confrontations it was apletely foriegn experience. Sure he had been in a street fight or scuffle at school, but the life-and-death battle he was just in was impossible topare. The water on his face was indistinguishable from his tears as he sat there for a moment, shaken. "I thought I was passed this..." he thought. The fear, depression, and anxiety from when he was fired from his job, walked out without remores or reason at the whim of someone who only thought of him as a number on a sheet. A liability. The deep emotions he thought he had quelled years ago with the thanks of his friends began to surface if only momentarily. Staring down at the muddled water his frustration at the self pity he was allowing himself to feel boiling over inmenting rage. "Fuck!" Drake shouted finally, throwing both his hands into the water in frustration at his weakness. After a few moments, he cupped them to drink the water thinking he would drown in the coolness of it quenching his thirst, coating his dry throat. "This definitely wasn¡¯t what I pictured when I thought of the great Mage I wanted to be. Finally, get magic and I can only cast one spell, then monkey man nearly trampled all over me. Something has to change... I have to change... Maybe, maybe I should ask him to help me... No! I have to do it myself! If i use someone else as a crutch it will be the same as before!" Drake, growled through clenched teeth, his fists balled just beneath the surface of the water until he rxed, giving a solemn sigh and slowly standing up. Drake grimaced again from the muscle pain, looking at his health. It was full but he still felt the effects aching in pain. The system¡¯s health meter didn¡¯t ount forrger injury''ssting effects when it measured health, he guessed. Drake was still in one piece, but his body still felt where he wasunched into the tree, and mmed by the Ape¡¯s club. He made his way back to the fire Bear was sitting at, taking a seat in front of it on the ground to dry himself and his now cleaner clothes. Bear seemed to be looking over something through the system as he only looked up briefly to nod at him when he approached. Drake did the same, curious about his own status. [You have subjugated Warrior Vampiric Ape Level 7] [Experience Earned, 300 TP have been rewarded] Holy shit, no wonder it almost two-shotted me. He thought. [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 6] [14 Free Points have been awarded.] Drake frowned slightly at the fact that he only gained one level from the Ape. It had nearly killed him after all. He was also surprised to see that the kill didn¡¯t count towards the kill quest, a new one being added instead. [New Subjugation Quest! Kill 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random Skill Stone.] Drake brought his hand to his chin looking at the notification. It looked like encountering new species and monster types was the trigger for Subjugation Quests. He moved to his status now. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage] Level 6 [Vitality] 91 [Strength] 13 [Dexterity] 29 [Intelligence] 79 [Wisdom] 46 [Endurance] 12 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call. [Close Call] [Being on the edge of death twice, dropping below 5% health twice, and surviving. +10 to Vitality.] Before Drake could decide what to do with his free points, his stomach roared in hunger at him. Reminding him that he hadn¡¯t eaten in two days. He looked at the fire and got an idea. "Hey Bear, are you hungry?" Drake suddenly asked the man across from him. Raising a brow looking up from presumably his own status, Bear answered "Yeah, always." Drake pulled the deer carcass from his inventory. "Do you have any idea how to prepare this?" Drake asked, as he had no idea himself, he wasn¡¯t exactly the outdoorsy type before the tutorial. "Yeah, I¡¯ve done it a few times, no worries," Bear answered, picking the deer up by its hind legs with one hand. "Would you be willing to prepare two then? I¡¯ll give you one of them as thanks for helping me out earlier." Drake said, bringing out the second deer he had. "Yeah, no problem." Bear grinned as he took the other deer in his other hand, and walked out of sight with them. What a monster, those things are easily 200 pounds each, and he''s handling them like toys. Drake thought. While Bear was preparing the deer, Drake moved over to the pile of armor from the Ape he had yet to grab, first he picked up the small stone next to them, inspecting it before plopping it into his inventory. [Skill Stone: Debuff] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Debuff tree] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] Drake was pleasantly surprised at the Stone¡¯s description. A debuff skill would be great. Well if he could use it. Soon he heard footstepsing from the woods and turned to see Bear carrying two skinned and skewered deer in each hand. "That was really fast," Drake said. "It doesn¡¯t take long if you know what you''re doing, and with the strength I have, it goes really quickly," Bear answered, shrugging his shoulders. Drake just nodded, impatient to get a meal. Bear setting up a spitroast for the fire. Sitting back down on the fallen tree he rotated it now and then silently. Drake wasn¡¯t much for conversation at the moment either, staring at the deer drooling in anticipation for a meal in so long. The smell of cooked meat filled the area. Over the next hour, they mostly sat waiting for the food to cook, with barely any chatter between them. Bear was incrementally turning the deer over the spit in a constant motion now, while still looking like he was fiddling with his status. Drake wasn¡¯t sure how much longer it would take, and fiddled with his screens as well, going over the armor he had put off checking until now. [Crude Iron Helmet NG][Common]
  • A crassly made helmet that offers a small amount of protection. +2% defense proficiency.
[Crude Iron Chest NG][Common]
  • A crassly made chest armor that offers a small amount of protection. +5% defense proficiency.
Drake looked curiously at the armor, new stats he had yet to see on them. He looked closer at the names of the pieces trying to glean some more information if possible. [Crude Iron Helmet NG]
  • A Non-graded piece of equipment
What was a Non-graded item? Drake thought. Was it because it was too low of a level, like how some games had white or normal armor? "Hey, what¡¯s a Non-" Drake asked while looking up from his screen when another rumbling from the forest vibrated through the ground. Drake subconsciously started to shiver as he remembered thest time he felt this. And Drake was right, as a familiar daunting figure made its way out of the tree line. The Ape¡¯s nose was up in the air sniffing. It had apparently been drawn to them because of the cooking deer. Drake got up in a scramble searching his person for his staff. But it was gone. Had Bear taken it? But he looked like he had been a warrior, why would he need it? "Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll grab this one." Bear said calmly from his sitting position, the next instant he was in front of the Ape in a blur. Almost a match in height for the massive monster, but more than a match for it in strength. Bear was holding the Ape by the throat, raising it in the air with one hand, its legs dangling off the ground as it scratched at his arm to no avail. Bear raised the beast even higher and threw it to the ground, shaking the surroundings and leaving it on dented earth. He then brought the club he had taken and drew it to the sky before mming it down on the beast, once then twice. Leaving it unmoving, he picked up whatever was left by the Warrior Ape and ced it into his inventory as he walked back. Drake¡¯s mouth was left on the floor, the disy of power had dwarfed what he saw the Ape do just earlier. "Bro, what kind of food did you grow up on to do something like that, you just embarrassed that Ape¡¯s whole family for like 6 generations. What the hell level are you?"ughed Drake sheepishly. "14," smiled Bear answering. "You¡¯re what!? You already finished the quest then and got your second ss? What is it? Do you want to par-" Drake¡¯s mind was going wild with questions when he heard the number, and he rapidly asked them without thinking until he was about to ask him to party up. Drake stopped just before the words left his mouth, embarrassed. Drake had already asked a lot of Bear, he had even made sure he was safe when he cked out earlier when he was under no obligation to do so. His mind turned, memories of his days of climbing levels in his games. Climbing the rankeddder alone. His pride as apetitor, let alone as a man, wouldn¡¯t allow him to keep asking for help when he had nothing to offer himself. What was he going to give him that Bear couldn''t get already? Drake was a step behind. His mind twisted and squirmed as the feelings hispetitive instinct bubbled up. Something deep inside his subconsious began to stir, he wasn''t where he wanted to be. Where he needed to be. He had been ying it too safe, it was clear dispite nearly dying so many times already. He wasn¡¯t sure what Bear¡¯s stats were but he could tell that they significantly out did his own. Sure he was a melee ss from what he could see, but he was out here alone just like Drake. He felt a pit of shame creep up into his stomach, the names of his teammates from long ago burning in the back of his mind. What would they think if they saw how scared I was being, how far behind I''ve fallen... He thought, bitting down on his bottom lip. They would probably call me a damned pussy for not being at the top already and gapping everyone in levels and gear... Bear had doubled the level Drake was and more somehow. And here he was scared, instead of out there getting stronger, making his goals for this world a reality. The people he looked up to would never approve. Goku would never back down from a challenge. And he wasn¡¯t about to either. You better believe it. Bear seemed to have ignored Drake¡¯s outburst and reached for the deer to tear off some straps, offering some to Drake. "Food¡¯s done, stop standing there like you''re contemting the world and eat first," Bear teased. Drake swiped the meat from Bear¡¯s hand scowling, biting into the still piping hot strap with vigor. Quickly devouring it and feeling rejuvenated. "I¡¯m going to take some of the cooked deer and leave," Drake said, ripping off some more pieces of the meat and thankful he could ce the pieces into his inventory. Now ready to set off. "You''re going to need this then," Bear said, throwing a wooden staff at Drake. Drake grabbed the staff out of the air. The staff looked very simr to his own but it wasn¡¯t the staff he had been using, it had no bite marks or rough chips in it from the fights. Did he get this from a different monster or person? [Novice Wooden Staff] [Common]
  • 1 to 12 Physical Damage
  • 40 to 44 Magical Damage
  • Attack Speed: Normal
  • Cast Speed: Normal
  • A starter wooden staff made of what it looks like, wood.
Drake smiled slightly at the familiar description. "There are higher level monsters roaming around it seems like as the days pass, like this ce is steadily increasing the difficulty. I found this off one that could use magic, and it isn¡¯t any use to me so you take it since yours broke," Bear said, ripping off another strap from the deer. "Why didn¡¯t you give it to me before?" Drake asked. "What? I might be nice, but I''m not going to give someone a weapon when I don''t know them. But you''re leaving now, and I can make out that you''re not a lunatic, so take it," Bear said, pointing his deer strap at Drake. "Thank you again, I¡¯m not sure how I can repay someone twice my level right now, but next time we meet I will," Drake inclined. Receiving a wave of deer meat from Bear. Drake walked past the fallen Warrior Ape with a look of determination in his eyes, he may be a step behind now but he wasn¡¯t about to be outdone forever. That''s right. Next time we meet, I''ll be stronger. I''ll be strong enough to help you instead... And I''ll prove it. Chapter 10: Determination Chapter 10: Determination With a new fiery determination in his eyes, Drake walked further into the forest actively looking for monsters. Dumping the free points he had into his Intelligence raising it to 93 his now highest stat next to Vitality at 91. His new goal was to be strong enough to unterally win against anything he came across now with overwhelming force. Or at least that was his n. Goals were goals because you had to work towards them. And Drake knew that firsthand from his own endeavors prior to the tutorial. He had to put in the work to see the results. In the moment of seeing Bear destroy the Warrior Ape, it ignited a desire to work harder and more desperately than before. It was finally sinking in that he was slowly falling behind the curve. He had suspected as much after meeting the Warrior Ape but Bear had confirmed it after he handled the one at the campfire with ease. Where as Drake had struggled in a life-and-death fight against one. Proving that there were even stronger monsters in this seemingly never-ending forest, and that they were apparently getting stronger every passing day. It had only been a day and a half sinceing here but with the increases in the overall monster''s strength in the tutorial, they were already overtaking him, proving his leveling speed either wasn¡¯t fast enough or that the tutorial was pushing people to form groups so they could ovee these obstacles. As to which one it was, he had no idea at the moment. Drake looked around as he continued to search the forest for monsters, wishing he had the same prowess he had in old games he yed here. If it was anything like those games I would already be well past the first job change by now¡­ He thought, sulking. His friends from those days were probably already well past him as well, he was always able to keep up with them, but he couldn''t imagine they would be in the same poor situation he was. Drake shook his head, it wasn¡¯t any time to think about others right now. He had to improve, he obviously wasn¡¯t working hard enough. He looked again at the quests on the side of his vision. [Subjugation Quest. 11 of 20 Vampiric Apes] [Subjugation Quest. 1 of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes] His first milestone would be to finish these quests and get as close to level 10 as he could. Estimating the amount of experience he was gathering for each level, it looked like each level roughly took twice the previous one toplete. So he should be a sliver away from level 7 and with just the monsters required to finish the quest he should be able to get over the level 10 hump and more, not even counting the experience rewards. Drake''s hands coiled around his staff, gripping tighter. He could do this, he thought. Mama ain¡¯t raise no bitch! He shouted internally, trying to hype himself up. He eventually came into a small clearing where he heard the sounds of grunting and tearing. Drake took a peek from behind a tree to see what he was working with. And in the center of the clearing, there was an encirclement of four Vampiric Apes. All tearing into something. Drake looked around trying to spot if there was the bigger variety of the Apes anywhere in sight. Lucky for him there wasn¡¯t. Good, they¡¯re distracted and just in range for me. If I can chant fast enough I can bring them all down before they reach me. He nned it out in his head. Slipping out from behind the tree Drake casted his Mana Bolts in rapid session, speaking as fast as an auctioneer in a heated bid. The spell fired out four times, one for each Ape. The Bolts found thier mark on only two of the Apes. Drake¡¯s aim was slightly off and only hit the others in the arm and missed the remaining one entirely. The Vampiric Apes were surprised by the sudden attack while they were busy. They looked briefly at their fallen brethren agast but quickly recovered. The remaining unharmed Apes charged for Drake, the one that had been hit slowly followed behind the other gripping at its arm but roaring just as furiously. Drake cursed and swiftly dropped to one knee to steady his aim, not wanting to miss again at the quickly closing Apes. He was able to fire off two more Bolts before they had reached him. His first shot was precise enough to hit the bee-lining first Ape of the two right in the head, killing it instantly. The second bolt again missed the injured one running behind the first. It jumped over the corpse of the Ape ahead of it furiously running at Drake in a mad dash. Drake didn¡¯t have time to cast another spell, so he pulled back his staff in a swinging motion. And when the Ape jumped to lunge at him he ripped the staff through the air, clubbing the Ape to the side. The Ape was momentarily stunned by the blow, shaking its head while on its side. It looked up at the now towering Drake over it, his staff in hand glowing from the light of his spell. Drake unceremoniously fired the Mana Bolt through the Vampiric Ape¡¯s head, its body slumping to the ground in a pool of its own blood. Drake exhaled loudly, looking over the carnage he had just produced. He waited a moment to see if any loot had spawned and was disappointed to see that only two of the four had spawned stones. He walked over to grab them but stopped as he got close to the corpses. Drake was now close enough to see what the Apes had been tearing at. The mangled body of a persony on the ground in a pool of blood and viscera, the person¡¯s face still frozen in an expression of terror and pain. Drake looked at the body with sympathy, but his mind slowly moved to other thoughts. Thinking that could have easily been him. He had just been lucky enough so far to get by, by the skin of his teeth. Drake held back his nausea as best he could. This was the first body of a person he had ever seen. He hadn¡¯t known this person but he began digging with the end of his staff in the ground. This person at least deserved this modicum of decency, and not be left to rot in the open. Drake was continuing to slowly dig the hole for the person when he heard a rumblee from outside the outcropping. He was already well acquainted with the shaking of the ground and hopped out of the makeshift hole and made a break for the opposite tree line. He managed to make it behind a tree when a Warrior Vampiric Ape walked out from the brush, with two Vampiric Apes in tow. The Warrior casually walked over to the person¡¯s body, giving it a sniff then picking it up. Drake shuddered in anger, his hands going white around his staff. The Warrior gave a wide toothy grin at the body, the two Vampiric Apes jumping up and down in tion. The Warrior then tossed it in front of the other Apes and they began to tear into the body like the Apes from before. Something suddenly snapped inside Drake as he watched the events. He didn¡¯t know the person but he somehow identified with the corpse, seeing his face on the body instead of the strangers. His inner thoughts turning to the possibility of it inevitably being him should he not work harder and grow stronger, like he had convicted before. If he didn¡¯t quickly achieve his goals. Drake''s mouth clenched as his teeth grounded against each other, seeing what was happening as an injustice. Why should these filthy animals get away with desecrating that body? No. With doing that to HIM. He wouldn¡¯t allow it, he wouldn¡¯t allow these THINGS, these monsters, to do it. In his mind images of him being escorted out of his ce of work, his so-called friends berating him for things he hadn¡¯t done, and those same peopleing back to him only to ask for money and status. Drake began to breathe heavily, in seething fury. Then suddenly he felt cold, the anger he felt abruptly leaving him. The ferocity inside of him burned so hot for a moment only to freeze over with a cold realization of reality. This world actually wasn¡¯t that different from his old one. The strong and powerful got to make the rules, and the privileged got to say and get away with whatever they wished. Thew of the jungle. It had always been present, just under a different veil. And that was true here as well. The person the Vampiric Apes were eating was just weak. Drake was just weak. And he had to get stronger, be the dominator. Just like he said, but now it was made finite in his soul, not just something he was saying or wistfully decided. This had to happen, he had to prove it. He was going to prove it. Drake stepped out from behind the tree, and rapidly chanted four Bolts just like before, aiming for the Warrior Ape. The Bolts all hit this time, striking the beast in its armored back. The Ape wailed in pain as it reached at the impacts on its back, the other two Vampiric Apes jumping into action, charging right at Drake. Drake dropped to one knee again and fired two precise Mana Bolts at the charging Apes. But this time after firing he charged forward, running at a pace where his lungs and legs screamed in contention. The two Vampiric Apes slumped to the ground as the Bolts passed right through their chests, his nearly 100 Intelligence stat showing its strength. Him not having to hit heads anymore to instantly kill the weaker monsters. Drake continued to run past the fallen corpses on his way to the roaring Warrior Ape. It now recovered from the shock of the previous Mana Bolts impacts. It stared at Drake now with irate animalistic fury, its club raised high into the air ready to be brought down on the charging Drake. He didn¡¯t back down though and lunged at the Warrior Ape with all his speed, its clubing down with power enough to crush him easily. But Drake wasn¡¯t aiming to ram into the monster, he lunged for the opening below the massive Ape, slipping right between its legs. Turning mid-jump to face the back of the Warrior Ape, Drake chanted his spell shooting another bolt straight into the monster''s back. Drake quickly got to his feet but wasn¡¯t fast enough to duck back in time to dodge the Warrior Ape¡¯srge club sweeping vertically as it turned around swatting him across the open clearing, bouncing him several times from the force of the blow. The Ape shouted and raised its arms in triumph, hooting at its victory. "Dumbass monkey," Drake coughed, as he got up wearily, blood dripping from his head and mouth. One of his arms dangling limply, "You gave me just enough distance to cast, enough to kill you. Congrattions, you yed yourself," he smiled through the pain, one eye closed in a grimace. The Warrior Ape abruptly stopped and immediately charged at him, its eyes widening in fear as it saw his staff glow with power knowing the end wasing and it couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. "Manifest my power, Mana Bolt! Manifest my power, Mana Bolt!!! Manifest my power, Mana Bolt!!!! Manifest my power, MANA BOLT!!!!!" Drake screamed in quick session at the stampeding monster. The monster didn¡¯t stop charging, it had no other choice but to get to Drake as fast as possible if it wanted to survive. It ran forward, each step met with a Mana Bolt mming against it. One struck it in its open shoulder, another taking a chunk out of its neck. But it was still determined to reach Drake, another step, another Bolt tearing into itsrge frame. By the time the Warrior Ape had reached Drake, it had slowed to a limp and slumped to the ground in front of him. Filled with holes from the barrage of bolts. Drake ced his foot on the head of the Warrior, throwing his working arm into the air, striking a victory pose, and yelled with a guttural roar of triumph. His eyes scanned the clearing looking for anything else that might have heard ande to check on the battle, but his eyes stopped as it fell on the mangled corpse of the person. He put his hand down his mood mncholy. He didn¡¯t have a line to say this time, no jokes, nothing. Drake limped over to the hole, not even bothering to check his notifications, or loot. And wordlessly dug. He had won the fight. But the journey to his goal was far from over. Chapter 11: Finishing the Quest Chapter 11: Finishing the Quest Drake sat down, crisscross applesauce as he raised the crystalline stone into the air, inspecting it. [Skill Stone: Debuff] [Umon]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Debuff tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot]
He had gotten a couple more Skill Stones and one Sub-tree Stone from the fight, but this was probably the most valuable out of the bunch. But it hadn¡¯te from the Apes, at least that is what he suspected. He had gotten one from Bear earlier, but since this one was right outside of the hole he had dug for the nameless person, his mind connected the dots to something he would rather not think about. When he finally got done and buried the corpse, marking it with the sword that was lying right next to the stone. So he presumed that people could actually drop stones as well. It was a chilling thought he would have to deal withter, the implications of it not exactly being very pleasant if it was true. Drake had managed to reach level 7 after the fight and was now only 3 Vampiric Apes away frompleting the quest. He hadn¡¯t received a new title so not much had changed outside his base stats rising and him uncharacteristically putting his free points into Intelligence, even though he was barely hovering over 30% health. The sun was now setting but Drake was in no condition to move yet. His arm was actually broken, but he could feel it slowly mending thanks to hisrge Vitality stat. The feeling of the bone healing underneath his swollen ck and blue arm was unsettling and itchy but he was honestly just happy he wouldn''t have to splint it and possibly have to fight with one hand from now on, or at least until he found someone who could heal it. He had also broken a few ribs from the monster¡¯s swing but they had healed fairly quickly. The stats assistance to healing him was amazing but although it healed him to peak condition, there was surprisingly a type of phantom pain from therger wounds, like he had noticed when Bear had saved him. So he now guessed that he had most likely broken several bones previously, before breaking his current ones. Drake wasn¡¯t going anywhere soon, so he kept himself upied by staring at the brush line in the waning hours of the twilight. Honestly hoping something woulde out of it so he could at least finish his first quest. He could feel that he was pretty close to level 8 and he would like to see how the reward system worked for these quests. And as if the system had heard him, out of the tree line walked a singr Vampiric Ape. Drake smiled. "Hey there, beautiful," he whistled at the monster to get its attention, chanting out a Mana Bolt quickly after not bothering to get up from his sitting position. Hitting the monster right through the chest. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 7] [Experience Earned, 45 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [18 of 20 Vampiric Apes have been Subjugated] Drake sighed a breath of relief. "Two to go! Hopefully, they all juste one by one like that..." he muttered. But a rustling of the bushes on the tree line dashed his hopes away as two more Vampiric Apes walked out from the foliage. "Mannnnnn.... I really hope making gs for myself doesn''t be a habit," Drake scoffed, a cold sweat forming on his face, as he nced at his status, then back at the pair of Apes. The Apes soon noticed Drake, one nudging the other then pointing with its finger, a hungry smile creasing its thin lips as its long fags gleaned in the twilight of the day. Drake was in trouble, he had no stamina to move and was stuck in a sitting position. The Apes gave no quarter and dashed forward, quickly trying to close the distance to their fresh meal given to them on a silver tter. "Oh fuck! No way in hell am I dying after all that!" Drake snapped, propping up his useable arm as best he could with the weight of his staff, taking aim and waiting for the faster of the two to get into range. He quickly chanted his spell, but held the activation word until the Monster was almost upon him, "Manifest my power," the first Ape only a few steps ahead of the other, closed in only a foot away from Drake, "Mana Bolt!" he shouted the ape colliding into him a secondter. The bolt shot out piercing right through the Ape''s chest, as they both tumbled across the ground, then finallying to an abrupt stop. The dead bleeding Ape on top of Drake with his staff stuck in the small hole his spell had created, sticking right through its body. Drake shook his head to rid himself of the disorientation just in time for the second Ape to rush to him, wing and scrapping to pull its deadrade from on top of his meal. "Don''t you have any respect for the dead!" Drake screamed, fighting to orient his staff to aim at the beast. But the Ape''s weight locked it into ce underneath the dead monster. Drake grit his teeth and tried his best to maneuver the staff even a small amount. Suddenly the staff gave way underneath the monster as the remaining Ape, slightly lifted the body. Drake''s staff smacking it on the side of the head. The Ape gave an irate growl from its throat as it grabbed the staff in its hands, pulling it down enough to aim at its own chest for a moment. Drake grinned noticing the movement, and took advantage as he chanted as fast as he could. "Manifest my power. Mana Bolt!" he shouted. The staff glowed for only a second before the st of mana shot forward piecing the monster''s chest just like it had the previous Ape, it slipping down lifelessly on the staff like a shish kabob on top of Drake. Drake grunted with an ''oof'' as the monster fell on top of him. "F-fucking filthy a-animals! Uhhhh..." Drake struggled to roll the dead monsters over to get them off of him, but thankfully his vitality was paying dividends as it finally allowed him to recover enough to do the task after a time. But not without a significant amount of pain to boot. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 6] [Experience Earned and 35 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 7] [Experience Earned and 45 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [20 of 20 Vampiric Apes have been Subjugated. Quest Complete] [You have been awarded Experience] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage level 8] [14 Free Points have been rewarded] Drake''s eyes widened as he sat upright, bugging out at the experience he was just handed. He quickly put the points into Intelligence again, ignoring the blinking message for the moment. Bringing his Intelligence to a whopping 137, nowfortably outpacing his Vitality. Finishing up his stats, Drake brought up the shing prompt window in anticipation. [Vampiric Ape Subjugation Quest Complete. ept Reward?] [Yes] [No] Drake mentally selected yes and another prompt filled the window. [Reward epted. Please roll twice for the Rarity of items.] Roll for Rarity? Roll what? Drake thought. Then suddenly remembering the ck die he was given at the start of the introduction. He willed it into his hand from his inventory and rolled it out in front of him without preamble. Not willing to wait any longer for his sweet, sweet loot. The die jumped and bobbled until it stopped, a 3 facing upwards. "Fuck!" Drake cursed, picking up the die for his second roll. Dropping the die again in front of him he began to sweat as it rolled. His head crept downward as he prayed for a high roll. Finally, the die stopped, a 7 ring back at Drake. "NOOOOOOOO!!" Drake wailed as if something had struck him in the chest, dropping onto his back. Two stones materializing above his head, dropping right onto his face. Drake rubbed his nose incredulously, picking the crystalline stones off the ground next to him. [Subtree Stone: Soul Mastery] [Umon] [Unlocks Soul Mastery Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have a Mage-based Main ss tree unlocked.] [Subtree Stone: Weapon Mastery] [Common] [Unlocks Weapon Mastery Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have the Main ss tree unlocked.] He continued to lie down for a moment while he went over the descriptions. He was really starting to get impatient. Wondering when he would be able to use these Stones and gain some other skills. Mana Bolt had done right by him, but he was ready for some new toys. Drake nced at the top left of his vision at his health, it was now hovering above 60% which Drake thought was good enough for him to get going, it would be dark soon and he needed to find a ce to hole up. He put the stones and die into his inventory with the rest of his spoils. Rolling his previously broken arm to get a feel for it. Unfortunately, a sharp pain shot up it as he did. It wasn¡¯t broken anymore but it was still very tender, the swelling and blue coloration going down. Drake grunted a bit, not entirely surprised by the pain after he had almost died again. He was sure it wouldn''t be thest time either, he just had to get used to the pain he thought. As they say no pain no gain. Looking to the grave next to him marked with the sword, and put his hand on the hilt. "Thank you for the lesson, person I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll be sure to live for the both of us." Drake said solemnly. Walking towards the treeline of the clearing, he looked over his shoulder one more time, Goodbye, my weak old self. I hope to never see your stupid face again. Drake thought, going into the sea of trees that were the forest. Drake aimlessly walked through the forest for around an hour before he had a resounding thought go through him. I¡¯m so lost. He cried internally. Chapter 12: Testing Some Things Chapter 12: Testing Some Things Drake woke with a start, his face thered in drool, and his neck aching from a poor sleeping position. He looked bleary-eyed at the sky, singr rays of light just barely passing over the treetops. He blinked a few times to focus his eyes on the ruckus below him. That was because he had in fact decided to sleep up in a tree, like a sloth clinging to a branch all night. Below him were two Vampiric Apes screeching at him, one climbing up the tree as the other shouted from below as if cheering the other on. "This is no way to wake ady¡­" grumbled Drake, swinging himself to sit upright on the branch against the tree. Henguidly pointed his staff at the climbing Ape and chanted a Mana Bolt with a yawn, blowing the Ape¡¯s head clean off. Drake recoiled back in disgust, as the body went limp and fell to the ground on top of the other Vampiric Ape, pinning it to the ground for a short moment. "Over 100 stats are no joke¡­ I haven¡¯t hit something in the head for a while but I didn''t know it had that strong of an impact. It¡¯s like I turned into magic Gagher. My Mana Bolts are just monstrous," Drake said, as he winced, squeamish from the bloody pulp now all over the ground. Drake slid off the tree and fell deftly on his feet next to the remaining Ape, it struggled even more to move its headlesspanion off of itself as it noticed Drake suddenly appear next to it. "Next time be more courteous when you wake a sleeping maiden," Drake smiled at the monster jokingly, pointing his staff at the beast and firing another Mana Bolt off. Drake quickly ran from the scene, wanting to get away from the blood and gore that he had created but also so that he could get an early start on the day. His new goals were in sight as he looked at the two remaining quests. [Subjugation Quest. 2 of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes] [ss Quest. Reach Base ss level 10 for Advancement] Drake was aiming toplete these two quests today and he needed to test some things that he had been curious about. When Drake cast his magic spell, he felt the mana leave him and focus into the staff. The way he perceived it was that the staff was acting as a conduit or amplifier, he also got this idea from his plethora of research from tv shows, anime, and manga that had used the concept just as much. What he wanted to test was if he actually needed the staff to cast his Mana Bolt. But first, he would need to find some monsters. He traversed the forest for a few minutes searching for monsters until he happened upon a Warrior Vampiric Ape, it having two Vampiric Apes apanying it. Do they not travel alone anymore? Drake thought. It would have to be something he looked intoter. The monsters were a few meters away from where Drake hid behind a tree. This section of the forest was especially dense, making it hard to find a line of sight for him to attack the slowly roaming pack. He would have to y this fight differently. Drake looked around for a spot where the pack would let him essentially wait for them to pass with a good line of sight. He moved as quietly as he could, finally finding a good spot on the pack of monsters'' trajectory. He decided that there were too many enemies at the moment to test with, so Drake lined up his staff this time. Doing his best to ce it where he predicted the Warrior would appear. Drake didn¡¯t want to y with death any more than he already was when a Warrior was involved. Soon, just like he hoped the Warrior Ape turned the tree and entered his line of sight. Drake fired off two Mana Bolts, trained right at the Ape¡¯s head. But he quickly repositioned behind another tree, not waiting to see if the Boltsnded. Once he settled in his new position, Drake looked back at the pack of monsters. They were now at the spot Drake had just been, looking around confused. The Warrior Ape looked the most frantic, blood dripping from its closed eye on its now unarmored head. Drake smiled satisfied, both his Bolts had hit their mark, and he was finally getting used to fighting, using the sea of trees to his advantage. Again Drake trained his staff to aim at therge and confused Warrior Ape, firing off another two Mana Bolts at its head. And again Drake repositioned. When he ducked behind another tree and looked at his previous position he was pleasantly surprised to see only the Vampiric Apes, looking even more confused and frantic. Drake quickly looked at his notifications and found the kill confirmation for the Warrior. Fist pumping inwardly, he had been able to bring down the monster that had been giving him so much trouble with only four Mana Bolts now. Now that he had whittled the pack down it was time for him to test what he wanted earlier. First Drake fired off a Mana Bolt and repositioned again, confirming from his notifications that he killed the Vampiric Ape. And with that, Drake slipped his staff into his inventory and now aimed his open palm at the remaining Ape. Drake mumbled the spell this time and saw a familiar magic circle rotate in front of his hand but it quickly fizzled out beforeunching the Bolt. Drake clicked his tongue, wondering what went wrong. He kept his eyes on the Ape. It was still searching for him, as he reyed casting the spell in his head. The spell had been properly activated when he said the words so why hadn¡¯t it worked? He tried again, aiming at the Ape and chanting the spell. This time he made sure to look at his mana bar and pay attention to how it felt when the spell activated. The circle appeared and then fizzled out of existence again, but Drake had gleaned some insight this time. His mana hadn''t been consumed, and he couldn''t feel the mana in his body move out of it and into the spell circle like it had when he held the staff. So he was correct in his assessment that the staff was acting as a focal point for the spell, and helped as a conduit for his mana. Drake guessed this meant that if he wanted to cast without the staff he would have to direct the mana himself. Drake moved to get a better angle on the Ape he was watching, since it had begun to wander off in search of him. Once he got back into a good position he tried again to go through the steps, focusing more now on the feeling. He tried to feel the mana in his body. Which was surprisingly easy enough, he had gained quite the pool of mana since leveling, and it would be weird if he couldn¡¯t identify therge new mass of energy inside of him at this point. The Mana felt almost like a louder flow of blood inside him. Like after a good workout and you could hear the blood pumping through your body in your ears. Drake could feel this flow of energy inside him more clearly the more he focused on it. He now chanted the spell, feeling the flow inside him be erratic. The magic circle formed in front of his hand, but his now erratic pool of mana had nowhere to go. Like high traffic without direction, it felt congested and chaotic. In the second that the magic circle rotated Drake tried to guide the mana into it through his hand, focusing on his palm for the focal point. Drake quickly felt the mana inside him correct, rush toward his hand and into the magic circle, his usual Mana Bolt forming but it wasn¡¯t instant like with the staff, taking two more seconds than normal, but still firing towards the Ape. But the Bolt flew over the Ape¡¯s shoulder alerting it to where Drake was instead. "Shit! That¡¯s not good," Drake mumbled wryly. But he didn¡¯t give up and attempted to aim again with his hand. Going through the same process he chanted his spell and fired another Bolt at the charging Ape, this time hitting it square in the chest, but it didn¡¯t fall and instead only stopped momentarily from the force of the impact. It seems that without the staff the spell wasn¡¯t an instant kill to the chest anymore. Drake quickly cast Mana Bolt again feeling like he was bing more ustomed to the feeling and process with each cast. The bolt hit the Vampiric Ape in the chest once again, this time piercing through and creating a hole in its chest as it skidded to a stop from suddenly falling limp during its charge. He pumped his fist into the air. He had done it, his first theory he wanted to test worked out. "Nothing can stop me! I have the power of God and Anime on my side!" he screamed loudly, pointing down at the Ape¡¯s corpse. Laughing the entire time. Drake searched the forest for the other corpses after he basked in his victory for a few moments, thanking many of the Magical Fantasy figures from the shows he watched for their guidance. He managed to find the other corpses in a short amount of time and picked up one more Warrior Skill Stone from the Warrior Vampiric Ape as well as its armor and weapon, unfortunately, the others gave no loot. Now it was time for phase 2 of Drake¡¯s testing. Could he cast while moving? Drake had thought about it before, but never had the leeway to test it out. When he cast his spell the magic circle formed around either the tip of the staff or now in front of his hand. So he had the idea that he wouldn¡¯t need to be stationary like in most fantasy scenarios he could think of where the circle formed underneath the caster. And frankly, he needed to know if this was possible and if it was he had to master it. His reasoning was simple, a standing target was a dead target. The monsters were getting unironically more monstrous and being forced to stand still -even if he could still one-shot some of them out of a group- he would be a sitting duck. And now that he knew he could cast while freeing up his hands he was wondering what else was possible. With his new find, his mana control had gone up and he could now more clearly feel the constant ebb and flow of the energy inside him. Now his next step was to try to move while doing so and eventually being able to cast while being free to move. Drake started right away not wanting to waste time. He started without his staff and instead just used his hands, feeling that it would be easier to feel the mana. He first began at a brisk walk, circling a nearby tree, trying to keep his mind on the flow of mana inside him. Doing so at this speed wasn¡¯t difficult so he upped his pace to a light jog. Now it became harder to discern the energy, feeling as if his brain was bing jumbled slightly, almost like a screen or haze had lightly covered his mind, but he could still feel the distinct mana pool inside him enough that he could feel and direct it. The final step up. He began sprinting around the tree, making zig-zags and abrupt directional changes, almost as if he was running suicides again in school. But as he tried to feel the mana, he became immediately nauseous, the haze he had felt earlier solidified making him stop and kneel as he retched. Drake coughed, spitting up bile. Wishing he had something to rinse out his foul-tasting mouth. "Ugh, that¡¯s just vile," he groaned, standing shakily. Well, I guess that¡¯s a nonstarter for now. But I felt like I was nearly there, I wonder if maybe my stats just aren¡¯t there yet? I have some pretty high Intelligence but my Wisdom is cking. I¡¯ll have to start distributing some stats into it since my Mana regen is starting to slow down. Drake thought. He may have failed but he felt like he learned a very important lesson, and he would have to try again when he leveled up. Practice makes perfect after all. Drake brought back out his staff, and a strap of venison, making a dash back into the forest while he ate and searched with renewed vigor. Determined to level up and gain more stats so that he could try again. He felt like he wasing into his own little by little. Breaking free from being the follower, the doormat, and now he could firmly see his path forward. He used to be the one who always followed the guides for games, and took skills and builds just at face value. This also extended to his real life as well, and it had gotten him into trouble more than once. But now he was cooking with gas, he thought. Not long after venturing into the forest Drake found another small group of monsters, a pair of Warrior Vampiric Apes and a handful of Vampiric Apes. But they weren¡¯t the only things he found. A group of 5 people were fighting with the group of monsters, in a front-to-back formation. The three men in the front were actually wearing armor, and sporting different weapons, one even having a shield. Where had they gotten the shield and weapons from? Drake looked at the two in the back, a woman and a man. The man was holding a shield and a cudgel standing in front of the woman ready to intercept anything that got past the three front liners, all while throwing out glowing light which Drake assumed was a healing spell. The said woman was actually donning a wizard hat and began chanting a spell that Drake didn¡¯t know. It certainly wasn¡¯t the Mana Bolt spell, as the chant was far too long. He was too far away to hear what she was chanting but soon a crimson-red magic circle extended, rotating from under her feet and a massive fireball formed above her. Drake¡¯s eyes bulged at the massive lump of Mana, as the woman motioned and threw it forward into the group of monsters. An ocean of fire exploded onto the field and monsters. The smaller Apes were turned to ash instantly by the impact, whereas therger Warrior Apes were barely left standing and still burning. The men in front jumped into action to finish off the Warrior Apes with what he assumed were skills he had also never seen. Were all of these people an upgraded ss? Was there that much of a power jump at level 10? More importantly, was he further behind than he assumed? How many people had already reached level 10 and changed sses? Drake thought about whether he should ask them to party up but quickly thought ill of himself for having it even cross his mind. He couldn¡¯t be so shameless as to ask for their help, especially not after refusing to ask Bear the same thing. That would make him a damned hypocrite. This wasn''t even to mention, they were strangers. Who was to say that they wouldn''t turn on him immediately after finding out he was a lower level and still had a base ss? He gritted his teeth, turning in another direction in search of monsters. He refused to keep letting himself fall behind. He was determined to work harder. After a short while he ran into another group of monsters. Warrior Vampiric Apes and Vampiric Apes, a pair each. It was close enough to the group he had fought this morning, so he was confident he could win. Looking at how this was the thrid group he had seen, this also confirmed that monsters were grouping up. Drake began the fight by aiming for one of the Warrior Apes like before, repositioning after he shot his Mana Bolts, not staying to see if they hit. When he reached his new cover he repeated the same. He looked at his notifications and confirmed the kill for one of the Warriors. But in that split timing, he heard something cut through the air and a loud crunching of the tree he was using for cover. The other Warrior had found him, and it was not happy. It had snapped his cover in two with its club and made a dash for Drake. Its smaller groupies following close behind. Drake made a dash as well to another nearby tree jumping and rolling behind it. Then firing off two Mana Bolts, making a dash to behind another tree and repeating. His aim was off though, as he was slowly exhausting his stamina and his hand was quickly bing shaky. Therge Ape was smashing trees in droves as it chased Drake, making it hard to hit the beast. Drake''s n of using the trees for cover backfired, now he was in a dance of dodging both the Apes and the falling trees. But he wasn¡¯t giving up, although his stamina was ticking down at a rapid pace, his mana was still at a healthy level. He continued to fire pairs of Bolts at the charging Ape, catching it in its extremities and then dodging behind trees, his life feeling as if on the edge of a knife. One false move, one screw up would mean certain death for him. The constant hit-and-run continued until he was able to finally take it down. Drake wheezed, his stamina hitting rock bottom. Dropping to his knees, sweat dripping from his every pore. But the fight wasn¡¯t over, and the pair of Vampiric Apes were quickly upon him. He tried his best to aim his staff with both hands at the charging pair but only managed to get one Mana Bolt off and hit the oing Ape in the side, not enough to kill it. The beast mmed into Drake, knocking his staff from his hands, andtching its teeth into his abdomen. They quickly rolled entangled in a melee, the remaining ape quickly closing in on them both to join. Drake began to panic, throwing fists into the beast gnawing on his side grunting in pain with each blow as the Ape continued to take bite-size pieces out of him. But it was useless, he had no strength left to speak of, his stamina expendedpletely. His blows were doing little but tickling the Ape. Drake began to chant, channeling his mana into a spell with his hand but before it could fire, the second Ape crashed into them, knocking them both again into a tumble. But this time Drake had managed to maneuver himself on top of one of the Apes, and somehow brought one arm down to distract it with what little strength he had left. Using the moment it gave him to cast his Mana Bolt with his other hand. "Manifest my power! Mana Bolt!" he yelled in between huffs and grunts. The bolt finally fired right into the side of the Ape¡¯s skull, sttering its contents all over Drake. But he didn''t have time to worry about the disgusting mess, as he looked around wildly for thest Ape. But, he couldn¡¯t find it anywhere on the ground, finally looking up. And the beast was there. It had climbed to a branch and jumped off at Drake, its hands sped together toe down on him like a thunderous falling hammer. Drake chanted as fast as he could,pelling his arms to move up to aim at the falling monster with sheer force of will. Two excruciating secondster the Mana Bolt fired and they collided. Bothid t on the ground an entangled mess. After a moment the Ape¡¯s body stirred. And Drake pushed it off himself. "It¡­ gets easier right¡­ Baby steps.. Yeah¡­ baby steps¡­" Drake huffed, gasping in between words. His bodyy on the ground, refusing to move. Covered in blood and viscera. Drake was beaten, bleeding, and exhausted. Smiling, he was alive. Drake was spent, but he was making progress. He looked at his notifications willing them to appear as his arms were taking a nap right now. [You have subjugated Warrior Vampiric Ape level 9] [Experience Earned, 500 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Warrior Vampiric Ape level 9] [Experience Earned, 500 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 9] [Experience Earned, 50 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape level 9] [Experience Earned, 50 Tutorial Points have been awarded] [5 out of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes Subjugated] [Congrattions! You increased to Mage level 9] [14 Free Stats have been awarded] [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage] Level 9 [Vitality] 101 [Strength] 23 [Dexterity] 39 [Intelligence] 155 [Wisdom] 68 [Endurance] 22 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking Oh, it feels good to level up! Drakeughed internally, but he had to interject about the part where the system was rewarding him with a title calling him a dead man, he wasn¡¯t dead yet. But he couldn¡¯tin about the stat bonuses it gave, as almost dying was quickly bing a habit. As he looked at his barely 5% health, that was slowly ticking up. [Dead Man Walking] [Being a walking corpse, dropping below 5% health and surviving thrice. +10 to All Stats.] Drakey there for a while, his eyes closed as he impatiently waited for his status to recover. Only opening them to look around when he heard a breeze, rustle of branches, or bushes. After a few minutes, Drake was able to move his aching body, his stamina very slowly filling up as he walked around picking up the loot from the Apes one by one. While doing so Drake also went over the notifications again noticing a trend. The Ape¡¯s minimal level was going up. He wasn¡¯t sure why this was happening but even Bear had suspected as much, and now Drake was also inclined to think so. Drake was finally well enough to move from the area when his stamina ticked over 50%. He wasn¡¯t done for the day and there was still plenty of light left. Time to see if this makes a difference now. He thought as he ced his free points into Wisdom, bringing it up to 82. He moved a couple of minutes running distance from hisst battle, and began to forck of a better word train his, mana perception? Or maybe mana control was a more apt term? He would have to figure it outter, for the autobiography he was thinking of writing eventually. Drake began to run again as quickly as he could, making quick maneuvers as if he was dodging and weaving attacks from shadow enemies. He then tried to feel his mana flow inside his body, bracing himself mentally for the wave of nausea that may hit him. But he was fine. Drake stopped and held a nk look of surprise, that quickly changed to one of indignation. "That stupid bitch lied!" he yelled. Drake was sure the construct had told him that there were no sub-stats affected by the 6 main stats when he was selecting a ss. No that wasn¡¯t right, he thought as he calmed down. It had said there were no effects ¡®right now¡¯. She hadn¡¯t exactly lied but told a half-truth. That dropped the strangling he had nned to do to the snarky construct down to a half strangling. He sighed, what other things were his stats doing that he didn¡¯t know about? He wished he had someone to ask these things to as inspecting his stats gave no additional information about it. But he again had to worry about itter, now that he knew that Wisdom increased his understanding of Mana and possibly other things he had to see how much more he could inherently understand about his mana. Drake started the same process as before, now casting his Mana Bolt. Beginning with a light walk, he chanted the spell. "Manifest my pow- Ow¡­ I bit my tongue¡­.." he whimpered. He had been able to start reciting his spell but Drake was too concentrated on so many things that speaking the words was actually thest thing on his mind. Making sure he didn''t trip, the flow of his mana, making sure the mana was being channeled into his hand for the magic circle. It was a lot at once. But he had been able to do it for the most part. Drake didn¡¯t feel a blockage like he had when he tried to sense his mana while moving at his current top speed before. Which meant that he would be able to do it with enough practice and levels. Smiling, that was all he needed to know for now. Chapter 12.5:A Weirdo in the Forest Chapter 12.5:A Weirdo in the Forest "Hey, did you hear that?" Chelsea asked. "No? What did you hear? Was it another Ape?" asked Megan. "No, it came from over there, it sounded like a person," Chelsea answered, pointing in the direction she heard the voice. They both moved quietly through the forest as quickly as they could toward the direction. Megan trusted Chelsea¡¯s perception, as she had upgraded into a ranger ss that had a skill that used her high Dexterity to increase it. After a few meters of moving, Megan was able to hear the faint voice that Chelsea mentioned. "Mani.. my¡­ po- Da..n it! Manifest m.. Powe.. Manifest my power. Mana B- Ughhh!" the voice said, it was at first faint but became more clear as they got closer. They both poked out behind a tree to look at the figure the voice hade from. It was a man. He looked awful. He was covered head to toe in blood, most of his clothes had holes and tears in it and he had no weapon, running in a straight line while trying to cast the Basic Mage Skill Mana Bolt. Was he hurt? Wondered Megan. "We should see if he¡¯s alright..." whispered Megan, about to step out from behind the tree. But Chelsea''s hand stopped her. Megan turned to look at her, a look of entreatment starting toe over her face, almost begging Chelsea to let her just quickly go over and check on the obviously deranged man. But Chelsea held a stern look, shaking her head. "That weirdo is dangerous¡­ Let¡¯s get back to the group." Chelsea whispered back, and she began to walk backward pulling Megan along. Megan looked back over her shoulder at the man, a pang of guilt that she wasn¡¯t able to help him. This new world was dangerous and strangers were dangerous, she knew that. But she at least wanted to show some kindness where she could. They both arrived back at their group a few minutester. A glowering Chris with crossed arms waiting to greet them. "Where did you two go off to?" He asked, irritation obviously bubbling beneath his scowl. "Foraging and looking for wild game. The animals that aren''t monsters are getting scarce," answered Chelsea. "And why. Did you not bring more people? You know what¡¯s out there, and what people will do if they find Megan. It¡¯s dangerous!" Chris said, slowly bringing his voice to a shout, the rest of the group noticing themotion. "Sorry! It was my fault. I wanted to gather some food for everyone and asked Chelsea since she¡¯s quick and resourceful." Megan piped up,ing to her friend''s defense. Chris sighed but turned his scowl back at Chelsea. "You should know better by now. Mr. Park has already been kidnapped, we don¡¯t need another mess like that," he chided, "Did you find anything at least?" "No, but we-" Chelsea started but was interrupted by Megan. "Nope! Sorry, we didn¡¯t find anything." Megan said, giving Chelsea another entreating look. "Alright then¡­ We¡¯re packing up and going deeper into the forest, we need to get the rest of the group to their ss upgrade." Chris finally finished, turning towards the rest of the group and repeating his statement. Chelsea looked back at Megan, as Chris left. "Why did you do that? We should have just told him about that bloody weirdo." "You know how Chris can be Chels, he would go and find him to remove the danger, and he would bring everyone," Megan said, thinking back on the fights that had broken out when their group had met others. Chris had be overprotective of the group and especially Megan when people had started getting their upgraded sses and started specializing. It was also due to thest time they had met a simr group while moving through the forest. Chris had gone to negotiate with them and returned in a mess of cuts, saying that they had tried to force him to give up the group''s healers. After that, he adopted a policy of making sure no danger got close to the group, especially people that might be dangerous. Megan was an upgraded Priest ss now called an Acolyte of Light, and her skills allowed her to buff groups of allies, heal, and cleanse debuffs. Making her a prime first choice for groups needing a healer. It was the reason Mr. Park, another of their group''s healers, had been snatched up and taken. He had been at the river with his cudgel out and got taken because of it, the weapon marking him as a healer. Now everyone kept their sses hidden as much as possible, keeping their weapons in their inventories until they needed them, along with any identifying armor -as long as it wasn¡¯t life-threatening not to have on- that may give them away. But despite that, Megan still looked into Chelsea¡¯s eyes with an expression of pleading, her desire to still want to do something kind and keep that they had met someone out in the forest quiet. Not wanting to condemn them to a manhunt. And after a few moments of a staring contest, Chelsea sighed and gave up, bringing Megan into a light hug. "Fine¡­ but it''s on you then Miss Teacher¡¯s pet. I don¡¯t want to get chewed out again," Chelsea said softly. And they both smiled at each other, walking to the rest of the group. "What was that all about?" Someone asked the approaching pair. "Oh, Tom. It was nothing that serious, Chris was just worried like always. We went out to find everyone some more food but came up empty..." Megan said her look slightly downcast. "It¡¯s not that big a deal Megan! We have plenty of food left, so keep your head up! Both of you. You¡¯ve both contributed more than anyone could ask for," Tom said waving his hands, trying tofort the pair. "Thanks, Tom. But getting chewed out like that by our fearless leader is starting to get old." Chelsea rebutted. "That¡¯s not fair, Chels. You know he¡¯s only doing it because he¡¯s worried," Megan chided. "Yeah about you," Chelsea smirked, "It¡¯s fine I was just poking fun," she said, wrapping her arm around Megan¡¯s. Tom looked at both of them a little nervously, like he wanted to say something but wasn¡¯t sure if he should. But Chelsea was observant enough to notice the bodynguage now that she had gained more skills as an upgraded Ranger. "What¡¯s the matter, Tom? Something happen?" Chelsea asked. "Well¡­ I don¡¯t want to say," his voice dropping to a whisper, "But some of the people have been talking, you know. About Chris and how things are going." "Ah. That¡­ Just keep your head down and don¡¯t talk to anyone about it again. Now shoo!" Chelsea said, motioning her hands to push him away. Tom just nodded and walked back to the group, a look of resignation across his face. "What did he mean Chels?" Megan said looking at her friend. "Nothing you have to worry your sweet, pretty head over Megs," Chelsea assured. Bringing them both towards their remaining gear further in the makeshift camp. Chelsea kept what Tom had mentioned from Megan. She knew how much she adored the man, regardless of his¡­ ws. Everyone had begun to notice how anyone who was getting too close to him in levels would suddenly disappear or get gravely injured during their fights for one reason or another. But many of them had looked past and ignored it because, with all honesty he had kept them together. And maybe they were not thriving, but they were at least surviving. And most of all Chelsea had grown to admire Megan. She had truly worked harder than anyone else. She had always been on top of healing everyone, and buffing up the front liners and rear guard. Going out of her way to find food, and stop pointless fights when people were scared. And Chelsea wouldn¡¯t let that insidious bastard sink his teeth into Megan, no matter how much Megan liked the creep. Chapter 13: I Invoke the Name of Kennyphoon… Chapter 13: I Invoke the Name of Kennyphoon¡­ It was the fourth day of the tutorial and Drake looked like he had gonepletely mad. In his journey to improve himself enough so that he could cast while moving. Drake had begun to talk more than he ever had in his entire life. While he walked, while he ate, while he looked around at the surroundings for monsters, while he was fighting monsters, while he was looting, while he even did his¡­ business, he talked. To anyone else he must have looked like a deranged lunatic, constantly mumbling. But it was something he needed to do, so he couldn''t be bothered to care. Drake wanted to constantly keep his mouth moving so that he could train his speech enough that he didn¡¯t have a problem speaking while he fought and ran around. That he could always be ready to cast his spell at a moment¡¯s notice no matter the situation. He had actually taken the practice so far that his voice went hoarse and his throat so dry it cracked and damaged him. Forcing him to stop for a small time as he ran around trying to find the river, cursing that he still hadn¡¯t found anything to put the water into. It was difficult for him since he hadn¡¯t really been an extrovert most of his life. The most he spoke was during online games when he would curse at his teammates through voicemunications, or hung out with some friends in online apps. And those experiences couldn''tpare to him constantly being exhausted, his mind hazy with overexertion and overdosing on the constant stream of adrenaline from fighting fantastically hairy monsters. So he had forced himself to talk and as fast as he could repeat his spell. At first, he had constantly bitten his tongue and cheeks while jogging, then he had trouble enunciating the words while running. Having to learn to breathe in between words correctly was harder than anything he had done before surprisingly. It was almost like he was learning to sing or recite a long speech, all while trying not to get winded and be understandable. And that was just while running. When he tried to do it while fighting, he wanted to cry tears of blood. The amount he had to split his attention already while he was fighting was hellish, add in trying to manually control his mana and cast his spell. He fell apart every time so far. Having to resort back to using his staff while being stationary. But, Drake had an idea of what would help him along with his practice as he looked at his Wisdom stat. [Wisdom] 82 He needed to gain hisst level, to hit the 100 stat threshold. And also assumed getting his upgraded ss would help too. Drake had noticed when he passed 100 in his other stats something had changed, with his Intelligence he hit slightly harder than just the incremental difference he had previously. And with his Vitality, he had seen a bigger percentage increase with his regeneration. He was hoping that doing the same to his Wisdom would help him with his concentration and perception of mana. And finally allowing him to confidently move while casting in battle. Drake nced at his almostpleted quest. [8 of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes Subjugated] Just two more to go. And I can feel that I''m on the cusp of reaching level 10. Drake thought. Finally feeling like he was catching up. He hoped that when he got his ss upgrade he would be able to finally hit his stride. Now he just had to find thest two Warriors. Drake had again slept in a tree during the night but thankfully didn¡¯t have another rude awakening, allowing him to do his business and clean up a little in the river. Stretching his cramped neck out ready to go find thest two monsters for his quest. He started traveling back into the forest, continuing his practice of speaking as he ran. "My name is Drake, I like to eat cake, but I wish I had steak, my lord does my body ache," he rhymed, doing his best to keep his breath even while he ran at a steady pace. "Two more to go, then I¡¯m ganna show, even that hoe? That one didn¡¯t make sense, the construct wasn¡¯t even a real person, she can''t be promiscuous¡­. Or.. can she¡­? Ayo!?" He rambled butstly shouted as he finally spotted a pair of Warrior Vampiric Apes, walking in tandem in front of him. The Apes of course heard him rambling and turned at the noise, a look of animalistic ferocity in their eyes. They began charging at Drake just like all monsters had done before, but not before Drake had rapidly fired off 5 Mana Bolts at the first charging beast. Showing his improvement in his chanting speed over thest day of practice. The barrage of Mana Bolts pelted the Ape, two finding their way to its head, stopping it dead in its tracks, and forcing the second one to jump over the corpse. Drake sent another three Mana Bolts right at the flying Warrior Ape, bing an easy target as it jumped. Taking the second ape down in quick session. "And that¡¯s a wrap everyone! Thank you, thank you. Wow, these life-and-death struggles really do cut your learning curve," Drake cheered, as he bowed to an imaginative audience for a standing ovation. As Drake began to jokingly hold an Oscar and thank countless people, who may or may not have just been anime characters, he opened his notifications expectant of what would be there. [You have subjugated Warrior Vampiric Ape Level 8] [Experience Earned, 400 Tutorial Points awarded] [You have subjugated Warrior Vampiric Ape Level 9] [Experience Earned, 500 Tutorial Points awarded] [10 out of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes Subjugated. Questplete] [You have been awarded Experience] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 10] [14 Free Points have been awarded] [You have reached Mage Level 10. Quest Complete] [Quest Complete! Would you like to ept rewards?] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 11] [14 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage Level 12] [14 Free Points have been awarded] [Quest Complete! Would you like to ept rewards?] Drake pumped his arms up and down excitedly, happy he had finally reached his milestone, and thanks to the quest reward being an absurd amount he jumped right to level 11. The jubnt feeling of seeing his hard work pay off rose like a flood inside him. The two Quest reward prompts hovered in front of him, and it was hard to decide which one to choose first. Drake kept going back and forth between the two, really trying to work out which of them he really wanted to see the most. Like a kid on Chrysler''s Day trying to figure out which present to open first as if it was the most momentous event in their lives like it would change the course of history and diverge the timeline to either the good or bad ending. Finally, Drake decided to go with the ''save the best forst'' decision. He was going to ept the Warrior Ape Quest Reward first. With that decided, Drake began to walk away from the fight, mumbling to himself as his training had made constant talking into a quickly forming habit. He picked the direction of the river as he had finished what he had aimed for today, and wanted to clean himself off before night fell. He stopped briefly once he was far enough away from the previous fight and sat down with a thump. epting the prompt for the quest. [10 of 10 Warrior Vampiric Apes Subjugated. Quest Complete] [Quest Complete. Would you like to ept rewards?] [Yes] [No] Drake mentally epted the prompt excited to see what would be in his gift from the Big Fat Bearded System Santa. [Reward epted. Please roll for Rarity of item] He was prompted again to roll once he epted just like it had done with the Vampiric Ape Quest. This again huh, I guess because it¡¯s a random Stone so it¡¯s sticking with making it a type of Gacha? Is this going to be a thing forever? I¡¯ll just have to use my ultimate secret ability technique then! Drake shouted internally. Drake pulled out the ck die from his inventory and warmed it in his hands. But before he threw it out he changed his seating position. Sweeping his legs under himself so he was in a bowing pose, he dramatically heaved forward into an over-done bow, mming his head into the ground enough to break the skin on his forehead. "Oh, Gacha Gods! Please bestow on this one the luck of the legendary Kennyphoonmiester! May this poor unworthy soul be given but a shred of their RNG prowess and high-roll!!" he shouted into the ground, his head still on the forest floor. Drake had no way to urately tell time here, and since this was reality he had no ¡®patch¡¯ day to wait for lucky rolls. So he invoked his secret technique, his trump card, his RNG trap card. He asked for help from the sole yer he knew for being the luckiest son of a bitch he had ever met in the entirety of his online gaming career, Kennyphoonmiester. Drake remembered him hitting top rolls in almost every game he ever touched with some sort of RNG mechanic. Loot boxes, wheels of fortune, Russian roulette, you name it. Drake even remembered he had joined a mobile game Drake was ying just to use the new yer free rolls, to hit triple SSR-rated meta characters, and then quit right after just to spite Drake and prove he was an RNG God. If anything was going to work, this would. And Drake knew it, as he threw the die across the ground, knowing he would hit a Nat 20. The die rolled and tumbled, finallying to a stop. 17 "IT''S A LIE!! IT''S ALL A LIE!!!" Drake cried, mming his fists into the ground. A momentter a soft thud hit the back of his head, falling to the ground in front of him. Still wailing in pain from his missed high roll, Drake reached out his hand to retrieve the stone, identifying it. [Skill Stone: Transcendence] [Rare] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Transcendence tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have at least 1 Mage-based Main Tree or Subtree Branch Unlocked.] Drake sat back up, straight as a pole, his tears suddenly dry. "Well it isn¡¯t a max roll, but it¡¯s our first Rare skill!" he said, "It¡¯s alright, we were just saving the big one for the grand finale!" he shouted, looking at the final reward prompt. [You have reached Mage Level 10. You may now upgrade your ss] [Quest Complete! Would you like to ept rewards?] [Yes] [No] Drake again mentally epted. Another familiar prompt reced the eptance screen, but there was something different in the rollout of text. [Please roll thrice for Rarity of reward items.] [Primary Roll for Main ss-tree Skill Stone] [Secondary Roll for ss Specific, Skill Stone] [Tertiary Roll. Please Roll thrice for ss Advancement Selection.] [Once you have rolled you will be presented with a list of sses based on each individual roll] Wow, so I have to roll a total of five times? That means I have some pretty good odds of getting a decent ss and items then. He thought. First things first, Drake thought as he picked up the die to roll for the items. Dropping it to the ground from in his sitting position, it again bounced and tumbled until it finally came to a stop, a 20 facing back at Drake. "Hell yeah!!" Drake shouted, immediately jumping up and throwing his fist into the air. A stone winking into existence in front of him and dropping next to the die. This stone was different from the others, it was not clear but held an almost tan porcin color, much like the color of the bones Drake thought. He bent down and picked it up. [Main ss-tree Stone: Necromancer of the End] [Legendary] [Unlocks the Necromancer of the End Main ss tree.] [Requirement: Open Main ss-tree slot. Mage Base ss level of 10 or more] [Legendary Side-effect: May cause personality and Race changes] "Holy mother of RNG, we struck gold! I think¡­ Race changes? Does that mean it turns you into a Lich or something?" Drake said, excitedly but then came to a hushed tone as he finished reading the description. "I¡¯m happy I finally got a legendary stone but can I even use it? And I¡¯m not exactly sure I want to change into something associated with Necromancy, pretty sure those would all be like undead things." Drake wondered, turning the stone over in his hand. After a few seconds of thinking it over he decided to wait on the stone until after he was done rolling, no use in rushing it when he had more rolls still. Drake picked up the die again and tossed it to the ground with trepidation, still slightly shaking from the adrenaline from receiving a legendary. The die bounced and finally turned slowly, from 2 to 4, then 14, and finally came to a stop on 20. He coughed up blood. But quickly recovered when the stone materialized next to the die. His hand shakily moved to pick up both the stone and die. [Skill Stone: Necromancy] [Legendary] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Necromancy tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Mage-based Main Tree or Subtree Branch Unlocked.] Drake was speechless. He had rolled two Nat 20s in a rowting him two legendary Stones. Making his choice obvious as to what to do with them. He began trying to, through trial and error, use the stone. Eventually, he was able to trigger it by focusing on the stone and mentally willing it to be consumed. But he was hit with a striking headache when he did, a new notification popping up. [Unable to consume Main ss-tree Stone. You are already on a Main ss-tree-rted quest within the tutorial] "Well isn¡¯t that just a bitch," Drake squinted, disappointed. He had finally gotten something really really good from this god-forsaken system and he wasn¡¯t even allowed to use it. What a scam, an injustice to the highest degree, he fumed. After a few minutes of cursing into the air as he had no ce to direct hisints to. He eventually calmed down and tried to look on the bright side. He still had three chances to score a good ss upgrade. Pocketing the stones, he dropped the die with dead eyes, void of emotion. The die ttered on the ground, rolling around, a 13, then turned to 19. Drake¡¯s eyes filled back with life. But then it shifted with a twang, bouncing off the ground, 15. Drake¡¯s eyes now nervously shaking, sweat beginning to bead on his face. And it finally ceased moving, a 1 facing the sky. Drake''s eyes turned to hazed ss spheres once again, mechanically picking up the die and dropping it again. It was alright, he had to look on the bright side, he still had two chances to score a good ss upgrade, he thought. The die again sang with the sound of it hitting the ground, dancing along the bare dirt, teasing Drake. 18, then turning to 15, and back to 18, finally rolling to a stop. Another 1 staring back at Drake. Drake moved like a broken doll for the die, almost like you could hear him creaking when he shifted his body to pick the cursed thing up. Dropping it to the ground one final time, Drake looked ahead not having the heart to look down at the result. He spotted a new notification in his vision and opened it up. [You have rolled, 1, 1, and¡­1. Generating ss List.] Chapter 14: Dual Class Chapter 14: Dual ss Drakeughed, but it wasn''t joyful, it wasn''t happy, it wasn''t excited. It was a brokenugh that sounded almost like a sob. If anyone had seen him at that moment, they would have seen him crying tears of red liquid. He felt betrayed, it was almost an impossibility to get this unlucky. What were the chances? Like 1 in 8,000? "It¡¯s fine¡­ Look on the bright side¡­. All the sses can''t be too bad right!?" he mumbled as he chewed on his bottom lip, fighting back the rest of his tears. [ss List Generated. Please select one of the following sses.] [Warrior] [Starter] [Ranger] [Starter] [Priest] [Starter] Drake screamed. Dropping to the floor like a puppet with his strings cut. It really was that bad. It wasn¡¯t funny anymore, no joke or way of coping would suffice this time. He couldn¡¯t understand why his luck was so abysmal that he even randomly generated not even an advancement but the other 3 basic starter sses. Would he really have to pick one of these? What would that mean for him? Was he going to have to go the rest of his time until the next advancement to get a real ss? Would that mean that he was stuck with just one skill until 40? Drake ced his head in both his hands as he thought of the cold reality that might be. Drake felt like he wasing loose, something in him was falling apart. His resolve and hard work fighting on the edge of a knife for days wasing up empty. He stood up and began walking forward, his mind a haze of questions and curses. He wasn¡¯t sure of what he would do anymore, what he could do. He continued to just walk mechanically through the forest. Meeting some packs of Vampiric Apes here and there, for some reason they were more abundant. But Drake killed them just as mechanically as he walked. Casting his spells in a low monotone as he reaped havoc on the monsters that charged at him, not caring if he was hit every now and then. He killed them all, but this time not because he had a goal, but just because they decided to show up. He continued moving forward, ignoring the shing notifications in his vision, along with the slowly draining health pool. Eventually, he broke out of the forest into an outcropping, a familiar sword stuck into a mound of dirt, breaking him out of his daze momentarily. Long enough for him to select the warrior ss and mentally confirm it. [You have selected ss [Warrior] Starter. If you confirm this ss you will lose all current experience and be reset to Level 1] [Are you sure you would like to choose [Warrior] Starter?] [Yes] [No] Drake fell to the ground with his hands on his knees and wept. The system had won. It had broken his will to continue. He had worked tirelessly for days, each day harder than thest, alone. All just to see it be taken away, just like that. He had shes of thest job he had worked. He was happy and content. He had gotten out of college and found a meaningful ce of work at a Tech firm as their graphic artist. Making things they needed for advertisement. It wasn¡¯t bad, the pay was good, and the people were cordial with him. Then around Halloween, he had been asked to go to a party by a work colleague, it was a semirge gathering with around 50 people. Some from the firm and some friends, friends of friends. The usual. He had met someone there while drinking, they had hit it off as they had simr interests, anime. They both sat on the couch and talked each other''s ears off about their favorite shows, and what they were looking forward to being released. It got to a point that Drake had reallye to like this girl, and he moved in to be more intimate, and they proceeded on the couch for a little. It had gottente by that point and Drake offered to take her home. When they had gotten back to her ce, she had told him he wouldn''t be getting lucky tonight with augh and told him to just text herter to make sure he had gotten home safe. He drove home in a good mood that he had met someone so cool at a party he wasn¡¯t even really considering going to, but he was d he did. The next morning he had gone to work the same as always and expected it to be another day. But it wasn¡¯t. He was called down to HR. They told him that he had sexually harassed someone, but wouldn''t say who. And that he would be terminated immediately as they did not tolerate that there. Drake tried to reason with them and ask who exactly was using him of such a thing, shocked that someone could even consider he would do such a thing and that such a one-sided decision would even be possible. He was losing his job, his livelihood, it wasn¡¯t something you could decide just like that no questions asked. But they weren¡¯t listening. The decision had already been made. A man came into the room with his things and he was told he would be escorted off the premises. He could onlyply, nodding to their every word listlessly, as he was too shocked to do much else. His entire 2 years of working hard for thatpany had been put into the trash like it never happened with no concern for his effort or wellbeing. All because someone had decided to falsely use him. What the system was doing, felt just that. Putting his effort into the trash. No remorse, no concern, nothing. Drake felt cold as if all the energy in his body suddenly left him. Henguidly got to his feet and walked over to the grave. Falling in a heap once there. "Hey¡­ It¡¯s me again... Looks like this is where the line ends for me haha¡­ I said I wasn¡¯t going to see your stupid face again, but here I am¡­" Drake said, admonishingly through his sniffling, "I thought I moved past copping out and giving up. But, I just don¡¯t know if I can do it all again. What if it just gets taken again, ripped out from under me, ya know?" You can always just get back up, and do it again, you¡¯ve done it before. A voice told him in the back of his head. "What the fuck do you know?!" Drake shouted, "Do it again?! That¡¯s easy to say, but how many times am I going to work so hard just not to see the fruits of mybor?! If all it takes is one person saying I did something, or some god-forsaken overlord of a system giving me a shit hand, what¡¯s the point!" he screamed, venting his anger out in front of him with a flourish of his arm. Drake sunk back down, his head dipping into his crossed arms on his knees, feeling empty. Sitting there for he didn¡¯t know how long. Eventually, he heard the same voice from the start of the introduction in his head. [Attention. Sufficient Participants within the tutorial have reached level 10. The Tutorial will begin in earnest. Monsters will be brought up to the minimum of [F-Rank] over the next 24 hours. Ladders will be generated based on Participant Level, and Tutorial Points.] [Participants will be rewarded at the end of the Tutorial period in 120 days based on their positions within thedders.] [Participants will be rewarded for removing other Participants from the Ladder and an additional reward for the Top 10 of the Ladder, receiving the subjugated Tutorial Points and a randomly dropped item from their inventory.] [May you gain insight, power, and renown. And most importantly, survive.] The voice finished and Drake couldn¡¯t help himself from taking a peek at the new notification for the Ladder. Still sitting down in front of the mound of dirt and sword. He listlessly browsed the top spots. He saw that the board showed the top 100 with the top 10 in bold. With his own rank at the very bottom of the screen, making it easy to find. He knew this was throwing salt on the wound but he wanted to at least know where he stood, even if he had given up. [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 18] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 15] [Rank 3: Your Savior Level 15] [Rank 4: Joker Level 15] [Rank 5: Chris Springs Level 15] [Rank 6: Super Megan Level 14] [Rank 7: Kristen Halwell Level 14] [Rank 8: Kohoo Level 14] [Rank 9: VitaminD Level 14] [Rank 10: Jason Level 14] ¡­.. [Rank 20: Shot Level 12] Drake felt a pang of anger rise in him as he looked at thedder. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see Bear in first as the man was just a moving tank. But this was surprising that he had caught up and made rank 20 with him being alone, and some of these people would obviously be in groups. This just further enraged him that his progress would be reset, dropping him down tost ce. He also noticed at the bottom of the window there was a Participant counter showing how many people had actually been in the Tutorial. [Participant Count: 4,542 of 5,000] Drake felt disgusted as he watched the counter visibly decrease tens, then hundreds of numbers at a time. There were no monsters doing this. It was people killing people. The system had turned this fight for survival into a literal bloodbath battle royal. He couldn¡¯t stomach the feeling on top of everything else he was dealing with long enough to check the Tutorial Point Ladder, and promptly closed the window. He returned to hopelessly sulking, the window asking to confirm his decision still hovering in front of him. Eventually, he was forced to cover his eyes as the re from the rays of the twilight sun hit him. The reflection of the de had caught him in the face. Standing up to get out of the way of the bright re, looking down at the mound and the de, cing his hand on the hilt of it. Slowly images of his fight here went through his head, how upset he was at the injustice done to this unknown person. How he had fought so hard to establish his goal in his heart. This time when he saw the images sh in his mind he wasn¡¯t upset, or angry, or sad like he had been before. His struggles, the good and the bad, here and in the past, were a part of who he was, and experiences that shaped him. There wasn¡¯t anything he could do about what was done to him, he could only control how he reacted to it. He mentally and physically hit himself. He had lost his way. You can always try again, you''re still breathing. The voice in the back of his head said. Drake wasn¡¯t alright. Nothing would make what happened to him in his past eptable. But he was going to carry on in spite of it. He might not be able to change the past but he would be damned if he took itying down for his future. He gripped the hilt of the sword tightly and pulled it from the ground. This new world wanted to keep him down and he admitted it was beating his ass, but if nothing else he was a sturdy son of a bitch. The road to the end wasn¡¯t a straight line, it had its ups and downs, and there was only up from here, he thought. He suddenly heard another voice in the back of his head. One from a friend that had been a father figure to him even more than his own had. Bad shit happened to you, it sucks and it isn¡¯t fair. Now get over it and move on, let it be a lesson learned and nothing else. Stay focused and stay on that grind. The voice said. Drake smiled as his determination renewed, affirming that he had been here before but he was ready to get up and move on. A momentter he mentally hit confirm and started again. "Fine Grumps, I¡¯ll get off my ass and keep it moving. Fucking asshole¡­." Drake scoffed. [You are now Level 1] [You have selected Warrior. You already possess a Basic ss. The sses will be merged¡­.. You have merged the sses to Mage x Warrior Level 1[Starter] [Unique] [New Skill Learned. Basic Heavy Blow [Level NA] [Basic Heavy Blow] [Level NA] [Basic Heavy Blow can be cast by chanting ¡®Power through force. Heavy Blow.¡¯] [Cost: Small Amount of Stamina] [Cast Time: Instant] [Damage: 1 to 1 ratio based on Strength] [New Title Earned. Dual ss] [Dual ss] [You have gone back to the start. But it is not all lost, the trail is long and hard but rewarding. +20 to all Stats. Extensive increased requirement to experience for level gain.] [New ss Quest Avable. Reach Mage Level 10 for advancement] [Reward: Base ss Upgrade, Main ss-tree Skill Stone, ss Specific Skill Stone.] [New ss Quest Avable. Reach Warrior Level 10 for advancement] [Reward: Base ss Upgrade, Main ss-tree Skill Stone, ss Specific Skill Stone.] "Oh, this is just like that game. What the Fu-" Drake was about to scream but never got the chance to finish as he was tackled by a Vampiric Ape mid-sentence. Chapter 15: A Promise Chapter 15: A Promise "Shit!" Drake howled, as the Ape hit him like a runaway train. Tumbling to the ground, Drake managed to get up quickly scanning the surroundings for the Ape. His eyes found the Ape but it was different than before. The Vampiric Ape was slightly bigger in size than normal, and its ferocity was clearly more wild, foam forming around its mouth as it red at Drake. Drake took no time to point his staff in his left hand and aim at the beast. Quickly chanting his Mana Bolt spell, but the Ape surprisingly dodged the bolt with deft uracy. Charging again at Drake. He shuddered at the increased speed the Ape was showing, but chanted Bolts at the charging beast nheless. The Ape continued to dodge the bolts as it closed in on him, forcing Drake to go into a melee. "Joke¡¯s on you! I¡¯m also a warrior now!" Drake shouted as the Ape collided with him once again. Drake putting his sword and staff in front of him to brace for the impact. Surprisingly he didn''t budge from the impact, and was holding the Ape back. What¡¯s going on? I should only be level 1? Drake asked inwardly. He shouldn¡¯t have the strength to stop a Vampiric Ape with level 1 stats. The Ape wasn¡¯t about to wait for him to figure it out though, as it pulled and wed at the weapons in front of it to get to Drake. Drake refocused and pushed back with all the force he could muster. And with astonishment, Drake had. Even shing the Ape across the chest with his sword in retribution. The Ape howled in pain, grabbing at its now bleeding chest. Allowing Drake the moment he needed to chant a point nk Mana Bolt right into the Ape¡¯s chest, blowing a hole through it. "What in the world is going on? That Ape was obviously stronger than normal ones, but I still killed it in essentially one Bolt. And what was up with my bloody strength there?" Drake asked aloud. Drake looked at the kill notification for the Vampiric Ape. [You have subjugated Vampiric Ape [F-Rank] Level 11] [Experience Earned, 550 Tutorial Points awarded] "F Rank? Did the monsters get an upgrade already? And it¡¯s level 11! What tomfoolery is going on here, Mr. Nook?" Drake said, bringing up the next notifications. [Congrattions, you have increased to Mage x Warrior Level 2] [28 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Mage x Warrior level 3] [28 Free Points have been awarded] 28 Free Points per level?! What in the world was going on. This didn¡¯t add up. Drake thought,quickly opening his stats. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 3 [Vitality] 154 [Strength] 104 [Dexterity] 94 [Intelligence] 250 [Wisdom] 157 [Endurance] 87 [Free Points] 98 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability. Drake dropped again to his knees then gave a guttural roar to the heavens andughed loudly, so much so that he made his voice hoarse. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Did the system hate him or love him? What kind of toxic rtionship was he getting into. Drake thought as he perused his stats. The stats from his 12 levels as a Mage had remained, and on top of that his Free Points as well. Drake could barely process what he was looking at, tightening the grips of his hands around his weapons until he heard a small crackling, and then a sudden snap of wood. "Oh fuck! No no no¡­" He hurriedly said looking down at the snapped remains of his wooden staff. "No no! Don¡¯t worry little buddy I¡¯ll fix you right up, good as new!" He rambled, trying to put the pieces back together like a puzzle. Finally getting it to a semnce of its former majesty he raised it into the air and inspected it. [Novice Wooden Staff] [Broken]
  • Broken Wooden Staff, Nice job.
  • Damage: 0 because it doesn''t work.
  • Attack Speed: None, you could try throwing it at stuff though.
  • Casting Speed: None, just use your hands dummy.
  • A broken wooden staff that is still made out of wood, just now in broken itty bitty pieces.
"You know. I don¡¯t like being called out in this manner. I just went through a horrendously traumatic experience." Drake joked at the description, his mood slightly lightening. Drake thought it truly was the end for him, or at least that he would have to struggle even harder to get back to normal, but it turned out to not be as bad as he thought. He looked back over some of the stats and found that he was gaining twice as many Free Points which he believed was due to having technically two sses. Which meant that he was also gaining the Warrior base stat bonus with each level as well. Which would exin how his Strength had jumped to a whopping 104. His other stats were no slouches either. He had broken past 200 in Intelligence and was halfway to 300 and his previously abysmal Endurance and Dexterity were now almost breaking through the 100 stat threshold. Which he could only attribute to his three new Titles. [Dual ss] [You have gone back to the start. But it is not all lost, the trail is long and hard but rewarding. +20 to all Stats. Extensive increased requirement to experience for level gain.] [Punching Up] [You have subjugated a being a full Rank above your own. This is no small feat and normally impossible. +30 to all Stats.] [Improbability] [You have subjugated a foe 10 Levels above your own. Although the odds were stacked against you, you prevailed. +5 to all Stats] Drake gaped at the bonuses, these titles alone ounted for 55 points to all of his stats. But the Dual ss Title had a pretty horrifying implication with its demerit. If he was required to gain more experience than normal that would mean double the amount of mobs and danger he would have to face, at minimum, to get the same return as anyone else. But he thought it was actually quite fair considering he had double the stat bonuses thanks to it. The amount of work he would have to do though would go up exponentially. Would there even be enough monsters here for him to kill to level up after a while? If this system keeps the trend it''s shown so far, eventually the stat gains would go up just as expenentially if there isn''t a level cap. I could gain endless titles and whatever else that could increase my stats thanks to basically being 10 levels higher than what my Status window shows. Drake thought. Drake now felt much more optimistic about everything. He was still bitter that he was forced to level again, but he had inadvertently gained a huge boon in terms of future value. It might be slow going but he would be getting the stats of two levels for every one he obtained, and because of his stats remaining he was able to kill a monster 10 levels above him. It was a weed rpense. Finally done going over his new stats, and grieving for his lostrade, whom he would find vengeance for in theing battles. Those damn dirty Apes, how dare they do that to Frank. And walked over to the stone that had dropped from the Vampiric Ape. [Skill Stone: Strength] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Strength tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Warrior Based Main ss-tree unlocked] This was something new. Drake thought curiously. He hadn¡¯t seen a Skill Stone like this from any of the previous Apes. Was it because it had evolved to F Rank? He would have to pay attention to his future drops. He looked at the fading sun over the horizon, then back at the newly acquired de in his hand. He surprisingly wasn¡¯t even a bit tired like he normally would be around now. Was it his Endurance? It had made an incredible jump along with his Dexterity. And he still had Free Points to spend now that he thought of it. But the Free Points would have to wait until he got used to his new physical stats, he wanted to make sure he was distributing therge sum in a practical way to match his new goals. And if he was being honest after what he had just done to that Ape even before he gained his Titles for killing it; he didn¡¯t feel in a rush to use them just yet. Drake wanted to go test out his new stats and new warrior skill immediately but looking again at the waning sun, he would have to stop for now and find a ce to rest and hole up for the night. He really hoped he would gain some source of lighting soon, he felt like he was wasting so much time not hunting at night, especially now that he wasn¡¯t even tired. He turned to the mound of dirt now marked by ¡®Frank the Broken Staff¡¯ and said, "Looks like I¡¯m going again. Don¡¯t miss me too much. I¡¯ll be back soon enough this time though, but I¡¯m going toe back when the Tutorial¡¯s over. Next time when I¡¯ve turned into someone stronger and unrecognizable. When I can say goodbye to my weak and indecisive self for good," he smiled and began to turn, "No takesies backsies this time," Drake muttered with a wave of his hand, as he walked away into the treeline. Chapter 16: New Stats Chapter 16: New Stats Drake hadn¡¯t encountered any monsters before he was forced to climb a tree due to night falling. Drake was stronger but he didn¡¯t believe he was ready to go wandering around in the dark just yet. He had been wide awake during the night, perched in the tree and had nothing to do but look at the ck night sky. He hadn¡¯t noticed before as he had always passed right out when his head hit the pillow, or branch in this case, being exhausted day in and out. He still felt the mental fatigue and a sliver of the physical, but he was certainly leagues above his limits from before. What Drake noticed about the sky was that there was ack of, well everything. There were no stars, no moon. So everything was pitch ck at night. He could hear things flying above him every now and then but without anything to reflect light he couldn¡¯t see jackshit. Well that wasn¡¯t true he could see flicks of subtle red and orange which he assumed were eyes as they came in pairs. But Drake wasn¡¯t exactly good with scary stuff so he chose to indefinitely ignore those. After a few hours of staring into nothingness, wondering if he was actually still on earth or if this was somewhere different from theck of night time celestial bodies he got bored and went over his stats a bit more. "Well at least people won¡¯t be asking what sign I am here," he chuckled. He looked at his two sub 100 stats, Dexterity and Endurance and decided to at the very least round them out, cing the 19 points needed between the both of them to reach the threshold bringing his Free Points down to 79. Doing so, Drake instantly felt even more awake than he did before, a side effect of hitting the Endurance threshold he was sure. As for Dexterity he didn¡¯t exactly feel much of anything so he wasn¡¯t sure what it effected, he took a guess and thought it probably had to do with fighting. Maybe reaction time or processing speed, but unable to test it at the moment or determine for sure, he moved on. His Strength had also gone past the threshold but he didn¡¯t notice the change when it did, he obviously noticed that he was able to stop a charging miniature silverback gori but the initial change eluded him. What also struck him as odd was that his physical stature hadn¡¯t changed much as he poked his slightly protruding belly. "I¡¯m not fat, I¡¯m just big boned¡­" he muttered to no one in particr. But outside of it going down slightly due to eating less he was surprised that the stats didn''t affect him much cosmetically. A few more hours into the night Drake had gotten very bored. And started theory crafting what he wanted his main focus to be now that he had two sses. His anime fanaticism red for the rest of the night. He imagined a grand wizard, decimating swaths of enemies with a single spell. A warrior that crushed anything and everything under their grip. And funny enough he thought of a particr double ponytailed school girl who wielded an overlyrge talking scythe, with a finisher move he wanted to try in particr. His imagination unending to the possibilities. He honestly couldn''t decide, and that made his decision for him. He was now a cross ss, just like he was in the old days of the game that seemed to have some eerily simr features that the system had. And that ss had been an all-rounder, or a jack-of-all-trades type ss, that focused on the fundamentals and used stat bonuses, items, and the like to increase those basics to an absurd level. He wanted to feel that again, and he had an inkling that he would be able to. So his next goal was to make his ss and stats into the perfect all rounder. A final sweep of his status showed that he had gotten a new title. [Rounded] [You are well rounded. Reach 100 in all stats. +1 to all stats] "Am I a joke to you?" Drake asked incredulously, looking up into the void. But just dismissed the system''s jab, just happy for more stats and that he found a new milestone he had hit. He just had to have skills to work off of now. And for that he needed to hit level 10 again and reach his ss upgrades as quickly as possible. It had been around six hours now into the night and daylight was sooning. Drake wracked his brain, trying to think of things he needed to do and wanted to during theing days. After a few more minutes of ironing out his checklist he suddenly remembered about the other Leader Board for Tutorial Points. He willed the Leaderboard window open and changed the window from the Level Board to the one for TP. Not missing that some of the names in the Leveling board had changed and some had even just disappeared; but Bear was still head and shoulders ahead of the pack. Going through thedder he had noticed that most of the standings were simr to the Level Ladder, which made sense as everyone most likely had the same threshold for experience and would have to kill a simr number of monsters giving them simr TP. Drake looked at the bottom of the window and saw his Ladder Rank and TP. [Rank 27: Shot] [TP: 10,700] Drake was downtrodden to see he had dropped a few ces in the standings, but was also curious at the discrepancies he saw in some ces. [Rank 1: Bear] [TP: 23,803] [Rank 2 Chris Springs] [TP: 18,503] There were a few more like this where they were a few spots above their Level Rankings. Drake guessed it was because some quests were starting to give TP as a reward, or these people were actively killing other Participants and taking their TP. I wonder why some of the standings have a 3? You can''t get half points right? He thought in passing. Drake had been an avid PvPer in many games he had yed. Even his favorite game that he had modeled his Dual ss off of was centered around it, three races fighting for supremacy of limited resources. But this. This was an entirely different thing, he couldn''t understand why people would murder others for a spot on a leader board and rewards. He wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to self defense and protecting you and yours but this was on an entirely different scale, but he conceded that he may just be too stuck in the old ways of his previous world¡¯s sensibilities. Maybe the fight for the resources would just be the norm in this new cut throat reality, even if it meant crushing other humans underfoot to do it. He held mixed feelings about the subject and just couldn¡¯te up with a ck and white answer. The break of dawn interrupted his internal turmoil though. Drake shielding his eyes with his hand as he squinted. He would te his philosophizing for now. There was a long list of things to get through today. Drake dropped down from the tree with more ease than usual,nding softly on his feet almost making no sound. "Well isn''t that kinda elf-like? Can I walk on snow now too?" he said aloud, a small crease across his face. First, I should get a handle on how these new inted stats feel. He thought. Drake looked around for a tree a few meters from him. "Yeah that should be about right." He had singled out a tree a distance out that would have taken him around 30 seconds normally to sprint to. He got into a sprinters starting stance and took off for the tree. He could feel the world around him blur as he took long swift strides, reaching his destination in less than 10 seconds. He just stared nkly at his starting location, amazed with himself. He had reduced his travel time by more than 70%. And he was still breathing evenly. "I¡¯m a god damned superhero! Haha!!" he chortled, "I wonder if that means I can leap over tall buildings in a single bound and smash rocks with my bare fists," he joked, grinning ear to ear. But then he thought about it more seriously. He looked at the tree next to him and sized it up. It was around 5 meters tall, give or take. Drake crouched down as if to turn himself into apressed spring, and pushed off the ground with all his strength. Launching himself into the air. He waved his arms wildly as he reached his apex, seeing over the top of the tree next to him. The next moment he began his rapid return to the ground. Screaming and iling all the way. He somehow managed to keep himself upright enough that hended on his feet. Drake huffed as he let go of his held breath and soon checked his body to see if anything was broken. But surprisingly he was fine, he didn¡¯t feel any pain anywhere in his body. He then looked towards the trunk of the tree and ced his fist against it, squaring up to it. "Please don''t break my hand," he mumbled, bringing his fist back and letting loose a right hook with all his might. A loud crash and splintering of wood sounded in a kick up of dust below the tree, the dirt settling; revealing his fist driving into the tree up to half his forearm. Drake was a little disappointed that he hadn¡¯t felled the thing in one blow like a cool power up scene from anime but was more than satisfied with the results. "I¡¯ll have toe up with a super cool hero name now. Maybe turn an old insulting nickname into my moniker to take power away from it and show I''m above the bully that stuck me with it. Maybe." Drake smiled. Through some more tests, Drake more or less got the jist of his capabilities. But there was a problem. "I¡¯ve never used a sword outside of yesterday. And in my backyard maybe but we don¡¯t talk about those days," he coughed, "I know enough that you sh them and stick them with the pointy end, but that¡¯s where my expertise ends." He motioned some practice swings with the sword tentatively but soon stopped, thinking he looked silly. "I guess I¡¯ll just have to learn through repetition and guessing then, nothing new there. This whole ce has just been one whole new learning experience anyway." Deciding to put more time into learning how to properly swing a swordter he moved on to the next thing he wanted to know. Could he cast while holding the sword. He very well couldn¡¯t use his staff now that it had been broken. [Novice Iron Sword [NG] [Common]
  • 35 to 37 Physical Damage
  • 5 to 13 Magical Damage
  • Attack Speed: Normal
  • Cast Speed: Slightly Slow
  • A starter iron sword made of what it looks like, iron.
"Oh system, you''re so funny..." he said tly. The sword did have magic damage on the description so he should be able to cast magic through it. He pointed the tip of the sword towards the same tree he was using to test. Reciting his spell. "Manifest my power. Mana Bolt!" A blue magic circle formed at the end of the de, but the mana flow into the weapon felt hobbled and rough like he was squeezing it through a straw that was too tight. It took several seconds longer than when he used his bare hands, a total of 5 seconds to fully manifest the Bolt. After shooting out of the de tip normally, the Bolt hit the tree and punched a fist size hole all the way through it and the tree behind it. Nice damage but, that cast time. That¡¯s a problem. Drake raised a brow confessing to himself. It was good that he knew now as long as a weapon had the magic damage and cast stat he could channel magic through it, but it obviously wasn¡¯t nearly as optimal as a weapon that had a better cast time. He ended up deciding he would stick to using his free hand to cast the spell. Determined he needed the lower cast time over the small damage increase the weapon gave. "Now for thest and final test." Drake went off in a mad dash, circling the tree. cing his hand in front of him trained on the tree, he felt the mana inside him, then began to cast. "Manifest my power. Mana Bolt!" After the two-second dy, a Mana Bolt flew from his hand but missed the tree, flying past it and punched another fist-sized hole through another tree, burning the bolt halfway through the trunk of the one behind it. Drake shouted with glee, curling his hands into fists. He was finally able to finish casting while running, and now he could RUN. Looking back at the tree he had failed to hit. We¡¯ll just ignore that I still can¡¯t aim¡­ He thought sheepishly. "Alright! Time to go find some monsties to hunt! No more cking off!" he yelled pointing with his sword in one hand in a random direction. And he ran off at full speed. But quickly tripped over an extended tree root, falling t on his face. "Ok maybe not at full speed just yet¡­" he said, raising his beet red face from the dirt, spitting some out of his mouth. Chapter 17: That’s a lot of Monsters Chapter 17: That¡¯s a lot of Monsters Drake got up and patted off the dirt from his face, not bothering with his ripped and tattered clothes. "I¡¯m going to have to find some new digs soon, or I might have to go running around naked," he mumbled sarcastically, pulling at the tattered edges. When he looked up he saw a sh of gray pass through the trees. Drake immediately followed it, hoping it was a monster. He quickly caught up due to his new stats, and what was waiting for him was an angry dog faced bipedal monster standing up to about as high as his chest; wearing some type of old fashion leather equipment and a pickaxe in its hands. It looked at Drake and snarled, baring its dog like teeth. But instead of fighting, the monster turned again and ran, shouting in a way that reminded Drake of the hyenas he heard on a tv show he had seen before. Drake with his new speed dashed forward to catch up with the beast, not wanting to let it get away. Once he was running close enough behind it he chanted his Mana Bolt and caught it in the leg. The monster tumbled in a heap, dropping its pickaxe in the process. Drake picked up the pickaxe and ced it into his inventory. And moved over to the fallen and limping beast. "Don¡¯t move. I don''t want to get too much blood on my new wardrobe." He said, driving his sword into the head of the dog beast. Drake looted the armor of the monster into his inventory right off its corpse not wanting to get it any dirtier. He brought the chest piece out again, holding it with both hands to look at it. [Leather Chest [F-Grade ][Common] [A passable Leather chest piece that offers a small amount of protection. +6% defense proficiency.] "Ohhh! F-Grade equipment, and it¡¯s leather so I think I can use this without too much trouble, I am a warrior now after all, right? And that should also mean¡­" Drake said, opening his notification. [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 10] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [New Quest! Subjugate 30 Miner Gnolls[F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random [F-Grade] piece of equipment] [1 out of 30 Miner Gnolls [F-Rank ] Subjugated] So there are Gnolls huh. Finally getting a little more fantasy like with the monsters. Drake said looking at the gray furred monster. He wondered what other kinds of creatures were going to show up now that the system was basically pumping steroids into the monsters to bring them to F-Rank. Drake pulled the Leather chest and then the pants he had looted from the Gnoll. They fit snuggly overtop his ragged clothes, and he could move with afortable range of motion. But if he had toin about one thing it was, "God, these pants are kinda tight around the family jewels. Got to stretch these bad boys out a bit," heined as he began doing stretches and squats to do just that. He was quickly interrupted though by a simr howl that the Gnoll had shouted earlier. He moved up into a nearby tree to get a better vantage and possibly get a drop on whatever wasing. What eventually came into Drake¡¯s line of sight was something he wasn¡¯t expecting. A group of Gnolls moved through the forest in his direction, some were holding familiar pickaxes and others were holding swords and shields and even a pair holding a crossbow. But what caught Drake¡¯s attention was the hooded one in a cloak sitting safely behind the others. That was a Mage, he was sure of it. No monster or man wore stuff like that without being one, he thought. Drake counted 11 Gnolls in this group as he saw them grow closer. And he wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to take on a group thatrge, but he didn¡¯t get to make that decision as an arrow embedded itself into the tree he was in, forcing him to turn. A second arrow hitting him in his right shoulder. Drake fell from the tree, gripping the arrow now lodged in his shoulder. A momentternding on his back with a grunt, but quickly got to his feet to take cover. New arrows sinking into the ground he had just been. Ah! What the hell was that? How did they see me! Do they have some kind of long sight, or detection skill?! Drake thought grimacing from the pain of the arrow. But he didn¡¯t get very long to think as he heard footsteps quickly surround him. Drake tried to peek out from behind his tree to see where the Gnolls were. Only getting a momentary glimpse of the two crossbowmen, seeing them sniffing at the trail of blood that was left from the hit Drake had taken. The pair quickly looked up in his direction and fired at him. He gasped in surprise and rolled out of the way to the side, right into a waiting Miner Gnoll. The Miner brought its pickaxe down, aiming right for Drake¡¯s head. But he was much faster than he used to be and brought his hand up to catch the shaft of the falling pick; driving the sword in his other hand deep into its abdomen covering himself in its blood. "Man, I just got these," he whined. Drake managed to hear something whizzing, cutting through the air, and turned the monster he skewered in their direction. Two more arrows burrowed themselves into its corpse. Drake looked past the body he was holding to see seven more Gnolls bearing down on him. Pickaxes and swords raised at the ready. He pushed forward with the pincushioned corpse into the mass of Gnolls. Quickly colliding with another Miner, pushing it to a tree, and pinned it through the corpse. Stabbing it through its stomach. Drake pulled the sword from the bodies as quickly as he could and tried to dodge behind another tree only to have a Mana Bolt briskly pass in front of his face, cutting off his escape. He nced in the direction of the bolt, and there was the hooded Gnolls that he had seen earlier. It quickly raised its hands at him and a bolt flying from its hands again directly at him. Drake¡¯s eyes widened at what he just saw. It can cast without chanting or dy?! he screamed inwardly, dropping to the ground to dodge the Bolt. He lunged again for the cover of a tree, barely evading a swording down on him from above. 6 more close fighters and 3 ranged. I have to take out the squishies in the back, then I can kite the- Fuck! Ah, that stings! Drake screamed inwardly and grimaced, touching the arrow still stuck in his shoulder gingerly. His mind worked overtime to think of a way of getting out of this situation alive. He continued to move from tree to tree for cover, throwing Bolts back at the Miners and the Kobolds holding the shields. But the dy in his casts were beginning to show their weakness. The dy was allowing the Gnolls time to dodge and use the trees like he had for cover whenever they saw his hands light up with magic. But he had managed to at leastnd a bolt on another Miner Kobold that had been toote to get behind a tree. His pursuers were down to eight, three of the five melee holding shields. The two remaining Miners behind them as they charged forward towards Drake, slowly catching up. He fired two more Bolts behind him, but they were easily blocked by the shields the Gnolls held up. Drake clicked his tongue as he saw that. His Bolts were only doing negligible damage to the shields. If only he had a fire spell so he could just burn right through the things. The Gnolls were catching up to him now that they knew his Mana Bolts couldn''t prate their shields, forcing Drake to make a decision of whether he was going to fight the five on one. Or try to get to the two Crossbowmen and Mage that had been keeping their distance and pepering at him with arrows and Mana Bolts. Running not even crossing his mind as an option. He still wasn¡¯t confident that he could win in a melee, he had just changed into a melee cross ss after all. But he wasn''t about to back down here. So he resolved himself and gritted his teeth as he made a mad dash at the crossbowmen, his stance as low to the ground as he could manage without falling forward. As he ran at a new breakneck speed, he chanted his spell. It was released as he got halfway to the group of three. An arrownding in front of him and one clipping his cheek as he ran. He then zagged to his right, a Mana Bolt passing right over his shoulder. Drake moved as quickly as his new stats would take him to the group, his Mana Bolt finally reaching one of the Crossbowmen as it was reloading its weapon. The remaining one managed to reload before Drake had made it to them. Another Mana Bolt entered his vision forcing him to jump the remaining distance. He leapt and began to fly towards the crossbowman, mage pair. His sword raised over his head. "Power through force! Heavy Blow!!" he shouted through a pained expression. Another cross bolt clipping his Leather Armor in the side. Drake collided on top of the Crossbowman plunging his sword into its skull with his skill infused swing. The Mage wasn¡¯t perturbed in the slightest and its hand glowed with power as a Mana Bolt flew out and caught Drake in the shoulder the arrow was in. Pushing Drake back and off the body but knocking the arrow free into the air in front of him. Time slowed down for a moment, and Drake grabbed the arrow out of the air with swiftness and agility he didn¡¯t know he had. Throwing it back at the Mage in rpense. Drake mmed back to the ground, his thrown arrow finding the Mage¡¯s throat as it sunk to the ground and iled in a death throe as it bled out. He painfully gripped his shoulder for a moment now that it had a sizable portion missing from it, and got up, seeing the remaining two Miners and Sword n Boardsmen rushing his way. Beginning to chant Bolts as he pelted them with his spell to no avail. But unfortunately the only targets he hit were the raised shields, dealing no damage. The group of five were getting ufortably close now. Drake pointed downward in front of the group as he chanted three bolts in session, kicking up dirt in front of him. Drake jumped backwards and fumbled to pick up the dead bowman¡¯s crossbow. Plucking the arrow from the dead Mage¡¯s throat and loading it. As the dust was quickly dissipating, Drake kneeled and took aim at the small cloud. The next moment a Sword n Boarder pushed through the cloud, confused only long enough to take an arrow to the face. It fell backwards as the rest of the Kobolds came stumbling out of the dissipating cloud of dust. Drake was already in the air from jumping at the cloud,nding on top of a Sword n Boarder, knocking them both to the ground. The Gnoll managed to hold on to its weapons and struggled to find Drake with them while he was on top of it. Drake pulled at the monster''s shield, peeling it away from the monster¡¯s chest enough for him to slip his sword over it and into the Gnoll''s neck, killing it in a spat of bloody gurgling. The two Gnolls next to Drake didn¡¯t miss a beat and brought their weapons down on him in an attempt to skewer him. But Drake rolled backwards just in time to dodge the pickaxe and sword. Resulting in them being sunk into theirrade¡¯s corpse. The remaining three Gnolls roared in anger. But Drake did the same as he charged thest Gnoll holding a shield. "Power through force! Heavy Blow!!" he screamed, charging at the beast, his swording down on the monster''s raised shield only getting a small way into the side of it, stuck. Drake yanked and pulled at his stuck weapon, struggling against the Gnoll. The two Mining Gnolls were hesitant to interfere, apparently afraid they may hit the other Gnoll in the scuffle. Eventually Drake managed to pull his sword away from the Gnoll, the shielding off with it. The extra weight threw him off bnce forcing him to lose his grip on his weapon, it flying over his shoulder. Desperately Drake rammed his body into the monster and wrestled it to the ground, cing it in a choke hold on top of himself. He gazed wild eyed at the other two Kobolds to see if they would intervene and thankfully they were too indecisive to move. Drake chanted his Mana Bolt in his hand held against the Gnoll''s head, never looking away from the eyes of the Miner Gnolls as it channeled. The Swordsman Gnoll iled and bucked when it saw the magic circle appear next to its face but was unable to break away from Drake¡¯s iron-like grip. After two seconds the Bolt manifested, taking the Gnoll¡¯s head clean off. Drake hurriedly threw the body at the Miners. Casting another Bolt as he got to his feet, while picking up the Gnoll¡¯s dropped sword. The Gnolls panicked as one caught the body, falling to the ground with it on top. The other caught the Mana bolt to the chest and coughed blood as it fell to the side. Drake quickly scrambled forward, getting on top of thest Kobold. His foot pushing down on the corpse it had caught, preventing it from moving. And brought his sword down through it to kill the struggling monster. Drake fell to his knees, rolling onto his back in exhaustion looking at his status bars. His health was just over 50%, where his mana wasfortably at 70%, and his stamina was drained sitting at a duff 10%. "I can¡¯t believe I made it through that," he panted, "I swear if another monster finds me right now, they can just have me. Please, just take me now," he guffawed. Drake managed to sit upright and look around. There was far too much blood on and around him. He only waited long enough to scoop up the equipment and stones that spawned in motes of light then made a dash in the direction of the river. He wasn¡¯t able to move at top speed but he made excellent headway as he looked through the plethora of notifications with a grin. [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 11] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 11] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Mage x Warrior level 4] [28 Free Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 10] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Gnoll Ranger [F-Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 350 TP awarded] [New Quest! Subjugate 20 Gnoll Rangers [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random [F-Grade] piece of equipment] [You have subjugated Gnoll Ranger [F-Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 350 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Gnoll Mage [F-Rank] Level 15] [Experience Earned, 750 TP awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Mage x Warrior level 5] [28 Free Points have been awarded] [New Quest! Subjugate 20 Gnoll Mages[F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random [F-Grade] piece of equipment] [You have subjugated Gnoll Warrior [F-Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 650 TP awarded] [New Quest! Subjugate 20 Gnoll Warriors [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random [F-Grade] piece of equipment] [You have subjugated Gnoll Warrior [F-Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 650 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Gnoll Warrior [F-Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 650 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 10] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Miner Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 10] [Experience Earned, 150 TP awarded] [6 out of 30 Miner Gnolls [F-Rank] Subjugated] [2 out of 20 Gnolls Rangers [F-Rank] Subjugated] [1 out of 20 Gnolls Mages [F-Rank] Subjugated] [3 out of 20 Gnolls Warriors [F-Rank] Subjugated] Chapter 18: The Outpost Chapter 18: The Outpost Drake had to quickly sweep away the notifications mentally as they filled his vision. It was an amazing haul and he hadn¡¯t even looked at his stat gains or the items he picked up yet. The Gnolls had been a treasure trove of experience and equipment for him, he thought; the rivering into his vision. Drake checked the surroundings for any signs of monsters and when he found none, he looked over at his now itching shoulder. Surprised that it was slowly but visibly healing and recing small fibers of muscle that had been blown off earlier. It was weed that he was healing but seeing the process was objectively grotesque. After some traveling he finally arrived at the river bed, looking at the pristine flowing water. Drake sighed in relief, touching his shoulder again to see the progress. When he saw that it had stopped bleeding and a scar was forming, he jumped into the river and began scrubbing himself down. He drank some water to refresh himself, and then moved to the shoreline to dry off in the sun. Drake sat on a nearby rock and pulled up his status ready to distribute his free stats now that he''d gotten an idea of what he wascking. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 5 [Vitality] 163 [Strength] 121 [Dexterity] 101 [Intelligence] 266 [Wisdom] 166 [Endurance] 101 [Free Points] 127 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Dog Hater, Rounded Drake scoffed at his pooled Free Points, as it was over the amount of some of his stats. He looked at the new title that had appeared with a displeased look. "I¡¯m not a dog hater! Those things were just dog-like!" Drake shouted into the air. [Dog Hater] [y 10 harmless dog-like Gnolls. +5% Damage to Gnolls] Drake sighed,pletely worn out and didn¡¯t want toin anymore to waste time. Looking back over his stats as he distributed his Free Points. He knew what stats he wanted to improve on after the fight. He wasn¡¯t strong enough in magic to pierce the Gnoll¡¯s shields without a staff to amplify his damage. And he was only barely nimble enough to fight his way through those closebat fights. So he decided to increase his Intelligence and Dexterity by arge margin. Then evened out his Strength and Wisdom to keep his melee damage and mana regeneration. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 5 [Vitality] 163 [Strength] 151 [Dexterity] 151 [Intelligence] 301 [Wisdom] 179 [Endurance] 101 [Free Points] 0 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Dog Hater, Rounded "Nice, this is looking pretty good. Now I better look over the stones and equipment to see if there¡¯s anything I can use before I go back there," he thought aloud, "That was thergest pack yet, and I don¡¯t think that was just a coincidence. I want to go back and try to figure out what was going on there...." Drake opened up his inventory and checked the various items and stones he managed to pick up this time. [Skill Stone: Ranger] [Umon] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Ranger tree.] [Requirement: Have at least one or more open Skill Slots and a Ranger Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] Drake had gotten only two of these, so he suspected they came from the crossbowmen. The word Ranger kinda screamed Ranger type ss, and would exin how they may have been able to gain insight to where he had been from so far away. He''d also gotten a few more Strength Skill Stones, which also made sense. But his crown jewel for the fight was certainly thest stone he had picked up. [Skill Stone: Mage] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Mage tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Mage Based Main ss-tree unlocked] The rest of the loot wasn¡¯t too notable, he had picked up a few more pairs of leather pants and chests, and a cloak. Some shields that he picked up he tried on but quickly put back into his inventory, as they had to be held so he wasn¡¯t able to cast magic while holding both it and his sword. But there was an honorable mention because of what the description said. [Sturdy Pickaxe] [Common]
  • 1 to 12 Physical Damage
  • 1 to 4 Magical Damage
  • Attack Speed: Slow
  • Cast Speed: Slow
  • A sturdy looking pickaxe that is used to mine out various ores, jewels, and material.
Drake pondered for a moment on the subtle hint of confirmation the description gave. If there was a Mine somewhere that would make sense that he had killed a ¡®Miner¡¯ Gnoll. And Drake wondered what had happened to all the various minerals that would be there now that mana was involved. Drake¡¯s eyes turned to dor signs as he thought of the possibilities of getting to an undiscovered mine. While he waited for his clothes to dry he practiced casting his Mana Bolts for half an hour firing them into the river. What he was trying to do was shorten his cast like he had seen the Gnoll Mage do but every time he tried to omit a word from the cast. It wouldn¡¯t activate, but he was able to feel his mana flow towards his hand so he wasn¡¯t sure what the roadblock was. Finally stopping after several attempts of failure, pulling out the Mage Skill Stone for a moment to roll it around in his hand. Maybe the Skills he would get from this would be the answer. If so he may be stuck just having to wait. After a few more minutes he was adequately dried and ced the stone back into his inventory running back in the direction he hade from. When he arrived at the scene of hisst fight, he slowed to a crawl, as he saw a lone Miner Gnoll. Drake waited a moment to see if it was a part of a group. And after a minute, the Gnoll wasn¡¯t joined by any others. It had gone from body to body apparently looking for dropped gear or stones as when it didn¡¯t find anything it turned away and headed back somewhere. Perfect. Now take me to your leader, small dog type thing. Drake thought. He began to follow the Miner Gnoll from a moderate distance, moving at a brisk pace through the forest. The Gnoll moved with purpose to what Drake hoped would be a mountain of treasure for him to take, in both loot and experience. After what felt like forever, the blueish gray peaks of a mountain came into view between the tree leaves. Drake smiled as he kept pace with the monster making sure to be far enough away that it hopefully wouldn''t notice him. Eventually the treeline broke and Drake halted to a stop. The Gnoll ran past the treeline and made a run for what looked like an old wooden outpost. Drake was amazed at what he was looking at, his eyes following the direction of the Gnoll. A small fortress built of wood was covering the side of the mountain base. There were small guard towers filled with Ranger and Mage Gnolls. The Miner Gnoll ran to arge Gate where there were a pair of Gnoll Warriors. Drake watched as they seemed to converse, the Miner Gnoll pointing back into the forest. Had it noticed him and led him here on purpose? Drake wondered. Better safe than sorry. I¡¯ve got a few tricks up my sleeve if I know they¡¯reing. Drake began taking out the extra pairs of leather, iron armor and weapons he hadying around. And quickly began cing them around him. He then began to rub dirt all over his person, and finally took out thest item. [Battered Cloak NG] [Common] [Offers no physical or magical protection, just a normal cloak that may help obscure your face and physical build.] Drake put on the cloak that he had rubbed dirt on as well, hoping to mask his smell, and quickly got into a tree to scope out the Gate. The Miner Gnoll and the Warriors were no longer there, and the gate was closed. But soon the gate reopened and revealed arge group of 20 Gnolls streaming out in front of the gate. They began lining up in wait for something. Drake¡¯s body began to shiver as a Gnoll with ck Spots Marking its gray body walked out of the gate. It had been twice the size of the other Gnolls, and was wearing metal armor that was obviously better than the crude iron the Apes had worn. It had a colonial conquistador-esque hat on its head, and hand spiked metal gauntlets covering both its hands. There was an aura of power being exuded from the monster that Drake could feel from here. He looked on as the Bigger Gnoll began barking and pointing at the others, then suddenly looked into the forest meeting Drake¡¯s gaze. Drake again shuddered. Not sure if the monster had actually looked at him, but held the monster¡¯s gaze. After a few seconds the Gnoll¡¯s mouth creased back and showed itsrge white canines. It had seen him. It pointed again to the treeline this time, and the Gnolls formed a straight line with the shield users in front with the rangers, and mages behind them. The Large Gnoll bringing up the rear. Drake smiled in nervous anticipation, "Come and get me then, mutt." Chapter 19: The First Commander, Claire and Jared Chapter 19: The First Commander, ire and Jared Drake moved back to where he had set his trap and waited patiently for the group of Gnolls to arrive. He settled in a tree above two pairs of dummies that were set up in the bushes below him. They even had some of the extra swords and shields he wasn¡¯t using. Soon Drake heard the rustle of branches and leaves, followed by rumbles and thumps, with the slight shaking of trees. So far so good, they haven''t seemed to have noticed me this time, good thing I took that bath in the river to get the blood off and rubbed myself in dirt for good measure. Now I just need to hope it stays that way and I wait. He thought. The sounds of the Gnolls marching right under him filling his ears. Drake looked down as he saw the two rows pass right underneath him. They had poked and prodded some of the dummies he had set up. Some of the dummies received a Mana Bolt and arrows, but Drake continued to wait because the one he wanted to ambush was therger Gnoll. He was worried that without the surprise attack he wouldn¡¯t be able to take down the beast. It was the mystery factor in this fight, and he wanted to take it down as quickly as possible if he could. In moments the Large Gnoll passed underneath his tree as well, it almosting close enough to clip the bottom of the branch Drake was on. Causing Drake to start nervously sweating. Suddenly the Large Gnoll barked and the group stopped moving. It began to sniff the air trying to find the source of whatever it had just gotten a whiff of. Drake practically shat himself as the loud bark sounded just below him, but hurriedly calmed himself. But when the Gnoll began to sniff the air, he knew the jig was up and as silently as he could began reciting Mana Bolt with his free hand. When the magic activated he pushed off the branch, swinging his sword diagonally aiming to take the Monsters head off with his Heavy Blow Skill. Drake''s Mana Bolt spell fired off, flying swiftly at the back of the monster¡¯s head. But the Large Gnoll moved and turned its head with unimaginable speed, unbing its hulking figure. It quickly dodged the Bolt with a tilt and opened its huge maw weing Drake¡¯s sword right into its pearly whites. Drake¡¯s sword sparked and creaked for a moment in the Gnoll¡¯s clenched jaw, a secondter snapping in half, to Drake¡¯s wide-eyed surprise. Drake hit the ground cursing, "You¡¯ve got to be messing with me! What the hell are you made of?!" Drake looked up at the Large Gnoll as it snickered at him, but it didn¡¯t move to attack Drake. "Are you looking down on me furball?!" he growled through gritted teeth. The rows of Gnolls finally turned and began to fire a plethora of arrows and Mana Bolts in his direction. Drake cursed as he dodged and made a dash for the two dummies underneath the tree he had jumped off, firing Mana Bolts into the deluge of monsters on the way. Within seconds he picked up both swords from the dummies and threw one at a mage that was in his path, trying to close in around him with the others. The sword caught this particr Gnoll Mage in mid cast of a Mana Bolt, surprising Drake that it had a staff and even had to cast, as the previous one did not. But Drake would worry about thatter, as he scooped up the staff in his now free hand and dashed out of the encirclement. Drake dodged and weaved in and out of the tree cover, trying to position himself as close to the dummies as he could, hoping to use them to obscure their vision and confuse them. He steadily took the monsters down one by one, with the new staff he just got, his magic spells were again on another level. They were able to now cast instantly with no cooldown from the dyed cast time. And were leaps stronger as they were now able to prate the Gnolls shields. Combined with Drake¡¯s ability to move while casting, he had be a problem that the Gnolls were in no way ready to deal with. Drake was now a small whirlwind of death as he shouted spells back to back, diving in and out of cover to sh at the backs of mages and rangers alike as he maneuvered the battlefield. The group of Gnolls were soon whittled down in numbers to single digits and retreaded to a semi circle around the Large Gnoll. The Large Gnoll finally decided to join the fight and pushed past the small phnx that had formed around it. It pulled its head and arms back then leaned forward to release a guttural roar at Drake. Drake was suddenly stunned and unable to move, the next moment the Monster had seemingly teleported in front of him andunched an uppercut right into Drake¡¯s abdomen, sending him flying backwards and through a tree. Drake grunted as he was sent flying, coughing up blood as he crashed into the tree. He flung across the ground momentarily then came to a stop, struggling to get up. He looked in the direction he had flown from to see the Large Gnoll lumber at speed towards him. It¡¯s not going to teleport again? Was it a skill? And what about that howl? Were they skills? How long are they down for? He tried to process, coughing as he rose. He began quickly chanting his Mana Bolt at the iing monster, trying to maintain distance from it. But the Monster was just shrugging off the Mana Bolts, its armor doing an frustratingly good job of protecting it. Drake didn¡¯t want to get in close but it looked like he may not have a choice. He just wasn¡¯t able to get an angle to deal any significant damage to the Gnoll¡¯s exposed parts from the distance he was at. Before he was able to get in close to the Gnoll, it teleported again right in front of him. But there was no shout this time to stun Drake, and he turned to dodge the subsequent straight hook from the monster. Drake then brought his sword down on the monster¡¯s exposed elbow with his Heavy Blow but it was blocked by the Gnoll¡¯s other gauntlet before it could connect. The two then were locked in a back and forth scuffle of dodging and striking at each other, with Drake losing out in technique. He had more Dexterity than the monster it seemed which allowed him to keep up with the monster. But he was still just a person who hadn¡¯t had much experience in fighting. And his amateurish evasions of the blows were only enough to keep him from being hit directly. Resulting in Drake soon umting small wounds and cuts from the spiked gauntlets. But Drake wasn¡¯t just bing a punching bag, he was slowly ousting the Monster, as he chanted close range Mana Bolts into the monster whenever he could, shing at its uncovered joints when possible. Small dents and holes were starting to acrew on the beast¡¯s armor as they continued to exchange blows. The tide of the battle abruptly changed, as the Gnoll jumped backwards, rearing its head back again. When Drake saw the motion he knew what wasing, but he was too close and unable to get out of range of the shout. Stunned, Drake looked on helplessly as the monster again teleported to him and clotheslined him into the ground. Drake spat blood as he was mmed to the forest floor, almost losing his grip on his weapons, but he somehow still had rity despite the blow, knowing if he lost his weapons now he was dead for sure. He quickly shed at the legs of the Gnoll from the ground, shing one of its exposed calves dropping it down to one knee as it wailed in pain. The first realrge amount of damage Drake was able to deal to it. Drake hopped to his feet and kicked in the Gnoll¡¯s other leg with all the strength he could muster, forcing it to a weird angle with a snap. Now was Drake''s opportunity to unrelentingly open a can of whoop ass on the Monster. He brought down his sword on it, screaming his Heavy Blow Skill with every swing. He had made some progress on the beast knocking off its helmet and nicking its head, battering it with small cuts here and there, but couldn¡¯t get any substantial damage as it held up the metal gauntlets in defense. After a few seconds of Drake keeping the Gnoll on the defensive it finally swatted away Drake¡¯s sword and in the same motion dashed forward grabbing Drake by the throat, forcing him to drop his weapons from the abrupt shock. The monster then teleported, mming and pinning him into a tree. Drake¡¯s legs dangled off the ground awkwardly to the side as the Gnoll was leaning limply to the side, one of its legs broken from earlier. The Gnoll smiled triumphantly at Drake, its left eye closed and bleeding from his earlier assault. The Gnoll brought its face closer to Drake as he scratched and wed at the monster arm holding him, grunting and gasping for air. The monster''s maw slowly opened up to bite down on Drake¡¯s head. The monster taking an agonizingly long time to savor the victory of its captured prey. Drake continued to struggle as teeth drew ever closer to him, shes of his promise to get stronger and change, vivid in his mind. He wouldn¡¯t give up till the end this time, until he took hisst breath. Fire was still lit within his eyes. His still iling hands touched something to his right, and he immediately grabbed it, swinging it down at the beast''s unprotected head. A pained howl pierced the surroundings as the Large Gnoll lurched backward, a pickaxe in its left eye. Drake dropped to the ground, coughing for air. Then quickly taking in a deep breath before jumping onto the Large Gnoll¡¯s lurching chest, his hands finding the pickaxe and ripping it from its skull. Drake red into the monster¡¯s remaining eye and smiled, bringing down the pickaxe with a Heavy Blow as if he was prospecting for oil. And he struck gold as a fountain erupted from the monster¡¯s skull. It fell all the way backwards in a heap with a loud thunderous crash. From his roost on top of the felled Gnoll¡¯s chest Drake stared at the remaining monsters from the group covered in blood, and more covering him from the temporary fountain he had created out of the Gnoll¡¯s skull. The Gnolls whimpered at the sight of their fallen leader, and turned to run back in the direction of the outpost they hade from. Drake was almostpletely spent and threw the pickaxe at the back of the monsters, catching one of the Rangers in the thigh. He surged forward with thest remaining dredges of his stamina and strength, catching the wounded Gnoll Ranger by the back of the head and mming it down into the ground with a crunch. The remaining Gnolls didn¡¯t even stop to look back and continued to run. Drake kept chase but was unable to sprint anymore, forcing him to hobble to the end of the tree line, shooting Mana Bolts from his hand the whole time into the backs of the fleeing monsters. Stopping at the treeline he fired at the escaping monsters until arrows began to pelt the tree he was leaning on. Drake spat a mouthful of blood in the direction of the outpost, "Bring more next time! I¡¯ll be here all day!!" he guffawed, smiling with a red-tinted grin.
The motes of lights around her finally dissipated, allowing her to blink trying to focus her vision. After a few seconds, the sight of a clear lush forest was spread out in front of her. At first, it was quiet as she turned her head going from the greenery to the people around her, but it quickly devolved into screaming, shouts, and wails of confusion in several differentnguages she didn''t understand or recognize. Someone suddenly grabbed her arm. ¡°ire! Are you ok?!¡± the voice asked, her head snapping to it. ¡°Jared!¡± she shouted nearly whimpering, ¡°W-where are we?! The room, the man, he¡­ He said so many confusing things!¡± Jared had a difficult expression on his face, clearly wanting to say something but held back. ¡°I know, I know. Don¡¯t worry, I''ll take care of it. First, we need to find a safe ce,¡± he said firmly, his eyes darting around the area. A momentter another scream rang out, different from the others. Not a shout of confusion or despair but a real guttural scream of pain and desperation. Both of their heads turned to the voice, their faces paling at what they saw. A man. No an animal, an ape was digging into a body while the person was still alive. They no longer screamed but gurgled as they reached out, their eyes begging for help but it was obviously toote. ire gasped covering her mouth as she shook in fear, Jared gritting his teeth as his hand quickly went to the sword at his waist as he got in front of ire. ¡°Stay behind me and back up slowly. ire,¡± he whispered, ¡°Get up, we need to go.¡± But ire¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t listen after she saw the grotesque scene. She began crying and whimpering while her hands gripped at the back of her brother''s shirt. Jared tried his best to calm her while keeping his eyes on the strange wild animal making sure it didn¡¯t do anything but their luck wasn¡¯t in their favor today. The ape snapped it¡¯s head to the pair, a beastly grin on its bloodied face exposing its long fags and smushed face. With a howl they could onlypare to some ghastly horror movie animal the ape rushed forward on all fours toward them. Jared cursed holding his sword in a shaky grip as he yelled, ¡°Bring it on damn it!¡± ¡°Jared!¡± ire shouted, trying to will power into her jello-like leg but couldn¡¯t muster any strength. The animal collided with her brother as they tumbled past her in a tangled mess, grunts and a scream of paining from the two. ire looked on in horror as she was unsure who had screamed between the two, finally able to bring herself up to rush over putting a white knuckled grip around the staff she was given by the man in the room. Reaching the unmoving animal and her brother she raised it above her head ready to swing it down with all the power she could muster. ¡°W-wait!¡± Jared gasped, pushing the monster off himself, ¡°I-I¡¯m ok. I managed to get lucky and it just ran into the sword.¡± Jared looked at his shaking hands as he seemed to be in tion. In a few moments his eyes went distant then returned to normal a secondter as a huge smile crept across his face. ¡°J-jared?¡± ire asked confused and concerned for her brother. ¡°Thedy. She didn¡¯t lie, this is like a game. ire, I got a level up from killing that thing!¡± he shouted. The people that had previously run away began to peek out from behind trees and bushes as they noticed the danger had been taken care of. Some began talking amongst one another as they pointed at the felled creature. ¡°What do you mean you got a level up?¡± someone asked. Jared pointed to the monster, ¡°Just inspect the thing, it''s called a Vampiric Ape and it gives a quest!¡± he said, forgetting that he was covered in the thing¡¯s blood. After a round of questioning and the rest of the people around them eventually forming groups, Jared and ire had formed their own small party. Jared killing the monster had boded well for them as they got some very enthusiastic people asking to join them once things had calmed down from the hectic start they all had. ire could only go with the flow for now. She was still frightened and confused for the most part. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to games and these types of things like her brother was. She had been nning on studying in college like their parents wanted them to, being a good daughter. Going to church every sunday, studying hard, never getting into trouble. She and her brother briefly talked about what was going on before they set out. Both wondering where their parents were, what they were doing here. They exchanged what had happened in their respective rooms in their ¡®introductions¡¯ eventually asking the others in the group they had formed. But it seemed that no one had a clear idea of what was happening and their experiences varied wildly from one person to the next. Some having detailed exnations of certain aspects while others had been stonewalled by their ¡®helper¡¯. Unable to glean anything they had no choice but to follow the quests that they had. One for their next ss upgrade and the Vampiric Ape Subjugation Quest. ire gripped her staff as she walked in the back part of the group, unsure of their future. But she rxed slightly as she saw the back of her older brother courageously walking in front. Maybe it won¡¯t be so scary. As long as I have Jared here¡­ She thought warily. Chapter 20: They’re Learning… Chapter 20: They¡¯re Learning¡­ Drake slowly began to recover after the battle, but at a rapid pacepared to his usual recovery time. He found all of the loot avable in the forest where he had fought but left and fixed the dummy mannequins he had set up. Especially the one that held the pickaxe that he had grabbed from that had saved his life just now. Giving it a pat on its leather armor. "Thanks for the assist buddy, there shall be drinks and women at the celebration tonight in your honor!" Drake moved to loot the Large Gnollst as he was going through his notifications. He had killed a total of 14 Gnolls excluding the Large One for a whopping amount of Experience and 5,000 TP. He had been able to snag two Gnoll Mages, three Gnoll Rangers, and nine Gnoll Warriors in the exchange; only six of the group of twenty had managed to retreat. Drake had managed to level up once during the fight but hadn¡¯t noticed, he would have to work on paying more attention to his notifications during fights, the Free Point boosts could be monumental in theing fights, he thought. He was now Level 6 and he began to feel the impact of the double experience demerit from his dual ss. If he was a single ss he would have already been close to, if not at Level 10 just from the past couple fights. He wasn¡¯t exactly mad but definitely had a mixed feeling about it at the moment. Drake went over the big mentions. [You have subjugated Gnoll Squad Leader [F-Rank] Level 16] [Experience Earned and 5,000 TP awarded] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 5 Gnoll Squad Leaders [F-Rank] [Reward: One Random [F-Grade] One Time Use Item] [Skill Stone: Leader] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Leader tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Warrior Based Main ss-tree unlocked] He had also managed to bag two more Mage Skill Stones, luckily both of the Mages had dropped one each. One more Ranger Skill Stone and a handful of Strength and Warrior Skill Stones. He was very interested in what this One Time Use Item was. There was another stone that he happened to pick up that interested him as well. [Skill Stone: Insight] [Umon]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Insight tree.
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Main ss-tree unlocked
Insight wasn¡¯t much to go on but Drake suspected it had to do with some kind of stronger identification skill. But he wouldn¡¯t know for sure until he was able to use it. When Drake was done going over most of the loot and had recovered most of his status back, he returned to the treeline to see if there were any more Gnollsing for him. But the gate had remained closed for now, no guards on the outside and more rangers and mages seemed to be perched in the guard towers. Looks like they''re on high alert, that should give me some breathing room for at least a little. He thought. And I want to go over the coup de grace of the fight. Drake looked at the small bag in his hands. [Small Dimensional Pouch] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • 10x2 Dimensional Space Bag
  • Requires one Inventory slot. Must be ced in Inventory to be equipped.
  • Stores Items in current state indefinitely, does not include living entities.
  • Drops on death.
He followed the description and ced it into his inventory, then willed it into one of the boxes at the bottom of the screen. It locked in ce with a mental click and suddenly two more rows of ten were added to his inventory, along with two rows filled with items from the bag. Drake looked over the items from the new Dimensional Pouch and began to tear up more and more rapidly, going from one item to the next. After he finished, his eyes had gone to full blown waterfalls. "There''s water canteens!! There¡¯s a tent!! There¡¯s even a fucking beddddd!!!!!!!!" he roared into the air. There was a list of items Drake had been desperately wanting the entire time he was here. And now he had them. There were water canteens, food rations, uncooked meat, spices, arge wooden tub big enough to fit therge frame of the Squad Commander Gnoll. There were even roasted nuts, and everyone loves nuts. There was also camping equipment, torches, flint and steel. It was a dreame true for Drake. Soon there will be no more nights sleeping in trees. He cried internally. After a few more minutes of crying from tion, Drake decided to look at the new equipment he had picked up. [Steel Chest [F-Grade][Common]
  • 102 to 110 Physical Reduction
  • 90 to 105 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Critical Hit Reduction
  • A finely made Steel Chest Piece that offers a small amount of protection. +10% defense proficiency.
[Steel Helm [F-Grade][Umon]
  • 52 to 60 Physical Reduction
  • 36 to 41 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Critical Hit Reduction
  • A finely made Steel Helmet that offers a small amount of protection. +6% defense proficiency.
[Steel Brawler¡¯s Gauntlets [F-Grade][Umon]
  • 94 to 110 Physical Damage
  • 88 to 96 Magic Damage
  • Attack Speed: Fast
  • Casting Speed: Normal
  • Finely made Steel Gauntlets that are perfect for bashing in your enemies faces, and just as perfect for protecting your own.
"Ohh more shiny stuff! Some of these additional stats are really nice. And look at these Gauntlets!" Drake said, perking up like a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert, as he brought the Gauntlets out and put them on. The Gauntlets themselves were slightly bigger than his hands. It was evident that they were made for the Large Gnoll so their hand sizes were noticeably different. Drake frowned a bit as he wriggled his fingers in the gauntlets, feeling the small spaces when he sped and unsped his hands. "Well it should be fine if I just never open my hand for now. But it¡¯s going to be a problem eventually if I don''t get something more fitted. Now for some quick tests!" he cheered, raising a metal fist into the air. Drake had immediately decided to switch to the gauntlets after his fight with the Gnoll. The Squad Commander, had been able to push Drake to his limits with his ferocity in their exchanges. And the coverings on the gauntlets made it hard for Drake to deal any sort of damage. The steel gauntlets fully covered his hands, with small spikes on the knuckles. They also had a sheet covering all the way to a little past his elbow, but that was only because the Gnoll wasrger than him so it made sense his arms had more reach. Drake pulled off his left gauntlet and picked up his sword, aiming it at a nearby tree. "Manifest my power. Mana Bolt!" he chanted, the mana feeling hobbled going through the de and a few secondster it fired, cracking into the tree, pushing right through it, and stopping in the following one. Next he exchanged his sword for his staff, doing the same thing. He aimed for a fresh tree and fired a Mana Bolt. This time the Bolt flew instantly from the staff, and with ease through two trees almost making it through a third. Drake nodded in assertion of the damage difference from the weapon damage increase. Drake was ready now for the final test, he raised his gauntlet palm up and aimed for a fresh tree. He began chanting his spell, and on activation he felt arger pull from his body than before. There was a two second dy in the magic forming in front of his palm, just like when he used his bare hands. But after the small build up of mana, arger than normal Bolt flew from the gauntlet into the tree, and with a thunderous boom the tree''s trunk exploded in a symphony of splinters, the Bolt not ceasing continued its rampage through several more trees until it embedded itself into onest tree trunk. He blinked a few times at the increase of strength the gauntlets brought to his spell. The mana flowed into them and felt as if it required slightly more to activate and by checking his mana bar he confirmed it. The feeling of pushing his mana into the gauntlets was not as rough as it was with the sword and not as clean and precise as it had been with the staff, but somewhere in the middle. Aftering back to reality, Drake rubbed his palms together in a menacing gesture. "Oh ho¡­ Yeah¡­ I like that. I like that a lot." heughed evilly. The gauntlets had around double the magical damage the staff had but he felt like the destruction he just caused was too much for just that, and he chalked it up to the Grade difference between the weapons. But he had no way to confirm it. Now that Drake knew he could use the gauntlets to cast while still wearing them unimpeded. He started trying out variations of using his hands. He began trying out a finger gun like a certain famous spirit detective for more uracy, but wasn¡¯t able to orient the magic circle to the finger. He then tried to shoot the spell like he was holding a web-slinger, and only managed to shoot the bolt upwards in aical fashion as his palm was facing upwards. Finally Drake tried to cast it while he made a fist, and to his surprise was able to cast the Mana Bolt in front of his closed hand. He smiled, "Oh, I more than like this, I think I''m in love. I shall call you ¡®Destroyer of Worlds: Lapuras¡¯ and I will love you, hold you, and bathe you in lots of blood of our enemies. Yes I will. Does that make you happy Lapuras?" Drake said, beginning to ramble on in mumbles as he rubbed the top of the gauntlets. Drake was rudely interrupted by the howl of a Gnoll,ing from the direction of the outpost. He looked up from his gauntlets with an annoyed frown. "What filthy mutt is interrupting my precious time with LapuLapu!" he growled. Drake moved back to the tree line and hopped onto a nearby branch, his eyes focused on the distant outpost. What he saw was another set of 20 Gnolls moving out of the gate in groups of five. This time each groups make up was four fighters and one mage each. "They changed their makeup? Aren¡¯t these monsters a little too intelligent? It¡¯s like they want to try to overwhelm me with brute force this time around instead of using the more bnced approach they had before." He thought aloud. Drake observed for another minute waiting for a Squad Commander to walk through the gate but none had exited. Drake was slightly disappointed that he wouldn''t have the opportunity to gain anotherrge experience kill but was jubnt that they had so quickly sent out another contingent of monsters for him. "Looks like we will get to have a field trial of these bad boys sooner than expected, I think we should go thank them," Drake mused, smacking together the gauntlets sending small sparks off them. Drake waited a few minutes for the Gnolls to get into formation. They merged into two groups with a standard set up, melee in front, and mages in the back. Then began their march toward the forest. Once they were close enough Drake was able to take advantage of their make up not having any Rangers, and stood on his branch taking aim at the front of the pack Gnolls with his gauntlets. "He who strikes first is the victor! Manifest my power! Mana Bolt!" he yelled, an improved Mana Bolt flying from his hand, it screeched through the air and in moments reached one of the groups. The Bolt connected with a Warrior wearing a shield and tore through the monster, shield and all, bisecting it at the waist. And it continued through to the monster at its side into the next, finally hitting the ground below them, kicking up dust. Drake gaped at the still impressive disy of his new equipment. The Gnolls right nk was in a panic from the surprise attack and ran out of the dust cloud like headless chickens. The other group halted momentarily but with a bark from one of the Warriors, started for the woods again. The other group taking its time to regroup and move on the forest. Seeing this Drake dropped down from his perch and moved a little farther into the forest where his dummies were. He had decided to not continue firing on the iing Gnolls because they had died out in the open, so it wouldn¡¯t allow him to retrieve the loot. He also needed to get ustomed to his new weapon. Drake stopped in between two dummies and crossed his arms while tilting his head back slightly, waiting for the Gnolls to find him. Soon they came marching in formation from behind the trees and quickly spotted him. "Ho, so your approach-" Drake tried to say only to have to roll to the side behind one of his dummies, as a triage of Mana Bolts flew his way. "You¡¯re supposed to wait until I finish the line! That¡¯s how it always works!" he screamed back from behind the dummy. But Drake quickly changed gears and snapped to action. Dashing from behind the dummy, he surged forward, one of his gauntlets up to cover his head and body, the other pointed forward as he chanted a Bolt. He was bombarded with Mana Bolts, but arge number of them missed as he continued to sprint forward. The rest being deflected off his raised gauntlet. From his other hand a Mana Bolt shrieked out with force, bisecting two Gnoll Warriors in the front, and mming into a third¡¯s shield, sending it backwards as it folded around its shield. Drake followed up the charge, making his way into melee range. The Gnolls moved to circle around him but Drake wasn¡¯t going to stand still, and rushed forward to the closest Warrior. The Warrior raised its sword and attempted to bring it down on him, but Drake moved with speed and sidestepped the swing with margin to spare. Drake then wound back his arm and unleashed a basic right hook at the Gnoll¡¯s chest. It raised its shield to block, but Drake screamed his Heavy Blow Skill with the strike, powering his fist enough to smash right through the shield and sent the beast tumbling backward. Drake moved out of the encirclement and made a dash for cover within the trees and his dummies. The Gnolls quickly chased after him, Mana Bolts trailing him as they mmed into the trees he was taking cover under. He traced the direction the Bolts came from and made a break for it, chanting a Mana Bolt as he ran. Right before the Bolt released, a Mage came into sight, a look of surprise and horror on its face at the sudden appearance of Drake, a Mana Bolt manifesting from his hand. The surprise onlysted long enough for it to attempt to cast a Bolt itself in vain as Drake¡¯s tore its head clean off. Drake didn¡¯t relent as he continued running, finding another Mage. He quickly casted another bolt bisecting it. Drake continued to take cover in between finding the other Mages, using their fired Bolts trajectory to get a general sense of where they were. But after a few more kills, the Gnolls had changed tactics. They had formed a phnx with the remaining mages in the center. A total of ten remaining warriors and three mages forming the defensive ball. He peeked out from behind a tree a few meters away, and looked up at his mana bar, it was at a surprisingly low amount, hovering 10%. He took a few moments to wait and see if his mana would tick up, as he eyed the furry ball of Gnolls. After a minute it hadn¡¯t moved. So I¡¯m stuck inbat even after waiting huh? That fucking sucks but makes sense. I think I have enough for two more Bolts and the rest I''ll have to muddle through in a brawl, Drake rapidly concluded. He chanted a Mana Bolt behind the tree and just before it fired, swung out from cover, aiming at a Warrior. The Bolt cut through the air, sting right through the Warrior and its shield, mming into the Mage behind it. After the Bolt had fired, Drake instantly dashed forward, chanting another and firing it through another Warrior and into a Mage. Thest Gnoll Mage barked and fired a Bolt back at Drake. He dodged to the right, stopping him long enough for the Warriors to close the openings in their circle he had just made. Drake leapt into the air and over the phnx at the remaining Mage,ing down like a meteor he stretched his fist out at the monster, "Power through force! Heavy Blow!" Drake screamed as he mmed his fist right into the Mage¡¯s maw, bringing its head down to the ground with such force it left a small crater in the ground, decimating the Mage¡¯s skull with an audible crunch. The encirclement of Warriors all tried to bring down their des on top of Drake¡¯s head, but he raised his gauntlets in a cross-guard, blocking the iron des. Drake was being pushed down by the force of the eight Gnolls, and he struggled to maintain upright. But he was able to stay off his knees long enough - his metal gauntlets screeching in protest to the weight - for him to ce his free points from his earlier level into Strength giving him a surge of power. Drake¡¯s muscles bulged and he roared, pushing back against the lump of iron des above his head, throwing the Warriors off bnce. Drake followed up with throwing a straight into the Gnoll in front of him, sending it flying a meter backwards. He then rushed another Gnoll deflecting its overhead swing with his arm, mming a Heavy Blow endowed fist into its chest with the other. Drake¡¯s hand went right through its leather armor and embedded itself in its chest cavity. Drake grunted in pain as two des shed at his back in retaliation. He pulled his fist from the Gnoll¡¯s chest and swatted in arge arc as he jumped backwards. Drake fell to a knee, now breathing hard, the feeling of warm liquid slowly running down his back. The Gnolls didn¡¯t give Drake a chance to recover, as they charged him. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge them all in his condition and flew forward to meet them, singling out the Gnoll in the middle. Grappling his arms around the monster as he pushed it past the others and down into the ground. His gauntlet quickly finding its head. The Gnolls spun around, rushing again for Drake. When they were close enough they swung down with their weapons. Two of them were met with Drake¡¯s right gauntlet, another found its way to embed itself into Drake¡¯s side. Drake mumbled a curse in pain as he threw an uppercut at thest Gnoll smashing his fist through the still swinging sword and crushing it¡¯s jaw as it flew backwards. The two Gnolls he had deflected pulled their weapons back in a motion to swing again, but before they could reach him, Drake held the sword in his side in ce with his arm, pulling the struggling Warrior in front of the swings. The Gnolls¡¯ swords lodging themselves into its defensless back. Drake then threw the corpse at thest two, toppling one and pining it to the ground. The other fell as well, disoriented. Quickly, Drake brought his fist down on the disoriented Gnoll¡¯s chest without remorse, his fist impaling the creature. Before thest Gnoll could recover. Drake lifted the impaled monster with his fist and used his foot to pin thest to the ground under its deceasedrade. "And now. I¡¯m going to beat a mother fucker with a mother fucker!" Drake cackled, bringing down the dead Gnoll on top of thest surviving monster, like a repeating hammer. Chapter 21: In the Middle of the Night Chapter 21: In the Middle of the Night After looting and moving the bodies of the Gnolls to the treeline Drake¡¯s body had finally finished healing and the adrenaline from the battle had finally subsided. He checked first to see if there were any more Gnolls making their way to him and was relieved to see that there weren¡¯t. "Haa.. now that was a workout. I really need to get better though. My speed and strength are there, but my technique is so awful it¡¯s leaving me open," Drake mused, raising his arm and touching the cut in his leather armor where the Gnoll had shed him, the flesh underneath now healed and scarred. Drake looked up and saw the orange hue of thest hours of sunlight and decided it was time to make some food and wash some of the blood off from the fight, he was both a mess and starving. He began taking out the supplies he needed, some canteens of water, a pot, firewood, spices, some veggies, flint and steel. And finally. [Deer Meat [F-Grade]
  • Meat of a magically enhanced deer. Contains beneficial properties when cooked.
"Time to cook some good old food like the glory days!" He cheered. Drake moved the firewood into a small pile for the fire, shaving off some of the logs for tinder, and for a spit to hold the pot. After a bit of difficult lighting the fire, he poured some water and ced the venison inside. While waiting for the water to boil and meat to cook he took the other canteens a small distance away, took a swig to refresh himself then poured the rest over his head. "Ahhh! I¡¯m alive again!" he gasped. He walked back to the fire still wet, getting close so that he could dry off and watch the food. He took a spoon from his inventory and began skimming the scum off the top of the pot. Once the meat turned brownish he put some cut veggies into the pot with some dashes of salt, pepper and something he wasn¡¯t sure about, but smelled nice. He then stirred the pot and left it to simmer. Running back to the tree line to check on the outpost. He was surprised to see more Gnolls gathering. A lot more. But they weren¡¯t exiting the outpost, they were entering. Drake saw two Larger Gnolls corral the nearly endless stream of Gnolls into the outpost. Finally ending after a few minutes. After that, torches were being lit on the top of the guard towers. He assumed to prepare for the night. "Guess they¡¯re holding up for the night. But those torches might help me outter." Drake smiled, a n forming in his head. Drake moved back to his makeshift camp, feelingfortable knowing that he would most likely be safe until tomorrow from the Gnolls, based on what he had witnessed. The stew still needed some time to tender, so Drake pulled up his notifications. [20 of 20 Gnoll Warriors have been Subjugated. Quest Complete] [ept Rewards?] [Experience has been rewarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage x Warrior [Unique] Level 7] [ 28 Free Points have been awarded] [Please roll for [F-Grade ] Item Rarity] Mentally Drake epted the rewards, and pulled a ck die from his inventory, casting it to the ground without preamble as he had learned better than to get his hopes up anymore. He waited for the die toe to a halt, and it ended on 15. Not the worst and not the best, Drake thought. The next moment a pair of steel boots sprung into existence in front of him from a sh of colorful light, ttering on the ground. Drake picked them up and inspected them. [Steel Toed Boots [F-Grade][Umon]
  • 35 to 42 Physical Reduction
  • 33 to 37 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Critical Hit Reduction
  • A finely made Steel Boots that offers a small amount of protection. +6% defense proficiency.
Drake gave a bright smile as he read the description. He had been needing a new pair of boots as he had actually note to the tutorial with any. He had been taken out of bed, and the bitc- construct, hadn¡¯t included any shoes in the ¡®freebie¡¯ she had given him. He was also happy because this pair of steel boots he could actually use, they were lighter than the chest piece he had picked up so it wouldn¡¯t affect his movement, and it didn¡¯t block his vision like the helmets would. Drake slipped the boots on and was happy to feel the cushioned inside as he fixed the straps around his legs. Drake then took a look at his other quests. [9 of 20 Gnoll Rangers [F- Rank] Subjugated] [11 of 20 Gnoll Mages [F- Rank] Subjugated] [12 of 30 Miner Gnolls [F- Rank] Subjugated] [1 of 5 Squad Commander Gnolls [F- Rank] Subjugated] Still a bit to go huh. Drake thought. But he was rxed in knowing that he knew exactly where to find them all. Drake had his eyes set on the outpost now. He wanted it as a base and to collect his sweet experience that was just waiting patiently inside. Moving on from his future ns for the outpost he opened up the Ladder. He had been avoiding it because of his level reset, but he had to stay informed on who was doing what, information was king after all. [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 21] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 18] [Rank 3: Illuminated One Level 18] [Rank 4: grant Level 17] [Rank 5: Chris Springs Level 17] [Rank 6: Kohoo Level 17] [Rank 7: Joker Level 16] [Rank 8: Check Him PC Level 16] [Rank 9: TheLegend27 Level 16] [Rank 10: Super Megan Level 15] ¡­.. [Rank 2,160: Shot Level 7] Drake bit his cheek in slight frustration as he looked at his cement. But he was happy that Bear had kept his lead. It looked like not everything was smooth sailing though as their leveling speed seemed to have slowed down. If he found anyone he would have to ask why. He then checked on the TPdders. [Tutorial Point Leader Board] [Rank 1: Bear] [TP: 273,800] [Rank 2: Chris Springs] [TP: 188,530] [Rank 3: Joker] [TP: 173,650] [Rank 4: Kooho] [TP: 170,250] [Rank5: Shigure Kenzo] [TP: 150,700] [Rank 6: Shot] [TP: 97,600] [Rank 7: The Enlightened One] [TP: 95,300] [Rank 8: grant] [TP: 90,500] [Rank 9: Super Megan] [TP: 86,900] [Rank 10: Check Him PC] [TP: 85,650] He was surprised that he had broken into the top ten for the TP rankings, but his TP hadn¡¯t reset with his level after all, and he was constantly in fights. Drake briefly looked at the remaining Participant count, somewhat disheartened at the number. It had dropped all the way down to the mid 3,000s, and looking at the levelspared to TP he could tell why. There were a few participants that were obviously hunting down others for the TP instead of monsters. Drake didn¡¯t want to further upset his appetite and closed the Ladder window. Finally done with checking things, he moved his attention to the bubbling pot that was exuding a heavenly smell that was making his stomach do somersaults of hunger pain. Drake scooped up a hefty portion of meat broth and veggies, and blew on it for a moment. Once it was cooled, Drake chomped down on the food, nearly biting off the end of the spoon with it. "Oh, ohma gawd. Itsh like shome wan ish making a baby in mah mouth!" he cried through tasty bites, "I swhear I''ll nevah underappreciate fhood agahen...!" He breathed through his mouth to cool the food more as he chewed. "I¡¯m so d I survived until now¡­ I think I could die happy¡­" he cried, scooping up another spoonful. Drake felt an increase in vigor throughout his body with every bite, and soon looked at the new notification he received. [You have been infused with Mana from another being. Beneficial effects will be applied.] [For the next 24 hours, you will receive an increase of 5% to your out ofbat regeneration.] Drake took his time to finish off the pot of food, enjoying every bite to its fullest, the buff just being the cherry on top. By the time he had finished thest specs of light had winked out of the sky reced by the ck void that was the night. Drake quickly finished up, and put the makeshift camp back into his inventory. And what he brought out were torches. Drake moved around the forest, cing torches in ces next to his dummies and some in the armor as if they were holding them. Doing his best to not stumble through the pitch ck night. He returned to the firepit, lighting another torch and then kicking dirt on the pit. Drake then moved around lighting up the torches he had ced earlier, cing his final one next to the pickaxe dummy he decided to name Charles. Like a butler Charles, not a king Charles. "Hold this for me will you, like a good chap." Drake said to the dummy, then shook his head. "I have to find some people, I''m starting to lose it I think." But Drake pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He had a n that he didn¡¯t want to lose any night time on. Drake maneuvered his way through the night until he saw motes of orange and yellow light through the trees. He was at the treeline and the outpost was lit up like a beacon in the night with torches. Drake looked towards the guard towers, only to see one Ranger in each. He then took his time and pulled a crossbow and cross bolts from his inventory. Loading the bolts as quietly as he could, then taking his time to breathe deep and take aim at the towers. Drake released his first bolt, and saw a Ranger fall from the tower with a yelp. The second tower¡¯s Ranger looked on confused, aiming its crossbow towards the forest in an attempt to find the shooter. But Drake was essentially invisible from theck of stars and moon in the night sky, the only light source were the torches from the outpost. So he loaded and took aim again at the Ranger, a bolt mming into it pushing it from the tower. The first stage of Drake¡¯s n was now in motion. He would stay at the edge of the treeline for cover, and keep picking off the Gnolls in the towers, until they would either stop sending monsters to the towers, andpletely hole up in the outpost until morning. Or they sent out another force to deal with him. Drake let loose another arrow at a monster nestled in the tower, smiling as more began to pop up in the towers, making them easier to hit. For an hour, Drake released arrow after arrow into the towers, racking up massive amounts of TP and experience, eventuallypleting a quest. [20 of 20 Gnoll Rangers [F-Rank] have been Subjugated. Quest Complete] [ept Rewards?] [Experience has been rewarded] [Please roll for [F-Grade] Item Rarity] Drake epted the reward, pulling the die from his inventory and rolling it in front of him, but he couldn¡¯t see what the die hadnded on with there being no light. The next moment a mode of light illuminated Drake for a split second and he cursed. Scrambling to pick up the new item and die, before he dashed to a new location as the sound of crossbow bolts peppered where he had just been. He looked at the outpost, as more monsters continued to fill the tower, the gate still closed and unmanned. Seeing this he took a moment to open his inventory to see what he had just gotten. He found a new chest piece in one of the inventory slots that had the icon of what looked like robes. He quickly inspected them. [Martial Artist¡¯s Battle Garbs [F-Grade] [Rare] [Set Piece 1/3]
  • 207 to 215 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 186 to 192 Magic Damage Reduction
  • 5% Critical Hit Reduction
  • +10 to Strength, +15 to Dexterity, +5 to Endurance
  • Set Effect: Increases t Defense Proficiency and Dexterity by 10%.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The glorious battle robes of the Martial Artist. They are made with mana enhanced threads from the Shadow Moth¡¯s cocoon giving them afortable silk feel while offering defense to rival Mana Steel. +20% defense proficiency.
Drake¡¯s mouth watered at the sight of the word Rare and even more as he read over the effects. Even without the set bonuses the t stats alone were a weed sight. He pulled them from his inventory and tried to put them on but couldn¡¯t get his way around some of the ties and a piece of metal in the dark. So he ced it back into his inventory and tried mentally cing it into the chest slot of the silhouette. When he did a small click sounded in his head as he felt something cover him. He couldn¡¯t get a look at himself right now but now had some more armor on top of him. Drake began again to fire bolts into the guard towers for only a few more minutes before the gates swung open, and more than 50 Gnolls hurriedly ran out and formed up. The next moment another Squad Leader walked out pretentiously with a curled rope, no, a whip in its hands. Drake felt no powerful aura from this one as he had the other, and he soon found out why, as the Squad Leader barked and cracked the whip on another Gnoll. A tinge of disgust rose up in Drake¡¯s throat. He had killed the Gnolls in swaths by now, but that had been in defense of his life. They were trying to kill him so he fought back and because he had killed them, they also retaliated in kind. But what Drake saw here wasn¡¯t hardened Warriors ready toy down their lives, he saw battered and sullen Gnolls holding pickaxes. Half of the force that hade out were Miner Gnolls. But they looked weak and malnourished. Drake¡¯s jaw clenched again as he saw that the Squad Commander wasn¡¯t the only one abusing its fellows. A Warrior kicked one of the Miners to the ground and barked augh, as the other Warriors and the Squad Commander joined in. They didn¡¯t relent on the Miner for several seconds, eventually stopping when the Miner stopped resisting. Moving away to reveal a bloodied corpse. They really just killed one of their own for the hell of it?! Drake fumed internally. Soon another crack of the Commander¡¯s whip sounded the march into the forest. They marched with the Miners in front, the Warriors behind and the Commander safely surrounded by a small number of Miners and Warriors in the rear. Drake was still disgusted and tried to get a drop on the massive force, aiming his palm out towards the Squad Commander, quickly chanting a Mana Bolt. His magic red and lit up the area around him. The entirety of the force noticed and started charging towards him, the Commander only cracking his whip and barking. The next second Drake¡¯s Mana Bolt ripped through the air and crashed into a Warrior in front of the Commander and was about to imbed itself into the monster, when it pulled a Miner from its makeshift guard to block the Bolt. The Miner exploded in two, its lower half falling to the ground revealing the toothy grin of the Commander from behind. Drake grimaced, feeling disgusted by the disy, and felt nothing but remorse for the poor creature he had just killed. It was no way to die like that, essentially a ve and a meat shield. He resolved to make sure the Commander suffered in theing fight. Even monsters deserved penance. He turned and ran back into the dark of the forest, therge force of Gnolls hot on his heels. After a minute Drake made it back to where he had set up his dummies, the entire area lit by torches. Him standing just outside of it to not be seen by the light. Soon the thunderous marching of the massive force entered the light of the torches filling the area with more light from their own torches, the Commander at the center, making them perfect targets. Drake let loose on the inundated number of Gnolls, shooting Mana Bolts as quickly as he could while moving in the darkness after each shot. He did his best to avoid hitting any Miners for now as he still felt a pang of guilt from the earlier kill. But he knew by the end, he would have to deal with them just the same. At first he tried to avoid the Miners but the Warriors behind them just pushed them into the way of the Bolts leading to more casualties among the Miners than Warriors. And once that began the Miners ran into the darkness willingly, trying to find Drake rather than wait to be used as a shield. Drake steeled his mind as he reminded himself that they were monsters, and that if he hesitated, they would kill him without question. So he had no choice but to strike first. Numerous Miners began to storm the darkness Drake was in with Warriors not far behind, holding torches to light their way. But that was their biggest mistake. The light was only making it easier for Drake to hide in the shadows and pick off the stragglers as he blew both thier lives and the torches out. Drake moved with swiftness as he struck at Warriors with his gauntlets, crushing the monster¡¯s skulls and bones under their weight, mming what felt like countless monsters down to the ground and into the sides of trees with his punches, and now kicks with his new steel covered feet. Soon the lights of the torches that moved from the area away from his dummies were winking out of existence, one by one until only a few remained. The survivors from Drake''s rampage ran back to the Commander¡¯s guard, only a handful of monsters left circled around it. Drake walked from the darkness into the light, dragging a Warrior by its head in his bloodied gauntlet. The Commander howled and barked at the man that had just revealed himself from the pitch of night, whose eyes began taking on a red shimmer from the torches, a golden shoulder guard shimmering atop his ck and gold lined robe. The monster leader began to shiver and kicked the guard of Gnolls around him to move and defend him, but they were just as frozen in fear of the human, no, the beast in front of them. As Drake moved in closer to the small group he threw the body of the dead Warrior at their feet. The Gnolls scrambled away, first one Warrior ran, then a Miner, and then in a mad dash everyone but the Commander made a break for the darkness. The Commander barked and howled at the fleeing Gnolls and finally raised his whip to crack it at a fleeing Miner. As it motioned for the strike, its arm above its head, a Mana Bolt ripped off its arm at the elbow. It fell backwards gripping at its now stub of a bleeding arm. The Monster looked up, with defiance and pain, only for it to be reced with whimpering for its life as it saw Drake walk closer. Drake looked down at the pitiful excuse for a Commander, at least the other one died fighting, and had a modicum of respect for its troops and the fight. But this one, this one brought out a feeling of disgust Drake had not felt in a long time. He looked past the Commander for a moment as if confirming something. Then he reached into his robe, a ck die in his hand. Drake tossed it at the feet of the Commander, it slowly rolled and bounced towards it, 5 then 17, then 9, finallying to a stop at the wed foot of the whimpering monster. 20. Two rings dropped from a mote of light into Drake¡¯s open palm, and after a long breathless moment a wide grin appeared on his face. The gauntlets he held vanished from his arms, and he slipped the jet ck rings onto the middle fingers of both his hands. Drake squatted down to pick up a nearby sword left on the ground, throwing it to the Commander¡¯s feet. "Pick it up," was the only thing Drake said in a hushed tone. The Commander looked at Drake and then the sword, shaking its head back and forth, scrambling backwards as it still grasped at its now missing appendage. "I said, pick it up you worthless disgusting dog!!" Drake said with a guttural roar. Suddenly ck tattoos grew from the rings,pletely covering his hands and then painting his arms up to his shoulders in illustrations of jet ck fire. A faint blue glow starting to form around his arms. The Commander recoiled, then shakily grabbed the sword with its still usable arm. Drake smiled. "You¡¯re going to help me with a little practice session. We won¡¯t be getting any sleep tonight." He pounded his fists together as throngs of blue mana exploded like lightning from the impact and his eyes reflectively shed with an ethereal blue. The Commander howled, lunging at him, desperation clear in its eyes. Chapter 22: Outpost B Chapter 22: Outpost B A pitiful heap of fur sat down on the ground, its back heaving with every extended breath it took into its battered and bloodied body. Sparse rays of sunlight began to shine through the treetops, illuminating the area. A singlr raynding across Drake''s face revealing his scowl. "Looks like your time¡¯s up. It¡¯s been, educational," Drake said. The now bloodied Commander looked up at Drake with one unswollen eye, hate and fury in it. It opened its mouth to bark something, but Drake didn¡¯t care to indulge the sickening monster, and blew its head off with a Mana Bolt. He truly felt no remorse this time for someone who couldn¡¯t even respect their own soldiers. [You have subjugated Squad Commander Gnoll Level 17] [Experience Earned, 7,000 TP has been awarded] [2 of 5 Squad Commander Gnolls Subjugated] Drake was astonished by the level of the sad excuse for a Monster. It was higher level than thest Commander, but was pitifully weaker than it. Afterst night''s rampage, Drake had allowed the Commander to live until morning, handing it swords for it to fight him with. But the monster was not much better than Drake, and the practice was only minimally beneficial. He had used the beast to train his reflexes and awareness, doing his best to counter the monster¡¯s swings. He had even managed to break the iron sword with a sword break strike a few times, making him give the horrified beast another sword to continue. Drake¡¯s strength had be monstrous, but what helped the most was the set bonus he now had. Thest roll of for thepletion of the Miner Quest had given him a new amazing weapon. [Martial Artist¡¯s Ring Tattoos [F-Grade] [Rare] [Set Piece ?]
  • 400 to 422 Physical Damage
  • 350 to 378 Magic Damage
  • 1% Increase to Critical Strikes
  • +10 to Strength, +15 to Dexterity, reduces consumption of Mana for spells by 1%
  • Cast Time: Very Fast
  • By constantly infusing mana into the Rings you may produce Magic Ink Tattoos of the Martial Artist. Base 1% for activation of tattoos, with the increased infusion of mana increasing the durability and damage of the tattoos by 0.5% per every 1% of total Mana infused.
  • Set Effect: Increases t Defense Proficiency and Dexterity by 10%
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The Martial Artist¡¯s Tattoos are a special tool used by initiates into the halls of the furious Asurans. They are forged by skilled craftsmen so that the Mana Infused Ink may take shape for the fighter. By design they are perfect for mana control and maniption.
He smiled again at the amazing things he had gained over the night. The garb he had obtained from the Rangers quest were also a weed boon, they covered himself in an elegant robe of ck and gold. A ck montsuki kimono reced his leather chest piece underneath the robe down to just above his ankles, tied at the waist by a golden obi, or cloth belt, and covering up his leather pants and parts of his steel boots. Finally ced on his right shoulder, was a gold ted shoulder guard that fit perfectly, and was attached by a bright steel chain that crossed his chest and back. If Drake had to say, he looked pretty snazzy in his new outfit. And the Magic Tattoos added an angsty emo teen re to the fit, that Drake was surprisingly ok with. He had already tested numerous things out with the new weapons during the night with the monster. He had found out that the description on the Rings were urate, and while he had the weapons activated he would be constantly using a small amount of mana, and the specific consumption was not affected by the reduced consumption mentioned in the description like his Mana Bolt spell had been. He had also yed around with the increased infusion of the rings. When he had put around 50% of his remaining Mana about 20% of his overall pool, he instantly noticed the density of the blue light around his arms grow. And while fighting the monster, the Tattoos were able to deflect its swings with no problem even with the minimal amount of consumed mana, but with the increase. It was no longer deflected with sparks of shing mana as the de screeched across the tattoos. The de that hit was stopped by a metaphorical rock, and snapped in half. While he had continued to ¡®practice¡¯ with the Commander, Drake had allowed it to hit him a few times to test the defense ability of his new garb. And Drake would be lying if he hadn¡¯t flinched as he deliberately took a blow from the Commander to his side, but he was relieved to find that it only felt like the force of the blow hit him without pain. Like when a person tapped you on the shoulder, he could tell something had hit him but there was little to no damage. It looks like Drake wouldn¡¯t have to worry about most of the small attacks for now, but he wasn¡¯t sure about a Commander that wasn¡¯t -looking down at the headless Commander- this thing. Regardless, Drake had made strides in ways that felt surreal to him after all that had happened. But he wasn¡¯tining, in fact he was so excited he didn¡¯t even feel tired. Or was that a side effect of his increasing Endurance? He digressed. Drake began picking up the loot from the fight, and going through his notifications. He had subjugated a total of 56 monsters yesterday, including the Commander racking him up a well of Experience and 30,000 TP. This also included the two quests he had finished and the monsters he had picked off in the towers. Bringing him up to level 8. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 8 [Vitality] 179 [Strength] 207 (20) [Dexterity] 155 (30 + 10% Base) [Intelligence] 329 [Wisdom] 195 [Endurance] 105 (5) [Free Points] 56 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Dog Hater, Rounded, One Man Army, Dog Killer [One Man Army] [Fight against 50 enemies at one time, and survive, +5 to all stats] [Dog Killer] [Defeat more than 50 Gnolls. +10% damage to Gnolls] Drake¡¯s stats had once again exploded, and he was confident that with his new upgraded gear he could probably kill something around level 20 or higher now. He bent down finally to pick up the loot the Squad Commander had dropped, and smiled with glee when he noticed another small bag next to a stone. He had picked up another Weapon Master Sub-tree stone and a storage pouch. Drake quickly equipped the extra pouch now taking up 2 of his 4 bag slots, and became even more jubnt at seeing it was filled with even more supplies for him to use, and some sinister looking torture equipment but Drake quickly threw those out and sted them to pieces. It just wasn¡¯t his hobby to use those types of things. With the sun firmly in the sky, Drake was ready to start his n of taking the outpost. After moving the bodies from around his trapped area, he moved back to the treeline to take stock of how the outpost was faring. What he was surprised to see was a force of Miner Gnolls asrge as yesterdays if notrger, were now holding shovels and building a ditch around the outpost. Warrior Gnolls moved around with spiked pieces of wood, andid them in the ditches slowly forming a spiked wall. "Are they doing that for me? Or someone else?" Drake wondered aloud, scanning the rest of the area. After getting a good look of the outpost, and moving around, as he had been spotted several times and had Rangers fire arrows at him, with smallpanies of 10 going out to fight him. But as Drake was, the groups of Gnolls stood no chance in taking him down withoutrger numbers or apetent Squad Leader. But in any event, Drake thanked them for the meal of experience. After observing the outpost for a few hours now, he saw that the progress on the Gnolls ditch was steady and would take possibly a couple days toplete. What he also observed was that besides thepanies of Gnolls they sent after him, there were also packs now roaming back and forth from the gate, running out into the other side of the forest and returning back to the outpost around half an hourter. Drake moved to the direction the groups had been traveling from and found a small dirt road going through the forest. After a new group passed him, he followed them to another outpost, albeit much smaller. The outpost looked like it could only be called a slightlyrger camp, as the wooden walls around it only came up a few meters instead of the towering walls of the outpost by the mountain. He made his way to a tree and climbed it to look inside what he would now call Outpost B. Looking inside he was surprised at what saw, arge expanse of tents, fires and Gnolls. There were hundreds of them, making Drake awe at the sheer number. Looking again to the swinging gate as it let the new arrivals inside and a few groups left. It looked to be a staging area but Drake ran the entirety of the encampment just to make sure. After a few minutes of running, and snuffing out some wandering isted Gnolls in the forest, Drake had seen the entire camp, and a n formted in his mind. Once Drake had scouted out the camp and he found out that there were 2 entrances to Outpost B, one East and one West. He paid attention to how many groups came and left for an hour, finding that it was usually groups of two both ways, but sometimes a random group would enter looking wounded and with loss of members. Drake was d to see only two groups, or 40 Gnolls in total leave every few hours. Now that he knew where they were going and that after scouting Outpost B from the treetops there were no signs of a Squad Commander traveling to and from, he had a unique opportunity to farm some experience and items. He licked his lips. This was just the kind of power leveling scenario he needed with massive amounts of experience required to level up. It would be a battle of attrition. And Drake wondered if he would be worn down and hunted, or would the Gnolls run out of soldiers. Chapter 23: Outpost B 2 Chapter 23: Outpost B 2 Drake quickly went to work and followed the next group of 40 Gnolls that were leaving the East, in the direction of the Mountain Outpost. He continued to follow them until around the halfway mark of the road and sprang into action. He casted devastating Mana Bolts from the trees with his new rings. They were a godsend, as they no longer gave the 2 second dy that hade with using anything that wasn''t his staff. Allowing him to increase the speed at which he was able to cast. And with the reduction of Mana it was a sealed deal. Drake¡¯s Mana Bolts collided with therge group of unsuspecting Gnolls with unabated brutality, the damage output of his new weapons a marvel to behold. Taking swaths of their ranks out with each Bolt. The Gnolls may have been many, and above him in level, but his stats and new equipment more thanpensated for it. He continued to riegn down Mana Bolts until he consumed 50% of his overall Mana, then exploded forward in a kick up of dust from the forest into the remaining ranks of the Gnolls. He mmed into the nearest confused Warrior with his empowered fists, ripping through it, its shield, and its armor with one swing of his arm. Moving from Gnoll to Gnoll with newly gained uracy and swiftness after his night with the helpful Commander. Now able to better keep a more urate view of the overall battlefield, he was able to position himself where he could fight and dodge any attacks from his peripheral. Drake moved like a wolf in a hen house, throwing, punching, stomping and kicking Mages, Rangers, and Warriors. Bing an absolute torrent of carnage and destruction. After several minutes the fight finally came to a close and Drake was once again covered in blood. He looked around at the mess he had created with a slight forlorn look in his eyes, but quickly removed it from his mind. This was the reality in this new world, he would fight to get stronger as the system wouldn¡¯t let him stop if he wished to protect his loved ones, and prove that he would get stronger. "Well outside the fact I just proved one of my titles correct and maybe turning into a truee psychopath, I am definitely a whole ass monster of a problem," he chuckled wryly. Drake picked up the spawning loot from the group and moved back to his position in the forest. After thest fight he had finally finished one of his remaining two quests and wanted to quickly recieve his reward. [20 of 20 Mage Gnolls [F- Rank] Subjugated. Quest Complete. ept Rewards?] [Experience has been awarded] [Please roll for [F-Grade] Rarity Item] Drake quickly brought out his ck die and gently tossed it on the ground with trepidation. He knew it was unlikely but he hoped he could get thest set piece for his set, hoping it would have simr stats making him even stronger. But reality hurt, as the diended on 10. And a pair of ck pants dropped out of a bead of light. [ck Silk Pants [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • 26 to 30 Physical Reduction
  • 22 to 27 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Critical Hit Reduction
  • Simple pants made from mana infused silk that offer a small amount of protection. +5% defense proficiency.
Drake wasn¡¯t too disappointed to recieve the pair of silk pants as he knew it was unlikely to always get rare and above equipment but was still a bit sour. He bit his cheek and ced the pants in his inventory then reced the leather pants he had been wearing with the ck Silk ones, feeling much more liberated from their constriction. In more ways than one. Then pulling a canteen from his inventory, he began scrubbing himself down from the blood as he waited for the next group. For the next five days, this was Drake¡¯s life. He would pounce on the traveling groups of Gnolls decimating their ranks with Mana Bolts, then finishing them within a melee. Then looting before returning to the forest to clean himself off and check his gains. During the five days, the Gnolls had tried to catch him in the act. Sendingrger parties of Gnolls to traverse the path, or staggering the groups so that they would catch him exhausted. But unfortunately for them, Drake was such a powerhouse at the moment that he didn¡¯t even need to spend his saved Free Points or his Magic if he was honest, to defeat them. The highest Gnoll¡¯s level clocked in at 18 and the lowest being 12, and with levels only that high they stood no chance. On the fifth day of Drake''s onught he noticed a significant decrease in numbers. And eventually decided to check out Outpost B. When he arrived he saw the usual at the gate, some Gnolls above the wooden wall, lit with torches. But when he moved to get a look at the inside from the tree, what awaited his eyes was a notable change. Less than a fourth of the encampment was still erect. Most of the inside was now left bare, only a few campfires strewn about. "Wow, have I really killed that many?" Drake said, slightly in disbelief. He had without a doubt killed hundreds upon hundreds of Gnolls by this point and had grown jaded by the routine of it. But this is what Drake was aiming for. He had wanted to thin out their enormous numbers so that he could take this Outpost B first, and use it to do the same for the Mountain Outpost. And now that he had he was just surprised that it had happened. Drake hopped down and looked over his stats a bit thinking of if he needed to use his Free Points or not, but decided against it. After all, he had gotten a new Title that helped a bit already. [Battle of Attrition] [Fight against 100 or more enemies at once and survive. +10 to all stats] It¡¯s like a mini level up. Drake thought, smiling. Before Drake was ready to storm the keep, he made sure he had everything set. He drank some water, ate some more delish venison stew that he had be so fond of -that also happen to give some pretty good buffs- and did his business. He was finally all set to clear out the rest of the camp out and jumped the wall. Right into a group of Gnolls,ing down right on their campfire where they were cooking some kind of food. "Sorry chaps. Kitchen just closed, but I can offer some nice knuckle sandwiches." heughed, kissing the back of his knuckle. The group barked and growled, alerting the rest of the camp as they drew their scattered weapons and charged in rage at Drake. He took no time in dispatching the small group, grabbing one Gnoll and mming it into another. Kicking another through the chest, and sending another flying through the air with an uppercut. Soon the rest of the camp was on him and he was back to an extended melee that he was so used to. Going from monster to monster, throwing punches and kicks that bisected multiple monsters. Chanting Mana Bolts as he went, killing groups of the Gnolls to a cmitous degree. Until he heard a thunderous howl that sounded above the sh. And the Gnolls stopped their assault on Drake, making an opening for a muchrger Squad Commander Gnoll toe through. The Commander wore simr attire to the first Commander Gnoll Drake had faced but had Green Gemmed essories donning its ears and hands, one in each. It was also holding glistening scimitars in each of its hands. The Commander roared and surged forward, wasting no time in getting close. Drake was surprised at the speed of the monster, even with what he remembered of the first Commander Gnoll, this one was leagues faster. He put more mana into his rings, and braced for the Monster¡¯s swing with a cross guard. But when the monster reached him, it disappeared. Another one with a movement skill?! Drake shouted internally. The monster reappeared behind him with a hyena-like snicker, as it tried to bring its scimitars down on Drake''s head. But he had already turned and raised a ck tattooed, mana-d arm up to meet the strike, sparks of blue mana igniting from the collision. The Commander¡¯s eyes widened for a moment in surprise but quickly began to strike with speed and ferocity, bringing down a flood of blows on Drake. The speed at which the Commander Gnoll was attacking Drake, he was barely able to keep up. He blocked, and dodged as best he could. Thankfully his new armor kept him from taking too much damage. But he couldn¡¯t understand how the monster was just as fast as he was, until he again spotted the shine of green attached to the Gnolls dog-like ears. Drake needed to turn the tide, and quickly. He began chanting while blocking the blows from the Commander. And when he finished he threw his fist into the Gnolls abdomen, but hit nothing. Again the Gnoll disappeared from view and reappeared behind Drake, resulting in his Mana Bolt blowing a hole through several other monsters standing previously behind the Gnoll Commander. "Stand still!" Drake yelled, swinging his arm in an arc behind him only to be met by two scimitars. Again the two were held in a lock momentarily each pushing back on the other. The Commander barked a snicker again, but Drake began to win out in the contest of strength. A momentter, the Commander Gnoll disappeared before Drake could overtake it. But this time Drake was ready for it, and immediately twisted into a roundhouse kick roaring as he did. The next moment the Gnoll reappeared behind Drake and was greeted by a steel boot to the chest. The monster flew through the camp and mmed into the wooden wall tens of feet away. Drake looked at the wall where a small cloud of dust had kicked up from the Gnoll¡¯s impact, and waited a moment for the dust to settle. But when it did the Gnoll was not there. Drake turned and was met with the gleam of two scimitars once again, but was too slow to block the strikes this time as the des crossed the right side of his face. He recoiled in pain, his hand gripping the right side of his head, as blood leaked out from between his fingers. He could feel the blood on his hand through the tattoos and red at the Commander with a icy death stare, fury welling up. But the Gnoll Commander was not left undamaged from the kick before and had a noticeable trail of blood leaking from its mouth as it grinned and barked back at him. The Gnoll brought one of its des to its mouth as itsrge dog-like tongue wrapped around it, licking off the blood. "Ugh.. bro. That¡¯s so clich¨¦..." Drake cringed, still holding his face. "Just for that," he said, bringing his right hand in front of him, seeing the fresh red liquid on it from his wound. "I¡¯m going to turn that ugly excuse for a face you have, into one that even a mother wouldn¡¯t love!" Drake burst forward like a bullet shot from a gun, closing the distance between him and the monster in an instant, bringing his fist down with his skill like a bomb was being dropped. "Power through force! Heavy Blow!" he chanted as he mmed his fist down. But the Gnoll had disappeared again, leaving Drake¡¯s blow to leave a crater in the ground. Unfortunately Drake knew exactly where it was going to be. And quickly brought down his other fist in an overhead backhanded m, right into the head of the scripted reappearance of the Squad Commander. The monster was brought head first to the floor like a dead weight, its head denting the ground and smashing with a crunch. Drake followed up with a kick to its exposed head, breaking its jaw, forcing it to fly back a meter as small bits of teeth flew out of its maw while it grunted in pain. The Gnoll hit the ground and tumbled for a moment, but before it could stop. Drake was already on it, bringing down an empowered Heavy Blow fist right to its muzzle. mming the Commander into the ground and through it. Finally confirming the kill. [You have subjugated Squad Commander Gnoll [F- Rank] Level 18] [Experience Earned, 9,000 TP awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage x Warrior [Unique] Level 9] [28 Free Points have been awarded] [3 of 5 Squad Commander Gnolls [F- Rank] Subjugated] Drake was ted to finally get a level up again after so long, but the fight wasn¡¯t over, as there were still well over 50 Gnolls surrounding him. Although his health was still topped off at 70%, his mana was getting dangerously low at 10% from having to empower his tattoos so much during the fight. I guess infusing the gauntlets really took a toll on my mana. I¡¯ll have to find a way to regte it better orpensate. But this leaves me with¡­ 10 minutes left of use with my gauntlets on the lowest cost? Drake thought, as the Gnolls were hesitant to attack him, but soon many of them lunged and charged forward at him, arrows and Mana Bolts not far behind. "10 Minutes until the end. Looks like it¡¯s the final countdown." Drake chuckled to himself. Drake dashed forward, mming and throwing the charging Warriors every which way. Grabbing them and using them as shields as he began to wreak unrelenting havoc on their back line. ying like a dog seeing snow for the first time, in their melee. Hopping from one monster to the next, a small excited upward curve of his lips creasing his face. He jumped and hopped from Gnoll to Gnoll, every kick, punch, and throw resulting in a new notification from his devastation. Soon the Gnolls were approaching the single digits and attempted to flee through the gates but Drake didn¡¯t give chase. Allowing less than five of them to open and run through them. He needed them to go back to the mountain outpost and hopefully bring back the rest of the monsters. Chapter 24: The Remaining Two Chapter 24: The Remaining Two Drake stretched as he heaved a long sigh of relief. Touching his quickly healing wound on the side of his face. "This is definitely going to leave a scar, I wonder if it will make me look cooler¡­ Damn, maybe I should¡¯ve gotten hit a little more to the left. I could have looked like a budget Final Fantasy character, just without the gunde.." Drake rambled. As Drake talked and grumbled to himself, he began cleaning up the camp. Moving bodies, deconstructing broken tents, putting out things that had caught on fire from the fight, breaking and falling into fire pits. He continued cleaning, looting and rearranging the camp, checking the gates every so often to see if an army of Gnolls were marching on his newly obtained base. The day progressed with Drake sitting on the wooden wall after he was done cleaning up, a canteen and pot filled with food, his feet dangling off the side as he went through all the new shiny things he picked up from this Squad Commander. Drake started with his status as after thest fight, he needed to start distributing his Free Points. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 9 [Vitality] 193 [Strength] 225 (20) [Dexterity] 165 (30 + 10% Base) +(40) [Intelligence] 347 [Wisdom] 209 [Endurance] 115 (5) [Free Points] 84 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer, Battle of Attrition Drake yed with the spoon in his mouth as he mulled over where he should put the points. He felt that he wasn¡¯tcking in Strength in thest fight, but didn¡¯t want to stop allocating at least some to it. And then there was his Dexterity. It was already past the 200 mark ¡®technically¡¯ but he wanted the base stats to be more even. There was also his Endurance stat that wasgging behind. He simply didn¡¯t have enough points to go around. He leaned back staring into the sky, his spoon yfully bobbing up and down as he thought aloud. "I¡¯ll bump my Vit to 200 since it¡¯s so close, same with Int at 350, so that leaves me with 75. My Wisdom is fine for now, leaving the rest to go to Strength, Dex and Endurance." Drake mumbled through the side of his mouth. Eventually he decided to put 35 points into Dexterity to get it to 200, and then 25 into his Strength to bump it to 250. And then the remainder into Endurance. Finalizing his stats. Drake¡¯s mood was a little dampened by not receiving another title but soon bounced back as he went over the items he had gotten. [Peridot Earring[F-Grade] [Umon]
  • +10 to Dexterity
  • Limited to two per ear.
  • A magically infused earring, with the power to increase one¡¯s dexterity by a small amount.
Drake scoffed a bit at the description. 10 to a stat was small? And Drake had obtained two of these earrings from the Gnoll Commander, and he had also picked up two simr rings. [Peridot Ring[F-Grade] [Umon]
  • +10 to Dexterity
  • Limited to one per hand.
  • A magically infused ring, with the power to increase one¡¯s dexterity by a small amount.
Drake had already slipped on the rings, and with all four of his new essories filling up his slots, gave him an extra 40 Dexterity, that was reflected in his status next to the stat. It was a nice ¡®small¡¯ boost if he said so himself. He had also looted a massive amount of skill stones and sub-tree stones from the past couple battles, and they were quickly taking up a good section of his inventory. Thankfully he had gotten another pouch from the Squad Commander Gnoll. There were also the two scimitars from it as well, but they weren¡¯t very impressive and only umon grade with no stats. But the greatest haul of the day he thought were the things he found in the Commander¡¯s tent as he was cleaning up. [Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A material that can be used raw or as an ingredient for more borate explosives.
  • A liquid found in the abdomen of the Tyrant Ant. It is extremely mmable.
Drake kept the fist size sks of the stuff inside his inventory, worried it would be bad if they somehow caught fire. Earlier Drake had only been seconds away from the stockpile catching fire from the tent suddenly catching fire. Luckily Drake had been inside looting as it happened and saw the reddish liquid, honestly thinking it was alcohol. He shuddered slightly at the thought of the pile catching fire while he was so close to it. Shaking his head from his thoughts he looked into the distance again, waiting for a sign of more Gnolls. But for the rest of the day none hade. Drake was honestly ok with it though, as he had been going non stop for the past 5 or so days without much rest. Drake reinforced the gates with spare rubble from the camp, making sure that it wouldn''t be easily open from the outside. And made his way to the sole tent left within the camp. Going through the draped entrance, Drake walked onto a red carpet marking the entrance and leading to four glorious beds all pushed together to make a magnificent super bed. "I must be more tired than I thought, I could swear it was shining and that I¡¯m hearing hymn music," Drake said as he stared off into the distance past the group of beds, a single tear rolling down his newly scarred cheek. That night Drake slept like a glorious king, returning from the victory of war. And by that he passed out right as his head hit the pillow, snoring and sprawled out still in his Martial Artist¡¯s Garb, a ¡®small¡¯ pool of drool slowly forming below his head. The next morning Drake groaned awake as he was woken by the sound of a loud thumping. He rose from the beds touching the back of his neck. "Oh god, who sshed water on me when I was sleeping?!" he said, his hand jerking away from his damp neck. Now what is this sound that woke me up? It¡¯sing from the East Gate. He thought. Walking out of the tent, and sprinting to the gate. He arrived in a few moments into the thumping turning to loud crashes, small amounts of dust being kicked up from the rubble blocking the entrance. Hopping up to the wall, Drake looked over to see 50 or more Gnolls surrounding the gate. As his head poked out he noticed what the sound was. There were two lines of Gnolls holding a makeshift ram made from a tree, mming it into the gate with a steading rhythm. In the next second he saw a hail of arrows and Mana Bolts fly into his direction forcing him to drop back down behind the wall. Drake stretched a bit to loosen up. "Well looks like they¡¯re back to it just like I hoped. Back to the grind as well then," he said, jumping back up to the wall on the other side of the gate, putting mana into his rings, and quickly casting a Mana Bolt aimed right at a group of Mages in hooded cloaks. Thecrack of his Mana Bolt hitting them sounding the starting bell of the fight. Hee dropped down and broke into a sprint as soon as he hit the ground, aiming right for the Gnolls holding the 2 meter long ram. He dispatched the quickly panicking Gnolls around it in record time. Once the loud crashing of the ram had been silenced, he turned his attention to the rest of the Gnolls. Soon Drake was running through the ranks of the Gnolls, smashing and throwing them almost in aical way, dashing from Gnoll to Gnoll a small cloud of dust trailing him. When Drake had all but finished off the group that had assailed his newly acquired base, he allowed some of them to flee again to the Mountain outpost. "Well as long as nothing unexpected happens I think we can actually cruise to level 10, and then, sweet sweet RNG revenge," Drake said, looking at the backs of the fleeing Gnolls. He hopped back over the wall and sat back down on the ledge, bringing out a canteen of water and the leftovers of food from yesterday, still piping hot. "I love this pouch, never going to have to eat day-olds ever again. But wait, that means I¡¯ll never have day-old Sinigang. Oh no, this actually might be a problem..." Drake mused over the pros and cons of his spatial pouch when it concerned food for a few more minutes, then sighed. "It¡¯s so surreal. Being here, doing some of the things I can do. I¡¯ve already adapted to this non-stop mindless killing. And don¡¯t get me wrong I have no qualms with killing things that are trying to kill and eat me. But it¡¯s so jarring. I hope Mom, and everyone are doing alright..." Drake began to ramble, his mind going from one thing to the next. While he stared off into the distance, he wondered how his Mother and his family were doing. They were a normal family, well everyone besides their Mother. She was a small Filipinody that could lift things twice her own weight somehow. And you could never win an argument with. She was someone who would forget what she was doing while doing it, but as soon as you made her angry she would remember your entire life¡¯s dark history to use against you in full force. Itforted him a bit to think of her and of his headstrong little brothers. He was surprised it did though as they were probably put into simr situations but if they were with their Mother, he had no reason to worry. In fact he was frightened for the monsters. Nothing spelled disaster like an angry old Filipinody with a chan. He made a mental note to find them as fast as possible when this was over. Drake thought and rambled on several things as he waited for more Gnolls to show u, but unexpectedly none had. It had been over several hours since thest group showed up and Drake was starting to worry if something was going on. Were they plotting something? Or had they given up? He wasn¡¯t sure of either. He decided to go with the wait and see approach, it wasn¡¯t good to go in more blindly than he already was. So he resigned himself to just taking sce in the break from fighting for now, the spoon in his mouth bobbing up and down, as his feet lightly bounced off the wall. The day slowly descending into night. "Ahhhh! How long are they going to make me wait!?" Drake yelled. It had been two days since the Gnolls hade to Outpost B and the rxation had turned to impatience, which turned to frustration and anxiety that he was falling behind again. Drake hopped off the wall and began running down the dirt road to the Mountain Outpost. Traveling the distance in record time thanks to his newly acquired items. Once he saw the dirt road open up he turned into the forest so that he could scout out the Outpost. The outside defenses had beenpleted and a spiked ditch was now surrounding the Mountain Outpost. For an hour Drake stayed in the forest watching the gate for anything, but there had been nothinging or going. He was certain there were still Gnolls inside though, as he saw the Rangers still stationed on the top of the towers. Drake wasn¡¯t sure what had changed but decided to go check on his dummies in the meantime, reminding himself that he should hold on to the gear. Drake scoured the part of the forest he knew he had set up the dummies in, but couldn¡¯t find a single set of armor. Someone had taken them. "Those bastards even took my poor buddy Charles! This is unforgivable!!!" Drake shouted, in faux outrage. He had hoped the dummies would keep the Gnolls a little on their toes, since they knew it was set up by him. Possibly giving them the impression he was still in the forest but they must have moved in when he started attacking the other Outpost. Or hopefully more participants were nearby and had taken them to make good use of them. Drake wasn¡¯t going to bend over backwards for people he didn¡¯t know at the moment but he was fine giving items he wasn¡¯t using if it meant helping them survive this horrid tutorial. After a few minutes more of searching and finding nothing, Drake was content with stopping and going back to the treeline. Once he got there, nothing had changed about the Outpost. And after an hour, still nothing had changed. "There haven¡¯t been any groupsing and going. Are they really holed up in there? Or maybe¡­ they''re running out of forces?" Drake whispered to himself. He didn¡¯t have any way of knowing which was true, but he did know that he needed to get inside of the Outpost if he wanted to finish his quests quickly. Drake then brought out another crossbow he had looted over the past couple days and many arrows, preparing for another assault on the Outpost. He trained his aim on the Rangers on the guard towers, cing a arrow into both of them. What surprised Drake was that after he had felled the lookouts, they weren¡¯t being reced. Instead he heard a roar so loud that it reverberated in his chest. An instinctual fear rising up in his stomach, telling him to run. A few momentster the gate swung upward and a mass of Gnolls began to flow out. By the time it had stopped he estimated there were well over 200 in the enormous clump of furballs that had exited the gate. Following them was not one but two Squad Commander Gnolls, that were very different from the three he had faced. The one that was standing on the left of the pair, was sporting a cowboyish-like hat, and leather armor. And on its waist were two oddly made pistols that reminded him of a wastnd aesthetic. It even held a gunman-like feel when it raised the tip of its hat with its thumb. The second Commander Gnoll on the right was far more stoic looking, it was wearing a chainmail like chest piece that was more of linked scales than multiple ringlets. Its shoulders were adorned with armor akin to the one Drake had on himself, with chained pants of simr fashion. And thergest and longest thing the monster held was the massive halberd at its side. Great, are the monsters going to start speaking and ask me if I feel lucky, or that I leave a bad taste in their mouth? Drake scoffed, looking over the Commander Gnolls, he decided to name Spear Guy and Cowboy. Jokes aside, Drake was still wary. Not because of the sight of two Commander Gnolls, as he was sure that he could still win the fight regardless of the numbers they held and the two Commanders, with his current stats. No it was the fact that he still felt the fear in the pit of his stomach, but it wasing from inside the Outpost outside of his vision behind therge wooden walls. Drake didn¡¯t enjoy the fact that he was feeling like this again after more than a week of grueling fights for his life. But even with the uneasy feeling, he couldn¡¯t deny the meal in front of him. It was thest two Commanders he needed for his quest and with how much experience the Squad Commanders were giving by themselves, Drake could only imagine the amount he would receive from the quest reward. After some deliberation, he decided it was within his means to fight the mass of monsters outside the gate. He opened his inventory to put the crossbow and arrows away, then eyed the stack of Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil that he held. Drake could defeat the horde without the use of the items, but with the unknown behind the wall; he wanted to use as little of his Mana and Stamina as possible. But there was a problem. "The problem is I can¡¯t take things out of my inventory when inbat. I can ce things inside, but the only thing I¡¯m able to bring out is the ck die," Drake said slightly frustrated. He assumed the reason he could only bring out the die was that it was most likely recognized as a system item, so thebat restriction didn¡¯t apply to it. He had confirmed as much from his fight with the second Commander Gnoll, when he was able to bring it out but nothing else. This became a problem now that Drake wanted to use some of the consumables he had picked up over the past couple days inbat. He brought out the items he was nning on using. A few sks, and a pair of flint and steel. Drake tried to find ces to stash the sks so that they wouldn¡¯t get damaged or jiggle around too much. Ending up with them ced inside his robe, expanding his midsection noticeably. "I¡¯ll have to get a utility belt or something, Cause this definitely isn''t the y¡­" he chuckled wearily. Drake decided on cing the flint and steel inside his pant¡¯s pocket as he didn¡¯t have them anywhere else. Once he finished he looked back at the mass of Gnolls in front of the Outpost that had now formed into neat groups. The Squad Commanders barking orders every so often. The Gnolls had sent out a few miners to scout out the area, as Drake looked at them running in multiple directions into the forest and down the dirt road. Drake waited until the one sent his way had passed him, then quietly snapped the Miner¡¯s neck, cing it into a bush nearby. He was still trying to go over his n in his head and didn¡¯t want to announce where he was exactly just yet. He was still worried about the thing inside the Outpost and wanted to draw the Gnolls away from the unknown. And he also wanted to use the Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil but wasn¡¯t sure how potent it was and needed them away from both the forest and Outpost so that they wouldn¡¯t catch fire. I only have a few options avable to me then. He thought. There¡¯s the dirt road but it isn¡¯t wide enough to fight in with that many Gnolls. Then there''s the opening in front of the Outpost. It looks like about a football field wide, so a little over 300 feet give or take. It¡¯s enough if I can fight them in the opening of the dirt road, that gives me enough space to stay clear of the forest and the Outpost. And gives me enough cushion to see if or when that thing decides toe out of the Outpost. Drake finalizing his n began to spring into action. Ignoring the rest of the scouts, he dashed out of the treeline, firing Mana Bolts into the legion of Gnolls. As he dashed across the wide open area, in the direction of the dirt road¡¯s opening. Each Mana Bolt killed tens of Gnolls with each impact, tearing deep into their ranks as it sted through the front lines and the subsequent monsters behind them. Once the Bolts started hitting he was retaliated against in kind. Arrows, Mana Bolts and now bullets, trailed him as he kept pace, sprinting for the opening. The two Squad Commanders howled in anger, barking orders to the legion. Marching them forward in a thunderous charge toward Drake. Drake continued to fire Mana Bolts as he got to the mouth of the dirt road¡¯s opening. He pulled the first sk of Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil and uncorked it. A pungent smell, thebination of gasoline and cementing tar filling his nose. But he had no time to be distracted and began pouring the liquid on the ground beneath him as he ran back into the dirt road. Once he was at afortable distance with a trail of smelly oil behind him he took out the flint and steel, waiting for the Gnolls to funnel in. Drake was sorely disappointed though, when after only a handful of the Gnolls stepped onto the oil soaked ground before they stopped, and sniffed the air, noticing the smell. But it wasn¡¯t all lost. Gazing back at the halted Gnoll Legion, only to smile as he saw they were being pushed forward regardless of stopping, from the ranks further back still charging forward. Resulting in the Gnolls in the front tripping and falling over one another as they tried to hold back the flood of charging Gnolls behind them. He smiled and lit the oil trail. "Time to put the shrimp on the barby!" he shouted gleefully. The moment the sparks from the flint touched the oil, it ignited in a roar of unimaginable heat and golden orange mes as the trail burst in mes, snaking toward the Gnolls. The trail of fire met the Legion in fractions of a second. Wails of pains and barks of anger filled the surroundings, as half of the Legion of Gnolls burned away, in a ze of heat. Many of the Gnolls ran in different directions as they held patches of mes on their bodies, some rolling on the ground to put them out to no avail. Drake looked on in amazement of the oil. "When it said highly mmable it wasn¡¯t kidding. The fire is almost as hot as that construct was in the introduction. No no!" Drake shook his head. " We must stay focused brothers, we must stay focused!" he shouted into the air his fists raised. He was quickly brought back from his distraction when he heard another piercing howl from the other side of the wall of mes that had formed. Barely able to see through it, Drake could still make out the visage of tworge silhouettes on the other side. Both Drake and the Commanders were waiting for the mes to die down. And after a few long minutes, the fire began to recede, revealing the Squad Commander pair. The remnants of their army of Gnolls behind them. And Drake on the other side, ck tattoos forming in a sh of ethereal blue on his arms, his ck gold trimmed robes fluttering behind him. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" Drake chortled. Chapter 25: Quest Complete Chapter 25: Quest Complete As soon as the mes died enough for the Commander Gnolls to get through, they both disappeared. Leaving their force of Gnolls behind. They appeared again on opposite sides of Drake. Does everyone have a movement skill but me?! Heined. After appearing, the Cowboy fired off two bullets in rapid session from its wastnd guns. Drake was barely able to respond in time even with his increased Dexterity. Pouring more mana into his tattoos and raising them to cover his head, the sounds of metal hitting the mana infused weapons rang in his ears. Without missing a beat the Spear Gnoll moved in closer behind Drake, heaving his halberd back with both hands in a thrusting motion, it began to shine in a red glow, the Spearman barking as it did. Drake was unable to turn in time to fully dodge the thrust, and ced a ck d arm in between him and the spear point of the halberd. The two weapons shed in a shower of sparking red and blue fusion before Drake was flung to the side and pushed down the dirt road. He tumbled against the ground for a moment thennded on his feet gripping his hand. Looking down he saw a small hole and a stream of blooding from it. The Spear Gnoll¡¯s skill just now had gotten through his Mana Infused Tattoo. As Drake had also infused a good amount of mana into the magic tattoos it didn¡¯t bode well for him. He had made a mistake not thinking the Gnolls had more than just movement skills. After he had gotten up he was assailed with more sounds of gunshots forcing Drake to sprint to the side to dodge, running back and forth towards the Cowboy in wide lines, kicking up dust with every change in direction from his speed. Just as Drake was beginning to wonder if the gunman had an endless pit of bullets in its guns, it stopped firing to reload. In that moment Drake took hold of the opportunity and stopped his dodging to sprint forward at top speed straight for the gunman. Chanting his Mana Bolt as he charged the Cowboy, he fired it off with one hand and wound up his other, immediately chanting his Heavy Blow skill in session. But as soon as the Mana Bolt was about tond, the Spear Gnoll appeared in front of the Gunman, taking the Mana Bolt to its shoulder as it raised its halberd above its head a red glow again around it. Drake was less than several feet away when the Spearman began bringing down his halberd on him. But with Drake''s increased speed, he quickly pivoted on his left foot as it hit the ground, and went a step further, pushing off it to dodge the swing. The red halberd finding nothing but the scorched ground below it. He continued his pivot to the right and brought his swing into the side of the unguarded Spearman. "Power through force! Heavy Blow!" He roared, his fist connecting with the side of the Spearman, sending it flying directly into the forest, crashing through several trees on the way. The Gunman had reloaded by this time and brought a gun up with a green glow to face Drake. Firing point nk at his head. Drake infused more mana into his tattoos to stave off the gunfire, turning with his hand pressed against his head, he both felt and saw the bullet scrape across his tattoos. The sparks of blue and green shing in his vision for a split second, a small splotch of blood trailing them. He survived the close range bullet barrage but he was quickly running through his reserves and was down to 60% mana after just a few exchanges with the Commander pair. With no option of retreating Drake surged forward to close the distance with the Gunman. Chanting again his Heavy Blow skill with one arm, and kept another raised to keep him from taking a shot to one of his vitals. Drake took hits to his slightly exposed shoulder and body, but thanks to his Rare Quality gear the bullets only left mildly deep scrapes. In a single breath Drake was close enough to hit the Gunman, his Heavy Blow chantplete. He threw his fist forward with all his might. Only to be stopped by the t edge of a red hued halberd. Drake cursed as he looked from the halberd over to the Spear Gnoll, its face dirtied and blood ran from the corner of its grinning maw. In the next moment Drake looked back at the Gunman, a smile creeping up on its mouth behind the head of the halberd, as itself disappeared. Drake quickly took hold of the shaft of the halberd and roared as he pulled it to turn around with the halberd and Spearman in tow. As he crested his shoulder able to see behind him, he saw the Cowboy holding his pistol up to his head, a greenish glow again forming around the weapon. But Drake¡¯s split decision saved his life, as he was barely able to raise his shoulder with his swing of the halberd. Bringing the Spearman Gnoll mming into the Cowboy right as it barked and the gunshot went off, the bullet ricocheting off his shoulder guard and cutting his right eyebrow. The Gunman and Spearman collided with force attesting to Drake¡¯s strength as they flew back into the mass that was the remaining legion of Gnolls that were scrambling to get through the opening of the fire. The two forces collided as the Squad Commander pair was pushed deep within the Gnoll ranks. Drake didn¡¯t wait for a repeat of before in his previous fight and sprinted forward as quickly as he could, chanting a Mana Bolt as he did. He arrived at the Spearman and Gunman pair fumbling over each other to get up, only to spot Drake as he moved in front of them so quickly it looked as if he used a skill himself. But they couldn¡¯t get up quick enough as Drake leapt forward with his feet first, catching the Spearman in the chest with his steel boots sending them both flying a few meters until they collided with the ground. Drake managing to end standing on top of the unconscious Spearman. Drake finished his cast of the Mana Bolt in the same moment and fired a watermelon sized hole into its chest. [You have subjugated Squad Commander Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 19] [Experience Earned 9,500 TP have been awarded] He couldn¡¯t rx yet though, as he looked back to where the Gunman was supposed to be, only to see it disappear again. Drake turned around with his guard up in anticipation for the Gunman but nothing came. He blinked and looked around for the remaining Commander Gnoll but saw nothing. Until he heard a gunshot and turned to the direction of the sound. He saw the smoking barrel of a green colored pistol from behind a tree in the forest, for a split second before pain shot up his left arm. Drake winced and tumbled backward from the force of the impact, but quickly got to his feet and rushed to the tree where he had seen the Gunmanst. But the Gnoll was nowhere to be found once he arrived a few secondster. "Damn it! It¡¯s using the trees for cover!" Drake hissed. Another sound of a bullet being fired went off and Drake ducked behind the tree, a bullet going right through the trunk of the tree right next to his head. Drake looked wide eyed at the smoking hole, surprised it could prate therge trunk. But it didn¡¯t take long for Drake topose himself and start running through the forest, doing his best to keep moving and use the trees to at least obscure himself. He touched his right eyebrow and thankfully the bleeding had stopped but not before it crusted his eye close with blood. As he ran he also checked on the gunshot wound on his arm. He had torn some of his pants to wrap it to stem the bleeding but blood was still seeping through albeit far more slowly. Drake was forced to keep running and dodge behind trees as the gunshots rang out, a game of cat and mouse ensuing. Each bullet barely missed Drake or hit just urately enough to cause a cut through his armor. He desperately needed to end this game soon. There was no telling when the other Gnolls and the mystery monster would decide to show up. Then an idea popped into Drake¡¯s head. It was a gamble but Drake was willing to give it a shot. He quickly took off his Martial Artist¡¯s Garbs, losing its stats and breaking the set bonus. And ced them on a bush partially obscured. Then he dashed out from behind the bush as a gunshot rang out, kicking up a bead of dirt behind him. He stopped once he was a little bit away from his Garbs, and waited, peeking his head out and doing his best to listen. A momentter a gunshot rang out, and Drake saw the sh of a barrel. Then it disappeared but suddenly a Gnoll materialized in front of Drake. Drake smiled at the Gunman, as it looked at him in sheer terror. "Hide and seek is over, mutt! Power through force! Heavy Blow!" he howled, almostughing. As he brought his skill infused fist right into the side of the Gunman''s head, hooking it down into the floor of the forest. [You have subjugated Squad Commander Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 19] [Experience Earned, 9,500 TP have been awarded] [Quest Complete! 5 of 5 Squad Commander Gnolls subjugated] [ept Rewards?] Drake huffed from exhaustion while he was still bent over in a position over the now crushed monster as he looked at the new notifications, but quickly put them on hold. While he took a moment to breathe, he spotted some familiar green reflections on the monster''s corpse. It had four of the same essories that the one from Outpost B had. Did that mean the other one may have them as well? Drake quickly scooped up the essories, and the stone and void pouch that appeared next to the body, after he ran to grab his Garbs seeing a new small hole in the back of it, he ran back out of the forest. He was greeted by the remnants of the Gnoll Legion about to bear down on him. Drake looked over his status, he was at 60% health and 20% mana and stamina. He needed to clear out the remaining Gnolls so he could recover before the mystery behind the wall noticed. But before that, he wanted to check on something. Drake dashed to where the body of the Spearman Gnollid, and just like he had hoped there was some sparkling loot waiting for him in the form of red earrings and rings. [Ruby Ring [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • +10 to Strength
  • Limited to one per hand.
  • A magically infused ring, with the power to increase one¡¯s Strength by a small amount.
[Ruby Earring [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • +10 to Strength
  • Limited to one per ear.
  • A magically infused earring, with the power to increase one¡¯s Strength by a small amount.
Drake smiled as he read the descriptions, and ced them into his pant¡¯s pocket instead of his inventory. He wasn¡¯t out of his fight yet and if he wanted to switch out the essories he had on they would have to be outside of his inventory. As he looked around he saw many of the Gnolls still racing towards him in a wild rage. But some strays had started to run back to the Outpost. Drake watched the fleeing Gnolls with a foreboding feeling starting to creep into the back of his mind, but had other problems at the moment. He raced with all his speed to meet with the remaining Gnolls charging towards him in an instant, and began to go to work. As he quickly rampaged in the leftover ranks of the Gnolls, he collected on the feeling he had before. As a loud howl reverberated over the field, the loudest and deepest one he had heard yet. The Gnolls around him suddenly had a look of abject fear, as they began to scramble, fleeing in all directions. Drake held his gaze on the gate, ncing at his status that was now slowly ticking upwards, but not nearly fast enough to reach full before the sight of a truly monstrous dog lurched out of the outpost¡¯s gate. Drake was left wide eyed and mouthed as he only first saw the head of the beast, wearing a type of Miner¡¯s cap. Next he saw the shoulders and arms as it had to crawl through the gate to fit. "You¡¯re a big fe arntch¡­ Oh God!?" Drake began to joke but quickly became even more surprised as the full body of the Monster came out of the gate, and stood up. It almost came up to the height of the Outpost¡¯s walls, nearly reaching 15 feet high. Covering its body was dirt overtop itsrge blue overalls. In its hands was a pickaxe to end all pickaxes. On its side attached to its belt, an unlitntern. It looked down at the fleeing Gnolls and picked them up effortlessly. It growled in disappointment at them as it hurled some into the forest, all the way over the football field length opening. Stomped and crushed others. Killing a majority of the remaining Gnolls that had tried to flee into the Outpost. Then the beast glowered down at Drake. Its eyes fixed on him and Drake smiled, beginning to shake slightly. He didn¡¯t smile at the fact that the beast had noticed him, or that he was about to have to fight this behemoth. But at the new window that had popped up in front of him without him opening it. [Urgent Quest! Defeat the Gnoll Foreman [F-Rank] [Reward: Large amount of Experience and TP. ess to ¡®The Gnoll Mines¡¯] Chapter 26: The Foreman Chapter 26: The Foreman "Hey big guy, the Rock just called. He wants to know your workout routine to get that swole," Drake said with a nervous chuckle. The Foreman huffed as it took several hulking steps forward. Drake only momentarily looked on in awe of how massive the Gnoll was, before quickly looking at his status. Taking out two more sks of Fire Oil, stuffing them inside his Garbs, and an unlit torch he slipped through his obi. He looked at his status still slowly ticking upwards. It had reached 80% for his health and a little above 50% for his Mana and Stamina. It was going to be a hard fight even if the big lug was a push over, Drake thought. Standing his ground as the Foreman continued to casually walk forward, its enormous pickaxe resting on its shoulder. The ground quaking under its weight with every step, bodies and dirt visibly shaking. Drake wanted to wait until he absolutely had to engage the Foreman so that his status had time to recover as much as possible. After a few seconds the Foreman had made its way over to Drake, lurching over him with a grin. The monster cackled like a hyena as it threw its head back and pointed down with one furred hand, its belly undted as it did. Drake raised a brow as he could feel his face flush slightly with indignance. "Oh? You think you''re tough for an oversized Prairie Dog Plushie? I have news for you, Toucan Sam says don¡¯t bother showing up to work on monday. Said he needed someone more mean and scary," Drake sneered as he looked up, holding up a hand with a particr finger showing. The Foreman quickly stoppedughing and looked down over his slightly protruding belly with a screwface as if he had understood the insult. The next moment the beast raised its pickaxe in a motion to swing down as if it wanted to break first ground of a dig site. The wind kicking up when it pulled the massive pickaxe back. "Shit, guy can¡¯t take a joke," Drake said sardonically. Drake took it as his cue and exploded forward toward the beasts legs. Quickly beating therge figure out in speed. This must be what it felt like for that chick who was under that elephant in that one fight while carrying the halfling. He mused as he closed in next to the right leg of the monster. Drake wound up his right arm with his skill ready to put all his force into the blow. "Power through force! Heavy Blow!" he roared, putting extra mana into the tattoos for extra damage. The blownded and reverberated through Drake''s body but had minimal damage to the Foreman, it looked like only a light bruise did appeared on its less hairy hind quarters. "Damn that¡¯s hard! It looks like I just gave the dude a hickey on the leg more than damaging it," Drake grunted, with a wave of his right hand. The Foreman barked with a reverberating howl, kicking its leg forward to get Drake out from under it. Thankfully Drake was leagues faster than the monster and was able to move out of the way of the direct blow, but was pushed back by the gusts of air pressure that followed the huge monster¡¯s leg. Drake fought the force of the st of wind, feeling much like a palm tree in a hurricane, but managed to not be flung off his feet. "Ok n B. Kill it with fire," he scoffed, pulling out one of the Fire Oil sks. The Foreman had turned to Drake by this point, anger in its eyes. Swinging its pickaxe again, this time in a side sweep much faster than the downward swing it had before. Drake ran for the swing instead of the feet of the monster this time, aiming for the right timing to jump and grab the shaft of the pickaxe. When the swing was just a few feet from colliding with him he leapt into the air, nting his free hand into the side of the pickaxe¡¯s wooden shaft as he was carried to the apex of the swing. Drake stopped with a jerk as the pickaxe halted right above the Foreman¡¯s left shoulder. He took a moment to stabilize himself on the pickaxe after the ride to the top, but made a mad dash for the monster¡¯s head, jumping off the shaft and onto its shoulder. He took a few seconds to reach the monster¡¯s pivoting head. As he dashed he used the time to chant two Mana Bolts. As the monster looked left to right in what Drake assumed was searching for him. One of the two Mana Bolts hit the side of the monster¡¯s face producing a small crater in its cheek. The othernded right inside its left ear, a fountain of blood erupting from it. I really used the force to thread the needle right there. Drake thought inwardly as he smiled. But Drake wasn¡¯t finished and the Foreman certainly wasn¡¯t either. The Foreman¡¯s left hand rose to swat Drake from its shoulder. But Drake was already close enough to its face that he jumped from its shoulder, a Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil sk in hand. He threw the sk with all his might into the side of the Foreman¡¯s massive head, sshing its left eye and face with the sk as it continued to wail in pain from its ruptured ear. Drake dropped down off the shoulder from his leap, the Gnoll¡¯s hand passing over him. But the wind from the passing hand pulled him up and propelled him into a chaotic spinning freefall. He pulled out the second Tyrant¡¯s Fire Oil from under his Garb and spread his arms and legs out in an attempt to stabilize himself mid air. He managed to get his bearings well enough that his vision cleared from the blur of shapes it was before, giving him enough time to uncork the sk and begin throwing trails of oil all over the monster on his way down. A breathter Drake hit the ground with a crash. A small indent underneath him. He looked up at the still iling Gnoll as it gripped its head with both hands, shrieking and howling almost like it had turned into a banshee. The sheer volume of the sound pounding inside Drake''s head as it continued to rise in pitch. Drake had to cover his ears himself as he sprinted away from the beast in search of any remaining mes left from his fight beforehand. He quickly came up to a corpse that was still burning a little distance away and pulled the torch from his obi, lighting it and turning back to the iling beast. Drake was only able to run so fast with the flickering torch towards the massive Foreman, afraid it would snuff itself out in the wind if he went full speed. The Foreman recovered when Drake was halfway to it, unbridled fury in its eyes now as it looked down at the small human that was giving it such a hard time. It reared back its enormous right leg ready to punt Drake like a ball for a field goal kick. But he didn¡¯t have the luxury of dodging, as it may extinguish the torch he was holding. So he continued to run forward, chanting Mana Bolts at the monster''s head. Aiming for its exposed right eye. The Foreman¡¯s leg began to gain momentum as it swung forward but Drake was unrelenting with his spells as they crashed into the Foreman¡¯s face like a torrential downpour from the front, bombarding it to no end. Right as the Foreman¡¯s leg passed its other foot, one of Drake¡¯s Mana Bolts struck gold. The monster shuddered backward in pain, falling ass backward. Its kick now missing by arge margin. Drake fist pumped inwardly as he continued toward the now reeling giant, kicking dust up as it rolled back and forth, its hands covering its right eye. Drake maneuvered himself onto the Gnoll¡¯s chest. He grinned as mischievously as the boy from Home Alone as he lightly tossed the torch in the air. He hurriedly jumped off the beast as it ignited in a ze of golden-orange mes. Another scream being added to the cacophony of wailsing from the beast. Drake looked on, satisfied with his inevitable victory. Then suddenly the fire began to recede and form a vortex centered into the Foreman¡¯sntern, situated on the side of its belt. The Foreman began to rise to its feet, as it grabbed thentern with its left hand. Drake gawked at the seemingly fine control the beast had over the fire. Pulling every lick of the mes into thentern. The monster eventually got to its feet alive, but not without damage. The Gnoll¡¯s fur was singed in various ces all over its body, the left side of its face was a hideous charred mess from the whole sk that had been poured there. Its left eye was beet red and its lid was charred off. Its right eye shut closed as blood dripped from it. The Foreman looked down with a zing red eye at Drake, inmed with rage. "Damn, so it has a second stage huh.." Drake mumbled hesitantly. The Gnoll raised thentern in front of itself and pointed it in Drake¡¯s direction. A low rumble escaping its maw, the fire within thentern red to life. The licks and whips of fire surged out as if turned to tentacles looking for prey to seize. Drake burst into action as well, sprinting to dodge theshes of the fire as they came down on him in an ardent barrage of red and orange. But soon that wasn¡¯t the only thing Drake had to worry about. He saw past the mes, as the Foreman lifted its pickaxe with its other arm ready to attack Drake with another horizontal swing. He began running desperately backward towards the mouth of the dirt road, firing Mana Bolts behind him in an attempt to strike the monster in the head again. But his uracy was nothing if not a travesty. The Mana Bolts just weakly peppering the Foreman. Drake nced over his shoulder to see the swinging from his side, he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge this onepletely. He decided to make ast-ditch effort and stopped, fully turned, and fired two Mana Bolts for the monster''s eye. The Bolts fired consecutively after each respective chant, just as the pickaxe was about to collide with Drake. He pushed backward with all his strength, to dodge a direct blow, putting the remainder of his Mana into the tattoos to hopefully stave off the damage. The pickaxe was just close enough to clip the edge of his arms as he held them in front of himself. The pickaxe and mana-infused tattoos screeched as they ground across one another, a cascade of blue mana sparking from the onught. After a few grueling moments Drake heard something akin to the shattering of ss as his tattoos winked out of existence. His Mana had emptied out. The pickaxe passed him just as his Mana hit rock bottom, and he was flung backward into a pile of Gnolls corpses with an ear-splitting crash. But not before he saw the result of hisst two Mana Bolts crashing into the Foreman¡¯s raisedntern in defense of its face, shattering it. Drake grunted in pain and struggled to get up, a small cloud of dust around him. He looked around at the pile of Gnolls that he had auspiciouslynded in. But Drake didn¡¯t have any more options left. His Mana had bottomed out and his only weapon was now out ofmission without it. He scrambled to look for any leftover weapons near the bodies of Gnolls. Finding only cracked and battered swords, shields, and crossbows. Then, he spotted a pristine gleam of steel through the dust. He bolted to the object seeing what it was, looking up through the dissipating cloud of dust once he had it in his hands. The Foreman was there looking at his now brokenntern with renewed anger in its bloodshot eye. Noticing Drake and turned raising its arms to bring down its pickaxe on him once more. Drake furiously searched his pockets for the earrings and rings he had looted earlier. cing his Martial Artist¡¯s Tattoo Rings and his Peridot Jewelry into his inventory, switching them out for their Ruby counterparts. Spiking his Strength past 300. Drake gripped the weapon in his hands. The halberd the Spearman Gnoll had used. The Foreman¡¯s swing now in motion,ing down on Drake like a world-ending meteor from the heavens. But he only surged forward at his highest possible speed, getting a running start as he heaved back the halberd, ready to throw it like a javelin. "Resign yourself, and receive my blow!!! Power through force! Heavy Blow!!" he roared as he threw the halberd with all his might, it glowing to life in a hue of red as it screamed across the field. Passing right next to the oing pickaxe and past it right into the Foreman¡¯s widening eye and out the other end of its skull. But the motion of the swing from the Foreman was already past the summit and bore down on Drake. mming into the ground behind him with an earth-shattering roar as the air pressure from the aftermath ripped himpletely from the ground and into the air. Drake was chaotically hurled through the air and into the forest, crashing through branches and trees. Finallynding in the treetop of one that had been sturdy enough not to break. Somehow Drake had survived, a bleeding grin painted across his face as he looked at the notification that he had just opened up. [You have subjugated ¡®The Foreman¡¯ Gnoll [F-Rank] Level 21] [Experience Earned,10,000 TP has been awarded] [Urgent Quest Complete! You have defeated the ¡®Foreman¡¯] [ept Rewards?] [Yes] [No] [You have been awarded Experience, 25,000 TP] [You now have ess to the Gnoll Mines] [Congrattions! You have increased Mage x Warrior to Level 10] [28 Free Points have been awarded] "Fuck yeah!! Take that you stupid little prick!" Drake coughed, spitting up blood while smiling. Soon turning into a light chuckle that devolved into hystericalughter as hey limply in an entanglement of branches and leaves. Chapter 27: And to the Victor go the Spoils Chapter 27: And to the Victor go the Spoils Drake waited in the tree for several minutes as he exhaustingly waited for his battered and broken body to mend. Thankfully he hadn¡¯t lost any limbs on his crashnding through the forest, making it only a matter of time until he was mobile again. After what seemed like an eternity of staring back and forth from his status, to his awaiting quests. Drake was finally healthy enough to untangle himself and drop down from the tree. He wanted to immediately go over his notifications and level up but he had too many things he had to do beforehand. Drake took his time going over the battlefield he had been flown from, making sure to grab any remnants of loot he could find. Unsurprisingly he couldn¡¯t fit the Foreman¡¯s enormous pickaxe into his demensional pouch. And both it and the Foreman were sorge he had no way to move them. But not everything on the Foreman was unlootable. Thankfully it looked like the loot spawned after it had crashed to the ground, so he didn¡¯t have to search all over to find it. Drake picked up the skill stone somewhat surprised. [Skill Stone: Fire] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Fire tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Main ss-tree unlocked] It was the first Skill Stone he had picked up that had some sort of element in the description. And it was for all sses, not just the Mage? I really need to gather some more info on skills. Drake thought. He moved onto the next thingying on the ground next to the Foreman. A backpack. [Medium Dimensional Sack] [F-Grade]
  • 10x5 Dimensional Space Bag
  • Requires one Inventory slot. Must be ced in Inventory to be equipped
  • Stores Items in current state indefinitely, does not include living entities
  • Drops on death
"So the boss always has the good stuff in this reality too, huh," Drake smirked. He quickly ced it into his inventory and equipped it to his bag slots, and what appeared in his inventory was incredible. Almost countless jewels and precious stones were lined up in the sack. The icons of blues, reds, greens, a nearly full palette of color was now covering his screen. Drake inspected one of the slots. [Sapphire Gemstone [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A raw magic gemstone.
  • A magically infused gemstone that can be used in crafting to create essories that increase Intelligence by a small amount.
Drake¡¯s eyes began to sparkle. This was just what he needed for his all round build. The description basically told him everything. That there was some sort of crafting avable, and that there were different avable stats that could be increased. If he could find a way to learn how to make jewelry he could make up for and boost some of his most needed stats giving him explosive jumps in strength like he had done with the Foreman. This would give him so many more options in fights that could make up for some of his blind spots. Drake was about to scream in happiness, but remembered that he still had so much to go over. He quickly looked around to see if there were any more Gnolls in the area, but it looked like the Foreman had either killed or scared off the remaining ones. He began to make his way to the Outpost, slipping on his Martial Artist Ring Tattoos, and exchanging his Strength essories for his Dexterity ones. When he finally reached the gate, Drake was amazed at what he saw. The sheer size of the outpost was more of a fortress than an outpost, andpletely dwarfed Outpost B. The Outpost stretched arge portion of the mountain, and was a fair distance from the side of it. If Drake had to make a guess it could have held thousands of individuals here at any given time. There were still fires lit throughout the outpost, as well as tents still erect. Drake looked around but saw no movement outside of the wind rustling things here and there. He cautiously entered and looked back at the wall, seeing the wooden staircase spiral up to the guard towers where he had killed oh so many Gnolls from. Drake then eyed the pulley that held the gate up, and made his way to it. Turning the mechanism so that the gate swung closed, he turned back to the outpost satisfied, and excited to see what goodies were left for him. Drake swept through the whole camp, going from tent to tent deconstructing each one after another. He was doing a total search for both loot and any remaining monsters that may be hiding. What he found in each tent varied but it was obvious which ones were for the regr Gnolls, and which were for the Squad Commands or supply tents. In various tents he would find beds and single tables or chests with things in or on top of them. In others he would find nothing but racks of weapons and chests of metal armor. And in the Squad Commander¡¯s tents. He found, THEM. Drake gazed at the mythical structure before him, as he entered the first Commander¡¯s tent. A King sized luxury bed, with all the amenities, Pillows, silk sheets and coverings. He wasn¡¯t sure where the Commanders had gotten them but he didn¡¯t care. He stared at the bed with longing eyes as he searched the rest of the tent. He couldn¡¯t very well jump into the bed as the mess he was now. He thought. Going through the multiple chests that were strewn throughout the ce. Drake found more essories and jewels. Armor and weapons. Even some skill stones, but nothing that he didn¡¯t already have. As Drake left the Commander¡¯s tent he remembered its position and left it standing. He then finished going through the rest of the Outpost surprisingly finding no Gnolls hiding within. After hours of deconstructing tents and putting out campfires, Drake eventually found therge entrance to the Mines. Drake stood in front of an entrancerge enough to allow the Foreman into, covered by arge double-sided gate, on the right, a smaller human-sized door. The entire thing was situated on the side of the mountain. Swinging the door open, he stared into the dark tunnel. "Hello!!!" He shouted into the tunnel, his voice echoing and carrying down the dark shaft. "Oh that¡¯s fun. It¡¯s been a hot minute since I''ve been to a cave that can do this," heughed, hisugh carrying into the tunnel as well. "Where is she!?! Swear to me!!!!" he shouted again, beginning to curl over inughter. "Ah¡­ that¡¯s good, I needed that. All I have to have now is a ck cape, bad mask, enormous wealth, and a butler that knows how to do everything under the sun," Drake said, looking down at his ck and gold trim robe. "Ok, maybe not the cape. Robe is close enough I¡¯d say." Drake pulled out a torch from his inventory and lit it with some flint. Then began to go through the entrance into the mines. He traveled through the mines, his every footstep echoing into the endless tunnels he passed. The Mines were an experience Drake had never thought he would have. The sparkling of colorful veins marked the walls, the rails used to push and pull carts littered the ground. The jarring and disorienting feeling of not knowing where sounds wereing from as they bounced off the walls of the endless tunnels. Drake traveled deeper in a straight line so as to not get lost when he needed to get back to the outside. Passing nearly countless tunnels that branched off from the main mining shaft. He heard the asional dripping of what he was sure was water, or whatever the equivalent would be in a Mining shaft. And also the sounds of footsteps, or his own footsteps, he honestly wasn¡¯t sure. Finally, Drake hit the end. And at the end there was a small shack with a ringly bright light in the sole window of it. Drake knew who this shack belonged to from the size. It was the Foreman¡¯s. Drake unhesitantly entered the shack, pushing open the incrediblyrge door, having to use his whole strength and both hands to do so. When he entered he only saw arge chest and a moderate looking bed that wasrge enough to fit the Foreman. Drake immediately swarmed to the chest, having to jump up to get in position to open thetch. The chest was at least several feet taller than he was, and many feet wider. As he swung the top off the chest, his eyes sparkled at the sight of the pool of jewels that were inside. "Holy shit! There¡¯s enough F-Grade jewels here for a lifetime! I¡¯m rich bitch!!" he shouted, throwing his head back and his hands upwards before diving into the ocean of shining gemstones. After bathing in the gemstones for a few more moments, Drake swept all of them into his inventory and hopped out of the chest and onto the massive bed. "Alright! This is as good a ce as any. I¡¯ve already swept the camp, and looked at the mines a bit. Time to finally get my ss upgrade!" he smirked as he pulled out a familiar 20 sided ck die. "Oops I mean ss upgrade(s), don¡¯t I¡­" [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Base ss: Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 10 [Vitality] 204 [Strength] 258 (20) [Dexterity] 200 (30 + 10% Base) +(40) [Intelligence] 358 [Wisdom] 213 [Endurance] 130 (5) [Free Points] 28 [Skills] Basic Mana Bolt [Level NA] Basic Heavy Strike [Level NA] [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer, Battle of Attrition Chapter 28: Elemental Miller Chapter 28: Elemental Miller Drake sat atop the Foreman¡¯s bed -may he forever not rest in peace-, his finger tapping his lips as he thought. "Last time I did this I saved the best forst. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be doing that again¡­ Ok! So sses first then the Item Quest Reward!" he shouted triumphantly, raising a fist into the air. Drake brought up his first ss notifications with both excitement and trepidation. [Congrattions! You have increased to Mage x Warrior Level 10] [28 Free Points have been awarded] [You have reached Mage Level 10. Quest Complete] [Quest Complete! Would you like to ept rewards?] [Rewards epted] [Please roll for Rarity of reward items.] [Primary Roll for Main ss-tree Skill Stone] [Secondary Roll for ss Specific, Skill Stone] [Tertiary Roll. Please Roll thrice for ss Advancement Selection] [Once you have rolled you will be presented with a list of sses based off each individual roll] Drake stared at the prompts for a moment, a wave of anxietying over him for a few seconds. "Just don¡¯t roll a 1 for both sses, and we¡¯re fine¡­" he finally eked out nervously. Drake yed with the ck die in his hands for a few more moments, praying to the RNG Gods to not screw him over again. And tossed the ck die across the bed. The die skidded across the bedsheet, barely turning before it came to an abrupt stop from its disco slide. An 8 facing upwards. ".... Ok. Maybe I should do this on a harder surface¡­ I could probably try to game the system with my dex where it is, and force a 20 if I throw right, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to think about what might happen if the system doesn''t like it¡­" Drake mumbled as he scooped up the die and dropped to the wooden floor of the shack. A momentter a stone winked into existence out of a mote of light in front of him, bouncing on the floor. Drake bent down to pick up the stone and inspect it quickly. [Main ss-tree Stone: Force Magician] [Umon] [Unlocks the Force Magician Main ss-tree.] [Requirement: Open Main ss-tree slot. Mage Base ss level of 10 or more] "Oh, that¡¯s a cool sounding ss, and it¡¯s only Umon? If it¡¯s like it was before that means the next stone will be specifically for this ss right?" Drake said, "Well, no use in mulling over this part too much. Hup!" Drake casted the die once again, not bothering to let his mind wander too far in the details just yet. The die this time bounced several times off the hardwood of the floor, A 5, then a 17, finally tumbling a few centimeters away from him, stopping with a 14. A brief pauseter another mote of light shed with the sound of the stone thudding on the floor. Drake quickly bent over to get a look at it. [Skill Stone: Depth] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Depth tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Mage Based Main ss-tree or Sub-tree Branch unlocked] Drake looked at the description again, a light dawning on him. He quickly brought out the other skill stone he had gotten from his first ss quest. [Skill Stone: Necromancy] [Legendary] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Necromancy tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Mage based Main ss-tree or Sub-tree Branch unlocked.] Reading the requirements he realized something. "It just says Mage Main ss. So that¡¯s the ss specific I¡¯m rolling for? Does that mean I could use these technically without having to use the Main ss stones I rolled?" Drake said aloud. It was an interesting prospect for his remaining ss quest reward, but ultimately it would be left up to fate on whether he rolled something useful or not. Drake picked up the die again, nervously gripping it in his hands as the moment of truth was now upon him. He breathed deep and steeled himself. If it became the worst oue he would have to just get back up and do it again, as many times as it took until he seeded. Bracing himself he let the first roll for his ss selection fall from his hands. The die fell to the floor in slow motion for Drake, it taking long muted moments to finally hit the floor. Bouncing it showed a 17, then a 4, 13. Finally it rolled to a stop, 18. Drake breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the number. He was saved from having to go back to level 1 just from this, and felt a weight lift off his shoulders, as he grabbed the die once more. He quickly rolled the two remaining rolls, a 13, and a 15. Nothing great, and nothing awful. [You have rolled, 18, 13, and 15. Generating ss List.] Drake waited for the list to show up before him on the screen with nervous tension taut enough he felt himself slowly tearing apart. But he didn¡¯t have to wait long before the sses appeared in front of him. [Apprentice of the Sun Mage] [Epic] [Heretic Mage] [Umon] [Elementalist] [Rare] Drake yelled with glee. "Hell yeah, an epic ss! And this naming sense! Ahhhhh so cool!" He didn¡¯t even wait a split second to begin looking through his options. [Apprentice of the Sun Mage] [Epic]
  • A ss dedicated to the study of the mighty Sun Mage.
  • The Apprentices of the Sun Mage specialize in the use of Fire Magic and all of its facets in an attempt to control the power of the very sun in their hands.
  • Initial +20 to Intelligence and Wisdom. Increased Free Point gain of 25 from 14.
  • Any Mage would be honored to be indoctrinated into the ways of fire magic by the Sun Mage, the pinnacle of anything within the Fire School of Magic. Be warned, anyone who chooses this path will be unable to wield any other forms of elemental magic.
Well that is kinda awesome sounding, but I¡¯m not sure about not using other forms of magic¡­ But 25 Free points from just one ss? And a plus 20 to two stats just from the upgrade? Drake contemted, but needed to go over the other two sses before he made a rash decision. [Heretic Mage] [Umon]
  • A ss dedicated to the research and use of unconventional magic.
  • The Heretical Mage specializes in the use of various ingredients to cast a variety of sacrificial type magic.
  • Initial +10 to Intelligence and Vitality. Increased Free Point gain of 16 from 14
  • Any young Mage that would choose the path of the Heretic is seen poorly in the eyes of the other schools of magic for the reasons of using material and ingredients that would normally be frowned upon. Be warned, those who choose this path will be unable to wield any form of conventional elemental magic.
Yikes. Not sure I would want this ss at all. Not being able to use anything but sacrificial type magic again sounds like pigeon-holing myself and that¡¯s the opposite of what I''m trying to go for right now. Even if specialization is usually more powerful I would have to go with the Sun God ss over this one. I just don¡¯t know enough about Heretic Magic to confidently go with it. Drake thought, nodding to himself for his great insight and rational decision making. And in no way trying to make an excuse to pick the epic ss over this one. Drake looked at the final ss from the selection. [Elementalist] [Rare]
  • A ss that wields the ability to use all four of the major elements.
  • The Elementalist specializes in no one form of Magic, and can control the basics of the four Major schools of Magic.
  • Initial +15 to Intelligence and Wisdom. Increased Free Point gain of 20 from 14
  • Many Mages look down upon the Elementalist as they specialize in no one form of Magic. And are only able to wield the most basic of spells. They are also unusually weak as they are unable to learn enough specialized skills to supplement their power.
This ss piqued Drake¡¯s interest, and sounded very much like what he wanted as an all rounder. Being able to use all of the elements would definitely increase his versatility, and that had essentially been his biggest talking point about himself so far. "The stat bonuses aren¡¯t bad for Elementalist, but the Sun Mage obviously sounds like it wins out in power and overall stat gains," he considered aloud. "Heretic Mage is definitely out, so I have to decide between these two. The Elementalist¡¯s description just seems like it''s ragging on it the whole time and trying to steer me towards the Sun Mage. But I really don¡¯t like the fact that I would be following in someone else¡¯s footsteps¡­ Ahh! But the power to summon a massive fire like spirit bomb! It¡¯s calling to me!!" Drake grabbed his head in his hands as if his head was splitting. "But! A versatile mage that can use four elements?! And adapt to a multitude of situations?! It has to be that right?! It has to be! There¡¯s just too many possibilities to ignore with this ss. I¡¯ll only regret not getting an epic ss just a little¡­" Drake moved to select the Elementalist ss, with tears in his eyes as he kept ncing at the Epic ss. "Only a little!!!" He screamed as he finally selected the Elementalist and a new prompt was ced in front of him. [You have selected Elementalist] [Confirm?] Yes! Stop making me second guess myself, damn it!! Drake shouted internally. [Congrattions! Your Basic Mage ss has upgraded to Elementalist] [Detection of a Secondary ss. Your ss upgrade has been postponed until you have confirmed your Secondary ss] Drake twitched with a bit of surprise as he had totally forgotten that he had another ss to select. He had been so caught up in his head it hadpletely slipped his mind. He flipped through his notifications and found the second ss quest he was looking for. [You have reached Warrior Level 10. Quest Complete] [Quest Complete! Would you like to ept rewards?] [Rewards epted] [Please roll for Rarity of reward items.] [Primary Roll for Main ss-tree Skill Stone] [Secondary Roll for ss Specific, Skill Stone] [Tertiary Roll. Please Roll thrice for ss Advancement Selection] [Once you have rolled you will be presented with a list of sses based off each individual roll] Aw shiet, here we go again. Thought Drake, picking up the die from the floor so he could roll once again. All of Drake¡¯s hesitation and anxiety had already been eaten up by his first go around and he threw the die rapid fire to get to his sses. Tossing it to the ground for the Main ss Tree Stone, the die skipped and tumbled off the floor eventually situating itself. A 15 showing. The stone shone into existence from the bead of light and thudded on the floor a momentter, Drake bending down to pick it up and inspect it. [Main ss-tree Stone: Shield Miller] [Rare] [Unlocks the Shield Miller Main ss-tree.] [Requirement: Open Main ss-tree slot. Warrior Base ss level of 10 or more] "Oh a tank ss? Well that¡¯s a no go, too much trauma from games. Always getting med for bad pulls and everything going wrong even when it wasn¡¯t my fault. Yeah, hard pass." Drake chuckled wearily at the ss name. He quickly pocketed the stone, and rolled again. The die slipped from his hand, rolling to the floor, and bouncing off the floor. This time stopping at 17. Drake pumped his fist, as he leaned over to grab the stone and die that had rolled on the floor. His luck was on a roll today. [Skill Stone: Guardian] [Epic] [Unlocks a random skill from the Guardian tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Warrior Based Main ss-tree or Sub-tree Branch unlocked] Drake¡¯s eyes bulged slightly when he saw that it was an epic skill stone. His luck really was doing well today. He would have to really consider using this one just because it was epic, even though it sounded like it belonged to a tank type ss. How could anyone pass on an Epic Rarity skill? Drake again ced the stone into his inventory forter, looking at the die in his hand for a moment. It was again the moment of truth. Just what type of ss would he get. He didn¡¯t want to psyche himself out, and quickly dropped the die to the ground for his ss generation. But on this roll his luck had run out, as it slowly bounced and tumbled revealing a 2 as it finally ceased to sway back and forth. "Can¡¯t always strike gold right¡­ Haha¡­" He consoled himself, a nervous lump starting to form in the pit of his stomach. Drake took no time to pick the die up and toss it again to the floor, not wanting to let the moment linger for too long. As the die skidded across the wooden floor boards, he felt himself begin to sweat with apprehension. It bounced further than he wanted it to, as he had put a bit too much power into the cast. Drake swiftly ran to look at the result, with a breath of relief. A 17. He gave a silent prayer of gratitude to his god, Kennyphoon. Drake for the second tost time cast his die to the floor, making sure not to throw it with too much strength this time. The die bounced in ce, 2. Then a 16. Finally it hit a crack in the floor and veered off underneath the bed out of view. Drake cursed as he practically leapt to the die concerned about the roll. Only to see it had againnded on 17. [You have rolled 2, 17, and 17 Generating ss List] Drake steadied himself from falling down as he read the notification. He had finally gotten to this point. His hard work had actually paid off. And he had met one of his goals. Now he just had to pick a second ss, and he was on his way to getting through this hellish tutorial. He looked at the now generated ss list. [Farmer] [Common] [Bloodbane Berserker] [Rare] [Shield Miller] [Rare] Oh there¡¯s a familiar face. And two rares to boot! But maybe the farmer ss has some sort of hidden power? Drake thought jovially. [Farmer] [Common]
  • A ss that tends to arablend and the like.
  • The Farmer is amonly seen nonbat ss that uses its strength and vitality to tend to crops.
  • Initial +5 to Strength, Vitality, and Stamina. Decreased Free Points gain of 10 from 14.
  • The Farmer is an essential nonbat ss that instead gains experience from tending to fields and arablend. They are typically looked down on but are vital for the smooth workings of infrastructure for any great nation or empire. Be warned, those who choose this path will lose allbat skills, and gain a predetermined skill set made for Agriculture.
"Wow, that''s actually pretty down to earth. I was honestly expecting it to be a hidden cheat ss where -¡®Through farming I have be the strongest!¡¯- type thing." Drake needled. He coughed as if to excuse himself to all the farmers in the world that were working hard only to be put into these tutorials, and looked to the next more relevant ss that he would decide from. [Bloodbane Berserker] [Rare]
  • A ss that specializes in melee weaponry to cut bloody paths through their enemies with cutthroat precision.
  • The Bloodbane Berserker is a single minded fighting specialist that makes use of blood skills to increase their fighting potential to a frightening degree.
  • Initial +15 to Strength and Dexterity. Increased Free Points gain of 20 from 14.
  • The Bloodbane Berserker is an archetypal fighter ss that is seen through the multiverse as a hallmark of frontline fighters. As the core of any elite fighting force they are both feared and respected.
Now that sounds like actual fire! I can actually see myself as this ss already with how I fight¡­ Drake mused, thinking of his fights so far where he basically bludgeoned monsters with his bare hands. But, there was still thest ss. [Shield Miller] [Rare]
  • A ss that specializes in creating space and protecting allies.
  • The Shield Miller is a moving tank that uses its body and massive defensive buffs to push a path forward for itself and allies through the battlefield.
  • Initial +15 to Vitality and Strength. Increased Free Points gain of 20 from 14
  • The Shield Miller is a misnomer, in that it does not technically use a shield. The Shield Miller is a metaphorical wall that stops any and all aggression in its tracks. They also use their bodies to not only defend, but plow through their enemies.
"Oh. Oh I like that. I have totally misjudged you Shield Miller! I¡¯ll admit that I really want to take the Berserker ss, but the fact that I have an epic skill stone for this ss is really making me biased," Drake said conceding. "Ahhh... But the name Shield Miller just doesn''t really hit for me. Then again, it does look like it gains defensive buffs and a boatload of Vitality from the description, and that¡¯s something I really need considering my fighting style also¡­ It just has to be this then, I have the skill stone already and it will cover my faults for having typically low defense as a Mage." Drake pped his cheeks, to reaffirm himself of his decision, and selected Shield Miller. [You have selected Shield Miller] [Confirm?] For god¡¯s sakes yes! Didn¡¯t you just hear my entire monologue just now?! He screamed internally. [Congrattions! Your Basic Warrior ss has upgraded to Shield Miller] [Detection of a Primary ss. Your sses havebined. Combination ss Elemental Miller] Chapter 29: Assistant Chapter 29: Assistant Drake shook with euphoria, as he saw the text in front of him with his new ss name. Elemental Miller, it sounded like it came right out of a book. But he was soon bombarded with notifications on his peripheral as he attempted to get through them all one by one. [Congrattions! You have upgraded to a new ss Elemental Miller [F-Rank] [Unique] [All basic spells and skills have been removed] [You now have ess to skill trees. Primary ss Tree, Elementalist. Second Primary ss Tree, Shield Miller.] [You have unlocked Sub-tree slows. 4 empty Sub-tree ss slots avable] [You have gained ess to the Elementalist [F-Rank] Main ss Skill Tree.] [You have unlocked 5 empty skill stone slots for Elementalist [F-Rank] [You have learned how to wield the Four Major Elements from your Elementalist ss] [You have gained passive stats and effects from your ss Elementalist [F-Rank] [You have gained ess to the Shield Miller [F-Rank] Main ss Skill Tree.] [You have unlocked 5 empty skill stone slots for Shield Miller [F-Rank] [You have learned Basic Fighting Forms, and Weapon Mastery from your ss Shield Miller] [You have gained passive stats and effects from your ss Shield Miller [F-Rank] [You have gained insight into [Elementalist [F-Rank] Proficiency 1 has increased to Proficiency 2. You now have better understanding of how to wield mana and the four elements] Drake¡¯s head started to feel like it was splitting as the notifications flooded in. He began to feel as if knowledge he shouldn¡¯t have was suddenly there, filling in the gaps of his scattered experience. He knelt to the floor with his head in his hands as the torrent of information continued to enter his mind, threatening to turn his head to mush. Only after several minutes of the painful experience did it finally subside. Drakeid face up on the shack¡¯s wooden floor, a small bead of blood running down from his nose. "I know Kung Fu," he chortled, ignoring the lingering headache he had, "And how to st things with fire. Nice," he continued tough, "What in the hell was that? That didn¡¯t happen when I got my basic ss." Drake slowly sat up, trying not to agitate his pounding head. He wanted to start looking over his new status and such but he felt he should wait until his head didn¡¯t feel like it would explode from new information overload. He backtracked a bit in his notifications to thest thing he needed to roll for. [Quest Complete! 5 of 5 Squad Commander Gnolls [F-Rank] Subjugated] [ept Rewards?] [Yes] [No] [You have been awarded Experience] [Please roll for rarity of item] Drake was fully satisfied from today¡¯s haul and events. So he didn¡¯t bother getting up and tossed the die from his sitting position. It rolled on the floor, then a little more out of his vision. After a few moments the die came to a stop, and a mote of colorful light dropped an item into hisp. It was an egg. A very big egg. The egg was around a foot tall and slightly less wide. It was a clean porcin color and felt smooth and polished to the touch. Drake turned the object around in his hands, and found arge ¡®TA¡¯ stamped on the other side in red. Finally done looking at the egg he inspected it. [Territory Assistant Construct Capsule] [F-Grade]
  • A construct AI made by the system for the purpose of helping rulers of newly established territories in budding universes of the multiverse.
  • 1 Time use item
  • Requirement: A drop of blood to bind to the owner. Monster Cores for continued growth and increased capabilities.
  • Disimer: The system is not responsible for the race, shape, age, gender, and certainly not personality your construct will take.
"Well that seems a little foreboding¡­. I do like the idea of a builder sim aspect though, not that I''m much of a leader. Ah there was that one time in the game where Grumps made me Guild and Raid Leader. But that was only because he thought it was a hassle and didn¡¯t want to do it though¡­." Drake reminisced, "I haven¡¯t exactly been a fan of the system constructs so far but everyone deserves a second chance, right?" Drake hesitantly looked at the egg for a moment, wondering if this was the best decision to just use it, but it was an F-Grade Item and an Assistant did sound like something that could help him right now. He resolved himself, and did what he had always seen when someone wanted to summon something. He bit his thumb and smeared it on the egg. "Oh man, that¡¯s way harder to do than the ninjas make it look¡­" he grimaced. The blood on the egg only sat there for a moment, then seemed to be absorbed into the shell. The shell of the egg rippled, the color turning in a wave from porcin to a dark shade of red. Beginning to tremble slightly, Drake set it on the floor in front of him and got to his feet, backing up slightly. A few more momentster, the egg stopped shaking. And began to glow a radiant color of gold from its center as the shell began to crack and fragment, sending out beams of gold from them. All at once arge crack fractured the top of the egg from one end to the other and the glow disappeared. Drake, unsure of what was going on, moved to the egg. Looking down at it, he waited to see what had happened. "Is it.. defective?" he muttered with suspicion. Suddenly the egg¡¯s top burst open with a pop, as something flew out into the air in front of Drake. Out of reflex Drake snatched the object. Drake grew even more curious as he noticed the feeling of the thing in his hands. It was, wiggling? And was, fluffy¡­? He brought the thing to his face and was astonished as he got a better look at the thing. No. Little person? Struggling in Drake¡¯s hand was a small girl, with redish pointed furry tufts for ears that were on top of her light pink hair. "P¡­Pl..please¡­ Let go! I¡­ give¡­ give up¡­!" The girl squeaked out in a voice that sounded exactly how she looked. Her hands tapping on Drake¡¯s wrapped around her neck. "Oh! Shit my bad," Drake eximed, releasing the small girl from his hand as she fell on her rump on the wooden floor. She squeaked out another short ¡®ow¡¯ when shended but quickly recovered as she got to her feet in a humph pointing up at Drake. "What the hell is wrong with you!? Who grabs a small cute girl out of the air and chokes them nearly half to death?! You goddamn gori!!" she shouted, her furry ears and tail pointing straight up in anger, "Not only did this dolt almost kill me as soon as I was created, but he ruined what was going to be my clearly awesome entrance! I was going to be all Ha! Then wham, ¡®I have arrived!¡¯" she continued in a huff, crossing her arms pouting. Drake was bbergasted, as he watched the small girl that he could now see was wearing what was simr to shrine maiden clothing he had seen in almost every anime he had ever watched, act out a little skit right in front of him. He had never seen what it would look like if a live anime gag had been done right in front of him but this felt like what it would be. He bent down to his haunches, "I¡¯ve been fighting for my life for over a week now, if something randomly pops out of an egg, the least I¡¯m going to do is capture it to make sure it isn''t dangerous. Hell, you¡¯re lucky I didn''t punch you into next week," he said tly, his eyes void of emotion remembering the hellish week. The girl looked up at him, and opened her mouth about to say something, then decided against it. Her ears and fluffy tail drooping. Drake began to feel bad and followed up with, "So what or who exactly are you? The system text said you were an Assistant of some kind." The girl¡¯s ears perked up at the question. "That¡¯s right! Ahem.." she coughed and paused for dramatic effect Drake guessed. The girl lightly hopped off the ground andnded with an excessive il of her arms like she had done a superheronding. Lifting her head she looked into Drake¡¯s eyes, her own squinted. "Do not worry! I have arrived! Ha ha ha!! I will make sure to guide you through the perils of the universe!! I am, Natto!!!" she roared, rising to her feet, her hands on her hips. Whispering something that sounded like ¡®Perfect¡¯ under her breath. Drake did all he could to notugh at the little girl, Natto. And her obviously stolen routine from one of Drake¡¯s favorite animes. "Ok, where did thate from? Um.. Natto? And that doesn¡¯t exactly answer my question." Drake asked, doing his best to hold back his smile. Natto suddenly shook and dropped down to her own haunches. Her head in her hands. Whispering iprehensible words towards the ground. Forcing Drake to bend down even more to make out what she was saying. "Ahhh why did I do those things? It is like I have this urge to spew out the first thing thates to my mind and act like some cutesy anime girl. But my body is fully rejecting it to the point it is shaking! What is all this useless information in my head about cartoons and video games?! With certainty, has the system saddled me with some moron?!" Drake leaned back a little offended," Hey they aren¡¯t cartoons they¡¯re Japanese animations, there¡¯s a difference." Natto lifted her head, her lip quivering upwards in annoyance. "That has nothing to do with it!! What exactly did you put in my head you moronic hairless primate?! Please! Do something to make all the songs in my head stop! I can not even understand them!!!" she screamed, "Maybe you should have just killed me¡­" she said, as her whole body drooped again in resignation. "Awee on, don''t say that," Drake said consolingly. Bringing his hand down to pat her on the head. But Natto quickly swiped the hand away, a small dagger appearing in her hands now. "Do not touch me filth!" she sneered, pointing the sharp end of the weapon at Drake with both hands. Drake looked at his hand and there was no cut so he just ignored the dagger. "A little squirrely there aren¡¯t you?" he asked pointedly. "That is because I am modeled after a Red Squirrel you moron!" she answered, slipping the dagger into one of her sleeves. "Hey. I get that you¡¯re not happy but, cut the shit with the random insults. That tsundere routine is only cute in anime," Drake said, his hand raising above Natto¡¯s head. She whimpered and recoiled a bit, seeing the seriousness in Drake¡¯s eyes. "Un.. understood¡­" she conceded. "Good. Banter is all fair and fun just don¡¯t get carried away just yet. We literally just met a couple minutes ago, and you¡¯ve already had a mood swing, tried to stab me and insulted my hobbies. Not a great first impression," Drake scoffed. "You tried to strangle me to death before you even knew my name," she fired back. "Ok you got me there. Water under the bridge," Drake said, reaching out a hand for a handshake. "I do not think almost killing me, and calling you a few names isparable¡­ But it is not like I can die and leave, we certainly are stuck until you meet a gruesome end," she said reluctantly, raising a small hand to meet him. "It¡¯s all good! Now what exactly do you have stuck in your head, and why is it anime? And why are you so mad about it?" Drake quickly asked, glossing over the fact she waspletely right about him almost killing her. Natto stood up and looked at Drake with deadpanned eyes, "Can you imagine, having something so ingrained in you that you have no choice but toply? It feels like an itch I have to scratch or it will consume me¡­" "Oh, so it¡¯s like a song that''s constantly ying in the background of your head, and when you finally hear the song you have to sing along, and then it¡¯s even more stuck in your head," Drake said, nodding his head. "No it is¡­ actually yes that is an apt analogy," Natto agreed. "So if I was to, I don''t know¡­ start referencing things from my favorite shows and stuff you would know exactly what I meant? And why again would you know all these references?" He asked again. Natto narrowed her eyes. "Yes, I would understand them¡­ And have you not read the fine print on my container?" "You mean the blood?" Drake asked. "Yes the blood you hairless- " she coughed. "Yes the blood, did you think it was just to bind myself to you?" Drake just stared at her, his brows raised. Silence his affirmation. Natto sighed briefly and continued. "While the blood was mainly used to form a blood binding for myself and you, it was also to construct a basis for myself. Giving me some¡­ Personality, even if some if not most of it is unwanted," she pouted, but nevertheless continued, "Also to give me some insight into you as a being. There are a copious amount of races in the multiverse, each having some predetermined traits, so it is my job as a Territory Assistant to subsume some of those traits to better mesh with my new owner and help guide them to flourishing while staying in line with their cultural norms, how they think, feel, and idealize. Is this to your understanding so far?" She finished while walking towards the eggs remains, and putting it away into what Drake assumed was a personal inventory. "Yeah I¡¯m following. So I¡¯m guessing you have some of my memories then. Does that mean you know most of what is going on?" Drake asked, raising a brow. "Certainly!" she said haughtily, "I unfortunately do not have a perfect recall of your entire time here, but I do understand bits and pieces. And I can also do this!" she said, jumping onto Drake''s shoulder. Drake looked on at the small girl as she walked a few steps from his shoulder over to his head. "Remain still, this will be the first time I will be prating anyone after all," she said with a grin. "What do you mea-" Drake tried to say, but quickly felt like he had been injected with something. As Natto had somehow disappeared inside his head. It was almost the same feeling as when you first get water in your ear, when you jump into a pool or bath. "Ah, Ah. Can you hear me?" said Natto, a faint voice inside his head. "Oh I don¡¯t like that. What did you do?! This isn¡¯t an Invasion of the Body Snatchers type deal is it?!" Drake asked, slight panic in his voice. "No you dolt. I am able to merge myself with your body so that I can better understand your situation, mentally and physically. As well as go through your memories in more detail. I also have the added perk of getting back at you through some means I know you hate, since I understand you so well¡­" she answered. Drake moved to pick up the die he had thrown, a 20 visible as he bent down to pick it up, when her words suddenly registered. "What did I say about toning down the insults? And what means¡­ Wait, no you can''t mean?!" Drake asked, his fear now apparent in his shaking voice. As he hesitantly beganbing his head for what he was sure to be there, but didn¡¯t want to confirm. Soon his hands were met with a soft sensation of tufts of fur that pointed upwards, and he could somehow now feel as he rubbed them softly, like a phantom almost empathic sensation. "Oh you son of a bitch!" Drake yelled, his voice echoing out of the shack and into the mines. Chapter 30: Fireballs and Roasted Nuts Chapter 30: Fireballs and Roasted Nuts "You get out here right now you little devil! I¡¯m going to put the fear of Drake in you!" Drake roared, pointing his finger down as if calling out an animal that had made a mess. "Unfortunately, I am unable to acquiesce to your request, my dear gori. You could always try to punish me by hitting yourself. I do not rmend it though, looking through the past couple days it seems your head has taken a few too many blows already. So many so, that I am beginning to worry for you," she teased, a sharp giggle filling Drake''s ears. Drake scowled. "Don¡¯t you dare use that reference against me! We aren¡¯t on a ship, I''m not in a corsette, and this isn¡¯t a negotiation! Get out of my head, damn it!" Drake demanded. "As I said, I cannot. Although it is fun teasing you, I do have to go over some things by going through your memory and taking stock of our situation. You have just made a ss change, no? And you are a.. Oh.. That is interesting! You decided to go with the Dual ssbination, quite rare for a newly indoctrinated. Even more so for someone in the tutorial where you have to randomly get it," said Natto, Drake practically able to hear her smiling. "What do you mean rare? People actually decide to go with this obnoxious bad luck of their own ord?" Drake asked. "Hush, I will exin itter. It will take me a few minutes to make a proper skill n and go over your memories, so just go over your stats or something for a minute like a good Mana Vessel," she said. "Wha- Whatever. You¡¯re lucky I can¡¯t just pull you out of my head like Dumbledore pulling memories from his mind! Damn parasite!" Drake grumbled. There was just a mental nod from Natto, as she went silent to do whatever she was doing inside Drake''s head. He shrugged, but Drake also wanted to go over his newly acquired stats and skill trees. He had been waiting for his headache to go away, and after his back and forth with the little snippy construct his head felt much better. He pulled up his newly adjusted status screen, seeing some new categories and texts. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 10 [Vitality] 204 [Strength] 258 (20) [Dexterity] 200 (30 + 10% Base) +(40) [Intelligence] 358 [Wisdom] 213 [Endurance] 130 (5) [Free Points] 28 [Skills Branches] Primary ss-tree: Elementalist [F-Rank] 0/5 Secondary ss-tree: Shield Miller [F-Rank] 0/5 Primary Sub-tree: Empty Secondary Sub-tree: Empty Tertiary Sub-tree: Empty Quaternary Sub-tree: Empty [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer, Battle of Attrition. Drake looked in wonder at the new parts of the window. He had gained some more percentage bonuses, but had not gained a new title. So he assumed it had to have been from his new sses. He was also surprised by the other windows that seem to have not yet been popted. Pulling out some skill stones and rolling them over in his hands while thinking of what to do. He eventually decided on just waiting until Natto was done with whatever she was doing, as she had felt like a well of information despite just being born, or hatched? He shook his head, there was still so much he didn¡¯t know and he now seemed to have found someone to ask. But as they were doing who knows what inside his head, he had no choice but to wait. Drake filled the time going over his new sses, which gave much more detail when he inspected them individually. Elementalist Proficiency 2 [F-Rank] 0/5
  • A wielder of the four major elements.
  • Passives: +5% to Intelligence and out ofbat mana gain. (+5% Wisdom)
  • Actives: School of Fire P2(0%), School of Water P2(0%), School of Wind P2(0%), School of Earth P2(0%)
He was happy to see that he was right and his new percentage effects were from his new Rare ss. But he was interested in how many things there were to look at. He wasn¡¯t sure what the 0 out of 5 was. Just another question to add to the list for him to ask Natto when she was finished, Drake thought. Then a mental nudge came from inside his head. Drake looked around from instinct to see if something or someone had bumped him, even though he knew it was Natto. Could she hear him? If that was true he would have to find a way to separate his thoughts from her. Just another thing to work on in his long, long grocery list of things to do. He began looking more in depth to his skills from the Main tree. [School of Fire] Proficiency 2(0%)
  • The active ability set to control the magic school of fire. Your proficiency over fire is still early at this juncture, giving you only the basics of spells.
  • Spell: Fireball - "The fire of my heart, take form and sear my enemies. Fireball."
  • Basic single target spell. Deals fire damage in a 4 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Small Mana Cost.
  • Spell: Fire Cloud - "The fire of my heart, disperse and set me to the world. Fire Cloud."
  • Basic Area of Effect spell. Deals fire damage in a 2 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Moderate Mana Cost.
"Now that¡¯s a lot to take in. And do the spells have to be so long? Memorizing these is going to feel like I''m back in school¡­" Drake whined. "But I guess that¡¯s just how it has to be. It¡¯s called hard work for a reason¡­" Drake sighed. He instantly recovered as he had some new spells to y with, and wanted to quickly test them out. Drake closed his eyes, raised his arm and concentrated to remember the words. "The fire of my heart, take form and sear my enemies. Fireball!" Drake¡¯s eyes opened as he felt the familiar pull of mana from his body as it flowed into the red lit magic circle in front of him. A head sized fireball bloomed to life from a small spark in his hand. Surprisingly the ball did not move and only hovered on top of Drake¡¯s hand. Even more so was that he could feel the heat from the ball of mes but it did not hurt or burn. But he could distinctly tell it was very hot. Magic was a wonderful and wondrous thing, he thought. Earning him another mental nudge. "What am I supposed to do with this?" Drake said, gazing at the hovering ball of fire. Then remembering he was inside a wooden shack. He quickly kicked open the shack¡¯s door and exited, looking around to find a ce to throw the bubbly sphere of intense mes. Not being able to decide, Drake ended with just throwing the fireball into the end of the tunnel. He pitched the Fireball like a baseball at the tunnel wall. It left his hand with a small trail of fire behind it as it soared through the air. A secondter colliding with the wall in a torrent of sparks and a small explosion of ensuing fire. "Wow¡­. Now THAT, is what I think of when I think Magic!!!" he shouted. His hair slightly blowing backwards in the breeze of the small explosion. Feeling the slight heat on his face, as he smiled ear to ear at the aftermath of light and fire. "What in the world are you doing out there!?" A voice suddenly asked from inside Drake¡¯s head. "Oh? You don¡¯t know when you''re inside my noggin?" asked Drake incredulously. "It goes without saying I know what is going on. I¡¯m asking what are, YOU doing. I said look at your stats, not go blow up half the Mines!" Natto said. "Rx. I¡¯m just fulfilling one of the things every adolescent boy dreams about," Drake grinned. "Ugh. Can you be any more of a typical little boy trapped in an adult''s body?" she admonished. "Hey! I resent that. I totally agree with it, but I would like to state my displeasure in you pointing it out. Also I like it when things go boom, it brings me copious amounts of dopamine," Drake said, giving a toothy grin. Drake could feel Natto shake her head in some weird way. "So are you finally done in there? I have a metric fuck ton worth of questions to ask," Drake said. "I am for the most part done. But I would like to also go over some things," she said. "Sure, juste on out." "I would like to also go over some things, civilly," she said again. "Fine¡­ just get out here," Drake said. There was some hesitation before Natto answered. "Really¡­?" "Yes, just hurry up," Drake answered. "You promise not to hit me?" she asked. "Oh my lord. Yes, what are you five? What do you want me to do, pinky promise?" Drake said. "I was born literally minutes ago. And certainly. A pinky promise will suffice," she answered. Drake ced a hand over his face. And tried to wipe away the exhaustion from it. "I pinky promise not to hit you. Satisfied?" A momentter Drake felt a pull from his head much like when he felt the pull of mana leaving his body, as a small girl materialized on his shoulder. The next moment, Drake brought his hand up to flick her square in the forehead, leaving a small red mark. And Natto quickly covered it with both her hands, tears forming in her eyes. "You promised!!!" she shouted. "I promised not to hit you. I never said I wouldn''t flick your forehead gently." Drake chortled. Natto removed her hands. Tears still on the sides of her eyes. A small bump forming in the center of her forehead, almost protruding enough to be called a horn. "You call this gentle?!" she said, pointing at the lump. Drake just chuckled at the still forming red lump on her head. And walked back into the shack with the pouting huffy Natto on his shoulder. Once inside, Drake hopped onto the Foreman¡¯s bed so that he could sit down on something mildlyfortable. Natto had calmed down and dropped from his shoulder to the bed. Rubbing her forehead at the now receding bump. "I can still feel it¡­" she pouted. "You¡¯ll be fine," Drake said. "You''re a brute! A Gori! A filthy weeb!!" she shouted. "You¡¯re technically part me, remember? Absorbing my blood and all. So that makes you part me which makes you part weeb," Drake said, grinning. She froze and her eyes became devoid of emotion as she fell on her hands. "You¡¯re right¡­ I am¡­" she said sullenly. Drakeughed again. It was bing more and more fun to tease the small construct. "Well what did you want to say before I start bombarding you with questions?" Drake finally asked, almostughing himself to tears. Natto slightly recovered and held out a hand. "Monster cores. Gimmie," she said tly. "Don¡¯t have those," Drake said, shaking his head. "What do you mean you do not have any?! I watched your memories, you have killed hundreds of F-Rank monsters. Brutally I might add. There is certainly no way you have not acquired any!" she shouted. "I¡¯ve never had anything but skill stones drop from monsters." Drake said. Natto¡¯s face paled and it was now her turn to wipe her face with her hand, trying to remove the exacerbation from it. "Of course they do not drop. You have to cut it out of the monsters. They are called a core for a reason. They are inside their bodies, duhhh." Drake brought his hand up, his finger primed to deliver another flick. But Natto quickly recoiled, protecting her forehead with both hands. "No one told me that, so I don¡¯t have any. There¡¯s plenty of bodies outside we can get them fromter. What do you need them for?" A small rumble was heard from Natto. Her face flushed a bit. "I am hungry.. And! I need them to grow! I am still not F-Grade, so I can only offer very limited assistance and information. Basic Skill suggestions, race information, bits about the tutorial." "Well, it will be a bit to go outside, so you have enough information avable to get me started on my skills right now?" Drake asked. Natto nodded but looked down to rub her belly. It rumbling slightly louder this time. "Good then you¡¯ll just have to wait. In the meantime.." Drake said, looking through his inventory, "Here." Drake pulled out a bag of roasted nuts that were still slightly steaming hot from his inventory, reminded that she was modeled after a red squirrel. Natto¡¯s eyes sparked at the bag. Her hands immediately went up in a begging motion for the steaming food. Drake took a single nut from the bag and ced it into her hand. And because of her size it was nearly half the width of her head. She quickly began digging into the food, devouring it in a sh. Her hand shooting back up as if to ask for more. Drake smiled as he held up another one, but didn¡¯t give it to her right away. "What do we say when we want something?" he said with a malicious sneer. Her eyes thinned to small slits as she turned her head away. "I will not demean myself to the level of begging for a mere morsel of such insignificant value," she said, but her still shimmying hands and fingers told another story, as they moved closer to Drake. Drake couldn¡¯t hold back a deep bellyugh as he dropped the piece into her hands, and ced the bag next to her. "Ah man, that¡¯s good sauce," Drake managed to say through gasps of air as heughed. Chapter 31: Becoming F-Rank Chapter 31: Bing F-Rank Drake started to calm down after several minutes of rolling aroundughing on the bed. Eventually sitting up and wiping away the tears with a finger. "So you need the Monster Cores to level up is what you¡¯re saying?" stated Drake, stillughing slightly. "Yesh! I can alsho level up witsh killing monshtersh," she said through a food filled mouth. Slowly gulping down what remained and continued. "But it is not nearly as efficient that way. It is simr to how you can use skill stones to level up your proficiency with skills." Drake straightened up at that. "Wait, can I do that? I don¡¯t even have any skills outside my main sses yet though," he said. "I know. I was just mentioning it. But I will also say that I would not rmend it," she said, grabbing another roasted nut from the bag. "Why? It sounds like a great way to speed up the process," Drake said. "For one," she started, chewing a bit into the roasted nut, "Faster is not always better. You will not gain the same amount of practical experience doing it that way. It would be very simr to reading a book on something and having all the knowledge to do it. But none of the on site experience to actually perform said tasks," she said, biting into the rest of the roasted nut in her hands with vigor. "That¡­ That¡¯s unfortunate. It¡¯s like being almost pseudo knowledgeable on a subject and then preaching from the rooftops about what you just learned without having any real experience huh.." Drake said, slightly deting that his shortcut to catch up was dashed away, "I definitely wouldn''t want to be maxed out on proficiency for a skill only to fall t on my face fromck of practical use... "Certainly! On the other side of that coin is. It is quite expensive," Natto said, pointing a new roasted nut at Drake, with a tilt of her head. "Expensive?" he asked. "With certainty!" she piped up, "I suppose it makes sense you do not understand because the tutorial has no currency outside TP and Monster Cores at the moment. But even at the rate you kill monsters and I do mean you kill a lot. You would run out of skill stones to absorb before you reached even the end of F-Rank Proficency in any skill, so what would you have to do to get more? You have to kill even more or?" she asked. "Buy them¡­?" Drake answered. "Correct!" she cheered, with an overdone pping, illiciting a frown from Drake, "Even if you had enough money to buy them, or time to hunt them. You would make more significant and meaningful progress just training your skills in the long run. And you would never get past the wall of C-Rank that way, it would just be too expensive for anyone on a new in the multiverse. Only rich kids from higher tier worlds, with silver spoons could do something like that, but they understand the pitfall of doing it so none do for the most part. This excludes nonbat sses though. Most of the nonbatants go through using Monster Cores instead, just because it is safer and they are fine with staying E-Rank," she finished. "That is a knowledge bomb to unpack littledy.." Drake whistled. Natto just red through small bites of her food at Drake. Drake ignored her and began asking a question, "So about my skills-" But Natto raised a small hand to stop him. "Before any of that. Strip," she said Drake recoiled. "What?! No! Why would I do that?" he shouted. "If I tell you, you would not do it. Just strip," she repeated, an insidious grin forming on her crumb filled face. "That¡¯s even more reason to say no! Who leads with something like that?" Drake recoiled. "They do it in all the animes. Right before the Main Character powers up! Do you not want to power up?" she snickered. "Well yeah... But what does that have to do with me getting naked?" he asked. "Those are some nice clothes, would not dare wish for them to get dirty. Also bring out the Soul and Internal Mastery Sub-tree stones," she said, moving closer to Drake, her hands out again waiting for the clothes. Drake stared at the small construct for a moment, trying to discern if she was messing with him. But after a short stand off he pulled the two crystalline stones from his inventory, ced them on the bed next to him and stood up beginning to remove his clothes. "I¡¯m leaving my trousers on though..." he grumbled. "If that¡¯s what you¡¯re into," Natto said, with a roll of her eyes. "I¡¯m not- I¡¯m not enjoying this!" he roared, his skin taking on a light red hue. "Yes, yes. Just give me the clothes already. Innocent maiden¡­" she said tly. Drake formed a scowl on his face, before cing his folded clothes in her hands. Natto moved over to where she had left her bag of nuts, ced the bag onto the pile of folded clothes and raised it all above her head. She began to run a slight distance away, the clothes bobbing up and down almostically as she trotted along. Eventually she moved near the end of the bed, and plopped down, continuing to eat her food. "Ok! You can start absorbing the Sub-tree stones now!" she shouted over. Drake scrunched his face, raising a brow in confusion for a moment, then grabbed the stones at his feet. "I don¡¯t like where I think this is going.." he mumbled. Drake looked down at the stones, and was wondering which to use first, but quickly just started left to right. [You wish to consume, Sub-tree Stone: Internal Mastery] [Common] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Drake hesitated for a beat, then mentally epted with trepidation. The next moment he felt his left hand heat up for a split second, a small amount of light radiating from it. He could then feel the stone melt and enter his body like a cold saline IV, shooting up his arm and spreading throughout his body. His body began to shiver slightly from both a cold, and a euphoric feeling of power that wrapped his body. [You have consumed, Sub-tree Stone: Internal Mastery] [Common] [You have unlocked the Primary Sub-tree Internal Mastery [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Internal Mastery] [You have unlocked 1 of 2 Primary Sub-trees] "Oh my god. That felt so weird! But also amazing!!" he said with a guffaw. "Do the next one, naked monkey man!" hollered Natto. Drake ignored her jab and moved onto using the next stone. [You wish to consume, Sub-tree Stone: Soul Mastery] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Drake immediately epted this time, almost craving for the euphoric feeling again. [You have consumed, Sub-tree Stone: Soul Mastery] [Umon] [You have unlocked the Primary Sub-tree Soul Mastery [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Soul Mastery] [You have unlocked 2 of 2 Primary Sub-trees] [You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have obtained Title: First of Your Kind] Drake again felt the cold power rush of the skill being subsumed into his body but this time it was much more powerful. Almost bringing him down to his knees as it continued to grow in intensity inside him. The cold shivers turned to warmth as he started feeling something build up inside him that forced him to scream not in pain. But for release of the pressure. He had gone past enjoying the feeling of the energy inside him and only sought to expel whatever was bubbling up inside him. With a loud roar Drake dropped to his knees with the sound of a pop. An explosion of ck tar and iridescent oil flooded out of him, and covered a majority of the bed around him. "Ohhh! Tamaya!!!" Natto shouted with glee, "That was a big one huh? I wonder if he is ok. I believe he is alive, since I still exist, but¡­" she said hesitantly looking over at the now naked manying in a pile of ck smelly filth. " Ehh.. I am certain he will be fineeee," she said mostly unconcerned, biting into another warm roasted nut happily, her tail and ears wagging with pleasure. An hourter Drake arose in the pile of smelly guck. Very unhappy, sticky and smelly. And if looks could kill, the small pink haired construction would have died many times over. "Ugh... Is this what it feels like to be on the casting couch¡­..?" Drake said with disdain. Drake quickly summoned as many canteens as he could and rubbed himself down. For thirty minutes he rubbed and scraped, nearly to the point he felt he was taking off skin. And even after that he still felt like he smelled and needed more proper bathing. The only thing that stopped Drake from continuing to scrub himself down was that he had run out of water and the fact that Natto had started stealing nces at him while he bathed, giving him an ufortable feeling. "What? Why do you keep looking over here?" Drake finally asked. "Oh.. you know¡­" she said sheepishly. Drake looked down and understood what she was saying. Not only was he now naked, his boxer shorts nowhere to be seen, but he had also lost all of his b. His slightly protruding belly had been reced with a rock hard 8-pack, his arms and legs were now covered in firm string like muscles, the extra softness of his face was gone. And his soft cake was now a firm pound cake. Drake finally noticed that his perspective was just slightly off as well, now that he looked around. "Oh god damn it. Did I get shorter?!" he yelled, snatching his clothes from Natto, and putting them on. "It is quite possible," she said. "When you go through your first rank-up you expel quite a lot of the stuff your body doesn¡¯t need, the small stuff at first, fat, broken bones, blemishes, birthmarks, and some height apparently, if you deem it unnecessary." "Why would it consider my height as something I don¡¯t need? I was just barely inside the 6-foot high club. Now I¡¯m definitely getting my membership card revoked," Drake said. "Rank-ups change your body to the mostbat-efficient version of yourself based on your ss or in your case sses and skills. So you subconsciously decided to make yourself more slim, nimble, and well, shorter," Natto giggled, covering her mouth with a new roasted nut. "I hope you get fat eating those, in-fact you are getting fat. Miss Chipmunk Cheeks," Drake said. Natto immediately froze and dropped her roasted nut. Looking down and embarrassingly patting down at her midsection. "I am not! I¡¯m a construct in the first ce. I can''t get fat! I¡¯m a Red Squirrel, you take that back!" she yelled. "If you can dish it you have to be able to take it tiny," Drake said with a smile, finally fully clothed and away from the mess that was ground zero. Drake picked Natto up and ced her on his shoulder as he began rolling up the linens on the bed, pushing them into a roll that he moved off of the bedside. He sat back down and ced Natto down in front of him, roasted nut bag and all. "Ok. Now that that is over, you have some questions to answer. The first construct I met in the introduction was far less than helpful so I¡¯m pretty much in the dark about everything," he said. "As I have said, I only have limited ess at the moment thanks to still being below F-Grade, or No Grade currently. So most of my assistance will only be in the way of skills for the moment. But I am generous!" she announced, sticking up her nose slightly. "So I will allow you to ask away!" Ignoring her haughty attitude Drake began, "Then where are we, for starters." "The tutorial zone," she answered back tly, earning her a flick to the forehead. She rubbed the impact of the flick incredulously, staring back at Drake. "But it¡¯s true! The tutorial zone is a space created by the supervising race sponsor, and isn¡¯t anywhere in particr," she answered. "Lead with that next time, you little nut-o-holic. Then what is a supervising race and why would they sponsor a tutorial?" he asked. Natto hmphed but answered nheless. "Supervising races are superior or veteran races that provide for newly formed universes¡¯ tutorials. And the reason they do so is so that they can get in contact with the forerunners and prodigies of the new worlds before they are technically supposed to be able to." "What do you mean by technically?" Drake interrupted. "You would find this outter. But it is something you could have learned if you just asked the right questions in the introduction. Every new universe is set to have two livables in them, to either be synergistic or antagonistic to one another. And once I obtain F-Grade I can share more on that but, once the universe is established after the 120 day tutorial period, the system puts a protective veil on the universe. Barring anyone from finding the baby universe for 10 years, or until they be a C-Rank Universe. Whicheveres first," Natto exined. "Wow, that¡¯s a long time. Does reaching C-Rank really take that long? And every tutorial is 120 days then?" He asked. "Give or take, every tutorial of new universes are about that length. That is why you are incentivized to gain levels quickly to reach 10 through quests and item rewards. But everyone is released from the tutorial spaces at the same time to make it fair. If youplete yours faster you are just given better rewards, titles etcetera. And no, reaching C-Rank usually takes longer, just look at your own growth. It bes increasingly harder to grow level after level. The you will be on will be the same way, but the is going to rank up through global quests and milestones. Defeating world beasts, and super hard things like that," she said, finally feelingfortable enough to grab another roasted nut out of the bag next to her. "Interesting¡­" Drake said in a hushed tone, bringing his hand to his mouth to think. Then brought out another bag of roasted nuts that were piping hot stil,. "Now, tell me about skills." Natto¡¯s eyes locked onto the bag of food, her eyes staring so intensely it was as if they turned to stars, as she nodded her head up and down furiously. "Anything for the sacred food of my people," she said entranced. "Ok, that¡¯s not weird." Drake chuckled lightly, as he was slightly off put by the response. "What¡¯s the best way to use all of these?" he finished, dropping all of his skill stones onto the bed, nearly burying them under a mound of crystaline stones. Chapter 32: Natto’s Basic Skill Class 101 Chapter 32: Natto¡¯s Basic Skill ss 101 Natto popped her head out of the small pile of stones, carrying her bag of food above her head, with a gasp," Puwah! What is the big idea!" sheined, digging herself out, careful not to spill her bag of food. "Skills. Now. Or no more roasted nuts," Drake demanded. Natto gulped audibly as she nodded. "Ok ok. From what I saw, you are trying to go for an all round magic fighting build?" she asked. "Yeah that¡¯s about right. I want to model it after one of my favorite games, powerful mage and physical attacks that are supported by passive buffs and items. Think I can do that?" he asked. Natto looked at the pile of stones and ced her bag of food into one of her sleeves, almost like it had sucked up the bag. "Let¡¯s see what we have to work with. From your memories you have a few rare stones. Will you grab them? Also you haven''t added any sub-trees to your second ss, so pull out any sub-tree stones you have as well," she said, walking up to the pile. Drake looked at the pile of stones and shrugged, cing the entire pile into his inventory again, pulling the stones she asked for into his hands. Then ced the rest in a pile again on the bed. Right on top of the small construct. "Ah!!" she screamed as the tidal wave of stones fell on her. After a moment she poked her head out again, with a gasp for air. Staring daggers at Drake. "You are doing that on purpose are you not!?" "Of course not..." he said with a grin, holding the stones she asked for in-front of her, "I would never be so petty." Natto gritted her teeth but kept her mouth silent. Grabbing the stones and inspecting them. After looking through them she was amazed. "You have a legendary skill stone here, how did you manage to get that?" she asked. "I got lucky, I also have a legendary Main ss Tree Stone, although I couldn¡¯t use it," hemented. "Is it also a Necromancy stone?" she asked warily. "Yeah, why is that bad?" he said looking down at her slightly confused. "Very bad. Every Legendary Skill Stone is regted in the multiverse by their respective Primordial or High Races, some are even part of the Races that were Originators of the multiverse, although those found could be counted on one hand. And the Necromancy Path is only used by one race, the High Liches. The Primordial Undead make sure to snatch up these stones because they are in a way a part of their race, as the stone will change you into a High Lich. Every Legendary Stone, including some Epic and Rare Stones can and will change your race, personality, or bodily features. There are even some items that hold, curses or remnants of past users that will do the same," Natto said with worry, as she continued, "If you are lucky, they will not be the sponsors of this tutorial and from what I have seen from your fights there have been no undead. So I think it would be likely they are not. But if you are super unlucky and they are¡­" she trailed off. "I¡¯m boned. So what do I do?" he asked. "I would say throw them away and let them be someone else¡¯s problem but a rampaging Necromancer in any baby universe is a recipe for bad sauce. So I would keep it in your inventory and never show it to anyone. There should not be any skills that can steal from your pouches or see inside your inventory just yet at F-Rank, but there are powerful identifying and mana sensing skills that you can get that would be able to notice the magicing from the stone," she advised. "Magic from the stone? It just looks like a shiny stone to me." he said, grabbing the stone from her hand. "That is because you don¡¯t have a proper identifying skill and aura control skill just yet. Once you obtain those it will be like hitting a magic threshold for you. Control, perception and precision goes up exponentially," she told him. "Oh I like that. Does that mean I get to shape my spells into other spells?" Drake asked, starting to get excited. "Yes and no. It will depend on what skill you receive, skills are quite random i am afraid. And we are mostly dealing with low quality stones in tutorials so you have a wider pool of said skills to pull from," she answered, her hands rifling through the stones and cing some to the side. "Then where does raritye into y?" Drake asked, watching her sort some of the stones out. "Rarity of skill stones only do a few things. Increase of effects from a skill. For example if you get a skill to hit something for say¡­ 1 to 1 damage from amon rarity skill stone, a legendary would increase the multiplier and have additional or more substantial effects, say 1 to 10 instead while also having an additional multiplier, effects, bonuses, or a status ailment," Natto said. "Oh that¡¯s kinda cool, it¡¯s like everything in this system is gacha. Although I was kinda screwed over by it..." he said trailing off. "Again, yes and no. But you will start seeing when you go through gaining your skills. And sadly that is one of the unfortunate side effects of being a forerunner for new worlds. You only really get to usemon and umon stones outside of the free rolls, meaning the peopleing after you will reap all the benefits of your hard work when they either buy or receive higher rarity stones from you in one way or another," she mused. "Wait, what do you mean by I will be forced to only use themon and umon stones? Is the system different outside of the tutorial for skills?" Drake asked. Natto paused, then tapped her finger to her chin thoughtfully, "I can not dilvulge too much, but yes the system for obtaining and consuming skills outside of the tutorial will differ from here. As far as the stones avable for you to consume, for the most part it will be thesemon and umon ones. The system forces the early indoctinators of new universes to go through extreme hardship to forge proper Mana Vessels, which unfortunately means you, and everyone else here, will have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for skills, items, and resources outside of quest rewards, "she exined. "I think we have everything we can use for now and sadly it is not a lot. Thankfully you have some unusual rare stones that will knock out some of your vital skills. But first here," she said, holding up a skill stone. [Sub-tree Stone: Weapon Mastery] [Common] [Unlocks Weapon Mastery Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Sub-trees. Have the Main ss-tree unlocked.] "For my Shield Miller ss?" Drake asked, raising a brow. "Indeed, this Sub-tree ismon but it will synergize very nicely with what you would like to do. I guarantee it!" Natto said proudly, thumping her hand against her chest. Drake looked suspiciously for a moment at the stone then the construct. "I¡¯m not going to blow up again am I?" Drake asked. "No, no, no¡­. At least I would not think so since we are going to have you hold off on thest Second Secondary Sub-tree for now regardless," she said, a weary grin tugging at the side of her mouth. "Good, because I¡¯m out of water, and I don¡¯t like feeling like I¡¯m on that kids TV show that covers them in green goo all the time." Drakeughed wryly, "Also why would we hold off? Wouldn¡¯t that keep me intentionally iplete and weaker?" he asked, standing up. "Why did you mention that show¡­ Now I am having shes of bad game gags going through my head," she said, putting her hand on her temples," And yes you will stay slightly weaker but it will not affect you adversely. We can also get away with it since you have a total of 30 skill slots, leaving 5 and one Sub-tree would not do you too much harm," she finished. "And the reason..?" Drake asked, gripping the stone in his hand, preparing himself to absorb the stone. "All I can say right now is that every tutorial has a store at the end, which you are umting your TP for. And you want the stuff in that store if my hunch is right. While we may not have the best Skill Stones to work with currently, what is in that store will make up for it a hundred fold," she said, her arms crossing as she waited for him to subsume the stone. "Ah¡­ that makes a lot of sense, so it might be worth killing people for TP then if that¡¯s the case," Drake said, straight faced. Natto suddenly loosened her arms and looked at Drake ck jawed. "I did not take you for an evil mass murderer. Well¡­ At least a human mass murderer. You do not even have the title!" she said nervously. "I¡¯ve been just biding my time¡­" Drake said, looking at her to gauge her reaction, "I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯ll admit I''ve be pretty coarse over the past week or so, but I¡¯m still me, and I don¡¯t want to go around indiscriminately killing people. I¡¯ll just kill more monsters," he retorted. Drake ignored the suspicious re that Natto was giving him and began absorbing the stone. [You wish to consume, Sub-tree Stone: Weapon Mastery] [Common] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Here goes nothing, please don¡¯t make me blow up again. Drake thought. Drake felt the sh of heat, then the cold as the small stone was absorbed into his body. Power began welling up inside him once again, Drake continuing to pray for himself not to pop like a balloon of ck gunk for the second time. But a few held breathster the power inside Drake settled and he was fine. A sigh of relief leaving his mouth once it did. [You have unlocked the Secondary Sub-tree Weapon Mastery [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Weapon Mastery] [You have unlocked 1 of 2 Primary Sub-trees] Weapon Mastery - Proficiency 1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Increasedpetence of weaponry
  • Passive: Increased overall weapon damage of 1% (Increased based on Proficiency)
"Certainly that is wonderful! You did not blow up this time!" Natto¡¯s voice said from far away on the other side of the bed. At some point she had scurried over out of range, just in case he had blown up. Drake justughed softly as he gave her a sidelong nce. Natto returned next to him with hurried steps a few secondster. Another stone in her raised hand. "Alright! Now for the Skill Stones. Because this is your first time consuming one, I will tell you how it works," she said, her nose raised high into the sky like she was doing Drake the biggest favor yet, " You can mentally select which Main ss Tree or Sub-tree you want to learn the skill in through your status window. Just think of the Tree and then consume the stone. Simple enough, even someone like you can do it!" she finished with a slight jump in her voice, as she guarded her head from the iing finger flick. Drake thinned his eyes at the construct but looked at his status. Excited to learn a new skill. Going through his status screen Drake noticed the new title that he had gained when he reached F Rank earlier but was too busy to look at it. He was interested now that he remembered as it was the first title that he had a notification for. [First of Your Kind] [You have be a person who has strayed from the beaten path. Be the first person to obtain a F Rank Dual ss in your respective tutorial. +10% to all Stats] Drake¡¯s body began to shake with excitement as he read the percentage gain. It was thergest yet and it was for every single stat he had. And he had been the first to do it. It was the first time he hade first in something so significant. Sure he had won some things here and there, but this. This was something that people were fighting life and death in. Drake allowed himself to feel a smidgin of pride as he read the description again, a smile slowly creasing his face. "Gross. What are you smiling at like that?" Natto jabbed, recoiling slightly in faux disgust. Drake looked down at the small construct and snatched the stone from her hand. "Just give me that. You know the first thing I¡¯m washing out when I find soap is going to be your mouth. Who raised you? Where did you get this attitude from?!" "You, dolt," she sneered, bringing out her bag of food and pulling a roasted nut from it. Drake just looked ck jawed at the small girl for a moment, unable toe up with a witty reply. Instead he looked at the skill stone he now had in his hand. [Skill Stone: Guardian] [Epic] [Unlocks a random skill from the Guardian tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Warrior Based Main ss-tree or Sub-tree Branch unlocked] "And what am I hoping to get with this? It''s my only epic Skill Stone so I feel like it should be pretty powerful, right?" Drake asked, gripping the stone. "I am hoping that it will give you one of the core abilities you need. Skills are random like I have mentioned. But, they will fill your needs in certain ways the more skills you learn. That is why we are only going to do the skills in a certain order, as to do our best in filling in the gaps." Natto said, plopping down at Drake¡¯s feet. Continuing to eat her food. "Ok, but what skill? I could use a lot of things right now. Movement, passive abilities, better regeneration, defensive skills." Drake asked. "Movement skill or an analyst skill would be the top two you need at the moment. Passive skills willeter once you have filled out a few active skills," she answered, continuing after taking another bite of the roasted nut, "But what do you mean defensive skills, have you not looked at your Shield Miller description yet?" she chided, her brow raised as she turned to look up at him. "I-" Drake started hesitantly but quickly closed his mouth and looked at his other ss. He had glossed over it in his excitement of gaining so many things in such a short window of time. Shield Miller Proficiency 1 [F-Rank] 0/2
  • A battle tested frontliner.
  • Passives: +5% to Vitality and out ofbat Stamina regeneration. (+5% Endurance)
  • Actives: Bulwark P1 (0%), Unbreakable P1 (0%)
[Bulwark] Proficiency 1 [F-Rank](0%)
  • The active ability to summon a temporary shield around yourself based on your Vitality. The Shield Miller is the shield that takes on and advances through any adversity.
  • Skill: Bulwark - "I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark."
  • Temporary Shield skill. Creates a barrier of health based on a 0.25 to 1 per Vitality. Shieldsts 10 minutes, or until broken. Cooldown does not start until the shield has expired.
  • Moderate Stamina Cost.
  • 10 Minute Cooldown.
[Unbreakable] Proficiency 1 [F-Rank](0%)
  • The skill that activates a passive buff to defensive effectiveness of items. Your body is unbreakable, a wall on which your enemies fall.
  • Skill: Unbreakable - "I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable."
  • Temporarily increase your defensive effectiveness of items based on a 0.1 to 0.5 ofbined Vitality and Stamina. Unbreakable effectsst 5 minutes. Cooldown begins when effects dissipate.
  • Small Stamina Cost
  • Cooldown of 5 minutes
"Wow. I guess I won¡¯t really need to worry about anything defensive, looking at these two alone. It said the ss wasn¡¯t a tank, but these are pretty tank-esque type skills." Drake said. "They are very good for a versatile melee fighter, but once you go against a defense oriented monster or person, you will quickly see you are going to be outmatched in defensive capabilities." Natto said with a wave of her roasted nut. "You¡¯re saying these are only mid?" Drake asked, confused as he read through the descriptions again. "Mhhm," Natto said through stuffed cheeks, "Look at the ratios. Specialized sses have above a 1 to 1 in most instances. Only the craziest of people would think to fight alone after being transferred to a zone literally meant to try to kill you in an attempt to make some people stronger." Drake only smiled wearily as he scratched the back of his head. He had done exactly that. Not because he was crazy, but he had thought of it more as a game at first and wanted to get ahead. The whole experience was beyond difficult but it had allowed him to shape himself into a stronger person both mentally and physically. It was honestly why Drake had joked earlier about killing people. Although Drake had his misgivings about taking human life, he wasn¡¯t ignorant of what was going on. People were killing people for their own benefit, it was as simple as that. Which meant that Drake would either be targeted himself or he would possibly be put into a position where he had to kill someone. Drake just wanted to dy that as much as possible. He wasn¡¯t some self righteous red cape wearing, gun toting ouw with funny hair and yellow tinted sses. But he wanted to at least know that he only did it for very good reasons or if he had no other choice. He had already be jaded to the killing of monsters. Sure they were only humanoid shaped, but back before the system Drake had never even gone hunting or killed anything outside a bug on asion. And now he could savagely kill groups of monsters without batting an eye, he wouldn¡¯t go as far as saying he enjoyed it just yet but he was quickly getting there. The adrenaline and euphoria of leveling up and conquering anything that stood in his way was electrifying in a way. Drake snapped back to the present when he heard another crunch as Natto bit into a roasted nut. Now just looking up at him from his sitting position, with a facial expression that just screamed. ¡®Are you going to get on with it?¡¯ Drake coughed ufortably and tried to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen her expression. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Guardian [Epic] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Drake breathed out, preparing himself for the influx of power from consuming the stone. And mentally confirmed it. Another steely pinch of cold pierced his hand, more potent than before. The length of the feeling lingered longer than it had previously as well, for a long drawn out moment. Like someone was dripping ice into his body slowly. Then a re of heat burst forward and soon epassed his whole body, filling him with a warm radiance that emanated from his hand. Almost a pulse of warm heat going out through his veins. After a moment he could see a faint green glowe from his hand as he opened it to see the stone finally dissipate and sink into his skin. Then, the power hit him. [You have consumed Skill Stone: Guardian [Epic] [You have unlocked Skill: Guardians Reprieve [F-Rank] The immense feeling of gaining the power contained within the Epic Skill Stone was nothing like he had felt before. The level ups, the increase in stats, nothing even came close as it swirled within him like a hurricane, refusing to be quelled. Drake began to breathe more heavily, his breath bing increasingly ragged with each one. He looked over to the pile of skill stones and began grabbing them, subsuming each one with rapid pace. He heard a distant voice screaming at him to stop as he continued but ignored it and the notifications that piled in as he went from one stone to the next. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Leader [Umon] [Confirm?] [You have learned Skill: Aura of Command [F-Rank] [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Strength [Umon] [Confirm?] [You have learned Skill: Martial Blow [F-Rank] [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Warrior [Common] [Confirm?] [You have learned Skill: Warrior¡¯s Stamina [F-Rank] Drake went through stones in rapid session. He was on a high like he had never felt before, an instantly made addict. Every hit felt better than thest. He reached for the next stone he saw, but was stopped by a knife going through his hand pinning it to the bed. Without thinking Drake pulled his hand and it from the bed, grabbing what had stabbed him in his other as he rose. "I- I said¡­ stop, you¡­ fucking psycho¡­!" Natto grunted out through Drake''s grip. Drake finally heard her and immediately dropped the small construct. Shivering at what he had almost just done. He recoiled in shock as he realized he had almost just killed her while he went after the stones like some sort of drug, like a mindless beast. "I¡¯m- I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what happened... Are you alright?!" Drake asked, kneeling down to check on the small construct. "Ugh, do not touch me!" she shouted with her hoarse voice as she waved at him. "Have you no self control?! You nearly ruined your entire skill progression by getting high off the skill gain power trip you mindless gori!" she yelled, still coughing. Drake couldn¡¯t say anything and looked down towards the ground with fear of what he could have done. Natto looked back at him andposed herself. "It is not all bad," she sighed, "I knew it might happen, that is why I pulled those stones and lined them up like that. I am just relieved that I stopped you before you pulled from somewhere else." Drake was slightly annoyed that she hadn¡¯t warned him beforehand but he couldn¡¯tin as he had almost killed her twice within an hour. "No, I need to apologize. I could have killed you again," he said, and did the only thing he could think of. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head deeply to the bed. "Please forgive me. All jokes aside, you have helped me more than anyone so far and I was raised to not be indebted to anyone. I will do my best to never again go so far." Natto was taken aback by how sincere Drake seemed to be. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she crossed her arms. "It is fine... It is not like I would really die anyway. Constructs just disperse into mana and enter a dormant state inside their owner until they recover. Now hurry up and remove my dagger so we can finish up your skills, we have a billion to go," she finished, her tail twitching up and down. Drake looked over to his hand and suddenly he felt the pain of the dagger going through it, as his eyes widened and he screamed inwardly in pain. His mouth opened but the only thing that came out was a single, "Oh." Chapter 33: Revel in the Dark Chapter 33: Revel in the Dark "Are you sure?" Natto said, a look of slight annoyance on her face. "Yeah! Just do it quick, like ripping off a band aid! I¡¯m a big boy, I can handle it, I¡¯ll be brave," Drake said, looking away from his hand that was currently holding the dagger Natto had used to stop him from going on essentially a drunken murder spree. Drake was currently biting the sleeve of his garbs as he braced himself for the pain of the weapon being removed. "You know. You could certainly do this yourself, am I not correct?" she said, looking at him skeptically. Drake looked back at her, breaking his childish character. "Of course I could, but it¡¯s more funny this way. And you put it there, it¡¯s only fair that you remove it. So," Drake said, as he began quivering his bottom lip, "Please be gentle, I bruise easily¡­" he finished, almost shuddering for added effect. "You¡­ Ugh, fine. On the count of 3, you big baby. 3-" she said, as she pulled the dagger from his hand, not waiting for the count down. "Ow! What did I just say?!" Drakeined, rubbing the quickly healing wound on his hand. "Where did you even get that dagger from, and clothes, weren¡¯t you hatched?" Drake asked. Natto looked at Drake with disbelief. "I am a physical construct. It was all generated when I was made inside the egg with thebination of your blood. Or would you rather have I been naked? Pervert," she said, almost spitting thest word. "Come on. I¡¯m not interested in little kids. And you''re like what, barely above a foot tall? Yeah, no thanks. I just meant that it didn¡¯t really make sense that you had a weapon. I mean the other construct was a physical construct also right? But she just kinda appeared, she wasn¡¯t hatched," he asked, bringing his hand to measure her height from the ground. She pped his hand away from above her head, "That is just being rude. And the other construct was only physical inside the Introduction room. I am a fully developed physical construct that can operate in reality, going anywhere. I can also fight if need be," she said proudly, puffing up her chest. "But do not expect me to fight, I am a Territory Assistant not a Combat Assistant¡­" "Huh, what¡¯s the difference?" Drake asked. "I am only powerful within my owner¡¯s territory or sphere of influence, and take monster cores to operate within it. A Combat Construct would almost be indistinguishable from most people without an advanced identification skill. They operate exactly how a Mana Vessel does -although slightly weaker- and requirebat experience and Skill Stones to progress," she exined. "Damn, I wish I could have gotten one¡­ I could use the help¡­," Drake mumbled under his breath. "What was that?! Are you not satisfied with the help I have so magnanimously bestowed on your unworthy self?!" Natto yelled, fuming with incredulity. "Oh no, I am most grateful oh great Natto," Drake said, bowing sarcastically. "I do not feel the gratitude, but nevermind that. Get back to sucking up those stones already, you have quite a lot still to go," she said with an exacerbated sigh. Drake was only joking to tease her, he had been more than grateful for her help. If she hadn¡¯t given him the stones in the order she had, he most likely would have just randomly used them hoping for the best. But having someone who knew about the skills made it easier to be more confident in his decision with using each stone. Well outside going into an addictive rage. Drake thought. Speaking of which Drake decided to speak up. "Now that you mention it, I want to take a slight break, I could use some sun and I don¡¯t want to leave the front of the outpost unguarded for too long. It also would let me get a bit of rest, go over the new skills type of thing," he said, making up excuses so he didn¡¯t have to go back to absorbing skills right away. He didn¡¯t trust himself not to go back into a drunken stupor at the moment if he went back to it immediately. "I- I suppose that is fine. It is not like waiting a few minutes will harm you. Understood, pick up your toys then and let us get going. I wish to also experience the sun, even a fake one, for the first time," Natto answered haughtily, jumping onto Drake¡¯s shoulder then sitting down with her bag of roasted nuts. Drake shook his head with a grin. The construct had gotten veryfortable with him in such a short time, even after he had almost made her bite the dust twice already. He picked up the stones into his inventory and hopped down from the bed. Kicking open the shack door the mineing shaft outside barely illuminated by the light from the inside the window. "Revel in the dark¡­." whispered Natto from Drake¡¯s shoulder. "What was that? Did you just¡­" Drake turned his head chuckling. Natto had stopped eating, and covered her face in both hands. "Do not look at me. Just-" she stopped and a short muffled scream came from her hands. "Oh if you keep this up, we are going to be best friends even if you don¡¯t want to," Drake chortled. "The fire of my heart, take form and sear my enemies. Fireball," Drake chanted, a fist sized ball of fireing to life in the palm of his hand from the red lit magic circle. "Alright, off we go to see the wizard! Or no, I am the wizard so. Off to see the sun!" Drake shouted as he began to walk forward. "Please stop¡­" A muffled cry begged from his shoulder, as Natto still had her head in her hands. "Revel in the dark¡­" Drake said, imitating her voice. Suddenly the bright glint of steel entered Drake¡¯s peripheral. "I will end you!" Natto shouted, her face red with embarrassment, her hand holding a dagger just centimeters from Drake¡¯s face. "You can¡¯t kill me, you would die with me," he said with a smile, not bothering to turn. "I can still hurt you!" she retorted. "You could. Or you can just learn to live in the cringe, be one with the cringe. We are cringe, but we are free," Drake said in enlightened, monkish, almost sage-like tone. "I hate it here¡­." Natto whimpered, slumping down onto Drake¡¯s shoulder. Sadly nibbling on a roasted nut to console herself. "You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll make some fresh venison stew when we get out, so stop crying. You¡¯re getting my shoulder wet," he told her. Natto didn''t speak for the rest of the trip outside of the mines. But that didn¡¯t stop her from making dramatic sniffling sounds while taking bites out of her food. Making sure to rub her eyes whenever Drake looked over. After a few minutes of walking through the mines Drake spotted some of the mineral veins and pick-axes that were scattered around the mining shaft. "By the way, how do I learn to mine gemstones and make jewelry? It¡¯s going to be pretty vital for me to have topensate for stats," Drake asked,ing to a stop for a moment. "Jewelry? Ah, that certainly does make sense, but are you certain you do not wish to go into alchemy for potion making, perhaps even engraving and enchanting would not be a poor decision?" she said, raising a brow. "I would love some potions, but that would only solve my poor resource management. It wouldn¡¯t help supplement the stats I need to make my build work. Enchanting and engraving huh..." Drake thought for a moment, then shook his head, "I don''t have the reasources on hand I''m pretty sure to make it work, and finding new weapons is scarce enough as it is let alonefortable andpatable armor. I thought maybe making essories would be the best way topensate for that since we have this mine here in the first ce," Drake exined. Natto looked open mouthed for a moment at Drake, slightly astonished. "What?" he asked. "Nothing. I am just somewhat bewildered that you would have such an in depth thought process for your future. Being a massive hairless gori and such," she giggled, jumping to his other shoulder as Drake tried to swipe at her. "I do believe that is the right decision," she said, another small red bump forming on her forehead. "But I would ask you to consider potion making more thoroughly. While the basic potions will only restore certain resources at first. The more advanced potions and pills that woulde from alchemy would do well to increase your stats temporarily, even some of theter pills giving permanent stats. This does not even regard the uses of the antidotes and poisons you could make use of. Taking into consideration that you have no resistance base skills yet, but there are also demerits to the pills. Should they be of poor quality you could deal with pill toxicity," she finished. Drake took a moment to dwell on the things Natto pointed out. Having a way to instantly restore his health, mana or stamina alone were great aspects. Stats through pills sounded amazing as well, not even mentioning poisons. He hadn¡¯t considered that yet since he had yet to encounter anything using poison. But Drake needed to think about what he needed right now. He needed strength and power. Explosive power. He needed more of what he had done with the Foreman, catching it off guard with his abrupt change of stats. And from what Natto had said, it would take longer to achieve that with alchemy. "No, I think mining gems and Jewelry Crafting is what I¡¯ll need right now. And I could always sell the things I make once I¡¯ve outgrown them. I can¡¯t do the same for consumables I¡¯ll be using constantly. We don''t have arge resource of natural herbs and alchemy supplies from what I saw so far, so I don''t think it''s feesable to do it right now. Besides, at the rate I''m hoping to improve and level up, I think I would outgrow any potions I could make pretty quickly," Drake exined. Natto simply nodded, not saying anything more to refute him. She knew that both were a great path for his current course. Even though she would rather him go down the path of alchemy as the passive stats from the profession gave would be better for him once he Ranked up to E-Rank and higher. But it was ultimately up to him, and she was simply here to advise him and present him with options and knowledge. "So, how do I go about getting it?" Drake finally asked, after a small silence. "First," she began, hopping down to the ground, "you will need to obtain the mining profession. You are level 10, this allows you ess to one profession at the moment." "Oh? I can get more than a single profession?" Drake asked curiously. "You are allowed two professions. Normally you would get a gathering profession to supplement your crafting profession. But I do understand that some people take two crafting professions. I would not rmend that path though, only those born with a silver spool would be able to afford something of that vein. You will also need a manual or a Master to teach you a crafting profession normally, but you obviously do not have that luxury so it must be done through trial and error. The only way around this is to take a pure crafting, gathering, utility or moremonly known as a nonbat ss when you upgrade your ss. They are given a predetermined selection of skills and gain stats, levels, titles around and based on honing their selected craft," she exined. "Can¡¯t I just somehow find a manual somewhere?" he asked. "You could, but I highly doubt outside of a quest reward, you would be able to find one in anguage you understand. You are in the tutorial, any literature you find would be in a different dialect that you would not understand until you have learned a ¡®Myriad Races¡¯nguage assistance book or the specifguage book," she answered. "There are things like that? And does a nonbat really mean nonbat? Or is it just abel because they don''t gain experience through killing monsters?" Drake asked skeptically. "Certainly. The introduction should have covered this. I am not sure how you offended the construct so profoundly that it would actively withhold information. But I suppose a congrattions is in order for a feat of such stupidity," sheughed lightly, pping echoing within the mine, "And I am sure you meant to ask if nonbat calsses are able to fight. Yes, technically they are able to fight, there is nothing barring them from engaging with monsters. However their stats do not trante tobat efficency like yours do. You have a high Intellegence stat, this will allow you to have more mana, stronger spells, and to a degree higher spell critical chance and damage. For nonbat sses a Higher Intellegence will trante to higher mana, but this is only to allow them to use more of their profession''s skills to help with their work. For some like enchanters, engravers, or runesmiths, it will help with their ability to inindate mana into their tools and products, allowing them to create a higher quality item, rune, or enchantment. Drake nodded along to the exnation, but was brought back again to the introduction construct and how royally she had screwed him over, "Ugh, that bitch of a construct. I say one wise ass thing and it''s like ck Hawk down all of the sudden. You constructs could really use some lightening up," he said pointedly. "Maybe you should watch your mouth then in the future. Have you ever thought of that?" Natto asked. "Yeah of course I have. But it¡¯s kind of my coping mechanism and I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m a funny guy," Drake said with a wry grin. "You are not funny. You have done nothing but bring pain and anxiety into my very brief time in this world and I am certain you will continue to do so," she said. "And you, just don¡¯t appreciate myical genius. Little Miss Revel in the dark," Drake sneered. Drake quickly began to jog toward the exit of the cave as he was hounded by Natto, who had drawn her dagger and chased after him screaming. "Sleep with one eye open you gori!! I will take your penance in blood!! Come back here!" Chapter 34: That’s New….? Chapter 34: That¡¯s New¡­.? Drake emerged out of the mining shaft''s door, only to have the beams of sunlight blind him. As he used one hand to shield his eyes and the other to carry the now resting Natto who was curled up in his arm. Before he was chased out of the mine by her, she had tripped and fallen. Beginning to wail and cry, refusing to get up, and demanding to be carried out. Drake had still felt somewhat guilty for almost crushing her in his hands a few times already and reluctantly threw his fireball out of the mine with a small explosion, toe back and cradle the now sleeping Natto as he carried her outside. He looked down at the small construct with red tufts for ears and a twitching red squirrel tail mumble incoherent words softly as she rested. Your constant mood changes are a little too dramatic there kid. You¡¯re lucky I feel bad, so I¡¯ll let you get away with it for a little longer. Drake thought with a wry smile. Drake walked out into the outpost¡¯s now mostly open area, breathing in the sunlight that was beating down on him after spending a few hours in near total darkness of the mines. He had been a ssic basement dweller before but after everything here, there was nothing like knowing you were still alive with the feeling of sun on your skin. He stretched his unupied arm up and heaved a grunt in relief as he walked his way over to the only standing tent in the outpost. Drake entered and gently put down the still mumbling Natto onto the bed. Drake was also exhausted from the numerous things that happened today but he felt a bit awkward sharing a bed with the small construct or even the same tent at the moment. He wasfortable talking to the little girl but they had only known each other for a few hours and he felt it may be a bit weird if he took the liberty of sharing a room. After Drake made sure she was settled, he moved outside of the tent, and into the sun. He brought out one of the beds cing it down in the open. Drake wanted to just bathe in the sun for an afternoon nap. He first checked the gate by jumping up to the guard towers with ease, making sure that the only thing in sight were the dead bodies of the Gnolls and the aftermath of his fight with the massive Foreman. "I really need to go clean that up soon, it can''t be sanitary... I need the Cores now also¡­ Ahh whatever that¡¯s a tomorrow Drake¡¯s problem," he said as he jumped down and bee-lined for the bed not bothering to check any of his notifications or new skills for the moment. It wasn¡¯t what he wanted right now. No, what Drake needed was some good old mindlesszing about to clear his head. He flopped onto the soft linen bed and ced his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the warmth of the sun rays as they kissed his skin. Drake took a moment to truly clear his head and enjoy the peacefulness of the now quiet Outpost. Almost as if everything had disappeared and gone back to normal. In this second there were no monsters, no need to fight, no levels. There was no tutorial. It was just him, the bed, the warmth of the sun, and the heavy feeling on his chest. He opened one eye as he questioned hisst thought. Expecting to find Natto fooling around after waking up, standing on his chest. But he surprisingly found nothing. Opening his other eye as he looked at where he felt the pressure on his chest quizzically. There were two small indentations on his garb where he could feel the weight of whatever this thing or something was. First the glint of a knife shone into existence as the effect of a mirage slowly waved over in front of him, revealing a small green humanoid in makeshift leather with a red cap. It¡¯s feet matching up perfectly with the two indents on Drake¡¯s chest. "Well. That¡¯s new," Drake said in confusion. The next moment both the small green person and Drake screamed in unison. Drake¡¯s tattoos red to life around his arms as the small green monster tried to bring down the knife with both hands into Drake¡¯s chest. Drake barely caught the de in both his hands before it entered his chest. The small green monster while quick and surprisingly stronger than it looked couldn¡¯t out power Drake. He pulled the knife from the monster¡¯s hand as he sat up, his other hand quickly moving to grab it by the throat. He quickly stood off the bed with the monster struggling in his grip as he read the new notification. [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 20 Red Cap Goblin Assassins [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Random [F-Grade] Piece of Equipment] "What the¡­ Please tell me there isn''t going to be an army of you guys. And shouldn¡¯t you be using a sickle?" Drake questioned the still struggling Goblin. "Manifest my power, Manabolt." Drake chanted out of habit. "Damn, that¡¯s right I don¡¯t have that spell anymore do I, well that¡¯s awkward," he chuckled softly, no magic circle forming. Drake was about to cast one of his new fire spells but remembered that Natto was sleeping, and surely his fireball spell would wake her with its loud explosion. He looked through the other spells and found that the Wind School would be the most appropriate for the situation. [School of Wind] Proficiency 2(0%)
  • The active ability set to control the magic school of wind. Your proficiency over wind is still early at this juncture, giving you only the basics of spells.
  • Spell: Wind Cutter - "Wind that shall not be shackled, have freedom. Wind Cutter."
  • Basic single target spell. Deals wind damage in a 4 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Small Mana Cost.
  • Spell: Tornado - "Torrential gust, the unforgiving winds, blow forth. Tornado."
  • Basic Area of Effect spell. Deals wind damage in a 2 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Moderate Mana Cost.
"This should be interesting, I haven''t had a chance to use this one yet. Hate to do this to Yoda¡¯s 12th cousin twice removed and all that, but you did try to kill me. And I¡¯m all about equality when ites to monsters trying to kill me," Drake smiled derisively. "Wind that shall not be shackled, have freedom. Wind Cutter!" Drake brought his hand in front of the goblin¡¯s face as he chanted the spell, a light green magic circle forming at the end of his hand. The next moment a small slicing maelstrom of wind formed and shot forward, passing through the goblin¡¯s head harmlessly. It then continued on and wisped across the outpost at a speed Drake could barely track if it wasn''t for the dust and dirt it had kicked up along the way. Eventually it dispersed as it struck the side of the mountain. Drake looked at the goblin, yet nothing had happened. "Well¡­. That was anticlimactic.." Drake said with a raise of one of his brows, confused, "Looked cool but- Oh god what the fu-" Drake shouted as he watched the goblin suddenly stop moving and gopletely limp. It¡¯s head slowly sliding off its body in several pieces. Drake suddenly only holding a headless corpse. "Oh man that''s god damned gnarly," Drake said, dropping the body to the ground. "That one was unexpected. I wonder what happened where it hit the mountain?" he mused shaking the green blood from from his hand. [You have subjugated Red Cap Goblin Assassin [F-Rank] Level 17] [Experience Earned, 2,000 TP has been awarded] When Drake walked over to the impact of his spell he couldn¡¯t see anything from a brief first look. He bent down and looked over the rough surface of the stone more carefully until he found a smooth slit going into the mountain. He surely would have missed it if he wasn¡¯t looking for it. "Wow, that is way more powerful than I thought from reading the Elementalist description. Didn¡¯t they say it was looked down on? Is it because of my stats?" Drake thought aloud, walking back to his now green colored bed. "Man¡­. I swear I''m getting blood on more and more things. I really hope I get some clothes with self cleaning or something soon. Shit. That reminds me I need to run and get water." he said looking around, trying to find a water source he knew wasn¡¯t there. The only source of water he knew of was the river he had met Bear at. Drake paused his thoughts as he remembered his conversation with Natto looking at the now forming skill stone near the cut up corpse of the goblin. "Ew¡­ Do I really have to open this little dude up to get that core? Should I just make her do it herself¡­?" Drake wondered, bending down to pick up the stone. [Skill Stone: Illusion] [Umon] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Illusion tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] Oh¡­ so it¡¯s an all use skill stone, I wonder if I should use it? Drake thought flipping the stone in the air like a coin, before putting it into his inventory. "Well I¡¯ll be sure to ask Natto when she wakes up. But now, first things first," Drake grumbled as he reluctantly picked up the headless corpse and put mana into his Tattoos. "Sorry buddy. I was never one for desecrating the fallen, but it¡¯s a cruel world we live in," Drake said unenthusiastically. He frowned, plowing his hand into the chest of the goblin and felt around, his face changing into weird expressions as he did. His hand moved around inside the goblin trying to find anything that might have a semnce of a core. He finally touched something that was hard and felt much like the skill stones near where the heart of the beast should have been and ripped it out of the monster. Blood sttered on Drake as he cursed slightly, but unclenched his hand to see the item now in his hand. The core was a small dull violet, or red mixed with a deluded shade of purple stone that shone like a dirty setting sun in the green blood. [Monster Core [F-Grade]
  • The condensed mana core of a monster.
  • Can be used as an ingredient for many purposes, and also as a material for many professions.
  • This item may also be used as a consumable to increase one¡¯s level but be warned, the continued use of this item will stunt one''s growth in the process.
"That¡¯s something she didn¡¯t mention. I guess it makes sense since I wouldn¡¯t want to halt my progress for a short term gain anyway," Drake mused. As Drake was looking over the core he heard the pping of the tent¡¯s covering open up as a small shrine priestess wearing construct walked out, rubbing their eyes with their sleeve. "Whaa.. Ahh¡­ What is going on out here¡­ Oh my word, why are you covered in green!? Did you have a run in with the lord of the swamp?!" she shouted, trotting over in small hurried steps. Drake smiled, holding out the monster core still covered in green goo. "Oh, hey there. Have a good nap there princess? Here, one monster core, el dente," Drake joked. "Disgusting. Wipe it off or clean it you brute, I am not going to eat it while it still has blood on it!" she screamed incredulously. "What do you want me to cook it like a potato or something? Or do you want it more like a medium-rare steak? Because anything but medium-rare on a steak kinda makes you a psycho, just saying," Drake said, waving the core in front of her. "No you dolt! Just wash it off! Use your water magic," Natto said. "But I can¡¯t control my new spells like that. It would just shoot out like my other spells and destroy it wouldn¡¯t it?" Drake asked. A look of understanding dawned on Natto¡¯s face as she face palmed. "I forgot we have not gotten you any utility skills yet have we," she said. "Nope," said Drake as he enunciated the word with a pop of his lips. "You. Give it here," she said, holding her hand out. "Now, you. Go over there and dump out your skill stones," she finished, pointing Drake away from the mess of the goblin. "What am I a dog...?" Drake whispered under his breath reluctantlyplying, dumping the remaining of his skill stones on the ground. "Now what?" he shouted over. "Take it slow. Start with the mage stones in your Elementalist tree first until you gain some utility skills. Be sure to tell me each skill so I can direct you when to switch," she shouted back. Drake shrugged as he picked up one of the many mage skill stones he had collected over the past days. Simple enough. Mages need mage stones for mage skills. Why didn¡¯t I think of that¡­ Drake thought sarcastically. Nevertheless he gripped the stone and began consuming it. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Mage [Umon] [Confirm?] Drake assented and began the process of subsuming the stone, doing his best to not enjoy the oh-so-enjoyable feeling epassing his entire body. After a few seconds the feeling passed and Drake heaved a breath of relief that he was able to not go into a stupor again. [You have learned Skill: Mage Sight [F-Rank] Drake¡¯s vision suddenly bloomed in a myriad of colors as he saw red, blues, greens, and browns in more vivid radiance all over the ce. The ground hummed with the color of brownish green particles, the air held a faint greenish yellow. His head began to sting slightly as his eyes felt continually strained from the new visuals bombarding them. He raised his hands in front of his face and they too were painted in a colorful spectrum. "What skill!" Natto shouted. "It¡¯s a skill called Mage Sight," Drake shouted back, "It¡¯s really hard to see things right now, everything is so bright!" "It must be an ocr skill, if you are lucky it will also double as a better inspection skill. I would venture that you should look at the description!" she yelled. "Why is she even so far back, is she afraid I¡¯ll blow up again¡­? God damn, yelling is giving me another headache..." Drake grumbled. Mage Sight [F-Rank] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • This skill grants the passive ability to see the elemental affiliation of objects and beings. It also allows one to see ambient mana of the same vein. It will also allow the user to inspect any object or being that has mana with greater detail. (Increases with Proficiency)
  • No passive cost.
  • Active Inspection Cost: Very small amount of Mana.
  • No cooldown.
"Oh lucky me.. Now my eyes can hurt even more," Drake grumbled, "It¡¯s like all those days when we binged ying in the dark with full brightness screens for serverunch day. My head is killing me," heined, gripping at his splitting headache. Soon he heard the tapping of foot steps again, as Natto trotted over to him. Her tail bouncing up and down as she did. "Do not dally. Certainly you need to use another stone, unless you want to have your eyes bleed you need some form of magic or mana maniption. This time use it in your Soul Mastery tree, it will make it more likely to manifest a magic maniption skill," she instructed. "Huh?" Drake questioned. His head was beginning to split and he could barely hear or follow what she was saying. But made out enough to follow her instructions. Grabbing another stone he quickly went through the prompts and absorbed the stone. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Mage [Umon] [Confirm?] Assenting to the prompt, Drake barely felt the pleasure of subsuming the stone as his head continually beat like a drum in pain, forcing his eyes close as he winced. [You have learned Skill: Mana Maniption [F-Rank] [You have gained insight into [Mana Maniption [F-Rank] Proficiency 1 has increased to Proficiency 2. You now have better understanding of how to wield and manipte mana] Drake¡¯s head continued to pound every time he tried to open his eyes, even after consuming the stone, but he forced himself to read the prompt for a moment seeing the new skill. He had gotten the skill but what now. It wasn¡¯t passive, or automatic? He kept his eyes closed, his head still drumming as he knelt to the floor trying to focus. He knew the skill had to have done something. He tried to fight through the blood pounding in his ears as his head threatened to split from overuse of the Mage Sight Skill. Drake felt for his flow of mana, it was a steady flowing waterfall inside of him. He could feel it being sucked over a cliff inside him and falling into a bottomless pit. Or into the ocr skill he had obtained. At this rate eventually the river flowing into the falls would dry up well before the pit was filled. He needed to slow or even dam up the flow. Envisioning in his mind the making of a dam, little by little, bit by bit he built a great dam. He remembered the Hoover Dam from shows he used to watch on thete night channels as he built the first section in his mind, then another, and another. Eventually Drake had built up a massive wall to cease the flow of the water, allowing him to take a chance and open his eyes as the pounding in his ears slowly subsided. Drake carefully opened his eyes as he saw the normal ground and bits of grass in front of him. He sighed in relief. "That was intense. I don¡¯t think I''ve even been hit hard enough to make my head feel like that, and I¡¯ve taken a lot of blows to the head," Drake said. "Oh yes. I have certainly seen it," a small voice from a snacking construct said behind him. "Who asked you?!" Drake snapped, snatching the bag of roasted nuts. "Noooo! My food!" Chapter 35: Face on Every Page on Every Magazine Chapter 35: Face on Every Page on Every Magazine "You know, you could have said there were skills like that. Ones that could blow my entire head up!" Drake growled with irritation. Natto shrugged, her face almost uninterested after she was returned her bag of warm snacks. "It is all random, I would not have been able to predict the skill you get from an umon stone any more than I can say when you will stop being cringy. Well, actually you will never stop that will you.." she said, sighing. Drake shook his head but smiled. "This is true. I am just one jumbo sized bottle of fun, you know the ones. Like before they got rid of all the extrarge sizes," "Yes, unfortunately because of you, I know¡­ Well, are you settled? I assume from theck of screaming and head cradling means you have managed to get a maniption skill?" Natto asked. "Yep," Drake replied, opening up the skill. Mana Maniption Proficiency 2 (5%) [F-Rank]
  • A skill that allows the user to actively control their flow of mana. This skill removes the limitations on the mana cost of spells, allowing the caster to control the amount of mana infused into them, increasing or decreasing their strength.
  • Control is based on proficiency.
That is pretty sweet, so I can turn the fireball spell into kinda like a bomb rather than a st with enough mana? Drake thought "Ok what¡¯s next," Drake asked quickly. Natto looked at him nervously. "Are you sure you do not wish to rest for a moment?" she asked pensively. "Nope!" Drake answered, holding the monster core up in his palm as he stood up. "Water of the ever flowing current, cleanse my enemies. Water Shot." A deep blue magic circle formed above the core in Drake¡¯s hand, a small flowing stream of water washed over the core, cleaning both it and Drake¡¯s hand. Normally the spell would have formed a ball and shot it forward, but Drake had just obtained the maniption skill and only fed enough into the spell to form a stream of small pellets that fell with no power into a seamless water stream flowing constantly from the circle in his hand. [School of Water] Proficiency 2(1%)
  • The active ability set to control the magic school of water. Your proficiency over water is still early at this juncture, giving you only the basics of spells.
  • Spell: Water Shot - "Water of the ever flowing current, cleanse my enemies. Water Shot."
  • Basic single target spell. Deals water damage in a 4 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Small Mana Cost.
  • Spell: Torrential Rain - "The wave that washes over the world, wash away the filth. Torrential Rain."
  • Basic Area of Effect spell. Deals water damage in a 2 to 1 of Intelligence.
  • Moderate Mana Cost.
"Here," Drake said, holding out the now clean goblin core. Natto plucked the core from Drake¡¯s hand and pulled another skill stone from his pile cing it in his hand to rece it. "I will not say thank you. Now go on. Elementalist Tree, use this one. We have a few more to go and then we need to talk about the skills you received and," she looked to the Goblin¡¯s corpse, "We will need to find more of those." "Why¡¯s that?" Drake asked honestly curious. "Did you receive a skill stone from that kill?" she asked. "Yeah. Got an Illusion stone. I think because it was an assassin type monster," Drake answered. "Unfortunate. The stone we are looking for is amon skill stone called a ¡®Gambler Skill Stone¡¯," she exined. "Don¡¯t we have enough RNG in my life without getting stones with such an obvious name¡­?" Drake said wearily, slight traumaing back into his mind. "Dolt¡­you misunderstand. Let me exin further before you have a brain meltdown. The Gambler Skill stone is not for gambling or more randomness as you call it. It is amon stone in the multiverse that is also called the ¡®Jack of all Trades¡¯ stone. It is called this because it does just what the nickname presumably entails. It gives you skills that you need to fill out and round out your skill set. It is the cheap alternative to higher rarity stones," she paused, grinning up at Drake, "That is not to say you can not get duds, it is amon stone after all so the pool of skills it can bestow on you are quite wide. But depending on when we use them, it should fill out your missing skills nicely. And it also gives insight into who might be sponsoring this tutorial." Drake mulled over her words for a moment, looking too at the fallen Goblin. "Ok, but could there be more of these little bastards hiding around here?" Drake asked first, looking around, "Also who do you think is the sponsor?" Natto, gripped the monster core in both her hands as she gazed at it, answering Drake, "I can only guess right now because of my limitations," she took a moment to open her mouth and engulf the stone whole, her cheeks puffing outward like a real squirrel. She quickly chewed and swallowed the stone, a dim light epassing her for a moment. "But we will need a few more F- Rank stones first and I will have more proper information. After that, the road to E-Rank is going to be very long just using F- Rank cores. As for the monsters? I do believe it is possible if they are smart and lying in wait. But if they are dumb and have not attacked already, then most likely not. You also have just gained a vision skill, so you tell me. Look around, do you see anything out of the ordinary?" Drake nodded in understanding and began to look around, opening up the dam inside his mind slightly to give power to his identifying skill in his eyes. He saw the incredible spectrum of lights but shook his head. He couldn¡¯t find any pockets of mana around them right now that stood out like Natto was. Natto had arge amount of red and blue particles floating around her giving her a moderate glowing outline of mana. And when he raised his hand to his eyes he could see a mixture of red, blue, green, and browns floating in patches. Drake assumed it must be affiliations with mana that he was seeing and it looked like life forms had arger concentration as they contained denser mana. He couldn¡¯t be sure of inside the mines but for now they were out of the woods. He reminded himself to check through it after they were finished just to be safe, even if he was sure they required the quest to enter. Drake didn¡¯t like the idea of sleeping with one eye open already because of Natto, but having to have both eyes would be even worse. What am I being trained by Biscuit Kreuger or something? He joked inwardly. "Doesn¡¯t look like it. Alrighty then, let¡¯s finish this up and I¡¯ll go get the cores outside, and check the mines after," he said. Drake gripped the new stone in his hand, surprised that she took so long to give him this stone and began consuming it. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Depth [Rare] [Confirm?] [You have learned skill Heretical Mind [F-Rank] Drake went through the motions of the consumption of the stone. The power was now smaller, like a drop in a bucketpared to before. Was this because I had already gone through so many skills? He wondered as his brow rose both at the skill¡¯s name and the thought. "Hey Natto. Am I getting fat?" Drake finally asked. She looked at him with a nk stare for a moment then, her face contorted in confusion, "What?" He had wondered for a bit now after his increase to F- Rank. With his body drastically changing to fit his ¡®most optimal¡¯ version of himself and the constant hail of skill stones. The power he felt they gave him, waning each time after the first few. Drake thought it was because it was like a tolerance, each hit wouldn¡¯tst as long as the first. But that wasn¡¯t true. This felt different than a growing tolerance for anything. It felt as if the feeling was lost within something vast inside himself. An expanse that kept growing. The euphoric feeling he had experienced before had not felt the same for each skill stone, depending on the skill the feelings would be more intense or muted. Then Drake remembered what the introduction construct had said, he was a Mana Vessel. Was his body growing in capacity for the intake of the skills? "So what is happening to my body," he asked again, more stern this time, "Am I being turned into a fatass monster or something, I kinda feel, bloated?" Natto blinked and then giggled, "What? Certainly not. You are bing less human, that is correct. A monster? Absurd. So that is what you are meaning when you ask if you were bing fat. Yes, the subsumption of skills greatly increases you as a Mana Vessel, as well as increasing levels and stats. But no you are not fat. Maybe a fat head, but your waist is.." she turned before finishing her answer. Drake hesitantly touched the sides of his head, while she had turned away. My head isn¡¯t fat, it¡¯s justrge because I''m so smart. Yeah that¡¯s right I¡¯m smart, big brained¡­ He consoled himself. Drake shook himself from his thoughts, not wanting to be drawn into a tangent in his head with a new type of monster had shown up. He had to get his skills in order before he didn¡¯t have time to. With that thought he inspected his new skill. [Heretical Mind] F- Rank Proficiency 1 (0%)
  • A passive skill that allows the user to be not bound by the standard mindset and rules of magic, through which the user is able to break the mechanics of magic.
  • Form magic to your will at the cost of Mana
  • The cost of mana is proportionate to the discement of form.
  • Chantlessly cast your spells at the cost of damage (Reduction of 50%)
  • Chant with the standard incantation of your spells at no cost of damage. (Reduction of 0%)
  • Produce a unique incantation for your spells for the increase of damage at the cost of arge amount of Health, Mana, and Stamina. (Damage Increase of 100%)
Drake began to quiver as he held in a scream of excitement. He felt as if he had watched his favorite esports team finally win the Championship cup after following them for the entire season. The culmination of their efforts finally rewarded. Natto looked over puzzled as she saw Drake staring off into space, but his face easily spelled out what he was feeling. "Oh my. What skill did you receive to make you look like that? And please cease, it is giving me the heebie jeebies," she said, her arms around herself, her face contorting again. "It¡¯s a skill called Heretical Mind," Drake responded, not even looking up as he tested it out. Drake tried to summon his fireball through sheer will but wasn¡¯t able to. "That is the best skill you could have gotten! What luck you must have to actually obtain a skill like that?!" Natto cheered. "Uh huh.." Drake responded automatically, as he tried another way to produce his spell chantlessly. This time he tried to chant the spell inside his mind, focusing on his flow of mana inside his body. But he could still not even produce the magic circle to form the spell. "-I mean the possibilities for a mage if they obtained this skill! And for you especially-" Natto continued but Drake tuned her voice out as he continued to try different things to produce results. Maybe I have to go back to basics. Like how I did when I first learned how to use Mana Bolt while running. Drake mused. "The fire of my heart, take form and sear my enemies. Fireball," Drake chanted under his breath. He took every one of his senses and focused them on the forming of the magic. Drake took every excruciating moment in detail as he observed himself, both inside and out. Every second felt longer than the next, small droplets formimg on his face and body at his ental and physical exertion. Drake could feel his mana flowing inside of his body as it moved to the magic circle forming in the palm of his hand, but he forced it to a near halted drip as he tried to discern every step that was taking ce. After he chanted his mana red to life with purpose. First the spell took mana from him to form the magic circle as a funnel and focal point for the rest of his mana to congregate. Drake allowed his Mage Sight to take mana from him so he could better analyze what was happening. This had let him distinguish the flow of the mana from his body to the spell circle. He could now see that the circle also converted the pure mana within him, to fire mana for the spell. Drake could feel the change now thanks to his Mana Maniption skill. He felt the energy within him be warm in his hand as the small fireball began to form, absorbing the raw pure mana to feed its transformation into the spell form on the other side of the magic circle. He grinned like a schoolboy, who had just heard there was a snow day. A grin that reached past his ears. Drake quelched the fire in his hand as he could now more urately control his mana, cutting off its supply. Beginning again, focusing intensely on his hand trying to remember the process. He felt his pure mana inside him stir as it formed a light blue circle in his hands. It soon turning a light red, then darkening into a deep crimson. He again began to almost shiver in tion as he saw the small embers of the spell begin to form in his hands. Soon they burst to life as they formed a long de in his hand. "-Its incredible! The possibilities! "Natto continued, only now noticing Drake had casted a fire spell, "Oh you are not even listening are you¡­" she said tly as she stared at him from the ground a pout forming on her face, her ears and tail drooping. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I did it! Holy shit! Now my imagination can actually take form!!" Drake squealed like a boy getting his new gaming console at Christmas. He swung the fiery de with a me fueled swish back and forth. An idea forming in his head to test the new skills. "Hey Natto, ready?" Drake said, smiling again. She looked hesitant but replied all the same, "Ready for what¡­?" Drakeughed, then a wave of seriousness came over him as the smile wiped from his face as it had never been there. Suddenly the de in his hand raged as the fire grew in size. Drake began to yell as the mes rose and began to wisp around him. "You might not believe my words, but you¡¯ll believe your eyes won''t you?!" Natto¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what was happening, "I-Impossible," she whispered. Drake roared again, the wisps of fire around him increased in size and heat as he did. Almost engulfing him in mes. "Ban!- " Drake howled, the mes around him ring once more, turning into a tornado of fiery power with him at the center, "-kai!!" "OHHH! If you want to see some action!!! You better be the center of-a-ttraction!!" Natto screamed only for a moment before falling to her knees as she covered her mouth. "Damn it! It¡¯s happening again!!" she wailed. On thest word of Drake, the mes condensed into the sword, forming arge fiery scythe twice his size. Drake held it in both hands as he looked at it with his eyes like stars. But Drake wasn¡¯t finished, he looked forward with determination. "We aren¡¯t done yet!" He roared, the fire of the makeshift scythe increasing, as ever more sweat began to paint Drake¡¯s brow, "Resonance! Witch-" Drake never got to finish his sentence as he fell backwards spitting up blood as he hit the ground, the fire and scythe disappearing in an instant. Natto ran over and looked down at him making sure he was alright. "Drake!? What happened?" she stammered out, her hands over him with hesitation. "It- It was worth it¡­." Drake whispered out. "Wha-?" Natto asked, confused. "I¡¯m on empty but it was worth it.. I almostpleted it!" he said as he coughed again, a trail of blood running down the side of his mouth. Drake had attempted to use his Heretical Mind skill and Mana Maniption to perform abination of one of his favorite moves, but the strain of using the unique chanting of his skill had brought him down to literally 1 on all of his statuses. But Drake didn¡¯t care andughed, he was content with himself as he closed his eyes. "Ah! Do not die yet you imbecile!!" Natto screamed as she grabbed him, shaking him by the cor. Chapter 36: Is this really a thing…? Chapter 36: Is this really a thing¡­? "What were you thinking!! What if there are more assassins nearby you dolt!?" Natto shouted, reprimanding Drake. Drake stillying down on the ground resting as his status slowly ticked up, just smiled back. "It would be worth it. That was hands down nearly the best moment of my life." Natto smacked Drake across the head as she knelt next to him, "Mixing up anime references and nearly killing yourself was a top moment for you..? I fear for our future!" she screamed into her hands. Drake sat up, his status filling up slowly and already passing the halfway mark, "What? No. Well ok, yes. But no. What I mean is, do you know how long I have wanted to have a game where nothing was limiting imagination? And in just these two skills, I have just that. There are some pretty harsh requirements for use but there are still some crazy possibilities I can already see!" Drake rambled excitedly. Natto stood back up and looked Drake in the eye, "Certainly there are, but you will not be able to find them out if you are dead, you stupid gori!" she sighed, "But what do you have in mind then? And do not forget you still have stones to go through and cores to collect." Drake recoiled slightly at the thought of going through all the monsters for their corester. There were over 200 Gnollsying around just the dirt road now that he thought about it. "I.. uh.. Will get to that soon. Promise¡­ As far as my ideas, you will just have to wait and see how amazing I can be!" Drake grinned, a small flicker of fire lighting up in his hand. "I believe you mean cringy. I can not believe you made me sing!" she huffed. Drake slowly stood up feeling much better and his status nearly full. He yed with the fire, turning it into different 3-D shapes in his hand, having it move around him. He noticed how the mana felt as it left the magic circle, also observing that once it left the initial casting point the circle faded allowing him to manipte it freely -but as he also noticed- at the cost of a slowly depleting mana bar. "I. Didn¡¯t make you do anything. You just felt thepelling urge to burst out in awesome theme song because you knew it needed to be done," Drake finished. "When I am finally F-Grade I swear I am going to stab you!" Natto screeched, stomping her foot to the ground. "You already did that, remember?" Drakeughed tapping a finger to his head, shaking his other hand lightly in the air. Natto growled and pushed another skill stone to him, then turned around bringing out her bag of roasted nuts and plopped down to silently eat. Before he subsumed another stone, Drake began running around ying with the fire, doing his best to test the limits of what was allowed by the skills and his imagination. His imagination was going crazy as he went through every anime and manga he had ever read, every game he had ever yed. All of the skills he used to use in games that were limited by the coding, he was free to mold it into something of his own. He was a kid in a candy store. After a few more minutes of him being on a high, he came crashing back down to earth as his mana bottomed out, with his stamina also dangerously low. He fell backwards on the ground panting with a smile on his face as he looked up into the sky that was beginning to be reddish orange. It was going to be night time in a few more hours, but Drake wanted nothing more than to practice at the moment. Remembering that he was holding a skill stone in his other hand he brought it up so that he could inspect which one Natto had given him to use next. [Skill Stone: Insight] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Insight tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Main ss-tree unlocked] Drake screamed into the air, not having enough energy to pick his head up, "Where is this one going!?" A momentter he heard Natto, "Internal Mastery! You need some regeneration skills, but weck the stones, so the next best thing will be the passive buffs granted by the Insight Stones!" Drake took no time to use the stone and gripped it in his hand tightly. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Insight [Umon] [Confirm?] Drake nodded mentally and felt the smooth stone slowly melt away into his palm as another drop in the proverbial bucket came. [You have learned Skill: Weak Point [F-Rank] Weak Point [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • This skill allows you to gain insight into your opponent, through your knowledge of internal mastery. Your insight guides you to vulnerable locations on your marked opponent.
  • You may mark up to 1 opponent by saying, "Marked." (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive increase in critical chance of 0.01% to Dexterity (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Active increase of critical chance to marked targets by 10% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Mark cost of a small amount of Mana and Stamina.
  • Cooldown of 10 minutes, or after collection of marked target.
"Now, that¡¯s a skill¡­" Drakeughed reading over the description. He was very happy with his acquisition of such a strong passive skill, maybe he would have to put more weight into these stones, if he could gain abilities like these. Without sitting up, Drake yelled from his spread eagle position on the ground to Natto, "Hey! What¡¯s the next one?" A momentter a stone hit Drake square in the forehead, he picked up the stone, leaving a small red mark in the shape of it. Drake rubbed the mark yelling again, "Where¡¯s this one going, this time!?" A shout came back, "The same as the former, Internal Mastery! You still have four more slots avable in that tree!" Drake grumbled but began subsuming the stone all the same. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Insight [Umon] [Confirm?] He confirmed the prompt and felt the stone begin to dissipate as it was consumed by him. The feeling was slightly more intense this time, at least enough that he was able to notice it clearly, but not so much that it overwhelmed him like the rare and epic stones. He became expectant as he reveled in the feeling and reading the next notification. [You have learned skill: Of the Apex [F-Rank] Of the Apex [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • Through this skill you channel the fierce beast inside you, a Predator of the highest degree. A mere gaze from your oppressive bloodthirst, solidifies your dominance.
  • An active ability to channel the apex predator¡¯s gaze, instilling fear into your opponent, making them vulnerable while the skill is active.
  • Mark a single opponent with your gaze, forcing them into vulnerability to all sources of your damage, with increased susceptibility to Critical Strikes. Effect depends on rank differential.
  • Passive increase in Critical Damage of 0.01% of Dexterity. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Active increase to Overall Damage and Critical Damage by 10% to the target under your gaze. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Small constant amount of Mana and Stamina.
  • No Cooldown.
Drake sat up this time, as the burst of power he felt was on the edge of other powerful skills he had acquired, but it was only from an Umon stone. He guessed he had just gotten lucky, or was he starting to be influenced by his skills, his environment? Had he truly started to be a bloodthirsty killer? He couldn¡¯t determine himself. He felt the same -well outside him going on essentially massive monster genocides regrly- he felt his personality hadn''t changed much. Sure he had to grow some thicker skin because of his near death experiences, but it wasn¡¯t as if he thought of killing any and all things around him. Drake shook his head and sighed, going back to the skill. He tried to feel for the skill in his mind and activate it. Like all skills there was a semnce of how to use it ingrained in him when he learned, but it was simr to only being given the first sentence of an instruction manual. He knew it used his eyes as a focus but everything else was up to feeling and experience. He looked at Natto, who was now walking over with light steps to him, and tried to activate the skill. He could immediately feel the difference behind his eyes. The focus he had on Natto had intensified as if magnifying her in all of her being. He could make out the vitals of her body, where the most vulnerable ces were instinctively. His eyes almost drawn to them. Natto quickly stopped and a cold sweat formed on her face, a look of worry painting her expression. "Di- Did, I do something wrong..? I-is.. this¡­ about me throwing the stone at you?! I am sorry! I am sorry!" she wailed as she dropped to her knees bowing in fright. Drake didn¡¯t know what was going on and instantly muffled the skill, standing up to rush over. "What? No, no. I think it was maybe the skill. Are you alright? I didn¡¯t think it would be that effective!" he said hurriedly, making sure she was able to calm down. "A-asshole! How many times are you going to do something like that!" She cried, sniffling. "What skill is it that lets you put that much fear into a target? I felt that I was actually a small animal being frozen in fear under the gaze of a hungry beast!" She was clearly frightened but still gripped at Drake¡¯s sleeves and battered him with her hands. He was about to say something else when he heard the banging of drums and the cries of something outside the outpost. They both looked at the gate, wondering what could be making those types of sounds. Drake turned to the still shaking Natto and pulled her up to his shoulder. Natto and Drake hadn¡¯t been together long but being quite literally part of one another they knew it was time to put a pin in their current discussion and Drake¡¯s mistake and figure out what was going on. Natto climbed to Drake¡¯s shoulder and melded into his head. "I will make you make this up to me, you tactless brute, single celled one minded trash bag, enemy of all constructs! And It will not end with just more food! I want cores, lots of cores, more cores than you could possibly fit in your stupid inventory you hear me!!" she shouted -quite loudly for being inside his head- flipping her mood instantly. "You really bounce back quick dontcha?" Drake chuckled wearily. "I am not upset you used the skill on me to test it. I am upset you did not warn me and had notpensated me for it," Natto chided inside his head. Drake almost able to see the small girl folding her arms and looking down on him in his mind¡¯s eye. Drake grinned, relieved that she was being so upfront with him. He would have to pay in long installments of stuff to make up for his mistake this time, he was sure. He looked up and double checked his status that had now had enough time to fill up from his practice, as he jumped to get into the guard tower to see what was knocking on his new home¡¯s front door. When he touched down on the roof of the tower. What was waiting for him on the expanse outside of the outpost was quite the sight to behold. Drake had seen how the monsters could form armies and ranks from his fights with the Gnolls, but this was on a different level. This was almost what he imagined an old medieval army would look like, albeit much smaller. However he was surprised -well he supposed he shouldn¡¯t be at this point- at the sight of Gnolls in the small army of Goblins that were there. He was astonished to see them, not because it was a mix of monsters, but because of the state of the Gnolls. The Gnolls had been pushed to the front of the small standing force, covered in chains and cors. They were prisoners, or worse. The Gnolls were bruised and battered, some not even having both arms. Drake recoiled in disgust at the sight, "Are all monsters like this..?" "I understand your frustration, but the multiverse is apletely different ce than your rtively peaceful. The strong make the rules and the weak are there for the strong to walk on. It is thew of the system," Natto said, "But that does not mean I do not feel your anger toward the disy. It is wholly distasteful. I ask you do something for me, for earlier," Drake looked down at the small force of around 50, inspecting the new monsters one by one, as he listened to Natto. Two monsters catching his eye, as he looked over them with his new Magic Sight, seeing what new information he could now glean. [Goblin Squad Commander] Level 19 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 20 Goblin Squad Commanders [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. Random [F-Grade] Item] [Juvenile Tyrant Ant] Level 22 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 500 Juvenile Tyrant Ants [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP. 2 Base ss Stones, 2 Random ss Stones, 1 Basic Profession Recipe Book.] "What is it?" Drake asked, his eyes widening at the number of monsters for the subjugation quest. "Massacre them. Their cores shall be mine to im!" she shouted in his head. Chapter 37: The Perfect Forbidden Spell Chapter 37: The Perfect Forbidden Spell "I¡¯ve got the perfect spell for that," Drake said with a devilish grin, "But I was wondering something. What is with the number needed for that quest? 500? That seems a bit impossible and a pretty big jump from the other ones I¡¯ve gotten." "It is because the Tyrant Ants are monsters who live inrge colonies. And the higher you go in the tutorial the harder the quests are, but the better the rewards. I do not believe you are supposed to be able to finish that quest line normally. Tyrant Ants are borderline E-Rank Monsters by themselves, they are an E-Rank threat or worse depending on the hive size. I am surprised these Goblins were able to find one and capture it.." she said, trailing off at the end as if thinking. "Weel, it looks like they are setting up something¡­? Or.. Wait what is that Goblin Commander doing? No, is it really? You¡¯re joking!" Drake said, pointing down and beginning tough. Drake was about to ask another question that had been itching at the back of his head, but was stopped by the actions of the Goblin. It was. Reading from a scroll? The Goblin Commander had walked to the front and began speaking in anguage Drake obviously didn¡¯t understand. It was shouting loud enough that he could hear him, pointing to the Gnoll captives and the Tyrant Ant they had in the back surrounded by chains and Goblins as well. The Tyrant Ant seemed a bit off, and Drake didn¡¯t mean that in that it was humongous. It was only half an ant, it was missing its abdomen. It looked as if it had been also tormented by the Goblins like the Gnolls had. Giving Drake another pang of disgust. The Goblins losing more sympathy from him and what he was about to do to them. All of these monsters are just foul minded. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s my new reality, there are just some lines you don¡¯t cross. He thought. "Then make them pay with their lives. It certainly seems fair to me, no? You might not realize it but you are adapting to this new reality more quickly than you think," Natto said pointedly. "What? Hardly¡­ And before I wipe out this gathering of ¡®pangit nga maga aso¡¯ I have a question that has been bothering me," Drake cursed, almost spitting the insult. "Pangit..? A what?" Natto asked, confused. "Wow I really thought you would get that one, since you did get some of my memories. Guess Tagalog wasn¡¯t part of the standard Assistant package," Drakeughed, " I was just wondering why I haven¡¯t gotten recurring quests? I had one for my ss upgrade, but not for subjugation ones. Shouldn¡¯t I technically get two per ss?" Drake asked as he began churning his mana within himself to begin one of his favorite spells from the show that started it all for him. "Puta nay damo¡­" Natto quipped back. "Oh so you do know some?" Drake chuckled, cracking his knuckles bringing up his hands to aim at the group of Goblins. "Only the ones your mother used to scream at you," Natto giggled, "That would be a typical question I suppose. It is because the system recognizes the use of Dual sses, as I told you. You are not the only one who has it. So you receive separate quests for the ss level up, but will not for subjugation quests. That said there are repeatable quests, but only outside of the tutorial. Once you finally get to murdering those heathens and gathering their spoils so that I may rank up to F-Rank, I will be able to borate. Now, ughter them! ughter them in my name! Ha ha ha!" Natto roared. "With pleasure!" Drake screamed in affirmation. Looking down at the Goblin Commander still reading from the scroll, pointing at him. The Commander was adorned in a patchwork of new shiny metal armors and then some pieces of leather that looked like they hade from animals. Most likely the same beasts they were riding. Drake took a moment to look at some of the other Goblins, making sure he pulled all the quests he could before he rained hell upon them. [Goblin Rider] Level 17 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 100 Goblin Riders [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. Set of [F-Rank] Potions.] [Iron Tusk Boar] Level 15 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 20 Iron Tusk Boars [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience.] [Goblin Shaman] Level 17 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 100 Goblin Shamans [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. Set of [F-Rank] Potions] [Goblin Footman] Level 15 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 200 Goblin Footmen [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. Random [F-Rank] Piece of Equipment.] Within the plethora of new notifications and monsters, he eyed one that had slipped past him earlier. [Goblin Treasure Hoarder] Level 11 [F-Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 15 Goblin Treasure Hoarders [F-Rank] [Reward: Goblin King¡¯s Hoard Key.] [Quest Time Limit: 167 Hours, 59 Minutes, 23 seconds.] "There¡¯s one with a time limit," Drake said, finally done with looking over the monsters. "So there is," Natto replied, not borating. "That¡¯s all you got for me?" Drake asked with a raise of his brow. "I believe I told you I am very limited on certain things. Because you have chosen to put off receiving my rightfully deserved cores!" she said, obviously pouting. "I got it already, just watch me work," Drake said, rolling his shoulders. "Do not fuck it up," said Natto tly. "Language!" said Drake in faux offense. Drake could feel that Natto had just rolled her eyes. Making him chuckle. He then changed his demeanor, taking on a serious expression. "Alright you filthy, dirty, disgusting monsters. I will give you the honor of being graced by one of the greatest spells in my anime arsenal. From one of the ssics! One shot kill, where there are monsters! Victory! Will! Be! Mine!!" Drake screamed, keeping his hands up as he began chanting. Only ncing at the captives the Goblins held. He held remorse at how they were being treated but, at the end of the day they would have done the same to the Goblins or himself if given the chance. "Darkness beyond twilight," he began, the magic circle forming in front of his hands. Turning from a light blue to a deep crimson. The me starting small in between both his hands, but soon sparked to life with his every word, "crimson beyond blood that flows," the me bing erratic as he poured mana into the spell. Drake struggled to keep the spell from going out of control, he had to keep it condensed. But he didn¡¯t have practice with any of his magic outside of the school of fire, and couldn¡¯t cast multiple spells simultaneously giving him no choice but to make it work with just the fire spell. "Buried in the flow of time!" The Goblin Commander now noticing that Drake was chanting an incantation and it was fearful of the manaing from the spell, pointing up at him and shouting. "In thy great name I pledge myself to darkness!" the fireball bursting to life and condensing down into a deep red ball of fire, a deeper crimson red each time it pulsed to life with the infusion of mana, "All the fools who stand in our way shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess!" The ball of fire expanded in Drake''s hands as he fought with control of the spell, continuing to force it down into the condensed spell form he imagined. Exerting all of his concentration to keep control as his status began to plummet. Drake with sheer force of willmanded the spell to maintain its structure as he looked down at the Goblinmander, panic in its eyes as it scrambled through the Ranks of its force, tripping over the footmen holding drums, and prisoners they had brought. Drake pushed everything he had, down to the nearst remnants of his statuses into the spell making sure the full force of his disgust and fury was known as he chanted thest words of the spell. "DRAGON SLAVEEEE!!!!!" The spell shot out from Drake¡¯s hands straight for the gathering of Goblins and their captives. The spell screeched through the field, nearly igniting the air around it from the intense heat of the condensed fire spell, a beam of pure crimson fury connecting with the army. A secondter after theunch of the spell, a deafening roar filled the surroundings. A small explosion erupting from the impact, engulfing the entire army inside. The sound hit Drake first as he leaned forward to brace for the oing wave from the spell. The next second the force of the explosion jolted Drake backward. The mass number of notifications confirming he had instantly vaporized the army of monsters flooded his peripherals. He swiped them away as he had not earned enough to level up, and looked towards the destruction he had just created. "Beautiful," Drake said, wiping his sweat drenched brow. "Ahhh!! What do you mean beautiful?! You justpletely incinerated all of those monster cores! Are you trying to intentionally keep me from ranking up?! You ignorant, smooth brained ape!" Natto shouted inside Drake¡¯s head. Drake covered his ears at the volume of her scream, but it couldn¡¯t help when she was inside his head. "Oops¡­ Haha my bad¡­ It was cool though right?!" he said, trying to deflect from his mistake. "Ugh. It is from a ssic, so I would almost regret having to not say it did give me chills. But it needs to be bigger! The explosion was a paleparison!" she said reluctantly. "True, I should have practiced a bit more before I did it. But hey, at least I made sure to keep my HP and Stam above death-g territory this time. So I can at least clean up that guy," Drake answered pointing down to the lone survivor of the explosion that took the small army. A half charred Goblin walked out from the smoke and small crater that had been left by the spell, tumbling over the top of the dirt hill that had formed. Laying on the ground heaving, barely alive. Drake hopped down from the tower and opened the gate, taking his time. After a few moments he walked from the gate and to the survivor. "Hey there buddy. Like the fireworks?" Drake asked with a scowl. The Goblin was barely conscious, its eyes erratically searching for focus, still heaving as it gasped for air. It finally found and looked up at Drake with fear then fury in its eyes, green blood leaking from its every orifice. But it somehow mustered up enough strength to spit at Drake¡¯s feet in defiance. Drake scoffed, "You know I may be above torturing people for fun. But I¡¯m not above giving anything what they deserve. Every one of you is going to die. Even npc¡¯s deserve better than what you all seem to think is normal," Drake sneered, spitting back at the monster. "Have fun, suffocating to death, chump," Drake murmured under his breath and began chanting his standard earth spell -because he hadn¡¯t had enough practice yet- but used his skills to manipte it to his will. Just barely having enough resources. "The earth that will not falter, crush my enemies beneath you. Stone Bullet!" The spell formed from his hand, starting as a light blue magic circle, then darkening to an earthy brown. A stone forming in the shape of a spike from his hand, slowly morphing into the top of a coffin. He then mmed it down with force as it cracked the ground, sealing and covering the Goblin Commander underneath. Drake sat down on his haunches as he looked at the coffin he created, waiting for the inevitable notification to pop up. In a few minutes, he received it. [You have defeated Goblin Squad Commander [F-Rank] Level 19] [Experience Earned, 5,000 TP has been awarded] Drake said nothing, lingering in the moment of the gruesome death he just forced on the monster. A feeling of something being pulled from him as Natto revealed herself, appearing on his shoulder. She also said nothing, her hand just resting on the back of Drake¡¯s head. But their silence was broken by an unknown voice. "My liege! Oh be thy my blessed day! This one beseeches thou! This one is not but an unworthy peasant in the presence of such majesty, but plead for thous humble eptance of one such as this. Thou have sung the darkest and most forbidden spell! This one prostrates thineself before my Lord, I beg! Take this one as even your mere servant!" The voice said from behind Drake. Drake turned instantly and watched the man give his speech from the ground. "Dude! What the actual fuck!?" Drake shouted in pure confusion. Chapter 38: Theodore and Old Debts Chapter 38: Theodore and Old Debts "How long have you been there?" Drake asked, ring his tattoos to life around his arms in a sh of blue ethereal mes. "Please my liege, this one meant not offense! This humble one only ever meant to observe thous majesty in the art of the arcane! For this one has been witnessing his Lord''s triumphs and grandeur for some time now!" the man continued, finally picking up his head revealing a handlebar mustache and monocle. "I thinketh this one is coo coo for coco puffs," Natto whispered into Drake¡¯s ear. Drake had to fight back augh as he made sure to observe the man closely for any sudden moves or fluctuations in mana. He continued to inspect the man, with his Magic Sight, still getting used to using the skill. [Theodore Rotwood] Level 10 [F-Rank] Drake was beyond surprised, the man was only level 10? How did he survive with all these monsters around above level 15? Was he another Dual ss? "Who are you, what level and ss are you?" Drake asked to see if the man would lie. "This unworthy one¡¯s name is Theodore, of the Rotwood Family. This one is but a humble Illusionist. As it were, my current level is 10, my Lord," Theodore recounted, as he stood up and bowed at his waist. Theodore had dirty brown hair that was parted in half, and wore a very clean ck and white suit that reminded Drake of a butler. Theodore even had the monocle and chain to what he guessed was a pocket-watch going into one of his coat pockets. Drake nudged Natto with his head as he kept his eyes on Theodore. She quickly understood and merged herself with him. What do you think? He isn¡¯t lying about his level and name, but I have no idea about his ss. Is Illusionist even a ss? There was that stone I got earlier but I¡¯m not sure, this guy has apparently been following us for a while. Drake thought. "Illusionist is not a ss I have heard of, the closest ss I can recall is a Dark Magician or Dark Mage. They specialize in Illusions and Dark Magic, including debuffs and mind attack spells. So maybe the crazy one is just taking liberty with the ss name?" Natto exined, "But if he has been following you around, he does not seem like a danger. Just think about how many times you have been on death''s door and he could have killed you." That¡¯s true. Drake thought, looking at Theodore who had now stood up straight and produced a dark sleek cane that was adorned by a dark round crystal ball on its top. Looking very much like a Magician''s cane. Ok guess it¡¯s a wait and see approach. His name doesn''t ring any bells from thedders and if he¡¯s only level 10 I should be able to stop whatever he might try. Thought Drake. "Just make sure to be prudent in that he may have powerful illusions and mind attacks. He could even have a spell that conceals his status. I believe asking to see his status screen would be best, system screens can not be manipted outside of very powerful items and high ranking nobles," Natto advised. Wait, you can show other people status screens? Why didn¡¯t you tell me this and why haven¡¯t I seen yours? Drake thought incredulously. "You have never asked and we are bound by an Owner Contract so I saw no point, as it is impossible for me to betray you in anyway outside of insulting you," she said, "Also you have never interacted with anyone since we have met, I did not think it was pertinent to discuss." Drake sighed, he knew what she said was true, but it still hurt that she had basically called him out for being anti-social. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to party up, it just didn¡¯t make sense to when he first started. It also made less sense now that he needed more experience than normal and he had no idea how grouping would affect his experience gain. Drake remained weary as he looked over Theodore, "What exactly do you want? And why are you alone? How in the world did you survive until now?" Drake asked as he slowly kept his mana churning, making sure to eye his status as it continued to slowly fill up. "This one has been on a journey set upon him by the voice of the heavens. He dare not thinketh for what reason this trial was beset ontoeth us but, our goal is simple. We must reim our power and make haste toward reuniting with our fated one," Theodore kind of, sort of exined to Drake, "For reasons unbeknownst to this lowly one, my charges did noth see it fit to stay under my care. And sought other forms of protection." "Ok, awesome. You some kind ofrper or drama ss reject? Must you keep speaking like that?" Drake grumbled. "Forthwith, this one asks for humble forgivenance, my lord. But this one doth notprehend thy meaning," Theodore said with a slight bow. "OHHHHH I¡¯m going to freak out! Natto, you cane out, I don¡¯t think we have anything to worry about. Outside of maybe my brain going into overdrive and leaking from my ears," Drake said, cing his hand on his temples. "Did you get everything this weirdo- I mean Theodore said?" A small pull was felt from Drake''s head as Natto appeared again on his shoulder, although a bit weary, she spoke up, "Not a word. But are you certain it is alright to show myself? Assistants are not exactly rare, but we are certainly not a dime a dozen." Drake kept his eyes on Theodore as he answered, "No he¡¯s already seen you if he¡¯s been following us. Have you entered the mines Theo?" he asked. "Theo? This one is beyond pleased you wish to be so familiar with one such as me. But this one regrets to inform thou he could not follow my Lord''s greatness into the mines. This one did not have permission and was halted by a force unknown to thineself," he answered again with a slight bow of his head. "Gross... enough with the ¡®My Lord¡¯ stuff. ¡®Susmaryusep¡¯... Alright so that means only I have ess to the mines for now then. Good to know. Now some proof of who you say you are Theo, show me your status," Drake demanded. "How wouldeth thous humble servant do so my liege?" Theodore asked, his eyes going distant as he seemed to be looking at his status. Drake turned his head to Natto, his question painted on his face. She sighed and exined, "It will be the same as you do any other mental task¡­ dumb apes.. You must simply bring up your status and will it to be shown, think of it as flipping a book you are reading over to show someone." Theodore did just that revealing his status, well most of his status. [Theodore Rotwood] [Tutorial Alias] None [Race: Human] F-Rank [ss] Dark Magician [Rare] Level 10 "That¡¯s it? Where¡¯s the rest of it?" Drake asked pointedly, ring at Theodore. "This one must regretfully withhold some information. my liege. This one too must keep some cards up thine sleeve for the moment. Truly, your humble servant asks thous rumination on this," Theodore replied. "So you¡¯re saying I should trust you with only this limited information, after you have just admitted to stalking me for days?" Drake asked. Theodore looked hurt, "This one would hardly call it the act of stalking! This one was merely gathering information on my liege so that he may better prepare thineself for our inevitable coupling and partnership!" Drake was bing increasingly tired by the second, "So let me get this straight. You not only stalked me, you want me to help you? And before youe up with some ass backwards way to say it. I get the gist that you were with a group but you were so annoying that you were pushed out and now you''re stuck alone with what I¡¯m guessing from your low level is without a way to level up. So you found me, saw I was alone, and think I need you?" Theodore looked a bit nervous, his mustache slightly shaking as he adjusted his monocle, "My humble self would not put it quite so derisively. But an adequate and astute deduction of the history this one has endured¡­" he said with a cough at the end. "Wow¡­." Natto mumbled next to Drake, "I can hardly believe you understood all that." It was now Drake¡¯s turn to sigh, "Lots of older games will give you a good foothold on some pretty weird and obscure vocabry. And a lot of context clues, because honestly I don¡¯t understand half the words he used." Drake said, picking up his drooping head. "Alright look Theo. You want me to trust you and party up with you?" "This one would aspire for nothing greater! Your firm and astounding use of force towards the heinous and vile green viins just moments ago, has lighteth a fire in the chest of thee, this one had thought long forgotten," Theodore said, with a ir and twirl of his mustache that Drake could have done without. "Right¡­ That¡¯s awesome but what I meant was why should I party with you. What can you offer exactly?" Drake asked, one of his eyebrows raising. Theodore contemted for a moment before answering, giving Drake time to again go over the man¡¯s wardrobe. It was obvious that he either came here in the butler like clothes or they had been equipment he had gotten from quests like him. But what didn¡¯t add up is how he would have been able to only get to level 10 if he had the ability to kill things andplete the quests. The only exnation that Drake could drudge up was that hepleted all of them before he was kicked from his group. Theodore could have also kill stolen monsters, but Drake quickly dismissed it, he didn¡¯t seem the type. And if he had done it, he most likely wouldn''t have been standing here. Their reality had be more cutthroat than ever and stealing a monster kill seemed like a quick way to get your ass beat, or worse. Theodore surprised Drake though with his answer, "If this one must be honest to the fault of being blunt, my liege. He hath nothing at present to offer thou outstanding self. This one simply wishes for safe haven and guidance from one as benevolent as his Lord. At present this one can not do much in the way of battle rite but if this humble one may be so bold. Be it for naught, this one, once stronger shall be an indispensable boon to my liege," Theodore exined, both his hands on his cane as he stared back at Drake. "Oh?" Drake said, his interest piqued, "How, pray tell would you be so indispensable?" he asked, crossing his arms intrigued. "May I give a demonstration of my one and only skill at present?" Theodore asked. Drake allowed his Magic Sight to fullye to life, a cascade of colors blooming in his vision before he answered. He noticed a darker color flutter around Theodore, almost outlining him in a deep purple bordering ck. "You may proceed good sir," Drake said with a half chuckle at his ownnguage, Theodore was beginning to rub off on him. He may find the man¡¯s speech to be peculiar and almost annoying but finally talking to another human was a great change of pace for his mental status. "Excellent!" Theodore replied, beginning his chant, "Light and Dark are one, casted behind the veil I move. Concealment." The next moment Theodore shimmered out of existence in front of Drake¡¯s eyes, even with his Magic Sight he was unable to keep track of Theodore. The only evidence that he was there were the remnants of the dark purple mana, slowly dissipating into the ambient mana. Shocked, Drake immediately put his arms up covering his head and doing his best to cover Natto as she merged inside his head. In a makeshift boxing guard, his mana flowing into his tattoos ready to strike at a moment''s notice. Theodore the next second shimmered back into view in the same spot, his head in a slight bow. "This one begs forgiveness for startling our gracious lord. As you would have surely already noticed, the skill allows myself to be near invisible and conceal even traces of mana." A low whistle came from inside Drake¡¯s head. "Impressive,"plimented Natto. "Handy," Drake said, but not fully convinced, " It doesn¡¯t help me much if you can¡¯t also cover me. An ambush is nothing if you can''t deal any real damage. You did mention that it was your only skill so far. I see your point though, you can be a strong assassin or ambusher. And at the very least¡­. A scout?" Drake said, lowering his guard, and crossing his arms, his finger tapping at his arm as he mulled over the possibilities out loud. "Indubitably," answered Theodore. "Eh. I don¡¯t really need any of those and I don¡¯t think it would warrant adding someone to the xp sponge I already am," Drake shrugged. Before Drake could continue, Theodore interjected, "This one would also like to propound that he is apt in the ways of retrieving foul beasts'' cores, so that my liege wouldeth not be bothered by such a menial task." A voice exploded inside Drake¡¯s head before he could answer, "Do it! Take him! ept ept ept! Now, now, now now! Quickly with all haste!" Natto screamed, almost knocking against Drake¡¯s head with every word, if her hand could somehow smack him from within his own head. Where in the hell did thate from? We¡¯re supposed to be suspicious of people like him. Like hello? Earth to Natto? Drake thought his face quickly turning to one of confusion. "Lies! Nothing but falsehoods I say! This benevolent man is offering to carry the load and gather all of my- Ahem - our precious monster cores, for the small price of some experience and safety. It is a small price to pay," she exined resoundingly. Are you talking like him on purpose? And that¡¯s easy to say when you aren¡¯t the one doing the protecting or killing of monsters, don''t you think? He thought indignantly. "You owe me! You never get to the cores!" she shouted . But- He started thinking nonplussed. "YOU. OWE. ME," she repeated, her voice as firm as the high pitched voice could manage. A picture of her stomping her foot with every word being painted inside his head. Holy shit fine! Drake thought. "Fine, due to¡­ circumstances¡­ I will help you out. But! You have to gather every singlest monster core first and I know how many I¡¯ve killed so don¡¯t try to go and snag any. And if you try to screw me," Drake said, his eyes unyielding as he pointed over his shoulder at both the crater and the small tomb he had made, "You know what happens." "I-i-indubitably¡­" eeked out Theodore, his mustache bobbing nearvously as his eyes went to the tomb. "Good man!" Drake smiled. Chapter 39: Filling Out Chapter 39: Filling Out "So, you can handle yourself if anything happens then?" Drake asked. "This one can only be called an artist when iteth to fleeing and hiding. Without a doubt your humble forerunner shall return with your bounty in all due haste my liege," Theodore replied with a bow and walked out towards the opening of the dirt road. It wasn¡¯t hard to spot, as there was a huge dead Gnoll currently marking the entrance. Drake looked at the corpse with a grimace, he would have to do something about that at some point. It would probably be a bad idea to just leave it there to rot. He shook his head hoping to dodge the oing headache that the issue would bring. And walked over to his makeshift tomb. Staring down at it for a moment not sure it was worth opening to get the loot underneath. But his gamer brain prevailed. You can never have enough loot. He thought. The feeling of a pull from his head a momentter and a small voice whispered in his ear, "Are you alright..?" Natto asked, in a tone of concern Drake wasn¡¯t used to hearing with her. "What do you mean? I¡¯m just peachy. Cool as a cucumber," he answered. Drake tried to give her a deflective answer, as he didn¡¯t want to address it, trying his best to just ignore her. "...Drake. Drake! I am fucking talking to you ape! Drake!" she said, finally screaming. "Yes I¡¯m Drake," he reluctantly answered, "What?" he said, after infusing his tattoos so he could punch into the ground and rip the coffin cover off the Goblin. "Are you really ok? You seemed to have a pretty ky reason for rejecting dear Theodore earlier," she said in a half pout. "Dear¡­? And yeah, I have problems trusting people, after well.. I¡¯m sure you know," he said trailing off, picking up the stone next to the Goblin and cing what little pieces were left of its armor inside his inventory. "Only bits and pieces I am afraid. It was not on my list of things to get to while I was scrambling to catch up with current events in the tutorial. Would you¡­ Would you be willing to share?" she asked tentatively. "Nope," Drake said tly with a thin smile. Moving over to the crater, scouring the area for any skill stones that may have dropped. And to his pleasant surprise he had been able to pick up the stones. Thankfully it looked like the stones spawned even after hepletely destroyed some of the bodies and oh was it a haul. Natto seemed to turn tight-lipped, even though Drake could see she wanted to ask more. So like a good boy bottling up his problems and past traumas, he just kept picking up stones and identifying them, ignoring the welling feeling of dreadbined with existential crisis. [Skill Stone: Primal] [Common] [Unlocks a random skill from the Primal tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have at least 1 Warrior based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] [Skill Stone: Greed] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Greed tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] [Skill Stone: Gambler] [Common] [Unlocks a random skill from the Gambler tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] [Skill Stone: Regeneration] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Regeneration tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] "Jackpot!" Drake cheered as he looked over the other stones one by one finding there was a little extra hidden in the piles of stone. Which Drake assumed was because of his awesome spell. The system must be giving him great rewards for his great magical performance. [Skill Stone: Oppression] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Oppression tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] "Natto. Not that I¡¯m not happy I got this," he showed the construct that had now sat down on his shoulder, her legs bouncing back and forth as she just watched him loot, "But getting a Rare Stone from these monsters seems a little wrong, don¡¯t you think?" he asked. "Ah, I see. That must be from the Tyrant Ant. Oppression Stone correct?" she fired back. "Yeah, spot on. Do they normally drop that?" She pondered a bit, and then answered, "With certainty, but do you recall when I said I was surprised the Goblins found a lone Tyrant Ant?" she asked. "Vaguely¡­?" Drake answered. She hit him on the back of the head, "Dolt! Listen to me when I speak!" she sighed before continuing, "Tyrant Ants normally travel inrge numbers and never leave their hive¡¯s vicinity for too long. Making it very difficult to kill any without getting swarmed. As I have said, even with them inside the tutorial, I doubt they are meant to be subjugated within the time period," she exined. "So you¡¯re saying I got lucky?" Drake said, slipping the stones into his inventory. "I would venture half and half? Depending on your skill set and how long you waited for a straggler, you may be able to aplish it. Would it be worth the investment? It is impossible to say without knowing the skill you would receive. But I will say with certainty anything gained from an Oppression Stone will be very powerful in the short term, so if we are able to manage gathering more¡­" Natto said trailing off, her face scrunching to one side as if she was chewing on one side of her mouth thinking. "Then, if I can keep some slots open for them I should? Is what you are saying," "Simply put, yes. Now back to the Outpost, you have more skills to gain, before night falls. And do not think I have forgotten your promise of food. I expect a feast for my hard work today," she said proudly, sticking her nose up to the sky. Ahhh¡­ I forgot about that. I don¡¯t have any water. Maybe Theo has some? Well I¡¯ll figure it out. I can always just use the stew I have stored, she won¡¯t be able to tell the difference I¡¯m sure. Drake thought, grimacing. He and Natto soon found themselves back at the entrance of the Outpost gate. Once there Drake pulled out the stones that Natto instructed he would need. She had told him he still needed to do some back and forth with his skills so that they would round outplimenting each other by filling in the missing essentials in his skills and synergise better overall. Going back and forth now between the Main ss Trees and Sub-trees, to keep them as even as possible. Drake took a look at his ever expanding status. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 10 [Vitality] 214 (15%) [Strength] 266 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 200 (30 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 368 (+15%) [Wisdom] 221 (15%) [Endurance] 130 (5 + 15%) [Free Points] 28 [Skills Branches] Primary: Elementalist P2(1.69%) [F-Rank] 0/5 Magic Sight P1(5%) [F-Rank] Heretical Mind P1(3%) [F-Rank] Empty Empty Empty Secondary: Shield Miller P1(0%) [F-Rank] 0/5 Warrior¡¯s Stamina P1(0%) [F-Rank] Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P1(0%) [F-Rank] Aura of Command P1(0%) [F-Rank] Martial Strike P1(0%) [F-Rank] Empty Primary Sub-tree: Internal Mastery [F-Rank] 0/5 Of the Apex P1(1%) [F-Rank] Weak Point P1(0%) [F-Rank] Empty Empty Empty Second Primary Sub-tree: Soul Mastery [F-Rank]0/5 Mana Maniption P2(5%) Empty Empty Empty Empty Primary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F-Rank]0/5 Empty Empty Empty Empty Empty Secondary Sub-tree: Empty [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer. Oh man I¡¯m going to have to hope I can condense this down or something. He thought before face palming. "Natto. Can I hide certain parts of my status? It¡¯s uhh getting a bit ya know, long, extended, overdone. Kinda big ya know?" Drake confessed. Natto looked a little surprised, but quickly recovered, realizing that Drake had always asked questions that should have been covered in the introduction. She dropped down off his shoulder and pulled out her bag of food. "Certainly," she said, taking a bite out of a freshly pulled roasted nut, "Just think of what you want to hide and the system will do the rest. Surprised Mr. Big Gamer did not think of doing so in the first ce," she finished, using air quotations to emphasize her snarkiness. Drake gave her a quick flick of the forehead and did so, downsizing his status by quite a bit. It now only showed his name, ss, level, and stats. "Nifty," Drake said. But this wasn¡¯t before he brought up the descriptions of his two new titles he had noticed. [Goblin Hater] [y 10 small green men. +5% Damage to Goblins] [Goblin yer] [y 50 or more Goblins. There is no reason to leave a single one alive. +10% Damage to Goblins] Drake chuckled. The only good Goblin is one who doesn¡¯t leave its stinking hole huh? He thought, still chuckling lightly. "That¡¯s it for pleasure then, on to business!" Drake shouted, trying to get himself hyped up, "What are we starting with?" he asked. "Would you show me your Skill Trees for a moment," asked Natto. Drake sat down and lowered her to the ground next to him, willing his status into vision for her to see," Couldn¡¯t you have just merged with me and looked at it that way?" he asked. "Certainly. But I believe I have been inside you long enough today," she snickered, obviously joking. "And you call me the pervert," Drake scoffed, with a roll of his eyes. After a few moments of her scrolling through his skills orck thereof, she asked, "And what skill stones did you just obtain? Any of the Gambler Skill Stones I mentioned before?" "Yeah a few. We also bagged a primal, greed, regeneration and the oppression stone I showed you earlier," he answered. "I see¡­ The Oppression Stone will prove very useful, I would say it should be used next tost. You also have some other rare stones left over. The Fire Skill Stone, Transcendence Stone you will have to consume spaced out to avoid going into a drunken rage again," she said looking at him tly, "But with the several added stones I think we can fill up most of the skill slots quickly, barring any more interruptions..." Drake fist pumped excitedly. He could finally get a real feel for his ss and start practicing, theory crafting how to best use it. It was always his favorite part of starting a new game and why he had loved his old game the most. It may have been an older one but because of the spaghetti code and the ss system, there were new builds popping up even now, 20 odd some yearster. It reminded a whole lot of the TPS he also used to y passionately. The code had been so bad that themunity found a glitch that let theme up with an entirely different way to y the game. Using animation canceling to the fullest. Drake had spent the better part of a year just to pick up how to do the very basics in that one. Good times. Drake pulled back to reality. Standing back up he hustled over to the pile of stones he had left near the green soaked bed, pulling out the skill stones he had just collected, cing them next to the pile. Natto followed not long after, at a casual pace happy to take it slow as she chewed on the remainder of her bag of food. "Now that you are finally ready to finish this long process of getting your skills. We can begin with getting the active skills out of the way. From what I have seen you only have a handful of active skills right now and they are all in your Miller Main ss tree," Natto exined, "So we are going to give some to your Elemental side, making sure we can do our best to fill the rest with the strongest passive and utility skills we can possibly get." Drake nodded, "Where do I start then?" "You have some Debuff Skill Stones which are great for what we need, use both of them in Soul Mastery. They should be able to give you some nasty effects that will let you deal with casters or mana reliant sses," Natto went on, "Then we can go to your Weapon Mastery Tree for the new Skill Stones you have picked up. This will certainly improve your ability for closebat and weapon augmentation. And with everything you were able to get so far, we have enough leeway to keep a slot open in every tree for Oppression Stonester. Thankfully you are a Dual ss so we have far more to y with," she mused letting an egar grin crease her face. "Ha! So you are a nerd! You would have to be part me to get so excited about theory crafting and min-maxing like that," Drake eximed. "Shut it!" Natto shouted, "Do you want help or not! Ungrateful¡­" she grumbled. "I thought you were a squirrel not a sourpuss,e on now," Drake teased, rummaging around for the correct stones out of the pile. "Got ''em," he said in triumph, looking down at the two stones. [Skill Stone: Debuff] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Debuff tree] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] Not wanting to waste anymore time Drake quickly went through the process of consuming the two stones. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Debuff [Umon] [Confirm?] The moment after confirming Drake was assailed with a very familiar feeling that washed over his body. A few breathster of battling through the more than slightly addictive feeling he got his new notification. [You have learned Skill: Atrophy of the Mind [F-Rank] Atrophy of the Mind P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A debilitative spell that attacks the mind of their opponent. Through which you are able to disable all forms of mana regeneration, andplex mana maniption for a short period.
  • Spell: Atrophy of the Mind - "Wounds of the soul are not so easily healed. Atrophy of the Mind."
  • Target is ced under Mind Atrophy Debuff for 10 seconds. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Debuff can be cleansed by standard holy magic.
  • Cost: Small amount of Mana.
  • Cooldown: 2 Minutes
Looks likedy luck still doesn¡¯t hate me as much as that intro construct. Drake thought smiling at the new beefy skill description. It was going to be a great way for him to single out stronger mages or mana wielding sses. It wouldn¡¯t fully shut them down it seemed but, being able to keep someone from doing some of the things Drake himself could, as well as keeping them from regaining any expended mana would be huge for any fight. "Got a solid Debuff skill from that one, basically a mage specific one," Drake exined. She just nodded gingerly, waving her newly retrieved nut at him, urging him to continue. Drake pursed his lips slightly deted by Natto¡¯s response. She must just be tired, today has been pretty exciting. And we both didn¡¯t get much rest before the Goblins decided to act as an annoying default sounding rm clock. God I have PTSD from having to wake up to that annoying chime day in and day out, so much so it almost physically hurts to think about it¡­ Drake thought grimacing. He quickly shook his head and got back on track, squeezing the next debuff skill for his Soul Mastery Tree. His expression hopeful. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Debuff [Umon] [Confirm?] Trying to get through the process as quickly as he can Drake assended, feeling the cold then warm energy of power from the stone infuse within himself. [You have learned Skill: Cower [F-Rank] Cower P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A skill using your Aura to forcibly make a target flee.
  • Skill: "Fear is binding. Cower."
  • Target is ced under Terror Debuff for 5 seconds. Any form of damage will break the status effect. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Debuff can be cleansed by standard Holy Magic
  • Cost: Small amount of Mana and Stamina
  • Cooldown: 2 Minutes 30 Seconds
"Wow, a fear? Damn, it¡¯s a skill¡­ If it was a spell maybe I could have manipted it somehow, sounds like it would take Dark Mana and that could have really added to my repertoire," Drake sighed. "A fear. I see," Natto mused from her seat, "A fear skill is certainly one of the stronger debuffs if used properly. It will certainly be interesting to see how it presents itself as an effect." She then quickly pointed to a stone on the edge of the pile and addressed Drake again, "Now let us put that Mage Stone into your Elementalist Tree before we move on to your Weapon Mastery, and finally your most rare stones after." Drake bent down to pick up the stone, gripping it tightly in his hand, but before he moved on something in the description caught his attention. Hmm. It uses Aura? Didn¡¯t I get a skill for that earlier..? He thought, pulling up his tree list. Ah! Found it. Aura of Command P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Active skill that surrounds the caster with a beneficial aura that increases party member¡¯s attack, defense, and resistance to debuffs.
  • Skill: Command - "My soldiers, Rage. My soldiers, Scream. My soldiers, Fight."
  • Skill produces a temporary Aura that spans 2 meters from the caster, limited to a total of 10 individuals. The caster is not included in the influence of the skill. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura Buffsts 10 minutes 30 Seconds. Only one instance of Command Buff can be applied at one time. Aura is not malleable. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Effects: 10% to Overall Damage, 10% to Overall Defensive Efficiency, 25% to Debuff Resistance. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Moderate Mana, Moderate Stamina
  • Cooldown: 2 hours.
Drake paused for a moment reading the description of the skill. His mind nked and then he returned to his process of obtaining thest of his skills. Pretending not to notice the eerily simr skill chant line that may have or may not have referred to one of the bestmanders of all time. He pushed the skill to the back of his mind as it was obviously a dud for his Cower skill. He wouldn¡¯t be able to control the aura as stated by the skill meaning he needed to get one that allowed him to manipte it at will. Sighing, he did his best to refocus and went through the same process he had be ustomed to for gaining skills and moved through the prompts with practiced ease. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Mage [Umon] [Confirm?] The quick burst of power flowed through his hand and disseminated through his body. The skill¡¯s power felt strong but began to feel muffled as he wasing up on gaining his near 15th skill at this point. [You have learned Skill: Multiplicative [F-Rank] Only after inspecting the new skill did he really understand why it felt stronger than something that should havee from an umon stone. Multiplicative P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A passive skill that allows the caster to create separate instances of spells.
  • This skill allows the use of multiple instances of any spell.
  • Limit: 1 Additional Spell. (Max 2 instances, includingbined forms.)(Increased based on Proficiency)
  • No Cost
  • No Cooldown
"Holy shit. Jackpot!" Drake said excitedly. Natto looked over with curiosity, "Hmm? What was the skill this time?" Drake stupidly smiled back, "It¡¯s this," he said as he formed a fireball in his right hand, then another in his left. Natto looked on slightly surprised then an ever so faint grin came across her face, "Impressive. A very valuable skill to receive for mages. Also verymon," she finished, biting into her roasted nut. "Aw really? That¡¯s all I get for getting something so good? And what do you mean it¡¯smon! This should be like a game breaker type skill!" he cried, deted by her exnation. "Unfortunately, it is in almost every mage''s skill set. It would only make sense to have it, the same way most attack mages, have a chant reducing skill, or can outright cast chantlessly," she said her brow raising as she looked pointedly at him, "Now hurry and get through the rest, I have a weird inkling dear Theodore will be back soon." "Stupidmon stones¡­ stupid Theodore¡­ raining on my fucking parade! And why do you keep calling him dear? You¡¯ve only known him for like 10 minutes," Drake asked through creased eyes as he looked at the small construct suspiciously. Natto coughed and hid her mouth behind her food, "Oh no reason.." Drake¡¯s eyes perked up as he realized what was going on, "You¡¯re just using that framing because he''s doing your dirty work aren¡¯t you! You maniptive little¡­" Natto simply smiled and answered tly, "A girls got to do what a girls got to do." The obvious maniption was better than her trying to hide it and still do it. But the fact she was doing it left a bad taste in Drake¡¯s mouth and brought up some more than just unpleasant memories of his past. The face of certain people shing in his mind, forcing him to cover his mouth for a moment holding back his slight retching. "Whatever, just don¡¯te crying to me if it blows up in your face. You hear me," Drake said finally, "Now, what¡¯s next you little vixen?" Chapter 40: Finishing up and an Unexpected Visit Chapter 40: Finishing up and an Unexpected Visit "I resent thatment. It is not like you will go get the cores any time soon, so I must pursue the other avenues avable to me," the small construct said, in the most coyish tone she could manage. "You aren¡¯t even using his name anymore, he¡¯s just an ¡®avenue¡¯ now huh," Drake frowned, "But youy in the bed you¡¯ve made and all that. What am I doing next?" Natto scoffed and then walked over to pick up the next stone he was to use. Raising it up so that he could grab it from her hand, "Here, Weapon Mastery now. Greed Stone first as they have good abilities pertaining to equipment, but we do not want to use more than one or two as they have very specific effects and are heavily equipment dependent," she then picked up another three stones and tossed them to his feet pointing to it, "Then a Primal Stone for a hopefullybat oriented skill. Usually Primal Stones will give a skill that pertains to instinctual facets as you could guess I am sure from its name. And do not forget to use the Gambler Stones before hand, we want to keep your skill progression as smooth and sinct as possible." Drake nodded, "Ah ¡®sige¡¯, I gotcha," he said as he wrapped his hand around the stone. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Greed [Umon] [Confirm?] Already growing tired of having to go through this same process so many times today, he mentally epted the prompt. Bracing himself against the sudden influx of cold to warm power that swam through him. This one wasn¡¯t so bad this time¡­ Hope it¡¯s cause I¡¯m growing jaded to the feeling with how much I''ve consumed and not that the skill is bad¡­ He thought inwardly. [You have learned Skill: Hoarder [F-Rank] Hoarder P1(1%)
  • A skill that allows you to go beyond the standard equipment limit.
  • Passive Effect: The user is now able to increase their essory limit by 1. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Standardbat limitation to equipment change is still enforced.
"That¡¯s kinda good¡­? Hmm depending on how it scales that could actually be monstrouster. But where would I put all that stuff¡­ Would I basically end up looking like Sinbad, haha¡­" Drake mused, thinking out loud about the conqueror of the seven seas and all the djinn equipment he wore. "Natto," Drake said. Her ears perked up at the mention of her name as she looked upzily from the small drawing she was cing in the dirt with her free hand, her food in the other, "What¡­?" she grumbled. Ahh she must be getting impatient, or maybe she''s just that tired? Either way, maybe this will be myst question today before dinner¡­ He thought. "How would I improve my proficiency in a skill like this?" he asked, flipping the skill window around for her to read, "Do I just keep the extra essory worn?" "Correct," she said curtly. "Okay then.." Drake said, deciding it was best to just go on to the next couple of stones before he did something he would most likely never hear the end of. Drake picked up the next of three stones at his feet in one hand, and plucked another ring from his inventory in the other. He slipped the now 5th green colored ring onto his right thumb and began the familiar process of subsuming the smooth ssy stone. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Gambler [Common] [Confirm?] Streamlining the process, Drake epted quickly, already grabbing the next stone as he did. [You have learned Skill: Fully Loaded [F-Rank] [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Gambler [Common] [Confirm?] [You have learned Skill: Weapon of Choice [F-Rank] [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Primal [Umon] [Confirm?] [You have learned Skill: Adrenaline Acuity [F-Rank] Drake sighed as he felt the wave of euphoric power pass through him. Thankfully the stones were lower than rare, leaving the potencycking but that didn¡¯t do anything for thebined length of the ordeal. Taking a deep breath he looked to his new skills, finally done with the Weapon Mastery Tree and ready to move on to his Rarer Stones. Fully Loaded P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A passive skill that gives the user a damage buff when they are fully equipped.
  • While fully equipped the skill user gains an indefinite buff to damage. No partial increase in any form from iplete sets.
  • Passive Effect: gain a 50% Damage increase when all equipment slots are filled, this includes gained slots from additional skills. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Weapon of Choice P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A passive skill that gives the user an increase in specific effects dependent on equipment chosen.
  • While in use of specific equipment user will receive beneficial effects based on equipment. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Selected Item Limit: 1 (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive Effects: Unavable (Please select equipment from list)
That¡¯s interesting. Drake thought. He looked at the line asking him to select an equipment type. The moment he did so, a massive list was ced in front of him. Scrolling through it he could see weapons he had seen in the tutorial and even ones that were so obscure he wasn¡¯t sure if the system was trolling him or not. What the fuck is a Trish? Or Emei Piercers? Wait I think I know that one, isn¡¯t it a double sided piercing weapon? Drake thought confused. He shook his head trying to wrap his head around the sheer inclusion of weapons the skill epassed. After a few moments of scrolling he found what he wanted. Mana Ink Tattoos. It¡¯s the only one I n on using for the foreseeable future so. Drake selected the option and confirmed it, reading the description about the effects again for the skill after.
  • Passive Effects: Mana Ink Tattoos - +5% to Physical and Magic Damage. Reduction of 15% in Mana Consumption of Skills and spells. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Bitchin! That is way more than I expected! Drake shouted in his head, with a smile. FInally going to hisst recent skill with high hopes. Adrenaline Acuity P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A passive stacking skill that allows the user to increase the effect of adrenaline to the limit, increasing their cognitive ability and tolerance to pain over the course of a fight.
  • A skill that increases as time passes while inbat. Increasing the potency of Adrenaline over the course of 2 Minutes 30 Seconds. Ramping up from a 1% increase to 10% Potency. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive Effectsst for a duration of 5 minutes and will leave the user in a weakened state for a duration of 1 minute after. (Increased Duration of Skill based on Proficiency, Reduced length of Weakened State based on Proficiency)
  • Weakened State: All stats and effects are reduced by 10% (Decreased based on Proficiency)
"No way," Drakeughed. "It¡¯s actually right out of that basketball anime. It¡¯s literally the zone. Oh I¡¯m going to enjoy this one, the demerit is pretty severe though, a full 10% t is ganna hurt. And I can¡¯t choose to turn it off since it¡¯s a passive skill¡­" Natto rubbed her eyes as she looked up, a slight yawn tugging at the sides of her lips, "Done¡­?" "Yeah," Drake said looking down, the thought of her being quite more pleasant and adorable with exhaustion passing his mind, "So where are the rest of the stones going? I have five more to go right?" "Nn.." Natto mumbled sleepily. "Haaa," Drake sighed, "No way around it, guess it¡¯s time for bed for you littledy," Drake said smirking as he scooped up the small construct, cradling her in his arm. Drake moved from the pile of skill stones after he ced them into his inventory again, to the lone tent that stood a few feet away. Entering the tent, passing through the split tarp that was the opening, Drake walked to the luxurious bed in the center of the tent. cing Natto down and the silk cover over her, he gave the small construct a light pat on her head. "Damn her ears are fluffy.. She¡¯s actually not that bad when she''s sleeping. That construct in the introduction alluded to other races, I wonder if cat girls are included in that¡­" Drake shook his head and dismissed the thought before it could take hold, looking back down at the construct and smiled as he left the tent, content she would be able to sleep soundly for the night, or at least until dinner was done. Drake exited the tent to thest few winks of sunlight, the twilight bathed the area in a deep orange, and tones of red. But although the twilight hour was as beautiful as it had ever been during this death game, Drake¡¯s mind was on what he should do right now with thest couple of stones he had to go through. He knew which he had to use but Natto hadn¡¯t told him where. Drake would have to decide on his own for now, or wait. And after a few seconds in silence he pulled a stone from his inventory. [Skill Stone: Transcendence] [Rare] [Unlocks a random Skill from the Transcendence tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have at least 1 Mage based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] Drake rolled the smooth ss like stone in his hand for a moment, mentally selecting his Elementalist Main Tree. "Yeah this one just feels right to use here. I don¡¯t think I could use it anywhere else anyway," he chuckled lightly. "Bottoms up!" heughed, gripping the stone tighter than usual as he braced for the Rare quality throngs of power that woulde from the stone. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Transcendence [Rare] [Confirm] Drake confirmed and instantly felt the pinch of the cold shoot through his arm, and quickly overtake his entire body. The cold was chilling, almost biting at his soul this time as it filled his entire body one cell at a time. Then the heat flooded through the gate that was his hand that had seemed to hold it back. A fire that paled any of the stones before it coursed through his body, threatening to burn him from the inside out. He held back a muffled scream as he dropped to his knees, his hand gripping the wrist of the hand that held the stone. His eyes shut from the overwhelming power that began to assault him. "Ahhhh¡­.. Fuck..!" he forced out of his clenched jaw as he waited with bated breath for the feeling to pass, fighting with his will to not be overtaken by the seemingly unending stream of power. A moment passed as he suffered through. Then another. And another. He lost track of the time as he waited for the chaotic energy to subside. Finally he released his stilled breath as the feeling of power slowly receded, leaving him in a thick cold sweat. [You have learned Skill: Elemental Endowment [F-Rank] It took a few gasps for air before Drake inspected the skill, his eyes beaming with excitement at the skill that had brought him to his knees. Elemental Endowment P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A spell that allows the user to use elemental magic to perform extraordinary feats through endowing aspects of their magic into their body and weapons.
  • A spell that ces a buff based on Elemental Magic used with the spell for the user. While the spell is in use, the user may not perform magic with said Elemental Magic. This is not limited to base elements and includes magics of confluence.
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Fire is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase in Strength by 50% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Water is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase in Active Regeneration by 20% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Earth is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase of Defense Effectiveness by 50% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Wind is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase of Dexterity by 50% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Use of Elemental School of Magic while the spell is in use.
  • Cooldown: None
Drake let out a gleeful whisper under his gasps for air, "Fucking... epic¡­!" But Drake¡¯s parade wouldn¡¯tst long as he heard stepsing from the front gate and a small whimpering. Expecting Theo, he raised his head and looked up in the direction. What he was met with was Theo, but not how he expected, and definitely not with who he expected. "Hey bro, this guy with you?" Drake looked ck jawed as he saw the hulking figure of a man, holding up Theo like a small kitten by the cor of his suit. Theo holding a few fresh monster cores in his arms. "My liege, this one apologizes. For I was unable to flee as I believed," Theodore whimpered. Drake inspected the man up and down, his new te armor and shoulder guards shining with a metal gleam, a huge overbearing ymore on his back. "Bear?!" Chapter 41: Old Friends Chapter 41: Old Friends "Bear! How are you here?!" Drake eximed, walking over to the mountain of a man. Drake moved in close and gave Bear a p on the side of his arm, "Have you gotten taller? And wow! Look at that ymore, are you a half-yomah?" he joked. "I don¡¯t know what that means but no, still human bro. Just a bit taller from the rank up, not to mention more handsome," Bear responded, a half smile creasing his face. A small whining came from Bear¡¯s raised hand forcing both of them to look over at the poor man being held. "My liege¡­. May this one ask to be released¡­ I have gathered said monster cores as well. Before this hulking oaf! Decided to brutally manhandle me!" Theodore yelled, like an angry kitten scowling at Bear from his position. "Oh! Right, he¡¯s with me, Bear. Would you mind letting him go? He didn¡¯t do anything right?" Drake asked. Another whimper from Theodore sounded as he whispered under his breath, "This one tis but an afterthought¡­?" "No, nothing to me at least, I just saw him scavenging cores and thought he might be stealing, so I nabbed him. But what¡¯s with the ¡®My Leige¡¯ stuff? I didn¡¯t take you for being into that kinda roley," Bear scoffed. Drake shook his head with his hands on his forehead, "I don¡¯t know either, it¡¯s just the way he talks. Believe me you get used to it quickly, but he''s no danger. And how did you know I was here?" Bear just smiled. Releasing Theodore with an unceremonious plop as he hit the ground on his rear. Then pointed further in, "Let¡¯s talk, it''s been what, almost two weeks? Don¡¯t mind me spending the night in this cozy new fort of yours do you bro? Or should I say Shot?" Drake stiffened slightly at the mention of his alias. "Yeah.. let¡¯s talk. And of course not, I can¡¯t turn away the monster that saved me from monsters can I? I¡¯m d to finally be able to pay you back some anyway. Come on in. Oh! Do you have water on you? I want to make some fresh venison stew," Drake said with animated expressions. Theodore rubbed his injured butt and most likely his pride as well as he stood up, dusting off his clothes, addressing Drake, "My lord, where should thou put the aforementioned cores?" Remembering Theo was still here, Drake thought on it for a moment before answering. "Ummm, here," Drake said, pulling out one of therge tubs he had looted before from the Squad Captains," Just put it here for now, I¡¯ll clean them up and give them to-" he stopped himself and looked at Bear. With a raised brow Bear looked back, "They¡¯re for the little construct sleeping in the tent right? Don¡¯t worry man, my lips are sealed. But you should keep her out of sight more often, it¡¯s easy to spot her," Bear mused. "How did you¡­?" Drake wondered, then realization hit him. He has some sort of sensing skill or perimeter identifying skill? Drake thought. "Like I said," Bear grinned, "It¡¯s been a while and we¡¯ll talk. Over there fine to set up a fire?" Bear didn¡¯t even wait for an answer as he patted Drake on the shoulder and started moving over to an open area, pulling out a massive tree trunk to ce down as a seat for himself, then began making a fire. Theodore dropped the monster cores into the tub as Drake asked and brought his gaze up to Drake, "Sire, do you know that tactless oaf? How dare he impose on my liege like this. It is reprehensible!" Drake smiled and looked back at Bear as he exined to Theo, "Bear is a friend yeah. He saved my life not too long ago. I cked out and was stranded in the forest. It must have been before you started stalking me, " Drake turned, smiling back at Theo, "And before you forced your way into my fort as well. What was the word? Reprehensible?" Theodore coughed and brought back out his cane, "Yes well this one supposes it is eptable for the savior of my liege to be so daring then," he coughed again, and began walking towards Bear, "My humble self will see if Master Bear is in need of assistance forthwith the food preparations!" Drake let out a stiffledugh as he pulled the monster core filled tub into his inventory, "Where did all these characterse from? I really hope there aren¡¯t any more people that are going to pop up and bother me. ¡®Susmaryusep¡¯¡­" He moved over to the gate, and stared at the now darkening sky, it ck as the infinite abyss as it consumed thest streaks of light. Drake slowly lowered the gate, as he stared off at the horizon beyond the trees, both apprehensive of the new things toe, and excited for how much stronger he could be from them. The small fire and pot had been set up by the time night had fallen and Drake had made his way back over to Theodore and Bear. They apparently weren''t much for conversation as Theo sat upright on the opposite end of the tree trunk with his back straight and stiff as a board. Bear on the other end tending to the fire and filling the more thanrge pot with water from barrels he brought out. Jeez, how much does this dude eat to need a pot that big? It¡¯s even on another level to the ones I¡¯ve seen the Gnolls use. Drake chuckled inwardly. Walking up to the fire, Drake opened the conversation, "So how hard is it going to be to get you to talk about how you know so much Bear. Actually wait, it will be a long night. First thing. How are you?" Drake said, a genuine smile on his face, d to see the man who saved him doing so well. Bear grinned up back at Drake from tending to the fire, "I¡¯ll be better when you make me some damn food man. We out here hungry," Bear answered in his low thunderous voice, his tone the pr opposite to his upbeat words. "Yes, this one is a tad famished as well my liege. A meal would certainly be splendid," Theodore chimed in, adjusting his monocle. "Alright, alright, food first then, "Drake said, putting his hands up in surrender at being outvoted, " But I want some answers while I cook, and don¡¯t worry about Theo, Bear, he''s a bit off but he¡¯s only level 10 so he can¡¯t do any damage as far as I know." Bear shook his head, "He can do plenty. Shot," Bear said looking pointedly at Drake, "How many people have you run into so far outside of me and Theo here?" Drake looked confused for a moment and answered truthfully, "Just you two, why?" Bear¡¯s face took to one of concern as he continued speaking, "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the TP Ladders but people are killing each other left and right out there bro. There are a few groups that have banded together for protection, but there is a group of killers out there as well." "What does that have to do with me?" Drake asked curiously, pulling some cut venison out of his inventory and cing it into the pot. "Everything," Bear answered, standing up, "You haven¡¯t seen where you are on thedder recently then I take it." Drake was taken aback, but it was true he hadn¡¯t had a chance with everything to check thedder let alone anything else about the tutorial in truth, so he brought up the windows quickly. He first saw the remaining days left, as well as what was left of the participants. [Time Remaining Until Tutorial Concludes: 110 Days, 14 Hours, 52 Minutes, and 23 Seconds] [Remaining Participants: 2,895] He grimaced at the even lower participant count from thest time he had checked. Next looking at thedders. [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 23] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 21] [Rank 3: Joker Level 19] [Rank 4: Kohoo Level 19] [Rank 5: Chris Springs Level 19] [Rank 6: Super Megan Level 18] [Rank 7: Ladden Hampert Level 18] [Rank 8: Big Willy Level 18] [Rank 9: VitaminD Level 17] [Rank 10: xXxGunLover69xXx Level 17] ¡­. [Rank 1,903: Shot Level 10 There were no surprises there. He was still at the bottom pretty much for Levels, his situation being what it was. What did surprise him was that there were still people below even him? What had these people been doing? Were they just hiding or getting carried? He would have to ask Bear. Now he went on to the TP Ladder and his eyes widened. Standing at the top was a very familiar name. As it should be since it was one he had used many times before. [Top Tutorial Point Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Shot 664,500 TP] Drake¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight of his ranking. Had he really gotten that much TP? Then a pin dropped for Drake. If people were forming groups to protect themselves, as well as groups for people to hunt others, that would make him¡­ "Looks like you get it now," Bear said, unusually serious in his tone. His low voice only making the statement more ominous. Drake looked up, feeling the pressureing from Bear. Is this aura? Or just his difference in level, I haven¡¯t felt anything like this even with the Foreman. Drake thought, his mind beginning to race. "Shot, you are now the person with the highest TP making you the biggest prize pi?ata currently in the Tutorial. And you are only level 10," Bear said, the weight of his pressure smothering Drake. Feeling it was harder to breathe under the weight. "Is that what you are here for then? What was with all the niceties then?!" Drake said, his mind fumbling over the possibility of what might happen, on whether he had just been betrayed yet again by someone he trusted. His mind raced trying to parse how he could get out of this. Could he beat someone twice his level? No, he was obviously outssed, even before he was so significantly outleveled Bear¡¯s strength was anything but normal. Should he make a break for Natto, then leave Theo? Could he even move fast enough to outrun the man, even with his new Endowment skill. But he hadn''t even gotten a chance to use it yet. Would Bear give him time to even cast the spell? Drake''s body began to sweat, as his vision blurred. He could see Bear moving, but Drake couldn¡¯tprehend enough to know what to do. Until a hand came down on his shoulder. "Whoa, bring it back man," Bear said calmingly, "I didn¡¯t mean to jump ya with that all serious like. I just wanted to make sure you knew the seriousness of your situation being a low level and all." The weight Drake felt suddenly lifted, and his vision slowly began to stabilize. Whether he froze up because it was Bear or because he wasn¡¯t ready to fight another person for the first time, possibly to the death, he didn¡¯t know, but he was d he could dy it for now. With a sigh Drake spoke, "Bear why did you have to do that man, I was scared you were going to try to kill me for the TP." Bear waved his other hand, the one resting on Drake¡¯s shoulder squeezed him before letting go, and sitting back down, "Nah I¡¯m fine with TP, my ss is especially good for fighting against groups. So I have no problem. But I really mean it, you have to be more aware and careful. Identification skills are moremon than I think you believe." Drake took a few deep breaths to steady himself, "What even was that pressure you just did, is that an aura skill?" Drake asked. "Oh yeah, my bad man. It¡¯s still a bit finicky, haven¡¯t gotten it locked down just yet. Tends toe out when I don¡¯t want it to or I¡¯m uh¡­ emotionally heightened¡­" Bear said, apologetically with a wry grin. Bear then pointed to the other side of the tree trunk before Drake got a chance to continue, "Is he going to be alright?" There on the ground, fallen behind the tree, was Theodore. Passed out and his mouth foaming. "Eh¡­. he¡¯ll be fine," Drake said dismissively. Chapter 42: More Small Talk Chapter 42: More Small Talk Drake was silent for the next half an hour, trying to understand the implications of him being so high on the TPdder and how exposed he actually was. Anyone could identify him at this point, meaning anyone could see his alias and then see his level and put the two together. Then try to kill him for an easy meal. He needed to find a way to circumvent that, or prove that trying to fight him wasn¡¯t worth the prize. He wordlessly cut the veggies on a table he brought out of his inventory for the stew, mechanically adding spices and skimming the skum from the pot. His head upied with more important things. "Hey man. You¡¯re pretty good at that," Bear said, his hand wafting in front of him taking in the pleasant aroma of the stew. Drake came back to the present and just gave a casual answer, not stopping his hands, "Yeah I¡¯ve got a few siblings. My Mom had to work two jobs most of our life after my dad passed, so I had to learn to do a bunch of stuff quick." "Damn I didn¡¯t mean to bring something like that up," Bear said with a grimace. Drake waved his hand dismissively, now focusing more on the conversation, "It¡¯s not a big deal. My Dad was pretty old when he passed and my Mom happened to be his second wife," Drake said trying to keep the atmosphere upbeat while recalling his life, "She moved to the US from the Philippines to live here with him and the rest was history. He left a big sum of money to us so we were fine for a little. But having as many siblings as I did and all of us wanting to go to college¡­ It dried up fast." Bear was content to listen for the moment, just politely nodding here and there. "So good ol¡¯ Mother, had to go to work. Leaving me the eldest to go and do everything around the house, fixing broken bulbs, appliances, toilets. Making food for everyone, cleaning the house. That is at least until I was old enough to get a part time job to help out some, leaving my little brother to pick up on the grand old legacy of chores," Drake smiled sarcastically. He took a moment to think again on his family, hoping and praying to whatever god might have forced this nonsense system on them that they were alright. And if they weren¡¯t. Drake clenched his teeth, and the handle of the knife in his hand snapped from his strength, "Shit¡­" He quickly threw the broken knife towards the mountain and pulled another from his inventory, cleaning it briefly before continuing to cut the food. "Look man, I envy you," Bear began, seizing the lull in conversation, "I grew up with my parents but it was only us. No siblings and I didn¡¯t have many friends because of my size. I don¡¯t want to start a pity party, I¡¯m just sharing because I think it¡¯s only fair. I grew up in one fight to the next and I guess it''s a saving grace after looking where we are," heughed, "But when I got older I didn¡¯t want that anymore, so I started up my ownpany to prove I was different than just what people saw on the cover. The thing is between you and me man, is I truthfully- I didn¡¯t just happen to cross by when you cked out that day," Bear said standing up and looking down at Drake. Drake felt the slight weight of pressure again press down on his shoulders. "I saw your fight. The entire thing my man. I saw how desperately you wanted to live. How much you struggled to take down a monster you honestly shouldn¡¯t have been able to. Your resourcefulness was something I haven¡¯t seen from nearly anyone else yet. And honestly, big picture stuff. I think the world will need people like you, people like us," Bear exined, his voice low and serious. "Like us? And you saw the whole thing huh.." Drake said, trailing off. "Yeah. And it¡¯s why I decided to help you. I mentioned it before, but you don¡¯t know how it is for everyone else," Bear continued, "How long do you sleep every night," he asked. Drake raised a brow at the question, "Depends? I don¡¯t normally need sleep anymore so it¡¯s usually none unless I really feel I need a few hours. Why?" Bear smiled, "Everyone else isn¡¯t doing that, even if they can buddy," his face turning serious again, "Everyone else but a select few are scared and grouping together to keep themselves safe and desperately alive. The more demented ones are forming groups to kill people for TP thinking this is the perfect time to show their true colors, or even going as far to still think this is just a game or some sickening shit. You haven¡¯t run into anyone else it seems like," Bear said raising his chin towards the still passed out Theodore, "Well, save that dude." "Yeah, that¡¯s true, but again what does that have to do with anything?" Drake asked. "I¡¯ll spell it out for you," Bear said crossing his arms, "The amount you are working is probably twice as hard as anyone in the tutorial outside of myself. Most people are too scared to even go out in groups unless they have a healer, and as far as I can tell from all the groups I¡¯ve had run-ins with. They are rare enough that the groups are kidnapping them from other groups for even a fraction more possibility at survival." Drake¡¯s mouth hung open, "Wha..? That¡¯s insane! Why don¡¯t people juste together as arger group then and fight to survive? That makes no sense to force someone against their will like that!" Drake countered, his voice raising as he spoke. Bear raised his arms in a shrug, "Ego. Competition. Power? Some might just be that sadistic. But whatever the reason, it¡¯s dog eat dog out there man, and now more than ever weakness is punished quicker than a guy can swipe right on a dating app," Bear stopped to give a gruff sigh, "Even with being at the top of thedder for the tutorial level, I¡¯ve had a few people try stuff when they thought I wasn¡¯t looking. The world is simply not the same. And that, is where my point is. I can count on a single hand the people I¡¯m willing to say I respect in this tutorial for their hard work, tenacity, and ability to progress," he said, raising two fingers. Drake was curious. He moved to the pot to stir it before asking the leading question Bear probably wanted him to ask, "And those two are?" Bear smirked, "You. And a youngster named Shigure Kenzo, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen his name on the boards." Drake raised his gaze as he thought on the name, "Yeah sounds familiar, he''s right under you right?" "That¡¯s damn right." "How young is he? And I would hardly call myself impressive enough, I still have a long way to go Bear," Drake answered, a half grin on his face, continuing to stir the pot with one hand, his other slipping into his pant¡¯s pocket. "Don¡¯t sell yourself short man. Remember how I found you? There¡¯s been a clear trail of death and destruction leading to this ce it¡¯s honestly hard to miss. Not to mention the big fucking monster that you can see from practically half a mile in any direction just casually on the ground," Bear chuckled with a quick shake of his head, "And the kid is 16, it¡¯s the youngest age anyone here is. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not dumb enough to have not noticed there are no children here. And thank god there isn¡¯t, everyone has already got their hands full trying to not die and keep the more sadistic POS¡¯s from doing the worst," Bear spat. That caught Drake¡¯s attention more than just the kid¡¯s age. Did the system just promote this kind of heinous shit? "Just so there¡¯s no misunderstanding-" Bear cut him off, "Yes, rape and envement. Sometimes things even worse. Let¡¯s just say I have had toe to some bitter terms with where I draw the line on who does and doesn''t deserve to live." Drake¡¯s face turned grim as his head drooped to look at the ground, "Tga¡­ Of course, why wouldn¡¯t there be deranged pieces of garbage running around and doing that. We all suddenly got mind bending powers after all," Drake spat, remembering the Gnolls and Goblins, "What do you think happened to the children under 16 then?" Bear shook his head, "I haven¡¯t the faintest bro, maybe ask your construct friend, seems like she¡¯s waking up anyway." Drake was again surprised. How good was his sensory skill? Was it based on mana sensing like his identifying skill, or something else since Bear was a pure warrior from what Drake could tell? "How do you know she¡¯s a construct.. And even that she¡¯s over there, what kind of sensory skill do you have Bear?" Drake asked, forcing the issue. "I can¡¯t tell you all the details but, it''s basically a sphere of perception, won¡¯t say howrge it is or the info it gives, but I can tell where people and things are inside of it fairly easily. And it let¡¯s me identify people within my line of sight. And before you ask, yes I had it since I first met you," Bear answered then continued after a slight pause, looking to the tent, a slowly emerging squirrel construct, " As far as knowing what a construct is. You ain''t the only one with one." Drake red at Bear with his eyes glowing from the mana infused in them, trying to find any other source of Mana around him. "Don¡¯t give me the scary eyes man. No I don¡¯t have one, the Shigure kid does. But his is a little different than yours. She¡¯s taller for one and not a talker that''s for sure. I should also mention, Shigure is the head of thergest group in the tutorial, and they''ve set up camp in an Outpost further south from here. It¡¯s a coalition of around 5 different groups, with him in charge. Crazy to think about once you stop to," Bear chuckled with his hardy thunderous voice, "If you need anything, they would be your first bet on where to find it, they have damn near over fifteen hundred peoplest time I checked." Drake chewed over the information he¡¯d just been given. Natto had said that constructs weren¡¯t exactly rare but to have two in the tutorial. Was it just happen stance or was there a reason the kid had gotten one as well? Before Drake got a chance to really analyze the information, the quick soft trotting sounds of geta forced him to look up. "Food!!!" Natto yelled, somehowpletely ignoring the mountain that was Bear standing in between her and the pot of stew. Drake moved over with an exacerbated smile on his face at the disy of Natto jumping up to look inside the pot, a faint but quickly visible line of drool running from her open mouth. "Hey! Don¡¯t go spilling that, it¡¯s been simmering for an hour now, you little garbage disposal," Drake shouted, picking her up so she could get on his shoulder. "Who are you calling a delicate flower such as myself a garbage disposal!? Dolt! Is it so queer that I am excited for the feast I rightfully deserve?!" she shouted back, rubbing her fist into the side of Drake¡¯s face incredulously. A deep bellyugh sounded from across the pot where Natto and Drake stood. "Haha! What is this? Is she your daughter or something, you two fight just like family," Bearughed holding his stomach. "Who¡¯s a Dad?!" "Who is a daughter?!" They both yelled. Bear ignored them both, pulling a bowl from his inventory and had it appear in his handughing his way to the bubbling pot. Chapter 43: A Favor to Ask Chapter 43: A Favor to Ask "Who exactly is this tall oa-," Natto looked Bear up and down, "Gentleman?" she corrected with a wry smile. Drake snickered as he put some of the stew into Bear¡¯s unusuallyrge bowl, filling it to the brim, "That¡¯s Bear, I met him in the forest. He was nice enough to not just let me die in a ditch," Drake chuckled. "Ah," Natto again gave Bear a once over, "He does indeed seem¡­ nice." "And tall, don¡¯t forget tall," Drake grinned, looking over at the still slightly gaping construct on his shoulder. Drake pulled a bowl for himself and Natto as she looked on in wonder at Bear. "I bet he ticks a lot of boxes for thedies, eh big man?" Drake prodded as he wiggled his eyebrows back and forth, scooping up some stew into one bowl after the other. Bear surprisingly agreed without embarrassment. Deting Drake¡¯s attempt to poke fun at therger man, "Yeah, I was pretty popr when I went through life, and when I went into Shigure¡¯s camp? Oh man, whew hang it up," Bear smiled. Drake frowned his brows going straight, as he plopped thest scoop of the stew into a final bowl for Theodore with an audible smack, "Yeah yeah, must be nice to be above 6 foot. Fuck you too bro," Drake grumbled. "Natto can you wake up Theodore. I think he¡¯s still taking a dirt nap right now," urged Drake. Natto looked over from Drake¡¯s shoulder at the hapless man spread eagle on the ground, "Ah! What have you brutes done to my poor dear Theodore!?" she yelled, "Also where are the cores he was supposed to get for me?" she added. Drake sighed, "I¡¯ve said it before but ¡®susmaryosep¡¯. It¡¯s a cruel world we live in," Drake then pointed to a tub with a small overflowing hill of cores inside it off to the side, "There. I¡¯ll clean them up after dinner." Natto squealed in delight at the sight of the mountain of cores. Soon hopping down onto the table Drake had set the bowls on, grabbing one for Theodore. Raising the bowl overhead she deftly dropped to the ground and trotted over to the incapacitated man, each step bouncing the stew out above the bowl and back into it. "Oi! Theo! You better not be dead yet! You still have many cores to retrieve for me!" she shouted the bowl still above her head, as she nudged him with her geta. Both Drake and Bear looked on amused, as Theodore quickly startled awake with a gasp, clearly unaware of his surroundings and what had happened, his head turning which way as his monocle chain barely kept pace with his movements. "What foul hooligan doth put this shining knight to sleep?! By what underhanded means was used to subdue thee?!" Theodore quickly yelled. Natto looked back towards Drake, as if she had had enough already. Drake just shrugged, not giving an answer and Bear just chuckled, as he brought another spoonful of stew to his mouth. "What did you two apes do to poor Theodore?" Natto finally said, "He was already on the fence of being broken, but now I fear he will not even be able to retrieve cores¡­" Bear looked from his seat at the trunk over to Drake, mouthing the words ¡®apes?¡¯ Drake just shook his head, as if to say, ¡®Don¡¯t ask.¡¯ Finally Drake spoke up, bing weary from theedy gag, "Bear used some sort of aura and knocked out Theo there for a good 30 minutes." Natto suddenly had a look of surprise, turning back to Theodore. Who was now straightening out his clothes, parting his hair, and twirling his handlebar mustache. "Ah yes¡­ This one does faintly recall being hit with a rather unpleasant," Theodore coughed, "bout of.. Well something before he could not withstand it. Truly fearing for this one¡¯s life my liege, tis felteth like something was crushing us underfoot!" Natto and Drake both shook their heads at the same time, giving up. Bear chuckling softly between bits of his 3rd bowl of stew already. Natto having noticed the big lug scooping up yet another helping of her food gave out a yelp, "Ah! Take your damned bowl already Theodore! Quickly before that hulking animal eats all of my well deserved victory meal!!" Bouncing from foot to foot as she shoved the bowl in her hands towards Theodore. Immediately sprinting to her own bowl on the table when he finally took it. "Food.. Sweet sweet food!" she murmured blissfully, staring starry-eyed at the steaming bowl, not even waiting for Drake to set down the spoon for her to begin eating. Everyone present looked on as the small construct no taller than a foot, lifted a bowl the size of her headically with both hands takingrge pulls of the venison concoction. "It ish, shoo, guud," she said as she chewed the food, her cheeks puffing up like a chipmunk rather than a squirrel, her hands now on her cheeks as she shimmied back and forth from the utter pleasure of every bite. "First thing she¡¯s said that¡¯s made any sense," barked Bear, a grin on his face, "The food is fire, Shot. I might have to trouble you to make some more for the road." Natto looked over at Bear indignantly, but only long enough for her to swallow her current mouthful of the food. Before long she forgot he was there entirely, her face head deep in the bowl. Drake pulled Natto from falling into her food by the scruff of her priestess kisode. Her looking like an annoyed cat that¡¯s meal was just interrupted but it hardly stopped her from chewing her food as she red up at him. Ignoring the piercing gaze of the little troublemaker as he pulled the bowl from under her to go fill it up again, dropping her to the table and wiping her mouth with his sleeve, "That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, it doesn''t take too long. I¡¯m just sadly out of venison now, I saw the goblins with boars so pork could work just as well, but there''s more fat on them so it would take just a smidge longer," Drake said pondering as he scooped another helping into Natto¡¯s bowl. Drake brought the bowl over to a Natto whose lips were puckered as she looked to be on the verge of tears, "What do you mean you are out of delicious food?!" she wailed, her hands up in rebellion. "I said we¡¯re out of venison. We still have some food from the Squad Commanders you little glutton," Drake responded, giving her a quick flick to the forehead. Natto huffed, rubbing her forehead and turning away from Drake. Her attention obviously needed elsewhere. Namely the fresh bowl of food that had just been ced in front of her. "That¡¯s no problem," Bear answered, "Picked up a good amount of stuff from Shigure¡¯s camp and I¡¯ve killed a few riders along the way so, I¡¯m stacked for food if you don¡¯t mind cooking." "Naw, long as I get to keep some for my trouble. Cooking is a hobby of mine so," Drake said, raising his arm to dribble salt down his forearm into his own bowl of stew. "I do have a favor to ask though," Drake added, his mind turning to the question he had pushed to the back of his head since he saw Bear at the gate earlier in new armor, stronger than ever. Bear raised his head from his 5th bowl of food, a brow raised, "Oh what¡¯s that? I can¡¯t help you with rizz if that¡¯s what you''re asking. Have to be born with it man, can¡¯t teach this." Drake¡¯s eye twitched in annoyance, "No.. I do just fine in that department. Thank you¡­" he said, crossing his arms, his expression turning serious, "I want to test my strength against you. Against the strongest person in the tutorial." Drake had Bear¡¯s full attention now, the bowl in his hands set down as he stood up to meet Drake¡¯s eyes. "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea man," Bear said with a slow shake of his head. Drake grew irritated, his jaw clenching slightly, "What do you mean? Do you think you¡¯re so much stronger than I am that I can¡¯t evenpete?!" he shouted back. "Yes," Bear said solemnly. "Don¡¯t patronize me! You just got finished saying you respected my hard work then you go around and tell me I¡¯m not up to snuff?" Drake countered, his arms at his side, balled into slightly shaking fists. The atmosphere turned tense at their exchange. Both Natto, and the unusually quiet Theodore, stopping their meals to look on with trepidation. "Putting in the work, and having the results are two different things Shot," Bear grumbled, his aura starting to leak out. Drake braced against the pressure but didn¡¯t back down. He hade so far from the person he was at the grave, he could measure up he knew that. Drake had gone through all the fights to be stronger, to prove to himself that he could do it just like he always had. He knew this wasn''t a game, but his mind wouldn''t let him differentiate the experience he had from his games and his new game-like reality. He had to make sure, prove that he was better, that he was making progress. And to do that he had to fight Bear, he had to win. For his family, for his loved ones that waited outside the tutorial and for himself more than anything. "I need to know Bear. This isn¡¯t just a dick measuring contest. I can fight just fine against the current monsters here, it¡¯s hardly a challenge with my stats. But that isn¡¯t the point! If what you are telling me is true, I have a bounty on my head worthy of rivaling the human typhoon! And I have to know how I stand up to people like you, because you and I both know they wille eventually¡­" Drake exined, trailing off. Bear took some time before he answered, obviously mulling over the question. After a few moments he crossed his arm, a single finger popping up from his hand, "I don¡¯t think you shouldpare yourself to thee legendary gunman like that but, I have 1 condition. Well actually," He popped another two fingers from his hand, "I have 3 conditions." Drake¡¯s face brightened, "Sure, what are they?" "One, you have to take some potions as a precaution," Bear said, bringing out some vials of red liquid from his inventory into his now extended hand, "Two, you have to make absolutely sure inside this outpost is safe, and you arepletely prepared for the repocussions with fighting me." Drake nodded, taking the vials and cing them into his garbs above his obi, like he had with the Fire Oil, "And thest?" Bear grabbed the impossiblyrge ymore from his back with one hand, the full force of his aura cascading down on the surroundings like a thick fog. Therge de bringing a gust when it was swung in front of him, it¡¯s point stopping just millimeters from Drake¡¯s face, "I¡¯ll only be swinging once." Chapter 44: Bjorn vs Drake, Where I stand. Chapter 44: Bjorn vs Drake, Where I stand. "You think you can take me down with just a single stroke?!" Drake growled, suddenly offended by the proposition that there was such a gap in their strength. Bear stood calmly, unperturbed by Drake¡¯s outburst, "I don¡¯t think anything man, it will only take one for a level 10." Drake blinked for a moment. He had forgotten that he was still level 10 with his statspletely outstripping his level, but deep down Drake still knew Bear¡¯s words held some weight. The man¡¯s aura was indication enough for it. He scratched the back of his head, "Ah, I forgot I¡¯m still sitting at level 10, but I can promise you I¡¯m far stronger than any measly level 10 you¡¯vee across, I¡¯m probably around level 20 or so stat wise," Bear was surprisingly still calm, not a pinch of shock on his face, making Drake curious, "Wait you know?" Bear ced the ymore on his shoulder, then used his free hand to point to the gate with his thumb, "I¡¯ve been following your trail of blood my man, no level 10 is going to do that. You must have something under the hood because even Shigure would struggle to kill that many. Not to mention I don¡¯t know what level that bigger Gnoll is but I think it¡¯s safe to assume it''s above 10 with its size alone. But, it doesn''t matter." Bear shook his head and looked seriously at Drake once more, "I¡¯m not trying to be condescending, the reality is I am that strong. No matter what you think you have going on behind the scenes, if we fought seriously, I would kill you." Drake ground his teeth, "Fine, then you¡¯re going to have to prove it. I¡¯m going to go all out. You may be the highest level here and you may be a friend that saved me. But I¡¯m not going to let you insult the hard work that I''ve painstakingly put in for thest two weeks!" Drake shouted pointing at Bear, "Get ready to see the culmination of all the strength I¡¯ve gained so far! You can say you respect me, but I can see it in your eyes and posture. You¡¯re only giving me lip service even if you don''t realize it. So I¡¯m going to etch it into your soul just how much I¡¯ve changed since west met!" Drake growled storming off into a cleared section of the outpost looking through the rest of his skills to make sure if there was anything he could use right away for this. Sharp quick taps followed behind him, "Drake! I say, Drake!" Natto shouted after him. "What?!" Drake turned, annoyance clear on his clenched jawed face, his brooding expression and balled fists. Natto shuddered slightly at his raised voice, then recovered in time to give him a scowl, "Do not take your damned injured pride shit out on me!" she shouted back, "I do not know what has happened between you two or why you need to so fervently prove yourself here, but this is a bad idea, and I know you see that." Drake turned away stubbornly. Opening his skills to formte a n instead of answering. Soon Theodore also walked with measured steps towards the pair, "My liege, do you think it wise to do this? Master Bear is level 23," Theodore said, worry dripping from his voice. "Thank you Theo but please, kindly shut the fuck up," Drake said through clenched teeth, his eyes wandering back to two skills he had yet to look at. Warrior¡¯s Stamina P1(5%) [F-Rank]
  • A skill that pushes the warrior past their physical limits.
  • +10 to Stamina, and 10% to passive Stamina Regeneration (Increased based on Proficiency)
Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P1(0%)
  • The Guardian of the battlefield must move swiftly to protect themselves and their allies. The watchful eye of the Guardian is ever present.
  • A skill that allows the user to create a small skin tight shield around themselves, and will give a instantaneous reprieval teleport to a location within view.
  • Shield is based on a 0.5 to 1 Vitality (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Skill: Guardian¡¯s Reprieve - "On blessed wings. Guardian¡¯s Reprieve."
  • Teleport is made avable once the shield is broken, 2 charges of teleports can be stored within the time span of 20 minutes before lost. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Only 1 temporary shield from this skill can be present at a time.
  • Cooldown of Shield is active only after shield is broken or expires after 10 minutes.
  • Cooldown of Shield is 5 Minutes upon activation of cooldown. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
  • Charges of Teleport can be gained through loss of temporary shield due to absorption of damage, or after each 10% loss of Vitality.
  • There is no cooldown for use of collected Teleports
Drakeughed inwardly. d he had not overlooked these skills, especially his skill that resulted from his Epic Stone. It had a tight restriction but he had a few ideas to circumvent the requirements for the teleport based on the description alone. And the most versatile one that he couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t been using. Martial Strike P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • A skill that allows the martial artist to infuse their body with inner energy to harden themselves and increase the damage done by strikes.
  • A skill that uses Stamina to increase the damage efficiency of strikes by 100% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Small amount of Stamina
  • Cooldown: None
Drake dismissed the screens and refocused his gaze to the man who was walking towards them. Standing at his full height the man was truly a mountain, in both stature and in presence. He was someone Drake would have to ovee to change in the greatest sense of the word. Bear may have be a trusted friend after he had saved him but, right now, he was just another wall to climb. Drake knew the time had finallye to man up and face the truth that there would be people who would want him dead. Time for him to measure up against the metaphorical boss of the tutorial. He knew some woulde for him for the TP, some because they wanted something else from him, items, money, titles, or some just because. He would have to steel his currently weak heart that was unable to imagine fighting against another human once more if he was to fight against that, and the injustice that came with it. "You ready bud?" asked Bear, his tone low and serious. "Yeah," Drake nodded clenching and unclenching his fists. Both Natto and Theodore looked on wearily with nervousness and fear visible on their faces. Natto most of all seemed as if she wanted to object to the fight once again but couldn¡¯t in the face of Drake''s determined expression. She most of all being part of him and carrying part of his personality inside her knew if even a small bit, intrinsically what and why he was doing this. "You don¡¯t have to go through with this Shot, I can see your determination already and how serious you are. I don¡¯t want to do this," Bear said finally, emotion breaking his stone cold expression, to show a sliver of hesitation in his voice. Drake teeth clenched together, feeling them nearly crack under the pressure, "Stop patronizing me!" he roared, his arm arcing in front of him, "I know what you think this is, but¡­ It¡¯s more than that!" Drake growled, his voice bing shaky, "I made a promise to someone, and when¡­ When I see them again. I¡¯m going to be a different person. A better person. So¡­ So please. You have to let me do this. Please!" Drake begged, his knuckles turning white as they gripped and curled on themselves with his frustration, "You¡¯re the strongest person here, and I need to know how! I need to know how I measure up! Whatever the reality is, I¡¯ll face it head on and go beyond it. I told myself I was going to change, and this is how I do it." Bear listened intently, with the others doing the same. No words were spoken, but their bodynguage showed nothing but eptance for Drake¡¯s determination. Quelling any rebuttal they could think of to stop him. "Fine," Bear said tly, his aura once again stemming out from him. It washed over Drake like a chill breeze, his body shivering slightly as it touched him. Drake held his ground, his eyes hardening with reaffirmed will to improve and face the strongest man in the tutorial. "Thank you, Bear," Drake said. Bear again unsheathed his ymore from his back, it humming with power now as a faint glow of white emanated from it. As he took up his battle stance, with the ymore in one hand, his other free and covered in a metal gauntlet, he shook his head. "Bjorn, Johnson. If you want my full respect, you¡¯re going to need my real name," he said, turning his eyes to the small peanut gallery of Natto and Theodore, a smile on his lips. They both recoiled and nodded knowingly. The silent affirmation that they would never speak of it to anyone, backing away further to a more safe distance. Drake smiled, his eyes rxing for a moment, "Drake, Wallen," then his own body tensed again readying for the fight. Bear nodded in kind and held his ground, waiting for Drake to start the fight. "Let¡¯s start out at 11 of 10, I won¡¯t be holding back Bjorn!" Drake roared, his arm tattoos ring to life in a brilliant blue. Drake began casting his defensive skills in quick session, "I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable!" a sheen of green quickly cascaded over his entire body, the odd feeling of faint securitying with, and as quickly as it came the sh of green faded. [Under the effects of Unbreakable Skill for 5 Minutes] He continued casting another, "I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark!" another glistening sheen of green formed around him, the feeling of his stamina dropping bit by bit. The barely visible transparent covering of the skill covered himpletely. [Under the effects of Bulwark skill for 10 Minutes] Drake took a deep breath as he stared down Bear, the tall man¡¯s face shifting slightly as he looked confused. A small smile crept on Drake¡¯s face, "ON BLESSED WINGS! GUARDIAN¡¯S REPRIEVE!" he shouted, a final sheen of green epassed him, a feeling of strength and stability flooding his body. [Under the effects of Guardian''s Reprieve skill for 20 Minutes] "I thought you were a mage¡­?" Bear mumbled softly. Drake¡¯s grin grew, extending beyond his ears. "I am a Mage. But I''ll also quickly be yours and everyone¡¯s worst nightmare." He took no time to try out his new Endowment spell as well, knowing exactly what he needed against Bear¡¯s hulking strength. Drake wasn¡¯t sure how to use the spell so he tried to cover for it, to make sure Bear wasn¡¯t savvy to his game. "Wind that shall not be shackled, have freedom! Wind Cutter!" Drake shot forward like a loosened spring. His spell circle forming from blue into a gentle light green. Choosing to not release the spell and manipting it into a torrential ball as he closed the distance. Bear stood stoically, only following Drake with his eyes. And the fact that he even could with Drake¡¯s increased speed from his essories only paid respect to how strong Bear¡¯s awareness actually was. Kicking up dust with every step Drake circled Bear to position himself into his blind spot, chanting his new spell and hoping for the best, his ball of wind still in his hand, "The power of Wind is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess! Endowment!" The sphere of gusting wind in Drake¡¯s palm vanished, the feeling of a cool breeze shooting up Drake¡¯s arm, as the ck tattoo¡¯s of his weapon that had turned blue from the mana activation again turned, changing to the same shade of green as the spell circle, cascading to include his tufts of hair he could see. An immediate burst of Dexterity was felt within himself. A devilish grin reced Drake¡¯s surprised expression instantly, as he shot forward at Bear¡¯s exposed back. The splitting of the rocks under Drake¡¯s foot sounded with his roar as he closed in on Bear. Drake¡¯s fist pushing forward in a straight line at a speed like never before, his new Martial Strike ability on full disy as the fist was also enveloped in a sinister crimson glow, trained straight for the back of Bear¡¯s head. The next moments passed in a slideshow, every moment easily distinguishable from the next. Drake¡¯s Adrenaline Acuity beginning to slowly take effect. The scene became even more horrifying for him, as he saw Bear move in one frame from being front, to turning and facing Drake the next, a grim line across his mouth. Drake¡¯s mind could process the action of Bear turning, but his body couldn¡¯t keep up as his fist flew forward right into Bear¡¯s open gauntlet. A resounding, p of flesh hitting bare leather of the metal gauntlet rang through the outpost, the pressure of the contact creating a small burst of air around them. Bear catching Drake¡¯s fist with all of the buffs and skills he had used with such low effort forced Drake¡¯s mouth to gap. "So you¡¯re a mage that can move fast huh?" Bear said tly, "Just not fast enough though," he said, releasing Drake¡¯s hand. Drake pushed backwards instantly to gain distance, holding his fist with his other hand. It wasn¡¯t broken but just from being blocked he could feel his hand shiver from the strength of Bear¡¯s grip. Fuck. How is he so fast to respond? Is it another skill!? Drake rapidly parsed, not pausing to stop his assault as he circled again with speed. Trying now to bombard the man, Drake kept the fa?ade of not being able to chantlessly cast, "The fire of my heart," he began bringing both his hands front and center this time, "take form and sear my enemies! Fireball!" Drake continued to circle around, doing his best to keep himself in Bear¡¯s blind spot as fireballs continued to shoot from Drake¡¯s hands. Each one pelting and kicking up dirt with a small explosion apanying it. Soon Bear was covered in smoke and a cloud of dirt. Drake didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and shot forward again, keeping the fireballs in his hand this time as he closed in. On the edge of the dust cloud Drake chanted again, "The power of Fire is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess! Endowment!" Instantly the fireball winked out of existence and power welled within Drake, his tattoos now taking on the crimson glow of their elemental endowment. This time Drake added to the blow he was about to deliver, Bear¡¯s back againing into vision through the dust. Just as his thrown fist was about to connect, Drake¡¯s eyes cascaded in colors of green, blue, and yellow. His visual skills ring to life. "Marked!" Drake shouted his fist inches from Bear¡¯s head. The moment Drake¡¯s words left his mouth, Bear¡¯s body shivered slightly under Drake¡¯s Of the Apex, and Weak Point skills, shining in a faint red glow in Drake¡¯s eyes. Briefly, but enough that Drake could spot it with his Adrenaline skill alsoing slowly to life, as the fight continued to go on. Drake¡¯s fist moved again in slow motion as it closed in on Bear. But this time Bear turned into the fist at thest millisecond, taking the full brunt of the blow to the side of the cheek. Unmoving. Even through the loud crash of the blow again kicked the dust away from the pair, Bear smiled at the astonished Drake. Only the image of Bear grinning, a small trail of red liquid emerging from his mouth, in the moment they connected. But Bear didn¡¯t let Drake go this time. A fully covered metal gauntlet grabbed at the wrist that assaulted his face. Drake¡¯s eyes went wide, "What?!" he cried. Bear lifted Drake like a piece of weightless cloth into the air, then mmed him down into the ground, an ear shattering boom thundering through the area. Drake hit the ground and was pushed into it further forming a small crater from the pure force of the m. A cough of blood and loss of air from his lungs, with the sound and visual queues of Drake¡¯s shields shattering sounding in his head. [Effects of Guardian''s Reprieve Lost] [Gained Reprieve Charge] A voice inside Drake¡¯s head sounded. And before he could question how it got past the muted notification function, the iing meteor of Bear¡¯s fist filled his vision forcing him to think. Drake looked past Bear and prayed that the teleport would work. Drake willing himself to move into the air above the man. The next moment Drake was ass up behind Bear looking down at him. Refocusing he began shouting his next spell, "The earth that will not falter-" But he was cut short as Bear turned around, grabbing Drake again. Gripping his leg and mming him down into another small crater, with a resounding crash. [Gained Reprieve Charge] Fuh-ck! Drake was barely able to curse inside his head, as another round of air was pushed from his body even harder this time, as he had no shields to cushion the impact. Bear gave Drake no time to recover as his fist came down again a breathter onto him. Drake didn¡¯t have a choice anymore and didn¡¯t have time to fake the cast again. He willed Water Shot to form in front of him with one hand and forced a Stone bullet into the other, Endowing it into himself using the feeling of the other spells as a guide. His arms taking on a deep earthy brown, as he put up his cross guard for the blow. The water spell formed into arge cube in front of his guard to hopefully cushion the impact. Bear¡¯s metal d fist was brought down onto Drake with unbridled power, swiftly cutting right through the cube of water and pushing past Drake¡¯s cross guard. Pushing him even further into the ground as the crater deepened and the ground cracked with dust shooting in all directions from the impact. [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost] Bear stood at the top of the crater looking down, his metal gauntlet slightly peppered with red splotches. Hisrge ymore still humming with a faint white glow in his other hand. "So you can chantlessly cast? I guessed you could have when you started casting multiple fireballs," Bear mused, then his face turned serious, "You think you can try to force respect from someone when you are holding back with gimmicks! Huh, Drake!?" Bear shouted down into the small hole. A low rumble sounded as the ground behind Bear shifted, then popped with an audible crack, revealing Drake. His hair and arms painted a light green now, from the previous earthy brown. In one a searing ball of fire, in the other a shimmering ball of water. Drake sped his hands together into a tight fist, forcing a finger out as a makeshift pistol. The spells shifting into a ball of water, covered by a condensed shell of fire. The water inside evaporating and condensing rapidly as the fire continued to boil the water inside, allowing none of it to escape the airtight shell. "Inspirations aren¡¯t gimmicks! I follow what I know, Bear!" Drake shouted, at the slowly turning mountain in front of him, "And this one¡¯s a favorite! Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t hold anything back on it!" he roared. "SPIRIT GUN!" The small mass of fire and water shot forward, carving a bright red line through the air straight for Bear. In an instant it reached him and his raised gauntlet. Bear didn¡¯t even seem to bat an eye when the spell crashed into his open hand and exploded in a mass of steamed water and fire. The explosion enveloping himpletely. Drake didn¡¯t spend anytime hesitating, he knew that wouldn¡¯t kill Bear, and could only hope it would hurt the man. From Drake¡¯s previously Weak Point ¡®Mark¡¯ he could see where Bear was in the screen of steam and used a Reprieval teleport to get behind him, shooting his fists forward in a barrage to hopefully catch him off guard. The reality wasn¡¯t so amodating, as Bear turned around and deftly dodged the blows by hair breaths. Each blow came with such force and speed from Drake, that it pushed the steam out with every missed blow. How fucking strong is he?! Why is the gap sorge! Drake screamed internally, every punch just barely missing its mark. Drake tried to change tactics, as he chantlessly casted a fireball into his hand, and crunched it in his hand with Endowment, shifting his tattoos and hair to a crimson red. Dropping low and empowered his leg, going for a sweep, only to hit Bear and feel the blow reverberate through his shin. It felt like he had just hit a steel building with a rooted foundation that was unshakable. And what was worse. When the steam cleared from the powerful sweep it revealed the ground below Bear. Drake went ck jawed and his frustration was painted all over his face as he looked at the pristine untouched ground under Bear. Outside of turning he hadn¡¯t even moved through the entire fight. Even after all of Drake¡¯s attempts he hadn¡¯t even budged the man. Drake¡¯s frustration and indignation bubbled inside him as he again shot his fists furiously towards Bear. Now weaving in pot shots of air, water and earth where he could. But to no avail everything missed or was stopped in its tracks by the indomitable man in front of Drake. Drake tried desperately with everything he could to get a solid hit in, changing his endowment from Fire to Wind more and more seamlessly with every time it was done, gaining experience as he fought. But nothing was working. Finally Drake used thest reserve of his Reprieval Teleport to get behind Bear again. Drake¡¯s hair sheening green in the torchlight of the night, in his hands a Stone Bullet extended into a longnce. Drake released it once he had teleported but Bear didn¡¯t even have to turn, as he tilted his head and allowed the spear to harmlessly crash into the ground past him. Bear then swung around with his free arm, and grabbed Drake by the throat. "It¡¯s enough isn''t it? You¡¯ve proven stronger than anyone else in the tutorial. No one has evene close Drake, I can promise you that," Bear said solemnly. Drake struggled in Bear¡¯s grip, and struggled to speak through gritted teeth, "No..Not stronger.. Th.. than.. You!!" Bear sighed and leapt forward, with Drake in tow. Giving Drake barely any time to shift his Endowment to earth before he was mmed and dragged across the ground until he was embedded into the side of the mountain. [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost] [Gained Reprieve Charge] [Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost] The resulting impact kicked up a mountain''s worth of dirt and debris when Drake was mmed into it. And for a few moments, it was silent until the dust cleared. A Hulking man standing in front of another in a heap almost merged with the mountainside. "Drake¡­" Bear said softly, looking at the ring man in the mountain. "Y-you¡­ still haven¡¯t-" a cough of blood interrupting Drake momentarily, "You still haven¡¯t swung your stupid sword, Bear.." he grinned with red-tinted teeth, "It won¡¯t end," Drake said, as he rose shakily to his feet, as he formed balls of air in his hands then inhaling it to push out his obviously crushed chest, his hair then shimmering from the earthy brown to a pale green, "It won¡¯t end! Not until I drop or you swing!!" Drake roared and produced fire in his hand and pressed it against the exposed side of his undershirt that revealed a bloody friction burn. Cauterizing the wound that went from his hip to the side of his chest, "I refuse to lose here without at least finding out how big the gap truly is! I won''t lose! I CAN¡¯T LOSE! Not here, not now! My pride, my family, my own damned stubborness won''t allow it!" Chapter 45: Bjorn vs Drake P2 – Overwhelming Power Chapter 45: Bjorn vs Drake P2 ¨C Overwhelming Power Drake¡¯s body was more than just battered and bruised, but he still had enough gas in the tank to keep going. He had to keep going, if he gave up here, just because Bear was a seemingly insurmountable wall and a few small flesh wounds he would never grow. Steel is forged through fire as they say. Drake assured himself inwardly, But fucking hell is it still scary. He thought as he wearily looked up again from his seat inside the mountain side -his side stinging from the cauterizing of the nasty wound- at Bear who stood patiently. Bear looking at Drake expressionless from a few yards away, his huge ymore humming with a faint white aura of power around it at his side. Drake looked inwardly and his time for his Guardian¡¯s Reprieve shield felt as if it was almost off cooldown, but that also meant his Unbreakable buff was running out soon. He didn¡¯t have much time to think, he needed to end this within the next minute. One way or another. I still have my trump card and plenty of mana in the tank to use something big. I don¡¯t want to keep going in for a close range fight when he¡¯s proven more than once it''s futile but¡­ Fuck! I don¡¯t have a choice! Drake screamed inwardly. Drake forced himself to stay standing, his ribs aching with every movement. They were mostly crushed from thest hit he took and he could feel it. If he wanted to stay in the fight he needed to keep his lungs filled with air from his spell, but at the same time he needed the Dexterity bonus from the Endowment. Steeling himself, he finally readied his body. Exhaling, the pain from his chest red up forcing him to wince in pain, the next moment he canceled his endowment to cast a Wind Cutter and Fireball in his hands once more forcing the ball of air into his mouth as he breathed the spell in deep holding his breath. Casting it again in the same hand, crushing it as he forced the Endowment back, everything cascading into a green shine in the torchlight. Drake shot forward, ignoring the screaming protests from his body, thankful for a pain tolerance skill. Throwing the fireball forward, he recast a fireball and a Water Shot, willing the fireball above his shoulder. The first fireball reached Bear¡¯s feet in an instant, kicking up dust and hopefully disorienting the man. Drake stopped short and threw the ball of water at Bear¡¯s feet, then continued to bombard him with a stream of water, hoping to muddy his footing. Bear swung his arm and cleared the dust forming around him, his eyes locking in Drake the next moment. Drake stiffened for a half step as their gazes met, but shook his head, forcing himself to recover. Using his Reprieval Teleport to get above Bear. Drake exhaled in pain, gripping the fireball above his shoulder, switching to the Fire Endowment, simultaneously casting two Wind Cutters, shoving one down his throat for air, and willing the second one to his feet. Bear turned to greet Drake, as Drake¡¯s Wind Cutter exploded outwards on Drake¡¯s extended leg, pushing him into a spinning heel kick. His body glimmering in red, his heel meet Bear¡¯s cor bone with thunderous force. The sound of crashing metal apanying it. But Bear was unflinching. Again Drake''s blow didn¡¯t even make the man budge from the blow, even with his footing bing more and more unstable. Just how solid was he? Drake didn¡¯t give up. Casting another two Wind Cutters he pushed himself to the side with his left and used the other to continue his momentum and force into a spinning roundhouse, aimed at the back of Bear¡¯s head. Bear ducked deftly. Drake¡¯s leg passing over his head harmlessly. Drake cursed inwardly, but he expected it to go this way for now and continued his assault. His aim was to wait for the right moment biding his time until some kind of opening, some kind of mistep presented itself. He continued to assail Bear with as much spatial movement as he could with his Wind Cutter. Moving back and forth to keep in his blind spot, adding in Water Shots at Bear¡¯s feet as he weaved his Wind Cutter to move and breath in between blows. Drake shot to the left, then to the right, pushing himself to endure the pain from the abrupt shifts in momentum, as he shot forward from the push of a Wind Cutter, his fist extended to strike at Bear¡¯s right elbow-side kidney. But that was Drake¡¯s mistake. Bear leaned his body enough that it passed right by him and grabbed Drake by the throat. Bringing him up to eye level before reeling him backwards to hurl him at the mountain. This was the moment Drake was waiting for. Just before he wasunched into the air he shouted, "Fear is binding, Cower!" Drake¡¯s hands gripping Bear¡¯s giving the spell an instant effect as dark purple like tendrils shot from the ck magic circle in Drake¡¯s palm. Twisting and crawling until they wrapped themselves around Bear¡¯s head and disappeared, as Drake was flung into the air. He then used hisst stored charge of teleport to save himself from hitting the mountain side, instead putting him a few meters right above Bear. The teleport killed Drake¡¯s momentum so he only had a few seconds to gather mana into a spell. Bear assumingly feared for 5 seconds below him. Drake canceled his Fire Endowment and began gathering both Wind and Fire in each respective hand, dumping his mana into each, as they grew to the sizes of wrecking balls. He red mirthfully down at Bear, praying this spell would at least incapacitate the man. The glowing ball of fire and the turbulent ball of wind continued to grow until Drake had put everything but a sliver of his mana into them, ncing at his Health and Stamina, he barely had enough to survive after a unique cast. Drake mmed the spells together, forming a ball of fire covered in a shell of wind, perpetuating the growth and intensity of the mes contained inside. Reeling back his fist, his body glowed red, "Divineeeeee!!" his magic red at his word, condensing, and squeezing into the size of a baseball, it turning into a white hot miniature rotating sun, "BUSTER!!!" Drake roared as he threw his fist into the ball, propelling it down on top of Bear. The spell undted and curved as it streaked to the ground, leaving a sma like trail from the point of impact with Drake¡¯s fist. Drake prayed and counted in his head the seconds remaining on the fear. Four Three NO! HOW?! Drake screamed in his head, time slow enough in his mind that he could see Bear¡¯s head turn upwards, his eyes focused. After a second that seemed like an eternity in Drake''s mind, Bear finally moved his ymore down into a drawing motion, his body glowing a sinister ck, and his ymore shimmering in a more intense white. "The world will bear witness to my overwhelming power." Bear recited, Drake¡¯s ball of sma inching closer, "Sky Splitting Strike," Bear¡¯s voice was soft, but clearly audible in Drake¡¯s ears. A streak of white light shattered and split Drake¡¯s spell. Parting it, as both halves embedded themselves into the ground, melting the ground with an unatural hissing sound turning it tova where the spellnded. The streak of power passed through the spell like a hot knife through butter and continued in Drake¡¯s vision, clear as day. It was pure unbridled power. Cutting through everything before it. It was. "Beautiful," Drake muttered in awe. The sky was lit up in a ray of white light as it closed in on Drake. He had nothing left. He could see the skilling, his Adrenaline Acuity giving him the rity of perception, but his body couldn¡¯t react in time. Drake was forced to just helplessly watch as it moved in slow motion towards him. The skill encroached closer on Drake finally just centimeters from him, but the blow wasn¡¯t trained at him directly. Bear had taken into ount where Drake was, and the blow skid across Drake¡¯s right arm, incinerating the skin and flesh from the side of his arm as it passed him. Drake was pushed into a spinning free fall as he plummeted to the ground, his consciousness waning. Drake fought to stay conscious, needing to cast a Stone Bullet to cast Earth Endowment. The ground quickly approached just as Drake finished the spell, and he crashed into it. Thest thing he saw was the expression of terror on Natto¡¯s face as he hit the ground. His heart and mind filled with regret, as he sunk like a falling star into the ground. He had somehow kept conscious, but barely. He was waning in and out, sounds muffled and the edges of his vision darkening quickly. Drake began hearing voices shouting but could barely make them out. "Dr..ke!!" "The.. po.t..on!" Drake could barely feel his body but a sharp tug towards his stomach forced him to wince again. The next moment a cool liquid filled his mouth. He couldn¡¯t breath, his body was in tatters, but he was forced to swallow the liquid lest he suffocate. A soothing feeling filled him as the liquid dripped down his throat. Drake could feel his body more adeptly, but just barely. The voices bing slightly more clear. Clear enough that he could make out who was speaking now, if only vaguely. "Get away from him!" Natto shouted, "If you touch him I will end your sad miserable life!!" Drake tried to lift his head, his vision blurry and darkening. But he could barely make out a small figure holding something in their hand and a taller figure looking like a monster bearing down in front of it. "Na.. Natto.. Don.. Don¡¯t fight.." he said with barely a whisper. His head fell back to the ground, as he felt hands grip his cor now, "Drake! Drake!! If you can hear me you need to listen carefully, " the voice said shakily, sniffles breaking up the words, "Y-you do not have enough regeneration to recover from this and we are unable to use another potion.. You have a Regeneration Stone you have yet to use. I-i I need you to get it and use it, now!" the feeling of water suddenly touched and ran down his cheek. Drake fought to even stay coherent but heard the voice well enough to follow the instructions, he willed his inventory open and plucked the stone mentally from his inventory. It appearing in his hand, but slipped from his grasp. He cursed weakly, breathing heavily with rasps of intense seething pain. But he felt the smooth ss like stone enter his hand again and small shivering hands curled his around it. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Regeneration [Umon] [Confirm?] Fuck you¡­ yes¡­ Drake cursed. [You have learned Skill: Sound Body and Mind [F-Rank] "Excellent! Just like that Drake¡­ It is not working! I said fucking stay away!!" the voice shouted, "Damn it! What can he do, what can I do? What can he use?!" The voice rambled, panic obvious in the voice, "The Fire Stone! Drake please if you can still hear me, I need you to do one more thing¡­ The Fire Stone! It is a gamble but I can not think of anything else to save you¡­" Without hesitation, Drake mechanically grasped the stone from his inventory, his conscious on itsst leg as he trepidly went through the motions to ept the prompts as he slowly began to ck out. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Fire [Rare] [Confirm?] ¡­¡­ [You have learned Skill: Tempered in mes [F-Rank] Drake couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and his visionpletely cked out, sounds once again bing muffled. The darkness taking him, only the scattered sounds of someone screaming slithering their way into his waning psyche. Chapter 46: The Aftermath Chapter 46: The Aftermath A groan leaked from Drake¡¯s mouth, the rays of the morning sun touching his face. He opened his eyes, trying to blink away the bleariness, but not only were his eyes unfocused but his head was a jumbled mess as well. He felt pain everywhere, which only added to the confusion, barely being able to remember where he was. After a few moments of blinking and trying to move his body, his vision cleared enough that he could make out the small crater he was currently in. And the small pink haired construct that was somehow resting on his chest. Which was heavy and fucking hurt by the way. But he didn¡¯t have the heart to wake her and not to mention he didn¡¯t have the strength. His body felt like solid lead. So Drake was content to justy down and rx for now. Drake¡¯s chest was still painful and progressively itchy as he felt his muscles and bones mend underneath his skin. Every passing moment giving a small amount of rity to what had happened justst night. His ankle pained as it mended. Where Bear had gripped him, mming him to the ground. His wrist felt bent in the wrong direction as it slowly aligned itself correctly, reminding him that Bear had also crushed it when he pushed him into the ground even more. Drake¡¯s left hand struggled to rub his abdomen which felt like the worst of it. He could feel the burnt tissue along with the not surprisingly more than tender parts where Bear had brought his fist down on him, and where Drake himself had seared his flesh to stop from bleeding. He coughed a sigh through his still incredibly hoarse and pained throat, barely able to bring a self admonishing grin to his face. Staring into the deep blue sky. The endless ocean of blue was clear as day, but soon became distorted in Drake''s vision. He bit down hard, clenching his jaw nearly cracking his teeth. He had lost. He had said his piece and gave his all, to still lose without so much as leaving a scratch on Bear. The man had only even moved because he wanted to, not because Drake made him. Drake choked back a scream in his chest, a low shaky growl only escaping his clenched jaw. The mountain was high and Drake was barely at the starting line. He becamecent again, drunk on his perceived power from crushing the Gnolls. He had forgotten that other people had unknown abilities, secret techniques, titles, and possibly even better sses than himself. His ss was made for the long haul and he had tried to sprint right out of the gate. Fuck. Drake cursed, releasing his held breath. Heid there for a few more minutes, just trying to clear his head, the sound of Natto¡¯s rhythmic breathing somehowforting in the otherwise silent morning. Drake felt unusually weak, it must have been at least 6 hours since he started recovering but he still felt battered and broken. And now that he had a clear head to think, the fact he was still recovering was very queer. He finally noticed the blinking icons on the peripheral of his vision. [Weakened] Weakened - Debuff
  • Target is ced in a weakened state of 10% to maximum stats from overuse of their body.
  • Can not be cleansed
  • Extended Weakness due to massive overuse, Lasts 5 hours 47 Minutes 13 Seconds
[Divine Frailty] Divine Frailty [F-Rank] - Debuff
  • Target is weakened to a state of 50% of Maximum Status
  • Regeneration is cut by 50%
  • Can only be cleansed by a skill of samee rank or higher.
  • Lasts 18 Hours 47 Minutes 13 Seconds
Well ain¡¯t that a bitch¡­ Drake sighed. But he couldn¡¯t refute that he had gone much further than he had intended. The fight with Bear was, all things considered. Eye opening. Drake made it a point to fight Shigure if he ever had an opportunity to. He could only guess how strong the second strongest person was. Or maybe Bear was simply a freak of nature. He did have a Divine Debuff after all. Drake didn¡¯t even consider something like Divinity affinity to even be a possibility. He tried to flex his hands but only received a painful recoil in his right arm. He wanted to check out his body more but fatigue stripped him of the energy and the strength to move. After several more minutes Drake started bing bored. He wasn¡¯t able to move his body, but his internal mana flow was good enough to practice some things. He needed to make use of every second he could if he was to catch up and surpass this new wall that was the man Bear. If Bear had been the one that came for Drake¡¯s life, instead of someone who was his friend. Drake shuddered at the thought. And from what Bear had said, they wereing, whether Drake wanted to ept that or not. So Drake practiced casting his magic above his head. It was an interesting exercise in what he could and could not do. As long as Drake could imagine a spell coalescing in front of himself and guide his mana in the correct direction, he could summon a magic circle and then produce the spell. He could summon a fireball in front of his mouth, a drop of water in front of his eye. Drake could even move the earth that was touching the back of his head, allowing him to tilt his head forwards so he could get a better look at his body. Regretfully after seeing it, Drake didn¡¯t even want to describe how battered and torn he was. Somehow most of his armor had survived, but his pants were torn and barely covering him, his boots were bent and dented. Thankfully his rare Garbs had taken almost no damage, save some frayed edges, and some crusted blood and dirt. Ok, a lot of crusted blood and a little dirt. But in the ces Drake could see his flesh, it was mortifying. ck and blue covered every inch of his flesh that was exposed, the seared flesh was a harsh ck. Drake felt regret once again for losing, had he been better and more apt at fighting it may have been different. But he was still just a normal person, he had learned a few things from his escapades and training with the Gnoll Commanders, but at the end of the day, they were just animals and there was no technique. He could only grow so far outside his raw destructive power and that was what had been carrying the majority of his fights so far. But like Natto had mentioned, he was an all rounder. When Drake finally met another ss above his level, that specialized in something -Drake had no idea if Bear was a defensive specialist or attack based on everything- he had been helpless because of his low level, andck of real experience in fighting people. Drake lowered his head, pushing his self loathing concerns to the back of his mind. And tested out some more things he could do. He found that he was actually unable to create spells outside his vision. It wasn¡¯t as if hecked the imagination to do so, but it seemed that there was a limit to the creation if there was no line of sight. But, Drake was able to ce spells there after he had casted them, also noticing the extra expenditure of mana when he kept spells out longer than normal. For example he could move a Rock Bullet from his frontal vision and have it move to the side of his head out of his line of sight. And he could still feel the bullet through his mana maniption, almost as if it was a part of him. He could even insert the bullet into the ground, feeling the small chunk of earth separate from the ground, letting him move it underneath him, albeit with some janky control that was nowhere near the fine control Drake wanted but he would work on thatter. And had it pop up on the other side of his head into his vision again. Drake also found out that he could ce his spells into already made physical manifestations of his elements. cing a Rock Bullet into the ground, he could disperse his mana into the ground, allowing him to control arge portion of it and shape it to his will. There was only one problem though. The use of this cleared him out. When he had tried to take control of the earth in a size around the same as his body it had drained him so much that he lost control immediately, forcing him to stop his practice for now. But still. it was something he added to the list of things he could possibly use forter. Drake had started feeling slightly better and had gained control of his head after a half hour or so of practice. Leaning his head forward and up he looked at Natto, who had surprisingly still been able to sleep through his practice. "Is she really sleeping, or is she screwing with me¡­." Drake mumbled softly. "Naw she¡¯s sleeping," a voice said from above him. Drake looked up to see Bear, a half smile on his face, and a cup in his hand. "Well do you mind helping me out then, I¡¯d like to get up at some point," Drake scoffed. "No can do there man. When I tried to helpst night after our¡­ spar.. She nearly tried to kill me," Bear said, his mouth going t as he shrugged a shoulder. Bear jumped andnded next to Drake in the crater, with surprisingly no sound. The man must have weighed nearly 300 pounds of pure muscle alone but made no noise. Crouching down and bringing his voice to a whisper Bear brought the cup to Drake¡¯s mouth, making sure to eye the small construct to see if she would wake up and try to murder him again, "Here''s some water, your throats probably fucked fromst night," Bear smirked. Drake raised a brow, but appreciated the joke and the water all the same. "Little miss over there, was up most of the night, double checking on you. I didn¡¯t know constructs could merge with their owners so it was a surprise when she uh¡­ disappeared inside you a couple times," Bear admitted sheepishly. Drake leaned his head back, heaving a relieved sigh from the cold water before speaking, "That¡¯s¡­" he closed his eyes and thanked her in his heart. She had been haughty, maniptive, and quick to temper, but she was bound to him, and grew to quickly be important to him. It had been so long since he had been able to trust someone outside his family, and he was truly appreciative of that. Drake let the feeling pass after a few silent seconds and then opened his eyes to look at Bear, who was still casually sitting on his haunches eyeing the small construct warily like a rabbit ready to bolt at the slightest sign of movement. "Did she really scare you that badly?" Drake painfully chuckled. "I¡¯m not good with kids bro. They always cry when they see me¡­" Bear said trailing off. Drake blinked a few times, astonished that the man actually cared about something so trivial. Chuckling again slightly, "That is hrious. I never thought I would see a real anime tropee to life. Are you really trying to act like a gentle giant type after what you just did to me?" Bear looked away again sheepishly, "Yeah about that¡­. I¡¯m sorry I went overboard, but after seeing how hard you were pushing, I couldn¡¯t not show at least what I could do. Again sorry about the debuff¡­ I know it stings." Drake, very slowly and barely shook his head, "It isn¡¯t a big deal. If anything I should thank you for showing me another goal to reach. But I don¡¯t think-" Drake trailed off looking down at Natto, who had now clearly woken up as she bared her teeth at Bear, her tail and ears standing straight up as she hissed through her teeth. "What are you doing here! I told you to get the fuck out! How dare you evene close to him after what you did!!" she hissed. "Whoa, easy there Natto," Drake said trying to calm her with a half grin, "It isn¡¯t his fault I asked for it." "Drake!" she shouted, moving quickly to the side of his head, her hands moving nervously around not sure what to check first, "You are awake. That is good, how do you feel?" "I¡¯m surviving," Drake responded, noticing that Bear had stood up and backed away slowly, as if Natto was the actual Bear. "Ah, thank goodness," Natto sighed, her hand on her chest. Then a fist quickly found the side of Drake¡¯s head. "OW! Hey I¡¯m injured here!" Drake said with a half-heartedugh. His body shivered in pain slightly, but decided to ignore it. "And who is at fault for such an oue!!" she yelled, her eyes going to Bear steely, then back to Drake, "I told you it was a bad idea! If it was not for the two stones you had for your empty slots you would have died! Yo-You can not keep doing that!" she wailed, suddenly breaking down in tears. Surprising Drake, but he just looked on at her dotingly as she cried into his shoulder, her hands harmlessly pounding on it. "It¡¯s alright, look I¡¯m fine, I survived. You won¡¯t get rid of me that easily," Drake said, trying his best to move his left hand to the top of Natto¡¯s head, "That goes for all of you," Drake said loudly, fighting back a cough. A dirty blond head shook at suddenly being addressed as it was slightly peeking over the edge of the crater. Theo slowly rose into full view, monocle and all, "Are you more amicable my liege..? This one apologizes for daring to question your decision of the night past. It was not my ce to speak out," he said, fixing his monocle, then giving a slight bow as he stood fully erect. Drake managed to slowly shake his head, remorse clear on his pained face, "No Theo, I shouldn¡¯t haveshed out because of my injured pride¡­" Drake said trailing off, his thoughts going to Natto and how she had quickly be someone Drake had full trust in. And how he thought possibly Theodore may be the same someday if given the chance. "I- Please continue to tell me when I¡¯m making a rash decision. From here on that is," Drake smiled, but only half of his face followed the action, the other suddenly had a wailing Natto covering it, bringing more tear-covered fists down on it. Theodore¡¯s face beamed, he twirled his mustache excitedly as he spoke with glee, "Yes! Without a shred of doubt this one will rejoice in the honorable duty of steering my lord in the proper direction when he is found amiss!" "Alright not that far, baby steps my guy," Drake chortled. "Well, it looks like I¡¯ve overstayed my wee," Bear said, his hand scratching the back of his head, finally chiming in, "But first Drake, I need to go over some things with you." Drake raised himself to a sitting position using his earth magic to mold a seat, forcing Natto to roll from his face down to hisp. She shook, her tail and ears pping slightly, then glowered at Bear, but held her tongue. "Oh? And what¡¯s that?" Drake asked. "It¡¯s about the murder group, that¡¯s out to get you." Chapter 47: Parting is such Sweet Sorrow…? Chapter 47: Parting is such Sweet Sorrow¡­? "Wait. I totally forgot about that, what the fuck man?!" Drake said, wincing in pain from his side. Natto looked up worried, but Drake quickly gave her a reassuring look to pacify her. Bear started exining, sitting down himself, a noticbly deliberate safe distance from Natto, "I know you¡¯ve said that you haven¡¯te in contact with any of them, so I¡¯m going to give you the bulk of it." Bear began writing down in the dirt, "There are around 3,000 people left here right?" Bear asked rhetorically, "Around half of those are in Shigure¡¯s camp. So what¡¯s going on with the other half?" Bear wrote out 1,500 and then a line separating it from the next number. "Of the remaining 1,500 or so, 1,000 of them are in scattered groups or doing who knows what, either in pairs or alone. Honestly I couldn¡¯t say for certain because this part is just conjecture on my part based on what I know of the tworgest groups," Bear said, scratching the side of his beard awkwardly. "You said two groups, and Shigure¡¯s is one so who¡¯s the other?" Drake asked, his eyes pointed, hoping what he assumed was wrong. "I¡¯m sure you already know," Bear said, giving an even gaze. Fuck, are that many people really that despicable? Drake thought. Bear nodded at Drake, his thoughts clear on his face. "The remaining 500 consist of arger group that Shigure¡¯s group is aware of. They aren¡¯t exact numbers but they¡¯re assuming it''s around 200 or so people. And they are out for blood. The remaining 300 are just as hungry for TP and the like but are scattered about," Bear exined his jaw tightening. "This is where most of the problems lie," Bear continued, holding up three fingers, "There are three things that can kill you in the tutorial. Lack of food, monsters and-" "People¡­" Drake said, finishing Bear¡¯s thought. Bear nodded and resumed his exnation, "For what it¡¯s worth, finding food was the hardest of the three in the beginning but with the wildlife ranking up as well as the monsters, beasts yield far more food than before and it¡¯s crazy more nutritious. There are also monsters that you can eat as well. Thankfully, so far most of the monsters outside the singr strong ones have not been a problem for most groups, especially the main ones that have healers," Bear said. That¡¯s good. Drake thought absently. "The only problem is I¡¯m not sure how much longer that is going tost," Bear added. "What do you mean?" Drake asked genuinely unaware. "I know you''re a smart guy Shot, think back a bit to the monsters you''ve killed, and what the tutorial has been slowly doing in the background," Bear asked, crossing his arms to wait, "Do you notice anything?" Confusion quickly painted Drake¡¯s face as he thought back to when he killed the first ape. Then went through a marathon of going over every fight he had ever had, slowly chewing on the details. As he did, Theodore slid down and joined them in the small makeshift circle they created, choosing to just sit quietly as he listened in. After a minute of silence and Drake scrunching his face thoughtfully, he started to notice what Bear was talking about. But before he could answer Natto became impatient and spoke first. "The monsters are getting stronger and more specialized just like the people are," she mused looking up, "When you first started they were general fighters and then ced into more singr roles. Certainly you remember thest fight, where the Goblins had even more specific roles?" Drake nodded, and Bear voiced his agreement, "Maybe you aren¡¯t the brains of the outfit Shot, I think the littledy might be the one running the show." Natto looked back at Bear, her eyes thin lines. Then she spat at his feet, turning her head and scoffing. Drakeughed wearily, not sure how he was going to mend rtions between the two. "Yeah, maybe so. But what she said is true," Drake agreed. Bear nodded, eyeing the small splotch of venomous spit in front of him, "Yeah¡­" he coughed, "So that is the biggest ticking time bomb for Shigure¡¯s group and any of the smaller ones out there who may be ill equipped to deal with it." "How would groupsrger than my liege have trouble with mere monsters?" Theodore chimed in. Drake had wondered the same thing. They had more people and regr sses were more specific, each having a designated role so wouldn¡¯t it make sense they were more precise in how they would be able to deal with the monsters? "Normally you would think that," Bear agreed, "But that¡¯s only if we''re talking from a numbers point of view. Also if we are only talking about it from a game perspective or I suppose a tabletop campaign." Bear held up three fingers again to aid his exnation, "Let¡¯s say that there is a group of three people, a front liner, a mid/long range fighter, and a healer. Now imagine they are fighting a group of five monsters. I would say five is pretty average out there now. How do you think they deal with it?" Bear asked, looking at Drake. "Well obviously the front liner blocks and defends while the ranged damage kills off the group while the healer keeps the front liner alive," Drake said as if it was painfully obvious. Bear nodded, "Yeah, normally that seems like the best option. If it were a game," Bear interjected, "This is real life now. Real life and death. These monsters aren¡¯t just on your screen anymore, they live, breathe, and fight to theirst breath just like us. Think back to your first fight, how desperate were you?" "Ok yeah, pretty desperate, but we''re two weeks in, everyone should have gone through that by now," Drake said, his brow raised. This time Bear shook his head, "Remember what I said about us being the exception? Most people don¡¯t want to fight, it hurts, it¡¯s scary, and more than not people have seen others die in front of them. What kind of trauma do you think that brings people who were just normal nine to fivers a few days ago?" Drake grimaced. "Exactly. Now think back to the scenario. If that front line fighter has seen people die just from even numbers, what is going to happen if he sees they are outnumbered? He¡¯s going to shit himself and panic, leaving the other two behind him open to being mauled to death. He goes down and the formation that should have been an easy victory falls apart," Bear exined. "Now this is the actual norm. Shigure¡¯s group and his coalition have survived this far by having massive numbers versus the monsters with a few elites, and now that they have a base of operations they can hole up. But only a handful of them are actually getting stronger. Most of the people in that outpost are just satisfied with trying to survive and are scared. So what is going to happen when the monsters start to outstrip the people who are actually fighting?" Drake¡¯s expression turned even darker, "Why are you telling me this?" "I¡¯ll get to that, just stay with me for a bit longer," Bear said, his hands moving in a passive manner, "This alles back around to the third problem. Now that the monsters are getting stronger and roaming inrger groups, the people looking to kill others for TP and whatever else is going on in their sadistic minds are picking off more and more groups going out, perpetuating the problem of people not getting stronger." Drake, curious, asked again, "Again what does this have to do with me. I don¡¯t understand why you''re telling me this. Are you asking me to help them, after you just wiped the floor with me?" Bear shook his head, "No, I¡¯m saying all of this to tell you the situation, and that I¡¯m going to be going there to deal with it," Drake recoiled in confusion, "Why?" "I¡¯m plenty strong and the monsters around right now aren¡¯t strong enough to pose a problem. And for my own personal morals it doesn''t sit right with me to let those people die a slow death they don¡¯t even know ising or many of them refuse to ept," Bear exined, "In truth I¡¯ve been going around looking for other people before it gets real bad out here and I just happened to follow your trail thinking it was someone very strong. You can guess how surprised and d I was to find out it was actually you." Drake gave a half smirk at that. "So I want to ask something of you. If youe across anyone who isn¡¯t a psycho I want you to point them in Shigure¡¯s direction, even better if you escort them there like you said, bigger the group stronger we are," Bear smiled. Natto scoffed, "Uhhh, ape¡¯s strong together." Drakeughed, "She¡¯s not wrong I guess. But even if it¡¯s a request from you, what¡¯s in it for me?" Bear gave thergest grin yet, "This," Bear held out a colorful iridescent stone and dropped it into Drake¡¯s hand. [Skill Stone: Confluence [Rare] [Unlocks Random skill from the Confluence Tree] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and at least 1 Mage Main Tree, or Sub-tree Unlocked] Drake unconsciously drooled staring at the stone. "You know I was joking right? And how did you get this?" Drake asked. "I managed to trade for it at Shigure¡¯s. Helping people out goes a long way, who¡¯d have guessed?" Bear chuckle, "Thest couple things. Shigure¡¯s ce is south of here, there¡¯s a big g ced on a hill near it, can¡¯t miss it. As for the, let¡¯s call them PKers, keep your ears open, almost all of them have some sort of stealth skill, and the ones that don¡¯t are specialized for power. Also there¡¯s an easy way to spot a PKer on thedder, and it¡¯s how we know who is one. Take a look at my TP." Drake gave him a questioning gaze, but did what Bear asked, opening the TP Ladder. [Tutorial Point Ladder] [Rank 1: Shot 664,500 TP] [Rank 2: Bear 465,353 TP] Drake looked up still confused, "I don¡¯t get it." "It¡¯s the ¡®3¡¯. There¡¯s no monster or quest in the tutorial that we know of that gives less than 10 TP. The only way to get it is by killing another participant and gaining the title thates with it..." Bear said, his voice bing gruff, then a whisper. Bear stood up and reached to grasp Drake¡¯s shoulder, his grip firm, "I mean this when I say it this time. Afterst night, you have earned my respect. So don¡¯t die to those sick bastards out there gunning for you man, no matter what I want to have a good meal again next time we meet. So y it safe until that debuff is gone, I''d stay but time is a factor in finding people before monsters and those PKers do, aight?" Bearughed and ced another two health potions at Drake¡¯s feet, giving a sidelong nce at Natto and Theodore, before hopping to the top of the crater. A thought passed Drake¡¯s mind when he saw therge man¡¯s back, the ymore that nearly killed him, silent in between his shoulders. "Hey Bjorn?" Drake said. Bear turned, "Yeah?" "Where¡¯d you get all these potions?" Bear scratched his cheek, "I like flowers¡­ so I picked herbalist for my first profession, then it only made sense to go with alchemy afterwards¡­." his ears turning a shade of red, just like his hair. Drake looked down to see a snickering Natto, "The oaf likes pretty things¡­.." she whispered, uncontroble giggling forcing her to lean further into Drake to hide her head. Outside the wall of the outpost, a man in a ck cloak stayed hidden amongst the trees. "Why did I have to get stuck with watching the fucking monster¡­" the man said. It was unfortunate but the group had forced their best stealth user to follow the biggest problem for them in the tutorial thus far. Kohoo, the 5th participant on the TP Ladder, and top ten on the leveldder, watched as therge gate of the outpost swing open revealing his target. Bear walked casually from the open gateway as it closed behind him. A wide sinister grin taking hold of Kohoo¡¯s maw. "Now just what kind of goodies did he leave inside there I wonder¡­? Chapter 48: Out the Hole Ye Git! Chapter 48: Out the Hole Ye Git! It had been about an hour since Bear left. Drake mulled over the information he¡¯d gain from the day. It feeling much longer than what they had really spent together. Rolling around in his working hand was a small vial of red liquid. [Health Potion] [F-Grade] Health Potion [F-Grade]
  • Heals a small percentage of health
  • Cures light ailments, curses, and sickness
  • Cooldown of 1 hour, use of additional potions before cooldown is up will result in adverse effects or ya know fucking death, so don¡¯t do it.
  • Made by a fledgling alchemist
Drake scoffed at the description, "I swear the system just likes to mess with me," he whispered, trying not to disturb the tuckered out constructying in hisp, a half eaten roasted nut in her hand. Natto¡¯s chest rose and fell rhythmically as she breathed, aforting sound to Drake after everything. Theodore had also been in the crater prior but decided to go and forage for food. Drake had also asked him to fill back up on water as they were out, as well as look for any left over monster stones that might beying around in the corpses. Theodore obliged with oh so many words, earning him a sigh and a handful of skill stones Drake wouldn¡¯t use. Including Mage Stones, Body Stones, and the only Illusion Stone he had in his possession. It only made sense seeing as Theo was a Dark Mage. With Theo off, and Natto falling asleep again, Drake was left with his thoughts. He pondered on where his next steps would take him. It was painfully obvious he needed more strength. I need enough to protect what¡¯s important to me... Strength means a lot more here than it did in the modern society before the system. Anyone who¡¯s stronger could juste along and take what they wanted from you now, there¡¯s no police or justice system to call on anymore. It¡¯s on me. He thought looking down at Natto and thinking of his family. Drake wanted to recover quickly, he had so many things to practice and refine. His magic, his technique. How he could better entwine his new found spells and limits. He went over his fight with Bear he didn¡¯t know how many times since the man left. Trying his best to think of better approaches to the fight, how he could have managed his abilities and resources better. Had he maybe started with the ¡®Atrophy of Mind¡¯ skill instead of dismissing it all together on the premise that he assumed Bear was a warrior and didn¡¯t use mana extensively like a mage may. Or should he have opened with his fear and used the time to channel a bigger spell and gauge his damage. If he had better refinement of his techniques or had more time to get aclimated with them, could he havested longer? Would his mana hold out with the bombardment of spells? No, who was Drake kidding, he was woefully unprepared and it was just an excuse to help his bruised ego. Drake sighed and opened his skill screen, looking in particr to the new two skills he had gained just before cking out. [Skills Branches] Primary: Elementalist P2(7%) [F-Rank] 0/5 Magic Sight P1(8%) [F-Rank] Heretical Mind P1(13%) [F-Rank] Multiplicative P1(8%) [F-Rank] Elemental Endowment P1 (16%) [F-Rank] Empty Secondary: Shield Miller P1(6%) [F-Rank] 0/5 Warrior¡¯s Stamina P1(17%) [F-Rank] Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P1(5%) [F-Rank] Aura of Command P1(0%) [F-Rank] Martial Strike P1(6%) [F-Rank] Empty Primary Sub-tree: Internal Mastery [F-Rank] 0/5 Of the Apex P1(5%) [F-Rank] Weak Point P1(3%) [F-Rank] Tempered in mes P1(15%) [F-Rank] Empty Empty Second Primary Sub-tree: Soul Mastery [F-Rank]0/5 Mana Maniption P2(9%) [F-Rank] Atrophy of the Mind P1(0%) [F-Rank] Cower P1(2%) [F-Rank] Sound Body and Mind P1(15%) [F-Rank] Empty Secondary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F-Rank]0/5 Hoarder P1 (0%) [F-Rank] Fully Loaded P1(0%) [F-Rank] Weapon of Choice P1(10%) [F-Rank] Adrenaline Acuity P1(10%) [F-Rank] Empty Second Secondary Sub-tree: Empty Drake had somehow been coherent enough to ce them in separate trees and given his skill set up a mostly even spacing. Looking at the two skills he was both amazed and saddened that he could fully optimize the skills because of the debuffs. Tempered in mes P1 (15%) [F-Rank]
  • Forged through fire and tempered in battle, your body has gone past normal limits, and allowed you to regenerate at an ever burning pitch.
  • A skill that allows the user to regenerate above normal means.
  • Passive Effects: Gives a 5% regeneration increase to all regeneration rates (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Converts Passive Regeneration into Active Combat Regeneration at a 3 to 1 ratio.
Sound Body and Mind P1(15%) [F-Rank]
  • A skill that allows the body to increase regeneration through meditation.
  • Passive Effects: Increase overall out ofbat regeneration by 1% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Active Effects: While in a meditative trance state your regeneration is increased by 25%. Will be broken if user takes any form of damage, can not be used under the influence of any form of debuff or curse.
They both happen to be passive skills and had helped save his life, but they only helped so much with the Debuffs he had, especially the Divine Frailty Bear had left. Leaving him at only 40% of his status until the debuffs wore off. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 16 Hours 47 Minutes 13 Seconds
It was painful but there was nothing Drake could do to change it. Drake ced the potions Bear had given him into his inventory, also snagging the remaining one that was still somehow unbroken in his garbs just above his obi. Reminding himself he needed to find some kind or make a utility belt at some point. Taking a moment Drake looked over his body again. The scars he was umting were growing by the day, forcing him to give a weary chuckle as he checked them. His exposed right side of his abs had arge burn scar that was still pink even after he had started to recover. His right arm where Bear had hit him with whatever that skill was, was still tender and burned. The skill had burned and still burned slightly, his skin felt like it was slightly bubbling under the heat of some kind of invisible fire. God damn it that stings. I wonder if that¡¯s part of the reason I have such an overuse of my weakness debuff, it is partly a pain reducer¡­ I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t give that asshole any more food now that I think about it. If this debuff is going tost this long and still hurt for hours. Drake thought, sighing. "Haa.. I didn¡¯t really mean that," he said, rolling the new Rare stone he had gotten in between his fingers, "I got a pretty good deal here didn¡¯t I¡­" Drake mumbled. Drake began feeling impatient, like he was just wasting time here, even thest day he hadn¡¯t made any real progress in levels, but his saving grace was the amount his skills had progressed. "Silver linings and all that," he whispered. Drake tried to wiggle his toes and was happy to find he was actually not paralyzed, only that his entire body even down to his toes hurt when he tried to do any kind of physical exertion. But Drake¡¯s desire to move was greater than the pain and he stubbornly began moving his body checking for what was hurt, slightly hurt, and what really fucking hurt. Satisfied that he would only have to deal with mild pain as long as he only moved his lower half he nudged his leg to wake Natto. "Hey, sleeping beauty. Time to get up," he joked. "Huh¡­?" Natto said groggily, a line of spit trailing from Drake¡¯s pants leg to her mouth as she raised her head, "Breakfast¡­?" "Gross¡­" Drake mumbled, but wasn¡¯t overly worried as he was pretty much a dirty mess anyway, "Yeah I have some left over stew, but we don¡¯t have much until I can get more fresh meat." Natto¡¯s alertness shot up when she heard the mention of food, "Certainly! Food now then?" "Yeah, yeah," Drake said, unable to move his arms well enough to give a dismissing wave. Making Natto give him a concerning look. "Are you well enough to even be moving?" she asked. "Yeah I¡¯m fine, it hurts a bit but nothing major, everything¡¯s been fixed up thanks to the potion and the new skills you had me learn. Thanks for that," Drake said, giving his honest gratitude. Natto turned a slight shade of red, as her ears and tail only turned a deeper crimson. She somehow kept her haughty attitude saying, "W-well as long as you show gratitude I see no issue with helping you. After all," her mood changing, "I would not wish to lose such a splendid cook! Now forward, my glorious chef to the promisednd of food!" Drake shook his head, a smile on his face, using his earth magic to push him upward to a standing position. He tried to concentrate to move the ground underneath him after inserting two more Rock Bullets into the earth, doing his best to turn it into a moving staircase, but after only shaping the small crater into a few steps he was spent. "Fucking! 40% total stats is going to suck for the rest of the day I swear to¡­" Drake pulled back his frustration mping down on the bubbling emotion, looking down at the concerned Natto, "My bad I guess I¡¯m just still, just a little, itsy bitsy, teeny tiny bit, almost non existent, more than zero bit mad about losing." Natto looked up, her arms crossed, one eye cocked, practically screaming ¡®uh huh.¡¯ "What?" Drake said incredulously. "Nothing," Natto replied, hopping up each step waiting for Drake to follow. Drake took much longer to walk up the half baked stairs but eventually made it in reasonable time. After a few minutes of waiting for his mana to replenish he again made stairs, shaping the earth. "You know," Drake suddenly mused, "It would have probably been so much easier if I just formed a spell to stairs and then put it on the crater¡¯s side," heughed, almost sobbing. Natto said nothing, just turning her shoulders slightly moving up and down. "Hey! I can see that you¡¯reughing! Remember who can hold your breakfast hostage!" Drake shouted. Natto turned instantly, her face aghast, "You. Would. Not. Dare!" she roared, enunciating every word. Drake¡¯s arms feeling slightly better he moved his shoulders into a shrug tilting his head, "I don¡¯t know. I think thatst hit to my head might have knocked my sense of pettiness a bit loose," he joked. "Bear should have killed you! Ahh!" Natto yelled, "Why was I even worried about such a stupid ape! Nothing can kill something so moronic and childish!" she huffed stomping towards the small campfire. Drakeughed a bit too hard and grimaced, but it was surely worth it, as he grinned feeling a bit better after the back and forth. Pulling an old friend from his inventory he used it as a makeshift stilt, "Wee back to the fray Frank 2.0, may youst longer than your predecessor," Drake said, patting the top of the staff¡¯s rounded edge. After a journey from the crater to the unlit campfire, that felt very much like taking the hobbits to Isengard. Drake finally sat down on the tree with a gruff grunt, stowing away his pal, Frank 2.0 into his inventory. Natto still slightly peeved not far away. "Well?" she said, her posture still wrathful. "Hold your horses, I feel like I aged like 500 years," Drake said. "Yes, well you would still be very young for an F-Rank, so it is hardly a valid excuse. Bring out the food dolt," she casually said, dropping arge bomb. "Wait, what? You just said 500 was young?" Drake gasped. "Certainly. The average lifespan of an F-Rank being is around 1,000 years. Do you think that you gain strength just to be strong? Or that you can possibly reach S-Rank in a normal lifespan?" Natto exined. "No way¡­." Drake saidmenting. "What is it? Are you not satisfied and overjoyed to live longer? Certainly this is a great thing," she said with slight concern entering her voice. "No, that¡¯s great! It¡¯s just, that means I have to deal with you for over a thousand years too-" Drake didn¡¯t even get the chance to finish before a geta hit him square in the head knocking him off his seat on the tree trunk. Chapter 49: Opening Up Chapter 49: Opening Up Drake rubbed his sore head, with one hand, his other stirring the warming pot of leftover stew shakily. "I didn¡¯t deserve that...." Drake grumbled. "Says you!" Natto countered. "That¡¯s why I said it!" Drake shouted. "Stir the pot and be silent dolt!" she shouted back, raising another geta in her hand. Chan PTSD from his mother took over and he quietly mumbled indecencies while he stirred the pot. Impatience taking over Drake¡¯s mind again, he began casting spells in his free hand, focusing on how the spells felt when he rotated them from one element to the other. Watching how if he was able to smoothly transition from one to the next the magic circle would also shift from color to color forming a beautiful cascade of shifting lights. "Ha, it¡¯s almost like RGB for my hand¡­" he smiled. "Enjoying yourself, child?" Natto quipped from the side, eyeing him. "Says the damn 2 day old," Drake spat back, "I¡¯m practicing since I can¡¯t do much else here. I¡¯m taking the little blessings where I can. God I miss my damnedputer," Drake said, then froze, a thought suddenly hitting him. "Noooo! If the world is fucked that means all my anime and manga serializations are going to stop! Fucking system! Damn you!" Drake shouted into the air. Natto sighed, "Good, now maybe you will finally run out of dumb references to use," she said, spitting the words like a bad taste in her mouth. Drake looked over, disbelief on his face, "How. Dare. You! I¡¯ve never heard a more sphemous thing in my entire life. If we were at ComCon they would eat you alive!" "ComCon is not a thing anymore doofus," she said, rolling her eyes. "Well aren¡¯t you just expanding your vernacr? Your food is warm, you little demon," Drake said, pulling a clean bowl from his inventory and scooping the stew into it. Natto¡¯s mood did a full 180 as she trotted over happily, grabbing the bowl without a word and blew to cool it. Drake gave the little construction a sidelong nce and half smile, returning to his practice, and reviewing what he could do differently next time he inevitably fought another person. There was even the possibility he fought an intelligent enough monster at some point. Many possibilities crossed his mind, but the most prominent problem he came across was why did his ploy fail in the first ce. Was it because I used the exact chant? Or maybe it was because of the full chant instead of having some of it omitted. I need to figure out just howmon those types of skills are. I can¡¯t exactly form a good lie if I don¡¯t have a solid base of truth to weave it in. Drake thought. Drake had too many things he still didn¡¯t know, information was clearly the weakest aspect in his arsenal at the moment. He sighed and focused on other things he could influence, looking down at the newly obtained stone he pulled from his inventory. [Skill Stone: Confluence] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Confluence Tree] [Requirements: Open Skill Slot and at least a Main Tree, or Sub-tree Unlocked] Natto had seen the stone as well but didn¡¯tment on it. Drake assumed it was because of who it hade from, as he eyed the happily eating construct. Bear had said he had gotten it by trading, but Drake wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to believe such a lie. Skills in this world were power, a way of freeing yourself from the oppression of the atrocities that might befall you at any moment should you give it the chance. And with the randomness of skills, a high quality stone was a premium. No. Drake knew. This stone was probably taken from someone, or looted from someone. Looking back at Natto his thoughts turned to how he would have to do his best to gingerly nudge her into answeringter about the stones, as Drake had another rare stone he was waiting anxiously to use also. Drake thought of the perfect thing to sway the little garbage disposal. Pulling out the tub of cores from his inventory in front of him. "Perfect!" Drake said, a smile creeping on his face, "I can practice some control, and wash these stupid things all in one go. Two birds, one massive tub!" It had been another hour since Drake and Natto had left the crater, and his body had started to respond better, the pain slowly but surely receding. Raising his arm Drake summoned a Water Shot, the magic circle forming in a light blue then deepening to a brilliant sapphire, pouring mana into it he manipted it into a stream to fill the tub. In his other hand. lit a me to warm the water as it streamed down. Finally having time to really appreciate it, he looked at the workings of magic he was doing. The surreal feeling that he was actually using Magic nearly seamlessly was a wonder, and brought a mncholy smile to his face. Recing the joyful one that was there. He sighed, thinking that such a wondrous thing was used for the most part, killing. But that¡¯s just how it is isn¡¯t it¡­ Drake thought looking upwards. This system wants and needs strong vessels. And this tutorial, I can only imagine where I would be if I didn¡¯t improve. Dead? Drake wrapped his hand around his neck stopping the stream of hot water. Or would those Goblins and Gnolls have done worse..? Drake clenched his hands together, determined to never let such a thing happen. The world before had constantly been a struggle and the system now exacerbated the problem by turning it primal. "Primal but more simple huh.." Drake whispered, his thoughts slipping out. The system was awful all things considered. Looking at the Participant Count alone would tell the story of just how awful. [Time Remaining Until Tutorial Concludes: 109 Days, 17 Hours, 23 Minutes, and 14 Seconds] [Remaining Participants: 2,636] Nearly 50% of the Participants had already died for one reason or another. So Drake could only grimace at the thought of how much the world''s overall poption was probably doing. Drake¡¯s mind began to wander further as he gave a sidelong nce towards the gluttonous construct to the side of him, chowing away on the stew. He needed to be stronger so that he would not worry her anymore. The sounds of her crying and then witnessing it in the aftermath of his defeat had put a small scar not only on his pride but his ego as someone who promised to improve and protect what was his. And Natto had be that, she had be family. A parallel was drawn between her and his family outside the tutorial. He prayed that they were alright and swore to do the worse should they not be. And for that. I need to be the strongest I can be and go even further to beat people like Bear. You know, the ones that don¡¯t like pretty things¡­ Drake thought, trying to cheer himself up with the image of his friend frolicking in a meadow of blooming flowers, picking up some here and there. Stiffling augh, Drake¡¯s mind unfortunately moved to something darker. He had never expected this to be his reality but now that it was, it posed some very real problems. The government had probably fallen, or there would be some real tyrannical people that would try to take up the g of the missing security the government provided, in the wake of the world going pure tribal. Certainly Drake hoped the better side of humanity would win out and protect the good and righteous, allowing the world to stay in rtive peace in this new world, but. He wasn¡¯t so sure. With all types of power people grow blind. Who would stop someone who could literally level mountains with a swing of their sword like Bear, or even worse? Had Drake had enough Mana he could most likely blow up the entire eastern seaboard with a custom spell. Could Drake have such hubris and be so cynical in thinking that he could be the one to police those types of people? "Probably not¡­"ughed Drake mirthfully. But the world would most likely not be so kind to allow him not to step in. Drake could already see the effects of the system taking hold here in his tutorial not even a month into it. It was sad, but he didn¡¯t expect the time after to be much better. Suddenly an empty bowl came into view in front of Drake. "Cease your internal monologue. I am not even inside your head and I can hear the cogs turning so loudly, I can not even hear myself chew¡­" Natto said softly, boing the bowl up and down. "I¡¯m fine," Drake said tly, taking hold of the bowl, and moving to refill it at the pot. "Are you? You will have to address this at some point," Natto forced. "Look I¡¯m fine if F is for feeling overwhelmed," Drake began humming. "A-and I is for I¡¯m not alright¡­. Damn it! Why must you do that!?" Natto shouted next to him. Drake shrugged, "It¡¯s just how I cope. Anime, manga,edy. They wereforts for me as a kid when I grew up getting bullied for being different, or going a little too far beyond my peers when I was homeschooleding into a public school. I learned a lot from those shows that I don¡¯t think many people get to experience because they dismiss them as being for kids. Or for one thing or another," Drake mused scooping up more food. Natto looked up, holding her hands out for the bowl, content to listen. Not wanting to interrupt now that Drake had for some reason decided to unload his mental baggage. "When I was a teenager, anime was just starting toe over to the West, DBZ, OP, Naruto, Bleach. And you know what?" Drake grinned, "I found escapism in those shows. The characters faced indifference, tragedy, and weakness head on, never giving up, and using pure raw ideology and hardwork to ovee their problems. I can¡¯t even count how many times I was in my room using body weights thinking I could be just as strong as them, or have the same unwavering ideals and morals like them if I tried hard enough. Day after day that grind eventually pushed me to be disciplined, even when I didn¡¯t want to get up half the time in the morning," Drakeughed. There was a short pause of silence, Drake taking a shaky breath in, "You know where I used to live, when my Dad was alive. There was this beautiful river. And little off where we lived was this stupid makeshift pier my Dad built with stones he found on the shoreline. He said he wanted to build an ind beach or something so he would go every few days to throw some stones in the river. And on days he wasn''t there," Drake looked over to Natto, "I would go out and pretend I was pushing and pulling the waves that crashed on the rocks. I¡¯d scream at the top of my lungs to vent or just pretend I was going over ¡®9000¡¯," Drake stopped for a moment, biting his bottom lip as he slunk to the trunk of the tree, "After a few years my dad developed cancer and he was going into remission. It was getting better, we all thought it was getting better. But it came back and took him from me¡­. From us. And you know what I thought the day I saw him in that hospice bed?" Drake whispered. Natto hadn¡¯t touched the food handed to her, it slowly going cold. Her mouth quivered trying to eke out something, anything, but couldn¡¯t. She shook her head. "I didn''t cry. I didn''t think about the good times, I didn''t think of everything he did for me for us. I-... I thought ¡®Why did you leave me?¡¯ ¡®What am I supposed to do now?¡¯ I was so weak and miserable on the inside that I couldn¡¯t even find it in myself to grieve for my own father on his deathbed," Drake clenched his hands, his nails digging into the skin, "That day I knew I had to embody those lofty ideologies I held so dear through my teen years. If I couldn¡¯t be strong enough to even stand on my own, I wouldn¡¯t be able to ever look him in the eye, let alone honor his memory." Silence fell over the outpost for a few drawn out seconds. Both Drake and Natto collecting their thoughts. Drake spoke first. "But, it got better. It took a long time, a lot of new experiences, and meeting a lot of colorful people along the way, but it got better. It was a road bump in my life that pushed me off track, but I''m stronger for it. Just like¡­ other road bumps I¡¯ll get past this one. So no. I¡¯m not fine, at least not right now. But I will be," Drake smiled, cing his hand on the construct¡¯s head, ruffling her hair, "I made quite a few promises, after all. And I don''t want to keep breaking promises. So I¡¯m going to get stronger. Strong enough that no one will ever hurt or take away what I hold dear again." Chapter 50: Shigure, Bear and the Camp. Chapter 50: Shigure, Bear and the Camp. A calming breeze whipped across the clearing in the forest, but the scene it passed was anything but. Surrounding a young man was a culmination of Goblins and chained Gnolls, all holding a multitude of weapons at the ready. In the teen¡¯s hands was only a sheathed long de, a smaller one strapped to his side. His ck hair swaying briskly in the breeze, the blue colored mantle covering his ck and white school uniform. Finally circling the teen, the Goblin Commander shrieked an order from behind the line of monsters, and the circle of monsters lunged with visceral bloodthirst in their eyes. "Fifth Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsushouku," muttered the teen, his de shed with the resounding sound of metal being drawn from saya. The encirclement stopped dead in its tracks as a red line shot from the drawn sword, passing through each of the monsters in a wide arc, the teen drawing a perfect circle in the loose earth with his foot as he twisted in motion. A wisp of dirt following his spin. Within the next breath the monsters'' upper halves slipped from their foundations, split in half from a clean cut at their midsections. Leaving the Goblin Commander gaping at the swift loss of his squadrant. The goblin shuddered in fear, growling and mumbling words the boy didn¡¯t understand. Eventually turning to run but there was no running from the boy, for his name was Shigure, the second on the Level Ladder. Sheathing his ¡®o-katana¡¯ Shigure vanished, appearing before the startled Goblin as it fell to the ground on its backside, its armor ttering with metal tings. "Disgusting vermin.." Shigure sneered, bending at the knees into a drawing stance, "First Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsu-Iai." The ringing of metal being drawn sounded through the forest like the high note of a flute that traveled for miles, crisp, clear, and beautiful. The Goblin seemingly frozen in time as only its mouth quivered up and down, not sure of what happened. The Goblin¡¯s vision shifted slowly as it moved to the side slowly turning, eventually seeing its still sitting body, its own hand up in the feeble attempt to stop the strike, its fingers cut diagonally like its head. [You have defeated Goblin Squad Commander [F-Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 5,500 TP has been awarded] Shigure spat, as he kicked the corpse to the ground, cursing. Moving a small distance from the scene he sat, after quickly drawing his de to clean it of blood then cing it on his knees as he meditated, bringing up his status [Shigure Kenzo] [Race: Human] [F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [NA] [Blood Moon Samurai] [Rare] Level 21 [Vitality] 160 (5%) [Strength] 140 (15%) [Dexterity] 302 (40 + 20%) +(50) [Intelligence] 90 (15%) [Wisdom] 108 (15%) [Endurance] 130 (15 + 15%) [Free Points] 0 [Skills Branches] Primary: Blood Moon Samurai P2(69%) [F-Rank] 0/5 Eight Blood Strikes P2(5%) [F-Rank] Warrior¡¯s Stamina P2(3%) [F-Rank] Warrior¡¯s Dignity P1(10%) [F-Rank] Shogun¡¯s Authority P2(3%) [F-Rank] Warrior¡¯s Intuition P2(5%) [F-Rank] Primary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F-Rank] 0/5 Weapon of Choice P2(1%) [F-Rank] Swift Strikes P1(90%) [F-Rank] Inner Will P2(5%) [F-Rank] Hardened Body P2(5%) [F-Rank] One Strike One Kill P1(50%) [F-Rank] Secondary Sub-tree: Empty [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Punching Up, Improbability, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, Murderer, Man of Stature, Leader of Some, Leader of Many, Leader of Armies, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Disciple of Musashi. Shigure breathed out slowly to calm himself, using his Inner Will to still his mind and replenish his used stamina. He could feel himself close to another breakthrough, his inner cultivation felt almost as if his cup was ready to overflow. Breaking him from his thoughts, the sound of measured steps crept close. Shigure opened one eye already knowing who it was, or more urately who they were. "Lord Shigure, Sir Bear has returned, he awaits you at your tent," said the woman next to him. Shigure had grown ustomed to her unusual way of speaking quickly, as she had been with him since his ss change, "Thank you, Uta. But please stop calling me lord, it makes me ufortable. I have enough on my te without you setting weird trends in the camp," he sighed. "Ah,e on Kenzo! It¡¯s not hurting anything!" shouted the man behind her, waving his pistol in the air in greeting, then bringing it back down to clean it with a cloth in his hands, "You should really just y along at this point, more than half the camp is calling you Lord by now." Shigure cursed, "That¡¯s only because you keep spreading it and ying along by yourself, Sato! If you weren¡¯t my friend I swear I would have kicked you and your weird hobby to the curb!" "Aww don¡¯t be like that! And where''s the respect? Even though we¡¯ve known each other so long I still use yourst name! And how dare you call my beautiful hobby weird? How many times has my precious Jackal saved our butts? If the prince of darkness was here I would be making him proud!" said Sato. "You and your idiotic anime references! When are you going to grow up?" spat Shigure, using his sword as a crutch to sit up. "That¡¯s pretty riching from someone who shouts like he''s Tonjiro ying demons," Sato snapped. Rising, Shigure clicked his tongue, noticing his thumb had been cut open, bringing it to his lips as he spoke from the side of his mouth, "I don¡¯t know who Tojiro is Sato. Can you please just start making sense?" he pleaded. Uta stood up concerned and grabbed Shigure¡¯s hand to inspect the cut, "My lord you¡¯ve hurt yourself again," her ck scarf waving slightly in the wind. Shigure smiled, a look of admiration for the woman, his handing up to brush her hair, "It¡¯s alright Uta. It¡¯s just because the O-katana I received is slightly longer than what I¡¯m used to, I still need practice," he said, looking at Uta, her heading up just below his chest. Uta leaned into the hand and used her free hand to brush her ponytail over her shoulder, revealing her very stereotypical ninja robes, her turtleneck mask currently pulled down. "Damn normies! Get a room!" hollered Sato from the side, turning back to furiously polish his Jackal. Shigure shook his head exacerbated and walked past the two, picking up the stones from the monsters as he did. So Bear has returned. I¡¯ll have to immediately ask him how his trip went. He seemed very excited when he left. He thought. A few minutester the trio walked through the forest and arge outpost was brought into view. Behind it arge dirt hill that towered over the outpost¡¯s walls, arge red g waving on top of it. On the outskirts wererge tents and campfires in every direction, a very small wooden rampart only a few feet high surrounding them. The trio walked up to the makeshift opening in the wall, casually waving to the two guards on either side of it. One holding a bow at the ready, the other a sword and shield. "How was your little excursion, Lord Shigure? I see you haven¡¯t leveled up but I hope you at least gathered some good skill stones, everyone is still hurting to fill out their sses after all," the man with a bow asked. Shigure balked a bit at the word ¡®Lord¡¯ but did his best to wave it off, "I did get a few, I¡¯ll be taking them to the trading posts inside," he said, waving off the two as he entered with Uta and Sato. "Don¡¯t they know it¡¯s rude to bring up your level my lord, when they are barely above level 10¡­" Uta whispered underneath her breath. "It¡¯s fine. I understand why they are anxious about my level increasing, especially when Bear left when he did. The stronger I am the safer everyone is, there''s no harm in them expressing it. Now let¡¯s hurry up and drop these off before we see Mr. Bear, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s tired of waiting. Shigure and the two moved through the small outer rampart quickly, weaving in and out of makeshift dirt roads as they moved closer to the actual Outposts inner wall. Before they reached the wall, Sato excused himself, not wanting to be the third wheel any longer with a wave. Leaving Uta and Shigure to discuss things as they waited for the guards on the tall Outpost walls to signal for the gate to draw. "My Lord, please excuse my disrespect. But may I speak freely about Sir Bear?" she brought up, the door halfway drawn. "You know you can speak whenever it pleases you Uta, I said that when you first hatched from your egg," Shigure said, looking to the side at Uta. Uta much like Natto was a construct, but also very different. She was a Combat Construct that Shigure had obtained from a quest reward. At first he had no idea how effective she would be, but their personalities quickly meshed well and her abilities for fighting quickly grew. She had started off as a very small girl, but quickly grew with her level ups and increase to F-Rank, now almost indistinguishable from other people. The only ones who knew she was a construct were Bear and Sato. Bear had found Shigure and Uta early on when she was still growing, and Bear being who he was, intimidated Shigure greatly with his strength, but quickly earned his respect when he offered to help in protecting those who could not protect themselves, earning Shigure¡¯s trust about Uta. "I understand that we need Sir Bear for additional protection, but he is not loyal to the cause, he says he wishes to protect the camp but goes off as soon as he gets wind of some stranger who he won''t even bring into the fold?" she said, nearly sneering. Waving to passersby as they moved from stall to stall, checking on the residents of the outpost, the structures of the inside bing less and less robust to those on the outside. Shigure finally getting a chance to reply when they found a straight away to the center of the crafting block. "It¡¯s fine. Bear is not technically a member of the coalition, he is simply a friend who is helping out. It would not be fair to force him to stay," Shigure exined, spotting the stall he was looking for, "And I¡¯m very interested in this man Bear has be so fixated on." "Ah Shigure! Have youe to drop off more stones?" the woman at the stall asked. "Indeed I have. How did thest batch I brought go?" Shigure asked, spotting Uta ring at the woman. Causing him to ce his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "All got traded out! A lot of them newer folk brought in a bunch of food because of the stones, so we should be set for the next couple days. Looks like the demand is starting to ease for the moremon stones, but the higher ones. Well let¡¯s just say there''s been some fighting going on about in the ranks of the front-liners and mages for a Fire Stone that showed up," she exined. "I see, I¡¯ll have to talk to Drew then, thank you for telling me. Here are the stones from today," Shigure said, dumping a flood of stones onto the wooden counter. "Jesus Mary Joseph! Shigure how many of them damn beasties you done kill?!" she shouted. "A few," he said with a shrug, "I have an important meeting so be sure to mark them all down please." Shigure left the dumbfounded woman behind and made his way back through the outpost to his tent on the outskirts where Bear was surely waiting. "I¡¯ve been supplying most of the stones for everyone within the wall, I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s enough¡­ But It¡¯s bing more difficult to kill the stronger monsters, especially with my empty 2nd Sub-tree. Uta are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to wait until the tutorial is over?" Shigure asked, turning his head to the construct. "Indeed, my lord. I do not have exact information as I am not a Territory Assistant but it ismon information that there is a store after each initial tutorial for the forerunners of the new worlds. There you will surely find a Sub-tree stone worthy of filling out your ss. This I promise on my life," Uta exined, her head bowing slightly. "No need for that Uta, I trust you implicitly. Now on to see Bear," Shigure continued on through the gate and made for arger than average tent, flipping open the canvas. There waiting for him was an oversized man who if he didn¡¯t know better he would have mistaken for a monster, "Bear! You¡¯ve returned, how was your trip?" Even sitting down Bear was a mountain, he turned to look over his shoulder, smiled and replied, "It wasn¡¯t so bad. Had a bit of fun with an old friend. I was able to get him on board to send people to the outpost at least, guy''s a good dude, I even found a small group on the way back to bring in as well. Man, your English is getting pretty fluent too, it¡¯s only been what? Two days since I left and you almost sound like a native speaker." Shigure went to the other side of the table and poured some water out into three cups he ced from his inventory, "Thank you, it¡¯s pretty easy when it¡¯s necessary. It¡¯s either I learn, or I can¡¯tmunicate with nearly anyone here. Now, how was this friend of yours, you said he agreed to help, but do you expect him to follow through? Also, how strong is he? You said he was only level seven when you saw himst, and he hasn¡¯t touched the Ranking Ladder for Levels. And him being at the top of the TP Ladder is suspicious." "Whoa now," Bear said waving his still armored hands, "First yeah, I think he will be good for his word. He will need at least a day of rest after um, "Bear looked to be hot around the cor as he creased an embarrassing smile, "A little spar." Shigure¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, "You actually fought the man? What level was he, do you know his ss?" "I couldn¡¯t tell you that even if I knew. People¡¯s sses are their life now, you know that. But he was only level 10," Bear exined. Shigure scoffed. Only level 10? He must be covering for his friend then, no one would be able to even scratch Bear at such a low level, let alone put up a fight. He thought. "And? How did this level 10 friend fare..?" Shigure asked, already knowing the answer. Bear smiled, cing his left hand onto the table, drawing Shigure and Uta¡¯s curious gaze. "He was someone I¡¯m afraid to fight again," Bear said, slipping his gauntlet off, revealing a ck and blue mess of a hand. "How?! No, that doesn''t matter. Are you alright? Uta call a healer!" Shigure shouted standing from his seat, his eyes never leaving the ckened hand, it beginning to swell as it leaked small amounts of blood onto the table. "Oops! My bad about the table and Uta don¡¯t worry about the healer, I¡¯ll be fine in a few more hours. His magic just left kind of a nasty sting, nearly melted my hand off if it wasn¡¯t for my skill. Can you believe I had to use nearly everything I had to stop the dude at level 10?" Bear said as if he was worried, but his face lit up in excitement. Shigure was dumbstruck, how did a level 10 do such a thing? He looked evenly at Bear, "Is he a threat? Can I beat him?" Bear grinned again, "No he isn''t. If I had to guess, he won¡¯t do anything at all to hurt anyone unless they do something first. He seems pretty pragmatic in that sense, just make sure people know to stay away from the big outpost in the north unless they want to get their asses handed to them if they step on the wrong tail." "You didn¡¯t answer my question, Bear. Can I beat him," Shigure said his eyes daggers as he bore a hole through Bear¡¯s nursing hand. "No. And pretty soon I don¡¯t think anyone here will either." Chapter 51: A Storm is Brewing. Chapter 51: A Storm is Brewing. Theodore walked through the forest, it slightly dimmed in his vision as he looked through the illusionary veil that covered and concealed him. He had been out to replenish his Lord¡¯s water stores at his request as well as search for any monster corpses that may contain cores that he possibly could have missed. It took quite a time to reach the river for Theodore, as physical exertion was not his most apt past time. But he found the river in due time all the same. "I wish my liege would have just used his magic to create water¡­ This one feels very vulnerable as ofte. The run in with Master Bear has left this onecking in confidence in his espionage skills¡­" Theodore muttered, pulling a barrel from his inventory and submerging it with the sound of gurgling bubbles into the stream. Theodoremented hisck of ability even more after reminiscing on the fight between the two. The ¡®spar¡¯ as Master Bear called it was anything but. Theodore had seen many fights on his journey to his liege and a well many more when he began ¡®following¡¯ him. But nothing came close to the disy of the fight. Had he been closer to the fight he would have passed out again from Master Bear¡¯s aura. And the amazement and respect he felt towards Lord Drake - Lord Shot he thought, correcting himself - only grew as he witnessed him go from fumbling with his new spells to moving with delightful precision in the heat of the bout. Just as fascinating was how Master Bear stopped him at every turn with unshakable fortitude. It was a masterful disy of ability from the pair and a sight to behold indeed, Theodore thought twirling his mustache absentmindedly. Theodore gazed across the river, noticing movement in the brushes as he thought. Stirring him to move. He quickly pulled the barrel upright with some slight difficulty but managed to grab hold and pull it enough to slip it back into his inventory. Quickly casting his illusion spell to conceal himself. "Light and Dark are one, casted behind the veil I move. Concealment." Theodore hummed, quickly shimmering out of sight. He moved a small distance from his point of cast, just in case the thing on the other side of the river saw him. Within a few seconds what popped out was a person. Theodore grimaced at the sight of her. The condition of the poor individual wasn¡¯t even worthy of being called poor. Her hair was disheveled to the point of being a dirty nest of an animal, her clothes were in such awful condition they could barely be called tattered. And Theodore did not miss the metallic sheen of the sp around her neck. A cor? Theodore thought, disgust bubbling up in his stomach as he observed the distressed woman. He was moments from revealing himself to help the woman but was stopped by the shriek of another, and the sounds of roaring that Theodore knew were Goblins. Out of the bushes came a small squad of Goblins, the armor and helmet marking the head one was a Squad Commander. The Commander held in one hand not a sword but another young woman by her hair, dragging her along as she futilely struggled against it. Theodore was quickly ovee with the taste of bile in his mouth as he witnessed the disy, helpless to aid the women against the number of goblins as he watched the Commander close in on the poor woman. The Commander eyed the woman with a sneer, its face showing it reveled in the pleasure of seeing the woman scared, unable to do anything about his treatment of her. Raising a green warty hand in the air the Commander brought it swiftly on the cheek of the woman, dropping her to the ground with a loud crack. It smiled with a chortle, its posse of followers snickering behind him. I have to report this back to my liege. I have not the necessary skills to deal with this ordeal. Theodore gripped his hands, turning them to white looking at the treatment of the woman, as she was dragged away in a simr manner as the other in the Goblins grasp. Theodore tasted the sharp overwhelming vor of iron fill his mouth, overtaking the bile from before. He had bitten his lip in frustration. I have to hurry¡­ Theodore thought regretting once again he could not do anything more than tell someone stronger than himself to deal with the situation. With reluctance, Theodore watched the entire disy until the Goblins and their captives disappeared into the woods. Turning away Theodore ran with all haste towards the Outpost. Please hold out, brave Damsels my lord will surely deliver justice to those vile creatures and liberate you from your plight. Theodore shouted in his head running at a pace faster than his body would allow, but still careened forward against the protests of his ever weakening legs. "I-I never knew Drake," Natto said, her head hung slightly lower as she gazed into the now cold stew in her bowl. "It¡¯s nothing special, everyone has a story. I just wanted to tell you. We¡¯re in this together, and it really feels like that now. So I want to make sure you know who you''re dealing with," Drake said casually. "You mean besides the adult child that makes too many cartoon references..?" she said, trying to joke and lighten the mood. "Hey, hey, hey. They are Japanese animations, that¡¯s the second time I''ve had to correct you," Drake grinned his eyes turning to the tub of monster cores, "And yes other than that, I¡¯m not really good with conveying my emotions but I just wanted to make sure you knew I trust you enough to tell you that, and that you are someone I consider family now. Even after all the shit you give me!" heughed, giving the construct the side-eye. Natto looked back slightly sheepishly, but returned to her normal attitude, "What about the other road bumps that you mentioned?" "Let¡¯s uh leave that for another time, I¡¯m all out of emotional venting for today. Now it¡¯s time for your sharing time," Drake said pointing to the tub, "If you want all of these I¡¯m going to need some advice." Drake held up the Skill Stone he received from Bear, "Where am I using this?" Natto pursed her lips, and quickly ced the bowl down to cross her arms in contempt, " Hmph!" Drake shook his head, "Come on now, we¡¯ve been over this. Bear was just going along with my selfishness." "He is his own person is he not!? He can decide for his worthless piss poor self to say no! Certainly he knew he would win being so over leveled, yet he still participated in your egotistical disy of testosterone," she yelled. Drake winced. She was partly on the money. Drake believed in ountability and Bear had decided to give in and go along with Drake¡¯s unreasonable request. But Drake insisted purely because he needed to establish just how strong he was inparison. No one but Drake would be able to protect them and his family once they inevitably left the tutorial. Leaving it to someone else wasn¡¯t an option right now when he wasn¡¯t sure who he could really trust. And he had no idea how the world would shift when the tutorials ended. His first priority was to get stronger so that he had security. His second to find and locate his family after the tutorial ended. And his third was to find a ce where he could keep them safe and protect them. Drake just gave a pass to Bear this time around, as it was a result of his own selfishness influencing him, as well as some things that could only be said through the exchanging of fists. "Let¡¯s just let this one slide, yeah? This is a rare stone after all, I can¡¯t not use it," Drake said, trying to persuade her with an awkward grin. Natto gritted her teeth as she turned to him, then sighed in defeat, "Uhhh! Fine. But you will give me another feast of tastiness like no other for this! I certainly hope this is not how we will be treating those who try to murder you from now on!" she shouted, "The Confluence Stone can be used mostly for mixing skills or connecting unrted ones. It is a very advantagous Skill Stone toe across for anyone, and I am honestly surprised he did not just use it himself." Drake raised an eyebrow, "Huh.. Maybe he already has all his slots filled up?" Drake thought, "So I¡¯m assuming it should be thest slot in my Elementalist tree or Shield Miller then?" "Correct. I would suggest you to use it in your Elementalist Tree, better options for spells than skills. And it will add to your versatility, of that I am certain," she exined. Drake chewed on the words for a moment, then ced the stone away pulling out his other Rare Stone, eyeing his debuff timers as he did. Divine Frailty - Debuff [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 13 Hours 21 Minutes 56 Seconds
Weakened - Debuff [F-Rank]
  • Extended Weakness due to massive overuse, Lasts 3 hours 21 Minutes 56 Seconds
Only a few more on Weakened, but still half a day on Divine Frailty, that''s really cutting into my time limit on the Goblin quest as well¡­ Ah regrets and the consequences of my own actions how you do haunt me! Drake thought with a mental sigh. Turning back to reality he looked at Natto again, "So what about the Oppression stone then, I never had a chance to consume it either, and honestly I probably should have. Would of been a big help I feel like." "Certainly. And I believe it would be best used in your Internal Mastery Sub-tree, there are many useful skills that could fill in your gaps that way. More defensive skills, tailored to your already strong regeneration. Or your missing passive aura skill. Tyrant Ants are known for being, well tyrants as well as robust so any of the skills from that tree will be beneficial," she exined, picking back up the bowl of stew, a look of sadness in her eyes. "Right, I¡¯ll remember that," Drake said, putting the stone away, and snagging the bowl from Natto¡¯s hands, walking over to the still warm pot, "I¡¯ll finish up cleaning your Monster Cores while you eat, it¡¯s about damn time you stop cking and rank up to F-Rank." "Who is cking?! How dare you!" she shouted her hands up in a huff, "After everything I have done!" she continued, only to look at Drake when he turned to give her the bowl, a wide grin on his face, "I absolutely despise you!" Drakeughed, "They say every rtionship needs a little teasing in it." Natto snatched the bowl from his hands and buried her face in it, refusing to answer. Drake smiled and waddled over to the tub of cores, summoning more warm water with hisbination of Fireball and Water Shot. Using the force of the water to stir the tub washing the blood from the cores. After a few minutes of soaking the stones, dumping the water and filling the tub again to rinse them Drake heard a shout from outside the gate. "My liege! It is I! Please open the gate as this one has urgent news!" Drake had a bad feeling, "Oh, what is it now¡­ I¡¯m starting to get annoyed with this protagonist bullshit¡­" he mumbled under his breath. "Why are you back here already? I told you to keep an eye on that fucking shitbag Bear!" a voice shouted. "I know what you told me, asshole. But I found something better!" Kohoo sneered, waving off the man¡¯s clear hostility. "Oh yeah, and what¡¯s that?" the man asked, his brow raised in curiosity. Kohoo gave a toothy grin, ying with a dagger in his hands, "I want lead on this though, Joker," said Kohoo staring up from his dagger. "Yeah Yeah whatever, just spill it. Stop being so dramatic, save those theatrics for when you''re killing people," Joker scoffed. Kohoo slid the dagger into a holster at his side, "I found a nice little catch. There¡¯s an outpost I followed Bear to and there¡¯s only 2 level 10¡¯s inside." Joker spat at Kohoo¡¯s feet, "Why didn¡¯t you just kill them then? You''re level 19 pussy." "Calm your ass down, one of them somehow fought against Bear, and the other has an invisibility skill. I¡¯m going to need a few more people just to be safe," Kohoo exined. "Huh? You must be going senile, you¡¯re saying a level 10peted with the strongest man in the tutorial?" Joker grumbled, moving his hands to reveal a bottle of clear amber liquid. "I¡¯m not saying anything, What I saw was Bear enter the outpost then I felt the fight they had from outside the outpost, then watched Bear walk out. Next day some tweeker in a butler¡¯s outfit came outter and went invisible before I left," Kohoo admitted. "Whatever, seems like you''re losing it to me. Just take whoever and bring back some good stuff. And if there are any women inside, you know the drill," Joker replied waving around the bottle. Kohoo turned from Joker and walked out of the tent, a sinister expectant smile on his face. Chapter 52: All Good Things Chapter 52: All Good Things ¡°Keep up the offensive! Protect the backline!¡± Jared shouted out, ¡°There¡¯s only a few more we can do this!¡± Rushing forward with his sword and shield, Jared was supported by his sister ire. They had both finally gotten past the bottleneck of level 10, getting their first advanced sses. Jared had gotten a Tank-type ss and was shining as a front liner, while his sister had gotten a buffing-type ss that unfortunately pigeonholed her into a niche ss that could only improve attacks for specific elements that no one in the group could use currently. But that hadn¡¯t deted Jared, he told her to keep going and eventually, they would find party members as they went that could benefit from her skills. At worst she still had a single attack spell that could support them for now as her Intelligence was high enough to deal significant damage. ¡°More from the trees on the left! Jared!¡± someone shouted from the back, loosening an arrow from their bow and striking down a goblin. ¡°Damn it!¡± Jared cursed, ¡°Tighten formation! Get behind me!¡± At hismanding shout, the party of 10 all formed a wall behind Jared. ¡°Phnx!¡± he shouted a wall of green forming in a ball around the group, ¡°15 seconds! Turn up the heat, deal some damage!¡± Even before the wall was fully formed, the party worked like clockwork and begun chanting spells, shooting arrows, and stabbing forward with swords and spears through the barrier. ¡°Raging mes, burn and char those who defy my searing power! Fireball!¡± Daphne, one of the mages of the group who had also reached past level 10 chanted her spell, a massive fireball forming over her head as it flew forward, exploding in the mass of Goblins bearing down on the green barrier. ¡°Good stuff Daph! Their formation is broken! Rush them, finish it!¡± Jared shouted as he roared rushing through the barrier, his sword finding one goblin¡¯s throat after the other. The battle raged on for several more minutes, the ranged members, including ire and Daphne firing off spells whenever they could while watching the surroundings for more goblin reinforcements. Once the atmosphere had cooled and thest Goblin took itsst breath the surroundings rxed. The party members took a breather before they began collecting the cores. Jared walked up to his sister slightly out of breath but grinning all the same. ¡°Good job ire, getting used to your new ss?¡± he asked. ire smiled back gently, ¡°I¡¯m getting there, but not as much as you. Commander,¡± she teased. Jared scratched the back of his head, ¡°I¡¯m just shouting out what I think we should do, I¡¯m not somemander so stop joking around¡­¡± Bumping his side with her own, Daphne grinned next to him, ¡°You seem to be doing a good job of it all the same. Are you fine on mana ire?¡± she asked. ire nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t have to use much thanks to you Daphne¡­¡± she answered slightly dejected, but a hand lightly gripped her shoulder. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry sweetie. At this rate, we are going to find more people. And I¡¯m sure there will be someone that can use your buff,¡± Daphne said trying to console her. ¡°And even if there isn''t, you can still give us support with your attack spell. Don¡¯t worry ire, not everyone is strong right from the start, who knows how much stronger your ss will be once we start getting more stones you can use,¡± Jared added, smiling at his sister. ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe¡­¡± ire sighed, ¡°I wish the ss change at least left me my heal¡­ I could have been way more helpful that way¡­¡± Jared ruffled her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it squirt. Big bro¡¯s here no matter what.¡± ire pouted, puffing out her lips at the nickname. ¡°I¡¯m 19, don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± she grumbled. A scream came from the other side of the treeline, breaking the trio out of their bubble. ¡°R-Run!¡± someone shouted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Jared yelled, moving in front of ire and Daphne. ¡°More Goblins! T-there¡¯s a namedmander! Jared, we can''t win!¡± Jared grounded his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope, get into formation!¡± he shouted. The party scrambled from their locations, exhausted from the previous fight, but still moved with practiced movement. Once they all gathered behind Jared he shouted his skill again. ¡°Phnx!¡± The barrier of green manifested instantly, only giving them 15 seconds of protection. But the small reprieve is what they needed to not only catch their breath but form a n. ¡°W-what is that? What is that!¡± someone screamed from inside the barrier. ¡°Jared¡­¡± ire muttered, grabbing onto the hem of his armor. Jared looked at the monster walking over the bodies of the Goblins that littered the area from the previous fight, a patch covering his right eye, two daggers in its hands as it looked at the group inside the green barrier that was supposed to protect them. But with the appearance of the monster felt more like a prison. Behind the monster was a small army of Goblins, more than the party had ever seen in one ce. ¡°W-what are we supposed to do Jared?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°Hit them with whatever you have! We only have a few more seconds, kill as many as you can before the barrier runs out, it¡¯s our only chance! Once the barrier goes down, run, I¡¯ll hold him off as long as I can!¡± he shouted, never taking his eyes off the smiling monster. The Goblin Commander tapped his daggers on the barrier yfully, looking at the people inside with a sinister grin, the Goblins behind it smiling andughing like their leader. Spells, arrows, and weapons pushed through the barrier assailing the army but the Goblins didn¡¯t falter, holding their lines against the party''sst-ditch effort. The seconds ticked by as sweat began beading down Jared¡¯s face, his grip on his sword and shield tightening. ¡°5 seconds!¡± he shouted. More spells and arrows shot forward, this time at the Goblin Commander, but the Goblin dodged them effortlessly, still leering at the group inside the barrier as it licked its lips. Bracing, Jared steeled himself, turning only for a moment to ire. ¡°Run.¡± ire shook her head, ¡°No I won¡¯t leave you, Jared! Come with us!¡± ¡°I said run!¡± Jared spat, giving a look to Daphne, as she nodded solemnly, gripping ire and going to the back of the barrier with the other members. Kicking and screaming ire shouted at her brother, not wanting to leave him to his fate. But Jared zoned in on the Goblin Commander, the surroundings bing muted as the barrier shattered, dissipating at the end of its duration. Roaring Jared rushed forward, his shield in a tight guard, his sword pointed, trained right for the Goblin Commander. ¡°Crescent Sweep!¡± An arc of red formed from Jared''s swing, soaring towards the Goblin Commander with incredible speed. But the red crescent met air, the Goblin Commander vanishing just before it touched it. Jared¡¯s battle sense skill went wild and he tumbled forward, throwing his shield up as soon as he righted himself, the sparks from the impact of a dagger meeting his shield almost blinding him. ¡°Shield Swing!¡± Jared growled, his shield humming with life as it was coated in a green light, his shield arm arcing to throw the dagger from it. With the swing pushing the Goblin¡¯s dagger off, he threw his shield arm forward the tip of his small kite shield careening for the Goblin¡¯s face. The Goblin Commander smirked, instantly ducking the blow, its second dagger swinging upwards from below. Jared¡¯s eyes looked down following the dagger on its trajectory to his chin. ¡°Iron Body!¡± A swift glow of red epassed Jared, his body hardening like steel as the de contacted his jaw right under his chin, the tip of the dagger chipping. But not before the force of the blow sent Jared backward. The Goblin Commander clicked his tongue and stowed his dagger, but didn¡¯t follow up the attack, confusing Jared. Until he saw what was behind the Goblin Commander a secondter. His entire party had been captured. Each one of them including Daphne and ire had a weapon trained to their throats. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Jared cursed, dropping his weapons in defeat. ¡ª---------------------- ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to us¡­¡± ire whimpered, the chains and cors nging against one another. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, we just have to wait until we can find a chance to escape¡­ Or someone wille, just look around. We aren¡¯t the only ones that have been captured,¡± Jared said trying tofort his sister, motioning with his chin to the other cages with people in them. ¡°H-how can you say that? Look at how many of them there are!¡± someone from behind him shouted, only to receive a backhand to the side of the head from a nearby goblin. The goblin growled and spat at the prisoner, shouting something in theirnguage. The train of captives walkednguidly through the camp, eventually entering an area with deserted cages that they were forced into, their chains and cors removed as they were. They were given no rations and no water, packed to the brim in the cages. Jared looked out through the bars of the wooden cage, trying to glean any information he could for an escape. The others fell to the floor in despair, huddling in corners and next to one another. His sister, ire slumped against the cage wall with Daphne next to him. For minutes, hours, that turned into days. Jared looked out of the cage, waiting, hoping for something to spark an idea for a way to get out of the cage and escape, or for someone toe and help them, but it never did. He was beginning to lose hope, looking at his sister curled up and sleeping, leaning against his leg. The next morning, something changed. Their cage was opened and two people were dragged from it by a goblin. A few minutester only one returned, battered, bruised, and bloody. Shaking as they were thrown inside the cage, the goblin cackling as they did. Jared rushed to the person, ¡°What happened?¡± The person shook, their eyes still wet from tears. But Jared didn¡¯t relent, shaking them by their shoulders, ¡°I said what happened! Tell me!¡± The person¡¯s eyes finally focused on Jared, but only for a moment, ¡°T-they made us f-fight¡­¡± Jared¡¯s mouthxed unable to believe the words at first, but it hit him like a ton of bricks a momentter. ¡°They¡¯re making us fight to the death, for their entertainment¡­¡± he muttered, the face of the eyepatch Goblin shing in his mind. The next few hours more people were pulled from the cage, eventually Jared included. Walking through the Goblin camp once more, Jared couldn¡¯t help noticing how much more spacious the cages were. He cursed at his helplessness to do anything about the situation. If only he had a stronger attack-focused ss, maybe he could have fought their way out. Or he could have defeated the Goblin Commander the first time they met. After a few minutes of being dragged through the camp, he came to a makeshift arena of wood and spikes, the surroundings in an uproar. Goblins packed to the brim on the walls of the arena, sneering and shouting with legs of meat in their hands. Legs that looked eerily, human. Tearing his eyes from the stomach-churning audience, his eyes fell on his ¡®opponent¡¯, a woman no older than ire, her clothes ragged and torn. The sound of the wooden door mming shut behind him apparently sounded the start of the fight as the woman screamed and ran forward. Jared was surprised at her slow speed, she must have been under level 10 and even had less Dexterity than he did as a tank. He dodged deftly for a few minutes as the woman desperately swiped and wed at him. ¡°Fight me!¡± she screamed. ¡°No¡­ I won¡¯t be entertainment for these disgusting monsters,¡± Jared spat. The woman shook her head, ¡°Fight or they will kill us both!¡± she screamed, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to fight, then let me kill you! I want to live damn it!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Jared said again woefully, unwilling to fight someone below his level and so exhausted for the enjoyment of these disgusting monsters. The roar of the crowd lessened with each passing minute until Jared could swear he could hear jeers. A momentter a weapon was thrown into the ring, a sword. The woman immediately lunged to grab it, shakily holding it in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I want to live!¡± she yelled rushing forward. Jared instinctively dodged as the sword was thrusted at him, his hand mming into the side of the woman¡¯s head as she fell to the ground, her head mming against a protruding boulder. [You have killed Participant: Amillia Everson Level 6] [Experience Earned, 57,203 TP has been awarded] ¡°H-hey¡­ No¡­¡± Jared stammered looking at the motionless body in front of him, ¡°I-i didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Jared caught in a stupor was pulled from the arena and before he could realize it he was back in the wooden cage, his sister shaking him. ¡°Jared! What happened? Are you alright?!¡± ire shouted, worry on her face. Jared looked away, ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± A secondter the cage door swung open again and the Goblin snatched ire from in front of him and a random man. Jared shot up, throwing his fist into the Goblin¡¯s unguarded face. ¡°No! Don¡¯t you touch her!¡± he shouted, throwing his fists into the Goblin on the floor, sttering green blood all over the cage until his hand was gripped by something. He whipped his head back, a familiar Goblin with an eyepatch staring back at him. ¡°You!¡± Jared shouted but stopped in his tracks as he saw ire in his grip. Jared lost all of his vigor as the eyepatch Goblin motioned to another few Goblins at the entrance of the cage. A pair pulling the dead Goblin Jared had beaten to a pulp out of the cage, another pair chaining his hands as they dragged him away. Minutester he was back in the arena, the cheers of the Goblins filling his ears again as he looked across the blood-soaked ground at his opponent. His sister. ¡°ire,¡± Jared said sternly. ¡°Jared, I¡¯m scared. What is going on?¡± ire yelled and looked at him with abject fear. ¡°ire, you need to listen to me carefully. You need to kill me, ire.¡± ire looked at him dumbfounded, ¡°W-what? What are you saying, Jared?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t they will just kill us both!¡± Jared shouted, ¡°I won¡¯t kill my own sister, so you have to survive and kill me!¡± ¡°N-no¡­ No! Jared, I won¡¯t! Didn¡¯t you¡­ Didn¡¯t you tell me you would find a way out?!¡± ire pleaded, shaking her head frantically, ¡°You should survive! You¡¯re worth so much more than I am! You can help people!¡± ¡°ire!¡± Jared shouted silencing his sister, putting on a brave smile, ¡°You are going to do this. You can do this. Don¡¯t make me hurt my little sister¡­¡± he shouted, his voice cracking. ¡°No, don¡¯t make me do this!¡± ire shouted back, tears in her eyes. The sound of metal hitting the ground broke their argument, a de falling in between them. Their eyes turned to where the weapon had been thrown from, a Goblin with an eyepatch sneering at them. Jared turned away first, walking to the de, ire still looking on balefully at the Goblin Commander with teary eyes filled with bloodthirsty anger. ¡°ire, take it.¡± Jared pushed the weapon into ire¡¯s hands, wrapping her fingers around the hilt of the sword with his hands tightening around her. ¡°N-no¡­ Don¡¯t make me do this Jared! We can still get out,¡± she protested, ¡°We can still find a way out! Y-you promised!¡± Jared ignored his sister''s pleas, knowing that there was no way out other than the decision he knew he had to make. ¡°ire,¡± he said looking into her eyes, one hand on the hilt of the sword, the other ruffling the top of her head, ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine. You¡¯re going to survive this. A-and¡­¡± his voice cracking ever so slightly, ¡°I love you baby sister. Be safe squirt.¡± [You have killed Participant: Jared Osberg Level 14] [ Experience earned, 143,503 TP has been awarded] Chapter 53: The Problem Chapter 53: The Problem Drake stood with his arms crossed as he bit the side of his mouth, reluctantly replying, "Ok and what exactly am I supposed to do about it right now?" "T-this one was not sure¡­ but expected some feat of great strength again to save the maidens in peril! I could not do it myself and came back with all due haste to you sire in hopes you would swiftly liberate them from their ordeals!" Theodore rambled, his mustache shaking ever so slightly, as he thought back on the scene he had witnessed. "Theo¡­" Drake looked at the man torn, "I¡¯m running on 40% right now, I don¡¯t think I could even deal with half that number of monsters right now without help." "Then we are in fierce agreeance! This one will do his utmost to support you my liege! But we must move as if predesigned, I fear that the damsels may not have long," Theodore looked at Drake pleading. Drake had a tough decision to make, and looked to Natto on his shoulder. She looked back but shook her head, "I am wholeheartedly against it. I feel for those women but your safetyes first to me, so I will not advise you to help them," she stated tly. Drake tensed. He was hoping Natto would say the opposite, giving him justification to go. But she was right, he couldn¡¯t help anyone half baked or half dead. And he had no obligation to help these people. This was all true, but Drake still struggled with just letting people die or worse without doing anything. "Theodore," Drake finally said, the Man beginning to look bright eyed, "Don¡¯t get your hopes up, I won¡¯t be doing anything until my stats recoverter today. I have around 12 hours left on my debuffs, so I need you to make a decision," Drake continued looking back at Natto, "You can either wait here until I am recovered and do nothing. Or you can take action again, having Natto here help with giving you the bare minimum of skills you need, and then giving me a list of the most optimal to finish it up. If you want to go this way, I need you to track them, and then in 12 hourse back and lead me to them." Theodore immediately epted, "Indubitably! There is no doubt in this one¡¯s heart! If Lady Natto would be so kind I would leave right away!" he shouted, fixing his monocle. "If I must¡­ Only because it is dear Theodore though. By the way, did you manage to find any monster cores per chance¡­?" she asked coyishly. "Indeed! I have secured a small portion of monster cores but only a single barrel of water. Please forgive this one, as the Goblins made themselves known before I could gather more," Theodore said with a hastened bow, obviously ready to get going. "Good, then you two work it out, I have some unfinished business to attend to in the Mines. Natto when you are finishede get me," Drake said, bringing the construct down with one hand. "Are you sure you will not find some other extremely strong person to nearly die to again while I am not watching you?" Natto asked pointedly. Drake recoiled and chuckled, "No, I promise no more near death fights for today. Ok Mom? Can I go now?" "Who would ever mother someone like you! You are a failure! I can not even brag to the other constructs of your strength!" she joked. Drake smiled, "Keep the emotional damage to a minimum would you, I¡¯m nursing some harsh wounds and injured pride here. But at least you can tell people I can cook. That¡¯s what my mom does." Natto scoffed, "Still not doctor orwyer¡­" Drake rolled his eyes and hobbled to the Mine Entrance with careful measured steps, his body still somewhat stiff. ¡ª---------------------------- A few arduous minutes of walkingter Drake had made it to the entrance of the Mines. Itsrge, daunting opening able to amodate the enormous Foreman, while the covering for the mines and its side door allowed him inside. Drake walked forward swinging the door open, thinking he had a few goals bying here. He needed to pick up his Mining Profession for one, and also it was just in safer at the moment. Drake wasn¡¯t sure how many people were actually out to get him, but he knew stealth skills were a thing, and that his Mage Sight was unable to pick up mana that were behind certain skills just yet. Theo¡¯s skill being a perfect example. Sitting on 40% of his totalbat power was not something he wanted to deal with if something went south at the moment. So he would hide out here in the Mines where only he and by extension Natto could enter at the moment. This is also the perfect time to try out some spellbinations! And¡­ Drake thought, pulling out two sleek crystalline stones in both hands. [Skill Stone: Confluence [Rare] [Unlocks Random skill from the Confluence Tree] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and at least 1 Mage Main Tree, or Sub-tree Unlocked] [Skill Stone: Oppression] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Oppression tree.] "It¡¯s about time I finished off these rare stones," Drake said grinning, "It¡¯s also good that Natto will take a little to get here, just in case I somehow go wild again¡­" Walking a bit deeper into the shafts of the Mines, Drake summoned a Fireball and yed with it in his hands. Noticing the expenditure of Mana needed to keep it stable and move around him and from hand to hand. It was nothing extreme but it would quickly add up if he was to do this with 10¡¯s of spells or more at his current stats. So Intelligence is going to be a priority again, if I want to stay relevant with my magic. I mean duh but depending on how my skills progress it may be even more prevalent than I can imagine right now¡­ He thought, pulling the sphere of fire to his hand in front of him. "Now I know this is how they do it in anime but.." Drake mumbled, summoning a Wind Cutter into his free hand. He slowly tried to merge the spells, but unlike how he had done before, he was attempting tobine the spells at their base, and not form one around the other. Sadly the spells sputtered out and shed out of existence in an oil fire like burst of mes. "At least Chef would be proud of how I can mb¨¦ anything haha¡­" Drake said sarcastically. He tried several more times as he walked with differentbinations. Fire and Water, Water and Air, Earth and Fire. Nothing seemed to go together. "Guess that settles that, no mixing of elements for now¡­" he said sighing, "Maybe I just need to shave my head and get some arrow tattoos though.. Nahhh¡­" After his time traveling down the shaft and his practice with the elements Drake finally found himself at a familiar shack. Much toorge for any normal person, but this time it was not illuminated from the inside. Hmm, suppose the candle or oil died out then. It has been a day since I¡¯ve been here so... Drake thought moving for the door, a lone Fireball above his shoulder lighting the way. It had been another hour since Drake had entered the Mines and his body had started to feel much more responsive and loose. He could still not perform anywhere near his usual feats of Dexterity but walking was no longer a problem, and certainly opening a door was no longer an insurmountable task. cing his hands on the door of the shack, he slowly pushed it open with a grunt. What hit him next was beyond unexpected as the shack sucked up the Mineshaft¡¯s air like a drowning man breaching the surface of the water. And what was exchanged was the most foul smelling air Drake had ever had the displeasure of inhaling. "Oh- Oh my fucking god-" he paused in between gasps for fresh air that he summoned to push the foul smell away, gagging with every attempt, "What the fuck is that? It smells worse than if something died!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the tunnel. Quickly backing away, his memory was triggered of his time here, "Oh is that the gunk from when I ranked up?" he said, pinching his nose, "There¡¯s nothing worth anything in there anyway¡­ Burn it! Kill it with fire!" Drake roared, summoning another Fireball in his free hand, pulling the one from his shoulder down, thrusting them forward at the pitiful shack. The Fireballs set the shack ame overwhelming the smell of the nasty gunk for burning wood, and the smallest hint of cinnamon. Drake just dismissed the slightly sweet scent, just chalking it up to it possibly being food that was left in the shack. Lowering himself down, the shaft lit by the small bonfire that was the shack, Drake pulled out his two Rare Stones and prepared himself mentally. "Ok, no flipping out and going tribal. We¡¯ve been here before, it¡¯s no big deal.." Drake recited to himself, trying to hype himself up. Grabbing the first stone he began his consumption of it. [You would like to consume Skill Stone: Confluence [Rare] [Confirm?] Drake confirmed the prompt, with a held breath and instantly felt the Power of the stone go to work. Bracing himself against the sharp cold that shot up his arm as it filled his entire being, forcing him to clench his jaw tightly. Soon the feeling of a warm day began to cast itself upon him, giving slow and steadyfort to his rigid feeling body. And then it slowly began to envelope him in the embrace of the power itself. Minutes ticked by as he held strong against the feeling of the stone merging with his being, a cold sweat forming on his body despite the heat. After what felt like hours he finally let go of his breath, it heated and ragged as steam was produced as near fire from his mouth. Gasping for air more than once he finally settled. [You have learned Skill: Elemental Conflux [F-Rank] Elemental Conflux P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • The merging of the Elements is every Elementalist''s dream, but only the small few are able to control such power.
  • This skill allows the user to mix Elements of their will to form new Elements.
  • Passive Effects: Allows the use of Elements in convergence to create new Elements.
  • Cost: Double the Mana cost forbination of Elements, and maintaining said Elements.
  • Cooldown: None
Drake huffed as he gasped for air, but still stood up nevertheless. Too excited to wait. Summoning a Fireball into one hand, and a Wind Cutter in the other, he tried once again tobine the two. This time as he willed the two Elements came together in harmony, forming a shocking result. The sound of crackling and snaps filled the shaft, Drake slowly formed a childish grin on his face, ignoring therger than normal drain on his mana. "Drake¡­? What did you do..?" a female voice called out. "Haha! Look at this!" he shouted, moving in front of the fiery backdrop of the burning shack, slowly forming the lightning into a thin elongated de, "Who am I! It¡¯s over Anakin! I have the high ground!" Natto fell to her knees, "Kenobi!!!!" then a look of realization and disgust came over her face, as she brought her hands to her head screaming into them, "Noooo¡­¡­!!!!!!!" Chapter 54: It’s Mine’s Time in the Mines Chapter 54: It¡¯s Mine¡¯s Time in the Mines "Is this not the coolest thing?!" Drake shouted with glee, swinging the makeshift lightsaber back and forth with a satisfying whoosh. Natto still had not recovered and looked up from her kneeling position, "Why must you do this to me, my mind can only take so much!" she wailed. Ignoring her Drake held the saber in one hand his other on his chin, as he looked at it thoughtfully. "Now all I need is a force choking ability¡­. If only I had a skill from that Force Mage ss!" "Please spare me!" she shouted. Drake smiled, "What? Kuuuhhh, haaaaaa. Natto! Kuuuhhh, haaaaaa. I. Am. Your. Father," Drake joked. Natto¡¯s face filled with internal dread as she looked on at the disy, "Make it stop!! I never even watched those movies, this isn¡¯t fair!!" Drake beganughing uncontrobly, but quelled the lightning in his hand, with a flex of his hand cutting off its supply of mana. Before walking over to sooth Natto, he quickly checked his mana pool from the experiment. Hmm down to 35%, that small bit really took that much huh? Maybe I should consider putting my free points into intelligence right now instead of waiting for my next level¡­ Drake mused, walking slowly over to the curled-up construct. "Hey enough of that, I know you love the Gxy Far Far Away. It¡¯s time to help me out a bit, and how did it go with Theodore?" "How would you know anything!" Natto looked up, her face in faux pain, a single tear struggling to hold on to her batting eyshes. "Because I love it, and that means you love it. Now, help, and Theodore," Drake chuckled, holding out another bag of Roasted Nuts from his dwindling supply within his inventory. Natto stood ramrod straight and ced both hands on the bag, her hurt demeanor gone with the wind, much like her solitary tear that flew with it, reced by starlike sparkling eyes. "Certainly, if you insist. Dear Theodore¡¯s skill progression went nicely, he apparently had a Epic Descent Sub-tree stone that he had not used for some reason, but he was surprisingly agreeable as I barked orders at him. We filled his Main ss tree with mage and body stones for stat multipliers, then used the Descent Sub-tree stone as well as a Soul Mastery Sub-tree stone leaving thetter empty. The Illusion stone you gave him certainly came in handy for his current task as well. But we will need more of those, and of course any high grade stones we can spare if you wish for him to be a more reliable stealth mage," Natto told Drake spitfire, her hand moving furiously through the bag of food. "Well that will just have to wait until wee in contact with more Red Caps then. What about his stats, anything you findcking?" Drake asked. "Dibacbufao, dacbyyywcd. bvibfaw!" she mumbled. "Don¡¯t talk with your mouth full, that''s so udylike, where are your manners?" Drake said, cringing a half smile on his face. "I said. No, he is a standard mage ss for the most part, but specializes in stealth and illusions instead of offensive spells. So if he could use anything it may be some vitality to prevent him from dying in one shot," she corrected. Drake nodded, making sure to take note of eventually giving Theo a vitality essory if he could manage to make one, or find one. And also making sure Natto met his mother to straighten out her manners. "Then, about the mining, you said before I just need to throw a pickax at the wall basically right?" he asked. Natto nodded but also rified after finishing her current snack, "You need to just find a proper gem or mineral while mining, then a profession quest should pop up. The gathering professions are usually quite straightforward as such, but crafting quests are much more arduous." "Simple enough," Drake replied, picking up the small construct and moving back outward in the mining shaft towards some of the mineral veins he passed before. A few short momentster sparkling colored crystals and veins were reflected in the light of his fireball. Natto hopped off and found a nearby rock to situate on with her bag of food, as Drake moved from torch to torch in the area lighting them. "While I do this you can also use this time to rank up, we have about¡­" Drake trailed off looking at his debuff. Divine Frailty
  • Lasts: 11 Hours 58 Minutes 45 Seconds.
"11ish hours give or take," Drake finished. Natto¡¯s eyes glistened in a greedy sheen at the mention of the cores, quickly putting her food away, and trotting over to Drake. "Splendid idea for once. I am thrilled I thought of it!" sheughed, sticking her nose up in the air, her hands on her hips. Drake didn¡¯t say anything but gave the small squirrel girl a knowing gaze, dropping the tub of cores next to her with an audible bang. Natto grinned at the mountain of treasure that was now finally clean and immediately tried to pull the tub to her makeshift seat she had been on before. And after a few minutes of failing to pull therger-than-life tub, she huffed over to the cackling Drake, kicking him square in the shin, "Hey you brute! Will you not do your civic duty and move the stupid thing over! How dare you sit there andugh at me in amusement!" Stillughing, "B-but it¡¯s... It¡¯s so funny! Wa-watching this small girl in a miko outfit trying her darndest to pull a tub probably 5 times her weight. Because she¡¯s too stubborn to ask for h-h-help¡­!" Drake said, almost curling over. "Be a proper man and help me, you dolt!" she screamed, her face going red. "Ohhhhh so now I''m a failure as a man because I didn''t help you move the big heavy thing huh. Well at least it¡¯s better than being one because I¡¯m not a doctor," heughed, rolling his eyes and picking up the tub and walking over to her seat. "Hush you, and go y in your dirt, real work is being done here," she dismissed him, picking up her first monster core in both hands. Drake chuckled again, "Oh I can¡¯t wait until the snow needs to be shoveled." Drake walked up to the shaft wall and put mana into his eyes, swiftly glossing over in a blue sheen as he used his Mage Sight to inspect them. He was, unfortunately, unable to glean much from the stones other than see some of the natural mana affinity hovering in the air around the gems and veins. "Well, that''s wildly unhelpful¡­ I guess it¡¯s just hard work, spit, and sweat from here," Drake grumbled pulling a pickaxe from his inventory. Rearing back the pickaxe he aimed for an exposed blue crystal-like stone that was slightly protruding from the wall of the mineshaft, striking it with a distinct ng that resounded through the shaft. The crystal stood firm in the wall, Drake¡¯s pickaxe only chipping lightly into the wall. "What the? I have like over 200 strength how the..?" he cursed aloud. "No, shu du nawt!" a jumbled voice said, forcing him to turn and see Natto with her mouth full of cores, "You hash a deboof remember?" Shit, I forgot... Damn stupid reduced stats. But that shouldn¡¯t be preventing me from breaking the wall¡­ is it maybe something to do with proficiency? He wondered. Drake shrugged off the surprise and again brought his pickaxe down on the wall several more times, each one with a loud ng of metal on stone ringing in his ears. A few sweat filled gruntster he finally exhumed the blue crystal with some sediment around it. [Sapphire Gemstone [F Grade] [Umon]
  • A raw magic gemstone.
  • A magically infused gemstone that can be used in crafting to create essories that increase Intelligence by a small amount.
"Yes! Finally! Why is this so goddamn hard," Drake huffed. "Certainly it is because you are a failure!" chimed the peanut gallery. "Shut up fat ass! Eat your cores and let me y in my sandbox in peace!" Drake spat back. Drake pulled up his notifications hoping to see a new quest but there was nothing. Just the timed Goblin Quest along with the others. Drake turned back and asked," Hey I think the system is broken, I didn¡¯t get a new quest." Natto silently looked at Drake. Chewing on her monster core with an irritated look on her face, one eyebrow cocked upwards as if saying, ¡®So what dolt?¡¯ "Ok, I¡¯m sorry. You aren¡¯t that fat. But you should really slow down on those roasted nuts, my shoulders are starting to get sore car- OW!" he was cut off, a half-eaten monster core crashing into his cheek, falling to the ground and echoing in the mineshaft. "Hey, these were hard to get!" Drake admonished. "You did not even retrieve them! And have you no tact? Talking about ady¡¯s weight?!?" she screamed indignantly. Drake¡¯s jaw dropped and he looked around seemingly searching for something. Natto¡¯s face turned questioningly, "What are you looking for ape?" "Thedy." The tang of metal embedding itself into the wall next to Drake¡¯s head rang in his ears sharply as he turned to look at the small dagger ced there. "Susmaryosep, take a joke won¡¯t you?" Drake grimaced. "Hmph!" ¡ª------------------------- After some consoling and Drake pulling out an ever-shrinking supply of roasted nuts he finally got the answer he was looking for. "The quest may take several discoveries of the required material, this isn¡¯t a real game, you are not going to obtain new skills just from doing regr tasks¡­" Natto exined a tired look on her face as she bit into another core. "Oh.. really? Even with all this system stuff?" Drake asked. "Yes you dolt, think about your own skills. Even with the subsumption of those stones did you really obtain any extreme knowledge out of them?" she said, turning back the question on him. He took a moment to recollect the moments he consumed the stones and found some inconsistencies in what she was saying, "Yeah but there were some skills I did learn a few things, like Mana Maniption and my ocr skills," Drake said. "That ispletely different, those are skills that have intrinsic uses in them because they have no concrete activation procedures. And even then you only receive the most basic of inklings of how to use them. Let me put forth the question. Have you even gotten used to your Mage Sight skill? Most other people would have it active indefinitely by this point," she told him. Natto was correct. Drake had gleaned a small amount of instruction from the skills upon obtaining them but nothing substantial. And Drake had actually forgotten the most vital part of skills in all the chaos. Proficiency in use. Drake cursed himself when he realized. His inner gamer admonished him for forgetting such a fundamental part of any skill based system that was based on use and efficiency of use. To gain familiarity in the skills and eventually master, you have to actually use the skill. He looked at his Magic Sight. Magic Sight P1(9%) [F-Rank] It was abysmally low for a skill that you would think he would need nearly all the time. And It was not as if the skill was taking longer to increase like his level has been as a result of his Dual ss title. So in theory, if he was on top of his skills he could gain mastery for his rank in record timepared to a Singr ss. "Damn it. I hate when you actually point out things I¡¯ve missed¡­ Guess it¡¯s time to work even harder," Drake sighed but put power into his eyes as they cascaded in blue, red, and yellow. "Then you must live in perpetual hate because you miss quite a lo- Wait! No! Give those back!! I¡¯m almost F Rank! You brute!!!" Natto shouted at Drake as he picked up her tub of cores, smirking at the distressed little construct. Chapter 55: The Eye of the Storm Chapter 55: The Eye of the Storm "Ok," Drake said, sighing, "Truce?" his hair disheveled and a swollen ck eye forming. An equally messy ball of fur and hair, looked up, "We do not admit defeat where Ie from! Surrender the cores or face the wrath of every construct!" "Fine whatever! Here! I swear you''re more of a badger than a god damn squirrel¡­" Drake conceded. "Yay! And serves you right! You take teasing too far. Do you not wish for me to rank up to assist you more?" Natto said hugging the tub of cores like her life depended on it. "Sure if I didn¡¯t have to bribe you every step of the way¡­" he mumbled. "Equivalent exchange as they say young Edward," Natto said smiling. Drake was taken aback by the reference, "How do you say that without cringing, but get upset when I make references?" Natto looked at him confused, "What reference?" Drake¡¯s mouth was held wide open in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t even noticed she had said it. "She ising over to the dark side¡­ Perfect¡­" he whispered. Natto eyed him suspiciously but soon returned to her cores. If she was truly close to ranking up, the sooner the better for both of them. But Drake and Natto hadn¡¯t talked about what that would entail outside of her gaining new information, so Drake was somewhat curious to see the results. Leaving that bridge for when they had to cross it he continued his work on the wall of the mines, spotting a brownish silvery line in the wall. Striking with his full strength he slowly began chipping away at the discoloration in the wall. Small bits flying and falling to the ground here and there. Drake had piled up quite a bit and inspected it hoping for the best. [Mana Infused Raw Iron Ore [F Grade] [Umon]
  • A raw mana infused ore of iron.
  • A magically infused mineral that can be used in crafting Mana Infused Pig Iron.
Having his Magic Sight on for this length of time inbination with his other ocr skills was a pain. In fact it was more than just a pain it was a physical injury as his eyes were starting to slowly bleed from the overuse. But thankfully his new regeneration skills helped alleviate the damage they were taking. Slowly but surely his body was getting used to the constant use of the skills. Sadly his battle oriented skills were progressing much more slowly than his Magic Sight which was a more general use skill. And Drake assumed that was because he had no real enemies or people to use them on. He had thought about turning it on Natto but decided against it as he had already scared the poor construct one too many times already. But thankfully from this hour or so of use, he was able to look at the fallen bits and identify them instantly when they fell from the wall. Checking his notifications after each identification Drake slowly started to be impatient. The damned quest was refusing to pop up. Drake turned from the Iron and decided to look for more Gems. He wasn¡¯t necessarily hurting for them, as he had looted nearly a lifetime''s worth of F Grade Gems from the Foreman¡¯s shack, but they had taken him more time to mine, and Drake assumed that meant he was gaining more experience because of the difficulty. And after another hour Drake had finally gotten the notification he so longed for. [New Profession Quest! Mine an assortment of Gems and Minerals.] [Reward: Profession Experience. Mineral Identification Skill. Mana Infused Iron Pickaxe] [Requirement: 10 Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Amethyst, Smokey Quartz, Topaz. 45 kg of Mana Infused Iron Ore, Mana Infused Silver Ore, Mana Infused Copper Ore] Oh fuck off¡­. Do they want me to mine half the goddamn shaft? Drake cursed. Drake quickly scanned the room looking for what he assumed was some of the materials and gems he needed. He knew some of the colors associated with the Gems, but Drake was clueless on any of the actual minerals. Well¡­. We have¡­ Divine Frailty
  • Lasts: 9 Hours 32 Minutes 57 Seconds.
About 9 hours left. Let¡¯s not waste them! Drake shouted internally, throwing his pickaxe into the air. "Yur doing wheerd stoof again!" Natto shouted through full cheeks of monster cores. "Stop talking with your mouth full, what are you, a Sayian?!" ¡ª--------------------------------------------- Muted steps ran through the forest under Theodore, as he ran under the guise of his illusion after speaking with his liege. Fervent onpleting his mission. Tracking the Goblins was no hard task as they were so tant to leave tracks behind, and they were bing so numerous that their tracks left ruts in the earth. After picking up where he hadst seen them, Theodore was able to stay within an eptable distance of the ever growing group. They had met up with several other groups and were heading to the west of the Outpost. Theodore after receiving Natto¡¯s guidance had improved by leaps and bounds physically, now not needing to even rest. As was the amazing nature of the system¡¯s skills. Thankfully while tracking the vile beasts they had not had any monster that could detect him, making the task of tracking much easier. Through the forest he had witnessed unspeakable things done to not only the human captives but the other monsters. Ants, Kobolds and even some sparse Apes and a bipedal monster that looked strangely familiar to a yeti. How the Goblins had been able to capture these other monsters and people was still a mystery to Theodore. He admitted that he was no match currently to the monsters, especially in the numbers they boasted. But Theodore was on the lower end of the level scaling at the moment but he was hoping in service of his liege that would change quickly. An hour of traversing the forest grounds, Theodore and the Goblins finally took rest at an open camp. Theodore¡¯s jaw dropped. This is inconceivable! The Kobolds were one thing but what is this massive gathering of green beasts? Theodore thought, looking out into the clearing that was filled with campfires, tents, cages, and poorly sharpened wooden fences that spanned further than his eyes could see. There are beyond thousands! I can not even estimat- [Tutorial Wide Urgent Quest! Defeat the Goblin King¡¯s Invasion] [The Goblin King has roused the goblin tribes, uniting a force few have seen before. The Goblin force of the King grows by the day. Defeat the summoned force before it bes insurmountable, or suffer capture or death.] [Reward: Experience based on contribution. TP based on contribution. Titles based on Contribution. Selection of 1 Rare Piece of Equipment.] [Requirement: Kill the Goblin King and his 10 Generals] [Bonus Requirement: Kill 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 Goblins of any kind] [Bonus Reward: 10 Umon Quality Mana Pills, 10 Umon Quality Strength Pills] The loud bell sounded in Theodore¡¯s head causing him to wince momentarily, as he listened intently to the mechanical female voice. B-by god, may the powers that be help us. Theodore stammered inside his head. He continued to watch over the horrific scene that was unfolding before him. Seeing men and women herded intorge cages, some into individual metal like coffins to be put on disy for the goblins pleasure. Theodore gritted his teeth again, wishing that he had the strength to save at least someone. His eyes panning over the immense camp. He began to move back and forth on the edges of the camp, trying to gauge just how many were currently present. More and more Goblins joining the fray by the hour. Eventually he came to a small fenced area where the Goblins were forcing the captives to fight. He was in disbelief that anyone would submit to something such as this. He looked on in anger as he watched two new humans enter the makeshift arena, one of them refusing to fight the other, throwing down his rusted weapon. Only to fall to the ground limply as a gunshot rang out from the Goblin crowd that watched in glee at the disy. Vile heathens¡­ Theodore cursed, the bitter taste of bile rising up in his mouth for the second time today. He began to turn away searching the rest of the camp, only to stop. "Harley?!" he shouted nearly subconsciously, as heid eyes on the blonde woman being shoved into a metal cage, shackles on her neck, arms and legs. But Theodore didn¡¯t get a chance to get closer and see just how she was doing, his outburst alerting many of the nearby Goblins. Thy could not see him but hearing the voice had put them into a frenzy. Theodore cursed and bolted for the forest, chanting a new spell as he did. "The world is not as you see it, but as I make it. Grand Dark Veil," Theodore whispered as softly as he could. A dark miasma soon formed from the deep purple magic circle casted from his open hand. Two shadowy figures that soon took the form of Drake and Theodore manifested to his sides, running in stride with the invisible Theodore. With speed, move these bottom feeding green monstrosities from me! I must not fail to return to my lord! He shouted in his head, the two illusions nodding in turn and sprinting in different directions. Theodore would be arriving back early but he knew where the headquarters of the Goblins were. He ran through the forest towards the Outpost, fear in his heart for the woman he saw in the camp, the reason he had pleaded with his liege in the first ce, the reason he had groveled in spite of himself to leverage his liege¡¯s power. He had not the strength to protect her himself, so he had to ask his lord to do it instead. ¡ª--------------------------------- "Are you sure they were here?" said a gangly man, with a red scarf tied around his face, giving him a very ¡®Thug A¡¯ look. Kohoo turned a murderous glint in his eye, "Are you saying that I was wrong..?" The man shirked away sheepishly, stepping more slowly to rejoin the small group trailing behind Kohoo. "Fucking imbeciles¡­" he mumbled, "All they have to do is just listen, but everyone has to have an opinion¡­" Finallying back to the outpost, the group of 10 looked on from the forest, scanning the outside. "You and you, go search the outside of the outpost, see if there are any ways inside. I really don¡¯t feel like climbing the side but if we have to we will," Kohoo ordered pointing to two of the men. They both looked at each other nervously. "Did I fucking stutter? Move or I will make your sorry asses move!" He said, raising his voice, his hand moving menacingly to the knife at his side. Both men shook their heads, and casted their cloaking skills. "Morons.." Kohoo grumbled, taking out an obstinate chair from his inventory sitting down and waiting. A few minutester the men reappeared, one speaking up, "There are no entrances besides the gate." Kohoo clicked his tongue, sitting up and stowing his chair, "Guess it¡¯s n B then. I trust everyone is strong enough to climb the shitty wall?" All 10 of the people surrounding him nodded in unison. "Good. Then let¡¯s get to it." The group moved swiftly over the space between the forest and the Outpost, noting the huge fallen Kobold and other small kobolds peppering the field as they did. Many of them started to have second thoughts as they eyed the brutally marred and torn beasts on the ground. Some blown to pieces, heads crushed, or holes in various ces. Were they making a huge mistake? Most of the people gave each other pensive exchanges of looks as they finally came to the side of the wall that they could get to in between the ditch and spiked pieces of wood. Each person taking out a pair of daggers as they slowly climbed up the wall, Kohoo in the lead far above the rest. As the group made it halfway up the Outpost¡¯s wall Kohoo dropped to the other side, looking around for any sign of the two level 10s but only found a singr tent. Using his speed he quickly moved to the tent, peering inside, using his inspection skill to search the room. Finding nothing he looked to the others who finally caught up with him, each uncloaking themselves as Kohoo had. "There¡¯s no one inside the tent and I can¡¯t see anyone else around. Where the hell are they?!" he screamed. The same man from before muttered absentmindedly, "Maybe they went outside to level up¡­?" Those would be hisst words as Kohoo moved behind him and unceremoniously slit his throat, his body dropping like a sac to the ground pooling in his own blood as he gripped at his throat. Kohoo dropped next to the man on his haunches looking him in the eyes, mouthing mockingly at the dying man, "Maybe they went outside to level up, h h h. Shut the fuck up¡­ Anyone else?" A shaky hand went up. Kohoo giving a steely gaze at the person. "T-there is an entrance into the mountain, but..." the voice started but trailed off fear in their eyes. "B-b-b. But what?" Kohoo asked, leaning forward to the person. "We ca-can''t ess it!" they shouted out. Kohoo sighed then clicked his tongue, looking back at the body on the ground behind him. Debating if he should lose another person on a whim. "Ok!" Kohoo said, his voice even despite killing someone in cold blood moments ago, "So spread out, and cloak up. Looks like we''re waiting till the fuckerse back," he stated taking out his chair once more and sitting down, like a king on his throne. Chapter 55.5: Thrown to the Wolves Chapter 55.5: Thrown to the Wolves ¡°Chelsea¡­ What are we doing out here?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Shh, you bloody tosser!¡± Jacqueline hushed instantly, looking around in anger. Chelsea peered out from behind the line of trees, she had gotten wind of something in front of them on their way to therger outpost and they were currently tracking whatever it was. She had good sensory skills but whatever it was had stayed just out of her range, which in itself was suspicious. The timing is too good. Why would Chris send us out on a scouting mission just when we were about to leave? And it isn¡¯t like I could say no! It would rouse too much suspicion¡­ Unless¡­ Chelsea thought, her head whipping backward behind the small scouting party she was sent with looking at the faces. Every single one was a person who wanted to leave. Not only that but they were people who had spoken out about Chris in one way or another. She clicked her tongue. They¡¯ve been had. ¡°Jacky, I think we''re screwed,¡± she sighed. ¡°Why cause Toms here?¡± Jacqueline asked. ¡°No, Take a look around.¡± Jacqueline whirled her head around, looking first at the surroundings but couldn¡¯t understand what Chelsea meant. So she scanned them again, this time noticing the people that had joined them. ¡°No¡­.¡± she murmured. ¡°Yeah,¡± Chelsea affirmed, ¡°He figured it out somehow. Let¡¯s get back to the camp. They might have just left without us.¡± Damn it! I should have just forced Megan toe with us! We could have just made a break for it. I wanted to take it slow to keep appearances but¡­Fuck! Before the party could pack up, the sound of leaves rustling through the forest sounded and another group came into view across the treeline. ¡°Lenny?¡± Chelsea wondered aloud. The man was average-looking, a warrior ss. He wasn¡¯t much of a talker but a solid front-liner. Tom raised his hand in greeting but something was off. Lenny raised his hand as well, throwing it downward a hail of arrows and spells following it. ¡°Cover!¡± Chelsea shouted, the group doing their best to scramble. Chelsea grabbed Jacqueline by the waist rolling into cover behind a tree. But some of the other members weren¡¯t as lucky or quick, the bombardment of spells and arrows skewering them where they stood. ¡°Lenny you fucking rat! I didn¡¯t take you for some obedient dog!¡± Chelsea shouted, pulling back on her bowstring. ¡°Sometimes you have to follow to get what you want. And I get the pick of the litter if I bring your head back, you little mouthy bitch!¡± Lenny shouted back. ¡°I liked the sod better when he didn¡¯t talk¡­¡± Jacqueline grumbled. ¡°You and me both Jacky,¡± Chelsea replied, ducking out of cover and loosening her arrow, humming with a green light as it ripped through the air aimed right for Lenny¡¯s throat. Lenny unfortunately wasn¡¯t any slouch and ducked out of the way of the arrow, hitting an archer behind him, and killing him instantly. Before Lenny could curse back at her, Chelsea took Jacqueline by the arm, shouting to the rest of her party. ¡°Get back and regroup, we¡¯re too spread out right now! Tom do your fucking job and raise that shield!¡± Tom nodded nervously, obviously not used tobat yet with his new tank ss, shakily holding up a medium-sized kite shield. The small party turned around, making a dash for another line of trees. But it didn¡¯tst long, as screams rang out from the ones in the rear who had turned around first to make it for the treeline. Chelsea and Jacqueline¡¯s heads swiveled upwards to see what the hell was going on to see arger-than-normal Goblin along with an army, unlike anything they had seen so far in the tutorial. ¡°W-what¡­¡± Chelsea stammered, looking at the army of Goblins with horror. She ground her teeth together, unable to think of anything else for their group to get away in the face of a second threat and of an army this size. Her eyes turned to one of their party¡¯s members being jumped on by a group of Goblins. The person screamed but wasn¡¯t killed. The Goblins raised in their hands shackles and cors, smiling sinisterly as they looked back at the group. ¡°T-they¡¯re taking prisoners¡­?¡± Chelsea muttered under her breath in disbelief. Chapter 56: What Comes After. Chapter 56: What Comes After. "I swear! When Theo gets back I¡¯m going to p him for not getting more water..!" Drake huffed, buckets of sweat beading from his skin. "Why are you not using your water magic?" Natto interjected from her seat on the rock, looking at him confused. Drake turned his face into a mess of confusion, "What do you mean!? I always thought drinking water made from mana would have like, I don¡¯t know adverse effects? You know like that one anime where it gives you the runs," he pointed out. Natto¡¯s face scrunched up, "What? No. Water made from mana is perfectly safe, what sort of backwards show did you watch toe to that conclusion?" Drake scratched his cheek sheepishly, another droplet of sweat cascading down from his bow to drip off his chin. Coughing Drake moved on, "I¡¯m only a few more kilos away frompleting the quest. And we have plenty of time left, thankfully. This Mine was a real blessing," Drake said, grinning at the debuff timer. Divine Frailty
  • Lasts 3 Hours 43 Minutes 18 Seconds
"Now all I need is thest of the Mana Infused Silver and we are done!" Drake shouted, "But first I need some water, I¡¯ve sweated at least 5 times my weight in water¡­." Natto waved her hand in front of her face, "Yes, I have certainly noticed¡­" she mumbled in besmirchment. Drake gave her a smile as he walked over, "Oh you don¡¯t say?" "What are you doing you smelly beast! Away with you!" she shouted at him. "Awe but we were just good friends when I gave you those cores, now you don¡¯t want anything to do with me? I¡¯m hurt," Drake said in faux offense. She jumped backwards to space herself from Drake, "You reek worse than a wet animal. Consider yourself lucky I am even within line of sight of you, let alone breathing the same air," she scowled. "Now that¡¯s just rude," Drakeughed, squirting her with a summoned stream of cold water from his hand. Natto shrieked at the sudden dousing of cold water, her hair and fur deting and sticking to herself. "Haha! Now who¡¯s the wet animal!" Drake said in triumph. She leveled him with a murderous gaze, her hand slowly reaching into her sleeve, a metal gleam slowly reflecting in the torchlight. Drake¡¯sughing and smile turned to a grimace, "Okay! A little water never hurt anyone, here," Drake said, pushing some windbined with some light fire for a warm wind in a makeshift air dryer. Natto¡¯s hair and fur curled backwards with the flowing wind, as she closed her eyes and leaned into the pleasant feeling. Wow, that pacified her quickly¡­ She kinda looks like that pomeranian from that one movie with Ryan and Sandra, in like what 2010? 2009? Even her tail is wagging! I didn¡¯t know squirrels could do that¡­ He mused. "Satisfied?" Drake said, still blowing the pleasant wind at the irate red furred construct. "Mmmm¡­ I require five more minutes¡­ Make sure to get my tail, it is still damp. And be delicate! My fur is worth more than your life!" she ordered. "Yes, your highness¡­" Drakeughed, aiming the stream of warm wind towards her tail. After the subsequent five minutes and a much more cated angry little red squirrel construct. Drake got to bathing himself. Slightly regretting once again for theck of soap and shampoo. My kingdom for a bar of soap¡­ He sighed inwardly as he poured warm water over himself and his clothing, taking time to scrub at his wounds tenderly, checking the scarring underneath the now ckened flesh. Thankfully his regeneration had been a great help in curing the raw flesh and sealing the wounds. It even seemed topletely heal his internal injuries as the bruising was nearly non existent at this point. His exhaustion was lessened as well with his Weakened status falling off. While he poked around his body in between washing off the filth, he pondered on how he would fill the time afterpleting his first Profession Quest. Would it be better to continue Mining to raise his proficiency? Or go and try his hand at jewelry crafting? But he quickly remembered he had no tools and dismissed the crafting for the moment. Leaving his other options of continuing to chip away at the walls, or practice his magic. He had after all only had limited practice with his elements and also needed to figure out how to use them with his endowment. He had only given himself a brief period to look over his skills while walking and mining the mines, but he did not notice the additions to some of his skills. Elemental Endowment P1(42%) [F-Rank]
  • A spell that allows the user to use elemental magic to perform extraordinary feats through endowing aspects of their magic into their body and weapons.
  • A spell that ces a buff based on Elemental Magic used. While the spell is in use, the user may not perform magic with said Elemental Magic. This is not limited to base elements and includes magics of confluence.
. . . . .
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Lightning is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase in Dexterity and Strength by 50%. In addition to increased reaction time, and visual acuity. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Ice is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase in Dexterity by 50% and Active Regeneration by 10%. In addition to increase by 50% of Magic based damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - "The power of Magma is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment."
  • Effect: Increase in Strength and Defensive Effectiveness by 50%. In addition to a 20% increase in resistance against Debuffs. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Use of Elemental School of Magic while the spell is in use. In cases of confluence magic, all included Schools of Magic will be temporarily locked.
  • Cooldown: None
This is quickly bing my favorite skill. I can only imagine how strong it gets atter ranks. But what¡¯s bothering me is that now that I have ess to confluence magic, why did it only open the door for three different types of deviant magic? I have a feeling it¡¯s because of myck of understanding of elements or some other practical reason but I¡¯ll have to look into it more or¡­ He thought, looking back to Natto. "Hey Natto," Drake said, still sopping wet as he went through his mental gymnastics. She looked up, with a look of ¡®What is it now?¡¯ Drake just ignored it, already used to her sassy personality, "Do you have any idea why I can¡¯t use things like Nature Magic, Metal, Gravity, Space and Time or anything else when I have ess to the four basic elements? Seems a bit wed to me," "Yes," she said tly, looking at him almost pitifully, "The reason is very simple, you are not mentally capable of wrapping your head around those concepts. As much as I like to tease you about being an imbecile, those are extremelyplicated forms of magic, and without specific skills to aid you. I am afraid you are simply not able to understand those concepts at the moment. Certainly through hard work you could do it," she said consolingly, "And give or take a few hundred years." Drake scoffed. It wasn¡¯t anything he didn¡¯t suspect already but knowing the truth helped. Because that would mean a very small minority would be able to do certain things without their ss being specifically for the subject or without in-depth knowledge of a subject. And though it pained him to realize that his Dual ss wasn¡¯t the omnipotent ss he thought it could be, he still had many positives within his skill set. Now he had another decision to make. He had been putting it off because of his body, and fear of not being able to handle two stones in such a short amount of time, but he eyed the Oppression Stone from his inventory window. [Skill Stone: Oppression] [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Oppression tree
  • Requires an open skill slot
He needed to face the fact that he would need the strength of this stone sooner thanter. Drake began washing himself again, gingerly peeling away some more scar tissue from his side as he asked Natto, "So I¡¯ve been wondering. Why haven¡¯t you changed at all since you ranked up?" When Natto had ranked up from No-Rank to F-Rank, there had been virtually no change in her appearance or strength. She had told Drake that she was now able to ess more information but it had been of little help so far. And Drake had half expected her to grow or something, maybe gain some more tails like a mystical fox but only a squirrel. "What would you like ape, an update on every little thing I am now privy to?" She asked incredulously. "Actually yeah, that would be a good start," he nodded, pouring water on his head, finally feeling clean enough to start drying himself off. Natto was taken aback for a moment at the candid answer, but began exining the small amount she could pertaining to her ¡®new¡¯ knowledge of the tutorial, ranks, and some of the races that he would possibly meet outside the tutorial on the newly merged Earth. "- so the ¡®new¡¯ Earth will be around 10 timesrger than normal, as it has been merged with at minimum 5 others, and maximum 10 depending on the size, but there is always a standard for the two new worlds in an integrated system. They must meet the minimum threshold of resources for an F-Grade, and be hospitable for the merged races of said. This will be turning a few things on their heads as climates will not function the same as they did before. Some spaces of the will be severely harsher or more amodating depending on what they were integrated from," she said at length. "So what does that mean exactly for my family? They were only 30 minutes away by car before this all happened," Drake asked slightly apprehensive. "I am sorry to tell you this, Drake, but they could technically be anywhere. The is ced in a somewhat puzzle piece way when they are merged, so someone or somece that was right next to you could very well be on the other side of the," she said, her face bing slightly downcast from delivering the news. Drake¡¯s face also tensed as he contemted what to do now. The whole idea of him just taking a short run to them and making sure they were ok was out the window now. "You said that when the tutorial ends we are going to be ced where we were before, so my apartment," Drake asked, his eyes still on the gray stone colored floor of the mineshaft, "So that applies to my family, what about the kids under 16?" "They will as well go to their previous locations. But Drake," she began looking up at him with a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "I do have a way to find your family but it will not be instantaneous, and you may need to wait a small time before you can use the method to find them." Drake''s head perked up, "What! What is it? How long will it take?" Natto¡¯s hands went up catingly, "Please cease. Hear me out, there are some things first we must do, so please stay focused on the tutorial for now. But you must do two things, there is an item called a Town Sanction Node, that you may buy from one of the system made stores after the tutorial. Only those with an Assistant would know of it, unless there was some sort of interference from a tutorial sponsor," she exined, "So I must ask that you withhold at least 200,000 TP for after the tutorial, 100,000 for the Node, and 100,000 for the quest afterwards." "Wait, how is that even fair?" Drake asked. She smiled, "Who said anything in the world was fair? But yes there is some equality for this. The node and the quest are avable to everyone, but using TP will skip the prerequisites and allow you to get a head start on nearly everyone." Drake was ecstatic, a glimmer of hope building into purpose. Now he had an even bigger reason to continue to gain levels and TP. He didn¡¯t need to hear more, as he went ahead and found the nearest silver vein and began going to town, his determination once again renewed like a fire receiving more kindle. ¡ª------------------------------------------------- Theodore ran for an hour straight through the forest, his excessive need to reach his liege was of the utmost importance. He had long lost the trailing Goblins thanks to his new skill Grand Dark Veil, his doppelgangers able to do just enough to elude the monsters. Passing trees in a blur Theodore crossed the familiar dirt road, marked with a giant Gnoll in overalls. He was now within distance of the Outpost, its wooden outsides a blessing to his eyes, and sore feet. Theodore beelined for the Gate, uncloaking himself as he shouted and beat on the door. "My Liege! This one implores you to open the gate! I have pressing news to apprise you of!" Theodore continued to batter at the door with his fists, his hair and clothes bing disheveled. The gate began to creek suddenly forcing Theodore to cease his pounding and back up to allow it to swing open. But what awaited Theodore was nothing. His liege was not at the gate wheel. And before Theodore could turn around or cast his cloaking spell again, a sharp pain assailed his side, apanied by a whisper. "Well well, what do we have here..? The butler?" the voice whispered, slowly revealing itself, as Theodore looked down at the small knife that protruded from his abdomen, it slowly painted in a bright red that pooled and dripped at the hilt. Theodore looked up to find a man a head shorter than himself, with mousey facial features, and a devilish grin. "Let¡¯s have some fun shall we? While we wait for the other one," said the man, as other men and women in simr attire of ck, some wearing masks revealed themselves as well. Each holding short swords or daggers partnered with sinister expressions. Chapter 57: I like to play with dirt. Chapter 57: I like to y with dirt. "Ahhh!!! We. Did. It!" Drake shouted in triumph, cing the chunk of silver gray stones into his inventory. Looking at the new prompt. [Profession Quest! Mine an assortment of Gems and Minerals.] [Completed] [ept Rewards?] Drake mentally epted the rewards, sweat drenching his every crevice yet again from the surprisingly hard work out that it was to gather the required ores and gems. A mote of light shed and a grayish pickax that looked much like the one in his hands ttered on the ground, followed with the familiar mechanical female voice he thought he had muted once again. [Congrattions! You have unlocked the Miner Profession] [You have learned system skill, Material Identification] [You have been awarded Profession Experience] [You have increased to a Proficiency 2 Miner] [You have increased Material Identification to Proficiency 2] "Wow that¡¯s a lot. Natto, I have to ask. Why do notifications like this get past the mute function?" Drake asked, an eyebrow raised, picking up the pickaxe from the ground. "Ah. That would be upgrades after F-Rank. There are two ways they get past the mute function. One they are part of skills, or they are providing information that is not givenmonly," she said, waving a roasted nut in the air. "Why in the world would levels not be included in that?" Drake asked, confused. "Certainly seems a bit off, but I believe the system sees leveling as amon part of your reality, as normally it would be much more frequent than what you experience," she rified. Well that does make some sense, I am leveling slower and slower. He thought, inspecting the pickaxe in his hand a bit more in the light of his fireball that rotated around his shoulders. He spotted faint cobalt blue streaks in the iron that shone in the light ever so often, giving the pickaxe a surprisingly otherworldly feel. [Mana Infused Iron Pickaxe[F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A Mana Infused Iron Tool that is used to mine out various ores, gems, and materials.
  • This tool is specifically used to mine ores and materials. Deals no damage.
  • Increased proficiency in mining by 15%
  • Requirement: Mining Profession
Drake whistled, "Ooo, Drake likey. This little baby is sure to help me out," he said smiling. Looking over at the wall, he activated his new Profession Skill, Material Identification, while staring at a blue gem he already knew the information of so he couldpare. [Unmined Sapphire Gemstone [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A raw magic gemstone.
  • A magically infused gemstone that can be used in crafting to create essories that increase Intelligence by a small amount.
Ok that¡¯s less helpful than I would have liked¡­ But at least it tells me what I¡¯m going to be mining definitively instead of waiting till it¡¯s mined. Drake thought slightly deted. Looking around Drake spotted several other gems and ores that he had mined before, all sporting about the same descriptions, just having ¡®Unmined¡¯ as a prefix. "So, now that I have this. I¡¯m ganna test the difference but I wanna ask before I get lost in the sauce again. You sure you can¡¯t help me out a bit with the crafting profession?" Drake asked. Natto stuffed another nut into her cheeks forcing them to slightly protrude, turning to Drake she only shook her head. Has she gotten even more gluttonous after her Rank Up? Drake thought, turning away to prepare to strike the wall, wanting topare the difference in the tool grade. Drake walked up to the shaft wall, spotting a cluster of violet reflecting crystals. His mind turned to Natto¡¯s exnation from earlier, where she basically said she could tell him about specifics of how the basics of certain professions worked, and what they did, even now going as far to tell him some of the specific items they could make in detail. But as far as teaching the profession, allowing him to pick it up, he was shit out of luck. Drake did feel the pressing need to increase his repertoire of jewelry to epass his major stats, but there was sadly nothing he could do about it at the moment. Making a mental note that he would have to ask around Shigure¡¯s camp for when he inevitably ended up visiting it, needing both tools and expertise in jewelry crafting and a proper fighting expert if he could manage it. Taking the new pickaxe Drake pulled it above his head, his eyes trained on the cluster of Amethyst Gems. Bringing the pickaxe down with a crack, Drake fell forward off bnce, the pickaxe sliding through the stone like a hot knife through butter. "What the? Wow, that''s so much better¡­ Let me see," Drake said, pondering outloud. Switching back to the old pickaxe Drake tried again, swinging down with all his might the pickaxe crashed against the sedimentary wall. This time the pickaxe didn¡¯t slide in as easily but made its way inside the shaft wall more deeply than before. Confirming Drake¡¯s suspicions that his gaining of his profession must give him some extra bonuses to his ability to mine by default, even though it was not mentioned in the description of the profession. [Profession: Mining P2 (1.24%)] Mining Proficiency 2 (1.24%)
  • You have worked hard to break ground with the purpose of gaining wealth from thend, earning you the title of a back breaking profession.
  • You enjoy ying in the dirt.
It wasn¡¯t something that was entirely detrimental, just very weird how the system seemed to arbitrarily withhold information. The system had also done the same with some of Drake¡¯s skills. Granted almost all of the information was within the skills but there were some small snippets that were left out, adding nuance to the skills. His ability to use confluence skills being a perfect example. He could make the mental jump that something was missing preventing him from using certain forms ofbination magic but the skill had left out both the why and how. The most surprising was that Natto had no idea either, as if it was just a known misgiving of the system that everyone just epted. Drake pulled the pickaxe from the wall, snapping the Amethyst from the wall as well, cing all the items into his inventory. While pulling out another familiar stone he had been procrastinating on. Until he was interrupted with a symphony of loud notifications in his head. [You have increased Magic Sight to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Multiplicative to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Warrior¡¯s Stamina to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Of the Apex to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Heretical Mind to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Hoarder to Proficiency 2] The notifications were surprising, in both that they were not nearly as overpowering as the ones from the introduction and that so many had upgraded all at once. It seemed that most of the skills he had been using up until now had increased, and that two of his passive skills had gone up as well. Looking at his skills, the other passive skills were not far behind. Tempered in mes P1(83%) Sound Body and Mind P1(87%) Weapon of Choice P1(76%) Looking at the skills it appeared that even the passive skills increased at different rates. Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice most of his active skills had stalled since he hadn¡¯t fought recently. The worst of it was his ¡®Fully Loaded¡¯ skill that he hadn¡¯t been able to utilize, leaving it at an abysmal 0%. Along with his ¡®Aura of Command¡¯ skill. Drake continued to use his skills ad nauseam, doing his best to make up for lost time where he could. For now there was nothing he could do for some of his skills, but he made sure to remind himself to focus on them when he could, skills were his lifeblood now after all. But digressing, Drake looked down to the smooth stone in his hand, finally ready to take on another rare stone. [Skills Stone: Oppression] [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Oppression tree
  • Requires open skill slot
Taking a deep breath and a slightly nervous nce at Natto. Drake clenched his hand around the stone. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Oppression [Rare] [Confirm?] Bracing himself for another round against the power that came with consuming the higher grade stones. Drake epted. The nearly scripted feeling of cold shot up his arm, but much more quickly this time, turning to a warmfort like the smoldering embers at a campfire. But soon the feelings changed, the hot and cold oscited back and forth pushing Drake¡¯s inner equilibrium severely out of whack. The feeling suddenly turned into a raging tornado within himself, fighting to break free from his fleshy cage. Drake fought fervently against it, trying his best to contain the feeling and energy inside. The power within him was quickly winning out against him though. The feeling soon overpowered Drake as he screamed silently falling to his knees. The power soon changed to consciousness as he felt it ripped from him, his senses expanding outward in a way that waspletely foreign. [You have learned skill: Tyrannical Aura [F-Rank] Drake felt as if he was having an out of body experience. He was inside his body but was also aware of his surroundings such that he could instantly identify Natto running to him. "D-d-d-Drake¡­ I implore you to c-c-c-alm down.. You have gained a powerful aura skill. A-a-and it is affecting your surroundings. Rei-ign in yourself, imagine your body as the focal point and b-b-bring your consciousness inside!" Natto advised, her teeth chattering the words. Drake wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, only that he knew what he was doing was affecting her negatively. Trying his best to focus, Drake imagined himself as both an anchor and container. Trying to pull his spreading senses into himself. The feeling was nauseating, but he soon began inching his purview inward. Noticing his senses lock into ce around him, as if a mental mp came down on them. A deep exhale escaped Drake as he found himself curled on the ground, looking up at a shivering Natto, her teeth still ttering as she looked back concerned. "W-w-what was that. I¡¯ve never experienced something like that in my l-life. It felt like I was being spread so thin I could lose myself?!" Drake said, his body shivering now from the experience. Before Natto could answer, he again felt himself pull apart ever so slightly, forcing him to focus again on solidifying himself and his senses within him. Another gasp for air. "Y-you finally got a proper Aura skill. Certainly you r-remember Bear¡¯s? A real passive aura skill needs minute control to keep in check and be used p-properly," Natto exined her chattering slowly subsiding, "I believe you obtained something very strong. Normally Aura will not push out to that extent just from obtaining them, it almost felt like it wanted to consume the surroundings, leaving nothing in its wake." Drake struggled with keeping his focus on keeping himself contained but tried to summon a fireball in his hands for warmth. The spell sputtered out several times before Drake cursed, unable to focus enough to cast the spell chantlessly. Forced to chant the spell he closed his eyes to focus on keeping himself together then spoke the words mechanically. "The f-fire of my heart, take f-form and sear my enemies. F-fireball." Drake chanted, still feeling a deep cold in his core, as if being spread too thin had expunged all of his body heat in the process. The fireball formed in Drake¡¯s hand, but without his concentration to manipte the spell, it went out of control and flew out from his hands into the wall of the mineshaft. mming into a fiery explosion down a side shaft crushing the side wall it impacted. "S-shit¡­" Drake cursed, fighting with himself to keep his body from seemingly tearing apart. "Y-you dolt! Your essence, soul or spirit, whatever you want to call it is the one being spread. Y-you will continue to feel this until you reign in yourself. You w-will also keep imposing your aura on the world until you control it. Calm yourself and b-breathe!" Natto shouted. Drake looked up at her from his lying position with one eye, his body continuing to shiver as hers did. He could see her face pale and continue to do so. He was hurting her again, he knew it. She was putting on a front but he could see the fear in her eyes, the same as before. Fucking damn it. Drake cursed inwardly for doing something he promised to never again. He forced himself to a sitting position. His body fervently objected, faltering each step of the way. Finally getting into a meditative position he closed his eyes, doing his best to contain his senses, trying to contain his will. Slowly but surely he began to feel warmth again fill his body, his anchor that fully focused on the center of his body. His sensesnguidly starting to normalize. A quiet washed over him, as he heard the crackling of the torches, the light droplets of condensation fall to the mine floor. A touch on his hand and the soft steadying breathing of the only person who was with him. Drake finally opened his eyes, to see Natto again. Her face painted with worry and cold sweat, but color returning to her skin. He had found some small bnce in keeping the Aura at bay, but the container was weak. And he had yet to fully grasp his new skill, but for now that was enough. cing a gentle hand on Natto¡¯s slightly damp hair, Drake smiled, "Thank you." Chapter 58: The Sponsors. Chapter 58: The Sponsors. For minutes on end Drake struggled to move. Straining himself to keep the aura in check as he fumbled his way through controlling it. "T-this is like trying to h-h-hold onto a goddamned wet river stone! It¡¯s like I¡¯m practicing to not drop the soap!" Drake roared as his body was constantly in a tense state, his whole being covered in sweat. "Is this what Bear had to deal with when he gained his aura¡­?!" Drake grumbled between his teeth. [Tutorial Wide Urgent Quest! Defeat the Goblin King¡¯s Invasion] [The Goblin King has roused the goblin tribes, uniting a force few have seen before. The Goblin force of the King grows by the day. Defeat the summoned force before it bes insurmountable, or suffer capture or death.] [Reward: Experience based on contribution. TP based on contribution. Titles based on Contribution. Selection of 1 Rare Piece of Equipment.] [Requirement: Kill the Goblin King and his 10 Generals] [Bonus Requirement: Kill 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 Goblins of any kind] [Bonus Reward: 10 Umon Quality Mana Pills, 10 Umon Quality Strength Pills] Drake winced at the new loud notification in his ears. "W-what the hell is it now?!" he shouted reading over the notifications, "Yo-you¡¯re kidding me. A tutorial wide quest? Just how b-big is this army?!" "This is certainly ill timing¡­" Natto said, a safe distance away from Drake and his chaotic Aura training, "I believe I know who is the tutorial sponsor now, and why has been so absurdly increasing in difficulty." Drake turned his gaze to her, shutting off his ¡®Of the Apex¡¯ and ¡®Weak Point¡¯ skills as he did. He had be better by the hour with controlling his skills but with his new Aura skill he had to go back to consciously shutting off the skills due to hisck of being able to concentrate on anything outside his Aura at the moment. "W-what do you mean?" Drake asked, "And who do you think is in the ring for tutorial sponsor then?" Natto, gave a forlorn look towards the ground, "It is not much better than I had assumed before with the Liches," she said her jaw tensing, "If my guess is right based on the monsters and the increase in difficulty there are three other races that it could be¡­" she said trailing off. Drake managed to give a cock of his brow through his struggle, wondering why she was so reluctant to say. "Drake, there are only three races that have the resources to pull off a tutorial of this scale and form, and they are all Primordials," she finally said. Drake felt his aura slip slightly, as the words surprised him. Reigning in the slip he thought back to Natto¡¯s exnation of Primordials. She had mentioned that they were the same as any other race, and could be killed just the same despite being seen as gods within the Multiverse. Their biggest differences were that they gained extreme benefits from ranking up. Their races increased their progression in every way, increasing in base stats per level, increase to skill properties and abilities, and even racial specialty skills that could easily be seen as cheats. Natto proposed this was because they were the purest of races from the Progenitors of the system, and not muddied down by eons of interbreeding between the races keeping their racial strengths as potent as possible. They also had the best possible training and growth of any of the races, each in S-Grade Universes with many more lower grades and universes under their reign to bring up the next generations of their race. This isn¡¯t even to mention that many of the Primordials children started at C-Rank or higher when born, giving them an innate advantage when levling up. Drake shuddered, thinking of the power scale. Somewhat thankful that he would not have to deal with them just yet when the tutorial ended. Finally he asked the question, "What races?" "The three I suspect are¡­ The Elementals, Dragons, and.. Asurans," she slowly eked out. Drake wanted to be surprised but didn¡¯t have enough information outside his own that he learned from lore books and fantasy novels. "Is that particrly b-bad?" he asked. Natto pursed her lips, "Of course it is you imbecile! These are the gods of the Multiverse! Even if it was not these three it would still be an awful situation! Primordials are so far ahead of anyone else they only engage in tutorials for entertainment! Going to the extremes to not only test the participants but to whittle them down so that only few remain so they can keep their eyes on them to killter as sport!" she screamed back putting her shaky hands on her head. "Ce on.. It can¡¯t be that bad, right? And we have 10 years after the tutorial to prepare," Drake said, trying to console her. She looked up indignantly at Drake, her eyes bulging and red, "You do not even understand the severity of this! Uhhh if only I could exin in more depth!" she screamed, "You need to understand why it is so tremendously unfortunate we are in this tutorial. One, this means that the tutorial will be brought to its limit in terms of monster capacity and strength. That means borderline E-Rank Monsters! And that is not even the worst! These monsters can level up the same as you can! Do you understand what that means?!" she continued to exin, beginning to breathe harder with each word. Drake just looked on, his head turning inck of understanding. "Ahhh! It means they can level up and Rank up to E-Rank! Do you think you canpete with an E-Rank at bottom F-Rank?!" she howled. Drake pondered for a bit, leaving Natto¡¯s mouth open in exacerbation. "No you fool! You can not! Certainly you understand the difference in stats and skills that would mean!?" she continued screaming. "Sure I get that, but don¡¯t I have stats that allow me topete with those types of things even though I¡¯m lower level?" Drake asked. "Sure, you certainly can within F-Rank and from no rank to low F-Rank but each rank up gives a substantial increase in raw strength that is not reflected in your status! It is one of the reasons obtaining an Aura is so important!" Natto continued, "My point being it will make getting to the end of F-Rank within the tutorial nearly impossible. And for what lies after I can only balk in fear..." Drake let out a long breath as he refocused himself, slowly feeling his container of sense solidify with each passing minute. Bing better ustomed to his new skill slowly. He nced at his debuff timer, making sure he had enough time to practice a bit more before he needed to get ready for Theodore. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 2 Hours, 49 Minutes, 40 Seconds.
It wasn¡¯t much but he would have to do his best to growfortable with the new abstract skill, making sure he could also use some of his other skills at bare minimum while not losing control of the Aura. Drake asked Natto to keep borating her assumptions as he tried his best to multitask and focus, "So what makes you think it¡¯s these three in particr?" Natto chewed on her thumb, obviously overthinking on the subject, "There are some certain specifics of this tutorial that makes me pick them. One, there are more than one Assistant in this tutorial if we are to believe the oaf." "What does that have to do with it?" Natto shook her head, "Despite what you might think, everything in the tutorial is not as random as it appears. Remember what I stated with how monsters are recruited for the tutorial?" Drake nodded. "What do you think that means for items you receive from the quests you get?" she said. A light bulb went off in Drake¡¯s head. Making him slightly lose his concentration for a moment, but he quickly pulled it back. "Good dolt, you see the corrtion now. Yes, those quest items are supplied by the sponsor along with the monsters. And as I have said, Assistants while being rare are not extremely rare. And you, have two legendary stones," she said pointing at his pockets, "That would mean that the sponsor at minimum would have to be able to obtain such a rare stone. This immediately outs any race under a certain rank." Natto sighed and her hand moved to her head, as if a headache was growing as she spoke, "Now that alone is not enough to pinpoint it to these three, so now the monsters selected. They are numerous and monsters that are rtively easy to find in the multiverse. That would mean that the sponsor would need to have arge selection of areas that contain them, but the sheer size of the monsters we have seen is beyond what lower Rank races could obtain in bulk. And the subtle point is that they are efficient monsters," "Efficient?" Drake asked. "They are the best bang for your buck type of monsters. Think bargain sale types. Apes are numerous throughout the multiverse, find a with jungles or warm dense forest you can probably find them there in some subspecies or another. Gnolls are essentially rodents, dime a dozen. And Goblins¡­ they are a gue, and they multiply fast. And from what we know there are also Tyrant Ants who also are low maintenance and multiply even faster than Goblins as long as they have food. So that basically pins Elementals, they are calcting, and efficient. Well for the most part," Natto exined at length. "Ok, then Dragons and Asurans? And I thought Asurans were a myth? Like god level myth," Drake said confused. "I suppose that would be how it is seen to races not indoctrinated in the system, many of your myths and grand stories are of most likely Primordials who have somehow either visited the before or left offspring here to grow up," Natto said nonchntly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Wait. Hold up, you''re saying they had babies stay on Earth?" Drake said, shock clear on his face. "Certainly. It is verymon for Primordial races to actually leave offspring in far off non-systems." "Why? Isn¡¯t that dangerous?" "In the grand scheme? Certainly not. Even a baby would be a C-rank, so nothing on theses could evene close to hurting them." Natto said dismissively with a wave of her hand. Drake nodded slowly in understanding but he was still confused on leaving a child on earth. "I still can¡¯t fit my head around why? Is it like a protection thing? Or are we talking Sayain takeover type stuff?" "Why must it always go back to anime with you¡­. Yes, it is protection. I am sure you are aware of what royalty is?" Natto asked. "Of course I¡¯ve seen plenty of Kingdom Building type shows." Natto face palmed, "Yes well.. Imagine a power struggle between royalty. But those royals are millennia old and powerful enough to wipe out entire star systems," she paused making sure Drake was following, "Now, imagine big bad long living great, great, great, great, great, great to the Nth degree does not like your daddy or mommy and finds out you get born." Drake grimaced. "Yes. So the safest ce to put a child they know is going to be a target or possibly one. Is to leave them where there is no system in ce to allow them to be tracked at least until they are forgotten about or are old enough to go off to another to get stronger. But we are getting off track," Natto said, coughing. She motioned Drake with her hand, and he understood, taking out a small canteen of water, tossing it to her. Natto took a long draw from it and began again, "So for the other two, we have not encountered any Dragon subspecies or lizards for that matter, which makes me think Dragons are a possibility. As Dragons look down on nearly everything, not wanting to even have cousins of their kin fight such lowly battles. And they love to gather treasure so having the resources to sponsor this would be almost trivial to them." "Well why would they give away the treasure then if they love treasure? Isn¡¯t that kind of counter intuitive?" Drake asked. "Certainly, if you think of it just as a simple give and take. But these are races who live longer than somes do. And they are willing to wait," she answered. "Wait¡­? Oh¡­ You are saying they are investing¡­" Drake said, his face turning into an intense frown. "You are right on the mark. They are willing to wait a few hundred years for you to increase their investment and then they cane in and just scoop up whatever you have." "That is fucking dirty¡­" Drake said. Natto shrugged, "It ismon practice in the multiverse if we are being candid, but to do it with this level of rare equipment and such would make it almost certainly the Dragons." She started up again, "Lastly the Asurans. One is very obviously that," Natto pointed to Drake¡¯s garbs and rings, "Those are pieces of equipment from Asurans. Two, the sheer number of monsters here, and the difficulty is very in line with Asuran ideology." "Meaning?" "They love a good fight and an disadvantaged fight even more. If you ever run into an Asuran, never, and I mean never, fight them on an even ying field. They live and breathe for oveing obstacles and adversity. So the state of this tutorial is as I have said, right up their alley," Natto said, taking another swig of the canteen. "Well," Drake started, his face pursed into a pensive expression, "This sucks worse than Kirby after a long weekend." "What does that even-? Nevermind I do not even want to understand that reference," Natto said, holding up her hand. Drakeughed, "Probably for the best. But there''s really nothing we can do about it for now, so we''ll just have to cross that bridge when we get there." He continued to focus on himself as he digested the information. The stretching of his consciousness a good exercise for his concentration. He continued to sit as he rotated his spells around him, in and out of each element, including the new ones he had just obtained. As well as switching to his endowment, interweaving the process of casting and endowing the spells to be as close to second nature as possible within his short timeframe. Drake also added more instances of his spells, doing his best to get used to his upgraded abilities, as he began to hear new notifications in a familiar female voice. [You have increased Tempered in mes to Proficiency 2(0%)] [You have increased Weapon of Choice to Proficiency 2(0%)] [You have increase Weak Point to Proficiency 2(0%)] [You have increased Sound Body and Mind to Proficiency 2(0%) Chapter 59: Stewart….? Chapter 59: Stewart¡­.? The quiet of the Mines was soothing. Save for the asional droplets of water, or soft shuffling of Natto now and then as she grabbed a piece of food from her bag. It was calm, serene even for Drake, as he focused on his breathing. In and out. In and out. It had been several hours of this as he tried to find his center, his new skill an indomitable foe who would not be pacified so quickly. Drake finally opened his eyes and felt them snap open as they broke the crust of dried sweat that had sealed them. His body held the remnants of his struggle with the skill all over his body in the form of steaming condensation. "Uhh that¡¯s just gross¡­" he sighed. Drake plucked one of the four spells that hovered over him, his Water Shot from the four and had it pour over him to clean his filth ridden body. With a gasp of relief he began drying himself, his control over his spells better than before, even with the limitations of the debuff still in effect. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 37 Minutes 52 Seconds.
"I will be so overjoyed when I''m rid of this annoying ass debuff¡­ I still have a few slots open, can''t we try for a specific debuff resistance skill?" Drake asked, finishing the drying of his clothes. Natto shook her head instead of replying, a roasted nut upying her mouth. After she had polished off the food she borated, "Your skill slots are dwindling and we can not waste a single one. Unless another incident, like with that¡­ oaf, happens again you are to reserve them for Rare or better stones, or the shop after the tutorial." Drake was slightly unsatisfied with the answer, but it made sense. Why gamble on skills that he might not get when he could have better stones that were slightly more specific to fill the gapster on. I had the worst time with Bjorn but he''s the exception to the rule right now so there''s no sense in getting greedy and filling the slots when I don¡¯t have to. He thought. Brushing and fiddling with his clothes Drake gave himself another once over feeling slightly more clean than before. His ck and golden embroidered garb fit just loosely enough but snug over his body, his pants were in a sorry state of being half torn. The boots he wore, dented but usable. And the ever growing number of rings on his fingers made him give a wry chuckle. Yet another green shine adorned his hand, for a total of 5 rings on his hands. A benefit of his Hoarder skill growing. Drake walked over to Natto, "I think it¡¯s about time we go out. Don¡¯t want Theo waiting for too long when he gets here, if he isn¡¯t already. Should be around 15 or so minutes left on the debuff when we exit and I''m already feeling better by the second now that it¡¯s counting down." Natto rubbed her eyes and nodded, Drake scooping her up in a cradle. Ah that¡¯s right. It would be pretty dark out right now. My sense of time in here is a little funky with no sun huh. Surprised yet again that I¡¯m not even tired. The power of stats. Drake gave a slight grin at the thought. Walking to the exit Drake continued to cycle through his skills and magic, but making far less headway on his Proficiency 2 skills. It would seem that every skill up was a cliff fall of jump in experience needed. Drake wasn¡¯t too upset over it, although the numerical visualization went up steadily increasing, albeit slowly. He could still feel that he was improving and growing ustomed to his stats, skills, and new body limits. He could only imagine how it would feel when he had the time to practice at full strength again. Growing closer to the exit, Drake felt the world in a new sense again with the addition of his Aura skill. It was a very foreign feeling. He was able to tell what was happening within a certain sphere of influence around him, but it was also more than that. He could feel his Aura tugging at the world around him, taking what it wanted from the surroundings and pushing down anything unwanted. And even more, there was something that felt like it was lurking within him, ready to squash anything that came to defy him. It was a heavy feeling that Drake couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of, he had never felt something so instinctual before. Was it the skill changing him, or was it a feeling that was always there just held so deep, tucked away it hadn¡¯t surfaced until now? There were surprisingly so many new variations of his spells he could now use with just the addition of his Confluence skill stone and even more possibilities for his fighting style now that he could use his Tyrannical Aura. Thetter being extremely tricky and needed far more practice to be used correctly. As it stood he had to put a tight mp on the ability or it would affect anyone or anything indiscriminately. Drake sighed, theck of time he currently had made him slightly regretful but making a promise to himself to properly train his abilities and spells after the current problems were taken care of. It¡¯s like I don¡¯t even have a few hours before something new happens now and there¡¯s still 3 more months until we¡¯re out of here. He thought, looking down at the sleeping Natto as she breathed lightly in his arms, Drake making sure to ¡®toggle off¡¯ his Weak Point and Of the Apex skills. Drake continued on toward the exit as bothrge and small manifestations of his spells swirled around him, taxing his mana in various ways as he noted them in detail. It hurts but I simply don¡¯t have enough mana at the moment to perform some of the spells I want¡­ At least not all at once. My new skills that give such a boost of regeneration are helping, even with the 50% cut from the debuff, but there¡¯s no way I can pull off bigger spells in session. Drake thought while walking, reminding him just how dire it was for him to find someone to teach him properly for both spells and fighting technique. His own practice was not enough to cut the learning curve to his satisfaction and having a mentor or even proper sparring partners would help him improve exponentially. Drake continued to practice on his short walk out, eyeing the debuff timer, new tutorial wide quest and the total remaining time for the tutorial. Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 109 Days 1 Hour 19 Minutes 41 Seconds [Tutorial Wide Urgent Quest. Defeat the Goblin King¡¯s Invasion] [The Goblin King has roused the goblin tribes, uniting a force few have seen before. The Goblin force of the King grows by the day. Defeat the summoned force before it bes insurmountable, or suffer capture or death.] [Reward: Experience based on contribution. TP based on contribution. Titles based on Contribution. Selection of 1 Rare Piece of Equipment.] [Requirement: Kill the Goblin King and his 10 Generals] [Bonus Requirement: Kill 5,000, 10,000, or 20,000 Goblins of any kind] [Bonus Reward: 10 Umon Quality Mana Pills, 10 Umon Quality Strength Pills] Drake eyed the other quest that was ticking down and he was eager to finish. [Subjugate 15 Goblin Treasure Hoarders [F-Rank] [Reward: Goblin King¡¯s Hoard Key.] [Quest Time Limit: 123 Hours, 19 Minutes, 41 seconds.] ¡ª----------------------------------- "Hey sir¡­. This guy still isn¡¯t talking," said the cloaked man. Kohoo looked back over his shoulder, spotting the dirty blonde haired man in a butler uniform, "Well isn¡¯t that surprising. He¡¯s still alive right?" he asked, turning around. "Yup, still breathing. We¡¯ve been giving him potions on the hour like you asked. But the guy just won''t spill the beans. All we know is his name and that''s just from identification skills. He ain¡¯t sayin nothin on the other level 10 that¡¯s here," answered a woman. Kohoo clicked his tongue grumbling, "Useless morons¡­" Walking over to the slumped man against the outpost wall, his ck suit a more dark red now. Kohoo grabbed him by the cor, Theodore¡¯s monocle swaying with the motion against his chest, dangling back and forth. Kohoo produced a knife from his side, cing the tip across Theodore¡¯s cheek, "Very resilient arn¡¯t you? Reminds me of some cockroach back in the day that didn¡¯t know how to just roll over and die¡­ Come on now Colonel Sanders, just tell me where the other low level prize is, and I promise we¡¯ll let you go." Theodore sat there slumped, not a word uttering from his mouth. His eyes, a hazy mess. Kohoo¡¯s expression turned to one of frustration as he stood up grinding his teeth. Looking down at the man again he spat. Winding up his right leg and with a loud crack his heel connected with Theodore¡¯s head forcing him to double over. "Fucking loser just won¡¯t cooperate!" he yelled. "What should we do, keep at it?" one man asked, a slight grin on his face. Unamused and simply agitated, Kohoo crossed his arms, "Do whatever you want, just don¡¯t kill him. I want him alive so I can do it myself in front of whoever decides to show up." Walking back over to hisfy chair by the fire, Kohoo sat back down, turned to face the Mine Entrance they were denied entrance to, "It¡¯s always more fun to see the anger and despair on their faces before they go beggin n¡¯ crying anyway," he hummed. ¡ª------------------------------------ Drake finally reached the exit of the Mines, the closed door¡¯s outline illuminated by a fire on the outside. That¡¯s weird¡­? I don¡¯t think the fire we had wouldst over 12 hours. Is Theodore back? He thought. He was reluctant but Drake was concerned. He knew that it was dark out because of the timing and though Theodore could have just scaled the wall given enough time, he wasn¡¯t so sure he would do that instead of just waiting and doing his LARPing thing. It was another opportunity to do his whole ¡®sire, liege¡¯ thing after all. Looking down, Drake shook Natto lightly to rouse her from her sleep. "Hey, sleeping beauty. It¡¯s Defcon 3." Natto slowly woke, both hands finding an eye to rub the drowsiness, "Huh¡­? What is a Defcon, does it taste good?" she asked. "No you food maniac, wake up. There might be monsters or people in the outpost. I need you to uhh, get inside me just in case," he said, slightly ufortable at his own words. Natto snapped fully awake upon hearing his reasoning. She looked over at the orange, yellow outlined door and nodded. Climbing to his shoulder she merged herself with him, "Do you think it is the people the oaf talked of?" she asked. I have no idea, I¡¯m just being careful. I still have around 5 minutes give or take before the debuff is up so if it¡¯s anything bad we will just pop back into the mines and wait out the debuff. Drake thought. He received a mental nod from Natto, and made his way to the door, slowly inching it open. What Drake saw was the fire they had used to make food, lit, but there was no one there. An ostentatious looking chair was next to the fire, empty. Very slowly Drake peeked his head out of the crack in the door, looking everywhere with his enhanced vision for anything out of the ordinary, but found nothing. When are my ocr skills going to do more than just identify¡­? Magic Sight is nice for a lot of things but it seems to flop when I need to pick up invisible things. Drake said internally, a slight tinge of irritation in it. "It will take time. The skill is only strong enough to detect those who are under your rank or proficiency. But as I said, it will take time for your skills to grow," Natto replied, her voice a little groggy. Yeah well it would be nice if I had it right now¡­ I can tell there are people nearby but I can¡¯t see them and only vaguely pinpoint them with my Aura. Drake thought, grumbling. "All good things take time." Oh you don¡¯t say¡­. Drake answered back sarcastically. Drake retreated back into the crack in the door, taking a deep breath. His palms had already begun to sweat in anticipation of possibly having to fight another human being. It was not something he was excited to do. He had just fought Bjorn, sure, but he never had the intention of killing him. And this fight, if Drake¡¯s inkling was correct, would end very differently. Wiping his hands on his garb, steeling himself, he swung the door open and walked out. His Tattoos on full disy as he readied himself, a small ball of air and earth at his side, prepared for at a moment''s notice to change his Endowment so he could dash back into the mines. "I can tell where you are!" Drake shouted, his eyes ring between yellow, blue and green as he pointed to the general direction of one of the invisible people, "If you are here for a fight I¡¯ll have to decline, but my receptionist can take a rain check at the gate on your way out." Drake could feel the person jerk back at being pointed out, but the feeling was still vague. After his deration, space near the fire shimmered. Revealing a man d in pure ck, a mask over his face. "Drake¡­? Drake Wallen? No fucking way, is that you?" the man said, sliding his mask down, revealing a mousey face. His nose pointed and his eyes just a tad too close together, even his unkempt beard almost looked like a mess of whiskers. Drake froze. The feeling of blood draining from his face made it as if he was hit again with Bjorn¡¯s debuff anew. Drake felt his body go cold at the familiar face of his Art Director from thepany he was fired from. His memories flooding back. "Drake? Drake! What is wrong?! Dra-" Natto shouted inside his head, but it turned to white noise as Drake took a shaky step forward, not sure if he was in some surreal dream. "Stewart...?" Chapter 60: The truth comes out. Chapter 60: The truthes out. "Drake? What are the chances?" chuckled the man lightly, walking forward. Drake put his hand up in caution, snapping an ember of breathing fire to life in it with a red magic circle. Natto, why can¡¯t I see his alias or level.. Drake asked, his body going cold as he eyed Stewart wearily. [Dn18&@)dn Level *%] "He must possess an obscuring item. They are not umon outside the tutorial but he would have to craft such an item here, get lucky with a quest reward or¡­" Drake felt unsettled. He knew Stewart, they had even been acquaintances at work. It was a bad memory but he had even been the one who invited him to that party so long ago. He felt a piercing shiver go down his spine, as he saw Stewart¡¯s eyes glow green briefly, but Drake didn¡¯t miss the shift. "Oh what do we have here? Why are you level 10 still bud¡­ And you? You¡¯re Shot? Oh¡­" Stewartughed, nearly falling backwards as his spine bent with his chortle, his hand going to his forehead like a ssic anime viin. "This is just too good, you can¡¯t make this shit up!" Stewart shouted, going upright to look at Drake again, "Drake I knew you were still alive but you seem to be doing pretty well after everything was said and done huh? Last you told me you had started your own Art Business and were doing pretty well no?" Drake flinched. Stewart was one of the few non-family members Drake had kept in contact with when everything happened. Stewart was empathetic over the phone, apologizing for bringing him to the party, saying he had no idea such a thing would happen. He had even checked up on Drake every few weeks seeing how he was doing, then suddenly stopped when Drake mentioned he was actually doing better financiallypared to when he was working, and steadily doing better overall. The memory left a bitter taste in Drake¡¯s mouth but he responded, keeping his eyes and aura scanning to make sure the other people who were shrouded didn¡¯t move. Drake opened his mouth to answer, but muttered, "Marked¡­" under his breath on Stewart just in case he vanished again. "Yeah, that¡¯s right, luckily all that hard work I had put in for all those years pulled me up by my bootstraps, along with a bit of luck from some algorithms on some social media," Drake answered finally, trying to stay calm and casual. Stewart scoffed, almost disappointed that Drake had said he was doing well. His demeanor far different from how Drake remembered him. "Ha! Isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s always been with you! Just a bit of luck¡­" Stewart¡¯s face scrunched up as he spat to the side, "Surprised you didn¡¯t just off yourself after you got fired. At least those other guys had the decency to stay the lowly bastards they were and never got back up." Drake¡¯s eyes turned to points hearing that, "What do you mean?" Stewartughed, "You think it was a coincidence you got fired for that bullshit? Who do you think told HR about your little escapade you dumb chump," Stewart said, giving a ratty snicker. Drake¡¯s magic winked out suddenly as he lost concentration for a split second, his aura leaking out as well, resulting in a wince of confusion from Stewart. "Drake? What is wrong? I have never seen you so upset or unsettled, who is this rat?" asked Natto. Drake ignored her, unable to answer the question. His mind doing flips trying to piece together Stewart¡¯s words. "Are you saying the reason I was fired wasn''t even Marrisah¡¯s fault..? It was you?!" Drake asked, his hands shaking. Stewart shook off his confusion and put on another sneer, his haughty condescending attitude returning, "No, she knew ," Stewart said a swing of his arm enunciating the word, "She may have done it for money but she knew. Personally I just had to get rid of you. Couldn¡¯t have you taking my job, now could I?" Drake tasted iron. He had bitten his lip. Stewart continued, "Please¡­ don¡¯t be so upset. It isn¡¯t like you were the first, or the one and only. Had this little system not given me the opportunity to have so much fun, I would have done it to many more. Oh by the way, is this one with you?" Stewart asked, giving a wave of his hand. A momentter, two ck d figures appeared, a third person sitting on the ground. "Theo!" Drake shouted, taking a step forward, but stopped at Natto screaming in his head. "Drake! Not another step! I do not want to leave Theodore either but you still have your debuff! Think calmly, he is still alive. You¡­. We need to buy time until it is gone," Natto said, her voice dripping with concern. Drake cursed looking at the debuff. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • 4 Minutes 27 Seconds
Stewart spoke again, "Oh so you do know him! That makes this all the more poetic," he said giving a sinister grin, his hand moving to the side of his leg, a knife sliding out of the holster, "I¡¯m going to have you watch as I take him apart, just because he knows you," he chuckled wildly, the knife flying from his hand embedding itself into Theodores thigh. Theodore shrieked in pain, his head finally rising up to see Drake. Theodore¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight of him. And Drake could see it in his eyes. Regret. Apology. Frustration. Drake red at Stewart, "You sick fuck!" he roared, his jaw tightening. "Haha! Good! Don¡¯t think you can even do anything anyway, everyone here is well above your level for one. And one move. I¡¯ll be all over you just like HR was," Stewart snickered. "You can¡¯t be serious that you would do all that just to keep me from getting promoted and taking your position? Don¡¯t you have any integrity?!" Drake shouted back. "Integrity? Puh-leaseee¡­ Not only do I not have it, neither does the world. Imagine my surprise when all I had to do was just send an anonymous tip that you had been harassing someone at the party. Then just a quick exchange of money to Marrisah and a letter saying she corroborated my story and that was that. What a world we live in, right?" Stewart smiled. "You have no remorse for what you did? You ruined my fucking life!" Drake screamed, his voice so loud it sounded almost like a banshee, "It wasn¡¯t just my job! You ruined my entire life! Any opportunity I might have had in the job market, friends, colleagues, any spectrum of a rtionship gone!" "Oh boo hoo. Honestly if I knew it was going to be that easy, I would have gone further. I should have went further you fucking jackass! It would have been just a few more hundred dors in a few more peoples'' pockets to put you in jail for much worse," Stewartughed again, "It went much easier for the next two but I went a bit too far and they stopped taking the reports seriously," Stewart continued shrugging his shoulders, as he walked over to Theodore. "Do you even know what kind of vile injustice you perpetuated! You ruined my life, fine. I was lucky and I had a supportive family and I bounced back. But those other people¡­ How many fucking lives did you destroy just for your own fucking selfishness?!" Not even missing a beat Stewart answered, "Hmm, at least 4 didn¡¯t bother keeping track and I lost count after that." Drake felt his tooth almost chip under the stress of his jaw. "You¡¯re not human¡­" Drake muttered. "Hmm?" Stewart said, cocking his head and hand in a listening motion. "You aren¡¯t human! Do you know how hard it already is for people to take those types of allegations seriously!? And all you did was make it so no woman, no person! Whoever reported another one of those cases at thatpany would even be looked at seriously. You set the bar back for everyone for years, if not more! Those false usations did more than just ruin the used¡¯s lives," Drake shouted, his voice bing broken, "You were put in charge to take care of employees, and you manipted all those people for what? To keep a job you weren¡¯t qualified for? For pleasure?!" Stewart pulled another knife from his side, ying with it in his hand, "Are you done..?" he said his face zed over in boredom, "I did it because I could. With you it was for my job, and I liked Marrisah. Seeing you get along so well with her pissed me off so I decided to get rid of you. But after that? It was just so easy to put you out of the picture, I decided to do the same with a few more people, and got myself a nice little spot near the top! Doubled my pay in less than a year." "Drake? What are you doing? Stop! You need to wait!" Natto yelled. Drake couldn¡¯t hear her, his mind had finally gone nk in anger. He slowly stepped forward, his Aura going out of control, and washing over the outpost. Eight other figures in ck shimmered into vision, fear in their eyes. Some shaking after dropping to their knees, others desperately chanting their skills and spells again to vanish. Drake didn¡¯t care for the background characters, his eyes were trained on only one person right now. Stewart. Drake¡¯s eyes cascaded in an eerie glow of yellow, blue, and green. Fixed on the man, with unbridled fury. Every hair on his body bristled as his aura was soaked in unprecedented vicious bloodthirst. The beast inside him was scratching at the cage and Drake had no mind to stop it. Tyrannical Aura P1(4%) [F-Rank]
  • The monster inside you refuses to be below others. The world is meant for you to take your ce above it. You are the epitome, the apex, the ever-oppressive Tyrant. Your word isw inside your domain.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower, giving a perpetual 10% debuff to allbat stats and momentary fear. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura momentarily disrupts any and all spells or skills being casted when will is flexed. Must be of equal or lower Rank. Limit once per hour.
  • Additional Effect: Devourer - Any target inside your sphere of influence has one beneficial buff removed once per hour.
Chapter 61: This is Player vs Player Chapter 61: This is yer vs yer Drake trudged forward at the temporarily stunned Stewart his Of the Apex and Aura forcing him into a momentary submission but Drake¡¯s skills were not trained well enough yet as Stewart quickly shook off the stun and gave a sinister grin before pulling up his mask and whispering something under his breath, shimmering out of sight. Drake stood stock still, his eyes turning to Theodore, fury welling up inside. He needed to get him away from the fight fast or they would just keep using him as a hostage. With his ''Mark'' still on Stewart, Drake could still track Stewart well enough, but it would onlyst 5 minutes. Natto, how can I get Theodore inside the Mines? "Now you wish to speak!? Fine. You just have to give him permission to enter, verbal or mental does not matter to the system, as long as it is voluntary and not coerced." she replied irritated, "But you should go back to the Mines. I can not in good conscience say that you can help him in your condition! You need to stay alive to help someone and you are outnumbered! Please see reason and retreat for now!" You really expect me to just leave him out here, after saying I would help him save those people. To just leave him to be tortured even more... From what Stewart said, Theo never said a word about us. He¡¯s already family. Drake thought, his emotion leaking across their mental connection. Natto went silent. Drake continued to keep track of Stewart as he crept up on the side of him, quickly eyeing his lingering debuff in his peripheral. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 1 Minute 53 Seconds
Damn it, if I knew this was going to happen, I would have just made Bjorn sit his big ass down here till the debuff was gone! Drake cursed. He felt Natto give a mental sigh and roll of her eyes in his head. I don¡¯t need a lecture about it... I know it was my fault I¡¯m just saying! Hindsight is twenty twenty... Drake looked again at the two people holding Theodore, both suddenly shaken stiff by his gaze. Taking his chance Drake lunged forward, but was unimpressively slower than before thanks to his diminished stats. Fuck is this how it would be if I was really level 10? This is harsh! He screamed internally. Drake''s sprinted step forward, summoning a ball of wind like second nature now that he was focused through his anger. Crushing it in his hand to shift his hair and tattoos to a light green, his speed turning more explosive halfway through the step. The people holding Theodore were just as expectedly surprised by the sudden influx of speed and changed color of Drake''s hair, their eyes going wide as they desperately scrambled to free themselves from the temporary shock. With the help of his endowment Drake was able to reach them both before that happened. Drake roared as he threw a fist forward catching the person on the right with a straight hook to their face. The person¡¯s mask fluttered off their face revealing a man in his 20¡¯s, before they flew backward from the force of the blow. In the same motion Drake conjured a fireball in his hand aiming it at the person on the left, shooting it instantly when he made contact with the man on the right. But the second person was quicker to recover than the man. They dodged down and pulled a knife from their side, lunging forward at Drake in a counterattack. Drake put more mana into his tattoos, aiming to deflect the de, but it barely cut through leaving a streak of red as it passed by Drake¡¯s face. Shit! I put an extra 5% into that! He shouted internally, watching as the de passed his face. Drake grabbed the hand that passed as he conjured another fireball in his free hand, crushing it for his Fire endowment. His voice low as he whispered his skill. "On blessed wings. Guardians Reprieve," he recited, a glow of green shone around him. Drake pulled the person''s arm over his shoulder in the same breath, bringing them into an over shoulder throw down to the ground, his extra strength from his endowment showing its increased force as they produced a small crater with an audible crack when they were mmed to the ground. Now I can see why Bjorn liked doing this! Drake quickly changed to his water endowment, thest few seconds had drained his mana and he needed to get back what he could. Looking down on the person, Drake made sure to keep track of the others around him. Still 9 figures in shadows moving in on him. Three being the closest, but Stewart was surprisingly the furthest back. He didn¡¯t have time to think about the moral repercussions right now, as Drake grit his teeth, snapping his fingers and summoning his element of conflux, lightning. Bringing his finger to a makeshift gun he pointed it down at the masked person¡¯s head. "No one hurts my family." he sneered, letting loose the spell, a bolt of lightning embedding itself into their forehead with a sizzle, a small bead of red and smell of chard flesh the indication of the bolt striking. [You have killed Participant: Julia Kelly Level 13] [Experience Earned, 86,253 TP has been awarded] [You have gained Title: Murderer] Drake clicked his tongue, but had no time to admonish himself or fight a battle about moral rehensibility inside his head, as he felt the three from before close in. Also noticing the man he flung across the outpost was slowly getting up, shimmering into the shadows as well. He repositioned, putting himself behind Theodore who was still on the ground. Standing to cover him like a wolf protecting its cubs, his tattoos and hair switched to a deep orange red as he changed to his magma endowment. His mana restored surprisingly to nearly 40% even with the debuff cutting his regeneration to half its normal amount. Drake felt the invisible figures less than a few feet away, quickly closing in on them. Putting more mana into his arms he felt two des collide with his tattoos, a third finding its home in his side. Drake gave a grunt of pain, the three figures shimmering into existence as their invisibility dropped off. Each one wearing ck robes or clothing with some donning pieces of leather here and there. A particr one pulled his mask down and sneered, "Dumbass! You should''ve left the dead weight!" Drake smiled back, his eyes ring yellow, both his hands moving out as Ice quickly formed a small dome around them. Drake¡¯s tattoos and hair then cascading into the color of pristine white. The three became confused at the dome that now contained them. A female voice shouted behind Drake, her knife dripping in a suspicious purple liquid, "You idiot now you¡¯re trapped in here with us!" Drake nced at the debuff. Divine Frailty [F-Rank]
  • Lasts 7 Seconds.
6 5 "No," Drake said, ncing over his shoulder. 4 3 2 "You''re locked in here with me." 1 Drake felt as if weights that had pushed him to the ground had been lifted. Power akin to absorbing stones quckly filled his body. In an instant Drake moved with untold speed, a makeshift de of fire in his hand, a cold breath escaping his lips in a puff of frozen smoke. Three headless bodies hitting the floor around him and Theodore. [You have killed Participant: Abraham Renyolds Level 12] [Experience Earned, 101,053 TP has been awarded] [You have killed Participant: Kim Samsarah Level 14] [Experience Earned, 100,553 TP has been awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 11] [40 Free Points have been awarded] [You have killed Participant: Lee Hyuk Level 16] [Experience Earned, 127,853 TP has been awarded] Drake quickly squashed the fire and changed to his water endowment, a slight shiver running down his spine, but not from the cold. He had killed three more people without hesitation. Something in his mind had changed. He felt remorse, but only logically. His body, his instinct only looked down on them as another monster. They had tried to kill him and his, so they died for it. "Drake¡­" Natto voiced inside his head almost at a whisper. "Not now, we¡¯ll talk about itter¡­ Right now I need to recover as much of my missing status as possible before they decide to break through the ice. And we need to somehow get Theodore into the Mines," Drake said, looking at the poor man. Theodores cloths and body showed the signs of the torture they put him through. Ripped at the seams were his coat and shirt, his dress pants were stained a thick red. The knife, still sticking out of his thigh. Drake wasn''t sure if he should risk removing the knife but quickly decided against it. Cursing that he still hadn¡¯t made a pouch for his potions, he tried to pull a potion from his inventory. But to no avail the potion refused to be removed from his stash. Drake¡¯s mind moved quickly to what he could do. His status was quickly filling thanks to his new endowment, regeneration skills, and the debuff finally falling off but he would still need a minute or more to be at full. Even the knife wound he had suffered to the side itched only slightly as it began to heal. He was unsure of when they would decide to cave in his small ice shelter and unfortunately he was unable to track the whereabouts of anyone other than Stewart from inside. "Ok, I can¡¯t get to the potions and we probably don¡¯t have a lot of time," Drake said, kneeling down to Theodore. Drake lightly shook him, trying to get him to respond, "Theo! Theo! You still there, you stupidrper? Look at me bud!" Drake continued to try to coax Theodore into focus, eventually pouring some water over his head. Finally resulting in Theodore realizing he was with Drake with a small groan. "...My liege¡­?" Theodore eeked out. "Yeah it¡¯s me. Can you stay with me for a few more seconds? I¡¯m going to get you to the mines and you''re going to be fine, ok?" Drake said, trying his best to reassure the man. "N-no¡­ P-please, you must liberate my dear Harley.. Sh-she is in the gobl-" Theodore slowly slumped forward again before finishing his thought. "Fuck! Natto, we¡¯re making a break for the Mines!" "Drake please just a few more seconds! You need time-" Natto pleaded. "Theodore doesn''t have that time! His ass is bleeding out and it¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t there to help him. We are going to those mines even if I have to go through that fucking worthless scumbag to get there. This is not a debate!" he shouted. Drake didn¡¯t wait for an answer as he hoisted Theodore onto his shoulders and pulled him into a piggy back, chanting his skill, "I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable," the glow of green quicklying to life and just as quickly winking out of sight. Then tracking his Mark, Drake looked at where Stewart was from inside the ice dome. Summoning two balls of lightning one in each hand, he let one hover to his side as he condensed the other, dropping a few more percent of his mana into the spell. Drake pushed the ball to the edge of the ice dome right in the direction of Stewart and condensed it further as it crackled and snapped with power. Extending one arm out his thumb folded in his fist as if he was about to pop a weasel, he aimed down his arm lining up the small mote of lightning with Stewart. "Railgun!" Drake roared, letting his thumb fly out connecting with the ball of energy. It instantly shed with brilliance as it shot forward, cracking and shattering the dome. The bright line of lighting flooded forward as licks of the electricity connected with the ground and burned the grass below the line of white hot lightning. Drake moved with urgency as soon as the spell let loose, endowing himself with lightning while flying forward with his full speed, tacking Stewart, and with his aura allowing him to reach out again to find the other invisible figures within his sphere. Dodging each one as he shot forward only steps away from the Mines. Drake¡¯s Mark then unexpectedly moved. And Stewart was right in front of Drake. Stewart''s deing down with a sinister ck glow around it. Drake didn¡¯t even have time to gasp as he turned his shoulder putting power into his right tattoo to block the iing de he could now see thanks to the effect of his lightning endowment, his body barely keeping up. He raised his arm to block the blow, his other poised, pointing at the man. Drake attempted to cast his fear, "Fear is-" but Stewart¡¯s de moved with vicious determination as he mumbled something under his breath. "Butcher." The de moved so quickly Drake stood no chance in catching it. [Gained Reprieve Charge] Drake saw his arm before he felt the pain. It flew in front of him, tattoo still red as Drake tracked it with his eyes, it passing between the two slowly. Drake saw the smile on Stewart¡¯s face as droplets of blood sshed against it. Anger erupted in Drake in that split second, ignighting his determination to see him pay for what he had done, roaring in wild animalistic fury. Swinging around in a 360 degree turn Drake grabbed his dismembered arm by the elbow and used the force to bring it right into the side of Stewart¡¯s head. Putting a red glow of power from Martial Strike around his dismembered arm, driving it down and pinning Stewart to the ground with a disgusting crunch. [You have killed Participant: Kohoo - Stewart James Level 19] [Experience Earned, 235,453 TP has been awarded] [You have been awarded Title: Serial Killer] Drake pulled his arm from Stewart¡¯s dead corpse in one motion and dove for the Mines, saving his teleport for anything else unexpected as he crashed through the door uninterrupted in a tumble with Theodore to the ground. Immediately when he came to a stop Natto popped out, hysteria painting her face. "Drake! What?! Potion! A Potion! Hurry!" she shouted. Drake tried to pull the potions from his inventory but nothing appeared, each second that passed Drake saw the sides of his vision darken. "Fuck not again¡­" he mumbled, releasing his endowment to trade it out for his Ice, locking up his wind and water elements. The active regeneration helped somewhat but he was still losing blood too fast. Drake winced but produced a me in his hand after cing his severed arm into his inventory. Bracing himself he screamed as the fire touched the base of his shoulder, the smell of burning flesh filling the mine. Gasping for air through his teeth and saliva dripping down the sides of his clenched mouth, Drake tried again for the potions. This time thankfully they popped into his hands. He ced one in Natto¡¯s shaking hands, "Hurry get it to Theodore. I¡¯ll be fine, I stopped the bleeding so I just have to wait for the weakened debuff to drop off and my status to recover," he huffed out in between breaths, pulling the cork of the potion with his mouth and downing it in one go. Soon his breathing evened and he let the cool ground of the mines take him into its embrace. As he fell to theforting grip on the floor and darkness of the mines. Chapter 62: Is it Over? Chapter 62: Is it Over? The loud crunch of shattering ss was heard, the small pieces from the container of the amber liquid shimmering to the ground like falling stars. ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s dead!?¡± growled Joker, pulling in the man by his cor, his eyes pointed knives, ¡°It was just some level 10 punk who isn¡¯t even on thedder!¡± he shouted, spittle covering the restrained man. ¡°I-it. H-h-he was on thedder!¡± the man said, trying his best to cower and lean away from Joker. Joker¡¯s brow rose, ¡°Who is it?¡± he asked not letting the man go. ¡°His name was Shot! He might have been level 10 but he killed people in one blow! It was like fighting Bear!¡± the man shouted, nearly hysterical. The next moment the man was on the ground, slumped in a pooling puddle of red, a low gurgling and popping of bubbles barely sounding. Joker pulled his knife up to look at the de, then wiped it on the man¡¯s back to clean it. ¡°Anyone else want to lie to me?¡± he asked, looking around the room at the remaining 5 people. Everyone shivered at the gaze but shook their heads. ¡°Good. You,¡± he said pointing the knife at one, ¡°What really happened, you all jump Kohoo and run away?¡± The woman he pointed to hesitated, her voice shaky and her bodynguage sheepish as she folded her hands together, ¡°I-it¡¯s true. I don¡¯t know how but I watched him kill Julia in a single spell! B-but he was also able to send Dominic flying with a single blow to his chest!¡± she shouted, looking down at Dominic still in a pool of his own blood. ¡°Huh.. Guess I shouldn¡¯t have killed him then¡­ Bastard was telling the truth..¡± Joker shrugged and gave a smile, ¡°Oh well. Someone please tell me you at least picked up their loot?¡± Four heads nodded in affirmation. ¡°Good!¡± Joker shouted, ¡°Now, tell me more about the highest participant on the TP Ladder.¡± [Rank 1: Shot 1,315,675 TP]
A slow swaying motion gingerly roused Drake awake. ¡°My liege.. Sire! Please awaken, my liege!¡± the slightly higher than normal voice pleaded. ¡°Just five more minutes¡­¡± Drake grumbled, then winced as he turned over onto his stump of an arm, taking in a quick breath, ¡°Ah! Susmaryosep¡­ That stings! You know I lost an arm Theo¡­¡± he said, cracking an eye to see the dirty blond haired man¡¯s face very ufortably close to his own. ¡°Sire! For it not a dire situation that needed your hastily attention, this one would surely entertain your jesting. But I implore you please, we must move to liberate the captives of the Goblins! There is little time!¡± Theodore said, gripping onto Drake¡¯s garb. ¡°Thanks Theo, I¡¯m fine too. Appreciate you asking¡­¡± Drake sat up, his shoulder still stinging from cauterizing the wound. He looked at his status and it was full, but as always the lingering feeling of the pain still remained. Drake quickly scanned the mine shaft and found Natto a small distance away sitting on a small stone. ¡°Natto? What, no dolt? No apement to chew me out?¡± Drake joked, slowly getting up to walk over. Natto was silently brooding as she stared at the ground. ¡°Come on, we''re alive and we made it out. Let¡¯s take that as a win,¡± Drake said, kneeling down to meet her eyes. Drake lifted her bangs to get a good look at her. She wasn¡¯t hurt thankfully, but her eyes were red circles from her obviously crying. Their eyes met and she quickly turned away new pools of tears starting at the corner of her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Natto? It¡¯s not like you to be so upset without me doing something really stupid,¡± Drake smiled, trying again to joke. ¡°You did do something stupid!¡± she shouted, making Drake grimace, ¡°And I believed you said that there were no more secrets! Certainly your dealings with that bottom feeding of a rat in the form of a man could be considered a secret!¡± she turned back to him, her eyes now having small streams that dripped from her chin, as her lip quivered, ¡°Do you still not trust me enough to share such things?!¡± Drake rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, ¡°Of course I trust you. It¡¯s just that whole thing isn¡¯t the type ofundry I like to air. It was my problem, and I had to deal with it back in the day, of course my family knew I was fired for a false usation but that¡¯s pretty much as far as it went. They supported me until I got back on my feet and it went from there.¡± ¡°Is it not our problem? You told me we are in this together and I am entitled to such things! Do not treat me like a child Drake!¡± she wailed, beginning to full on pout as she stood up. ¡°Alright, alright..¡± Drake consoled putting his hand on her head, ¡°I promise no more hiding things like that,¡± he smiled, lying through his teeth. Drake knew she wanted to share the burden, but his past was his emotional trauma to bear, and he wouldn¡¯t put that onto the little construct to carry with him. He would deal with it on his own time and in his own way. Natto looked at Drake, her face pensive as it shifted from relief, sadness, concern and reluctance. Drake moved to pick her up with his right arm, but chuckled wearily when nothing happened. Oh yeah, forgot that assshole cut it off¡­ Damn that skill was crazy. Cut right through my defenses like butter. He thought, bringing his other arm down to pick her up. Once up, Natto sniffed for a moment then used Drake¡¯s garb to rub the snot from her nose. ¡°Hey! What gives?! How do you shift from worrying to doing this kind of stuff all in a matter of seconds?!¡± he shouted, conjuring a ball of water to ssh both his shoulder and Natto, deting the small girl, her ears and tail flopping down like wilting redish flowers. ¡°I am a woman of many faces,¡± Natto said, blowing her pink bangs out of her face. ¡°Yeah faces of gross snot filled angst maybe,¡± Drake said then started looking around. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Natto asked, raising a brow as she picked her arms up to wring the water from them. ¡°The woman you mentioned, can¡¯t seem- OK OK I¡¯m just kidding!!!¡± Drakeughed, blowing hot air on both her and his clothes, his head tilted away from the very pointy metal object that mysteriously appeared near his face. After pacifying Natto, Drake turned again to Theodore, who was anxiously waiting at the door of the Mines, his cane in hand, his eyes pressed to the cracks peeled to see anything. ¡°Theodore,¡± Drake said. ¡°Yes-¡± Theodore answered, turning into a wall of water sshing over him, soaking him to the bone in lukewarm water. ¡°You¡¯re covered in blood bro, time for a scrub,¡± Drake said with a grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t die Theo. And thank you. You know, for not snitching,¡± continued Drake, cing his hand on Theodore¡¯s shoulder. Theodore gazed at Drake, his mustache sticking to his face, and looking like a certain fast food¡¯s yellow ¡®M¡¯ framing his mouth as he slightly frowned. ¡°My liege please be serious! We must be forthwith in returning to the goblin¡¯s encampment! Those people¡­ Harley¡­ This one will do anything!¡± dropping to the floor, Theodore bent at the knee, his head facing the ground, ¡°Anything I have said before, but I beg you as I do not have the strength myself. Save her!¡± Theodore implored. Drake kneeled to meet Theodore, his hand again finding the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Theo. It goes without saying. You¡¯ve earned your keep and I will do what I can, but you need to take care of yourself first, you''re a mess,¡± Drake said smiling. A scoff sounded next to Drake¡¯s ear, ¡°That is certainly riching from someone who rushed in head first with a 50% debuff restricting him!¡± Natto grumbled, crossing her arms. Drakeughed sheepishly and stood, his hand stretched to help Theodore up, ¡°Nevermind that. Let¡¯s get us cleaned up, yeah? Then we can go, it will only take a few minutes, and the more we dally the longer it takes. Know how to speed shower I hope?¡± Theodore¡¯s eyes found renewed life as he took the hand, hope welling up in his chest, ¡°Yes my lord! This one¡¯s middle name is Speed!¡± Drake raised his brow for a moment but dismissed it, pouring more water onto Theodore ignoring his grunting as the man quickly scrubbed away the blood on his body. Drake quickly switched to some warm air as he let his mind wonder for a moment. His thoughts turning to his arm, pondering whether or not it would be permanent or if there was a healer that could regrow limbs or maybe a rank up would fix it like he had read in so many other light novels and stories. Finishing up in the Mines, Theodore piped up with a question. ¡°My liege, do you feel capable enough to fight?¡± finally asking while looking at Drake''s severed arm, regret clear on his face, ¡°Will the loss of your appendage not hinder you?¡± Drake gave a look of forlorn as he nced at his stump, but only for a moment before he changed to a grin again. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few things in the bag and that level up beefed me up quite a bit. I¡¯m dumping the points straight into Intelligence. Going to be needing as much mana as possible for this little trick,¡± Drake¡¯s smile grewrger as he summoned a spike of earth in front of him. Quickly molding the long spike into the form of an arm, he ced it on his shoulder, slightly ovepping onto his vicle. Looking at his status then stats, Drake nodded. His mana had stayed at 100% with the regeneration he currently had, canceling out his basic earth magic maniption consumption as long as the arm remained stationary. Eyeing his mana, he began flexing his maniption to move the arm and fingers. Each movement making a small dip in his mana, then quickly filling back up. The more dexterous uses of the hand and fingers required more mana, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. Drake looked at his new stats d to see the Rare ssbination was treating him well even before the added stats. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P2(7%) [F Rank], Empty] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 11 [Vitality] 224 (15%) [Strength] 274 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 200 (30 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 440 (+15%) [Wisdom] 229 (15%) [Endurance] 130 (15 + 15%) [Free Points] 6 Drake smiled. The ss descriptions had not mentioned it but he was gaining a full 10 points in his main stats, Vitality and Intelligence, and 8 to his sub stats, Strength and Wisdom. He ced 62 points into Intelligence, pumping him up to over 400. The increase made him giddy inside feeling his mana pool well up. He made a point to again ce visiting Shigure¡¯s high on his list of things to do after the rescue and leveling up a bit more. He would need to learn to make more powerful Jewelry now that he had less fingers to go around, and only so many spots on his ear to use. At least for now that he had lost an arm. He slightlymented that he only had 40 extra points in Dexterity now that he lost it but it wasn¡¯t arge loss. Drake¡¯s bigger priority was to either find, or make Intelligence jewelry and something that would hide his identity. The people that hade with Stewart as well as himself had some sort of item that obscured the identification skills and he would need that sooner rather thanter, with his increase in TP and would only grow as he went. Drake looked to Natto first, who nodded and merged within him. Then he turned to Theodore. ¡°Alright Theo, wait here for a moment. I¡¯m going out, and then I¡¯lle back when I¡¯ve cleared the outpost alright?¡± Theodore hesitated for a moment, obviously wanting to object but nodded and tightened his grip around his cane. Drake gave him a quick nudge with his new stone atm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Theo, we¡¯ll figure out how to get you stronger in no time. But first things first, let''s rescue your girl. Speaking of which. Natto, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, there¡¯s a party system right? There has to be.¡± ¡°There is. The basic party system splits the experience gained on an even basis, then is adjusted based on contribution. For more advanced features you would need a full support ss to assist you,¡± Natto exined. Drake talked to himself, Theodore unaware of their conversation, ¡°Oh there are full support sses? Are they only branches of priest sses? And I¡¯m guessing just mentally asking for a party will make the system do its thing right?¡± ¡°That is correct. Support sses cane from any of the base sses, each one bing specific to its base in what and how it supports. Warrior sses needing to be in closer range to give benefits, even some needing killing blows to enemies to ramp up buffs. Rangers simrly can give support from range in various ways. But Priests on average are more geared towards helping others.¡± Drake nodded, then asked a question they both were thinking. ¡°So does that mean there might be a Priest that could be geared towards healing enough to mend my arm?¡± ¡°Yes it is possible. It would be somewhat unexpected to find one within the tutorial at such a low rtive level though. Without a proper supporting number of people they would be essentially useless outside of anything else,¡± Natto replied. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear. Guess Shigure¡¯s is higher on the list again. But now it¡¯s time to get to saving some people,¡± Drake said. Chanting his defensive skills Drake opened the door to the mines, the morning sun striking him in the eyes briefly painting the entire outpost in bright white. Adjusting quickly he looked around, scanning the outpost with his blue glowing eyes while also expanding his aura to the fullest. Feeling nothing odd within its 3 meter sphere and seeing no abnormal fluctuations in mana. Drake waited a moment, bracing for a sneak attack. But it never came. Drake shrugged, and ran the span of the outpost making sure to check every nook and cranny of the area. Satisfied no one was remaining, even the corpses of the people he had killed, giving him some mixed thoughts, it was clear. ¡°Drake. They certainly deserved what they reaped. You need not feel remorse for punishing such people,¡± Natto said, trying to console him. ¡°It isn¡¯t that Natto. I know it was justified, and if it happened again I would do the same thing every time. What is bothering me is how I feel about it. When I first killed my first monster, I nearly broke not being able to cope, throwing up and reeling for some time. But this? I feel nothing but justification for what I did. I know inside my head it is wrong to take life but I feel nothing, no remorse, no sorrow. I almost feel¡­ good about it. Like they even deserved it for even considering they could hurt me or my family¡­¡± Drake trailed off, gripping the hem of his garb with his real hand, ¡°These skills, they''ve changed me more than I care to admit or maybe even want. But I don''t think I can survive if I don¡¯t change. Is that wrong?¡± A beat of silence passed before Natto answered. ¡°Drake. I have told you and you know as well as I. This is not your old world. And I will do anything to keep you alive. If you must kill someone in cold blood to do so, I will not admonish you or even bat an eye. I certainly sympathize but you will not find me trying to take some moral high ground trying to find justification. You take life to protect your own. It is now that simple.¡± Drake sighed, then took a calming breath. Turning to the Mines, he was silent. It was going to be a very harsh wake up call. Drake was now certain that the world was going to be very, very different. Chapter 63: Heyo, I’m Shot, and I’ll be your savior for today! Chapter 63: Heyo, I¡¯m Shot, and I¡¯ll be your savior for today! The sound of screams, squeals, and shrieks kept most of the captives up the entire night in the pen. Or at least that was the best way Chelsea could describe the sad excuse for a cage they were in. She looked around therge wooden structure she was forced into after that bastard Chris set her up. Men and women sat sullenly at the edges of therge pen, some crying, injured, some shivering from anxiety and fear. Chelsea on the other hand could only think of two people. Chris and Megan. It had been a long timeing for Chris, and she had finally gotten enough support built up from helping out around in their group to get them to usurp Chris and get everyone to travel to therger camp they all knew of. It was run by a younger boy, but it had hundreds of people within it making it the safest ce they could go. Chris had somehow gotten wind of it, and made an excuse to have Chelsea and a few others go scout out ahead. Little did she know that he had nned to kill her off. Fucking asshole didn¡¯t even have the balls to do it himself! He sent goddamned Lenny to do it! She yelled internally, her face turning to a deep scowl. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Chelsea?¡± a man asked across from her. She raised her head to look across at the man, Tom. He had been a good person all things considered. He came with her when they were forced to scout forward. She knew how he felt about her and Megan, it was no secret with how he looked at them, and how he treated them. But he had been utterly useless during the fight. Which allowed them to be pushed away from the camp, and Megan. Eventually forcing them to run into a pack of Goblins at the worst time. And for some reason they captured everyone instead of killing them. Chelsea realizedter why. They pulled the women away, and had done unspeakable things to them. The ones that resisted like Chelsea were forced to fight against their party members and other beasts in an arena. She had been forced to fight several times, each one leaving a taste of disgusting bile in her mouth. The men on the other hand, fared no better. It seemed some of the Goblins had some particr tastes. As well as many of them being brought over to certain tents where they would scream until they wouldn¡¯t. That particr tent had many Goblins going in and out of it, bowls of food in hand. ¡°The same thing that¡¯s wrong with the rest of us you fucking twat!¡± spat a woman. Tom recoiled, ¡°I was just trying to be nice¡­¡± ¡°Yeah well maybe if you were a little fucking less nice, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten into this stupid shit situation. Chelsea did more work in that fight before the Goblins, and after. Might I add. Than your despicable ass, and she¡¯s a right Ranger ss you fucking loser,¡± she roared. ¡°That¡¯s going too far, Jacqueline. Even if it¡¯s true. We¡¯re all stuck here now and we need to get back somehow..¡± Chelsea said, intervening before the woman strangled the poor guy. Jacoline was one of their group''s healers, like Megan, but she specialized in active healing rather than the buff type magic and passive healing that Megan did. Normally she would never have been allowed to leave the group''s main camp, but Jacqueline had a very specific way of speaking to people and voicing her opinions. And she was very vocal about how she disliked Chris. ¡°No no, let mend here. This bastard literally came just to chase tail. And was nothing but dead weight when shit hit the fan. Doesn¡¯t that sound right?¡± Jacqueline continued, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the front liner, innit? But all you do is make excuses and cower! Even with me right there with you!¡± Tom looked down, unable to refute anything she said. Chelsea just sighed. Everyone was on edge, not just Jacqueline. She panned over the cage again and while no one spoke, they were all thinking the same thing. They were doomed.
¡°Ok, coast is clear Theo. Time to go out and save some people,¡± Drake said, his head popping in through the doorway, ¡°Put your invisibility on and let''s get going.¡± Theodore nodded furiously, ¡°With all due haste my liege! What shall we do about the said party arrangements?¡± he asked. Drake pursed his lips, ¡°Oh, almost forgot about that...¡± Drake thought of sending a mental invitation like he was ying a game, a small chime sounded as he heard the familiar mechanical female voice. Theodore Rotwood has joined the party. ¡°Not sure why that¡¯s so off putting¡­ but thankfully it worked,¡± Drake said, walking back out into the open of the outpost, Theodore concealing himself and following close behind. Theodore spoke from beneath his veil, ¡°My liege, how are thou going to keep track of where this one is, if I am to remain inconspicuous?¡± he asked. ¡°No problem, my new aura skill will let me know where you are vaguely. It is a bit disappointing there is no map function with the party though, but lead the way Theo,¡± Drake said. Are there any other party functions I should know about Natto? Drake asked mentally before they began opening the gate. ¡°No, unfortunately there are no other functions without a support ss to facilitate them. It is essentially just a means of sharing experience. I suppose you could certainly use it for verifying someone¡¯s level and alias if you wished,¡± she answered. Ah bummer. Drake replied, pulling on the gate wheel using his earth-made arm, getting a better feel of it with the process. ¡°Alright Theo. I¡¯m going to close the gate then follow. We¡¯re going to make this as quick as possible. We rescue Harley, you bring her back here, we go back inside the mines and sort everything out from there,¡± Drake listed off rapidfire. Drake didn¡¯t wait for a reply and got to work, he felt Theodore move outside the gate, and released the lock for the gate. It swinging close. He made a leap to the top of one of the guard towers, then vaulted over the wall,nding on the yellow brown dirt with only the sound of loose ground barely shifting below his feet. Drake then raised his hand in a motion to say ¡®lead the way¡¯, and the two were off. They both moved through the forest at a brisk pace, Drake easily able to keep up with Theodore. Both passing by some of the left over corpses that still littered the ground, reminding Drake that he had to do something about them, as well as the ones inside the outpost. After a few minutes of traveling Natto spoke up, ¡°You know, I have said some things are bad ideas before. And evidence dictates that to certainly be true.¡± Drake rolled his eyes, keeping pace with the surprisingly fast Theodore. Yeah and? Are you going to say this is a bad idea as well? He asked internally. ¡°No. I was going to say, this is the worst idea yet.¡± Drake gave her a mental sidelong nce. ¡°Well, if there is an F Rank Goblin King, amassing an army. That means the top of the Goblin hierarchy is present here,¡± she continued. Ok.. point being? Drake asked mentally, dodging an extended root. ¡°Please Drake, do not be intentionally dense. If a Raid Boss is present, what does that mean,¡± Natto said, the feeling she tilted her head sarcastically inside his own. Oh¡­ So what kind of extra monsters are we talking about? A few Generals like the quest said, and what Lieutenants or something? Drake queried. ¡°Certainly, but with the amount the quest put in the bonus along with the description there seems to be a growing number of the green beasts. Meaning that there are going to be Generals, Lieutenants, Guards, Royal Guards, the list goes on. This is also not mentioning if they have brought their infrastructure with them as well. Remember the Kobolds?¡± she asked. Drake nodded, still trailing Theodore, but they soon slowed. ¡°It will be that but muchrger. We are talking about real roles, cooks, jailers, lumberers, butchers, real infrastructure for growth¡­¡± Natto trailed off. They both looked out past the treeline to an endless sea of monsters, as far as they eye could tell. All along the side of the river, campfires, tents, walls, barricades. You name it they had it. And most of all, even from afar, Drake could seerge cages lining the sides of tents, where people were. There were also pits that he could see the Goblins congregate around. ¡°Well, that certainly doesn¡¯t bode well..¡± Drake said. ¡°My word, that is a lot¡­ That is far more than what the quest suggested. They must have nearly taken over the whole tutorial¡¯s poption with that many, it really is an invasion,¡± Natto added. Drake smiled, and idea shing in his head. ¡°No¡­ No Drake! You are not him and you do not have Conqueror''s Haki. If anything you have the weaker version at the moment. One might call, Ape¡¯s Little Bitch Haki,¡± Natto interjected on Drake¡¯s daydream. Drake frowned, a scowl forming, ¡°Awe on¡­ Let me have my moment. You at least can¡¯t deny that the Time Skip reveal and Fishman Arc was pretty cool when he just flexes on them. Natto was silent, bringing another smile to Drake¡¯s face. ¡°Ok, n set then.¡±
Chelsea looked outside of the cage, the background noise of Jacqueline berating Tom for being useless continuing on. She had given up on trying to stop it, finding better use of her time trying to find a way to get out of the Goblin¡¯s ever growing camp. Her thoughts continued to fall back on Megan and hoped that she was ok with the scumbag Chris until she made it back. The problem was that her skills relied on the use of her bow, and without one she had no chance of escape. Tugging on the threaded rope of the cage, she clicked her tongue, her now dirty brown rust colored hair crusted in sweat and blood from the days of sitting in the sun and fighting in the small arena. Turning back to the rest of the captives, she spotted a blonde girl who looked more fierce than the other sullen people among the cage, and walked to her. Plopping down next to her, she pulled a small container of water from her inventory. Thankfully the Goblins like everyone else had no way of taking away their stored items, but as fate would have it, many people did not hold on to their older equipment or have spares of their main weapons lying around, leaving them mostly weaponless. And the ones they did have were held by cowards who had already given up and would not even retrieve them from their inventories. Sitting down, she offered the canteen, ¡°Harley, here. Your face is going to get wrinkles if you keep scowling like that,¡± Chelsea joked. As if pulled from deep thought, she grabbed the canteen gingerly with both hands, ¡°Oh! Thank you Chelsea¡­ I was just thinking of my husband.. He is a bit of an oddball, and I can¡¯t imagine him doing well in the tutorial¡­ So I¡¯m just worried,¡± her voice had a beautiful feminine pitch, even when it was dripping with concern. ¡°I told you, call me Chels. I can¡¯t have friends calling me by anything but my nickname,¡± Chelsea chided, wrapping her arm around the shoulder of Harley, ¡°It¡¯s such a shame someone took you off the market. What did this man do to bag such a sweet cutie?¡± Harley looked down sheepishly at the canteen, taking a long draw from it before answering. ¡°I- i¡¯m a bit of a role yer¡­ or cosyer if you know what that is, and I have a thing for Shakespeare. He is a stage performer and¡­ it kind of just happened..¡± Harley said trailing off once again, her face slightly blushing as she handed back the canteen. ¡°Oh.. roleyer huh,¡± A cheeky grin creased Chelsea¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine and on his way right now to save you, who could leave someone like you alone?¡± Chelsea said, trying her best tofort Harley. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Harley replied. Before they could talk more, a loud thundering of drums sounded from the other side of therge camp. Slowly everyone in the cage stood up going to the edge of the container, doing their best to get a look at themotion. ¡°What is it?!¡± someone asked. ¡°It¡¯s Bear or Shigure! I knew they wouldn¡¯t leave us behind!¡± another shouted, raising the hopes of everyone in the cage. ¡°Don¡¯t be fucking stupid! Do you know how many Goblins there are here? It¡¯s probably just more of those green bastards turning up to kill everyone¡­¡± a gruff man said, deting everyone¡¯s hopes. Chelsea looked over at the man ring at him. Asshole¡­ She thought. But soon the drumming stopped, and the mob of Goblins began moving in earnest, each one running in the direction the drums had juste from. Screeches and shrieks apanied the start of loud thunderous booms and cracks. Chelsea raised a brow, looking over the row of people pasted close to the wall of the cage. The screams and shouts began increasing in volume, booms and rumbles enough to begin shaking the cage sounded. ¡°Does anyone else hear boss music?¡± Tom said, his arms around himself as if he became cold. Soon a wave of cold passed over the cage, almost as if fear had entered the area. It was palpable. A whisper came from the opposite of the cage, nearly giving everyone a heart attack. ¡°Harley, my love! It is I!¡± the voice whispered, urgency in its voice. ¡°T-Theodore¡­?¡± Chelsea looked over to her right at Harley, her hands covering her mouth as tears pulled at the side of her eyes. They could not see the person producing the voice, but it seemed to be the man Harley spoke of. ¡°Theodore! I didn¡¯t even think you were in this tutorial!¡± she shouted running to the opposite side of the cage, everyone following her with their eyes but confused. ¡°Hush my love. My liege shall be here soon to release you all,¡± Theodore said, anger and concern obvious in his voice that almost shook. The stream of Goblins continued to pour past the cage nearly endlessly. Until a louder than ever shriek rang through the area. The sound of something hurtling towards the cage streaked past colliding with the oing flow of Goblins, kicking dust and bodies up. Each of the Goblins in front of the cage froze. The captives inside the cage stared in shock, their jaws left agape at the sight of their captors standing stone still. The dust settled and a crushed corpse was revealed settled inside another Goblin it had collided with. Soon another figure was flung into the mass of Goblins, then another and another. A shout sounded on the other side of the camp, pulling everyone¡¯s attention once again. The loudugh and cackling of someone or something began growing louder and louder, a dust cloud following behind it. Booms and the crackle of thunder resonated inside the cage, a sh of bright white lightning shot across the front of the cage, the next moment another boom, crash and a plume of earthen debris shot up. The loudughing came from the impact in front of the cage, the outline of a man within it. Frozen still were the Goblins as they pointed everything they had at the man, his figure slowlying into focus for the people inside the cage. ¡°My liege! Thou said twere hast set the diversion did thou not?!¡± Theodore yelled his apparent invisibility breaking in the shock, revealing himself. ¡°I am doing it! And your doppelgangers are doing their job as well. I just want to make sure you¡¯re covered when you break them out,¡± the man - the liege - answered. The screen of dust and rubble revealed a young man in a ck and gold trimmed robe, his hair shoulder length, and light blue? And he had pink animal ears? And a tail whipping back and forth? Everyone scrunched up their faces in confusion and fear, which one the stronger emotion they were not sure as they stared at the man, a Goblin also in each hand, their skulls crushed in horrific mess, and green blood painting his arms. The man turned to the cage, ¡°Heyo, I¡¯m Shot, and I¡¯ll be your savior for today!¡± Chapter 64: You can call me Mr. Asshole Chapter 64: You can call me Mr. Asshole ¡°He is so cool¡­¡± Tom mumbled, unconsciously. ¡°The fuck did you just say?!¡± Jacqueline yelled, turning to him. ¡°Uhh nothing! I¡¯m just happy there¡¯s someone here for us!¡± Tom corrected, waving his hands dismissively in front of himself. ¡°This guy is a psycho! Look at him! He¡¯s bloodyughing!¡± Jacqueline shouted. Drake turned to the encirclement of Monsters around him, a grin on his face as he snapped his hand, two balls of lightning sparking at the motion, ¡°Theo. Get them out of the cage, take anyone willing toe and then we¡¯re leaving, I can only do so much on my own right now.¡± ¡°Yes sire!¡± Theodore shouted back, running to the front of the cage, ¡°Tis a lock! It appears there is a need for the key, this one canteth get past whatever is keeping the cage together!¡± Natto? Can I just st the thing open? He asked internally, shooting forward, throwing both orbs of lightning into the crowd of Goblins, the smell of burnt flesh and fresh screams bombarding his senses. ¡°You could if you wish to kill them all. The Cage is a magic tool, it will copse on itself if it is forced open. You must find the Jailer with the key,¡± she told him, urgency in her voice. ¡°Theo! Goblin Jailer, point it out if you see it!¡± Drake shouted out, running from Goblin to Goblin taking each one, hurling it into the air and out of the vicinity of the cage. Drake¡¯s eyes red as he searched for the Jailer in the crowd. [Goblin Footman] Level 15 [F Rank] [Goblin Footman] Level 14 [F Rank] [Goblin Footman] Level 18 [F Rank] [Goblin Butcher] Level 15 [F Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 100 Goblin Butchers [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. F Grade Weapon Box of Your Choice] [Goblin Shaman] Level 15 [F Rank] [Goblin Shaman] Level 17 [F Rank] [Goblin Footman] Level 14 [F Rank] Drake did a full circle around the cage, getting in close to each Goblin. Forced to use smaller spells and use his hands to perform killing blows. Although they hade just for Theodore¡¯s wife, there were still other people here in the Goblins'' massive camp that prevented Drake from using anything too destructive. Drake flowed through the endless stream of Goblins moving from one to the next, his hands never stopping and his feet constantly on the move, the bodies beginning to pile up forming a small wall around the cage. ¡°Theo! Jailer!? I have 2 Minutes!¡± Drake shouted, a sliver of worry inching its way into his chest as he thought of the debuff waiting for him at the end of it. ¡°This one apologizes! Tis no Jailer in sight my liege!¡± Theodore yelled back, his eyes desperately scanning the surroundings. Drake was making his second round around the cage, the green wall piling higher and higher, when a loud thumping came from the other side of it. One that was not the result of Drake. Multiple thumps began sounding in repetition outside the wall quickly picking up pace. A momentter a part of the makeshift wall burst open as corpses of Goblins flew in all directions, a hulking green figure covered te mail, an enormous ball and chain in his hands. [Goblin Jailer] Level 19 [F Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 50 Goblin Jailers [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. 1 Piece of Random F Grade Equipment] ¡°How the hell did we miss this guying in? He¡¯s like four meters tall!¡± Drakeughed exacerbated. The Jailer roared behind the ted wielder like mask he donned, shaking the surroundings as it wound up its massive ball and chain above its head. Drake took no time to snap his fingers, casting rapid fire, ¡°On blessed wings. Guardian¡¯s Reprieve! I am the shield. I am the rampart. Bulwark!¡± Sheens of green passed over Drake in quick session, his eyes never leaving the hulking metal monster and the small metal object hanging on its neck, bouncing back and forth against its chest. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to test this one out,¡± Drake smiled wide, his right arm disintegrating, as he held out his palm with his other arm, an orange magic circle forming. A goopy slow liquid of red, yellow, and red began turning over in Drake''s hand, falling through the cracks in his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m going to put some dirt in your eye.¡± Drake closed his hand, the taffy-like liquid receding back into his hand, his hair and tattoo ring to a bright orange with his transition to his Magma endowment. Drake bent at the knees, as the Goblin Jailer roared, throwing forward his ball of metal with a loud whoosh, the clinking of metal chains a sharp timbre. Drake¡¯s foot ground into the dirt as he leaned forward his hand at his side, beginning to glow a more potent blue. The massive ball of metal careened forward, the moment before impact, Drake spoke, ¡°Marked,¡± and shot forward, the sound of a gunshot going off as he did. The ball shattered in an instant with a loud crash apanied by the shearing of metal, it falling to pieces in the same position Drake had just been standing. Appearing in front of the Jailer, Drake¡¯s hand was solidly embedded inside the mammoth sized monster. Therge monster tried its best to move its hands to wrap around Drake but was never able to close its grasp. And with a long extended grunt, it fell backwards, the ground shaking as itnded. Drake¡¯s hand covered in blood, but a smile on his face as he opened it up to reveal the small key they needed. [You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 3,500 TP awarded] ¡°How¡¯d that get in there?¡± Drake scoffed, the smile on his face growing wider. ¡°Are you impressed with yourself? That movie is like over 15 years old,¡± Natto said, Drake feeling her eyes rolling mentally. Hey, Bully Maguire is a legend and don¡¯t you forget it! Disrespect his name again, and I¡¯m pulling out the dance moves on the next monster. Drake thought, chortling to himself. ¡°Oh for the love of.. Please no.¡± Drake looked back to Theodore and tossed the key to him, ¡°Quick Theo, time¡¯s almost up for me,¡± Drake said, changing his endowment again to his Water, his hair and tattoo going a light blue, another earthen arm forming in front of him as he slid it back into ce, flexing the fingers and hand. ¡°With all haste my liege!¡± Theodore shouted, quickly fumbling with the lock, until an audible click rang and he swung the door open, rushing for Harley. ¡°Harley!¡± he shouted. ¡°Theodore you stupid man, why would you risking here?!¡± she shouted back but her smile was reaching her eyes that had begun to pool water. ¡°This one feared the very day he could not see thou. The very moment we were separated I postured the worst and believed I would never see you again¡­¡± Theodore said, his arms wrapping around her, ignoring the stares of the captives around him, ¡°But once I saw thee I beseeched my Lord to assisteth me in saving thee as I was unable. But this one vows I will protect you from now on, never again will the world take you from me as long as I draw breath.¡± Drake coughed, behind Theodore, ¡°Theo, that was absolutely touching but we need to run. Like yesterday.¡± Chelsea eyed Drake up and down, ¡°Asshole¡­¡± Drake ignored the woman his makeshift Natto ear¡¯s twitching, ¡°Right. Listen up, anyone that wants toe can, anyone that doesnt, can sit here and eventually die or whatever horrible death ising your way.¡± A woman in the back spoke up, ¡°Why should we trust you!¡± Drake folded his arms, his eyes an eerie blue instead of the gentle crystal blue they were previously, ¡°Did you not see what I just did to those Goblins? You don¡¯t have to trust me. I¡¯m offering a way out. Do you want out or not?¡± A man this time piped up, ¡°Who¡¯s going to go with you psycho!? We just have to wait until Shigure and Beare and get us!¡± shouted the man, a few more voices shouting the same behind him. Drake shook his head, ¡°Look Bear isn¡¯ting and neither is that kid Shigure. Bear and him are protecting the massive number of other people in their camp.¡± The man that spoke up hesitated to speak but eventually shouted, ¡°You¡¯re lying they wouldn¡¯t leave us!¡± Drake looked over his shoulder seeing the Goblins begin to crawl over the small wall of corpses that surrounded the cage. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t particrly care if you believe me or not. You want to be a prick and stay here fine by me, that¡¯s less people I have to deal with and protect on the way back to my outpost before I bring you all back to Shigure anyway. Susmaryosep¡­¡± Drake sighed but turned towards the iing Goblins, ¡°Theo round them up you have 15 seconds,¡± he said before shooting forward the sound of shrieks and metal shing reaching the captives. Around the cage people gave each other worried looks, some mumbling amongst themselves. All trying to decide what to do. Theodore gave Harley a leveled gaze, his hands on her shoulders, ¡±Harley, my love. Lord Shot is a blunt but fair man, he will keepeth us safe until we art able to do so ourselves. Do not doubt his words, and trust in thy dear Theodore¡¯s,¡± Theodore looked past her and addressed everyone else in the cage, ¡°We speak no falsehoods, if thoues hence. With him. He will do his utmost to guard and protect each and every one of you. But wary should thou be, every single one of thy is free to choose of thy own volition.¡± Harley grabbed Theodore¡¯s hand tight and nodded, looking behind her to Chelsea, ¡°Let¡¯s go Chels. I trust Theodore, and he trusts the weird man. You want to get back to your group right?¡± Chelsea turned to Tom and Jacqueline, her look pensive, but turned back to the determined Harley. ¡°... Fine, but only as far as the outpost he mentioned. And if he tries anything on the way, we are out,¡± Chelsea exined. With it settled the group separated into two. Those who were willing to go or desperate to leave the hellish nightmare of the Goblin camp, and those who didn¡¯t trust Drake, and weren¡¯t willing to leave. Their hope for proper rescue from Shigure and Bear, the ones they really trusted toe to their aid soon. Thetter group was the very small majority, as in one person. The gruff man who had spoken up against Drake was at the back of the cage, sitting down with his arms crossed. A loud crack of thunder hit the surroundings as Drake reappeared in front of the cage door, ¡°Alright passengers, this is your captain speaking. Time¡¯s up and we need to go,¡± Drake spotted the man in the back behind the gathering group, ¡°Hey bro, youing or you going to just sit there and die alone? Bad leg? Can¡¯t run? Or you just like to pretend you¡¯re different than all the other scared people in the cage?¡± The man¡¯s face turned red as he stood up and shouted, ¡°Hey, asshole! Fuck you!¡± Drake eyed the man, his eyes shing yellow, ¡°You seem like a respectably stubborn man, I think it would be a shame if you died here, so how about youe with us, and you can be all the stubborn you want to be in thefort and safety of an outpost with your lovely cellmates? I promise I have good food.¡± The man shivered and froze for a moment under Drake¡¯s gaze, and not a momentter Drake had moved in front of him like he had with the Jailer, surprising everyone. Drake leaned forward his hand on his ear, ¡°What¡¯s that? You said you want toe now? That¡¯s amazing! I¡¯m so d you decided to change your mind!¡± Drake shouted as loudly as he could, throwing a punch into the man¡¯s abdomen, ¡°Oh no! What happened? You¡¯re so happy you get to go with all your school friends you couldn''t contain yourself and fell asleep from emotional exhaustion? Understandable,¡± Drake shouted. Looking around Drake spotted a very disgusted looking woman with rustic hair, and sun kissed skin, parted into two ponytails. ¡°Hey you, strong looking girl who keeps looking at me like she wants to kill me or spit on me. Carry this guy will you please?¡± Drake asked, moving to the woman and cing the man on her shoulders. ¡°Ugh.. Asshole¡­¡± Chelsea mumbled under her breath as she adjusted the man on her back. ¡°Can we leave this insufferable woman behind? She has been nothing but a rude bitch this entire time,¡± Natto spat. Language! Drake thought, his jaw cking in faux astonishment, but quickly changed gears, speaking up to address the group. ¡°Good everyone settled? No? Too bad, let¡¯s go because we¡¯re house guests and I¡¯m pretty sure we pissed off the host,¡± Drake said sarcastically, moving to the front of the group. ¡°Do you not mean, you, angered the monsters?¡± Natto jabbed at him. Hush you, what else am I supposed to do, offer them food in exchange for their food? You saw the tents, you saw everything, same as I did¡­ Drake thought. ¡°You act like an asshole, but you sure are one big softy.¡± she jabbed again. Stop talking please. I''m trying to concentrate on channeling my inner piece of shit. Drake smiled. ¡°I do not believe that is very hard for you,¡± Natto giggled. Drake rolled his eyes, turning to Theodore. ¡°Ok Theo, I¡¯m going first, I¡¯ll pull them to the south, you send out your doppelgangers to the west. You ready?¡± Drake asked, pulling thest of the potions Bjorn had given them. ¡°Indubitably my liege,¡± Theodore said, taking the potions, handing one to Harley, then bowing slightly. ¡°Good,¡± Drake looked to Theodore¡¯s side. The blonde woman was slightly shorter than Theodore, and looked like she had a run in with a carwash without the water, much like the other captives. But Drake¡¯s eyes softened slightly, happy he found her, ¡°Hello there Miss¡­ or it¡¯s Mrs. Rotwood isn¡¯t it. Pleasure to meet you,¡± Drake said, his earthen hand moving to give a handshake but he quickly caught himself switching hands. Harley hesitated for a moment but, moved to greet him in kind, her eyes quickly ncing at the arm she now noticed was made of earth but then met Drake¡¯s ¡°Likewise¡­ Mr. Shot¡­?¡± ¡°You can call me Mr. Asshole, seems that¡¯s what everyone is calling me that now anyway,¡± Drake said with a toothy smile meeting her confused stare. ¡°Language!¡± Natto snapped. Chapter 65: Upgrades Chapter 65: Upgrades Drake walked outside of the suspiciously sturdy wooden cage, and looked around, hearing the massive nging of weapons, armor and shrieks of the Goblins closing in. Drake took in a quick breath snapping his fingers, summoning a spark of lightning. Switching to his lightning endowment, his hair and tattoo changing to a bright yellow. He quickly nced at his status. Thankfully most of it had recovered from his time in his water endowment, and his active regeneration was topping him off. Unfortunately he spotted a shing icon next to his status. [Weakened] Well it was bound to happen, let¡¯s just make sure we don¡¯t run into anyone too daunting in the next five minutes¡­ Drake said internally. ¡°Do you like collecting gs or are you really just that unaware?¡± Natto grumbled. Drake smiled, and quickly sprinted around the wall of fallen goblins, putting the spawned stones and non broken armor and weapons into his inventory. Even snagging another Medium Dimensional Bag from the Jailer, but didn¡¯t have the time to sort through it. After his little clean up the Goblins began pouring over the small wall again. ¡°Ok time to put on a show then,¡± he looked back towards the cage spotting, Theo summoning his doppelgangers and the rest of the group behind him looking apprehensive behind him, ¡°Natto, let¡¯s instill some confidence into our rescuees shall we?¡± Drake felt Natto roll her eyes, but it only increased Drake¡¯s happiness at the idea. The Goblins made a mad dash for Drake, but some split off and began surrounding the cage. A footman lunged at Drake, its spear passing by his chest harmlessly as he turned. His full status¡¯s Dexteritybined with his endowment easily able to dodge the slow attack. As the Goblin began to pass Drake, he kneed it in the chest lightly, the Goblin lifting several feet off the ground. Drake swung around and extended a kick to it, shooting it into the flood of Goblins behind it and past the Cage opening, clearing it for a moment. ¡°Work harder not smarter,¡± Drake smiled, his earthen arm crumbling away to the ground, and with a snap of his fingers a light blue circle formed on his shoulder, a new water based tendril extending from it, ¡°Little bit of water,¡± Drake grinned. Shooting forward he began leaving a trail of soaked earth, and began pelting, sshing, and impaling Goblins left and right with his Water tendril as he made a circle around the cage, careful not to touch the cage. Making a full circle around it, Drake¡¯s hair faded back to ck and his tendril of water shed to the ground at his feet. Snapping his fingers another magic circle began forming at the base of his shoulder, a yellowish bright one, as sparks and crackling of lightning formed and licked the air. Drake extended his new arm forward, thundering with new power. ¡°Twin Maximized Magic. Twin Dragon Lightning!¡± Drake roared, the throngs of his fingers firing forward as the kissed the wet ground, and arched towards the water soaked Goblins, resignation on their faces. In an instant the entire vicinity was charged and smelled of burnt flesh, the ground steamed with heated blood and water. [Congrattions! You are now Elemental Miller Level 12] [40 Free Points have been awarded] Shooting a nce at Theodore, Drake nodded. Not forgetting tough and smile as he looked at the gaping mouths of the group of people inside the cage starting back at him. ¡°You are such a smartass,¡± Natto chided. I thought you were born a few days ago, not in the 70¡¯s. Who even says that anymore? Drake questioned sprinting forward past the wall of charred Goblins, not forgetting to snap his fingers to summon a shard of ice changing his endowment, his hair shimmering to a powdery white, and another earthen brown circle of magic fixing a new arm to his shoulder. ¡°It is from the greatest dad in the history of television,¡± Natto said proudly, ¡°Now hurry up and distract the vile green beasts, before my foot finds a vacancy in yours.¡± Drake couldn¡¯t hold back a deep bellyugh, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something you should say when you''re only a foot and a half tall.¡± ¡°That show is as old as I am,¡± Drake chuckled, producing chaos through the Goblin ranks as he ran forward, and jumped over groups of Goblin squads snapping his fingers to drop bombs of concentrated fire into the middle of them setting every monster a ze. Notification after notification began piling in as they slowly died off from the ever hungry fire. Drake passed more than one simr cage filled with pleading eyed people inside. But he was forced to bite back the urge to help them as he couldn¡¯t stop moving. Saving the initial people was one thing, but now that they knew where he was and following, there was no telling until one of the higher up Goblins started taking notice. He was honestly surprised they hadn¡¯t shown themselves already. ¡°I have said it before and I will say it again. You certainly enjoy creating gs,¡± Natto sighed at Drake¡¯s .wandering thought. Drake couldn¡¯t disagree, he had been in the habit of stating certain eerie but obvious thingstely. And it wouldn¡¯t stop with just that. ¡°Hey have you noticed something weird about the type of Goblins chasing us and that we¡¯re running into?¡± Drake said looking around quickly, his hands and feet never stopping their tirade on the monsters he plowed through. [You have defeated Goblin Squad Commander [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 5,500 TP awarded] [You have defeated Goblin Footman [F Rank] Level 14] [Experience Earned, 4,500 TP awarded] [You have defeated Goblin Footman [F Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 4,000 TP awarded] [You have defeated Goblin Squad Commander [F Rank] Level 18] [Experience Earned, 5,500 TP awarded] [You have defeated Goblin Footman [F Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 4,000 TP awarded] [You have defeated Goblin Footman [F Rank] Level 13] [Experience Earned, 4,000 TP awarded] ¡°Yes.. they are certainly bing a less diverse bunch¡­¡± Natto agreed, her slow realization spilling over to their mental connection, ¡°Do you think they know it is a distraction already?¡± Drake dodged an iing sword, pivoting to his left, then countering with his palm sending the Goblin in a heap towards the oing crowd, ¡°It¡¯s either that, or they simply have too many foot soldiers that they don¡¯t care about cost reward and are just trying to tire us. But..¡± Drake nced at his Status, ¡°My regeneration is keeping up with me well enough with the Ice Endowment, I could literally do this all day.¡± Drake felt Natto mull over something before she spoke, ¡°I feel unsettled by this. Goblins are not the smartest, but they arepetent enough to form ranks and adapt. I believe you are correct, something is wrong. Let us go back to Theodore,¡± Drake nodded, summoning five balls of me around himself with a snap. Each one shooting in a different direction kicking up dirt and exploding in a beautiful array of reds and yellows. Snapping again, Drake conjured another Fireball, forcing it into a thin line a few meters in front of himself. His Mana dipping more with themand, this time below the amount the regeneration could fullypensate. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then,¡± Drake said, bending his knees and getting lower to the ground almost into a sprinter¡¯s position, ¡°Straight line no stops!¡± The thin fiery line of concentrated red and orange shot forward into the mass of Goblins, and passed through them like a volcanically hot knife through butter, massive numbers of notification clogging the side of Drake¡¯s vision. Drake sprang forward, breaking the ground beneath his feet following the fiery thread of death and destruction, as it cut through the glob of Goblins. The line began to bend, forming into a V shape, Drake¡¯s Mana slowly depleting as he kept the concentrated form of fire alive. Within no time he reached the Cage. Covered now in green spatter, he looked as if he had run through a mass of bugs in the countryside. Taking a momentary breath of relief he pulled a ck die from his inventory, eyeing the newpleted quest. The text a familiar but far too long seen friend. [200 of 200 Goblin Footmen have been Subjugated. Quest Complete] [ept Rewards?] Drake quickly epted, making sure to look around for any sign of Theo or any higher tiered goblins in the area. [Experience Points have been rewarded] [Please roll for item rarity] Drake cast the die to the ground, able to see the turning of it perfectly now with his increased stats. 15, 4, then bouncing against the Cage turning to a 7 then a 13, finally catching itself in a small crack in the dirt near the Cage. 17 A momentter a bright red mask fell into Drake¡¯s open palm. It had no straps and seemed to only cover the bottom half of the face. ¡°Oh¡­¡­ Ohhh!!!!¡± Drake began roaring. ¡°Oh god¡­¡± Natto said, as she threw her suppositious hands over her face. ¡°Be still, my weeby heart¡­¡± Drake whispered. Drake gazed starry eyed at the mask as he brought it into the sun. It was a half mask, a glistening red cover, the mouth of which had elongated obsidian ck fangs and sharp protruding teeth firmly holding a white double-handled de in ce. ¡°It¡¯s my dreame true!!!¡± Drake squealed. [Martial Artist¡¯s Battle Mask [F Grade] [Rare] [Set Piece 3/3]
  • 179 to 183 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 186 to 192 Magic Damage Reduction
  • +5% to Magic Based Damage
  • +10 to Dexterity, +15 to Intelligence, +5 to Endurance
  • Set Effect: Increases t Defense Proficiency and Dexterity by 10%.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • Special Effect: Increase effectiveness of Aura based skills by 5%
  • The Mask made in the Image of the Glorious Martial Artist. Made from Mana Infused Steel, the Mask is both crafted for protection and intimidation. +15% defense proficiency.
Drake ced the mask to his face, as it somehow snapped into ce. The mask did not feel ufortable, it even went as far as Drake hardly noticed it was there. There was no difficulty breathing from it, and the points of the mask that covered his cheekbones did not obscure his vision. Curious Drake moved the mask with his hand to the side of his head, surprised that it stayed in ce and only budged when he wanted it to. ¡°Oh that¡¯s handy¡­ I like¡­¡± Drake mumbled, a big goofy smile on his face. ¡°Neanderthal¡­¡± Natto grumbled exacerbated. ¡°Come on grumpy,¡± Drake chuckled, snapping the mask back into ce, ¡°Let¡¯s go find Theo, I wanna show him my new toy!¡± Drake ignored the feeling of Natto rolling her eyes. A more and more frequent urrence as he shot forward in the direction of the Outpost, onest notification sounding this time in his head. [You have increased Elemental Endowment to Proficiency 2(0%)] Chapter 66: Nearly There. Chapter 66: Nearly There. The group ran rtively unimpeded through the Goblin camp, the carnage left by Drake on his way to them scattered along the ruins. Shards of ice, craters of magma and spikes of earth peppered tents and barracks across the span of the run. Panting, Tom looked around, his eyes turning to the back of the man who held Harley¡¯s hand tightly as he continued to run forward scanning the horizon for anything dangerous, ¡°Is anyone else concerned that a level 11 was able to produce this kind of destruction?! And what is he a Mage or a Warrior ss?! No one can produce those types of spells without specializing!¡± ¡°You''re a right dumb bastard Tom. Just shut it and run will you!¡± shouted Jacqueline over her shoulder, ¡°What does it matter what he is, we''re getting out this shite proper and I sure as hell ain¡¯t worrying about jack till I am! So one foot in front of the other and shut your mouth, yeah?¡± ¡°No. Tom is right,¡± Chelsea agreed, ¡°We know nothing about the guy, and he''s been nothing but a mad man killing anything he sees as an enemy without them even being able to put up a fight. Do you think any one of us could kill a Goblin like that?¡± Chelsea said, hiking up the man on her back, as she kept pace with the group. ¡°At 11? I could barely kill those damned Kobolds and that¡¯s in a group!¡± a man from behind them replied, a few others voicing their agreement. ¡°That''s exactly what I¡¯m saying, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s the level we¡¯re seeing with skills, he has to have a skill or item that¡¯s fooling our inspection skills,¡± Chelsea looked at Theodore, and Harley, ¡°Even Theodore¡­ I don¡¯t believe they could make it with their level.¡± [Theodore Rotwood Level 12] [Harley Mongrass Level 14] Theodore spoke up, with his eyes still scanning the area as they ran, the jingle from the chain in his coat pocket chiming as he took each step, ¡°Tisughable after everything thyself witnessed that thou still fail to showeth any sort of appreciation for my liege. For if I am to be forthright. This one was concerned with helping a congregation of prisoners when witnessing their mistreatment, but when my eyes felleth on Harley. That horse fled the stable, and the only person that concerned me was her,¡± Theodore nced back at Harley his hand tightening around hers, ¡°Twas my liege that decided to even attempt to care for thy persons, yet the only one to show an ounce of deserving gratitude seems to be the young miss there. Do you perchance without fail, look a gift horse in the mouth when given?¡± ¡°Does this guy have to speak like this all the time?¡± Jacqueline asked. Harley turned her head, ¡°Yup! Isn¡¯t it great?¡± Jacqueline¡¯s face turned incredulous as they all continued to sprint. The group was making good pace through the widening camp, the entrance in the wooden walling into view. But not everyone was able to keep up the hectic sprint. Some of the people began to straggle behind the others, forcing them to slow topensate. Looking over his shoulder, Theodore began to worry. Our scamper for the exit has left some of the captivescking on the physical front. Should our quarry find us before we can cross the river we shall have no hope of escaping¡­ But we need rest! Do we abandon the stragglers my lord has charged thy with¡­ Theodore thought, his eyebrows furrowing in discontent. Looking over to his wife Harley, his chest tightened. If we stop, this one would be putting her in mortal danger.. I may have leveled up but the skills this one has obtained stillck lethality.. ¡°Is any of thee a minstrel of the recovering arts!¡± Theodore shouted. Jacqueline raised her hand with two others. ¡°Are any of thy versed in the restoration of one¡¯s stamina? We need to keep going¡­ This one is afraid if we do not, the foul beasts will catch us and this shall all be for naught,¡± Theodore spoke in a low voice disgusted with himself. All three shook their heads, Jacqueline speaking up. ¡°My healing is specific to recovering one''s health. It¡¯s powerful as it were, but nothing on stamina gov.¡± Theodore hesitated for a moment but spoke up as they closed in on the smashed gate, ¡°Then.. we must leave them behind¡­¡± Chelsea came to an abrupt halt, stopping several people behind her. ¡°I fucking knew it! You¡¯re just like him! You both spouted some serious nonsense and showed so much strength I almost had some hope! But you''re the same! You¡¯re just going to leave us behind when it¡¯s convenient to you!¡± she howled, pointing an usatory finger at Theodore. Theodore stopped, but only because Harley had also halted to turn to Chelsea. Theodore didn¡¯t even turn to meet Chelsea¡¯s eyes. He knew what he had said was selfish but he couldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t put Harley in danger for the lives of people he did not know. Now that he had found her his only thought was of keeping her safe. ¡°You may call this one a frightful coward, or be it a self serving faux gentleman. But for I to put my love in the line of fire for strangers is folly of the highest order, and this one will not have it!¡± Theodore shouted, his face contorting to anger for the first time. ¡°Save your bullshit for someone who¡¯s willing to listen! I should have known better to hope after everything, I¡¯ll get back to my group on my own damn two feet! I don¡¯t need hypocrites telling me to leave people that they just saved to the dogs!¡± Chelsea yelled back, her face going crimson in anger. Harley looked between the two, unable to form words to calm either. But they had been put into a position now that they had no say. Their momentary stop had done nothing to allow their pursuers to catch up. For the Goblins hadid in waiting. Arge Goblin walked into the opening of the broken gate, its aura and eyes prating as it stared down the group. ¡°Thine enemies kneweth our strategy to exploit the confusion of their ranks?! But they are mere beasts!¡± Theodore said shakily in surprise, extending his arms to cover Harley cing himself in front of her. ¡°W-what is that?!¡± a woman shouted from the group, pointing at the Goblin. ¡°They''re surrounding us!¡± another man shouted from behind, an encirclement of monsters quickly forming. ¡°Fuck! I should have just stayed in the cage!! What are we going to do there''s hundreds of them!¡± someone screamed. Theodore¡¯s mind raced as he sized up the sole Goblin blocking the doorway. Its armor reminded Theodore of a knight, as there were hardly any exposed parts of the monster save its head. It touted a small round shield on one arm, and a short sword in the other. Standing at about the same height as Theodore it would look almost human if not for its extended green ears and extended canines passing its lips. [Rujik¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] ¡°We have not a choice but to face our aggressor inbat. If any of thy have instruments of war, this one would suggest arming thyselves with haste! This one will support with illusions and status effects,¡± Theodore barked quickly, holding his cane in both hands now. The group formed a small tight ball back to back looking around nervously, most not having weapons, and those that brought out any could hardly be called weapons. Theodore looked at the now smiling Goblin, its pearly white teeth jagged and sharp like serrated daggers. Theodore quickly chanted, his nerves quickly beginning to run up his back in a ice cold shiver but he had Harley to protect, and the thought of letting her down and the image of his liege fighting with such gusto filled his head. ¡°May the chaos of your mind find no sce! The world shall drown behind the veil of my illusionary performance! Stage y of Illusion!¡± Theodore roared, a wave of dark ck smoke filling the surrounding, wisping outward from him on the ground passing through the legs of the group, and manifesting into various sizes of inky ck smoking figures, slowly solidifying into monsters of all imaginations. Ogres, Drakes, Dragons, Serpents, and Mammoths formed around the group, each one seeming in physical form rather than illusion. Theodore followed up with a new spell, ¡°My enemies see not the world through a lens of rity but as I make it! Breath of Nightmares!¡± another pulse of dark smoke shot forward at speed to the surrounding monsters, a throng of smoke entering into their mouths and noses, one eventually hitting the Goblin named Rujik¡¯. The surrounding Goblins began to panic and look pensive around at one another, eventually devolving into a panic as one stuck an ally in fear, then another until the entire mob began to go into a melee with themselves. The group surrounding Theodore all looked on in amazement as they witnessed the area of effect fear, then gaped once more as the Illusionary monsters around them ran forward to join the fray, stomping forward with real weight and action. Unfortunately they were only able to do minimal damage, rather than have full physical manifestation of the monsters they pretended to be, they only had a shell that allowed them to move and deal enough to give them physical life. But that was enough within the already chaotic scuffle of the Goblins, inciting even more confusion amongst them. At least until a guttural roar sounded from the Goblin in the arch of the Gate. The roar sounded and intense fear shook Theodore and the group to their cores. And seemed to shake the surrounding Goblins from their frightful stupor as they realized they were fighting each other. They then turned on the illusionary monsters within seconds. ¡°Impossible! The beast didn¡¯t even flincheth at thy spell?! Does the vile worm have resistance to status ailments!?¡± Theodore grimaced. Rujik¡¯ scoffed as it huffed, ck air being expelled from its mouth as if it had just spat out something foul, its smile returning to its sharp and intimidating face. Yellowed pointed eyes stared back at Theodore, true despair filling Theodores gut. He tore his eyes from the monster and back to Harley, regret and fear tearing at him from the inside. ¡°H-h..¡± Theodore tried to speak, but was unable to say the reality of their situation. His every spell was thwarted by the beast. Theodore¡¯s head hung for a moment looking down at Harley. [Shot has defeated Goblin Shaman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] Theodore¡¯s eyes widened and a tear pulled at his eyes. [Shot has defeated Goblin Shaman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Treasure Hoarder Level 14] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Footman Level 15] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Squad Commander Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Footman Level 19] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Shaman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Footman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Footman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Squad Commander Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Butcher Level 19] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Shaman Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Rider Level 17] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Irontusk Boar Level 15] [Experience Earned 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] ¡­¡­¡­ The notifications that came streaming in meant that Drake had gotten within the distance needed for their party to share experience. Which meant that. A scream sounded from behind Theodore, then a loud bang, as he turned, a tuft of dirt surrounding a man in a familiar ck and gold trimmed robe -the Goblin named Rujik¡¯ nowhere to be found- and when the man turned a frightfully intimidating half red, ck and white mask faced Theodore. But the eyes of the man smiled as they always did, even behind the mask. Theodore imagining the grin his liege was making. ¡°Hey guys, miss me?¡± Chapter 67: The General and the Tyrant Chapter 67: The General and the Tyrant Drake looked back from the group at the Goblin he had just dropped kicked into the wall of the camp. What Drake¡¯s eyes then went to was the small cut he had on his thigh that was slowly healing. Wow, I thought I dodged it? Does the Goblin have a skill to extend the de? Drake thought, his eyes returning to the monster as it pulled itself out of the heap of crushed wood. ¡°It is certainly possible, but you would have noticed it with your Magic Sight. I am afraid this is most likely a difference in your Adrenaline Acuity being down as well as the monster being quite specialized in speed. There should have been no way the Goblin could have countered with the speed you attacked with withoutparable stats, even with skills,¡± Natto conjectured. That isn¡¯t a good sign¡­ I still have some stat points left, and we just upgraded our Endowment. Maybe we go with a stat surprise again? Drake asked internally. Drake watched as the Goblin walked forward after pulling itself out of the rubble. It rolled its shoulders, wooden dust falling from them, as it grinned at Drake its sword and shield at the ready. ¡°My Liege! It has some sort of resistance to status ailments, please air on the side of caution!¡± Theodore shouted from behind him. ¡°That certainly does not bode well¡­¡± Natto grumbled. Resistance isn''t the same as nullifying, I can still use my fear if I need to. Even a second can make a difference. Drake thought, his face turning to a smile. Drake sized up the Goblin named Rujik¡¯, making sure to be ready to change endowments at a moment¡¯s notice while his current Water Endowment filled his statuses. Snapping his fingers, Drake conjured a ball of fire, and magma to revolve around him. Both Rujik¡¯ and Drake¡¯s eyes locked. Rujik¡¯ looked on in wonder, surprised to see magic being conjured by the man, as it paced to the side blocking the entrance again to the broken gate. The only exit for the group. Drake kept his gaze on Rujik¡¯. Drake¡¯s aura spread out to keep awareness of his surroundings as he walked backwards, a n forming in his head. Dropping his voice low he began speaking to Theodore when he was close enough, ¡°Theo, you and the rest of the groupies are going to get through that gate while I keep creepy Goblin Jr. busy and make sure to dy therger group of Goblins.¡± Theodore nodded, then turned to address the group, exining the situation. ¡°No! Fuck that! I won¡¯t trust you two anymore than I have! You were just about to leave people behind!¡± Chelsea shouted from behind Drake. ¡°What¡¯s her problem Theo?¡± Drake asked, snapping his fingers again after dropping his Water Endowment, summoning a ball of air to switch to his Wind, his hair turning to a light green. ¡°Thedy named¡­ Chelsea has found ire in how this one chose to handle the situation before thou arrived Sire. She hast made herself adamantly clear that what I have decided goes against her moral imperative or she hast severe distaste of thineself,¡± Theodore answered, worry filling his face. ¡°What did you do?¡± Drake asked. Theodore hesitated for a moment but firmed himself to answer, ¡°This one prioritized the rescue and protection of his beloved over the lives of the ones who couldeth not carry on with the rest of ourpany.¡± ¡°Ok and?¡± Drake asked once more. Theodore gave a look of surprise, whereas Chelsea grew red in the face as she pointed at Drake from behind his back, the man she held shuffling with her. ¡°I knew you were a piece of shit just like Chris! You don¡¯t give a single shit about us!¡± she yelled. Drake clicked his tongue. Rujik¡¯ seemed to be finishing up sizing Drake as he began to dig in, bending at his knees ready to spring forward. ¡°Look. You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t give a shit, what have you done for me besides yell kick and scream the whole way as I try to help you and save all of you. Complete strangers. From being killed, eaten or frankly much worse by the monsters you see before you. Besides Theo and his girl, I do not have a single reason to save any of you. And I will not be guilt tripped into feeling bad for making the same decision Theo would have. I have family I have to get back to, same as everyone else. And I¡¯m not prepared to die or ask anyone else I hold dear to die for people we¡¯ve just met. So hush up and run because your lives depend on it, or sit there andin about how unfair it is, I won''ty down my life for random strangers who don¡¯t give a shit about me, let alone know my name,¡± Drake answered back, his voice even. Drake snapped his fingers and forced a blue magic circle the size of his torso in front of him, expelling a torrent of water forward covering the entire field between himself and Rujik¡¯, leaving a small portion untouched, as he gave a small node of his head to Theodore, hoping he understood. ¡°On blessed wings!¡± Drake shouted, his eyes cascading into yellow, blue and green as he shot forward as Rujik¡¯ did the same, mirroring his moves. ¡°Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± Drake continued chanting, side stepping the downward sh from Rujik¡¯ their steps sounding small sshes of mud. The skill shed green as it covered Drake in a momentary sheen. But Rujik¡¯ didn¡¯t miss a beat, shouting something back in its ownnguage, a green sheen covering itself. A foreboding feeling came over Drake. Preemptively Drake consumed his earthen arm as it crumbled to nothing with his ball of magma wisping away at his side, his hair and tattoo shimmering to a brown, chanting his defensive spell while simultaneously snapping his fingers an arm of ice forming in ce of the earthen one. ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies billow! Unbreakable!¡± Drake roared. The next moment Rujik¡¯ disappeared from Drake¡¯s vision for a split second. [Gained Reprieve Charge] The sound of shattering ss filled Drake¡¯s ears and felt the cold touch of steel against his skin. But in that moment the metal touched him, Drake consumed his Reprieve charge and moved forward. Drake whipped around instantly, to a confused looking Rujik¡¯ only the tip of his de dipped in red. Drake scoffed and smiled at the Goblin, his pointer finger aiming down. Rujik¡¯ following it with his eyes only to widen in surprise, a small ball of static at his feet. ¡°Lightning Mine.¡± Drake chanted, with a snap of his fingers. A loud bang resonating with the small explosion. Drake nced at his mana, frowning. Controlling that took way too much mana. Over 5% for just atent activating spell? He thought. Rujik¡¯ zapped and crackled as it struggled to move for a moment, its face scowling at Drake as it inched forward. Drakeughed back at the monster, ¡°Poor little Goblin Jr. Ganna cry? But not so fast buddy!¡± Drake snapped his fingers again, his hair cascading to a pure white, his arm melting away, while two spikes of earth formed from deep brown magic circles on either side of him. Sending the two spikes to either side of Rujik¡¯ they sunk into the earth, as Drake¡¯s mana pool began to slowly outpace his recovery as it sank. Drake willed the earth to sink with Rujik in it, then solidify around the monster, its upper torso still struggling to get free, the shock of the lightning spell wearing off. He shot forward at breakneck speed, his tattoo glowing a bright ethereal blue then shimmering with a faint glow of red as he pulled back his arm, throwing his fist forward in a straight path for Rujik¡¯s exposed head. The sound of scraping metal reverberated like a gong as Drake¡¯s fist mmed into the small shield of the Goblin, a sly grin on its face. But Drakeughed behind his mask, it bing louder as he snapped his finger again, two balls of magma and fire forming, painting the Goblin in a red light. ¡°Do you know how we cook shellfish where Ie from?¡± Drake chortled like a mad man, as he hopped a step back. The balls of magma sunk into the earth around the Goblin melding with the ground to form a small mote of liquid earth around Rujik¡¯. The two remaining balls of fire crackled to life as they expanded and covered the exposed torso of the monster. But the kill notification still did note to Drake. Rujik¡¯ roared and his body shimmered in red, as he gave a ferocious death stare to him from his sunken position. Rujik¡¯s arms wed at the ground as he shrieked and howled. ¡°A protection spell? This Goblin has more skills than I would like to count,¡± Natto grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s more ways to crack a hard shell,¡± Drake said evenly, pping his hands together, arge icy blue magic circle forming below him. His hands separated slowly, a shard of ice forming between them as it grewrger andrger. Raising his hands the ice shard formed into a huge cier above his head. Drake¡¯s eyes staring down Rujik¡¯ as coldly as the ice he held. The cier moved to above Rujik¡¯ its mouth gaped in despair as it followed the block of ice. Drake pointed his arm at Rujik¡¯, ¡°Marked!¡± then snapped his fingers with an ear piercing crack that seemed to ring above the surroundings, ¡°Sang Arsarros!¡± Drake shouted. The cier of ice snapped apart into countless shards of ice. Each one firing down in a plume of white, the long serrated shards of ice piercing the ground and Rujik¡¯ below it. Drakeughed maniacally as he stared at the pure destruction he was causing, the death notification finally appearing in the side of his vision. [ You have defeated Goblin General: Rujik¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24] [Experience Earned and 350,000 TP rewarded] [Congrattions! You are now Elemental Miller Level 13] [40 Free Points have been awarded] Drake continued tough, as his mana struggled to stay afloat through therge consumption. Drake¡¯s vision quickly started to paint over in red, his breathing bing ragged and rough. ¡°Dra-.. Drake..!¡± Natto shouted from inside his head, but the sound was muffled. He looked around at the surrounding Goblins beginning to close in on him, his eyes searched wildly among them for a moment before he shot forward into the crowd. Drake could feel himself move and plow through the waves of Goblins, but he had no control as he did. The feeling of watching someone else controlling his body shook him awake as a louder shout came from Natto within him. ¡°Drake! You need to get out! Think about Theodore and your family! You already killed the General, you need to run!¡± Drake snapped his head, his body limping instantly as he felt the exhaustion take over him. He looked around to see that he had ran deep into the ranks of the Goblins. ¡°Damn it, what is going on!¡± Drake yelled, but he had no time to think on it. Drake quickly melted his arm of ice, the green blood that had frozen to it slipping to the ground with it. Not bothering with snapping his finger, Drake switched to his Lightning Endowment and ced a new earthen arm on his shoulder, forcing himself up, his regeneration very slowly began ticking up, outpacing his consumption once again. ¡°No spells for the immediate future.. Let¡¯s get back to Theo as fast as possible, then we''re going to go over what¡¯s happening. This can¡¯t happen again,¡± Drake said, gritting his teeth. He shot back the way he came, passing the carnage he had inflicted, making it easy to find his way to Theodore and the group.
¡°Are we sure that we¡¯re ok with that guy?! Everyone else just saw him do that right, then go all crazy eyed and running off?!¡± Tom yelled, as the group ran through the arch of the broken gate. No one responded. Even the vocal Chelsea and Jacqueline decided to stay silent as they exchanged nces both thinking on what they had just witnessed. ¡°We can¡¯t seriously be going along with this right? Guys!?¡± Tom screamed more desperately this time. ¡°Shut it Tom! You right dumb cunt!¡± Jacqueline finally howled back, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just spouting how cool he was a minute ago?!¡± ¡°Yeah when I didn¡¯t think he was a real psycho!¡± Theodore turned, stopping, ¡°Silence! This one will not have you disparage my liege in front of me. He hast gone so far to be benevolent enough to let us escape that jail you were incarcerated in! Be thankful!¡± Theodore grit his teeth wanting to say more, but Harley squeezed his hand stopping him. Harley looked at the concerned faces of the group, ¡°We are alive. Let¡¯s get back to Mr. Shot¡¯s outpost first, then we can figure it all out. Once we are safe. Yeah?¡± Disgruntled looks and murmurs passed through the group of 30 odd some people but everyone resumed running, following the butler-esk man in front of them. Chapter 68: Returning to the Outpost. Chapter 68: Returning to the Outpost. ¡°Are we really going along with this..?¡± Tom mumbled, walking behind Chelsea. ¡°Shut up Tom. Why do you always need affirmation from me for your decisions?¡± Chelsea spat, obviously aggravated and not in any mood to deal with him as she looked at the back of Theodore. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ But I¡¯m just saying! What if this guy turns out to be worse than Chris?! Or even the Goblins!¡± Chelsea bit her lip staying silent. She had no desire to stay in this outpost with these men who were obviously off their rocker but like everyone else she saw what that man, Shot, did to that Goblin and what it took for him to put it in the ground, at level 12 no less. That wasn¡¯t something she could just ignore, especially if she could use him to get back to her group, punish Chris for his disgusting backhanded shit, and save the rest of the group who had no choice but to follow him. When she had raised enough support to take Chris on, she had found out that he was holding people hostage. Chelsea had noticed early on that many of the people who were in the group knew each other. What she wasn¡¯t aware of was that Chris had a tight cor around some of the weaker members forcing others to do what he said. And those who were loners, just went along with his sick and twisted ways, keeping it all on the low and him in power of the group. But with a man like Shot? With someone with that much power, she could save everyone. But she just had to figure out how to persuade him. A shake came from her shoulder, prompting her to look over her shoulder, the man finally stirring awake. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on¡­ Where the hell am I?¡± mumbled the gruff man. ¡°Finally awake?¡± Chelsea dropped the man from her back like a sack of potatoes, ¡°Walk on your own. We¡¯re going to those guys'' Outpost.¡± ¡°What! What about all the Goblins!?¡± ¡°The crazy dude who knocked you out killed them, and ran off, don¡¯t know after that.¡± A brisk gust of wind passed Chelsea, as her hair flew backwards, her ponytailsing undone. ¡°Who¡¯s crazy?¡± Drake asked, his arms crossed, ¡°Ah! Good to see you awake,¡± Drake grinned, then spoke up, waving off Theodore for the moment, ¡°Alright everyone follow quickly, the rest of the Goblins are on their way and we need to make it to the outpost quickly! And keep an eye out!¡± ¡°For what?¡± Tom spoke up behind Chelsea. Drake pointed a finger, a deep crimson magic circle forming on the end of it. A beam of condensed fire shot out past Tom¡¯s shoulder, a yelp sounding. Tom looked behind him shakily at the smell of burning flesh filling his nose as he looked down at the red-capped Goblin whose forehead was smoldering. ¡°For the invisible monsters of course!¡± Drake smiled.
¡°Can Ie out yet? I do not particrly enjoy being inside of you for long periods of time¡­¡± Natto mumbled. Wow, that''s both disturbing and rude. I¡¯m not sure how to feel about that.. Drake thought. ¡°Drake.. You are doing it again,¡± Natto chided. I know, just a little longer, we need to make it to the outpost and get settled. Mental health and introspection on why I went insane and nearly fought until I diedes second on the board. Drake thought, sighing. He made his way up to Theodore, snapping his fingers to change to his Water Endowment now that he had caught up. Drake needed to replenish his status since there was no telling what might be waiting for them back at the outpost. They had left it on its own after all, so anyone could just climb the walls. ¡°Theo, how has it been, any trouble since thest time?¡± Drake asked, cing his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. Theodore bowed slightly, ¡°None my liege, surprisingly the Red-Cap thou slew hast been the only monster our band had came at odds with.¡± Drake put his earthen arm to his lips thinking. They continued to walk together at a slightly slower pace as everyone meandered in the direction of the outpost, Drake making sure to keep his eyes peeled, his Magic Sight now on by second nature. Magic Sight [F Rank] Proficiency 2(13%)
  • This skill grants the passive ability to see the elemental affiliation of objects and beings.
  • Allowing one to see ambient mana of the same vein. It will also allow the user to inspect any object or being that has mana with greater detail. (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • No passive cost.
  • Active Inspection Cost: Very small amount of Mana.
  • No cooldown.
Drake¡¯s Magic Sight had grown leaps and bounds, and now allowed him to reveal the small discement in mana for at least the Red-Caps. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Drake finally said. Theodore looked over confused, Natto chiming in, ¡°Certainly I as well find it suspicious. It is almost as if they are letting us go now. Perhaps another ambush?¡± Drake nodded, looking over at Theodore. ¡°Theo, can you go scout ahead? I want to know if there¡¯s something waiting for us,¡± Drake asked, looking around the surroundings once more, suspicious that there may be some monsters nearby. Theodore furrowed his brow, but bowed at his waste, giving Harley¡¯s hand a squeeze as he chanted his concealment spell. Shimmering into the background. Well I still can¡¯t tell where the hell he is. Guess his spell upgraded too then. Drake thought. ¡°I believe we must stop for a moment then and wait for dear Theodore to return. Shall we take a stroll to the back and see if you were followed?¡± Natto suggested. That¡¯s a good suggestion, d I thought of it. Drake smirked, feeling Natto sigh and roll her eyes. ¡°Harley, would you please make sure everyone is as calm as possible and won¡¯t run off. I need to make sure we''re safe until Theo gets back,¡± Drake asked, his eyes soft at the obviously worried woman looking in the direction Theodore had gone off in. Barely able to pull her gaze away, she turned, ¡°Y-yes. Of course, I will do my best.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°What ss are you Harley?¡± Drake suddenly asked. She blinked for a moment, ¡°I- I¡¯m a ranger. It¡¯s just amon ss specialized in long range fighting.¡± Drake nodded, pulling some equipment from his inventory and dropping it in front of her. A recurve bow, crossbow, bolts, and some pieces of leather gear, as well as some familiar green earrings that plopped into Drake¡¯s hands. ¡°Here, take this, and get a count on what people need, I have a lot of stuff I need getting rid of. Do you have a full set of skills yet?¡± Drake asked, cing the set or rings and earrings into her open hand. Harley shook her head, her mouth slightly agape. ¡°I see. Do your best to get that list, and don¡¯t mention skills just yet, I want to make sure it¡¯s worth giving them anything. First we start with some equipment to make sure no one is going to die, I will be back in a bit,¡± Drake grinned, turning to run behind, passing the disgruntled group and a few wide at the sight of the equipment appearing. ¡°Where¡¯s he going?!¡± Tom shouted. ¡°Tom, will you ever stop bloody whinging¡­.¡± grumbled Jacquline.
¡°I thought you wished to not do more than you had to for these people?¡± Natto asked. Drake began running through the forest, spreading his aura out as far as possible, scanning the area for anything that might be a danger. ¡°It¡¯s not about wanting to or not. They should at least be able to defend themselves, and I¡¯m not exactly using those pieces of equipment right now anyway,¡± Drake answered. Only a few minutes of backtracking Drake spotted a small squad of Goblins, a heavily armored one with a tower shield in front, jogging forward with the nking of its armor sounding in the forest. Drake quickly ducked behind a tree. That¡¯s a new one¡­ Is that another General? [Tjiruc¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20 [F Rank] ¡°Perhaps. There is no way to know if your inspection skill does not reveal it already,¡± Natto said. Isn¡¯t that just helpful¡­ I would love to go at it, but they''re too close to the group and I want to figure out what¡¯s going on before I turn into a just a mindless bloodthirsty beast. Drake thought. Natto stayed silent. Drake ran back in the direction he came, a little concerned at Natto¡¯s silence. What? No quippy sas this time? I set you up pretty well there. ¡°There is nothing to say when I truly fear it may happen if we do not get a handle on it,¡± her tone serious. Drake grimaced. He wanted to assure her he would be fine, but he honestly wasn¡¯t sure himself. Something was changing inside him, and quickly. It was in that they needed to figure it out sooner rather thanter, but circumstances forced them to stall until they reached the Outpost at the very least. ¡°Let¡¯s not give in to all the doom and gloom just yet alright? I¡¯ll figure it out. And if not then we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Drake changed his grimace to a smile, picking up pace, switching to his Lightning Endowment.
¡°Please calm down! Mr. Shot said that he will give everyone the equipment they need so you need only tell me your ss and what weapon you require. He will be back shortly,¡± Harley said, her hands up, trying her best to pacify the group. ¡°Why did he leave in the first ce! Why isn¡¯t he here protecting us?! He¡¯s obligated to keep us alive isn''t he?!¡± a man from the group screamed, his fist shaking in the air in anger. Harley recoiled slightly at the shout, not sure how to respond. She agreed it looked abysmal currently. They had no weapons outside her¡¯s, both Theodore and Mr. Shot had left to secure the surroundings but inadvertently left them basically defenseless. Harley was abat ss but hardly able to defend the group by herself. ¡°I-I¡­ H-he um..¡± she stammered, but Chelsea came to her rescue. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare put this on her! She is not responsible for you, just because that asshole put her in charge on a whim! If you want to shout at someone do it to him when he gets back. Until then you better just keep alert and watch the surroundings,¡± Chelsea growled. The man quickly backed down, his hand swiftly moving to his side as he grumbled turning his back to look out into the brush. ¡°Thanks, Chels¡­ I¡¯m not very good at these types of things..¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright Harley, even if you were under the circumstances it would be a tall order to fill. Everyone is on edge, and Mr. Big Shot Asshole decided to go off again without telling anyone,¡± she grumbled, crossing her arm. Another burst of wind came from behind her with a tuft of dirt being produced at the feet of the man who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. ¡°Who didn¡¯t tell anyone? Harley knew what I was doing, right Harley?¡± Drake asked, a small grin on the side of his mouth. A gasp sounded from the entire group when Drake appeared, startling several people so much they dropped to their knees. ¡°I-I um.. Yes you did. Sorry,¡± she replied, her face dampening. Drake waved his good hand, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was hoping having people stay busy with talking and looking forward to getting some equipment might help with their nerves, Guess I was wrong, I¡¯ll have to work on that. So, did you manage to get the list going?¡± Drake snapped his hand and his Endowment changed to his Water once again, his tattoo and hair shimmering to a light blue in response. Natto¡¯s ear and tail twitching slightly. Chelsea raised an eyebrow, ¡°How do you do that? Are you a mage or a warrior?¡± Drake turned his face, it going even as he looked the woman up and down, ¡°Something like that.¡± Chelsea looked confused, ¡°Something like what? That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡± Drake ignored her, and looked back to Harley waiting for an answer. ¡°Oh, yeah. I got most of the people to tell me, but some of them don¡¯t want to reveal their sses which is understandable. But there are 14 people who can use sword type skills, 4 magic users including healers, 8 ranged users. The remaining 8 are unique weapon users or at the very least non-standard, varying from spears, guns, fist weapons and some even using instruments. There are a few among the unique users who have mentioned they are support or nonbat sses also¡­¡± Drake perked up his ears at the mention of unique weapon users and especially the word healers, ¡°There are healers here? Who?¡± Harley looked to Chelsea not sure if she should mention the name. But the woman in question piped up. ¡°That would be me, love,¡± answered Jacqueline, walking out from the group. Drake looked over at the woman, her statue exuded confidence as she leaned putting her weight on her right leg, arms crossed. Her ck braided hair came down past her waist, and her chocte likeplexion was well fit to her features. ¡°What type of healing do you specialize in,¡± Drake asked, getting to the point. ¡°None of your damn business. You won¡¯t tell us so I won¡¯t tell you. Knowing I¡¯m a healing ss is good enough,¡± Jacqueline said pointedly. Drake grit his teeth. This is going to be a problem. I was hoping she would just tell me since I saved her life, but they want more? Or do they just not trust me? He asked Natto. ¡°It certainly makes sense. You may be the one who saved them but think on how you did it. You basically told them they were baggage,¡± Natto answered, a mental shrug of her shouldersing through their connection. Drake opened his mouth to speak but couldn¡¯t find a rebuttal. I suppose you''re right. Then it will have to go on the back burner untilter. We have to hurry this along. Drake spoke up so everyone could hear, ¡°Alright everyone gather around for your equipment, Sword users first, if you can use a shield even better,¡± Drake said, waving his arms inward to gather the group. He quickly passed out what he could to the Warriors and those who could work with a shield as well. Reminding him that he hadn¡¯t gotten the opportunity to grab the Goblin General¡¯s equipment, and still had the Jailer¡¯s bag to go through. After the Warriors, Drake passed out some bows and crossbows, including the arrows. Then came the Mage and Priest sses. Surprisingly, Jacqueline shook her head when offered a staff, instead asking for a cudgel but Drake could only offer up the Wooden Club most of the Apes had been using. Unfortunately the only unique weapon Drake could offer to the rest of them was a singr Gauntlet. The same one he had used before he had gotten his Tattoo Rings. There were the guns he had stored, but he wasn¡¯t ready to part with those, hoping to trade them for something useful when he reached Shigure¡¯s camp eventually. With the weapons Drake also handed out armor where he could, but not everyone was willing to wear some of the blood soaked gear, as well as it simply not fitting some of their builds. After a few minutes of this, and Drake making sure to keep alert of the surroundings with his Aura and Magic Sight, he began trying to hurry them along. ¡°Theodore isn¡¯t here yet but we need to keep moving now that everyone is geared up,¡± Drake said loudly. Some still fixing the equipment they had been given, looked up from their adjusting concerned faces looking back at him. ¡°There may be more than one group, but I know there is at least one more strong individual leading a pursuing party. Harley,¡± Drake looked at the woman, ¡°I am going to dy them. I want you, and Miss,¡± Drake looked at Chelsea. ¡°Chelsea¡­¡± she answered reluctantly. ¡°Miss Chelsea, to take charge until Theodorees back. If there is an ambush waiting for us back at the Outpost you will tell him to go to the second outpost, he will know what I am talking about. If it¡¯s all clear, you are to head with the group straight to the originally nned Outpost,¡± Drake instructed. ¡°You have two outposts?¡± Tom asked above the group, fixing the shield in his hand. ¡°I have a lot of things, but that¡¯s forter. Right now you all are liabilities. I can not protect you all against a pursuing enemy out in the open,¡± Drake said, his gaze going over the group. ¡°But you did it before! Why can¡¯t you do it now?!¡± someone asked. Drake shook his head, ¡°I got the drop on the strongest monster, and Theo had turned their surrounding ranks into a ball of chaos. In a fight out here in the forest, with cover? They could easily pick you off and get away. I am going to go back and stop them before they even get close.¡± ¡°But-¡± Tom started, but Drake shouted above him, his voice stern and his aura pulsating ever so slightly to drive home his words. ¡°This is not a discussion. Do any of you have the confidence to fight a General? What about a group of 50 or more monsters who are coordinated? Do not forget that you were captured by these monsters not so long ago,¡± Drake spat. Everyone''s faces from the group turned docile as they felt the push of his aura on them. Drake turned again to Chelsea and Harley, ¡°Crystal cleardies?¡± Both nodded, their shoulders slightly shivering as they hugged themselves. Drake walked through the group and in the direction of the Goblin Squad he had seen. I need them all out of the way so they don¡¯t get hurt. And I¡¯d really like the experience all to myself. He thought. ¡°I take it back, that yappy young girl was right. You are an asshole.¡± Natto giggled. Chapter 69: The Pursuers. Chapter 69: The Pursuers. Drake swiftly navigated through the forest, backtracking to thest known location of the named Goblin he hade into contact with. While running Drake nced at his stats, not sure where to put the points, and also looking over the many quests he had still toplete. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P2(7%) [F Rank], Empty] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 13 [Vitality] 244 (15%) [Strength] 290 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 200 (40 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 460 (15+15%) [Wisdom] 246 (15%) [Endurance] 130 (20 + 15%) [Free Points] 86 His Intelligence was by far his highest stat at the moment, and with good reason. With the loss of his arm he was reliant on his magic more than ever to carry him through fights. He even had to constantly maintain an elemental arm, which helped quite a lot of his magic maniption but also used up most of his passive and active regeneration benefits all on its own. There were still ring holes in Drake¡¯s skill set even with hisrge amount of skills, and absurd amount of stat points. He could see now why the tutorial encouraged groups. Each individual truly did have to specialize lest they be a worse jack of all trades. Even with skills that may boost their stats, without a high ranked ss Drake couldn¡¯t see someone having enough stat points to do much in ways of being an all rounder like him. And even then with his own Unique ranked ss, abination of two rare sses, it was a stretch to say he was an all rounder anymore. His stats leaned more towards magic at the moment because of circumstances and skills but he didn¡¯t want to neglect his physical stats for much longer. Drake would have to put forth more work yet again to increase his level. With the sheer number of Goblins that were gathering, he couldn¡¯t rely on just his magic if he was to stand against them without help. His regeneration was extraordinary but it was not endless. At least not yet. Maybe once the tutorial was over and he had a look at the shop Natto spoke of he would be able toplete his skill set, filling up the holes that were only gettingrger. Looking now at the Subjugation quests he still needed toplete, he frowned at a particr quest. [Subjugated 3 of 15 Goblin Treasure Hoarders [F Rank] [Reward: Goblin King¡¯s Hoard Key.] [Quest Time Limit: 115 Hours, 45 Minutes, 28 seconds.] [Subjugated 12 of 50 Red Cap Goblin Assassin [F Rank] [Reward Experience. Communication Crystal [Common][F Rank] [Subjugated 5 of 100 Goblin Riders [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Set of [F Rank] Potions.] [Subjugated 5 of 20 Iron Tusk Boars [F Rank] [Reward: Experience.] [Subjugated 23 of 100 Goblin Shamans [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Set of [F Rank] Potions] [Subjugated 12 of 50 Goblin Squad Commanders [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Large Dimensional Bag 50x10] [Subjugated 0 of 20 Goblin Lieutenants [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Random Rare Quality Equipment] Drake wasn¡¯t happy he hadn¡¯t made much progress on the Goblin Treasure Hoarder Quest, but two quests he hadn¡¯t noticed before had also popped up, and he was surprised he had made some headway in one of them, the other even more jarring considering the implication. That¡¯s a big bag, that¡¯s what? Double myrgest right now? Drake thought. ¡°... Questpletions are the least of your worries. Would you not agree, Drake?¡± Natto chided. Drake clicked his tongue, his aura picking up some movement behind a tree a few meters away, his Magic Sight confirming a distortion of mana in the air around the tree. Yeah I know, but my boyish excitement still gets me all giddy when I see a quest¡­ And those rewards are nothing to turn your nose up at. Drake thought, summoning a magic circle for lightning and firing at the invisible figure behind the tree, the lightning bolt going straight through it. [You have defeated Goblin Scout Level 15 [F Rank] [Experience Earned and 1,600 TP rewarded] [New Quest! Subjugate 100 Goblin Scouts [F Rank] [Reward Experience. Communication Crystal [Common][F Rank] ¡°How many types of Goblins are there, holy shit. That¡¯s like nearly the 10th one so far,¡± Drake murmured. ¡°I have told you as much. Goblins have a surprisingly long standing history in the multiverse,¡± Natto exined. Drake walked over to the corpse, the Goblin was wearing a half mask that reminded him of the people who tried to kill him with Stewart, leaving a bad taste in Drake¡¯s mouth. He waited for the mote of light to disappear before scooping up the Goblin¡¯s equipment with the stone. Unsurprisingly the skill stone was an Illusion stone. He would have to give it to Theodore when they met up again. ¡°What¡¯s bothering me is the second quest that I somehow didn¡¯t notice. When did wee in contact with a Lieutenant? It can¡¯t be that it''s that named mob right? I thought it was another General with its getup,¡± Drake said, crossing his arms as he surveyed his surroundings looking for the rest of the Goblin¡¯s group. ¡°I am uncertain. I have the knowledge that many beasts once they get to a certain position in the hierarchy of their groups can be named by elite monsters, but so many would require a very strong leader, which does not foresee a very pleasant future for us¡­¡± Natto exined, ¡°But as far as their strength or what constitutes their ability to give names, I have not the slightest idea at my Rank. We will need to gather E Grade Cores once the tutorial is over if we are to fill our gaps in knowledge, the F Grade ones simply won¡¯t be enough no matter how much we gather within this limited space.¡± Before Drake could ask more, movement registered faintly on the edge of his aura, garnering his attention, as he moved in the direction a few meters he spotted the group from before. The same hulking mass of Metal andrge Tower Shield Goblin at the forefront of the nowrger group. There''s at least double the amount now.. Drake thought, grinning slightly. ¡°Cease your smiling dolt. You are quickly bing a battle maniac¡­ Lest you not forget that you are here to fight only to protect the group so that they may escape to the outpost,¡± Natto reminded. Yeah yeah¡­ But no one said I can¡¯t give them the run around while picking them off. Drake thought, ideas forming. Drake gave a full smile behind his mask, running ahead of the group ready to put his n into action. First Drake canceled his Water Endowment, finding a good spot within the line of trees and began soaking the forest floor, until it was a muddy puddle, and he could visibly see some of the ground concave in on itself. Then Drake snapped his fingers again, conjuring arge b of earth covering it. Therge surface and the mana to maintain it made for a small dip in his mana but nothing enough to be a detriment to his mana pool. Now all Drake had to do was wait and lead them here. He snapped his fingers again, forcing himself to keep the made up habit, a ball of fire and a ball of air forming next to his hand. Drake willed them upwards with a flourish of his arm and they shot up into the sky, eventually colliding with each other in a fiery explosion that rang with a loud bang. Drake positioned himself on the edge of the earthen b he had created and summoned another ball of air smothering it to gain his Wind Endowment. A few minutester the rumbling of the Goblin troops reverberated through the forest near Drake. ¡°Took them long enough,¡± Drake said, pointing his earthen hand out in the direction of the rumbling. Therge mass of the group ran through the forest, the lunking Goblin covered in armor, with a tower shield leading the charge. Shrieks and cries rang out as they bolstered their weapons high in the air. A brown magic circle formed on Drake¡¯s earthen shoulder as he spread his fingers wide and pointed them at the oing horde. ¡°Weapon¡¯s Left!¡± A cacophony of earthen spikes fired from Drake¡¯s fingertips and reced themselves instantly after firing. A barrage of earth bullets striking the mass of Goblins charging forward. ¡°That was from your right arm¡­ Not your left¡­¡± Natto pointed out. Don¡¯t sweat the details! Drake thought, but raised a brow in surprise as he noticed therge Goblin raise his shield and a red sheen covered not only itself but several other Goblins to its left and right. Protecting them from the peppering of stone shards. ¡°Oh? It has a defensive skill,¡± Drake whistled. The line of Goblins began to fall, forcing the exposed part of the charging ranks to withdraw behind therger Goblin and its protective skill. Drake grinned behind his mask. Perfect! He shouted internally. The thin rows of Goblins charged forward at Drake, the forefront column of Monsters shrieking louder as they closed in. Drake continued to pour out stone bullets from his arm as they grew ever closer, until they were almost on top of him, and also right on top of the earthen b that he had made. Jumping deftly backwards, Drake snapped his fingers. The b crumbling into therge puddle of mud below it. The mass of Goblins reached too high a momentum to stop and cascaded into therge swampy mess. But the beneficial skill of therger Goblin still glowed red around the surrounding monsters, raising its shield high as it tried to remove itself from the mud. Drake was quick to capitalize on the Goblins falling for his trap. Canceling his Wind Endowment he quickly snapped, conjuring a shard of ice, then broke it in his hands to change to his Ice Endowment for the increased Magic Damage. Summoning a ball of fire in his left hand with another snap, Drake extended it to an enormously long de, one that stretched far enough to reach the Goblins trapped within the marsh. ¡°The Quagmire would be proud if I do say so myself!¡± Drake shouted, patting himself on the back as he gazed at Tjiruc¡¯, the Goblin holding the shield, ¡°Marked!¡± Drake shouted, increasing his damage further on the monster. In the next moment Drake flexed his Aura, its special ability devouring the protective skill from the Goblins, a confused look on all of their faces. Drakeughed, and with a quick swing of the fiery de he removed their heads from their bodies. [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Tjiruc¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [1 of 20 Goblin Lieutenants Subjugated] Drake blinked, ¡°That was really um, anticlimactic¡­ Are we sure this was a Lieutenant? The General was above it, sure but this seems kinda like, I don¡¯t know, sad?¡± the de of fire still roaring in his hand. ¡°I¡­ am not sure,¡± Natto agreed. ¡°Well,¡± Drake shrugged looking at the remaining contingent of Goblins, ¡°Don¡¯t look an experience gift horse in the mouth I guess.¡± Drake raised the de high into the air, pouring more mana into therge beast of a fire spell, a crimson magic circle forming next to the de then epassing the fire in a spiral of intense heat. Within seconds the de turned to a beautiful blue hue as the temperature raised. ¡°Getsuga!¡± Drake howled, bringing the de down on the column of Goblins as they looked on in abject horror. ¡°Tenshou!!¡± the pir of blue mes ring in a spurt of increased power, falling down upon them. Drake looked on as the blue fire consumed some of the forest and most of the Goblins, setting some ame as they ran around screaming, the kill notifications flooding in. ¡°I really wish I knew how to make ck fire¡­¡± Drake grumbled, pursing his lips below the mask, slightly disheartened by the disy of the spell. ¡°It was still very effective. And I will certainly say the blue is not so bad. Maybe next time you can say eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth,¡± Natto giggled. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good point¡­¡± Drake snapped his fingers canceling his Ice Endowment, his white hair returning to its natural ck, a blue magic circle forming water into a ball above his palm before it was subsumed into it changing his tattoo and hair to a shade of blue. Snapping his fingers again, a Stone bullet shot from his hand, and formed a long nk crossing the marsh he had made. Drake casually walked over the marsh picking up the equipment and spawning skill stones, sadly none of them were rare or better quality. Surprisingly even the stone from the Lieutenant had been amon Warrior stone. Looking at his status he noticed his Weakened debuff appearing again, forcing a click of his tongue. His mana and stamina sitting at around 50%, his health a solid 70% from his custom spell, but they were quickly recovering. Walking further and past the mes that were starting to die down around him from his spell, Drake picked up much of the same skill stones and equipment from before. A shout sounded in the echoes of the forest, but it was not in the direction of the group he had left. ¡°That was oddly well timed¡­¡± Drake mused looking in the direction of the scream. ¡°I am inclined to agree¡­ It seems to be in the opposite direction of the group, I would suggest ignoring it,¡± Natto directed. ¡°It¡¯s probably a trap.. But what if it isn¡¯t?¡± Drake pondered, shaking the mud off one of the skill stones before cing it in his inventory. ¡°I am wholeheartedly against putting you in any fights until we have figured out what is causing your personality changes. If it is your Tyrant¡¯s Aura we must get it under control sooner thanter,¡± Natto exined, concern and hesitation dripping from her voice. Drake bit his lip under his mask. ¡°We¡¯ll just take a look.¡± Natto gave a mental sigh. ¡°Come on, what can go wrong?¡± ¡°You die moron! That is what!¡± Chapter 70: The Next General. Chapter 70: The Next General. Drake ran through the forest in the direction of the scream, making sure to snap and preemptively ce a ball of fire and lightning above his shoulders. His hand ready to snap again to change from Water to Ice or any of his other Endowments at a moment''s notice. ¡°Must we do this? Even if this is not a trap, and there are people in need. You yourself have said that you owe these people nothing and rightfully so. What have they done for you? You should not be risking your life for people. And what about those people in the camp that you passed by? Is this not hypocritical?¡± Natto asked. Drake mulled over the words before answering. Running quickly through the forest was almost second nature now as he maneuvered through it. His visage a blur. I would hardly call it hypocritical. Drake thought. It¡¯s true I do not owe strangers risking of my life, but at the camp, I had the priority and obligation to see Theo and his wife safe. Here, I¡¯m just stretching my obligation to dy monsters so Harley can be safe again. See not hypocritical. Drake smiled impishly. Natto was silent at Drake''s reply, obviously in disagreement with his thought process. Look¡­ We are only looking. If it¡¯s something I can¡¯t handle we dy and go back, simple as that. Drake thought. ¡°When has it ever been just simple with you! And you always do things you know you can not handle! Need I remind you of your fight with Bear!?¡± she screamed back. Sorry- Er- You-r break-ing u-p. Drake joked. ¡°You are a child!¡± Only when it suits me. Drake grinned. Moments after their conversation, Drake¡¯s eyes picked up the change in the ambient mana before his Aura picked up on the lifeforms that entered his range. Stopping and cing himself tightly behind a tree, his floating elements lining up with him, Drake looked out at the disgusting scene before him. Fucking¡­ Again!? What are they doing? Drake spat. ¡°I have told you before this is quite themon urrence in the multiverse. The strong and the victors dictate the treatment of the losers. Much like your world before, Victors write history. This is certainly much of the same,¡± Natto exined with an even voice. Yeah well, things seem to be getting more and more heartless¡­ Drake replied. Looking out at the scene a chain linked line of people were being marched by the Goblins, many Jailer Goblins on either side of the long row of people. Drake grit his teeth as he saw the amount of people and their condition. Each one was bruised or maimed, their clothes in tatters. Some even worse off, their eyes swollen orpletely missing, others with burns on their bodies. At the front of the line was a Goblin unlike any other Drake had seen before. It stood gangly and hunched, in its hand was a staff of gnarled wood that stood taller than it. Beads hung from the outstretched branches of the staff, and the Goblin wore a long pitch ck robe over its shoulders. [Mufasi¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] It¡¯s a Mage General? Drake wondered. ¡°So it would seem. There is no telling what it specializes in, its clothing and weapon are too generic,¡± Natto replied. Drake sized up the monster before being drawn to the line of people again as it began marching forward at anguid pace. The crack of a whip pulling his attention to a man beingshed on the back, a long line of red crossing his tattered clothes with his scream of pain. The man lurched forward, nearly tripping over the chains that bound him. Drake tightened his fist, ready to jump out from his cover. ¡°Drake! No! You said you would only look,¡± Natto said concerned. Drake paused, but felt a gaze fall on him. He looked over to the Mage in front, its eyes piercing the tree Drake hid behind, a crooked yellow smile on its face, with yellow glowing eyes. Jigs up, it has a mana sensing skill! I¡¯ll end it in an instant. Drake roared in his head. Quickly snapping his fingers, Drake switched to his Ice endowment, his lightning winking out of existence. Drake then roared and flexed his Aura, hitting everyone in the vicinity with his Tyrannical Aura Skill. Including the prisoners but they would have to deal with it momentarily. Stripping whatever buffs they might have, Drake pped his hand and earthen arm around the Fireball he had conjured beforehand, changing his arm to Molten rock. As he pulled his arms apart molten bullets of brimstone dripped in front of Drake. Four in total, just enough for each Jailer. Drake eyed the first on the left of the line, screaming his skill, ¡°Marked!¡± and with the shout a fiery bulletunched at the head of the Jailer, burrowing deep and through with a red hot wound in its metal helmet. [You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 3,500 TP awarded] In quick session Drake shouted again, ¡°Marked!¡± another bullet firing off killing the next Jailer. [You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 19] [Experience Earned, 3,000 TP awarded] Collecting his mark once more he looked to the next one, less than a fraction of a secondter. Marking it and firing his bullet. But the bullet fizzled out, as Drake saw the Mana in the air shift. He nced at the Goblin Mage, its face contorted in a smile. It can cancel magic?! Drake thought surprised. But Drake didn¡¯t let that keep him from pressing his attack. He instantly snapped his fingers after canceling the Ice Endowment for Magic power, summoning a Lightning bolt in the same motion as stepping forward, hisst molten bullet sizzling away in the air as he switched to his Lightning Endowment. He raced across the distance to the third Jailer in a sh of sparks, another snap of his fingers changing his Endowment to Fire, a glowing Red sheen around his left outstretched hand. Drake gripped the Jailers head in his hand and crushed it in the same motion of flying past it, hitting the ground, it cracking beneath his momentum. [You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 3,500 TP awarded] Snapping his fingers with a loud ringing, Drake canceled his Fire, and switched again to his Lightning Endowment, another step digging deep into the ground as he shot forward like a cannon to thest Jailer. ¡°Marked,¡± Drake whispered as he snapped his fingers changing again, this time to his Ice endowment, only a moment before his earthen hand molded to a de, it passing through the Jailers head effortlessly. [You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 21] [Experience Earned, 4,000 TP awarded] But he wasn¡¯t done. Drake had aimed his body so that he was lined up with the Goblin Mage. Shooting still forward, he snapped again, his hair shifting to a light electric yellow. Drake taking a split second to notice his Weakened Debuff falling off, with a grin. Finding himself just inches away from the Mage, Drake threw his left hand forward, trained at the Goblins hunched body. Drake¡¯s Tattoo ring with more power as he sunk mana into the weapon, it glowing a visible blue. The blow never connected. The Goblin raised its staff as a physical nearly transparent bubble formed around it. It shooting backwards at the force of the blow. But Drake wasn¡¯t about to let up. Chanting two quick skills as the Monster flew backwards, a crack of white light forming around the impact like a spider web. ¡°Fear is binding. Cower!¡± A ck smokey tentacle shooting out, chasing the Goblin, ¡°Wounds of the mind are not so easily healed! Atrophy of the Mind!¡± Drake shouted after, a line of blue light shooting from his fingertips. The ink like tentacle fizzled out as it traveled towards the Goblin, but the line of blue made it, piercing the Goblins chest harmlessly. But Drake noticed the gasp of anger the Goblin showed when it connected. Drake shot forward again not wanting to cease the chase. But the Goblin had other ns. Its staff lit up in a muggy green, as four balls of green materialized in front of it. Drake grimaced, snapping and changing to his Magma Endowment instantly for the Resistance buff. Chanting his skill he also snapped his fingers to conjure makeshift Wind Cutters for bursts of propulsion to dodge the iing green balls of goo. ¡°On blessed wings! Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± theforting green sheen shimmering over his body, ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies billow! Unbreakable!¡± another feeling of security epassing him in a green sheen momentarily. Drake used his makeshift air jets to dodge the first two balls of green, but the third and fourth smashed against his shoulder, with the sound of shattering ss. [Reprieval Charge Gained] He grit his teeth as the initial hit sshed against the shield, the sttering touching his skin with a sizzle. ¡°Fuck!¡± Drake howled through his teeth, his eyes searching for the Mage to teleport to, but the Goblin had disappeared. Drake touched the ground, his eyes and Aura quickly looking for the Mage. His Aura picked up the location first as he turned around a scowl forming as he saw the Goblin. The Goblin had teleported to the line of people. It picked up a female prisoner in its hand, its staff pointing at her head with the other. Disgusting piece of shit! It¡¯s using a hostage?! Drake scorned. The Goblin snickered its yellow crooked teeth in full view as it muttered something, then a ball of acid plunged through the woman''s chest, her screams falling short as she died instantly. Her body turned into something Drake didn¡¯t even want to describe. ¡°You fucking-¡± Drake shouted taking a step forward but stopped as the Goblin picked up another prisoner, a man this time, his eyes wet, and his expression desprate. ¡°P-please! I don¡¯t want to die! Pl-pleaseeee!¡± the man sobbed, as the Goblin moved the man in front of him snickering. Drake grit his teeth not sure what to do. If he teleported behind the Goblin he could surely kill it, but would the man die in the process? Would it be better to sacrifice the man so he could stop the Goblin from killing the others? Fuck! Drake screamed internally, his real hand turning white from the grip in the absence of his other. Drake''s shoulders shook in anger as he looked on, frozen in indecision. But the monster made the decision for Drake, as it pointed its staff now at him instead of the man it held in his arms. Drake understood. It was going to be his own life instead of the man¡¯s. Drake smiled wearily but didn¡¯t move. The Goblin Mage formed a ball of acid and shot it forward hitting Drake¡¯s chest, it only sizzling slightly against his robes before it dripped off like water. [Reprieval Charge Gained] The Goblin raised a brow in surprise but fired again. Drake inching slowly forward after taking each hit. He began forming a small magic circle on his empty shoulder, a small rumble of earth beginning to form outwards. Drake waited, as he began feeling his robes start to falter, the smell of burning flesh beginning to fill his nose. [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Maxed Charges Stored, Charge Lost] Finally the Goblin huffed, in exhaustion. Drake¡¯s Atrophy finally pulling dividends. Drake teleported instantly at the split second of dy in the spells, his earthen arm forming in a sh, then his arms gripping the Goblin¡¯s, shock in on its face as Drake wrenched the Goblin''s hand from its arm and the man free. Drake quickly followed up with a glowing red and blue arm but not before the Goblin formed another Barrier around itself, its still attached hand holding the staff covering the lost one. He cursed then kicked the Goblin, barrier and all across the forest. Drake followed the flying ball with a disy of speed that would have impressed some anime protagonists, as he shot in front of the monster, both his hands clenched together in the form of a hammer that Drake brought down on the barrier. It somehow still holding against his might. The barrier took the abuse and fell downward into the ground, embedding itself. Drake jumped backwards and canceled his endowment. Looking down with an ice cold re he summoned a ball of fire in one hand, and a pir of air above his earthen palm in the other. ¡°Not a spec of your disgusting ilk will be left behind!¡± Drake growled, ¡°Reap him from this world. Blow this vile beast like ashes to the winds!¡± Drake pumped mana into his fire, it turning blue before he mmed the Wind pir and Fireball together, it erupting into a massive tower of blue-med pitch, ¡°Foraz Zora!!¡± Drake roared as he brought down the enormous fire tower on the Goblin Mage, but no notification came. Drake was sure the Mage was still underneath the pir as he could feel it with his Aura. Looking at his status it was quickly dropping, but Drake wouldn¡¯t let the monster go. Drake dropped his remaining free status points into his Intelligence as he roared, pressing down the pir of blue mes on the Goblin like an enormous cleaver of fire as it scorched thend around it. [You have defeated Goblin General: Mufasi¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] [Experience Earned and 350,000 TP rewarded] Drake felt the exhaustion cascade over him as his spell winked out of existence, the forest scorched from the impact and burned ck. His status had bottomed out and he had nothing in the tank left as he fell forward to the ground. Breathing heavy Drake struggled to stay conscious. ¡°Drake! Drake! Stay awake! If you pass out there is nothing stopping them froming here and killing you!¡± Natto shouted. I-I¡¯m awake¡­ just don¡¯t you daree out¡­ I don¡¯t think I can fight anyone if they take you hostage too. Drake grumbled in his head, a smirk forming on his face. ¡°This is not a joke you halfwit!¡± Natto chided. Yeah but it¡¯s still pretty funny. Did you see thatst spell? It was almost the same thing as the real one¡­ If only I could make ck mes¡­ Drake sighed inwardly. The sound of footsteps reached Drake¡¯s ears and he tried his best to roll over onto his back. But relief came over him when he was rolled over, and the face of the person, and their mustache became visible. ¡°My liege!¡± Theodore shouted, a smile on his face. ¡°Oh.. Hey there Theo, is the outpost ok?¡± Drakeughed. Chapter 71: Declaration of War Chapter 71: Deration of War Theo looked out at the destruction as he ced his arm under Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sire, what hast thou done to bring such a bout of damnation among thend?¡± Drake chuckled, raising his upper half to lean against Theodore, ¡°Haha.. Let¡¯s just say I had an anime protagonist moment.¡± Theodore raised his brows in confusion. ¡°I see my liege unleashed another forbidden spell of such magnitude. Surely t¡¯was what this one witnessed, that hast lead me to thou.¡± Theodore said, a soft smile forming on his lips. Drake coughed a little embarrassed, ¡°Sure Theo. More importantly the camp and the group?¡± Theodore pulled Drake up so that he could stand before answering. ¡°Thine are currently under the protection of the Outpost. Harley and Miss Chelsea art acting as lookouts thitherward towers.¡± ¡°More important huh¡­. You should worry more of yourself dolt!¡± Natto grumbled. ¡°Hush you,¡± Drake chided. Theodore looked confused. ¡°Oh not you Theo, my bad. Can you look over the captives over there, see how they are doing. We will need to get them up and moving even if they can¡¯t. My little firework disy is going to be bringing every Goblin in Mordor to us in short time,¡± Drake chuckled wearily, finally having enough mana to conjure a ball of water, it sshing against his arm and changing his tattoo to a soothing blue, it cascading to change his hair to the same. ¡°As you will it,¡± Theodore said with a bow, carefully slipping his arm from Drake¡¯s and moving over to the chained prisoners who were still shakily on the floor from Drake¡¯s Aura. Drake was spent, struggling to keep his senses straight while his Water Endowment did its job of recovering him, then a lightbulb lit in Drake¡¯s head. He plopped unceremoniously to the floor again, and crossed his legs. Closing his eyes he did his best to concentrate like he had in the mines, turning his senses inward and focused on his breathing. In and out, in and out. The world going silent as he focused. After what felt like only a second, Drake felt a hand on his shoulder, gently prodding him awake. Opening his eyes Drake felt fully refreshed and looked at his now full status with a grin. His eyes moved to the person who woke him to see Theodore. Hoppin to his feet and snapping his fingers to change to his Wind Endowment, he looked around to see most of the captives had now gotten to their feet but unfortunately were still chained. Turning to Theodore, Drake gave a quick question, making sure to spread his aura again now that it was under control to search for anyone in the area, ¡°So Theo, couldn''t find the keys?¡± Theodore offered up five bags that looked simr to the one Drake had looted off the Jailer in the camp, and in his other hand 3 stones. ¡°This one simply did not wish to rummage through my Lord''s spoils. T¡¯were one bag per Goblin, including the one, ¡°Theodore¡¯s eyes went to the scorched hole in the ground a small distance away, ¡°Of the more than subtly deceased Goblin, thou dispatched. As well as the stones that this one could find amongst the corpses. But this one could not find keys on any of their persons¡¯ and thou¡¯s armor is here,¡± Theodore said, bringing out therge pile of armor as it nged to the ground. Drake scratched his head looking at the ckened earth. Then looked back as he pulled the armor and weapons into his inventory forter. He also pulled the dimensional bags into his inventory one by one. He first pulled one of his own bags from his inventory with a swipe of his screen, its contents changing to his equipped bags, then reced it with a mental click opening up the new bag. But Drake was disgusted with the contents, not sure how to feel about having it on her person. Body parts. A massive number of human parts filled the bags, amongst other unspeakable things. Drake grimaced as he tried to avoid looking at the icons for now, his stomach forming a knot. Eventually after siphoning through the new bags, Drake reced his smaller ones with therger bags increasing his space by nearly 5 times, although they were filled with some things he would rather not say. I¡¯m going to have to do something about this when we get back. And I¡¯m going to make sure I clear that camp out. We have some serious work to do before we go back to meet Bjorn at Shigure¡¯s. Drake rumbled internally, his gaze even, eyes glowing out of anger. ¡°I- ¡­I will not harp on what I think as you already know. Please just do not push yourself. You now have many people who require your protection until you bring them to Shigure¡¯s camp. And we still do not know of the whereabouts of the remaining PKers you and the oaf have spoken of,¡± Natto reminded. Drake''s head cooled slightly from the reminder but he made sure to keep the idea of tearing the Goblin camp apart at the forefront of his mind. Grabbing the stones in Theodore¡¯s remaining hand, Drake was brought back to delight. [Skill Stone: Water] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Water Tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Main ss-tree unlocked] [Sub-tree Stone: Restraint] [Umon] [Unlocks Restraint Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Sub-trees. Have the Main ss-tree unlocked.] Drake was a little bitter that two of the three were Sub-tree Stones but the Water stone was a big get. He quickly wanted to use the stone but priorities and the possibility of getting a skill that would be too hard to control like his Aura might incapacitate him longer than the time he had. Looking back at the prisoners, he could see their weary faces even more clearly. Quickly stashing the stones, he pulled the keys from the Jailers into his hand, passing two to Theodore. ¡°Start unchaining them quickly, there are bound to be more groups here soon, and I already ate up a bunch of our time recovering,¡± Drake ordered. With another curt nod and bow Theodore moved to the line of Prisoners and began unlocking their restraints one by one, passing the extra key to a kind woman who began doing the same. Drake moved to another part of the line, moving his mask from his mouth, it snapping in ce on the side of his head. With a gentle smile as he could manage, he began unlocking the restraints as well. Each person very weary of him but gave nods of thanks regardless. Until a particrly frightened woman bolted straight for the forest after being freed. Drake looked on as she scrambled to her feet and ran, nearly tripping the whole way, a sad look oveing his face. With a quick step he moved in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, you won¡¯t be in danger for much longer,¡± Drake said, trying to coax her down. The woman huffed a heavy breath pulling her arms inward as she stared coldly at him. Drake was taken aback by her reaction. He thought she was just afraid and wanted to get away. But her bodynguage suggested something entirely different. ¡°Drake, this woman..¡± Natto said sympathetically. Drake didn¡¯t answer but instead, called over another woman with a wave and a shout, ¡°Excuse me you! Come here and take her. We can¡¯t let her run off.¡± Someone shouted back, ¡°Let her go if she wants! What if those bastardse back for us while we''re messing about here!¡± Drake red at the man who shouted, silencing him. She¡¯s obviously not in her best wits and.. Drake trailed off in his thoughts. ¡°Yes it would seem the Goblins have assaulted her. It would exin their growing numbers and why they kept these people on their march,¡± Natto agreed. Drake looked around again, as the woman he called over took the other back to the group. He noticed that many of the women had simr bodynguage and expressions on their faces, but were simply too exhausted to run like the other woman. Their eyes zed over in despair. He felt sick to his stomach. Feelings of his past flooding over him again. This is what that piece of shit Stewart had used him of? How dare Stewart even use such a thing when the reality was worse than anyone could possibly try to imagine. Drake walked back to the group, new understanding of why the people, and especially the women would not meet his eye, or recoiled from his touch. He had thought it was because of his disy of power and his use of Aura, but no. They had been through something so much more traumatic. Gritting his teeth Drake felt something enter the edge of his Aura. He gave a knowing look to Theodore, before leaving to see what it was. Theodore nodded and slowly corralled the people forward towards the Outpost, helping those who could not walk themselves and directing others to do the same. When he arrived, more beings had entered his sphere, a squad of Goblins moving through the forest unaware that Drake was now watching them. Drake red and flexed his Aura, letting it loose to the extent of it breaking away from his control. The Goblins froze and watched as Drake walked from the brush line, his hair and Tattoo now a chilling white, as he held a huge plume of blue fire, his eyes a shifting spectrum of blue, green and yellow. With his other hand he snapped his mask into ce on his face. Each Goblin shivering in unbridled fear as they looked at the man in front of them. Unable to move from the pressure bearing down on them. Not even when the tendrils of the blue fire slowly wisped through the air and wrapped itself around one Goblin to the next, slowly burning each one alive. The smell of burning flesh and the sound of screams faded as there were no more monsters to go through the torture, save thest trembling Goblin Footman. Drake walked to the monster in slow measured steps before bending down to sit on his haunches, getting eye level with the Goblin. His hand raised as the blue fire licked and singed the Goblins dirty hair. With his other hand Drake removed the mask from his face and stared evenly at the monster. Several long drawn out seconds passed in silence as the Goblin shook and sweat under the eyes of Drake. No. Of the Monster in human flesh. A tyrant. Drake released his aura reigning it inward and crushed the fire in his hand, extinguishing it like it was never there. His hair shifting back to ck as his closed fist shone blue for a moment and water leaked from it, slithering up his arm before it changed his ck tattoo to a serine blue, and in turn, his hair. Drake turned and left. Leaving only one monster alive, taking his time with recovering both stones and cores from the ashes of itspanions. ¡°Why leave the vile deformity alive?¡± asked Natto. Drake answered evenly and without emotion, his thoughts elsewhere, ¡°There''s always a need for a messenger. When sending a deration of war.¡± [You have increased Elemental Conflux to Proficiency 2(0%)] [You have increased Martial Strike to Proficiency 2(0%)] [You have increased Tyrannical Aura to Proficiency 2(0%)]
Drake moved through the forest listlessly as he made his way back to the outpost, mechanically taking out any scouts or Red-caps that he found on the way with a bolt of lightning from his fingers. He thought on what he was to do next. He couldn¡¯t just stay a bystander after taking in so many people. He was obligated now to at least bring them to Shigure. The excuse of it wasn¡¯t his problem would not pass the shit test anymore. He had made it his problem the moment he saved Harley. The moment he took Stewart¡¯s and the other peoples lives. Drake knew he wasn¡¯t a leader and that he was at times childish. But if he was taught anything it was to take ountability. ¡°Natto,¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°Yes?¡± she answered. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I catch up,¡± Drake said, a feeling of something instinctive ring inside him. Something was brewing within him, something that wanted more, and hungered for conflict. He had felt it when he first obtained his Aura skill, and again when he cked out in the camp. Now he could feel it again, but this time it was calm. The wanting for more, the desperate wing from inside him for strength was willing to pull itself from him, but at the same time it was calm. The dichotomy of the intense push and pull of the menace inside him felt like that of the calm before a storm. But Drake was ready to unleash it. He was holding the gun and ready to point it at the ones who deserved it most. ¡°The Goblin King¡¯s head,¡± Drake said, his hand wrapping around a stone he had put on pause to use until he reached the outpost, ¡°Is mine.¡± [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Water [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] The familiar cold rushed up his arm, as he took a deep breath. The warmth of a fire then overtaking it. The hot and cold then rushed to his center, pulsating in tandem with each other as his breath became ragged in the dance. But this time Drake was determined to go forward and embrace the power, aligning with the hunger inside him. The pure feeling of refreshing empowerment washed over him. Then settled. [You have learned Skill: Purity of the Soul [F Rank] Purity of the Soul Proficiency 1(0%) [F Rank]
  • Your soul has gone through a monumental change, and with each improvement it will clear.
  • Passive Effect: Your Maximum Mana Capacity is doubled. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Extra Effect: You now gain an additional 2 Intelligence per level.
Drake smiled. The skill was simple, but simple meant effective and powerful. Now opening the Level Ladder he eyed the top. ¡°We have a ways to go. Thankfully the Goblins are so amodating.¡± [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 24] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 22] [Rank 3: Joker Level 20] [Rank 4: Chris Spears Level 19] [Rank 5: Super Megan Level 18] [Rank 6: Ladden Hampert Level 18] [Rank 7: Big Willy Level 18] [Rank 8: VitaminD Level 17] [Rank 9: xXxGunLover69xXx Level 17] [Rank 10: Ash Ketchup Level 17 ¡­. [Rank 1,471: Shot Level 13] Chapter 72: Camp Rules. Chapter 72: Camp Rules. Chelsea walked around the Outpost. It was barren save for onerge tent that they were explicitly told not to enter, and a bed that was covered in green blood. As she walked from one end to the other she noticed spots of blood on the ground, as well as obvious wear and tear of use. Looking back at the tall wooden wall covering the entirety of the ce she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit safer. Sighing, she turned her head to the rest of the group as some had begun arguing on what to do. ¡°I don¡¯t like this! All I¡¯m saying is this might just be as bad as the Goblin¡¯s cage! They literally just dropped us off here and ran off again! They can¡¯t possibly be reliable!¡± a gruff voice shouted over the crowd. ¡°Well, I for one am staying. Didn¡¯t you see how quickly he wiped out that entire horde of Goblins? Not to mention that big one with some ridiculous ice spell? Can any of you do that?¡± another voice said. ¡°That¡¯s what I''m saying! What¡¯s stopping him from doing that or worse to us?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just being paranoid. Sure the spell was big but if he''s only a caster we can just over power him if ites down to it.¡± a younger man said. Chelsea had reached the edge of the group that huddled around the firecamp they had relit. Some people were eating the small bits of food they had left from their inventories and others pulled from a barrel of water Theodore had left. ¡°Are you fucking daft? Blind? Maybe both? Did you not see him kill that bloody Jailer with his bare hands? And what the hell are you all whinging about? You are safe, behind walls and not a monster in sight. I¡¯d call this a step up from the dredges of that damned cage,¡± Jacqueline yelled back. ¡°Oh forgot about that¡­¡± the young man said, deting out of the conversation. ¡°That does bring up the question, ¡°Chelsea said, inserting herself into the conversation, ¡°What ss do we think this guy is?¡± she asked the group but her eyes fell on Harley, sitting on the fallen tree by the fire, her eyes slightly unfocused as they gazed at the dancing mes. ¡°My vote is on a Mage that has a skill to change his stats to melee!¡± Tom shouted over the crowd. Chelsea scoffed, ¡°We all know you can only specialize Tom. Anyone else?¡± A woman shakily raised her hand, ¡°Actually¡­ I think Tom has a point. During my own ss up, I rolled a 1, and it gave me one of the starter sses. I didn¡¯t choose it though because it said I would be reverted back to level 1.¡± Chelsea raised a brow. ¡°Anyone else have something simr?¡± Chelsea asked, propping her hand on her hip. The heads of the group all shook no. Well that¡¯s not very helpful.. We have to figure out what ss he is, if I¡¯m going to know if he can beat Chris and the rest of them¡­ Chelsea thought. Walking over to Jacqueline, Chelsea brought her voice to a hushed tone, ¡°Jacky I need your help with something.¡± Jacqueline, cocked her ear and nodded, ¡°Sure love, what¡¯s the damage?¡± ¡°You remember how he asked about your healing?¡± ¡°Who? The devil in human skin, blows us all to bits if he¡¯d like, chap?¡± Jacqueline replied. Chelsea smiled wryly, coughing slightly, ¡°Ahem, yeah that guy. I need you to find out why he needs a healer. Besides the obvious of him being alone. I think it¡¯s his missing arm but I¡¯m not one hundred percent sure,¡± ¡°He has a missing arm? I thought it was an item or some piece of equipment.¡± Chelsea shook her head and pulled Jacqueline out of the group so she could speak more candidly, ¡°No, I got a good look at it before he ran off, it was made of earth. Either way, when you find out, I want you to do your best to get him to help us with Chris. If he can kill that many Goblins on his own, we might have a chance to get back to the camp and save everyone.¡± Jacqueline pursed her lips for a moment. ¡°Love, it¡¯s been a few days since we¡¯ve been about. I don¡¯t think¡­¡± Chelsea shook her head in disagreement. ¡°You know Chris will want to keep everyone alive even if he is found out. He needs Megan for her group buffs. And without the rest of his goons they can¡¯t keep everyone under control.¡± Jacqueline nodded. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll honey trap the little psycho. He doesn¡¯t stand a chance,¡± she said, giving a wink. Chelsea gave a genuine smile, and hugged her. ¡°Thank you, Jacky.¡± While they finished their discussion a loud knocking came on the gate, more a ram hitting the door than a knock as it startled everyone into ring at the ruckus. No one moved or answered, the silence deafening as all their minds raced on who or what it might be at the gate. Then a voice shouted from the other side. ¡°Open the gate already would you!¡± Harley was surprisingly the first one to get up and answer, almost rushing to the gate. ¡°Who is that? Mr. Shot?¡± she hollered back. ¡°No, it¡¯s yourndlord, rent is due! Open up or we¡¯ll send in the Squirtle Squad, and no one wants that, Jerry can be a bit quick on the water gun if you know what I mean!¡± Harley sighed, convinced it was Shot and began twisting the gate wheel slowly, until Chelsea ran over and helped with a pensive look.
Drake sighed. He had tried to keep a normal demeanor with his jokes as they helped the newly freed captives to the Outpost. It had taken much longer than he thought as they were not well. Many needed medical treatment and food. He wasn¡¯t sure how long they had been abused or starved as the Goblins had only started showing up a few days ago as far as he knew. But many of the wounds on them and their malnourished sunken faces proved differently. The Gate slowly opened as Drake waved therge crowd of 30 odd people inside. Theodore moved next to him, his back straight, and his monocle now in ce on his right eye. ¡°My liege. What art to do wist thine flock? Surely we do not have the means to feed and protect them?¡± Theodore asked conflicted. Drake didn¡¯t turn to face Theodore as he watched the people pile in through the gate slowly. ¡°I picked up a lot of food from those bags we got earlier. And if my little messenger does his job, we won''t have to worry about it in a few days or sooner,¡± Drake answered, spotting a woman trip, but he moved to catch her quickly. The woman flinched at his touch and recoiled, looking back at him in fear. Drake never broke his emotionless face as he simply nodded to her and waved her to keep moving. ¡°Ungrateful..¡± Natto spat. Give them a break, they¡¯ve been through hell. Drake chided. ¡°It has nothing to do with you. Was it your fault the monsters captured them? Was it your fault what happened to them? They could at least show a sliver of gratitude for someone who saved their lives from the unending torment.¡± Drake winced at the wording, bringing up what had happened earlier only a few moments before they reached the Gate. Natto¡­ Leave it alone. Drake thought, his brows pushing together for a small scowl. Earlier a pair of the captives begged Drake to kill them. It was not a pleasant experience. They had yelled, insulted, and pleaded for him to end them and just let them be free of the hell that was the tutorial. Drake was against it. Fervently against it. He had almost snapped at the two as they asked him. Did they really not value their own life enough to press on? They would ask a stranger to end it and to take on the burden of ending their lives because they were too cowardly to do it themselves? It left the foulest of tastes in Drake¡¯s mouth to even ponder the thought. He could empathize with them. What had happened was unforgivable and scarring. But to ask someone else to do the deed was asking hate to beget hate. And Drake wouldn¡¯t stand for it. He had said nothing to the pair, and bit his tongue as they eventually broke down in tears but decidedly moved on with the group. Drake sighed once more. Moving into the Outpost, thest of the group filing in. He and Theodore were greeted by Harley and Chelsea, each with a questioning look on their face. Harley moved to Theodore as they shared a gentle exchange of looks before Chelsea began bombarding Drake with questions. ¡°Who are these people? They look like they''ve been pulled from a camp in the 1900s¡± Chelsea said, her frown deep. Drake ignored her, moving past and closed the gate himself behind them. Then moved to the center of the camp. ¡°Who is a healer?¡± Drake shouted as loudly and clearly as he could. Several hands hesitantly raised up. Including Jacqueline¡¯s. Drake nodded, ¡°Good step forward. These people that have just joined us are in need of healing and food. If you are a healer that needs skill stones or in need of a weapon still, I will provide it.¡± Many confused gazes looked back and forth to each other but a group of 6 people walked forward of the 60 odd some mass. ¡°You really have those stones? The only healing stones I¡¯ve seen have been from quest rewards,¡± Jacqueline asked suspiciously. Drake dumped a small pile of stones from his inventory. ¡°These are Soul Mastery Subss stones, Healer Stones and Prayer Stones. I killed a Mage General and this was on his person. There is enough here for the 6 of you, take what you need and get to healing,¡± Drake gave a wave to Theodore, he and Harley walking over, ¡°Theo, please make sure that they are using them and not stashing them.¡± Theodore nodded, as Harley looked down at the stones slightly agape. Drake didn¡¯t stop there, raising his voice again. ¡°Was anyone a therapist or dealt with trauma victims before the tutorial?¡± No one raised their hand sadly. Well it was a shot in the dark. Drake thought a little disappointed. Drake moved further away and began unloading tents, beds, campfire supplies and leather gear. ¡°Everyone sets up their own tent, one bed per person. The new group wille with me for food and drinks first,¡± he yelled. ¡°Hey, why do they get special treatment we¡¯re hungry too!¡± someone shouted. Drake spread his aura, letting it flex slightly. ¡°Because they have been marching for god knows how long through that forest and need food. And I own this ce, so I say so. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Drake said evenly. No answer. ¡°Good. I willy some ground rules also. No fighting, no stealing, you maye and go as you wish. But if you stay, know that you y by my rules in my house. I will provide protection, food, and shelter, as best I can. In a week¡¯s time I will take whoever remains to Shigure¡¯s camp.¡± A few faces lit up at the mention of the camp, others looked just as despondent as before, simply eyeing the gate they had just been led through. ¡°If you have something you want toin about, bring it to that,¡± Drake pointed to the gate. ¡°But that¡¯s the gate..?¡± Tom said from the crowd. ¡°Exactly. You are not a prisoner here. You don¡¯t like it, feel free to leave. While you are here I am responsible for you, the moment you decide to leave. I am not. Any questions? No? Good. Food is ready in 30, second group first, first group after!¡± Drake barked. Drake didn¡¯t stay for the low grumbles and exchange of disbelief in the crowd and got to work. Moving to an end of the Outpost, he unloaded another Tent, quickly setting it up. cing chairs, tables, bowls and utensils on them. Then leaving the tent, Drake cobbled together 10 campfires, cing cauldrons for food on top of them. Lighting each one with a snap of his fingers. ¡°You seem a little more at peace doing this,¡± Natto mentioned, feeling the serene calm of Drake¡¯s mind. Yeah.. It brings me back to when I used to cook massive meals for my family. There''s some quiet in the mechanical cutting and serving of food. Just you and the sound of the kitchen. Drake grinned. ¡°You are almost a housewife with that thought process,¡± Natto jabbed. Cooking soothes the soul, in times of distress. It¡¯s my aikido, my zen. And Chef would be disappointed in you making fun of people enjoying cooking. Maybe we should try some squirrel stew instead? Drake fired back. He could feel Natto recoil with a slight shiver at his joke, making him smile. Drake pulled more tables as needed from his inventory, cing the supplies he needed on each one. Cutting the ingredients as needed, while he filled each cauldron with water in between. Soon 10 fully stocked pots were simmering a pleasant smell under Chef Drake¡¯s watchful eye. Looking out into the slowly forming crowd of people Drake felt a tinge of regret. ¡°Drake?¡± Natto asked, ¡°What is it now?¡± I was just thinking. Maybe if I hadn¡¯t run off at the start. I could have had a group like this already. You know without all the nasty stuff happening to them. I can say I sympathize with them all I want, but I¡¯ll never really understand what it¡¯s like to go through what they did, the same way they can¡¯t for me. It¡¯s frustrating. ¡°Everyone has their story as you have said¡­ Trauma, tribtion, and walking your path all gives form to the character behind the person. They will either move past it and thrive in one way or another. Be that oveing it, burying it deep inside, or using it to fuel them to never let it happen again like you have. But that is not something you can make them do,¡± Natto said, doing her best to console him. Tough times make hard men, soft times soft men. Is the saying huh? Drake thought absentmindedly. ¡°I do not know that saying but, for what it is worth. It certainly applies. There will be no harder time than that of a new universe initiation. I can promise you that without question Drake, so you must be strong. Stronger than you are now.¡± [Tutorial Wide Quest Update] [The Goblin King has moved from his throne at the slight of his Generals being in inbat. This transgression will not go unpunished. The Mighty Goblin King marches his forces forward in response. Seeking the transgressor. The march of the Goblin Horde will not cease until they are killed. Or until the King purges thend of the insects that scour it. Time left until the Goblin King joins the fight: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes, 34 Seconds.] [Added Bonus Reward: Experience, Tutorial Points, Epic Quality ss Stone] [Additional Requirement for Bonus: Kill the Goblin King before the timer runs out] Shouts andints sounded through the outpost, and the faces of the people turned from bad to worse as the notification sunk in. But Drake snapped his mask into ce and smiled behind it as he felt the presence of beings entering his sphere outside the walls of the outpost. ¡°Looks like our messenger finally met with the Big Green Baddie, and it¡¯s perfect that they know where we are. So they can juste to us,¡± Drake said softly. Quickly Drake casted his defensive buffs, ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies bellow, Unbreakable!¡± a sheen of green passing over him, ¡°I am the shield, I am the rampart, Bulwark!¡± a green cover materializing in front of him like his other shielding skill, ¡°On blessed wings, Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± thest of his defensive buffs solidifying around him. Drake snapped his hands and an Earth Bullet sank down into the ground, then pushed him up above the people in the outpost, as he spoke. ¡°Today I brought you all here from the Goblins. Some of you were put through unspeakable things that I can not even attempt to understand. So I won¡¯t give you titudes of it going to be alright, or that time will heal your wounds,¡± Drake snapped again changing his Endowment to lightning, his hair and tattoo shifting to a bright yellow, ¡°I can¡¯t give you back the time or peace of mind taken from you. But I will tell you this.¡± Drake turned to look at the wall of the outpost, the sound of Goblin horns and drums sounding. He crouched down and shot upwards, the earthen stage he had made crumbling from the force. Up in the sky Drake overlooked the force of Goblins, a sea of horrible sickening green. ¡°It¡¯s time to see how much this new skill helps and I¡¯ve wanted to test this for a while,¡± Drake said smiling. In the air Drake began casting, his hand above his head as he looked down, in his perception his voice even and at normal speed. But in reality his Lightning Endowment had increased the speed at which he casted. ¡°Spirit of Sorrow and Istion,¡± arge blue circle forming underneath Drake, ¡°Thou who bestows thy power unto Kings!¡± the circle erging further, a ball of water forming above Drake¡¯s hand. The Goblins had begun throwing everything they had at him, some of the spells and arrows missing but some hitting their mark. But Drake continued to cast, the near size ball of water swirling above him. [Bulwark Broken] [Reprevial Charge Gained] ¡°Bring forth a great torrent that shall rule the earth!¡± the massive size of the water blocked out the sun above, giving shade to those underneath it, as it threatened to swallow everything in its sheer size and torrential waters. The bombardment continued from the Goblins smashing into Drake, an arrow embedding itself into his shoulder. Drake grit his teeth and gave a vicious re down to the mass of Goblins below, before finishing his cast, pouring the unproportionate amount of mana he now had into it. A spearunched from the crowd of Goblins, gleaning in a blood red color as it hurtled towards him, but Drake used his Reprevial Charge to move directly above the center of the Army at the gates, his spell traveling with him. ¡°Vainel Ganezza!¡± Drake roared, throwing down his hand as the torrent of water spilled from above, subsuming all of the spells and arrows on its way down to the mass of Goblins. The notifications seemed to never cease. Drake falling from the sky backwards. Snapping his fingers, he changed to his Water Endowment, his hair shifting. Drake flipping in mid air with a snap of his fingers conjuring pockets of Wind to change his position andnd softly on the ground in the small crater he had made from his jump. Looking out into the shocked crowd of people, the waters of his spell sshing against the wall of the Outpost behind him. Drake spoke again. ¡°I will tell you. That without a doubt, the perpetrators of your trauma in this tutorial, will pay. And they will pay with their lives and blood, ten fold!¡± Drake roared, his eyes cascading in blue, green and yellow, as he wretched the arrow from his shoulder and raised it in a first above his head. [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller Level 14] [40 Free Stats have been awarded] [You have defeated Goblin General: Serteppi¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] [Experience Earned and 350,000 TP rewarded] [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Erciru¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Riruc¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Tubruic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Shiruc¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [You have defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Locuvic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP rewarded] [Quest Complete! Subjugated 100 of 100 Goblin Shamans [F Rank] [ept Rewards?] [5x [Health Potion F Grade] [Mana Potion F Grade] [Stamina Potion F Grade] awarded] [Experience Earned and 50,000 TP awarded] [Quest Complete! Subjugated 100 of 100 Goblin Riders [F Rank] [ept Rewards?] [5x [Health Potion F Grade] [Mana Potion F Grade] [Stamina Potion F Grade] awarded] [Experience Earned and 50,000 TP awarded] [Quest Complete! Subjugated 20 of 20 Iron Tusk Boars [F Rank] [Experience awarded] [Quest Complete! Subjugated 50 of 50 Goblin Squad Commanders [F Rank] [ept Rewards?] [1x Large Dimensional Bag 50x10] [Experience awarded] [Quest Complete! Subjugated 15 of 15 Goblin Treasure Hoarders [F Rank] [ept Rewards?] [You have received the Goblin King¡¯s Hoard Key] [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller Level 15] [40 Free Stats have been awarded] Chapter 73: First Day of Camp Chapter 73: First Day of Camp Silence. A bead of cold sweat dripped from Drake¡¯s cheek as he stood there, his hand in the air, as his shoulder healed slowly in silence. Shouldn¡¯t they be cheering or something¡­ Drake thought awkwardly. ¡°Hahahaha!! They are all looking at you as if you are crazy! This is certainly a treat! Finally! Sane people that understand how cringe you are!¡± Natto screamed, practically fist pumping out of Drake¡¯s skull. Hey! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be on my side!? This should be just as embarrassing for me as it is for you! Drake shouted internally as he slowly lowered his arm and turned away from the onlooking crowd. ¡°It would but they can not see me! So all the embarrassment is yours, you dolt!¡± she barked,ughing. Fuck.. Drake¡¯s ears turned a shade of redparable to his mask, but he tried his best to recover. ¡°A-a-a..and With that said!¡± Drake shouted turning back around, ¡°Any support ss, or healer that wants to improve. See me tomorrow! For now, rest up, I will keep watch so you can rest easy for now.¡± Looking into the sky it was beginning to paint a darker orange. The day had been long and difficult for many. But Drake would make sure they could rest for now. He moved to the wall, and jumped onto the guard tower, looking out to the destruction his spell had caused. The open ins that had once been dirt was now a wet pool of mud as the water still receded back into the forest bringing the bodies of the Goblins with them. But not all of them. Some of the Goblins had been mmed against the Outpost¡¯s walls, others crushed into the mud unable to be freed by the waves of the receding waters. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do some clean up tonight huh¡­¡± Drake mumbled.
¡°You believe anything that crazy dude said?¡± one of the men whispered to another, taking a spoonful of the food he had grabbed to his mouth, ¡°Ahh this is good! What the fuck?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about killing all the Goblins. I mean you saw that quest right? But at least we¡¯re safe here. That spell he just did was something else!¡± another chimed in next to him. ¡°Shhh! Don¡¯t be so loud, what would you do if the guy heard us?!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe Mr. Shot is so petty to kill someone for having a differing opinion,¡± Harley said, handing another person a bowl of food, ¡°He did save everyone after all, even with some being not so cooperative,¡± she added, sparing a nce to a gruff looking man on the edge of the group. ¡°Ha! Save everyone? What about the other people still in the camp?¡± someone said. Harley pursed her lips, not sure how to respond to the question. But a familiar voice came to her rescue. ¡°Yeah? And what exactly the bloody hell did your sorry ass do to save those people? Easy to point a finger when you¡¯re sitting cozy by a fire eating grub when you didn¡¯t lift one to do shite,¡± Jacqueline sneered. The man who spoke scoffed and ced a spoon of food into his mouth grumbling something. ¡°Thank you..¡± Harley offered. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, love. Tensions are high and all that, but we all have something to bear for not doing more,¡± Jacqueline replied. Suddenly another horn sounded. And both women looked to the guard tower. It had been a few hours since thest one sounded, and was not dark. The only thing they could see in the night was the shine of green before a sh of white formed the outline of a person on the tower. Those with magic senses and identification skills looked up in more detail. Seeing the man on the tower. His ck and gold outlined robe that was in tatters, white hair with red animal ears and tail. And the ferocious red, ck and white mask covering the bottom half of his face. [Shot Level 15] A momentter, the sparks of green flicked in the night as arrows and spells seemed to cascade against a shield in front of the man. But he stood unperturbed as a crimson red magic circle formed in his left hand, a tall throng of fire extending from it, lighting up the night like a beacon. The fire bent and formed a longbow, another circle of red bursting to life in his other dark earthen hand. It forming a condensed arrow of fire. Shot pulled back the bow, the string of fire flicked and sputtered in the air as he stretched the string. A breathter he let go the mountain of fiery mana, the arrow shrieking as it screamed through the air, a loud explosion sounding in the distance. And then he formed and pulled another, then another, and another. Each one sounding fiercer than thest, a loud cascading boom following each screeching arrow that was released. ¡°Could you do that?¡± Jacqueline asked hesitantly. ¡°N-no. I¡¯m a level 15 Farsight Archer¡­ The best I could do is maybe kill two Kobolds at a time. How many Goblins do you think he is killing with each arrow?¡± Harley asked just as pensively. ¡°My liege is killing around 30 Goblins per arrow,¡± Theodore said, shimmering into existence next to Harley with an expressionless face, ¡°Ah. Another level. This system of gathering is quite extraordinary. Should my liege decide to continue this one feels he twill be set quite speedily upon their goal of getting stronger.¡± Harley looked over at Theodore, her eyes gleaning green for a moment as she inspected him. [Theodore Rotwood Level 13] Theodore was slowly closing in on Harley¡¯s level and he had increased so quickly over the course of such a small period. Even Shot had also increased in level, and no one knew his ss. ¡°Theo,¡± Harley whispered. ¡°Yes, my love?¡± he responded, dropping his ear to her. ¡°What ss is Mr. Shot?¡± she asked. Theodore looked troubled for a moment but then answered in a low tone, ¡°Truly, this one hasnt the slightest. My liege has not graced this one with such information as of yet.¡± ¡°And you still follow him?¡± she asked again, her face painted in surprise. Theodore curled his mustache with a slight grin as he stood straight and answered in an even tone looking up at the fireworks disy Drake was putting on. ¡°My Liege has done much for me. Even going as far to kill perpetrators of torture as rpence for their actions. Sire is¡­ Shot is¡­ as he would put it, now family.¡± Harley¡¯s mouth parted slightly in astonishment, but regained herposure to look back up at the man still firing arrows into the distance. She wondered what exactly Shot had done for Theo and just what was he nning for the future?
Haha! I¡¯m so fucking d I have that show as reference for this! How cool is a full magic bow?!! Drake shouted internally, as he continued to fire off arrows, each one dropping his Mana slowly only to be filled back up from his massive pool and regeneration he now had. ¡°Brihd! Brihd!¡± he whispered with each arrow as they screeched through the air like a phoenix then plummeted into the ranks of the now scattering Goblins. ¡°You are such a child and a moron.. Why not just use a real bow?! You have plenty.¡± Nattoined, as she watched the disy of magic with disinterest. Obviously because this is cooler. AND do you really think that a regr bow can withstand the fire spells I¡¯munching? Drake countered. ¡°Fair I suppose. But Drake. We really must discuss your personality changes. You have been showing more inclination towards fighting, and even gone berserk. I fear it might be a side effect of your growth or the Oppression skill stone,¡± she told him worriedly. Drake grimaced. She was right, they needed to discuss it. And Drake had been intentionally dodging the discussion. Can¡¯t we wait just a b- ¡°No! I know you, and you will keep putting off something like this until it bes a problem! Use more than two brain cells for once and get ahead of the problem!!¡± she yelled. Ok. Ok. No need to shout¡­ ¡°There is always a need to shout when ites to you! Have you not been paying attention to the past 72 hours?!¡± she shrieked. Drake pursed his lips, ¡°Ok fair..¡± he replied, finally drawing and releasing hisst arrow. The impact lighting up the ins in front of the Outpost enough to see that the Goblins had fallen back to retreat or regroup. Looking back up at the night sky, Drake plopped back down on the top of the Guard Tower, then turned his gaze over his shoulder, where now 60 odd some people had found residence and ate. Unfortunately because of the Goblins continuing to try to force their way into the Outpost. Which Drake assumed was because of him. No one was getting any sleep. At least that was what Drake was guessing as most of the people were now eating or up and about wandering the grounds. There were a few that he had noticed watching him since his little ¡®speech¡¯. [Amir Fadel Level 10] [ire Osberg Level 11] [Harley Mongrass Level 15] [Jacqueline Evans Level 15] And thest one who was trying her best to not show she was studying him. But his Aura was able to feel her subtle head turns as she stood at the bottom of the Guard Tower. [Chelsea Jackson Level 14] They should really have made Aliases.. Having your real name on disy seems kinda careless. Drake thought. ¡°Stop thinking about other people! Where did that selfish asshole a moment ago go?!¡± Natto chided. I know I know¡­ Look, let¡¯s wait until morning when I have better visibility. My Magic Sight¡¯s improved but I still can¡¯t catch everything. It isn¡¯t like it improved to see in the dark and I do need to stay alert for now. I haven¡¯t noticed too many Red-Caps in the notifications but that doesn¡¯t mean they aren''t there outside my scope of sight. Drake exined. ¡°And I¡¯ll have time to thinkter when we bury them¡­¡± Drake whispered under his breath.
The next few hours went surprisingly fast for Drake. The Goblins had a pattern of attack that made it easier to know when they did. They would sound a battle horn, then try to storm the front gate. Footmen and shamans would try to support the Lieutenants and other footmen as they marched forward. Drake had yet to see another General as the night pressed on, and their ranks had be less diverse as well, which he was sure was for a reason, but he couldn¡¯t think of one. Were they trying to oust him in a battle of attrition? ¡°Good luck¡­ My mana pool is sorge now I sparsely know what to do with it against this level of monsters,¡± Drake grumbled as he paced back and forth on the new strip of Earth he had conjured behind the wall of the Outpost. Drake had decided during the night to make a temporary wall along the Outpost so he could change his position. The decision had been made for him when the Goblins decided to focus fire on him, breaking both his defensive shields and taking a good chunk out of his shoulder before he teleported away to recover. The spell that hammered the Goblins after was one for the ages, but had taught Drake another lesson. Don¡¯t stand in the same spot more than once. ¡°It looks like there''s a small lull right now. Might be the best time to do it¡­ ¡° Drake said, looking back at the camp, in the new morning daylight. The campfires were sputtering out and people were exiting the tents very very slowly. ¡°Alfred!¡± Drake called, but no one answered. Damn I was hoping that would work¡­ ¡°You never cease to joke do you..¡± Natto sighed. ¡°What can I say it¡¯s in my nature? Theo!¡± Drake tried again. A momentter a shimmer in the air turned to Theodore, bowing slightly next to Drake. ¡°Yes, my liege?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Here, before I forget,¡± Drake said, cing the Illusion Stones he had picked up on the way back in Theodore¡¯s hands, ¡°This finish up your slots?¡± he asked. Theodore eyed the stones for a moment then gripped them in his hands. ¡°I believe it will sire. This one is most gracious.¡± Drake nodded and eyed the breaking suning fully over the horizon. ¡°I have some stuff to finish up really quickly, I need you to watch the Goblins movements. If anything happense get me,¡± Drake said, pointing to the corner of the Outpost where no one was camped, ¡°I¡¯ll be over there.¡± Theodore bowed slightly again then chanted something under his breath, disappearing once again. Drake hopped off the Earthen rampart he created and began walking to the area he had pointed to. Many of the early risers had given him nces but no one approached him as he walked on the outskirts of the newly formed camp inside the Outpost. A few momentster he had reached the area and began the process of something he had been dreading since he found them inside the Jailer¡¯s and General¡¯s pouches. Natto, you can ask away while I do this. I don¡¯t have time to waste not doing both. Drake thought. ¡°Is it not disrespectful..?¡± she asked. Drake ced his earthen hand over the ground, a small portion falling from it to the floor below. He put mana into the shard of earth that fell and it expanded into a six foot deep rectangr hole. His mana took a dip, but it wasn¡¯t something his recovery in his Water Endowment couldn¡¯t nowpensate easily. Opening his inventory, he began cing one slot of human remains into the hole. Then slowly covered it in earth, cing a gravestone at the foot of the grave. I don''t even know their names, or what they have gone through. The most I can do for them now is ce them in a proper burial. Drake replied. ¡°And leave them with a promise,¡± he added, as he engraved something in the gavestone. [Here lies a Victim of the tutorial. May they rest in peace, for I will find them justice.] Drake turned around, looking the auburn twin ponytailed woman in the eyes. ¡°What do you want, I have work to do.¡± Chapter 74: I’m Changing Chapter 74: I¡¯m Changing ¡°Well, ever the asshole huh?¡± Chelsea said, crossing her arms. Drake bit his lip, keeping himself from making a snarkyment, and went on with burning the victims of the Goblins instead. Ignoring her and instead keeping conversation with Natto. ¡°Well, well, I am certainly impressed. You are growing!¡± she jabbed. Shut up, I just don¡¯t have time to deal with her unless she actually needs something. If you haven¡¯t noticed there¡¯s more than one army at our doors, and I¡¯m the only one able to fight right now¡­ Drake grumbled, as his mind raced in retrospect of how many different ways he could have told the woman off. One after the other Drake made burials for the people, leaving the same message on each gravestone. ¡°...for I will find them justice¡­¡± Chelsea whispered as she read the message, ¡°Do you really think you can do that? I saw how strong you are, but you are up against tens of thousands.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one in the tutorial. There are plenty of strong people still left, just look at the Leaderboard,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Then¡­ Then you have spare time to save others!¡± Chelsea suddenly said, raising her voice, a tinge of desperation in it. Drake turned a brow raised, ¡°Have you looked around? We¡¯re surrounded by armies, they have countless numbers replenishing their stock of monsters to who knows what length. And there are invisible monsters just waiting in the wings to climb these walls and kill every single one of you the moment they can. Not only that!¡± Drake raised his own voice to a growling pitch, ¡°There are people here I owe my obligatory protection to! And you want me to go gvanting around leaving them vulnerable to save more?! Fuck off! I think I¡¯ve filled my humanitarian quota for the tutorial!¡± ¡°Drake¡­ I know you do not believe that,¡± Natto chided. ¡°Please! I have a friend who needs help! You owe it t-¡± she stopped as her breath left her under Drake¡¯s yellow eyed gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t owe you shit. You may be a victim of circumstance, but so are they,¡± Drake said pointing to the collection of tents, ¡°What makes your suffering any more valuable than theirs? Or theirs!¡± Drake shouted again, his hand shaking as he pointed down to the graves. Chelsea tried to speak but Drake wouldn¡¯t let her speak as he yelled again, snapping at her. ¡°I won¡¯t hear it! How about you go back and be thankful you¡¯re even breathing. Then think about how you can help yourself!¡± Drake flexed his aura with hisst words, making Chelsea stumbled backwards before she ran off to the rest of the people in the camp, her face pale. ¡°Drake, you need not snap at her,¡± Natto said. Drake gripped his hands, before huffing a sigh and getting back to work. I know.. I know I shouldn¡¯t have snapped. My emotions are off kilter even more than usual. It feels more.. Primal like I¡¯m losing my filter and I¡¯m bing more impulsive to them. I feel more powerful than ever because of it, but I also feel that I¡¯m losing more and more control. I¡¯m starting to befortable with things I never thought possible and also leaning more on crutches I thought I long since threw away. Drake exined, slightly shaking at the thought of losing his mind like his father but from something entirely different. ¡°Well, like father, like son I guess¡­¡± Drake mumbled, pouring mana into the earth for another burial. ¡°This is normal Drake. I was worried, I will admit when it took hold so fast. But from the sparse knowledge I have of Dual sses from ranking up. It will be like this as you gain and consume more skill stones,¡± she said. Drake could feel her lifting her nose into the air even though he couldn¡¯t see her as she continued. ¡°Therefor I was entirely correct in having you slowly consume the stones and leave a sub-tree free to have you space your skill intake! You may feel free to praise me. Please proceed with the gratitude, I shall wait.¡± Drake gave a veryckluster golf p, it not even loud enough to hear with his earthen rock arm. ¡°You are no fun¡­¡± Drake gave a grin to that, thankful the little construction was trying her best to keep him both sane and upbeat with her little jabs. Keeping a modicum of normality through their back and forth. So it really is because of the stones then, huh. I had a feeling they would change a person when you took them, there was no way they couldn¡¯t. But I thought the stones mentioned that it only happened with Legendary Stones? Drake thought, grimacing a bit. ¡°As it is with most things the system does, it is true but it is also not,¡± Natto started, ¡°The non-legendary stones individually do not have the power to change a person to a significant degree.¡± Drake scoffed, then put a bit too much power into forming the grave, as it went down a few extra feet. Shit. Haa¡­ Of course they wouldn¡¯t put the warningbel on the smaller stuff¡­ So essentially because I have double the slots, I¡¯m getting double the poison so to speak? Drake thought. ¡°That would be the case, yes. As I have mentioned it is normal for individuals with two sses to go through some changes, but you have gotten somewhat lucky with the stones you have acquired elerating and exacerbating the process slightly. I will go on a limb and say that it is most likely worse for those with Dual sses on the outside of Tutorials. And most likely the reason there are so few,¡± Natto exined. Drake raised a brow at thest part. What do you mean outside of the Tutorial? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for them if¡­ Oh¡­. Drake mused trailing off in understanding. ¡°You are correct. And that is the problem. Dual ss individuals are strong. And depending on thebination and sses you receive that can be unbelievably so. But outside of the Tutorial the way sses and skills are obtained and gained are far more structured as I have mentioned. So with you being able to better pick the stones you will consume, rather than it being a life and death decision, where you have no choice in the selection, everyone picks the best of the best chances they can afford.¡± And that leads to many of them using many Rare and higher stones, leading to more changes? ¡°Yes. Some of the changes drive the person mad. There are other hurdles for Dual sses that make them very difficult to cultivate. The experience gain is a perfect example. Just look at the lengths you have had to go through to find adequate experience. You are essentially killing monsters well above your pay grade regrly, just for experience and challenge that helps only slightly. Now I will also say that this leads into why Primordials in high ranking systems are so strong and stay that way. Imagine a person who has all the time, money, and support in the universe, no, countless universes to cultivate themselves,¡± Natto said wearily. Drake winced. Ok. We will deal with that problem when ites. He thought, his mind moving to the races that may be sponsoring the tutorial.
Drake spent a few more minutes going through the motions of burying the people, eventuallying to thest one. Well thest arm. His arm. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I forgot I had this thing,¡± Drake said, looking at his arm, a surreal feeling washing over him, ¡°I¡¯m not even sure if I should feel upset that I have it, or thankful? ¡°It is a little creepy you are keeping your own severed appendage in your inventory,¡± Natto giggled. ¡°Yeah whatever,¡± Drake replied, slipping the Tattoo Ring from his severed arm¡¯s hand, ¡°What do I do with it even?¡± Drake was caught up in his decision, but aware of the people now approaching him. He turned his arm still in hand. ¡°What is it, I¡¯m not particrly in the mood to talk,¡± he asked, his arm slightly dripping at the shoulder, ¡°Ah! I should put this on ice,¡± Drake mused, snapping his fingers as he encased the arm in ice. No one said anything after witnessing his poor tasting gag, but their eyes, and facial expressions spoke volumes. Drake just gave an awkward shrug. As he looked over the eight people. A familiar face stepping forward, as she pointed to the arm. ¡°I can help with that,¡± Jacqueline said, one hand pointing, her other on her hip. Drake and Natto both raised an eyebrow. ¡°Exin,¡± Drake said, even toned. ¡°I specialize in Active Healing Magic, gov. And one of my Main ss skills allows me to give a right enormous heal that can easily reattach that,¡± she exined. Drake offered the arm, but Jacqueline shook her head. ¡°I said I can, never said I will, muck in ya ears or something gov¡¯?¡± Drake frowned, ¡°Were the skill stones, saving your life, and feeding you not sufficient?¡± he said, gritting his teeth behind his mask. ¡°They were lovely, but didn¡¯t ask you to do none of that. Let mend and say you offered those things, and you never said you wanted notin¡¯ in return,¡± Jacqueline teased a smirk on her face. ¡°Fair¡­¡­¡­.¡± Drake replied, his brow twitching in irritation. ¡°Haha! I like her! I can feel your frustration! Let it flow through you!¡± Natto cheered. Calm down there Sidious¡­ Drake thought back. ¡°Well then what do you want, for the reattachment of my arm?¡± Drake asked. ¡°A favor,¡± Jacqueline offered. Drake rolled his eyes, ¡°Yes, I get that. What kind of favor? I¡¯ll have you know I don¡¯t date women over 30. And I don¡¯t like long walks on the beach, sand and salt water freak me out.¡± Jacqueline¡¯s mouth flew open in a gasp and hung there for a moment before she could recover. ¡°W-what no! I don¡¯t want to date you, you bloody fucking moron!¡± Drake wiped an imaginary sweat from his forehead. ¡°Oh, susmaryosep. Thank god. I was afraid I was going to have another crazy bitch following me around,¡± he chuckled. ¡°W-wha. Huh? Uhh! You know what!? Fuck you g! You¡¯re off your rocker!!¡± Jacqueline shouted, and stormed off, in a huff. ¡°That was very funny. Yet also very stupid. Is it best to let her run off like that knowing she can heal your arm?¡± Natto asked. It¡¯s fine. She isn''t going anywhere. And she¡¯s already established she needs something from me and it has to be me. Drake chuckled, then looked at the remaining seven people. ¡°Ok, then what would the rest of you like to ask? I only have so much time before I need to kill some pests again, so please be to the point. I don¡¯t mind if you are rude. I¡¯ll just be rude back,¡± Drake exined, a smile creasing his face. The next person to step forward was someone Drake was surprised to see. She was much shorter than Drake, standing only about his chest. Her hair was matted from sweat and grim, the color dirty blond but from the filth or just the color Drake honestly couldn¡¯t tell at the moment. And Drake could see the familiar tattered clothes under the Leather Armor he had handed out earlier. The difference now was her deep brown eyes were no longer dead, they were lit with a fierce determination. The woman who had tried to escape when Drake had freed her in the forest was no longer there, but instead someone ready to stake her life on something. [ire Osberg Level 11] She looked Drake in the eyes, her voice soft and shaky, but the emotion behind the primal stare she held with him hit him like a ton of bricks. ¡°I want to help. I want revenge.¡± Chapter 75: Starting the Party Chapter 75: Starting the Party Drake looked the woman up and down again. She was still malnourished and her cheeks were slightly sunken. ¡°Have you eaten..? The best thing you can d-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat! I Don¡¯t want to rest! I want to help! I saw what you didst night, what you did in the woods! You can kill them all, I''m sure of it now! You can get them for killing¡­ killing my broth-¡± she began shouting in a tirade, but Drake raised his hand stopping her. ¡°No. First you eat, then you sleep. Then I promise you I will listen to what you have to say. A healthy mind lives in a healthy body, and your body is weak right now,¡± Drake said, amiserating expression on his face. ¡°Very funnying from someone who just snapped at someone a moment ago¡­¡± Natto chided. Guilty but, do as I say not as I do applies. Drake thought, hearing ire shout back. ¡°But!¡± ire tried to argue. ¡°No, buts. I am not going anywhere. Youe back in 6 hours or so after resting and filling your belly, and I will listen,¡± Drake said firmly. ire gave Drake a fierce scowl but turned back around and stomped off. ¡°It would seem you have a habit of pissing women off,¡± Natto giggled. True, it would seem my track record is getting worse and worse. Drake conceded. ¡°Next. What¡¯s your damage?¡± Drake asked. [Amir Fadel Level 10] ¡°Ah! Y-yes sire, er um Liege?¡± Amir started as he stumbled over his words. Drake ced a hand over his face, the sound of Natto cackling inside his head louder than his own sighing. ¡°I have to do something about the way Theo speaks,¡± Drake chuckled wryly, ¡°Look just Shot is fine. What did you want?¡± ¡°Yes um.. I heard your speech and saw what you did at the Goblin Camp and wanted to help,¡± Amir started. ¡°Okay so like everyone else? Is there something specific you want to help with? What ss are you?¡± Drake asked, feeling himself grow slightly irritated at the roundabout answers he was receiving. ¡°Do not be rude, he is nervous and wants to help,¡± Natto said, reprimanding Drake, anding to the young man¡¯s aide. Right, my bad¡­ I¡¯m just on edge, no that¡¯s a poor excuse¡­ I need to do better, I will do better. Drake agreed, sighing. Before the man who looked about 18 give or take, ck hair and fair caramel skin, and wore a simr leather outfit on top of tattered clothes could speak again, Drake apologized. ¡°My bad, I didn¡¯t mean to be so brusque about it. I¡¯ve just been¡­ nevermind it isn¡¯t an excuse. What is your ss, Amir?¡± Drake asked, his facexing slightly. ¡°You know my name? Oh, an identification skill! I um, I¡¯m an advanced priest ss? I guess? I can¡¯t heal anymore but I have support ss skills that are helpful but not¡­.?¡± Amir began exining but started to wince as he prolonged his exnation. Drake put his hand to his temples. ¡°Ok¡­ What skills? Can you show me?¡± he asked. ¡°Show?¡± Amir asked back confused. ¡°Just think of showing me the skill and ss you have, and I¡¯ll see a window,¡± Drake exined, a momentter a blue hued window popping up in front of him, [Wealth Maker Level 10] [Rare] [Wealth Maker] [Rare]
  • A support ss that helps improve the obtainment of treasure for themselves and their constituents.
  • A weakbat ss that earns its boon in that it gives massive buffs to wealth making and obtainment.
Skill: Treasure Trove P1(0%)[F Rank]
  • Increases the drop chance of higher Grade Items from defeated enemies. Extends to party members.
  • Increases the chance of drop by 10% from Common to Rare. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Increases the chance of drop by 1% from Rare to Epic. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Extra Effect: Monster Cores are removed from defeated Monsters you have in or assisted in ying, including Party Member Kills, and are ced into your inventory until full.
Skill: Experience Pool P1(15%) [F Rank]
  • Increases the gain of experience for all party members.
  • Increase the range of which party members can gain experience in rtion to each other.
  • Increase of 5% in experience gained (Increased based on Proficiency)
Drake¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the descriptions. Then eyed Amir confused. ¡°How on earth were you captured? Your skills alone would make you a coveted person no?¡± Drake asked. Amir¡¯s face turned downcast. ¡°Yes, at first that is what everyone thought. But without my healing spells I had nobatpetency. And my skill doesn¡¯t mention it in the descriptions but the increase in drop rarity doesn¡¯t seem to apply within the tutorial. So the experience gain I offered didn¡¯t help much when I was just a liability and the gain didn¡¯t outweigh the time it took to kill the monsters as well as the amount that was shared with me¡­¡± Amir exined. Drake took his words in for a moment then asked inwardly. Natto? ¡°Hm¡­ I would say that the experience alone makes him worth having with the amount of monsters you kill,¡± she advised. Sounds promising, but what about the other skill? Drake asked. ¡°It is a normal thing that the system does leave parts out in descriptions as you know. But a skill not functioning within the tutorial¡­ I am afraid I do not know. It could be a restriction on the skill by the sponsors, but that would only further cement that a Primordial is responsible¡­¡± she answered. Drake mulled over it for a moment. ¡°Amir, do you have open skill slots?¡± Drake asked. Amir looked hesitant to answer but after a short pause did nheless. ¡°Y-yes.. I actually only have my Main ss-tree filled and nothing else. The group I was with had a person in charge who hoarded the drops we got, and Because I wasn¡¯t helpful after getting my ss rank up they took the stuff I had gotten as a priest. I couldn¡¯t get more after that as I can¡¯t fight monsters in groups like others. Then they kicked me out and I was captured by the goblins¡­ But I promise I¡¯ll work hard! With how many you kill I¡¯m sure my skill will help!¡± he began shouting desperately, ¡°Please I just want to help! I¡¯m sick of being so useless after helping so much as a priest..¡± Drake looked at the man sympathetically. What do you think Natto, what kind of stones would he need? Natto didn¡¯t answer right away, giving Drake a moment to look out into the small group noticing one more familiar face. The gruff man he had knocked out in the Cage, his arms folded as he scowled back until Drake met his eyes. Drake gave the man a terse nod then listened to Natto as his attention fell back on Amir. ¡°Since he is a support ss, he would want the best avable. I would suggest Greed Stones just based on his ss. As far as Sub-tree stones¡­ It is hard pickings, he would want something in line with Soul Mastery. But for his second I do not believe there is one within the tutorial based on the monsters and what we have found so far. Possibly he could get something he needed from a quest reward, or the shop thereafter?¡± she offered. I thought quest rewards were random? Drake interjected. ¡°Only to a point. You will not receive something you can not use ss wise. You received even the Necromancer Stones that you can technically use even if there is a restriction on them based on the tutorial.¡± Drake hummed as he opened his inventory. ncing over the stones he had currently. He could give Amir a Soul Master stone, he had plenty from his run-ins with monsters. But Greed Stones were Rare, and he had only killed a small few of the Treasure Goblins so far. And the ones that he had killed recently, were still outside the walls. That left Drake with only one stone presently. Drake went back and forth in his head for a minute as he looked at the pensive Amir. Finally Drake sped the man on his shoulder. ¡°Alright, I think we can work with this. Go over there for now while I go through the rest of the people who showed up,¡± Drake told Amir, pointing to a spot near the tents. Amir nodded excitedly and ran back through the group. ¡°You are going soft¡± Natto hummed in Drake¡¯s ear. And you are being as bipr and annoying as I am, can you pick a mood please? Drake grinned. ¡°I can go back to threatening to stab you if that is what you are into, stupid, dumb, ape,¡± Natto fired back. Better. Drake smirked. Drake quickly fixed his expression as he saw the gruff man step forward. Drake cocking an eyebrow at the even gaze the man was giving him. They stood at about the same height, the man a little higher. Damn it, he¡¯s over six foot¡­ Drake cursed. ¡°Do you need something, or do you want to hit me for knocking you out?¡± Drake asked. The man scowled, then his face turned to one of remorse surprisingly. As the man scratched the rough stubble on his cheek. [Hudson Lawrence Level 12] ¡°I¡¯m not too good with apologizing, so you won¡¯t be hearing sorry from me pup,¡± Hudson said in his heavy voice. Drake screwed his face up at the word ¡®Pup¡¯ but stayed silent as he listened to the man. ¡°But even a stubborn bastard like I know when to say thank you. You did right by bringing me here, I¡¯ve always been stubborn and I wasn¡¯t going unless someone made me. Ah..¡± Hudson groaned, scratching the back of his head, ¡°I just wanted to say thank you,¡± he said, offering his hand. Drake was genuinely surprised by the man¡¯s candidness and took it with a firm shake. Drake could feel the roughness of his hand, reminding him of his friend who used to work in a machine shop. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, I did hit you after all. So we¡¯re square. May I ask where you used to work?¡± Drake questioned, letting go of Hudson¡¯s hand. Hudson raised his own brow at that. ¡°Used to be a Welder before all this tomfoolery. Got dropped in as a Warrior because I wasn¡¯t all that familiar with the exnation the man gave me in the white room. So I defaulted to whatever the first ss was,¡± Hudson exined. A man? Drake asked internally. ¡°Everyone gets a different construct,¡± Natto answered quickly before Hudson went on. ¡°Then when I got to level 10 I picked something familiar. Got myself turned into a Machinist. Get to plop some little metal pea shooters on the ground and they go to work. And it was doing just fine until they went and got busted up in a fight and I couldn¡¯t repair them.¡± ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Don¡¯t have the material to make more. Can use the regr iron the Kobolds and Apes had but it don¡¯t quite cut it anymore against them higher level cock suckers and the Goblins. They just tear through the damned things. Not to mention I need Monster Cores to power the little contraptions!¡± Hudson spat; like actually spat to the ground. Drake grimaced a bit but then changed his expression to a wide smile. ¡°Hudson! How strong would you say those little boys of yours are?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d say pretty damn strong. When we was fighting the Kobolds, they were going toe to toe, and the gunner ones? Could probably kill two or three before they went down on their own.¡± Drake patted Hudson on the back. An enormous smile formed under his mask. ¡°Oh, Hudson my surly old boy! I think you and I are going to be great friends!¡± Chapter 76: Let me get back to you on that. Chapter 76: Let me get back to you on that. ¡°W-w-what is that asshole¡¯s problem!¡± Chelsea shouted as she hurried back to the outside of her tent, ¡°That guy couldn¡¯t even hear me out! Sure, I didn¡¯t pick the best time but¡­ We need to hurry! I don¡¯t know what Chris might be doing to the rest of the group, to Megan!¡± Chelsea wrapped her arms around herself as she stammered on, thinking of how she could rectify the situation. Then her eyes found Jacqueline, hope blooming in her core until she saw the woman screaming to herself angrily. ¡°Jacky?¡± Chelsea asked as she closed in still mumbling something. ¡°Fuck that idiot! I¡¯m not even 25¡­! Bloody fucking asshole, how dare he even think I came over to get at him! Bastards probably a right virgin! Rubbernecking every girl that passes him! Fuck! I¡¯m not even 25!!!!¡± Jacqueline roared as she sat down next to Chelsea in a huff, her arms crossed. ¡°No luck then?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°Fuck that prick, wouldn¡¯t go back there if you paid me!¡± she answered. Chelsea sighed. No luck for her then either¡­ Chelsea thought as she looked back at the few people that were still hovering around Drake. They were slowly dispersing leaving only a small handful of people now, before the sound of another horn blew in the distance.
Drake turned his attention from the woman in front of him to the sound of the horn. ¡°Looks like that¡¯s my cue. Everyone who I¡¯ve talked to please stay together and familiarize yourselves. Once I¡¯ve beaten back this group I wille right back and we will get started on some things,¡± Drake shouted. Once he got a few nods, and hesitant ¡®Yes Sires¡¯ that forced him to shudder slightly and wince at the title, he moved past the crowd. Taking a light step forward heunched himself to the earthen rampart. Once he had a better view he slightly frowned at the field in front of him. ¡°I really have to do something about this. It¡¯s a literal mess and it¡¯s going to be a problem for sanitation soon,¡± Drake said, his eyes moving from Goblin corpse to Goblin corpse that was strewn about the field. Drake pushed his Aura out slightly and noticed someone next to him, who he assumed was Theodore. Then a bit more he felt some invisible figures below him on the other side of the wall drawing his gaze. ¡°Little rats¡­¡± Drake grumbled as he pointed a finger in their direction, forming a yellow magic circle that crackled to life. The lightning from the spell shot forward and arched between the two, a sizzle and shimmerter two Goblin Red-Caps slumped against the Outpost wall, charred to ck. [Subjugation Quest. 12 of 50 Red-Cap Goblin Assassin [F Rank] [Reward Experience. Communication Crystal [Common][F Rank] Drake looked back up and out to the forest treeline, but only saw sparse unconcealed Goblins here and there through the brush. ¡°Seems like they are changing strategies again, they aren¡¯t rushing in after the horn? Theodore,¡± Drake said. ¡°Yes, my liege?¡± Theodore answered, his head already in a half bow. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me there were Red-Caps below us? Do you not have an identification skill yet?¡± Drake asked curiously. ¡°This one regrets to inform my Lord that he was unable to acquire such a skill or spell in the initial rounds of stones thou bestowed upon me. Truly this one was hopeful to gain such skills when we returned but hath not a spare moment to do so with the new upants,¡± Theodore exined. ¡°Ah. Yeah, it has been a bit hectic. Alright, go get it done, I¡¯ll take it from here. It will be hard for anyone to be a lookout if they don¡¯t even have a detection skill..¡± Drake mused aloud trailing off. ¡°Might this one suggest my eternally bound. She is a ranger after all, and hast the ability of farsight,¡± Theodore offered. ¡°Oh! Wait, are you sure she¡¯s alright with being up here? She could get fired at,¡± Drake said pensively. Theodore brought his hand to his mustache and twirled it thoughtfully for a moment. ¡°This one has a perfect solution, please wait a moment my Lord I will be but a moment,¡± Theodore said, a small grin beginning to form under his facial hair.
¡°Why am I doing this again?¡± Tom asked worriedly as he held a shield in both his hands. ¡°That is. For the greater goodeth of the camp my young patron! My Lord must strike fear into the foul beasts remaining in thitherward forests, so thy must fortify our positions henceforth, and for that thou are most needed!¡± Theodore stated in a booming voice, Harley standing next to him with her bow, a face of disbelief. Drake snickered, as he listened in, keeping his gaze towards the forest. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I agree with this¡­ I may be a tank specialty but I don¡¯t think I can stop anything the Goblins throw at us¡­¡± Tomined. ¡°Hogwash! Should thou not be able to stop their said attacks through thou¡¯s skills. You must merely use your body to protect my eternal bound!¡± Theodore said matter of factly. ¡°I am beginning to believe you are rubbing off on poor dear Theo..¡± Natto murmured. Tis for the best, dare I say! Drake thought another chuckle forming in his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t like this! I¡¯m leaving!¡± Tom said as he began to scramble off the rampart. Drake finally had to step in. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just a moment Mr. Scaredy Cat, I mean Tom. Here,¡± Drake said, pulling an enormous tower shield out of his inventory, it forming a crack in the ground below them as it thudded to the rampart. ¡°This is something I got from one of the Lieutenants, it should stop anything in its tracks short of an attack from a General, and I¡¯ll be the only thing a General will want to hit because I¡¯ll be forcing them to deal with me, ¡®kay?¡± Drake said in confidence, checking the shield. [Mana Steel Tower Shield] [Umon]
  • 315 to 354 Physical Reduction
  • 420 to 440 Magical Reduction
  • 10% Critical Reduction
  • A Large Tower Shield made from Mana Steel. Has unusual durability.
¡°Nothing will get through this I promise man!¡± Drake said again, pping the shield with a gong, before leaning it towards Tom who nearly fell off the rampart trying to hold it up. Okay maybe it won¡¯t be okay.. This guy is a tank right? Drake thought, looking at Tom worriedly. ¡°That is what Theodore and the man himself said.. He should have skills pertaining to shields or durability if that is true,¡± Natto said just as worried. Hmmm¡­. Drake looked at Tom holding the shield and thought to do a little test, conjuring a small ice shard in his hand and pointing it at the shield Tom was holding. Letting it lose the shard collided with the shield and it was easily deflected upwards as it ricochet off the Mana Steel. ¡°Oh! Would you look at that!¡± Drake snickered in surprise, ¡°Okay, we''re good,¡± Drake smiled. All three of the other people present looked at Drake aghast. ¡°What? I needed to make sure,¡± he said his hands up in the air in a shrug. ¡°I used to think you were cool¡­ Now you tried to kill me! This is why they say never meet your heroes..¡± Tom said, shrinking away. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m no hero, never pretended to be. I just hit things that I think are bad and shoot magic at stuff,¡± Drake guffawed. Tom moved behind Harley. ¡°Mr. Shot I think you are scaring the poor man,¡± Harley finally said, a bit of exacerbation on her face as she looked out into the forest. Drake waved his hands dismissively, ¡°It is what it is. But hold that thought, I think I hear something? Or feel.. Something..?¡± Drake paused as he felt the ground rumble slightly under his feet, the small pieces of dirt on the rampart began vibrating. All four of them looked outward to the forest now, asrge contraptions began protruding the treeline. ¡°You are shitting me. Are we in LotR?¡± Drake shouted in amazement. Out of the forest began a horizontal line of medieval catapults counting well over twenty, all manned by teams of Goblins, at the head of each a familiar outfitted Goblin marking them as Squad Commanders. ¡°Are we in t-trouble?¡± Tom asked. Another sound of a horn blew and the line of catapults fired in session. Therge boulders of earth flying through the sky hurtling through the air. ¡°Shit. Like I said, hold that thought!¡± Drake cursed as he saw the number of projectiles in the air. He only had a maximum of five spells currently and his arm was constantly taking up one of them. He quickly snapped his hand, his arm disintegrating to dust in the wind as he formed a ball of water, crushing it to change to his Water Endowment for his next spell. Snapping again, Drake summoned five yellow magic circles in front of him and everyone on the rampart. Each one aimed into the air as they snapped and crackled, balls of lightning condensing on top of the circles. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to try this one for a minute, everyone cover your ears, it¡¯s going to get loud!¡± Drake shouted gleefully, as he snapped his mask into ce on his face. ¡°Sagitta Magica,¡± Drake began, the boulders in the air hurling closer by the moment, ¡°Convergentia Fulguralis,¡± he continued to chant as the magic circles trained to follow the boulders, ¡°Infinitus!¡± Drake roared as the sound of thunder filled the surrounding as all five of the circles fired off a booming shockwave of lightning crackling through the air. Each lightning ballunched through the air finding its mark with a boulder of earth each. The boulders shattering into dust in the air as they collided. But Drake¡¯s magic circles didn¡¯t fade after the initial gatling. Each one continued to form balls of lighting that fired. Everyunch of cascading lightning sounded. Almost as if Thor had struck his hammer on the rampart with each bolt as an endless number of them flew forward crushing the boulders in the air. After the boulders were exhausted from the initial firing and the catapults had to scramble to reload, they were met with a bombardment of Lighting strikes from above. The sound of the bombardment took the attention of the entire camp inside the Outpost as they heard the ear shattering sounds from the rampart then the impacts like distant thunder. Drake looked on, satisfied as he saw the strikesnd on each of the Goblin¡¯s constructions. The entire line in shambles and the Goblins manning them scrambling to run away. But before he could fully decimate the lines, he doubled over in a coughing fit. ¡°My liege?!¡± Theodore asked,ing to his side. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I just ran out of stamina¡­ Damn I¡¯ve been neglecting it haven¡¯t I¡­¡± Drake mumbled. Drake looked over his status and saw that it had hit rock bottom well before any of his other resources from the extended spell. Well that''s no good¡­ He thought as he brought up his stats, putting an even 70 into his Endurance bringing it to an even 200. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P2(7%) [F Rank], Empty] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 15 [Vitality] 264 (15%) [Strength] 306 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 200 (40 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 530 (15+15%) [Wisdom] 262 (15%) [Endurance] 200 (20 + 15%) [Free Points] 10 Much better! Now Time to clean up! Drake mused, as he ignored the feeling of Natto shaking her head. Chapter 77: A Team, Meet Sherry! Chapter 77: A Team, Meet Sherry! Drake took a moment to meditate now that the immediate threat was dealt with. Making sure to have Harley and Theodore keep a watchful eye on the treeline as he recovered his status. What felt like the blink of an eye for Drake seemed to have been 30 minutes as he was finally broken from his meditation. Theodore lighting rousing him with a shake of his shoulder. ¡°Sire, they are gathering further catapults,¡± Theodore said, bending down to get within eye level of Drake. ¡°More? I thought we just broke like 20 of them,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Yes, tis unfortunate to say, but tismendable that they have such a quantity of resources to throw hitherward. This one hast concerns for the rest of the participants in the tutorial,¡± Theodore reluctantly conceded as he stood straight looking at the gathering of catapults. Drake pursed his lips looking out at the gathering as well. ¡°Ehh, I wouldn¡¯t be too worried, there is Bear at Shigure¡¯s, not to mention Shigure himself, though I don¡¯t really know his strength. I¡¯m more worried about what is happening with the rest of the captives¡­ Theo, could you get the people I gathered earlier? I want to get them to work right away. Especially that girl ire, if she isn¡¯t at the gathering go find her please,¡± Drake ordered. ¡°With all due haste,¡± Theodore replied, running to the guard tower to make his way down the staircase to the floor. Drake watched and considered for a moment that he should have made stairs to the rampart. Making sure Theodore had left his view, he snapped his fingers quickly dropping an earthen staircase behind him forter. ¡°Imbecile¡­¡± Nattoughed. Drake didn¡¯t reply. Only coughing briefly before sticking his tongue out. ¡°Mr. Shot, what are you doing?¡± Harley asked, her arms hugging her bow. ¡°Just um. Tasting the wind.. Bit salty I think,¡± he chuckled, earning him a mental kick from Natto. ¡°I think they''re about to try again..¡± Tom said sheepishly. ¡°Then you best put that shield up. If anything happens to Harley, you won''t be just dealing with me, but another mage that can gopletely invisible,¡± Drake teased. Tom began to sweat as he pushed therge tower shield closer to Harley. ¡°Stop teasing the poor boy. Can you not see he is about to have a heart attack,¡± Natto chided but couldn¡¯t hide her light giggling. It will be good for him, bit of bullying might get his ass into gear. Drake chuckled inwardly. Drake quickly refocused as he saw the boulders fly into the air again, after the sounding of another Goblin Horn. Returning his mask back into ce, he again snapped his fingers this time opting for burning red magic circles to save on his resources for his spell. ¡°Sagitta Magica,¡± he began again in a low voice, the circles ring to life as fires pooled into balls in front of them, ¡°Convergentia Ignis,¡± Drake continued, changing the chant slightly, the fires turning to blue as they condensed, ¡°Infinitus!¡± he shouted as the spells screeched into the air colliding with their earthen counterparts, then quickly outpacing the amount the catapults were able to fire. ¡°I love that I don¡¯t actually know Latin and can use that, Negi you really are one hell of a teacher!¡± Drake said jubnt. ¡°Is he not 10? How does that work?¡± Natto asked. Not sure but you know. Anime. Drake thought dismissively. ¡°Negi?¡± both Harley and Tom asked. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just from a show I know¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Drake said, his ears turning a slight shade of red. Thankfully his mask covered up his reddening face for the most part. Natto giggled. ¡°Finally, I say again. People who do not understand your idiotic references.¡± That¡¯s harsh.. Anime is my lifeblood you know! Drake protested. ¡°Yes but that doesn¡¯t change that you are cringe beyond belief!¡± Natto replied. Drake sighed, not able to argue. Instead dropping down once again, beginning to meditate. This time Drake wasn¡¯t roused by Theodore, but instead the conversing of multiple people that slowly came into focus as he came out of his meditation. ¡°- is he going to wake up?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just sitting there¡­¡± ¡°I can hear you, you know,¡± Drake said, cracking an eye open to see a few more people than he was expecting. Nine in total. Looking at the group he could see Amir, ire, Hudson, Theodore, Tom, Harley and thest of the people he had decided to bring in, Sherry. Sherry was a special individual that Drake was looking forward to seeing grow. She stood at about 5 foot 2 and had a short side bob cut wearing sses that were cracked on the left lens. In addition to all of them, two more had appeared that he wasn¡¯t expecting to see for some more time, but better now than never. ¡°Miss Chelsea and Miss Jacqueline¡­ How wonderful of you to barge in and decide to join us..¡± Drake said sarcastically, stealing a nce at Theodore. ¡°This one apologizes, my Lord, but thy insisted that thee wished to make amends,¡± Theodore said, bowing. ¡°For what? Trying to entrap me? Trying to guilt trip me into helping them? Insulting my morals or insulting my intelligence?¡± Drake said, smiling at the two. Both winced as they heard the list. ¡°We plead guilty to everything but the entrapment,¡± Chelsea said. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t even get to speak long enough to try to do that one,¡± Jacqueline added, earning a re from Chelsea, ¡°My bad¡­ guess I¡¯m still shook up from the cannon fire earlier.¡± Drake wanted to snap at them but couldn¡¯t waste time. ¡°I¡¯m very busy, what do you want? If it¡¯s an apology I don¡¯t want or need it. There are far too many things going on around the oupost right now for me to care enough,¡± Drake said, standing up. Chelsea looked like she wanted to say something, but held herself back, taking a moment to think before speaking. ¡°I-We want to help. We¡¯re willing to do anything we can to help,¡± Chelsea began, resulting in a raised eyebrow from Drake. ¡°And in exchange?¡± Drake probed. Chelsea bit her lip, ¡°Only when you think the Outpost is safe enough. Then I¡¯ll ask.¡± Drake put his arm to his chin and mulled over whether he should allow them in on his n or not. Natto, how much will two more people burden my experience? Drake asked. ¡°It is negligible with the amount you kill, also with the addition of Amir they should counteract each other even with a party of ten,¡± she exined. What exactly is the distribution for the experience then? It doesn¡¯t make sense that that many people wouldn¡¯t be a detriment to the experience gain. Drake asked. ¡°Experience is not quantifiable in the sense you are imagining. Each individual will receive a different amount depending on a number of factors. Whether that be the amount they contribute to defeating said monster, or their ss orientation, rarity, skills affecting their gains or individual Rank and Race. There are many things that are put into it, but for the cut and dry it very much so will be about even. Monster or defeated persons experience is not a whole being split but an individual''s gain of their own pool of experience from the interaction and conclusion,¡± Natto exined. That¡¯s very helpful. So what you meant by negligible is that it won¡¯t affect me as much because I am the one doing all the heavy lifting, huh¡­ Drake thought. Somehow Drake could hear a very faint pping inside his head that ended the conversation. ¡°Hmm,¡± Drake hummed, ¡°What about my arm?¡± Drake asked evenly, looking at Jacqueline. She squirmed slightly under Drake¡¯s gaze but turned to Chelsea for guidance before answering. But Drake didn¡¯t miss the look. And after a seemingly quick exchange Jacqueline answered. ¡°I¡¯m thankful for what you¡¯ve done for us. All of us, yeah?¡± she said. ¡°But?¡± Drake added, beginning to be annoyed by the roundabout answers once again. ¡°But, Chelsea and I. We had a previous group, and they are being held against their will, even some poor bastards not even knowing the mad shit happening right under their snot filled noses,¡± she continued, ¡°And we want to help them before it¡¯s toote. So¡­ even, yeah? You save them and I¡¯ll heal your arm, square?¡± Drake bit the inside of his lip, and then moved his mask to reveal his face. Giving Jacqueline an even stare, he looked deeply into her eyes, making sure to glean any subtle changes in her expression as he asked his question, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s it? I have a sinking feeling there is more to that story that you are not telling me.¡± Jacqueline gazed back at Drake for a few breaths before she turned to Chelsea, Drake¡¯s eyes following. ¡°Well?¡± he asked again, this time directing it at Chelsea. Chelsea shivered slightly under his eyes, her body remembering theirst interaction by the gravesite. ¡°Th-there is more¡­ but please let me exin it in more detail once this ce is safe! I know it was selfish to ask in the way I did earlier¡­ I was desperate an-and I¡¯m in a rush to just get there quic-!¡± she began pleading before Drake raised his hand stopping her. Drake broke his gaze and looked back towards the forest, sure of the Goblins regrouping being imminent. Nevertheless he mulled over the offer, taking into ount how likely it was to find someone other than Jacqueline to heal his arm within the tutorial, where priests were raremodity already. I¡¯m going to go with it. I need my arm healed and they seem to be reflecting on their earlier behavior finally. Drake thought, internally shaking his head. It really does feel almost like having children. Drake thought, sighing. ¡°It is not like I can stop you, do as you wish, even if I do find it idiotic,¡± Natto said also sighing ¡°That''s enough, I''ll ept, but only because you asked so nicely. And I¡¯m a sucker for people crawling back when they know they''ve done something wrong,¡± Drake said sarcastically, a grin creasing his face, as both women¡¯s faces turned to scowls but stayed silent not wanting to argue, ¡°Then all of you. Wee to the A Team! First order of business,¡± Drake shouted his hand up in the air, then feeling awkward with not having two hands to emote, snapped another earthen arm into existence, then continued, ¡°Is for a little exercise in trust! Let me introduce, Sherry!¡± Drake moved next to the woman, cing a gentle pat on her shoulder as she gazed back at the group of people now looking at her, with little interest. ¡°I just want more food, bro,¡± Sherry said looking up to Drake. Bringing his hand to his head Drake sighed, ¡°God damn it, I have another Natto¡­¡± he whispered, but received a mental jab from Natto. ¡°I do not act like that!¡± she shouted. Drake rolled his eyes, then quickly addressed Sherry. ¡°Yes, yes. I will prepare you some more food once the massive fucking armies are dealt with ok?¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°Cool beans bro,¡± Sherry replied, giving two thumbs up, her expressionless face slowly curling only the edges of her mouth slightly. If Drake had not been watching her he would have missed it. ¡°Isn¡¯t she just a bundle of energy gov¡¯¡± Jacqueline said, her hand going to rest on her hip. ¡°Herck of sunlight, cortisol and B12 intake is of no concern. What matters here, is Sherry¡¯s ss and what we are going to be doing with such a unique, wonderful, caring, totally not life threatening skill!¡± Drake said, quickly deflecting. ¡°My Lord what ss wouldeth that be?¡± Theodore chimed in. ¡°Sherry,¡± Drake said, giving the woman another pat, her sses sliding down her nose, ¡°Is a Pactmaker! And you''re all going under magical contract!¡± Drake shouted, grinning. Chapter 78: Building Trust in a Murder Tutorial Chapter 78: Building Trust in a Murder Tutorial Drake looked around gauging the facial expressions of the nine people. Each one giving a different screwed up face in one way or another, save for Sherry who pushed up her sseszily and rubbed her stomach that growled loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Susmaryosep, what kind of monster do you keep in there?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten sincest night¡­¡± Sherry pouted. Drakeughed and produced a bag that quickly got him yelled at. ¡°Hey! Those are fucking mine!¡± Natto screamed. Drake willfully ignored the screaming construct and handed it to Sherry. ¡°Here, these will hold you over for now,¡± he said, offering the roasted nuts. Sherry¡¯s eyes shone like shining stars as she quickly became enamored, grabbing the bag from Drake¡¯s hands. ¡°Alright now that the hungry beast is satiated, we can talk about the contracts!¡± Drake said, turning to the rest of the wary group, pping his hands together. ¡°I already don¡¯t like governments, pup, what makes you think I¡¯m going to sign some contract with you?¡± Hudson said, crossing his arms. ¡°Sire thou knows this one wouldeth follow thee to hell and back, but a contract does seem rather dubious,¡± Theodore added, looking at Harley who now also had a pensive look on her face. Drake raised his hands in a pacifying manner and spoke, ¡°I understand what you are thinking but, no. This is not going to be a contract from me to you. On the contrary I will be going under contract for you.¡± This forced everyone to wear an even more confused look. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chelsea asked, stepping forward a bit. Drake took a nce at the forest, beginning to see more catapults being moved and made note that he had only a few more minutes before the next volley. ¡°Look I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I have a history of betrayal, well being betrayed. Which makes me very bad at trusting new people. I don¡¯t want to have to keep looking over my shoulder and having to run numbers on whether or not someone needs to be put in their ce or not,¡± Drake stated tly ncing at Chelsea, Jacqueline and Hudson, ¡°And I know some of you have good intentions in mind,¡± he continued, turning his focus to Amir, Theodore and Harley. ¡°And I also know some of you just in want revenge,¡± Drake took a final look at ire who was behind the group of people, staring into the forest with a murderous gaze. ¡°What does that have to do with the contract Sir?¡± Amir questioned, finally speaking up. ¡°Everything!¡± Drake shouted with some enthusiasm, ¡°I told you all to get to know each other right?¡± Everyone nodded, even ire who was mildly paying attention. ¡°So you all must have had a question or two you all asked each other about me, yeah?¡± Each nodded again, except Theodore who began twirling his mustache. ¡°So here is the deal,¡± Drake began holding up two fingers, ¡°Sherry can hold a contract per level, her level is 10, and we have 7 people here I can¡¯t yet trust explicitly.¡± Theodore looked around and counted, then frowned. ¡°Sorry Theo, Harley may be your wife but I¡¯ve only just met her,¡± Drake said consolingly. Theodore merely bowed lightly but kept a slight frown on his face, but there was no helping that. ¡°Back on topic. I will answer one question from all of you collectively, and I will help each of you in filling out your ss slots, sub-trees and skills. Under the condition you take a contract to not speak of what information I give you until after the tutorial. And in exchange, I will go under a condition for the contract to not harm you in any way, even if you were to try to harm me,¡± Drake said, closing his fist. Now it¡¯s just a matter of who wants it more. Drake thought looking over the group. ¡°What do you mean? It sounds like a very good deal for them, does it not?¡± Natto asked, confused. And that¡¯s the problem. If a deal is too one sided, the other party is going to be suspicious. I¡¯m basically offering them the promise of being able to kill me after they get what they want without repercussion. So the natural reaction would be to look for the angle on my side or turn it down outright. Drake exined. ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± ire said from her spot behind the group, ¡°Don¡¯t care about anything, just want to kill those little green cock suckers.¡± ¡°Well then¡­¡± Drake said, his eyes widening a bit at thenguage, ¡°Anyone else?¡± Sherry raised her hand next, ¡°Long as I get food, it''s chill.¡± ¡°Alright that makes two,¡± Drake counted off. Next Harley took a step forward at a nudge from Theodore. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine with going under contract as well Mr. Shot. ¡°Three.¡± Amir seemed to be thinking something over himself then spoke up as well, ¡°I have one question Sir.¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± Drake said quickly, his attention again turning to the line of catapults momentarily. ¡°What exactly is in it for you?¡± Amir asked. ¡°Outside of gaining the use of your skill sets, and building a team that is going to protect the rest of the people here so I can go kill the Big Dumb Green Monstie King?¡¯ Drake offered. Amir nodded, with the others looking over intently for the answer. ¡°Hmm.. Nothing honestly. If we¡¯re being transparent. I¡¯m the one losing out here. But that isn¡¯t the point. I¡¯m trying to build rtionships that will oust the tutorial and have you each help yourself so that when we are finally outside of it, you can stand on your own feet. Well, and eventuallye find me so we can continue working together. So I guess depending on how you look at it I am getting something out of it, but let''s just agree to call it, I don¡¯t know 70 30?¡± Drake mused. ¡°Fuck that,¡± Jacqueline said, next to Chelsea. ¡°80 20? 90 10? Ok, 99.99 0.01, final offer, but only because you¡¯ve pressed me,¡± Drake amended, earning him a roll of her eyes. ¡°Look, honestly it doesn''t matter, it¡¯s your choice, I¡¯veid my cards on the table. You get skills, levels and I get to benefit from your skills. I¡¯d say that''s pretty fair,¡± Drake offered. ¡°I agree, I will undergo the contract as well then,¡± Amir nodded. Hudson was next in scratching the back of his head, seemingly fed up with worrying about thinking it over. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t much like the bureaucracy of it, much prefer just a spit n shake but if it¡¯s how you''re going to do it, I don¡¯t see a problem. You are giving us basically everything we need to survive for a little hush hush,¡± Hudson chuckled, offering his hand. Drake smiled and shook it. ¡°I knew I liked you! Under that hard gruff facade is an emotionally understanding hillbilly and I love it,¡± Drake said. ¡°Damn right, and don¡¯t you forge- Wait what?¡± Hudson trailed off confused. Chelsea and Jacqueline were thest of the group, and exchanged looks but came to an understanding quickly. ¡°We¡¯re in only because we don¡¯t have a choice if we want your help,¡± Chelsea said tly. ¡°Fair enough. Don¡¯t care for the reason, long as you y by the rules, don¡¯t try to honey trap me again,¡± he said looking at Jacqueline, earning him a scoff, ¡°And are professional about it. And I do appreciate the honesty this time around, wins you both some brownie points. But only the regr brownie points. Not the double chocte cookie ones.¡± Drake grinned. ¡°Now,¡± Drake said, snapping his fingers. The next moment he conjured an enormous extension to the earthen rampart. A tform shot out from the wall, then turned upwards to form a small box covering, shielding the group from the rest of the people inside the camp. ¡°Here,¡± Drake began, his ears and tail receding, as a small pink haired construct emerged on his shoulders, ¡°Is the secret you will all need to keep. Meet Natto.¡± ¡°Hello Apes! May you live long and prosper under the benevolent tutge of the great and all knowing Natto!¡± she shouted puffing and sticking out her chest, her nose stuck high up in the air. ¡°Tis a pleasure to hast thou grace us once more Lady Natto,¡± Theodore said, giving a 90 degree bow. Natto nodded at Theodore¡¯s affirmation, but not everyone was in reverence of her entrance. ¡°Awe she¡¯s so cute!¡± Harley purred, Chelsea and Jacqueline following behind her to swarm Natto. Even ire turned her eyes from the forest for a moment to look at her. ¡°Her outfit is so adorable!¡± she continued, stretching a hand out, but was stopped short. ¡°Do not fucking touch me you filth!¡± Natto shouted, pulling a dagger from her sleeve. Harley recoiled her hand as Theodore chuckled slightly behind his raised hand. Drake alsoughed loudly. ¡°Feisty isn''t she?¡± Drake chucked, but ced Natto on the ground as he heard the sound of catapults loosening their payloads into the air, ¡°Alright get your questions ready, and Natto already knows your sses. ept the invites to the party and let''s get this ball rolling shall we?¡± Drake finished, mentally sending invitations to all of the people present. [Amir Fadel has joined your party] [Hudson Lawrence has joined your party] [ire Osberg has joined your party] [Chelsea Jackson has joined your party] [Harley Mongrass has joined your party] [Jacqueline Evans has joined your party] [Sherry Turner has joined your party] [Tom_The_King has joined your party] ¡°Who the fuck is Tom_The_King?¡± Drake asked, confused. After being nearly invisible even with hisrge tower shield, Tom finally piped up raising his hand. ¡°Sorry! You guys were just all sorta talking and I didn¡¯t want to interrupt so I¡¯ve kinda just been staying here silent¡­ I promise I won¡¯t say anything to anyone! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± he cried, ducking behind the shield. Drake face palmed amazed that he didn''t notice the man, but waved him off, ¡°Agree to the contract and you¡¯re square. If not, Natto has her way with you.¡± Natto¡¯s ears perked up at the mention of her name as she turned to Tom. ¡°Certainly! Bow your head now in resignation to this great magnificent one! I am a merciful lord, you sad excuse for an ape! Follow me wholeheartedly, and I shall turn you into the slightly below average ape you are truly meant to be!¡± she shouted at him. ¡°Wait, only slightly below average? What¡¯s average then¡­?¡± Tom asked. Natto¡¯s face went deadpan as she pointed her dagger at Drake. ¡°That one. He is the standard ape, gori, enemy of all constructs,¡± Natto said. ¡°I take that as aplement. Silverbacks are majestic creatures, and Bondo Apes scare the shit out of anyone. I heard on a podcast that they kill lions. Lions!¡± Drake eximed, before he had to focus up, snapping his mask back into ce. Drake turned to the iing boulders, it bing a regr urrence to have multiplerge boulders thrown at him. ¡°Well it¡¯s almost like swatting flies if you think about it¡­¡± he said looking up at the masses of earth flying towards them, ¡°Guess I don¡¯t need to hide the casting when I¡¯m with them now,¡± Drake smiled, conjuring the fire magic circles without snapping. Drake lined up four bellows of mes in front of him, his arm disintegrating once again, as the fifth and final one crackled to life. ¡°Short and sweet this time!¡± Drake roared as he poured mana into the mes, each one turning to blue one after the other, ¡°Big Seven! Sakura!¡± Each of the five blue balls of fire shot outward colliding with the boulders and bombarding once again the treeline destroying the catapults. ¡°You are doing it again! You only have five spells going, and you shouted seven¡­.¡± Natto yelled behind him giggling. A soft mumble of snickers followed. Drake turned quickly pointing at the small construct. ¡°Alright, no food for a week!¡± he shouted. ¡°Nooooooooooooooooo! You are a demon!¡± Natto wailed. Chapter 79: Why are you here. Chapter 79: Why are you here. Drake sat down on top of the newly made glorified box, looking out to the forest, his legs dangling back and forth as he listened to Natto rake the new people over the coals beneath him. He smiled each time he heard a dolt, imbecile or ape. Beginning to count them like a game as he made sure the Goblins were dealt with. After a few hours, they had been put through the ringer enough and discussed enough toe to Drake during a lull in the attacks. A quick tug on his pants leg from below alerted him to hop down. His gaze moving over the group that was slightly more amenable. ¡°All set?¡± Drake said, looking down to Natto. ¡°They are a bunch of fools! Not a single one has a full set of skills, not a single one took the time to optimize their skills!¡± Natto shouted her hands up in the air. Drake winced. ¡°But that should be alright as long as we fill the remaining ones correctly?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It will be difficult. Especially her,¡± Natto pointed at ire, ¡°her support ss is too specific and unique for the skill stones we are obtaining at the moment. She requires Lightning Stones and Water Stones, but we have only received them from the Generals at the moment, and each are of Rare quality. Luckily her ss skills give a substantial buff to your spells, so we should be able to manage until the end of the tutorial where she should, if she is lucky, be able to purchase the stones she needs through the shop.¡± ire deted at being called out, but it was needed to get the information out there so Drake could make sense of it and n ordingly. ¡°That¡¯s fine ire. Your ss alone is worth the investment, in fact even if we don¡¯t get a single stone for you to use I wouldn¡¯t call it a loss. Also there is a big thing I''m banking on for everyone once I squash the King!¡± Drake grinned. ¡°Be that as it may¡­ we have other problem children,¡± Natto pointed to Jacqueline, ¡°She is a healer but somehow hasn¡¯t been able to get her hands on Healer and Prayer Stones. Even after the ones you provided she will still need several to fill out. The old man does not need much, themon stones you have can finish up his empty skill slots, unless you wish to wait for rarer stones,¡± Natto exined. Drake looked over to Hudson, ¡°What do you think Hudson? Do your little guys need more bang for the buck or can they hold out until we get better stuff?¡± Hudson mulled over the question for a minute then answered his eyes inspecting the ceiling as he ran through the logistics. ¡°I reckon now I can only make two big guys, but with the pile of shit you¡¯ve given me and if you aren¡¯t lying about the mines, I can make as many of the stationary boys as we need. It will be really pricey but with some Mana Steel and quality Monster Stones, we should be cookin¡¯, he exined. ¡°Good, then we wait so we can get you to tip top toymaker quality,¡± Drake said, looking to Natto for more of her report. She sighed before continuing, ¡°Dear Theo¡¯s woman has filled up her slots, so there was nothing I can offer there, but as a pure ranger ss, she had little options of stones in the first ce. The annoying yappy one is also the same. Her skills are slightly better, surprisingly, but she is more of a reconnaissance based ss, somewhat a ranger version of Theo.¡± Natto¡¯s description earned her a quick re from Chelsea, but she went straight faced as soon as Natto red back, her hand reaching into her sleeve. ¡°The one of thest two is also going to need a lot of resources. You must already understand that young Amir needs Greed Stones for the majority of his skills,¡± Natto said, to which Drake nodded, ¡°But thankfully, the food snatching child!¡± Natto screamed then paused for a moment, ¡°Only needsmon Mage Stones outside the Restraint Sub-ss stone you picked up. Her main skillse from her base ss, and every other skill will only benefit the effects of those skills as well as keep her from dying too quickly as she does not have a single bit ofbat usefulness¡­.¡± Natto finished with a huff, ¡°And this one,¡± Natto pointed to Tom, ¡°He is¡­ I must be honest, even if he receives the necessary stones toplete and boost his ss. I certainly do not feel like it will be a well spent investment¡­¡± Drake changed his focus to Tom, as the man shirked away under the gaze. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do with the man either. He was supposed to be a frontliner but had no backbone to speak of. Drake wasn¡¯t willing to inflict purposeful trauma onto someone he hardly knew, so he was currently at an impasse on how to deal with Tom. ¡°Tom,¡± Drake said. ¡°Y-yes?¡± Tom replied. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Drake asked. ¡°What do you mean? I told you I just didn¡¯t want to interrupt. ¡°No I don¡¯t mean why are you here physically in this ce right now. I¡¯m asking what is your goal or what drives you to want to be here?¡± ¡°I-i mean I¡¯m a nice guy and just want to help, and I would hate to leave Chelsea and Jacque-¡± Tom was cut off by a bolt of lightning passing by his face. ¡°Leave the bullshit and the ¡®I¡¯m a nice guy¡¯ garbage for the old world. I¡¯m talking about real drive, real motivation. Amir here, who says the same, that he wants to help. I know he sees the injustice after being locked up in a fucking cage, and wants to change for the better. But you. Is the only thing that motivates you, chasing tail? Or being threatened by someone stronger than you?¡± Drake asked, his eyes going cold, ¡°Because if that is, then you''re worthless baggage here. With how things are now I don¡¯t need you if you aren¡¯t going to take this seriously.¡± The makeshift room went more silent as Drake confronted Tom. Chelsea and Jacqueline shifted back and forth ufortably, being mentioned by Tom. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know what you mean. I¡¯m just a nice guy and..¡± Tom repeated trailing off as Drake stepped forward. ¡°Tom, have you ever heard of the saying, nice guys finishst?¡± Drake asked. Tom nodded. Drake took another step forward, ¡°What about the term that nice guys aren¡¯t actually nice guys?¡± Tom shook his head, confused. ¡°How can someone nice not be nice?¡± ¡°Nice guys, nice men, men who are always polite and never confrontational. Do you know what they are? They are liars. They don¡¯t speak their minds, they never bring up when a friend is making a genuine mistake because they don¡¯t want to get into a fight. Nice guys, lie. Nice guys are snakes,¡± Drake spat distastefully. Tom backed up, eventually hitting a corner of the earthen room. ¡°If you want to say you are getting stronger, willing to kill monsters all for a chance to sleep with one of them,¡± Drake said pointing to Chelsea and Jacqueline, ¡°That¡¯s fine. And I would respect you more for being honest. But if you want to lie to me and tell me that you''re ¡®just a nice guy¡¯, who is doing nice things out of the goodness of your heart. Specifically for them. You are not only lying to them, but you are lying to yourself and it''s disingenuous.¡± Both of the women turned away from Tom and Drake, shifting awkwardly foot to foot. Tom began forming a cold sweat. Drake not breaking his gaze. ¡°I-I think they''re both pretty yeah¡­ Even Megan back at our old camp was really cool, and nice, and cute..¡± he stammered, Chelsea turning back with a scowl on her face, ¡°And I really just wanted to impress them, it¡¯s why I chose my current ss even¡­¡± Drake raised his hand and ced it on Tom¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright. There is nothing wrong with having attraction to someone. But you know why I pressed you?¡± Drake said. Tom shook his head. ¡°I need people who are going to have a baseline of honesty with me, and everyone on this team. I don¡¯t care if you like them, that is your prerogative and how you go about it as long as you aren¡¯t forcing yourself on them, or making them ufortable. I think it¡¯s fine. But, the best thing you can do is be the best version of yourself now. And do it for you first, because they won''t be the onesing to your rescue. Hell even I won¡¯t be. You are going to be the one who has to dig yourself out of your own shit every time when it boils down to it. You need to be strong enough to carry your weight and theirs. That¡¯s the ss you chose, that¡¯s the road you¡¯ve decided to walk. And I can help you get there, but you have to be the one to ultimately change and do it for yourself first,¡± Drake said, gripping Tom¡¯s shoulder slightly tighter. Drake quickly turned and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Sorry about that, I just have a big problem with the term nice guy. Last one did frame me, and try to kill me but that¡¯s a story I¡¯m not willing to share. d we got that cleared up, hope that wasn¡¯t too awkward haha¡­¡± Drake chuckled wearily. ¡°Anyway¡­ Now that everyone has a n for stones and such, what question have you all decided on to ask before we get the formal contracts all done?¡± Drake asked, trying to move the conversation quickly. The group looked to each other pensively after the scene Drake had caused out of nowhere. But Sherry seemed to not care in the slightest and moved at her own pace. Waving her empty bag of food in her hand she spoke up, ¡°They want to know what ss you are. Also I need more grub¡­¡± she pouted. Chelsea spoke up next agreeing with her. ¡°Exactly. I think the biggest question is what ss are you? None of us have ever seen someone use magic so strong, but be able to fight evenly with monsters of higher level in a brawl. It doesn¡¯t make sense when everyone so far has had to specialize in one way or another. Even if you had a high tiered ss would there even be enough points to go around?¡± ¡°sses,¡± Drake stated. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jacqueline asked curiously. ¡°Not ss, sses. I have two sses. And I wouldn''t worry about my stats, I do just fine.¡± Drake said again, rifying. Chelsea¡¯s mouth opened slightly then closed as if a light bulb lit up. ¡°That person was right then? You chose to start over with another basic ss? That¡¯s the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever heard how the fuck are you alive?!¡± she shouted. Drakeughed softly as he remembered his ¡®choice¡¯. Natto stepping to his side, the sound of her geta tapping on the stone below her. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. I rolled a one, three times,¡± Drake exined, his eyes zing over as he tried to block out the memory while speaking. Amirughed, then covered his mouth, coughing. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, or well very unlikely. That is a one in eight-thousand chance.¡± Drake justughed, remembering how unlucky he had been or lucky depending on how you looked at it as everyone looked at him in disbelief. It had brought up some very stinging memories and he needed to vent, feeling his frustration start to boil over from still not feeling as if he had reached his goal. ¡°I¡¯m going to go kill something, we can do the contracts in a little bit,¡± Drake said, nearlyughing the words, as he moved to the edge of the wooden wall of the Outpost. A secondter he snapped his hands summoning yellow circles of magic, each one crackling with more mana as the enormous balls of lightning grewrger than his previous spells. Without uttering a word he began firing the condensed spheres of energy into the forest, with no regard to where theynded, or if they were actually hitting the Goblins. Natto sighed from behind the eerilyughing Drake. ¡°I fear that you may have broken him,¡± she muttered, Drake¡¯sughing growing louder as he fired off more bolts of electricity, ¡°Yes, certainly you have broken him. Alright it would seem we shall have to break for a snack until he returns to his senses or exhausts himself,¡± Natto finished, pulling a bag of roasted nuts from her sleeve. Sherry spotted the food and moved closer to ask for some. ¡°No! Filthy peasant! These are for I, and I alone! Begone thot!¡± Chapter 80: Contract and Stipulations Chapter 80: Contract and Stiptions For several more minutes Drake let loose his own version of hell on the forest in the distance, surprising everyone by just how many spells he could cast without rest. Chelsea whispered to the others, ncing over her shoulder every now and then. ¡°Hey, is this really going to be alright? I think he may be crazy if he isn¡¯t going crazy..¡± Natto perked her ears up and kicked her in the shin, forcing a yelp out of her as the group looked down, turning their attention to the small construct. ¡°If he is going crazy, so are all of you, certainly you have all seen trauma while in the tutorial?¡± she began, scoffing, ¡°And you should all understand, that with every skill you gain, you change, and lose more of yourself to the abilities. Dra- Shot there has double your skill pool. So show some gratitude and respect you yappy mouthed bitch!¡± Theodore bent down trying his best to calm Natto, as he looked at the back of Drake still firing off bombs of fire into the distance. ¡°This one understands thy meaning Lady Natto, but thine neers haven''t hast the pleasure of being in my Lord¡¯spany for long,¡± Theodore spoke, then looked up at Chelsea in particr, ¡°Thou has only seen my Lord¡¯s barbarism, and this one understands that it can be a thorn in one¡¯s mind. But lest you forget the gracious deeds he hastmitted as well, filling thy bellies, giving thy roofs to rest under,¡± Theodore eyed the rest of the group as well now, ¡°Means to grasp power in thy hands.¡± Standing up, Theodore moved to Drake¡¯s side saying something the group couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°That seemed rather selfish to say, didn¡¯t it?¡± Jacqueline grumbled. ¡°The only selfish thing here is that two of you want to voice how your trauma and problems are more important than his,¡± Natto sneered, ¡°You are not the only ones who have dealt with hardship sinceing here. The only difference is that he understands that and does not fault someone for it, where you seem to want to chastise him for trying to ovee and deal with it,¡± Natto spat, turning to join Drake and Theodore. It was Tom¡¯s turn to speak up, ¡°She calls that dealing with it?¡± ire walked forward towards Drake and the others, before stopping and turning as well. ¡°I would say he''s doing a good job of dealing with it. Imagine if he truly broke like some of us, and turned those spells your way instead? Do you think you would stand a chance? He seems to be making the best of his situation, using his frustration, faults, and anguish to push himself forward¡­. And I¡¯m going to do the same, killing everyst one of those fucking green monsters with him. That¡¯s more than I can say for you,¡± she sneered, spitting thest word, ¡°Pussy.¡± ir walked off and stood at the edge of the rampart, waiting for Drake to calm down as well. ¡°Well that was just uncalled for¡­¡± Tom mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t think it was pup, you are kind of a wimp for someone who likes to talk so much,¡± Hudson said, walking past him, joining the group at the edge as well. Sherry walked without a word, her hand on her grumbling stomach as she mumbled the names of Italian dishes, her gaze distant. ¡°Well shite. Are we really the odd one¡¯s out again? Feels like we¡¯re the mad one¡¯s now¡­. It isn¡¯t looking good for us Chels if this is how the going is ganna get, ya know,¡± Jacqueline said. Chelsea bit her lip in frustration. Not sure where to go from here. At every turn so far she had slipped up making her situation worse by trying to rush the process of rescuing Megan and freeing the rest of the group from Chris. Looking over to the gathering group her fist clenched and shook, unable to hold back the anger and frustration of taking two steps back after just taking a step forward. But a gentle hand touched her shoulder giving her a life line. ¡°It¡¯s alright Chels, Mr. Shot is a nice man all things considered. From what I¡¯ve seen, even if all you have done is insult him recently¡­ It looks like he really values people who work hard, are trustworthy, and try their best to improve their situations. And I think you embody all of those even if you are rushing it right now out of concern,¡± Harley said consolingly, letting Chelsea rx slightly, ¡°I will talk to Theo about possibly having Mr. Shot making Megan and your group a priority. He did say he would listen to the whole story when he had a chance. You¡¯ve helped me before so let me help you. Take some time to think about the best way to exin your situation to him.¡± Harley gave a gentle smile earning her one back from Chelsea as Harley moved next to Theodore, linking her arm with his. ¡°That girl is too precious for this world,¡± Jacqueline murmured next to Chelsea. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a real sweetheart¡­ It amazes me she married someone that speaks in gibberish that is wrong half the time..¡± Chelseaughed wryly. ¡°Is it wrong? Well ain''t that just par for the course for fake it till you make it innit?¡± Jacquelineughed. Chelsea trailed off as she looked at the now calming Drake. I really will have to think about how to speak to him¡­ Damn it..
Drake took a deep calming breath, that both eased his mind but also gave him air for his aching body. He looked up at his status and saw that he was almost on empty. But not only did he empty his tank, he had also managed to do nothing at all, other than burn the forest. His carpet bombing of the forest hadted him a whole whopping total of zero experience. But he had relieved his stress and that was something, and totally not a cope for him. ¡°Ok..¡± Drake huffed, ¡°Now for the contracts.. I answered your question but I guess a little more is needed for the exnation other than just ¡®I have two sses,¡¯ so would anyone like more boration?¡± Drake asked, looking around. Surprisingly no one spoke up, each one just had a face of concern. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked, snapping his mask off his face and cing it to the side of his head. He also snapped to form another earthen arm to his shoulder, his status slowly filling up, but not nearly as quickly when he meditated giving a feeling of slight apprehension. ¡°We- I¡¯ve never seen someone use spells like or in the amount you do. How in the world do you have the mana pool for that, Sir?¡± Amir asked. ¡°Skills? Having two sses helps a lot too,¡± Drake replied honestly. ¡°What skills?¡± Amir asked again. ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t say just yet,dy¡¯s got to have her secrets ya know,¡± Drake said winking, ¡°But in all seriousness,¡± Drake began, motioning to Natto and bending down to pick her up, she disappearing again with the appearance of his ears and tail once again, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you allter. I may have opened up a bit but we have all just gotten started, everyone has to earn that trust over the next couple days.¡± Drake took a moment to look over the people gathered, noticing some people missing, but they soon moved from the makeshift earthen room, and joined as well. ¡°Now, anything else before we get this underway?¡± Drake asked one final time. ¡°Food¡­.¡± Sherry said, pulling on Drake¡¯s ck sleeve. ¡°After¡­ I got some of those boars in my inventory. So I think I can whip up something really good. If the Goblins are good for nothing else, they carry quite a lot of spices,¡± Drake told. ¡°Fuck them! Get the contract over with,¡± ire snapped. Drake looked over sympathetically. ¡°Alright then, Sherry if you would.¡± Sherry grumbled a bit but grabbed Drake¡¯s hand, as a pure white magic circle formed below them. ¡°Infallible Mistress of Truth and Law. Be my witness in the writing of this tying of destiny. Form Creation. Of Truth and Law,¡± Sherry chanted, the power beneath them fading slowly. The next moment a prompt showed up in front of Drake, as he felt a pull of manae from his body. Would you like to form a Contract with Sherry Turner?
  • Details of this contract are as follows.
  • You may not harm the contractor in bona fide in any form.
  • You may not retaliate in any form to the contractor.
  • The contractor will not disclose any information deemed confidential between parties that has been agreed upon prior to contracted agreement.
  • The Recipient will be required to protect the contractor for the full duration of the tutorial, under penalty of harm if broken.
  • Breach of Contract will result in a punishment of loss of experience.
Drake stiffened at the terms, not sure he liked the wording of ¡®under penalty of harm¡¯ and ¡®loss of experience¡¯ but he did agree to help them, so it almost went without saying. Lay in the bed you make, they always say. Know how far this ¡®harm¡¯ goes Natto? Drake asked. ¡°I do not, but in most contracts it is reciprocal, so I would venture to say that if they were harmed you would be harmed in a simr way. This would only go for significant injuries, cuts, broken bones ect. You will not be getting small paper cuts as rpense,¡± she answered. What about this loss of experience? How much are we talking? Drake asked, his hand moving to his chin. ¡°Standard contract ismonly one level. The more requirements, details, stiptions and uses as well as the more powerful the contractor the stronger the punishments. So it is a blessing and a problem that the hungry mongrel is only level ten,¡± Natto exined, irritation in her voice. Got it. Thank you. And takes one to know one, don¡¯t be too hard on Sherry. Drake replied almost chuckling. ¡°I want to add a small change to this,¡± Drake said. Sherry looked up at him annoyed, as if he was wasting her precious time to get her food. ¡°Make it so the harm won¡¯t count if a person inflicts self harm,¡± Drake said evenly. Sherry grumbled but quickly began recasting her spell, the magic circle forming and a new prompt appearing in front of Drake. Would you like to form a Contract with Sherry Turner?
  • Details of this contract are as follows.
  • You may not harm the contractor in bona fide in any form.
  • You may not retaliate in any form to the contractor.
  • The contractor will not disclose any information deemed confidential between parties that has been agreed upon prior to contracted agreement.
  • The Recipient will be required to protect the contractor for the full duration of the tutorial, under penalty of harm if broken. This does not include harm inflicted by self of the contractor.
  • Breach of Contract will result in punishment of loss of experience.
¡°Perfect,¡± Drake grinned. He mentally epted the contract, and felt another pull of manae from his body, and a chime in his head. [You have entered a Standard Contract with Sherry Turner] Drake gasped slightly at the jarring feeling of his mana being forcibly pulled from him. Sherry doing the same. The feeling of the mana tethering between them in the most subtle way after was hard for Drake to grasp unless he focused on it, but he did not miss the change. His eyes catching the smallest of pure blue threads connecting them. Fuck is it going to be like that for all of them. He chuckled sarcastically. ¡°I did not enjoy that¡­ That foodter better be good..¡± Sherry grumbled, hunching down. Drake scoffed, ¡°The Chef never disappoints,¡± raising himself up Drake grinned, ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± After a few long arduous minutes Drake received the Contracts of all eight party members, everyone leaving him slightly more exhausted than thest. Fuck, I think I might need to actually sleep after this. I haven¡¯t felt this tired since starting the tutorial. He thought. ¡°This many contracts for your first time dealing with them would be quite exhausting. It is good that you have such pointed regeneration skills,¡± Nattomended. Drake smiled inwardly as he looked at his newly formed group of future confidants. ¡°Good now that we have that out of the way, I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s time for a good meal to christen the deal, but the Goblins won¡¯t let that happen it seems,¡± Drake sighed. In the distance the sound of a horn and drums roared and drummed, signaling the approach of another wave of Goblins. Out of the treeline rose a line of heavily armored Goblins, each one wearing a tower shield simr to the one Tom held. Behind them the rolling sound of the catapults and thrums of footsteps as battlements of hundreds of foot soldiers followed suit. ¡°Lovely, looks like they''ve upped the ante. How amodating,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Lets see just how well this new team works together shall we? I can¡¯t wait, it¡¯s like Team 7 is back together!¡± ¡°Was that team not only consisting of three members? You have double that you buffoon¡­¡± Natto sighed. Drake continued to smile, once again willfully ignoring Natto¡¯s correction that was in fact very correct. Chapter 81: The Beginning of the Siege. Chapter 81: The Beginning of the Siege. Drake rolled his arms stretching out the muscles that were bing more and more fatigued from the constant fighting he had done over the past two days, preparing himself for yet another. But was stopped as he looked to his status. Shit, I¡¯m still running low¡­ Drake thought embarrassedly. ¡°Yes, well that certainly happens when you go on a rampage of killing absolutely nothing. Maybe you will learn to vent in a more productive manner next time,¡± Natto chidded. Drake couldn¡¯t argue with her on that. He had certainly lost his cool, resulting in the situation. Thankfully he did have a small contingent of mana left, and with his Water Endowment he was slowly ticking up. But it would still take him quite a while to fully recover his pool. ¡°Bad news, I blew my loa- mana pool so we are going to have to rely on everyone else for the time being! Hudson, how many of your boys do you have ready?¡± Drake asked, coughing his near slip. A snicker and cough came from Amir. It would seem the young man had caught Drake¡¯s freudian mishap, but didn¡¯t bring it up and continued to listen. ¡°Got none of the Big Guys made since they take a long time to build ''n all. The stationary ones, I got two made, and can set the rest of them up but it will take a spell,¡± Hudson said, his mouth moving side to side as he eyed the Outpost walls, chewing on the side of his mouth while he gauged it. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem¡­ How much damage output can your sentries deal to those Lieutenants you think?¡± Drake asked. Hudson mulled over the question for a minute but reluctantly sighed and answered after thinking. ¡°Son, I¡¯m sorry but I haven¡¯t had to go against one yet. These boys will take care of the average Kobold, no sweat, and with how high up we are I don¡¯t think them normal Goblins will be a problem, long as they don¡¯t get a hit on them. Thing is¡­¡± Hudson grumbled, looking out at the massive sea of monsters, ¡°I only got so many to go around. Damn near endless bullets don''t help much when you only got four guns to pepper them with,¡± he finished shrugging his shoulders. Drake nodded in understanding. ¡°Right well that helps enough to give us some time if they get close enough. Set up what you can, and start churning out the little guys. We can worry about making the bigger ones when we have some time to spare. Tom!¡± Drake said pointing, the man jerking at his name being called. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± Tom answered, doing his best to stand up and not shirk away like before. ¡°Time to show your guts! Your job is to block anythinging in that wants to break those little ones, got it?¡± ¡°Y-yep!¡± Tom shouted back. Drake then looked at Sherry, Amir and ire. ¡°You three, back to the box or you can go down behind the wall, we don¡¯t need more targets on the wall.¡± Sherry just waved her arm, Amir nodding reluctantly, but ire grumbled and spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide! I want to help!¡± she shouted. ¡°And you will, I know what your buff does and I will need it when I can use arger spell. But until then I need you safe and out of the way. If I have to pay attention to protect you I can¡¯t focus on recovering. I understand your hate and need for revenge, believe me. But you are no help to me until I can cast somethingrge enough to deal with them,¡± Drake said evenly, looking at her in her blue eyes. ire wanted to say something, but bit her lip in frustration, turning to walk back to the makeshift earthen room with the other two. ¡°I¡¯m going to make them pay¡­ I promised¡­!¡± she mumbled under her breath. ¡°Strong hearted that one. She will need help to recover her mind in time though¡­ She is hurt in a way only time will heal,¡± Natto said, with sympathy in her voice. Wow that was actually very kind of you. I¡¯m proud of you. Drake thought, smiling at the back of the woman. ¡°Silence you ape, it is in to see she is the most hurt among them. Even a blind man could see such,¡± she snapped back. I know. I just hope I can give her what she needs to grieve ande to terms with herself. When there is time I¡¯d like to hear what happened.. Drake replied. ¡°Pain recognizes pain as they say.¡± Who says that? ¡°I do. Now shut up and get to it, those little green boogers in their toy cars are getting closer,¡± Natto pointed out. Drake turned over his shoulder and sure enough, the line of Goblins began marching closer. ¡°Hudson hurry and set up. Tom, protection. Theo!¡± Drake yelled. ¡°Yes my liege!¡± he answered, nking his cane to the floor. ¡°Set up your illusions to distract them while Hudson sets up what he can, we just need to buy some time for me to recover.¡± ¡°It would be this one¡¯s utmost pleasure!¡± Theodore shouted back in reply as he moved to the side and began chanting his ¡®Stage y of Illusion¡¯ a ck magic circle forming below him. On the edge of the Outpost¡¯s wall a myriad of monsters began spilling over and charging towards the oing horde, but they would only buy so much time. ¡°Thankfully we still have that other skill Theo has, the AOE fear right?¡± Drake mused, ¡°Alright now for you three..¡± Drake said, looking at Jacqueline, Chelsea and Harley. Chelsea and Harley both had a bow in hand, and quivers strapped to their back. The only difference was the jewelry adorning Harley, small gleans of green here and there. Drake popped another two rings and earrings into his hand, handing them out to Chelsea. ¡°Here,¡± Drake offered. Chelsea cocked an eyebrow, ¡°What are these for?¡± ¡°They''re Dexterity rings. Or would you rather have strength ones?¡± he asked. Chelsea and Jacqueline¡¯s eyes went wide. Chelsea¡¯s hands hesitating to grab the jewelry, but paused as she inspected them. ¡°May I have two strength based ones as well? My skills do scale off dexterity, but my base damage will increase on strength so an extra 20 points will do a whole lot in the long run,¡± she asked pensively. Drake looked over to Harley, her eyes meeting him as she shied away. ¡°Ah, so you need them as well Harley? You know you can just ask. I don¡¯t bite¡­¡± Drake chuckled, popping four more strength based essories into his hand. Jacqueline looked as well expectantly. ¡°Sorry, unfortunately I don''t have anything other than strength and dexterity,¡± Drake said, putting up his left hand, showing two green rings, ¡°If I did I¡¯d be wearing them. But they are on the list.¡± She quickly deted, but Drake couldn¡¯t do anything about that at the moment, instead he addressed her again. ¡°Your job is pretty obvious but if anyone gets hit we need you to heal them up. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go over your skills but do you have any bubbles or is it just red healing?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Bubbles?¡± she questioned back. ¡°Yeah.. Like shields or white health? You know what, just shields. Do you have any shielding skills?¡± Drake said, scratching his cheek. ¡°Dumb geek..¡± Natto giggled. Drake stifled a sheepishugh as Jacqueline answered. ¡°No, I¡¯m just able to heal regr vitality.¡± ¡°Still that¡¯s excellent. Then keep an eye on everyone. It''ll be my job to watch you until I can go on the offensive alright? So stay close, but not too close, don''t want you getting any funny ideas,¡± Drake joked, grinning. Jacqueline scoffed and crossed her arms, a cudgel appearing in one hand. ¡°Now,¡± Drake looked back at Harley and Chelsea, ¡°I don¡¯t think either one of you can deal with the catapults so leave that to me for now, it¡¯s going to hinder my recovery a bit but we don''t have a choice. I want both of you to prioritize hitting anythinging too close that might break the gate,¡± Drake exined, looking out and spottingrge trees being brought up the middle of some of the squads of Goblins, ¡°Things like those rams, or any of the Lieutenants that look extra nasty, I¡¯ll try to help where I can but don¡¯t count on it exclusively. This is something I need you two to do, you are the only ones who can right now.¡± Both of the women nodded and gripped their bows, then moved to guard towers where they had a better vantage point. They both began knocking their arrows and firing. Each arrow glowing a mix of green and red as they were loosed. Drake smiled d that they didn¡¯t argue with him. The sound of the catapults letting loose their cargo into the air forced Drake to turn. ¡°They¡¯re starting kind of early with this?¡± Drake mumbled, snapping his mask into ce with one hand. Using his other hand to do the same, summoning two circles of crimson red in front of him. The fireballs were smaller in size and did not turn blue due to Drake¡¯sck of mana to fuel them. He wasted no time and fired off the balls of me in the direction of the sparse first volley of boulders. The fireballs collided and exploded with the boulders, but with theirck of power they did not fully disintegrate the rocks into dust, instead the boulders shattered intorger fragments. With their momentum halted they fell downward on top of the Goblins below, squashing and rolling over the soldiers underneath them. Drake flinched, recoiling slightly. ¡°That is no way to go¡­¡± ¡°No more than they deserve, fuck those jackoffs,¡± Jacqueline spat next to him. ¡°That¡¯s fair. War is war after all¡­ How is the experience?¡± Drake asked, wanting to change the topic. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, nothing monumental though looks like, no levels just yet, but feels pretty brilliant. Think I¡¯m just a tad bit off till I get my next level innit,¡± Jacqueline said, looking into the distance slightly, most likely looking at some of her screens. ¡°Must be Amir¡¯s buff at work, I can''t imagine ten people sharing experience and not having it be brought down significantly,¡± Drake said, as he watched the line of monsters slowly encroach closer and closer. Jacqueline nodded, but only looked out, her shoulders slightly shaking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry they will never get close enough,¡± Drake said, cracking a grin behind his mask, ¡°I¡¯m going to try to speed up my recovery, every time they fire those catapults feel free to hit me to wake me up.¡± Jacqueline smiled, her small shiver evening out. A secondter she smacked him in the side with her cudgel. ¡°Fucking ow! I said wake me up with it, not just hit me!¡± Drakeined. ¡°I needed to make sure how hard I could hit, ya get me?¡± she said, keeping her sinister smile. ¡°I think I might have made a mistake, signing these contracts to not hit back¡­¡± Drake sighed, sitting down into a meditative position. What felt like a secondter he was abruptly woken up. Jacqueline pointing upwards with her free hand at the iing boulders. Drake nced at his mana bar quickly, simultaneously snapping three red magic circles to life. He had recovered slightly more to 20% but it was still slow going, and he had to increase his number of spells this time to match the increased number of projectiles in the air. Drake took out the projectiles and eyed his mana dipping down a bit below 20%. He refocused on the catapults and needed to make a decision to expend his mana to take them out now, or let them slowly chip away and hinder his regeneration. His eyes darted to the iing line of Goblins getting closer and closer to the door, but Theodore¡¯s illusions soon stopped them as they shed with the front of the squads, a secondter the sound of gunfire rang out. Drake turned to his right seeing the now erected turrets that looked like small sentry guns out of a sci-fi peppering blue hued bullets into the side of the Goblins from above. There were a total of 5 now and more being produced on the wall of the Outpost. The steady influx of notifications showed the power of the turrets, but that soon stopped when the Lieutenants came to ce their shields in the way of the hail of fire. Drake looked down at the steady moving mob, but he was forced to ignore them. The flood of monsters moving forward was slow, and he had time to spare if only barely for them. The bigger problem were the catapults in the back, acting like heavy artillery. He needed to put a stop to them so he could focus on helping with the front. Drake grit his teeth as he snapped changing to his Ice Endowment for the increase in spell damage. His earthen arm eroded and disappeared as he summoned five crimson red fireballs in front of himself, all trained for the backline of the Goblin army. Right where the catapults were. He was forced to use his stores of mana in its entirety to send off enough fireballs to strike the catapults down, not being able to make use of his unique spell making skill. But even with that he was not able to get all of the catapults. However, he was able to get enough of them that any further aid from the wooden monstrosities would not be too bothersome. The barrage of spells had exhausted Drake¡¯s mana, forcing his spells to cancel, and his hair to go back to its jet ck color. His tattoo receding as well. Drake wasted no time and dropped to the floor getting into another meditative position, waiting only long enough for his mana to tick up so he could snap his Water spell to life and change to his Water Endowment, his hair cascading to blue once again, his eyes closing as he focused on recovering. It¡¯s going to be a long night. He thought as he depend into his meditation. Chapter 82: Siege P. 2 – Going Nuclear Chapter 82: Siege P. 2 ¨C Going Nuclear Another blink of the eye passed for Drake, he was then abruptly woken again. The itch of being hit by Jacqueline¡¯s cudgel forced him to rub the side of his arm. But what irritated him more was the sound of banging against wood, and the feeling of many monsters around the wall. ¡°Did I oversleep or something? Why are they so close already?¡± Drake asked, looking upward at the dark sky, ncing at his status as he did so. His mana was still low but not overly so, sitting at about half, but it was still not enough for a spell to wipe out the remaining Goblin Horde at their gate. At least not normally. ¡°It was bloody hard to wake you up! Sleep less like a thick rock won¡¯t ya?¡± Jacquelineined, as she ran to the other side towards Hudson, Theodore and Tom. Drake looked for a moment, noticing the build up of the sentry guns on the wall, bringing a grin to his face. Kinda cool how sci-fi fantasy that is.. We definitely need more of those, like a lot more. Drake thought. ¡°You have quite bigger problems to deal with currently than you gushing over your nerdy passions,¡± Natto interjected. Drake coughed, but turned to the gate. The loud banging continued as the Goblins rammed the gate withrge pieces of timber. The Lieutenants covering the ones holding the ram with theirrge tower shields. ¡°Yes, that does seem to be a problem¡­¡± Drake looked over to the guard tower, d to see that Harley and Chelsea were doing fine, and still bombarding the Goblins below where they could. Unfortunately it did not seem that the peppering of gunfire or their imbued arrows could prate the Lieutenants¡¯ Shields right now. ¡°Oh is it time to be the hero? I like where this is going¡­¡± Drake smiled behind his mask. ¡°Oh lord, please no¡­¡± Natto sighed. ¡°You know, I¡¯d like to tell you about a story,¡± Drake started, his brows shimmying up and down. ¡°Please do not.¡± ¡°This man trained all his life to be strong.¡± ¡°Please I do not care! Make it stop!¡± Drake smiled widely behind his mask. ¡°But this man could not ovee a nuclear bomb! So there was only one option!¡± Drake shouted, spreading his arms. ¡°ire! Are you ready for your first taste of vengeance!¡± Drake yelled his head turning to look over his shoulder, the woman scampering up next to him. For all her fury and ire she seemed fragile and timid when the time came. ¡°I-i, I¡¯m ready!¡± she finally shouted back, her hands pressed against her chest. ¡°Then let us make it rain pain upon them,¡± Drake said, doing his best to stay firm against his giddiness for the spell he was about to unleash. She nodded and began chanting her own spell. ¡°The heavens shine brightly down upon thend, but the world will not be protected from the rumbling of my heart! I call down the rain, I call down the thunder! Be blessed in your fury my people!¡± she chanted, arge yellow magic circle forming below her that shifted to blue, then back, ¡°We are the wind of change! We are the storm that crashes upon the world! Storm Caller¡¯s Rising!¡± A thunderous crash sounded as ir finished the spell. Her body enveloped in a blinding white lightning as it struck her from above. She stood unharmed as she gasped from the power of the spell. Then began to fall from her exhaustion, only to have Drake catch her in a princess carry. Bringing her to Amir and resting her down gently on the floor. ¡°You did well, I will make sure to kill everyst one of them,¡± Drake said softly, but ir had passed out from the exhaustion of the spell, ¡°Make sure she¡¯s safe till she wakes up Amir. Counting on you,¡± Drake said, winking. Do you know what thatst option was, Natto? Drake asked internally. She stayed silent, but Drake knew she had the answer. It was to be nuclear himself. Drake smiled widely underneath his mask. [You have been affected by beneficial magic from a party member.] Storm Caller¡¯s Rising is in effect for 30 seconds.
  • All lightning affiliated magic has reduced cost of 50%
  • All lighting affiliated magic is increased in damage by 150%
  • All lighting affiliated magic takedowns replenish resources by 1%
Drake leapt to the edge of the Outpost¡¯s wall, and began his swift chanting of his defensive skills. ¡°I am the shield, I am the rampart! Bulwark! I am the wall on which my enemies billow, Unbreakable! On blessed wings! Guardians Reprieve!¡± In quick session three shes of green covered Drake. A fourth sh of green snapped to life at his fingertips as he crushed it to gain speed with his Wind Endowment, his hair and tattoo cascading to green as they red to life. Drake shot forward into the crowd of Goblins like a missile, crushing the piece of wood he had leapt from beneath his feet and speeding to the center of the horde. Drake threw his feet forward crushing the skull of a Goblin as hended, forming a crater around him. Every Goblin surrounding him turned and threw whatever they had at him. ¡°ytime is over!¡± Drake shouted, the timer on the buff ticking down slowly, each second stretching out as his Adrenaline Acuity extended them to as long as possible in his mind. The weapons and magic of the Goblins shed against Drake¡¯s defensive shields, shattering them quickly. [Reprieval Charge Gained] Drake grinned, snapping his fingers changing to his water endowment for the regeneration. Wanting to inch out every bit of regeneration for the spell. Looking upwards he teleported before the weapons and spells of the Goblins could harm his flesh. Now above the monster horde he looked down in glee. Snapping his fingers, an enormous yellow magic circle formed above him, his left arm raised as the lighting sparked to life in his hand, growing and condensing rapidly in the fractions of seconds. Drake¡¯s ability to manipte mana folds greater than before since losing his arm. Snapping his finger again two smaller light green circles formed in front of his face and at the bottom of his boots. Drake looked down and spoke, his voice changed to an ethereal pitch from the wind magic. ¡°Let the true meaning of Almighty be carved into your Souls!¡± Drake roared, almostughing the words, the lightning in his hand pulsing with every word as it condensed and expanded, sparks flicking outward looking for somewhere to escape, but Drake could pour more and more thanks to the Storm Caller¡¯s Rising. ¡°I!¡± Drake softly uttered the word, the wind magic at his feet whispering to life underneath him, it orienting him downwards to the ground, right at the horde of Goblins. ¡°Am.¡± The wind magic at his feet exploded shooting him downward like a falling star from the sky. Throwing his hand forward, he lit up the sky with the condensed ball of Lightning mana. Drake screeching towards the ground. ¡°Atomic.¡± Thest word reverberated even though he had whispered it. The sound of the word cascading out over the horde just a breath before Drake¡¯s impact with the ground, his fist embedding itself into the ground. On the impact of Drake mming his fist into the ground below, his magic exploded underneath the open ins floor that the Goblins stood on. In a beautiful cacophony of explosions and rubble being thrown upwards below the Goblins, the ground cracked and scattered, lightning bursting through the floor in every crack, every splitting of rock. The explosion shot up and then outward. Growing exponentiallyrger with every beat of the explosion, thest of them forming a cascading effect as the world was illuminated by the spell. The party on the wall looked on in amazement and awe as they lost count of the number of monster kill notifications, andpleted quests they received as a result of being in the party. [Shot has defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Zvic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Nomivic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Senuvic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Ocuvic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Lieutenant: Enoic¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 20] [Experience Earned and 150,000 TP inpensation as a party member] [Shot has defeated Goblin Footman Level 15] [Experience Earned and 1,000 TP inpensation as a party member] ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­.. ¡­.. ¡­ And the kill notifications continued to roll in, as each person in the party found themselves level up from the well of experience they had received. ¡°Well, looks like I bet on the right horse after all..¡± Hudson said, looking up at the pir of white lightning as it slowly began to wane. Each person looked at the center of the impact, to see Drake standing there inside a massive crater that he had created. Drake only stood still for a moment after the spell had dissipated. His hands then curling at his side as he gave a guttural roar of triumph, his head turning to the gate where many of the remaining Goblin¡¯s and their Lieutenants stood bbergasted at the spectacle they had just witnessed. Surging forward Drake quickly dispatched them, adding to everyone¡¯s experience and TP gain before he turned seeing thest remnants of the Goblin army that had assailed his outpost running desperately for the forest beyond the carnage. Moving swiftly Drake sped after them, catching them in handfuls as he moved from group to group slowly making his way into the forest. Only one person speaking up in the momentary silence in the lull of Drake¡¯s rampage and spell. ¡°Hey, isn''t that from an anime?¡± Tom asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. Chapter 83: Cooking, Cleaning and no rest Chapter 83: Cooking, Cleaning and no rest [You have defeated Goblin Butcher [F Rank] Level 17] [Experience Earned and 500 TP] [You have defeated Goblin Butcher [F Rank] Level 18] [Experience Earned and 700 TP] [You have defeated Goblin Forester [F Rank] Level 12] [Experience Earned and 300 TP] [New Quest! Subjugate 200 Goblin Forester [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Random Piece of F-Grade Equipment] Drake pulled his shaped earthen spike for an arm out of the chest of the Goblin he held the throat above the ground. He turned looking over the small clearing further into the forest that he had ventured into. Scowling as he panned over more cages filled with people, some chained to trees. After his shy spell in the ins, Drake had recovered fully thanks to the replenishing effects of the buff ir had given. This let him clean up the rest of the monsters around the wall of the outposts. He was also pleased to find out that everyone in the party had gained a level from the fight, Sherry gaining two going from level 10 to 12 all in the same fight. Drake after making sure that there were not any stealthed monsters near the Outpost, chased to finish off the retreating Goblins wanting to take the fight to them for the first time, giving them some real rest hopefully once he cleared them out in the immediate vicinity. What awaited Drake instead was small camps set up in a semi-circle around the Outpost further into the first, Each one set up with logging operations to build the catapults, and vast amounts of supplies to keep the fighting to them. Drake had made quick work of the camps so far, not having trouble with any of the monsters that defended them. What troubled Drake was the number of cages and people they kept with them. Drake had finished raising two camps to the ground and out of the two there was a total of 100 people at least scattered throughout them. The people, not all being in the cages made the fight somewhat difficult as well. As he couldn¡¯t userger spells to dispense of the monsters, having to use more precise measures and take the fight hand to hand. Once Drake had cleared out the camp, making sure that the captives were ok then ced anyone not in a cage inside one momentarily as he went to the next. Drake looked around the third camp he had arrived at, scanning the surroundings for any lingering Goblins. Satisfied he had killed everyone, he took to the trees where the captives were chained to. On the way, he picked the key from a Jailer¡¯s neck, hoping the key matched the locks. Thankfully, they did and he unlocked every person¡¯s chains. ¡°Alright, get in the cages until I return, I still have some more of the forest to clear,¡± Drake said stony, his gaze hazed from the prolonged battle and having to witness the atrocities the Goblins were performing. ¡°W-who are you..?¡± a man said, rubbing his wrists. ¡°I¡¯m no one,¡± Drake looked around at some of the people that he was unable to save fast enough, his mind going to the tables the Butcher Goblin had that he would rather not think of, ¡°Someone who¡¯s been a little toote recently¡­ Now get in the cage I don¡¯t have time to argue.¡± ¡°But what if theye back?!¡± he shouted. ¡°Then you will be safe in the cage until I get back. I won¡¯t leave you here to rot, but I have other people who need to be freed. Now move or I will make you move,¡± Drake said firmly, walking to the cage. The now-freed captives looked around at the carnage following Drake until he opened the cage and helped them in. Drake left as much food and water as he could fit inside the cage as he had done for the rest, and quickly closed the cage and locked it, ignoring theints of the ones inside. Drake shot forward his hair changing from his red crimson, to a brilliant yellow, his speed increasing to a level most people would not be able to follow with their eyes. ¡°Drake I understand you being cold, but do not forget that they are victims, not the perpetrators. Also do not forget that you are not responsible for what has happened here. The Goblins are the ones who did this to them, it is not your fault that you could not save some of them,¡± Natto said, trying to console him. ¡°It isn¡¯t that¡­ I¡¯m not egotistical enough to think I can save everyone. But I can¡¯t help but think if I tried a little harder I could have maybe saved at least some. I¡¯ve never been one to expect or calcte for loss, that just isn''t something I want to ept. I know now that it¡¯s something that happens but I want to struggle and fight so that it''s as small and little as possible. I want to get strong enough to make it zero,¡± Drake said looking forward as he transverse the forest. ¡°That is.. admirable but please do not hold it all on your shoulders you are just one person.¡± Drake didn¡¯t answer. He knew she was right, and it was pure hubris to think that he could stop all the losses in the tutorial. But that was not what went through Drake¡¯s mind. The more Drake saw how much power he was umting he couldn''t help but think that he might have no choice but to stand up not just for himself, not just for his family, or his friends. But now for his own ideals atrge, the people that were under him, the people who needed him, maybe even his entire race. Was he kidding himself? He couldn¡¯t possibly know. There were billions of people before the tutorial, it would be a facy to think he was the strongest and it was up to him, but that didn¡¯t stop him from feeling responsible. In the midst of his internal dialogue, Drake came to the next camp, a shriek sounding. A few meters ahead of him was a Butcher dragging a woman across the ground to a table dyed in red, the monster only noticed Drake for a second before Drake¡¯s hand gripped its head, pulling it off of its body with such force, it stood stock still before it slumped to the floor. Drakended then quickly doubled back picking up the woman in his arms, then stopping next to a tree, the sound of horns and drums behind him. ¡°Stay here and out of sight, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Drake said, before he snapped his fingers, his hair shimmering white. Converging on Drake was the mass of the Goblin Camp. Footsoldiers, shamans, butchers, and jailers. Every monster holding some form of weapon or spell in its hands. But Drake was in no mood. With deadly precision, he moved through the flood of monsters, at the tip of his right earthen hand, an orange magic circle quickly moved and changed his forearm to a molten goop. In his left, his Tattoo red to life with increased mana. His right hand pierced through anything it touched with a sizzling of flesh and scorching of innards as he pushed it into one Goblin¡¯s head to the next, using each body he put down as a foothold to shoot forward to repeat the process. His left arm did the same as it pulled and threw Goblins in every direction. Within seconds he had taken down the camp, a trail of havoc and smoldering bodies behind him. Then he felt another figure enter his aura¡¯s field. Looking over his shoulder Drake wasn¡¯t sure if he should be happy or irritated. [Obitk¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [New Quest! Subjugate 10 Goblin Knights [F Rank] [Reward: Experience. Tutorial Points. Random Piece of F-Grade Equipment] Walking in from the tree line was a mass of gray iron, with only small gaps showing green, its white teeth clenched underneath its metal visor. In its hand was a broadsword, in the other arge kite shield, that had blood smeared across it. Drake snapped his fingers, his arm eroding as his hair and Tattoo shimmered to orange, his arm reced by an icy crystalline prosthetic. The two stared at each other momentarily, locked in the tension. Drake grinned behind his mask, ¡°I hope youst more than one punch. I need to let off some steam. Marked!¡±
¡°Staring out into the forest isn¡¯t going to make hime back any faster Theo¡­¡± Chelsea said, but she too looked out making sure to keep her identification skill up for any Red-Cap Goblins that wanted to get too close. ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Shot is just fine, Theodore,¡± Harley said consoling him, her arm pulling him in close around the shoulder, ¡°I don¡¯t think there''s a single monster out there that can even hurt the man.¡± Theodore continued to look out but ced a gloved hand on Harley¡¯s, ¡°Tis not the vile monsters that lurk those woods that this one fears. Tis thy monsters that walk falsely in human flesh that haunt me,¡± he said softly, as his free hand moved to his thigh. ¡°What do you mean by that love?¡± Harley asked concerned. ¡°Let us just venture, that there art just as worse beings in the tutorial that doeth unspeakable acts. Barbarism and cruelty tis not exclusive to monsters,¡± Theodore finished. Chelsea grimaced next to him, hearing his words. She knew well what he was alluding to. Behind them, a grunt sounded, as Amir spoke up. ¡°ire is waking up!¡± he shouted from beside the woman in the earthen box Drake had made earlier. ¡°W-where am I?¡± ire mumbled hazily, her eyes snapping to attention, ¡°The Goblins! Did he kill them?!¡± she shouted, gripping Amir''s shoulders. ¡°Y-yes Shot, Sir Shot, managed to kill them all thanks to your spell. You should check your stats and levels, we all gained at least one from the fight thanks to it,¡± Amir exined, a weary grin on his face. Everyone¡¯s attention turned again as Hudson spoke up from his fiddling with another sentry. ¡°Looks like the crazy pup ising back. And he brought a whole mess of lost sheep.¡± Out of the treeline came Drake, following behind him a line of well over one hundred people. Each no worse for wear than they had been when he had rescued them not long ago. The line of people passed Drake as a few began to sprint for the Outpost over the battered and ruined field in front of it. Drake followed up the rear making sure everyone made it out of the forest. ¡°Looks like we best get down there and help out, yeah?¡± Jacqueline said, as she turned for the earthen stairs, the rest of the group following behind her. ire was thest to follow as she slowly recovered herself and looked out over the destruction she had not witnessed. ¡°I helped him do all that..?¡± ire murmured under her breath, her eyes turning to the line of people slowlying through the gates. She moved from the wall to overlook the mass of peopleing, spotting Drake as he came through the gatest. He patted Theodore on the arm and gave a shake to Amir and Hudson. Only giving nods to the rest that met him. Apparently, he felt ire¡¯s eyes on him as he raised his head and grinned giving her a goofy thumbs up, then tossed her a crystalline stone. [Skill Stone: Lightning] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Lightning tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot. Have a Mage-Based Main ss-tree unlocked] ire held the stone in her hands for a moment then pressed it against her chest. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need it!¡± she hollered to him. She saw Drake shake his head, holding up two stones. ¡°Nope, don¡¯t worry I found some very helpful Goblins who happily gave me some.¡± ir couldn¡¯t help but crease a grin, but quickly went back to her near-permanent scowl as she looked down at the stone again, reminded that she needed to get stronger herself so she could help wipe them all out.
¡°Alright, looks like we have a hefty new batch of people. And I need a bath like Ma needs a girlfriend,¡± Drake chuckled, walking past the new group of people towards the grouping of tents in the outpost. Behind him, the gate closed and he began getting everyone settled once again. ¡°Ok!¡± Drake shouted, this time using his wind magic to amplify his voice, ¡°Clothes and weapons you can use are here! Tents here! Put them up yourself, if you need help, find someone. If they say no, you tell me and then they get no dinner! No one likes going hungry so let''s all be friends yeah? Food will be prepared by yours truly in an hour on the other side of the already-made tents! I¡¯ll be setting up tubs of warm water near the Mines in that direction,¡± Drake pointed, ¡°Take what you need to clean yourselves inside your tents. No one get any fresh ideas or I''ll kick the shit out of you! Everyone good? No? Don¡¯t care, you got three rules to follow in this Outpost, ask one of the nice people who have been here for a day already what they are! You break them, I break you! Have a lovely evening!¡± Drake finished his tiresome speech, an insurmountable amount of confused faces looking back at him, but he picked out one with his finger and curled it to have here over. ¡°Yeah?¡± Chelsea asked her brow raised, ¡°Nice introduction, almost as good as the intro constructs..¡± Drake wasn¡¯t pleased with what he found out in the forest and ignored her jab. ¡°After I¡¯ve finished making dinner, you, Jacqueline, and I need to have a talk,¡± Drake said evenly, ¡°Find me by the graves once you¡¯ve grabbed some food and are done eating, I¡¯ll be there the rest of the night anyway.¡± Drake walked off to the area he had indicated for dinner, not waiting for a response. Theodore appeared next to him for only a moment before Drake said something inaudible to him and Theodore ran back to Harley, they both moving to the top of the Outpost wall. Jacqueline walked up next to Chelsea, her hands crossed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look to be in a fine mood, bloody bastard looked like he had seen war crimes,¡± she said. ¡°Jacky, If I¡¯m being honest. I think he might have,¡± Chelsea replied. Chapter 84: His name is Chris Springs Chapter 84: His name is Chris Springs Drake retrieved as many barrels as he could from his inventory, cing them in rows of two alongside the outskirts of the tents. He then began to fill them with steaming hot water quickly. Just as quickly was a line forming, every person who was inside the Outpost eager to wash the filth from themselves. Some were more eager than others as pushing and shoving began to break out amongst the people waiting. Drake sighed and quickly snapped his fingers, a loud boom sounding from the light green magic circle in his hand. He had used wind magic to amplify his snap, getting everyone¡¯s attention. Using the same spell he made his voice heard. ¡°Everyone ys nice, or you ruin it for the rest of the ss,¡± Drake said, his gaze going over the crowd, ¡°Any more fighting, and no more free stuff.¡± Those who had been fighting hastily moved back into line. With some sparse grumbling here and there, the lines began moving smoothly once again. ¡°You have learned some very neat tricks recently,¡± Natto snickered. I need them for some of the stuff I will be doing now¡­ And the better I can control the smaller stuff, the easier it will be for therger destructive spells. He thought, replying. ¡°It seems you have reached another poor state of mind¡­ Do you care to speak on it?¡± Natto prodded. I¡¯ll be alright Natto. Thank you. If I had to say something it would be that I¡¯m concerned¡­ Drake thought, moving himself to the cauldrons he had set up before, and set up many more rows of them for the neers. ¡°Concern?¡± Drake moved his hands quickly, setting up therge pots, campfires, and spit roasts. Yeah. I¡¯ve started to notice it more and more with every fight I¡¯m having¡­ but I am bing increasingly enthralled in thebat. I- I¡¯m only feeling something when I¡¯m on the edge. These fights are barely cutting it anymore. And that¡¯s not all¡­ Drake trailed off, skewering an already-skinned boar from his inventory, and cing it on a fire. Drake began seasoning and filling the pots, and boars he had set up before he was interrupted by Natto. ¡°That is not all? What else is changing Drake?¡± she asked, concern apparent in her voice. Right¡­ I can feel¡­. Well, I can feel my humanity fading each time I level up. It¡¯s strange, it¡¯s as if I¡¯m performing a habit that I don¡¯t understand anymore. The smiling, the interactions, the talking, and sympathy in general. When I saved those people¡­ I didn¡¯t feel sorry, I didn¡¯t feel the same amount of empathy I know I should have. That I knew I used to have. It felt like I was just going through the motions because I knew I should. I only feel alive, feel something more when I fight now. Is that the effect of the skill stones? He asked. ¡°It is one of the drawbacks of the higher rarity stones, you are also progressing impressively fast. Making me fear that your psyche may not be able to keep up to the trauma you are facing,¡± Natto exined. Trauma? I don¡¯t think I need that type of sympathy, you should save that sympathy for those who are actually being abused, Natto. If you haven¡¯t noticed I¡¯m the one shelling out the punishment for the usedtely. Drake scoffed, filling another pot with water, food, and seasoning. ¡°That is trauma, Drake. You may not feel it because you have gone through it so much as ofte, but you are killing thousands, snuffing out lives, even if they are monsters. But not weeks ago you were just a normal man watching tv shows and drawing on your tablet for a living. You are far too unforgiving of yourself,¡± Natto warned. Forgiveness isn¡¯t something one gives themself. It¡¯s salvation given by the grace of others. Drake thought, a realizationing to him. I see, I know what I have to be then. I will do what I must to survive, I will be whatever this tutorial and system needs me to be in order to protect what¡¯s important to me. Damned the consequences. I will let someone else judge me when the time is right and it¡¯s all over. ¡°Well that is rather dramatic, but if that is what you wish, I will help you do so. May we stand trial together, you dolt.¡± Drake smiled underneath his mask, finishing thest of the pots. He looked up to see a line of people again forming near the food this time. Drake quickly picked out a few people and gave them instructions for the food. ¡°You, you, you, you, and you. Turn the pig every five minutes. You, you, you, you, and yes you. Stir the pots every ten minutes. Pigs are done in two hours, the pots are done in an hour. Don¡¯t burn my food,¡± Drake said, moving his mask to the side and grinning. Unsurprisingly his joke did not go over well with the new people as they had witnessed an even harsher side of Drake than the previous saved. His grin visibly shaking some. Well, aren¡¯t they rude¡­ Drake thought, snapping his mask back into ce and walking over to the graves. ¡°Yes, well. They did see you put your molten hand through quite a few Goblin faces¡­ Not to mention what you did to the first Knight¡­.¡± Natto chided but then winced after remembering the scene. Hey. I wanted to try out how water magic could work if you put the water in the monster. And now I know. He snapped back. ¡°Yes, you, the Goblin, the Goblin reinforcements, and everyone inside the Cage next to the Goblin now know. And I am sure they appreciate it greatly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I put out the hot water!¡± Drake said aloud, offended. He felt Natto give a mental shake of her head, and he turned to the rows of the graves. ¡°At least I don¡¯t feel as much now, so this sucks less I guess... Who am I kidding, it sucks even if I can¡¯t feel the pit in my stomach,¡± he mumbled, beginning to dig the first hole in a new row. Drake continued in silence for nearly an hour before he felt a pair of people draw closer, and he could only guess who they were as he would have heard Theodore calling him. ¡°Well, this is bleak¡­.¡± Jacqueline said. ¡°Jacky¡­¡± Chelsea whispered. ¡°My bad, love. Never been good with these types of situations¡­¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Drake said, not bothering to turn, ¡°Not knowing how to handle something like this means you haven¡¯t had to deal with it. I envy you for that.¡± ¡°Mr. Shot¡­¡± Chelsea started but a raised hand from Drake cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for sympathy. I¡¯m not the one who died. Save it for them if you want to give it,¡± Drake said, unintentionally cold, ¡°....Sorry I¡¯m dealing rather poorly with some things¡­. Just.. No, Please tell me about this friend of yours you want me to do about it. You¡¯ll have to forgive me for multi-tasking but with everything, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll have another chance.¡± Chelsea and Jacqueline exchanged a look. Jacqueline gave a nod to Chelsea and she stepped up next to Drake. ¡°The man¡¯s name is Chris Springs,¡± Chelsea started, but this time Drake turned. ¡°Wait the blond prick? Good looking, tall, nice smile, rather charismatic, but secretly an asshole with an evil juicy center?¡± Drake asked, his brow raised. ¡°Y-yes¡­? How did you know?¡± ¡°He tried to get me into his little group at the start, I turned him down because... Nevermind. So you want me to kill this guy ''cause he¡¯s too good-looking, maybe turned you down, or did something then?¡± Drake offered. ¡°Drake!¡± Natto snapped. My bad, I jumped the gun. ¡°Sorry, my intrusive thoughts got ahead of me. Continue,¡± Drake said, moving his mask off to the side so he could show his sheepish smile. ¡°No- Um,¡± Chelsea said, slightly confused, ¡°You hit the nail on the head pretty much¡­ Chris seemed like a nice guy at first but his true nature quickly showed when the tutorial started throwing stronger and stronger monsters at us,¡± Chelsea said, moving in tandem with Drake as he made grave after grave, ¡°He used his charm to get close to 50 people together at one point, but what we didn¡¯t know was that he had done so only to have himself be protected.¡± Drake spun his finger in a circle, asking Chelsea to turn for a moment. Sheplied and Drake ced the remains of a person into the grave, then moved to the next. ¡°Protected how? From the strength he showed when he grabbed me I assumed he was a warrior?¡± Drake asked. Chelsea stayed where she was for a moment, looking to go over something in her head before speaking. ¡°He apparently had people he knew in the tutorial. And they found people who were easy to manipte¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ so he tried for younger people, mostly women. And men he thought he could easily bring under his wing and manipte to do what he said,¡± Drake offered, his thoughts turning to Tom. ¡°For the most part, yes,¡± Chelsea agreed. ¡°Ha! That means he thought you were easy to manipte. I always knew you were an imbecile, even the stupid evil viin guy thinks so!¡± Nattoughed. Drake ignored Natto as he listened to Chelsea go on. ¡°I was much the same, they found me a little after... I had been chased out from the group I hade into the tutorial with and had run into them. The one who vouched for me and helped me get into the group was¡­ Megan.¡± ¡°And this is the friend you want to save?¡± ¡°Yes! She¡­ She is the one who kept me from going crazy all those restless nights in the dark. I will do anything. Anything you ask! Even¡­¡± Drake held up his hand. ¡°Please. I have enough crazy women around me, I do not need more. And value yourself more. I understand you want to help your friend, but I was going to do so regardless,¡± Drake turned to look at Chelsea, an endearing grin on his face, ¡°I only needed to know how much you cared for her. And from what I can tell just from this is that you do so immensely. From the fight earlier I can also say you know how to take a hit and stand back up. You obviously don¡¯t like me, but decided to work with me regardless to help her. And right now in this situation that is good enough for me.¡± Drake fully turned to face her this time. ¡°You and Jacqueline have only just be a part of my group, but I can tell you are good people. Even if one of you, or well both of you, have a smart mouth. But anyone who can willingly sacrifice themselves for another¡­ For friends and family. Is someone I¡¯m willing to help. All you need do is ask me,¡± Drake said, holding out his hand, ¡°Preferably politely,¡± he added with a light chuckle. Chelsea looked bewildered at Drake, her face quickly changing expressions in rapid time. Disbelief, concern, anger, shock, joy, gratitude, and relief that then finally turned into a smile. Her left hand moved to meet Drake¡¯s, her other covering her mouth, as she whimpered behind it, tears of relief and joy cascading down her face. ¡°Please save my friend. P-please save my friend Megan!¡± she shouted behind her hand, soft gasps resounding through the area. Drake gave her hand a firm shake as they met. ¡°With pleasure,¡± Drake said, ¡°Now if only Jacqueline could learn to be just as polite.¡± ¡°Piss off, bloody idiot!¡± she shouted from behind. ¡°Baby steps, we¡¯ll get there,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Now let¡¯s go see a mustached man about finding an evil viin!¡± Chapter 84.5: Title – The Dazzling Tyrant Chapter 84.5: Title ¨C The Dazzling Tyrant Ahhhh! Magnificent! Such beauty, such inspiration! Thought Aono. Ahhh I must draw this! Quickly! Aono quickly summoned her mana stylus and mana paper, both produced from her only skill as an Artist. Aono was a one-track mind type of woman. She loved to draw. She found inspiration from anything. The birds flying in the morning sun. The construction workers ordering around theymen as they built buildings or roads. Even the sight of people eating at a roadside stall. Anything could and would be used for her art. And once she was pulled into the Tutorial by some infernal system, she lost her ability for the art she loved. The system pushed onto her a ss she cared not. Of which she chose mage, and begrudgingly became efficient at it, as the use of the staff they provided allowed her to somewhat ¡®paint¡¯ with the mana she found. Her happiness spiked however when she found the option when reaching level ten to change to an Artist. She cared not that it would remove all of herbat potential and make her a nonbat ss. All that Aono cared for was being able to draw once again. Properly draw. No more using her staff as a makeshift utensil to draw in the dirt. She had seen so many scenes in this tutorial. And every single one had inspired her to draw, but she could not, leading to dull sleepless nights, writhing in frustration, her desperately wanting to. It was all she could think of. All she could dream of. And now finally she could. Now finally she had found it, found him. The most brilliant subject. The pinnacle of inspiration. The way the man moved from Goblin to Goblin, tearing them to pieces with such grace and poise did everything for her. Her eyes could not be torn from him. His hair, that cascaded from color to color. His eyes changing just as quickly. The devilish ears of pink fur he wore, the same pink squirrel tail he donned. The stylish ck robe trimmed in gold, a shining gold shoulder guard adorning his left shoulder. His fiendish red, ck, and white half mask. Its frightening teeth held the cool de of white in their grip. The subtle two fresh scars on the side of his face, one just above his right eye. His use of his spells and brutality sent shivers down her artistic spine. She could barely hold back a girlish scream as her pen moved over her canvas. Elegance! Truly elegance in its purest form! I must paint him! This scene! It must be done! I have a moral obligation!!! She shouted in her mind. The people within the cage with her screamed and shouted annoyingly, but what was worse they moved in and out of the way of her view of the man. She was forced to stand up from her sitting position to get to the edge of the cage. The man quickly dispersing of the Goblins. Then Aono saw him. The Goblin warrior who stood across from the man. ¡°It¡¯s the epic Jojo stand-off!!!¡± she squealed, earning her a few confused nces. She put ¡®brush¡¯ to paper as she quickly put down strokes capturing the moment, when she heard the man say something she almost didn¡¯t catch. ¡°I hope youst more than one punch. I need to let off some steam. Marked!¡± the man roared, then shot forward disappearing from Aono¡¯s vision. The next moment she heard a crash, and he reappeared on top of the Goblin. The man¡¯s arm changed from the ss-like ice it had been, to a liquid entering the Monster''s helmet. His other arm gripped the Monster''s throat, preventing it from struggling as he poured more and more water down its gullet. She looked on in awe as she witnessed the tyrannical one-sided fight of the man. The Monster quickly became bloated, its armor barely able to hold the ballooning container before. Pop. Aono finished the brush strokes of the scene on her Mana Paper. Holding it up to the torchlight, the green blood and bits of the Goblin victim slowly slipping off its back, seeing the beautiful manga outline she had created. ¡°Elegance!¡± she shouted out loud, looking over the Mana Paper that was still sttered in green blood, screaming once again, ¡°Title! The Dazzling Tyrant!¡± she roared with fanatic glee. Chapter 85: The Road to Finding Chris Chapter 85: The Road to Finding Chris Drake finished the graves while Chelsea and Jacqueline talked amongst themselves. Both seemingly went back and forth on how to go about finding Chris and who they could rely on when they did. Soon the crack of dawn shone as the bright yellow-orange of the sun pierced the darkness over the top of the trees over the side of the Outpost¡¯s walls. Drake ced thest of the bodies he had been able to collect from the victims into the grave, carving the headstone in the same way as the others. And after a short silence, he turned to the pair of women. ¡°Alright. Time to get this viin ying arc started,¡± Drake said, walking past the two. ¡°Bruv, do you do that on purpose or are you really just that childish?¡± Jacqueline asked, walking behind him. ¡°Are you asking because you care, or have my devilish good looks captivated you enough to tease me relentlessly like on those shows?¡± Drake said, not turning. ¡°You see! He¡¯s doing it again!¡± she shouted, turning to Chelsea. ¡°Sir Shot, I¡¯ve been wondering that also to be fair. The spells you use, and the fighting are all strong there isn''t any question there. But the way you speak and the jokes you use¡­ is there a reason for it?¡± Drake stopped for a moment, then turned to the pair. ¡°Do you want the truth?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s why we asked you right bloody arse, nownd already will ya?¡± Jacqueline cursed. ¡°First. That was a very rude way to ask,¡± Drake said, giving her an even re, ¡°Second, I do it to keep myself sane at this point¡­ The stones I used were strong, and it¡¯s outpacing my ability to stay mentally stable. Let¡¯s just say it''s one of my roots grounding me from going entirely crazy. So I¡¯ll settle for a bit childish and crazy over going full turn ripe superviin crazy. Unless of course you¡¯d like me not to,¡± Drake smiled his left hand zapping with electricity from a yellow magic circle. Both women shook their heads no. ¡°What stones did you use?¡± Chelsea asked. Drake pursed his lips for a moment debating if he should divulge. But decided to tell them as they had opened up a small bit about their friend. ¡°I¡¯ve used more than several Rare Stones and two Epic Stones. And let''s just say I have some more slots to use for the Rare ones we pick up along the way,¡± Drake said, turning. ¡°Two?! How in the fuck did you get two tings like that?¡± Jacqueline shrieked louder than she intended, drawing some gazes from people around the food area as they passed, her head dipping and ears bing a rosey shade. ¡°Just some luck with the quests, and don¡¯t forget I had two sses, so I had two ss quests. That helped some,¡± Drake rified. ¡°I see,¡± Chelsea said solemnly, ¡°I guess the secondary ss was a blessing then?¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Drake replied immediately. Chelsea¡¯s face screwed up in confusion at the terse answer, although Drake didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Look, how much work do you think went into getting my ss to this point?¡± Drake asked, stepping onto the first earthen stairstep to the Rampart. ¡°Just as much as anyone else? Maybe double since you have two sses? Oh¡­¡± she said realizing something. ¡°You¡¯re half right. I have a title that forces me to gain double the experience of the previous level. So you can probably understand just how many monsters I¡¯ve had to kill. And honestly,¡± he said, turning on a step and looking up, ¡°I¡¯m pretty surprised I haven¡¯t gotten a title for the number of monsters I''ve outright killed so far.¡± Drake heard a chime and saw a notification pop up. [Cominer]
  • This is not a real title, you''re just ainer.
Drake scoffed, and swiped the notification away, looking at some of the lingering ones he still needed to go through from the previous fight. Drake continued as he turned to walk up the steps. ¡°The other thing is to gain that much experience I also had to kill monsters well above my level. I¡¯m not going to say the benefits of the secondary ss aren¡¯t worth it, but it does take far more hard work that, if I didn¡¯t have any other choice, I would have shirked immediately. That is until I realized I needed the strength provided by the Dual ss to protect what I need to¡­¡± Drake finished, trailing off as they reached the top of the rampart. They all looked out to the broken and battered field that was now the ins outside the Outpost, the bright sun now above the trees illuminating the piles and piles of monster corpses. ¡°Oh,¡± Drake said remembering something, ¡°I have to talk to Amir about the cores. Wait, that means Theo is out of a job¡­¡± ¡°He has other uses!¡± Natto snapped. I suppose he does now, doesn''t he? He was a great investment if I do say so myself. Drake thought. The trio moved to the front of the earthen block that was near the guard tower, spotting Theodore and Harley both talking happily as they kept their eyes trained on the horizon. Drake was surprised when they reached them to see ire and Amir inside as well. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you two getting cozy? Why are you both here?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Need to be here if those fucking Goblinse again. I want the experience and to help wherever I can,¡± ire responded, her face turning to a scowl for a moment before she turned to a more neutral one, ¡°And¡­ Thank you. For the Lightning Stone. I¡¯ll be sure to use it immediately.¡± ¡°Don''t mention it. Have you used a rare stone before?¡± Drake questioned again. ire shook her head. ¡°I see. Wait until I have some free time to use it then. Rare Stones can have some adverse effects, alright?¡± Drake said with concern in his voice, ¡°Also Amir, how did we fair on Monster Cores with your skill?¡± Amir, perked up from next to ire with his name being called and he quickly looked distantly at something for a moment, then refocused just as quickly. ¡°Ah, we have collected. Wow¡­ one thousand, six hundred cores in total. If it wasn¡¯t for you giving me more dimensional bags, Sir Shot, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry them all I¡¯m sure,¡± Amirughed wearily. ¡°That is a nice haul, I will say. Did we really kill that many over the past two days?¡± Drake wondered. ¡°You mean did you kill them,¡± ire amended. ¡°It does not matter who killed them! Those cores are rightfully mine!¡± Natto shouted, surprising everyone when she popped out of Drake, the ears and tail disappearing from his body. ¡°Hey! Who said you cane out?!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°It is fine. No one will see us here for the moment, and I would like to stretch my legs. Now boy, the cores!¡± Natto demanded, her hand outstretched. Amir looked hesitantly between Natto and Drake. ¡°Look, it''s an even cut. She can have my share Amir, everyone take some, you¡¯re going to need them for currency outside the Tutorial if the little glutton there is to be believed,¡± Drake smirked pointing to Natto with his chin. Natto turned her head slightly to give a death stare to Drake, who stuck his tongue out at her before she turned back around. ¡°That is 160, cough it up and not one less. But certainly feel free to round up to 200 dear boy,¡± Natto said, raising her chin a sinister grin on her head. Amir again looked to Drake for help. Drake smiled and a blue magic circle formed at the end of his finger, as he sprayed Natto with water, drenching her. ¡°160. No more no less. You can give me the ones for Sherry and Hudson. They don¡¯t look to be here right now so I¡¯ll find them myself,¡± Drake said, ignoring Natto who had run over to him, and had started stabbing at his metal boots with her dagger. ¡°R-right..¡± Amir said nervously. Amir distributed the Cores to everyone present, and they all put them into their inventory, with Theodore speaking up. ¡°My Lord, thou hast mentioned the use of said cores in the world outside. Does thou knoweth the use of such?¡± ¡°Little Miss grumpy here,¡± Drake said looking down, his hand now blowing warm air on Natto, ¡°Hasn¡¯t mentioned specifics other than they will be turned to currency. So think of this as a sry for now.¡± Theodore nodded, twisting his mustache thoughtfully. ¡°Now Theodore, I have to ask you something,¡± Drake said, moving the stream of air back and forth away from Natto, her teeth baring each time the warm breeze changed. ¡°Anything my Lord,¡± Theodore said, bowing slightly, his arm over his chest showing off his new gloves. ¡°Oh, those are fancy. From a quest?¡± Drake asked. Theodore smiled and nodded, ¡°Indeed, they art of rare quality. Increasing this one''s ability to concealeth others, as well as decreasing the Mana in which is used. Tis quite the boon if this one must say!¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Drake brightened, ¡°I need you to go find this man Chelsea is looking for, Chris Springs. You and her are going to go find him, is that alright?¡± Theodore looked pensively at Harley for a moment. Drake nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s safe, you have my word I will die for her if ites to it.¡± ¡°May she not apany us thither my liege?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Unfortunately not. I need someone else who can see through stealth-like her that I can trust. My Aura is very useful, but it can¡¯t cover the entire Outpost¡¯s walls. That is why I need to see Hudson as well,¡± he pointed to the senteries that now lined the Outpost, ¡°I need to know the extent of the senteries'' abilities. And I¡¯m interested in his big boys.¡± A giggle sounded from Drake¡¯s feet. Looking down to see Natto snickering, a suggestive grin on her face. Drake tapped the back of her with his foot forcing her to stumble slightly forward, then looked to Theodore for an answer. Theodore took only a moment to tighten his gloves, then bowed. ¡°With all due haste my liege. Twill be done.¡± ¡°No, not that much haste Theo,¡± Drake smiled, cing his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My Lord?¡± ¡°You look like a car wash rag my friend. You and Chelsea get some rest, you¡¯ve both been up all night. Two hours of rest after a hot bath. Both of you take all the time you need to clean up and make sure to tell your friends you care for them since you won''t be seeing a hot bath or them for the next couple days I¡¯m sure,¡± Drake said, plopping tworge tubs in the room, filling them with hot steaming water and offering them. Chelsea¡¯s eyes sparked at the sight of therge wooden tub filled with steam, quickly ced it in her inventory, and scurried off. Theodore gave Harley a look, cing the tub in his inventory as well, then walking down the steps of the rampart with her in tow. ¡°What about you three? Want a hot bath, I got up here for a bit, get some real rest,¡± Drake offered. Amir and Jacqueline both nodded, taking a simr tub of water with them as they left. ire on the other hand stayed, rolling a stone in her hand as she looked at him. ¡°Arn¡¯t you tired as well? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you sleep since we¡¯ve gotten here,¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep. My ss, stats, and skills let me stay up pretty much indefinitely at this point. Speaking of which, I think I have some time now to help you with that stone,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Oh please,¡± Natto grumbled, ¡°I am still here you apes. The room is not exclusively yours¡­¡± Drake smiled and pulled two chairs from his inventory, they both looking out to the horizon and the still-rising sun. He patted the seat next to him. ¡°Ignore her,¡± he scoffed, ¡°Let¡¯s get you some new skills yeah?¡± ire nodded and timidly walked to the chair. ¡°Oh,¡± Drake said, his brows rising, ¡°Sorry about having to carry you earlier. Didn¡¯t want you to fall on the floor.¡± ire looked surprised that he had said anything, but her arms reflexively moved to cover herself. ¡°It¡¯s... I understand you had to because I passed out. Thank you for telling me..¡± she answered sitting down, moving the chair a small bit away from Drake. But only a small bit. ¡°Would you tell me what happened? I want to understand more. But only if you¡¯re willing. We can sit in silence and just watch the sunrise instead. I could use the quiet for a bit myself,¡± Drake grinned. ire looked pensive as she thought over the question. But before she could answer a high-pitched voice interrupted her from between them. ¡°Hey, Mr. Asshole! Where might I ask, is my chair!?¡± Natto shouted. Chapter 86: Is this what they call Bonding? Chapter 86: Is this what they call Bonding? For the next hour, the trio sat in rtive silence, the only sound between them the ruffling of clothes and the sounds of people talking in the distance from the tents behind them. Natto had fallen asleep in Drake¡¯sp, a pool of drool forming on his right pant leg. Looking down he gave a quick sigh, but he was used to her being a handful. In Drake¡¯s good hand, he held two small clear crystal stones. ire held a singr stone in between her cupped hands as well. They both stared into the distant rising sun, just content with resting and watching the horizon. At least until Drake became restless. He had been so busy the past week that he felt that if he was not moving forward with something he would drown in boredom. Every moment he wasn¡¯t making progress was a moment he fell further and further behind. Taking a breath, he tried to rx himself then, for the first time in a while, Drake pulled up his skill list. [Skills Branches] Primary: Elementalist P2(37%) [F Rank] 0/5 Magic Sight P2(38%) [F Rank] Heretical Mind P2(33%) [F Rank] Multiplicative P2(82%) [F Rank] Elemental Endowment P2 (16%) [F Rank] Elemental Conflux P2 (5%) [F Rank] Secondary: Shield Miller P1(86%) [F Rank] 0/5 Warrior¡¯s Stamina P2(27%) [F Rank] Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P1(94%) [F Rank] Aura of Command P1(0%) [F Rank] Martial Strike P2(11%) [F Rank] Empty Primary Sub-tree: Internal Mastery [F Rank] 0/5 Of the Apex P2(15%) [F Rank] Weak Point P2(13%) [F Rank] Tempered in mes P2(35%) [F Rank] Tyrannical Aura P2(14%) [F Rank] Empty Second Primary Sub-tree: Soul Mastery [F Rank]0/5 Mana Maniption P2(19%) [F Rank] Atrophy of the Mind P1(17%) [F Rank] Cower P1(21%) [F Rank] Sound Body and Mind P2(15%) [F Rank] Purity of Soul P1(90%) [F Rank] Secondary Primary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F Rank]0/5 Hoarder P2 (17%) [F Rank] Fully Loaded P1(0%) [F Rank] Weapon of Choice P2(14%) [F Rank] Adrenaline Acuity P2(23%) [F Rank] Empty Second Secondary Sub-tree: Empty Still ying around with the stones in his left hand Drake looked over his current skill¡¯s progression. He was making headway with most of his skills considering it had only been a few days. Just proving to him that hard work had allowed him to start to close the gap between him and the upper ranks of the participantdder. Thought he was miffed by the stains that were some of his skills. His ¡®Fully Loaded¡¯ skill and ¡®Aura of Command¡¯ skill both sat at a still abysmal 0% but they would hopefully quickly change now that he had a party to allow him to use the Command skill. Drake also had a few quests he hadpleted with more on the way. Also arge amount of equipment he was still waiting to cycle through after all themotion. He had unsurprisingly leveled up once again after finding the rest of the captives he could get to in the forest, but Drake wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Goblins still had some ced elsewhere sadly. Only able to grit his teeth thinking of what might be happening to them as a reflex to the thought. Once again reminding him of his ability to empathize was slowly waning. Looking over his Stats they had truly ballooned once again, with some free stats to spare, thanks to some of his passive skills helping with the growth of his Intelligence. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P2(7%) [F Rank], Empty] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 16 [Vitality] 274 (15%) [Strength] 314 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 200 (40 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 582 (15+15%) [Wisdom] 270 (15%) [Endurance] 200 (20 + 15%) [Free Points] 50 Looks like I have a few points for a rainy day for now. I was able to bring up my endurance thankfully but it did cost almost my entire stat pool¡­ Now I¡¯m looking at my Dexteritygging behind a bit since I¡¯ve lost my arm. Drake thought. It was true that he had steered away from closebat in favor of using his Magic Maniption almost fully leaning into it with his near 600 raw Stat point. But he was concerned he might soon need to ce more into his physical stats, he didn¡¯t want to not have the growth needed to fully utilize his skills after all. Breaking him from his thoughts, ire struggled to speak up. ¡°U-um, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just not ready to speak about it just yet¡­ But since we have time can we use the stones..?¡± she asked pensively. Drake looked up from his stat window and realized she was looking at the stones he was holding. Here I am ignoring the person I was trying to help and console¡­ Drake thought, admonishing himself. ¡°Yeah, that sounds good. You go ahead, you¡¯ve used some of the moremon ones right?¡± he asked. ire nodded and gripped the stone wearily. ¡°H-here I go,¡± she said. Drake looked on ready to step in if needed, but was captivated by how the use of the stone looked from the outside in. He had never seen someone use a stone in front of him, not even Theodore. ire went into a trance almost, and the arm that gripped the stone lit up in a faint glow of white, as it trailed up her arm, finding its ce in the center of her chest as it spidered out to every part of her body from her center. Eventually she gave a gasp for air and the light subsided, he assumed signaling the end of the process. ¡°That was much quicker than I thought¡­¡± Drake said, looking at ire concerned. ¡°I-it felt like that took a longer time than it should have¡­¡± ire eked out through gasps. ¡°How was it? Good skill?¡± Drake asked with a smile tugging at his lips, trying to keep the mood up. ire looked up and smiled back, ¡°Y-yeah. It¡¯s another buff skill, this time for Water Magic!¡± she said proudly, her face glistening with sweat from the subsumption process. Drake gave a heartyugh and brought out a cup of cool water from his inventory, and a few other things, handing her the water. ¡°What are you going to do with those?¡± ire asked pointer with her chin at the leather straps he had brought out. ¡°I. Have been neglecting some things that I said I needed. So! I¡¯m going to get it done now while I can,¡± Drake said, using his earthen hand to punch holes into the straps, and twisting them into a small pouch. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to use your stones?¡± she asked curiously, and a little disappointed. ¡°Well,¡± Drake continued to form a small pouch out of the leather, doing his best not to wake Natto, ¡°Last time I used a rare stone, I nearly killed Natto, and the time before that I nearly killed her again. Oh wait, that''s right thest time I didn¡¯t nearly kill her, but my skill did go out of control and I made her very, very shaky, not good, in a shake weight way, but like pale face sweaty way,¡± Drake said sheepishly. ire eyed him concerningly, as she kept silent, sipping the water from the cup. Obviously content with not seeing him use his stones now. Drake was no leatherworker but did his best to work with what he had. Making some straps, and using the strings of leather he had cut off, he attempted to sow together the pouch he had been procrastinating on. ¡°Annndddd done! Nice, just what I needed,¡± Drake said proudly, pulling several of the potions he had gotten from his inventory, and pushing them into the small rings of the pouch. He also pulled four red pieces of jewelry from his inventory, cing them into thestpartment in the poorly made pouch. ¡°T-that looks um¡­ Nice..¡± ire lied looking away. Drake held the pouch up to the sun, seeing gaps and some of the pieces falling apart already, as one of the sks slipped from a ring. He quickly caught it putting it into his inventory, as he chuckled wearily cing the rest into his inventory, setting the leather on fire now that it was ruined. ¡°Well, it was worth a try¡­ Guess it¡¯s time for quest rewards then,¡± he said trying to change the mood. ire perked up at that, shifting in her chair slightly. She had already cashed in on some of her own quests but hadn''t been as lucky as some of the others. Drake pulled up several of the quests going through them, in his hand a ck die materializing. [ 20 of 20 Goblin Lieutenants [F Rank] have been subjugated. Quest Complete!] [ept Rewards?] [Yes/No] [You have been awarded Experience,] [Please roll for Equipment Rarity] Drake grinned at the prompts, having not seen them in some time. His pulse surprisingly rose as he held his breath in anticipation. Exhaling then taking one more deep breath, Drake tossed the die lightly against the floor, casting it to bump against the wooden wall of the Outpost, it bouncing back to them a 16 facing upwards. ¡°Wow.. you have some real unfair luck there don¡¯t you..¡± ire said with a re. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Drake chuckled, holding his hand under the mote of light that shed. In a moment the sh vanished leaving a red shawl. [Halo Shawl of Possibilities [F Grade][Rare]
  • Effect: Allows the user to pull freely from their inventory.
  • A shawl made from the wings of the Volcanic Fire Drakes of the Elemental ins.
¡°I don¡¯t think I should use this¡­ The Dragons are going to kill me..¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°Huh? What did you say? That¡¯s a really nice-looking scarf, it''s so strikingly red!¡± ire said excitedly. ¡°Haha¡­ Yeah, nice¡­ It seems it¡¯s a shawl. But would you look at that? That fixes my problem.¡± Drake smiled, wrapping it around his neck. The shawl made a light snapping sound, and startled Drake, as it fixed itself in ce, much like his mask had done. Using some sort of system feature or possibly magic, but if it was thetter, Drake¡¯s Magic Sight couldn¡¯t see it. Unraveling around his neck and instead cing itself in almost a halo around his shoulders, the ends of the shawl fixing themselves on the middle of his forearms. ¡°That is oddly cool..¡± Drake mumbled. Now how do I test it¡­? Drake thought, then he looked over to ire who was still looking on wide-eyed. ¡°Hey, ire.¡± ¡°Hmm..?¡± ¡°Can you hit me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry..?¡± she said, confused. ¡°I need to test the shawl, and for that, I need to be inbat,¡± Drake said, then suddenly feeling a sharp pain in the side of his arm. Natto had woken up and had sunk her teeth into his arm. ¡°Dosh dish work? Shu bahoon!¡± Natto said through her closed jaw. Drake looked down with a straight face at the small construct. Then tried to pull something from his inventory. A secondter a red vial popped into the air above Natto¡¯s head, smacking her with a nk. She fell backward, her hands rubbing the forming bump on her head. ¡°Yeah, looks like it works. Thanks,¡± Drake smiled. Chapter 87: Morning Glory Chapter 87: Morning Glory ire giggled at the two going back and forth, herugh light. Drake held back the riled Natto and appreciated the woman''s smile andugh, happy to see her starting to cheer up and say something other than how much she wanted to kill the Goblins. He understood that it would never go away. Scars like that don¡¯t heal so quickly, but seeing her able to distract herself was good. ¡°Well Natto, what do you think about some food while I finish what I need to?¡± Drake said. ¡°Food?!¡± Natto asked, her ears and tail perking upward, a slight dibble escaping the side of her mouth. ¡°Yes, food,¡± Drake repeated, ¡°ire would you mind grabbing her a barrel?¡± Drake asked. ¡°A b-barrel?!¡± ire stuttered. ¡°I said what I said. Please and thank you,¡± Drakeughed. ire nodded and walked outside of the earthen box, only stopping for a moment to look back, her smile gone and a lonesome frown recing it, before she turned the corner and down the stairs. ¡°Why did you have the youngdy leave?¡± Natto asked, wiping her mouth with Drake¡¯s sleeve. Drake grimaced, cleaning off his sleeve with a spurt of water from his other hand, then drying it with his Wind magic quickly. ¡°I have a few stones to use and a quest reward I didn¡¯t want her here for. I trust her, but if I get something useful out of this reward, the less information out there the better¡­ Also,¡± Drake offered the shawl, ¡°Is this going to be a problem? It says it¡¯s made from Drakes.¡± ¡°Ha! Nothing would be easily made from the likes of yourself,¡± Natto giggled, pointing her finger at Drake, but pouted when Drake eyed her seriously. Huffing, Natto moved over grabbing the item, to look at it quickly, then pursed her lips, crossing her arms by putting her hands in her sleeves. ¡°I would think not. Although Dragons would be angered by you holding onto an item made from one of their kin, an item from a Volcanic Drake would not count. I would even go as far to say that anything up to Dragons themself should be fair game. When we begin to get into the realm of B Grade items and equipment we may need to start worrying about it. But anything within the F Grade is fine, so far as it stays below Epic Grade,¡± she exined. ¡°That¡¯sforting¡­ but why? Aren¡¯t Dragons, Dragons? Is there a difference here I¡¯m missing?¡± Drake said, moving over to pick up the die from the floor. Natto sighed, but nevertheless exined, if only in mock reluctance. ¡°For Dragons, kin is important. But it is just that, their immediate family,¡± she began, ¡°You can read from the description it says ¡®Volcanic Drake¡¯?¡± Drake nodded waiting for further boration. ¡°Well that is just a species, it is not a brood name or moniker. Generally lesser species of monsters or higher races will be given generic names. It is the same for Elementals, Titans, Dragons, Ogres, Elves, and so on and so forth. In this instance, we are talking about nameless monsters. If the item description mentioned a specific name, such as Draconic of such and such, then we would have a nonmetaphoric me up our tooshies,¡± Natto said. ¡°Huh¡­ so what exactly is the less of humans¡­ Wait don¡¯t answer tha-¡± ¡°It is Apes! You Ape!¡± Natto cackled not missing her chance. Drake sighed, shaking his head, admonishing himself for falling into such an obviouslyid trap. He quickly brought up the second quest he wished to finish, excitement and anticipation beginning to spread in his mind after such a long time. [50 of 50 Goblin Jailers [F Rank] have been Subjugated. Quest Complete!] [ept Rewards?] [Yes/No] [Experience has been awarded] [Please roll for equipment rarity] Casting the die to the floor, Drake watched as he saw it turn and bounce on the ground. Eyeing it carefully so that he could curb his expectations in real-time. 6 17 3 1 ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°You certainly can not win them all, as they say,¡± Natto said, not so consolingly as she picked her nails. ¡°Yeah well¡­ It was bound to happen,¡± Drake sighed, holding his hand out for the item. What dropped in his hands were two leathery bracers, with some small fur protruding from them. ¡°Wait¡­ isn¡¯t this?¡± Drake said, cocking an eyebrow. Another item plopped out into Drake¡¯s other hand. It the exact identical of the bracers. [Leather Braces [F Grade][Common]
  • 5 to 12 Physical Reduction
  • 3 to 9 Magic Reduction
  • A crudely made pair of leather bracers made more for warmth than protection. +1% defense proficiency.
Drake stifled augh, as he looked at the pair of identical items. ¡°Well¡­ at least I¡¯ll have extras?¡± Drake said trying to stay positive, the memories of how he used coping when he had gotten his dual ssing back. Drake quickly ced the bracers on, flexing his wrist to see the fit only to hear a faint tearing sound. Looking at the bracers he saw the leather was stretching and ripping already, and he hadn¡¯t couldn¡¯t even ce the second one on his earthen arm, forcing him tough wearily. Drake red his Tattoo, happy to see it didn¡¯t impede his weapon of choice, as well as not affecting the bracer more than his movements already had. ¡°Certainly it is a good thing you have extras. The bracer looks like thest button on a dress shirt worn by an anime character,¡± Natto said, then pped her face realizing what she had just said. Drake chortled as he processed what Natto had said, flexing his hand a bit too much, ripping the leather bracer in half. ¡°Damn it,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°At least I have a lot,¡± Drake said, cing the other of the pair, careful not to rip it. He opened his inventory once again, checking something he had been hoping for since being hung up on his Fully Loaded skill being stuck at 0%. But now with the addition of his shawl for his shoulders and his massive amount of shitt- leather bracers he hoped it would fill the slots fully. Opening the screen he saw the same figure, his right arm cked out, reminding him he had lost it. Asshole system¡­ He thought, clicking his tongue, but quickly got back on task. The figure on the screen had all of its slots filled now like Drake had hoped, his Hoarder skill allowing him to pseudo-fill the essory slots even without the use of a ne. Even his gloves which should have been empty were reced by his tattoo rings. Apparently, they had counted in the ce of proper gloves. Thinking about it, it did make sense, his tattoos did cover his entire hand as gauntlets. And with that he had fully equipped himself, giving him the long-sought-out 50% boost to hisbat abilities. Next was the final quest he was able toplete thanks to ughtering all of the Goblins that held people captive. [100 of 100 Goblin Butchers [F Rank] Subjugated. Quest Complete!] [ept Rewards?] [Experience has been awarded] [Please select a Weapon Box of Your Choice] Drake looked over the options of weapons. Surprised that each one was of rare quality. Perusing the selection he stopped, seeing several weapons that might be useful for him. [Dart and Chain] [Ink Tattoo Rings] [Mana Gauntlet] But the one that caught his eye the most was¡­ [Two-handed Staff] Oh this might be my jam¡­ Drake thought. It took Drake a few minutes of back and forth in his head topare the pros and cons of the Staff over the possibility of the other three. The Dart and Chain was something Drake liked aesthetically and would honestly help with confusing those of what his ss really was. But in every other department it was a con. It most likely didn¡¯t have high Magic Damage, it also would likely have a need for practice that Drake wasn¡¯t sure was the best use of his time. Especially considering he still had to learn real hand-to-handbat. Right now his style was mostly. Smash their face in till they¡¯re dead. Or. Tear their head off. And he would very much like to change that, as there was more than likely an opponent that woulde soon enough that he could not kill in a single punch. And having to learn a new weapon from scratch was just too much of an investment for him when he still needed to learn how to correctly fight using his current main weapon. So the Dart and Chain were sadly out. Well, I could always just make one with magic¡­ Drake thought consoling himself. The Ink Tattoo Rings was only another possibility because it was his main weapon at the moment, and it had served him well. So having a possible upgrade through the weapon box may be worth blowing off the others. But in the same vein, he already had them. The Mana Gauntlet was much like the Tattoo Rings, his main source of melee damage currently was his ¡®hand-to-hand¡¯bat mixed with his destructive style of magic. The Gauntlet would be a nice option if it was a guaranteed upgrade but on the same coin, it was very likely it would not be better than his set equipment. Now. Now the Staff though¡­ The possibilities for Drake were endless. As a goofy grin creased his face. ¡°What are you making that disgusting face for again¡­ This is almost the same as... No, Drake..¡± Natto almost hissed. Drake looked at Natto as he mentally confirmed his decision, his eyes creased and his smile wide and toothy. [Selected [F Grade] Staff Weapon Box as reward] [Confirm?] [Yes/No] Drake held his mischievous grin as a box almost as tall as he materialized from a sh of light in front of him. The box looked like finished wood of something very high quality and had exquisitely well-crafted markings and engravings on the outside. There was a goldentch adorning the side of the box, and the hinges also shimmered a beautiful gold. ¡°Yeah don¡¯t need this, what''s in the box!¡± Drake yelled with anticipation as he flung open the cover, pulling the staff from the box and cing the box in his inventory all in one motion. [Four Petaled Morning Glory Staff [F Grade][Rare]
  • 35 to 42 Physical Damage
  • 833 to 937 Magic Damage
  • 100% Increase in Elemental Magic Damage
  • Special Effects when killing targets with specific Base Elements
  • Fire: Increases Magic Damage by 1% per kill. Can stack up to 20 times. Duration 15 Seconds.
  • Water: 5% of Mana is regenerated on every 20th kill over 10 seconds. Can not stack.
  • Earth: Magic Defense is increased by 1% per kill. Can stack up to 20 times. Duration 15 seconds.
  • Air: Magic Expenditure for your next spell is reduced by 80% on every 100th kill.
  • An exquisite piece of craftsmanship carved from the Elder Darkwood Treant, the Morning Glory blossom holds four elemental attuned crystals of equal power giving the staff a beautiful allure.
¡°Oh¡­ I do not deserve this, Haha!!¡± Drake shouted gleefully, holding the new staff in the air. The dark almost ck wood was smooth to the touch and curved to a beautiful spiral at the end. At the crown of the staff the wood splintered into eight different curling points. In the grasp of each pair of points, or petals, was a glimmering crystal. One of faint crimson, another of serene blue, another of tranquil yellow, the final of a robust earthy brown. ¡°This looks too good to be true! It makes no sense but I will name you Chunchunmaru! Wait no¡­ that¡¯s the wrong weapon¡­¡± Drake said, going back and forth with himself. ¡°Cease! That name, you do not mean to¡­?¡± Natto shouted, almost concerned. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything,¡± Drake lied, cing the staff into his inventory, then used his new shawl to practice switching between his rings and staff. After a few repetitions, Drake deted in his excitement by a level. Unfortunately, the shawl was not as perfect as Drake had hoped. The shawl only allowed for the items to be taken in and out within a space, but wouldn¡¯t allow him to specifically ce an item inside or around his body. ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s fine, just makes for more cool equipping scenes. Wait¡­ does that mean I¡¯m a magical girl? Oh no... I have changing hair color, Natto gives me ears and a tail. Fuck!¡± Drake howled. ¡°What are you going on about now, you dolt?¡± Natto asked. Drake stood straight and lied through his teeth, ¡°Nothing. Absolutely nothing¡­¡± A few calming breathster. Drake pulled and rolled around two Skill Stones, he was weary of both of them for the same very good reason. He currently had 3 open slots left but he was rightfully concerned about the repercussions of continuing to use higher-grade stones with his current mental state. [Skill Stone: Oppression [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Oppression tree
  • Requires open skill slot
[Skill Stone: Lightning [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Lightning tree
  • Requires open skill slot
¡°Now, today has started off as a rtively good one. Saved some people, killed some monsters, having some quality time with the little one-foot demon. But is it going to stay one?¡± Drake whispered. ¡°I heard that you fucking moronic ape!¡± Natto cried. Chapter 88: Tom’s Special Power. Chapter 88: Tom¡¯s Special Power. ¡°How has it been a good day exactly Drake? I should not have to tell you,¡± Natto started, ¡°I have yet to acquire the sustenance I was promised and deserve! Where is that girl with my meal!?¡± she shouted, raising her hands in the air. ¡°There is something oddly funny about a 3-day-old, one foot tall, chi-¡± Drake scoffed, but was stopped by Natto ring at him, ¡°Woman,¡± he amended, ¡°Calling a grown 5-foot sum woman a girl. You act like one of thosenddies from animes.¡± ¡°And whose fault may that be? Lest you forget I was derived from you. May you also not forget that I am made in an image that you would enjoy and findforting! That includes parts of my personality,¡± she huffed. ¡°I can¡¯t forget something you¡¯ve never told me. Wait¡­. so, does that mean I like tsunderes? Or am I just an M¡­ Wait, I can¡¯t handle this monumental moral dilemma right now¡­¡± Drake said, grinning as he joked. ¡°Monumental moral dilemma is it¡­? Certainly, it is thetter. We both know quite well how much you liked to get yourself knocked out, at least until recently,¡± Natto jabbed. ¡°Hey! I- Ok that might be true,¡± Drake said, shrugging his shoulders, ¡°But back to my point. Am I alright to use these? I still don¡¯t feel like myself honestly, but I can''t put gaining power on hold. The Goblins seem to be ramping up the scale of the attacks, as well as changing strategies. And we only have..¡± Drake trailed off as he looked at the quest. [Time left until the Goblin King joins the fight: 4 Days, 16 Hours, 29 Minutes, 34 Seconds.] ¡°A little less than 5 Days until the King joins and with Theo out finding Chelsea and Jacqueline¡¯s friend I don¡¯t think we have a way to urately find him without me going out myself. And there¡¯s no telling what they might bring if I leave. It¡¯s honestly really taxing to think about unless we can just wait until the King finds us?¡± Drake pondered. ¡°And the manchild Tom¡¯s friend. Do not forget him,¡± Natto said. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked, confused. ¡°Do not forget about the buffoon, you maroon,¡± Natto said again, thumbing to the corner. In the corner with his shield was Tom, motionless and a sheepish look on his face. Drake looked over bbergasted that the man had been there and he had not noticed him, even with his aura and ocr skills. Tom raised his hand to wave at Drake awkwardly. ¡°H-hi¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Ho-how long have you been there Tom?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°I¡¯ve been here since um¡­ Since ire has been with you then left. I just uh.. Didn¡¯t want to interrupt again so I just stayed quiet in the corner¡­¡± Tom answered, his face beading with cold sweat and an awkward smile. Drake ced a hand to his face. ¡°Aii puta ne dana¡­ Tom, you have less presence than Theo does while he has his skill on. How in the world are you a frontliner?¡± Drake scoffed, honestly impressed the man could sit so still for over an hour, and elude his skills. ¡°Uh.. I don¡¯t know. Honestly that kind of sounds like an insult¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s an insult¡­ But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to do it. I guess people just don¡¯t notice me¡­? The monsters spot me right away though¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Tom, do you want to change that?¡± Drake asked honestly. ¡°Of course I do! I don¡¯t think anyone likes being ignored¡­¡± ¡°Then you need to start by at least speaking up. No more sitting in corners waiting to be talked to. Can you promise me that,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Y-yeah.. Yeah! I can do that,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Ok now go get some rest and food man.¡± Tom nodded then ced the shield in his inventory, starting to walk out of the earthen room, but Drake stopped him for a moment. ¡°And Tom,¡± Drake said with a sh of his eyes to yellow, his mouth tugging a smile, ¡°It goes without saying right?¡± Tom nodded quickly then bolted down the steps in a rush, nearly tripping a few times. ¡°You bully that child far too much,¡± Natto finally snickered as she spoke up. ¡°Yeah well I think it¡¯s better me than someone who''s going to actually bully him and kill him. Sometimes tough love is what even grown adults need. I think I know that better than anyone,¡± Drake said, his face turning to a full smile from his grin previously. ¡°Is it from your past? It is quite the odd reaction to being given tough love and smiling for it, no?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Yeah. I loved my Father, but he wasn¡¯t the hardest on us. He gave us everything we ever asked for. Money, games, food, clothes, you name it. He even gave me money for pot one time because I said it helped me with my headaches,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°He certainly sounds like a very loving Father, I will say,¡± Natto smiled back. ¡°Yep, he was the best. But being smothered in love doesn¡¯t always help prepare you for the real world, or the dynamics of society. And especially the job market when you leave high school and college. Anyway, my point is, I met a few friends while ying games and they ended up being the best male role models I could have asked for. They were way older but they had been through it ya know? Telling me everything to look out for and to do, but I ended up having to go through the mistakes anyway to really learn. Then it got to the point where I hit the bottom and that''s where the real tough love came out and they kicked me off my ass and got me moving again,¡± Drake said, stopping as he realized he had gone on a tangent. He briefly thought of what those two friends would be fairing during something like this tutorial, then quickly dismissed it. They¡¯re probably living the dream and loving it. I wouldn''t be surprised if they both willingly chose a Dual ss. Drake thought. Shaking his head rid of the nostalgia he turned back to Natto. ¡°Alright serious time again, what about the stones? Am I greenlit for take-off, or are you going to keep Maverik down?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I am against it. Your growth is remarkable, there is no denying that fact. And that is the problem as I have said. At least give it a few days, you need to assimte your growth better. I wish nothing for you but to get stronger,¡± Natto said, pausing to chew on her bottom lip. ¡°Ok but¡­?¡± Drakeughed. ¡°However, Mana Vessels take time to change, and there is normally a standard growth rate. Have you noticed how adjusted some of the others are? They react how a normal person would to most things and have be ustomed to the tutorial¡¯s brutality while still maintaining their human emotions,¡± Natto exined. ¡°Yeah well I¡¯ve been anything but normal. So I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a fair assessment,¡± Drake said chuckling. ¡°Drake, I am serious! Please for your own sake and mine. Give it a few days. With any luck the Goblins will ease on their assaults giving you time to rest. And you will still have plenty of time to assimte the stones when you have stabilized then you can have your little fight with the Goblin King,¡± Drake deted at the words ¡®little¡¯ and took it to heart, making sure it would be the biggest annoying reference fight Natto would ever have the displeasure of witnessing. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Drake answered. ¡°No! Not su- Wait¡­ you agreed?¡± Natto said, blinking confused, ¡°Why would you agree so quickly?¡± ¡°No reason. Come on let''s go find ire I¡¯m actually hungry for once.¡± ¡°Wait. Certainly, you are up to something!¡± Natto shouted as she chased him to the edge of the earthen box. ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯ll never tell,¡± Drake grinned, picking up Natto as she merged with him, still bbergasted. ¡°Ah! I see what you are going to do, you dolt!¡± she screamed. ¡°Shit. I forgot she can read my mind and memories,¡± Drake cringed. ¡°You think you can get away with this?!¡± she shouted. Drake fully ignored her with a casual whistle as he strode down the steps of the Rampart. Cry all you want, I¡¯ve got to see a man about a robot. Drake thought, making his way to the tent area that had exploded into a wide assortment of tents for all the neers. Drake snapped his mask into ce, just in case as he made his way through the tents, eventually finding ire before Hudson. She was finishing filling some barrels with food, with some disgruntled looks from the other residents but she hardly seemed to notice. Amir was next to her as they both walked off in Drake¡¯s direction. Why does that look so awkward? Drake asked internally. ¡°ire seems only to have opened up to you. I assume she is just hard to talk to for everyone else,¡± Natto replied dismissively. ire and Amir both spotted Drake at the same time, her face lighting up and Amir¡¯s showing relief as if he had been saved. ¡°You came down from the Rampart? Is anyone watching the wall?¡± ir asked, looking over his shoulder to the wall. ¡°The sentries have got it for now while I go find Hudson. Do you know where he is, I have to ask him about the bigger robots,¡± Drake asked. ¡°I believe he is in the far tent near the Mines, Sir. I think he wanted to stay close to his supply of Mana Iron Ore. Where is-¡± Amir started asking as he looked around for the little construct, but quickly stopped as he saw the two iconic red ears appear with a ¡®pop¡¯ from Drake¡¯s head. ¡°She¡¯s right where she should be. Kinda seen and not heard,¡± Drake said tly, his grin hidden behind his mask. ¡°I will hurt you... There is very intense pain in your future ape,¡± she hissed. ¡°Why do I hear music?¡± ire asked. ¡°It¡¯s just your imagination. Now Amir, would you please lead me to the tent? I think it¡¯ll be good if you guys weigh in on everything also,¡± Drake offered. ¡°Are we going somewhere?¡± a voice sounded from behind Drake. ¡°Ah! What the fuck Tom,¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Sorry... You did tell me to speak up, so I did.¡± ¡°Right. Well good. Actually, good you¡¯re here as well, let¡¯s all head off to anno- I mean see Hudson,¡± Drake finalized, checking over his shoulder to see if anyone else had snuck up on him. Are my skills not working or something?! Drake asked. ¡°Your brain neither works, so it would not surprise me in the slightest,¡± Natto answered. Ok fine, I deserve that. And I also deserve the food ire got for you. He smiled. ¡°Touch it and I will leak every dark thing you have ever looked up on the inte.¡± ¡°Ok ire, make sure to hold tightly onto that bowl of food for, she who will not be named,¡± Drake said, cold sweat beading down his face. ¡°Sure.. Are you ok? You are really sweating. I¡¯ve never seen you do that even with the Goblins,¡± she asked concerned as they all began walking in the direction of the Mines. ¡°Yeah, she ispletely right, Sir. Are you having bacsh from the fight?¡± Amir added. ¡°Oh wow he¡¯s going slightly pale also,¡± Tom said. ¡°I-I¡¯m doing fine. I¡¯m just having my fiercest battle in the tutorial yet,¡± Drake said, trying his best to stay calm and even as possible. All three of them exchanged looks as Drake began walking more swiftly to the tent on the far end of the collection of them near the Mines.
¡°Hudson!¡± Drake shouted as he pulled back the tent¡¯s entrance ps. ¡°What is it, ya lunatic? Can¡¯t ya see the sign outside that says I¡¯m damned busy?¡± Hudson asked, looking up from his chair. ¡°Nope, sorry I can¡¯t read. Anyway, how''s the big roboting? I need to know the specs when you have a moment,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Huh? Son, you alright? You look a little paler than usual.¡± ¡°Yeah I¡¯m good, I¡¯ll be better once ire gets here with the food,¡± Drake said. A momentter ir, Amir, and Tom walked in behind Drake. And with an enamored scream, a small pink-haired glutton retched herself from Drake¡¯s body andtched onto ire¡¯s stomach. ¡°Food!¡± Natto cheered. ¡°No¡­. ire,¡± ire said pointing to herself then looked up to Drake, ¡°She isn¡¯t going to eat me right?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°If I¡¯m being honest. I think she would eat anything if you called it food. Just bring out the barrels, give her a spoon, and let her deal with the rest.¡± ¡°But that barrel is like 10 times her size, where is she going to fit it all?¡± Tom asked, but quickly turned his head under Natto¡¯s re. ¡°The same ce she puts everything. Into the endless ck hole she calls a stomach,¡± Drake chuckled, earning a re from her as well. Drake looked around the tent, not seeing much except for the slowly forming bottom end of two metal legs standing in the middle of a silver magic circle. ¡°Oh that¡¯s cool, how much longer until it¡¯s finished?¡± Drake asked looking over to Hudson, who was still sitting down. ¡°I reckon maybe a few more hours, never made one of these big boys before, and the skill description doesn¡¯t mention a construction time,¡± Hudson replied, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Good! That means we can bother- I mean hang out for a bit. I think it will be a great team bonding experience. Also, the sentries on the wall, can they detect invisible targets?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yup, but only in a very small area. They¡¯d have to be basically on top of the things, but we were able to get them all over the ce so things are wrapped up tight on the wall,¡± Hudson said. ¡°Perfect!¡± Drake chuckled, pulling out four chairs and setting them down in front of the magic circle, ¡°Then we can watch the equivalent of paint drying but with a robot.¡± ¡°How much equipment do you have in your inventory, Shot, Sir?¡± Amir asked, sitting down, retrieving a bowl of food from his own inventory. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know, weather boy,¡± Drake smiled behind his mask, then snapped it to the side. ¡°Sir, I am not. And I have never been a weatherman or weather boy?¡± Amir said, his face painted in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s a.. You know what, never mind. I have arge quantity of stuff, let¡¯s just leave it at that alright?¡± Drake said, slightly defeated. ¡°Serves you right that he does not get your silly reference! I have been waiting far too long for normal people,¡± Natto said, still ko hugging the side of ire. ¡°Yeah yeah, go and eat 10 times your own body weight,¡± Drake said, waving her off and turning his head back to the magic circle. ¡°Now then, Hudson, what exactly can this big guy do?¡± Drake asked. ire brought out the barrel of food for Natto, and walked over to the rest of them taking her own seat after giving Drake a bowl of food as well. After Drake thanked her the four of them looked over to the man on the other side of the magic circle. ¡°Well if what the system says in the description is correct, things just a walking tank basically. It¡¯ll have the same fancy-schmancy bells and whistles as the sentry guns up on the wall there. But hell of a lot more powerful, and won¡¯t be stuck in one ce,¡± Hudson exined. ¡°And the damage? What are we talking about on that front?¡± Drake asked intrigued. ¡°That there, we will just have to see,¡± Hudson said, turning his head with a toothy grin. Chapter 89: Theodore Clones are in your Future Chapter 89: Theodore Clones are in your Future The wait for Hudson¡¯s big giant, or semirge robot did not go as smoothly as Drake would have hoped. Soon after entering the tent and eating, the sound of gunfire came from the top of the outpost walls. Naturally Drake moved the quickest to action and was relieved to find that the sentries had taken care of a few Red-Caps that had tried to sneak past. ¡°Well, at least we know they work against the only annoying ones that could reap some real havoc in the camp. I am a little miffed I didn¡¯t get the kills though, still need a few for the quest,¡± Drake said slightly disgruntled. [Subjugated 23 of 50 Red-Cap Goblin Assassin [F Rank] [Reward Experience. Communication Crystal [Common][F Rank] Drake went from checking the quest to surveying the horizon, expecting to see anotherpany of Goblins at their doors but was greeted by the soft wind of the area, and the midday sun. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Drake mused, extending his aura for good measure and doing another once over with his ocr skills. Wait.. am I disappointed? Drake thought finally, his lips pursing. ¡°Possibly a disappointment as well!¡± Natto giggled. I¡¯ll have toe back to that¡­ Drake said, turning his head back to the camp and seeing a particr mustached man walking from it. A few leapster he found himself in front of the two, plus one departing member who was meandering in front of the Outpost¡¯s gate. ¡°Are you two both set? Have the supplies you might need, potions, weapons, armor, skill stones?¡± Drake asked. ¡°You sound like a mother sending her children to college,¡± Nattoughed. Maybe I am. Doesn¡¯t hurt to be prepared when the chicks leave the nest to go find an evil maniptive son of a bitch. Drake answered back. ¡°Yes, this one and Miss Chelsea hast a set of five potions each. Thanks to my Lord¡¯s battle earlier,¡± Theodore said. ¡°And I gave them each an extra from my set,¡± Harley added. Chelsea looked a bit apprehensive as she twiddled with the string of the bow she had gotten from another quest reward. It had simr dark coloring to Drake''s own staff, so it may very well have been of Rare quality. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Normally we can¡¯t keep you quiet,¡± Drake jabbed. Chelsea looked up with a scowl but sighed, giving Drake a hard-to-decipher expression. ¡°Are you constipated?¡± Drake asked, not sure what to make of her scrunched-up face. ¡°No! You asshole! I¡¯m just not sure how I can thank you after how I acted.. It wasn¡¯t right to judge you like that when you came to save us. And I was¡­ I just couldn¡¯t help seeing Chris and what he did to us you,¡± ¡°Yeah well I am kind of an asshole sometimes, so it''s fair y. And leave out all the weird thank you stuff. Makes me all itchy,¡± Drake said, scratching his back awkwardly, ¡°Besides teammates don¡¯t thank each other. It¡¯s expected to help out, that¡¯s how a party works,¡± Drake said, moving his mask so he could show his smile. Chelsea paused for a moment taking in the words. Then broke out into a chuckle. ¡°Please put your mask back on, that smile is too goofy!¡± sheughed, holding her sides. Drake¡¯s face turned to stone as he tried his best to hide his disbelief. ¡°She certainly has you with that!¡± Natto chuckled,ughing the words. Here I was trying to be cool and nice! Drake grumbled. Chelsea caught her breath after a few more seconds ofughing. Taking a moment for a deep breath. ¡°Ok! I¡¯m just going to say it! Thank you for letting me do this!¡± she shouted, then turned to Harley and Theodore, ¡°And thank you both for helping me with my selfish request!¡± Before Theodore and Harley could respond, Drake interrupted and waved his hands again. ¡°What did I say about the mushy shit! Get out! Get out, get out, get out will you! Susmaryosep! Go find your friend ande straight back,¡± Drake said, giving a serious stare at Chelsea, ¡°And I mean it. I¡¯ve already put Theo in enough dangertely, and if you two aren¡¯t back by tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll burn down this whole forest.¡± Drake looked to Theodore and gave him a firm nod. Theodore bowed at the waist, his hand over his chest. ¡°This one will return hitherward, be it hell or high water. By your will my Lord,¡± then he turned to Harley, his gaze softening, ¡°And for you my love. Be safe.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing, Theo. I think I¡¯m in the safest ce I could possibly be in this hellish ce,¡± Harley answered him. Drake watched on as they gave their farewells but something struck him as missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Jacqueline? I thought she would be saying goodbye?¡± Drake asked, looking around. ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping. The fightst night took a lot out of her, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to wake her up,¡± Chelsea said with a sidelong grin, ¡°She might wake up in a few hours but everything¡­ everything took a lot out of us.¡± Drake looked silently at the tents. He already knew everyone was tired, frightened, and more than likely confused about what was going on. But he was a leader that people needed at least he was right now. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to keep her safe as well. Don¡¯t you worry. It¡¯s hard to keep her away from me with that crush she has on me,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a-¡± Chelsea stopped as she realized Drake had known what they were trying to do, ¡°You knew?¡± she asked embarrassedly. ¡°I mean it¡¯s hard not to. Big strong guyes in. Then a woman he hardly knows approaches him with an ¡®offer¡¯ in exchange for something he conveniently needs. You would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not see the maniption from a mile away. Nice try though, I did find her pretty cute, just not my type,¡± Drake replied. Chelsea¡¯s mouth hung open for a moment, then closed slowly before she asked him something she was bing more and more curious about. ¡°Then what is your type?¡± ¡°Not you, or her,¡± Drake said tly, ¡°Now go on, your friend is waiting. Stay safe and stay hidden, I don¡¯t exactly want to piss off Smokey the Bear in the middle of a Goblin Invasion, but I will if I have to,¡± heughed. Theodore interrupted and pulled Chelsea away before she could voice a grumbling insult loud enough for Drake to hear continuing the back and forth. Theodore casted his concealment and with his new gloves was able to cover Chelsea as well. Drake quickly pulled open the gate with the wheel, then after a few seconds closed it again, assuming they had gotten out as he didn¡¯t see Theodore unstealth and say anything. Drake remained impressed at Theodore¡¯s enhanced skill as Harley kept her hands to her chest, watching the closed door assuming Theodore and Chelsea set off. Damn, maybe I should steal those gloves from Theo¡­ Drake thought. ¡°You do not even have an invisibility skill!¡± Natto yelled. Not ¡®yet¡¯ Drake corrected. Drake felt Natto roll her eyes. ¡°Just bring me back to the bumpkin¡¯s tent. I still have food to conquer!¡± she said, mentally pushing Drake. Yes, yes, right away your highness¡­ Drake turned to Harley. She was still looking in the direction of the gate they had left through. ¡°They¡¯ll be alright. Theodore might not be able to beat people up as well as I can, but he can sure hide pretty damn well,¡± Drake said, doing his best to console her. Harley slightly snapped back to reality from whatever she was lost in thought about hearing Drake address her, slowly nodding. ¡°I know¡­ I just wish we could have not been brought into this at all... Why did this all happen? We were supposed to be nning for a child this year¡­¡± she said softly. Whoa, big bomb there¡­ Drake thought his eyes widening. ¡°It would be entertaining to see many small Theodore¡¯s trouncing about. I am all for them producing offspring,¡± Nattoughed, her smile obvious in her tone. Drake fixed himself from the information she had just casually dropped and said the only thing that came to mind. ¡°Well, it can still happen. Once the tutorial ends, who knows how the world might unfold? All I do know is that I¡¯ll be here to do my utmost to ensure you and he have that opportunity. I will stake my life on it,¡± Drake said firmly. Harley looked up to Drake, the sides of her eyes beading tears. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know what to say Mr. Shot¡­¡± she murmured. Drake scratched the side of his cheek, then snapped his mask back over his mouth trying to hide his brightening cheeks at the embarrassing line he had just said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. I already told you all. Friends don¡¯t have to say thank you. And family most definitely does not.¡± Drake turned and started walking to Hudson¡¯s tent, turning over his shoulder only to give onest line. ¡°You can join us in watching paint dry, but I think it might be better if you rest some more. I can handle the wall. I have a special surprise for the next group that decides to make the worst decision of their lives,¡± Drake mused, pulling his new staff from his inventory and twirling it between his hands getting a feel for it, ¡°It¡¯s going to be explosive!¡± Drake smiled. Harley looked nkly at Drake, amazed at how he could go from saying something so meaningful to something so¡­ unbelievable. ¡°Her face says you are quite and most certainly a moron,¡± Natto giggled. Yeah well good thing I can¡¯t see what her face is saying then huh? Drake snapped back. Drake ced the staff back into his inventory then continued walking to the other end of the tent area where Hudson was when he heard a notification get past his mute function. [You have increased Purity of Soul to Proficiency 2(0%)] Nice! I love passive skills. Drake said gleefully. Finally reaching Hudson¡¯s tent with Harley hot on his heels, Drake paused before opening the p. Drake turned to Harley and waved her in since she had decided toe with him rather than rest by herself. ¡°Although I¡¯d hate to do this right now, you and the rest of them hold up here until the robot is done. Then you cane get me alright?¡± ¡°What are you going to be doing then Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked curiously. ¡°I have some rats that need dealing with,¡± Drake said, his eyes turning cold. Without waiting for Harley¡¯s reply Drake snapped his fingers switching to his Lightning Endowment. Through his Aura, Drake had noticed something very unpleasant. But he couldn¡¯t say he didn''t expect it to happen with so many people in such chaos. As chaos breeds opportunity. With a few steps, Drake maneuvered through the camp reaching a tent near the edge of the encampment. Spreading his aura inside, he could ¡®feel¡¯ three figures and one more outside, currently shitting himself as he saw Drake stop in front of him. ¡°I-i do-¡± the man tried to say. ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± Drake said, snapping his fingers as an earthen spike went through the man¡¯s leg pinning him to the ground as he screamed in pain. After dealing with the man, he walked inside the tent, pulling the p back to see what he already knew was happening. A woman in tears, and two men. One was holding her down, as the other fiddled with his pants. All three saw Drake and froze. Each one holding a different emotion on their face. The men turned to abject fear, and fell to the floor scrambling backward. The woman at first had relief on her face but soon turned to fright as well as she witnessed Drake¡¯s eyes cascade in color, his presence bing more palpable by the second, the air growing cold. ¡°Y-y-you said we could leave, i-if we broke the rules!¡± one of the men shouted. ¡°I might have. I probably did. But it looks like I¡¯ll have to change the rules to get rid of some bad apples. Men are meant to protect those who can not defend themselves in situations of uncertainty and chaos. Not take advantage of the defenseless, whom they were supposed to help. Neither one of you,¡± he paused, his aura flexing, ¡°Deserve the air you breathe,¡± Drake said, his voice steely. Drake pushed his aura down on them. Walking closer in slow measured steps, as they struggled, their breath bing ragged gasps for air under the pressure. ¡°Marked,¡± Drake growled out. Snapping, a thin de of water formed from the magic circle on the end of Drake¡¯s finger. And in one swift motion, Drake pierced the first man¡¯s heart. [You have killed Participant: Raymond Lurch Level 9] [Experience Earned, and 12,255 TP Rewarded] Looking over to the second man beside him Drake used his skill again, ¡°Marked,¡± not a momentter Drake¡¯s de of water was thrust into the man¡¯s heart like the other. The clear blue de passed through both people pristine but now tinged a hateful red as the spell canceled out in Drake¡¯s hand, the red water falling onto the man¡¯sp. Turning to the woman Drake asked, ¡°Are you alright? I hope I wasn¡¯t toote¡­¡± She unsteadily shook her head, eking out the words, ¡°Tha-thank you..¡± Drake only responded with a nod, then ced the two men¡¯s bodies and belongings into his inventory, turning to walk outside, but paused seeing two shes of colorful light from his peripheral. Drake¡¯s eyes widened. Natto¡­ Does that mean¡­ Drake thought, hesitating even to consider the implications. ¡°Yes. People within the tutorial drop Skill Stones as well,¡± she answered. Drake clenched his jaw nearly unable to hold back a scream. Fuck this ce! Fuck this tutorial! Chapter 90: Those with Nothing to Lose Chapter 90: Those with Nothing to Lose ¡°It is the reality,¡± Natto said softly, not sure how to address Drake¡¯s displeasure. You¡¯re going to tell me that humans can also drop Skill Stones? Where do theye from the sponsors as well?! Drake asked, furious. ¡°They are selected randomly as a dropped item from the in, that is as far as my knowledge goes I am afraid,¡± Natto answered. 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. ¡°Drake the stones,¡± Natto reminded. 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. 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. Cursing, he ced them into his inventory. The stones getting lost in the piles of skill stones that he carried. 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. 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. ¡°Are you alright? What am I talking about¡­ obviously you''re not¡­ Are you hurt?¡± Drake asked, amending his statement. ¡°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. Drake winced not out of sympathy, his emotions still somewhat dulled, but out of knowing how wrong what was done to her had been. 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. Clenching his fists, Drake walked to the front of the tent, the sound of the screaming man growing louder. Turning Drake, gave the woman a terse word. ¡°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.¡± The woman rubbed her eyes and nodded her head, still doing her best to wipe the tears from her eyes. 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. Drake looked down at the man, his leg still pinned to the floor as his hands wrapped around the puncture point of his spell. 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. ¡°Why were you guarding the door for those men?¡± Drake asked evenly, being careful not to mention the act in particr. ¡°Th-they forced me!¡± the man spat, wincing in pain. 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. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask what they did to you. I asked, why were you doing it for them?¡± Drake asked again. The man¡¯s paling face stiffened and his eyes widened as he understood what Drake was alluding to. ¡°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..¡± Drake cursed, releasing the man. ¡°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.¡± 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. 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. 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. ¡°What is this all about?¡± ire asked, looking on in disgust. Amir, Tom, Harley, and Hudson also looked perturbed by the disy, not sure what to make of it. ¡°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. He then used his finger to light a torch-like me, using the torch to write something on the piece of wood. Growing an Earthen spike next to the cage door, he took a moment to fix it on the makeshift pole. [Caution Self-Centered Bastard, do not feed, will bite] 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. ¡°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.¡± Drake finished with a long exhale, and turned to ire and the others. ¡°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. ¡°S-sure..?¡± ire answered, her demeanor changing after listening to his speech. The others still looked on confused, not understanding the whole situation, but held their tongues. ¡°Sorry for themotion everyone. Hudson, can you keep an eye on this bastard for me?¡± Drake asked. Hudson nodded, looking back at the cage. ¡°What the sorry sac do?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°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.¡± ¡°Sir, what happened to the other two then?¡± Amir asked. 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. ¡°Jesus dude¡­¡± Tom whispered. ¡°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. ire wanted to say something but hesitated to. The others not sure how to respond to hearing he had killed two people. ¡°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. ire pressed her hand to her chest but quickly followed after him with quick steps.
¡°You think he really did that?¡± Tom asked the others, still stunned. ¡°Reckon he did, we¡¯ve all seen how he puts down those damned Goblins,¡± Hudson offered. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°Can think of a terrible few that deserve gettin¡¯ put down,¡± Hudson said, crossing his arms. ¡°But to do it right in the camp? In front of all those people?¡± Amir chimed in. 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. ¡°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. ¡°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. Tom looked to Hudson, but he only huffed, turning to go back inside the tent. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me boy, you got your own damn mind, go do what you want,¡± Hudson said. ¡°Didn¡¯t Shot ask you to watch this dude?¡± Tom asked, trying to change the subject off himself. ¡°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. ¡°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?¡± 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. Then an idea popped into Tom¡¯s head as he rushed to the side of the camp, a grin on his face. Chapter 91: Mending Chapter 91: Mending [/author] Hey everyone, just wanted to give a heads-up about another fiction I''m currently writing for the . It''s been an old project I''ve revamped for thepetition and I n on just adding to it when I can much like The War Orphan. The story centers around a boy orphaned by monsters during a tragic event caused by unknown forces. He is then found by a Mage named Barrett and hispanion Fou, in a state of almost magical stasis inside a barrier. It''s a story of growth and very akin to many slow burn progression stories like Beginning After the End, and Jobless Reincarnate. Both of which are inspirations for the story. If you''d like to give it a try just take a quick peek by clicking on the image or ! Thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter! [/author] Drake and ire walked in silence as he brooded about what to do to further enforce the rules in the camp. He couldn¡¯t constantly be at the wall fighting, and making sure everything was going smoothly in here. He needed people to delegate to. Or possibly Hudson¡¯s robots may be able to help. ¡°Shot..?¡± ire asked, speaking up to break the silence. ¡°Hmm?¡± he hummed, turning to her. ¡°What exactly happened? With that man and the other¡­ two?¡± she asked pensively. Drake mulled over how much to tell her as he didn¡¯t want to openly discuss someone else¡¯s trauma if they hadn¡¯t consented to it. So he tried his best to step around it. ¡°They did something I forbade in the camp, and it was so severe that I couldn¡¯t let them leave. People like that, like them¡­ They would do it again I¡¯m sure. I just want you to possibly talk to the girl. I don¡¯t think I would be the best person to help her with what she needs,¡± Drake said gingerly,ing to a stop in front of the tent in question. ire¡¯s eyes thinned as she processed Drake¡¯s words but were also drawn to the blood stain on the ground next to the tent. Drake opened the tent and walked inside, ¡°I¡¯m back, I brought a friend who might be a better conversation partner.¡± The woman had not moved from the bed, and looked up her eyes slightly puffy and red, but she looked to have ceased crying. ¡°W-who?¡± the woman asked. ¡°This is my friend ire. She¡¯s very sweet when she wants to be, but also very mean when she needs to be,¡± Drake said, earning him a re from his side. Drake dropped his head down to whisper to ire, ¡°She was assaulted by those men. If you arefortable with it I just want you to help her how you can.¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened and she looked pensively from the woman to Drake. Eventually nodding. ire walked over and took a seat at the end of the bed hesitantly as Drake just observed from the entrance of the tent. ¡°No snappyment this time?¡± Natto asked. Even I have some tact when it¡¯s needed. I don¡¯t think it needs to be said I¡¯m out of my depth when dealing with something like this. He thought. ire continued to sit at the end of the bed as both women sat silently for a time. ¡°Yes well, it does not look like the girl is able to swim in the deep end either,¡± Natto interjected. Just give her some time. This is as much therapy for her as it is for the other woman. Drake chided. After a few more minutes of silence, the woman on the other side of the bed broke down in tears again, her head in her hands. ire also began to tear up as she moved closer on the bed, her hand hesitantly moving to the woman''s back. There it is. Alright time for us to go. Drake said wordlessly exiting the tent. ¡°What just happened?¡± Natto asked, confused. Women¡¯s special ability to observe and understand. That¡¯s what. My mom used to know somehow all the time when I did something wrong, or school didn¡¯t go well. Didn¡¯t matter how well I tried to hide it. It was almost like a second superpower. Drake thought. ¡°What was the first then?¡± Her ability to use everyday objects as a way to punish you¡­ Drake chuckled, rubbing his butt from remembering the random beatings he used to get. Never underestimate an angry Pinoy Mother surrounded by anything she can get her hands on¡­ Drake shook his head and scanned the surroundings with his aura and eyes. It¡¯s beside the point though. My point is mothers, sisters, even my ex¡¯s, women in general seem to be way more in touch with their emotions and can somehow empathize with others better than I certainly can. Especially now when my mind is all funky. Drake thought. ¡°That is¡­ rather observant yourself is it not?¡± Natto asked slight impress in her voice. Knowing what you are good at and what you have no shot in the dark at doing is a good skill to have. And I was way off from that back in there. ire, on the other hand, has unfortunately been through something simr and I don¡¯t think she ever had a chance to talk it out or grieve about the experience. I was hoping she would open up to me with at least her brother but she just wasn¡¯t ready. This¡­ this was a good chance for her to vent while helping someone else. ¡°You truly are just a big softy. Or possibly you have feelings for ire?¡± Drake scoffed and began walking towards Hudson¡¯s tent once more, satisfied that everything was calm in the surroundings. Don¡¯t get me wrong, she is actually surprisingly beautiful. But, I¡¯m not looking for anything right now. I need to focus on the task at hand, maybe after the tutorial if we miraculously meet up again I would consider giving dating a try again, but that is a BIG maybe. ¡°Who are you and what have you done with the weeby immature ape I know as Drake? Why do you actually sound like an adult for once,¡± Natto snickered. I am an adult¡­ Drake chuckled, But- ¡°Only when it suits you?¡± Natto finished. Spot on. Or when the situation calls for it. Drake had looked around at the camp on his way to Hudson. Eyes followed here and there unsurprisingly as he had just dragged a man through the camp. He was honestly astonished that he didn¡¯t mind it, but he was more confused on how to deal with it. I need to find someone to handle this camp or get to Shigure¡¯s faster. The speech earlier might have been how I really feel but swaying the hearts of a mass of scared and disgruntled people is another. He thought, reaching Hudson¡¯s tent. ¡°You could always just threaten them into submission,¡± Natto said. What is wrong with you? You can¡¯t just go around threatening people. Drake scoffed. ¡°Certainly you can. I threaten you and your party members on a regr basis now,¡± she said with glee. That is not helping. Drake sighed. Looking to the cage on the left of the tent, Drake spotted a metal menace in front of the door. It turned back and forth with its 4 barrel muzzle spinning every few seconds. ¡°Now that is a real babysitter,¡± Drake thought then looked at the cage, ¡°I mean bastard sitter.¡± Natto made a gagging sound in his head that was far more unpleasant than Drake cared toment. ¡°That joke hurt me,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe it was intended to get you to gag, you did eat a whole barrel of stew,¡± Drake mused. ¡°Are you trying to say something intelligent or funny? Because I believe you are but it is certainly failing,¡± Natto said pointedly. Drake rolled his eyes and opened the tent, pushing past the ps of the entrance. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m home!¡± Drake said dramatically, his arms spread wide. ¡°Shut up you git, don¡¯t you knock?¡± Hudson snapped. Drakeughed, ¡°That¡¯s not very nice to say to your fearless leader. How is the roboting? And where is everyone else?¡± ¡°Amir and Harley both went to rest they said, the other idjit I got no idea,¡± Hudson answered, crossing his arms. Did he just say idjit? Drake thought. ¡°He certainly did,¡± Natto confirmed. I knew I liked him. Maybe we can convince him to change hisst name to Singer. Drake chuckled. ¡°I see you have a deadly metal bastard sitter outside, nice touch. Hope the bigger ones are better, need someone to help control this ce until we get to Shigure¡¯s,¡± Drake said in quandary. ¡°It does seem a bit rowdytely, specially after you pulled that sad sac through the ce. Big guy here is ganna to take a bit longer than expected. And I¡¯ll have to get more materials from the Mines for the next one,¡± Hudson answered. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Drake thought putting his hand to his chin, ¡°I think I¡¯ll go walk around, maybe showing I¡¯m an actual person and not just a big scary murderer might help. Also I haven¡¯t seen Sherry in a minute, any ideas?¡± Drake asked. Hudson quickly shrugged his shoulders and stayed silent, closing both his eyes. ¡°Very helpful..¡± Natto sighed. He can¡¯t help being emotionally exhausted. It¡¯s in his nature, remember? Drake chuckled. He must be tired as well, I don¡¯t know what kind of stats he has but I¡¯ve been running him pretty ragged since yesterday. Drake turned and exited the tent, taking in the surroundings and the sun that was now beginning to move past its apex. Not wanting tox after using up so much time for other things and somehow not being attacked by the Goblins for some time now, he began snapping his fingers, rotating his spells in his hand as they circled around him. Drake walked through the camp, going to the section he had ced all the food in hoping to find a certain someone. ¡°Ah, there she is. Where in the world does she fit it all¡­ Is she taking lessons from you Natto?¡± Drake said under his breath. Natto scoffed in Drake''s head, not dignifying the question with a real response. ¡°Touchy today are we¡­¡± Drakeughed. Walking past some of the sparsely remaining people picking at the leftovers of the cauldrons and roasted boars, he stopped in front of a short woman with sses like a certain Wizard. Her face halfway in a bowl of stew. ¡°Sherry. You aren¡¯t going to rest aren''t you tired?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I-hum ghod,¡± she responded through a full mouth. She¡¯s a life-size you¡­ Drake cringed. ¡°She is nothing like me! I eat with dignity and grace, she is but a sleepy-eyed barbarian,¡± Natto shouted back. Drake contained augh as she was a pot calling the kettle ck. ¡°Are you sure? We don¡¯t know when the Goblins might be back,¡± Drake asked again, concerned for the girl. Sherry waved her spoon, ¡°It¡¯s alright dude. I¡¯m used to long nights, I used to work at apany that did graveyards. A little bit of noise and sitting around eating food is a godsendpared to those days,¡± she giggled, a piece of food stuck to the side of her mouth as she smiled widely. ¡°You should make more of this stuff, it''s really good!¡± she added. ¡°I can do much better. If onl-¡± Drake tried to say but was interrupted by a crazy-eyed Sherry grabbing him by the arms, her face ufortably close and her breath smelling of spices and meat. ¡°Only what! What do you need, tell me who to hurt!¡± she screamed. ¡°Whoa! Whoa! I don¡¯t think I can get it in the tutorial anyway. I need tamarind and some other things to make a proper stew. Or¡­ Yeah, I¡¯d kill from some soy sauce or some fucking rice¡­ I miss my rice cooker¡­¡± Drake said suddenly downhearted. Sherry slumped down to her knees her eyes watering as she nearly began to silently sob. ¡°M-my only reason for being! And y-you tell me I can¡¯t have it!! Wahh!!¡± she howled. ¡°Hey! Stop that! People are going to think I did something,¡± Drake said, shifting his weight to his side as he crossed his arms. ¡°I understand her pain. You did hurt her, more than you know,¡± Natto said sympathetically. What are you, kindred spirits now? Jesus¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Look if you can somehow find me after the tutorial, I promise to make you some, and anything else I can cook up, alright? So stop crying already,¡± he said. Sherry stood up immediately, suddenly no worse for wear. ¡°Sounds good dude!¡± she said cheerily as she walked back over to her seat by the cauldron of food. ¡°Well she recovers fast¡­¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Hey Sherry do you know if Jacqueline is up or where Tom is?¡± Sherry shook her head at the first question, then had to point with her spoon in a direction as she chewed vigorously. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Drake said, sighing the words. Turning in the direction Drake saw Tom through the break of tents. The man was trying to make something on the ground that looked like? ¡°Oh? What is he doing¡­¡± Drake mused. Chapter 92: Are you not Entertained?! Chapter 92: Are you not Entertained?! Drake moved through the line of tents and got within earshot of Tom. But instead of immediately calling out to him, he just observed for the moment, interested in what the man was doing. ¡°I really wish I had some tools to work with.. Having to snap stuff doesn''t exactly make things break and measure the way it¡¯s supposed to.. Ahhh! How am I supposed to bend the metal? I don¡¯t suppose there are magic metal benders now..?¡± Tom mumbled, fiddling with broken pieces of wood and metal. Drake moved silently behind the man, looking over his shoulder as he tried to work. Oh.. he''s trying to make a hoop? That is a cool idea¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Like a basketball hoop? The things where one team of buffoons tries to put more balls into a hoop than the other buffoons?¡± Natto said, snidely. I don¡¯t think the NBA would appreciate you describing their game like that. Drake chuckled wryly. ¡°Hey, Tom! Whatcha doin¡¯?!¡± Drake yelled next to his ear. ¡°AH! What the fu-! Oh¡­ Hey there, Mr. Shot.. All done with your mur- thing¡­?¡± Tom said wearily, chuckling softly. ¡°Why yes. I was¡­¡± Drake said, pulling away his mask, as he let a slow longful smile paint his face. Drake didn¡¯t like killing people, no matter what people might think, or what his new reality might dictate with his ever-changing body but he knew full well what was required to live in it. And to make others safe he was willing to take on the gruesome burden of being judge and jury for some. And if someone wanted to say he was wrong for what he had done. Let them. Shaking his head slightly, pulling himself from darker thoughts, he refocused on Tom, and what he was building. ¡°So what¡¯s this all about?¡± Drake asked, pointing at the rather abysmal-looking basketball hoop. ¡°Oh um.. I was just thinking that there¡¯s not much to do here, so I wanted to make, I don¡¯t know¡­ a hoop or something?¡± Tom replied, an embarrassed grin on his face. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually an amazing idea Tom. I¡¯m actually really surprised and proud that you came up with something like that. That is exactly what these people need!¡± Drake said growing more excited by the idea. ¡°I-it is..?¡± ¡°Yes! They need a way to vent! Why didn¡¯t I think of that? They have no way to safely go out and fight to get stronger because of the sheer number of monsters out right now. And I couldn¡¯t possibly fit all of them in one party. That would be like shooting myself in the foot despite my face. But then they¡¯re left with no outlet for their frustration. Here, I want to help,¡± Drake said smiling. Walking further past Tom, Drake snapped his fingers, arge earthen brown magic circle forming in front of him as arge expansive t b of dirt formed and shot out. Drake killed the magic circle, the b crashing to the ground forming a t terrain perfect for a sports field. Then he walked onto the b jumping up and down and testing its durability. ¡°Yep this will work for rtively normal people,¡± he grinned, turning around and snapping his fingers again, another brown magic circle forming as a spike manifested, and at the top of it a backboard and hoop. Drake mmed it into the ground satisfied that it wouldn¡¯t move, and went to the other end of the makeshift court doing the same. ¡°And¡­ Tadaaa!¡± Drake said, spreading his arms out, and turning to face Tom. Tom looked back with his mouth open, his piece of wood and metal rod in hand, then looked at both pieces frowning and throwing them to the floor. ¡°The fuck was I wasting my time for¡­ Stupid Magic¡­¡± Tom mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that Tom,¡± Drake said, thumbing to a small sign he had made out of earth. [Tom¡¯s Initiative - Community Court] ¡°It was your idea after all, I was just able to make it faster,¡± Drake said, giving him a thumbs up. ¡°Who thumbs up anyone anymore, what are you 60?¡± Natto snickered. You are very cranky today for someone who ate so much. Shouldn¡¯t you be taking, like an itus nap or something? Drake shot back. ¡°It was not that much!¡± Natto yelled. It was a barrel of food. A Barrel! Like Donkey Kong Barrel but filled with stew. It was a lot. Drakeughed. ¡°Is it really ok that people think this was me?¡± Tom asked, hesitantly stepping onto the court. ¡°It was you man. Be proud. Now all we need is to figure out how to make a basketball¡­ What do we need, leather and rubber? We have plenty of leather from the boars, but it isn''t cured, and I have zero idea how to do that. I think I remember an anime where they said it needed urine..?¡± Drake huffed some air shaking his head, not wanting to think about having to do that. After his sh of unpleasant images Drake remembered he had a plethora of leather from armor they could use also. Pulling a bit from his inventory he plopped them onto the court. ¡°Now do we know anyone that can stitch it together? And what are we going to substitute rubber for?¡± Drake wondered aloud. Tom spoke up surprisingly. ¡°You can use the boar¡¯s dder for it.. That¡¯s what old balls used to use, then wrap the leather around them.¡± Drake cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I like sports, and I have the inte,¡± Tom said as if it was the most natural thing. ¡°I do like me some good inte searches,¡± Drake agreed, then sighed, remembering there was no inte anymore. Drake turned to the rest of thergely open space of the outpost, a sparkle in his eye. ¡°Ok Tom, what do you think of making some more fun things!¡± ¡°I-i uh¡­¡± Tom tried to reply, but before he could Drake had shot off, creating things left and right in one space then the next, filling the outpost up quickly. Drake had made, a dirt ser field amodated with goals and even markings for the field. A football field, roughly measured out by him walking foot to foot, with two goalposts at a height he thought was good enough. Even a baseball field ended up getting built, including cages for warming up batters and pitchers on the side, the back fence for the batter¡¯s box covering it fully with hardened earth. Drake even went to lengths to make a very unadvised pool, but then quickly sank the pool idea as it became muddied and gross each time, even with him lining it with hardened magma to try to stop leaking. ¡°So no skinny dipping but the rest is good right?¡± Drake said, looking over to his side at Tom. ¡°Uh.. I guess?¡± Tom replied. Drake gave Tom¡¯s back a p, ¡°Come on man, be more enthused! This is your idea! And it¡¯s great! Now, I¡¯ll leave finding someone who can make some balls for the fields alright? And if you need to make anything,e get me and I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Tom nodded, more out of falling into Drake¡¯s pace rather than actually agreeing, but didn¡¯t want to speak up. Afraid that responding might entice Drake to speak more at length at how this was his idea. ¡°Good! Then what shall we do next¡­ I think dinner might be on the menu again soon.. But what to make?¡± Drake pondered. ¡°Dinner?!¡± Natto perked up. Drake was about to respond sarcastically but a horn sounded from over the walls, just as the sun began setting. ¡°And here I thought we were going to get a really nice off day for once,¡± Drake said, a grin pulling the side of his lips. Drake snapped his fingers and switched to his Water Endowment, wanting to refill his stock of mana. Looking over again to Tom, Drake gave a smile, snapping his mask back into ce. Crouching to bend at the knees Drake chanted. ¡°My soldiers, Rage. My soldiers, Scream. My soldiers, Fight. This is my Command!¡± a pulse of Aura emanated from Drake but not the same as his Tyrannical Aura. This one felt emboldening, strengthening as it pushed out like a wave through the air, catching Tom, and a white sheen cascaded over him, a look of surprise on his face that quickly united to a smile. ¡°Kogarasumaru!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Drake howled. ¡°Kill ''em!!!!!!¡± Natto howled back, ¡° Wait no!! Not again!¡± Not waiting, Drake shot from his position with speed to the walls. As expected the first one to arrive. Looking out into the twilight of the day, Drake pushed out his aura unable to find any Goblins hiding around the wall beneath him. Even surveying the horizon he had not spotted a single Goblin exiting the forest. No catapults, no monsters, nothing. What are they doing blowing a horn but not fighting? Drake thought. ¡°Perhaps they are changing tactics once again? There are still a few Generals alive or we would have heard an announcement changing the quest,¡± Natto exined. ¡°I really wish you told me that. I feel like that¡¯s important information to know, Natto,¡± Drake said, shaking his head. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask. And you would have found out eventually.¡± Drake stayed vignt as he continued to survey the surroundings pacing back and forth on the rampart. Eventually, the rest of his party made it to the wall one by one and in pairs, thest being Jacqueline. She slumped up the stairs her hair a mess and her eyes half open as shezily gripped her cudgel. ¡°What are you cunts doing waking ady up this bloody early¡­¡± Jacqueline spat. ¡°It¡¯s almost nightfall Jacky..¡± Harley said wryly. ¡°Don¡¯t change no-ting!¡± she growled back, her hands going through her hair trying to iron it out, ¡°What I would do for a straightener and ab! Fucking ahhh! Why can¡¯t they just leave us alone!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that they¡¯re here, we need to kill them all anyway,¡± ire interjected. ¡°You¡¯re a real bloodthirsty one aren''t ya kid?¡± Hudson said from the corner. ¡°Problem..?¡± she asked. ¡°Ain¡¯t got a single problem with it pup,¡± Hudson replied, shifting his gaze to the horizon. ¡°Hudson, is the big guy done yet? It¡¯s been all day,¡± Drake asked. Hudson hesitated a bit before answering. ¡°Not yet, it¡¯s taking a lot longer than I coulda thought. Don¡¯t even want to try and predict how long. Just hope the sted thing is worth the trouble at this point.¡± Drake nodded a little disappointed but it wasn¡¯t the biggest priority if the Goblins were already here. ¡°Sir? Where are the Goblins? They normally would be running for the gates after a horn sounded,¡± Amir asked, shifting on his feet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. You all have seen how the monster¡¯s tactics change from time to time right?¡± All of them shook their heads. Sherry just sat down in the earthen box with a bowl of food, taking another bite. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°What do you mean, what? It isn''t a ting,¡± Jacqueline asked back. ¡°They most likely have not had to fight therge quantities you have. Possibly not fighting the stronger monsters either who wouldmand them,¡± Natto said, stepping into the conversion. Drake pursed his lips. That is unfortunate. That means this is the first time they¡¯ll experience this kind of thing then and right after a big fight. Drake thought. ¡°Alright, when facingrger groupsmanded by higher monsters. I guess you can think of them as like Boss monsters from games. They can quickly change tactics, and not just small things like adding more monsters, or the variety of their weapons. But entire formations and how they engage inbat. So be more alert than usual until we know what we''re dealing with,¡± Drake exined. Each member nodded and spread into smaller groups across the wall. Harley, ire, and Sherry stayed in one of the guard towers. Drake, not wanting Harley to be too far from him in case of anything stood within rtively close distance. At least close enough for him to move instantly without hindrance. Amir and Hudson standing next to a cluster of sentries at another spot. And finally, Tom and Jacqueline were in the other guard tower. Now they waited. Eyes peeled on the forest waiting for the Goblins, but they never came. The sun had fallen under the horizon for a while now. And visibility was down now that it was a few hours into the night. ¡°Mr. Shot where are they?¡± Harley asked concerned, her arms subconsciously outlining her bow in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m no-¡± Drake was about to say when the fire of a sentry went off, and a scream sounded. Drake looked in the direction of the bullets and spotted not a Goblin but a person. And they weren¡¯t alone, there was a long line of people edging out of the forest. But they were on panels of wood. They were being used as shields by the Goblins, and one of Hudson¡¯s senteries had shot at them because of the Goblins behind them. Drake turned to the gruff man. Hudson¡¯s face paling in realization as he quickly shut down all of his senteries. Drake¡¯s head whipped back to the line of people inching out of the forest, his eyes trained on a Goblin that stood taller than the others, it was garbed in an odd patchwork of robes and leather, an eye-patch over its right, and a smile showing its yelled crooked teeth. Drake ground his teeth feeling his mrs creak under the pressure. You fucking sick piece of shit! Drake screamed internally. His face furrowed into a fierce scowl. Chapter 93: Flash Step, Asura! Chapter 93: sh Step, Asura! [Satar¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24] Drake clenched his left fist, his right creaking as the earth began to crack between his fingers. ¡°Th-they¡¯re using human shields...?¡± Harley muttered in disbelief. ire leaned forward over the wooden rail of the guard post, her eyes pointed as she bared her teeth, her fingers wrenching the wood below them. Drake met eyes with the Goblin, its disgusting yellowed teeth grinning from green pointed ear to pointed ear, it walking forward ahead of the line of human shields as it locked and kept the re Drake was giving it. The Goblin then unsheathed one, then another medieval-looking short sword, cing it on the struggling human on the block of woods neck. Drake¡¯s aura red, but he was unable to move fear of retaliation for the rest of the human shields. The Goblin noticed Drake¡¯s hesitation and threw its head back in a cackle as it gently pulled the sword across the person¡¯s neck, a river of red pouring out as they struggled more until they limped covered in their own blood. ¡°That bastard! Aren¡¯t you going to do something?!¡± ire shouted, turning her head to Drake. ¡°If I do anything I could make a mistake and kill any one of those people on those shields,¡± Drake said through gritted teeth. ¡°If you do nothing then they will all die! Are you just going to abandon all of them?¡± she pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t let them be used by those sick bastards like this! Save them like you saved me!¡± Drake felt his body heat up, a feeling he hadn¡¯t encountered since he was fired, a feeling he could only vaguely remember although it was so present in his mind only a few days ago when he was told the truth by Stewart. Hatred. Drake saw the Monster move to another woman, tears in her eyes as she looked at the de slowly encroaching on her throat. The tears in her eyes turned to rivers as she vehemently struggled to get away, screaming and kicking the board below her. Natto.. He thought, the reluctance but pure determinationing through. ¡°Drake, I am against it. We don¡¯t know what it will do to your psyche!¡± she warned. The Goblin took its time slicing the woman¡¯s throat, licking the de as it snickered. Raising one arm and shouting, the line of Goblins moving forward as it moved behind the line and walked in turn a smile on its face as it looked directly into Drake¡¯s eyes. The damn that held Drake¡¯s emotions began to rattle, began to crack. He could feel it. But the only emotion leaking through was one of unadulterated seething hate. No. No more. No more watching as people who I can help, suffer in front of me as I sit and debate the possible consequences. I will go above and beyond. I¡¯ll go beyond what¡¯s needed, what¡¯s expected. Drake promised. Pulling out two stones from his inventory holding them in his left hand, he turned to ire. ¡°ire, chant,¡± he said tersely ire¡¯s eyes turned soft, relief painting her face as she nodded, moving to the rampart as she began chanting. ¡°The heavens shine brightly down upon thend,¡± she started, closing her eyes, as Drake moved next to her, making sure no monster attacked while she was casting, the bright magic circle forming below her. Drake looked down at the stones again. If I have to break myself, force myself to rebuild from the ground up to do what needs to be done. Drake thought, gripping the stones. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Lightning [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] [You have learned Skill: Magic Exposure [F Rank] Drake felt the potent pulse of power as he consumed the stone. His body rippling in it as he forced the process to stay stable within him, his eyes now up and fixated on the Goblin that lurked behind the line of human shields. [You wish to consume, Skill Stone: Oppression [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] [You have learned Skill: Tyrant¡¯s Indomitability [F Rank] The power of the stone pushed and wormed its way through Drake¡¯s body, the heat merging with the heat of his emotions, the wall not able to withhold as he imagined how he would kill and make the monster suffer with his bare hands. Then it will be done! Drake shouted internally, the damn inside of him breaking, the rapid flooding of his backed-up hatreding full to bear. His eyes shed yellow, his mouth wording a phrase, ¡°Marked.¡± ire continued to cast next to him, as Drake began rapidly going through his own defensive spells. ¡°But the world will not be protected from the rumbling of my heart!¡± ire shouted, the deep timber of thunder sounding. Drake cast his own Guardians Reprieve, Unbreakable, and Bulwark in quick session. His body shed in three sessive green-hued lights. ¡°I call down the rain, I call down the thunder! Be blessed in your fury my people!¡± she chanted. Drake did not snap his hands this time, but instead pped them, his earthen arm then disintegrating as a light yellow magic circle formed in front of himself a javelin of lightning forming. ¡°I¡¯m going to save them all. Even if my body breaks. First is you then I will kill that sac of shit King of yours!¡± Drake shouted, holding the javelin in his left hand. ¡°We are the wind of change! We are the storm that crashes upon the world! Storm Caller¡¯s Rising!¡± ire howled as the spell finished, and a bolt of lightning crashing to her, as she fell to one knee barely able to stay conscious this time from the exhaustion of the spell. [You have been affected by beneficial magic from a party member.] Storm Caller¡¯s Rising is in effect for 30 seconds. Drake instantly chanted his spell, dropping all of his free points into his Dexterity. Bringing it to 250 and over 300 with his essories. ¡°Endowment of Lightning, twofold, sh Step!¡± Drake shouted for the first time pushing his Heretical Mind to change his Endowment skill. The javelin in his hand shrank as he felt his status plummet down to half, his body creaking from the intense increase of his statsbined with the new spell, a bead of red falling from the side of his mask, but Drake was not finished. ¡°Water Trifold, Asura!¡± Drake screamed, as three magic circles formed on his shoulders, two to his right and one behind his left. Three shimmering light blue arms formed and swirled at the base of his shoulders. And moved to hismand, the moment they materialized the fingers sharpened to thin water des. The Goblin Satar¡¯ looked on unperturbed until he saw Drake cast hisst spell, his eyes widening in fear, as he scrambled to get to the nearest human shield. But Drake gave him no time. From the Rampart Drake shot forward with such speed it looked nearly impossible. He moved from the wall to Satar¡¯ in an instant, the boom of his movement sounding seconds after he had arrived next to the monster. ¡°Fear is binding, Cower,¡± Drake chanted, his hand on the chest of the monster, the dark inky like smoke moving quickly to its head from Drake¡¯s hand. Satar¡¯s eyes zed over as it began running around wildly, the rest of the Goblins on the front suddenly turning noticing Drake¡¯s appearance. ¡°Five seconds is plenty to kill everyst one of you¡­ Then, I will deal with him,¡± Drake said coldly, as he flexed his aura, freezing the nearby Goblins for a moment. But that was all it took for Drake to move in a sh through the ranks of their line, bisecting and beheading any monster in his wake. The blocks holding the people fell to the ground gently, their bonds cut by Drake¡¯s multiple water arms. In less than 5 seconds he removed every Goblin besides Satar¡¯ from the ins. Satar¡¯ came out of its stupor with a shake of its head, looking around to a wastnd of his former battalion, its eyes quaking in fear. Quickly turning to the forest, ready to run, but standing there in his way was Drake. ¡°I¡¯m going to, for the first time in my life. Enjoy watching you suffer as you get what you deserve,¡± Drake said. With a sh of blue his arm moved, cutting off Satar¡¯ left arm. The monster took a moment to notice theck of his appendage, as it gasped and looked to its left. It pulled in a ragged breath as it tried to use a movement skill teleporting to cover within the forest. But Drake had already marked the monster and immediately moved to it at the same moment. ¡°You will not find a ce I can not reach you,¡± Drake muttered frigidly, then chanted another spell, ¡°Atrophy of the Mind,¡± Drake chanted, shortening the spell. One of Drake¡¯s arm¡¯s moved again, and the Goblin Satar¡¯ lost his right arm, it moving its head to look at the stump of a shoulder, bbergasted. Drake¡¯s two right arms moved. And Satar¡¯ became half his height as he lost his legs. Then stabbing the monster in its chest with his three water arms. It struggled as blood leaked from its mouth. [Beneficial magic: The Stormcaller¡¯s Rising, has expired] Finally canceling his Endowment, feeling the ache and pain of the spell going beyond what his body could handle catching up to him. But he ignored it, as his arms turned to ice, slowly freezing over stopping the blood from puncture wounds from running out of the Monster. Drake then moved to the middle of the ins casually, Satar¡¯ struggling despite having no arms nor legs. The people Drake had rescued had gathered, their eyes finding the Goblin quickly, scowls painting their expressions. ¡°All of you, go to the outpost,¡± Drake said his expression emotionless, but his eyes fierce. No one argued this time with Drake, as they felt the aura surrounding him pressing down on them ever so slightly, warning them that it was not a suggestion but an order. Quickly all of the people moved to the gates of the Outpost, as it slowly opened and weed them in. Drake¡¯s party still on the wall of the rampart. ¡°Drake, what are you doing? Kill that monster and move on! This is not like you!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°No,¡± Drake said, throwing the monster as high as he could into the air, its body spinning wildly as it flew upward, ¡°I¡¯m going to send another message, wherever that King is. That this is what¡¯sing for him,¡± Drake scowled, his three arms melting away as his endowment changed to Ice, his hair glimmering to pure white. ¡°Operation X. Soft me,¡± Drake whispered, a crimson circle formed at his shoulder, an arm of fire molding to pulse lightly towards the ground as Drake turned making himself perpendicr to the ground, the fire propelling him above it. ¡°Hard me,¡± Drake said softly, a pulsing me forming in his left hand pointed right at the spinning half-dead corpse of the Monster, the glow of the spells highlighting his hair and tattoo with a reddish tinge. Drake dumped everything into the spell in his left hand, the me shimmering to a bright blue, then his new skill changed it further as it was bleached of all color to a bright white me that heat threatened to consume him. Throwing his hand open and forward, Drake aimed right at the sky behind the Monster. ¡°X-Burner!¡± Drake roared. The white pir of fire exploded forward into the sky, engulfing Satar¡¯ as it lit up the entire sky. The spell shone so brightly that the entire area was illuminated in a beautiful horrifying white hue like a nuclear explosion had erupted from the ground and funneled into the sky. [You have defeated Goblin General: Satar¡¯ Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] [Experience Earned and 350,000 TP rewarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 17] [40 Free Points have been awarded] Tyrant¡¯s Indomibility P1(0%) [F Rank]
  • Your will can not be undone and not be denied. Nothing will impede your rule.
  • Passive Effect: Any and all External and Internal debuffs will be reduced by 150% effectiveness. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Reduction will only bring effects down to 0 and will not convert said effects to beneficial ones.
Magic Exposure P1(0%) [F Rank]
  • Lay bare the rules of magic. Strip your enemies of their right to protection through the expertise of your magic.
  • Passive Effect: Spells and Skills now strip targets of 150% of their Defensive effectiveness. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Effects will bring Defensive effectiveness of those affected into the negative if there is a remaining amount after reaching 0.
  • Effects can not stack on the same target.
  • Spells now cost 50% more. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
Chapter 94: The Other Side. Chapter 94: The Other Side. ¡°So, did I tell you about that time when I was 22 and got involved with the Russian Mafia?¡± ¡°The only thing you got involved with at 22, was that girlfriend of yours in college, who was nothing but a major ball hog!¡±ughed the other man. ¡°Rxed as ever I see,¡± Shigure said, walking up behind the two guards on the reconstructed rampart outside the main outpost¡¯s walls. ¡°Lord Shigure! W-we¡¯re sorry we didn¡¯t mean to-¡± the man said, fumbling over his words until Shigure held his hand up. ¡°It¡¯s quite fine. That just goes to show what a good job Sir Bear is doing holding off the mountains of Monsters that seem to keep finding their way here. Is he still out?¡± he asked. Before the man could answer a loud crash sounded in the forest beyond their vision, arge ck cut the only thing visible above the treeline. ¡°That answers that¡­¡± Shigureughed wearily. ¡°Yes, Sir Bear has been out there non-stop since the change in the quest, he''s even managed to kill two Generals and many more Lieutenants,¡± the other man replied a smile on his face as he looked out into the forest. ¡°That is very reassuring but I don¡¯t want him overdoing it. We only have a few more days until the King of these beastses out. I¡¯ll go fetch him, we have a wall for a reason and I wish he would realize that¡­¡± Shigure sighed, hopping off the wall and onto the ground, walking out in the direction of the crash they heard earlier. A few minutes of brisk walking Shigure came upon a scene of carnage, the ground split in two, a great chasm in front of a daunting man holding arge ymore in his one hand, Goblins covering the ground around him. ¡°Bear¡­ working hard as ever,¡± he voiced, taking in the scene his eyes stopping on arge Goblin bisected down the center a little further down the scar on the ground. ¡°Oh! Shigure! Good that you finally decided toe out, going to stay for a bit this time? The monsters are only getting stronger and we need to keep up if we want to protect the camp bro,¡± Bjorn said smiling, the ymore moving to rest on his shoulder. Shigure¡¯s face turned to a glower as he crossed his arms. ¡°You know very well I can¡¯t do that¡­ If you are out here that means I have to be in there in case anything gets past you! That¡¯s why I¡¯m here! You¡¯ve been hogging all the monsters!¡± Bjorn smiled knowingly, ¡°Ah that¡¯s what this is about? So I take it you¡¯ve seen thedder then and you¡¯re getting worried then?¡± Shigure fell back on one foot, ¡°What? Of course not! I just don¡¯t wish to fall behind any more than I already have, and with this invasion it is the perfect time to level up,¡± he said, fixing his obi. ¡°Lord Shigure,¡± a female voice from behind him suddenly said, ¡°You need not worry about someone so below you, even if he has risen through the levels, that is only because he was so low at the start. Remember, giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it.¡± Shigure sighed but the strange saying calmed him slightly. ¡°I suppose you are right Uta, I am putting the cart before the horse as they say. He may have begun catching up, but the levels are not the only difference between us I¡¯m sure¡­¡± [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 26] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 23] [Rank 3: Joker Level 20] [Rank 4: Chris Springs Level 20] [Rank 5: Super Megan Level 18] [Rank 6: Ladden Hampert Level 18] [Rank 7: Big Willy Level 18] [Rank 8: VitaminD Level 18] [Rank 9: xXxGunLover69xXx Level 17] [Rank 10: Shot Level 17]
¡°Miss Chelsea, this one must advise that we go hence from this ce. Whether thyrade dwells thitherward tis irrelevant. This ce is filled to the gullet with Goblins, and¡­¡± Theodore and Chelsea both looked down from their perch in a tree, both still concealed by Theodore¡¯s magic, but close enough to converse in whispers. Theodore looked down at the disfigured gnarled Goblin bound in chains that stood at the front of a cave that had been boarded up and had a soft glow to it. [Gruubrik Fuv Jeric Level 23] Chelsea bit her bottom lip seeing the named Goblin standing in front of where they had tracked her group to. Her frustration built when she thought on how she was not strong enough to kill it herself, and her anger for being helpless, only able to watch as the army circled around the cave. ¡°But¡­They¡¯re waiting¡­¡± Chelsea murmured. ¡°What would the foul beasts be pausing their assault for? Shouldeth they not hast the strength to prate such a blockade?¡± Theodore whispered in confusion. Chelsea shook her head although Theodore could not see it. ¡°No, we have. Had, four healer-based sses in our group including Megan, and Jacky. One of the other two, Julia turned into a protection specialist,¡± Chelsea pointed out of habit to the white-hued glow the barricade gave, ¡°That is one of her reinforcement spells. It¡¯s very powerful but onlysts so long¡­ I don¡¯t know how long they''ve been at it but she will without a doubt run out of mana even with potions to help her regeneration. We need to do something soon.¡± Chelsea gripped her bow, the wood creaking ever so slightly under her grip. ¡°We mustn''t do anything drastic. We are only meant to find the location and leave the rest to our Lord. We canst help them if thou is but a stiff body on the ground or worse,¡± Theodore implored. ¡°I! I-i can¡¯t just sit here and watch or go back and wait though..! Are you asking me to abandon my friends when they are right there in front of us?¡± Chelsea said, her voice shaky. ¡°This one is only asking thou to take the best course of action, there art hundreds of those beasts thitherward. And General, of which we knoweth. What lurks in the shadows we hast not the faintest. My Lord would not forgive me, Harley would not forgive me if this one allowed you to put thouself in danger knowing it could have been avoided,¡± Theodore entreated. Both fell silent for a moment, the sound of the tter of armor and weapons below them from the army of Goblins below, their armor nking as they bumped into each other moring to get closer to the cave in which they had cornered their prey. ¡°I-...¡± Chelsea¡¯s lip quivered before she gripped her bow tightly once more, using the fine and familiar weapon to calm herself, ¡°Let us hurry. There isn¡¯t a second to lose.¡± Both jumped from tree to tree, only the slightest of shakes to the branches as they moved past the army of goblins and the noise they made, both running at full speed back to the outpost. Chelsea looked over her shoulder once more as the army faded from view. Please stay safe. I¡¯ll return with help, I promise!
¡°Know your fucking ce, Turner!¡± Chris shouted, his breath ragged as he used his gauntleted hand to smack the man to the floor, ¡°This is your fucking fault! If only you had listened and not fallen back we could have made it to that outpost!¡± he screamed, looking to the makeshift barricade with unsteady eyes. ¡°But.. I would have died if we stayed any longer! Chris you can-¡± the man tried to reason with him, but was silenced again by the backhand of a gauntlet. ¡°Just shut the fuck up! We are in this mess because of you!¡± Chis shouted back, his eyes wildly moving from person to person in the cave. Each one looked at him with fear and disgust. ¡°What are you looking at?! Keep that goddamn wall solid if you don¡¯t want to die! Those monsters can break in at any moment if Julia runs out of mana!¡± Chrismanded. How did this happen..! Why! Why did this invasion have to get worse! It was going so well! I got rid of that pathetic annoying bitch Chelsea and her little posse, but then it all went to shit when the invasion came and we didn¡¯t have enough people! Fuck, fuck, fuck! He thought anxiously. ¡°Chris¡­¡± a voice said behind him. ¡°What?!¡± He roared turning around to see Megan, their most valuable healer. Megan stood up to Chris¡¯s chest at around 5 feet, her blonde hair shimmering with the dim lighting of the torches in the cave. ¡°M-Megan¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just stressed..¡± he said quickly, fixing his tone and putting back on his facade. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­I think everyone is stressed, but we¡¯ll get through it I''m sure. We¡¯ve fallen on hard times before but we¡¯ve always gotten through it. It¡¯s just, I¡¯m just worried about Chels and the others, they never came back from their scouting before this all happened. Do you think they¡¯re alright?¡± Megan asked concerned. Chris cringed internally, although his outward demeanor stayed soft. This fucking dumb bitch is still on about those useless idiots? Maybe I should have made them die in view of her, at least then she wouldn¡¯t be bugging me about them every other hour. ¡°I¡¯m sure they are fine. You know Chelsea, Megan. She¡¯s too strong to die to things like Goblins,¡± Chris lied, giving her a starlight smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure she''sing back to us right now and going toe to our rescue like she always does yeah?¡± God, it¡¯s like speaking to a child¡­ Well, I suppose she might as well be after the state she was in when I found her. She was essentially broken as soon as the tutorial started, now she follows me around like a helpless puppy. She doesn¡¯t even question anything I do, no matter how obvious it is that I am in the wrong. Chris thought. Megan took a moment, her gaze moving from Chris to the rest of the group behind him struggling to keep the barrier intact and functioning. Her eyes falling on the one struggling the most, Julia. After a long moment of silence between the two, Megan broke it, speaking up as she moved to the front with everyone else. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what I can do to help Julia, I can¡¯t have her doing everything on her own!¡± Chris waved, a picturesque smile on his face as he did. I swear if I survive this, I¡¯m going to kill everyst one of them, one way or another, and then make it out of this infernal tutorial. Damn it, why did everything have to change in the first ce! Thepany was doing so well, and my father just handed me the coziest position I could have asked for! Fuck! Fuck this ce, Fuck this tutorial! And fuck that stupid old man for taking so long to give it to me! If only he had croaked a few years sooner I could have just inherited thepany and lived the good life like in college! Chris ranted in his head as he looked at the struggling members of his ¡®party¡¯. His only thought on self-preservation. Seeing them all as no more than ants, tools for him to use and discard when he pleased. That was how life always was. No one said no to him. No one. Chapter 95: New me, Who Dis? Chapter 95: New me, Who Dis? As soon as he had killed his opponent, the recoil from the spell instantly hit Drake. His body screaming in protest to the overuse of every muscle fiber in his body. His status had dipped down below 10% from the overcharged spell, but was slowly recovering thanks to his Water Endowment. He would use his meditate but he was unsure of what mighte out from the forest while he tried to recover. Using his new shawl, he popped a health potion into his hand, popping the cork and downing the liquid in one gulp. That actually doesn''t taste that bad. Kind of like fruit punch if I had to say. Drake grinned from his seat on the ground. ¡°Are you quite done?¡± Natto huffed. Hmm..? What do you mean? ¡°I am talking about how reckless you are being! Will you not listen to my counsel?! What would have happened if those skills pushed you over the edge even further? What if your skill had not helped with your psyche instead turning you into a madman!¡± Natto screamed, genuinely furious. Honestly¡­ I don¡¯t know. In that moment. All there was, was hate. Hate for that monster, hate for what it was doing. Hate¡­. For my inability to do something about it despite how ¡®strong¡¯ I am. But I¡¯m going to push myself Natto. I need to for both my progress and to protect those around me. Drake thought calmly. He had now for the first time in a long time felt calm. True calm and clear headed. Touching his shoulder where his right arm used to be, he knew what he needed to do more than ever and what the consequences might mean for him. But now. Now he felt the serine bliss of having his mental fatigue swept clean, as if the sun had finallye out from behind the clouds. A genuine smile creased his face. ¡°I feel better than ever!¡± he shouted, throwing his arms into the air, ¡°Ow, ow, ow.. Ok my head feels better, my body not so much.¡± ¡°I would disagree! After all of the shenanigans you have just pulled, you are nothing but disturbed! The stones may have been fueling some of it but you still have your own will Drake, you can not give into impulse on a mere whim of the moment,¡± Natto chided, giving a drawn out sigh. Come on¡­It isn¡¯t that bad is it? Besides it isn''t like there¡¯s been a General yet that has given me a real run for my money! Drake thought confidently. ¡°You are allowing these fights to go to your head you dolt! Have you already forgotten the struggles that got you here? Have you truly learned nothing?¡± Drake sat up, his gaze moving upward to the seemingly endless dark sky. ¡°No, Natto. I¡¯m not forgetting anything. I¡¯m just finally fully embracing the change the system has made in me. I need to be strong, I want to be strong. And in this reality if it means killing before being killed, used, backstabbed, or worse? I¡¯m going to be all in. I thought with just my family on the line I had too much to lose. But now more than ever, with everyone I¡¯ve met and humanity itself possibly on the chopping block. I need to embrace this part of me that is screaming so loud inside to grow stronger and fight more and more difficult opponents.¡± ¡°Ugh, men¡­ No, man-children. Why must you all go headfirst into death in the name of strength? Certainly, I said I would support you, but this is hardly advisable and I can sparsely rte to the need to protect one¡¯s entire race. At the very least it is a relief that you now haverades to support you,¡± Natto sighed but conceded reluctantly. Speaking of party members. The ones of Drake¡¯s were still lining the wall of the outpost looking guardedly at him. Drake looked back noticing the stares, and giving them an amiable wave letting them know he was still alright and alive, although very content with not moving for the next few hours, as his body ached all over. Drake couldn¡¯t see or feel anyone in the immediate surrounding and gave in to the peace of the quiet of the night, the still after the battle. He was not one for praying, but he did hope that the ones he could not save found peace in that he killed their murderer. So much so that not even an atom of its wretched body remained. Looking upwards he did notice the shine of a mote of light. Reminding him that skill stone drops came after the monster had perished. ¡°Susmaryosep¡­¡± Drake muttered, seeing the small ss stone falling from the sky. Directly above him.
¡°I¡¯ve said it before. I¡¯ll say it again. I am so d he is on our side,¡± Tom muttered. ¡°Pup, think that might be the only thing you¡¯ve said today that we agree on,¡± Hudson nodded, but his face was still mournful of his mistake. ¡°Mr. Shot seems to be getting stronger by the day. I¡¯m getting levels steadily as well but every time he levels up, it seems as if he jumps so far ahead,¡± Harley wondered aloud. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say. That man is a bloody army all on his own,¡± Jacqueline added, her hand over the resting ire, as it radiated a faint white glow in an attempt to ease her difort. ire had grown weak due to the cost of her buffing spell and her low level not giving her the resources necessary tofortably use the skill. But she was also not as physically resilient as Drake when he used his Heretical Mind skill and quickly became exhausted. Although Jacqueline¡¯s skill set focused on healing physical health, the small side effects of her healing skill were a weedfort as they eased some of the muscle pain. ¡°Now imagine if he had both his arms¡­¡± ire eked out, her eyes focused from her sitting position behind the wooden wall, barely overlooking it. ¡°No need to be like that, the mans got four arms now. And just cause younded on your rump love, doesn¡¯t mean my club won¡¯t find its way upside your pretty head. Shot and I have a deal, and I n on delivering once he does,¡± Jacqueline chided, a cheeky grin on her face, ¡°Someone must of warmed up to a certain someone, yeah?¡± ire just scoffed and kept her eyes on the now-darkened battlefield. Amir was speechless as he just witnessed something out of this world. Yes, he had seen Drake use massive spells before, but this was quite different. The sheer destructive force of the spell, if it had been aimed at the forest he could only imagine the widespread havoc it could have unleashed. Sherry on the other hand was speechless as well, but for a very different reason. Her mouth was full of leftovers. And once she finished her current mouthful she stayed as unimpressed as normal. Her voiceckadaisical, ¡°I wonder what he''s going to cook for breakfast¡­¡± No one decided toment on Sherry¡¯sck of enthusiasm at the destructive disy Drake had just shown, but Tom did ask what everyone was thinking. ¡°Why is he just sitting there?¡±
An hour went by as Drake was forced to sit, and y with his spells, his legs refusing to move without searing pain that he had not experienced since his teen years as growing pains. But much much worse. ¡°I wonder if this is how Goku feels after using the kaoken¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°It is good to know that after everything, your core personality still remains. Actually, I am mistaken. It is unfortunate that your personality has not changed for the better¡­.¡± Natto corrected. ¡°You know, you have been very mean today. I think I should remind you I saved like 50 people back there. Which I still have to go help assimte into the mass of other people I saved.¡± ¡°Quite the phnthropist. Please tell me you are selfless without telling me you are selfless more.¡± ¡°See this is exactly what I mean, you won¡¯t find any nice boy constructs if you keep up this attitude.¡± ¡°Who in god''s name says that I wish to meet anyone!? And it is your fault I have this attitude!¡± Natto huffed. Drake chucked but winced holding his ribs with both arms as they stung from the motion. ¡°Right noughing just yet, but I¡¯m wondering if we can stand, I have a lot of equipment and stones to get. Not to mention I really need to do something about these dead monsters piling up. That can''t be good for everyone¡¯s health. Ah¡­ that really reminds me that I wish I had some fucking soap!¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°Alright that¡¯s it I¡¯m taking a hot bath when we get back! I don¡¯t care if I have to do it on the wall while watching the treeline. And where the hell is Theodore!? I told him to be back by now.¡± Drake raised his arms again in protest of not being able to move. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided. Hot bath, then burning down a forest. I¡¯ll just have to go to fisty cuffs with Smokey on this one.¡± ¡°Why exactly do you want to fight a bear with a Ranger¡¯s outfit?¡± a female voice said next to him. Drake turned as he saw two figures shimmer into view out of nowhere. One a woman in archer equipment, her twin tails a rustic auburn. The other a man with a distinguished mustache, bowed at the waist. ¡°Sire we hast returned from our endeavor,¡± Theodore announced. ¡°Shoto!!!!!!!¡± Natto screamed inside Drake¡¯s head forcing him to hold back augh only barely as Natto cursed immediately after, ¡°I do not even know who Shoto is!¡± ¡°P-perfect timing,¡± Drake said, slightly giggling at the start but quickly steadied himself,¡± I can¡¯t exactly move, so bring me up to speed while helping me get around. I have some spring cleaning to get to.¡± Both people raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t protest and each ced an arm over their shoulder and picked Drake up. However, they were both at very different heights. Theodore was over 6 feet tall, and Chelsea was barely clocking in at 5 foot 5, making the walk very lopsided. ¡°So I¡¯m assuming you guys found where they are?¡± Drake asked, a red magic circle forming in front of him as he didn¡¯t bother snapping his fingers. ¡°We did,¡± said Chelsea, her face turning grim and frustrated, then turning to one of concern and anxiety, ¡°But there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Yes, there certainly is my Lord. Tis surro-¡± Theodore added, trying to exin, but was cut off. ¡°I¡¯ll stop you there Theo. It doesn¡¯t matter what the odds are, or what the actual circumstances are. Let me get mynd legs again, and point me in the right direction. You know the deal with me, and I¡¯m all in from here on out,¡± Drake said eagerly. Chelsea¡¯s mouth moved to say something, but could only open and close as she was surprised by Drake¡¯s confidence on the matter. He had been egotistical to a fault before, but at least he was calcting before. This was on apletely different level. ¡°What happened while we were gone? You aren¡¯t even going to ask about how many there are?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it''s the start of a new year. And you know what that means, new me, new phone, new skills who dis?¡± Drake smiled widely behind his mask, as he set another monster corpse on fire. ¡°That made absolutely no sense..¡± Chelsea said, her anxiousnesspletely gone as it was reced by disbelief. ¡°This one is inclined to agree, my Lord. It ispletely ill-advised to head into battle withouteth any sort of information,¡± Theodore agreed. ¡°It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t want the information Theo, it¡¯s that I¡¯m that confident this time. I haven¡¯t felt this pumped since I was a kid and heard Eve¡¯s opening song for the first time. Now don¡¯t forget to get me over to the Foreman, I¡¯ve got to burn that big fat bastard to ashes before he leaves a present for me,¡± Drake chuckled. Chapter 96: Feels just like Vanilla! Chapter 96: Feels just like Vani! ¡°Then my Lord, when whilst ourpany be leaving?¡± Theodore asked, his shoulder still supporting Drake as he turned monster corpse after monster corpse to ash. Drake winced but moved his legs wearily. ¡°Ow. I¡¯d give it about two more hours,¡± Drake said confidently but spotted Chelsea¡¯s face slightly darken as she heard the number, ¡°Don¡¯t worry we can leave sooner if I push it. Is it really that desperate of a situation over there?¡± he finally asked just wanting to calm her down. Chelsea jumped at the chance to exin and started to describe it while they moved from area to area to cremate the monsters. ¡°Yes! There was an army asrge as the one at the camp where you found us all! The monsters are already at their door!¡± she exined. This is sounding more and more like a LoTR setup¡­. Drake thought while listening. ¡°Fool, do not interrupt. The least you can do is let her vent her concerns,¡± Natto chided. Yes, yes I know. I¡¯m just thinking of what we are going to do about the camp here. We need someone strong enough that they can either dy enough or fight off anything thates. My first choice is going to be Hudson and Tom, but I don¡¯t think either is currently strong enough¡­ They¡¯re right around level 15 to 17 if I remember. ¡°-and there is only so much the barrier can hold against before Julia exhausts her mana pool. Please Shot I¡¯m begging you. We should go as quickly as possible!¡± she pleaded. ¡°I got it, Chelsea. And we will. But I need the time to set up our defenses here. The Goblins are ramping up the scale of their attacks again, and we have five other Generals, and who knows what else to worry about if I leave. I¡¯m going to have to have someone either set up a defense strong enough or¡­¡± Drake smiled. ¡°You are evil. Why would you even think of something like that? This is not a game!¡± Natto shouted in protest. I know it¡¯s not a game, but that doesn''t mean the system doesn''t work like a game. My n has no ws. Drake thought, still smirking. ¡°Certainly, no ws. If you exclude the one where the other two may die!¡± I would never let that happen, and you know that. So just go with the flow and let it happen, you squirrel in the mud! Drake quipped. ¡°My Lord, what might exactly be thou¡¯s n for such fortification?¡± Theodore asked his eyes showing concern as he spotted Drake¡¯s eyes smiling behind his mask. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry about it, old boy. Just leave it to me, and¡­.¡± Drake trailed off as his eyes wandered to the wall of the Outpost, looking at two men in particr with a sinister smile.
¡°What in the Sam hell, did you just say, pup?!¡± Hudson shouted incredulously, his arms crossed as he scowled at the question. ¡°I would also like to voice my concern, Sir. Are we not going to be put in danger?¡± Amir added. ¡°Yes. That you are Amir. But look at it this way, you are always going to be in danger from now on,¡± Drake said, spreading out his arms, ¡°The world has changed to include monsters. At least this way you both will be with me, and I can assure your safety. Well, for the most part at least.¡± Hudson continued to scowl, not convinced. Amir began sweating cold buckets as his eyes darted around. ¡°Hey, look. Wake up to reality, nothing ever goes to n in this ursed world. You both are the ones I need to make this work so I can leave to save Chelsea¡¯s friend, and possibly go after the King eventually. Hudson needs levels for stronger sentries and more advanced robotics, and you are the only one able to speed up the process. You both agreed that people need help here and this is how we are going to do it in the short term,¡± Drake said, his eyes doing their best to convey his sincerity. Hudson¡¯s face wavered for a moment but then returned to his stone scowl. ¡°You idjit, I won¡¯t be guilted into risking my damned life.¡± Wow, did he just quote me? Drake thought, holding back augh. ¡°Certainly it was unintentional. Why in the seven hells would anyone want to say the same thing as you dolt,¡± Natto snickered. Drake mentally rolled his eyes and addressed Amir, who was still positively perspiring profusely. ¡°Do you feel the same, Amir?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I-... ¡° Amir took a moment to think as he seemed to go back and forth in his head about the decision, ¡°No¡­ I know what I was getting into when I asked to help. If this is what you think we need to do, this is what I want to do, Sir.¡± Drake nodded then looked back to Hudson. ¡°Alright, my spry old friend. Let¡¯s take a walk for a bit,¡± Drake said, kindly but firmly, as he moved with the help of Theodore and Chelsea. Wincing slightly but able to move Drake rolled his shoulders, and stretched his legs a bit feeling the stiffness go down if only a minute bit. But satisfied with his range of motion, Drake waved over Hudson and began walking down the earthen steps of the rampart, not looking back to see if he was following, his aura sense allowing him to tell the man moved but Drake assumed reluctantly. Once out of earshot of everyone, Drake turned and looked Hudson in the eyes. ¡°Is that the first time you¡¯ve killed someone?¡± he asked. Hudson jolted slightly at the question, his scowl melting into a sullen expression, ¡°Y-Yes.. Never did imagine I¡¯d be taking another¡¯s life. Even more so unrightfully. I-if only I cou-¡± Drake raised his hand and moved his mask with the other so Hudson could fully see his expression. With his mask gone Drake¡¯s fully sympathetic and pained face was in full view. ¡°Hudson. I don¡¯t know what that meant to you personally, or what demons you may be dealing with about it. But you know of the two men I killed earlier?¡± Drake asked, his visage lit by the distant torches and firepits of the tent area. Hudson nodded but stayed silent. ¡°For me, that wasn¡¯t the first time. The first time I killed someone, I didn¡¯t have a choice. Or, I¡¯d like to think I didn¡¯t. You see, they were holding Theodore hostage and they had been torturing him, I watched them sink a knife into him right in front of me. Now you might think that made it easy but it didn¡¯t at least not for the reason you¡¯d probably think,¡± Drake said, his left hand moving to his right shoulder, ¡°For me family is everything. They got me through the good times and the bad. And I don¡¯t just mean blood family. Friends I have made have helped me through things you might even find trivial but were world-shaking to me at the time. And you,¡± Drake then pointed to the top of the ramparts, ¡°And the rest of the party. Yes, even Tom¡­. Are now a part of that for me.¡± Hudson looked at Drake like he was crazy, and a pure conveying of ¡®Where are you going with this?¡¯. Drake scratched the back of his head, ¡°What I¡¯m getting at is, sometimes we do things because we have no choice, sometimes it¡¯s because we make mistakes, and others because we must for our principles and what we hold dear. That person you killed, was in defense of this ce, and these people I hold dear. And for that, I do not fault you, I thank you. What befell that poor person who was taken hostage is something I will make those monsters pay dearly for. But, it was not your fault. Don¡¯t let me see you sulk about it, and make me give you another speech because it''s making my fucking mouth dry,¡± Drake smiled. Hudson scoffed, and his face brightened ever so slightly. ¡°Pup, you are 20 years too young to be telling me anything about something, you hear me idjit,¡± Hudson said, ¡°But.. Thank ya¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll tag along with your n so you can go help the girl¡¯s girl out.¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°Good! Because I wasn¡¯t giving you the option of saying no!¡± Drake said, copsing Hudson on the shoulder, ¡°And don¡¯t you worry about getting hurt, I won''t let it happen. I get hurt if you get hurt on my watch thanks to this contract and no one wants that.¡± Hudson¡¯s mouth slightly gaped, but turned into a smirk, ¡°Selfish little bastard¡­.¡± ¡°Only when it suits me!¡± Drakeughed, walking past him back onto the rampart steps. A few momentster they both returned to the group, the night still covering the forest andnd beyond the Outpost in pitch ck, but soon it would be dawn, and another day passed in the hellish tutorial. [Time Remaining Until Tutorial Concludes: 105 Days, 22 Hours, 45 Minutes, 43 Seconds] [Remaining Participants: 2,254] Drake took a long gaze at the time and the remaining participants before speaking. Looks like the rate at which the Participants are dying has slowed¡­ Drake thought solemnly. Nearly two-thirds of the entire participant list had died or been killed by monsters or others and they hadn¡¯t even gotten through 80% of the tutorial period yet. ¡°Do not dwell too long on it Drake. This is how the system intends it for these types of tutorials. The weak are taken, and the strong survive and prosper,¡± Natto consoled. Drake held his tongue, his emotions more stable than ever before thanks to his new skill. Despite his wanting to scream, he choked it down like bad medicine. He needed to hear it, he needed to ept it. He may have wanted to defy the system and the tutorial but it would do nothing for what was the norm of what he was told was an established fact in the multiverse. At least for now. ¡°Alright, everyone. It¡¯s decided,¡± Drake started. ¡°What? Breakfast?¡± Sherry said, half yawning. ¡°Yes and no! I managed to find some flour in the supplies I looted, so I was going to try and make some pancakester, problem is we don¡¯t have syrup. So that¡¯s a no-go. Sorry Shers,¡± Drake said, dramatically, ¡°But on a serious note. I will be taking Amir and Hudson with me to power level them essentially so we can run over and save¡­.¡± Drake looked over to Chelsea. ¡°Megan¡­¡± she said, slightly irritated. ¡°Right, Megan. And hopefully most of their group, minus one asshole,¡± Drake added. ¡°Oh, that''s a kickin¡¯ idea. Does that mean you¡¯re staying there?¡± Jacqueline jabbed. ¡°The funny one beat me to it,¡± Nattoughed. ¡°Only if that means I get to stay further away from you Jacqueline,¡± Drake grinned. ¡°How long is this going to take then, Shot?¡± ire asked, her face conveying her inner thoughts. ¡°I will get them as far as I can in one hour. It¡¯s speed run time!¡± Drake shouted raising an arm, ¡°As far as the rescue goes? I¡¯m not entirely sure. I¡¯m told there is an army waiting for us, so possibly one day. If I had more time, I would have taken Harley to level up as well as Tom, Having their skill set would massively help the defenses. But all in good time. You all will grow stronger I¡¯m sure, it isn¡¯t like I¡¯m going to end the invasion while on this rescue mission.¡± Everyone exchanged nces quickly, before returning their gaze to Drake. ¡°What?¡± he said. ¡°I swear you are clueless¡­¡± Natto sighed. Drake was about toment until he heard another Goblin horn in the distance. ¡°Well, that saves us the trouble of going out there¡­ Alright, everyone who isn¡¯t Hudson, Amir, Chelsea, Harley, or Theodore, you are free to go. In fact please go for now, I need people to handle the new arrivals and make sure everything is settled,¡± Drake asked. ¡°Don¡¯t have to ask me twice dude,¡± Sherry said, waving him off and walking down the stepsnguidly. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go finish those sports courts we worked on then..¡± Tom said, slightly disappointed after hearing he was in the running for power leveling. ¡°Oh, guess I¡¯ll go rightly fuck off then yeah?¡± Jacqueline sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Jacqueline, I¡¯ll save your friend and be back before you know it. Don¡¯t miss me too much,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Fuck you wanker! I hope you don¡¯te back!¡± she shouted, storming off in a huff, her arms raised. Drake turned to Chelsea with his big goofy smile, ¡°I think she¡¯s warming up to me,¡± he said, but Chelsea just sighed with a shake of her head. Theodore ced his hand on his mustache and stifled a chuckle, as Harley gave him a soft nudge with her elbow, forcing him to quickly cough. Last was ire as she was obviously reluctant to leave. ¡°Try to be back soon, I don¡¯t want to fall behind¡­¡± she said softly, ¡°I¡¯m going to go back and have a talk with Gracy¡­¡± ¡°Gracy?¡± Drake asked. ¡°The woman who¡­ ya know.¡± ¡°Oh! Ah, I see..¡± Drake said his face showing his realization that he had never learned the woman''s name, ¡°And don¡¯t you worry about anything. I promised you the revenge you deserve. And I won¡¯t go back on it.¡± ire gave a slight nod and moved down the steps with the rest. ¡°Now,¡± Drake said, trying some different things until he received the first notification. [You have removed ire Osberg from your party] Got it! That was surprisingly easy¡­ Drake thought, as he removed the rest, rapid fire. [You have removed Tom Hind from your party] [You have removed Sherry Turner from your party] [You have removed Jacqueline Evans from your party] [You have removed Theodore Rotwood from your party] [You have removed Harley Mongrass from your party] [You have removed Chelsea Jackson from your party] ¡°There we go,¡± Drake said, turning back to the forest, spotting exactly what he wanted. A fresh army of just regr old Goblins, and a few sparsely ced names of Lieutenants for some juicy experience. ¡°Would it be inappropriate to state that this one feels rather naked without theradery my Lord¡­?¡± Theodore asked suddenly. ¡°Of course not Theo, totally not weird, and perfectly normal!¡± Drake lied, ¡°Now let''s get to it! Ah, power leveling! Feels like I''m back in Maradon! Now pay up, 15 g¡¯s a pop people,¡± Drake said, stretching out his hands to the look of confused people. Chapter Ninety-Seven: On the 5th day. Look to the East. Chapter Ny-Seven: On the 5th day. Look to the East. The sound of shrieking as massive fireballs fell from the sky, incinerating monsters left and right flooded the surroundings. And the culprit was none other than Drake. ¡°They really are sending nothing but rtively normal Goblins huh¡­¡± Drake said, waving his hand in an arch over his head, as four more fireballs formed. Each one turning from a deep crimson then an ethereal blue, into a bright hot white from his new skill. Magic Exposure P1(37%) [F Rank]
  • Lay bare the rules of magic. Strip your enemies of their right to protection through your expertise of your magic.
  • Passive Effect: Spells and Skills now stip targets of 150% of their Defensive effectiveness. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spells now cost 50% more.
¡°This 50% cost increase is really kicking my mana pool in the butt, my regeneration can¡¯t really keep up anymore. Hopefully, when it ranks up in proficiency it¡¯ll alleviate it a bit¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Sir, with thatst batch I just reached level 14, and we¡¯ve collected around one thousand cores again,¡± Amir denoted. ¡°Wow already? They are really sending in a lot. The quest mentioned thousands as the bonus quest but this is getting up there into the 10s of thousands isn¡¯t it?¡± Dake said, firing off another round of white fireballs. ¡°Thanks to it though, just hit level 15 myself. Well shit, got a new variation on my little ones!¡± Hudson cheered, showing genuine enjoyment for the first time in a while. ¡°Oh? Good to hear! What¡¯s this one?¡± Drake asked. Hudson took a moment, his eyes going distant as he seemed to be reading something. But after a few seconds, his eyes focused and his smile grew. ¡°Well, I would say it¡¯s definitely a weed upgrade. These little ones are definitely going to help those damned Goblins,¡± Hudson ced his hand on the ground, a silver magic circle forming. Within the span of five minutes, he had built a flying drone from the ground up. The process was fascinating to watch as each part was constructed from the ground in a scene much like 3d printing. Drake smiled as well. The drone was not the typical ones you see with the four propellers, these had some form of propulsion to them keeping them upright as they lifted vertically off the ground. But the process was dead silent, making Drake chuckle slightly. ¡°Now that we have this, can we go?¡± Chelsea asked, her face impatient. ¡°Hold your horses, Chelsea. I know you¡¯re in a rush and so are we, but I¡¯m going to do this right. Let¡¯s see what the little guys can do. Hudson, you¡¯re up,¡± Drake said, giving him a wave. Hudson nodded, his face turning serious, as he stood and did some sort of mentalmand to the drone, flying off into the distance of the tree line. ¡°That there is hard to deal with,¡± Hudson muttered, ¡°Once the little one gets out of vision it switches over to a sort of heads-up disy thing, like out of those movies. But I can still see from my perspective as well. Don¡¯t like that shit, not one bit¡­ I think I¡¯m gann-¡± Hudson tried to say then expelled his stomach on the rampart. ¡°Man¡­.¡± Drake said, his face grimacing as he summoned some water to wash off the vomit from the area, ¡°Besides not being able to hold your lunch, how¡¯s it looking Hudson?¡± Hudson stood back up from retching, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, ¡°Before I let the meal go, the little guy took out a Goblin no problem with a small turret from its undercarriage. And, looks like the little guy had a surprise as well, pup,¡± Hudson grinned, ¡°Little bastard has some explosives, won¡¯t kill em in one batch, but a few more of these little guys and I¡¯ll be carpet bombing like the sam hell out of those little vermin.¡± ¡°Then my Lord, shall we proceed henceforth?¡± Theodore asked both hands on his cane. ¡°I think this counts as a greenlight yup. You have everything you need to make more of these Hudson? And what¡¯s the count on these ones?¡± Drake asked, nodding to Theodore. ¡°It¡¯s one to every 5 levels so I can only manage three right now, but I got the bigun¡¯ in the tent waiting as well. With that, I think I can manage with the rest of us to hold off anything short of the King itself,¡± Hudson said, his hand moving to his chin thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear. With these, the sentries on the wall, and a mini Big-O, I think we are all set to go, Chelsea, Theo.¡± Chelsea¡¯s face rxed as she heaved a sigh of relief, her hand going to her chest as she finally was able to go back. Theodore gave a terse nod, ¡°As youmand, with all due haste my Liege!¡± then turned to Harley giving her hands a squeeze beforending a peck on her lips, ¡°This one will return swiftly my love. Be safe.¡± Harley smiled dotingly, then nodded, ¡°You too, Theo,¡± then looked to Drake, her eyes telling him to keep Theodore safe. Drake nodded, but it went without question. He would make sure everyone made it back, at any cost. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going! Make sure you two can keep up,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°Also make sure to keep the order here as best you can, anyone doing anything naughty gets put in horny jail with the bad guy till I get back. And make sure to let the others know we¡¯ve left for now. Harley, Hudson, and Amir nodded in unison as they saw the group off. [Theodore Rotwood, has joined your party] [Chelsea Jackson, has joined your party] ¡°Then, lead the way you two. I want to be there by sunrise or sooner,¡± Drake directed, then a thought hit him, ¡°If only you guys met them before you had toe back with me.¡± ¡°Why in the world would that be a thing we would want?¡± Chelsea asked, confused. ¡°Because then we could use one of the greatest quotes of all time! ¡®Look to mying on the first light of the 5th day, at dawn look to the east,¡± Drake said, pulling out his staff and grooming a beard that was not there. ¡°You have to be the worst person I could have been stuck with¡­.¡± Natto sighed, her tone indicating her face was cringing. Come on¡­ You know you love me. Drake chuckled.
God damn it! Wh-what are we supposed to do, what am I going to do!? I can¡¯t die like this¡­ I won¡¯t die like this! Chris screamed internally, with incredible desperation as he continued to hear the banging on the barrier from the outside, each thrum of the barricade dimming the light around the makeshift wall of iron and wood. ¡°Fuck can¡¯t you refresh the barrier yet Julia you useless piece of shit!?¡± Chris growled, his eyes shaking wildly. ¡°I-i just refreshed it! I won¡¯t be able to do it for another 15 minutes!! Don¡¯t ask for the impossible, you lunatic!¡± she shouted back, pools of sweat streaking down her face as she did her best to maintain the spell, each hit that struck the barrier depleting her mana bit by bit. ¡°W-what did you say to me you filthy bitch!?¡± Chris howled, running from the back of the cage his sword ringing as it was drawn from its scabbard, ¡°You¡¯re lucky I ever asked you to be in this group you ugly pig!¡± ¡°Chis! What are you doing? Stop!¡± Megan yelled from beside him, doing her best to hold him back, gripping his free arm. ¡°Get off of me you fucking dumb college skank!¡± Chris snapped, throwing her to the ground, ¡°Why¡­ Why! Why did I have to end up with so many ipetents?! It wasn¡¯t like this at thepany¡­ All I had to do there was tell someone to do something and it would get done without fail! But here¡­ You all miss the mark every time! I¡¯ve had enough! I won¡¯t die here, not like this! All of you get to the front and protect me when they break the barrier!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± someone screamed. ¡°He¡¯s finally snapped¡­¡± said another. ¡°The fuck did you just say?! Who do you think got you all together!? Who do you think got us this far?!¡± Chris shouted back. ¡°You mean got us into this¡­ we would have been better off with Chelsea in charge..¡± someone whispered. ¡°Who fucking said th-¡± Chris was about to roar, but was stopped by the loud thumping against the barrier. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± Chris stammered, his brain running at a million miles an hour to figure out a way to survive, ¡°Oh I know!¡± he said, beginning to chuckle slowly then it bing a hystericalugh, ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you all and throw you to the Goblins! Maybe that will distract them long enough I can run out of here! Why didn¡¯t I think of it earlier, you are all dead weight anyway!!!! Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Wh-what are you saying Chris¡­?¡± Megan said, her face paling, ¡°Y-you said you would protect us! You said I would be safe! You said that we could make it through this together!!¡± ¡°h h h, stop running your mouth for once and shut up Megan! It¡¯s like it never closes! The only reason I tolerated it for so long was because you were a priest! And what¡¯s worse? You never even put out! How was I supposed to know you were some little pure girl who¡¯s saving herself,¡± he said, spitting the word in disgust, ¡°The least you could have done was give some service to your fearless leader.¡± Megan recoiled, her face shattering into tears. Her entire image of Chris falling into pieces like the shower of sobs that rolled from her eyes. ¡°Yo-you¡­ promised¡­¡± she cried. ¡°Shut up already¡± Chris shouted, ¡°For fucks sake¡­. I know! Before they get in, I¡¯ll let you die with at least a little bit of pleasure! I¡¯ll save you and Julia forst,¡± he cackled, ¡°She can¡¯t very well stop using the spell if she wants to live even a little bit longer. And she can¡¯t lose too much concentration either, which makes this perfect!¡± he finished, licking his lips as his eyes looked them both up and down. ¡°You sick fuck!¡± one of the men from at the back of the cave screamed, drawing a sword to stop Chris. But Chris was unfortunately faster. He had methodically nned out to stay at the top level in the group, making it so no one could match him, regardless of ss. Chris dodged the sword swing with ease, his own sword glowing in a faint red as he raised it. Bringing it down swiftly on the man gouging out his back and the meek leather armor he wore. Another one of Chris¡¯s schemes allowed him and a select few to hoard all of the good equipment in the name of ¡®protecting¡¯ everyone, even going as far as to confiscate people''s quest rewards from them. Standing above the bloody body of the man, he looked at the rest of the group, but some of them weren¡¯t going to go down without a fight. Mainly the ones who had just recently been Chris¡¯sckeys for most of his schemes. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to throw us in with them huh? Don¡¯t forget we have some of that equipment too!¡± one of the men growled, pulling back on a bow, the nocked arrow beginning to glow with a green sheen, ¡°I¡¯m not dying here! Not without a fight!¡± The man screamed and loosed his arrow, it screeching across the cave building speed and power as it left the string, the faint glow turning into a bright green light. But that meant nothing to Chris and his ss. Chris raised his free hand, a red shield glowing on the back of it. The arrow collided with the shield as sparks flew until the arrow slowly dissipated against it. A smirk creased the mad man¡¯s face. ¡°Did you forget! I¡¯m a tank ss you fucking idiot! And still far above your level!¡¯ Chris cackled, as he rushed forward at the archer, his sword beginning to glow red, but he was halted in his tracks again as he heard the quickening rhythm of the Goblins against the barricade, startling him. ¡°What?! Are they getting through already?! Do something you stupid woman!¡± Chris sneered at Julia. Julia¡¯s face had gone past pale and had begun turning ghostly white as she jerked with every strike against the spell. Her hands began shaking as she struggled more and more to stay not only focused but upright as she began wobbling back and forth. Julia reached into her shirt pocket pulling a vial of blue liquid from it, and pulled the cork with her teeth. ¡°Julia, no!¡± Megan shouted, ¡°You¡¯ve already drunk too much already! Any more so soon will give you mana poisoning!¡± Julia¡¯s shaky hand put the vial to her mouth ignoring Megan¡¯s pleas. She didn¡¯t want to protect trash like Chris but she had no choice if she wanted to live even a moment longer, praying for some kind of miracle. The banging and thumping continued and quickened as she took a long pull from the vial, emptying it in a breath. But the Mana Potion backfired. She had taken too many too quickly. Julia coughed as she sttered blood in a mist from her mouth, falling to the ground and beginning to seize. ¡°Julia!¡± Megan cried. ¡°Fucking useless! Now what are we supposed to do!? All of you get fucking up there or I¡¯ll kill you my god damned self!¡± Chris roared. But the sound of the banging stopped suddenly, as silence began to fill the cave. Chris was hesitant to even speak for a moment. Then after a few more silent seconds of nothing, he began to feel confident. ¡°You cowards in the back, I thought I told you to get the fu-¡± But he never finished his sentence as the barricade crashed open with a loud crash and the wrenching of metal, the dust covering the entire cave entrance as everyone shielded themselves from the debris. ¡°Wh-what the fuck is going on now?!¡± Chris cursed, looking over his arm that had shielded his vision, only to see a woman scowl, her auburn twin tails fluttering behind her as she roared and sprinted at him, her fist thrusted forward as it connected with him square in the face. ¡°Chris you fucking asshole psycho!!¡± Chelsea howled. Chapter Ninety-Eight: This Guy Really is a Classic Villain, huh? Chapter Ny-Eight: This Guy Really is a ssic Viin, huh? The sound of the blow reverberated and sounded throughout the cave, but not exactly what Chelsea had been hoping for. Just before her hand connected with Chris¡¯s face, it was stopped by a red-hued shield. ¡°Oh! Look who¡¯s back, just in time for the Gobl-... Wait, what happened to all of the Goblins? And the General?!¡± Chris yelled, his face contorting from a condescending sneer into confusion. Chelsea recoiled her hand and shook it briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it you god damned crazy silver spoon baby. You¡¯ll get yours!¡± she sneered. ¡°Get what? And from who? You?¡± Chrisughed, spreading his hands wide, ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting who you¡¯re talking to bitch! I¡¯m leagues above you in both levels and status! You should have just died when I sent those brain-dead morons after you! Do you think you are going toe in here like some sort of hero, save your dumb bimbo friend?!¡± ¡°God damn, is that what I sound like when I monologue? Please tell me I¡¯m not like that Theo,¡± said a voice behind Chelsea, ¡°And no, Mr. ssic Viin. I¡¯ll be the one saving everyone today.¡± The owner of the voice moved into view of the cave opening, the new dawn shining through in streaks of bright white and yellow ribbons around him. From his hand a ball rolled into the cave. Or at least everyone thought it was a ball until it came to a rolling stop in front of Chris¡¯s feet, his face paling. ¡°This is¡­ This is the General?! Then the Goblins? You couldn¡¯t have killed them all with just the two of you!¡± Chris stammered beginning to be hysterical once again. ¡°This one is forlorn to be left out my Lord¡¯s conquering band, twas this one¡¯s illusions that helped a handsome sum,¡± Theodore said, shimmering into existence behind Chris, his cane pointed at the back of his head. ¡°You were very helpful Theo, I¡¯ll be sure to sing your praises when we get back to the Outpost,¡± Drake said, walking out of the light and into full view in the cave, his ck and gold robes, red, ck and white mask visible, ¡°But I do have to say, this General,¡± he said pointing down with his finger, ¡°Was honestly kinda, meh. I¡¯ve fought better, and if we are being honest. I was hoping for a bit more¡­¡± Drake said his face dimming slightly. Chelsea gave him a sidelong nce before turning to the other people of the cave, ignoring Drake¡¯s over-dramatic entrance. Looking around she finallyid her eyes on Megan, who was holding a limp Julia, her mouth dribbling a purplish liquid. ¡°Megan!¡± she yelled running to her, nearly skidding to the floor as she slid down next to her, her eyes tearing up as she wrapped her arms around her, ¡°You¡¯re alright! He hasn¡¯t done anything to you has he?! And what happened to Julia? This¡­ is this blood and Mana potion? She didn¡¯t overdose did she?!¡± Megan¡¯s eyes began to water as she started to sob all over again, this time thankfully from relief as she and the rest of them were saved. ¡°Y-yesh sh-she took a potion to save us! And th-then s-he started seizing!¡± Megan managed to eke out through her crying, pressing her face into Chelsea¡¯s arms, ¡°I-i Don¡¯t know what to do! Pluheast Chelsea!¡± Chelsea¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright Megan. I won¡¯t let anything happen now that I¡¯m here. Shot, is going to take care of everything, and you are going to be safe.¡± ¡°W-who is Shot? Do you mean the number one on the TP Ladder?¡± Megan asked her face incredulously. Chelseaughed wearily, not sure if saying something like that was for the best as she knew his personality. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ That one..¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re going to be able to do anything to me you stupid asshole?! You¡¯re only level 17! Even if you¡¯re a pure damage specialized ss you won¡¯t do anything to my defenses! I¡¯ll oust you and kill you myself, all you¡¯ve done is hand-delivered me more experience and TP!¡± Chris shouted, swinging his sword behind him at Theodore. Theodore deftly dodged the swing, chanting as he did, shimmering back out of vision. ¡°The fuck did he go? Get back here!¡± Chris howled, his eyes searching for Theodore as his head whipped back and forth. ¡°Now, now, now. You should be more worried about me,¡± Drake said, his gaze falling on the dead man in front of Chris, ¡°After all, seems like Chelsea was saying all the right things about you.¡± Drake then moved his focus over to the fallen woman Julia. Natto, is there anything we can do to help her? Drake asked. ¡°I regret to say that there is not. Unless you wish to magically find herbs that can¡¯t possibly be in this tutorial, she will have to survive or not on her own. If the snippy one that I am fond of was here, the healer, she may have been able to help a little, but it would not do much besides delude the pain she is feeling. The Mana potion she took has to disseminate itself through her body naturally, that is why it is advised against using too many too quickly,¡± she answered. So I just need to get her to Jacqueline quickly then? ¡°That would be the best course of action, yes.¡± Drake gave a mental affirmation to Natto then brought his eyes back to Chris. The man was slightly taller than Drake remembered, and also broader built. The armor he wore resembled that of a medieval knight without the helmet and in his hand was a simrly themed de. With Drake¡¯s enhanced vision he also noted the faint color of mana moving from Chris¡¯s hand. ¡°Chelsea,¡± Drake said addressing her as he kept his focus on Chris, ¡°You said there were others he had doing some of his dirty work? If you would be so kind as to point them out.¡± Chelsea turned her head, then looked back at the group with slight disgust, ¡°I only see one, the other looks like he already turned on him,¡± she said, pointing at a man in robes. ¡°Ok then,¡± Drake said, rolling his shoulder, ¡°Everyone but the robed guy and the wannabe viin can move over here if you want to leave the cave and go to a safe ce.¡± Most of the group looked hesitant, with only a few sprinting when given the offer, confident in seeing Chelsea that the man wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°How do we know you actually killed all the Goblins?¡± a person in the back asked wearily. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill all the Goblins. I killed all the ones outside,¡± Drake said snapping his mask off his face to give a smile. ¡°Wait! I know you! Y-You¡¯re that fucking loser I tried to recruit at the beginning of the tutorial! How the fuck did you survive for so long? And make it to the top of the TPdder?! And all of you! No one move!¡± Chris screamed wildly at the people running past him, ¡°I said don¡¯t fucking move!¡± he shouted once more, this time his sword swinging down at their backs. His de moved quickly but not quickly enough before Drake moved, his hair now red. His left arm was bathed in an ethereal blue radiance as it held Chris¡¯s sword. ¡°Well, well, well. Looks like you were telling the truth. You don¡¯t have much strength, or at least. Not more than me,¡± Drake scoffed, his mask now back in ce as he smiled behind it, his right jet-ck earthen arm¡¯s finger moving to jingle a red earring from his lobe. Drake¡¯s earth magic, just like his fire magic, had evolved from his new skill, deepening in color to almost ck obsidian, and even harder, closer to steel than Earth now. ¡°What?!¡± Chris gasped, struggling to remove his sword from Drake¡¯s grip, ¡°How! I have over 200 Strength?! Are you a pure fighter?!¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Guess again!¡± Without notice a blue magic circle formed in front of Drake¡¯s chest, water magic forming into arge deep blue with hints of green, aimed right at Chris¡¯s stomach. Chris yelped as he was thrown backward into the rear of the cave by the water ball, embedded into a mess of debris, a red shield glowing right where the water ball had impacted. Drake whistled, ¡°Oh, he is tough. Natto wasn¡¯t joking when she said tank specs are crazy durable,¡± he said, looking back at the people now staring at him with wide eyes and gaping mouths, ¡°Alright, ready to move now?¡± Absent-minded nods came in response to Drake¡¯s question, their feet slowly beginning to move. Drake looked back at the pile of rubble containing the makeshift viin, and hisckey that was standing there paling not far from him. ¡°Now, it¡¯s just the three of us. You guys, and I,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Fuck you!¡± the robbed man screamed, Drake, spotting the change in mana around him, a glow of red in his hands, and the mana turning the same shade of crimson. ¡°Oh, a mage? And a Fire one at that, it¡¯s a good chance to see how well my defenses do against a proper human mage,¡± Drake said, casting his defensive skills before the mage could finish casting his own spell, Drake shing in a green light several times. The Robed Mage finished his spell with a shout, a fireball of simr size to Drake¡¯s normal casted fireball, but a ssic color instead of his now white me. The ball shot forward towards Drake covering the distance between them quickly, but Drake didn¡¯t move and allowed the ball to smash against his shields. Surprisingly to all the witnesses, the spell shed against them, doing nothing. ¡°You¡¯re joking,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡° It didn¡¯t even break through my extra shield?¡± Drake said, bbergasted. ¡°That is quite something¡­ Your extra Defense from your armor set is doing wonders against these particr people. It would seem they do not have particrly high levels outside of the cackling chicken you put into the rubble, nor high proficiency,¡± Natto surmised, her tone light as she was obviously impressed despite herself wanting to tease Drake. But with this, I can¡¯t even use my movement skill. I¡¯ll have to think of ways around that¡­ Maybe more maneuverability with fire and air? Like a jet! Drake thought. ¡°How?! I thought you were a damage dealer! There¡¯s no way you can fend off an attack like that if you''re spec¡¯d for damage! What kind of bullshit equipment do you have, or is it your ss?!¡± the man shouted at Drake as he moved backward trying to further the distance between them. ¡°Me? I¡¯m just a hero who¡¯s doing it for fun. Wait no that¡¯s not right anymore¡­ I¡¯m just a guy who¡¯s idealistically selfish and contradictory when it suits him. And, I¡¯m finally on time to save some people for once,¡± Drake said, his face finally stiffening into a serious scowl, ¡°And I will take on the burden of giving you judgment for what you have done.¡± Drake¡¯s hair and tattoo shifted to ck for a moment as a crystal of pure white ice formed from a pale magic circle, the crystal giving off a faint blue glow around it until Drake crushed it in his hand, his hair and tattoo cascading into white. The magic circle then shifted to a crimson red recing the pristine white. ¡°Let me show you what a real fireball looks like,¡± Drake growled coldly, ¡°The searing of my heart, give him fury, Fireball,¡± Drake casted his eyes meeting that of the other Mage. The ball of white fire formed and pulsed in Drake¡¯s hand as he chanted, then at thest word condensed into the size of a baseball, screeching forward towards the man in the blink of an eye. And passed through him, striking into the wall, and searing a hole of molten rock right above Chris. The man gurgled hisst breath as blood began dripping from the sides of his mouth, the smoke from the charred remains of his chest obscuring his pain-stricken face. A momentter, slumping to the floor. Only the sound of his sizzling and smoldering flesh remained. [You have killed Participant: Ash Ketchup Level 17] [Experience Earned, 273,425 TP awarded] Chris looked on in abject horror, His head turning to the molten hole that was now above him, a small bead ofva dripping down to his shoulder turning his armor into a sheet of hot metal. Scrambling to his feet, Chris ced his sword in front of him as he used his other hand to wipe off the burningva. ¡°What the fuck are you! How are you so strong when you''re at such a low level?! It isn¡¯t possible!¡± Chris screamed, his body involuntarily shaking now that Drake¡¯s eyes began shifting colors. Drake slipped off his Tattoo ring, cing it into his inventory, recing it with ¡®Morning Glory¡¯. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s possible. Believe it. I¡¯m just someone who turned a shit roll into an opportunity to change and better myself. And I¡¯m going to be the one that kills you, Chris Springs.¡± Drake pointed his staff at Chris, or more specifically at the molten rock behind him. An orange and red shifting magic circle turned at the tip of the staff, a small pellet ofva forming. A moment after it had manifested Drake shot it at the wall, the pellet burrowing itself into the wall. Chris looked on as his face contorted into confusion. ¡°How are you going to kill me if you can¡¯t even hit me?! And I¡¯m a tank, remember! Even if you are strong, my defenses are stronger!¡± Chris snapped his face brewing into a confident smile. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. And even if I can¡¯t kill you in one blow, I will oust you, I¡¯ll go further beyond,¡± Drakeughed as he tilted his head back into a sneer, ¡°Plus Ultra.¡± Drake used his Heretical Mind to push the burrowedva pellet into the rest of the wall, melting arge portion of it, behind Chris. Unbeknownst to Chris as he looked drilled into Drake with a death stare. Finally noticing the movingva, Chris shifted and turned to see the wall crumble, theva oozing out of it. But it was toote. Theva lunged forward wrapping around Chris¡¯s feet and immobilizing him. ¡°Marked,¡± Drake whispered. Chris screamed in anguish as theva singed and charred his legs, but he could not fall as theva slowly began to crawl up him, burning him bit by bit, then hardening to encase him. Chris¡¯s eyes began to tear as his legs were consumed by the spell, his voice bing hoarse from the screaming. ¡°P-please! I-i¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do anything again! Please, you¡¯ll never see or hear from me I promise!! Ju-just let me live! I¡¯ll apologize, I¡¯ll do whatever you want!¡± Chris pleaded. Drake continued the spell, his cold stare unrelenting as theva inched up and up the man. Once it consumed his lower half, Chris began activating his skills to protect his torso and arms, a sheen of red shing over him. But all it did was prolong the process and keep him alive as he was being encased in moltenva. ¡°The world is different now. And it has no need for people like you,¡± Drake said coldly, the final piece of Chris encapsted in the spell. A tear, hate-filled eye. True to his ss, the man survived for several more seconds in the tomb, his screams muted inside it, until finally the notification came, and Drake¡¯s shoulders rxed ever so slightly. [You have killed Participant: Chris Springs Level 19] [Experience Earned, and 432,255 TP Rewarded] Chapter Ninety-Nine: All Out War. Chapter Ny-Nine: All Out War. Drake looked at the sarcophagus ofva he had built around Chris. Putting his staff away and bringing out his tattoo ring, slipping it back onto his middle finger. ¡°And I thought you didn¡¯t like torture?¡± Natto asked leadingly. You know I don¡¯t but, it isn''t about what I like, it¡¯s about what he deserved. And the world is different and it needs measures equal to the crime. Drake answered. A breathter a mote of light shed, dropping a crystal stone on the ground with a ng, a simr dimensional bag dropping next to it a few momentster. Drake took a few steps forward picking them up, moving to the Mage, and grabbing the bag that had dropped as well, slipping the bags into his inventory, a cursory nce at the stone. [Sub-tree Skill Stone: Protection] [Rare] [Requirements: Must have Warrior Main Tree Unlocked. Must have open Sub-tree slot avable] ¡°Well, at least he wasn¡¯t lying about being a tank¡­ Lot of good it did him though,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t have to kill him so brutally!¡± Megan shouted from the ground where she kneeled next to Julia and Chelsea. ¡°Megan¡­¡± Chelsea chided, her hand going to the back of her head. Drake looked over, his expression colder than it should have been. ¡°Yes, I did. What he did, what he was going to do to all of you. Was unforgivable. I was told of the things he was doing behind the scenes and what he was capable of. He made his own bed. Hate me if you want, it won''t change the fact that he died because he deserved it,¡± Drake said. ¡°What makes you the judge and jury!¡± Megan snapped back. ¡°Nothing. Nothing makes me any better than him, but I know that. The only difference is that I¡¯m strong enough to carry on and he wasn¡¯t. I killed him because I was stronger and it suited my morals, that¡¯s the new world,¡± Drake turned his gaze to Chelsea, ¡°It seems like your friend might be in shock Chelsea, she was moments away from being killed herself but still defends him?¡± Chelsea looked over her face twisted between anger, sympathy, and confusion. ¡°She¡¯s just¡­ Yeah, she''s just in shock¡­¡± Chelsea said finally. ¡°Best we get moving then. This is no ce to recover. If we move quickly we can get back by mid-day I hope,¡± Drake exined, looking down at the now-still Julia, ¡°If we have any luck we can get her to Jacqueline and save her. Theo?¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± Theodore said, shimmering into view. ¡°Would you please look ahead for anything that might stop us? If you can divert them without risking yourself do it, if not report back immediately and I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Drake directed. ¡°By thou¡¯s will,¡± he replied, bowing slightly as he chanted and shimmered out of view once more. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you! Chelsea, how can you be with a man like this? He killed Chris and Johan in cold blood!¡± Chelsea gently pushed Megan to arm''s length, looking her deep in the eyes. ¡°Do you really believe that Megan? I know youtched onto Chris because he was the one who reached out but after everything¡­ You can¡¯t say you didn¡¯t see what he was doing!¡± Chelsea said, her voice slightly rising. ¡°I-i. I know he wasn¡¯t perfect but he protected us! Protected me! He even went out of his way to send more people to get you when you went to scout for the Goblins!¡± Megan snapped back desperately grasping at her broken facade of the man she kept in her head. Chelsea shook her head, ¡°No, Megs. He sent them to finish the job. But we ran into the Goblins first. They didn¡¯t kill us and took us captive. They did¡­ They did unspeakable things to us, made us fight one another for their enjoyment,¡± Chelsea said, recounting the experience, her grip tightening around Megan¡¯s shoulder as she did, ¡°They tried to take me! But I fought back. The more unlucky ones¡­. They were turned into food! Or used to birth more of those disgusting things! And all of that was a result of Chris! If he hadn¡¯t tried to kill us, kill me, I would have never ended up there. And you know who saved us?¡± Megan, just looked back into Chelsea¡¯s tearing eyes cked jawed. ¡°It was him. And all we did when we met him was fight the whole way... He did nothing but offer us safety, food, shelter, and protection. And we spat in his face every step of the way. But he still did it, never asking for a thing in return,¡± Chelsea¡¯s face turned serious as she wiped the bubbling tears away, ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistake the rest of us did. Face the reality of who Chris was. And who is saving you now.¡± Chelsea looked over as Drake passed her to pick up Julia in a gentle cradle, making sure to support her head, even going as far as to summon a breeze of wind to cushion her body to not rock her while he carried her. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It isn''t as easy as that! Chels!¡± Megan rebutted, ¡°How am I supposed to just trust some man who came out of nowhere and killed two people!¡± Chelsea¡¯s face turned to one of regret as she put on a forlorn smile. ¡°Then you will just have to see for yourself. You aren¡¯t the only ones he¡¯s saved,¡± Chelsea said. She stood up, helping Megan up as well, turning to the entrance of the cave. ¡°Alright everyone, are we ready to get this ill-advised show on the road?¡± Drake said, turning his head over his shoulder. Tired and weary faces returned his gaze, as most were on theirst legs of energy it seemed. The few nights they spent huddled in the cave, waiting for death at any moment to either Chris or the Goblins taking its toll on them. ¡°Well guess I should have expected that¡­ Alright if we can make it back to the outpost in time, there will be plenty of space, food, and hot water to go around. So bear with it and put your running shoes on for me people,¡± Drake asked as he walked out of the cave to only hear a notification he was not pleased about. [Tutorial Wide Quest Update] [The 10 Goblin Generals have been in. Infuriating the Goblin King and forcing his hand. He has now forced his army to an early deployment in response to the loss of his Generals, and the disrespectful actions of the participants. Moth Ru Var¡¯ pushes his army by its heels to all-out war, while his most trusted knights apany him to battle.] [Bonus Quest Reward for killing King prior to all-out war has been removed.] Well, shit. Who killed the other four Generals? It has to be Bjorn and Shigure right? Drake thought, a sigh pulling at his lips. ¡°I would certainly believe so. Although there could be a group we do not know about. Possibly the group of PKers have decided to fight or were cornered and had no other choice. Regardless, we now have more to worry about,¡± Natto exined. We best get back to the Outpost as soon as possible then. Drake mused. ¡°Alright looks like we have to double-time it. Chelsea, you know these people better than I do, I¡¯m going to have to ask you to keep track of them while we are making a dash for the outpost. And do you know of anyone with a ss that could help speed up everyone?¡± Drake asked over his shoulder. Chelsea looked over to Megan, ¡°Megan has a group buff but it will only affect those in her party, so a max of 10 people.¡± Drake turned to look over at Megan, her eyes turning to a scowl at him. ¡°Then, find the 10 slowest people and get them to the Outpost as quickly as you can. Chelsea you¡¯re in charge,¡± Drake directed. [Chelsea Jackson has left your party] Chelsea nodded hesitantly looking back at Megan. Megan scoffed, turning away from Drake, but seemed to have epted the party as a few more people gathered around as she began mumbling a spell, arge bright white magic circle forming below her, reminiscent of ire¡¯s but of a different color. I wonder if her mumbling was intentional so that I couldn¡¯t hear the spell? Drake thought. ¡°It does beg the question if she will be yet another problem that you have to take care of. I am certainly surprised that the mouthy one has decided to fall in line when she seemed to be so adamantly against you only a short few days ago,¡± Natto giggled. It¡¯s my devilish charms, what can I say? ¡°You can say something that makes sense, you dolt. I will be amazed beyond recognition if you someday find a person willing to tolerate you as a partner.¡± Alright, bet on it? ¡°I have never heard of a more easily won prize. Certainly then. What shall we wage?¡± Natto asked, intrigued. All the candy in my apartment when we get back and any future candy found or made. ¡°I have never tasted candy, you can not expect me to wager that.¡± Can¡¯t you just go into my memories and taste it that way? Drake asked curiously. ¡°Of course, I can n-... A moment¡­.¡± Natto said going silent for a brief time. When Natto didn¡¯t speak for a few seconds, Drake shrugged it off and began the march stepping fully out of the cave, Chelsea and the group following closely behind. Thanks to Drake¡¯s Magic, he was able to stay rtively quick without disturbing Julia in his arms. But that didn¡¯t mean he was anywhere near his normal or max speed as Chelsea and the others in Megan¡¯s party began to overtake him. Through the forest, the entire group of 20 people moved rtively unhindered. Only Drake began tog behind as he carried the injured Julia. This wasn¡¯t the worst option by far, it gave him a good look at everyone and allowed him to cover the rear as well as a way to retreat if necessary. This is going a bit too smoothly¡­ Why haven¡¯t we run into any monsters yet? Drake thought, scanning the surroundings tirelessly. Drake raised his brow as he didn¡¯t receive a reply from Natto. Hello? Natto? He thought. ¡°Ahem¡­ My apologies, I was¡­ ahem. Preupied,¡± she replied. You¡¯re literally in my head, what could you possibly be doing? Wait.. did you actually use my memories to see what candy tastes like? Drake chuckled, his eyes continuing to survey the group and surrounding trees. ¡°I do agree that it is certainly suspicious that there are no signs of monsters nearby. Perhaps they have all retreated to rally with the Goblin King? I would like to also state that I will take you up on that wager,¡± Natto said skittishly, adding a small cough to the statement. Uh huh¡­ Any reason why you decided now to agree to it? ¡°None. Now pay attention you buffoon,¡± Natto chided, trying her best to deflect the conversation. Drake rolled his eyes, letting the argument go. The group made their way through the forest for several hours as the sun slowly moved through the sky. Their increased physiques from the system level ups doing wonders for their pace. But it could only go so far, as many of the group who were lower level and not endurance-oriented began to slow once the sun reached its apex. Drake quickly sped up to reach the front of the group where Chelsea was. She was still breathing evenly but the same could not be said about her friend Megan, and some of the other forerunners. ¡°Looks like we need a break, I¡¯ll get a light snack out and some water,¡± Drake said, then raised his voice so everyone could hear, ¡°Break for 10 minutes, eat what you can without slowing you down!¡± Drake hollered using some of his wind magic to carry his voice to the whole group. He quickly brought out some food he had stashed. Dried jerky from the Goblin¡¯s rations, and not the human kind. As well as some of the stew he had made the day before, still just as hot as when he stored it. ¡°Hey, that is my stew! Why are you giving it away yet again to these ungrateful apes!?¡± Natto roared. Come now, you could go for a bit of a diet. Those chipmunk cheeks are getting a little out of hand there. Drake teased. ¡°Why I have never!¡± Natto spat incredulously. Just think of it as making room for all that candy you are going to have. Drake chuckled, gently cing Julia down with his magic onto a spare bed he had in his inventory. While overseeing the group of people getting their break, Drake felt something enter his Aura sphere that he could not see. Knowing it was not Theodore as he couldn¡¯t sense Theodore even with his perception slowly increasing. Drake fired off a small white me bolt. A yelp sounded as the bolt pierced whatever it was. Along with some shrieks from startled members. [You have subjugated Goblin Scout Level 16] [Experience Earned, 1,500 TP Earned] ¡°A scout? That certainly can¡¯t be a good sign¡­¡± Drake said, ignoring the yelling. ¡°My Lord,¡± Theodore said, announcing himself as he shimmered into view, holding a slight bow, ¡°Tis most certainly not. Thitherward to thou¡¯s outpost is treacherous, to say the least.¡± ¡°Is it that bad? FUBAR?¡± Drake asked. ¡°This one doth not understand thou¡¯s reference, Sire. But this one believes my Lord will have to see to understand the magnitude of which this one speaks,¡± Theodore answered. ¡°Not that I¡¯m against killing more monsters today, but I¡¯d really enjoy it if a rescue just went smoothly for once,¡± Drake said with a sigh. ¡°As do I, my liege.¡± Drake looked around, at the weary faces of the group, not even 5 minutes after sending out the food and water. Each one looked at him with clear worry and anxiety on their faces, save Megan who was still glowering at him, and Chelsea who looked to him for a n. Drake turned to Theodore. ¡°Can you shroud everyone here Theo?¡± he asked. ¡°This one regrets to inform my Lord, he canst,¡± Theodore answered. Drake clicked his tongue, one of his options gone. ¡°Are they blocking the path entirely or are they just in the vicinity?¡± ¡°Thest moment this one checked, thine quarry twas marching heavily thither.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t outrun them then I¡¯m guessing¡­ Do we just go back and let the new people hole up for now..?¡± Drake pondered aloud. ¡°This one believes that is the correct course of action, Sire,¡± Theodore answered. Drake nodded, ¡°No need to get them involved and in the line of fire if we don¡¯t have to,¡± Drake agreed, ¡°Listen up, we are going back to the cave, and you are going to hole up, I will leave supplies tost you enough time for when I cane back.¡± Megan¡¯s scowl deepened as she raised her voice. ¡°What about Julia?! We need to get her to Jacky or she might die!¡± she shouted. ¡°If I force you all forward, you are all going to die. Not just her. Pocket your damned entitlement for a second and look around. Everyone here besides a small handful are exhausted and frightened. Not only that, there are only a few of you who would even be helpful in a fight out in the open at full status. We are going back, period,¡± Drake stated evenly, picking up Julia not waiting for a response. Drake wouldn¡¯t have time to wait for a response either as he began picking up multiple entities entering his aura sphere. Shit. Drake cursed, his eye¡¯s falling on a group in the distance. [Moth Ru Var¡¯ Level 28] [Indu Ru Vixrik Level 26] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 5 Royal Goblin Knights] [Reward: Experience, TP. Map of the King''s Treasure Hoard] [Evyr Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Vokr¡¯ Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Xibric Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Loryr Ru Vixrik Level 26] Chapter One Hundred: The King is the last one Standing. Chapter One Hundred: The King is thest one Standing. Loud screaming, and scrambling quickly broke out as the group suddenly realized what had surrounded them. ¡°Theodore how did they ge-¡± but before Drake could finish his sentence one of the Knights dashed forward ahead of the pack, in its hands two small javelins. The Goblin Knight raised one arm, the weapon shining in a red glow as it hurled it forward, aiming straight for the group. Shit not even room to talk! Drake thought rapidly, his hands and mind moving at breakneck speed to change to his Wind Endowment, his hair shimmering to a light green, as he snapped his hand summoning ance of me and water simultaneously. Drake raced the thrown javelin across the distance, making it just barely in time to swat the weapon away with his left arm glowing a vibrant blue, this time from the mass of mana he pumped into it. At the same moment, he willed his own magic javelins forward, aimed at the iing Goblin, but the Goblin moved with deft quickness as it dodged the two spells as they collided together forcing a screen of steam. Looking down he saw a scratch on his arm, a small bead of red trickling down his forearm as it shook ever so slightly from the impact. Fuck! That¡¯s no joke of a skill or a weapon¡­ ¡°Everyone make a run for the Outpost, I¡¯ll hold them! Theo! Do your best to dy them with illusions and get to the Outpost!¡± Drake barked quickly. ¡°N-no wa-wan leevesssss!!¡± hissed a deep gravelly voice behind the screen of steam. ¡°What?! It can speak?!¡± Drake said in disbelief. Before Drake was able to parse the revtion for more than a split second, an arrow burst the steam wall wide open, glowing green as it flew straight for him. Drake, clicked his tongue putting two of his rings into his inventory and pulling two green rings out simultaneously thanks to his shawl. In one swift motion, Drake dumped mana into his ring, his left arm pulsing to life once again in a glow of blue as he threw his hand forward, his fingers precisely equipping the Dexterity rings as his Adrenaline Acuity ramped up. His hand didn¡¯t stop there as it turned with Drake in the trajectory of the arrow as he grabbed it out of the air, using the momentum from it to spin in ce, throwing it back through the mist. The arrow flew true almost like a curved bullet, a loud cry of pain sounding from behind the mist but no notification of a kill. Tough sons of bitches aren''t they? Drake cursed, summoning three firences to his side, and a ball of water, ready to go in the moment he might need another screen. Being able to feel where the targets were, Drake threw the threences into still dissipating steam cover, seeing the re of light as two of the three impacted against their targets. But there were still no kill notifications. For the first time in quite some time, Drake was unable to kill the monsters in one shot. ¡°My Lord! Thine enemy''s aid hast cornered us! We art surrounded at every corner!¡± Theodore shouted from behind Drake. Drake¡¯s eyes widened. How did they surround us so quickly?! Can some of their scouts manage to trail us outside of my aura¡¯s perception, or is my Magic Sight not able to pick up an advanced stealth unit? Drake thought quickly, trying to go over the answers in his head. He only had so much time though as the steam fully dissipated, revealing the entourage of Royal Goblin Knights and their King. Drake was somehow able to remain calm thanks to his new skill but even against it, a spark of emotion towards the beast that had started all this suffering began to re. The group of Goblins being revealed after their quick exchange showed that Drake had been unable to inflict any sort of real damage. As the long drawn-out pause in the scuffle allowed him to look over the Goblins more thoroughly. Each one held a specific weapon made to fill in a role almost like a party. Only two wearing simr armor and holding staves much like the Mage General, but much more extravagant. I thought this was supposed to be a tutorial, this is more like a goddamn game run on hard mode¡­. The Goblins sneered back at Drake, meeting his scowl and hate-filled eyes with equal resentment. Only being held back it seems by the overly confident King. From left to right, the Goblins covered its front in a semicircle. The one holding double javelins which seemed to be some sort of unique item as the one it had thrown had been reced somehow. Next to it, one of the Mage-like Goblins in long darkish robes that came down and dragged on the forest floor, a gnarled staff in one hand, a bright blue gemmed ring in its other. On the other side of the King, the three remaining Royal Knights stood, all of them equally eager to be let loose on Drake and hispanions. One with a bow and quiver attached to its back, one eye covered by a goggle-like cover, donning leather-type equipment and a glove on its drawing hand. Second tost of the Goblins was the other Robed individual, this one wearing a lighter beige that had a hood that covered its face but did nothing to veil itsrge bumped nose and pointed ears. Finally thest of the Royal Knights, and the most problematic at first nce. This one boasted a kite shield. At least three times the size of the Goblin General¡¯s Drake had faced before, but the monster seemed unimpeded by the bulky mass. Itsrger than the norm frame covered head to toe in glistening metal, in its other hand, a sword that reminded Drake of Bjorn¡¯s. Oh, we are well and truly fucked I think. Drake thought a wry smile forming behind his mask. ¡°Then why are you smiling¡­ You are certainly bing a battle junky and I am fervently against it. There are better ways to increase your level without having to face death every time!¡± Natto screamed in Drake¡¯s head, her worry and caution spilling over. Yeah but what¡¯s the fun in that? We¡¯re stuck now, might as well enjoy it. And if they don¡¯t kill me this spell surely will. Drake answered, his mind allowing Natto to glean parts of his n. ¡°Drake! Not only is that going to kill you, but I am not even sure if it will work with your level of Mana Maniption! You are not even E Rank yet! Your skill will notpensate for the control!¡± she pleaded. ¡°In for a penny, in for a pound. As a great man in multiple animes once said! It¡¯s now or never!¡± Drake roared, his fierce eyes drilling holes into the Goblin King¡¯s. ¡°K-keel, the v-v-veerminee!!¡± King Moth hissed, its jeweled finger pointing right at Drake, no, past him. Drake whipped his head around instantly, the encirclement of Goblins quickly closing in from all directions. He cursed, his n off to a horrendous start and he was forced to change it already. Crushing the ball of water in his hand from early, Drake switched over to his Water Endowment, not able to use his Lightning, or Ice Endowment for need of his Wind Magic. Swiftly Drake threw up a gust of wind in front of him, hoping to blind the group of Knights and the King if only for a moment. Then with a burst of fire from his hand, he shot backward towards the group, another ball of fire conjured in his hand. Closing in on the group Drake hurled the ball forward, pouring mana into the spell. Following it up with a ball of wind right after. The ball of white-hot fire flew into the crowd of oing Goblin troops with a beautiful explosion of white fire and debris. In a fraction of a secondter, the ball of air arrived at the center of the impact. Drake snapped his finger, ¡°Detonate!¡± The ball of air exploded in a gust of destructive expansion as the debris from the ground was flung up and out, including the remnants of the fire and the impacted Goblins, armor, and weapons apanying. The explosion made for an incredibly sessful pipebomb of earth, weapons, armor, and partial Goblin remains to rain down on the surrounding forces, killing a whole section of the encirclement instantly. ¡°Theo, Chelsea! Run, now!¡± Drake shouted, his hand brimming to life again with a red magic circle as he threw two firences forward. Both thences stopped at the impact forming a fiery wall to keep thene Drake had opened up clear. Theodore did not even look back as he pulled Chelsea forward, she doing the same for the group, as they all ran as quickly as their exhausted bodies would take them. But it was not fast enough, as the double javelin Goblin broke off from the group behind Drake, sprinting forward at such speed he overtook Drake in a breath. Fortunately thanks to Drake¡¯s Adrenaline Acuity he was able to catch the instant he came into his peripheral. Allowing Drake to conjure a thirdnce of fire, throwing it directly in the path of the Goblin. Slowing it down by a hair¡¯s breadth. Simultaneously making a gust of wind so he could change to his Wind Endowment. Moving at a speed noparable to earlier Drake lunged forward and past the Goblin. The surprise on its face making Drake all the more jubnt. ¡°Marked! Atrophy of the Mind!¡± Drake chanted, passing by the monster as its eyes followed Drake. His hand reached out for thence of mes he threw earlier. It doing its job of slowing down the Goblin by just enough for Drake to get in front of it. With one quick motion, he brought down thence from above on the Goblin, unable to change course as it was positioned so far forward it could not get its feet under it. Forced to do the only thing it could, the Goblin put its javelins into a cross guard above its head, spinning its body for the impact. ¡°Fool!¡± Drake sneered, as thence fell downward but split into two as it came into contact with the javelins, painting a line of white with a small break onto its body, but Drake wasn¡¯t done there. After the spell seared into the clothes and flesh of the Goblin, screaming in anguish, Drake raised his arm again quickly, the tattoo ring to life in ethereal blue and red from his Martial Skill before he mmed it down into the face of the Goblin. Crashing it into a deafening crunch with the floor. [You have subjugated Royal Goblin Knight Vokr¡¯ Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Experience Earned, 500,000 TP Earned] Drake had no time to even revel in his triumph as the sound of a soaring arrow tore through the air, Drake only barely jumping backward as it collided with the ground, the impact muchrger than should have been possible, throwing debris into the air all around him. Drake lost vision of the rest of the Goblins but felt two fast-moving targets to his right and the army of foot soldiers closing in around the walls of mes. Drake quickly exited his Wind Endowment in exchange for his Ice, needing the extra power for his Magic and regeneration. With a terse look over his shoulder, he saw the group only halfway through the wall of mes, forcing a curse from his lips. Fuck I need those spells to deal with two at the same time! And there¡¯s no telling when the rest are going to join! Drake swore. And with that, Drake¡¯s fears came true. The two beings that Drake had felt ran past the shield of debris. Drake cursed as he saw the two, but was also surprised at theposition. The two Goblins that sprinted forward trying to get to the group, were the Archer Goblin, and the Dark-Robed one. Turning his head to the falling debris, Drake saw through it to find the Shield Bearing one and the Beige Robed one were still by the sneering King¡¯s side. Is it afraid and keeping those two by its side? Why won¡¯t it just throw everything it has at me? Drake wondered. ¡°A King does not lower himself to deal with vermin. You heard it yourself, it must not think much of you even after felling its Generals and one of its Knights. It will be its certain downfall if it continues. You are far stronger than it gives you credit for,¡± Natto conceded. Drake smiled behind his mask as he dashed backwards using bursts of Fire to help boost his speed. Awe Natto, I didn¡¯t know you thought that way about me. Makes my heart all warm and fuzzy! Drake thought sarcastically, making his way in the direction of the two running Monsters. Natto had no time to interject as the Archer Goblin knocked and released another arrow, this one tinged in a faint blue glow. Drake felt something ominous about the iing arrow and decided to dodge itpletely, using a burst of fire to change his own trajectory at thest second. But that only did so much, as his eyes widened, the arrow moving with him, striking his shoulder guard and piercing through it with ease, leaving Drake aghast but more or less unharmed saved his armor. Drake took the initiative and used a burst of mes to propel himself forward once more towards the pair, but caught the wide yellowed smile of the Archer Goblin. ¡°Drake the arrow!¡± Natto shouted. He continued to stare at the Goblin only to see its eyes move, his own following their gaze to the group. Forcing his head to turn the fractions of a second ticking by as his eyes tracked the arrow now changing directions once again, heading straight for the backs of the group. Drake looked on helplessly as he saw the arrow fly true to its target. Straight into the back of Chelsea, piercing right through her shoulder as she fell to the ground. He felt a phantom pain in his chest as his own health plummeted below half despite taking no damage as a result of their contract. But Drake hardly felt the pain as sound began to fade while he saw one of his party members once againy on the ground in a mess of their own blood, injured. Drake¡¯s eyes turned feral as he zoned in on the Archer Goblin. ¡°You. Die. First.¡± Chapter One Hundred and One: The King is the last one Standing P2. Chapter One Hundred and One: The King is thest one Standing P2. ¡°Marked,¡± Drake muttered, his hand flicking with a snap as he produced ance and ball of white mes, ¡°On blessed wings! Guardians Reprieve!¡± Drake finished, taking anguid step, the motion shooting him forward, transversing the distance instantly. Both the Goblins flinched as they saw Drake appear nearly instantaneously across the field in front of them, his eyes pointed as they red from blue to yellow to green. Drake¡¯s left hand red to life in a hue of brilliant blue as he thrusted it forward towards the Ranger Goblin. The Goblin tried to move but Drake¡¯s Aura flexed, freezing it momentarily while also destroying at least one of its beneficial magic or skills. This forced the Goblin to ce its bow in front of it in an attempt to block the hand but Drake cared not as his hair, tattoos swiftly changed, cascading in a bright crimson red then vibrant orange glow. Drake¡¯s hand connected with the wood of the bow, a sh of magic sending sparks for a brief moment before Drake¡¯s hand passed through the bow to the widening eyes of surprise of the Goblins. Drake¡¯s hand surged forward and gripped the monster by the throat, mming it to the ground in a crater of earth. Instantly Drake¡¯s hair shimmered back to white as he changed Endowments once again, his jet-ck earthen hand raised above him a red magic circle forming. The Robed Goblin shrieked in fear and began muttering something off to Drake¡¯s side, but he ignored it, his sole focus on the monster in his grip like an animal locked onto prey. Nothing else mattered but killing it now. ¡°Oh, Darkness shrouded in light¡­¡± Drake began a red burst of mesing to life in his hand, ¡°Frenzied ze d in night,¡± the me shimmering to blue as it started to fully form and the mana poured into the spell, ¡°In the name of the crimson demons, let the copse of thine origin copse!¡± Drake felt the impact of a spell hit his shoulder mid cast but he didn¡¯t let it or the notifications prevent him frompleting his spell. [Inflicted with Fear of the Forest] [Skill Tyrants Indomitability has nullified Fear of the Forest] Drake smiled, his left hand wrenching open the Goblin Ranger¡¯s mouth. ¡°Summon before me the root of thy power hidden within thends of the kingdom of demise!¡± Drake roared, the me brightening into brilliant white, as it red to the size of a wildfire, ¡°My name is Drake Wallen!¡± the me condensed into a small marble as bright and fierce as the sun. Drake mmed the small spell into the Goblin''s mouth, then threw himself backward. ¡°Make sure they know who sent you,¡± Drake said smiling behind his mask, onerge enough to reach his eyes. Snapping his fingers as Morning Glory appeared in front of him, his tattoo ring slipping into his inventory as he gripped the staff pointing it at the Ranger, its eyes in horror as smoke sizzled from its charred mouth that had seared shut. ¡°Ex-plosionnnn!¡± With the snap of his fingers, Drake¡¯s spell exploded, tearing the Goblin apart limb from limb, piece by piece in a cacophony of thunderous roars and bangs instantly killing the monster. The spell cost Drake a hefty sum of status but he reaped the rewards with a bonus kill. [You have subjugated Royal Goblin Knight: Xibric Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Experience Earned, 500,000 TP Earned] [You have subjugated Royal Goblin Knight: Loryr Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Experience Earned, 500,000 TP Earned] [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller Level 18] [40 Free Stats have been awarded] Hearing the notification but ignoring it for now, Drakended, thenunched himself forward towards the group, to Chelsea¡¯s side where Theodore, Megan, and the others surrounded her. Drake looked on, his eyes frowning as he saw the mess. Her arm had been separated from her shoulder like his, and she was coughing and losing blood quickly. This time having experience with his own injury, he quickly took the severed arm and ced it next to her shoulder, pulling a potion out of his inventory, and uncorking it with his teeth. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Megan screamed, her eyes spilling waterfalls as she gripped and wed at his robe. Drake let her do as she pleased, she wasn¡¯t strong enough to hurt or stop him either way. He quickly poured the potion onto Chelsea¡¯s wound hoping for the best as he kept a honed watch on the surroundings with his aura sense, making sure nothing would interrupt them. With a quick flex of his will, the firewalls bent, connecting to each other and forming a circle around them. Looking down he waited impatiently for the result. Chelsea struggled in pain but still fought as she yelped again, the potion mixing with her blood, slowly seeping into the wound. Her flesh slowly but surely began to mend, allowing him to give a relieved sigh. After several seconds the mending stopped, not fully connecting the arm but enough that it let Drake sear the rest of the flesh, saving her arm and stopping the bleeding. Even against Megan¡¯s fervent screams, he did so. Then looked at Chelsea, her face pale but now more rxed after the ordeal. Drake turned to Theodore. ¡°Get them to the outpost. After an hour give her another potion and have Jacqueline look at her. And when she wakes up. Tell her I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t protect her like I promised..¡± ¡°My Lord...¡± Theodore whispered, ¡°This one doth not thinketh-¡± Drake held a hand, and stood up, ¡°When mistakes are made, we must take ountability. I put myself in charge, it¡¯s my fault. I won¡¯t hear otherwise. And for that I¡¯m going to make it right,¡± Drake said, gripping Morning Glory in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s time I broke this bad boy in!¡± Drake shouted as he stepped to the edge of the ring of fire, with a wave of the staff in an arch the fire blew outward, killing the waiting Goblins in the closer proximity, charring them at their bisected midsections. ¡°Make it there safely Theo, I¡¯m counting on you once again,¡± Drake ordered, taking another step over the ck line left in the ground from his fire spell. The group quickly rallied behind Theodore and the exit made again by Drake, running forward as fast as they could manage. Drake then twirled his staff in his left hand, mming it to the ground, his earthen arm disintegrating as he needed full use of all his spells for the best use of his staff. His hair receded to ck as he canceled his endowment, then five magic circles formed around him. Red, blue, brown, green, and finally yellow as their corresponding magic bloomed to life. ¡°Symphony of Elements!¡± Drake shouted, the spells shooting out to the encircling remains of the army the King had brought. Drake¡¯s spells began wreaking havoc upon the Goblins'' Ranks as he looked directly at the King. Its face went from a sneering confidence to a worried scowl. Drake¡¯s Fire Magic threw bullets of piercing white mes through Goblins, ramping up his magic damage with every kill, quickly reaching its max of 20%. To his Water spellshing out like a whip bisecting the soldiers with ease giving him his t mana regeneration with each 20th kill. Next, his earth pirs shot out like barbednces through the Goblinsunching them back into the crowd and piercing through more as they went, giving him his defensive boosts. And then the small air bullets that fired off rapidly in all directions, finding their mark in the foreheads of any Goblin that dared to approach. Drake used it to bide his time, waiting for the 100th kill notification. In the wings his lightning spell crackled, each time his water spells gave him regeneration he quickly dumped it into the spell, the rumbling slowly bing more fierce and pronounced as the lightning began to tinge in a sinister violet color. [100th Air Spell Kill Stacked. Next Spell cost reduced by 80%] As soon as the notification came in, Drake dropped down to the ground like a sprinter, his staff entering his inventory as his ring appeared in front of him for him to slip on. Drake canceled all of his spells besides the lightning and his water, a small ball of water falling in front of his face, as he bit through itunching himself forward, his hair and tattoo shimmering to blue. Drake screeched through the air, traversing the distance to the King quickly, his Lightning spell traveling in cadence with him. He looked the King in its eyes as he closed in, throwing his arm forward to will the spell into action. The King¡¯s face turned again into a snide smile instead of the fear Drake thought it would. Moments before he was able to connect his spell the Goblin with the Kite shield appeared before the King, itsrge metal b of a shield raised in defense. But Drake didn¡¯t care, as he summoned a blue bottle of liquid in front of him. Drake roared as he shouted the spell. ¡°Elmekia Lance!¡± He poured all of his mana and status that he could, then crunched the Mana Potion in his mouth, ss and all, pouring even more mana into the spear of lightning. The spear a vibrant white with shimmers of violet cascading from the cracklingshes of electricity surged forward as Drake willed it straight into the center of the Goblin¡¯s shield. The shing of spell against shield roared and thundered with a boom that could be heard for miles as the collision kicked up dust, the battle went back and forth between the throngs of lightning and the shield that was painted in the red color of a skill. Drake howled and roared as he pushed his will and control of the spell to the limit, pressing his desperate want for the spell to pierce the shield. The Goblin shrieked and screamed in turn against the pressure of the spell. Going back and forth Drake shouted, his Aura flexing to erase the shield''s defensive skill. ¡°Marked!¡± The spell began to heat the shield in a red hot vibrant orange and yellow as it melted through the center of it, despite the Goblin screaming in disagreement, its helmet shaking back and forth, fervently trying to deny the situation. After a long drawn-out second the spell struck gold as it burrowed its way through the Goblin¡¯s armor pushing deep into its chest but somehow not killing it instantly as the notification did note through. Drake cursed as he was forced to jump backward, kicking the Shield Goblin into Goblin King Moth, but both Goblins did not survive without injury. The Shield Goblin may not have died but was left mortally wounded. The spell pierced through its shield, armor, and body to strike the side of Goblin King Moth as it singed some of its armor. Forced back and low on status Drake rapidly cycled through his options. He hoped he had bought enough time for the rest of the group to get away from the Goblin army as he released a ragged breath through his mask. Looking at the nearly dead Shield Goblin and Goblin King Moth who was nursing his side, made Drake smirk. Drake was so close, just a little more and he could easily finish them he thought. Unfortunately, fate was not so kind, as the beige-robed Goblin stepped out from behind the King, its hand and staff bathed in a white glow. You¡¯ve got to be fucking shitting me. Drake thought, his teeth clenching. The Goblin that had stayed behind and by the King¡¯s side this whole time was a healer. Drake cursed, admonishing himself for being so naive to think he did not have a pocket healer being a boss. He had made a grave error, one that might cost him. Looking around desperately for a way to recover he spotted the dredges of the Goblin army and smiled. He could do it, but only if the King acted exactly how he would hope now that Drake had shown he could hurt if not kill him. Drake exploded from his position, running as fast as he could. With one swift motion, he slipped his two Strength rings into his inventory, switching them back to Dexterity for his n. Looking over his shoulder seeing the Shield Goblin rise from the ground green flesh showing through the spot in its armor where Drake¡¯s spell had pierced it, the Goblin King recovering just as quickly, left a bad taste in Drake¡¯s mouth. But he knew now which one would have to die before the others. Reaching the still disoriented army of Goblin Footmen, Drake¡¯s disgruntled emotions turned to one of anticipation. Just you wait for what I have in store! Chapter One Hundred and Two: The King is the last one Standing P3. – First Volume Conclusion! Chapter One Hundred and Two: The King is thest one Standing P3. ¨C First Volume Conclusion! Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P2(7%) [F Rank], Empty] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 18 [Vitality] 294 (15%) [Strength] 330 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 250 (40 + 20%) +(40) [Intelligence] 606 (15+15%) [Wisdom] 286 (15%) [Endurance] 200 (20 + 15%) [Free Points] 80 [Skills Branches] Primary: Elementalist P2(47%) [F Rank] 0/5 Magic Sight P2(58%) [F Rank] Heretical Mind P2(63%) [F Rank] Multiplicative P2(98%) [F Rank] Elemental Endowment P2 (36%) [F Rank] Elemental Conflux P2 (25%) [F Rank] Secondary: Shield Miller P1(96%) [F Rank] 0/5 Warrior¡¯s Stamina P2(47%) [F Rank] Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P1(94%) [F Rank] Aura of Command P1(5%) [F Rank] Martial Strike P2(21%) [F Rank] Empty Primary Sub-tree: Internal Mastery [F Rank] 0/5 Of the Apex P2(15%) [F Rank] Weak Point P2(13%) [F Rank] Tempered in mes P2(35%) [F Rank] Tyrannical Aura P2(24%) [F Rank] Tyrant¡¯s Indomibility P1(23%) [F Rank] Second Primary Sub-tree: Soul Mastery [F Rank]0/5 Mana Maniption P2(79%) [F Rank] Atrophy of the Mind P1(45%) [F Rank] Cower P1(30%) [F Rank] Sound Body and Mind P2(55%) [F Rank] Purity of Soul P2(13%) [F Rank] Secondary Primary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F Rank]0/5 Hoarder P2 (27%) [F Rank] Fully Loaded P1(10%) [F Rank] Weapon of Choice P2(24%) [F Rank] Adrenaline Acuity P2(33%) [F Rank] Magic Exposure P1(46%) [ F Rank] Second Secondary Sub-tree: Empty [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Murderer, Serial Killer Drake raced through the packs of Goblin footmen, his earthen arm sharpened to a de as he passed monster after monster maiming them to cripples as he went. His goal was to keep a slow pack of them around him, blocking the view of himself to the Goblin King as well as hoping they would not attack their allies. During the time he passed through the ranks, he never stopped but took nces at his status. Happy with his growth but also irked by the fact that Proficiency 2 to Proficiency 3 was such a steep wall for many of the skills. Some of the skills even still remaining on Proficiency 1 went to show how much Drake had actually neglected some of his skills during the recent fights. Thankfully some of his most used skills were close to reaching their peak for this rank giving him renewed hope for the fight. [You are now Weakened] Drake¡¯s Adrenaline Acuity had finally run out of juice, leaving him 10% weaker for five minutes, forcing a curse from his lips. Damn it, just right at the worst time. It feels like the old days with this, living on a knife''s edge. One blow might mean certain death. Drakeughed internally, as he danced his way through the Goblin soldiers, dodging sword swings, magic spells, curses, and arrows, his regeneration slowly doing its job of replenishing his stores. Drake began cing some of his free points into his status, knowing exactly what he needed to attempt his next spell when the time came, hoping the amount he had now would be enough. Dodging and weaving, only nicks and scrapes nging against his Guardian Skill¡¯s Barrier, sparsely enough not even enough to break it. And with every passing moment, Drake became more adept at dodging. ¡°This is the best practice I¡¯ve had in days! Maybe I should have done this earlier?¡± he joked aloud, cing his points into his Vitality and Endurance, needing both of the pools of resources to be asrge as possible. He ended with 300 Vitality, reaching another sizable number with his Endurance at 274. His stats and skills weren¡¯t ideal for what he wanted to attempt but it would have to do. If he didn¡¯t at least try, he wasn¡¯t sure he could kill the healer and tank off with enough to spare for the Goblin King. Still using the Goblin army as a way to recover, Drake continued to bide his time, allowing his status to recover steadily, his new Vitality and Endurance doing wonders for his body. Then another horn sounded, and Drake¡¯s head snapped to attention in the direction of it. Through the trees that lined the forest, Drake saw between them. More Goblins. [Tuz¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Ekruv¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Tsud¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Mohrah Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] Drake looked through the small gaps in the tree line and was able to identify four Knights, with more peering through the spaces by the second. Endless armies were behind them as they marched through the forest. But Drake didn¡¯t panic. In fact, this was exactly what he wanted and needed. ¡°Good. More Experience decided to show up!¡± he yelled, almostughing. ¡°Drake you certainly are bing a battle maniac¡­¡± Natto sighed, a tinge of worry in her voice. It will be alright Natto. I¡¯m doing what I must to get out of here alive. I need to have you meet my mother, remember? You need a lesson in manners! Drake chuckled, his hand deflecting a downward strike from a footsoldier. ¡°I take it all back. I hope the King does kill you! Maybe I will find a better Owner in my next life!¡± she humphed. Drake gave a gleeful smile as he enjoyed the momentary back and forth with her. Letting him breathe in a bit of thefort of normalcy he hoped to survive to enjoy once more. His family, his friends, his nowrades. To see them again, to speak to them, to eat meals and joke with them. That is what he was fighting for at this moment, that is what he was going to risk it all for. His status was still barely at half but that was all he needed for now to take on the Goblins outside of the Royal Knights and the King. Drake began turning up the destruction. No more simply injuring the monsters. It was time to farm some experience. He started grabbing and skewering Goblins left and right. Tossing some into others, extending his earthen arm to pierce and cut through several monsters at a time.Bit by bit stacking up his experience gain. But the easy part was soon over, as the horn sounded from the same direction once again, massive blobs of the Goblins flooding the battlefield all vying to kill Drake first. Drakeughed as he saw the bloodthirsty red-shot eyes of the Goblins. ¡°Now that more have arrived it¡¯s time to turn up the pace!¡± Drakeughed, pulling his tattoo ring back into his inventory, Morning Glory recing it. Drake canceled his Endowment temporarily using just his basic spells in quick session dodging and shelling out spell after spell to stack his buffs from Morning Glory,ughing with each kill. Once his Water Buff stacked on his 20th kill he moved his staff back into his inventory, summoning his Tattoo Ring in front of him once again, quickly reforming his earthen arm and snapping his fingers for his Water Endowment toe back into effect. The added buffs along with his recovery from his endowment allowed him to slowly eke out a sliver more of regeneration to speed up his recovery. The others helped with his defense and attack and most of all, slowly stacking to his 100th kill to allow him to use the spell he had been preparing for. Every second ticked by, each one containing a longer and longer extended fight for Drake as he was forced to dodge, turn, block, and deflect iing swords, spears, spells, curses, ws, and arrows. But in his turmoil he also found sce. He was fighting to survive to make it to the end, but the process. Oh the process, his body was reveling in it. Drake¡¯s new skill ¡°Tyrant¡¯s Indomitability¡¯ had helped him find rity, helped him wipe the te of his mental anguish clean. But now, something else was taking its ce, slowly eroding it as he bathed in the experience of one fight to the next. His smile grew, and his daringness and confidence bloomed to heights he didn¡¯t think possible with every passing kill, every inch of ground he gained. Drake continued to weave his spells for their buffs, then switched out for a deft melee, inching his status and experience forward. [You have subjugated Goblin Knight: Ekruv¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Experience Gained, 400,000 TP Earned] [You have subjugated Goblin Knight: Tsud¡¯ Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Experience Gained, 400,000 TP Earned] [You have subjugated Goblin Knight: Mohrah Fuv Crukz Level 25 [F Rank] [Experience Gained, 400,000 TP Earned] Then what he had hoped for happened, his eyes met with the Goblin King¡¯s as the notification sounded in his head. [You have increased Multiplicative to Proficiency 3] [You have reached maximum Proficiency with skill: Multiplicative] [Gained Title: Well on Your Way] [100th Air Spell Kill Stacked. Next Spell cost reduced by 80%] Drake¡¯s eyes turned to his status as he saw his Weakened debuff begin to blink indicating it was falling off as well. What forced him to click his tongue however was that his status was not full, more specifically his Mana was still sitting only at 60%. Pulling a blue vial from his inventory he heard Natto. ¡°Drake no! You have done enough you can just leave! There is no point in poisoning yourself!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°Run? There¡¯s no running Natto. Not anymore. There¡¯s only forward and upward, from now on there are only going to be worse and worse monsters and stronger enemies! You said so yourself!¡± Drake said, dancing around the few remaining Knights in the field, the blue vial in his left hand, ¡°And I made a promise to make this fucker suffer! And you know me, I¡¯m a man of my word! At least when it suits me!¡± Before Drake popped the top of the vial and downed it as he chanted hisst defensive spells in anticipation, ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies bellow! Unbreakable! I am the shield, I am the rampart! Bulwark!¡± their familiar green glow cascading over him. Instantly Drake felt stiff, the mana forcing him to seize up, but he forced the Mana within him to circte it, using every fiber of his being to control and move it as best he could offsiding it slightly, but that didn¡¯t keep it from tearing at his insides all the same. It only kept the process going at a snail''s pace. But it was enough. Drake flexed his aura to the limit, letting go of the restraints he put on it, forcing the monsters in his surroundings to freeze momentarily. Enough for him to cast his spell. Throwing his hand in an arc in front of him, all 7 of the elements that he could cast manifested thanks to his increase in spell capacity. ¡°Heretical Endowment of the Elementalist! Septenarius!¡± he casted, each spell winking out of existence as Drake shuddered from the infusion of the spell. His hair and tattoo, shimmered in the colors of each element as if each one was fighting for control and dominance. But Drake fought back, fighting for control. And he won. His body glowed in a golden hue, as his hair and tattoo cascaded in each of the element¡¯s colors in tandem. But Drake was not unscathed, blood dripping from every one of his orifices, the spell slowly depleting his stores of health, mana, and stamina. But Drake only needed the spell tost long enough to kill the King. And he had no ns of wasting any time. He shot forward like a tsunami, blowing and pushing away anything and everything in his wake as he roared forward to the King. The Shield Goblin barely had enough time to jump in front of Drake to stop him from beheading the King, Drake¡¯s Earthen arm turned to a sharp obsidian jet-ck de. The two shed for only a moment before Drake threw a punch with his left arm, it glowing a deep red. Drake¡¯s fist impacted the shield shattering it and throwing the Goblin backward as it mmed into the King. Leaving the Healer exposed and confused as to what just happened. Its eyes unable to follow what had just ensued. Drake stepped and moved behind the Healer, his right arm disintegrating and reforming in ice instantaneously. He quickly plunged the hand through the Goblin''s Chest, the ice turning a tinge of green. ¡°The most annoying one down,¡± Drake said coldly, the ice spreading from the wound as it encased the creature. [You have subjugated Royal Goblin Knight: Indu Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Experience Earned, 500,000 TP Earned] Drake turned to see the Goblin King and hisst Knight stumble to get up, both shaking their heads trying to remove the disorientation from being sent flying backward. In disbelief theyid eyes on Drake, seeing that he had killed their Healer, their faces contorting into unadulterated fear. ¡°H-huumane vermiiinnn¡± Goblin King Moth hissed, his finger wagging in anger as he pointed. Drake stepped again, closing the distance in an instant, appearing before the King, and gripping his finger. ¡°The only vermin here is you,¡± Drake spat, breaking the finger with a loud snap and howl from the King. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. Your Knights are stronger than you, your army doing all of the heavy lifting and you put on this invasion, causing all this suffering. And for what?!¡± Drake roared his mana and aura flexing, almost contorting the air around him. The Goblin King Moth, looked defiantly at Drake, ¡°F-forsssed by syssstem. No choissse, but iss o-our way!¡± Drake¡¯s face cringed as he heard the hissing sound from the monster''s mouth. He turned to look at thest Knight, struggling to raise itself to the defense of its King, its bones mostly broken from Drake¡¯s earlier strike. ¡°Yeah well,¡± Drake scoffed, his right arm melting and turning to Magma that then dripped over the Knight as it began to scream in pain and anguish, ¡°Your way sucks pretty hard donkey dick.¡± [You have subjugated Royal Goblin Knight: Evyr Ru Vixrik Level 26] [Experience Earned, 500,000 TP Earned] [Subjugation Quest Complete, Subjugate 5 of 5 Royal Goblin Kights] [ept Rewards?] [Yes/No] Drake swiped the notification away mentally for the moment, having other pressing matters. Over his shoulder, he could hear the stomping of footsteps from thest remaining forces of the Goblin Army. Once he turned back to see the Goblin King¡¯s face he was disgusted. The monster still had hope in its eyes as it saw his forces rally. Drake summoned tworge magic circles, one of red and one of light green, Wind and Fire. He ced both next to each other as he poured mana into them, his palms facing outward to the iing force. ¡°Impact.¡± With Drake¡¯s spell, a tremendous boom exploded, cracking the ground around him and rushing forward with white mes propelled by the wind behind and twisted with it, spinning and snapping in a torrential st of fire. The Goblin army was singed to a crisp. Only charred remains now stood in the ce of the previous army. The King¡¯s face quickly turned to one of horror once more, as hisst hope was wiped off the face of the tutorial. It looked up at Drake in fear. ¡°Noghhhtt Hummanee! M-monsssster!!!¡± it screeched, skittering backward on his hands and feet. Drake sighed, the blood from his mouth, eyes, and ears dripping past his mask as small droplets began pooling on his chin. ¡°Only when I need to be, and it seems to be more often than naught now....¡± Looking at the pitiful Goblin King Moth trying to scamper away as fast as he could, lit a fire in Drake''s heart. He had expected more, he had expected the Monster that caused all of this to be strong, to put up a fight, to not be this. He screamed at the back of the Monster. ¡°Don¡¯t run! Don¡¯t run after everything you¡¯ve done! Take responsibility for thousands of your own kin dying, of all the people you enved killed and...¡± in Drake¡¯s head ire¡¯s face shed, then Amir, then Hudson, Sherry, Jacqueline, Tom, Harley, and finally Chelsea, ¡°And worse! You fucking cowar-¡± Drake tried to roar but coughed, his body beginning to give under the stress of the Endowment spell, and the use of anotherrge area of effect spell. Drake refused to stop now, gritting his teeth he rushed forward, adamant to do what he promised. With his lunge toward the King, he reached him quickly, gripping his skull and mming it into the ground, crushing his face. Then Drake switched his Magma arm out, it hardening to deep ck earth. With four quick swipes of his arm, Drake removed all of the King¡¯s limbs, then used a small fire spell to cauterize them. And with that, he silently pulled the Monster by his hair to their final destination.
¡°Open the Gate! This one bringeth new refugees in need of thy treatment!¡± Theodore shouted over the outpost Gates. Within seconds the Gates shot open, revealing Harley and Jacquelin as they rushed forward. Harley threw her arms around Theodore weing him back, but he reluctantly put her at an arm''s distance and turned his focus to Jacqueline. ¡°Miss Jacqueline. Miss Chelsea has suffered a severe injury. I implore you to aid her,¡± Theodore asked. Without hesitation she rushed to her side, giving a brief nod to the still-crying Megan. Giving Chelsea a once over, then getting to work, her hands glowing in a warm white light, as she chanted her spell. Theodore waved in the rest of the group. ¡°Inside the rest of thine fair! We would not wanteth to be ambushed here in the open, twould make more trouble for my Lord!¡± Theodore directed, ¡°Once Miss Chelsea hast received an ample amount of healing to keep her from death''s doors, please look at Miss Julia as well, but inside,¡± he added, asking more of Jacqueline. Jacqueline gave a nod but kept her focus on healing. ¡°What in the bloody hell did this to her?¡± she asked, her brow beginning to sweat. Theodore grimaced, ¡°Twas the King¡¯s Guard.¡± Both Harley and Jacqueline jerked slightly. ¡°Then does that mean.. Does that mean that¡¯s where Shot is?!¡± ire suddenly said,ing out from the gate, ¡°Is he still fighting them? Is he fighting the King?!¡± Theodore¡¯s face darkened slightly. ¡°Yes, this one suspects so..¡± ¡°Then we have to go! Even he can''t fight something like that on hi-¡± she began pleading but soon stopped as she saw someone on the horizon, backlit by the sun. Without waiting she ran forward, popping a health potion into her hand. She began to slow as she saw the state of Drake. In his hands were an abomination, a Goblin with severed limbs and a crushed face. Drake, a bloody mess, his robes disheveled, his pants torn, his hair caked in blood and sweat. And worse, from every opening on his body blood slowly oozed. Drake stopped in front of her, throwing the monster at her feet, using his other hand to snap his mask to the side. ¡°Kill it. It¡¯s the King, the one responsible for everything that happened to you,¡± he said weakly. ire recoiled in disbelief for a moment, her hands shaking and her mouth shivering open and closed. ¡°I-i¡­¡± Drake was silent. ¡°Shot? Shot!?¡± ire said concerned, seeing that he had not responded, her hand going to grip him but was stopped once again when Natto popped out from his head onto his shoulder. ¡°Do not touch him for now,¡± Natto said calmly, ¡°He has passed out on his feet. Kill the pitiful beast, then find a healer,¡± she said not taking her eyes off Drake, his eyes zed over. ¡°I-...¡± ire stammered once more. ¡°Kill the monster! Is that not what you have wished for sinceing here? Revenge?! Kill it and be done with it!¡± Natto shouted. ire still hesitated but pensively took out her staff, cing the health potion back into her inventory. Pointing the staff at the monster she chanted her only attack spell left in her tool kit. ¡°Spark!¡± A small yellow magic circle formed at the tip of her staff and then shot a small ball of electricity jolting the half-dead corpse of the King. [You have subjugated The Goblin King: Moth Ru Var¡¯ Level 28] [Experience Earned, 2,500,000 TP Earned] [Congrattions! You have increased to Storm Caller Level 14] [24 Free Stats have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Storm Caller Level 15] [24 Free Stats have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Storm Caller Level 16] [24 Free Stats have been awarded] [Gained Title: Aplice of the Vanquisher of Kings] [Gained Title: Aide in the First of Many] [Tutorial Wide Quest Update] [The Goblin King Moth Ru Var¡¯ has been in ending the invasion. Contributions will be calcted and rewards will be bestowed to the participants] [Calcting Rewards¡­..] [Rewards based on Contribution: Experience Earned, 250,000 TP Earned.] [Receiving Titles based on Performance: Supporter of the Vanquisher, Survivor of Torment, Follower of the Tyrant] [Calcting Leaderboards¡­.] [Leaderboards for Contribution] # 1: Shot: 32,741 Goblins Killed # 2: Bear: 11,475 Goblins Killed # 3: Shigure Kenzo: 7,362 Goblins Killed ¡­. # 2,136: ire Osberg: 57 Goblins Killed Chapter One-Hundred and Two.Five – Glorious Vengeance! Such Elegance?! Chapter One-Hundred and Two.Five ¨C Glorious Vengeance! Such Elegance?! Aono somehow managed to get out of the Outpost when Drake and the others had left. She hid behind a tree, her breathing in ragged heaps as she pushed her sweat-painted sses up by the brim. Surrounded by monsters that could easily find and kill her should she make a wrong move or make too much sound. Thankfully the scene that was ying out was more than good for a distraction. It was art. Her breath began to strain once again, this time from the pure euphoria she was receiving watching the battle in front of her. ¡°Elegance¡­.¡± she whispered, her sses giving off a quick glint from the sun as she poked her head out from the tree just a little bit more to get a better view. In one hand a pen, in the other a faintly glowing piece of paper. She looked on at the scene, wildly beginning to sketch onto the paper the action unfolding in the form of pure unadulterated violence. ¡°My sparkling knight in shining armor is killing the foul beasts left and right! The magic! The punching! The stabbing? Oh?! Ohhhhh?!?! This spell?! Is this an ultimate move?!¡± Aono began to squeal with fangirl jubtion. She looked as Drake muttered his spell, his staff appearing before him as multiple spells began to form andsh out in all directions. ¡°Now that is magic! Yes, continue your great deeds, my Knight! I shall document them passionately and precisely!¡± she giggled looking down at the page. On the faintly glowing paper a figure, supposedly Drake, stood his chin upwards lit in the color of his spells as they killed throngs of monsters in his way. The only thing that seemed to be misrepresented was Drake¡¯s face. It missed his iconic mask, instead reced with a chiseled jawline and an incredibly handsome face with equally sparkling teeth. ¡°It¡¯s perfect¡­¡± she whispered, then her head snapped as she heard the horn of more monsters sound. She gazed at the unfolding fight, amazed once again by the quickly disappearing monsters and equally elusive Drake who seemed to move so fast he was teleporting, forcing Aono to scrunch up her face. ¡°Well, a little Artistic Liberty is always required I guess¡­¡± Looking on, her hand drafting the page at a feverish pace as she tried to take in the entire scene second by second. After what felt like hours and her face pooling with sweat, Drake had finally stopped. Something in the air washed over the surroundings even reaching her as she felt a chill, her drawing hand stopping momentarily as her face shook in its position. Her gaze locked on the still Drake in the middle of an army of green statues. The next moment seven magic circles formed in front of him, and she heard him utter his spell. ¡°Heretical Endowment of the Elementalist! Septenarius!¡± Drake lit up in an assortment of cascading colors, glowing in the bask of the elements as they infused him with their power. Aono couldn¡¯t help but sob her next words as her tears would not stop falling. ¡°Ele-ruh-granceuuu¡­.!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Three – It Might be Time to Visit Some Old Friends. – Ant Arc! Volume 2 Chapter One-Hundred and Three ¨C It Might be Time to Visit Some Old Friends. ¨C Ant Arc! Volume 2 The sun was reaching its apex as the day drolled on. A man sitting at the top of a wooden guard tower, his legs dangling as he looked out into the forest beyond. His shoulder-length ck hair gently flowed in the breeze of the midday wind, his ck and gold-trimmed robes fluttering ever so slightly. In his hands were a few items he was having a hard time notining about. ¡°Ahhhh! Why is this thing in the middle of the fucking Ant¡¯s Hive?! How did that sad excuse for a King even get it there?¡± Drake shouted into the air, raising the piece of paper he looked at time and time again for the past seven days. Drake Wallen, also known as Shot in the tutorial. Or more urately now as ¡®The Tyrant¡¯. Was doing his best not to run off and try his best to get the pitiful Goblin King Moth¡¯s Treasure Hoard. ¡°Perhaps they ced it there prior to the Ants arriving?¡± Natto offered, cing a roasted nut into her mouth, ¡°Ish naut like shew can not just go there youshelfhtah..¡± she continued through her chewing. ¡°Why have you still not learned to not talk with your mouth full? It¡¯s so udylike,¡± Drake scoffed, looking down at the little pink-haired construct who wore a miko outfit. ¡°I get it from you! All of my bad habits, all of them!¡± she snapped back. Doesn¡¯t that just mean she got all of my bad traits and none of my good ones when they made her?¡­ Wait¡­ Drake thought. ¡°That makes no sense, I don¡¯t do that.¡± Natto gave him a side stink eye as she took arge bite out of another nut, the side of her cheek puffing up as she chewed. Drake coughed, then went back to check some of the new items he had acquired. After the fight with the Goblin King and subsequently winning at the cost of a very painful recovery, near-death experience, and a very loud yelling from several people. Drake had been bedridden for three days, even after being healed by Jacqueline. Then another four days of ¡°No doin¡¯ noting¡±, as Jacqueline ordered him. He had been disgruntled about it instantly saying he did not need to rest, his body would be fine. But his body¡¯s unwillingness to move even his head from the pillow forced him toply. Fortunately, Drake had a plethora of notifications to go through and catch up on. Titles, Quest Updates, Rewards. The one update that filled his boyish joy was a title of the numerous ones he had received. [Highest Contributor] [During arge-scale Quest event, you have contributed the most to thepletion. Your deeds have earned you many a reward and de. +15% To all damage.] When Drake had seen the title he had done a head shimmy in his bed. Although that was only because the single thing he could move was his head, and only barely at the time. The next few Titles were also nothing to scoff at. [Vanquisher of Kings] [You have dealt 99% of the damage to a royal. As the usurper of the Goblin Throne you are forever hated by the Goblin Race. +10% Damage to Royal Bloodlines. +50% Damage to all Goblinoid Races.] [Tutorial Forerunner] [You have proven yourself to be one of great strength and steel. Reaching heights very few of your tutorial group have managed. +20 to all Stats. +5% to Aura Effects.] [Well on Your Way] [Obtain the first fully progressed Skill of your rank, reaching Proficiency 3. +1% to all Stats] [First of Many] [Having contributed to the death of a Royal you have set in motion you vye for power and glory. May the path to the top be bloody and long. +5% Damage to beings above your Rank.] [Glory of the Patriarch] [Substantial enough deeds have been performed by an Individual for the system to recognize them by name. +15% to all Aura Effects. +10% Damage to any beings below your Rank.] [Expectations of the Host] [The Sponsor of your tutorial has noticed your aplishments and expects great things from you.] Drake winced slightly at thest one when he read it from his bed a day after he had woken up from the healing. He was beginning to pile up a lot of unwanted attention. But that was what happened when you started to make progress anywhere. Be that games, life, or a death tutorial it seemed. Finally, there was one he somewhat knew wasing but even his cringiest of bones couldn¡¯t handle it. [The Dawning of a Tyrant] [Your will and ideals have been thrusted upon the world. Your views will not be opposed, and those that have, have perished underfoot. Your rule isw under penalty of death. +15% to all Aura skills effects, +15 to all stats.] When Drake had finished looking at all the Titles that the system had given him for the quest he was overjoyed, but was also mncholy. As he was unable to put them to any use while bedridden at the time. cing the Map that he received from the Royal Knight Quest he pulled out two pairs of violet-colored crystals in his left hand. [Communication Crystal] [F Grade]
  • Can use these two mana-linked crystals tomunicate over far distances.
  • Infuse mana into the crystal to establish a connection.
  • Can only be used with its uniquely paired counterpart.
He currently didn¡¯t have a use for the items but was happy to receive themter. The crystals were a reward forpleting two of thest few quests he had yet to finish. The Red-capped Goblins and the Goblin Scouts. After Drake¡¯s seven-day retreat from any physical exercise, he was ready to go. Especially back to the site where he had fought the King as he didn¡¯t have time to collect any of the loot. Thankfully though he had gotten some of the rewards from the questpletion and the King himself, even if ire had been the one to finish the monster. When he had recovered enough he had immediately run off to stretch his legs. There were no more armies that he could find, but he hade upon the remnants of the Goblin camp where he had rescued the first batch of captives. There he found essentially a wastnd. Leftover camps, war equipment, and cages. Thankfully most of the people who had been left, the little amount that there were. Had been able to survive off the rations they had stored away. They were all severely dehydrated and malnourished but thanks to their levels they had been able to go beyond their old human limits. For once when saving people, Drake was thanked as a savior. The faces of the 30 odd some left people lit up with tears of joy the moment they saw him and he opened their cages. Once there Drake had to kill a small number of Goblins that remained, but they were no threat to him as he was now, resulting in a quick and timely death for the monsters. The people once saved returned with him to his outpost that had now been more than amply fortified thanks to Hudson gaining some more levels, allowing for even more Robots to line the walls, and his Big Boy¡¯s getting up and running. Snapping back to reality from his reminiscing, Drake ced the crystals into his inventory pulling another item from his recently expanded inventory full of goodies. In his hand was a skill stone. A very controversial one. [Skill Stone: Blood] [Rare] [Unlocks a random skill from the Blood tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have at least 1 Warrior based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] ¡°I¡¯m not so sure how I feel about using a stone like this, even if it is Rare¡­¡± Drake mused. Natto tapped his side with a roasted snack as she swallowed her most recent bite. ¡°I would not worry about such things now. It has been an adequate amount of time since you have consumed any stones, and you have calmed down a great degree since that fight,¡± she said, ¡°You will need all the strong stones toplete your goal regardless of how you feel about where the stone came from. Or was all that talk just such, talk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you tell me things I already know¡­¡± Drake smiled wearily. Natto scoffed, a grin creasing her lips before she went back to snacking. Drake took a long look into the horizon before turning his attention to the rampart below him. A more and more familiar face since he had returned that day. ¡°What do you want Mom?¡± Drake asked sarcastically. ¡°Who¡¯s your mom?!¡± ire pouted, ¡°It¡¯s past lunchtime, and Sherry is throwing another fit! And you didn¡¯t even sleepst night either! Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t fucking notice!¡± Drake rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. I thought I was the big strong guy protecting the Outpost, but instead, I¡¯m the ce''s personal chef at this point,¡± heughed. ire crossed her arms looking up at him, her dirty blond hair tied into a side ponytail draping over her left shoulder. Her arms crossed as she leaned to one side. Drake looked down and scoffed. ¡°I said I¡¯ll get to it. You know I¡¯m a man of my word so off you go.¡± ire pursed her lips but knew by now that arguing wouldn¡¯t do much with Drake. She quickly turned and walked down the rampart steps heading for the camp. ¡°You really should put a stop to that, it will only end in her being more heartbroken,¡± Natto chided looking at the back of the young woman. ¡°Believe me I¡¯ve tried. But she¡¯s be as attached as Chelsea has, and I want nothing to do with either of them romantically and I¡¯ve said as much. There¡¯s just too much to do right now and I don¡¯t have a reason to lead them on and they know that,¡± Drake sighed, cing the stone inside his inventory for a moment. Drake ced his hands into the pockets of a new pair of Umon pants he had obtained from the quest to rece his old ones, as he digressed about how the two had started to dote on him following thepletion of the quest. He was surprised, to say the least, that Chelsea of all people would flip on her head, from hating him, to actually going out of her way to please him, even after he had allowed her to be injured during the fight. Thankfully her injury made a full recovery thanks to Jacqueline. But on the other side of the coin- Drake looked to his right shoulder, where his earthen arm still remained. The cooldown on Jacqueline¡¯s spell was far longer than she had led on. Her healing spells had been used to mend both Chelsea and Julia. The problem was her most powerful spell. It had healed Drake from the brink of death, but that was also the problem. While the spell healed Drake, because his arm was not technically injured, it had not been remade during the process. He was more than a little annoyed when he heard the reasoning, saying he would just slice off part of his shoulder like a holiday ham if that is what it took. But then she had told him of her cooldown which had annoyed him even further. Drake was truly irritated but there was nothing to be done until the cooldown was up, which would be tomorrow. But he had another problem. Turning his head to the rest of the camp he remembered another one of his promises. He had to bring the camp to Shigure¡¯s and he was well overdue to do so. Most of the people in the camp had been understanding, especially when he now had so manyrades willing to stick up for him, which was a weed feeling after so much animosity previously. But a deal was a deal and his word had to be kept. After all, he was only as good as his word to an extent if he wanted to keep people''s trust. And I may or may not want to go see how Bjorn is doing. Annnnd may or may not want to try to beat him up. Drake thought, opening up the leaderboards. [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 27] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 24] [Rank 3: Joker Level 22] [Rank 4: Shot Level 19] [Rank 5: Super Megan Level 18] [Rank 6: Jimina Seinen Level 17] ¡­. [Tutorial Point Ladder] [Rank 1: Shot 23,664,505 TP] [Rank 2: Bear 7,465,355 TP] [Rank 3: ire Osberg 2,507,850 TP] [Rank 4: Shigure Kenzo 2,483,945 TP] Drake smiled widely looking at the results of the rewards from the quest once again. He had gained a whopping ten million TP from his contributions. And thankfully had also managed to level up from finishing the other quests. The only ones he still needed to finish were the Tyrant Ants and the Goblin Knights. Encounters with the Goblins had be lessened but by no means had it ended. Some of the regr Goblin Knights and Lieutenants had survived and rallied the scattered forces trying to find new prey in the tutorial. Drake had been having some trouble finding thest remnants of the forces but was close to finishing. Only needing two more Knights for the quest rewards. And speaking of other rewards. Thanks to his kill count Drake had also received arge sum of enhancing pills. He had already consumed them the moment they popped into his room on top of him, forcing Natto to feed him. In total, he had received more than the quest had even offered. From the wording, it seemed that the requirement for the reward was only killing the bare minimum, five thousand. But in delight, Drake had received even more. A total of thirty of each pill. Each strengthening and mana pill gave one point per pill. The Strengthening Pill increased his Strength and Dexterity by one, and the Mana Pill his Intelligence and Wisdom by one each as well for a full thirty points to four different stats. With all the stat bonuses from his titles and the pills, he had essentially picked up a few more levels outside of his status sheet level. And what¡¯s more one of the most needed rewards was the Rare Piece of Equipment he was able to select. The options were vast, including weapons and jewelry but he had picked the Braces that he now donned on his person. [Bracers of the Desert Wanderer] [Rare]
  • 125 to 142 Physical Reduction
  • 93 to 127 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Critical Hit Reduction
  • Increases Stamina by 10%, and Stamina Regeneration by 20%
  • Bracers made from the hide of the Desert Wildbacks. They are roaming monsters of the treacherous open desert of the Red Sands, their natural carapace allowing them to withstand not only the heat and uninhabitable conditions but retain water for extended periods of time, allowing them to survive.
The bracers were the only option he could find in the selection allowing him to increase one of his lowest resources at the moment. His stamina. Drake hopped up getting to his feet, popping the Blood Skill Stone into his hand once more. His left hand stretched for the sky as he let out a relieving groan. ¡°Alright, guess it¡¯s time to see to some food, I¡¯m getting hungry myself,¡± he said, looking down at Natto, her ears twitching at the word. ¡°Food?¡± she said, stopping mid-bite. ¡°Yup, then, I think it''s about time we go visit an old friend,¡± Drake smiled, his hand gripping the stone tightly. [You wish to consume Skill Stone: Blood] [Confirm?] [Yes/No] [You have learned skill: Ruler¡¯s Constitution [F Rank] Ruler¡¯s Constitution P1(0%) [F Rank]
  • May your reign be long and as strong as thee.
  • This skill increases one¡¯s body, bringing it to the brink of what is possible. Allowing its user to live and prosper while their Kingdom grows under their watchful eye.
  • Passive Effect: Your health pool is now doubled (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Extra Effect: You now gain an additional 2 Vitality per level.
Drake felt the enjoyable surge of cold to warm that he had almost forgotten over the past week, the wave of overwhelming power a sweet reminder of what consuming skills entailed. But he quickly cocked an eyebrow at the skill description. ¡°Wait, I never signed up to do Kingdom Building¡­.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Four: The Next Step. Chapter One-Hundred and Four: The Next Step. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Chelsea sighed as she scrubbed down her armor and wiped down her bow with a lightly damp cloth, her eyes distant, while her hands moved mechanically. ¡°Chels you¡¯ve been doing that for half an hour now. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Megan asked, taking a sip from her canteen in the midday sun. They were both on the ¡®ser field¡¯ that Tom and Drake had made. Spending a bit of time in between going out and hunting now that there were no major quests, and many of the Goblins had scattered, leaving rtively sparse amounts of them around. Chelsea jerked slightly at her name being called. ¡°Oh... Um.. you know, just reminiscing on how many mistakes I¡¯ve made and how I would do things differently¡­¡± she said giving a wry smile. ¡°Chels it isn¡¯t really about him again is it¡­? I thought he turned you down,¡± Megan scoffed, the constant mention of the man giving her a sour face. ¡°Megs, you need to let that stuff go. Chris was a piece of shit. We all know it. And Shot did it because I asked him to in return for healing his arm, so if you have to me anyone me me.¡± Megan pursed her lips, her forearm wiping away some of the sweat she managed to build up despite her stronger stats than most at her level. ¡°I¡¯m not blind to it anymore, Chels, it¡¯s been more than a week and I¡¯ve seen what he¡¯s done for people around here. But he could have been a little nicer about it¡­.¡± she grumbled. Chelsea stood up from her seat, cing her equipment into her inventory, and then throwing her arms around her unsuspecting friend, pulling her in for a hug. Megan yelped briefly but didn¡¯t pull away from Chelsea. ¡°Megs. Sometimes we need tough love. If I¡¯ve learned anything from being here and in a party with him. Is that he¡¯s a good guy even if he¡¯s got a foul mouth sometimes.¡± Megan scoffed again, ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because you like the asshole¡­ The rest of us,¡± Megan said, pouring the rest of her canteen on Chelsea to get her off her. Chelsea drew backward, her mouth open and arms spread and her face in an incredulous smirk. ¡°The rest of us just see him as the guy in charge,¡± Megan sneered back. ¡°You bi-¡± Chelsea was about to yell back, her face in a feral smile, but was interrupted by another voice before she could grab Megan. ¡°Heyyyyy¡­.. Shot wants everyone toe to the rampart,¡± Sherry said in a long drawn out huff, ¡°He says that he needs to talk to everyone about something important, and we get to eat after so stop messing around and hurry up. Or I¡¯ll have Hudson¡¯s Big Boy here just carry you there,¡± she finished, one hand pping the metal monster, the other pushing up her slipping sses by the brim, a gleam in her eye. Both Megan and Chelsea recoiled slightly looking at therge automaton that stood twice the size of Sherry. It was a sleek ck with a smaller head marked with yellow eyes and red lines that were present all over its body like circuitry. ¡°G-Got it, we¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± Chelsea answered wearily, Megan agreeing with a terse nod. Sherry soon departed her Big Boy Bodyguard following along. ¡°Jeez she is scary when she¡¯s hungry,¡± Chelsea said, standing straight up, shaking off some of the water from herself. ¡°Yeah, you could say she isn¡¯t herself when she¡¯s hungry¡­¡± Megan added. Both girls looked at each other for a moment then burst out inughter beginning to walk towards the aforementioned meeting ce.
¡°I thought you said you were going to make food... Not a meeting and then make food!¡± ire said, admonishing him. ¡°It will be pretty quick, just hold your horses,¡± Drake said, giving a wry smile, his mask now at the side of his head. ¡°I would very much enjoy food¡­.¡± Sherry agreed, rubbing her stomach. ¡°Well, what exactly you got us all here for pup? More monsters looking to kill us? Might as well be any given Sunday at this rate,¡± Hudson huffed, his arms crossed as he leaned against his second Big Boy, the other standing behind Sherry. Drake chuckled but held up his hand. ¡°Just give it a minute, we¡¯re missing a few people. And we have an extra,¡± Drake added, looking over at Megan who gave him a scoff looking away. ¡°Sorry¡­ I just thought she could help if it came to it, her ss is very beneficial,¡± Chelsea said sheepishly. ¡°That would be true if she actually gave me any information about her ss. But as it stands she''s nothing but a Mndi, who keeps giving me the stink eye. Unless she would like to change that before we start getting into the thick of it?¡± Drake asked, giving Megan an olive branch. Megan¡¯s head turned back, and she opened her mouth apprehensively but then turned once again to face the other direction. Seems she is still holding a grudge. Drake thought. ¡°You did kill the person she thought of as a protector. Although she is certainly wrong, and being quite a bitch as you said,¡± Natto answered. Look at you. Surprised you knew that one, I haven¡¯t used it yet. Drake thought, smiling internally, then turned his focus back to the concerned Chelsea and the stubborn Megan. ¡°Then you can leave Miss Megan. I have no use anymore or tolerance for people who are willfully stubborn or unproductive to what I have to do. You are here under my protection and you will receive it until we reach Shigure¡¯s. But I won¡¯t put up with your behavior, I don¡¯t have time for it,¡± Drake said evenly. Megan¡¯s face paled and furrowed like she was about to say something, but was stopped by Chelsea, and an icy gaze from ire. ¡°I¡¯m a Priest, you know! I could help if I wanted!¡± she spat back. Drake gave her an even re, ¡°Do I look like I need a healer? And if you don¡¯t want to help your no more a Priest than Tom is,¡± Drake said, thumbing to the side. ¡°Hey! I help! What about that thing yesterday!?¡± Tom shouted back, his new kite shield raised with his arms. Megan¡¯s jaw dropped as she growled but ended up turning away to leave, passing Jacqueline, Theodore, Amir, and Harley. ¡°My Lord, what in the name hast thou done to she?¡± Theodore said, his head following her down the steps. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Drake said, shrugging his shoulders, with a smirk, ¡°Told her she¡¯s useless. She didn¡¯t seem to like that.¡± Theodore sighed but moved to stand next to Drake, Harley following, but covering her mouth to hide her snicker. Amir and Jacqueline fell in next to ire and Chelsea giving nods and greetings to the rest of the group. ¡°Sir, what exactly is the important news that requires all of us?¡± Amir asked, looking around. Drake looked over the group before he spoke surprised by how much they had all changed over thest week they had been together. Frombative captives to worthwhile party members whoe to defend him at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Yeah, what in the bloody hell are ya waking us up for you sob? It¡¯s only noon!¡± Jacqueline asked snarkily, her hand on her hip as she rubbed away some of the tiredness from her eyes. Well, almost everyone. Drake smiled. ¡°Good morning sunshine. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be quick so you can go back to sleep, you really look like you could use the beauty sleep. Wouldn¡¯t want your age showing more than it is,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Wh-what!?¡± Jacqueline stammered before the rest of the group gave a small chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be out of all your hair before you know it,¡± Drake said, taking a serious tone, ¡°I wanted you all here so I could exin what will be happening over the next day and a half.¡± Drake pulled the treasure map from his inventory, showing it to everyone. ¡°This was one of the rewards for killing the Royal Knights, it¡¯s a treasure map to the King¡¯s hoard and I¡¯m going to go get it,¡± Drake started exining, everyone¡¯s face lifting slightly in intrigue, ¡°But, I¡¯ll be going alone,¡± he added, everyone¡¯s face contorting into a frown, save Sherry who was still rubbing her stomach. ¡°What do you mean? Are you going to just leave us here and go off fighting again?¡± ire asked, her scowl deepening. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Drake exined, her face rxing, ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you at Shigure¡¯s.¡± ire¡¯s face instantly turned into a deep frown from being jerked around, but before she couldin Drake cut her off going into detail. ¡°I know what you will probably say, but it¡¯s going to be the safest ce without me here in the Outpost. I have a good friend there,¡± Drake said, looking over to Theodore, his eyes raising with understanding, ¡°And I know if anything he will make sure you are all safe while I go get whatever is in that hoard cache.¡± ¡°Sir, why wouldn¡¯t we be able toe?¡± Amir asked. Drake looked over to Tom, then back to Amir, ¡°Well, being honest. I¡¯m not confident I can keep you safe on my own. And even with all the progress little Tommy Boy has been making. I can''t say I¡¯m confident in protecting anyone other than myself from a swarm of Tyrant Ant¡¯s based on what Natto has told me.¡± Tom gave a twisted look, almost showing that he was conflicted on whether he should feel proud that he had improved, or sad that he had missed the mark of Drake¡¯s expectations. ¡°Tom, don''t be like that, my man. You¡¯vee a long way, and if we weren''t up against a hive probably five times the size of the Goblin Army, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take you, and everyone else along. But this is one fight I need to take, but won¡¯t be able to take you all with me on,¡± Drake exined. ¡°What are you going to do without my buffs!¡± ire protested. ¡°You damned hot head. You know my little boys would be a godsend against things like that,¡± Hudson added. ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t very well expect us to just agree to you going out alone again. What if you are injured like with the King? Not to mention against that many monsters my experience buff would only help!¡± Amir said, also chiming in. Drake had expected some resistance from them but was pleased to know they wanted to tag along. He was more than surprised though with Chelsea and what she said, looking him in the eyes. ¡°Shot. You need to take Megan.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Drake replied, raising his brow, ¡°Why would I take her? Did you not just hear what I just said?¡± ¡°Oh I heard it and that¡¯s exactly why you should take her at the very least,¡± Chelsea said, her eyes now struggling to find a ce to look, ¡°She¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be saying this but, she has very strongbat buffs that would help you.¡± Drake¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°What buffs? And if they¡¯re so strong, why in the world would she note forward to help earlier or even try to strike a deal like you and Miss Grumpy did?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I¡¯m not grumpy you fucking daft idiot! I just bloody hate you!¡± Jacqueline shouted. ¡°See, grumpy. But my point still stands.¡± Chelsea seemed to struggle for the words but eventually found her voice. ¡°I know you understand people''s trauma enough to not fault her for it, but she had a bit of a breakdown when the tutorial started, like the majority of us. I mean, everything changed so quickly and then there were monsters and people killing each other, it was horrific¡­¡± Chelsea began her face darkening, ¡°And Megan was no exception.¡± ¡°Yes, but you certainly were. Were you not? Mr. Run-into-the-forest-with-no-magic-mage,¡± Natto giggled. Not now, she¡¯s being serious. Drake thought, trying to deflect Natto¡¯s jab, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly from his dark past being brought to light. Chelsea continued, not knowing Drake and Natto¡¯s conversation in his head. ¡°When she was pulled in, she was ripped from her boyfriend¡¯s apartment, right from their bed in the middle of the night. She had already been battling with chronic depression and he was her rock. So when that bastard Chris came around... He reced him, and she obviously resents you for killing him like I¡¯m sure you know. Thankfully the system and the skill stones she¡¯s used have helped a bit with her mental strength, but she still hates you,¡± Chelsea said. ¡°Where are you going with this?¡± Drake asked during her pause. ¡°I mean that you won¡¯t pull your punches when you speak to her, and I think she needs that to break through whatever mental block she has kept her from moving forward. And to boot her skill set as a buffing healer could only help you. Her, Jacky, and Julia were the main reasons we even got so far. Her buffs are that strong, and have only gotten and will get stronger. I won¡¯t ask toe because I know what kind of dead weight I would be in that situation¡­ but at least bring someone who can help you,¡± Chelsea finished. Drake smiled, cing his hand on her shoulder, her head tilting upwards to focus on him as a small smile pulled at her lips. ¡°Well at least you know you¡¯re useless, unlike some people here,¡± Drake said, her smile quickly turning into a frown. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking asshole!¡± she shouted. Chapter One-Hundred and Five: I’ll think about it. Chapter One-Hundred and Five: I¡¯ll think about it. Drake stood at odds with the group, his arms crossed as he stared back at several of them not wanting to give any ground. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he finally said. Everyone gave out a brief sigh of relief but Theodore followed up. ¡°My Lord, what pray tell did Lady Natto divulge with you on the temperament and abilities of the Tyrant Ants, that hast you wary?¡± Drake pursed his lips for a moment recalling the information. ¡°Tyrant Ants on their own wouldn¡¯t be much of a hassle. I¡¯m sure even Sherry could beat one alone if she really had to,¡± he said pointing to the grumbling little ball of hanger with his chin, ¡°The problemes from one, there are insurmountably more than there were Goblins, and even with my stores of Mana, I don¡¯t think I could keep going nonstop, I¡¯m just not experienced enough. Two, the variety of Ants that may be here is troubling.¡± ¡°How wouldeth that be my lord? This one hast yet witnessed a situation thou could not ovee,¡± Theodore replied. ¡°That¡¯s very ttering Theo, but the problem is more the Ant¡¯s levels and the sses. From what Natto has said, the tutorial is not allowed to pass a certain number of monsters and monster level,¡± Drake said, pausing then putting up a finger, looking at everyone in turn, ¡°But that is only initially. Whoever or whatever is sponsoring this particr nuthouse of a tutorial was an extra special asshole.¡± ¡°How do you figure that?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I will tell you my good chap! They have selected only monsters that reproduce at an rming rate. The Goblins, Apes, and now the Ants. Everything except the Kobolds had exploded past the limit because technically the system doesn''t see it as a vition of the rules. Now that isn¡¯t the only problem. It¡¯s the fact that this also means that the different variants are going to be different here in what¡¯s essentially captivitypared to in their natural homes. Remember the Goblins? How many Generals and everything there was?¡± Drake asked the group. Everyone nodded, ire giving a particrly deep scowl as she remembered the nasty monsters. ¡°Well I asked Natto about it after the fact, and that isn¡¯t how it normally is. In any region the Goblins normally inhabit, there are multiple Kings and they are constantly at war with each other for resources, namely breeding rights with the local species¡­..¡± Drake said slightly trailing off, but began again after mentally wiping his mouth from the words, ¡°And this means they die regrly leaving only a small handful of the variants we saw. And let alone the number of Knights this King had, they would normally not have enough resources to form Royal Knights because the Knights would die so often. So it has me thinking the Ant Hive might be worse.¡± ¡°Well, way to spit in our pea soup there pup. Alright, I¡¯m ganna haul my ass out of going in on this one. I know I¡¯m just a stationary target, and my little guys would only be able to kill so many,¡± Hudson said reluctantly, scratching his growing beard. ¡°I just want food¡­. You go do whatever you want man, just make lunch already!¡± Sherry shouted. ire looked hesitant but decided to stand firm in her disagreement toe along. ¡°I¡¯m stilling. You need my buffs if Chelsea¡¯s friend doesn¡¯te.¡± Wow, she won''t even use Megan¡¯s name. She must really dislike her¡­ Drake thought. ¡°I believe the word you are looking for is, hate,¡± Nattoughed, ¡°Although I do agree you should take some of them along. If your ns are to stay the same, you will need them to be as strong as possibleter on.¡± Yeah, but it also requires them to stay the fuck alive. Drake added. ¡°Break a few eggs to make omelet rice.¡± That isn¡¯t the saying, and isn¡¯t what we¡¯re going for here Natto, I know you care more about my improvement and well-being but try to give a little thought to other people¡­ Drake sighed. Drake changed his focus, beginning his attention back to the group. ¡°Like I said, I''ll think about it. But onto the next issue. We are going to move everyone over to Shigure¡¯s and honestly, I want to say it¡¯s going to go smoothly but, there are still some Knights lurking around somewhere. I¡¯m going to need Theo, and Chelsea to scout for us while we move. Hudson, Tom, and Jacqueline are going to have to help me watch the surroundings. Hudson¡¯s drones are going to be put to the grindstone for this little move, and your big Tonka T¡¯s are going to be lifesavers with their arsenals if anything tries to show up.¡± Jacqueline spoke up after this, surprisingly voicing her concern for Drake. ¡°You sure you want to be doing that gov? Don¡¯t want to wait another day so I can fix ya arm there?¡± she asked. ¡°I would if I didn¡¯t have other ns. We only have around 90 days left as it is. And I don¡¯t know how long my ns will take at Shigure¡¯s camp as well as how long it might take to go through the Hive. I¡¯ve managed this far without an arm,¡± Drake said, raising his jet-ck earthen one, ¡°And I don¡¯t think a few more hours is going to make a difference here. Besides,¡± he said smiling at Jacqueline, ¡°A deal''s a deal and I know you won¡¯t run off before you heal me back good as new. Well old new¡­ You know what I mean.¡± Jacqueline rolled her eyes, epting his reasoning because she didn¡¯t want to bother arguing. But the rest of the group still showed some slight concerns. ¡°Are you really sure Mr. Shot? You¡¯ve done so much for everyone I don¡¯t think anyone would fault you for waiting a bit longer for your arm,¡± Harley said from Theodore¡¯s side. ¡°Thank you for your concern Harley but it¡¯s alright. There is only one direction I can go, and that¡¯s forward. And right now that points me at Shigure¡¯s, I have something I need to do when we get there, and a person I need to have a good rematch with,¡± Drake said, smiling wider, ¡°Oh! And for everyone here, as thanks for putting up with me, I want to show my trust in all of you. Yes even you Tom,¡± Drake pointed with a smirk. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m trustworthy!¡± Tom fired back. ¡°Right. Anyway, as you all know Shot is my tutorial alias. And to make it easier for you all to find me if you wish after this tutorial is all said and done. My real name is Jugemu Jugemu Go-K¨­-no-Surikire Kaijari-suigyo-¡± but before Drake could continue the joke, Natto shot out of the side of his head onto his shoulder. ¡°You stop right there if you wish to keep your face intact,¡± she threatened. ¡°Ok, you don¡¯t have to be so snippy. Must be theck of food¡­¡± Drakeughed nervously, slowly pushing down her knife from his face, ¡°My real name is Drake Wallen, and I hope to see you all after the tutorial as well when we someday reunite.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ was that a death g¡­.¡± Tom whispered, his face furrowed, hand meeting his chin in deep thought, ¡°That was a g right?¡±
With the meeting over Drake and the group headed to the area that was now deemed the ¡®Kitchen¡¯ for the outpost. Most of the outpost had settled down and gotten used to life here over the week, especially with the addition of more normal activities to do like the sports fields Tom and Drake had made. Some even took it upon themselves to put many tents together to make indoor arenas for other games. One being an interesting card game involving monsters that they had seen in the tutorial, along with many of the more prominent figures in the outpost. Drake had gotten to see some of the people y with them and was surprised to see that the cards were made out of actual thick paper, well Mana paper. The cards came in a simr form as trading cards that they had before the system, but the illustrations were more Manga-esque, some even moving. What had him give a giddy internal squeal of boyish delight was when he saw a card modeled after him. But it quickly turned to confusion when he saw the scene on the card. It was of him fighting the King in his Heretical Endowment Form, which no one should have been a witness to. Drake shrugged it off as a good way to spread misinformation and let it be, as no one should have been actually able to witness what he had done during that fight as well as he had sown enough seeds that no one besides his inner circle knew of his real abilities and ss. That and the card was so cool looking that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to take it from the owner and destroy it. But the cards were something very interesting to Drake, and he began collecting them himself in his past time, trading skill stones for his initial deck. Digressing, Drake and the group began prepping the food for lunch. Since his return, he had had to have some of the other people help with cooking. He was bedridden for several days after all. And they learned quickly but it seemed Drake still had the magic touch that people craved for. ¡°Why does it always taste better when you cook? We do the same exact thing¡­¡± ire grumbled as she began slicing chunks of boar into small cubes. ¡°I¡¯m just that good at everything I do. These hands here,¡± Drake said showing his spice-covered fingers, ¡°These are magic.¡± ire rolled her eyes, going back to cutting the meat. ¡°Only magic you have is the supernatural ability to ward off the opposite sex,¡± Natto giggled from inside his head. Oh, we shall see. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about our little bet. Just you wait till I find a girl to my standards. Drake chuckled. ¡°I hardly think your standards matter. Certainly, you will have to wait for lifetimes before you find someone willing to tolerate you,¡± Natto countered. I think I¡¯ve already found plenty. Drake smiled, looking to his left and right at the line of people cutting and prepping food with him and chatting happily to one another. ¡°Alright, let''s start the stew then. It is a shame we don¡¯t have rice though¡­ I miss my rice cooker¡­¡± Drake sighed, bringing over his pot of prepped spice to the cauldrons cing a small amount in each one. The rest of the line followed him, putting each of their ingredients into the respective pots, and others cing the skewered meat on the grill screens that Hudson had made using his old welding skills. Drake nodded looking at the operation going smoothly. ¡°Good, that should set us for food for a bit. I¡¯m going to the mines until we¡¯re ready to leave tomorrow. Theo has his instructions on getting everyone ready. ire you are in charge of food till it¡¯s done, and if you would please bring some into the mines for meter I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Drake directed, turning to the mines without waiting for an answer. After a few moments of walking, he came to the entrance of the mine, a gruff man waiting there with a pickaxe on his shoulder. ¡°Took you long enough, ya damned idjit. You like cookin¡¯ too much, but that food does be mighty tasty so can¡¯t me ya. Either way, ya ready pup?¡± Hudson asked. Drake gave a scoff, then pulled out his own pickaxe from his quest. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m very ready to pick this ce clean. Let''s get to it ya old bastard!¡± Drakeughed back. ¡°Old? The hell you think I¡¯m old fer? I¡¯m only damn near 22.¡± ¡°Liar! Falsehoods and deceit!¡± Natto shouted out, deafening Drake¡¯s ears. Shielding his ears out of habit, Drake winced and looked back up at Hudson. ¡°There is no way you are that young. What¡¯s with calling everyone pup if you¡¯re younger than 90% of the tutorial?¡± Drake asked. Hudson rubbed his nose walking to the Mine¡¯s door. ¡°Just something I picked up working with older dogs in the machine shop. Thought it made me sound more manly, works don¡¯t it?¡± Hudson said, smiling. ¡°It- Yeah I guess it does huh... Imagine that, speech doing such things, pup,¡± Drake said, trying the word. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. That¡¯s mine,¡± Hudson said tly, his face deadpan as his ent somehow disappeared. Chapter One-Hundred and Six: Familiar Faces. Chapter One-Hundred and Six: Familiar Faces. The grunts of the two men echoed through the tunnel as each one struck the wall of treasure, excavating the valuable gems, stones, and material with each strike. ¡°Just about finished I think Hudson. Can¡¯t believe we got through it all,¡± Drake chimed in, through his strikes. ¡°Truth be told, didn¡¯t think we would manage to get all of it. But did we really have to get all of it?¡± Hudson asked over his shoulder, striking his portion of wall. [You have increased Mining to Proficiency 5] [You have reached max Profession Proficiency, increase your Race Rank to move on to the next Rank. Any additional Profession Experience will be lost.] [You have increased Material Identification to Proficiency 5] [You have reached max Profession Proficiency, increase your Race Rank to move on to the next Rank. Any additional Profession Experience will be lost.] ¡°And that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been waiting for baby! Wooo!¡± Drake yelled, his voice reverberating off the walls. Hudson recoiled, covering his ears. ¡°God damn it ya idjit, did ya have to holler like that? Right next to ya, ya bastard! And why in sam hell did you amplify it with your magic?¡± Hudson growled. ¡°For extra effect!¡± Drake said with a smile, ¡°Come on you old goat who''s technically a young goat, if he isn¡¯t a lying goat, let''s go see some daylight. I think we have enough material to build a Death Star,¡± Drake finished waving his hand. Sshing some water over his head to cool himself all while washing off some of the sweat. Drake offered a ball of water to Hudson as well, but Hudson waved him off with his hand and a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself thank ya. Water you use is always too cold, and I¡¯d rather not turn inside out,¡± he said. Drake raised his eyebrow for a moment but then let the moment pass, not wanting to even acknowledge the awkward joke. Both of them ced their pickaxes back into their inventory, making their way through the main shaft of the Mines as they worked their way to the door. Neither one talked much until they reached the exit where Hudson spoke up. ¡°So, pup. I don¡¯t think I ever got a chance to ask ya, but what are your ns when we eventually get out of this damned infernal death scenario?¡± Drake tilted his head giving it a bit of thought. ¡°As far as what?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, far as everything. Do you think strong as you are, it will be enough? Are ya going to keep going on killing sprees even on Earth, or at least whatever hellish version of it is now?¡± Hudson rified. Drake moved to lean on the wall, his hands behind his head. ¡°I think it will pretty much be the same. I won¡¯t know exactly until we leave, but my main n is to find my family. And make a ce where they can be safe. I have two brothers who can take care of themselves but I don¡¯t think they will do very well in what the system is doing on Earth¡­¡± Drake mused, his face dimming slightly, ¡°But I have confidence they and my Mom are going to make it. And if they somehow don¡¯t. Whoever touched them better pray to whatever god they can, that I don''t find them.¡± Hudson shivered. Not from the statement, or its contents, but from the expression Drake had on his face as he did. ¡°R-right.. Well, what are you going to call this ce of yours? I would be remiss if I didn¡¯t turn up eventually,¡± he asked, trying to change the topic. ¡°Hmm,¡± Drake thought, humming for a moment, ¡°I have a few names but nothing concrete. Lots to still figure out, and Natto can only tell me so much before we leave the tutorial apparently, or the big scary system might smite her.¡± ¡°It can do that?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything like that, but if she is barred from saying something. I trust it¡¯s for a good reason.¡± ¡°Well shit, ain''t that a coyote taking the house cat type of situation if I ever heard it.¡± Drake¡¯s face screwed up into a mess of confusion. ¡°Huh? Punyeta, what in the world is that saying,¡± Drakeughed, finally opening the door, the light of the next day beaming through, forcing the pair to shield their eyes. ¡°Just means a fucked up, ass-backward situation, pup,¡± Hudson chuckled, stepping through the door into the Outpost. ¡°I might have to use that one. Confuse the hell out of someone,¡± Drake said, his face curling into a grin. Both the men gave a chuckle and then looked out into the Outpost. The entirety of the camps had been packed up, only the sports fields remaining with some remnants of campfire pits here and there. An ocean of people stood near the gate of the Outpost milling about. ¡°Looks like Theo did a bang-up job,¡± Drake whistled. ¡°This one is pleased you feel that way my Lord,¡± Theodore said, shimmering into view next to Drake, his head at a half bow. Drake had gotten used to Theodore appearing whenever his name was spoken, in true butler sense. But Hudson jumped at the sudden appearance of the man. ¡°Good damn it! Do you all have to do that! Just because ya¡¯ll have invisibility skills don¡¯t mean you got to use them like that all the damned time!¡± he croaked. ¡°What do you mean Hudson?¡± a voice from behind him said, as Chelsea also shimmered out of her cloaking ability. ¡°Son of a bitch! I said stop it you damned idiots!¡± he shouted, storming off to the crowd in the distance. ¡°You two are going to have to do that more often,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°It is pretty fun since he doesn''t have a detection skill,¡± Chelsea giggled, ¡°So how were the mines, get everything you wanted?¡± she asked. ¡°Everything and more, which will be good for when I have to trade some of it at the Outpost. And now I can finally get that rare trading card fucking Jimmy has been holding out on¡­¡± ¡°Rare what my Lord?¡± Theodore asked, not hearing him clearly. Drake cleared his throat. ¡°Nothing, some Rare Equipment I was looking for. Anyway, is everything going smoothly?¡± Drake asked back. ¡°Yeah everyone was just waiting for you two toe out. ire and Harley have been making sure everyone¡¯s in line also. Theo¡¯s been on top of making sure people are packed and prepared as well,¡± Chelsea answered. ¡°Thank you, Theodore, for your amazing report,¡± Drake said looking at Chelsea, her face reddening as she winced slightly with a giggle, ¡°As long as everything is ready I think it¡¯s about time we get moving. Theo, did you get the person I asked for?¡± Theodore nodded, ¡°The woman tis thitherward my Lord,¡± he said pointing to the gate. Drake nodded, ¡°Good! Then let''s get this train a chugging! Next stop tomato town!¡± ¡°I hate it here¡­¡± Natto sighed.
¡°Alright! Everyone settled?¡± Drake shouted over the crowd of people as he stood on top of his usual guard tower, ¡°This is going to only be a few hours journey, but everyone stay calm and vignt! Those of you with identification, observation aura sense skills and the like will be on the outside of the group to identify any threats! I have ced members of my group within the caravan to help with anything. You all know who they are and what they are capable of so there is no need to worry! Hudson has also gone all out with his skills to give us the utmost protection with his little dudes. And if anything shows up that might even look at us the wrong way, you can rest assured I will make sure it regrets it!¡± Drake finished with a boom of his voice, using his magic to make it reach the entire group. ¡°Color me surprised. That was actually not a bad speech. Usually, you¡¯d say something mad,¡± Jacqueline jabbed. ¡°Yeah well, something like this is going to have tensions high so no need to joke around, but don¡¯t worry I have some spicy ones ready if anyone tries to do anything,¡± Drakeughed. Jacqueline rolled her eyes and scoffed, looking over the crowd below them. Harley and Sherry were also with them. Sherry needed protection as well as Jacqueline as their sole high-potency healer. With the addition of Julia and Megan, they had some more powerful healers but Jacqueline far outstripped them in raw healing efficiency. It also may be that Drake did not want to lose the only person who could heal his arm right now. There were of course other healers within their mass of people but they unfortunately paled inparison to the ones he knew personally. A byproduct of Drake and his team protecting the majority of the Outpost was that many of the people within had stalled on levels, the average around 12. And many of them having onlymon or umon sses. The other particrly unfortunate aspect was that anyone with a Rare or better ss had been unwilling to join Drake. Those people as well as many of the other survivors of the horrors of the Goblin Invasion had been scared and traumatized to the point they wished to never see another monster and Drake could understand. He didn¡¯t like to mention it, but many of the women he had saved had given birth to the creatures during their time in the Outpost. Wincing at the thought, Drake remembered how hectic it had been when the first incident had happened. Since then they had set up measures but every event where it was the source, was not a pleasant one and had only fueled his anger and vindication for killing the King. Despite all of this, many of them hade leaps and bounds forward since then. If good for nothing else, the system had helped many of them be resilient to the mental traumas if only slightly. And with the help of ire and her forming a group where the survivors could speak and express their traumas and others, safely. The entire ordeal was the worst of the issues the Outpost had dealt with over the week when Drake was essentially out ofmission. Some people had taken him not being in full capacity as a green light to do whatever they wanted in the camp, but it was quickly snuffed out by the rest of his party members, and they were ced into the cage with the rest of the naughty naughty people. Unfortunately, Dake was not so heartless to do away with them and had them ced under the watch of Tom, Hudson, and Amir at the end of the group. The worst of the culprits were ced under an Oath made by Sherry to not flee and cooperate on the way to Shigure¡¯s Camp where they would be tried for their crimes by a third party. With all settled Drake gave onest booming voice outward as he moved to the center of the group where he was in reach of his party for the initial move. ¡°My soldiers, Rage. My soldiers, Scream. My soldiers, Fight. This is my Command!¡± Drake chanted as his aura spread out from him, epassing and flowing over 10s of people as he increased the proficiency to 2, allowing him to double the number of people effectively, reducing the cooldown by several minutes and increasing the effects and duration for several minutes as well. Drake nodded to his party members around him as they all moved to their designated positions. Chelsea and Theodore shimmered out of vision as they cloaked themselves in their skills. Harley moved to the front to help with scouting, alongside Drake, Sherry, and Jacqueline. Hudson, Amir, and Tom moved to the rear. Hudson¡¯s robots spread out as Drones began to hover overhead, his two Big Boys spreading out evenly in the rest of the group. Drake opened the gate, then turned to the woman that Theodore had found for him. ¡°Miss Braun, pleasure to meet you, and after you,¡± Drake said, offering her the lead to guide the way. The brown-haired, average-height woman nodded tersely as she kept her distance from Drake, not bothering to speak as she shook lightly. ¡°Ugh, another one¡­¡± Natto sighed. She is hardly being aggressive. She was one of the victims of the Goblins. I can''t very well be mad that she¡¯s apprehensive to be near me and to have to guide us. Drake shot back. ¡°Why ask her to even lead, we know where we are going do we not?¡± It¡¯s about having everyone feel included and participate. They may not like it now, but once we get to the camp, I hope they will feel at least some aplishment and relief from making and contributing to the journey. I¡¯m trying to build people up, not have a flock of mindless followers that just fall in line like chicks. Besides, if I¡¯ve noticed I¡¯m sure you have as well. There are a few people here that shouldn¡¯t be. I need them to think we are spread thin and people within the group are easy targets. Why do you think I had Theo and Chelsea ¡®scout¡¯ ahead? Drake mused. Drake followed in tandem with Miss Braun as the rest of the makeshift caravan of people moved with them. He made sure to stay alert, scanning the surroundings and stretching his Aura sense as far as possible looking for anything out of the ordinary. ¡°Hey¡­.. I¡¯m hungry Shot. Do you have any more snacks dude?¡± Sherry grumbled dragging her feet. ¡°Didn¡¯t ya just eat? Damned endless ck hole of a stomach you got there Sherry, wish I could eat as much as all that,¡± Jacqueline said, her face wrinkling in a tinge of green. ¡°I just use up a lot of mental energy¡­ uhhh¡­..¡± Sherry continued to groan, as she picked up the pace just to grab at Drake¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Fine, fine. Don¡¯t pull at me. You¡¯re a grown woman, why do you act like a little pet¡­¡± Drake chuckled wryly pulling out some pork skewers he had saved, ¡°Here, now ju-¡± Drake began saying when he felt a disturbance in his sphere, his eyes honing in on a person with a cloaking skill on. Drake quickly snapped his fingers, changing to his Lightning Endowment, his hair cascading into a bright golden yellow hue, his tattoo shimmering in a simr fashion as he surged forward, his left arm gripping at the air. ¡°Who are you?¡± Drake asked evenly, startling the surrounding people in the caravan as he appeared. For a moment Drake red at the invisible person as they refused to reveal themselves even though they had been caught. Drake clicked his tongue, gripping his fingers more tightly around whatever he had a hold of, beads of red quickly flowing from them outlining the form of a person from the waist down as a scream shrieked out. The person quickly lost their concentration under Drake¡¯s pressure and the skill dispersed, revealing a man in all ck, their face covered by a familiar mask Drake had seen before. And his identification skill useless. [Cw%odi2n Level *1nC] The man coughed and struggled under Drake¡¯s irond grip, both of his hands wing at Drake¡¯s before he spoke in a seething tone. ¡°You¡¯re toote... Thanks for finally leaving your damned hole with such juicy experience and TP!¡± Drake¡¯s head turned to a scream that was heard from the back of the group. ¡°Shit.¡± Chapter One-hundred and Seven: Copy Cat Joker Chapter One-hundred and Seven: Copy Cat Joker Drake rushed in the direction of the scream, the man within his grip in tow. What awaited him was more than he expected. More than ten people lined up each one holding a person hostage with des of all shapes and sizes against their necks. More people with high-level stealth skills. God, I hate stealth sses! Everyone picks them! Drake cursed. In the hands of the familiar-looking people were members of the caravan, and more in particr, one that Drake recognized by name was the one in the middle. Megan. Somehow she had been taken by the man in the middle who struck Drake as someone familiar but he couldn¡¯t ce it, his identification skill not able to glean any information as well. The man in Drake¡¯s grip continued to struggle in vain against Drake. His fingers burrowed deeper into the man¡¯s flesh. ¡°Oi, jackass. Let my guy go unless you want to see pretty Miss here bite the dust in a very painful way,¡± the man said, a smirk on his face. Out of the ten people lined up, he was the only one showing his face, but Drake couldn¡¯t ce why. Drake took in the surroundings, Megan was the only one he personally knew that was taken hostage, the rest he didn¡¯t know by name but they were under his protection all the same. Drake began to rx but didn¡¯t let go of his Endowment. The man seemed to not know that it was a spell that was active so he nned to use that to his advantage. He did as the man asked, slowly releasing the man. Drake¡¯s left hand was dotted in red from the puncture wounds he inflicted. The man gave a scream and a yelp when he was dropped to the ground, but quickly scrambled to make his way over to the rest of the group. ¡°Dumbass. Don¡¯t you know ya never negotiate?¡± the man sneered, slowly moving his knife to the side of Megan¡¯s face as she gave a sharp internal scream that came out in a whine, ¡°Now what are we ganna do with all of you? Went and gave us some nice stuff here on a silver tter huh?¡± Drake stayed silent, biding his time. His experience with Stewart had told him it was better to just let the crazy ones talk, and look for an opening. The man¡¯s brow twitched, apparently not getting the reaction he wished for from Drake. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you asshole! The fuck are you an NPC?! How did someone like this kill Stewart anyway?¡± he shouted in anger. Drake¡¯s body subtly stiffened at the mention of Stewart¡¯s name. He knows Stewart? Drake thought, keeping his eyes locked on the man now. ¡°Is he perhaps another worker from your job Drake?¡± Natto asked slightly confused as well. No, I''ve never met him, but he looks familiar. I can''t ce it¡­ Is it from his Rank Up? ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯ve got quite a big bag of TP on ya don¡¯t ya Shot, little buddy!¡± the manughed, ¡°But, seems like you¡¯ve gained a few levels as well recently so you can¡¯t all be show. Strip,¡± said the man deadpan. Drake¡¯s brows raised. Is this guy a pervert? ¡°You heard me prick, strip. All that armor and gear, take it off,¡± the man said again, ¡°That is unless you want us to kill everyone ahead of schedule?¡± After the man spoke, more people began to walk out from the crowd, cing ck masks over their faces and changing into gear Drake hadn¡¯t seen in the camp before. ¡°Little insects¡­ Do not you dare do what he is asking,¡± Natto demanded, ¡°You do not need to put yourself in the way of what is happening. Kill that man now before he simply demands more and more.¡± No. It will be fine. I¡¯ve looked at the leaderboards. Worst case he is level 22, Joker. But I don¡¯t think anyone at that level canpete with me even without gear, my base stats are just too high. And he doesn''t seem to know I can change my stats through my spells. I¡¯ve said it before, but I won¡¯t willingly ept loss of life. Drake thought firmly. Drake questioned the man¡¯s motives but didn¡¯t protest, slowly taking his time removing one piece of equipment one item at a time. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± the man muttered after Drake had begun removing his robe and shirt, revealing his bare chest full of scars and his earthen ck arm attached at the shoulder. Drake said nothing, continuing to remove his equipment until he was in his trunks. ¡°I said everything ya deaf moron! Ya undies too, can¡¯t be too safe on what might be an item nowadays,e now don¡¯t be shy,¡± sneered the man. Drake frowned but assented. Alright, maybe he¡¯s taking it a bit too far. Drake removed hisst remaining piece of clothing, standing stark naked in front of hundreds of people. His body had changed since his rank up and outside of his scars and missing arm, not a blemish was on him. His body was lean and muscr, his face strong and stoic as he looked back at the man. ¡°Good,¡± the man pointed over to someone from the crowd, ¡°You grab his shit,¡± then pointing back to Drake, ¡°And you pretty boy,e closer so I can touch ya.¡± Drake again furrowed his brows in confusion but took measured steps forward until he was within arm¡¯s length of the man holding Megan. Her eyes averted from Drake. Oh, that might be awkwardter¡­ Hope it doesn¡¯t traumatize her. Drake thought mentally shrugging. ¡°Nice. Now just a little touch and we can have some good old fashion experience farming!¡± the man said with glee reaching his knife hand out to touch Drake¡¯s cheek. But this is what Drake was waiting for, the moment the man¡¯s hand made contact with his flesh, he sprung into action. Using his Martial Skill, he put power into his left arm, throwing it forward and past Megan¡¯s head right for the man¡¯s it shooting forward like a bullet nearly instantaneously connecting with the man¡¯s face. Rocketing backward Megan was left unharmed in the same position, but Drake couldn¡¯t stop there. Before the rest could react, he quickly dropped his Endowment and snapped his fingers to summon bolts of lightning allowing one to hold more mana than the others. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Single!¡± Drake chanted as he snapped, the powerful bolt of lightning disappearing as he moved with the speed iparable to before. Moving through the ten hostages, he ced ten lightning bolts into the skulls of the ten people in masks, the small holes smoking from their heads as they fell to the ground instantly dead. [You have killed Participant: Raymond Howley Level 16] [Experience Earned, and 46,255 TP Rewarded] [You have killed Participant: Roberta Hernandez Level 14] [Experience Earned, and 39,255 TP Rewarded] [You have killed Participant: Omar Abbar Level 16] [Experience Earned, and 86,255 TP Rewarded] [You have killed Participant: William Lanken Level 12] [Experience Earned, and 26,465 TP Rewarded] ¡­. .. . The notifications poured in as Drake moved to gather the people who were captured, making sure to handle them with care, using his Wind Magic to gently herd them back into the caravan of people. ¡°Thank you¡­ but don¡¯t touch me! You¡¯re still naked!¡± Megan hollered her face turning a shade of red. Drake scoffed, dropping his head a bit. Really.. Can¡¯t I just get a thank you once in a while? He thought feeling bittersweet, once again surprised that he felt nothing while killing the captors. Drake¡¯s eyes went to the man who gathered his equipment. ¡°Those are mine,¡± he said evenly, his aura flexing as the man fell backward, dropping the equipment. ¡°All yours bro! Just don¡¯t kill me!¡± he shouted back looking at Drake like he was a monster. ¡°Depends on if you continue to be a dumbass,¡± he said reaching for his robe, his hand lowering to grab it, ¡°That goes for the re-¡± but Drake was cut off by someone grabbing his wrist. Looking up it was the man he had punched before, his hair a simr golden yellow. The same color as Drake¡¯s. ¡°Oi, this shit is fire! No wonder you can move so fast!¡± the manughed. Drake looked at the man confused for only a second before the man tried to strike Drake, but with his increased Dexterity, Drake dodged the first blow, then the second and the third. The pair suddenly went into a furious exchange of fists as Drake tried to parse what was going on. He was able to maintain pace with the man even without his equipment making him even more confused. After a few seconds of exchange, Drake began casting spells, which the man began mirroring,ughing all the while. Drake again furrowed his brows in surprise. The man was able to keep up with Drake as far as spell capacity but Drake¡¯s spells were winning out handily, obviously more powerful, and soon he began to push the man back. ¡°Oh?! So that¡¯s how you do it huh? This is just like that one game!!¡± the manughed with glee, ¡°More Mana more power huh?!¡± The man barked augh again as he jumped backward, his hair cascading into a pure snow white as he summoned arge fireball of pure white. Drake¡¯s eyes widened in understanding. He has all my skills? Punyeta, what is going on?! He didn¡¯t steal them, did he copy them?! He shouted internally. Drake quickly summoned ice to do the same, cursing that he couldn¡¯t bring out his staff without his shaul. Clicking his tongue, he made arge Earthen wall covering himself and the people around him, having to make do. The fireball collided with the jet-ck wall, barely holding up as it drained Drake¡¯s mana, eventually melting down the wall in a bombardment of white mes. Through the center of the wall melting like liquid taffy, Drake saw the man grinning ear to ear. ¡°Guess you¡¯re probably wondering what¡¯s going on, are n''tcha? Ya dumb fucking mongrel!¡± the man shouted as he summoned another two fireballs into his hands. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve pretty much got it. You¡¯re some kind of weak copycat version, right?¡± Drake said, his face showing how unimpressed he was. The man¡¯s face contorted in indignation, then bloomed to a shade of red-hot anger Drake had never seen before. ¡°W-weak?! Mother fucker I¡¯m the Main Character of this fucking shit hole story! You aren¡¯t going to stop me! I¡¯m going to fucking kill everyone around you while you fucking watch! Then I¡¯m going to kill you slowly as I savor yourst breaths! That sweet TP pushing me straight to the top! I¡¯m Joker! I¡¯m Death, straight up! A better version of you than you could ever be!¡± Drake scoffed, snapping his fingers as his Endowment and his right arm faded away like dust in the wind. Drake red daggers at the man, his auraing to bear as he flexed it against him. ¡°Marked,¡± Drake whispered, the man wincing under his gaze, but soon found his smile again. ¡°Two can y it, you stupid bastard! Marked!¡± the man repeated, mirroring Drake word for word. The feeling of his own skill hit him but was not as impactful as Drake would have thought. Does he not have the same proficiency as I do through his ss? My Indomibility didn¡¯t go off so I guess this type of status effect isn¡¯t counted as a debuff. Drake began summoning all the elements at his disposal preparing for his spell. Then quickly began chanting all of his skills. ¡°I am the shield, I am the rampart! Bulwark! I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable! On blessed wings! Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± Drake shouted in session, his naked body shimmering in three shes of green. Joker followed Drake¡¯s chant word for word, his own body shing in green light as hepleted each skill. Then Drake finished with his original skill. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Septenarius!¡± Drake¡¯s body cascaded and shone in a kaleidoscope of colors as his hair and tattoo shifted back and forth finally finding equilibrium in the even shifting of the spell. Joker smiled and followed suit, casting the same spell. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Septenarius!¡± but the spell didn¡¯t activate, the elements that Joker had conjured all continued to float around him as he looked on dumbfounded. Until Drake moved to meet him face to face, in all his birthday suit glory. ¡°Thought so. You can wear my shoes, but you¡¯ll never fill them,¡± Drake grinned as threw a quick jab, his fist connecting with the center of Joker¡¯s face. From the blow Joker lurched backward, blood and teeth spattering the surroundings. Drake shook his hand for a moment, his own defensive skills used against him were a tough wall to break through, even with his Endowment. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Drake collected himself and moved quickly, stepping behind Joker, throwing an upward kick, sending Joker flying into the air with a thunderous boom, the spells Joker had conjured evaporating as they couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed at which he wasunched. Drake bent down, sending a small pellet of earth to the floor below him. Using his earth magic he manipted the ground, engulfing him downwards and then hurtling him upwards to follow Joker, leaving the forest floor in chaos. He skyrocketed upwards eventually passing Joker¡¯s body which was now bent into an upside-down ¡®U¡¯ as it fought against the momentum of the kick. Now above Joker, Drake wound his fist backward, using his might to propel it into the flying man, his strength colliding with the rocketing body. Under his power, Drake heard an audible crack from his own fist as he caught a glimpse of Joker¡¯s hair shifting to brown. Bastard¡¯s still lucid enough to switch Endowments. But he''s going to run out soon! Drakeughed internally. Joker¡¯s body now flew toward the ground, the blow from Drake now changing his trajectory downward at a speed unparalleled before. Drake quickly used his Wind Magic in tandem with his Fire to shoot himself downward to follow. Joker careened downward like a falling star and a moment before he hit the ground, he vanished. Fuck. Never thought I¡¯d be upset about having a movement skill. Drake cursed but quickly found where Joker had moved to with him Marked from earlier. Drake''s head snapped to the position above him as he used his own magic to steady himself killing his own momentum. ¡°Y-you fuhkin! Peece of shit! I told shew dis is my shtory!¡± Joker yelled through his broken jaw, his hands raised in a very familiar anime stance. A lightbulb went up in Drake¡¯s mind as he saw the glowing ball of white forming above Joker, illuminating his broken face enough for him to recognize the man. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the guy from the start of the tutorial?! You¡¯re a weeb?!¡± Drake said, honestly surprised. ¡°I¡¯m nauht a weeb! I¡¯m a fuhking Otahku you fuhking prick!¡± Joker screamed in hysteria as the ball of white magic began expanding outward. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you are, you¡¯re disrespecting the source material! How dare you fucking use that move as a viin!¡± Drake shouted back, shaking his head exacerbated as he formed a tform of earth below him to stand on in the air. Joker screeched in frustration as he looked down at Drake with bloodthirst in his eyes. ¡°Sperit! B-¡± Joker tried to shout, but was interrupted by a deep voice that somehow reached him and reverberated in his chest breaking his concentration. ¡°Ka-me-ha-me-¡± Drake began slowly saying, it growing into a roar, his eyes shing in between the colors of his skills, a brilliant blue, green, and yellow. In Drake¡¯s left hand, a pure white ball of fire formed and condensed. Drake added ayer of lightning around the condensed ball, it crackling in anticipation to be released, as his hair continued to cascade in the color of his elements. Drake turned his head up staring aughing smile at Joker. ¡°Let¡¯s see who the real protagonist is, you filthy viin side character!¡± Drake yelled almost in a cackle, ¡°Haaaaaaaa!!!!!!¡± Drake threw his only arm forward, the ball of fire and lightning extending forward like a beam of light hurtling toward Joker. In a panic Joker threw his spell forward, not bothering to finish the incantation as the huge ball of white fire loomed over Drake. Within moments the two spells collided, each one vying for ground against the other. Both Drake and Joker screamed as they poured their will and mana into the spells. Drake slowly began to win out, his spell and Endowment¡¯s helping him inch forward. Joker beginning to struggle as he apparently became more and more exhausted as the back and forth went on. But Drake was not done. He knew his victory was certain but now of all times, he desiredplete and total victory. ¡°And this! Is how you break through limits as the Main character you fucking Joke!¡± Drake shouted as he dumped his spare Free Points into his Intelligence pushing it over 700, a new bolt of lightning and gust of wind forming below him, ¡°This is to go even further, beyond! Kaioken! Times Ten!¡± Drake roared as he used his new lightning and wind spell to form a lightning aura around himself, his hair blowing wildly from the upward gust. Drake¡¯s spell surged forward imploding Joker¡¯s at the point of impact and traveling through it as it pierced through the man, his final words ringing out through the air, reaching Drake even through the cacophony of booms and explosions of spells. ¡°Kakarotttttttttttttttttttttt!!!!¡± [You have killed Participant: Joker - Richard Fuerle Level 22] [Experience Earned 4,573,425 TP awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 20] [40 Free Points have been awarded] Chapter One-Hundred and Eight: Cleaning Up. Chapter One-Hundred and Eight: Cleaning Up. The foundation that Drake had formed with his magic slowly crumbled under the pressure of his spell as he fell through the splitting cracks at the center, his Heretical Endowment faded leaving only his Water Endowment to recover his status. Plummeting to the ground Drake made out that no one had moved from their positions prior to him leaping into the air after Joker. Even the man Drake had caught before the incident was somehow still there, his mouth gapped in bewilderment of the fight that had just ensued. Drakended safely, his status slowly recovering but still in a fragile state from his spells bacsh. Thankfully the spell was not as crippling as the first time he had used it, the extra use of the potion having a big part in that before. Looking around he again spotted his equipment right where he left them, next to a shivering and frightened man. ¡°W-what are you!?¡± the man shouted loudly as Drake walked towards him, his shout somehow bringing back time to the area as everyone in the surrounding began to let go of their held breaths. Drake lifted an eyebrow unsure how to answer it. ¡°I¡¯m still human, can be an asshole when it suits me though. And right now. At this very moment. Slightly chilly. Now let me put my clothes back on will you? Can cut diamonds with these fucking things,¡± Drake said looking down at his chest, with a snarky grin. Drake reached down pulling up his trunks as he heard a shout from behind him, the familiar voice of the auburn twin-tailed hair archering in clearly through the area. ¡°What happened!? Megan! Are you ok?! Shot!? Why are you naked?! Put some clothes on you fucking weirdo!¡± she shouted as Drake turned to face her, her hand going up to block her eyes, but Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice she was still looking through the cracks in her fingers. Drake rolled his eyes putting on his shaul first, then cing the rest of his equipment into his inventory to put them on all at once through the inventory window. ¡°I was forced to strip. Thank you very much. And I have about 200 witnesses that can attest to that Judge Judy,¡± Drake quipped, ¡°Thanks for your concern¡­¡± Next shimmering into view out of the air was Theodore, his face showing concern as Harley and ire ran from the front, finally catching up with Drake and the rest of his group. Sherry wobbled back and forth many steps behind them. ¡°W-what happened?¡± ire asked out of breath as she leaned on her staff. ¡°Oh you know,¡± Drake said turning to give her a quick wave of his hand, ¡°Differing opinions on story importance,¡± Drake said smiling. Drake flitted his shaul, a red potion falling out of the air which he grabbed and downed in a single gulp. ¡°Uh, taste like rotten strawberries¡­ What I wouldn¡¯t do for one of Bear¡¯s potions¡­¡± ¡°You call fighting over imaginary characters a difference of opinions¡­?¡± Natto scoffed. Hey, he¡¯s like the OG. Not everyone can use that move. Especially some half-wit viin. The guy was my childhood hero! Drake countered, looking around at the still mostly stunned people. ¡°A man who ate his body weight several times over every other episode, neglected his children until he needed them to ¡®train¡¯ and beat the shit out of them on a regr basis putting a six-year-old on a different to fight a super-powered alien. And lest we certainly forget, another alien was also a better father figure than he was to his own children. That childhood hero?¡± Natto asked. Yep, that one. And don¡¯t you forget it! And hey beating the shit out of your kids and putting them in near-death traumatizing experiences is standard for anime dads! Drake defended. Drake was forced to put his back and forth on hold as he saw some of the people that had revealed themselves in ck begin trying to chant spells and skills to escape. Moving quickly to intercept them Drake snapped his hand recing his missing arm with one made of ice. Leaping forward he began cing ice cors on each person and towing them to the next until he had well over twenty people in ice neck cors. ¡°Oh no, none of you are going anywhere, not after the risk I just took to get you all to show your true colors. All of you and I are going to be very close friends until we reach the Camp,¡± Drake said, his eyes ring to each color, ¡°Very close friends,¡± he smiled. ¡°What in the back alley tom cat hell was that explosion we just seen?¡± Hudson said, finally joining the group from the back of the caravan, several of his drones flying above him. ¡°Is everyone going to ask this same question? Bad guys show up, I went pew pew with magic, I win, bad guys die,¡± Drake said sarcastically, miming a gun with his left hand and firing off a few imaginary bullets. ¡°Oh¡­ that right is it?¡± Hudson replied, taking a look around at the rubble in the middle of the ground, and Drake holding a line of people in ice shackles, ¡°Must have been a big bullet then, pup.¡± ¡°Oh you know me, shy when it suits me,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°Now do we have chains for these guys or do I really have to haul them around?¡± Drake asked, his yful mood fading as he looked around, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t such a bleeding heart for fairness, I¡¯d just do it myself, but it¡¯s only right that they¡¯re tried by an objective third party¡­¡± Drake finished reluctantly. ¡°They hardly deserve such rights. They have been a part of a group that has killed since the start of the tutorial,¡± Natto said, confronting Drake. True. But this way, they will be put to trial in front of thousands of people instead of just hundreds. Showing the rest of the tutorial what happens to people who indiscriminately kill others for whatever reason. Drake amended. ¡°I must take back my previous statement. You might be far more evil than I have given you credit for¡­¡± Natto conceded, a sliver of concern in her voice. Call it what you will, but it¡¯s a good deterrent for anyone thinking of doing the same just because they are a little stronger than others. I¡¯m sure it won''t be thest time where I will have to make an example of others¡­ Drake thought, his face visibly dimming. ¡°Sire?¡± Theodore asked, moving from one of the people Drake had in custody that he was cing chains onto to get closer to Drake, ¡°Are thou feeling adverse from thou¡¯s spells?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°No I¡¯m just¡­ A little disappointed in people that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°What? For what bloody reason? Don¡¯t try to level with me and say you think these cunts deserve anything than what¡¯sing to them?¡± Jacqueline said finally entering the conversation. ¡°Oh aren¡¯t you just a peach Jacqueline, always know what to say in the moment,¡± Drake said sarcastically, melting his Ice spell from around the necks of the now chained prisoners. ¡°I do, don¡¯t I? Bout bloody time yo- Wait you¡¯re being sarcastic aren¡¯t you?¡± she realized. Drake scoffed then readdressed the group. ¡°Alright everyone, we¡¯re going to take a moment to reorganize, anyone who is hurt beyond your regenerative abilities, pleasee forward to get what you need to heal. Then we''re going to keep moving, we have a few more hours until the camp and we want to make it there before noon!¡± Drake shouted over the group, earning him some distant gazes. Drake tilted his head, wondering what was going on. Turning to ire he asked. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She shrugged her shoulders unsure herself. ¡°Are we really not going to talk about it..?¡± Tom said, suddenly speaking up. ¡°Talk about what?¡± Drake asked. ¡°About how you basically she-¡± Tom tried to exin before Amir put his hand to his mouth. ¡°No, we will not speak of it. Please ignore Tom, Sir. He doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying,¡± Amir said, cutting him off. Drake caught most of what Tom had gotten at, and simply shrugged, but caught some ncesing from Chelsea and even more embarrassed and confused ones from Megan who had both seen him stark naked. ¡°Eh, doesn¡¯t bother me. I¡¯m sure I have a picture or two on the inte showing it off. In fact, I¡¯d be surprised if I didn¡¯t,¡± Drake said honestly unperturbed. Trying to change the conversation, Drake turned to their guide Miss Braun. ¡°Miss Braun, once everyone is settled please lead us the rest of the way,¡± Drake said, giving her a knowing re, his aura spreading out ever so slightly. ¡°Y-yes¡­ of course!¡± she answered. ¡°Drake?¡± asked Natto. Oh, you didn¡¯t know? She¡¯s part of their group. You said it yourself, I don¡¯t need a guide to get to the camp. But I did need someone to lead us astray or, you know, into a trap. Drake replied. ¡°...Then what was that all about cohesion and participation?¡± It¡¯s still true, but killing a few birds with one veryrge oversized rock is also good. ¡°Do you not mean two birds, one stone?¡± Nope, many many birds. Drake said, thumbing to the small group of perpetrators now being corralled to the back of the group with the rest of the criminals from his own outpost, one of Hudson¡¯s Big Boys and Drones above escorting them. I get to clean up our group somewhat, and for those that didn¡¯t fight in the initial group with Joker, get to assume either I¡¯m ipetent falling into their n by following their guide. Or they think I''m a genius for foiling their ns. Or ya know, just think I¡¯m a monster in human skin from how I trashed their leader naked. Drake mused, a smile cracking his even stare at Miss Braun, her brow beginning to sweat. ¡°Then what will you do with this womanter?¡± Natto asked. She will get tried like the rest, but we didn¡¯t lose anyone in the attack thankfully. I was not expecting Megan to get held hostage though, she¡¯s level 18 you would think she would be a little more attentive¡­ He thought, turning around to the group. Chelsea, Harley, Theodore, and Jacqueline were standing around a few people, a glow of white around them as they were being healed. Once the light dimmed, Drake caught Megan¡¯s eyes, her face turning scarlet but she moved to him despite that. Drake raised his brow, looking down at the blonde woman. ¡°A-are you hurt also..?¡± Megan asked not meeting his eyes. ¡°Oh, yeah I¡¯m fine, my hand is slowly healing, no need for a healing spell, the potion I took will do just fine,¡± he told her. She nodded and turned quickly. ¡°Th-thank you for saving me. Chelsea was right, you might be an asshole.. But you aren¡¯t all bad¡­¡± she mumbled, running back to their small group, finding her way into the arms of Chelsea. Drake scoffed. ¡°Gross, it¡¯s making me itchy being thanked like that¡­¡± he sighed, feeling another person approaching him from the side. Turning his head, he saw another woman he had tersely interacted with when he had saved Megan and the others. Julia. ¡°I¡¯d like to also thank you, Sir. I didn¡¯t feelfortable disturbing you when you got back from fighting the Goblin King, so I¡¯ve been waiting for a good time to say it¡­ but it¡¯s been one thing after another with this group. And seeing how you fought. It¡¯s so much different than how you fought with Chris, can I ask what ss you are?¡± Julia asked. Drake chuckled lightly, ¡°I thought you were thanking me, not interrogating me,¡± he grinned. Julia winced. ¡°Sorry, my curiosity got the better of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m sure most people are trying to figure out my ss just like you,¡± he said, waving his hand dismissively, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you unfortunately, at least not yet. And a thanks isn¡¯t needed, I was simply helping a party member when all of that happened. But I do appreciate you helping the hostages with your barriers, it helped when saving them.¡± Julia¡¯s expression became confused. ¡°How did you know? That spell has no visual indication, and I wasn¡¯t in range for you to hear me¡­¡± she wondered aloud. Drake pointed to his eyes. ¡°I have a pretty good magic sensing skill, seeing that much mana shifting kind of gives it away. So no saying thanks, we¡¯re even, and it makes me itchy¡­¡± Drakeughed. Julia rxed from Drake¡¯s rxed manner and nodded. ¡°Alright, that¡¯sforting to know,¡± she replied. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Knowing you aren¡¯t as big an asshole as Chelsea, Megan and Jacqueline make you out to be.¡± ¡°Ha! I knew you had a special ability to piss off women!¡± Nattoughed inside his head. Drake sighed. ¡°Can I ask one more thing though?¡± Julia asked, speaking up again. ¡°Sure, we have some time before we have to move. Shoot.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the pink ears and tail? I thought you said you were human?¡± she asked. Drake cringed,pletely forgetting that Natto had him wearing her squirrel ears and tail to help sow confusion. ¡°Ah.. Those¡­ Let¡¯s just say it''s from one of my items. It doesn''t help much, eats a lot of food, and tends to be very loud and annoying but every so often it gives a gem of advice,¡± Drake grinned wryly. ¡°Fuck you idiot!¡± Natto shouted. Guess I do have superpowers. Drakeughed internally. Chapter One-Hundred and Nine: No need for alarm, it’s just my smartass talking. Chapter One-Hundred and Nine: No need for rm, it¡¯s just my smartass talking. ¡°Shit¡¯s been pretty quiet since that big quest ended huh, Bert?¡± the man said, leaning onto his ymore. ¡°Well yeah, Tom¡­ Isn¡¯t that how these shows do it? A little break from big event to the big event?¡± Bert replied, using his rifle¡¯s scope to look out into the treeline of the forest. ¡°Bert¡­ we aren''t in a tv show. What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± ¡°A lot of things but I thought we were talking about the quiet peace we¡¯ve got now, not my crippling depression and bad habits,¡± Bert said nonchntly. Tom looked over, his face incredulous. ¡°Good thing too, we would be here all day if we were. Turning from his scope to Tom a smirk on his face. ¡°Tom, we are here all day, remember? We got in trouble for cking on guard dutyst time, and I don¡¯t need Bear standing five feet above me looking down again. Felt like being above average height meant being as small as a mouse next to him,¡± Bert said, shivering visibly, remembering the experience. Tom shook his head, his arms suddenly wrapping his body. ¡°Yeah, never mind, you¡¯re right on that one. Guy¡¯s built like a tank if the tank had an old estranged uncle that just came out of prison,¡± he said his body giving a quick jerk, ¡°But he¡¯s a nice guy though, gave out those potions that tasted like grape juice. Remember that?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, nice guy. Can kill you with his pinky toe, but a nice guy,¡± Bert agreed. Suddenly a new voice chimed into their conversation. ¡°Aw, well that¡¯s nice of you to say, guys. I¡¯ll make some more of those potions for ya,¡± the voice said behind them. ¡°Oh no problem, thanks,¡± the pair said before realizing they hadn¡¯t answered the other but someone entirely new, their heads slowly turning, then tilting upwards to meet the eyes of the new man. Behind them stood Bjorn, a smile on his face, his mat gray armor covering most of his body, only his right arm showing any of his skin and the rippled muscles of his shoulder. His enormous two-handed sword¡¯s handle eerily glowed a faint ck as it peeked over his left shoulder. ¡°Bear! Sir! We weren¡¯t cking! Just a little guard duty chat!¡± Bert said, scrambling for an excuse. Bjorn waved them off, trying to calm them as he turned his focus to the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, bro. I¡¯m not going to hurt you for talking about me. Takes a lot more than that to get under my skin,¡± heughed, ¡°And I¡¯m going to have to ask you to go grab everyone. I think we have visitors.¡± The pair of guards changed from an expression of panic to one of confusion. They both followed his gaze turning back to the forest, a single man and woman walking out from the tree line, both lit by the orange of the dusk of the setting sun. ¡°Are they enemies? It¡¯s only two,¡± Tom said. Bjorn smiled,¡± Oh no, there''s more. But I¡¯m more excited about seeing an old friend,¡± Bjorn said to the two, his eyes shing to white for a moment as he utilized his legendary skill revealing the man¡¯s name despite his alias. [Drake Wallen Level 20]
¡°Oh looks like they spotted us. What a wonderful wee party,¡± Drake said, giving a soft whistle at the people pouring out of the extended rampart, ¡°Look at that, they even put up an extra barricade, that¡¯s some points to Shigure,¡± Drake mused aloud, the worried Miss Braun looking over her shoulder. ¡°Yes, it seems to be a new addition from when I was here. I¡¯ll be goi-¡± she started exining, but Drake didn¡¯t let her excuse herself. ¡°No, no, I insist you mean them with us. After all, you were such a wonderful guide,¡± he said evenly, ¡°You can stand at the head of the rest of the ones we¡¯ve captured. Exining how and why you decided to try to kill well over 200 people for your own gain and pleasure.¡± The woman began running for the camp, her cover blown and cat now fully out of the bag. Drake sighed knowing this was going to be a problem, but nevertheless had to stop her before she could cause more trouble. Stepping forward, Drake moved quickly to intercept her. Miss Braun¡¯s stats paled inparison to his own as he moved in front of her, gripping her by the wrist in front of the entire camp and the rest of his group moving out of the tree line. Within seconds he felt the stares of Shigure¡¯s camp fall on him, hostile. Saw thating. Now if someone¡­. Drake thought just as a shout sounded over the crowds. ¡°Let that woman go!¡± a voice yelled. Why. Why is this happening? I¡¯ve been a good person, right? I¡¯ve built up my good karma, right? Drake cursed inwardly against the high-pitched giggling of Natto in the background. Drake turned expecting to see a younger person based on the pitch of the voice and was not surprised when they were exactly that. The teen wore a loose robe not unlike Drake¡¯s but in a more oriental sense. The robe or kimono was well fitted to the teen¡¯s figure, leaving enough room for movement but at the same time not loose enough to be a hindrance. On his side two swords, one much longer than the other in scabbards of pure ck, ented by rose gold markings, the handles covered in just as dark ck as the scabbards, hilts of beautifully shimmering rose gold. Drake took a moment, his eyes focusing on the man, staying a clear blue. [Shigure Kenzo Level 24] Drake also turned his attention to the smiling giant sticking out like a sore thumb behind the crowd of people from the camp. [Bear Level 27] Did Bjorn not tell the kid who I am? Or does he have a heroplex? Drake thought, looking back at the teen glowering at him, his hand on his sword hilt. ¡°You are by far thest person to say anyone has any sort ofplex¡­¡± Natto said pointedly. Drake opened his mouth underneath his mask but closed it, unable to argue. ¡°No, she¡¯s a criminal,¡± Drake said finally addressing Shigure. ¡°Regardless of her crime, you should not treat her as such. She is still human,¡± Shigure countered. Drake raised a brow, ¡°Have you not dealt with the people in the tutorial that have killed swaths of people just for the hell of it? She is no better than a monster killing indiscriminately for their own pleasure,¡± Drake exined evenly, hearing murmursing from his own group as they now fully exited the forest into the opening of the Outpost. ¡°There¡¯s that boss music again. Please someone else tell me they hear it and it¡¯s not just me,¡± Tom whispered from behind Drake. Drake ignored Tom and kept his focus on Shigure. Should I goad him? I wanted to fight him anyway and seems like Bjorn is making sure no one else is going to step in. Drake thought, going through the options. Drake decided to have some fun. ¡°I¡¯m here at the request of Bear. This woman is a criminal and responsible for nearly killing all of the people you see behind me,¡± Drake said pointedly, ¡°Are you simply going to have her run around freely? If so, then I may have made a mistake bying here. I expected too much from a child who ys at being a leader.¡± Shigure¡¯s face instantly deepened into a fierce scowl at the jab. Uh oh. Too far? Drake said, his eyes shing yellow, his aura beginning to boil ready to be released to calm down the teen. ¡°Imbecile¡­. Must you make every person you meet hate you instantly? It makes doing anything we need incredibly difficult!¡± Natto yelled. Drake mentally shrugged as he kept his eyes fixed on Shigure. ¡°I know who you are, Shot. And you may be weed here by Sir Bear but he is not a member of the coalition and holds no power here. He is simply a guest. Regardless of what you hold as a preconceived notion of my leadership, I am in charge and if you wish to enter you will have to adhere to what I say. So let the woman go and we will take it from here,¡± Shigure growled out, his hand almost quaking as it gripped his sword. Oh, he¡¯s surprisingly calm despite himself. Drake thought impressed. ¡°Certainly leagues ahead of yourself,¡± Natto snickered. Rude. ¡°I came here only because of my friendship with Bear. And the promise I made with him, these people behind me are here for shelter and protection. Are you going to deny them that because I refuse to give up a criminal? What about the rest of the ones I have captive who have done just as much as her if not worse? Are you really going to demand I give them freedom when they have forcibly and violently tried to do the same to these innocent people? How do you expect to protect anyone with such a soft attitude,¡± Drake jabbed. Shigure¡¯s face contorted to true anger at hisst words. As he lowered his stance. ¡°You know nothing of what I will do to protect these people and my family! I won¡¯t allow you to continue to insult me and my honor as a leader of this coalition. Let her go, this is thest time I will ask!¡± Drake smirked under his mask. ¡°Theo.¡± Shimmering into existence next to him was Theodore, in all of his butler glory, his mustache a work of art as it stayed picturesque on his face. ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± Theodore answered his body in a slight bow. ¡°Take Miss Braun to the other prisoners. Everyone who wants to stay with this child, can stay. The criminals will have to be judged for their crimes by someone more it seems,¡± Drake said, making sure to keep eye contact with Shigure as he did. Shigure¡¯s eyes cracked with malicious intent at the final jab, his honor insulted for thest time by Drake. ¡°First Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ket-¡± Shigure began to whisper, his sword and drawing hand moving as he twisted his body, but he was interrupted by just the man Drake wanted to see. ¡°Okay okay! That¡¯s enough,¡± Bjorn said, holding Shigure by the shoulder, ¡°Ever your own pace huh, bro?¡± Bjorn said, his smile still asrge as it was moments ago from the crowd. ¡°You know me Bear, I like to be shy and make an entrance,¡± Drake said, breaking his evil facade and turning back to Theo, ¡°Thank you for ying along Theo, can you please get the rest of the prisoners from Hudson, I¡¯d like to hand them over like we nned.¡± Shigure rxed slightly but still red daggers at Drake. Drake chuckled, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help myself,¡± he said, holding out his left hand, ¡°I just wanted to get a gauge on who you were, and I¡¯m d you are who I thought you would be.¡± Bjorn not Shigure raised a brow curious, biting on the leading statement. ¡°Oh? And what¡¯s that?¡± Drake moved his mask so his face showed hisrge smile, ¡°A snot-nosed brat,¡± Drakeughed sarcastically. The surroundings suddenly cracked with dense mana, Shigure¡¯s visage turning dark. Bjorn scoffed, shrugging as his hand came off of Shigure¡¯s shoulder, Bjorn looking at Drake. ¡°Hey bro, I tried.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Ten: Shigure vs Drake. And I took that personally. Chapter One-Hundred and Ten: Shigure vs Drake. And I took that personally. Drake stood his ground looking at the teen begin to channel some sort of skill. He gave a nod to Theodore and Bjorn as they took Miss Braun away and removed themselves for the surroundings. ¡°Is this really how you act when goaded by a stranger?¡± Drake asked, admitting that he had intentionally insulted the teen, ¡°How in the world did you even be the leader of such arge group when you can¡¯t even discern friend from foe.¡± Shigure lowered his stance and growled back, ¡°Because it is you, who said it!¡± ¡°What?¡± Drake said, confused. Bjorn spoke up next from behind in the crowd. ¡°My bad! Might have said a few things about you to him! Don¡¯t take it personally!¡± Bjorn shouted. Drake tilted his head in confusion not sure what exactly he could have even told the teen about him that would have him this upset. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I get what you mean?¡± Drake said honestly, his weight shifting to one leg as he crossed his earthen arm, his other gong to pick at his ear. ¡°That! That¡¯s what it is! Sir Bear has told me everything about you, everything I need to know! How you started the tutorial alone. How you went off on your own selfishly ignoring the plight of others within the tutorial!¡± Shigure shouted. ¡°Oh no, here we go again. And he wants to say he hates anime but always monologues like he has main character syndrome¡­.¡± a man wearing sses said, polishing a gun that reminded Drake of a certain vampire in a red cloak. ¡°You¡¯re mad I prioritized myself over others? In what world are strangers my responsibility over my own safety? If you haven¡¯t noticed we are in a life-and-death situation. Not only that,¡± Drake said thumbing to the rest of his group, ¡°I think I¡¯ve gone out of my way to help others a fair amount.¡± ¡°You could have done more! Sir Bear has told me of how you struck down a named monster! How you rampaged on the other side of the forest and captured an Outpost on your own! Do you¡­ Do you know how many people we had to sacrifice for this outpost!? And you gained one on your own! Why did you not use that strength for others sooner?! The amount of life you could have saved could have been many times more!¡± Shigure continued his eyes thinning to points. ¡°Listen here. I am not the moral authority and don¡¯t owe it to you to confirm or affirm your morals. I do what I want when it suits me and when I feel it¡¯s right, my life, my decisions. I take whates with it, epting every consequence and loss. Learning from every mistake as best as I can and move forward, for me and those I hold dear. Even if that means killing someone to protect my own family or stepping on some shithead monster who thinks they can harm people close to me,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°So don¡¯te at me with these anime protagonist lines of self-loathing and projecting your inadequacies onto me. You lost people either because they were weak, or you suck as a leader and didn¡¯t n enough ahead, so enough of this guilt-tripping from some imaginary moral high ground, it¡¯s getting old real fast. Especially when you can¡¯t even back it up.¡± ¡°You are going topare me to a fictional character?! This is real life, not some game or show! Real people died because youcked the empathy to help them when you could!¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­? What the fuck do you know about my struggle. I may have jabbed at you and insulted your opinion on the matter with the criminal and leadership, but I never once assumed you didn¡¯t struggle like anyone else who''s still standing here,¡± Drake growled, ¡°And those fictional characters hold a very special ce in my heart, so watch your fucking mouth.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re a fool! Those shows are meant for children and imbeciles!¡± Shigure shot back. ¡°Ha! I like this kid, he certainly understands it!¡± Natto chimed in. ¡°Ok. No more talking. Thatstment, I took personally,¡± Drake said evenly, his eyes shing yellow.
Shigure lowered his stance, steadying himself against the ground as he eyed his opponent. The man before him, Shot, was an insult to everything he had gone through in the tutorial, and before. Being who he was, a Kenzo, he had to meet every expectation and more of his family and peers in every capacity. There was no failing, there was no less than. And this man had grantly gone against everything Shigure himself had gone through. He had ignored expectations and done anything and everything he wanted, not caring for anyone but himself. Shigure was disgusted. Throughout his entire life he was expected to live for the n, for everyone as a whole, it was his duty and his greatest pride. Helping his friends in school, helping his family during Kendo lessons, excelling in every area he could, and taking on more and more responsibility to prove to himself and everyone else that he was better, that he could go above and beyond. He had been the head of the Kendo Club, the center of every eye in his school when he won at the National Tournament as the youngestpetitor in years, shocking and awing his entire school. Even more so his parents who had said he was their pride and joy. But this man, he had done everything Shigure had done in the tutorial and more, all while following his own whims! It wasn¡¯t fair, it wasn¡¯t right! How was he any better than himself? How was he any more deserving of adoration from the number one in the tutorial over him? Shigure gripped his sword in anger and frustration. Taking a quick nce at Bear, the man who still hadn¡¯t trusted him enough to even give his real name. The man who would not stop singing the praises of this man, Shot. Shigure had been calming down and internalizing his anger since that day Bear had returned saying that he would soon not be able to beat Shot. But, when the notification came a week ago of the Goblin King being in. His mental limit had been reached. A man he had never met had far surpassed him in contribution to the quest, and even Bear. When they both had seen the notification, Shigure was devastated, expecting Bear to be the same, but instead Bear was smiling. Even going as far as to say, ¡®It was only a matter of time before he blew past me.¡± He, the number one in the tutorial. Bear was not frustrated or angered but expectant like it was only natural that the man passed him. Shigure wouldn¡¯t have it. Not this man, not a man of his caliber, that had done nothing before the tutorial, not a man who yed the song to only his own desires. He was not a man of stature, not a man of rock-solid morals, not a man in Shigure¡¯s eyes. He was nothing but a filthy degenerate. Shigure shouted using his skill before striking, using every resource avable to him from his skills. He was assured in his win, he was a one-on-one specialist, and his skills reflected it. ¡°Kenzo, Shigure! Kensei! Maeru!¡± he announced activating his Shogun¡¯s authority for a duel, increasing his attack by a full 100%. ¡°First Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsu Iai,¡± Shigure whispered his eyes trained on Drake. Leaping forward with thest word of his skill, Shigure drew his katana-o from his saya the ring of the metal leaving it sounding through the area. Shigure expected the battle to be finished immediately but was struck in sheer surprise when he saw Shot standing there, his hair changed to a radiant orange, his hand holding Shigure¡¯s de in between his fingers, his expression even, as Shot¡¯s eyes shifted from blue to green to yellow. ¡°Ah, so you got a funny nickname too huh? And you¡¯re pretty fast. Expected nothing less of someone above level 20,¡± Drake stated, as Shigure struggled to remove his de from Drake¡¯s grip. Shigure¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he continued to struggle to wrench his de from Drake. The color of his arm painted in a fiery orange covered in a glow of deep blue. Shit! How can he be so strong?! I¡¯m four levels above him! Does he have an Epic or higher ss?! Shigure cursed, his hand releasing his de to unsheathe his smaller daisho de, his Wakizashi. ¡°Fifth Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsushouku!¡± Shigure shouted trying to use his smaller de to force Drake to release his primary de, his smaller de reddening with the skill. Although the strike was awkward from his position and with his wakizashi was able to force Shot to release his katana-o. Shigure¡¯s skill cut upwards the sword aura screeching with power from the skill. Looking at the man who now stepped backward, his hair a brilliant yellow hue, his arm changing color with it, hearing Shot whistle slightly. ¡°Wow, got some nice skills there. Are they part of your ss skills? Having that many individual skills would take up a lot of slots,¡± Drake mused, as he flicked his wrist while snapping his finger simultaneously, a staff appearing in front of the man which he grabbed and spun into position. A shard of ice forming from a white magic circle at his side. Shigure was again surprised, his eyes widening. ¡°You¡¯re a mage?! But how? You stopped my strike cold?!¡± Shigure growled, holding his two swords at the ready. ¡°I¡¯m just full of surprises, don¡¯t you worry. Or well, you know, do,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Regardless, let me enjoy humiliating you a bit more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a self-centered bastard! Why would Sir Bear ever say you were better than I!?¡± Shigure yelled, ¡°You dare say you are going to humiliate me after trying to stand on your own ideals, mocking my own? You are a hypocrite!¡± ¡°Only when it suits me! And I never said I wasn¡¯t,¡± Drake sneered, the shard of ice vanishing as his hair turned ghostly white, the changing mes on his left arm no longer there, ¡°I am the storm that is approaching,¡± Drake began chanting. ¡°I won¡¯t let you! Eighth Strike, Blood Moon - Nitoryu no Ogi, Mugen no Chi no Mai!¡± Shigure screamed, both of his des lighting up in deep blood red as he surged forward chasing Shot. The man somehow deftly dodging each swing of his swords with a hair¡¯s margin, only to continue casting his spell. ¡°Why! Why are you so fast!¡± Shigure screamed his de striking downward as Shot lightly stepped to the side. ¡°A good magician never reveals his secrets! And you seem to be struggling there, Sword Saint! Very secret technique-esque, just to notnd a single blow,¡± Drake answered, goading Shigure further before continuing his chant, ¡°Provoking, ck clouds in istion!¡± Shigure continued to swing, struggling tond a blow, as his stamina began dropping from the prolonged expenditure of his skill. But Shot seemed to be in good spirits, as the yellow circle that was forming under Shot, began crackling and snapping further with each word he spoke. ¡°Stop with your foolishness! Will you not even take me seriously!¡± Shigure spat, continuing to chase forward, beginning to swing more and more wildly as his emotions red. ¡°Finally noticed? I told you! I¡¯m going to put you in your ce. No one insults my heroes. Let the true meaning of fear and power be etched into your very being!¡± Shot howled, as his eyes shing again to yellow, and Shigure stiffening. Shigure suddenly couldn¡¯t move, his breath stalling as he could barely feel his hands gripping his swords. As if everything had stopped, and his blood had gone cold, he felt Shot¡¯s eyes on him. Never before had he felt this small under someone¡¯s gaze, the feeling of vulnerability increasing as the slow realization washed over him that he was outssed. [Hardened Body has been disabled. Loss of 50% defensive effectiveness] [Shogun¡¯s Authority has been disabled. Loss of 100% overall damage increase] What?! Shigure shouted internally, looking back at the eyes of the predator before him. Cold sweat pooling over his body as he shook struggling to move his body. ¡°I have a nickname too apparently. Shall I share it?¡± Drake asked, evenly his eyes never leaving Shigure. ¡°F-fu-fuck you!¡± Shigure managed to growl out of his clenched jaw. ¡°It¡¯s the Tyrant. Reap what you sow for challenging me!¡± Drake cackled, his arms spreading, ¡°I am the reimer of my name! Born in mes!¡± Drake shouted the circle below him bursting to light as a thunderous crash sounded, the lightning forming intoshes of electricity reaching behind him, ¡°I have been blessed!¡± Drake continued his figure being illuminated by the blinding light of the dense lightning magic behind him, ¡°My family crest is a demon of death!¡± he roared, the magic circle forming a huge Oni behind him, putting Shigure in awe, as he finally regained control of his body. The massive amount of mana and the size of the spell put Shigure to his knees. ¡°It¡¯s not fair¡­.!¡± he screamed trying to reject the reality in front of him. ¡°The world was never fair. And now. You shall die,¡± Drake proimed, casting his spell. The figure of lightning magic changing into a dense spear of Mana in Drake¡¯s left hand that he pointed right at Shigure¡¯s face. Shigure looked up, his loss evident now. The reality hitting him as he contemted the regret in his heart for being so blind to think he was stronger. ¡°There¡¯s always someone stronger.. I became conceited. If only¡­.¡± Shigure said evenly, his eyes looking into Shot¡¯s, the eptance of his fate in on his face. Drake raised the spear of lightning high above his head, and Shigure closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. A snap was heard but the blow never came. After a few seconds, Shigure finally cracked his eyes open slowly, seeing Shot standing there, no longer the tyrant of death that he saw before closing his eyes. ¡°Good, that¡¯s what I wanted to hear. You got some good convictions kid, even in the face of an insurmountable opponent you epted your mistake and realized your shorings. Good stuff,¡± Drake said, moving his mask to the side revealing a smile, as he bent down to give Shigure a pat on the shoulder. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill me?¡± Shigure questioned. ¡°No, of course not. Wouldn¡¯t be a very good first impression, and I still need you to take care of all my people,¡± Drake said, Shigure visibly rxing with a sigh, ¡°But. I still have to kick your ass for insulting anime,¡± Drakeughed, snapping his fingers next to Shigure¡¯s head, the staff in Drake¡¯s hands vanishing, reced by a single ring in the air and a small fireball that vanished as quickly as it appeared, ¡°Clench your teeth kid!¡± Drake howled as heughed, his open hand moving to equip the ring on its way to Shigure¡¯s face. Drake¡¯s hair shimmering to red and forming into a fist that glowed red, covered by a blue glow just moments before impact. Shigure had one thought before he was struck. Fucking asshole¡­ Chapter One-Hundred and Ten . Five: Don’t Interrupt! It’s my Dazzling God! Chapter One-Hundred and Ten . Five: Don¡¯t Interrupt! It¡¯s my Dazzling God! Whispers and murmurs were heard all around Aono, but her eyes and focus were honed on the individual standing at the front, holding a female by the arm. ¡°Is this the, ¡®What are you doing scene?!¡¯¡± Aono whispered, pulling her stylus from thin air, her Mana Paper slowly materializing in front of her. ¡°What is it Miss Aono?¡± a man next to her asked, pushing up his sses. ¡°Shhh!¡± another snapped, ¡°Do not interrupt our god when she holds the holy stylus!¡± Several other men pulled the louder man backward, melding into the crowd. The one who reprimanded the man standing tall and proud next to Miss Aono, silently guarding her. ¡°Oh, ohhhhhh!¡± Aono squealed, wildly tracing her stylus from one side of the paper to the next, ¡°The approach of the stout-hearted but foolish boy! Magnificent! How will my knight respond?!¡± On the field before them, more and more people gathered on Shigure¡¯s side, as both he and Drake discussed something in the center. Soon a chill fell on the air, and an enormous man appeared between them, holding back the teen. ¡°And a third?! Is it a love triangle moment?! I must record this!¡± Aono murmured, her hand increasing the pace as the scene unfolded on her paper. On her Mana Paper, she depicted a drastically different picture than the events she was witnessing. Flowery scenery and chiseled jaws of men reflected the glean of the morning sun. Drake and Shigure are torn apart by the hulking figure of the third man, his dark orange hair and beard with matted gray armor appearing as an imposing mountain between them. Suddenly the chill on the airlifted, and it seemed all was fine. There was no following battle leaving Aono surprised. ¡°It is still fine,¡± she said, slurring the word as she wiped the drool from her mouth with her sleeve, looking down at the masterpiece she had just created, ¡°This will do just fine¡­¡± But once again she was left surprised as a howl sounded from the center of the field. ¡°Kenzo, Shigure! Kensei! Maeru!¡± Aono¡¯s head snapped to attention, the paper she had just been admiring ripped from the Mana Board it was attached to, flying backward in the air where the man next to her grabbed it, cing it into his inventory. She looked on hyper-focused as best her stats would allow, seeing Shigure disappear only to hear a sh of thunderous proportions. Her head jerked following the sound, seeing Drake holding Shigure¡¯s de, his red mask smiling with its pearly whites and de held within them. A shriek of joy escaped Aono¡¯s lips as she suddenly forgot herself, her thumbnail finding her teeth as she bit down, unable to reel in her anticipation. Shigure suddenly unsheathed his secondary de, forcing Drake to release the previous one, with a sharp soft whistle Drake shifted his hair color, and a stylish staff suddenly materialized in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re a mage?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just full of surprises. Let me enjoy humiliating you!¡± Aono only heard bits and pieces of the verbal exchange, but the motion and back and forth of the battle left her breathless, her head suddenly snapping back as her sleeve went to her nose. ¡°Miss Aono?!¡± the man next to her asked concerned. ¡°I have a nosebleed¡­ B-but no matter!¡± she shouted, suddenly attracting the attention of the people around her their looks filled with concern. Aono ignored the sudden expulsion of vital energy due to her excitement, switching drawing hands leaving her blood-soaked sleeve to clog the flow. Her eyes stayed peeled on the battle. Their exchange of words here and there, as she took it all in, marking it down with one stroke of her stylus after the other. ¡°I am the storm that¡­.¡± Drake began but was forced to move as Shigure gave chase. Aono continued to lose blood as she saw the battle unfold, every passing moment filled with Drake dodging and running as he appeared and disappeared from view. The magic circle below him expanded and brightened. ¡°The spell it¡¯s changing color?! He has be even more elegant in his use of mana maniption! As expected of my knight!!¡± Aono shouted gleefully. Then the mood on the battlefield shifted once again, as Drake was in a standoff against Shigure. Shigure refused to move, or possibly couldn¡¯t move. Just like on the battlefield, a wave of fear and deathly cold crashed over the crowd, momentarily freezing Aono in her tracks. But her Artist¡¯s will would not let her be impeded for long as she forced her way from the grip of the fear, making sure to recount the events urately. The magic around Drake flexed and molded, turning into an enormous ball of lightning. In moments it shifted forming the face of a demon behind him. But within that time, Shigure had surrendered. Dropping to his knees in clear despair. Aono¡¯s body could take no more, her body on the brink of copsing as she illustrated thest thing she saw, her vision darkening, but her hand desperately putting the image to paper. ¡°Such¡­ elegance¡­ my¡­ dazzling god¡­..!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Eleven: What do you mean I’m not Allowed? Chapter One-Hundred and Eleven: What do you mean I¡¯m not Allowed? ¡°Is he dead?¡± ire asked, standing over the teen who had just beenunched in their direction by Drake. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ Mr. Shot did hit him pretty hard though?¡± Harley added. ¡°My Lord may have gone well past what was necessary this time..¡± Theodore sighed, looking down pitifully at the boy. Drake waltzed over to the people surrounding Shigure, taking his time with rxed steps. ¡°I hit him hard, yeah. But I didn¡¯t hit him that hard. Come on give me some credit, I¡¯m not an assh-¡± he tried to say, but several pairs of eyes ring back at him stopped him. ¡°Either way, Jacqueline, would you please heal him up? I still need to talk to him,¡± Drake said, clearing his throat with a cough. ¡°Yeah, I can do that, but ya sure? He isn¡¯t going to go on a mad rampage again is he?¡± Jacqueline asked, reaching out her hand before she felt a gust of wind blow her hair back. Looking up she saw a de inches from her face, only stopped by Drake¡¯s hand gripping it, glowing in an ethereal blue. ¡°And who the fuck are you?¡± Drake asked, holding the de firmly, his other gripping the small ck-haired girl in a ninja outfit by her throat. ¡°Drake, she is a construct! And abat one at that¡­¡± Natto reported, making Drake raise his eyebrow in interest. Drake looked down at the girl as she stared daggers back at him. ¡°H-how dare y-you!¡± she growled, ¡°D-do not touch m-my Master again!¡± Well then, I¡¯ve never heard you call me master. Is that a construct thing? Drake asked. ¡°And you certainly never will ape. No, it is a result of her being a part of him as well. I believe it to be a cultural preference of sorts,¡± Natto replied back. ¡°That¡¯s awfully rude to say to the person who''s going to heal him, don¡¯t you think?¡± Drake said ring right back at the seething construct. Drake loosened his grip enough that the girl could speak without issue but kept his hand around her neck to make sure she would not slip away. After a slight cough, she shouted back at them. ¡°We do not need your help! You have done enough harm and are no longer wee here! Get out, and away from my noble lord!¡± Drake¡¯s face scrunched up in irritation. ¡°You know, ambushes are formoners. And who¡¯s we?¡± Drake asked. Feeling people move into his sphere he turned his hand still around the girl¡¯s neck. ¡°Release Uta, and Lord Shigure! Or we wil-¡± the voice began shouting before it was cut short by Drake¡¯s stare infused with his aura. ¡°Or you¡¯ll what, prick?¡± Drake said evenly, his arm beginning to glow a deeper blue as he funneled mana into it. ¡°Okay okay! No need for that,¡± Bjorn said, making his way through the crowd of Shigure¡¯s camp, ¡°Shot, tell them to calm down as well, will you bro? Last thing we need is another mess after you just got here. And did you really have to go so hard on the guy? He¡¯s still a kid, you¡¯re supposed to be an adult.¡± Drake looked behind himself, seeing Hudson and his robots aiming back at Shigure¡¯s camp, Harley and Chelsea doing the same with their bows. With Theodore nowhere to be seen, assumed to have gone invisible. Amir, Tom, and ire standing close behind Jacqueline, their weapons drawn as well. The only one not assembled was the rxing Sherry who looked on uninterested with a yawn. ¡°Damn really missed a chance for an Avengers Assemble call right there. And no! I¡¯m a man-child, just ask anyone. Besides, he started it,¡± Drake replied, now letting go of the small girl named Uta, his hand moving to pacify his group as well. ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure you started that whole argument,¡± Bjorn said, pulling Uta to his side, she desperately struggling to get free to see Shigure. ¡°No¡­. I started the first argument, but then we finished that. Then he insulted my hobbies, so, he started it again. Believe me, I kept count,¡± Drake said, nodding to himself. Bjorn shook his head a grin creasing his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so petty. But at least you didn¡¯t kill him. After ourst fig- spar, I expected you to go too far and have to step in,¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°I said I was a man-child, not a toddler. I know when to stop¡­ Ok, I know when to stop sometimes,¡± Drake amended, feeling the stares on the back of his neck, ¡°Jacqueline please heal him now that we have themoner under control,¡± Drake jabbed. Jacqueline nodded, keeping her eye on Uta for a moment, before casting a light healing spell on Shigure, mending his tattered and bruised face. ¡°May the wounds of the injured be reversed by mymand. I offer up this prayer in good faith of the Mother and her healing grace,¡± Jacqueline chanted. ¡°You know,¡± Drake interjected after the cast waspleted, ¡°Who do you exactly pray to when you do that?¡± Jacqueline shrugged her shoulders her hand glowing brightly above Shigure¡¯s head. ¡°Hell if I bloody know. I just cast the spell and it does its wacky healing, brilliant really that I don¡¯t have to know much long as I have the skill ya know?¡± she answered. Drake pursed his lips under his mask, not sure how to take the answer. He would have to ask Natto about itter when he had a moment, but first, he had some other things to address. ¡°Now,¡± Drake said, turning back to Bjorn and Shigure¡¯s group, which had seem toe out in full force, ¡°What exactly do you mean I¡¯m no longer weed? Are you really saying that you are going to reject all of these people?¡± Drake asked his arm fanning backward presenting the 200-odd sum caravan of people. ¡°No I don¡¯t th-¡± Bjorn tried to say before being cut off by a hefty man in full te armor. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re saying you fucking monster! You think after what you just did we¡¯re going to let you or any one of your followers into this ce?¡± shouted the portly man, his hand moving to lift hisrge hammer to his shoulder. Drakeughed. ¡°Followers? My man, about 99% of the people behind me don''t even like me,¡± Drake said pointing with his thumb, ¡°And who might you be anyway? The dude in charge of the rations, but always says there isn¡¯t any food left?¡± The stout man¡¯s face reddened, but he reluctantly held his tongue as another person from Shigure¡¯s group stepped forward and spoke, this time a woman. ¡°We are leaders of our own respective groups here at this outpost. And we have deemed it too dangerous to let someone like you into these walls. We need to protect our own people, and you are clearly unhinged.¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Clearly. That¡¯s why I let the little leader of your group live, right?¡± Drake said, sighing. ¡°N-no. Unfortunately, I will have to agree with them,¡± Shigure finally managed to say after returning to consciousness, he unsteadily sitting upwards with some effort, ¡°I have lost, and need to improve further as a leader. But you intentionally trapping me into conflict will not be tolerated. But,¡± Shigure said, turning back to his group, ¡°It will only be him. I will not abandon innocent people as he has said, My only grudge is with him, not the people that are unfortunate enough to be in his care as a result of circumstance¡­¡± Shigure added, struggling to get to his feet. Bjorn released Uta as she rushed in a sh to support him. Completely ignoring everyone around them as she shouldered the teen boy, her face twisted in deep concern. Drake was slightly conflicted about being barred from entering the ce he wanted toe for in the first ce but he did dig his own grave on this one for his bit of fun. ¡°That¡¯s fine. That was what I originally came here to do regardless. I owed Bear that much after what he did for me,¡± Drake conceded as he turned around, ¡°Everyone who wishes to stay here is free to do so, our time was short, but I wish you all the best and that while you were under my care you felt at the very least protected.¡± Drake gave a small speech to his caravan, his head bowing slightly. What Drake was not expecting was the thanks and gratitude that came from the crowd as they passed him moving to the outpost. Genuine thanks and tears of relief found him as he stood in shock. He had thought most of the people that were forced to be with him had only done so because there was no other option, and he was sure it was the case with how many of them fought tooth and nail to go against him. But he had not been as observant as he had thought, his focus and time taken up defending the outpost during their time with him. He had not seen the change in the massive camp he had created. The shift to their heartfelt gratitude after days of him risking his life, offering food and shelter amodating them day after day. He felt their emotions from their words, his body felt itchy but not in the awkward way where it felt that the thanks were an obligation from the other party like he was used to. No, this time they had no reason to thank him for his assistance. He had simply done what he needed to keep his promise to Bjorn. The pin dropping for him was not these people he had helped out of obligation. It was the eight people who had not moved. Tom, Chelsea, Hudson, Amir, Harley, ire, and even Jacqueline had stayed. Sherry on the other hand waszily moving her feet with the crowd of people, mumbling about food, to which Theodore shimmered into existence to grab her by the shoulder and turn her around as she began walking back to the group in the same food-deprived daze that had her going with the flow previously. ¡°If he¡¯s not allowed, I won¡¯t be going,¡± ire said, her arms crossed as she stuck up her nose. ¡°Damn, straight littledy. Might not of liked this damned idjit when we met, but it has been one hell of a time I¡¯d say,¡± Hudson added. ¡°Agreed, he¡¯s still an asshole¡­ but he''s our asshole!¡± Chelsea said, then blushed realizing what she had just said, ¡°Wait I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± ¡°I still think he¡¯s a fucking asshole, but I¡¯d bloody be an idiot not to stay with someone who can push the third strongest in this right mad ce around like a rag doll, so I¡¯ll be staying whether ya like it or not, gov. I do still owe you an arm after all, yeah?¡± Jacqueline said, putting her weight on one hip. ¡°I promised to help, Sir, and that still stands. Only with you have I felt so motivated and pushed to do better. Your hard exterior and jokes can not fool us! We know you care deeply for others.¡± Amir said excitedly. Drake scoffed, not sure how to answer as the rest started talking as well. ¡°I know very well that Theo would not leave you Mr. Shot. So I guess you are stuck with me also!¡± Harleyughed, giving a small bow. ¡°Tis but undeniable fact, my Lord! Thou shalt not remove this one from his side! Thou has yet to tell the boundless secrets of magic and the dark arts to this unworthy apprentice! And twouldnt be proper for a Lord to not have his loyal knight!¡± Theodore cried out. ¡°This is the way,¡± Tom said, his eyes closed as he dipped his head. ¡°Tom, you¡¯re just afraid to go alone aren¡¯t you,¡± Drake quipped. ¡°Come on man! Let me be cool for once!!¡± Tom shouted back. Drakeughed, ¡°In due time youngling!¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll just be camping out here then! And speaking of arms,¡± Drake said, gritting his teeth and getting ready to do what he really did not want to, ¡°I¡¯ll be collecting now.¡± Drake canceled his magic holding his earthen arm in ce, a little regretful to lose the multifaceted ability that had be second nature to him, but quickly removed his garb, revealing his burnt shoulder to the crowd, some shocked gasps going out seeing his many scars on his body. Forming a de of ice in his left hand, Drake steeled himself, slicing off the cauterized flesh in one swoop, a muffled screaming from his throat. ¡°Fucking!.... Ow!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Twelve: Khajiit has Skill Stones if you have coin. Chapter One-Hundred and Twelve: Khajiit has Skill Stones if you have coin. Drake sat up, a beam of light from the crack in his tent¡¯s entrance alerting him to sunrise. It had been the first time in weeks he had decided to sleep through the night, and it was well worth it. He finally felt refreshed, and considerably so. Drake raised his arms, looking curiously at his reced right arm for the umpteenth time a smile on his face as he flexed his fingers, not having to manipte them any longer to do the gesture. ¡°Good to have you back Vanessa,¡± Drake joked. ¡°Did you really name your right hand Vanessa?¡± Natto said, rising from the adjacent bed, and rubbing her eyes to remove her grogginess. ¡°Don''t disrespect my ex-girlfriend like that. We may have broken up but she treated me very well I¡¯ll have you know,¡± Drake continued sarcastically. ¡°I am assuming this is some kind of joke or reference. And I certainly feel like I do not wish to understand it,¡± Natto answered with her face going even. ¡°It certainly is,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°But now to start the day! Lots to do, many people to beat the shit out of!¡± ¡°What about food?¡± Natto asked expectantly. ¡°Yes, food too. I got a lot of good stuff left over, and I have a feeling I can get a bunch of new stuff from Shigure¡¯s camp today if I can get some people to trade with,¡± Drake said, feeling someone move outside his tent suddenly. Raising his brow he got up and began to move to the front of the tent, Natto hopping onto his shoulder and merging with him once again, his hand moving the tent entrance as a flood of the morning sun bloomed into the room, momentarily blinding him. Blinking a few times he saw the hulking figure of a familiar walking mountain as it waved at him, holding a meat skewer. ¡°Rise and shine bro, thought you would never wake up,¡± Bjorn grunted through a mouth full of boar meat. ¡°Why are you here so early in the morning? Don¡¯t you have like Shigure camp things to do?¡± Drake said, scoffing. ¡°He certainly does, but I can not get him to stay and do them since you are here now,¡± a shorter ck-haired teen said from his side. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here too? It¡¯s just a party now, or should I say a trial? You aren¡¯t going to try to kick me off yourwn now are you Shigure? And shouldn¡¯t you be doing camp leader stuff?¡± Drake said exacerbated. Shigure coughed but answered nheless. ¡°I am taking a day for recuperation. I also had some things to discuss with you,¡± he said in an even tone. ¡°Kid wants to fight again. He¡¯s all twisted up about losing that hard bro,¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake smirked. ¡°Well, he¡¯s going to have to take a rain check. I have some things to do, namely breakfast before a certain someone stabs me.¡± ¡°Is food awake yet¡­?¡± a dazed voice called out, a hand moving to open a tent across from Drake¡¯s. Stepping out of the tent was a woman in a in white T, with no pants, her hair a mess, and her cracked sses nted in a very weird way. ¡°Sherry¡­. What have we told you about walking around like that?¡± Drake said shaking his head, walking to the woman, and pushing her back into her tent. ¡°You said it was hot¡­ What about food?¡± she answered. ¡°True, but I also said to stop doing it. I can only take so much visual stimtion¡­.¡± Drake mumbled before coughing, ¡°I mean I said it¡¯s udylike. And dress up first and brush your hair okay? Then I¡¯ll have food ready I promise¡­¡± Drake sighed. Bjornughed loudly as Shigure turned his gaze downward his face going crimson. ¡°You have some real quirky people in your group bro. Where did you pick them up? Also, like the new digs. Are they from the questpletion?¡± Bjorn asked. Drake smiled, happy to be in Bjorn¡¯s friendly and casual presence once again. The pressure of being a leader lifted as he felt the man¡¯s unobligated friendship. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but the armor and stuff is kind of from it. Do subsequent quests prior to the big one count?¡± Drake asked, answering Bjorn¡¯s question with another. ¡°Don¡¯t worry we got a good 90-sum days left bro, I gots time. And suppose it does? Seems like you got a good haul from everything. Mr. Number One.¡± Bjorn jabbed, finishing off his skewer, ¡°So what exactly are your ns? Anything I can tag along on, I¡¯ve been pretty bored since the tutorial-wide quest ended.¡± Drake pursed his lips but quickly took him up on his offer. ¡°Actually yeah, and that also includes little angst-filled super teen here. Do you guys trade for stones? I need some food and possibly some rare stones to fill out some people''s skill trees before I go out again. And I¡¯m also looking for a person, or well people maybe,¡± Drake answered. Shigure¡¯s mouth opened to argue but quickly closed as he took in a deep breath. ¡°We do trade, but that is only within the camp, so you will have to have Sir Bear or I do it for you. And what type of people may I ask? We do not do that type of thing here,¡± Shigure answered, his eyes moving to Sherry¡¯s tent. ¡°Bro, please. I don¡¯t need to pay, and I don¡¯t shit where I eat, so I¡¯ve never touched Sherry. If you like her I could tell you how to get to her heart, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s really hard to figure out but I¡¯ll tell you the secret,¡± Drake leaned in and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s her stomach.¡± Bjorn chuckled lightly at their exchange, his face nearly a permanent smile since Drake arrived. ¡°So who are you looking for then? Can¡¯t imagine you need anyone in particr for your group, seeing how many members you have now. You have your regr old Uta as well with that mustache guy,¡± Bjorn said. ¡°Oh, Theo?¡± Drake said. ¡°You called my Lord?¡± Theodore said, winking into existence. ¡°Yeah. How ya been Theo? Looks like you¡¯ve picked up some new tricks.¡± ¡°This one has been splendid, Sir Bear. Thou hast been in good health as well it seems? Thous armor is quite impressive, tis a quest reward?¡± Theodore asked. Bjorn pped his chest hitting the ck matted armor. ¡°Not exactly, grabbed this off one of the Goblin Generals. This baby though?¡± he said pointing to a purple iid ring somehow fitting around his thick sausage-like finger on his right hand, ¡°This I got from the tutorial-wide quest reward. A real sweet piece to add to my fighting style.¡± Drake raised a brow in curiosity. ¡°Hmmm¡­.Why do I have a feeling that your item is better than the one I got?¡± Drake voiced, staring at the item. ¡°Just how it goes bro,¡± Bjornughed. Drake sighed, knowing Bjorn waspletely right, sometimes you just got the short end of the stick. ¡°Anyway¡­. I¡¯m looking for basically anyone with formal martial arts training or military training. Also, I¡¯d like to trade or help out here if I can with the extra skill stones that I have,¡± Drake exined, looking over to Shigure. The teen thought over what Drake wanted for a moment, obviously thinking of several people. ¡°What are you going to offer in return for these people? And what do you need them for? If you wish to spar we have plenty of people that would like to give you a piece of their mind, myself included,¡± Shigure said, his hand moving slowly to his sword. ¡°Look, I know you probably want to reim your honor or something, but I just want to learn proper fighting. Like most people, I was just a normal guy before the tutorial and I have a lot of gaps in my fighting knowledge. As for what I can give? How about some of this,¡± Drake said, beginning to empty a fraction of the gear and stones he had umted over the past weeks he had been fighting. Shigure¡¯s eyes went from pretentious to surprise, then to outward shock. ¡°I knew you had killed many from the final count on the tutorial quest, but this is absurd¡­.¡± Shigure muttered. ¡°And there is more where thates from. Now about those stones I need and those people I want to see?¡± Drake asked, a smug smile inching its way over his face. Shigure nodded. ¡°I have a few people I will ask, but it will be their decision. If you have any alcohol that would be good,¡± ¡°Alcohol? Can¡¯t say I¡¯vee across any¡­ Do you guys have booze?¡± Drake asked looking over to Bjorn. Bjorn shook his head. ¡°I wish I had some. There is one guy in the camp that was a brewer before the tutorial and somehow got a ss for it, but he won¡¯t share it with anyone. Damn shame too, I could use a good whiskey¡­¡± ¡°Why would I need the slick and loose for?¡± Drake asked, turning back to Shigure. ¡°We have a very¡­ particr person who enjoys alcohol. We have had to stop them several times from strangling the brewer for refusing to sell him it. He is an ample fighter but refuses to do much without receiving the substance,¡± Shigure sighed, ¡°If we had him fighting regrly we would have been able to do much more during the quest¡­¡± That''s interesting. You know anything about making booze Natto? Drake thought. ¡°I would be able to tell you roughly how to make rice wine, but unfortunately there is no substance here able to rece rice. You are alone in this endeavor, I am afraid,¡± Natto said regretfully. ¡°I¡¯ll ask about it with everyer, see if we can¡¯t work something out. Now let''s get to eating some food,¡± Drake said, a head popping out of Sherry¡¯s tent. ¡°Food?!¡± she shouted, her hair still having ab in the tangled mess. ¡°Yes food, Bottomless Pit Number Two,¡± Drake sighed, moving past her tent, with Bjorn, Theodore, and Shigure in tow. ¡°Who¡¯s number one?¡± Shigure asked. Drake gave Bjorn and Theodore a look, both chuckling. ¡°Oh you know if you know,¡± Drake said.
Drake went from tent to tent, waking up his group for breakfast. Surprisingly most were already awake or hadn¡¯t slept. Almost all of them had formed the habit of having to stay awake regardless. The endless and random attacks at any time from the goblins over the two weeks had engrained it in them. ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast? Can we help?¡± ire asked, her hair tied to the side of her head in a single-side ponytail. ¡°Is it something new? Stew has been getting a little old..¡± Chelsea said, her double ponytails tied in front of her in a braid as she leaned over the table Drake had pulled out. ¡°This time I¡¯m going to try something a little extra,¡± he said smiling, ¡°I had Hudson make a bit of tinfoil equivalent, so we can make a few cool things now with a bit of slow cooking!¡± Drake said excitedly. He began taking out a few ingredients, some white powder that looked like flour, and a bit of yellow mix that would rece the yeast as far as he knew from Natto¡¯s exnation. And some eggs that had purple shells that he had looted from one of the Goblin General¡¯s bags. Quickly mixing and kneading the mixture he plopped 20 evenly split pieces of dough to the side letting them rise. ¡°Now for the protein,¡± Drake said, taking out thest of the boar that he had stocked. Bjorn looked on expectantly, as Shigure looked on in disbelief. ¡°Is he actually cooking?¡± Shigure asked whispering to Bjorn. ¡°Damn straight. Man¡¯s might be shit at a bunch of things, but he¡¯s a wonder at cooking,¡± Bjorn answered. Drake gave a sarcastic scoff from the table as he sliced the boar intorge roast chunks, cing each into a separate pan that stood on top of several firepits. ¡°That¡¯s some big talking from someone who came in seconddddd,¡± Drake said, elongating the word. Bjorn chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m still the highest level here bro. And don¡¯t forget who lostst time,¡± he smiled back. Drake deted remembering the events after Bjorn had left right after their fight. ¡°Ugh don¡¯t remind me¡­ I¡¯ll have to tell you about what happened while I had your little debuff,¡± Drake said, sh-searing the pieces of boar meat. Bjorn winced slightly. ¡°Oof, yeah sorry about that¡­ Did something bad happen?¡± he asked, looking at Drake work the pans. ¡°Oh, nothing. You know, people getting tortured, meeting a mortal enemy. Nothing I couldn¡¯t handle with a little spit and elbow grease,¡± Drake smirked back, taking the now-seared pieces of meat off the pans. Drake then took out pieces of makeshift foil, as he extinguished one of the fires, using his earth magic to move the coals out enough to stay warm but not lit, then ced the roasts into the foils with some deer fat, and whatever veggies he could manage, tightly bundling them together in the wrapped foil. He then ced the bundles into the coals, erecting a cover of earth above them. Taking another firepit and doing the same, he then wrapped the fresh dough in foil and ced them inside as well. Wiping the non-existent sweat from his brow, he turned over to Shigure and the rest of the group looking on eagerly. ¡°Ok we have about an hour till the bread and meat is done, so how about a little sparring session? It¡¯s why you came along right, Shigure?¡± Shigure jerked at the mention of a spar, but his pride wouldn¡¯t let him back down. ¡°I-if it is what you wish for, I shall abide. Experience is a growing warrior¡¯s most treasured ally,¡± he said shakily. ¡°Good! Then let''s get to it!¡± Both the men moved to a clearing beyond the tents as everyone but Sherry looked on. At the sound to start both instantly moved into action. But Drake was not trying to be shy this time around and quickly KO¡¯d Shigure, knocking him unconscious. ¡°Jacqueline! Clean up aisle two!¡± Drake shouted. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirteen: Curiosity killed the Cat. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirteen: Curiosity killed the Cat. ¡°Come on¡­ It isn¡¯t even noon yet and you''re giving up?¡± Drake said, looming over Shigure as he sat on his haunches next to the teen. ¡°I-i can¡¯t breathe! L-let me rest!¡± Shigure panted. ¡°What¡¯s there to rest for? We have Jacqueline, she will fix you right up no problem, right Jacqueline?¡± Drake said looking over his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, whatever gov. Oh Chelsea, pass some more of that bread, it''s bloody spectacr!¡± she said, chewing on a bite of meat. ¡°Noo! You already ate yours! This is mine!¡± Chelsea spat, pulling her loaf away from her reaching arm. Drake shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever see that vile woman ever again¡­¡± Shigure murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll have nightmares of being healed over and over again for weeks¡­¡± ¡°Aw, don''t sweat it. A good man goes through pain and trauma as they say, right? What better ce than here where you have your good buddies and an above-average-looking woman to heal you?¡± Drake said, moving his mask over to show his bright totally not menacing smile. ¡°Who¡¯s my buddy?! Is this really just because I made fun of your stupid cartoons?! You¡¯re just like Sato!¡± Shigure replied, barely able to lift his head to re at Drake. ¡°What?¡± Drake said, moving his eyes to avoid Shigure¡¯s eye contact, ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t¡­ I just want to help you learn how to fight against someone like me.¡± ¡°I hate you,¡± Shigure spat, his head thumping back to the ground. ¡°Ok looks like he''s kaput,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°How about we give it a go then Bear? It¡¯s been a whole two weeks since we sparred, what do you say?¡± he asked looking up to Bjorn who was also finishing his food at the table with the others. Bjorn polished off his roast boar before answering, giving his mouth a wipe. ¡°I¡¯d rather not. I¡¯m trying to get away from proving people right that I¡¯m a big scary guy remember?¡± Bjorn said, eyeing another loaf of bread and chuck boar roast. ¡°I don¡¯t think we get to really decide that anymore with how things are Bear. You were the one that told me I had to be more, and I think you need to hear the same. If anyone has the right to do more and be more for people. It¡¯s you, my friend. I wouldn¡¯t have gone as far as I did for the people that were taken by the Goblins if it wasn¡¯t for your little promise and now after everything I think it¡¯s time for you to step up just like you made me step up,¡± Drake said reluctantly. Bjorn sighed, as he stood up from the table, many of the eyes at it following him as he did. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to stay away from fighting for so long, and this tutorial keeps throwing me into situations without any other options. Maybe I should consider just embracing it¡­ I am pretty good at it, beat the shit out of you after all,¡± he smiled but his expression turned mncholy, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just in me. I think we need to talk anyway. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you¡¯ve been avoiding exining what¡¯s happened with you.¡± Drake turned trying not to meet the big man¡¯s gaze. ¡°Fine, but only after I get to knock you around a bit. You know, for old time''s sake,¡± Drake said reluctantly but grinned back nheless. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Bjorn waved, shouldering his enormous sword, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Shigure shouted from his lying position, ¡°I would like to ask if we may spectate your fight? It would be a great learning experience to see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, most people have seen what I can do by now, not that they can really figure out what exactly I¡¯m doing so I don¡¯t mind,¡± Drake said, agreeing. ¡°Yeah, should be a good show if Shot here does anything likest time,¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°I had a bone to pick then¡­ I¡¯ve matured since then,¡± Drake said, earning him a loud guffaw from his group at the table, ¡°Ok,¡± he coughed, ¡°I¡¯ve matured a little bit.¡± ¡°Only one way to find out, so let''s get this done,¡± Bjorn insisted. ¡°Then I will gather some of the people from the coalition to observe. Uta?¡± Shigure said to no one in particr. The construct materialized next to him in a wisp of inky ck smoke her arms pressed in greeting as she knelt on one leg. ¡°Yes, Lord Shigure?¡± she asked. ¡°Will you please go grab the heads of the coalition for me, and allow them to bring anyone they wish to observe the fight between Sir Bear and Shot,¡± he directed. ¡°By your will,¡± she bowed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Drake looked over to Theodore, ¡°Why can¡¯t you do that?¡± ¡°My Lord, this one is a Dark Magician, one of the gentleman arts. This one doth not wisp in a charade of smoke, this one melds, and quite eloquently at that,¡± Theodore said, putting a piece of boar to his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s fair. But maybe adding some ir to it will give you some variation Theo? Could give you a more dramatic and knightly feel if you came when the surroundings darkened and all that?¡± Drake offered, crossing his arms in thought. ¡°This one will consider it My Lord.¡± ¡°Shot,¡± Bjorn said, nudging him with his heavily armored elbow. ¡°Ow, what?¡± Drake answered. ¡°We got some time now bro, here. Lend me your ear for a bit before we start I need some advice from the little voice in your head,¡± Bjorn said, thumbing a bit away from the rest of the group, and holding his hand up to stop Shigure and the rest of them from following for the moment. ¡°Sorry peeps, private meeting before the fight,¡± Bjorn said smiling.
Bjorn and Drake moved away from the group, taking a few minutes to distance themselves, not wanting to risk being in earshot of someone that may have increased hearing. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal? You¡¯re usually more open and straight with me Bjorn,¡± Drake said, his brow raised. ¡°I need to speak to Natto about something that¡¯s been going on¡­¡± Bjorn offered, getting to the point. Drake nodded, and a small pink construct materialized on Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I am against helping this oaf after what has happened previously,¡± Natto said, tilting her nose up. ¡°Come on Natto, he¡¯sing to us for help. Least we can do is hear him out,¡± Drake said, trying his best to help be diplomatic. Natto simply huffed and kept her head turned and tilted upwards in defiance. Drake smiled gently and turned to give Bjorn a nod. ¡°Thanks,¡± Bjorn said, ¡°Let me get straight to it before we get interrupted like always. I¡¯ve been having some strange dreams since I finished using my skill stones. I have some of the highest rarity stones, and let me tell you they were not fun to use,¡± Bjorn began, Natto¡¯s head turning slightly at the mention of skill stones, her interest piqued. Bjorn continued, ¡°They started out right after we fought. I just finished using them and was practicing. After the initial use and dealing with the power increase, it was going well. Then a few nights after I started getting weird dreams, almost lucid visions of a forest.¡± Drake looked around, trying to hide his smile as he ced his eyes on the surrounding forest. ¡°No, I thought the same when I first saw it, but this forest is different. The trees reach the sky, literally. There is a mist about the ground that never leaves¡­ There¡­ were giants in the mist. Eventually going through the forest in some sort of.. The only way I can exin it is another body, I came to a mountain. Tallest thing I¡¯ve ever seen, bro. It¡¯s snowy peaks surrounded by clouds and monsters I¡¯ve never seen.¡± Drake whistled, ¡°That¡¯s a pretty crazy dream alright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the end bro¡­ The mountain. It moved.¡± ¡°Drake,¡± Natto said her face now ring at Bjorn more than she ever had. Drake turned to her his eyebrow cocked in confusion. ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked. ¡°Do not fight him,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kill him.¡± Drake¡¯s face contorted in anger, but he reeled it in a momentter. ¡°Why?¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°He can not be allowed to reach E-Rank.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Drake questioned. ¡°This oaf has consumed more than one Legendary Stone. Or he was not born human,¡± Natto said tly. Drake¡¯s head snapped to Bjorn in surprise. Bjorn¡¯s face was even but his eyes showed his confusion and his mind working in the background. ¡°Those visions or dreams as he calls them are his psyche changing. They will get stronger the closer he gets to reaching level 30 and finishing his Rank Up Quest,¡± Natto exined, not taking her eyes from Bjorn. ¡°Wait, wait, how do you know that? Aren¡¯t you limited to things within F-Rank at the moment?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Legendary Stones can be used in F-Rank, you idiot! Of course, I know how they would affect someone. Do you remember how your Epic and Rare stones changed you? Legendary Stones are of a different dimension entirely. How he has not gone mad is beyond me, his mental fortitude is impressive, I will concede that at least. But if he is allowed to change into what I suspect. You and your will regret it,¡± Natto said growling thest few words, the hair on her tail and ears standing on end. ¡°What is he going to turn into that¡¯s going to be so scary? I¡¯m sure we ca-¡± Drake said trying to reason with her. ¡°You can not! They are worse than what we are already suspected of dealing with now! Do you wish to add to the problems we already have to face?! The race he is going to turn into, care not for friendship, nor worldly desires. They only respect and vie for power and destruction. They are the consumers of worlds, the destroyers of universes, they ar-¡± ¡°Titans,¡± Bjorn said, finishing Natto¡¯s sentence. ¡°Wait like mythology Titans?¡± Drake asked, bing more and more confused. ¡°No. These are not like the Titans of your lore from Earth. Although some of their race are seen as such. These are world-enders, massive beings of power, destruction, and endless hunger. You know of the gods from mythology I assume? Or at least the basic ones from history,¡± Natto asked. ¡°Yeah, of course, I¡¯ve seen enough movies and anime to remember a few at least,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Those are what these Titans are meant to depict. Those Gods as you have known them were no mere small men and women. They are enormous containers of Mana and they only wish to consume to grow. They continue to roam until they have been killed or continue to eat as they have grown to a point they can not be stopped. There is no in-between,¡± Natto said. Drake turned to look back at Bjorn. ¡°Him? Do that? You have to be joking Natto, he barely wants to fight let alone see entire worlds blown to bits. Right, Bjorn?¡± Drake asked, but Bjorn stayed silent in contemtion. ¡°Bjorn..¡± Drake muttered in concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know if what she is saying is true, but¡­ I have been slipping,¡± Bjorn conceded. ¡°Slipping?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I used to abhor violence bro. I would only fight when I was forced into a corner or needed to defend myself or others. Now.. I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s different. I¡¯m looking for it. And not in a good way. I may have said I didn¡¯t want to fight, but honestly, I was looking forward to it when you asked,¡± Bjorn said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°That¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? We are all in a situation now where we need that strength, that drive to get stronger and be able to protect what we hold dear, right?¡± Drake said, trying to offer him a leg to stand on. Bjorn shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that, Drake. My parents passed away shortly before the tutorial started up. I only had my dog and some very distant friends where I lived. Sure the townsfolk warmed up to me, but we weren¡¯t friends. I have no girlfriend because, well, I think they¡¯re a pain in the ass, and honestly I haven¡¯t found one I liked more than for a few minutes. No kids or siblings to speak of. I try my best to be giving and that¡¯s what I strived to do when the tutorial happened and I got on my own two feet,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°If what the little Miss said is right. You''re going to have to kill me.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Fourteen: I refuse. Chapter One-Hundred and Fourteen: I refuse. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Natto said. Why would I agree to something as stupid as killing you before you¡¯ve even done anything?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Drake! This is not the sameughing matter as what we have dealt with before! This is a Primordial Race that even the strongest races are afraid of. Their entire lineage has had to be kept in check since the dawning of before the fall of the first system!¡± Natto pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± Drake said, ¡°Is he doing anything now? Is Bjorn a threat now?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He is a potential threat that could end your universe before you are ever able to go forward! Yes, he is a threat!¡± ¡°That¡¯ster, I mean right now, in this moment. Is my friend, the person who saved me. Is he a danger to me, my friends and family?¡± Drake asked again. ¡°No¡­ But! He certainly will be! His future race are known as world enders, they devour entire systems!¡± she shouted. ¡°Then,¡± Drake smiled, looking back at Bjorn in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll just have to get strong enough to keep him in check. I¡¯ve already had more than enough reason to reach the top, to stay strong and be stronger. This is just one more thing lighting a fire under my ass to keep going!¡± Drakeughed, his smile widening as he spread his arms, Natto nearly losing bnce and falling off, ¡°Bjorn! I refuse!¡± ¡°Drake.. I don¡¯t think you can even stop me now, how are you going to stop me when I¡¯m some super monster who wants to eat and kill everything bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Shaddup! I¡¯ll figure it out! And who says I can¡¯t fucking stop your big red-pubed ass! Are you going to make me go all out again to prove you wrong?¡± Drake sneered. Bjorn¡¯s eyes thinned. ¡°This is serious Drake. And no, this time is different. I have better control over my skills than before, and I¡¯m leagues ahead of you in levels and stats. I have an Epic Ranked ss as well. There is no stopping me now, what hope do you haveter,¡± Bjorn said with his eyes serious. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re the only one with a special ss. When west fought I hadn¡¯t even had a chance to practice my skills. I won¡¯t be so easy to beat this time around. I¡¯m willing to bet my life on saving yours. Let me do it you stubborn asshole,¡± Drake spat. ¡°I can¡¯t let you risk your life for me man. It isn¡¯t right¡­ We¡¯re friends but how do you think it would feel knowing I put that all on your shoulders? What if the worst happens? I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with mysel-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care! I¡¯ll take it all. All the responsibility, all of the weight. I¡¯m still learning, and muddling through bing a better person. But you started it Bjorn, you made me take the step forward after I thought I had no chance and was stuck wallowing in self-pity. You¡¯re the second person to save my life with words alone. So shut the fuck up already,¡± Drake smiled, throwing his fist into Bjorn¡¯s chest, ¡°And let me save you for once.¡± Bjorn sighed. ¡°And you call me the stubborn bastard? You¡¯re like a child,¡± Bjorn conceded, a smile creasing his face. ¡°I am what I ea- Wait no, I¡¯m just a kid when it suits me. And not listening to things I don¡¯t want to hear suits me just fine when ites to those important to me. You¡¯re stuck with me now man. For life. This is our Naruto Sasuke moment,¡± Drake said giving a big grin. ¡°I do not understand why you will not listen to me¡­ I was quite literally made to help advise you of things of this nature¡­.¡± Nato said, slumping down into a sitting position on Drake¡¯s shoulder, her head in her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry you¡¯ll get used to it Natto. We only have thousands of years together,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Do not remind me! Thousands of years listening to pointless and awful references! Please! Take me now!¡± she pleaded to the sky. ¡°No one ising to save you,¡± Drake said in a deep voice, then breaking out in a chuckle. Bjorn shook his head. ¡°How did I end up enabling such a moron? And who the hell is Naruto?¡± he asked. Drake recoiled. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious? You know Vash but you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t know him? I take it back, you might be a lost cause¡­.¡± Drake said deting. ¡°Please¡­ leave me with the yappy ones at the food table¡­ I care not for this nonsense anymore¡­.¡± Natto asked. ¡°You know we can¡¯t do that, but I¡¯ll tell you what, I¡¯ll have ire bring you to a tent to eat. I snagged some of the finished food for you anyway,¡± Drake answered, Natto¡¯s eyes brimming to life, nodding vigorously. Bjorn gave a bellyugh, ¡°Are you sure you two aren¡¯t rted? You act more like siblings than any I¡¯ve ever seen bro.¡± ¡°I mean technically?¡± Drake said, wincing slightly. ¡°Oh? Wait really, dude?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a weird system thing. Maybe I¡¯ll exin itter.. Anyway, let''s get back. There¡¯s a crowd forming over there, and I¡¯m getting a hole drilled into the back of my head from someone with a long vision skill of some sort,¡± Drake exined. ¡°You can tell that from here?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yeah, my mana perception has gone up a bit since I started getting ustomed to my skills. You telling me you can¡¯t Mr. Legendary Skills?¡± Drake countered. ¡°Never said that,¡± Bjorn smiled, walking back with Drake to the group. ¡°Hope you aren¡¯t lying for your sake. Or I¡¯m going to knock the snot out of you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. We¡¯ll see¡­¡± Bjorn answered, his voice trailing off a bit.
¡°You guys hug it out?¡± Jacqueline asked, her face smirking. ¡°Yeah, you jealous sweetie?¡± Drake asked, smiling back. ¡°W-who¡¯s fucking jealous!? Bloody wanker!¡± she spat. ¡°I think you have a thing for me, Jacqueline. But I already said I don¡¯t like aged wine,¡± Drake jabbed again. ¡°I¡¯m 26! You fucking dumb asshole!¡± she growled. Drake shrugged, turning back to the growing group and Shigure. ¡°So who did we sell tickets to?¡± Drake asked. Shigure raised a brow confused, taking a moment to understand what Drake meant. ¡°We have gathered all of the Leaders of the Coalition, some of them were absent when we¡­ fought¡­¡± Shigure said. ¡°You mean when I kicked your shit in?¡± Drake smiled. Shigure grit his teeth, but held his tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so insulting to the boy Mr. Shot. You should know better,¡± Harley said, waving her finger at him. Drake shirked backward slightly, a nervous grin on his face. ¡°Yes mam¡¯, I¡¯ll tone it back a bit. Just trying to haze him a little, you know how it is,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s just how he is Harley. We all know he¡¯s an asshole, it''s like his key character trait,¡± Chelsea said, chiming in. ¡°I don¡¯t deny it,¡± Drake shrugged, looking around at the faces present. He spotted most of his group save Hudson and Sherry. Drake also saw some faces that weren¡¯t here yesterday. Megan and Julia had turned up surprisingly. Amongst the crowd there were many he didn¡¯t know, he also saw the exchanging of skill stones and monster cores in the background. Oh, people are taking bets? Maybe we should get in on that¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Your first priority should be my meal! Have the zappy zappy girl feed me, be quick about it!¡± Natto grumbled. Alright, alright. ¡°ire, can I see you in my tent for a moment?¡± Drake asked, the woman¡¯s face lighting up but slightly confused. ¡°U-um sure?¡± she answered walking with him to the tent. Entering quickly, Natto also appeared on Drake¡¯s shoulder. ire¡¯s expression quickly deted. ¡°Really!? Again!? I¡¯m not a babysitter Drake!¡± ire shouted, ¡°I wanted to see the fight just like everyone else!¡± Drake put up his hands cidly. ¡°I know. I know, but I need someone to watch Natto, and you¡¯re one of the only people she doesn''t seem to be annoyed with,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just do it! I¡¯m not her keeper¡­¡± she frowned. ¡°Can you just do this for me? Look I¡¯ve been thinking about who cane with us when I go to take down the nest. And I think Bear mighte, so that means I can take more people. Just let her eat like she normally does and I¡¯ll let you tag along alright?¡± Drake offered. ¡°Promise¡­?¡± ire asked, still huffy. Drake nodded, cing the food out for Natto, her eyes drilling into him expectantly. ¡°Fine¡­¡± ire said reluctantly, ¡°But! You need to get Chelsea in here too, it isn¡¯t fair if she gets to watch and I don¡¯t.¡± Really¡­? Why are women sopetitive over this kind of thing? Drake sighed. ¡°Alright, fine. Then just watch her and make sure no onees in alright?¡± Drake asked once more. ire nodded satisfied, her hand going for a piece of bread, but was quickly stopped by a knifending inches from her hand. Drakeughed as he exited the tent. ¡°Chelsea, ire wants to speak to you,¡± he lied. Chelsea¡¯s ears perked up, but her brows showed her confusion. ¡°About what?¡± she asked, ¡°The fight is just about to start.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know something about settling the score or something,¡± Drake fibbed again, walking past her and to the crowd. Chelsea looked at him skeptically then nodded moving to the tent. Drake let out a breath. Now that that is over¡­ ¡°Now then,¡± Drake said addressing the crowd, ¡°Are you normies ready for a little shock and awe!¡± Drake roared. ¡°Who are you calling a normie, Raijuu me!¡± a person screamed from the crowd, his sses reflecting the sheen of the pristine silver gun he held in his hands. Drake¡¯s eyes widened at the familiar ng, surprised it was used against him. ¡°Sato, will you please shut up for once..¡± Shigure said, his head in his hand. ¡°How dare you call me a normie!¡± Drake said, hurt. ¡°You just put two gorgeous women into your tent. Of course, you''re a raijuu!¡± Sato spat. Well, when he puts it that way¡­. I wonder what he would say if he knew I turned them both down. Drake sighed,ughing at the thought. ¡°Is this another one of the Coalition Leaders?¡± Drake asked curiously, eyeing the gun. ¡°No.. this is my childhood friend, Sato,¡± Shigure said, showing a bit of embarrassment. ¡°I told you it¡¯s xXxGunLover69xXx! Why are you ruining my immersion Kenzo!?¡± Sato cried. ¡°Well so much for an alias..¡± Drake mumbled inspecting the teen. [xXxGunLover69xXx Level 18] Oh, he''s actually pretty high up there. Drake thought surprised. ¡°Say Sato, what can you trade me for these?¡± Drake said pulling out the guns he was still saving from the Cowboy Kobold, ¡±Look like a certain someone¡¯s gun don¡¯t they?¡± Drake smiled. The teen¡¯s eyes bloomed wide as he spotted the steampunk guns. ¡°It¡¯s Jinx¡¯s pistol! And two of them!? My Lord, I will do anything for them!¡± Sato said, his attitude taking a full 180. ¡°Ah¡­ Otaku are so easily swayed,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Show me your wares junior.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been collecting many stones, but I can see I was mistaken about you, good sir¡­ If my guess is correct. You know what,¡± Sato said, slipping a ying card from his pocket, and showing it to Drake, ¡°This! Is?!¡± Drake¡¯s hand shook as he looked at the card, for the first time in a long time he dropped to his knees. ¡°Where did you get this?!¡± Drake whispered. ¡°I know a guy, and won it off him in a match!¡± Sato said proudly, ¡°Well what do you say?¡± Drake jumped at the card, dropping the pistols at his feet. ¡°Done!¡± Drake shouted looking at the card. [Trading Card Illustration: The Dazzling Tyrant] [Rare]
  • Limited Edition Trading card made by the Artist. Only five copies were made.
  • The card depicts the Grand Tyrant within the forest in all his glory and is a sought-after collectible for all traders.
  • First Limited Edition Card of the Dazzling Tyrant Series. One of Five.
Bjorn looked on, finally forced to say something. ¡°Hey are we fighting or can I go back to eating?¡± ¡°IN A MINUTE!!¡± Drake howled. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifteen: Shock and Awe. Bjorn vs Drake Rematch. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifteen: Shock and Awe. Bjorn vs Drake Rematch. Drake coughed embarrassedly. ¡°My bad I didn¡¯t mean to get so caught up about that collectible¡­ I just couldn¡¯t help asking, seeing how cultured your friend Sato was,¡± Drake said. ¡°Cultured? He is the least cultured person here,¡± Shigure spat, his eyes frowning, ¡°I wish he would grow up! We¡¯ve almost died many times and all he does is make stupid anime references!¡± Drake coughed again. Oh, I¡¯m going to piss this guy off for sure¡­ He thought. ¡°Grow up? Kenzo, I''m a year older than you!¡± Sato snapped back. ¡°Yes, but mentally you are several years behind! How many times must I tell you those cartoons do not apply to the real world!¡± Shigure shouted. Drake coughed. If only this guy knew¡­ I¡¯ve been using those shows as a basis for everything in this tutorial. If it wasn¡¯t for them I might have died several times over¡­ Not to mention almost all of my spells are a reference to one show, manga, light novel or another. Drake thought,ughing to himself. ¡°Then,¡± Drake said, looking at Shigure and Sato, ¡°How do you exin me kicking the shit out of you?¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Shigure spat, unsure of Drake¡¯s meaning. ¡°Everything I hit you with is from a show or game I¡¯ve experienced. Yet you seem to think they were useless,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°W-what?¡± Sato smiled triumphantly next to Shigure. ¡°What I think you are failing to realize is that everything is a means of growing stronger and maturing. You¡¯re dismissing something Sato and I feel passionate about on the basis of some preconception or other,¡± Drake said shaking his head dramatically, ¡°That¡¯s going to be fatal in this new world. Your construct,¡± Drake continued, thumbing behind him, ¡°That is going into my tent right now, should have told you.¡± Shigure winced. His face then contorted into knowing as he realized Drake had some sort of perception ability. ¡°We are not the only ones this system has uprooted and thrown into the blender. You think our old world was a melting pot of diversity? You should know that it pales inparison to the myriad of races we will have once we leave this ce. And shutting out what is going to be a sh of times, cultures, and more importantly people is going to hurt you and the people you lead. I¡¯m not saying that you have to like anime and the like, but understanding things you hate to solidify your position on it is vital to a good foundation of tolerance and mutual respect,¡± Drake exined, taking a breath from his long-winded speech. I really need to cut back on the preaching¡­. ¡°Not to mention, those shows are great. I mean have you even watched yerS? That alone would help you live through half the shit in this tutorial. And don¡¯t get me started on that dude that ys Goblins. Chef¡¯s kiss my man,¡± Drake said while making the gesture. Shigure was so taken by surprise by the sermon that he stayed silent, essentially conceding the point. His eyes showed that his mind was turning as it consumed the words. Drake was somewhat surprised that the teen didn¡¯t argue more, honestly thinking that he would be adamant as most younger people are with their beliefs. But it seemed that the multiple beatings Drake had dished out had at least opened the kid''s mind. Figuratively speaking. Drake turned to the crowd, many of them scowling back at him. Ignoring them, Drake¡¯s eyes fell on Megan and Julia. ¡°I¡¯m pleasantly surprised to see you both again. Even if one of you seems to disdain me,¡± Drake chuckled, walking over to the pair, ignoring the other scowling faces. ¡°Hello again, Lord Shot,¡± Julia said, giving a small bow. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think of doing such a thing, Lord Shot,¡± Julia said again, a smile on her face. Drake sighed, looking over to Megan who was eerily silentpared to Julia, her face scrunched in a mix of frustrated emotions. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal? You two came to watch the fight as well? Pretty sure you¡¯ve both seen what I can do,¡± Drake said, leaning on one leg. ¡°I was unconscious. And no, I would like to extend my gratitude again and ask to join your inner circle. I know my skills will be of use,¡± Julia said evenly, then nudged Megan with her elbow. ¡°I-i¡­ I¡¯d also like to offer my service¡­ I have been missing my friends. And I-¡± Megan looked downward, before continuing, ¡°I know I¡¯ve been giving you a hard time. On the way here, you saved me, saved us again. And I¡¯ve talked to Chels, Jacky, even Tom more while we traveled¡­. I want to see with my own two eyes who you are. If you really are just a cold-hearted killer with a gentle face like¡­ Chris¡­ or if you are the savior they all make you out to be,¡± Megan said finishing, her eyes still on the ground. ¡°Hey Megan,¡± Drake said, ¡°My eyes are up here,¡± he scoffed, waiting for the woman to face him. She stared back at him shakily, her eyes darting back and forth but Drake stayed silent until she was able to keep rtive eye contact. ¡°When you ask for a favor, you need to look the person in the eye and be sincere. The eye is the window to the soul, and if you can¡¯t even look me in them, how will I ever be able to trust you,¡± Drake said, then waiting for her response. Megan was slightly shaken but, apparently determined as she stared back her eyes tearing slightly as she did. ¡°I am asking to join your party like the rest. I want to learn more about you to make my own decision if I should leave my friends to you!¡± she said, her voice growing to a shout. Drake smiled, impressed by the boom of her voice. ¡°Nope! No can do, all full up,¡± Drake sneered back. Both women looked at him in disbelief, their mouths hanging open wide. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have room?!¡± Both yelled. Drakeughed then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m only kidding, sure, both of you cane with us. We could always use more support sses,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole!¡± Megan snapped, Julia on the other hand,ughed with Drake. ¡°I think I will enjoy being in this group. Always keeping me on my toes, it feels like home,¡± she said. ¡°We can talk about the detailster. Right now I need to put on a show. It was good talking to you two, and I¡¯m thankful for your straightforwardness. Wee aboard Team Shot,¡± he smiled. ¡°I¡¯m never saying I¡¯m a part of a team named that¡­.¡± Megan mumbled, crossing her arms. Drake scoffed and walked past them, making his way to the other star of the show. ¡°Sorry for the wait man, crazy how much you get pulled left and right with knowing people,¡± Drake said, apologizing to Bjorn. ¡°All good bro, I¡¯m used to having it happen. Forget I was a CEO? Sometimes you need to have meetings when you don¡¯t have time,¡± Bjorn replied nonchntly with a wave of his unarmored hand, ¡°Then, should we get started? I¡¯ll clear some space,¡± Bjorn smiled, pulling his sword from his back. Bjorn walked from the congregation of people finding a rtively open area for him to swing his sword in a manner that made it seem as if it took no effort despite the size of the weapon. And with the swing, he felled trees enough to open up the forest in front of him. ¡°Jeez, who are you, frigging Scandinavian Cell?¡± Drake said, giving a brief whistle. ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is,¡± Bjorn said, cocking an eyebrow. ¡°Alright that''s it,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Everyone is going to have to go through anime rehabilitation when we get back to earth, I¡¯ve had enough of people not getting my references. You are all so uncultured and deprived¡­.¡± ¡°I got that one!¡± Sato screamed from behind them. Drake gave Sato a thumbs up. ¡°At least there''s one real one among us,¡± Drake scoffed. Bjorn turned pointing his sword tip at Drake with one hand. ¡°Should we get started then? Lord, Shot?¡± Bjorn smirked. Drake¡¯s eyes lit up with eagerness, as they shed through his ocr skills. ¡°Marked. I¡¯m more than ready,¡± Drake replied, his stance going low as he snapped his freshly returned right hand, summoning bolts of lightning to either side of him, ¡°Don¡¯t think this is going to go the same way asst time! Bear!¡± he roared, another snap of his fingers hurtling the Lightning Bolts forward as they trained right on Bjorn. The bolts screeched forward towards Bjorn. But Bjorn only smirked as he stood in the open area he had created. Drake didn¡¯t wait for the impact. The bolts now blocking Bjorn¡¯s vision of Drake, he shot to the side, snapping his fingers once again. His Tattoo Rings slipping into his inventory as he summoned his Morning Glory Staff. Bjorn¡¯s eyes somehow tracked Drake, as Drake came into view around the bolts of lightning on his left side. Again with his nuts perception. But he isn¡¯t the only one who can see through things! Drake roared internally. The bolts of lightning finally met with Bjorn, but unexpectedly Bjorn, dodged one of the two, his free hand stopping the other bolt in its tracks as he gripped it like it was a twig of electricity. Bjorn then crushed the bolt in his hands, the lightning mana dissipating into the air as he kept his eyes fixed on Drake. Drake skidded to a stop, pointing his staff at Bjorn now. ¡°The halls of the underworld wee you! Cocytus!¡± Drake roared, a white magic circle forming below his feet. With his spell, the increased magic flourished. The magic circle spread to epass the surroundings, moving far enough to bring itself under Bjorn. Suddenly erecting a massive door of ice, flecks of purple-tinted ice adorning the inside. Drake roared as he smiled behind his mask, his free hand raised high in the air, ¡°Shut the Gate!¡± Instantly the door mmed shut, like an Iron Maiden around Bjorn. The thunderous boom silencing the surroundings. ¡°W-what¡­? Is Bear¡­¡± someone murmured from the crowd. Drake remained vignt through the crowd''smotion, as he received no notification, and knew his friend better than that. Just a warm-up huh? He thought, feeling the spell struggle to hold together around Bjorn. The next moment Drake felt something bubbling behind the closed door, sending a shiver down his spine. Quickly snapping his fingers he summoned lighting, switching his Endowment, and bolted from the spot he was just standing on throwing his staff into the air as it vanished into his inventory. Two rings materialized in front of him, that he quickly threw his fingers into, the tattoos ring to life on his arm as the brilliant yellow cascaded over them apanied by the deepening blue of the mana being infused. A split second after Drake¡¯s foot left the position, a dark de of mana erupted from the door of ice, rending the ground he was just standing on apart, a gaping valley now there. The Ice spell fell apart, as it fell in shards of shimmering splinters reflecting the light of the morning, a mist of both dust and cold snow covering the man inside as he stood in waiting for Drake¡¯s next move. ¡°I thought I told you how I felt about your gimmicks, Shot,¡± Bjorn said evenly, his eyes ring white in the shadows of the falling ice. Drake smiled wider hearing the familiar statement. ¡°And I thought I told you my inspiration is anything but!¡± he roared back, ¡°And I¡¯ll prove it! Those inspirations will be your salvation Bear!¡± Drake threw his hand forward. ¡°Heretical Symphony of Elements!¡± Drake yelled,manding his every spell to be used, all 11 instances, his Proficiency 3 Multiplicative skill shining. Drake didn¡¯t finish with just that as he changed his defensive skills, ready to enter a brawl as well. ¡°I am the shield! I am the rampart! Bulwark! I am the wall on which my enemies billow! Unbreakable!¡± The green sheen of the skills covered Drake in a cloak of security. ¡°He¡¯s using defensive skills?! Isn¡¯t he a mage!?¡± someone roared over the grounds. ¡°How can he summon that many spells?! That isn¡¯t possible!¡± another added. Drake ignored the shouts andintsing from the peanut gallery as he trained his eyes on the red outline of Bjorn within the smoke of ice and dust that his Weak Point Skill helped him both faintly see and feel. ¡°On blessed wings! Guardians Reprieve!¡± Drake shouted finishing his defensive skills and roaring forward with the help of his Wind and Fire spells in tandem to increase his speed, reaching Bjorn in an instant with his first outstretched. Drake¡¯s first was covered both in the blue of his imbued mana and the red of his Martial skill as it careened forward towards Bjorn¡¯s face, the ice around them falling in chunks and crashing like a falling building. But once again Bjorn''s tenacity and perception showed, as in thest moment a metal-gloved hand stopped Drake¡¯s. The booming sound and force of the impact shattering the ice around them blowing the remains of the enormous Ice Door apart and sending pieces flying outward. Drake clicked his tongue. He has one hell of a reaction time. But what about this! Drake roared internally, using the rest of his spells. Drake moved his lightning behind Bjorn to his blind spot as he continued to throw straight after straight at Bjorn¡¯s head. Bjorn effortlessly blocked each punch with his free hand. Is he getting faster?! Drake began imbuing more and more mana into his tattoos, their blue glow deepening as it started to overtake the red of his Martial skill. His bolt of lightning took its chance now that Bjorn was distracted, and thrusted itself forward, but Bjorn somehow again knew that it wasing, moving his sword to deflect the spell, ricocheting off it and impaling the ground in a red-hot molten hole. Bjorn smiled back at Drake. Drake cursed but didn¡¯t give up, continuing to channel his mana into his spells he began bombarding Bjorn with the elements at his disposal. Spears of lightning, water, fire, earth, magma, and wind began shooting forward in every direction, but to no avail, Drake could notnd a single blow. What the fuck is this?! Is he omniscient?! I can¡¯t even scratch him this time around. Drake continued his assault as Bjorn remained calm, deflecting each of the spells with hisrge ymore, his movements so precise and casual he made the de seem weightless. Bjorn had apparently had enough as he finally went on the offensive, using arge sweeping movement, he cut right through the spell circles, surprising Drake. ¡°Who are you fucking Asta!?¡± Drake spat, pushing backward just moments before the de struck him. ¡°Always with the random references,¡± Bjorn smirked, holding his de¡¯s tip at Drake, ¡°The sword itself isn¡¯t doing it, it just happens to be a part of one of my skills,¡± Bjorn said, refusing to move. ¡°Just likest time you aren¡¯t going to move unless I make you huh?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°You couldn¡¯t make me even if you wanted to this time. The skill has improved well beyond what you have seen, and I¡¯ve reached a threshold when I reached the max proficiency in some of my skills,¡± Bjornughed, ¡°Let me show you.¡± The mana surrounding Bjorn¡¯s body began to shift, taking on a dark hue as he raised his sword to the heavens. ¡°The world has bore witness to my absolute power.¡± Bjorn muttered, the density of the ck mana spiking, his sword bing pitch ck, ¡°Rend the skies! Heaven Splitting de!¡± Bjorn shouted, his sword lowering with such speed Drake was almost unable to move out of the way in time. Using his spells he had no time for his charade of fake casting. Immediately he used his fire and wind to propel him to the side, part of his robes caught in the de¡¯s mana-infused swing. Drake shot to the side, colliding with the ground as he rolled across it, eventually finding himself upright and looking at the destruction wrought by Bjorn''s strike. He looked at his smoldering robe, part of it erased, singed by the swing. It was still usable but almost half of it had been destroyed. Looking to the ground, he saw what was now a chasm separating him from the camp. And from the expressions he saw from the spectators, they had no idea Bjorn was capable of it. ¡°Well, you ruined my favorite robes¡­¡± Drake muttered. ¡°Happens,¡± Bjorn said, resting his sword on his shoulder. Drake frowned. ¡°Well since we¡¯re going all out here. Allow me to oblige!¡± Drake roared as he stood to his feet, his hand arcing in front of him as seven magic circles formed for his elements. Then two more yellow magic circles formed on either side of him, as they began to slowly deepen into a wondrous violet color. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Septenarius!¡± Drake cried, the seven elements vanishing as his hair and tattoos began to shift in color into a glorious cascading show of the elements. Bjorn looked taken aback at the disy. ¡°You can do them all at once? That¡¯s new bro.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. This might have been meant to only be a spar, but apparently, I need to show you just how far I¡¯vee,¡± Drake smirked, his body glowing in the shifting colors of his elements. ¡°Asura! Duo!¡± Drake howled, his two lightning spells embedding themselves into his back just above his shoulders, turning into two additional arms as they mmed together, sparks crackling from the impact as the sound of thunder cracked through the surroundings. ¡°And for the finale! You¡¯re the first who gets to see it firsthand, Bear!¡± Drake shouted across the field a primal smile creasing his face under his mask, his eyes turning to points as he reveled in the battle. Drake pped his hands together and when they separated two white burning balls of fire formed in the palms of his hands. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire!¡± Drake crushed the mes in his hands, as they leaked from his hands and spiraled up his arms forming breathing gauntlets of mes around his tattoos. ¡°I¡¯ming at you full force! No backing down, I¡¯ll prove I can keep my word my friend. I won¡¯t let you be the monster. Even if I have to be one myself to stop you!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Sixteen: Friendship always Prevails. Bjorn vs Drake P2 Chapter One-Hundred and Sixteen: Friendship always Prevails. Bjorn vs Drake P2 Drake surged forward, his speed allowing him to close the gap between him and Bjorn in an instant. Thebination of all of his Endowments doubled his stats in some aspects. Moving quickly to Bjorn¡¯s blind spot, he threw his fist forward aiming for his right side, exactly where his liver was. Drake¡¯s me and lightning-fueled fists careened for its target, but again, Bjorn¡¯s own hand moved, stopping Drake¡¯s in its tracks. ¡°What?! Do you have eyes in the back of your head?!¡± Drake spat, measuring Bjorn¡¯s gaze, but surprise painted Bjorn¡¯s face forcing a simr expression from Drake. What? He¡¯s surprised? Does that mean he didn¡¯t do it consciously?! Drake thought, stepping again, changing his direction of attack. Moving with speed even Bjorn could not follow, Drake attacked from all sides, using his Asura spell to attack from four different directions. But to no avail, he was unable to find a gap in Bjorn¡¯s defense. Not all was lost though, as Drake slowly began damaging Bjorn¡¯s armor, the marks of his searing strikes beginning to appear, with Bjorn¡¯s breath bing more and morebored as the fight went on. Slipping in and out of Bjorn¡¯s guard, Drake threw everything he had at him. But like before his every straight, every jab, every blow was met with the wall that was Bjorn¡¯s hand or de deflecting or blocking Drake¡¯s strikes. He¡¯s not doing it on his own, that I¡¯m sure of. It must be his skill. He basically has an automated defense. Drake thought, zipping backwards, one of his arms moving from his shoulder and forming a densence of lightning. ¡°You¡¯ve reached your cap on your defensive buff. I can tell. Your speed has stopped increasing as well,¡± Drake conjectured. Bjorn looked back at Drake, silent, neither confirming or denying his statement. ¡°Bear, you¡¯ve lost. You can¡¯t keep up with me anymore! And your skill won¡¯t let you move without losing your built-up buffs, I¡¯ve won this time. You can trust me to keep you in check. So¡­ So don¡¯t give up ever again and tell me to kill you!!¡± Drake shouted across the field, many of the spectators gasping in confusion. ¡°Kill him?¡± ¡°What does he mean? Bear wants to die?¡± ¡°Why in the world would he do that?¡± Bjorn¡¯s eyes snapped to Drake, his body glowing in a ck aura. ¡°Who said I can¡¯t move?¡± Bjorn growled, ¡°Just let me do what I think is right! I don¡¯t want to hurt people! My life is nothing but one fight, let me just give up¡­ I can¡¯t do it anymore Shot. I tried to push through, to adapt like I always have bro¡­ But this time. The faces of the people I¡¯ve had to kill to save my own life¡­ They keep appearing! Every time I close my eyes they¡¯re there! I can¡¯t take it! What is even worse is I¡¯m starting¡­ I¡¯m starting to enjoy it! The Cruelty, the savagery. It¡¯s something that¡¯s bing instinctively pleasurable¡­ I don¡¯t want that!¡± ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Drake said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with feeling remorse for taking a life, what¡¯s wrong with not wanting to be at constant war with others,¡± Drake murmured, his lighting spell crackling louder with every passing word, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore Bear. I¡¯ll take all of that responsibility on. You will never have to worry again about slipping. I¡¯ll show you how strong I¡¯ve be and if it isn¡¯t enough I¡¯ll just reach out and grab the power I need to keep you from falling further. So don¡¯t say you¡¯ve given up! Because I won¡¯t let you give up, you have so much more to do for the world. Just like you¡¯ve told me I might be needed, I know you will be for this wild world we are about to go into,¡± Drake said, staring back at him. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think you understand. There is a monster in me bro! You don¡¯t know what that feels like!¡± Bjorn spat back. ¡°Fuck if I don¡¯t! There is something inside both of us! That¡¯s the responsibility of the strong to quell the monster inside. Do you think it¡¯s painful having to deal with only the thought of it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes¡­ I don¡¯t need this anymore. I don¡¯t need to keep going man¡­¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°Do you know what hurts more! What¡¯s really painful!? It¡¯s the feeling of regret! The feeling of giving up before the end of the line. Not giving it your all before yourst breath knowing you can take one more step to change things. Change it with me Bear! You don¡¯t have to be the monster, because I will be.¡± Drake flexed his aura, epassing the area and Bjorn. The spectators all gasped in surprise as their beneficial abilities were wiped clean from his Tyrannical Aura. Some were unable to bear the brunt of the force, passing out in a frothing white mess. [Beneficial Skill outranks current Skill] [Beneficial Skill outranks current Skill] [Beneficial Ski¡­. ¡­ .. . Drake didn¡¯t give up, focusing his skill on Bjorn, doing his utmost to strip away the defensive skill. Bjorn reacted almost instinctively as he began marching forward, each step embedding him into the ground almost as if gravity around him was flexing and weighing him down. Fuck! My skill can¡¯tpete with the legendary skill. I¡¯ll just have to brute force it then! Drake cursed. ¡°Brace your teeth buddy! I¡¯m not holding back!¡± Drake shouted giving Bjorn a warning, but he seemed to ignore it as he walked slowly forward, entranced. Drake quickly slipped his rings into his inventory, extinguishing the mes around his fists, a staff of four petals appeared in front of him. ¡°Heretical Attunement! Lightning!¡± Drake shouted merging his violet lightning with the staff as it grew in size bing a de of iridescent sparks. ¡°Darkness beyond ckest pitch,¡± Drake began staring down his friend, the de of lightning snapping and roaring as it licked the ground cracking back and forth, ¡°Deeper than the deepest night!¡± Drake continued to chant, but Bjorn was not about to allow him to do so freely, as he suddenly shot forward, his hand outstretched to grab Drake. Drake wouldn¡¯t allow himself to go down though, as he desperately dodged, his speed still greater than Bjorn¡¯s. But the casting of his spell had slowed Drake to where he was only barely dodging Bjorn¡¯s hand, and the subsequent strikes from his sword. I can¡¯t let his sword touch me or it¡¯s over! Drake continued his chant desperately now. ¡°Lord as vast as thergest ocean,¡± each word condensed the mana into the de of lightning, but now Drake needed more, ¡°Heretical Attunement! Fire!¡± he shouted adding a second element to the spell but forcing his status to drop as he felt the drain on him, but he needed to continue. Still being chased as he chanted, Drake dodged and tumbled to the ground, anything to not be hit by Bjorn''s sword. ¡°Colder than the coldest ice!¡± Drake roared, then adding another element to the de, ¡°Heretical Attunement! Ice!¡± a shard of ice shimmering to life under the fire as it contained the lightning within a cold container. Drake coughed suddenly, the strain catching up with him, a bead of red liquid escaping his mask. ¡°King of Darkness who shines like gold upon the Sea of Chaos! I call upon thee and swear myself to thee! I stand ready to bear the strength you give me!¡± Drake screamed rapidly, his conscious beginning to falter as his movements began to slow. Drake forced himself to stay awake as he bolted in every direction keeping ahead of the relentless Bjorn, his fists and swings of his sword carving the ground below them in enormous divots and craters. ¡°Let the fools wh-¡± Drake tried to continue but his body faltered for only a moment. But that moment was enough for Bjorn to catch him, his sword swinging down, as his fist came down from the side. I can¡¯t dodge! Drake spat internally. He had no choice, he had to take one of the blows. So Drake bet on what he thought was best. Bjorn¡¯s fist collided with Drake¡¯s face as Drake turned mid-air narrowly dodging his sword swing, but taking the full brunt of his first mming against him. [You have gained a Reprieve Charge] [You have gained a Reprieve Charge] [You have gained a Reprieve Charge] [Max Charges reached, Reprieve Charge Lost] Drake flew backward like a bullet tumbling against the ground until he stopped. Struggling to stand Drake smiled underneath his mask, his fight with the Warrior Vampiric Ape shing in his mind. He had gained just enough distance to finish his spell. Bjorn rushed forward to follow up, but he was toote. ¡°Who stands before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess!¡± Drake howled at the top of his lungs, his breathing out as visible steam from his mask. Bjorn was just inches from Drake. But Drake teleported at thest second, straight into the air above Bjorn, his massive spell expanding as it whipped wildly in the magnificent shifting colors of hisbined elements. His hair and robes whipped and snapped against the wind the spell produced as he shouted thest words. ¡°Giga! veeeeeeee!!!!¡± Drake put all his force into bringing down the tremendous spell, it lighting up the sky as it screeched forward toward the ground, the brilliance of the spell so bright that it outshone the sun, casting shadows all around it. The spell whipped and roared forward towards Bjorn, the man standing stoically as he stared back at the spell, a smile creasing his face as he mouthed two simple words. ¡°Thanks, bro.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Drake said, using hisst Reprieve charge to teleport down to next to Bjorn, ¡°Now no more saying stupid shit, or this spell really will hit you,¡± Drake chuckled snapping his fingers as the spell winked out of existence, ¡°Now lend me an overly muscr arm of yours, I¡¯m about to pass out. I need to at least stay looking cool for a bit longer,¡± Drake chuckled before he fell forward-leaning on Bjorn¡¯s arm. Bjorn looked over in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing trying to find the words. But his face slowly rxed and turned to a smirk. ¡°Fine, you win¡­ Stubborn bastard really is an asshole,¡± he chuckled.
¡°What¡¯s going on outside?¡± Chelsea asked from her seat across from ire¡¯s as her face continued to stay in a perpetual scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t know, probably Drake going crazy again. But we¡¯lll never know since we¡¯re on baby duty¡­¡± ire replied, scowling back. ¡°You mean you were on baby duty! Why did I have to get dragged into this¡­¡± Chelsea grumbled. ¡°Because it would have been unfair if it was just me!¡± ire responded. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem ire! It was unfair you got to go into the tent! Here I thought I lost¡­¡± Chelsea mumbled. ¡°W-what!? He doesn¡¯t even see me like that!¡± Cir pouted. ¡°Y-yeah¡­. He doesn¡¯t seem to have a thing for me either, but I did dig into him a lot before¡­He isn¡¯t gay is he?¡± ¡°I-i¡­ I don¡¯t think so¡­? I catch him looking all the time¡­ I¡¯m not sure if he just doesn¡¯t want¡­ dirty goods¡­¡± ire said, turning despondent. ¡°What!? If that asshole ever said anything like that seriously. We would tear him apart! That wasn¡¯t even your fault!¡± Chelsea said, consoling her. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± ire said, smiling slightly, ¡°Ah¡­. Did he tell you the same thing about not being interested?¡± ire finally asked. Chelsea blushed, but answered timidly, ¡°Y-yeah. He was a gentleman about it but, I really didn¡¯t expect him to turn me down¡­ I mean look at us,¡± she said her face turning into a smirk, ¡°He¡¯s got to be gay or stupid to say no,¡± she joked. Before ire could respond afterughing they both heard a loud crunch interrupting them. ¡°Are you two quite done? The aforementioned baby is trying to eat in peace here,¡± Natto said, biting into a piece of boar as she ripped a piece of bread away from the loaf with an audible crunch and tear. ¡°Uh¡­ Sorry¡­ just you know girl talk¡­¡± Chelsea said sheepishly. ¡°I am also a woman you know,¡± Natto sneered. ire coughed, breaking her silence then quickly turned away fixing her hair not wanting to meet Natto¡¯s eyes. ¡°I apud you both for not giving up on the fool, but my advice to you is to give up. He has no need for a rtionship right now. Furthermore, I do not believe he has told you how hisst endeavor with the opposite sex had gone,¡± Natto exined. ¡°Ok, so he isn¡¯t gay¡­good..¡± ire whispered under her breath. Natto cocked her eye but ignored thement continuing her line of thoughts aloud. ¡°Your best course of action is to either forget about him and find another man, or I suppose, simply wait,¡± Natto said, taking another bite of boar, ¡°But regardless of how you feel, know that he is a man of his word to at least protect you as the contract stiptes until the end of the tutorial. After that, he has not even shared with me what his thoughts are for the most part. So we will all have to wait for an answer there¡­.¡± Natto trailed off, her attention going elsewhere as the sounds of fighting outside began to increase. ¡°Your name is Uta, yes?¡± Natto said to no one in particr. Instantly Chelsea¡¯s eyes snapped to the corner of the room, where a small ck-haired girl inched out into view. Chelsea drew her bow and trained it on the girl. ire moved to Chelsea¡¯s side, pulling her staff out at the ready. Only Natto remained calm, continuing to eat. ¡°It is alright you two, she simply wants to speak. Although she could most likely kill one of you if she had to, she knows as well as I that the repercussions of such an action would spell a very ugly end for her beloved master,¡± Natto sneered, ¡°Then? What is it you wish to discuss? I am surprised you did not out my owner for having a construct in public¡­ I am assuming your group does not know you are a construct as well then?¡± Both Chelsea and ire drew in a quick breath at the information but maintained their vignce towards the girl. ¡°You would be correct. My name is Uta, may I ask for yours as well?¡± Uta asked. ¡°Natto. Well?¡± she replied. ¡°I can tell you are a Territorial Assistant, that means you have information I do not. I simply wish to ask questions in aid of my Master.¡± ¡°Oh..?¡± Natto cooed intrigued, ¡°And what is in it for us? You seem to forget how poorly you treated my owner when we arrived. What makes you think I would even want to deal with you?¡± Uta ignored Natto¡¯s question, instead asking her own. ¡°You call him your owner and not Master, why do you not show respect to him?¡± Natto scoffed, her face turning a shade of red. ¡°Because that dumb ape would take it too far if I did!¡± she coughed, ¡°Call it a precaution to keep his ego in check, you have seen how he likes to fly off the handle.¡± Natto pointed her fork, boar meat and all at Uta, ¡°Now, enough of dodging my question. What reason would we have to give you any sort of information?¡± Uta ground her teeth like she was chewing on something unpleasant. ¡°I have advised my Master as best I can, but I simply am not equipped to aid him in what is toe after the tutorial. Seeing how he was so soundly defeated by your.. Owner.. I realize now that even with all his skills he is sorelycking in ability. And needs every advantage to survive once the tutorial is finished,¡± Uta exined. ¡°And?¡± Natto urged growing tired as she ripped another piece of boar and bread. ¡°My Master has permitted the use of an alliance. In return for your information he will do his best to help your owner outside of the tutorial,¡± Uta continued. ¡°That does not help us when we would be the ones protecting you, do you not agree? Seems that you are only the ones benefiting if that is truly the only thing you offer.¡± ¡°Natto is kind of scary right now, don¡¯t you think Chelsea¡­.?¡± ire whispered. ¡°Yeah¡­ she¡¯s usually never like this.. I mean she¡¯s a little intimidating when ites to the skill stones but this is different. I can feel the tension¡­¡± Chelsea whispered back. ¡°Y-you know of theing fight and the vote for the¡¯s Leaders in the conference before the war. My Master will vouch for your owner, meaning the rest of the coalition will as well!¡± ¡°Oh¡­. Now that sounds like a good deal¡­.¡± Natto smiled. Chapter One-Hundred and Seventeen: The System Summits. Chapter One-Hundred and Seventeen: The System Summits. ¡°Then. Where did you get this particr information?¡± Natto asked pointedly, licking her fingers of the scraps from her meal. ¡°Pardon?¡± Uta replied. ¡°Please, you do not wish to believe I am ignorant enough to not know you are abat construct and are not privileged to this information? This is information only a Rank F Information or Administrative Construct would know. And I only have it avable because the ape happened to gain a Forerunner Title in thest quest. So, again, I ask you where did you obtain this information from,¡± Natto reiterated. Uta looked down nervously, her bodynguage hesitant as she seemed to think over the question. ¡°Then,¡± Natto suddenly said, ¡°If you wish not to give such information. We are done here.¡± Uta raised her hand and voice in objection. ¡°Wait! I- We..¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Natto pressed, crossing her legs on the edge of the bed she was eating on. Gritting her teeth Uta exined. ¡°My Master¡­. My Master had another friend within the tutorial when they were brought here. A woman named¡­ Haru. She was a Priest at the beginning, and during her time progressing she eventually became invaluable to the group, as she was to my Master,¡± she exined, the clenching of her hands around her leather pants squeaking slightly, ¡°On her rank up, she received an Information Construct. Through the construct, we learned quite the amount of information to progress us through the quests avoiding pitfalls and allowing the core group to optimize their skills and stats. But she was taken. A crazy man named Kohoo.¡± Natto, flinched from the mention of the name, her memories of the events at the outpost shing in her mind. Her subconscious hate for the man that caused Drake such grief burned like a rekindled ember in the back of her mind. But she stayed silent, allowing Uta to continue her exnation. ¡°The man was just a regr member of the initial group and seemed rtively useful. But once Haru changed sses and became more and more important to the group, he swiftly changed. He suddenly became more attached to her, even obsessed. And one day while we were surrounded by Kobolds, he took her from the back lines. We desperately searched for her for days but we couldn¡¯t find a trace of her or Kohoo,¡± Uta recalled, taking a moment for a breath, ¡°Then after we had taken the outpost we currently reside in, the morning after we found a body at the gate. Battered, bruised, and mutted. It was obvious who it was and what.. What they had done to her¡­¡± Gasps came from ire and Chelsea from the side of the tent. ire struggled to keep herposure as she felt the vition of what Haru had most likely gone through. ¡°I see. So from her construct, you obtained information about the World and System Summit. But of what else do you know?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Is that not enough?¡± Uta replied. ¡°It is not. For you are missing arge part of what leads up to those said summits. And if you do not understand the process the end result is pointless,¡± Natto said with a wave of her hand, ¡°Is your Master prepared to fall in line in the truest sense?¡± Uta frowned. ¡°What is your meaning¡­¡± ¡°I am telling you, that if your master will not bend the knee, all of this is pointless in the first ce. There can only be one King,¡± Natto said, her face turning to a scowl, ¡°And it will be mine.¡± As if in tune with the outside, the tent lit up in brilliant white, the sound of thunder reverberating through the tent. ¡°What was that?! What¡¯s going on out there!¡± Chelsea shrieked, turning to the entrance. ¡°We have to go see. Miss Natto we will be right back!¡± ire called back over her shoulder, Natto nodding briefly as she kept her eyes on Uta. Both the girls exited the tent leaving Uta and Natto in a staring match until Natto sighed. ¡°It would seem that we are at odds then. Whether your master decides to fall in line willingly or has to be forced it does not matter. He can notpete with Shot,¡± she mused. ¡°Th-that is not true!¡± Uta snapped, pulling her de from her back, rushing forward, and holding it to Natto¡¯s neck. Natto remained still, unperturbed, a sneer on her face as she looked back at the slightly quivering body of Uta. ¡°It is. And you should be d, for he will take on everything our new home will have to bear in theing years. Do you think your Master canpete with Primordials? Does he have what it takes to slog through the blood and dirt that is required to take the second? What of the system, the other universes, the tournament of ranks? Shot may be a fool, but he is a pragmatic and intelligent one when required. And most of all he is a tenacious asshole,¡± Natto smiled. Uta clicked her tongue, cursing under her breath. A momentter vanishing into a wisp of inky shadows. Left alone, Natto touched her neck gingerly. ¡°I do hope this does not scar¡­.¡±
¡°Shot! Shot! Damn it, he¡¯s out cold¡­¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake¡¯s group quickly surrounded Bjorn and Drake. Their faces filled with concern. ¡°Here love, let me see him. Ahhh¡­ what a bloody mess, does he have to always go wildin¡¯ about like this?¡± Jacqueline scoffed, cing her hands over his chest, a faint glow of white exuding from them. ¡°Well hot damn Miss, that sounds like some genuine concern there,¡± Hudsonughed, kneeling down next to Drake, ¡°Pup¡¯s got balls that¡¯s a sure thing. Putting the Number one on his ass¡± ¡°I¡¯m still standing bro,¡± Bjorn countered. ¡°Eh, we all know you woulda lost, don¡¯t be such an idjit,¡± Hudson fired back. Bjorn scoffed, shaking his head. ¡°Are all the people around this guy like this?¡± he chuckled wryly, looking down at Drake. ¡°I happen to be quite normal, sir,¡± Amir piped up standing behind Hudson. ¡°I would like to say I am also part of the normal club,¡± Tom added, but the turning of the group''s heads to give him confused looks forced him to cough, ¡°Ok, rtively normal?¡± A light chuckle sounded from the group but was quickly deafened by the shoutsing from the other group. ¡°What is the meaning of this?! What is he talking about Sir Bear?! Why would he want to kill you?¡± Shigure roared, his face frowning deeply as he inched his hand toward his sword. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa,¡± Bjorn said trying to pacify Shigure, ¡°It¡¯s not like that Shigure.¡± ¡°Then what is it?! Exin!¡± Bjorn scratched his beard thinking over how to respond. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. And I can¡¯t tell you the full story¡­ You¡¯ll just have to trust me, bro. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Of course, I need to be concerned! What he just disyed, he could have clearly killed you! What is going on, and why can you not exin it!¡± Shigure shouted back. ¡°Because I won¡¯t!¡± Bjorn roared, suddenly snapping, ¡°Enough badgering.¡± Shigure recoiled from the shout, but he quickly recovered to stand his ground. ¡°I need to understand if he is a threat to the people under our care,¡± he said evenly this time, his head cooled slightly from Bjorn¡¯s shout, ¡°If he is capable of fighting beyond even you, what is stopping him from turning on the rest of us at any time?¡± ¡°Mr. Shot would never do something like that!¡± Harley interjected. ¡°Yes, my Lord would never feeleth the need to ughter the weak and defenseless. Quite the contrary, he wouldeth give them safe harbor instead,¡± Theodore added. ¡°How am I supposed to believe something like that from his followers!¡± Shigure asked, ¡°I am responsible for the safety of everyone within these walls. How am I supposed to guarantee that while he is still breathing!¡± The air chilled at that moment. ¡°Are you saying you want to kill him?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°N-no¡­ I just need a guarantee that he will not turn against us!¡± Shigure asked again desperately, ¡°I do not wish to lose anyone else!¡± ¡°How about the fact that he hasn¡¯t done it already?¡± Bjorn said coldly. ¡°That does not mean he will not do itter!¡± Shigure shouted back. ¡°Th-then¡­ How about a contract?¡± Drake said, raising himself from the ground shakily, ¡°Thank you, Jacqueline, I didn¡¯t know you cared like that,¡± he said smiling. ¡°Fuck you,¡± she spat, turning her head away. Giving a quickugh, then patting Bjorn¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s alright man, honestly I¡¯d be more concerned if he didn¡¯t get this uptight. It¡¯s kind of his thing.¡± ¡°Contract?¡± Shigure asked, his posture rxing slightly. ¡°Yeah sure, we can just make a mutual agreement for the remainder of the tutorial. No killing each other. If we do, mutual destruction. Sounds cool right? We¡¯ll be like two superpowers pointing nukes at each other,¡± Drake grinned behind his mask. ¡°That joke is in bad taste bro,¡± Bjorn said, a slight grin recing his previously scowling face. Drake waved him off. ¡°Well, Shigure? How about it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°How do I know this is not a trick of some kind?¡± Shigure countered. ¡°Wow, ever the to the books stickler huh? Because everyone in my group, well besides Bear here, has one with me already,¡± Drake answered casually as he rolled his arm, wincing slightly from the fatigue. ¡°What are the details of these said contracts?¡± ¡°Basically I can''t hurt them, and they can hurt me, even kill me and I can¡¯t do a damned thing about it,¡± Drake replied, moving his mask to the side of his head. ¡°Are you a fool? Why would you do such a thing!? It¡¯s absurd!¡± Shigure shouted. ¡°That¡¯s rude¡­ and maybe, but only when it suits me and it just happened to when I needed to force myself to trust those around me. Just like you, I have some problems with trusting others. So what¡¯s the word, yes or no?¡± Shigure looked to the rest of Drake¡¯s group, scanning their faces. ¡°Is this true?¡± Shigure asked. Nods came from the other side, no one denying what Drake had said. Shigure did not fully rx but gave a huff of air as he sighed. ¡°How would we go about doing this contract?¡± Shigure finally asked, conceding his suspicion enough to go further. The fact he was now against a fully awake Drake and a still able Bjorn having no influence on him. None at all. ¡°Great. Sherry!!!!¡± Drake shouted. A somewhat short, side bob-cut ck-haired girl with broken sses stepped forward from their group. ¡°Is it lunchtime yet¡­?¡± she asked. Drake sighed, shaking his head. ¡°You just had breakfast! Double portions!¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Yeah but we skipped second breakfast¡­¡± she grumbled. ¡°Susmaryosep, I have the female Pippin,¡± Drake said exacerbated, ¡°Fine more food when you do this ok?¡± Sherry gave a veryzy double thumbs up only the very corners of her mouth curling upwards then going back to their even position, ¡°Nice, sounds good dude.¡± Drake walked forward, his head beginning to hurt for who knows what. But he quickly shook himself from it, directing his focus to Shigure. ¡°Then let''s get started,¡± Drake said, extending his hand. Not fully clear of his suspicion Shigure pensively extended his hand to meet Drake¡¯s. Drake wasted no time though, snatching Shigure¡¯s hand in his, tightening his grip so the teen couldn¡¯t run away. Seeing them grip hands, Sherry began chanting. ¡°Infallible Mistress of Truth and Law. Be my witness in the writing of this tying of destiny. Form Creation. Of Truth and Law.¡± The spell began with a bright light, ending with the dimming of the blinding light around Drake and Shigure. Would you like to form a Contract with Shigure Kenzo?
  • Details of this contract are as follows.
  • You may not harm the contractor in any form.
  • You may not retaliate in any form to the contractor or contractee.
  • The Parties of the Contract will receive lethal retribution for killing the other party.
  • The Recipient will be required to maintain the contract for the full duration of the tutorial, under penalty of death.
¡°And there we go! That¡¯s not so bad is it?¡± Drake said, giving a soft chuckle. Chapter One-hundred and Eighteen: Lines that won’t be crossed. Chapter One-hundred and Eighteen: Lines that won¡¯t be crossed. Shigure might have epted the contract but was still skeptical about the whole premise of Drake not suddenly changing his mind. Sherry was, after all, part of his group. But for now, it was enough. Shigure wasn¡¯t able to press the matter. It seemed that Bjorn and Drake had a better rtionship than he had with Bjorn even after their time together. And this truly aggravated Shigure. He thought he had gotten over the jealousy he was feeling but it somehow boiled up once again, and what wasing did not help. ¡°Alright, so we all good now? No more at each other¡¯s throats for the time being ¡®kay?¡± Drake said casually, his hair shimmering to blue from his original ck. Drake addressed Shigure, but his eyes nced to the rest of the group from Shigure¡¯s camp standing behind him. Some recoiled from the stare, others still struggling to get up from the ground, Drake¡¯s and Bjorn¡¯s Auras doing significant damage to their posture and egos as they scowled back at him. Then two voices came from Drake¡¯s side. ¡°What happened?! What was that light!?¡± ire shouted, stopping next to Drake, her hands finding her knees as she gasped for breath. ¡°Seriously, that sounded like lightning struck right next to us. What in the world did you do?!¡± Chelsea asked, pointing at Drake. ¡°Why is it my fault?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Because it¡¯s always something you did!¡± Chelsea snapped back. ¡°Ok, fair, guilty as charged, sue me!¡± Drakeughed, shrugging. ¡°We would if we could!¡± they both screamed. ¡°Okay calm down. I didn¡¯t know I had three moms, jeez,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡° Where is you know who?¡± Drake asked, suddenly realizing they had left the tent without Natto. ¡°Oh¡­ Um, we left her to see what was going on, with the girl called Uta,¡± ire answered sheepishly. Drake¡¯s eyes snapped to Shigure. The teen paling suddenly under Drake¡¯s primal stare. ¡°Exin,¡± Drake said, bloodlust spilling off the single word, ¡°Exin why she is still there.¡± ¡°Wait! We only wanted to tal-¡± Shigure tried exining but was cut off by a lightning spear passing his cheek close enough to burn the hair on it. ¡°Then speak to me,¡± Drake growled, ¡°If even a hair on her head is out of ce, you will find out just how tyrannical I can be.¡± Drake¡¯s threat was not empty, as once again his Aura pressed outward, chilling Shigure¡¯s entire side of the field. ¡°Y-you wouldn¡¯t dare! You would ha-¡± someone from behind Shigure spat, but was stopped, another bolt of lightning crackling past the person¡¯s face, but this time taking their right ear from their head as they shrieked in pain. ¡°I¡¯m speaking to Shigure. Do not interrupt. It¡¯s rude,¡± Drake said, his face scowling. Drake slowly moved his mask back into ce, his eyes shimmering from color to color. ¡°Well, I¡¯m listening,¡± Drake pressed. ¡°I-we wanted to trade voting for you at the World Summit, in exchange for information we would help you outside the tutorial¡­¡± Shigure exined quickly. ¡°World Summit¡­? This is the first I¡¯m hearing of it,¡± Drake paused, ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Drake stated tersely, his hair shimmering to a brilliant yellow with a snap of his fingers as he took a step moving out of view. An instantter he returned seemingly the same, but he had recovered Natto as she had merged with him. And Drake was not pleased. Uta had held her at knifepoint, and even with Natto doing her best to dismiss the action as irrelevant. Drake was livid. ¡°Where is she?¡± Drake asked. ¡°W-why..?¡± Shigure stammered. ¡°She has harmed someone dear to me. I knew she entered the tent to speak, but she went too far. So either you bring her here to deal with the consequences of her actions. Or I go find her. And I¡¯m very good at hide and seek,¡± Drake joked, but his demeanor, aura, and re were anything but. ¡°I will no-¡± Shigure tried to say, but Drake had moved as the words left his mouth, his arm only inches from his face, glowing in a deep azure above the brilliant yellow of his tattoo. Drake looked over at the man who stopped him, ¡°Bear, he volunteered to take the punishment. Let go.¡± ¡°Come on bro, you don¡¯t need to kill him. Is the littledy alright?¡± Bjorn asked honestly concerned. ¡°She has a scratch,¡± Drake replied tersely, his eyes still trained on the shivering Shigure despite their casual conversation. ¡°Then you are going way overboard. At least only give him a scratch. We can have a calm discussion where everyone isn¡¯t trying to kill each other after,¡± Bjorn said, his eyes moving to Shigure, honestly disappointed with the teen. ¡°Fine,¡± Drake let out, ¡°Just a scratch then,¡± he growled, extending his finger from his closed fist, the air pressure pushing past Shigure, blowing his hair wildly but not harming the teen, instead it hit the mess of people behind him pushing them backward in a gust of wind. Drake rxed, and Bjorn released him as Drake moved his mask again to the side of his head so that Shigure could see his expression. ¡°Just kidding. I can¡¯t hurt him anyway. But the contract doesn¡¯t say anything about anyone else. Now does it Shigure?¡± Drake stated suggestively. The teen''s head moved eerily slow from left to right, his face pale and pooling sweat as he looked back at Drake. ¡°If you touch my family again. You will not like what happens. Next time you want to talk, you talk to me and me alone,¡± Drake said, pausing afterward to drive home the point. ¡°Now get me those people I need. But you lost the reward of skill stones. From now on if you want something, it will be fair and square from us, no more beneficial trades, nothing. Only business.¡± Shigure stepped back slightly color slowly returning to his face and a scowl creasing it, but he nodded nheless. ¡°And if I see Uta,¡± Drake added, ¡°She better have a spectacr apology. Or it will be thest time you see her,¡± Drake said, then looked to the stout man behind Shigure that had spoken up earlier, ¡°And that, is a threat.¡± The man snorted in fear of being addressed, his hand going for the hammer that had fallen next to him. Drake only looked on, waiting for him to grab it. But the man noticed the star, a faint grin on his face, and decided against it, turning his head away from Drake¡¯s gaze. Finally, Drake looked at Shigure. ¡°There are just some lines you don¡¯t cross, this is going to be your only warning.¡± Drake let the words hang as he turned, moving past the rest of his group wordlessly, his destination his tent.
¡°How dare he threaten us! He is only one man!¡± the stout man cried when Drake was fully out of view and he knew he was safe. ¡°Yes Darius, it seems that he is getting toorge for his britches if I do say,¡± a thinly looking man said next to him. ¡°Enough¡­. Darius, Adam. Do you think we have a chance of going against him when he also has Sir Bear on his side?¡± Shigure said, deting as he looked to the back of Bjorn who walked not to Shigure¡¯s camp but Drake¡¯s. Why¡­ What is so different!? And now I have burned a bridge that I could not afford to! Shigure cursed. ¡°How is it enough? The man-child threw a tantrum and we are supposed to just take it?¡± Adam asked as he crossed his thin pale arms across his chest. ¡°Then what would you have us do?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°We simply take one of his people hostage and force him to cooperate,¡± Adam said nonchntly. ¡°Adam! That is not how we do things! Even if Uta had hurt theirpanion I know she would not do so without good reason. And this is only for a scratch! What do you think would happen if you managed to take one of hispatriots?!¡± Shigure snapped, ¡°Your personality has darkened since you changed races. I only allowed you to stay because you are an invaluable fighter, but remember your ce!¡± Adam scoffed, ¡°Big talk calming from someone who just ran with his tail between his legs.¡± Shigure ced his hand on his weapon. Adam raised his hands cidly not wanting to push Shigure too far. ¡°Yes, yes then leader¡­ Whatever you say,¡± Adam answered, giving a sidelong nce at some of the women following slightly behind Bjorn and the now gone Drake, ¡°Whatever, you, say¡­.¡±
¡°Drake, what was that disy out there? You know you can not simply act on your emotions, I thought you were well past this when you received your new skills,¡± Natto asked from the bed where Jacqueline was standing next to her, gently touching the near-insignificant wound on her neck. ¡°No. I don¡¯t care the reason, if they hurt you then I will not stand for it. I can work around and bend on a lot of things, but my family. My loved ones. Those who I hold dear. If someone touches what is mine¡­.¡± Drake murmured his vision reddening. ¡°What? What did you just say? Yours? Very presumptuous I must say,¡± Natto scoffed, but she turned her head, her face turning a shade of scarlet. ¡°Huh? W-why did I say that¡­ I just meant that people won¡¯t be doing what they want with people I care about anymore. I don¡¯t want people I hold dear to ever have to go through the types of things I have or might have to still go through,¡± Drake rified, pushing the slip of words to the back of his mind. I thought my Tyrannical Indomitability solved this whole shit show of emotional prity. And I haven¡¯t consumed any legendary stones like Bjorn has so what¡¯s the deal? Is it just a matter of the person? Am I just that mentally weak? Drake asked himself but was brought from his thoughts when ire spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we left her alone¡­ I-i thought it would be fine, and we were just concerned about what was going on outside,¡± she offered. Drake sighed. He knew it wasn¡¯t entirely their fault, but he had to hold them responsible. Natto wasn¡¯t abat-oriented Assistant and they had left her basically defenseless with a Combat Assistant. It didn¡¯t take an anime protagonist to understand where that was going. ¡°Look I know I asked a lot, but you two,¡± Drake said, addressing ire and Chelsea, both looking down now in embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. I won¡¯t allow you to take the me for how I reacted, and I won¡¯t say that it is your fault I had to put my foot down with that kid, but. You two severely lost points with me for that mistake,¡± Drake sighed again. ¡°We¡¯re sorry but we were just concerned¡­¡± Chelsea said, looking to Jacqueline, hoping for a lifeline, but the woman just shook her head, her expression tantly saying ¡®I want no part of that mess love.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t let your infatuation with me detract from what I¡¯ve asked you to do,¡± Drake said firmly, looking at them both. The pair shirked backward slightly, their embarrassment in despite their turning away. ¡°I¡¯ve told you both that I am not interested and that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯m too busy for either of you and I have no ns of fooling around with anyone for now. You want me to take an interest? Then do what I am asking of you next time. I don¡¯t need people that can¡¯t do a simple task of watching a 1-foot garbage disposal, let alone a lover that can''t listen to a word I say,¡± Drake said, crossing his arms then added in a whisper, ¡°How is that suppose to work in bed if you can¡¯t even listen outside of it¡­¡± Both their faces flushed even more, but they nodded reluctantly. ¡°Then,¡± Drake added, his face rxing, ¡°Thank you for worrying for me,¡± he said smiling, ¡°But don¡¯t do it again alright? Now go to your own tents before Shigure gets any wild ideas. And can you send in Bjorn, I¡¯d like to have another conversation with him.¡± The pair brightened at the words of gratitude but nodded sheepishly before exiting. ¡°You got some real serious lovesick birds there gov,¡± Jacqueline teased, finishing up her healing of Natto. ¡°Oh, and that doesn''t include you?¡± Drake teased back. ¡°Damn right it doesn¡¯t ya daft bastard,¡± she scoffed, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t like to share,¡± Jacqueline whispered, walking out of the tent. ¡°Hm, I may have made a mistake teasing her too much¡­¡± Drake saidughing nervously. ¡°Imbecile¡­¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a hands-on learner,¡± Drakeughed back, but his face turned serious, ¡°I¡¯m d you weren¡¯t hurt badly Natto. But never do that again,¡± ¡°It is fin-¡± ¡°Never,¡± Drake said again firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you cane back or whatever. I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt you. If it wasn¡¯t for the contract, that boy would be on the ground with a hole in his chest the size of his ego.¡± The tent entrance p whipped open, and a hulking figure entered. ¡°Oh, am I interrupting that serious movie moment thing you do? My bad bro, I¡¯lle back in like 5 minutes then,¡± Bjorn said, turning around. ¡°Shut the fuck up I don¡¯t do that!¡± Drake shouted, his hand gripping Bjorn¡¯s shoulder desperately. Chapter One-Hundred and Nineteen: The Kings of the World. Chapter One-Hundred and Neen: The Kings of the World. After the altercation outside with Shigure and the process of reprimanding ire and Chelsea while Natto was being healed. Only Drake, Natto, and Bjorn remained in Drake¡¯s tent. Drake looked over at Natto. ¡°So what was this whole conversation you had with Uta about?¡± Drake asked, doing his best to hide his irritation. ¡°Would you like the long or short version?¡± Natto asked. ¡°I would like the whole version, thank you¡­¡± Drake replied, his finger tapping on his arm. ¡°Then, we should start at why she came here in the first ce,¡± Natto began exining, ¡°Uta was sent here by Shigure to off an alliance within the tutorial and once outside it in exchange for information and essentially protection.¡± Drake¡¯s brow rose. ¡°What does he need protection for?¡± Drake asked. ¡°From people like you, dolt!¡± Natto sighed, ¡°You seem to be under the impression that you are the only Dual ss within the countless worlds and systems that inhabit the expansive multiverse, but you would be sorely mistaken. I have confidence that you will grow to be ever stronger and progress to the top. Again, I have no doubt of this, but you will face challenges you can not yet see, and it seems. Even for all the faults, we have seen from him so far, Shigure is nning ahead and sees that. Especially after the ¡®fight¡¯ you put him through. That he is not yet capable of defending himself to the degree he wishes for. That is where you and the oafe in,¡± Natto told. Drake pursed his lips. He had been beginning to becent if ever slightly after his fight with the King. But he wasn¡¯t fool enough to believe that he was the strongest. He was still the lowest Rank on thedder, it was only natural there would be stronger beings in the multiverse. Wait, that means that even with everything I can do now¡­ There are people that can blow me out of the water? Drake thought, shivering slightly. ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with me now?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°You have chosen a side, even if you are too inept to realize it. Shigure sees that and went for a desperate olive branch in that sense by extending his offer to us,¡± Natto responded. ¡°I haven¡¯t chosen any side bro¡­¡± Bjorn said. ¡°That matters not. It only matters in how Shigure sees it, and I assure you, that is certainly how he does,¡± Natto scoffed then continued, ¡°Regardless. To the point, his offer was worthless and I told Uta as much.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that? If all he wanted was a no-fighting pact, it seems fine with me, I¡¯m not trying to kill other people all willy-nilly,¡± Drake replied, waving his hand. ¡°But that is not your choice anymore,¡± Natto exined pointedly, ¡°Drake, you told me before that you wanted the power to protect those you hold dear. And I told you what that requires. You seem to have forgotten that conflict is a staple of the system. There is no way around it. You may have whimsically allowed the oaf to live, which I might remind you is a mistake. But your impulsive nature will only be allowed for so long. You are now a Forerunner, which means that you must stand at the top above others, always. If you slip and fall, you will be trampled underfoot by those who are more determined with ambition that far outstrips your own. The game of Kings has already started,¡± Natto said, looking right into Drake¡¯s eyes as she did, ¡°Well in a sense. It is certainly a leadership role at the very least.¡± ¡°You lost me at not being impulsive,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Drake! This is serious!¡± Natto shouted, her teeth bared. ¡°Okay okay! I get it..¡± Drake said. ¡°Do you!? This is no longer only pertaining to the ones inside the tutorial. Once the small world you are forced into here ends, there are fights you will need to win or it will cause loss of life insurmountable to the ones you have witnessed here,¡± Natto said, her tone serious as possible. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Drake asked, Bjorn also raising his interest by leaning forward. ¡°The tutorial is meant for several purposes. One is to thin the herd so to speak, allowing the ones who will progress the furthest to stand and obtain the means to do so,¡± Natto exined, raising a finger, ¡°The next is to set in rtive stone, areas of influence for when the poption exits the tutorial.¡± ¡°How would they be set in stone? Aren¡¯t we all from different ces and areas outside of the tutorial?¡± Drake countered. ¡°Yes, but that is not my meaning,¡± Natto continued, raising a second finger, ¡°Each tutorial raises or establishes a Ruler in a sense. They would be at the top of each respective tutorial, in both Level and Points. These participants, almost without fail, have constructs leading them. Which means that they are privy to advanced information at all stages giving them an edge as well as a well-thought-out n after the tutorial.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes lit up in understanding. ¡°So you mean to say that these people or Forerunners are the ones that are going to establish these ¡®areas of influence¡¯ and the people from their tutorials are essentially their followers?¡± ¡°Certainly so,¡± Natto nodded, ¡°This is done deliberately to create areas for new system-sanctioned towns headed by those individuals through a quest endorsed at the system centers. But we are getting ahead of ourselves,¡± Natto sighed. A moment passed giving everyone a breather for the information to be internalized, before Natto continued keeping the conversation on track. ¡°With that, I will speak on why the child¡¯s offer was meaningless,¡± Natto began, ¡°Ignoring how these system-sanctioned areas made and progressed, what you need to focus on Drake is why it pertains to you.¡± Drake gulped, anticipation beginning to creep in on his mind. He had known for a long time that the road to his goal was long and painful. But imagination and reality of things were always such lengths apart it was hard to ept. ¡°These towns force you to be a leader, a figurehead, a monument to the people under your influence. And it will not ept less than,¡± Natto said, ring, ¡°These areas willpete for the right of being a World Capital, and any of the system-sanctioned areas thatpete must either rise or submit.¡± Natto gave a moment to Drake before she added, ¡°Not only this, prior to usurping power you must receive the title of Ruler through the World Summit.¡± ¡°World Summit? Like a conference?¡± Drake questioned. ¡°Yes, exactly so. The Summit will allow the top three of the potential World Capitals to vote in making the decision,¡± Natto exined. ¡°Decision of what?¡± Bjorn interjected. ¡°The decision on how the World Capital will be decided. One on Onebat, all-out war, orpetition through system-assigned quests to name a few. Your world is far more expansive than either of you apes could possiblyprehend,¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°If all we need is to secure enough votes to decide thepetition, why not just ept his offer? Is there something I¡¯m missing?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Natto answered, ¡°It will depend on the amount of sanctioned areas made, but it is possible that there may be a tie, in which case the voting will need to happen again at ater date. This also means that the voters can jump ship to another boat in that time period. So you need to have the loyalty of each voter in some way.¡± Drake nodded, understanding now. ¡°So you are saying Shigure wouldn¡¯t be loyal enough to follow through,¡± Drake conjectured, to Natto nodding, ¡°But what about if we use Sherry to just force him to do it?¡± Natto shook her head, ¡°Unfortunately System events like this null and void such arrangements, even Primordials can not tamper with them. These Summits are freedom in their purest form as no one is allowed to be harmed during the period they are in y. Though I am sure many have tried.¡± ¡°What stops them exactly, just the system doing system things?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I do not know the specifics other than physical, mental, and spiritual attacks do nothing. But this is all I can reveal on the matter. Without leaving the tutorial or you increasing your Race Rank, there is no more that I can divulge.¡± Drake leaned against the supporting pir of the tent, immersed deeply in thought. ¡°Drake. I¡¯m not sure where you are going to go with this bro, but I won¡¯t be a part of fighting something like a war for you. I only stepped in when Shigure threatened to kill you because it was uncalled for and you were exhausted at my expense,¡± Bjorn exined, ¡°I won¡¯t speak on what I¡¯ve heard from the little miss, but as for whates next, consider me a friend, not a soldier. If this is all we are talking about, I think it¡¯s time I leave.¡± Drake turned, nodding but then stopped Bjorn before he exited, remembering what he needed him for. ¡°Ah! Hold up Bjorn,¡± Drake said, outstretching a hand, ¡°I needed to ask you about a little adventure I¡¯m going to go on.¡± Bjorn stopped, raising a brow. ¡°What adventure? Aren¡¯t we already full on those right now¡­?¡± he asked, giving a hearty chuckle. ¡°You would think, but I have something you might be interested in,¡± Drake smiled, holding up a map, ¡°This is a map to the Goblin King¡¯s Hoard my friend, and I want you toe with.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Bjorn said, looking the map up and down, his hand on his chin. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a little bit of a magic school bus adventure,¡± Drake exined, ¡°And it¡¯s only going to be after I get settled with what I came to do here. You in?¡± Bjorn stood back and paused. ¡°Hmm, are we talking present-time Magic School Bus or OG Miss Frizzle?¡± Bjorn questioned. ¡°OG of course. It¡¯s going to be one very educational time!¡± Drakeughed. Bjorn gave Drake a pat on the shoulder, turning and leaving the tent. ¡°Was that a yes or no¡­?¡± Drake wondered aloud. ¡°I do not speak moron, so you will have to guess on your own¡­¡± Natto said, shrugging. ¡°I¡¯m going to say it was a yes. It felt like a yes.¡±
Once Bjorn had left, Drake took the rest of the day to practice within his tent, making sure to keep an eye on the small camp his party had set up. Opting not to sleep, he was determined to keep skilling up while keeping a watchful eye. He had found a few people snooping about the camp, and quickly sent them on their way during the night, with the help of Theodore and Harley. No crawling of roosters or bright sunlight woke Drake this time, as he continued to train at the edge of his bed silently, Natto snoring louder than any of his spells. Drake had found out during the night that he was able to include Natto in his training as well. Even though the construct was technically an item, she was still considered a party member at all times regardless of the ten-member restriction the system seemed to have in ce. Good to know I can pull one over the system now and then. Drake chuckled internally. The discovery had given Natto quite a fright during the night when Drake used his Aura of Command without warning. Waking the sleeping girl as she felt the effects, Drake snickering like a hyena at her reaction. After a few attempted stabbings and ghastlyughs, Natto had gotten used to the skill activating off cooldown and began to sleep through it, only waking up when she became hungry enough to extort some food from Drake. What surprised Drake during the night out of everything though, was that Sherry had also tried to sneak into his tent. Not for anything illicit but for food as well, when she smelled the cooking from her tent across from his. That girl has a better nose than bomb dogs... Drake recollected. The final thing that interrupted Drake during the night was the snooping around by a pair of women. Thankfully, Harley was able to stop them before they did something drastic. Also, Megan had apparently joined Chelsea and Jacqueline in their tent as she came out and dragged Chelsea away from Drake¡¯s tent, shouting reprimands the entire way. Drake stretched his arms as he closed his fist around a ball of water that he was ying with, his endowment switching from Fire to Water to replenish his status. ¡°I think I might have to have Hudson put up some sentries after what happenedst night. I¡¯ll have to let Shigure know too¡­ I don¡¯t really feel like I should have to talk to the little prick right now but it wouldn¡¯t be fair to whoever is snooping around at night if they just upped and died,¡± Drake scoffed. The few people that Drake had actually found during the night were rather different. Their skin was pale, and their arms were gangly. What was more is that they weren¡¯t actually people, at least not what he would consider people. But with the amount of races that were apparently going toe when they left the tutorial he could be very wrong. What Drake had found were Ghouls. ¡°First Titans, gods, demi-gods are real. Now Twilight might being to town. I really hope there isn¡¯t going to be any dumb romance plotlines with werewolves and vampires¡­.¡± Drake sighed. Drake turned slowly as he got up, hearing Natto yawn as she apparently roused awake. ¡°Is it breakfast time yet?¡± she asked. ¡°No it¡¯s not, and don¡¯t invoke the word of power, you''re going to summ-¡± Drake tried to say, but then a familiar ck sidecut bobbed-headed girl poked her bed-head through his tent. ¡°Breakfast?¡± Sherry asked one of her eyes still half asleep. ¡°Ha.. toote¡­¡± Drake chuckled wryly. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty: New Day, New Questions. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty: New Day, New Questions. Drake sat in front of a cauldron stirring a pot of food as he looked off into the distance thinking. ¡°So the agenda today is¡­.¡± he sighed, ¡°Well nothing in particr if Shigure doesn¡¯te through. And after yesterday I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea to just barge into his camp demanding what I wanted either.¡± ¡°Less talking, more stirring!¡± Natto yelled from inside his head. ¡°Yes, yes your gluttonous majesty,¡± Drake yawned with a wave of his free hand, then looked to his side, seeing a drooling Sherry, ¡°How is it I ended up with two of the same people in a tutorial that is made for only five thousand, when the world has billions of people? Does this system hate me?¡± ¡°Everyone hates you, it is the only reason you are special, you ape,¡± Nattoughed. Drake got up, cing the pot into his inventory. Sherry gasped before she devolved into a banshee-like wail. ¡°I was only jesting! Yes, only a joke!¡± Natto screamed. Drake sat back down taking out the cauldron and casually started stirring once more, as he used his other hand to practice his aim with his spells along with some of his other skills that were falling behind. He chanted skill after skill whenever it came off cooldown, his body shing green while his arms stayed a solid red as they were encased in his Martial skill. Drake assumed today would be a solid resting day of training and upping his skills but trouble soon found him in more form than one. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you! You should not lower yourself to trying to sneak into a man¡¯s tent at night! It is disgusting behavior, Chels!¡± Megan snapped as she yelled. Drake looked out from the corner of his eye, still sitting down as hezily stirred the food. He could make out that Chelsea was tired from hearing the same thing, apparent from her eyes rolling. ¡°Meg, I¡¯m not lowering myself to do anything¡­ You think I do that just for any guy? I messed up with Drake and now I have to put in that extra effort!¡± she said, giving a small arm pump. Drake chuckled as silently as he could, amazed she was still so gung ho about him. It really is about just not showing any interest huh? Who knew Timmy Turner¡¯s bus episode woulde in so handy? Drakeughed internally. ¡°I do not believe that is the full extent of what is going on here, Drake,¡± Natto scoffed. You¡¯re right, it must just be my massively good looks, and being an overall impable male specimen of the human race. Drake fired back jokingly. ¡°The only example of species you are the ideal for is the one that drags knuckles and hoots in the jungle, eating ants with sticks,¡± Nattoughed. That is an oddly specific insult¡­ Also, Silverback Goris are majestic. I thought we went over this? Natto ignored Drake as the conversation died down for him and for the pair joining them. ¡°Well, sleep alright you two? Surprised Megan decided to join us out here in roughing it,¡± Drake grinned sarcastically. ¡°She decided toe after some things¡­ and apparently seeing you fight Bear put thest nail in the coffin about that. Right now she¡¯s bunking with Jacky, Julia, and I,¡± Chelsea said as she sat down next to Drake. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Drake said, wiggling his eyebrows, ¡°Sounds like a gay old time.¡± Chelsea frowned as Megan growled back. ¡°Take a joke,¡± Drakeughed, but slipped in his question after, ¡°So what was the reason? Does it have to do with the people well er- things we found yesterday night?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Megan sighed, stretching her arms above her head, ¡°There are some problems here that are apparently an open secret.¡± Drake stopped his stirring for a moment to focus on Megan, the sounds of footstepsing up behind him. ¡°What kind of secret?¡± Drake asked seriously. Megan pulled back slightly adjusting herself from her stretch. ¡°The kind where people go missing on hunts for monsters, then start to show back up during the night for a few days,¡± Megan exined. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like too much of a problem? Couldn¡¯t they just have gotten lost fighting monsters, then just made their way back a few dayster?¡± Drake offered. ¡°Well, the problem is they changed when they came back. Small things at first, they are paler, don¡¯t eat, don¡¯t go out in the daytime. But then it gets worse and more weird, they don¡¯t respond to healing magic, then after a few days they disappear again,¡± Megan said. ¡°Ok, maybe my vampire theory isn¡¯t so crazy now¡­¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Vampires? Are we talking like 1900¡¯s Drac, or 2000s Edward?¡± Bjorn said, thumping down on the other side of Drake, Hudson, Amir, Theodore, and Harley finding chairs. ¡°I¡¯m thinking Big ooga booga scary vamps from like games and fantasy fiction. There aren¡¯t any in the tutorial though I thought?¡± Drake asked. ¡°There are no monster Vampires that we have seen no. But that does not rule out they could have recently appeared or we have a variant that someone has changed into,¡± Natto interjected. ¡°Oh, there is one that I know of,¡± Bjorn said, pulling a canteen of something sweet smelling from his inventory. The group¡¯s eyesnded on him waiting for an exnation for the bomb he had just dropped, but he seemed to willingly ignore them or just not notice as he took a long swig of his canteen. Several seconds passed as they all waited, Bjorn finally letting go of the container with a satisfied gasp. ¡°Yeah, I hate the guy but you probably saw him yesterday, Adam, pale scraggly guy. He¡¯s a ¡®Strigoi Viu¡± if I¡¯m not wrong,¡± Bjorn exined. ¡°And he¡¯s still alive, why?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°Well honestly,¡± Bjorn sighed, looking down into the fire of the pit, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be. I tried to kill him once I saw his race,¡± Bjorn said tapping on his eyes, ¡°It should be alright to say since you¡¯re all with Shot. My perception skill is very useful, and can see past alias and reveal more information than the standard identification.¡± Drake gasped, covering his body. ¡°Pervert,¡± he said in faux disgust, ¡°That exins some things then. That¡¯s probably why you think you could have won in that fight, you got better raw stats than I have huh?¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s part of it, I told you though bro, I also have two legendary skills, and honestly they''re pretty bangin¡¯,¡± Bjornughed then became serious, ¡°But Adam hasn¡¯t really been a problem, at least not how you would think. He¡¯s a good fighter, he specializes in gue magic and curse magic, I haven¡¯t exactly figured out the difference, all I know is it¡¯s nasty and it¡¯s hard to deal with.¡± ¡°That does seem like a problem,¡± Drake thought, ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t kill him?¡± Drake asked. Bjorn shook his head, ¡°No, I can kill him. He¡¯s a mage type,¡± then he looked up back to Drake, ¡°A real, normal, ordinary mage type. The problem is Shigure needed him to help with the goblins. Even with Shigure and myself, there were a lot of goblins, man. And his magic allows him to section off most of the forest if he wants. So I had to stop because Shigure physically won¡¯t let me.¡± ¡°Art thou implying he can barrier thou from ying him?¡± Theodore asked, his face showing disbelief. ¡°Not exactly. Adam was one of Shigure¡¯s first team members and now he follows him around all over the ce. So when I tried, he just stood in front of Adam each time. I can¡¯t very well kill the kid for not wanting me to kill Adam, so I gave up. And Adam hasn¡¯t been a nuisance with anything I¡¯ve seen. Those missing people you are talking about could be him. But I have no evidence to back it up. Adam has always stayed within the walls of the camp. And before Shot asks about doubles and illusions, yes I¡¯m sure it¡¯s actually him, my skill can see through that stuff, and I know he only changed races because of an item, it wasn¡¯t a stone. Or at least that¡¯s what Shigure has told me. If he¡¯s lying then I¡¯ve been yed, but I doubt it.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Drake said, finally getting back to his pot and beginning to stir again, ¡°As long as he stays out of our shit, it¡¯s not our business. That¡¯s Shigure¡¯s problem until they want to make it mine. But just to make sure, everyone stays in pairs and finds a buddy. Speaking of which, where are Tom, Jacqueline, Julia, and ire?¡± Chelsea raised her hand from her seat on the ground next to Drake, ¡°Jacky is still sleeping in the tent with Julia, they both like to sleep in, Tom I have no clue though.¡± ¡°Ok, anyone seen Tom? ire?¡± Drake asked again. ¡°Tom is back in my tent, guy couldn¡¯t find anyone to bunk with, so had to let the idjit spend it in mine. Either that or I had to hear him cry like some lost puppy outside it all damned night,¡± Hudson chimed in, his arms crossed, ¡°Think the poor bastard is still sleeping in there, but he should be fine, set up some of the little guys back there since we had those wacko visitorsst night. There is the big un¡¯ in there as well, so they¡¯re weed to try to get him.¡± Drake nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go check for ire, Chelsea would you mind taking over for the food?¡± ¡°Yeah no problem, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Chelsea replied, scooting over a bit so she could grab thedle. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back then,¡± Drake waved, walking to the back end of their small camp, ¡°Why didn¡¯t she just bunk up with Sherry¡­.¡± Drake sighed. A few momentster, Drake stretched out his Aura and saw that someone was still in her tent which he assumed was her. Getting to the edge of the tent entrance, he stopped. ¡°Do I knock? There isn¡¯t exactly a doorbell¡­ Ah, I know!¡± Drake smiled, flexing his aura, thankful he had done more practice through the night. A secondter he heard a yelp and the crashing of some metal objects. Another several seconds he saw a blonde womane to the tent entrance, her staff ready and blonde shoulder-length hair a mess, blue eyes staring at him in fear. Drake stood there smiling back, her face rxing slowly, then scrunching in anger. ¡°Do you have to do that!? I swear I almost died of fright!¡± ire huffed. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to go into your tent without asking,¡± Drake said honestly, ¡°And screaming at the top of my lungs felt inappropriate.¡± ¡°So you decided to scare me to death instead? I thought we were being attacked again!¡± Drake winced feeling awful for having forgotten that she may still have issues with what happened to her. ¡°Would you forgive me if I said I just didn¡¯t want to ruin my singing voice by screaming?¡± Drake said, cringing back slightly. ¡°Fuck you. Next time juste in and wake me up,¡± ire said tly, folding her arms as she blew a strand of hair out of her face. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I meant what I said, you¡¯re wee toe in and wake me. I trust you,¡± ire reiterated. ¡°Nah no thanks, not interested,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Not like that!¡± ire said, in a rage, but quickly deted as she looked at her feet, the mood changing drastically now that they were alone, ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t mind¡­ but you just don¡¯t¡­. I mean¡­. Is it because I¡¯m dirty¡­?¡± Drake recoiled, honestly shaken by the question. ¡°What? Of course not. I¡¯m just not interested in anyone right now, I told you that,¡± he exined. ¡°That just means I¡¯m not good enough then! Right?! What is it then, why am I not good enough for you!?¡± Drake looked back at ire, his mind trying to untangle how she could even ask that question. He had told her exactly why already. ¡°It isn¡¯t you, it¡¯s me,¡± Drake said, then pped himself as the words exited his mouth, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I said that, but it is. Look, I¡¯m just not ready right now, especially after everything that¡¯s happened to me. I¡¯m just not looking for anything. Maybe after the tutorial when everything settles down.¡± ¡°Drake, it will never settle down,¡± Natto said, muscling her way into the conversation for a moment. Yeah, but she doesn¡¯t know that. Drake thought. He could feel Natto shake her head but she went back to being silent. ¡°Then,¡± ire said looking upwards, ¡°When I find you after the tutorial, will you take me then¡­?¡± she asked with pouting lips and puppy dog eyes. Drake sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Yay!,¡± ire said, more animated than ever, ¡°Then it¡¯s a promise!¡± she added, sticking out her pinky. Drakeughed and met her hand with his own, but when they met she tried to pull him in, her faceing inches from him. But Drake was ready for it, his reaction speed too fast for her as a priest-based ss. And after his many battles, his instincts took over as he pulled her in past him, and flipped her on her ass. She fell forward after being somersaulted with a yelp and thump on the ground, her face pointed towards the blue sky, in a long exhale. Drake turned around and looked down. ¡°You really thought that was going to work?¡± Drake smiled. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole..¡± ire whined. ¡°You¡¯re the one who tried to assault me, but I¡¯m the dick?¡± Drakeughed, helping her up. ¡°I was shooting my shot!¡± ire argued. Drake scoffed but pulled her into his arms giving her a soft embrace of a hug. Their height difference allowed him to rest his head on hers. ¡°I¡¯m proud you¡¯vee so far from where you were. You still need to tell me about your brother sometime though,¡± Drake said softly. ire was surprised by the embrace and shrank in his arms, just nodding. ¡°Also sorry for scaring you,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°My bad ire.¡± Drake gave her a pat then let her go after a moment, walking back to the firece. A loud tongue-click sounded in Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Damn it¡­ I might be losing this bet¡­.¡± Natto cursed, Drake chuckling lightly, as he put his hands behind his head. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-One: Meeting the People who can kick my ass. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-One: Meeting the People who can kick my ass. Drake walked back to the campfire, many eyes following him as he sat back down. Chelsea had finished the morning stew and handed it out to the group. ¡°So how was your mini date bro?¡± Bjorn asked, scooping a spoonful of stew into his gullet. ¡°Wen¡¯t ok, we¡¯ll find out how great it was in about 9 months,¡± Drake said deadpan. Drake could hear several forks drop as heads no longer looked at him from the corner of their eyes but instead turned to focus on him. Bjornughed, the others of the group not taking the joke quite so lightheartedly. ¡°What the fuck do you mean 9 months! I thought you didn¡¯t have any interest!¡± Chelsea spat, raising to her feet. Megan slightly choked on her food, coughing while hitting her chest lightly. Harley offered her a cup of water as she grinned wryly. Amir turned his head away, mumbling something under his breath as he decided to continue eating. Theodore looked with a smile. ¡°My Lord! Shall thou be siring heirs already!? My what a wondrous day it is!¡± he shouted before Harley could hit him in the side. ¡°He¡¯s joking love¡­¡± she whispered. Theodore¡¯s eyes widened before he slumped slightly. ¡°This one sees, so there will be no heirs of the great Lord to serve then¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°What is wrong with all of you? Do you think this is some romanticedy or something?¡± Drakeughed, sitting down and grabbing his own share of the food. Remembering to grab a good portion for the ck hole that was currently residing in his head. A very loud and dramatic reminder. ¡°S-so you didn¡¯t do anything¡­?¡± Chelsea stammered, lowering herself to pick up her spoon. Drake scoffed, ¡°No, I¡¯m an innocent church-going boy. Never once have I done anything,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Hey, too far,¡± Bjorn said, nudging him in the left shoulder. ¡°Sex jokes are fine but that is too far?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Hell yeah, bro we know literally anciently described gods are actual things now. Who are you to say the big man upstairs won''t actuallye down now toe put you on your ass if it tickles his big fancy?¡± Bjornughed half joking. Drake paused, thinking about it seriously for a moment. ¡°Well, that is true. From what Natto told me, Dragons, Liches, and a bunch of other things are real as well so he could definitely be real in some form,¡± Drake chuckled taking a scoop from his bowl. ¡°Tis true? The mystical beasts of legend art not fiction but living breathing monoliths of destruction?!¡± Theodore asked in glee. ¡°Well, they technically stand on two legs from what she said, but yeah, breathe fire, super strong, kill you by looking at you, like shiny things. Whole shabang,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Pup, you might be too used to all this system hub-bubbery but do you realize what ya just said? Them Dragons are real? Doesn¡¯t that moisten your leggings?¡± Hudson said, his brow raised. ¡°Yeah, of course, it does. But we won¡¯t be dying for another 10 years so all good!¡± Drake said. Now he had the attention of everyone again. ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t told you all this¡­.¡± Drake chuckled looking around the fire, ¡°Well short of it is when we get out of the tutorial we have like sr system witness protection. Only for 10 years though, then the big baddies cane get us. And from what Natto said, those dragons I mentioned are maybe hosting this thing and wille get what they gave all of us and more in this tutorial.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ So even the stones?¡± Bjorn asked, tilting his head, and ruffling his beard in curiosity. ¡°Yup, even those. Crazy right?¡± Drake answered. ¡°Eh. Mine now bro,¡± Bjornughed going back to eating. ¡°How can you two be so calm about this?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m shaking in my boots. Just look at my feet,¡± Drake said, shaking his dented boots,¡± See? Shaking.¡± ¡°Mr. Shot I feel like this is noughing matter¡­. Are we going to be alright?¡± Harley asked. ¡°I would give us honestly a¡­ thirty percent chance of living after the ten years if I''m being optimistic. Around ten percent if were speaking realistically,¡± he said. Theodore smiled next to Harley, cing his hand on herpfortingly. ¡°My Lord, what do thou think art our chances of longevity after the said time period?¡± Drake smiled back, ¡°One hundred percent, Theo my good man.¡± ¡°How can you say that?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Because I¡¯m here,¡± Drake replied seriously, his smile gone, ¡°I have too many people I care about to justy down and take it from some old gatekeepers. The system might be cruel, but it¡¯s never given me zero chance of survival. If there is even a sliver of hope for us to make it,¡± he said looking around, ¡°Don¡¯t any of you worry. I¡¯ll grab it.¡± Drake broke his deadpan expression quickly, going back to eating. The rest of the group mulled over the information he had just given them. But their faces rxed as they heard his following words. It had been tough, that was certain but Drake had seen them through it all so far. ¡°You¡¯re kinda preachy aren''t you bro,¡± Bjorn said, filling another bowl. ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to talk about it, man. Way to ruin the moment,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Talk about what?¡± ire said, walking into the group, and sitting down next to Drake, albeit slightly sheepishly, her hair damp, and her clothes different from when Drake had seen her earlier. Amir turned scarlet. His mind apparently went wild as whatever fantasy he had in there grew or found the piece thatpleted the puzzle. ¡°Morning after shower¡­Haram¡­.¡± Amir mumbled. Drake sipped the broth of the soup, pretending he didn¡¯t hear him. Harley and Chelsea seemingly did the same as they had excellent hearing from their sses and stats. Chelsea was far more interested and invested than Harley as she leaned over lightly bumping shoulders with Drake. Drake ignored it, continuing to eat. This is going to be a problem now, isn¡¯t it¡­. He thought. ¡°Only if you continue to not take one of them. I would certainly say so,¡± Nattoughed. Thankfully Drake was saved. Tom had woken up, and him being him, Pushed his way through, sitting right next to Drake, forcing Chelsea to move, her face turning to a deathly scowl. ¡°Oh, stew again?¡± Tom sighed. ¡°What, don¡¯t like it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°No, all your food is amazing for some reason, but we¡¯ve been eating it a lottely,¡± Tomined. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Drake said, pulling the pot of food back into his inventory. ¡°What?! No, I didn¡¯t mea-¡± ¡°You said you were eating too much, so try my new recipe. ¡®No soup for you¡¯ a mode,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°But¡­ but..¡± Tom said, his face crumbling into a frown. Drake enjoyed teasing the guy, but he was stopped by the approaching group of people who wereing from Shigure¡¯s camp. He dropped the food back down, Tom bowing in thanks. As Bjorn and Drake both left to meet them. ¡°Good morning Shigure,¡± Bjorn greeted. ¡°It is nice to see you as well Sir Bear. Shot¡­.¡± Shigure said reluctantly. ¡°Watch it. I¡¯m not the one on thin ice kid. Are these the people I asked for?¡± Drake pointed with his chin. Looking over the group, Drake was able to see several people of decent level. Some were around level 15, others at level 14, and one individual at 16. They were no match for Bjorn or Drake, but that was not the point. ¡°Yes, these are several of the people from our camp with formal martial arts or military training. I am also included in this, as I have formal Kendo experience as well as Judo,¡± Shigure exined, fixing his attitude. ¡°Thank you, but before that. What do you know about the people or ghouls that showed upst night?¡± Drake asked pointedly. ¡°I- I am uncertain as to what you mean. We have no one who is of that race and I can assur-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want assurances. Especially when I had to snuff four of themst night as they tried to enter our tents. Where¡¯s this Adam guy,¡± Drake asked. Shigure nced at Bjorn, but Drake redirected him, with a small flex of Aura, chilling Shigure for a moment. ¡°He¡­ He is within the camp. Apparently, he is sensitive to light at his current rank and doesn¡¯t want to exhaust himself after having toe out yesterday. But I am certain he was not the culprit,¡± Shigure offered. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll bite. Why?¡± ¡°Because we have also suffered losses from these attacks. Even Adam¡¯s own group has lost people to them when they are out at night.¡± ¡°Why exactly are they out at- oh vampire, right. Well, that doesn¡¯t exonerate him of the act. He is the only vampy we know of. And don¡¯t forget you and your little friend stepped on my toes. So I¡¯m going to be nice onest time. If I get a whiff of stinky dead people again. He. Is. Mine,¡± Drake growled, his eyes shifting colors. ¡°I will¡­. Pass the message along¡­¡± ¡°Make sure that you do,¡± Drake smiled, then looked past him at the group. ¡°Alright, hello people I don¡¯t know. But you might know me!¡± Drake said, spreading his arms, ¡°I am in need of someone to kick my ass.¡± The group began mumbling to each other, some of their eyes widening. ¡°I know what you all are thinking. ¡®Oh, how are we supposed to do that to you?¡¯ Well, It¡¯s going to work like this. I will be lowering my perceived stats to match yours. And yes it works, I tried it a bit yesterday with some trial and error. I will move slightly slower, hit slightly weaker, and no magic. I need to gain experience in martial arts and self-defense because I¡¯m a novice. So who¡¯s up to beat the shit out of me?¡± Drake asked. The entire group looked on confused doing nothing. Shigure on the other hand shot his arm up excitedly. Drakeughed and sighed at the same time. Does Shigure think he¡¯s at school or something¡­ He thought. ¡°Ok, whoever agrees to help me will get a few thousand F-Grade Monster Cores, as well as a Rare Skill Stone of their choice from my inventory,¡± Drake added. All the hands of the group shot up like he had just offered his weight in gold with a sports car on top. ¡°Good. Now, who¡¯s first?¡± Drake smiled. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Training Sucks Donkey Nuts. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Training Sucks Donkey Nuts. ¡°Alright, I- I can¡¯t anymore ahhhhhh,¡± Drake gasped, writhing on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s wrong prick? Can¡¯t handle a little ass whooping?¡± the man said, standing as he sneered down at him. ¡°Apparently not..¡± Drake huffed, looking back up at the man, ¡°I never imagined people actually trained to kill would be so hard to fight¡­.¡± I can still beat them in a fight at full power though. Just want to slide that in here¡­ Drake thought, trying to nurse his bruised ego. ¡°I will say I am impressed with how well they are pummeling you. I did not think that your military was so well trained,¡± Natto giggled,ughing at Drake¡¯s expense. I¡¯m going to refrain from saying something very rude, and it¡¯s totally not because I¡¯m exhausted from holding back, while getting my ass kicked. Drake huffed and heaved a breath, drawing in much-needed air as he sat his body back up. He was getting shafted left and right when it came to technique and his self-imposed handicap made it even harder, but he had kept his vitality at its peak for the most part, also allowing his Aura to continually scan the field. He wasn¡¯t so foolish to believe telling Shigure to control his people would result in them actually listening. The more Drake interacted with the teen the more he questioned if the boy was actually in charge or just a powerful ally people were manipting. Drake had noticed quite a few onlookerse and go, but thankfully after witnessing his entrance yesterday as well, Bjorn was camped nearbyughing at Drake being smacked around. They decided against doing anything for now. ¡°All done buttercup?¡± the man jeered, again throwing an insult at Drake. ¡°I consider myself more of a Bubbles thank you. Let¡¯s go again, I¡¯m slowly getting it,¡± Drake sneered back. ¡°You call that getting it?¡± a woman from the side said, pointing andughing. Drake ignored the jab, taking his stance once more. The man across from him doing the same opting for a more loose form, attesting to his mastery of his MMA style. Drake scoffed. Knowing that he was also ying loose because he didn¡¯t respect Drake as an opponent. It is taking all of my willpower to not just put my hand through his head¡­. Drake only knew his fighting styles from shows and anime, the most in detail being boxing. They both rushed forward meeting in a sh of jabs and strikes. Drake kept his arms up doing his best to cover his head as he used his nimbleness to doge as best he could. But the man was faster. Using his experience and quick thinking to feint for Drake¡¯s left, then quickly swept his back leg. Taking Drake to the ground once more. The man quickly barked augh, bringing down the heel of his metal boot in an attempt to crush Drake¡¯s head. Falling to the ground, Drake let out a puff of air, but recovered, tumbling out of the way of the stomp. With his now increased Dexterity, he sprang back up with a handstand from the ground, collecting himself and going in close again. Drake moved in towards the center of the man, doing his best to use the same feint the man had, throwing a quick jab to his left. Unfortunately, Drake¡¯s arm was caught in an arm lock, the manughing as he used his kneed to kick upwards. But Drake wasn¡¯t about to be undone. And wasn¡¯t about to let his Adrenaline Acuity go to waste. So he cheated. Seeing the knee strikee in slow motion, Drake pushed himself off the ground and over the man''s right shoulder, taking him into a headlock, then wrestling him to the ground. ¡°Gotchya bitch!¡± Drake chuckled, holding the man in a tight headlock. Within a few more struggling seconds the man finally tapped out. Drake released him and got to his feet. ¡°See? Learning!¡± he huffed. The man grumbled something and went back to the spectators, another person walking forward. ¡°Not bad rookie, but keep in mind going to the ground in a real fight is death. You won¡¯t just be dealing with one opponent,¡± the man smiled. ¡°Good to know, then let''s go with two then,¡± Drake said pointing to the woman who insulted him earlier, ¡°You seem to want to get in on the action so, let¡¯s see what you got, Blossom. Or wait, you are probably a Buttercup in this situation,¡± Drake said, tilting his head in a momentary debate. The woman growled and red back at Drake. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ to enjoy kicking your sorry ass kid!¡± she spat, cracking her knuckles. Drake gasped in faux fright. ¡°Oh no! Mojo Jojo is angry, whatever am I going to do?¡±
Adam looked from the rampart at the camp down in the field, a group of people sparring and forming a circle around those currently fighting. ¡°Hmmm, at least he''s shit at hand-to-handbat,¡± Adam mused, ¡°His magic was rather extraordinary but it¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± Adam looked beside the ring of spectators to a smaller group near Bear. There the rest of Shot¡¯s party looked on,ughing and pointing, some still eating, others going back and forth from the tents of their little camp. ¡°I don¡¯t see why they would want to follow an idiot like him when we are obviously the better choice. It¡¯s rather sad that such beauties are wasted on a fool,¡± he scoffed. Next to Adam, a small magic circle appeared, from it a pale gangling man rose up from the ground. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Master, we were unable to infiltrate their camp in the night,¡± the Ghoul gurgled. ¡°I can see that¡­ I¡¯m more interested in what you learned, you fucking lesser...¡± The Ghoul shrank, bowing deeply. ¡°We have mapped out their camp. The leader sleeps alone in a tent at the far end, the rest have decided to form pairs orrger in the others. And the man in charge seems to have a perception skill that lets him notice us within a certain distance¡­¡± the Ghoul replied. Adam sensed a but within the pause. ¡°And what¡¯s the but? Out with it, I don¡¯t want to be seen with something like you. It will ruin my n,¡± Adam spat. ¡°Yes¡­ There is a woman who is on the edge of the camp, she is far enough away we believe that we can grab her in time, even if we were to alert the leader. But we will suffer great losses¡­¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t care, do it. I can always make more of you filth. Don¡¯t fail this time or will be changing employers.¡± The Ghoul gurgled a grunt and sank back down into the magic circle. Adam scoffed, cing a sleeve to his nose. ¡°Filthy lessers¡­ If only I could be with the greater¡¯s where I belong I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with their disgusting stench. And I could have all the pleasures and riches I want¡­¡± Adam thought aloud, his eyes moving again to the group below, ¡°But soon¡­ very soon, I will have a very obedient workhorse,¡± he sneered, a smile creasing his pale lips.
Chelsea moved inch by inch closer to ire, with only one clear goal in her mind. I need to find out what happened! I might have set myself back by being a bitch early on but I won¡¯t be beat! She thought, her eyes focusing on the blonde woman who sat across from her, looking at the sparring. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± Tom asked, chewing on a piece of jerky, his eyebrow raised. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking worry about it Tom,¡± Chelsea said, snapping at the poor man. Tom recoiled gulping down the rest of his jerky in one bite, suddenly choking. ire heard the ruckus and turned her head, furrowing her brows in curiosity. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± she asked, almost parroting Tom. ¡°That¡¯s what I would like to know!¡± Tom said coughing. ¡°We aren''t doing anything, but what are you doing!¡± Chelsea huffed, scooting over even closer to ire, ¡°I thought we had an unspoken deal not to get ahead!¡± she whispered. ire scoffed, ¡°Hmph, how are we supposed to have a deal if it¡¯s unspoken? Sounds really stupid. And¡­. I didn¡¯t get ahead¡­¡± ire said, suddenly deting. ¡°What? What happened exactly?¡± Tom inched in closer only to be hit square in the face by Chelsea¡¯s fist. Tom was unharmed but got the message and walked away. ire squirmed a bit under the intense stare Chelsea gave but eventually folded, spilling the beans on what had transpired between her and Drake. ¡°He hugged you?!¡± Chelsea shrieked, her face turning green. ¡°Shhhhh!!!¡± ire said hushing her, ¡°It isn¡¯t a big deal¡­! I feel like he almost did it because he felt bad that I tried to kiss him¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°Yeah maybe but are you sure you¡¯re alright? After¡­.¡± Chelsea struggled to find the words ufortably sitting on the end of her tongue, ¡°After, what happened?¡± she finally said meekly. ire pursed her lips struggling to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I wasn¡¯t even thinking about that when it happened. I just felt¡­ safe?¡± ire said her eyes rxing as she dotingly stared out into the field watching Drake get hit in the face for the umpteenth time. It was Chelsea¡¯s turn to squirm in her seat, feeling awkward now. ¡°Ahhh¡­. That¡¯s not fair¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°I¡¯m happy for you after everything. We all need something like that with what we''re going through, but I can''t help but be jealous¡­¡± ire snickered. ¡°You are surprisingly a pure maiden at heart huh Chelsea? It isn¡¯t like we are dating,¡± ire said, Chelsea¡¯s eyes brightening at the answer, ¡°At least not yet,¡± she smirked. Chelsea shifted again in her seat, pulling her legs up to her chest as she pouted. ¡°I wish I knew how to make things better, I feel awful for all the things I said when I first met him¡­ When he saved us, all I saw was another empty hope and hollow promises. Chris, the guy who used to lead our group¡­¡± ¡°What? Was he like Drake?¡± ire asked. ¡°No... When I first met him, before I knew him. Chris was honestly better¡­. The picture of the perfect guy. Charismatic, charming, always knew what to say and when to say it. Firm but soft and always understanding enough to listen first,¡± Chelsea exined, rattling off details, ¡°But behind it, he was a monster¡­ A real monster. And that¡¯s all I saw behind Drake when he swooped in and gave us a way out of that nightmare. It was wrong, I know, but I was afraid¡­¡± Chelsea chuckled lightly, admonishing herself. ire took a moment, reaching her hand out to touch Chelsea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I was lucky then¡­ I saw Drake as a monster as well,¡± ire began, looking again over to Drake and then back to Chelsea, ¡°The only difference was I needed that monster to get back at those Goblins for what they did. I haven¡¯t told even Drake this yet... But my brother died protecting me from them. When we were taken into this insane godforsaken ce, all I had was him. All I had was Jared. But he could only protect me for so long against the hordes of Goblins and eventually they took us¡­.¡± ire paused, her arm shaking as she pulled it away, her mouth quivering as tears quickly filled her eyes, ¡°They put us against each other in the ring¡­ But he refused to fight me. The Goblins¡­ Those sick animals¡­. Th-they made me kill him,¡± ire sobbed solemnly, ¡°It was him or me, and they would have killed us if we both refused. We saw it happen before and Jared knew. So he died¡­ to protect me. I would have ki-killed myself but I was just too scared, too weak¡­¡± ire¡¯s face stiffened as her eyes burned in rage thinking back on it. ¡°Then he saved us. At first, when I saw him, I didn¡¯t want to believe he was real either. Just another light going to be snuffed out by those monsters no matter how strong he appeared to be. So I tried to run. But instead, he stopped me, protected me, fed me, and gave me a reason to keep going¡­ And now. Now that he let me kill not only the Goblin that forced my brother and I to fight but the one that started it, the King. I want him, I want Drake to be my reason to keep going,¡± ire smiled. ¡°Damn it. Stop!¡± Chelsea said, wiping the tears from her eyes, ¡°How am I supposed to beat that!? Let me be angry a bit, will you?! Or at least let mepete¡­!¡± she sighed, ¡°Now I can¡¯t help but cheer for you too! Why are all the women around here so perfect? I feel so inadequate now¡­ First Harley, then you, who¡¯s next huh?! When¡¯s my turn!¡± Chelsea roared, throwing her hands into the air. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Finding the Thing, I mean Crafter I’m looking for. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Finding the Thing, I mean Crafter I¡¯m looking for. The day progressed with Drake going back and forth between the challengers, each one defeating him handily for hours until the forms and strikes were beaten into him, allowing him to slowly improve. Eventually they would break at meal times not because Drake was particrly hungry, but because there were two certain bottomless pits,parable to the abyss that would not allow him to continue. At lunch during the first break, he had invited the people who had participated to join him so long as they provided some food. Most of them declined and opted to just eat their meals near the camp waiting for them to resume so they may get back to it as soon as he was ready. All of them eager to resume venting their frustrations on Drake. Not to mention they enjoyed having the old-world challenge of fighting like regr people once more. Drake and his group began cooking and the aroma suddenly attracted the nearby people that had earlier declined. The smell of the food was all too enticing for them as they ate their jerky and essentially prison rations of poorly made soup, bread, or whatever else was being served in the camp. This wasn¡¯t to say no one was cooking good food inside Shigure¡¯s camp, but it was a luxury, meaning it was also expensive to purchase. And Drake was offering to cook only if you provided the food. He and his group quickly finished eating, sharing some time going over what he had missed during his hours of sparring. Once they finished their small talk he once again got back to the grindstone, but he needed to up the difficulty. During their session before dinner, Drake began using magic. Not to use against his opponents, but to simply train his multitasking and skills. He cursed when he realized he couldn¡¯t use certain skills due to them giving him a clear advantage if he did, but he quickly found a workaround. Having several people stay within eyesight and rtive earshot, Drake was able to further push his abilities and multitasking, using his Aura of Command for his opponents and the party members when it was avable. Drake was also somehow able to convince some bystanders to let him use his ocr skills on them. Eventually, Bjorn jumped in and asked for him to train using him as the target. Bjorn wanting to train his own skills by resisting the skill. Progress was slow but without a doubt getting there even on the first day. Drake was able to finally start progressing on the skills he had been sorelycking due to time and inability to utilize. This again continued until dinner. Where he was interrupted by a cranky Sherry andining Natto. Both whined incessantly about how he was not paying attention to their food dilemma. That dilemma being that there wasn¡¯t constant food being prepared for them. Dinner was a bigger event this time around, as now all of the people who had declined before happily brought ingredients, wanting to have a good warm meal for dinner. Drake and his party prepared the meals for everyone. They honestly felt slightly nostalgic having to cook for more people after weeks of having to cook for hundreds. They chatted andughed while serving the food reminiscing about how just a few days ago they would spend their time doing the same thing but for several times the amount. The meal progressed normally but Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice some prating gazesing from the forests as well as Shigure¡¯s outpost. His thoughts turned to how tonight might be more bothersome than thest, or that he might have to make an example out of people tomorrow during their sparring. Thankfully after dinner and into the night there were no incidents outside of Sherry wandering into his tent grumbling about food, or Chelsea trying to sneak in only to be pulled back by a chastising mother hen named Megan. Drake was now practicing in his bed, looking at the canvas above him as his hand twirled and melded magic to the side. ¡°I¡¯m getting pretty good at this, I kinda feel like a Grand Mage at this point¡­.¡± Drake mused smiling to himself. ¡°Please, you are still only F-Rank, while you are progressing well, do not allow it to go to your head. The higher-ranked pure mage sses will still be able to outperform you in Mana Maniption for the time being. We must remember that your skills, while strong, are still meant for general use. Hopefully, we are able to get an Epic Sub-tree stone from this wretched Goblin¡¯s hoard or we will be forced to wait until the tutorial shop,¡± Natto exined from the bed at his side, her eyes still closed as she breathed softly. ¡°It would be nice not having to spend everything on just stones at the end. But I¡¯m curious what else is in the store¡­ I don¡¯t particrly need anything desperately outside of stones, but it¡¯s always nice to have shiny new equipment,¡± Drake thought aloud, his wanting to upgrade equipmenting through. Drake may not be ying games any more thanks to the tutorial, but his habit of wanting the next big upgrade for the nice pretty high damage numbers was ever-present. ¡°There are several categories within the shop. Cultivation Pills, like the ones that you used for increasing your stats. There is certainly exquisite equipment to be found I am sure, since we have all but decided this tutorial is sponsored by the Dragons of the multiverse. There are also essories, skill stones, maps, quests, system sanctioned buildings. You will most likely even find other constructs such as myself there,¡± Natto said, pausing a bit. ¡°Hmm¡­. that¡¯s quite the selection, but I think I¡¯ll pass on the other constructs,¡± Drake said, taking her pause as a hint for her nervous insecurity, ¡°I only need one pesky little glutton by my side right now,¡± he smiled. ¡°What do you mean pesky?!¡± Natto huffed, ¡°And what is ¡®only now¡¯ supposed to mean might I ask!¡± she continued to jab in faux offense, raising her hands into the air, but stillying down with her eyes closed. Drake chuckled letting the back and forth die. He continued to look upward, training his spells as he thought about the day, going over the fights he had had trying to fix his mistakes in his head one after the other. Throughout the night this continued. Drake gave himself no rest as he diligently increased his skills until morning. Finally, the light began to pierce through the canvas bit by bit as the sun outside rose. Giving Drake a passing thought. ¡°I wonder exactly where we are. I thought about it before, but there aren¡¯t any stars but we have a sun. Is the sun fake? Natto mentioned it before¡­ but I wish I had some way to confirm it,¡± he asked aloud. Drake looked over surprised that he didn¡¯t hear a reply from Natto, only to see her snoring sound asleep, her mouth slightly open and a line of drooling from her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is more surprising, her drooling like an old man after a drunk night out, or her actually needing sleep. She¡¯s usually awake and asking for food by now, not to mention she¡¯s a construct¡­¡± he chuckled, rising from his bed. He quietly stepped out of the tent stretching as he did, the morning light and dew reminding him of his father''s home out far from the city. ¡°Man, I really miss this type of scenery in the morning. Only thing missing are singing birds,¡± ¡°You called?¡± Bjorn said, pping Drake on the shoulder, a big grin on his face. ¡°What the fuck kind of bird would you be? And I asked for singing, not ear-shattering chalkboard scratching,¡± Drakeughed back, pretending his back was not stinging. Bjorn gasped in faux offense. ¡°I used to be the best singer atpany karaoke,¡± Bjorn said, his face filled with confidence. ¡°Bjorn,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°You were the CEO of yourpany at apany event,¡± Drake said, his eyebrow raised. Bjorn¡¯s confidence deted quickly as he got the message but still asked. ¡°Yeah so what bro?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think they just said you were good because they were afraid to get fired?¡± Drakeughed again, beginning to step out behind his tent, summoning a ball of water as he did. ¡°What are you trying to say? I¡¯m a bad singer? And do you really see me as someone who would fire an employee over saying that?¡± Drake pursed his lips, taking a minute to reply. ¡°Drake, bro, really?¡± Bjorn said. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, no I don¡¯t take you as a tyrannical corporate leader from a techpany in California,¡± Drake said, making sure his voice was as sarcastic as possible. ¡°That one stung man, I¡¯m a good singer,¡± Bjorn said defensively. ¡°Wait, you''re not going to say you wouldn¡¯t fire people for that? But instead of getting mad about me insulting your vocal expertise?¡± Drake asked aghast. Bjorn shrugged. Drake shook his head, not sure if he shouldugh or sigh at the man admitting to being a terror at the office. Out of view of most of the camp behind his tent, Drake ced a majority of his belongings into his inventory, spilling the lukewarm water over himself. ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯ve said it before, I¡¯ll say it again. My kingdom for a bar of soap¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Here,¡± Bjorn said offering up just that. ¡°What?! Where did you get it?¡± Drake eximed. ¡°Guy inside makes it, they have a good amount of craftsmen in the camp ya know?¡± Bjorn said nonchntly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me this shit sooner man?!¡± Drake yelled as he dripped from head to toe. ¡°I unno,¡± Bjorn said, shrugging once more, a grin on his face, ¡°Also you should cover up bro, there''s some wandering eyes,¡± Bjorn said, pointing with his chin. Drake was already aware from his Aura sense but decided to joke around. ¡°Ahhh! Perverts!¡± he screamed in fake embarrassment, as he quickly summoned his robe to cover himself, recoiling in disgust. ¡°W-what?! I was just looking since I was passing by!¡± Megan shouted, peeking out from behind the tent, ¡°Besides¡­. I¡¯ve already seen it all¡­¡± she mumbled, surprisingly blushing. Fuck is it another one? Damn it¡¯s hard being me sometimes. Drakeughed to himself jokingly. ¡°I know I¡¯m only kidding. Do you need anything Megan or are you just hungry like the rest of the vultures?¡± Drake asked, blow-drying himself with his magic. ¡°I.. um, I wanted to ask if I was able to join your sparring sessions?¡± she asked pensively, ¡°After everything I realized I¡¯m not able to really defend myself as a healer but also just in general I feel very vulnerable. So I thought learning a bit might help.¡± Drake mulled it over briefly, looking to Bjorn behind him who shrugged with his eyes. He¡¯s so very very helpful¡­. Drake sighed internally. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, just make sure to not overdo it, and don¡¯t let people know what ss you are,¡± Drake reminded. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± she asked back. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want anyone getting any ideas about taking advantage of you or any of our other support sses. Your stats and skills are oriented for nonbat support just like ire and Amir. So you wouldn¡¯tst long in a fight, but sparring I don¡¯t see it being a problem. But if they know you are a vulnerable ss, I don¡¯t know what they would do and frankly based on what''s been going on I don¡¯t trust most of them. So let¡¯s just say I want to cover all my bases and stay on the safe side. Don¡¯t want to have to save you three times in one tutorial after all,¡± Drake exined smiling. Megan silently nodded before adding to her question. ¡°Also most of the others in the group were talking about joining. A lot of us were watching and feeling like we weren¡¯t doing enough, so I¡¯ll ry the message if that¡¯s alright?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Yeah, that would be very helpful, thank you. Wow, look at you, being part of the team already after one day!¡± Drake said sarcastically. Megan braced a bit from the jab but nodded all the same, and went back in the other direction towards her own tent. Drake raised his brows, honestly surprised that she didn''t snap back at him. ¡°Is it just me or are all the women that hated me starting to¡­ naw, couldn¡¯t be. This isn¡¯t some romance novel or anime¡­.¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°Brother,¡± Bjorn chuckled, ¡°You are in for some trouble in the future. I can already tell.¡± Drakeughed wryly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m just a naive innocent young man. Just looking at the opposite sex makes me feel all itchy.¡± Bjorn shook his head, then changed the conversation, not wanting to be kept in Drake¡¯s pace any longer. ¡°So you seemed interested in those craftsmen, any reason for that?¡± Drake paused and remembered one of his major goals he hadn¡¯t been able to really voice. ¡°Yeah. I needed someone who can make essories, specifically jewelry if possible, rings would be perfect,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Oh? Trying to fill out your professions while you¡¯re here?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yup, exactly. I¡¯m thinking of making a status concealment item. I¡¯ve seen it enough times with the PKers but I haven¡¯t been able to get my hands on the item itself¡­¡± Drake sighed, digressing, ¡°So I want to make one myself if the profession will allow me, not to mention with my item sets and fighting style, explosive stat switching is a must. And I need to snag some different stat multipliers if I want to continue that.¡± ¡°Hmm. I think I know a guy. Well, thing. Actually, yeah, guy works,¡± Bjorn smiled. Drake gave a questioning re. ¡°Am I not going to like this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, bro. Long as you don¡¯t look him in the face, it will be fine. Probably,¡± Bjornughed, pping Drake¡¯s naked back. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Making Progress, and the Thing? Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Making Progress, and the Thing? [You have increased Atrophy of the Mind to Proficiency 2] [You have increased Cower to Proficiency 2] Drake paused, holding his hand up to stop his sparring partner, hearing the sound of the proficiency notification in his ear, a smile creasing his face. Nice. These ones took way longer than they should have, but can you me me when I can one-shot everything already? Haven¡¯t had to use the debuffs too often because of it. Drake thought before another notification promptly came following the others. [You have increased Tyrant¡¯s Indomibility to Proficiency 2] The third notification he received was one that he felt. His mind cleared noticeably as if dirt was scraped from a windshield, giving him more rity. He felt his thoughts move more quickly and precisely, his breathing felt smoother and more rxed. Overall his being felt. Well, felt better. Drake took a long breath, exhaling out with a simr length before he looked back to his sparring partner, feeling genuinely refreshed. ¡°Wow, that was amazing. If only every skill up felt that good,¡± Drake said, taking his stance again. On the other side of Drake was Shigure, his foot tapping impatiently on the ground as he sighed finally seeing Drake ready once more. Shigure took his own stance as he looked Drake in the eyes questioningly. ¡°You have just increased a skill?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Yeah. Are you surprised? I¡¯ve been using them the entire time we¡¯ve been sparring on and off,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Yes, but Proficiency two to three takes a significant amount of time¡­ Are you saying that you still have Proficiency one skills?¡± Shigure asked again, his stance ckening as he was ovee with surprise. ¡°A few, some of them I still can¡¯t increase really. I have one that I¡¯m sort of cheating on,¡± he said, thinking about his ¡®Fully Loaded¡¯ skill. The skill required all of his equipment slots to be filled, and he technically was able to do so because of his Hoarder skill. Drake wasn¡¯t wearing any ne, but he had an extra ring on each hand, which apparently counted for the missing slot. But Drake could observe the noticeably slow progress the skill madepared to his other passive skills, leading him to believe he needed to properly equip every slot to make the skill properly progress. ¡°But that¡¯s all you are getting out of me, now get your dukes up pretty boy,¡± Drakeughed. Shigure scowled back and lunged forward, his stance low as he went for a takedown. Drake had be ustomed to Shigure¡¯s opening for the fights. The teen was a good fighter, precise and strategic. Almost too much so as he continued to use the same maneuvers over and over as if he was reading from a book. Shigure looked for a grip on one of Drake¡¯s blocking arms as he closed the gap. Drake knew it wasing, and stepped to the side, instead grabbing Shigure¡¯s arm to Shigure¡¯s surprise. And in one swift motion, Drake used the move that Shigure had been practicing on him for the past several hours. He pulled Shigure in close, bringing his arm over his shoulder as he gripped his hakama by the p, flipping Shigure over his shoulder. Shigure mmed to the ground, air removed from his body in a huff. Drake pressed the counter, jumping into the airically as heid his elbow down on Shigure¡¯s stomach, resulting in Shigure yelping as he bent into the impact. Drake got upughing. ¡°Shigure, you really need to work on your hot-headedness. That''s like the tenth time I¡¯ve flung ament at you and gotten you to charge first. What¡¯s the deal? I understand you don¡¯t like me, but this is going a bit far man,¡± Drake said offering his hand to the teen. Shigure wiped the drool from his mouth, pping away Drake¡¯s hand in the same motion. ¡°Bro, that''s not only rude, it''s unsanitary¡­ Your mouth is already dirty, and who knows where it¡¯s been,¡± Drake joked, waving his hand to clean it from the spit. ¡°Fuck you, all you have done is insult me since you have gotten here! That is more than enough reason to dislike you,¡± Shigure spat, standing shakily. Drake used one of his hands to summon water to clean his hand, looking back at Shigure, Drake dropped an eye, his expression saying ¡®really¡¯? ¡°If that¡¯s what you are sticking with, it¡¯s whatever. Just know I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Are you ready for another round, or do I have to go find someone else more motivated to really kick my ass?¡± Drakeughed, raising his arm to beckon Shigure again. Shigure roared and lunged forward. ¡°Did I not just exin this?¡± Drake scoffed in disbelief.
Several more hours passed as Shigure and Drake went back and forth with sparring, only being stopped by angry gluttons demanding their dinner. As one would expect Shigure refused to stay, opting to go back to his camp and eat whatever the leader of the Coalition eats. ¡°He really doesn¡¯t like you huh? Rocks up every time to try to kick you into the dirt, but won''t eat none,¡± Jacqueline said, bringing a spoon to her mouth. ¡°Yeah, Sir, it seems that he has a particr hate for you. Do you happen to know why?¡± Amire asked, sitting down at the table next to Hudson. Drake pursed his lips rocking back in his chair. ¡°If I had to guess? I really don¡¯t know. It could be almost anything. I had a guy hate me before because I talked to a girl he had a crush on. I¡¯ve had people hate me because I like a show they don¡¯t. Hell, I¡¯ve had people hate me for saving their asses from death camps,¡± he jabbed, a few weary chuckles sounding, ¡°What? Too soon?¡± he smirked. ¡°I thought we were past that?¡± Chelsea said, frowning. ¡°Oh we are, I¡¯ll die for anyone here, but that doesn''t mean I can¡¯t be petty and bring it up once in a while,¡± Drake continued to smile. ¡°Mr. Shot, you should really be more forgiving with those things,¡± Harley admonished shaking her finger at him. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Drake asked, raising his hands in mock surrender. ¡°What do you think will happen when they get dirt on you?¡± she replied. Drake winced. ¡°Good point. Alright, everyone I take that back, I am a reformed individual that will never bring up again how you all hated me, even though I saved you all. Gave you food, skill stones, and tolerated your being insulting, disrespectful, and all-around insufferable¡± Drake said sarcastically, bowing his head slightly. ¡°Ain¡¯t that a bit much there pup? Something got ya on edge?¡± Hudson asked, tearing a piece of bread from his loaf. ¡°I can always count on you to be emotionally in tune with me, Hudson. You sure you weren¡¯t a therapist before all this?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Or perhaps an FBI agent?¡± Drake added, squinting his eyes at him. Hudson stayed silent, bringing his food to his mouth. ¡°I knew it!¡± Drake joked pointing his spoon at him, ¡°But really. I don¡¯t know, I have been getting a bad feeling. Like someone is testing me,¡± he finally offered giving a serious answer as his eyes wandered to the surroundings. ¡°Such as my Lord?¡± Theodore asked. Drake summoned a small bolt of lightning to the end of his finger, pointing it upward. A bullet of earth falling from his pinky the next moment that embedded itself into the ground. The earth behind him, molding into a b. ¡°I¡¯m going to be very clear about this. So here¡¯s a visual,¡± Drake winked, ¡°Here is me,¡± he said, putting a scorch mark on the b, ¡°Here is the area I can sense with my skill,¡± Drake exined, putting a circle around him that took up most of the b. ¡°Now, here are all of you next to me,¡± Drake began again, putting extra dots in the circle close to the original one, ¡°And here are the people around us right now,¡± he said, putting several dots on the edge of the circle and some within the circle. ¡°Anyone notice what¡¯s going on here?¡± Drake asked. The faces on the table looked intensely at the b, others nk. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of dots on the edge there,¡± ire offered, pointing to the cluster on the edge. ¡°Good,¡± Drake nodded, bringing up another b to his right, ¡°Here is what it looked like yesterday.¡± Drake took a moment putting a circle and dots representing people around arger dot in the middle. This time the dots were more scattered and less oriented at the edge of the circle. ¡°Notice the difference?¡± he asked. ¡°The dots of said person''s art less centered than the ones today. As if thy do not understand they are within the sensory circle,¡± Theodore offered. ¡°Good Theo, this is why your my #2. And not that number two, you would need an eyepatch for that, not the monocle. And I don¡¯t particrly look as good bald. But yes, what I¡¯m getting at is. I can¡¯t tell who these people are, or if they are monsters, my skill doesn¡¯t differentiate, but I can tell when a living being is within a certain distance. What I didn¡¯t know is that the sensing itself gave off any sort of notification that it was being used. I believed that it was just when I used the full extent of my Aura that I was influencing my surroundings. But apparently, I am wrong, and someone is trying to find out where my limit is,¡± Drake said, his eyes thinning. ¡°Is that what that weird tingling is? But, you think someone is nning something?¡± Tom asked, a spoon poking out from his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think Shigure is stupid enough even if he is angry. But I don¡¯t know enough about the other members of the camp,¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°What will you do if it is someone from the camp and not just monsters?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Shh, you. You¡¯re a probation member, you don¡¯t get a say,¡± Drake snapped jokingly, her face frowning. ¡°I¡¯m only hazing you a bit, Megan. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed but I¡¯m an acquired taste,¡± Drake said, grinning. ¡°Very acquired,¡± everyone at the table said, outside of Theodore who looked around confused. ¡°Hmm? My Lord is a splendid individual!¡± he eximed, ¡°This one does not see the problem with his humor? Is it not obvious he is merely jesting?¡± Theodore asked a brow raised. Harley nudged him with her shoulder, whispering in his ear, but thanks to everyone''s enhanced senses she might as well have been speaking normally. ¡°No love, it¡¯s not¡­¡± she said. Drake scoffed, and brought the attention back to him, ¡°Anyway. If it¡¯s just monsters, but I¡¯m kinda doubting it, I¡¯ll take care of them when they decide to do something or get closer. But if it¡¯s not¡­¡± Drake sighed, looking off distantly as he stared at his two titles. [Murderer]
  • Kill Five of your own race. This title marks you as a murderer.
[Serial Killer]
  • Kill Ten of your own race. This title marks you as a serial killer. Though the world may not approve the system smiles upon you and your forthright taking of those below you.
Drake cringed at the exnation of the titles, but refocused, answering Megan¡¯s question. ¡°But if it really is someone and not something trying to harm us. Then I will make the decision I have before,¡± he said, his eyes turning to points, his aura ring, ¡°I will protect mine. Whatever maye.¡± Bjorn plopped his bowl down on the table, breaking the tension immediately. ¡°Shot, I know where you areing from, but tone it down there bro,¡± Bjorn said, chuckling, ¡°You''re going to scare off the dude you were looking for if ya do that,¡± he said pointing over to the space between their camp and Shigure¡¯s. In the open space between them, a hulking figure lugged itself over. The outline of the person, or thing, was twice the size of even Bjorn. ¡°The fuck is that thing?¡± Jacqueline asked. ¡°Don¡¯t look him in his eye, he doesn¡¯t really like being stared at,¡± Bjorn said nervously, ¡° He¡¯s pretty sensitive about it, and it took a bit of convincing to get him out,¡± Bjorn exined, scratching his beard. ¡°Wait, you weren¡¯t kidding when you said thing?¡± Drake said incredulously, his brows raising as he identified the person or thing. [Lamar Youngston Level 14] Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Lamar. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Lamar. ¡°How is there someonerger than you exactly?¡± Drake asked Bjorn in a low voice. Bjorn scoffed, ¡°Hey now, I¡¯m not that tall¡­ and he''s a craftsman who picked up a nonbat ss. He apparently got a hold of a hammer that changed his race.¡± ¡°Bro, you are like six foot seven. Do you even realize how enviously tall you are?¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°And where are all these items? I haven¡¯t seen one yet that does that¡­¡± Drake mused looking at the iing figure, ¡°So? What race is he now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Cyclops,¡± Bjorn said tersely, giving the man a wave. ¡°Like the Odyssey?¡± Drake asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yup, he''s a little brusque about certain things now that his race changed is what I¡¯m told, so don¡¯t get offended,¡± Bjorn warned. ¡°Me? Offended?¡± Drake said, Bjorn, giving him a look, ¡°Fine¡­ Long as he does not insult my mother or my height, it''s whatever¡­¡± The ground began to rumble with every step that Lamar took as he closed in on the camp. Now that he was closer, Drake could make out his features and clothing better. Lamar was tall. Very tall. Seemingly around ten feet or higher, Drake wasn¡¯t able to measure exactly from his perspective. Lamar also wore a ssic leather apron around himself, some soot and dirt here and there on his sleeveless shirt, his skin a shade of pink Drake hadn¡¯t seen outside of fantasy palettes. On his waist, a hammer made of what looked like steel from a fantasy movie, its sheen so eye-catching Drake had trouble pulling his gaze from it. And finally, Drake saw Lamar¡¯s eye, singr eye. And there was also a small protruding nub on his forehead leading to his bald head. ¡°Hey there,¡± Drake said, giving a shallow wave. Lamar ignored Drake, looking over to Bjorn. ¡°How are you Bear? Thank you for earlier. Short stuff here, guy?¡± Lamar said his face in a frown. Drake grit his teeth. A tinge of frustration immediately bubbling up. ¡°I like him,¡± Natto said approvingly. Why do all the new people I meet immediately know what my sore spots are? Drake thought, pushing down his frustration, doing his best to keep his smile. This guy is lucky I need him for crafting¡­. Drake mumbled internally. ¡°Excuse me, don¡¯t you think insulting someone as soon as you meet, a bit rude?¡± Dake said with his smile, but the smile didn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t reach his eyes. Lamar raised his single brow, a bit surprised. ¡°This one a bit mouthy, ain''t he?¡± Lamar chuckled, pointing with his thumb at Drake. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Drake said quickly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯ll keep you. I like a man who¡¯s upfront with his insults. Too many people going around with this passive-aggressive stufftely,¡± Drake lied. Lamar raised his chin to look down at Drake, a smile slowly creasing his lips, revealing his sharp pointed fangs for teeth. ¡°Is that right? You¡¯ll keep me will ya?¡± Lamar grunted, his voice deep and low almost like cracklings of coals being raked, ¡°How are ya ganna be doing that?¡± Drake smiled back, his hand facing palm out towards the Cyclops. ¡°Shot¡­.¡± Bjorn warned, inching closer. ¡°If you think threatening is going to work here, you got another thinging ya bastard. I¡¯m a master craftsman. You know how many wanna-be tyrants have threatened me?¡± Lamar snorted. ¡°Well, one. I¡¯m a real Tyrant, I have the title to prove it. And two,¡± Drake said, still smiling, ¡°I just wanted to offer some things!¡± Drake shouted, pouting out everyst Raw Gemstone he had in his inventory, along with piles and piles of material from his mines,pletely covering the Cyclops. Lamar roared out of the pile, his head popping out of the staggering number of materials with a ¡®pwah¡¯. ¡°What the fuck is all this ya bastard!? Where in the world did you get this all?¡± he shouted his eyes going from gem to gem, pile of material to pile of material. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I was well endowed,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°So? Ready to hear my proposal?¡± Drake said, offering a wide smirk. Lamar took a moment to unlodge himself from the overwhelming pile of material he was currently stuck under. Eventually dusting himself off, his head turning side to side as he looked for his now missing hammer. Casually he jabbed his hand into the pile of material, pulling out the tool, and spinning it briefly as he slipped it into his belt. ¡°I¡¯ll bite. What¡¯s it ya want? A weapon, armor, essory?¡± Lamar asked, crossing his arms. ¡°I,¡± Drake said, stepping forward, ¡°Want a teacher,¡± Drake exined, bowing his head slightly, ¡°Please teach me to craft jewelry, Shishou!¡± Silence. Drake was hit with utter silence, forcing him to bring his head up to meet Lamar¡¯s eye. Lamar had an expression of disgust as he looked down from his towering stature. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re one of those,¡± Lamar spat, ¡°Lamar is fine, and if you call me that shit again, it won¡¯t matter how much stuff you got, your ganna be finding some third-rate crafter instead.¡± Drake smirked. So the big man doesn¡¯t like weeby stuff? Well, that¡¯s disappointing, but now I know how to annoy him. Drake thought,ughing. ¡°Of course. I would never dream of doing it if you disliked it,¡± he lied, thinking of ways to piss him off just enough to be annoying, but not enough to go overboard, ¡°Now then about my offer. I¡¯d like to be taught, and I will give you half of the pile.¡± ¡°All of it,¡± Lamar countered. ¡°Are you trying to rob me?¡± ¡°Might be. I want all of it.¡± ¡°Fuck you, no.¡± ¡°Then find another Cyclops with a pure crafting ss to help, dumb bastard.¡± Drake ground his teeth. ¡°Half and I¡¯ll cook your every meal. And I¡¯ll promise protection,¡± he offered. ¡°What good is food going to do? And no one is dumb enough to try and harm me. They can¡¯t get what they want if they did,¡± Lamar said. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about just you. Have someone important to you? Say someone who can¡¯t defend themselves, or isn¡¯t quite as valuable?¡± Drake exined. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t fucking dare you bastard!¡± Lamar roared. ¡°Shot, that¡¯s going a bit far, even for you,¡± Bjorn interjected. ¡°You¡¯re right it is going too far. Who said I was ever going to do that? Who do you think I am, Bear? I¡¯m talking about protection for them. I might not be that scummy, but we both know there are people who are.¡± Lamar stepped back from his outburst and looked down at Drake. ¡°What makes you think you could stop anyone, pipsqueak,¡± he sneered. Drake looked up incredulously. ¡°Have you not been here the past two days or do you live under a rock?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I live in a workshop, and I don¡¯t leave it unless very select people ask me to,¡± Lamar said looking at Bjorn. Drake shook his head, then stepped past Lamar. After a few trots Drake moved into the opening of the field, pointing his hand into the air. Looking over at Lamar, he scoffed. ¡°Ignis,¡± Drake whispered, a crimson magic circle forming below him, as a ball of orange me sparked to life in his hand, it quickly deepening then shifting hue to blue, the next moment snapping back and forth turning to pure white. Drake willed the fireball tounch from his hand, screeching into the air, the ball of white-hot fire lighting up the surroundings even in the brightness of the waning sun. The ball shot upwards roaring until it reached well above them and the outpost. Drake snapped his fingers, the ball exploding, sending sparks and fragments of fire in every direction. The explosion looked like something had been hit by a ballistic missile in the air, as the fragments careened to the ground. Next Drake pped his hands, the magic circle below him shifting to pure white. ¡°Gelum,¡± Drake said evenly, his hands separating into an arc, revealing fourteen shards of ice. Drake then rested one hand at his side, the other held to snap his fingers. The instant the snap sounded, each shard of ice shot off trained right at the fragments of fire. Once an ice shard surged out from Drake, another quickly formed and took its ce shooting forward in the same manner to hit its target. The pieces of ice swiftly cut through the air, meeting their targets and exploding further into a burst of water crystals putting on a wondrous show in the twilight, forming water droplets enough to produce a rainbow in the air. Drake snapped his hands once more, his hair shifting to blue as he changed endowments to regenerate. ¡°Good enough?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Nice light show bro,¡± Bjorn said, his hand above his eyes as a visor as he whistled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen better,¡± Lamar said, scoffing. Drake recoiled, aghast. ¡°W-where?!¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh, I don''t remember. Just ain¡¯t impressed. But I think it will do if that¡¯s what your offering,¡± Lamar sneered. This fucking guy! Drake seethed internally. ¡°I will say it again! I like him! He will be a great addition to the group of Anti-Drake cringe-ness!¡± Natto cheered. Not helping¡­ Natto snickered but ceased her taunting. ¡°Then if it¡¯s good enough¡­ Who is this person? Family?¡± Drake asked, sighing. ¡°Yeah, I got a sister,¡± Lamar answered. ¡°Is she as ugly as you are?¡± Drake asked his intrusive thoughts slipping. ¡°Fuck you freak, she¡¯s 12 and still human!¡± he snapped. ¡°Whoa whoa, okay!¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°I was just asking. So she¡¯s under 16 which means she didn¡¯t join the tutorial, that¡¯s good. It means she was excused from experiencing this nightmare¡­¡± ¡°What? Since when is that a thing?¡± Lamar asked. ¡°Oh, I forgot most people don¡¯t know that. Or maybe only the dumb ones haven¡¯t noticed there isn¡¯t anyone here under sixteen,¡± Drake said rolling his eyes. Lamar scowled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t call me stupid ya bastard. How was I supposed to know that?¡± ¡°Oh, I thought we were still on the insulting each other train. My bad,¡± Drakeughed, clearing his throat, ¡°Well, mypletely unobservant, vision-impaired friend. If you agree to my terms then a wild new world awaits you! As I have the key to the kingdom in the form of a snippy, wonderful, sometimes detestable little glutton all rolled into a tight little one-foot package!¡± Drake eximed, spreading his arms. Lamar scrunched his face up, turning to Bjorn. ¡°Is this guy alright in the head?¡± ¡°Everyone''s a little crazy at this point bro, you¡¯re a cyclopean for crying out loud,¡± Bjorn chuckled, giving the big man a pat on the arm. Lamar gave a shrug, reluctantly agreeing as he couldn¡¯t argue that point. The world had be a crazy house, and they still weren¡¯t even in the ¡®real¡¯ world yet. ¡°Then if I agree, I get half, and you¡¯re going to just share all this information with me? What¡¯s stopping you from just learning how to craft what you want if you have all this knowledge in the first ce?¡± Lamar asked. Drakeughed wearily. ¡°Well, she isn¡¯t exactly the best informed in that department. System restrictions and all that,¡± Drake jabbed. ¡°Hey!¡± Natto yelled, stepping into the conversation, ¡°I have insurmountable knowledge on all things within the system!¡± But do you know how to teach me to make shiny jewelry? Drake asked. ¡°N-no¡­.¡± Natto replied softly. Point made. Drakeughed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m not dumb enough to think I can defend my sister once the world starts up again. But how exactly are you going to help her? And are you going to tell me what¡¯s going to happen once the tutorial ends?¡± Lamar said, beginning to rattle off question after question. ¡°Ah, ah ahh. Nope,¡± Drake said, stopping him and cing a handout and up to the cyclopean, ¡°First, handshake. Then you get the deets.¡± Lamar stayed silent for a prolonged minute. Drake kept his hand upward, waiting for him to parse whatever decision he would make. After a few more moments Lamar gave a rumbling sigh from his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, the deal is too good to say no to¡­¡± Lamar grumbled, ¡°But I feel like I¡¯m getting involved with someone I shouldn''t¡­¡± ¡°Ha! Even he knows!¡± Natto spat, getting herst jab in. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Movement Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Movement ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Lamar said, leaning on the table, the wood underneath beginning to crack. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa! Lamar! What did I say man! This thing is going to break if you keep doing that every time I tell you something you don¡¯t know!¡± Drake shouted his hands up pushing the cyclopean off the table. ¡°Right, my bad¡­ Still, though, how do you know so much about the outside of the tutorial?¡± Lamar asked, his voice low, but deposition much more amenable than earlier as he was slowly informed by Drake. ¡°I have a little fa-,¡± Drake coughed, ¡°Lovely little bird in my ear that tells me things,¡± he smiled, ¡°But more importantly Where were you in the real world before all this?¡± Lamar leaned back on the custom seat that he had brought out, it creaking under his weight. ¡°We were over in Virginia, but what does that have to do with anything?¡± he asked. ¡°That isn¡¯t that far¡­ but we don¡¯t know how the world will be affected after it''s been merged. From what I¡¯ve been told it will increase in size but even I don¡¯t know by how much,¡± Drake sighed putting his hands behind his head, tilting his seat back. ¡°Now that you mention it, Shot, what are all of us going to do when the tutorial is over?¡± Chelsea asked from the end of the table. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bitplicated,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Complicated, my Lord?¡± Theodore asked this time. ¡°Yeah. From what my little birdy has told me. We don¡¯t actually have a way or at least she can¡¯t tell me. It¡¯s outside the scope of what she can do because it doesn¡¯t pertain to the quests she¡¯s privy to or the other things she¡¯s allowed to divulge,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I do not appreciate that sigh, that is insinuating I am useless!¡± Natto shouted. I didn¡¯t even say anything. Sensitive much? Drake snickered under his breath. ¡°If I am it is because of you! I¡¯m half your personality, remember?¡± she replied, obviously sneering, although Drake could not see it. Rolling his eyes he focused back on Lamar and the group in front of him. ¡°What I would like to say is I have a concrete n. But without more information on what is going to happen specifically when the tutorial ends the best I got? Is that we all meet up somewhere in the middle of all our locations previous to the system,¡± Drake sighed, pursing his lips in contemtion. Drake suddenly heard Natto say something he didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Forgive me, Drake, I wish to be of more help but sadly I can not in this instance¡­¡± It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t sweat the little details. The whole purpose of forming this group is to make them strong enough to be on their own two feet after we all separate. Drake exined, slightly grinning at Natto apologizing. ¡°Either way, I¡¯ll figure it out. Everyone¡¯s priority is to level up and get stronger, we still have around 80 odd some days before we''re out of this mess, and I n to have us going into that Ants nest asap,¡± Drake said. ¡°There''s the other thing we need to talk about idjit, who exactly going on this backwater mud trip down a brown hole?¡± Hudson asked. Drake tipped back and forth, thinking for a moment, ¡°Honestly I¡¯m still thinking. We only have ten slots for a party. Unless we can find a support ss here that allows us to extend the party, but I don¡¯t think we will. Or if Shigure will want us to keep taking important people from their camp away¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°That tis very astute, my Lord. Thou have been diminishing their personnel by quite the number, acquisitioning Sir Bear alone was a great blow to their fighting forces this one would assume,¡± Theodore said. Drake nodded. ¡°Yeah big, tall, and all grumbling fire-headed is probably their strongest fighter,¡± Drake said, looking at Bjorn, ¡°And I¡¯m sure Shigure is dealing with a whole slew of nonsense with his coalition now that he''s gone. And these types of alliances as far as I¡¯m concerned onlyst as long as it¡¯s mutually beneficial, and that¡¯s what I¡¯m getting worried about. The movement we¡¯ve seen, that Adam guy, and how Shigure seems to have a stick up his ass about my general existence is a recipe for something very bad. So I want everyone,¡± Drake looked over to ire and Sherry, ¡°And I mean everyone in pairs from now on, that includes tents and sleeping arrangements. They¡¯re testing my range of detection and I don¡¯t want anyone going it alone or too far out, is that clear?¡± ¡°Jeeze, yes Dad¡­¡± Jacqueline scoffed. Drake smiled. ¡°Good then, I¡¯m going to talk privately with Lamar then. Need to know the bells and whistles of how to make the good shit!¡± Drake said standing up, and walking over to the enormous lug, ¡°Let¡¯s get going, new bestie,¡± Drake teased. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking call me that freak,¡± Lamar scowled. ¡°Awee on pal, don¡¯t be so cold,¡± Drake mused. ¡°I¡¯m not your pal, you fucking psycho! It¡¯s a business deal,¡± Lamar grumbled. ¡°Ohhhh call me a psycho again, it gave me chills.¡± Lamar and Drake walked away and towards Drake¡¯s tent all while they went back and forth, Lamar spitting insults towards Drake as Drake continued to tease him now that they had a deal and Lamar couldn¡¯t get out of it. ¡°Think they''re going to be ok?¡± Chelsea asked the group. ¡°I think Sir Shot will quickly wear on the Cyclops. Perhaps we should send someone to keep him civil?¡± Amir asked, sipping his food from his bowl. Everyone looked around, everyone raising their hand. ¡°Not it,¡± they all said in unison.
¡°Lord Shigure, we can not continue to allow that man to take important figures from our camp! It is weakening our position by the day, and we do not even know when the next tutorial-wide quest may happen!?¡± Darius pleaded. ¡°Darius, I understand your concern but what would you have me do?¡± Shigure sighed, his fist gripping his sword at his side, ¡°Would you like me to go over there and tell him to cease? Would you like to go demand that he stop? If you don¡¯t remember, we banned him from our outpost, yet he didn¡¯t care and simply set up shop outside our Outpost! If he wanted he could kill everyst one of us! I¡¯ve only been civil because I have no other choice in the matter.¡± ¡°There is always my option,¡± mused Adam, as he moved closer from the side. ¡°No! I can only imagine what would happen if he harmed someone from his side. Do you want to kill us all?! I told you no before Adam, do not make me tell you again,¡± Shigure shouted back. ¡°Shigure¡­. Adam does have a point though,¡± a female voice chimed in, ¡°If we can¡¯t beat him in a straight-up fight why not even the ying field with some leverage?¡± ¡°Savannah¡­ Not you too?¡± Shigure said grimacing, ¡°I will have no part in poking a beehive. We are responsible for more than just ourselves as leaders of this coalition. We are not tyrants and will not bar people from choosing where they go,¡± Shigure said reluctantly, doing his best to not let his inner thoughtse to light. Despite hating Drake fervently, Shigure knew some of the advice he had given rang true. Shigure was far too emotionally manipted, and only after getting his ass handed to him for the entire day did it start to sink in, whether he liked it or not. ¡°That¡¯s riching from someone who fought the man on a whim the first time they met¡­¡± Adam sneered. ¡°Do you have a problem with how I run things, Adam?¡± Shigure asked, his focus turning to him. ¡°Not at all, fearless leader! I¡¯m just concerned there won¡¯t be anyone left to lead once that man, Shot, takes every one of value from us,¡± Adam answered. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but whine for the past several days since he has been here. I won¡¯t continue to hear you try to scheme openly about harming his group. I will not and can not start a war with him. We will not win. We are going to y nice until he and his group leave. If you dare to do anything else that jeopardizes that Adam¡­.¡± Shigure said, the sound of him drawing de from saya ringing sharply as an undertone to his voice, ¡°I will personally take care of you.¡± Adam held up his hands, ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t want to go it on my own just yet. I¡¯ll y nice¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Good,¡± Shigure said sternly, looking to the other two, ¡°You both as well. Do not forget who is the actual leader of this coalition and why you made me its leader. If you want continued protection you will fall in line.¡± All three of the people nodded -even if some were disgruntled- in agreement. Each one eventually leaving the area with only Adam staying. Adam had his own ns regardless of what he told Shigure and the others. A few momentster a hiss sounded, and Adam turned to one of his Ghouls. ¡°My lord¡­¡± it hissed, ¡°Our preparations are ready, but there is a change in their camp.¡± ¡°What change? Out with it already I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Adam spat. ¡°They have moved the woman we were targeting, she is now with another, much closer to the leader¡­ If we were to move forward with our n we will not be able to capture her,¡± the Ghoul grumbled. Adam clicked his tongue in frustration, his mind spinning away on what to do. ¡°This is fine. We have mapped out his sensory skill, yes?¡± he asked, to which the Ghoul nodded, ¡°Good, have a group pull him and Bear away, while another goes for the woman. Use as many of our stockpile as you need. Once the Tutorial is over, it won¡¯t matter either way, I will simply make more.¡± The Ghoul slinked backward into the darkness leaving Adam alone once more. ¡°Finally. I¡¯ll have apetent pawn, and Master will be happy¡­ I wonder how he will reward me for catching such a strong one¡­?¡± Adamughed. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Fool Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Fool Lamar and Drake talked for a few more hours as the sun set in the distance, eventually, the two decided to finish the conversation up tomorrow. Lamar woulde back in the morning with his equipment and more patience than he had today. Drake had spent the majority of the time exining more of what he knew about the system, and what could possibly happen outside of the tutorial, more specifically what he could do to help him and his sister once they were out of the tutorial. He may or may not have also kept jabbing the cyclopean because it was enjoyable to tease him, which wore on the poor crafter''s mental state. But Drake had already cemented that Lamar was a man of his word and would not go back on it once they hade to an agreement. Drake waved Lamar off as the night had settled in a few hours already. Lamar waved a veryrge middle finger over his shoulder. ¡°Good man that guy, well, good cyclops I mean,¡± Drake said. Giving a bit of a stretch he gazed around the camp. It seemed that most everyone were in their tents by now, save Bjorn who was walking around. Drake raised his brow as he spotted the not asrge as Lamar but still quite enormous man crossing his path. ¡°Bear, what are you doing?¡± Drake asked then spotted a figure he picked up on his aura sense behind him. ¡°Ah.. Adam here said Shigure needs to see me,¡± Bjorn answered, thumbing to the pencil man. ¡°Yes, Lord Shigure is deciding what to do about¡­¡± Adam gave a terse nce at Drake before turning back to Bjorn, ¡°Our squatters. Also he wants to decide how to proceed within the tutorial,¡± he continued, looking back to Drake, a slight red shimmer in his eyes as he did, ¡°It would seem more and more people are going¡­. Missing.¡± Drake pressed Adam with his aura, giving a scowl for added effect. ¡°Are you insinuating something?¡± Drake asked. Adam visibly jerked, his shoulders beginning to shiver, but he still smiled back at Drake despite the body reaction. ¡°Of course not. I would never,¡± Adam answered, ¡°I am simply saying that the folks that have gone missing have increased with your appearance. Whether that is a coincidence or not, who am I to say?¡± Before Drake could press the issue, Bjorn shook his head, taking Adam by the arm. ¡°Knock it off, Adam. You¡¯re lucky I haven¡¯t killed you, and Shot here has a shorter temper than I do. So unless you actually want to die, I¡¯d shut the fuck up bro,¡± Bjorn cautioned, then looked back at Drake, ¡°I¡¯ll be fast so no worries.¡± Bjorn gave Drake a quick nod then dragged Adam with him toward Shigure¡¯s Outpost. Drake watched as the two walked off into the distance until he was unable to make out their features in the dark, turning his head as he stretched out his aura and sighed. ¡°Is everyone really that much of a prick, or is it the system bringing out the worst in people,¡± Drake asked aloud. ¡°The system surely has a part in it. But certainly, that thing is just a rotten one,¡± Natto replied. ¡°Well,¡± Drake digressed, feeling out the camp with his aura, ¡°Seems like everyone is where they¡¯re supposed to be and there are only a few people on the edge of the circle, but that¡¯s normal now¡­ Guess it¡¯s time to just sit and practice till something happens.¡± Drake moved back into his tent, taking a seat on the floor as Natto popped out onto his shoulder, then rolled out onto the bed with some snacks in hand. ¡°Natto,¡± Drake began to ask, ¡°This might be a weird question but how likely is it I won¡¯t be human anymore when we leave the tutorial..? If I can even be considered human now that is,¡± he said, chuckling warily. Natto paused mid-bite into her snack, her face stiffening then rxing as she sighed. ¡°What brought this on? Normally you are so aloof andid back about these things,¡± she asked back. Drake looked up at the tent¡¯s ceiling, his hands conjuring elements that he molded and shifted as he thought. ¡°I was just wondering is all. I was thinking about my family again. My youngest brother is 14, so he won¡¯t be in the tutorial, thankfully. But that has me thinking about what he will think of me when I meet him again ya know? Is he going to recognize the¡­ the monster I¡¯m bing? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s old enough to understand that what I¡¯m doing is because I don¡¯t have a choice but I¡¯m more worried about how they will all feel once I see them again. Am I still going to be my mom¡¯s little boy? My brother¡¯s older dependable bro? Or am I just going to be a monster they and I can¡¯t even recognize¡­¡± Drake professed. Natto scoffed. ¡°You are thinking too much, you maroon. You are far from being a monster. The Multiverse is filled with tyrants and unspeakable evils. And I am reiterating, real evils. There are powers that be andmand universes like they are children ying in a toy shop, killing billions just for the fun of it. You are no monster. At least not yet,¡± she said softly, ¡°I do not know of your family well enough to say, but¡­ I do know you and what you have done here, what you have been forced to do. No one can fault you for such. And I, will not let them. Your family has seen you through hard times already. What is a little systempared to that?¡± Drake blinked confused, his magic extinguishing as he did. ¡°Wow, that is the nicest thing I think I have ever heard you say. Are you dying or something?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Shut up!¡± Natto blushed, throwing a roasted nut at the back of his head, ¡°I am simply stating a fact! If your assistant does not stick by you, then who will? For all our bickering I am still your ally, no matter how much you incessantly irritate me with every fiber of your being!¡± ¡°Awe, Natto. I didn¡¯t know you cared.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok to talk about your feelings. I¡¯m here for you.¡± ¡°I said shut up!¡± Drakeughed, as he rxed, his shoulders ckening as he formed a small magic circle of white between his hands. He molded and melded the ice magic, making a small group of figurines to represent his family. His mother, youngest brother, younger brother, and his father. All happilyughing together. Natto scooched forward to see the piece, looking over his shoulder. ¡°That is quite detailed,¡± she muttered. ¡°Well, I did use to draw for a living. Switching from 2-D to 3-D is a bit weird but, I think I¡¯ll get the hang of it. At least I can get some of the details right, and the ice makes it easy to sculpt,¡± Drake replied looking at the figurines. Before their conversation could continue, Drake felt arge groupe to the end of his senses, forcing him to snap his head in that direction. ¡°That is a bigger than usual group¡­¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°How many are bigger than usual?¡± Natto asked, hopping onto his shoulder. ¡°I count about 20 that I can feel. Might be monsters? Or the Ghouls from before, I can¡¯t tell¡­¡± Drake answered, ¡°I¡¯m going to wake up Hudson, let him know to set up sentries.¡± Drake quickly exited the tent, making his way hastily to Hudson and Tom¡¯s tent, entering without notice to wake them up. ¡°Tom, Hudson!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°W-wha?!¡± Tom yelled, grabbing his nket and throwing it off. ¡°The fuck are you doing idjit,¡± Hudson spat, exiting his bed half-naked. ¡°Bunch of monsters, maybe Ghouls are gathering outside, I need you to set up some more sentries, get your big boys out as well just to be safe. I¡¯m going to go check it out myself. Drake took no more time to exin as he shot off disappearing. ¡°Did you get all that?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I heard set up the lil ¡®uns and that¡¯s all I needed. Get dressed you damned fool,¡± Husdon scoffed, taking out his clothes and armor from his inventory. ¡°Someone isn''t a morning person¡­¡± Tom mumbled.
ire was aimlessly staring at the top of the tent, the sound of Sherry snoring and mumbling about dinner in the background. She let out a sigh. ¡°How much longer are we going to be doing this¡­ I finally found a guy I like and I can¡¯t even do anything until after the tutorial¡­¡± shemented. Putting her hands up into the air, she remembered Drake¡¯s body warmth and embrace, a small smile creasing her lips. ¡°Maybe I''ll sneak into his tent¡­ He wouldn¡¯t mind right? We¡¯re practically dating since he hugged me,¡± she snickered, slowly getting out of bed. ¡°Food¡­?¡± Sherry suddenly said, snapping to attention. ire yelped softly, the surprising movement making her recoil. But she quickly collected herself and sighed. ¡°Is my nickname going to food or something¡­? Well, I am kind of a snack¡­¡± ire joked to herself before turning to Sherry, ¡°No, I¡¯m just going out to take care of some business¡­¡± Sherry nodded, ¡°Ok, say hi to Drake for me,¡± she grinned, then plopped back onto the bed, the sound of her snoring getting louder with each breath. ire was shocked, her mouth opening wide and closing. ¡°Is it that obvious¡­?¡± she said, shaking her head, but making her way for the tent entrance nheless. She began to hear the rustling of tent canvas as she exited, only briefly seeing Drake exit Hudson¡¯s tent from her and Sherry¡¯s across from Drake¡¯s enough to notice him leaving the area. ¡°Where is he going?¡± she pouted. ¡°ire, you¡¯re awake?¡± Tom said, asking the obvious. ¡°Um.. yeah I just couldn¡¯t sleep. What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked back. ¡°There¡¯s some monsters a little way off so Drake went to take care of them. Shouldn¡¯t be a problem but he asked Hudson to put up some more sentries, might want to stay inside or go find the others just to be safe,¡± Tom answered, giving her a wave as he went to another tent. ire sighed, crossing her arms. ¡°That guy just keeps going off on his own¡­ I wish he would ask us for help more often¡­¡± ¡°The strong do not pity the weak, unfortunately, dear woman. But you will work well for your intended use,¡± a raspy hissing voice said from behind her. ¡°Wha-?!¡± ire tried to exim before a hand shot out from the tent pulling her back into the dark.
Drake took long strides forward toward the grouping of people, almost making his way there in a matter of seconds thanks to his Lightning Endowment. But something was wrong, the group he was moving toward continued to run. They were not outrunning him but their fleeing made it take longer than it should have for him if only by a few seconds. Finally catching up to the group. Drake saw what he had expected. People of pale skin, sunken eyes, and tattered clothes. Ghouls. ¡°Poor people..¡± Drake said sympathetically, his eyes gazing on the pack of monsters who were once humans. ¡°Do not pity us fool,¡± one spat, pulling a de from his side. ¡°Oh, they can talk? And it¡¯s rude¡­. Were you mean before or after being turned into a thriller reject?¡± Drake asked, forming a javelin of white fire in both his hands, trying his best to get some information out of the monsters. ¡°We will tell you nothing! Our job is already at its end,¡± another hissed. Drake¡¯s neck hairs stood on end as his eyes widened. ¡°What did you say?¡± Drake growled. ¡°Fool, we have done our job. Kill us if you wish, but it wi-¡± one tried to snap, but its head was torn from his shoulders by a searing white heat. Drake threw and expanded his javelin, enveloping the twenty or so monsters in a brilliant white glow as they shrieked and screamed. All of them melting and turning to ash on the ground. [You have subjugated Ghoul - Mary Winshaw Level 12] [Experience Earned 30,000 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Ghoul - Alexander Gigliano Level 14] [Experience Earned 40,000 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Ghoul - Joe Koy Level 11] [Experience Earned 20,000 TP awarded] [You have subjugated Ghoul - Dwane Cavalier Level 10] [Experience Earned 10,000 TP awarded] ¡­ .. . [Subjugated 27 of 100 Converted Ghouls [F Rank] [Rewards: Experience, F-Grade essory of your choice] Drake had already taken off back to the camp as the notifications rolled in and his quest updated. He only prayed he wasn¡¯t toote, and that his foolishness hadn¡¯t cost him his friends'' lives. Drake canceled and recasted his Endowment in an instant. ¡°sh Step!¡± he shouted as his Lightning Endowment empowered him again, this time many times stronger as he made the journey back in a fraction of the time. Spreading his aura he looked for anything out of ce, noticing only one tent that had what seemed like a struggle going on. Sherry! ire! Drake shouted in his head, as his feet moved with unprecedented conviction towards the tent. Drake shot past the entrance of the tent,ing to thest fraction of the struggle in progress. His eyes took in the surroundings in a mere moment, his Adrenaline Acuity going to work. He saw blood on the floor, ripped and broken clothes and equipment. Sherry on the ground, blood dripping from her head, as shey limp. Drake¡¯s eyes met ire¡¯s as she was being sucked into a shimmering magic circle, a pale and gangly hand wrapped around her mouth. Her eyes showing abject horror. Drake rushed forward, his hand outstretched as he was barely not in time. ire vanished into the circle as it disappeared. Time froze for Drake as his hand grasped at the dirt, his body beginning to shake. His mind a pot of emotions quickly boiling over as his mouth motioned from the tensing of its muscles. A guttural roar infused with aura and mana pierced through the camp. ¡°NOOOO!!!!!¡± Drake howled, his aura and mana-infused scream going wild as he drove his fist into the ground. A fraction of a secondter his head snapped to Sherry. Drake¡¯s anger only rose as he moved to her, pulling a potion from his inventory that he gently slipped into her mouth. Sherry coughed but was still well enough to swallow the liquid on her own. Drake could see the gash the blood wasing from visible close as he ced her on a new bed carefully. His mind continued to swirl in chaos, but on the outside, he was calm and collected, his eyes zed over as he looked in one direction. Shigure¡¯s Camp. Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: The Monster You Wanted Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: The Monster You Wanted ¡°What are you talking about? I haven¡¯t asked for anyone to be here,¡± Shigure said, his face filled with confusion, ¡°What is this about?¡± ¡°Adam said you needed me to talk about the future and Shot?¡± Bjorn said looking over to the pale man. Adamughed, his hand going to his forehead as theughing got louder. Soon he had a congregation of Ghouls at his side, along with many of the other Coalition Leaders, including Darius and Savannah. ¡°I just took the matter into my own hands!¡± Adam shouted, ¡°You were slipping Shigure, you allowed some stranger toe here and slowly take over your camp bit by bit. Something had to be done, and I¡¯ve done just that.¡± Bjorn and Shigure¡¯s faces twisted into scowls. ¡°What have you done..?¡± Bjorn asked, his pressure beginning to press down on the group of people and Ghouls in the tent. Shigure flinched under the sudden pressure but he stood steadfast as Uta appeared in front of him, her kunai at the ready. ¡°Adam! You couldn¡¯t have been so foolish? And Darius, Savannah! I expected better!¡± Shigure spat. ¡°Please... Enough of you and your high horse, Shigure. We all knew the game when we came together,¡± Savannah said, ¡°As long as we were in control we got what we all wanted. Power. And now that is slowly slipping away thanks to that Shot character and you being too soft to kick him out.¡± ¡°Agreed, we must do something. And Adam has given a solution,¡± Darius nodded, many of the other leaders agreeing. ¡°Besides¡­.¡± Adam said leaning forward, ¡°We all know you don¡¯t like the guy either, not to mention he took your dear precious friend Bear away. Now we will have him under my control, and everything will go back to normal. Just with me at the top now!¡± Adam cackled. Bjorn stepped forward but was stopped by Adam¡¯s open hand. ¡°Ah ah ah¡­ Not so fast¡­ You wouldn¡¯t want to kill innocent people would you?¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers as three magic circles formed next to him, three more Ghouls holding hostages slowly emerging from them. Bjorn stopped in his tracks, his eyes turning fierce. ¡°Shigure¡­ If only you let me just kill him¡­¡± Bjorn said, his shoulders slumping as he walked back toward the end of the tent. ¡°Where are you going Bear!¡± Shigure asked. ¡°I won¡¯t be part of what is going to happen. You brought this on yourself, bro,¡± Bjorn sighed, as he opened the tent p exiting. ¡°Well, that was no fu-¡± Adam tried to say casually, but was stopped by the chill that overcame the air in the tent. The blood of everyone inside ran cold as the air was choked from them. None of the ones living or dead spoke, moved, or breathed a single puff of air. The tent turning dead silent. Through the entrance that Bjorn exited, another person walked through. His hair was as white as snow, save the blotches of red that spattered it here and there. His eyes were a stunningly deep and clear blue that radiated power as they shifted to a striking yellow then a serine shining green and back. The man¡¯s clothes, although tattered in some ces, still gave an intimidating form to the man, pure ck embroidered and trimmed with gold. His hands were covered with bright white mes cascading across his finely toned muscles. In one hand the head of a Ghoul, in the other an unconscious man. ¡°S-Sir Shot..?!¡± Shigure said, his voice almost a whisper and his tone cracking as if it refused to make noise in the situation. He threw the man to the floor, burning the Ghoul¡¯s skull in his other to nothing but ash in a sh of white fire a momentter. ¡°This prick told me I could find Shigure here,¡± Drake said, ¡°It¡¯s Sir, Shot now that you fucked up huh¡­?¡± Drake continued his voice even and cold as ice, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Wh-where is who?¡± Shigure asked. Drake looked Shigure in the eyes holding the gaze for a moment, then Drake¡¯s eyes shifted to one of the leaders of the Coalition. Adam. ¡°Marked.¡± Drake, without warning shot a jet-ck earthen spike into the man¡¯s chest, opening up a hole the size of a bowling ball. ¡°Where is she?¡± Drake asked again, looking back into Shigure¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are talking about! Please stop this we can talk this out!¡± Shigure said, his mouth agape as he looked at Adam on the floor his innards and blood on the ground pooling around him. Drake raised his hand again. ¡°Your little vampire isn¡¯t dead. But what about the next one I try this with? Where. Is. She.¡± This time Darius somehow obtained the nerve to speak. ¡°You can¡¯t juste here and demand something like that! What kind of monst-¡± Darius didn¡¯t get to finish his thought, as Drake somehow moved from his position to Darius, his hand now wrapped around his mouth. Drake pulled him in close. Close enough to see the pores on his skin. ¡°So, you know what I¡¯m talking about then. You have five seconds. Where is she?¡± Drake said coldly, his eyes sharpening to points. Darius mumbled in Drake¡¯s grip, unable to speak. ¡°Ah, you can¡¯t speak like that, can you? I¡¯ll fix that,¡± Drake said, moving his hand to grip his skull from the top, ¡°Now, Five.¡± Drake¡¯s hair shifted to a crimson red as he began slowly gripping tighter down on the man''s head. ¡°I don¡¯t know! I swear! Please! I¡¯m sorry, please! Stop this!!!¡± Darius pleaded. ¡°Four.¡± Drake began tightening his grip, the sound of bone cracking and bowing under pressure filled the room, everyone¡¯s eyes shakily on Drake, as he one-sidedly began punishing the Coalition Leader, and one of their most prominent fighters. ¡°Pleash! Ahhhh, ahhh!!!! I donsh no anyshinggg!!!¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Sir Shot! Please, he doesn¡¯t know anything! You¡¯ve made your point!¡± Shigure shouted trying to step forward. Drake conjured a lightning bolt, flying instantly and spearing the ground in front of Shigure. Shigure¡¯s eyes went from the bolt to Drake. Drake¡¯s eyes were cold as he continued to lock eyes with Shigure, his hand gripping the now-shaking man above the ground as he lifted him into the air, his fingers'' visibility beginning to pierce the skin. ¡°Two.¡± Aughing began again. Drake paused his tightening of his grip, looking down at the body of Adam, as it began shifting and convulsing. The bodyughed and sat straight on the ground. ¡°Oh! That was a trip! Did you intentionally not kill me and leave me with just enough health?¡± Adam said, the hole in his chest beginning to mend right in front of the others. Drake dropped Darius to the ground. The moment hended he squirmed in pain gripping his head, as blood spurted from the finger holes Drake had put there. ¡°Where is she, I¡¯m done asking,¡± Drake said, repeating himself onest time. ¡°She¡¯s right where I put her. Where you will never find her, unless you do what I say,¡± Adam said, standing up. Drake moved forward, getting within Adam¡¯s space in an instant, plummeting his hand into the man¡¯s stomach, and lifting him into the air. Adam spat and coughed blood, but kept a smile on his face. ¡°Ow¡­ But you won¡¯t get anything out of me like that. Not to mention if you keep this up, I might just tell my little goons to kill my hostages,¡± Adam sneered. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Drake said coldly. ¡°W-what?¡± Adam said, surprised. Drake threw Adam to the floor still holding his intestine in his hand before burning them to ash. ¡°I¡¯m here for ire, and I¡¯ll kill every single one of you until she is returned,¡± Drake said, his voice bringing the temperature down several more degrees as he began freezing the ground below him, a white magic circle forming and expanding to epass the tent. ¡°You can¡¯t really mean that?¡± Adam said, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as he began to realize he had miscalcted. Drake raised his hand, pointing it at the still-dithering Darius. Drake¡¯s hair shimmering back to white, a crimson-red magic circle forming on his fingertip. ¡°Fire Bullet,¡± Drake chanted. A me sparked to life at the end of his fingertip, soon conforming and spinning into a ball as it roared to life and condensed, shimmering to blue, then paling to bright white. Drake fired the bullet it piercing through Darius and into the ground, the sound of water evaporating from the heated ice hissing into the air with vapor. The ground began to steam as it warmed, a pool of magma beginning to form as the body sunk and began to sear. The bystanders scrambled to get out of the area. Drake looked coldly at Adam, his face saying it all. Where is she? Adam looked back, his face contorting into fear. But he should have no reason to be afraid, he had the upper hand. He also had a trump card with her as a hostage. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t scare me. I kno-¡± Adam started to say but was silenced by the sound of thunder hammering down in the tent. A sh of light blinded the room and when visibility came back, half of the onlookers had turned to ck ash. ¡°W-what have you done!?¡± Shigure screamed, ¡°They had nothing to do with this!¡± Drake turned his head to Shigure. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot kid. They chose what side they were on the moment they were behind him and not you. I¡¯m done being nice. No more mercy, no more excuses,¡± Drake said, taking slow measured steps towards Adam who was still aghast on the floor, his arm covering his healing stomach. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Drake asked. ¡°W-what? Of cours- Ahhhh!!!¡± Adam shrieked, his hand where Drake gripped him turning slowly to ice. ¡°Good. Now you¡¯re going to make me repeat myself. Where is she?¡± Drake said, gripping tighter as he shattered Adam¡¯s hand, using fire to melt the stump so it could grow back. ¡°I w-won¡¯t tell you!¡± Adam spat, ¡°What are you all doing?! Get him!¡± he shouted. The remaining Coalition Leaders hesitated after witnessing what Drake had just done to the others in the tent. But the remnants of the Ghouls within the tent rushed forward mechanically at the word of their master. Drake didn¡¯t even have to turn as he embedded his hand into the ground. ¡°Dug Haut,¡± Drake whispered. The ground shook and cracked as spikes of ck earth shot upwards, skewering the Ghouls in an instant, putting their attempts of a counterattack to rest. Drake then gripped Adam¡¯s shoulder, his hand beginning to heat up and melted through his clothes and flesh with crackles and pops of the fire searing through. Adam howled in pain as he tried his best to wrench himself from Drake¡¯s hand to no avail. ¡°Where.¡± Drake then ced his hand on his kneecap. ¡°Is.¡± Then the other. ¡°She.¡± Adam continued to howl in pain, unable to pass out due to either his skills or his race not allowing him. Adam¡¯s limbs didn¡¯t reform though after being seared, so Drake took a de of ice, severing them once again, waiting for them to heal. ¡°Sir Shot¡­ No one deserves this,¡± Shigure murmured. ¡°Shut your mouth. What would you know of what he deserves?¡± Drake said his aura flexing again in anger, ¡°You didn¡¯t see her face. The fear in it. You didn¡¯t promise her you would keep her safe!¡± Drake shouted, his control slipping as both his aura and mana leaked from him. ¡°This sorry piece of shit is mine to judge! Do you want to try and stop me?!¡± Drake scoffed, his face turning into a sneer. Drake turned back to Adam, disgust in his eyes as the man finished healing. The moment he did, Drake gripped him by the throat, pulling him from the tent and back to their camp.
A few momentster Drake arrived with Adam in tow, the grouping to meet him. ¡°Did you find her?!¡± Chelsea and Harley asked in tandem. Drake looked down grimly. ¡°No. I need Jacqueline¡¯s help,¡± Drake said, tilting his head back up and scanning for her. ¡°Yeah?¡± Jacqueline asked, stepping forward. Drake didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who has direct healing spells that I know of. I need you to do something for me,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°What¡¯s that yeah?¡± Jacqueline asked, raising a brow. ¡°Heal him,¡± Drake said, pointing down to Adam. ¡°What? Are you mad?¡± Drake shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s going to either cause him immense pain, as he¡¯s an undead. Or it will keep him alive long enough for me to torture him into giving me ire back.¡± ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Theodore muttered from the side, ¡°Thou doth not hast to bear this burden alone¡­¡± ¡°No, this is my responsibility, Theo. I¡¯ll get her back and keep her safe just like I promised her.¡± Drake looked back to Jacqueline who was still pondering, her mouth trembling. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know how I feel about this¡­ He¡¯s a piece of shit tosser, but torture¡­?¡± she answered back. ¡°Fine. I understand,¡± Drake said, pulling the man out of sight and into his own tent, the sounds of screaming continuing. ¡°He¡¯s really torturing that guy..?¡± Tom asked aloud. ¡°What do ya expect him to do? ire got snatched up and he doesn¡¯t have many options¡­¡± Hudson sympathized crossing his arms. ¡°Drake¡­¡± Chelsea muttered from behind them, her arms wrapping around herself as she grimaced. A warm embrace came from behind her as Harley hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Chelsea, Mr. Drake is going to be fine.. He¡¯s always alright after, right?¡± Harely consoled. ¡°Yeah but, this seems different.. I¡¯ve never seen him so cold.. Even with the Goblins.¡± ¡°My Lord, is stout of heart. This one is sure he will prevail over this trial as well,¡± Theodore added, putting his hand on Harley¡¯s shoulder. The only ones not present were Sherry and Amir, as Sherry was still recovering, and Amir had taken it upon himself to watch over her. Megan and Julia hade out from their tent, finding the rest of the group talking amongst themselves. Both moved to Chelsea hearing the story of thest couple of minutes that had transpired, then consoling Chelsea as well as they heard the news. A few minutes of the group hearing the screams from Drake¡¯s tent, Bjorn stepped into the camp. ¡°Sir Bear?¡± Theodore asked, surprised to see himing from outside of the camp. ¡°Hey there Theo¡­ Where¡¯s Drake?¡± Bjorn asked, but shook his head when he overheard the shrieking and crying suddenlye from his tent again, ¡°Nevermind¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Looks like he''s still at it..¡± ¡°What doth thou mean, Sir Bear?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°It happened pretty fast, but.. He went on a rampage in Shigure¡¯s outpost.. Killed more than half of the Coalition Leaders,¡± Bjorn exined. The group''s faces widened in surprise. ¡°And it looks like he won¡¯t stop until he gets what he wants out of Adam,¡± Bjorn added. ¡°You didn¡¯t stop him?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°Why would I? I knew Adam was a bad apple when I met him, and I warned Shigure what might happen. I don¡¯t want to see people die, but everyone in that tent knew what they were doing. And any of the hostages.. I overheard him talking. He might say he didn¡¯t care, but I saw how he saved them regardless,¡± Bjorn said, giving a forlorn grin, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how Adammunicates with his Ghouls but hopefully that¡¯s thest of the hostages besides ire that he has¡­¡± More screams came from Drake¡¯s tent as the group¡¯s heads all turned to it.
¡°I-i can¡¯t¡­ Please just kill me¡­¡± Adam moaned, his body slumping on the floor. ¡°Give her back then,¡± Drake sneered. ¡°I¡­.Ahhhh!!! Pleaseee enough!!¡± Adam screamed as Drake embedded a spear of water into Adam¡¯s thigh. Drake had been using all of his elements to torture Adam, this time he had impaled him with a spear of water, allowing the water to flow into his veins as he slowly ballooned them until they slowly popped within him, only to slow the flow allowing them to heal to do it all over again. ¡°Bring her here,¡± Drake said tersely. ¡°F-fine! Promise me you will just kill me after! Promise me!¡± Drake didn¡¯t answer, only ring back. Adam shrunk back but waved his hand, a silver magic circle forming and a woman with a Ghoul behind her emerging slowly from the circle. The moment they were fully out of the circle, Drake quickly dispatched the Ghoul, crushing it into the ground and catching ire as she fell. Drake held her close pulling her into his embrace, his shoulders shaking slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m.. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: A Tomorrow Problem Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: A Tomorrow Problem Shigure was stunned, frozen in ce as he looked at the remnants of the people that had survived the true one-sided smiting from Drake. Whimpers and cries filled the room, and the smell of burning flesh and charred earth wafted through the air. ¡°-rd Sh.g..e! L..d! Lord Shigure!¡± Uta shouted at him, shaking him back into the present, her voice starting out as a muffled distant tune eventuallying into focus. ¡°W-what happened?¡± he asked, startled. ¡°That man... He went crazy,¡± Uta said, gripping her own sleeves shaking, ¡°My Lord, I understand more than ever that we have made a mistake in making him an enemy¡­ I-I apologize for contributing to this..¡± Shigure was momentarily dumbfounded but forced himself topose himself, not wanting Uta to feel solely responsible for the situation. ¡°No, I am to me for asking you to speak to his assistant alone¡­ I should have addressed him myself. As for this,¡± he looked again at the carnage that filled the tent, ¡°This was Adam¡¯s foolish doing¡­ He yed with a beast more dangerous than we could possibly imagine.¡± Continuing to scan the area, Shigure spotted Savannah somehow still alive despite being directly involved. He quickly stormed over his face grimacing into a scowl as he passed the survivors of the incident as well as the now-freed hostages. But they were not his priority right now. Grabbing her from the ground and forcing her to face him, he roared in anger. ¡°What were you imbeciles thinking?! Did you not see what that man was already capable of when he fought both I and Bear!?¡± Shigure shouted. ¡°W-w-we¡­ We just didn¡¯t want to lose our power¡­ We thought he wouldn¡¯t dare do anything if we had one of his team members! How were we supposed to know he would kill everyone?! Would anyone in their right mind do that?¡± she shouted back trying to deflect. ¡°Does it look like that man is in his right mind?! Or that he conforms to the old world''s way of thinking! You¡¯ve all done nothing but doom us!¡± Shigure spat, throwing her back to the ground as he bit his lip. Fuck! Just looking at this mess that man wasn¡¯t even slightly serious when he faced me! If he can wipe out the near entirety of our fighting force without breaking a sweat, we stand no chance! And we don¡¯t even know the capabilities of his teammates. Shigure thought, his face paling and his brow breaking into a cold sweat. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Uta asked concerned. ¡°We have to go to him immediately. If we don¡¯t make this right we¡¯re all good as dead. That man, Shot. He¡¯s less human than I believed and he doesn¡¯t bat an eye at killing those he deems less than. All we can hope is that we can appease him¡­¡± Shigure said, his face curling into a grim wry smile as he chuckled nervously.
¡°K-kill me¡­ You have her, so keep your promise! Kill me!¡± Adam pleaded. Drake pulled ire into his arms, making sure she was fine as he heard her breathing steady,pletely ignoring Adam for now. She seems fine but how can I be sure nothing was done to her? Drake wondered. ¡°You will have to ask for a healer to cleanse her, or perhaps the oaf has a potion to do so,¡± Natto offered. Drake nodded, his eyes snapping back to Adam as they turned to hateful points. ¡°You think we''re done here?¡± Drake said in a low growl, standing slowly not to jostle ire. ¡°Y-you promised¡­¡± Adam wailed. Drake scoffed, ¡°I never said a word about you dying painlessly. We are going to have a long chat about what aplete piece of shit you are.¡± Drake moved over to the bed in the tent cing ire down. ¡°Natto you cane out. Watch her please,¡± Drake instructed, turning back to Adam. Natto rolled out onto the bed, stopping next to ire as Drake strolled back over to the pale man whimpering on the ground for his life to end. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything even if I wanted to! I¡¯m bound by a magical contract!¡± Adam screamed. A deep orange magic circle formed in front of Drake¡¯s hand as it began to bubble and slither up his arm. Drake slowly brought the arm closer and closer to Adam¡¯s face, ¡°We¡¯ll just have to put that to the test won¡¯t we? Because I don¡¯t believe a single wording out of your mouth.¡± Adam stared at the hand inching closer and closer to himself, the sweat from his face quickly evaporating as it dripped down onto the hand covered in magma. ¡°I-i just wanted to bring you under my wing! I needed someone as strong as you! You should take it as apliment!¡± Adam stammered. ¡°More like an insult,¡± Drake said coldly, his hand just millimeters from Adam. ¡°I have a master! He¡¯s very strong! If you keep this up he isn¡¯t going to be happy!¡± Adam said making a 180 in demeanor. Natto scoffed from the bed, ¡°The filth has cracked¡­¡± she murmured. Drake moved quickly his hand going to Adam¡¯s exposed shoulder and ran his hand down his arm, the sound of searing flesh hissing the entire way as Adam shrieked again in pain, his flesh curdling and charring as it slowly began to regenerate only to be burned once again. ¡°What makes you think I give a shit about some old decrepit dude who can¡¯t even fight me himself? You touched someone important to me. This is between you and me and I¡¯m going to make sure you die in the most painful way I can possibly imagine. This isn¡¯t business or part of the tutorial anymore. This is personal,¡± Drake spat venomously. Snapping his fingers Drake conjured slivers of earth above every major pain point he could think of. And with a quick flick of his wrist, countless spikes began to embed themselves into Adam. ¡°Ahhhh!! W-why! It was just one girl?! I didn¡¯t even do anything to her! You have so many more!?¡± Adam squealed. Drake physically cringed hearing the word of having so many more, but something twinged inside of him. Were they not his? Why shouldn¡¯t they be his. They should belong to him just like everything else. That¡¯s why he was so angry, no? They tried to take his possession. Drake quickly shook his head. ¡°Is that what you think of people? As things? They are people I¡¯ve promised protection to, and you vited their peace which makes it my job to make it right and more,¡± Drake spat. Drake¡¯s fingers expanded, the tips finding the ends of the stone spikes one by one, turning them into magma themselves as they began searing Adam, increasing the pain he felt several times over. ¡°Since you brought it up, who is this big mysterious bad guy behind you?¡± Drake asked, crouching down, the magma from his hand melting away and burning the ground below before a blue magic circle shifted recing the orange one, a long spear of Water manifesting. ¡°I-i can¡¯t tell you!¡± Adam wailed. ¡°Not good enough,¡± Drake sighed, embedding the spear into Adam¡¯s stomach. This back and forth went on for several more minutes, but Drake was unable to glean any useful information outside of a stronger and more dangerous person or thing behind Adam. A lull broke only due to Natto speaking up. ¡°Drake. ire is regaining consciousness,¡± she told him. He was forced to stop, turning away from Adam, but made sure to keep a watchful eye on him through his aura sense. ¡°ire?¡± Drake said pensively, hearing her groan as she slowly roused. ¡°W-where am i¡­? Drake?¡± she mumbled, sitting up slowly in the bed. ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± Drake said, smiling behind his mask, ¡°Do you remember anything, how do you feel?¡± ire put her hand to her head, noticing Natto next to her as well as she gave a small grin. ¡°I just remember being taken into a dark ce¡­ After that, I¡¯m not sure. I-i feel alright? Should I not?¡± she said somewhat chuckling. Drake was taken aback by how nonchnt about the whole thing she was being, but if she couldn¡¯t even recall what had happened it might be for the best. Drake scoffed. ¡°You are much stronger than I gave you credit for¡­ I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe¡­I-¡± Drake caught himself on his words not sure what to say, but before he could find the words his Magic Sight and Aura picked up Adam attempting to move and cast something. Drake instantly whipped around, his arms ring to live as he shot forward with deadly precision, giving the makeshift vampire no time to react. Drake had moved so swiftly and with such instinct that he only realized that he was holding Adam¡¯s head in his hand after hearing a gaging from ire behind him. [You have killed Participant Adam Savage Level 15] [Experience Earned, 1,373,425 TP awarded] ¡°Shit.. I still wanted information out of him,¡± Drake sighed, more concerned with killing his only lead on who was manipting the poor sap behind the scene than actually taking his life. But another surprise awaited Drake as Adam¡¯s body burst into blue mes. ¡°What? I¡¯m not doing that¡­¡± Drake said his face twisting into confusion as he dropped the head on the ground, it bursting into blue light as well. What came next was the sound of an ethereal far off voice that was annoyingly familiar and condescending. ¡°Haha!! Finally! It took you long enough! Too bad for you, but one of my skills is a cheat death! So I¡¯ll be safe and sound outside the tutorial once it''s over,¡± Adam said, the sneer in his voice obvious. Drake wasn¡¯t sure how to respond so he just talked to the air. ¡°That¡¯s great, means I get to kill you twice,¡± he smiled. ¡°Such arrogance! I hope you can keep that up when you''re in the face of my master! And the whole army of the undead! You¡¯re going to pay you bastard! And I¡¯m going to ravage that girl in front of you next time we meet. I promise you that!¡± Adam screamed. Drake¡¯s aura and mana red, his teeth grounding. ¡°You better keep your promise ande with everything your filthy, sorry ass has! You¡¯re going to need all that and more to take some from me again! When I see you, I¡¯ll leave nothing left, not a soul, not an atom of you will exist! So bring your big scary wanna-be Overlord, it¡¯ll take all of that and more for you to have a shot in hell at beating me!! No one, not you, not some hiding little bitch off on some ying where¡¯s Waldo, or some system, not even some fucking god is going to take from me! She¡¯s mine!¡± Drake snarled, his eyes humming yellow as they shed with power. It turned quiet in the tent. The connection Adam had with them was either broken or running out. ¡°Um¡­¡± ire whispered behind Drake, breaking the ufortable silence that fell on the tent. ¡°Well that was quite the statement¡­¡± Natto scoffed behind her hand, turning away from Drake. There is something wrong with me¡­ Why do I keep referring to people as mine? Is it another effect of the stones? I have to get a handle on this. Drake sighed but turned to meet his figurative maker. ¡°Yeah. I may have gotten a bit heated there¡­. My bad,¡± Drake said. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s ok¡­ So¡­ I¡¯m yours¡­?¡± ire asked, her face turning into a grin and a shade of red. Drake scratched the back of his head. ¡°Look, I¡¯m genuinely d you¡¯re fine¡­ My statement that I¡¯m going to wait until after the tutorial is going to stand. But I am truly sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you like I promised,¡± Drake admitted, ¡°It will never happen again,¡± he said moving over to the bed. Drake pulled her into his embrace, this time his desire to protect her behind them, not out of obligation but out of truly wanting to not see her hurt like before. ¡°So stay close to me,¡± Drake whispered. ire was stunned, nodding into his chest, not sure how to answer. Drake chuckled, giving her a pat on the head with his clean hand, the other snapping his mask to the side so he could show his full smile. ¡°How else am I going to keep an eye on you? You¡¯re a bigger troublemaker than my little brothers. Who gets themselves kidnapped like that?¡± Drake sighed in fake disappointment, shaking his head slightly. ¡°It isn¡¯t like I nned on it!¡± ire shot back, pinching his side. Drakeughed it off, his expression rxing. Truly d she was alright and that it had worked out and he had found her unharmed. Not only because she was safe, but because he feared what he might have done had something happened. Drake¡¯s exterior might have been soft, but inside his thoughts were struggling to deal with his new cold thoughts and emotions that began to stir. His inner thoughts told him to wipe out Shigure and the threats his Coalition leaders posed if he allowed them to stay alive. His thoughts pleaded with him to eliminate anything that may stand in his way or possibly take any of his possessions from him again. But he fought back, bottling up the thoughts and emotions that screamed at him to fight, at him to kill any and all threats. Muffling them to soft whispers in the back of his mind. This is turning into a fucking bad anime music video. I don¡¯t think I can handle it if I suddenly get a voice in the back of my head screaming to kill everything. Although Sakuna was pretty badass. Drake sighed. Breaking the moment more than Drake¡¯s internal struggle had, a small pink construct began gaging on the bed behind ire, making both her and Drake turn to the noise. ¡°Guhhhh, can you get another tent? I feel I may lose my precious snacks if this continues any further¡­ It¡¯s like watching a trainwreck but not the one you can not tear your eyes from. If anything I wish to tear my eyes out!¡± she howled, pulling at her eyelids. ¡°Well that¡¯s just rude,¡± Drakeughed, letting go of a reluctant ire. Drake gave a smile to Natto, but his thoughts still poked at the back of his mind. It¡¯s just a problem for tomorrow¡­ It¡¯s alright to just be happy right now, isn''t it? Drake thought, sighing. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty: Ultimatum Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty: Ultimatum Drake wanted nothing more than to just rx for the remainder of the night. The ¡®excitement¡¯ was just a little too much for him. Sure he had done some daring do, but he would much rather just sit and practice his magic at this point. Not to mention that he was sure ire would be better off not being traumatized as much as she had been recently. Which brought up another point Drake was going to have to deal with soon. Quickly after everything was said and done, Natto poked fun at them both. ire had fallen asleep on Drake¡¯s bed. Drake was sure it was from mental exhaustion this time and not the overwhelming stack of trauma she was umting. And another problem was that she had fallen asleep holding onto Drake. Making it incredibly difficult to do anything. ¡°Man¡­ It feels like I¡¯m back in high school, all the responsibilities of having a significant other but the very, very, very small amount of the benefits¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°You had a girlfriend in school did you?¡± Natto asked in disbelief. Drake let out another sigh, already regretting saying something about it. ¡°Kind of?¡± he answered, looking down at the soundly sleeping ire, her chest raising and lowering gently. Natto¡¯s head turned in confusion, ¡°What exactly is, kind of?¡± she wondered. ¡°I was a pretty naive kid back in school, even thatte into the game,¡± Drake said reminiscing, ¡°And a girl I knew basically said we were a couple when we weren¡¯t to piss off another guy, the one she really wanted.¡± Drake ignored Natto who was currently holding her hands to her mouth trying not tough, and continued with his story. ¡°Basically it ruined my entire high school social life and I didn¡¯t even know it was happening. I thought we were just friends hanging out,¡± Drake shrugged with his free arm, ¡°And I only found out through other friends who were asking about why she and I broke up. Was a real fun time learning I¡¯d been used like that.¡± Natto gave a deep exhale before she spoke. ¡°Th-that is very unfortunate,¡± she said half giggling. ¡°Fuck you.¡± That is part of the reason it took me so long to actually start dating after high school¡­ Well, it is what it is. At least it was a good life lesson. Drake thought somberly. Their conversation was interrupted by three figures stepping into Drake¡¯s Aura sphere, his head turning in that direction. He was rxed despite what had just happened, but only because one of the figures was toorge in size to be anyone other than someone he hade to trust implicitly. The voice came from the tent entrance a momentter. ¡°Cool toe in? I don¡¯t hear any more screaming so I¡¯m assuming you finished up?¡± Bjorn asked through the canvas. Drake summoned a light green magic circle in front of his face, whispering into it. ¡°Yeah, all done. Big happy ending, and smiles all around. Just keep it down a bit. Someone in here is sleeping,¡± Drake said, hoping his little magic trick worked. When no one responded and they instead walked inside as quietly as they could he knew it had. But his casual demeanor quickly changed to one of cold calcted ferocity, his eyes shifting colors. ¡°Honestly I thought it was going to be Theo and maybe Chelsea. But bringing these two? Is it supposed to be a present or am I about to get snuffed?¡± Drake asked sarcastically. Bjorn shook his head. ¡°Look bro I¡¯m all for you defending and getting vengeance. I don¡¯t like people dying, but I¡¯m not dumb enough not to realize things have changed, and they weren¡¯t the best standards for human decency,¡± Bjorn exined, ¡°But Shigure here. Even if he¡¯s young still leads a bunch of people so I can¡¯t have you jumping off the handle and trying to kill him.¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°I can¡¯t even if I wanted to. But the rest of the so-called ¡®Leaders¡¯ and the little assistant that still owes mine an apology, that¡¯s a different story,¡± he said, his every word dripping with icy venom. Shigure quickly stepped forward in front of Uta, his hand pushing her behind him. ¡°I know you are still angry and I am sorry that this has happened. But as I said we had no part in it!¡± he said desperately. ¡°No, you just happened to try and go behind my back resulting in one of my most dear friends and someone I consider family even if they try to eat me out of house and home on a daily basis, getting injured by your own negligence and cowardice to not just ask me yourself,¡± Drake spat, his Wind Magic circle sputtering with a little more power. ¡°I-I understand that,¡± Shigure said bowing his head down slightly. ¡°Yeah but does she,¡± Drake asked, a second magic circle forming under his feet, an earthy brown shifting with power, spikes of jet ck erupting and pointing themselves at Uta and Shigure Bjorn whistled, ¡°Neat trick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bing more creative,¡± Drake huffed in passing, still staring at the pair between his spell. Uta growled and red behind Shigure, staring daggers into Drake. ¡°What she said insulted my Master! I would be remiss to not be justified in retaliating!¡± she spat. ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Drake said, one of the spikes inching closer, as Shigure maneuvered in front of it, ¡°Try again.¡± Shigure¡¯s face began to sweat, his emotions painted clearly on his face that he was not sure if he would be allowed to live at this rate. ¡°Sir, Shot-¡± he tried to say but was cut off by another spike inching closer, Drake¡¯s face obviously not enjoying the conditionally added word of respect now that Shigure wasn¡¯t in control of the situation. ¡°Stop with the Sir, we¡¯ve been over that you don¡¯t like me. And I¡¯m sure after today you like me a lot less, especially after I killed half of the Coalition Leaders. Even if they were dirty. Also before you ask, yes, Adam is dead. It¡¯s a bit unfortunate he didn¡¯t let me hurt him more after everything,¡± Drake exined his face showing how much mentioning the name disgusted him. ¡°W-what did you do to him?¡± Shigure asked, not able to help his curiosity. ¡°I ripped his head off and he burst into blue mes. Was something right out of Legend of Zelda when you beat the creepy witch bosses. Same weird voice and everything.¡± Shigure¡¯s face twisted in confusion, obviously not understanding the reference. ¡°Ohe on, that game isn¡¯t that old! Even speedrunners still y it. Fine, Breath of the Wild?¡± Drake amended, Shigured face showing understanding now. Drake scoffed, but his aura refocused and pressed on the pair again. ¡°Back to it. I¡¯ve lost most of my gentle heart for the night, and don¡¯t get it twisted. I¡¯m going to kill the rest of those sack-of-shit leaders the moment ire feels better because people like that just continue to cause problems. I''ve seen those movies, and everyone hates those characters. So either she can own up, or she can go night night for however long it takes an Assistant toe back,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Can we not talk this out¡­?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Are you really trying that hard to just not apologize for something that is your fault? Honestly¡­.¡± Drake sighed, the spikes disintegrating around them, ¡°You are going to die before you are able to learn to own up to your mistakes man. Do you not understand that this whole situation is directly your fault?¡± Shigure frowned as Uta¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°What do you mean? It was Adam that did this, along with the other conspiring leaders vying for power. I had nothing to do with it!¡± he said, raising his voice. ¡°Shhhh¡­.¡± Drake said using his aura to press down on him to shut him up, ¡°I said keep it the fuck down,¡± Drake sighed, shaking his head, Shigure and Uta nearly falling backward from the pressure, ¡°You are the leader of this little gang, that means anyone under you is your responsibility. When a snot-nosed little bastard hits your kid, you don¡¯t me the kid, you me the moron who raised him. Get where I¡¯m going with this?¡± Shigure grounded his teeth despite the overwhelming points Drake made,bined with the power he was exerting on the pair. But stayed silent. Drake shook his head, giving Bjorn a nce as he shrugged. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious¡­¡± Drake said, tipping his head back into a sneer, ¡°Then I¡¯m going to give you a choice. You are either going to fall in line or you are going to leave.¡± Shigure and Uta¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? What makes you think you have the authority to do this?!¡± he said, panicking. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you, and you refuse to take responsibility for your subordinates despite being in the head honcho position. You can¡¯t enjoy all of the benefits without shouldering the responsibility thates with it. Leaders must be held ountable for the actions of the ones they hold power over,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°Nonsense! I won¡¯t be held responsible for what a few idiots did, I told them to back off! I told them it was a mistake!¡± Shigure said, his voice beginning to rise again with his emotions. ¡°It¡¯s still your pile of shit to scoop up. You may not be able to keep your people in line, but I sure as hell will,¡± Drake finished. ¡°You sincerely intended to take the entirety of the Outpost I built up myself because of this?!¡± Shigure questioned. Drake scoffed, ¡°Either that or I kill your assistant then put you out on your ass alone for the rest of the tutorial. I can¡¯t hurt you, hurt you. But as you can see my Aura works just fine at suppressing you. So suffering because of it seems to be a gray area.¡± ire began to shift on the bed, her hand finally releasing Drake¡¯s as she rolled onto the side, somehow catching Natto by surprise when she pulled her in like a hug pillow despite her struggle to get away once caught. ¡°Ah! Unhand me wench! I am not a thing to be hugged! Although I am cute and fluffy enough to be considered one¡­ But unhand me!¡± Natto protested. Drakeughed momentarily, rubbing his wrist. ¡°God that girl has an iron grip¡­¡± he mumbled but turned back to Shigure, finally able to close the distance now that he was free, ¡°So what¡¯s it going to be Shigure. Fall in line, or lose everything?¡± Shigure grimaced and recoiled, shrinking under Drake¡¯s eyes. ¡°You are a demon in human skin! Do you not understand what you have already done to this camp tonight?¡± Shigure spat, trying his best to deflect and shift the me. ¡°See,¡± Drake said leaning in, ¡°That¡¯s the difference. I know full well what I have done. And I ept the consequences. And when my penancees, I will bear the full responsibility as I should. But it won''t be today, and it won¡¯t be from you.¡± Shigure tried to look to Bjorn for help, but the tall brawny giant only shook his head. ¡°Sorry bro, I have no dog in this fight. I was never a part of the Coalition in the first ce. Just wanted to help out and save people. But after tonight, with so many people having died and turned to Ghouls, only to have possibly been stopped had you not prevented me from killing Adam earlier,¡± Bjorn¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°You reap what you sow, and you¡¯re getting off easy.¡± With no one to turn to, Shigure slumped to the ground, Uta putting her hands around him concerned. ¡°Fine¡­ I give up¡­ The outpost is yours, and the people are now for you to lead and protect¡­.¡± he finally conceded, his head burrowing a hole into the dirt, his teeth gnawing at his bottom lip in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s good. But I still need an apology from her,¡± Drake said, pointing at Uta. ¡°Is it not enough that you have dishonored my Master to such a degree? Now you wish to disgrace mine as well?¡± Uta sneered. ¡°He did that all on his own. Same as you when you lost it and decided to injure my family. I¡¯ve killed people for less, so count yourself lucky,¡± Drake spat, his hair shifting to a brilliant yellow as he moved, pulling her away from Shigure in an instant, ¡°Because if I truly was the demon you say I am, you would already be dead.¡± Uta¡¯s eyes grew several sizes when she realized what had happened. Finally conceding the point like her Master had. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I apologize for my transgressions¡­ Please do not separate me from my Lord¡­¡± she muttered. Drake looked over to Natto, who was struggling to dodge the growing trail of saliva dripping from ire''s mouth above her head. They caught each other¡¯s eyes, and Natto nodded, finding the words adequate. ¡°Well, I think it was a shit sorry but she says it''s good enough,¡± Drake sighed, his hair going back to ck as he released Uta¡¯s arm from his grip. A voice creaked out in a high-pitched plea from behind Drake a momentter. ¡°P-Please¡­. Save me from this sted woman¡­ Shot! Do not turn away! Shot¡­.. Ahhhh the drool, the droooooool¡­¡­¡± Natto wailed. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-One: Cleaning up Before Breakfast Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-One: Cleaning up Before Breakfast ¡°What? I said I was sorry¡­¡± Drake said, honestly not sorry but he had to say at least that. ¡°Then¡­ why are you smiling! I could have drowned! That foul woman drools more than the Niagara Falls!¡± Natto said from within Drake. ¡°Yeah she does sleep with her mouth slightly open doesn''t she¡­¡± Drake said, putting his arms behind his head as he mused aloud. Drake had finished his threat- business with Shigure and saw him and Uta off to their outpost. He was now pacing the length of his own camp, making sure that everything was well and good for the time being. He looked into the distance waiting for the sun to rise,menting what was toe when it finally rose into view. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t want to do it¡­ I really don¡¯t..¡± Drake said, clenching his fists, remembering the feeling of crushing the skulls of some of the men. ¡°I can not tell you how to feel, Drake. Only that it is justified and necessary,¡± Natto responded. ¡°Is it? If I had been more stern and more open with how strong I was. If I just disyed my power sooner and threatened them with more consequences. Would that have stopped them from even perishing the thought of going against me? How do leaders prevent tragedy? I wish I knew¡­ but there isn¡¯t an anime out there that epasses the subject, hell there are hardly any books I¡¯ve read that really capture the true nature of even the greatest leaders in history,¡± Drake said, scorning his own inexperience, ¡°I know what it means to take responsibility. But leading others, punishing those who go against you, and putting those who step out back into line¡­ I¡¯m still muddling my way through it all.¡± ¡°Through what?¡± a voice said behind him. ¡°Oh, you''re still awake? Did you sleep, Chelsea?¡± Drake asked, turning his focus behind him. He had known someone was approaching but only now knew who it was now that they had spoken up. ¡°No, not many of us have¡­ We didn¡¯t know what to think when we saw you walk back into camp with that guy¡­ Is-is ire alright?¡± she asked. Drake exhaled a breath, ¡°Yeah.. She¡¯s better than I thought. Or at least appears to be. She¡¯s sleeping right now in my tent resting. Which reminds me I need to talk to Jacqueline and your friend Megan. And where the hell is Bear when I actually need him? I need to know if that Flower Child has some good good that can possibly cleanse status ailments¡­¡± ¡°Somewhat..? Nevermind. She¡¯s in your tent? You didn¡¯t do anything to her did you?¡± Chelsea asked leadingly. Do I really need to do this now? I¡¯m thankful for Chelsea as a party member, but I¡¯m not interested in her. She was so much trouble when we met and only changed her tune after she found out how useful I was. Yeah, I did save her with the King, but that was just being a good party member¡­. Drake thought, mulling over what to do. ¡°If I did. Is that a problem?¡± Drake asked finally. ¡°N-no¡­¡± Chelsea muttered, but then seemed to have mustered up enough courage to say what she was really feeling, ¡°A-actually yes! You know how I feel about you! So why is it only ire? Am I not good enough?¡± Drake sighed, ¡°No, and don¡¯t even go there. You¡¯re very attractive. But I don¡¯t need conditional affection. You hated me right from the get-go when we met, remember? I didn¡¯t just forget that because we''re closer now. I¡¯m not even sure what¡¯s going to happen with ire at this point, but I do know I don¡¯t want a girl who''s asbative as you are, and who only started liking me because I¡¯m the best option now. I¡¯m not going to get preachy about it but you aren¡¯t what I¡¯m looking for. I¡¯ve said it before and I¡¯ll say it again. I don¡¯t want a rtionship with you Chelsea.¡± Chelsea recoiled from the assailment of words Drake directed at her. But she couldn¡¯t speak let alone refute the words. He was right after all. Even if what she felt now was true feelings of attraction, it only stemmed after the fact he had saved her. And after the way she treated him at first, it was obvious what he would think of her. She tried to speak but couldn''t find the words. Eventually, she began to sniffle as her eyes watered from the sting of the truth she had been struck with. Unable to speak her mind, she turned and walked back to the camp in tears. Drake looked up for a moment sighing. ¡°It is good that you set her straight. Though I am surprised you did so. I took you for someone to be morezy with things like that,¡± Natto hummed. ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯m learning that I have a bad habit of putting things off until they be problems¡­ It¡¯s time I nip things in the bud,¡± Drake said looking at the rising sun, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t want to.¡±
Savannah desperately tried to gather what remaining people would support her that she could. All of them waited outside of her tent patiently as she did her best to calm herself before they left. ¡°Why did things turn out this way¡­. I knew I had a bad feeling about that guy! Why did I listen to that moron Adam! I was sittingfy at the top just listening to Shigure! It¡¯s always like this¡­ I get into a good position and always want more!!¡± she cursed, ¡°At least that psycho left us alone for now. That gives us some time to get out before anything else happens. I swear I never want to see any of these fucking monsters for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± a voice said from the other end of her tent. Savannah turned quickly to the direction of the voice but was unable to identify the person, and his face was shrouded in the shadow of the rising sun. ¡°W-who the fuck are you? Who let you in here?!¡± she stammered. ¡°I¡¯m the consequences of your own actions. And no one let me in,¡± Drake said, stepping into the light. Savannah grimaced and stumbled backward, realizing just who was in the tent with her. ¡°Please! It was all Adam¡¯s idea! I only went alon-¡± she tried to exin, but Drake was already on her, his hand wrapped around her neck. ¡°See that¡¯s the important part, you went along with it. And that¡¯s all I needed to know,¡± he said coldly, raising his hand, an earthy brown magic circle forming at the tip of one of his fingers. Pointing it directly at the shrieking and mumbling woman in his grip, Drake fired it between her brows unceremoniously, a small bead of red trickling down from the wound. [You have killed Participant: Fire Grace - Savannah Shepherd Level 14] [Experience Earned, 29,420 TP awarded] Drake cringed from the deed but knew he had to make sure it was done. Refusing to look away from the deed he made sure to pay respects to the woman. Waiting for her equipment to drop as well as the skill stone that still rubbed him the wrong way but he pocketed regardless. He then lit her body aze with white fire, making sure to not let a single piece of her remain. ¡°Well, at least it''s all finished now¡­ Now I just have to keep an eye out for the remaining Ghouls if there are any,¡± Drake thought, looking at the quest. [Subjugated 72 of 100 Converted Ghouls [F Rank] ¡°I certainly believe it is better to assume that there is some strewn about the tutorial but it should be a tertiary concern. You now have nearly two thousand people to take care of thanks to your little maneuver. And there is still the matter of the King¡¯s hoard you wished to settle. Not to mention the crafting that will take up a majority of your time much like the ¡®training¡¯ you have been doing,¡± Natto reminded. Drake turned around walking out of the tent to an empty area that he had cleared out, piles of ashes here and there. He had forced his way into this part of the ramparts that housed many of the Coalition Leaders, including Shigure¡¯s tent, but the teen¡¯s saving grace was the contract Drake had entered with him earlier. If Drake was, to be honest, the teen had worn on his patience well past what he was worth, especially after yesterday. ¡°That¡¯s true. But that¡¯s why Shigure is still useful, even though he¡¯s been more troubletely. We are going to put him to work for real, by delegating supervision of what I want from this ce. From what I¡¯ve seen from the outside, almost everyone is a nobat ss, or a crafter, with only a small percentage actually being fit forbat. Most of their fighting force was controlled by the Coalition Leaders, and they all went turncoat,¡± Drake scoffed, walking out of the ramparts and towards his own camp. ¡°Now most of the people capable of fighting even rtively well are under Shigure. Unsurprisingly when it''s this skewed in power, most of the people in charge aimed to stay in charge when given the chance. Resulting in me having to clean up most of them¡­ It¡¯s sad but I¡¯m bing a one-strike kind of guy recently¡­¡± Drake huffed. The sun had been out for several hours now, and Drake moved closer and closer to their camp outside of Shigure¡¯s, now his, Outpost. He could already hear the nagging from Sherry about where he was and why he was not making breakfast before he got within earshot. ¡°While I am rather upset that we skipped an immediate breakfast, that still leaves the crafting, training, and eventually the hoard of treasure that I am sure is protected by very very numerous Ants that will not be friendly,¡± Natto conjectured. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m keeping the timeline in mind, don¡¯t worry,¡± Drake conceded looking at the Tutorial Lime Limit. Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 92 days 15 hour 28 minutes 45 seconds Drake nned to stay around thirty days total in the Outpost, not only crafting to increase his versatility of essories, but to also increase his fighting ability through training the fundamentals as well as hoping to meet this mysterious Master Martial Artist Shigure mentioned when they first came. Especially now that he had ess to the Outpost. He was being conservative with the amount of time he was going to spend here, and based on Natto¡¯s best guess on howrge the Ant Nest had be Drake believed it would take him nearly a week or more depending on how strong some of the higher tiered monsters had be. Not to mention where the Hoard was rtive to the Nest¡¯syout. Particrly where the Queen¡¯s nest was. And with Drake¡¯s current luck, he knew exactly where the hoard would be in corrtion to the nest. Drake sighed, hoping he was wrong but he wouldn¡¯t know until they scouted it out and went there in person. ¡°Then there¡¯s also the remnants of the Goblin Generals we have to deal with but at this point, they might as well be standard mobs. At least to me,¡± Drake thought, ¡°To everyone else in this tutorial they might be trouble, well excluding Bjorn and Shigure. I think Tom could probably take a few hits from a General at this point¡­ I haven¡¯t checked in on all their progresstely actually¡­.¡± Drake said aloud, making a point of doing so in the future before they left for the Ant Nest. ¡°So, you are nning to bring the entire party with you?¡± Natto asked. Drake spotted a few people exiting their tents and a particrly frustrated side bob-cut girl giving him the evil eye as he walked closer to the camp. Waving to them he talked absentmindedly to Natto, ¡°I think I have to at this point. After what happened with ire, I don¡¯t have a choice if I want to keep them all safe. Thankfully Bjorn seems to be willing to tag along. Although I won¡¯t be able to put him in the party. I need to minimize the amount of experience he gets. The slower we can make it for him to reach level thirty the better,¡± Drake reminded. Finallying back to the camp he received the wee he was expecting. ¡°Thou hast returned my Lord,¡± Theodore said shimmering into view next to him in a slight bow, ¡°How doth thou feeleth? This one hopes it was not too heavy on one¡¯s heart¡­¡± Theodore said, trying to be considerate. ¡°No Theo, it¡¯s about what I expected.. But it¡¯s my cross to bear, and I¡¯m fine with that,¡± Drake said, giving him a longful smile of thanks, then turned to the little glutton burrowing a hole into the side of his head, ¡°Can you stop with the staring, I know I¡¯m good looking but jeez get a picture or something it willst longer,¡± Drake said trying to joke around his absence in the morning. Sherry didn¡¯t say anything, pointing to the empty fire pit at the center of the camp. Her eyes bulged as the rumble of her stomach spoke for her. ¡°Ok, ok. I¡¯m going Mom!¡± Drake spat, trudging to the fire pit and table, ¡°I swear! That little woman is scarier than any monster I¡¯ve ever faced!¡± ¡°Are you talking about me..?¡± a sudden bump to his shoulder asked. ¡°Ah, ire you¡¯re up? Are you sure you¡¯re feeling well enough?¡± Drake asked, stopping what he was doing to check her head and looking around her to see if anything looked out of ce. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± she muttered surprised by his response, ¡°A-are you that worried about me?¡± she asked sheepishly, pulling out her cooking ware, and cing them on the table. ¡°Nah. Just wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t turning into a Ghoul or someth- Ow! Hey, that''s a knife!¡± Drake said, rubbing his arm. ¡°I know it is! You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t have the stats to stab you!¡± she huffed. Well, it seems like she''s fine¡­ Drake thought giving a smile. ¡°Is your standard of ¡®ok¡¯ for women them wanting to hurt you? I must say you have awakened to quite the inclination there¡­¡± Natto giggled. Hey, we don¡¯t kink shame here, safe space. Drake joked. ¡°I¡¯m d you''re doing well, I¡¯m going to have some healers look at you just to be sure alright?¡± Drake said seriously. ¡°Uh.. uh huh..¡± ire mumbled her ears turning scarlet. Drake pulled out some ingredients ready to start cooking, ignoring the smokeing from ire¡¯s ears. Soon there were others gathering around ready to eat and help, Sherry the first one after ire. Harley and Theo stepped up next, Harley falling in line next to ire as they helped with the prep. Eventually, Hudson, Amir, Tom, and Bjorn joined. ¡°Oh, now you show up. Am I only important when I cook?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Bjorn said inly. ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one that asked bro,¡± Bjorn said, shrugging and yawning, taking a seat next to Theo. Drake shook his head a smile on his face, d that Bjorn at least knew to joke to keep a sliver of normalcy after what happened yesterday, and what he assumed Bjorn knew he did this morning. But Drake soon noticed two storms rolling in. One was a massive ball of fury that looked like it wanted to tear him limb from limb. The other Lamar. ¡°Shit, Megan doesn¡¯t look happy¡­¡± Drake sighed. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Shut up Bitch I’m Cooking! Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Shut up Bitch I¡¯m Cooking! ¡°Why did you say those things to Chels!?¡± Megan snapped, throwing her finger into Drake¡¯s face and mming her other hand onto the table. ¡°First. Put that thing away,¡± Drake said, using his hand to gently move her finger out of his face, ¡°Second. What things exactly? I said quite a few.¡± Megan¡¯s face deepened into a scowl, ¡°You know exactly what I mean! Why would you dismiss her feelings like that! She was crying all night!¡± she shouted, drawing the eyes of everyone around, save Sherry who was staring at the food prep unperturbed. ¡°Dismiss? How did I dismiss her feelings? I was very forward and upfront with what I said,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have let her down more easily? Your words hurt more than you think!¡± she spat. Drake sighed, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I said what I did. Chelsea is a good woman, she was a bitch to me at first but deep down I know she¡¯s a great and loving person. She was willing to sacrifice herself for her friends with no care for her own safety multiple times.¡± ¡°Then why would you tell her she has no chance!?¡± Megan shouted again, getting closer to Drake. Drake didn¡¯t budge and moved her back with one arm despite her digging in to stand her ground. ¡°Because she has no chance with me. She is a good girl and deserves a good man. But that man won¡¯t be me. And I know my words hurt, but what would you have me do? Lie to her and give her even a sliver of hope that she might have a chance? If anything that¡¯s worse. She might be hurting now, I¡¯ll concede that. But I won¡¯t be a part of stringing along someone who I don¡¯t see as a romantic partner. She deserves better than that. And if you think I should go back on my word and tell her she does have a chance, you''re more of a shit person and shit friend than I would have thought,¡± Drake said looking down as he sneered. Megan¡¯s mouth opened up ready to retort but Jacqueline stepped in. ¡°That¡¯s enough love, just gofort Chels now. You¡¯re stepping in where you shouldn¡¯t. The man may be an asshole, but he isn¡¯t mad. Wouldn¡¯t you want someone who has no intention of being yours to tell you so? Or would you like to be used and strung along for weeks, months, maybe even years?¡± she said, holding Megan back by the shoulder. Megan¡¯s eyes widened before she ground her teeth. Knowing Jacqueline was talking about her and Chris. It was still a fresh wound in her mind and heart, but both Jacqueline and Drake were right. She had enough sense to know that if Chris was anything like Drake, none of what happened to their group would have. Megan reluctantly conceded the point, turning with her head down and walking back with Jacqueline in tow to their tent. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Tom asked, saying the question on everyone¡¯s mind that everyone knew was too rude to ask. ¡°Just unneeded drama¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°But that¡¯s how it is in life, there¡¯s no getting around it, even in a death tutorial it seems.¡± ¡°Is it because of me¡­?¡± ire asked. ¡°Yep, and cause of me. So don¡¯t get a stitch about it. All¡¯s fair in love and war, and you can¡¯t expect to have one guy horde all the good women. Or can you¡­. Wait I may have made a mistake, someone go ge- Ow!¡± Drakeined in faux pain as an elbow hit him from the side. Drake grinned and looked over to a pouting ire. Her cheeks puffed up as she chopped away at the ingredients on the table, pushing them off and into the pot on the side, refusing to look at Drake. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being hit quite a lottely¡­ And I¡¯m not getting the good kind of hit,¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good kind of hit? The fuck are you saying?¡± Lamar asked from behind Drake, as he towered over everyone at the table. ¡°Of course!¡± Drake said turning to look up at the cyclopean, ¡°There''s getting hit in the- You know what never mind. We don¡¯t kink shame here, it''s poor manners. You wouldn¡¯t want to be like that nasty construct who zapped me in the introduction.¡± ¡°You got zapped in the introduction Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked from his left, her face lighting up in surprise. ¡°Long story but yeah I got tasered in the introduction room,¡± Drake said casually. ¡°Haha! How did you manage that bro?¡± Bjorn asked from his seat barking augh. ¡°Long Story. Do I really have to say that again?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°So your smart ass did something ta get yourself tased, and it¡¯s too embarrassing to admit. Is that right ya idjit?¡± Hudson surmised. ¡°You know, some people say EQ is a curse, but for you, Hudson, it might be a very funnyedic gift at my expense,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Thank ya kindly. Wait¡­¡± Hudson said his face turning pensive as he went over what Drake said in his head again. ¡°Either way, good morning ya big lug, you here for Breakfast or you want to just get to it?¡± Drake said, turning back to Lamar. ¡°Always down for some grub. Don¡¯t exactly get decent meals in the Outpost. And after what I heard happenedst night¡­ I don¡¯t think we will at all anymore,¡± Lamar said wryly. ¡°Ok,¡± Drake said holding up both hands, ¡°Yeah that was my fault, but the people in charge didn¡¯t give me a choice when they decided to try and kidnap someone important to me, and hurt another,¡± Drake said his face turning steely, ¡°If youe for what¡¯s mine, you have to understand there will be consequences tenfold.¡± Lamar, even asrge as he was, still shivered under Drake¡¯s not-so-idle threat. Even if it wasn¡¯t directed at him, but said in general. ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Just stop staring at me like that, it''s freaking me out.¡± ¡°Then let''s get some food in us. I¡¯m ready to start crafting! I need some new bling!¡± Drake shouted. The only ones who cheered along were the small garbage trucks, Sherry and Natto. Everyone else sighed and continued to either wait or help with the prep.
After finishing breakfast, Lamar and Drake moved to the outskirts of their small camp. ¡°So how is this going to work? Do I read a book, are you going to impart knowledge on me? Or is it the old fashion way?¡± Drake asked, getting a little excited. ¡°Don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never helped someone with it before. I kinda assumed you knew more than I did,¡± Lamar said, beginning to take things out of his own inventory. First Lamar set a tent next to him, then pulled out more craftsman-type equipment. He pulled out a kiln, forge, whetstones, hammers, files, mps, stacks of wood, measuring tools, you name it and therge cyclopean had it within a few minutes out and ready. ¡°You will have to do it the old-fashioned way if therger-than-life oaf does not have a skill book prepared, which I assume he does not,¡± Natto exined. There we have it then. Thanks for the info, even if it was a littlete¡­ Drake jabbed. ¡°You did not need it until now, do you not have enough problems dealing with monsters and women, fool,¡± Natto retorted. There¡¯s no need to be so snippy. One of those lovelydies might one day be your pseudo-mommy. Drake joked. ¡°I will never call you or any ill-minded woman either of those words. And they better not get in my face, ''cause I will unceremoniously drop that motherfucker!¡± Natto shouted. Wow, that escted quickly. And technically it would be a she who is.. Yeah¡­ so it would be a fatherfucker¡­? Nevermind¡­ Drake thought, shaking his head. ¡°Ok yeah, old-fashioned way it is!¡± Drake said, trying to get the very disturbing image he hade up with out of his head. ¡°Who told ya that? The little birdie?¡± Lamar asked, putting some cksmithing tongs on his shoulder. ¡°Why yes, yes she did in very colorful and endearing words,¡± Drake replied a smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not creepy. But whatever, I have things to do so let''s get to cooking,¡± Lamar sighed. ¡°Let him cook!¡± Drake cheered, his hair shimmering to a vibrant orange. Lamar looked back over his shoulder confused. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help myself,¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°So what¡¯s first then big guy?¡± ¡°First you''re going to heat and mold arge b of regr iron,¡± Lamar instructed pulling a huge darkened rod from under the table. Drake looked at it and smiled, ¡°Oh this should be easy, I¡¯ve been doing this for most of my life,¡± Drake said snickering as he wiggled his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear that you fucking freak. Get to beatin- hittin-¡± Lamar sighed, trying to change the word every time when Drake leaned in closer his eyebrows going up and down, ¡°Just fucking smack the stupid piece of metal with the hammer after you heat it up! Fucking weirdo¡­¡± Drake saluted and moved over to the unlit forge, where he quickly encountered a problem. ¡°Hey, Lamar,¡± Drake said over his shoulder as he looked at the forge. ¡°Yeah¡­.?¡± he answered. ¡°How do I set this thing on fire? And I don¡¯t have any tools¡­¡± Lamar sighed, his hand covering his one eye. ¡°That¡¯s right, I forgot you¡¯re a newbie. Can¡¯t you do some sort of magic thing? And the forge¡­ I¡¯ll do it, just watch so you know forter,¡± Lamar sighed, thundering over to the forge. Drake stepped back a bit watching the hulking cyclopean do something he didn¡¯t expect. Breathe fire into the forge. ¡°How am I supposed to do that? Is that a skill or something?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°Yeah it''s a cksmithing skill, you¡¯ll get itter,¡± Lamar exined. Drake looked at the forge, a thoughting to him. ¡°Wait. I want to learn how to make rings and nes, why are you having me hammer iron? I don¡¯t need a weapon,¡± Drake asked. Lamar looked back at Drake, both silent for a moment. ¡°Oh,¡± Lamar said. ¡°Oh?¡± Drake replied. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lamar added. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± Drake parrotted. ¡°Well that makes stuff more simple,¡± Lamar said pulling an item from his inventory, handing it to Drake, ¡°Here.¡± Drake looked at therge circle of measuring rings confused. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked. ¡°Exactly what it looks like you idiot. Their finger measuring rings,¡± Lamar scoffed, pulling a few more items from his inventory, ¡°Here¡¯s some armor you can cut to rece thin sheet metal for now until you get it down enough to use mana iron strips. This is a mandrel you''re going to be bending the metal around it until it''s a circle,¡± Lamar said, throwing the spike-like thing to Drake. ¡°Whoa,¡± Drake said, catching the piece of equipment, ¡°Whates after that?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s all you need for now. Once you get good at molding metal to the size you need we can move on, but before that, you need to get used to bending metal,¡± Lamar exined. Drake took the piece of armor, a chest piece, and ripped a piece from it with his bare hand, scrunching the strip he had torn around one of his empty fingers. ¡°Done,¡± Drake said, giving a smile. ¡°No not done you fucking idiot! Do it how I told you!¡± Lamar roared. ¡°Jeez, take a joke¡­.¡± Drakeughed, then spotted a notification. [New Profession Quest! Create Simple Metal Bands [No Grade], Simple Chain Nes [No Grade] [Reward: Profession Experience. Low-Grade Crafting Manual, Mana Infused Tools [F-Grade] [Requirement: Create 250 Simple Metal Bands [No Grade], 100 Simple Chain Nes [No Grade] ¡°Oh look at that¡­¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°What?¡± Lamar asked indignantly. ¡°I got the quest I needed,¡± Drake replied snidely. ¡°Bullshit,¡± Lamar scoffed. Drake willed the quest window to open and turned it so Lamar could see. ¡°Read ''em and weep big man,¡± Drake sneered. ¡°That¡¯s horseshit. You didn¡¯t even do anything!¡± Drake held up his finger holding the crushed metal around it. ¡°Nuh uh!¡± Drake joked wagging the finger. Lamar groaned but waved Drake¡¯s childish games off, needing to go back to his own work. ¡°Fine whatever, do what you need to, once you get past it I¡¯ll help with the more intricate details for better craftsmanship¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Stupid fucking system¡­ What was all that work I did for years for!?¡± he grunted, walking off to his workbench grabbing some tools and continuing to grumble. Drake smiled, satisfied he had annoyed the cyclopean well enough for the rest of the day. Pulling out a few more simr-looking pieces of equipment he still had on hand, Drake got to work pulling them apart for the metal. Easily stripping them down into smaller pieces fore the rings. At first, he made each ring by just bending them around his own finger with raw strength. But then thought better of it. I¡¯ll need to do it properly eventually anyway, better not to take shortcuts I guess¡­ He thought admitting to himself he was cheating the quest. Sighing he pulled out the mandrel and a piece of stripped metal. Fiddling around with the best way to bend it. He tried heating up the strip but he was unable to get it to bend as precisely as he wanted around the tool. ¡°Damn it, why is this so hard¡­?!¡± Drake grumbled under his breath. ¡°Hey,¡± Lamar said from behind him. Drake turned quickly saying the first thing that came to mind. ¡°Shut up bitch I''m fucking cooking here! Oh, my bad. Yeah? What is it?¡± Drake said, chuckling nervously. Lamar just raised his singr brow in confusion but chalked it up to Drake being an idiot like usual. ¡°You need to hammer the metal around the mandrel lightly to form it. I can¡¯t believe I needed to say that. Are you really an idiot? And act like one to cover it up?¡± Lamar asked incredulously. ¡°I plead the 5th, thank you very much,¡± Drake said, hearing a snickering in his head from Natto. ¡°Right well, get your dumbass over to the table, it¡¯ll be easier if you use an elevated surface,¡± Lamar suggested, thumbing to a spare workbench. ¡°Thank ya kindly big guy,¡± Drake said, tipping an imaginary hat. ¡°I fucking despise you,¡± Lamar cringed. ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says at first, but don¡¯t worry I grow on you,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°If only that were true¡­.¡± Natto sighed. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Three: So many Distractions! Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Three: So many Distractions! Drake had just sat back down at the workbench after serving lunch for the camp, his mind mulling over how difficult it actually was to craft properly. He had made a show of pissing off Lamar in the morning and somehow gotten the crafting quest. But quickly noticed that if he did not go through the correct processes using the system-approved methods he would not proceed with the quest in any way. Leaving him with a crumpled piece of metal on his finger that couldn¡¯t even be identified. The first time he had tried it only gave him the quest, the item itself was just a piece of scrap metal by that point. Drake being Drake had tried it again several times to see if he could cheat the system but soon found out it was impossible. Which left him to make it properly through painstakingly long and arduous work. Drake found that it was akin to when he had done his Mining Quest, somehow the system was able to make the distinction between when he was crafting and when he was doing tomfoolery to cut corners. If he did not follow the correct process the resulting piece of metal would only be that. Scrap metal. So Drake took to doing the task seriously and slowly. Which much like his Mining, didn¡¯t allow him to take advantage of his overwhelming current status. Bending the metal around the mandrel wasn¡¯t difficult in the sense it took strength, but in the sense it was a long process of hammering the metal to form slowly and meticulously. Drake had messed up many times, going through trial and error to figure out the process. And each time he wished to the system, that it had given him the inte. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a ¡®How to¡¯ video right now¡­. Drake had thought. But eventually, Drake had gotten to the finish line just before lunch. [Poorly Made Metal Band [No Grade]
  • A poorly made ring of Metal made by a novice crafter.
  • Pretty shit first attempt.
Drake had kept the ring and ced it on his thumb. For sentimental value, the system had so generously given it a unique description after all. Afterpleting his first of many, many items he needed. Drake was called to help with making lunch by ire and Sherry. So he used the break to go over what he had done wrong and needed to do better while preparing lunch. He was caught up in his thoughts, but not so much so as to not notice the absent Chelsea. She must have taken it pretty hard¡­ But there isn¡¯t much I could do about that one. Drake had thought. After some small talk, Drake quickly made his way back to the workbench to continue crafting. Which leads us to the present. Drake had finally sat back down and was ready to go back into his single-minded work, but Bjorn had stopped him. ¡°Yeah, what is it? Didn¡¯t have enough to eat?¡± Drake joked. Bjorn shook his head, ¡°Naw food was good as always bro, but did you forget you did a hostile takeover yesterday? You still have things to see to,¡± Bjorn said. Drake sighed, giving himself a mental p. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I did do that didn¡¯t I¡­¡± Drake said reluctantly, ¡°Alright I¡¯m going to go see Shigure then. Any idea where the little kid is?¡± ¡°Probably in his tent. He¡¯s been holed up there ever since you gave him the ultimatum. Why do you need to see him?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got to figure out how his outpost used to work. And it¡¯s easier to go through him since he''s going to obviously be so willing,¡± Drake smiled. ¡ª--------- A few minutester both Bjorn and Drake arrived at Shigure¡¯s tent. Looking around Drake noticed quite a decrease in tents surrounding him. Must be from all the cleaning we did yesterday¡­ Drake thought. ¡°You did kill quite a lot of their upper echelon. So I would venture that their management and such is in quite disarray,¡± Natto pointed out. Drake pursed his lips thoughtfully as he mulled over how he was going to go about conscripting Shigure¡¯s assistance in keeping the Outpost running. ¡°Well, guess I¡¯ll just wing it,¡± he finally said, beginning to march towards Shigure¡¯s tent. ¡°Wing it? Have you ever managed anything before?¡± Bjorn asked, following a step behind. ¡°Nope! I did run a guild before but not sure that counts. Either way, the Outpost was running fine before we came, right?¡± Drake said rhetorically. ¡°Yeah..?¡± Bjorn answered. ¡°Then we just need to put the head back on the snake. Metaphorically speaking. But this time the snake answers to me, and no more dumb fighting for power,¡± Drake said, opening the tent entrance. ¡°And why would they suddenly decide not to vie for power?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Because. The strongest one here, without debate, is me. So why bother?¡± Drake smiled, his eyes finding a lump of nkets on top of a bed on the other side of the tent. ¡°Shigure, honey I¡¯m home!¡± Drake said, swinging his arms wide. Shigure expectantly did not respond, but he did hear Drake as the blob of nkets on the bed flinched slightly. ¡°Aw don¡¯t be like that, we¡¯re best buds aren''t we?¡± Drake offered walking closer to the bed, only to be held off by Uta in a bloom of ck smoke. ¡°Have you not done enough? I ask that you please leave!¡± she said through gritted teeth. ¡°Oh? Gotten very polite have we? But don¡¯t worry I¡¯m not going to do anything, I can¡¯t anyway remember?¡± Drake said, crossing his arms, but raising his chin as a light green magic circle filled the room. The next moment a gust of wind pulled the covers off Shigure, revealing his gremlin-like form on the bed. He was no longer in his usual attire, instead in casual wear his hair disheveled and his eyes sunken like he had not slept in days yet it had only been a single one since his removal from the leadership position. ¡°What do you want¡­..¡± Shigure asked, his eyes turned to slits, his face scrunched into a punish wrinkle of flesh, much like Drake used to look like seeing the sun for the first time after a 24-hour gaming session the previous night. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a face only a mother could love? Have you slept?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I have not¡­ I¡¯ve been up.. Thinking..¡± Shigure said reluctantly. ¡°And what exactly are those things you¡¯ve been thinking about,¡± Drake asked curiously. ¡°Just¡­ things¡­¡± Shigure said, his eyes wandering to the floor. Drake rolled his eyes. I guess I should be happy he¡¯s at least reflecting on things for once. So it¡¯s a start. Drake thought. ¡°Yes, but he certainly looks like a shriveled snail¡­¡± Natto added. Sure but you didn¡¯t have to say it¡­ Drakeughed, drawing eyes from Uta and Bjorn forcing him to cough. ¡°Right. So let¡¯s get you cleaned up first, I got work for you,¡± Drake said, pulling arge tub from his inventory. Shigure¡¯s head raised and eyes weakly looked back up at Drake, ¡°What more do you wish to take from me¡­? Is stripping all of my des and aplishments not enough?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. I need your help for once,¡± Drake said, thumbing to the bath, ¡°But first clean up, you look like death''s 4th cousin twice removed from the street no one wants to visit,¡± Drake said almost too seriously. He then pulled a table and some leftover food from his inventory cing it on the table. ¡°Might as well get some real food in you while we''re at it, kid.¡± Shigure was stunned, unsure of what to do. His eyes finally found Uta on the side of his bed. ¡°Do I really look that bad¡­?¡± he asked. Reluctantly Uta nodded, her eyes looking sympathetically at her now-dethroned lord. ¡°I am sorry, Lord Shigure, I have not done my duty properly as an Assistant¡­¡± she added. Seeing an emotion other than sad depression in him for the first time, Shigure¡¯s face red up slightly with the heat of anger at her words. ¡°You have not failed anyone! If anyone has failed it is I! There is no reason for you to apologize, Uta!¡± he shouted quickly getting to his feet to grab the girl by her shoulders. Drake pped his hands, breaking up their moment before it got ufortable for Drake and Bjorn. ¡°Look I know he''s finally up and about, after being knocked down and all that. But there''s only one anime protagonist with an origin story in this tutorial and it¡¯s me. So get your ass in that tub,¡± Drakeughed, filling it with warm steamy water, ¡°Clean up and eat, then we will talk. And make it quick, I won¡¯t wait for you two to ¡®make up¡¯,¡± Drake winked. Uta¡¯s face quickly flushed red, and Shigure ground his teeth turning to Drake. ¡°Have you no shame! I would never think of Uta in such a manner!¡± he shouted back at Drake. Uta visibly deted, her posture sinking. ¡°Y-you won¡¯t¡­?¡± she muttered. ¡°N-no! I mean! I-i think that I¡¯m not capab-¡± Shigure tried to amend. ¡°Ok I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± Drake said, making a vomiting noise, ¡°Come get us outside when you''re done doing whatever. But don¡¯t take too long, I have shit to do.¡± Walking out of the tent with Bjorn in tow, Drake made his way to a slightly open area, pulling his tools and a spare table from his inventory, and working silently on his crafting while they waited. ¡°Hey, Shot,¡± Bjorn said, pulling his own seat from his inventory and sitting down, the wood creaking underneath his weight. ¡°Hmm?¡± Drake hummed, not looking away from his crafting. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, bro. You¡¯re a good guy, that I knew way back when. And I know you understand this new life well enough to be hard when you have to. But it seems like you¡¯re really soft on Shigure. There a reason for that?¡± Bjorn asked, seemingly to fill the time. Drake paused looking up, then returned to his light tinkering. ¡°Honestly? I¡¯m not sure. I guess he reminds me of my younger brothers¡­ He¡¯s just a kid Bear. He should have never been here, to begin with, but here he is forced to do things and go through a tutorial he never should have,¡± Drake mused, ¡°I¡¯m not absolving him of what¡¯s happened, but I get how he¡¯s fumbling and how hard-headed he is. I was sixteen a few millennia ago if you can believe it.¡± Bjorn shook his head, ¡°Really? I thought you were still like fourteen with the way you act bro,¡± he joked. ¡°Ha-ha¡­. ¡° Drakeughed sarcastically, ¡°All I¡¯m saying is it¡¯s hard to punish him when he''s all bright-eyed and everything, but I do know it has to be done. I don¡¯t pretend to be the moral authority on anything, and I make plenty of mistakes, but the least I can do when I throw my weight around is help him not make the same mistakes.¡± Drake was about to continue his exnation when Shigure and Uta came out of the tent. Shigure was now in a more fitting state, his hair washed and now in his usual armor. ¡°About damn time, Bear was talking my ear off,¡± Drake scoffed, putting his things away, Bjorn shaking his head with a smile. ¡°What is it exactly that you want¡­ Sir Shot..¡± Shigure asked pensively. ¡°I want you to go back to doing what you were before. Administering this ce,¡± Drake said tly. Shigure stayed silent for a moment, stunned once again. ¡°You want to give back what you took from me?¡± he asked. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Drake amended, wagging his finger, ¡°I want you to basically do what you were doing before, but now you answer to me.¡± Shigure raised a brow, ¡°Ok..?¡± ¡°What I want is basically you to be the figurehead of the Outpost for the rest of the tutorial. I¡¯m assuming you had at least some knack for this leader thing seeing as you got it in the first ce while being so young. So now you get to do it without people constantly looking to stab you in the back,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Why do you think people would now not want to seek power..?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I¡¯m here now, and there''s no bigger fish in this pond at the moment. Discounting Bear, but Bear isn¡¯t into things like leadership. Right, Bear?¡± Drake said, looking over his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, been there, done that, leader stuff isn¡¯t my bag bro,¡± Bjorn agreed. ¡°See? So now that is out of the way. You get to actually run the Outpost. And if anything goes even remotely wrong, you cane get me and I¡¯ll fix it,¡± Drake borated. Shigure¡¯s face turned thoughtful but quickly became questioning as the offer sounded too good to be true. ¡°What is the catch?¡± he asked. Drake shook his head. ¡°Why does no one believe me when I give them the benefit of the deal!¡± he grumbled, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to deal with it alright. What happened the other day was a result of you not addressing the problems that were building up. But now I¡¯m saying that that will not happen since I will be here to fix it. Think of it as a probation period for you. Until I leave in a month¡¯s time, you are going to prove to me that I don¡¯t need to worry about this ce or the people here. I don¡¯t think you''re a bad kid Shigure, I just think you¡¯re a kid,¡± Drake scoffed. Shigure recoiled slightly, surprised at the words Drake offered. He looked into Drake¡¯s eyes trying to disconcert his intentions but when he was unable, he sighed. Shigure then seemed to go into an internal debate with himself as his face shifted from one emotion to the other. Eventually, Shigure settled his mouth opening to say something, then coughed to clear his throat. ¡°I agree,¡± he said, offering a hand. ¡°Hm¡­ Just like that?¡± Drake said now the one suspicious. Shigure gave a wry smile, trying not to form a scowl, ¡°Y-yes¡­ just like that.¡± Drake looked warily at Shigure for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Drake hummed briefly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be wary or not¡­.¡± Drake said, grasping the hand, then pulling Shigure in close, ¡°Just remember I¡¯m watching¡­. Always watching Wazowski¡­.¡± Shigure grimaced, ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is from.¡± Bjornughed, ¡°You get used to it.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Beware of Tropes Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Beware of Tropes Drake looked around from left to right, making sure the only person near was Lamar who could hardly be called ¡®around¡¯ as he was also preupied fully in his own work. ¡°Ok! No more interruptions! This quest is getting done!¡± Drake shouted his hands raised as he looked down at the workbench, his materials and tools he had received from Lamar on it. ¡°Rather eager to do work are you not?¡± Natto asked. Well, yeah. I need these items done ASAP. Not just for myself but everyone is in need of these essories. Vitality rings, earrings, and whatever else I can make could be the difference in someone living or dying so there''s no more time to waste¡­ After ire was kidnapped too, I need to do all I can to help everyone be strong enough to not have that happen if possible. I¡¯m more worried about the people close to me than anything¡­ Drake thought, shifting in his chair. ¡°Drake, you can not save everyone. I have told you this. And you are also not a god, it is not your responsibility to protect everyst person that you have interacted with,¡± Natto reminded him. Drake tilted back his chair, throwing his hands behind his head as he sighed. At least not yet. He thought. ¡°What?¡± Natto asked. I¡¯m not a God, yet. He thought again, feeling Natto roll her eyes. What? Who¡¯s to say you can¡¯t technically be a God? You already told me I¡¯ll basically live for thousands of years already. Why wouldn¡¯t I be basically a God when I reach S Rank? Those Primordials you¡¯re so scared of seem to be just as good as a God. ¡°That ispletely different! They were born as a higher race! They can even bend some of the system to their wills!¡± Natto shouted back. That¡¯s cool, but I have the power of anime and friendship on my side, and we know who always wins in those fights. Drake joked. Natto sighed and went silent knowing that arguing with him would lead to only more of a headache. Drake smiled and leveled his chair, looking back at his materials and focusing on the task at hand. ¡°Ok, back to it then,¡± he said excitedly. For the next few hours, Drake tinkered with making rings first. He went through the process before and continued to improve on it ring after ring. Hammering them to fit around the mandrel was the easy part. The next few parts were much more tenuous. He had to figure out how to meld the metal together without proper solder. Which he couldn¡¯t figure out surprisingly enough. He thought he could manage by just doing his best to heat the metal to a point where he could stick them together but it only ended with the metal bing a lump of mush and unworkable. Eventually giving in, he lugged his way over to Lamar and gave the best impression of puppy dog eyes he could. Which only served to creep Lamar out enough to help Drake, if only to get him the hell away from him. The Cyclopean gave Drake a frustrated look once he went over to see the process Drake was going through. ¡°You fucking moron. You¡¯re overheating it! And you aren''t forging the metal!¡± Lamar roared, as soon as he saw what Drake was doing. ¡°Not what?¡± Drake asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t forging the metal! Ahhh¡­ It¡¯s ruined,¡± Lamar sighed looking at the lump Drake had just overheated, ¡°You have to heat it just right, then strike it to merge the metal into a single piece!¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know, don¡¯t you use solder for that type of thing?¡± Drake asked, confused. ¡°Do you think we have fucking solder?! You¡¯re thinking of modern-day practices! We don¡¯t even have sand and borax you tool!¡± Lamar shouted. Drake was thoroughly confused now. What do we need sand for? And what the hell is borax have to do with crafting? ¡°Idiot¡­ Here just watch,¡± Lamar said taking one of the strips from the table. Lamar sized up the stip first, then found his key ring holding his sizers for fingers. His one eye shifted over to look at Drake, then his hands, quickly guessing the approximate size of his thumb. He then ced it on the mandrel, marking the position with some charcoal. After that he quickly got to work, bending and hammering the metal lightly eventually getting it into a perfect ring. Once he was finished that he looked over the ring¡¯s position briefly, nodding to himself. Lamar took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, a small constant me exiting his mouth as he turned the ring over in his hand, apparently unaffected by the fire. Then once the ring was a radiant orange-red hue, he began to lightly hammer the piece again on the mandrel. After a few minutes of dunking the ring into a bucket of water, heating and dunking some more, the cyclopean had a ring of metal in between hisrge sausage-like fingers. Nodding to himself again, he quickly pulled out a file rubbing down the edges. After that a piece of sandpaper that looked like it shone with color Drake had never seen before. Quickly taking a few swipes at the ring, Lamar huffed in satisfaction, throwing it to Drake. [Perfectly Made Metal Band [F Grade]
  • A near perfectly made ring of Metal made by a Master Artisan.
  • The system praises the Craftsman for producing a masterpiece out of such shoddy material.
  • Increases Strength by 5%
¡°Well, fuck you too¡­¡± Drake hummed aloud looking at the piece, his eyes moving to the paper still in Lamar¡¯s hand briefly. [cksmiths Mana Sander] [F Grade] Drake wasn¡¯t able to get any more information from his Magic Sight skill, but the item¡¯s name spoke for itself. The sander must have been a pretty decent item that contained some sort of Magic making it easier to rough down the metal to its smooth appearance now. Drake rubbed his thumb over the metal band, honestly impressed. Not that he would tell Lamar that. ¡°Get it now freak?¡± Lamar sneered. Drake blew a raspberry, ¡°Bitch please. I can do that,¡± he scoffed, slipping the ring onto his thumb. Wow.. perfect fit¡­ Drake thought. Drake heard a snickering in the back of his mind at the thought, but he did his best to keep a straight face. ¡°Then, let''s see it tiny,¡± Lamar provoked, giving a big sharp toothy grin. Drake moved back over to the bench, giving Lamar a sidelong stink eye before sitting down. ¡°Just cause you''re freakishly huge doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m small¡­. Everyone is small to you! Stupid asshole¡­.¡± Drake muttered, pulling a strip of metal from the pile. ¡°Hit you in the non-six-foot sore spot did he?¡± Natto giggled. Drake ignored Natto, finding the ring sizer instead. He fumbled around with the instrument for a bit, eventually finding a snug enough fit for his ring finger. Going through the same process as before he reached the point where he had to heat up the ring. Drake gave a nce at Lamar, who was looking carefully over Drake¡¯s shoulder. Smirking, Drake formed a scarlet red circle in front of his mouth allowing him to almost breathe fire in the same way Lamar had. ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± Lamar said behind Drake. ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny,¡± Drake replied, turning his head but the fire still spewing forward since he wasn¡¯t actually spitting fire. Turning back to his task, Drake willed the me to move and spread the heat around the joint he was going to hammer. Unlike Lamar, Drake wasn¡¯t able to hold the piece with his bare hands, instead using one of the mps he had been given. Satisfied with the glow of the heated metal, Drake got to work hammering lightly on the mandrel turning the ring every so often. Once Drake saw the metal begin to dim he ced it into the water of the bucket, then repeated the process. Eventually, Drake sweated his way topleting the ring. Or at least a circr-shaped equivalent. [Adequately Made Metal Band [F Grade]
  • A ring of Metal made by a novice crafter.
  • It¡¯s alright.
  • Increases Strength by 1%
¡°Ha! Told you I could do it!¡± Drake shouted in triumph. Lamar scoffed, crossing his arms. ¡°Let me borrow that sandpaper now, it''s still rough around the edges¡­¡± Drake said, reaching his hand for Lamar. ¡°No! It¡¯s fucking mine, get your own!¡± he shouted back. ¡°Come on, just for a minute! It¡¯s my first real item I crafted, I wanna make it look good man,¡± Drake pleaded. ¡°Fuck you,¡± Lamar spat. ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s going on in here?¡± a voice said from outside the working area. Both Lamar and Drake turned their heads, Drake pulling at Lamar¡¯s arm for the sandpaper, and Lamar shoving him away with his other. ¡°Oh ire, what¡¯s up?¡± Drake asked, not bothering to stop pulling. ¡°I came to get you for dinner¡­¡± she said looking from Drake to Lamar curiously. ¡°Tell this moron to let go, he''s trying to steal my shit!¡± Lamar growled. ¡°Am not! Jesus man, I just want to borrow it,¡± Drake spat. ¡°That¡¯s what people say then never give it back!¡± Drake was about to shout back but then titled his head, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. Alright, fine! Keep your stupid magic sandpaper!¡± ¡°What are you two arguing about?¡± ire finally asked, walking up to Drake. ¡°Oh, I finally finished my first ring,¡± Drake said holding up the adequately made piece, ¡°I wanted to sand it down since it was my first properly made one,¡± Drake said. Lamar scoffed behind him. ¡°Properly made¡­.ha!¡± Lamar mumbled. Drake ignored the sulking cyclopean and ced it in front of ire. ¡°You want it? It doesn¡¯t give exactly what I want in terms of stats so I wasn¡¯t going to use it,¡± Drake said, pursing his lips. ire¡¯s eyes perked up looking at the ring, her hands opening up for Drake to drop it into them. She brought the ring to her face, looking it over, a smile creasing her lips. ¡°Can I really have it?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t see why not. Like I said it doesn¡¯t have the best stats, and I¡¯ll give you better ones once I can make them. But hey, maybe you can get something for it in the outpost if you traded it,¡± Drake said casually. ¡°No!¡± ire shouted, holding the ring, ¡°Why would I give it away?!¡± she added, looking at the ring with stars in her eyes. ¡°Ok¡­ that was a weird response¡­¡± Drake said, shifting on his feet, and looking at her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Idiot,¡± Natto mumbled. ire continued to look at the ring, before lifting up her left hand, the ring between her right pointer and thumb, as she moved it slowly to put it on her left ring finger. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa! Stop, stop!¡± Drake said, grabbing the ring, ¡°That¡¯s not what this is for,¡± Drakeughed nervously. ire pouted blowing out her cheeks as her ring was taken from her. ¡°I¡¯m just wearing it! It doesn¡¯t mean anything¡­.¡± she mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t y with me! We both know what it means on that finger!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal¡­ we¡¯re already dating¡­¡± ire said in a hushed tone, bringing her hair behind her scarlet-colored ears. Drake sighed, his hand going to his forehead, ¡°We are not¡­ Ok I guess I did say all that stuff, and kill a bunch of people¡­ Susmaryosep¡­¡± Drake said, huffing a long puff of air. God damn it. Did I trap myself into a love trope? Drake thought, looking at the fidgeting ire. ¡°Duh¡­.¡± Nattoughed, ¡°How does one, with so much weeb experience, not realize saying all the things you did? Would result in this oue? Absolute buffoon¡­.¡± I don¡¯t like your telling me the obvious. It¡¯s very rude¡­True, but very very rude. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the ring back,¡± Drake said looking down at ire, ¡°But it stays off that finger.¡± Drake brought the ring above ire¡¯s hand, her face brightening again. A momentter, he spotted her bringing her right hand up this time. ¡°No! Damn it!¡± Drake shouted. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Five: The Butterfly Story. Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Five: The Butterfly Story. ¡°Ok, that sucked¡­.¡± Drake sighed, shaking his hands from the monotonous work. For the past week, Drake had been going back and forth from the Outpost to catch up and help manage it with Shigure. The teen had put a few more people into the jobs Drake had given the pink slip to. The back and forth had only been one of the interruptions he had been having since trying toplete the Crafting quest. The other interruption had been Sherry and ire. They had bothe in to hassle him regrly for food. Drake understood Sherry was driven only by one thing. But he knew ire had just wanted to spend more time with him. Their rtionship or more like situation-ship had taken a very middle-school turn. Drake was too busy to do much of anything. Especially at this point in the tutorial. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to be distracted by anything if he could manage. Food had been one of the distractions he allowed because he also needed to eat. As well as satiate the never-ending ck hole that took up home in his head. So his time had been limited already. Which led to ire trying to take up his time whenever she could and for whatever reason. Drake didn¡¯t me the girl, she was very fond of Drake and he could tell. But her idea of dating apparently was for marriage. What he hadn¡¯t known was that she came from a very traditional background and from what she told him in their passing conversations since she had been kidnapped was that she hadn¡¯t had a boyfriend. The first is always the clingiest¡­. Drake thought, looking at the item in front of him. It was not as if Drake hated the attention. In fact, he was practically touch-starved at this point, save his beating the shit out of people and monsters every so often. But that wasn¡¯t the point. He had a duty to the people he held in his circle. To keep them safe, and to keep getting stronger and moving forward. So right now he simply didn¡¯t have the time to delegate to her, even if he admittedly wanted to. ire¡¯s background had started to be a bit more clear to Drake as she began being a little more loose-lipped about her past. Although she wouldn¡¯t speak about what had happened to her brother still. She had just gotten out of college a few months prior to the tutorial. She was from a small town in Colorado, where her family helped run a church. Drake hadughed and thought she was joking, but she had insisted it was the truth. She herself was not very religious but the old-school traditions held steadfast in their home and under her father''s roof. Which led to the awkwardness of moving their situation-ship forward. Everything had been new for ire, and every step made her blush and squeal with the ferocity of a high school girl in her first rtionship because it was. Drake remembered those girls from his days in high school. The only difference here was that there was no gaggle of them to gossip with her about him after. So Drake had pushed it all to the back of his mind and limited his time with her because it was ultimately a distraction at the moment. Drake¡¯s hand went for the ne he had justpleted thaty on the table. [Roughly Made Metal Chain [F Grade]
  • A ne of Metal made by a novice crafter.
The ne was the hardest thing Drake had made so far. It was meticulously slow to link the chains together one by one. And he had failed for an entire day on making apleted one until this one. It wasn¡¯t good enough to give stat bonuses it seemed, but it did count towards his Quest all the same. ¡°I should have just learned to pick flowers like Bear¡­¡± Drake sighed, rubbing his hands together trying to get feeling back in them, ¡°This shit better be worth it. I could have just picked up a cooking profession¡­ Wait, shouldn''t I have already gotten one by now?¡± Drake suddenly thought as he spoke. ¡°You are too good at cooking already. The system probably did not want to give you something so easy,¡± Natto conjectured with augh. Drake frowned but honestly wouldn¡¯t put it past the sadistic system. ¡°Well, only a few hundred more to go¡­.¡± Drake huffed, bending back over the work table. The rest of the day went by much like the others. At lunch and dinner, he was pulled away reluctantly by ire and Sherry. When night fell and everyone slept, Drake remained in the work tent with Lamar pounding away rhythmically on his anvil. He did leave periodically to check the surroundings buttely, no one would daree to the camp unwanted. And surprisingly many of the monsters had either gone into hiding waiting for the increase in tutorial difficulty or they were amassing some sort of army again far off in the forest. Drake was honestly hoping monsters would wander in, he had been building up frustration in a number of waystely and needed to beat the crap out of something. But he digressed on most nights, returning to the workbench and ving away toplete the quest.
¡°Finally!!!!!¡± Drake cried, holding up thest ne in the morning sun. It was the second consecutive week of being in the work tent and Drake had hammered down onpleting the quest. [Profession Quest Completed! Create Simple Metal Bands and Simple Chain Nes.] [ept Rewards?] ¡°Yes, dios ko!!!! Please give me my shit already!¡± Drake howled. [Congrattions! You have unlocked the Jeweler Profession] [You have learned system skill, Delicate Craftsman] [You have been awarded Profession Experience] [You have increased to a Proficiency 2 Jeweler] [You have increased Delicate Craftsman to Proficiency 2] Drake reveled in the new notifications passing by his screen, shouting as loudly as he could. His voice grew louder as the tools and a leather-bound book dropped in front of him on the table. [Low-Grade Crafting Manual]
  • Contains basic instructions for crafting beneficial jewelry in F-Grade
Drake also looked over the handful of Mana-Infused tools that wereid out on the table, his eyes sparkling with thanks for the wondrous bounty. ¡°Thank fuck for these tools,¡± Drake said holding them up and looking over the descriptions briefly, ¡°All of these are going to cut down the time to make things by so much!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let the tools fool you. They¡¯re only as good as the craftsman using them, you idiot,¡± Lamar said from the side, hammering away on the ymore he was working on. ¡°Damned party pooper¡­¡± Drake grumbled, stowing away the tools. His deted excitement rekindled when Drake took hold of the Crafting Manual. His fingers flew across the pages looking for a particr piece he was hoping to find. ¡°No, no, no, no. Nope, that¡¯s not it either¡­ No, no, no¡­. Ah! Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been waiting for baby! Woooo!¡± he shouted with excitement, plopping the book down as he frantically pulled material from his inventory. ¡°Little bit of this, little of that, need one of these¡­. Ok! All set!¡± Drake mused. His eyes scanned the page once more going over the instructions and materials needed, not wanting to miss a thing. He nodded to himself, double-checking everything to a T. ¡°Alright, I have enough material for an almost endless amount so that¡¯s good.. The problem is I don¡¯t know how to make prongs for the gem¡­ Well, those are just little thingies holding the gem, shouldn¡¯t be too hard, but making a halo with the other gems is going to be tough¡­¡± Drake said thinking aloud. ¡°Just going to have to muddle through it like always. Good thing we cleared out that mine before we came. Good job past Drake!¡± Drake said, patting himself on the back. ¡°Bet you have not heard that often¡­.¡± Natto snickered. ¡°Is everyone cranky today?¡± Drake scoffed, pulling the Mana Ore from the pile of stuff he brought out. ¡°I do crave violence on a daily basis. But no. I have not had the opportunity to talk for quite some time. You have been so focused on crafting I did not want to interrupt,¡± Natto conceded. Why, that is very nice of you¡­ Drake thought, a little suspiciously. ¡°That is why I have filled my time with your most embarrassing moments from your memories! And after two weeks, I still have not even cracked the surface! It truly astounds me that you can have such dark history! The thing with the aquarium, and the butterfly? How did you manage to get your leg stuck?¡± Natto cackled. Drake¡¯s face turned red. Ok, that¡¯s not so nice of you¡­ Please forget about that, I was a kid! I just wanted to keep the fucking bug in a big cozy ce! Drake retorted. ¡°That does not exin why you had to use your foot,¡± Natto stated. I had my hands full with holding the fucking thing, and my brother wouldn¡¯t help get the sand out of the aquarium! Drake had moved over to the forge to melt the ore down to workable metal, his face turned into a scowl. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Lamar asked. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking worry about it!¡± Drake shouted, staring at the ore melting, the usable metal sinking to the bottom, and the impurities rising to the top. ¡°And the face on your friend when he walked in on you holding your bloody leg! Is there anything more funny?! He even said ¡®Oh bad time?¡¯ before he left!¡± Nattoughed. I get it, haha¡­. That car ride was not fun¡­ Not that I remember most of it, I was so drugged up. At least it was better than the time I broke my hand on the floor¡­ ¡°No, no! Do not spoil that one, I just got to it!¡± Natto pleaded. Drake pulled the cooled ore from the holder, and ced it on his own new fancy anvil, heating it up again enough for a red glow, then hammered away to tten it as well as remove the unusable gunk that rose to the top. It wasn¡¯t anything funny¡­ My brother and I had a fight. He wanted to smoke pot with his friends and I tried to stop him, being the big brother and all. But I was the one who got yelled at in the end, and he went anyway. His friends were worthless trash that only got into trouble. Drake reminisced his face frowning again. I got frustrated and beat the shit out of the floorboard. The floorboard won. It was a really awkward conversation to have with my mother when she had to leave work toe to get me in the ER. Drake thought, giving a wry grin. ¡°That does not sound fun, but your guild master for your game chewing you out for being dumb was quite hrious. I have never heard someone so upset that someone broke their hand because they could not y from the injury. The man actually asked if you broke it on your brother¡¯s jaw at the very least! What a savage ape! I must meet that man!¡± Natto cheered. Oh, I totally forgot about that¡­ Yeah, Grumps was very crude but a great guy. Honestly, I hope we don¡¯t meet him. I don¡¯t want to get hit in the face for ruining that server 1st¡­. Drake thought trailing off. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Drake said, just about done with his preparation for the ne, ¡°Let¡¯s get failing, so I can get to the good part of seeding. I needed this equipment like a month ago.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Good News Everyone, I have Presents! Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Good News Everyone, I have Presents! ¡°Now that is an essory! Holy if I ever have to make another one of these it will be too soon!¡± Drake eximed, slumping back in his chair, and looking at the jewelry on the table satisfied. [Mage¡¯s Ne of Disruption [F Grade] [Rare]
  • +15 to Intelligence and +10 to Wisdom
  • Extra Effect: This ne contains the power of the elements disrupting the mana flow of the wearer. Identification effects will be impeded and results changed to the wearer''s desired information. (This does not affect Identification skills or spells above Rare Rarity or F Grade Quality)
  • The Mage¡¯s best weapon is information, this ne epasses the wish of every Mage in giving out false information at the behest of its wearer.
¡°Finally, some good fucking equipment!¡± Drakeughed, ¡°And all the other stuff we made with it, I¡¯d say it¡¯s been a productive month!¡± Drake looked at the new colored rings on his hands, their blue sheen glowing with a hint of red from the fire of the forge behind him, the sound of Lamar hammering away on something or another in the background. ¡°Are we finally done with this dreary ce? I may have passed the time by watching your memories, but even your embarrassing ck history is not inexhaustible¡­¡± Natto sighed. You really went through most of my past just like that? I feel like I should feel vited for you not asking for permission¡­.But eh, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make more embarrassing mistakes so it''s whatever. Drake thought, shrugging as he swiped the colorful silver chained ne from the table standing up. Drake felt the cool metallic surface of the ne in his fingers before cing it around his neck. A screen interface popping up immediately as he did. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s new. It reminds me of the introduction¡­. Hmmm,¡± Drake hummed looking over the options, ¡°Well, it looks like most of the options are pretty basic. I can choose from any of the basic sses and a few low-rarity advanced sses from there. I can also just choose to block the information altogether¡­ Good to know, we¡¯ll block it all for now and deal with it when we get out of the tutorial when we need to spread more misinformation. No point in doing it now, since I assume most people know who I am and what I can do.¡± ¡°Can we eat now? It is getting towards dinner time, I am surprised ire is not here with the small glutton to haul you off to the kitchen,¡± Natto snickered. Drake was about to respond before as if on cue, the blond and ck-haired pair walked into the tent in sync. ¡°Speak of the devils,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Who¡¯s a devil?¡± ire humphed, turning her head. ¡°I want my food dude, it''s like A minute after dinner already¡­¡± Sherryined. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± Drake asked ire, ignoring Sherry for the moment, ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for prioritizing making sure everyone is safe. I made that very clear weeks ago. But I did just finish so here,¡± Drake smiled, moving behind ire, cing a ne around her neck. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± she asked curiously, her face blushing as she tried to keep her scowl. ¡°It¡¯s a vitality ne I made while working. It will make sure you don¡¯t get one shot by anything unexpected at least in the tutorial,¡± Drake said satisfied. ire turned her hand on the purple gem in the middle of the pendant of the ne. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s beautiful¡­. Did you make one for everyone?¡± ire asked hesitantly, knowing Drake cared for the group and would have made essories for everyone. ¡°Nope,¡± Drake said, waving his hand dismissively, ¡°Yours is one of a kind. Has to be at least some benefits to dating the boss right?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Everyone else gets just regr rings, I have a set for everyone,¡± Drake exined, plopping several sets of rings into Sherry¡¯s hand. Drake looked at ire, her brilliant blond hair going slightly past her shoulders now, growing over the past month of their ¡®break¡¯ from monsters and fighting. It glowed with a red hue from the fire. The ne was cast in gold, and therge purple gem was ced in a mana-infused silver iy for a beautiful contrast with the overall design. Drake wouldn¡¯t tell her but, it was the best piece he crafted over the month, and honestly the most intricate. ¡°Alright. Time to eat! I also have to hand out all this shiny new bling I got everyone!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°Lamar, youing?¡± Lamar didn¡¯t look up from his work, just giving Drake a terse grunt. ¡°Alright don¡¯t take too long or there won''t be any food left,¡± Drake responded giving the cyclopean a wave as they all moved out of the tent. After exiting the tent, Drake and the girls were met by a very tall redheaded man. ¡°Yo,¡± Bjorn said, ¡°Ready for dinner?¡± he asked, another person hiding a bit out of sight behind him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting to it.. By the way, do you need any essories? I made enough for everyone,¡± Drake offered, giving a smile. Bjorn took a moment to think it over, ¡°I could definitely use better strength equipment, but everything else is kind of useless for me bro.¡± Drake pulled the strength rings he made from his inventory. Not the ones he had been getting from the Kobolds. Drake¡¯s were slightly better giving fifteen to each stat instead of the ten that the Kobold equipment gave. ¡°What about you Chelsea?¡± Drake asked, addressing the woman behind Bjorn. ¡°I-i¡¯m fine,¡± she mumbled, not wanting to meet Drake¡¯s eyes. Drake sighed, shifting his weight to his right leg and giving Bjorn a questioning look. Bjorn shook his head, ¡°She needs Dexterity, Vitality, and probably a bit of Strength. Ya know normal archer stuff.¡± Chelsea fumed and punched Bjorn in the side, but ended up hurting her own hand rather than hurting him. ¡°Right¡­ Since when were you two so close?¡± Drake asked, pulling the sets out and putting them in Bjorn¡¯s open hand. ¡°Dunno, I spotted her moping around, so I tried to cheer her up, now she follows me around like a lost puppy,¡± Bjornughed, thumbing to Chelsea. ¡°Shut up! I do not do that! I just have nothing better to do until we get to the fucking Ant¡¯s Nest!¡± she howled, her face blushing. ¡°Ok, that''s for sure the real reason,¡± Drake cringed, then looked over to ire, thinking that she was also like a lost puppy. ire looked up from her ne, meeting Drake¡¯s eyes, then realizing what he was insinuating. ¡°I do not do that! Fuck you!¡± she yelled. Drake and Bjornughed together, then walked towards the campfire area where they usually ate. Chatting a bit back and forth about nonsense they all arrived at the campfire where the rest of the group had already gathered ready to cook. Drake scanned the area, happy to see the rest of the group ounted for. Even seeing Julia and Megan there instead of waiting until the food was done toe. It had been a full twenty-seven days since Drake had decided to lock himself up and craft. Only taking breaks to practice his martial arts and cook. He also practiced his skills regrly, able to make considerable progress. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%) [F-Rank], Jewler P5(0%) [F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 20 [Vitality] 357 (15%) [Strength] 411 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 315 (40 + 20%) [Intelligence] 717 (15+15%) +(70) [Wisdom] 377 (10 + 15%) [Endurance] 309 (20 + 25%) [Free Points] 60 [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Glory of the Patriarch, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Tyrant [Skills Branches] Primary: Elementalist P3(0%) [F Rank] 3/5
  • Magic Sight P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Heretical Mind P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Multiplicative P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Elemental Endowment P2 (93%) [F Rank]
  • Elemental Conflux P2 (75%) [F Rank]
Secondary: Shield Miller P2(48%) [F Rank] 1/5
  • Warrior¡¯s Stamina P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Guardian¡¯s Reprieve P2(37%) [F Rank]
  • Aura of Command P2(15%) [F Rank]
  • Martial Strike P2(45%) [F Rank]
  • Ruler¡¯s Constitution P2(18%) [F Rank]
Primary Sub-tree: Internal Mastery [F Rank] 2/5
  • Of the Apex P2(73%) [F Rank]
  • Weak Point P2(63%) [F Rank]
  • Tempered in mes P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Tyrannical Aura P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Tyrant¡¯s Indomability P2(79%) [F Rank]
Second Primary Sub-tree: Soul Mastery [F Rank] 3/5
  • Mana Maniption P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Atrophy of the Mind P2(31%) [F Rank]
  • Cower P2(22%) [F Rank]
  • Sound Body and Mind P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Purity of Soul P3(0%) [F Rank]
Secondary Primary Sub-tree: Weapon Mastery [F Rank]0/5
  • Hoarder P2 (77%) [F Rank]
  • Fully Loaded P2(10%) [F Rank]
  • Weapon of Choice P2(74%) [F Rank]
  • Adrenaline Acuity P2(43%) [F Rank]
  • Magic Exposure P2(18%) [F Rank]
Second Secondary Sub-tree: Empty Drake had made significant progress on almost every skill,pleting a majority of his skills that he could actively manipte. Sadly his otherbat skills were slow-moving. His passive skills for the most part had been slowly increasing with little help from him, but being only able to just recently make a ne to fully utilize his ¡®Fully Loaded¡¯ skill it had certainlygged behind, along with his other active debuffs that needed enemies to progress. For some reason beyond them. The participants of the tutorial had not encountered a single monster within their area. What was worse was that groups were going further and further out to find food as well. The upgraded beasts bing just as scarce. From what Shigure had kept Drake up-to-date with over the month. People were bing more and more apprehensive about the food situation. Wondering if they had enough resources even in the tutorial enough to survive the remaining time. Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 65 Days. 7 Hours, 49 Minutes, 4 Seconds Drake wasn¡¯t concerned for his own group. He had gathered enough food and resources from the goblins tost them well into next year. But if he was to share it with the rest of the remaining participants he didn¡¯t think it wouldst more than two months if that. It posed just another problem he would have to figure out. And it was something they were going to discuss soon, as in today. Because Drake had finally finished his preparations. ¡°So good news everyone!¡± Drake began with, hunching his back and pushing up invisible sses. ¡°Oh, I know this one!¡± Tom shouted. ¡°No one cares Tom,¡± Jacqueline sighed. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not cool,¡± Tom frowned. ¡°Oh? Finally have your balls drop, yeah?¡± Jacqueline snickered. ¡°Now, now, children, not at the dinner table,¡± Drake interjected. ¡°You¡¯re thest person who should say something like that,¡° Megan scoffed. ¡°Maybe so, ¡°Drake chuckled, ¡°But regardless, this is more of a serious day. We need to go over who ising with me into the Ant¡¯s Nest,¡± Drake said evenly, looking at everyone in turn, ¡°Oh! And I have presents.¡± Drake smiled and gave out a set of whatever he thought people would need for essories. Receiving their gifts one by one, the air remained frank and casual. ¡°So pup, who do you want on this little treasure hunt of yours?¡± Hudson asked, raising one of the rings he had gotten into the firelight. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d like to have everyonee if I could make it that simple,¡± Drake said sighing, ¡°But we simply don''t have a support ss that can extend the party limit, so we would have more than we could handle on the way. I¡¯m confident that I can protect everyone now that I have some of my skills improving. But there aren¡¯t any certainties and I don¡¯t want anyone to feel obligated toe just to put themselves in danger.¡± ¡°My Lord, this one would follow thou into the dark abyss if but asked,¡± Theodore said as he took his set of Intelligence gear, ¡°May this one say it even goes without being uttered!¡± ¡°I appreciate that Theo, but you have Harley to think about, and I want everyone to be willing to go after giving it some thought,¡± Drake said, looking around again, ¡°I still have to scout out the area myself, and there is still the problem of the food shortage that is happening. After what happened, I¡¯m partially responsible for the people left in the tutorial so I have to find a solution to it as well. And with the dwindling number of monsters that¡¯s been made apparent over the past weeks, I think there might be a real problem brewing.¡± ¡°Why is that Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked putting on her gifts. ¡°Well, I think everyone has noticed that after a certain time period or event, the monsters have increased in both power and numbers right? Almost incrementally,¡± he exined, everyone nodding back. ¡°But,¡± he said pausing as his expression turned thoughtful, ¡°After the Goblin King, we didn¡¯t see either. No increase in monsters, no new hordes, or upgrades to existing monsters. So there is either something else going on, or we have a big problem.¡± Everyone¡¯s face turned confused not following the conversation anymore. ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s where this is going do you bro?¡± Bjorn said, chiming in. ¡°Going where?¡± Amire asked. Bjorn leaned against a tent pole it creaking under his weight. ¡°He thinks that the monsters have gotten intelligent enough to band together and not attack us until we¡¯re weak from starvation,¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°Is that really the case?¡± Julia asked, her face painted in surprise. Drake took a moment, going back and forth in his head on whether to divulge what he had refrained from telling the group about the King. Finally sighing and steeling himself to exin. ¡°When I was fighting the King, something happened that I didn¡¯t expect,¡± he began, ¡°The King could speak.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Planning to Nest Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: nning to Nest ¡°What do you mean, speak? Like, ask you where the bathroom is?¡± Tom asked. Drake gave him a side-eye. ¡°What? It¡¯s a serious question. Even I can ask where the bathroom is in a few differentnguages,¡± Tom said incredulously. ¡°No, I mean that he fully understood what I was saying and even responded to me. He said some very concerning things, but most of all he was actually intelligent. At least enough to gather an army,¡± Drake exined, ¡°Honestly he wasn¡¯t the strongest thing I¡¯ve fought. The Generals and the Royal Knights were much stronger. But he was apparently the most intelligent if he was able to control them, or perhaps sly is a better word. But my point is if that worthless piece of shit can do it. What do you think ants are going to be able to do if they increase in strength and intelligence?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh.. That¡¯s pretty concerning, now that you mention it, bro,¡± Bjorn said, nodding in agreement. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Jacqueline said speaking up. Bjorn leaned back off the tent pole he was resting on, ¡°Regr ants already have a hierarchy. Or amand structure. Queen at the top, everyone else below and protects the queen,¡± Bjorn exined, ¡°If they have increased in enough intelligence that means that their Hive could expand and grow exponentially. Normally antsmunicate through pheromones. But if they can now use speech, or whatever else the system is able to offer the monsters, it could mean something far more devastating¡­ Just think of howrge a Hive was from Earth before the system.¡± Some of the group''s faces paled. ¡°We aren¡¯t certain it''s going to be thatrge, but Bear¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I want to make sure of it by scouting ahead myself. And make sure that everyone who is willing toe along is going in confidence that it is life and death at all times. This isn¡¯t the same as when we were held up behind the safe walls of the outpost. This is nit and grit, taking the fight to them for our own profit. Anyone who ising needs to know that,¡± Drake said firmly. Bjorn walked forward, ¡°You already know I¡¯ming. Things seem to have settled down around here so I think it¡¯s time to move on anyway.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ming too,¡± Chelsea said without hesitation. Wow, she jumped ship Drake pretty quickly¡­. Well, at least she isn¡¯t trying to sneak into my tent anymore. Drake scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m going to be going as well,¡± Julia said from her seat next to Megan and Jacqueline. Megan looked over as if she had bitten on something sour but raised her hand after some hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll be going as well, I can¡¯t let them go with you without supervision.¡± ¡°What are you the camp mom now or something?¡± Drakeughed, finding her excuse rather childish, ¡°If you want toe to make sure your friends are safe you should just say so,¡± he scoffed. Megan crossed her arms, scoffing as she turned her head. ¡°Right, anyone else? I would like to make Amir and Hudson join at the very least, you are both valuable sses that need to be nurtured after all,¡± Drake said turning to the pair. ¡°I ain¡¯t no fucking child, pup. Don¡¯t need none of your ¡®nurturing¡¯ bullshit. We ain¡¯t got much to do here but wait anyway, And I said I wasing a while ago, no sense in going back on my word now,¡± Hudson said grumpily. ¡°I as well agreed to follow you, Sir Shot. And I intend to do just that. After everything you have done to keep us protected it just wouldn¡¯t feel right to stop here,¡± Amir added, giving a wary smile. Drake smiled back, ¡°It¡¯s ok to be nervous about it. I may have said I don¡¯t know if I can protect everyone. But that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t die trying. Everyone here is family to me. We¡¯ve been through more in these past months than most in a lifetime. So yes, even you Jacqueline, I will protect with my life,¡± Drake teased. ¡°Up yours, bloody asshole¡­.¡± Jacqueline sneered. ¡°Never lose that girlish charm,¡± Drakeughed, looking to the others of the group, ¡°Tom, Sherry, Harley, Jacqueline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going wherever you go dude, I need that food¡­¡± Sherry answeredzily, her hand going to her stomach. ¡°Can¡¯t say that wasn¡¯t expected¡­ Ok, the rest of you?¡± Drake asked again. ¡°I will go anywhere my love goes. So I aming as well Mr. Shot,¡± Harley said, squeezing Theodore¡¯s arm. Drake looked at Jacqueline. ¡°Are you mad? I ain¡¯t going nowhere near a ting like ravaging smart bugs by the tens of thousands! Count me out, I¡¯ll sit my pretty dark ass right here and wait,¡± she scoffed. Drake smirked, ¡°Ok you stay here alone then. You can cozy up to little Shigure. The same guy who doesn¡¯t like me, or anyone who associates with me. Who also had most of the people around him turn on him, forcing me to kill them. I¡¯m sure it will be a great sixty days for you,¡± Drake exined, keeping his smirk. ¡°Yeah but you already set him straight didn¡¯t you?¡± Jacqueline asked, her face beginning to sweat. Drake shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s young, who knows.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just bloody great innit? And you said I had a choice!¡± ¡°You do have a choice. But there¡¯s only one good one,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Fine! I fucking better not die! Or I swear to god I¡¯m going to shove my mace so far up your ass, it¡¯ll make you look like a bloody sock puppet!¡± Drakeughed, looking at Tom now. ¡°Well?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Do I have to?¡± Tom asked. ¡°No, but you¡¯re going to be alone if you don¡¯te,¡± Drake admitted. ¡°But I hate bugs man¡­.¡± ¡°No one said you had to go into the nest. We will probably set up outside after we clear out some space. I need you to protect the base of operations anyway.¡± ¡°Do I get some of the loot?¡± Tom asked curiously. ¡°Yeah, sure. I¡¯m sure there will be something for everyone, don¡¯t see why not,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in then. I¡¯ve seen how the people in the Outpost look at us anyway.¡± ¡°Tom, we all look at you that way,¡± Jacqueline added. ¡°Yeah, but at least I know you all, so it isn¡¯t as bad,¡± Tom exined. ¡°That¡¯s kinda sad I''m not even ganna lie Tom¡­ But at least you¡¯re making progress, that¡¯s all I can ask. And don¡¯t mind Jacqueline, she only teases you because she thinks you¡¯re cute,¡± Drake said winking. ¡°You¡¯re off your rocker!¡± Jacqueline screamed. ¡°Why so defensive? It was only a joke¡­ Unless?¡± Drake mused wiggling his eyebrows. ¡°I lied! Come here asshole, I need a cozy ce for my mace!¡± Jacqueline roared. ¡°Now, now¡­.¡± Drakeughed, letting her hit him. Her strength wasn¡¯t even enough to even scratch his defenses. Eventually, Jacqueline gave up and Drake had finished asking everyone. He pped his hands together, ¡°Alright now that this is over, let''s get to cooking, which I also don¡¯t understand what you need me for. Don¡¯t some of you have a cooking profession by now?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Chelsea said, standing up as well, ¡°But you just make better food. It¡¯s weird and unfair really.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement. Even the exhausted Jacqueline. ¡°That¡¯s kind of endearing¡­ But please cook yourselves¡­.¡± Drake said slumping forward. ¡°But we like your cooking Mr. Shot, that should be a really bigpliment. Your food is even better than the system recipes, even if they don¡¯t give the same buffs,¡± Harley added. ¡°I appreciate thepliment. But I do have other things to do¡­¡± Drake said grumbling, but still broke a grin. Drake was about to walk off to help with the cooking even afterining, but ire was staying behind and unusually quiet. He turned back and walked over to her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask me¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Huh?¡± Drake said. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me to evene!¡± ire said, raising her voice slightly. ¡°What? Of course, I didn¡¯t,¡± Drake said matter-of-factly. ¡°Why? Are you just going to leave me here alone?!¡± she asked, concerned. ¡°No,¡± Drake said, ¡°I don¡¯t need to ask, if I¡¯m going you¡¯re going. I told you not to leave my sight, it¡¯s the only way I can keep an eye on you,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°So of course you¡¯reing. Where I go, you go.¡± Drake gave a goofy smile pulling ire into him, his arms around her in front of everyone. Her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. ¡°Ew, get a room!¡± Jacqueline shouted. ¡°Go talk to Tom, Jacqueline,¡± Drake jabbed back. ¡°Fuck you!¡± Drake snickered, letting go of ire as she stepped back a bit, her face a deep shade of red. ¡°What, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want toe?¡± Drake asked leadingly. ¡°S-shut up¡­ I¡¯m going¡­¡± ire mumbled. ¡°Good girl,¡± Drake smiled, giving her a pat on the head, then extended his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go then, got food to cook and all that.¡± ire nodded but continued to look at the very interesting ground. ¡°Hmm, we should really get some aprons¡­ Love a girl in an apron¡­ Well, only if the apron is the o-¡± Drake thought aloud, but was cut off by a surprisingly strong grip around his hand. Looking back he saw ire¡¯s face smiling, but the smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°What? I was going to say you would look good in an apron. Naked aprons are one of the things on my bucket list.¡± ¡°I will not wear something like that!¡± she said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°I said no!¡± ire shouted, running past Drake towards the table, and finding a spot next to Harley. ¡°She is going to dump you before you ever start actually dating you know,¡± Natto snickered. Maybe. But it¡¯s better if she knows about how weird I really am if she wants to actually date me. Drake chuckled. The rest of the night went rtively normal. Food, jokes,ughs, and of course, making fun of Jacqueline and Tom. Everyone turned in early because tomorrow would be the day the scouting of the Ant¡¯s nest would begin. Theodore, Drake, Bjorn, and Chelsea were going to be surveying the area. They would not only have to find the nest and make sure it lined up with the Map Drake had, but also find an entrance if that was the case. Once they had done that, next woulde fixing the food shortage problem. Drake had a few theories on why the food was so scarce, and many of them connected with the ants. And if he was correct, he could kill two birds with one stone. The morning came quickly, and Drake had decided to actually sleep the night away as he had been up for longer than a week now without it, hammering away at the crafting quest, then the subsequent ne that dangled from his neck. He stretched as he saw the light bleed through the tent canvas, doing his best not to wake the snoring and drooling Natto, who had decided to upy the pillow next to him. ¡°If only she could always be this quiet¡­¡± Drake thought aloud, going for the tent entrance. Opening the canvas so he could walk through, the sun blinded him momentarily, forcing him to shield his eyes. Once he wasn¡¯t star-struck, he took in a deep breath, ready to start the long day. ¡°First, a chat with Mr. Teen Angst.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Little Walking, Little Talking Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Little Walking, Little Talking ¡°Good morning Shigure!!!!¡± yelled Drake, storming into the tent. Shigure grumbled, not even reaching for his weapon as he pulled the covers over his head. ¡°Rise and shine stinky! I¡¯m leaving soon, so we ne-¡± Drake began. ¡°You''re leaving?!?¡± Shigure shouted, pushing the covers off, leaping out of bed, running over to Drake, and grabbing him by the shoulders. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I¡¯m going to be going and assaulting the Ant¡¯s nest. Come on man, we talked about this like a week ago,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Do you think I listen to anything you say?¡± Shigure said seriously as he released Drake, walking over to the bed as he began equipping his armor and weapon. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should be saying to your Manager. Haven¡¯t you ever worked before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 17, I haven¡¯t had a chance to work, I was going to get a summer job but the tutorial happened,¡± Shigure sneered. Shigure had be much more coarse and casual with Drake over the past month. Not particrly wanting to speak to him with respect or courtesy. ¡°Oh I thought you were 16?¡± Drake asked. ¡°My birthday wasst week. Don¡¯t you remember crashing the party that Uta had set up for me¡­?¡± Shigure asked back incredulously. ¡°Did I do that?¡± Drake smirked. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok I¡¯m leaving so hate me while you can. Anyway, about the food shortage you mentioned on your birthday,¡± Drake said changing the subject. ¡°So you do remember!¡± Shigure yelled, pointing the end of his sword at Drake. ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t,¡± Drakeughed, pushing the sword away from his face, ¡°Now to business, I have to go scout the Ants outter so I don¡¯t want to waste any time. I think they are part of the reason the animals have be scarce-¡± Drake began exining his theories with Shigure, the teen yawning but listening along attentive enough to understand. ¡°So you are saying the Ants ranked up?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Not necessarily, but at the very least are smarter and possiblyrger than before. I killed a few Juveniles before and still have the quest for it and they weren¡¯t exactly a problem. But then again, the Goblins had captured those ones and removed their fire sacs so it¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Drake exined, ¡°But basically I think the Ants are the ones hunting the tutorial clean. So my idea is to wipe them out and hopefully the food with be fine then.¡± ¡°And what if that is not the reason?¡± Shigure asked pointedly. ¡°Then we have to survive somehow on what we have for the next sixty days,¡± Drake said shrugging, ¡° Honestly I don¡¯t really need to eat is what I found out, or at least very little now after ranking up. It¡¯s mostly for the taste.¡± ¡°That may be true for you and your abomination-worthy stats, but you are forgetting that 90% of the tutorial that is left are just crafters and sub-level ten. They don¡¯t have the same physique the upper-level people have. They would starve long before the tutorial ends¡­¡± Shigure said, sighing at Drake. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We can only hope that I¡¯m right for now and that killing the ants solves our food problem. How much do we have left?¡± Drake asked, his face turning serious. Shigure scratched the back of his neck, holding his hand out. The next moment an inky ck puff of smoke bloomed next to him, a hand with a clipboard appearing and handing it to him. ¡°Thank you, Uta,¡± Shigure smiled. ¡°It is my pleasure, my Master,¡± Uta said, bowing and moving to the side of the tent. ¡°...I have to see if Theodore can do that¡­.¡± Drake grumbled, holding his hand out open and palm up for a moment. Nothing and no one came. Drake shook his hand briefly to cover up what he was doing embarrassedly. ¡°Moron¡­¡± Natto giggled. It was worth a shot. You have to admit that it would have been pretty cool. Drake thought. ¡°It looks like we have enough food for around 2 weeks at most. Our stockpiles are fine and everyone has contributed enough up until the sudden absence of monsters that no one will have trouble using their points to trade for food,¡± Shigure exined. ¡°Trade Points? You have a point system?¡± Drake asked, astonished. ¡°Of course, we have a system¡­ How do you think people are able to buy anything here?¡± Shigure replied. ¡°Trading?¡± Drake offered. Shigure grumbled, mumbling something like ¡®moron¡¯ before exining briefly. ¡°No. There is only so much you can trade outside of non-perishable items. Sure the Skill Stones are worth something, but that is only to those who have slots to use them. And any Rare or better stone usually don¡¯t find their way to the market we have here since people would rather hoard them or use them themselves. So we have to have a point system based on what you contribute to the Outpost. Food and perishables are a certain amount of points. Skill stones another; weapons, armor another; and services rendered another. It took a lot to make this Outpost work. Are you telling me you didn''t have something simr at your own Outpost?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Nope. I just gave everyone everything,¡± Drake said tly. Shigure pped his hand to his face. ¡°How did you ever get this far¡­¡± ¡°Sheer grit, good looks, and luck!¡± Drake smiled, ignoring his insult. ¡°I think you mean dumb luck¡­¡± Natto amended. I won¡¯t deny that. My skills are based on a random rolling system after all. But credit where credit is due, I did have to learn the skills and assimte them. Not to mention actually survive until we got to that point¡­. Twice I might add. Drake scoffed. ¡°Why is it that the more time I spend with you, the more I despise you¡­¡± Shigure sighed. ¡°Sounds like a personal problem. But is there anything pressing we need to deal with before I leave? Bear will be going as well, so you need to have all the security and defenses be tight. Don¡¯t want another Adam happening,¡± Drake pointed out. ¡°Bear is leaving as well¡­ I see,¡± Shigure murmured, pursing his lips in thought for a moment, ¡°I believe we have all the bases covered. And I remain the strongest after Bear so there should be no problem with people trying anything this time around. Are any of your own people staying?¡± ¡°Nope. Everyone loves me too much to stay,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°I highly doubt that, but that does make it easier. I¡¯ve already ced and invested in the leaders that reced the others you¡­ fired. So there should be no problems outside the food,¡± Shigure said, reaffirming his confidence in Drake leaving. ¡°Oh, wait. Lamar is staying. Can¡¯t very well bring him into a hive of monster Ants. Though I do want to level him up¡­¡± Drakemented. ¡°That is not how that works¡­¡± Shigure said wryly. ¡°Hmmm?¡± ¡°Craftsmen, Pure Craftsmen sses and Nonbat sses gain experience and level through performing their work, whatever that may be. How did you not know this, haven¡¯t you been with Lamar for over a month?¡± Shigure said in disbelief. Drake quickly remembered the Farmer ss he had seen during his rank-up, realizing that Shigure was correct and the description had mentioned a different way to level up. ¡°Well, the big man doesn¡¯t talk much, except when he''s insulting me,¡± Drake said, chuckling wryly. ¡°Reminds me of someone¡­¡± Shigure jabbed, getting up from the bed. ¡°Please, I¡¯m the picture of a nice and respectful person,¡± Drake countered. Shigure didn¡¯t respond, only scoffing and walking past Drake to the tent entrance, pulling back the canvas so he could go into the morning sun. Drake followed behind him out of the tent, Uta waiting until both had left the tent to exit as well. ¡°I¡¯ll be back by nightfall, so if anythinges up just make sure to stop at the camp outside the outpost and tell me,¡± Drake instructed, ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job building the Outpost back up after everything, so I¡¯m honestly not worried. Keep it up and you will be going ces once this whole tutorial ends I¡¯m sure.¡± Drake gave Shigure a p on the back, harder than he should have, pushing the young boy forward. Shigure grunted in pain and scowled back at Drake. ¡°Oh by the way,¡± Drake said, throwing some jewelry back at Shigure, enough for him and Uta, ¡°Happy Birthday you little shit.¡±
Drake walked through the Outpost instead of going straight back to the camp. Wanting to see how the situation inside was for himself. He was surprised to see how homey it felt inside. The pop-up street stores on each side of the dirt roads offering this and that. And sections carved out for tents and even some crudely constructed buildings for the upants to live in. There was even a small inn that was towards the center of the Outpost, using points as admission. Drake wasn¡¯t interested in how the point system worked. But he was interested in seeing if there was anything he could trade for that would be useful. Moving from street to street casually, people made room for him, or at least most of them. Many of the people inside the Outpost knew who Drake was from his earlier escapades. Or have seen him rubbing elbows with not only Shigure but Bjorn as well. Drake didn¡¯t mind it, and he also didn¡¯t mind the people who paid him no mind. It wasn¡¯t as if he needed to be given special treatment or anything. He was just casually browsing after all. After a bit of perusing, Drake found the shops he was looking for in the Crafters District of the Outpost, a small stone¡¯s throw away from the center and towards the North end of the area. Finding a rather short person, Drake walked up to the street stall, looking at the rings and various essoriesid out on the counter. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Drake mused, inspecting one after the other, honestly unimpressed. ¡°See something you likeddy?¡± the man said the top of his head peeking over the counter. ¡°My, it is a North Rock Dwarf¡­ That is interesting¡­¡± Natto mused, seeing the man poke his head out. A what? Drake asked. ¡°It is a variation of the Dwarven Race. They are found on a that is frigid and cold to the point not much else lives there on the surface. The environment is as hostile as it gets and the monsters on it are even worse. Many of the intelligent races, if you can call them that, live underground in caves,¡± Natto exined. Oh¡­ Where do they rank on the Fantasy Ladder? Drake asked. ¡°Below what your perception of real Dwarves are? While they are skilled at crafting, they do not hold a candle to the real thing,¡± she scoffed. As Drake looked at the items on the counter, he couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°Not really¡­¡± Drake answered, ¡°But I was wondering maybe I could trade or sell some of these,¡± Drake said pulling out his extra essories he had made. They ranged from rings, to earrings and nes of each stat. The Dwarf¡¯s eyes bulged as he spotted them. ¡°Where did ya get these treasures boy?¡± he shouted. ¡°Made em. And have you always been a Dwarf? I thought there were only humans in this tutorial,¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yeah, found me an item that changed my race. Didn¡¯t care much though since I got to tinker with things,¡± the dwarf said dismissing the question, his hands going for the essories in Drake¡¯s. ¡°These are for stats I haven¡¯t been able toe across yet¡­ Where did you even get the materials for this?¡± ¡°Killed a bunch of Kobolds, why is it rare or something?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t say rare. But we haven¡¯t had many stat equipmente through here besides the Strength and Dexterity kind. Lots of the youngins want Intelligence and Vitality ones and for good reason.¡± ¡°Oh, why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t want to die. And a Mage has a long cast time, so the stronger the spell the better for the cost of the cast. Not sure what I can give you for this though, it¡¯s beyond what I can trade for¡­ Hell, I don¡¯t think most people can trade for this equipment right now. The monsters all gone, and the animals too. No one is doing much of anything except waiting out the tutorial,¡± the Dwarf sighed, handing back the ring. ¡°Hmmm, how about this then. I don¡¯t have time to trade all of these. What do you say about trading them for me? I¡¯ll give you a 50-50 cut of whatever it sells or trades for,¡± Drake offered. The Dwarf¡¯s brows raised in surprise, ¡°You sure about that boy? Seems like too good a deal to be true. And why me?¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Yeah I¡¯m sure, and is it bad if I say you just happen to be the first person I talked to?¡± The Dwarf scoffed looking at Drake incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re a dumb one, but it¡¯s a deal. When are you going toe back for your half of the loot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m told,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°And I think maybe a few days before the tutorial ends. So make sure you get some good deals for me, old man.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: First Contact… Again..? Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: First Contact¡­ Again..? Drake strode out of the Outpost followed by some veryckluster stares after he had talked to the Dwarf at the stall. But he was used to being looked at by the original residents of the Outpost with some form of hate or fear after everything that had happened. But thankfully he wasn¡¯t technically in charge of the Outpost. No, he outsourced that to Shigure, and he had been doing a smashing job of it. Everything at least on the surface had been running smoothly. And Drake was frankly very impressed. Kid might need a lot of growing, but it''s surprising to see how well he can lock the Outpost down when given the reins. Drake thought, passing the rampart of the Outpost, waving as he passed the paling guards. ¡°It seems he is growing on you, rather than the other way around. And your reputation is very poor amongst the people who have seen you fight the oaf and the weak-willed teen,¡± Natto quipped. I would never call Bjorn a weak-willed teen, that¡¯s just uncalled for Natto. Drake thought, smiling. ¡°That is not! Uhhh¡­¡± Natto grumbled. Drake chuckled as he made his way back to the camp. Seeing quite a few busybodies. ¡°So are we all set to scout this ce out?¡± Drake asked, looking at Theodore, and Chelsea checking and double-checking their gear. Bjorn on the other hand sat rxed on the ground, his ymore on his shoulder. ¡°This one is as prepared as they can be my Lord. We have stocked potions enough to support a small army thanks to Sir Bear,¡± Theodore answered, twirling his mustache. ¡°Yep! He gave us all we needed for the trip, so we¡¯re just making sure all our gear is in order and waiting on Lamar to repair some stuff,¡± Chelsea added. Drake raised a brow, ¡°Why are you so proud? Isn¡¯t Bear the one supplying everything¡­?¡± Chelsea¡¯s face turned red then scowled as she screw-faced him. ¡°My Lord, could this one bother you to partake in said potions?¡± Theodore asked, taking a few steps towards him. Drake raised a hand, ¡°I still have plenty from the earlier quests Theo, thanks. You guys keep them. I think Bear and I have enough Vitality to manage. Which reminds me, you have a health regeneration skill right Bear?¡± Drake asked, addressing him. Bjorn waved his hand, ¡°I do, well kind of. Remember the skills I told you about?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The skill wraps them all into one pretty much, it''s kinda crazy bro,¡± Bjornughed. ¡°Oh to be so privileged¡­¡± Drake sighed. All three of them looked back at Drake incredulously. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked snarkily. ¡°Can you really say that?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°I can say a lot of things,¡± Drake replied sticking out his tongue. ¡°My Lord, I would be inclined to agree. Thou art the epitome of lucky and privileged by ss and skill if nothing else,¡± Theodore chimed in. ¡°Hey, whose side are you on Theo?¡± Drake said recoiling in faux hurt, ¡°I worked very hard for my ss and skills. I think I almost threw out my arm when I casted the die when I rolled for them,¡± he joked. ¡°Hey man, I¡¯m notining. I¡¯m happy with what hand I was dealt,¡± Bjorn smirked, leaning back and falling onto the grass, his armor nking slightly, ¡°Most of it at least.¡± Drake could rte in all seriousness. He and Bjorn had been given great power, but that didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯te with cons. Bjorn was about to turn into a universe-ending giant. And Drake was most likely slowly losing his mind from the overwhelming number of skills he was consuming and still had to consume. ¡°Well, once we''re ready let¡¯s get to it. Earlier the better. I allocated enough time to be able to conquer the hive but it''s only spection until we see it firsthand,¡± Drake said, pushing the conversation forward, ¡°I¡¯m going to do some clowning around before we leave. It¡¯s been a while since I fired off some spells.¡± ¡°Sooo, you¡¯re just going to do what exactly?¡± Chelsea asked suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m going to blow up stuff,¡± Drake said tly, then looked to Bjorn, ¡°Come with?¡± Bjorn raised his head from the ground, looking down his body at Drake through his legs. ¡°Sure,¡± Bjorn replied, shrugging slightly. ¡°Alright, where can a guy get some opennd to let loose around here?¡± Drake mused. Drake waited for a moment, letting Bjorn get to his feet. ¡°You know for someone who can follow me at my speed, you sure move fucking slow¡­.¡± Drake joked, giving a snide grin. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m conserving energy bro, you think this body can move like that all the time?¡± Bjorn threw back, smiling as he got to his feet. ¡°I just thought you were too big to move that fast unless it involved food or fighting me,¡± Drake shrugged. ¡°You calling me fat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not calling you skinny.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not skinny,¡± Bjorn said, raising a brow. ¡°Exactly,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯mrge and in charge bro,¡± Bjorn smirked back. Drake rolled his eyes, ¡°Can¡¯t you let me insult you for once?¡± heughed, moving past Theodore and Chelsea to the back of the camp towards the forest. ¡°That was supposed to be an insult? I thought you wereplimenting me for my gains?¡± Bjornughed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­. Whatever. Now I really need to blow something up¡­.¡± Drake and Bjorn walked together out and into the forest, leaving Theodore and Chelsea behind. ¡°Did we just be invisible? You didn¡¯t cast your concealment spell did you?¡± Chelsea asked, her face turning into a pout. ¡°This one certainly did not. It would seem that my Lord and Sir Bear most definitely moveth at the beat of their own drums¡­.¡± Theodore said, pushing his broken monocle up. Chelsea looked over and sighed, ¡°You should really get Lamar to fix that for you. Theodore nodded, picking up his cane while giving Chelsea a slight bow. ¡°This one bids you a lovely evening Miss Chelsea.¡± Chelsea gave a wave as Theodore left, her eyes fixed on the backs of Bjorn and Drake. When Theodore was well out of earshot she mumbled to herself. ¡°Why do all the men I chase seem so far away¡­.¡±
¡°So Bjorn,¡± Drake started, finally away from the camp, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Chelsea?¡± he asked, twirling Morning Glory around in his hands. ¡°Whatcha mean?¡± Bjorn asked, innocently. ¡°Come on, even you said she¡¯s following you around like a little puppy. She¡¯s got the hots for the fire crotch now. Honestly, I¡¯d say she¡¯s downgrading in her tastes,¡± Drake said, giving a smirk. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you mean. Not sure bro. She¡¯s nice and all, but I¡¯m pretty full up on figuring out how not to turn into a big world-eating monster in a few levels,¡± Bjorn replied. ¡°Honestly I¡¯m in the same boat with ire. She¡¯s wonderful, and a good one, that''s for sure, and not even counting her ss meshes so well with mine... But I have my hands full with everything. Doesn¡¯t feel right to be asmitted as I want to be,¡± Drake mused, putting Morning Glory behind his head, his arms hanging over them. ¡°I think we¡¯re on different pages here. I don¡¯t have any interest in her right now. And if she has a thing for me, it¡¯s one-sided. I¡¯ve never had time for rtionships, even before the system,¡± Bjorn admitted. ¡°Yeah well, she¡¯s persistent if nothing else, so be prepared for that,¡± Drake sighed, remembering the whole situation with her, ire, and Megan trying to defend her. Drake and Bjorn walked for a good distance, both having sensory skills in one form or another. Both looking for an area they could rx for a bit. But nothing ever went to n, not with Drake there. The pairs¡¯ heads snapped in the same direction in tandem. Both noticed the beings enter their field of perception. ¡°I thought we were having trouble finding monsters and food?¡± Drake said curiously. ¡°We were¡­ Coincidence?¡± Bjorn asked, raising a brow himself. ¡°Has it ever been?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Got me there bro. Let¡¯s go see what trouble you brought on us now,¡± Bjorn chuckled, pulling his sword from his back as he walked in that direction. ¡°Who says it¡¯s my fault?!¡± Drake replied incredulously. ¡°It¡¯s always your fault bro. It¡¯s like part of who you are,¡± Bjornughed. ¡°I resent thatment,¡± Drake frowned, walking behind Bjorn. ¡°I resent it as well! I am forced to be associated with you, it is not my fault you are a troublemaker!¡± Natto spat. I am not a troublema- Ok, I kind of a troublemaker. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to be¡­. Drake conceded. ¡°How does your sensing skill work, Bjorn? Can you see who or what it is we¡¯re walking towards?¡± Drake asked, changing the subject. ¡°Only If I get line of sight of it. My skill gives a detailed description of the person, stats, and can see through most concealments of the person and stats. And a few other really nice caveats that I¡¯m not going to tell you,¡± Bjorn smiled. ¡°That¡¯s really unfair¡­ I can tell where people or beings are, but I don¡¯t get anything like that¡­ maybeter on my identification skill will though.. Wait, so that means this ne I have is useless against you?¡± Drake asked, grabbing the dangling jewel on his neck. Bjorn didn¡¯t answer but smiled. ¡°Man¡­. That¡¯s fucked up¡­What did I work so hard for this for then?¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a Legendary skill, so don¡¯t feel bad bro. It¡¯s not like everyone has one,¡± Bjorn siad consoling Drake. ¡°That¡¯s true I guess. What¡¯s the skill called by the way?¡± Drake asked casually. Bjorn embarrassedly, scratched the side of his beard with a gloved finger, hesitating to answer. ¡°Well?¡± Drake pressed. ¡°It¡¯s called Eyes of Heimdall¡­¡± Bjorn finally said. ¡°Like Norse Mythology? All-seeing eyes, can¡¯t hide anything Heimdall? Keeper of the Bifrost in the movie Heimdall?¡± Drake said, his mouth agape. Bjorn chuckled, ¡°I think so. What¡¯s yours called?¡± Drake flinched. ¡°It¡¯s um¡­ part of my Aura skills, it''s called Tyrannical Aura¡­¡± Drake answered just as embarrassed. They both walked silently for a few steps before they both began tough. ¡°How did we get stuck with such ridiculous skill names?¡± Drake snickered. ¡°The more ridiculous the name, the better the skill I guess?¡± Bjornughed. Bjorn and Drake chuckled to themselves for a few more minutes as they closed in on the now group of something that they were following. When they got to a reasonable distance they both switched from their casual outing, to the jaded fighters they had be during the tutorial. ¡°Aren¡¯t they a bit close to the Outpost? How did they get away with not being found for so long..?¡± Drake whispered to Bjorn. ¡°They have to be passing by, there¡¯s no way they would go unnoticed. Shigure would have heard about people going missing or spotting them,¡± Bjorn replied, looking at the group of Goblins. ¡°Are people just not bothering to go out anymore? What gives?¡± Drake grumbled, spotting a named Goblin at the head of the pack, ¡°Looks like there¡¯s one of the leftover Knights or Lieutenants here. They seem pretty geared up¡­ Are they preparing to raid the Outpost?¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Not sure, but it won¡¯t be hard to whip out this many. Haven¡¯t fought a Knight before though. Are they tougher than the Generals?¡± Bjorn asked, pursing his lips. Drake shrugged, ¡°They are about the same I guess. The Royal Knights were the real pain in the asses¡­.¡± Drake exined remembering the fight with the King. ¡°So do you want to take care of them? I can¡¯t exactly keep racking up experience if I don¡¯t have to right now,¡± Bjorn asked. Drake thought momentarily, scanning the rest of the group of Goblins. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult like Bjorn said to wipe them out. And Drake was looking for an excuse to blow stuff up. But he didn¡¯t notice any prisoners with the Goblins this time around. And he was curious as to what they were doing here. ¡°I want to see what they¡¯re up to. I don¡¯t sense any single ones patrolling, so I don¡¯t think they have many scouts around if any. I think we wait and see, take care of any stragglers that cross us,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Fine by me, I don¡¯t have anywhere to be for another sixty days bro,¡± Bjorn smiled, taking a seat at the tree they were behind. Drake scoffed and refocused on the group of Goblins. Now what exactly are you green bastards up to? Chapter One-Hundred and Fourty: And the chase is on! Chapter One-Hundred and Fourty: And the chase is on! Drake and Bjorn waited patiently, watching the Goblins busily prepare for whatever it was they were endeavoring to do. Only able to fill the time with sparse hushed conversation and Drake making goofy faces that Bjorn couldn¡¯t see behind his mask. This is getting boring, we should have just killed them¡­ Drake sighed. ¡°Did you not want to see where they could be going? There are more than one Knight that may have survived you know,¡± Natto suggested, a yawn apanying it. Of course. It would be a good idea to see if they know something we don¡¯t, but I¡¯ve never been one to be very patient¡­. Drake thought, feeling out the Goblins with his aura sense. ¡°Yes, I know. You are quite the hot-head and leap-before-you-can-look type of ape, but it is curious why the Goblins have decided to set up camp here and prepare, is it not?¡± she asked. Yeah, it is. But it¡¯s also boring. I came out here to relieve stress and let loose a bit. Not babysit little green monsters, and a man three times my size. Drake thought, chuckling at his own joke as he looked at the sitting Bjorn across from him. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Bjorn asked softly. ¡°Oh nothing,¡± Drake replied. ¡°You¡¯re doing that telepathy thing with the littledy again aren''t you?¡± Bjorn smirked. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost sundown. Really don¡¯t want to have to wait much longer,¡± Bjornmented. ¡°Why, getting hungry?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m starving bro,¡± Bjorn said seriously. Drake stared nkly at Bjorn for a few seconds, blinking to help process the brutal honesty. Chuckling lightly he pulled some food from his inventory, ¡°Here, this able to hold you over for a bit? I swear everyone I know just likes to eat,¡± he sighed. ¡°Thanks, bro. And it isn¡¯t like I need to eat. I just like eating your cooking. Like have you remembered thest time you used the bathroom by the way?¡± Bjorn asked suddenly. ¡°Umm¡­ now that you mention it¡­¡± Drake thought aloud bing a little worried. Natto that normal? Drake asked. ¡°Yes, normal,¡± she replied. Wanna exin? Drake thought. ¡°No, not particrly,¡± she said snickering, ¡°It is far more fun to see how it bothers you.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned as he pursed his lips turning into a scowl. Shaking his head, he refocused on the situation at hand. Not that much was going on still. The Goblins had begun to slow down their preparations and Drake was hopeful that they would be moving out soon, but instead, they waited. Drake clicked his tongue, deciding to finally sit down against the tree he was pressed against. ¡°Looks like they might be waiting a little longer. Maybe till nightfall? That would make more sense if they are nning to ambush the Outpost, but we should have been back hours ago¡­¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°Ish fine bro, I¡¯m shoor everyone just assumed you got into more trouble,¡± Bjorn said, scooping up the food into his mouth. ¡°Am I really that predictably mischievous?¡± Drake asked. Bjorn nodded, stuffing another handful into his cheeks. Drake sighed and cozied up against the tree. Making sure to keep his senses fixed on therge group behind them as he closed his eyes resting for the moment.
Night had fallen finally, the torches of the Goblins lit the surroundings as Drake and Bjorn both let out a stretch and a yawn. ¡°They¡¯re finally packing up and doing something huh?¡± Bjorn said, standing up and moving over to Drake¡¯s tree. ¡°Looks like it. Problem is they don¡¯t seem to be concerned with being very stealthy¡­ So why wait until nightfall?¡± Drake wondered aloud. Feeling the Goblins begin to move and wander out of his Aura perception. Drake and Bjorn waited a few moments longer as they both felt the Goblins move out of the area. Even without their senses, the Goblins didn¡¯t seem concerned with the torches giving them away for now as they continued to walk with the bright beacon-light mes. ¡°They¡¯re moving away from the Outpost?¡± Bjorn asked confused. ¡°Huh, would you look at that? Guess it was a good decision not to murder hobo them all earlier,¡± Drake said pleased with himself. He felt Natto roll her eyes, but he skillfully ignored it, walking forward to follow the fires in the night. The trio walked along, trailing the monsters for several minutes before the pack of Goblins finally came to a halt. ¡°Oh, have we finally reached our destination?¡± Drake asked in wonder. ¡°Looking like it. Must be getting ready to do something, they¡¯re putting out the lights,¡± Bjorn observed. Drake and Bjorn watched with interest as one torch after another winked out and plunged the surroundings back into the pitch-ck darkness. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be able to see in the dark too, Bjorn?¡± Drake asked hopefully. ¡°I got it, bro,¡± Bjorn smiled, his eyes flickering to an ethereal white hue in the deep ck background. ¡°Oooo¡­. I¡¯m kind of jealous. Your eyes turn white? Mine only glow green, blue, and yellow.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t win all the time Drake.¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± Drake fell in line and followed Bjorn. Who had taken the position of leading them now. His ability to see in the dark allowed him to navigate the brush as they slowly followed the pack of Goblins. He couldn¡¯t tell what was going on with his eyes, but he was still able to tell where a sparse few of the Goblins were thanks to his Aura, forcing him to rely on Bjorn. Following therge Red-headed man like a lost puppy. ¡°Feels like I turned into a lost high schooler. Maybe I should hold the hem of your shirt with my fingers, give you the total anime experience,¡± Drake snickered behind Bjorn. ¡°What are you talking about? Just don¡¯t get lost. Wait, they stopped again, but I can¡¯t tell why because of the treeline..¡± Bjorn said in a hushed tone. After a few still minutes of waiting, Bjorn began to move again. ¡°Ok they¡¯re moving, let¡¯s get. Goddamn¡­. That is a big pile of dirt¡­¡± Bjorn said in amazement. Drake scoffed, ¡°I¡¯d agree with you but,¡± Drake waved his hands in front of his face, a big toothy grin behind his mask, ¡°Blind right now.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Bjorn chuckled, ¡°Looks like they led us right into the Ant¡¯s Nest, or one of them.. There¡¯s quite a few of these dirt pirs sticking out of the ground. Looks like they cleared some of the forest while they were at it.¡± A light flicked on in Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Are they going after the King¡¯s Hoard? That would make sense to wait until night then. I think I remember hearing that ants don¡¯t work at night and just return to the colony right?¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re the opposite of right,¡± Bjorn corrected. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just saying I¡¯m wrong without saying it?¡± ¡°That would be correct,¡± Bjornughed, ¡°Ants use chemical trails, so they are actually more active at night since more predators and other animals are usually asleep.¡± ¡°Then why wait for nightfall?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t want to be seen? But the ants if they are anything like the old ones will be able to pick them out right away through smell. There are usually warrior types at the entrances screening the workers for everything.¡± ¡°So the Ants have stronger border control than most countries? That¡¯s kind of ironic¡­.¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Hold up, it looks like they''re trying to enter,¡± Bjorn interrupted. Bjorn began to walk forward a bit, stopping at the treeline that Drake couldn¡¯t see. As Bjorn observed the Monsters enter the seemingly inactive entrance. ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­ There¡¯s no traffic in or out of this entrance,¡± Bjorn exined to the temporarily blind Drake, ¡°There should be a constant flow of workers if the hive is active.¡± ¡°Maybe they really are noting out at night?¡± Drake proposed, raising a brow. ¡°Can¡¯t rule it out now I guess.¡± Bjorn fixed his eyes on thest Goblin as it entered down into the top of the mound. ¡°Last one just went in. What do we want to do, follow or wait?¡± Bjorn asked. Drake pursed his lips thinking for a moment. ¡°Well, we scouted out the Goblins and the Ant¡¯s Nest in one go. So mission aplished there. And even if the Goblins get to the hoard, we can just hunt them down, but I would lose the quest rewards¡­ No, I don¡¯t want to go and risk it right now. There will always be other quests and I¡¯ve gotten quite a lot so far. Let¡¯s take it slow and bank on the Goblins taking longer or failing. Time to go ba-¡± Drake tried to finish before he was interrupted by the sound of the earth splitting. ¡°What¡¯s that?!¡± Drake eximed. ¡°The mound is splitting open!¡± Bjorn replied. Bjorn watched as the mound of dirt split down the middle as some of the Goblins that had just entered screamed and ran out of the cracks, not bothering to look back. He saw a moment after a tidal wave of Ants followed behind them, the sound of their legs scraping the ground, and their mandibles nking, ringing in his and Drake¡¯s ears. Drake covered his, as Bjorn did the same. ¡°What the actual fuck! I hate bugs, and this sounds like there are literally thousands of them,¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°I would say there has to be more! I think we¡¯re in for a really long couple weeks bro!¡± Bjorn said, still watching the flood of Ants chase down and consume the remaining Goblins without a problem. ¡°And that guy¡­ That guy gives me the creeps¡­.¡± Bjorn added, looking back at the open wound of earth the split mound created. [Rasha Trikk] [Race:Tyrant Ant - Royalty Prince] [Ruler of the Nest] [Epic] Level 29 [Vitality] 238 (150%) [Strength] 311(150%) [Dexterity] 215(150%) [Intelligence] 173(150%) [Wisdom] 154(150%) [Endurance] 305(150%) In the wake of the destroyed entrance, a bipedal ant, casted in a humming glow of dark blue chitin armor looked back at Bjorn, its eyes shing red. The next moment it gave out a loud guttural chitter as its head whipped back roaring into the night. Chapter One-Hundred and Fourty-One: More Trouble than it’s Worth. Chapter One-Hundred and Fourty-One: More Trouble than it¡¯s Worth. ¡°Where exactly have you two been?¡± Chelsea asked, her arms crossed as she stared at the two troublemakersing back into camp. ¡°You know this whole, camp mom thing is getting out of hand. My own mom isn¡¯t even this nosey,¡± Drake said, giving a tired sigh. ¡°Who said I was your mom? Do you know how long Theo and I have been waiting here for you two? We were about to go out and search for you instead of the Ant¡¯s Nest!¡± she answered back. ¡°No need for that. We already found it,¡± Bjorn said evenly. ¡°What?¡± Chelsea replied. ¡°Yeah, we found it already, and it¡¯s big. Like Texas kinda big,¡± Drake added. ¡°What? That doesn''t even make sense, Texas isn¡¯t even thergest state,¡± Chelsea scoffed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, their line is ¡®Everything¡¯s bigger in Texas¡¯ and the inte never lies so,¡± Drake shrugged. ¡°My Lord,¡± Theodore interrupted, ¡°If we have found the Nest, shall we depart immediately then?¡± he asked. Drake shook his head, ¡°Nah, we have a slight problem,¡± Drake began exining, ¡°Looks like there are far more and far stronger Monsters inside than we thought. From what Bear saw of one of their stats, it''s about as strong as him. At least stat-wise.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, I said it had a lot of stats,¡± Bjorn corrected. ¡°A lot of stats trantes to strong in my book, and since we¡¯re screwed if it¡¯s as strong as I am, it has to hopefully only be as strong as you. Therefore it''s about as strong as you are,¡± Drake reiterated. ¡°Who says you¡¯re stronger?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°I won the fight, didn¡¯t I? Drake scoffed. ¡°You didn¡¯t win. It was a tie bro,¡± ¡°Really? I canceled thatst spell. You know what, never mind. Fine, it''s very strong, happy?¡± Drakeughed. Bjorn nodded, ¡°Ok, as long as we have that straight, you may continue.¡± ¡°Right¡­ So the problem is we have one Ant that is very strong,¡± Drake said looking at Bjorn, ¡°But that isn¡¯t the half of it. Rather it¡¯s a third of it.¡± Drake looked at the quest they had both gotten since finding the monster, and it was indeed a problem if the Ant was as strong as its stats said. [Subjugation Quest! Subjugate the Three Princes of the Ant Hive] [The Hive has grown to monumental proportions and as such has birthed three heirs of the Hive. You must enter the Hive and kill the royalty inside.] [Reward: Experience. TP. Choice of Epic Grade Equipment] ¡°This is the first regr quest we¡¯ve seen that has vor text, which is bothering me for one. And two,¡± Drake said scratching the back of his head, ¡°The monster was level 29 and named. I expected there to be strong monsters, but this level of strong might be too dangerous for anyone but Bear and I.¡± ¡°Doth my Lord, then expect us to waiteth here? Surely not?¡± Theodore questioned. Drake pursed his lips taking a nce and Bjorn. Sighing briefly before answering, Drake turned back to Theodore, ¡°That is exactly what I¡¯m saying.¡±
¡°No. No, no, no! I aming with you! You said you¡¯re just going to protect us anyway right?¡± ire pouted. Drake looked at the rest of the group present at the campfire. He had gathered everyone to exin the situation and it was going sorta ok? ¡°I did say that, but stop being a child. ns change,¡± Drake responded. ¡°I¡¯m not a child. I¡¯m angry and stubborn. I don¡¯t see how this changes anything. Can¡¯t we just stick together like we nned and go?¡± ire asked. Drake sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. The Hive is filled with more monsters than we expected, not to mention they are stronger as well. There are three powerful Ants already on the brink of Ranking up to E. With who knows how many more?¡± Drake paused for a moment looking at everyone in turn. ¡°I simply don¡¯t know the extent of the monster¡¯s capabilities and strength,¡± he added. ¡°Seems like a shite n either way. That bloody treasure that important?¡± Jacqueline asked. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s so special about the loot in there?¡± Tom asked as well. ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what is in there,¡± Drake said honestly, ¡°But. We- I need to go in there.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that pup?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°I¡¯m d you asked, my emotional support hillbilly!¡± Drake smiled. ¡°You''re what now?¡± Hudson replied back confused. ¡°Nevermind. But the reason I have to go is because I need to keep up my growth. I don¡¯t know what is waiting for us as the tutorial progresses for one, and I also don¡¯t know how strong the rest of the world is going to being out of their tutorials. The only measure I have against that is getting stronger myself. And seeing as these are the only monsters around right now. I don¡¯t exactly have a choice,¡± Drake exined. ¡°That doesn''t mean you have to go alone!¡± ire interjected. ¡°It does if it means keeping everyone else alive. I won¡¯t put everyone in danger that I¡¯m not sure I can protect you from,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°I make my own decisions and I¡¯m going,¡± ire said ring at him. ¡°Fine,¡± Drake replied. ¡°I said I¡¯m fu- what? You agreed?¡± ire said, astonished. ¡°Yeah, Sir Shot, did you not just say it was too dangerous?¡± Amir asked. ¡°I did,¡± Drake said, looking at ire in the eyes, ¡°If you want toe along, I can¡¯t stop you. But if you¡¯reing along, that means, I have to be twice as careful to make sure I protect you. That means I¡¯m always looking over my shoulder, always having to think about if a monster is lying in wait to get at you. This isn¡¯t like with the Goblins like I said. And because of what we saw at the entrance, we can¡¯t even set up a base near the Hive. There are just that many of them. But if you want to create more trouble for me. Fine. You cane.¡± ire looked back at him incredulously. ¡°That isn''t fair¡­.¡± ¡°No one said it was,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Then, you expect us all to wait here, and just await your return?¡± Julia asked, stepping into the conversation. ¡°Unfortunately, yes,¡± Drake answered. ¡°That seems rather selfish,¡± Julia stated. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it isn¡¯t. But I care too much about everyone here to put the odds against us. And look,¡± Drake said, his eyes going soft, ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯te back when we have more information. I¡¯m just saying that now it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°But not too dangerous for you?¡± Megan scoffed. ¡°Yup. I¡¯m a one-man wrecking crew,¡± Drake chuckled. Bjorn coughed behind Drake. ¡°Ok, two-man wrecking crew,¡± Drake amended. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about something happening again? Ya know like with ire?¡± Tom asked, concerned. ¡°They would be stupid to try. After what I didst time, I don¡¯t think anyone would even entertain the thought,¡± Drake answered. ¡°But there is still the possibility ya idjit,¡± Hudson said. ¡°That¡¯s why we have you, lots of guns to stop the bad guys,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°So we¡¯re supposed to stay in the camp at all times until youe back or what, the tutorial ends?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Yeah, that about sums it up,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°So you want to cage us?¡± Julia asked. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Drake agreed. ¡°Fuck that, I¡¯m going,¡± Chelsea spat. ¡°Damn right. I¡¯m going as well, I¡¯ve been sitting my ass here long enough,¡± Hudson added. ¡°You¡¯re all being incredibly selfish right now,¡± Drake said. ¡°Then why are you smiling, Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked,ughing. ¡°I was hoping everyone woulde regardless, but I thought I¡¯d give discouraging everyone a go,¡± Drake sighed.
The rest of the night was very rxing despite the discussion the group just had. Eventually rolling into the group dismissing and going to sleep for those that needed it. The n was to reconvene in the morning to assess the Ant¡¯s Hive and their n of conquering it. Drake was slightly uneasy for the first time in a while. Not because he feared his own safety, but as a result of having more to lose now that he held the group dear in his mind. He didn¡¯t want to see anything happen to any of them, regardless of how some of them still held animosity for him. They had all been through a lot recently. And the Goblin Horde was a great hurdle they all overcame, some going through more hardships than others but each one had to carry the burden of suffering in one form or another. Drake was aimlessly thinking and ying with his elements. The motion of practicing now deeply ingrained in him, even if he couldn¡¯t advance his skills further at the moment for them. The mindless practice almost calming to his senses as it helped him somehow focus. ¡°You could have just forced them to stay if you felt this concerned could you not?¡± Natto asked. ¡°I could have, but I don¡¯t want to impede on their rights as people. It wouldn¡¯t sit right with me,¡± Drake sighed, crushing and reforming a ball of water. ¡°Even if they could perish?¡± Natto added. ¡°I will do everything I can to not let that happen¡­ But yes. I can¡¯t control their lives and how they want to live them. It''s a weird feeling. Comforting to know they want toe despite the danger. But also frustrating that they won¡¯t see reason for the obvious. I don¡¯t want to see any of them get hurt. So¡­¡± Drake mused trailing off. ¡°So?¡± Natto asked. ¡°So. I¡¯ll just have to go Super. Plus Ultra, and the whole shebang to make sure everyone gets back in one piece. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard right? It¡¯s only a couple of bugs¡­¡± Drake said pensively. ¡°Are you trying to convince yourself or I?¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°It will be difficult Drake. The Ant¡¯s hierarchy is even more extensive than the Goblins. There will be almost no end to their ranks. And who knows if one has reached E Rank already. I advise you to also be cautious if not abandon this altogether.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t. There¡¯s too much I don¡¯t know about what is going to happen when we leave the tutorial. And too much you can¡¯t for some reason tell me¡­¡± Drake said irritatedly, ¡°So my only option is to grow, no matter the risks. I¡¯ve already proven power is everything when they took ire. It just cemented it. There¡¯s nothing I won¡¯t do to protect what¡¯s mine. Not against Goblins, bugs, or even this godforsaken system.¡± Drake gritted his teeth as his elements red with mana briefly before he squelched them all. Sighing he moved to his bed and fell face-first into thefortable sheets. ¡°Ha¡­.. I miss my bed. And my anime¡­ and my minifridge¡­.¡± Drake heaved another sigh, turning over as he ced his hands over his head, ¡°I hope mom and the others are ok¡­ Wish there was a way to tell.¡± Drake needed no sleep but closed his eyes all the same. Doing his best to let his mind rx as he waited for time to pass and the sun to rise the next day. Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Two: Storming the Beach Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Two: Storming the Beach ¡°Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!¡± Drake shouted loudly as he exited his tent, the sun just passing the horizon. He continued to shout until people began to exit their tents. Some who needed sleep left their tents with groggy expressions and rubbing their bleary eyes. Others who had not slept like Drake left their tents with more subtle expressions, yawns, and some light stretching. ¡°W-what is this wake-up call¡­.¡± Chelsea grumbled, rubbing her eyes, as she brushed her hand through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s time to get going! Ants aren¡¯t going to kill themselves! And we have breakfast ready already!¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Breakfast¡­?¡± Sherry said in a zombie-like tone, her eyes suddenly brightening at the end of the word. ¡°Yup!¡± Drake said excitedly, ¡°You get,¡± he announced pulling a bowl from his inventory, ¡°Portage! And it¡¯s happy to see ya!¡± Drake smirked, handing her a bowl of food. ¡°Really? Mn? How long have you been wanting to use that one bro,¡± Bjorn chuckled, walking up behind him. ¡°Not too long. Ok maybe a while, I¡¯ll admit, but it¡¯s still a good one,¡± Drakeughed, pulling out the real breakfast he prepared overnight, ¡°Eat up quick everyone we have a long day ahead of us, and the magic school bus will only wait so long before Mr. Liz Ard gets angry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early for this many references¡­.¡± Megan mumbled, exiting the tent behind Chelsea. ¡°It¡¯s never too early! And get used to it, you all decided to hitch your wagon to mine for the next 60 days. That means my jokes for 60 days, 24 hours a day, 1440 minutes, 86,400 seconds all day every day,¡± Drake smirked, nodding his head satisfied. Megan¡¯s face paled, ¡°What have we agreed to¡­.¡± ¡°You really knew those numbers off the top of your head bro?¡± Bjorn asked, taking a portion of the breakfast and sitting down. ¡°Nope, I had to count. Used all 20 of my digits, took most of the night,¡± Drake joked. ¡°I can believe it,¡± Bjornughed. ¡°I was joking¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t!¡± Bjornughed even more loudly. Drake scoffed, turning to theters who were trickling in. ¡°You all need to wake up faster, you missed my jokes,¡± Drake said disappointed. ¡°Oh no¡­..¡± ire said sleepily, ¡°Whatever shall we do¡­.¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we cranky¡­.¡± Drake said with a smirk. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any sleep¡­ Sorry,¡± she amended embarrassingly. ¡°Sall good,¡± Drake said, walking up to her and bringing her in for a hug, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much, I¡¯ll be there to protect everyone of you.¡± ire¡¯s face red red as she blushed, her head nodding slowly. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± ¡°Awake now?¡± Drakeughed looking down at her. ¡°Ugh, get a room¡­ It¡¯s too bloody early for that hogwash¡­¡± Jacqueline said,ing out of the tent. Drake smiled, and shot a ball of lukewarm water at her, drenching her head to toe. ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Jacqueline screamed. ¡°Oh my bad thought you wanted me to wash the hog,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°I fucking hate you!¡± she roared, turning to go back into the tent to change. ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± Drakeughed. The rest of the group gathered rtively quickly and finished their breakfast before Drake rounded them up. The group finally read to depart a few hours after dawn. Drake looked at them all, his face serious for once. ¡°Listen up,¡± he addressed them, ¡°We are going to split into two groups, only the essentials are going to be with me. That¡¯s ire, Amir, Megan, and Tom,¡± Drake began, looking at each of them. Tom perked up, surprised to hear his name, pointing at himself and smiling. ¡°Yes Tom, I¡¯ll be needing you this time around to protect the supporters. So don¡¯t fuck it up,¡± Drake chidded, ¡°The other group will be everyone else. Theodore will be in charge, and Bear will stay as auxiliary support for thending pad we are going to be setting up. First I will go in and clear as much as I can and gauge how many and how strong the Ants are. I didn¡¯t n to have everyonee at first but that¡¯s changed and we are going to do this right. Once I¡¯ve cleared enough of the Hive to confidently say we have good ground I¡¯lle back and we will move further into the Hive,¡± Drake continued. ¡°From what Natto has told me, this will be a battle of attrition like I have never seen before. I allocated around 30 days for this whole adventure but it looks like it''s going to take much longer,¡± Drake exined. ¡°So what¡¯s the n when we get there? Ya just ganna kill everything?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°Pretty much. We can¡¯t have Bear help actively unless he absolutely needs to,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Chelsea asked concern in her eyes as she looked at Bjorn. Drake cursed, having to take the fall for his slip up, ¡°I want to horde the experience honestly. And Bear has been nice enough to let me so I can catch up.¡± Chelsea scoffed, crossing her arms, but nodded. ¡°When we get there, I¡¯m going to sweep the area. Theo, Chelsea. I¡¯m going to need you both to scout the area, let me know if there is anything dangerous around I need to tten,¡± Drake instructed. They both nodded back to him. ¡°After that, I¡¯m counting on you and your boys Hudson to set up a base of operations that we can work out of. I¡¯ll set up an earthen fortress, but the defenses are all up to you, got it my man?¡± Drake exined. Hudson sucked on his front teeth with a snap, and nodded his head. ¡°No worries there, my boys¡¯ll take care of it. Haven¡¯t been up against no ant yet but, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll handle it just fine,¡± he assured. ¡°Everyone else, you¡¯re job is to stay safe until we are done. The goal is the horde, but I won¡¯t risk anyone¡¯s life but my own to obtain it. Even if I have to knock you out myself and carry you back here before I go do it,¡± Drake said sternly, looking each one in the eyes, making sure his determination to do so was conveyed. Drake waited a moment for anyone to say their objections but when no one did, he turned and shouted. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s get this field trip on the road!¡±
After a few hours of walking, making sure to not tire out the people in the group who didn¡¯t have physical type sses. They made it close enough to the Ant¡¯s nest that both Bjorn and Drake were able to sense groups of beings in the distance. ¡°Alright here is where we stop,¡± Drake announced, turning to face the group, ¡°Hudson can you and your boys set up a perimeter? I want your drones scouting at all times while I¡¯m gone,¡± Drake instructed. ¡°Sure thing, boss man,¡± Hudson nodded, beginning to summon hispleted Drones, his two Large Robot Bodyguards taking to the edges of the group. Drake looked over to Bjorn, ¡°I¡¯m ganna get going, don¡¯t you go killing anything unless you have to alright?¡± he said in a whisper. ¡°No worries bro, I could use a little vacation,¡± Bjorn smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t go getting yourself dead. I don¡¯t want to have to go on a rampage and be a eating super hulk anytime soon.¡± Drake gave a chuckle and gave onest look at the group before snapping his mask into ce, his hair and tattoo¡¯s ring to life shimmering to a brilliant yellow hue. ¡°I¡¯m off, everyone stay alert!¡± Drake ordered, before taking a step in the direction of the Ants in the distance, disappearing from sight in an instant. ¡°Always so dramatic¡­.¡± Chelsea scoffed. ¡°Really? I thought that was pretty tame for him honestly,¡± Tom countered. Jacqueline scoffed from behind Tom, ¡°Bloody simp.¡± ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t want to sleep with the guy! I¡¯m just being observant!¡± Tom yelled in defense. ¡°Could have fooled me,¡± Jacquelineughed.
Drake rushed forward, his aura picking up more signatures of what he assumed were the Ants than he could make out. The sheer number of them almost melding into onerge blob. ¡°That is seriously a lot of monsters,¡± he said excitedly, despite the number of them, ¡°I guess they like being out in the sun? There weren¡¯t any out and about when we came here yesterday.¡± ¡°I am not sure on the behavior of the Ants but that certainly could be the case. I urge caution, there are quite a few of them¡­.¡± Natto exined. ¡°A few? There has to be thousands just here on the surface,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°At least I can blow them up, and hope it starts a chain reaction.¡± Drake continued to run forward quickly bursting out of the treeline as he saw an ocean of red in front of him. But he heard a sigh in the back of his head. ¡°Please do not tell me that was your n¡­.¡± Natto grumbled. ¡°Yeah they have explosive sacs for butts, why wouldn¡¯t I think I could blow them all up?¡± Drake replied honestly, touching down in the head of a Tyrant Warrior. [You have subjugated Tyrant Ant Warrior Level 24] [Experience Earned, 5,000 TP Earned] [New Quest! Subjugate 3000 Tyrant Ant Warriors [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP. 2 Random Warrior Skill Stones, 20x Strength Pills] ¡°You imbecile, they are born with Fire Resistance! They have a fire sac, why would you think they would not be resistant to their own method of attack?!¡± Natto shouted at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I guess I thought about it like the snakes? They aren¡¯t resistant to their own venom,¡± he exined honestly, looking at his surroundings that had now turned into an endless sea of pincers and red carapaces, ¡°Also¡­ isn¡¯t three thousand a bit much? Did the quest adjust itself or something?¡± Natto sighed once more, but exined nheless, ¡°Yes, it would seem it has adjusted because of the influx of monsters. That should not normally happen¡­ This tutorial is quite the anomaly¡­¡± she mused. ¡°I don¡¯t think that makes me as happy as it should,¡± Drake scoffed, pping his hands together. ¡°Yes, well, you have more to worry about than that for now. Drake! Please! The Ants!?¡± Natto screamed, the Ants beginning to convene around Drake. ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah I got it,¡± Drake mused, casually summoningnces of ice as they began firing rapidly in multiples of ten in every direction, as he walked forward stacking up both experience and kill credit as many other quests began to pop up as he did. [New Quest! Subjugate 5000 Tyrant Ant Workers [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP] [New Quest! Subjugate 1000 Tyrant Ant Nursers [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, 20x Health, Mana, Stamina Potions] [New Quest! Subjugate 1000 Tyrant Ant Foremans [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Random Piece of F Grade Equipment] [New Quest! Subjugate 2000 Tyrant Ant Foragers [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, 100x of various Seedlings] [New Quest! Subjugate 500 Tyrant Ant Reaper [F Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Random F-Grade Weapon] Drake continued to very slowly whittle away at the Ant¡¯s ranks. After a few minutes, he was left unable to think as more and more flooded forward towards him. Another half an hour, and he was forced to bring out his staff, in need of the regeneration and buffs. An hour more, and he was regretting not asking for buffs from Megan and ire, wanting to save them for a more urgent fight that could possibly happen. One more hour and Drake had killed thousands but his status was spent, and there was no end in sight, he had begun to lose to himself. Not realizing just how many Ants there truly were, he had not rationed his status appropriately. ¡°Fucking god damn it!!! There¡¯s just no end!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Three: No End in Sight Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Three: No End in Sight Drake heaved a long sigh as he blew past another grouping of Ants, his body beginning to truly feel the exhaustion catch up to it. He had been at it for hours. Killing and killing Ants to no end, and had already finished the majority of the quests that he had received, but to his dismay the Ants didn¡¯t seem to be giving adequate TP or experience even with their substantial numbers. ¡°Fucking god damn it, they could at least give enough for me to level up, this is getting absolutely ridiculous!¡± Drake cursed, ¡°If this doesn¡¯t end I¡¯m going to be forced to run.¡± ¡°I think it wise to retreat and regroup for now. You¡¯ve exhausted your mana several times already and there seems to be a reason as to why the Ants have not dwindled in number,¡± Natto said, observing from within him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to back down and run from a fight¡­. But I guess it''s the best decision. I have to reevaluate how I¡¯m going to do this if they¡¯re going to just throw endless monsters at me that are worth less than dirt,¡± Drake spat. Drake turned in the opposite direction of where his group was, putting Morning Glory back into his inventory as he pulled his Rings from the same ce simultaneously slipping them on. His hair shimmered to a crimson red as his tattoos red coloring themselves in a bright red as well. ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies billow! Bulwark!¡± Drake chanted, boosting his defenses to their current limit through the skill. ¡°Time to make an exit!¡± he shouted with a grin behind his mask. Drake dug in, bending down into a sprinter¡¯s form before roaring forward, destroying the ground below him as he shot off like a gun. He quickly plowed through the sea of Ants, kill notifications piling up as he threw ant after ant to the side, punching through hordes of thoraxes and fire sacs alike. Finally able to exit on the other side of therge dirt hill that acted as one of the hive entrances he looked back. His entire body was covered in goo from the ants, the Fire Oil sticking to him like a hardened grease. ¡°Ugh¡­ How do I get this stuff off me? I don¡¯t exactly have soap¡­ and it.. Oh my lord! It fucking reaks!¡± Drake shouted, turning his head as far away from his own body as he could, his face grimacing. ¡°I do not know but please remedy it¡­ I can smell you from inside you and I did not know that was even possible¡­¡± Natto whined. Drake did his best to wash himself off using hot water but to no avail, the sticky mess he had somehow remained intact. He sighed, reminding himself that he had to now be more careful with his fire magic unless he wanted to mb¨¦ himself. But raising his head from the momentary embarrassment he saw the other towering Hive entrances in the distance. Drake was unable to see them before in the dark of night, but in the midday sun they were unmistakable and easily seen. He quickly counted five that he could see from his position and gave a short whistle. ¡°Wow, no wonder there¡¯s nothing left in this tutorial¡­ They have to be on the level of a gue of locus at this point¡­ I can only imagine howrge the Hive is underground. This might take more than the time we have,¡± Drake mused, putting his hand to his chin, then realizing it was covered in sticky oil, shaking it off in disgust. ¡°Well¡­.¡± hemented, frowning at his oil-covered hands, ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to make it back to everyone ande up with something else.
After a few minutes of skidding around the angry mob of ants, Drake made it back to where he had left everyone. He was embarrassed he was not returning a triumphant victor but at least he was more colorful now and not dead. ¡°What in the world are you covered in? Oh my god, it stinks!¡± Chelsea yelled, pinching her nose. ¡°Yeah bro, might want to take a few steps back¡­¡± Bjorn agreed, giving a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not like I nned on being covered in Ant juice¡­ This shit won¡¯t wash off.. You got any potions that can do something about this?¡± Drake asked desperately. ¡°Naw, don¡¯t have anything like that bro. Besides I don¡¯t even think industrial soap could clean that mess,¡± Bjorn scoffed as he took a few steps back. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ire asked concerned, but also staying a few feet away. ¡°You too? You would let this rancid odore between us?¡± Drake said jokingly. ¡°O-of course not¡­ I just have a sensitive nose¡­¡± she replied. ¡°I have a sensitive heart!¡± Drake shouted, running towards her with his arms wide, ¡°Come give me a hug!¡± ¡°No! Stay away!¡± ire screamed, her face twisting in panic. ¡°Bloody weirdo¡­¡± Jacqueline mumbled. ¡°What was that?¡± Drake smiled, turning to her, ¡°You feel left out? Awe here Jacqueline!¡± Drake shouted, running to hug her. ¡°AH! What the fuck is wrong with you! Stay the fuck away from me you bloody wanker!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that! We¡¯ve gotten so close!!¡± Drake shouted,ughing the entire time as he kept pace with her. ¡°My Lord, this one believes you have chaffed quite enough. May we ask thou how the skirmish resulted?¡± Theodore asked, raising his now-fixed monocle with his hand. ¡°Right, right.. But Theo¡­¡± Drake said turning his head to the mustached man, ¡°Why are you so far away¡­?¡± Theodore coughed, ¡°This one believes this to be the correct distance to be from their lord. To show utmost respect,¡± he said, coughing again, ¡°Yes, respect.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned briefly before he shrugged, having enough fun before needing to seriously address their dilemma. ¡°Right¡­¡± Drake said scratching the back of his head only to feel his hair sticky from before, ¡°Ew¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s not going as nned to say the least,¡± Drake admitted, trying to scrape off some of the oil. ¡°Whatcha mean?¡± Hudson asked, standing next to one of his hulking Robots. ¡°Exactly what it sounds like,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°I really underestimated how fast these things reproduce or maybe they¡¯ve just had that much time since we were dealing with the Goblins, that they exploded beyond control. From what I saw while I was out there. There¡¯s a never-ending supply of the bugs¡­ And their Hive is far more expansive than I expected.¡± ¡°Any trouble with the monster¡¯s themself?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°With killing them? Not yet. I¡¯ve basically been able to one-shot all of them, but the problem is there¡¯s so many thatrge area of effect magic would just exhaust me faster. Honestly? I¡¯ve been having to fight in a way I really don¡¯t like thest couple hours,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Oh? How¡¯s that, Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked. ¡°Well¡­ Correctly..?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°What do you mean correctly?¡± Tom asked, his face painted in confusion. Drake moved his mask reluctantly, so he could smirk wryly. ¡°It means I have to use more standard spells and tactics. It¡¯s really very regretful I spent so much time learning to fight, just to have to fight hordes of monsters where it¡¯s essentially useless¡­¡± Drakemented, ¡°But that means norge area spells, and I have to properly fight while weaving my spells¡­ And close-range fighting might be out altogether depending on how strong the monsters getter on deeper in the hive. There¡¯s so many right now I can easily get surrounded,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Which brings me to the next point,¡± Drake continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to bring anyone inside unless we can get to the bottom of why they keep sending endless monsters at me or how they are replenishing their ranks so quickly. Oh¡­. wait, I might have a solution, actually!¡± ¡°No¡­ Did you not just finish saying you could not do that anymore!?¡± Natto shrieked. I did, but that was past Drake. Present Drake has a more fun and better overall n. Drake thought. ¡°It is not better!¡± Natto protested. ¡°Whan eggsagly are you nning?¡± ire askeding back somewhat close to Drake. But her hand pinched her nose, making her speak in an awkward tone. ¡°Well,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I have two ways of going about it. One I push through into the Hive alone, and figure out what¡¯s going on by hoping I find the Queen or whatever is birthing these things so quickly,¡± Drake said. ¡°I¡¯m voting no on that one,¡± Chelsea said, raising her hand. ¡°Same, seems like a good n to get yourself dead pup,¡± Hudson echoed, raising his hand. The rest of the group began raising their hands as well, silently voicing their rejection of the first n. ¡°Ok, since I''m apparently outvoted¡­ ¡° Drake scoffed, ¡°The second idea I had was, big boom,¡± he said tersely. ¡°What?¡± everyone said in unison. ¡°Ya know, big boom. Like Kaplow, boom,rge explosion,¡± Drake said again, then exining with his hands and some sound effects. ¡°Oh!¡± Bjorn said, raising a brow, ¡°That¡¯s your n?¡± he asked. Drake pointed to Bjorn smiling, ¡°Yep! I knew you would get it! Know me so well, look at you!¡± Drakeughed. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Jacqueline questioned shifting her weight to one side. ¡°He ns on blowing up all the entrances to the Ant Hive but one, so they don¡¯t have as many ways to reinforce their force outside,¡± Bjorn exined. Drake shook his fist, ¡°He gets it.¡± ¡°Are you a Shot interpreter or something?¡± Chelsea scoffed. Bjorn shrugged. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the n,¡± Drake nodded. Amir raised his hand, ¡°What about just waiting until they all go back to the Hive? Didn¡¯t you and Bear say that they were not active at night?¡± he asked. ¡°Good question,¡± Tom said, agreeing, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just wait?¡± ¡°We want to whittle their numbers down as much as possible while also cutting off their reinforcements,¡± Drake exined, ¡°And we can¡¯t do that if they¡¯re all inside. By the way,¡± Drake interrupted his thought to look at Amir, ¡°Everyone was able to get the notifications from here?¡± Amir nodded, ¡°We all got the quests and everything but no one has leveled yet, it would seem the Ants don¡¯t give much experience, Sir,¡± he reported. ¡°Yeah, I must have killed thousands by now¡­ And haven¡¯t leveled myself, even with the experience penalty I would have expected one level by now,¡± Drakemented, ¡°What about the stones, I assume since everyone got experience the stones were obtainable as well?¡± Drake asked. Amir nodded once again pulling up a screen as his eyes went distant for a moment, ¡°You¡¯ve almost filled my bags with them, Sir, if it continues at this rate I don¡¯t believe I can hold them all. Everyone will have to start carrying some as well,¡± Amir said smiling wryly. ¡°Well, at least the Ants are good for one thing then. Let¡¯s start giving a majority to Hudson,¡± Drake instructed turning to the surly young old man, ¡°How are you on materials for sentries?¡± he asked. ¡°After emptying that damned mine? You¡¯d have to give me a few more lifetimes to get to the bottom of my bag pup,¡± Hudson smiled. ¡°Good, that¡¯s what I like to hear,¡± Drake replied, ¡°Start moving forward when I tell you then,¡± Drake said throwing Hudson one of themunication crystals he had, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯ve blown up the entrances and have gotten enough ground for you to start.¡± Hudson nodded holding up the crystal to his eyes, then tested it. ¡°Can ya hear me, ya damned idjit.¡± Drake scoffed, and gave a wry chuckle, ¡°Yes, Sire, I can hear you loud and clear, it¡¯s like you¡¯re right here with me,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Really like makin¡¯ it weird don¡¯t ya?¡± Hudson answered back, stuffing the crystal into his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s one of my greatest skills, just ask all my high school girlfriends,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°You had girlfriends in high school?¡± ire asked, her eyes thinning. ¡°Yeah at least kind of, it¡¯splicated.¡± ¡°Why is it ¡± ire pressed. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking worry about it,¡± Drake smirked. ire puffed out her cheeks while crossing her arms before Drakeughed and turned going toward the end of the treeline. Before he dashed off to the Ants again, he had a few things to prepare. [5000 of 5000 Tyrant Ant Workers [F Rank] have been Subjugated. Quest Complete] [ept Rewards?] [Yes/No] ¡°Yes, Please!¡± Drake smiled, looking at the pending quests, ¡°Always love new shit!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Four: First One Down Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Four: First One Down Drake went through his quest prompts as he walked closer and closer to the Ant Hive, surprisingly he hadpleted all but one quest. [Subjugated 231 of 500 Tyrant Ant Reapers [F-Rank] And to his own frustration, he still had not leveled up. ¡°This is pissing me off. I¡¯ve killed over like five-thousand of these bastards, and all I¡¯ve gotten is the title, some very scary sounding seedlings, potions, but at least this isn¡¯t bad¡­¡± Drake looked down at the ring in his hands, its glowing red bloom pulsating gently. [Crimson Fire Welp Ring] [F-Grade] [Rare]
  • +40 to Strength, +10 to Endurance and Vitality.
  • Limited to one per hand.
  • Made from the scales of the Fire Welp, this ring is infused with its strength and enduring vitality. While the juvenile dragon is of noparison to their adult counterpart, they are still a monster of which you would wish not face alone.
He scoffed. Great, another piece of equipment made from dragons. Is the system intentionally helping me piss them off? He thought. ¡°Perhaps they are, the system thrives on conflict after all,¡± Natto surmised. Drake sighed but had to agree. After recing one of his other rings with his new and improved one, he double-checked his status. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%) [F Rank], Crafter P5(0%) [F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 20 [Vitality] 357 (10+ 15%) [Strength] 411 (50 +10%) [Dexterity] 315 (40 + 20%) [Intelligence] 737 (15+15%) +(70) [Wisdom] 377 (10 + 15%) [Endurance] 309 (30 + 25%) [Free Points] 40 He was happy to see the raw increase in his stats and was still holding onto some free points for a rainy day. Drake could feel that he was most likely on the cusp of another level up. But the Ants were doing anything but being amodating to their guest. ¡°Maybe once we¡¯ve cracked open, or close the Hive entrances andpleted this quest I¡¯ll at least get a few levels. There¡¯s still a bunch more variants we haven¡¯t seen yet and I¡¯m getting impatient with just ying a hack and sh right now.¡± Drake finished looking at his status seeing that he wasfortably topped off on his resources. ¡°Before you begin I must inform you to start holding onto the monster corpses,¡± Natto said suddenly. ¡°Corpses? Why? I thought we couldn¡¯t use anything from monsters of this Rank?¡± Drake questioned. ¡°It is true that it will not be the most profitable, you may use any monster remains. But the purpose is not the materials for the moment, it is the corpses themselves. Did you not read the seedling¡¯s description?¡± Natto asked. Drake scratched the side of his face, pulling one of the seedlings out of his inventory discreetly. [Man Eating Fruit Tree] [F-Grade] x 1
  • A nt that consumes the flesh of anything to produce fruit with nutritious properties.
  • The seedlings of the Man Eating Fruit Tree are quick to grow given the correct sustenance
  • nters beware, may eat you.
Drake cringed slightly reading the description. ¡°Are these straight out of a horror film¡­? This isn¡¯t going to turn into that one Light Novel with these trees right? I have some RTS experience but I¡¯m no grand Starcraft 2 yer. I only reached low gold!¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°No you fool! These are just arger version of a venus fly trap. They eat anything within arms reach to produce food and propagate. They can be trained to eat only monster corpses, at least so I have heard¡­¡± Natto admitted. ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­?¡± Drake asked,ughing sarcastically. ¡°Of course I know! I know everything. I just do not believe you can do it,¡± she said, almost making the sneer in her voice materialize. ¡°Well, that was just rude,¡± Drake scoffed. cing the seed back into his inventory, he walked for a few more minutes, the clearing and the chittering of mandiblesing into both vision and earshot. ¡°Is it just me or is there more¡­?¡± Drake said, looking out into the sea of red. ¡°It is quite possible¡­ Regardless. How do you n on even getting close to the first Hive Entrance? Even with all your killing earlier you barely put a dent into their numbers let alone get close to the entrance,¡± Natto asked. ¡°Easy!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to get there before, but now? I can just punch a hole right through them.¡± Drake first summoned a ball of fire, it quickly shimmering from red to blue, then white. Next, a ball of water that began revolving around the fire, it shifting from a light clear blue into a more green aquamarine. Finally, he summoned thatst element he needed, a gust of wind that trapped both the fire and water inside, tightly packing them together as it produced steam that desperately wanted to escape. Looking like the kid in science ss who just figured out how to make the assignment exciting, Drake¡¯s eyes curved upwards with his smile. He quickly pointed his hand forward, the ball moving with it. ¡°Always enter with a bang!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Impact.¡± Drake chanted a single word the mass of elements turning and spinning with such force it began to suck in the air around it. The Ants suddenly noticed the intruder and turned, but it was toote. The condensed spell of magic shot forward creating a temporary vacuum as it surged forward sucking in and discing anything in front of it until it met with the first unfortunate Ant that finally made contact with it. In the instant the ball made physical contact a deafening boom rocked the area, throwing earth and ants in all directions. Drake immediately took position in a sprinter¡¯s pose, a ball of thunder materializing in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to use this one,¡± he smiled. ¡°Oh god¡­¡± Natto sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin my fun!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°Gear, Second!¡± Drake roared his spell as the lightning disappeared and his hair and tattoos cascaded with brilliant yellow vibrance. The moment itpleted he was off, stepping forward as the ground underneath him crumbled from the force. Drake shot off like a fired gun a thunderous snap sounding as he roared forward following the devastation his spell had just caused as he ran straight for the enormous Hive entrance that towered over the area. Drake ran through Tyrant and after Tyrant and, throwing one after the other to the side, or crushed them underfoot as he used every element at his disposal in its most minimalistic iteration to kill anything in his path to the entrance. ¡°Move move move!!!¡± Drake shouted as he chuckled, happy to finally fight monsters again. ¡°Are you enjoying this?¡± Natto asked, concerned. ¡°Maybe a little bit, why?¡± Drake asked back. ¡°You do realize you used to appall killing, do you not? You are changing once again, and not in a way I thought you wished,¡± Natto stated. Drake flinched slightly at her pointing it out. But she was right, Drake had never before enjoyed battle. The growth of his stats sure, but killing in general? He didn¡¯t have a taste for it. When was it that he changed? Was it the stones, or maybe the levels that he gained. Or was it something deeper inside him, that feeling that had been gnawing at him since his fight with the King. Was there something more going on, something like what was happening with Bjorn. Drake wasn¡¯t sure and apparently, even Natto wasn¡¯t either. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I can¡¯t worry about it right now,¡± Drake deflected, ¡°These ants might be small fry, but you never know when the big fish are going toe out. I have to stay alert, so that¡¯s just something we¡¯ll have to deal with when we cross that bridge.¡± Drake rapidly closed in on the Hive, his speed unmatchable by the ants he was trampling on. Before many of them could even react he was able to dismember or crush them underfoot. And those that did even put up the slightest fight, were silenced by a following barrage of spells that left no room for them to even retaliate against him. He was a fox in a hen house, and there was nothing they could do to stop him. Within seconds he transversed the area reaching the first entrance on his list. ncing at his status, he had resources to spare. ¡°Good, now just a little bit of fireworks and we¡¯ll be out of¡­..¡± Drake trailed off as he began hearing loud thumpinging from inside the entrance. He had cleared the opening of the hill but wasn¡¯t close enough to enter just yet. Drake stood and watch as he saw and felt the rubble move with what he quickly assumed to be something moving. Drake looked over his shoulder and certainly saw other Tyrant Ants moving about, but the sound waspletely out of sync with the noise. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be a T-Rex-type deal, is it? I already had it with the Vampiric Ape, so I kinda have some PTSD about it¡­.¡± Drake joked as he shivered in faux fear. He continued to wait and observe the opening in the hill as the steps became louder, the ground rumbling with more motion than he cared for. ¡°Can it just hurry up ande out¡­ I¡¯d like to get to the part where we fight,¡± he sighed. Drake¡¯sment turned to hrity quickly when what popped out of the opening was the small head of an Ant, its beady eyes looking back and forth before it locked onto Drake. The mandibles on the monster clicking furiously. ¡°Aweeeee, aren¡¯t you just the cutest li- Ok you¡¯re not so cute¡­¡± Drake amended as the walls of the hive began to fracture as the monster¡¯s mouth began to chitter louder and faster. The monster was pushing against the entrance. And eventually pushed past it. [Tyrant Ant Guardian Level 28 [F-Rank] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 5 Tyrant Ant Guardians [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. TP. Rare Skill Stone x5] Drake¡¯s eyes and head followed the Ant as it pushed out of the entrance and began towering over him. ¡°You know, thest guy who was taller than me ended ass up on the floor. Wait, that didn¡¯t sound right¡­ I killed him. I meant that I killed him, like with a spear and fire. Like pewpew¡± Drake said absentmindedly, miming with his fingers. The Guardian was anything but amused as its hulking figure stood nearly as tall as the Hive Hill. Its small head ring down, or what Drake could only take as a re, on top of its massive body. The Guardian Ant had six legs like the rest, but its thorax was many times the size of the others. And its front two legs were at least five timesrger than its remaining legs. But Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice the smaller ants which were chirping behind it. [Tyrant Ant Mender Level 20 [F-Rank] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 500 Tyrant Ant Menders [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience. TP. Rare essory of Your Choice] Drake raised his brow at the name he identified but was interrupted in his thoughts by the loud screeching above him. Looking back up at the massive insect, its front legs were raised in a motion toe down on Drake. Drake scoffed and stepped forward, the sound of the Monster''s legs crashing into the ground booming behind him as he moved in front of them through the first Mender he came in contact with. Like before the moment he did, the insides and wonderful juices sttered and covered him. ¡°Ugh! This shit feels¡­Wait, it feels good?¡± Drake said confused, holding his hands up. Drake expected to be a sticky mess of disgusting innards and fluids once more but instead was met with a soothing feeling from the fluid instead. ¡°Wait, Mender right?¡± Drake thought, pointing at the remaining nine in front of him, then looked behind him, ¡°Guardian,¡± he said putting the two together. ¡°He has solved the mystery! Hooray!¡± Natto shouted sarcastically. ¡°Hey, I learn,¡± Drake scoffed, turning back and quickly killing the surrounding Menders before the Guardian could turn its hulking body to defend them, ¡°See? Killed the healers first this time. Learning,¡± Drake stated proudly. ¡°Impressed with yourself are you?¡± Natto snickered. ¡°Always,¡± Drake smirked under his mask. He turned to meet the Guardian Ant, the monster now noticing that its support had been killed in less than a few seconds. It shrieked in frustration as it reared back its legs again. ¡°See that¡¯s why you always protect the healers,¡± Drake chided the monster, summoning a ball of fire that quickly disappeared as his hair and tattoos shimmered to a crimson-red glow. Drake looked up, ready to meet the monster with his own punch. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire,¡± Drake changed winding back his own fist another ball of fire entering his vision, ¡°Normal Series, Normal Punch.¡± Drake threw his fist forward through the ball of fire as it wrapped around his fist, meeting the two legs of the Giant Guardian Ant in a collision of power. Both connected for only an instant in what could only be called an excuse for a battle of power. The Ant stood no chance against Drake¡¯s overblow status and subsequent buffs he had ced on himself. In the fraction of a second that their fist -and also legs- connected, Drake had overwhelmed the Ant, blowing its legs clean off, and punching a hole right into the thorax of the monster. [You have subjugated Tyrant Ant Guardian Level 28 [F-Rank] [Experience Awarded, 100,000 TP Awarded] ¡°You call that a normal punch¡­?¡± Natto sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s good enough for a man in a mustard-colored leotard. It¡¯s good enough for me,¡± Drake said,ughing loudly. Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five: Dattebayo! Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five: Dattebayo! ¡°That should be enough¡­.¡± Drake said, looking back through the cracked entrance the enormous Guardian Ant broke through. ¡°I do not believe that this is a good idea. Are you not expending too much mana?¡± Natto asked. ¡°I have to make sure it falls, remember this is a marathon to the end not a sprint,¡± Drake said looking over his shoulder into the dark of the hive tunnel, ¡°I don¡¯t like the feeling I get from this ce too¡­¡± ¡°Afraid are we? That is a first,¡± Natto replied surprised. ¡°It¡¯s something else¡­ The hair on the back of my head is standing on end. But I can¡¯t sense anything from my skills or aura.¡± Drake gave a quick shake to remove the feeling from himself, walking past therge balls of fire he had ced all over the entrance of the Hive. ¡°I¡¯m not going to like this. Whenever I hit empty it feels like I haven¡¯t eaten in weeks and have vertigo,¡± Drake sighed, pulling a blue colored potion into one hand, the other raised looking back at the entrance he had just exited. ¡°Time to make it shy!¡± Drake smirked, popping the cork of the mana potion, his tattoo rings disappearing into his inventory as Morning Glory materialized above his hand. Drake twirled the staff dramatically before mming the bottom into the ground, the sound of the sea of Ants behind him chittering to a new high as they tried to rush him from below the hill. ¡°The power of the sun within my hands, burn bright, illuminating the unworthy sphemers that stand before you! Roar in your cacophony of great expanse!¡± Drake chanted swinging his hand as if orchestrating and pulled his staff from the ground as he finished with thest word, pointing it directly at the hive. ¡°Explosion!!¡± Drake roared the final word the sound of multiple thunderous explosions going off within the hive as cracks began to splinter all over the outside of the towering structure. He turned to face the sea of monsters closing in on him, not bothering to look at the handiwork he knew he had seeded in producing. Downing the blue potion in his hand in one go, he threw the bottle to the side, his staff disappearing into his inventory. Drake¡¯s Tattoo Rings then materialized in front of him, as he spun around equipping both in one smooth motion, the Hive crashing down in mes behind him as debris and wind pushed his clothes whipping back and forth in it. His tattoo¡¯s red to life, cascading up his arm as he pushed mana into them, his hair and tattoos shimmering once more into a brilliant yellow as he changed to his lightning endowment. ¡°Impressed with yourself?¡± Natto sighed. ¡°Come on you got to admit that was a cool equip scene. The fire, the spinning, the wless execution! Then the changing forms?¡± Drake said, trying not to smile. ¡°Please just kill the ants. That is if they have not keeled over from the amount of cringe they have just witnessed,¡± Natto said, fake gagging. Drake smiled, happy to still be able to have some fun with Natto despite the foreboding feeling he hade across looking down into the tunnel of the entrance. But he quickly switched to a more serious demeanor, the ants bing too close forfort. ¡°I have to store these right? Think I have enough space?¡± Drake said, pointing to the ants. ¡°Yes, that would be what I suggest. I would not worry about space, you have an absurd amount as it stands. I do not think you could fill it even if you tried¡­¡± Natto advised. Drake nodded, her exnation good enough for him, and if he filled up he could just hand them over to someone else for a bit. He had given out quite a lot of inventory bags to everyone. The first of the Ants had finally reached Drake as he nodded to Natto¡¯s exnation. ¡°Time to put a dent in the poption of the ants here then!¡± Drakeughed, his arms ring with blue and red mana, his open palmed hand extending to meet the ant. The ant chittered loudly as it charged at him, but was stopped abruptly. Drake smiled at the seemingly confused ant as it continued to try to push forward, its mandibles snapping angrily at Drake, the rest of the ants closing in around him from all directions. ¡°Has your mother not told you not to y with your food¡­?¡± Natto chided. ¡°All the time,¡± Drakeughed, picking up the monster with one arm, his fingers embedded into the chitin armor of its head, small beads of green ichor spilling down its red outside. Drake deftly spun, using the monster as a club, mming it into the surrounding Ants, eventually the force of the spinunching the rest of the body from both its head and Drake''s head. He looked at the still moring head in his grip in disgust, ¡°Ugh I forgot insects did that¡­¡±, he said grimacing as he summoned small balls of water around him. ¡°Almost summoned fireballs out of habit..¡± Drake said nervously looking at the Tyrant oil not only around him, but still sticking to his clothes and body, ¡°Just going to have to get more creative than destructive.¡± Drake willed the five balls of water to tten and begin spinning. The water disks sun slowly picking up speed until a low hum was steadily heard from them. ¡°Now for another coboration,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Destructo Disk! Plus Spirit ball!¡± Drake stowed the bodies of the fallen ants around him, picking up both corpses and skill stones as the disks shout out, passing through Ants left and right with ease. Rushing forward Drake followed his spiraling disks of death, getting close enough to the ants they passed through to ce them into his inventory. ¡°So handy!¡± Drakeughed keeping pace, ¡°And reusable! I should use my water magic more often!¡± Drake was making good time through the sea of Ants killing hundreds into thousands with minimal effort and expense of mana. Therge army of Tyrant Ants slowly reaped like grain from a field. The resupply of Ants did not falter but thanks to Drake destroying the Hive entrance, there was a forced direction of the supply. His surroundings slowly began to clear, save the insect blood and dismembered parts here and there. He was slowly but surely pushing back the tide of the Ants, clearing out a good section around the remains of the Hive entrance behind him. Drake looked up noticing a small flying object. ¡°Oh looks like Hudson is keeping track of us. He really is a good guy despite how he talks,¡± Drake smirked, pausing his onught for a moment as he pulled a crystal from his pant¡¯s pocket, ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Loud and clearer than I¡¯d like. Looks like you been busy there pup,¡± Hudson answered through the crystal. ¡°You and the rest of the group can start moving forward. Tell Bear to be on his toes, and have Theo, Harley, and Chelsea keep their ears and eyes open for stragglers,¡± Drake directed. ¡°Sounds good Boss man. I¡¯ll let the big guy know,¡± Hudson replied, the drone in the air, zipping off in the direction of the group. Drake stashed away the crystal back into his pocket, looking up at the sea of monsters still before him. [Tyrant Ant Reaper Level 27] He looked over the line of monsters speeding forward past the rest, their front legs reced with scythes, and their chitin skeletons darkened to a navy blue sheen. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t they look dangerous¡­ I was wondering what they looked like when their quest showed up,¡± Drake thought aloud. Drake casually held his hand up, his water disks ceasing to spin and converged into arge ball of water in front of Drake as he ced his Tattoo Rings into his inventory. Once again switching them out for Morning Glory. ¡°Time for a little experimenting now that we have some time,¡± Drake mused. ¡°Heretical Attunement! Water!¡± he shouted, the water spell coalescing around the staff forming arge double edged scythe. Drake grinned passed his mask, as he gripped the staff with both hands. ¡°Witch Hunter¡¯s Crescent!¡± he said with glee, shooting forward with the scythe in hand, right to the uing Reapers. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this baby can do!¡± Drake began swinging therge scythe wildly, using itsrge reach topensate for hisck of technique. The de of water connected with the forearms of the first few Reapers who had rushed ahead of the others. The spell passed through the monsters in what could hardly be called a contest, the sharpness of the water unmatchable by the beasts. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s sharper than I thought¡­¡± Drake said his eyes widening as the monsters instantly fell to pieces in front of him. But Drake didn¡¯t have time to admire his work as he was swarmed by other Ants in moments. Swinging his staff-turned-scythe like he was a spinning top, he used the momentum to bisect the surrounding Ants, their bodies hitting the floor in squirming halves. After a few more full turns of swiping his scythe, Drake nted his foot embedding it into the ground, as he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to practice that one. Interesting concept though. I do wonder if my weapon of choice skill applies to magically made ones. Naw¡­ that would be broken right¡­?¡± Drake hummed. Canceling the attunement and endowment, Drake reformed his disks this time with wind. Wanting to diversify his options, he changed his Endowment to Water, wanting to continue to use his spells while he helped clear out a section for his group to set up on. ¡°I don¡¯t need to overextend myself anymore,¡± Drake said aloud, taking a nce over his shoulder, seeing a good portion already cleared out around the copsed entrance, ¡°Now let''s just take it slow, and get some good ol¡¯ practice in.¡± Biding his time and stacking up kills for his weapon¡¯s unique buff for wind magic, Drake continued to clear out the surroundings. Checking every now and again over his shoulder to make sure nothing was getting past him. He moved methodically through the open area whipping out every ant that moved too close, picking up and storing the bodies as he went. I can just let everyone else pick up the skill stones at this point. I need to focus on making more room for now. Drake had been going for several hours in total at this point, surprising even himself with his tenacity. And also once again thanking his overblown stats. Before he felt people or things enter his sphere of aura perception behind him. Taking a brief look back he saw a familiar redheaded giant leading the way, followed by the sound of gunfire from above as Hudson let his drones let loose hell on the ants below. Drake began solidifying his position and doubled his disks from five to ten, right as a notification appeared in his periphery. [100th Wind Kill Stacked] Drake pulled his disks back, raising his staff high above his head as they moved to his will lining up parallel to the weapon. He pushed more mana into the disks expending all of them until they became turbulent spinning des of death that covered a significant amount of the area. ¡°Futon! Rasen Shuriken!¡± Drake roared, wheeling his staff arm in a circle, the des of wind increasing in speed until their sound overtook the chittering of the ants. Drake threw his arm forward, the des responding and snapping forward, cutting down thousands of ants in their wake. In only a few seconds Drake had cleared out hundreds of feet of opennd thanks to his staff''s effect. He threw his fist forward as another notification passed his eyes. [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller Level 21] [40 Free Stat Points have been Awarded.] ¡°Hell yeah! Believe it!¡± Drake whooped. ¡°Ughhhhhh¡­..¡± Natto screamed, grimacing all the while. Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five.Five: He is not a man, he is not a king, he is a God! Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five.Five: He is not a man, he is not a king, he is a God! ¡°Let go of me damn it!¡± Aono shouted, her eyes wild as she tried to wrench her hand from the man. ¡°Mistress, I can not let you go out there to follow him! He has even taken that man Bear with him! This is certainly beyond us!¡± her guard chided. ¡°Who fucking asked you?! I watched him kill the King of Goblins! I¡¯ll be damned if I let anyone stop me from recording the greatest history in the making! I will be with my dazzling knight!¡± Aono quipped. The man limped as he heard the words leave her mouth. ¡°B-but I thought I was your knight¡­.¡± Aono didn¡¯t even dignify the man with a response as she took the opportunity to run forward through the forest. ¡°I have to catch up with them! Oh I hope I haven¡¯t missed any of the good parts!¡± she howled, pushing up her sses as she sprinted. Huffing and puffing, with a small entourage behind her that she barely paid attention to, Aono tracked Drake and his party through the forest. Stopping only briefly to sniff the air like a tracking hound. ¡°Sniff sniff, sniff sniff,¡± she said aloud as she pointed her nose into the air, ¡°Hmmmm, my knight seems to be low on electrolytes¡­ He must not be getting enough salt in his diet.. Oh! He is low in Vitamin K as well! Oh my poor knight!¡± shemented licking her lips like she had just had a meal. ¡°Mistress!¡± one of the men said from behind her breathing heavily, ¡°Please at least let us protect you! We can not let our one and only goddess be harmed!¡± Aono wiped her brow throwing the sweat to the ground, sneering back at the man. ¡°You¡¯re only going to slow me down.¡± She quickly bolted forward in the direction she smelled Drake in, until she felt her hair on the back of her head stand up. But not the same pleasant feeling she had gotten when her knight had pressed his will upon her. Stopping, she ducked behind a tree, peering out only enough to see who it was. Sitting against the trunk of a tree a huge red haired man leaned against his massive sword, his eyes closed. ¡°Oh¡­. is that¡­.¡± Aono mused, pulling out her Mana paper and stylus snickering to herself, ¡°Hoho¡­. The plot is thickening,¡± she giggled a mischievous sheen shing on her sses. Turning around again for a look at her subject, she spotten more of Drake¡¯s party. ¡°OooooOOoo¡­..!¡± she screamed in a hush, ¡°Is this the harem arc!?¡± Aono, quickly drafted page after page, looking at the people waiting and pacing around, her eyesnding on a gruff man who continued to fiddle around with small machinery, ¡°Yes, yes! It has to be this doesn¡¯t it?! Wondrous!¡± Aono¡¯s hand sped across page after page almost in a trance as her concentration became unbreakable, a line of drool forming on the corner of her mouth. Finished, Aono wiped her mouth on her sleeve, a satisfied grin on her face remaining. ¡°Oh no, no¡­ We aren¡¯t done yet. Where is my wonderful shining knight?!¡± she reminded herself, as she inched out behind the tree, carefully walking passed the group to follow her nose which apparently had Drake-dar. A few minutester of slowly navigating the forest, she came to the remains of Ants. ¡°Ah!¡± she shrieked, ¡°Oh, nevermind it¡¯s dead¡­¡± she said, sighing relief, until the head on the ground moved slightly, ¡°Ah! Ok not dead! Not dead!¡± she panicked running off and passed it. But she was quickly impeded by a sea of red. Halting and hiding behind the treeline she tried to still her breathing. A few secondster, her posse caught up with her, sweating buckets and breathing heavily. ¡°Mistress, ha ha. I understand that he is important to your work but your talents are not worth the risk,¡± one of the group members said. Aono scoffed, and peeked out behind the tree, her nose telling her that her prey, no knight was close. And after a few moments of scanning she saw him. Standing in front of a towering mound of dirt, he seemed to be waiting for something, or someone. Aono could feel it in her bones that something was about to happen, her Drake instincts telling her to prepare for greatness. Pulling out mana paper and preparing her stylus she pushed up her sses, ignoring the incessant nagging behind her. And what she saw, did not disappoint. The rumbling of thunder started to rhythmically strike, only to increase in tempo until Aono saw the walls of the hive crack and splinter, the feeling of something oppressive welling up from the hive entrance. Then, a small head poked out of the entrance. ¡°Awwe¡­ Cute,¡± Aono cooed. But it onlysted a second before the rest of the Ant pushed out through the entrance, shattering the sides of the opening to reveal a massive hulking figure apanied with two massive legs, built like a battle tank on steroids. ¡°Ok, not cute¡­¡± she said deadpan, striking something from her mana paper. But she didn¡¯t take her eyes off her knight, as he suddenly disappeared as the Monster reared his legs upward attempting to bring it down on Drake. Only to walk out abruptly from the entrance the monster had just exited from his body covered in green goo, but a satisfied look in his eyes. Aono tilted her head pausing for a moment, trying to process what she had just seen. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ covered¡­. In¡­. slime¡­?¡± she said slowly, her brows rising with each word, ¡°Ohohohoh!¡± she snickered, her stylus beginning to race across the paper. But her enjoyment didn¡¯t stop there as she saw the monster Ant raise its legs again, but instead of disappearing this time, Drake¡¯s hair changed color. Her knight took a stance and pulled back his fist, as his hair cascaded into crimson red. Aono¡¯s eyes widened, seeing Drake then use some spell to cover his arms in red crimson mes. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire! Normal Series, Normal Punch,¡± Drake muttered, somehow it reaching Aono, as she drank in every second, every moment of the scene, her hand never stopping as pages and pages of mana paper fell from her skill. In a fraction of a second, it was over. Aono missed how, but one moment the massive ant was whole, the next it donned a massive hole in its chest, its arms incinerated from its body. ¡°Magnificent¡­¡± Aono mumbled, tears beginning to form on her eyes. Drake turned and entered back into the hive, but not before he put the corpse of the monster away. ¡°Where is my knight going?! I must follow I mu-¡± but before she could finish, Drake exited the hive once more, this time his staff appearing before him. ¡°The power of the sun within my hands, burn bright, illuminating the unworthy sphemers that stand before you! Roar in your cacophony of great expanse! Explosion!¡± Drake roared, filling Aono¡¯s ears with bliss that was iparable to anything she had ever heard. A smile creeping up on her face, her hand never ceasing to record the wonder in front of her. The moment after explosions and thunderous booms sounded in the area, the hive beginning to crumble as Drake spun, his hair changing once more, his staff dematerializing as he somehow brought out rings and equipped them in one smooth motion. The ck mes from the rings turning to a wondrous yellow, as Drake stood in front of the crashing Hive, his garb fluttering in the wind of the explosion. Aono¡¯s lip quivered as she cried, herst stroke crossing the paper,pleting her masterpiece. ¡°He is not a man, he is not a king, he is a God!¡± she shouted, sobbing. Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Six: Pop up Fortress Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Six: Pop up Fortress Drake looked over his shoulder, his party small dots in the distance to where he had pushed forward too. ¡°Guess it¡¯s good enough for now, we have a bunch of stones to pick up back on the way,¡± he said aloud spotting the shining stones on the ground in the now fading orange sun, like shing lights of car headlights. Drake looked at the still-healthy sea of Tyrant Ants in front of him and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot longer than I thought to push them back..¡± ¡°It is very curious how they are able to produce such numbers¡­ It is possible there is a variant queen in charge of this hive,¡± Natto exined, proposing an exnation. ¡°Variant?¡± Drake asked, his hand moving in an arc as a disk of water sliced through another row of ants like he was mowing an overgrownwn. ¡°Yes, it is the only thing I can possibly imagine giving these ants the reproductive ability we are witnessing. They should not appear in the tutorial as they are too much for an introduction¡­ But after everything we have seen, this tutorial itself is beyond any standard that should be allowed. Whoever is in charge has bent many rules,¡± Natto sighed, concern beginning to bleed into her voice. Drake pursed his lips, conflicted on whether to feel upset he was thrown into an even harder tutorial than was the standard, or happy that he was here and not his family. He was d that at the very least they would have an easier time than he was, and he had no qualms about getting stronger now that it was something he decided for himself. The disk of water moved to stop next to Drake, he then crushed it, changing his current Wind endowment back to Water to recover his status. Turning around he shot forward running toward the group in the distance, picking up stray skill stones as he went. He arrived a few momentster in a burst of dust as he stopped a few feet away from them. ¡°Yo,¡± Bjorn said raising his hand. ¡°Yo,¡± Drake replied, ¡°Miss me?¡± he asked. ¡°Never,¡± Megan scoffed, putting down a bag of something. Drake ignored her, instead pointing to the bag, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Megan huffed and wiped away some of the sweat that had formed on her head. ¡°It¡¯s all the monster core¡¯s we can¡¯t carry because you¡¯ve killed so many¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°Oh? That many huh? I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Drake lied, whistling. ¡°Sir, there is simply no ce to put them,¡± Amir admitted, cing down a simr bag. Drake chuckled, ¡°Well better than not having enough. Here I bring presents.¡± Putting his palm face down, he began taking out many of the skill stones he had collected. Tyrant Skill Stones, Healer Stones, Warrior, Fire, and new variations he hadn¡¯t seen before. [Sub-tree Skill Stone: Brawler] [Umon] [Unlocks the Brawler Sub-tree branch.] [Requirement: Warrior Main Tree Unlocked, Open Sub-tree Slot] [Skill Stone: Assassin] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Assassin tree.] [Requirement: Warrior or Ranger Main Tree Unlocked, Open Skill Slot] [Skill Stone: Stealth] [Umon] [Unlocks a random skill from the Stealth tree.] [Requirement: Warrior or Ranger Main Tree Unlocked, Open Skill Slot] [Skill Stone: Sensory] [Common] [Unlocks a random skill from the Sensory tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot] ¡°It was a good haul, everyone look through it and pick the good stuff up. I want everyone at tip top shape while we clear out the rest of these Hive Entrances. It¡¯s going to be a long couple days. ¡°My Lord there art Rare Variety Stones here as well. Thou art sure we may consume them after my Lord hast done suchbor?¡± Theodore asked. Drake waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Theo, I¡¯m holding out for better stuff. I¡¯m a nice guy but I¡¯m not that nice. I¡¯m selfish when it suits me, don''t have to worry about that,¡± he said smirking. ¡°Who¡¯s a nice guy?¡± Chelsea asked. Bending down to rifle through the stones, but not failing to give him a side stink eye. ¡°Me. I¡¯m him. The nice guy,¡± Drake said, pulling down at his eye his tongue sticking out, ¡°I¡¯m so nice. I¡¯m going to build us a fortress.¡± Drake looked over to Hudson, ¡°Hey, you ready to put up some pea shooters?¡± ¡°Idjit, I was born ready,¡± Hudson huffed, crossing his arms. Drakeughed, pping his hands together dramatically before throwing them to the floor, making a scene of his magic as the earthy brown circle expanded all around them. ¡°Earth Make Magic! Grand Fortress!¡± Drake shouted, the ground beginning to rumble around them. The next moment walls sprang upward and stairs formed to reach the ramparts that had just been built, a small gate at the bottom of one of the walls. Drake tilted backwards exhausted, his hand going to his head. ¡°Ok, moving established earth is still ridiculously draining¡­¡± he grumbled, trying to shake his head to dismiss the exhaustion. He felt a hand touch his back through his robes. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself¡­¡± ire said, her face pouting slightly. Drake chuckled, ¡°This is light work, just a little tired,¡± he smiled, ¡°How you holdin up?¡± ire smiled slightly, her head tilting down away from his gaze, ¡°I¡¯m alright. Just wish you didn¡¯t smell so¡­ potent¡­¡± she scoffed, pinching her nose. Drake raised a brow and his face creased in a wry smile as he realized she wasn¡¯t looking away from him because of being embarrassed. She was looking away to pinch her nose. He gave himself a whiff, ¡°Oh man, this stuff is ganna stink for weeks isn¡¯t it¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope not¡­ I don¡¯t want to go anywhere near those ants if that¡¯s what is going to happen,¡± Chelsea said, walking up to the pair, ¡°Do we have a n to go out as well now that we have a base getting set up? You aren¡¯t the only one who wants to level up you know,¡± she said, cing her hands on her bow. ¡°Eventually,¡± Drake said turning serious, ¡°There¡¯s a few more things I want to confirm before I risk anyone else. I managed to close the first Hive Entrance, but it took just about all of my mana and status to do so. So it¡¯s going to be slow going there,¡± Drake exined, ¡°Then, I want to confirm if the Ants are going to be inactive outside of the Hive once night falls. But so far I haven¡¯t noticed anything different as the sun is beginning to go down.¡± Drake crossed his arms and looked around, their attention now on him since he had started exining. The only ones who weren¡¯t were the grumbling and sleeping Sherry, and Hudson who was at the top of the earthen rampart, setting up sentry after sentry for their defense. He quickly nced at the tutorial panel before addressing everyone. [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 59 days 7 hours 21 minutes 44 seconds] [Remaining Participants: 1,907] ¡°I want to continue with the n of shutting down and closing the Hive Entrances until there is only one left. Then I¡¯ll be bringing everyone that can into the Hive and help you all level up. I know I¡¯ve been the main force so far, but we¡¯re closing in on the end of the tutorial here and I want everyone to experience not only working as a team but the dangers you might all face once we are out. Not everyone is in the same area as I am in the outside world, so you can¡¯t always count on me until you find your way back or join up with another group. And I want everyone to be safe,¡± Drake said finishing his exnation. ¡°So¡­.¡± Jacqueline said, chiming in, ¡°we sit put yeah? Fine with me innit, don¡¯t want to be smellin like a pigs backside like you any which way.¡± ¡°Really? I thought you would want the improvement Jacqueline?¡± Drake smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll show you an improvement, you bloody clown!¡± Jacqueline shouted back, raising a fist up. Drake soundly ignored her, their banter running its course as he looked up towards Hudson. Seeing that the gruff man had gotten a good amount of sentries down, Drake decided to focus on recovering after putting up the fortress. His spell had left him somewhat depleted, and honestly he just wanted to take a break for a moment to gather his wandering thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a breather on the wall. Everyone can settle in themselves? If we need more space or rooms you know where to find me,¡± he said, making his way for the stairs. Without a word Bjorn followed him upward until Drake decided to stop earshot away from Hundson who had noticed them both but continued to finish putting up the defenses. ¡°You good bro?¡± Bjorn asked, looking out into the distance, seeing the Ants still skittering towards them, slowly closing the distance. ¡°Never better,¡± Drake lied. ¡°Come on. If I¡¯m not allowed to fight, the least you can do is bore me with your problems,¡± Bjorn smirked. Drake didn¡¯t meet Bjorn¡¯s eyes, ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem. I¡¯ve got a handle on it. Don¡¯t have a choice but to.¡± Drake wasn¡¯t trying to act tough or stoic. What he was saying was the truth in his eyes. He didn¡¯t have any other option right now than ¡®being fine¡¯. Whatever it was that was slowly scratching at the back of his head. Corroding his mind and taking away his sense of empathy, even past his Indomibility skill. He would just have to deal with. He had made too many promises. And Drake intended to keep them all. Regardless of what it was doing to him currently. Drake paused, waiting for a remark from Natto that never came. ¡°Little Miss staying quiet?¡± Bjorn asked, not pushing his previous line of questions. ¡°How could you tell?¡± Drake asked, finally turning to Bjorn. Bjorn scoffed, ¡°You get a small smirk on your face when your eyes go distant when you are talking to her. It¡¯s hard to miss honestly. And you don¡¯t check your stats nearly as much as the rest of us. Surprised ire isn¡¯t getting jealous with how much you talk to her,¡± Bjornughed. ¡°Man, don¡¯t bother me with talk about ire. Especially when you won¡¯t even go after Chelsea,¡± Drake said, tipping his head back, ¡°You and I can both tell she¡¯s burrowing a hole into the back of your head from here.¡± Bjorn and Drake stood quietly for a beat, both looking out into the oing torrent of monsters barreling down on their newly formed doorstep. ¡°The monster we saw the other night,¡± Bjorn asked, his tone serious, ¡°Did you see it while you were out here?¡± Drake let the question site for a breath before answering. ¡°No. But I got a bad feeling when I copsed the Hive entrance,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°Bad how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just felt like whatever was down there¡­ Was looking at me. Wanted me toe down there.¡± ¡°Do you think it was the same monster we saw that night?¡± Bjorn asked. Drake clenched his hand around the jet-ck earth of the wall, ¡°No Bjorn. I don¡¯t think it was. And that¡¯s what¡¯s worrying me.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Death to the tainted. Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Death to the tainted. Somewhere in a different tutorial. . . ¡°Ram uu crux encii! Rap! Rap!¡± ¡°Oh! Poor soul tainted by the foul magic of this new world! May the sun cleanse you!¡± A man stood over a kneeling woman, but she had the ears of a wolf, the tail of one as well. And in her arms she held another beastwoman, one with feline features, and bright orange hair. ¡°May the sun purge your evesting soul. Be blinded by that of the brilliant dawn! Giant¡¯s Dawn!¡± the man chanted, holding his arms wide as a glowing orange magic circle formed in front of him. The pair of women shrieked in terror, both clinging to one another as they wept and screamed. The next moment a miniature sun formed from the magic circle instantly the heat in the surroundings spiked upward, singing and charing the area in a ze of red hot mes. The searing spared no one and nothing as the grass, trees, animals, and the woman were burnt to a crisp. ¡°Ah! My lord is good, my lord is great! He gives me sce and power to do what is needed to cleanse this world. I thank him every day for the passion he instills in me to walk my righteous path¡­¡± the man said, his face showing just how difficult he thought his actions were. ¡°By his will!¡± the man shouted turning around his arms spread dramatically, his staff of pure gold in one hand. A ball of ss a brilliant yellow and orange me inside it in the other. ¡°By his will! For the Emperor! For our Lord!¡± shouted the men kneeling in front of him. The man smiled down on his believers, nodding his head as a tear fell from his eye. ¡°Bring the next abomination to be cleansed!¡± he shouted. ¡°Yes! Right away my Emperor!¡± one of the devotees replied. Soon another Beastman appeared, this time a man looking to be in his early 20¡¯s his hair blue and his furred bear-like ears streaks of silver on top of his head. The beastman roared and snarled at the man, even while constricted by the restraints around his arms and legs. He was forced to kneel despite his struggle, the devotees of the man overpowering him. ¡°Kneel beast! You are in front of the true leader of the Sun God¡¯s Devotion!¡± one of the men sneered. ¡°Now now,¡± the leader said, his face soft and sincere, ¡°We are here to help these filthy monsters. We are here to cleanse them of their tainted bodies and blood. In them being cleansed in fire, mes, and the brilliance of our God. They shall be reborn. Remember that my loyal followers. We are the right, and we are helping these beasts find their way.¡± The men on their knees shouted in agreement, a loud cry and cheer sounding out. The beastman on the other hand continued to struggle, fighting against his constraints as he bared his teeth staring daggers at the man in front of him to no avail. ¡°Do not worry,¡± the leader said, ¡°It will be a painless passage. Do not struggle, for my god is great,¡± he smiled, his left hand raising with the crystal ball, ¡°I will purge you of your disgusting form and blood. Worry not.¡± ¡°In the light of my sun there is no shadow! May the world be cast in brilliant rays!¡± the man chanted, the ball in his hand glowing brighter with each word, a magic circle forming above it, ¡°Cleanse this darkenednd, illuminate it with your grace! Bear your power in my hand!¡± a ball of mes formed from the circle, condensing over and over until it turned into a white hot dwarf star. ¡°Guiding Star.¡± The manpleted his chant, the miniature star stabilizing above the crystal in his hand. ¡°Open his mouth,¡± demanded the leader. ¡°Yes!¡± replied the men restraining the beastman, moving to wrench his mouth open with their knives. The leader looked down at the beastman, talking to him onest time. ¡°May you be cleansed. From the inside out,¡± he said, his eyes opening and his face twisting into a sneer as he thrusted the sun into the mouth of the beastman. The beastman roared in pain, his voice quickly burning out as he began to glow in a white light, the men holding him backing away. In the next moment, the beastman began to tear and rip, his insides burning him alive with light escaping from the cracks and tears in his skin, until he exploded in a cacophony of wondrous bright white mes. ¡°He has been saved!¡± the leader shouted. ¡°He has been saved!¡± shouted the crowd, ¡°And so shall more!¡± The man smiled, ¡°And so shall more.¡± ¡°All hail the Emperor of the Sun! All hail the true leader!¡± they shouted loudly, raising fists and arms into the air. ¡°All hail! Atticus Wallen the Grand Sun Mage!¡±
¡°Haa¡­¡­¡± Shigure sighed, looking at the reports on his desk, ¡°These are all justints about the food. There is not much I can do to change it unfortunately,¡± he said aloud, ¡°We still have plenty of food for several more weeks, but we have started to ration already. It is understandable that some people are unhappy with the change.¡± ¡°My Lord, perhaps we should go out in search of more wild game? The current hunting parties may just not be going far enough out in fear of monsters and the like?¡± Uta proposed from his side, caring another stack of papers. Shigure gave it some thought, then shook his head. ¡°It has only been a few days since Shot and Bear¡¯s group has left. I would like to give them a little more time,¡± he exined then his face darkened, ¡°There is also the issue of the people he brought on the day he came.¡± Uta¡¯s face turned into a scowl, ¡°You mean the criminals?¡± Shigure nodded with a steely expression while getting out of his seat. ¡°Because of all themotion, we haven¡¯t had time to deal with them. But now things have calmed down for the most part¡­ And I hate to say it, but thanks to Shot I now have more agency to get things done,¡± he admitted reluctantly, ¡°No one questions the man backed by a Tyrant¡­¡± ¡°Please do not say it as such my Lord! You are a great leader! What happened with Adam was.. Regrettable..¡± Uta shouted, trying to console him. ¡°Uta¡­¡± he smiled, ¡°Thank you, but I have to own up to my mistakes if I am to continue leading after we exit the tutorial¡­ but enough of that, I should get going and deal with these criminals. The paperwork can wait untilter.¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Uta said, bowing then shimmering in a puff of inky smoke. Shigure exited the tent a momentter, assuming Uta was trailing him while concealed. He moved through the outskirts of the outpost quickly, making his way to the other side. Passing through the outpost and greeting people along the way, he finally made it out the other end, to where they were holding the men and women that were branded as criminals by Shot. Shigure greeted the guards who were standing in front of the wooden cage tools that Shot provided. ¡°Good evening. Has there been any trouble with the prisoners?¡± he asked briefly. ¡°None, Lord Shigure!¡± one answered, ¡°They have been treated humanely and given food as well as rights to use the bathroom and shower in private¡­ Though some of them don¡¯t deserve it..¡± the guard added. Shigure raised a brow, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The guard coughed, getting elbowed in the side by the other. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ We¡¯ve heard some of them talk. Some are bragging about what they did¡­ And a few of the people that Monster, Shot brought,¡± the guard said, visibly shivering at mentioning the name, ¡°They came by. Asking about when justice was going to be done, telling us about some of the things that happened.¡± ¡°I see..¡± Shigure said in a low hum, ¡°Uta.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Uta replied, appearing in a bowing position from a puff of smoke next to Shigure. ¡°Please find these witnesses. Bring one of the Guards as well. Then also bring several people who do not know the victims or the criminals,¡± Shigure instructed. ¡°By your will,¡± Uta answered. She stood and grabbed one of the guards, going back into the outpost with haste. ¡°What are you going to do Lord Shigure?¡± the remaining guard asked. ¡°We are going to have a trial. One we should have had a long time ago,¡± Shigure answered. Shigure paced the cages, waiting for Uta to return. His eyes observing the men and women inside. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re the leader of this ce right?! Please just let me out! I shouldn¡¯t be in here!¡± a woman cried out, her hands pushing through the holes of the cage. Shigure recoiled, not used to seeing such desperate pleading. ¡°W-we will see¡­ You were brought here by Shot, so you must have done something¡­¡± he stammered. ¡°I was forced to! Please!¡± she pleaded. Shigure turned, not wanting to hear her before the trial. Walking away and separating himself from the cages now, he moved back to where the lone guard was, waiting for Uta. And he did not have to wait long. Soon she arrived back with several tens of people in tow. ¡°I have brought the people you requested Lord Shigure,¡± Uta announced with a bow. ¡°Thank you.. I did not expect so many?¡± Shigure said in surprise. ¡°Yes, there were many people who were affected by the people who were captured. And many who wished to speak on behalf of those who were¡­ Killed and can not speak for themselves.¡± Shigure flinched at her words. He had expected as much, and he had dealt with these types of people before. But he wished for better. ¡°I see¡­ Then, let¡¯s start. Bring out the first prisoner,¡± Shigure instructed, his face clearly showing how he was ufortable with the situation. He looked to the crowd that had followed Uta to the cages, instructing them. ¡°We are going to judge these criminals today. I ask that everyone please be as objective as possible whenying down their judgment. Those who were brought here and unrted to the crimes please move to one side. You will be given time to hear and deliberate for each case. Once this is finished you will be rewarded for your time and honesty regardless of the oue,¡± Shigure instructed. Shigure finished his instructions just as the guard brought out the first to be judged. He was a man of about twenty if Shigure had to guess. His face somewhat sunken from his time in the cage and rationed food. ¡°Does anyone know this man,¡± Shigure asked the crowd as he looked at Uta. She moved to him pulling documents that held what every person had done ording to the man Theodore had told them when the criminals had been handed over. It included the names, levels, and what the perpetrator hadmitted or was used of. While he waited for someone to step forward, he flipped through the papers and found the individual¡¯s name. [Harrison Regan Level 12] Just as he did, a woman stepped forward. ¡°I-i know who he is¡­¡± she said in a hushed tone. Shigure looked pensively through the file, then steeled himself as he recited the used crimes. ¡°This man is Harrison Regan, he is used of aiding in the sexual assault of a woman during his time in Shot¡¯s Outpost,¡± he looked to the man first, ¡°How do you plead?¡± ¡°Not guilty damn it! I was forced!¡± the man shouted. Shigure then looked over to the woman, ¡°What is your evidence against him.¡± The woman looked pensively to the man being held by the guard. ¡°I¡­.I¡¯m the woman that was assaulted¡­¡± she said her shoulders shaking, ¡°T-that monster and his friends tried to do something unspeakable to me! But Mr. Shot, he stopped them. He should have died with his friends but he was on the lookout making sure no one¡­¡± she stopped for a moment her voice cracking, ¡°No one interrupted¡­ I still wonder why Shot didn¡¯t just kill him on the spot for what he helped them try to do!¡± Shigure raised his hand, stopping her. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough¡­¡± he said solemnly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to relive that anymore, I¡¯m sorry for what happened and sorry that you had to remember it,¡± Shigure said, his face grim. He had not realized just how bad some of the people in the tutorial had it. Was he just blind to the truth? Shot had told him many things but he didn¡¯t want to believe any of it because he was the source. The woman interrupted his thoughts, responding to his consoling. ¡°If you want to be sorry, then give that man what he deserves! He tried to take advantage of me! What they tried to do was unforgivable! My name is Gracy Morgan, but I¡¯ll never be the same Gracy after that. Why should he get away with that¡­¡± she said sobbing. Shigure opened his mouth to say something but couldn¡¯t find the words, instead deferring to the makeshift jury they had assembled. ¡°You have an hour to discuss,¡± he said, handing the piece of paper to one of the members, ¡°This is his file, use it in your discussion. If you decide before the hour you may announce your decision as a group. There are 10 of you, and it must be a unanimous decision,¡± Shigure instructed. The man nodded and brought the file to the others as they moved a small bit away discussing. During the time Shigure looked at the woman who had spoken, her face still in tears and her body shaking. He turned to the used man, his face and bodynguage showing just how much he didn¡¯t care for the woman, but instead painted in the undeniable truth that he was guilty, and he knew it. His only concern was what he was going to do about his punishment, obvious on his face. The jury didn¡¯t take even thirty minutes to reconvene, the time passing quickly as Shigure be lost in thought. Looking up he nodded to the person they had chosen to represent their finding. The woman took a step forward from the group, ¡°We find this man Harrison Regan, guilty on all ounts,¡± she announced, then looked to Shigure somewhat hesitantly, ¡°But we are not sure what his punishment should be..¡± she said trailing off. Shigure took a step forward this time, his mind and body steeling himself for what he hade to a decision on. I hate to admit it but Shot was right¡­. And now even as a temporary leader of this Outpost, it is my responsibility to see justice done for these people under my care. He thought. ¡°His punishment will be death for his crimes. This is a cruel world we live in now, and there is no room for people like him,¡± Shigure said, gripping the sword at his waist, ¡°Release him.¡± Shigure motioned for the guards to let the man go, even throwing the man a spare sword to his feet. ¡°Choose to die like a warrior with a sliver of respect still remaining, or die like the dog you are painted as. I only give you thisst service because you are a human and not a beast,¡± Shigure said, his own hand unsheathing his sword, but an ever so slight tremble apanied it. Harrison looked down at the de, then at the surroundings. Choosing to run instead of face Shigure. ¡°A filthy coward till the end¡­ You will have no quarter from me. First Strike¡­.¡± Shigure chanted his skill, his de painted in a red glow that hummed with power as he stepped forward, his de bisecting him. His corpse falling to the floor. Shigure swung the de, cleaning it of the blood as he sheathed it, turning to the guards, his face looking as if it had matured several years. ¡°Bring out the next criminal.¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Wait, you’re actually not useless? Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Wait, you¡¯re actually not useless? Drake swung his arms, trying his best to get rid of the guck that had begun piling up on them from the day. Looking at the Guardian he had just killed, he sighed. ¡°Ya know, I used to love these rings. But now? I wish I was a damn sword or gun wielder¡­ The insect stuff sticking on my arms is getting on my nerves,¡± he mumbled. ¡°The blood never seemed to irritate you before?¡± Natto questioned. ¡°Yeah but that¡¯s one thing, I never liked it. But something about the insects gives me bad vibes ya know? Call it a preference but I¡¯d much rather have red blood than this green goo¡­.¡± ¡°I do not believe having a preference on blood is something you would originally have¡­ Are you sure you are well?¡± Natto asked. ¡°No, probably not. I have been on a killing spree for about two weeks with no sleep or rest,¡± he said, picking up the body into his inventory, ¡°Before I would probably deny it, but at this point I don¡¯t think I can hide it anymore. I¡¯ve be numb to it all but it isn¡¯t like I¡¯mining. I¡¯ve got a job to do right now and as long as it stays that way, my failing psyche can sit on the back burner.¡± ¡°Drake, you are not some battle-hardened veteran. But a few months ago you were sitting at a desk doodling to make wage.¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t appreciate you calling my illustrations doodles¡­ I was pretty good at what I did,¡± Drake grumbled, setting up his fire mine spell to detonate the Hive entrance. ¡°Regardless, my point still stands. You are not prepared for the life you have been thrusted into, I will help you as best I can, but you can not expect to be fine after taking as much life as you have in such a short time. Even with the skills the system provides it will take its toll if you are not careful Drake. I understand and agree with your decision to forge your path forward, but lest you forget who you are, you will turn into another oppressive dictator and killing machine made by the system once you reach the end.¡± ¡°Wow Natto, that was profound,¡± Drake said, walking out of the entrance. ¡°This is not a joke,¡± she admonished. ¡°Never said it was. I¡¯ve always made mistakes as I went forward. I never said I was perfect. And just because there¡¯s some system here now spelling out a few things, doesn¡¯t mean I still won¡¯t. We all have our problems, we all have our vices. Mine are just you know, mental insanity from killing well over a few thousand bugs that may or may not have sentience,¡± Drake said, waving his hand, the Fire spell behind him doing its job of copsing thest of the four Hives he was set to destroy. ¡°When will you ever give yourself credit not veiled in self-loathing jokes? It does the opposite of being humble when it is every time you know,¡± Natto sighed. ¡°Coping. Coping remember? I thought you were part me, you should understand I bottle up things inside by now. Stoicism and all that. My problems and mine alone, I don¡¯t need to puke my mental state on everyone I see,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°You say that, but you really should share your troubles with at least someone, even the oaf would be fine at this point in time!¡± she grumbled. ¡°Natto, you are privy to everything in my head at all times, whether I want you to be or not. I think that¡¯s good enough don¡¯t you?¡± Drakeughed, walking down the hill. Drake and Natto may have been casually speaking, but outside of the Hive entrance, Drake had just destroyed. Laid a still very full sea of Tyrant Ants. All more angry than ever that their Hive was constantly under attack. Their party had waited until nightfall, anticipating that the Ants would retreat back into the tunnels underneath during the dark. But unfortunately, that was not the case as every single Ant stayed on alert into the night. [You have increased Elemental Endowment to Proficiency 3(0%)] [You have reached maximum Proficiency with skill: Elemental Endowment] [You have increased Elemental Conflux to Proficiency 3(0%)] [You have reached maximum Proficiency with skill: Elemental Conflux] [You have increased Weapon of Choice to Proficiency 3(0%)] [You have reached maximum Proficiency with skill: Weapon of Choice] Drake raised a brow as he looked out onto the sea of red in front of him. ¡°Nice, some skill ups, but I don''t really have anything to select¡­ I only use the rings and my staff, so guess we put it on hold for now,¡± Drake said some of the skill ups tasting bittersweet, ¡°Now I just have to get back to everyone else.¡± Drake looked back his way blocked by a few Tyrant Ants that had filled in the opening he had made to get to the entrance. ¡°We are not done with our discussion Drake,¡± Natto said firmly. ¡°We are for now. Seriously, I''ll deal with it after the tutorial is over. I¡¯llst another couple weeks, we don¡¯t have time to waste about the voices in my head,¡± he joked. ¡°You have voices in your head other than I?¡± Natto asked seriously. Drake coughed as he ran forward breaking through the Tyrant Ants. ¡°Drake! Drake, I am talking to you ape!¡± Natto yelled. I¡¯m busy! Drake thought, throwing an Ant to the side as he made his way to the group¡¯s fortress. It was not as if Drake did not want to talk to Natto about his problems. In fact, he would like nothing more than to dump his mental payload on anyone he could. He had been feeling an ache he couldn¡¯t get rid of for quite some time now. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t the voices he had joked about but it might as well have been. And they could still be on their way if he was being honest. It had started when he ranked up and began taking in skill stones, but if Drake had to say, he noticed it the most when the Goblin Invasion began. He was bing more and more cold to the feeling of taking life, but not only that, he was enjoying the thrill of fighting, of getting stronger. Drake remembered the words Bjorn had said. And cursed inwardly that it made more sense now. Drake couldn¡¯t fathom just how much mental fortitude it took for Bjorn to stay sane. Assuming the effects were that much more with two legendary skill stones. But the time Drake had given into the feeling, the urge. Was when he fought the King. Seeing such a monster ofplete and utter low quality, put on the title of King. One who was supposed to be above all else had lit something instinctive in Drake. Something that wasn¡¯t there before. Drake shook his head, pushing it to the back of his mind since he had just arrived back at their base. ¡°All done?¡± Bjorn asked, greeting him at the fortress wall with a wave. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Drake said, giving a wry grin, ¡°The Ants keeping, but for now all we have to worry about is thest entrance and the one direction for their reinforcements. I¡¯m concerned though.¡± ¡°About?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Well one about this nagging voice in my head,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Fuck you! Fine, go insane! See if I care!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°And about the Ant, we saw that night. I haven¡¯t noticed it at all since we came here, and it doesn¡¯t make sense. Wouldn¡¯t it want to defend its territory or just fight us in general?¡± Drake pondered aloud. ¡°Voice in your head huh?¡± Bjorn mumbled, ¡°You treating that youngdy right, bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yeah of course,¡± Drake said tly. ¡°No, he is not!¡± Natto answered in Drake¡¯s head. Bjorn looked at Drake skeptically but moved forward with the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either,¡± Bjorn answered, shrugging his extremelyrge shoulders, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen or noticed anything on our end. There have been a few strays that found us early on, but nothing even close to the level we saw.¡± Drake crossed his arms thoughtfully before sighing, ¡°Guess we can only prepare and move forward then. But, that¡¯s good timing, I left thest Guardian for everyone to practice against.¡± ¡°Practice?¡± a voice asked behind Bjorn. Drake smiled mischievously, ¡°Oh, Tom! Yes, practice,¡± Drake snickered.
¡°This is not practice!¡± Tom screamed, ¡°Do you like putting me through shit like this you asshole?!¡± Drake stood behind Tom, making sure he was actually fine, but only stepping in if he was bing overwhelmed. ¡°Would it make you feel better if I said yes?¡± Drakeughed, throwing an ice shard into the head of an Ant sneaking up behind Tom. ¡°No! Ah! Don¡¯t bite that! You fucking red bastard!¡± Tom shouted, throwing his shield into the head of an Ant that was gnawing on his leg. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we help?¡± ire asked next to Drake. ¡°In a bit. I won¡¯t let him get seriously hurt. I need to regauge how well he can deal withrge numbers before we go down into the tunnel,¡± Drake said, not taking his eyes off Tom in case he needed to step in. ¡°Why¡¯s that Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked, walking up to them. ¡°Well,¡± Drake said throwing another ice shard out, ¡°We can think of the hive as basically arge system of tunnels. So if Tom, the party¡¯s main Tank can deal with the amount of monster¡¯s here. He should theoretically be able to handle the ones in the tunnels when they are onlying from one direction and have limited ess to him.¡± ¡°Is that why you are killing all the Ants that are attacking him from behind?¡± ire asked, looking on. ¡°Yep. I want him to getfortable with leaving his back to his support, which will be all of you and me of course, but for the purpose of this, we¡¯ll call dungeon dive, it will be everyone else,¡± Drake answered. ¡°But what happens when it isn¡¯t us and you behind him? Like after the tutorial?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that, baby steps though. In games, it''s easy enough to know what is going on around you. There is 3rd person perspective when you¡¯re ying, you have numerous notifications telling you what is going on. But here in real life, we have a status bar but your vision is limited. It¡¯s one of the things that I had a hard time dealing with when the tutorial started. Blind spots are not something you get used to quickly,¡± Drake exined. ¡°So you¡¯re letting him practice with multiple enemies. Makes sense. But aren¡¯t the monsters too high above our level to be using them as practice?¡± Harley asked, looking a little worried. ¡°True, but that¡¯s only on an individual basis. When we work as a team that level gap is bridged pretty easily. All the Ants that are here right now are just small fry. Warriors, Foragers, and more of the basic variants right now. I¡¯m keeping an eye out for the dangerous ones. And surprisingly Tom is a pretty good meat shield, takes hits like a champ,¡± Drake said, then frowned, ¡°Wait maybe Tom enjoys it¡­ is he an M¡­?¡± ¡°I can hear you!¡± Tom shouted, throwing his shield into another Ant, sttering its head against the ground and his shield. ¡°Keep it up, buddy! No kink-shaming here!¡± Drake shouted back, looking over at Jacqueline, ¡°Make sure you keep an eye on his health. I don¡¯t want him getting seriously injured alright.¡± Jacqueline scoffed, ¡°I know my bloody job.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Drake said, looking over to the rest of the support squad, ¡°Julia, make sure to keep your buffs up on him. But don¡¯t go overboard, maintain the spell enough that your natural mana regen is keeping up, if you need to break the spell to maintain it, it¡¯s fine. We have Jacqueline here for emergency heals, your job is just to buffer the blows as he works through the monsters.¡± ¡°Got it, Lord Shot,¡± Julia saluted, then refocused on Tom, her brow beginning to sweat. ¡°And you¡­.¡± Drake said, looking over at Megan, ¡°Do you do anything useful..?¡± ¡°I¡¯m useful!¡± Megan shouted her hands gripping her staff angrily. ¡°Then, what exactly do you do? I¡¯ve yet to see your skills or spells. Chelsea told me you have a pretty good buff, but I¡¯ve only briefly noticed it when we were on our way here. What exactly does it do,¡± Drake asked tly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you,¡± Megan said pensively. ¡°Well,¡± Drake began, having to pause to rush forward, a Tyrant Ant Reaper sneaking out of the crowd, ¡°Sneaky little bugger¡­.¡± he grumbled, walking back to the group, ¡°Right, where was I? Yeah, well, either you tell me. Or I send you back to Shigure¡¯s, I don¡¯t have time or the luxury of dead weight on this one. There¡¯s too many things about this Hive I don¡¯t know to be catering to people anymore.¡± Megan grounded her teeth, staring back at Drake, but eventually, she opened something, then walked closer to Drake. The next moment a window opened showing Drake a skill. [Foster of Light Proficiency 2(23%) [F-Rank]
  • You are the tool through which the Goddess of Light works.
  • Beneficial Spell Buff: Bringer of Light - ¡°In the name of she who is the light in the dark, to which all are wee. These unworthy servants seek sanctuary. Foster of Light¡±
  • Benefit: Increases Defensive Proficiency by 100%, Increases All Stats by 20 Points, All damage is converted to Holy. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Duration: 10 Minutes (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cooldown: 5 Minutes (Cooldown begins once cast.)(Reduced based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: 50% of Maximum Mana. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
Drake¡¯s jaw dropped, ¡°Wow, you really aren¡¯t useless¡­¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Hey Buff Magic is Pretty Good Huh? Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Hey Buff Magic is Pretty Good Huh? ¡°Hey! Please! Can I take a break?! This is torture, I¡¯m tired!¡± Tom shouted from the front. ¡°Well, that¡¯s too damn bad!¡± Drake shouted back, turning back to Megan, ¡°Ok, this buff is very good. Can you keep it up indefinitely?¡± he asked. Megan shifted a bit before answering, obviously not sure if she should tell him or not. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I have a mana regeneration skill that allows me to keep it casted. As long as it¡¯s the only spell I am using¡­¡± Megan answered. ¡°Seriously! I could really use a break!¡± Tom yelled again. ¡°You¡¯re fine! Suck it up!¡± Drake told him, turning his attention back to Megan, ¡°Oh? What are these other buffs then?¡± he asked. Megan pursed her lips, moving her head slightly to look at Tom behind Drake. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s alright?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s fine, Jacqueline is watching him. And I can see where everything is with my aura sense. If you¡¯re that worried why not cast some of those buffs on him then like Julia is doing?¡± Drake told her, raising a brow. Megan¡¯s face scrunched up slightly at the jab, ¡°My other spells deal with stamina andbat effectiveness¡­ I say stamina but it also includes regeneration, thetter is a longer cooldown so I rarely use it,¡± she exined reluctantly. ¡°Does it have drawbacks?¡± Drake asked seriously. ¡°No¡­ Just arge amount of mana and a long cooldown. The regeneration spell can be used with my main spell without problems¡­¡± she rified. Drake put his hand to his chin in thought, ¡°You¡¯re basically a pure buff ss then huh¡­ Could have really used that type of information earlier,¡± he sighed, ¡°What¡¯s done is done though. Alright, let¡¯s see them in action,¡± Drake said finally, then pointing to ire, ¡°ire, you have a new water buffing spell also you said? Let¡¯s see it.¡± ¡°Are you sure? It has a pretty big cost and cooldown as well. I won¡¯t be able to cast it for a while,¡± she answered, stepping up next to him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I get the general gist from the descriptions, but reading them and experiencing them is a whole different thing. I also want Tom to experience them as well, he needs to get used to buff magic sooner orter being a tank,¡± he exined, ¡°First up Miss Gumpy,¡± Drake smiled, extending his arm out as if giving her the stage. Megan grumbled to herself but stepped forward nheless. ¡°I¡¯m not grumpy¡­ I just don¡¯t fucking like you¡­¡± she mumbled. After cursing out Drake, she took a breath, holding her staff in both her hand as she closed her eyes, beginning her chant. ¡°In the name of she who is the light in the dark,¡± she began, a white magic circle forming below her, ¡°To which all are wee. These unworthy servants seek sanctuary,¡± another magic circle forming above Tom¡¯s head, ¡°Foster of Light!¡± Beads and rays of angelic light were casted down on Tom, bathing him in brilliant white light as his body glowed momentarily before it dimmed and he shouted in joy. ¡°Oh hell yeah!¡± Tom shouted, throwing his shield into an Ant, it flying backward several feetpared to before when he would only knock them back a few inches, ¡°This is amazing! I feel great!¡± Megan heaved a breath exhaling before wiping her brow. ¡°Don¡¯t forget it onlysts so long Tom!¡± Drake shouted to him, ¡°Don¡¯t get too far ah- Lost him already. I¡¯m going to have to go get him, susmaryosep¡­.¡± Drake sighed walking forward into the sea of ants. A few momentster, Drake was dragging a iling Tom by the scruff of his armor. ¡°Why are you holding me back! I can take this whole damn ce on!¡± Tom shouted, iling his arms and shield wildly. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re very strong with buffs¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°But stay where I can see you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid dude!¡± Tom retorted. Drake narrowed his eyes, ¡°Ten, nine, eight, seven¡­¡± Drake counted aloud looking at the confident Tom, ¡°Two, one.¡± And then Megan¡¯s buff ran out, the duration passing, and Tom deted, his brows raising as if he just realized what he had said and who he had said it to. ¡°M-my bad¡­.¡± Tom said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Right. Just reel it in¡­ I can¡¯t have you dying, I don¡¯t want to have to go find anotheric relief character thiste into the game,¡± Drake snickered. ¡°Hey, I do more than just that¡­¡± Tom sighed, turning to the Ants. ¡°I know you do, Tom. Keep it up, and keep your head on next time,¡± Drakeughed, patting him on the shoulder. Drake walked back to the group with a smile on his face, ¡°Ok, where were we before I had to go catch a runaway¡­ Oh yeah. Megan, second buff now.¡± Megan had recovered from casting the previous spell and nodded. ¡°This one affects a group instead of just one person, but it is an area of effect,¡± she exined. Drake gave a nod understanding what she meant as he walked back over to Tom. Then giving a wave signaling for her to cast the spell. Megan closed her eyes again, a magic circle forming at her feet as she began chanting. ¡°Tired soldiers, may the grace of the Mother touch your weary bodies. So that her light will replenish you on your beaten path. Fortifying Light!¡± Megan casted. This time a luminescent bubble formed around Drake and Tom, filling with rays of bright light before popping. [You have been affected by beneficial magic] [50% Increase in Stamina Regeneration for 4 Minutes and 53 Seconds] [25% Increase in Vitality and Mana Regeneration for 4 Minutes and 53 Seconds] Drake whistled, ¡°Wow, now that¡¯s a buff. Is it just me or are buffer sses ridiculously strong¡­¡± Drake mused. Next to Drake Tom roared again, raising his shield high into the air. His triumphant shout onlysted a few moments before Drake pulled him back again forced to drag him to the group as he took care of the Ants for the duration of the spell. When Drake finished, he walked back to the group, looking down at the sitting Tom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Tom said in a mumble. Drake sighed, ¡°It¡¯s alright, you''re still getting used to it,¡± heughed, ¡°We have to get it right so just work on it bit by bit.¡± Tom nodded seriously, getting to his feet before walking back over to the oing wave of Ants. ¡°You¡¯re being surprisingly nice,¡± Chelsea said. ¡°I¡¯m always nice, what are you talking about?¡± Drake replied. Drake turned around, finding several pairs of skeptical gazes pointed in his direction. ¡°What? I¡¯m nice!¡± he said again, unable to hold back his smile, ¡°Never mind that. ire, are you ready?¡± ire moved forward from the rest of the group, her face puffed up into a pout,¡± Finally addressing me¡­? Aren¡¯t I supposed to be your girlfriend¡­¡± she huffed, turning her head. ¡°Haha¡­.¡± Drakeughed wryly, ¡°The spell please,¡± he asked. She gave him a cold re but began chanting her spell. ire¡¯s new spell was one that affected water magic. Somewhat the same as her other buff did so to lightning. It was niche and only benefited one elemental type at a time. And from what she had told Drake, the cooldown and cost were simr to her Storm Caller¡¯s Rising. ¡°Let my voice rouse the tides, hear the storm that brews deep within my heart!¡± ire hummed, a blue magic circle forming underneath her, ¡°Let the waves crash against the world like all of her fury! Let us be your tools that flood the earth!¡± she continued the rumbling of the spell reaching a fever pitch as water began to surface from the ground ebbing out of the magic circle around her feet, ¡°Tempest¡¯s Beckoning!¡± ire finished her incantation the sound of waves roaring against the coast sounding as the magic circle beneath her vanished. She stood triumphantly, but shakily, a smile on her face. A far cry to the girl who first copsed performing her first spell on the rampart just a few weeks ago. [You have been affected by beneficial magic] [All water-affiliated magic and spells will deal 100% more damage for the next 2 minutes] [All water-affiliated magic and spells will have their cost reduced by 50% for the next two minutes] [All water-affiliated magic and spells will regenerate 1% of mana cost on kill] Drake smiled, snapping his mask back into ce. Putting his hand on Tom¡¯s shoulder as he pulled him back behind him. ¡°Can¡¯t let this buff go to waste. Don¡¯t worry I got this one, Tom,¡± Drake said, cracking his knuckles and turning over his shoulder to ire, ¡°Knew I could count on my girl for the big finale,¡± he smiled. ire turned her head, still upset, but she couldn¡¯t hide the small shade of red from her ears that poked out from her dirty blonde hair. Drake turned back to the monsters that were ever present even with them reducing their ways of replenishing their numbers. ¡°ytime is over! Time to clear the board!¡± Drake pped his hands together a shard of ice forming in between them. He threw the shard into the air crushing it with another p of his hands, his hair and tattoos cascading over to white. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Single! Ice!¡± Drake roared, changing to his endowment to boost his magic damage further. Spreading both his hands forward Drake¡¯s eyes turned fierce. ¡°Hunt!¡± Instantly ten instances of blue magic circles formed in front of Drake, each one forming a ball of water that shifted into a jagged tooth. ¡°La¡± Drake shouted loudly, the teeth rippling with power as he infused more and more mana into them, each one bing a small torrent of power, ¡°Gota!¡± Finishing the chant, the spells fired off small serrated rockets in water form, tearing and slicing through every ant in their wake, slowly drenching the entire area around them. The water spells even went as far as to reach thest Hive entrance in the distance. Drake continued to fire off the spell one after another relentlessly as his mana continued to replenish with each tens of kills, eventually stacking to hundreds. When Drake saw the entire field was soaked, and water began to pool around the ants that were spared and the new ones that began to run out of the entrance to replenish their numbers, he ced his rings into his inventory, a sleek wooden staff recing them in his hands. Drake willed the magic circles to converge, forming arger ball of water. Pointing his staff forward he chanted again. ¡°Cascada.¡± The ball rippled and frothed the water shimmering with a faint green light as he dumped his replenished stores of mana into the spell. The ball of water roaring forward through the army of Ants before it, swallowing up anything and everything in its wake before it reached the center of the battlement. ¡°Burst.¡± The spell exploded in a cascading ripple of thunderous booms, the water flying out in sharp pointed needles that pierced everything in its surroundings, once again covering the field in water. A trail of water led back to Drake¡¯s feet. Most of the ants on the surface had died, and notifications flooded his peripheral but he wasn¡¯t done yet. He needed to wipe out every single one on the surface so they could begin their assault on the hive below. Drake kneeled touching the trail, a snow white magic circle forming on the tip of his index finger. ¡°Ice Age,¡± Drake whispered, his finger touching the water as it instantly froze, spreading out onto the field in front of him covering everything that was touched by water into a frozen statue of ice. The frost continued to spread immediately killing and freezing every ant in ce. The ground bing a slick reflective sheet of ss. The only imperfections, the ants frozen in time on the surface. The ice continued forward to the Hive Entrance freezing the ground then shooting upwards covering it with a door of thick ice. Drake stood, taking in his handiwork for only a moment. Throwing the end of staff into the line of ice below him shouted once more. ¡°Shatter!¡± A crack shot out from the impact, spreading out like a spiderweb on the ss-like surface until it covered every inch of the ice he had just made. Then with a snap of Drake¡¯s fingers, the ice shattered into pieces, bing small specs of snow. Converting the remnants of the Ants in flecks of white on the ground. [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller Level 22] [40 Free Stats have been awarded] [Title Awarded: Incectocide] ¡°Really? You couldn¡¯t have done that before putting me through an entire day of getting insect goo all over me?!¡± Tom grumbled. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty: Cut Off Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty: Cut Off ¡°So what exactly was all that abuse I just went through for¡­?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Ohe on,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°That was hardly abuse.¡± ¡°I have bites in ces I didn¡¯t know I had! Not to mention insect juice!¡± Tom rebutted, throwing his arms into the air. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic, a little blood never hurt anyone,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Maybe for you¡­ But I¡¯m normal! I¡¯m not used to being covered in¡­ whatever this is¡­¡± Tommented. ¡°He does have a point there, bro,¡± Bjorn agreed. ¡°Are you calling me abnormal?¡± Drake asked, raising a brow. ¡°We¡¯re both freaks, don¡¯t even y,¡± Bjornughed, giving a chuckle. ¡°Ok, fair. But he''s a tank and he needs to get used to it. I was babying him during the Goblin Invasion, but the monsters are getting exponentially harder and numerous. Not just Tom but everyone needs to deal with it,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve been too protective of everyone¡­¡± ¡°Awe he really does care,¡± Chelsea snickered. ¡°Sure, I do,¡± Drake turned, telling Chelsea tly while looking into her eyes, ¡°Some more than others though,¡± he said smirking and looking over to ire. ¡°I-i¡­.¡± Chelsea tried to say, then frowned. Too far? Drake thought. ¡°I would think so, but she can notin. She knew from the start you and her were a long shot. I am still surprised you are even entertaining the other one,¡± Natto sighed. What do you mean? Drake asked, turning back and looking at the massive ice door that still blocked the Ant¡¯sst Hive entrance. ¡°Well, for instance, do you even know the where abouts of where ire is on the outside? Once the tutorial is over she will be taken away from you and ced back to where she was previously, the same as you. Do you think a ss such as her would not be coveted, let alone safe?¡± Natto exined. Drake flinched. Ok, I see your point. But are you really telling me to not be attached to people I¡¯ve spent so much time with? Drake thought. ¡°Of course not, I know how sappy and soft you truly are Drake Wallen. Just do not be surprised if not everyone you hold dear will be here once the tutorial has ended. I just¡­.. I just hope you are prepared for the reality of the world.¡± I understand¡­. Thank you Natto, but that is what this whole thing is about, I¡¯m doing my best to prepare them all for it. ¡°But you can only do so much Drake, you must see that¡­¡± Drake paused, not wanting to really answer thest question. A touch on his shoulder pulling him out of his conversation with Natto. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ire asked, ¡°That was a pretty big spell you used earlier¡­¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. What about you, how are you feeling after using your new buff?¡± he asked. ire smirked back, ¡°A little tired, it does take half of my mana to cast, but looks like it was worth it.¡± Drake looked behind her, seeing Sherry, Hudson, and Amir still picking up the monster corpses and skill stones that peppered the ground around the area. ¡°Yeah, seems like it. AOE¡¯s always give me chills,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Chills?¡± ire asked. ¡°Back in the day when I used to y games, AOEin was the only way to do anything in my game of choice. Every time you would be on the brink of dying, only a sliver of health on every pull. Dying then didn¡¯t mean really dying like it does here, but still gave me a rush every time,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Did you used to y games a lot, Mr. Shot?¡± Harley asked. ¡°Yeah, I loved games. It¡¯s where I met a lot of my closest friends actually. In a game, everyone is from a different background, has different experiences, looks and sounds different. But that doesn¡¯t matter in the game, or at least it didn¡¯t used to. All that mattered was game skill, how well you could perform your task. And could you do it better than the other guy,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°I miss those guys. From back then¡­. Hope they''re doing alright.¡± A small pause in the conversation was filled by a slightly depressing feeling as Drake looked down reminiscing for a moment, before pulling out a ck die from his inventory. ¡°Well enough being worried about those two, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re fine. Game like system like this, they probably have all Legendary skills and are breezing through their tutorials. Now, what weapon are we going to get?¡± [Quest Complete! Subjugated 500 of 500 Tyrant Ant Reapers [F Rank] [ept Rewards?] [Yes/No] [Experience Earned, 1,200,000 TP Earned] [Please roll for Weapon Rarity] Drake rolled the die in his hand, the ss-like surface cool and smooth on his fingertips. Throwing it out the die bounced against the ground eventually tumbling into the ice door that held the Ants at bay, their chittering and scratching behind it doing little to break the thick sheet. THe die rolled back, stopping on 10. ¡°Damn, was really hoping for a 20¡­.¡± Drake cursed, clicking his tongue. ¡°You do know 20 is hard to get right?¡± Chelsea said incredulously. ¡°Always aim high. Dream big or don¡¯t dream, I say!¡± Drake scoffed, picking up the die, a staff dropping to the ground out of a mote of light. ¡°Damn, I already have a staff. And this one is only umon¡­¡± Drake sighed, stowing it away. ¡°So what now?¡± Julia asked, looking at the door with the rest of the group. ¡°Well, honestly?¡± Drake said, still looking at the Ants behind the ice door, ¡°I¡¯m surprised the Guardian isn¡¯t breaking through the door for one¡­. And,¡± Drake looked over his shoulder to Bjorn, ¡°We still haven¡¯t seen the big bad boss since the first time we came here. Which is really starting to bother me.¡± ¡°So? We going in?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to, but I don¡¯t think everyone is ready yet. And there are still variants that we haven¡¯t faced yet inside I¡¯m sure,¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Well, are we safer with you or out here?¡± Megan asked. ¡°Good question,¡± Drake sighed. Tapping on the ice door with his finger absentmindedly. Drake took a moment looking at the remaining time they had left. [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 41 days 13 hours 45 minutes 12 seconds] We have a decent amount of time still, but the Prince Quest is what is bothering me¡­ Drake thought. ¡°I advise against bringing anyone not beneficial or necessary inside with you then. As you have said there could still be powerful variants within still that they are holding in reserve,¡± Natto exined. You think they are smart enough to trap us? Drake asked, surprised. ¡°I know they are. You are dealing with monsters that are close to breaking through to E-Rank if not already there. The difference from F to E is not something only quantifiable in stats. Race passives increase, intelligence, skills even, depending on your race¡¯s purity,¡± Natto warned. And you didn¡¯t want to tell me this earlier? ¡°I did! Did I not warn you to kill that oaf?¡± Is that even the same? ¡°Of course it is! The Titan race is one of the primordial races, meaning it is of the highest order, just like the others! Changing to one will have effects on that person and their abilities beyond what you can imagine. I implore you Drake, this is not the same as the King.¡± Drake pursed his lips, thinking on the warning. Do you think I can at least escape an E-Rank? And there¡¯s still no guarantee that they have even ranked up. Shouldn¡¯t there be a quest or something for stuff like that? Drake asked. ¡°For Mana vessels yes there is. But for Monsters, they work on an entirely different system and can forego that all together. All a Monster requires is experience,¡± Natto exined. So it''s like an anime power up? Instant huh¡­ Well, that¡¯s a little unfair¡­ Drake grumbled. ¡°That is a horrible analogy, but yes it is instant. If a monster was to gain enough experience while you were inside the Hive, I fear you would stand no chance, even at your current status. And the rest of your so-called party? They would be wiped out, Drake,¡± Natto said tly. ¡°Then there¡¯s only one thing to do then,¡± Drake said, sighing. Drake ced his whole hand onto the door this time, melting a small doorway into it, before stepping through quickly. Then filling it back up instantly, ¡°Guess we¡¯re going it alone for now.¡±
¡°Drake! Drake?!¡± ire shouted, mming her fists onto the ice wall, ¡°What is he doing?! He said we were all going to go together!¡± ¡°He must have been talking to the little Miss¡­¡±¡± Bjorn suspected, ¡°She must have told him it was too dangerous, so he decided to go in by himself to see if she was right.¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t you just break the door down?!¡± ire shouted at him. ¡°I could but what good would that do?¡± Bjorn said, crossing his arms, ¡°If he thinks that anyone here would be in danger if they followed him right now I¡¯d have to agree. Everyone besides him and I are still under level 20, most of you are not evenbat proficient sses. Wait,¡± Bjorn said, breaking from his exnation, ¡°Where¡¯s Theo?¡±
¡°Impact!¡± Drake roared, throwing a fist through an Ant¡¯s head, his other arm aimed behind it as a burst of air and ice shot out from thebination of magic circles, pelting the Ants in the tunnel. ¡°Still no Guardian¡­. Just runts¡­ And no new variants yet. Think we¡¯re in the clear?¡± Drake asked. ¡°You have not gone deep enough Drake, it has only been a few minutes. Do you really miss yourpanions that much?¡± Natto asked snickering. ¡°Oh you like our quality time alone that much? I didn¡¯t know you cared like that Natto,¡± Drake countered. ¡°If I could be rid of you I would¡­¡± Natto sighed. ¡°Aw don¡¯t be shy now, it¡¯s only us here!¡± Drake shouted, his voice echoing in the tunnel, before it was overtaken by the chittering of ants once more, ¡°Ok I lied, us and some insects, but close enough.¡± Drake leapt forward, summoning two disks of water on either side of him, using his wind endowment to speed himself up and wade his way through the massive clutter of ants, the spinning des doing their job of thinning the pack. A third blue magic circle formed at his feet, summoning water all around him blocking the insect stter as he went. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t think of this before. Now I don¡¯t worry about getting any on me,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°While I am sure you are impressed with yourself. We still have a problem,¡± Natto reminded. ¡°Problem? But things are going so smoothly. Oh¡­¡± Drake said, understanding her meaning. ¡°Exactly. It should be going anything but smoothly. I fear there is more to it than just a Variant Queen. This may have more surprises behind it than we are prepared to deal with. Again I advise you to give up¡­ But I know you will not,¡± she sighed. ¡°d we got that out of the way then. So, how far should I be going down?¡± Drake asked, stopping at an intersection of tunnels. Ants on every side of him, he still breathed easy. After such a long marathon of clearing out and then doing so again of the field above for the other Hive Entrances, these few minutes felt like a breeze. ¡°It is a bit annoying that I can¡¯t use fire though, love blowing stuff up¡­.¡± Drake grumbled, his water-like bubble shifting into another disk as he sent all three down different tunnels, slicing through Ants with ease as they went. Drake suddenly raised a brow. Feeling his spell cancel. ¡°That¡¯s new¡­.¡± Drake said in a low voice, his head turning to the right tunnel. ¡°Was your spell canceled?¡± Natto asked unsure as well. ¡°No, it felt like it was¡­. Absorbed?¡± Drake said, unsure himself. He quickly raised his arm, throwing another disk of water down the tunnel, only to feel the loss of his spell again, but this time hearing the impact of the disk. ¡°That can¡¯t be good¡­¡± Drake mumbled. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-One: That was unexpected…. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-One: That was unexpected¡­. Drake began chanting his defensive skills, preparing for the worse as something unknown was able to apparently absorb his magic. ¡°Is there any Ant variation you know of that can absorb magic?¡± Drake asked, his eyes shing to a deep blue as he tried to see anything down the dark tunnel. ¡°Not in F-Rank there is not. Even the most extreme variations will not begin to show nullification skills and abilities until muchter. It has to be an item!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°An item? Are you saying the Ants are using equipment? Could they be using the items from the Goblin¡¯s Hoard?¡± Drake wondered aloud. ¡°It is possible and the only way I can exin this with any hope of us getting out¡­. If it is anything but¡­¡± Natto said trailing off. ¡°What exactly?¡± ¡°It would have to be a C-Rank or higher monster. And that should not be possible. Not only that I am restricted from telling you anything if that is the case.¡± ¡°Great, so we¡¯re either safe because they¡¯re using an item. Or we¡¯re t-out dead. What wonderful options¡­.¡± Drake scoffed. The tunnels had stopped humming with the chittering of Ants suddenly. Giving Drake an eerie feeling that something was about to happen. ¡°Does it always have to be with the suspense?¡± Drake asked. Soon, as if on cue the sound of tapping rang through the mute tunnel. But it was different than what Drake would think of as normal walking, this sounded like multiple people or monsters. In the next moment, the monster came into view. Standing in front of Drake was a pitch-ck colored Ant, four small white dots on the crown of its head, and deep crimson eyes. The ant was standing on four legs, two arms crossing each other, regalia by golden jewelry. [Obiteron Trikk Level 29] ¡°Oh looks like royalty really does get the best stuff. Raid the whole treasury?¡± Drake scoffed. The Ant prince chirped in anguage Drake didn¡¯t understand. Then raised a hand as if asking him to follow. ¡°What the¡­ I¡¯m not sure what do to here. Any ideas Natto?¡± ¡°Do not follow it obviously¡­.¡± Natto sighed, ¡°The monster is higher level than you are by a fair amount. And apparently has equipment that can nullify half of your abilities as a mage! Do not be foo- Drake!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything,¡± Drake teased, stepping forward, then stopping and turning around, ¡°See? We are just going to- Ow! What the?¡± Drake shouted, rubbing his forehead as he felt himself bumping into something that was invisible. Drake looked down at the tuft of dirt that pucked up, hearing a familiar voice grunt. ¡°Theo?¡± Drake asked, raising a brow. Shimmering into view, Theodore bowed his head slightly, ¡°This one apologizes my Lord, but it would not be proper if thou went in alone¡­ This one does not wish to see my Lord continue to stand alone when this one can offer aid¡­¡± Drake reached out a hand offering to help Theodore up. ¡°It¡¯s alright Theo, I was just about to go back anyway,¡± Drake sighed, but couldn¡¯t help but smirk from the man¡¯s loyalty, ¡°Next time, just let me know where you are¡­ I could have killed you plenty of times by ident with some of those spells¡­¡± Drake said, shuddering. ¡°This one begs for forgiveness. And would also like to address, you dide close several times¡­¡± Theodore said, gulping loud enough for it to be heard. But before Drake could say something, the chittering of Ants began again. ¡°Well, looks like they¡¯re on the move again. Let¡¯s backtrack and get out of here¡­. How did they get behind us? There is only one tunnel down to this intersection!¡± Drake said in amazement, looking back down the tunnel. ¡°I do not know! They could have possibly burrowed in from another tunnel?¡± Natto replied hurriedly. Drake cursed, looking at the new variants he had been searching for down here. [Tyrant Ant Emulsor Level 23] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 1,000 Tyrant Ant Emulsors [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Key to the Royal Nursery] [Tyrant Ant Bombardier Level 20] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 500 Tyrant Ant Bombardiers [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Explosive Tyrant Sac x 100] [Tyrant Ant Foreman Level 22] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 250 Tyrant Ant Foremans [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Map of the Tyrant Queen¡¯s Hive] [Tyrant Ant me Spitter Level 25] [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 500 Tyrant Ant me Spitters [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Fire Skill Stone x5] ¡°They have a me Spitter? Don¡¯t they all have those oil sacs? What makes them so-¡± Drake tried to joke, before he pulled Theodore up forcefully, throwing him behind him as he made a wall of Earth in front of him, blocking the iing st of fire that was just thrown at them. The Ants came out in full force from behind Drake, unwilling to let him pass or exit. He was able to keep his wall solid as the mes zed against it, reinfusing mana into the wall to keep it from melting. In the brief moment the mes stopped, Drake peered past his glowing red hot wall to see thest hulking figure he was also curious about finding. [Tyrant Ant Guardian Level 28] ¡°Oh, now he decides to show up¡­. They really pulled out all the stops on this one,¡± Drake sneered, before he was forced to pull back his head again, unable to move because of his need to protect Theodore. Drake cursed suddenly feeling movement in his aura sense. The ants were charging him and Theodore. ¡°Time to wave a big gun around and shoot in the dark!¡± Drake shouted, trying his best to pinpoint the monsters through his aura. Throwing his free hand out to the side, he summoned five blue magic circles, water trying to form from them only to evaporate from the me¡¯s heat. ¡°Fucking damn it!¡± Drake cursed again, condensing the circles into one forcing his Water Endowment out, ¡°Heretical Endowment Single! Water!¡± Drake roared, his hand pointing outward again now that he had gotten his Endowment. ¡°Mizu no kyoku! Ni no kata!¡± Drake roared, a dense ball of water swirling at the end of his hand, flecks of green sparkling in the dark of the tunnel against the light of the fierce mes, ¡°Mizu Guruma!¡± Drake pushed a significant amount of mana into the spell, using his regeneration to enforce it even more, then arced his hand from right to left. shing with all his might as the spell shot forward, extending and carving a line into the walls of the tunnel and cutting through everything. The spell sliced deep into the walls of the hive, through the fire, and through Drake¡¯s own earthen wall, but also cut through all of the iing Ants. Normally this would be a good thing but this time around it ended in horror. Instantly as Drake received kill notifications the deafening sounds of explosions rang out throughout the tunnel, the walls beginning to rumble. ¡°Fuck! Great thinking Drake, kill the monsters that have Bombardier in their names!¡± Drake cursed, scooping up Theodore by the arms as he changed his Lightning Endowment then bolting down the tunnel the Ant Prince had beckoned him down before. The tunnel copsing quickly behind him.
¡°What was that?!¡± Megan shouted. Trying to keep her bnce against the shaking ground. The other members of the party also doing their best to keep themselves upright, the sudden trembling ground surprising them all. ¡°We need to get back to the fortress!¡± Bjorn shouted. ¡°What about Drake!¡± ire yelled. ¡°And we still don¡¯t know where Theo is!¡± Harely added, pleading with Bjorn. ¡°We don¡¯t want to be here right now, we just have to trust Theo is with Shot, and they can take care of themselves right now. I don¡¯t know what is going on right now! Get moving!¡± Bjorn shouted, ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice!¡± he yelled, gritting his teeth. ¡°Dang it! That idjit better be fine, or our meal ticket is punched!¡± Hudson shouted, running for the fortress. ¡°Yeah! He promised to make some good food when we get out of here! Dude better pay up!¡± Sherry grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re damned worried about?¡± Hudson said incredulously over his shoulder, ¡°I meant that man is the only one keeping us alive, you damned little garbage disposal!¡± ¡°Yeah with his food dude! It¡¯s corrted!¡± Sherry snapped back. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the time to be arguing over that!¡± Amir stammered as he ran with all his strength. ¡°Everyone just run, I won¡¯t let anything happen to any of you! We need to regroup on solid ground then we can figure out what''s going on and how to find Theo and Shot,¡± Bjorn yelled, picking up the slow Sherry in a fireman¡¯s carry. The party sprinted for the fortress that was made in the distance, the ground behind them as well as the towering Hive beginning to copse with the numerous booms sounding beneath the ground.
Drake stopped, the copsing tunnel behind them finally finished barreling down. Letting Theodore down on the ground, he heaved a sigh. ¡°So much for getting out¡­. You think they nned that?¡± Drake asked. ¡°If not them, then who?¡± Natto replied. ¡°The enemies this time art using unusual tactics to thwart us,¡± Theodore nodded, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. ¡°Unusual to say the least. I¡¯m sure they can rebuild tunnels, but I never expected them to throw kamikaze-type monsters at us,¡± Drake cursed. ¡°What shalleth we do now, my Lord?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Only one direction to go. Guess we walk down the yellow brick road?¡± Drake said evenly, beginning to walk forward down the tunnel. ¡°That was an awful joke,¡± Natto sighed. I tried. More importantly, I think we might be in for some real trouble here if we have to worry about ambushes from behind and wherever else these Ants can dig from¡­ Coming in here might have been a bad idea¡­ Drake sighed, switching his endowment back to water. ¡°You are just realizing this now? How many times did I warn you!¡± Natto screamed. I said might, not that it is. We still haven¡¯t died yet. So it¡¯s a win. ¡°Dying and not dying are not the only two options here! That is a horrible way to think about it!¡± Drake shrugged. Yeah, but it''s the most simple. Drake and Theodore remained on their toes walking down the tunnel. Drake made sure to keep his Magic Sight peeled for anything that might being at them in the dark almost pitch-ck tunnel. He didn¡¯t want to illuminate them so as not to give themselves away, so he relied on his skill and aura sense to guide them. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any Ants so far since we started walking¡­¡± Drake mused. ¡°It is quite peculiar indeed,¡± Theodore agreed. ¡°How you doing on mana Theo? Good on potions?¡± Drake asked over his shoulder. ¡°This one has adequate resources, my Lord. No need for rm,¡± he replied. ¡°Good, we might be down here for a while¡­ I¡¯m going to hopefully assume the Ants made another exit somewhere, so we just need to walk around until we find it¡­¡± Drake said, continuing to scan the tunnel as they moved forward. Several minutes passed of the pair walking forward, eventually finding bends and turns in the tunnel, until they suddenlye upon a dim light at the end. ¡°Oh? Did we find it already? And we don¡¯t even have a luck stat to help us I¡¯d say we¡¯re-¡± Drake began saying then paused as he whistled looking at what was causing the light. Out in front of them was the opening to arge cave, the walls covered in glowing stones. On the floor thousands and thousands of ants meandering in and out of tunnels parting only for the exits and the dirt columns that were supporting the cave. The columns were extensive and wide, holes sporting the sides from bottom to the top antsing and going just as frequently as the exits to the cave. ¡°This is bigger than I thought¡­. It¡¯s like a goddamn city down here..¡± Drake whistled. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Two: The need to be King Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Two: The need to be King ¡°Your Majesty, do you think it wise to allow the human into the nest?¡± chittered the attending guard. Walking up one of the columns of the cave, Prince Obiteron, fiddled with a gold pendant around his neck. ¡°It is the only option I have left to outperform my brothers. There is no other way,¡± he chittered back, continuing to walk, several more Royal Knights falling into line with the entourage. ¡°But.. it will be the end of the nest! Surely you have seen the destruction that lone human has caused the Hive?! Is bing King above your brothers worth destroying the entire kingdom we have built up despite being transported here?!¡± the attendant pleaded. With a snap, the attendant was pinned to the wall, a pitch-ck hand pressing him against it. The prince looked into the ck eyes of his attendant. ¡°Yes,¡± Obiteron hissed, only one emotion in his crimson eyes. Ambition. ¡ª----------- ¡°Sire!¡± shouted a Royal Knight, skittering into the chamber, bowing before an ostentatious throne. ¡°Speak,¡± said the 2nd Prince. Bulkier than his brothers, he toted spindly like muscles under his chitin armor, so much so it bent the callous armor to form around them. Braxor Trikk, the second prince, but the most likely to ascend to the throne of the Hive through his sheer power andmand of the Hive. ¡°The human that has been decimating our forces on the surface has just infiltrated the Hive entrance. We have lost track of him in the tunnel copse caused by the 3rd prince, sir!¡± the knight reported. Stepping off the throne, the ground cracked under the weight of his mighty body. Braxor patted the slightly nervous Royal Knight on the shoulder. Every Prince was assigned six Royal Knights to serve them, and Braxor was no different. ¡°I see,¡± he said in a deep chitter, ¡°What is my little brother up to now? Bringing such an opponent into the Hive¡­ is he so desperate to usurp the throne from me he would use that filthy walking abomination as a tool?¡± he thought aloud, still holding the Knight¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There is something else you should be informed of your Majesty¡­¡± the Knight added. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The human has been spotted in the tunnel leading to the main chamber before the copse-¡± the knight reported, only to hear the crunching of his shoulder under the Prince¡¯s grip suddenly. ¡°Ready yourselves,¡± announced Braxor, ¡°My brother¡¯s games have gone too far this time.¡± ¡ª---------------------- ¡°Haha! So the human is in the main chamber now? Sounds like a fun time¡­.¡± Rasha, the first Prince chittered, letting a skull of an animal fall from his hand as he satzily on his throne. ¡°Prince! Your Majesty¡­ This is noughing matter! This human is dangerous!¡± a Royal Knight informed. ¡°Dangerous? Because he can kill a few of the footmen you¡¯re saying he''s strong? He¡¯s just a puny single human, fleshy skin, only two hands, two feet, two stupid eyes. How could he be more dangerous than I?¡± Rasha said, sneering back at the Knight. ¡°B-but even so. If he is no match for the Prince, the Hive is still in danger! The man single handedly-¡± Rasha rushed forward, grabbing both mandibles of the Knight, stopping him from speaking. ¡°He¡¯s not stronger than I am, so it doesn¡¯t matter. Right?¡± Rasha said in a hushed chirp. ¡°N-n-no, He pales in cparison to the P-prince!¡± Rasha snapped one of the mandibles off of the knight, throwing it down to the ground as the Knight dropped to the floor in pain. ¡°Good, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± Rasha walked to the end of the chamber, ¡°Get your lousy asses ready, I¡¯m in a bad mood, now. let¡¯s go have some fun¡­¡± ¡ª------- ¡°Ackchoo!¡± Drake sneezed, sitting up against a wall of earth he had made to close the tunnel, leaving a small crack for air at the top. ¡°What is the matter, my Lord? Doth, thou have a sickness? Can my Lord even acquire sickness¡­?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Not sure¡­ Maybe someone is talking about me? Probably Jacqueline¡­ Actually, it''s almost dinner. So it¡¯s probably Sherry¡­¡± Drake said, shivering slightly. Natto sighed next to Drake, spooning the little amount of food she had been given into her mouth. ¡°Why is this portion as pitiful as you are?¡± she asked. ¡°That was uncalled for,¡± Drake smiled, rolling the ck die in his hand, ¡°We don¡¯t know how long we are going to be down here, have to ration.¡± ¡°Why do you not just build upwards and create your own exit?¡± Natto said, putting the spoon into her mouth once more. ¡°Well,¡± Drake started, throwing the die against the wall, ¡°For starters, I don¡¯t know anything about structural integrity, so I have no idea if anything is going to copse again if I try.¡± Drake waited for the die to settle, clicking his tongue when it turned up a 5. A ss-like stone dropped from a sh of light that illuminated the closed tunnel they were currently in. ¡°Fuck another dud¡­ Three more roles to go¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°And also the Ants are better tunnelers than I am. The amount of Mana it takes for me to move earth that I don¡¯t create is sorge I would exhaust myself instantly. Not to mention that because they are also making tunnels, we don¡¯t know when or where we might run into them.¡± ¡°This one sees your point my Lord, but dare this one ask just what art we doing staying in a singr location then?¡± Theodore asked, ¡°Will it not just be a matter of time before our quarry finds us?¡± ¡°True!¡± Drake agreed, ¡°But, if we are here, where I can tell better where they can attack from, it bes more defensible and that¡¯s more important right now,¡± Drake exined, ¡°I also want to roll for the Guardian Quest I just finished if I¡¯m really really lucky¡­.¡± Drake said, pulling the die back to his hand with a wind spell by creating a vacuum in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll get something good maybe¡­¡± Drake sighed, throwing the die again. ¡°That does not answer this one¡¯s query, my Lord¡­. Why must we be in a defensible position?¡± Theodore asked again. The die bounced, tapping against the stone of the floor and eventually the wall, tumbling to a stop at 1, another sh brightening the dark tunnel. The light revealing Drake¡¯s face, bent down into a frown. ¡°Because I¡¯m not sure if I can protect you if we go out into the open¡­ I already almost killed you in the tunnel. And with everything, I¡¯m not sure if they have more variants that could possibly see through your concealment skill. I don¡¯t want to risk your life because I can go on a rampage,¡± Drake said, gripping the die before tossing it at his feet once more for the final roll, ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a preventable mistake¡­.again.¡± It had been weeks since Theodore had been taken hostage by Stewart, but the memory of it, and then the same thing happening again to ire under his watch still burned the image of both deep in his mind. Drake wouldn¡¯t allow it to happen again if he could help it. If that meant staying in a hole for a little bit, and wing their way out bit by bit or waiting until he was able to inch his way towards a higher level. Or theirst resort, waiting out the tutorial timer. He was prepared to do so. His party on the surface was safe, he knew that. Bjorn would keep them safe until the tutorial ended. And they had enough food tost until the end even without rationing. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Theodore said in a hushed tone, ¡°Such events were not thous fault. Such a monster. No one except the creator themself could have foreseen it. Please do not trouble thouself with such guilt. This one chose to follow my Lord no matter what may happen, and regardless of happenstance.¡± Drake sighed, looking at thest roll. Another dud. Picking up the die and stone, he walked over, extending his hand to Theodore. ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Theodore¡­ But I can get behind that,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°This one would have it no other way,¡± Theodore smiled back. They both grinned in mutual understanding in the dark only the faint glow of crystals from the main cavern peeking in through the air hole crack illuminating them. The sound of crunching broke up the moment, both turning their heads to a scowling Natto. ¡°You two were made for each other¡­ I am truly on the edge of my seat as to what will happen next¡­.¡± she said as she chewed her food, slurping another bite from her spoon. ¡°Aweeee missing out on the touching moment Natto?¡± Drake said walking over to her. ¡°What are you doing? No, do not touch me!¡± she shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t be shye here for a, nice, big, hug!¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Cease! You still reek of insect filth!!!¡± she screamed trying to push herself away from Drake. Their moment was broken abruptly as the wall Drake had put up began to crack, his head snapping to the wall as his arms glowed in ethereal blue. Drake instantly shot forward grabbing Theodore, his endowment changing his hair to a deep orange glow. The wall began to crumble a pitch-ck ant of stature uparable to the previous ones on the other side, its crimson eyes locking onto Drake. ¡°Fuck.¡± [Braxor Trikk Level 29] The Prince¡¯s mandibles chittered as it rang throughout the tunnel, its arm tearing at the walls. He¡¯s trying to take down the tunnel! Drake cursed. Drake quickly parsed his only option. Shooting forward he ced a carrier bubble made of wind around Theodore, Natto having just enough time to infuse herself into Drake¡¯s body, her utensils and food dropping to the floor. Drake rocketed forward trying to grab the Prince¡¯s arm that was gripping the wall, but the Prince was fast. At least faster than Drake was currently without his endowment. Flying past the Prince that dodged his grip, Drake whistled, instantly seeing the entourage around him. [Nibyu Kikk Level 29] [Vimyr Kikk Level 29] [Uucyu Kikk Level 29] ¡­. .. . [New Subjugation Quest! Subjugate 18 Royal Knight Tyrant Ants [F-Rank] [Reward: Experience, TP, Rare Weapon of your choice] Suddenly out of the tunnel and careening for the base of the cavern Drake spotted several Royal Knights, but no other new variants. He was halfway tonding before another Ant stopped in front of him, its mandibles spread wide as it chittered loudly. Drake¡¯s eyes widened as the monster appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He having no time to register the blip on his aura sense. [Rasha Trikk Level 29] Scowling, Drake flexed his aura, the monster flinching under the increased pressure from his Tyrannical Aura and the titles that boosted its effects. ¡°Hold on tight Theo!¡± Drake shouted, his hair turning to ck, as he flipped 180 degrees around to grab Theodore in a fireman''s carry, the wind bubble disappearing. In its ce a bolt of lightning shot out, aimed right at the Prince. The bolt flew forward crackling with power as it traveled the short distance towards its head before the spell suddenly vanished, another Ant appearing in front of Rasha. [Obiteron Trikk Level 29] ¡°Where the fuck did youe from?!¡± Drake shouted, but didn¡¯t stop his n, another magic circle of bright yellow formed as a bolt manifested and vanished, Drake¡¯s hair shimmering to the same brilliant color, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, smell yater!¡± Drake flexed his aura again, expecting Obiteron to freeze as well, but was unfortunately surprised when the monster cked its mandibles together, almost sneering, and reached forward for Drake. ¡°Does this fucker have an item for everything?!¡± Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Not all is right at home. Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Not all is right at home. Drake shouted, throwing Theodore into the air above them, ¡°Hang on Theo! It¡¯s going to get bumpy!¡± The instant that Drake pulled Theodore in and released him upwards, he stepped under the Ant Prince¡¯s reaching limb. ¡°M-my Lord!?!?!¡± Theodore screamed. Obiteron¡¯s crimson eyes widened as Drake stepped in pulling the monster over his shoulder, a brown magic circle forming on the ground adjacent to them. Drake summoned a spike of ck earth to form on the spot he was going to throw the Prince, his goal to impale the monster. Obiteron couldn¡¯t resist Drake¡¯s current strength as he might, flipping over Drake¡¯s shoulder and just moments from being skewered. But Drake wasn¡¯t only against one opponent. In the next second Braxor moved, his fist smashing the spike at the base. ¡°Fucking Ant¡­¡± Drake cursed, clicking his tongue. Drake instantly switched it up, forcing the earth down into a pool of mud, Obiteron still careening for the same position. But now the Ant Prince sunk into the floor with a ssh. A me sparked in the next moment, Drake throwing his fist forward at the gaping Braxor, his focus on the floor where the other Prince had just been thrown. That instant gave Drake just enough time. Punching through the me, Drake¡¯s endowment switched again, his arm and hair switching to a crimson red that lit up the dim surroundings. ¡°Marked!¡± In thest second before impact, Braxor came to his senses, putting up his guard but only barely before Drake¡¯s Martial Skill-enhanced fist collided with him. The impact sounded throughout the cavern and Braxor¡¯s thick chitin arms cracked and splintered as he was thrown backwards. ¡°Tough bastard,¡± Drake grumbled. Rasha had finallye out of his intimidation, a chittering howl sounding from his maw, as he lowered his stance and rushed Drake from behind. Feeling the movement with his aura, Drake dropped to the ground, dodging the Ant¡¯s extended arms. Drake¡¯s legs extended as he swept the monster from beneath, tumbling the Prince into the mud with his brother. The next moment Drake summoned another brown magic circle at his feet as he bent his legs from his sweeping position. ¡°You know, there is such a thing as too many people at a party,¡± Drake sneered, the earth magic below him forming and pushing him upward toward Theodore. Drake quickly grabbed Theo, forming a ball of wind around the man once more, another spell of wind forming a gust as Drake and Theo shot off for the other end of the room with a boom. The three Princes hissed and shouted back into the air, but Drake had already left the area.
¡°You imbeciles! Your jokes and plots have gone too far this time!¡± Braxor cked as he walked forward, tending his shattered arms. Obiteron and Rasha pulled themselves from the pool of mud. Obiteron¡¯s expression was even and unperturbed now, ¡°I have not the slightest idea what you are speaking of, Brother.¡± Braxor snapped his mandibles together in anger, ¡°Do not y me for a fool! I know you led him to the Hive! Are you so desperate for the throne you would condemn the entire colony?¡± Obiteron scoffed, wiping the mud from his body and trinkets, ¡°As I said, I have not the slightest clue of which you speak. Was it not Rasha who met them but a few weeks ago on the surface? Perhaps they simply followed him here after you chose not to deal with them.¡± ¡°What did you say, weakling¡­?¡± Rasha hissed, ¡°Are you saying it was my fault? If you two hadn''t gotten in my way that filthy flesh-ridden human would be dead!¡± ¡°Oh? Is that why you were knocked on your thorax? Because you were doing so spectacrly? If I hadn¡¯t intervened you would be nothing but ichor on the floor¡­. Brother,¡± Obiteron chirped. ¡°You think a waste of arvae like you, who is only as good as the filthy trinkets you took from the hall, could ever help me?!¡± Rasha walked forward still covered in dirt, and gripped Obiteron by the golden ne that adorned his neck andughed. ¡°Take away your trinkets and what are you? Weak! You should be ashamed to call yourself a Prince of Tyrant Ants!¡± he spat. ¡°Enough!¡± Braxor roared, ¡°The human is stronger than I thought¡­ He will be a problem if he is allowed to rampage through the Hive. We will assign meter. Unless you both wish to be ruling a broken colony!¡± Rasha released the ne with a scoff, jumping in the direction Drake had run, his Royal Guards following suit. Braxor waved a guard to him, ¡°Get the knights and the trackers. Find them. They can¡¯t hide his disgusting pheromones in our home.¡± The guard nodded and moved towards another tunnel exit, the royal knights following as more and more ants gathered around them. ¡°You and I, Brother, are going to have a long talk after this is over,¡± Braxor sneered, turning to follow his knights. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way, Brother¡­¡± Obiteron chirped back. Once Braxor left, a knight from Obiteron¡¯s guard walked forward. ¡°What would you like us to do, your Majesty?¡± ¡°Do as we nned. I showed us fighting the intruder, now, we must use him to our advantage¡­¡±
Drake was still using his wind magic to propel Theodore and himself through the air, trying to reach the opposite end of the cavern as fast as possible. Below him, the skittering of Ants still sounded as he saw movement constantly. They had obviously been alerted to him and began turning and following. More and more ants beginning to gather, forming a horde below. Even some began to pour out of the columns that supported the cavern. ¡°This is a bit of a pickle,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°M-my Lord! Allow us to pause in our escape so that this one may conceal us!¡± Theodore screamed over the blistering wind. ¡°Oh! Good idea!¡± Drake agreed. Looking down Drake canceled his fire endowment, switching to water for the regeneration. Summoning a handful of orange magic circles Drake smirked under his mask. ¡°Time to sow some chaos.¡± The circles fully formed as droplets of red hot glistening magma began to drip from them as Drake continued to propel forward. Huge bombs of liquid fire rained down on the gathering Ant horde below them kicking up dirt and instantly bursting the Ants to mes. ¡°We don¡¯t want to leave a trail¡­Do we think that they need so many columns? They can go without one right?¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Do not dare! You said yourself the ce might copse again!¡± Natto screamed. ¡°That was then, this is now. Before we didn¡¯t have three high-level monsters on our tushies. Besides we aren¡¯t staying here, we have to find the treasure room, or at least another ce where they aren¡¯t!¡± Drake slipped his rings into his inventory, Morning Glory shimmering into existence in front of him. Pointing his staff towards a pir in the opposite direction they were going, he began casting. ¡°Bring down the house!¡± Drake smiled, a me forming in front of him, quickly changing colors as it flickered from red, to blue, to white. ¡°Howitzer,¡± a brown magic circleing into existence, forming a jet-ck barrel of earth around the condensing me, a green-tinged magic circle then shing into ce behind the me at the end of the barrel. ¡°Impact!¡± Drake roared, finishing the spell, as it fired, the me bullet pushed through the barrel, melting it as it went screeching forward towards its target. The force of the recoil more powerful than Drake could have expected, flinging both him and Theodore backward. His Magma magic circles were barely able to keep up as they wereunched toward the cavern¡¯s wall. A thunderous boom pierced through the noise of the cavern as the spell ripped from the barrel, a secondter mming into the column. At the moment of impact, an explosion sounded with an earth-shattering pitch deafening the surroundings as the column broke apart in the explosion, tumbling and breaking apart at the point of contact. The column broke and snapped from its support tumbling down to the ground inrge pieces, crushing whatever was underneath it without discrimination or care. Drake and Theodore pushed with such force, Drake struggled to orient themselves, having to suddenly cancel his magma spells, forming wind spells around them, to slow and cushion their impact. The wall quickly encroached on them as they sped forward Drake gritting his teeth. Instead of slowing, changing to shoot forward in front of Theodore, orienting his feet to the wall. ¡°Legs! I know you haven¡¯t liked me recently, but don¡¯t break damn it!¡± Drake shouted, his hair switching to a fierce orange. Drake braced for impact, his legs almost buckling as he hit the wall perpendicrly. But he didn¡¯t have time to care about the pain or if he had shattered every bone in his legs. His head shot upward seeing Theodore flying towards him. Drake aimed his staff upward, summoning a pir of water to cushion Theodore''snding. Stowing his staff, Drake raised both arms. Theodore screamed loudly as he tumbled into the pir of water, slowing down anding out the other end, right into Drake¡¯s arms in a princess carry. Drake chuckled his legs stuck in the wall. ¡°That was fun. Wanna go again?¡± ¡°M-my¡­.¡± Theodore tried to say, then coughed up a mouthful of water. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no,¡± Drakeughed, pulling his feet from the wall with some effort and pain as they fell to the ground. Drake again used his wind magic to cushion their fall, pulling a health potion from his inventory, and downing it in one gulp. ¡°Fuck I pulled one not made by Bjorn¡­ I really wanted the grapefruit-tasting one, bleh¡­¡± Drake said, sticking out his tongue. Theodore righted himself, still soaking wet and coughing up water. Drake watched and spread his aura making sure no one was following them for now as he waited for his broken legs to heal. Once Theodore was done expelling the water, he spared no time in concealing them with his spell. ¡°So hopefully this keeps us safe for a bit, I can feel the potion working on my legs but I need a few more minutes¡­. Can you use some illusions to get them off our trail Theo?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Certainly my Lord, but a moment,¡± Theodore nodded. ¡°My enemies see not the world through a lens of rity but as I make it. Breath of Nightmares,¡± Theodore chanted, tens of inky ck figures forming around them, slowly condensing into identical versions of Drake and Theodore. ¡°You know I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said this before but, you¡¯re taller than I am aren''t you, Theo¡­.¡± Drake said in a hushed grumble. ¡°Y-yes..? This one believes he is¡­?¡± Theodore answered, sending the illusions out in different directions. Drake clicked his tongue. ¡°Bastard¡­.¡± Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Four: This map isn’t helping…. Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Four: This map isn¡¯t helping¡­. Drake and Theodore were still stuck waiting for Drake¡¯s legs to slowly heal. Theodore offered to carry him but Drake refused. ¡°We should be fine for now, since you¡¯re concealing us,¡± Drake said in a hushed voice, ¡°It¡¯s open and we can tell where the Ants areing and going, letting us know if we''re in danger beforehand. If we went into a tunnel there¡¯s no telling if we were going to be ambushed¡­. I¡¯m not sure how they found us but somehow they tracked us to that tunnel, and my Aura sense can¡¯t prate the cave walls.¡± Drake sighed, and rubbed his itchy legs, the healing process was thankfully painless to a degree, but the sensationing back felt a lot like when your legs went to sleep. ¡°What is our n of attack, my Lord? Shalleth we scour the tunnels until we find our esteemed prize?¡± Theodore asked, his fingers tapping on his cane almost like he was ying on a keyboard. ¡°Ah,ah,ah,¡± Drake chided, waving his finger, then remembering he and Theo couldn¡¯t see each other. ¡°We have a map, remember?¡± Drake chuckled, pulling out the piece of paper, ¡°And what¡¯s with the hands, I can hear them from here? Are you nervous Theo?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Certainly not,¡± Theodore said, not ceasing, ¡°Tis but an effect of the skill. This one must control the puppets like a puller of strings. Please pay this one no mind.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s kind of cool¡­. Ok! So let¡¯s see what this map can¡­.Damn it..¡± Drake cursed, looking at the wall across from them on the other side of the cavern. ¡°Problem my Lord?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t know if the Ants built on top of where the Goblins put the hoard, moved it, or sunk it, but,¡± Drake pointed to the opposite wall, ¡°That is where the map says the treasure horde should be.¡± ¡°Then..?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Then, this map is fucking useless!¡± Drake scoffed, throwing the map back into his inventory. Crossing his arms and scowling out into the dimly lit cavern, Drake sighed, waiting for his recovery toplete. ¡°I guess we just have to do this the old fashioned way,¡± Drake hummed. ¡°What, might this one ask, is the old fashioned way?¡± Theodore asked.
¡°My Lord¡­. This is not what this one anticipated when thou stated he was going to take the old fashioned way¡­¡± Theodore sighed, obviously disappointed. ¡°What way did you think I meant Theo?¡± Drakeughed slightly, his left hand on the tunnel wall. ¡°This one expected¡­.. ck Magic, divination, or possibly another wondrous means of predicting our journey not¡­.¡± Theodore trailed off, walking behind Drake. ¡°Not what? Left hand on the maze¡¯s wall?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Hate to break it to ya Theo, I don¡¯t have unlimited skills or spells for things.¡± Drake and Theodore were now walking down a tunnel they found, hugging the left side as they followed the bends and twists of it, doing their best to avoid theing and going Ants that skittered to and fro throughout it. ¡°Man¡­ So much experience just passing by¡­ My gamer heart is aching!¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°You can kill them allter¡­ Remember if you alert them to where you are, you will be stuck in another skirmish with dear Theo exposed,¡± Natto reminded. I know, I know¡­ I was just hoping to let loose a bit more. I didn¡¯t get to really use everything in thatst fight. Maybe once we find the treasure room it will be more secure. And on that thought, how the fuck did the Ants move a whole what im assuming is a vault? Drake thought asking the begging question. ¡°I would assume they simply moved the earth. There are tens of thousands, if not more of these vermin. Ants on your can lift one hundred times their own body weight if I am not mistaken. It would not be surprising that a human sized ant would be able to do the same?¡± Then what was with the weak one earlier? I threw him like a paperweight, even if i was using my fire endowment. ¡°Abnormality?¡± Come on, abnormality? Things are considered rare because they are¡­. The chances of one of three princes being the ones who happen to be extra super weak? ¡°Then what are you proposing?¡± Drake grit his teeth, idently carving a chunk out of the wall as he gripped his hand too tightly. Fuck.. He cursed, sighing. I think he was holding back, like he wanted to look like I overwhelmed him. Drake thought, walking forward as he suddenly needed to take a left turn. ¡°Impossible. These monsters want to kill you, for what reason would one need to hold back?¡± Natto asked. That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know¡­ ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Theodore suddenly whispered, bringing Drake out of his conversation with Natto. ¡°Yeah?¡± Drake replied, turning out of habit but seeing nothing. ¡°We seem to have intruded on some sort of nursery,¡± Theodore whispered. ¡°A what?¡± Drake said confused, turning around again, ¡°Oh, would you look at that¡­.¡± Drake held back the urge to whistle in amazement. Covering every inch of the walls were eggs, Tyrant Ant Nursers tending to them here and there. In between every few rows of eggs, beasts that were once running about outside piled high. ¡°That exins the food shortage¡­ But aren¡¯t they also exhausting their food by doing this? They¡¯re going to run out eventually,¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Indeed. This one cannot fathom how they are replenishing their stores if everything on the outside haseth pushed to be bh dry,¡± Theodore agreed. ¡°Another thing to add to the long list of mysteries right now¡­ This sponsor is doing a real shit job of administering this tutorial,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Ah,¡± Theodore said in surprise. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This one just received a quest to stab my Lord. It doth not specify a reward¡­¡± Drake raised a brown and looked to the sky, raising a hand and a single finger. ¡°You think you¡¯re funny, prick? Better hope I don¡¯t catch you outside,¡± he grumbled. Looking back into the room, Drake began to ponder his options. If the nursery was here, that would mean that the Queen should be rtively close as well. A n began to form in Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Alright, lets scout this out a bit,¡± Drake said hushed, ¡°So far your concealment has been doing wonders. They can''t seem to track us at all like before. How are you doing on mana?¡± Drake asked. ¡°As long as this one does not have to cast any subsequent spells? This one dares say that he could keepeth the spell indefinitely,¡± Theodore replied in a chipper tone. Drake assumed Theodore was also twirling his mustache although he could not see it. ¡°Good, that¡¯s perfect for us. Let¡¯s look around a bit more, I want to find out if we are near the Queen¡¯s throne, or if this is just one nursery of many. I¡¯m hoping for the former because I¡¯d rather not have more bugs on our hands¡­.¡± ¡°Indubitably, my Lord. It shall be done. Wilt thou like to separate or shall we proceed together?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep as a pair, If you somehow get caught by one of those Princes¡­ Sorry but I don¡¯t think you could hold your own right now Theo,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Think nothing of it my Lord. This one understands their position. And to be forthright, this one would prefer to make it back to his beloved by the end.¡± ¡°Theo¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t drop a death g like that man,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Susmaryosept, now I have to try extra hard to make sure you survive¡­.¡± ¡°Apologies.¡± Drake waved his hand as he chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I never nned on letting you get hurt again anyway. Let¡¯s get going, my Mark on the Prince just faded, and he was just sitting down a ways off from us.¡± ¡°Sitting down?¡± Theodore asked. Drake nodded out of habit then scoffed as he caught himself, ¡°Yeah, I couldn''t see what he was sitting on, but he''s been stationary for a while now. I can see an outline of whatever I mark to some extent and get a general sense of where they are. The big lug was on the other side of the nest it seems.¡± ¡°Drake,¡± Natto interrupted. Hmm? Drake replied. ¡°You need to find a ce to rest,¡± she instructed. What? I feel fine? ¡°Not you ape, Theodore!¡± He just said he was fine? ¡°Of course he did, he does not wish to be a burden again! Why do you think he came here again in the first ce! Or was that ¡®I know why you came,¡¯ All hot air?¡± Oh¡­. I forget sometimes that other mage sses are not like me. Damn it. Drake cursed. ¡°Theo,¡± Drake said. ¡°Yes my Lord? Are we moving now?¡± Theodore replied. ¡°No, we¡¯re scrapping the n for now, we need to find a ce for us to spend the night.¡± ¡°But.. my Lord, what of finding the treasure room?¡± Drake waved his hand dismissing Theodore, not that he could see it. ¡°It¡¯s fine we have a lot of time. There¡¯s no need to rush. I promise we will get to it in time, and safely.¡± ¡°Now who is raising death gs¡­.¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°My Lord¡¯s will is mymand. Speak it and it shall be so,¡± Theodore answered in a brief hushed tone. Drake imagined Theodore bowing at the waist in a butler-esque pose, and smirked slightly. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get a move on, need to find a ce to hole up tonight,¡± Drake affirmed, and began to walk the wall through the nursery, assuming Theodore was following not long behind. Drake and Theodore were passing the pile of monster and animal corpses when Drake stopped, THeodore running into him abruptly. ¡°My Lord?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°I just got a great idea¡­¡± Drake sneered, holding out a palm as he pulled an item from his inventory, ¡°I guess I really am an asshole,¡± heughed. [Man Eating Fruit Tree] [F-Grade] ¡°Even these Ants do not deserve this¡­¡± Natto said, but couldn¡¯t hid the slight glib in her voice. Please¡­ they¡¯re monsters. They would kill us without a second thought. Least they can do is help us solve our food problem. And to be honest I just want to fuck with them, that Prince pissed me off¡­. Drake thought. ¡°Because he did not take you seriously and held back?¡± Natto asked snickering. Yeah. Fuck that guy, or insect. Whatever, screw him is all I¡¯m saying. Drake scoffed, dropping the seeds onto the corpses. ¡°Alright, Theo. Let¡¯s get the hell out of Dodge,¡± Drake urged. ¡°Sire, we are in the Ant¡¯s Hive not Dodge,¡± Theodore replied confused. ¡°I know what I said, just hurry up!¡±
¡°We need to do something about it!¡± ire screamed. Bjorn looked out onto thend that was cleared, some of it sunken in thanks to the tunnel below copsing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Without knowing where the tunnels are or where they are, we could just copse another tunnel on top of them,¡± Bjorn said gritting his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest in the tutorial! Can¡¯t you do something?!¡± she shouted again gripping at his arm, ¡°I can¡¯t lose him! I can¡¯t lose him¡­. Like I lost my brother¡­ I don¡¯t want to be all alone again¡­ please¡­¡± Bjorn didn¡¯t say anything, unable to give herfort or a solution. Soon Harley and Chelsea came to pull her away. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry!? Theodore is missing and probably with him too! How can you be so calm!?¡± ire said, ripping her arm from Harley, and shouting in her face. Harley shook her head, ¡°That is exactly why I am not worried,¡± she said evenly, although her hand shook subtly, ¡°I know that he is with Mr. Shot, and he will not let anything happen to him. If you believe in him,¡± Harley said looking back at ire, ¡°You will trust he wille back safely one way or another.¡± ire lost her gusto as she copsed to her knees, Harley and Chelsea helping her back up to her feet after a few moments offorting her. With them leaving and returning to the fortress, Bjorn continued to look out, waiting for something, anything he could use to help and find them. His eyes trained on the horizon, and his ocr skill on constantly to find it. Soon footsteps came from behind him, but he didn¡¯t bother to move. ¡°What ya thinking big guy? I know that idjit ain¡¯t ganna die lying down, but this one is a doozie if I ever seen one. Might as well be bear caught in the living room, everything''s a mess, and don¡¯t know up from down right now,¡± Hudson said, giving a tense sigh. ¡°We wait¡­ It¡¯s all we can do right now. We wait until there¡¯s something we can use and go from there. That copse didn¡¯t only trap them inside, but also the Ants sooner orter they will need toe up, whether it¡¯s for food, air, or whatever else. And when they do, I¡¯m going in and bringing them back. I should have never let him get close to the damned wall alone in the first ce. He¡¯s nothing but a reckless bastard¡­¡± Bjorn said, sighing. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Hudson agreed, then gave Bjorn a pat on the shoulder awkwardly, as he had to step on his toes to reach it, ¡°But, that damned bastard is a stubborn one too.¡± Hudson, walked back to the fortress with the others, deciding to go to the top of the rampart to get a better view, as he didn¡¯t have an ocr ability like the rest. Bjorn continued to stay vignt searching for anything. ¡°Don¡¯t worry bro, I¡¯ming. Just stay alive long enough for me to get there. Can¡¯t have you dying before you put a stop me¡­.¡± Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Five: Ok, so it wasn’t the best idea I’ve had! Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Five: Ok, so it wasn¡¯t the best idea I¡¯ve had! ¡°How you holding up Theodore?¡± Drake grunted as he turned his head over his shoulder. ¡°T-this one is managing¡­ my Lord!¡± Theodore grunted back on top of Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why is this ce so fuckingplicated! There isn¡¯t any rhyme or reason for any of the tunnels! It¡¯s like they want us to get lost! Oh¡­¡± Drake roared, running at full speed, jumping off the heads of and sting some of the Ants here and there in the tunnel. For the past week, Drake had been looking for a ¡®ce to rest¡¯ for Theodore, but unfortunately for them, there was no secured location. They had tried holding up in a small cave Drake had made for them overnight, but were quickly found once Theodore fell asleep, and his concealment spell was canceled. ¡°You do understand it would have helped if you did not constantly leave a trail of destruction wherever you went,¡± Natto shouted. It was a good idea at the time! And it did get them off our tails for a little bit! Drake shouted internally. Drake¡¯s idea to use the Man Eating Fruit Trees to cause chaos for one of the nurseries they had found had been a good idea at the time. He was striking the Ants at the heart of the problem. What he hadn¡¯t unfortunately known was that there were many more nurseries in the nest. And his impulsive idea had now caused them to be chased through the Hive for the past week. On his tail currently were trackers and some of the Royal Guards. And normally this wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but with THeodore here with him, Drake was limited in what he could do. Theodore was barely a fraction as durable as Drake was, and a very delicate ss by nature of being a mage variant. He was also at a loss at what to do about counterattack the chasing Ants. He had been able to and did use arge area spell in the main chamber, but this tunnel was obviously not therge cavern. Drake was wary to keep blowing up tunnels as well based on the fact they had still not found the treasure room or a new exit that he expected the Ants were going to build to reach the surface. ¡°You would think they would have made an exit to the surface by now! What¡¯s taking them so long?!¡± Drake growled, rushing forward through the tunnel, jumping from Ant head to Ant head. ¡°It is possible they already have and we just have not found it as of yet? Lest you forget we have yet to find the Queen¡¯s Chamber or any of the princes, or the treasure room,¡± Natto reminded. ¡°It would be nice if you had anything helpful to say. Drake sighed, then clicked his tongue as he looked forward, ¡°They¡¯re blocking the tunnel again,¡± Drake cursed. A few feet in front of Drake there was a barricade of Ants with weapons and shields at the ready. A phnx of Guards and Royal Guards chittering in anger waiting for Drake. ¡°Another blockade Theo, brace up!¡± Drake shouted, stepping down on the Ant¡¯s head and bringing it to the floor in a crunch this time. ¡°Y-yes, my Lord!¡± Theodore said nervously. Drake nted his feet, throwing his free hand in an arc in front of them. Multiple magic circles of brown formed, one of snow white, and one of a dense blue. In one motion a whip of water formed, bisecting the ants around Drake, then falling in a small encirclement on the floor. A spike of ice formed from the white circle only to be crushed as Drake¡¯s hair and tattoo cascaded to white. The brown magic circles formed spikes of jet-ck earth pointed right at the blockade. ¡°Earth Spike Repeater.¡± Drake willed the spikes of earth to condense into smaller bullets, then fire off like a gatling gun as he anchored himself in the tunnel. The bullets of ck earth sped forward piercing through the air, the blockage, and anything in between in moments. Drake sprinted forward with Theodore on his shoulder, following the bullets as he picked up stones, armor, and corpses along the way. He was able to deal with some of the ants when necessary but Drake was limited. Forced to stay long-ranged with his magic and nothing explosive or toorge. Right now he couldn¡¯t risk getting in too close with Theodore not safe and still exhausted. ¡°It would be nice if we could find this treasury soon,¡± Drake sighed, dashing forward past where the blockage had been,¡± ¡°Tis only a matter of time before we find it, my Lord. Thou hast been traveling for days, tis bound to be hither in but a few breaths!¡± Theodore encouraged over his shoulder. Drake raised a brow, ¡°Wait. It has been a few days of running non-stop¡­ Are they ying with me?¡± Drake suddenly thought. ¡°My Lord?¡± Drake jumped up, beginning to jump from Ant to Ant again, now that they had swarmed the tunnel once more. ¡°What if the Ants are actively changing the tunnels? It¡¯s been what, 24 hours since we found a new nursery right?¡± Drake said aloud. ¡°That seems to be a stretch, no? How would you even test that theory?¡± Natto asked skeptically. ¡°Only one way,¡± Drake thought, turning his head to a random worker ant, ¡°Marked,¡± he whispered and continued to run. Drake switched his endowment quickly to Lightning, increasing his speed. Running forward as fast as he could, and ignoring the screaming Theodore on his shoulder. Drake followed the tunnel, keeping a mental note of where the Ant he had marked was. A few minutes into running he began to scowl, feeling the Ant¡¯s position close in. ¡°Those bastards are fucking with me!¡± Drake growled, eyeing the worker ant in front of them, ¡°Then new n,¡± Drake smiled, putting Theodore down. ¡°If they are using the same Ants in this tunnel to keep us here, that means no new reinforcements. So I get to clear out the tunnel!¡±
Obiteron yed with the ring on one of his wed hands, waiting patiently for news of the human that had entered the hive. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± a guard shouted, scrambling into the room. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± he asked somewhat expectantly. ¡°The human has killed another blockade and several guards. It seems he has figured out our means to stall him,¡± he reported, bowing at the head. ¡°Seems he is notpletely dull¡­ Inform the workers that they are to tunnel him to the second chamber, I believe my brother is bing impatient enough as it is,¡± Obiteron ordered in an even tone, going back to his jewelry. ¡°But your Majesty! That is right next to the Queen¡¯s birthing chamber!? We can¡¯t poss-¡± Obiteron waved his hand, the blood from the Guard¡¯s head sttering to the floor. He then pointed to a standing guard in the chamber. ¡°You, tell the workers. I don¡¯t believe there is a problem, yes?¡± The guard nodded and scrambled out of the room just as fast as the now-deceased guard scrambled in. Obiteron focused back on his jewelry, ying with it in his ws. ¡°Good. Everything is going to n. First Braxor, then Rasha¡­¡±
¡°My Lord, what may this one ask is the n now?¡± Theodore asked, sitting down on afortable seat Drake had ced in the tunnel. ¡°Not sure¡­ I can¡¯t exactly go sting through walls,¡± Drake replied, sitting on a simr chair as they both took time to rx, ¡°But take a nap if you can. The tunnel is cleared for now, and they don''t seem to be sending in more reinforcements right now for whatever reason¡­. So I guess we just wait for now,¡± Drake surmised shrugging. ¡°This one fears that they can not find sce in slumber just yet¡­. The events that have unfolded art but fresh in this one¡¯s mind after all, my Lord¡­¡± Theodore said wearily. ¡°You won¡¯t get another chance until we find a really secured ce Theo, might as well try. Want a bed instead?¡± Drake asked jokingly. ¡°This will suffice, my Lord¡­¡± Drake chuckled and went back to focusing on his senses, trying his best to stretch out his aura past the rocks of the tunnel but continued to fail each time. Sighing he took a break. Making sure to stretch his aura wide enough to cover as much of the tunnel as he could, waiting for something, anything to burrow through and give them something to do. ¡°Quite curious,¡± Natto chimed. What is? Drake asked. ¡°That you are being so patient with this. Normally you would run in head first and worry about the consequencester. I understand you have dear Theo to worry for but even still. It has not stopped you before. What is different this time?¡± Well, for one I can¡¯t dig us out. Two, whoever is directing us, has me by the twig and berries. So might as well go along for the ride. ¡°You believe this to be best? Let the artificer of our doom direct you as they will?¡± Not exactly. I know I can beat anything in here. That, I¡¯m sure of, at least anything we¡¯ve met so far. The problem is I can¡¯t have Theo being taken hostage, or let us both be buried under who knows how many tons of rock. If they decide to copse a tunnel on us. There isn¡¯t a need for anything drastic just yet, so I¡¯ll let whoever it is pull us around. We got nothing but time for now. And hey, they were nice enough to let us rest after chasing us for a week. Can¡¯t be all bad? Natto remained stunned in silence, unsure how to answer Drake¡¯sid-back position on being jerked around. Drake put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, focusing on his aura sense fully. He could feel and hear Theodore breathing slow as he apparently finally fell asleep from exhaustion. Drake smirked slightly and continued to monitor the tunnel. Hours passed as Drake remained vignt. Keeping focus on anything that may change at a moment¡¯s notice within the tunnel. ¡°My focus has skyrocketed¡­¡± Drake mused, ¡°If I had this kind of focus when I was an artist, I would have been the best there ever was¡­. Is it a result of my status increasing?¡± Drake wondered. ¡°Yes,¡± Natto replied tly. ¡°Oh.. Well, that solves that mystery,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°If only that introduction construct was that concise.¡± Drake slumped slightly in his chair growing tired of waiting for hours, when what he had been waiting for finally happened. He quickly turned his head hearing the moving of gravel and dirt from the wall further down the tunnel. ¡°Strange.. I don¡¯t feel anything entering the tunnel. They¡¯re running away. Guess we¡¯re being led by the nose again,¡± Drake thought aloud sitting up, ¡°Let¡¯s go see what killer Tyrant Santa brought us.¡± Drake moved over to Theodore, gently pushing the man to rouse him from his sleep. ¡°Wakey wakey Theo.¡± ¡°W-what is it my Lord¡­? Hast thy enemy found our location?¡± Theodore answered blearily. ¡°Not quite,¡± Drake said, offering him a cup of water, ¡°More like we are being led out of here. Come on, wash up, and let¡¯s go.¡± After a brief minute, Theodore, and Drake moved through the tunnel, finding one side copsed. Opening into another tunnel. ¡°Shall I conceal us, my Lord?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°No need. They know we¡¯reing. Keep yourself concealed though. Once we exit the tunnel I want you to try to get to a position where you can use your Illusions again safely,¡± Drake instructed, starting to walk down the tunnel. Minutes passed then an hour as the pair walked down the tunnel pensively. Unsure of when they would be ambushed or led out of the hive. ¡°This is getting really theatrical don¡¯t you think..? What¡¯s with all the cloak and dagger they¡¯re putting us through? It¡¯s like it isn''t even about us being here,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°That is what you are upset about? The fact that it is not centered around you?¡± Natto scoffed. Well yeah¡­ I mean you would think they would be more adamant about trying to get rid of us right? It only makes sense. Drake thought. ¡°I suppose it does. It is quite strange they did not send a full-force suppression party after you two. It does beg the question.¡± I don¡¯t like begging. ¡°That is not what I was inferring, you moronic ape!¡± Oh sorry, I thought it was about me again. Drake smirked. Their back and forth was cut short suddenly when the sound of chittering and movement resounded in the tunnel, a dim light in the distance. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve reached the end of the line. Took long enough,¡± Drake sighed. Theodore remained silent, wanting to conceal himself before they reached the exit of the tunnel. ¡°And behind door number one¡­?¡± Drake said, running out of the exit. Bursting out of the tunnel, Drake was met with the unexpected. Looking out he saw the forest. Ants continued to skitter about the forest floor, but there was no sun. The expanse and magnitude of the cavern putting him in awe. ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t expect that one¡­.¡± Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Six: The True Tyrant Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Six: The True Tyrant ¡°This is not what I was expecting at all,¡± Drake said, looking out at the expensive forest underground, ¡°Did they decide to sink half the forest in here? How did we not notice that much of thend missing?¡± ¡°Perhaps they had sunk it from the beginning, and it had regrown above before anyone noticed? Or they grew this underground on their own. Regardless, it is irrelevant right now. What is important is why we were led here?¡± Natto posed. Inside the dense trees that were lower down the slope leading up to their tunnel, there was movement. Drake focused and tried to inspect the movement, stretching his aura as best he could to reach the trees. There were things moving in the forest, a lot of things. [Forest Deer Level 10] ¡°Well, that exins where all the wildlife went. If we ever get out of here and we can release these back above ground, I think we¡¯ll be in good shape until the end of the tutorial,¡± Drake mused. Drake remained scanning the forest seeing Antsing and going as well. ¡°So they¡¯re basically domesticating the wild life here to feed their numbers? Is that even possible on the scale of what they¡¯ve been producing¡­?¡± Drake wondered aloud. ¡°The reproduction rate of the animals in the tutorial after ranking up is leaps and bounds faster than normal. You will notice more of this on your once you leave the tutorial as well. Ranking Up affects all beings differently. Including Mana Vessels, it is why we are lucky your oaf of a friend is seemingly so resilient¡­¡± Natto exined trailing off. Drake raised a brow as he began walking down the slope towards the forest, needing to see what he was dealing with as well as figure out where to go from there. Theodore was safely hidden away for now, and Drake assumed he was staying within trailing distance of him. I¡¯ll have to keep the spells and such in my back pocket for now, don¡¯t want to identally hit Theo. Drake thought, before speaking again. ¡°Care to exin more of that? It¡¯s the first you¡¯ve mentioned of it, and what was that stuff before with Uta and a King Vote? You¡¯ve been dodging me about that for weeks.¡± ¡°Thankfully I can not divulge further about things outside of the tutorial until we are out of the tutorial. As I have told you multiple times! And do not worry about the Vote, all will fall into ce where it should, fear not,¡± Natto said, her smirking through her voice. ¡°Ok¡­. You know when people say that type of thing, it¡¯s never good, right? But fine, can you at least exin what you mean by Bjorn and the change?¡± Drake asked, pointing his question. Drake reached the treeline before Natto spoke, seemingly hesitating about how to exin it. ¡°The¡­ oaf.. Has shown remarkable resistance for ingesting two legendary stones, if what he said is to be true. In most instances, there is an immediate change within the Vessel. Whether that is their Race or in the function of some of their skills. Purer lineages receive more potent benefits from an earlier Rank. Primordials in particr receive such things at F Rank, and even more at E and so on. In some cases though, they do not manifest until E Rank, but noter. Which is what will happen with the overgrown ape.¡± ¡°So what would happen to someone with less resistance? Turn into a cyclope like Lamar? Or a dwarf like the old man back at the outpost?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Precisely. Normally as I have said, the change is instant, for the more extreme cases or pure blood Primordial Races even more so,¡± Natto sighed, ¡°Which makes the fact that he has not even more distressing. It will mean that he is just that more powerful.¡± ¡°So the longer he takes to change the more powerful he is?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, but the dyed change does more urately indicate such. But that is forter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to dodge me again! We were just getting started!¡± Drake scoffed, raising his hands up in the air. ¡°I am not. You have a guest, if you haven¡¯t noticed,¡± Natto spat. ¡°Oh I noticed, I¡¯m just more interested in what¡¯s going to happen to Bjorn than some oversized cockroach,¡± Drake sighed. Drake had meandered through the trees for some time now and somehow only been met with the animal life that inhabited it. Surprisingly noting into conflict with any of the ants he had seen earlier. But instead, he had picked up something in his aura sense that had been moving casually to him, and alone. [Braxor Trikk Level 29] ¡°Were you the one who led me here?¡± Drake asked, stopping. Braxor did nothing. The Ant Prince had stopped and was what Drake could only call ring back at him. ¡°Don¡¯t understand me? And I sure as hell can¡¯t understand you. Seems we¡¯re at an impasse,¡± Drake said casually, ¡°You knowst time we met you tried to kill me, only to get your ass handed to you. Or wait, is thorax handed to you better?¡± Drake said, pausing to think for a moment. Braxor again did and said nothing, waiting for Drake to seemingly do something. But Braxor may have not been moving, Drake could feel the Ant¡¯s gaze and pressure around it increase with every word he said. ¡°For someone or something that doesn¡¯t understand me. You seem to be getting pretty upset with every word I say,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°It can only be your grading voice¡­¡± Natto huffed. Drake rolled his eyes and scoffed, but his focus remained on the Ant waiting for the Prince to make some kind of move. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be one to carry essories like your other brother¡­? Drake mused, looking at the hulking figure of an Ant in front of him, ¡°Don¡¯t like bling, or is gold just not your color?¡± Braxor remained stoic, his forearms crossed. ¡°I¡¯m getting nowhere with this guy¡­¡± Drake sighed, opening his palm, a crimson magic circle forming on top of it, a me forming. ¡°KREEEEE!!!!¡± Braxor screeched. ¡°Oh? Fire bad?¡± Drake said, pausing. Braxor hadn¡¯t moved, only howled and tried to suppress Drake with its own aura. But Drake¡¯s was far out of the Ants league. The Ant Prince raised a wed limb toward Drake, curling its ws into a fist, its chitin around it creaking. ¡°Hmmm¡­. You want to bump fists?¡± Drake thought absentmindedly. ¡°You fool, why are you even entertaining this monster? Kill it!¡± Natto instructed. ¡°There¡¯s something telling me not to¡­ How do I exin this? Instinct? Warrior¡¯s honor?¡± Drake thought aloud, scratching the back of his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ce it. Besides the Prince came here all by himself,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°The least I could do is give him hisst rights, and show him what a real Tyrant is.¡±
¡°Your Majesty! We have found the location of the human! It took us longer than-¡± ¡°I do not care for your excuses. Where is the disaster in human flesh,¡± Braxor asked evenly. ¡°Y-yes! He is currently being led into the Food Chamber!¡± reported the guard. Braxor stood up from his throne, heaving a chittering sigh. ¡°So Brother¡­ It¡¯se to this. You would jeopardize our mother, our food, and our entire foothold in the new universe. Just for a chance at being King?¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Nothing. I will meet with the human abomination.¡± ¡°Then we shall call for the rest of the guards-¡± ¡°No,¡± Braxor said sternly, his voice booming throughout the chamber and shaking the walls, ¡°I will face him alone, as the First Prince. Not one of you would be anything more than a hindrance in any event. Bring the Guards to the Queen¡¯s Chamber. It is your duty now to keep our Colony alive, to remain after all the scheming is finished.¡± The Guard tried to protest but was met by the backhand w of Braxor. ¡°I am the First Prince of the Tyrant Ants. And my word is stillw here until I take myst breath. And I am yet still breathing. You will do as you are told,¡± Braxor sneered as he exited the chamber. Braxor walked down the tunnel, his head held high as he flexed and rxed his ws, checking for anysting damage from the previous fight a week ago. ¡°That human was able to take on all three of us¡­ He yed with us like we were but freshrvae, hatched but moments ago,¡± he sneered as he spoke aloud, his voice echoing in the tunnel. ¡°Can I kill him¡­¡± Braxor mused, his mandibles cking, ¡°It matters not. I am a Prince, and I will do my duty for the hive regardless.¡± Braxor¡¯s mighty mandibles cked once more, sending a rumble through the tunnel. His Tyrant¡¯s Aura bing palpable in the air. He walked for some time before he found the exit, but with every step, his legs felt more and more heavy. The weight of his colony, of the hive and its future, weighed on him. Looking out to the green forest they had brought down below the surface to feed their brother and sisters. Braxor steeled himself. Seeing Ants turn their heads in his direction, he chittered amand,manding them all to return to the tunnels and close them off. Enforcing hismand of protecting the Queen¡¯s Chambers that were close by. Once done, all that remained was to find the human, but it was not hard. Braxor walked through the forest towards the pressure he felt. He scoffed, his ws gripping the air in anticipation. ¡°Their Aura feels much like our own¡­ But it is more¡­ I did not notice it before,¡± he muttered, bringing his hand to his face, ¡°Am I afraid?¡± he asked. Braxor¡¯s hand subtly trembled, but only for a moment before he gripped tightly,ughing to himself. ¡°A human more oppressive than a Tyrant Ant?¡± Braxor scoffed once again, feeling the weighted aura in the surroundings. The human would find him soon. So he waited. Soon the human found Braxor just as he expected. The human wore ck robes trimmed in gold, his flesh exposed from the shoulder down on both sides, and his face seemed to be covered by something. Odd armor. How does he move with such hindrances? Braxor thought. The human seemed to be ignoring him, only now stopping and speaking to Braxor. Braxor could not understand the human, but the tone of the human and the bodynguage told him all he needed to know. He is not taking me seriously. He does not even see me as a threat. The human then lifted his hand forming fire from nothing. ¡°NO!¡± hissed Braxor. A momentter Braxor raised his fist aimed right at the human. The human then squelched the me, tilting its head slightly as if confused. ¡°We will fight like Tyrants, the honorable way!¡± Braxor shouted, ¡° Your strength against mine!¡± Braxor knew the human did not understand but he hoped his plea would work. If this human is able to use magic, he should be weaker physically. He did get the upper hand when we fought but I could sense magic behind his blows. He must be using a skill. But I am prepared for it now, and I have skills of my own. I will topple him. I will win! For the colony!! The man nodded, the hair on the top of his head shifting from blue to ck. Then standing as if waiting this time for Braxor. ¡°So I get the first blow then, human?¡± Braxor sneered, ¡°It will be the mistake that costs you, your life.¡± Braxor screeched, pulling his arms to his side as he prepared his own martial skill, pressing and condensing his aura around him. ¡°You are overconfident! You must not know that Princes of the Tyrant Ants have a special ability!¡± Braxor screeched, ¡°For every ant that is under ourmand, we gain a status bonus. And I am the first Prince! This whole colony is loyal to me!¡± The ground around Braxor cracked and dented. A whistleing from the human. ¡°Prepare to die!¡± howled Braxor. Pushing against the ground, Braxor crushed the earth below as he was shot forward, his every step denting the dirt underfoot into craters as he barreled forward. His outstretched pitch-ck w glowed in crimson red from his martial skill, the chitin armor around his arm cracking and splintering from the increase in status from his skill. His w roared forward moving faster than even Braxor himself could see. But it was only stopped dead in its tracks. The human''s hands intertwined with Braxors, holding his hand at bay with seemingly little effort. ¡°W-what?!¡± Braxor screeched. The human had embedded himself into the ground somehow, the earth beneath him pushed inward as it took the full force of Baxor¡¯s blow. But what was more astonishing to the prince was the eyes of the man. Braxor¡¯s hand struggled to push forward to no avail, instead being moved by the human, his face slowlying into view from behind Braxor¡¯s w. His eyes shifted color, from blue to yellow, to green. ¡°No!¡± Braxor shouted again, throwing his second hand forward. But was only met with the same result. The human stopped the blow without effort. Braxor tried to push forward, digging into the ground with his four legs, carving deep divots into the earth. ¡°No, no, no! I won¡¯t let it end like this!¡± he shrieked, ¡°It is impossible for a Tyrant Ant to be outmatched by a human! I can- Ahhhh!¡± Finally, the sound of crunching reverberated throughout the area as Braxor dropped to his knees. His hands were being crushed by the human¡¯s bare hands. Suddenly it felt as if the world was put on Braxor¡¯s shoulders, the pressure from the human¡¯s aura increasing to a level that paled inparison to anything he had ever felt. Braxor stiffened, feeling cold even through the pain. His mandibles ttering in fear. The human pressed down more, looming over the Prince. His eyes glowed with glee and malicious intent. ¡°B-brother¡­ What have you done.¡± Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Seven: No Choice Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Seven: No Choice [You have defeated Tyrant Ant Prince - Braxor Trikk [F Rank] Level 29] [Experience Earned, 5,000,000 TP awarded] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 23] [40 Free Points have been awarded] Drake loomed over the now dead body of the Prince, his breath ragged as he continued to throw fist after fist into the corpse. ¡°Dr.ak¡­ D..ke!¡± ¡°M¡­ L¡­rd?! Cea..e! My Lo-¡± Drake had gone into a stupor, his body going on autopilot after facing off with the Prince. He had beaten the monster handedly, but like several times before his body had reacted in a way he could not control. It was instinctual. Drake only saw red, only saw the feeble creature in front of him challenging him and his authority as the stronger being. Something deep inside him wouldn¡¯t allow it. It wouldn¡¯t allow this pitiful creature pretend to be royalty. ¡°My¡­.. L..o..r¡­d¡­!¡± ¡°Drake! Stop! You are killing him!¡± a voice screamed in Drake¡¯s head. Drake blinked, the feverish stupor he had entered fading away slowly, as he heard his own heavy breathing. His arms raised, holding a familiar person in his hands by the throat. ¡°T-theo..?!¡± Drake stammered, releasing him immediately. Theodore dropped to the floor, his breathing in chaotic coughs and heaves, as he held his neck. Drake¡¯s hands imprinted around it. Drake quickly brought out a health potion and held it for Theodore to take, but his face was quickly bing blue and his eyes hazy. ¡°Fuck! Is his windpipe crushed?! He can¡¯t breathe or swallow! What do I do!¡± Drake panicked, ¡°Natto! What is going on!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°I-i do not know¡­ But we have to save Theodore first. You need to force the potion down his throat or somehow get the liquid inside his body,¡± Natto exined warily. Drake gripped the sk in his hand, looking at Theodore hesitantly, but finally came to a decision. ¡°Theodore! Can you hear me buddy?¡± Drake shouted. Theodore nodded weakly still gripping at his neck. ¡°This is going to hurt,¡± Drake said tersely before throwing his hand into Theodore¡¯s side, opening up a small finger sized wound. Theodore gave a muffled scream of pain as he dropped to his side on the floor, but Drake was forced to ignore him as he uncorked the sk, pushing the potion into the wound. Within seconds, Theodore¡¯s neck returned to normal color along with his face as he began to breathe. Drake pulled the sk from the wound and sprinkled the remaining fluid on the injury, closing it up. ¡°M-my Lord¡­ Art thou alright¡­?¡± Theodore asked in huffs. ¡°Shut up you idiot. I nearly killed you twice and you¡¯re worried about me? There¡¯s something wrong with your head¡­¡± ¡°Loyal to a fault, is the way of a gentleman, my Lord.¡± Drake was angry, furious even, but he couldn¡¯t help smirking slightly before the anger returned. ¡°What exactly is going on Natto? I knew I was having problems and the skills even with the resistance some of them gave, was deteriorating my personality. But this¡­ This was something else! I nearly killed Theodore!¡± ¡°I am unsure¡­ There should be no reason you are having these personality switches. You have not consumed a legendary stone, and you are human¡­ I suppose it is possible that keeping the Legendary Stones in your personal inventory could be resonating with you. But that is an extreme and should not be possible¡­¡± Natto exined pensively. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just get rid of the stones. I don¡¯t give a shit about them anyway. Especially if it¡¯s making me nearly kill someone close to me,¡± Drake growled, pulling the stones from his inventory. Drake reeled back his hands ready to throw the stones, but was interrupted by the loudest chime he had heard in his head yet, so loud apparently even Natto could hear it. [Attention! Urgent Quest!] [Individual Urgent Quest!] [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] [Reward: Meeting with the Sponsor] ¡°Susmaryosep, why was that so loud? A meeting? As if I give a shit about a meeting!¡± Drake shouted, his hair changing to crimson red as heunched the stones into the air. But the unexpected happened. There was no crashing of the stones into the cavern wall, instead a sh of light covered the stones as they left his hands, another pair of lights materializing next to Drake, dropping the stones at his feet. [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] Drake bit his lip, picking up the stones and throwing them again as hard as he could. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want! I won¡¯t hurt those close to me because of some fucking ss rock!¡± Again motes of lights covered the stones as they left Drake¡¯s hands, appearing at his feet. [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] ¡°No damn it!¡± [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] [The sponsor of the tutorial implores you to retain the Legendary Necromancy Skill Stones until the end of the tutorial period] [The sponsor of the tutorial implors you to¡­. Drake grounded his teeth as he gripped the stones in his hands with all of his strength, unable to crush the shining pieces of ss. ¡°So I don¡¯t get a fucking choice?! You can¡¯t do this! Isn¡¯t this interfering with the rules or something?! Hey! Are you listening to me you fucking piece of shit loser?! You think I¡¯m going to do what you want when you can¡¯t even talk to me face to face?!¡± Drake roared pointing into the air. Drake was furious. Looking at Theodore who was still recovering from the injury that Drake had inflicted on him. Drake dropped the stones to the floor. ¡°I would rather sit here and do nothing, waiting for the tutorial to end then. I won¡¯t do what you want. If they aren¡¯t in my inventory that probably means they won¡¯te with me when I leave. So you lose,¡± Drake sneered into the air. ¡°Drake¡­ this is foolish. Do not argue with a sponsor. As far as we know it is still a Primordial Race like we imagined!¡± Don¡¯t care. I¡¯ve reached my quota of being jerked around this week. And if what you said about the stones is true. I want no part of holding on to them. I won¡¯t risk hurting people I care about for some piece of ss. Drake exined as he crossed his arms. ¡°That is hardly what those stones are and you know it! Those Legendary Skills are things entire worlds and Systems would wage wars for!¡± Are you saying they¡¯re worth more than Theo? Than Bjorn, ire, Sherry, Harley, than everyone on the surface? I was this close to snapping Theo¡¯s neck Natto. Drake thought angrily, shivering slightly at the thought. What happens the next time I snap? The next time I ck out in a violent rage because of it? Will I kill someone and not even know? Natto was forced into silence. But Drake could tell she was ufortable with not speaking. He knew she was pragmatic about things of this nature. She wanted him to keep the stones. It was the best course of action for their future. But Drake didn¡¯t care. He wouldn¡¯t put his friends and loved ones in jeopardy. ¡°If that is what you wish,¡± she said finally. Thank you. Drake thought honestly. Turning around Drake sat down in front of Theodore, leaving the stones where he dropped them, only for them to move in a sh of light at his feet again. Drake smiled. ¡°So you can¡¯t put them directly in my inventory? Check-mate idiot,¡± Drake sneered looking up. ¡°My Lord, doth thou think it best to antagonize whoever it is thou is provoking¡­?¡± Theodore asked gently, rubbing his sore neck. ¡°Nope. But that''s tomorrow Drake¡¯s problem. Right now, I just want to make sure you¡¯re alright. I¡¯m sorry I did that Theo¡­ I-I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± ¡°This one would like to ask that my Lord please refrain from nearly killing him in the future,¡± Theo smirked, his mustache twirling upwards, ¡°But it is of no matter. Thou hast saved my life countless times. This one thinks it only right that my Lord put it in danger now and again.¡± Drake looked nkly at Theodore as he sat down to get eye level with him, then began to chuckle. ¡°You have to have something wrong with you, Theo.¡± ¡°Perhaps. But only someone as insane as this one could follow such an entric Lord.¡± Drake sighed, pushing the Legendary Stones on the ground away from them. ¡°Got me there¡­¡± Drake agreed. Drake and Theodore continued to sit and wait, as Theodore recovered from the muscle pain of his injury. Theodore was a mage ss, and his recovery was not nearly as fast as Drake¡¯s. Theodore may have had a recovery skill but it only pertained to his mana recovery. For an hour, Drake was pestered by the sponsor. The stones appearing on hisp, as he brushed them away, again and again. Until finally a new quest appeared. [Urgent Individual Quest!] [ept to hold the Legendary Stones until the end of the tutorial] [Reward: Skill Stone Container [S-Rank] Drake scoffed at the quest as he picked at his ear trying to reduce the ringing from all of the forced notifications. ¡°Trying to bribe me now?¡± Drake said looking up as he leaned back on his arms, ¡°How about fuck off.¡± ¡°What bribe, my Lord?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°Sponsors want me to hold onto those stones, the legendary ones I mentioned a while back,¡± Drake exined using his chin to point to the stones, ¡°Gave me a quest to do it. But I won¡¯t, from what Natto said, the stones are the reason I¡¯m having such violent changes in personality¡­ and almost¡­. Well almost killed you.¡± Theodore looked over at the stones pensively, obviously thinking over what Drake had just exined. ¡°What is the reward for such a quest, my Lord?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°A meeting with the prick. And they¡¯re offering a ¡®skill container¡¯.¡± ¡°You should ta-¡± Natto tried to say. No. I¡¯m not doing anything for some asshole just to meet the bastard face to face¡­. Drake scoffed. ¡°My Lord,¡± Theodore said, picking up the stones, ¡°Thou should agree to it.¡± ¡°W-what? I nearly killed you because I was holding those on me, and you want me to go ahead and keep them just because some sponsor is asking me to?¡± Drake asked incredulously. Theodore nodded, ¡°This one understands better than most that my Lord cares for those around him. And would go to lengths to do so. But this one also trusts my Lord. This one would not be able to forgive oneself if the reason my Lord was not able to take an opportunity to reach the top where his Lord belongs.¡± ¡°Theo, no. I won¡¯t take those stones,¡± Drake said firmly. Theodore¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly after hearing Drake, going distant for a moment. ¡°My Lord¡­.¡± Drake frowned, knowing what just happened. ¡°They didn¡¯t¡­¡± Drake growled looking up, ¡°How slimy can you get!? You can¡¯t get me to do it, so you give him the quest?! Are you just going to do that for everyone until you find some schmuck that epts it?!¡± Drake was thrown into a state of rage again, snatching the stones from Theodore¡¯s hands. Wrestling with what to do, Drake went back and forth on if he should ept the responsibility himself. But the decision was made for him. ¡°M-my Lord¡­ The quest is saying¡­ The quest is saying if this one does not ept¡­ I-It will kill Harley¡­¡± Drake¡¯s eyes turned to points as his face twisted into fury. Drake gave a guttural scream of frustration. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Human] [F Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%) [F Rank], Jewler P5(0%) [F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 23 [Vitality] 399 (10+ 15%) [Strength] 575 (50 +10%) [Dexterity] 315 (40 + 20%) [Intelligence] 759 (15+15%) +(70) [Wisdom] 401 (10 + 15%) [Endurance] 309 (30 + 25%) [Free Points] 40 Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty- Eight: Boiling Over Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty- Eight: Boiling Over ¡°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!¡± ¡°Drake, you need to calm down. You are bing erratic!¡± Natto pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± he shouted back, doing his best to take a deep breath. ¡°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 said I¡¯m fine!¡± Drake shouted again, before realizing he had started manifesting a fireball in his hand. ¡°....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. Natto exited Drake with a light pop, resting on his shoulder as her hand went to the back of his head. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°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.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just fucking fantastic,¡± Drake sighed, his shoulders slumping. ¡°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.¡± 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.¡± ¡°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.¡± ¡°That was really morbid¡­¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°This is not a joke!¡± ¡°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. ¡°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.¡± Drake recoiled with a grimace. ¡°Going a bit far don¡¯t you think?¡± he said, frowning. ¡°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. Drake pursed his lips, unable to argue. ¡°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. ¡°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. ¡°Fine,¡± Drake sighed, mentally epting the quest, ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but for Theo, I would have done it anyway¡­¡± With that a box materialized in a mote of light, nking to the floor. It was a porcin colored chest of small size, looking like it was possibly made of ivory or some other bone. [Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s Personal Chest [S-Grade]
  • A small personal chest of the Dragon Matriarch Mir¡¯phyra. Anything contained within the chest is sealed off from the world.
  • 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.
¡°Natto¡­?¡± Drake asked hesitantly. ¡°Yes¡­.?¡± she answered, looking down at the same chest. ¡°This is really bad isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°Certainly¡­.¡± ¡°How expensive is this box?¡± ¡°You do not wish to know¡­.¡± Drakeughed ufortably, ¡°Well, at least we know for sure who the sponsor is now¡­¡±
¡°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!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What?! This better be good!¡± Rasha sneered. ¡°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!¡± Rasha screeched and stood from the throne, ¡°Why would my brother do such a thing?!¡± The guardsman looked at the Prince hesitantly, not wanting to die like his predecessors. ¡°W-we¡­¡± ¡°Out with it fool!¡± ¡°We have heard reports that Prince Braxor was killed inbat by the human¡­¡± 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. ¡°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. ¡°I-i¡­I¡­ My, sincerest apologies my Prince¡­ but we have confirmed as much-¡± The guard''s head rolled to the floor. As Rasha howled inside the chamber. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him!! I¡¯ll kill that filthy human!!!!¡±
Obiteron satid back on the throne inside his chamber, his jeweled ws intertwined with one another as he awaited the expectedly good news. Soon the guardsmen that he was expecting passed through the open archway into the chamber. ¡°Well?¡± Obiteron asked. ¡°T-the Prince has fallen¡­ The human has in Prince Braxor.¡± ¡°Good, and what of his guards? Have they moved as expected?¡± Obiteron asked again, raising a hand. ¡°Yes, they have been instructed to seal off the Main chamber and to protect the Queen at all costs.¡± ¡°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.
¡°My Lord, what is it that we shall doeth now?¡± Theodore asked pensively, getting to his feet now that his body was healed. ¡°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. ¡°But, this one can be of service! There is no need-¡± ¡°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¡­.¡± 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. ¡°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.¡± 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. 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. ¡°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.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts! Don¡¯t make me knock you out and carry you around like a mustached handbag!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°This one, understands¡­ If it is thous will, my Lord.¡± Theodore responded, his arms slumping to his sides. Drake sighed again, putting his hand on Theodore¡¯s shoulder. ¡°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.¡± Theodore¡¯s jaw visibly clenched, but he nodded, quickly casting his spell and disappearing from sight. ¡°Rather harsh to step on a man¡¯s resolve like that, do you not think?¡± Natto asked softly. Not now¡­ I¡¯m really not in the mood. And he¡¯ll thank meter when he¡¯s back with his wife. In one piece. Drake countered, beginning to walk to the chamber¡¯s wall. ¡°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 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! Drake roared back in his head. 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! Drake had finally walked to the edge of therge chamber. 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. ¡°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.¡± Drake eyed the forest again, seeing the Deer and other animals move within it. ¡°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.¡± 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. ¡°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. Well¡­ That¡¯s to be expected¡­ Drake thought letting out a sigh. I¡¯ll just save him some food then. 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. ¡°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. 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. ¡°This.. This is actually nice. Maybe taking a break was all I nee-¡± 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. 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. Soon Drake was surrounded by Royal Guards and a very pissed off-looking Prince. [Rasha Trikk Level 29] ¡°Aaaaaannnnd, now the moments gone,¡± Drake sighed. Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty- Nine: Little Kids and Bugs Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty- Nine: Little Kids and Bugs ¡°I¡¯m in a very unfriendly mood right now, and you just stomped out my dinner,¡± Drake hissed, getting up slowly from his seat on the ground. ¡°KREEEEE!!!¡± Prince Rasha screeched loudly flexing his own aura on the surroundings in response. The Prince¡¯s guards shirking under the sudden pressure, backing away slightly. Drake sneered back, unaffected thanks to his skills. Instead, the challenge from the Prince slowly began to spark his personality once more. But Drake was aware this time and tried his best to mp down on the change. ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Drake said coldly, flexing his own aura, ¡°Was thest time I put you on your ass not good enough, that you came back for more?¡± The Prince froze again, shaking as he struggled against Drake¡¯s aura. His dramatic entrance only serving to make it easier for Drake to find him. ¡°I was never one to pull the legs off insects as a kid. Too busy ying video games, and sneaking candy from the pantry. But I think it¡¯s time to catch up on lost opportunities,¡± Drake thought aloud, walking forward toward the struggling Rasha. Drake quickly produced a white me in his hand, squelching it just as quickly as his arms and hair went crimson. His every step forward forcing the Prince to flinch subtly. ¡°Regret your own arrogance for challenging a true tyrant,¡± Drake spat, his hand moving to grip Rasha¡¯s shoulder and arm with his hands. The next moment Drake wrenched the appendage from the Prince¡¯s socket, ichor sttering over the ground, as the surroundings suddenly came to life as the Guards thawed from their fright jumping into action. Drake threw the arm away casually, his hair changing to a bright yellow as sparks cascaded from one of his arms to the other, changing his endowment. ¡°Heretical Endowment, Single, Lightning,¡± Drake muttered, his speed shooting through the roof as he weaved and dodged through the oing onught of weapons from the Royal Guardsmening to defend their Prince. Drake moved, dodging in and out of the strikes from the Royal Guards. Taking his time to move out of the encirclement. ¡°Sadly I can¡¯t do anything shy to put you in your ce. But the over a hundred stat points I put into Strength to beat your brother should be a nice conciliation prize for you,¡± Drake looked directly at Rasha who was holding his missing limb, his mandibles ttering wildly, ¡°Weaklings.¡± Drake knew Rasha couldn¡¯t understand him like his brother, but the tone of Drake¡¯s voice and the condescending manner in which Drake delivered it was more than enough to convey his feelings. Rasha screeched again in anger, throwing off the Royal Guards left and right with his still attached arm. ¡°Touchy,¡± Drake chuckled, his palms opening as two white mes manifested in each, ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire.¡± Drake summoned his mes to enhance his tattoos further, the glow of his Martial skill, Lightning Endowment, and the Fire Attunement cascading together for a magnificent light show. ¡°Time to squash a bug,¡± Drake sneered, his back foot nting into the ground as he crushed it below, shooting forward. Drake took no time to appear next to the first Ant Royal Guard, his fist millimeters from its serrated jaw. Following through with his jab, Drake took the monster¡¯s head clean off, the body falling limply to the floor. [You have defeated Yu¡¯zik Kikk [Rank F] Level 29] [Experience Points and 650,000 TP awarded] ¡°One,¡± Drake counted aloud. In a sh of colors, Drake sped forward to the next Guard, throwing an uppercut to its abdomen before it could ever react, his hand passing through the natural armor it had like it wasn¡¯t even there. [You have defeated Vidmyr Kikk Level 29] [Rank F] Level 29] [Experience Points and 650,000 TP awarded] ¡°Two.¡± Drake grabbed the lifeless Ant this time, throwing it at the rest of the group. Using the monster¡¯s body as cover he quickly chanted a small spell, but the density and power of the spell did not diminish like the size. ¡°Ouka Houken,¡± Drake whispered, the fire on his arms rushing forward and condensing in front of him into a small bright white ball. Drake shot the spell forward as it passed through the Ant¡¯s flying body andnded at the feet of the three other guards and Prince, exploding and taking out two of the Guards'' pairs of legs. Not stopping there, Drake moved while the explosion distracted the evading Guards and panicked Rasha. Drake dug his feet into the ground once again, pushing forward and catching one of the jumping Ants as it tried to dodge the explosion mid air with one hand on its neck. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Magma, Revised Gauntlet,¡± Drake changed in a murmur. In Drake¡¯s free hand, an orange magic circle quickly manifested, a blob of gooey red and orange moving over his outstretched fingers in fractions of a second. With his next motion, Drake threw the magma-covered hand open palmed into the Ant¡¯s head, sending it spinning mid-air as he crashed it into the ground below. Dust and debris exploded from the impact, clearing in a quick sweeping motion from Drake. The remaining Guards and the Prince stood stock still staring back at him. Drake brought his other hand to his Attuned one, the slimy magma slowly moving to cover his other hand as well as the Guards and Prince looked on. The Prince howled and screeched again trying to assert some sort of reprisal for Drake¡¯s one-sided ughter. [You have been affected by Tyrant Royalty¡¯s Dominance] [Your skill Tyrant¡¯s Indomibility has Negated Tyrant Royalty¡¯s Dominance] ¡°Looks like I¡¯m the winner,¡± Drake said smiling behind his mask, ¡°And you lose.¡± Drake rushed forward again, beelining for Rasha all while dodging and weaving through his remaining guards. But he was suddenly interrupted by the crashing of the chamber wall, an army of Ants flooding the forest, as eleven figures shot out ahead of the rest. Drake halted, waiting for the neers to reach them. Not because he could not reach and kill Rasha, but because the small rational part still left in him told him to hold back. Natto had been silent ever since theyst spoke, and continued to be. Leaving Drake to his own thoughts and will. Understanding that the increased amount of monsters in the chamber would mean more fights and more destruction of thend. And possibly killing the food they needed for the rest of the participants to survive for the remainder of the tutorial. Drake also considered that he had no idea where Theodore was at the moment. And he couldn''t risk identally getting him caught up in the fight if the number of monsters increased forcing him to start usingrge spells. Landing down momentster as Drake felt the new Ants enter his Aura Field, he stared back at thest Prince. Who screeched something at the Rasha. Drake held firm and waited for them to finish, as the pair of Princes stared back at him. ¡°Go run with your tails between your legs. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll wait,¡± Drake scoffed, crossing his arms as his magma attunement faded away. ¡°Antagonizing them when we wish for them to leave is rather stupid,¡± Natto said, finally speaking up. Oh, are we talking now? Drake thought. ¡°I have been busy. But it seemed this act of foolishness needed my immediate attention¡­.¡± Drake continued to watch the back and forth that the princes were having before they finally looked to be ready to move, the thirteen other Royal Guards - Obiteron¡¯s, Braxor¡¯s, and Rasha¡¯s remaining three - all waited for the Princes before helping the pair of Guards Drake had blown the kneecaps off off. Moving Rasha was pulled away by Obiteron into the opening of the wall, but not before Drake Marked the Prince wanting to track where the pair was going. ¡°Now, I just need to figure out where the hell Theo is, and stuff his curly mustached tushy into a safe ce so I can go wild,¡± Drake sighed, looking out into the sea of Ants that had flooded the chamber.
¡°It¡¯s been more than a week already!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it. We have to wait until there is another entrance. If I go around cutting into the ground I risk burying them alive.¡± This back-and-forth had happened several times over the week. Megan stood on the rampart like the rest of the party waiting for something to happen so they could do something, anything. She looked on as Bear and ire went back and forth again. ire was desperate to find Shot, even after being reassured by Harley and Bear that he would be fine. And Bear was again trying to calm her down while looking for any openings into the Ant¡¯s Hive. Megan had been going over the events in her mind again and again. Everything leading up until this point in the tutorial. All her mistakes, all the blunders until she found her friends again, and suddenly found someone who was actually honest for once. ¡°And I really believed him for a second¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Believed who?¡± Chelsea asked next to her, sitting on top of the rampart, her legs dangling off the edge. ¡°O-oh, just thinking out loud¡­¡± she muttered again, with a nervous chuckle, ¡°You aren¡¯t worried like ire? I thought you were head over heels for Shot?¡± Chelsea flinched briefly from the sudden question but sighed and resumed her casual surveying. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not worried¡­¡± Chelsea exined, her eyes shing green for a moment before turning back to her natural brown, ¡°It¡¯s just I understand there¡¯s no use in getting worked up about it..¡± ¡°And the falling for your boss?¡± Megan snickered. Chelsea coughed before answering, ¡°He isn¡¯t my boss¡­ He¡¯s our party leader. And I already know I don¡¯t have a shot with him anymore¡­ So I moved on.¡± ¡°To bigger and better things yeah, love?¡± Jacqueline suddenly said, stepping into the conversation. Chelsea¡¯s ears turned red, and she mmed up at the pointed question. Megan and Jacquelineughed lightly before Jacqueline pointed a new question at Megan. ¡°You worried about the dumb sod, Megan? Julia¡¯s been pretty worried about the bloody guy despite usually being calm.¡± Megan looked down at the barrennd below the rampart before responding, taking a moment to think. ¡°It isn¡¯t that I''m worried about him, it''s that I really believed he was what he said he was. After Chris¡­ I really wanted to hope he was being honest,¡± Megan admitted. ¡°Honest?¡± Chelsea and Jacqueline asked together. ¡°Yeah, honest. He¡¯s everything I thought he was, brash, and arrogant. He¡¯s also strong, protective, and works hard despite always joking. But he said he would stay with us and protect us all until the end of the tutorial. And then, he left¡­.¡± Megan exined turning sullen. ¡°Love¡­. You sure you don¡¯t have the hots for this guy? You seem to be pretty right with noticing them small details,¡± Jacqueline joked. Megan blushed but Chelsea also spoke up to add. ¡°Shot didn¡¯t leave us.¡± ¡°What do you mean, of course he did,¡± Megan countered. Chelsea shook her head, ¡°He didn¡¯t leave us to abandon us Megs. He isn¡¯t Chris. If Shot left us behind¡­. It means we just couldn¡¯t follow. If I¡¯ve learned anything from being around that guy for this long. It¡¯s that he always puts us first. I don¡¯t know why and honestly, I don¡¯t know why we deserve it. But he always protects us. So I¡¯m sure he''s doing just that.¡± Megan looked back out into the barren field where the Hive entrances used to be, the copsed rubble of the tunnels under the ground forming jagged fallen crevices in the ground. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can deal with losing another hero¡­¡± Chapter 160: Not for the Colony! Chapter 160: Not for the Colony! ¡°Theo! Theo, where the hell are you?¡± Drake shouted as he passed the numerous Ants converging on him in the forest,¡± Damn it, that guy¡¯s concealing skill is just broken,¡± Drake cursed. ¡°Perhaps he has already left the chamber? Or is simply taking your advice and staying close by and silent?¡± Natto proposed. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly take that chance with so many Ants here, if they swarm me I can always get out, but if they catch him¡­ I don¡¯t see how Theodore would be able to survive. I have to be sure of where he is,¡± Drake said concerned. Drake shot through the Ants, only killing those who were necessary for him to scour the area in search of Theodore. But Drake¡¯s time was limited in a sense. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the entrance that the Ants had made being plugged up once more. ¡°At least I know where to start digging once I find Theo. I just hope he wasn¡¯t reckless enough to go in there without me.¡± ¡°You mean you hope he is not like you?¡± Natto corrected. ¡°Not the time!¡± Drake spat, running past another group of Ants.
This one doth believes he is lost¡­. Theodore thought as he stood stered to the wall, watching Ants passing by him in the tunnel. Theodore had done exactly what Drake had hoped he had not. While under the effect of his concealment, he had snuck into the chamber opening in wanting to prove that he was a valuable asset to Drake. He was currently stuck in the flood of Ants that were surging through the tunnel all rushing in one direction. It doth begs the question, hitherward art these formicidae bound? Theodore, although curious about where the flood of monsters were going, had another goal that took priority. This one must find the treasury whilst my Lord battles. It is the only way to put him at ease. Unfortunately¡­. Theodore wished to move from his position stuck to the wall, but it was impossible for him to go anywhere with the crowded tunnel packed by the Ants. If he was to try he would surely bump into one of them, giving himself away. So despite his best efforts, Theodore was stuck waiting for the massive flood of Ants to cease. Minutes then hours passed as Theo remained where he was. Waiting for the flood toe to a trickle so that he may get on with his personal vendetta to prove his worth. Finally, the tunnel opened up, the Antsing in full force slowing down into a calm stream. Giving enough space for Theodore to peel himself from the wall. At longst, this one is allowed to move. Now, onward to thine goal. The Treasury! Theodore shouted inwardly as he began to run in the opposite direction of the Ants. Theodore moved through the tunnels quickly. His stats beginning to finallypensate for the ss he was hoping to produce. After talking with Natto, Theodore realized that he was not abat mage, and had no hopes of doing so. His ss relied on misdirection to fool enemies, and his skills allowed him to be the perfect scout. That is what he had decided on, splitting his free points into wisdom and endurance, for now, he was slowly increasing his stamina. A benefit he thanked Drake for, as he had leveled up significantly because of the party system, even passing his wife now at level 17 to her 16. Theodore moved through the tunnel, taking its bends and turns stopping only briefly to look into whatever opening he happened upon. But s each and every room bore no fruit to his quest. He was almost desperate to find the Treasure Room. Theodore understood Drake¡¯s hesitance with keeping not only Theodore but the others as well near him when things became dangerous. For whatever turn of fate, many of them were not directbat sses. And even more, it was a surprise to all of them that the jump in levels and difficulty from the Goblins to the Ants had left them all in the dust. But Theodore didn¡¯t want to allow that to force him to give up his service to Drake. Drake had saved Theodore. When he was a fresh level 10 unable to gain experience or resources, searching hopelessly for some way to gain power. Drake lent him a helping hand. It may not have beenpletely humanitarian in reasoning, but he was Theodore¡¯s benefactor nheless. Then when Theodore was in the process of repaying the debt, it grewrger. He had found his wife and had no means once again to help her from the horde of Goblins. That was when Drake had once again helped him. Again and again, Theodore was helped, and his pride wouldn¡¯t let the rtionship stay one-sided. Theodore ran through the tunnels determined to find the room that would ease his Lord¡¯s mind. And allow him to, if only minutely, pay back his generosity. Passing through the tunnel, Theodore finally came to a crossroads. If this one is not mistaken, my Lord said in passing that the treasury was meant to be in this direction¡­ or was it this direction¡­ Curses! Theodore snapped, looking left to right. Theodore went with his gut, turning right as he ran down the tunnel, making sure to dodge the iing Ants. The chambers and small caves he began passing piqued his interest. The chambers art bing smaller¡­ There is no room for the young in these ces¡­ Is this one getting close? Passing chambers more and more frequently Theodore was convinced he had gotten to a part of the hive away from the nurseries and at least somewhere else. Until he stumbled upon a door that all but confirmed his suspicion. Huzzah! Tis the heart of the beast, and the destination of thine wealth! Theodore looked from the other side of the tunnel into arge archway where there were Ants standing in front instead of marching with the rest of the fold. Beyond them, he looked into the chamber where a stone throne was ced on a tform with several stairs leading to it. Behind the throne. Laid golden doors three times the size of the room, the face of a Monstrous Goblin as handles on each section of the door.
¡°Brother why did you stop me?! That human needs to die!¡± Rasha hissed, leaning on Obiteron as they ran through the tunnel. Both headed with their entourage of guards straight for the Queen¡¯s chamber. ¡°Certainly, I will leave you to befall the same fate as Braxor then? Do not be foolish, you could have done nothing there alone,¡± Obiteron chided, practically pulling his brother along, ¡°We must regroup at the Queen¡¯s chamber first, mend your wounds then survive until we can kill that flesh-ridden nuisance.¡± Several minutes passed as the pair bickered back and forth while running through the tunnel, eventually reaching the Queen¡¯s Birthing Chamber. Entering through the massive archway, they both kneeled briefly with the rest of the guards. ¡°Your Highness!¡± the arriving Ants all shouted at once. ¡°What is it, my children?¡± the Queen asked in a soft chirp from her imposingly position high atop a pedestal. The Queen sat elegantly with her four legs crossed over one another, her abdomen swollen to such size it dangled down to the floor where Royal Nursers took care of the constant stream of eggs beingid. Obiteron was the first to speak, as he raised his head and addressed the queen. ¡°Mother, I assume you have heard the news. Braxor has died in battle and there is a human within the hive,¡± he exined calmly. ¡°I have. Braxor was a good and loyal son, it is a tragedy he has perished in battle. But it is life and it is your duty as Princes to take care of the intruder,¡± she responded pointedly, ¡°Why is it that you have not? You will not be telling me he is stronger than my sons will you?¡± she chirped calmly but hermand over the Ants in the room weighed heavy. ¡°I would be remiss to inform you that sadly it is the case¡­ We have fought with the human several times and we have been routed each time,¡± Obiteron informed. ¡°Then why are you here!¡± she shouted back, ¡°You should be continuing to defend the colony! A single mere human stronger than Royal Tyrants?! It¡¯s unheard of and I will not affirm such false pretense! Bring his head here even if you must throw everyst worker at him. I will not hear that you have failed again, son.¡± Rasha remained kneeling, his taloned hand, shaking with frustration at the words of his Queen and Mother. Obiteron on the other hand, stood arrogantly contrary to the Ants within the room. ¡°No,¡± he announced soundly. ¡°No?¡± the Queen scoffed, ¡°You are going to defy your Queen?¡± Obiteron shed out of sight appearing next to the Queen in an instant, ¡°No. I¡¯m going to remove the Queen. I don¡¯t need you anymore Mother!¡± Obiteron in one swift motion threw his talons forward, the serrated fingers covered in pitch ck light as it passed through the thorax of his mother, killing her instantly as she fell from the top of the pedestal to the floor. ¡°W-what are you doing Obiteron!?¡± Rasha shouted from below, standing and leaping to catch his falling Mother. ¡°I¡¯m taking charge! After Braxor, that muscle-bound loyal dog finally died thanks to that human. It was all I needed to take the throne by force! Now there is only you left and because of your injuries you¡¯re no match for me!¡± Obiteron shouted his head tilting backwards as he screeched in joy, his ambitionid bare. ¡°You are a disgrace to our race! I always knew you were a weak scheming fool who didn¡¯t even deserve the mandibles you bare! Do you feel nothing as our Hive dies right before our eyes?! Our brother fought and died! How¡­ How could you not feel the need for vengeance in your very thorax?! And now you kill our Queen?!¡± Rasha roared in anger, holding his lifeless Mother¡¯s body in his arms. ¡°Of course, I feel nothing. Because I want to take it all! Is it not in our very essence to stand above all else? The moment we were sent here I put my n into action. And that human helped me do it. I should thank you and him really, for without either this would have all been for naught. And I would never have had the opportunity to reach my goal,¡± Obiteron sneered. ¡°To what?! See the fall of our colony?!¡± ¡°No,¡± Obiteron mused, moving down and punching his hand through guard after guard that had surrounded Rasha and the Queen, killing almost every Royal Guard in quick session. ¡°To be more! To be stronger than anyone. Then you, then our brother, then that filthy human!¡± Obiteron cackled his arms shimmering in dark light as he threw them both forward, bisecting his brother and the Queen¡¯s body that he held. [You have defeated Rasha Trikk Level 29] [Experience Gained] [You have increased to Level 30 Ruler of the Nest] [Race Evolution is now avable] [Would you like to ept Race Evolution to Tyrant Ant-King?] Chapter 161: Struggling with Loyalty Chapter 161: Struggling with Loyalty Drake had been spending his time shouting and hollering in an attempt to find Theodore for the past several hours. Running back and forth throughout the forest from end to end. ¡°Alright, now I¡¯m getting annoyed. Where in the world is Theo?! Theo! You mustached bastard,e out!¡± Drake shouted into the air, throwing an Ant to the side as he went. ¡°At this point, I believe we can say he is not here. Even if he was thoroughly angry at you, I do not believe he would take it so far,¡± Natto proposed. ¡°Yeah, but we don¡¯t know that. If there¡¯s any chance he could still be here we need to get him before we leave-¡± [Quest Update: The Queen of the Tyrant Ants has been usurped by the Third Prince Obiteron Trikk] [Subjugation Quest: Subjugate the Three Princes of the Ant Hive Failed] [New Subjugation Quest!] [Prevent the Third Prince Obiteron Trikk from evolving their race to E-Rank] [Reward: Experience, Epic Skill Stone x1] [Time Remaining: 23 Hours 59 Minutes 58 Seconds] ¡°That is not good,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I would think not! This is beyond disastrous! You must leave immediately. Run, break through the walls, the ceiling. Whatever it is you must do, do it! Drake, you have to run with all haste!¡± Natto entreated. ¡°Whoa, whoa. Not without Theo. I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Drake answered back. ¡°Drake this is no longer a hypothetical, or some form of weird egotistical entertainment for you. You will die if you try to fight an E-Rank Monster at your current stats and level!¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Says you. And like I said, I¡¯m not leaving Theodore and that¡¯s that. I guess his stupid blond butt went in with the other Ants when they made the opening in the side of the wall.¡± Drake stopped on his heels, pivoting before running back the way he just came, tearing through the Ants as he went. Beelining for the aforementioned wall. ¡°Drake please listen to me! Do not make more mistakes. I am advising you so that you can live! And so that you have a chance to recover your broken personality! An E-Rank monster has stats in the thousands, even with your endowment skills you would need buffs of incredible magnitude to match them!¡± Drake smiled, finally reaching the wall where the Ants had plugged up the hole. His hand reared backward as an orange magic circle formed above the open palm. ¡°It¡¯s a really good thing I happen to have so many support sses waiting for me up top then huh? It¡¯s almost like fate is on my side or something!¡± Drake shouted, throwing his hand against the wall, the Magma inserting itself into the rock as his mana plummeted. Drake forced his spell into the wall, burrowing out the wall with hotva as it melted a human-sized opening for him. Breathing out a sigh of slight exhaustion, Drake¡¯s hair shimmered to blue in an instant as he changed endowments to recover. ¡°Ok, if I was Theo, where would I go?¡± Drake thought aloud, looking left to right. The tunnel was dim but the light from the chamber housing the forest bled through into the tunnel from behind Drake. The sound of scurrying Antsing from the same direction. Surprisingly the tunnel was empty where Drake would have thought it to have been packed full of Ants. The only indication was the moved rubble from what looked like thousands of Ants passing by. ¡°I¡¯m going to guess they went that way,¡± Drake said pointing to his left, ¡°So I think it¡¯s safe to assume that Theo went the other way.¡± ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the direction where the Prince went when I marked him before it wore off,¡± Drake said, ¡°And Theo just isn''t the type of guy who goes looking for a fight. I¡¯m sure he went in the other direction.¡± Drake convincing himself of what he saying was true, began sprinting down the tunnel in the other direction. ¡°You know this feels a lot like it did with the Goblin King, with the timer for the quest and all. But I am pretty miffed I failed the quest because some bozo decided to off his family tree GOT style,¡± Drake sighed, running down the tunnel. ¡°This is nothing like the previous monster. The King was hardly a fightpared to the Royal Guards, but this is entirely different. Certainly, you see that! An E-Rank is nothing to be trifled with!¡± Natto yelled back. ¡°So you keep saying,¡± Drake replied, turning a corner, ¡°But can you really say for certain that with everything I¡¯ve done, and all the support I can have from my party. I couldn¡¯t beat a single E-Rank?¡± ¡°In certain circumstances where there were multiple of you and catching a freshly evolved E-Rank Monster off guard. I will concede that there is a possibility. But that is only by result of your increased stats as a Dual ss being. Normally Rank is absolute, the only exception being pure races of the Primordials or possibly a rank lower. And that is firmly because of their increased statuses and the effects it has on their skills and stat growth!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying if this treasury has something that can change my race to something better than just a Human. I¡¯m in the clear to win?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°No! Not unless you wish to bend your mind to the point of breaking! A change in race in your current condition¡­ I do not even wish to think of the result. You may suffer something irreversible.¡± ¡°But I thought you hated my personality? Maybe it will get me to stop making jokes and referencing anime,¡± Drake smirked behind his mask. Natto went silent then, making Drake pause and stop for a moment. ¡°Natto?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I-i do not¡­ Entirely despise your personality¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm..?¡± Drake mused, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I said nearly entirely! I still hate a majority of you! If all it took to cease your incessant references was a change of Race, I would have suggested it long ago!¡± she shouted back. Drake began chuckling, curling as he held his stomach. ¡°I may not be in my best form now¡­¡± Drake said, standing upright and turning slightly serious, ¡°But I¡¯m not going anywhere. I refuse to let the system or anything for that matter, change my goals and aspirations now. Maybe I¡¯ll have to bend in this new world. But I refuse to break.¡± With that, Drake didn¡¯t wait for Natto to reply. Changing his endowment again, now that he had fully recovered over the time while running, his hair cascaded to a vibrant green, the tunnel filling with a brief gust of wind as Drake took off. The next few minutes sprinting down the tunnel were muted, Drake¡¯s head spinning on what to do about the quest he had just received. On the outside and as far as Natto was concerned he was the same confidentid-back manchild he had always been throughout the tutorial. But deep within his subconscious, even Drake was slightly shaken by the news. Would he be able to beat the Prince? Could he protect everyone with how strong he was now? What would happen if he couldn¡¯t? Was this tutorial doomed to have no survivors? Was that what the sponsor intended? These questions stirred within his rational mind as he took each step forward in search of Theodore. But the uncanny thing was a part of him. A small part that was slowly gettingrger and more loud. Looked forward to it. That part of his consciousness almost wanted to fail the quest. Would the fight be fun? How much stronger would he be after defeating an E-Ranked Named Monster? How much closer would it bring him to standing at the top? Drake¡¯s mind paused,ing back to reality as he hit a crossroads. Still no Ants in sight yet confusing Drake even more. ¡°Well¡­. Where do we go now? I can¡¯t sense anything nearby, and it''s a 50-50 chance if I¡¯m right or wrong on where he went,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Do I just guess, or roll the dice¡­ or make a coin to flip?¡± Drake thought aloud. Shaking his head as he eyed the timer for the Prince¡¯s evolution he decided to just guess. Turning left and ready to step forward, Drake was stopped by bumping into something invisible. The sound of something hitting the ground thumped through the tunnel before Theodore shimmered into existence his rump on the flood, and his hand rubbing his bruised nose. ¡°Mhy Lhord! Ahs strhong ahs ahlwhays!¡± Theodore said through a bleeding nose that he held. ¡°Theo! Damn man, are you ok? Why in the world were you just standing there?¡± Drake asked, offering a hand. ¡°This one wished to search for our grail, and in doing so this one hast found it!¡± Theodore proimed. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked surprised, ¡°You found it already? Where?¡± ¡°Tis but a small distance hitherward,¡± Theodore pointed down the tunnel, his other hand rubbing his still bruised nose, ¡°Thine treasure is guarded by but a meager few within a chamber. This one is sure it will be of no trouble for my Lord¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great Theo,¡± Drake said somewhat hesitantly, ¡°You got the quest notification too right?¡± he asked. Theodore turned to look at Drake as he stood, nodding, ¡°Yes, my Lord. Would thou allow this one to join in this fight? This one is sure he would be of use in some-¡± ¡°Theo,¡± Drake said, gripping Theodore¡¯s shoulder, ¡°This isn¡¯t a fight I¡¯m sure I could win if the Prince is able to finalize his evolution. I couldn¡¯t ask you to¡­.¡± ¡°My Lord,¡± Theo interrupted, brushing off Drake¡¯s hand, ¡°This one¡¯s life and choices are his own. Please, allow this one to aid his Lord and benefactor.¡± Drake saw the determination in Theodore¡¯s eyes but struggled with allowing him to join in a fight Drake knew would be not only dangerous for Drake himself but most likely fatal for anyone outside of Bjorn and himself. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on getting to the Treasury first my man,¡± Drake said deflecting, ¡°Maybe we can find some goodies in there to help us out.¡± Theodore looked as if he had swallowed something bitter, but nodded while his gaze pointed downward. Drake could feel the tension between them, but he had no choice but to dy answering Theodore. Theodore had made his point, and it was true. But Drake was not prepared to send the man who had been with him almost the entire tutorial to his death. ¡°Good, let¡¯s get going then,¡± Drake asserted. Theodore cast his concealment spell once more, and Drake ran down the tunnel in the direction that Theodore had instructed. After a few moments and following some bends in the tunnel, Drake sensed and spotted several Guards ahead of them. Not needing to change Endowments, Drake summoned a de of water quickly dispatching them in one swift motion. Their bodies dropping to the floor as his spell fell to the floor with them. ¡°Looks like a throne room,¡± Drake observed peering into the room as he walked in toward the lonerge chair in front of the double doors. ¡°Hmm,¡± Drake mused, moving past the throne and to the doors, looking them up and down, ¡°So what¡¯s behind door number one?¡± Drake announced, pulling a key from his inventory. ¡°Now¡­ where is the hole I put you in?¡± Chapter 162: When Gold is Worthless. Chapter 162: When Gold is Worthless. The night was waxing, and the sun slowly disappeared from the Outpost as Shigure made rounds on the rampart of the wall. ¡°Another quiet night. I am curious if it is Sir Bear and Shot¡¯s doing¡­¡± he wondered. It had been weeks since the pair, and Shot¡¯s party had departed with no news back of either. But there had also been no new conflicts throughout the entirety of the tutorial as far as the outpost was concerned. There had been nothing, no fights, no new monster species, or an increase to the strength of the current monsters. Which Shigure had noticed he had not seen in many many weeks. ¡°It is as if the tutorial is drying up,¡± he said, looking out into the forest slowly being eclipsed in the night. ¡°It¡¯s not the only thing drying up Kenzo,¡± a voice said from behind Shigure. ¡°Sato? I haven¡¯t seen you in quite some time, where have you been?¡± ¡°There haven¡¯t been any monsters aroundtely so I got hold up in the part of the outpost you never want to visit,¡± Sato smiled. ¡°Ugh¡­. that ce is filthy. I hope you showered,¡± Shigure grimaced. ¡°Oh please, are you really still on about that after everything?¡± Sato sighed. ¡°After what?¡± ¡°After that guy trounced your ass left and right while spouting reference after reference,¡± Sato chuckled. Shigure went to snap his refute but was stopped by Saito¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s surprising that¡¯s the only thing you¡¯re fixated on with him,¡± Sato said pointedly, ¡°Especially after how much you¡¯ve changed after meeting him.¡± ¡°Changed? I do not see how I have changed in the slightest Sato,¡± Shigure scoffed. ¡°I may have been locked up ying cards for the past two weeks but that doesn¡¯t mean I haven¡¯t seen the effects of what is going on. 90% of the coalition is gone, and so is that scum that followed them. And I¡¯ve seen that the cages are cleaned of prisoners. You would have never had the heart to do that before that guy came,¡± Sato said, pausing for a moment, ¡°We¡¯ve both seen and done things sinceing here. More that we¡¯re not proud of than are. But it was always a reaction to something. Now? You¡¯re finally taking charge. It¡¯s what you¡¯ve needed to do all along and I¡¯m proud you finally realized it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need praise from a person who thinks lines from cartoons count as morals,¡± Shigure scoffed. ¡°Excuse me for having a hobby¡­.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t a hobby for you! You have figurines of fictional characters all over your room!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me¡­ Please Taka-chan! Be there and unharmed when wee back! I¡¯ve done all of this for you¡­¡± Sato said, bringing his hands together in a prayer. ¡°That! That is what I am talking about! It¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°Hey, you have posters of Kendo and Archery Olympians in your room. You don¡¯t think that¡¯s any worse?¡± ¡°Those are real people with real aplishments! It¡¯s entirely different!¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve never met them so they might as well be fiction to you! So, same thing!¡± ¡°That is a leap in logic that makes no real sense! W-why am I even arguing this with you!?¡± Shigure sighed. ¡°You¡¯re no fun¡­ Always have that giant stick up your ass. Anyway, with the food dwindling it is starting to get worse but I¡¯m sure you already knew that¡­ Surprisingly the crafters have been doing well even when there¡¯s no monsters to gain points and stones from. People are breaking their piggy banks to get some of the stuff on the market,¡± Sato mused, pushing up his sses. ¡°What stuff..?¡± Shigure asked intrigued, the first he heard of it. ¡°Remember the dwarf? He got his hands on some really good skill stones, and some essories, won¡¯t say from who, but they''re better than anything you could have gotten outside of quest rewards right now.¡± ¡°Is he still open?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Old guy lives in that stall, so I think so,¡± Sato shrugged. Shigure didn¡¯t say anything as he walked passed Saito. Sato chuckled a bit before following his friend. They passed through the outpost ignoring the wandering eyes here and there. As Shigure headed straight for the old Dwarf¡¯s stall. Reaching there rtively quickly, Shigure knocked on the front of the stall to get the man¡¯s attention. ¡°Hello! I heard you have some new merchandise to sell?¡± ¡°I swear to god, if you bastards came back again to haggle I¡¯ll break my hammer off in your ass- Oh, Lord Shigure¡­ What a surprise¡­¡± the old dwarf grimaced. ¡°The merchandise?¡± Shigure asked, ignoring the dwarf. ¡°Yeah, sure thing.. Give me a moment.¡± Waiting for a few seconds as the Dwarf apparently rummaged through some things further back in the stall, Shigure began feeling anticipation well up slightly. ¡°Here they are, have a good look.¡± Shigure eyed the pieces of jewelry on the counter, as well as the skill stones that had just been ced. ¡°Where in the world did you get these? We don¡¯t even have Intelligence essories avable at this stat increase,¡± Shigure said in amazement. ¡°Can¡¯t say, business partner wants to stay silent. So you buying or just window shoppin¡¯ again Saito?¡± the dwarf asked, pointing to behind Shigure. Sato raised his hands in defeat, ¡°Can¡¯t, lost all my money in ¡°Tales of the Tyrant Knight¡± and there aren¡¯t any more monsters left to hunt.¡± ¡°What about selling one of them pistols you got?¡± ¡°What?! Never! I could sell Little Maru!¡± Sato shouted recoiling from the stall. Shigure ignored his friend, picking out several strength and dexterity essories, as well as a few of the rare skill stones he saw that looked promising for after the tutorial. ¡°How much for all of these?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± grumbled the dwarf as he groomed his beard, ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­.¡± Before he could announce the price a notification popped in all of their heads, silencing the surroundings and their conversation. [Subjugation Quest: Subjugate the Three Ant Princes of the Ant Hive has failed] [New Subjugation Quest!] [Prevent the Third Prince Obiteron Trikk from evolving their race to E-Rank] [Reward: Experience, Epic Skill Stone x1] [Time Remaining: 23 Hours 59 Minutes 58 Seconds] ¡°What?! E-Rank?¡± Shigure growled, ¡°What have those fools done?¡± The next moment a puff of smoke appeared next to Shigure, a woman clothed in shinobi attire kneeling in a half bow. ¡°My Lord,¡± Uta said in an even tone. ¡°Gather everyone that can fight, and reinforce the ramparts. We won¡¯t be able to get to wherever the Ant¡¯s Nest is in time to help or search. Our only hope is to defend until the Tutorial is over!¡± Shigure ordered. ¡°As youmand!¡± Uta announced, disappearing again in a puff of inky ck smoke. Shigure turned again to the old Dwarf. ¡°How much? I¡¯ll be needing these sooner than I imagined.¡± The dwarf smiled, ¡°Everything you got boy.¡± ¡°W-what?! You¡¯re going to rob me?!¡± ¡°Supply and demand. You demand and are in very much need of what I supply.¡± ¡°This is highway robbery!¡± Satoughed from behind Shigure. ¡°Ha! Now we¡¯re both broke!¡± Shigure turned to growl at Sato before turning back to the dwarf. ¡°This is bullshit!¡±
¡°Ahhhhh!!! This is bullshit!!¡± Drake shouted into the vault. Drake and Theodore had finally managed to find the keyhole for the double doors and eventually wrenched them open only to find, well, nothing much. ¡°What is this supposed to be a joke?! There¡¯s nothing here but scraps! It¡¯s been picked clean!¡± Drake howled, picking up loose gold coins and rubbish essories that didn¡¯tpare to his own. Looking upwards Drake cursed at the sky, ¡°What the fuck kind of quest reward is this! I had to trudge through an army of ants for weeks! For this!?¡± Drake sighed, then began cing whatever he could into his inventory as he grumbled curses. Theodore going through and picking things that could be useful as well. ¡°This truly is an unfortunate oue, my Lord. But it may not all be for naught, we have indeed found the treasure. Which would allow for a safe space in the future of oveing this fortress by these insectoids!¡± Theodore mused trying to lighten the mood. Drake bit his tongue, not warning to hint at his uneasiness for the future. He had been expecting something, else, something more from the treasure of the Goblin King. Something he could use to help increase his fighting strength or at least something for everyone else. With the timed quest and the looming evolution of the Prince ahead, Drake needed something, some sort of bone thrown to him. Shuffling through the room, Drake was amazed something thisrge again was brought underneath the surface. The walls were made of what looked to be gold, or at least gold-ted. Who knows if the King skimped on the decor, maybe it¡¯s even fake gold. I wouldn¡¯t put it past the scumbag¡­ Drake mused. ¡°I believe it is gold. Gold is not as valuable in the Multiverse as it was on your singr. At least not regr gold. Mana Infused minerals and materials go for a much higher price,¡± Natto exined. Thanks for thementary¡­ I thought you might have gone for a walk or something with how silent it got. ¡°I am simply busy with trying to figure out what to do to save our lives. You have put us in a right mess this time¡­¡± she sighed. It¡¯s not my fault the Ants decided to stage a coup right as we entered the Hive. How was I supposed to know? Drake thought. Drake heard Natto sigh within his head as his hands went over item after item in the room trying to find something useful. ¡°No, worse than what I have. Gold? Worthless right now. Potions? Have that. Man, there¡¯s nothing here right now. I¡¯m guessing one of the Princes somehow got in and snaked the ce clean¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°My Lord! I found some status pills in a box! Would thou care to take them?¡± Theodore suddenly shouted from the other side of the room. ¡°Are they F-Grade? One stat per pill?¡± Drake shouted back. ¡°Indubitably!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine unless it''s fifty or more, you can use them, Theo. A few won¡¯t help me right now.¡± ¡°Understood my Lord! I will save them for Harley then!¡± Drake shook his head and continued to rummage through the worthless gold coins as he chuckled slightly. ¡°Guy always thinks of his wife,¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°And of you. Perhaps he thinks of you as his second wife?¡± Natto snickered. ¡°That¡¯s very disturbing because it might honestly be true..¡± Drake said shivering, ¡°But man, I never thought there would be a day I see so much gold and money, and not have any use for it¡­This is pretty depressing in a way.¡± ¡°There will most likely be nothing within here if we have not found it already. I suggest we leave and run. Very very far away,¡± Natto proposed. ¡°If I run, who is going to stop big and scary when he wakes up or evolves, or whatever?¡± Drake asked, his hands pocketing some status pills he found. ¡°It is not your job to defend the whole ce from this monster Drake. You have not even set foot outside the tutorial yet. There is much more for you to do in the days toe. Do not extinguish your me now before it has time to burn bright.¡± ¡°Wow, that was almost poetic,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°But sorry, no can do. What happens when the Ant decides to kill everyone, thene after us anyway?¡± ¡°Then we would have dyed for a time so you could survive!¡± ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll y along,¡± Drake said, reaching through more piles of items, ¡°What if rough and the ugly decides he just wants to screw over my day? Comes right for the strongest person in the tutorial, or just wants vengeance on the person who killed his brother?¡± Natto became silent. ¡°See? There might be a bunch of reasons you don¡¯t want me to die. And contrary to what you might think, I don¡¯t want to die either. But this boils down to there are only maybe three people in this tutorial that can maybe, kind of, possibly do anything about an E-Rank. And I don¡¯t n on asking Shigure. A kid that young needs to survive. And Bjorn¡­ I wouldn¡¯t feel right asking for his help. So I¡¯ve got to do it myself.¡± ¡°They are not your responsibility¡­¡± Natto mumbled. ¡°Technically they are. I signed a contract, remember?¡± ¡°You can always annul it!¡± ¡°That would just be underhanded though. I gave my word, and that¡¯s that,¡± Drake said finally, his hand going for a pine box he saw on top of a chest. His hand halted as he approached it. Drake noticing the slight shiver in his arm. He was nervous. He was unsure. But he still had to put on his strong face. Because if he didn''t, who would? ¡°My Lord! Outside!¡± Theodore shouted. ¡°What is it?¡± Chapter 163: Obiteron Trikk Chapter 163: Obiteron Trikk Drake rushed to the entrance making sure to put himself in between it and Theodore, his defensive skills going off in rapid session. Outside of the Treasure Room and beyond that the throne chamber in the tunnel, thousands of stampeding ants ran past them. ¡°What is going on? They¡¯re all running to something? Or running away¡­?¡± Drake said absentmindedly. Drake didn¡¯t let down his guard, motioning to Theodore to go invisible once again. Drake moved in closer to the tunnel curious about why the Ants were so adamant in their sudden fleeing. He was close enough that he was sure the Ants could smell and see him, but not a single one stopped to turn towards him or fight him, they all continued to run at speed in a single direction. ¡°They¡¯re ignoring me? Theo, you cane out,¡± Drake said not taking his eyes off the ants, a sinking feeling enveloping his stomach. Theodore wisped back into view next to Drake, a curious look on his face as he too looked at the stampeding passerbys. ¡°What is urring my Lord? Art thou¡¯s enemiespletely and utterly foregoing us?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°No. I think they¡¯re all running from something. My best guess? It¡¯s the Prince¡¯s evolution¡­ but he still has..¡± Drake paused to look at the quest, ¡°He still has about 19 hours left. Could be that because he killed the others and the Queen they are just running away?¡± Drake proposed. ¡°Should we depart as well?¡± Theodore asked, ¡°We have already searched for riches within the treasury, this one doubts we will find more.¡± Drake pursed his lips in thought for a moment, watching the never-ending trail of Ants as they passed the chamber. ¡°Damn, this means I won''t be able to finish thest of my quests either¡­ I¡¯m just a few away from the Guard and Royal Knight¡¯s being finished. I was really hoping that I could at least finish those for a level-up. But Levels are starting to slow as it is¡­ I still have time to stop the evolution. I just have to backtrack where the Ants are running from.¡± ¡°Then shall we be on our way my Lord?¡± Theodore asked, rasing his cane. ¡°No Theo¡­ Sorry, but I can¡¯t bring you on this one. I need you to go to the surface. Follow the Ants to whatever exit they are using and get back to Bjorn and the others. I don¡¯t know if I can beat this Prince if he finishes his evolution before I get to them.¡± ¡°M-my Lord¡­ Please do not discard this one in your time of need! This one can certainly help! Do not remove me from your side!¡± Theodore pleaded. ¡°No! I can¡¯t and won¡¯t ask you to do this Theo! I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt likest time. This monster is possibly out of my league so it is definitely out of everyone else''s. I need you to get to the surface and prepare everyone in case I need to fall back and get help from the support buffs everyone has. Please, I need you to do this for me. This is how you help me,¡± Drake said firmly, looking into Theodore¡¯s eyes with determination. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Theodore murmured, unsure of what to respond with. Theodore didn¡¯t want to leave his benefactor to fight on his own. But he couldn¡¯t refute that he may not be able to truly help and may in fact be a hindrance. Theodore was above average in levelpared to the rest of the tutorial, but he was not made for directbat. He was also a supporting ss mage which made it nearly impossible for him topete with the Prince. A monster nearly twice his level that even Drake was admittedly worried about defeating. Bitting his lip, the sound of his gloves gripping his cane creaked. ¡°By yourmand, my Lord. It will be done,¡± Theodore said solemnly as he chanted a spell and shimmered out of sight. Drake gave a smirk as he moved his mask, speaking to the empty room. ¡°Thank you, Theo. Be safe, and don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Thou as well, my Lord. Come back safely.¡± With that Drake re-entered the treasury giving it onest look over for anything he could possibly use. But s he only found some scrounges of decent armor and weapons as well as a few status pills that he pocketed with the rest. ¡°Well, at least we have a small boost. That¡¯s ten pills per stat. But I doubt it will be enough¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Anything will help at this point, Drake. You are taking on something far out of your realm of experience. Are you sure you will not heed my warning and leave¡­?¡± Natto asked one more time. ¡°No can do. Manners, maketh man. And I¡¯m a man of my word. I¡¯ll get stronger and protect those I care about. Or die trying.¡±
The surroundings were mute. Muffles of scratches and chittering reached Obiteron but he was unable to make out anything coherent enough to understand. The moment he had epted the sounds of the world in his head he was thrown into a dark ce. But he didn¡¯t fear it. Obiteron knew the darkness that had enveloped him was nothing more than the process of the world cementing his new power. The power of a newborn King. He did not know how long the process would take but he could slowly feel himself changing with the confines of this dark ce he had been submerged. Reveling in the feeling of growth, the anticipation was enough to run him ragged before ever emerging into the world as the victor. Finally the true King of the Tyrant Ants, the strongest of them all. He had nned for years. Even before the voice of the world took them into this newndscape. His brothers had always mocked him for using all the tools at his disposal. Saying that it was unlike a Tyrant Ant to seek help through means outside one''s self. But now they were both dead. Along with their mother. And it was his doing. Obiteron felt his carapace flex and mold to his growing body within the dark. What felt like an eternity to him continued as he fell back into thought. After his increase in rank, he would no longer need the trinkets the Goblins had left. He would be the strongest being within this newnd. And when its time was over they would move to a new prosperousnd where he could grow a new Hive. His own colony in his image, where he stood at the top. Just like the voice of the world promised him. Obiteron flexed his body and aura, feeling them like new muscles wanting to be tested. Soon, very soon his evolution would beplete. He could feel it. The sounds of the outside had quieted. But he could feel something approaching. Even within his dark prison, he could feel it. The Human. Cracks began forming in the dark, light spilling in from every direction blinding his sight momentarily. Obiteron felt the pressure of something hitting him and his body but felt no pain. Coming out of the dark, he saw the human, spells being thrown at him with considerable force. Looking down Obiteron saw his ne had shattered. The human overloaded the magic negating trinket. Impressive, if nothing but futile. The pressure Obiteron felt was the human¡¯s spells hitting him harmlessly. Obiteron shook his body, releasing himself from the molted body he had emerged from. His body stretched as he felt the new muscles and the strength within them. He had grown wings. Appropriate for a King. Why should I be confined to the ground like a lowlyrvae? He thought, snapping his mandibles. Once he was done flexing his new body, he began observing it. His chitin armor had turned from the dark ck of before to a silver hue. Red streaks went down his body as they pulsed with vital energy and power. Clenching and unclenching his serrated fingers, Obiteron let out a screech of joy. He wasplete. He was finally the King he always wished he would be. And all for the measly cost of his family. Looking up his eyes fixed on the human that could have killed him easily before. One word reverberating in his mind. Weak.
Drake heaved as he continued to throw spell after spell at the dark cocoon in front of him that he had finally found after no rest. But it was toote. [Subjugation Quest: Prevent the Third Prince Obiteron Trikk from evolving their race to E-Rank has failed] [New Subjugation Quest!] [Defeat the King of the Tyrant Ant¡¯s Obiteron Trikk [E-Rank] [Experience. Large amount of TP. Legendary Weapon of Your Choice [E-Grade] ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m in danger¡­¡± Drake cursed with a self-deprecating smirk behind his mask. Drake had followed the nearly endless trail of Ants back to the apparent Queen¡¯s Nursing chamber where he was able to get inside with the key he had gotten from the Nursers. But instead of finding Obiteron in a vulnerable state. After 18 hours of searching the Hive, he had stumbled upon a jet-ck cocoon. Drake immediately began pummeling the cocoon with everything he had, expending his status in chunks as he pelted the thing with spell after mana-charged spell. But the cocoon held strong against Drake even at full power with no resistance against his onught. He lost count of how many times he cursed as he sent spell after spell at the thing over the course of the remaining hour. Drake eventually convinced himself that the cocoon must have had increased defensive bonuses while the Prince was evolving inside. But Drake continued regardless. At least that was until his time was up. Once thest second ticked by and the quest had failed, Drake felt something he hadn¡¯t in a very long time since beginning the tutorial. He felt pure dread. Fear. With the cracking of the cocoon. Drake felt the immense pressure of the being inside push against his own and the world around it. He could also feel that the aura wasn¡¯t malicious. He could feel it was as if a child had found a new toy and was testing it. Which made Drake all the more nervous. ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto mumbled nervously, her teeth chattering. I¡­ I know¡­ I threw everything I had at it and there isn¡¯t a scratch on him or the cocoon¡­. Drake stammered. ¡°You need to run! You don¡¯t stand a chance!¡± Where am I going to run? I doubt he¡¯s going to just let us stroll out of here.. Drake joked while sweat began pooling down the side of his face, his status was still recovering from the bombardment of spells he used to assault the cocoon earlier. And now the Prince was emerging. From the cocoon Drake felt the air pulse almost like a heartbeat as the cracks rippled through the sleek ck covering of the cocoon, splintering it more and more with each pulse. Finally, onerge crack split it down the middle as the Prince emerged slowly from the shell. [Obiteron Trikk Level 30] The Prince took in the surroundings slowly, his body flexing here and there as he apparently tested his new body and extremities. With a flutter, the new wings on his back buzzed briefly shaking off the excess shell of the cocoon. ¡°This guy looks like one of the old school Big Bad Beetleborgs¡­. Silver edition,¡± Drake muttered under his breath as he lowered his stance ready for a fight. Obiteron flexed his ws and then let out a loud howl. ¡°Shit did he hear me or just not like the reference?!¡± Drake shuddered, raising a hand at the burst of aura pushing down on him with the screech. Looking through his hands Drake saw the Prince snap to Drake, their eyes ring at one another. Through the Prince¡¯s eyes, Drake could tell what it was thinking and it brought fury into Drake¡¯s every fiber of his being overtaking the previous fear. He thinks I¡¯m weak?! Chapter 164: The Surface Chapter 164: The Surface Drake was furious at the insinuation to his very core. Weak? It went against everything he had worked for. He had worked from the ground up to where he was now. Life and death struggles to no end lead him to this point. But this insect called him weak. Drake knew that the Prince was a Rank above him. And after feeling the aura from the Prince. Drake also realized that Natto was right all along. Rank was absolute, or at least felt it. But he couldn¡¯t let the insult slide. Something within him wouldn¡¯t allow it. Wouldn¡¯t allow the slight from another being. ¡°Drake! Please run! You simply can¡¯t win!¡± Natto pleaded. Drake straightened, his arms raised as he dumped mana into his Rings. ¡°A wound on a warrior''s back is disgraceful.¡± ¡°You are a weeb, not a warrior! Please enough jokes run!¡± Drake¡¯s rational mind heard and wanted to flee as Natto suggested with every fiber of his being, but his subconscious wouldn¡¯t allow him to budge. Only move forward. ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable! I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark! On blessed wings. Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± Drake then roared as he rushed forward, his body shing in three bright flickers of green as elements formed in an instant in front of him. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Serpentarius! Heretical Attunement! Lightning!¡± With one great lunge, Drake flew forward toward the stone like Prince. The aura surrounding the Prince thick and oppressive. Drake flexed his aura moments before meeting the Prince with his thrown fist. [Tyrannical Aura has failed. Target has resisted the effect] Drake clicked his tongue but surged his fist forward nheless. The electrified violet first twirled in kind with the red of his Martial Skill connecting with the side of the Ant¡¯s head. Once the fist connected Drake quickly backed away cursing as he did. ¡°Damn it! I hit him but I felt no give! How sturdy did he get?!¡± While Drake did his best to analyze the situation quickly, summoning two magic circles of lighting on both his sides, he crunched his teeth in frustration. Obiteron didn¡¯t move. Instead, he seemed to still be flexing his body here and there feeling out the new power within him. Almost mockingly ignoring Drake as the impact from his previous strike smoldered harmlessly on the Ant¡¯s cheek. ¡°This fucking bug is looking down on me again!¡± Drake growled. ¡°Asura! Twofold!¡± Drake chanted, the two lightning circles forming arms at the base of his shoulders. Drake roared again stepping forward and maneuvering to Obiteron''s blind spot, throwing two firsts at a time in quick session at him with all his might. Each pair of arms hit their mark with no resistance but also with no effect. His shell can¡¯t be this hard! I¡¯m using Attunement and Prating spells! I have almost over a thousand Intelligence! What is this stupid fuck made of!? Drake began to feel the pangs of fear slowly creep into his mind once more. The anxiety of his previous thoughts inside the treasury surfacing. His brow began to sweat not from exhaustion but from an inability to currently do any damage to the Prince. His assault on the newly ranked up Ant had no effect. Drake backed up once more getting space on the edge of the cave as he brought his palm up, his Attunement lightning and two lighting arms forming into a spear of dense mana. ¡°True Lighting Magic!¡± Drake growled the spear pulsating as more magic circles formed around it addingyer andyer of violent violet crackles of threading light. ¡°Peirce him! Ceranos!¡± Drake opened his status window as he hurled the spear forward with all his physical might dumping thest of his points into his Intelligence, bringing out the pills he had found in the treasury as well, swallowing the sixty small pills whole. His status spiked as his Intelligence shot past 800, the spear of lightning ripping through the air between them as it ignited the surroundings, turning the chamber into a hot sauna. Drake wasn¡¯t willing to bank just on the spell and snapped forward with the spear getting above Obiteron in the same swift motion. With Drake¡¯s Adrenaline Acuity on full throttle, Drake couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp as he saw what ensued. The spear of lighting was moving faster than anything Drake had thrown before, careening right for the chest of the Ant Prince. But it was stopped like a ything in one hand as it struggled to move forward in the Ant¡¯s smoldering hand. The Prince held it as if it was nothing but a stick he would pick up off the ground as he looked up at Drake, as if waiting expectantly for his next move. Drake ground his teeth, wrenching his fist backward, winding up for a full power straight to the Ant¡¯s head. Chanting two spells in quick session as he threw it forward. ¡°Cower! Atrophy of the Mind!¡± Drake hoped that the spells would be enough to do something, have some effect on the Ant long enough for him to do some kind of damage. But he was met with the cruelty of reality and Rank. [Cower has failed. Target has resisted the effect] [Atrophy of the Mind has failed. Target has resisted the effect] In the next moment, Drake saw the Prince snap the spear of condensed lightning like a twig his eyes never leaving Drake as the Prince¡¯s other arm swatted him away like a bug. Drake was reminded of the first time he had felt the effects of his Adrenaline Acuity¡¯s skill when he had fought Bjorn and this was the near mirror image of it. He saw the hand moving towards him but his body refused to react in time as it collided with his face. The impact thrusted Drake to the side as he mmed against the wall with such force it brought the cave down on top of him. The sound of ss breaking rang in his ears as his defensive skills were triggered. [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Maximum Reprieval Charges Stored] [Reprieval Charge Lost] Drake did his best to maintain consciousness as the rubble began piling on top of him. ¡°Drake!¡± Natto pleaded. I know! Drake agreed reluctantly. Pulling a vial of red and blue from his inventory Drake managed to wiggle his arm free under the piling rocks to bring them to his mouth, replenishing his status if only slightly. Drake quickly summoned a magic circle of orange as he canceled his Heretical Endowment. Opting to use his Earth Endowment for the defensive boost while minimizing his use of mana while his defensive skills were down. Using the Magma to melt through the rocks behind him, Drake wrenched himself from the rubble and tumbled into the space he made before cursing at himself. ¡°You can chew yourself outter! Please just get to the surface!¡± Drake clenched his fist and teeth together but moved forward melting away the stone as he attempted to find a tunnel. Within the short time it took, he did his best to minimize the effect of using two potions at once. A small smirk reached his mncholy expression as he praised himself for his internal mana maniption. With barely a sliver left of his mana, Drake finally reached an empty tunnel and tried to orient himself. Looking down in disappointment, he managed to find the tracks of the swarm of Ants that had retreated previously, and wordlessly followed them, using his Reprieve stacks to teleport as far away as he was able to see gaining distance from the Prince.
Theodore ran in tandem with the Ants that were escaping from the Hive, keeping his invisibility on as long as possible as he sprinted with all his might. He had his reservations about leaving Drake but he could not deny what he had said was true. Theodore was not strong enough to stand next to his Lord currently. But he knew who was. And his aim was to reach that person with all haste. Theodore ran and ran until he was out of breath and out of mana, then ran some more. Theodore was just as unconcerned with the Ants as they seemed to be with him. He ran. He ran until his body almost refused to move forward one more step before drinking a stamina potion and beginning again. For hours he repeated the process as he followed the trail of Ants to whatever exit they were vying for. Until finally, he reached it, the light of day. Casting his spell, unsure if the Ants would suddenly turn on him once they tasted the freedom of the surface, he was pushed forward by the flood of monsters behind him. Exploding out of the newly made Hive entrance. Shooting out and tumbling forward he was met with the stink of spilled ichor on the ground. Looking up he saw a giant in gray matted armor with a sword the same size as his body. ¡°Sir Bear!¡± Theodore shouted in rejoice. ¡°Theo?!¡± Bjorn said surprised as he heard the voice and the man shimmered into view on the floor, ¡°Where is Drake?¡± Theodore looked pensive as he tried to steady his racing mind recounting the events. Slowly he told Bjorn of the events that ensued while deep within the Hive and what lead up to him parting ways with Drake as he came to the surface. ¡°That stubborn asshole¡­¡± Bjorn growled, ¡°I¡¯m going down there right now!¡± ¡°This one beseeches thou, Sir Bear. Please do not insert thouself into the Hive. This one believes that it is already difficult for my Lord to fight as it stands within the confines of the tunnels. He hast directed me to wait for him on the surface with the rest of our camp.¡± ¡°You expect me to just wait while he''s down there fighting an E-Rank? We all got the notification for the failed quest. He could be fighting right now for all we know bro!¡± Bjorn scorned. ¡°But he is not yet dead! This one understands your need to go to my Lord more than thou knoweth! But it is his decision andmand that we stay above and await his return. Could thou very well risk the dangers of the entire hive copsing down upon the rest of us?¡± Bjorn ground his teeth as his hand gripped the creaking metal of his sword. ¡°No! He isn¡¯t my keeper, and he isn¡¯t my boss. I¡¯m going down there to help him whether he likes it or not. It''s been weeks!¡± ¡°Not without me!¡± ire shouted, being followed behind by the rest of the group. ¡°Theo!¡± Harley shouted as she ran to him,unching into his arms on the ground, ¡°I was so worried! I¡¯m so d you made it back safe! What happened with Mr. Shot?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ire demanded, her usual calm and demure aura reced by abject concern and anxiety, ¡°Where is he?! Is he hurt again?!¡± Theodore raised his arms in surrender and recounted the events once more for the party as they surrounded him. Bjorn and Hudson taking care of most of the Ants as they set up a closer perimeter with Hudson¡¯s sentries and Big Boys. ¡°He did what?!¡± ire shouted, ¡°Why is he always running off without us¡­. Why doesn¡¯t he understand that we are all worried about him,¡± she sobbed, ¡°That I¡¯m worried about him!¡± Harley reluctantly removed herself from Theodore moving to console ire in her arms. The rest of the group also voiced questions. ¡°Bloody idiot¡¯s still alive though yeah? He hasn¡¯t disappeared from the boards just yet so that¡¯s a good sign,¡± Jacqueline said pushing her weight to one leg, ¡°Let me see ya love, ya hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°This one is uninjured, the Ants you all see are fleeing in droves from something. Our Lord suspected it was the evolving Prince below. We must all prepare for-¡± Theodore was cut off by the feeling of unadulterated dread that seemed to pierce through the surroundings. The part all froze as they felt it as well, the only one able to move under the pressure being Bjorn. ¡°Everyone run! Get back to the fortress!¡± Bjorn roared as he was covered in a ck aura. Everyone heard the instruction but no one was able to move under the assaulting pressure that suddenly appeared. Momentster the sound of rumbling from the Ant¡¯s Hive Entrance that the remaining flood of Ants were barreling out of, overtook the skittering of the scrambling insects. And with an explosive thunderous bang, the entrance flew apart. And out of it a man, bloodied and bruised. ire was the first to recognize the man, screaming at the top of her lungs. ¡°DRAKE!!!¡± Chapter 165: The Fight of our Lives Chapter 165: The Fight of our Lives Drake gasped out in a fit of pain, his body thrown from the tunnel as he tried his best to escape. [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Reprieval Charge Gained] [Maximum Reprieval Charges Stored] [Reprieval Charge Lost] ¡°Drake!¡± Natto shouted in his head, trying to keep him conscious through the pain. ¡°I know!¡± Drake shouted back, looking down at the Hive entrance he was just expelled from. A silver-sheened insect slowly walking out of the wrenched open entrance. An oppressive aura that stilled even Drake¡¯s heart as he moved in defiance. Looking down he spotted Bjorn and the rest of his party fleeing backwards. Hearing a shout from ire in the distance her face contorted in concern and fear as she screamed his name. ¡°Fuck,¡± Drake cursed. Using a charge, he teleported down next to Bjorn in an instant and fell to his knees in a heap as he scrambled to pull another health potion from his inventory. ¡°Drake?! What happened? What is- That¡¯s the Prince¡­. What¡­ What are those Stats?!¡± Bjorn said suddenly realizing just what they were up against. ¡°Oh hey, yeah I¡¯m fine, thanks for asking. These grape-vored health potions have been a great help, think I can get more of these?¡± he joked as he tipped his head back, downing the vial in one go. ¡°How can you joke in this situation, bro? That thing is crazy,¡± Bjorn scoffed, holding his ymore at the ready, the weapon quickly being enveloped in a white aura. ¡°No! Don¡¯t attack him! He won¡¯t go on the offensive unless you challenge him!¡± Drake shouted stopping Bjorn. ¡°What do you mean? Look at you, you¡¯re a mess! We need to get you to Jacqueline.¡± ¡°No. I need ire and Megan right now. If we have any chance of fighting, we need their buffs. Get Julia up here with Tom as well. I don¡¯t know when that prick insect will change its mind and attack again, so we need to be beyond our best if we want to kill it.¡± Bjorn clenched his jaw as he watched the Tyrant Ant Prince walk from the entrance down the hill, then seemingly waited uninterested. ¡°If it isn¡¯t going to attack us, why don¡¯t we just leave?¡± Bjorn asked. "He will give chase¡­ He seems to like the hunt, but he won¡¯t attack first unless you turn to run¡­ From what I can get from his Aura and what he¡¯s done so far. He thinks even I¡¯m weak,¡± Drake said admonishingly. ¡°With the stats I just saw, I can see why¡­ Is the jump to E-Rank really that great?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an anomaly just like this entire hive¡­ He¡¯s a higher-tiered mob from what Natto told me, normally E-Ranked Monsters are strong, but we should be able to fight them on even ground with our stats and sses. I¡¯m hoping with both of us and the buffs we¡¯ll stand a chance¡­¡± ¡°And if we can¡¯t? What then bro?¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°Then I don¡¯t need to worry about stopping you from reaching E-Rank,¡± Drake smirked. Bjorn smiled but kept his eyes trained on the Prince. ¡°Theo!¡± Drake shouted. Theodore had been close by but not invisible as the Prince exited with Drake. Running over from his position next to the rest of the group, he shakily ran up to Drake. ¡°Y-yes my Lord?¡± ¡°I need you to get ire, Tom, Julia, Megan and Jacqueline here. Bjorn and I need their buffs to deal with the Prince. If we don¡¯t have them, it will be over in a second,¡± Drake instructed not taking his eyes off theckadaisical Tyrant Ant. ¡°A-art thou sure my Lord? Wouldeth it not be safer for them to stay at a distance?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but this guy will chase down anyone that flees. So if we fail here, we¡¯re all dead anyway¡­ Please just bring them here, do not tell them of what might happen. I¡¯ll put my life on the line to make sure all of them are as safe as I can possibly manage. Now get going.¡± Theodore nodded and turned on his heels heading for the group slightly farther back. ¡°It really isn¡¯t moving. Why is it looking at us like that?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°I told you, it thinks I¡¯m- we¡¯re weak¡­ I guess it''s just using us to test its new strength? I think it knows something we don¡¯t. I would have expected it to kill us right away and just move on but it''s been toying with me¡­ Just like the Goblin King did,¡± Drake exined. ¡°And we both know how that turned out huh¡­ That¡¯s good for us then right?¡± ¡°Only if it doesn¡¯t decide to do anything as were preparing¡­. I don¡¯t know how patient it''s going to decide to be.¡± A few momentster the people Drake called for came up behind them. Some if only reluctantly. ¡°Drake! Are you ok? You¡¯re hurt! Jacqueline heal him, please!¡± ire shouted grabbing onto Drake¡¯s arm. ¡°You ain¡¯t my boss ire¡­. And I can¡¯t believe I agreed toe along just to die to some bloody insect..¡± Jacqueline sighed. ¡°You seem rather calm about it though?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Whatcha mean? I was scared shitless just like the rest of us when the thing starteding out of the hole in the ground! I just rightfully gave up¡­ If you two monsters can¡¯t kill it. We¡¯re bloody dead anyway¡­¡± she said dejectedly but walked up to Drake all the same. Drake waved her off, ¡°I¡¯m fine for now, you¡¯re just here in case anything really really bad happens,¡± Drake exined. ¡°And the rest of us?¡± Julia asked. ¡°I need you guys to buff Bear and I so we can squash the bug,¡± Drake said thumbing to the Prince.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can even beat it¡­?¡± stammered Megan, gripping her staff for dear life as her arms shook. ¡°Pretty sure!¡± Drakeughed lying through his teeth. ¡°Where does that leave me?¡± Tom asked, holding onto his shield. ¡°Meatshield,¡± Drake said tly. ¡°Come on! Really?!¡± Tom yelled. ¡°Yup! You better make sure you die before any of our supports die or. Well, we all die. Important stuff yeah?¡± ¡°Drake! This is serious! You are already¡­ already so injured. Are you sure you and Bear can do this and we can¡¯t just run? Can¡¯t we just get away from here and wait out the tutorial?!¡± ire pleaded, her face every emotion of concern and fright Drake could imagine. ¡°I am serious¡­¡± Drake said softly, gripping her hand, ¡°That thing won¡¯t let any of us leave. So I have to kill it. But don¡¯t worry,¡± Drake smiled as he moved his mask, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let him harm a hair on your head.¡± Drake patted ire on the head, and looked to the others, ¡°That goes for everyone. I won¡¯t let this bug harm any of you. I bet my life on it just like I said. Except you Tom. I might let him hurt you a bit,¡± Drake smirked, cing his mask back. ¡°Have I ever told you I hate you!?¡± Tom growled. ¡°Probably.¡± ire gripped his arm tighter and Drake looked down into her eyes filled with concern. ¡°Trust me,¡± Drake told her, ¡°I¡¯m going to win.¡± Drake turned and returned standing next to Bjorn, as the girls and Tom moved back slightly they all began to chant their support spells. ¡°You ready Bjorn?¡± Drake asked evenly. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what I said, bro?¡± Bjorn answered his sword again painted in a ck hue, ¡°My life¡¯s been one fight to the next. This is just the next fight.¡± Behind them, the chanting continued. ¡°In the name of she who is the light in the dark¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Let my voice rouse the tides, hear the storm that brews deep within my heart!¡± ¡°This is going to be harder than when you kicked my ass the first time Bjorn,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Believe me, that first time,¡± Bjornughed, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that hard.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope you¡¯re telling the truth about that¡­ If you have some secret skill, now¡¯s the time to tell me,¡± Drake asked evenly lowering his stance as ire and Megan finished their chants, with Julia not far behind with her barrier spell. ¡°Foster of Light!¡± ¡°Tempest¡¯s Beckoning!¡± They both shouted as the spells enveloped both Drake and Bjorn. The Prince finally showed something other than sloth as his crossed arms went to its side. ¡°It''s time to go at it with everything we got! Everyone else get back!¡± Drake shouted and began to chant his own skills,¡± ¡°I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable! I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark! On blessed wings. Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± Bjorn stood stoically as he waited, watching Obiteron closely as Drake buffed up. Drake shed in three consecutive shimmering waves of green, as his eyes began cycling through his skills, his aura flexing to the fullest. ¡°Debuffs don¡¯t work on him. And My aura hardly affected him at all,¡± Drake whispered over to Bjorn, ¡°My spells won''t dent his natural armor, so I¡¯m leaving the damage up to you and your sturdiness. I¡¯ll hit him with a big one once we can break it.¡± Bjorn nodded, his stance tightening up as he bent his knees ready to charge. ¡°My magic won''t affect him, but I can at least try to slow him down and keep him contained. Time to pull out all the stops!¡± ¡°Heretical Endowment!! Single! Ice!¡± Drake growled through his teeth, pulling a blue and red vial from his inventory, and downing them quickly as he bent to the ground. Throwing the vials to the floor, Drake sped his hands together a massive white magic circle forming below him, Bjorn and the Prince. ¡°Ryoiki Tenkai. Ninth Circle of Hell!¡± Drake¡¯s hands plunged into the ground, ice cascading in all directions as a massive structure of Frozen Waste was constructed around the three of them, flecks of purple glowed in the deep blue sheen of the ice. The Mist from the suddenly cold air covered them in a light fog. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it breaking, I put my all into it! Go!¡± Drake shouted his hair swiftly changing to blue for the regeneration. Bjorn took the cue, rocketing off from his spot next to Drake, a small dent forming from his step forward. He quickly got into position right in front of Obiteron, his swording down like retribution from the heavens. But the first strike didn¡¯t hit home. Obiteron raised his arm upwards blocking the blow as the sound of the shing weapon and natural armor sent out an ear-shattering screech. Obiteron immediately went for a counterattack this time, his other arm reaching out to w at Bjorn''s side. But Bjorn¡¯s automatic defenses kicked into high gear as it went to grab the iing wed hand by the wrist. Snatching it, they were locked into a power struggle that Bjorn was slowly losing. Bjorn reassessed as he nted his feet firmly, his defensive skill beginning to ramp up, as his sword hand wound backward,ing back down in a blur of strikes. The Prince¡¯s hand blocking each one as his other struggled with Bjorn¡¯s. Drake teleported behind Obiteron, using hisst Reprevial charge. His hair was now a bright crimson red, as his arm tattoos red to life and twisted with his Fire Attunement magic, Martial Skill, and infused magic into the weapon. Throwing his fist forward at Obiteron¡¯s blind spot Drake was sure ofnding a solid hit, only to be met with one of the Ant¡¯s four other appendages not busy with keeping Bjorn at bay. ¡°I¡¯m getting really tired of blind spots not being useful!¡± Drake cursed recoiling his hand and throwing another forward in a battle of strength and speed with the backside of Obiteron. Both Drake and Bjorn were stuck in a constant exchange of blows back and forth with the Prince. The Prince obviously ying with them as he stood his ground willingly. This continued for several seconds until the Prince screeched, his wings unfurrowing, pushing Drake backward and skidding against the icy floor. Bjorn on the other hand was able to stand his ground thanks to his skills, allowing him to bring down one more strike with his white aura-infused sword. But it did nothing as Obiteron parried the de with a single finger, the de instead finding home in the icy ground. Drake saw the Ant¡¯s arm pull backwards ck aura surrounding its serrated fingers. ¡°No!¡± Drake howled, his hair changing colors to an electrifying yellow as he rushed forward. But the Prince was faster as he swiped to the side hitting Bjorn straight in the side. Drake arrived a secondter, his palm to the back of the Prince¡¯s head, a spinning disk of ck obsidian earth aimed right at its nape. ¡°Sables!¡± Drakeunched the spinning disk, as it connected with the chitin of the Prince¡¯s neck, sparks flying as it eagerly tried to dig into its armor. But Drake wasn¡¯t allowed to see if the spell dealt any damage, as the Prince gripped Drake¡¯s arm, his ws ripping flesh from it. The Prince screeched as it pulled him forward throwing Drake over his shoulder and toward the ground in the same direction he sent Bjorn. Drake carreened through the air colliding with the ground as he skitted to a stop right next to Bjorn. Looking over Drake saw Bjorn¡¯s shoulder guardpletely ruined. Sliced into pieces as blood dripped from his wound. ¡°So..¡± Drake huffed, ¡°Fights going well I think,¡± Drake chuckled. Bjorn growled instead of responding, getting to his feet as heunched himself forward once more towards the Prince his sword in both hands this time. Drake pulled two new vials from his inventory, one red and one blue. ¡°Drake! You¡¯ve already had six in the past hour! You will kill yourself!¡± Natto implored. Not if he kills me first. Drake scoffed, pulling the vials in one go. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Septenarius! Asura! Magma, twofold!¡± Drake screamed as he stepped forward crushing the ground below him as he charged behind Bjorn for the Prince. The three shed again with a thunderous boom, the mist surrounding them scattering as if it feared for its own life as they fought. Bjorn¡¯s speed had increased now that he was using both hands on his ymore, throwing a flurry of strikes in every direction at the Prince. Drake followed up, striking from the side in tandem with his own four arms. But to no avail, they couldn¡¯tnd a solid blow on the Prince and anything they didnd had little to no effect. ¡°Drake!¡± Bjorn shouted. Drake nced at Bjorn. Bjorn¡¯s body suddenly bing enveloped in a bright white aura. Understanding what wasing Drake stepped in, his hands glowing with dirt-brown magic circles. ¡°Chains of the Earth!¡± Drake¡¯s step-in allowed him to touch the chest of the Prince. One of the two magic circles anchoring there. Dropping down Drake touched the ground with the other, jet-ck chains forming from the circles andching onto the Prince. The Prince either couldn¡¯t break them or decided to ignore the chains as Bjorn chanted his skill. ¡°The world has bore witness to my absolute power.¡± Bjorn muttered, raising his sword, the density of the white mana spiking, ¡°Rend the skies! Heaven Splitting de!¡± Bjorn brought down his de on the Prince, the powerful white aura bending the air and light around it as it passed through on its way to the prince. But only to be stopped by the Prince¡¯s single arm. Obiteron flexed his wings once more, breaking Drake¡¯s chains of earth with ease. The Prince was done ying. Snapping Bjorn¡¯s de in half with a turn of his hands Obiteron reared his other arm backward and thrusted it right into Bjorn¡¯s stomach and out the other side. Raising him into the air. ¡°You fucking pile of shit!¡± Drake shouted, his anger hitting a feverish pitch as he surged forward. The Prince threw Bjorn to the ground, his lifeless body skidding to the side. Drake screamed and howled as he threw everything he had at the Prince. Spells and everybination he could think of. Magic-infused fists and spell-covered jabs, but nothing affected the Ant. Finally, Drake was stopped mid-thrust, his body freezing mid-air. Drake looked down, a silver arm covered in red protruding from his body. Looking back up, he saw the crimson eyes of the Prince look back at him as if sneering. Laughing at him as if they were children ying a game, a joke. Drake and Bjorn¡¯s struggle where just that. A joke to Obiteron. A worthless, meaningless, inconsequential fight that they couldn¡¯t win. Obiteron threw Drake to the ground, the ice structure Drake had created shattering to pieces around them as he collided with the floor. ¡°Drake!¡± Drake could hear the shattering of ss as his skills were broken one by one, Natto¡¯s cries being slowly drowned out as the sound faded around him. He looked up seeing thest glimpse of the Prince before his body was thrown across the ground. The distant chime of a new notification reached him before his vision began to close in. [New Personal Quest! Do you seek power?] [ept the meeting with the Sponsor] [Reward: Meeting with the Sponsor. Unknown] Drake¡¯s jaw clenched as his eyes scanned the surroundings seeing Bjorn¡¯s lifeless body on the ground, Obiteron slowly approaching it. To the side, he saw Tom and the rest of the party holding ire back from running forward, their faces in abject horror. In the fraction of a second it took to take it all in. Tears of frustration began forming in Drake¡¯s eyes, one word escaping his blood-drenched mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 166: Forced Change Chapter 166: Forced Change ¡°Drake! Drake!!! Dr..k.e¡­!!!?!?¡± Natto screamed out desperately at the lifeless body on the floor, struggling to shake him awake. Her voice was suddenly caught in the back of her throat as she felt an overwhelming presence in the room. ¡°Rather rude, is it not? To ignore your benefactor.¡± Natto broke out into a cold sweat, her body shaking uncontrobly as she turned toward the voice. ¡°It seems that the monkey has passed out from blood loss. Here.¡± Natto fully faced the being that spoke, her body shivering at every word as her hair and tail stood on end. In full view standing in front of her was a woman with porcin skin, in a wless white robe that draped over her perfectly. Its long sleeves reached the floor. Adorning her body were golden streaks of lightning reaching up her arms, exposed leg, and neck until it convened in a golden circle around her neck. Upon her headid two magnificent ivory-like antlers jutting out from her glistening silver hair. The eyes that looked back at Natto were a fierce golden hue, with slitted pupils of a predator. Her thin lips curved into a slight smile as a single fang protruded from her sealed rose-colored lips. Reaching out the woman held a clear vial with a golden choker. Red liquid filling it. A Health Potion. ¡°Take it,¡± the woman said softly. Natto was forced into shock, her mind both stumbling over itself and going nk out of fear instantaneously. ¡°W-what do you want¡­ in return..?¡± Natto asked, struggling to force out the words. The woman¡¯s smile broadened her fangs on full disy. ¡°Why? Must I need something in return for helping a promising participant?¡± she mused. Natto looked down at Drake, his body turning cold under her hands as she ground her teeth with indecision. ¡°Hurry now, the poor thing is going to perish soon if you do nothing. And you along with it.¡± Natto bit her lip and lunged for the potion, her fright disappearing as she snatched it from the woman¡¯s hand. Immediately popping the cork she forced it down Drake¡¯s throat and poured the rest onto his open stomach wound. His body mending instantly as both the color and warmth returned to his body. ¡°Who are you¡­¡± Natto asked, turning again to the woman. The woman raised a brow and her smile disappeared as she waved her arm. ¡°Your insolence is noted, Assistant. Now sleep, I have much to discuss with my little toy.¡±
Drake¡¯s body felt heavy. Worse than any other time he had been injured. His consciousness returning slowly, as his eyes struggled to pry open. But once he realized he was not dead, he shot upwards with a painful gasp. ¡°Fuck!! Mother¡­ God that hurts! Where is that fucking bug! I¡¯ll kill it!¡± Drake growled as he winced, his hand nursing his stomach. ¡°Now, now¡­¡± a soothing yet horrific voice cooed from behind him. Drake suddenly felt the air chill, his breath and blood running icy cold. The presence of whatever else was in the room choking the life from him. ¡°Oh. I forget sometimes how fragile F-Ranks are.¡± The choking presence soon receded and Drake¡¯s breath returned to him. Coughing as he gripped at his throat and chest, blood came up in chunks with every heaved cough. ¡°You are getting my floor dirty. At least your Assistant had the decency to not bleed all over it¡­¡± ¡°My assistant..?¡± Drake suddenly remembered Natto, scanning the room quickly. His eyes finally found her in the corner of the white room leaning up against the wall, her eyes closed. ¡°Natto!¡± Drake shouted trying to get up but copsed under the weight of his own body forcing him to crawl over on the floor. Finally able to reach her, he checked her breathing seeing her chest moving up and down normally. She¡¯s asleep¡­. ¡°What did you do to her¡± Drake growled finally turning to the voice, his eyes shing colors. ¡°I put her to sleep. This is a private conversation. At least for now.¡± Looking at the owner of the voice Drake saw a woman like none he had ever seen in reality or fiction of any medium. It blew him away. Looking at her was blinding. As if looking at the sun. ¡°The¡­ sponsor¡­?¡± Drake mumbled his mouth agape. ¡°Mir¡¯phyra. It is incredible how you are so ill-informed,¡± she said softly. Drake tried to identify her, his eyes turning blue. [W121nC@tn] Drake clicked his tongue unable to identify anything. That means she¡¯s got some sort of interference item.. ¡°Sit down,¡± Mir¡¯phyramanded, sitting at a table, ¡°I have much to tell you.¡± ¡°Wait. If I¡¯m here, does that mean I died?¡± Drake asked, ¡°And what about Bjorn?! The others. ire!¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Mir¡¯phyra growled, Drake¡¯s mouth snapping shut. Mir¡¯phyra stood from her seat, the pressure returning as the air began to be squeezed from Drake¡¯s lungs. Hiss hands reached for his throat as he struggled to breathe under the pressure, his body buckling as he slumped to the floor. Saliva dripped from his mouth as he started to asphyxiate. ¡°I tire of your questions. This is a space created by me. Your tutorial is of no concern. Listen well and do as I say, you will return soon enough,¡± she smiled. Drake wed at the floor doing his best to resist the pressure and speak. ¡°S-sc-screw! Y-you!¡± he growled. Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s smile broadened, ¡°I love a toy that is a little rebellious. Worry not, I will train it out of you soon.¡± Mir¡¯phyra snapped her fingers sitting down once more. The pressure in the room vanishing. Pushed to a fit of coughs once more Drake stood, refusing not to look the terrible woman in the eyes. ¡°What do you want,¡± Drake coughed. ¡°Sit.¡± Drake reluctantly moved to the table and sat down. Finally having a moment he looked down at his attire. His robes were thrashed, a bloody hole going through them. Opening up his inventory he saw that the item armor was grayed out, indicating it was useless. His set bonus also gone. ¡°Damn it..¡± he mumbled. ¡°Enough of that. I will get straight to the point,¡± Mir¡¯phyra said resting her arm in her hand, her elegantly long fingers resting on her cheek. ¡°You have something you should not. I would appreciate it if you would relieve yourself of them.¡± Items... The Necromancer Stones? Drake thought. ¡°No. Why should I?¡± Drake snapped, remembering how the sponsor threatened both him and Theodore. ¡°This is not a discussion,¡± she sneered, the pressure of the room bubbling, ¡°I will give you the only Legendary Stones provided in the Tutorial Shop for them. Free of charge.¡± Mir¡¯phyra waved her hand six stones dropping on the table, each one a fiery crimson, the color of blood with flecks of orange as radiant as the sun appearing and moving within the ss stones. Drake¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you seek power¡­¡± Drake mumbled, ¡°Why are they so important to you?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t your business,¡± she sneered, her arms dropping to the table to push the stones forward, ¡°Bring out the Necromancer Stones, now.¡± Drake paused for a moment unsure of what to do. She¡¯s willing to give me six stones for the price of two? That doesn''t make sense. Drake thought looking down at the stones to identify them. [Sub-tree Stone: Asuran¡¯s Warbook] [Legendary] [Unlocks Asuran¡¯s Warbook Sub-tree branch] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Sub-trees. Have A Warrior Main ss-tree unlocked.] [Skill Stone: War God] [Legendary] [Unlocks a random skill from the War God tree.] [Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have at least 1 Warrior-based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.] ¡°Asuran Stones? Not Dragon?¡± Drake asked curiously. Mir¡¯phyra bared her teeth in a snarl, the room chilling, and the oppressive auraing down more potent than before, mming Drake to the floor through the chair. ¡°You think I would give a filthy monkey the ability to turn into one of the Grand Races?! You receive more than you deserve! And yet you still question it?! You will bring out those stones now or I will crush her like the worthless trash that she is.¡± Somehow Mir¡¯phyra lifted Natto from the corner, never leaving her seat at her chair. ¡°N-no!¡± Drake shouted from the floor, his head struggling to turn so that he could see her, ¡°Fine!¡± Drake used his shawl to summon the box from his inventory, falling to the floor with a nk. The pressure remained as Natto was lowered to the floor, Mir¡¯phyra getting up to pick up the box as it disappeared into what Drake could only assume was her inventory. ¡°Good,¡± she said tersely moving to lift the Stones on the table. ¡°N-now, l-let me go..¡± Drake growled trying to resist the pressure. Mir¡¯phyra smirked, pulling the Subtree Stone from the pile hovering in the air. ¡°Oh, but the fun is just beginning my pet. For all the things you took from me, you will pay me back handsomely. After all, you are a promising Dual ss as well¡­. y along with me and I promise you will have no trouble in the future. That is¡­ until Ie to collect,¡± she snickered. ¡°Fuck you,¡± Drake sneered from the floor. ¡°Unfortunately, I was not asking. You seem to have not realized within your small monkey brain, that you have no choice in the matter. Thankfully for you, I will be turning you into another mud-brained pet. Asurans are a joy to watch...¡± Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s eyes glowed as the world constricted under her power, Drake being pushed to the floor as it cracked around him. Mir¡¯phyra showed no sign of putting effort into doing so, putting on disy just howrge the gap in power between them was. ¡°Try not to break my little pet,¡± sheughed, licking her thin lips with an elongated tongue. Mir¡¯phyra gripped the stone as it began to radiate in a red brilliance as she kneeled down, thrusting it into Drake¡¯s back. [You have consumed, Subtree Stone: Asuran¡¯s War Book [Legendary] [You have unlocked the Secondary Subtree: Asuran¡¯s War Book [F Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Asuran¡¯s War Book] [Subtree Stone Potency has forced a change] [Your Race will be changed in ordance with the stone] Drake roared in pain, his body suddenly free from the pressure of Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s gaze. Instead gripped with unfathomable pain as he felt his body light on fire like never before. His ears drummed as he heard his heart race. The sound of snapping as his bones cracked and muscles tearing reverberated in his ear. He screamed in agony his body contorting in pain as he scrambled on the floor, gripping and wing at anything he could. The pain felt like itsted days to Drake, pools of sweat and ck excrement covering the floor. Until it finally stopped. Drake was barely conscious, his breath shallow and ragged. [Congrattions. Your race has changed from Human [F-Rank] to Asuran [F-Rank] Drake saw the outline of what he could only think of was Mir¡¯phyra in his blurred vision as new notifications flooded his vision. [Your race has interacted with Primary Skilltree Elementist [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Secondary Primary Skilltree Shield Miller [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Secondary Skilltree Internal Mastery[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Secondary Skilltree Soul Mastery[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Secondary Skilltree Weapon Mastery [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Magic Sight [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Heretical Mind [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Multiplicative[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Elemental Endowment [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Elemental Conflux [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Warrior¡¯s Stamina [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Guardian¡¯s Reprieve [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Aura of Command [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Martial Strike [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Ruler¡¯s Consitution [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Of the Apex[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Weak Point [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Tempered in mes [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Tyrannical Aura [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Tyrant¡¯s Indomability [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Mana Maniption [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Atrophy of the Mind [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Cower[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Sound Body and Mind [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Purity of the Soul [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Hoarder[F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Fully Loaded [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Weapon of Choice [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Adrenaline Acuity [F-Rank] [Your race has interacted with Skill Magic Exposure [F-Rank] ¡°Oh, this is going to be most fun!¡± Mir¡¯phyra snickered. Raising her hand she gripped the remaining five stones. They began glowing in a simr light before she thrusted her hand once again into Drake, forcing the stones on him. Drake writhed in agony, twisting and screaming in pain on the floor as he tore and ripped at his body, begging for the pain to end. [You have consumed, Skill Stone: War God [Legendary] [You have learned Skill: War God¡¯s Battle Right [F Rank] Drake roared once more, his voice bing hoarse. [You have consumed, Skill Stone: War God [Legendary] [You have learned Skill: Asuran¡¯s Constitution [F Rank] Screaming Drake¡¯s voice became ethereal, echoing in the room as Mir¡¯phyra looked down in joyful curiosity. [You have consumed, Skill Stone: War God [Legendary] [You have learned Skill: Asuran¡¯s Punishment [F Rank] [You have consumed, Skill Stone: War God [Legendary] [You have learned Skill: Line in the Sand [F Rank] Drake howled in pain, the ground shaking around him, as he mmed his fists into the ground as he turned overshing out in an attempt to lessen the pain in any way. [You have consumed, Skill Stone: War God [Legendary] [You have learned Skill: War God¡¯s Battle Fervor [F Rank] Thest of the skills settled within Drake, as he drooled on the floor his every breath pushing steam from his loosened mask. Finally, it was over. And Drake could feel his body¡¯s heat slowly reduce, but his anger spilled over. He surged forward his hands reaching for Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s neck in an attempt for retribution of the forced change. Drake howled and shouted as he wed at her, only to be held back at arm''s length. Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s face suddenly scowling and uninterested. ¡°Did I break him¡­? Pity.¡± Mir¡¯phyra was ying with Drake like a newborn, despite his race and skills changing and blooming into something iparable to before as a now Primordial Race. But it meant nothing in the face of the Dragon Matriarch. ¡°I look forward to how well you will increase my returns mud pup. You are now that world¡¯s problem.¡± Mir¡¯phyra snapped her fingers and Drake disappeared from the room along with Natto.
¡°That was entertaining.¡± the chittering of bones said from behind Mir¡¯phyra. Mir¡¯phyra didn¡¯t turn, knowing who it was. She sighed in disappointment more than offense. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I have my ways. Everyone owes the God of Death a favor or two¡­ or twelve¡­¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed turning to face the voice. In front of her was a hideous creature. Beggars clothing draped over bones, a crown adorning its head. The only High Lich in existence. ¡°Vandelu. What lovely clothing you are wearing today¡­¡± she scoffed. ¡°Oh, this old thing..? I had to move in a hurry, no time to change Mir¡¯phyra,¡± Vandelu teased, ¡°The stones,¡± he demanded, reaching out with bony fingers, each one covered in numerous jeweled rings. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡± ¡°Do not y this game, we both know who will win.¡± ¡°They are property of the Dragon Race. Why should I release them to your wretched ilk?¡± she sneered her lip raising and revealing her teeth. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to go to war over this would you, old friend?¡± Vandelu mused, ¡°After all I have done for you. And your son?¡± Mir¡¯phyra flinched, her anger vanishing as she clicked her tongue, a box dropping to the floor and snapping open. ¡°Take them, you snake. We are even-handed after this.¡± Vandelu moved to the box, picking up the two stones as he looked at them in the air. ¡°Yes. But of course. And as you say¡­ This is going to be most fun¡­.¡± Chapter 167: Return of the Tyrant Asuran Chapter 167: Return of the Tyrant Asuran ire watched from outside the massive structure of ice with the rest of the party. Chelsea had run up to join them concerned for Bjorn as they looked on in anxious anticipation. Megan, Julia, Jacqueline, and Tom held their breaths as they heard the shing resonate through the ice structure beating deep in their chests. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on in there?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°Them kicking that Ant¡¯s ass if we¡¯re lucky,¡± Tom said, reaffirming his grip on his shield. Megan shuffled next to the group unsure of what to do, ¡°Do you think they¡¯re beating it¡­? It¡¯s an E-Rank, we all got the notif-¡± ire turned and stared daggers at Megan, ¡°Shut up! Drake won¡¯t lose! He promised us!¡± She turned back to the ice, clenching her hands in prayer to anything she could after snapping at Megan. ire closed her eyes pleading for Drake to make it through. The ground shook as another thunderous impact sounded from inside the structure, rocking everyone close to the ice. ¡°A-are we sure it¡¯s safe to be this close, maybe we should move back?¡± Tom stammered. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a bloody sod, Tom. Ain¡¯t you the one who''s supposed to be protecting us?¡± Jacqueline scoffed. ¡°We can¡¯t go anywhere, what if they need our support and we¡¯re too far to help?¡± Julia interjected. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± ire shouted. ¡°Neither am I!¡± Chelsea added, gripping ire¡¯s hands. Nodding to each other the pair looked in concern at the ice, the sounds of fighting continuing. The feeling of a dead weight suddenly pressured down on them, the sound of a guttural screech piercing the surroundings, pushing them all down to their knees. ¡°W-what was that?!¡± Megan eeked out. The next moment the unmistakable scream of Drake reached their ears through the ice, multiple booms of impacts going off in quick session. Then silence. In the next blink of an eye, the ice structure shattered. Revealing the aftermath of the fight. ire¡¯s hand snapped to her mouth as she gasped in horror. Standing with it¡¯s hand through Drake was the Ant Prince. Bjorn a small distance away bleeding on the ground. The prince then threw Drake to the floor before kicking him across the field. ire¡¯s eyes followed his lifeless body through the air as she struggled to scream out his name. ¡°D-D-Drake!!!!!!!!!!!¡± But before she could move or watch him collide with the ground his body disappeared in a sh of white light. ¡°W-what?! Where did he go?¡± ire yelled looking around in desperation. ¡°Bear!!¡± Chelsea shouted from the side, sprinting to him before anyone could stop her. She barreled forward across the field reaching for him only to be stopped by the Ant prince suddenly appearing in between them. Chelsea was immediately frozen in fear, her body stiffening mid-step in front of the Ant. ¡°Chels!¡± Julia yelled, casting her barrier spell, a white luminescence forming around Chelsea. The Prince lightly arced his hand sending Chelsea flying backward her body curled and bent as she collided with the ground. Jacqueline immediately ran to her, casting a healing spell. The Prince chittered as his mandibles snapped. One moment in front of Bjorn, the next he appeared in front of Jacqueline his hand raised. ¡°No stop!¡± ire yelled, raising her staff and casting her only attack spell in a feeble attempt to stop the monster, ¡°Spark!¡± The bolt of lightning shot out from her staff and fizzled out on the back of the head of the Prince. His head snapped and singled out ire. With a screech the Prince disappeared again. But with a sh of light and the sound of an impact like a bomb going off, ire raised her hands, trying to hold back the gust of wind. Her eyes opened and she saw the back of a man she didn¡¯t immediately recognize. He wore a familiar ck and gold trimmed robe that was tattered and worn, his skin a caramel tan. ire¡¯s eyes began to water as she scanned his face, a familiar mask on its side and a sharp face framed by shoulder-length bangs and hair that reached his waist. ¡°D-Drake..?!¡± she murmured. Drake didn¡¯t reply right away, in his arm he held a sleeping Natto, in his other he held the Prince¡¯s arm as sparks of blue mana cascaded off Drake¡¯s infused Tattoo Ring. ¡°Take care of her,¡± Drake said evenly, handing Natto to ire. ire began to break down, the floodgates opening as tears fell. ¡°I-I thought you died¡­ I thought you lost! You don¡¯t have to keep trying! It¡¯s alright! As long as you¡¯re ok! As long as you don¡¯t get hurt! Please! Drake!!¡± A shit-eating grin creased Drake¡¯s face as he turned, his hair shimmering into a kaleidoscope of colors as he applied his multiple endowments. ¡°You heard her Obiteron. Looks like I can¡¯t afford to lose anymore.¡±
Drake held the Prince at bay, surprising himself as he gripped his ws with rtive ease. These new skills and body have put me on another level. I hate to thank that Dragon Bitch but, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win if I wasn¡¯t forced to change¡­. Hemented. ¡°To the Death.¡± Drake cast his new skill, the Prince¡¯s head tilting back and forth feeling the skill¡¯s effect while looking confused at both Drake and his stopped hand. Line in the Sand [F Rank] P1 (0%)
  • You demand one-on-onebat with a worthy opponent. It is your right by birth as an Asuran to fight with honor, to the Death.
  • Activate skill with, ¡°To the Death¡±
  • 500% Increase to all Stats against Marked Opponent during one on onebat.
  • Durationsts until the Marked Target is killed, you are killed, or the skill is canceled.
  • Cooldown 48 Hours. (Reduced with Proficiency)
Drake instantly felt his status surge, from it¡¯s already ridiculous increase from his race change. Surprised by the sudden influx of power he felt, Drake gripped his hands out of instinct immediately crushing the Prince¡¯s hand in his grip. The Prince screeched and howled in pain as it shot backward, nursing its shattered hand as ichor leaked from the broken armor. Drake scoffed, then looked over seeing Bjorn still on the ground. His teeth clenched as he saw his friend in such a state. Moving with increased speed, Drake appeared next to Bjorn. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re still with us right bud?¡± Drake asked, putting his hand on Bjorn¡¯s neck to check for a pulse. ¡°I-i¡¯m still kicking, if only barely, bro¡­¡± Bjorn chuckled wearily. ¡°Did you take a potion yet?¡± ¡°N-no¡­ What happened to your hair? It get longer in thest five minutes¡­?¡± Bjorn asked, almost delirious. ¡°My hair?¡± Drake parroted, then saw his bangs sway in front of him painted in a myriad of colors, ¡°Oh, would you look at that? I turned SSJ3. Drake popped a red vial into his hands, thankfully his shawl was still in working order. He quickly uncorked it and passed it over Bjorn¡¯s open wound then flipped him on his back to pour the rest into his mouth. ¡°You alright from here? Even with my new strength, I don¡¯t think I can carry your fat ass over to Jacqueline,¡± Drake chuckled. Bjorn got warily on his feet, shaking slightly. Using his giant ymore as a crutch he leaned onto it and gave Drake a smile with a scoff. ¡°I¡¯m not fat, I¡¯m just big boned you asshole. And yeah, I got it from here¡­ What¡­ What happened to you though bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°It¡¯s a long story man¡­.¡± Drake grimaced, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it after I deal with this bug.¡± Drake stood back up and faced the obviously irritated bug. The Prince¡¯s hand had since healed from Drake crushing it. Obiteron¡¯s natural healing ability was tenacious. He looked at Drake with newfound hate. Drake smiled as he saw the emotion somehow in the Prince¡¯s Aura change. It was no longer looking at Drake like a weak toy. But now as a threat. A problem. ¡°Oh and am I a problem. The whole problem. I¡¯m thee problem!¡± Drake snarled. ¡°For the thrill of battle!¡± War God¡¯s Battle Fervor [F Rank] P1(0%)
  • As is your birthright, you revel in the carnage of the battlefield. Every moment within it a breath of fresh air. Everything is for the thrill of battle.
  • 100% Increase to All Stats. Can Stack up to 3 times every 10 minutes for up to 30 minutes.
  • Activate skill through, ¡°For the thrill of battle.
  • Cooldown 12 Hours
  • Cost None
Drake¡¯s body bulged and surged with power. But it wasn¡¯t yet over. ¡°Marked.¡± Asuran Battle Instincts: Weak Point [F Rank] P3(0%)
  • This skill allows you to gain insight into your opponent, through your knowledge of internal mastery. Your insight guides you to vulnerable locations on your marked opponent. Your newfound instincts further push your knowledge of your opponents.
  • You may mark up to 1 opponent by saying, ¡°Marked.¡± (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive increase in critical chance of 2% to Dexterity (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Active increase of critical chance to marked targets by 50% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Mark cost of a small amount of Mana and Stamina.
  • Cooldown of 10 minutes, or after collection of marked target.
With Drake¡¯s improved skill, he narrowed his focus on Obiteron. In this moment there was nothing else. There was no one else. Drake¡¯s eyes subtly changed from his natural baby blue, to a deep aqua, then to a serine verdant green, and finally to a brilliant piercing yellow. Drake bolted forward crushing the ground around him as the Prince did the same, meeting him in the middle as they shed sending out a pulse of destruction as debris was kicked up all around them. Drake began channeling his mana into his rings, his improved Martial Skill going to work with his improved Adrenaline Acuity allowing him to fight beyond his peak from before. Asuran¡¯s Battle Acuity P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • A passive stacking skill that allows the user to increase the effect of adrenaline to the limit, increasing their cognitive ability and tolerance to pain over the course of a fight.
  • A skill that increases as time passes while inbat. Increasing the potency of Adrenaline over the course of 10 Minutes. Ramping up from a 5% increase to 50% Potency. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive Effectsst for a duration of 30 minutes. (Increased based on Proficiency)
War God¡¯s Martial Prowess P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • A skill that allows the martial artist to infuse their body with inner energy to harden themselves and increase the damage done by strikes.
  • A skill that uses Stamina to increase the efficiency of strikes by 200% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Small amount of Stamina
Drake collided with Obiteron in a cross guard, then quickly gripped the Prince¡¯s extended arm as it passed his right side, throwing his own right into the Prince¡¯s side forcing the Ant a few inches into the air. The Prince recovered quickly. Healing the wound as he tried to pull his arm from Drake. Unable to, Obiteron threw a fist and a kick with his free arm and leg. Drake moved quickly seeing the strikes easily with his skills in full effect, dodging the wed arm, he gripped it under his own, jumping into a spin as his leg began glowing in a sinister crimson red. Bringing his Martial Skill-infused foot up and into the side of the Prince¡¯s head, throwing him into the ground. Drakended deftly on his feet, bending at the knee as he began channeling his new and improved nearly bottomless pit of mana into his Rings. ¡°Firstes rock.¡± Drake chanted in a hushed tone, his hand beginning to radiate a color of blue that began to bend the light and air around it. The sound of crackling from the infused weapon began to snap and whip around him as it condensed within the ring and tattoo. Inner Sanctum of the Asuran Soul P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • Your soul has gone through a monumental change, and with each improvement, it will clear. Your body is the envy of every martial artist as it reaches further towards the peak of perfection.
  • Passive Effect: Your Maximum Mana Capacity is increased by 5 times. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Extra Effect: You now gain an additional 10 Intelligence per level.
The Prince wrenched himself from the ground but only in time to see Drake above him, his skill manifesting in his drawn right hand. Drake threw his fist into the center of Obiteron¡¯s chest throwing him deeper and deeper into the ground with the strike. The sound of shattering ss sounded as Drake saw his ring snap and break in front of him from the overstimtion of mana. Clicking his tongue he moved his left hand ring to his dominant right. ¡°Still alive? That regeneration of yours is impressive if nothing else. That exins why I thought I was doing no damage earlier¡­ You were regenerating it in real-time. But,¡± Drake sneered, as he pulled his Staff from his inventory, ¡°ytime, is over.¡± ¡°Sit still and I will show you what a True Tyrant is.¡± ¡°Your Fear, is binding.¡± Cower before the Mighty P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • A spell using your Aura to forcibly make a target immobile by fear-producing hallucinations based on Aura''s strength.
  • Spell: ¡°Fear is binding. Cower.¡±
  • Target is ced under Terror Debuff for 15 seconds. Damage beyond the threshold will break the effect. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Debuff can be cleansed by High-Level Holy Magic
  • Cost: Small amount of Mana and Stamina
  • Cooldown: 10 Minutes
Drake mumbled his improved fear spell allowing the inky mana to drip down his arm enveloping Obiteron as he suddenly lurched and began wing at his body. Drake then bent down, throwing himself upwards into the sky as countless magic circles formed around him. Asuran¡¯s Magic Prowess P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • A passive skill that allows the caster to create separate instances of spells.
  • This skill allows the use of multiple instances of any spell.
  • Limit: 55 Additional Spell. (Max 56 instances, includingbined forms.)(Increased based on Proficiency)
  • No Cost
  • No Cooldown
Using his now almost fifty-fold increase in spell count, he used his wind magic to keep him afloat as he manifested numerous elements around him. ¡°Heretical Attunement. Earth.¡± Drake whispered as his earth magic formed around his outstretched Morning Glory staff, forming the massive arch of a bow in the color of his obsidian ck earth. ¡°Heretical Attunement. Lightning, Fire.¡± Adding more magic to the spell, Drake¡¯s magic coalesced into a taut bowstring crossing from one end of the Bow to the other in a swirl of fire and lightning. Using his right hand he opened his palm. Forming on the edge was a pure ck arrow made from earth magic, as Drake began chanting, pouring his status into every fiber of the spell. ¡°O¡¯ sacred Lord in Heaven.¡± The magic began infusing itself into the bow and arrow, crackling with power. ¡°Radiant Lord, merciful, who bestowed upon me wisdom and strength.¡± Drake put thepleted arrow to the string aiming it carefully down at the still writhing Obiteron on the ground. ¡°I call upon thee to witness my heart, my thoughts, and everything I have achieved.¡± Pulling back on the string, more elements snapped and attached the the arrow, swirling in a vortex of every color. ¡°Now, creator of the moon and the stars!¡± More! Push more into it! This bug dies here! Drake cursed as he looked down at the Prince inside the crater still tearing and wing at the ground and himself. ¡°Behold my deeds, my death, and my Spenta Armaiti which I must carry out! After I unleash thisst arrow with all my strength, my iron body shall shatter and annihte me where I stand!¡± Drake pulled harder on the string, putting everyst drop of his new status into the spell as it crackled and snapped with power, the spells swirling and screeching in his ear in a contest to drown out his voice. ¡°STELLAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Drake released the string, the arrow roaring forward with jubtion as it screeched and tore through the air toward its target, leaving the shattered bow in Drake¡¯s hand to disappear in the wind. The arrow moved slowly in Drake¡¯s improved cognition to the ground, lighting up the surroundings in a kaleidoscope of colors as it spiraled forward. Drake was drained but smiled all the same as he saw the Prince finallye out of the Fear only to see and hear him scream in onest defiant moment before the spell impacted with the ground like a Lone Meteor. [You have subjugated King of the Tyrant Ant¡¯s Obiteron Trikk [E-Rank]Level 30] [Experience earned. 24,000,000 TP Earned] [You have subjugated the King of the Tyrant Ants Obiteron Trikk [E-Rank] Quest Complete] Chapter 168: Coming Down Chapter 168: Coming Down Drake lowered himself to the ground, entering therge chasm his spell had created, his hair already turned to a deep majestic blue to recover. His skills moved leaps and bounds beyond what he could ever imagine, the recovery speed proving such. He eventually made it to the impact at the bottom, the light of day not reaching the end of the chasm where he finally found a small crystal stone lying next to the scattered remains of the monster that had nearly killed him and his party. Drake scoffed. ¡°Why does it feel like such an empty win¡­ I feel¡­ It feels like it isn¡¯t enough. This must be one of the changes the stone made. I hope there aren¡¯t too many side effects. I¡¯ll have to give that Dragon bitch a piece of my mind next time I see her,¡± Drake said, grinding his teeth as he bent down to grip the stone. [Subtree Skill Stone: Massive Regeneration] [Rare] [Unlocks Massive Regeneration Subtree] [Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have Warrior-based Main ss-tree unlocked] Drake stowed the stone and jumped to climb out of the deep chasm traveling the distance to the top quickly. Once he got to the top he saw his party gathering. ¡°Hey,¡± Drake said awkwardly, ¡°Well, we won!¡± he announced. ¡°Are you serious? What was that? You disappeared for a moment after I saw you thrown! I thought you died!¡± ire screamed, tears still in her eyes. Drake raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Ok! Ok! I obviously have some exining to do, but first. Is everyone alright?¡± Drake admitted looking to the side and seeing Bjorn move to help Jacqueline carry Chelsea over. ¡°I got to say idjit, that was some entrance. Didn¡¯t even recognize ya, what¡¯s with the long hair and tan?¡± Hudson asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow. ¡°L-long story¡­.¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Look around pup, we ain¡¯t got nothin'' but time,¡± Hudson pressed. ¡°Indeed my Lord! Thou hast changed a great deal externally! This one would also like to be enlightened on your formal change,¡± Theodore added. ¡°Fine, but first everyone gets treated. Let''s get back to the fortress at least.¡± Before they moved, Drake addressed Amir, ¡°Amir, you got the E-Grade Monster core right? Give it here.¡± ¡°Of course Sir,¡± Amir said, pulling the stone from his inventory, ¡°Here it is. I am surprised it is still so small.¡± Drake pursed his lips picking up the stone, ¡°It is a little weird it didn¡¯t get bigger, but I can sense that the mana inside is far more dense. I¡¯ll have to give it to Natto as thanks.¡± ¡°Sir, might I ask something?¡± Amir said after handing over the stone. ¡°Of course,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Are all E-Ranks going to be this strong¡­? I fear we will stand no chance outside the tutorial if this is the standard we are to meet,¡± Amir said warily. Drake chuckled, ¡°No, no. Natto already told me that the Prince is a little different, well, a lot different. Obiteron and his brothers were named high-tier F-Rank monsters, so when Obiteron evolved he made arger leap than what a regr E-Rank would be. Sure E-Ranks are going to be strong, but he was closer to mid or high grade because of his status already.¡± ¡°That isforting¡­ I think,¡± Amirughed nervously, turning to walk to the fortress. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t die,¡± Julia offered, sping him on the shoulder. She paused a moment then began gripping him more strongly, ¡°Jesus, are these made out of steel, marble, titanium!?¡± Drake looked at her, his eyes thinning, ¡°You do realize the double standard here right..?¡± he scoffed, ¡°And yeah, I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t die either.¡± Julia let go, giving Drake a wave and a smile before walking away as well. Theodore and Harley were happy to be reunited after everything and took off without waiting. Sherry mumbled about food as always even after the whole ordeal as she followed the forming crowd. Megan looked pensively at Drake, her hands rubbing together around her staff. ¡°Out with it. I may not look it, but I am tired,¡± Drake said, addressing her. ¡°U-um I¡¯m just happy that you kept your promise in protecting us. Seeing you get hurt, and giving it your all really¡­ Really showed me how different than Chris you are,¡± Megan exined her cheeks reddening slightly. ¡°Right¡­ Thank you? I guess, but I could have told you I''m not like that guy right from the start. I¡¯m pretty sure I did too¡­.¡± Drake answered, scratching his head. Megan looked more embarrassed than she probably should have been, and scurried off to where Bjorn and Chelsea were, looking over her shoulder as she went. ¡°That is going to definitely be troubleter,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to get going too¡­ Ya know before it gets awkward again, because you forgot about me for the fourth time¡­ d you didn¡¯t die too. Cool hair,¡± Tom said, as he sprinted off after the rest of the party. Drake raised his eyebrows in surprise, ¡°Even after a race change to a Primordial, he still has such an absence of presence that I don¡¯t notice him¡­ That has to be a special skill or something.¡± Drake shook his head. Finally, he was left alone with ire, he turned to her, her head slightly dipped, looking down. He scratched his cheek not sure how to go about consoling her. She did just see him die ande back to life in thest few minutes. And when he returned he was an entirely different person. It would confuse and traumatize anyone. Drake lifted her chin, seeing her blue eyes reddened by tears, and her face a mess from crying. He looked her in the eyes, as she tried to turn away and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m back. And I won, just like I promised.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the point! I was worried about you. I thought you died! I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt like that ag-¡± ire was stopped from her angry and concerned tirade. Drake had stolen her lips, pressing his against hers. She hit him with her free hand that wasn¡¯t carrying Natto, but didn¡¯t pull away, and after a few moments leaned into him. ¡°Wow,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°If I knew shutting you up was that easy, I would have done that a long time ago,¡± heughed. ire growled and pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯m still angry! Don¡¯t ever do something like that again!¡± ¡°Yeah but if you¡¯re so angry, why are you smiling?¡± ire pressed her hand to her face checking herself only to turn her grin into a scowl. Pushing Natto to Drake, she huffed and stormed off. ¡°That went well,¡± Drake scoffed, looking down at the still-sleeping construct. Drake took the E-Rank Stone he had gotten from Amir and waved it in front of Natto. ¡°Wakey Wakey, I have a nice treat for you¡­.¡± Drake said in a light tone, wafting the stone in front of Natto¡¯s nose. Natto¡¯s nose began to twitch as her ears tilted back and forth following Drake¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s a really nice treat,¡± Drake said, waving the stone closer. Suddenly Natto lunged forward, her mouth opening at a near 180 degrees to mp on the stone, but took some of Drake¡¯s fingers in the process. ¡°W-whash ish dish..?¡± she said her eyes fluttering open as she chewed mechanically on Drake¡¯s fingers and the stone, drool spilling everywhere. ¡°Those,¡± Drake said, wrenching his hand from her mouth, ¡°Are my fingers. And good morning sunshine.¡± ¡°W-we are alive? Wait, who the fuck are you!¡± Natto yelled, suddenly spitting, ¡°Uhh¡­ I had a stranger¡¯s hand in my mouth.. What vile joke is this?!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m still me,¡± Drake said hurt, ¡°And I¡¯m not sure what the Dragon Bitch did to you but I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°D-Drake¡­?¡± Natto stammered, making sure to hold the E-Rank stone tightly in her hands as she looked him up and down, ¡°W-what happened to you?¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m going to go over the story with everyone else. Don¡¯t drop that stone, it took a lot of effort to get it.¡± Natto looked from Drake¡¯s face down to the stone in her hand, her eyebrows scrunched in a thoughtful expression. Drake left her to her thoughts as he walked over to Bjorn, Chelsea, Jacqueline, and Megan. ¡°Need a hand?¡± ¡°Who the hell,¡± Chelsea asked before coughing, ¡°Are you?¡± Megan nudged Chelsea, exining to her in a soft whisper, ¡°That¡¯s Shot¡­¡± ¡°What?! The bloody hell happened to you? Change teams?¡± Jaqueline shouted. Drake raised his arms and looked at his body, ¡°Oh now that you mention it for the 100th time. I am lightly toasted, aren¡¯t I? See a snack, do you, Jacqueline?¡± Drake chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows. ¡°Hell I do, you knob. You can turn into whatever right, Bronze-looking God you¡¯d well like. I ain¡¯t turnin'' up anywhere near your mad self.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just hurtful,¡± Drake frowned then turned to Chelsea, ¡°You alright?¡± Chelsea nodded and looked to Bjorn leaning on him for support, ¡°Yeah I got smacked around¡­ But Thanks to Jacky I¡¯ll live. What happened to you and Natto?¡± she asked. ¡°Long story, I¡¯ll exinter. Let¡¯s get everyone to the dinky fortress before anything,¡± Drake instructed as they began walking along. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you beat the bug?¡± Chelsea asked during the silence as the group walked. ¡°You didn¡¯t see it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I was knocked out cold by the thing asshole¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t do much to fix your mouth though did it¡­¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Yeah I killed it¡­.¡± Bjorn noticed thement and slight regret Drake had on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy about it bro. Doesn¡¯t look like you leveled up either.¡± ¡°Not from the kill yeah. I¡¯m expecting or at least hoping the Quest will give me a level up. I want to reach E-Rank as fast as possible, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have time for it¡­¡± Drake looked at a screen in front of him, seeing the current leaderboards and the remaining time as well as participants. [Top Level Leaderboard] [Rank 1: Bear Level 27] [Rank 2: Shigure Kenzo Level 24] [Rank 3: Shot Level 23] [Rank 4: Super Megan Level 19] [Rank 5: Theodore Rotwood Level 18] [Rank 6: Jimina Seinen Level 17] ¡­. [Tutorial Point Ladder] [Rank 1: Shot 51,246,505 TP] [Rank 2: Bear 11,735,355 TP] [Rank 3: Shigure Kenzo 3,283,945 TP] [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 35 days 16 hours 57 minutes 21 seconds] [Remaining Participants: 1,889] The Level Rankings hadn¡¯t changed very much. Which was understandable considering theck of monsters outside of the Ants, but Drake had again made leaps forward on the Tutorial Point Ladder. He had a lot to do before they left for the world ahead of them. New skills, new limits to test, and most of all, rxation and hopefully a fun time with his girlfriend now that he made it past first base. ¡°Or is that second base? I can¡¯t remember how that analogy works¡­¡± Drake mused aloud. ¡°What?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Oh, nothing. Anyway, I should mention. I¡¯m beyond impressed you didn¡¯t change with your stones Bear.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is that what happened to you? Thought you were ganna wait bro?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go over the storyter, but right now I¡¯m more concerned and frankly suspicious of why you haven¡¯t changed yourself. I was force-fed six legendary stones so it makes sense I was forced to change, but even one of those stones¡­ I can¡¯t believe you endured it¡­¡± Drake said, his face turning deadpan. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you or how to answer that Shot. I used the stones because they were there and powerful. It isn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t struggle with them when I consumed them. I had my own demons for a while, and you know I still do.¡± ¡°I know Bear,¡± Drake said, his face softening. Drake and the group continued to walk this time in silence after the small conversation. Drake caught up in his own mind. I know he has his own problems, and now that I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not human, I know I can deal with them when the timees. But¡­ What is this anticipation? It¡¯s almost as if I want him to change. Like I¡¯m looking for the next fight. Drake clenched his hand unsure if it was the stones talking or just him anymore. The future Drake had been aiming for felt further away than ever. Chapter 169: Big Announcements Chapter 169: Big Announcements ¡°Will you stop touching it already?¡± Drake sat down in the fortress, Natto on his shoulder as he looked at the rest of the people currently pulling at his new long hair. ¡°I¡¯m just checking if it¡¯s real,¡± ire shooshed. ¡°Certainly this is fake. But changes of this manner often do manifest in such physical alterations,¡± Natto added yanking on his hair. ¡°Ow! What the hell? Punyeta! And checking for over twenty minutes?!¡± Drake chided. ¡°It is fine, continue with your story,¡± Natto waved as she began to braid his hair and snicker. ¡°Right¡­¡± Drake sighed giving up, ¡°After I woke up, there was the sponsor of the tutorial, the Dragon Bitch.¡± ¡°So the one in charge of everything was a Dragon after all?¡± Bjorn said, scratching his beard. ¡°That¡¯s like really bad for us isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± Tom added. ¡°Well sure as hell won¡¯t be no walk in the Dairy Queen Parking lot, that''s for damn sure,¡± Hudson added giving a low whistle. ¡°T-that.. Doesn¡¯t even make sense¡­¡± Tom mumbled a look of pure confusion on his face. ¡°What exactly does that mean for us?¡± Chelsea asked. ¡°Well for one, it''s bad,¡± Drake started, ¡° Two it wasn''t just a dragon, it was the Matriarch.¡± Drake paused for effect waiting to hear some astonishment but it never came. ¡°Really? I say it''s the big bad leader of the Dragons and nothing?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Yeah, get on with it already bro, we all know you like to be dramatic,¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake grumbled a bit but continued, ¡°Anyway. I was transported into that small room, you know the one from the intro? And she was there. I couldn¡¯t Identify her and she was strong. I couldn¡¯t evenpare her to anything we¡¯ve faced so far.¡± ¡°One could notpare her to the Ant Prince?¡± Theodore asked curiously. ¡°If I¡¯m beingpletely honest. I don¡¯t know how many Obiterons it would even take to get in the ballpark¡­.¡± Drake said, scoffing in self-loathing. ¡°Even after your power up?¡± ire asked, pausing for a moment to help Natto braid his hair. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it''s more than a lot of me.¡± Drake then heard gasps around him. ¡°Really?¡± he sighed. ¡°What? It was surprising,¡± Bjorn smiled. ¡°I can confirm that it would be impossible for anyone on ¡®Earth¡¯ to be able to stop Mir¡¯phyra. Most likely it will be hundreds of years before you are able, possibly thousands,¡± Natto exined, not looking away from her work. ¡°Seriously?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Please¡­ Do not tell me you could not guess her rank?¡± ¡°If I say S-Rank do I get a prize?¡± ¡°Correct. She is not only an S-Rank, but the epitome of such. She is the original Matriarch of the Dragon Race.¡± ¡°Wait you mean like OG, OG? Wouldn¡¯t that make her¡­¡± ¡°Yes, she is very, very, very ol-¡± Natto was about to finish her sentence when her tail stood on end and she coughed, ¡°Experienced.¡± ¡°You mean old?¡± Drake corrected, feeling pressure suddenly hit him as a cold sweat formed on his face. ¡°She is one of thee most powerful beings in the multiverse, there are seldom few that could challenge her if they truly wished. A fight that involved the Matriarch of Dragons would destroy whole thousands of systems.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying we¡¯re screwed?¡± Drake pointed. ¡°In the long term yes, you are rightfully her little toy.¡± ¡°Toy?¡± ire said pausing. ¡°I¡¯m not guilty of anything. She did look really good for being as old as she is,¡± Drake said remembering the woman¡¯s appearance. Drake pretended to lurch forward as ire¡¯s hand passed over the back of his head. ¡°Don¡¯t dodge!¡± ire shouted, puffing out her cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothin!¡± Drake smirked. ¡°So, what exactly did she want then Shot?¡± Bjorn asked, getting the conversation back on track. ¡°Right,¡± Drake said sitting back up straight, ¡°Honestly. I don¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t mention anything outside of getting a better return on her investment. Those stones I got way back when, apparently were really valuable. So much so that she traded six other stones for them.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Just like that.¡± ¡°Then what happened with the stones? You just decided to use them all at once like some crazy person?¡± ¡°N-no¡­ Not exactly,¡± Drake said embarrassed, ¡°I basically told her to eat a-, Drake coughed, ¡°Stick it where the sun don¡¯t shine. And she found that disrespectful I guess?¡± Jacqueline burst outughing in the corner, ¡°Bloody brilliant! You piss off someone who can snuff us out like she¡¯s blowing out a candle. And what happens? She gives you legendary stones? This world is mad! Mad I tell ya!¡± ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t only give them to me,¡± Drake corrected, ¡°She forced them on me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Megan asked, finally entering the conversation. ¡°I mean, she physically threw them into my body,¡± Drake exined, his hands clenching and unclenching, ¡°It was the most painful experience I¡¯ve had so far. It felt like my insides were being ripped apart cell by cell for hours and then pieced back together one by one by molten metal.¡± ¡°That¡­ That should not be within the realm of her powers as a sponsor,¡± Natto stammered, ¡°That goes beyond what is allowed for the tutorial. She will receive severe repercussions for those actions. The system is all for entertainment but it is also the pure expression of free will and choice as well as never allowing anything to be truly one-sided. Why would she break those rules?¡± ¡°Does that mean she¡¯s getting an ass spanking? Cause I¡¯d like to watc- Nevermind, it¡¯s good she¡¯s getting punished..¡± Drake added,ughing nervously. ire and Natto had finished ying with Drake¡¯s hair and the rest of the part was slowly digesting the information. ¡°So what now?¡± Julia asked piercing the thoughtful silence of the group. ¡°Now?¡± Drake wondered aloud, ¡°Well if nothing elsees up we have about a little less than a month here to rx. If anything doese up. I¡¯ll be having a bit of fun,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°But right right now? I think we make some food and rx, then head back to the Shigure¡¯s Outpost.¡± ¡°The Outpost?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yeah, I have a few things to take care of back there. And we need to discuss where to meet back up. That is if everyone can still tolerate me,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°We could never tolerate you,¡± they all said in unison. ¡°Gasp,¡± Drake said in faux offense. ¡°Can we eat yet¡­ It¡¯s been weeks since we had a good meal¡­¡± Sherry interjected, her eyes sunken and red. ¡°Oh! Speaking of food, I found out what happened to all the wildlife,¡± Drake added, holding the food zombie at arm¡¯s length, ¡°I just need to get back down there and corral them back up. ¡°The Ants took the animals underground?¡± Harley questioned. ¡°They took a lot of stuff underground, which is both surprising and amazing at the same time, but yes the animals we were looking for are all underground. I¡¯ll probably just tell Shigure to deal with it. Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡ª------------------------------ The group had made a meal out of the fresh food Drake had gotten while down underground. It had been quite some time since they had roasted venison. When everyone was served Drake slipped away to go over his new status and his changed skills. He had also gained a few new titles, not to mention he needed to ept his quest rewards. Drake was at the top of the fortress right now looking out onto the open wastnd that seemed to only have gotten worse as the weeks passed. ¡°We really did a number on this ce¡­¡± Drake said giving a light chuckle, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re almost out of here too.¡± Drake digressed and opened his full status. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 23 [Vitality] 409 (10+ 215%) [Strength] 585 (50 +10%) [Dexterity] 325 (40 + 20%) [Intelligence] 809 (15+15%) +(70) [Wisdom] 411 (10 + 215%) [Endurance] 319 (30 + 225%) [Free Points] 0 First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Well on Your Way, Glory of the Patriarch, Highest Contributor, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Tyrant, Incectocide, Marked by Dragons, Race Change, Birthright, Vanquisher of Kings II, Exterminator [Skills Branches] Primary: Elemental Master of Asura P3(0%) [F-Rank] 5/5
  • Asuran¡¯s Magic Insight P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Mind of the Mad War God P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran¡¯s Magic Prowess P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Elemental Battle Endowment P3 (0%) [F-Rank]
  • War God¡¯s Element Conflux P3 (0%) [F-Rank]
Secondary: Shield Bearer of the Battle Hall P3(0%) [F-Rank] 5/5
  • Asuran¡¯s Inner Ki P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • War God¡¯s Movement P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Command of the Mighty P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • War God¡¯s Martial Prowess P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Indomitable Ruler¡¯s Constitution P3(0%) [F-Rank]
Primary Sub-tree: War God¡¯s Inner Roadmap [F-Rank] 5/5
  • Apex P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran Battle Instincts: Weak Point P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Tempered in War P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran¡¯s Prideful Aura P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • War Tyrant¡¯s Indomability P3(0%) [F-Rank]
Second Primary Sub-tree: War God¡¯s Soul Roadmap [F-Rank] 5/5
  • Asuran¡¯s Mana Mastery P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Five Point Inner Atrophy P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Cower before the Mighty P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Honed Asuran Physic P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Inner Sanctum of the Asuran Soul P3(0%) [F-Rank]
Secondary Primary Sub-tree: War God¡¯s Weapon Blessing [F-Rank]5/5
  • Weapon Vault P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Battle Ready P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • War God¡¯s Chosen Armament P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran¡¯s Battle Acuity P3(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Submission of Magic P3(0%) [F-Rank]
Second Secondary Sub-tree: Asuran¡¯s War Book [F-Rank]0/5
  • War God¡¯s Battle Right P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran¡¯s Constitution P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Asuran¡¯s Punishment P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • Line in the Sand P1(0%) [F-Rank]
  • War God¡¯s Battle Fervor P1(0%) [F-Rank]
Drake gave a soft whistle as he went through his new skills as well as his changed ones. ¡°Wow, it really did interact with every single skill¡­ The only thing that¡¯s left is my original ss name. I have a few new titles too.¡± Drake skimmed over the skills, he had all the time in the world to go through them, and moved on to his titles since there weren''t forty of them to go through. Let¡¯s see¡­. [Vanquisher of Kings II] [You have dealt 99% of the damage to a royal. As the usurper of the Tyrant Ant Throne you are forever hated by the Tyrant Ant Race. +10% Damage to Royal Bloodlines. +50% Damage to all Insectoid Races.] [Race Change] [You have changed from a lower being to one of insurmountable power. A Primordial. Permanent +10 to all stats for each future level] [Birthright] [You are an Asuran. One born of Blood and Battle. Your honor will not be tarnished. And you do not know defeat. +10% to Strength, Stamina, and Dexterity] [Exterminator] [You have killed over 50,000 of a single monster race. +5% Damage to Monsters] [Marked by Dragons] [You have been marked by the Dragon Matriarch. She awaits your growth and return on her investment in theing years. She always collects on her debts.] ¡°Wow again. These are some serious buffs to my status and I haven¡¯t even epted thest quest. And Let¡¯s just ignore thatst title¡­¡± Drake pulled up the Prince¡¯s Quest notification and finally hit ept hearing a gong go off instead of a ring as notifications began filling his vision. [Tyrant Ant King Obiteron has been Subjugated. Quest Complete!] [ept Rewards?] [Experience Earned] [Please select your E-Grade Weapon from the options] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 24] [40 Free Points have been awarded] [System Wide Announcement!] [Tutorial #1,294,007 is the first toplete their tutorial, Rewards will be awarded Based on Ladder Standing in 34 Days, 13 Hours, 27 Minutes and 10 Seconds] [Completionists will be awarded ¡®First Completionists¡¯ Title when exiting the tutorial] [Early ess to the Tutorial Shop will be permitted in 34 days, 13 Hours, 27 Minutes and 2 Seconds] [First Completionists will be awarded with the allowance of one item from the designated rewards based on Tutorial Performance] [Completionists have the option of leaving their tutorial early, but will relinquish their right to rewards. Leaving the tutorial early will suspend you until all tutorials arepleted] [You have been awarded Title: Named in the System] [You have been awarded Title: Dawning of a Tyrant II] [You have been awarded Title: Hated by Many] [You have been awarded Title: The Awe of Many] [You have been awarded Title: Bounty] ¡°Fuck.¡± Chapter 170: Reluctant Disappointment Chapter 170: Reluctant Disappointment ¡°What did you do!?¡± A shout came from below the rampart, as Drake looked over and down slightly to see Chelsea right as rain, Megan next to her looking slightly confused and flustered. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothin,¡± Drake replied evenly. ¡°What about this announcement then!?¡± Drake shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I unno.¡± ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?! Why can¡¯t you take-¡± Drake slowly began to tune out Chelsea¡¯s yelling as he looked at the new Titles he had just received. [Named by the System] [As one who has contributed to the closing of your Tutorial, your name has rung throughout the multiverse. +50% effect to your Aura Suppression of beings of your rank or below] [Dawning of a Tyrant II] [Your will and ideals have been thrusted upon the world. Your views will not be opposed, and those that have, have perished underfoot. Your rule isw under penalty of death. +20% to all Aura skills effects, +20 to all stats.] [Hated by Many] [Envy can be a poison that gnaws away at those who endure it. Peace was never an option after your name had be known. +5% to Aura Effects] [The Awe of Many] [Inspiration through rivalry is one that is the first step in leadership. Through your deeds, you have inspired and awed many. +5% to Aura Effects] [Bounty] [Your name has been ced on a high-profile kill list and exceeded the prize of several High Ranked Mana Coins] ¡°A b-bounty? Really¡­? What did I do?¡± Drakeughed hesitantly, ¡°Though these buffs to my Aura are insane. That brings me over 100% effectiveness overall. Speaking of effectiveness..¡± Drake trailed off looking at his nowpletely tattered rags of armor and the missing tattoos on his left arm and sighed. ¡°I really went overboard this time¡­¡± ¡°That you did!¡± Natto said, tapping along the side of the rampart, food in her mouth. Drake gave a doting smile, d to see her up and about already. ¡°Did the Core rank you up?¡± he asked. ¡°Certainly not. It is only one core. I will need several. There may be some in the Tutorial store so remember that when you are purchasing items. Speaking of which, do remember that you are to save a few hundred thousand points for our needs outside of the tutorial.¡± ¡°I got it. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard with the amount I managed to rack up.¡± ¡°You say such, but you underestimate the stores the Dragons have and are willing to part with. What have you been doing up here alone? Sulking over your forced racial change?¡± Natto asked, biting down on thest of her venison. ¡°No, surprisingly not. It¡¯s a big change and I haven¡¯t gotten used to it exactly. But I feel¡­. I feel good. I feel stable. I hate that she forced it on me, but it¡¯s reluctantly a positive. I¡¯d call it an absolute win even. Every skill powered up, my passive effects went through the roof, and I got a rocking tan. I haven''t been this dark since I stood out in the sun as a kid when I was in the Philippines.¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°No, I was going through the new titles I received mostly. And just d I can take a moment to breathe finally.¡± ¡°Enjoy it while you can ape,¡± Natto snickered, ¡°You will now get less rest than I even presumed before. Completing a Tutorial first is quite the feat.¡± ¡°Someone has to do it, and I¡¯m sure there are plenty of integrations based on what that announcement said when we first got into the Introduction room,¡± Drake proposed, looking out again and seeing Chelsea still yelling at him from below. ¡°That may be so that there are many but there is only one. There is only a title and announcement for the firstpletion. There is none for the ones after and do not underestimate how petty the beings of the multiverse are.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Drake replied. Looking down at the yelling Chelsea, Drake began forming water effortlessly at his fingertips then gave a small grin as he dropped them down on her. Chelsea dodged the first one with her speed as an archer. But failed to dodge the second as she sidestepped it expecting it to fall down to the floor, but instead the ball of water moved taking a hard turn and sshing into her face. The next hitting her on the top of the head, and another hitting Megan who began snickering. But ended up just as soaked. ¡°Asshole!¡± ¡°You know it!¡± Drake yelled back with a smirk. ¡°Hey, take on someone your own size huh bro?¡± Bjorn smiled walking out to the front of the Fortress, looking up at the midday sun. ¡°With pleasure,¡± Drake grinned widely, something bubbling up inside him he didn¡¯t expect, forcing his eyes wide, ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°What was what?¡± Natto asked, hopping up to his shoulder. ¡°I just felt. I don''t know. Some sort of primal anticipation¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see, you are an Asuran after all,¡± Natto said understanding. ¡°Is that supposed to mean something to me?¡± Drake asked, confused. ¡°Inspect your race, if you are confused I assume you have not yet.¡± Drake opened his status looking at his Race. [Asuran]
  • One of the Primordial Races. Known as one of the Races with the most bloodthirst, also called the Race of War Gods. They are ones who rule over others with pure force andbat prowess. Seldom do they know defeat, and will always be found to improve their Martial Abilities inbat.
  • Asurans have been known to plunge head-first into battle regrly, fighting for the honor of grand singlebat to hone their abilities. Nothing is more important to an Asuran than a good fight; they have been used as weapons of war for many of the other Races.
  • Primordial Racial Effect: 100% Increased Status during Single Combat. +5 to All Stats per level. (Increased based on Overall Rank)
Drake let out a breath. ¡°Great. So now I¡¯m sort of bloodthirsty battle junkie?¡± ¡°Were you not before? Now it is simply official as well as a biological imperative,¡± Nattoughed loudly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a good thing¡­ I was hoping to not have some sort of weird quirky personality change after all of this. Ah! Don¡¯t say it! I know already, ¡®You were already quirky before moron.¡¯¡± ¡°While true,¡± she snickered, ¡°There is nothing to be done. With strengthes at least some demerits. You could not wish to improve this quickly without at least a few.¡± Drake sighed again, his back slumping. ¡°Youing or what bro? I¡¯m growing a beard waiting here!¡± Bjorn shouted. ¡°You already have a beard, you idiot!¡± Drake snapped back. ¡°Oh, true,¡± Bjorn chuckled, leaning his sword on his shoulder. ¡°Just give me a minute, I don¡¯t want to forget about this,¡± Drake said over the wall, turning back around. [Please select your E-Grade Weapon from the options] Drake scrolled through the list but was immediately disappointed. ¡°There aren¡¯t any Ink Tattoo Weapons¡­¡± hemented with a sigh. Going back over the options he found the next best thing and selected Fist Weapons. In an instant, a sh of light sparked and disappeared leaving a dark-colored t-top box that was at least a foot and a half tall, a few feet wide. Drake didn¡¯t waste time and opened the chest¡¯s lid, revealing the shine of golden light from the weapons. ¡°This is¡­ These are so badass! What are these?!¡± Drake squealed. [Asuran Initiate Chained Gauntlets [E-Grade] [Legendary] [Set Piece ? ]
  • 4000 to 5092 Physical Damage
  • 3500 to 4115 Magic Damage
  • 25% Increase to Critical Strikes and 25% Increase to Damaging Skills
  • +100 to Strength, +150 to Dexterity, +100 to Intelligence, Increases Aura Effects by 100%
  • Full Set Effect: Increases t Defense Proficiency by 250%, Increases all Status by 200%, Reduction of Abnormal Effects by 115%, Increase of Regeneration by 200%
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • 2 Set Effects: Increase t Defense Proficiency by 40%, Increases all Status by 30%, Increases Regeneration by 30%
  • 4 Set Effects: Increases t Defense Proficiency by 100% Increases all Status by 80%, Reduction to Abnormal Effects by 115%, Increase of Regeneration by 80%
  • These Gauntlets are the culmination of Asuran ideology over eons of countless battles. Only those who havepleted their initial training in the Halls of the Furious Asurans are given the chance to wield such weapons. Forged from the Mana Infused Gold wrenched from the hands of their defeated, the engravings on the chains and gloves are a constant reminder of the trials and battles each Asuran has ovee.
  • Requires a being of E-Rank or Higher to be wielded.
Drake was in awe of the weapons as he picked them up from the chest and the felt cloth that seemed to house them inside. The Golden Gauntlets gave off a sheen of power unlike Drake had felt from a weapon. They were formed to berge gloves, each finger and joint interlocking seamlessly to the next, connecting the two were four lengths of chains hooking to the pointed spikes that would cover his elbows. The moment Drake stood up with the weapons, they shed in a crimson fire as markings of images were etched into the gold in a burning pulsing red on the surface. Forced to shield his eyes momentarily, he gazed back, to see new symbols and images on the chains carved in what looked like still heated markings. But they were cool the the touch as Drake brushed his fingers along the gold. ¡°These are awesome¡­.Wait. I can¡¯t wear them!?¡± Drake howled in physical pain. ¡°Of course, you are still F-Rank you mongrel¡­.¡± Natto sighed, slightly disappointed as well. ¡°It¡¯s a set item as well. Where am I supposed to get the rest of these?¡± ¡°I wonder?¡± Natto said evenly, her face showing that she knew but either would not or could not tell Drake as of yet, ¡°Let us hope you will not be extorted on your way out. Drake took the hint, and ced the Gauntlets as well as the box into his inventory very reluctantly, a tear running down the side of his face as he did. ¡°Are you crying?¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°Only a little¡­.¡± Drake sniffled, wiping away the tear and getting up. Drake moved to the edge and looked over, ¡°Alright all ready- Wait where¡¯d he go?¡± Julia was there where Megan, Chelsea, and Bjorn had been. ¡°Oh, they left. They got tired of waiting, and Bear went for food. Megan and Chelsea went to dry off!¡± she hollered. ¡°Aw¡­ I was looking forward to testing stuff out¡­.¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Well I have another 30 odd some days left to do whatever I¡¯d like. There¡¯s no rush!¡± Drake said, his shoulders finally rxing, ¡°I wonder what Grumps and Wow-fi are up to?¡± Chapter 171: They’re my Best Friends Chapter 171: They¡¯re my Best Friends ¡°Is that it?¡± The man or beast removed the spear from the corpse, removing the blood from the tip in a single stroke to the side. ¡°That was thest of the monsters in the area, sir,¡± a woman said casually strolling up to him. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s all that¡¯s left really? I didn¡¯t even get to work up a sweat! Ari find me more will you?¡± ¡°Sir¡­Leon, I just said that there are unfortunately no more monsters in the area, my scanning skill is not picking up anything.¡± ¡°Ari, I¡¯m only joking. You really need to lighten up,¡± Leon scoffed. ¡°Sorry¡­ It¡¯s just hard to tell sometimes,¡± Ari replied, pushing up her sses by the brim. ¡°I¡¯m kind of pissed we didn¡¯t get that first achievement, but nothing can be done. Wish it told us who contributed the most to thatpletion. I¡¯d like to have a name to hunt down once we¡¯re out.¡± ¡°We, sir?¡± ¡°Of course. You think I¡¯m going to give up a great-looking woman and an amazing support ss just because we¡¯re out of the tutorial?¡± Leon smirked, his canines peeking from his lips. Leon ced his spear behind his head, his two wolf ears flickering, and let his arms hang over it. His short aquamarine hair color with fierce yellow eyes stared back at Ari. ¡°T-that would make me very happy Sir¡­¡± she mumbled, her face turning slightly red. ¡°I told you. It¡¯s Leon when it''s just us. I don¡¯t like the sir shit. But that moron Luke won''t take no for an answer.¡± Leon moved forward pulling Ari close only to be interrupted by the shout of a maning out of the trees and onto the battlefield. ¡°Oi! What kind of ruckus you been up to ova here? Looks like a bloody good time there Sir!¡± ¡°Luke¡­¡± Leon sighed. ¡°What? Boys and I just got done sweepin'' the area, thought I¡¯d give you an update,¡± Luke said walking up to the pair, ¡°What in the fuck is this cunt!? You do that, Sir? Right thrashin, if I¡¯ve ever seen. Sure a croc ain¡¯t get his ass? Seen those things pull a man apart in few seconds t I have.¡± ¡°Bro, Luke. Do you see any crocodiles?¡± Leon growled. ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t get your panties in a twist there, Sir, just making conversation.¡± ¡°Then make it elsewhere. I¡¯ve killed thest of them, tutorials over. You can leave.¡± ¡°No can do, Sir. The boys and I came to an agreement that we wouldn¡¯t be leaving even after this shindig. Seems like the worlds gone to shit, eh? So we¡¯re sticking with ya!¡± ¡°Oh, joy¡­¡± Leon sneered. More men and women came out of the treeline, exining and shouting as they raised their weapons and firearms, cheering and hooting at Leon. ¡°Yeah! Leon! That was some good shit!¡± ¡°d we all decided to stick with him. Knew it was a good idea.¡± ¡°Dumbass you were the one who said we should just shoot him!¡± ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m saying I¡¯m d we didn¡¯t cause we would be dead if we did, smartass.¡± Leon sighed and shook his head, letting go of Ari who now wore a simr-looking scowl at the group. ¡°Where the hell we¡¯re all of you? Just watching?¡± Leon asked. ¡°You told us to stay out of your way mate. We¡¯re just along for the ride!¡± Luke chuckled, giving Leon a p on the back. ¡°If I ever needed Shot to run something¡­.. It would be now¡­¡± Leon mumbled, putting his spear away. ¡°Say something, mate?¡± Luke asked. ¡°No. And it''s sir to you mother fucker. That was the deal, you pick shit up and I kill things. So go pick it up.¡± ¡°Alright, alright¡­.¡± Luke scoffed, shouldering his gun, ¡°You heard him youzy cunts, pick up after our puppy!¡± Leon pressed down on the surroundings with his aura, a chill washing over the people. ¡°You¡¯ve been getting a bit mouthytely Luke,¡± he growled, And ¡°I¡¯m all out of things to hunt¡­¡± ¡°I-I got it, Boss,¡± Luke eeked out, his face paling, ¡°No more jokes for a while yeah?¡± Leon released the pressure, and everyone gasped in unison as Leon turned away followed by Ari. ¡°Didn¡¯t have to do that in front of everyone did ya? Bloody hell¡­¡± Luke said rubbing his throat, ¡°Always need to show you¡¯re top dog ey?¡± Lukeined but did what he was told, turning to the battlefield as Leon moved away with Ari. In front of him were thousands of monsters strewn across the ground. All with single puncture wounds to the head. ¡°If he wasn¡¯t such a prick. I¡¯d have called him an artist¡­ Alright, youzy bastards! Get to cleaning!¡± ¡°We already are! You¡¯re the one cking dipshit!¡± ¡°Oi! Watch your goddamn mouth!¡± Out of earshot, Ari and Leon walked back in the direction of the outpost he had made his own early on in the tutorial. ¡°So where are we going to go once this is all done?¡± Air asked, breaking the silence. ¡°I was thinking of finding an old friend. I owe him a smack and I¡¯m pretty sure he will be doing just fine in this whole mess, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun. Just like old times,¡± Leon said, smiling. [Leonardo Velcruz] [Race: Silver Wolf] [F-Rank] [Profession: Scribe P5(0%)[F-Rank], Enchanter P5(0%)[F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Grumps] [Spear Bullet Schr] [Unique] Level 28 [Vitality] 461 (10+ 215%) [Strength] 823 (20 +210%) [Dexterity] 952 (80 + 220%) +(80) [Intelligence] 340 (10+15%) [Wisdom] 226 (10 + 15%) [Endurance] 386 (30 + 225%) [Free Points] 40 First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Croc yer, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Croc Hater, One Man Army, Croc Killer, Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Troll Hater, Troll yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Well on Your Way, Glory of the Patriarch, Highest Contributor, Highest Contributor II, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Hunter, War on Beasts, Marked by Kirins, Race Change, Hunter¡¯s Calling, Vanquisher of Kings II, Exterminator, Named in the System, Dawning of a Hunter II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, Ill Made Leader
¡°Yo man, where''s the dude at?¡± ¡°Ey, shut up will ya? He said he would scoop us up. Guy said he got a new toy from thatst kill. You know upgraded his baby.¡± ¡°Wha- Oh shit! Get up! Move!¡± The men scrambled to get off the rock they were sitting on in the shade of the cliff sticking out of the sand. The low sound of what seemed like a jet taking off constantly rumbling as dust kicked up in the distance. Dodging out of the way the two men tumbled in the hot desert to the side. ¡°What the fuck dude! You could have ran us over!¡± Charging past them and mming into the cliff face was a ck suit of armor five times the size of a person. It slowly backed up from the indent it had ced in the wall, sand slowly gliding off its armor. Turning around the ck monstrosity¡¯s eyes shone in red, green, blue, and yellow. On its shoulder arge canon, its arms tworge gattling-type weapons. It creaked and shifted until it stopped and bent down, its chest opening to reveal a small dark-skinned man with dark hair braided into a ponytail. His beard reached past his waist. ¡°Got Damn! This thing is just like the games!! This new baby is like a got damn mobile suit!¡± the dwarf shouted. The two men got up. Dusting themselves off with scowls on their face. ¡°What was that about? All the monsters are dead dude. What¡¯s the point in being out here? Can¡¯t we just chill in the outpost?¡± ¡°Naw bro, I have to get these controls down. I won¡¯t be doing this for shits and giggles you heard me?¡± the dwarf scoffed, sniffing and rubbing his nose, ¡°I got to make sure I keep up, those two bastards always calling me a leecher and shit! I¡¯ll show them that Wow-fi is back in business baby! I know that asshole Grumps is ganna be jealous I got this thing!¡± ¡°R-right¡­ Man, Damian we¡¯re tired, and it''s fucking hot out. Can you just take us to the outpost dude? I don¡¯t wanna be out here, even if there aren¡¯t monsters. There¡¯s still those idiots trying to kill us after thest stunt you pulled.¡± Damian reached out his hand open palm. ¡°Really?¡± Damian nodded, waiting for his payment. ¡°Fine, here''s your damn Cores, now take our asses back to the outpost will you.¡± ¡°You gots it. And don¡¯t worry about them dudes no more. I took care of it,¡± he smiled. ¡°You killed them?!¡± ¡°Oh, you know it. You don¡¯t fucks with me like that and get to go home. We don¡¯t tolerate that bullshit where I¡¯m from,¡± he said seriously. ¡°Man, when did you get so hard-headed?¡± ¡°Since always,¡± Damian snorted, ¡°And I told you to tell that mother fucker to stop eyeballin'' me like he can snag my shit. Just cause I¡¯m out of the mech don¡¯t mean I won¡¯t whoop his ass too!¡± The man turned seeing the other reaching for something beneath his cloak when he sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t do it bro we only have a few weeks then we¡¯re out of here.¡± ¡°Why? He¡¯s out of his big suit and he has all the shit from the tutorial! He¡¯s robbed everyone!¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t rob shit, I killed it. It¡¯s mine. Only people that get free stuff from me are friends and family, and you neither!¡± Damianughed at the man. ¡°Fuck you!¡± the man shouted pulling a de from his side and rushing Damian. He was stopped dead in his tracks as a shot rang out, half of his body incinerated on the spot, a burning hole in the ground. The cannon of the ck marvel behind Damian emitting a faint trail of smoke. ¡°No,¡± Daimain smiled, ¡°Fuck you.¡± [Damian Beir] [Race: Obsidian Dwarf] [F-Rank] [Profession: Mechanic P5(0%)[F-Rank], Specialist P5(0%)[F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Wow-fi] [Mechanical Puppeteer] [Unique] Level 25 [Vitality] 271 (10+ 15%) [Strength] 210 (20 +10%) [Dexterity] 952 (80 + 220%) [Intelligence] 655 (10+15%) [Wisdom] 526 (10 + 215%) + (40) [Endurance] 266 (30 + 225%) + (40) [Free Points] 0 First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Spider yer, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Scorpion Hater, One Man Army, Scorpion Killer, Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Hawk Hater, Hawk yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Well on Your Way, Glory of the Patriarch, Highest Contributor, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Puppeteer, War on Arachnids, Marked by Celestines, Race Change, Puppet Master¡¯s Calling, Vanquisher of Kings II, Exterminator, Named in the System, Dawning of a Puppeteer II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, Rogue Element Chapter 172: Blind Sided Chapter 172: Blind Sided ¡°What are you doing?¡± ire asked, looking over Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just checking up on my skills again. All of them changed after all, every single one improved or has an extra effect on it now. So I need to make sure I know I have them all memorized. It¡¯s basically relearning my skills all over again¡­.¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry bro, you got plenty of time to practice. I¡¯m sure Shigure wouldn¡¯t mind sparring as well,¡± Bjorn added. ¡°True. But I¡¯m a little worried about if I might take it a bit far¡­ or just won''t be interested,¡± Drake replied with a wry grin. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chelsea asked popping her head out from behind Bjorn. ¡°Ah! Where did youe from!?¡± Drake shouted in faux surprise, Chelsea frowning. Drake coughed, his joke hitting t but exined, ¡°I mean, that after the change, apparently I have some very unhelpful quirks¡­¡± ¡°Like you didn¡¯t before?¡± Jacqueline shouted behind her from ahead of the group. ¡°I mean actually unhelpful¡­.¡± Drake said, pursing his lips, ¡°It looks like I have an all or nothing type of mentality when ites to fighting now. When I was going to spar with Bear earlier. I felt my body shiver with anticipation. I wanted to fight him in the sense of to the end, to prove who¡¯s stronger, and to have the honor of defeating a strong opponent. But seeing the left over Ants¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°What about the Ants?¡± ire asked. ¡°Well. I couldn¡¯t be more disinterested. It was like that feeling you get before you go to the gym? Or when you look at a sd. But a measure past reluctance, it was almost disgust.¡± ¡°Hey I like sds,¡± Tom chimed in. ¡°And I like long walks on the beach,¡± Drake quipped, ¡°But I''m talking about before and after changing my Race Tom. What I¡¯m concerned with is a serious change to my mental personality like this. If the stone could affect me enough that I look down at those who are weaker than me and don¡¯t respect, I could really be turning into a Tyrant¡­ Not just in title.¡± ¡°You? Mr. Goofy Weirdo Talks About Anime Nonstop Can¡¯t Take A Moment Seriously Guy? Not sure if I believe that one, bro,¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake stopped, the whole party looking back surprised. ¡°No Bear. I mean it. If we had started fighting. I don¡¯t know if I could have held myself back from going all out just to prove I was the better fighter.¡± Drake¡¯s Aura moved and bent around him, in a way that it hadn¡¯t before. It wasn¡¯t just oppressive. It was aching for battle, left wanting for someone to test him, almost inviting someone to stand up to the challenge. ¡°I think it might be a bigger problem than I gave it credit for,¡± Drake said stiffly, his body going rigid. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?!¡± ire stammered, looking on with concern. ¡°I-I don¡¯t k-know!¡± Drake said his body beginning to sweat as he pushed the words out through clenched teeth, ¡°Naw I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Drake waved them off, smiling. A uniform gasp of airing out of everyone but Bjorn who had his hand on his sword behind his head. ¡°Not funny,¡± Bjorn said tly. ¡°Most of it was true, but thest bit was in poor taste I¡¯ll admit. But that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m talking about. We have no idea how much this change might have done to me. And that Dragon Bitch forced it on me. There¡¯s no telling what she might have done while rifling through my insides with those stones,¡± Drake said grimacing, ¡°Natto said she shouldn¡¯t have been able to bypass the system like she had, and she¡¯s going to be punished for it. But I¡¯m still questioning why. Why go so far to mess with me?¡± ¡°My Lord. Those art questions we shalt not be obliged to answer for some time¡­¡± Theodore said, ¡°We have just ovee a foe like no other we have faced before, is it not the time to bask in the glory of your felled enemy and taketh time for thyself?¡± Theodore had said what everyone was thinking. Drake had been pushing himself the entirety of the tutorial, only stopping to rest when he was injured beyond being able to even move or through loss of limb. ¡°No. That Ant Prince might be gone,¡± Drake started. ¡°Ant King. We all saw the notification when he evolved,¡± Sherry correctedzily. ¡°Right¡­. Ant King may be gone but, what about the next threat or the one after that. I can¡¯t let myself rest like I¡¯m on vacation. And that¡¯s also the reason why I¡¯m concerned. My mental stability has been a rollercoaster ride this entire few months, and that¡¯s an understatement. I wanted¡­ I want to do nothing more than just sit around rxing with my feet up, a bourbon in hand on a nice sofa with my girl. But I don¡¯t get that luxury.¡± ¡°What are you saying then pup?¡± Hudson asked suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m saying that once we get to the outpost. It might be time that we all part ways for real. At least for a little bit.¡± ¡ª-------- The walk back was silent. Drake had made a deration no one really expected after they had just gone through thatst monster together. Bjorn was quiet, which wasn¡¯t that unusual when he wasn¡¯t talking to Drake. But Drake didn¡¯t start a conversation with anyone either. Instead, he walked just as silently with the group, ire on his side. ire tried to speak up several times but failed to get the words out, her mouth opening and closing as she turned to him. But never able to bring herself to speak. The rest of the group didn¡¯t fare much better. The reality that they wouldn¡¯t have the person who had protected them and guided them through the tutorial hitting harder than they expected. Drake finally broke the silence with a sigh. ¡°It isn¡¯t like we will never see each other again¡­. I just need time to myself to figure out what¡¯s going on. I still n on having everyonee together outside of the tutorial. And, there are only the small remaining groups of Ants left in the tutorial. Which I know all of you can handle and should handle as a group. You will be fine without me for a few weeks.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that we won¡¯t be fine. It¡¯s that we shouldn¡¯t have to be,¡± ire said looking at Drake, ¡°You always talk about taking responsibility and not taking the easy way out, but aren¡¯t you doing just that? You would rather hide away from us, from yourself than stay.¡± ire grabbed Drake¡¯s hand squeezing it tight. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us. Don¡¯t leave me. Not like this. I know you are worried about what might happen. But¡­But I¡¯m not. You¡¯ve saved us more times than I can count, pushing past every wall that¡¯s tried to stop you. And when I saw you hurt, disappearing before my eyes, my heart broke. Don¡¯t do that to me again by taking yourself away. Don¡¯t¡­Don¡¯t do it sooner than you have to¡­.¡± Her eyes began to water as she looked down at the grasped hand in hers, different but still the man¡¯s who had saved her from the goblins so many weeks ago. Drake was stunned. He wasn¡¯t expecting such a reaction. To him, the temporary retreat was only that temporary. A way for him to battle with his own traumas and problems he had put on hold for so long during his countless battles for survival. But for her, for them. It was as if he was abandoning them. He had done so much to build them up he had forgotten that in doing so he had forged a connection between them. They were no longer just party members, their fates, their goals, had intertwined. ¡°Is this how you all feel?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it just like that, I ain¡¯t got a thing for ya like the miss does,¡± Hudson scoffed, ¡°But it does feel pretty cheap of ya to just off and go on your own. You already did it once leaving us behind, and it stung like a sore bee sting. We trust ya idjit, but do you really trust us?¡± Drake felt a pang of guilt hit him. Is that true..? Was I just being selfish when I left to search the Hive on my own? Do I not trust them to pull their own weight? ¡°Well, you did try to have them fight on their own. Only to stop halfway the moment you suspected it may be too dangerous. Do you believe them to be children, or people capable of their own decisions and living their own lives? I have told you before. You can not protect them forever. If they wish to stand and watch you fall or rise, is a choice of their own volition Drake,¡± Natto said softly. Drake grounded his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve been blind huh. Fine, if you want to risk me turning into a monster right in front of you. I won¡¯tin. I could use thepany¡­.¡± Drake sighed, pulling ire¡¯s hand in and wrapping his arm around her. ¡°Do I get a hug too?¡± Tom asked. ¡°No,¡± Drake snapped, not turning to him. ¡°Oh. Ok..¡± Tom frowned. Drake released ire exhaling a tense breath, ¡°Well, onward to the Outpost then. I have a bunch to catch up on and a short surly dwarf to shake down before I figure out if I¡¯m going to really be turning into something I can¡¯t control or recognize¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry bro. I may not be able to beat an Ant, but I¡¯m sure I can throw you around just fine, Bjorn smiled, his hand finally off his sword, ¡°You need people looking after you more than I do it looks like.¡± Drake scoffed, but smiled back, ¡°You might be right about that¡­ It¡¯s going to be an interesting couple of weeks. Just don¡¯t let me kill you during sparring. This new body of mine, I¡¯m still getting used to it.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t even if you tried bro,¡± Bjorn smirked back. ¡°Right, if you two tossers are done with your subtextual bro moment. We need to bloody get on with it. I want to get into a real bed, it''s been weeks, you pissin idiots,¡± Jacqueline sneered ahead of them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just always the ray of sunshine? No wonder you have that great boyfriend,¡± Drake replied, walking forward, holding ire¡¯s hand and pulling her with him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a boyfriend¡­?¡± Jacqueline said aghast. ¡°Oh, I know,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Jacky! Jacky put the mace down!¡± Megan shouted behind them. ¡°Just one! Just one good smack! I¡¯ll put that sarcastic little boy on his ass!¡± Jacqueline shouted. ¡ª------------- The group hade back alive after their little discussion and made their way through the forest back to the Outpost after a half day of walking. The sun had begun to set, painting the surroundings in a warm orange glow. ¡°Looks like it hasn¡¯t changed much since we left. That''s a good sign,¡± Drake observed. ¡°You thought something would happen?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Honestly? Yeah, I thought Shigure would be forced to burn it to the ground. Looks like he grew a backbone though.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see what you mean. The food shortage and the prisoners he had been dying sentencing on.¡± ¡°Yup. Dealing with hungry masses is much harder than you would think, people turn on each other quicker than a penny can drop. But looks like he¡¯s managed it just fine,¡± Drake said, seeing a few guards posted at the rampart¡¯s gate, ¡°Alright I¡¯m going to see Shigure quickly and tell him about the food by the hive. I¡¯m sure he will want to go and secure it. Can I leave the camp to you guys?¡± Drake began walking without waiting for an answer, only to feel his hand be tugged backward. Looking backwards he saw a worried ire. ¡°You¡¯re reallying back right? You won¡¯t just run off again as soon as you¡¯re out of my sight right¡­?¡± she asked. Drake gave her a doting smile, ¡°I promise.¡± ire reluctantly released him, giving a nod as she watched him walk off. Passing Bjorn, Drake asked him, ¡°Do you want toe with?¡± Bjorn shook his head. ¡°I may not look it, but that bug really did a number on me. My body has been throbbing in pain the entire walk back. I¡¯m going to go take a long nap after a bath, you got any hot water?¡± he asked. ¡°No, but I got you covered.¡± Drake summoned several empty barrels, snapping his fingers as he filled them with a waterfall of steaming water. ¡°Rest up, I want to be able to kick your ass by tomorrow morning,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°Yeah, yeah. We¡¯ll see. You sure those stones didn¡¯t make you more arrogant, bro?¡± Bjornughed. ¡°Could be,¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Yeah, got any food?¡± ¡°Food?!¡± Sherry said from the side, her eyes lighting up. Drakeughed wryly seeing the woman make a beeline for him through the group, like a golden retriever hearing the snack bag open. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I was able to snag a few bucks while we were underground. Do you want to cook them up?¡± Drake asked Bjorn. ¡°I¡¯d rather you cook them,¡± he said tly, Sherry nodding furiously next to him. ¡°Fine. If you can wait till I get back, I¡¯ll cook them¡­¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Sherry cheered. Drake held Sherry back at arm''s length as she carved a small ditch into the ground below her as she pressed forward trying to grab Drake. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll be back then. Keep her in the camp¡­ I don¡¯t need her following me into Shigure¡¯s tent,¡± Drakeughed. Bjorn scooped Sherry up under his arm, her body going limp like a cat. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long bro,¡± Bjorn said, giving a wave and turning back to walk with the rest of the group. Drake gave a wave back and walked towards the gate. ¡°No promises this time man¡­¡± Drake muttered under his breath. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± one of the guards yelled. ¡°Really? Again¡­?¡± Drake sighed, putting his hands up. Chapter 173: Food Stuffs and a Stiff Hand Chapter 173: Food Stuffs and a Stiff Hand Shigure sat in his tent going over the same numbers he had been looking at for the past several days. ¡°It is not enough¡­ We simply do not have enough food tost us the remainder of the tutorial. Even with the higher levels not having to eat thanks to their status, it still will not be enough.¡± Shigure sighed as he leaned back in his chair, wondering how they were supposed to get through this. There had already been people trying to force others to give up rations. But it was between the sub-level 10 craftsmen so it was easily dealt with for now. But what would happen when the higher-level fighters began to have the same problem? Just because they didn¡¯t have to eat as often did not mean they didn''t have to entirely. Before he could dwell on it again for much longer, a voice came from the tent entrance. ¡°Lord Shigure! There is a problem at the south gate!¡± ¡°A problem?¡± Shigure asked, getting to his feet, Uta appearing next to him in a puff of inky smoke. ¡°There seems to be an unknown person asking to see you. No one can identify him, but he came with Sir Bear and that man¡¯s party,¡± Uta exined before they left the tent. Exiting, Shigure gave a nod to the guardsman, walking past him to the rampart quickly with Uta in tow. ¡°Is he trying to force himself in?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°N-no, he¡­ He is making jokes,¡± Uta professed. ¡ª------ ¡°So then I said. ¡®Looks like it¡¯s time for this bug to fly,¡± Drake said in a deep hoarse voice. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even funny, did you really say that to a monster 5 levels above you? Did it even understand you?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t really say that one. I did beat the crap out of it though. Give me a break I was in the middle of a heated battle, forgive me if my quippy nature didn¡¯t take over!¡± Drake fell back on arms, sitting on the ground with the two guards sitting across from him. ¡°So there hasn¡¯t been any problems except the food stuff?¡± Drake asked. ¡°No, nothing major, a few people trying to rough others up for food. We did have a few Ghoulse around. But Lord Shigure took care of them quickly,¡± the guard answered, tearing into the meat, ¡°Wow this is good!¡± ¡°That¡¯s ganna be a few hundred F-Rank Crystals there fe,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°What?! Now that has to be a joke!¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m robbing you,¡± Drakeughed, pointing a finger gun at the guard. Drake smiled and pointed his finger past the guards now. ¡°Put that thing away! You¡¯re going to kill someone!¡± Shigure shouted as he scowled at Drake. ¡°Heyyyyyy Buddyyyyyy,¡± Drake chuckled, blowing out his finger gun and putting it away, ¡°How ya been. How¡¯s life?¡± ¡°Ugh. I thought it might be you¡­ I take it you were the one who took down the Monster we received a notification about, ending the tutorial?¡± ¡°Awe, don¡¯t be so glum. It¡¯s been weeks since we¡¯ve seen each other Shigure! Aren¡¯t you going to tell me how much cuter I look?¡± Drake grinned. The guards had since stood up and moved to the side, hiding their pieces of meat that Drake had bribed them with. Enjoying the back and forth the two were doing. ¡°No. But thank you for defeating the monster. You have given us all an amazing title, but what is it you want to speak to me about,¡± Shigure asked, ignoring Drake¡¯s joke. ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve really put on some chops,¡± Drake said, giving a whistle and standing, ¡°You sure you¡¯re ok with speaking out in the open like this?¡± ¡°There is no reason not to, anyone who has any problem with me in charge is long gone. I am curious about what has happened to change you to such a degree if i must admit, but that is something you I¡¯m sure arefortable with speaking about?¡± ¡°Nope. I won¡¯t be saying anything on it. Inner circle stuff, you understand I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Fine. If you would be kind enough to make it quick, we are currently dealing with a major food shortage,¡± Shigure sighed. ¡°What? Not going to try to muscle it out of me? You sure have grown in thesest weeks little Shigure.¡± ¡°I am not going to be goaded into fighting someone who can take down an E-Rank. Given that it was thest monster for the tutorial to recognise it ending I am very sure I would stand no chance, but ater spar would be appreciated.¡± Drake whistled again, crossing his arms. ¡°Wow, you really did grow up. Good for you. As for what I wanted to talk to you about. I found out what happened with all the animals. And I know where they are.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you going to ask for something in return for the information?¡± Shigure asked calmly. ¡°Is that the kind of man you take me for?¡± ¡°That is exactly the type of man I take you for, yes.¡± Drake flinched stepping back slightly. ¡°That¡¯s hurtful¡­¡± ¡°It was intended to be¡­¡± ¡°Fine. It¡¯s to the south east, you can find it if you travel about a day''s worth. You could probably make it in a few hours given your level. There¡¯s a copsed tunnel leading to the underground Hive for the Tyrant Ants. Most of the remaining ones are around level 20s so be careful on your way there, they travel in swarms. I could tag along if you want,¡± Drake offered. ¡°No. I should be sufficient, and I do need the experience. Thank you,¡± Shigure said, bowing his head slightly, ¡°With this, we will make it to the end easily¡­ Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Drake was slightly stunned by Shigure¡¯s candidness. Just what happened to him during their time apart. ¡°For the moment nothing, but we should speak about the alliance you proposed earlier,¡± Drake said, losing his yful tone, ¡°There¡¯s a lot we need to discuss about whates next as well. The tutorial sponsor was the Matriarch of the Dragons and I have a bad feeling about what ising for us.¡± ¡°Matriarch of Dragons¡­? Understood, I wille to find you in several days after I have gathered enough food for the outpost.¡± Shigure bowed again and turned back to the Outpost without a fuss. Uta only spared Drake a re before evaporating into mist. ¡°Well, that was no fun¡­ I at least wanted him to try something¡­.¡± Drake pouted, putting his hands behind his head, ¡°Oh well, time to go make food I guess.¡± Turning around Drake walked back casually to the camp that was being set up. ¡°What made you change your mind about the alliance? I believe it to be a poor deal for us,¡± Natto said, bringing up the subject. ¡°The world is going to be much different once we are out. We knew that, but knowing I have a target on my back from a Dragon that can circumvent the system. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s smart to try to go it alone. I¡¯m convinced more than ever that we will need stronger people for what¡¯s toe, and that I need to be at the top. And until I¡¯m proven wrong it''s going to be my n going forward. I won¡¯t stand for our world to be picked clean by someone who thinks of us as toys¡­¡± Drake responded, grinding his teeth. ¡°Quite the change in character indeed¡­ I believe the ambition is good for you in the long run. But you must get a handle on your changes quickly. Thirty days will pass in a sh,¡± Natto advised. ¡°I know. I have a lot of skeletons in my closet right now. And only so much time to get over them¡­¡± Drake sighed, his body rxing, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaning on you a bit.¡± ¡°It is what I am here for, you stupid buffoon.¡± Drake smiled, reaching the end of the camp. ¡°Alright foodie time!¡± he shouted, the sounds of cheers reverberating through the small camp. ¡ª--- ¡°Mrs. Wallen! Mrs. Wallen!¡± ¡°Yes? What is it, honey?¡± the woman asked. ¡°The front fighters are getting into an argument again over loot. It looks like it¡¯s going to turn into a fight,¡± the boy exined. ¡°Oh? What have I told those little kids about sharing! Can¡¯t they let a woman rest in peace!¡± Mrs. Wallen¡¯s attitude made a 180 as she got up from her seat leaving the steaming food on her table. Leaving her tent she moved from the dungeon safe room that the rest of the nonbat participants had been camped in. As she weaved through the camp, everyone made sure to say hello and greet her. Everyone knew Mrs. Wallen. She was like everyone¡¯s mother. She was kind when you met her, but fierce when she had to be. The first instance of the entire tutorial almost broke out into a war. She had taken the bull by the horns quite literally. There were a variety of Races in their tutorial. Beastmen, Elves, and lower Celestials. And they were at each other¡¯s throats often at the start. But no one fought when Mrs. Wallen showed up. They knew better. The first person to try to challenge her made it out alive, but not with their dignity intact. The poor man who stood up to her after berating a kid half his age got the beating of a lifetime. And the shame that came with it. He was disciplined in front of the whole tutorial one-handedly. More tried from every race to challenge her for top dog only to be put on a metaphorical leash for their troubles. No one knew her ss but they were very familiar with her backhand, and quick chan trigger. Mrs. Wallen walked through the dimmed hall, the sounds of yelling back and forth echoing down it as she went. Eventually, she reached themand tent as they named it. The tent was made for the front part leading the dungeon dive of their tutorial. There were a few participants who had earned an Assistant and they had found out that their tutorial was one of the more unique ones. Entering, the arguing quieted down as everyone¡¯s eyes went to the entrance. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, children?¡± Mrs. Wallen asked. Arge Bullman didn¡¯t meet her eyes, his brow beginning to sweat. Mrs. Wallen looked to the side, a beautiful fair-skinned woman beginning to shirk away, her long ears drooping down. ¡°Come now, tell Nanay. I¡¯m tired and want to eat my soup in peace. Diyos ko¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­ We¡¯re grown adults, we can figure this out on our own without you-¡± Mrs. Wallen¡¯s hand raised, and her son¡¯s mouth mped shut. ¡°I didn¡¯t raise you to not show respect to your mother! I asked what is going on that a boy has toe get me to quiet down adults! You should be ashamed of yourselves!¡± she yelled. Mrs. Wallen¡¯s son, Travis, shivered. A wry smile on his face. ¡°What is the problem?¡± she asked again. ¡°W-well,¡± Travis began exining, ¡°We¡¯ve reached thest floor of the dungeon. But there is only one person who gets to have the kill achievement. We are all debating who it¡¯s going to be.¡± ¡°Ay! Susmaryosep! You all are really getting so upset over a little title!¡± she huffed. ¡°It¡¯s not just a title you o- Mrs. Wallen!¡± the elf in the corner shouted, ¡°Ites with massive stat bonuses. The previous bosses all gave t bonuses to stats. This being thest one, we¡¯re sure it''s going to be muchrger!¡± ¡°Den, flip a coin,¡± she answered tly. ¡°What?¡± many of them parroted. ¡°Flip, a coin,¡± Mrs. Wallen said again. ¡°You want to leave it up to luck, Mrs. Wallen?¡± a man asked from across the room. ¡°Why? Would you rather you continue to bicker like toddlers? Sige, yes flip a coin I tell you. Or maybe I should just pick myself?¡± she scoffed. ¡°No!¡± the whole room screamed. ¡°Sige! Don¡¯t you yell at me punyeta!¡± Mrs. Wallen yelled back, her hand going for her cudgel. Everyone including Traves shrunk back slightly giving wryughs and smiles. ¡°Den, flip a coin and beat that monster. I want to be home already and watch my soaps. See my son, yes?¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Your soaps aren¡¯t running anymore¡­¡± Travis chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I already know Travis! I have Tevo!¡± Chapter 174: Gauging and Past Greivences Chapter 174: Gauging and Past Greivences ¡°Hmm¡­Hmmmmmmmmm¡­..¡± ¡°What are you humming at! It is giving me a headache!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°I¡¯m humming at if there is a real damage increase with my new Main ss Tree and defense increase,¡± Drake exined with his hand on his chin as he sat looking at his status screen. [School of Fire] [F Rank] Proficiency 3(0%)
  • The active ability set to control the magic school of fire. Your proficiency over fire is still early at this juncture, giving you only the basics of spells.
  • Spell: Fireball - ¡°The fire of my heart, take form and sear my enemies. Fireball.¡±
  • Basic single target spell. Deals fire damage in a 3 to 1 of Intelligence. Small Mana Cost.
  • Spell: Fire Cloud - ¡°The fire of my heart, disperse and set me to the world. Fire Cloud.¡±
  • Basic Area of Effect spell. Deals fire damage in a 5 to 1 of Intelligence. Moderate Mana Cost.
Drake leaned into the screen hoping looking more closely at the screen might give him a glimmer of understanding. ¡°It says that the damage has at least doubled but there¡¯s no way for me to really tell since there aren¡¯t any monsters around. And I kill everything in one shot already so I can¡¯t really gauge the difference.¡± ¡°You could use one of the many imbeciles that walk the outpost, no?¡± Natto proposed. Drake scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not going to try a spell against a person. I want to test this, not kill people¡­¡± ¡°Then it will remain a mystery until we find our next E-Rank.¡± Sighing, Drake fell backward onto the grass with his hands behind his head staring up at the sun. It was the following day after they had returned from the Hive and they still had a few weeks to go. He was taking it slow and wanted to go over his skills little by little during the remaining time. He still had to talk to the Dwarf, but he didn¡¯t think it was urgent. It was always better to let investments sit after all. Drake¡¯s aura sense had rocketed past anything he thought was possible with his race change. Asuran¡¯s Prideful Aura P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • The monster inside you refuses to be below others and has been honed into a prideful Warrior. The world is meant for you to take your ce above it. You are the epitome, the apex, the ever-oppressive and prideful Tyrant. Your word isw inside your domain.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 65-meter sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower, giving a perpetual 10% debuff to allbat stats and momentary fear. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura momentarily disrupts any and all spells or skills being cast when will is flexed. Must be of equal or lower Rank.
  • Additional Effect: Devourer - Any target inside your sphere of influence has a beneficial buff removed once per hour.
  • Additional Effect: Level Killer - If Target is under the effect of Asuran¡¯s Prideful Aura for a extended period of time, the aura will slowly deplete health based on the difference in level and proficiency. (Increased based on Proficiency)
The range of influence had expanded considerably, and with all of his buffs specific to the aura it alone was a tool he could use to do devastating damage. ¡°Might as well be conqueror¡¯s haki¡­ Now my looks can kill. Literally,¡± Drake chuckled nervously. He could feel nearly everyone moving within Shigure¡¯s camp,ing and going from tents, stalls, the gates, and more. He was essentially the FBI agent everyone thought was watching them constantly but he would rather not have been. Thankfully the skill didn¡¯t overwhelm him with information as much as you would think. It was jarring at first that was sure, but some fine tuning before bed, reducing the range slightly, and he was set. ¡°I could have gone without being aware of so many people doing the dirty, but not like I can bleach my eyes right now. Would my eyes survive that?¡± ¡°Oh please try. It would be very funny,¡± Natto chimed in. ¡°Ok, so probably shouldn''t do that, if you seem that eager¡­¡± ¡°Please, it would not kill you. It would¡­ simply sting a lot for a long period of time. You would be fine, your improved regeneration skill would make it fine.¡± Asuran¡¯s Honed Physic P3(0%) [F Rank]
  • May your reign be long and as strong as thee.
  • This skill increases one¡¯s body, bringing it to the brink of what is possible. Allowing its user to live and prosper while their Kingdom grows under their watchful eye.
  • Passive Effect: Your health pool is now doubled. 5% Passive Health Regeneration. (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Extra Effect: You now gain an additional 10 Vitality per level.
¡°Can¡¯t argue there¡­.¡± Drake let the conversation die, taking in the sun as he bathed in the warm light. Soon he could sense footsteps approaching, but he could only imagine who it was. Lately, Drake had been stuck in a pickle. Or a rock and a hard ce. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was his constant risking of his life for others or maybe his dashing charms? Regardless a new storm had rolled in on his life. ¡°This is where you are?¡± Drake craned his head backward to see the voice. ¡°Megan¡­ Hi¡­¡± ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± she asked. ¡°I am. I thought you would take a hint after I let down Chelsea that I¡¯m not interested in the whole harem trope.¡± ¡°E-excuse me?! I just wanted to thank you! If it wasn¡¯t for youing back and beating that monster, we would all be dead. Gratitude doesn¡¯t insinuate romantic interest you idiot!¡± she yelled. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just say thank you like Julia did, and move on? Why are you hounding me whenever ire isn''t around? I¡¯m not that oblivious.¡± ¡°I-i¡­I just wanted to make it heartfelt! A simple thank you wouldn¡¯t convey what I was thinking¡­¡± ¡°Megan, I¡¯m not Chris. I¡¯m not your hero. And I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you. I¡¯m also involved with another woman already. I¡¯d appreciate you understanding that and finding someone else.¡± Megan¡¯s face blushed in a sh of scarlet before she stammered something incoherent and stormed off. ¡°Is the drama worth not having infidelity¡­? And what¡¯s with women throwing themselves at metely? All I¡¯m doing is killing monsters, anyone can do that.¡± Drake shook his head and resumed his sunbath, hoping it would be thest of people he didn¡¯t want to see for the day. A few minutester and more footsteps crushed grass underneath. ¡°Who is it this time? If you¡¯re going to confess your love to me, at least wait an hour please!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Who is going to confess anything to you¡­?¡± Drake turned his head seeing an angsty ck-haired teen. ¡°Oh, Shigure? You sure? With how much you seem to hate me I kinda thought you were ying the tsundere angle. But I¡¯ll have you know I don¡¯t swing that way. Tom might though.¡± ¡°Your jokes are noted. But fortunately, I have business matters to discuss.¡± Drake looked the teen up and down, noticing how unperturbed he was with the jab. Then a lightbulb lit up in Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Oh¡­ you sly dog you! You confessed to someone, just not me huh!¡± Drake shouted wiggling his eyebrows and standing. That seemed to have hit the right spot as Shigure¡¯s face turned rosy. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know what you mean! I have no idea what you are speaking of! Drop the matter I have something important to discuss!¡± ¡°Ohe on, I already know who it was. So does everyone else, it¡¯s hardly a secret if I¡¯m right,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°But I¡¯ll let you off the hook for now. So, what is it?¡± Shigure coughed trying to regain hisposure. ¡°The Hive you mentioned. We are having difficulty gaining ess to the tunnels you detailed. It seems whatever monstrous disy you and that Ant had put on, has destroyed the entrance and made it nearly impossible to get into without a talented Earth Mage.¡± ¡°So you could only ask me huh? Ok, let¡¯s get going then.¡± Shigure looked surprised. ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Just like that.¡± ¡ª------ ¡°So, Shigure tell me more of what is going on with the outpost since we¡¯re doing this,¡± Drake asked as they walked with a contingency of people behind them. ¡°There is nothing of significance that you don¡¯t already know from talking to the guards,¡± Shigure answered. ¡°No I don¡¯t mean the stuff they know. I mean the things that you did that changed you.¡± Shigure¡¯s brow lifted at the question. Drake scoffed, ¡°I know something big happened, you changed from a hot-headed kid to a budding leader. You haven¡¯t taken any of my bait, and you are concise with what needs to be done now. I¡¯d say that''s a major step up. And that doesn¡¯t happen for no reason.¡± Shigure looked like he was struggling with addressing the topic, so both they and the group behind them walked in silence to the Hive for some time. Eventually, Shigure spoke up. ¡°I had sentenced the criminals you brought.¡± Drake looked over but didn¡¯t speak, allowing Shigure to unload. ¡°I hadn¡¯t known the extent of how far some people had fallen. I thought what happened¡­ What happened to my friend was a tragedy done by an insane individual. I thought people would be more¡­¡± ¡°More like you? Bright-eyed and idealistic. Out for the good of others just because?¡± Drake interrupted, not able to help himself. ¡°Y-yes.. I thought people would understand that we could not make it alone, that we needed to band together to help and survive. But I underestimated how greed and thirst for power would affect the minds of those who had a taste for it. I was blind.¡± Drake hummed, thinking back on his own realization a day ago, ¡°Seems like we both were blind to some things, but there¡¯s always room to grow from them. This psycho that did this to your friend. This is the first I¡¯m hearing of it. Do you know who it was?¡± Drake asked leadingly. ¡°I do¡­ His name was Kohoo, he seemed like a normal man when we met, but I was soon proven wrong¡­¡± Drake turned to Shigure, stopping them both. ¡°Then, there¡¯s no worries there. I killed that sorry piece of scum months ago.¡± ¡°You what?!¡± Shigure shouted. ¡°Ow.. Dude, my ears. I¡¯m standing right next to you.¡± ¡°What proof do you have?¡± ¡°Do you really need proof? The guy disappeared from thedder board a while ago. Shouldn¡¯t that be enough?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true¡­ What did you do to him?¡± Shigure asked. Drake turned and began to walk again. ¡°Well, he and a couple of his goons tried to kill me for my TP when it happened. It was almost right out of a cliche viin scene. They took Theo hostage after I had just fought Bear.¡± Shigure put his hand to his chin in thought then spoke of his realization. ¡°This was when Sir Bear had just returned? That means you had to have fought with the debuff his skill produces?¡± ¡°Right you are. Thankfully it was ending just as they got to me. I knew Kohoo from before the tutorial. I won¡¯t get into the details but, I learned some very depressing stuff. So the fight ensued and I took my first human life that night. And many more. Stewart, Kohoo¡¯s real name got the drop on me as I was escaping with Theo who was badly injured.¡± Drake pulled his ruined robe¡¯s sleeve back showing the scar from his previously missing arm. ¡°That¡¯s when he took my arm from me. And then I used that same arm he took to beat his face into the ground. Rest is history,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Just like from hunter hunter¡­.¡± someone behind them mumbled. Shigure turned to the voice. ¡°Sato? Why are you here?¡± Shigure asked,pletely surprised. ¡°Oh, I wanted to tag along. Not every day the strongest person in the apocalyptic tutorial you''re in is an otaku who can literally turn anime into real life,¡± Sato smiled. ¡°I like him! He¡¯s spot on that guy,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Come, brother! Let me wile you with my tales of wondrous anime battles!¡± ¡°Hai, Shishou!¡± Sato replied with extensive gusto. Shigure sighed and trailed behind them, but said nothing. He looked at the back of Drake with new eyes. He had never would have thought that the man would have been the one to avenge his friend. Strange how the world worked. Chapter 175: Letting off Steam Chapter 175: Letting off Steam ¡°So Shisho! What exactly happened here?¡± Sato asked as they came to the open area littered with destruction. ¡°I am also curious how exactly you managed to wreak such havoc¡­ Even if you are strong, this is quite something,¡± Shigure added. ¡°Awe.. You¡¯re making me blush here guys,¡± Drake joked, walking out in front of the group, ¡°It was just a spell. The Ant King had a regeneration ability that required a level of spell that killed him entirely in one blow. So I just obliged,¡± he shrugged. Sato and Shigure looked over with slightly opened mouths. ¡°That isn¡¯t very descriptive¡­ What kind of spell?¡± Sato asked, wanting rity. ¡°A noble phantasm,¡± Drake answered tly. ¡°Which one?!?!¡± Drake pretended to pull back on a bow and release an arrow. ¡°A lone meteor that I put my heart and soul into.¡± Sato¡¯s eyes shone like stars as he nodded up and down realizing what Drake had just referenced. ¡°I do not understand the reference,¡± Shigure sighed, ¡°May we please just move along now if you don¡¯t wish to speak inly¡­ People will grow more hungry as we dally. After thest rant, you two went on about how strong Magical Girls really are inparison to Dragon something or other characters, we will be here well past the tutorial¡­¡± ¡°That was a vital discussion!¡± Drake and Sato shouted in unison. Shigure rolled his eyes and walked past Drake, moving towards the crushed Hive entrance. ¡°This is the entrance you spoke of yes? Are you sure there are no others?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°Nope, I destroyed the rest while we were going after the Goblin King¡¯s Hoard. Still some stuff down there if you want to give it a look,¡± Drake offered. ¡°If you do not mind. We could use all the help we can get. I would like to ask something of you privately though,¡± Shigure said suddenly. ¡°Oh? Sure, right after I open this up first.¡± Drake moved next to the entrance his hand outstretched. Five orange magic circles formed in a sh in front of his fingers. Drake braced himself for the drain in mana that was expected of moving established earth and fired off the five magma spells into the broken entrance. Within seconds the five orange pellets embedded themselves into the rock, heating up the ground in a fiery orange glow as they burrowed their way through the dirt. The hissing sound of the melting stone apaning the smoldering earth. Drake raised his other hand, a blue circle forming quickly as he felt his mana begin to take a hit. Thankfully his enormous mana pool had tripled in size from his race change allowing him to manage well enough. Once he felt the resistance of the earth fall away letting him know he had punctured through into a tunnel. He sent down a wave of water, cooling the stone he had melted through. His hand glowing in orange turned to an earthy brown as he reinforced the tunnel with his own earth magic, even going as far as forming steps for them to go down. Finalizing the tunnel, he switched to Wind Magic, blowing the smokey air clean from the tunnel. ¡°Give it a few more minutes to air out, don¡¯t want people dying from some weird gas. There might still be Ants down there as well so I hope you have someone who can light up the tunnel or can see in the dark.¡± Drake thumbed to Shigure, motioning to move away slightly. Shigure nodded, following him. ¡°Then, what¡¯s this question? Thought you wanted to wait on the alliance talk?¡± Drake asked, getting straight to the point. ¡°I will hold off on the alliance, no, my question is more of a personal favor¡­¡± Shigure said looking ufortable about his question, ¡°What I would like to ask is if you would spar with me again.¡± Drake was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect Shigure to ask him to train. After all, Shigure had more often than not expressed his hate for him. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Drake replied. ¡°What? Why is that?! I assure you I only wish to get stronger!¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°I said it was a bad idea. I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t do it.¡± Shigure looked confused. ¡°Right now, I have my own problems,¡± Drake sighed, pointing to his skin, ¡°I had a bunch happen when I fought the Ant, and I¡¯m still getting a handle on them. Give me a week or so to work through them and then we can talk about sparing.¡± ¡°I¡­I understand. Thank you¡­ And also I am grateful you obtained vengeance for my fallen friend, even if it was a coincidence. I am truly thankful,¡± Shigure said, bowing at a lower than 90-degree angle. Drake would normally blow off heartfelt gratitude, but Shigure had never thanked him like this. He knew that it must have been hard to admit that someone Shigure hated so adamantly had helped him. It was growth that Drake didn¡¯t think would happen so soon. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Stewart did unthinkable things. And he got what he deserved. I bear no regret in giving him justice. Even before learning about your friend, he was scum. I want no thanks for taking a man¡¯s life. But the sce you find in knowing that he will never again do such an atrocity again. You are wee,¡± Drake said solemnly, cing his hand on Shigure¡¯s shoulder. Shigure did not raise his head, his shoulders shaking. Drake smiled. I guess he really cared about his friend. To bring a man to tears, even a young man is a lot. ¡°Ah, it looks like it¡¯s beginning to rain,¡± Drake said. ¡°N-no..? I don¡¯t feel any rain,¡± Shigure answered, his head turning slightly. Drake raised his hand, a sh of blue forming in front of his outstretched palm, a ball of water shooting up far into the clear sky. ¡°No, it¡¯s raining alright,¡± Drake smiled, the ball of water bursting, and bringing a downpour on the area. ¡ª----- A few minutes after the rain stopped, Drake saw Shigure and his group off into the tunnel. He handed them the key to the Goblin¡¯s Hoard as well, then set off in the other direction. Drake wanted to be alone for a spell and ran for some time through the forest. ¡°It¡¯s amazing howrge this ce actually is¡­¡± he mused aloud as he weaved through the forest, ¡°It¡¯s also crazy how those ants literally picked it clean¡­ Ow!¡± Drake rubbed his nose, hitting something face first. He ced his hand forward, feeling a ss-like substance. ¡°Oh¡­ Looks like we¡¯ve reached the end of the world. I wouldn¡¯t have guessed there was really an end. Is it the end of the Tutorial? Or is this just a barrier?¡± Drake wondered, knocking a finger against it. Natto rolled out from the side of Drake¡¯s head, finding a spot in his shoulder. ¡°I believe it is the end of the spatial dimension that houses the tutorial.¡± ¡°A separate dimension? So what would happen if I tried to crack it open?¡± he asked. ¡°You would not be able to. The dimension is created by the system and only those who have reached the peak of S-Rank could even hope to scratch it.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have a problem with me letting off some steam now would you?¡± ¡°N-no¡­. But I do not think that is a good-¡± Before Natto could object, Drake¡¯s arm red with mana, hisst Tattoo Ring crackling with power, as it shimmered in Blue, then coated itself in a fiery red followed by anotheryer of his Martial skill, a bright crimson. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Fire!¡± Elemental Battle Endowment P3 (0%) [F-Rank]
  • A spell that allows the user to use elemental magic to perform extraordinary feats through endowing aspects of their magic into their body and weapons.
  • A spell that ces a buff based on Elemental Magic used with the spell for the user. While the spell is in use, the user may not perform magic with said Elemental Magic. This is not limited to base elements and includes magics of confluence.
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Fire is not thine to possess, but mine to adhere. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase in Strength by 150% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Water is not thine to possess, but mine to adhere. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase in Active Regeneration by 60% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Earth is not thine to possess, but mine to adhere. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase of Defense Effectiveness by 150% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Wind is not thine to possess, but mine to adhere. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase of Dexterity by 150% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Use of Elemental School of Magic while the spell is in use.
  • Cooldown: None
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Lightning is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase in Dexterity and Strength by 150%. In addition to increased reaction time, and visual acuity. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Ice is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase in Dexterity by 150% and Active Regeneration by 30%. In addition to increase by 50% of Magic based damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Spell: Endowment - ¡°The power of Magma is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess. Endowment.¡±
  • Effect: Increase in Strength and Defensive Effectiveness by 150%. In addition to a 60% increase in resistance against Debuffs. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Use of Elemental School of Magic while the spell is in use. In cases of confluence magic, all included Schools of Magic will be locked.
  • Cooldown: None
¡°Heretical Attunement! Fire! Heretical Attunement! Lighting! Heretical Attunement! Wind! Trifold! Asura!¡± Drake shouted, magic twirling around his arm as Natto fell backward onto the dirt from the pressure of mana he was exuding. ¡°1,000,000%! United! States! Of!¡± Drake roared as his first flew forward, his Tattoo Ring screaming in protest from the infused mana. ¡°Smashhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!¡± Drake¡¯s punch collided with the invisible barrier of the dimension. Crackling with the mana he had infused into it as it tried to force its way through it. The sound of a bomb going off rang out from the impact, the force of the blow forming a gust so strong it threw Natto backward. The leaves on the trees were torn from the branches as the trees close to Drake themselves bend backward desperately gripping at the earth below them. ¡°Dr-Drakeeeeeee!!!!¡± Natto shouted as she flew backwards grabbing onto whatever she could. The battle against the barrier finally calmed down, and Drake was left standing against an unblemished invisible wall. ¡°Fuck! It hurts!!!¡± Drake wailed, holding his hand as he fell to the ground writhing around in pain, his hand a pulpy mess. ¡°What in the fuck!¡± he shouted pulling a health potion from his inventory and changing his endowment to water. ¡°Why is it so tough?!¡± Drake growled tears in his eyes. The sound of footsteps pushing down dirt quickly tapped closer to Drake until he felt something hit the back of his head. ¡°Give me at least some warning before you do something so idiotic! I could have died!¡± Natto roared, throwing her wooden sandals into the back of Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m wounded here!¡± Drake snapped back, sitting up as he watched his hand heal slowly. ¡°Whose fault is that?! You gain no sympathy for inflicting such a dumb injury on yourself you ape! I told you that barrier was something even S-Ranks could not match normally! How idiotic are you?!¡± ¡°Hey. I graduated. Took me an extra year but I passed¡­.¡± Drake smiled. Natto let out a frustrated groan as she kicked him again in the side. ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡± Drake stretched his hand mostly healed, ¡°I feel a little bit better now. I¡¯ve had nothing but pent-up frustration and being able to let it all out on something I can¡¯t hope to break was a weed outlet¡­.¡± Drake stared out into the sky. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get back home¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve been out here just way too long.¡± ¡°You miss the outpost already? It has hardly been a few days,¡± Natto asked. ¡°No, not the outpost. I mean Earth, or whatever it is now. I miss my cramped apartment. My cheap coffee maker, my barely working rice cooker. My overly expensive bed. Theputer I was on 12 hours a day¡­ I miss the normalcy¡­¡± Natto moved to look at Drake¡¯s face, her own turning to surprise. ¡°Drake? Are you alright?¡± she asked. Drake¡¯s face was contorted into a desperate smile. His shoulders moved up and down as he heaved long drawn-out breaths, his eyes in a battle with holding back the tears in them. ¡°I lived damn it¡­ I made it to the fucking end!!! Fuck you!¡± Drake roared at the sky, ¡°I made it through every dumb stupid situation you put me in! And now in a few days, I¡¯m going home!! Whatever stupid bullshit is waiting for me! Go ahead and throw it at me! I¡¯ll survive just like I have! I¡¯ll live, you hear me! I¡¯ll beat the shit out of everything in my way, ande out on top!¡± ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto said in a hushed tone. ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­¡± Drake whispered,ing down from his rant, ¡°I just¡­ I just needed to be weak for a moment onest time,¡± he smiled mockingly, ¡°From now on, it''s only forward. And before we go, I want to say goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye? To whom?¡± ¡°To my old weak self that I buried a long time ago.¡± Chapter 175.5: The Grand Return Chapter 175.5: The Grand Return Aono had been following her knight across the entire tutorial. Her body ragged and injured, but she still persevered. Through the staggering number of Ants that chased her through the tunnels when she followed him into the Hive. To the pressure from the hatching of some next-level monstrosity. She had proven that she was stout of heart in needing to capture every moment of her dashing, dazzling, and magnificent knight. ¡°I will never let a moment pass unrecorded! Unillustrated! Every gnt moment in my Knight¡¯s story must be put to paper for others to awe and adore!!¡± she eximed spreading her arms wide. s, even her knight was put to the test. The newly hatched monster proving to be a trial he must go through. Aono witnessed her knight defeated once, but only for a moment. She had managed to exit the Hive to the surface once more through a small almost copsed tunnel, circling around to the trees still in view of his battle. Aono watched on as her zing dazzling knight fought tooth and nail with one of hispanions, Therge one with the red hair and beard. ¡°This shall make for a lovely scene¡­..¡± she muttered, pushing up her sses with the back of her mana stylus, ¡°This may be the turning point of their rtionship! Will the giant win? Or will the gorgeousdies of the camp?!¡± Aono began to drool with anticipation as her stylus hit mana paper, illustrating the standoff of the pair against the newly hatched monster. Its body looked as if it was carved from pure silver, and still heated in its formation as red streaks of crimson pulsated through its natural armor. But she was interrupted once again by the chatans who wanted to call themselves followers of the true knight. ¡°Mdy! Where have you been?! You have been missing for almost two weeks! When you plunged in after the man-¡± Aono turned, her eyes fierce. ¡°You mean after I chased down the true knight! You false, half-wit, lily-lipped, single-celled, frightened, indecisive, cowering, uncourageous, pond scum! You would not follow and risk yourselves for the true history of thend!¡± The group flinched, berated by her coarse words. ¡°But Mdy¡­ We surely would have died had we followed him down into the depths of such a ce. Do you not see the monster in front of you? What you do rivals stalking¡­¡± ¡°S-stalking! I am Observing! Ob-ser-ving! And what of it?!¡± she sneered, ¡°If you are not prepared to give your all and die for your art! Can it truly be called ART?! He is true elegance and he will ovee this lousy bug like the rest!¡± She lifted her chin confidently as she shouted at them. Only to hear the end of a spell chant, and see the beginning of the ice that filled the ins. ¡°Ryoiki Tenkai, 7th Layer of Hell.¡± Aono¡¯s head whipped back to the fight, only to see thest glimmer of her knight¡¯s grinning face as it was obscured by the ice. She and her group looked on and waited with bated breaths as the sounds of battle continued from within the Ice. ¡°W-what is going on in there?¡± Aono said, biting down on her thumb in frustration. ¡°I do not know¡­ But I must!¡± she shouted running for the ice domain. ¡°No Mdy!¡± Aono charged out of the trees aiming for one of the small windows that opened the structure. She finally reached the window but was too short to look in. Her followers arrived a momentter behind her with ragged breaths. Looking back she pointed downwards. ¡°Get on all fours! Quickly!¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°On your knees! So I can look into the ice!¡± she repeated. Wearily some of the followers began moving to get into a pyramid on the ground so she could reach the window, their faces saying just how much they were enjoying the assignment. ¡°Stop smiling, you disgusting perverts!¡± she shouted. ¡°B-but our goddess is stepping on us¡­¡± Aono growled, kicking one in the face as she stepped up, ¡°Keep it up and I¡¯ll do it ag-¡± she began saying then grimaced, the man smiling more wildly. ¡°P-promise¡­?¡± ¡°Kimoi¡­¡± Aono flinched momentarily from the sheer disgust welling up in her stomach but shook her head. She needed to reach the top so that she could record her gant knight. Once there she looked inward, seeing the battle resume. Her knight and hispanion were on the back foot, fighting for their lives against the insect. Aono¡¯s hand flew across the mana paper capturing the fight as best as her unenhanced eyes could manage. They appeared as if they were teleporting across the battlefield. One moment on the end of the ice chamber, the next shing with the insect. Aono began to froth at the mouth at the material she was witnessing. ¡°Yes¡­.ha¡­ ha¡­ yes!!! Good¡­. Goood!!!!¡± she shouted with glee. ¡°S-she¡¯s drooling on me!¡± ¡°Lucky¡­¡± ¡°Shut up down there! You are breaking my concentration!¡± Aono growled. She refocused, seeing Drake jump backward as he summoned chains of earth around the monster, as hispanion raised his sword with both hands. ¡°Witness¡­. Heaven Splitting Strike!¡± Aono gasped as she felt the power from the strike, her breath taken from her, but still, she kept her eyes locked on the scene. Her stilled beath was released only after the impact of the strike, the low mist inside the Ice blown away. And the insect left standing. Suddenly she heard her knight¡¯s voice ring out. ¡°Noooo!!¡± The red-headed man was suddenly thrown to the ground, a hole in his midsection. Drake shed forward battling desperately with the insect but could notnd a substantial blow even to Aono¡¯s untrained eyes. The insect was toying with her knight. ¡°Kisamaaaaaa!!!!¡± she seethed in anger, her stylus snapping in her grip, ¡°My Dazzling Knight! Put that sorry excuse for a cicada in the ground!¡± she screamed, bing fully immersed in the fight. But she witnessed something she thought would never happen. Drake was struck, his chest pierced by the insect. Aono gasped in pain, her eyes turning to points. ¡°NO!¡± The icey chamber that was erected disintegrated, crashing apart in small shards of ice, as the insect threw Drake¡¯s limp body to the ground. Following it up with a swift kick to the stomach, sending him flying across the field. Time slowed down for Aono. Then Drake disappeared. ¡°Mdy! We must retreat! It is not safe here!¡± Aono tumbled to the ground from the pyramid, the group forming around her, but she didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t speak, her world muted. Her body shivered, unsure of what had just happened. The sound of screaming and ground-wrenching blows reverberating in her chest and ears. Then a shiver. She looked up and saw a man on the field, holding back the monstrous insect like a child. The man¡¯s smile ignited neurons in her mind like a lightning strike. ¡°My Glorious Knight! My Dazzling Tyrant!¡± she squealed, blinking away the onught of tears, his clear visage in her gaze once more. She looked at Drake, his body now tanner, his hair reaching past his knees, and his body seemingly made out of chiseled marble. He said something in a whisper to the woman behind him, then turned to the insect. ¡°Sorry. Looks like I can¡¯t afford to lose anymore.¡± Aono held back a girlish squeal. Only to leak out a few words. ¡°It¡¯s the return scene!!!!!!¡± Instantly the insect backed away, nursing a broken arm. But Drake did not let up, shooting forward in a sh, closing the distance iparable to his speed before. ¡°S-such speed!?¡± she muttered. Drake reared his hand backward, the air and light around it deforming and bending, before throwing his fist forward. Thrusting the Ant into the ground creating a crater sorge and deep it obscured her view of them. ¡°S-such power?!¡± The next moment something shot out from the crater into the air, Aono¡¯s head snapping upwards more from the sense of mana in the air shifted up, rather than her eyes being able to follow. Her eyes focused. And making out Drake in the air. Arge ck bow with a string of lightning in his hand. In the other an arrow forming of the condensed elements encircling him. The arrow finally manifested with each element swirling in tandem around its jet-ck base as Drake knocked the arrow and drew back on the bow, chanting something she could not make out over the cracking of magic in the air. ¡°We must get away! dy!¡± ¡°No! I have to see it!¡± she shouted. Drake¡¯s voice pierced the thunderous surroundings, entering her ears. ¡°Steaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!¡± Aono looked at the tempest of magic molded into an arrow careen towards the ground, her eyes blurring slowly as she realized she had begun crying, a maniacal smile on her face. ¡°Ha¡­.Haha! Hahahahaha!!!! Beautiful! So Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± she screamed. The impact of the arrow resonated through the area, wind, debris, andshes of mana spreading out kicking up and blowing away everything in the area. Aono still screaming in joy as she was flung backward into the trees. ¡°BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! AHAHAHAHA!!! WONDROUS!!! ELEGANCE!!!!!!¡± Chapter 176: Finally some relaxation Chapter 176: Finally some rxation ¡°So, uhhhh. What¡¯s your take on pizza there?¡± ¡°Pizza? The hell are you talking about, it''s the apocalypse there isn¡¯t any more pizza. Come on, we¡¯re supposed to be watching the entrance in case any monsters show up.¡± ¡°I know, I know. Just humor me. I swear to god, a pizza can¡¯t be eaten unless you have some nice fucking wings ya know?¡± ¡°Man, you¡¯re making me hungry. I could go for some wings, and ranch dip¡­¡± ¡°RANCH DIP? The fuck are you? Some kind of animal?! I should put you in the trunk and drive you into the desert! Fucking Ranch sauce!¡± ¡°What? I like ranch dip! I¡¯m not a fan of blue cheese.¡± ¡°Blue cheese or fuck ya motha!¡± ¡°Fine, whatever. Blue cheese with the wings. But I was just thinking with ya know the early monsters. How did you get by?¡± ¡°What? You calling me fat?¡± ¡°Joey¡­ I¡¯m not calling you athletic, that''s for sure. Are you really going to those jujitsu sses?¡± ¡°Of course I am! Haven¡¯t missed a session.¡± ¡°Ok, sure. But back to what I was saying. Jamie can you pull up the screen- fuck Jamie didn¡¯t make it now that I think about it- Anyway, you heard those apes right? They sounded just like I said on the show didn¡¯t they?¡± The two guards idle talked outside of the entrance that Drake had made. The sun was stilling down for the day and there was plenty of daylight for them to rx for now. They were so rxed that they didn¡¯t notice Drake walking up behind them. He poked his head in between the pair, ¡°Hey guys. Watchya talkin'' about?¡± The pair spooked and nearly jumped out of their armor. ¡°Ah! Who the fuck is this guy!¡± ¡°Oh it¡¯s that dude Shigure was talking to,¡± the guard said, bringing his voice down to a whisper, ¡°You know. The one that can kill us all with his pinky toe¡­¡± Drake¡¯s eye twitched slightly, ¡°Man, I can hear you still¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that. But if you keep talking about ranch dressing, I might.¡± The pair nodded, but Drake could tell they were still weary of him. He didn¡¯t exactly want to get back to the camp in a rush, wanting to spend some time away from the rest of the group. So Drake took a seat next to them, making a stool out of earth. Drake pulled a deck of cards from his inventory and waved them in front of himself. ¡°You guys know the Tyrant of the Forest?¡± Drake asked. Both of the men¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Yeah, we know it. We betting?¡± ¡°Only if you want to lose,¡± Drake grinned, moving his mask. ¡°Hey¡­ You¡¯re actually pretty human under there aren¡¯t ya? Always thought you¡¯d have some kind of monster face or somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°No still¡­ Well, not human, human-like,¡± Drakeughed wryly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll even give you guys a handicap, I¡¯ll take turn three.¡± ¡°Oh confident huh¡­. You ain¡¯t ganna snuff us if you lose right?¡± one of them asked sitting down. ¡°Of course not¡­.¡± Drake smiled. Both of the guards looked at him suspiciously but pulled cards from their inventory. ¡ª-------------- ¡°Have you found the forest that Shot spoke of yet?¡± Shigure asked. ¡°No Lord Shigure, the hive is incrediblyrge. It may take days at this rate.¡± Shigure sighed, ¡°What about you Uta?¡± In a sh of smoke, Uta appeared kneeling. ¡°I have had no such luck as well my Lord. As they have said, the hive is vast. I hate to admit it but should we not ask that man for his help in finding it?¡± Shigure grimaced but admitted they needed to get the food as fast as possible. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll return to the surface. Continue searching, I will be back as fast as I can.¡± Shigure turned, backtracking through the tunnels, as Uta disappeared once again doing her own reconnaissance. ¡°I feel that I am bing far toofortable with asking that man for assistance¡­ I¡¯m sure his amicable cooperation will run out sooner orter, or he will ask for something in return soon enough.¡± He sprinted through the tunnels, following the trail of torches that his group had left to track their way through the maze of tunnels. It was a boon that he was traveling alone, his stats allowing him to cover the distance in a fraction of the time it took for them to explore downward. Within an hour he had reached the exit,ing out into a more dimly lit surface, the sun falling behind the treeline. ¡°It¡¯s already thiste?¡± Shigure mumbled, scanning the surroundings of the guards he had left to watch the entrance. ¡°What! How do you even have that card! Myst three turns are useless now! That''s fucking insane!¡± Shigure turned to the noise, seeing a table lit by hovering lightning and white fire. One of the guards he ced throwing his hands up. ¡°Ha! I didn¡¯t trade that many weapons back at the outpost for nothing! Fear my power! Fear the Dazzling Tyrant!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t that picture look a little like you¡­?¡± the other said leaning down to look at the card, ¡°Wait this is a fucking holographic! There¡¯s less than ten of these things in the tutorial!¡± Drake pushed the guard backward, ¡°Yeah and that''s why you need to keep your grubby hands off it! Don¡¯t even breathe on it, you¡¯ll get it dirty!¡± Shigure ced his head in his hand, sighing. Then moved over to the group. ¡°What are you three doing¡­ And Shot, I expected you would have gone back to the outpost by now, what are you still doing here¡­ ying games no less¡­¡± Drake turned around and waved to Shigure, a ball of lightning moving over to illuminate his face. ¡°Oh, just ya know chillin¡¯. Needed some rxation for a bit. By the way, what¡¯s your take on blue cheese on wings?¡± ¡°Hey! I thought we were over this¡­ Let it die, dude.¡± ¡°Blue cheese or fuck ya motha!¡± ¡°Well?¡± Drake asked, smiling at Shigure. ¡°What is blue cheese¡­?¡± Shigure asked. All three gasped in unison. Shigure shook his head, ¡°Never mind your games, I need your assistance again to find the chamber you spoke of. We are having trouble locating it.¡± ¡°What.. I gave you the map didn¡¯t I?¡± Drake replied confused. ¡°Many of the tunnels have copsed for one reason or another. The map is useless to us.¡± Drake cleaned up his cards and grumbled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle down then.¡± ¡°You will?¡± Shigure asked surprised. ¡°Yup, I will,¡± Drake answered. I need to burn some time anyway. I can only imagine how mad ire is that I skipped out and have been gone a few days already¡­ Drake thought keeping his picturesque smile. ¡°F-Fine¡­. Then let us be going quickly,¡± Shigure said tersely. Drake put a hand to his head saluting, ¡°Yes cap-i-tan!¡± turning back to the two guards, ¡°It was fun while itsted guys. And no I¡¯ve never yed Quake, I¡¯m not that old¡­¡± He smiled onest time, scooping up his winnings and his priceless cards into his inventory before following Shigure down the deep dark hole. ¡ª--- ¡°So,¡± Drake said breaking the silence after the first few minutes, ¡°Since we have time, what¡¯s your ns after the tutorial? We are making an alliance for the summits, but I assume we will be worlds apart, so I won¡¯t be of much help early on if at all. I doubt there are any nes that will still be working. Not to mention what if there are flying monsters? Don¡¯t really want to deal with that inside a metal tube¡­.¡± Shigure slowed down his pace, looking over his shoulder. ¡°I n to do what I have always nned. My parents expected much from me ever since I was a boy. It is my job to carry on the Kenzo legacy. Now more than ever. I will most likely establish one of these system-sanctioned towns that have been mentioned and go from there,¡± he paused looking down for a moment, ¡°Although I hate to admit it, the burden of being ced in charge recently has helped me grow greatly¡­ Thank you for that.¡± Drake whistled, ¡°Wow, two thank yous in a few days? Are you sure you are really Shigure and not some body snatcher?¡± ¡°I am being grateful! Can you not just ept it!?¡± ¡°Of course I can, but it would never be fun if I didn¡¯t tease you a bit. Lighten up!¡± Drake said, putting his arm around the disgruntled Shigure, ¡°Look, you¡¯ve grown a lot somehow. I¡¯d like to take credit but, it was all you. Don¡¯t go ruining it by saying thank you to someone you don¡¯t like. Makes me all itchy. You might be a disrespectful little brat, but it works for you for now.¡± Drake let go, moving the subject forward. ¡°Then, once this is all over our first goal is what we already have nned. Make a town. Then find a way tomunicate before the summits. Whenever that will be,¡± Drake said, crossing his arms, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead, but I won¡¯t be happy if you somehow croak before them. So I¡¯ll be beating your ass this time around till we are out of the tutorial!¡± Shigure brushed his shoulder off, ¡°I can do without you telling me to do what I am already going to be doing,¡± he said, finally giving a snide smirk, ¡°And since you have be so strong, you will not be opposed to me going all out during our sparing will you?¡± Drake gave a smirk back and chuckled. ¡°No problem there. Remember you¡¯re pretty weak. Number 3,¡± Drakeughed again. Drake continued tough as he passed Shigure, who was grinding his teeth together as his hand went for his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff, we just had a good rival moment! Come on, this way. I can feel the mana in the air, and someone ahead so we must be close to your people. Let¡¯s get this food. I need to take my licks from the missus.¡± After a few brief minutes, Shigure and Drake came upon the group Shigure had left. One of them held a map and a torch to the copsed tunnel. ¡°Ah Lord Shigure, you¡¯ve returned. It seems we¡¯ve reached another dead end.¡± ¡°So you have,¡± Drake said, talking over Shigure. Without waiting for the argument to start Drake walked up to the copsed tunnel. cing his hand on the rubble like he had before above. His hand glowed with a vibrant orange hue, as each finger held a magic circle on the end of them before beads of magma inserted themselves into the dirt. ¡°Alright, give me some room, it''s going to get smoky in here. Any mage that can use wind magic is free to aerate the ce with me.¡± Drake lifted his other hand, a green-tinted magic circle forming as a gust of wind began sucking up the smoke from the smoldering rubble, forming a twister of gray clouds that spun past the crowd of people behind him. He made sure to reinforce the wall with more earth as he went, managing seven different magic circles easily. Even before his new skills, the task would be trivial, but now it was second nature and his mana could keep up. Drake quickly burrowed through the rubbleing out the other side, hearing oohs and awes behind him. ¡°Alright, where to next?¡± Chapter 177: My Favorite Meal Chapter 177: My Favorite Meal The sound of smoldering molten rock bubbled through the tunnel for only a moment before arge separated chunk crashed to the floor from the other side. The smoke parted quickly as a gust of wind cleared the area, revealing a man in torn and tattered gold-trimmed robes. ¡°And here we are, wee to the underground forestdies and gentldies! Well, and Shigure,¡± Drake smiled. Shigure gave Drake a steely nce before walking through the hole, his eyes widening at the sheer vastness of the underground area. ¡°My, this is expansive¡­ They really submerged this much of thend above and we didn''t notice?¡± Shigure said. ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Drake parroted, ¡°Well there weren¡¯t nearly as many animals when I was here a few days ago, looks like they¡¯ve been busy,¡± he snickered, ¡°That and not being eaten by the ants probably helped, should be more than enough here for the rest of the tutorial. Just need to get them to the surface.¡± Shigure nodded, ¡°That is quite true, I can see many animals, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem feeding the outpost with this quantity.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Drake said, stretching, his mana pool still healthy surprisingly after all the digging, ¡°I¡¯ll be going then, I have a feeling if I wait any longer I¡¯m going to be in very deep trouble.¡± Drake¡¯s hair shifted to blue, as he gave a wave over his shoulder, turning around and entering the tunnel they had just exited. Walking down the tunnel he took a breath. He had been through a lot, and this time helping Shigure had helped him steady himself once more. He was thankfully still mostly the person he was before. But he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of anxious anticipation he had in his gut. The feeling of wanting to fight the next strong opponent or the fear that crept within his mind that he might not be able to keep his new baser instincts in check when the time came. Drake¡¯s hair shifted again, his hair shimmering to a light green, as he took a deep step forward, then vanished. Running so quickly he became a blur, the backdraft of his movement putting out the torches in his wake. Oops¡­ Well, I¡¯m sure Shigure and them will be fine finding their way out. Drakeughed as he continued to transverse the tunnels. ¡°You seem to be in a better mood,¡± Natto hummed. ¡°I am in a better mood. I¡¯m ready. Ready to take on the world outside this small pond.¡± [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 32 days 17 hours 57 minutes 02 seconds] ¡°There¡¯s only so long before we are let loose. Is there anything you can tell me before we get out?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Unfortunately nothing I have not already spoken of. I apologize¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. One foot in front of the other as my old man used to say.¡± ¡°Certainly quite the saying.¡± ¡°He also said that you should kiss your ass goodbye if you get caught out in the open in a thunderstorm,¡± Drake smiled remembering that conversation on the porch looking out one night from their home, one very storm raging. ¡°I-interesting¡­¡± ¡°He was quite the character,¡± Drake scoffed, turning and running up the stairs he made earlier, ¡°He used to purposely mispronounce things we liked because we would correct him.¡± ¡°Oh? Such as?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Poke¡¯man, Harry Pothead, things like that,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°I miss him quite a lot, my whole family does.¡± Drake smiled, but a small storm brewed in his heart remembering how his father passed. The feelings of being helpless as he watched him deteriorate in a hospital bed right in front of his eyes. The smell of medicine was constantly in the room, the stream of doctors and nurses reassuring him all for naught. His hand clenched subconsciously, hisst Tattoo ring creaking under the pressure bringing him back to the moment. ¡°Drake?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, it¡¯s always been a sore subject for me even after all these years. I¡¯m not proud of how I handled it. But that¡¯s something I can¡¯t worry about right now. I wanted to rx but I still have a lot to get a handle on.¡± Drake shot out of the tunnel from the stairs, leaping from the entrance onto the empty ins. But he kept running as he hit the ground, moving right for the Outpost. It had turned back into light, the sun peaking over the trees to the east. The sun warming his body as he covered the distance in a matter of minutes at his speed. ¡°I¡¯m d I lived until now, this ce is beautiful. Well, at least without all the killing and monsters and stuff but yeah, you don¡¯t get to see stuff like this all the time,¡± Drake said, only to see a lone woman standing at the edge of the camp outside the Outpost. Her eyes steely and her arms crossed, currently unloving-looking, blonde side-braided woman red daggers at Drake. ¡°Well, it was nice while itsted.¡± Drake stopped a few feet out from the camp and walked casually up to ire. They stood there silently for a few moments, just looking back at one another, until ire broke first, her eyes tearing up as she leaned forward resting her head on Drake¡¯s chest, her arms wrapping around him. ¡°You promised, you wouldn¡¯t go anywhere.¡± Drake gave a wry smile, ¡°Sorry. I needed time alone to figure things out.¡± She continued to look down, her arms squeezing tighter. ¡°Did you¡­?¡± ¡°Did I what?¡± ¡°Figure it out?¡± Drake smiled, his hand going to rest on her head, ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I did.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that again ok¡­?¡± she asked, Drake able to hear the crackling in her voice. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Are you lying again¡­.?¡± ¡°No, this time I''m not, I promise.¡± ¡°Good¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose you like I did him¡­¡± she sniffled, squeezing again. Drake felt at ease, wrapping his arms around her as well now. Grateful that she wasn¡¯t as mad as he expected. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Drake asked finally. ire rubbed her face on his clothes and nodded into his chest. Drake took her by the hand and led her to his tent. They walked silently, no one bothering them as they went. Once inside ire began to unload her past in the tutorial. How when she first got into the tutorial she was with her brother and they both had no idea if the experience was real. That was until the first ape entered their group sending them into a panic. She told how her brother protected her through the first part of the tutorial. They had joined a smaller group, surviving the Apes thanks to her support as a mage, and her brother¡¯s as a warrior able to frontline well enough. That was until the Goblin Hordes had starteding for them. The story progressed with Drake listening intently in silence on the bed. ire fiddled with his hands in hers as she sat in front of him, leaning her back against him. She detailed how she and their group were captured. The disgusting things that ensued after. Drake squeezed her hands in frustration at not being there, but then she began exining how she was forced to kill her brother. And how he saved her by giving his own life. There was a long pause after that, ire crying in Drake¡¯s arms. Once she had let the tears dry, the sun had already begun setting. The whole day had been them together. She began telling the rest of the story. How she was saved by Drake. How she felt like it wasn¡¯t real. She saw him as more than just someone who saved her. He gave her purpose, vindication. ¡°When you came back that day¡­ Bloodied and wounded. Passing out on your feet as you gave me my justice. I knew I loved you. I mean- I already knew, but that was when I realized it I think¡­¡± ire giggled slightly, rubbing Drake¡¯s hand. ¡°Why, because I look good in red?¡± Drake chuckled, only to receive a pinch on the back of his hand. ¡°No..¡± she smiled, ¡°You kept your word. You kept me safe, and gave me what I needed most. You barely knew me but you did all that. I knew I wanted to support you then. But,¡± she said in a mumble, ¡°I also knew I didn¡¯t want to see you hurt again¡­¡± Drake pressed his head on top of hers, letting their bodiesfort each other for a time before she began talking once more. ¡°When you fought that monster Ant¡­ When I saw you hurt like that,¡± she said, beginning to cry, ¡°I thought I was about to lose everything again¡­ My heart ached, my heart broke when I saw you disappear!¡± she snapped, her voice raising as she turned around to face him, ¡°And when you came back. Came back to me¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can bear having that happen again. Seeing you hurt to protect everyone. I want you to live, Drake! I want you to be able to make memories with me, have a life with me! Even if that means you can¡¯t protect everyone!¡± she shouted, her voice going to a whisper, ¡°I-is that selfish¡­?¡± Drake wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close. ¡°No. That isn¡¯t selfish ire. But I¡¯m going to keep doing it. I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t let anyone get hurt. I¡¯ll keep putting my life on the line over theirs because I¡¯m strong. And I¡¯ll be stronger,¡± Drake said, his voice even and his eyes looking out into the distance, ¡°And I dare anyone to try to take what I care for most. Because they will be begging for the end before I am done¡­¡± Drake released ire enough to lift her face to his with his hand, giving her a kiss as she blushed. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should get some sleep and something to eat. Thank you for telling me about your brother. I¡¯m d I was able to give him the justice he deserved¡­ When we get back to the real world¡­ I want to make a marker for him somewhere. No, I want to do it where the new city is going to be. My city- our- city.¡± ire nodded, ¡°That¡­ that sounds nice¡­ But I don¡¯t want to sleep alone tonight. I don¡¯t want you to slip away again¡­¡± she mumbled embarrassedly as she gripped on his torn robes, ¡°C-can I stay here tonight?¡± ¡°Sure you can stay, my parents won''t be home for a while,¡± Drake chuckled, getting a punch to the ribs, but he smiled through it, ¡°You just have to join me for my favorite meal.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, her cheeks puffing out. Chapter 178: The Morning After Chapter 178: The Morning After ¡°Ah! Good Morning Everyone!¡± Drake shouteding out of his tent, holding a mug of something, ¡°And what a wonderful morning it is!¡± he shouted, Bjorn, passed by, stopping, and looking at him like he was ready to be entertained. ¡°Why are you looking so glum, friend?¡± Drake smiled at Bjorn, ¡°Get some ¡®experience¡¯ too, it will put a smile on your face!¡± ¡°Everyone and your mother heard your experiencest night bro, and I¡¯ll pass for now I got training to do,¡± Bjorn scoffed shouldering his ymore. ¡°Awe, you''re a party pooper man,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be there in a little, you going to snag the kid?¡± Drake asked, deting. ¡°Yeah, I got Shigure, don¡¯t worry about it. Remember aftercare is important,¡± Bjorn winked. ¡°Hey!¡± Drake snapped, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that! Yet¡­ I meeeeean, we don¡¯t kink shame here dude.¡± The sound of the tent ps opening sounded behind him, and a sheepish ire walked out pulling on Drake¡¯s clothes. ¡°Oh you heard all that?¡± Drake snickered. ire nodded silently, her face slightly scarlet. ¡°I¡¯ll summon some hot water, you can take a bath first in the tent if you¡¯d like ire,¡± Drake offered, to which she nodded again. ¡°Boarish ape¡­.¡± Natto sneered in his head. Hey! I was very gentle. And it¡¯s kind of weird to think about now after the fact, but you were technically there for that whole thing weren¡¯t- ¡°Ahhhhhhh! Say no more! I beg of youuuuuuuu!!!!¡± she screamed at the top of her lungs. Drakeughed. Did you want to take a shower too, wash the disgust from yourself? Drake smirked. Natto rolled out of Drake¡¯s head and to his shoulder, then hopped down without a word entering the tent. ¡°Enough water for a bath you foul-smelling bipedal, single-celled, sad excuse for a man,¡± Natto cringed. ¡°Hey Natto,¡± Drake said, stopping her. Natto turned around, her face cocked in a curious look. ¡°I won the bet,¡± Drake sneered. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Shut up!¡± Natto screamed, covering her red-furred ears. Drake reared his head back cackling, almost dropping to the floor before recovering a few minutester wiping tears from his eyes. Finally getting to filling up buckets of hot bath water and bringing them into the tent. There ire was still clothed, speaking to Natto about something. Drake dropped the barrels down and brought out arger tub-like wooden barrel, pouring the water into it. ¡°Here¡¯s some extra to rinse off, I¡¯ll be outside when you''re done.¡± Drake left understanding that they most likely wanted to talk about something. Once outside he quickly began practicing. He had been cking on assimting his new skills and seeing the extent of the upgrades that came with his new race. His magic felt more natural than ever, and the energy within his own body felt cleaner and more essible. Flexing his hand his arm began glowing in a red hue, his martial skill brimming to life and dissipating. The skill felt more in tune, much like his other skills. Not only had they be more powerful, but Drake could feel how they had be more in line with his imagination. His magic hade leaps in bounds in strength. And the adaptability thanks to the increased control and mana pool helped him in ways he didn¡¯t think should be possible. ¡°I¡¯m still F-Rank and I can take down a mid E-Rank¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s supposed to be normal,¡± he thought aloud. ¡°What¡¯s not normal? I never thought you were normal for a second anyway bro,¡± Bjorn said, returning. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just rude. I was talking about the strength increase from the change that happened. I¡¯m wondering if yours could be the same?¡± Shigure stood silently behind Bjorn, his brow raised as he listened in. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s fine to tell him now?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I don¡¯t really mind. I haven¡¯t exactly been hiding it but I won¡¯t bring it up,¡± Bjorn shrugged. ¡°Well,¡± Drake began looking at Shigure, ¡°I¡¯m not human anymore, but I¡¯m sure you could guess that based on the skin tone change and the hair. And no I¡¯m not a Sayian,¡± Drake said with a little disappointment in his voice. Shigure looked only slightly shocked, but seemed to have already guessed what Drake had revealed. ¡°I guessed something had changed, but a Race change is quite substantial¡­ Was it an item?¡± Shigure asked. Drake shook his head, ¡°No I won¡¯t give you a specific, but it wasn¡¯t an item, and it wasn''t by choice.¡± ¡°Not by choice?¡± Shigure questioned. Drake nodded, ¡°It was forced onto me when I met the tutorial¡¯s sponsor,¡± Drake exined, shivering slightly, remembering the feeling of the Dragon Woman¡¯s hand inside his back. ¡°What? I thought consuming skill stones had to be by choice?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too, but apparently an S-Rank being can do whatever they want,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°But I was told the system will punish her for doing it since it¡¯s still against the rules. But back to what we were nning, do you think you could get your friend Sato as well? I¡¯m going to be bringing some from my party as well. Might as well make this a group exercise. We want everyone to survive out there after all.¡± Shigure winced, but nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go see to him then¡­¡± then mumbled, ¡°Damn it, now I have to hear more stupid show references¡­..¡± Bjorn followed Shigure with his eyes until he was past the tents. ¡°Surprised you trusted him with that. Something happen?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Not really. Just think I should trust him a bit more since we¡¯re going to be partners for what''s toe,¡± Drake exined, twirling some of his spells in his hand. ¡°Decided to work together then huh.¡± ¡°Yup. What about you? What are your ns after the tutorial?¡± Bjorn ced his hand on his chin, ¡°Hmmm, not sure if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Drake looked at him a little confused, ¡°Well you have to at leaste find me, I¡¯m sorry it has to sound this way. But the world can¡¯t have you running around unsupervised.¡± ¡°You sound like a mother worried about her kid going off for the first time,¡± Bjorn scoffed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find you. I¡¯m just not sure about what my goals are. I¡¯ve just wanted a quiet life, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to manage that¡­¡± Drake stood up and ced his hand on the big man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work something out. Come find me after the tutorial, and I¡¯ll carve out a little home away from home for you where no one will bother you, promise.¡± Bjorn pushed Drake''s hand off, cing a closed fist in front of him, ¡°Sounds great bro.¡± Drake met with his own fist and bumped Bjorn¡¯s just in time for ire to walk out of the tent, her hair still slightly damp, Natto on her shoulder just as watered down. ¡°Ah! I am alive again!¡± Natto shouted, raising her arms, ¡°You ape, enough of your dallying, dry us off,¡± she demanded. Drake looked at ire and smiled. ¡°Yes, yes, right away your Highness,¡± Drake saidplying as he waved his hand a warm gentle breeze blowing towards the pair, ¡°Something about a womaning out of the shower, is special¡­.¡± he mumbled. ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you over the wind!¡± ire shouted. ¡°Oh I know, that¡¯s why I said it,¡± Drake grinned. ¡°That¡¯s foul bro,¡± Bjorn frowned, ¡°But I can¡¯t help but agree.¡± ¡°I knew you had some stories to tell!¡± Drake said, snapping back to Bjorn. Bjorn shrugged and began walking off towards the other tents, ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t, but you won¡¯t be getting them out of me bro,¡± he saidughing as he walked into the distance. ¡°How was the bath?¡± Drake asked after a few minutes of drying ire and Natto off. ¡°It was heavenly¡­ I wish we had some proper soap though¡­¡± ire admitted. ¡°We had a long talk,¡± Natto nodded, ¡°The bath was adequate as well.¡± ¡°Oh a talk huh? About what?¡± Drake asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°N-nothing¡­¡± ire said, slightly embarrassed, but Drake was also able to make out a bit of sadness in her eyes. Drake turned to Natto, his eyes burrowing into her for an answer. ¡°W-what?! I did nothing not uncalled for! But I will not speak of it! Out of respect for the zappy zappy girl.¡± ¡°My name is ire¡­¡± ire whimpered. ¡°That is what I said,¡± Natto replied. Drake shook his head, ¡°Right, well let¡¯s get some breakfast, we have a long day of sparing ahead of us.¡± ¡ª--- ¡°Everybody here?¡± Drake shouted looking around. ¡°Hai, Shishou! Thank you for including me in this!¡± Sato replied with gusto. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Chelsea mumbled to Jacqueline. ¡°Looks like another tosser. Man probably brought him just to have augh, yeah?¡± Jacqueline whispered back. ¡°No whispering in ss!¡± Drake yelled pointing at Chelsea and Jacqueline, ¡°Serious time!¡± ¡°When have you ever been serious, ya twit?¡± Jacquelineughed. ¡°Fair! But serious time is now. We have thirty days to do as much as possible in the way of helping everyone¡¯sbat abilities. And I n on forcing everyst one of you to do so. I don¡¯t want any dead party members once you are out of my sight alright?¡± Drake exined. ¡°So what will we be doing then Sir?¡± Amir asked. ¡°Good question Amir! You will each pair off with someone who is rtively your same level and spar. Everyone should focus on hand-to-handbat for now and then we will move on to honing your skills and spells after,¡± Drake instructed. ¡°But why would I need hand-to-hand if I can use my damn lil uns?¡± Hudson said, a little grumpily. ¡°Well Mr. Scrooge, if you fight something that can tank your bots, what are you going to do? Drop your pants and turn around? Hope for the best?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡° No first thing is foundation, most of you are warrior or ranger-based sses before your upgrades, which means you will need to be skilled in a few areas regardless of how strong your current ss is with its skills. You will find a monster or person you will not be able to beat with your skills alone so you need to take measures to survive when your skills are ineffective or on cooldown.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we just die if we met someone like you or Bear¡­?¡± Julia offered. ¡°True, but we are talking about the more slightly above-average people and monsters. We shouldn¡¯t be your baseline for strength. Both Bear and I are freaks.¡± ¡°Not cool bro,¡± Bjorn added. Drake chuckled but continued, ¡°The opponents I am referring to would be people and monsters who are slightly above your level, possibly 3 to 5 more. And who may be a bad matchup for you. The point of these sparing sessions are going to be how you handle a situation that isn¡¯t in your favor. But to get to that, I need all of you to have alternative means than your regr ss to survive. That means kiting, dying for cooldowns, deception, pulling your pants down. Whatever it is, to be honed and help you overall.¡± ¡°We can skip thatst one right?¡± Sato asked, some paper and a pen in his hands. ¡°Yes, you can skip thest one¡­¡± Drakeughed. ¡°My Lord, what wouldeth be the next part in our said regiment after the sparing?¡± Theodore asked, his brow already sweating from the expected answer. Drake smiled widely and spread his arms, ¡°Theo my good boy! You will be fighting us three!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a joke right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to bed.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would make it out of the tutorial but not like this¡­.¡± Grumbles andints came from the group but Drake ignored them, opening up his inventory to show some of the goodies he had gotten from the Goblin Hoard he still had yet to use. ¡°Stay and do it, and get your pick. Also Bear is supplying the potions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so you idjit!¡± ¡°Bloody asshole always leaves the best till after we¡¯re angry!¡± ¡°This one would have stayed regardless my Lord¡­¡± ¡°Shhh love, just grab the good stuff alright?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Suckers,¡± he whispered. Chapter 179: The Three Monsters Chapter 179: The Three Monsters ¡°Hey! I told you to move when you are charging your skill! Stand still and you''re an easy target!¡± Drake roared, throwing a water ball at Chelsea. ¡°Ah! That is bullshit! It''s hard to focus on the skill if I have to run!¡± she shouted back, taking the waterball to the face, shaking off the water. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to do it. If you can do what others can not you are a league ahead of them and the rest! Your skill does not specify that you can''t move while charging. It might be hard but you won¡¯t always have us to help you after the tutorial,¡± Drake replied. ¡°You¡¯re open!¡± a voice shouted, the sound of several bullets ringing out. Drake turned to see the mana-filled bullets traveling towards him. ¡°Bulwark.¡± Shield Bearer of the Battle Hall Proficiency 3 [F Rank] 2/2
  • A battle tested frontliner of the furious halls of the Asurans
  • Passives: +15% to Vitality and out ofbat Stamina regeneration. (+15% Endurance) (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Actives: Bulwark P3 (0%), Unbreakable P3 (0%)
[Bulwark] Proficiency 3(0%)
  • The active ability to summon a temporary shield around yourself based on your Vitality. The Shield Bearer of the Battle Hall is the shield that takes on and advances through any adversity.
  • Skill: Bulwark - ¡°I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark.¡±
  • Skill can be quick-casted for half benefits - ¡°Bulwark.¡±
  • Temporary Shield skill. Creates a barrier of health based on a 1 to 1 per Vitality. Shieldsts 10 minutes, or until broken. Cooldown does not start until the shield has expired. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Moderate Stamina Cost.
  • 5 Minute Cooldown.
In a sh of green, a shield was made around Drake, and the bullets were stopped in front of him battling with the shield before sputtering out unable to prate them. Drake pointed his fingers back at Sato with a smile on his face behind his mask, ¡°Nice try, next time don¡¯t shout out ruining your ambush. This isn¡¯t an anime Sato,¡± Drakeughed, shooting two bullets of water right at the man hitting him in the forehead and stomach doubling him over. Sato rolled over on the ground in pain but was still in good health. ¡°Ahhhh, Shishou¡­. Why the stomach! And it isn¡¯t fair! You out level me by so much!¡± ¡°True, but who said your enemies are going to be fair and pull their punches!¡± Drake shouted back. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just the one who said he was going to go easy on them¡­. Come on bro, you¡¯re supposed to be helping them,¡± Bjorn reprimanded as he deflected Tom¡¯s shield with his hand and threw a punch for him to block. ¡°Ok, I might have gone overboard letting off some steam¡­¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°What can I say, I¡¯m a man-child and I saw an opportunity for payback.¡± ¡°What did I even do!?¡± Sato shouted from the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t remember, but I¡¯m sure it was something worthy of the punishment you received,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°Shishou¡­.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you bullied poor Sato enough¡­?¡± ire asked, walking up to Drake. ¡°Not nearly enough. That bastard won one of my rare cards off me earlier,¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°So it was something! I won it fair and square!¡± Sato shouted. ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s why you still have it! I didn¡¯t take it back, did I?!¡± Drake yelled. ¡°I think maybe it might be time for a break¡­.¡± ireughed, ¡°It¡¯s almost dinner time either way.¡± Drake sighed and nodded, ¡°You guys can go eat, I want to do my own thing some more.¡± He looked over to Bjorn and Shigure who were still sparing with some of the others, ¡°Are you two going for lunch or do you want to spar some more?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you cooking first?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Naw,¡± Drake replied. ¡°I¡¯m good to wait then. No offense,¡± Bjorn said to ire. ¡°None taken, no one can reallypete with his food. It isn¡¯t just me,¡± she sighed. ¡°If you are staying I will stay as well then, I do not wish to fall more behind than I already have,¡± Shigure added walking to the forming group. ¡°Alright then,¡± Drake nodded, ¡°Guess you guys are eating without us. How about two on one?¡± Drake grinned. ¡°Oh no I¡¯ll be staying as well, I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight after what happened before,¡± ire smiled, looking at Shigure and then at Drake. ¡°R-right¡­¡± Drake grimaced. ¡°What makes you think you can take on both of us?¡± Bjorn frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you prove me wrong then,¡± Drake sneered, ¡°I did beat the big bad bug after all.¡± ¡°True, but that was after a Dragon Lady put her hand inside you and yed around with the parts bro. That¡¯s hardly just you winning. We both got our asses handed to us before that if you don¡¯t remember,¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°Sorry, I don''t remember that part. Only remember saving the day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Lla I can¡¯t hear you!¡± Drake yelled, covering his ears. ¡°At least your dumb personality is intact¡­¡± Bjornughed. ¡°I don¡¯t find that to be a good thing¡­.¡± Shigure sighed, ¡°I am fine with two on one. I suppose you have no problem with us going all out then?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°No problem, kid.¡± ¡ª----- Drake, Shigure, and Bjorn took to an open space outside the camp and outpost, a small group of onlookers forming from Drake¡¯s party as they returned with food in hand. ¡°So who¡¯s winning?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Would have to be the pup wouldn¡¯t it, can¡¯t see him losing nothing after whatever happened. He did kill that damnned bug after all,¡± Hudson answered forking his meat. ¡°No way, it¡¯s two on one! Shigure and Bear have this in the bag!¡± Chelsea sneered, raising a spoon. ¡°Alright let¡¯s bet on it then, 1000 F-Rank Cores on Shishou,¡± Sato grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet ya daft idiot, Shot is strong but he ain''t strong enough to take on two of them monsters at once!¡± Jacqueline yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, he did take on the bug all by himself¡­ And he did beat the crap out of Shigure before,¡± Julia offered. ¡°Damn,¡± Jaqueline clicked her tongue, ¡°You shouldanded earlier with that Jules! I take it back!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no takebacks here! What are you four?¡± Satoughed. ¡°3,000 Stones on Shigure,¡± a voice said next to them. Everyone¡¯s head turned to see Uta crossed armed looking out onto the field. ¡°Y-you sure about that Uta? Do you even have that much?¡± Sato asked. Uta only nodded. ¡°Ok¡­ anyone else?¡± ¡°1,000 on Shot,¡± Megan said, surprising everyone. ¡°What?¡± she shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s strong, and it''s a good bet, that''s all¡­¡± ¡°You know he¡¯s dating ire right?¡± Tom told her, only to get hit by Jacqueline, ¡°Ow! What?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bet nothing more!¡± Megan said embarrassedly. ¡°Theo? Care to bet?¡± Sato asked. ¡°This one would findeth it most unhonorable to bet in such a fixed game. It is impossible for my Lord to lose in any capacity!¡± Theodore exined only to get hit by Harley. ¡°What are you saying, love? Here, cough up your stones, there¡¯s nothing wrong with free money, think of our future!¡± Harley demanded. ¡°Y-yes, dear¡­¡± ¡°Oh! We have some pretty skewed odds here! Looks like four to one on Shishou,¡± Sato announced. ¡ª------------ ¡°You hear that? Looks like I already won,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Yeah, yeah say that when you actually won bro,¡± Bjornughed, ¡°I may not have leveled up, but I did get quite a few quest items from those Ants,¡± he said wiggling a new ring on his hand. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t see that before. Did you have it when we fought the Prince?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I did, sadly, didn''t do much against him. But I¡¯m sure it will help against you.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re human.¡± Drake gave a forlorn grin, ¡°Sorry man, that ship has sailed. Don¡¯t think I count anymore. Don¡¯t you remember? I¡¯m a whole other beast now.¡± ¡°Yes well, you were quite the animal before. So I suppose it matches now¡­¡± Shigure scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s not nice. Also, bad form to insult the one who¡¯s going to beat the crap out of you,¡± Drake sneered back. ¡°Whoever said we were going to lose lying down? This is practice to push past our limits isn¡¯t it?¡± Shigure said calmly, lowering his stance. ¡°We will see about that. I have someone to show off to now, so no hard feelings alright?¡± Drake replied, cracking his knuckles, ¡°Damn it, I forgot I only have one ring¡­ Oh well, I''ve been there before.¡± In an instant, Drake summoned ayer of earth to cover his left arm solidifying above it in the color of obsidian. Flexing his earthen arm, ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve done this. You two ready?¡± Bjorn ced his ymore from his shoulder to a guard stance in front of him, ¡°Oh you know it, bro, unfortunately, I was born ready.¡± ¡°Kenzo, Shigure. Kensei! Maeru!¡± Shigure shouted. ¡°I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark! I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable! On blessed wings. Guardian¡¯s Reprieve!¡± Drake lowered his stance as well putting up his own guard and pushing mana into his sole tattoo, his hair and tattoo shifting to a vibrant yellow. ¡°For the thrill of battle!¡± Chapter 180: Containing the Beast Chapter 180: Containing the Beast Drake waited, allowing Bjorn and Shigure to make the first move. His goal was to assess his newfound strength and how his new skills would allow him to deal with a situation he would have lost before. Bjorn and Shigure did not take the bait right away. Bjorn opted to stand where he was building up his passive stats as his skills allowed his stats to grow over time. Shigure moved closer to Bjorn using him as a barrier between him and Drake. ¡°If you won¡¯te to me, I¡¯ll just have toe to you!¡± Drake yelled, stepping forward, ¡°Let¡¯s see how well your self-defense skill works against my new speed!¡± In a blur, Drake moved forward reaching Bjorn and Shigure at record speed. Bjorn may not have increased his level since theirst fight, but his skills were still progressing along with obtaining new items. But he was still half a second behind reacting to Drake. Drake threw his mana-infused fist forward passing Bjorn¡¯s ymore as it careened right for his face. Bjorn¡¯s body reacted a half-secondter moving to intercept the punch, only barely managing to deflect the blow as Drake¡¯s fist passed Bjorn''s cheek singing it. ¡°Still that fast even after my step up in stats huh? How good is that ring you got?¡± Drake smirked stepping to the side in an instant and throwing another punch into Bjorn¡¯s right side blindspot. ¡°Do not forget that I am here as well!¡± Shigure shouted, stepping into Drake¡¯s fist with his katana bathed in a red light. Drake¡¯s tattooed fist glowed with the intense mana he infused into it, and Shigure¡¯s radiant de covered in the red hue of his skill shed sending sparks erratically in every direction. ¡°Fast as well there Shigure, those essories I gave you must have been a big help!¡± Drake shouted overpowering the teen. ¡°I¡¯m still here bro!¡± Bjorn smiled as he brought his sword down on Drake¡¯s hand but to Shigure¡¯s and Bjorn¡¯s surprise. Drake¡¯s hair shifted in an instant to red and he held back Bjorn¡¯s and Shigure¡¯s des. Drake smirked, ¡°No aura behind the strike means I can take it head-on!¡± His eyes shifted focusing on Shigure first, ¡°Marked.¡± Drake threw back Bjorn¡¯s de his jet-ck covered hand moving to grip at Shigure¡¯s throat only to be stopped by Bjorn¡¯s. Bjorn gripped Drake¡¯s wrist roaring as he lifted him into the air and mmed him down into the ground on his backside with all his might, crushing the ground below him. Dust kicked up from the impact as Shigure repositioned behind Bjorn his de ready. Bjorn raised his sword again, a white aura swirling around the de as he motioned to bring it down like a hammer. The dust settled just before the blow, Drake unharmed, his barrier increased to a point where one blow could not break it anymore. In slow motion, Drake saw Bjorn¡¯s bright dee down at him. And he saw it as an opportunity to see what would win out. Drake¡¯s mana pool, or Bjorn¡¯s unique aura. ¡°Armament, Earth!¡± Drake shouted his earth arm shifting into a dense de of earth magic at the end of his hand. But Drake¡¯s eyes widened as Bjorn¡¯s de passed right through the dense de of mana like a hot knife through butter. His new Adrenaline Skill went into overdrive as he saw the de inch closer his sword severed at the base flying off into Narnia. With a quick shot of air to his side Drake slipped out in the opposite direction. Bjorn¡¯s de meeting nothing but the ground below. Drake waved the cut de with a frown as he looked back at Bjorn, ¡°How is that fair?¡± he scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Bjorn grinned. ¡°So I have to hit you without being hit huh, sounds like a good test of speed,¡± Drake chuckled, his hair turning back to ck as he summoned three balls of lighting, each one with flecks of purple from his increased Magic Exposure skill. ¡°Heretical Endowment Lightning. Asura! Twofold!¡± Before Drake could finish his sentence he was already rushing back toward Bjorn, the extra two balls of lightning attaching to his shoulder to create two more arms. Reaching Bjorn in an instant they went into a fierce melee, moving in a blur as he threw punch after punch into his friend then moving to reposition as Bjorn¡¯s auto defense began to ramp up as time went on in the fight. But he wasn¡¯t the only one with time-gated increases in speed as Drake began to ramp up as well. And within a few seconds, he was overtaking Bjorn. The fightsted only a minute before Bjorn began receiving more damage and strikes to his armor than his auto defense could ount for. Singed and burn marks appearing on his armor every second that passed. Drake had not forgotten about Shigure, keeping tabs on him with his Mark. The teen seemed to be struggling with finding a moment to strike, his eyes straining to follow Drake and Bjorn in their brawl. ¡°Any time Shigure!¡± Bjorn shouted, sweat evaporating off his heated armor. ¡°First Strike, Blood Moon - Nitoryu no Ogi, Mugen Ketsu-!!¡± Shigure clenched his jaw as he sheathed his main de, his hands going into a drawing motion on both katanas at his side. Drake paused for only a second to give Shigure the moment he needed. And thankfully the teen took it, but he had fallen for Drake¡¯s trap. ¡°Iai!¡± Shigure shouted as he stepped forward and in a sh moved across the field both his des drawn. But instead of passing through Drake, he was stopped. One of Drake¡¯s lighting hands had changed to ice, his hair also shimmering to a pristine white. And in its grasp, were both of Shigure¡¯s swords. Shigure¡¯s eyes met Drake¡¯s, and the teen could imagine the smile under the mask. ¡°Nice try, good initiative!¡± Drake roared as he threw Shigure into the air, the teen screaming something obscene as he was lifted weightlessly. But Drake¡¯s win was short-lived as a white ymore passed down cutting off the two arms and he was forced to detach them. Jumping away Drake distanced himself from Bjorn for a moment, reassessing what he could do to beat the man. I know I can win at this point if I just overpower him, but I don¡¯t want to kill him. I guess this is the time I start testing some theories? Drake thought. ¡°This is quite stupid,¡± Natto sighed in Drake¡¯s ear. Drake ducked, dodging a swing from the falling Shigure, then stepped to the side for the follow-up. What do you mean? Drake thought. ¡°You are simply ying with them. Is it not disingenuous?¡± I wouldn¡¯t say that. I am giving it my all but in a different aspect. I have to learn my own limits again, I don¡¯t want to hurt them. ¡°You are certainly faster than before!¡± Shigure roared. ¡°You ain¡¯t seen nothing yet!¡± Drakeughed, still dodging the de swings. Drake summoned another bolt of lighting, using it to battle with Shigure. Drake was not nearly as skilled with a de as Shigure was, but his speedpensated for theck of experience easily. As they fought Drake began pumping more and more mana into the bolt of lighting, it crackling with power with every second that ticked by until he was finally satisfied with the amount. Reverting back to simply dodging the swings Drake crushed the bolt in his hand. ¡°Gear, Second!¡± And with that Drake moved with unprecedented speed. Shigure¡¯s mouth widened as his eyes failed to track Drake. With his increased speed from the spell, Drake struck Shigure several times before the teen could react, once in each hand to dispatch his swords from his grip, another to the side of the head, and yet another to his sr plexus. When time resumed Shigure was caught in a tidal wave of pain as he was thrown backward spinning to the side from the blow. Drake grimaced, ¡°Oh shit¡­ I went too far¡­.¡± But he received no kill notification, which meant that he could be healed. Drake sighed and refocused on Bjorn, who had raised an eyebrow in the direction Shigure had blown passed him. ¡°Little overkill bro, don¡¯t you think?¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m still learning? It¡¯s hard to keep my will to fight down right now. It''s an entirely new feeling like I need to win and disy my strength¡­¡± Drake paused for a moment as he reflected on it. The feeling was as if a pot was boiling in his gut, and every passing moment in the fight forced the temperature to rise higher and higher, the steam clouding his judgment as he only saw the next move. The next way to win. Drake¡¯s eyes turned to Bjorn, and he pushed more mana into his tattoo, the ring screaming in protest at the influx. Bjorn looked and smiled back at Drake, ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting bro.¡± Drakeughed and shot forward his right hand leading the charge right for Bjorn. The giant¡¯s sword wasing down as if he had already anticipated the challenge. And Drake wasn¡¯t about to back down. Instead of dodging, Drake¡¯s aim was to for thest part of the fight see if his resistances overtook Bjorn¡¯s Divine Curse debuff. Drake¡¯s arm raised in a colorful swirl of yellow, blue, and red from his skills and mana. Meeting Bjorn¡¯s white-coated ymore in the middle. The weapons shed pushing out dust and debris from their impact point as an intense thunderous boom let out a shockwave from their position. [Your War Tyrant¡¯s Indomability has resisted Divine Fraility] Bjorn¡¯s eyes widened as Drake¡¯s smiled. Drake pushed back the de with the back of his hand as he reared it back ready to throw another punch. Bjorn was pushed off bnce slightly but dropped his sword, catching it with his other hand, using the t of the de to catch the punch. Drake¡¯s hand collided with the de pushing Bjorn back several feet, a trail in the ground from where he had dug in leading to him. But what happened next wasn¡¯t Drake¡¯s victory. Instead, he fell to the ground screaming in pain. Drake¡¯s head was on fire. The feeling he had was bubbling over as he felt himself battle with it. ¡°Drake!¡± Natto shouted. ¡°G-get out of my head!!¡± ¡°W-who?! I¡¯m the only one here!¡± Drake screamed as he threw his fists into the ground, writhing in pain. The sheer agony onlypared to the feeling he had from the forced racial change. And what sounded deep in his subconscious was even worse. Kill him. Fight with honor and defeat the greatest opponent. Defeat the Titan! ¡°N-No!¡± You will find glorious victory in this battle! Take his life! Fight! ¡°Arhhhhggg! N-n¡­No!!!¡± Drake screamed his aura and mana going wild as he heard the muffled voices of people around him. ¡°G-get away!¡± Drake shouted, his head snapping upwards as he wed at his head. But what came into view was Bjorn. Not the same Bjorn he was so used to seeing. No, he saw the monster he would be. He saw the titan in him. Kill the Lonely Mountain! Bring pride and glory to your bloodline! Drake¡¯s head felt as if it was splitting in two, his body refusing to listen to him. The monster before him was massive, a gray mountain of insurmountable size, its eyes pure hot white fires that looked back and down at him. Massive ck spikes protruding from its back to cut through the clouds in the sky like fingers through water. And in its hands, two massive swords only matched by the monster¡¯s size. Glowing in white aura. Before he knew it, Drake was on top of Bjorn. His hand raised. But Bjorn¡¯s face didn¡¯t hold malice, anger, or surprise in it. It looked understanding. ¡°It¡¯s alright bro, no hard feelings,¡± Bjorn smiled. ¡°N-No! Not¡­ N-Not like this! I won¡¯t let it happen!¡± Drake yelled. Kill him! He will endanger your family! Put a stop to the Titans! Fight! Drake gave a mana and aura-empowered scream, ¡°I said no damn it!¡± then threw his fist into his own stomach. Praying that the pain would make hime to his senses, but it only battled with the pain of his splitting head. So he reared back his hand one more time as he slid off of Bjorn, his back on the ground, throwing another punch to his stomach ripping through skin and viscera. Snapping his fingers as he caged himself in earth and ice he felt a stream of something warm leak from his mouth and body. Drake coughed and smiled as the voice subsided, his head returning to normal. ¡°Fuck you. I won¡¯t be your monster...¡± Hisst words parted from his lips, the world going dark as screams and voices failed to reach his ears. Chapter 181: X-Force Chapter 181: X-Force ¡°So does this mean Bear technically won?¡± ¡°Is that really important right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I put a lot of money on this bet. So I think it¡¯s relevant¡­.¡± Drake heard whispers around him as his consciousness began toe back and the sounds came into focus. ¡°What was that anyway? It¡¯s kind of scary just how strong he¡¯s gotten. I mean he was strong before but that was on another level.¡± Drake struggled to open his eyes, the blurred visages of people around him. ¡°You think it was only scary for you? I lost control of my body for a moment¡­¡± Drake eked out. ¡°Drake!¡± ire shouted, her hands wrapping around his neck ufortably. Drake looked around and saw that he was still encased in his spells from earlier. ¡°No one thought it was a good idea to get these off of me?¡± Drake asked. Jacqueline stood over him and shrugged, ¡°We didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d go full psycho mode again, damned bloody idiot you are. You nearly tore out your own guts there ya brilliant knob. Don¡¯t be doing it again, I got a week cooldown on this spell ya know.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Drake grumbled, as he dismissed the cage around him and struggled to bend to sit upwards. With a little help from ire, he found himself upright, his party grouped around him. ¡°Where¡¯s Bear?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Right here bro,¡± Bjorn said from behind him. Drake looked at the ground, embarrassed that he had lost his mind and body for a moment. ¡°Sorry about that man, I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± ¡°All good. If I was going to go out, rather it be by you than someone else,¡± Bjorn shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s morbidlyforting¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Drake, what exactly happened?¡± ire asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I heard a voice and then got a splitting headache. Oh, is Shigure alright? I might have gone a bit overboard with him.¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Shigure scoffed from the side, ¡°Thest blow was substantial but I managed. More importantly, are you going to be a problem with those outbursts?¡± Drake frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve always had something eating away at the back of my mind, but this is the first time something has said anything to me. I feel like Eren right now¡­.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Shigure said, confused. ¡°Never mind, not important. But I think for now, it¡¯s safe to say I won¡¯t be doing any more sparring. If I do any practice it will be on my own,¡± Drake exined, his face wincing from the pain in his abdomen, ¡°Ah¡­ this is going to sting for a while isn''t it¡­¡± He received a smack to the back of the head. ¡°Of course it will, you dolt! You nearly killed yourself, again!¡± Natto yelled from his shoulder, ¡°How can you still do such things!¡± ¡°Hey. This one wasn¡¯t really my fault¡­¡± Drake said wearily, ¡°Took everything I had to stop myself from going out of control. Know anything about that?¡± Natto pursed her lips with her arms crossed, ¡°I have an idea, but I do not have enough information on Race Changes while inside the tutorial, even at E-Rank I do not believe I will have enough ess. As I have said, Primordial races are very special, most starting off at C-Rank when born.¡± ¡°Primordial?¡± the group said in unison, questioning expressions on their faces. Drake scratched the back of his head, ¡°Oh, guess I forgot to mention. I changed races to an Asuran. Oops?¡± Drake chuckled, sticking out his tongue. ¡°So you¡¯re in my same boat then huh?¡± Bjorn sighed. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Drake said, ¡°I had a total of six stones forced into me thank you. And you somehow have resisted or dyed your change until E-Rank. Whatever Dragon Bitch did to me forced me to change, or I just wasn¡¯t as mentally strong as you were. But it¡¯s the former of course.¡± ¡°Yeah of course,¡± Bjorn smirked. ¡°What doth this mean for the rest of us, my Lord? If thou is to say we should part ways or distance ourselves once more¡­.¡± Theodore said, looking grim. Drake shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m passed trying to micromanage you all. You are grown adults and you will make up your own minds. That said, I¡¯m not sure if or when I¡¯ll have another¡­. Episode.¡± Some of the group looked concerned but ire clung to Drake firmly, her eyes saying ¡®I¡¯m not going anywhere¡¯. Drake smiled and looked at the group, ¡°But if it makes you all feel better, it seems that only really strong opponents trigger it. So you all have nothing to worry about since ya know, you¡¯re all weak.¡± ¡°Not cool,¡± Tom frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a joke Tom, but you all are objectively weaker than I am. It¡¯s kind of why we are doing all this training in the first ce, remember?¡± Drake struggled to stand up, even with ire¡¯s help, and addressed the group again, ¡°Don¡¯t let my freaking out stop you all, back to it, we only have a few more weeks of this before you are sent out into the world. I¡¯ll be observing.¡± ire helped Drake to a seat he summoned from his inventory and pulled a simr one from her own, sitting down next to him. Drake looked over, ¡°Thanks, but you need to practice as well. Now that I¡¯ve thought about it we never did talk about where you are going to end up once we get out of here did we?¡± ire pursed her lips, slightly annoyed that Drake was deflecting from his problems and pain again, but gave in and answered him. ¡°I¡¯m towards the center of the United States, the Idaho area¡­ I¡¯m not sure where I¡¯ll be once we leave though. The introduction told us severals werebined to make our new one¡­ So we might even be further apart.¡± Drake smirked as he moved his mask, ¡°Miss me already? We haven¡¯t even left the tutorial yet.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know if you are going to get yourself into trouble again while I don¡¯t have my eye on you,¡± she frowned. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m supposed to be keeping you out of trouble, not the other way around.¡± ¡°And you are doing a great job¡­¡± ¡°So are you,¡± Drakeughed, pointing to his stomach that was now exposed through the hole in his robes he had carved out himself. ¡°Fine, we both are terrible at it¡­¡± she smiled. Drake motioned to the rest of the group that was finding pairs, ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll be fine over here. I think Bear and Shigure want to talk anyway.¡± As if waiting their turn, both Shigure and Bjorn kept a sidelong gaze on ire and Drake, not wanting to interrupt. Disgruntled, ire reluctantly got up, ¡°Fine, but no more stupid stuff. You hear me!¡± ¡°Aggressive, I like it. Reminds me of yesterday night,¡± Drake joked wiggling his eyebrows. ire¡¯s face turned scarlet before she ran off, smoke practicallying out of her ears. Shigure and Bjorn took that as their cue and walked over, Shigure with a slight scowl. ¡°Have you no tact¡­¡± he spat. ¡°She knows how I am, I don¡¯t apologize for it,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Mystery how you managed to not have her stab you in your sleep,¡± Bjornughed. ¡°Well, being a handsome and funny man helps. And we¡¯ve only slept in the same bed once so far,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°But to the point. I don¡¯t know if I have a handle on this anymore.¡± Drake looked down at his wound. The skin had healed but the pain from the fatigue of it being healed was still fresh. Remembering the splitting pain in his head also made him wince, even from the vague memory. The day was waning quickly and dusk was falling swiftly. Drake summoned fireballs to light the area for the rest of his group, the white fire illuminating the space brilliantly. ¡°And what are we supposed to do about it? When you were in control we stood no chance. You expect us to handle you if you go on a rampage again?¡± Shigure asked skeptically. Drake shook his head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go on a rampage again as long as I don¡¯t fight directly. I think what spurred it was the heat of the battle when Bear challenged me. I can¡¯t say for certain though, and Natto isn¡¯t saying anything either.¡± ¡°Then what do you want, bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°I just want you both to do what we had nned, help everyone get stronger, and cap out their proficiencies on their skills before we leave as best you can. I¡¯ll do my best to get a firm grasp on my own problems without getting into any fights. But what I want to get underway is figuring out how we are going to meet up outside the tutorial. I still need to talk to the rest of the group but I¡¯m stationed in New York, on the East Coast of the United States. And I can only guess how out of whack everything will be once we return.¡± ¡°You already know my position on the matter,¡± Shigure offered. Drake nodded and turned to Bjorn. ¡°I¡¯m up in Canada bro, near the Yukon. It¡¯s more than a few steps away from you,¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake pursed his lips, ¡°And that isn¡¯t including the new space that might be there thanks to the other worlds being assimted into ours. Unfortunately, Natto is also moot on most of the information involving things outside the tutorial. But, I do know about a quest to start system-sanctioned towns and I have the perfect name for mine.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Reunite,¡± Drake replied, ¡°It also happens to be the name of my guild from an old friend, I¡¯m hoping they find their way there once I get the name out. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to be a handful for the world just like me,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a dumb name bro,¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°I agree, it¡¯s rather childish,¡± Shigure nodded. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Drake gasped in faux hurt, ¡°Are you insulting my naming sense?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± both replied. ¡°Fine,¡± Drake sighed, then looked at Bjorn singling him out, ¡°I know I can¡¯t keep an eye on you when the tutorial is over man, but promise me you¡¯ll keep yourself safe and in check until I find you, or you reach me alright? I don¡¯t want to have to find you as that thing I saw¡­¡± ¡°What thing?¡± Bjorn asked raising a brow his expression serious. ¡°That voice I heard. That tried to get me to off you. It messed with my head and showed me something. I guess it was what you would be if you went through the racial change. Let¡¯s just say it wasn¡¯t pretty. And I don¡¯t think something like that¡­. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be in a position to hold back man.¡± ¡°That bad huh,¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°All that and a bag of chips, like family-sized.¡± ¡°You spoke of racial changes before, what exactly is the race Sir Bear is meant to change to? Is it a Primordial Race like yours?¡± Shigure asked. Drake looked to Bjorn, waiting for him to make the decision to answer or not. ¡°The race my skill stones will turn me into is a Titan,¡± Bjorn exined, ¡°Apparently they are at the very top of the list for bad guys in the multiverse. If I reach E-Rank, I¡¯ll turn and destroy the world. And everything else in our system.¡± Shigure¡¯s mouth opened and hung there for a minute, before he shivered, ¡°This is true?¡± he asked looking over to Drake. Drake nodded, ¡°Yup, every word. But we¡¯re not ganna let that happen right?¡± Shigure paused for a moment, his arms hanging on his swords by his hip as he thought. Then he nodded. ¡°Surely a musclebound idiot and I can manage enough to keep you from destroying everything. Drake has not failed us so far, despite the odds and hate¡­¡± Shigure coughed. Drake chuckled, and pushed out his hand, ¡°Good, then it¡¯s decided. Grow strong enough to stay alive and keep Bjorn from destroying the whole world. Go, X-force!¡± Drake shouted. Both Shigure and Bjorn looked at Drake incredulously. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I am not saying that,¡± Shigure sighed. ¡°Yeah man, I¡¯m used to you being cringy but Deadpool? Really?¡± Bjornughed. ¡°Why are you both ruining the moment? Just go with it! Fine whatever,¡± Drake frowned, bumping his own fist, whispering to himself, ¡°Go X-force¡­.!¡± Chapter 182: Playing with Myself Chapter 182: ying with Myself ¡°That¡¯s the way, good! Remember to step in with your shoulder only when you are using that skill Tom. The skill will do most of the work for you but remember you have leeway when using it,¡± Drake shouted from the sidelines. Keeping his eyes on the party as they practiced in their pairs, Drakemented at not being able to join them due to maybe having another mental episode from his sudden change. It had been a few days since it had happened and he had almost killed himself and Bjorn. He had been relegated to sitting a fair distance away on a chair. ire checking up on him every now and then in between her own practice. Surprisingly he also had some visits from a very embarrassed Megan and a not-so-embarrassed Julia. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Julia asked, taking a sip of water. ¡°I¡¯m trying to quicken the speed I¡¯m able to temper my mana,¡± Drake hummed, summoning and extinguishing spell after spell. ¡°Tempering?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Drake said, keeping his focus on the pairs practicing as he felt the mana from his maniption skill, ¡°You know how some of my spells the color changes on the elements?¡± Julia nodded fixing her sses as she looked on. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make it happen instantaneously, but I¡¯m getting hung up in a few ces so it¡¯s taking a while. I guess I just don¡¯t have talent with it¡­¡± Drake sighed. Drake was attempting to make his spells more condensed and powerful now that he had the excess mana to do so. His Magic Exposure skill -now Submission of Magic- innate increased the amount of mana he used for his spells while increasing their pration ability. But the process did have a dy and his goal was to as he said, lessen that. He could always userger spells and give himself time to charge up through his Heretical Chanting, but he was sure there woulde a point where fights would be so decisive that a single spell or action could decide the oue. And he wanted to prepare for that. Because of the quickly approaching timer reaching zero and the tutorial ending, in the back of his head he began feeling more and more anxious about the future. The number of tutorials alone told him just how wide the system was for this induction of worlds. His thoughts continued to fall on just how many powerful people were there possiblying out of these tutorials. Their tutorial may have only had him as a Dual ss, but who was to say the other tutorials didn¡¯t have at least one or more? And then there were the other¡¯s Tutorial members. The system promoted and seemed to enjoy forcing conflict. He knew just from his own experience and the fact that Natto had mentioned that there was to be a summit to decide a leader of their. It always seemed to be apetition in the most primal sense. ¡°Survival of the fittest at its best, huh¡­¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°What now?¡± ire asked, bending down over his shoulder, ¡°Hearing voices again?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Only one annoying one,¡± he smiled. ire ced the hot bowl of food on Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Ow! What the hell woman!?¡± ¡°Serves you right,¡± sheughed sitting down next to him, as Julia took her cue and began walking back towards the pairs to practice. ¡°I was just thinking about theing events that might happen. Natto still can¡¯t give me many specifics but I know there''s more to it. And I¡¯m not looking forward to it,¡± Drake sighed, taking the bowl from his head and gripping it in both hands. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be a bloodbath even if I¡¯m prepared for it. I don¡¯t particrly like it.¡± ire¡¯s expression softened as she took Drake¡¯s hand in hers, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you have friends around to share the burden. And me, we¡¯ll get through it together.¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t watched anime before? That¡¯s a pretty heroine thing to say¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve watched cartoons on Sunday¡­ My brother used to have them ying after church when we came home,¡± ire smiled with a bit of sadness, ¡°Our mother would always scold him for it.¡± Drake gave an endearing smile gripping her hand tighter. ¡°You wish to correct her on cartoons versus anime do you not?¡± Natto snickered. Oh you know I do. It¡¯s taking all of my willpower not to scream but I¡¯m d she¡¯s opening up about him after everything. ¡°Yes, it seems your¡­. Nights together have allowed her to be more rxed.¡± It has been fun. But that¡¯s also why I¡¯m so hard on her to get this stuff down, I want her to make it on the outside until I cane find her or shees back to me. Thankfully she¡¯s been a good sport about it. Drake smiled. ¡°Bjorn was right,¡± ire said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Bjorn huh¡­? And about what?¡± ¡°You do that thing when you¡¯re talking to Natto, the distant look thing,¡± she said pointing at him, ¡°What were you talking about?¡± ¡°About how much I¡¯ll miss you when the tutorial is over,¡± Drake smirked. ire¡¯s mouth opened to say something but quickly closed, her hand squeezing Drake¡¯s slightly harder as her ears turned rosy. ¡°You better go off and train. Mage sses have it the toughest,¡± Drake said letting go of her hand as he went back to casting magic. ire nodded and walked off back to the group as well. Drake watching her as she went. Well, parts of her. ¡°I¡¯m a lucky man.¡± ¡°Calm down there Romeo,¡± Bjorn said from behind him, ¡°Don¡¯t let the rose-tinted sses get you this early bro.¡± Drake turned his head sshing some water on Bjorn, ¡°Debby downer as always,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to see you turn into Tom,¡± Bjorn scoffed, slicking his wet hair back, ¡°Last time he confessed to someone he was crying for three days. I thought the tutorial introduced banshees¡­¡± ¡°Last time? You mean three days ago?¡± Drakeughed. Bjorn sat down and nodded, ¡°Yeah bro, I¡¯m sure Hudson regrets bunking with the guy now if he didn¡¯t already.¡± ¡°Maybe you should give him some dating advice then. I¡¯m doing alright over here,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°I can see that. You know where she¡¯sing out?¡± ¡°I thought I told you? She¡¯s around the central states, so might be a long way depending on howrge the world got after the introduction and merge.¡± Bjorn put his hand to his chin, ¡°Oh that¡¯s right. I wonder how I¡¯m going to get down from Canada. At least I won¡¯t have to worry about a visa anymore.¡± Drake raised a finger, ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. The world¡¯s gone mad, but I¡¯m willing to bet whatever remains of the people in charge, are ganna want to stay that way even though they probably shouldn¡¯t.¡± Drake shivered, ¡°Damn that means longer career politicians doesn¡¯t it¡­. People are going to be living for thousands of years, might have some Darth Sidious-level stuff on our hands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point. But I¡¯m optimistic, I don¡¯t think it''s going to get that bad. We have magic powers now bro.¡± ¡°Yeah but so do they. It will all depend on whoes out, and just how strong they are. All we can hope for right now is that the right peoplee out on top, and the losers are the bad ones,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so down, man! Have some gratitude!¡± Bjorn said, pping Drake on the side, ¡°We just lived through this mess, and you beat an E-Rank. How many other people are going to be able to say they did that?¡± Drake smirked, ¡°I can think of at least two.¡± ¡°You¡¯re friends again?¡± Bjorn said raising a brow. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m convinced they¡¯re going to being out stronger than even I am. I just hope they haven¡¯t changed too much.¡± Drake and Bjorn watched the others train, letting the conversation die down as Drake sun spells in his hand, continuing to practice. This was the pattern for the past couple of days. Everyone would practice, Drake on the sidelines. Then when everyone was finished, he would practice again on his own, only to go to his tent when ire retired for the night. Despite his wanting to have fun not stop, he restrained himself in lue of training. All that was on his mind were the foreboding feelings eating at the back of his head. Bjorn a stone¡¯s throw away from E-Rank and turning into a monster with no solution other than to kill him. The possible state of the world after certain unscrupulous people gained magic powers. And the location of his family. He had to master his new skills and perfect them to a knife¡¯s edge. Drake in the night would drill and practice, pushing himself to his newfound limits. And today was no different. Once the day was waning and everyone was back in camp retiring for the night, he would let ire fall asleep in his arms, then sneak out using his wind magic to gently let her down as he slipped out from under her. In the pitch ck of night far away from the camp, he would let himself practice. ¡°I¡¯m d I watched DBZ, this training method lets me stretch myself thin while practicing so many different things¡­¡± Drake raised his hand, a myriad of colors cascading as several magic circles formed beneath it. ¡°Summon! Primal Elemental!¡± Drake concentrated, forming a body of earth, then a shroud of fire and lightning around it. Containing the mass of magic and spells a thick sheet of ice that constantly reformed around it. Once it was finished, Drake wiped the sweat from his brow, pulling two vials from his inventory and downing them both in a quick gulp. ¡°Alright Steven, ready to go again today?¡± Drake asked the mass of magic. It didn¡¯t answer, and of course, couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t a sentient Elemental but just spells Drake controlled. This is what made it quite fun for Drake though, he both had to control to an extent the elemental and also fight against it. He had packed it full of so much mana it was a struggle to even form the spell at first. But now after a few days of practice, he was able to manage quite well. The elemental contained so much mana that Drake surprised himself. Because of the amount of mana within it, the makeshift Elemental was able to cast spells as well. ¡°Good to hear it, buddy, alright same thing as yesterday. Anything goes, no hard feelings right?¡± Drake said, jumping back a few paces. Drake began counting down himself, ¡°3! 2! 1! Start!¡± On his word, the elemental spell activated and it began the fight, straightening both arms and aiming at Drake. Firing off masses of ice. Drake shifted into his Endowment, his hair shimmering into peerless white as he raised his arms as well dodging to the side. Throwing out an equal amount of condensed fireballs Drake tried to circle around the elemental, but the impacts of the sts between the ice and fire covered the field. Drake lost track of the elemental in the explosions of magic even with his enhanced eyesight. He ceased his reign of fireballs waiting for the debris to clear only to have the elemental burst out of the cloud of magic. ¡°Cheeky!¡± Drake smirked, his arms glowing red, and bracing for impact. The elemental increased its speed simr to how Drake had done previously, abination of wind and fire magic to propel itself. Drake pushed mana into his remaining tattoo it humming with power. ¡°Attunement Lightning!¡± Drake shouted, throwing his fist forward to meet the Elemental¡¯s. The Elemental¡¯s fist evaporated and reformed as the spell contested with Drake¡¯s raw power thanks to the amount of mana he funneled into it beforehand. But the Elemental didn¡¯t wait for its mana to be exhausted, it wasn¡¯t casted for that, it began a flurry of blows matched by Drake¡¯s one arm. Both a blur of speed. The Elemental then took the advantage, casting spells before Drake had, forming magic circles in Drake¡¯s blind spots. Drake was only able to see the bloom of the spellsst second in his peripherals with his Magic sight, his head not bothering to turn as he casted a defensive skill. ¡°Guardians Reprieve.¡± The spells collided with his back and sides bombarding him as they continued to exchange blows. But only long enough for Drake to hear the crackling of his shield. [Reprieve Charge Gained] Drake quickly teleported behind the Elemental, his hand already charging a spell of white-hot fire. ¡°ze Palm!¡± Drake¡¯s hands were engulfed in fire as he threw them forward, evaporating the Elemental at a reckless pace. The Elemental shot forward, taking the damage Drake had done as it tried to escape. Its raw earthen skeleton slowly having ice reform over it. Drake rushed after it pursuing the Elemental, his hands shooting out sts of white fire all around it. The spells missed their mark and careened past the Elemental, cutting off its escape. Unfortunately, it was now at a disadvantage, it couldn¡¯t travel instantaneously like he could. The Elemental quickly turned unable to escape further, the ice on its arms shimmering to a purplish sheen as it pushed mana to its icy outside. Drake smiled, keeping himself from using too many of his innate buffs to keep it as difficult for himself as possible. Instead pushing mana into his tattoo once more, matching the Elementals. On cue, they both surged forward meeting each other as they exchanged punches and kicks. Drake weaving in and barely evading the pointed ice-tipped strikes as his hands continued to throw out balls of fire all around them. Quickly the exchange became heated. Literally, as the area was covered in glowing balls of white me, the Elemental slowing down as its mana couldn¡¯t keep up with regenerating itself. ¡°Looks like this is the end of the session Stevie,¡± Drake said, jumping backward out of the encirclement of fireballs. His hand reaching out, his palm up and open. ¡°Crush and Bloom!¡± Drake roared as he balled his fist, the fire around the Elemental convening into one location a massive explosion sounding off a thunderous boom as it rocked the area. ¡°Good fight Stevie, See you again in a few hours,¡± Drake smiled. Chapter 183: Rewards Chapter 183: Rewards Drake fell backward onto the grass, looking up at the ck night sky. It had been just one of the numerous sessions he had had with his training after everyone had retired for the night. Taking a moment he looked at the timer counting down, feeling slightly less anxious about the future now that he had put thest thirty days into strict practice. [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 1 Day, 23 Hours, 52 Minutes, 43 Seconds] [Remaining Participants: 1,881] ¡°Only two more days huh? Time flies when you¡¯re beating the crap out of yourself repeatedly,¡± heughed, sshing himself with some water. Natto rolled out of his head and onto the grass next to him. ¡°It would seem this part of the initiation ising to a close. Do remember what I said about the tutorial shop? Have you thought about what you will be selecting?¡± she asked, pulling a bag of food from her sleeve. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten, I¡¯m just curious to see what¡¯s in there. I know I need to get whatever quest item you were talking about or the quest itself was it? Either way, I know I¡¯ll be needing better equipment,¡± Drake sighed looking at his tattered mess of clothes, ¡°I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯tst even a year, not to mention shouldn¡¯t there be some kind of self-repair function or something?¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°No, you do not receive equipment with things like that until muchter. You expect to have the best right at the beginning? Even that weapon you acquired was something special and still dissatisfied?¡± ¡°Hey, we always want the best gear. It¡¯s how we are!¡± Drake said defending himself. ¡°We?¡± ¡°Yeah, gamers. I need the next new shiny thing. More numbers, more damage, numbers go brrrrr!¡± Drake said, rolling the R as he threw his hands into the air. Drakeughed to himself then quickly opened his inventory seeing the massive number of items, equipment, stones, and monster cores that filled it. And at the very bottom, he saw his current TP. [35,723,553 Tutorial Points] ¡°That¡¯s a crazy number,¡± Drake whistled, even after seeing the number several times before. ¡°Yes, well you did kill the technical boss monster of the tutorial. Imagine if you did not fail in killing the queen, you most likely would have more.¡± ¡°Really sticking a knife where it hurts right now aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Drake chuckled wryly, ¡°That¡¯s another thing, isn¡¯t it? We may not have rounded up all of the PKers but, at least the participants stopped dropping¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Just wish we could have saved more¡­ It seems like the more I think about it, the more I should have done. I mean over half the tutorial participants we started with are gone.¡± ¡°We have been over this many times Drake. They were not your responsibility. You can not save every person, nor should you require it of yourself. You may be strong, but you are not that strong,¡± Natto exined, ¡°If you wish so much to protect others, then create a new ce where you can do so. Outside of the tutorial, I can aid you there. I am a Territory Assistant after all.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll work you to the bone,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°As long as I am fed. I will not disappoint you. Remember I require only the best meals and let us not forget E-Rank Cores. I expect great things.¡± Drake waved his hand, ¡°Yeah, yeah. That also reminds me. What are the monster levels going to look like when we get out? There are kids who haven¡¯t even had their sses selected right? There can¡¯t be E-Ranks right off the bat can there?¡± Natto looked a bit pensive before she answered, taking small bites of her food. ¡°It is honestly hard to say. Each area will be different. Drake, you should be prepared for what you will see when you leave. The system is not unfair, but it is unforgiving. Your priority must be to establish the first town. No matter what.¡± Drake turned his head looking at her curiously, ¡°Why so serious and specific? And I won¡¯t know until we get there. You already know I won¡¯t abandon kids.¡± ¡°I know¡­ But I must say such things as an assistant regardless,¡± Natto sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Drake grinned, feeling more at ease now than before thanks to her concern, ¡°Whatever maye, it will work out. I¡¯ll make it work out.¡± ¡ª--------------- Drake returned to the camp a few hours before dawn, sneaking back into his own tent as he prepared a tub of hot water for both him and ire. The sun began to peak into the cracks of the tent just as she started to stir. ¡°Uunn¡­ Are you up early again? You smell like burnt¡­ burnt something¡­.¡± she said furrowing her nose. ¡°I was out training again, got hit with a lightning bolt,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°A-a lightning bolt? Aren¡¯t you training by yourself? How did you get hit?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not by myself. Stevie was there.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Stevie?¡± ¡°Stevie the Elemental. Now are you going to wake up or stay in bed asking me 20 questions?¡± ire grumbled and took off the covers, revealing her in nothing but a slightly tattered t-shirt forcing a whistle from Drake. ¡°Wow, maybe I should stay in more often¡­¡± ire scoffed as she pushed him out of the tent, ¡°Maybe you should. But then you wouldn¡¯t be you would you?¡± Drake raised a brow processing her words for a bit, ¡°Oh that¡¯s true,¡± he admitted turning around, ¡°Are you saying you wouldn¡¯t like me if I changed-¡± but she had already gone back inside the tent, the sound of water sshing reaching his ears. ¡°She might be the one changing¡­ She used to get so embarrassed at me seeing her, but now she doesn¡¯t even bat an eye¡­. Oh well,¡± Drake shrugged, summoning some elements to mold as he passed the time. The few weeks until the end of the tutorial passed peacefully since Drake had killed the Ants. Whatever remained of the stragglers were hunted down quickly by the parties inside Shigure¡¯s outpost as well as Drake¡¯s own. Securing what little experience was left within the tutorial. And with the time waning he had been making sure to check in with everyone. Where they were outside the tutorial, what their ns were, and would they being back to rejoin Drake? ¡°Oh, I have to see that old man about my cut don¡¯t I? Wonder how much he got for all the stuff I gave him. Oh! That gives me an idea¡­¡± Drake mused, thinking about the tutorial shop and his inted TP. ¡°Early to rise once again, my Lord?¡± Theodore said, shimmering into sight next to Drake. ¡°Morning Theo. And yup, night training has been going well. Just wake up?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Indeed, Harley and this one have just risen. Unfortunately, this one¡¯s stamina is no match for my Lord¡¯s.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly something you shouldpare, you¡¯re a pure mage ss Theo. Isn¡¯t exactly fair,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°But you¡¯re improving with all the sparing we¡¯ve been doing, well-done man.¡± Theodore bowed with a smile, ¡°It pleases this one to hear such praise. Though it pains this one to think we shall be apart for so long my Lord.¡± ¡°Oh don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯re pretty close, right? Somewhere in Maine?¡± ¡°Tis indeed somewhat close, but this one fears just how far the distance will be due to the new world we face. But!¡± Theodore said loudly pointing a finger into the air, ¡°This one shall not be disheartened in finding his way to his Lord! This one assures thou!¡± Drake chuckled wryly, ¡°Right, good to hear Theo.¡± ¡°Theo, it¡¯s too early to be that loud¡­¡± ire said walking out of the tent in her cleric armor. ¡°Forgive me, Mdy. This one was simply excited to meet his Lord in the world outside,¡± Theodore said, bowing. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mdy. We¡¯ve been fighting together for months now Theo¡­¡± ire said sheepishly. ¡°This one cannot! Once you have been with my Lord, it is natural that my Lady is to be seen with respect!¡± ¡°Drake¡­.¡± ire pleaded looking at him with puppy eyes and asking for help. Drake raised his arms, ¡°Not my problem. I¡¯m taking a bath, I smell like burnt,¡± Drake sniffed himself, ¡°Burnt something, remember?¡± ire frowned and gave him a re as heughed and entered the tent. A few minutester Drake came back out revitalized, a crowd gathering in front. ¡°Yo,¡± Bjorn said raising a hand. ¡°Yo,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Same stuff different day, bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yup. Going to see a dwarf about some lootter though. Everyone have breakfast or¡­?¡± ¡°Dude¡­ Foodddddddd¡­¡­¡± a voice growled from behind him. ¡°Oh Sherry¡­ Ow! Don¡¯t bite me! I get it! I¡¯m going! Ow! I said stop it damn it!¡± Drake cursed moving with the group to the kitchen area by the firepits. ¡°You would think you guys could do this without me at some point,¡± Drake sighed, pointing his knife tip at the others at the table preparing food. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this, you make the best grub. We just like to help. You should just think of it as quality time with your friends!¡± Chelsea snickered. ¡°True I guess, we will all be separated very soon¡­ Might as well enjoy it while we can,¡± Drake reluctantly agreed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be rid of this bloody tosser¡­.¡± Jacqueline sneered. ¡°Awe, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll miss you too Jacqueline,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°As if! Thank god there¡¯s an ocean in between us!¡± she cursed. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re not in North America on the outside?¡± ¡°Nah, I live in the states, but I was back in my hometown in the UK when this all happened visiting¡­ I just happened to get into the same Tutorial as everyone else¡­¡± she said looking at Megan, Chelsea, and Julia. ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯s interesting¡­ I wonder if the system did that on purpose?¡± Drake thought aloud. ¡°Who knows,¡± Chelsea scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m d they were here, but I won¡¯t be thanking the damned system about anything.¡± ¡°Well, just remember you are all wee toe back and settle with me in the town or whatever it¡¯s going to be. I won¡¯t be hard to find,¡± Drake said honestly, his face serious, ¡°And if you ever need help, all you need to do is ask.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sweet Drake, is that a promise?¡± Julia smiled. ¡°My party is my family, we¡¯ve been through too much not to be. And I¡¯m sure there''s going to be more toe once all is said and done,¡± Drake answered, finishing his meal prep as he slid the food into the pot. ¡°You all still have one day left of training, so no cking,¡± Drake instructed looking at the line of helpers, and to the peanut gallery waiting by the other tables for their food. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about that ya idjit. Don¡¯t n on dying anytime soon after all this!¡± Hudson shouted from the tables. ¡°Agreed, I am excited to make my way back to the party as soon as possible,¡± Amir added. ¡°I just want the food that I was promised¡­.¡± Sherry grumbled, rubbing her stomach. ¡°Yeah I¡¯d like some food too please,¡± Tom agreed, waving a fork in the air. ¡°You keep it down over there before I give yous a whoopin¡¯ Tom!¡± Drake shouted. ¡ª-------------- The day continued to progress normally for the group. After eating and calming heated personalities at the table the party took to their practice area. Drake did not observe this time around, as he needed to speak to the old Dwarf. After a bit of protest, he managed to keep ire from joining him and skipping practice in light of her using all her avable time to improve her chances of surviving. She very much disliked him for it but he was willing to make her angry if it meant increasing her chances of staying alive without him. Drake walked through the dirt-worn paths in the Outpost after a bit of trouble at the gate which was cleared up quickly by Shigure and Uta. People still able to recognize him from his striking mask and clearing a way for him. I don¡¯t know if I like this attention or not. On the one hand, it''s nice people don¡¯t bother me, I¡¯m an introvert at heart. But on the other, I¡¯d rather not have people look at me with such fear¡­ He thought. ¡°Well, it was bound to happen. You are simply in a different league of strength than most people being a dual ss. I would venture that only very specific Epic sses and above would be able topete with you at the moment if at all in the same Rank. But that should be for the best for when the t- Damn it!¡± Natto snapped, clicking her tongue. System stopping you again? Drake felt her nod affirming his suspicion. Can¡¯t you just ya know, ignore it? ¡°If I wished to be harmed as well as ced within a debuff penalty for my trouble, yes¡­ But you will know once we have left the tutorial so it is not urgent.¡± Drake was reminded of the Dragon Bitch after Natto mentioned the debuff. Speaking of that. Drake thought walking towards the crafter¡¯s district of the Outpost. What do you suppose the penalties will be for the Dragon Lady? Natto scoffed, ¡°Nothing pleasant that is certain. But when you are at the apex of Rank, the system does treat you more favorably. She will most likely receive a stat debuff that will be inconvenient for her for many years, as well as arge portion of her experience will be taken from her.¡± Large portion huh? ¡°Yes, around 5%.¡± Really? Only 5%? ¡°5% at S-Rank is equivalent to dropping from B-Rank to F-Rank you mongrel. If not more depending on how far she has progressed into the Rank, which I assume is quite far as she is one of the oldest Primordials in existence.¡± Good. Fuck her. And not in the good way. Drake spat, his face grimacing. ¡°What¡¯s with the sour face there youngin?¡± Drake stopped his face rxing as he saw the old Dwarf at the stall. ¡°Nothing important. Just thinking about a woman who did me dirty,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Ain¡¯t that always what it is. Ah, to be young again!¡± the old dwarf smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m having a st¡­ So what about my cut?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Cut? Oh! You¡¯re that guy who gave me all that stuff to sell aren¡¯t ya! I hardly recognized ya with the long hair and the, well, darker skin.¡± ¡°Yeah, I had an upgrade. Longer hair means stronger right?¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Where did you hear such nonsense? Either way, I didn¡¯t get all of it sold, but that''s because no one could pay what it was worth. I did get a bit from the leader of the camp though!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± ¡°Darn tootin! Milked that youngin for all he was worth for some of those essories you gave me. Made most of the profit there. Give me just one second.¡± The Dwarf turned around pulling some things from under the counter and ced them in front of Drake. ¡°Here¡¯s the unsold stuff, and here¡¯s your cut. I know we agreed on 50% but you sure you alright with this?¡± Drake smiled pulling the items, skill stones, and cores into his inventory. ¡°Yup. d you could get a good chunk out of it old man. Stay safe out there, hope to see you again,¡± Drake said, waving to him. ¡°Strange kid,¡± the dwarf shrugged. ¡ª-------- Drake chuckled to himself, happy to make a good amount from the stuff he wasn¡¯t using. Which also gave validity to hister n. He had taken a good amount of time casually walking the Outpost and decided it was time to get back to their camp. Walking back, he eventually made his way to their practice area in time. He spotted Shigure and Uta training as well,ing from their duties to improve with the others, making Drake smile again thinking about how he took so many Monster Cores from him for his essories. Drake eventually turned to ire and called in the rest of everyone now that the time wasing up. ¡°Alright, we only have a few minutes, but I¡¯ll be going for thest day. There¡¯s somewhere I want to be when this is all over. So this is finally goodbye,¡± Drake said solemnly, ¡°At least for now. May we meet again! And be ReUnited!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°I still think that name isme,¡± Jacqueline sighed. ¡°Yeah, it isn¡¯t the best is it¡­¡± Megan agreed. Drake tried to ignore them as he kept his raised fist, his eye twitching. ¡°It¡¯s ok Drake. The name isn¡¯t¡­. Well, it isn¡¯t too bad¡­¡± ire said, trying to console him. ¡°Damn it¡­ I like the name though!¡± he screamed. Before the rest of the party could pile on him the voice from the introduction along with a high-pitched ring reverberated inside their heads. [Tutorial #1,294,007 haspleted. Rewards will be calcted based on current Ladder positions.] [You have been awarded title ¡®First Completionist¡¯] [You have been granted early ess to the Tutorial Shop.] [Ladder Positions Calcted.] [You have finished #3 on the Level Ladder] [Experience has been awarded. Title ¡®Top 3¡¯ has been awarded. 3,000,000 TP has been awarded] [You have finished #1 on the Tutorial Point Ladder] [Experience has been awarded. Title ¡®Top 1¡¯ has been awarded. 10,000,000 TP has been awarded] [Extra Title ¡®Top FInisher¡¯ has been awarded. Extra Title ¡®Lucrative¡¯ has been awarded.] [Overall cement has been assessed.] [Overall Tutorial Contribution has been assessed.] [Extra rewards are being distributed.] [You have received an Epic Armor Box x2. You have received an Epic Weapon Box x2. You have received 20x Strength, Intelligence, Vitality, Stamina, Wisdom, and Dexterity Pills. You have received 5,000,000 TP.] [This concludes the Tutorial. May you gain insight, power, and renown. And most importantly, survive.] Chapter 184: Hey Again. Chapter 184: Hey Again. ¡°So where exactly are we going?¡± ire asked, following along with Drake. ¡°Nowhere special. I just want to go there when we leave,¡± Drake said turning his head slightly to answer her. ¡°Sounds special¡­ If you want to leave everyone early to go there¡­ Did something happen there?¡± ¡°Could say that. But just enjoy being alone with me alright? We get to just rx for thest day, browse the shop.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true I guess¡­¡± ire said suspiciously. Drake scoffed and guided her through the forest at a casual pace, looking at the various items in the tutorial shop. He had already found the items that Natto had mentioned earlier, worried about them possibly getting sold out if he didn¡¯t grab them immediately. [Language Book of the Myriad Races] [S-Grade]
  • The use of this book allows one to understand all spoken and written forms ofnguages throughout the multiverse.
[Quest Voucher: A Land All Your Own] [E-Grade]
  • A quest voucher able to be redeemed at any system-sanctioned center help building.
  • Will expire after one year.
The two items had already cost him a pretty penny and had eased his worry of them being sold out. It seemed that certain items were only avable to certain people. Natto exined that it was abination of aplishments, titles, and max TP earned during the tutorial. For example, he, Shigure, and Bjorn could see the Quest Voucher, whereas anyone else they knew could not. As for the Language Book, it seemed to be avable so that everyone in the tutorial could purchase it if they wished. It was also rtively affordable for everyone at a price of 5,000 TP, whereas the Voucher was 100,000 TP. Drake was sure that he would be able to get the other items he was eyeing on the way to their destination so he was taking his time, enjoying the walk with ire. Thest 30 days had been mostly training for the both of them, giving them no time to be together outside of a few select days and nights. They talked and walkedfortably through the forest that Drake remembered vividly from his time trying to improve and level up rigorously. They even passed many of the same routes he fought through. Passing the Outpost B Drake had single-handedly taken. The fake army he still left within the forest outside of their old Outpost. Drake even thought they had passed the first ce he met Bjorn. He could have sworn that part of the river looked familiar, but all the rocks were the same so who could tell for certain. ¡°These are ces you fought at before you met all of us?¡± ire asked as Drake pointed them out casually. ¡°Yeah,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I was alone for most of the beginning. The first person I met was actually Bjorn, then Natto came out of an egg. That was a weird one.¡± ¡°An egg? Like a chicken egg?¡± ¡°It was bigger, more like an ostrich? I had to use some blood sacrifice to get her to hatch too. Spooky stuff,¡± Drake said giving a flutter of his fingers. ¡°So you¡¯ve always just had one thing after another sinceing to the tutorial¡­¡± ire said. ¡°Suppose so. I roughed it alone for the most part until I somehow got Natto then met Theo and rescued everyone else.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± ire hummed putting her hands behind her back, ¡°So are you going to keep me in the dark about where we¡¯re going until we get there?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Drake smiled pointing to a clearing in the forest, ¡°And we¡¯re there.¡± Drake¡¯s face turned solemn as he looked into the clearing, in the middle was a mound with no marker that had since be overgrown by the grass around it. Beneath it the nameless person he met on the day he became a Dual ss. This was where Drake decided to push forward and give it his all. He left ire at the edge of the clearing, walking up to the mound as he pulled a sword from his inventory. ¡°Hey there. Remember me?¡± he chuckled wearily, ¡°As promised, I came back at the end when I changed who I was. Literally¡­.¡± he said giving a bit of a listlessugh, ¡°This sword isn¡¯t the original, but I think it¡¯s just as nice.¡± Drake slipped the sword into the mound of dirt, the gravestone reced. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ire asked gently. ¡°No idea,¡± Drake answered. ire paused for a moment looking at the mound pensively. ¡°Were they important?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°This is where I killed my weak self. If it wasn¡¯t for what happened here, I may not have ever gone on to be so strong and save everyone I did¡­ Thinking back, I kinda wish it happened sooner¡­ Maybe¡­ Maybe I could have done more.¡± ire squeezed Drake¡¯s arm no words needing to be said. And that was because Natto said it for her. Popping out of the side of Drake¡¯s head she pped him. ¡°Will you stop this self-loathing! It is bing insufferable! How many times must I tell you, it is not your fault nor duty to protect every piece of idiotic buffoon that walks this tutorial! You are not god!¡± she yelled. ¡°Not yet,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°You are not even E-Rank yet! Leave your dreams for when you are asleep!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t sleep anymore, so I only have when I¡¯m awake?¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Drake gave a genuine smile andugh before pulling out some supplies and cing them nearby. Water, food, camping gear if you could call a luxury bed, chairs, and flooring camping gear. ¡°Might as well be mpers at this point,¡± Drake nodded looking at the setup. He looked back towards the mound where ire and Natto were still talking and moved to grab their attention. ¡°Alright. About time we see what this tutorial shop is all about yeah?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that many points, so I¡¯ll just watch along with you is that ok?¡± ire asked. ¡°Of course, do you want me to get you something? Speaking of something did you get any bonus rewards?¡± Drake replied, throwing the question right back at her. ¡°Bonuses? No¡­ I didn¡¯t get anything like that. I wasn¡¯t anywhere near the top after all,¡± she answered with empty eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay we can¡¯t all be special like me. Ow!¡± ire had punched him in the gut. Obviously not hurting him, but Drake felt like acting the part was necessary for these moments. ¡°Ass¡­¡± she mumbled. Drake just smiled, pulling the boxes from his inventory. ¡°Guess we look at these first.¡± [Epic Armor Box] [F-Grade]
  • Contains a ss-specific random piece of non-set armor or essories
  • Roll using the ck die before opening for use
  • Bound to Participant: Drake Wallen
  • Cannot be traded
[Epic Weapon Box] [F-Grade]
  • Contains a ss-specific random piece of non-set weaponry
  • Roll using the ck die before opening for use.
  • Bound to Participant: Drake Wallen
  • Cannot be traded
Drake currently had two of each in his possession as well as 20 of each stat pill. The pills were not bound to him like the boxes so he had given the vitality pills to ire ahead of time. The more health for a mage or support ss the better. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I used this,¡± Drake mused pulling the die from his inventory, ¡°So what happens to this thing after the tutorial?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Disappears¡­¡± Natto said snidely. Drake frowned, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Were you expecting it to be a key item of some sort? Change into an epic weapon maybe?¡± ¡°Well, yeah kind of,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°It is an item created specifically for participants of the tutorial for the new inductors of the multiverse to make it intentionally more difficult. How skills are gained outside of the tutorial ispletely different. I have told you this.¡± ¡°I know, just wanted to make sure¡­ Geez,¡± Drake scoffed, throwing the die to the floor. While Drake was less stressed over rolling than he had been previously. He had the ability to get exactly what he wanted now that he had the massive pool of TP at the tips of his fingers. But, there was one thing a gamer always kept. His need for better loot. His eyes bulged as his skills took hold, increasing his perception and seeing the die roll slowly to a stop. First a 17, then to a 5, next it turned slowly double bouncing to a 19 and finally halting, skidding to the ground, 12. ¡°FUUUUCKKKKK!¡± Drake yelled. ire pointed at Drake seeing him roll for loot for the first time, ¡°Has he always done that?¡± Natto nodded. ¡°That¡¯s cute¡­ In a weird sort of way¡­¡± ire mumbled. Natto looked at ire incredulously, ¡°Are you broken? Never mind, I take that back. To love a man like him you must be¡­. I lost a bet for wonderful candy over this¡­ It was rigged! Rigged I say!¡± Drake ignored them, sighing before opening the chest to his first Epic Armor. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty¡­¡± he swooned. [Ice Wyvern¡¯s Crystal Eye Earing [F-Grade] [Epic]
  • Increase Ice Based damage by 163 - 208
  • +40 to Intelligence
  • +10% to Spell Critical Rate, +20% to Spell Critical Damage
  • Limit 1
¡°Oooo¡­ Spell Crit¡­.¡± Drake drooled, holding the item to the fading sun, the crystalline blue capturing the orange spectacrly within the earring. ¡°That is gorgeous, can I see it?¡± ire asked hearts practically in her eyes. ¡°Sure,¡± Drake said tossing it to her. He quickly bent and picked up the die ready to keep the process going. One after the other he rolled, getting rtively average numbers for each chest. For thest Armor Chest, he rolled a 13. For the two weapon chests 15 and 9 respectively. The results were better than expected but the weapons were not honestly suited for him. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m a dual ss?¡± Drake wondered, looking at the weapons. ¡°Yes, that is exactly why¡­¡± Natto sighed, sitting down next to ire, a bag of food popping into her hands. ¡°Damn. Makes sense. But¡­. Damn¡­¡± Drakemented. [Lower Basilisk Wrist Guards [Epic] [F-Grade]
  • 315 to 364 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 282 to 290 Magic Damage Reduction
  • 15% Critical Hit Reduction
  • +20 to Strength, +15 to Dexterity, +50 to Endurance
  • Battleworn wrist guards made from the tough hide of the Basilisk species. +30% defense proficiency.
[Mana Infused Knuckle ws [Epic] [F-Grade]
  • 628 to 644 Physical Damage
  • 110 to 125 Magic Damage
  • 10% Increase to Critical Strikes
  • +20 to Strength, +25 to Dexterity, Reduces consumption of Stamina for skills by 1%
  • Well crafted three ded gauntlets made with a basic smithing technique infused with mana to increase the efficiency of the des and durability of the weapon overall.
[Lightning Storm in a Bottle [Epic] [F-Grade]
  • 4 to 12 Physical Damage
  • 568 to 700 Magic Damage
  • 10% Increase to Spell Critical Strikes
  • +20 to Intelligence, +15 to Wisdom, Reduces consumption of Lighting Based Spells by 1%
  • Can only be worn in the off-hand.
  • Bottled Storms from the Arabath the home of the never-ending storm. Mages of the often gift this to fledgling Mages to supplement their growth.
¡°So these are kinda awesome but Set items are significantly better huh?¡± Drake asked slipping the wrist protectors on, ¡°Ohfy¡­.¡± he smiled. ¡°By design yes. Set items will always give better effects while the set effects are in full use. You may find unique items that surpass them, but they will be far more specific in use. That orb for instance. It is rather strong for an F-Grade item, even at Epic Grade. But it is only effective for Lighting spells,¡± Natto exined. ¡°Well,¡± Drake said looking at the shimmering and crackling bottle, ¡°It isn¡¯t all bad, I can use this for my disguise on the outside.¡± ¡°Disguise?¡± ire asked finally done admiring the earring and handing it back to Drake. ¡°Yeah,¡± Drake replied, taking the earring and recing his right ear, ¡°I¡¯m going to be specifically a Mage on the outside until I can¡¯t be. I don¡¯t want people to know just yet that I¡¯m a Dual ss. I¡¯m strong but I don¡¯t know who else might be able to take me. It¡¯s better to sow more misinformation I think for now. At least until we all get back together and we can start building up our strength as a whole. And knowing who¡¯s our allies and enemies and all that is a good way to pace it too,¡± Drake exined, fiddling with his ne. ¡°Well? What do you see?¡± Drake asked opening up his hands. ire was confused, then realized he meant identify. ¡°Um¡­¡± she said squinting, ¡°Drake Wallen¡­ Level¡­ 13..?¡± she said confused, ¡°You picked a pretty low level, didn¡¯t you?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Yep, I want to know who will pick on the little guy for one. My inner Cid Kagenou ising through¡­ But also this is rtively the average level I think if our tutorial is anything to go off of.¡± Drake heard a snickere from Natto but didn¡¯t think anything of it. ¡°Imbecile till the end¡­.¡± Natto muttered through bites. Drake opened the tutorial shop now ready to start buying with his deep pockets. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what this baby has to offer!¡± Drake and ire sat down at the table a few feet away, Natto trotting along as well until she took a seat on the table with her bag of snacks. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­. There''s quite a lot here¡­ But the price goes exponentially up for the rarity¡­. That¡¯s really. Wow, that¡¯s a ripoff! 1 Million points for a single Stat Pill?! I found like 50 of these in the King¡¯s Hoard!¡± Nattoughed and shrugged, ¡°It is the Dragons. What did you expect? Do you believe they would give up their treasure for mere shekels?¡± Drake grounded his teeth, his expectation ofing out with a bunch of good stuff shattered. ¡°Well, I can still get a lot¡­ I just have to be more selective I suppose,¡± he sighed. Paging through therge selection, he browsed the Profession books, seedlings, skill stones, weapons, armor, potions, anything, and everything. He paged through the entirety of the shop not wanting to miss a single opportunity for something that may be useful for him now orter. Even before adding a single thing to his cart, the sun had long passed below the horizon. The night took hold of the area as Drake summoned floating fireballs to illuminate the surroundings. ¡°Hmmm,¡± he mused, then noticed ire fast asleep on his shoulder, forcing a smile from him. He quickly picked her up and put her to bed inside the tent, small grumblings from ire as he did. Coming back out of the tent he got back to his shopping, finding a few things he knew he would need right away. He looked over at Natto who had long since finished her snacks and was slightly drooling on the table asleep. Drake poked her awake. ¡°Hey, Natto.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± she said groggily. ¡°There seems to be a pack of set equipment here, Rare Grade. Is it worth getting? It is giving me limited ess to what¡¯s inside, but based on thebeling I think it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°What is the name?¡± Drake turned the screen around and pointed at it, ¡°Asuran War Garb Set, Rare Grade. It¡¯s 30 Million Points though.¡± Natto looked over the item for a moment then nodded, ¡°Yes it does seem made for you based on the name. But unfortunately, I can not tell you either way if it is an advisable purchase. I can tell you that it is worth much more than mere Tutorial Points at the least.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s a yes,¡± Drake said hitting the add to cart button, ¡°What about this?¡± [Spirit Ink Tattoos of the Asurans [Rare] [F-Grade] 10,000,000 TP Natto looked at Drake like he was dumb, ¡°Do you really need me to answer this? It has Asuran in the name Drake.¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Just making sure.¡± Continuing to add things to his cart one by one he paged through the store. [Lesser Fire Drake¡¯s Burning Eye Ring [F-Grade] [Rare] 3,000,000 TP
  • Increase Fire Based damage by 80 - 131
  • +10 to Intelligence
  • +5% to Spell Critical Rate, +5% to Spell Critical Damage
  • Limit 1
[Lesser Earth Dragon¡¯s Petrified Eye Ring [F-Grade] [Rare] 3,000,000 TP
  • Increase Earth Based damage by 100 - 110
  • +10 to Intelligence
  • +5% to Overall Spell Damage
  • Limit 1
[Large Dimensional Compartment [F-Grade] 5,000,000 TP
  • 300x50 Dimensional Space Bag
  • Requires one Inventory slot. Must be ced in Inventory to be equipped
  • Stores Items in current state indefinitely, does not include living entities
  • Drops on death.
  • Only 1 may be equipped at a time
¡°Ok that does it for essories and I know I¡¯ll need that inventory space in the future¡­ There¡¯s a reason games always charge micro-transactions for space after all. Now, for the stuff I¡¯m going to be using for my n¡­.¡± Drake hummed, ¡°Oh wait, there¡¯s that as well.¡± [Small Dungeon Dimension Anchor] [F-Grade] 500,000 TP
  • Anchors a Dimensional Space. Producing a Small Dungeon Anomaly.
  • Does not provide the Monsters within the Anomaly.
  • Anything trapped within the Anomaly space when anchored will forever be anchored to it.
¡°I have no idea if this is going to pay dividends but a Dungeon sounds just like what I¡¯ll needter on. Too bad I can only get one from the shop.¡± Next Drake filled all he could into his cart with skill stones he thought would be valuable to people on the outside, as well as material and seeds much like his man-eating nt. Butmented being unable to get a particr item he spotted in the process. [World Tree [Epic] [F-Grade] 100,000,000 TP
  • A Growing Monument to the Elven Lineage.
  • This tree must be grown over centuries but gives massive beneficial growth buffs to its citizens.
  • Only one may be nted on a at a time.
¡°It would have been nice to get this. Really drive home the fantasy feel ya know?¡± ¡°You would be asking for trouble if you even could purchase that¡­¡± Natto exined, ¡°World Trees are beneficial in many ways to worlds. They inspire and encourage growth of all kinds in both the citizens and monsters of the world. They also bear fruit of all kinds of surprising things. Not to mention items made from the Tree are always in demand no matter the Grade. You are better off not having one right off the bat. Especially with no Elves to properly care for it.¡± ¡°Hmm, well that¡¯s unfortunate¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°But I got almost everything that I wanted regardless. Thankfully the skill stones I picked up were duplicates from stuff I had before so they weren¡¯t too much. And the profession technique books were pretty inexpensive also for some reason. But time to blow my load!¡± Drake chuckled hitting the purchase button, Natto rolling her eyes at the joke. But she only scoffed and looked at Drake in contempt for so long, before arge box appeared and crashed into the table, snapping it in half and sending her flying off into the distance. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just karma,¡± Drakeughed, then frowned looking at the table, ¡°I really liked that table though¡­¡± Chapter 185: Cheers to a New Chapter! Volume 2 End! Chapter 185: Cheers to a New Chapter! Volume 2 End! Natto walked back over disgruntled, dusting herself off as she picked pieces of grass from her hair. She patted her ears gently as she red at Drake still cackling. ¡°You could have warned me!¡± ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t know it was going to happen,¡± Drake shrugged smiling. ¡°To be stuck with you for the rest of my life¡­.¡± Natto whimpered. Drake kept his smile and picked her up, pulling arge venison skewer from his inventory. ¡°Now, now. You¡¯re alright, here.¡± ¡°Hai, ham nawt foreghiving shew!¡± she said chewing on the skewer. ¡°Yes, yes. Isn¡¯t it time you get to bed too? I set up a bed for you in the tent,¡± Drakeughed. Natto yawned as she gnawed on the meat, ¡°I am getting somewhat tired.. What will you do?¡± Drake pointed to the box. ¡°Going to get familiar with my new goodies.¡± Natto waved turning towards the tent, ¡°Do not spend all your time staring at the screens you will go blind.¡± ¡°Yes, mom,¡± Drake replied picking up the box and putting it onto a new table from his inventory. Eager to get into his new gear. ¡°Now what did Dragon Santa give me?¡± Drake pulled the surprisingly familiar tape from the box, a little put off on how much it looked like one of the moving boxes his mother used constantly to send things back to the Philipines. The tape removed he flipped open the ps only to see a kaleidoscope of lights covering the empty space. ¡°What in the¡­? Is this like a dimensional space?¡± Drake thought out loud sticking his hand into the light. ¡°Oh, that feels very weird¡­¡± Drake grimaced moving his hand further and further into the box until he felt something touch his fingers. Grabbing and pulling the thing out he was surprised to see several itemse out of the space and tumble out onto him. He had pulled out several pieces of armor and clothing he assumed to be the Asuran Armor he had purchased. ¡°Well, these are colorful?¡± [Asuran War Vest [Rare] [F-Grade][Set Piece 1/6]
  • 257 to 275 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 202 to 217 Magic Damage Reduction
  • 7% Critical Hit Reduction
  • +20 to Strength, +10 to Dexterity, +5 to Endurance
  • Set Effects: Increases Health and Mana Regeneration by 20%. Increases Skill Proficiency Gain by 2%. Increases Defense Proficiency by 50% when surrounded by Enemies scaling from 10 to 100.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The armor of choice for warriors of the Asurans. Mana-infused threads and leather made from the fierce monsters of their homeworld Ran¡¯tu Kai, these garbs offer defense to rival Dwarven-made Mana Steel Equipment. +25% defense proficiency.
Drake¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the ck and white top vest, chains of deep colorless ck seeming to absorb the light of his fire spells around him feathered from a center node in the back and front of the vest. ¡°Only one problem¡­¡± Drake said suddenly feeling embarrassed, ¡°It only covers the top half of my body¡­ Where¡¯s the rest of the armor?! You don¡¯t expect me to wear something that shows so much skin do you!?¡± Drake gave up sighing. He had no other option but to wear the equipment. His current armor was torn to pieces from the tutorial and his recent training. So much so that they could hardly be called anything but rags at this point. His wonderful armor was no more. Taking off the robes and his undershirt he suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable and quickly ced them into his inventory for sentimental value as he slipped on the vest. The vest fitted perfectly as if it was made just for him, his arms slipping into the holes of the vest as the chains fell into ce around him, surprising him further by making no sound despite obviously being made of metal. Drake picked up one of the chains, jangling it still hearing no noise. ¡°Thats neat,¡± he scoffed picking up the next piece. [Asuran War Leggings [Rare] [F-Grade][Set Piece 1/6]
  • 288 to 294 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 212 to 225 Magic Damage Reduction
  • 5% Increase to Spell Critical Strikes
  • +20 to Intelligence, +10 to Wisdom
  • Set Effects: Increases Health and Mana Regeneration by 20%. Increases Skill Proficiency Gain by 2%. Increases Defense Proficiency by 50% when surrounded by Enemies scaling from 10 to 100.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The armor of choice for warriors of the Asurans. Mana-infused threads and leather made from the fierce monsters of their homeworld Ran¡¯tu Kai, these garbs offer defense to rival Dwarven Made Mana Steel Equipment. +20% defense proficiency.
¡°Are all of these pieces going to be this dramatic looking¡­? God I hope so,¡± Drake smiled bringing the leggings into the light. To call them leggings wasn¡¯t exactly urate. They looked like torn cloth pants wrapped in some type of hefty leather. The thighs then protected with an interlocking flexible metal material. And covered on top of that the bottom coverings of a robe with iconic ck fire on white, the inseam a bright striking red. The whole thing was fastened together with a simr pitch-ck metal chain for the belt. Drake looked around briefly out of habit even though his aura told him both ire and Natto were sound asleep in the tent, then pulled off his old armor slipping into the new piece of gear. ¡°Oh.. Oh! Oh¡­! That¡¯s like silk¡­ Dios ko, I have to remember to get fresh undies when we get back to my apartment, not to mention a bunch of other stuff¡­ Rice, candy, my rice cooker, my pc, my tablet¡­ Will I even have electricity for it? I¡¯ll figure that outter,¡± Drake digressed picking up two cloth wraps in his hands next. [Asuran War Footwraps [Rare] [F-Grade][Set Piece 1/6]
  • 133 to 142 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 121 to 127 Magic Damage Reduction
  • +20% to Stamina Regeneration
  • +20 to Endurance, +5 to Dexterity
  • Set Effects: Increases Health and Mana Regeneration by 20%. Increases Skill Proficiency Gain by 2%. Increases Defense Proficiency by 50% when surrounded by Enemies scaling from 10 to 100.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The armor of choice for warriors of the Asurans. Mana-infused threads and leather made from the fierce monsters of their homeworld Ran¡¯tu Kai, these garbs offer defense to rival Dwarven Made Mana Steel Equipment. +15% defense proficiency.
The footwraps were exactly that, wraps of tough silky cloth. There was however arge metal frame that fit perfectly into the arch of his foot at the end of each wrap. Drake looked at it curiously and through some trial and error was able to twine them around his feet eventually, the metal te at the soles of his arches. Once he was done he spotted another pair of wraps, but these were already bundled away almost like apression wrap. Drake could already guess which pieces these were but inspected them all the same. [Asuran War Handwraps [Rare] [F-Grade][Set Piece 1/6]
  • 120 to 135 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 115 to 130 Magic Damage Reduction
  • +5% to Physical Critical Strikes
  • +15 to Vitality, +5 to Strength
  • Set Effects: Increases Health and Mana Regeneration by 20%. Increases Skill Proficiency Gain by 2%. Increases Defense Proficiency by 50% when surrounded by Enemies scaling from 10 to 100.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The armor of choice for warriors of the Asurans. Mana-infused threads and leather made from the fierce monsters of their homeworld Ran¡¯tu Kai, these garbs offer defense to rival Dwarven Made Mana Steel Equipment. +15% defense proficiency.
Drake whistled looking at the stats and feeling the effects of the set activate once he finished wrapping the Handwraps into ce, squeezing and unclenching his hands feeling the fabric between his fingers. ¡°These are incrediblyfortable¡­¡± Drake mused, then summoned a spike of earth in front of him, condensing the mana used to do so to harden the spike. Drake¡¯s arm hummed with power as his lone tattoo ring red to life. Reeling back his hand he threw a straight right into the spike, smashing it to pieces. ¡°Wow, I barely felt a thing,¡± he smirked looking at the wraps. The armor hadn¡¯t even hemmed from the strike, only a bit of dirt covering them. ¡°Now the problem is, do I rece the rest of my equipment with the set items? There''s technically seven pieces. The bracers shoulders and headpiece are the ones I¡¯m currently not wearing. Stat wise the shoulders would be better than my shawl, but I don¡¯t want to give up the ability to freely use my inventory¡­ and my bracers right now are technically better at epic grade. But the full 6 piece bonus is nothing to scoff at. If the tutorial is any indicator I¡¯m sure there will be swarms of monsters again at some point. I guess I can just freely equip the other two pieces when I need it,¡± Drake nodded to his self-exnation putting the three extra pieces away and stuffing his hand back into the box. Feeling around he pulled the rest of the consumables and skill stones from the box until he pulled one of the items he was looking for. His new Dimensional Storage. ¡°Just put that into ce real quick.¡± Drake removed one of his old ¡®smaller¡¯ bags and reced it swiftly with the new storage, increasing his already monstrous inventory with more space. A little more fumbling around in the box he pulled out his new earrings and rings, recing those as well until he pulled a small chest and thest item from the box. ¡°These are the spirit tattoos then huh?¡± Drake wondered looking at the small golden chest. Not wanting to wait Drake opened the chest, it covered in red velvet-like material on the inside, housing a small vial filled with gold liquid. [Spirit Ink Tattoos of the Asurans [Rare] [F-Grade]
  • 520 to 552 Physical Damage
  • 515 to 530 Magic Damage
  • 5% Increase to Base Critical Strikes
  • +10 to Strength, +10 to Intelligence, Reduces consumption of Mana for spells by 5%
  • By constantly infusing mana into the Tattoos you may produce Magic Spiritual Ink Tattoos of the Asurans. The increased infusion of mana will increase the durability and damage of the tattoos by 1% per total Mana percentage.
  • The Spirit Ink Tattoos are made from the reforged material of fallen rivals of the Grand Asurans. By design the Spirit Tattoos wish to consume and grow.
  • A limit of 1 Weapon can be integrated into the Spirit Tattoos to increase Grade.
  • The Spiritual Ink Tattoos are a special tool used by veteran warriors in the halls of the furious Asurans. They are forged by skilled craftsmen so that the Mana Infused Ink may take shape for the fighter. By design, they are perfect for mana control and maniption. As well as the growth of apex fighters within the ranks of the Asurans
Drake¡¯s eyes bulged at the description, his legendary E-Grade weapon shing in his mind. Taking a few audible breaths he tried to calm himself, his hand shaking as he held the vial. ¡°Calm down, rx¡­ I can¡¯t use it yet. You read the description right Drake? If you feed it the gauntlets now you wouldn¡¯t be able to use them since it would increase to E-Grade¡­. Just breath¡­ Take it slow!¡± Drake forced himself to let go of the box that held E-Grade Gauntlets inside them. Almost sumbing to the temptation to see the new weapone to life. ¡°All in due time¡­ ALL IN DUE TIME!¡± Drake shouted to bury out the voice telling him to upgrade the weapon already. Letting out another breath Drake looked at the vial in the light of his spells. ¡°How do I use this then? Don¡¯t tell me I need to see a tattoo artist to use it first?¡± Drake wondered. Drake first took off his tattoo ring, cing it back into his inventory, running his fingers over the vial of gold somewhat viscous liquid. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t want me to drink this stuff, I¡¯m not into that¡­¡± Drake cringed, turning the vial over several times, ¡°Well it¡¯s a weapon right? Maybe I just equip it like one?¡± Drake shrugged popping the vial open, extending one arm. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± A momentter the gold liquid almost slithered out of the vial in a single blob, snapping to the skin on Drake¡¯s arm. He suddenly felt his skin burn with an intensity akin to when he consumed a skill stone. Gritting his teeth he forced himself to not flinch away as he emptied the vial, the liquid searing his skin as it slowly entered his body. The next second his skin illuminated in a golden light as the sh cascaded across his arm and past his shoulders to his other arm as he dropped the vial. Letting out a breath of relief after the process finished Drake looked at his arms seeing a faint ethereal outline of mes painted on his skin. ¡°Dope¡­¡± Drake mumbled, then pushed Mana into his arms feeling for the weapon. Once he found the connection to the weapon, the sensation was instant. His arms red in a golden light once again, almosting to life off his arms as the mes danced with a royal hue of deep gold. ¡°Hahaha! This is amazing!¡± Drake shouted, feeling his mana smoothly transition into the weapon, instinctively feeling that the amount he could pass over to it was a monumental number of times more than his tattoo rings could previously hold. It felt as if the Spirit Tattoo was a part of him, not just physically but spiritually. Drake pushed his hand out pointing it to the air. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly not cristen this!¡± he shouted, his hair suddenly turning white, the mes around him bristling as they hardened forming spikes of ice with a golden me humming with life underneath. ¡°Moeru.¡± A shift in Drake¡¯s mana happened quickly the process of turning his fire into its matured white form happening in a split second as it breathed to life instantaneously, surprising Drake as he saw the dense ball of fire mana continue to build. Soon the ball was so bright it illuminated the night like a bright north star. Condensed into the size of a small baseball hovering on top of Drake¡¯s open palm. Once it began contesting his control, he smiled, willing it into the air as it shot upward. The sound of the screeching ball of intense heat searing the very air as it reached for the sky. ¡°Cheers, to the next chapter.¡± The ball of fire imploded turning night to day for miles around the area and of course startling ire and Natto as they ran out of the tent to find Drake grinning ear to ear. Turning his head to them he grinned even wider, ¡°Sorry, did I wake you?¡± ¡ª----------------------------- ¡°I said I was sorry. It wasn¡¯t even that bad,¡± Drakeughed, as he sliced apart some meat for their breakfast. ¡°I thought we were under attack again!¡± ire shouted from the other side of the table, pointing her knife at him, ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°But, I had to test out the new weapon I got. You know how it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t! You can basically destroy whole neighborhoods with your magic power, you can¡¯t go throwing it around as you want anymore¡­¡± she admonished him. ¡°Alright, alright. No more showing off. But I have a present for you,¡± Drake slipped in, washing his hands briefly before taking out a ring from his inventory. ¡°I know you can¡¯t use it, but I thought you would want something of mine while we¡¯re apart. Ya know to remember me by,¡± Drake exined, holding out his remaining Tattoo Ring. ¡°T-this is¡­ This is thest one of the rings you always had right?¡± ire asked pensively. ¡°Yep. I got new weapons so I don¡¯t need it anymore. Do you want it?¡± ire nodded looking at the ring before trying to slip it on, only for the system to send her a small zap informing her she couldn¡¯t wear it. She wagged her hand from the shock but puffed out her cheeks, ¡°I wanted to wear it!¡± Drake chuckled and pulled a strap of leather from his inventory, twining it to make a neat, durable thread,cing it in between the ring. ¡°Here, maybe this will work since it won''t provide stats this way,¡± Drake said, moving behind her to drape her hair out of the way so he could fasten the leather. ¡°No shock, perfect,¡± Drake smiled, giving her a kiss on her shoulder, ¡°Now you won¡¯t forget me,¡± Drakeughed. ire¡¯s face went crimson for a moment before she raised the ring and looked at it endearingly, ¡°I would never forget you. How could I, you''re the man who saved my life and I love.¡± Drake embraced ire from behind letting his feelings pour over her through it. ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at saying stuff like that. So I¡¯ll just say it since you won¡¯t be seeing me for a while,¡± Drake said turning her around to look her in the eyes, ¡°I love you too ire. I¡¯lle find you once everything is done, so wait for me.¡± ¡°Only when everything is done?¡± she said, pursing her lips. Drake scoffed, ¡°There has to be a ce toe back to doesn¡¯t there? You¡¯re a big strong girl now, I know you can manage a little bit without me.¡± ire fell into his embrace once more as they stood silently in each other''spany for a time. ¡°Alright, so onest meal before we¡¯re out of here huh?¡± Drake said letting her go and looking at the countdown. [Current Time Remaining in Tutorial: 3 hours 02 minutes 43 seconds] The rest of their time was spent rtively silently together, they finished preparing the meal, cooking, and sitting with one another. Even Natto was pleasant as they ate and simply enjoyed each other''spany as they waited for the end of the tutorial toe. Drake pushed the thoughts of what was toe once they were back. His mind set on the present, rxing in the moment for once. Drake and ire gazed into the midday sky as they held hands, the clock ticking down. 10 9 8 7 6 Drake turned to her, leaning in for onest kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll see you on the other side yeah?¡± Drake said, pressing his head to hers. 5 4 3 2 ¡°You know you will. Can¡¯t get rid of me you stubborn asshole,¡± she smiled back, gripping his hand a little tighter. 1 ire¡¯s hand vanished inside Drake¡¯s as they were both engulfed in a spectrum of lights, much like they had with the introduction of the tutorial. The sound of the robotic woman chiming in their heads. [The tutorial has concluded. You will now be ced back to your original locations on your, as best the system can provide. We hope you have enjoyed your experience.] [May you gain insight, power, and renown. And most importantly, survive.] Chapter 186: The Race Begins! Chapter 186: The Race Begins! ¡°D..ke! .ake!! DRAKE YOU FILTHY LAZY APE WAKE UP DAMN IT!!!!¡± Drake shot up with a start, his aura and senses going into overdrive as he felt out the situation. ¡°Ah¡­ Natto, why are you screaming into my ears?!¡± Drake sighed, rubbing his ears. ¡°You are going to fail in receiving the first System Sanctioned Town at this rate you imbecile! Check your notifications and make your way to the nearest System Center!¡± she screamed at him again. Drake had some time to check his surroundings now, his hand pressed against the soft covers he felt underneath him, his head turning to see familiar light blue colored walls, a desk housing arge drawing tablet,puter, and several monitors. ¡°W-we¡¯re back?¡± Drake said, stumbling over his words briefly. ¡°Yes, good for us! Now hurry!¡± Natto shouted again, poking him in the side. Drake scoffed and picked her up, pulling his entire room into his inventory quickly. ¡°Ok, so it wasn¡¯t all a dream then. Looks like all the functions work here too¡­ Aura¡¯s working, Magic¡­¡± Drake thought flexing his will and a fireball formed from a circle in front of him, ¡°Working! Nice! Alright! I don¡¯t hear any screaming so I hope that¡¯s a good sign and not a sign that everyone is dead¡­¡± Drake moved to his closet, pulling out arge hoodie that was several sizes too big now that he had lost so much weight during the tutorial. ¡°Damn, I was a big boy, but¡­ this is crazy how much bigger this is. Whatever, it''s a nice and cozy feeling. Them buffalo winters¡­ Speaking of,¡± Drake mused, slipping on the hoodie over his Asuran Garbs and looking out of the window. Drake whistled slightly, not thinking he would see such things again, then noticed his reflection in the ss. ¡°Oh? So this is what I look like now huh¡­¡± Drake smirked, moving his mask to the side to get a good look. In the slightly translucent reflection Drake saw himself, his familiar ck hair extended down well past his shoulders. His jaw much sharper and defined, his face chiseled as if it were a sculpture. His blue eyes shifted from blue to green to yellow in a constant eerie flow that hummed with power behind them. His most striking new feature, his skin tone had taken a few steps down in saturation, his creamy tan had be a more deep caramel. After a few more seconds of admiring himself, his eyes refocused to the outside. Outside it was snowing lightly, the flecks of ice tumbling to the ground in a constant stream. Covering the ground in blissful white fluff. The streets were covered, and the houses he could see from his apartment were also fully clothed in a white nket. But what concerned Drake was what else he could see, or frankly not see. The houses near his area were tightly packed, or supposed to be. What he saw were spacious lots ofnd, trees he had never seen, and even some buildings split in half down the middle huge gaps between the pieces. ¡°Guess they weren¡¯t lying about the world expanding, but that is nasty¡­ If people still lived there-¡± Drake realized his words, his jaw tightening slightly as he ran from room to room in his apartment, pulling everything he could into it. Food, books, furniture, toiletries, soap, cleaners, anything and everything went in. Natto clung for dear life on the edge of his hoodie, ¡°Drake! Drake stop! The notifications!!!¡± Drake¡¯s brow raised as he heard her but he didn¡¯t stop moving. Completing his task of collecting his home into his inventory, he made for the door as he opened the screen. [Wee to the new and improved Earth! Your haspleted its overhaul of integrating several others to form one of the two remainings with life in your sr system] [New Quest!ary Upgrade! Defeat the Four Cardinal Beasts.] [Reward: Experience.ary Rank Upgrade. Permanent ess to E-Grade Large Dungeon Tower. ess to First Inteary Travel Node] [New Quest! Be one of the first to establish a System Sanctioned Town!] [Reward: Experience. Nobility Ranking based on cement. Basic System Buildings based on cement] [New Limitation Release! 9 Years, 364 Days, 13 Hours, 34 Minutes] [When the Limitation is Released, your will be introduced into the vast systemwork, allowing fors above E-Grade to travel to your Sr System] [New World Wide Quest! Defeat the Waves! Begins in 99 Days, 13 Hours, 32 Minutes] [Your first test against adversity in your new world will put its new citizens to the test. Will you band together and ovee the endless waves of monsters as you fight for control ofnd, protect your loved ones, and conquer this new world? Or will you create the biggest schism between your new norm] ¡°That is an excessive amount of information,¡± Drake agreed, ¡°Natto any info you can give me on them?¡± he asked, reaching the bottom of the stairs with his hand on the door. Natto exhaled, taking a breath as she rxed on Drake¡¯s shoulder, giving him a death stare before shaking her own head and merging with him. ¡°As of now, nothing is of relevance, once you establish your town we may go from there. Until then reaching the System center is your priority,¡± she implored. ¡°Fine, but where do I go-¡± Before Drake could finish his sentence he heard the crackling of brick and wood across the street, the building beginning to splinter. In the breaks between that, he heard screaming. A child¡¯s scream. Drake instantly shifted into his lightning endowment, his feet almost burning marks on the ground as he rushed to the home as the snow melted below him. Navigating the copsing building he spread out his aura, happy to see that because it was a pre-system structure it didn¡¯t block it. He then pinpointed the room with two children inside huddling together as they looked around in abject fear of what was going on. Drake pulled the door open, their eyes locking onto him in confusion. ¡°W-where are our parents?!¡± one yelled. Drake bit down on his lip, feeling a lump form in his chest. The few words from the kids made him realize what he had suspected in the tutorial a reality. Their parents hadn''t made it out of their tutorial. Leaving the children alone, confused, and scared when the tutorial was finished. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Drake lied with a hint of sadness in his voice, ¡°But you areing with me, it isn''t safe here.¡± ¡°N-no! Our dad told us to never go with strangers!¡± the other shouted. ¡°I¡¯m Drake. Drake Wallen, see? Not a stranger anymore. Here, I even have candy,¡± Drake said, trying to give a diffusing smile as he reached out his hand, the house rumbling more and more. ¡°Our dad said that''s exactly what a stranger would say!¡± ¡°Smart man. Sorry kids, I don¡¯t have time to do this gently,¡± Drake grimaced the house beginning to split underneath his feet. Drake pointed his palm towards the opposite wall of the children a green magic circle manifesting quickly. ¡°Impact!¡± The magic formed and burst out with incredible force, quickly blowing the wall from its foundation. Drake picked up both children in a fireman carry as he leapt from the room to the ground. Landing safely and smoothly with the crunch of snow. The children iling in protest as he put them down. The three looked towards the house as it fell to pieces. ¡°O-our house¡­¡± they both said sinking to the ground on their knees. Drake gave a solemn gaze as he saw them begin to cry, his mind racing on exactly what to do about this situation. He knew very well they wouldn¡¯t be the only ones left alone on his street or in his city, or even the state or country. ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto chided, reading his thoughts. I won¡¯t leave them. Drake responded in his head, biting down on his lip in frustration. Before they could argue, the ground rumbled once more. Drake¡¯s instincts going into overdrive as he scooped the children up once more and jumping backward. The ground shifted with a sound of grading metal then splintered, the head of an enormous faceless slithering thing worming its way out of the ground. [Mana Worm Level 12] Drake¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No quest?¡± Drake wondered as hended on the ground, putting the kids down. He quickly summoned a barrier of Earth around them despite their screams and protests. He couldn¡¯t have them run off and getting killed. ¡°Natto?¡± Drake asked again. ¡°Quests and skills are handled much differently outside of the tutorial. Excluding World Quests and System-Wide Quests, you must go to the system centers for now until you are able to establish a town. You will still receive experience, but drops will be far more scarce, as will skill stones,¡± she answered. ¡°Good enough for me,¡± Drake frowned looking at the worm as he pulled his staff from his inventory, his hair changing to white. ¡°You aren¡¯t even good enough for a warm-up,¡± Drake sneered, cracking his neck, ¡°Going after kids? Dick move.¡± Drake pointed his staff at the worm. ¡°Bararaq, Saiqa.¡± From Drake¡¯s staff, a sh of yellow turned forming his magic circle as it instantly changed to a violet streak of lightning jumping from his staff to the worm. Raining down with such force it scorched and cracked the earth around it, burning the worm to a charcoal lump. [You have subjugated Mana Worm Level 12 [F-Rank] [Experience Earned] Drake spat on the ground towards the pitiful husk of the monster, ¡°Is it worth anything Natto?¡± ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°Good, let¡¯s go.¡± Turning he let down the barrier around the children, their faces still in fear as they looked from him to the burned monster. ¡°W-what was that?! Who- What are you!?¡± one child shouted and pointed at him. Drake tilted his head putting his staff on his shoulder, ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m Drake Wallen. They call me the Tyrant. What¡¯s your names?¡± ¡ª--------------------- ¡°Get off me!¡± The girl shouted at the man who was pressing her against the wall, his strength unbelievable as the tricks, magics, superpowers, or whatever he had shown before. ¡°I have to get to my house and find my brother! Get the fuck off my creep!¡± ¡°Now, now¡­ This is the new world girly! The strong get to do whatever they want!¡± the disgusting man chuckled. ¡°N-No! Get the hell away from me! Someone! Someone, please help me!¡± she shrieked, despair welling up in her chest as she desperately tried to push the man away. ¡°No one¡¯s ganna help you! Didn¡¯t you get the memo?! The world is for the strong! And we take what we want now!¡± he howled,ughing again tightening his grip around her wrists. The sound of someone clearing their throat came from the end of the alley. The man turned his head from the girl, still pinning her to the wall of the building, his face sneering as if someone had interrupted his dinner. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± the man growled. The other man stood stoically at the end of the alley wearing a gray hoodie, the hood pulled down over his face obscuring any discernible detail. ¡°What was that about being strong? Hmm. Only level 9? You haven¡¯t even reached F-Rank yet and you¡¯re already going around doing sickening B-rate viin acts while saying your strong? You''re the 10th one in thest hour, there have been so many of you I¡¯m starting to lose hope,¡± the hooded man said, his voice dripping with cold venom. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± the other man sneered, focusing in on the hooded man, his eyes shining with a weird light as if he was looking determinedly for something, but his face slowly shifted and curled into a frown, ¡°L-level 14? How are you so high!?¡± The hooded man took a step and the next he was holding the other man by the throat, a beautiful four-leafed staff in the other, forcing the man to drop the girl as she scurried out of the way. ¡°T-thank you!¡± the girl studdered looking back, only to see the hooded man¡¯s hood fall, revealing his fiery red hair and striking white mask as he raised the man several feet into the air seemingly without effort. The girl stood for abored second staring at him before his eyes shifted only briefly to her from the other man, his eyes shifting from brilliant blue to yellow. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°Y-yes sir!¡± ¡ª--------------- Drake turned, holding the man up against the wall. ¡°What kind of sick fuck gets off kidnapping a kid. Never mind I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Drake spat looking at the man in disgust, ¡°What were you even doing in your tutorial to not get above level 10? Then you want to preach about being strong?¡± The man looked down into Drake¡¯s eyes with horror, his hands manically clutching and wing at the grip around his throat as he began to drool. His body begging and pleading for air. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­.!¡± ¡°No, you aren¡¯t,¡± Drake said evenly his eyes that of someone looking at pure garbage, ¡°But you will be.¡± ¡°P-please don¡¯t kill me!¡± ¡°Kill?¡± Drake said, his eyes shing, ¡°I¡¯m not killing anyone. I¡¯m simply doing my civic duty. Cleaning up the neighborhood, making sure the streets are nice and tidy. I¡¯m taking out the trash.¡± Chapter 187: Names? Chapter 187: Names? The girl ran from the alleyway, hearing the sounds of -of well something she would rather not describe- pleading, begging, and eventually the sound of something akin to lightning striking. She exited the alleyway out of breath after the man gave her a death stare backed by something uncanny she couldn¡¯t exin. But it was something that had power behind it. Once out she bent, her hands on her knees as she gasped for breath. When she rose looking out into the street she saw a school bus, in front of it something she couldn¡¯t exin. ¡°I-is that a man made out of¡­ Electricity? No¡­lightning¡­?¡± she studdered. ¡°Oh him? That¡¯s Stevie!¡± a boy shouted from the window of the bus hanging out of it, ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk, but he¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Stevie¡­?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°Yeah, we all just call him Shiny though. What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Landin,¡± Landin answered. ¡°Charlotte¡­¡± she said warily. ¡°Well Charlotte, what are you ganna do now?¡± a voice asked from the alley, ¡°And I told you kids to stop hanging out of the windows! It¡¯s harder for Stevie to protect you if you do that shit, stay in the damned bus!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°And stop calling him shiny! You know how hard I had to work to make him¡­.¡± A scream came from the bus. The head of a small girl with pink hair and animal ears poking out of the window next to Landin. ¡°D-Drake! Help me! They are animals! Animals I tell you! S-Sav-¡± Natto shouted but was cut off being sucked back into the bus with the cheers andughs of children. ¡°Ignore her. Well, what¡¯s it ganna be? You can eithere with us and I keep you safe while I sweep the rest of the city. Or you can take your chances on your own and maybe find another Mr. Touchy Feely again.¡± Charlotte looked at the being of light and then over to Drake. ¡°W-what is it?¡± she asked first. ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk, and he is not a he. It, or Stevie is a magic spell,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°Yes magic, like in cartoons, movies, anime. You kids still watch that stuff don¡¯t you?¡± Drake asked, snapping his fingers and forming a puff of fire in his hands. ¡°W-what? That can¡¯t be real¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very real. You¡¯re real aren¡¯t you Stevie?¡± Drake smirked, moving his mask to the side. The Elemental spell moved over next to Drake. Standing emotionlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ What is going on, where are the rest of the kids on the street, the people? Why is it snowing! It was just fall a moment ago!¡± Charlotte¡¯s face went through a series of swift emotions, confusion, fear, anger, then desperation, ¡°I-I have to get to my brother, he¡¯s all home alone!¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand! He¡¯s- What?¡± ¡°I said, ok. Where is he, will go pick him up before we hit the rest of the city,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°W-what do you want in return?¡± Charlotte asked pensively. ¡°Ugh. Gross. I¡­ Let¡¯s just say I have a soft spot for helping people. I¡¯ll exin what happenedter, but the jist of it is the world has changed. And¡­ how old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 15¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know if that is a blessing or a death sentence for you¡­¡± Drake said his eyes softening, ¡°When you turn 16 you will be indoctrinated into the system. I am a survivor of one of the system tutorials and I will protect you until you know what you want to do or where you need to go to find your family. All those kids in there,¡± Drake pointed to the bus with his chin, ¡°Are in your same situation, they came back when the tutorials were over. Their parents, siblings, guardians, all gone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand the full scope of it now. But you need to stay safe, and I¡¯m providing security. You just have to decide. Do you want to go get your brother and keep him safe? Or do you think you can do it on your own against more people like that guy in the alley,¡± Drake asked, pulling down his hood. Charlotte¡¯s face hardened, and she nodded walking to the bus, but turned around as her hand went to the open rail of the door. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your hair red earlier?¡± she asked. Drake smiled, shifting his hair colors, ¡°Magic.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face ckened in amazement, ¡°Magic huh¡­.¡± ¡ª---------- Both Charlotte and Drake entered the bus, the ce more rambunctious than Charlotte would have thought after what she had witnessed happening recently, as well as what Drake had said before. ¡°Pipe down you little animals!¡± Drake roared from the front, ¡°Where¡¯s Natto?!¡± The kids quickly calmed down, all of them ranging from a few years old to 15 like Charlotte. Charlotte mped her hands over her ears from Drake shouting right next to her and winced, moving down the aisle to find a ce to sit. Until she saw someone wave to her to sit down. It was the boy from earlier Landin. He had dark skin, and short hair and was wearing a shirt that said ¡®Old Soul¡¯ on it. But before she had a chance to sit down, a desperate voice came from the back of the bus. ¡°S-Save me¡­ No more¡­ I beg of you Drake¡­¡± ¡°Ah, there you are. You can¡¯t handle some kids? Some help you¡¯re going to be when we actually have a town¡­.¡± Drake smirked, walking down the aisle to her. Charlotte squeezed into the seat with Landin letting Drake pass as she followed him with his eyes. ¡°These are not children! They are savages! They have stolen my food and worst of all! My candy!¡± Natto screamed pushing forward through the aisle. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even yours to start with you little glutton. And you need to learn to share, we have more than enough food to go around. That reminds me, Charlotte, are you hungry, thirsty?¡± Charlotte flinched slightly at being addressed, ¡°Uh no I¡¯m fine¡­ thank you.¡± Drake shrugged and brought Natto to the front, herints louder than the children on the bus. ¡°Drake¡¯s alright, he¡¯s a bit weird and he can do the magic thing but he¡¯s good people,¡± Landin said from Charlotte¡¯s side. ¡°O-oh! I mean he saved me¡­ but it just it¡¯s a lot to take in¡­¡± she answered. ¡°It is, take your time. You¡¯re totes safe with Drake, He¡¯s protected us against anything that¡¯se so far. Low key, we were even more devastated than you when he found us¡­¡± a girl said from the other side of the aisle. Charlotte turned her head to see a girl with light brown hair holding a baby who was somehow sleeping in her arms. ¡°Oh! A baby..? Are they yours?¡± she asked. ¡°Mine? No, this is another one that Drake found on his sweep through the city. It looks like all of the adults are gone¡­ All of our parents. He found Cid and me in a house that was crumbling, we were attacked after by something Drake called a Mana Worm? We¡¯ve seen at least 10 of those disgusting things so far.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said looking down at the baby, ¡°I¡¯m Charlotte. It¡¯s nice to meet you¡­?¡± The girl smiled and stuck out a hand, ¡°I¡¯m Janey,¡± she pointed with her thumb to her brother behind her who was looking out of the window, his face a scowl, ¡°That¡¯s Cid. And this little guy¡­ We don¡¯t know what his name is.. So we just call him baby for now.¡± Landin snickered, ¡°Drake wanted to call him Gohan.¡± Janey frowned, ¡°We aren¡¯t letting him name anyone. His sense of names are so far off! It¡¯s like awful really!¡± Landin scoffed, ¡°You know he was joking right? He¡¯s been making references to movies the entire time we''ve been here. He even called this the magic school bus. He tried to tell us Natto¡¯s name was Miss Frizzle.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face screwed up in confusion, ¡°Like the kids'' cartoon from the 90s?¡± Landin pointed at her, ¡°Exactly. I think it¡¯s funny.¡± Janey scoffed, ¡°More like ancient. It¡¯s totesme¡­¡± Charlotte looked at Janey, ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°14. You?¡± she replied. ¡°15,¡± Charlotte answered turning to Landin. ¡°15, but I have an old soul,¡± Landin smiled. Charlotte gave an awkward grin, ¡°R-right¡­¡± Janey rolled her eyes loud enough for them to hear it until the speakers turned on overtaking the noise in the bus. ¡°Alright, you young whipper snappers. This is your captain speaking¡± Drake said over the inte from the front of the bus, ¡°If you would look to your left there is nothing, if you look to your right there is also nothing. But now look to your left again, there are now 10 Earth Magic Circles.¡± Drake quickly summoned the circles outside of the bus to the left, out of them bodies of Elementals just like Stevie were forming. ¡°These will be your escorts for the remaining of your ride, please treat them kindly and tip well since they don¡¯t get paid and I don¡¯t offer health benefits!¡± The bus went into an uproar as they cheered at the magic. ¡°What is this about?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Oh hell yeah!¡± Landin cheered as well, ¡°These are some of his magic spells, like Elemental Summons? Stevie is special I think, these look like they''re made of earth. But their ck so maybe something like iron? But either way, better-¡± ¡°Correct young Landin!¡± Drake shouted over the inte pointing at him, ¡°Fasten your seatbelts!¡± Drake smiled, his hair turning blue, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a bumpy ride.¡± ¡°And we are not done yet! Please look to your right now!¡± Drake added. To the left of the bus, 10 more magic circles formed, bathed in brilliant yellow light as 10 bird-like entities formed slowly from the circles. ¡°These are my Thunder Birds, do not touch or feed them, they will bite and zap you worse than Pikachu did to Ash. But they will also take care of anything mean or nasty thates within spitting distance of this bus. Good? Great! Let¡¯s get going!¡± ¡°What¡¯s spitting distance?!¡± a child shouted from the back. ¡°No questions!¡± Drake snapped. ¡°I think I may have made a mistake¡­¡± Charlotte whimpered. ¡°He is a little weird isn''t he,¡± Janey agreed. ¡°He¡¯s like a child! Where was that cool, cold guy that saved me in the alleyway?¡± ¡°Oh, I think he does that to stay sane¡­ He¡¯s killed quite a few people since we got here¡­¡± Landin said pursing his lips. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one who has tried to be taken. I don¡¯t know why, but most of the kids here are being forcefully moved for some reason. I was almost snatched up by some crazydy in a store¡­ But Drake stopped her. And well¡­ She wouldn¡¯t let me go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awful! But to-¡± Landin cut her off, ¡°No,¡± his face turning serious for the first time since they had talked, ¡°You don¡¯t know what she was like, or what she was going to do to me. You experienced it yourself, right? Did that man who tried to take you? Did he deserve to live after what he was going to do to you? That woman¡­ She was crazy. And she was strong. If Drake wasn¡¯t there¡­¡± he shivered. ¡°I.. But to take a life!¡± Charlotte yelled. Only to feel eyes on the back of her head. She turned around, Drake kneeling next to her, his eyes soft but solemn. ¡°The world you knew, is gone,¡± Drake said, looking right into her eyes, ¡°I know what I¡¯ve done. And I will do it again to protect every one of you. I am not righteous justice, but right now I am judge and jury, and you can hate or fear me for it if you want to. But you only get to do that while you¡¯re still breathing. This new world you kids are being thrown into¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but it is harsher than anything you could imagine. But as long as you are under my care, I will do my best to keep it from you. Until, well, until I can¡¯t anymore.¡± Drake stood up, the bus surprisingly silent, as if a calm hade over the ce. ¡°If you still wish to leave I won¡¯t stop you. But if you want to get to your brother, find him, and protect him. You are going to need my help for now. Murderer or not.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll stay¡­ I don¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± she answered biting her lip, ¡°If there are more psycho¡¯s like that out there¡­¡± then she felt a pang in her chest, looking at Drake, his eyes cold but strained. ¡°T-thank you, again. For saving me¡­¡± she said looking him in his eyes this time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s an adult¡¯s job to protect kids, just rx. Nothing will hurt you while I¡¯m around.¡± Drake turned going to the front of the bus again his jovial demeanour returning. ¡°Alright, you brats! We¡¯re off!¡± the bus lifted into the air, the Earth Elementals had lifted it up only for it to halt, ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­ Charlotte,¡± Drake sighed pointing to her, ¡°Where is your brother?¡± Charlotte blushed, being addressed out of the bus again answering in a soft voice, ¡°55-5th Ave¡­. Thest house on the right¡­.¡± Drake thumped his staff on the ground, saying onest thing into the inte, ¡°Remember to put your seatbelts on. Or I¡¯ll bring out my belt like my mother did to me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s child abuse!¡± someone shouted. ¡°Only if the bruises show! Now sit down Johnny!¡± Chapter 188: The Doctor Chapter 188: The Doctor It had been only a few hours from when the tutorial ended. Drake swept the city as best he could but there was only so much he could do. He had already done most of his own neighborhood but there was still so much left. Not to mention that the space between the city had grown exponentially thanks to the system fusing the worlds together. Drake had not forgotten about his original objective to reach the city¡¯s System Center, which Natto had told him, and constantly reminded him of. But his mind raced, thinking of the rest of the children in the city that might need his help. Since he had started, he had filled several buses already with not only children but several adults stranded by themselves, and those with kids who needed help as well. ¡°Drake you are simply running a moving shelter, you must prioritize the forming of the town, once you do that you cane back here and save more. The faster you do this the faster you can help them,¡± Natto chided from his shoulder. ¡°I know¡­ Damn it, I know. We¡¯ll head there soon, I just need to make a few more stops,¡± Drake sighed pushing down his boiling frustration. ¡°What can possibly warrant going somewhere else now?¡± ¡°The schools. Drake said, looking at the kids behind him. They¡¯ll need books to learn properly, not to mention with most of the industrial infrastructure down, anything kept in a database is gone for good. Electricity is spotty at best. I guess it has to do with what damns are still intact. But we will need all the knowledge we can get. Not to mention we need to raid the supermarkets if they haven¡¯t been already. Baby form is a raremodity¡­¡± Drake sighed, looking at little Gohan. ¡°You must make it quick then,¡± Natto conceded, ¡°We may run into more problems along the way, and we certainly do not¡­ Damn it! I still can not say. But hurry!¡± Drake raised a brow sure that she was stopped from telling him something once more by the system. But her attempting to circumvent it again only proved to show him just how urgent this town was. ¡°Fine. It won¡¯t take more than a few minutes,¡± Drake said, willing his elementals to move them to the nearest supercenter. ¡ª------ A few minutester, and with some groans from the speed, Drake announced what was happening. ¡°Alright! I¡¯m going shopping. Everyone stays on the buses. The Elementals will keep you safe as long as you do not leave them.¡± ¡°What if we need to use the bathroom!¡± Drake groaned, ¡°Fine, you get 5 minutes! Then back on the bus!¡± Forming lines and getting off the bus Drake and the rest of the passengers, surrounded tightly by the elementals. Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice the other people in the vicinity. But it seemed his spells had kept them from being too interested. ¡°Stay where the Elementals can see you,¡± Drake shouted then pointed to Janey, ¡°Janey you¡¯re in charge with Charlotte, make sure no one gets lost or strays too far.¡± ¡°What? Why us?¡± Janey stammered. ¡°Yeah, why us? I have my hands full with my brother as is!¡± Charlotte added, giving a groan. ¡°Because I said so, and you two have something to lose, so don¡¯t lose it. I¡¯ll be back quickly,¡± Drake sighed, turning to the market. He had no time to lose. Drake quickly shifted to his lightning endowment his hair shimmering to a vibrant yellow before he stepped forward in a sh, entering the market. Not wanting to exhaust the market, as he already had plenty of food for now thanks to the tutorial and the seeds he received in them. His goal was to get medicine, and the important essentials that might be needed for the children most of all. Clothes, toys, books, supplements, and most of all, soap and cleaning products. Drake stopped in front of the wrapped packages on the wooden dock, his eyes tearing up. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see something so beautiful again. It doesn¡¯t take much to make me cry anymore,¡± Drake sniffled, ¡°Must be my old age,¡± he scoffed wiping away the tear before stuffing everything into his inventory. He was through the supermarket in a sh, taking most of the clothes and non-perishables. But what surprised Drake was that most of the food was still good. As if the world had been half suspended in time during the fusion process. Thankfully as well the store had been spared from being split in half by the¡¯s growth and the Mana Worms that seemed to be scattered throughout the city. Leaving most of the food and taking what he needed, Drake was back out of the market in record time. Only to see some of the children fighting in front of one of the buses, Natto in between them with a scowl. ¡°Nuh uh!¡± ¡°Uh huh!¡± ¡°Nu uh! They¡¯re fake, there¡¯s no way they can do that!¡± ¡°Yeah huh! I watched them do it stupid!¡± Drake walked over his aura spreading out harmlessly to survey the area, and checking up on his elementals making sure all were still up and in position. Reaching the kids he listened in for a moment then sighed. ¡°Really? That¡¯s what you two are arguing over?¡± Drake smiled bending down to get eye level with them. ¡°Ronnie said that ur magic thingies aren¡¯t real! But I saw them save us!¡± ¡°Dolly said they can blow stuff up! But only superheroes can do that and they don¡¯t have capes!¡± Drake¡¯s head slumped down as he snapped his fingers, magically capes sputtering out the back of all the elementals. ¡°Better?¡± Drakeughed. The kids¡¯ eyes widened as their grins reached their eyes and they both nodded their heads. Drake waved his hands, ¡°Magic¡­ Now onto the bus you two, I have cookies for everyone if you can make it there in 5 seconds.¡± The kids scattered and made it for the bus, as Drake counted aloud. Entering the bus with them, he double-checked that no one was left off the bus before he handed out food and snacks to the several buses under his care and took to the inte. ¡°Alright, this is your handsome and amazing captain speaking. We have two more stops on this crazy train. And no fighting over the cookies there¡¯s more than enough to go around! I said no fighting! Damien! I swear to the holy mother I¡¯lle back there! Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t! Good. Next stop, the university!¡± With a snap of his fingers, the buses all lifted up and began moving at speed down the street in the direction of the University. More specifically the library of the University. ¡ª--------------------------- The trip took less than 10 minutes with Drake¡¯s elementals at the wheel. Literally, they were acting as wheels. And when they got there, Drake quickly stiffened, turning the buses around. Stepping out and getting to the roof of the bus, he made sure to be loud enough that the other buses could hear him as well. ¡°Alright, no one leaves the bus. There are some nasty things about and I¡¯m going to deal with them. Anyone who leaves the bus now, you are going to be in danger. My Elementals will protect you like always, but you must stay here. Understood?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Charlotte asked sticking her head out of the window. ¡°Nothing you need to worry about if you listen,¡± Drake snapped, ¡°Get your head in that bus and close the window.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened as she shivered slightly, retreating back into the bus, a pink-haired girl recing her. ¡°Drake, what is the matter?¡± Natto asked. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of mana in the air. Foul mana, poison I think,¡± Drake whispered pulling her up to the roof with him, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the source is, but there''s something or someone at the center of it. I¡¯m going to clear it up before anyone gets hurt.¡± ¡°Drake you can not keep stopping to do as you please. I beg you to hurry. There is only so much time before a town goes up!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be holding back. This will only take a minute,¡± Drake said evenly his hair changing once again as he put Natto down. ¡°Heretical Endowment. Septenarius.¡± Drake pushed off the roof lightly hitting the paved street beforeunching himself into the dense poisonous mana surrounding the university. [You have resisted Doctor¡¯s Luby] [You have resisted Doctor¡¯s Inching Poison] [You have resisted Doctor¡¯s Paralytic Mist] Drake frowned seeing the notifications as he pushed forward at a blistering pace through the university. He ran over steps through hallways and rooms until he reached the library wing where the mana was centered around. ¡°Oh? Did someone make it in? Interesting¡­.¡± a female voice cooed. ¡°You get one exnation. Why have you set up something so dangerous in the city,¡± Drake asked. In front of Drake lying down on a couch was a woman in a white coat, her hair a fire red and went past her hips. In her mouth was a cigarette and on her left eye, an eye patch that looked to be an item based on the gold embroidering. She sat up almost uninterested in the threat. ¡°I don¡¯t like to be disturbed while I read. And, I was hoping to find something or someone interesting to fill my boredom¡­.¡± she said smiling, ¡°And you look, plenty interesting¡­¡± Drake sneered, flexing his aura, ¡°You have poison spreading in the area, what if someone who doesn¡¯t have resistances got caught up in it!¡± ¡°Not my problem. We¡¯ve all been through the tutorial. And most people who have will see the mana signature and leave. You are quite the rebel, barreling through it like you did.¡± ¡°What about children who don¡¯t even have sses or skills?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Not to worry. I can move the mana. I¡¯m not evil, simply bored. Well, evil is rtive. But I am pragmatic so I have done some evil things in my time.¡± Drake was fed up with the woman''s games and musings. [Bridgette Lovegood Level 10] Bridgette flinched feeling Drake¡¯s eyes pierce her. ¡°Naughty naughty. Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s rude¡­? You could have just asked,¡± she said standing up, ¡°Level 14? Oh my aren¡¯t you just checking all the boxes?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that was rude?¡± Drake sneered back. ¡°Reciprocation Mr. Wallen, it¡¯s the basis of any good rtionship. May I ask your ss? You look quite like a Mage, but it is doubtful you could make it through my concoctions as a pure one¡­.¡± ¡°No, you may not. And I don¡¯t have time for this. I¡¯ll be taking these books and leaving. Remove your poison and I won¡¯t do anything to harm you.¡± ¡°Pity. I am a nonbat ss Physician. The system doesn¡¯t seem too keen on giving us our specialties though,¡± she pouted taking a puff of her cigarette, ¡°I was an infectious disease specialist before all of this. My eye you ask?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Drake sighed, understanding now that this woman moved at her own pace, even more than him. ¡°d you asked, it was from a nasty little creature in our tutorial. I made the mistake of not believing the impossibility of being transported en mass to a separate dimension with the rest of the world. This led to me being careless, unfortunately¡­ Cost me my eye it did. Ruined my stunning face,¡± Bridgette pouted. ¡°My condolences,¡± Drake scoffed, turning to begin inventorying the library. ¡°You know, Mr. Wallen¡­ Your brother Atticus was quite interesting as well,¡± she cooed behind him. The room turned cold and Bridgette froze as the air was sucked out of her lungs. The lit cigarette in her hand went out like a light before she fell to the floor gasping for breath. Her yful manner gone as she desperately looked up at Drake a cold sweat beginning to form on her skin. ¡°What did you say?¡± Drake growled his aura shaking the entire room. Chapter 189: Back to Business Chapter 189: Back to Business ¡°You are lying,¡± Drake growled stepping over the woman to look down at her. ¡°I-I¡¯m not¡­!¡± she croaked, ¡°P-please! Let me exin..!¡± Drake slightly lessened his aura allowing her to breathe and sit up. ¡°Make it quick. I don¡¯t have time for your games any longer.¡± Bridgette gave a breath of relief, her hand rubbing her neck as if a hand had just let go from choking her. ¡°I-¡± she coughed, clearing her throat, ¡°I was in his same tutorial. He was unpleasant but interesting.¡± Bridgette looked at Drake, seeing that his eyes were cold like a predator who had already caught his prey but quickly losing interest. She knew it was no time to lie, but to tell him at least the bare minimum to keep him from killing her. She had met these types of people within their tutorial when Atticus had begun recruiting. Men and women whose eyes told their whole story. The fights or wars they had seen before the tutorial and the horrors they faced thereafter. ¡°Impossible, he died 6 years ago,¡± Drake said in a cold tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that, but the man¡¯s name certainly was Atticus Wallen. He goes by the Grand Sun Mage now, his followers call him the Emperor,¡± Bridgette added. ¡°The Grand Sun Mage¡­?¡± Drake said rolling the words around on his tongue, his eyes going sharp again as he addressed the Doctor, ¡°What else.¡± Bridgette smiled, knowing she had got him. ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t be saying anything else.¡± Drake¡¯s aura flexed again, but this time Bridgette simply smiled and took the brunt of it. ¡°What makes you think I won¡¯t just kill you here? After what you¡¯ve already done I can tell you are only in it for amusement,¡± Drake asked. His aura lessened once more allowing her to breathe and speak. After a fit of coughing, she looked back at him smiling, ¡°T-That¡¯s twice¡­¡± Drake¡¯s brow rose. ¡°That¡¯s twice you could have killed me, no three times. And you let me off just before,¡± she scoffed, ¡°You aren¡¯t like your brother, Drake Wallen. You don¡¯t enjoy killing, I can tell.¡± ¡°What do you know about me?¡± Drake sneered bing more and more fed up with the woman. ¡°I know you are stronger than a level 14. I know you are most likely not a Mage as you appear. And I know. You are most interesting¡­¡± she reiterated with a smile, ¡°If you want to learn more, how about striking a deal with me?¡± ¡°Deal?¡± She nodded, ¡°Yes. I get to tag along as long as I see fit with you. And I will tell you anything about your brother that I can.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it for me? Your deal implies I will need to protect you if not more. While I¡¯m interested in what you have to say. My brother isn¡¯t a person you can use as leverage,¡± Drake scowled, ¡°He left my family when I was 15. He¡¯s been long dead since before he was actually dead.¡± Bridgette flinched, her calctions about the situation slightly off. But she continued to press Drake. ¡°Fine. How about this then? For everything I said before I will also be your exclusive Doctor?¡± ¡°Why would I need a Doctor, there are healers that can do your job easily enough,¡± Drake countered. Bridgette waved her finger, ¡°No, no, no my good sir. Healers can of course restore lost muscle, and replenish health points. But most healers also specialize in only that,¡± she smirked lighting her cigarette before continuing, ¡°Did you know diseases have also improved thanks to the system? Maybe not as much as we have but amon cold is now on a whole other levelpared to before. Any number of diseases have increased in strength. Chronic, infectious, environmental, dietary, and of course hereditary. All of these are now different and stronger than before. It¡¯s an interesting world we live in and I want to be entertained. And I think you are going to be at the center of quite a few interesting things. What do you say, Mr. Wallen?¡± Drake mulled over her words. While it may be true thanks to his own specialized skills he could resist any number of diseases. But what about the children? What about the lower-level people who haven¡¯t learned a resistance skill, the people yet to even gain a ss or first advancement? He hadn¡¯t ounted for diseases possibly increasing in strength. What about new diseases that were brought with the introduction of the system and new races? Would their skills be able to hold off new infections and germs brought by other worlds? Drake clicked his tongue. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Good- Ahhh! What are you doing!?¡± Drake wrapped Bridgette in a full-body earthen straight jacket, a rope made ofva extending from her to his staff. ¡°You are still too dangerous to let near the kids unsupervised. And honestly, I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°So hold on while I clean up.¡± ¡°Clean¡­ up¡­?¡± Bridgette said dropping her cigarette. Drake¡¯s hair turned ck, then quickly back to a light green as he smiled, Bridgette¡¯s face paling as she realized what was about to happen. ¡°Enjoy the ride,¡± Drake sneered as he took off at full speed, pulling her along as he went from bookshelf to bookshelf inventorying the literature en mass. Once he was done, he exited the area, looking back at therge mass of poisonous mana surrounding the University. ¡°Clean up time. Hey Doc, clean it up. Oh¡­¡± Drake frowned looking back at his prisoner, but she had passed out, foaming at the mouth. Drake sighed letting her down temporarily so he could use his staff. Pointing at the university he began channeling power into a green magic circle as his hair shimmered to white. ¡°Bathe thisnd in cleansing wind. Let the howls of the gusting torrent break the shadow of this foul air! Maelstrom!¡± Drake¡¯s mana infused into the circle summoning a tornado that spun outward growing in size and speed. Oncerge enough it broke with an ear-shattering crack as it thrusted a piercing gust throughout the area, pushing the poison mana upwards and dispersing it. He gave a satisfied breath, ¡°Phew, that wasn¡¯t that bad. Now, off to the center before Natto screams at me again.¡± ¡ª------------ ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± One of the children in the front seat pointed to the unconscious Bridgette. ¡°Oh she¡¯s no one important,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Is she dead?¡± asked another. ¡°No, no¡­ she¡¯s sleeping,¡± Drake answered. ¡°She looks dead.¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s sleeping I promise. Yeah, sleeping. Sleepy sleepy¡­So tired¡­.¡± Drake chuckled nervously. ¡°Drake!¡± Natto shouted running down the aisle to the front of the bus, ¡°I have had enough of your dallying we must go to-¡± Drake stopped her, holding up a hand, ¡°Yep, that¡¯s exactly where we are going, right now.¡± ¡°O-oh. Good! Well let us be on our way then!¡± she nodded, her face twisted in confusion but still agreeing. Drake opened the side window, waved to his elementals, and shouted out to the other buses. ¡°You heard her, to the system center. On the double.¡± The buses raised in unison as the clicking of belts rang out on them. Bridgette justing out of her stupor from being carried around by Drake previously. ¡°W-where am I..?¡± she stuttered looking up to see a child smiling down at her, ¡°Why is there a child, and why are you smiling?¡± ¡°You need a beltdy!¡± the child snickered. ¡°A belt? Why would I need a-¡± The bus snapped forward rubberbanding her down the aisle and flinging back towards Drake as it reached the end of the magma leash only to be stopped dead in its tracks by Drake¡¯s hand. ¡°Stay still, you¡¯re going to hurt someone moving- Oh she passed out again. I wonder if that¡¯s kind of her thing?¡± Drake scoffed. The streets zipped passed the sides of the buses as the Elementals moved at speed, weaving and stepping over abandoned cars and the like. A stern face painting Drake''s as he was reminded once again just how many people had been ripped from this world to never return again. The sound of cheering and whooping from the bus behind him alleviated it slightly but he was still stuck in a conundrum. How was he supposed to break it to these children that many if not all of their parents and siblings would never be returning? While his mind raced they eventually got to their destination, the bus stopping at the intersection of Main Street and the Boulevard. Without instructions this time Drake left the bus, arge crowd forming around the building that had reced therge business center that he remembered being there. All heads turned to the buses that had appeared and the lone man that exited. ¡°Who¡¯s that guy? Trying to show off?¡± ¡°He looks like a mage¡­¡± ¡°How does he have so many spells working at once? He must be strong¡­¡± ¡°No, inspect him, he¡¯s level 14. He must be a Legendary ss.¡± ¡°Shut up you idiot, you know how astronomically rare those sses are?¡± The murmurs and whispers of the crowd reached Drake¡¯s ears easily but he wasn¡¯t concerned, he had to get into the building quickly and turn in his quest as Natto had told him. As well as exchange his cores for currency if he had any hope of purchasing items, quests, and the like inside. Drake turned sticking his head back into the bus. ¡°Don¡¯t leave, that means everyone. Charlotte!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± she answered, sticking her head above the seats. ¡°You, Landin, and Janey are in charge on this bus,¡± Drake threw her a small crystal that he had used before, amunication crystal, ¡°Anything happens you use this. Natto will tell you how it works, won¡¯t you Natto,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°No, I will not stay here any longer. Besides, you certainly need me to advise you inside!¡± Natto pleaded. ¡°No can do on that one. You have to stay here and watch them, no one will suspect you of being anything other than a small child anyway,¡± heughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell the other buses, I only have one more pair of crystals so you have to keep an eye on everything alright? I¡¯m counting on you three.¡± Landin, Charlotte, and Janey nodded their eyes wondering at the still-observing crowd outside. Drake ignored the people staring and walked to the other buses letting them know what was happening and leaving his other crystal with one of the remaining buses. Once done he pressed through the crowd to the entrance. Just before the door, arge man stood like a tree rooted there. Drake looked up, surprisingly the man was well above 8 feet tall. He could give Bjorn a run for his money. Drake thought. ¡°Hello, there. Care to move? Or are we doing the ssic ¡®guild¡¯ scene?¡± Drake asked. The man scoffed looking down, ¡°No one enters till boss is done.¡± Drake inspected the towering man. [Brody Charles Level 12] Drake raised a brow, ¡°Is everyone just a low level?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only two above me, and you¡¯re a mage,¡± the man said, pointing to Drake¡¯s staff, ¡°You lose.¡± Drake smiled, snapping his mask into ce, ¡°Hard way it is then.¡± Brody took the words as the cue and pulled two swords from his back. Reminding Drake of the Gnoll he faced in the tutorial with the dual scimitars. Drake chuckled and snapped his fingers as he dodged the shes from the man with ease. The bystanders screamed and scattered to make way. A white magic circle formed at Drake¡¯s feet. Brody growled, his face turning to a frustrated scowl as he swung horizontally to take Drake¡¯s head off. Drake bent down his hand touching the circle as he stood back up after the des passed harmlessly over his head, from his hand the body of a frozen man formed as he stood. ¡°Summon Primal Ice Elemental,¡± Drake chanted, the spell forming a moving human made of ice. ¡°Try not to kill him, he¡¯s only doing his job,¡± Drake ordered. ¡°Kill me? You¡¯re puny-¡± Brody began saying before he was pushed backward, the Elemental having rushed forward its icey hand reaching for his throat. Drake chuckled as he walked passed them casually as they fought, the sound of Brody cursing. Even my Elementals have a bad personality¡­ It¡¯s ying with him, poor guy. Drake thought as he entered the door. Inside there were counters stretched across the building, enough to house all the people outside and more. At every counter a person behind it in well-dressed clothing. Drake looked them over surprised, ¡°Some aren¡¯t human, but most are. Are they people¡­ or¡­?¡± ¡°Who let you in?¡± someone shouted from the side. Drake knew the person was there, but chose to ignore them in hopes they would just let him get his business done and be on his way. But unfortunately, it looks like there were more cliches to get out of the way. ¡°No one let me in. I presume you are the so-called boss?¡± [Trace Morgan Level 15] Chapter 190: Destination Sah Ul’ Rahk Chapter 190: Destination Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be me. Who the fuck are you bro?¡± Trace asked. Drake ignored the mob character and shouted past him to the people at the counters. ¡°Is there a rule that I can¡¯t fight in here?¡± Drake asked. ¡°There is not,¡± one of the people at the counters answered. Drake smiled, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re out of luck and I¡¯m out of time.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± Before Trace could finish his first word Drake had already moved, gripping the man by the face and throwing him to the floor. He had tried to keep his power in check but Trace would have to settle for some broken bones as opposed to being t out dead. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest¡­ I¡¯m kind of surprised his head stayed on. Even if I was holding back. He must be some kind of tank variant.¡± Drake stood snapping his fingers and encasing the man in a stone tomb like he had with Bridgette. Just to be on the safe side if he was to wake up before Drake was done. The sound of ss breaking rang out behind him forcing Drake to turn, a tall tree-sized man skidding across the tiled floor. Drake looked up, his Ice Elemental on the other side of the door. Dropping his eye as he scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t think I told you to have that much fun with him did I?¡± The Elemental shrugged from the doorway, some people looking in curiously and gasping as they saw the other man on the floor covered in a ck earthen tomb. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in until I¡¯m done. I¡¯m on a Natto tight schedule right now,¡± Drake instructed walking to the counters. Drake walked up to one of the non-human people. Interested to see the other races. ¡°Hi there,¡± Drake greeted. ¡°Hello sir, how may I help you?¡± the man asked. ¡°Straight to the point I see, you and I will get along swell buddy. I¡¯m more concerned with what I can do here. I only know very little. Oh, and I have this coupon,¡± Drake said pulling the slip of paper from his inventory and showing it to the rather impressive-looking elf man. ¡°I see, you have a quest coupon?¡± the man said, then took the slip of paper, his or its face paling, ¡°This is a coupon from the Dragon¡¯s tutorial¡­¡± Before the man went pale, Drake didn¡¯t fail to catch its face shifting. Almost like a glitch in a game where graphics pixted. ¡°Yeah, it is. And she was a cunt. And you¡­ You¡¯re a construct?¡± Drake asked, his eyes thinning. ¡°Indeed¡­ How you are to be so rude to a Primordial, taking their name in vain¡­. Please let this not find its way back to my superiors¡­.¡± the man whispered, then cleared his throat, ¡°I have received the coupon for the E-Ranked Quest. Please confirm.¡± In an instant, a window popped up like it had normally for Drake. [New Quest E-Grade! A Land all Your Own!] [You must stake your im tond andplete the following tasks] [Commute to designated area. Defeat 100 E-Rank Entities or Subjugate 300 F-Rank Entities. ce F-Grade Honing Crystal and protect said crystal for 168 Hours] [During honing and pairing nearby monsters will be drawn to the area, as well as a beacon will be lit informing a stake to im has been issued] [Reward: Nobility Rank, Nobility Experience based on cement ranking. Entry into the World Summit. ess to the Town Specific System Center. 1x System Building of your choice.] Drake read the description and raised a brow at the specific wording for the requirements. So there¡¯s a subsequent quest afterward¡­ that¡¯s new. Then it takes a minimum time of a week for defense. I can see why Natto was urging me to start, every hour counts. And E-Rank Entities huh¡­. Drake thought. ¡°Will there be anything else?¡± the man asked. ¡°Can I do anything else?¡± Drake asked taken from his thoughts. ¡°You may exchange your cores for currency if you so wish. There are also basic F-Grade Quests avable. You may also issue quests as long as you have the coteral to put up for the reward.¡± Drake¡¯s ears perked up at thest sentence. ¡°Is there a restriction on quests that I can issue?¡± ¡°As long as there is sufficient coteral, there is no issue. But please remember that quests may not be taken if reward coteral is not sufficient, so please keep that in mind when issuing them.¡± Wow, I wish the other construct I met in the introduction was this helpful¡­ ¡°Please also keep in mind that the quests will not be canceled even when the non-town System Centers leave in a year¡¯s time.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned, remembering the vor text including that information. The construct confirming it cemented his suspicion. That means that war is soon toe then. Once these free centers are gone, I¡¯m sure people will monopolize the town-sanctioned ones. That probably means they willpete to keep the resources. Drake clicked his tongue realizing once again how foul the system was in forcing conflict at every turn. ¡°Would you like to issue a quest sir?¡± the man asked. Drake¡¯s family shed in front of his mind, as well as the children and people on the buses. ¡°Yes, you said there was no limit?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯d like to issue quite a few, hope you have nowhere to be.¡± ¡ª----------- Drake exited the center nearly 30 minutes after entering, dispelling his ice elemental as people waited for him to clear the area before storming the center. Looking at the buses he was relieved. There had been no trouble and no need for him to abruptly stop his issuing of quests as well as picking up every F-Grade Quest he could from the center. He looked at his inventory window as well, seeing the item he was forced to purchase for his town quest. [Honing Crystal F-Grade]
  • Allows an entity toy im to a specified territory.
  • Anchors a System Sanctioned Honing Crystal to pair with the imed territory.
  • Should Crystal be destroyed during pairing quest will fail.
The description was simple enough, but the price was considerable. Thankfully it was out of his remaining Tutorial points as it was linked to a tutorial-bought quest. But doing so had cleared him out of his remaining points. ¡°You know it was kind of suspicious how he knew exactly how many points I had left¡­ But at least I got everything I needed and converted a lot of my cores to currency,¡± Drake digressed, holding out one of the coins. In his hand was a nearly clear whitish coin that hummed with mana and he could physically feel slightly prick his skin. The coins had been traded with the cores for a 1 for 1 value, leaving him with an even 10,000 of the amount he converted. He had asked how many coins it would take to convert the coins into an E-Grade Coin and he was surprised with the conversion. One E-Grade Coin was worth 100 F-Grade Coins. But he couldn¡¯t get any information beyond that. So it was hard to say if the conversion stayed constant with the increase of rank. But it was safe to say that he regretted giving Natto the E-Rank Core now. ¡°That little garbage disposal is going to eat me out of house and home¡­.¡± Drake grumbled. Getting back on the bus, he was greeted with a scowling Natto who was once again surrounded by children. Drake smiled and bursted outughing at the sight. ¡°What are they doing to you hahaha?!¡± Natto growled, ¡°They are braiding and styling my hair¡­.¡± ¡°You look ridiculous,¡± Drake guffawed. The children frowned looking at Drake. ¡°No, she looks bootiful!¡± ¡°Yeah! Natto is a pwincess!¡± ¡°Yeah! Pwincess! Stinky Drake!¡± ¡°Stinky Drake!¡± they all chanted. Drake scoffed. Unfortunately for them, he was a professional man-child and knew exactly how to deal with the situation. ¡°I know you are but what am I?¡± ¡°Stinky!¡± they chanted. ¡°But I¡¯m rubber and you¡¯re glue, whatever you say to me bounces off me and sticks to you!¡± Drake rebutted. ¡°Uh¡­.. Stinky!¡± Drake frowned, ¡°No, that¡¯s not how this works.¡± ¡°Stinky!!! Stinky Drake! Stinky Drake!¡± ¡°Whatever¡­¡± Drakeughed, and walked up to Natto, nodding and thanking Charlotte, Janey, and Landin for keeping down the fort while he was away. Drake had made sure to issue as many quests as he could for the children¡¯s parents to be found. And offered a substantial reward in the way of cores to anyone who brought him information or the parents themselves to him. As well as a quest for his own family where he offered several rare weapons he was not using. And of course, he used the location they were going next to as the destination to find him. Holding up the quest map that came with the Town Quest, Drake smiled at Natto, ¡°Alright, ready to go im a town?¡± Natto jumped from her seat knocking off her braids and other things decorating her head, ¡°Finally! Now we can be rid of these blessed animals!¡± ¡°Wude!¡± ¡°Yeah, Wude! Wude Pwincess!¡± the children started chanting, exchanging their insults at Drake to ones at Natto. ¡°Oh how the turn tables have flipped,¡± Drake grinned. ¡°That is not the saying and you know it!¡± Natto roared, storming to the front of the bus. Drakeughed and followed her, taking the inte in hand. ¡°Alrightdies and gentlemen! Big announcement! I have put out quests to find all of your parents and families!¡± The bus shouted and cheered in glee. ¡°We are now going to go to the town where they will meet up with us if they are found. Everyone on their best behavior and we will be in nice cozy beds in the next¡­.¡± Drake trailed off opening the map and looking at the destination, ¡°Well at some point!¡± The shouts turned to boos. ¡°Don¡¯t boo me! I¡¯m right!¡± Drake scoffed. ¡ª----------------------- ¡°Holy shi-crap¡­ This is way further out than I expected..¡± Drake sighed, his feet kicked up on the dashboard of the bus, as he looked out and flipped through his quests. ¡°I have told you that your world is far more expansive than you remember, have I not?¡± Natto sighed, picking from a bag of food as she sat on the steps of the exit. ¡°Yeah, but this much? I¡¯m pretty sure there wasn¡¯t a mountain or fuc-fudging ins here!¡± Drake eximed as he waved his arms pointing to the grasnds covered in snow, ¡°We are in New York! There are no ins or mountains in this area! What wonky world got shoved into my backyard?!¡± ¡°Most likely a world withrge grasnds or mountains. It certainly seems to fit,¡± Natto snickered. ¡°Not helping.¡± ¡°Obviously, moron.¡± ¡°Good to know you haven¡¯t changed since the day I hatched you.¡± ¡°Natto hatched? Don¡¯t you mean born?¡± Charlotte asked over Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No, I mean hatched. She came out of an egg,¡± Drake reiterated. ¡°Did shee out naked?¡± Landin asked, peering over Drake¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°She did not, she was fully clothed. Honestly, I was pretty surprised myself,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Weird. Is that normal?¡± Landin asked again putting his chin on his crossed arms. ¡°Dunno, she¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve seen hatch so I couldn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°It is very normal! Why is it so weird that I was clothed?!¡± Natto snapped. ¡°I unno, birdse out of eggs naked. So do reptiles, and amphibians. It¡¯s just weird,¡± Landin shrugged. ¡°I hate children¡­.¡± Natto mumbled. ¡°Now now¡­. We are pretty much on cruise control until we reach our destination, so rest up kids. We only have to worry about something if my elementals can¡¯t handle it, but that doesn''t seem like it will happen anytime soon, although the monsters are getting quite strongpared to the ones in the city¡­ and quickly¡­¡± Drake muttered under his breath as the notification from his Elementals rolled in. [You have defeated Hide-Around [Rank F] Level 19] [Experience Points awarded] [You have defeated Ratman Warrior[Rank F] Level 17] [Experience Points awarded] [You have defeated Ratman Sentry [Rank F] Level 18] [Experience Points awarded] [You have defeated Lesser Slime [Rank F] Level 15] [Experience Points awarded] [You have defeated Frogman Hunter [Rank F] Level 21] [Experience Points awarded] Racking up the experience but I guess it¡¯s slow going still. I¡¯m not killing higher-leveled mobs anymore so the speed is down by arge margin¡­ Looks like I¡¯ll need to punch up against E-Ranks if I want to progress at the same speed. Hopefully, it won¡¯t be a problem. Drake thought. Laying back as he kept his aura sense at maximum expansion to make sure none of the several buses being pulled were in any danger, he opened up his status after a long time, giving a small whistle to the stats. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] Tutorial Alias [Shot] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 25 [Vitality] 578 (20+ 215%) [Strength] 746 (100 +10%) [Dexterity] 470 (85 + 20%) [Intelligence] 999 (105+15%) [Wisdom] 572 (30 + 215%) [Endurance] 464 (90 + 225%) [Free Points] 80 First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Well on Your Way, Glory of the Patriarch, Highest Contributor, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Tyrant, Incectocide, Marked by Dragons, Race Change, Birthright, Vanquisher of Kings II, Exterminator, Named in the System, Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1 [Top 3]
  • Awarded to participants of the tutorial who have finished as best as Top 3 in the Level Ladder Rankings.
  • Increased Overall Stats by 10.
[Top 1]
  • Awarded to participants of the tutorial who have finished as the best in the Tutorial Point Ladder.
  • Increase Overall Stats by 20.
[First Completionist]
  • Awarded to the participants of the firstpleted tutorial of their interaction.
  • Increase Overall Stats by 50.
  • Early ess to Tutorial Shop and Exclusive Quests.
¡°Wow surprised I never checked those titles, those are some choice stat boosts¡­¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Charlotte asked curiously. ¡°Can¡¯t see it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°No, is there something there?¡± Drake turned the window to show her like he did with others, ¡°How about now?¡± Charlotte shook her head, making Drake look over at Natto. ¡°She has not been introduced to the system yet, and will not until she has turned 16 years of age. She can not benefit from the system and can not interact with any of its features until so,¡± Natto exined. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Drake nodded, waving away his status. ¡°What¡¯s the system?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, you keep mentioning that and stats. Is it like a game?¡± Landin asked. ¡°It¡¯s exactly like a game,¡± Drake grinned. ¡°Cool¡­¡± Landin smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Charlotte frowned. ¡°Normie¡­.¡± Drake scoffed, then coughed, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older.¡± ¡°I¡¯m turning 16 in a few days¡­.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you when we get there and I finish this quest.¡± ¡°Quest? So do you get a reward?¡± Landin beamed. ¡°I do, I level up maybe. I¡¯ll exin it more when we¡¯re at a good point too.¡± ¡°Dope! I¡¯m finna to try out being a mage! That was my go-to! Or maybe a swordsman!¡± Landin smiled swinging an imaginary de in the air. ¡°Oh to be young¡­¡± Drakeughed. ¡°That was literally you, but a few months ago¡­¡± Natto snickered. ¡°Still younger,¡± Drake said giving her a raspberry. ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Garbage disposal.¡± ¡°Moron!¡± ¡°ckhole!¡± ¡°Weeb!¡± ¡°You take that back! That¡¯s apliment, not an insult!¡± Charlotte and Landin looked over at each other with confused faces. ¡°Are we sure we¡¯re safe with him¡­?¡± she asked. ¡°Probably¡­?¡± Lanin shrugged. ¡ª------------------------------- After an hour of traveling and back-and-forth conversation, the journey to their destination took them deeper into arge in, with mountains Drake had never seen before off in the distance and the reflection of ake just as far. The path had taken them out of the city to the west and even further still, off any road or highway that Drake was familiar with. They simply followed the map that was provided by the quest into what was essentially the unknown. Drake closed his eyes focusing on his senses as the bus died down in energy, many of the kids beginning to doze off after their hectic day. The sounds of the Elementals blowing up and cutting down monsters became the raindrops in the background as they fell asleep. That was until Drake felt one of his Wind Bird spells disappear. Getting up quickly he stopped the busses. Slowing down to a gentle stop. He quickly got out, Natto trailing behind him. ¡°Get back on the bus,¡± Drake said tersely. ¡°You will need my assistance,¡± Natto countered as she hopped onto his shoulder. ¡°I need someone I can trust to watch the kids and bring the buses out of danger.¡± ¡°There will be no danger here Drake. I know where we are, and what habitat we have wandered into.¡± Drake looked at the other end of the field a woman in tribalistic clothing holding a serrated axe three times her size on her shoulder. Her hair a deep maroon looking almost ck if it was not for the reflection of the waning sun on it. Bones and other ornaments donned her braided hair on the side but the rest of her hair was waist-length, the top draping down and blowing in the slightly cold breeze. Her clothes only covered the essentials exposing her lightly green-colored skin, a small snaggle tooth poking out of the bottom of her mouth. Or better called a tusk. [Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk Level 22] The woman named Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk looked furiously at Drake and Natto, her mouth turning into a snarl. ¡°Are owner of pesky small bird? Trespass on Rahk Tribend outsider!¡± Natto nudged Drake, ¡°This is a that contained Orcs.¡± Drake didn¡¯t look away from Sah Ul¡¯ his mouth opening up slowly, ¡°Yeah I got that much¡­¡± he mumbled his eyes drawn to her exposed abs, ¡°Help me. I think I might awaken to something serious¡­..¡± Chapter 191: Chieftain of the Rahk Tribe Chapter 191: Chieftain of the Rahk Tribe ¡°Ask, again. Are owner of pesky birds? Trespass on Rahk territory,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said evenly, the sound of her hand tightening around the leather strap of her weapon. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not happy¡­¡± Drake mumbled then turned to whisper to Natto, ¡°Is she a monster that I can just understand now? She is an orc after all, what¡¯s the difference between her and a Goblin?¡± Natto sighed and then spoke into Drake¡¯s ear. ¡°The Orc race when you boil it down is the same as the Goblins, yes. But she is not a mere Orc. If I am correct she is a Lownd ins Orc. They are one of the more potent species of Orc and of course much stronger as well as smarter.¡± Drake looked at her skeptically, ¡°Then why is she missing entire words when she is speaking?¡± ¡°That is just an unfortunate price of using the Myriad of Languages. The book will allow you to understand, but the nuance ofnguage is lost if you do not learn it from scratch.¡± ¡°Ohhhh, that kind of makes sense. Then this is what the quest was aiming at. I¡¯m assuming her vige or Tribe is smack dab in the middle of the quest location right?¡± ¡°Yes, I would assume so,¡± Natto nodded. ¡°Then, what? They don¡¯t, or, you don¡¯t expect me to just wipe them all out right? They aren¡¯t monsters Natto,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°No, I expected you to force them into submission through a duel with their Chieftain,¡± she said looking at Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°I am guessing this young Orc is just that, which is surprising¡­¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Normally, well, as far as I understand it, before the system, the men of the orc Tribes are considerably bigger and stronger than the women. She must be quite the anomaly¡­.¡± ¡°Guess that makes two of us then. So I just challenge her to a duel?¡± Drake asked watching Sah Ul¡¯ grind her teeth as she glowered at him. ¡°Yes. In Lownd Orc tradition the winner of a duel must submit to the winner. Their war rules are also quite simr, they pride honor and strength.¡± Drake nodded, ¡°Good fit then.¡± Walking forward after Natto infused herself into him, he waved cidly to Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Hi again. I am the owner of those birds. And I¡¯m here to challenge you to a duel apparently. My quest needs me to take over the location ahead,¡± he said pointing behind her. ¡°Small child? Challenge me, to Mahk Rul?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked incredulously. ¡°Yup, I¡¯m not a child though. I know I¡¯m under six foot now but that¡¯s just insulting¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Will not. Turn back before lose life,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled annoyed. Oh, this isn¡¯t good. Is she allowed to refuse? Isn¡¯t it like normal plot progression for her to just ept? Drake asked. ¡°This is troublesome¡­ She should have to ept any challenger but I guess she believes you are actually a child? Are you the first human she has encountered?¡± Natto spected. Well, that makes sense since we''re so far off the beaten path¡­ And there are pretty strong monsters here. Oh, I know! ¡°You have an inspection skill right?¡± Drake asked smiling. Sah Ul¡¯ didn¡¯t answer only her yellowish eyes shing a deep red before she barked augh. ¡°Small weak child. Go back home.¡± ¡°Ok. That one was personal¡­¡± Drake smiled but didn¡¯t smile. During the exchange, a notification struck their ears. [The first Honing Crystal has been ced by Atticus Wallen - The Sun Emperor, 24 hours untilpletion] Drake¡¯s face became devoid of the emotion it housed before turning serious. What is this about? Ignoring the fact a dead man just used an Honing Crystal, why is it 24 hours instead of the week-long like mine? Drake asked. ¡°Each tutorial had a coupon for a different length Honing Crystal. His must have been from a lesser sponsored tutorial meaning he will start with less influence andnd. But that does still mean if his crystal anchors he will be the first to achieve it,¡± Natto sighed, ¡°This is why I told you to be quick! I assumed yours would take much longer after we confirmed the Dragon Sponsors.¡± But that wouldn¡¯t have mattered! I can¡¯t make it anchor faster! Drake growled. Drake looked back at Sah Ul¡¯, his eyes shifting as he gripped his ne. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have time to waste anymore,¡± he growled, cing the equipment into his inventory. Sah Ul¡¯s eyes shone red again, her face twisting into a frown as she lowered her stance. ¡°Deceiver. Unhonourable! Make Sah Ul¡¯ think deceiver are child?!¡± Drake scoffed, entirely pissed. His demeanor turning serious, ¡°I didn¡¯t say shit, you made that assumption all on your own. Are we doing this then?¡± Drake snapped his fingers, his elementals converging on him in an instant. He turned to them, instructing them, ¡°Take the buses to a safe distance, and protect them.¡± The next instant they returned to the buses, the children waking from their naps and looking outside the windows, some boos, gasps, and shouts reaching Drake¡¯s ears. ¡°Now then. Duel? Mahk Rul was it?¡± ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ ept. Die now for deceit,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ snarled. ¡°Sorry, but even if you are a woman, and¡­. Nevermind. Don¡¯t expect me to pull my punches, I took off the ne so there¡¯s no sense in hiding anything for now-¡± Drake tried to continue his monologue but Sah Ul¡¯ didn¡¯t allow him. She careened forward at a speed Drake was surprised to see, his assumption from her weapon that she was a strength-based ss. She moved lightly over the distance between them, raising her enormous ax just as easily. Shouting as she brought it down in a cleave, the weapon glowed in a red light. ¡°Heavy Crescent Cleave!¡± she shouted. Drake changed endowments instantly, his hair shimmering to a deep setting sun orange, his staff dropping into his inventory, as his skills went into action. ¡°Bulwark. Unbreakable. Guardians Reprieve. For the thrill of Battle.¡± In the second that it took for her foot to leave the ground, Drake had also prepared, his hand rose as his skills finished, and his new tattoos red to life in a golden hue. He stopped her ax¡¯s de in its tracks like he was stopping a child¡¯s toy. The impact of the blow destroyed the hoodie he was wearing, exposing him in his battle garbs, his hair whipping in the turbulence from the blow. Sah Ul¡¯s face said it all. The disbelief in her eyes as she ground her teeth putting more and more strength behind her weapon. But to no avail, Drake did not budge. ¡°As I said, unfortunately for you I don¡¯t have time to do this fight with proper big battle scene etiquette. You are going to have to lose here quickly.¡± Drake¡¯s arms crackled with power as he fed the new tattoos with mana, the golden light humming more brightly with the influx of resources. He raised his other arm, a white fireball forming in a split second in front of it. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire.¡± Throwing his fist into the caught de he snapped it in half, Sah Ul¡¯s face contorting into fear as she jumped backwards. Drake crushed the rest of the piece he was holding before he addressed her, her bravado nowhere to be seen. ¡°Do you give up?¡± Drake asked. The words hit her like a ton of bricks the fear on her face gone, filled with courage, responsibility, and indignation. ¡°Can¡¯t let win. My Tribe counting on me! Not let you harm them!¡± she shouted, holding up the broken weapon shakily. ¡°I see. Pity,¡± Drake said in an icy tone, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that notification, I might have gone easy on you¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t die.¡± Drake pped his hands together, spreading them apart as a colorful array of magic circles formed in the space in between. His spells began to grow, white fireballs, purple-hued spikes of ice, and jet-cknces of earth. Lighting crackled with violet fervor above him as if it was angry at being held back from destroying the opponent in front of him. Sah Ul¡¯s face paled as she saw the disy but Drake was not done. The full brunt of his Asuran¡¯s Prideful Aura came down on her, stripping her of her will and any beneficial skills she was currently using. She copsed to her knees, sweat beading down her exposed skin as she struggled to breathe and stay conscious. In front of her was an insurmountable opponent she was not prepared to face. She had misjudged him. ¡°I promise no harm wille to your tribe. Surrender,¡± Drake asked one more time, the halo of spells ascending above him as he looked down at her. ¡°D-don¡¯t.. believe you!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ croaked. ¡°I respect your pride but you are about to die for it,¡± Drake scowled. ¡°It is honor to die for tribe¡­ Will see the great mother and live in the eternal hunt. Win only if kill Sah Ul¡¯!¡± ¡°So be it.¡± Drake was about to throw his hand down willing his spells to converge on her, when he stopped his pressure and spells winking out of existence. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Natto asked. ¡°She passed out¡­¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Guess I win by TKO?¡± ¡ª--------------- ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s just sleeping.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty¡­ but why is she green?¡± ¡°She ate too many green veggies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie! My mom told me that can¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Fine, she¡¯s an Orc. Hey, don¡¯t poke her! Natto control your kids!¡± ¡°They are your kids you doofus!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ could hear the conversation around her, her consciousness slowlying back as the voices came into focus, her head on something soft. Her eyes blinked trying to wash away the blurred vision she had, only to see the man she was just fighting above her. ¡°Yo, good morning sleeping beauty. Sleep alright?¡± Drake asked grinning. Sah Ul¡¯ got up abruptly her hand going for her de but it was nowhere to be found. Drake stood up with her and in a sh was behind her, his arm catching her in a choke hold. ¡°Sorry but I¡¯m going to need you to calm down, there are actual children here now,¡± Drake said calmly, his hair now red from the ck it was earlier. Sah Ul¡¯ struggled slightly more, forcing Drake to summon restraints of earth at her feet and arms. After a few more seconds of her resisting she tired herself out and began looking around, seeing the smaller humans surrounding her, and a few more the size of Drake. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed. You lost Sarah,¡± Drake said calmly, walking out in front of her again. ¡°Sarah¡­?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Yeah, Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk is a little¡­ Hard to roll off the tongue? You ok with me just using Sarah?¡± ¡°Do not speak like know Sah Ul¡¯!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right I don¡¯t. But you lost, that means I¡¯m in charge and you have to listen right?¡± ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ breathe still! Have not lost!¡± she growled. Drake sighed, his auraing out in full force again as his eyes glowed with power. ¡°Do you really want to go again? I already spared you once.¡± The pressure froze the air and came down on her with more force than before because of their proximity to one another. Her face going from a light green to a pale gray. After only a few seconds the wind in her sails emptied and she shook her head. Drake released the pressure, and heaved a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m getting better at using that with precision but wow that takes a surprising amount out of me¡­ Anyway, are you going to behave now?¡± Drake asked, then looked around double checking that the kids were ok and not affected. ¡°Not child¡­ Warriors not go back on word,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said evenly. ¡°Good. Oh, and someone wake up that lousy Doctor!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°I got it!¡± Charlotte said from one of the buses. A secondter she poked her head out of the door, ¡°She¡¯s awake but she said she can¡¯t move and needs to¡­ ya know¡­¡± Drake snapped his fingers going back to his ways of trying to limit how much information was out about how his skills worked as well as having already reced his ne that changed his level. Sarah rubbed her neck, arms, and feet after he also dispelled his restraints on her. ¡°How so strong?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s a story forter, I¡¯m in need of getting this quest done. So you are going to take me to your tribe and we are going to nt this crystal and get this quest done,¡± he instructed, then shouted at the Doctoring out of the bus, her hair frizzled and a cigarette already in her mouth. ¡°Hey Doc!¡± he shouted her head turning to him, ¡°You¡¯re in charge of making sure nothing bad happens. If anything bad happens to these kids while I¡¯m doing this,¡± Drake motioned to one of the Elementals made of lightning. The Elemental snapped with power, burning a hole into the ground. Her face paled, then nodded. ¡°Alright, now that is out of the way, let''s go Chieftain!¡± Drake grinned. But Sarah looked confused. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ is not Chief of Rahk Tribe. Sah Ul¡¯s Father is.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Shit¡­¡­¡± Chapter 192: Rvul Sah Rahk Chapter 192: Rvul Sah Rahk ¡°So you''re not the chieftain?¡± Drake asked once more following Sarah on foot. ¡°No, father is chief. Am just strongest fighter in tribe. Felt strong presenceing within territory, moved to stop it,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said slightly irritated. ¡°Tried, to stop it,¡± Drake smiled, casually putting his hands behind his head, ¡°Sorry about your axe. But I had to make it clear you couldn¡¯t win.¡± ¡°It is normal. In Mahk Rul normally lose life. Losing weapon is best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty brutal¡­. Is it normal to have duels often?¡± Drake asked casually. ¡°No. Duel used for serious matters. Duel between man and woman never happen often.¡± Drake hummed, curious by her wording, ¡°What do you mean by that? I assumed women fight just as much as men based on you being so strong?¡± Sarah blushed, which took Drake aback. Seeing such a strapping woman who still had such feminine features blush put him on the back foot. ¡°Pushover¡­¡± Natto spat. Shut up. I¡¯m seriously awakening to something here¡­. I didn¡¯t know green came in that color¡­ Fucking, damn it¡­ Drake cursed internally, ire¡¯s face shing in his mind. ¡°Almost there,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ pointed. A small distance away an opening in the tall snow-covered ins grass came into view, the peaks of circr tents poking over the grass. Reminding Drake of certain tents he had seen in a particr game. ¡°Do you guys scream for the horde by the way?¡± he asked with a grin. ¡°Horde? Are but few hundred. Not horde,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said raising a brow, her small tusk poking out of her mouth. ¡°Ok that went over your head, that¡¯s fine. You¡¯re from another so you get a pass.¡± ¡°Pass?¡± ¡°Nevermind¡­. Which is the chief¡¯s tent?¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I take, follow.¡± Drake resumed walking behind Sarah looking around at the gazes of the tribesmen he was quickly picking up. There were men women, elderly, and children all pointing and staring at him. The children looked to be curious, the elders scowled, and many of the men looked at him with fury-filled hate. ¡°Ah¡­. I see what¡¯s going on. You¡¯re pretty popr huh Sarah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t understand. Am chief¡¯s daughter, the tribe is family. Tribe is most important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cute, so you¡¯re the airhead earnest type huh?¡± ¡°Airhead? Don¡¯t understand,¡± she grunted irritatedly, pointing to arger tent that was adorned with more colorful paint and pelts than the other. The skull of arge animal or monster at the peak of it that Drake was unsure of. ¡°Nice digs,¡± Drake whistled. ¡°What are digs?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°A cool ce?¡± ¡°It is quite hot inside here.¡± Drake pped his forehead, ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡ª------------------------- A few moments earlier, a runner made their way into the chief¡¯s tent out of breath. ¡°What is it? Why are you so out of breath and rushed my child?¡± the older man asked. The older man had graying hair, but it didn¡¯t detract from the rippling muscles on his body and stern gaze that showed years of experience. ¡°Chief Rvul! A man¡­¡± he said, getting his breath, ¡°A man- with your daughter, is entering the vige!¡± Rvul¡¯s body tensed as he realized what the runner was saying. The only exnation for his daughter bringing someone into the tribe would be because she lost Mahk Rul. That alone made the man stronger than anyone in the vige. But Rvul gave a breath of relief, his daughter was still alive even after losing the duel. Not only that, she would only bring someone here that would not harm the tribe, of that he was sure. ¡°If my daughter is bringing someone here it is fine, she knows the responsibilities she holds.¡± ¡°Chief, you must be more cautious, bringing an outsider here, now? What if he is a spy or brings more to take us by surprise?¡± one of the other men inside therge tent asked concerned. ¡°As I have said, my daughter knows her responsibility to the tribe. Or are you saying I am wrong? And my daughter does not know her duty?¡± Rvul asked pointedly. ¡°O-ofcourse not chieftain. By the Mother, you are the guiding light.¡± ¡°Then we shall receive this man as a guest.¡± Rvul waved the runner back outside after which the man gave a small bow. A momentter his daughtered entered alone. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯, you¡¯ve returned. I heard you brought a man,¡± Rvul asked. ¡°I have chieftain¡­. It is,plicated,¡± she answered. ¡°Complicated? Is there a problem? Does he bring war?¡± ¡°No, he has defeated me in a Mhak Rul and has spared my life. But he wishes to¡­ It is better if he exins it although his tongue is still of a child¡¯s, which makes him hard to understand.¡± ¡°It is fine, tell him toe in. I will see him happily.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded and exited the tent once more, this time a man d in armor Rvul had never seen across his body. The man¡¯s hair was long, well past his waist, and left to freely move as he did. Across his body were also pieces of cloth that Rvul noticed were scraps of somethingrger. His skin covered in markings and scars. A noticeable one across the left side face and another on his right shoulder and side, the flesh slightly discolored from the rest of his tan skin from the old wound, exposed by theck of covering. But what shocked Rvul the most was the aura of the man, it sent his blood cold. His years of experience facing warriors in the wars they fought in the ins had honed his instincts well. The man walked with a warrior''s gait, his face seemed calm but Rvul knew he was taking in the surroundings, measuring up each and every person within the tent. Sweat began to form on Rvul¡¯s face as his mouth quivered, his tusks chattering ever so slightly. ¡°Get out!¡± he roared, then repeated himself when the other tribesmen in the tent looked at him confused, ¡°All of you get out! Leave me with this man. Alone!¡± He had known this feeling many times on the battlefield, the aura, the gaze, the breathless calm before the storm that was washing over him. It was something that eluded him all these years but here, in this tent. He knew it had found him if he made the wrong move or misstepped a word. Certain death. He gazed at the man, who stood there looking slightly confused at the tribesmen leaving the room. [Drake Wallen Level 14] ¡ª-------------- Drake looked down at the Chieftain slightly lost in the conversation. He was able to understand the chief, Rvul, better than he could Sarah, but it was still apparent that there were things lost in trantion. Is he going to jump me or something? Drake thought. ¡°He is obviously being cautious. Look at his face, he is desperate to get the others away from you. And for good reason, this man obviously knows you are a bad influence,¡± Natto snickered. Hey, I resent that. The chief bent down and ced his head to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Have we offended?¡± Rvul asked, his shoulders shaking slightly. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked back surprised. Rvul brought his head up slightly to look at Drake. ¡°Why have youe to our tribe? War? Woman? Resoruces?¡± Now Drake was wholly confused, ¡°What, no. Did Sarah not exin anything?¡± ¡°Sarah?¡± ¡°Your daughter. Sah Ul¡¯, I fought her thinking she was the chieftain of this tribe. I have a quest in this area,¡± Drake said, continuing to exin the situation quickly. After a few minutes, Rvul sat up, even inviting Drake to sit down by the fire that was inside the tent. Drake wouldn¡¯t say that the old -yet very bulky and fierce-looking- man rxed, but the conversation was going smoothly. ¡°You want to im Rahk Tribend for own?¡± Rvul asked seriously. ¡°When you put it like that¡­. Wow, that sounds so much worse¡­.¡± Drake sighed, but nodded, ¡°My quest requires this area and there isn¡¯t any other way around it, unfortunately. I don¡¯t want to disce anyone, but I may not have any other choice if you don¡¯t wish to be under my jurisdiction for the time being.¡± A switch seemed to be flipped in the old Orc¡¯s head when Drake mentioned being under him. ¡°You wish to rule Rahk?¡± he asked, putting his hand to his chin. ¡°In a way¡­?¡± Drake answered pensively. I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about this one. Drake thought. ¡°You defeat Sah Ul¡¯ in duel, we can not match you. This, I understand. Do you know meaning of defeating Sah Ul¡¯ in Mahk Rul?¡± Rvul asked back. ¡°Kinda¡­?¡± The face of the old Orc changed into a wide grin. ¡°Then you must take responsibility,¡± he said, taking off his ne. Drake looked at it as Rvul passed it over to him. It was a leather ne that wrapped what looked like tusks, all of mismatched sizes. ¡°What is this?¡± Drake asked unable to identify the item, meaning it was not a system item. ¡°Mark of the chieftain. You are now new Chieftain of new Rahk Tribe. You are Patriarch,¡± Rvul grinned, ¡°You take Sah Ul¡¯, protect her and tribe.¡± ¡°Clever old man¡­¡± Natto scoffed. What is this about¡­? Drake asked confused. ¡°Moron, he is letting you take the position of leader.¡± Oh cool. ¡°In exchange for marrying his daughter.¡± Wait, not cool. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this. I have a girlfriend,¡± Drake grimaced. Rvul frowned. ¡°Now you have offended him, you dunce!¡± Natto shouted. I don¡¯t care! I can¡¯t cheat, it hasn¡¯t even been a few days! Drake yelled back. ¡°Do not be a fool, you need this area, and he is handing it to you on a silver tter! No one says you must cheat. You just have to get married! Royals do it all the time.¡± I¡¯m not royalty! ¡°Drake,¡± Natto said, her tone turning serious, ¡°At some point, you will need more people here to defend the crystal, as well as the children and eventually your family. These people are a tribe of veteran warriors. Sah Ul¡¯ alone is basically that oaf!¡± Ew, don¡¯t say that. What the fuck, now I won¡¯t get that image out of my head for days¡­. ¡°Be serious!¡± I get your point, but it¡¯s still cheating! I¡¯m not that type of guy¡­. ¡°There is no other choice if you do not wish to kill every other person in this area. Do you actually think they will let you just take theirnd and home willingly without the previous Chieftain''s support? Or do you wish for this to end bloody?¡± Damn it! Drake clicked his tongue taking the ne from Rvul. ¡°Are you really trying to pawn your daughter off on me like that?¡± Drake asked furiously. Rvul surprisingly didn¡¯t look offended, but instead smiled back at Drake. ¡°Men of our tribe, propose to their wives through Mahk Rul. Orc women only ept if man is stronger,¡± he exined, then looked at Drake with the eyes of not just a man, but of a father, ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ my shining star. She my world. Her life with with strong man was not possible. She was too strong. But you, win duel. And are strong, I can see. Her life, is in your hands, like rest of Rhak Tribe.¡± Drake clenched his teeth frustrated. ¡°Do you really think your tribe is going to be ok with someone from the outside just magically bing Chieftain?¡± Rvul nodded, ¡°Orcs only care about one thing. Strength.¡± Drake grumbled, unable toe up with any more excuses. I¡¯ve been fucking swindled! Honey trapped! I want a do over! Where¡¯s the delorean?! I need to go back to the future II, right now! Drake screamed internally. Chapter 193: There’s a new Chieftain in town. Chapter 193: There¡¯s a new Chieftain in town. Drake walked out of the hutmenting his inability to say no after being pressured by Natto¡¯s reasoning. Just like he had found the need for people in the tutorial despite being one of the strongest participants. He couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once. Exiting the tent, he sighed and looked around, seeing a slightly confused Sarah. And then more expected gasps, scowls, and threatening gazes from the other tribesmen. ¡°Oh¡­ Feels just like home¡­¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Why wearing Chief¡¯s ne?!¡± ¡°Thief!¡± ¡°Return the Chief¡¯s sacred symbol!¡± Before Drake could respond, Rvul exited the tent as well, roaring. ¡°Silence!¡± Rvul looked around his teeth bared, ¡°This man, defeated Sah Ul¡¯ inbat! He earn right to lead Rahk Tribe. And will take her as his woman! For Rahk to survive this newnd we must follow the strong.¡± ¡°Father!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ protested. Oh, she looks mad¡­. Hey, it wasn¡¯t my idea, don¡¯t look at me like that, I had enough of sleeping with one eye open in the tutorial already! Drake sighed. ¡°Please, you barely slept as it were¡­¡± Nattoughed. That doesn¡¯t change the fact when I did, I was always on edge! The uproar around them turned into a frenzy. Many of the tribesmen shouted in protest against Rvul and his abrupt decision. Drake sighed again, raising his finger to intercept the man charging him from behind. The sh of Drake¡¯s mana-empowered finger with the Orc Warrior¡¯s ax kicked up dirt and pushed out a shockwave in the area silencing the crowd. ¡°Attacking from behind. Not very honorable of you,¡± Drake sneered, holding back the ax. ¡°Won¡¯t ept outside as Chief! Sah Ul¡¯ will not wed some child!¡± the man roared screaming louder. Drake frowned, gripping the ax, ¡°Take your pettyints up with Rvul.¡± He crushed the ax in his hand, surprising both the crowd and the warrior. ¡°Piss off.¡± Before anyone else could respond Drake stepped forward,ying into the man and knocking him out. The Orc man slipped from Drake¡¯s strike falling on the floor with a thud. He casually turned around addressing the crowd. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in this position any more than you want me to. But I have a duty to my own family to see this quest through. And to see that everyone under my protection is cared for here. And if anyone wants to stop me,¡± Drake said coldly, letting out his aura and mana, it washing slowly over them as he let it linger before his words left his mouth. ¡°You are wee to try.¡± The crowd was silenced, many of them falling on their backside in the face of Drake¡¯s intimidating aura that was now boosted with multiple titles and stats behind it. Those who looked at him with hate and anger now looked at him with fear and awe. Their expressions painted their thoughts clear on their face. There was no opposing him. Satisfied, he walked to the destination specified on his map, leaving only a few words with the group of people behind him. ¡°In 10 minutes I will ce my Honing Crystal, see to it that the tribe is there in time or you may not survive what¡¯s toe.¡± The first to break from their stupor and respond was Rvul, cing his hand on his chest. ¡°Yes, Patriarch!¡± he shouted looking over to his daughter, ¡°Sah Ul¡¯, you must apany him. You are the strongest here, you must fight with him.¡± ¡°But, father!¡± she began but was cut off by him. ¡°Enough! This is our way. Or would you dishonor the Mahk Rul and Rahk tradition?!¡± ¡°N-no¡­ Understand, father¡­¡± Drake pretended to not see the exchange but waited for Sarah to catch up with him as he made his way through the tribe¡¯s small vige. Sending a mentalmand to his Elementals, Drake continued to his destination expecting to see them there when he reached it. Looking back at Sarah, he was slightly frustrated at the situation. ¡°Drake, do not¡­¡± Natto warned. ¡°Sarah¡­ Look, I¡¯m sorry that your wagon is hitched to mine¡­¡± he started. ¡°Idiot!¡± ¡°But I have someone I love myself. And I¡¯m going to go find them as soon as I can if they haven¡¯t found me first,¡± Drake exined, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have someone you love as well. After what the tribe seemed to do in response to what your dad said, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Love? Do not have,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ responded. ¡°Oh,¡± Drake said, surprised. ¡°Rahk only respect the strong. But have not recognized you as strongest.¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡­. Is that so? Even though I kicked your butt?¡± Drake hummed. She frowned and growled, her snaggle-tusk poking out. That¡¯s kind of cute¡­ Wait no, focus Drake! Quest! First the Quest! He thought, shaking his head. ¡°You are hopeless¡­ Do you truly understand your position now in the multiverse?¡± Natto asked. Walking past many smaller tent¡¯s fire pits with the smell of food cooking in pots. Tanning beds and furs being dried. Drake mulled over her words. I understand I¡¯m going to be a focus in the world now, but I don¡¯t get your meaning. He thought in response. Natto sighed as if she had told him this already many times, ¡°No! There is a reason so many races of the multiverse only respect strength and the Primordial races have been watered down to such an extent in some parts. Every race weak and strong will be vying for your blood! For your protection. And you must be prepared for it.¡± Blood? Oh¡­ You mean that blood? ¡°Yes!¡± Drake winced, ¡°Yikes¡­¡± ¡°Yikes?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ parroted. ¡°Nothing. Um means damn.¡± ¡°Damn? Like Lion Beaver dam?¡± ¡°No like, ¡®oh shit!¡¯ or um, cringe?¡± ¡°There no skat here?¡± Drake groaned into his hands. ¡°She¡¯s my enemy! Mortal Enemy!¡± Drake screamed into his hands, ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand a single reference!¡± The sounds of Natto snickering became louder and louder in his head. ¡°Are alright?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked from behind him. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± Drake grumbled as he continued to walk. Looking around, Drake began appreciating the scenery. The tents were fashioned in a way that reminded him of what he had seen in games for tribes. Painted in reds, cks, and yellows. Most of the tents were covered by furs or bones of what he assumed were monsters or animals. To him, it really felt like he was stepping through a vige in WoW. Coming to the end of their traveling through the vige the space opened up and he was taken aback by the body of water in front of him. ¡°There wasn¡¯t ake here before¡­¡± Drake muttered. At the edge of the vige was argeke, in the middle a single moderately sized ind. Looking down at his map, his destination was the center of it. Drake gazed eagerly at the ind but waited until all of the people in the vige gathered at the end of the vige around him. Several buses appearing over time to the Orc¡¯s confusion. ¡°Yellow monsters?!¡± some shouted. Drake raised his hands, ¡°No no, these are mine. Don¡¯t attack them, you hear me.¡± The buses stopped the elementals holding them, finally fading away after delivering them. First off the bus was Charlotte, Landin, and Charlotte¡¯s brother who Drake had still not gotten to know the name of. Following behind them was soon Janey, the baby, and her brother as well. Soon everyone began to exit the buses warily, looking around in amazement, some in fear and confusion. ¡°This will be interesting¡­¡± Drake said slightly worried, then spotted Bridgette exit the bus, her unlit cigarette dangling from her lips. The Doc¡¯s eyes looked around almost uninterested at the Orcs, raising Drake¡¯s suspicion. Drake walked over to the Doc, ¡°You aren¡¯t impressed?¡± he asked gauging her answer. ¡°Huh? Oh no, In my tutorial there were quite a few different races¡­ That was until¡­ Well, we can talk about thatter,¡± she smiled nodding behind Drake, ¡°Seems you have an admirer.¡± Drake turned around, Sah Ul¡¯ behind him, standing with her arms crossed but her eyes darting around quickly at the neers. ¡°They¡¯re just kids, a few adults but these are actual children, Sarah,¡± Drake exined, ¡°They aren¡¯t even level 1 yet, they won¡¯t do anything except maybe get a bit mouthy.¡± Turning back he looked at the Doc, ¡°Yeah she¡¯s apparently my wife, and I''m the Patriarch now.¡± Bridgette¡¯s eyes bulged as her cigarette dropped from her mouth. ¡°W-what?! You were gone like 15 minutes! H-how?!¡± she eximed. ¡°I work fast,¡± Drake shrugged sarcastically. ¡°More like trouble is attracted to your idiotic face,¡± Natto scoffed. My face happens to be quite above average thank you. He countered. ¡°Stupidly, above average maybe¡­¡± Drake frowned and then coughed, a group of kids approaching him from the buses. ¡°Is she following you around now?¡± Landin asked. ¡°That she is, I have a ball and chain now,¡± Drake said, almost whimpering slightly. ¡°No way!¡± Charlotte shouted, then blushed, realizing she had, ¡°I mean, there¡¯s no way. You two met like a few minutes ago and just fought!¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°Is what it is. You guys seem okay with the circumstances right now. Not confused with the Orcs?¡± he asked. ¡°Not really. They¡¯re just people right? Green but people,¡± Landin said putting his hands behind his head. Drake smiled. Good kid. He thought. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Drake agreed, then raised his voice slightly for everyone to hear, his wind magic helping him reach the area. ¡°Listen up!¡± he shouted getting everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°I¡¯m going to ce something in the center of that Ind there. It¡¯s going to bring more monsters than I can count to the area.¡± Drake¡¯s words began to stir the crowd, mainly the children who had just been through so much. He looked around firmly, his voice even as he spoke. ¡°I promise on my life, you shall not be harmed. Everyone here, now, is under my protection. And there is nothing in this world they will throw at us that I won¡¯t fight and take down to make that reality. You are different people but you are now here together in a new home, a new world, and I will give my utmost to make it a safe ce for you. I give you my word!¡± The surroundings still seemed unconvinced by Drake¡¯s speech. And he understood it would take proof to give them confidence in him. He had wanted to wait before he revealed himself but he needed everyone to stay calm and not go into a panic when the monsters arrived. ¡°I know you all don¡¯t believe me, but I have faced monsters day and night, for months in the tutorial that were several times stronger than me,¡± he began, his hand going to his ne that disguised his level, ¡°And I have beaten every, single, one.¡± Drake ced his ne into his inventory again, his level revealed to those who could identify him. ¡°My name is Drake Wallen. And I will be King of this world by necessity to protect my family! Choose to put your faith in me and my strength,¡± he said with a breath of confidence, his body shimmering with power as he activated his heretical endowment, his hair cascading in a spectrum of his elements, his arms glowing golden with the infused mana he ced in them putting pressure on the surroundings, ¡°And I promise you will not be disappointed!¡± Drake stood there with the entirety of the area¡¯s eyes on him. The tribe was once again awestruck even Sah Ul¡¯ who had fought him previously was forced to take a step back. Her father Rvul, smiled nervously, unable to parse what he was witnessing, his warrior heart shaking furiously in his chest. Turning, Drake walked to the end of theke, walking out as each step that met the water froze theke underneath it until he reached the ind in the center. Once at the ind, he found its center only looking over his shoulder to see just how far away the shore was, impressed with the size of theke. Opening his inventory he pulled the Honing Crystal out, the massive shard falling to the ground with a thud. Embedding itself into the ground to stand upright, Drake exhaled and ced his hand on it to activate it. [Do you wish to pair this Honing Crystal with thend iming ownership of the area?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Confirmed.] ¡­ [Please select a name for imednd] [_________] Drake looked at the prompt, taking a breath again and typing the name into it. ¡°May we be, Reunited,¡± he said in a murmur, hitting confirm. [Name selected: ReUnite] [Confirm?] [Confirmed.] [Starting Pairing Process¡­ Time Remaining: 167 Hours, 59 Minutes, 55 Seconds] [Announcement!] [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, The Tyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] Drake smirked, ¡°Well shit, so much for hiding¡­¡± Chapter 194: Waking Up Chapter 194: Waking Up ire struggled to wake up, a drowsiness she couldn¡¯t shake. Felt like it was pushing her back into sleep every time she was on the brink of rousing. With difficulty she finally pushed past it, sitting up groggily in a familiar bed with light blue sheets and a room with pink and robin egg blue walls. The same wood vanity at the corner of her room, holding her books and notebooks. At first, she was calm, but then the quietness of the house began to overwhelm her as she teared up. ¡°M-mom¡­? D-daddy¡­? Jared¡­?¡± ire whispered the names of her family to the quiet, hoping, begging for a response. But none came. She sat there weeping as once again she came to the realization that everyone she loved before was gone. After several minutes her tears did not dry but she knew she could not stay here in this state forever. She gripped the ring on her neck. Thest thing that Drake had given her before they parted. sping her empty hand, his touch felt like a deep and distant dream. ire rose cing her things into her inventory, going through the house taking photos and the like from her home to remember her family. The stuffed toys her parents gave her. Her brother''s sports equipment that were battered and worn. His shirts that still had his smell lingering on them. She took the whittled toy horse her father made in her parent''s room. The small vanity that looked like her own that she remembered her mother fondly in front of whenever she came to tell them goodnight. And finally, she took her father¡¯s bible, locking it away in a chest she found in their closet before cing it with the rest in her inventory. Bracing herself she looked at the front door, her heart heavy but racing as her hand was ced on the knob. Then she heard it. [Announcement!] [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, TheTyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] ire smiled, her face turning to eager joy. ¡°I¡¯ming, Drake¡­ Don¡¯t get into too much trouble while I¡¯m gone ok¡­?¡± ¡ª------------------- Hudson woke with a start, grasping instinctively for the gun at the side of his bed frame like it had every night in the tutorial but this time his hand curled around the cold metal grip of the pistol instead of air. Sweat beat down his face as he aimed it, surveying the room. ¡°Fuck! That damned tutorial did a number on me¡­ Thank god that idjit¡­ Shit I still have my ent,¡± he cursed, getting off his bed, cing his head in his hands as he calmed his mind and breathing. After a few moments, he got up finding his clothes and other weapons in his home. ¡°Don¡¯t know how much these guns are ganna help now with all these monsters¡­¡± he scoffed, snapping his fingers as a metal-colored magic circle formed next to him, arge sleek robot rising from the floor. ¡°So, wasn¡¯t all a dream after all. Good to know I at least have this for protection till¡­ Well, whatever happens.¡± Hudson sighed, looking from the robot next to him standing by to the mirror in his room. He no longer wore the scraps of armor that he used in the tutorial. Thanks to Drake and the TP that he umted, he purchased a very interesting set of equipment for his ss. Looking back in the mirror was a man in a ck suit, with a long red tie, on his head mechanical like goggles with whirling gears and motors. Gloves that matched the idea of a working tinkerer stretched over his suit''s long sleeves and were mped down at the cuffs by metal gauntlets that extended and turned into tools so he choose. And of course sturdy work like boots that contrast but did not take away from the suit¡¯s overall professional feel. Hudson also strapped his sidearm to his right leg out of habit from the years of training he had endured. Then a knock at the door came. He turned, motioning with his chin for the robot to open the door. Once the robot moved down the steps and opened the door several other men in ck suits and sses looked in. Hudson looked down the stairs as if it was natural that they would be there. ¡°Howdy boys. What¡¯s the word?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°Sir,¡± they both said, saluting, ¡°Secretary Smith would like for you toe to Headquarters immediately.¡± Hudson scoffed, ¡°He won¡¯t even give me a few hours before he starts yanking on the leash huh? Well, no surprise he survived that sam hell tutorial. Asshole might be old but he¡¯s tough as nails¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Lawrence, we understand you have just returned like the rest of us but it is a priority matter.¡± [Announcement!] [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, TheTyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] Hudson grimaced, ¡°You bet your skinny white ass it is.¡± He walked down the stairs and looked at his summoned robot giving it a wrap of his knuckle, ¡°Let¡¯s get going Big ¡®un. There¡¯s going to be a mountain of paperwork waiting for us¡­¡± ¡ª--------------- Theodore tightened his embrace, feeling the warmth of the person next to him. Breathing in her familiar perfume that he knew all too well. His eyes slowly opened to see the love of his life. She looked just like she had in the tutorial giving weight to the trials they had been through there. Harley still slept soundly in Theodore¡¯s arms. He looked around mumbling his spell to summon illusions to investigate the surroundings as he sat up slowly. His hand gently caressed Harley¡¯s head in hisp, his othermanding the illusions as they went out of the house surveying thend. In time, Harley began grumbling as she stretched and got up as well, looking at Theodore with bleary eyes at first. Then realizing where they were she scrambled to sit up looking around. ¡°Worry not my love, we are safe for now. There art not a grain of hostile malice hitherward,¡± Theodore consoled as he rose from the bed, ¡°Shall this one brew us elixir of life?¡± Harley smiled, ¡°Coffee would be lovely Theo, thank you.¡± Theodore nodded, ¡°It shall be done.¡± Going down the hall he reached their quaint kitchen, finding the electricity was out, he moved to the gas stove, finding it lit still he took some water from his inventory and a pot, boiling it. Searching the cupboards he quickly found the tin of grounds preparing them. Soon the water boiled and he poured the coffee, the sounds of Harley¡¯s boots cking against the vinyl floors to the kitchen. ¡°Oh, how I¡¯ve missed the smell of that¡­¡± she said, breathing deeply. ¡°As has this one, love.¡± Harley took the offered cup and sipped not caring for the bitterness without milk or sugar but blissfully sipping all the same. She looked at Theodore through the steam of the cup, ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Theodore took his cup his other hand still tapping as he controlled his illusionary puppets. The sound of a notification hitting them both at the same time. [Announcement!] [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, TheTyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] ¡°We are to go to my Lord as nned,¡± Theodore smiled, putting down his cup and twirling his mustache. ¡ª------------------------ The cold air was bracing. Bjorn shivered out of his stupor, his hand going for his sword on his back instinctively after all his time in the tutorial. Once he saw nothing was close, he brushed off the snow that had piled up on him. He looked around more carefully, standing up from his sitting position next to the remnants of an extinguished fire. He was outside, next to his cabin in the woods, the remains of his cookout before the tutorial took him at his feet. Bjorn sighed, ¡°I guess no one else made it out¡­ Rest in peace fes¡­¡± His heart was heavy for the lost neighbors who were with him during the midnight campout he set up. The bottles of good liquor now empty on the ground. Bjorn picked up one heaving a sigh once again, ¡°Damn, it¡¯s gone. I just opened this one bro¡­¡± Before he could truly be angry he turned, throwing the bottle away as he made his way back to his cabin, or well, log house. The lights and heat didn¡¯t work, and it seemed that whatever was keeping his pipes working had frozen over as well. But Bjorn wasted no time, scouring his home, and picking up the essentials. The food he could salvage, and all of the good alcohol. Especially the alcohol. ¡°Man¡¯s got to have good drink for a long trip,¡± he muttered to himself, slipping thest bottle from his cer into his inventory. Something ticked in Bjorn¡¯s vision from outside the house as he went back to the main floor forcing him outside once again. Looking around he spotted something darting between the trees. ¡°Bro, monsters already? I haven¡¯t even left the house.¡± Bjorn sighed frustratedly as he turned and ran for the small town in the area that he lived close to, ignoring the monsters. He remembered his talk with Drake and had to try his best to avoid fighting where he could to prevent himself from leveling up. ¡°Easier said than done though bro¡­¡± he scoffed, looking over his shoulder, a small horde of frostbitten-skinned monsters growling at him. [Frost Walker Level 17] ¡°I swear I can hear Drake making Fire and Ice references right now¡­.¡± [Announcement!] [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, TheTyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] ¡°Speak of the devil.. Bro moves fast,¡± Bjorn smirked. Chapter 195: Proof of Concept Chapter 195: Proof of Concept Drake looked on as the crystal rose and the pairing process continued, held up by some sort of mana as it hovered in ce. With a small pop, Natto rolled out onto his shoulder. ¡°So we have finally made it to this point, only one more week,¡± Natto sighed with relief. Drake scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the horde of monsters I need to kill too.¡± Natto looked at him puzzled, ¡°You have alreadypleted one portion of that quest have you not?¡± she asked. Drake looked back at her confused then opened the quest seeing no update. ¡°No, still nothing,¡± he exined. Natto ced her hand on her chin, ¡°Strange, I would have believed you certainly passed that part of the quest when you became chieftain or patriarch.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you pushed me to do it?¡± Drake thought aloud looking at thest part of the quest that mentioned 300 F-Rank Entities, ¡°But not everyone is above the age of 16 so they don¡¯t count as F-Rank do they? I don¡¯t think there are even 300 Orcs here and we only brought in about close to a hundred kids.¡± Natto shook her head, ¡°True that not everyone within the Crystal¡¯s influence is F-Rank, but there are certainly enough here to meet the requirement, but you have simply not convinced them yet to be your subjects. You must inspire them I suppose¡­ or force them into submission¡­So in short we are doomed, you might as well just kill everyone.¡± ¡°Hey¡­.¡± Drake scoffed. Natto shrugged and hopped off his shoulder walking to the Crystal and sitting under it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I will stay here and pair with the Crystal. Once itpletes I will be able to merge with it and fully ess my Territory Assistant abilities and functions. But...¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Once I have, I will be anchored to it. Unable to leave this area unless the crystal is destroyed. Forsaken to forever be this city¡¯s guardian and overseer.¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s destroyed?¡± ¡°Then, I will die. Forever.¡± ¡°Brutal¡­¡± Natto shrugged once more and smiled, ¡°I expect plenty of food or offerings. More of that candy, it must be your number one priority!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Yes, yes, your highness. Are you sure you¡¯ll be safe under there?¡± Natto waved him off. ¡°I trust you well enough that you would not let harme to me or the people here. Your heroplex would not allow it after all.¡± ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t have a hero- Ok I might have one¡­¡± Drake tried to refute but stopped thinking back on his own actions throughout the months, ¡°What can I say, I like my anime?¡± ¡°Too much,¡± Natto agreed, ¡°Now go clean up, I do not need such pitiful monsters littering my domain,¡± Natto said, waving him away. ¡°Not even a minute, and it¡¯s yours now huh?¡± Drakeughed, hearing the immense gust of wind and roars travel over theke. He stepped over theke in an instant to the crowd of people and Orcs startling most of them with his sudden appearance. Sah Ul¡¯ looked on, her eyes betraying her face as they sparkled with amazement. ¡°What did ch- Patriarch¡­. What did Patriarch do?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, her father stepping up next to her his face asking the same thing. ¡°Just what I said I was going to do. There are going to be hordes of monstersing now, I ask that you all protect everyone from anything that gets past,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Past? Past what?¡± Rvul asked. Drake stretched out his hand, pointing his palm down as an orange magic circle formed, the viscous magma dripping down slowly forming the body of a human. Once the body fully formed, Drake pped his hands cing two more magic circles of yellow around the body, vieling it in lightning, and with a final snap of his fingers a light green magic circle formed cing a constant gust of turbulent wind around it encasing everything inside. ¡°Past him. Or her¡­ It? Let¡¯s call it a him, let''s go with Charles. Seems regal enough. Right Charles?¡± Drake said smiling at the new Elemental he made. Charles didn¡¯t respond but simply crackled with power in ce. ¡°Right he doesn¡¯t speak, he¡¯s shy. Anyway, Charles. Kill anything hostile to these lovely people. Do not leave this area, you are to die defending it.¡± Charles crackled with affirmation as it moved to the front of the group of citizens as instructed. ¡°Will that thing listen?¡± Landin asked, poking out through the crowd. ¡°He better, I made him. Just don¡¯t mention his height and you¡¯re fine,¡± Drake cautioned. ¡°Why would his height be an issue¡­?¡± Charlotte questioned. ¡°No reason,¡± Drake whistled, ¡°And with that. Keep your eyes up. Especially you two, this is the world you will have to face soon. And if I¡¯m right, you will need to decide quickly if you want to enter it or not,¡± Drake said seriously. ¡°Eyes up?¡± they both asked in tandem. Drake pointed to the sky. The crowd listening in turned to the sky, their eyes slowly showing the fear that nearly set them into panic. [Guardian of the West - Thunderbird H Garunda Level 31] ¡°W-what is that?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all doomed¡­. I shouldn¡¯t havee with this maniac!¡± ¡°It is the Harbinger of Father Death!¡± an Orc cried out. Drake smiled, his body shivering with anticipation, his new Asuran blood boiling over for the first time since fighting Bjorn. ¡°No. It¡¯s just experience sent by airmail,¡± he smirked. Drake took off his facade. An E-Rank monster was something he couldn¡¯t hold back against. That he wouldn¡¯t hold back against. He could finally test himself to the limit. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint,¡± he grinned, his eyes shifting colors as he stared at the massive bird. In the sky what looked to be like an American Eagle the size of several football fields looked down and soared over them, its beak a bright and vibrant yellow that crackled with lightning cascading from its head to its outstretched wings and down to its enormous serrated ck talons. Drake grinned from ear to ear, as he ced his mask into ce, recing his own smile with the mask¡¯s white teeth holding in ce the ck sword in them. With a sudden gust of wind Drake rose into the air and once out of range of the people below he shot forward with the use of his wind magic, not looking back. All that mattered was him and his opponent now. The monster bird seemed to sense and wait for Drake, as it hovered in the air pping its wings. Leveled with the monster Drake scoffed. ¡°Are you waiting on me? What brings you here, the crystal? Or did you hear there was a hot new Patriarchs in the area? Sorry, but I¡¯m taken twice over, not really into birds several hundred times my size,¡± Drake joked. H didn¡¯t respond but seemed to understand Drake at the least, its eyes sharpening as they glowed with power. Drake didn¡¯t flinch letting the pressure wash over him. [You have resisted Guranda¡¯s Guardian Intimidation] Reading the notification Drake frowned, ¡°That was very rude.¡± His face turned to a scowl as he let out his own aura powered by all of his stats and titles letting it press down on H. Letting it loose fully without restraint for the first time, the forceshing out indiscriminately. H flinched, pausing as it fell several feet frozen for a moment by the oppressive force. Drake scoffed, ¡°All talk.¡± His body still covered by his Heretical Endowment, Drake oriented himself at H, beginning to chant his buffs and skills in preparation as a wind formed at his feet, screaming and howling to be let loose. ¡°Marked. For the thrill of Battle! Bulwark, Guardians Reprieve, Unbreakable!¡± he shouted his body shimmering in green as the skills activated, his arms painted in gold mixed with the deep crimson red of his martial skill, forming dancing mes of gold and red on his tattoos. ¡°To the death.¡± Drake used hisst activebat buff skill on H, the skill waking the monster from its momentary pause, but it was toote. Drake had prepared enough. The miniature hurricane at Drake¡¯s feet was already manifested and let loose as it propelled him forward spinning right for H¡¯s chest. Drake reared back his fist throwing it with all of his strength behind it as it collided with the giant monster sending out a wave of force clearing the sky of the snow clouds and pushing down the people below before the sound rang out deafening the area. But the blow was not enough to kill the monster in one blow and Drakeughed gleefully. ¡°A tough one!¡± It all but made Drake more intense, his body heating up with each second that passed. He manifested his spells bombarding the monster and giving it no chance to counterattack. And for good measure, Drake made sure to weave in his debuffs as he shot around H and struck it over and over putting dents into the massive beast despite its size. ¡°Atrophy of the Mind!¡± The dark ink-like mana shot out from Drake as he thrusted his fist into the side of H shooting the monster back into the air, the cries and screeches reverberating through the area after each blow. ¡°Come on! Come on! Come on! Don¡¯t give up! It¡¯s only just begun!¡± Drake shouted, continuing to one-sidedly beat down the monster. ¡°You call yourself an E-Rank?! Try harder! Give it your best! Give it your best!!! E-Rank!!!¡± Nothing and no one was there to stop Drake this time as he was enveloped in his blooming Asuran personality and the thrill of the fight he was in. He shouted with near euphoria of the fight, each blow that connected, and spell he summoned sending shivers down his body. He had never beaten a monster like this with such fervent joy and so one-sidedly. There was no stopping him. H had a massive pool of health thanks to being above level 30 as well as being a major quest monster. But all it did was prolong the suffering of it being pummeled by Drake. For nearly 30 minutes it continued, Drake using his wind magic and fire magic to dash around constantly moving into its blind spots to attack, shaving away at its health pool little by little. Finally, H¡¯s body glowed in a red glow in Drake¡¯s eyes. Instinctually Drake knew it was due to his execution skill, Asuran¡¯s Punishment, meaning H was under the 15% Vitality threshold. Drake moved above H, crouching slightly as he reared back his fist, an intense orange me surrounding his fist. ¡°Death is-¡± But before Drake could finish the skill incantation he heard the cries and screeches begin to surround him. Looking around he noticed more and more entities entering his aura sense and began seeing more and more birds flock to H and himself. [Mana Eagle Level 30] ¡°Interruptions¡­.¡± Drake sneered, but then smirked, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take you all out in one go. Feel honored that you can be part of my evolution.¡± Drake canceled his skill, instead enveloping his fist in his attunement. ¡°Heretical Attunement. Fire!¡± Launching his fist forward he mmed it into the center of H¡¯s chest sending the massive monster careening for theke below. The impact sent shockwaves out once more as the bird went into a freefall for theke unable to resist the momentum after its one-sided fight against Drake. H collided with the still water injuring the monster further, the water felt like concrete from its fallen height as it sank slowly into theke sending an upheaval of water outwards from the impact. The citizens below all pointed and gasped as they looked up at Drake as he summoned thergest extent of spells that he could. ¡°35¡­40¡­50 should do,¡± Drake counted out loud as he added the new arrivals together. He raised his hand, a single yellow magic circle forming before it snapped to life, the brilliant yellow lightning crackling with instant power as it adopted a violet hue twisted into arge ball of mana, and rose into the air above Drake. ¡°I won¡¯t let a single one escape¡­¡± Drake snapped his fingers, 50 light blue magic circles manifesting all around him and springing to life small beads of water. The water shot forward, stopping just in front of every monster he had counted for, even one right above H¡¯s head that was poking out of theke¡¯s surface. Drake flipped his hand over, his palm facing up as the violet ball of violent lightning snapped and whipped to rest in his hand. Looking down at the people below he muttered under his breath. ¡°Witness for yourselves the reality of the strength I will use to protect you¡­¡± Drake arched his hand in front of himself, the ball of lightning separating into densences of lightning. ¡°Die. May the wrath of gods pierce you.¡± Drake clenched his fist sending the spears off, each one pinpointing and passing through the water like a homing missile to increase its strength just before it reached the target monsters. ¡°Megiddo!!¡± The sound of the thunder took the area by storm sending shivers and sound waves as it broke the silence leading up to the spell being unleashed. The crackling of thunder after the spears of lightning had met their targets made the sky look like a television series dog fight aftermath. The more than 40 burnt and smoldering monsters fell from the sky a trail of ck smoke following them down to the ground below. Leaving small craters as they collided with the ground. Thest and most dense spear snapped and fell down to pierce right into the skull of H, burning and evaporating some of the water in theke. [You have subjugated Guardian of the West - Thunderbird H Garunda Level 31 E-Rank][Experience Earned. Title Earned] [Title Earned: yer of the West] [Title Earned: One of Four] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 26] [40 Free Points have been awarded] [You have subjugated Mana Eagle Level 30 E-Rank][Experience Earned] [You have subjugated Mana Eagle Level 30 E-Rank][Experience Earned] [You have subjugated Mana Eagle Level 30 E-Rank][Experience Earned] [You have subjugated Mana Eagle Level 30 E-Rank][Experience Earned] [You have subjugated Mana Eagle Level 30 E-Rank][Experience Earned] ¡­.. ¡­ .. [Quest Complete! 30 of 30 Mana Eagles Subjugated] [ept Rewards?] [Experience Earned] [Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 27] [40 Free Points have been awarded] [Announcement!] [The first of the four guardian cardinal beasts, Thunderbird H Gauruda, has been in by Drake Wallen - The Tyrant Asuran. Three Guardian Cardinal Beasts remain.] [Quest Updated! 300 of 300 F-Rank Entities Subjugated. New Title Earned.] [New Title: Fledgling Ruler] Chapter 196: Joining the Fray Chapter 196: Joining the Fray ¡°Eyes up?¡± Landin and Charlot asked together their heads turning upwards to where Drake was looking. In the background around them, they heard many of the adults that Drake had taken with them begin to mutter and curse following him. But Charlotte and Landin¡¯s minds were nk as they could barely register the massive bird they saw in the sky, its mass sorge it cast a shadow enough to cover the entire area in the winter sun, stopping some of the snowfall from reaching them as it passed over. ¡°W-what is that?!¡± Charlotte muttered as Drake lifted himself off the ground and towards the sky. ¡°He can fly?¡± Landin asked turning to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know he said he was a Mage right?¡± she answered back. The smell of smoke wafted near them as a woman with an eye patch moved closer. ¡°He¡¯s using wind magic. Interesting¡­. That¡¯s over six elements I¡¯ve seen him use,¡± Bridgette said with a smile. ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Landin asked. Bridgette scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s more than a lot. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a Mage that could use more than one. Almost every ss I¡¯ve encountered is locked into one element, whatever that may be. Even physicalbat sses that have any sort of elemental augmentation can only use a single element to increase theirbat readiness.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s amazing?¡± Charlotte asked her eyes not leaving the sky. ¡°I¡¯d say he¡¯s special. At the very least¡­¡± Bridgetteughed, taking a puff from her cigarette and looking over at the Elemental Drake left behind, ¡°That isn¡¯t something your everyday Mage could do. Frankly, I haven¡¯t seen a single thing like it so far and there was quite the extraordinary Mage in my tutorial.¡± Landin looked at Charles as well, asking a question he had been curious about since meeting Drake. ¡°What was the tutorial like?¡± ¡°Mr. Wallen did not tell you all?¡± Bridgette asked, raising a brow, ¡°That would make sense depending on how his own tutorial was structured,¡± she exined exhaling, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details of his own, but my personal tutorial was a bloodbath of its own. We had no parameters other than to survive by the end of the three-month period. Our points were tallied by the number of monsters we killed and their strength.¡± She looked rather disgusted but smiled soon after when she recalled the memory from that point, ¡°But¡­ the system is quite interesting.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­?¡± Landin parroted. ¡°It failed to mention that people counted towards the tally,¡± she answered coldly, ¡°You can imagine what happened once the participants found out.¡± Landin grimaced and turned back to the sky. Charlotte had listened her mouth clenching as she gazed above at Drake. She could not tell what was going on from their height but it seemed like they were waiting. Or possibly talking? Before they shed she turned to Sah Ul¡¯ the Orc woman that Drake had fought earlier. She looked her up and down, measuring her. Her garb was that of a tribal warrior, simr to the others she had seen in the camp. Sah Ul¡¯s body was of nothing Charlotte had seen before, even women who had been on TV for bodybuilding could sparsely evenpare. If Charlotte had to say Sah Ul¡¯ was close to six feet tall as well. Sah Ul¡¯ mumbled something that Charlotte couldn¡¯t understand just like when she had been talking to Drake. The thought passing Charlotte¡¯s mind made her scan the area, seeing the other Orc bystanders also looking up into the air at Drake. The whole situation was off-putting. She was surrounded by strange people she could barely believe were real. Yesterday it was just another normal day in her life, she was walking back from school to her home in the fall. There were leaves on the ground and when she blinked it changed, she was suddenly surrounded by a light snow on the ground, and the air was frigid and dry. The next thing she knew a strange man tried to kidnap her but then Drake stopped him. Saving her. And every moment after was a rollercoaster of the unbelievable. Monsters, magic, dimensional bags, people being killed, and everything in between. She then looked to her other side, seeing her brother, Brodie. Thankfully Drake had been telling the truth and brought him back to her. But it felt like he was holding something back. Even after saying he would and was working to help them find their family and parents. Ripped from her thoughts the sound of a screech broke the silence. She looked up with the rest of the people around her. Drake shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors already but then a vibrant bright green shed three times over him before he disappeared and a wave of pressure and wind passed over her, secondster an ear-splitting thunderous crack bombarded her senses forcing her to cover her ears as she winced, trying to maintain her view of the battle above. She could barely follow what was happening, only seeing the bird suddenly being thrown in every direction, things that looked impossible to her being created and thrown at the massive bird. Fire, water, lightning, spikes of earth and ice, and even what looked likeva dripped and covered the bird at some points. Charlotte¡¯s mouth slowly hung open as she looked at the disy of what she assumed was Drake fighting. Every impact sent chills down her back as she felt the percussion in her chest like a drum being struck, even from so far away. Before long the sound of more kawing and screeches reached their ears as she turned to see specs of ck turn into massive birds as well putting the crowd into unrest. More murmurs beginning to spread throughout. But Charlotte looked back towards therger bird, seeing Drake finally standing there in in view. Then he was gone, the massive bird shooting downwards to theke like a falling meteor until it hit the water with a resounding crack, pushing water up and out of theke sshing the group with cold icy water. She covered her face, making sure Brodie was safe before her head snapped upwards again, finding Drake. This time his body was suddenly lit up by yellow lightning that soon turned into what looked like a sinister violet hue contorting into a ball and rising upwards. Next Charlotte gasped with the rest of the group as more circles of blue light than she could count formed around Drake. In the next instant, the bright reflection of the sun glinted in the day¡¯s light against what looked like raindrops in the sky. Some forming rainbows in the air. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Charlotte muttered. But the beauty did notst long as Drake moved, the droplets traveling like bullets let loose from a gun¡¯s barrel disappearing in Charlotte¡¯s sight. The next moment the ball of lightning moved in front of Drake before it somehow separated turning into tens of long spears of crackling violet lightning. Charlotte shivered as she felt the prickly feeling of static electricity on the ends of the hair on her body. Grabbing hold of herself she nced at both Sah Ul¡¯ and Bridgette. Bridgette¡¯s face turned pale as her cigarette dropped from her mouth. Sah Ul¡¯ a look of pure frustration painted on her scrunched-up face. Then Charlotte shuttered, moving to cover her brother as a sh of violet light covered the area, a secondter the sound of thunder drove its noisy cacophony into her senses. Once she realized she wasn¡¯t hurt she moved to look upward only to see the birds falling from the sky in smokey heaps. The bird in the water a steamy pile of burnt smoldering ash. She turned to Landin almost as a way to make sure she wasn¡¯t in a dream and what she saw was real. What she saw was Landin with his mouth open wide with a grin tugging at the side of his lips, his eyes sparkling. Charlotte looked up, seeing Drake still in the air for a moment before he descended, touching therge bird in theke making it disappear then walking across theke¡¯s surface to their side of the shore. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on him as he reached them, he moved his mask, keeping an even face until he found Charlotte, Landin, Bridgette, and Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Well? How¡¯d I do?¡± Drake smiled back. ¡ª------------ ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡± Charlotte asked, ¡°I-I don¡¯t even know what to say¡­¡± Drake smirked. Pretty good then I guess. He thought, gauging everyone¡¯s face. He spotted Sarah¡¯s face furrowed into a scowl forcing him tough slightly nervously. Oh¡­ I know that face. That¡¯s the ¡®You didn¡¯t take me seriously when we fought!¡¯ face¡­ He then looked at the Doc. At some point she had fallen to her knees, her face slightly pale as she searched her pockets for another cigarette it seemed. ¡°Hey Doc, you alright?¡± Drake asked, pulling a blue and red vial from his inventory, as well as a spare hoodie. ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ alright¡­ I just didn¡¯t expect you to,¡± she paused gulping audibly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to kill an E-Rank¡­ so... Easily¡­¡± Drake raised a brow wiping his mouth from the potions, ¡°What part of that was easy? I used quite a bit of my status to kill that thing.¡± Looking around it seemed everyone was still in shock at what they had seen. Drake sighed and pped, trying to break everyone from their stupor. ¡°Listen up!¡± he shouted, ¡°It¡¯s going to be night in a few hours,¡± he began, then pointed to the previous Chief Rvul, ¡°I need you to find a space that would be fine to set up tents for the children. I would appreciate it if you could set up patrols around the... What do we call this a city? Town? Vige? Vige works. Around this vige.¡± Snapping his fingers, Drake resummoned several Elementals next to himself, ¡°Take these guys, put them into the groups for the patrols they should be able to kill any F-Ranks easily. And will give your people enough time to run to alert me if an E-Rank finds its way here.¡± Rvul shook himself from his thoughts and nodded deeply cing his hand on his heart, ¡°It will be done, Patriarch!¡± Drake frowned. ¡°From Lord to asshole, to Chieftain, to Patriarch now huh..?¡± he sighed, ¡°Anyway,¡± he said addressing Charlotte and Landin, ¡°Don¡¯t take my fight as standard but if you both want to enter this world that is in front of you, that might be your reality soon enough.¡± Drake pointed to Charlotte, ¡°You said you¡¯re turning 16 soon?¡± Charlotte coughed and snapped to attention, ¡°Y-yeah! A few more days.¡± Drake pursed his lips looking over at Landin, ¡°You?¡± ¡°I got a little less than a month assuming it''ste December if what the olddy said about being gone for three months.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not old, I¡¯m a young 37-year-old,¡± Bridgette said as calmly as she could, standing back up. ¡°Could have fooled me. The system did you good huh¡­¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°I¡¯ll exin in a bit, first let me set up some things,¡± Drake told her, ¡°You and Landin, wait here, I¡¯m going to put up some living spaces for everyone.¡± ¡°Why us?¡± they asked together. ¡°I have to talk to you about some things. And you are going to help me collect the E-Grade Monster Cores for Natto,¡± Drakeughed, waving his hand as he found Rvul and walked with him. They looked at each other, ¡°Monster cores?¡± ¡ª-------- ¡°This is not what I expected when you said we were helping!¡± Charlotte yelled through an exhausted gasp. ¡°Less yelling, more cutting,¡± Drake said, arms crossed as he scanned the area. ¡°Hey, isn''t it kind of dangerous for us to be out here?¡± Landin asked wiping his brow. ¡°Oh, one hundred percent,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°But don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t let anything happen.¡± Landin frowned, ¡°Famousst words¡­.¡± he grumbled. ¡°I heard that,¡± Drake scoffed. Landin and Charlotte ignored him and went back to their ¡®work¡¯. ¡°Now¡¯s a good time as any,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°What have you two decided?¡± They both paused for a moment and looked at each other before Landin spoke first. ¡°It was cool to see you manhandle that bird yo, but¡­ I don¡¯t know about fighting. Seems like a death wish,¡± he offered. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m grateful for everything but I have my brother to think about. Not to mention our parents are still out there¡­¡± Charlotte added. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why,¡± Drake said evenly, looking at them both in the eyes, his joking demeanor gone. Landin and Charlotte looked at each other confused. Drake pointed to Charlotte, ¡°You want to protect your brother and find your parents right?¡± then to Landin, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about you Landin, but I¡¯m guessing parents, or even just to protect yourself?¡± They both nodded. Drake took a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to say this, but if your parents were not in your homes or where you were when you came back. They are dead.¡± The words didn¡¯t register immediately for the two. ¡°W-what are you saying? You¡­ You told us you sent out quests to find them..?¡± Charlotte mumbled. ¡°I did, but that was just a precaution in case I¡¯m wrong. But it¡¯s highly unlikely. When we all returned from our tutorials, we were meant to be ced right back from where we were taken at the time.¡± Landin bit his lip before he looked Drake in the eyes. ¡°Are you saying my family is gone?¡± Drake nodded, ¡°I am. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then what? What¡¯s the point then?¡± he scoffed, tossing the de in his hand to the ground, ¡°Why am I even doing this?¡± ¡°I- I don¡¯t believe you! You¡¯ve told us the truth so far, but¡­ But this¡­ You can¡¯t be right!¡± Charlotte shouted, ¡°What am I supposed to tell my brother?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Drake said evenly, ¡°It isn¡¯t my ce to say. But I know one thing. And that¡¯s if you want to protect what you still have or to make sure nothing like this happens to them and the people toe. Or even go out into the world and try to find your parents, friends, and family. You are going to need strength. Strength that you won¡¯t be able to get unless you have help.¡± Drake snapped his fingers again, cycling through his magic, ¡°I can help you get there. Safer than if you were to do it on your own. Much safer than how I got to where I am now. If you decide to step foot into the world of the system when you turn 16. I will help you both every step of the way.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Landin scoffed, ¡°Why would you help us?¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t ask but her face held the same question. ¡°It¡¯s just something you could say is my biggest weakness¡­¡± Drake chuckled, admonishing himself, ¡° I can¡¯t help it. I know what you two are feeling. At least a fraction of it. My family also needs to be found and I n on doing so once this vige is established. But I won¡¯t lie to you both. I need clean tes to train up.¡± ¡°Clean tes? What do you mean by that?¡± Landin asked. ¡°When you are introduced into the system, you choose from four archetype sses. If you both¡­ if you ept my offer, allow me to tailor your sses to what I need for this ce. If you ept, ¡° Drake offered squelching his magic, ¡°I promise I will do everything in my power to help find out for sure if your parents are still alive or not.¡± Silence permeated from the pair. Whether they were thinking the offer over or just shocked to hear the words Drake spoke, he didn''t know. But he waited patiently, making sure to observe the area as they did. And after several minutes passed, the sun began to wane in the distance. Surprisingly the first to answer was Charlotte. ¡°If I trust you this time, and¡­ And do what you say, you promise I can protect Brodie? And find our parents?¡± ¡°If they are still alive. Yes,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it! If that means a chance at finding them. If that means Brodie won¡¯t have to do this when he gets older. I¡¯ll do it!¡± she shouted at Drake, the conviction spilling out with her words. Landin scratched the back of his head, obviously frustrated and mulling over his thoughts. ¡°Ahhhhh¡­. Ahhh! Fine! I¡¯m in too!¡± Drake smiled but a sorrowful frown overtook his face for a moment before reversing back into his jovial smirk. ¡°Good. d to have you both on board. Just don¡¯t tell this to the others for now. Once the worst is over I¡¯ll break the news to them as well. But for now,¡± he grinned wider, pping his hands together, ¡°Wee to the team. Now we just need toe up with a cool team name! Reimers? The Dark ReUnite Ninjas? No¡­.. Saviors of ReUnite¡­? Oooh! I like that!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ¡°Ok, what about Go Go ReUnite Rangers? We can evene up with a theme song!¡± ¡°Hell no!¡± they both shouted. Chapter 196.5: A New Level of Dazzling God?! Chapter 196.5: A New Level of Dazzling God?! Aono struggled to push through the thicket of bushes and tall grass, twigs and the like sticking out of her hair, her sses cracked down the middle and taped crookedly. ¡°Ha¡­. Haaaa¡­¡­ I-I made it! And I¡¯m finally relieved of those sted followers of mine! Freedom atst to fulfill my true destiny!¡± she shouted, jostling her clothes back into ce as she tumbled out of the bush falling face-first into the snow. ¡°Ahh!!! Why is it so cold!?¡± she screamed, ¡°No! I can¡¯t think about that, where did that bus go?!¡± Aono had somehow made it all the way from Japan to the United States. Her journey was perilous and well. Very lucky to say the least. She had hitched a ride on a small raft from Japan traveling over the Pacific Ocean which was now several times bigger and many more times dangerous. Thankfully for her, she had met a sailor of sorts. Or well, Pirates that helped her instead of robbing her. They had arge ship that was more a malformation of a ship if she had to say. Combining several ships together in a very waterworld-like creation. After some bargaining and desperate pleas she was allowed to be let off on the coast of San Fran, or what was left of San Fran. From there she had rapidly traveled the length of the States, unfortunately not by choice, at least not choice of travel. On the port of the States, she was snatched up by arge bird she had no idea what was, that had apparently been traveling East. From there she was only a few hours in the air before the bird was shot down by something and to her surprise not only did she survive the several hundred-foot fall, but she was now on the east coast of the states. After more negotiation with several vagrants and some officials who seemed to be establishing a government or reviving it, she was allowed to apany them upwards to where her, ¡®Drake-dar¡¯ was pointing her. Another few hourster she received a notification like the rest of the people in the world. [The Second Honing Crystal has been ced by Drake Wallen - The Patriarch Asuran, The Tyrant, 167 hours untilpletion] Aono¡¯s eyes shone like stars, seeing the name of her Knight after so long. Squealing like a little fangirl in the Humvee almost forcing the driver to swerve off the road the pitch was so high. That was where her luck ran out. They had kicked her out of the Humvee for her disturbance. Something about official business needing tending to and that she was a liability to security from there on out as well as a clear upational hazard if she continued to rant about how great Drake was to them. This left her where she was now. Lead by her nose and ¡®Drake-dar¡¯ she was forced to walk to her destination. Meandering through the city she hadnded in she was told of the escapades of her knight. ¡°I wish I could have seen the whole thing at the system center¡­¡± shemented as she picked herself out of the snow and trudged forward, ¡°My Knight has learned quite a few new tricks! That spell! Was such beauty, as if sculpted by a god!¡± She then snickered to herself, ¡°Well, it was sculpted by a god¡­ My god! The dazzling God! Mwahahahaha!!!!¡± Coughing to herself she continued forward, her eyes peeled looking out for the buses that her knight had used to procure the orphaned children in his city. ¡°Ah! Sopassionate! So daring! So Elegant!! Does my Dazzling Knight know no bounds to the human emotion?!¡± Aono suddenly felt a disturbance in the Drake-force her head snapping to the side, her nose lifting slightly upwards as she took in a deep breath. ¡°Kagu Kagu¡­ Kagu Kagu¡­ Hmm, he has fixed his electrolyte problem¡­ He is getting quite a lot of proteintely and¡­ Oh naughty naughty, he is eating a fair amount of sugar! And what is this? A-Arousal?!¡± Aono¡¯s eyes bulged and filled with blood as they reddened. ¡°Why would he be?! I must know! I can not miss a moment more!¡± Like a hunting dog that had found the scent, Aono dropped to all fours galloping through the snow and grass in the direction of Drake. The busing into view in the distance above the grass she swerved making for the treeline. stered as tightly as she could to the tree she looked out for her knight. But to her disappointment, he was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where is he¡­¡± she whispered, ¡°I see the buses but where is my Dazzling inspiration?!¡± Lamenting the absence of her target, Aono whimpered slightly as she pulled out a holographic card, looking at it fondly as she caressed it. Yes, in her hand was her greatest creation. The Dazzling God dispelling the world of the worthless Ant with a bow and arrow of pure magical brilliance. She drooled slightly as she rubbed her cheek against it, ¡°Haha..Hahaha¡­ Do not worry your grace¡­ I will be there to document your every moment soon enough!¡± Her head whipped to the sound of the buses being lifted and moved. Instinctively she began her chase. After a few brief minutes and her lungs burning with fire as white-hot as her ambition to her Knight she fell to her knees outside of a small vige. Aono dropped the to ground on her knees only for a hand of green toe into her view. She looked up to see an Orc offering a hand to her. ¡°With others? This way by order of Patriarch.¡± Aono didn¡¯t hesitate to nod and be brought to the ¡®others¡¯ of the group. She quickly slipped into the crowd once there and searched for her Knight. Within seconds she spotted him, staying a distance away enough to hear him. ¡°Keep your eyes on the sky,¡± Drake said before raising himself into the air a momentter. Sky? Aono thought following Drake¡¯s person into the air, her eyes widening at the sight of the massive bird that was blocking the snow from falling. ¡°It is a sky battle?! And so soon?! Magnificent!¡± she shouted, people turning to her puzzled, some children pointing at her whispering things like ¡®crazy, funny olddy, weirdo,¡¯ but she cared not. For Aono, she was so pleased with what she anticipated to witness everything else was mute. She looked on, Drake beginning his fight by cycling through his skills for defense. ¡°Precautious as ever¡­ Such diligence!¡± she murmured her hand plucking the mana stylus from the air as her Mana Paper materialized in front of her. Drake then rushed forward disappearing for a moment before a thunderous boom rang out. ¡°Such speed! Once again he has be faster! My feeble eyes could not even follow it!¡± she squealed. Drake began bombarding the bird with spells Aono had not seen before. He went back and forth striking and dodging, not allowing the monstrous bird to retaliate in any way. ¡°Such one-sided tyranny! I can not believe¡­ I can not believe how... How wondrous! Ahhh! My dazzling knight will not even allow such an insignificant threat to tread near the ones he is sworn to protect, will he? Magnificent!¡± Aono howled, her hand moving with such speed as she scribed down the slightly embellished recording of the event. Finally, the sound of screeching reached everyone¡¯s ears as their heads snapped to the sound, dozens of ck dotsing closer, molding into new monsters. ¡°Reinforcements?!¡± Aono said almost with smiling, her head returning to following Drake, ¡°What will you do now my wondrous Knight?!¡± Drake moved, throwing therger bird to theke, sshing the crowd, but Aono¡¯s eyes never left her source of elegant inspiration. Drinking in every second of his wonder. Raising his hand, Aono saw as Drake summoned countless magic circles, more than she had ever witnessed him use before. ¡°A new level?!¡± Soon Drake rose into the air a violet ball of lightning, numerous droplets of water spreading out and finding their way across the sky to the oing birds. Each drop glistening in the rays of the sun forming bright beacons in the sky as well as rainbows. Aono continued to draw, her eyes beginning to water from the beauty. ¡°I-i¡­ I!!!!¡± she began mumbling as she drew. Still mumbling she heard Drake through the noise, forcing her words to get caught up in her throat as she waited on baited breath for his words. ¡°Die. May the wrath of gods pierce you.¡± ¡°Megiddo!!¡± It was over in an instant, Aono¡¯s eyes stretched to their limit to gather as much information as she could, her hands never stopping for a microsecond. What hit her first was the shockwave of impact from the bolts of lightning hitting their target. A secondter the sound of the crackling thunder splitting her eardrums down to their vagus nerve bringing her such euphoric pleasure she hummed with gasps of joy. Her hand finally finished as she dropped to her knees, a line of drool on the side of her mouth. ¡°Such¡­. Wondrous power¡­ My Dazzling Knight¡­. No! My Dazzling God! You have reached a new ne of existence! I will forever be bound to witness these feats of gruesome unrelenting magnificence!!!!!¡± Aono passed out but a momentter, being poked by a stick from the local and orphaned children. ¡°Haha, she¡¯s funny,¡± theyughed in unison, matching each other¡¯s thoughts though they could not understand one another yet. Chapter 197: Falling into Place 1 Chapter 197: Falling into ce 1 ¡°I bring gifts!¡± Drake shouted but frowned as he saw Natto be unresponsive to his arrival, ¡°You know you can be happier. I just got like 40 E-Rank Monster Cores all cleaned and prepped for you.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Landin and Charlotte said in unison, coughing loudly. ¡°Ok. They got them ready for you, but I told them to do it,¡± Drake corrected. Natto still remained seated below the Crystal unresponsive. ¡°Ok, I know what will get her to talk. Time to bring in the big guns,¡± Drake smirked pulling a glistening small piece of delight from his inventory. There was still no movement from Natto initially but Drake tossed the sugary treat into the air only for it to be snatched mid-air by the jaws of the small squirrel construct. ¡°Whash ahre shoo dohing¡­?¡± Natto said through small crunching of the candy. ¡°I am here to bring you more E-Rank Cores,¡± Drake reiterated. ¡°You may hold onto them for now, I must concentrate on pairing with the Crystal until this is finished anchoring. As I have told you!¡± she sneered. ¡°Right,¡± Drake smiled and threw her the rest of the candy bag, ¡°Don¡¯t spend it all in one ce.¡± Natto snatched the bag mid-air cing it into her sleeve and went back to a seemingly meditative state. Drake turned around looking at the pair of teens and the other person who had found them on their way to the ind, who would not let Drake from her sight since getting back. ¡°So are you just going to actually follow me around from now on, like forever?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Father told to be at service to¡­ husband, so Sah Ul¡¯ will follow,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ grunted, obviously displeased. ¡°Really? Sarah, do you even like me? Isn¡¯t there anyone you have eyes for in your tribe?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ tilted her head slightly the ornaments in her hair jingling slightly, ¡°Care not for weak men. Since gods took Rhak Tribe to battle no man has ever defeated Sah Ul¡¯.¡± She pointed to Drake, ¡°First man to ever beat Sah Ul¡¯. Strong is fine, you protect tribe, Sah Ul¡¯ will give all to Patriarch.¡± Landin and Charlotte looked at Drake confused, not able to understand Sarah just yet. ¡°What is she saying?¡± Landin asked. ¡°She said she likes me oodles and oodles,¡± Drake sighed. Charlotte crossed her arms and pursed her lips, ¡°What is she really saying? You know we can¡¯t even understand you when you switch to thatnguage right?¡± Drake raised a brow,¡± Oh? That¡¯s cool, what does it sound like?¡± Landin shrugged, ¡°It kind of sounds like a mix between Dothraki and Klingon.¡± ¡°Dope,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°Anyway, since little Miss Follow Along is with us, I won¡¯t be needing you two for right now. There isn¡¯t much we can do until you both are introduced to the system. I have an idea of what I¡¯ll be doing for Charlotte since I was able to retrieve a stone from the Guardian Buzzard¡­ But Landin¡­ I¡¯ll have to keep looking for now.¡± ¡°Awe¡­ I wanted to know what ss I was going! Why can¡¯t we pick again?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Yeah, shouldn¡¯t we get a say?¡± Charlotte agreed. ¡°No. If you are going to have me teach you. You need to follow what I say verbatim. I¡¯ve been through the process already and the process has to be correct. There are no ways of taking back a decisionter without severe changes to your race or personality.¡± ¡°Race changes¡­?¡± Charlotte asked then a light dawned on her, ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t human¡­?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°You are very perceptive, good. No, I''m not human anymore.¡± ¡°You were never human!¡± Natto chimed in, opening one eye. ¡°Aren¡¯t you meditating or something!?¡± Drake yelled back, then turned back to the teens, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice when I was forced to change, but I don¡¯t want to see that happen to either of you just for the sake of getting stronger. If you feel the need to do so down the line I won¡¯t stop you, but for right now, it¡¯s my n to not have it happen. Now,¡± Drake walked over ushering them back across the ice bridge he made, ¡°Get some rest. Tomorrow you will be shadowing me and Sarah while we fight off whateveres for the crystal. Also, I want you both to look for anyone else who may be turning 16 and be interested in learning under me. I want to gather people here first before I go out looking for more.¡± ¡°You think anyone would be insane enough to learn from you like us..?¡± Landin asked. ¡°No, but never hurts to ask. Everyone will turn 16 at some point and I¡¯m not so sure anyone will have a choice in joining the system or not. There are always Nonbat professions but everyone will need to fight at some point, unfortunately,¡± Drake said, giving a solemn smile. ¡°Nonbat? Why didn''t you mention that before?¡± Charlotte asked, walking onto the bridge. ¡°Because it¡¯s nonbat. You can¡¯t protect people if you don¡¯t fight, I¡¯ll exin more in the morning, get some sleep.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± she asked back. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep. Perks of being a super non-human. Besides I need to make sure nothing disturbs you kids while you sleep,¡± Drake grinned waving them both off, as Sah Ul¡¯ walked up next to him. Once the teens were off Drake dropped his hands and turned to look up at Sarah. ¡°You¡¯re too tall,¡± he said tly. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ is average height for Rhak tribe women,¡± she answered with a frown. Drake clicked his tongue. ¡°Alright since you are gonna follow me, might as well put you to work. Did you get a recement weapon?¡± ¡°No, being made by tribe warsmith,¡± she said, slightly disheartened. Drake rubbed the back of his neck feeling responsible for destroying her weapon but he sadly didn¡¯t have much to offer in the way of weaponry that would be worthy as a recement. But he did have quite a bountiful amount of material the warsmith could use. ¡°Ok, take me to them tomorrow, I have some stuff he might find useful. Until then, just stay close, I won''t let anything happen to you.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked confused for a moment unsure how to respond. Picking up on it before they left the ind on the bridge, Drake raised a brow curiously, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never¡­¡± she began her face looking down at the ground, ¡°Never been protected since became warrior. Don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°How about thank you? If you¡¯re feeling really gracious, how about. Thank you almighty Drake for protecting the small slightly shorter, more than a little bit weaker than you, I can¡¯t express my thanks in words but I hope these small amount words of thanks suffice- OK OK! I WAS JOKING PUT YOUR TEETH AWAY!¡± Drakeughed holding Sah Ul¡¯ back by her shoulders as she growled at him, disying her tusks and pearly whites. Drake let her go taking a breath before he chuckled walking across the bridge. ¡°Take a joke will you or you won¡¯tst long around me,¡± he smiled. ¡°Jokes are for fools and children,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ hissed. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m a man-child by definition then¡­¡± Drake mumbled, ¡°Alright,¡± he added, snapping his fingers, summoning another Elemental, ¡°We¡¯ll go keep the area safe till morning. Even with the other warriors and my elementals patrolling, I¡¯ll need you to keep the munchkin safe.¡± The elemental responded only by traveling back over the bridge and standing next to Natto silently. ¡°How use such magic but so strong?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Oh did I never say? Then, we¡¯ll have to have a good conversation while we patrol.¡± ¡ª----------- After crossing the bridge, Drake checked up on the tents he had set up. Making sure all of the children and adults that hade with him were asfortable as they could be under the circumstances. He couldn¡¯t give them everything they wanted or needed but he tried his best to amodate them. They were still children after all. They each gotrge beds that he had gotten from the Gnolls and Goblins in the tutorial and all the amenities he could muster. Once he had a chance to speak to Natto after the anchoring, he would need to discuss how the town would be built. He wasn¡¯t an architect by any stretch but he hoped someone would have a profession or he could somehow manage to find someone that survived the tutorial with the profession. His main concern was infrastructure, fresh water, and food in the short term. But if what Natto told him was correct he would need to think about much more after and he would need people to do so. Looking through the camp he made next to the tribe he was satisfied, making sure to keep his Aura Sense expanded to the max to make sure everything remained fine. Also, he made sure to stay in tune with his elementals that were patrolling the area with the packs of Orcs making sure none were defeated. With that he had a constant flow of notifications he had been ignoring. Quest updates for some of the monsters in the area which he was d for, and some that he hadn¡¯t gotten quests for. But most had been F-Rank with a very scarce number of E-Ranks. The entire time he had been shadowed by Sah Ul¡¯. Her face showed how disgruntled she was about doing so, but Drake also noticed how she had be slightly more rxed the more she saw him interact with everyone. Suppose she¡¯s lowering her guard now that I¡¯m not murdering andughing¡­ Man, I went a bit far with that Guardian¡­ Drake sighed, remembering his personality shifting the longer the fight went on. Finally done checking Drake made his way to the outskirts of the popted area, noticing a familiar name pop up in the line of notifications. [The 11th Honing Crystal has been ced by Shigure Kenzo - The Sword Saint, 72 hours untilpletion] Drake scoffed, ¡°Took him long enough, 11th huh? Already 11 people have started the anchoring process.¡± Before Drake could continue his thought process he felt an elemental wink out of existence on the East side of the encampment forcing him to double back. ncing at his status he ced his points into his status, a majority of them going into his Dexterity to round it out to 600, his Intelligence to over 1000, and cing the remainder into his Endurance. His stats once again ballooned thanks to his two-level increase and massive race and title bonuses, especially the newest ones. [Fledgling Ruler]
  • You have found the fealty of the masses in your new domain granting you a newfound power in your noble oblige in protecting your subjects.
  • +5% to all stats.
[One of Four]
  • You have thwarted the first of four major beings still remaining in your world. The being known as Thunderbird H Garunda - Guardian of the West was one of the Four Cardinal Beasts meant to contain the world.
  • +50 to all Stats.
[yer of the West]
  • You have defeated the Guardian of the West, H Garunda, one who is known for their wisdom and expertise in magic.
  • The leader of the Thunderbirds has now fallen under the might of your actions leaving a gap in its domain and the leadership of its brethren. The West now stirs.
  • +50 to Wisdom. (Bonus +50 to Wisdom due to solo-kill)
[Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 27 [Vitality] 622 (20+ 220%) [Strength] 762 (100 +15%) [Dexterity] 600 (85 + 25%) [Intelligence] 1050 (105+20%) [Wisdom] 688 (30 + 220%) [Endurance] 491 (90 + 230%) [Free Points] 0 First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Monkey yer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Dead Man Walking, Dual ss, Punching Up, Improbability, Rounded, Dog Hater, One Man Army, Dog Killer. Battle of Attrition, First of Your Kind, Goblin Hater, Goblin yer, Murderer, Serial Killer, Vanquisher of Kings, Tutorial Forerunner, First of Many, Well on Your Way, Glory of the Patriarch, Highest Contributor, Expectations of the Host, Dawning of a Tyrant, Incectocide, Marked by Dragons, Race Change, Birthright, Vanquisher of Kings II, Exterminator, Named in the System, Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, Fledgling Ruler, One of Four, yer of the West Once done, he didn¡¯t even spare Sarah a nce knowing she would understand as he shot past her to the other side of the encampment. His hair shifting to a bright yellow he left the area at speed leaving scorch marks on the ground. Nothing should be able to beat my Elementals right now except¡­. Drake thought as he found the area abuzz. ¡°Man¡­ And I thought I was done with the bugs!¡± Drake sighed looking at the scene. [Muscas Insectmancer Level 31] Spoiler I would like to give an extra thank you to my T1 Patrons : BelligerentGnu, Scott F. Fletcher D. Yang A. Aaron R., Liam B., Wolfram K., Naoggeddon, Matthew G., Abdziz A., Pratish S., Sam4005, Salfallen, Wedmark D., ytm, Navarre C. H. A bigger thanks to my T2 Patrons: Facha, Gavin T. Mike, Sphinxes, Benji, Isaac H., M. R., Tyler, Nic, crk57, Aksam, Benji, M.R., Braincase, Shakekiller, Regan B., George M., Brother Grey, Jakub T., Nim, Talen D., James M., Liam B., DayWalker, Mark W., Rowan James, Woody, Johnnyboy 117, William N., Daniel W., Ruadhan, in And a massive thanks to my T3 Patrons: Jesse M. C Alex G. Bum Bumbo, Paul F. Liam B., Eb, Richard M., Richard R., Pergamon, Gavin T, Carolyne, Thomas B W., Zachary G., Michael W., skeri123, Leon O. Alfredo S., Richard B., Sye, Coco-Jin, Zu''ul, eroth, Adrian D., Chris M., Jan T., Nathan V.M., Olivier M., Ugly Bastard Tag da Best, al, David E., Green S., Greenboy676, Mark T, Nathan V. M., Jame I., Firinen, Raymond N., UnknownS0n, Romain V., Daniel R., Aran K., Mr. Book-Stash, Jetforce, Tanner, Swampfox, SupremeTempest, Bryan R-B, Josh, Mason G., Navarre C H., Pratish S., Jacob F. Adam G., TheGreenKraken, deadmo, Happy Pixie, Jake T., James N., Jhon A., Curtis M., John A., Shadowpulse, Mnie S., Jessy P., Patrick W., skeri123, John A., Arterion, Jordan J., TheAverageNerd, Albert, Alexikon, Keh K., Col A., Alex, Malcolm W., Thortinshire., desunder, jason p., thethra, Maxwell J., Aditya V.K., Hartley, Chase, Rawin R., Nevan, Faerwynd, Niks, Zachary M., Levi C., Killertiger95, Arthur C., Alexander R., dragonsalver, Terrance S., Alexander R., Bruce F., vividlearner744, Al, Alric G., Lnne M., Krimo, Johnathan H., JarryD,Skys, Tyler L.. Shakekiller, CardOne4All, Reuben E., Sam S., AA, Freya, Cody D., mafytoogamer, Dupl3x_, Thereader, Jordan M., Piotr, n, My Name is Klondike, Michael W., Arron H., Jaklelope, Zero_to_Nero, Goldenatte, Wh1t3f0rg3, Andrew M., Fabrice, Alec G., Kris C., Seth F., Thedeathnote, Rowan J., Tiki, Timothy B., Firinen, ThePickleBoss, Brayan R., Leon J., AkisP, Fortunis, Aegir, Chris B., Barry P., CHoobler, Harlemisha, Jonathan G. Jr., Iranoc, Matt M., Eric L. S., Joe, Malcolm W., Thrangnar, 1FantasyFanatic, Alex W., Jason P., Jakleope, Matt M. MrTwinkles99 An extra ordinary extraordinary thanks to my Only T4 Patron: Cameron M. And a special thanks to my very first two patreons: Mark M., and Mr. Redd. P.S. If I ever miss you in the shoutouts please just send me a message on patreon. [copse] [/author] Chapter 198: Falling into Place 2 Chapter 198: Falling into ce 2 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. [Mana Wasp Level 20] [Mana Bee Level 20] [Mana Scarab Level 22] More insects inhabited the swarm that hovered around the Incectmancer but Drake was more concerned with the Orcs that had been fighting. 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. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Drake asked quickly. ¡°C-came out of nowhere¡­¡± the Orc warrior grunted out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You did well holding out¡­¡± 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. His eyes never left the Muscas as his aura began to weigh on the area, his emotion of frustration bing palpable. A short time after Sah Ul¡¯ finally caught up taking in the scene herself and rushing to her tribesmen¡¯s aide. ¡°What happened?!¡± she growled. ¡°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.¡± 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. They¡¯re tough. I''ll give them that. None of them ran even in the face of an E-Rank. Drake thought The Muscas screeched, the swarm suddenlying to life as it moved to smother Drake. In an instant the swarm was gone, lit by a bright white me that epassed Drake and the group of Orcs around him. ¡°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!¡± Drake shot forward, his body bulging with power as his hair cascaded into a deep scarlet. ¡°Marked. For the thrill of battle!¡± 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. Drake¡¯s hair shifted to a brilliant yellow as he stepped forward following the bug. ¡°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¡­¡± The Muscas suddenly shook off the momentary shock of Drake¡¯s blow, its wings fluttering as it shot up, scaling in height. Drake followed it with his eyes, ¡°Wings aren¡¯t just for show, check.¡± Summoning wind he flew upwards keeping parallel with the monster. ¡°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. Only this time the bugs began to swarm around the Muscas attaching to it in certain spots. ¡°It can equip the summons? Very game-esque of you. Looks like the higher-ranked monsters are more sophisticated in their skills,¡± Drakeughed. The Muscas swiped downward at Drake, a beetle on its forearm having turned into a serrated trident. Drake dodged deftly in the air, using his wind and fire magic to fly circles around the monster. ¡°Let¡¯s check your magic resistance shall we?¡± Snapping his fingers Drake summoned an instance of all of his elements starting his bombardment with Water. 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. ¡°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. 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. ¡°Wind is a no-go also¡­ Fine, next.¡± 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. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve finally realized you''re fucked. Toote though. You won¡¯t be getting away before I¡¯m done.¡± 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. ¡°As expected abination of fire would work. Let''s see if Ice works shall we?¡± 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. 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. ¡°Weak to ice as well? Looks like Insect types are still underpowered, unfortunate for you.¡± 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. ¡°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. ¡°Turn to dust and disappear before me.¡± 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. ¡°I won¡¯t let you regret this, Ban-¡± 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. ¡°-kai.¡± 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. ¡°Senbonzakura, Kageyoshi.¡± 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. Raising his hand the petals coalesced forming rows of bright ming swords around them. ¡°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. ¡°Senkei!¡± 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. [You have subjugated Muscas Insectmancer Level 31] [E-Rank] [Experience Earned] ¡ª------------------------ 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. 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. 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. 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? He would have to figure that outter but for now, the people around him were in more danger than he expected. While in thought, a familiar mote of light shone and winked out of existence leaving a stone at his feet. Smiling, he picked it up. [Main ss-tree Stone: Spirit Summoner] [Epic]
  • Unlocks the Spirit Summoner ss-tree.
  • Requirement: Open Main ss-tree slot. Cleric-based ss level of 10 or more.
Drake withdrew the other stone he had received from H, his ning together for the teens and their sses. [Main ss-tree Stone: Lightning Spearman] [Epic]
  • Unlocks the Lightning Spearman ss-tree.
  • Requirement: Open Main ss-tree Slot. Warrior-based ss level of 10 or more.
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. ¡°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. ¡°D-defeated the monster¡­ Alone¡­¡± one of the warriors murmured amazement in his eyes. ¡°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?¡± The group of Orcs nodded slowly, whispering among themselves as they followed Drake back to the tribe¡¯s encampment. Sah Ul¡¯ fell in line behind him as he put his hands up behind his head. 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. ¡°I can¡¯t wait! It¡¯s time for a good old training arc!¡± Drake cheered. Chapter 199: Days Past Chapter 199: Days Past For Landin, that day in the store was a nightmare. He hade home from school like any other day, went to the corner store to grab a snack on the way home, passing the kids and adults who used the shop as a hangout. His headphones sted ssic jazz into his ears. Several people smoking on the curb as he went in. ¡°Landin? Schools out already?¡± the man at the counter asked. ¡°Same time as yesterday bro¡­¡± he replied. Landin walked back to the end looking for an energy drink like usual when his vision faded for an instant, a bat of exhaustion and weariness overtaking him. He blinked. The next moment he was fine, shaking it off with a turn of his head. He opened the door but the storage wasn¡¯t on, the familiar humming of the electricity nowhere to be heard. But the area was still as cold as it should be, in fact, the entire store was freezing. He turned around to tell the guy at the counter. ¡°Hey! Your fridge isn¡¯t¡­.What the?!¡± Landin looked around, the shop was torn in half, snow drifting in through the cracks in the building, and arge tree shooting up out of the ground from the base. ¡°W-what happened? Am I dreaming?¡± Landin muttered, his hand beginning to tighten around the drink. He quickly turned hearing the door at the front jingle. His eyes bulged as he saw what was entering the shop. It was a woman dressed in full te armor that looked like it was right out of a game, in her hand a huge metal mace, a red liquid dripping from it. Landin¡¯s body froze, his pulse beginning to race faster than an F-1 car taking off from the start line. ¡°This has to be a dream right..?¡± ¡°Oh? Someone is inside? Oh¡­ don¡¯t you look like a treat¡­¡± the woman snickered. ¡°Lady, I don''t know what¡¯s going on but please. I¡¯m just a kid. I don¡¯t know if this is some sort of movie or what but I just want to go home alright?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere but with me boy. You can join the other pretty kids I¡¯ve been picking up around the neighborhood¡­¡± The woman smiled as she stepped closer to Landin, cornering him in the back of the store. She stopped abruptly in front of him pulling a bag out of nowhere. Leaning in she tilted the open sac, presenting the insides. ¡°You can all have a good time... Traveling with me,¡± she said,ughing softly but it quickly turned to a crazed cackle. ¡°W-what the fuck!?¡± Landin screamed seeing inside the bag as it slowly dripped onto the floor. Inside were the heads of several people, their faces all frozen in fear. Landin¡¯s mind went nk as he panicked his eyes sweeping the store for an escape or anything to use to defend himself. He desperately began grabbing and throwing anything he could at her. ¡°Get the fuck away! You crazy bitch! I ain¡¯t trying to end up in a horror film!¡± he screamed his hands never stopping as they tossed whatever he could get his hands on. The woman¡¯s face twisted into anger. ¡°No one calls me crazy! I¡¯m not crazy! Why won¡¯t any of these worthless people just be with me! You¡¯re going to make me do this! It¡¯s your fault! It¡¯s your fault!!¡± she howled. The woman raised her mace bringing it down with a brokenugh on Landin. He wasn¡¯t the most athletic but years of skating and running around the neighborhood had given him more athletic ability than most. At thest second, he lunged out of the way but only in time to avert a fatal blow. The spiked mace had clipped his leg tearing it open. Landin screamed in pain as he tumbled into a nearby shelf, knocking it over. His face paled as he looked at his torn-up leg then back to the crazy woman as she walked overnguidly a demented look in her eyes. ¡°You did this to yourself, boy, you could have juste with me¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°P-please I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to call you that! I was- I was just scared! Please let me go!¡± Landin pleaded. The woman wasn¡¯t hearing it. She raised her mace again with both hands, preparing to bring it down again on the immobile Landin. He screamed closing his eyes and raising his arms in defense. Is this how it ends?! Please, someone! He screamed internally waiting for the blow that would end his life. But it never came. Landin opened his eyes slowly. In front of him was a man in a gray hoodie his arm raised, holding the woman¡¯s mace at bay. In his other a long well-made staff. ¡°You ok kid?¡± the man asked. ¡°D-do I look ok..?¡± Landin said absentmindedly, his face grimacing from the pain. ¡°Well, it looks like just a scratch to me. I¡¯ve seen worse.¡± ¡°Worse than this?!¡± ¡°Oh yeah. Anyway, there¡¯s nothing to worry about now. No one is going to hurt you,¡± the man said turning, a half mask with teeth holding a sword, his eyes shifting colors looking right back at Landin. The man tossed a small red vial at Landin. ¡°Drink it.¡± ¡°Is it poison?¡± Landin asked. The man didn¡¯t answer. The woman had begun struggling against him, pulling back her mace. ¡°Who the fuck are you?! You¡¯re pretty cute yourself there boy! Want toe with me too, do you?!¡± she sneered. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t date women over 30. Especially ugly, fat, crazy, children beating weirdos.¡± The woman¡¯s face reddened considerably, as she disappeared for a second from Landin¡¯s view. The next she was in the air her mace raised as it glowed a sinister red. The man didn¡¯t move in the slightest, forcing Landin to cry out. ¡°Watch out!¡± The man snapped his fingers and then it was over. The ground erupted as spikes of ck earth pierced the store and the woman in mid-air. ¡°This new world doesn¡¯t need predators like you. Burn.¡± The man snapped his fingers again white mes sparking to life as it incinerated the woman to ash in an instant. A few secondster a bright light flickered in and out of existence dropping what looked like a few bags onto the floor. Picking up the bags, the man somehow made them disappear before Landin was able to hear him click his tongue. ¡°Another depraved lunatic¡­ Did the tutorial really just bring out the worst in people¡­¡± the man sighed, turning back around, ¡°Still haven¡¯t downed the potion?¡± ¡ª----------------- Landin¡¯s eyes fluttered open, an unfamiliar tan canvas above him. The sounds of rustling outside and the crunching of snow. ¡°Another nightmare¡­¡± he mumbled, cing his arm on his forehead, feeling the slight sweat that had formed. ¡°Landin?¡± a voice called from outside. Getting up, and using the clothes that Drake had given him. Landin changed and stepped outside. The voice belonged to Charlotte, another one of the people Drake had saved in the city. ¡°Morning,¡± Landin said, putting on a smile. ¡°Morning. Drake wants us to go to the other side of the camp,¡± she answered back. Landin looked to her side, ¡°Did he say to bring your brother? Hi by the way. Brodie right?¡± The little boy didn¡¯t reply just gripped the edges of Charlotte¡¯s shirt. ¡°Hey, be polite say hi back,¡± Charlotte reprimanded, ¡°Sorry he¡¯s still just¡­ Shook up. Drake didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t bring him. I just¡­ Don¡¯t know who I can trust to watch him, he¡¯s still young.¡± Landin shrugged, ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt to bring him. I don¡¯t think Drake would let anything happen to him. Janeying?¡± Charlotte shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t think so, she¡¯s with her brother and taking care of the baby as well. She¡¯s really taken a liking to the little guy.¡± ¡°Well, better get there before hees and finds us¡­ I don¡¯t want to hear him joke so early in the morning but¡­.¡± Landin sighed, ¡°Man it¡¯s colder than usual too¡­¡± ¡ª------------- Drake flicked his wrist sending out another round of lightning spears into the crowd of monstersing at him and the makeshift wall of earth he had made. ¡°At least we won¡¯t be short on monster cores anytime soon¡­ Not that I know what to do with them other than just craft stuff and turn it into coins,¡± he sighed then turned around noticing the grouping closer, ¡°About time. I sent for you like 20 minutes ago, days wasting kiddos! And what''s with the add-on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an add-on, this is my brother, Brodie,¡± Charlotte shouted back, frowning. ¡°Yeah and he¡¯s too young to see what we''re going to do,¡± Drake looked over to Sah Ul¡¯, ¡° Can you take the boy back, leave him with someone you trust.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shook her head, ¡°Will not let Patriarch leave sight again.¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Really? Then you¡¯re guarding the kid. Don¡¯t let him get hurt or it''s gonna be your ass. Your very muscr... Sculpted¡­ What was I saying?¡± Drake coughed, shaking his own head from his thoughts. I really have awoken to muscle women, haven¡¯t I¡­ Forgive me, ire. I¡¯m trying my hardest¡­ Drake thought, pping himself. Bad Drake! Bad! It¡¯s a fake marriage! ¡°You ok dude?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Perfectly fine¡­¡± Drake answered tersely. ¡°Right¡­. If you say so¡­¡± ¡°Where are you two on finding other people?¡± Drake asked, changing the subject. ¡°Nowhere. There aren¡¯t many people who are 16. There are a few 15-year-olds but it will be a while before they turn. Even then not everyone is eager to join a fighting force after everything they''ve seen¡­¡± Landin exined. ¡°Makes sense. I wasn¡¯t expecting much but that puts a wrench in my ns¡­ Sarah,¡± Drake addressed, ¡° Are there any young Orcs willing to learn under me you think?¡± ¡°Learn from Patriarch?¡± she said, taking a moment to think on it, ¡°Coming of age is young for Rahk Tribe. Born warriors are trained from young age until first hunt at 12 full seasons.¡± ¡°12 Seasons being 12 years I¡¯m guessing..?¡± Drake asked, ¡°Ok then, are there any 16 Full Season warriors in the tribe right now.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded. ¡°Good, can you round them up for me? I want to see what kind of stock I¡¯m working with. You three,¡± Drake pointed, ¡°Get up here. And here.¡± Drake threw the three notepads and pens. ¡°What are we going to do with these?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°You are going to study.¡± ¡°Study¡­?¡± Landin parroted. ¡°Yup, study. Study monsters. You both can¡¯t fight just yet and I don¡¯t have time to train you while the crystal is anchoring. So you are going to help me learn and write down everything we can about the local monsters until then. You two are going to be the pirs of this ce.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how he said that¡­¡± Landin grimaced. ¡°Come on it won¡¯t be that bad, just watch as I defend our very lives and home while you document every moment,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°This reminds me of a book I saw in the camp¡­ And do you know what the Dazzling Tyrant Card Game is..?¡± Charlotte asked, stepping up onto the wall, ¡°W-what is this¡­.?¡± Charlotte had forgotten about her previous question looking out into the field in front of her, bodies of monsters stacked high in the distance all along the wall. ¡°Hmm? This is pretty slow, they wereing in droves during the night but it''s gone to a trickle right now,¡± Drake answered casually, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t make you get the cores from these, we¡¯ll need the bodies intact for the warsmith and for a friend that I¡¯ll have to pick up soon.¡± Charlotte gave a sigh of relief only to be surprised by Landin who came up behind her. ¡°Whoa! Dude how in the world did you do all this? After the bird, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be surprised but you just keep doing more. What are you some kind of Main Character in a story?¡± Landin eximed, obviously surprised. ¡°Maybe. But it¡¯s a bit early to be surprised young Landin,¡± Drake asked, ¡°How long until you¡¯re 16 you said a few weeks?¡± ¡°Yeah, a week give or take I¡¯d say.¡± Drake pressed his hand to his chin but quickly had to wave his hand, a new group of monsters storming through. In an instant spears of ice manifested above him and with another motion of his hand they flew out spearing the monsters to the ground, freezing them into ce. ¡°That¡¯s a new one¡­ Mana Cat. I¡¯ll have to take a closer look, it¡¯s hard to say what it¡¯s weak to when most things die in one spell..¡± Drake sighed, ¡° You still here?¡± Drake asked, looking at Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to go get some people.¡± ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ is not servant,¡± she scoffed angrily, one of her tusks poking out of her mouth. Drake clicked his tongue. ¡°I can¡¯t even get a moment without you now huh? It¡¯s only been a day if that and I¡¯m already ball and chained huh¡­ Fine, I¡¯ll ask your Father instead.¡± Drake snapped his finger an Elemental springing to life at the bottom of the wall. ¡°Go bring me Rvul, I have a lot to ask him.¡± The Elemental wordlessly walked in the direction of the tribe¡¯s encampment. ¡°Well that¡¯s that¡­¡± Drake sighed, hearing a notification go off in his ears. [Atticus Wallen is the first toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Purity¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] ¡°Purity¡­ Well, I hate to admit it but it looks like that really is Atticus¡­. He hasn¡¯t changed has he¡­¡± Drake¡¯s jaw clenched his emotions leaking out into his aura for a moment as he pressed his palm out to the new group of monsters encroaching on the wall. ¡°Piss off.¡± A st of potent fire sparked to life from a scarlet magic circle in his hand incinerating everything in its path. Snow, grass, trees, monsters, and the corpses of the previous monsters. Landin looked over as he pointed at the destruction. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell us you needed those¡­?¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Drake cursed. Chapter 200: Kalik Tu’ Rahk Chapter 200: Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk ¡°Hey I know you don''t want to take a break but can we?¡± Landin asked, shivering slightly. Drake looked over his shoulder seeing the teens looking fed up already. ¡°Well, it¡¯s only been a few hours, but I guess if you aren¡¯t used to seeing this kind of stuff¡­ No, sorry I forget that you¡¯re still kids and I¡¯m jaded to this after the tutorial. Yeah take whatever time you need, I¡¯ll set up a tent with some food alright?¡± Drake offered pulling another tent from his inventory and throwing some amenities out with it. ¡°Ah! Finally! My hand was getting stiff¡­¡± Charlotteined rubbing her hands. ¡°He¡¯s like our old gym coach¡­¡± Brodie whispered. ¡°Oh you mean Mister Radcliff? Huh, yeah he actually reminds me of him now that you say that,¡± Charlotte agreed. ¡°Is that supposed to be an insult?¡± Drake scoffed, warming some water in the air with his magic. ¡°Depends,¡± Charlotte smiled, ¡°He was always pushing us really hard even in gym PE¡­ Some people really hated it, saying he didn¡¯t know when to give breaks.¡± ¡°Oh so it is an insult, guess I¡¯ll drink this hot chocte by myself then,¡± Drake chuckled pulling the pouch of chocte goodness from his inventory. ¡°W-wahhh¡­? You act like a kid!¡± ¡°I am a kid,¡± Drake smiled sticking out his tongue, ¡°A big kid.¡± The three looked at Drake like that was obvious. ¡°Fine, here. Big babies¡­ Can¡¯t take a joke. Sarah, do you want some too?¡± Drake asked. ¡°What is hot chocte?¡± she asked curiously looking over at the cup in Drake¡¯s hand, giving it a sniff, ¡°Smells like in Boar dung¡­¡± she winced. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. Interesting¡­.¡± Drakeughed, offering her a cup, ¡°Hopefully it doesn''t taste like it.¡± The three kids each took a cup, their faces melting from the scowls they were frozen as into joyous smiles, as they each took a sip from the almost ambrosia liquid. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m alive again!¡± Landin cheered, ¡°If only you had some energy drinks¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had anything this sweet,¡± Charlottemented, ¡°Is it good Brodie?¡± Brodie nodded, ¡°It reminds me of Christmas¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Christmas huh,¡± Drake mused, ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in the back of my mind for now,¡± he muttered then turned to therge man walking warily next to the Elemental he had sent out, ¡°Oh Rvul, good you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Y-yes Patriarch.. Was not sure, elemental does not speak..¡± Rvul said. Drake scratched his cheek embarrassedly, ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot to give him a note or something. Anyway, since your daughter is being difficult, would you be so kind as to gather up any children around the 15-season mark that seem exceptional? I would like to begin training them. Also all of the nonbat sses you have currently in the tribe. I need to know where we stand on manpower.¡± Rvul nodded and went to leave quickly, only ncing at his daughter with a half smile. ¡°Oh, and take the elemental with you, we might be moving around based on the monsters that try to attack. It will know where I am when you¡¯re ready.¡± For a few minutes, all was quiet as everyone drank the hot cocoa. Drake spread his senses out for the new monsters when they came. But the teens couldn¡¯t hold the silence for too long as Charlotte spoke up with questions she had been wondering for a long time. ¡°So how was the tutorial? You said you would exin it to us eventually but¡­¡± she asked trailing off slightly. Landin only sipped his hot cocoa, averting his eyes as if saying ¡®You really shouldn¡¯t have asked that¡­¡¯ Drake turned his head, sitting up on the wall, ¡°How was it? Ever yed a Battle Royal game? Or read a book like The Hunger Games?¡± Charlotte shook her head, already regretting her decision to ask. Drake motioned to Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°What was your tutorial, Sarah?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ lowered her own cup, licking her lips seemingly enjoying the sweet drink then tilted her head at the question. ¡°Normal life. Wake, fight, hunt. There was no change for Rahk Tribe. Before gods took us, every day was fight for survival. Fought many different people,¡± she answered. ¡°I see,¡± Drake nodded, ¡°For me, I was never a person in the military or anything like that. I was thrown into the tutorial with five thousand other people from all over the. And my introduction was anything but helpful. What you kids need to realize is that you¡¯ve only seen the PvE.¡± ¡°PvE?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°yer versus Environment,¡± Landin exined. Drake nodded, ¡°Landin has seen it first hand. People change after they ept the system. And my tutorial was no different. Hell, I¡¯m no different, but I digress. Within the first week that five thousand was reduced to four. And soon down to three. The monsters in my tutorial were special as well,¡± Drake exined, remembering the Goblin King and the Ant Prince, ¡°Thanks to a particr sadistic sponsor.¡± The air turned ufortable for a moment until one of the teens spoke up trying to change the subject. ¡°The tutorials had sponsors?¡± Landin asked putting his cup down. ¡°Yup. Races that had already been in the system could apparently sponsor new world introduction tutorials and mine was a Primordial. The Dragons.¡± ¡°Dragons? Sounds cool though?¡± Landin said, confused. ¡°Yeah well, this one was a piece of shit through and through. All the bad stuff you hear in fantasy is true. Greedy, sadistic, egotistical,¡± Drake said shivering as he almost felt the bitch¡¯s hand enter his back again. ¡°So a Primordial is what? A super strong race? Where do humans rank?¡± Brodie asked surprisingly speaking up. ¡°A Primordial is a race that is pure, unblemished by mixing with others. And unfortunately, Humans rank pretty low on the totem pole,¡± Drake said, ¡°But lucky for you guys there¡¯s at least one Primordial on Earth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one here?¡± Landin asked raising his brows. ¡°Yup, right here. Me, I¡¯m the Primordial,¡± Drake smiled. Landin and Charlotte exchanged a nce. ¡°What? I¡¯m not lying. Have I not mentioned before that Skill Stones can change your race?¡± ¡°Wait, does that mean that you have a really rare ss then?¡± Landin asked expectantly. ¡°No, well, yes? It¡¯s a Unique ss but it''s a roll of the dice if it¡¯s good or bad, literally.¡± ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ thought Patriarch was a Legendary ss?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Technically no, but I do have quite a lot of legendary stones. Either way, I¡¯m an Asuran, not a human anymore, not that it was my choice, but hey can¡¯t really go back now,¡± Drake exined with a shrug. ¡°An Asuran? Like old mythical Asuran? Big bad war Gods Asuran?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Guess so? I mean I don¡¯t have six arms, but I do have the scary face mask and can technically add arms with magic.¡± ¡°You said that wouldn¡¯t happen to us if we didn¡¯t want it to, but is it better? It sounds better,¡± Charlotte asked timidly. ¡°That¡¯s hard to answer. Is giving up your humanity worth the strength? I can¡¯t tell you that. It came with a whole boatload of problems that I¡¯m still working through, not to mention my ss.¡± ¡°So what is your ss then? I just assumed you were a mage, you held that staff around for a while ya know,¡± Landin prodded picking his cup back up. ¡°As luck or fate would have it, or maybe just some asshole upstairs. I have two sses.¡± ¡°Two? Isn¡¯t that kind of cheating?¡± ¡°Well, it doese with some problems. I need twice as many stones to fill my skill slots, and I also need to level up twice as many skills. The other part is I gain experience at least twice as slow, and from what I can guess it¡¯s exponential.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Seems like a good trade-off to me?¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m level 27, do you know what level the big bird was?¡± Landin shook his head, ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°It was level 31. It seems like you have some game knowledge so how many levels do you think I gained from kill it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know a few? It¡¯s a pretty big difference.¡± ¡°I gained 1 level. I was level 25 when I defeated the big chicken and the rest of those eagles. The Guardian gave me a level and the flock gave me one more, they were all E-Rank, and I¡¯m F-Rank, which means every one of the monsters I killed was around level 30.¡± Landin whistled. ¡°Exactly. The stats you gain from two levels are amazing and scale to the sky, but would you two like to have to fight tooth and nail to get them? Fighting on the edge of a knife, life, and death, every day for weeks, months, and eventually years? I wouldn¡¯t change what happened, but I don¡¯t think I would have the guts to choose it myself given the chance. Besides what I have nned for you two is much simpler and safer, well rtively¡­I hope¡­¡± Drake mumbled. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Charlotte pressed. ¡°Well, I know how to get the starter Titles you two will need to get a massive advantage early on. And can minimize the risk of obtaining them. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll fully be able to predict what will happen but I do know a few tricks.¡± Drake saw Rvul in the distance with several people in tow but felt one of his Elementals on the other side of the encampment sputter out. ¡°Damn, we¡¯re moving, keep up and tell Rvul to join us.¡± Without another word Drake changed hair colors, his light blue hue shimmering to a dazzling yellow as he stepped off the wall shooting past Rvul and his group. ¡ª--------------- Drake arrived at the other end of the wall, his face painted with surprise when he saw what was there. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I suppose I did tell them not to harm anyone inside, so I guess you technically count. May I ask why you decided to kill my Elemental?¡± Drake asked the pair of men at the bottom of the other side of the wall. [Klinton Hampson Level 12] [Vick Grodure Level 11] ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± one of the men shouted, pointing a sword at Drake. ¡°I own this little part of the woods. Who the fuck are you?¡± Drake answered. ¡°Looks like we have to kill you then! Lucky! He¡¯s only level 10! And if that was his spell he''s a mage!¡± the other shouted gleefully. Drake sighed, ¡°Can I ask that you two just leave? I¡¯ve had my share of killing brainless monsters today.¡± Looking down at the two men Drake was reminded that he adjusted his disguise from his ne. Bringing it down a few levels to match the average he had seen in the city. He had even made sure his Elementals wouldn¡¯t kill any people until he arrived. I knew lowering it was probably a bad idea, but I¡¯m still not sure of who is out there. I need to keep the information about me as limited as possible still. But having a lower level isn¡¯t going to help with intimidating idiots like these two¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way we''re leaving! You know how hard it is toe by one of these crystals?!¡± Drake pursed his lips. ¡°How did you even know toe all the way out here? This is a few hours from the city,¡± Drake asked, hopping up to sit on the wall, his legs dangling over them. One of the men sneered holding up a map that shimmered with a slight blue hue. Drake assumed it was a quest map made from some kind of mana-infused material. ¡°There¡¯s a list! For a few monster cores, you can buy it from the system center. Tells the location and the level of the person who is cing a crystal. You just so happened to be the closest and the lowest level!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Oh and it says level 10?¡± The man smirked as if it was obvious. ¡°Good. Ok boys,st chance. Leave,¡± Drake smiled, snapping his mask back into ce, his aura leaking out, ¡°Or die.¡± The pair shivered, dropping their weapons immediately. But Drake¡¯s n only backfired as they became more emboldened. Picking back up their weapons they cursed and shouted at him once again. ¡°You ain''t scaring us motherfucker! You¡¯re just some lousy weak level 10! We¡¯re both level-¡± Drake pointed his finger, a spark of lightning piercing the ground between them. ¡°You are both not worth my time. Leave. I won¡¯t say it again.¡± The pair creaked their heads down to the bullet hole, it smoldering and sizzling. The hole glowing red from the heat. They turned looking at Drake once more before turning tail and running. Drake¡¯s face switched to one of surprise as he moved his mask back off his face. ¡°Hey, finally someone listened!¡± Turning around Drake heard the group from before finally catching up. ¡°Took you guys long enough. Now who are these people Rvul?¡± Drake asked. The previous Chief huffed out of breath as he took a moment. Sah Ul¡¯ arrived a few moments before him, breathing slightly more heavily than normal but not severely. The group behind Rvul arrived in a trickle. The younger kids brought up the rear with Charlotte helping her brother inst ce. ¡°T-these are nonbat sses Patriarch asked for¡­ And this¡­ This is Kalik Tu¡¯, the most impressive young hunter in tribe next to Rvul¡¯s daughter,¡± Rvul exined. Drake looked down at the teen orc, his face saying it all. Kalik¡¯s expression showed just how much he disliked Drake already and his stance showed how proud he was or at least arrogant, even in the face of someone he should know is stronger. The boy¡¯s chin raised, arms crossed and chest pushed out. Oh? Do we have our token Bakugou? Drake thought. Chapter 201: Nightmares of Conviction Chapter 201: Nightmares of Conviction Drake looked down at the young Orc, he was well-built and had obviously trained. Kalik Tu¡¯ wore a hairstyle that reminded Drake of the Orcs he saw in games, shaved sides and a long top pulled back into a ponytail. It was a deep maroon like Sah Ul¡¯s. The youth had scars here and there on his body, as well as a tattoo on his right shoulder, prompting Drake to look at Rvul and Sah Ul¡¯, finding an identical tattoo he had not noticed before. Must be the mark of their tribe? Drake thought. The mark itself was that of an ax and what looked like a boar with tworge tusks. Kalik Tu¡¯ also wore attire simr to the rest of the Orcs, a tribal wear that covered the important parts but he also wore arger chest piece that covered most of it. ¡°Talented youth huh?¡± Drake mused, ¡°Hello Kalik, can I call you Kal?¡± ¡°No,¡± the boy scoffed tersely. ¡°Kalik!¡± Rvul growled, ¡°You will show Patriarch respect!¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ barked back pointing at Drake, ¡°Man is no Patriarch of Rahk! Orcs know Sah Ul¡¯ was to be! He has stolen not only Great Fighter but Leadership of Rahk Tribe!¡± Rvul grimaced looking between Drake and Kalik Tu¡¯. Drakeughed, ¡°It¡¯s fine. So you think I¡¯m not worthy of being a leader, is that right?¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ crossed his arms and spat at Drake¡¯s feet. ¡°Cheeky kid,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Even though I¡¯m the strongest here?¡± Drake prodded. The statement made Kalik Tu¡¯s face twist into anger. ¡°You are false! No one can defeat Sah Ul¡¯! Deceiver must have used a trick to win!¡± Drake turned to Sah Ul¡¯, her face was quickly turning from the calm she normally wore to one paling. Oh, does she think I¡¯ll get mad? Drake thought, pursing his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Sarah, I won¡¯t force you to fight me again to prove it to some weak child,¡± Drake sneered. Kalik Tu¡¯ growled even louder his hand going to the small ax at his side. ¡°Are you going to strike me? Do you really think you can win? Are you strong enough right now? You saw the fight with the massive bird didn¡¯t you?¡± Drake grinned, letting a little of his aura leak out, sending a visible chill down the boy¡¯s spine. Kalik Tu¡¯ backed down, removing his hand, but still stared daggers at Drake. ¡°Come here,¡± Drake waved. The group that had arrived moved to the wall next to Drake. He then ced Kalik in front of him purposefully wanting to make him an example. The best way to convince him will be to show him. And if I can get him to fall in line, the rest will I¡¯m sure. Drake thought cing his hand over Kalik¡¯s shoulder and looking at the other few youths looking on. ¡°I brought you all here to grow and be stronger. To protect your tribe and loved ones. If you think you can¡¯t learn from me well¡­¡± Drake summoned a fireball of white me in front of his palm brightening the surroundings and illuminating Kalik¡¯s face in surprise. ¡°W-what?!¡± he shouted struggling to get away from Drake. ¡°Calm down and watch,¡± Drake said calmly, holding the teen in ce, ¡°You aren¡¯t part of the system yet but I¡¯m sure you will understand this.¡± Drake looked out past the wall ins and sparse trees on this side of the encampment covered in snow. ¡°Condense,¡± Drake murmured the ball of fire shrinking down as it pulled in on itself condensing into a dense miniature star of white fire. A secondter flew forward screeching through the air and melting the surrounding snow, burning through the first tree it hit. ¡°Burst.¡± A crackling boom shattered the silent surroundings igniting the area as the water instantly turned to steam and anything that touched the mes quickly withered, bursting into a white ethereal silhouette. Drake looked around seeing the gaping maws of the youths, including Charlotte and Landin who had seen Drake cast magic before but never this up close. He could also feel the teen shaking beneath his hand. Drake let go releasing the boy. Surprisingly Kalik didn¡¯t fall to his knees but moved away his shoulders shaking. What remained was the icy stare he showed Drake. Tough kid, even when he¡¯s shown he can¡¯tpete the fire won¡¯t waver huh? He¡¯s going to go ces if he¡¯s nurtured. ¡°That was just a small taste of the magic I can produce. I can teach each one of you how to be strong. Strong enough that you could challenge me one day if you so choose.¡± Drake saw the faces of some of the teens light up, Kalik¡¯s especially forming a slight grin. ¡°But don¡¯t think that magic is the only thing I can do. And that strength alone will be enough to beat me.¡± Taking his hand, Drake pushed mana into his Tattoos, the golden light beginning to pulse and vibrate with power, soon mixing with a sinister red as he activated his martial skill. Drake¡¯s hair suddenly shimmered cascading to a bright crimson. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire.¡± His arms quickly brimming to life with anotheryer of white fire as he reared it back, a momentter throwing it forward toward the ins in front of them the sheer force of the blow uplifting the ground and trees roots and all. A small whirlwind of snow kicking up in the turbulence. Drake turned smiling, ¡°Follow me, if only for a little. And I will show you how to get this strong.¡± The youths looked at the destruction in awe. The previous chief and his daughter both stone-faced but it could not conceal their shaking clenched fists at their side, both subconsciously reaching for weapons at their sides that weren¡¯t there. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all till the end of the anchoring of the crystal to decide. My training will be tough and you will receive no coddling from me. You may go now, the nonbat sses can stay while I get an idea of what is going on.¡± Drake gave a nod to Rvul, the man taking a second toe out of his stupor before ushering the children off, the only one in the group looking back with fierce determination in their eyes Kalik. ¡°W-what was that about?¡± Landin asked, slightly shaken, ¡°Seeing that up close is just scary man! You make me not want to even learn this stuff now! If you can do that, what can monsters do?¡± ¡°That was the point, Landin. Everyone might have the option of bing strong with the system but I need those who are willing to do more than just be strong. I doubt if even half of those kidse back,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°A-are you saying we will have to be able to deal with stuff like that¡­ If we bebat sses?¡± Charlotte asked. Drake looked at her in the eyes, his face serious, ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t lie to you two before, this will be hard but it is the only way if you want to be strong enough to protect your family. You¡¯ve seen it already, in this new world people will take what they want and the only thing that will stop them is your own strength. I won¡¯t always be here to stop them for you. And would you really want to rely on me forever?¡± The teens looked downtrodden, their heads turning to the floor as they both changed to thoughtful expressions. Drake left them to their thoughts as he addressed the handful of nonbat sses he found remaining. ¡°OK, which one of you is the warsmith?¡± Drake asked. Arge bulky bald Orc stepped forward. ¡°Brok is, Patriarch.¡± ¡°Brok! Like from Pokemon!¡± Drake eximed hitting the man on the side of the arm, but the joke fell t as the Orc had obviously never heard of the show. Coughing, Drake moved forward, ¡°Right. What weapons can you make? Is it only weapons or can you make armor as well?¡± ¡°Only weapons, Patriarch. Orc does not concern with armor.¡± Drake looked back to Sah Ul¡¯ nodding to himself, ¡°I can see that. Ok well here are some materials see what you can do with them,¡± he exined, dropping a small hill of Ant bodies and the rest of his materials from the Mines in the tutorial. Brok¡¯s face raised in surprise but soon nodded, excitement taking over as he stored the materials. ¡°Anything we get from the monster attacks is yours as well, but it will take some time to gather them right now,¡± Drake exined. ¡°It is fine, this will do,¡± Brok answered. ¡°Great, hope you can make something good, I want you to prioritize Sah Ul¡¯s weapon. I did break it after all¡­¡± Drake said, scratching his cheek embarrassedly. Brok nodded, bowing slightly to Drake then turned to Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°May the mother bless your hunt.¡± ¡°May the mother bless your hunt?¡± Drake parroted, turning to Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°It is Orc saying. Brings blessing of the Mother for plentiful hunt and strength in battle,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ exined. Drake chuckled a bit, ¡°I like that.¡± Pointing to the next one down the line, ¡°Alright, who are you?¡± ¡ª-------- After a few minutes of interviewing the line of Orcs, Drake had talked to 6 other nonbat profession sses. Their sses ranged from Fletching all the way to Tattooing. Thetter was something that Drake was extremely interested although he didn¡¯t have the time or resources to help the woman yet. ¡°Ok, Nu¡¯ Cukik, here are all the F-Rank Cores I can spare right now. Level up those skills and I¡¯ll do my best to provide you with with I canter,¡± Drake told her, handing over the cores. ¡°As Patriarch wishes,¡± Nu¡¯ nodded. The process of making Mana Tattoos apparently involved melting down Monster Cores as they were used as a catalyst to bind the mana from the tattooist. Right when Drake had sent them all back, someone he didn¡¯t wish to see showed up looking for him. ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, can¡¯t youe backter?¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°Really? I thought after seeing your brother¡¯s city established you would want to talk,¡± Bridgette sighed, letting her cigarette hang from her mouth. ¡°Put that out there are kids still here,¡± Drake told her, ¡°Atticus isn¡¯t my pressing problem right now,¡± Drake exined waving her off. ¡°Interesting. Even after seeing the name of his city, you still believe that?¡± Bridgette asked again, squashing her cig. ¡°He¡¯s always been an overzealous man, drawn to one cause or the next. It¡¯s why he was so unstable and left,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°What if I say that the things he did in the tutorial were the epitome of that extreme, and it is targeted at¡­¡± Bridgette looked at Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Purity¡­ You don¡¯t mean... Even he wouldn¡¯t go that far, even at the worst of times,¡± Drake said, his jaw clenching slightly. ¡°Then, care to hear what I have to say?¡± ¡°Why now?¡± Drake asked, ¡°You can¡¯t tell me the finishing of his city is the real reason, you could have just insisted when we were in the library.¡± Bridgette pointed to the other end of the wall, ¡°May we move this elsewhere, I would appreciate being able to smoke if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Drake looked over to Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°Watch the kids,¡± before she could refuse Drake looked at her pleadingly, ¡°Please. This is¡­ This talk is personal, about family.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked taken aback but nodded, moving down the wall and next to the children. Drake snapped his fingers and ced an elemental on the wall for good measure of any unwanted guests. The pair walked further down, Drake pulling out some chairs for them to sit down, as Bridgette pulled another cigarette and lit it. ¡°Then, tell me. What was my older brother doing when he came back from the dead?¡± Drake asked tersely. ¡°Why did you believe he was dead?¡± Bridgette asked, then received a death stare from Drake. Coughing, ¡°I-if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Atticus was my older brother, he was several years older¡­ and a half-brother. My father was married before he met my mother. He was an only child up until then for years, but he was lost. He went from one cause to the next after he got out of school. One year it was some mission in Africa helping kids, the next he was in the Middle East helping towns torn apart by war. Eventually, he found his way back but it was worse.¡± ¡°Worse?¡± ¡°He had be entric beyond help. My father tried to help him, admitting him to a mental facility. But Atticus being the resourceful person that he was, charmed the nurses and broke out. We received a letter a few days after from him saying he was on a journey and had met his rightful path with some loony cult. After that, we never heard from him again. I assumed he was dead, it was well over 10 years ago, he should be pushing 35 by now.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Bridgette said exhaling a long drag. Crossing her legs she recounted her time in the tutorial, ¡°I believe you said there were only humans in your tutorial correct?¡± Drake nodded. ¡°In my tutorial, there were many races. Beastmen of all kinds, Insectoids, and some races I still could not tell you what they were. It was a melting pot of sorts¡­ But,¡± Bridgette paused taking another drag, ¡°As all new and unknown things with humans, they were scared. We had no idea what was going on, on top of new races being introduced it was a nightmare. Your brother, Atticus¡­ He began immediately rounding them up. Once he received his ss he outstripped everyone in strength.¡± ¡°What was his ss?¡± Drake asked, ¡°And what do you mean rounding up?¡± ¡°I mean concentration camp style. There was no remorse. And no I do not know what his ss was, all I know is that it used some form of potent fire magic. But the things he did. I won¡¯t say that I cared for it, but it was quite the story.¡± ¡°You talk as if it didn¡¯t affect you? Are you some kind of psycho?¡± Drake asked gripping the hem of his hoodie slightly. ¡°I am a sociopath after all. It¡¯s why I was so good at my job. I can look at the data unbiasedly. I was never the employee of the month, but I got my job done, and it was interesting. That¡¯s all I cared about.¡± ¡°A sociopath? But you feel fear?¡± Drake said recalling her shivering. ¡°Natural instinct is different from being able to feel empathy¡­ I don¡¯t want to die. Regardless, the things your brother would do were amazing in a sense, if not cruel. He killed every other race in that tutorial. I witnessed many horrific things. Women children and whole families were burned by his hands, all in the name of some obscure god that he had only seen. He told his followers he was freeing the dirty, cleaning them. I never participated,¡± Bridgette said holding up her hands, seeing the seething anger in Drake¡¯s eyes, ¡°The point of all this is to tell you that if he is able to gain more followers outside it will only get worse. And based on where this little city seems to be going, it will be right in his crosshairs eventually.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Drake eeked out through clenched teeth. ¡°Well? What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°What do you expect me to say? I¡¯ll kill him?¡± Drake growled. ¡°Well, that would be the simplest method.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill my brother! I thought he was dead this whole time. I¡¯ll at least... I¡¯ll at least talk to him first. No matter what he¡¯s done he¡¯s still family first and that means something. He¡¯s just confused, like he was before, I¡¯m sure the system has only made it worse,¡± Drake exined, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than her. ¡°I see. And what if he attacks this ce?¡± Bridgette asked, puffing on her cigarette. ¡°It won¡¯t. I won¡¯t let him.¡± Drake looked behind him, seeing Sah Ul¡¯ and the teens. ¡°He will see reason.. I¡¯ll make sure of it¡­¡± Chapter 202: Daily Rounds Chapter 202: Daily Rounds ¡°Chief, are you sure about your decision..?¡± Rvul looked to his side at the man. Walking back to the encampment, Rvul was well aware of the uncertainty he brought to his Tribe. The neers that the Patriarch had brought, many if not all did not speak theirnguage and could not understand each other. ¡°I am. You have seen his strength, do you understand what might have happened if we tried to fight against him?¡± Rvul exined, ¡°Now we have an opportunity to make ties with this man and flourish as a tribe in the world brought by the Gods. He will bring greater strength to our already great tribe.¡± ¡°Even if it costs you your own daughter?¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ growled from behind him. Rvul looked at the boy with sympathy. He was already blessed with great skills as a warrior but Kalik did not have the experience of a man yet. He admired Sah Ul¡¯ as a warrior but Rvul knew he also saw her as a woman. ¡°My daughter made her own decision long before I told her to bond with the Patriarch. When we were pulled by the gods into that domain, fighting for our lives. Something that you as a child would not know. She had decided to be bonded with a man that would protect this tribe on its new journey.¡± Kalik scoffed, ¡°I won¡¯t believe it. He may be strong but he will only stay that way for so long! Once the gods bestow on me my calling I will outstrip him! I¡¯ll be the strongest in the Tribe, I won¡¯t lose to anyone or anything! That filthy human!¡± Rvul sighed, rearing his hand back and pping Kalik across the face, bringing the boy down to his knees, ¡°Watch your tone, boy. Whether you believe or like the Patriarch, you know ourws. It is a disgrace to throw mud on a man not there to defend his name. If you wish to bring him down, do it properly. If you can, that is.¡± They left Kalik in the light fall of snow as they made their way back, many of the other youths looking at him with pity as they passed. ¡°Rvul, should you have been so hard on the boy?¡± ¡°A strong weapon must be tempered. He has been proud ever since he went on his first hunt. He is talented but his arrogance will only fuel his downfall if he does not learn to see what is beyond that,¡± Rvul answered, ¡°I pity the boy, he will certainly be stronger than Sah Ul¡¯ but he has not found a ce to use that strength. I hope that our Patriarch will teach him well¡­¡± ¡ª-------------------- Drake looked up at the stars, sitting down next to the crystal as he sensed his Elementals on the walls around the encampment. ¡°Day three¡­¡± he mused looking up at the familiar night sky, his white breath wisping along with the light breeze, ¡°There¡¯s one star I¡¯ve never seen before though¡­¡± In the night sky there was a noticeably bright star Drake had never seen before and could only lean on an inkling as to what it was. It¡¯s probably that other Natto mentioned that we will have to fight eventually¡­ I¡¯m not looking forward to that. Drake sighed, remembering some of the fights he went through in the tutorial. But a small part of him smiled. I hope there¡¯s at least someone on there that can put up a good fight¡­ He shook his head, unsure where the thought came from and passed so quickly. Turning he looked at Natto next to him still in her meditative trance. Taking his hand he brushed off the snow that had piled up on her, snapping his fingers making a small shelter for her. ¡°Four more days huh? Well, I better get back to it,¡± Drake said, nodding to the elemental he had resummoned next to Natto, ¡°Keep her safe for me.¡± Walking over the bridge casually, Drake saw the line of people waiting as per usual since he had disyed his strength on the first day against the Cardinal Beast. ¡°Alright, who¡¯s first? Remember the rules, one try per day, and monsters take priority, no exceptions. And no harming of anyone¡¯s property,¡± Drake exined, cracking his shoulder, pulling his hood up over his head. ¡°First,¡± Kalik growled, pulling two axes from his sides, taking a battle stance. ¡°Again? Have you healed from yesterday? Sure you¡¯re ok?¡± Drake asked with a smirk on his face. Kalik Tu¡¯ growled louder, his tusk showing through, ¡°Don¡¯t need concern! Fight!¡± Running forward the boy threw an ax straight at Drake, pulling a third from his side as he jumped forward. Drake dodged the axe easily, Kalik not having any stats yet making it a clearly unfair fight, but Drake wouldn¡¯t disrespect the youth by not fighting him seriously. He kept his stats down to a minimum fighting the boy with as normal a strength as he could, but Kalik while being a good hunter was not a sophisticated fighter. Most of the tribe were good fighters as far as Drake had seen the past day, at least in the sense of instincts and strength. Each were strong and knew their weapons, but it was clear that they were still primitive in their technique, using their massive bodies and strength as the crux of their fighting style. Drake dropped low, striking upwards as he gripped Kalik¡¯s hands around the wrists with his own. He twisted outwards, the boy shrinking away in pain as he dropped his weapons. Using his knee, Drake brought it up into the boy¡¯s stomach, taking him down in a single strike. ¡°And that¡¯s game, someone y Silver Scrapes for me. Nice try, Kalik but I think you should maybe try a different weapon or wait until you¡¯ve turned 16. Your strikes are too honest, always pushing forward. There¡¯s no misdirection.¡± The teen coughed, wiping the spittle from his mouth as he picked up his axes, ¡°To deceive is dishonorable!¡± Drake shook his head waving the teen off, ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll respect your view but the results speak for themselves. If you can¡¯t beat someone in a straight fight with your life on the line, you will need to use everything at your disposal to win. Pride and honor are all good but only if you can wake up the next day.¡± Not that I can really talk¡­ I¡¯ve done plenty of stupid things in the name of some lofty ideals¡­ Drake thought, smiling nervously. Kalik Tu¡¯ spat at the ground baring his teeth still as he limped away, Drake waving as he did. ¡°Ok next!¡± Drake called out. ¡ª---------- Kalik stormed off pushing past the crowd of his tribesmen, his hand nursing his stomach where he was struck. ¡°Mother be damned! I¡¯ll break that scrawny human¡¯s neck!¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ coughed, wincing, ¡°Ahhh! If only I had the blessing of the gods already!¡± Walking still he passed some of the other humans he was forbidden from confronting by the chief. He couldn¡¯t understand them as they looked at him talking to themselves, one looking at him in concern. Kalik scoffed, ¡°Have I fallen so far that a human child who has never held an ax, looks at me with such pity!¡± he growled his hand tensing around his ax handle at his side, ¡°I¡¯ll bring him down. I won¡¯t let him disgrace our tribe! I won¡¯t let him disgrace Sah Ul¡¯!¡± ¡ª---------- ¡°What was his deal? Mad Drake tossed him again?¡± Landin asked looking over his shoulder at Kalik. ¡°He looks hurt, you shouldn¡¯t take it so personally,¡± Charlotte told Landin, reprimanding him, ¡°He¡¯s doing more than we are, you have to remember that. I¡¯m not looking forward to learning how to fight if a person who''s spent their whole life doing it can''t even hurt him¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Awe on, Drake wouldn¡¯t be too hard on us right? Right¡­?¡± Landin asked worriedly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, you tell me,¡± Charlotte smiled back nervously, nodding to the line that had formed for the second day. Drake was surrounded by well over 50 of the Rahk Tribes top warriors, all bereaved by his orders to stay out of the defense of their encampment due to the threat of the E-Ranks that could appear at any moment. They had instead turned their frustration towards him, using him as a challenge as well as an outlet. ¡°Too slow to adapt,¡± Drake shouted, dropping down and sweeping the warrior¡¯s leg, finishing him with a blow to the back of the head, ¡°You¡¯re ying to your strengths but you aren¡¯t covering for your weaknesses making them easier to see since you can¡¯t finish me off in one blow.¡± The warrior groaned as he rolled to his side, struggling to get up and pick up his ax. Drake looked to the crowd, ¡°Next,¡± he sighed waiting for the next challenger as he stayed attentive to his elementals on the wall. ¡°Are there only ax wielders in this tribe? I¡¯ll have to talk to Sarah about itter when I get a chance,¡± Drake mumbled looking to the side, seeing her leaning against a tent pole watching him attentively. She hasn¡¯t challenged me since west fought and I broke her weapon. But she never stops watching. I can tell she¡¯s observing to learn but I wish she would¡­ put some clothes on¡­ Drake sighed. The Rahk Tribe all had very minimal armor due to how they fought and waged war before the system came to them. And with the system much of their armor that they had gained was tailored to that same aesthetic. Which Drake wouldn¡¯t have such a problem with if Sah Ul¡¯ wasn¡¯t so attractive. Sah Ul¡¯ was by far the most attractive woman he had seen in some time, not counting ire. Even despite that, she was of an entirely different race he couldn¡¯t help but admit it. But as it stood she was still closed off to him, only following him as her father had ordered. Drake turned again, looking at the next warrior ready to fight him but was forced to pause, raising his hand. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Putting the fight on hold, Drake changed to his lightning endowment and moved to the south wall in an instant. What he saw wasn¡¯t anything new to him. A new group of people were staring down his Elemental, but something was interesting about their leader. [Mikhail Jordan Level 17] Hmm, he¡¯s the highest-level human I¡¯ve met sinceing out of the tutorial. Drake thought. ¡°State your business,¡± Drake said tly, startling some of the man¡¯s group. Mikhail turned calmly and gauged Drake before answering just as calmly. ¡°So you are Drake Wallen¡­ You look much stronger than a Level 10.¡± Drake didn¡¯t answer butughed to himself at how perspective the man was. ¡°We¡¯re, forck of a better term Adventurers,¡± Mikhail finally answered. ¡°Adventurers? This isn¡¯t some game¡­¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell me much, what do you want to do here,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Fight, seek help, maybe looking for directions?¡± Mikhail shook his head, ¡°You misunderstand, I apologize for not being more direct. I assumed you knew by now that Adventurers are parties of people who simplyplete quests to benefit System Sanctioned Towns.¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Looking Mikhail up and down Drake tried his best to get a sense of the man. He wore what looked like cleric robes but seemed to be more of a rogue at second nce. He held two knives on either side of his belt and wore bracers obviously meant for parrying. Drake changed his gaze to the group of five behind him. Each one was obviously there to serve a role. ¡°You even have a healer in your group?¡± Drake asked. Mikhail nodded, ¡°We do. Could we bring this inside, it is quite cold out.¡± ¡°No,¡± Drake said firmly, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you inside these walls until I know exactly why you are here and if you are a threat to those I protect.¡± Mikhail stiffened feeling Drake¡¯s aura press against him but nodded all the same. ¡°U-understandable, what is it you would like to know?¡± ¡°You said you help System Sanctioned Towns, how so? If it¡¯spleting quests, I can do that myself. I¡¯m assuming you found this ce through the list that is avable in the system center as well, so,¡± Drake looked down at Mikhail looking for any tell on his face, ¡°Why choose this town?¡± Mikhail gulped, ¡°We all saw the notification for you killing the guardian. I am not ignorant. I know that the guardians are E-Rank monsters. For a level 10 to bring one down, seemingly alone. You would have to have a legendary ss or¡­¡± Mikhail smiled, ¡°You would have to be hiding your level.¡± Drake grinned, ¡°You are very perceptive.¡± Chapter 203: Hired Help Chapter 203: Hired Help ¡°That doesn¡¯t exin why I would need you,¡± Drake said, crossing his arms and sitting at the table he had summoned. ¡°Yes, well,¡± Mikhail began, ¡°I believe your town still has several days before it haspleted its anchoring correct? So I understand now why you would not know. When a town ispleted it is registered and the owner is given an ording nobility rank.¡± Drake nodded, ¡°That I know, it¡¯s part of the quest rewards.¡± ¡°Yes well, to increase that rank you mustplete quests. That is where wee in. The faster the quests arepleted by affiliated Adventurers the more points you receive and higher on the board you will go. I have also heard that after a portion of the quests areplete, the owner of the town receives rewards as well as noble standing.¡± Mikhail withdrew a card from his inventory showing it to Drake. Receiving the card, Drake turned it over in his hands. ¡°First I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Drake replied skeptically as he looked it over. The card was simple, stating Mikhail¡¯s full name, level, and rank. As well as his current affiliation, which stated McMyer. ¡°Do you not have an Assistant to tell you?¡± Mikhail asked, raising a brow, ¡°Ah, that''s right, they are restricted from telling you until the anchoring isplete, forgive me it slipped my mind,¡± he amended, bowing his head slightly. Drake tried not to show the surprise on his face, opting to stay silent. ¡°You do not have to be so defensive,¡± Mikhail smiled, ¡°Anyone with knowledge of the system town quests knows by now that you have to have an Assistant to ess it after the tutorial. For regr people it is extremely difficult to ess the quest. We have to jump through several hurdles, which I for one think are not worth the effort.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be a leader of a town?¡± Drake asked, now more curious as he handed back the card. ¡°Heavens no. I only lead this group because, well, we were work colleagues. I also have a very specific ss that requires others to perform well.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°Only if you agree to allow us to stay.¡± ¡°No, go,¡± Drake said firmly, shaking his head, ¡°You show me now or you can turn around and leave. You¡¯ve already given me information, so I¡¯m thankful, but I have other people to think about.¡± ¡°It seems we are at an impasse then¡­¡± Mikhail sighed, ¡°Perhaps we can negotiate an arrangement?¡± Drake pursed his lips gauging the man once more, looking for anything telling if he was lying or something else, ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he replied finally. ¡°You have approximately four more days until you have anchored your crystal if I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Mikhail exined, raising four fingers, ¡°Allow us to help in defending it. From outside the walls of course. Provide us with shelter during rest periods as well as food and water. If we do a sufficient job, you will allow us to stay.¡± Drake looked over the group once more, seeing that they ranged from 15 to 17 in level, posing no threat to him personally. He saw no reason to reject offered help that would only go to lighten his load. ¡°I will, on the condition that you still show me your full statuses at the end of it. You¡¯ve proved that you have an insightful mind Mikhail, but that isn¡¯t enough to seal the deal here. You¡¯vee from a tutorial just like me. You must understand I have to be careful about the people I allow in, especially at this moment. I will set you up here but you will be watched 24 hours by my Elementals, if you are caught doing anything suspicious or trying to enter the camp. They will kill you.¡± ¡°That is eptable,¡± Mikhail said motioning to his group and standing up, ¡°You said Elementals though, I only see the one?¡± Drake smiled and snapped his fingers, three more forming from magic circles from the ground up. Each one made of a different element. Mikhail¡¯s eyes bulged for a moment in surprise, before going back to the observant gaze he had before. ¡°That is quite, something¡­ I believe, this is going to be a very fruitful rtionship,¡± he mused, holding out his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that¡­ You sure are a talker,¡± Drake said, taking the man''s hand, only for Mikhail to flinch at the wording. ¡°Y-yes¡­ so I¡¯ve been told¡­¡± Drake looked past them seeing a wave of monsters in the distance cutting through the snow. ¡°Looks like you guys are up. Try not to die, I have some very delicious venison stew cooked up for today¡¯s dinner,¡± Drakeughed, putting away the chairs and tables. [Mana Cougar Level 20] The iing group of monsters outnumbered Mikhail¡¯s group at 10 to his 6, but Mikhail didn¡¯t seem nervous at all even at a level disadvantage. Mikhail turned around his group already getting into position, ¡°Looks like this is the job interview everyone. Positions! You know your duties!¡± he shouted, pulling his knives from his side, and taking position next to a woman in a white robe. Drake jumped back up to the wall, eager to see how the man fought with his group as Drake had never had an opportunity to do so with his own group. He was for better or worse at his strongest when he was alone. He looked on with interest as he felt several people approaching the wall. Looking to the side briefly he caught the reflection of sun in the deep maroon hair of Sarah, Charlotte and Landin not far behind her. Turning back he resumed his focus on the new group. ¡°Drew! Hold the line! ke find an opportunity to exploit the gaps as usual, Vicky begin thinning their numbers before they arrive! Ten seconds!¡± Mikhail ordered, his group beginning to spread out. Drew, apparently the group''s tank roared and stood in the foremost position, his body d in red due to some skill. Drake¡¯s eyes cycled and turned a bright blue as he looked on, trying to decipher the magic in the air as they prepped and began their defense. ¡°Taylor, start casting. Yorth, prep the heal over time for the melee.¡± Mikhail continued to bark decisive orders to his group, each one moving concisely to his words. ¡°They¡¯re used to following orders it seems,¡± Drake mumbled, his hand going to his mouth thoughtfully, ¡°There¡¯s something going on that I can¡¯t ce. There¡¯s too much mana in the air for a skill or spell not to be at work¡­ Ah I see, he¡¯s a buffing ss? Orders? No, words? Is it as long as he speaks?¡± Taylor began summoning a magic circle at the bottom of her feet. It reminded Drake of a ssic mage performing arge area of effect spell. The other members thinned the ranks as they approached. Vicky, who seemed to be using a rifle and not a bow drew Drake¡¯s eyes as well. Vicky rattled off several rounds from her rifle, taking down the first Mana Cougar but it was the only one as the rest of the pack began to sh with Drew and the other melee. Drake watched carefully, his finger on the trigger to summon a spell should they need it, but only if they needed it. Drew forced the Mana Cougars to intercept him as hisrge frame seemed to draw them in, his shield nearly maic as it mmed against three of the monsters. In near instant timing, a man flew from Drew¡¯s shadow striking down one of the three with a long sword bisecting the monster. Drake chuckled, ¡°Very solid teamwork.¡± ¡°Drew, watch the left! Don¡¯t let them past you! ke swiftly find their vitals and take them down just like before!¡± Mikhail shouted, his eyes scanning the field, ¡°Vicky fall back to the backline, give support until Taylor finishes the spell!¡± The fight had onlysted a few seconds so far and they had already taken out three of the ten Mana Cougars with no damage or casualties while being out leveled and outnumbered, impressing Drake. But the test was yet toe as the remaining seven monsters convened on them all at once now. Taylor¡¯s mana peaked, the bluish magic circle suddenly turned white. Mikhail took the change as a cue and shouted to the front-liners, ¡°sh freeze iing! Jump!¡± And as told the front-liners jumped into the air, leaving the Mana Cougars on the ground. ¡°Lay thend to an icy waste! sh Freeze!¡± Taylor cried out the ground''s soft newly fallen snow turning to a clear ice that expanded out without remorse, jagged shards erupting from the ground piercing and shackling the Mana Cougars in ice. ¡°Counter-attack!¡± Mikhail roared, stepping forward as well, capitalizing on the area of effect debuff on the remaining Mana Cougars. The group surged forward, Drew, ke, and Mikhail essentially having free reign as the monsters struggled to break free from the ice. Taylor copsed next to their healer Yorth, while Vicky pressed something to her rifle and began shooting without contest. ¡°Looks like there was nothing to worry about, though they are a bit slower than I¡¯d like. But with some better gear and levels they¡¯ll be fine,¡± Drake nodded to himself. ¡°Who are people,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked next to Drake, seeing the aftermath of the battle. ¡°Hired help, they seem alright,¡± Drake answered smiling, ¡°I think they¡¯ll be more useful than I thought¡­¡± Drake added, tapping on his chin with a finger. ¡°Who are they?¡± Landin asked, rubbing his arms. ¡°Is there an echo in here?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°They¡¯re Adventurers apparently, hired help, and also they are going to help you guys learn how to fight as a group!¡± ¡°They are?¡± Charlotte asked, confused. ¡°Technically, yeah. Starting today you are going to follow them around and watch how they fight. Charlotte you especially I want you to watch that man,¡± Drake pointed, ¡°Mikhail. Understand how he positions his group and reads the field.¡± ¡°Ok..?¡± she answered. ¡°Trust me it¡¯s going to be important,¡± Drake reiterated, ¡°They seem to have it handled here for now, but I want you two to stay and watch. If anything happens the elementals will keep you safe. Don¡¯t go beyond the wall or let them over it. I have ns for them but I still don¡¯t trust them fully.¡± ¡°Aye Aye sir,¡± Landin said,zily putting his hand to his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± Drake smirked back, ¡°Any idea where Kalik is?¡± Charlotte pointed behind them towards the group of tents the Rahk stayed in, ¡°We passed him over there, but that''s about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough, ¡°Drake nodded, ¡°Sarah, are you staying here or are you still babysitting me?¡± ¡°I will follow Patriarch,¡± she answered matter of factly. Drake sighed, turning to look down at Mikhail¡¯s group as they appeared to be cleaning up the area and monster corpses. ¡°Do you have military training?¡± Drake asked Mikhail tly. Mikhail looked up, pausing from removing a monster core. ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Then where did you learn how tomand a group like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s partially my ss if I¡¯m being blunt. But I used to be in upper management at ourpany. Telling people what to does very naturally, if I do say so myself,¡± Mikhail smiled. Drake wasn¡¯t convinced but the man wasn¡¯t going to give him a straight answer it seemed. ¡°I see. Your group will stay on the wall in this area. I¡¯m leaving some students here to learn. See that they aren¡¯t harmed, my elementals will prioritize them over you without exception,¡± Drake said. ¡°Students? There are students still?¡± Mikhail asked. ¡°They¡¯re my students. For now at least,¡± Drake scoffed and turned away, ¡°I¡¯ll be checking inter.¡± With a wave, Drake was off to the encampment in search of Kalik Tu¡¯. I¡¯ll be needing at least Charlotte, Landin, and Kalik for a solid foundation of people to protect this ce. Hopefully, more people wille forward to learn by the end of the week. Drake thought as he walked through the tents. Sighing he pushed back the sickening feeling of essentially using child soldiers. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice¡­ The system will indoctrinate them one way or another when they turn 16 and I¡¯ll just have to make it as safe as possible for them. I know I said it myself but the reality of adjusting to this new way of life is going to be incredibly hard¡­¡± Drake didn¡¯t like the idea of having kids fight, but he didn¡¯t have any other way of helping them than doing this. The others that had already been through receiving a ss wouldn¡¯t be a great selection. They had already chosen sses to survive the tutorials they were ced into and were tailored to them. From his own tutorial, it was rare to find groups that worked as well as Mikhail¡¯s and formed a cohesive party that covered each other''s weaknesses. And what Drake aimed to do was just that. Create a tailored party that could operate to protect the city he nned to build to keep everyone he cared for safe. He knew well enough that he was strong, but he couldn¡¯t be everywhere 24/7, the tutorial had proven that more than enough times already. And he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake of not being prepared for the event that he would have to go outside the city at some point. Drake¡¯s thoughts slowly churned in his head until he eventually found the little angry ball of green he was looking for. ¡°Hey, buddy. How¡¯s the stomach?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Ready to do some learning?¡± he asked, cing his hand on the youth''s shoulder. Kalik Tu¡¯ growled pulling and throwing an axe at Drake. Drake caught the weapon between his fingers and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes?¡± Chapter 204: Anchored Chapter 204: Anchored ¡°Let! Go! Deceiver!¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ growled swinging his arms wildly. ¡°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. ¡°Won¡¯t listen!¡± he barked back. ¡°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. Landin nced over, then turned his attention back to Mikhail¡¯s group, ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem happy.¡± ¡°When does Kalik ever seem happy to you?¡± Drakeughed, looking down at the kid. ¡°Not sure, I can¡¯t understand him. But he¡¯s always wearing a scowl, at least when he¡¯s looking at us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Charlotte agreed, ¡°Are we going to be able to understand everyone when we get our sses?¡± 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. Sah Ul¡¯ looked over at Drake and Kalik briefly, giving an uninterested grunt before addressing Drake. ¡°Woman here for Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul said, motioning towards the other side of the wall. Drake turned, spotting Bridgette looking on eagerly at Mikhail¡¯s group. Sighing he moved over, honestly not looking forward to another conversation with her. ¡°What do you want, Doc?¡± Drake asked. Without turning Bridgette greeted Drake, keeping her attention on the party dealing with another wave of monsters beyond the wall. ¡°Hello again Mr. Wallen. I see you¡¯ve adopted some strays and so soon¡­¡± ¡°I would hardly call them strays, they were the ones who came to find me,¡± Drake replied. ¡°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?¡± 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.¡± ¡°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.¡± ¡°No,¡± Drake said tly. ¡°Ah thank you for- What? Why?!¡± she gasped. ¡°After what you did at the library? Why would I give the green light for you to be a mad scientist?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°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.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see, thank you for seeing it- What? Did I not just exin how it would be beneficial?!¡± ¡°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. Bridgette held up a finger, wanting to open her mouth again, but instead thinned her lips and narrowed her eyes. ¡°I understand¡­ You simply need to find administrators for this town, yes?¡± she asked. Drake looked at her suspiciously, ¡°Y-yes¡­.?¡± Bridgette nodded and walked away wordlessly. ¡°Oh that¡¯s trouble¡­¡± Drake mumbled. But shook his head and returned to where the rest of the teens were. ¡°Having fun?¡± Drake asked sarcastically. ¡°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. 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. 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. Looks like things are good here. Drake thought with a smile. ¡°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. Landin gave him azy wave, Charlotte nodding. Drake said it once again, directing it at Kalik Tu¡¯, who spat in his direction. I hope finding other talented kids his age will fix his attitude¡­ Drake sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to patrolling, don¡¯t wait up.¡± 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. ¡ª--------- 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Drake continued this for four more days bringing him to the final day of the anchoring. Walking from the small ind over the icebridge as usual Drake was met with challengers once again. ¡°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. ¡°First,¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ grunted. Drake eyed the teen, ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Again!¡± he shouted pulling an ax from his side, but this time he pulled a knife as well making Drake raise an eyebrow. Looks like he is teachable. Drake though looking at the de with a smile. ¡°Alright, let me have it,¡± Drake scoffed. Kalik didn¡¯t rush Drake this time, opting to slowly gauge him, moving his footwork with meticulous intention. 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. 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. 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. Ignoring the ax for now, Drake followed the teen as Kalik made a hairpin turn, b-lining for Drake with his de lunging forward. Moving to the side Drake dodged the thrust, grabbing Kalik¡¯s wrist and flipping him over onto the snow below. 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. 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. Kalik hit the floor, unconscious. ¡°Now where did you learn all that¡­¡± Drake muttered with a smile, picking up the boy. He looked at the crowd who looked just as impressed and surprised as Drake had a few moments before. ¡°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. A few short secondster Drake arrived outside the tents he had set up for them. ¡°Wakey Wakey! Yorth I have a patient for you!¡± Drake shouted at the tent. 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. ¡°What? Did you knock him out again?¡± Yorth grumbled. ¡°That I did. Kid might be a M,¡± Drake smirked,ying Kalik Tu¡¯ down next to the tent. ¡°Or you¡¯re just a sadist¡­ Every day you knock this kid out, couldn¡¯t you go a little easier on him?¡± 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. ¡°Ax thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, he tossed an ax as a distraction, and when I didn¡¯t bite he used it as a weapon to attack from above.¡± ¡°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. ¡°May the mother guide this weary soul to their former peace. Healing Drip.¡± Drakeughed at the spell name like he did every time, ¡°Healing Drip? I still don¡¯t get this system¡¯s naming¡­¡± ¡°Hey I don¡¯t name the spells, I just chant them.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Last day huh¡­¡± he mused aloud, ¡°Anyway, were there any more people showing up?¡± Yorth nodded, ¡°We turned the group away though, it was pretty obvious what they were here for¡­¡± Drake frowned, ¡°More?¡± Nodding Yorth also frowned, ¡°We took in the ones they had but well¡­¡± ¡°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.¡± ¡°Questions?¡± a voice asked from the side, Mikhail exiting his tent. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention new vers trying to get inside when you talked to me yesterday,¡± Drake scowled. ¡°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.¡± 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. vers. 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. 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. 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. And of course, Drake obliged, making sure they would never make the same mistake again as well as never harm another soul. ¡°Did you direct the rescues to the Doc?¡± Drake asked finally. ¡°We did, sheined as always. There were a few beastkin, elves, and a few humans. Detestable really," Mikhail sighed his face scrunching up. 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. Thankfully the crystal should anchor¡­ [Drake Wallen is the 13th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Reunite¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] [Quest Complete: Be One of the first to Establish a System Sanctioned Town!] [Quest Complete: A Land All Your Own!] [You have been designated the rank of Baron] [You have been awarded 300 Nobility Points] [You have been awarded 500 Nobility Experience] [You have been ced as #1 on the Nobility Board] [You have received a new Title: Baron] [Baron]
  • You have received a Nobility Title deserving of your status.
  • +3% Experience Gain to all Affiliated persons.
[You have received a new Title: Catalyst of the Capital] [Catalyst of the Capital]
  • You have gained great renown in your new world and are an incredible prospect.
  • +2% to Experience Gain of all Affiliated Persons
  • +5% to Health, Mana, and Stamina Regeneration while inside Town influence.
[You have been registered as the owner of the town, Reunite] [You have received a Standard System Center] [You may choose from a list of System Authorized Buildings] [You may choose from a list of System Authorized Buildings] [You have Received a Ticket to the World Summit x1] ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Drake shrugged. Chapter 205: Time to ReUnite Chapter 205: Time to ReUnite Hudson exited the car, surprised to see a familiar white building beyond the gate still intact. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be, maybe this damn system does have a sense of humor. Leaving this mudball of nanny backward silliness all in one piece.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± one of the escorts asked. ¡°Nothing important, let¡¯s get going.¡± Hudson walked past the gate, an entourage of men and women in ck suits escorting him the entire way until he reached the well-manicuredwn with patches of snow beginning to cover it here and there. Eventually reaching the few stairsteps leading to the entrance of therge building. ¡°The secretary is awaiting you inside sir.¡± Hudson waved off the escort and opened the door, going down the familiar hallways and scoffing at the past leaders painted on the walls. After a few moments, he reached the main audience room that had two guards equipped head to toe in armor that looked like they were from the Middle Ages. ¡°Where in the sam hell are your standard suits and ties boys? Get lost in theundry?¡± Hudson chuckled. Both men stayed silent as they used one arm each to slowly swing open the double doors they were guarding. The inside was revealed and Hudson stared back at an older man who barely resembled his long-time superior. ¡°The rank up seemed to have done you good, Mister Secretary,¡± Hudson whistled. The man with slicked-back silver-gray hair, a well-trimmed beard, and a finely-tailored suit at therge table stood up with a smile extending his hand, ¡°Ah! Agent Hudson! You don¡¯t know how pleased I was to hear that you survived the tutorial. How was it?¡± ¡°Barely got out by the skin of my teeth. But ran into some stubborn idjit that was able to finish the whole tutorial himself.¡± The Secretary raised a brow, ¡°You can lose the ent son, you aren¡¯t undercover anymore. You are obviously being reassigned,¡± shaking Hudson¡¯s hand and fixing his suit, the man sat back down, ¡°Now you mentioned someone helped you? Do you think they would be an asset to our operation?¡± Hudson took the chair across the table, clearing his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should consider him anything in particr sir. He doesn¡¯t go by conventional means and I highly doubt he would listen to any authority figure after how much power he gained during his time in the tutorial.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this man¡¯s name, agent?¡± ¡°You have seen it already on the announcements, Drake Wallen,¡± Hudson exined. A look of surprise washed over the Secretary¡¯s face as he recalled the announcement. ¡°You mean the level 10?¡± he asked, pressing a button at the desk. ¡°No sir, he is far beyond level 10, I believe he had reached level 25 by the end of our respective tutorial, he must be using-¡± Hudson was cut off by the door behind him opening up once again along with the gasping of the Secretary. ¡°Level 25? You must be lying to me, agent! There has only been a very few we have even had confirmation of being past level 20. Even the other species we have recruited into the service rarely go beyond level 15 right now.¡± The Secretary looked back at Hudson seriously, ¡°Is that man a threat?¡± Hudson unconsciously let out augh before covering his mouth, ¡°Oh, no sir. As long as you don¡¯t provoke him, I don¡¯t believe he would hurt anyone. As far as I¡¯m aware he has already begun establishing his own town. I was invited to join it as well.¡± Behind him, a woman with a tiger-like tail and ears walked in holding a folder, and handing it to the Secretary. The Secretary thanked her, cing the folder on the desk and opening it, ¡°Drake Wallen. It seems we do not know of his family¡¯s whereabouts but he has a family member named Atticus Wallen, who is also establishing a town. We have almost no information on him either, but the run-ins we have had with Atticus have been nothing but detrimental¡­¡± ¡°Meaning, Mr. Secretary?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°Oh, haven''t you heard Hudson? It¡¯s no longer just Mr. Secretary. Commander and Chief hasn¡¯t returned, I¡¯m the highest standing official so I¡¯ve been sworn in. But don¡¯t worry you can still call me whatever you like, you¡¯ve earned that. Now, Mr. Wallen¡¯s brother, Atticus, has been gathering fanatics as far as we can tell.¡± The Secretary flipped through the pages for a moment before continuing. ¡°He has also been burning and killing anything that is not human¡­ And even some humans have not avoided his murderous gaze it seems, He is a Priority 1. If we can turn his brother, Drake, to a more favorable position for us it would be a big win. Can I trust you to make first contact with him?¡± The sound of a cold familiar voice echoed in their heads as they all momentarily paused to listen. [Drake Wallen is the 13th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Reunite¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] ¡°I¡¯ll be damned¡­ Idjit did it again¡­¡± Hudson scoffed, standing from his seat, ¡°Sir, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. I¡¯m sure I can turn that stubborn bastard to our side.¡± ¡ª-------- ¡°ire! We¡¯re moving, you all packed up?¡± A woman in a priest gown with a leather twined ne around her neck, a small ck ring dangling from it turned around. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m ready whenever. I want to make good time getting to town. Now that it''s established I¡¯m sure there everyone will be gathering¡­ I don¡¯t want to be thest to make it,¡± ire responded, gripping the ring, ¡°It¡¯s already been a week. I¡¯m worried he might be up to no good¡­¡± The man across from her smirked, ¡°Lucky guy to have you worry like that. Afraid he¡¯s going after other women?¡± ire growled and scowled at the man, Charles, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that! No, I¡¯m afraid he might end up getting himself killed. He¡¯s nothing if not a trouble ma!¡± Charles raised up his hands, ¡°Jeez I was just joking. That tutorial of yours made you awful serious there ire.¡± ire sighed, ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it. It was a living hell¡­ At least until Drake found me. That¡¯s why I need to get back to him as fast as possible, I know he will help everyone from our hometown like he did in the tutorial. I just know it.¡± She continued to y around with the ring on her ne, images of Drake before they parted racing through her mind. Charles ced more supplies into his inventory, looking at ire with a lonely smile before turning to the rest of the group shouting for them to get ready as well. ire got up with the rest looking out into the distance before double-checking the location of where the system map they had gotten from the center marked Drake¡¯s town. ¡°He better not be hanging out with other girls¡­ He wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± she grumbled, putting the ne back under her priest gown. ¡ª---------------- [Drake Wallen is the 13th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Reunite¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] ¡°Oh, would you look at that! Has it been a week already? Wonder what kind of town he¡¯ll build,¡± Bjorn shouted with a smile. ¡°What happened mister?¡± Bjorn looked down at the boy, ruffling his hair, ¡°Oh don¡¯t you worry, just an old friend being himself. We¡¯re ganna get to where he is. And he and I are ganna make sure you all are taken care of alright lil bro?¡± The boy nodded, giving Bjorn a smile. Looking back at the group he had gathered, Bjorn was reminded of the tutorial again and how he helped to build Shigure¡¯s camp. The many orphaned children pulled at his heart and was something he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to ignore. Bjorn also knew Drake wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore them as well. But there was only one problem. He opened his status ncing at it briefly. [Bjorn Johnson] [Epic ss: Keeper of the Bridge] Level 28 Bjorn had fought off many monsters as well as people with more devious intentions along the way to Drake¡¯s town. If he was alone he would have easily been able to forego the fighting and run, but now he had a group that was only growing in size as he traveled that didn¡¯t allow him the luxury of not fighting. The closer he moved to level 30, his mind seemed to be twisted, as if the willpower he had before was slowly eroding away. The dreams he feared to find when he closed his eyes finding him more and more frequently. He just hoped that by the time he arrived, he would still be himself. Looking back at the group he raised his hand and gave them a wave with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, yeah? I know a guy that makes great food to die for once we get there!¡± he shouted. ¡°He still owes me all the food he promised¡­.¡± a small girl with broken sses grumbled next to him. Bjorn scoffed, ¡°For all the people to run into while getting there, I didn¡¯t expect to find you, Sherry.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here too man¡­.¡± Bjorn turned slightly surprised. ¡°Tom, jeez Drake wasn¡¯t kidding, I really couldn¡¯t notice you sneaking up behind me. What the hell bro.¡± Tom sniffled, rubbing his nose, ¡°Yeah well, as long as we get there sometime soon. You can talk to him about it¡­ But why!¡± Tom shouted, kneeling down, ¡°Do I have to get stuck with carrying her?¡± Pointing with his thumb at Sherry he grumbled as she climbed up on his back. ¡°No one said you had to do that bro¡­¡± Bjornughed. ¡°What?! She told me you told her I had to do it!?¡± Tom yelled. Sherry snickered and gave them both a victory sign with her hands. ¡°Tom is a good boy, he listens to everything I say without question,¡± Sherry smiled, patting him on the head. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog!¡± Bjorn scoffed, ¡°Then why is your tail wagging.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a fucking tail!¡± ¡ª-------------- [Drake Wallen is the 13th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Reunite¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] ¡°It¡¯s been a week already has it?¡± Around the man, many people in white cloaks kneeled in reverence. ¡°What shall we do about this man Emperor?¡± another man asked, raising his head. ¡°See to it that we send some missionaries to spread the word of the Sun to my dear brother,¡± Atticus smiled, ¡°Maybe a familiar face will make him more weing?¡± ¡°I will send her right away. There has been contact again with the new government on the border of the town. Would you like to speak with them, my lord?¡± Waving off the man, ¡°No, deal with them as per usual. I have too much to do if we are to clean this dirtied world, simple matters of birds flying too close to the sun should not be too difficult for you I imagine.¡± ¡°Yes! It will be done! Praise the Sun! All hail the Grand Sun Mage!¡± ¡°Praise the Sun! Praise the Emperor!¡± shouted the crowd in unison. Atticus smiled once more looking over the convenient list the system had provided them of the locations of the system-sanctioned towns, and the levels of the owners of said towns. ¡°May they be cleansed¡­.¡± he muttered, his eyes thinning into crescents. Chapter 206: System Sanctioned Buildings Chapter 206: System Sanctioned Buildings ¡°Wow that¡¯s a lot of notifications, I wonder if it''s going to be like this from now on? And these title buffs. I don¡¯t know if I should be happy or annoyed it¡¯s experience gain for everyone¡­¡± Drake wondered aloud. Drake tried to scroll through some of the notifications while he could, Yorth pausing from healing Kalik only for a moment as he heard the announcements. ¡°Oh has it been a week already? Congrattions Mr. Wallen, I knew you were a good bet. Look at those town buffs!¡± Yorth said briefly, then went back to Kalik Tu¡¯, making sure the boy was healing properly. Mikhail also gave his congrattions. ¡°I see that you are now officially a town owner, I assume this means that our contract isplete?¡± he asked, holding out a hand. Drake sped the hand in his own, giving Mikhail a firm handshake, ¡°That it is, now your status and we can seal the deal. I also have to speak with Natto about all of this-¡± But before Drake could finish his thought a thunderous boom sounded out from the ind where the crystal was housed, a shockwave spreading out like a wave over the area. Drake braced against the shock, throwing up a wall of earth to protect himself and the others. The next moment he dismissed the spell, the wall crumbling as he attempted to sprint to the ind unsure of what happened to Natto. Only to be stopped by the snickering of a woman behind him. ¡°Concerned are we ape?¡± Drake turned around finding Natto awake and fine, a small grin on her face. ¡°What was that? Are you ok?¡± he asked. ¡°I am perfectly fine, better than fine. The pairing was sessful,¡± she smiled vanishing from view and appearing behind him, ¡°That was the establishing of the sphere of influence from the crystal.¡± Drake whipped around once more, slightly irritated, grabbing her by the cheeks, ¡°So you can teleport now?¡± ¡°My face! My face!!! Enough you dolt!¡± Natto whimpered until Drake released her, forcing her to rub her pinched cheeks, ¡°Yes, I may move anywhere at any time now within the territory¡­ It covers several dozen acres at the moment and will expand with your increase of influence, level, rank, and nobility. I will say that it is impressive that you are a Baron from the start, surviving a tutorial sponsored by a Primordial has done wonders. Now,¡± she said, fixing her robe and disheveled hair, ¡°Have you selected the buildings you wish to receive?¡± Drake scoffed, crossing his arms, ¡°I just got the notifications I haven¡¯t had time to do anything. And I still have to make sure that boom didn¡¯t leave anyone hurt.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Natto said, snapping her fingers, several light blue windows appearing in front of her, ¡° Of the 407 residences within ReUnite, none have received any life-threatening injuries,¡± waving her hand more screensing up as she pushed and pressed the screens in quick session, ¡°I have also ced several bare minimal defenses up, monster deterrents and gateways for iing screening of visitors. Will that suffice?¡± she smirked. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ Since when did you get so useful?¡± Drake asked, his face scrunched in confusion. ¡°I have always been useful! And now I have the means to defend myself and this ce! With the integration into the town I have gained ess to my true functions!¡± she shouted back incredulously. ¡°Meaning..?¡± ¡°I now have my own stats and levels.¡± Drake raised a brow inspecting Natto. [Natto, Administrative Assistant Level 27] ¡°You¡¯re level 27?!¡± Drake gasped his mouth cracking open. Natto stuck her chest out and turned her nose up, impressed with herself, ¡°That I am peon! My level is based on your level, and I gain a portion of your status as well as improve based on the territory¡¯s growth! Hahaha!¡± ¡°R-right,¡± Drake chuckled exacerbated, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s look at the rewards I guess¡­¡± Drake sighed looking over to Mikhail for a moment, ¡°We¡¯ll finish up your contract when this is all done alright? Just sit tight for me. Yorth, make sure Kalik is looked after will you?¡± Yorth gave a sarcastic salute in response making Drake scoff before he turned and went of with Natto in tow. ¡°Now, what should I pick? I got a system center for the reward already, and now I get to select two new buildings¡­. There are a bunch of things to select from. A bank, school, some manufacturing processing facilities¡­. A church?¡± Drake said aloud. Natto hopped up on his shoulder as they walked through the now town, looking down at the notifications as well. ¡°I would rmend the Bank as well as the church,¡± she offered. ¡°Any reason? We don¡¯t really need a bank do we? We have inventories it isn¡¯t like stuff can be stolen.¡± Natto shook her head, ¡°That is incorrect. There are specific thief sses that may do just that, though we haven¡¯t encountered any as of yet. It is also a good idea to have a bank on the as a means of forming beneficial rtionships with the Bankers. They are all over the multiverse after all.¡± ¡°What do you mean all over the multiverse? Are you saying it is run by a race that is spread throughout?¡± Drake asked. Nodding, Natto began exining, ¡°Yes. You may have a bit of trouble epting them at first¡­ but they are a good rtionship to have in the long run, that I can assure you.¡± ¡°And the church? Why pick it over any of the others?¡± ¡°It will benefit the town greatly in the short term and overall. Especially with your little army-building project. But that is all I can say for now until you choose. Information on these buildings is limited until then. But I can say that the other buildings from the selection can easily be bought elsewhere as well as made here. Based on the races I have seen within the town I can say for certain that the races on earth are of quite the variety and you will find talent wherever you need it.¡± Drake pursed his lips looking over the buildings. But wasn¡¯t able to glean any more information than what Natto had provided. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go with that, but what about other things in the town? What else can you take care of as far as infrastructure? The Doc found some people willing to learn craftsman sses but it will take a while before they are ready.¡± ¡°I will be able to n and help with the architecture, which will be nearly effortless. I can not do anything physically at the moment, especially without any workers on hand to help but teaching them how to build the structures I assume you need is of no concern. We may even use some of the nearby monsters to help with this.¡± ¡°Monsters huh?¡± ¡°Yes, there are slimes that we may use for waste disposal. We also seem to have a thriving low-tier monster poption that will do well for food and easy domestication. Do not forget that you also have the seeds you received from the tutorial,¡± she reminded. ¡°Ok food is taken care of. We¡¯ll have to wait on some infrastructure until the craftsmen are trained up. What about water?¡± Drake asked, turning to go to a more open area. ¡°Water may be a problem for now as the only source is theke. Until we get a steady supply of monster cores we will not be able to power any sort of Mana Devices to produce a reservoir on the scale we will need. Thankfully we have a bottomless pit we can use for now,¡± she smiled. ¡°What bottomless- Hey¡­ I¡¯m not just someone you can¡­ Whatever, fine so water is covered in the short term,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Can you select some people to make a basic water tower for now then?¡± ¡°Done.¡± Drake nodded looking out at the snow covering the grounds in the open ins as he selected the System Center Building within his inventory. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look at the noble listter, thises first I guess.¡± Selecting to ce the building Drake saw a surreal outline marked in green on the ground in front of him, making his eyes widen. ¡°What the- this building is huge!¡± he eximed. ¡°Yes well, it certainly has to be. It houses several facilities within it, as well as it doubles as what you would call a Quest Hub. For the most part, this is where you will gain ess to general quests and also submit them. It is staffed by constructs and is protected under the system. It will be quite useful,¡± she mused. ¡°Yeah we''ll see about that,¡± Drake said sarcastically, ¡°Here we go.¡± Mentally confirming that he wanted to ce the building a small window popped up prompting him to confirm. [You wish to permanently ce this System Center in this location] [Confirm?] [Yes/No] Drake confirmed seeing arge fluctuation in the mana where he ced the building, the snow melting instantly along with the grass and other debris being cleared before his eyes. With a whistle, he saw the building manifest in a way akin to something being 3D Printed from the ground up. Beginning with the foundation then the building structure, next the walls, roof, and other supporting structures. ¡°That was a trip to watch. Is that normal?¡± Drake asked, thumbing to the freshly made building. Natto nodded, ¡°Quite interesting is it not?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the neighbors then?¡± he smirked. Walking up to the door to the establishment, a board above the door lettered in gold, ¡°Reunite System Center.¡± ¡°Nifty,¡± Drake smirked, opening the door. Walking in he was greeted by the smell of newlycquered wood and a new building smell, the sound of a small chime announcing him. Looking around the building reminded him of the System Center in the city he had entered before leaving on his quest. There were counters in front of him, with a lobby area to his left and right withfortable chairs and tables. There was also a second floor here which was not in the center in the city, along with several doors that led off outside the immediate lobby. At the counters, there were people already, as well as several suits of armor at the door to his left and right as he entered. Drake frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention there would be guards here? Should I be concerned?¡± ¡°No, as long as you do not cause a ruckus they will do nothing,¡± Natto informed. ¡°Can I beat them?¡± Drake asked eyeing the suit of armor, his hand on his chin. ¡°I think not,¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°They are the equivalent of a B-Rank Vessel, you would stand no- I said no Drake!¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m just joking¡­ Kinda¡­¡± Drake smiled, lowering his raised fist, ¡°I was just wondering how strong a B-Rank is¡­¡± he mumbled. Ignoring Natto chewing him out on his shoulder Drake walked up to the counter ready to check out what he could do in the centerpared to the one in the city. ¡°Wee! How may I hel-¡± the woman at the counter began before breaking out in a cold sweat as she saw Drake. ¡°Hey¡­.¡± Drake said his eyes thinning, ¡°Don¡¯t I know you¡­?¡± The woman at the counter looked away, droplets of sweating down like it was raining inside the building. ¡°I-I think n-not! W-we have never met before!¡± Drake eyed the woman looking her over closely. She quickly struck him as a beautiful woman of Asian descent. The image of one of his favorite KPOP star shing in his head. ¡°Wait, I remember! You''re that fucking bitch who tazed me!¡± Drake shouted, pointing his finger at her in surprise. ¡°Shit!¡± the woman screamed, biting down on her thumb. Chapter 207: New Residences Chapter 207: New Residences ¡°Isn¡¯t this just fate, don¡¯t you think?¡± Drakeughed mirthfully, ¡°Who would have guessed I¡¯d find you here? You remember me right?¡± Drake asked, staring the woman down. ¡°I-i-i-i don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about sir. I¡¯ve only just been assigned here and only-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to bullshit me, my thigh still has the burn marks from that lousy fucking tazer! I want to speak to your goddamn manager, or whoever is in charge!¡± The woman threw her hands up, ¡°Please n-no! I need to be here! I got too many strikes during the introductions and this is myst chance! You can¡¯t do this or I¡¯ll be dmissioned!¡± she pleaded. ¡°Ain¡¯t my fucking problem. You reap what you sow.¡± ¡°Why are you evenining! It was just a little shock! You¡¯ll never be someone like I thought if youin about every little thing!¡± she shouted, firing back with a scowl. ¡°What the hell would you know about it?!¡± ¡°I know you''re a worthless little weeb like I thought! How did you even survive the tutorial anyway?¡± ¡°I survived by sheer grit and resourcefulness, no thanks to you not helping me even the slightest bit!¡± Drake spat back. ¡°Ha! I¡¯m sure you just got lucky!¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it! Natto, what the hell do I have to do to make this annoying entitled sack of shit disappear?¡± Drake asked. The woman behind the counter huffed and turned to Natto on Drake¡¯s shoulder, her face paling once more, as her angry confidence waned like a melting cheese wheel. ¡°W-why do you have a territorial construct¡­?¡± she asked nervously. ¡°He,¡± Natto snickered, ¡°Got lucky. As the one in charge of the sanctioned area you can simply dismiss her if you want, the system will rece her on its own.¡± ¡°N-no he can¡¯t! He would have to own the a-anchoring crystal to be able to do that!¡± ¡°Did you not hear me harlot? That is what I just said. He, is the owner of said crystal. It seems you have bet against the wrong horse,¡± Natto snickered, bringing her sleeve to cover her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this more than I am I think,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°I may be¡­ Standard constructs are moved around more than a military child from back in your old world so they will tend to pick up personality¡­. quirks and she seems to be no different. They require a firm readjustment from time to time and witnessing the memories of how she treated you... It seems only fair.¡± The woman turned from her expression of fear to one of confusion, ¡°You act like you are so strong¡­ If I remember that tutorial was sponsored by a Primordial! You couldn¡¯t have made it out without being at least-¡± ¡°What? Without being at least the same?¡± Drake said, interrupting her. ¡°N-no I was going to say extremely lucky¡­¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Drake said in ackluster tone, ¡°Well, in a way I guess I was. But just so you know I¡¯m also one of those Primordials so how about you show a little respect? Maybe I won¡¯t snuff you then,¡± Drake grinned. The woman beganughing, ¡°Ok. Now I know you¡¯re pulling my leg! You? A Primordial? Ha! Ok guys,¡± sheughed looking around at the rest of the constructs at the counter, ¡°Good joke guys, this isn¡¯t really that guy from the tutorial I talked to right? You guys got me good! How did you even find out about him? Was it Jerry? It was Jerry wasn¡¯t it-¡± Drake held up his status screen turning it for the woman to see, her face going through the five stages of grief in a matter of a few binks of her eyes. The next moment Drake saw her hop the counter and hit the floor, bowing and wailing. ¡°Please! I beg you, don¡¯t send me back! I beg youuuuuu!!!¡± she cried, ¡°I¡¯ll do anything please Drake, no. Mr. Wallen! No, sir! No! My lord, your majesty! Anything, please name it! J-just don¡¯t dmission meeeeeee!!!¡± Drake looked down at the woman and cringed. Looking around he saw the faces of the other constructs turning to ones of sympathy, some hushed whispers being passed around therge lobby. ¡°Wait, how did I turn into the bad guy here? Am I a bully here? I¡¯m not right?¡± Drake asked beginning to feel slightly grossed out with the woman''s disy of pleading. Scratching the back of his head he sighed, ¡°Holy crapdy get up, will you? You¡¯re grossing me out so much I feel bad! Just¡­ Just don¡¯t do it again.¡± The woman shot up straight with a smile, her tearspletely gone in a heartbeat. ¡°Yes sir! Never again will I look down on a cringe-worthy low lif-¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Drake said in a serious tone, ¡°I allowed you to be insulting once. There won¡¯t be a second time.¡± Pointing at her he let out his full aura, every construct in the area dropping to the floor instantly including the woman, his eyes shing with power. ¡°I won¡¯t warn you again.¡± Releasing his aura, the room came alive again, coughing and gasps being heard throughout as they all rose to their feet, some cursing and looking at the woman with sneers and scowls. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I apologize, old habits and all that¡­¡± ¡°You are too lenient,¡± Natto scoffed. Drake sighed, ¡°I want to be where I can¡­ I¡¯ve had to make a lot of hard decisions recently, there¡¯s no reason to kill someone just for insulting me.¡± ¡°A fine decision!¡± the woman said, suddenly bing more amenable than ever before. ¡°No one asked you,¡± Drake sighed then let out a brief chuckle, knowing she had only made a 180 in attitude after finding out he had be so strong for an F-Rank. He still had two other buildings to ce and check out so Drake waved her off just wanting to hurry things along. ¡°Your ass-kissing can wait untilter, what exactly is the difference in this Centerpared to the ones we saw in the city?¡± Drake asked tersely. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± she nodded with a bit of hesitation, beginning to exin, ¡°The major difference is that here you are able to ess arger number of quests and more significantly rewarded quests. As the¡­¡± she coughed, clearing her throat, ¡°As the one in charge of this town upon each questpletion done via this center, you will receive a slightpensation in the form of Noble Points as well as Mana Coins in a bulk sum as a tax for operations. If you choose you can set up a point system as well specific to the town for personal use. You may ask your assistant for further information and she will delegate the process.¡± Drake nodded along liking the idea of obtaining a small amount from the center, but the fact also tied into his own n for the future. The woman continued, ¡°As a noble as well you will have ess to the multiverse approved buildings store, with each rank you will gain ess to more specific and limited buildings.¡± That perked Drake¡¯s interest instantly, ¡°Show me the store.¡± A blue screen popped up behind the counter where the woman was before she flipped it around for him. The selection he saw was scarce, to say the least but there was a specific building he spotted that put a smile on his face. [Spirit Fox of Delight¡¯s Auction House]
  • The Spirit Fox is a n of wealthy merchants known for their robust trade routes throughout the multiverse. They are one of the only businesses so versed in auction dealings that their n¡¯s wealth rivals that of many Dragon Families.
  • Requirement: Baron Rank or Higher.
  • Limit: One per.
Drake grinned, ¡°One of a kind huh?¡± his grin quickly dissipated after seeing the price tag for the building. [Purchase Price: 50 E-Grade Mana Coins] ¡°Tga! Are they trying to rob me!? Or do they just know we have just that amount¡­.?¡± Drake grimaced. He began running the pros and cons of the Auction House in his head. Drake had no problem having the only one on the, it would drive traffic to his town, and his n of building a strong infrastructure in the way of a town and army was underway already. He also had no problem with fighting anyone who would try to take it from him. But he suspected most would not, there would be more benefits to most if they came to the town with a non-aggressive mindset. Drake¡¯s town was already growing in the way of utility buildings from the quest, and he nned to expand it more as well as strengthen his citizens by leaps and bounds. The point system that the woman had mentioned also sparked a few ideas in his head for a great way to disseminate money to everyone. In his mind, many things were falling into ce quickly. ¡°Ok,¡± he finally nodded, ¡°We¡¯re ganna snag this baby before someone else does.¡± ¡°Snag which?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Natto gave him a bombastic side-eye, knowing his words were something she had to worry about greatly. ¡°Speaking of getting things, where exactly are my Monster Cores, Drake? Drake¡­..¡± Drake had already handed the woman the cores as she exchanged them, he quickly pressed the purchase button, whistling as he willfully ignored her. ¡°Ok, all set then, looks like three buildings to go before we can start nning some more things,¡± Drake smiled, then looked to the woman, ¡°I¡¯ll be back to check out the quests and suchter. Remember. No more chances.¡± He left the woman with an icy re before turning and exiting the center, Natto still yelling into his ear as he walked. ¡°I get it! Enough already. You¡¯re going to have to wait for those stones, I spent it all,¡± he yelled back. ¡°What do you mean you spent it all!? Those were mine!¡± she screamed. ¡°No. Those were mine. And you said to hold onto them.¡± ¡°They were mine by extension! Do you not wish for the all and powerful knowing me, to continue on her journey of greatness?! I must reach E-Rank!¡± Drake waved her off, ¡°Please, there will be more E-Ranks. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a shortage of them around here for some reason. Maybe they¡¯re attracted to me or something,¡± he thought aloud, ¡°By the way, how strong are our defenses now with you paired?¡± Natto scoffed, crossing her arms, ¡°They would be insurmountably better if I had the aforementioned cores¡­¡± ¡°Ok stop sulking, I promise I won¡¯t spend any more cores without asking you.¡± ¡°Doubtful¡­¡± Natto sighed, ¡°Regardless they should be able to deter any low to mid F-Rank without a problem. But E-Ranks will still be a problem.¡± Drake nodded, ¡°Hmmm. that¡¯s actually impressive. That frees up a lot of manpower then. Good stuff Natto. Alright, next is¡­ I guess let¡¯s look at the bank?¡± About to take out the building from his inventory, Drake spotted a familiar figure walking towards him. ¡°Well, that free time didn¡¯tst long¡­¡± Approaching him was Sah Ul¡¯, every day she would follow him since he came here, observing him. Today she was wearing the same leather armor but also wore a fur-like cloak this time, leaving more to the imagination. Unfortunately, it only proved to show how desirable her figure was as it ented her curves and made Drake think about what was underneath. Shaking his head to free himself from his thoughts, he waved to her. ¡°Littlete today aren¡¯t you?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ crossed her arms, ¡°I don¡¯t have to babysit the Patriarch all hours of the day¡­.¡± she glowered. Drake gave a slight smirk, amazed at how well he could understand her now that he had been in the town for a week. Every passing day he seemed to be getting more and more ustomed to whatevernguage the Orcs spoke natively, increasing the fluency in what they were saying to the point when Sah Ul¡¯, and Rvul no longer sounded like they were struggling to speak English. ¡°Aw, but I thought you liked following me around?¡± Drake teased. ¡°I am fulfilling my duty to my father, nothing more. You may have won the duel, but that only ties us in the most basic sense,¡± she scowled. ¡°Always the doting daughter huh? Where is Rvultely anyway?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He is currently doing as you asked, gathering the warriors and collecting the stones they will need. He has mentioned that thanks to the Doctor you have brought, things are moving smoothly. The people she has found to fill in the, what do you call it? Administrative positions? Have helped greatly.¡± Drake grimaced, ¡°Don¡¯t owe her too much. She¡¯s a psycho¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ raised a brow, ¡°She seems fairly sane to me?¡± Drake chuckled nervously, ¡°R-right¡­¡± Turning away he cut the conversation, he had a number of things to get to today as well as prepping for something, and needed to gather several people before that. Selecting the bank from his inventory, Drake again saw the greenish outline of therge building. ¡°Wow! This reminds me of those banks you see in Roman shows and movies. Those columns are huge!¡± Drake whistled, ¡°Alright, Let¡¯s put you right next to the Center.¡± Drake ced down the building, and a momentter it was constructed from the ground up in the same manner as the center. Waiting a few minutes for it to finish, Drake again stole some nces at Sah Ul¡¯ next to him. ¡°Has your weapon been reced yet, Sarah?¡± Drake finally asked. Sah Ul¡¯ nodded, pulling the weapon from her inventory. A massive obsidian-colored cleaver rested on her shoulder, the handle curved into a sharp serrated edge around her hand, reddish stripes cascading down from handle to de. ¡°The materials you provided the war smith proved of good quality. This weapon is leaps stronger than myst¡­.¡± she exined trailing off slightly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Drake blinked a few times, surprised to hear her say thank you for the first time. Oh¡­ That¡¯s not good¡­ she¡¯s cute when she¡¯s embarrassed. Drake thought, scratching his cheek. A swift p came to the side of Drake¡¯s head from his shoulder. ¡°Ape,¡± she scoffed. Drake rubbed his head out of habit, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know what you were thinking! How long have I been around you!¡± ¡°I unno,¡± Drake shrugged, turning to the now finished Bank, ¡°Either way buildings finished so no time to talk!¡± he shouted deflecting, ¡°Youing with Sarah?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded, stowing her weapon and following Drake in. Once inside, Drake whistled once more taking in the building structure. They had passed through several columns to enter and were greeted by arge color ssed door, a gold figurehead above them. The inside of Bank looked straight out of Harry Potter, which made Drake¡¯s skin crawl for a moment as his aura leaked out. ¡°Goblins¡­.¡± he growled, looking around at the green men and women in suits, some wearing sses and hats as they wrote and counted mana coins. A tap came to the top of his head from Natto a momentter, ¡°I understand your contention, but please rx,¡± she said, motioning to the sides of the doors, ¡°There are even stronger guards here than the system center. Do not be a fool and stir up trouble, it will do no one any good.¡± Before long a goblin walked up to them, bowing at the waist. ¡°Greetings, I take it you are the one in charge of this fine new town? I am Baldur, the head of this branch,¡± Baldur addressed, seemingly unfazed by Drake¡¯s re and aura crashing down on him. ¡°Yeah,¡± Drake said tersely, trying to identify the Goblin. [(INfn1 Level *&2] The Goblin smiled, forcing Drake to click his tongue. ¡°I see that you have met the lower forms of our race, for that I apologize. We are High Mountain Goblins, we specialize in keeping currency and trust is our top priority,¡± Baldur said, his eyes shing, ¡°Mr. Wallen.¡± ¡°Littlete for that,¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°Be that as it may, I hope to have a blossoming partnership with you and your town. Please feel free to call on me whenever you are here Mr. Wallen, I will leave no rock unturned to provide our best service,¡± Baldur exined, bowing once more, ¡°Now, have youe to make a deposit?¡± Drake frowned, still feeling disgust in his throat as he looked at the Goblin. His eyes turned to the massive gold statues on either side of the door briefly, each one standing stoically with huge halberts in their grips. ¡°I might as well,¡± Drake finally said, sighing and letting his aura dissipate, ¡°May I only deposit coins? Or is there a safety deposit box?¡± he asked. ¡°Why of course. We offer a very healthy 2% interest per year on all cash ounts and boast the most secure vaults in the multiverse. It would be an honor to begin housing your wealth here at our humble branch, Mr. Wallen.¡± Little bastard is making me feel bad for being so rude¡­ Drake thought frowning slightly. ¡°Fine, I have some loose skill stones I need to ce away since they are clogging up my inventory. 2% interest huh¡­ That¡¯s pretty low isn''t it?¡± Drake asked. ¡°While it may be low for some of the lower races, for a blooming person such as yourself who will live for, if I may. Quite a long time, thepound interest on all deposits will be immense. If I do say so myself,¡± Baldur grinned. ¡°You have a point I suppose¡­¡± Drake nodded looking over to Sah Ul¡¯ who looked like her brain had checked out long ago since they had begun talking. ¡°I¡¯ll open an ount then. Is there an ount I can make for the town as well? I will need a shared ount for the future.¡± ¡°Certainly, that would not be a problem, but you will need to fill out some paperwork as well as have the parties sharing the ount present as well. You have a Town Affiliated Center Card I presume?¡± Baldur asked. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know it was necessary. I¡¯ll have toe backter then and scar the living shit out of a construct¡­.¡± Drake smirked, thinking of the woman who didn¡¯t think to mention he could also get his card while he was there. ¡°A fine idea, Mr. Wallen, I look forward to seeing you once more. May your days be bountiful, for both you and I,¡± Baldur grinned, revealing a luminescent ss like fang. Drake nodded but raised a brow, feeling his shoulder bing damp as he turned to the side seeing Natto drooling. ¡°What the hell?¡± Natto wiped her mouth her cheeks turning rosey, ¡°I-i I do not know what came over me¡­ His tooth¡­ It¡¯s a monster core¡­ A very high ranked one, I could not help myself¡­ hahaha¡­.¡± sheughed embarassedly. Drake used his magic to airdry his hoodie¡¯s sleeve, walking out of the Bank. Waiting outside the Bank as well as the System Center was already arge crowd. Mikhail¡¯s party walked to the Center as they nced and waved to Drake before going in. ¡°They took no time getting here,¡± Drake scoffed. Moving a small bit away he walked with Sah Ul¡¯ and Natto ready to ce thest and final building for now, the Auction House. But before he could he noticed something flying at him at high speed from above through his aura sense. ¡°Drakkkkkeeeeeeee!!!!!¡± A loud voice shouted from above, that Drake hade to know well thest couple of days. What hit him from above like a falling meteor from the sky in a rainbow assortment of colors her arms tightly wound around his neck was an Avian girl. ¡°Hey, hey! Drake, listen listen! Guess what?¡± she asked rapid fire, squeezing him and Natto together until Natto merged with Drake to escape. A momentter with a pop she exited his other side and hopped down to the floor. ¡°sted wretch! You could have killed me!¡± Natto spat. Drakeughed awkwardly, ¡°Yes, Quetz? What is it this time¡­.?¡± The girl clinging to Drake, and receiving a scathing re from both Natto and Sah Ul¡¯ was Quetz. A girl Drake had saved from vers who hade to his town earlier. When Drake found her she was much different. She had been abused to the point that she was despondent, the feathers that dawned her head-like hair, forearms, and legs had turned a dark lifeless gray. Or at least what remained of them after being repeatedly plucked. Her eyes a lustless pale grey as well. Feeling nothing but disgust for the vers, Drake quickly remedied the situation freeing her and appropriately dealing with the vers. Quetz wouldn¡¯t respond to anyone until Drake had finally freed her, snapping the restraints put on her. She had been through something extremely traumatizing which resulted in her current behavior. Quetz had turned into a clingy little sister that Drake never had instantly. Drake looked down at her not able to help smiling slightly at how she had changed from that day. Her feathers had returned and were now a bright rainbow of colors and vibrant lustrous eyes of deep violet. Drake had found out very early that her race was very unique, her feathers changed with her emotions. He had seen her change to a fire red, serene blue, much like Drake when he changed Endowments. Which only served to strengthen the attachment she had for him. Quetz smiled ear to ear hugging him more tightly, ¡°I turned 16 today! That means we get to be together more right? Right?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Drake said surprised. He had thought she was much younger based on her personality but he was happily surprised to hear she was around as old as Charlotte, Kalik, and Landin. Making her the fourth person he would have to train up. Before he could answer, Sah Ul¡¯ made the mistake of grabbing Quetz again, sparking her peculiar personality. ¡°That is enough from you girl. Do you not realize who you are embracing?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled. Quetz¡¯s feathers instantly turned a scarlet red as she began iling. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Get your hands off me! The only one who¡¯s allowed to touch me is Drake! I won¡¯t let you touch me anymore! Get away! Get away!!!¡± she screamed. Drake quickly gripped Sah Ul¡¯s arm gently, his face showing a sorrowful expression, ¡°It¡¯s alright Sarah. I know she¡¯s going a bit overboard but let it slide for now ok?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned but released the struggling girl who instantly ran to Drake once more, crying as she clung to him. Drake looked over at Sah Ul, giving her a smile, ¡°Thank you. She¡¯s just¡­ Just been through a lot.¡± he said in a soft tone, the image of ire when he first met her shing in his mind. Sah Ul¡¯ could only look at him with a frown, ¡°She will never grow to be strong if you do nothing but coddle her. Whatever she has been through she must ovee on her own, Patriarch.¡± Drake stroked the back of Quetz¡¯s head, his face turning grim, ¡°I know. And she will. In time, but right now¡­ I¡¯ll let her be a little selfish.¡± Pushing Quetz a small bit away from him he looked at her in the eyes, wiping her tears away, ¡°You¡¯ll get strong all on your own. I know you will, you''re a strong girl right?¡± he said softly. Quetz didn''t respond but nodded burying herself back into Drake¡¯s chest. He sighed, looking down to see Natto still scowling. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°You keep picking them up one after the other. Do you not think you should slow down,¡± she sneered looking at him. ¡°Come on, Quetz is like a little sister, she''s just being a little selfish like any kid would be.¡± ¡°Certainly you realize Charlotte and Janey are of the same age do you not? They most certainly do not act in such a way.¡± Drake coughed, ¡°T-they¡¯re just mature for their age¡­. Anyway!¡± he said raising his voice, ¡°Let¡¯s get thisst building done before we get everyone else together¡­ Quetz can you go get Charlotte and the others for me? I¡¯ll be a few minutes.¡± Quetz grumbled for a few moments before her feathers turned a light green of envy as she separated from Drake, looking at Natto and Sah Ul¡¯ before she flew off in the distance. The group watched as she took off, Drake sighing. ¡°I hope all children aren¡¯t like that¡­¡± ¡°Moron¡­.¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Drake said, rolling his eyes, ¡°Onto the Auction House, I¡¯ll have to do the System Center Card registration with everyone elseter. Now let¡¯s see¡­¡± He selected the Spirit Fox of Delight¡¯s Auction House a familiar green outline popping up on the ground. Spacing it a small distance away from the Bank, he confirmed his selection the process of it manifesting beginning. Onceplete the building wowed Drake, even more than the Bank had. The establishment was certainly something right out of a fantasy movie. It was in an oriental style withrge wooden pirs made from something Drake didn¡¯t recognize. They were varnished in a deep brown with golden spirals that wrapped around them, with small but detailed foxes almost dancing on them. Its roof was made of deep green shingles and a surprising tree, that reminded Drake of a sakura tree that he had seen in animes on the top, surrounded by an intricate fence. ¡°It¡¯s even falling endlessly¡­.¡± Drake whistled looking up at the tree as its petals gently came to the floor around the establishment only to suddenly disappear as he reached for one, ¡°Now that is cool.¡± Natto wrapped on his leg, ¡°Let us get this over with shall we?¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Someone is in a bad mood all a sudden.¡± ¡°Of course! You spent all of my E-Rank Cores on this dinky building!¡± she shouted, raising her hands into the air. Laughing, Drake walked up to the building, the bright red doors swinging open steadily as he approached with Natto and Sah Ul¡¯ ¡°Automatic doors? That¡¯s a first¡­¡± Drake mused. Walking in they were hit with an oppressive aura, sending a chill down their spines as Drake braced himself, forcing himself to stand by sheer will. Sah Ul¡¯ fell to the floor and Natto quickly merged herself with Drake from the floor. Struggling to look up he remembered a pressure like this before, forcing him into a cold sweat. Mir¡¯phyra?! Drake screamed in his head. His eyes met the one responsible for the pressure. A woman holding a smoking pipe in one hand, an oriental dress draping over her. A sensual smile on her face as she looked back at him with golden eyes that hummed with power. ¡°My, my¡­.It¡¯s about time.¡± Chapter 208: Setting Out Chapter 208: Setting Out ¡°W-what is this?¡± Drake eeked out through clenched teeth. ¡°Ara ara, my my¡­. Still able to speak?¡± the woman smiled releasing the pressure as she took a puff from her pipe, ¡°After hearing what had happened in that woman¡¯s tutorial I was expecting someone miraculous but to withstand an A-Rank Aura, even if I was only ying around is quite impressive¡­¡± The woman walked forward with a sway that made Drake unable to look away even as he heard Sah Ul¡¯ cough and gasp next to him. Unable to hold out after the aura was released he knelt to the floor for a moment only for the woman to lift his head up with her delicate-looking finger. Drake sneered looking back at her. Her face was wless, golden locks just as vibrant as her eyes flowed over her shoulders and the smell of flowers hit Drake¡¯s senses. On top of her head were two golden fox ears yfully flicking back and forth, and from behind her a simr colored set of tails wagging back and forth slowly. ¡°My¡­ you are quite something aren¡¯t you,¡± she cooed, her eyes running up and down Drake¡¯s body, ¡°Would you sell yourself to me? I could always use a strapping young man in my arsenal.¡± Drake heard Sah Ul¡¯ growl from the side between her coughs as he smirked back at the woman, ¡°Sorry but as a man who knows his worth, you couldn¡¯t afford me.¡± The woman stood up straight smiling back as she produced a stone in her hand. The stone contained what Drake could only describe as beauty manifested. The colors contained inside the ss container danced with one another in an entrancing spell he couldn¡¯t tear his eyes from. And apparently neither could Natto as the sound of her popping out of him rang in his ear as she screamed. ¡°Yes! Take him! You may take him, certainly! The stone will be sufficient payment!¡± Natto stammered with deseration, nodding her head furiously. ¡°What? What even is that?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Fool!¡± Natto snapped, ¡°That is an S-Rank Monster Core! You could buy universes for that stone and still have enough left over to live several lives!¡± ¡°Ohe on. I¡¯m worth more than that, at least two stupid stones,¡± Drake scoffed, finally able to move properly enough to help Sah Ul¡¯ up. ¡°Shall I offer two cores then?¡± the woman offered. ¡°No!¡± Drake spat, surprised he could get a word in over Natto. Looking to his side he saw the little squirrel on the floor. She had passed out gurgling after seeing the second core produced from the woman¡¯s hand. Drake scooped up the hopeless little garbage disposal and sighed. ¡°What do you want?¡± Drake asked the woman, ¡°And who even the hell are you?¡± ¡°I want you of course. My name is Taliya, I¡¯m a collector of sorts,¡± she smiled. ¡°No. What do you really want.¡± Taliya pouted stowing her cores, ¡°You are certainly no fun¡­ I want nothing from you Little Wallen. I was simply teasing the newest owner of one of my Auction Houses.¡± ¡°Going a bit overboard don¡¯t you think? Are you even allowed to do that?¡± Taliya¡¯s ears and tails went stiff for a moment before she coughed, ¡°O-of course¡­ I am the Franchise owner. Regardless, it is only us here for now. The connection to the other branches has yet to be established.¡± ¡°Connection?¡± Drake asked trying to stire Natto awake. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t been exined anything, apany me to the back room and I shall give you all the details you will need.¡± ¡°Yeah, no hard pass. You seem like someone who would take advantage of me.¡± Drake¡¯s off-the-cuffment forced Taliya to stumble slightly as she began to walk toward the back, her face turning around tears slightly in her eyes. ¡°W-why would you say that?!¡± she huffed, ¡°I only teased you a little!¡± Drake crossed his arms looking uninterested. ¡°F-Fine¡­. The connection I speak of is the sub-spaces made by having the Sub-Auction Houses established on this. Each sponsored Auction House of the Spirit Fox is connected with therger House that auctions goods from all over the multiverse. Anything and everything can be sold and bought here for a price. The house allows you to have ess to that market for 5% of anything sold or purchased here,¡± she exined, ¡°Happy?!¡± ¡°So snippy¡­¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°Sub-Auction Houses? Are you saying that I can ce other auction locations up?¡± ¡°As long as you own the Anchoring Crystal of the location or have the permission of the owner yes. I do suggest that you do it sparingly,¡± she enunciated. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Crossing her arms she tapped her pipe on her arm pursing her lips as if thinking about whether or not she should answer. ¡°That is because although you may not directly receive a cut of the sales. Your city will receive more traffic if there are fewer locations to ess the auction from. Have you not thought about such yet? My my, you may not be as special as I thought,¡± she teased. Drake nodded ignoring her jab, ¡°I see, do I have ess to the auction right now? And how are you here? I understand the other buildings I have ced also have people in them somehow.¡± Taliya scoffed, ¡°Your assistant seems to be sleeping on the job, Little Wallen¡­ The spaces within the system buildings are sub-spaces, much like the tutorial you were in. They are created independently once you enter the door. You enter and step through into the space that is the building, once you step out you are transported back to your. While you are here you see other people of every species and rank, but rest assured, they will not be able to harm or coerce you in any way. That I guarantee.¡± ¡°Of course, only you can do that right?¡± Drake jabbed. ¡°Y-yes¡­.¡± Taliya answered, her eye twitching slightly, ¡°I mean, n-no, of course not!¡± ¡°Then about the ess right now?¡± Drake asked again. ¡°Unfortunately not at the moment. The next time you enter you will have ess. For now, we are dealing with some rather troublesome people, but I wished to greet you personally.¡± The air around Taliya changed, her yful attitude vanishing as her aura began to bubble up in the room. ¡°Once more. I am Taliya Delray. Owner of the Spirit Fox of Delight. Of the proud Spirit Fox Race and Renmai n, at your service. Little Wallen,¡± she smiled, ¡°And as a congrattion for being the one who has purchased our store on this, I wish to offer you a weing gift.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something devious is it..?¡± Drake asked recoiling slightly. ¡°No! Why would you think that?!¡± Taliya pouted, ¡°You are taking your ying too far Little Wallen.. No, I wish to offer you something you are looking for. There are more than just items being sold at our establishment after all.¡± Taliya waved her hand a small piece of paper that resembled the mana map he had received for his Anchoring Crystal appearing. ¡°And this is?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It is the location of your family. Well at least your mother,¡± Taliya replied tersely. Drake moved forward and gave the fox woman a heartfelt embrace that truly surprised her as she yelped. ¡°Thank you. Really¡­ I don¡¯t know how to repay this,¡± Drake said softly releasing her. Taliya¡¯s face softened for a moment before she ced a yful smile back on her face. ¡°Oh, my my, you should know better than to suddenly embrace a woman in front of another,¡± she cooed, looking over at Sah Ul¡¯ with slight pity, ¡°But I am not finished, I have heard through the grapevine that you are also fostering the first generation on your. As a token of good will I have gathered a few trinkets that have been gathering dust.¡± Taliya waved her hand again a wooden box with a golden fox on the cover appearing in her hand between them. Drake received it, cracking it open to see four brilliantly shining stones. [Main ss Stone: Wind Gunman] [Epic] [Skill Stone: Phantom] [Rare] [Main ss Stone: Ki User] [Epic] [Skill Stone: Rend] [Rare] ¡°You¡¯re simply giving me these? I can¡¯t ept these, there are two Epic Stones here. Besides, I don¡¯t need this many¡­¡± Drake said gawking at the stones. ¡°You will take them, you may find use for them yet. I have a feeling there will be quite the event waiting for you in the future,¡± Taliya mused, pulling from her pipe, ¡°Now off you go before you sour my mood more with your teasing, Little Wallen.¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Sure. I have some business to discuss with you about some ns I have now that you¡¯ve told me about the subhouses. Can I rely on you being avable in the future?¡± Taliya bowed slightly, ¡°Why of course. I will always be within reach of you, Little Wallen.¡± Drake shivered slightly at her wording but nodded all the same. Suddenly he felt a pulling on his hoodie from behind. Turning around he saw Sah Ul¡¯ urging him with her eyes and nodding to the door, surprising him. ¡°Patriarch, let us depart from this ce¡­¡± she said softly. ¡°S-sure,¡± Drake answered, allowing her to lead him out. They both exited the Auction House, Taliya seeing them off with a wave as they passed through the door, a mischievous grin on her face. The awkward tension rose as Drake tried to shake Natto awake in his arms as a desperate y for a lifeline. ¡°That woman was dangerous!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled. Drake gave a nervous grin, ¡°I don¡¯t think she was that bad, she was pretty cool.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ stopped looking Drake in the eyes, ¡°She was most definitely bad! She was trying to seduce the Patriarch! On top of it, she was of normal warmth.¡± ¡°N-no I meant that she was an alright person¡­ She did give us a few really good Skill Stones and ss Stones.¡± ¡°I do not understand!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted in anger, ¡°She was a deceiver, trying to use her tricks to find our weaknesses!¡± Drake chuckled to himself, impressed with Sarah¡¯s mental gymnastics. She really doesn''t like her huh? He thought. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much, she¡¯s apparently A-Rank and she can¡¯t do anything to us or evene here for another 10 years or more. Besides, now I have more important matters to address,¡± Drake exined looking down at the map Taliya provided. ¡°Let¡¯s go find the kids and see if Kalik is awake, we''re going to have to find out who ising with us.¡± ¡°Coming with us?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked tilting her head slightly, ¡°Going with us where?¡± ¡ª----------- ¡°Hey, hey! Look I gathered them all just like you asked Drake!¡± Quetz chirped, raising a hand. ¡°I see that Quetz, that¡¯s a good girl thank you,¡± Drake praised, patting her on the head. Natto had since woken up and was sitting on Drake¡¯s shoulder pouting. ¡°You could have at least taken one stone¡­ It is not like you needed your chastity or something¡­¡± she grumbled. ¡°Excuse me? Are you really suggesting I give myself up to a woman who¡¯s probably older than our? Just so you can get your hands on a Monster Core?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Yes! Certainly! It was a good deal!¡± Natto shouted, raising her arms in the air. ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Charlotte asked,pletely confused. ¡°Nothing,¡± Drake replied. ¡°I am talking about Drake not wanting to give up his body for something that would have allowed us to buy an entire universe! Not to mention something I could have used to Rank Up to at least B-Rank!¡± Natto exined scowling at Drake. ¡°W-what?¡± Charlotte stammered, looking between the pair and then Sah Ul¡¯ frowning next to them. ¡°Harlot¡­.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ mumbled. ¡°Sounds like you had a good time without us,¡± Landinughed. ¡°It was not fun,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Ok maybe a little fun¡­¡± he admitted, ¡°But that isn¡¯t the point. Kalik, Charlotte, Landin, Quetz.¡± Drake looked for Janney but she had apparently decided to stay with the baby again. He didn¡¯t fault her but instead was impressed at her devotion to taking care of him. ¡°We¡¯ll have to catch Janey upter. Does she have all the things she needs for the baby?¡± Drake asked first. ¡°She said you gave her enough baby supplies tost a lifetime and several more babies, so I think we''re fine¡­¡± Charlotte giggled. Drake nodded, ¡°Good, then. You four will be apanying me and Sarah on a little trip.¡± ¡°Trip?¡± they all asked at once. ¡°That¡¯s right. In a week''s time, when Landin turns 16, we will each have you go through your ss change, register you for your system center cards, and train you to break through to F-Rank on the way to pick up several important people.¡± ¡°I have a question, I have a question.¡± Quetz asked, raising a feathered arm, ¡°Who¡¯s the important people?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°My family. And a big Cyclops dude I owe a favor to. But mostly my family.¡± Chapter 209: Setting Out 2 Chapter 209: Setting Out 2 Having given everyone a week to prepare Drake had taken to his administrative duties in full force. Having the time to actually set up walls and the like, now that there weren¡¯t monsters actively trying to invade it was a simple task that took only a few minutes the next day. Sah Ul¡¯ had surprisingly not slept that day following him around more actively than ever after his announcement of departure. Which he had no problem with, in fact he was enjoying thepany even if she didn¡¯t get a single one of his jokes. ¡°You know, if you keep this up, you''re going to have to undergo re-education¡­¡± Drake grumbled cing thest 20 foot jet-ck earthen wall. ¡°I do not understand. How can a man ¡®be fly¡¯? If they are not flying? Your statement confuses me, Patriarch,¡± she replied, scrunching her eyes in confusion. Drake pped his forehead, a red mark forming from the several times he had done so already this morning. ¡°No! He isn¡¯t flying. It¡¯s another way of saying he is cool!¡± ¡°But would he not be sick if he was cool? It seems unhealthy,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ answered matter of factly. ¡°No! Susmaryosep. Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trolling me?¡± ¡°I am a full blooded Orc, I am most certainly not a troll.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it. The first thing I¡¯m doing when we get back is figuring out how to get myputer to work again. Then I swear you¡¯re going to watch 10 years worth of Superhero movies and tv shows. And yes I¡¯m talking about Ben10, and the Teen Titans. And I mean the good Teen Titans, not that live action garbage!¡± ¡°Why would you put her through such a thing¡­¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°Hey! Beast Boy is a treasure! And I won¡¯t hear otherwise!¡± ¡°Surprising you say that considering the thing you have for Raven¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s private! Not to mention this and that arepletely separate things!¡± Drake could feel Natto roll her eyes. ¡°Are you talking to the small girl again?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ finally asked. ¡°No! I¡¯m yelling at her for sphemy!¡± Drake spat. Just as Drake was getting to the peak of his heated debate with Natto, Sah Ul¡¯ looking at him with confusion. Mikhail approached interrupting him. ¡°I see you are lively as ever this morning, Lord Wallen,¡± he greeted. ¡°Stop with that Lord Wallen crap. What¡¯s up? I thought you and your party were going questing?¡± Drake replied, waving off his formal greeting. ¡°Yes, we still n to as it were. But I wanted to check with you first. As we agreed I havee to reveal my status to you before we depart.¡± ¡°Oh I almost forgot about that. But before that I have a favor to ask.¡± Mikhail raised a brow, ¡°Yes? What would that be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be requiring skill stones soon. Within the week actually. I n to gather them myself but if youe across any rare stones, particrly the elemental ones. Fire, water, earth, lightning, etc, you know the ones I¡¯m sure. I¡¯ll make it worth your time,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°With pleasure. We have no use for them outside of selling them and bartering. So I will make it a point to bring them to you first. And might I say that it was a pleasant surprise to find you acquired an Auction House. I had no idea there was even one avable.¡± ¡°Yeah, neither did I, and I have big ns for it. That reminds me, if you encounter anyone else that doesn¡¯t give you any trouble pass the word along that there is one here. I n on having arge in city auction by the end of the month. I¡¯m putting up quite a few interesting things,¡± Drake chuckled. Mikhail nodded, ¡±I see. I¡¯ll be sure to inform anyone wee across. Is there anything further?¡± ¡°For now that¡¯s it. I appreciate all your help so far with keeping the monsters more manageable,¡± Drake said, extending a hand. ¡°I doubt you needed it. So I should be the one thanking you for allowing us to stay,¡± Mikhail smiled back. ¡°Oh you¡¯ll have your uses in the future, so let¡¯s call it an even trade. But now that the formalities are out of the way let¡¯s take a peek at your status then. I have a few guesses as to what your ss is but¡­¡± Drake trailed off waiting for the blue screen in front of Mikhail to turn around. [Mikhail Jordan] [Race: Human] [F-Rank] [Angelic Talker] [Rare] Level 19 [Vitality] 127 [Strength] 90 (10) [Dexterity] 223 (40) [Intelligence] 368 (15+5%) [Wisdom] 142 (5+5%) [Endurance] 130 (25%) [Free Points] 32 [Titles] First Blood, Two versus One, One vs Many, Slug yer, Slug Deterrent, Living on the Edge, Rounded, Crustratian Crusher, Crustatian Exterminator, Leader of Few, Murder, Loyal Dog, Speaker of the Word Drake looked over Mikhail¡¯s stat¡¯s which for all things considered were not that impressive whenpared to his own. But he still held a Rare ss which gave Drake some more perspective on other sses'' stat growth. And his eyes stopped on a particr title. [Murderer] ¡°Nothing crazy but this title. How did you get it?¡± Drake asked tly. Mikhail grimaced slightly, then sighed obviously not wanting to speak on it. But knew he had no way of getting out of it. ¡°In our tutorial, as I¡¯m sure it was the same for yours. There waspetition for items, experience, quests, and the like. Our party faced off against another party that wouldn¡¯t allow us to leave afterpleting a quest.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let you leave?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes, they refused to allow us to back down. With the tutorial allowing for people to kill others they simply didn¡¯t want just the loot we had gotten. They wanted everything else we had. I¡¯m neither proud nor ashamed of what I had to do. But it was an unpleasant experience I do not wish to relive again.¡± Drake gave Mikhail a sympathetic look, ¡°I can understand that. I¡¯m sorry for having you deal with some of the vers.¡± Mikhail shook his head, ¡°It is within reason to not allow people of that character to leave. Although it does leave a foul taste in my mouth it wouldn¡¯t sit right with me allowing them to just walk free. After some of the people we have saved and seeing what was done to them, it is only right.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be calling on your help in the future. Maybe not for vanquishing the wicked so much as something more¡­ Uplifting for the both of us.¡± Mikhail raised a brow unsure how to take the statement, but nodded expectantly. ¡°I see. I will be on my way then Mr. Wallen. Until next time.¡± Mikhail gave a slight bow and walked into the distance. ¡°Why does everyone address me so stiffly¡­. It¡¯s getting on my nerves,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°How else would they address you? Certainly you realize many of them are simply being polite to a person who could end their life on a whim,¡± Natto scoffed. I think that¡¯s more offensive than anything¡­ What kind of person do they think I am? Drake thought. ¡°Most of them have either witnessed or at least heard of you killing one of the four major quest beasts already. And, or seen you kill swaths of monsters. I might also add, some have seen you kill vers in cold blood with a smile.¡± I was not smiling¡­. ¡°If you wish to believe so¡­¡± Drake frowned, ¡°Fine. I get it. Now can I get back to finishing this makeshift wall? And where is your father Sarah? I still need to talk to him about us leaving. I want to make sure everything is in order so I can finish up our preparations.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ pointed forward in the direction Mikhail had left, a group of people walking in their direction. ¡°Father is there, it would seem he has brought the people you have requested,¡± she replied. ¡°Ah good, the man has perfect timing,¡± Drake smiled seeing the older orc man followed by a group. Rvul had quickly be an irreceable person for Drake. It was still awkward for him when Rvul called him his son but outside of the still ufortable marriage situation, Rvul hadpleted everything Drake hadn¡¯t had the time to do over the past week. From organizing the Orc warriors, keeping them in check, to many of the figurehead tasks Drake simply didn¡¯t have time or the experience to perform. In a sense, Rvul was the head of ReUnite and Drake was the ¡®big stick¡¯. Right now Rvul was very much the leader in practice while Drake was learning the ropes. ¡°Greetings, Patriarch. The warriors of the Rhak are at your disposal,¡± Rvul greeted, cing his fists together and bowing. The other warriors greeted Drake but did not show him the same respect only bowing their heads slightly. Drake didn¡¯t mind. He knew very well that he had been ced far too quickly in charge and that it would be a slow process. But Rvul growled looking back at the young warriors, many of them recoiling under his gaze. Some fixed their greetings, showing the same respect Rvul had used but of course, there were still a few stubborn ones. Drake raised one hand cedly, ¡°It¡¯s alright, leave them be for now. Children will rebel for a time after all, well maybe not all children. My kids behave just fine,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You are calling Rhak warriors mere children?!¡± Some of the warriors scowled back at Drake, his remark visibly upsetting some of them. ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you just children throwing tantrums? I thought power and strength were the only things that mattered here. And all of you have eaten dirt in our fights,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°The only one who even came close was a child himself, Kalik.¡± He looked over his shoulder at Sah Ul¡¯. And Sarah, but I¡¯ll skip that part. Don¡¯t want to bruise their egos too badly¡­ He thought. The group stirred in anger baring their tusks at Drake, but he simply smiled keeping his casual expression. ¡°Do you want to grow stronger? Or better yet, would you like to prove that you are better than mere children?¡± Drake offered. Rvul gave a confused look at his words, unsure where he was going with the conversation. The warriors began tomutter amongst themselves reluctant to y along with Drake¡¯s game. ¡°What do you mean by that Patriarch?¡± Rvul finally asked for the warriors. Drake grinned, holding up a finger, ¡°One month, or let''s just go with 15 days. I will take the children under my wing and go out to find my family. In that time you are to protect this town and grow as strong as you can. Your group has an average level of around 15 and the children are just nowing into their base sses. I will give them the minimal amount of help to grow while they are with me, only offering them their advanced sses and skill stones and some guidance. The war smith in our town was given materials,¡± Drake continued to exin, ¡°Each of you may choose any number of weapons and armor from what they create free of charge on me. And when we return, you will fight them.¡± Laughs and scoffs came from the warriors. ¡°Patriarch,¡± Rvul began exacerbated, ¡°You are taking this too far, they are just young children and there are over 30 warriors here.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Drake nodded, ¡°If you are able to beat them, I will step down from my leadership position.¡± The warriors began to grin, and p the shoulders of the ones next to them. ¡°Easy!¡± ¡°It will be like taking meat from a Horned Gardah!¡± A particr warrior stepped out from the rest, staring down Drake in a way he hadn¡¯t been looked at since the tutorial by Shigure. ¡°And what about Sah Ul¡¯?¡± the man asked. Drake red back, ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°Will you revoke your marriage as well?¡± ¡°Haygur!¡± Rvul snapped. Drake wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Sah Ul¡¯ was her own person. He never intended to take the marriage seriously if she didn¡¯t have feelings for him. Drake saw her as attractive, but he would never allow someone to treat her like an object that could be passed around. ¡°She is not a toy or prize to be given or taken,¡± Drake said in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are or what your rtionship to her is, Haygur. But you are overstepping.¡± Drake recognized the man now. He was the Orc that rushed him when he first arrived here and left the Chief¡¯s tent. The man however didn¡¯t back down, repeating his question. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ is the chieftain¡¯s daughter, she was to be wed to the strongest Orc of the Rhak Tribe. Yourpetition, shall you lose. When you lose, shall no longer be you.¡± Before Drake could respond his anger beginning toe to a slow boil, Sah Ul¡¯ stepped forward, surprising him. ¡°I will stand by the Patriarch and I trust that the younger generation will win against you. I have seen how he has incorporated and nurtured them with the fighters that have joined our tribe. You are too far dug in your way of thinking Haygur. We are one people under him now. It is not just Orc lives that matter. And if by some chance those children are beaten, you will still not have proven you are the strongest. You have not once bested me, or my bonded husband.¡± Drake blinked nkly at her from the side, unsure how to respond at her addressing him by husband for the first time. He had expected her to be upset, but to ¡®stand with him?¡¯ He was taken aback. Sah Ul¡¯s ears began to pinken slightly, apparently feeling Drake¡¯s gaze. ¡°My father¡¯s word isw. He has matched me with the man who has bested me. And I will not break that bond¡­¡± she added, trailing off into a whisper as she clutched her fur cloak around her. ¡°Daughter¡­¡± Rvul muttered dotingly, then turned back to Haygur scowling, ¡°You have overstepped your rights here, as the Patriarch said. You must first ovee this trial he has ced on you and the rest of you! Once done, the Patriarch has never turned down a duel, be stronger! For both you and the tribe!¡± he roared. Clicks of tongues and grumbles passed over the warrior group, before Rvul dismissed them, staying behind. ¡°Patriarch, no, son. Do you feel it was wise to antagonize the warriors so?¡± Rvul asked concerned. ¡°I do. I need them worked up to go out and take care of the monsters in the area while I¡¯m preparing and once I¡¯m gone. Just having me is a deterrent at the moment, but what happens when I¡¯m not here? There needs to be strong people in ce for when I inevitably have to leave for whatever reason. And,¡± Drake nced at Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°If Sarah is going to be stuck at my hip for the foreseeable future, she won¡¯t be enough to protect this ce.¡± Drake looked at the backs of the Orc warriors as his mind turned, ¡°There is also the issue of in theing month I n on holding an event.¡± ¡°Event?¡± Rvul asked. ¡°Yeah, I still have to talk to the owner of the auction house to see if it is possible, but there will be a significant influx of people. And for that we will need something like a police force and skilled people to keep track of the increase in visitors,¡± Drake exined, ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to speak with the personnel the Doc found. Is there anyone in that group that could help?¡± Rvul crossed his arms thinking for a moment, ¡°Hmm¡­ I believe there are a few who you would call, good at ¡®desk work¡¯, I believe you referred to it as. But I am unsure as to how much they would be able to handle on their own.¡± ¡°Perfect. Have them meet me at the auction house in 2 hours. I also need to finalize something with you, so pleasee as well, Rvul.¡± Rvul shook his head, ¡°I have told you already, it is Father! You have captured my daughter¡¯s heart. It is in to me to see! It is only right that you do so!¡± he shouted, giving a heartyugh. ¡°T-that won¡¯t happen anytime soon¡­¡± Drake muttered, scratching the back of his head. Oh how am I going to exin this to ire¡­ Drake thought worriedly. ¡°Father!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled, ¡°I was simply stating facts! He has benefited the tribe as you have said! It was only right to defend him!¡± Rvul gave another loud chortle, ¡°Ah to be young! You are too earnest my shining star! So much so you do not even realize it yourself hahaha!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ scowled, puffing out her cheeks, turning her head so that Drake couldn¡¯t see her reddening face. But unfortunately for her, her rose colored ear tips betrayed her as they poked through her dark red braided hair. I¡¯m not poking this with a 10 foot pole¡­ Drakeughed inwardly. ¡°Then, I will be on my way,¡± Rvul said, giving a small bow, ¡°May the Mother bless your hunt.¡± Drake gave a polite nod back, waiting for Rvul to be out of earshot before turning to Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Are you sure about this? I didn¡¯t enjoy the way that man spoke to you, but he did have a point that you have a right to leave so you choose to do so if I am forced from being Patriarch,¡± Drake offered. Sah Ul¡¯ frowned, ¡°What do you take Rhak women for? When I lost the sacred duel, it was my choice to be bound to you despite beingmanded by my father the chieftain. It is my life to give to whom I wish. If it is for a stronger tribe, I will do anything.¡± Drake was astonished. Looking at the determination in her eyes he was confused. What was driving her to keep her word and do this for someone she barely knew or liked? What had happened in her life that made her give up her own freedoms and wants for her tribe? He struggled to ask the question, knowing it wasn¡¯t his business. The words on the tip of his tongue as curiosity and wanting to understand her began winning out. ¡°Drake, are you not forgetting something?¡± Natto said inside his head, breaking him out of his trance. W-what? He studdered in his head. ¡°I know you like to make googly eyes at beautiful women but since yesterday have you not forgotten about thest building you received?¡± she asked, redirecting the question. Drake flinched a nervous smile on his face. I just¡­ I¡¯m not the biggest fan of religious ces is all¡­ My mom tried to get me to go to church ever since I was a kid, and it just never stuck. It¡¯s probably why I never got into it in the first ce now that I think about it¡­ ¡°Well, this is very different. Get your monkey ass into gear and ce it! These deities are real and the benefits of having a church will help the town immensely as I have told you! Now cease your flirting and get to it! You have more to do before you finish the day do you not?!¡± she shrieked. Drake grimaced, ¡°When did you be my mother¡­¡± he muttered. Sah Ul¡¯ looked at him raising a brow. ¡°Not you,¡± Drake chuckled wearily, ¡°I have more to finish up before I meet back up with Rvul, how about you go check up on the kids for me? I think Kalik might be needing someone to hold him back still,¡± he asked. ¡°Kalik Tu¡¯?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Yeah, him and the others. I told them to stay out of the System Center until everyone is ready to make their ss changes and decisions but he wants to rush so I¡¯ve had to ask some people to keep an eye out for him¡­ Kid¡¯s a real handful,¡± Drake sighed. Sah Ul¡¯ narrowed her eyes but nodded, ¡°I will be but a moment,¡± she said, insinuating that he should not get into trouble while she was gone. ¡°Bye-bye,¡± Drake waved cidly. Since when did all the women around me think I was some kind of master troublemaker? He frowned. ¡°Since I was unfortunatelytched to you by an assistant pact!¡± Natto jeered. ¡°No one asked you squirrel!¡± Chapter 210: Church and Legacy Chapter 210: Church and Legacy Drake looked at the item in his inventory, his face slowly curving into a deep frown. [System Sanctioned Church]
  • Contains the great races of the multiverse. Where those who wish to offer tribute may.
¡°I can just do thister, right? Yeah, let¡¯s go check up on that water tower, or maybe nt those seeds! Ow!¡± Drake yelped, his ear being tugged. ¡°No, you do not!¡± Natto shouted at him, her hand on her hip, ¡°You will ce that church! It is very important not only for the town but you!¡± she said earnestly. ¡°For me?¡± Drake asked suddenly feeling that there was more to what she was doing than just wanting something beneficial to the town. ¡°I-I can not say. But the priests inside will be able to exin¡­¡± she said suddenly downtrodden, ¡°I am sorry I can not be of more help on this matter. But until you have ess to certain buildings I am limited in what I can speak on.¡± Drake let out a sigh. ¡°Well, I guess that really means I have to do it then. I can definitely say I¡¯m not looking forward to this,¡± he grumbled, moving a ways away from the other buildings. He quickly found an open space and confirmed the Church¡¯s location as he crossed his arms, a frown on his face waiting for the building to finish materializing. A long drawn-out sigh escaped his lips as he watched the Church slowly build itself from the ground up. It was a massive structure, expanded wide with grand medieval-like architecture. The biggest difference he could find was that the gargoyles he had expected on the top of the columns were reced with Dragons, Horses with horns, fierce-looking human heads with a third eye, and many more heads he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Great decor¡­¡± Drake muttered, ¡°Makes for a real homey vibe¡­¡± ¡°Make haste and enter already,¡± Natto instructed, taking a seat on his shoulder. Sighing once more he reluctantlyplied, walking up the small flight of stairs two ostentatious doors greeting him covered in intricate design and colors. cing his hands on the handles he swung them open, greeted by the sound of low ringing bells and a mysterious hum. What Drake noticed next were the people in priest robes, well, beastmen and women in robes. They might even be demons of some kind. I shouldn¡¯t make assumptions with how many races we have now. Drake thought looking at their spiraled horns on either side of their heads. Immediately the clergy noticed him, one in arge cap walking up to him. ¡°Greetings, Lord Wallen,¡± the man said bowing slightly, ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, how may this humble servant be of assistance?¡± Drake was still taken aback looking at the inner structure of the building. Rows and rows of statues littered the walls with small different colored pyres in front of them. The higher and further back the statues went, therger the statue and fire. ¡°It would seem it is your first time in our humble church. May I offer an exnation as I am sure your Assistant was barred from doing so.¡± The man gave a small smile, exposing his t teeth, his eyes curving into crescents only showing the square goat-like pupils. ¡°Go for it,¡± Drake replied casually, surveying the rest of the building and observing the other clergymen. ¡°Then, with pleasure,¡± he bowed, ¡°My name is Pythanuel, I am a B-Rank Dysanthrope. Once again it is an honor to meet you, the multiverse has been quite a buzz.¡± Wait isn''t that¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure that word means something entirely different¡­ Drake thought in passing. Pythanuel continued, ¡°This is a system-sanctioned church widely avable to all worlds and town owners in the multiverse, the more proper name that is used is the ¡®Church of the Higher Races¡¯. This is a facility joined and backed by the system, as you may have noticed there are only clergy here and no guards as there are in other buildings I am sure you have visited.¡± Drake nodded. ¡°This building is protected much more adamantly by the system due to its nature,¡± Pythanuel smiled. ¡°It''s nature, huh¡­?¡± Drake asked following Pythanuel as he began walking towards the back. ¡°Yes. This is a ce of worship in a sense. In the future, I am sure you will meet other races of higher Rank here once it is connected to the rest of the churches. But fear not as no one will be allowed to interfere with you whilst here,¡± he told, his hand slowly going to grab Drake¡¯s arm, but was stopped just beforeing in contact with him. Drake¡¯s brow raised seeing the intervention by the system. Smiling, Pythanuel continued, ¡°As you may have noticed there are many statues here with many more being added and removed daily,¡± Pythanuel exined pointing to a statue that began shifting. The statue began to glow as if being heated from the inside, as it broke down into a blob of a gray y-like pile, then suddenly reformed into another statue with great detail like before. The face depicting an entirely different person. Drake whistled seeing it firsthand. ¡°The lower statues represent the lower races of the multiverse. Each statue forms and reforms based on the strongest, or highest current level and Rank in each respective race. The statues closer to the bottom change quite frequently as it stands, the higher you go the more powerful and long-lived the person, making them change quite infrequently.¡± Drake followed along, nodding as Pythanuel exined. But Drake suddenly spotted a familiar face at the top of the row that he recognized, his blood boiling over. Mir¡¯phyra¡­ Drake growled inwardly. Pythanuel noticed Drake¡¯s gaze and smiled speaking up. ¡°Ah! One of the strongest in the multiverse, the Dragon Matriarch Mir¡¯phyra! You have a keen eye, my Lord. Thest and highest row is reserved for the Primordials of the multiverse.¡± Drake scowled at the statue, ¡°It makes that bitch look better than she is. Doesn¡¯t capture her bby old ass¡­¡± he grumbled. Pythanuel didn¡¯t seem to hear Drake or simply ignored it and continued, ¡°There are many other strong leaders here to which to offer tribute. There is the Undead Lord, the Queen of the Kirins, The Insect Queen of the Grand Horde, and many more. Then,¡± he paused, directing Drake to a statue behind him. The statue awed Drake. There was a sort of uncanny connection with it. A man standing tall, his arms crossed. Familiar tattoos on his face, trailing all the way down his body on his exposed torso, a fierce, sharp, stoic expression on his face. ¡°The Great War King of the Asurans, Han Kol Asura.¡± Drake stared at the man, unable to break his gaze. His body temperature rose as he felt his mana and aura stir. He was strong. He was the pinnacle. Drake thought, able to feel some sort of unspoken strengthing from the statue. ¡°I¡¯d like to fight him someday,¡± Drake said absentmindedly. ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto said lightly, pain in her eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, no one has seen him in centuries,¡± Pythanuel said, looking at the statue as well, ¡°Some say he was captured due to the bounty ced on him.¡± Bounty? ¡°Due to his great strength and the fierce battle hunger of the Asurans. There was a bounty ced on them and several other races. Their race dwindled to a handful as they were slowly hunted down and outnumbered. But it is said that each Asuran would decimate armies with a smile before their life was finally taken, almost making the bounty on their heads a paltry sum inparison of the loss of soldiers and life.¡± ¡°Hunted¡­? Who ced these bounties?¡± Drake asked, feeling his anger tick upwards. ¡°Many of the other Primordials. It¡¯s said that they feared the races such as Asurans, Titans, and those few others who only hungered for more power. Their reasoning was that these races would upset the bnce of the multiverse if left alone.¡± Drake¡¯s grip tightened, a bead of blood escaping his fingers. ¡°For such a reason¡­ For a reason like that theymitted genocide?!¡± Drake shouted. Drake never knew another Asuran, he had no attachment to them as a people, but for some reason, his body roared, his body demanded rpense, demanded vengeance. For the glory of your bloodline, bring glorious victory! A voice shouted in the back of his head. The pride of your race stands on your shoulders, fight! Only the next battle, the next triumphant victory matters. Mark history with the blood of the defeated! Burn your story into the soul of the universe next to the likes of the War Gods of the past! Drake fell to his knees, the voice overpowering him as his hand went to his mouth, almost retching. ¡°Drake!¡± Natto called out next to him. ¡°I-I¡¯m alright¡­¡± Drake lied, through ragged breaths. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Pythanuel murmured, ¡°I suppose that confirms that you are also an Asuran,¡± he said, his eyes thinning, ¡°You face quite the troublesome situation then.¡± Drake looked up from the ground, his breath stilling in heaps. ¡°The aforementioned bounty will extend to you as well, regardless that you have changed into an Asuran and were not born one.¡± ¡°H-how do you know I wasn¡¯t born one¡­¡± Drake eked out through his teeth. Pythanuel looked back to the statue of Han, ¡°Han is thest known surviving Asuran. All known Asuran Legendary Stones have also been kept under strict supervision throughout the multiverse. But word has it you were in the Dragon Matriarch¡¯s tutorial so it begs the question why she has allowed you to receive one¡­¡± he said trailing off for a moment in thought, ¡°Back to the point, the church here allows anyone willing to offer tribute to the strongest races for a temporary buff. The tribute may be anything, stones, cores, coins, weapons, items¡­ Blood, corpses.¡± Drake had already felt nauseous so he was unable to feel his stomach turn over once again at the thought of anyone offering anything to anyone that would put bounties on entire races, let alone the Dragon Bitch. But if nothing else he was curious. Drake looked at the pyre of mes before the statue of the Asuran, burning in pure colorful gold. ¡°What would be a good offering?¡± Drake finally asked, feeling himself be level-headed after a time. ¡°It is hard to say,¡± Pythanuel mused, ¡°While in most cases therger the offering the better, and most do so in the forms of Monster Cores or Coins due to the offering being partially given to the Patron. But there are cases of when the rtion to the Patron Statue affects the offering and buff.¡± ¡°Drake,¡± Natto said from his side, ¡°I think you should just pray to him,¡± she offered her eyes serious. He looked at her trying to find any hint of joking, but failed to. Drake pursed his lips, ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at offering prayer, so I¡¯m not sure what to say¡­¡± he mumbled, scratching his cheek. ¡°May I then suggest giving a drop of blood and simply asking a question?¡± Pythanuel smiled. Drake looked at the goatman suspiciously but couldn¡¯t find a reason not to follow the suggestion. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than offering an item or cores I guess.¡± He ced his hand over the fire, summoning a small needle of ice in the other. But just as he was about to prick himself, he was stopped by the fluctuation of mana in the air that put him and every one of the clergymen inside on their asses. In front of him, the statue of Han Kol vibrated, filling the building with raw unadulterated dense mana. It began to heat up much like the statue Drake had seen before turning a vibrant orange. The pyre in front of the statue blew and whipped erratically in response. Drake could hear the jumbled sounds that didn¡¯t trante to wordsing from Pythanuel next to him as his body shook at the event. ¡°I-it can¡¯t be!¡± Pythanuel stammered. The statue began to reform from the lump of y it had shrunken to. Structuring itself once again from the ground up. Drake¡¯s jaw hung open in disbelief once he saw it finish. The statue wore familiar pants and wrapped-like sandals. Wearing a hoodie that covered an obviously well-defined body, a mask with elongated canines holding a sword over its face. ¡°Why am I up there?¡± Drake asked bbergasted. Unusually Natto looked crestfallen rather than cynical, her face a mixture of trepidation and sympathy. The first to reply to him was Pythanuel. ¡°It pains me to say this, Lord Wallen. But it would seem that Han Kol Asura is no more. If I may¡­¡± he led into but was interrupted. Natto¡¯s hand touched Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This means that you are thest Asuran alive in the multiverse, which also announces to the multiverse that you are an Asuran, Drake,¡± she said solemnly. Drake looked over at her and smiled, ¡°What¡¯s with the long face? You¡¯re acting like one of my family members just died-¡± Before he could finish his sarcastic remark, something he had never felt before assailed him. Anger, primordial anger. Something inside him seethed and roared with such anger that he felt his blood would evaporate if it had not been inside his body to contain it. His jaw clenched with such force his teeth screamed in protest at the pressure. Drake¡¯s body tensed as he fought against the raw emotion and desire to act out in retribution. The power of the aura and mana that leaked from his body uncontrobly was enough to scare and incapacitate the surrounding clergymen. Even Pythanuel took a step back, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Drake screamed out in agony as he lurched backward on the church floor. Vengeance! Vengeance! Blood must be paid! War! It is your duty to take glorious retribution for this insult in a mountain of corpses! Your line will not rest until you have taken their heads! ¡°Drake! Drake!¡± Natto shouted, ¡°You have to breathe!¡± Still bucking and screaming in searing pain Drake twisted and curled on the floor, the phantom-like voices echoing in his head. Until a single deep voice overpowered them. Silence. The voice cut through the echos bringing a halt to the pain and pounding of his head as he gasped for breath. His eyes suddenly went wide as the voice continued to speak. Be strong, and find me. I await you when you have grown, finding who you are¡­ The voice trailed off bing distant as Drake was bombarded with notifications. [Title Earned: Race Representative] [Title Earned: The Last Asuran] [Title Earned: Strength of a Race] [Title Earned: Legacy Holder] [New Legacy Quest! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Reach Level 30 and enter the Trials of the War General
  • Reward: Experience, Legacy Item, ess to Asuran¡¯s Generational Training Wilds.
Chapter 211: Eye for an Eye Chapter 211: Eye for an Eye Drake righted himself unsteadily on the floor, his body drenched in sweat as he coughed, trying his best to gasp for breath despite the spittle trailing from his mouth. ¡°W-what is happening¡­ T-to me?!¡± he croaked, wiping his mouth. He felt Natto¡¯s hand on his back but didn¡¯t turn still unsure of what was going on. ¡°I am sorry Drake¡­ I- I could not tell you due to my restrictions, but now that this has happened,¡± she began, ¡°After you had been turned into an Asuran, you were fated to be thest.¡± ¡°Y-you knew¡­?¡± Drake stammered. ¡°I am cognizant of nearly everything in the multiverse due to being an Assistant. But restrictions ced on me due to my rank prevent me from telling you too much. I am truly sorry¡­ I can only advise you to be careful and reach level 30 as fast as possible. If you are unable to before the protection on this system is removed and C-Rank entities and higher are allowed to interact with it. You, as well as this, will be ced in insurmountable danger. So much so that I am certain you will not be able to survive it.¡± Drake gripped at the hem of his clothes. He knew Natto didn¡¯t mean to scare him. But he also could tell she was tiptoeing around the truth of something. Damned system restrictions! He cursed. ¡°Won¡¯t you tell me the rest?¡± he asked, finally able to steady his breathing. ¡°I can not. The punishment from the system is not a trivial matter for us at the moment. Certainly, even the punishment of the Dragon Matriarch will not be lenient, but the punishment that would befall us? It is not something we could withstand at our current Rank. I am sorry,¡± she said reluctantly. Drake bit his bottom lip, trying to think of any question that he could ask that Natto would be allowed to answer for him. ¡°The quest¡­¡± Drake began, then eyed the leaning Pythanuel who looked over at him with interest. Drake stopped himself from asking at the moment, instead standing up and dusting himself off. ¡°I¡¯ve caused you some trouble. Sorry about that,¡± he said, giving a wry grin. ¡°Nothing of the sort, Lord Wallen. I look forward to seeing how you will ce your mark on this universe¡­¡± Pythanuel said with a buck-toothed smile. Drake gave a quick nod, turning away with Natto hopping on his shoulder looking concerned but silent. ¡°I still have questions, Natto,¡± he whispered. Natto nodded, merging with him. The quest. It said I was a legacy what does it mean by that? He asked in his mind. ¡°A legacy¡­¡± Natto repeated seemingly mulling over the words for a moment, ¡°A legacy would mean you have been entrusted with thest will of a high-ranking being. But why the leader of the Asurans would do so is beyond me. If anything it is only putting you in more danger¡­¡± How so? Drake questioned, leaving the church. ¡°A legacy entails a chain of quests that are extremely dangerous and well beyond the required level of said quests. There is little information on them as it stands and even less that I can tell you¡­¡± she said softly trailing off, ¡°But there is always a substantial reward for finishing the questline. What a Primordial could offer, I can only imagine.¡± Drake wasn¡¯t satisfied with the answer but he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to ask if she was already restricted from answering. ¡°Drake.¡± What? ¡°There is a matter¡­ that needs your attention,¡± she said. Drake raised a brow, hearing the venom in her voice suddenly. ¡°Make your way to the North Gate.¡± Without questioning it he nodded, his mind was still going in circles as he tried to process what had just happened to him and how it would affect him in the future. Walking in the direction he opened his status briefly, wanting to examine the new titles he received. [Race Representative]
  • You are now the strongest in your race and as such are the face of your species.
  • You now gain 10% of all offerings given in tribute to you.
  • Your Deity Statue now blesses worshipers with an overall increase of 10 to all stats for 24 hours (Increases based on Rank and Nobility Rank)
[The Last Asuran]
  • Your race has been beaten and hunted. You are thest of your glorious heritage and must survive the storm until the former prestige of your bloodline has been restored.
  • +100 to all Stats
  • Increased potency of reproduction.
[Strength of a Race]
  • Last of your prideful line, the road you must take is long and perilous. Blessed by thest War God of the era you shall reign supreme despite it all.
  • Channeling the strength of the proud Asuran line your strength and prowess grows by leaps and bounds.
  • +50 Free points given per Level.
[Legacy Holder]
  • Locked.
Drake whistled as he saw the descriptions. He wasn¡¯t exactly a fan of some of the foreboding wording of the titles but the status increases were very much weed. They were thergest increase he had gotten in a while. ¡°Of course, the best one is probably locked¡­But if nothing else I can¡¯tin about the stats,¡± he sighed, scratching his cheek. ¡°Drake, you will need to hurry, it is growing too much for the guard to deal with at the moment,¡± Natto said urgently. He snapped out of his thoughts, his hair turning to a vibrant yellow as he stepped forward. Traversing the distance in mere seconds he arrived at the North Gate he had just made this morning. What hit his ears was the shrill screaming of a group on the other side, followed by a worried voice. ¡°What the fuck do you mean I have to wait to go in?! What¡¯s a filthy lesser race even doing at a gate to a city! You should be in fucking shackles just like the rest!¡± ¡°S-sir¡­ Please calm down and wait a moment, the Patriarch will be here quickly.¡± Rvul¡­? Drake thought now recognizing the voice. Walking through the opened gate Drake saw the man, shouting incredulously at Rvul who was holding up his hands trying to calm the man. Rvul turned around noticing Drake exit the town, ¡°Patriarch!¡± he said with relief. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Rvul?¡± Drake asked. ¡°This man here would like to enter our town but¡­¡± he said looking behind the man. Drake understood immediately as he saw the long line of chained people behind him. The man scowled looking Drake up and down. ¡°Who the hell are you!? Let me the fuck in already! I was told there was an Auction house here and I want to sell my wares,¡± the man smiled snidely. Drake¡¯s brow twitched hearing the man treat these people as objects. shes of the tutorialing to mind. He saw in the people¡¯s faces the same dismal expressions. Those same expressions that he had seen of the captured humans when the Goblins paraded them around. ire¡­ Drake thought, the face of someone he loved passing through his mind. He studied the line of people for one more brief moment. They were in rags, obviously stripped down and emaciated on purpose to keep them weak. But there were a pair of beastmen slightly down the line who were in an even more miserable state. A girl, about the age of Charlotte, had her eyes wrapped in bloody bandages. Next to her was a boy of around the same age, his mouth wrapped shut, but even despite his weakened state, his eyes were fierce as they caught Drake¡¯s. Drake looked at the man or better named ve trader. This guy has far too many people to have been able to do this alone. He thought, identifying the man. [Kermit te Level 11] Drake spat inwardly seeing his level, identifying some of the ves. [Marrabell Dune Level 13] [Charle Dunster Level 12] [Clotho Pagos Level 10] [Atropos Pagos Level 10] Many of the people he''s holding are his or above his level. He has to be in league with other people. I just can¡¯t see him being able to fight well enough to capture these people¡­ Drake thought, once again looking over the somewhat portly man. ¡°What is it you n to do, Drake?¡± Natto asked. I n on getting some information out of him. It seems Mikhail is thinking ahead. ¡°You were? Well, you would be correct!¡± Drake said in a light tone, ¡°My, these people seem a bit malnourished though?¡± he said, spreading out his arms, then pointing to the pair he saw earlier, ¡°Especially these two, they seem rather ragged. You can¡¯t hope to auction such damaged goods.¡± The man scoffed at the jab, ¡°They¡¯ll sell just fine! I¡¯ve sold worse to those lunatics at Purity. Those two will sell well, I guarantee it! The girl has an epic ss and the boy has a rare ss after all!¡± he said, defending himself. ¡°I see¡­¡± Drake said looking back at the pair, noticing now that they were some type of dog or wolf people. The girl¡¯s ears twitched at Drake¡¯s every word, her shoulders shaking slightly. The boy however began ring more at him, moving to cover the girl. ¡°These are the only ones you have?¡± Drake asked leadingly, feigning his enthusiasm. The man guffawed, ¡°Of course not!¡± Drake hummed with interest, but not from the prospect of buying other ves as the man seemed to have assumed. ¡°What exactly was done to these two?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Them?¡± the man said smiling, thinking Drake was cut from the same cloth, ¡°The girl kept giving us defiant res so we fixed that,¡± he said with pride, ¡°We let the boy keep his just because it reminds him what might happen if he should do anything, but he kept yapping so,¡± the man grinned, ¡°We took out his tongue!¡± he guffawed. Drake¡¯s eyes turned to points from unbridled anger, but somehow due to what he had just gone through himself, he held back his growl, walking closer to the pair. The boy saw the emotion in Drake¡¯s face and went stiff as a board, but held his ground. Drake ced his hand on the boy¡¯s neck, his hand tracing the metal cor that seemed to be imbued with a spell. Then he looked at the girl, surprised to see her somehow looking at him following his face through her bandages. Can she see me? I see¡­ she has a mana-sensing skill or is it a part of her epic ss? Drake thought. ¡°It is unusual but certain mana-sensing skills can manifest as a 2nd sight, there is also the possibility that she is naturally gifted. Do you remember when you first awakened to your own magic sight? Think of it as a stronger version of such, a truly remarkable skill,¡± Natto informed. ¡°You¡¯ve both been through a lot haven¡¯t you¡­¡± Drake whispered, his fierce gaze turning soft and sorrowful. ¡°What did you say?! You ganna let me in now damn it or buy them?¡± the man spat, suddenly growing impatient. Drake ignored him looking at the pair, ¡°Who is he to you?¡± The girl Atropos hesitated but whispered, ¡°M-my brother¡­ he¡¯s my brother¡­¡± Drake leaned back, his decision made. ¡°You said we? Where are you from? I¡¯d love to see your full inventory,¡± Drake asked not turning. ¡°Oh..! That¡¯s great to hear! But our ves are expensive after all!¡± the man said, pinching his fingers together greedily. Drake summoned the few hundred F-Grade Coins he had on his person, summoning a handful of Rare Skill stones as well, throwing them to the ground for the man to see. ¡°Ohhhh!!¡± the man said with glee running and dropping to a knee to inspect the stones and coins. ¡°Where? What is the name of the town?¡± Drake asked again, still only looking at the pair. ¡°Yes, of course! It¡¯s a town to the north, Sandal!¡± he said jubntly, his hand reaching for the treasure on the ground, only to freeze. ¡°I see,¡± Drake said icily, his aura bubbling as both his hands went to the cors of the brother and sister, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to give them a visit won¡¯t I?¡± The man, still frozen, began to sweat and choke, his face a twisted emotion of fear and confusion. He looked upwards at Drake¡¯s back only to see him turn, in his hands the broken cors snapping with mana. The same cors that were supposed to be around the siblings'' necks. The man tried to gasp for air that wouldn¡¯te, his face beginning to pale as his eyes found Drake¡¯s face, only to be stricken with a level of fear he had never felt before. Not in his life, nor the tutorial that was filled with horrors, life and death struggles, and monsters. What stood in front of him was raw fury that sent him into a pit of despair. In Drake¡¯s eyes, the man could see exactly what Drake was thinking. Drake wasn¡¯t looking at him like he was a human or monster. No, Drake looked at the man as if he was less than dirt, some sort of bug or annoyance that needed to be crushed. Drake¡¯s voice finally reached the choking man, ¡°Don¡¯t go dying just yet,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯ve caught me in a very bad mood and well¡­ I can¡¯t have you dying without suffering just as much as they have. To do this to children¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t understand what happened, his vision had suddenly turned pitch-ck. Then a sudden pain struck his eyes as his hands went to his face feeling a warm liquid. He tried to scream but his voice failed him. The man gasped, his breath returning as he wretched forward, his mouth cracking open wide only to feel a searing heat that quickly turned to a frigid cold. He tried to scream again, but he couldn¡¯t open his mouth now. His hands moved to his mouth feeling a cold ss-like material there instead of his mouth. ¡°Suffer in regret. But don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to wait long until I send your disgusting friends to meet you.¡± Chapter 212: Children are Expensive Chapter 212: Children are Expensive ¡°Y!¡± the man called out, his voice muffled as she stared hazily at the fire, ¡°Y! Can¡¯t you hear your own father when he¡¯s speaking to you girl?¡± Y jerked awake, turning to the voice. ¡°O-oh.. F-father¡­ What is it?¡± she asked. Y¡¯s father, Horrib, looked back at her with a sorrowful gaze. Regret was obvious in his eyes as he looked around at their situation. She just like him had a spiked mana cor around her neck. And were ced in a shabby rickety building with a single furnace inside. Y was in front of the anvil her hand holding a smithing hammer limply as her eyes tried to keep their focus. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten in days¡­ They haven¡¯t fed us but expect us to forge weapons and armor for them like damned ves!¡± Horrib growled, bringing his daughter into a hug. Y hardly had the strength left to return the gesture, letting the hammer slip from her hand as she leaned into her father. ¡°It¡¯s a-alright, F-father¡­ I-I like making things¡­ It¡¯s the o-only thing I-I¡¯m good for¡­¡± she whispered. Y felt her father¡¯s shoulders shudder at her words and she knew he was crying silently. They both had been through so much sinceing out of the tutorial and she knew he med himself for it. She wanted to console him, to do something for him to give him peace of mind, but all she knew was how to make equipment. Before she could attempt to, the door to their building creaked open, a dark chocte-skinned girl in a maid outfit peering in cautiously. Her hair a silver gunmetal that went down to her shoulders in two ribboned ponytails that parted around her elongated ears at the end. Y turned around slowly at the sound, a faint smile creasing his lips. ¡°Tanya¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°Y¡­ Horrib¡­ They are treating you all like dogs,¡± she grimaced, pulling a bag from behind her back, ¡°Here, I managed to sneak these out of the house you have to eat and keep your strength up,¡± she murmured. Horrib turned rubbing his eyes before putting on arge grin, ¡°Thank ya, dear girl. But won¡¯t this get ya in trouble?¡± Tanya shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t care what that old fat bastard does!¡± she sneered, ¡°He can¡¯t hurt me anyway,¡± she shivered, ¡°He won¡¯t hurt his damned precious doll¡­¡± She gritted her teeth only to lose her strength as she exhaled tears welling up at the corners of her own eyes, ¡°If only my sister was here¡­ If only someone would take us all away¡­¡± Y weakly took the bag and handed it to her father, turning back to Tanya, and slowly wrapped her arms around her even though the young elf girl was taller than she was as a dwarf, despite herself being an anomaly among dwarves. The hug was awkward but her concern was conveyed well enough that Tanya began to sob in her arms. ¡°I-I want to leave¡­ I want to see my sister again! I want to see the forest, the brook from our home. I-I want to go h-h-homeeee!!¡± she wailed. Y closed her eyes, silently holding Tanya as she sobbed, unable tofort her more or offer words of encouragement. The situation was just that abysmal for them. But she was sure that everyone in the town who had been captured and forced into very here thought the same thing. They wanted to live. They wanted to be free. ¡ª-------------- Drake looked down at the pile of ash, slightly unsettled with himself at how readily he was able to kill another person. But he steeled himself. Knowing it wouldn¡¯t be thest with more people like this out there. ¡°Rvul.¡± Rvul seemed toe back alive, his previous frozen shocked self shaking awake. ¡°Y-yes, Patriarch?¡± he asked, righting himself. ¡°Free the rest of them and have them brought to the Doc, once you have, do the usual,¡± Drake ordered, turning back around with a sigh. He looked at the siblings that he had freed himself, the brother looking at him with a mixed expression, and the sister somehow following him even without the use of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through suffering of that degree by people who used to be just like me¡­¡± he said solemnly, ¡°I will make it up to you and anyone else trapped in that town. But I have somewhere to go first. If you wish to take back your life and punish those who did this, you are free to stay here and follow me.¡± Drake would go to the town of Sandal. But first, he needed to make sure his own family was safe. In a month, yes, in a month he would bring back his family to this town and go to Sandal to finish this before theing events took ce. The boy Clotho looked visibly shaken, unsure of what he was hearing. They should be able to understand me, the girl answered me before¡­ Maybe the reality just hasn¡¯t set in for them. ire¡­ ire was like that at first too, wasn¡¯t she? Drake thought remembering his girlfriend. ¡°She was indeed. It took her weeks to begin opening up even after gaining closure,¡± Natto affirmed. The girl, Atropos, moved in front of her brother, surprising Drake, and Clotho as she went into a half bow. ¡°Thank you. We will not forget this debt,¡± she said, her shoulders shaking. Her brother saw her and followed suit, bowing at the waist for a moment. Drake walked over gently raising both their heads, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Just get better,¡± he said, then thought of what the man said about their sses, a twinge of pain hit his stomach but he forced himself knowing he needed talented people, ¡°If you want to thank me, I will be leaving in a week¡¯s time to train other young people to be strong and defend themselves. You are wee to join.¡± The siblings turned to each other, Drake only able to see the uncertainty in Clotho¡¯s face as Atropos¡¯s was covered in bandages. Drake smiled softly before speaking, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about deciding right now. First we''re going to get you fixed up and fed. Rvul,¡± he shouted, the previous chief turning around from removing a cor. ¡°Yes?¡± he answered, ¡°What may I help with now?¡± ¡°Did the two you were going to meet me with¡­ Where are they now?¡± Drake asked. ¡°They should be at the Auction House, Patriarch. I came to the gate due to the¡­ man shouting.¡± Natto, we will have to get guards and a way to deal with new visitors set up. I don¡¯t want something like this happening, Rvul has more important things to do than y guard at a gate. Drake thought. ¡°It will be set up by the end of the day. I will see to it, that there will be no need for anyone else to stand guard. I will be able to deal with it myself, I unfortunately did not have time earlier. We are still dealing with ack of personnel and basic infrastructure. So it will be some time before everything is in ce even with my abilities to speed things up,¡± she exined, ¡°I am reluctant to say this but, we may need to source from other towns. But if the quality of people are to¡­ the degree we have seen from most people so far, I am afraid it will take some time to fill the gaps.¡± Drake sighed. He agreed with her. It wasn¡¯t looking the best for the human race at the moment. They had met good people that was a given. Mikhail¡¯s and a few other Adventuring parties were a perfect example. But the outliers. These ve traders were a ring blotch on the human race¡¯s record. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll meet them there now. You two,¡± Drake instructed, ¡°Come with me as well. Can you walk?¡± he asked. ¡°Y-yes, I should be able to manage P-Patriarch¡­¡± Atropos stammered. Drake scratched the back of his head, ¡°No need to call me that. My name is Drake. Now let¡¯s get you two to the Auction House so we can get some warm food in your bellies.¡± ¡ª--------------- ¡°And?¡± Taliya asked, leaning on the table with her arm, a faintly smoking pipe in hand. Drake stood at the other end of the table, his usual yful expression t. ¡°I would like to host an in-town auction in about a month and would like to know if it was possible to have it hosted inside the auction. You have security and systems in ce already,¡± Drake exined. Taliya bobbed her pipe slightly humming as she did. ¡°Hmmm¡­ It is possible. But to ask for a favor so soon¡­ You know how to make a merchant¡¯s heart flutter, Little Wallen.¡± Drake¡¯s lip twitched as he sighed, feeling overly mentally exhausted for the first time since exiting the tutorial. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was trying to. And I don¡¯t n on having it be unfavorable for yourpany. I know the items we will be auctioning will be pennies to what you can normally auction. So I nned on having the Spirit Fox take 70% profit of everything sold. This auction is to bring in visitors and spread the word not to make an immediate profit.¡± ¡°My, my¡­ quite the offer. I will ept but do understand Little Wallen, I do not normally do this. You are a¡­ special case,¡± she hummed. ¡°Is that because I¡¯m thest of my race?¡± Drake responded slightly louder and more angry than he wanted to sound. Taliya''s brows rose slightly then returned to normal as she gave a more curious expression, a brief puff from her pipe before she spoke again. ¡°Yes, you are correct. It would seem you are in a foul mood after what has happened. All I can offer is that I am sorry it has happened. But,¡± she said, her eyes turning to a fierce canine gaze, ¡°Do not mistake my understanding as a reason to disrespect me.¡± Drake¡¯s head immediately tilted downward, feeling the full brunt of her intense gaze and aura, despite using all of his strength to defy the skills. He stayed silent as he tried his best to fight back in defiance until he heard a sigh, the pressure and force dissipating. ¡°You may not believe me but not everyone is out to get you. And not every Primordial or strong race was part of the hunt, may I remind you. Some of us are descendants of such races, albeit distantly rted¡­¡± she frowned. A tinge of regret hit Drake, this time willingly bowing his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just trying to process it all and there seems to be no end to the disappointment of my own- no, previous race,¡± he frowned. ¡°It is no matter but do remember that even if I am forgiving. Or do favor you,¡± she smirked, ¡°Others within the auction may not and will not tolerate the disrespect. You would do well to learn some etiquette. Shall I teach you?¡± she grinned a slight lick of her lips. Drake raised his head, almost regretting his apology as he ignored her. ¡°That reminds me, I picked up some wolf-like children a few minutes ago. Is this why you gave me those stones earlier?¡± he asked. Taliya frowned, her ears pouting just like her lips. ¡°Is that so? It is possible,¡± she replied. Does she have a skill or ss that can see the future¡­? Drake wondered. ¡°And? What of the children,¡± Taliya asked. ¡°They were hurt badly,¡± Drake responded, a pit of disgust hitting his stomach as he remembered the injuries that children had, ¡°I don¡¯t have the means to heal them. I wanted to know if you know of an item or something to heal their injuries?¡± ¡°How severe are the wounds?¡± she asked back, matter of factly. ¡°One had both their eyes taken, and the other lost his tongue.¡± ¡°I see. There are some items I can point you to, but I will be unable to help you with this. You will have to purchase them like everyone else,¡± she said. If what Drake said of the wolf children bothered her, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°That¡¯s fine. What are the items?¡± ¡°You will need either a Health Potion one grade above the children¡¯s Rank. Or you could purchase a Monster Core endowed with a major healing spell. For a spell that would be powerful enough to rece lost limbs for F-Ranks, I assume¡­ an E-Grade Core should suffice. Other items would be sufficient but unfortunately, they are well beyond your means of purchase at the moment.¡± Drake was curious about the other items but he had gotten his answer and wanted to hurry and purchase the items if he could, the children were still waiting outside with the two administrators Rvul had brought. He hadn¡¯t gotten their names as he quickly went inside. ¡°Thank you.¡± He turned ready to leave the private room she had brought him into, but she stopped him. ¡°Little Wallen,¡± she called to his back, ¡°Do not dwell on the shorings of your past race or what you must do to correct their choices. The euphoric power and strength thate with the system twists and mutates many new races into undeniable pursuers of power and reprehensible evil. Feel not responsible. You are not responsible.¡± Drake scoffed, imagining Natto nodding her head. ¡°Thanks. Maybe you aren¡¯t so bad after all, Taliya¡­¡± he smiled, leaving the room. ¡°Ara¡­ What a tease¡­¡± she smirked back. Drake had gone through the private room¡¯s doors, guards on either side of the exit. Both men wore ethereal-like glowing armor with a faint hum of mana circting through them. With even a brief inspection Drake could see the subtle movement of ambient mana around them. The guards didn¡¯t greet him, just eyed him indifferently as he left. Giving a wave of his hand Drake said his farewell to the men, ¡°Good work you two. See you sooooon,¡± extending the goodbye with a smile. The guards being no fun and keeping their indifferent expressions made Drake move on quickly to the auction floor while reminding him of what he thought King¡¯s Guards would be like in his old world. Dismissing the absentminded thoughts he walked down the stairs from the private rooms, the sound of loud chattering and yells filling his ears. He had passed through here before but now that he wasn¡¯t pressed to meet the owner of the Spirit Fox, he could look around appreciating the ambiance. The building was filled to the brim with people of all races and extremely powerful people. The multiverse was vast indeed. Seeing what he could only assume were multiple high ranks idling around in the auction house, not only as guards but as customers had put it into perspective for Drake. Despite his strength, he truly was still at the bottom. Even with hisrge stat pool and titles, he was still in his infancy as a Mana Vessel. While no one could technically interact physically while here and guards posted everywhere to stop any coercion or fights. The pressure given off by the multiple B and C-Ranks made Drake shiver in excitement and trepidation. He had to force his will to challenge and fight down with excruciating effort as he panned the surroundings unable to urately identify many of the patrons. It was exhausting in many ways. But Drake wasn¡¯t the only one amazed. The auction house was now open to his city and his citizens had of course entered to trade, only to be taken aback by the sheer size of the building and the crowds that filled it. There were also eyes that followed him as he walked the building. Well, I guess I should expect this from now on¡­ Now that I have a huge bounty ced on my head. My only saving grace is that there doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone as strong as Taliya here. And definitely no S-Ranks. Drake thought, weaving through the crowd trying to find an open terminal. Many of the patrons whispered in hushed tones as he passed, but he had grown ustomed already to it. Things like, ¡°Hey, fresh meat.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you outside the auction.¡± But not all of them were threatening. Surprisingly there were quite a few who seemed to look at him in reverence or awe, which he assumed was from him being a Primordial Race rather than himself. Drake sighed, finally able to find a free personal terminal to ess. In the Auction, there were several ways to trade. There were the Auction Floors, where unique and incredibly expensive items were sold actively through a bidding system curated by the Spirit Fox¡¯s auctioneers. Then there were the bartering sections, where men and women gowned invish, expensive, or torn beggar-like clothing sold their items themselves. Haggling for the best possible price. Finally, there were the auction lists, that reminded him a lot of a certain website from his old world. Here you could find items ad nauseam, listed at t prices or biddable prices with a buy-out price. Drake didn¡¯t have time to sit through the cycles of the auctioneers, and he assumed an E-Grade or F-Grade Item wouldn¡¯t make the cut for the main floor. He also didn¡¯t think it was best to go haggling right now. So he opted to go the standard purchasing route for now, panning through the lists and looking for the items that Taliya had mentioned. With a bit of searching Drake found the items, but balked at the price. ¡°Why am I always being ripped off?!¡± Drake shouted. [Imbued Core: Healing of the Light Mother - Medium] [E-Grade] 20 E-Grade Mana Coins or 2,000 F-Grade Mana Coins
  • An Imbued E-Rank Monster Core containing a medium E-Rank strength healing spell.
  • This spell is potent enough to rece missing limbs and heal entities of E-Rank or higher to full health with one charge.
  • Contains 3 Charges.
  • Can be used duringbat
  • Item will be destroyed after charges are depleted.
Drake gritted his teeth and then sighed as he looked at the price. I guess Jacqueline¡¯s healing was actually really strong. Drake chuckled. The purchase price was extremely expensive. The money in the multiverse seemed to be rtively straightforward for the lower grades coins. 1 E-Grade Mana Coin being 100 F-Grade Coins. Luckily for Drake, he still had plenty of F-Grade Cores that he could exchange for coins, but even this amount was steep, nearly clearing him out. And this wasn¡¯t the end of it as he searched for another item he would need for the kids soon enough. [Language Book of the Myriad Races] [S-Grade] [5 A-Grade Mana Coins] Scoffing at the price, Drake spat at the ground, ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t expect it bute on!¡± He had assumed the S-Grade Item would be extremely expensive, but due to it being so cheap during the tutorial, he held out hope it would at least be affordable. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed away in an instant. Drake resigned himself and hit the purchase button for the healing core, making a mental note toe backter when he had more time to search the lists for items he could give the children. The item appeared in front of him in a mote of light much like drops had and Drake put it into his inventory, but before closing out the list he did look for onest thing. [Language Book of Humans] [F-Grade] 1 E-Grade Mana Coin or 100 F-Grade Mana Coins He bit his lip but it was a necessary expense for the children if they wanted tomunicate on this trip effectively. Drake also managed to find Language Books for Orc, Avian and several other races that were within the town currently, which he was sure would be needed eventually if not sooner. Just as he was about to press the purchase button he was stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t buy those here,¡± the high-pitched voice behind him said. Drake stopped turning to the voice to find a woman concealed by a hoodie that looked strikingly familiar to a hard punk rock hoodie. The hood was up so he could only see the golden irises glow slightly underneath, two jet-ck horns poking out from the top that gave him pause. They look just like Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s¡­ but a different color¡­? He thought then looked closer. The horns were painted. Nearly the entirety of the horns seemed to be covered in some sort of paint but the base of them for whatever reason, whether they were slowly growing and she had forgotten to repaint them or it had worn down he didn¡¯t care. He looked back with a scowl, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± he growled. The girl flinched and recoiled. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? I just didn¡¯t want you spending money like that, you can buy those basic things at the System Center for cheap. The basic necessities being sold here are just scams to get newly inducted races to spend boatloads of money,¡± she scoffed, turning around, ¡°Asshole¡­¡± The girl walked away, leaving Drake feeling indignant but he let out an exhausted breath changing to one of feeling bad for judging her because of his interaction with Mir¡¯phyra¡¯. ¡°Not every one of the same race is bad Drake¡­¡± he mumbled to himself. The girl melded into the crowd but not before he got a better look at her clothing. She was wearing a punk rock checkered skirt with patches here and there of things Drake didn¡¯t recognize. Animals, faces, figures, and writings he could only remotely make out. The mini-skirt had a small hole for a tail that swayed back and forth behind her, the pristine white scales reminding him of the Dragon Matriarch. She also wore high stockings of the same checkered pattern as her skirt, with high tform rocker boots. The girl¡¯s outfit left Drake feeling confused. I didn¡¯t think there would be that kind of thing outside of earth¡­ He tried to identify her before she left but was surprised to find he couldn¡¯t. Meaning she was at a much higher level and Rank than him or held an obscuring item like he did. Shaking his head, thinking he might have just made another enemy of someone due to his quick temper, he sighed, deleting his cart from the terminal and leaving the floor, making for the door. Ignoring the jeers and whispers that the crowd sent towards him on his way out, he tried to mentally calcte what he would need for the children on this trip, his face slightly going pale and his eyes hazy at the numbers simply going up and up. I¡¯ll have to kill everything in the area and more¡­ Hopefully there¡¯s some E-Ranks around¡­ Drakeughed wearily. Chapter 213: Competition Chapter 213: Competition Exiting the auction house door felt surreal. Going from inside back outside was exactly like exiting any other building, except for the noise and buzz of the building instantaneously being silenced as he stepped out. Drake was both amazed and bewildered by the streamlined travel between the separate spaces. The Spirit Fox should have technically been on a different in a different gxy but he felt no traveling sickness or even inclination that he had moved spaces outside the noise he had mentioned before. Pushing his curiosity to the back of his mind, he looked at the four people waiting for him outside. Clotho, Atropos, and the two administrators that Rvul had brought, that Drake had left the siblings with while he went inside. Atropos turned her head first, her tail wagging slightly. She¡¯s very perceptive huh? Drake thought. ¡°How was everything out here?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Business as usual, Sir,¡± a man with sses answered. Drake turned his head looking at the man, Hammond, and nodded, ¡°Good. You two are the helping administrators huh?¡± he asked. ¡°That would be correct,¡± a woman next to Hammond answered. ¡°Well,¡± Drake saidzily, ¡°We¡¯ll get to what I need from you two in a moment. First I want to take care of them.¡± Bending down to eye level, he looked at the siblings. ¡°So who¡¯s first?¡± Drake asked. Clotho¡¯s furred ears and tail stood on end and he slid over to get in front of his sister. ¡°Hmmm, don¡¯t trust me just yet? Smart boy,¡± Drake grinned patting him on the head, only to have his hand pped away. Drake didn¡¯t take it personally though and just gave a soft smile, ¡°I guess that means you''re up then.¡± He pulled the imbued core from his inventory. Normally cores were a dull violet color, almost opaque, but this imbued core was more like a closed container holding a milky white-like light, small engravings he didn¡¯t understand running over the surface. ¡°Take off your bandages,¡± Drake instructed. Clotho hesitated at first but urged on by his sister from behind he reluctantly unwrapped his mouth slowly revealing the sorry state of it. His mouth had been shed horizontally and was now crusted over with blood, the area a sickly purple-reddish, obviously swollen as well as infected. Drake looked at the wound, feeling the bubbling rage he had beforeing back briefly. Taking a deep breath he sighed before touching the stone to Clotho¡¯s head. In an instant, white light wrapped around the boy, small balls of light dancing in the air like fairies out of a fantasy tale. Clotho looked at the lights in wonder and amazement, his sister turning her head as if following them despite being blind at the moment, her mouth parting open in awe. After a few moments, the lights faded and Drake ced his hand in front of Clotho¡¯s face, drenching him in warm water from head to toe. The boy howled as if he had been bathed in acid, swiping away at the water and shaking his head and body. Clotho looked back up at Drake, his eyes pointed daggers while Drake¡¯s were curved crescents from his wide grin. ¡°All fixed now,¡± Drake said, pointing to Clotho¡¯s mouth. The blood and gunk from before had been washed away, leaving a pristine jawline that made even Drake envious of the boy''s looks. ¡°Can you speak now?¡± he asked. Clotho¡¯s eyes lit up as he must have suddenly realized his mouth had been fixed, but refused to speak, instead just nodding. Drake looked a bit disappointed that Clotho didn¡¯t jump for joy but he was happy that he was healed all the same. ¡°Now. Your turn,¡± Drake said looking behind Clotho at Atropos. She flinched briefly at being addressed but nodded slowly as her previously wagging tail slumped. Atropos began slowly unwrapping her bandages eliciting two gasps from the administrators behind Drake. Her wounds were worse than Clotho¡¯s, the discoloration on her face making even Drake grimace. To do this to a child and even a young girl¡­ He fumed internally, feeling his hand grip the core tightly. Without wanting to wait any longer, Drake pressed the core to her head lightly, the same dazzling lights suddenly blinking into existence around her. Clotho looked on, his face cracking the perpetual scowl he had been wearing since Drake met him as they watched together as Atropos¡¯s face visibly healed. The color of her face returned to a healthy milkyplexion, the scars slowly receding as if they were never there in the first ce. After a few more moments the lights disappeared and Drake sshed her in warm water cleaning the blood from her body. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Drake asked pensively. Atropos¡¯s eyes struggled to open even after the blood was washed away, apprehension apparent in her face after having them closed for so long. After a bit of visible effort and scrunching of her face, she slowly opened her eyes. Fluttering open she blinked briefly taking in the world around her, her eyes going to her brother. His eyes tearing up as he eked out a difficult grunt wrapping his arms around her. Instantly she teared up as well, looking over to Drake with eyes that could havepeted with the most priceless sapphires and won. ¡°T-thank you¡­ I do not know how to ever repay this,¡± she said through sobs. Drake stood up giving a soft smile, ¡°Let¡¯s get some food and meet the rest of the gang, what do you say?¡± The crisp snap of something being bit into sounded right next to him. Drake looked over seeing Natto breaking a chip in half as she looked at him with half-open lids. ¡°It never ceases to amaze me how soft you are with younger apes¡­ or puppies..?¡± she said derisively, then shaking her head as she raised her hands in a shrug. ¡°Where have you been? Stealing food from the kids again?¡± Drake scoffed, spotting the bag of chips in her hand. ¡°Steal? Hardly, I am simply liberating the extra bags from the storage within themon rooms of the house.¡± Drake shook his head, giving a wave of his hand, ¡°Come on let¡¯s go. We need to get you guys fed and changed,¡± nodding to the two administrators as well, ¡°Sorry but you two are tagging along with me for now.¡± Natto pointed forward from Drake¡¯s shoulder chip in hand, ¡°I also require some of your time as well so I will be here for a time. Onward! My below-average steed!¡± Sighing, Drake gave a half grin, ¡°You just want to grab more snacks huh¡­¡± ¡°I admit nothing!¡± ¡ª----------------------------------------- ¡°Janey! Where did you put my hair tie?¡± Charlotte asked, searching through the beds. ¡°It isn¡¯t on your bed?¡± Janey shouted from the other side of the tent, sitting on a makeshift couch as she held the baby. Charlotte sighed, ¡°No Mommm it¡¯s not. That¡¯s why I asked!¡± she said slightly flustered. ¡°Who¡¯s your Mom? That¡¯s totes insulting you know¡­.¡± Brodie and Cid snickered from in front of the TV that was set up in therge tent. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ it won¡¯t make you any prettier,¡± Brodie prodded, the audible clicking of buttonsing from his controller. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know what''s so special about that guy anyway. He can just throw some magic around,¡± Cid added, his face producing a jealous snide as he furiously pressed on his own controller. The sound of two loud thwacks resounded in the tent, the two boys yelping and holding the back of their heads. ¡°Who said I¡¯m doing this for anyone!?¡± Charlotte said embarrassedly, her face turning red, ¡°And Cid, you should know better, didn¡¯t he save you and Janey first?¡± she chided. ¡°Whatever¡­¡± Cid groaned, rubbing the back of his scalp. ¡°Charlotte,¡± Janey giggled, ¡°If you aren¡¯t cleaning up for anyone, why did you assume they were talking about Drake? Seem pretty shook to me, girl.¡± ¡°I-i¡­¡± Charlotte stammered, unable to refute her. Charlotte already knew it would never happen. She wasn¡¯t ignorant of how Drake treated her and the other people, let alone the girls he had saved. She had seen how he went out of his way to help the near countless people that began filling the town. Looking over to the mirror in their tent, seeing the face of the teenager staring back, auburn hair cut at her shoulders, small freckles lining her cheeks, and blueish-hazel eyes shemented knowing she could neverpete with Sah Ul¡¯. Charlotte was by no means below average, but for some reason, Sah Ul¡¯ was nearing otherworldly even as a different species. Preupied with her thoughts she failed to notice the sound of the approaching footsteps and p of the tent swinging open. ¡°Yo, troublemakers, enjoying the games and no school?¡± the familiar voice said, bringing all the people in the tent¡¯s attention to them. Charlotte looked to the entrance, Drake standing there with a smile, but she could see something was off. She had seen him make enough expressions in the past weeks to begin to understand when Drake was putting on a front, or at least what she considered was a mask. He would grin and joke, but there was no ¡®heart¡¯ in it and his eyes were empty. She hadn¡¯t mentioned it to him, instead worrying silently. ¡°Drake!¡± Brodie shouted getting up after pausing the game. ¡°Sup, kiddo? Don¡¯t get too used to games every day, you might be going back to school soon,¡± Drake grinned. ¡°Whatttt¡­¡± Brodie groaned, ¡°What do you mean?!¡± Charlotte was also curious, ¡°Yeah, what do you mean school? I thought they would just be indefinitely closed, do we even have proper teachers?¡± she asked. Drake scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s in the nning stage for now, just look forward to it,¡± he said. ¡°Who looks forward to school¡­¡± Cid grumbled from his seat on the floor. ¡°Still not warmed up to me Cid? Or is it because Natto keeps stealing all the goodies I give you guys?¡± Drake asked his brows raising. ¡°I deny that statement fervently!¡± Natto snapped, entering the tent. Charlotte giggled at the pair¡¯s usual antics but was truly curious about what he had meant by school possibly being a thing again. Unfortunately, she pushed it to the back of her mind as she saw four more people enter the tent. Behind Drake, there were two humans she wasn¡¯t acquainted with. Both wearing casual clothes instead of the usual armor most people wore nowadays as well as sses giving them an office or intellectual aesthetic. And next to them were two beastkin she had never seen, in t-shirts that she could only think were picked out by Drake. Both holding a skewer of meat in one hand. The girl wore a pink shirt with the word ¡®Oppai¡¯ on them -which Charlotte had no idea tranted to- and the boy wore a blue shirt with the words, ¡®Kuso Gaki¡¯ across the chest. Which she also had no idea meant. Both of the beastkin seemed to be young and if she had to reluctantly admit, extremely good-looking. The two had striking features despite being young. The boy having the piercing yellow eyes of a predator that seemed to look right through her, as he panned the room, going from one person to the next. It almost seemed like he was scanning for threats and gauging who he could kill if it came to it. The girl surprisingly had her eyes closed but if anything it made her more mysteriously demure. Having a small frame and dainty features, making Charlotte sulk internally in slight jealousy. They both had hair a shade of white, but the boy had flecks of a deeper bluepared to the girl who had pure white. Each of their wolf-like ears donned the same colors. Charlotte looked on mesmerized at the pair as her eyes went from their ears, that sometimes twitched, to their long tails. The boy¡¯s stood stalk still, while the girl¡¯s swayed somewhat energetically as she kept her head turned to Drake, ignoring the rest of them. More people¡­ He brought more people and why is it always more girls? First Quetz and now her? And why do they always have to be so¡­ pretty¡­. Charlotte thought. Drake noticed the gazes of the kids and began introducing them. ¡°These are two kids from the batch I just helped. This is Clotho, and this is Atropos,¡± Drake said, introducing the two, ¡°They¡¯re beastkin as you can tell, and siblings.¡± ¡°A-actually¡­ we are twins,¡± Atropos amended, to the surprise of the kids in the room. Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened looking at the girl. Hearing her voice it was like a chill ran down her spine. She can speak English? That would mean she has anguage skill right? She thought. So she¡¯s alreadypleted her quest then and has a ss? She can¡¯t be that much older than me¡­ Charlotte looked at the extremely unnerving blinking prompted in the peripheral of her vision. [Wee to the System. Please navigate to your nearest System Center] [Reward: Basic ss Quest of your choice. Introduction Booklet] On the day she had turned 16, she had heard the ¡®system¡¯ as Drake called it, speak to her. The loud ringing noisily almost popped her eardrums. Since then, she had talked to Drake and was told to wait until they were ready to depart before going forward with the quest. She knew Kalik also had this happen and was ced under watch so that he didn¡¯t rush the process, only to be calmed down after Sah Ul¡¯ told him to wait. ¡°Is that so? I wouldn¡¯t have guessed. Good to know,¡± Drake chuckled, breaking Charlotte out of her idle thoughts. Drake ced a hand on Atropos¡¯s head, then one on Clotho¡¯s only to have him growl lightly, an elongated canine shing, but he didn¡¯t swat away Drake¡¯s hand this time. But Drake didn¡¯t seem to mind and smiled still. ¡°Alright,¡± Drake addressed, ¡°Mother,¡± he grinned, looking at Janey as she scowled back at him, ¡°Please get them settled in here. They¡¯ve been through¡­ A lot, so let them sleep if possible, and don¡¯t press them for too many details.¡± Janey grumbled as she patted the baby¡¯s back lightly as he cooed in her arms, but nodded. Charlotte on the other hand looked at him worriedly, ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± she asked. ¡°Kind of. I have some boring leader stuff to take care of with these other two, then I have to go do more boring stuff with the mobile garbage disposal,¡± he answered, the sound of Natto kicking his shin ringing through the tent. ¡°You will be leaving¡­.? Drake?¡± Atropos asked, her expression turning to something approaching frightened. Drake ruffled her hair a small bit, ¡°Sorry but duty calls for now. Think about what I said alright? And try to get some rest and eat up,¡± he consoled, then looked at Charlotte, ¡°Everything alright here or do you need me to expand the tent more? And sorry for springing this on you all, but I wanted them to have a warm wee,¡± he exined, then noticed two people were missing. ¡°Where are Quetz and Landin?¡± he asked. ¡°Landin went out to run. He said not having his skateboard anymore was making him antsy. Quetz I¡¯m not sure, we still can''t understand her because we don¡¯t havenguage skills,¡± Charlotte answered, ¡°A-and don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she said, despite her internal thoughts begging him to stop picking up more and more rivals. Drake nodded, his face still showing how he was slightly regretful about putting more burden on them as he dropped more food, games, and candy for them all. ¡°Hope thissts a little bit,¡± Drake said, offering them up in consolidation, holding back a drooling and starry-eyed Natto by the scruff of her kimono. Waving goodbye, he and the two others, with Natto grumbling in Drake¡¯s grip, left. Charlotte sighed but steeled herself to do what she promised walking up to Atropos and Clotho with an extended hand. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you two, I¡¯m Charlotte.¡± Clotho looked at her confused and Atropos¡¯s head turned from the exit where Drake had gone to look at her before sniffing the air. Charlotte gave a confused look, her head turning to Janey but she was just as confused, giving a small shrug. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°You reek of arousal,¡± Atropos said in a soft voice, her brows furrowing deeply, ¡°Do you wish to im Lord Drake?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face turned bright red as she gave a silent scream of existential embarrassment. Chapter 214: Voting Season Chapter 214: Voting Season Drake red at therge boulder with a deep hateful scowl, pouring his mana slowly into it to condense the ck earth into something even more sturdy. After leaving the kids, he had been pulled around most of the day by Natto and the other administrators, Hammond and ire. ¡°I feel like I have no freedom anymore¡­¡± he grumbled. ¡°Quite! Lessining and more rock-making!¡± Natto yelled from his shoulder, ¡°Do you want this town to grow or do you not?! We need building materials and seeing as we have ack of skilled craftsmen and nonbat professions this is the least you can do.¡± Drake turned his head, ¡°Can¡¯t I just go and chop down some trees or something?¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°Do you remember how difficult of a time you had with mining?¡± she reminded. ¡°Yeah and?¡± ¡°To chop down mana-infused trees would be much harder than that. The system differentiates when one is intentionally gathering or crafting or simply ¡®destroying¡¯ material in a crass manner. Not only that,¡± she continued holding up a finger, ¡°Even if it did allow you to gather these trees there would be a limit in how we could process them at the moment.¡± ¡°The craftsmen¡­?¡± Drake assumed. Natto nodded, ¡°Currently we have less than five skilled craftsmen outside of the Rhak¡¯s warsmith. One technically is not a craftsman but a basic earth mage with an architect profession. There are also some other skilled ones but their professions deal with supplementing their main sses. We simply have no nonbat sses currently.¡± She looked at him deted and with slight worry. ¡°I am not sure how to tell you this Drake, but it would seem your iteration of tutorials seems to have been more bloody than normal. Meaningbat sses seem to be the majority. Even if there were arge portion of your poption that chose to be nonbat sses I assume they were either killed or did not make it through the tutorial for some reason or another.¡± ¡°I thought you could teach the citizens most of that stuff?¡± Drake asked, taking a break to move to a new spot and beginning to form a new boulder of stone. Natto shook her head, ¡°While I can guide them for the most basic of construction and deal with some infrastructure with the town features I have ess to. This is not the same as truly being a craftsman or allowing them to begin a profession or nonbat ss. Only the system can provide such things.¡± ¡°Hmmmm,¡± Drake hummed, ¡°So you''re still pretty useless?¡± Natto smacked him in the back of the head. ¡°I will transform this town into a properly functioning world capital! It is theck of personnel, not my administrative ability! Even without more fools to do the hardbor I can still provide a wealth of manpower on my own!¡± she screamed defending herself, ¡°By the time youe back you will not recognize what this sorry mud hole has be,¡± she huffed. ¡°Yeah¡­ I already don¡¯t recognize my wallet¡­¡± Drakeughed wryly, thinking back to their time signing the bank contracts with the other two administrators. After leaving the kids, Natto had forced him to immediately open his ount, dumping all of the resources he did not absolutely need into it. The ount was for the town as a whole, meaning that the future contribution point system, town budget, war expenses, and anything else pertaining to the growth of the city would be pulled from it. As the head administrator for the town and Drake¡¯s direct assistant, Natto had been made the second highest authority for the ount. Hammond and ire falling under her supervision as well as having to receive her approval for taking and cing anything into the ount. Drake had to hold back hisughter for the first time in a while as he watched Natto lord over the two grown adults, as a less than one-year-old construct, her nose stuck in the air haughtily. ¡°Do not forget that you will need far more for the production that we seek. The amount of resources it will demand will exceed anything you can produce at the moment even with your abilities,¡± Natto exined, pointing to the next location for Drake to travel to within the town. ¡°What do you mean? I can gather quite a lot of stuff,¡± Drake asked confusedly. ¡°There are simply too many people we need to nurture. You have your hands full simply providing for the small number of children you have hand-picked do you not? Imagine doing the same for hundreds, no, thousands of others. I will admit it may not be to the same degree for each individual but the point still stands.¡± Drake paused, giving it some thought, his ability to visualize the amount of wealth and resources he would need escaping him. Even making his head feel as if it was splitting while his stomach began to hurt. ¡°I-i see your point¡­ Kinda¡­ But if it is going to grow to that extent how are we ever going to provide that type of support for the town?¡± he wondered, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can spend all of my time just farming materials. There¡¯s the hordes in a few months which should bag us some stuff, then there was the mention of a dungeon that might get me some cool titles and maybe some rare skill stones for rewards but¡­¡± Natto gave a chuckle raising her head high, ¡°Leave such things to me! Certainly this is my moment to shine bright like a diamond!¡± she chortled only to cough embarrassedly at her wording, ¡°I mean to say, it is part of my modus operandi to take care of your town while you are away shooting things with your shy lights,¡± she said. They arrived in front of a makeshift water tower made of roughly put-together wood as the sound of the system resounded in Drake¡¯s ears. [Suisei Yuki - The Witch of the North is the 97th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Yuki no Kuni¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] [Brett Nieudacznik - The Golden Key Holder is the 98th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Uruk¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] [Pablo Cortez - The ve King of the Wandering Isle is the 99th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®The Wandering Isle¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] [Valor Alvea - The Life Giver is the 100th toplete the anchoring of their Honing Crystal] [The city ¡®Avalon¡¯ has now been established and recognized by the system] [100th System Established locations have been detected. Activating World Wide Event.] [New System Event! The Fight for the Top!] [With the establishment of cities within your world passing its beginnings you will now have to select a leader to represent you in theing fight against the aggressors of the opposing World. You will have 40 Days to prepare and form alliances to choose a representative.] ¡°That was more notifications than usual,¡± Drake said, digging into his ear with a finger. He had gotten used to hearing the announcements for the towns over the past weeks, they woulde in groups as most needed only a day to three days for their anchoring of crystals. The longer the time to anchor the stronger the person and the tutorial they came from. Thisst batch had been the same length as Drake¡¯s, meaning they were quite strong by default. Drake wasn¡¯t surprised to see the notification of the system wanting to elect a representative. He had heard a bit about it from Natto while in the tutorial as well as a bit more in detail once they had established the town. What he didn¡¯t expect was it to happen so soon. It seemed that many of the people, well maybe other races based on the majority of names he saw, had their priorities straight. Nearly 70% of the names he saw were more fantasy in nature which didn¡¯t bode well for the humans as it meant that they were snatching upnd at a faster rate than them or the humans had different priorities aftering back. Drake pursed his lips, wondering what the hell they were doing. As far as he knew humans had given in to their more base desires, capturing other races and enving them, going after wealth through stealing others. He had not heard of anywhere yet that was even remotely normal. Not that Drake was entirely normal. His town was growing steadily but the majority of his citizens so far had been Orcs and beastkin right now with only a small majority being humans. Was it just the nature of things now? The other races came from worlds thatcked the same technology that humans were familiar with and Drake thought it might have benefited them more in this world where they had to fight tooth and nail for anything and everything. But he digressed. ¡°So looks like we have 40 days. I honestly don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough time to do anything substantial,¡± Drake mused. Natto nodded, ¡°Yes, I am inclined to agree. Certainly a short amount of time for the first meeting of town lords. I assume that there will not be a definite conclusion for the first vote. Your world is vast, very vast. Just looking at the number of races in your town, I would venture that the system merged at least 4s together at minimum. So I do not believe that anyone would have time to make contact with very many other towns. And without the use of teleporters at this time, there will be no way tomunicate efficiently.¡± ¡°Teleporters?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes, after you have reached a higher nobility rank, town teleporters will be avable. But that will not happen until a World Capital has been established, which will take years, and will only be avable to a few capital cities. For other towns and cities, you will have to bear the timely travel of being on foot.¡± Drake listened casually as he jumped up to the edge of the water tower, beginning to pour water into therge tank. ¡°The system really doesn''t want to make things easy, does it¡­ For me, that won¡¯t really be a problem, but for pure mage or healer sses that¡¯s going to make traveling take forever,¡± Drake mumbled, ¡°So what¡¯s after this?¡± he asked. ¡°You will need to nt the man-eating seeds, our food stores are somewhat low for the amount of citizens we have. We can hunt and give merit points for bringing in extra food, skill stones, cores, and the like once I have set up the system for it and talked to the other¡­ lower constructs from the Center,¡± she sneered, ¡°But until then it is better to nt a tree early as they say. I assume you are going out soon as well? Certainly, you will need a mountain of monster cores and skill stones for your little army?¡± Natto asked. Drake nodded, finishing up filling the tower as it began to creak and wobble. ¡°It would be best if you minded the monsters you find. Bringing back any slimes you encounter will be greatly appreciated.¡± ¡°Mind the monsters? You mean capture monsters? I understand the slimes but why others?¡± Drake asked, then a lightbulb went off as he realized. ¡°You mean the dungeon anchor?¡± he surmised. ¡°Certainly. Right now you have only one, so we will have to use it wisely. But once you have advanced a bit further in Nobility Rank. The Center¡¯s shop will open up the option of basic ones you can use for entry-level Mana Vessels starting their journey. It is possible to buy specific ones from the auction, but theye at a horrendous upcharge¡­¡± Drake¡¯s head slightly tilted in thought, then nodded in agreement, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out. I still haven¡¯t had a chance to scout the area very well, so I¡¯m not exactly sure what the level range of monsters is around us. On the way here there were some even reaching 30. I¡¯m going to have to map out the area going out to where Taliya¡¯s map shows for the kids.¡± As they discussed a little more of their ns going forward the sounds of an argument became louder and louder below them. Looking down he saw Sah Ul¡¯ dragging a disgruntled Kalik Tu¡¯. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯, just let me take the blessing of the gods already! Then I can free you from that unworthy human!¡± Kalik spat, growling as he held his braid that she held in her grip. ¡°You have heard the Patriarch, you must wait with the others until they are ready. He has a n to help all of you grow. Maybe even stronger than him and myself, Kalik Tu¡¯. Must you dishonor yourself by throwing dirt at him when he is not even here? I thought you were taught better. Your skill as a hunter may be sharp as a newly made war-ax but your eye for the perspective of your surroundings is as dull as ever,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ reprimanded. ¡°When will you learn being a genius fighter does not mean there are not people above you? Have you not fought with him every day since he arrived and not won once?¡± she added, eliciting a frown from the young man. ¡°It is only because he has the blessing and I do not! If it was a fair fight, there would be no contest! He fights like a wild pack animal separated from the group!¡± Drake smiled as he heard them go back and forth, surprised Sah Ul¡¯ was defending him so adamantly despite always being so short with him. It was true what she said, Kalik was incredibly gifted at fighting. If it wasn¡¯t for Drake having been through the tutorial and his month-long practice with the people of Shigure¡¯s camp. He would be no match. But that was just it. He was gifted, in the vacuum of the Rhak. Kalik had fought with vigor and precision, aiming for Drake¡¯s vitals and weak points as if he were an animal to be hunted. But in a fight with another person or monster, he was average. Kalik fell for feints and anything that even came close to misdirection in the fight. It looked like the argument below was heating up once again as Drake was lost in thought. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to humble the kid again. I need him to bepetitive for the group, but if he takes it too far it''s going to only slow everyone down as a whole,¡± Drake muttered, hopping down from the tower. He fell right behind Sah Ul¡¯ with a light thud apanied by the crunch of snow beneath him, forcing them to turn around at the sound. ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, surprised, her eyes going from him to the top of the tower in understanding. ¡°Deceiver¡­¡± Kalik growled. Drake smiled back at the scowling teen, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been talking smack kid.¡± Kalik stared back at Drake, not recoiling in the slightest. ¡°You only have the advantage of the blessing, if I had it as well I would have no problem in besting you,¡± he said. ¡°Think so?¡± Drake asked evenly. ¡°Without a doubt, by the bountiful mother!¡± he shouted back. Drake sighed and nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll allow you to get your ss on one condition.¡± Kalik¡¯s face brightened in surprise but soon his eyes thinned hearing Drake¡¯s words. ¡°Name it,¡± Kalik answered after some thought. ¡°If you lose you must do what I say until you reach your second-ss advancement. No more questions, no more arguments, no more whining.¡± Drake held out his hand, only for Kalik to look at it questioningly. ¡°It¡¯s how we seal the deal, a promise between people, or men I guess in this situation,¡± Drake exined, ¡°You shake it with your own hand.¡± Kalik looked at him suspiciously but finally grabbed the hand as firmly as he could, making Drake smile at the attempt. ¡°It is a deal as you say then.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Then let¡¯s go get this boy his ss shall we?¡± he said turning to Sah Ul¡¯. They began moving to the system center, Natto on Drake¡¯s shoulder looking bored as she swiped away at screens, sometimes vanishing for a few moments only to pop back on his shoulder eating something a little bitter. After a little bit a slightly worried Sah Ul¡¯ moved closer to Drake bringing her voice to a whisper. ¡°Patriarch, are you sure it is wise to allow him to gain a ss before the others? I¡¯ve known Kalik Tu¡¯ since he was a babe. He is headstrong because of his skill with an ax, but he looks down on others, and this will only further fuel that in him I fear¡­¡± Drake gave her a cating wave, ¡°I understand that, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll be letting him know exactly the distance he has to travel before he can call himself strong. We¡¯ve all been frogs at the bottom of wells until recently. Even I¡¯ve been humbled as ofte, seeing Talyia and the Dragon Bitch¡­.¡± he said, grumbling as he trailed off. Natto looked at him suspiciously as Sah Ul¡¯ retreated a few steps behind him. ¡°You are doing this because you want to take your frustrations out on a kid,¡± she whispered looking at Drake in disbelief. Drake tripped a few steps before righting himself. She knows me too well¡­. He thought, giving a wry smile. ¡°O-of course not. I¡¯m just going to teach him a lesson by rewarding him a bit. I think letting him hold onto his ss first won¡¯t be a problem. Once he understands he will be a little less of a problem child, probably...¡± Natto scoffed, biting into a potato chip as she turned her head away, leaving Drake to his own devices while she went back to looking at blue screens. Drake wondered exactly what she was looking at but he would have to askter. There was Kalik to take care of first, not to mention the announcements from before still made him question where he stood on the scale of power on this new. Some of the other Lords had titles attached to their names like Drake, leaving him feeling a deep eagerness in the back of his mind that he tried desperately to suppress. Damned Asuran blood¡­ It¡¯s going to get me into a lot of trouble and the desire to fight is only getting worse. Drake grumbled to himself. Before they knew it they had arrived at the bustling System Center. It had garnered far more traffic than Drake thought was possible but he quickly understood what was happening when they entered. People were purchasing and selling things left and right to the constructs. It would seem that thedy who had helped him, had not helped him as much as he thought again. The system center also doubled as a basic shop it appeared. People buying small books that Drake could see werenguage and profession books, as well as some basic skill stones. There were also people gleefully looking at the new coins they had exchanged their Monster Cores for, some walking away with what looked like basic tools for trades. Carpenter tools, looms, and other somewhatrge equipment could be seen disappearing into thin air as well. Well I don¡¯t need anything like skill stones, I have a mountain worth of themon and umon ones. But I¡¯ll have to see if there are any rare stones here when Ie back. Kalik looked for an open line feverishly once they had entered, finally deciding to get in line behind a few people as Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ followed suit. Waiting in line allowed Drake to see a little of theing and goings of the Center. Many humans that he knew and helped get here passed in and out as they nodded to him briefly. He was happy to see they were growing ustomed to the system. But he also saw many other races, the beastkin, orcs, avians, some light skinned elves as well mingled in the lobby as they waited to be helped. These people however didn¡¯t really acknowledge Drake. He did not directly help them outside of the orcs. The orcs and Mikhail¡¯s group had been the ones helping some of them as Drake dealt with the monsters during the anchoring and his administrative duties, although they were sparsepared to Rvul¡¯s and Natto''s duties. After a bit more waiting they finally reached the counter to a familiar face. ¡°Hello¡­. What do you w-¡± the woman began saying then spotted Drake and cringed as she fixed her attire and coughed, ¡°Ahem, I mean How may I help you today?¡± Drake gave her a cold look, ¡°Behaving?¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± she replied nervously. Drake let her help Kalik and woulde backter to grill her about not informing him of the basic shop contained in the Center. ¡°I wish to receive the blessing of the gods!¡± Kalik said enthusiastically. The construct woman tilted her head then righted as her eyes lit in understanding, ¡°Ah you are receiving your basic ss I assume?¡± she asked. Kalik nodded. ¡°Then, please ept the prompt,¡± she said tersely. Kalik¡¯s eyes went distant for a moment, a clear sign he was looking at a screen in front of him that Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ couldn¡¯t see. Soon his eyes turned back to normal. ¡°Now what must I do?¡± he asked. ¡°Now select the ss you wish to start as and the quest to advance will be provided after you have confirmed it,¡± she said, slightly irritated. Drake gave a clear of his throat, the construct woman quickly fixing her attitude. ¡°The basic equipment that was provided in the tutorial will not be provided for you. Unfortunately, that was a benefit of tutorial goers. But I assume that should not be a problem for you?¡± she said, looking at Drake. Drake shook his head. He had already prepared some basic equipment for all the kids. Asking the warsmith to make some basic non-grade equipment for each of them specific to what he wanted for their advanced sses outside of Atropos and Clotho as they had just joined the town. And he was not sure if they would join them on their travel to his family or not. ¡°What will you pick?¡± Drake asked. Kalik ignored him his eyes going distant again before they returned and he smiled. ¡°It is done. I have finally received the blessing!¡± he shouted, gripping his hands tightly. ¡°Then shall we?¡± Drake said, handing Kalik two newly made bearded axes. They were non-grade but nearly as good damage-wise as an early F-Grade Common weapon. Kalik¡¯s face beamed at the weapons but quickly turned to a scowl as he snatched the weapons from him, storming out of the Center. Drake scoffed and was d he guessed correctly. He assumed that Kalik would choose the warrior ss based on his fighting style and it looks like he was right after the youth took the weapons. But that would be the only gift he would receive from Drake for some time. Now that he had gotten a ss, his life was going to get harder, much much harder as reality was a harsh mistress. Natto saw the look in Drake¡¯s eyes and sighed as she disappeared, not wanting to deal with the mess. Sah Ul¡¯ looked concerned but followed Drake outside to where Kalik was waiting, a small group of younger Orcs forming around him. They were congratting him on receiving his ss, pping him on his arms, and looking in awe at the new weapons that he held. Drake gave a soft smile seeing the scene but soon turned serious. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see it then. Mighty warrior. No more excuses, you have your blessing and it''s time to put your money where your mouth is.¡± Kalik turned from the group, his face frowning as they stepped back a good distance. Sah Ul¡¯ also waited behind Drake on the steps of the Center looking on with a slightly scrunched face. She knew how strong Drake was, she had fought him when he arrived and her only concern was if Kalik would be fine. ¡°Today is the day I will remove you from Sah Ul¡¯s side! I will protect the Rhak! Not some foreigner!¡± he shouted pointing one of his axes at Drake. ¡°Talk is cheap,¡± Drake said evenly, Kalik Tu¡¯ growling back as he dashed forward. Drake stood there unmoving, not even changing to an endowment as he watched the teen in slow motion rush him. He had no intention of doing anything but showing their difference in strength to the boy and waited there patiently for him to swing his ax empowered with the basic Heavy Blow skill. The weapon glowed red as the skill activated around it, Kalik smiling as the de inched closer to Drake¡¯s neck. But to Kalik¡¯s surprise, when the ax mmed against Drake, it was not Drake¡¯s neck that was damaged, but the ax in his hand. Kalik¡¯s eyes followed the broken de spinning in the airically as his mouth gaped in disbelief. Drake still stood there unmoving and indifferent. Kalik¡¯s head turned with the de as he touched back down on the ground from his leap towards Drake. His head snapping back to Drake, furious anger in his eyes. ¡°But I have the blessing! You may have one as well but I am a prodigy! A genius! The elders told me this every day! That I would be a great warrior, that I would be the one to be chief and protect the tribe! Me!¡± he screamed, gripping his remaining ax so hard his green skin turned a pale gray. ¡°You may in the future. But reality is harsh and the system is even harsher,¡± Drake said softly, staring back at the teen, ¡°You remind me of a bright-eyed kid I met in the tutorial, he was just like you.¡± ¡°Your words mean nothing! You deceived Sah Ul¡¯ and the chief but your lies will not work on me! I will win!¡± Kalik sneered, rushing Drake again with frustration deep in his eyes. Drake sighed, his words wouldn¡¯t reach Kalik Tu¡¯ it seemed, so he would have to show him. ¡°It¡¯s better you learn this here instead of where you might actually die.¡± ¡°Marked,¡± Drake muttered. Kalik stiffened looking around confused at the unfamiliar feeling stopping his blitz. ¡°That is called a skill, just like your Heavy Blow, but it marks an opponent for me. Allowing me to deal more damage to them,¡± Drake exined. ¡°To the death.¡± Drake used another skill, Kalik Tu¡¯ freezing in ce this time as he felt the brunt of the skill sending a chill down his spine and putting his hair on end. Walking forward Drake could hear the sound of Kalik¡¯s teeth chattering increase with every one of his steps. ¡°You may be a good hunter, but you haven¡¯t faced death. You haven¡¯t had to struggle for days without rest, not knowing if you would see the sune up the next day. You haven''t experienced the feeling of numbness thates with moving forward even though you know death might be right around the corner.¡± Drake unloaded on the boy his aura and his mana presenceid to bare. ¡°This is the wall you are going to have to ovee if you want to beat me.¡± Looking down, Drake frowned. The boy had already passed out long ago. Drake surveyed the area and saw that everyone in the audience had fallen unconscious as well, the only one struggling to stand being Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Ah. I might have overdone it,¡± Drake chuckled wryly, sticking his tongue out. Chapter 215: Is this what they call alone time? Chapter 215: Is this what they call alone time? ¡°What did you do?!¡± Natto screamed, shooing away the alerted Orcs in the vicinity. She had quickly drafted some of the lower-level warriors of the Rhak tribe to act as a first response team in the town since they had started spreading the word of the auction. They were called low-level but still well above any of the humans that hade and gone as they stood at around level 15 to 17 whereas the average human and other races that seemed to reach them were anywhere between 10 and 15 with a sparse handful above that. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothin¡¯,¡± Drake said innocently, as he helped Sah Ul¡¯ up. ¡°I knew, I knew! You were up to something and you go and put the whole town on alert by producing your full aura! Just to scare a child! Have you no decency or respect for my time!?¡± she yelled incredulously. Drake scoffed, ¡°I scared more than just one kid¡­.¡± heughed, only to duck as a dagger flew his way. He chuckled nervously as he walked over to the still-unconscious Kalik Tu¡¯. Drake swiftly nudged the teen with his foot, ¡°You still alive?¡± he asked, knowing he was very well of the living. ¡°W-what happened¡­.?¡± Kalik asked, his body shivering. ¡°You passed out like a loser. But then again so did everyone but Sah Ul¡¯ in the area.¡± Kalik¡¯s face paled in a gasp of disbelief, ¡°T-that can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it is. That means you lost. Which means what I say goes,¡± Drake smiled, looming over the teen, ¡°Now, get your ass back in your tent until we get back and think about how you can beat me next time. No leveling up allowed, but you''re fine if you just want to train and feel out your stats and skill.¡± Natto had since teleported to Drake¡¯s shoulder, hitting him in the side of the head, making him far less intimidating as he ordered Kalik around but it didn¡¯t matter. Drake¡¯s word wasw now. Kalik got up shakily as he red daggers at Drake. ¡°To face what is your most hated weakness is the first step to real strength,¡± Drake said putting his hands into his hoodie pocket, ¡°And your weakness? Arrogance.¡± Kalik growled but refrained from saying anything, turning around in the direction of the tents this time obediently following Drake¡¯s order. ¡°Where is that saying from?¡± Natto asked. ¡°I dunno, Sun Tsu? Maybe Abraham Lincon? Honestly, I saw it in thement section of a youtube video. And the inte doesn¡¯t lie.¡± Natto gave him a shake of her head, ¡°I should have known better,¡± she sighed. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked. Without answering Natto vanished out of sight, presumably going back to doing administrative duties, leaving a handful of recovering onlookers from Drake¡¯s release of aura, Drake, and Sah Ul¡¯. Drake turned to her, her face still recovering the light green skin tone it normally held. ¡°Sorry about that. I kind of lost control of it there trying to teach him a lesson,¡± he apologized. Sah Ul¡¯ answered after a few steading breaths, ¡°I did not think you had grown so much stronger since we fought¡­¡± she said, but then gave a face of realization as her brows scrunched into a frown, ¡°Or were you going easy on me?¡± Drake scratched the side of his cheek, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I went easy¡­ I might have not given it my all though,¡± he admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t know at the time whether or not there were more people or monsters around. I might be strong but I still don¡¯t know how strong everyone else is in the world, it¡¯s why I¡¯m working so hard and so pressed to make the kids strong.¡± He had been thinking of more and more ways to make everyone here stronger. Drake wasn¡¯t sure just how dangerous their new world was and after hearing what had happened in various tutorials, including the one with his brother. He was sure of at least that no one here except a scarce few were ready for it. This wasn¡¯t even mentioning the other world they would have to go to war with in just a few short years. It was an immense headache for him when he thought about it. Going from his current goal of finding his family, and gathering his scattered party members, to freeing the ves in Sandal, all the way to the upgrading of the through the Cardinal Beast Quest. Then there was the issue of increasing his own Rank and level. During this next month, it would be rough for his progress stat-wise. He would have to pause his progress essentially to nurture the kids on their way to find his family and the fact that there were fewer and fewer monsters of E-Rank roaming around. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he wouldn¡¯t improve. He had ns for a few things to do while they went through the process of teaching and helping the kids. Looking back over to Sah Ul¡¯ he saw that her face was still stered in a scowl at him when an idea popped into his head. ¡°Let me make it up to you,¡± he suddenly said, Sah Ul¡¯s face showing a crack in its anger. ¡°W-what?¡± she replied warily. ¡°I have to nt some food for us first, but after that, I¡¯m going to map a pathway for the kids, and learn more about the monsters in the area. While anchoring the crystal the monsters were in a wild dash to get here and that didn¡¯t really give us a good idea of the ecosystems of monsters around us. I want to properly map it out while looking for resources that we might be able to capitalize on. What do you say?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ crossed her arms, tightening her grip around her fur coat as she looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before finally nodding her head agreeing. ¡°I am bound by duty to watch over you as ordered by my father, so I will apany you,¡± she said blushing slightly. Drake¡¯s eyes widened. That¡¯s bad, did I just make a mistake asking her like that? I didn¡¯t know that shade of red looked so good on green¡­ He thought absentmindedly. Previously being an artist Drake thought he was familiar with most colorbinations possible forplexions but he was pleasantly surprised seeing that this mix of colors was so tantalizing to the eyes. ¡°Good,¡± Drake nodded before walking to move out of the area. ¡ª------ After a bit of casual walking Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ had moved to an area where Natto had popped in for a moment and directed them to so that Drake could nt the man-eating fruit seeds. [Man Eating Fruit Tree] [F-Grade]
  • An exotic nt found on variouss of the multiverse. They bear fruit depending on what they are fed.
  • The fruit tree can be nted in any environment and will adapt to their surroundings as long as they have ess to nutrition in the form of fresh meat.
  • Warning: These nts are naturally highly aggressive to all living beings.
Drake nched at the description, smiling grimly as he sighed, not enjoying the thought of the trouble he was about to deal with. He looked around, finding a spot that he thought was fine to nt the trees. ¡°Back up a bit Sarah, I¡¯m honestly not sure what is gonna happen when I nt these,¡± he said. Sah Ul¡¯ tilted her head, ¡°You are nting something you are unsure if they are safe?¡± she asked disapprovingly. Drake gave a wry chuckle, ¡°Well¡­. Nothing ventured nothing gained?¡± he shrugged, pulling the seeds from his inventory. Using a flourish of his hand, Drake conjured multiple magic circles of red, green, brown, and blue. First, he melted the snow with warm air from his fire and wind magic, then tilled the soil by imbuing his earth magic into the ground, churning the earth until it was a desirable-looking mulch. cing seeds into the small mounds he had made one by one a ball of water above his head, squirting out a small amount of refreshing water after each one was nted until he was done, finishing with several long rows of the nts. He pped his hands together pleased with his work. ¡°Alright, should be about done. Wonder if I should do the other seedlings I picked up and do regr nts from before the system still grow?¡± Drake wondered, pursing his lips, ¡°Well, after the snow thaws maybe I''ll go check out some farnd.¡± ¡°Are you finished?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Yeah, all don-¡± Drake answered but was interrupted by the sound of something cracking and sprouting behind him, the next second he was engulfed by something, his upper torsopletely covered. ¡°Mnfaoakd!¡± Drake shouted in a muffled voice. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted in a panic looking at the sudden growth of the nt sprouting out of the ground. Drake easily wrenched open the mouth of the nt and spat on the floor, ¡°God damn it! I didn¡¯t want to know what James felt like! Ugh¡­ some of its¡­. Whatever that is, got in my mouth!¡± he grimaced, spitting again and summoning water to rinse out his mouth. Sah Ul¡¯ gave a breath of relief, ¡°Are you ok, Patriarch?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ at least physically. I do feel vited though¡­¡± he grumbled looking back at the rows of nts that suddenly sprouted, swaying slightly back and forth. The nts had long stalksing out of the ground, with sparse leaves on them. On the top of the stalk was arge Venus flytrap-type head that snapped with serrated teeth. The one closest to Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake lunging forward at them. Drake caught the nt and smacked it across its huge mouth. ¡°No! Bad monster nt!¡± he reprimanded, ¡°No eating people you hear me!¡± The nt recoiled back from the blow dropping its head almost like a wounded animal would. Drake scoffed and brought out some of the monster corpses he had collected over the past week. ¡°Here, this is ok. People are a no,¡± he said, giving a slight grin now. The nt seemed to perk up, its stalk straightening out as it leaned forward seemingly ready to close itsrge maw around the beast in Drake¡¯s hand. But just as it was about to close its mouth, Drake mmed his open hand into the side of its head again. ¡°Hey, you little bastard! I said people are no! I know you were gonna try to bite my hand off!¡± he growled. The nt seemed to whimper and Drake threw the monster to the bottom of its stalk. ¡°Monsters yes, people no,¡± he reiterated, ¡°And if you try to eat someone¡­.¡± Drake said coldly, snapping his fingers as one of the nts lit up in mes. All the man-eating nts turned their heads like they were looking at the burning tree despite not having eyes. ¡°Got it?¡± Drake said, summoning another fireball in his hands. The nts all turned to him and gave a nodding motion. ¡°Good,¡± Drake smiled, throwing them all piles of monster corpses, ¡°I better see some good fruit when Ie back!¡± he ordered. Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake made their way away from the area after Drake erected a small fence of earth around the nts, not wanting people to wander around the area. He also ced a small sign saying ¡®Dangerous man-eating nts¡¯ just to be sure, but he assumed Natto would make sure no one would get hurt. ¡°How do you know those nts will listen?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked as they walked to their next destination. ¡°Hmm? Oh, it¡¯s like training a dog I think, carrot and stick. But since these are way way more dangerous¡­They behave, they get food, if they don¡¯t I¡¯ll put them down without a second thought,¡± he answered. Sah Ul¡¯ nodded approvingly, ¡°Anything that threatens the tribe must be dealt with.¡± Drake gave a wry smile, ¡°Right. Well, now we have to visit the Doc before we go. I don¡¯t really like it but I need to make sure she isn¡¯t going too far with her experiments while we have limited resources and see if there is anything she will need while we''re out.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ gave a terse nod but didn¡¯t say anything, just following behind Drake. Does she not like doctors? Drake wondered. A few minutes of walkingter the pair were at arge square building with a single door and no windows. Opening it up without preamble and entering Drake gave out a shout. ¡°Doc! Hey Doc!¡± No one answered, so they were forced to go into the dimly lit building. There were chairs and tables in the first room that they passed. Drake knew they were for therge amount of patients he had sent to her. Freeing ves and more and more people randomly stumbling upon the town in all sorts of conditions need to be looked at and treated. Yorth from Mikhail¡¯s party could only do so much with his healing and mana pool before hepromised hisbat ability. So they had to send most of them here, where they could be healed the old-fashioned way. With the literal mountains worth of things Drake had taken during his scavenging of the city, they had all the medical supplies they could ask for in the way of old pre-system medicine after all. The further they went in though, the louder the sounds of grunting and shallow growls met their ears. Monsters in cages bayed and growled at them as they passed. Some of them looking sickly, others bearing boils or having hair and fur falling out. ¡°W-what is this ce?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, her face cringing. ¡°Not anywhere I¡¯d like to stay for too long¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°At least she was decent enough to separate the ce she was experimenting on things with where she treated people.¡± Feeling like he was losing out in this war of mental attrition slowly but surely, Drake led Sah Ul¡¯ through the building until they came across a door that was heavily reinforced. Drake knocked on the door, ¡°Doc? You¡¯re here right! Not like you go anywhere else¡­¡± he scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ming in!¡± he shouted again. Sliding open the door, Drake was assailed by a horrific smell and then felt water touch his face. He blinked several times then turned his head to find Bridgette with a spray bottle in her hand casually smoking a cigarette and a deadpan expression. [You have resisted Mana Ravaging Poison] Drake wiped off his face incredulously with his sleeve then took off his hoodie and burned it to be safe. ¡°Did you just try to poison me?¡± he asked irritatedly. ¡°Yes, yes I did. Did it work?¡± she asked matter of factly. ¡°No, I resisted it¡­¡± ¡°Damn,¡± she spat, clicking her tongue. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Drake asked, ¡°You could have killed someone, you¡¯re lucky it was me!¡± The Doc waved her hand dismissively, ¡°I knew it was youing. I heard you at the door.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you answer?!¡± he growled. ¡°I needed to test the new poison that I¡¯ve made from the experiments. It isn¡¯t just for killing people I need it to develop a counteractive to certain viruses I¡¯ve seen in the people you¡¯ve sent me.¡± ¡°Viruses? Are we in trouble of having an epidemic?¡± Bridgette shook her head, ¡°No, nothing like that yet. I¡¯ve already studied some of the effects and they only cause slight fevers for those who are integrated and more severely cold-like symptoms for those who aren¡¯t. But thanks to the medicine you¡¯ve procured beforeing here it is easily managed. Good job doing so or we may have had some trouble,¡± she smiled sardonically. ¡°Then are you saying something stronger was found? Or is it simply conjecture?¡± he asked. Sah Ul¡¯ stayed quiet as she listened to the conversation, lowering her enormous ax after seeing that Drake was fine. ¡°Well, there will always be a new developing bacteria or virus. Even parasites are evolving slowly. But no unfortunately nothing that interesting. I simply like to be prepared,¡± Bridgette sighed, disappointedly. ¡°Well, keep it in moderation¡­¡± Drake said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving for the next few days, I maye across people or a town on the way I¡¯m not sure, so I wanted to know if there¡¯s anything you desperately need.¡± Bridgette moved to sit down on a nearby stool, taking a drag of her cigarette as she crossed her legs thinking over the question for a moment. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see. If you can get me any more medical equipment it would be beneficial. Of course, more proper general physicians are weed¡­. I don¡¯t specialize in anything you are currently making me handle you know¡­ My general knowledge will only go so far until something serious happens.¡± ¡°No monsters?¡± he asked. ¡°I would like some stronger beasts, but it seems like we don¡¯t have the means to contain them currently.¡± Drake mulled over her words, ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do but no promises. I have to grab monsters for Natto regardless so I might be able to snag some.¡± ¡°Perfect. Is there anything else?¡± she asked, obviously wanting to get back to her research as she wrote something down on a notepad behind her. ¡°Not that I can think of. But thank you for helping out and checking on the people.¡± Bridgette waved him off, ¡°It is par the course. I took an oath, although it is not my specialty. I will do my utmost to adhere to it. And then again, you did promise to keep me entertained if I did what you said.¡± Drake shivered slightly, feeling eyes on the back of his neck. Not wanting to turn around and face whatever it was, he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be around.¡± Drake quickly ushered Sah Ul¡¯ out of the room and down the halls again to the outside of the building. Breathing slightly more heavily than he expected for such a short distance, Drake wiped away the sweat that had somehow formed on his forehead from the ordeal. ¡°Alright now that that is done¡­¡± Drake said, trying to gloss over it, ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ only grunted, not turning to meet him. Sighing, Drake took out an F-Grade Bow he had gotten from the tutorial and another hoodie. The abrupt withdrawal of the weapon made Sah Ul¡¯ turn. ¡°What are these for?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking we are most likely going to meet people while we are out there. So I want to sow some more misinformation about my ss and level.¡± ¡°Why would you need to do such a thing?¡± ¡°I have a lot of party members that are still uncounted for. I¡¯ve made some waves with the announcements and I want to make sure that any information about me out there is severely conflicting.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ tilted her head looking slightly confused. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I like to confuse people,¡± Drake said, giving a wry smile. ¡°Indubitably, my Lord!¡± a voice suddenly shouted next to Drake. Drake¡¯s eyes widened as he heard the voice, but before he could utter the name Sah Ul¡¯ reacted first, her huge ax materializing as she swung down with a roar. His endowment switching instantly to fire, Drake moved in front of the blow, blocking it with his arms glowing a deep gold from the infused mana. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa! He¡¯s a friend Sarah!¡± Drake yelled. ¡°T-thank you tremendously my Lord¡­.¡± Theodore said with a pale face, ¡°This one does believe he may have soiled himself a tad¡­¡± ¡°Who is this?!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted. ¡°This is Theodore, he¡¯s one of my party members from the tutorial. And he¡¯s a dear friend so no killing him!¡± Drake shouted back with a nervous smile. Chapter 216: Questions, True Hunter, Fear Chapter 216: Questions, True Hunter, Fear Landin gave a heavybored breath as he stopped, his hands on his knees, puffs of white smoke filling his vision. Lately, he had felt cooped up in the tent with everyone, restless even. Not only because Drake had somehow thought it was okay to stuff 16-year-olds of the opposite sex all into one ce, but he had also felt as if something was approaching. Not someone or something physical but rather some hard-to-describe feeling that was welling up day by day. No, that wasn¡¯t true. He thought. Landin knew what the problem was. Tomorrow he would turn 16 himself. And he would have to make good on his word. When Drake had saved him, taken him in. Landin was grateful. When Drake had shown how strong he was during the fights on their way to this town, he was wary. And when Drake had finally asked them to join him, telling them about what was in their future. He was honestly scared, hesitant even. But, Landin had gone with the flow as he¡¯d normally done despite himself. Caught up in the determined energy that Charlotte had projected when she epted Drake¡¯s proposal. But now? Now that he had time to simmer in his thoughts, the fateful day drawing ever closer? He kept picturing the woman who had nearly kidnapped him and killed him. Would he be like her? Deranged beyond reason? Would he have to fight monsters or even people of that strength or greater like the huge bird Drake had tossed around like some sort of child''s toy? He didn¡¯t want that. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with that. ¡°Man¡­. why do I always have to just do what the pretty girl says? Why can¡¯t I just keep my mouth shut!¡± he grumbled. Above him, just like thest few days, the avian girl Drake had saved flew. She had followed him out almost every day for whatever reason and it was nice to have someone at least watching over him. He had tried to talk to her a few times. Not because she was cute but from what Drake had said, she was going to be part of their little group when they set out. But unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t understand her, and she couldn¡¯t understand him. At least not yet. From what he had heard from the other people in the town, once you were a part of the system you would be able to learnnguage skills and profession books. He wasn¡¯t entirely clear on exactly when this was possible but he was hopeful. There were just far too many new exotic -nice- girls joining the ranks of the citytely. Just as he thought about how he would break the ice with some of them, the feeling of a deathly cold brushed up against him, putting his hair on end as he gasped for breath. He knew what the feeling was, but was still scared out of his wits every time he had felt it before. ¡°Damned Drake¡­. Can¡¯t he not do that man? Some of us still don¡¯t even have levels yet! And even those high-level Orc Warriors get knocked out when they get hit by it up close¡­¡± Landin sighed his head dipping down as he tried to warm his newly chilled body, only to see his shadow getting eerily bigger. ¡°Wait that¡¯s-¡± before Landin could finish his sentence he snapped his head upwards, seeing a panicking Quetz, pping her arms wildly as she squawked. Landin did the only thing he could think of. He raised his arms to catch her. But he was still shaken by the aura pulse that hit him earlier, so his grip slipped as shended on top of him, buttocks first. They both mmed into the snow, slightly cushioning their fall. But it still stung like someone had hit Landin in the side of the head with a baseball bat. ¡°This is not how I imagined getting sat on for the first time to go¡­¡± Landin managed to mumble from beneath Quetz, ¡°A-are you ok?¡± he asked. Quetz shot up, grabbing at herself as she chirped in a woeful tone. But still bowed her head slightly before flying off in the distance albeit unsteadily. Landin looked at her growing smaller in the distance, feeling like he had done something wrong but still wondered if she was alright. Had Drake¡¯s aura thing made her unstable enough to fall? He wondered. Landin shook his head, giving a small sigh as he brushed the snow from his clothes. He still had too much on his mind and the slight reprieve onlysted long enough for him to take a breath. Beginning to pace forward he started to run. What he should do about Drake¡¯s offer spinning over and over in his head. ¡ª----------- ¡°Oraaaaa!¡± ire looked on as the man with wolf ears once again cleared the monsters that had found their group. Her gaze was casual as if it was just another day on their journey to their destination. ¡°Just more weak prey¡­ Where are the real fighters?! I want a damn better hunt!¡± the wolf man spat. A woman walked up next to him, ¡°Sir¡­you should restrain yourself from suchnguage, it is not good for your image.¡± ¡°Ari, you know I don¡¯t care about shit like that. I¡¯m just getting tired of these little annoying sac of shit weaklings,¡± Leon growled, his silver-tinted tail standing on end. ire looked between the two, amazed at how they were so close when they were suchplete opposites, or why Ari would call him sir constantly, but then again Theo did the same thing to Drake essentially. So she guessed it wasn¡¯t nearly as odd as she first thought. The woman Ari was a properly dresseddy, prim and proper office clothes that attenuated her body perfectly. Making ire a little jealous that she was able to get such fitting armor, while she had been forced to wear her priest-like clothing. Ari was well-spoken and if summed up in one word, efficient. She had easily and effectively detected all the monsters they hade across that Leon dispatched with just as much ease. The silver wolfman was the exact opposite in appearance. He exuded apletely wild aura with his primal animalistic grin that showed his pointed canines, along with his unkempt shoulder-length blue hair that looked like a fierce sea of blue fire on his head with two small silver-furred inds for ears on the top of his head. He wore a white vest with a leather chest piece on top of it, apanied by minimal leather armor all over his body for optimal movement. Leon swung his silver spear, cleaning the blood from the tip of the edge in one motion before slinging the shaft over his shoulders to rest his arms. ¡°If it isn¡¯t bad enough I have to deal with fodder. Of all the people we had to have tag along¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that ya bastard! I know you enjoy my bloodypany! Don¡¯t he boys?¡± Luke jeered from the back, raising a gun into the air. ¡°Damn right!¡± ¡°You¡¯re our meal ticket man!¡± ¡°Let us tag along sir!¡± ¡°Have my babies Leon!!¡± Shouts from the men and women behind Luke sounded out in a jumble of cheers. But it only served to make Leon more annoyed. ¡°I fucking hate crowds and dealing with people¡­. As soon as we get to Shot¡¯s city I¡¯m dropping all of you off and I never want to see your ugly faces again!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, we don¡¯t even know the cunt,¡± Luke said back, ¡°How are we supposed to know if we¡¯ll be safe, or if he¡¯s even strong enough?¡± ire scowled back at the man, ¡°He¡¯s plenty strong! Didn¡¯t you see the notifications? He¡¯s already killed a Cardinal beast!¡± she spat. ¡°Now, now littledy. I know you have the hots for old boy, but I¡¯m just coverin¡¯ all ma¡¯ bases,¡± Luke said raising his hands. Leon walked over to Luke, ¡°Luke, shut your mouth and stop bad-mouthing the man in front of her. Keep what you think about him to yourself, because frankly, I don¡¯t care to hear it. Anyone with a title, who has already established a town, and one of the first ones could easily wipe the floor with anyone we¡¯vee across on this stupid little trip. Including you,¡± Leon said, power leaking through in his voice, ¡°You¡¯re lucky enough that I¡¯m even tolerating you after having to do it all tutorial long.¡± Luke smiled wryly but backed down, nodding, ¡°Whatever you say bossman¡­¡± ire shivered slightly at the powerful aura that reared its head briefly from Leon, gripping at her sides. It feels even more chilling than Drake¡¯s¡­ Just how strong is he¡­ She wondered. ¡°So you said that you know Shot from your tutorial, yeah?¡± Leon asked, turning his interest back to ire. ¡°Y-yes¡­ He mentioned you and another a few times. He thinks very highly of you both and somehow knew you would be a dual ss as well as strong,¡± she said looking briefly behind him to the monsters ranging from level 20 to even some E-Ranks in their early 30¡¯s who were all defeated by single thrusts to their vitals. Leon chuckled, ¡°Kid knows what¡¯s up still. Ain¡¯t no way some stinking little tutorial is gonna kill me off. He mentioned Wow-fi too huh? Haven¡¯t seen that guy IRL yet but suppose as long as he found some people to leech off of for a while he would be fine. He likes to fight too much to be with anyone long though¡­ We did never get along well with anyone else,¡± he smiled, seemingly reminiscing. A small girl suddenly appeared on his shoulder with a pop, forcing him to turn while she whispered something into his ear. ¡°I know, stop badgering me damn it!¡± Leon sighed, ¡°Tatsuki says she¡¯s excited to meet with Shot and talk to his territorial assistant since I refused to make a city.¡± The little girl nodded, covering her face with her long sleeve. The construct much like Natto had a Japanese-style dress. Was it something that all constructs wore? Tatsuki¡¯s yukata was much deeper in color than Natto¡¯s, which was a bright mixture of colors. It bore deep almost opaque ck with striking deep red trimmings. She also had a doll-like face that was painted in white makeup, keeping her eyes closed nearly all the time giving her a very otherworldly appearance. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure, Natto is a very¡­ peculiar person,¡± ireughed wryly. ¡°Tatsuki isn¡¯t much better,¡± Leon smirked, Tatsuki frowning and disappearing back inside him. Ari pped him on the arm, ¡°See what you did? She¡¯s sensitive,¡± she reprimanded. ¡°You only say that because you aren¡¯t able to hear her inside my head¡­.¡± Leon sighed, ¡°Either way, when we get there in a few weeks it willy to rest anything about that little hot head and that city of his.¡± Hot head? ire thought, but then nodded, agreeing that Drake was slightly more impulsive than the normal person. She longed to see him again, the way he always jumped into the fray for those around him. His stupid grin when he joked andughed at his own jokes. How he made her feel safe, how just his smile, his smellforted her. Her hand unconsciously moved to grab the ring dangling around her neck, her finger tracing the cool dark metal. The man Charles, finally spoke up behind her. ¡°Really missing him huh? Hope he¡¯s everything you said he is, we could really use a rest once we get there.¡± ¡°I-i might be a little biased¡­¡± ireughed, her face blushing slightly, ¡°But yes, I do miss him. With Mr. Leon here though and Ari to lead the way, I¡¯m sure we will get there in no time.¡± ire smiled on the outside, but over thest week after meeting Leon she noticed a huge discrepancy in how Leon described the man she knew. Leon told her of their past together, how they met and used to y games in the old world. She didn¡¯t really understand that part of the exnation since she hadn¡¯t yed such things. But she enjoyed hearing more about him all the same. The stories contained how much Leon had tried to guide the younger Drake after he made mistake after mistake. She was surprised to hear that they had known each other since Drake was still a young headstrong boy who wouldn¡¯t take advice from anyone and only gave Leon a headache like some kind of naive younger brother. It made ire giggle to hear Drake described as a ¡®little punk¡¯ when she knew Drake had said the same thing on asion about Shigure. But despite the fondness in his voice as Leon had told her about their past, Leon never mentioned some of the things she knew to also be true. Leon told her that Drake was a crybaby for many years, never standing up for himself and always starry-eyed about his idealistic perceptions of the world. How after he had lost his job Drake had fallen into a pit of depression and self-loathing. The Drake she knew in the tutorial, the one she had fallen in love with. Was nothing like that. The Drake she knew gave everyone a chance and a second chance. Sure he may have had unrealistic expectations of people, but that never kept him from being cautious where he needed to be. Drake had even gone as far as to make disadvantagous contracts with several people, just to prove a point. All this only served to shake the image she had of him in her head. Making her realize she didn¡¯t really know the man called Drake Wallen. And over her time knowing him, his personality had changed because of the events in the tutorial. She loved him, she knew that. And that wouldn¡¯t change for her no matter what. He had been the one to save her when she was at her lowest point when he had no obligation to do so. But still. Leon¡¯s stories made her question who Drake really was and who he would be when he was out of her sight. The sound of lightning striking the ground broke her from her thoughts. The sleek ss-like expanse that was around them for as long as the eye could see was both breathtaking and frightening. Their new world that they were exploring for the first time like the explorers of old was captivating. The hodgepodge of worlds the system merged together created all sorts of weird phenomena. The southern part of where they were shed with the cold north to create a perpetual border that housed never-ending lightning storms. Constantly striking the metal pirs that jutted from the ground as well as sometimes veering off course and hitting the sandy ground turning it to ss. They had to be very wary when crossing the stretch ofnd and thankfully no one had been injured too badly during their travel. ire¡¯s eyes darted from the lightning strike to the front of the group again, the sound of shattering ss pulling her attention. ¡°Haha¡­ Now that¡¯s more I like it!¡± Leon shouted. In front of their group, breaking out of the ground was a massive creature of the likes ire had never seen. It was an enormous, towering, mobile skyscraper with red basketball-sized pearls for eyes that looked down at them with disdain. The creature¡¯s -if it could be called a living creature- arms came to serrated ss points with no apposable hands or fingers. Its entire body was made out of the same ss they were standing on. Shouts of panic and fear came from the group as they screamed in discontent at the sudden monster. ¡°I-it¡¯s one of the Cardinal Beasts?!¡± someone from the group shouted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, I didn¡¯t detect it at all with my skill! It must have been hiding in the ground!¡± Ari shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Leon grinned casually, his silver spear slipping off his shoulders as he took a fighting stance, ¡°Everyone back up and don¡¯t interfere, I¡¯m going to let loose for a little bit.¡± ire wanted to protest, she couldn¡¯t fight but she was a support ss with more buffs now than she had in the tutorial. She could help. But Ari grabbed her by the arm with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, he¡¯ll be fine,e with me to a safe distance and observe with the rest of us. It¡¯s always a spectacle to watch him fight.¡± ire nodded reluctantly, knowing just how strong Drake was she was certain Leon could just as easily be a monster in human form since he had a second ss as well. They looked at the back of Leon who stood off with the monster. It looked as if the monster was waiting expectantly for him to make the first move. ¡°Looking down on me huh? Well, let¡¯s have a little game then!¡± Leon growled, ¡°Let¡¯s see how long that attitudests until you run away with your little Ken-doll smoothness between your legs!¡± Leon bent at the knees with his spear in both hands as the world began to quiet around him, a fierce primal aura leaking out as he began chanting skills ire had never seen him use. ¡°Basic Strengthening, Greater Strengthening, Basic Dexterity, Greater Dexterity, Beastal Attunement, Basic Armor Pration, Greater Armor Pration.¡± The air around Leon began to hum with power ire hadn¡¯t felt since Drake had fought the Ant monster in their tutorial, every skill cast increasing the pressure around the man several folds until it almost looked like it had distorted the space around him. ¡°He has so many self buffs¡­¡± ire muttered to herself, but Leon wasn¡¯t done. The monster had begun to if it was possible for the ss beast, pale. It had taken several steps backwards already as Leon chained together his skills each buff filling his already bloodthirsty aura with more brimming hostility but thest several skills are what made it turn in horror. ¡°True Hunter¡¯s Ability Boost,¡± Leon said his voice bing ethereal in the air as it shook and vibrated, ¡°Let the hunt,¡± he grinned sadistically. ¡°Begin.¡± The sound andmotion of the world flooded back with his words and the striking of another lightning bolt to his side, shing and illuminating his form that was now shrouded in visual strands of green floating and dissipating from his body. Now that Leon was what ire assumed was fully buffed, the sound of the thunder had been almost like the crack of a starting gun of a race. The ss Golem-like monster turned tail and ran, its pointed feet cracking the ground with every elongated step it took in the opposite direction. ¡°Running already?!¡± Leon howled with glee from behind the Golem as his stance went lower and lower almost as if he was coiling a spring too tight, ¡°Didn¡¯t evenst more than a few seconds! Now you just die tired.¡± ¡ª----------------------- Walking through the doorway of the Spirit Fox gave a seamless transition to her home on the she had tirelessly begged to govern. Around her cobbled streets that bustled with life made a mixture of chattering, boxes of goods being moved, and calls of hawkers from street stalls. This was Zabek, one of the small trainings of the Asurans¡¯ turned into just as small trading hub. The woman gave a breath of relief after walking back onto the sidewalk, moving in the direction of her house, making sure to cover her face and horns so as to not be noticed by the passing guards that patrolled the streets. She had gone out without a guard duty or permission of her advisor after all. If Lia¡¯vea catches me out again, she¡¯s going to take away the new outfits I just bought! She thought helplessly. After some walking and weaving through foot traffic, she arrived at her abode. It was a moderately sized housepared to the ones on her mother¡¯s home, but it was more than enough for her. She was simply happy to be away from her and her siblings, able to speak freely with the people of this small she had grown to cherish. Sneaking to her room she tip-toed through the sprawling house, making sure to miss the creaky steps that she had been forced to memorize lest she be caught again because of the sted things. Able to safely reach her room without rming the bestial woman who wore the facade of her assistant, she breathed out a sigh and removed her hood. The mirror across the room caught her eye and she twirled in front of it to look at her new outfit once more. ¡°Yes! It looks so cute! I just love the colors and how the ck pops,¡± she nodded, touching the hem of the skirt, ¡°You look amazing!¡± ¡°Yes, you look lovely as ever, Lady G¡¯phyra.¡± G¡¯phyra froze, hearing the icy cold voicee from her bedroom doorway. ¡°L-l-l-lia¡¯vea¡­. H-how are you t-t-today¡­?¡± she stammered back. ¡°I am the same that I was yesterday. Overworked and underpaid,¡± the woman said back deadpan as she raised the brim of her sses with a finger. ¡°Your mother wishes to see you, so please change. I do not wish to be killed,¡± she added before leaving just as abruptly as she hade. ¡°Geh..¡± G¡¯phyra winced, ¡°So that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t punish me¡­. Mother will do 100 times worse than she ever could¡­¡± she sighed. G¡¯phyra walked to her closet, pulling from it an elegant white dress and cing it on the chair next to the mirror. She began taking off her outfit she had purchased from the auction revealing her milky white skin and the pristine white scales that covered her hands, wrists, feet, shins, and small patches on her cheekbones that she inherited from her mother. She stared back at the mirror, slight disgust welling up inside her. She hated how simr she looked to her mother, what she had done to countless races and people they ruled over brought her nothing but sleepless nights and anger. G¡¯phyra had tried her best to counteract her mother''s malevolence once she was old enough to know better, going against her deeply ingrained Dragon¡¯s mentality that she had been taught from birth. She tried her best to help those affected on their respectives, doing her utmost to throw a wrench into her mother¡¯s ns whenever she could. But sadly she was just too weak. A lonely C-Ranked Vessel against an insurmountably powerful being. Taking the cleaning wipes off the table she turned back to the mirror, wiping away the mascara and makeup she had ced on her face to try to cover the traits she had inherited from her mother. Finally taking another wipe after throwing the used pieces to the side she began to clean her antler-like horns, the brilliant porcin white bleeding through the ck coverup she had drenched them in. Finally, she saw an upright Princess staring back at her in the mirror. She was no longer the rebel she tried to be. She was forced back into the cold, heartless, obedient, agreeable daughter of the Primordial Dragon race. A few momentster she left her room, an emotionless expression on her face as she stepped up the personal teleportation crystal, her guards already standing in formation awaiting her departure. Bracing herself she touched the crystal and stepped through the motes of lights, the next instance inside a grand hall. The grand hall of the Matriarch of Dragons. ¡°Wee home my lovely daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother. It is good to be home¡­.¡± G¡¯phyra answered, dropping to one knee and bowing. ¡°You may stand,¡± her mother cooed. Standing up, G¡¯phyra¡¯s eyes moved as she surveyed the hall. The guards littered the edges of therge room as usual. At the base of the steps leading up to the throne her mother sat at her two brothers stood stoically. To the right, her eldest brother, Trit¡¯rea, the Great Betrayer. The only known Undead Dragon. To the left, her 2nd older brother, B¡¯rea, a powerful Earth Dragon who was a budding star in their n currently at C-Rank like her. ¡°Do you know why I called you here?¡± Mir¡¯phyra asked, breaking G¡¯phyra out of her thoughts. ¡°I do not, Mother,¡± she replied, feigning ignorance. Mir¡¯phyra scoffed, ¡°I am in a foul mood, I am still reeling from the punishment of the system for ying with mytest toy. But I suppose I should thank you for your machinations daughter, for if you did not allow that poor mud puppy to receive such valuable stones I would have suffered greater punishment. Incidentally, you forced my hand, making me give him a favorable trade for the stones, but in the end, I could not help myself¡­.¡± she smiled. G¡¯phyra said nothing, only looking down as she listened to her mother¡¯s cold monologue. ¡°Do not make contact with him again¡­.¡± Mir¡¯phyra said, letting her oppressive aura wash over the room, ¡°He is my toy¡­ And he will bring me great entertainment. Should you disobey this time, I will destroy the little pet project you are doing on that relic of a, understood?¡± G¡¯phyra¡¯s eyes went to points as her anger rose, the taste of copper and iron filling her mouth but she couldn¡¯t object, ¡°Yes, Mother. I understand¡­.¡± ¡°Good. You may leave.¡± G¡¯phyra turned but was stopped. ¡°Oh, I nearly forgot. Your brother, B¡¯rea, will be staying on your, see to it that he is given ample resources as he trains to break through the B-Rank bottleneck.¡± G¡¯phyra only nodded, fear filling her whole being. I have to warn the popce. No, I must relocate the entire! I can¡¯t let my insane brother step on the while even one person is still on it! She thought desperately. A hand touched her shoulder making her jerk and tremble at the following voice. ¡°Looking forward to having some fun. Dear sister¡­.¡± Chapter 217: This is what they call alone time right…? 2 Chapter 217: This is what they call alone time right¡­? 2 ¡°Jesus Sarah! A person pops out of nowhere and your first instinct is to cut him in two?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°Of course. It may be a threat to the tribe and there have been several times when things appearing out of nowhere have tried to kill me,¡± she said deadpan, still pushing down with her ax. ¡°F-fair¡­¡± Drake admitted, ¡°But this time is different, no killing Theo, he¡¯s fragile! And how in the world did you get here this fast? Did youe alone? Where is-¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± Harley shouted from a little further back, as she moved with a sluggish gait, waving her hand in the air. Alongside her was Natto who looked up at her with concern, holding her other hand and trying her best to support her, but what Drake¡¯s eyes were drawn to was Harley¡¯s slightly protruding belly. ¡°Did she get fatter¡­?¡± Drake asked absentmindedly, before an arrow whizzed past his face sticking into the ground behind him, putting Sah Ul¡¯ back into a defensive stance. ¡°Don¡¯t you even think it! I¡¯m pregnant Mr. Wallen!¡± Harley growled her bow in her hand suddenly. ¡°M-my bad¡­¡± Drake mumbled warily. ¡°Apologies for her mood my Lord, it has been a long journey to reunite with you!¡± Theodore said enthusiastically. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize for me!¡± Harley yelled, slowly making her way to them with Natto¡¯s help. ¡°She seems pretty far along Theo, did this happen when we were in the tutorial?¡± Drake asked, leaning in to whisper to him. ¡°Yes, my Lord, it is only natural to have children who will further work under the service of the great Tyrant Asuran!¡± Theodore grinned proudly. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that forter, okay Theo? I¡¯m just happy to see you. You¡¯re the first one to make it here ya know,¡± Drake said, giving him a smile. ¡°It is but a matter of course and fate! Of course this one was the first, as this one is the knight of my Lord! We wouldeth hath a progressed at breakneck haste, s we could not avert our eyes to the poor souls we happened past.¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°You picked up some people?¡± ¡°Several people,¡± Harley rified, ¡°Also I smell candy. Do you have candy? You have candy right Mr. Wallen?¡± she said expectantly sniffing the air. Drake raised his brows, mouthing slowly ¡®how did she know?¡¯ ¡°How in the world? It¡¯s in my inventory, is that even possible¡­?¡± Drake asked confused. He pulled out a small bag of cookies as well as a still-sealed bag of hard candy handing it to Harley with a wry grin. ¡°You had more!¡± Natto shouted, ¡°I certainly should have known you were holding out!¡± ¡°If I gave you everything you would have eaten it all in one day¡­ Little garbage disposal,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°My Lord,¡± Theodore asked interrupting, ¡°This one has seen the diverse races that walk your streets, but may this one so humbly ask who this person might be?¡± Drake¡¯s brows rose in realization. Shit. How am I going to exin this¡­ He thought. ¡°I am the daughter of the chief of the great Rahk Tribe and the bonded pair to the Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ stated tly, ¡°Who are you Theo, friend of the Patriarch? Is this woman your mate?¡± Harley¡¯s eyes widened in understanding first as Theodore¡¯s wandered from Sah Ul¡¯ to Drake in confusion. ¡°Bonded pair my Lord?¡± he asked. ¡°Ahh ahh ahhh!¡± Drake stammered quickly covering Sah Ul¡¯s mouth with his hand, her face scowling into a deep frown, ¡°She is¡­¡± ¡°You have a wife now Mr. Wallen?¡± Harley asked, looking at him with disapproving slitted eyes, ¡°Or are you simply cheating on ire?¡± ¡°Fucking¡­ It¡¯splicated!¡± Drake shouted before deting into a sigh, ¡°I haven¡¯t done a damn thing! Ok? I needed the tribe to submit for a quest, then the previous chief just announced!¡± he began to exin trying to defend himself. ¡°Only a guilty man immediately goes to exining themselves in that way,¡± Harley said eyeing him with a despondent expression, ¡°After fighting against being with ire for so long, the moment you are away, this happens.¡± Natto began to snicker watching the back and forth. Drake gave her a baleful nce, that she only scoffed at and returned with a sneer. ¡°Like I said. Nothing has happened¡­¡± Drake said a little guiltily. ¡°Who is this ire you speak of..?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ finally asked from behind Drake, the sound of her hand gripping around her ax a little tighter tickling his ears. ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend,¡± Drake admitted, ¡°It¡¯s the reason I didn¡¯t want to go along with what the chief had wanted in the first ce,¡± he sighed. Despite having seemed to be at odds with Taliya, Sah Ul¡¯s face didn¡¯t turn into a deeper scowl. But Drake soon found out it was not because she was necessarily fine with it, rather, she didn¡¯t understand the verbiage. ¡°Girlfriend? Such as Charlotte, or the mad Doctor?¡± she asked. ¡°N-no¡­ Well, yes, but no¡­¡± Drake said, scratching the side of his head before sighing more deeply. I have to tell her upfront. I don¡¯t want this to get any more convoluted than it already has and I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t ever turn into the type of guy who kept women on the hook unknowingly. ¡°Look, we''re going out to map the area. Let¡¯s have a real talk about all of this when we do. Just you and me alright Sah Ul¡¯?¡± Drake said in an even tone, using her real name instead of the nickname he hade up with, showing just how serious he was about the matter. Sah Ul¡¯ looked at him for a moment, seemingly trying to decipher what he was having so much trouble saying, but nodded. ¡°Now that the guilty party has acknowledged that they have done wrong,¡± Harley said peeking around Drake to stare at Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°I think she shoulde with me¡­ For a little¡­.¡± she said with a smirk tugging at the ends of her lips. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Drake asked suspiciously. Theodore gave a sigh, ¡°My eternal love¡¯s bad habit is showing again. Even if she is with child and can barely move, she will still find a way when she finds someone to dress up¡­¡± he exined his eyes going distant, as if remembering something he wish he could forget. ¡°Oh? She never did that before in the tutorial,¡± Drake wondered. ¡°Harley simply didn¡¯t have her tools or the clothes she has umted over several lifetimes¡­. My Lord recalls what she does as a living, yes?¡± Theodore prodded. ¡°No¡­.? Oh, she¡¯s a cosyer?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Theodore nodded, giving a small p of congrattions, ¡°She has even taken up sewing as her second profession in lieu of possibly needing other professions for her ss¡­¡± ¡°What!¡± Harley shouted, raising her voice more than Drake had ever heard her doing before, ¡°I live for this Theo, you know that! And don¡¯t you want our children to look amazing and stylish!¡± Drake recoiled backward slightly from the passion in her voice. Then could have sworn he heard someone screaming in the distance agreeing with her, but he couldn¡¯t find the source after scanning the area. ¡°What does that have to do with Sarah?¡± he asked, moving on from the distant voice he couldn¡¯t find. Harley¡¯s eyes bulged as she bloated with anger, her hands moving past Drake and pulling Sah Ul¡¯ toward her. Sah Ul¡¯s eyes going wide in surprise. ¡°What does it have to do with her?¡± Harley growled, then pulled away at her fur coat covering her, ¡°Just look at this body! Mr. Wallen! Look at her fine jawline! The way her tooth just barely pokes out from her bottom lip to part them seductively! As if inviting one in for a brief intimate touch of their own! The way her ample endowment simply pulls at your very consciousness! The smooth curves of her muscle-bound yet supple body¡­ She was born for this! To be a cosyer!¡± Harley finished, breathing heavily as she thrusted her fist into the air satisfied with her description. ¡°Why are you starting to talk like Theo¡­. And weren¡¯t you just getting done reprimanding me for possibly having an affair with her? Kinda defeats the purpose of your scolding doesn¡¯t it?¡± Drake said looking at the huffing Harley with exhaustion. ¡°This is this, that is that!¡± she shouted. Drake looked at Theodore for help, but he simply shook his head. ¡°When she gets like this, this one is afraid there is no stopping her. My love may even have a stronger resolve than my Lord in such circumstances¡­.¡± Theodore said, slightly shivering, his mustache bobbing somehow in fear on his upper lip. ¡°Point taken¡­¡± Drake said warily, ¡°Fine have her at the north gate in 2 hours. I¡¯m going to double-check on the skill stones I¡¯ll need to get for the kids. Natto, you¡¯re with me, I have a bunch of questions and I need your help with setting up the kids¡¯ sses and skill trees.¡± ¡°Ask away, I am only the single most impactful administrator within your town of Reunite at the moment¡­.¡± she grumbled. ¡°You are my only assistant, so assist. Or no sweets for a month.¡± ¡°I am at your service,¡± Natto amended sagely. Drake turned back to Theodore and Harley, ¡°Theo, do you have a moment to walk with us as well? I have a favor to ask and about the other people you brought, can you send them to the Doctor? Have Sarah¡¯s father Rvul guide them for the moment and get them settled. He¡¯s a pretty big Orc so you can¡¯t miss him. Incredibly buff, crazy tall, but sweet like honey, and will think of you as his own kid, so you should have no problem getting to know him also.¡± Harley nodded and pulled Sah Ul¡¯ along with her without another word. Sah Ul¡¯ looked like she wanted to protest but was caught up in the pregnant woman¡¯s pace as she had a frustrated expression across her face. Sah Ul¡¯ looking at Harley¡¯s belly and then back to Drake. She then resigned herself to Harley, helping her walk along in the other direction, draping her fur coat that Harley had taken off of her over Harley¡¯s shoulders. ¡°My Lord, she seems like a fine addition,¡± Theodore stated. ¡°Addition¡­? I¡¯m not¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Certainly my Lord expected to have concubines and multiple wives yes? It is only natural for someone as powerful as thouself!¡± Theodore said proudly looking towards the cloudy sky, the sun poking out through cracks in the gray nket. ¡°This one would only ask that you give his own children the honor of serving the many children my Lord sires!¡± he added, bowing his head slightly. Natto patted Theodore¡¯s slightly bent head andughed, ¡°Please dear Theo, Drake will have more children than even he can expect! You will have to be very busy yourself if you wish to keep up.¡± Drake gave Natto a side eye, ¡°Says who? I never said I was going to be some magic yboy all of the sudden just because I¡¯m strong.¡± Natto simply whistled nervously, turning her head away from his piercing baleful gaze. Sighing and moving toward the auction once more for the day, Drake was stopped by the familiar voice he thought he would not hear for some time. Ah¡­. When they said they picked up people I was really hoping it wouldn¡¯t be people that are going to cause more trouble¡­ He thought letting out a deep sigh for the umpteenth time today. ¡°Running off already Drake? But we just got here,¡± the voice said slightly amused and yful. ¡°Julia¡­ and Megan¡­ How wonderful to see you again. Catch a ride with Theo and Harley huh?¡± Drake grimaced turning to the voice. Julia stood there with a yful smile her sses entuating her face and blue eyes, her shoulder-cut blond hair moving slightly in the cold breeze. She wore new priest-like armor Drake had not seen before under a thick fur coat. Megan wore a simr getup, but her armor leaned more towards magnanimous church-like clothing with a small hat. Her much longer blond hair flowed off her coat past her waist. Her head was slightly downturned as her brown eyes flittered from Drake and the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t sound so excited to see us,¡± Julia yed, ¡°And look at you! A big shot now, head of a town and everything! Congrats on bringing down a cardinal beast too!¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Drake said with a smirk, giving over to the feeling of seeing people from his party again, instead of the headache he knew wasing. Julia moved over to him first, giving him a slight nudge with her elbow, ¡°And you¡¯re bonded to the striking orcdy, huh? Good going,¡± she whistled. Drake rose a brow, ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡± he asked. ¡°Me? Why would I?¡± ¡°I thought you had a thing for me, you always kept badgering me in the tutorial even when ire was around.¡± Julia gave a dismissal wave with her hand, ¡°Oh that. Yeah, I did for a little bit but after you and ire got closer, and the tutorial closed without us doing anything I gave up. I know a losing fight when I see it, but then again¡­¡± she trailed off a glint in her eye, ¡°From what I hear you¡¯re taking concubines and I wouldn¡¯t mind giving up a bit of skin for a cushy life in this ce,¡± she winked. Drake recoiled then frowned, ¡°You heard that huh? I¡¯m not in the business of doing that kind of stuff. It¡¯s not something I want to make a habit of. But you and Megan are wee to stay here, Natto I¡¯m sure can find a number of things for healers and buffers to do. And of course, you¡¯ll bepensated,¡± he began saying then saw Julia¡¯s eyebrows wiggle at the word and corrected himself with a grumble, ¡°Compensated, marily.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± Julia snickered. ¡°And I don¡¯t remember you acting like a teen schoolgirl.¡± ¡°Got to have some fun in crazy times like this,¡± she smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t know when you''re going to punch your ticket after all¡­¡± Drake gave a solemn expression, unable to refute herst point but quickly recovered. ¡°Well, if you heard our conversation, then you know I¡¯ve got things to do. Get yourselvesfortable and I¡¯ll have you two help me with some things once I get back.¡± ¡°I-i want to help too!¡± Megan cut in finally speaking up. ¡°No,¡± Drake said tly. ¡°But I can help,¡± she scowled, ¡°I¡¯m stronger just like everyone else. We¡¯ve all helped and pulled our weight on the way here!¡± ¡°I said no. You can help by staying here and helping with the people that we¡¯ve rescued. God only knows how many are still recovering from injuries and discement from the system and I have more pressing matters than to entertain your fantasies and desperate inferiorityplex,¡± Drake frowned, ¡°I know you are useful, but don¡¯te here and begin demanding I do anything like in the tutorial. There are too many things happening and too many people needing help.¡± Megan stammered trying to rebute his harsh words but couldn¡¯t. It was obvious that Drake knew why she wanted toe here and help him, even if she wouldn¡¯t admit it herself. Julia frowned, rubbing the back of her friend, ¡°Little harsh there Drake¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°But we get it. We¡¯ll go see that Doctor you were talking about.¡± Drake kept his slight frown, ¡°Good, just don¡¯t let her experiment on you. Tell her if she hurts either of you or overworks you, she will answer to me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s the softie I know and love,¡± Julia grinned. ¡°Just get going¡­¡± Drake sighed, walking away. ¡°My Lord, that was quite the thrashing. This one does not believe Megan deserved such reprimanding¡­¡± Theodore whispered next to him. ¡°She already knows I don¡¯t want anything to do with her after everything. She has an amazing ss but she has to move on just like Julia, and Chelsea. I don¡¯t have the time or mental energy to entertain every girl who bats her eyes at me.¡± ¡°This one understands, but thou should know she hast be quite proficient in her ss. Through her help our party has increased in power beyond our expectations on our journey hither,¡± Theodore exined, keeping pace with Drake. ¡°While that might be true,¡± Drake said, finally inspecting Theo for the first time since reuniting with him and the others. [Theodore Rotwood Level 20] ¡°You¡¯ve hit level 20?!¡± Drake eximed in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s crazy Theo!¡± Theodore bowed slightly, ¡°Thank you, my Lord. Yes, This one has finally taken another step towards thine Lord¡¯s greatness. My love has gone even further past thineself. It is hardly the tantamount experience as my Lord¡¯s, but we shall strive to lessen the gap of course.¡± Drake gave a grin, ¡°Theo, you don¡¯t have to do all that. I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re both here and well. And with a kid on the way, I don¡¯t want you doing anything dangerous for a while you hear me? And I have the perfect job for you!¡± Drake grinned wider. Theodore titled his head in interest, ¡°What might that be?¡± ¡°How would you like to be the Head Master of my new Magic Academy?¡± Drake chuckled. Chapter 217.5: I will protect her. The Villain Arc has Begun! Chapter 217.5: I will protect her. The Viin Arc has Begun! Clotho looked at his sister, keeping his ears and senses attentive even within this dwelling the man who saved them had left them. ¡°You wish to im Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked. ¡°W-what?!¡± Charlotte stammered back. Clotho let out a sigh that he hoped no one heard as his eyes surveyed the room. She is taking our tradition too far. Mother and Father would never approve of this¡­ Clotho thought, then felt as if someone had driven a nail into his heart as he remembered the fate of their parents. During their tutorial, Clotho and his sister had been protected by their nsmen for the majority of it. A devilish trial sent by the Great Wolf Gods to strengthen the pack, but their n was not prepared for such a trial. Less than half. Less than half of the n, friends, family, and loved ones they had entered that strange scorching hot expanse they had entered had survived. Once the trial had begun and people heard the voice of the Wolf God in their heads, urging them forward and into conflict. The n separated, splitting off into factions who moved in different directions. Some refused to hunt as they saw the trial as a false calling of the Great Wolf. Others only thinking of the next hunt, consuming one beast to the next only to grow their strength as the Great Wolf had devined. But neither was able to avoid the newfound trials and monsters that inhabited the searing sands that surrounded them. They were the proud wolves of the north, Frost Wolves. Hunters of the most fierce and difficult hunting ground. The icy ins both took and gave everything the n needed. But here? Here in thisnd with scarcely even pools enough to be calledughable puddles of water, they were desperate and unustomed. Not only the terrain, but the monsters that called this hellish wastnd home were at odds with the Frost Wolves. Clotho¡¯s eyes closed as he remembered how they were on theirst legs as a n but their leader finally broke through the final trial of the Great Wolf and ascended to a True Hunter allowing for her to quell all in-fighting and monsters that dared to challenge her. But not before the fiery sands took most of the n. ¡°- You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Charlotte yelled her face beat red, breaking Clotho out of his thoughts, ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to c-c-im him! He just saved me, saved us all! And I want to repay him!¡± Clotho looked at his sister¡¯s expression, her face furrowing into a serious re of determination. ¡°Lord Drake is kind I see. But as per our traditions a life for a life. He has saved my life and I intend to make sure he is repaid in kind,¡± Atropos announced cing her hand over her chest. Clotho¡¯s eyes widened. He knew what she was saying but it was too much. He couldn¡¯t allow his sister to do such a thing and for a man who was of the same race as the ones who had captured them? Absolutely not, their parents, he, would not allow it. He ced his hand on his sister''s shoulder, his scowl fierce. Atropos turned, seeing her brother''s scowl, but only smiled gently at him. ¡°I know what you want to say Clotho, but it is fate that we met him. I will repay him with a life debt and that is that.¡± Clotho¡¯s frown deepened as he felt the conflict of emotions in his being. The need to protect his sister, the ingrained teachings of their traditions demanding he repay the man regardless of his own prejudice. Such feelings tore at him like a wild beast. But looking at how his sister smiled. A smile he had not seen in months since their parents had been taken by the monsters to run with the Great Wolves joining their pack for all eternity. Clotho knew that his sister''s smile was no longer his. And for someone else. Begrudgingly he nodded, knowing exactly what he must do as well to keep her safe. Charlotte and Janey looked at the twins with confusion, the tense air dissipating as they went at their own pace. ¡°Hey¡­ do you two mind? We¡¯re trying to finish thest level and this boss is hard¡­¡± Brodie mumbled from in front of the TV. ¡°Another one¡­¡± Cid frowned shaking his head, ¡°At least my sister isn''t so head over heels like an idiot¡­¡± ¡ª----------- It had been a whole week since Aono arrived at her knight¡¯s wondrous base filled with beauty, strength, and inspiration. ¡°Ohohohoho¡­..¡± Aonoughed in a low rumble as her eyes darted around constantly, seeing one race after another that she had never encountered beforeing here. ¡°Such inspiration¡­ Everywhere I look there is just constant motivation calling to me!¡± she shouted then covered her mouth, pulling her hood over her head. Aono had set up shop, spreading her work throughout the town at a frightening pace. The world must know of my dazzling Knight¡¯s aplishments! It is only right! His story must be told to all ages for all of the ages! She thought shedding a tear. But like all great artists, there were fans of her work who were more than a little, well, fanatical. The front she ced for her work. The little old-school manga shop that she started to spread not only the Dazzling Knight in the Forest, but all of her old work and whatever she could produce of the old world¡¯s work seemed to have backfired. Once the works had begun to spread her shop was overrun with curious people from the other races as well as those from the old world looking for a semnce of the old world. And they would hound her day and night for the artist of the works. She had tried to exin to the annoying pests that she was only a third party, reselling the works at the behest of the artist. But they would not let her go so easily. Aono was at a point where she had to hire bodyguards and security for the store, not that anyone would steal under the ever-watchful eye of the Guardian Diety of Reunite, the tyrannical red-eared demoness, Natto. Someone had tried to steal from her shop before in the early days and within a second of him leaving the shop the little world-ss disaster in undeniably cute miko form appeared with a sucker in her mouth. Within the blink of an eye, the man was on the floor drooling his arms and legs bent in awkward unnatural angles. ¡°Ah, it was a great piece¡­.¡± Aono reminisced, thinking of the image of Natto standing triumphantly over the thief before dragging him away. Shaking her head she refocused on her work. ¡°I must capture the sprawling city as it grows¡­ I must not miss a moment! Hopefully, I will find my eluding knight today as well!¡± she said with enthusiasm. Aono sat on a small bench erected on the main street of the town. Only a few buildings were sparsely erected at the moment, but it was clear that there would be many, many more soon as the single earth mage employed by Reunite worked alongside the many orcs carrying crudely cut lumber to the buildings. Many people moved along the street despite the few buildings as the street connected the core system buildings in the town. The church, system center, and most importantly and most popr Spirit Fox Auction House. Aono had seen a glimpse of the hostess of the Auction House and the memory made her drool in desire to paint her more thoroughly. But s, she was not important enough to negotiate a meeting with the busy she-fox. The sound of a scuffle breaking out pulled Aono¡¯s attention as she quickly packed up her mana paper and stylus, running as fast as her legs would carry her. A few breathster she leaned against the ck stone gate. Her eyes went wide in glee as she spotted the back of her quarry, her Dazzling Knight. But he was not the same as she remembered only a few days ago, he was talking to a ve dealer with a smile. ¡°W-what? No¡­ m-my knight¡­ T-tell me it is not so¡­!¡± she said in a creaking restrained shout behind her mouth. Pulling her mana paper and stylus out she steeled herself. ¡°I must still record it. Even if he has turned to the dark side I must keep a detailed story. Wait!¡± Aono said suddenly, the cogs of her mind turning as a small grin pulled at her lips sinisterly. The sound of the ve merchant and Drake¡¯s conversation passed into her ears. ¡°I¡¯d love to see your full inventory,¡± Drake said turning his back to the merchant. ¡°Ohhhh!¡± the merchant replied with joyous interest. Aono¡¯s neurons began to fire rapidly a bead of blood falling from her nose as she saw Drake turn, dropping a bag of endless mana coins and skill stones in front of the merchant. ¡°H-h-h-his viin arc?!?! It has begun! I was wrong to judge you so suddenly my Knight!¡± she screamed into her cupped hands before tracing the paper furiously, Drake¡¯s figure paintedpletely and utterly urately. Drake wore a cape in the darkest ck, his eyes gleaming red as he dumped crystalline coins of mana to the floor a deep sinister smile on his face. ¡°Where? What is the name of the town?¡± Drake asked, forcing Aono to pause as she heard the smallest hint of change in his voice. ¡°Yes, of course! It¡¯s a town to the north, Sandal!¡± Aono¡¯s body stiffened, her eyes going wide as the force of the world seemed to press down on her. Her drawing hand began to shake against her will as her mouth began to silently tter against the cold of not the winter air, but the frigid aura that sent a soul-chilling shiver down her spine and into her passionate artist''s soul. ¡°I see¡­ Then, I¡¯ll have to give them a visit won¡¯t I?¡± Drake said. Drake¡¯s voice was like a bell ringing out through the silence of the area, bringing life back into it. Aono¡¯s breath returned as her smile widened! ¡°My knight¡­ No, my dazzling Knight! No! My Eminence! Truly the cruel viin arc has begun!¡± she beamed. The sound of screeching metal being wrought entered her ears, and for the first time noticing the ves in front of Drake. He had crumbling in his hands like sand through his fingertips were mana cors turned to dust. Drake¡¯s aura had narrowed to a pinpoint, the man behind him dropping to his knees as the ves and Aono looked on. Aono inched forward from the gate, her hands never stopping now that they were free, sketching and tracing her paper at a pace that would make Mangaka eternally jealous. Drake walked to the man, looking down at him with an expression Aono had never seen before. ¡°I-i-i¡¯m in love¡­ I think I might have awakened to something! P-please my lord, my Eminence! Look at me with such a face,¡± she drooled, but quickly recovered, ¡°Ikan Ikan! I must record properly! For the good of society! For science! Forter- I mean for the world to know!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go dying just yet¡­ You¡¯ve caught me in a very bad mood and well¡­ I can¡¯t have you dying without suffering just as much as they have.¡± Drake''s eyes turned to something beyond disgust, beyond anger. The true eyes of an emotionally void tyrant, crushing a worm under his boot. He saw this man as nothing more, no, less than an insect. And Aono could see every micro-expression and millisecond of all its glory. The man screamed silently as Drake went to work on him, first taking his eyes, then his voice before putting his hands into his hoodie pocket, bending slightly to put his head next to the man''s ear. The next words put Aono into a fanatical seizure of euphoria. The words sounding nearly ethereal deep in her eardrums. ¡°Suffer in regret¡­ But don¡¯t worry, It won¡¯t take long until I send your disgusting friends to meet you.¡± She reared forward, her legs giving out as her eyes swam, a line of ecstatic drool slipping from her mouth. ¡°Viin arc¡­. Saikyou¡­¡­¡± Chapter 218: Certainly, this is what they call alone time right…? 3 Chapter 218: Certainly, this is what they call alone time right¡­? 3 ¡°What exactly is your meaning, my Lord? This one is your loyal Knight! It is only natural that this one is by your side,¡± Theodore said as they walked. ¡°Theo,¡± Drake smiled wryly, ¡°I¡¯m not sending you away. I want you to help me because I know only you can do it. I want you to nurture the next generation with me, that¡¯s the best way to help me.¡± Theodore twirled his mustache for a moment, pondering Drake¡¯s words. ¡°Understandable¡­ But this one still does not see the benefit of having one such as this one in a magic academy?¡± ¡°I want you to take on the very important job of designing the school and the courses, Natto will help of course, and give you everything you need.¡± ¡°I will?¡± Natto asked, taking a bite of her potato chip. Drake snatched the bag from her hands, her next bite tearing into nothing but air as her teeth nked against each other giving her a small smirk. ¡°I most certainly will!¡± she amended, receiving her potato snackage back from Drake. ¡°Now let''s go get one more thing,¡± Drake instructed, pointing down the road. ¡°Are we not going thitherward to the Auction house as thou instructed earlier?¡± Theodore asked. ¡°We are,¡± Drake affirmed, ¡°But first I want to get a building from the Center I noticed earlier, it''s cheap so I can still afford it before I need to go out and it will help a lot with everything we are doing while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°What wouldeth that be my Lord?¡± ¡°A library my dear Theodore, a Library.¡± Being in a hurry, Drake, Theodore, and Natto refrained from asking too many questions to the sassy, temperamental construct. Leaving the center Theodore asked several questions to Drake, trying to rify what his role exactly would be as the headmaster of the school. ¡°Well, like I said. I want you to basically lead and guide the kids from normal schooling. Preschool, kindergarten, etc. All the way up to them graduating. Which for the foreseeable future will be 18, giving them 2 years of proper training and education once they have gained sses if they wish. My n is to keep schooling normal with some added sses for education on monsters and our new world as we learn about it. Right now though I only want you to deal with those willing to enroll. We¡¯re going to keep the ss small since we don¡¯t have instructors really. But don¡¯t worry I have ns about fixing that very soon,¡± Drake grinned mischievously. ¡°Will this one have freedom to add sses and courses as this one wishes?¡± Theodore asked, tapping his sleek ck cane to his chin. ¡°Of course, you are the headmaster,¡± Drake nodded, wrapping his knuckle lightly on Theodore''s shoulder. Theodore smiled widely, ¡°Marvelous! This one understands perfectly! It shall be the most magnificent of structures, this one swears it!¡± Drake suddenly got a bad feeling, ¡°W-wait, don¡¯t go too far Theo,¡± heughed nervously, ¡°Keep it small for now.¡± ¡°Of course! Small but extraordinary!¡± Drake gave up, hanging his head with a sigh as they went to the area he nned to ce the Library as well as the base for the school. ¡°My Lord is this not more than just a stone¡¯s throw from the town is it not?¡± Theodore looked around seeing that they were even outside the constructed walls. ¡°Yup. I n on having this school be pretty big. It is going to eventually house grades from K through 12, maybe even all the way to college. And it will also include the whole world!¡± Drake smiled widely, ¡°It will be the premier education, magic, profession, and adventuring school in the world. At least that''s the n.¡± Natto looked around on his shoulder, ¡°It seems that we are on the very end of the sphere of influence at the moment as well. It should not be a problem as long as you continue to increase your nobility rank. Speaking of such, have you looked at thedder recently? I would certainly think you are close to increasing your rank at this point. We have had quite the number of questspleted by the townsfolk.¡± ¡°Not really, I¡¯ve been so busy¡­¡± Drake admitted, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a breather to do much of anything if I¡¯m being honest and it¡¯s only going to get worse I¡¯m sure,¡± heughed wearily. ¡°You must keep up to date on such things, the higher on thedder that you remain, the more likely it is for you to receive support from the other towns in the summit. You have only so many days to impress them with only thedder. We unfortunately do not havemunication with any other towns currently,¡± she exined. ¡°Right. Well, I¡¯ll look when I¡¯m with Sarah, we''re basically going on a stroll to map out the kid¡¯s leveling n. Don¡¯t forget to have a list for me ready by the time we leave. I already gave you the sses I¡¯m going to have them use so I needplimentary skillbinations. For the twins, I still have to ask, but I¡¯m sure it won''t be a problem once I get back since they already have their main sses.¡± ¡°It will be done by the time you return,¡± Natto said evenly, looking at Drake from the side, ¡°The Auction is also prepared for yes?¡± ¡°Yeah all set to go, somehow Taliya agreed to take care of it.¡± ¡°Do not lean on the she-fox too heavily. Everything in the multiverse has a cost and no one, especially one of such a high rank as her, will not do something not expecting something in return eventually,¡± Natto warned. ¡°I know that,¡± Drake said firmly, remembering the Dragon Matriarch, ¡°But that¡¯s in the future, right now we need to get this library installed and I¡¯ll have to put up a temporary wall to cover the area. It¡¯s a system building so it should be fine against monsters for now right?¡± he asked, pulling the building from his inventory a familiar green outlineing into vision. ¡°Yes, it will be fine, but I will have some of the orcs we have recruited as well as some of the adventurers patrol the area regrly.¡± Drake nodded confirming the building in its location. He smiled looking at Theodore gape in wonder at the process he had seen several times already. ¡°Crazy isn¡¯t it? I was the same way the first time,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Yes my Lord, this is most wondrous! Fascinating!¡± Theodore beamed. Once the building had finished materializing, Drake gave it a once over. The building was a matte grey material but didn¡¯t strike him as concrete, it had detailed pirs outlining a hexagonal-shaped building, and sticking out of the middle poking up above the roof was a fountain of pink water. Empty banners rolled and whipped in the breeze along the roof snapping against the wind. ¡°Fancy,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the person or people inside yeah?¡± he said pping Theodore¡¯s back, making him lurch forward with a gasp. ¡°Y-yes my Lord¡­.¡± Theodore winced. Approaching the building Drake was surprised that there was a small cobbled undercropping behind the pirs giving it a very expansive feel. ¡°Pretty extra for just a library¡­¡± he mumbled, walking through the open archway made of some kind ofcquered wood. Immediately as they entered the smell of paper and wood assaulted their noses, but not the same musty smell one would expect from old books, but a fresh scent almost like a forest. And once they panned their vision over the library for a moment they found out why. Sitting, or standing? They weren¡¯t sure which was a man or better described as a tree in the form of a man. His skin was a dark brown and had the visible textile of bark. His head extended upward into a cropping of small branches with leaves and his fingers were elongated into thin branches, almost roots that creaked as they moved and bent, turning the page of the book he was looking at. His head turned upward slightly the sound of a moaning oak bending in the breeze apanying the motion revealing his deep green eyes. ¡°May¡­. I¡­.. Help¡­ you¡­?¡± he said in a long drawn-out tone. ¡°Hiya,¡± Drake waved, ¡°Just stopping in to greet you and wee you to the town. Is it alright if we take a look around? Oh, and I have some stuff from our old world I¡¯d like to store here if possible.¡± ¡°All¡­ knowledge¡­ is... weed¡­ here¡­ ¡° he nodded slowly. ¡°Great!¡± Drake grinned, dumping all the books he had taken from the university and various other ces he visited when rescuing people from the city. The tree man¡¯s eyes widened slowly as he saw the books piled on the floor, his hands extending slowly to grab and pile them neatly next to the desk. His hands stopped though on several picture books Drake had let join the pile. ¡°What¡­ are¡­ these¡­? Drawn¡­ epics¡­?¡± the man asked. ¡°Oh, good taste! That¡¯s Love Hina! The tale of a man in love with a girl, not one of my favorites but a ssic all the same. May I rmend this one?¡± Drake smirked pulling a manga from the pile, ¡°Toradora, now that¡¯s the epitome of RomCom and don¡¯t let anyone in any universe tell you different,¡± he said firmly. The tree man wrapped his fingers gently around the book in interest, ¡°Will¡­read.¡± ¡°Good man. Now we¡¯ll be taking a look around, but could you give me a rundown of what¡¯s avable in this ce?¡± The tree man nodded, ¡°There¡­ is¡­ many¡­ books¡­ and¡­ knowledge¡­ here¡­ limited¡­ to¡­ low¡­ ranked¡­ but¡­ more¡­ with¡­ power¡­¡± Before the tree man could continue Drake held up a hand, knowing that the speed at which the tree man spoke would take too long. ¡°Is there perhaps a list or catalog you could give me instead? No offense but kind of in a hurry¡­¡± A single finger extended from the man¡¯s hand moving past Drake quickly and out of sight, returning a few momentster with arge book with a red leather-bound cover. ¡°Perfect! Thank you¡­.?¡± ¡°I¡­ am¡­ Hector¡­. Tyri¡­. Keeper¡­ of¡­ Knowledge¡­.¡± Hector answered giving a small bow of his head. ¡°Nice to meet you, Hector. I¡¯m Drake, Drake Wallen.¡± ¡°Theodore Rotwood, good sir,¡± Theodore added, giving a small bow of his own. ¡°And this misfit is Natto, administrator of the town, I¡¯m sure you will see her often,¡± Drake chuckled, Natto giving him a re, crossing her arms. ¡°Then, we''ll be on our way, Hec.¡± Leaving the caretaker of the library they began walking the building briefly. The floor was made of sturdy dark wood, with carpets of red fur lining the aisles between therge bookshelves. There were rounding staircases that grew from the ground as if the building was alive inside, small branches with green leaves on the guard rails leading upwards. After the second floor, they were blocked by interlocking roots leading the the higher floors. ¡°Guess that''s as far as we can go at this rank huh?¡± Drake mused looking at the slightly slithering roots. ¡°It would appear so my Lord,¡± Theodore agreed, slightly poking the roots with his cane. ¡°Then let''s take a look at that fountain really quick before we go.¡± Moving back down the staircase they found their way with some directions from Hector to the courtyard that was in the center of the building. Once back ¡®outside¡¯ an expansive open area with chairs, benches, and tables littered the courtyard. In the center, arge fountain shot up a stream of pink-tinted water that gave a springtime feel to the otherwise winter atmosphere that should have been there. Drake looked upwards seeing a clear sky and not the same gray clouds he was sure were there. ¡°Huh, that¡¯s not right¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°We are within a temporal spatial dimension, technically even the sky is of another world after we enter the front door,¡± Natto exined looking up at the sky as well. ¡°That exins no snow here, that''s pretty cool,¡± Drake mused, ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good ce for a date¡­¡± he added under his breath. Satisfied with their tour the group left, Theodore still peppering Drake with more questions and excited ideas for the school they intended to raise around the library as they took care of their business inside the Auction House. Theodore was once again surprised at the new experience, seeing the many races within the Auction House and the higher-ranking people who seemed to meander about the ce, garnering a few eyes his way because of his proximity to Drake. Once done they exited and moved to the north gate where they nned to meet up with the girls before he left. ¡°So you haven¡¯t told me how your journey was on the way here Theo, how exactly did you guys meet up with Megan and Julia too?¡± Drake asked, sitting down at the gate with him, Natto kicking her feet back and forth in between them on the table. ¡°Well my Lord, after we set out hitherward to our destination, it was quite the perilous journey! Many monsters scour thends now, I am sure thou has witnessed it as well. The animals that once popted thend have be beasts, infused and empowered by the magic in the world. There are also monsters of which this one could not say are from our once beloved world,¡± Theodore exined, taking a sip from his cup, a satisfied breath, ¡°The two that hath joined my love and this one on their journey however¡­ We somehow came across them when we were traversing a rtively intact highway. They had set up in a nonfunctioning gas-powered form of transportation, resting for a moment. And Harley had picked them up with her survey skill.¡± Drake nodded content with listening to Theodore. ¡°We had crossed paths with many others in the same manner¡­¡± Theodore continued a tone of regret crossing over his voice, ¡°But not all are such a joyous rendition of the fantasies we have read. Many of our meetings ended in, well, this one is sure his Lord understands without saying,¡± he exined clearing his throat. Drake knew exactly what Theodore was eluding to. The world was a version of what he thought might happen when power was given to them, but it had still turned out worse than he expected. Many of the people used the power for whatever they pleased, giving in to their desires wholeheartedly. Even his brother, one he thought was long gone, seemed to have gone down a path he wasn¡¯t sure he could bring him back from. ¡°It has been a bumpy ride hasn¡¯t it?¡± Drake chuckled wryly. [Guardian of the South - Macrium Golem Mega-Terraforma cia has been in by Leonardo Velcruz - The True Hunter] [Global Quest has been updated, 2 of 4 Cardinal Beasts remaining] ¡°Looks like it''s only going to get bumpier¡­ Someone who¡¯s strong enough to beat a Cardinal Beast this early as well? Maybe it''s¡­¡± Drake thought aloud hearing the notification, but was brought from his thoughts by the iing footsteps. ¡°Patriarch! Please relieve me of this unending embarrassment! I am a warrior of the Rahk! Not some toy to be dressed at the whims of this woman!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled. Drakeughed but his voice was caught in his throat as he looked at Sah Ul¡¯. Harley had dressed her up in an outfit he knew well. She was wearing a sweater that every weeb would know. A gray turtleneck sweater, modified with a cat chest window, the sides and back cut to expose her curvaceous sides and well-defined back. Long stalkings of see-through grayce covered her legs up past her knees giving homage to the holy absolute territory. ¡°Zettai Roiki¡­.¡± Drake mumbled finally, covering his face and mouth, a bead of red slipping through his fingers as he turned his rapidly heating face. ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked in concern. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing, I just think I might have gotten too much blood rushing to my head¡­.¡± Drake scoffed, not able to look at her. ¡°One of your heads¡­ that¡¯s for sure¡­¡± Natto snickered, only to be shoved off the table into a patch of snow. Harley finally caught up with Sah Ul¡¯ out of breath. ¡°D-don¡¯t hah¡­ Run so fast! We could have been a littlete! We were just getting to the good part¡­¡± she gasped, a very expensive-looking camera in her hand. ¡°Y-you took pictures?¡± Drake asked expectantly. Harley gave him a thumbs up, ¡°There¡¯s a shop in town thatminates posters. I have a good n in the works,¡± she smiled. Drake gave her a thumbs up back, ¡°I expect great things from you.¡± Theodore shook his head, returning to his cup, and sipping on it casually. ¡°Patriarch enjoys this type of garment?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked pensively. ¡°I¡­ wouldn¡¯t say I dislike them¡­¡± Drake answered. ¡°I see¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, pulling down the sweater slightly, only making Drake gasp for breath at the sight. Sah Ul¡¯ turned to Harley whispering in her ear. Harley nodded excitedly and hurriedly took Theodore by the arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get going love, we have work to do!¡± she shouted. ¡°But my Lord has given me an important task!¡± Theodore protested. ¡°I¡¯m sure he has but this is more important!¡± With that Theodore and Halrey left Drake, Sah Ul¡¯, and the snow-covered Natto alone. Drake was the first to speak after they had left, ¡°Well, as much as I¡¯m enjoying that outfit, you still have your armor right?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded, instantaneously switching from the clothes back to her fur and leather armor. Drake slightly groaned in disappointment but covered it with a cough, pulling out some things from his own inventory as well. ¡°What are those?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Just more stuff to confuse people,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Why do you have a Hawkeye costume¡­.?¡± Natto asked from her position in the snow. ¡°None of your damn business,¡± Drake scowled. Natto smiled, her n of revenge in on her face as she shot forward out of the snow clipping Drake¡¯s leg and infusing herself into him. ¡°Get out of my head damn it!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Hohoho¡­. I see! Did Little Drake Wallen want to be a cosyer? Oh no¡­ oh my¡­.¡± Natto mused from inside his head. ¡°You better hope I don¡¯t find you when I get back!¡± Drake roared. Chapter 219: Seriously, this is alone time right?! Chapter 219: Seriously, this is alone time right?! A few days earlier in the White House¡¯s Oval Office. ¡°Come in,¡± President Smith said, looking up from his papers at the knock at the door. ¡°Sir, the woman you asked for is here.¡± ¡°Ah good, see her in will you.¡± A momentter, the lycanthrope woman was reced with another woman. She wore a white mask covering her entire face, two small slits opened for her eyes and two pin-like holes for her to breathe. She also had waist-long raven ck hair that draped over her form-fitting ck suit. ¡°Miss Daywell, I¡¯m d you arrived so quickly. I did not expect you for several more days,¡± Smith greeted. ¡°The job, you can skip the niceties. I work for money notpliments,¡± Daywell answered curtly. ¡°Always to the point¡­ You have been in the government''s employ for some time even before the monumental change and of course, we are grateful for it. But now we are facing a threat to our great nation like nothing we have seen before,¡± Smith exined a grave expression on his face, ¡°We have already sent one of our best agents as a diplomat but I fear it will not go as nned. You are to move ahead of him and find the man named Drake Wallen. You are to only assess his abilities and the validity of our reports.¡± Smith motioned his hand in the direction of a stack of papers, ¡°These are the reports and the relevant information we have on the man. He is currently going under the guise of being level 14, but information from reliable sources say he is as high as level 27 if not higher, the lowest spection is that he is level 22. I advise you to use extreme caution, we have very sparse information on his skills and ss. Multiple reports even from people we have interviewed from the town of ReUnite, state that he has been seen using potent magic, unimaginable strength in closebat, as well as other conflictingbat skills.¡± Miss Daywell, flipped through the papers and folders on the table, a smile slowly forming on her face under the mask. ¡°Oh, this will be fun, another upstart taking on more than he can chew? We can¡¯t have that can we¡­¡± ¡ª------------------ Drake grumbled gripping the bow at his side, Sah Ul¡¯ walking in tandem with him pulling awkwardly at the hem of her fur coat, her cheeks slightly flushed. This is going to be interesting¡­. Drake thought, heaving a sigh. ¡°So you understand what we are doing Sarah?¡± he asked, turning to her. ¡°I believe so, Patriarch. You wish to travel to the town your family is in to map the way for the children while capturing low-level monsters for the low-level dungeon anchor you possess. As well as gathering and spreading any information with anyone wee across,¡± she said, almost reciting a list that she had memorized. ¡°That¡¯s basically the gist, yeah. But we are also going to see how you fight,¡± Drake added, holding up his bow, ¡°We are going to have you be the vanguard while I provide support with a bow. This is going to also make it so anyone that sees or meets with us will think that you are the stronger of our little group while we go around,¡± he exined, jingling his ne. [Oliver Queen Level 11] Drake had changed his identity once again to something lower, only those keeping up with the city lists should be able to understand that he was Drake Wallen. He had tested the effects of the ne on the list earlier before leaving. Each time he changed, the list would update and change with it. Natto had assured him that at higher Nobility Ranks that would change and that he would eventually be able to hide his name or change itpletely to differ from his actual name on the list. But for now, he was stuck working with just hoping no one put two and two together. So far through the snow-covered ins they had not encountered many monsters, most likely due to the regr cullings that the adventurers and guards had done. The anchoring of the crystal had also mostly cleared out the nearby monsters. But once they moved further out,ing to the forest at the end of the ins they began running into monsters. [Ice Slime Level 17] Sah Ul¡¯ pointed to the white-tinted blob, ¡°Is this what we seek, Patriarch?¡± Drake hummed, ¡°Ummmm, I think it¡¯s too high of a level for what we want, I guess we have to go further away from the town still, right now we want them to be around level 1 to 10, anything that would require the kids or people to have their first ss upgrade are going to be too dangerous at the moment. Take care of it and let¡¯s continue.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded, taking a stance with her huge ax, a smile on her face. Drake looked on expectantly, not having seen her use her new weapon yet. Sah Ul¡¯ took one massive step forward, using both hands to bring down her enormous ax. The de was covered in a red hue just before it made contact with the slime making Drake raise his brow. ¡°Oh? You used some sort of enhancement skill only just before the point of impact reducing the expenditure of your status¡­ Making me feel like I¡¯m being sloppy,¡± Drake scoffed, admonishing himself. Sah Ul¡¯s de easily split the slime in two as well as the ground for several feet. The slime deted and spread out until its gtinous body melded with the snow, a small dull core remaining. She picked up the core with a grin, ¡°I have learned to do so thanks to watching the others during the fighting of the monster calling.¡± ¡°Monster calling?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes, the time which the crystal called for the monsters in the world, we have named it such. The other humans I have watched are not as strong as I. Yet, their usage of skills is very well thought out and I wish to improve further to protect the tribe. I must always get stronger¡­¡± she said trailing off. ¡°Why? I mean I get wanting to protect things important to you, don¡¯t get me wrong but you seem to have a particrly strong sense of responsibility for your tribe Sarah,¡± Drake asked, picking up on her intensity as she gripped the monster core. ¡°During our trial¡­ The tutorial as you call it. My mother, like many others, were still with us. The tribe was strong, but not strong enough¡­. Our warriors could not adapt to the environment and the onught of beats swiftly enough to defend everyone. Even my father, one of the greatest warriors of our tribe¡¯s historycked the strength to protect everyone.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked further into the forest, her expression steely and tense as she seemed to be remembering an unpleasant memory. ¡°The first days of the trial were the worst. I was not prepared as a warrior. I was soft, weak. The monsters came in the night when the warriors were recovering. My mother died defending me and the children of the Rahk. Kalik¡¯s mother too, was among them¡­¡± She turned to Drake, looking him in the eyes with her own reddening gaze, ¡°I do not wish to ever experience that type of weakness again. From that day onward I have never known defeat, not to monster, not to warrior. Until I met you.¡± Drake scratched the side of his cheek. The feelings of wanting tofort her battled with his responsibility and obligation to ire. His own morals dissuaded him from getting too close to Sah Ul¡¯ but he already knew his own feelings were beginning to grow into something else for her with every passing day. How could they not with everything going on and how earnest she was toward protecting everyone and everything? Drake¡¯s mind was sent into turmoil with how to solve the situation. ¡°Yeah, I am pretty strong,¡± he joked, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m the leader of the town now and I¡¯ll keep my word. I¡¯ll keep everyone safe¡­¡± he said trailing off, not sure how to continue the conversation. Thankfully another monster came into view, stopping the conversation in its tracks for now. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re up again.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ turned to the monster pulling her ax upwards into a striking stance again. After dealing with the new monster their journey continued like this for the next few hours as they moved through the forest, the tension from their earlier conversation only getting more and more oppressive in the air. Drake tried to distract himself by thinking back on the monsters they had seen as well as the ones he had defeated during the time the crystal was anchoring. Most of the monsters are variations of animals that were native to this area in the old world. Rabbits, coyotes, types of felines, and even some of the more exotic ones can even be exined as animals from the zoos getting loose. But then there are some others I have no idea got here. Maybe they¡¯re from the other merged worlds like Theodore mentioned? Rubbing his head in frustration he let out a groan. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve had enough just watching!¡± Drake growled. Sah Ul¡¯ was still fighting a group of monsters they came across, not because she could not handle them but because they came in arge pack of 50, and more wereing by the minute. [Mana Rabbit Level 12] The monsters were quick on their feet just like they were before the infusion of magic and apparently just as hump happy. Drake ced an empty hand on the bowstring conjuring several magic circles as he pulled back on the bow. ¡°Elemental Arrow Barrage,¡± he muttered, letting the string loose. Arrows of ice, lightning, fire, earth, and drippingva flew forward piercing and skewering several Rabbits at a time. Each and every unfortunate Mana Rabbit that was hit felt the full force of Drake¡¯s mental and more importantly emotional frustration with each manifested magic arrow. Sah Ul¡¯ continued to swing inrge arcs, bisecting Rabbits in bloody swaths painting the snow red as they both went to town on the pack. Drake continued to conjure arrows as if it was normal for an archer ss to have such arge mana pool at his level. Only after the monsters ceased to gather did they also halt their assault. After nearly 20 minutes of, kinda, somewhat, holding back. Did the endless stream of monsters finish. ¡°Ahhhh I feel better!¡± Drake sighed in relief, ¡°I should definitely grab a few of them if we find more for the dungeon. I wonder if that was a monster horde? Or do they naturallye in suchrge packs¡­¡± he wondered. Sah Ul¡¯ interrupted him in his moment of thinking turning her head in the direction of a shout they both heard. ¡°Oh? Canon event? Haven¡¯t had one of these in a while,¡± Drake chuckled wryly. ¡°Who is Canon?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked confused, ¡°It sounds that someone is in need of assistance, Patriarch. But it may also be a trap, shall we go?¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, if it''s a monster we kill it, if it¡¯s a person we could use the information they probably have. Lead on,¡± he motioned, putting the bow around his chest like a veteran archer. Sah Ul¡¯ nodded shouldering her massive ax and sprinting forward, kicking up snow and dirt with each step. Drake smiled unused to having apanion who had such enthusiasm for fighting as well as stats that could keep up with him if only somewhat. ¡°Off we go I guess¡­¡± he muttered his hair changing to a light green. A few secondster he arrived behind Sah Ul¡¯, but she was already in motion as Drake instantly took in the scene. Three men and women were surrounded by monsters not unlike they were earlier. These monsters were however Deer instead of Rabbits. [Mana Doe Level 15] [Mana Buck Level 18] It¡¯s differentiating between males and females of the species now? Or is it just because they have such opposing features? Drake thought, stepping once more and appearing in front of the three people. ¡°Hello,¡± Drake greeted. ¡°Ah! What the fuck is going on?!¡± Drake poked his ear with his pinky, ¡°No need to shout¡­ I¡¯m with my friend, she¡¯s going to take care of the pesky deer, or well deers? Is deers plural for deer? What¡¯s a group of deer called¡­? A herd right or is it something weird like a murder of crows or a conspiracy of lemurs¡­?¡± ¡°Will you shut up! What is wrong with you?!¡± ¡°Several things I¡¯ve been told but here I bring gifts,¡± Drake smiled pacifying the three with red potions. ¡°Health potions?! H-how did you get so many of these? How did you take them out, aren''t you inbat like the rest of us?!¡± Drake ignored them looking at the battle Sah Ul¡¯ was in. She was handling herself well against the horde. She kept her distance enough that her ax could reach the monsters while never losing her footing and vision of the mysteriouslyrger bucks that filled the group. The bucks seemed to have been supercharged by the magic and mana, their antlers growing several timesrger along with their bodies. But they also have not seemed to attack yet, content with watching the Does do the work for now. Drake continued to send his aura out, using his Ocr skills in tandem with his aura to freeze monsters momentarily for Sah Ul¡¯ to strike them down. While also using his aura to roughly count the number of monsters until he saw several unmoving bodies on the ground underneath the towering Deer. He looked back at the people, ¡°How many people are in your party?¡± ¡°W-we had six with us, but the vanguard fell when more monsters came!¡± Drake growled his hair shimmering from the light green to a vibrant yellow that crackled with power. With a few quick steps, Drake weaved through the herd of deer, picking up the people left underneath them. Arriving back at the three in an instant with three bodies in his arms he let down gently to the ground. Only one of them was breathing, a man in shoddy te armor. Drake looked at one of the others who was still holding a red vial in their hands, their mouth agape at Drake¡¯s movement. ¡°Give that here, thanks,¡± Drake said, snatching the vial before they could protest. cing the vial to the man¡¯s lips he dribbled the potion into his mouth, a few coughs pausing the process until he was breathing more regrly and color returned to his pale face. ¡°Good now it¡¯s time to clean this up,¡± Drake said standing up. ¡°B-but you¡¯re only level 11!¡± Drake clicked his tongue. Shit, I already forgot that I put myself at such a low level¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just have to wait until Sah Ul¡¯ can finish most of the monsters. Drake thought only to be brought back to the present when he heard a guttural roar of battle. Snapping back to reality, Drake saw Sah Ul¡¯ shout a battle cry, holding a buck in her left hand, her massive ax in the other. She threw the buck into the herd of deer, the incrediblyrge body crushing many of its allies undertow as she shot forward with more speed than before. She swung her ax with ease, her eyes and body glowing red. ¡°Is she ramping up like Bjorn does? Maybe that¡¯s why she lost so fast, she didn¡¯t have time to reach the full duration her skill needed earlier when we fought. I never did ask her ss and skills so that might be urate¡­¡± Drake wondered aloud in a soft voice. Sah Ul¡¯ controlled the field within a minute of Drake observing. ¡°Guess I won¡¯t have to do anything¡­¡± he scoffed, the head of a bucknding at his feet, startling the three people they had saved, ¡°She¡¯s really a menace¡­¡± Drakeughed wearily as he kept his eyes on her. Sah Ul¡¯s body had be drenched in blood, painting her once white and ck coatplete deep crimson, specs of red tracing her face and bare skin in certain ces as she jumped, charged, and trampled through the herd with an emotionless face of a practiced fighter. Drake looked on mesmerized at the efficiency, the practiced movement, and the positioning she disyed. Unable to keep a smile creasing his lips as he continued to watch he couldn¡¯t help a thought passing his mind. We would make a good couple, huh¡­. Chapter 220: The Other Side Chapter 220: The Other Side ¡°What exactly are you people doing out here at your levels?¡± Drake asked, plunging a small dagger into the deer¡¯s chest. ¡°We were just hunting like normal¡­¡± the man said, touching his arm gingerly as he wrapped it, ¡°Normally there are only a few monsters here and there. Never at this level though, this area usually has levels 10 to 13. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Drake hummed, ¡°Well something happened to push this many over here¡­¡± he pondered for a moment, then realized what it was, or who it was. No¡­ I really hope it''s not¡­ He thought. Did I¡­ or the establishment of the town push the stronger monsters away from it? Making them go closer to the towns that normally have weaker monsters? I must have thrown the ecosystems out of whack¡­ Damn it. Drake regretted what had happened even if it was inevitable and unknowingly done. ¡°How often has your partye out to this area? What city are you stationed in?¡± Drake asked. The man finished wrapping his arm, looking grimly at his two dead party members with a heavy sigh. His eyes went to Sah Ul¡¯s back who was standing a little further away keeping watch. ¡°At least once a day since we came back from the tutorials. We aren¡¯t exactly affiliated with any town right now at least not a system-sanctioned town¡­¡± he muttered with some obvious discontent, ¡°Damned scavengers just keep us there.¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°Oh how do they do that? Why don¡¯t you just go to a system-sanctioned town?¡± The man looked at Drake incredulously, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Where the hell are you stationed?¡± ¡°ReUnite, the town a further past the forest and into the ins,¡± Drake answered casually. ¡°What?¡± the man said surprised, hispanions also taking in a sharp breath at Drake¡¯s answer, ¡°How did you manage to get that far into the forest? There are monsters over level 20,¡± but he shook his head seeing Sah Ul¡¯ again. ¡°Nevermind, looks like you got lucky and found that woman. She¡¯s the first person I¡¯ve seen over level 20¡­ I don¡¯t know how you managed to get her to help you but stay away from the cities. There¡¯s no protection from the exploitation of others, the centers there don¡¯t care what other people do. They put up ¡®protection taxes¡¯ and ¡®handling fees¡¯ keeping us poor. But they know we just can¡¯t leave¡­¡± Drake motioned for the man to continue, handing him another potion. ¡°The system-sanctioned cities or at least the closest ones have monsters we wouldn¡¯t be able to get past. You would need argepany of people or a specialized ss that would let you move covertly past the higher-level monsters. Even if you could get to a city, most of them don¡¯t let new people in!¡± That doesn¡¯t sound right¡­ My town has had many peoplee and go. Even Mikhail is proof of that. His party is somewhat above the average level and skill but even still they were able to get to ReUnite without a problem. No, there has to be something else going on here¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Not really¡­ Like I said, it¡¯s pretty dismal in the non-sanctioned towns, and with the centers leaving in less than a year it¡¯s only going to get worse¡­ We¡¯re basically stranded waiting for someone toe get us,¡± the man said deprecatingly. Then it clicked for Drake. I see. I¡¯m not surprised that it turned out this way but them not being able to leave is something I didn¡¯t expect. But now that I hear him say it. It makes sense. Someone or something is keeping them isted and desperate. I can¡¯t think of why other than to weaken the poption¡­? I would have to look into it more to know but I just don¡¯t have time¡­ Drake thought, his eyes looking over the four survivors and how ragged they were from obvious battles. ¡°These people that are taking fees from you, who are they,¡± Drake asked. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know¡­ They just show up and extort us whenever wee back to town.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t your identification skills work on them?¡± ¡°N-no, nothing shows up when we do.¡± Drake¡¯s lips thinned not enjoying the dead end he was about to hit. ¡°Ok, what about what they look like, anything distinctive?¡± ¡°Distinctive? Like what? They look like anyone else, I mean they¡¯re a little palepared to everyone but who isn''t malnourished or got some kind of problem nowadays with all this shit going on¡­ And where the hell is the government in all of this?! We got word that someone from Capitol Hill is trying to put the states back together. Ah¡­.! Everything is so messed up!¡± the man groaned into his open palms, beginning to break down from Drake¡¯s series of questions. ¡°Pale¡­?¡± Drake parroted, his grip on his dagger tightening until it snapped in his hand, ¡°How, pale?¡± he asked sternly. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, ghostly?!¡± the man hurriedly answered scurrying backward to his teammates. ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, suddenly behind him. Drake realized he was leaking out his aura, his body humming with power and oppressive air. He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know who these people are now. Tell me which direction the city you came from is. Please,¡± Drake asked solemnly, his disguise and bow disappearing into his inventory one by one. The man pointed a shaky hand in a direction, ¡°A few hours that way by foot, but it¡¯s dangerous to go by yourself¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Drake said softly, his hair shimmering to a bright yellow, ¡°Stay with them Sah Ul¡¯, I¡¯ll be back quickly. I have a cockroach to squash.¡± ¡°But, Patriarch¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ tried to protest but her mouth snapped shut as she saw his face. Drake¡¯s expression was dire, the most serious and angry she had ever seen. Her hair stood on end and her body shivered despite theck of auraing from him. ¡°I can¡¯t save everyone but the least I can do is keep the people we saved alive. Stay with them just until Ie back, it won''t take long.¡± Drake knew exactly who the people who were manipting this town and possibly others were. And he wouldn¡¯t stand for it. He didn¡¯t have time to help every town right now, but his list of priorities just found one more item. Vampires¡­. Adam! Drake seethed. ¡ª------------------------------ Linda Daywell found her target quickly. Her ss specialized in agility and stealth after all. Traveling through monster-infested areas was child¡¯s y. And it was hard to miss the man as he stood out like a sore thumb. The reports didn¡¯t urately describe him but thepany and clear leadership role he had were obvious. Drake Wallen kept surprisingly strongpany. Linda wasn¡¯t sure if the woman who followed him around like a puppy dog was his bodyguard or possibly a keeper, but Linda wasn¡¯t able to confirm. Sometimes he was subservient to the woman, allowing her to even go as far as threatening him, to sometimes ordering her around as if she was a child he was scolding. Their difference in level was also no indication like the reports had indicated, he was level 14, but the woman he kept aspany was well above that at 22. ¡°Another monster¡­¡± Linda scoffed from her position on a tree branch. For a day she had observed him from outside the influence of the town, not giving her arge pool to go off of, but enough to know his position in the town. There were other anomalies within the town. She had noticed that adventurer parties, as they were called, entered and left as they pleased. But she had been given a report that cities were limited to their immediate area due to strong monsters which conflicted with that information. Linda herself had made it to the town with rtive ease, but it may be from her ability to conceal herself from the local monster life, as well as traveling alone. Regardless, she tracked Drake Wallen closely until he moved from the town with the woman, who was from another species they had heard of. A race of Orc they had scarcely seen in certain ve camps throughout the states. For the day as they traveled, Linda kept her distance, keeping to her training as always. Checking each box meticulously never making a mistake as she shadowed her target. But her further observance of the target only served to give more conflicting information. Drake Wallen was stated to be a mage and close-range fighter, but now he held a bow. Even further he fired elemental arrows, which was a first for Linda. She had never heard of someone having such a wide set of elemental affinity mixed with a ss. Even the mages the government knew of could use two, or three different elements at any given time. And those who had the ability to multicast could at most use ten spells at once. But this man, this man was using more than twenty. He was firing four different elements, even higher elements as the mages¡¯ called them or deviant magic, at once. ¡°He is obviously hiding something. But he shouldn¡¯t know I¡¯m here¡­ I¡¯ve had myself concealed since I left the White House¡­ And there¡¯s something off with his mana pool, how is he able to sustain such duration with his arrows at such a low level¡­? What?! His level changed? His name is different?!¡± Linda eximed in a hushed voice. Does he have an item or skill to change his status? She thought. ¡°He¡¯s letting the Orc woman do most of the heavy lifting for the fights but¡­ If he has a way to change his status I won¡¯t be able to gauge anything for certain without fighting him. Can I win? Should I even try?¡± she thought aloud in a hushed tone, continuing to follow the pair as they rushed off in another direction. Linda observed further as the pair stopped,ing upon a massive herd of Mana Deer. And once again Linda was surprised at the speed at which Drake Wallen moved. ¡°Even if he has high dexterity that shouldn¡¯t be possible! His massive mana pool and speed of that degree? He¡¯s faster than I am! Is he even trying to hide his abilities?! Is he an idiot?!¡± she cursed, unsure if Drake was simply messing with her. ¡°No, he can¡¯t know I¡¯m here, my concealment is perfect unless¡­¡± Suddenly Linda¡¯s blood ran cold, her teeth ttering while she tried to force her head up to look at Drake. The man abruptly put out such a vicious force it took Linda by surprise, but even if she had braced for it she was unsure if she could put up any defense. Her body and every hair on her body bristled. ¡°T-this¡­ T-this isn¡¯t, shouldn¡¯t be possible. Even above level 20, there shouldn¡¯t be aura like this possible!¡± Linda cursed, suddenly forced from her invisibility. [Concealment of the Ward has been forcibly removed] [You are now under the influence of the Asuran¡¯s Prideful Aura] [Concealment of the Ward is unusable for the next hour] ¡°W-what?!¡± Linda panicked looking at the notifications before her head snapped upwards. And for a moment their eyes met. Linda was looking back at the man she was supposed to be observing, Drake Wallen, his eyes shing with power and an expression that could kill. [You have been Marked] [You are now under the influence of the skill: Apex] [You are now under the influence of the skill: Asuran Battle Instincts: Weak Point] Linda¡¯s voice caught in her throat as she kneeled on the branch instinctively, her head unable to break their eye contact in fear of offending this person more than she already had by following him. Her mouth quivered as the seconds stretched to what felt like hours until suddenly he was gone, the oppressive pressure and threat vanishing with him. But Linda didn¡¯t move. Her body had suddenly felt like it aged years in seconds. The shing yellow and blue, eyes of the man burned deep into her psyche. She subconsciously understood what he was saying through his gaze. He could kill me whenever he wanted. He knew all along. There wouldn¡¯t be a second time. Linda took in a breath finally. Appreciating the air that filled her lungs, the fact she could still do such a simple thing. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to quit¡­.¡± Chapter 221: Clearing the Rabble and the Would-Be Queen Chapter 221: Clearing the Rabble and the Would-Be Queen ¡°Ah¡­ This is the most cushy gig I¡¯ve ever done!¡± ¡°Yeah with the stat boosts that came with being undead, none of these little losers can even lift a finger against us!¡± ¡°How much longer will we need to do this for?¡± ¡°I think the boss said another week, then we start converting people. Apparently, there''s some kinda big meeting in a month or so that he wants votes for, but that¡¯s above my paygrade!¡± the man said, giving a hearty chuckle beneath his hooded robes. ¡°Ain''t that the truth!¡± the other guffawed. ¡°Oh, would you look at this fes? We got some fresh meat at the center!¡± The trio of men pushed passed the weary crowd of adventurers, spotting a man with long red hair wearing nothing but a frown, a grey hoodie, and some raggy-looking pants. ¡°Where did you roll in from friend?¡± one of the men asked, wrapping his arm around the neer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oliver Queen, huh? Level 11! On the higher side of the adventurer pool aren¡¯t we? But don¡¯t get a big head about it man! Haha, some of the monsters out there are even in their 20s now! But you know¡­¡± the man said leaning in, ¡°For a fee¡­ We can make sure nothing bad happens.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget to use this center there¡¯s also a service fee!¡± bellowed another with augh. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the city tax as well!¡± chuckled the other. The bystanders looked on with disgust in their eyes but none of them were strong enough or willing enough to stick their neck out for this stranger. ¡°Hey! Say something. Are you deaf, dumb, and stupid or something?¡± ¡°Maybe we came across Hellen Keller?¡± sneered one of the men, bringing down his hood to look the man in the eyes. ¡°So you are as pale as him. Are you ghouls or full-fledged idiots?¡± the man finally asked. ¡°What the fuck did you say..?¡± The man who pulled down his hood growled, baring four elongated fangs and dull crimson eyes, his skin a pale unhealthy gray. ¡°Is this all of you?¡± the man in the hoodie asked, ignoring the other man¡¯s outburst. ¡°You think we need more than just us to take care of some fucking level 11?¡± The three men surrounded the man in the hoodie, cracking their knuckles and necks looking at him balefully as their weapons manifested in their hands. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to need far more than anything you have in this city, you walking pile of maggot-infested garbage.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of this sick dog¡¯s barking! We don¡¯t need a disobedient animal! Kill him!¡± The three men rushed forward with their weapons curving in vicious arcs towards the hooded man. The red-haired man suddenly shimmered with power, his hair shifting and cascading to a gentle green as he weaved through their blows casually. ¡°I¡¯ll ask three questions. A chance for each of you to answer,¡± he said. ¡°Screw you lowbie! We ain''t got shit to say to you!¡± Swing after swing, blow after blow passed the man harmlessly. ¡°T-this guy can¡¯t be level 11¡­ I¡¯m sped for Dexterity and a higher level! Something ain¡¯t right here!¡± ¡°Question one,¡± the man said coldly, ¡°How many of you are in this city.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t tellin'' you shit, meat!¡± one of the three yelled, swinging down a two-handed battle ax. The green-haired man didn¡¯t miss a beat, letting the head of the ax pass him as he stepped to the side, raising his foot just as the haft hit the ground cracking it open. The green-haired man stomped his raised foot down into the ax shattering it into countless pieces at the dismay of the man who looked on in horror. ¡°Question two. Have you met a woman named Maria Wallen?¡± The three continued to swing their weapons and now fists at the green-haired man. Their responses dyed as they helplessly brought down their weapons on empty air, time and time again in the fight. Several seconds of silent attempts to strike the green-haired man went by, sweat and frustration beginning to form on their faces. Their grunts began to be overtaken by the cheers of the crowd of adventurers surrounding them. ¡°Yeah, keep it up!¡± ¡°Get them!¡± ¡°Teach them a fucking lesson!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them keep abusing us!¡± One of the trio turned, scowling deeply at the crowd letting out his aura to silence them. ¡°You little bastards are getting a big head just cause some new piece of meat is-¡± but his words were cut short as his vision shifted, spinning as it came closer to the ground. The sight of the snow-covered asphalt filling his vision before it went ck. ¡°I¡¯m not done asking questions, so don¡¯t turn your back to me. It¡¯s rude,¡± hummed the man with green hair, the remnants of a blue magic circle dissipating at the tip of his two outstretched fingers. ¡°W-what the fuck! Y-you killed Kenny! Y-you killed him! Y-you! You bastard!¡± one of the remaining two roared as he rushed forward. But he was instantly stopped in his tracks, the snow on the ground coalescing around his legs as it began to creep up them slowly, the excruciating chilling pain encapsting his whole body, every thought, every breath. So much so he could barely hear the man¡¯s next question over the deafening experience. ¡°Third and final question. Where is Adam?¡± The question was said almost like a statement, as if he knew the man he was looking for wasn¡¯t here, or that the remaining two men had no idea where this Adam was. Thest remaining man of the trio had fallen on his rear, seeing hispatriots beheaded and frozen into a icy statue one after the other forced him into a state of disbelief. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know an Adam!¡± he pleaded. ¡°Then who do you answer to?¡± the man asked, bending down to get eye level. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know! Ahhh!!!¡± The man with green hair pressed his hand on the shoulder of the remaining of the trio, his hair turning the same color as the pristine white snow. But his hand was a fiery orange, bubbling with searing heat as it melted away the flecks of snow falling in the hair, turning the area into a steam-covered nket. Thest of the trio wretched and screamed as the other man¡¯s hand slowly inched down from his shoulder filling the air with the smell of burnt charred flesh. The bystanders no longer cheered as they looked on with horror. Some covered their mouths and those with a weaker stomach balked, spilling their lunches on the asphalt below from the smell. ¡°I¡¯m asking my fifth question now. You must talk to someone. Someone has to give you orders of some kind, you don¡¯t expect me to believe you turned into a vampire by happenstance and are nning to take over this city just because? After our little fight, I can¡¯t take you three for intellectuals smart enough toe up with that on your own. Now, is it Adam or someone else?¡± ¡°I-i swear. I swear! I don¡¯t know who it is! We go t-to a designated area that changes with every letter and a different person meets us each time with the n-next destination! Please! I promise!! I¡¯m just a grunt, we all were! I-I don¡¯t know!¡± the man pleaded, gripping at his mutted arm as it slowly began to heal, just like Adam¡¯s had, ¡°I just took this deal because of the stats!¡± ¡°You threw away your humanity¡­ for stats¡­?¡± the man growled, standing up. Thest of the trio looked at him with abject fear, his hand summoning tens of earthy brown magic circles without casting, jet-ck spikes slowly emerging from each. ¡°For mere stats, you tortured people. Oppressed them. Threw them to the wolves to do your¡­ ADAM¡¯S dirty work?!¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t do this!¡± the man cried, his eyes dripping tears not of regret for what he had done, but tears of being caught and being punished for it, ¡°If you kill me the rest will juste! You can¡¯t imagine how many there are! They have an army! You¡¯re just one person against an undead army! It¡¯s why we switched sides too! Stats, strength, being on the winning side! Right? Doesn¡¯t that sound good?!¡± ¡°An army?¡± the man said, pausing. The man on the ground took that as an opportunity to further push his point, thinking the pause meant the other man was considering his offer. ¡°Y-yeah! If youe with me to the next meeting I can put in a good word f-for you! You cane to the winning side!¡± ¡°Winning side?¡± the man scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve always been one for being the underdog.¡± The smile the man with white hair gave to the man on the ground silenced any confusion he may have had of him joining the undead legion. It was a primal one of anticipation and excited trepidation. ¡°Let them bring an army. I¡¯ve been dying for a good fight,¡± then the man raised his hand, giving the other a thumbs down, the spikes of jet ck flying forward and skewering him to the floor. His hair changing for the umpteenth time to ck, he looked at the crowd, ¡°Gather everyone in the city. You no longer have to stay here, you cane with me if you want, or wait to see if what this loser said is true.¡± ¡ª---- Drake heaved a heavy sigh, looking back down at the body of the vampires. I couldn¡¯t get anything useful out of them. At least they haven¡¯t run into my mom it looks like. But an army¡­ I¡¯ll have to move the schedule forward. Drake thought, clenching his fists. ¡°Once they all get back here we''ll go pick up Sarah and head to ReUnite. I wanted to let the kids be kids a little longer but¡­¡± Drake sighed once more, ¡°It looks like war is already here.¡± While Drake was busy fighting his own moral dilemma in his head a brave adventurer moved to talk to him. ¡°M-most of the city is here now. W-where are you taking us?¡± Breaking from his thoughts, Drake raised a brow, putting on a half smirk, but instead of diffusing the situation after what he just disyed it terrified the people present. ¡°Ah. My bad,¡± Drake coughed, ¡°I am going back to my town, ReUnite. You are all free toe if you wish. There is shelter, food, and work to be had. There are also many benefits for any adventurer whoes and quests there, I guarantee it.¡± ¡°Who says we won¡¯t be turned away like the other cities?¡± someone shouted. Drake removed his disguising ne, ¡°You can¡¯t be turned away by the owner,¡± he smiled, ¡°Now, who¡¯sing?¡± ¡ª-------------- ¡°Valor¡­¡± the woman growled, staring up at the man from the bottom of the steps, ¡°Will you truly not heed the call of your Queen?¡± The man scoffed at the word, ¡°Queen? Lady Aralleen¡­ You may have been thete King and Queen¡¯s daughter but that line is no more in this new world. What you suggest would lead us to war.¡± ¡°You would forsake my sister?! The countless elves that have been taken by those vile savages! We must save them, we must go at once while they are still alive, while we are still strong enough to do so!¡± Aralleen shouted back. ¡°You may have convinced the loyalists to follow you in your foolish attempt to seize control from me, but that is all your childish game amounts to. You hold no real power, the small faction you¡¯ve gathered pales inparison to the human army that woulde should we attack that town. Even if we are in the right, the humans will not stand such a thing,¡± Valor sighed, ¡°You must see that it is not in the best interest of the Dark Elves or our race as a whole. See reason.¡± Araleen let her aura leak, filling the room with a deathly chill, her next words dripping with venom it threatened to melt the very air it was spoken with. ¡°Since when did condemning your own people to a life of very and torment be the better option?! If we do not have the numbers now I will find more! The dwarves, beastmen, anyone!¡± ¡°And what exactly do you intend on offering them? Your body? Your,¡± he scoffed, ¡°Kingdom? Perhaps the God Sapling? I have humored you long enough. I have not the time nor the patience to entertain a spoiled child any longer,¡± Valor said, waving to the guards to remove Aralleen. ¡°Valor! Do not do this! If not each other, what do we have now that we have been ripped from our home!?¡± she pleaded. ¡°That is just it. We have been scattered to the wind, battered, and bruised. You, Would-be Queen. Should we follow you, would have the rest of our race die for your lofty ideals and pride.¡± ¡°At least we would die fighting! At least we would have our own choice! We could make the choice to live! And not die on the ground like filthy dogs should we bend the knee and continue to be disgraced, hollowed out like a rotting tree!¡± ¡°Enough! You are no longer in charge and neither are the King and Queen. Guards! Take her away!¡± Valor turned sitting down on the throne made of branches watching as the guards escorted the Princess, Aralleen Silverwood out of the building. He smiled as the doors closed behind her. ¡°Now, it is only a matter of time until I rule over the rest of the elves. All I have to do is sell off a few of the rabble, sacrifice a few to that man and all will fall into ce as I bide my time until I reach E-Rank.¡± Opening his status, he grinned wider a slow maniacalughter until it filled the room. Chapter 222: Unlike Anyone You’ve Ever Met. Chapter 222: Unlike Anyone You¡¯ve Ever Met. The group had finally gathered everyst person in the city at Drake¡¯s request. Drake stood thoughtfully with his arms crossed at the front of the temporary system center. He had long taken the loot from the Vampires once their spatial bags had appeared. And to his surprise, one of the three dropped a skill stone. [Main ss Skill Stone: Dhampir Knight] [Rare]
  • Unlocks the Dhampir Knight Main ss Tree
  • Requirement: Level 10 Warrior Base ss and Unlocked Main ss Tree
  • Caution Stone may have adverse effects to race and personality
He had long since stowed away the stone, promising he wouldn¡¯t allow it to see the light of day again. His encounter with the Dragon woman in the auction house crossed his mind, reminding him that not everyone of the same race was responsible for the actions of the few he had met. But at the moment it was thest thing on his mind to debate. The vampires and undead he hade across in the tutorial and back on this, had all been scum of the highest order. Breaking him from his thoughts, the murmuring of the crowd began to rise. Drake gave a small whistle getting the crowd¡¯s attention. ¡°Alright, listen up! Like I said, we are going to my town of ReUnite. You are free to follow or stay here and wait for the rest of these vampires¡¯ or dhampirs¡¯ buddies toe abuse you some more.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s to say you won¡¯t do the same thing?! We all saw the system called you, it literally said ¡®Tyrant!¡¯¡± someone shouted from the crowd. ¡°That''s right! It could be even worse going with someone like you! You all saw how he killed those men!¡± another yelled. Drake let out a sigh, rubbing his temples. I should have known this would happen when I let myself get too into that fight¡­ They probably didn¡¯t even believe me when I told them they were vampires. He thought. ¡°Look, I really don¡¯t have time to baby bird everyst one of you what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m sure everyone is smart enough to do the simple math here. I killed the men who were stationed to keep you here. They have to give regr updates to someone much stronger than them,¡± Drake said, raising his brows as he did, ¡°Now, who wants to guess what happens to people who stay when that big bosses to check things out?¡± The crowd quieted down considerably, mulling over his words as they mumbled to each other the loud minority silenced. ¡°T-then you have to take responsibility!¡± someone finally yelled, breaking the rtive silence. Drake mmed his hand to his forehead. ¡°Susmaryosep! That¡¯s what I just said, isn¡¯t it? Now, who ising with me? I have free stuff. Well, rtively free stuff.¡± He didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on the crowd, his mind turning to something Natto had said before. You can¡¯t save everyone and it isn¡¯t your responsibility to do so. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to though, it is kind of my fault¡­¡± Drake mumbled to himself, ¡°But there isn¡¯t much I can do if they don¡¯t believe me or want to listen. It reminds me of the tutorial,¡± he scoffed, ¡°They¡¯re tired, weakened, and confused. I can¡¯t really me them for being so suspicious.¡± Making his decision, Drake walked off the steps of the system center, parting the crowd like the Red Sea as he walked forward. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Drake didn¡¯t even turn to the voice as he slipped his hood back over his head, his long hair poking out of the side, the shawl wrapping around his neck like a scarf. ¡°Just where I¡¯ve been saying I¡¯m going. Home.¡± ¡ª----- Arriving at where he had left Sah Ul¡¯ and the three people they had saved muchter than expected because of therge congregation that had decided to follow him, the sun began to set in the background, painting the surroundings a dull scarlet as the snow clouds opened up letting the night sky bleed through the cracks. On the way he was forced to deter several packs of monsters, but none were higher than level 20, giving him a paltry amount of experience, but much-needed Monster Cores and Skill Stones. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to check the spatial bags of the vampires that he dispatched but he was eager to see what kind of goodies they had inside. But his tion deted quickly as they came up on the location with Sah Ul¡¯ and the others. Her face deepened into a fierce irritated scowl, her arms crossed and Drake could swear that he could feel the faint palpitation of auraing from her. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re back¡­ Sarah¡­ um¡­¡± Drake began trailing off. Oh, she isn¡¯t happy¡­ He thought warily. The entirepany of civilians and adventurers that had apanied Drake on his way back to her was forced to a stop in their tracks in light of the Orc woman as she stormed forward. ¡°Who are these people?¡± she asked, an undercurrent of anger apparent in her voice. Drake was quickly put on the back foot but he had no idea why. He had already defeated Sah Ul¡¯ inbat but this felt entirely different. Akin to when his mother reprimanded him even as he got older. ¡°T-they¡¯re refugees from a city,¡± Drake finally answered. ¡°Why did the Patriarch leave to go to this city?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said looking down on him in an usatory tone, ¡°Why was I not brought as well?¡± ¡°Huh? It could have been dangerous and we needed to keep-¡± Drake¡¯s reply was cut short, the stinging pain of being hit on his cheek burning in the cold breeze. He had seen the blowing. His stats allowed him to see such a strikeing a mile away. But Drake was struck, still in shock. Sah Ul¡¯ had struck him with not just her full strength, but with such emotion behind it that he could feel it through her hand as it arced across his face. ¡°W-what? What the hell was-¡± Drake tried to ask, but was only struck again on the other cheek, Sah Ul¡¯s steely gaze boring into him. Drake was struck several more times as he stood his ground, his eyes widening each time as the open hand spoke more volumes to him than anything she could currently say. The crowd behind them mumbled back and forth in confusion and apprehension. ¡°Who¡¯s the girl¡­?¡± ¡°Why is she hitting him?¡± ¡°Better question is why is he letting her hit him?¡± ¡°Is he going to go berserk again¡­?¡± Drake quickly relinquished himself to the punishment and barrage of open-ended hands, as his eyesnded and paused on Sah Ul¡¯s. After a few seconds of the continuous blows, her face continued to contain the anger behind it. After a minute, it turned to concern, slowly melting over to anguish and regret. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled through her teeth, more a question to herself than Drake. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take me with you?¡± she asked shakily. Drake saw her eyes begin to wet with tears of frustration, the story of her mother and her struggles surfacing to the forefront of his mind. But something else came forward, the face of all the people he had protected in the tutorial, the woman he loved, ire. Drake felt his own frustration boil up. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you getting hurt if something¡­ If something unexpected happened,¡± Drake said, giving a half-hearted excuse. ¡°I am not a child!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ roared, ¡°I am a proud warrior of the Rahk Tribe! And will not be treated as some helpless babe crying in a corner waiting to be rescued! No more!¡± she shouted, looking at Drake with sobering determination, ¡°I have gone through too much and lost too many to not be allowed to move forward and fight!¡± Drake choked back his words, ready to defend himself. Defend his need to keep ire- no Sah Ul¡¯, who he had somehow ced in the same category as ire. He had seen ire taken, right in front of him. With all his power, with all his ability, she had still been stolen from him, almost never to return if he had made the slightest misstep. And Drake would never have that happen again. At some point Sarah, Sah Ul¡¯, had be intertwined in his mind with the same importance as ire, someone whom he wanted, needed, to protect. Someone he wanted to lock away in a box so that the world would neither taint nor harm. In a box that was safe. ¡°I have trained in the trial of the Gods to protect my tribe and chief¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said her voice trembling, ¡°Am I not strong enough? Do you not see me as useful?¡± Drake¡¯s mouth opened but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the words. He wanted to say ¡®No, it wasn¡¯t that.¡¯ He wanted to tell her. She was plenty strong¡­ But there was always something, always some new threat that might take from him despite his growing power. As if Sah Ul¡¯ could sense his thoughts through his silence she gave him onest baleful re before her face struggled to make an expression Drake could only call desperately concerned, tipping on the edge of tears. ¡°Are we not bonded¡­ Patriarch¡­ D-Drake?¡± Her words had struck deep. Drake clenched his fists, feeling the creaking of his bones against the pressure. He took a long drawn-out breath, the mist of the cold chill around them calming in a way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve made a grave mistake. I have treated this¡­ This marriage as just a formality and tried my best not to see you as you are. You¡¯re right, we are in this together and you are more than strong enough. It was¡­ my own shoring. And it might not be the best time but I want to tell you about someone from my tutorial, someone very important to me that you should know of.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s expression turned to surprise. She still harbored a slight tinge of anger and concern but she nodded, her snaggle tusk poking out slightly parting her pink-tinted lips that quivered ever so subtly. The crowd behind them was filled with confusion but they remained deathly silent. Parents holding their children back from pointing and interrupting. The adventurers looked like they wanted to move on from the monster-infested forest but also not wanting to impose on the obvious moment these two extremely strong people were having despite their location. Feeling the eyes burrowing into the back of his head, Drake coughed, covering his mouth before heposed himself, taking down his hood and turning to the group. ¡°Alright, first things first. Let¡¯s get you all to the town and settled,¡± Drake exined, then thumbed to Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°This is Sarah, she is my wife and the daughter of the previous Chief of the Rahk Tribe of Lond Orcs. My town is filled with many races and I expect you all to get along. Because if you don''t, most of them will probably kill you since they¡¯ve been staying there and leveling up for over a week on monsters much higher level than all of you.¡± The crowd looked back at him incredulously but Drake only smiled back,pletely serious about his statement. Chapter 223: Claire and Getting Back. Chapter 223: ire and Getting Back. The air was chilling and weighed heavy as the group walked back to ReUnite in the setting sun of the day. Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ had only left a few hours ago, but were already on their way back the same day after Drake had wanted to stay out for nearly a week. The pressing matter of his family was just within his reach and with people like Adam, vampires and the like, out and about doing anything as they pleased. Along with more being created at who knows what pace, had kicked his concern and trepidation into high gear. He didn¡¯t want to make more excuses but it had probably been another reason he asked Sah Ul¡¯ to stay behind with the group as he went off to exterminate what he at the time assumed was Adam. ¡°This whole thing is a mess and only getting messier¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°What mess would that be?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked next to him, her face still showing remnants of her argument with him only a few minutes ago. Drake was about to tell her that it was nothing but stopped himself. He had been keeping things from her, thinking he needed to shelter her from the problems that were arising, but after she exined how she had been feeling he thought better of it. Looking behind him, seeing that no one from the group that followed them was within reasonable earshot. His Elementals that he had sent out to protect the group in a circle around the area allowing them tofortably move through the forest on their way back to town. Putting his hands behind his head, Drake walked with deliberate steps, the snow crunching beneath his wrapped feet. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you this yet Sarah, or anyone really now that I think about it. But in my tutorial there were undead,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Undead? Is such a thing possible?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°They don¡¯t have that in your culture or tutorial?¡± he asked interested. ¡°We have tales of ancestors rising from the graves in times of war and great upheaval, but it is the smallest of minorities. My trial had none of these undead you speak of.¡± Drake hummed, ¡°Is that so¡­ Well, these were a special type of undead called vampires,¡± he continued, his eyes shing with ferocious anger behind them despite his casual steps forward, ¡°And the people who were in town doing naughty things were the same. Apparently, their ns are to spread their kind in our world. Which makes me wonder if they are here naturally from the fusion of worlds. Or they might be somehow artificially spreading to our world for some reason¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ followed along by Drake¡¯s side listening to him, nodding slightly as he exined, her finger twirling a long braid of her hair that went past her shoulders. ¡°And this person¡­ This important person in Patriarch¡¯s tutorial, did they know of these vampires?¡± she eventually asked, looking directly into Drake¡¯s eyes. Drake flinched slightly as if the jig was up and it was finally time to exin himself in an interrogation room. Where''s the katsudon¡­ He thought, his shoulders slumping by a fraction as his arms drooped down to his sides. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± he answered, ¡°That person. They were taken by them, taken from me in the tutorial and¡­ That¡¯s one of the reasons I¡¯ve been so protective I think,¡± Drake continued, his hand turning white in his grip, thinking back on how ire was taken in front of him by the ghouls and by extension Adam. ¡°Her name is ire,¡± he said in a soft tone, looking back at Sah Ul¡¯ trying to gauge her reaction. ¡°A woman?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, prodding for a bit more information. ¡°Yeah, she was just another person I saved at first¡­¡± Drake went into detail about his tutorial from that point. How he had started out alone, quickly leveling up and finding Natto. From there they began to fight more and more, saving people eventually and killing the King. After which he went on a reprieve of killing insects left and right until he faced off with an evolved Tyrant Ant Prince, nearly killing him. ¡°The Patriarch went through such things¡­ Even an E-Rank that forced him to such a point?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, not touching on ire. ¡°I did. The monster nearly killed me and the other strongest in my tutorial, a man named Bjorn. Put a hole right in my chest,¡± Drake said, pointing to right to his sternum, ¡°Then I got a quest and cked out. When I woke up I was healed and met someone I wish I could forget¡­ From there I turned into the stunning, handsome, charismatic, funny man you see before you today,¡± he smiled. Sah Ul¡¯ gave him a bombastic side-eye. ¡°And this woman. She is special to you as a bonded?¡± she finally asked. Drake had been dreading this question from her. Trying to concoct a way to exin to her ire and his rtionship. ¡°Yes. She is very special to me, I love her. And I still do,¡± Drake said looking up to the sky, before looking into Sah Ul¡¯s eyes, ¡°But at some point, I think you also went into that category. Maybe not love just yet, but you are very important to me Sah Ul¡¯. Seeing you interact with the vigers and people of your n, your adamant want to keep them safe. It reminded me of what started me on this journey of strength and desperate chase for power. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wrong in saying you want nothing more than to protect your family. I don¡¯t think this arranged marriage made us family right away, but,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°I think we might actually be a surprisingly good match.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s face didn¡¯t give any indication of how she felt about what Drake had said, but her lip quivered slightly as her small tusk poked in and out of her parted lips. Drake had felt like he made a grave mistake by going into so much detail after the next few minutes passed in silence ufortably. ¡°Do humans have¡­ Multiple bonded in t-there culture?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ finally asked, breaking the silence that was only filled by the crunching of footsteps in the snow and the asional animal sounds. ¡°N-no, well, yes they used to¡­ But not anymore. Polygamy isn¡¯t really a thing anymore, at least not officially¡­ Dating culture is kinda-¡± Drake began exining rapidly then stopped himself, holding up a hand and taking a breath, ¡°No, it isn¡¯t a thing,¡± then he put his hand to his chin thoughtfully, ¡°Not so sure about Asuran culture though¡­ Why? Is it eptable in Orc Culture? I probably should have asked Natto that¡­¡± he mumbled to himself. Sah Ul¡¯ turned her head, her cheeks reddening slightly and her hand went back to twirling her braid. ¡°It is eptable inrger tribes. The tribe wishes to raise strong warriors, so the strongest warriors and Chief will sire many children. Giving birth to a strong boy is the greatest honor for an Orc Woman,¡± she said almost longingly, her other hand going to her exposed abs. Drake¡¯s eyes followed her hand, his body tensing as he gave an audible gulp. ¡°I-is that right¡­? B-but how do you feel about it?¡± he asked, bringing the conversation back to reality from his wild fantasy that was raging on in his anime harem-addled mind. ¡°I¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ started, ¡°I do not wish to share the man I am bonded with, but I understand it is best for the tribe to have many strong descendants of the Patriarch,¡± she exined, more to herself than to Drake before he looked up as well, her hand gripping the air, ¡°I will have to see the woman the Patriarch has epted. To test her strength of body and character.¡± Drake suddenly got a foreboding feeling from Sah Ul¡¯s exnation, making a mental note that he would have to be there when the meeting inevitably happened. Stepping in if it was necessary. ire was a support ss after all and Sah Ul¡¯ was, well, what was her ss? ¡°By the way, what is your ss Sarah?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked back at him tilting her head slightly. ¡°I am an Orc Ax Master, it is a Rare ss. Would Patriarch like to see?¡± she offered. ¡°Maybeter,¡± he said, thinking it seemed appropriate that she had an above-average ss considering she had stood against him, albeit briefly. Thinking back to the task at hand Drake addressed her again, ¡°Looks like we won¡¯t make it back before nightfall at this rate. I think we will have to set up camp for now,¡± he said, looking back over his shoulder at the group of people beginning to slow, ¡°Could you check on my Elementals and clear any monsters that need to be dealt with?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned slightly, ¡°Are you sending me away again?¡± she said, her voice slightly growling. ¡°No, no,¡± Drake said waving his hands, ¡°The exact opposite. I want to trust you more to handle yourself. If you want I could tag along,¡± he smirked, ¡°If you want a babysitter that is.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ scoffed, ¡°I will be just fine! A warrior of my caliber needs no protection,¡± she said proudly, folding her arms in front of her. ¡°Good,¡± Drake chuckled lightly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle the people here. We¡¯ll talk more ok? There¡¯s still a lot I want to know about you Sarah,¡± he added, giving a genuine smile. ¡°Y-yes. I would like that Patriarch,¡± she answered before she turned quickly and ran off. ¡°Oh, is she not just an earnest airhead but a drop of tsundere¡­?¡± Drakeughed wryly. ¡ª------------- The area Drake cleared for the group of snow and dried was packed tight by the adventurers and civilians. He was quickly running out of tents he had gathered during the tutorial now that the town was expanding so quickly and only had a few left to hand out. Most of the tents and sleeping equipment he had was given to the civilians or the below-level 10 people and their children who had little to no resistance against the cold. He dried and made as many fires as he could for the rest of people, but thankfully some of the adventurers had tents and sleeping equipment for themselves making it easier on Drake¡¯s stores. After finishing the preparations he went to looking at his status, noting that nothing had changed stat or title-wise. Then he finally opened up the Nobilitydder that he had been procrastinating on for so long. Nobility Board #1 Drake Wallen: 1,497 Pts. Rank Baron - ReUnite #2 Atticus Wallen: 853 Pts. Rank Lord - Purity #3 Brett Nieudacznik: 773 Pts. Rank Lord - Uruk #4 Shigure Kenzo: 589 Pts. Rank Knight - Shinchoku #5 Ferdinand Smith: 255 Pts. Rank Knight - New Allied Colonies #6 Valor Alvea: 250 Pts. Rank Knight - Avalon #7 Pablo Cortez: 247 Pts. Rank Knight - The Wandering Isle #8 Mirthal Farsatra: 244 Pts. Rank Knight - Naerora #9 Suisei Yuki: 99 Pts. Rank Knight - Yuki no Kuni #10 Grokkurim Bonegrip: 81 Pts. Rank Lord - Stone Ridge ¡­ .. . Drake stared at the board for a few minutes, trying to process exactly how it worked and what was indicated outside of the obvious. He had noticed quite a few names he recognized. Especially the ghost that was apparently his brother, which disturbed him beyond just a passing thought. If what the Doctor, Bridgette had said was even partially correct, he would not only be arge problem in the future. But also need to answer for the massive amount of people he had killed in the name of some radical cleansing that was akin to WW2 atrocities. The thought shot a chilling bolt of lightning down his back as his hands gripped on themselves unconsciously. Besides his brother, he had seen Shigure somewhat high on thedder at the fourth spot respectively. And the name Brett Nieudacznik scratched at the back of Drake¡¯s head like he had heard it somewhere before but couldn¡¯t ce it. There was also a name he had not remembered hearing in the announcements of the first 100 towns established, Ferdinand Smith. And it was apparent by his town name that he may be the person whom some of the adventurers kept mentioning in passing as the new President of the scattered states. While looking at the board he noticed the points moving upwards and downward in real time. They didn¡¯t move inrge quantities, at least not his own. But his brother''s was moving up at a remarkable pace, that began to worry him. He tried to glean some more information using his inspection to look at all the parts of the board hoping something would pop up. Nobility Points
  • Points are given and taken away based on Questspleted by affiliated parties or individuals to a town.
  • Points are gained throughpleted quests by affiliated parties, specified Nobility Quests, or the Nobility in charge of the respective town increases in Vessel Rank.
  • Points are lost if a quest is notpleted by the designated time or if the epting party has been killed.
Drake bit down on the side of his cheek as he read the description of the points, cursing in his mind. ¡°Just another way the system is trying to make us at odds¡­¡± he swore. ¡°What is, Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul asked, cing her huge ck axe to the side, leaning on a nearby tree for a moment. She had just returned and overheard him talking to himself. She looked at him curiously as she removed another fur shawl from her shoulders as she had gotten blood on it like the others. Drake inspected her for a moment. [Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk Level 23] ¡°You leveled up?¡± Drake asked, surprised. Sah Ul¡¯ gave a toothy tusk apanied grin, ¡°I did. I have felt that I was on the brink of moving forward and the gods have blessed me with strength once more.¡± Drake gave a smile back, unable to help himself at her tion of leveling up before he turned back to the Nobility Board slightly frowning. ¡°This nobility thing the system gave us is¡­ Concerning to put it mildly,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°It encourages nobility to grow their forces, leading to more people finishing quests and increasing their own power and nobility rank,¡± he exined. Sah Ul¡¯ nodded. It was painfully obvious that would be something you should do as a leader, it almost went without saying. Drake held up a finger, ¡°But the system also rewards you for killing other town¡¯s forces,¡± he exined, flipping the exnation screen and pointing to the third line, ¡°See the loss terms?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ bent down slightly, her cleavage hanging seductively in front of Drake¡¯s face as she looked at the screen, scowling. Drake looked for a moment before he ripped his eyes away reluctantly, finding interest in a rock on the ground. ¡°This is certainly a problem,¡± she agreed, ¡°Our warriors will be in danger from both monsters and invaders¡­ How are we going to protect them from scheming tribes?¡± she asked. Drake scratched his cheek, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know right now. I think the best thing to do at the moment is just to advise all affiliated adventurers to not make their affiliation known without reason. I¡¯m sure quite a few of the other towns are hunting people just for that very reason if the tutorials are anything to go by,¡± he said solemnly. What I¡¯m more worried about is specific quests to do just that. The rate at which Atticus is gaining points doesn¡¯t seem normal. If every point is a questpleted it would mean he ispleting quests every few hours and even with thousands of people that doesn''t seem right¡­ Drake pondered. Sah Ul¡¯ had righted herself, stowing her coat and ax before she sat down next to Drake, closing her eyes as she folded her arms. He looked at her surprised. She had suddenly be veryfortable with him after their fight. And he was sure she didn¡¯t need to sleep, being a warrior with most likely formidable Stamina. But he kept to himself, fiddling around with his screens and inventory as he let the sound of her even cadenced breaths, crackling of campfires, and the asional rustle of tent ps fill his ears while the night droned on. ¡ª-------- The next morning, Drake roused everyone quickly. They had used another day due to the mass of people, but he didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. He hurried the group, helping where he could as he refreshed his Elementals from the previous day. Drake could keep them out for extended periods of time, but if they fought regrly the mana he infused into them would be drained eventually breaking the spell. ¡°How close are we to this town?¡± someone finally asked on their march back. Drake turned to look over his shoulder, the person flinching slightly at his gaze. It was a small boy in a winter coat no older than 14. ¡°Pretty close. Where are your parents?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Don¡¯t have em,¡± the kid replied. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Daniel¡­¡± the boy said, shuffling under his coat slightly. ¡°Well Daniel, when we get there we have schools or at least I hope we do. So I hope you enjoy having homework again,¡± Drake teased. The boy groaned, kicking a bit of snow. ¡°All this magic stuff and you go and bring back homework? Those people are right, you are crazy¡­¡± Drake chuckled a bit, hearing Sah Ul¡¯ give a small giggle. ¡°That¡¯s true, but,¡± Drake said, holding up a finger a small thunderous snapping to life as he summoned a spark at its tip, ¡°I think crazy in this world is probably good for most things.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes sparkled at the magic. Drake squelched the magic in his grip, pointing forward, the ck walls he had erecteding into view. ¡°Ah see? Here we are.¡± Before Drake could turn to address the group, the sound of someone falling from the sky ripped through the air behind him. A secondter he was ttened face-first into the ground. ¡°Dddddrrrrrraaaaaakkkkeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± the colorful girl shouted as she nuzzled into his neck from on top of him. Drake struggled to lift his head, snow sticking to it as he spit out a clump of dirt, grass, and snow. ¡°H-hi Quetz¡­ I¡¯m back,¡± he chuckled wryly. Chapter 224: Machinations of Evil Chapter 224: Machinations of Evil Araleen sat in the courtyard of the makeshift Elven castle made from twisted roots summoned from the several nt Mages Valor employed. Her eyes gazed up at the branches of their god, the World Tree Fern. The one and only tree allowed on the. The only god to remain from the transition. Fern was still young in terms of World Trees but still held the power and majesty all the same. On their old home, Avalon, there were many trees like this, with sprouts and seedlings aplenty, before the Grand Tree decided to push them into the cycle of growth. A constant battle of life and death. She sighed deeply, staring up at the branches that held such power of both life and spirit, a stark reminder of where she hade from. ¡°I miss you, Mother¡­ Father¡­ If only you both were here, maybe the people would rally,¡± she croaked, choking back a sob. ¡°No.. I must be strong. Valor may have forsaken our people, but I have not!¡± she growled through clenched teeth. Araleen looked down at the seed in her other hand. [Seedling of the World Tree][Legendary] [F-Rank] As every first prince or princess of the royal line was, she had been tasked as the Guardian of the Royal Sapling that would grow into the next world tree used to bathe the capital city in the glow of life and spiritual rebirth. She steeled herself, making a decision that she knew would create civil war among her people. The sounds of footfalls grew behind her, the snow being crunched under leather boots growing closer. ¡°Mydy.¡± Araleen turned, a smallpany of loyalists kneeling in respect. ¡°What is your decision?¡± the lead captain asked, not raising his gaze. cing the seedling back into her inventory, she stood, her eyes hardened and the look of royalty ready to decreew taking hold of her. ¡°We go to war. We go to save my sister. Prepare!¡± shemanded. ¡°By your will!¡± thepany shouted in unison, rocking the area with a deep cheer. ¡ª------------------------------------- Drake stared at the gate in disbelief, his face pale at what stared back at him. ¡°Why is that there¡­?¡± ¡°Whatever do you mean my Lord?¡± Theodore said, shimmering into view next to him, deliberately on the side Sah Ul¡¯ was not. ¡°What do I mean¡­?¡± Drake growled exacerbated, pointing an usatory finger at the gate, ¡°I mean what is my face doing over the gate, Theo!?¡± Theodore, fixed his monocle, ¡°Oh that. This one believed it was reasonable to construct the face of his Lord over each of the entrances to showcase the profound glory of his liege! It was only natural, there is no need to thank this one,¡± he said matter of factly. With a pop, a snicker Natto appeared on Drake¡¯s shoulder, a hissing Quetz clinging to him on the other. ¡°Yes, do not thank dear Theodore. It was only n-n-natural¡­¡± she guffawed, failing to stifle her pure ridiculing snickering. ¡°Did you put him up to this?¡± Drake frowned. Natto put a hand to her chest in faux offense, her mouth hanging open dramatically, ¡°Who¡­. me¡­? Why I would certainly never!¡± she scoffed. ¡°Hey, hey, Drake, I don¡¯t like the mean little person! Always making fun of Drake and Quetz!¡± Quetz chirped, slumping off his shoulder to walk on the ground. ¡°Yes, I know Quetz. I¡¯m starting to like her less and less too..¡± Drake agreed. ¡°Enough of your whining. Why have you returned so soon?¡± Natto asked, ¡°I can not imagine it is anything advantageous.¡± Drake sighed but thumbed to the group of people behind him, ¡°First let¡¯s get these people situated. Can you do that for me?¡± he asked, but not before he pointed with his other hand a stone bullet firing out and embedding itself into his own face above the gate. He quickly manipted his magic to tten the face, erasing it from the gate wall. ¡°And get rid of those faces!¡± Theodore frowned but nodded, ¡°This one shall have them removed from the other gates¡­¡± he answered with some sorrow, ¡°This one supposes he should also remove them from the school entrance as well¡­¡± ¡°You put them on the school too?!¡± Drake said, his ears reddening in embarrassment slightly. ¡°The faces?¡± Quetz asked, hearing Drake, only understanding half of the conversation. ¡°Yes, the faces¡­¡± Drake cringed. ¡°Haha,¡± Quetz chirped, ¡°I think they¡¯re cute! Yep yep!¡± Drakeughed warily and tried to get back on track. ¡°Alright Quetz, let¡¯s get everyone together, it¡¯s about time we get started.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, what do you mean started?¡± Drake cracked his knuckles, ¡°Started with your guys¡¯ training.¡± Natto stopped him with a tap to his side from his shoulder, ¡°You should exin what is going on with the trouble you faced first. I would also like to update you on what has happened while you were gone.¡± ¡°Update? I was gone for less than a day.¡± ¡°Yes, but we have already implemented several policies. Several for visitors and new citizens. We have regted the use of both the system center, auction, and library for the moment. I will need to go over more with you in detail before you do anything else.¡± Drake sighed but nodded, ¡°Fine. What¡¯s this about visitor policy? Are you surveying people or something as theye in?¡± ¡°Yes, we are doing such things as a preliminary survey as well as a full body scan of all visitors. I have also done the same for current citizens.¡± ¡°You did this for people living here already? Why, did something happen in the time I¡¯ve left?¡± ¡°Unfortunately yes, there have been several people detained due to having their races changed somehow. I can not tell when the change urred but they have been changed to ghouls and vampires somehow. There is also a problem with¡­¡± Natto paused, taking a moment to form the correct words, ¡°Certain items making their way into the town.¡± ¡°Items?¡± Drake parroted, but felt a tug on his arm, Quetz looking up at him expectantly, ¡°Ok let¡¯s get this all done. Do you want to tag along, Quetz?¡± Quetz beamed a smile, wrapping her arms around his, nuzzling into his hoodie, ¡°Yep yep!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ gave a slight scowl, but sighed and rxed her expression into a soft smile as she looked at Quetz. ¡°What about you Sarah?¡± Drake asked, noticing her gaze. ¡°I will check with my father first, then I will return before we depart once more.¡± Drake nodded, Sah Ul¡¯s back growing distant as she made for the gate, then turned to Theodore. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°This one is unfortunately full to the brim with the directives my Lord has requested of thyself. I merely wanted to wee thy Lord back,¡± Theodore answered, giving a slight bow and shimmering out of sight. ¡°Ok,¡± Drake said, ¡°So how does this check for new people work?¡± he asked. Natto pointed to the gate, ¡°It is rtively simple, they will pass through the gate like normal. As a territory assistant I am able to actively scan anyone within the influence of your town, seeing simple information such as names, race, level, and affiliation,¡± she exined then paused, ¡°But, If they are wearing an item of or of higher Rank than I currently am, the scan would need to be consensual.¡± Drake gave a wry grin, ¡°You¡¯re scanning people without their consent?¡± heughed. ¡°There is a sign¡­ When entering the town they are made aware they are under surveince, although they do not know it is I that is doing it. I should also mention that although we do not have thergest and most fortified wall currently, anyone who does not go through a gate is seen as hostile. Many of the guards have apprehended some people trying to do so recently.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s good that we have at least a system right now,¡± Drake nodded, ¡°Alright everyone!¡± he pointed and shouted, ¡°Please go through the gate, you will be scanned and let in, once inside you will be directed to a ce you can live temporarily and given the bare essentials if you require them. You are free to register as an affiliated adventurer or remain here until you are ready to move on to another town. But, do not cause trouble in my city.¡± The group behind him finally unfroze at being addressed and began moving towards the directed gate. Drake and his own small group moved as well alongside them, as he saw the boy Daniel give him a wave before he was lost in the crowd. ¡°Can you tell me how many people go through once it¡¯s done?¡± Drake asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly take a headcount when we left.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Natto said, a screen popping up in front of her, ¡°There are exactly 372 people in this group, I can not break it down further until they pass the gate and this does not include the people that could be removed if found to be undead or having the particr item in their possession.¡± Drake¡¯s eyebrow raised again at the mention of the item. ¡°You can scan for that as well?¡± ¡°Every person who enters the town has their items inventoried when they enter. With the system giving everyone the ability to store items out of sight, it is a valuable feature designated to TA¡¯s. I can do nothing to their inventories but I have the ability to make a file for each and every person. They are also scanned before and after entering the Auction, Center, Bank, or any building really. There have been zero sessful thefts of course and I have dealt with any attempts myself.¡± ¡°Yourself?¡± Drake smiled curiously. ¡°Yes! Certainly, I have the stats topete with nearly anyone now,¡± Natto grinned. Drake scoffed, imagining seeing Natto taking down people several times her own size with arm bars and rear-naked choke holds. Could she even get her arms around someone¡¯s neck? ¡°You aren¡¯t killing anyone are you¡­?¡± he asked skeptically. ¡°Only if they deserve it,¡± she answered tly, ¡°Unfortunately no one has done anything that severe yet¡­¡± she said slightly downcast. ¡°Hey, you should be happy about that,¡± Drake grimaced. Natto waved her hand dismissively at him. ¡°Ah, it seems we have caught one,¡± she said, pointing to the boy stopped at the gate. It was Daniel. Drake frowned, ¡°What was he stopped for? He isn¡¯t¡­?¡± ¡°No, he is not undead. He seems to have an item on him, in his pocket,¡± Natto answered, disappearing with a pop, a momentter returning with the same sound on Drake¡¯s shoulder. Dropping the item into his open hand she sighed. ¡°It is running rampant at the moment. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do outside of banning its use within the town as it is a legal system item.¡± Drake inspected the item. [Low-Quality Core Steroid] [Common] [F-Rank]
  • Stat Boosting Steroid that gives a temporary increase to all stats by 10%
  • Duration: 30 Minutes.
  • No Cooldown
  • Made from various herbs and the crushed core of an F-Rank Monster.
He frowned deeply, waving to have the boy brought over. ¡°A steroid? And from a Monster Core. I should have guessed it was a thing with how the system has nearly every job as a nonbat ss. Why wouldn¡¯t it have drug makers¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°The problem does not lie with it being a drug. There are many pills as you have taken yourself and many others in the multiverse. The issue is it is highly addictive. And unlike how using Cores and Skill Stones normally to increase your level and proficiency, where they will eventually reach a cap until you have Ranked Up once more. These Steroids stunt your growth indefinitely¡­¡± she spat in disgust, ¡°And the higher and more pure the product, the more addictive and potent it is, while shortening the time until it destroys your potential.¡± Daniel finally made it to them, his head down. Drake kneeled holding the bottle of the dull purplish-red powder. ¡°Why do you have this Daniel?¡± he asked. The boy wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze for a short time, but Drake was unrelenting and waited patiently for an answer. ¡°I-I wanted money¡­¡± Daniel said finally. ¡°Money? You were nning on selling this for coins?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Those people you killed, back at the town¡­ They were forcing it on people and then selling it after. I just thought whatever it was would let me get a few coins so I could eat, maybe get some good items or something when I turned 16,¡± Daniel admitted. Drake frowned deeply before he sighed. ¡°Here,¡± Drake said, waiting for the boy to open his hand, dropping several coins into his hand, ¡°Natto, direct him to Janey. Tell her to let him stay for the night before sending him to Theodore and Harley. I want him ced in school,¡± then he looked down at Daniel, ¡°I expect you to know better than to touch this again. I¡¯m giving you an opportunity to never have to. Don¡¯t waste it,¡± he smiled, putting his hand on his shoulder. Daniel¡¯s eyes widened before his bottom lip shook and he nodded, his bangs falling over his face. ¡°Go on, get yourself a warm meal and a good night''s sleep. And the house has video games, don¡¯t break the controllers,¡± Drake smirked. Daniel ran off for the line at the gate once more, gripping the coins in both hands as tightly as he could. ¡°I hate this system sometimes,¡± Drake muttered, looking at the boy, ¡°I don¡¯t want kids like him having to do things like that.¡± ¡°He is not the first and will not be thest Drake. You can not save them all,¡± Natto said. ¡°Yeah, maybe, but like I said in the tutorial. I can try,¡± he sighed, ruffling Quetz¡¯s feathered hair next to him, her violet eyes turning into upward crescents at his touch, ¡°How are people getting ahold of this stuff?¡± he asked. ¡°It is a basic alchemy item, not hard toe by. It is also amonly sold item at the auction but I highly doubt it came from us. It was not in the town until we opened up to let in people in preparation for the auction in several weeks,¡± Natto answered. ¡°Then the undead are using it as some sort of recruiting method?¡± he asked back. ¡°I am not sure. Converting races into undead is a moderately long process. It requires specific items and depending on the transition race as well as the race they are changing into it could require certain terms, conditions, and catalysts. It is not just basic undead, vampires, and ghouls that we have seen. There are tales of some adventurersing from the West who have seen lesser ghosts and banshees. It is troublesome, to say the least, if the undead have a hold on this already.¡± Drake had yet to look into the vampire''s spatial bags but after their conversation with Daniel, he opened up the several that had dropped from the bodies. And as he expected there wererge quantities of the Steroids. ¡°Can you dispose of the Steroids for me,¡± Drake grimaced, dropping the items in a massive pile in the snow. ¡°Certainly,¡± Natto replied, pulling the items into her sleeve in an instant. ¡°Then, let me know if anything happens. Once the integration of the new people is finished we can talk more. I¡¯m going to go see the kids for now. I don¡¯t think I need to exin after this, but the undead are working something in the background and I won¡¯t let my family stay out of reach any longer. We are going to rescue my family.¡± Chapter 225: Or Forever Hold Your Peace Chapter 225: Or Forever Hold Your Peace Drake¡¯s eye twitched ufortably as Quetz bobbed back and forth on her heels, using his arm as an anchor as she hummed to herself. ¡°W-what is this?¡± he muttered. ¡°Do not be so dense, it is a home,¡± Natto said matter of factly. ¡°Yes, but why is it here? It¡¯s only been a day! And why is it so big? I don¡¯t need a house, I don''t need to sleep!¡± Drake sighed, putting his hand to his head. ¡°It is not just for you stupid,¡± Natto scoffed. ¡°Oh? Who is it for then? You?¡± Drake asked usingly. Natto whistled in the other direction for a moment, ¡°N-no¡­ it is for all the stray kittens you seem to be picking up as well as,¡± Natto snickered, ¡°Lovers?¡± Drake flinched. ¡°Oh yes, my dear Patriarch, do not think I have not noticed the air between you two. Warmed up to you has she?¡± Natto smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. ¡°None of your damned business,¡± Drake muttered, ¡°So are the kids here?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, yes, they are inside. The house is still in construction. I took what wood we had used to temporarily make the frame, it should be finished by the time youe back from picking up your family.¡± Drake looked at the massive three-story building on the ind. It was a mix of traditional and modern style construction. The base frame was made of wood just like Natto had said, a wooden walkway circled the house with jet-ck walls that seemed to be made from his own earth magic. The walls continued up with windows of wood marking each floor. The roof was made of the same ck earth but turned into ted shingles that reminded him of the Auction house. ¡°So this is the style we¡¯re going for in the town?¡± Drake asked, his heart beating a little faster as he looked over the house again. ¡°I assumed you would like it,¡± Natto smiled, ¡°We unfortunately do not have the materials to do it justice but once we obtain some skilled craftsman and better materials it will be swiftly rectified. It should be mentioned we are in desperate need of materials, the resources that you obtained in the tutorial are wearing thin.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Drake asked surprised, ¡°I had a mountain of stuff!¡± Natto shook her head, ¡°You had quite a lot for one person, yes. But we currently have,¡± Natto paused, pulling up a screen, ¡°Just short of two thousand citizens and more by the day if you continue your recruiting efforts.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not recruiting anyone,¡± he sighed, ¡°I just can¡¯t help bringing people here because of the conditions outside.¡± ¡°Yes, well if you continue to do your hero''s rescue for every lost soul. We will certainly run out of not only food and shelter but space and material to house them. The homes we have temporarily erected in the residential area are quickly bing cramped. And we do not currently have enough mana iron ore to reinforce the waste collection system below the streets that will need to be built and many other ventures that we have promised. Which brings me to another point, have you collected any of the slimes I have requested?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance, I¡¯ll make a point of doing it when I go out with the kids.¡± ¡°Shame,¡± Natto sighed, ¡°Our current measures will onlyst so long before it bes unsanitary I should have you know. This mass of people will only growrger over the days I am sure which will also require more resources. This town was hastily made in order to have you gain a title, which we failed at I might add¡­ However, we did not have the funds nor material to maintain this level of growth. If we had more personnel we may be able to stabilize,¡± she scoffed, ¡°Thankfully we now have the library.¡± ¡°Oh, the manuals inside?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes. The manuals have helped in strides with the problem. And somehow the books you retrieved from the colleges have also allowed many of the people to gain more advanced crafting and nonbat sses. But it is still slow-moving as of now. They still need to be nurtured and given time to gather profession experience. I have to hand it to the Treant inside, his library is vast. Even at the lower level there are fighting manuals, profession manuals, and general knowledge that rival even my own.¡± ¡°Well technically it''s better since he has manuals,¡± Drake teased. ¡°Then I suppose you would like to go read up on your questions instead of asking?¡± Natto huffed, turning her head. ¡°Forgive me, your greatness,¡± Drake apologized, bending down enough to have her fall off his shoulder. Natto picked herself up from the snow-covered ground with a frown, holding her open hand up. Drake smiled and ced a bag of cookies into it, ¡°Will this suffice as an offering?¡± he scoffed. ¡°It is eptable, although a pauper¡¯s apology¡­¡± she sneered, quickly opening the bag and snapping a cookie in half as she leered at him. ¡°Yeah, ok,¡± Drake chuckled wryly, ¡°Can you go grab everyone Quetz? We¡¯re going to go to the system center together,¡± he said turning to the humming avian. ¡°Ehhhhh¡­. But, but, I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± she groaned. ¡°Be a good girl and go get everyone alright?¡± Drake admonished with a grin. ¡°Fine¡­¡± she chirped, walking off with dramatic strides, her arms swinging at her side showing off her colorful feathers changing different shades of a yful orange. Once she was inside the house Drake turned back to the snacking Natto. ¡°Alright, can you go over the skill stones I will need for the kids? I might be able to get a few rares with the loot I got from the vampires on the way back, but I¡¯ll need aprehensive list. And I¡¯ll also need one for the twins.¡± Natto gave him azy wave of her hand, ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ve had dear Theo purchase a few of the stones. But I had to turn him down when he tried to give me his entire inventory¡­ He needs to manage his coins properly if he is to be a father soon,¡± she said, sighing exacerbated remembering the exchange. ¡°The children that you have so far¡­ Let me see. As I have told you, the girl, Charlotte, is straightforward. She will start from a warrior ss upgrading into a Lightning Spearman Main ss, yes?¡± Natto asked, to which Drake nodded. ¡°Then she will require several Lightning Skill Stones. She can either usemon body and warrior stones to fill some of her slots for her more general use skills or if you wish to have something more specific there are umon Spearman skill stones. Her Subtree can either be themonly used Internal Mastery or something simr. Most of that rarity are very general purpose and all-around beneficial for any fighting ss. If you wish to have her trained in a specific direction though, there are other options. She could focus on pure technique over the elemental augmentation the ss uses, going forbat-oriented Sub-tree boosting stones. Like the Vanguard Sub-tree, but it is unfortunately another rare stone. You would be able to ess the same skill pool from a Guardsman Subtree, but since it is an Umon rarity there are more duds in the pool. My suggestion however is to have her lean into the elemental augmentation of her future ss. It may be expensive but a Valkyrie variant of Substone would be perfect.¡± ¡°A variant? Why not just get the Valkyrie stone itself?¡± Natto shook her head, ¡°You are asking for too much. The specific Valkyrie Stone is a Main ss Stone for one, and the stones within the same category are Epic Rarity. The Valkyrie are also a powerful race within the multiverse so the stones are hard toe by, the equivalents however are of Rare and Umon rarity, making them more essible. They are the Clouded Skies Sub-tree Stone and Warband Subtree Stone. I would have her take the Clouded Skies Stone and pair it with a specific weapon mastery stone. Perhaps ance or short spear specific.¡± ¡°Short spear ornce, huh? Why not just a regr spear or maybe a pike? Is there a reason she needs to have something shorter? I don¡¯t think her strength will becking due to the system helping with stats,¡± Drake asked. ¡°Without waiting for higher quality stones and a proper teacher for her ss, she will not be able to have the proficiency needed to adopt a full-length spear. I believe she will need to supplement it with either a shield or another short spear. Hence the suggestion for the Valkyrie Stones.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look when we go to the system center. I know they have up to umon rarity stones for sale on the cheap so we might have to work with what we have or end up waiting. With me around I don¡¯t think there is a rush to finish their sses, but we will need the subtree stones to bring them up to F-Rank¡­ Then there¡¯s the problem of a teacher. Not many people I¡¯ve seen use a spear and most of the Orcs are ax wielders¡­¡± Drake mused, ¡°You said Theo purchased some stones?¡± Natto nodded, pulling out ten crystalline stones, ¡°He was able to purchase ten in total, based on what you have told me there are two lightning stones, two wind stones, two ritual stones, one clouded skies subtree stone, one fierce gale subtree stone, one transcendence stone, and one meridian stone. Unfortunately for the Orc boy, there were not many stones avable for purchase for the ss you nned for him. Ki User is a versatile ss however and almost anything will work well for it.¡± Drake eyed Natto with a slight grin, ¡°You suggested some of the stones you already had Theo purchase?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I certainly may have thought ahead a bit,¡± she smirked, ¡°The other boy, Landin, was it? His ss is another versatile ss but the stones required are always in demand. Honestly, they ate through most of poor Theodore¡¯s reserves. Ritual Stones are multi-use stones for summoning and taming sses which are in high demand in the multiverse.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Drake asked surprised, ¡°His ss is a cleric base ss, I would have expected more people to move towards pure buffing or healing sses with that initial selection.¡± ¡°That is certainly logical, but with summoning sses, the summons are usually immortal in a sense and can be used indefinitely for battle so long as the summoner is alive and has arge reservoir of mana. Ritual-type sses that also use the stones need to be done inrge groups for massive war arrays and battle circles. Because of that, older empires and forces quickly buy up the stones for their auxiliary forces. But we were able to get two without much trouble,¡± Natto said proudly, ¡°Although at a high premium cost¡­¡± she added quietly. ¡°Then what about Quetz?¡± ¡°The birdbrain is somewhat straightforward, much like the other girl. The ss you presented me with, the Wind Gunman can branch into many other sses once it reaches its second upgrade but for the most part, she simply needs dexterity-oriented stones. I suggest peppering in a light smattering of Assassin and Stealth stones for good measure and survivability, but we did purchase her a Fierce Gale sub-tree stone which will turn her into a flying little monster¡­¡± ¡°Then we have most of what we need for them already?¡± Drake beamed. ¡°For the most part, yes, but you will pay Theodore back. He may willingly follow you but he is not a piggy bank. He has his own family to think about as well. While none of your party members seems to have brought family with them, which is terrible. He is building one here with Harley,¡± Natto said firmly. Drake grinned at her, his eyes thinning, ¡°Awe, look at you! I always knew you cared,¡± he teased. Natto humphed and turned just as the sound of snow-crunching footfalls came closer. Drake turned and gave a wave to the group, ¡°Yo!¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± Charlotte said, giving a wave back, her face slightly flushed. ¡°Greetings Lord Drake,¡± Atropos bowed slightly, her brother, Clotho, following suit without a word. ¡°Yo,¡± Landin waved back, ¡°I thought you were gonna be a few more days?¡± he yawned. Surprisingly Kalik Tu¡¯ was also here, staying just slightly behind the others as he greeted Drake only with his eyes before turning his head away. ¡°Some stuff came up and we¡¯re removing up the schedule. Bad people doing bad things and all that,¡± Drake said in a light tone, trying to keep the conversation bright for now. ¡°The new boy Daniel is already inside the house,¡± Charlotte reported before Drake could continue. ¡°Oh good,¡± Drake replied, ¡°Hope he gets along with Brodie and Cid. He¡¯s been through some stuff¡­ Damn it feels like I¡¯m saying that about everyone recently,¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to be very direct with you all,¡± Drake said to the six teens, ¡°This is thest time I will ask if you wish to back out. Once we start, there is no turning back. You will no longer be kids in my eyes, you will be adults and I will instruct you as such.¡± Charlotte and Landin shuffled on their feet a bit but said nothing. ¡°Since you saved me, I have always nned to follow you and repay you with a life debt, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos said, bending at the knee to kneel, ¡°By my n, I will serve you beyond the best of my ability.¡± Drake was taken aback by the abrupt deration and the turn of her head Atropos gave Charlotte before facing downwards again. Her brother Clotho, looked to have chewed on something sour before he also bent at the knee and bowed his head slightly without a word. ¡°I have never been a child. If following you is what I must do to protect my tribe, I will suffer through the dishonor,¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ said from behind the twins with a scowl. ¡°Dishonor¡­.huh?¡± Drake muttered sourly. ¡°Hey, hey. Quetz will go anywhere with Drake. I don¡¯t have anyone else so Drake is my flock now,¡± Quetz answered, her face curved into a smile, but her feathers turned a deep purple betraying her expression. Drake looked sympathetically at the teens. He knew they had all been through different troubles, but all had been through things many adults couldn¡¯t evenpare to. And he would have to force them through even harder trials still. ¡°Then, speak now, or forever hold your peace,¡± Drake said coldly. He looked at them, knowing he had to lock away the part of him that wanted to call off the whole thing and put everything on his shoulders regardless of the consequences. Regardless of how insurmountable the task seemed or what Natto told him was impossible for one person. He wanted to protect these kids, protect everyone he could. But he couldn¡¯t stop what he had put into motion now. The waves of change brought by the system were too big. Chapter 226: Kid Status No More Chapter 226: Kid Status No More ¡°No objections then?¡± Drake asked the group. None of the teens replied back, holding his gaze with varying expressions. Atropos and Clotho had stood back up at this point, and the rest of the teens had lined up. ¡°Alright then, let''s get going,¡± Drake instructed, beginning to walk over the bridge, the line of people following close behind, ¡°Atropos, Clotho. I need to know your sses and how many skills you have.¡± Atropos looked over to her brother with her eyes still closed, garnering an understanding nod from her brother before she spoke. ¡°We both had only received our Main ss Upgrades from the Great Wolf God as our hunt had ended and did not have a chance to use any stones. Shortly after the hunt, we were separated from our n. Being captured by those people quickly after¡­¡± she said solemnly. Drake felt nothing but sympathy for the twins, unfortunately, he had to quickly remind himself that he had to limit how much he acted on the feeling for now since they would be training soon enough. It does get me thinking though, did the system use Earth as the temte for the merge? It seems like most of the earthen topography was kept intact. While the other worlds were split and fractured. I¡¯ll have to ask around about that more and investigate it while we travel. He thought in passing. ¡°Then what are the names of your sses? The dirtbag said you had an Epic and Rare ss?¡± he asked, his face twisting with a sliver of disgust remembering the man. Atropos flinched slightly at the mention of the pile of trash but kept her step over the ice bridge with the others. ¡°My ss is called Night Oracle, my brother¡¯s is called a Thread Maniptor. Shall we disy them to you?¡± she offered candidly. ¡°Natto, heard of them?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes. Quite the interesting sses¡­ Her ss will be troublesome to nurture, but thankfully you have one given by the she fox,¡± Natto answered, ¡°The boy¡¯s is particrly difficult. It will depend on whether or not you wish to push him into a specific elemental augmentation. Thread Maniptors are very rare despite being just a Rare ss. I would venture that there is only a handful of them anywhere in the vast multiverse even, which does not bode well for examples of where to take the ss,¡± she exined further, looking at Clotho with some sympathy. ¡°I see. And if we don¡¯t go with an augmentation?¡± ¡°I do not advise it. From my understanding of the ss, it relies on two variations, strength and dexterity, or dexterity and intelligence. Thetter is the mostmon as it allows the user to manipte the weapon of choice and the element at length. Whereas the former is raw technique of the weapon. As I have said he will run into a ceiling quite quickly. There is also the option ofyering him with debilitating skills to have him turn into a more supportive ss. That option is certainly less expensive.¡± Drake looked over his shoulder, gauging Clotho¡¯s expression. The boy¡¯s face dimmed slightly at Natto¡¯s exnation and Drake did not miss it. I¡¯ll have to think about this more carefully. I can see his reasons for tagging along painted on his face. If he is unable to at least stand next to his sister I¡¯m sure his growth will be stunted regardless¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Clotho, Atropos show me your sses and the ss skills theye with. We will go from there,¡± Drake said. Both nodded and Atropos trotted up next to him first, turning a blue screen in his direction. [Night Oracle] [Epic][F-Rank]0/5
  • A shrouded seer of the past, present, and future.
  • The user wields the ability to briefly see into the future through the shroud of the night.
  • Passives: +10% to Intelligence and out-ofbat mana regeneration. (+10% Wisdom)
  • Actives: School of Darkness P1(0%), Tempt Fate P1(0%)
[School of Darkness] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The ability to manipte Dark Magic. As a novice your proficiency over the shadow is still early, giving you only the basics of spells.
  • Spell: Shadow me - ¡°The night is all-consuming, Shadow me.¡±
  • Basic single target spell. Deals shadow damage in a 1 to 1 ratio to Intelligence. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Mana Burn: Stacking damage over time, 0.2 shadow damage to every 1 point of mana burned. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Small Mana Cost
  • Spell: Scythe of Shadows - ¡°The shadowse for all, Scythe of Shadows.¡±
  • Weapon formation spell. Forms physical manifestation of shadows around target weapon. Deals +15 shadow damage per hit.(Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Moderate Mana Cost. Small Mana Maintenance Cost.
[Tempt Fate] P1(0%)
  • The ability to see into the future and perfect recollection of the past for a limited time. To tempt fate is but a fool''s errand, but you are the maker of fate itself.
  • Spell: Foresight - ¡°Your fate has already been decided. I have foreseen it.¡±
  • The caster is able to see into the target¡¯s future for 1 second. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Must maintain eye contact with the target.
  • Small Mana Maintenance Cost.
  • Spell: Recall - ¡°Through the looking ss, I see all. Recall.¡±
  • The caster is able to recall up to 30 minutes into the target¡¯s past. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Must maintain eye contact with the target.
  • Large Mana Cost.
Drake nched at the spells. Feeling like he had just peered into a chuunibyou¡¯s secret diary. ¡°These are some really powerful spells already¡­ but the chants are kind of¡­¡± he said, chuckling wryly as Natto snickered on his shoulder. ¡°Ah, the irony!¡± Natto guffawed. Drake gave a weary smile, ¡°Natto do you know what stats she should use? It sounds like she¡¯s given a weapon augmentation, but she seems like a mage ss with an elemental spell?¡± Natto righted herself after almost falling from Drake¡¯s shoulder inughter. Giving a terse cough before she exined. ¡°Yes well, she is simr to the Lightning Spearman ss, but she leans heavily in spell casting and speed. Instead of the minor specialization in strength that Charlotte will have, she will instead use mainly Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity.¡± ¡°Is it normal for sses to use that many stats? I thought they were usually specialized?¡± Drake asked, tapping on his chin. ¡°She is an Epic ss, which gives her 25 free points per level, as well as 18 to her main stat of intelligence and 9 to wisdom. She could certainly keep pumping her core stats but that would leave her incredibly vulnerable while alone. In her case she would also be neglecting one of her core ss skills entirely. The shadow scythe seems to need physical contact to be efficient, therefore I would assume she would need dexterity. She can forgo stamina however as there will be mage skills that canpensate for it. The higher one¡¯s Main ss Rarity the more options they have, while there are certainly those who wish to continue specializing with therger number of free points making them extremely niche powerhouses, there are those who would lean more towards rounding out like you have. Admittedly with far less sess but more people lean towards theter wishing to survive rather than push themselves forward.¡± ¡°She has a very high skill ceiling then it would seem¡­ Atropos you really pulled a high-teq ss huh,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°A high-teq ss?¡± Atropos parroted, her eyes furrowing adorably. ¡°It means it''s a high difficulty to master. I can already tell it might take you a while if you have to utilize both closebat and magic. But that¡¯s good! That means that I can help you there,¡± Drake said, giving a thumbs up. Next it was Clotho¡¯s turn and he begrudgingly walked up to Drake, turning his screen over for him to look as he turned his own head away from Drake¡¯s gaze. [Thread Maniptor] [Rare] [F-Rank] 0/5
  • The weaver and judicator of the threads of fates. The cogs of fate begin to turn slowly as you begin your journey.
  • Passives: +5% to Dexterity and out ofbat mana regeneration. (+5% Wisdom)
  • Actives: Thread Maniption P1(0%), Cat¡¯s Cradle P1(0%)
[Thread Maniption] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • A skill that enhances the use of twined material and allows the user to freely manipte it.
  • Allows maniption of twined material at a small maintenance cost of mana.
  • +50% to Durability and tensile strength of twined material. (Increased based on Proficiency)
[Cat¡¯s Cradle] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • Skill: Cat¡¯s Cradle - ¡°Losing yourself in the strings of fate, leads to a mortal end. Cat¡¯s Cradle.¡±
  • Execution Skill. Damage based on stacking strikes made to target. 2 damage for every 1 Dexterity based on damage stacks to target. Stacks diminish over every 10 seconds. Maximum Stacks 100.
  • Additional Effect: Maximum Damage Stacks increase execution damage by 2x.
  • Medium cost of Mana and Stamina
What exactly is with these two twins¡­ Are they the Fates or something? These skills are more weebish than the ones Ie up with on my own¡­ Drake thought internally with a bit of jealousy. ¡°These are some really good skills, but what exactly do they use for weapons? There¡¯s nothing in the descriptions and the ss names are sorta ambiguous aren¡¯t they?¡± Drake asked, mulling over Clotho¡¯s ss, ¡°It says something about twined material. Can that be anything? Or does it have to be a recognized weapon?¡± Natto also paused taking in the screen and the information for a moment. ¡°As I have said there are not many people who possess this ss, so information is limited on top of the already limited information I am allowed to divulge¡­ The problem with the weapon is the material used is far more important. There are very few materials that synergise well going into the higher ranks. The ss is overall¡­ difficult,¡± Natto said frankly, ¡°There are limits to its strength if the skills gained are not strong enough or they do not mesh well enough. Then the specific equipment bes more and more limited at the higher the rank. He will most likely be the most expensive individual to train in the bunch.¡± Clotho¡¯s face frowned deeply, his sister cing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I will dly pay for anything he needs, Lord Drake! Please do not leave him behind!¡± she cried, pleading with him. ¡°Who said he¡¯s going anywhere?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Money was meant to be used for the benefit of others. And I might be getting to the broke side for now. After a little monster genocide, I¡¯ll be rolling in the dough. No, I think your brother is fine right where he is,¡± Drake smiled. Clotho¡¯s face continued to scowl but softened ever so slightly looking at his sister so ted. ¡°Thank you, Lord Drake! Thank you!¡± Atropos beamed. Drake waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and I¡¯ve already said Drake is fine,¡± he sighed, ¡°But this is interesting. You¡¯ve both only gained main sses. In the tutorial I didn¡¯t go through the Rank Upgrade until after I filled my subtree slots as well, I¡¯m assuming its the same for them?¡± Drake asked, looking at Natto. Natto nodded, ¡°Yes, that is the case. They will not truly upgrade until they have received their subtrees.¡± Drake began to walk again towards the system center house, his finger tapping on his chin as he thought aloud. ¡°That¡¯s a neat trick¡­ Let me see your titles as well, you two.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Atropos bowed, walking in front of the others to present him a screen. [Atropos Pagos] [Race: Ice Wolf] [Profession: Empty] [Night Oracle][Epic] Level 10 [Vitality] 32 [Strength] 17 [Dexterity] 42 [Intelligence] 234(+10%) [Wisdom] 124(+10%) [Endurance] 37 [Free Points] 0 [Titles] First Hunt, Two vs One, Pack Hunt, Rabbit yer, Rabbit Hater Drake looked at the status slightly disappointed. He knew that the girl had not leveled up since getting the ss but her stats were abysmalpared to his own at the level. And he could see why. Even after reaching level 10 she only had 5 titles. It seemed that her titles were slightly different but based on her stats they gave roughly the same bonuses. Her ¡®First Blood¡¯ title was reced with a ¡®First Hunt¡¯ instead, but looked to give the same stat bonuses. He inspected the other titles to make sure and they confirmed his assumption. Well, at least she has the Pack Hunt Title right now, that''s 10 to each stat, but she can easily get many more. And she only has two monster-ying titles? Was she carried? Drake wondered. ¡°How much fighting did you do in your tutorial?¡± Drake asked quickly, the system center and the crowd of peopleing into view. Atropos¡¯s closed eyes furrowed at the question, seemingly ashamed of the memory. ¡°At first we were allowed to participate in the hunt. But after the in-fighting and the monsters began to increase in strength¡­ We were left to be protected. As part of the Ice Wolf n, I am ashamed¡­¡± she muttered, her head tilting down slightly. ¡°That¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of,¡± Drake said, patting her head, ¡°You were still a kid,¡± but Drake¡¯s expression hardened with a sigh, ¡°Unfortunately, that is going to change.¡± He looked to Clotho. ¡°Is yours roughly the same?¡± Drake asked. The boy didn¡¯t scowl this time and obediently walked up, turning a screen to him as well. [Clotho Pagos] [Race: Ice Wolf] [Professions: Empty] [Thread Maniptor][Rare] Level 10 [Vitality] 62 [Strength] 103 [Dexterity] 41(+5%) [Intelligence] 11 [Wisdom] 21(+5%) [Endurance] 26 [Free Points] 126 [Titles] First Hunt Drake winced. ¡°This is¡­¡± he muttered, trying not to show the surprise on his face, ¡°Going to be difficult. I¡¯m going to be blunt Clotho, you started as a Warrior it seems, but your ss that you rolled requires Dexterity and Wisdom and you seem to have fought even less than your sister. This will take some effort to fix, I hope you¡¯re ready.¡± Clotho¡¯s eyes turned to daggers but he nodded, stifling determination oozing from his animal copper-colored irises. Drake scoffed, ¡°Looks like you have enough motivation at least. And let¡¯s call it a blessing that you haven¡¯t used your free points yet,¡± he nodded, ¡°Keep them for now, once we start using skill stones we can distribute them properly. You¡¯re in a very unique situation for both of you. Once we start since you haven¡¯t upgraded your ranks, we can get a few titles that will help immensely. Some might be hard though depending on how the system sees it though¡­ But will cross that bridge when we get to it. But for now, I think we have all the information we need. So, let¡¯s get our cards!¡± Drake cheered, raising a hand into the air. Chapter 227: What Does it Feel Like 1 Chapter 227: What Does it Feel Like 1 Charlotte followed behind with Landin, Kalik, and kind of Quetz. The avian had inched forward, trying to be as close as she could to Drake. Sighing, Charlotte looked at the back of the man who had saved her. Conflicting feelings stirring in her chest. She looked at the back of the other girl who had joined the small group of trainees Drake had picked up. Her long snow-white hair and wless features only drugged up feelings of envy from Charlotte as she yed with the ends of her own auburn hair with a small frown. I wonder if he likes longer hair¡­ Sah Ul¡¯ has long hair too. She thought absentmindedly. They had been walking for a while now on their way to the system center to finally finish getting their affiliation cards and quests. Drake hade back early, just after Landin, thest one to turn 16 had his birthday. The group didn¡¯t celebrate birthdays like before, the small party they had was with what they had on hand. Small bags of sweets Drake had given them and a single makeshift cupcake with a lit piece of wood as a candle. Her mind snapped back to reality when she saw Drake smile, cing his hand on Atropos¡¯s head and ruffling her hair. Charlotte frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t get so close to him¡­ I was here first¡­!¡± she mumbled under her breath. ¡°What was that?¡± Landin asked. ¡°I-i just said it was cold. I want to get this quest done already and get started, I¡¯m ready to get stronger.¡± ¡°I hear you on that,¡± Landin replied, but Charlotte could see the hesitation on his face and hear it in his voice. She wasn¡¯t sure of Landin¡¯s motivations for agreeing to join the group if she was being honest. And truth be told she hadn''t really asked. He was a nice boy and funny but it seemed more like he was trying to convince himself every time he exined what his reasons were. He wanted to help people like Drake. But Charlotte was sure it was for some other reason. For herself, it was obvious to anyone with working eyes, that she had a crush on Drake. Even Astopos had called her out on it the first time they met, embarrassing her spectacrly in front of everyone. I denied it, of course, my only reason for doing this is to protect Brodie and find my family! If he saw me in a different light¡­. Well, that would just be a bonus. She thought. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here, ready to get your adventurer cards?¡± Drake announced. Charlotte frowned. He didn¡¯t really even ask us about anything, he¡¯s only been talking to the twins! Charlotte shook her head. She was going to be a warrior, she couldn¡¯t keep thinking like a child. It was obvious Drake didn¡¯t like children or immature women, Sah Ul¡¯ was the perfect example. She stood strong and capable but still had the feminine wiles that Charlotte knew Drake couldn¡¯t dismiss. She looked at the quest once more that somehow gingerly bobbed in her periphery. [Wee to the System. Please navigate to your nearest System Center] [Reward: Basic ss Quest of your choice. Introduction Booklet] Charlotte was still unsure how it was even possible for something like this. A voice just announcing something in her head like she was hallucinating or going crazy and then a screen magically appeared that she could will around with her mind. Her body twitched slightly as she felt eyes on her. After arriving at the Center she finally took a moment to look around. People were staring. Everyone was staring. Their little group had gathered the eyes of everyone in the Center as they walked through the lobby to the desks, some whispering to one another and even pointing. But they weren¡¯t just looking at her, most of them were pointing at Drake. Was this what he dealt with all the time? How does he get used to it¡­ She wondered. I don¡¯t think I could function if my every move was just being watched 24/7. A shiver ran down her spine and she clutched herself. Charlotte had never been one to be affected by social anxiety but with this many people? She just couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Charlotte? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Drake asked suddenly. She didn¡¯t want to worry him or seem like she was making a fuss over something so small. ¡°N-nothing. Just a little cold,¡± she winced, giving a wry smile. Drake looked at her for an extended moment, his bright blue eyes scanning her face. Charlotte could feel her cheeks burn as she tried to look down and away. ¡°Oh, the people?¡± Drake finally said, ¡°Sorry, but you get used to it. And with how strong you six are going to be, it¡¯s going to happen even more,¡± he grinned, ¡°Just bathe in the glory of being the center of attention yeah? All the envy of people for miles and miles!¡± Drake had shouted so loudly the entire Center could obviously hear it, the entire lobby turning their heads to look at him but not willing to say anything. Everyone who had been here since the start and shortly after knew who Drake was. And Charlotte had seen firsthand how strong he was. Not to mention it seemed that all of these ¡®system constructs¡¯ or guards that waited at the entrances of this ce, seemed to know who he was as well. They all bowed slightly as he passed. That¡¯s what having power like he has is like I guess. I wonder what it¡¯s like. He said we¡¯re going to be strong, but are we going to even get close to him? Charlotte pondered, as they waited to be seen. Eventually, they reached the counter after a few minutes and instead of being helped there, a construct guided them into a small room with fine-looking seats and tables. ¡°Whoa, nice diggs!¡± Landin chuckled. ¡°Crazy I didn¡¯t even know this was here,¡± Drake said looking around, ¡°Hey, why didn¡¯t you ever take me here before?¡± he asked the construct next to him. ¡°Y-you never had more than two people with you¡­¡± the woman construct frowned nervously, ¡°The quests for the introduction won¡¯t take long but there is information I¡¯m sure you would not wish to have public about them, so I had the room reserved.¡± Does he know this construct? Charlotte thought, looking at the model-like woman. And why is it always women¡­ and extremely beautiful women¡­ Charlotte frowned as she went to find her seat. She wanted to sit next to either Landin or Drake, but Drake had decided to stand in the corner as the Construct directed them, forcing her to sit next to Atropos. She sat down shimming a bit to get some space next to her and her brother Clotho, which quickly turned into a small fight for more room. Drake snickered with Natto behind them, making both Charlotte and Atropos¡¯s ears burn beat red. ¡°If you two are finished¡­.?¡± the construct said condescendingly. Charlotte¡¯s face flushed deeper as she nodded. ¡°Good,¡± she coughed lightly getting everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°The other child Kalik, has already been through this process and it would seem the two wolf children are already level 10. But in a moment you will all receive confirmation of your quest beingpleted, and receive a new quest to select your starting ss. Please be sure to choose the correct one as you will not be able to change it.¡± Just like the construct exined, Charlotte heard a bell ring in her head more loudly than she expected, forcing her to wince. ¡°Tip, you can turn off the general notifications sound by thinking of it like a volume button, just switch it off,¡± Drake said from behind them. Landin, Charlotte, and Quetz nodded, doing as he instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll just remind you all, Charlotte, you will be starting as a warrior. Quetz, you are a Ranger. And Landin, you are going to be going cleric, got it?¡± Drake said, bringing their attention to him once more. ¡°Man, why do I have to be the healer? I don¡¯t want to get yelled at!¡± Landinined. ¡°It will only be for 9 levels and don¡¯t worry you won¡¯t have to heal everyone,¡± Drake said sternly. Charlotte grinned slightly then turned back, looking at the screen that held her quest previously but was now reced with a congrattions instead. [Congrattions. Quest Complete] [ept Rewards?] [Confirm] [Introduction Handbook has been awarded] [New Quest! Select a starting ss!] [Reward: Starting ss] Charlotte somewhat nched at the rewards. For some reason, she somehow expected, she wasn¡¯t sure. More pizzazz? She looked around, seeing Landin and Quetz doing the same. The handbook was nowhere to be found. Charlotte had seen how items dropped in motes of light several times while following Drake but it hadn¡¯t shown up after several seconds. ¡°It¡¯s probably in your inventory,¡± Drake said, scowling at the construct, ¡°You still don¡¯t tell people everything? I thought I told you no more nonsense?¡± ¡°It is in their handbooks¡­¡± the construct muttered. ¡°And that¡¯s in their inventory, so how would they know if you didn¡¯t tell them? Get your act together. Your tiny acts of being a rebellious teenager are going beyond being just annoying quickly¡­¡± Drake said with a bit of force. The aura that Drake had used made it seem like the warm room had just had a cold breeze go through it. Forcing all the teens to shiver slightly at the chill. But the construct was far worse off. She had fallen to the floor, her face pale and sweaty. ¡°I-it won¡¯t happen again¡­¡± she croaked. Drake didn¡¯t acknowledge her again, instead speaking to Charlotte, Landin, and Quetz. ¡°Say Inventory while thinking of a space in your mind. You should be able to ess it that way. You can also do it without saying it but it might help at first. Remember,¡± Drake added, ¡°There is abat restriction on your inventory. That includes any items, armor, or weapons you might have or want to use. Keep that in mind.¡± Charlotte nodded, only ncing at the construct woman with a bit of pity. You get what you ask for¡­ Charlotte grimaced. Charlotte knew it wasn¡¯t the first time this specific construct had gotten this treatment. Even not being part of the system yet, she had heard from the townspeople and adventurers that she was a particrly nasty construct for some reason. Natto had been called to deal with her several times already even after she had been warned by Drake personally already. Charlotte wondered why Drake allowed her to stay. Charlotte knew how Drake was ruthless on the outside sometimes, making his scary face. But she also knew how kind he was. And she could only guess it was one of those moments. She shook her head getting back on track. Charlotte quickly said ¡°Inventory¡± aloud thinking of a small box where she could grab things from inside her mind. And after a moment, a small window popped up in front of her simr to the quest screens. The window had information on it she wasn¡¯t used to seeing. A person grayed out with small ck boxes to its right, one containing a small book icon. With a mental pull at the item, it popped into existence on the small coffee table in front of her, hitting the table with a small thud. ¡°Oh!¡± she yelped surprised, her face flushing red at the noise she had just made. The room gave a smallugh making her redden even more before she flipped it open. ¡°You can identify items by focusing on them. The system provides a bare minimum inspection skill, but you can get a more advanced one through the skill stones, which we will try for. The system provided skill can only work on non-living things and objects,¡± Drake exined from behind. Charlotte nodded her head to his exnation, leafing through the book. It talked aboutmon monsters found on news. Best practices for new Mana Vessels. Even going into what skill stones to look out for while leveling. It also had half the book filled with the history of the multiverse, but that made Charlotte¡¯s eyes cross just reading the first few lines. Next, she looked at the new quest. Once she focused on it for a moment, a new window popped up prompting her with a few selections of sses. [Please choose your starting ss from the following sses]
  • Warrior
  • Ranger
  • Mage
  • Cleric
Without hesitation, Charlotte highlighted the Warrior ss and hit confirm. [You wish to choose Warrior: Basic?] [Confirm?] [Congrattions! You are now a Level 1 Warrior] [Initial Stat Bonuses have been applied] [New Quest! Reach level 10 Warrior for ss Upgrade] [Reward: ss Specific Stone, Random F-Grade Item, Choice of Umon F-Grade Weapon] Charlotte braced herself after pressing confirm for her ss, assuming that she would be inundated with power as the stats flowed into her. Closing her eyes tightly in anticipation, but the power never surged into her. She slowly creaked her eyes open, the sound of someone snickering lightly behind her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Drake asked with a grin, Natto snickering with her sleeve over her mouth. ¡°I-i¡­ I thought gaining the ss would be like¡­¡± Charlotte chuckled wryly. Drake pumped his arms, yelling loudly, ¡°Ohhhh!! The power! The power! It¡¯s overflowing!!!!¡± he roared, ¡°Something like that?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face went beat red for the umpteenth time like a ripened tomato as she nodded embarrassedly. ¡°Sorry, not just yet. The basic sses don¡¯t have enough juice in them to do that. Once you get to the first advancement that''s when we will have to start to worry. Natto has told me something interesting. Most of you have epic sses, which means most of the skills that you will gain are going to be of higher quality as well. Which exins why Bjorn is such a monster¡­¡± Charlotte turned her head back up at the mention of Drake¡¯s friend Bjorn, whom she had heard of a few times. Putting her head on a swivel she saw Landin with a worried expression, and Quetz with a chirpy smile still. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve finished up, I need you all to wait outside for a moment,¡± Drake instructed, ¡°I need to talk to the very nice construct.¡± The construct¡¯s face paled again as she stood stock still by the door, the teens walking out one by one. ¡°Charlotte,¡± Drake said before she walked out, ¡°You''re in charge while I¡¯m not there.¡± Her eyes lit up while she beamed, nodding her head. Charlotte nced at Atropos, her expression frowning slightly before she turned the corner out of sight. ¡ª------ The group had exited the building and found a bench to meander around off the beaten roads leading to the main buildings in the town. The town had begun construction on roads, residences, and smaller buildings since the anchoring of the crystal. But as Natto continually mentioned at every chance she got, they simply didn¡¯t have enough talented people at the moment or manpower to get the projects done. Charlotte stood next to the bench trying to figure out how to pull up her status while the rest of the group rxed for now. Landin was staring out into space with a distant expression. Kalik Tu¡¯ stood behind the rest, an irritated look on his face with his arms crossed. Quetz was swiveling her head back and forth looking around only to always have it rest on the entrance to the Center, obviously waiting for Drake to emerge. Clotho kept watch over his sister from a few steps away as usual and of course, Atropos kept alternating from the entrance of the Center and Charlotte. Charlotte had never asked why Atropos never opened her eyes, or why Clotho never spoke. She assumed it was some sort of trauma from when the system was initiated like so many others had. She had seen how hesitant Quetz was when she first arrived, only able to vaguely imagine the horrors she had to go through being a ve. She felt a gnawing anger filling the back of her mind. Charlotte may be at odds with them due to their interests, but she could empathize with them without question. She would have been in the same position most likely if Drake hadn¡¯t been there in the alley that day and it frightened her beyond reason. Each time the memory surfaced, she shivered. But soon, that would be a different story. Soon, she would have the strength to stop things like that from happening to her and others. She would be strong enough to protect Brodie in this bloodthirsty world. She had steeled herself that day and reminded herself of what she needed to do like a mantra. Finally, after a few seconds, she was able to open her status. Charlotte grinned wryly at the fact it was as simple as saying or thinking of the word Status. [Charlotte Mcrin] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 1 [Vitality] 20 [Strength] 20 [Dexterity] 15 [Intelligence] 15 [Wisdom] 15 [Endurance] 15 [Free Points] 0 [Skills] Basic Heavy Blow [Level N/A] [Titles] N/A Charlotte was amazed to see her strength quantified on the screen, but frowned slightly. Was this low? Or is this high for starting stats? She wondered. She wanted to ask the others, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it would be bad etiquette. Her eyes shifted between the group as they continued to wait for Drake, the tension in the air starting to make her feel more and more ufortable. But thankfully Drake came out and found them swiftly. He walked over with a wave and the same cheery smile he usually wore, his mask sitting on the side of his head tucked under his hood. ¡°Wait long?¡± he asked the group. Kalik Tu¡¯ grunted something from behind them, that made Drake scoff. ¡°Yes we are getting to it, don¡¯t be so impatient. You¡¯ll get your hunt soon enough,¡° Drake said, ¡°Now the rest of you need weapons. I don¡¯t have ones for Clotho and Atropos, since I didn¡¯t know what your sses were until just now. But everyone else? I had the warsmith whip up some decent no-grade items. Now be happy, these are way better than what I had starting out, and you even get armor.¡± Drake walked up to each of them handing out weapons. Quetz received a bow, quiver, arrows, and a small knife. Landin some kind of voodoo doll or cross, Charlotte couldn¡¯t tell from her angle or the material it was made from, and a one-handed club with spikes. Kalik also received a single curved ax. And finally, Drake walked up to her and materialized a long wooden spear with a metal point. The weapon fell into her hands and she braced for the weight. But surprisingly it was light in her grip. It felt almost,fortable. Her eyes widened in surprise expecting it to weigh at least a couple lbs. But the weapon felt more like an extension of her arm, nearly weightless. ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it being that light,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard the higher-graded ones have some heft to them unless you get specific material mixed into the crafting process to reduce the weight. Need something with some strength behind it to deal damage after all. But, feelsfortable?¡± he asked. Charlotte nodded, taking a step away to give some practice swings. The sound of it cutting through the air gave her a weird sense of joy. She turned back to Drake with excitement in her eyes, but his expression left her confused. Drake looked at her solemnly, almost apologetic. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. He raised a brow, his expression fixing itself instantly, ¡°You¡¯re all just growing up pretty fast,¡± he said, then turned, ¡°Alright let¡¯s get to the gate, Sah Ul¡¯ should be there by now.¡± Charlotte gripped her spear with both hands as she looked at Drake beginning to walk off unsure how to feel about his words and what they meant for her future. Chapter 228: What Does It Feel Like 2 Chapter 228: What Does It Feel Like 2 ¡°Man, I could get used to this. Imagine how much easier it is to keep stuff around now? No wonder Drake has a metric ton worth of stuff he can take out,¡± Landin chuckled, ying with putting things in and out of his inventory. His despondent expression from before reced with a kind of curiosity and joy Charlotte hadn¡¯t seen before. After the group had met back up with Sah Ul¡¯ at the gate. Drake had spent no time in summoning elementals to grab the school buses that they used before to get to the settlement a few weeks ago. Atropos and Clotho hissed at the yellow tubes with wheels, and Quetz had fluttered behind Drake instantly when they showed up, her feathers puffing up slightly. But now they were on the buses after some exining. Everyone sitting in different seats spread out inside the bus. ¡°It is pretty convenient,¡± Charlotte agreed, pulling out different items Drake had given to them. She pulled a set of F-Grade potions, ced them away, and then did the same with her rations, water jug, and finally the handful of F-Grade Coins that shone with a weird brilliance. But her mind kept going back to what Drake had talked about before they left. He had told them that he would not be helping them while they were leveling from 1 to 10. Outside of special situations where a monster outside their realm of ability appeared. They were on their own. Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake sat at the front, talking back and forth with each other as the Elementals barreled through the snow-covered forest in the direction of Drake¡¯s family. I wish he would talk to us more like he used to¡­ It seems like he''s just ignoring us more and more, or being cold. Charlottemented, poking at the seat in front of her with her pointer finger. ¡°Worried?¡± Landin asked across from her. ¡°Huh? Oh, I guess I kind of am. I knew it was going to happen eventually,¡± she answered making circles against the faux leather seat, ¡°But now that it is? It feels pretty surreal. I mean we can make stuff appear and disappear at will,¡± she said doing just that with a potion vial. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty amazing¡­ I mean, it¡¯s only natural right? After all the stuff we¡¯ve seen the magic and skills we¡¯re going to use are gonna be even crazier,¡± Landin said quickly trying to cover up his eagerness. ¡°You¡¯re pretty into this stuff, huh? You said you were an old soul when we met but you give off a simr vibe of Drake you know?¡± ¡°What? No¡­¡± Landin said nervously scratching his cheek, ¡°I like old stuff. Blues, Jazz, ssic Rock¡­ Final Fantasy,¡± he listed slipping in something Charlotte had never heard of. ¡°It¡¯s nice that you have something you like,¡± she replied, ¡°I was just kind of going through life, taking care of my brother while our parents went away on work all the time.¡± Landin looked at her curiously. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve never really talked about it. Your family that is. You said it was the reason you wanted to get stronger.¡± Landin¡¯s eyes looked at her, scanning her expression. Charlotte could feel him burrowing into her for some reason like he wanted more than just the answer to his question. ¡°Y-yeah. Brodie is the only person I have left. Well, I guess I have all of you guys now and Janey. I love Janey, she¡¯s a peach,¡± Charlotte grinned thinking of the girl back at the town. ¡°I¡¯ve had friends. But¡­ Is family really that important¡­?¡± he said trailing off, a sullen look on his face as his head turned downwards the top of it pressed against the seat in front of him. Charlotte felt a pang of concern looking at him and his abrupt change in demeanor, but Drake stopped the bus suddenly before she could ask. ¡°Alright trouble makers, this is our stop!¡± Drake shouted to the bus. ¡°There is nothing here, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos answered back, her head swiveling as if she was scanning the area even with her eyes closed. Drake pointed back at her, ¡°That is true, but this is also close to the town Sah Ul¡¯ and I had visited previously. The monsters in the area are well below level 10 and this is where you will all start,¡± he exined, ¡°Now off the bus into the cold. I am going to give you all a rundown of what is going to happen.¡± Without another word he walked off, followed by Sah Ul¡¯. The group of teens hesitated for only a moment. Atropos and Clotho the first ones off the bus, followed by Quetz, Kalik Tu¡¯, Lanin, and finally Charlotte. The cold air hit her with a chill as she rubbed her arms a smokey white breath leaving her mouth. ¡°And¡­. you¡¯re all already dead,¡± Drake said, pointing a finger at them from behind. ¡°Huh?¡± Charlotte yelped lurching forward as she was pushed from behind. ¡°First lesson. There is always going to be something that wants to kill you. Or someone,¡± Drake said coldly, letting his aura out in a haze around the area. The group shuddered back, but they knew he had held back significantly. ¡°This is the wild and you are all going to go through the same sort of desperate struggle we did in the tutorial. You must always be alert, day and night, 24/7,¡± he exined. ¡°D-didn¡¯t you say you were going to help us?¡± Landin asked through chattering teeth. ¡°I did. And I am. I¡¯ve been apprehensive about this but like I said¡­ You are no longer children in my eyes,¡± Drake said with icy vindication, ¡°You three will be tested, brought to the end of a rope again and again. It¡¯s the only way for you to experience the reality of this world. If I just carried you through it, sure you would be strong with stats and levels but it would be empty. You would have no substance behind the stats and I¡¯m sure you would lose to anyone of equal or slightly even lower stats.¡± Charlotte still shivered feeling the oppressive aura from so close and directed right at her, which had warped and shattered her image of Drake in an instant. The nice, caring, doting man who had always made sure they were safe andfortable, was reced by a towering statue of both utter power and violence. Just what did he go through in his tutorial to get like that? I¡¯m not sure if I can do this¡­ She stammered in her mind. ¡°While you are going through the initial levels you will only have yourself and the other three to rely on. Sah Ul¡¯ and I will not step in to save you. We will only be here in case something unexpected happens,¡± Drake exined, ¡°You have your weapons, armor, and a set of potions. Once you have all hit level 5 we will move on to the next area and start working on titles you haven¡¯t gotten so far. Atropos and Clotho will also stay with us since they¡¯ve hit their first-ss upgrade already. Now get to it, you have five days to reach level 10, and the clock starts now,¡± Drake said pointing with his chin. The sound of crunching snow alerted the group to somethinging out behind a tree in the distance. What emerged was an oversized minx, its white coat and red eyes the same as it was before the world was integrated. Charlotte¡¯s heart skipped a beat all the same. Seeing a monster this close immediately made her palms sweat and her head go foggy in fear. The full visage of the monster walked out from behind the tree its head finally turning to them. Her body froze as the monster hissed at them baring its fangs. Charlotte immediately turned reaching for where Drake was, however, he was nowhere to be found. Drake, Sah Ul¡¯, Clotho, and Atropos were nowhere to be found. Only Landin, Quetz, and Kalik remained. While Landin looked just as bad as she felt, Quetz looked even worse. Her feathers had gone a ghostly white, expressing just how frightened the avian was. The only one to move was Kalik Tu¡¯. With lightning-fast reflexes, he took one of the bearded axes from his side, throwing it forward at the monster. The axe cut deftly through the air like a man on a mission as it hit the monster in its side, embedding the de deeply as it shrieked in pain. Kalik was quick to follow up, already having sprinted forward without hesitation after throwing the weapon, his other ax beginning to glow red as he shouted something. Jumping into the air and holding the weapon with both hands he brought it down unrelentingly on the monster¡¯s head, a spout of red liquid bursting out of the wound. But the monster wasn¡¯t just giving up. The blow was apparently not enough to kill the monster and it swiped itsrge ws at Kalik¡¯s chest. Charlotte looked at the fight with batted breath as Kalik tumbled away in the snow, dodging the first swipe only to be mmed in the side by the tail of the monster, throwing him back and into the side of a tree. She moved to shout something, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her body was shivering not from the cold but from fear of the monster, fear of getting hurt like Kalik just had. Was this all the conviction she had? She had watched Drake y monsters left and right like it was nothing, not even batting an eye as he killed them. She hadn¡¯t appreciated it before. Drake¡¯s ability to one-sidedly put down any beast or opponent with sheer power had escaped her. It was never in perspective. Her mouth had gone dry as she tried to swallow nervously. The minx walking sluggishly up to where Kalik had fallen, the monster¡¯s wound obviously affecting it. Her body still refused to move as it fought against her. Her legs shook, vehemently rejecting themand to run forward. Was this all she could do? Charlotte¡¯s head swivled trying to find Drake and the others once more. They weren¡¯t really going to just let us die right? She thought desperately. He¡¯s going to swoop in like always, he''s going to save us right? Her hopes were dashed right away. In her apprehension like the others, the minx had reached Kalik, who was barely able to get up in time. The monster lunged forward, its mouth opening up wide enough to get around part of the tree trunk and Kalik¡¯s torso. But Kalik was quick enough to raise his remaining ax, the de stopping one side of the monster¡¯s jaw from biting into him as he grunted in pain against it. ¡°T-they aren¡¯ting¡­¡± Charlotte mumbled under her breath as the realization finally began to sink in, ¡°W-we have to do something,¡± she said in a soft voice, then shouted, ¡°We have to do something! Landin use your heal!¡± Charlotte began barking at the other two desperately. She knew Quetz couldn¡¯t understand her but she hoped her words would help the avian reach an understanding of the situation, ¡°Quetz try to wound it more with your arrows from a distance!¡± Finally, Charlotte tensed, her hands gripping her spear. She was still scared. Scared beyond reason. But someone, someone she knew was about to die right in front of her. And she couldn¡¯t let it happen. What if it was her mom, her dad, what if it was Brodie? Would she just sit there and let fear grip her, force her into an immobile statue while something or someone took their life? Charlotte had to act. She roared as loud as her voice would allow, ripping from the grips of her fear as she rushed forward. With long hurried steps she scrambled toward the monster, her spear pulled back ready to thrust. The minx¡¯s eyes snapped to her but it was toote. Her spear could reach it. ¡°Power through force! Heavy Blow!!¡± Charlotte thrusted with all the strength she could muster as she felt the tip pierce the flesh of the minx. The feeling of it disgusted her as the serrated end dug deeper, the minx struggling against it, worming under the spearhead. She cried out in primal fury, her mind going nk. Ripping the tip from the wound she pulled back, and thrusted again. The minx howled in pain, its mouth releasing Kalik. But the monster iled in agony, its w arcing around as it caught Charlotte in the arm. Pain. That¡¯s all she could think of, feel, and imagine as her eyes finally focused, the red snow centering in her vision. She screamed in pain clutching at her arm, but she quickly remembered they were in a fight and she desperately searched for her spear. What she found was a green hand upturned in front of her, offering to help her up. She looked up to see Kalik, painted in red blood a begrudging expression on his face that was only enhanced by the spatters of red and his tusks poking from his mouth. He grunted something and pointed with his chin. She followed it. And what she saw was the dead minx in a pool of red. They had won. [You have assisted in the subjugation of Mana Minx Level 3] [Experience earned] [Congragtions! You are now Warrior Level 2] [14 Free Stats have been awarded] Chapter 229: A Different Path to Strength Chapter 229: A Different Path to Strength Kalik shot forward, throwing his ax at the monster in front of them before any of the other worthless spectators could even move. He had ignored most of what the despicable human had said during his tirade, focusing more on his own status screen and want to begin hunting. Kalik needed to be stronger. To be the strongest in the tribe. For himself, for Sah Ul¡¯, and for his mother, wherever she may be. His eyes turned to daggers when he spotted the monster, his trained ax flying true into the side of it, just above its shoulder. The monster screamed in pain, bringing a small smile to his lips. He had trained for years as a hunter and despite begrudgingly being forced to watch the other humans fight off monsters. He had learned a few things. Disorienting your opponent with a surprise attack was vital for a decisive victory. The de of the ax embedded itself into the monster, Kalik not far behind as he shouted the skill given to him by the great Gods of the Hunt. ¡°Power through force! Heavy Blow!¡± he roared, raising his remaining ax with both hands, the de brimming to life with a red sheen. Kailik without hesitation, brought the weapon down with thunderous force on the monster''s exposed head, cutting deep into its scalp. He smiled, the blow was deep, it should be fatal. But his thoughts were turned on their head as the monster iled swinging its ws at him. Kalik tumbled away at thest second, the snow crunching underneath him as he righted himself only to be side-swiped by the monster''s long hefty tail sending him flying backward. He grunted in pain feeling something in his chest snap as he wasunched into a tree. He coughed up blood from the impact with the trunk of the tree, letting out one gasping breath as his vision swam and blurred. Struggling to focus his vision continued to remain unfocused, images shifting back and forth in his eyes. He shook his head trying to collect himself, the grip on his remaining ax never rxing despite his head thumping like a wardrum on the eve of battle. In a hazy drawn out moment he saw a blob move in close to him, his vision finally clearing enough to make it out. The minx. It had lunged forward, its maw opening up almost horizontally as it tried to mp down on his torso. Kalik tried to move but his ankle seared with pain, forcing him to grimace. But he pulled his ax upst second to stop the serrated teeth of the monster from tearing him in half against the tree. His ax struggled to remain in one piece against the pressure of the monster''s bite as his eyes scanned for help. Help? The word was foreign to him. When had he ever asked for help? The genius warrior Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk never asked for help, never needed help. He didn¡¯t ask for Sah Ul¡¯s mother to die fighting for his own mother. He never asked the tribe to protect him when they returned from the Great Hunt. He could do it himself. He was strong. He was the best of his generation. No. Kalik would be the one to protect them. He would be the one to rise to the top above the rest of the weaker tribesmen. It was his purpose. His birthright. His father had died a warrior, defeating a rival tribe, killing them to thest man. Even if it meant that he died in the process. Kalik was proud of his father. To live up to his memory, to the memory of the man he had never met but his mother talked of with longful eyes, he had to be just as strong. No. Stronger. Kalik needed to surpass the stories of the man his mother told him at night before he was put to sleep. And all of these people were just standing in his way, keeping him from his destiny. He growled as he pushed back against the grip of the monster, putting all of his strength behind it, struggling to rip his ax free to strike back. But it was no use. He wasn¡¯t strong enough. A silent growl escaped his clenched jaw. A defiant scream. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. I need to be stronger! How will I be a great warrior if I die here?! He shouted in his mind. Then his mind turned to the words Sah Ul¡¯ had told him. ¡°It is not only the Orcs that make up the Rahk Tribe, Kalik Tu¡¯. It is all that the Patriarch has brought to us that is the Rahk.¡± His eyes snapped up hearing the sound of a girl screaming. And he saw the girl he had dismissed as a crying child roar as she pointed between him and the others. Her face. It reminds me of Sah Ul¡¯s¡­ For a moment he saw the greatest warrior of their tribe in history in the girl. She held both determination, conviction, and courage in the face of fear. Kalik saw as she rushed forward, her spear in both hands. He felt his strength swell once more, refusing to give up as he began his struggle again. If only to distract the beast. Charlotte roared once more and her spear glowed red, striking deeply into the monster, its grip on his torso weakening ever so slightly. She pulled her spear back, another roar escaping her mouth as she thrusted it forward again, fountains of blood escaping the side of the monster. This time the monster released its grip on Kalik and he instinctively rolled to the side, raising his ax high into the sky once more. ¡°Power through force! Heavy Blow!¡± he shouted bringing the ax down on the monster¡¯s head again and again until he had caved the monster''s head in. Kalik Tu¡¯ fell backward exhausted and breathing heavily. His head turned with a grin, excited that the girl had gone beyond his expectations but she was no longer there. Somehow the monster used itsst dredges of life to get onest blow in, swiping at the girl. Kalik forced himself up limping to the girl. Had he failed in protecting someone already? After a moment he sighed in relief. The girl was hurt, her arm dressed in four new red lines across the side tearing through the leather armor she wore. But she was alive, she was still breathing. For a fleeting moment, Kalik Tu¡¯ gave a grin. Maybe having help would not be so bad. He shook his head, his expression leveling into a slight scowl once again. Asking for help might still be going too far for him, but perhaps his path to bing stronger. To defeating anyone and anything, to bringing down the Patriarch, was through mutual cooperation? Kalik watched as the girl regained consciousness, scrambling for her weapon next to her. He stretched his hand out to meet her. She mumbled something as her eyes went wide, seeing the minx dead a small distance away before she gripped his hand with her good arm with a grunt of pain. He raised her up to her feet and turned his head to the crunching of feet behind him. The bird girl and the other useless human boy were running to them quickly. The boy with a downcast expression and the bird girl one of regret, concern, and another emotion he couldn¡¯t disconcert. Frustration? It was hard for Kalik to say, he was never good at reading people''s expressions in the first ce. His life had been focused on hunting, growing stronger. Even before the Gods took the world. So he had never had people his age around him to talk to. He was solely focused on the hunt. But their hunt was not over yet. He looked at the dead monster, walking over to the corpse as he heard the boy behind him mutter something, a faint white glow being emitted from his hands. Kalik turned away, focusing on the monster. His ax still embedded into its side, he quickly wrenched it from the corpse. He wanted to gut and clean the beast, but out here. He wasn¡¯t sure if there was enough time. They were in an unknown forest with unknown dangers to him. They needed shelter, fire, and safety from the elements, and roaming monsters. That bastard Patriarch had left them as he said. There was no oneing to help them for now. They were on their own. ¡°Let us be going. We need to move away from the monster and the smell of blood,¡± Kalik yelled at the others, only to get confused looks. He pointed to the monster and then away in another direction. The human girl realized his gesture and nodded. She said something to the boy and he nodded as well, although his head was still focusing on the forest floor. The bird girl tilted her head in confusion but after a few more seconds of the human girl waving her arms and pointing she nodded as well. And then they were off. Kalik Tu¡¯ leading the way, with the human girl not far behind him and the others close behind her. Their first goal was to find a ce to stay for the night that was safe. But they were in a forest with no rock formations near them. They could climb the trees but they were still drenched in blood from thest fight with no change of clothes or armor. Cleaning the blood off with water would be suicide right now. Cold water in this weather then walking around with wet attire? A death sentence. The trees would not shelter them against whatever was in this forest if thest monster was any indication of strength. Kalik had leveled up from thest fight but was unsure of how to ce his points, so he left them for now. He cursed. If I was alone or even just with the girl who showed some spine this would be much more simple¡­ But the dead weight is making this difficult. [Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk] [Race: Low-Land Orc] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 2 [Vitality] 34 [Strength] 30 [Dexterity] 11 [Intelligence] 11 [Wisdom] 6 [Endurance] 21 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Heavy Blow [Level N/A] [Titles] First Hunt The group traveled for several minutes unable to find any sort of shelter as Kalik¡¯s mind went through his thoughts, mechanically scanning the area every so often like a bad habit. Until he felt someone grip his shoulder. He turned quickly his ax raised. But it was just the human girl, her face pale. She began shouting something at him but he couldn¡¯t understand as she pointed behind her frantically. ¡°What?¡± he grumbled, ¡°Did you see something?¡± She pointed again. The human boy and the bird girl were gone. Chapter 230: Why Am I Here, Just to Suffer? Chapter 230: Why Am I Here, Just to Suffer? Landin was finally brought back to reality, his stiff refusal to move melted away by the shout of the orc boy. His eyes focused on Charlotte, her arm bleeding from fourrge gashes in it. He looked to the side seeing the minx had died. He gripped his mace and cursed. He had been so frozen in fear that the fight was over in a sh. What determination¡­ It¡¯s just like all the other times¡­ He thought, anger boiling up in his mind. Lanin forced himself to move, running to Charlotte¡¯s side. ¡°A-are you alright Charlotte?¡± She gave a weak groan of pain but grinned at him. ¡°Y-yeah. That was way scarier than I thought it would be,¡± sheughed wryly with a wince. ¡°How can you joke at a time like this,¡± Landin frowned, bringing his hand to her arm. ¡°I guess Drake is rubbing off on me?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s hope that isn¡¯t the case. Just give me a second and I¡¯ll fix you right up.¡± ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend.¡± A weak white light radiated from his palm spreading over Charlotte¡¯s wound, mending and closing the gashes leaving only small white lines for scars on the exposed flesh. He ground his teeth. This is not what I had in mind when I thought I was going to finally get magic. I thought I could change this time, change something at least! And I¡¯m still stuck here messing up left and right! Charlotte looked on amazed at the spell, watching as her arm weaved back together right in front of her,pletely oblivious to the turmoil inside Landin¡¯s chaotic mind. She flexed her hand feeling it return to almost normal from the spell. ¡°Thank you, Landin, I feel way better now,¡± she said. Landin only nodded back still struggling to calm down his thoughts and regret of not helping with the previous fight. Kalik shouted something from behind them, pointing off into the distance. But they couldn¡¯t understand his words. Charlotte, Landin, and Quetz stood looking confused. He tried again, pointing from the monster to himself, then to the forest again. ¡°Ah!¡± Charlotte said, realizing what he was trying to convey finally, ¡°He wants us to move because of the monster¡¯s blood. It¡¯s a good idea, we should change locations, there isn¡¯t any telling if there are more in the area.¡± Landin¡¯s mind was still a mess and he could only respond with a grunt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charlotte asked, ¡°Don¡¯t get too hung up on thest fight, Landin. Kalik is a veteran hunter, remember?¡± she said, trying to console him. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± he answered weakly. That isn¡¯t the problem. You were able to fight right? He thought with self-depreciation. Charlotte quickly re-exined the best she could for Quetz until the avian nodded in affirmation. Landin offered to heal Kalik as well but the brusk Orc boy only growled him away. ¡°Fine, all good dude, stay hurt¡­¡± Landin muttered. Soon after they departed together in a random direction. Landin only assumed that their goal was to find a ce to stay as the white snow was painted in the glow of the orange setting sun. He began to lose himself in his thoughts again. Landin could hear theughing of his schoolmates in the back of his head, their voices soon drowning out the surroundings, the background noise turning to a deafening volume. ¡°You actually like that stuff?¡± ¡°Why not go to an old home? That shit is for kids and the decrepit!¡± ¡°Look, everyone! Raymond likes fucking dolls and cartoons!¡± ¡°Get a life loser!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little old for that stuff?¡± ¡°Ha! No wonder you don¡¯t have any friends!¡± He tried to push back the haunting memory that was the start of abuse at school. It started with harmless teasing at first, then slowly increased to full-scale bullying. His locker being spray painted and threatening letters were left inside. Landin shrank at the memory. He never med the other kids. The stuff he liked, he knew weren¡¯t the same things kids his age enjoyed. But he found sce in the shows, the soothing beats of Jazz, the way the old blues gave his soul relief from the distress of growing up and school. But going into high school the mound of stress only kept growing. And he tried to find an outlet. He decided to take up skating. Throwing his whole heart into it. He practiced every day and spent what money he could on getting shoes, boards, and other things like wax and grip tape. Even saving up for a camera to eventually start posting videos of his progress. However, the bullying at school had be worse, reaching its peak. They had stolen his skateboard, smashing it in half in front of him. Beating the shit out of him in the process. He returned home, bruised and bleeding, his lip swelling like a bee had stung it several times. After opening the door Landin only wanted toy down and rest, his will and mind hazy, broken, and unstable. When he walked inside he was greeted by his parents. And what had happened, broke him. The only thing they were worried about was not the injuries he had gotten, but how much it would cost them to bring him to the hospital. They had both berated him for continuing to get bullied at school and liking the hobbies he did as if it was his fault he had garnered such negative attention. They continued to yell and shout telling him to stop having his head in the clouds thinking of things that would obviously fail. Landin put one foot in front of the other, the familiar crunch of snow sounding below eachnguid step. He scoffed to himself, ¡°Yeah¡­ Obviously fail. Just like the other times¡­ Everything I do is bound to fail. They were right then and they¡¯re right now-¡± His lengthy line of self-deprecating insults was cut short as he mmed into something. Landin grunted in both surprise and pain, his hand going to his head, rubbing at it furiously as if doing so would make the pain go away. He looked up, gripping his mace tightly as he remembered where he was. However, the only thing there was the trunk of a tree. ¡°Bro¡­ I was so distracted I ran into a tree?¡± he sighed, brushing himself off and getting up. Landin gave one more deep exacerbated sigh, ¡°What the hell is wrong with me. I should have just backed out¡­¡± He quickly put his head on a swivel the next moment. Unable to hear the crunching of snow. Looking around he found no one. He had gotten separated. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Landin groaned in frustration. Just what the hell was he doing? Dragged around by a man he barely knew, even if he did save him. Going along with something as dangerous as fighting monsters just because he wanted to impress a girl he saw. Then not backing out because he was too frightened to at thest minute. His parents were right. He had his head in the clouds, he was nothing but a disaster waiting to happen, he was a burden to them and now he was a burden to both Drake and the group he was with. ¡°I-i better retrace my steps and get back, hopefully, the footprints are still in the snow since it isn''t snowing,¡± he stammered, fighting back a frustrated sob. He turned following his footsteps for a few minutes only to be stopped in his tracks. ¡°N-no way. T-this can¡¯t be happening!¡± he shouted in disbelief. In front of him were two massive pigs, or would calling them boars be more apt? Landin took one hesitant step backward, only to hear more crunching of snow behind him. His head creaked as it turned to look over his shoulder, two more boars with long tusks grunting puffs of white as they shook their heads, a menacing glint in their eyes. ¡°No, no, no!¡± he shouted, but his legs refused to move, ¡°No, not now! Move! Move or I¡¯m going to die!¡± Landin gave a bitter grunt as he was tossed into the air, the wind knocked out of his chest. W-what happened? He thought, his vision swimming as his surroundings blurred. He felt a jolting pain in his chest as he struggled to right himself. But the grunting from before sounded again. Lanin looked up wearily, another boar charging towards him. His body locked up once again, unable to move as the lumbering monster ran straight for him. He screamed, bringing his mace upwards and down as fast as his body could manage somehow striking the boar right in the center of its skull forcing it off course. However, its long tusk managed to clip Landin, piercing his club arm straight through the forearm. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± he barked, giving a shriek of pain. Despite the pain, he could hear his parents. Hear them yelling and reprimanding him. ¡°Why are you causing trouble for others?¡± ¡°Do you know how much we¡¯ve helped you only for you to keep ying around and getting hurt?¡± ¡°Why are you wasting all this time and money when you¡¯re just going to end up failing again?¡± He screamed. ¡°Why!¡± The boar continued to charge forward with Landin in tow, unrelenting as it put one hoofed foot in front of the other, bringing him right back into the small herd of boars. But the voices kept a deafening volume in Landin¡¯s head, even with his end clearly looming over him. He gave another broken sob of despair, ¡°WHY! Why am I here?! Why does it always turn out this way!?¡± The boar finally reached the others, running past the group of boars, the blow Landin had given it doing more damage than it expected as it careened to the side embedding the tusk into a nearby tree. With another painful groan, Landin mmed against the trunk with an audible thud. He could taste blood as he ground his teeth in frustration. The voices of disappointment and reproach never-ending. Landin looked blearily around himself, the three other boars slowly closing in as the one that pinned him to the tree drooled a pink mixture of blood and saliva, knocked unconscious. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to die... I don¡¯t want it to end with what they said being true!¡± he grunted. ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend...¡± A light glow of white spread over his body from his other hand. At some point, he had dropped his cross but somehow still held on to his mace, possibly the tusk had locked his hand into ce forcing a death grip on the weapon. But his time to heal was limited, the next moment an excruciating pain burrowed itself into his chest. Landin looked down, a red-smeared tusk jutting from his torso. He coughed, tears of frustration beading down his face. And even on hisst legs, the voices continued. ¡°You are a failure.¡± ¡°You are nothing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a burden.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Landin finally growled back, his hand gripping the boar¡¯s tusk. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore!¡± he roared, ¡°Just shut the hell up already! Who are you to say what I am?! You never supported me anyway! Where were you when they abused me! Where were you, when that olddy tried to fucking kidnap me!? You were never there!¡± Something had snapped inside Landin. The frustration boiled over turning into unbridled bristling anger that needed a way out. ¡°The only one who¡¯s been there was him! He helped me! Not you! So get the hell out of my head!¡± Landin screamed back, his free hand beginning to glow with a dark purple hue, ¡°Even if I am worthless, that isn¡¯t for you to decide anymore. I¡¯m going to survive and get stronger for him. For them. For me!¡± ¡°I am what ails you, Wrath!¡± The purple light around his hand congealed and covered the Boar¡¯s face, sinking into its hide. A momentter it bucked and shrieked in pain, wrenching its tusk from Landin¡¯s chest. Lanin coughed up another mouthful of blood, his vision darkening but forced another spell from his mouth. ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend.¡± A small respite of relief washed over him before pain assailed him once more. But he clenched and steeled himself against the pain. He turned his head, looking at his arm that was pinned against the trunk of the tree. Landin ripped his mace from his hand, taking it in the other as he raised it, mming it into the tusk of the monster, breaking it and himself from the tree. The boar suddenly woke up with a baleful roar but not before Landin came down with another swing of his mace, caving the monster¡¯s skull in on itself. Landin¡¯s eyes went to the notification on his periphery. [You have subjugated Winter Tusk Mana Boar Level 1] [You have subjugated Winter Tusk Mana Boar Level 1] [Congrattions! You are now Cleric Level 2] [14 Free Stats have been awarded] He thought he had only killed the one, but apparently, his Wrath spell had more damage than he gave it credit, somehow killing the other level 1 boar. With a quick pull of his status that he had practiced on the bus trip here, he pushed his free stats into Intelligence. Surviving this fight was his top priority and if his Wrath spell was able to kill the low-level boar over its duration of damage it would be his best shot at getting through this. [Landin Raymond] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Cleric] Level 2 [Vitality] 27 [Strength] 12 [Dexterity] 12 [Intelligence] 41 [Wisdom] 22 [Endurance] 22 [Free Points] 0 [Skills] Basic Mend [Level N/A], Basic Wrath [Level N/A] [Titles] First Blood, Two vs One, Living On the Edge, Close Call He just hoped the others would find him soon and that these boars were not at a higher level. ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend,¡± Landin cast once more on himself, his hand going to his chest, spreading the white light over his torso. He gave another shuttered breath the itchy feeling of flesh mending together sent a disgusting chill down his spine. However, he didn¡¯t have long to sit in the feeling as a wrathful squeal hit his ears. One of the remaining two boars charged forward, galloping with all its strength and fury directly at him. Landin moved to dodge, but couldn¡¯t put weight onto his back foot. His head turned to look at his right ankle searing with pain, his adrenaline unable to numb it after all of his more serious wounds. The split second of distraction was all the boar needed to close the distance as it mmed into him, sending him flying backward against another tree trunk. Snow from the leaves fell unceremoniously on top of him covering him before a crimson red bled through the bottom of the white covering. But Landin smiled as the boar bailed in pain, falling to its side. Landin had managed to get onest Wrath spell to connect to the boar. The remaining boar ignored its fallenrade as it ran straight for Landin, ready to finish the group¡¯s work and run him straight through with its tusks. ¡°A-at least I tried,¡± Landin coughed, his hand beginning to glow white as he cast Mend onest time before the boar reached him, his vision darkening. ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend¡­¡± he muttered, the sound of something cutting through the air, and the wail of pain as something hit the ground next to him. Chapter 231: A Broken Song Can Yet Be Sung Chapter 231: A Broken Song Can Yet Be Sung Quetz frowned. Ever sinceing back, Drake had ignored her. He had kept her at a distance while helping the other humans and doggies. And Quetz didn¡¯t like that. She didn¡¯t like that one bit. During their short journey from the gate, to the house, and now to the stupid boring center. All he did was ignore her and talk to the others. Why wouldn¡¯t he pat her like he usually did? He asked her to take a quest from the stupid center and she did as he asked. She wanted to be a good girl after all. And good girls did as they were told. [Quetzel Mano] [Race: Sun Conure] [Base ss: Ranger] Level 1 [Vitality] 10 [Strength] 10 [Dexterity] 25 [Intelligence] 10 [Wisdom] 10] [Endurance] 20 [Free Points] 0 [Skills] Basic Power Shot [Level N/A] [Titles] N/A Once she epted the quest, Drake handed out presents. But Quetz didn¡¯t like what she got. The bow felt unwieldy in her hands. The grip ufortable for some reason. The knife was unassuming in her hand but the moment she saw it, shes of horrifying memories flooded her mind. Quetz tried her best not to show it on her face but her feathers couldn¡¯t hide her emotions as they changed to pale and muted colors. Before being saved she had been captured by humans. Waking up in a ce she didn¡¯t recognise with no one from her flock anywhere to be found, she had grown anxious. Only a few hourster being found by men who useds to bring her down and keep her from flying. Quetz hated thes. They restricted her and the thought of them brought shivers of fear down her spine. She had stowed the knife quickly in the new inventory that Drake had mentioned, unable to bear seeing it for long. After the center, they met up again with the big greendy who always clung to Drake. Quetz didn¡¯t like her at first but she had slipped Quetz food and gave her head pats, so she didn¡¯t dislike her now. Except when she took Drake¡¯s attention from her. Drake brought them onto something he called a bus and they were carried by sparkling shining rock things that looked like people. Quetz sat as close as she could to Drake on the bus and as far away from the others. She didn¡¯t like being touched. The men that had caught her beat and hurt her. Plucking out her colorful feathers on her arms and legs, making sure she couldn¡¯t fly away. Her hands moved unconsciously to the locations on her body, the pain still fresh in her mind despite the wounds healing again thanks to Drake and the tasty vials of red liquid he gave her. Quetz¡¯s feathers grew rapidly back even if she didn¡¯t want them to. So the men continued to torture her despite her pleading for them to stop and begging that she wouldn¡¯t run away. She hated remembering the days when she wasn¡¯t with Drake. The days when she had no one, stuck in a cycle of pain and numbing loneliness. During those days she reyed the song of her flock in her head, humming the tune to herself when no one was around. But the song was broken, just like her will to keep going after the seemingly endless days of torture. Her heart was wounded. She simply didn¡¯t want to keep going. She couldn¡¯t see her family, her flock. Destined to never sing again, only to be tormented by these horrible people as they dragged her around. Then one day, after days of hazy walking, following the people and other captives, rity came to her. She remembered it as the happiest memory she could recall in the recent fleeting days. Drake, the man who looked like the same people who had captured her but still punished those same people without remorse. He had killed the people who had captured her, freeing the prisoners from the days of being used, beaten, and strewn about like objects waiting to be sold or worse. ¡°Are you ok?¡± That was all he asked when she met him. Handing her a red vial. But that small gesture had brought life back into her. Someone. Someone had finally been kind. The memory warmed her. And she shed back to the present inside the bus. Drake stopped the bus, instructing everyone out of it. The group filed out of the bus following him and the big green woman. She tried to pay attention to Drake, but she had a bad feeling about the area. Unable to focus. ¡°... Now get to it, you have five days to reach level 10, and the clock starts now,¡± Drake said, bringing Quetz¡¯s attention back to him. W-what¡­? She thought unsure of what was going on. H-he¡¯s leaving? Is he leaving me? No! Not like everyone else! Quetz¡¯s feathers paled, anxiety boiling up in her stomach instantly as she heard Drake¡¯s words. And it only cemented further when the sound of something creeping out from behind a tree filled her ears. She looked away only for a second to see the monster, then snapped back to where Drake was. Or where he was supposed to be but he was gone. The monster shrieked and Quetz looked back, the monster writhing in pain, an ax now embedded into its side. The orc boy had run forward beginning to fight the monster. Quetz¡¯s body shook. The crushing fear of being left alone again crippling any notion of helping even after the human girl screamed something and then rushed forward. She looked over watching as the girl charged forward to help the orc boy, the human boy frozen in ce like her. Quetz¡¯s teeth chattered as she struggled to even grip her bow. And before she knew it, the fight was over the human girl bleeding, the orc boy in just as bad condition. Both Quetz and the human boy ran over, her anxiety temporarily washed away and reced by regret as she tried to help in some way. She tried to do something, anything to get her hands moving to help the human girl up but failed each time as they recoiled just before they stretched out to touch her. Quetz struggled against her ingrained trauma and wanting to help, Drake¡¯s voice echoing in her mind to help them. She wanted to help, she wanted to reach out but the chains of the pain from before made her stomach turn every time she saw other humans. The same people who tormented her. The human girl got up after getting help from the human boy, the orc boy shouting something. A momentter the human girl motioned in funny ways to Quetz but she didn¡¯t understand what she wanted. Quetz eventually just nodded, pretending to agree to whatever the girl said. She followed behind the group battling with her own inner thoughts as she looked at the back of the other three. Quetz put on the happy smiling face she knew Drake wanted to see. She hated seeing him frown in concern for her. She only wanted to see him give the same smile he gave her when she was saved. But here in this wilderness away from him. It was crumbling. All of her anxiety, fear, and concerns rose to the surface away from the only member of her flock. Theforting song in her head became dower. Warped to something unrecognizable and for all her worth, Quetz couldn¡¯t figure out why. Was she sad she was away from Drake? Did it hurt her to be alone again? Or maybe. Did it pain her to sit there and do nothing as the members of Drake¡¯s flock, the chicks he cared for so dotingly like he had for her, be injured while she froze in fear? This wasn¡¯t the same as the time when she lost her previous flock. That had happened in the blink of an eye and with no ability to do anything, as the Great and Mighty Bird took them away to who knows where, leaving her alone and without family. She was here, she was present, and she could do something. Quetz bit at her bottom lip in frustration, her brows furrowed as angry tears began to form at the edges of her vision. I want to be there for Drake¡¯s flock¡­ I don¡¯t like being alone¡­ My heart can¡¯t take it anymore. From the corner of her eye, she saw one of the group veer off to the side. It was the human boy. For some reason, he had turned taking a different direction than the others, his head cemented to look at the ground. Quetz raised a hand to call out to him, but her voice was caught in her throat. She knew they wouldn¡¯t understand her, but maybe just the noise would get his attention. Her head swiveled to look back at the other two, slowly walking forward in a different direction than the human boy as she panicked in her indecision. And before she knew it, the boy and the other two were gone, out of sight, only their footprints in the snow remaining. Quetz couldn¡¯t let the human boy go alone, she knew that much. He was just as scared as she was when they met the first monster and she still remembered how he saved her after she was so startled in the town that she tumbled from the sky. She wanted to at least repay him, despite him being human. Making her decision, Quetz ran after the boy. A few minutes of following the snowid footfalls she heard a ruckus that put a fearful knot in her stomach. Quetz quickly flew upwards trying to get a better vantage from above. And she quickly found the source of the noise. The human boy was surrounded by four white-haired pigs. She needed to do something. ¡°Should Quetz go get the others¡­?¡± she said hesitantly, her face paling as she watched the boy struggle, ¡°N-no! There i-isn¡¯t time for Quetz to go get them, she has to help! Drake would want Quetz to help!¡± She dove down, despite the mounting anxiety in her chest, pushing the fear and trauma that wade against the wall she had erected in her mind against it. Quetz needed to forget about those fears for now. She needed to repay the kindness shown to her, she needed to truly be part of Drake¡¯s budding flock. By the time she flew down the unwieldy bow in her hand, the human boy was already pinned to a tree, bleeding. The wall she had put up suddenly cracked at the sight of the poor boy¡¯s condition. Had she been toote? Was he already gone? Did another person leave her, this time before she could repay him? Suddenly the boy screamed, roaring to life as he began to fight frantically once more. mming his mace into the boar next to him and then stood against the final two. I have to help, no more figuring it out! She screamed in her head, her hand quivering as she fumbled to grab an arrow from her quiver. She scrambled to amateurly knock her arrow to her bow her eyes darting between thest remaining boar that charged at the human boy and the string on her bow. Quetz pulled back on the string with all her strength, as she began descending from the sky, unable to keep her altitude while her hands were upied. ¡°Please let Quetz¡¯s arrow fly true!!¡± she croaked, chanting her ranger skill, ¡°Steady Aim, stout heart. Power Shot!¡± as she let loose the arrow bathed in green light. Her body impacted with the ground, a puff of snow plumming upwards. Quetz¡¯s body shuddered from the collision and her vision swam as she searched the area for the boar, her hand trying to scramble for another arrow. But she had found it. Right in front of her, dead as dead could be. She looked to the side, the human boy unconscious but breathing, a small red nket of snow covering him, the boar slumped against the ground just inches from his feet an arrow lodged right in its eye socket. Quetz gave a yful chirp, a note she hadn''t heard herself make since before the bad men took her before her head suddenly felt clouded and light at the same time. Her vision darkened and she lurched forward onto the human boy. Chapter 232: A Job Well Done Chapter 232: A Job Well Done Drake switched to his lightning endowment, pushing it hard as he grabbed Sah Ul¡¯, Clotho, and Atropos, willing his Elementals to grab the bus to move out of view. Sah Ul¡¯ grunted ufortably when he finally stopped, letting her down. Clotho and Atropos were much worse off than Sah Ul'', their stats not nearly as high, and began retching to the side. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Drake grinned wryly, ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to give you all whish.¡± They were out of view enough that Charlotte, Landin, Quetz, and Kalik Tu¡¯ couldn¡¯t visibly see them anymore, but Drake made sure to spread his aura enough that he wouldn¡¯t impede them while keeping an eye on the situation. He was forced to leave the kids as soon as the first monster showed up and thankfully it was just a level 2 while they were still all together. Drake hoped that they would decide to stick together as onerger group. His intention when picking out their sses was to use the highest rarity stones he had avable for them. Natto had told him exactly how the Main ss Stones worked outside of the tutorial. Back when he was still upgrading his own sses in the tutorial, he was unable to use the stones. Which seemed to be a feature of the induction into the system through the bloodbath. Each tutorial was meant to be as desperate as possible, forcing the new participants to use whatever was at their disposal as quickly as possible. However, these kids would be different. Now that they had Drake, they would be able to pick their sses and it would be of Epic Rarity for each one. At level 10, or higher, but Drake didn¡¯t intend for them to go beyond 10, they would use the Main ss Stones like any other skill stone and upgrade their ss. And if his hunch was right because the system didn¡¯t recognize and upgrade you to F-Rank until after you had filled your sub-trees as well. They would be able to get some beefy titles while having the advantages of their Main ss Skills and Spells avable or even before it. But even with these things in mind, the kids still had to get past the initial hurdles. And Drake was honestly more nervous than he portrayed. Way, way, way, more nervous. He snapped his fingers and willed his already conjured Elementals to return to him while summoning two more. In a few seconds, they appeared next to his group. ¡°I want you all to go and kill anything above level 3 in the area. Wait, you guys can¡¯t inspect anything, can you¡­ Kill anything that is a monster and seems strong. Deter any people from entering this area as well. Those kids aren¡¯t ready for that type of thing just yet,¡± Drake said with a grimace. The Elementals sprinted off in different directions leaving behind footfalls filled with sparks of electricity, mes, and spikes of ice. ¡°Why would you keep people from the area? Are you worried they would help with the hunt, Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°No¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I¡¯m worried they will take advantage of them because they¡¯re still low-leveled. I¡¯ve seen what people are doing now that the world has changed and I won¡¯t take any chances on them getting taken. They have enough to deal with just trying to survive.¡± He turned to his side, Atropos and Clotho were finally able to stand after expelling their breakfast on the ground. ¡°Do you two want to wait for them? We can start umting the titles I talked about,¡± Drake offered. Atropos shook her head, ¡°No, I will wait. It would not be a fair battle if I proceeded to get more ahead of Charlotte before she caught up¡­¡± Drake¡¯s face furrowed into a confused expression, his head tilting to the side. ¡°What battle?¡± he scoffed, ¡°Are you two fighting already?¡± ¡°A battle between women,¡± Atropos replied matter of factly. Clotho sighed from her side but nodded, affirming that he would wait as well, following his sister. Drake shook his head, his attention brought back to the other four and the monster. Someone had shot forward ahead of the others. That has to be Kalik Tu¡¯, he¡¯s the only one who¡¯s got any sort of battle experience. The others are frozen in ce¡­ Makes sense though, they¡¯re still just kids. He thought. His hand suddenly went white as he clenched his fist. The boy had been doing fine but now he was pinned to a tree. Drake¡¯s aura stiffened and his footing stumbled slightly as he fought back the urge to run forward to help him, his hair changing to green by second nature. ¡°What is it?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, her expression stiffening. ¡°Kalik is having a tough fight. The others are too frightened to help,¡± he said honestly. A hand gripped his arm and Drake looked over. Sah Ul¡¯ looked at him with a concerned but cold expression. ¡°It is their hunt. Their right of passage. They must get through it on their own strength, Patriarch, and we must witness it,e what may. May the Mother bless their hunt¡­¡± she said in a low voice. Sah Ul¡¯s hand trembled slightly and Drake realized despite her words she was worried as well. He took a long deep breath. I was sure I had convinced myself to go through with letting them do this but I guess it¡¯s still heart-wrenching to just sit here and watch. I¡¯ll just have to trust that they have the conviction to get through this. He thought in his head but cursed himself. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± was the only thing Drake could manage for a reply as he focused back on his aura trying to discern the fight. He watched the fight through his aura, another person finally rushing forward to aid Kalik. He couldn¡¯t tell who it was but he felt pride well up in his chest that someone from the group finally found the courage to break free of the chains of fear that restrained them. Drake pumped his fist as he saw the monster squirm in pain, the kids had seemingly gotten a fatal blow even with one of them being thrown awayst second. ¡°What? What happened?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked with urgency shaking him slightly with her grip. ¡°They killed it,¡± he grinned and Sah Ul¡¯s hand tightened oh so slightly, a curve on her lips. He gave a sigh of relief, ignoring the iing notifications from his elementals as they killed monsters in the area. Thest few hours were torture in their own way. Forced to steel himself on what was toe while on the bus, trying to distance himself from the situation as best he could. He cared for the kids, he had saved them from desperate situations before. And now he had to throw them into the deep end. It just didn¡¯t sit right with the old conventions that were so heavily ingrained in him. He knew very well that the old world was gone but even still it was difficult for him to tear away from it. Then there was the new information he got from the troublesome construct at the center when they went. He had grilled her for being the same as she was when Drake had been through his introduction. And he had a mind to just get rid of her if she didn¡¯t change quickly. Her withholding of information just because she waszy, spiteful, or just in evil would eventually get someone hurt or worse. Drake had made sure to have one of the administrators that Rvul found to watch her carefully for the immediate future. He didn¡¯t need a construct that interacted with his citizens day to day mucking up the works. But he digressed. The information he received wasn¡¯t anything unexpected but he was astounded that the Bounty ced on him had grown. The title had not been updated and also didn¡¯t give many details but from what the construct was forced to tell him. The bounty was avable at system centers under a special category for anyone to view. And his was only growing, sitting at a whopping 5 B-Grade Monster Coins and apparently counting. Drake had no idea who had ced the bounty or why, but if the bounty was avable through the center and readily avable to the people of Earth. It would be a major problem. That woman from earlier might have been following us for the bounty even. I scared her away but would it have been better to just capture her and question her? He thought. He was ripped from his thoughts once more, sensing that the kids were now moving away from the monster''s corpse. Drake smiled, ¡°Good thinking. At least they aren¡¯t making the same mistake I did when I started out,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Alright let¡¯s follow them.¡± He waved to the small group as they followed suit in the snow, the orange of the setting sun beginning to cast its radiance over the whitendscape. They followed the group from a distance for nearly an hour, making sure to keep their distance to not influence any encounters they might have. Then Drake noticed that one of the four began to trail off from the others. ¡°Where are they going? Did something make them separate¡­?¡± he wondered aloud. Before Sah Ul¡¯ could probe him for an answer he held up a hand trying to make sense of the situation. Another person stood looking between the separating groups for a moment before eventually flying off after the person who separated earlier. That has to be Quetz. But who was the person earlier? Drake decided to follow Quetz and the other, somehow getting a bad feeling about the group separating so soon, and just before dark fell. He motioned for everyone to follow and he was d he had decided to trail the separated two. Once he was in range on the edge of his aura he could feel one of the two surrounded by four other monsters. He quickly tried to lunge forward but was stopped by Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Patriarch! What is happening?¡± she asked. ¡°One of them is being surrounded by monsters, whoever it is they won¡¯t be able to deal with four-on-one right now,¡± Drake snapped back. But Sah Ul¡¯s grip wouldn¡¯t loosen, ¡°You have to let them fulfill their own hunt on their own merits. Trust in them Patriarch. That is the only way they will truly grow stronger,¡± she told him, but Drake could easily see just how worried she was through her expression and trembling hand on his arm. She was just as concerned for the kids as he was, but she still forced herself to let the kids take a step out of the nest on their own, even if it might get them hurt. He bit back his growing urge to just step in. Whoever it was, was being surrounded taking a nervous step back. And before he could voice his frustration, he saw the person thrown backward, dragged by the arm to a tree. The ground around Drake shook. His jaw clenched as he fought back against himself to rush forward, even with Sah Ul¡¯ still holding him back. Get up! He screamed in his head, but it was useless. The kid was unresponsive for only a moment but that moment was long enough for a second monster to charge forward, skewering the poor kid right through the chest. ¡°NO!¡± Drake roared, the trees shaking around him, the snow freed from the leaves as they slipped off the branches. His fingers dug into themselves, even prating his palms despite his Spirit Tattoos covering every inch of them. ¡°You better get up damn it! Don¡¯t you dare die or I¡¯ll kick the shit out of you!¡± Drake howled. And as if the person heard him, he saw the kid rush into action raising their free arm into the air and bringing it down, the monster that pinned them writhing in pain from whatever was just done. The person¡¯s free hand quickly touched the other boar holding them in ce at the chest and Drake could feel the disturbance of magic. Landin?! He thought in surprise. Almost relieved, Drake let out a long-held breath. Thank god he¡¯s alive, I didn¡¯t know that Clerics had an offensive spell. At least that means he has a healing spell as well. I just hope it¡¯s enough to keep him alive. But Drake tensed again, and thest and final monster surged forward, closing the distance to Landin with frightening speed. And Drake had had enough. Landin was spent and killed three monsters on his own. He¡¯d done more than enough and it was time for Drake to step in. However just as his foot left the ground, his hair brimming to life with palpable electricity. The monster slumped to the ground, sliding to a stop in front of Landin in Drake¡¯s aura sense. He blinked nkly for a second, the next, someone fell from the sky right next to Landin and the monsters. Q-Quetz?! Drake was so surprised his mouth cracked open in a wry smile. He saw as she got up only to slump forward as well. And Drake finally moved in front of them, a red vial in his hand. ¡°You did good you two. Let¡¯s just keep this a secret from everyone else,¡± he said, trying to pour the liquid over them only for it to snag as if it was anchored to something. He pulled up his arm looking at it with a cocked eyebrow, three people of various sizes hanging on for dear life. ¡°What the hell are you three doing?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°T-trying to stop you!!¡± Atropos and Sah Ul¡¯ shouted, Clotho nodding vigorously. Chapter 233: Oh How You’ve Changed. Chapter 233: Oh How You¡¯ve Changed. After Drake had drenched Landin and Quetz in a health potion. Something that would stay a very guarded secret between those who witnessed it under punishment of death, of course, he had brought the rest of his group away again. A few minutester Charlotte and Kalik Tu¡¯ found the recovering Quetz and Landin, joining up once more. And now Drake anxiously watched them as they went through the rest of the day trying to find shelter. Eventually, they decided it was best to set up camp where it was mostly open so they could have more time to react in case a monster found them. Which Drake apuded since he had taken the route of just climbing up a tree back in his day. Drake kept watch in his own small camp with the others, staying up as he noticed them set up a rotating watch. One kept guard while the other slept as best they could in the cold by their single fire. He also made sure to watch over Clotho and Atropos who had been with him instead of the other group for now. Sah Ul¡¯ stayed up with him keeping himpany, doing her best to also watch the two while practicing her own aura control. ¡°I do not understand how the Patriarch has gained such aura control to this extent as to watch the children from such a distance¡­¡± she grumbled struggling to spread out her aura. Drake smiled, ¡°I have a lot of titles that increase my aura strength after the tutorial, so it helps. And with my race upgrade the skill was upgraded quite a bit,¡± he said honestly. Through the night they talked while Drake watched over everyone, his Elements taking care of the stronger monsters in the area while the night teetered on. He and Sah Ul¡¯ had be closer over the past few days after their fight. He didn¡¯t withhold as much information about his time in the tutorial and about his skills to her. Leaning into trusting her. And she in turn did the same, expressing herself more. Her speech became more casual, although she still continued to call him Patriarch instead of by his first name. The dawn finally pierced the night and the snow-capped trees, rays of glimmering white rousing the kids in both camps. It was now the second day and Drake was honestly excited to see how the kids did. And it didn¡¯t take long before monsters found them. At this point now that they were together and his Elementals had fought throughout the night he allowed them to retire, letting lose the rest of the monsters in the area. This also gave passage to any person who had been barred from entering the previous day. He tensed slightly at the thought but he wanted to take Sah Ul¡¯s advice to heart and trust in them to perform. And oh was he not disappointed. The first monster to find them right after waking, forced the kids to their feet instantly. From Drake¡¯s aura sense, it seemed to be some sort ofrge wolf almost as tall as them at the shoulder while still on all fours. But one of the kids took charge quickly. He could see someone pointing while seemingly giving out orders. This is actually incredibly good training for me now that I think about it¡­ Drake thought. While watching with his aura. Totally not like a sick pervert, more like a doting parent. Drake had something dawn on him. His aura allowed him to feel living presences through it and with some concentration they became more and more detailed. Not to the extent he could tell minute body features or facial features, but good enough to zero in on other things such as mana fluctuations. Drake was adept with mana control, whether it was a result of his training or skills, or even possibly thebination of the two it frankly didn¡¯t matter to him at the moment. The ability allowed him to also be mana sensitive and through it, he was able to begin picking up on not only the skills and spells being used, but each person¡¯s unique signature. It was still early and he had to focus intently to make it work for the moment but it was an interesting turn of events. I wonder if this is why the effect of my aura consumes buffs? Would it work better if I was able to identify those skills without the help of the skill¡­? He pushed the thought back for now, needing to focus back on the kids. However, he had missed the fight while lost in his thoughts. The monster dead in less than the span of a few seconds. ¡°Susmaryosep, those kids are little monsters¡­¡± Drake whistled loudly. ¡°Ow!¡± Atropos winced next to him, covering her ears, her brother doing the same and growling from his bedroll on the ground. Drake looked over at the twins, both having their hands over their drooping ears. ¡°Oh, my bad,¡± he chuckled wryly. ¡°It is fine, Lord Drake,¡± smiled Atropos, giving a cheeky grin. ¡°Y-you were joking¡­?¡± he ventured. She gave a small stick of her tongue as Drake looked at her brother, who was looking into the distance with despondent eyes. Oh, she roped him into making a joke, huh¡­ Drakeughed in his head. ¡°W-was it good?¡± Atropos asked hesitantly, ¡°We have also watched some of the magic images from the TV with the others and thought it would make for a gag¡­¡± Clotho pressed his head into his bedroll, making arge X with his arms above his head. Drake chuckled slightly, unable to keep himself from finding humor in the clear dichotomy of Clotho¡¯s usual stoic and emotional face and his now more expressive gestures. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s passable,¡± Drake shrugged, turning his attention back to the other group. Just as quickly as they had defeated the monster, they were assaulted by a group of new monsters it seemed. Were there really this many monsters in this area¡­? Well, they should have a rough time getting through the next few days but that¡¯s exactly what we came here for. Drake focused on his aura sense to see the fight, a small grin tugging at his lips. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how you¡¯ve all grown¡­¡± ¡ª-------------- Charlotte rushed forward, Kalik already engaged with two wolf-like monsters. She moved with speed unlike she ever had before, hew new stats from leveling up the previous day of non-stop fighting propelling her with new confidence. She charged to the left of Kalik, whistling as she passed, her spear glowing in a red sheen while she reared it backward. ¡°Power through force! Heavy Blow!¡± Charlotte¡¯s spear surged from her hand, finding its new home in the side of the wolf on Kalik¡¯s left, blood spurting from the wound as it wailed in pain. A momentter another wolf leapt out from the snow-covered bushes, its jowls curved back into a menacing snarl only for it to buck backward an arrow mming into its right eye. Charlotte looked over her shoulder with a grin on her face, a colorful avian giving a joyful chirp and whistling back as she knocked another arrow. Before they knew it more wolves crept out from the trees and bushes, drawn by the blood and noise. ¡°Good, more of them!¡± Landin roared as he shot past Charlotte, lightly tapping her shoulder, his hand bathed in a white glow. ¡°You''re supposed to be a healer!¡± she yelled as she ran after him, leaving Kalik to deal with thest of the initial wolves. ¡°It¡¯s a heal over time and I gave you one didn¡¯t I?¡± Landin shot back, his hands beginning to give off an eerie dark purple light. ¡°I am what ails you!¡± he shouted, ducking a swipe from one of the monstrous wolves as he slid into the snow on his backside, his hand tracing the chest of the wolf, the dark purple inky mana slowly sinking into the beast''s fur. A momentter the wolf howled in agony, another wolf from the new group jumping in an attempt to pounce right on Landin who had skidded to a stop. Charlotte sped forward, propping her spear up right at itsnding point, skewering the monster on her spear. She heaved it to the side and gave a hand to help Landin up, ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± she sighed. ¡°Do I really have to say thanks? How many times have we saved each other over thest day? But if we¡¯re keeping count¡­¡± he smiled. ¡°Fine, I get it, we won¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Yeah, ''cause I¡¯d win,¡± Landin grinned. The sound of an arrow tore through the air embedding itself into the side of another wolf skulking out just a silver past a tree tumbling to its side and iling in pain. ¡°No, she would,¡± Charlotteughed, giving a wave back to Quetz. Quetz gave a bright chirp and whistle before pulling another arrow from her quiver on her waist. A roar came a moment after, an ax spinning right in between Charlotte and Landin, finishing off the wolf Quetz had impaled with her arrow. Kalik was not far behind grunting his dissatisfaction at the pair. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve talked for too long¡­¡± Charlotte said, gripping her spear with both hands and following after Kalik. ¡°He¡¯s just grumpy like usual,¡± Lanin shrugged. After several more minutes of somewhat chaotic fighting, the group of four had triumphed over the wolf packs. ¡°I-I count at least thirty¡­¡± Landin huffed, slumping to the floor on his backside leaning against his arms. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Charlotte gasped, holding onto dear life against her spear to prevent herself from falling in a pool of blood and viscera next to her. Kalik cleaned his ax des against the fur on his thigh, giving a grunt while Quetz glided down next to them, slinging her bow across her back with a few high-pitched whistles. ¡°Looks like we''re the only ones who are out of breath¡­¡± Charlotte frowned. ¡°Yeah well, I don¡¯t have any stamina, I¡¯ve been holding off on using as many free points as I can for the ss upgrade¡­ At least that¡¯s my excuse for how difficult these fights have been. Isn¡¯t it a bit crazy how many monsters there are? If we were alone we would be done for,¡± Landin said, falling back into the snow, not caring to sit up anymore. Charlotte gave a thoughtful expression, her face scrunching up slightly. ¡°It just goes to show how much of a gap there is between us now and where we want to be¡­¡± she mumbled. Landin raised his mace into the air, giving a sigh, ¡°I mean, Drake isn¡¯t really the kind of person I want topare myself to¡­ These wolves are only levels 5 to 7 and are all about the same level now. But him¡­?¡± Landin said, sitting back up and pulling his knees in, ¡°He¡¯s killing monsters almost a whole 10 levels above him and with a Rank advantage. And you know what is the most insane part about it?¡± Charlotte shook her head, ¡°No what?¡± Landin held up his hands, ¡°Do you know how experience usually works in games?¡± he asked. ¡°Not really, I¡¯ve always just been studying and taking care of Brodie. They¡¯ve never interested me,¡± she answered. ¡°Gah! Another person who doesn''t appreciate the art!¡± ¡°You sound like Drake,¡± she scoffed. ¡°He just says what we¡¯re all thinking,¡± Landin said. ¡°Who is we?¡± ¡°Oh, you know¡­ Anyway! In games, killing monsters of your level usually gives decent experience. Killing a few of them will score you a level. But with higher monsters, because of the level difference, there is usually a much higher experience reward,¡± Landin exined, ¡°There are some games I know that have penalties for killing too high level of monsters to prevent power leveling, but that don¡¯t really seem to be the case with this system. And what have you noticed with Drake¡¯s level?¡± Charlotte¡¯s brow raised as she shifted her weight onto another foot. ¡°He hasn¡¯t leveled up much even though he¡¯s been killing monsters for days and a lot of them are E-Rank¡­ Just how much experience do you need at his level?¡± she answered. Landin shook his head, ¡°I think that has some to do with it, but I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s more to do with his dual sses. He said he needed a lot more experience than normal right?¡± Charlotte nodded. ¡°Well, I think what¡¯s happening is he simply doesn¡¯t have enough high-quality monsters around to level properly. Remember when he said he was in the tutorial for three months? But he wants us to basically get more than half the average in just five days. That tells me either he is crazy, has some sort of distorted view of what experience is, or¡­¡± Landin said trailing off. ¡°Or?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Or he is desperate to make a core group of people very strong very quickly for some reason.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t respond, letting the silence speak for itself as they both thought on Landin''s words. Quetz and Kalik Tu¡¯ surveyed the area in turns as the other checked the monsters for dropped skill stones. ¡°Oh there¡¯s people here?¡± a voice saiding out of the woods. Charlotte, Landin, Kalik, and Quetz all drew their weapons at once. From behind a tree, a man and several other hooded figures stepped out. The man¡¯s face was a pale unhealthy gray and his eyes a dull red as he smiled showing off two erged canines. ¡°What do you want?¡± Charlotte said, pointing her spear tip at him, getting in front of both Quetz and Landin, Kalik doing the same next to her, both his axes drawn. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa littledy!¡± the man said cidly, ¡°We were just out questing and heard fighting. There were some really strong Elementals around earlier keeping people out, but now they are gone so we came back to look around. No need to be aggressive.¡± Charlotte lowered her spear only a few degrees, but she stayed extremely cautious of the man and his group. She heard Landin pre-chant a spell behind her, his hands under his armor to hide the glow of his spell the best he could. ¡°Then you can go, we don¡¯t want any trouble. We are just trying to level,¡± Charlotte told him, hoping he would just leave. ¡°Oh..?¡± the man said, suddenly interested more as he leaned forward his eyes glowing, ¡°Level 6? You¡¯re all below level 10¡­¡± he smiled. An identity skill?! They¡¯re all above level 10 then, we have to run! Charlotte screamed internally. She tried her best to stay calm, giving a quick whistle before answering. ¡°And? What does that matter? We¡¯re all here trying to get stronger to fight against the monsters. If you don¡¯t have anything else, please leave.¡± Her whistle alerted Kalik and Quetz. Quetz backed up slowly. But Kalik growled, his grip on his axes giving a creaking sound as they tightened. Damn it Kalik¡­ The man sneered raising his chin, ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to your superiors, you are all so delectable though¡­¡± he said slowly as if savoring the words as he licked his lips, ¡°Take them.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened as soon as his words left his lips. But the group of three hooded men behind the pale man shot forward before she could even react, one speeding past her and taking Quetz hostage. Quetz¡¯s arm was pulled behind her into an arm lock as the man took his other arm and ced it around her throat in a chokehold. ¡°Oh no you don''t! Don¡¯t you touch her!¡± Lanin yelled his dark purple-lit hand arcing and touching the man¡¯s head, a momentter the man screamed in pain falling backward. Charlotte¡¯s mind raced as her eyes wildly tried to take in the position of the other two. Kalik gave a grunt next to her and her head snapped to him only to see him long enough to be thrown backward, a hooded man recing Kalik¡¯s position with his arm extended in a punch. She ground her teeth and thrusted her spear forward. But the man easily dodged her attack, letting it pass him by then striking down with his hand to break the spear in half. Charlotte cursed but lurched forward only barely dodging the man''s follow-up chop to her throat, his hand passing over her head with a red line visible in the aftermath. Threads of her auburn hair fell in front of her face but she had to ignore it as she lunged, tumbling forward as she grabbed the two pieces of her broken weapon. She whipped around trying to orient herself as the sound of an arrow cut through the air past her. Charlotte grinned the arrow a few inches from his face before she frowned. A shield of dark gray deflected the arrow just a few centimeters from the hooded man¡¯s face. The man gave a toothy-fanged grin from behind the shield. ¡°Kalik!¡± Charlotte shouted, pointing to thest of the three and apparent healer-type ss. An ax whizzed past her, a snarl followed by Kalik rushing after the weapon. She heard a grunt behind her and turned, throwing her weight onto her back foot before she even saw what was going on. Charlotte knew it was Landin and she needed to help him, he was their only shot at getting through this with his healing. A few steps into her charge she saw Landin on his back, the man who had Quetz now on top of him, his hood drawn back revealing a slightly disfigured and burnt face. ¡°You little shit! Ital be a loss but bringing back three will just have to do!¡± the man shouted holding Landin down as he pulled a knife from a holster on his back. Charlotte felt something hit her back leg and an intense searing pain shot up it. But she clenched down on her jaw. ¡°Power through force! Heavy Blow!¡± she screamed, throwing the broken shaft of her spear forward at the back of the head of the man on top of Landin. ¡°Jerry!¡± someone shouted from behind her. The man on top of Landin turned back but not before he brought down his knife, a scream and fountain of blood erupting from Landin¡¯s face. But Charlotte caught thest glimpse of her thrown weapon making contact with the man¡¯s face. But Charlotte couldn¡¯t even scream before she dropped to the floor, the pain in her leg surmounting any thought of getting to Landin to help him further. She turned on her back the man who had been shielded on her in an instant. Charlotte screamed as she thrusted her broken spear at the man encroaching on her desperately. The man grinned with mirth, ¡°Juste quietly you little bitch! It¡¯s over!¡± But just as he was reaching forward to grab her, another arrow, this time covered in a green light pierced into the man¡¯s neck, blood and spittle spilling onto Charlotte. This time there was no shield to help the man and he was caught off guard. Charlotte gave a primal guttural scream as she gripped her broken spear tackling the man as her leg dragged on the snow-covered ground behind her. She only saw red. Charlotte brought the spear tip down on the man. Once, twice, and once more. She began screaming as she continued to strike him in the chest, face, and anywhere else she could as she gave heaped gasps. Until someone grabbed her hand. She swung around her hand raised ready to strike whoever had grabbed her, but it was a familiar face instead. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s over Charlotte.¡± Standing there with a solemn expression was Drake. He was finally there. She had almost forgotten that he was near. The day and a half of fighting weren¡¯t long, but to her, it felt like weeks. One fight to the next, each one tipping on the edge of a knife just like he said. Then these people. These people had tried to kill them or take them for something worse. And I had¡­ I killed¡­ Charlotte thought, her face softening from the fierce scowl to one of relief then to finally a weeping sob. ¡°D-Drake!! I-I¡­.¡± she cried. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I know. I¡¯m sorry that you had to go through this¡­¡± Drake said, pulling her into a hug, ignoring that she was covered head to toe in blood. Charlotte continued to sob but made out a question, ¡°W-where are the rest? Is¡­ Is everyone else alright?!¡± she asked, pushing him away slightly as she looked around. Landin was on the ground sitting as he nursed his eye with one hand. Quetz kneeled down next to him, a concerned look on her face. ¡°He¡¯s going to be fine, he just got cut up a bit,¡± Drake said. Charlotte looked in the other direction and nearly stumbled to the side. In the other direction, thest healer was on the ground split in two down the middle and thest man that had ordered for their capture was being held in the air by a very angry-looking Sah Ul¡¯ with her two-handed obsidian ax bathed in fresh blood. Kalik was on the ground behind her unconscious, but she didn¡¯t miss the pool of blood under his right hand. ¡°We got here just when you four couldn¡¯t handle it anymore¡­ I¡¯m sorry but we had to let you do as much as you could. This won¡¯t be the end of this type of thing. Kalik lost his hand, but I have one charge left of the healing core, so he will be fine. You all did good. I¡­ I can¡¯t express how sorry¡­ or proud I am of you all for getting through this,¡± Drake said, the remorse in his voice evident. Charlotte¡¯s legs gave out and Drake scooped her up before she fell, letting her down on the ground next to Landin and away from the blood and gore of the fight with both the wolves and the vampires. She began calming down and took an offered potion from Drake to heal her leg that had been struck by the man she killed. The bones had been broken in several ces making it unsightly to look at. Charlotte grimaced and itched at the leg as it healed but sighed finally once it was done. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a nice chat with Mr. Cullen, you four rest up alright? There¡¯s going to be harder things still once you have,¡± Drake said evenly, turning and walking toward Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°That can¡¯t actually be that guy¡¯s name,¡± Landin scoffed from next to Charlotte. ¡°Probably not,¡± Charlotteughed wryly as she turned her head in his direction, spotting Quetz next to him. Behind Quetz the twins finally came into view, both looking at the carnage with even stares. Atropos somehow surveyed the area despite her eyes being closed and Clotho staying within arm¡¯s length of his sister. Atropos caught Charlotte¡¯s gaze and gave a nod. Charlotte reciprocated and turned to her notifications. [You have killed Norris Grunnum Level 11] [Experience earned] [Congrattions! You are now Warrior Level 7] [14 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You are now Warrior Level 8] [14 Free Points have been awarded] She also saw a new title that hadn¡¯t been there before but she could only look at it with a distant expression. [Murderer] Chapter 234: Retrospection Chapter 234: Retrospection ¡°So Mister Cullen,¡± Drake said, looking at the now upside-down vampire, ¡°Normally I would ask a question and then end your misery.¡± The vampire spat at Drake¡¯s face, but it was stopped by a wall of water. ¡°Really? Twilight jokes? How old are you?¡± the vampire cringed, ¡°My name is Christan you fucking loser.¡± The small screen of water fell to the ground, Drakeying an even expression back at the man. ¡°Unfortunately for you, you will not live long enough to hear all of my vampire jokes,¡± he growled, ¡°You tried to kill and kidnap my kids. Even if I did allow you to fight them,¡± he paused, raising his right hand, a blue circle of magic manifesting a circting spike of water, pointed right at the vampire¡¯s head, ¡°I¡¯m still really pissed.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so fucking scared!¡± Christanughed back, ignoring the spellpletely, ¡°Do you even know who I am?¡± Drake stayed silent for a moment, then dismissed his spell. Honestly happy he was a mouthy one, even if he was too stupid to realize what Drake obviously had in store for him. He may not even have to ask questions if it progressed the way he wanted. And was once again not sure if he should be thankful for his disguising ne, as it apparently being active reduced his intimidation factor by quite a lot. The man turned a slightly less pale gray as his face reddened and squirmed in incredulity, ¡°I¡¯m high up on the totem pole, pal! And if I¡¯m not back by sundown there¡¯s going to be a small army looking for me!¡± ¡°Is that right? You seem like a nobody to me. You were bested by children less than level 10. As a¡­¡± Drake inspected the man. [Christan Jules Level 14] ¡°As a level 14¡­ you should honestly be ashamed¡­¡± ¡°Y-you little fuck! I was just letting those little wastelets of minions take care of it for me! Why would someone of my status go out of his way to take care of some low-level scraps?! I convert people, I don¡¯t deal with the dirty work,¡± he scoffed. ¡°You do, do you? Hard to believe,¡± Drake jabbed, ¡°You seemed more like a grunt than even those other three that got rolled by the kids.¡± ¡°Screw you. I¡¯m a tier 2 Dhampir you little shit, I''m only a few more hundred conversions away and I get to be lord of a town-¡± Christian continued to rant but then closed his mouth shut as ifpelled. Drake raised a brow, ¡°Oh? Be got your tongue? I doubt it though since she¡¯s probably at Jacob¡¯s house-¡± but before Drake could finish, Christian¡¯s head exploded killing him instantly. ¡°Uhhhh!¡± Drake groaned, ¡°I¡¯m covered in 1-star movie actor¡­.¡± He burned his hoodie and drenched himself in hot water and cleaning himself, disappointed with theck of information he received. Drake sighed, picking up the spatial bag but was unable to find a skill stone from the Dhampir, pulling another hoodie from his inventory to slip on. ¡°At least he talked a little bit¡­ But it looks like there''s some sort of ingrained or safeguard in these undead converted,¡± Drake waved his hand, the dhampir¡¯s body lighting up in a brilliant white fire, ¡°A small army huh? I guess I¡¯ll need to just let loose, it¡¯s been a good minute and I¡¯m still¡­ really pissed,¡± he sighed, ¡°But I¡¯m starting to get concerned. He mentioned bing a lord and that he was a few hundred away. Just how many undead are getting made?¡± He crossed his arms as he walked back to the group, a long list of questions and problems filling out in his head to ask Natto once they got back. ¡°Is there something wrong Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, standing up from helping Kalik Tu¡¯ nurse his freshly restored hand. ¡°There¡¯s a bunch if I¡¯m being honest but it will have to wait until we return back to the town. Right now,¡± Drake began addressing the rest of the group, ¡°We are heading to the nearest system center. We need to pick up the quests I had you all skip earlier.¡± ¡°Why now?¡± Lanin asked, scratching at the fresh scar across his left eye. ¡°Oh, nice cement of a scar. Real intimidating. Missed the Squall look by a little though,¡± Drake grinned pointing at his own two marks under his left eye. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that. If I cut my hair and close my eye, at least I can look like Auron. Wrong eye but close enough,¡± Landin shrugged taking Drake¡¯s joke in stride as he glossed over it. Drake let his mouth hang for a moment, more surprised he knew the reference, and then even more surprised that he deflected it, referencing another character. ¡°R-right, Auron is always a good pick¡­¡± Drake said, his eyebrow twitching slightly, ¡°But back on topic. We are basically going to be experience bombing all of you.¡± ¡°No! They have just finished a fight. And you wish to blow them up?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned incredulously. Drake scrunched up his face, ¡°N-no¡­ I want them to take a bunch of quests and turn them in all at the same time so they can jump from their current level to hopefully level 10 all in one go.¡± ¡°O-oh,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, then nodded, ¡°This is fine then.¡± Atropos held up a hand. Drake chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s with the hand?¡± Atropos put her hand down, her head tilting slightly, ¡°Is this not how people of your culture ask questions? I have seen it done on the TV, Lord Drake,¡± she questioned. ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re in ss for school I guess¡­ You know what, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll allow it. What¡¯s your question?¡± ¡°What of my brother and I?¡± she asked, ¡°We are both already level 10.¡± Drake gave a dismissive wave, ¡°It¡¯s fine, you will both do the same thing and it will probably even out if we are doing the same quests. I¡¯m sure the experience won¡¯t do much for you both at a higher level. Now, Charlotte,¡± he said addressing her. ¡°Hmm? Yeah¡­?¡± she answered half-heartedly. Drake gave pause, thinking for a moment before asking his question, ¡°Bring Atropos and Clotho into your party. I know you four figured out the party system even without me telling you. After that¡­¡± he sighed, his expression softening from his dealing with the dhampir into an endearing smirk, ¡°Let¡¯s have a warm meal.¡± ¡ª----------- The group of eight had since moved from the remains of the blood-soaked battle and set up a small campfire to rest. Sah Ul¡¯ remained vignt on the edge with her weapon holstered on her back, ready for any uninvited guests while Drake hummed as he cooked, preparing food and stirring arge pot. ¡°Did you know he cooked¡­?¡± Landin whispered to Charlotte. ¡°N-no. But remember he gave us all that food before? The one that seemed to make us stronger,¡± she muttered back. ¡°Oh¡­! Yeah, that was really good stuff. You don¡¯t think that was him right? You would need, like, one of the professions he mentioned, right?¡± ¡°I can hear you, I¡¯m right here you know,¡± Drake smiled, dropping some chunks of meat into the pot with a sprinkle of salt, ¡°No, I like to cook. I don¡¯t have it as a profession.¡± ¡°Hmmmm,¡± they both mused. Atropos pulled her brother back from leaning forward almost over the pot, his tail wagging furiously. ¡°Lord Drake, do you like women that can cook?¡± she asked, dabbing the corners of Clotho¡¯s mouth with a piece of cloth. Drake hummed, not noticing Charlotte and Sah Ul¡¯s ears almost bingrger and turning in his direction as he answered. ¡°If I had to choose one or the other, yeah. Cooking is a big green g.¡± ¡°Green g?¡± Atropos asked. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing,¡± Drake chuckled, pulling the spoon from the pot, pushing his finger into the broth, and licking it, ¡°Hmm, needs a bit of flour I think, it isn¡¯t thickening the way I want¡­¡± ¡°I would like to make cooking my first profession,¡± Atropos said confidently, pumping her fists. ¡°I¡¯d also like to know where we can get the profession,¡± Charlotte answered, somehow soundingpetitive about it as she stared at Atropos. ¡°I already have all my professions filled¡­.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ sighed from the edge. ¡°Ok¡­¡± Drake said, trying to ignore the obvious, ¡°Anyway¡­ Let¡¯s see those status screens everyone. I want to see where we¡¯re all at and what we need to do going forward. Might as well do something while we wait for the stew to reduce and simmer.¡± Kalik was surprisingly the first one to walk up to Drake, turning around a blue screen as he rolled his wrist. [Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk] [Race: Low-Land Orc] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 7 [Vitality] 81 [Strength] 102 [Dexterity] 33 [Intelligence] 13 [Wisdom] 8 [Endurance] 23 [Free Points] 14 [Skills] Basic Heavy Blow [Level N/A] [Titles] First Hunt, Two vs One, Living on the Edge, Pig Hater, Wolf Hunter, One vs Many, Canine Exterminator ¡°Oh¡­¡± mused Drake, ¡°I knew from inspecting you all but everyone grew so fast in just a day and a half. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Drake made some mental notes then moved on to Landin who was next. [Landin Raymond] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Cleric] Level 8 [Vitality] 68 [Strength] 53 [Dexterity] 53 [Intelligence] 141 [Wisdom] 111 [Endurance] 63 [Free Points] 49 [Skills] Basic Mend [Level N/A], Basic Wrath [Level N/A] [Titles] First Blood, Two vs One, Living On the Edge, Close Call, One vs Many, Pig Hater, Wolf Hunter, Canine Exterminator, Dead Man Walking, Murderer, Punching Up Then Charlotte. [Charlotte Mcrin] [Race: Human] [Base ss: Warrior] Level 8 [Vitality] 109 [Strength] 106 [Dexterity] 78 [Intelligence] 48 [Wisdom] 48 [Endurance] 48 [Free Points] 48 [Skills] Basic Heavy Blow [Level N/A] [Titles] First Blood, Living on the Edge, Two vs One, One vs Many, Pig Hater, Wolf Hunter, Canine Exterminator, Murderer, Punching Up And finally the unusually quiet Quetz. [Quetzel Mano] [Race: Sun Conure] [Base ss: Ranger] Level 7 [Vitality] 22 [Strength] 33 [Dexterity] 85 [Intelligence] 12 [Wisdom] 12 [Endurance] 46 [Free Points] 31 [Skills] Basic Power Shot [Level N/A] [Titles] First Flight, Two vs One, Pig Hater, Wolf Hunter, Canine Exterminator ¡°That¡¯s good, everyone is around the same level so hitting level 10 in the time we need should be doable. And we can do a little more title hunting in the meantime,¡± Drake said before his brow furrowed, ¡°There¡¯s no other way to say this though. All of you except Landin will have to also gain the near-death titles pretty much. Kalik has one but as far as I know there are two others.¡± ¡°Near-death titles¡­?¡± Charlotte asked warily. ¡°Yeah,¡± Drake answered, bringing up his own status screen and flipping around the title, ¡°You will all need to go below 5% health several times which is dangerous, to say the least¡­¡± he said, regret on his face, ¡°But the boosts to health will be a big factor in your growths overall. Especially for those of you not specializing in vitality. It could be the main reason you die or live in a fight. Without those titles in the early parts of the tutorial, I would have most likely diedter on, I can¡¯t even count on both my hands how many times I¡¯ve gone below 5%...¡± he finished, giving a wry smile. ¡°But how exactly are we going to do that, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked a hint of fear in her eyes. Drake grimaced, ¡°Honestly I¡¯d like to say there is some special trick I can give you. But as far as I know, there isn¡¯t a way around these types of things. Health is measured by the system in a way that it reflects your current vitality or the current life force you have.¡± ¡°But, but¡­ Quetz has lots of life force. She¡¯s plenty young,¡± Quetz chirped. ¡°No, I mean in terms of inner life force,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have all noticed that with the recent fights you¡¯ve had your bodies don¡¯t always feel like they are at 100% right?¡± The teens nodded. ¡°Well the system still shows your status as 100% right?¡± he added. They nodded again. ¡°So for example, Kalik,¡± Drake said, pointing to him, ¡°His wrist is still bothering him. It¡¯s easy to tell. Yet, I¡¯m sure his status still says he is at 100% health. There is this kind of physical fatigue that doesn''t get factored into the system''s calctor of health. And my only exnation is that it is calcting the pure life force of well, your vessel.¡± Drake paused for a moment, threading his hands, ¡°So that means we can¡¯t trick it with say damage over time, that would be negligible in pain but still damage your life force. I won¡¯t lie to you all, gathering these titles in particr is going to be hard and painful, but I assure you it is worth it for the points and every advantage you get now will only add to the ones you gatherter.¡± He sighed, ¡°Unfortunately it looks like Kalik and Quetz didn¡¯t do enough damage in the fight for the system to consider it part of the kill for the vampires. So you two didn¡¯t get the Punching Up title either. At least that one won¡¯t be extremely hard to get but if you all look at the stat difference from just that title it¡¯s pretty night and day what I mean. Here, take a look.¡± Drake motioned for everyone to gather and asked Quetz and Landin to share their statuses. ¡°Oh my!¡± Atropos said, her mouth going wide in surprise, ¡°This is from a single title?¡± Drake nodded and smirked, ¡°This is a heavy-hitting one but yeah. There are certain titles that give extreme bonuses. This particr one gives 30 points to every stat.¡± Waving away the windows, Drake stirred the pot again, pulling a chunk of meat out. ¡°Ok, think we¡¯re good, dig in.¡± He pulled out bowls from his inventory, filling them and handing them out to each of the teens before continuing his small line of exnations. ¡°The good thing and the most surprising is that you all still have free points to use, well, Kalik used most of his, but his ss advancement should be in line with his warrior ss more than the rest of you so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± He finished handing Quetz a bowl and spoon and looked at her for a moment. ¡°Quetz.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± she hummed and looked up at him from her steaming bowl. ¡°You¡¯re going to have the hardest time it looks like. I understand you¡¯re a ranger and don¡¯t really get into melee often but these stats from these titles are going to be important¡­¡± Drake said trailing off slightly. ¡°Quetz understands,¡± she smiled, looking back down at the bowl, ¡°Quetz wasn¡¯t able to do much for her flock during the fight with the bad men. But¡­ she wants to do more, yep yep!¡± Drake gave her hair a tussle and a small smile creased his lips as well, ¡°I¡¯m sorry and thank you Quetz.¡± He stood up right after, stretching slightly and letting out a satisfied groan. ¡°Finish up your food and rest. In an hour we are heading to the town Sah Ul¡¯ and I found on the way earlier to visit the system center. Be ready for more brutal training ahead, you all still have a ways to go.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Charlotte asked, cing her bowl down onto herp. ¡°Hmm? Nothing right now. I¡¯ll stay on watch with Sarah. Just focus on getting your bodies rested for now and your heads straight. I know what it feels like but everyone deals with the stress differently. What I¡¯m putting you all through,¡± he said rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°Is only going to get worse.¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± Landin scoffed. ¡°I will not allow myself to fall behind children,¡± Kalik said, scowling. ¡°I am waiting expectantly to begin my own journey to repayment, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos agreed, bowing her head slightly. Quetz gave a chirp but continued stuffing her face, while Clotho merely nodded as he continued to eat silently. ¡°I don¡¯t n on stopping now,¡± Charlotte added, ¡°If there are people like that out there¡­ I won¡¯t leave them be, what would happen if it was Brodie instead of me? I won¡¯t allow it.¡± Drake turned his head aplicated feeling welling up in his chest. He couldn¡¯t tell if he was proud they were willing to continue so admirably, regretful they had to grow up so quickly because of him. Or fearful of how they might change after their own Rank Ups. They really are bing little monsters. He scoffed in his head. Level 8 in a day and a half¡­ I don¡¯t know if I should be amazed or questioning my own leveling speed. I¡¯ve slowed down a lot but there isn¡¯t much I can do right now. He bit down the gnawing feeling in his stomach. The budding thought kept inching closer and closer to the surface in the back of his mind telling him to throw everything away and get stronger. Drake needed to be stronger, he knew that and had the conviction to do so, but he wasn¡¯t ready to discard his family to do so. That feeling had to remain pushed down deep inside for now even if he knew it was growing stronger by the day. And it wasn¡¯t only this feeling that ached inside of him. He felt like some kind of instinctual call was pulling at his whole being. Like some sort of maic force wanted him to move forward rushing him to the finish line. What that line was Drake wasn¡¯t sure but he had a feeling that it may have something to do with a particr quest that he received. [Legacy Quest: Ghosts of the Past]
  • Reach Level 30 and enter the Trials of the War General
  • Reward: Experience, Legacy Item, ess to Asuran¡¯s Generational Training Wilds.
There was something about this quest that ate at him. And it felt as if his very soul was being called to. Chapter 235: It’s Time To Get Moo-tivated! Chapter 235: It¡¯s Time To Get Moo-tivated! Nothing of mention happened during their rest, surprisingly. Drake and Sarah talked as the teens finished their food within the hour. Once they were done, Drake packed up the small camp. ¡°Alright troublemakers, get those feet moving. We¡¯re wasting daylight and ya¡¯ll are still on a schedule, three and a half days to go.¡± Drake pointed in the direction of the town, recalling the ce from the day before. ¡°The town is in that direction, everyone get a move on. Sarah and I will lead, no one fights anything until after you get your quests. Especially you two, Atropos, and Clotho. I don¡¯t want either of you going over level 10 more than you have to, it will only make getting other titles more difficult and I¡¯m honestly not sure if you both will receive your stat bonuses from your ss without first ranking up fully.¡± Clotho and Atropos nodded. ¡°Sarah, take up the rear, don¡¯t go out of your way to kill anything, we want to move as quickly as possible. I¡¯ll take the front,¡± Drake exined then grinned, ¡°Do your best to keep up kiddos.¡± And with that, Drake and the rest of the group were off. They traveled through the snow-covered forest quickly, all of the teen¡¯s stats helping them maintain a speed that would have been unimaginable before the system. The light snowfallbined with the breaks in the clouds that allowed beams of light to pass through intermittently made for a beautifulndscape. Small radiant rainbows were produced here and there against the backdrop of the falling snow that couldn¡¯t help but be appreciated as the breathtaking sight that it was. Drake¡¯s eyes and senses never strayed from his purpose, but even he couldn¡¯t help but smile as he took in everything around him. He never would have guessed this was where he would end up. Sprinting through the forest at the speed of a moving vehicle without breaking a sweat, followed by teens of varying fantasy races, and even a wife of a different race on their way to pick up quests to level up then meet up or even save his family. It was a reality he had long since epted in the tutorial but spelling it out in his head still forced a wry chuckle from him. Drake ran with his hands in his hoodie pouch, striding forward casually as he aimed spells at any monster that was foolish enough toe close with his eyes. He had reached a teau with his maniption and skills. He felt he was on the cusp of leveling up again, but the monsters in the area -although plentiful- were unfortunately just too low level outside of the odd E-Rank. Looking at the levels of the monsters he slew as they traveled only gave more weight to his assumptions. I guess the world is still ramping up the monster''s strength. The is seen as F-Rank right now if I¡¯m remembering right. And we need to defeat two more Cardinal Beasts to upgrade the. But¡­ Drake thought sighing. ¡°If I rush to upgrade the right away without more people leveling up, just what is going to happen to the? I might get monsters to kill and level up but everyone else would be destroyed¡­¡± he muttered, but was thrown from his thoughts as he felt a crowd of monsters in front of them. But there was a problem. It was inside the town they were traveling to and it was justing into view. ¡°Stop,¡± Drake said, screeching to a halt. The rest of the group mmed on their brakes as well far more out of breath than Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ but were well enough off to give questioning looks. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Is there something up ahead? I don¡¯t see anything,¡± Charlotte said, holding her spear and surveying the area. ¡°Monsters?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, shouldering her obsidian ax. ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re in the town,¡± Drake grimaced. ¡°Inside the town? Should there not be people remaining here? Were they overrun?¡± Atropos asked, moving closer to Drake, as Clotho also moved to protect her from the side, his fags bared. Quetz too moved closer to Drake, knocking an arrow out of habit, a worried chirp escaping her lips. Kalik unsheathed his dual axes, a deep growl apanying. ¡°I don¡¯t know-¡± Drake began but was cut off by a guttural screech that sounded like an animal in pain. He raised his hands, his arms and back humming to life in golden light that bled through his hoodie as he prepared for what wasing. In seconds a stampede of monsters filled their vision. ¡°No, not monsters,¡± Drake said coldly. Ghouls. He summoned a wall of ice, covering the group in a protective barrier as the screaming deranged horde of Ghouls mmed against it harmlessly like waves breaking against rock. ¡°W-what is this..?¡± Charlotte stammered. ¡°Abominations¡­ Heresy against the Mother,¡± Kalik spat. Drake raised his brow at that, ¡°Abominations? They were once people, Kalik, have somepassion. If my guess is right, they were the people that stayed when I came before¡­¡± he grimaced, ¡°I warned them but¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ walked forward and ced her hand on Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It is not the Patriarch¡¯s ce to suffer for the faults of strangers. You offered them refuge and they refused, it is their fate,¡± sheforted, ¡°But do not fault Kalik Tu¡¯, Patriarch. In our teachings, the dead are sacred. To bring back a warrior from the eternal hunt is to damn them to a life of wandering without meaning. Many shamans of the Orc tried to bring back the dead before the Gods took us, and it only brought chaos and destruction. Dark, disgusting, and corrupted magics¡­¡± Drake clenched his fists tighter, she was right, but that didn¡¯t make it less hard on him. Had he pushed, or spent more time here to convince them, maybe they would havee with him. The mming on the clear sheet of ice almost became rhythmic after a few moments, the teens going to the edge of it to get a better look at the Ghouls. Complicated expressions on all of their faces until he heard a gasp from Charlotte and then she emptied her stomach. Drake looked to where she was standing just a second ago and his face deepened into an intense frown. Standing there was a child no older than four, tearing and wing at the wall of ice. Her skin was pale and she wore a torn and tattered pink coat sttered with blood. Two braided ponytails parted her hair. The entire mob of Ghouls continued to beat against the wall but Drake could only notice the face of the small girl as it contorted and twisted to scream, but always keeping a sliver of what looked like pain and agony to Drake. The small girl continued to scratch and w against the ice, lines of red forming where she struck even after her fingers had bent back, and fingernails stuck to the ice. Drake broke from the overwhelming sound of the drumming with a flex of his aura. The area going silent. ¡°Enough¡­¡± He walked forward, the Ghouls dropping to the ground and backing up shaking, a stark contrast to their single-minded frantic assault on the barrier. ¡°Rest in peace and suffer no more,¡± Drake said, his voice echoing in the barrier as a crimson-red magic circle formed at his feet. ¡°Ignis.¡± The magic circle breathed to life, a white me sparking above Drake¡¯s head and melting the barrier of ice as the warm water washed over the snow-covered surroundings. The sound of sizzling water overpowered the grumblings and moans of the horde that was forced to fall in almost reverence of the power he was disying with his magic and aura. Pushing mana into the spell, the me of pure white radiance consumed the moisture of the surroundings, but Drake¡¯s control was at the peak of F-Rank and did not harm the teens and Sah Ul¡¯. Drake raised his hand, the sound of the snowkes evaporating against the heat of the spell reaching a dour finale. ¡°Maxima.¡± Almost saying the word with true sorrow the spell exploded, rushing forward into the horde of Ghouls igniting and turning them to ash instantly and without pain or suffering. The ground around them turned from a white snow-covered wondend into a ckened ash-filled cemetery in the sh of white fire. The town entrance was suddenly still and quiet as the snow resumed to fall as if the fight that had concluded in just a moment had never urred. Drake and the rest of the group stood there in silence for several breaths. The group in awe of his spell. Drake in brooding regret for not having saved them before this happened. But once again a surprise came that they were not prepared for. The footfalls of a single person sounded through the snow as their heads raised to look at the approaching patter of steps. Slowly moving forward was another Ghoul, a small boy who had red lettering etched against his paling skin. Drake moved, holding the biting and wing boy by the shoulders. ¡°Not the end. Adam¡­¡± Drake read in a cold emotionless voice. His hand shook despite himself and Drake quickly summoned a ze of pure white fire, putting the poor boy to rest. ¡°Why¡­ Why are you doing this¡­?¡± he muttered, ¡°Why are there so many deranged people only spreading suffering and torment? Isn¡¯t the system pitting us against monsters enough?¡± Drake ground his teeth, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don''t even care anymore. I¡¯ll keep my promise and once I find you, Adam¡­! Not even a spec of ash is going to remain!¡± ¡ª------------ After using his earth magic to bury the ashes, cing arge monument of stones piled high to mark the grave. Drake took a minute to calm down, swiping away the notifications of the kills he had gotten. Even the surprise of finishing his Ghoul quest did nothing but remind him of the mncholy task he had before him. The teens and Sah Ul¡¯ looked at him worriedly but Drake didn¡¯t needfort for his actions. No, he needed vindication. And the only way to achieve that was to end the undead gue that was mounting against their. He had no idea where Adam was. He had no idea just how many undead there were and how many more there would be soon enough. In less than a day, more than one hundred people had been converted to ghouls. And there was still the issue of vampires, dhampirs, and whatever else being made. Then there was his brother who was doing who knows what to even more people. The list of problems was seemingly endless. Drake took a deep breath, motioning for the group to go forward and finish what they came for. They tooknguid steps behind him, all of their faces, even Kalik¡¯s and Clotho¡¯s perpetual scowls turning thoughtful as they passed the massive gravestone. Drake left them to their thoughts as they walked in silence, Sah Ul¡¯ stepping up to walk next to him, her presence a soothingfort on its own. He began tapping through his screens as they moved, eventually his eyes falling on the several bags they collected from the vampires, both the ones the teens had fought, and the several others Drake had gotten from the town earlier. He opened them, finding monster cores, skill stones, mana coins, and more steroids. Then he found something else he hadn¡¯t earlier. Drake wasn¡¯t sure which spatial bag contained it but it didn¡¯t matter. The item itself was troubling. [Vial of Count Blood] [F-Grade]
  • A vial containing a mid-tier vampire¡¯s blood.
  • Consuming this blood will turn the individual into a vampire.
  • Converted persons will be soul-bound andpelled to serve the blood donator.
  • Those of weaker constitutions will be turned into Ghouls.
¡ª--------- Charlotte walked with the others with heavy steps,menting that she couldn¡¯t in some way help orfort Drake after witnessing what he just did. ¡°Do you think those Ghouls were the reason he¡¯s pushing us so hard?¡± she asked, whispering to Landin. ¡°No idea. But that was on another level, like a zombie apocalypse,¡± he answered back. ¡°What is a zombie apocalypse?¡± Atropos asked from behind them. ¡°It¡¯s like when the whole world turns into ghouls and undead. They go around biting people and infecting them to turn into more zombies,¡± Landin exined, mimicking a biting motion. Atropos recoiled back slightly, ¡°That sounds awful¡­¡± ¡°If that group of ghouls was any indication, I think we may be in for a lot more,¡± Charlotte said solemnly, ¡°Those vampires are just horrible¡­ An entire town even turning children¡­ It isn¡¯t right. And Drake was forced to put them all to rest on his own, I wish he would at least ask us for help. Isn¡¯t that the whole reason we''re doing this?¡± she grimaced. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s part of the reason, but don¡¯t jump the gun,¡± Landin said trying to calm her, ¡°We still have a ways to go and us getting worked up isn¡¯t going to change much right now while we¡¯re still low level. Let¡¯s just get stronger and go from there right? We have to change first before we can change the world,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°It is as Landin says, Charlotte. The gap in strength to Lord Drake is just too vast at the moment. If we wish to follow him and repay his kindness we must first gain strengthparable to him. I understand your anxiousness but we can and will rise above. It is the only way to hunt properly,¡± Atropos agreed. Charlotte nodded reluctantly, gripping the hem of her leather armor and the shaft of her broken spear that could only be called a short spear now. ¡°Yeah¡­ You''re both right. Just a little longer and we¡¯ll be strong enough. A few more levels and we¡¯ll rank up and have the strength to not let something like this happen again¡­¡± ¡ª---------- The group took its time walking through the abandoned town on their way to the system center. Drake did his best to pretend he didn¡¯t hear the teen¡¯s conversations behind him as he walked with Sarah. He just wanted calm and silence for now, and was surprised he hadn¡¯t been assaulted by Quetz recently, or scowled at by Kalik Tu¡¯ Maybe they¡¯ve both started to change already. Quetz seems to be fine with staying close to the others now and even Kalik doesn¡¯t seem to be as grumpy and arrogant. Drake thought, putting his hands behind his head. With absent thoughts, they eventually reached the town¡¯s center and entered the familiar-looking building. Inside it hadn¡¯t changed and looked exactly as Drake remembered the center in the other town. A single floor, with a long stretch of counters with constructs of different races behind them. But somehow the building felt empty despite the constructs. Like a thick air of gloom hung in the surroundings. ¡°Feels like this ce is empty even with the constructs in here¡­ There¡¯s no conversation or warmth. It feels just, cold,¡± Drake muttered. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty creepy,¡± Landin said, rubbing his arms, ¡°Compared to the center in ReUnite, I feel like I could see a tumbleweed covered in snow blow past us at any moment¡­¡± Drake gave a light scoff, even after Charlotte gave Landin a slight smack for being insensitive. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Alright, let¡¯s see what quests are avable here. We need to have you kids load up and hopefully, some of them have item rewards. We don¡¯t exactly have all the skill stones you need so the more quest items you can get the better.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ waited at the door, leaning against the wall with her ax doing the same as the teens all went to a different counter, speaking with the constructs. Drake also walked up to a counter greeting the construct as he asked for a list of quests. [Quest: Subjugate 50 Mana Bovine]
  • Rmended Level 1-10
  • Rewards: Experience, Umon Rarity Piece of F-Grade Equipment
[Quest: Subjugate 10 Iron Hide Bulls]
  • Rmended Level 10-15
  • Rewards: Experience, Umon Rarity Skill Stone of Your Choice
[Quest: Subjugate 20 Mana Wolves]
  • Rmended Level 1-10
  • Rewards: Experience
[Quest: Subjugate 10 Alpha Frost Wolves]
  • Rmended Level 10-15
  • Rewards: Experience, Umon Rarity F-Grade Weapon of your Choice
[Quest: Subjugate 50 Winter Tusk Mana Boars]
  • Rmended Level 1-10
  • Rewards: Experience
[Quest: Subjugate 10 Winter Tusk Alpha Boar]
  • Rmended Level 10-15
  • Rewards: Experience, Set of F-Grade Potions x10
¡°Bovine¡­? Cows? No way, is the cow level real¡­?¡± Drakeughed. Chapter 236: I’ve created monsters Chapter 236: I¡¯ve created monsters ¡°Everyone got all the quests they could?¡± Drake asked, standing in front of the group of teens. ¡°Yep yep! Quetz has 20 quests!¡± Quetz chirped first. Charlotte smiled next to her, not able to understand but she also answered, ¡°Yeah, I have about 20. Most of them are cow quests though. Has anyone else noticed that the non-F-Rank monsters just have ¡®Mana¡¯ in front of their name for the most part?¡± she asked. ¡°Sure, but I thought it just made sense,¡± Landin nodded, ¡°I¡¯m guessing they haven¡¯t ¡®upgraded¡¯ like we haven¡¯t so they just get it to show they¡¯re being infused with mana?¡± ¡°I do not understand the need for these trials of the gods. Should we not just hunt as we have? Testing our strength against greater opponents?¡± Kalik grumbled. ¡°We will do anything that Lord Drake instructs. We give full confidence in his guidance,¡± Atropos beamed, Clotho shaking his head to the side. Drake smiled at Clotho and nodded to the rest. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s set some ground rules. This will mostly be the same as before. Sah Ul¡¯ and I will not interfere unless absolutely necessary due to something out of the ordinary happening. While you are gaining the necessary titles I will be close by just because of the nature of the title needing to reduce your health to below 5%. You all have potions, do not be afraid to use them. Their price means nothing if you let them sit in your inventory worried about it. Your lives mean far more than any item, weapon, or healing salve we could buy.¡± Drake paused making sure each of the teens understood before he continued. ¡°Next is weapons. I have spares for most of you,¡± he said, pulling a spear out for Charlotte, ¡°So if your weapon breaks don¡¯t sweat it for now, but I will only do this for the non-graded items. Everything in F-Grade and after is your responsibility. Now, Clotho and Atropos. Do you both have weapons? We gave you some armor as well but,¡± Drake said hesitantly. ¡°We both still have our weapons from the tutorial. There is unfortunately a problem though,¡± Atropos said, her lips thinning. ¡°Well?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Both of our sses do not use the weapons anymore. My base ss was a mage and my brother¡¯s was a warrior. It is not as detrimental for myself due to my ss skill allowing me to change any weapon into a scythe, but Clotho needs a very specific type of weapon for his skills and ss it would seem¡­¡± Drake tapped his finger to his chin for a moment. ¡°It just needs to be twined right? The stronger the material the better?¡± he asked. Clotho nodded hesitantly, seemingly unsure himself. ¡°Not a problem,¡± Drake smiled, pulling several non-graded swords, his arms ring to life in golden light. Drake broke off the handles of the swords, easily bending them with his hands and molding them into long thin-like poles almost looking like wire. They felt heavy and if Drake had to say they didn¡¯t have much give, but he hoped it counted as twined. ¡°Give this a shot.¡± He tossed it to Clotho, and the boy caught it in both his hands as he lurched forward a step with a grunt. But after catching it, the twined metal bent, almost like it was loose string. At first, the string moved like it was being blown in the wind, snaking and whipping around in every direction. Clotho was obviously having a difficult time controlling the material or skill. Drake just assumed he hadn¡¯t had time to practice. After a few more seconds the twined metta snapped with purpose, going ramrod straight, then curled around Clotho¡¯s fingers as if turning into marite strings. Then with a slight grin, the boy quickly motioned with his fingers, the string wrapping itself around his knuckles and up his arms resting in ce. Drake scoffed and gave a toothy grin, ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. So weapons set for everyone then. Perfect, let¡¯s get going. Time to walk in some tall grass!¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t Pokemon dude,¡± Landin smiled. ¡°Be quiet Wobbuffet,¡± Drake snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not even a starter¡± Couldn¡¯t I at least be like Pikachu or Charmander or something?!¡± ¡°Pokemon? What one am I then?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Silence Snubble! No more questions!¡± Drake barked. ¡ª-------- The exit from the center and town was quick. The group, but primarily Drake, wanted to put the incident with the ghouls behind them. He gave a single look over his shoulders as they exited the town¡¯s gate, his head dipping slightly in the direction of the massive monument of rocks marking the grave of the people. Drake would have a lot of questions when they returned. The vial of blood, the massive conversion that happened, and just how was he supposed to proceed? Would he have to go on the path of killing everyst vampire and undead he saw? Eradicating them from the? But what if there were people undeserving of that? There could be decent people within the undead ranks, he was sure. Not everyone could be born evil. He shook his head as they continued to transverse the forest in the direction of his family¡¯s location on the map Talyia had given him. ¡°We¡¯re still a day or so out from the ce we¡¯re going. And with everyone needing to level up and gain titles ital probably take two days at least,¡± he shouted over his shoulders to the following teens and Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°What are we doing out here then?¡± Charlotte asked, scanning the trees and forest floor for monsters as they went. ¡°We have to find-¡± Drake began but suddenly smashed into something tumbling forward. He skidded to a stop thumping onto something that gave a gruff moo and he tried to get up hearing the snapping of metal and the rustling of hoofs all around him. ¡°Ah¡­ what the fu- It¡­ It¡¯s real¡­¡± Drake said in wonder as he looked out into thendscape in front of him with awe. ¡°Patriarch are you alr-¡± Sah Ul¡¯ tried to say, but then her jaw hung there at the scene as well. Drake panned his head looking at the mass of ck and white moving around in huge groups in front of the stopped group. ¡°There¡¯s so many! This is perfect!¡± he shouted, then looked down to see he was covered in barbed wire, his hoodie torn to shreds, ¡°Come on man, I¡¯m going to run out of these soon¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Wow, that''s a lot of cows¡­ The Diablo Devs lied to us!¡± Landinughed, ¡°Why do you even wear a hoodie anyway? It isn¡¯t like you get cold or something right? Is it to hide your gear? What even is your armor, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever even really seen it.¡± Drake covered his body in mock embarrassment, ¡°A maiden¡¯s skin is sacred and I refuse to show it,¡± he said his face losing the haughty joking attitude quickly as he saw the group''s deadpan faces. ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t like showing my armor because I''m basically naked,¡± Drake sighed, his hoodie going up in smoke, revealing the chest te that only covered his upper half and the golden soundless chains hanging from the shoulders and chest, ¡°See what I mean? And it isn¡¯t like the hoodie impedes me or anything.¡± The moment he did, Clotho ced his hands over his sister¡¯s eyes even with them already being closed, and it seemed to do nothing as her milky skin still went scarlet. Charlotte also turned a shade of red as she looked away slightly, while Quetz just tilted her head curiously. Landin gave a long ¡®ooohhh¡¯ poking Drake in the stomach, ¡°You always had those? I would be showing them off nonstop.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, that¡¯s weird. And yeah, since I had my rank up I¡¯ve gotten just a little bit more attractive,¡± Drake muttered, turning away. I can hear Natto screaming in my head already. ¡®Ha! Ape you are still just as ugly as before! Only slightly less fat!¡¯ Or something. Drake sighed inside his head. Sah Ul¡¯ only continued to look out at the massive herd of cows, their mooing bing a cacophony in the background. Drake raised a brow, slightly disappointed that she wasn¡¯t giving the same reaction as the teens. Is it because she already saw me in full armor when we fought? That¡¯s kinda disappointing¡­ He also turned, walking next to her as he slipped on another hoodie, getting down to hisst sets. Kalik on her other side his axes already drawn and ready to go. ¡°Hold on there tiger,¡± Drake said. Sah Ul¡¯ suddenly whipped around her ax drawn, ¡°Where?!¡± Drake blinked, sighing. ¡°No, it''s a turn of phrase.¡± ¡°I have never heard a phrase turning, is it magic?¡± Drake pped his forehead, groaning softly, ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t even know how you can make that confusing. That¡¯s like an aplishment in it of itself¡­¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded in pride, shouldering her weapon. ¡°I¡¯m not- Never mind. Big breaths Drake, big breaths¡­¡± he sighed again, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what we¡¯re working with.¡± Drake excused himself from theedy act that was Sarah right now and began inspecting the cows in earnest. [Mana Cow Level 3] [Mana Cow Level 7] [Alpha Iron Hide Bull Level 13] [Iron Hide Bull Level 10] [Iron Hide Bull Level 7] Drake grimaced, ¡°Their levels are all over the ce¡­ That isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t that good?¡± Landin probed, tapping his mace against his thigh. ¡°Well, it means that there''s too much of a disparity between the monsters'' levels. We need everyone who doesn¡¯t have the near-death titles to get to low health. So what happens if you are fighting a level 3 and a level 7 suddenly jumps in? You die, that¡¯s what,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s what you mean.¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I guess we go with n B.¡± ¡°n B?¡± the teens asked in unison. ¡°Yup, try not to resent me for it,¡± Drake said, his voice suddenly devoid of emotion as he threw his hand up, an earthen brown magic circle forming. Drake quickly summoned a simple building of ck earth, four walls, no doors, and no roof. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ What are you going to do?¡± Charlotte asked with a hint of concern. ¡°My aura is pretty oppressive,¡± Drake said, spreading it out over the small area, ¡°While under its full influence, you will begin to lose health and if it should go on long enough, you will die. I obviously won¡¯t do that. But I need you all to stay conscious and tell me when you have reached below 5% health.¡± He began to release his aura in earnest, the teen¡¯s faces as well Sah Ul¡¯s paling as they fell to their knees as if gravity had suddenly increased several folds. The teens fought against it, several of them looking with determination and two with detestation, Kalik growling against the pressure of the aura. Sah Ul¡¯ wasn¡¯t nearly as affected as Drake wasn¡¯t directing it specifically at her but with the release of his aura and being in such a small area, it was almost inevitable that she would be somewhat affected after all his boosts to it. Drake grit his teeth as he looked at the teens writhing in pain in front of him, but this was the safest way to get them the titles. ¡°Like I said, I hope you don¡¯t resent me for it¡­¡± he let slip under his breath. ¡°H-how..¡± Atropos groaned, sweat beading down the side of her face, her wolf ears dropped down to the point they cupped against her head, ¡°How could we ever resent t-the person who saved us¡­?¡± she eeked out. ¡°Or is o-only doing this for our benefit¡­¡± Charlotte added, trying to struggle against the pressure, slipping her elbows under her to raise her head. ¡°Q-quetz won¡¯t let h-her flock disappear again¡­! If this makes Quetz s-stronger she¡¯ll do it!¡± Quetz said with a wry chirp. ¡°I¨C swear, if I¡¯m the only one who fails this I¡¯ll never hear the end of it..!¡± Landin groaned through his teeth. ¡°This is¡­nothing!¡± Kalik growled. Drake gave a wry grin, once again the feeling of pride welling up in his chest. Seeing the teens fight back against his aura, even if it wasn¡¯t filled with real killing intent or on full st was admirable. And just seeing them grow at this rapid pace was something else. ¡°I¡¯m growing little monsters aren¡¯t I?¡± he smirked. ¡°I-I¡¯m not a Pokemon¡­¡± Landin gasped, ¡°But I am almost d-dead¡­!¡± Drake reigned in his aura, the teens all gasping for air, as Landin¡¯s hands began to glow with a soft white light as he tapped everyone. ¡°Oh wait, Landin, you don¡¯t have to do this, do you? You already have the third title,¡± Drake said, scratching his cheek. ¡°I-i hate you¡­¡± Landin gasped between crawling from one person to the next, his face deathly pale, and sweating, ¡°Sooooooo much right now¡­.¡± Chapter 237: Squish Squish Chapter 237: Squish Squish After a few more rounds of his aura, the group of budding teens had all received their titles. Drake wasn¡¯t surprised that some of them had also gained a few titles that pertained to aura resistance as well due to the method and length they were under his aura. [Against Tyranny]
  • You have stood up to the oppression that is the Tyrant¡¯s aura and lived.
  • +5% Resistance to aura suppression from beings of the same rank.
  • +1% Resistance to aura suppression from beings one rank above.
¡°Hey,e on. I see this as an absolute win!¡± Drake said, spreading his hands out with a grin. The line of teens looked at him with distasteful expressions. Quetz shook slightly as she sniffed giving a sad coo. ¡°Ok¡­ So much for silver linings¡­ Right, so on to killing cows yeah?¡± Drake said, trying to smooth over the tense air he had made. ¡°Brute,¡± Landin said, from behind Charlotte trying to mimic her voice, ¡°How could you do such a thing to us, Lord Drake!¡± he said, moving behind Atropos. ¡°I don¡¯t sound like that,¡± Charlotte huffed. ¡°Neither do I,¡± Atropos said, turning her head. Landin backed away with a grin, his hands up catingly. ¡°Fine, but they didn¡¯t deny it,¡± he whistled innocently. Drake cringed slightly, putting his hand on his chest, hurt. Charlotte and Atropose both hit Landin in the arm from either side. ¡°Hey that isn¡¯t cool,¡± Landin winced, rubbing his arms, his lips pursed as he blew on his side that Charlotte had hit like he was blowing on something hot. ¡°You get what you deserve,¡± Drake smirked, only to lurch forward as something hit the back of his head, ¡°Ow! What the-¡± Sah Ul¡¯ was behind him, her face frowning as she pointed to the teens and then back to him. Drake scrunched his face up, ¡°Fine. I guess, I deserved that¡­¡± ¡°Ha, justice!¡± Landin cheered, then the girls leveled him with a re that forced him to backpedal next to Drake, gripping his arm, ¡°Women are scary.¡± Chuckling nervously, Drake nodded, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right on that one¡­¡± The sound of a deep moo forced Drake to turn around. When he did he was met with a bull that was stomping its back hoof into the ground, rutting. ¡°Looks like the local farm life has had enough of us,¡± Drake shrugged. ¡°Enough of you maybe,¡± Landin countered. ¡°Either way!¡± Drake said shouting over him, ¡°It¡¯s time to get the rest of your titles and get this leveling show on the road. I want you all to finish ranking up to F-Rank when we get to my mom¡¯s house.¡± Drake chewed on the side of his mouth for a second, ¡°Wow, I never thought I¡¯d say it like that¡­¡± he shook his head, ¡°Ok, time to take this bull by the horns.¡± [Alpha Iron Hide Bull Level 15] ¡°It¡¯s level 15 so we can¡¯t use it for any of you four¡­ Atropos and Clotho¡­ Both of you don¡¯t have as much fighting experience right?¡± Drake asked, remembering the limited titles the two had, even before gaining the recent three. ¡°I fought for a time and somewhat after our parents¡­ But yes, it was mostly out of necessity so you are correct Lord Drake,¡± Atropos said. Clotho grimaced, turning his head down and away, his fist balled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You two will get more than enough experience with it here. Since you two are so ahead of the others I¡¯ve been thinking of what to do about it. And the best I cane up with is getting you both the punching up title and then have you advance to ranking up. The only problem is we don¡¯t have the best sub-stones for you both right now.¡± Drake ced his hand to his chin, the bull behind him charging forward its two horns aimed right at his unprotected back. ¡°Uhh Drake¡­ Drake!¡± Landin shouted, stepping back into the line of the group and away from him. ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing to do about it besides that¡­¡± While Drake was lost in thought the bull thundered forward, bucking its head as it grunted and snorted. The group of teens¡¯ eyes widened as it seemingly was about to barrel into Drake¡¯s unguarded back, but was stopped as its feet continued to tear at the ground trying to propel itself forward. Kalik was the first to grunt and walk beside Drake to see what happened. He only scowled deeper as he saw, prompting the others to move to see as well. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Atropos said. ¡°Where¡¯s his magic circle?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Look at his feet,¡± Charlottemented, tilting her head to look behind Drake. The bull still tried its best to buck and snorted in vitriol. But the teens traced the earthen brown magic circle at Drake¡¯s feet, the ck stone creeping up his legs and covering his back, the bull¡¯s horns stuck in ayer of pitch-ck earth. ¡°How do you gain such control over your magic?¡± Atropos said, her brows knitting together in concentration, seemingly watching the magic behind her closed eyes. ¡°Lots of fight, practice, and a pretty convenient skill,¡± Drake grinned, then snapped his fingers. Instantly the obsidian earth spread and covered the bull from its head down to its hooves, locking it in ce as it snorted gusts of white smoke from its nostrils. Drake turned to get a better look at the monster, only to hear a squish at his feet. He looked down, pulling his food back, the sound followed by the eyes of the group. [Newborn Slime Level 2] ¡°Ew,¡± Drake cringed, ¡°I stepped in baby.¡± Kalik and Quetz dropped down on their haunches. Kalik Tu¡¯ poked it with the tip of his ax, only for it to be pped away by Quetz, who cooed and poked it instead with a finger, the monster jiggling and wobbling at the touch. ¡°Hey, hey. Can we keep it?¡± Quetz asked, scowling and pping Kalik¡¯s ax away once more. Drake was about to say no but then remembered that Natto had specifically asked for these monsters. ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t think it will listen to anyone, we don¡¯t exactly have a tamer ss,¡± he shrugged then panned his view beyond the infuriated bull into the rest of the long expansive corral that contained thousands of mooing bovine of all kinds. Huh, seems like these monsters have multiplied pretty crazy. Wait¡­ Drake thought then saw a cow a little further into the field. ¡°It''s eating the slime?¡± Drake scoffed. Gasps were heard from around him. ¡°How can they eat something so cute!¡± Charlotte protested, dropping down to poke the slime with Quetz. ¡°I agree! Lord Drake, we must hunt everyst one down!¡± Atropos agreed, already kneeling down and squishing the slime as well. He held up his hands again, taken aback by the sudden fierceness in the teens'' voices. ¡°Whoa whoa, hold your horses for a bit. Look, here''s what we¡¯ll do,¡± Drake began but spotted Sah Ul¡¯ tilting her head in confusion searching the area. He sighed, ¡°It¡¯s an expression, there aren¡¯t any horses around¡­¡± he said, chuckling lightly. Sah Ul¡¯ jerked and froze slightly, but said nothing to the side, eyeing the rest of cows and bulls in the pasture with sudden interest. ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s what we are going to do. Sah Ul¡¯ will take the four of you and have you go through the cows in turns. Some of you still need thebat titles for fighting against more than one opponent and it shouldn¡¯t be too hard as long as you focus on grouping up the lower-leveled monsters for now,¡± then he turned to Atropos and Clotho, ¡°For you two however¡­ We have to limit your experience intake for now and work on your practical ability and proficiency of skills. You will be fighting with me so we can get a grasp on your skills and immediate fighting style.¡± ¡°But neither of us have fought with our new skills yet, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos said, speaking for her and he brother from her crouching position, still poking the slime. ¡°It will be fine. Just like how everyone has learned to fight rtively quickly, you will learn on the fly, and the skill stones impart a small bit of knowledge to you when you consume them. It might not feel instant or massive at first, but I know for a fact they start to influence you once you get going. So it¡¯s only a matter of putting it into practice, trust me,¡± Drake smirked. Kalik Tu¡¯ shot up from his kneeling position, axes at the ready as he heard they would be grouped with Sah Ul¡¯ for once. ¡°Good, finally a real warrior will instruct us!¡± he shouted, only to get a smack to the back of the head from Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°You know the Patriarch is a strong warrior. You should feel honored to be included in this group. I have already seen how you have improved fighting with the others, do not muddy the progress you have made so far with such shallow and false words, Kalik Tu¡¯,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ admonished immediately. Kalik looked as if he wanted to say something but quickly snapped his mouth shut and just grunted. ¡°What¡¯s he on about?¡± Landin asked, stepping up next to Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been pretty tame since we got out here. Is he unhappy about not fighting with Drake?¡± Charlotte asked, her finger poking through the slime as she turned her head in their direction. ¡°He¡¯s just being Kalik,¡± Drake sighed. He looked into the distance again forced to shield his eyes by the sunset quickly descending on them. ¡°The day¡¯s already gone huh?¡± Drake grumbled. Then they were all made aware of the still trapped bull in Drake¡¯s spell as it snorted and grunted. ¡°Oh right this guy is still here¡­¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°You get to live another day bud,¡± he chuckled, cing his hand on the beast. ¡°Fear is binding. Cower,¡± he chanted, inky ck smoke extending from his hand and sinking into the Bull¡¯s hide. A momentter the bull¡¯s eyes bulged and hazed over as it started to buck even harder, its breathing bing unbelievably erratic. Drake let his earth spell fade away as it crumbled and the Bull ran off into the herd behind them with incredible speed. ¡°Right. Now that Georgie is gone. I guess we¡¯ll rest up for the remainder of the night. Lucky you,¡± he smiled at the kids. ¡°But don¡¯t we need to hurry up?¡± Charlotte asked, standing up with some concern on her face. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d rather fight through the night. You have fire to light the surroundings right?¡± Landin agreed. ¡°I would also like to start our training as well, Lord Drake. We do not wish to fall behind any more than we already have,¡± Atropos added. ¡°Quetz is good at seeing monsties in the dark. Yep, yep,¡± Quetz chirped. Drake shook his head, snapping his fingers arge earthen magic circle forming at his feet. ¡°Sorry, but this is, like everything else. Non-negotiable.¡± The magic circle spread wide around them epassing the group and the small makeshift walls he had made before. The walls sunk into the ground as the area around them rumbled slightly, more borate walls sprouting from the ground and covering them fully in a castle-like structure. ¡°All of you stay here, Sah Ul¡¯ and I are going to go patrolling. No going out, you hear me. You agreed to listen to me without question and I¡¯m pulling that card.¡± Drake pulled Sah Ul¡¯ from the building by the wrist, not waiting for a response as the door of the castle closed behind them with a m. ¡°Jeez,¡± Landin grumbled, ¡°What was that all about?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± Charlotte frowned, ¡°But it sure was sudden. Maybe he sensed something in the area?¡± ¡ª------------------------------------ ¡°Patriarch, where are we going?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, her head turning over her shoulder back to the castle in the orange light of the sunset. ¡°That vampire we captured before said there would be a small armying to find him if he didn¡¯t make it back. Guess he wasn¡¯t lying,¡± Drake smiled. He had felt arge group of what he was able to make out as human-like forms in his aura sense at the edge of the sphere and made the decision to bring Sah Ul¡¯. He knew from how she acted earlier that she was just as upset about letting the teens fight the vampires only to get dangerously injured as he was. And just like that, Sah Ul¡¯s face hardened and Drake could feel a small pulse of aurae from her as her deep topaz eyes turned a shade of red. Drake gave a wry smile, ¡°Good to see you motivated now.¡± ¡°Where are they? How many?¡± she growled. He pointed ahead of them, ¡°There. And I¡¯d say enough to break at least a little sweat.¡± ¡ª-------------------- ¡°Why are we out here again?¡± ¡°Because,¡± the lead man said, tapping a long de against his shoulder, ¡°Some dumb higher up is lost and they have a good number of blood vials and didn¡¯te back.¡± ¡°Yeah but why is that our problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s everyone¡¯s problem, you moron! We have quotas to hit, remember? Don¡¯t want boss man turning you into one of them mindless ghouls do you?¡± Theining man shivered, ¡°Nope, definitely don¡¯t want that¡­ But are we sure they¡¯re over here?¡± ¡°Do you bitch and moan about everything? They should be, they were stationed at that town we passed through and there should have been hundreds of ghouls there but we found nothing¡­¡± The man shook his head, turning around and pointing at the massive following behind him. ¡°Alright youzy grunts, spread out and find them!¡± The area rumbled at the response, several hundred vampires, dhampirs, and ghouls shouted back. But they were suddenly stopped by the sound of eerieughing. The lead vampire turned confused, a man walking out from behind a tree in a hoodie. ¡°So he wasn¡¯t lying when he said there was a small army.¡± ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± the vampire shot back, pointing his de at the man, his eyes shing a dull red. [Drake Wallen Level 10] ¡°Look here, boys! It¡¯s Mr. Drake Wallen himself!¡± the manughed, ¡°Oh this is so much better! We get to snuff out this dude and grab a bounty and report back that he¡¯s dead! Grab him!¡± he shouted. At his words twenty odd vampires shot forward, weapons drawn and skills humming right for Drake. But he didn¡¯t move, almost uninterested. ¡°Levels 10 to 13. They¡¯re just converting everyone they see aren¡¯t they¡­.¡± Drake said, his face masked by the hood as the vampires lunged and shot spells at him. His hoodie tore, ripped, and singed apart revealing the armor underneath. The sounds of spells mming and exploding against him, weapons metal tanging and ringing as they tried to cut and stab him, but after a minute, the vampires around him stopped breathing as if they had just ran a 4k marathon. ¡°W-what is this¡­?!¡± one from the group shouted. ¡°What is what!¡± the lead vampire yelled back. A plume of debris and smoke had formed where Drake was and they waited for it to settle, but it didn¡¯t stop the circling vampires from shaking with jaws dropped. ¡°H-he¡¯s undamaged¡­ And any skill that scratches him g-get¡¯s healed right away! W-what is this!¡± ¡°What did you say?! He¡¯s level 10!¡± the lead vampire shouted, ¡°That isn¡¯t possible!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite simple really,¡± a voice from the smoke said, almostughing, ¡°You didn¡¯t ount that this wasn¡¯t my real level.¡± The smoke began to dissipate, revealing Drake unharmed and in a half mask smiling with porcin white teeth. His armor bared for them to finally see. A half-cloth vest with ck chains, golden tattoos humming with power on his arms and shoulders, and a slitted white robe covering his legs from the waist down. With the hoodie now gone, they were able to see his glowing orange hair burning as if it was the setting sun itself, whipping in the air with a blood-red shawl. ¡°I always forget that I have this on, but I can¡¯t reallyin. It leaves for some very fun power reveals,¡± Drakeughed, cing the ne into his inventory. ¡°2-2-2-27?!¡± A unified gasp escaped the group surrounding him, the entire encirclement taking a nervous step backward. ¡°See, my numbers. Are just bigger than yours,¡± Drake exined, ¡°So you could sit here all day and you wouldn¡¯t make a lick of progress!¡± ¡°He¡¯s only one person!¡± the vampire lead shouted, pointing back at Drake, ¡°More of you get in there now! Kill him!¡± The surrounding vampires hesitated, but quickly resumed their attempted assault on Drake as more ran past them with their weapons drawn. Moreughing reached the lead vampire''s ears as Drake shouted above the chaos. ¡°See funny enough. I was told that Rank and Level are absolutes in the multiverse. It just never really applied to me, ya know? But seems like Natto was right! Reach a high enough level and you''re almost untouchable.¡± ¡°What the fuck are you on about!?¡± ¡°My wounds heal faster than you can make them,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°What in god''s name¡­.¡± the vampire lead stammered, taking a step back. ¡°God? No, my little pale dirtbag. There¡¯s no need to wonder where your god is because she¡¯s right there!¡± Drake shouted, shooting out from the cloud of dust and sounds of fighting, only to appear right in front of the vampire lead, his face nicked with a fresh line of red that healed right in an instant. Drake grabbed the vampire lead¡¯s head and turned it around, the scene something out of an Avengers movie. A blur of green was tearing through the ranks of the hundreds of undead as if fury incarnated, her eyes a deep red as she swung a huge blood-covered obsidian-ck ax back and forth bisecting bloody swaths. Drake moved his head next to the vampire¡¯s ear. ¡°And she¡¯s fresh out of mercy¡­¡± Chapter 238: Little Monsters Chapter 238: Little Monsters Drake sat on the chair he had pulled from his inventory, watching Sah Ul¡¯ mercilessly and unrelentingly destroy the small army of undead that hade to find the Tier 2 Dhampir they had captured. ¡°Huh, I should really look at her ss sometime. She seems to get stronger over time like Bjorn gets sturdier. Is it some kind of berserking ability? Her aura gets thicker as well,¡± Drake thought aloud, watching her go to work on the mass of vampires and the like, her ax cutting down tens of undead with each swing. But even with her enraged vitality, she had reached her peak by now and was gradually slowing down. There were simply too many undead for her to deal with. Drake got up and ced his seat away, his hair shimmering to a light green as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°I think she¡¯s done enough. I guess it¡¯s time for a warm-up,¡± he said, turning his head to the sky, thest bit of twilight winking out from it as night descended, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± He shot forward spreading his aura out freezing vampires and other undead as he passed, his spirit tattoosing to full bloom as they lit up the surroundings in golden light. With practiced ease, he used direct and brutal strikes to pierce and crush the undead¡¯s weak points. Their heads. Running through the few hundred left, Drake ripped and tore through them, putting his golden fist through the vampire¡¯s chests and using quick precise chops to bisect them from taint to head. Within seconds he reached Sah Ul¡¯ a trail of destruction left behind in his wake. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Drake asked. Sah Ul¡¯ breathed in long heavy gasps, her ax arm quivering, ¡°I will not stop, until they are all dead!¡± Drake nodded, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to stop. But at this rate, you are going to die of exhaustion. Let me take care of the rest. And go make sure nothing happens to our little eavesdropping kids ok?¡± he said, thumbing to a pair of tree¡¯s that had several heads poking out from behind them. Sah Ul¡¯s eyes dimmed, returning from the bright red they were to the deep topaz that she normally had. ¡°They¡­ They left the shelter? Even after Patriarch told them not to?¡± she asked through huffs. ¡°Of course they did, they¡¯re teenagers,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°I might be training them hard but they''re still young and curious. Now go see to them. I¡¯ll clean up the rest.¡± ¡ª--------------------------------------- The kids flinched and tried to scramble behind the grouping of trees once they saw Drake thumb to them, but it was toote. Sah Ul¡¯ although exhausted, couldn¡¯t be outrun by unadvanced ssed children. She quickly caught up to them, grabbing several of them by the scruff of the neck. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± she asked. Sah Ul¡¯ asked knowing only Atropos, Clotho, and Kalik could understand her, but she was sure her point made it across. Or at least she hoped her frustrated and disappointed look made it obvious enough. ¡°We simply wished to see what was happening¡­¡± Atropos winced. ¡°What would have happened if this army found you?!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ snapped back, turning to Kalik Tu¡¯, ¡°You should know better! You have trained for years to fight as a proud warrior of the Rahk!¡± He took a step back and frowned, ¡°I only came because they needed to be watched!¡± he snapped, ¡°I know¡­! I know my limitations,¡± he finally admitted, ¡°But I came to make sure nothing happened and to see how that man fights.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ gave a long sigh, releasing the others and leaning against a tree, letting her stamina slowly tick upwards and recover. cing her ax within arm¡¯s reach next to her. They all took that as a signal that they weren¡¯t in trouble and sat down next to her, although Kalik Tu¡¯ chose to stand and lean his shoulder against a tree as they all watched Drake¡¯s fight. ¡°He fights with such ferocity,¡± Atropos said, almost purring the words, ¡°How could one man be so strong, Lord Drake is simply felling these vampires in one strike.¡± Charlotte said something to Atropos that Sah Ul¡¯ couldn¡¯t understand and pointed. Atropose nodded, ¡°It is curious why he isn¡¯t using his magic. Could he not wipe them all out in one spell? We have seen his magic before, Miss Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ felt a twang of annoyance in her chest, but she couldn¡¯t tell why. Was it from being addressed by her full name instead of in some way connecting her to the Patriarch? ¡°I do not know,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, ¡°Perhaps he is simply straining himself to not use it for practice, or he is conserving his magic in case a new opponent arrives? My husband, is strong, but there are many enemies yet left and more maye.¡± Atropos¡¯s thin eyebrow twitched and she turned back to the ensuing fight, ¡°I simply wished to see more of Lord Drake¡¯s magic, it will do wonders to speed along his personal, one-on-one lessons.¡± Before Sah Ul¡¯ could snap back, her mouth snapped shut and her head turned a vampire was running straight for them. In the woman¡¯s hand was a spear made of blood that was hard to make out in the deepening darkness of the night. Sah Ul¡¯ made to get up only to stop as the vampire was stopped dead in her tracks, her visage backlit in brilliant gold. ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Drake growled raising her into the air and mming her into the ground a sickening squelching sound reverberating in the area as a small crater opened up from the impact. His hair cascading to white, he gave a sigh looking back over his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s still so many¡­ I¡¯ll have to step it up a bit. Atropos, Clotho! Make sure you keep your eyes on me maybe you can get some hints,¡± he grinned, dashing back into the fray. Atropos turned to her brother, ¡°Hints?¡± Clotho shrugged from his seat next to her but tried his best to follow Drake. Atropos pursed her lips but quickly turned as well her brows furrowing in concentration. Sah Ul¡¯ gave a small grin, her snaggle-tusk poking from her lips, already forgetting how bratty the young wolf-girl was just a moment agopared to the diligent student she had switched to. And she also turned to watch the fight. ¡ª------------------ Drake shot through the army, kicking up dust and bodies as he rampaged to get to the middle, his aura spreading out once again but this time flexed in earnest, freezing the entire surroundings as notifications flooded in alerting him of his sessful consumption of buffs and interruption of spells. He threw his arm outward, his hand spreading as a brilliant electrified yellow magic circle sparked to life, a bolt of lightning striking out in vibrant majestic violet charing any undead it struck. Flexing his will the bolt recoiled and condensed forming a long double-sided scythe. ¡°I¡¯ve never really used one of these but how could it be?¡± he chuckled twirling the magic-made weapon in his hand. ¡°Resonance! Witch Hunter!¡± The scythe in Drake¡¯s hand crackled and sharpened, his spell chant furthering the infusion of mana and power. Without another word, Drake rushed forward. Swiping with the scythe he cut horizontally, the speed of his swing so fast it left an afterimage of a violet line that soon smoldered in the wounds of every undead it touched. He twirled and kept shing with the weapon, the weight of it just right in his hand but heavy enough from the condensed mana to have heft. Swinging upwards the weapon rolled over his shoulder turning into another horizontal sh, which transitioned into a roll of the weapon into a downward sh. Soon his swinging turned into almost a dance of death as he moved through the ranks quickly cutting down the numbers by half. Almost losing himself he forced himself to stop mid-swing, the scythe careening into the remaining crowd of undead. ¡°Whoops almost finished everyone off with just that¡­ Now for something for Clotho¡­ Ah, I got it,¡± Drake said snapping his fingers a bubbling magic circle of blue manifesting in both his hands. Balls of water swirled to life from the magic circles, bing a small torrent of power between them. The blue ball deepened with more mana as flecks of green scattered around inside the swirling vortex. By this time the undead were done. Drake¡¯s aura had forced many of them to the ground but some of the slightly higher leveled ones were able to finally break free and began to run in all directions. But Drake¡¯ of course couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Kekkijutsu, Kokushiro!¡± The ball of water burst, splitting into countless thin threads that passed effortlessly through the remaining undead in the area. It was as if time stopped, the entirety of the undead were motionless for a long drawn-out breath as Drake¡¯s threads turned inward reforming into a ball in front of him, now dyed in a deep ruby red. He clenched his fist, the spell releasing, and casually walked back to the group. The bodies of every undead in the area sttering to the ground in pieces. ¡ª---------------------------------------- A few momentster Drake eyed the open-mouthed teens with a raised brow, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do them like that,¡± Landin said, grimacing at the scene behind them. ¡°Landin,¡± Drake said evenly, ¡°I know you aren¡¯t so naive to believe that after everything you¡¯ve seen and what you went through a few hours ago. You still don¡¯t understand that something is going on.¡± Landin scratched the back of his head, ¡°My bad, I get what¡¯s going on but,¡± he touched the scar against his left eye, ¡°No, never mind. Why were they here anyway?¡± Drake nodded, ¡°They were following up on that small group you guys fought earlier. Apparently, that dhampir was someone important. Or at least important enough to send¡­¡± he paused a minute trying to count the notifications, ¡°One, two¡­ Two hundred or so undead toe find him. But they¡¯re all gone now so we shouldn¡¯t have any more interruptions.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have us fight? We could have helped,¡± Charlotte said with a frown, ¡°You made us stay back in that castle you built instead.¡± ¡°Do you really think you were ready to fight against this many undead who used to be real people?¡± Drake asked seriously, ¡°Do you think you could take another life Charlotte?¡± Charlotte went silent, biting her bottom lip. Drake raised his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t want an answer I want you to just think about it. I¡¯ve made my peace with being the way I am. And I¡¯vee to terms with forcing you six to fight and be stronger. But I never intended to turn you into killing machines like me. I hope you all protect yourself and loved ones with the strength I am giving to you, but it is ultimately up to you. Whether or not you have the conviction or resolve to end the life of a sapient being to further your own progress or stop them from harming those important to you, is going to be your own decision, not mine.¡± He let the words sit in the air for a moment, then sighed, ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up and gather what they all dropped. You all go back with Sah Ul¡¯ and I will meet you in a few minutes. From there we¡¯ll continue from where we left off. If you can all sneak out after being told to stay, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re rested enough to start training.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shepherded the teens away, their expressions thoughtful while Drake went to work. He turned aroundnguidly passing back into the mess he had created, tens or hundreds of skill stones and spatial bags littering the battlefield. And for his trouble, he wasn¡¯t looking forward to taking Monster Cores from the ghouls. The vampires and dhampirs were considered mana vessels by the system, but the ghouls were not. The moment they turned the mana inside them condensed forming the cores. He had simply just burned the ones from the town¡¯s residences earlier, not able to stomach taking them. But here he had no connection to the people who had turned. And the vampires hade specifically here to find the others as well as take his life. ¡°The bounty huh¡­¡± he muttered under his breath. After a few minutes, Drake had collected the bags and stones,ing away with over two hundred spatial bags filled with monster cores, vials of blood, steroids, mana coins, and various weapons. The Skill Stones had all been of varyingmon and umon rarity, with only a handful of Rare Stones. He pulled the notable mentions up, inspecting them before going back. [Skill Stone: Blood] [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Blood tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot
[Skill Stone: Knuckle] [Umon]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Knuckle tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Warrior-based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.
[Skill Stone: Petrify] [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Petrify tree.
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot.
[Skill Stone: Crossbow] [Umon]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Crossbow tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Ranger-based Main Tree or sub-tree branch Unlocked.
[Skill Stone: Weak Regeneration] [Umon]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Weak Regeneration tree.
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot
[Skill Stone: Shield] [Umon]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Shield tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Warrior-based Main Tree or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.
[Skill Stone: Broadsword] [Umon]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Broadsword tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot.
[Skill Stone: Twin de] [Umon]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Twin de tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Warrior-based Main Tree, Ranger-based Main Tree, or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.
[Skill Stone: Staff] [Umon]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Staff tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Mage-based Main Tree, Cleric-based Main Tree, Warrior-based Main Tree, or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.
[Skill Stone: Wand] [Umon]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Wand tree
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot and have a Mage-based Main Tree, Cleric-based Main Tree, or Sub-tree Branch Unlocked.
Drake noticed that the Blood Skill Stone was the same one he had gotten from the Tyrant Ant King in the tutorial forcing a thin smile from him. There were also some specific skills mixed in with the bunch and moremon and umon ones than he could count. There was a severeck of sub-tree stones in the bunch, which would be a problem since most of the teens only had one significant sub-tree stone to each of their names. He could always have them take the same ones that he himself had, but Drake really would have liked that they used the higher rarity ones for a more specific direction and pool of skills. Hopefully, they coulde across some in the next three days before they reached his family but it would be the luck of the draw at this point. Drake did however find a single Epic Skill Stone in the bunch and had to whistle at the unexpected find. ¡°One of those vamps had a crazy skill it seemed¡­ Too bad I couldn¡¯t even notice since they all died so quickly.¡± [Skill Stone: Duality] [Epic]
  • Unlocks random skill from the Duality tree.
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot.
He threw the crystalline stone into the air, it shing from a pale white to a midnight ck making Drake stumble as he almost lost sight of it in the toss. cing it safely away in his inventory along with all the rest of the spoils from the fight he found his way back to the castle he had erected, all the teens and Sah Ul¡¯ there waiting impatiently for him. ¡°Finally,¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ grunted, crossing his arms. ¡°Yeah about time,¡± Landin agreed, nodding his head. ¡°You understood him?¡± Drake asked, surprised. ¡°No, but it¡¯s Kalik. I could guess he said something about you taking a while. He¡¯s been fiddling with his axes since we got back,¡± Landin smirked, ¡°I honestly imagine him cursing at you on a regr basis.¡± Drake scoffed at the uracy of Landin¡¯s guess. ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong¡­.¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Where do we go from here?¡± Charlotte asked, bringing them back on topic, anticipation clear in her eyes. ¡°You four will go with Sah Ul¡¯ your job is to take turns going up against more and more monsters at once to gain the titles for doing so. The highest one I¡¯ve gotten is fighting against over one hundred monsters at once so that is your goal,¡± Drake exined, the teens grimacing slightly. Drake continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if there is a higher one but there could be, I haven¡¯t fought against more than five hundred or so at a time so there may just be a higher scale after one hundred. Either way, the ultimate goal is hitting level 10 while also fighting as hard as you can in rotation to gain titles. At level 10 you will all stop and we will find monsters to get thest two titles. They need the monster you kill to be of a higher rank and the other 10 levels above you.¡± ¡°You want us to kill a Level 20 monster at 10?!¡± Landin eximed. ¡°Yup. But that is only after you¡¯ve all filled out your sses. That title isn¡¯t rank dependent so honestly, I think you all should be able to do it with the other titlesing into y. The former title is more important and will only help you to get the other so don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Drake turned to Atropos and Clotho, ¡°You two.¡± Atropos firmed her gaze at Drake. Clotho was unfazed by Drake¡¯s address and continued to y with his metal wire. Drake smiled, ¡°I hope you¡¯ve both found some inspiration from watching me. You¡¯re going to be training with me and I¡¯m a strict teacher.¡± Chapter 239: Little Monsters 2 Chapter 239: Little Monsters 2 ¡°Sarah, just watch them, but don¡¯t help. We¡¯ll corral groups of 5 into the earth pen for now until everyone is used to fighting outnumbered. Just throw out any monsters we don¡¯t want and we¡¯ll save them forter. Got it?¡± Drake said, summoning a wall of earth to section off some of the pasture. ¡°I understand. I am not a child¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m just saying we need to start them all slow for now.¡± ¡°You do know we¡¯ve fought against more than five at a time before right?¡± Landin scoffed. ¡°You are a healer. The fact that you have been up against that many at once is a problem¡­ Well actually? That kind of makes sense¡­ You have sustain and you have an attack spell. Did I mess up not picking cleric for my second ss?¡± Drake mumbled, then shook his head, ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s all just experience and it will ramp up quickly. I trust that Sarah can tell if five will be too easy for you and she will increase the amount you fight against how she sees fit.¡± He moved to give Sah Ul¡¯ a squeeze on her arm and a smile. But it seemed to have the opposite effect as she turned around and huffed. However, despite herself, her ears began to turn scarlet-tipped, poking through her braids. Drake pursed his lips then turned to the remaining two teens, ¡°Okay then¡­ Atropos, Clotho, let¡¯s get started then shall we?¡± While Sah Ul¡¯ moved the others to the opposite end of the wall Drake had made, Drake and the remaining two began going over some things. ¡°Where will we be starting, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked, fiddling with her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, we''re just getting started,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°First let¡¯s see how your skills work. You can both take turns hitting me with them so we can get a sense of them.¡± Clotho grinned and stepped forward. ¡°Good, an enthusiastic one today huh?¡± Clotho didn¡¯t speak but began manipting the strings of metal around his forearms as they twisted and slithered to life. It was slow, but the wires moved with purpose and shot forward for Drake in a concerted effort. Drake didn¡¯t move to dodge but instead held up a hand catching the bundle of metal threads. ¡°That¡¯s a good start and your control has already improved a lot, but I¡¯ve seen this before. What about your second skill?¡± he asked. Clotho froze, the threads of metal going limp in Drake¡¯s hand as Clotho¡¯s ears dropped and his hand lightly gripped his own throat. Drake raised a brow, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you still not used your voice since it¡¯s been healed? Or is it something else?¡± Atropos stepped forward this time. ¡°I believe it is just¡­ If I may. I also wish to have some more privacy with our skills. It is not as if we do not trust the others, Lord Drake, they are your confidants. It is just after having his voice taken and my vision¡­ They have be something we do not wish to share with others lightly¡­¡± she exined. ¡°Ah¡­ I get it. Don¡¯t worry, just take it one step at a time. I¡¯ll create some privacy but don¡¯t expect to get any sympathy from me while training, if you choose not to use your skills for any reason, it will be by your own choice. And against what I advise,¡± Drake sighed, waving his hand and another wall appeared sectioning them off from the rest. Drake made sure to not ce a ceiling on either of the partitions. He needed to make sure his aura could ess the area and keep watch, even if he couldn¡¯t see in great detail yet. His aura could surprisingly prate the walls he made but not regr ground. Was that because I made them? Or because they were made with magic? I¡¯ll have to test thatter. He thought in passing, then refocused on the two. ¡°Better?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, thank you greatly, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos said, bowing her head slightly. ¡°Then Clotho. Let¡¯s see the skill.¡± Clotho still hesitated, his mouth opening and closing in an attempt to speak but only a crackled groan escaped his lips fueling his frustrated look. Atropos gently grabbed his hand in hers, ¡°It¡¯s alright brother. You may not approve of Lord Drake yet, but he is the man who saved us and I have trusted with my life. There is nothing to fear here and he will help us grow stronger so that we may make our parents proud, hunting great prey with the name of the Wolf God.¡± Clotho furrowed his brows gripping his sister¡¯s hand in his, but nodded. ¡°A-ah¡­¡± Clotho¡¯s voice came out crackled and strained as if a withered nt trying to move. But soon his voice cleared and a smooth baritone that made Drake¡¯s ears twitch in delight surprised him as he chanted his skill. ¡°Losing yourself in the strings of fate leads to a mortal end¡­¡± Instantly the metal threads brimmed to life and hummed with a purple hue. As if finding a mind of their own they shot forward with speed even Drake would consider fast. ¡°Cat¡¯s Cradle.¡± Drake stayed still as he allowed the wires to wrap around his body. Some of the wire gripped his neck, upper arms, waist, and ankles with a finalst wire trying to pierce his chest where his heart was. Only to be stopped dead in its tracks by his chest armor, small sparks flying against the metal. He didn¡¯t have his defensives up and he could feel a small warm bead of liquid roll down his neck, forcing a smile from him. Drake whistled, ¡°That¡¯s some skill. Even with the level difference you still drew blood¡­ I can only imagine what would happen if you had the stacks up. And you still have so many free points avable,¡± he muttered. The wires strained for a few more seconds, then fellx as Clotho dropped to his knees, his face white, and face dripping in sweat. Drake quickly pulled the wires from his body, careful not to tear them. ¡°If I remember right, your skill scales off Dexterity. But looking at how exhausted you are after using that skill just once and it doesn¡¯t have a refund. We may need to either funnel stats into your Wisdom and Stamina, or find equipment topensate,¡± Drake hummed, ¡°For now you have around a hundred points left right? Let¡¯s have you put 70 into Dexterity and 15 into Wisdom and Stamina. Save the rest for now and once we get you filled out with skills when we know more,¡± he nodded. ¡°Now, Atropos. Ready? You have a lot to live up to after your brother¡¯s disy,¡± Drake smiled. Atropos nodded, pulling a staff from her inventory. It looked just like the same novice wooden staves that Drake had used in the tutorial. She held the staff in front of her with both hands, her eyes still closed. ¡°The shadowse for all, Scythe of Shadows!¡± Atropos''s brows knitted together, a pitch-ck magic circle forming at her feet. Soon a midnight-ck fire twisted and snaked up her legs and body, finally ending with covering her entire staff in a ck me with purplish edges flickering back and forth. Drake once again whistled as he watched the mes condense and congeal into a pitch-ck weapon with a serrated burning me of deep purple. ¡°Isn¡¯t that more of a sickle than a scythe?¡± Drake scoffed looking at the weapon. Atropos¡¯s cheeks flushed, ¡°I am not sure¡­ This is the first I¡¯ve used this spell, perhaps it will getrger or smaller depending on the weapon it is cast on?¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­ Damn, you have ck mes¡­ Ah, I¡¯m so jealous!¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°Alright, hit me with it.¡± Atropos looked at Drake pensively, her hands shaking slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, we have to know what the spell does and practical use is the fastest way.¡± She nodded just as hesitantly as before, but eventually steeled herself and swung with the sickle like she was swinging a bat. The weapon struck Drake in the side and he immediately backed away grimacing. ¡°W-what the¡­¡± he winced touching the wound. ¡°A-are you hurt?! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Atropos shouted her spell canceling. Drake held up a hand, ¡°No, no you¡¯re fine. That just. That just surprised me¡­¡± He gingerly touched his side, there was no wound but it felt as if he had set himself on fire again. Drake nced at his status, his health had dropped by 1%. But the pain he felt made it seem as if he had just lost an arm. Is it the magic school? He thought confused. ¡°Use the next skill,¡± Drake said abruptly. Atropos shook her head, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°It will be fine. I¡¯m fine. See? No wound. It just surprised me like I said,¡± Drake reassured ruffling her hair, ¡°Now let¡¯s continue.¡± Atropos pursed her lips but nodded. ¡°The night is all-consuming, Shadow me.¡± Sticking her hands out palms out, another dark magic circle formed and sparked to life a ck me that crackled there like an evil wisp. Atropos¡¯s brows rose as she saw it manifest mesmerized. ¡°Now throw it here,¡± Drake instructed, pointing at his chest. She broke from her staring at the fire and nodded back. Rearing her arm backwards she threw it forward like throwing a rock, but put too much force into it as she slightly stumbled forward nearly tripping and falling over. The fire somehow still found its mark as it flew forward, zipping through the air straight for Drake. He followed the fire with his eyes, honestly a little hesitant about letting it hit him after thest spell, but steeled himself for the impact. The fire blew against him cascading across his chest and sputtering out, but not before the damage was done. Drake felt as if a truck had mmed into his chest, knocking out a lungful of air as his face twisted in pain. He tried his best not to show it and focus on the feeling of the magic. Looking at his status, he once again saw that his health had dropped from 100% to 99% but this time his mana had also done the same. He coughed before speaking, ¡°That is¡­ That is one potent spell¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it is the mana-burning effect or just shadow magic in general but it is very strong. Can you do it again? This time aim for the wall. I want to see it more closely.¡± Atropos beamed and nodded, ¡°Surely!¡± She once again chanted, the small me blooming to life in her hand. Drake had already moved next to her, his face inches away from the magic circle as his brows knit in concentration. ¡°Damn. My Mage Sight skill still isn¡¯t strong enough I think. I was hoping to get some understanding on how the mana is turned to shadow magic, but it¡¯s lost on me¡­¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°I was really hoping for an anime protagonist''s epiphany moment there.¡± ¡°So¡­so close¡­¡± Atropos stammered. ¡°What was that?¡± Drake asked, stepping backward. ¡°N-nothing!¡± Drake cocked his head but moved on. ¡°Okay,st skill. You have a future sight-type skill, right? We don¡¯t really need to test the other one for now since it won¡¯t have any impact on our current situation but remember. And this goes for you two Clotho. When you get your skills, make sure to train and practice with them regrly. The higher the proficiency the better the effects and the morefortable you will be with them. Now let¡¯s see it,¡± he instructed. Atropos¡¯s flustered face quickly turned crestfallen but she nodded nheless. Her face scrunched in effort for a moment before her eyes slowly began to open. She blinked several times as if clearing them and Drake was again taken aback by the pristine deep sapphire they were. ¡°Damned mor twins¡­¡± Drake cursed under his breath. Atropos continued on to her spell ignorant of Drake¡¯s cursing. ¡°Your fate has already been decided. I have foreseen it.¡± Instantly, Atropos¡¯s deep blue eyes gleaned and shown to a deep violet but the next second she swayed and her hand went to her head. Both Clotho and Drake moved to catch her, but Drake was faster, holding her up gently by the shoulder as she leaned against him. ¡°You alright?¡± he asked. ¡°Y-yes.. The skill just overwhelmed my senses¡­ I saw several images of everything all at once.¡± Drake nodded and slowly let her get back on her own two feet, but she fell backward again. ¡°Was it that overwhelming¡­?¡± he asked. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I think I may need a few more moments¡­¡± Atropos said. Clotho scoffed from the side. ¡°I think you¡¯re fine,¡± Drake chuckled, letting her go. Atropos puffed out her cheeks but got to her feet. ¡°Okay let¡¯s try that again, yeah?¡± Atropos nodded and repeated her chant, a momentter her eyes bing a striking violet once again. She was slightly unsteady on her feet again but held out long enough to stay upright this time. She nodded to Drake, ¡°Alright¡­¡± Drake nodded back, ¡°Alright, it gives one second into the future right? Let¡¯s try this then. Try to dodge my hand.¡± Atropos nodded again, her brows quivering in concentration. Drake moved forward slowly and got in front of her. Then stretched out his hand quickly. And in the next moment, his hand rested on the top of her head. ¡°Couldn¡¯t dodge?¡± Drake asked. But Atropos didn¡¯t answer a small ecstatic grin on her face. Drake gave her a quick chop to the forehead, ¡°Take this seriously.¡± She used both her hands to nurse the strike and nodded reluctantly. After she chanted her skill for the third time, Drake again aimed for her head, this time using a finger to poke her forehead. Thankfully or more like, excruciatingly reluctantly, Atropos dipped her head to the side. ¡°Ohhhh!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Now that¡¯s cool!¡± Atropos canceled her skill and gave a slightlybored breath, but was nowhere as exhausted as Clotho had been after using his skills. She beamed back at him, her tail wagging uncontrobly. ¡°Alright, now onto the really fun part,¡± Drake smiled back. Atropos nodded enthusiastically at him, still on her high. Clotho only moved next to his sister and looked suspiciously at Drake. ¡°Time for me to beat some experience into you both!¡± Drakeughed, his hair ring to a bright red, as he cracked his knuckles. Atropos¡¯s entire body went stiff. Clotho frowned deeply and shook his head at his sister. Chapter 240: Little Monsters 3 Chapter 240: Little Monsters 3 ¡°What did I just tell you! Don¡¯t just swing with your arms! Use your momentum and hips to rotate!¡± Drake yelled dodging Atropos¡¯s horizontal sh. He quickly followed up after ducking the blow, using his legs to sweep her into jumping backward, metal wires skewering the ground where he had just been. ¡°Good Clotho, you are finding more and more openings while your sister keeps me upied!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°But don¡¯t-¡± Drake shot forward afternding, appearing with his fist outstretched just inches from Clotho¡¯s face only to battle it out with a cradle of wires holding his fist back like a catcher¡¯s mit a ball. ¡°Forget to guard,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Good, good! You both have gotten so much better in just a few hours! I wish my own growth could be like this!¡± he encouraged. ¡°Lord Drake, you regard us far too highly,¡± Atropos said bowing her head, but her tail swayed back and forth despite her humble answer. ¡°Fights are helping,¡± Clotho said tersely, flicking his fingers as his wires returned to his forearms with practiced ease. Drake nodded, ¡°Yup but that¡¯s nothing to scoff at. You both still haven¡¯t advanced to F-Rank yet or gotten your subtrees so this is amazing in it of itself. And I think we''re at a point where we can move on. We fought all the way through the night too,¡± he said noticing the bright beams of morning sun tapering over the top of the walls. The sound of chirping, or even perhaps Quetz, began funneling in over the walls, truly signaling the start of the next day. ¡°What do you two say to checking up on everyone else and grabbing some breakfast yeah?¡± Drake offered. ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± Atropos replied, skipping up next to him, her eyes shutting closed as she pulled the wraps over her eyes. Clotho grunted going back to his silent brooding as he joined them while Drake brought down the wall that had separated the groups. ¡°W-what the hell did you do?!?¡± Drake eximed, finally seeing the otherside. In front of him were the teens. Thankfully all in one piece, monsters strewn about being processed for food and the like. But that wasn¡¯t what surprised Drake. What had caught him off guard was the state of the teens. ¡°Sarah?!¡± The teens were all scars and bruises. Kalik Tu¡¯ sported two ck eyes and a swollen lip and his clothes were in tatters as he cut meat into sections on a nearby table. Charlotte was no better off or worse. Her hair was a bird¡¯s nest, she had a fully swollen eye and her armor held several puncture wounds in the side as she put up hides of the cows on branches of trees. Landin sat nearby from the rest, using only one arm to sort through horns and bones, his left leg braced together and wrapped, his right arm in a sling. Quetz was also on the side, pulling bodies of cows from a small pile, her face just as ghostly pale as her feathers. ¡°What did she do?!¡± Drake gasped again. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ beamed her face conveying she did nothing wrong whatsoever, ¡°I have allowed them to train just as you instructed me!¡± ¡°They look like they''re dying! And why are they so injured?! Didn¡¯t you let them heal?¡± Drake said incredulously. The teens finally noticed that Drake hade out from the other partition and turned to greet him. Quetz began crying and bawling her eyes out as she leaped into his arms. Landin only smiled despondently in his direction. Charlotte scratched the back of her neck, ¡°Haha¡­ we did almost die. Several times. She¡¯s more of a demon trainer than you are¡­¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ scoffed, ¡°Weaklings¡­¡± Drake gave a light frown in Sah Ul¡¯s direction. ¡°I did as the Patriarch asked, I increased the amount of monsters they fought regrly. Making sure it was within their abilities. They are all bright and aspiring warriors!¡± she said, her words endearing but also eager. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they healed?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Healing normally will be better for them. They will be pampered if they are given healing potions and spells regrly,¡± she responded matter of factly. Drake opened his mouth to argue but closed it unable to refute her logic. Instead, he looked down at the sniffling Quetz clinging to him like she used to. She had new scars on her exposed skin but they had healed up leaving only faded white lines. He patted her head, ¡°You guys did good¡­¡± Quetz sniffled, ¡°S-she¡¯ssss schow¡­ meheannnn¡­!¡± she cooed woefully. Drake couldn¡¯t help butugh and lightly patted her head. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s cook some food. I think you all deserve it,¡± he smiled. ¡ª----------------------- Drake chopped meat into squares quietly as he hummed, three girls eyeing his actions with deep concentration as he did. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not actually a good cook right?¡± Drake scoffed, waving their faces back. ¡°Yeah, yeah but your food is always so tasty!¡± Quetz said one finger to her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m having shbacks to Sherry right now¡­.¡± Drake shivered, ¡°That¡¯s just because the meat is better quality, the mana from the monsters makes it tastier I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Charlotte eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve had food from restaurants that aren¡¯t as good as the food you cook¡­¡± ¡°I agree, your food is quite something Lord Drake,¡± Atropos nodded, writing something down. ¡°Just because youpliment my cooking doesn¡¯t mean Sah Ul¡¯ won¡¯t ride you just as hard after we eat,¡± he chuckled then paused, ¡°Wait that didn¡¯te out right.¡± ¡°Pause!¡± Landin shouted from his seat at the fire. Drake gave him a firm side eye, but smiled, ¡°Okay, skewers are ready. Thankfully I had some cumin and red pepper powder handy, now just a squirt of honey. Wrap in the little foil I have¡­and¡­ we toss this bad boy into the fire.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked at the ball of skewers drop into the fire with a slight bead of drooling from her mouth, ¡°How can such food be bad and be a boy?¡± Drake raised his head looking to the sky, ¡°Give me strength¡­.¡± ¡°Who is the Patriarch praying to? Do you also worship a god?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, no, but a lot of humans have different gods that they give prayer to yeah,¡± Drake exined, walking back to the table only to have his brother¡¯s face sh across his mind. Damned Atticus¡­ Why did you have to cause so much trouble? What would Dad or even Mom say if they knew what you were doing! I¡¯m not looking forward to that talk with Mom and there¡¯s no way she didn¡¯t see his crystal notification¡­ He thought signing deeply. [World Wide Announcement] [Atticus Wallen has challenged for control over town: Wonderlust] [Atticus Wallen has challenged for control over town: Rockbeard] [Atticus Wallen has challenged for control over town: Four Leaf] [Atticus Wallen has challenged for control over town: New Graymaine] [Valor Alvea has challenged for control over town: Tarctic Green] [Valor Alvea has challenged for control over town: Sadre] Drake¡¯s grip suddenly tightened breaking the knife in his hand instantly. ¡°What¡­?¡± he muttered. Drake¡¯s mind blocked out the questionsing from the group as he looked at the notifications on his screen, bbergasted. What is this? War? And someone else is fighting for towns right as Atticus is doing it? This can¡¯t be a coincidence¡­ Valor Alvea? That name isn¡¯t familiar are they elven¡­? But Atticus is a xenophobe now from what the Doc told me. This is too confusing. What is going on?! Drake rambled in his head, trying to parse the information only to be hit with another notification. [Personal Alert] [Atticus Wallen has taken the first spot on the Nobility Ladder and has been promoted to Viscount] What?! Drake shuffled his windows bringing up the Nobility Ladder. Nobility Board #1 Atticus Wallen: 2,197 Pts. Rank Viscount - Purity #2 Drake Wallen: 1,655 Pts. Rank Baron - ReUnite #3 Valor Alvea: 1,153 Pts. Rank Lord - Avalon #4 Ferdinand Smith: 1,095 Pts. Rank Lord - New Allied Colonies #5 Brett Nieudacznik: 973 Pts. Rank Lord - Uruk #6 Shigure Kenzo: 889 Pts. Rank Lord - Shinchoku #7 Pablo Cortez: 276 Pts. Rank Knight - The Wandering Isle #8 Mirthal Farsatra: 253 Pts. Rank Knight - Naerora #9 Grokkurim Bonegrip: 105 Pts. Rank Knight - Stone Ridge #10 Suisei Yuki: 99 Pts. Rank Knight - Yuki no Kuni ¡­ .. . Drake¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. There had been dramatic changes to the board in thest day with several town owners increasing their points and standings by a substantial amount. ¡°This is a problem,¡± Drake said, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any good reason for this increase in their points. Is it like the tutorial where if you kill someone or take over a town you gain their points? Or have they just increased their town so much that the amount of quests beingpleted has increased? I need to talk to Natto¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What were those announcements about?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Drake answered, ¡°Just a change on a board, nothing to worry about. Just focus on eating and resting. We¡¯re going to get right back to leveling once you are all done,¡± he said tersely, putting away all of the meat and equipment he had used. ¡°Where are you going, Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. Drake made to open the wall that had partitioned them from the rest of the pasture, only answering briefly over his shoulder, ¡°To get some monsters for the teens. We¡¯re going to test just how far they¡¯vee along.¡± The wall split and closed as he walked through before they could ask more or stop him. The pasture was now lit by the morning light the snow reflecting the rays to almost a blinding degree. Drake covered his eyes only for a moment before his vision adjusted showing the expansive corral that contained the bovines. He inspected them, quickly finding the targets he was looking for. [Iron Hide Bull Level 10] [Iron Hide Bull Level 11] Drake found several monsters that were above level 10, indicating they were F-Rank. Surprisingly none of the cows in the area were immediately hostile. The bulls however rushed him as soon as they saw him. Drake swiftly subdued the bulls with his magic, pulling out the cages he had kept from the tutorial and threw them inside, bringing a total of six bulls. Four level 10-11 and two level 16 and 17. After which he pulled another cage, snapping his fingers as he conjured an Elemental. ¡°Hold this for me will you,¡± Drake said throwing the cage on top of the Elemental. He then went and found as many cows as he could, throwing them inside the cage as wouldfortably fit. Then pulling a third cage he summoned another Elemental to hold it. Looking around he found the slimes boing boinging around and threw them into the third cage, wondering if they would fit inside or slip through the cracks. And to his delight, they somehow didn¡¯t, held inside the cage. ¡°If it works don¡¯t fix it I guess,¡± Drake said, trying to distract himself from the previous notifications, ¡°One problem at a time. Firstes Mom and the others, then I have a whole metric fuck-ton of problems to deal with,¡± he sighed. Finding his family, ire, taking care of his promise to Lamar, going to Sandal to free the rest of the ves, thepetition with the warriors of the Rahk, the undead infestation, the auction, the summit, and finally the iing monster waves that would assault the whole world. There was simply a near-endless list of things on his te. But he would just have to take it in stride. He was only one person with limited information and could only be in so many ces at once. He looked back at his elementals holding the cages of monsters, ¡°Hopefully when the kids mature and grow stronger it will give me more leeway to just do the things I want to.¡± Drake gave a wave of his hand and his new entourage followed him back to the camp, cing the cages just outside the wall of ck earth. He reopened the wall dismissing his Elementals to questioning eyes that burrowed into him, ready for answers. ¡°No,¡± he said simply, ¡°Eat your food.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t ready yet,¡± Landin said crossing his now fixed arms. ¡°We deserve to know what¡¯s going on, don¡¯t we?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°You really don¡¯t. Right now your focus is leveling up. Let me worry about the other stuff for now,¡± Drake said deadpan. ¡°You can lean on us you know,¡± Charlotte said earnestly. ¡°And I will,¡± he said taking in a breath, ¡°But right now I need you all to focus, you are about to fight monsters you have no business fighting. And all the same rules apply, so neither Sah Ul¡¯ or I will help you. One wrong move and you are dead. So focus up.¡± Drake moved to the fire, sitting down and yed with his inventory, going through more of the undead spatial bags, sorting through them. Atropos made to say something but was stopped by Sah Ul¡¯ with a shake of her head as she took a seat next to him wordlessly. The next few minutes were quiet as they waited for the food to finish cooking, no one daring to break the tension and silence. Eventually, Drake broke it himself as he moved the food from the fire, unwrapping the skewers with a burst of aroma into the air that made everyone take in a deep breath. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Atropos beamed. ¡°Smells so tasty!¡± Quetz chirped. Drake gave a small smirk, handing them out on tes as they devoured the food. Once they were finished, Drake stood extinguishing the fire with his earth magic smothering the mes and bringing down the final partition along with the castle behind them. The light cascaded in as the walls dissipated revealing the cages of monsters. ¡°Alright. Charlotte, you¡¯re up first,¡± Drake said addressing the teen. She stood in front of him with her spear and half-broken spear in hand, radiating a confidence she didn¡¯t possess when she first met him. Her body riddled with small scars a testament to her hard work over thest two days. [Charlotte Mcrin Level 9] Gripping her spears she nodded to him, ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Chapter 241: Graduation Chapter 241: Graduation ¡°Ready?¡± Drake asked, standing next to the cage. ¡°Yes,¡± Charlotte said firmly, lowering her stance. ¡°Then, good luck Charlotte.¡± Drake opened the gate he had prepared a level 11 Iron Hide Bull storming out into the partition of earth, the other teens watching from a cut out in the wall on the opposite side. ¡°Get ''em Charlotte!¡± Landin cried. ¡°Don¡¯t back down! You are the hunter here!¡± Atropos cheered. Charlotte red down at the monster as it galloped forward, skidding to a stop as it exited the cage, the rest of the monsters inside stopped by Drake closing the door behind it. The Iron Hide whipped its head side to side grunting as it eyed its surroundings. First, it spotted Drake, but with a flex of his aura, the Bull noped out and trained its eyes on Charlotte. Charlotte frowned at being seen as weaker than Drake but there was no room for debate as it rutted against the ground and bucked before charging forward at her. She wasn¡¯t sure of what the Iron Hide had for skills, only having fought against the non-rank cows and other monsters. Charlotte dodged, opting to gauge the creature as it careened past her. But not before using her shorter spear to try to tear into the side of the beast as it did. Charlotte clicked her tongue looking at the state of her half spear¡¯s tip. ¡°A weapon not infused with a skill can¡¯tpete with an F-Rank?¡± Drake and the others watched with bated breath as the Bull carved divots into the ground to stop itself, turning and ramping up to charge her once more. Charlotte pivoted nimbly on her back foot. Ready to square off with the monster. Throughout herst two days of rigorous life-and-death fights, she had begun to learn her own type of fighting style. Dumping a majority of her points into Dexterity and this was the fight where the culmination of that experience and stat increases came to fruition. The bull rushed forward again in the same movement, but this time Charlotte was ready for the attack despite the Bull¡¯s horns beginning to shine in a red light. Charlotte closed her eyes taking a calming breath in, a white trail of smoke escaping her lips, ¡°Power through force!¡± she shouted, rushing forward to meet the beast. Just inches away from meeting the monster she dug her full-length spear into the ground flipping her above the monster. ¡°Heavy Blow!¡± Charlotte¡¯s short spear in her remaining hand bloomed in a sh of red and her arm blurred, as the spear embedded itself into the monster''s skull right between its eyes. The bull slumped forward in a messy crash, kicking up a plume of snow covering the surroundings in a brief snowscreen. When the snow settled there was only one standing. [Charlotte Mcrin Level 10] ¡ª--------------- Drake pped his hands as the rest of the group cheered for Charlotte¡¯s decisive victory against the F-Rank Monster. ¡°Well done, Charlotte. Aiming for a vital point to abuse your higher maneuverability and dexterity was good stuff,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°And you leveled it. A perfect finish.¡± Charlotte was breathing heavily but smiled and nodded, her face flushing more red than it already was. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Drake gave her a ruffle of her hair, ¡°Proud of you, your hard work is paying off! I can¡¯t wait to see how strong you get after your ss change. Now go get your first F-Rank Monster Core. Landin, you¡¯re up next.¡± Landin stepped up from behind the window with a smile, twirling his mace in his hands. ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± he shrugged, ¡°Good job Charlotte, way to pull off a page-turner.¡± Charlotte smiled back, hitting him lightly in the arm, ¡°You got this Landin. You might be a cleric but you¡¯re always in front. Actually, that¡¯s why we get in so much trouble now that I think about it¡­¡± Drake ushered her out of the area, then came back and put the Bull¡¯s corpse into his inventory clearing the area for Landin. He took onest look over the boy. Landin hadn¡¯t changed much from when he first met him. He had always kept his heart on his sleeve but joked in the same manner Drake did. But Landin didn¡¯t know that Drake had watched his fight against the boars. Drake knew something was lurking in Landin¡¯s heart, something that he only needed to flip a switch to let out and grow. ¡°All set?¡± Drake asked, walking to the cage. ¡°Oh, you know I¡¯m not, but difort is the crux of progress!¡± Landin said taking a stance. ¡°When did you learn such flowery words?¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Got to act cool when you''re shivering in your boots,¡± Landin said back, gripping his mace tighter, his hand already glowing with an inky ck light. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back Landin,¡± Drake said seriously, opening the cage. ¡°What do you-¡± [Iron Hide Bull Level 16] This time the monster mmed against the gate forcing the door to snap open and rap against the side of the cage. Landin flinched and jerked at the sound but forced a wary smile on his face. ¡°I-isn¡¯t there a bit of difference in treatment here¡­?¡± he said, ¡°That monster seems a lot stronger than Charlotte¡¯s-¡± Landin was cut off, tumbling to the left his arm clipped by the Bull¡¯s red horn. He grimaced against the pain but smirked back the Bull grunting and snorting as it shook its head. The bull rutted not a momentter snorting in anger at him, a blister festering on its right shoulder from a small inky ck smoke. Landin didn¡¯t wait for the Bull to charge back at him, rushing toward it himself, his hand glowing white as he touched it to his wounded arm. ¡°May your flesh be cured, Mend!¡± Landin shouted his flesh knitting together as he ran. The bull grunted and stampeded forward, white smoke billowing from its nostrils with ever breath and hoofbeat. Landin didn¡¯t back down, his nervous demeanor from before reced by a solely focused goal to defeat the opponent in front of him. To take care of the problem ced before him. To kill this monster and grow stronger. ¡°I am what ails you!¡± Landin shouted waiting until the veryst second to drop to the ground, sliding beneath the monster, one hand using his mace to knock out one of the bull¡¯s legs, the other sliding down its chest with his spell leaving a long line of festering sores. ¡°Wrath!¡± The Bull tripped from the pain, an agonizing groan escaping its snout as it fell on its side. Landin didn¡¯t let the opportunity slip from him, flipping to his feet at the end of his drift on the snow-covered ground and ran forward, both his hands on his mace¡¯s handle. The Bull struggled to get up, faltering on its affected leg from his Wrath spell as it watched Landin close in on it. But Landin had no room for mercy or hesitation. It was kill or be killed just like it was with the boars. He shot up in a leap his hands gripping his mace tight as he brought the hammer down. After several squelching blows, Landin heaved dropping to his back, cing a white-lit hand to his chest, his breathing steadying. ¡°Son¡­ of¡­ a¡­ bitch¡­ I swear¡­¡± Landin gasped. The cheering from the peanut gallery forced a smile from him as he raised a victorious fist into the air. [Landin Raymond Level 10] ¡ª---------------------------------------- ¡°Amazing work. I can¡¯t say I like your fighting style right now though. Allowing yourself to get hit and putting yourself in high-risk high-reward situations just tond a blow because you can heal yourself¡­¡± Drake sighed but extended a hand for Landin. Landin took it, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Yeah, It¡¯s not like I like pain or anything¡­ It¡¯s just it''s the only thing I cane up with right now. I don¡¯t have the greatest closebat capability, so I just have to hope my Intelligence lets me trade for more damage with Wrath,¡± Landin agreed. Drake shook his head cing a hand on Landin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°No, you are using the tools avable to you to survive. Good job. And just so you know,¡± Drake smiled bringing his voice down to a whisper, ¡°That Bull was level 16.¡± Landin recoiled in disbelief, ¡°Are you trying to kill me?! I swear you and that Orc Lady are going to be the death of me, not the monsters!¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°I knew you could handle it. I did watch you fight those boars after all.¡± Landin deted. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing Landin, you did good. Now go im your prize. Quetz, you¡¯re up!¡± A surprised chirp came from the viewing window and a momentter a colorful avian girl with a bow strapped around her shoulder nuzzled up next to Drake. ¡°Foul bird, do not take advantage of the situation!¡± Atropos growled from the window, biting down on her sleeve. Quetz stuck her tongue out, rubbing her head into Drake¡¯s side. ¡°Quetz,¡± Drake sighed, pulling her away from him, ¡°This is serious. Ready yourself.¡± Quetz gave a low coo, her feathers smoothing and taking a blue hue. ¡°Quetz knows¡­ She just wants to be close to Drake again, it¡¯s no fun if everyone else gets to spend time with you and I don¡¯t!¡± sheined. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll have plenty of time to tag along with me once you get stronger,¡± Drake said giving a small grin, ¡°Now, ready?¡± Quetz moved to the end of the partition, pulling her bow from her shoulder and grabbing three arrows from the quiver on her back. Taking a single calming breath, she released a pleasant chirp her feathers flowing to a bright yellow, ¡°Ready, ready!¡± Drake nodded, opening the gate to the cage. [Iron Hide Bull Level 11] The moment the cage opened an arrow bathed in green light cut through the air mming into the bull¡¯s side. The bull bucked and then its eyes found Quetz with primal fury burning in them. Quetz flipped another arrow between her fingers casually, whistling a tune as she smiled at it. The bull reared its head back snorting with vitriol as it barreled forward toward the avian. But Quetz was surprisingly calm, still ying with the two of three arrows she had taken from her quiver. The bull picked up speed just a few feet away from Quetz as its horns were covered in a red light. Quetz giggled and pushed off the ground throwing both arrows into the air. The Bull mmed into the earthen partition as Quetz pped her wings once, then twice, gaining altitude with each beat. She then grabbed one arrow with practiced ease, knocking it and firing. ¡°Steady aim, stout heart! Power Shot!¡± she chanted, singing the words with a hum. Once the arrow released she spun in the air, grabbing the second arrow, knocking it, and releasing it. The first arrow mmed into the back of the bull''s head, right where the spine met the skull. The second a fraction of a secondter splitting the first and burrowing deeper. Slumping to the ground after fruitlessly struggling just a moment ago, the bull expired. Drake raised his brows at the scene, the viewing window erupting with cheers, and the single jeering from Atropos -more at her behavior beforehand and not the fight- and Drake sighed. ¡°I guess I should have expected that one. It is a ranger against a monster that can¡¯t fly and has no range attacks¡­¡± he scoffed. ¡°Drakeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~!¡± Quetz chirped mming into him, ¡°Did I do good? Quetz did good, right? Right?!¡± Drake gave a sigh and stroked Quetz¡¯s head, ¡°Yeah, you did great sweety.¡± [Quetzel Mano Level 10] ¡ª----------------------------- Drake finally peeled a reluctant Quetz off him with great effort and the help of Sah Ul¡¯, Charlotte, and Atropos as he waved for Kalik Tu¡¯ to enter the area. ¡°Alright troublemaker, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of, yeah?¡± Drake smirked. ¡°I want the strongest one you have in that cage,¡± Kalik said firmly without preamble. ¡°What makes you think I should listen?¡± Drake asked. Kalik growled, then hesitated, seemingly struggling with something in his own head. Then a few silent secondster, he bowed his head. ¡°I am asking, please. Allow me to test myself. I can not be the warrior I have always been told I would if I do not push past those within this group¡­¡± Drake was taken aback and thought on it for a moment seeing how hard it was for the teen to swallow his pride and hate for him to ask. And the fact that Kalik Tu¡¯ had done it while his hands gripped his axes and his jaw was so obviously clenched. ¡°Fine. Are you ready?¡± Drake said finally moving to the cage. ¡°A warrior is always ready for the next fight,¡± Kalik Tu¡¯ said matter-of-factly. ¡°If you say so,¡± Drake shrugged, pulling open the cage. [Iron Hide Bull Level 17] The bull almost sauntered from the cage, despite its situation and being the strongest monster that Drake had ced inside the cage, it moved as if uncaring. Kalik scowled and let loose a low growl as he unsheathed his axes from his sides. The Bull eyed Kalik, snorting as it did. ¡°A pitiful monster thinks they can look down on a Rahk Warrior,¡± Kalik growled derisively, ¡°Is moreughable than a human leading them!¡± The bull snorted once more, stomping against the ground. Kalik Tu¡¯ stayed calm, sidestepping to circle the monster, trusting in his years of training and what he witnessed during the earlier fights. The bulls may be fast and strong, but they were clumsy. The bull reared its head back and rutted, charging forward, but Kalik wasn¡¯t prepared for when the bull¡¯s legs hummed with green light and it took on a sudden burst of speed, its horns glowing red. Kalik mmed down with both his axes in a cross guard, doing his best to win out in a battle of strength with the bull but he simply wasn¡¯t strong enough topete with a level 17 monster. After a brief contest of strength, Kalik was thrown into the air across the partition, skidding against the snow-covered ground and mming against the earthen wall with a grunt. He braced himself against the wall and stood shakily as the bull maneuvered to get a running start to charge him once more. Kalik grounded his teeth together, shes of everything that had happened leading up to this point. The image of his mother telling him stories of his father, the great hunter and warrior. Sah Ul¡¯ing back after the gods had taken their tribe for the great trial a different more powerful warrior than he had ever seen. Sah Ul¡¯ telling him that his mother was missing and the events leading up to it in the trial. His memories of being bested time and time again by the human who now stood at the top of the Rahk Tribe. He couldn¡¯t take it. Wouldn¡¯t allow the dishonor anymore. He ced his umted free points into his Strength stat, ballooning it to nearly 200. Kalik didn¡¯t need the other stats, all that mattered was the strength to ovee. ¡°I am Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk! And I will be the man I was destined to be! I will not let the praisings and expectations of my elders fall on deaf and weak ears, I will grow stronger and I will one day lead the Rahk, protecting them! Some mere beast won¡¯t stand in my way!¡± Steadying himself on his feet, the bull charged forward its horns trained for his chest once more. But Kalik was stronger than he was just moments ago, nearly 50 points had been ced into his strength stat, power welling up inside him. He raised his axes above his head, a red glow epassing them and humming with power. ¡°Power through force!¡± he growled glowering down at the oing Bull, ¡°Heavy Blow!¡± The Bull and Kalik¡¯s axes collided only for a moment. Kalik¡¯s axes struggling against the F-Rank Bull¡¯s horns. But Kalik¡¯s strength won out. In a disy of red sparks of mana, he finally won despite one of his axes flying out of his hands embedding itself into the wall behind him, the other pushing with such downward force it mmed the bull¡¯s head into the ground splitting it in two at his feet. ¡°I am Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk, and I will beat that stupid human one day-¡± Kalik fell to the ground, his chest pierced leaving a gaping hole where his lung would be thest sound he heard as the darkness overtook his senses was that of a man. ¡°Good job you little troublemaker¡­¡± [Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk Level 10] ¡ª--------------- Drake poured thest of the health potion on Kalik¡¯s chest, scratching the back of his head as he watched the wound stitch together but leave a white scar in his open leather armor. ¡°Damn it, are all boys this reckless? First Landin, now Kalik.¡± ¡°As if the Patriarch is one to talk,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned scooping up the boy. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not that- Okay maybe I am¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I really hope that they don¡¯t follow that pattern. I was one second away from stopping that fight¡­ Alright Atropos your turn, let¡¯s see what a day of training with me can do, yeah?¡± Atropos walked out of the viewing room, watching as Kalik was brought in by Sah Ul¡¯ past her. ¡°Could I have such determination as well, Lord Drake?¡± she asked in passing. ¡°You already do, Atropos. You¡¯re here aren¡¯t you?¡± Drake answered. ¡°Yes, but we are of higher level than they are and have our main ss advantages¡­ It just does not seem, fair,¡± she mumbled. Drake scoffed, ¡°Fair? Who said anything in this world was fair?¡± heughed surprising her, ¡°Listen to me Atropos, it¡¯s not what you were given, it¡¯s how you use it. Don¡¯t demean yourself just because you have an advantage right now. What matters is that you work hard to keep it and utilize the cards you were dealt. Do you think they have worked harder than you have in thest few days?¡± She shook her head, her hands going to her closed eyes and touching the wounds that had healed but were still fresh on her body. Drake ruffled her hair, ¡°If you truly believe you aren¡¯t working hard enough to be deserving of those advantages you say you have, there¡¯s only one solution yeah?¡± he smirked, ¡°Work harder so that you and no one else can say you don¡¯t deserve them.¡± Atropos nodded somewhat hesitant but got into position as Drake did the same next to the cage. ¡°Ready?¡± Drake asked. Atropos pulled her staff from her inventory, took a deep breath, and then nodded back. Drake opened the door, one of the two final bulls stomping out of the cage in anger. [Iron Hide Bull Level 13] Atropos froze for a moment at the sight of the monster, seeing one standing off against you was leagues different from viewing it from the distance she was at. She had fought monsters before but not to the degree this beast was in size. The Bull was of no make she had ever seen. The monster stood twice her size easily, its hide was a dark brown and its head a patch of white, two porcin white horns jutting from its skull. The monster didn¡¯t give her any more time to think, rushing forward as it kicked up smoke in a trail behind it. Atropos¡¯s instincts kicked in as her brow furrowed. ¡°The night is all-consuming, Shadow me!¡± She quickly jutted out her hand at the stampeding bull galloping towards her, a ck magic circle forming at the base of her open palm a spark of violet dark me sputtering out. With an arc of her hand, she threw the fire forward as it blustered against the face of the bull. But it sadly wasn¡¯t enough, as the bull shook off the spell with only a small bit of soot left on its face, seemingly making it more enraged as it dug deeper ruts into the ground. Atropos wouldn¡¯t be disheartened though and fired two more dark shadow mes at the bull and quickly transitioned into her other spell as sweat began to line her brow. ¡°The shadowse for all, Scythe of Shadows!¡± In the timespan it took for the monster to traverse the distance of the cage to her, she had slowed it with three shadow mes, and its charge turned from a stampede to a desperate gallop. The inky ck mana twirled and twisted against her staff, quickly forming into the sickle it had during her training as she rolled out of the way, extending the tip of the de to catch the monster''s side. Atropos was yanked forward with the passing bull as she hurled herself onto its back, wrenching her sickle from its side as it snorted in agony from the spell''s effect. ¡°I will no longer be the helpless girl! I will be the huntress!¡± she screamed, using both hands to bring down her sickle right between the bull¡¯s eyes as it stumbled to the ground, throwing Atropos off its back. In a cloud of kicked-up snow, Atropos fell sliding against the ground until she impacted with the partition coughing from the collision. She stood wavering as she leaned against the partition but held a cheeky smile on her lips. ¡°I believe I am getting the hang of this,¡± sheughed before tumbling backward in a cloud of fresh snow, her legs giving out from under her. ¡ª----------------- ¡°That was surprising and quick, but I knew you had it in you, Atropos,¡± Drake grinned, giving her a helping hand up, her brother not far behind him a worried look on his face. ¡°Thank you, Lord Drake,¡± she replied, taking his hand. Drake turned to her brother, ¡°Looks like you''re thest one Clotho.¡± But the boy didn¡¯t respond watching his sister walk back to the viewing window, almost stumbling a few times. Drake waved in front of the boy¡¯s face, ¡°Earth to Clotho. I get you¡¯re worried about her, but you got a fight to win as well remember?¡± he said, ¡°You want to check up on her? Win this quickly so you can go see her.¡± Clotho tore his eyes from his sister and walked to the other end of the partition a cold expression on his face as he waited for Drake to release thest and final bull from the cage. ¡°Stone cold, huh?¡± Drake smiled wryly. Drake opened the cage door, the final bull taking no time to m into it and out as it whipped its head around looking for something to pour its unbridled anger into. The bull¡¯s eyes locked with Clotho on the other end and began its charge storming through the snow. Clotho maintained his steely expression, his fingers beginning to flick with purpose, his metal wires going to work. Drake gasped as he saw the boy take him up on his advice of winning quickly. Clotho¡¯s wires shot forward in an arc finding purchase with the Bull¡¯s legs and extremities, stringing the beast up as it froze, unwilling to fight against the razor-sharp strings of metal, small beads of red dribbling from where they contacted its hide. The teen said nothing, his hand extended pointing at the monster that was suspended in the air, its face somehow paling while its eyes stared back at him. Clotho simply clenched his hand, the sound of metal shearing flesh reverberating through the area as the bull fell to pieces in front of him in a sloshing mess. Drake could only blink in amazement at the disy. A small smirk creased his lips as he fought down the burning urge in his chest to fight every one of them right here and now. ¡°Little fucking monsters, the lot of you.¡± Chapter 242: Rushing to the End 1 Chapter 242: Rushing to the End 1 It was a proud moment for Drake as he stood in front of the mostly conscious teens. Save Kalik Tu¡¯ who was still resting due to nearly losing a lung, everyone was alive, kicking, and ready to go on to the next part of their training. ¡°Someone wake Kalik up will you,¡± Drake said. ¡°I got it,¡± Landin smirked. ¡°Gently,¡± Drake added. Landin¡¯s smirk lessened, ¡°Fine...¡± Drake scanned the teens who had just finished their, forck of a better word ¡®Graduation¡¯, while Landin poured some water onto Kalik¡¯s face startling him awake. The boy quickly grabbed for his axes as he put his head on a swivel only to see he was the only oneying down in a line of standing teens. He grunted and got to his feet, wiping his face of the water. Sah Ul¡¯ stood next to Drake as it seemed only right as he addressed them. ¡°You all passed with flying colors and I can¡¯t tell you how much of a relief that is to me,¡± Drake said. ¡°Even Kalik?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Kalik¡¯s monster was a higher level than yours, Landin,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°So cut him some ck. Remember he did that without the Punching Up title like you and Charlotte had too.¡± Landin shivered slightly, snapping his mouth shut, while Kalik eyed him dubiously. ¡°Enough of your teasing. We don¡¯t have time to waste. You all saw the notifications so I¡¯ll give it to you straight. There¡¯s war looming,¡± Drake said solemnly. ¡°War, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked, shifting ufortably on her feet. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t sugarcoat it even if I wanted to. By now you¡¯ve all seen the notifications as well about Atticus Wallen,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°He¡¯s my brother, or at least he was years ago. But now I¡¯m not sure what the system has turned him into. But he and the undead are now a problem we just can¡¯t ignore. Those vampires that tried to take you all are not thest and they seem to be building an army.¡± He paused, letting the teens process his words. ¡°And you want us to fight in this war?¡± Charlotte finally asked for the group. Drake shook his head, ¡°Yes, at least in a way or some capacity. I won¡¯t lie to you and say I¡¯m going to, or can, shield you from this oing war with the monsters, the undead, and possibly some kind of bonkers extremist cult my brother has created. Whether you like it or not you will be a part of it, the whole world will be. It was one of the reasons I had to train you the way I have. I don¡¯t know how long we have or how strong the other groups are, so you simply need to be stronger.¡± He paused again, taking out four shining skill stones. ¡°Atrops and Clotho both have their main sses. You should have all finished your ss quests as well and seeing that no one has had anything pop up in a shiny light I¡¯m assuming that you haven¡¯t epted the rewards. Keep the quest unfinished for now, we don¡¯t want you to gain experience before you rank up. These,¡± Drake exined handing out the stones, ¡°Are your main ss stones that I have. Each of them are Epic Rarity, which is better than both of my sses.¡± Drake smiled as the teens rolled the stones in their hands, the crystalline stones shone in different colors, one bright yellow, another green, one silver, and thest golden. ¡°It seems the system is harsh even to the tutorialists in a way, we gain titles that you won¡¯t receive through fighting to the death, while you youngsters get to reap the rewards of paths we paved,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°You sound like an old man,¡± Landin chuckled. ¡°Yeah yeah¡­ You know how happy I would have been to just get handed an Epic Rarity ss instead of rolling for one? You bunch get to choose your sses,¡± Drake sighed waving his hand to dismiss the tangent, ¡°Anyway, before you-¡± Drake sighed as he saw Kalik shine in brilliant gold. The teen had consumed the stone before he had a chance to exin the possible oues of the powerful influx of energy an Epic Stone could give. He watched with the others as the light around Kalik Tu¡¯ dimmed, grateful that he hadn¡¯t gone out of his mind like Drake had. Kalik dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. ¡°As I was saying¡­¡± Drake began exining again, ¡°The stones contain what I can only call raw power or energy, maybe just mana, I¡¯m not sure. But the stones will overwhelm your senses and drive you mad if you let them. I¡¯ve experienced it first hand, almost killing Natto several times.¡± The teens turned from the exhausted Kalik back to Drake. ¡°You almost killed Natto?¡± Charlotte said in disbelief, her head turning down to the stone in her hand. ¡°Yup, three times. So we are going to have you all consume the stones with lots of space in between. The stones you have prepared for your sses are well beyond what I used so the potency is going to be that much greater. I didn¡¯t have a choice in the tutorial, I needed strength or I was going to be killed by monsters or people. But you all have time to spread the effects of the stones out since Sah Ul¡¯ and I am here. Take your stones and practice your skills while we head to our destination. But none of you will be fighting monsters until you have truly ranked up which we will do when we are safe again inside a town or with my family. Got it?¡± The line of teens took a moment looking back and forth between themselves, eventually nodding to Drake as each one lit up in a different light. Drake looked on expectantly and with a little trepidation as he prepared to jump in should one of them get overzealous during the process. But thankfully each one went through the change beautifully and without any craziness that Drake had. ¡°So? How¡¯d it go?¡± Drake asked. The teens were out of breath and each wearing different expressions. Kalik looked pale and in disbelief at something, so Drake decided to, of course, ignore the boy for now. Charlotte looked thoughtful as if she was deciding to be happy or upset, her eyes slightly distant. While Quetz had her cheeks puffed out in a child-like pout as she crossed her arms. And finally, Landin¡¯s face slowly devolved from happiness to one of sheer dread and dissatisfaction as his eyes read whatever description he was presented with. ¡°Oooo Landin looks like he¡¯s got a juicy one. What is it?¡± Drake mused walking up behind him, cing an arm on his shoulder, ¡°Let me see, let me see¡­. Oh, oh my¡­ I¡¯m sorry for your loss. Or well, loss of experience.¡± ¡°Why are you acting like you aren¡¯t a part of this?! You¡¯re the one that gave me this ss!¡± Landin shouted, raising his hands up into the air in frustration. [Spirit Summoner] [Epic] [F-Rank] 0/5
  • A fledgling in the arts of spirit calling.
  • The ritualist uses materials of fallen beings to call them from the reaches of theher, wielding andmanding them to do their bidding.
  • +10% to Intelligence and out-ofbat mana regeneration. (+10% Wisdom)
  • Actives: Summon P1(0%), Stat Transference P1(0%)
[Summon] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The summoner uses material to call to the spirit of the fallen.
  • Spell: Summon - ¡°Your journey may have ended, but mine is just beginning. Aid me, reverie me, offer your evesting to me. Rise.¡±
  • Permanent Spell Effect: Summons and binds a spirit in a tangible body to assist the summoner.
  • Summon Requirement 1: 10 of any Rank Monster Core. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Summon Requirement 2: Summons will be bound to a piece of Equipment, recing current Equipment¡¯s stats based on Summon¡¯s current Level and stats. Higher-grade equipment will result in a higher transfer of Summon¡¯s stats to said equipment. If said equipment is destroyed the bounded summon will be lost.
  • Summon Maintenance: Mana and Stamina based on Summon¡¯s particr level and Rank. Once summoned, Summon will have an independent level, experience gain, health, and mana. Summon can be dismissed by the summoner or if their health is depleted.
  • Summon Dismissal Cooldown: Based on Summon¡¯s Level and Rank. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
  • Current Summon Limit: 4 (Increased based on Proficiency)
[Stat Transference] [Proficiency 1(0%)
  • A small amount of the current summoned being¡¯s status is given to the summoner.
  • Passive Skill Effect: 10% of each individual summoned being¡¯s entire status is transferred to the summoner. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Landin grabbed Drake by the shoulders, ¡°And now I can¡¯t even heal! How am I supposed to summon something if I don¡¯t have enough cores to begin with?!¡± ¡°Whoa whoa! Slow your roll man. I wouldn¡¯t leave you out to dry like that. So ten F-Rank Cores per summon and you can have four max right now? Better stick to just one or two,¡± Drake said, separating himself from Landin, ¡°I¡¯ll give you enough for two summons alright, the rest is on you. It doesn¡¯t say if the monster the core came from influences it but just to be safe, here are cores from the wolves. And then some from lower elementals we¡¯ve taken care of.¡± ¡°You killed elementals? Like Elementals, Elementals?¡± Landin asked, taking the handful of cores. ¡°Sarah did yeah, speaking of which,¡± Drake paused, taking out a person-sized stack of books of various colors, ¡°Everyone take one of each, well except Atropos and Clotho, they seem to have the Myriad Language already. That means you too Sarah, I know you can¡¯t understand the kids.¡± Drake cocked an eyebrow at his own words, ¡°That reminds me, what exactly did you spend your tutorial points on if not the book? You must have had more than enough to get one.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ frowned, swiping four books from the stack. ¡°I purchased a war ax,¡± she said with a slight hint of venom in her voice. Drake grimaced, ¡°O-oh¡­ Sorry about that,¡± he chuckled nervously. He turned to the rest of the teens, ¡°Okay let¡¯s see the rest. Why are you still pouting Quetz?¡± Quetz pursed her lips giving a deeper pout, ¡°No reason¡­.¡± she booed. [Wind Gunman] [Epic] [F-Rank]0/5
  • An elementally inclined range weapon specialist.
  • A sophisticated user of ranged weaponry, able to boost their projectiles with Wind affinity mana.
  • Passives: +10% to Dexterity and out-ofbat Stamina regeneration. (+10% Stamina)
  • Actives: Ouw¡¯s Deadeye P1(0%), Charged Gale P1(0%)
[Ouw¡¯s Deadeye] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The shooter¡¯s ability to target and spot the weaknesses of their prey. A hunter¡¯s eye is not to be underestimated.
  • Passive Effects: +50% to Critical Hit Chance, +50% to Critical Hit Damage. (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Specific Weapon Effect. (Increased Based on Proficiency)
  • Pistol: Increased Weapon Reload Speed - +25%
  • Rifle: Increased Weapon Pration - +50%
  • Repeating Crossbow: Increased Debuff Effects - +10%
  • Shotgun: Increased Blunt Damage - +25%
[Charged Gale] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The shooter¡¯s ability to purge remaining ammunition into a single round for increased damage.
  • Skill: Howling Gale - ¡°The wind sings with the howl of a whipped storm. Howling Gale.¡±
  • Condense the remaining weapon¡¯s current ammunition to increase damage dealt. Deals base +25 wind damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Current remaining ammunition, Moderate Amount of Stamina
  • Cooldown: 2 Minutes. (Reduces based on Proficiency)
  • Additional increased damage based on equipped weapon-grade and ammunition purged. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Pistol: +1 wind damage per bullet up to 100 damage
  • Rifle: +10 wind damage per bullet up to 150 damage
  • Repeating Crossbow: +5 wind damage per bolt up to 50 damage
  • Shotgun: +20 wind damage per slug up to 200 dmg
¡°What, this is amazing!¡± Drake eximed, ¡°A skill that gives you such versatility in weapons is great.¡± Quetz scoffed, ¡°Quetz wanted to have something with more sparkles. This skill doesn¡¯t sound cute either!¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Right, well maybe it has some kind of effect that makes it look¡­ cuter?¡± She perked up at that, ¡°Really, really?¡± ¡°Maybe, we will only be able to tell once you use the skills, but this ss seems really strong already,¡± Drake said, reading the description again. He turned to Charlotte next, ¡°Alright long face, what¡¯s the damage?¡± he asked. Charlotte still kept a difficult expression on her face, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to make of it, it seems that it fits my fighting style?¡± she said, almost questioning the statement, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem to have a lot of power behind it?¡± She looked around as she turned the screen around, grabbing at the books that Drake offered. [Lightning Spearman] [Epic] [F-Rank] 0/5
  • The nimble spearman with a thunderous constitution.
  • The spearman wields a deft and nimblemand of the spear, using Lightning Affinity Mana to enhance both their speed and power.
  • Passives: +10% to Dexterity and out-ofbat stamina regeneration. (+10% to Stamina)
  • Actives: Counter Deflection P1(0%), Focl¨®ir Gaeilge P1(0%)
[Counter Deflection] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The spear user embodies dexterity and mastery with their weapon.
  • Passive Effect: Dexterity is converted into a 2-to-1 Parry and Counterattack Chance. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: After a sessful dodge, parry, or counterattack the spear user is granted a stacking buff of Counter Deflection, increasing their Dexterity by 10% per stack.
  • Stacks diminish after 30 seconds of nobat and max at 5 stacks. (Increased based on Proficiency)
[Focl¨®ir Gaeilge] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The spear user calls upon the thundering storm to enhance their killing blow.
  • Skill: Focl¨®ir Gaeilge - ¡°The thunderous roar of your end is nigh. Focl¨®ir Gaeilge¡±
  • Execute Skill: Enhances the finishing blow of the user with Lightning Affinity Magic. Deals +150 Piercing Damage and +300 Lightning Damage. (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effects: Additional Execute Damage based on 5 to 1 Intelligence and Dexterity.
  • Base Execute Damage: 100% to targets under 30% Health, 200% to targets under 15% Health.
  • Cost: Large Amount of Stamina and Moderate Amount of Mana.
  • Cooldown: 3 Hours. (Decreases based on Proficiency)
Drake¡¯s eyes perked up at Charlotte¡¯s ss description, ¡°I can see how the first part of some of this doesn¡¯t seem the best at first nce, but this is insanely good,¡± he smiled, ¡°And a counterattack substat¡­ You might grow to be as strong as Bjorn and he has a legendary automated defense, although I¡¯ve never seen his description.¡± Charlotte grew excited from Drake¡¯s exnation, ¡°Really?¡± she beamed. He nodded, ¡°Yup, you will probably be ate bloomer since you have at least three stats you will be splitting your free stats into but we can probably mitigate that with equipment like we will with Clotho. All around this is a great start.¡± Charlotte fiddled with the tips of her auburn hair, ¡°Good¡­ That¡¯s good¡­¡± Drake finally turned to thest remaining member of the group, unable to ignore his shocked and paled expression any longer. ¡°Alright, why do you look like someone kicked your dog?¡± Kalik grunted, but it wasn¡¯t powerful or had any of the gruff it usually had. ¡°I-i¡¯ve been¡­ been betrayed¡­ Forsaken!! The great gods have forsaken me! I was meant to be a great hunter, the best! How am I to protect the tribe with something like this?!¡± ¡°Will you just hold on and show me, it can¡¯t be that bad,¡± Drake groaned, putting his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. Sah Ul¡¯ had moved over as well, interested in just what Kalik Tu¡¯ was talking about. [Ki User] [Epic] [F-Rank]0/5
  • A tempered fighter whosemand over their inner energy allows them to use devastating strikes to great effect.
  • Passives: +10% to Strength and out-ofbat stamina regeneration. (+10% Stamina)
  • Actives: Lion¡¯s 360 Blossom Rotation P1(0%), Inner Ki Cannon P1(0%)
[Lion¡¯s 360 Blossom Rotation] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The defensive technique of the Great Ki Master Lion Trou¡¯ Searheart utilizes internal Ki to form a protective 360-degree barrier.
  • Skill: 360 Blossom Rotation - ¡°Tranquility finds all, Blossom Rotation.¡±
  • Forms a Ki Sphere of influence that allows the user to counterattack any given hostile attack within range.
  • Dexterity and Strength are converted at 1 to 1 into Parry and Counterattack chance during skill duration.
  • Counterattack returns 50% of base attack damage with +20 Pure Mana Strike. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Must be used while equipped with a Fist-type weapon or unarmed.
  • Cost: Moderate Stamina
  • Cooldown: 5 Minutes (Decreases based on Proficiency)
[Inner Ki Cannon] Proficiency 1(0%)
  • The ability for the user to coalesce their Ki into physical form.
  • Skill: Shak Rah Ho
  • Deals Pure Mana Strike damage based on Strength and Stamina at 5 to 1(Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Must be used while equipped with a fist-type weapon or unarmed
  • Cost: Small Amount of Stamina
  • Cooldown: 30 Seconds. (Decreases based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Can be charged for increased damage at substantial stamina cost. 50% Damage for every 5 Seconds, up to 500%.
Drake smiled, ¡°Well doesn¡¯t seem so bad there Kalik old buddy, old friend, old pal. Looks to me like it¡¯s a little bit of poetic justice at work- Ahem, I mean it isn¡¯t all bad, look I can help you a ton with learning to fight. And we can spend all the time you want, together, working through and training- Ok, I¡¯m not helping am I?¡± Drake said, trying to fix his teasing at Sah Ul¡¯s re only to continue digging his own grave. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ what am I going to do?! I¡¯ve trained my entire life with the weapon of our ancestors, years thrown to the wind¡­¡± Kalik said his hands trembling, then his eyes snapped to Drake, ¡°You¡­. You Deceiver! Again you mock me! Mock our ways! You knew this would happen!¡± Drake sighed, flicking Kalik¡¯s forehead, knocking him back down, ¡°Oh please. So you have to relearn how to fight. You don¡¯t see themining do you?¡± he said pointing to the rest of the teens who had started consuming thenguage books one after the other, ¡°Or are you saying you are less capable than they are?¡± Drake smiled mischievously. ¡°I-¡± Kalik said, standing up again ready to explode, but bit back his anger as he dropped his axes to the ground with a thud, hateful determination in his eyes, ¡°You will regret your words!¡± Kalik growled, his old vigor returned as he snatched thest stack of books meant for him, sitting down cross-legged as he consumed them. ¡°Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, giving a small smile, ¡°You know how to push his buttons well.¡± Drake gave her a wave, ¡°I know howpetitive teens are. I used to be one ya know?¡± he then pointed to the books Sah Ul¡¯ carried, ¡°Better get to studying yourself, I think it¡¯s been a long timeing that the group canmunicate.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ blushed, nodding as she stepped a little further away, tending to the books herself. From behind Drake heard happy chirping and small groans. Turning he saw Quetz happily talking to Charlotte and Atropos. Clotho and Landin covered their ears. ¡°Make it stop! She talks so much, can¡¯t we go back to when she just sang songs?! And who talks in the third person?!¡± Landin grumbled, Clotho nodding. ¡°What do you mean? Quetz is adorable!¡± Charlotte argued, ¡°She¡¯s everything I expected even if it is broken English right now!¡± ¡°I agree, Quetz is quite charming. Despite her being a sly fox in bird feathers, I can not help but adore her manner of speech. It is like I gained a sister!¡± Atropos nodded, giving Quetz a pat on the head. Quetz nuzzled into Charlotte and leaned into Atropos¡¯s hand surprising Drake. ¡°I guess she got over being touched, or maybe she¡¯s just grown that close to everyone after thest couple days,¡± he said under his breath smiling. ¡°Yeah well, at least we can finally hear what Kalik is actually saying to insult us,¡± Landin said, turning to the orc teen. ¡°You are a disappointment and azy pile of human garbage that will never amount to the greatness that is the Rahk Tribe,¡± Kalik spat. ¡°I take it back, I liked it better when he only looked at me insultingly and grunted.¡± Drake gave a deepugh, one he hadn¡¯t had in a very long time. ¡°Ah, I love this dynamic, you kids are great.¡± The girls pursed their lips and the boys grumbled as they shot daggers at each other. ¡°This. This feels like a family,¡± Drake said, nodding to himself. ¡°Family usually insults each other?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said walking up to him, finally done with her own books, speaking for the first time. ¡°Mine does, but it¡¯s only for show, we all love each other. It just shows howfortable everyone is with each other, being able to joke around like that and all,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s kind of weird being able to understand Sarah now. Does the broken English thing get better?¡± Landin asked, staring up at the Orc woman. ¡°It does, your mind or body or whatever has to adjust and limate I guess,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°I-I dis-dislike the Patriarch greatly! He is not s-strong and a terrible person!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted out breaking their conversation. Drake¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion, then realization, looking at her ears and cheeks reddening. ¡°While that gap moe is cute, we definitely need to work on your jokes. But don¡¯t worry, Beast Boy fixes all,¡± Drake chuckled, patting her on the shoulder, Sah Ul¡¯s face reddening. ¡°Now,¡± Drake said, pping his hands, ¡°Congrattions everyone! You have finally reached the first hurdle!¡± ¡°What are we to do now, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked. ¡°Now? Now we go find my family, then we finish your rank-ups properly. Some of you have very strong ss skills to start you off, but you will all need supporting skills to really fill out. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have time to do it right now, we are ahead of schedule thankfully, but I¡¯ve dyed enough in finding my family. So please forgive me but we will have to postpone a true graduation.¡± Chapter 243: Rushing to the End 2 Chapter 243: Rushing to the End 2 ¡°T-thanks¡­ for the n-new ax¡­?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said nervously, running alongside the group. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s better Sarah!¡± Drake smirked, ¡°That¡¯s called sarcasm, a great tool for jokes.¡± ¡°I do not like this,¡± she said firmly. ¡°What are you teaching her?¡± Charlotte asked with concern. ¡°Oh you know, the essentials,¡± Drake dismissed. ¡°How is sarcasm an essential in a post-apocalypse fantasy world?¡± Landin scoffed. ¡°Very essential. Love and Peace brother,¡± Drakeughed, putting up a V sign. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯m supposed to say to that¡­¡± Landin frowned. ¡°Come on now Landin, I thought you were kewl.¡± ¡°I- I am cool¡­¡± ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t like it when Drake confuses her,¡± Quetz cooed. Atropos stroked her lightly as they ran, ¡°It is okay Quetz, if it makes you feel better I do not understand the conversation either.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Quetz said firmly, frowning. ¡°You guys have such a long way to go,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think our understanding of your jokes and sarcasm are on the list of things to improve on¡­¡± Charlotte chided. ¡°No!¡± Drake shouted raising a fist into the air, ¡°It is a top priority! I¡¯ve had enough of my jokes falling t because you young whippersnappers don¡¯t get them, and Sarah is from a different!¡± ¡°Thank the great gods for that,¡± Kalik scoffed. ¡°I liked it better when you were just broody, not broody and insulting,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°C-can we take a quick breather? I¡¯m running low on stam here,¡± Landin said after a few more minutes of full sprinting. Drake took a look up at the sky, the sun still around midday, his eyes turning to his own stamina bouncing between 99% and 100%. Hmm, this new regeneration is pretty crazy. I didn¡¯t really notice until that vampire army fight since nothing has really been close to hurting me but my regeneration is on another level after that race change. Even the Cardinal Beast wasn¡¯t really a match. Drake thought, sighing slightly. I really would like to fight something that puts me on edge again¡­ Ah, wait no why would I want that? Damn, Asuran blood! If something that strong is on this what is everyone else going to do about it? ¡°Alright, we can take a quick break. Landine with me though,¡± Drake said waving the teen over. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± Landin said out of breath, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t get a chance to do your first summoning before we left. Maybe we should do it since you¡¯re practically defenseless right now,¡± Drake said, scratching the side of his cheek. ¡°Oh I see how it is, you¡¯re calling me useless now after sticking me with this ss?¡± Landin leered. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°Have I mentionedtely how much I hate you at this moment?¡± ¡°Multiple times.¡± ¡°As long as you know,¡± Landin shrugged, pulling a handful of F-Rank cores from his inventory, ¡°So the skill doesn¡¯t really say how to do this other than chant the spell and have the cores ready¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you need then,¡± Drake assured. ¡°Fine by me. The lessplicated the better, that ss description was a doozy¡­¡± Landin sighed, cing the cores on the ground. ¡°So I just chant right..? Oh wait I need some kind of item or equipment too,¡± he said, nervously confirming. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Drake said. After a moment of rifling through his inventory, he pulled the Lightning Storm in a Bottle that he had been holding onto, tossing it to him. ¡°I don¡¯t use this and I don¡¯t think anyone will be using it, so you can just use this,¡± Drake said. Landin caught the small bottle. It was clear with a bright yellow bolt of crackling lightning snapping back and forth inside it, a crude stopper at the top of it containing the energetic bolt. ¡°Here goes nothing¡­. Please don¡¯t be some disgusting creature¡­¡± Landin prayed, pressing his hands so tightly together they were turning white. ¡°Your journey may have ended,¡± Landin began, a silver magic circle swirling to life below him and epassing the monster cores on the ground, power humming in the air. ¡°But mine is just beginning! Aid me, reverie me.¡± Landin continued the circle condensing and shifting a pale blue as it spun below him picking up speed until the circle gave off heat melting the snow around them. ¡°Offer your evesting to me! Rise!¡± Landinpleted the chant, the monster cores turning to a melted puddle shifting and moving like silver on the magic circle. Slowly the material began reforming, molding into a figure Drake and Landin couldn¡¯t make out just yet. But a breathter the form solidified, a small puppy slowly emerging. Landin looked as if in a trance as the puppy began to finalize. Pale silver fur with scruffs of deep blue lining its ears, neck, and paws. And with a shake of its head, it shook off the remaining liquid that covered it, its tongue lolling out the side of its mouth as it yipped. The bottle in Landin¡¯s hand had begun to frost over, the yellow bolt turning to a pale blue inside it, with snowkes somehow falling endlessly without piling up, like a magical snowglobe. ¡°Awe¡­. it''s so tiny,¡± Drake said, bending down to stick a finger in front of its muzzle. The puppy growled, yipping again, then brought its maw down on Drake¡¯s finger. ¡°I think he likes me,¡± Drake smirked as he stood up holding his hand out to Landin, the puppy still attached to his finger. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Landin said, still mesmerized by the puppy. ¡°So,¡± Drake said, dropping the puppy into Landin¡¯s arms, ¡°Do you have a name for it?¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t do the whole tropey thing of calling it dog or puppy for 10 episodes. That would just be too cliche.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Landin said in a daze. ¡°Huh, you seem off? Are you high or something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel¡­ funny? Like I have other senses?¡± Landin said, his eyes swimming slightly. Drake ced his hand to his chin, ¡°Maybe it''s the influx of stats from the skill? But it''s just an F-Rank summon and level 1, I don¡¯t think it would be that big of an increase. Let¡¯s see¡­¡± He quickly inspected the summon. [Juvenile Tundra Wolf Level 1] ¡°Tundra Wolf¡­? That sounds¡­Huh¡­¡± Drake said, looking at the puppy with a new light. The puppy yipped again, burping a small blue fire escaping between its teeth, freezing Landin¡¯s shoulder before sputtering out. ¡°Ah! What the?!¡± Landin eximed. ¡°Cool¡­.¡± Drake mused, ¡°It has ice fire! That''s so dope! It¡¯s a level 1 and has an elemental affinity?! I¡¯ve never run into a monster below F- Rank that has something like that, summons are amazing!¡± Drake beamed. The puppy whimpered nuzzling into Landin¡¯s chest at Drake¡¯s excitement. ¡°Hey you¡¯re scaring him,¡± Landin reprimanded, forgetting that the puppy had just frozen his shoulder, stroking its back, ¡°I¡¯ve got the perfect name. Ifrit!¡± Drake frowned, ¡°Going the final fantasy route, huh, but that¡¯s a fire-type summon¡­¡± ¡°I can do what I want, it¡¯s my summon,¡± Landin said, giving a smirk, ¡°And I know, I¡¯m naming him that because it''s an ice fire, and I know it will annoy you to no end.¡± ¡°A FF junky huh¡­ And it won¡¯t annoy me in the slightest,¡± Drake said, his fist quivering by his side. ¡°Sure¡­.¡± ¡°Fine, but at least tell me this. Favorite character.¡± ¡°Lightning,¡± Landin replied instantly. ¡°Generic,¡± Drake scoffed, turning up his nose. ¡°Then what¡¯s yours? Probably Tifa, I mean Sarah might as well be Tifa with her proportions¡­¡± Landin mumbled. ¡°You say something Landin¡­?¡± Drake scowled. ¡°Nope,¡± Landin answered, stroking Ifrit¡¯s back,forting himself more than his new puppy. ¡°And I¡¯ll have you know. It¡¯s a tie. Paine, Rikku, Beatrix!¡± Drake said proudly. ¡°Bro¡­ You¡¯re one of those then¡­¡± Landin said, turning away and walking back to the group. ¡°What?¡± But Landin was already back at the group, squeals and shouts announcing his return. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my choices? I epass all three greats! Goth girlfriend, cheery positivity, and big mommy energy! Oh¡­¡± Drake coughed, moving back to the group. ¡°Oh my, he is so adorable!¡± Atropos said, ¡°He reminds me of Clotho when he was younger.¡± Clotho gave her a confused look. ¡°Where did you get him?¡± Charlotte asked, trying to pet the puppy only to receive a whimper from the wolf pup making her frown in disappointment. ¡°He¡¯s my first summon. Check out what he did to this item though,¡± Landin said, motioning to his hip where he had sped the bottle. [Winter Storm in a Bottle] [Spirit Item] [No Grade]
  • 1% Increase to Critical Strikes
  • +5 to Dexterity and Stamina
  • Can only be worn off-hand.
  • Spirit Housing for a newly summoned bond. This item will increase in both Grade and Status alongside the Summoner.
  • If this item is destroyed the bond will be broken and the summoned spirit will be lost.
¡°The stats aren¡¯t crazy and for some reason, they¡¯re for Dex and Stam but I feel like it''s going to get up there sooner rather thanter,¡± Landin grinned. ¡°No fair. Why does he get things?¡± Quetz pouted. ¡°That¡¯s because his ss requires it and I have them on hand,¡± Drake said trying to appease her, ¡°When we get back to the town or if we can somehow find stuff on our way I¡¯ll do what I can for you guys too. Don¡¯t forget you still have your rewards for your ss upgrades, we just have to wait until we get to where we¡¯re going first.¡± ¡°Then we must be on our way and resume the journey,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said walking up next to Drake ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­ M-m-mother must be worried.¡± Drake was taken aback, mouthing the word ¡®Mother¡¯. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I¡¯ll have to make sure to introduce you when we finally get there, shouldn¡¯t be more than another day at most, less if we could stop taking breaks every hour.¡± ¡°You must introduce me as well, Lord Drake!¡± Atropos said raising a hand. ¡°M-me too!¡± Charlotte said, a little more hesitantly. ¡°Quetz too!¡± Quetz chirped, looking between the two. ¡°That¡¯s a given, I¡¯ll be introducing all of you,¡± Drake chuckled as if it was natural, ¡°Then, shall we get going? The day is still young and there is light to burn!¡± ¡°Burn like how my thighs are¡­.¡± Landinined, rubbing his legs, Ifrit yipping in his arms, ¡°I know buddy, he is mean isn¡¯t he?¡± Drake frowned but started walking nevertheless, leading the kids to the marked direction on the map that Taliya had provided for him. ¡°Almost there,¡± he said under his breath, his heart racing. ¡ª------------------------- The rest of the day into the next passed with rtive normalcy. If you could call Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake decimating swaths of monster poptions as a pack of teens followed them around at inhuman speeds normal. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Landin asked, bing more and more out of breath with each passing minute. ¡°Weakling. Why must you constantly ask the same question over and over,¡± Kalik growled. ¡°Stop arguing or I swear I¡¯ll turn this car around!¡± Drake shouted back. ¡°What is a car?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°It¡¯s a smaller version of the bus we were in before,¡± Charlotte exined, ¡°And he¡¯s joking again Sarah, we aren¡¯t in a car, and he can¡¯t turn it around,¡± she chuckled wearily. Sah Ul¡¯ tipped her head slightly in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ She¡¯ll get it eventually¡­¡± Drake sighed, ncing again a his map, ¡°We¡¯re almost there. We should be able to see it, just, about, now.¡± Drake suddenly came to a halt, the broken asphalt highways twisting and turning into a city in the distance. Snow fell lightly on top of them bringing on a truly dystopian post-apocalyptic feeling. The highways looked as if transported, broken in clean cuts rather than chipped and broken cracks that you would ascribe to a naturally broken structure. ¡°Home sweet home¡­¡± Drake muttered, a puff of white smoke escaping his lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t this downtown?¡± Charlotte asked, heaving breaths. ¡°Yeah, I recognize that building. Isn¡¯t that a mall?¡± Landin added. ¡°Maul?¡± Atropos asked. ¡°M-a-l-l, it¡¯s like a big shopping district,¡± Landin rified. Question marks almost manifested above Atropos¡¯s head. But Drake moved on walking along the interstate highway into the city. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t sense anyone or monsters just yet. I wonder if it¡¯s abandoned? But the map Talyia gave me points here. Was her info bad?¡± Drake said a twang of anxiety bubbling up in his stomach forming a knot. ¡°We will not know until we have entered the city, Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ reassured. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get going, maybe once we pass the highway and get into the city limits there will be people,¡± Drake nodded. A few minutes of walking passed as they stayed vignt. Drake was on his toes more than usual. Being so close to his family but unable to confirm that they were really here began to eat away at his patience. Then once they were just about to enter city limits he felt something enter his aura sphere and darted forward to meet it, leaving the teens with Sah Ul¡¯ to catch up. Drake stood there dumbfounded. ¡°Yo,¡± the man said, tipping his hat to Drake. ¡°Hi¡­?¡± Drake responded looking the man up and down, as well as the strange monster next to him that was happily eating a banana from his hand. ¡°New here?¡± the man asked. ¡°No? Yes..? I mean I used to live here,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Oh, looking for family then, are ya?¡± the man smiled, patting the extended neck of the monster. The monster bayed slightly sounding like a goat, but had a neck as long as a giraffe. Its head shaped like a dog, it looked at Drake almost disinterested seeing he didn¡¯t have food to offer with its pitch-ck eyes. ¡°Yeah, by the way, what the hell is that?¡± Drake asked unable to help himself any longer. ¡°Oh, Be? She¡¯s a good girl, won¡¯t hurt nobody. She likes bananas.¡± Drake shook his head, inspecting the monster. [ck-Eyed Atoph Level 4] ¡°Atoph¡­?¡± Drake muttered, hearing the crunching of snow behind him. ¡°Oh my god, what the hell is that?!¡± Landin shouted. ¡°It¡¯s a ck-Eyed Atoph, don¡¯t you know anything?¡± Drake said smugly. ¡°Why would I know that?! And there is zero chance you knew that until right now!¡± Drake shrugged, turning back to the man, ¡°So you get peopleing through looking for family normally?¡± ¡°That we do, most peoplee in on monsters that they¡¯ve tamed though. Faster traveling and all.¡± ¡°People are taming monsters?¡± Drake asked, looking over his shoulder to Landin. ¡°Yup, good business in taming right now. Strong monsters out there that most people can¡¯t deal with, so you buy yourself a monster to ride, and use it as bait if you have to. If not you get to train them up a bit and they¡¯re half-decent fighters. Not everyone can afford or find abat assistant. Have to be a damn monster yourself to get one during the tutorial I hear,¡± the man said, spitting the word, ¡°If you folks need some monsters on your way out, you cane find me. Can¡¯t have my girl Be, but I have some decent Mana Wolves left.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but you know anyone named Maria Wallen or maybe Travis?¡± Drake asked expectantly. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Wallen? Of course, I know her, what you got to see her for? If you want to fight her I¡¯d advise against it, she dun whooped every moron that tried so far. Only reason this city has any semnce of order thanks to that worthless city lord.¡± Drake broke into a wide smile. ¡°She¡¯s here¡­¡± He took no time taking arge explosive step forward, finding a street he was familiar with and tracking down his old family home. A single floored 1-family house right at the corner of a small lot with a single tree in the sad excuse for a yard. Drake ignored the notification that sounded in his head asking if he wished to contest for authority over the city, only having eyes for the scuffed-up white door that had seen years of abuse from three angsty teens. He walked to the door, each step feeling like he was taking a journey in it of itself. Walking up the brief three steps leading to the door, the squeaky ck guard rail on the verge of falling over to a light breeze, he opened the door. The sound of children yelling, a TV ring, and people chattering hit him like a ton of bricks. His mother¡¯s house was filled to the brim with people, but none that he recognized. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Drake said, only a few heads turning in his direction, then returning to their conversations. ¡°What the-¡± He muttered about to release his aura, but saw two children run down the long hall into the living room and thought against it. Instead, he entered the house closing the door behind him as he found the kitchen and his jaw dropped. ¡°T-this isn¡¯t what it looks like, I swear.¡± In front of him was Lamar, the cyclopean wearing a shirt far too small for him that Drake knew was his for sure, since it had Rias Grimore on the front with red ent lettering saying ¡®Feeling Devilish¡¯ on it. Next to Lamar a familiar redheaded giant of a man wearing a chef¡¯s apron holding adle. ¡°No, it¡¯s exactly what it looks like. Let him cook. Oh, hey there bro.¡± ¡°Bjorn?!¡± ¡°Tga! Who is that loco punyeta yelling in my house!? What bills are you paying to be shouting?!¡± a female voice screamed from the living room. ¡°Shit,¡± Drake grimaced a deathly cold shiver running down his spine. Chapter 244: Mabuhay Chapter 244: Mabuhay ¡°I just remembered I left something- someone outside, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Drake said shakily turning around for the door. ¡°Where are you going Drake?¡± a man just as tall as him said, blocking the front door. ¡°T-Travis! You little rat let me get out, you know what mom will do to me!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Oh, I know, that''s why I brought the hanger,¡± Travis smiled raising a crooked and bent metal clothes hanger. ¡°Really?! She hasn¡¯t even asked for it yet, you dick!¡± ¡°Drake Wallen is that you?!¡± a voice from behind asked. Drake¡¯s head turned like it had rusted over instantly, creaking as it made to look at the person. ¡°M-mom. Hi¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to yell,¡± Drake said nervously, ¡°I was just so surprised¡­¡± His mother held out a hand, Drake¡¯s brother, Travis, cing a metal hanger into its palm. ¡°Mom, please I¡¯m 27 and I¡¯m level-¡± ¡°The fuck you say to me?! Sige, you could be one foot in the grave, but you are still my son!¡± she yelled, sending the hanger into his left thigh, ¡°I raised you!¡± she yelled again, hitting him in the other side, ¡°Sige! You don¡¯t call! You don¡¯t write! I learn that you are still alive from a system message! Sige!¡± Drake began running around the house, trying his best to guard his rear to no avail, his mother''s chan-fu too strong. ¡°Mom! I tried to get here! There are things I had to do!¡± Drake pleaded as he ran circles around the couch, the people and children on the couches watching with interest, ¡°I¡¯m a town Lord, I can¡¯t just go where I want, there¡¯s an order to things!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you order!¡± she yelled back, leaping over the couch, ¡°Too busy for your mother?! Tga!¡± Drake scrambled for the door again, but Travis stood there smiling back at him. ¡°Travis I swear to god, just you wait!¡± Drake growled, then took off for the kitchen in a hurry. ¡°Mom, I just wanted to make sure the town was appropriate for you to live in! It¡¯s safe now,¡± he said ducking behind the small kitchen ind. ¡°Safe? What do I care about being safe dito. There are monsters everywhere loco!¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Drake pleaded once more, then an idea popped into his head, the one thing his mother always wanted, ¡°Can¡¯t you cut me a break I¡¯ve been busy with my kids.¡± Drake¡¯s mother froze, one hand with slipper stopping mid-throw, ¡°I have grandbabies?! Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he said nervously, then whispered, ¡°Kind of¡­¡± ¡°Then, where are they? I want to make sure they are eating well. Just look at you, so skinny now! Ah!¡± she fumed, throwing her hands up. ¡°I-i have to go get them, I left them with m-my wife¡­¡± Drake said trailing off as he gave a look to Bjorn. ¡°Oh, you and ire tied the knot? Congrats bro,¡± Bjorn whistled. ¡°Not exactly¡­ It¡¯s a long story man.¡± ¡°Well go get my grandbabies! And you had a wife without even introducing her to your mother? You should be ashamed! Is she a nice Filipino girl?¡± his mother asked expectantly. ¡°No, she¡¯s not human,¡± Drake said matter of fact, ¡°I think you will like her though,¡± he added. ¡°Tga! First, a wife, then babies, and you tell me she isn¡¯t even Filipino? You should have gotten together with that nice girl, what was her name, Travis?¡± ¡°Oh, Stacy from down the road?¡± Travis said. ¡°Stacy yes! Very nice girl, she could cook, she could clean, and she was so nice to me. She brought me sweets every day. Every day Drake,¡± she smiled. ¡°Mom, Stacy was never my type¡­¡± Drake frowned. ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°Stacy Irving was 50 years old! That¡¯s why!¡± ¡°But Drake, she was my friend,¡± his mother said as if it made it alright, ¡°it would have been very nice.¡± ¡°She¡¯s twice my age!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Punyeta! Why are you shouting at your mother!?¡± she shouted back, raising her slipper. ¡°Because you¡¯re shouting at me!¡± ¡°I am not shouting! This is my normal voice!¡± Drake raised his hands in defeat, ¡°Fine! I¡¯m going to get them¡­ Where is Dillon anyway?¡± he asked. Travis thumbed to the back room down the hall, ¡°He¡¯s in your old room, it¡¯s like the tutorials never happened, he¡¯s just mixing music still.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t have to deal with everything for a little longer. And we should talk about what happened,¡± he sighed, ¡°All of us.¡± [Travis Wallen Level 16] [Maria Wallen Level 15] ¡°Should Ie with?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Naw, you¡¯re fine here. Keep cookin'', we all know you could use the practice,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve improved a lot since your mom started teaching me.¡± Drake winced, ¡°M-mom is teaching you¡­?¡± he asked, shuddering. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Drake nced at his mom then back to Bjorn, ¡°No reason. I¡¯m gonna go now.¡± And with that, Drake slipped past his brother and out the door. ¡ª----- Backtracking for a few minutes, Drake quickly found arguing teens and a very confused-looking Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°Yo,¡± he said, raising a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®yo¡¯ us, where the hell did you go?¡± Landin asked, ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to figure out which street you took when you sted off at the speed of light but we couldn¡¯t agree on anything!¡± ¡°It was very sudden, Lord Drake. Was something the matter?¡± Atropos added. ¡°I-I just wanted to see that my family was safe. Not everyone here can keep up with my speed,¡± Drake said with a chuckle. ¡°You mean no one can keep up with you. Right now,¡± Landin smiled. ¡°Right, let¡¯s not start talking smack just yet. Still have a long way to go,¡± Drake smiled back. ¡°Patriarch, will we be going now..?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, looking far more nervous than Drake had ever seen her. ¡°Yeah? Are you alright Sarah?¡± he asked. ¡°I-I am fine¡­¡± she answered, pulling her fur coat over her shoulders a little tighter. Drake smiled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous. My mom is only mean to me. I already know you and she are going to get along great, there¡¯s nothing to worry about, trust me Sah Ul¡¯¡± he gave her one more beaming grin, taking her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s get going before I get cold feet myself.¡± Charlotte, Quetz, Kalik Tu¡¯, and Atropos grumbled slightly behind them but didn¡¯t say anything as they followed along. Sah Ul¡¯ remained silent as well, her face a lighter shade of green as the blushing red bleeding through made her try to hide her face as best she could. After a bit of a stroll through the city, the streets surprisingly empty outside of the asional person walking in the direction of the main street, they made it back to Drake¡¯s family home. ¡°You got some decent digs here man,¡± Landin said. ¡°It¡¯s not much but it¡¯s home,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°Pretty tree!¡± Quetz chirped from the side, pointing. ¡°It¡¯s an apple tree, not a lot of them on this street. But it looks a lot better in the spring when the flowers are blooming, maybe we cane back and see it then,¡± he exined, ¡°Well, shall we?¡± Drake said, motioning to the door. Sah Ul¡¯ nodded the rest of the group following suit. Stepping up to the door, Drake ced his hand just above the knob before the door swung backward and opened, a furrow-browed Filipinody staring back at them. ¡°Where are my grandbabies?!¡± Drakeughed nervously, thumbing behind him. His mother arched her head over his shoulder, her frown deepening, ¡°How are those my grandbabies they are far too old!¡± ¡°I might have¡­ embellished the word kid a bit, Mom¡­¡± Drakeughed wryly. ¡°Grandbabies¡­? Does your mom think we¡¯re your kids?¡± Charlotte asked incredulously. ¡°She may or may not have been given that impression¡­¡± Drake muttered, ¡°But I do think of you all as my kids in a sense, you¡¯re all family,¡± he said evenly, not a hint of joking in his voice for once. Charlotte blushed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be a family like that¡­¡± Charlotte muttered under her breath. ¡°Grandma!¡± Landin shouted, spreading his arms. ¡°Who is your grandma!¡± Drake¡¯s mother shouted, throwing a chan at Landin, hitting him squarely in between his eyes. She turned to Drake, pointing a wagging admonishing finger at him, ¡°You and I are going to talk about this Drake Wallen! Clean your feet before youe into my house, I won¡¯t have you dirtying up my floor! Susmaryosep!¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Drake said, stopping his mother, ¡°Before we talk¡­¡± he said almost pausing but pushed on, ¡°This is Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk. She is my wife.¡± Mrs. Wallen turned around, giving Sah Ul¡¯ the briefest of looks and taking in the nervous wreck of the great Rahk warrior. And then a secondter, put her arms around her. ¡°You must be cold dear,e in. My you are so skinny! Let¡¯s get some food in you! You can¡¯t have my wonderful grandbabies on an empty stomach!¡± Drake smiled, giving the confused Sah Ul¡¯ a wink, ¡°Told you, I might be her son but she barely likes me,¡± he said, ducking another slipper. ¡°Punyeta! Don¡¯t badmouth your mother to her new daughter! What would you do if she took you seriously!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, be better prepared to dodge random household items¡­¡± Drake grumbled with a smile. ¡°And when did your hair get so long? Are you still doing that ¡®cosyer¡¯ thing?¡± his mother jabbed. ¡°You wanted to be a cosyer?¡± Landin scoffed. ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Oh, nothing¡­ Just seeing you in a new light is all,¡± Landin shrugged, a yiping from his arms, ¡°By the way how does your mom feel about pets?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it dirty my floor and call me Nanai,¡± she said over her shoulder pulling Sah Ul¡¯ into the house, making Sah Ul¡¯ bend down slightly from their difference in height. The teens looked at Drake but he only shrugged, waving them into the rowdy house, ¡°You heard her, in ya get.¡± Drake was thest one into the house, taking a moment to review a notification that kept shing in his peripheral since they entered the city. [Would you like to contest for Authority of Yundertown?] [Yes/No] He of course selected no, walking inside, closing the door behind him. Once inside he saw his brother, Travis. His jaw dropped, and following Sah Ul¡¯. Drake walked over with a smug expression, ¡°What¡¯s wrong kid, see something you like?¡± Travis lifted his chin off the ground giving a scoff, ¡°As if, you weren¡¯t the only one who found someone,¡± he said pointing with his chin to a woman on the couch. The woman was wearing a in white t-shirt, had blond hair, and milky white pointed ears poking out of it. ¡°Oh, got yourself an elf huh?¡± Drake said, putting his brother into a headlock, ¡°I want to hear all about how my little brother did in his tutorial. Getting to level 16! You must have worked hard, huh?¡± Travis smiled wryly, feeling proud of himself as he rubbed his nose, ¡°Yeah, we cleared it before the time limit ended. Wait- H-how are you so strong?!¡± Travis said suddenly trying to break from Drake¡¯s grip. ¡°Older brother strength,¡± he smirked. ¡°As if! You¡¯re level 11 I checked!¡± ¡°Oh, dear brother! You didn¡¯t talk to Bjorn, did you? And tsk tsk, you haven¡¯t been paying attention to the world notifications? Your big brother took down a Cardinal Beast you little shit!¡± ¡°Yeah okay,¡± Travisughed sarcastically. Drake pulled up his status, turning it around for his brother to see, ¡°Read it and weep loser.¡± Travis¡¯s jaw dropped open again. ¡°Mooooooooommmmmmmm!¡± Travis yelled trying to struggle free again. Drake let Travis go, his body shooting straight into the kitchen where their mother was, only to get kicked out, the imprint of a slipper on his face, as he rubbed his behind. ¡°Your family is pretty funny bro. Now I know where you got it from,¡± Bjorn guffawed from his spot on the wall. His apron had been reced by a green shirt and jeans as he extended a hand out to Drake. Drake smiled and bypassed the hand hugging the ginormous man, ¡°Come on man, we¡¯re way past handshakes! I¡¯m so happy to see you again!¡± heughed lifting the giant. ¡°Whoa there bro, put me down. I get it but I have an image to keep up,¡± Bjorn said, but didn¡¯t hide his smirk. Drake put him back down but could tell Bjorn wanted to say something else, ¡°What¡¯s up? Is something wrong?¡± Drake asked. Bjorn looked over to the kitchen opening, ¡°It might take a bit, are you sure you don¡¯t want to talk to your family?¡± he asked. Drake craned his head, hearing his momughing and Sah Ul¡¯ struggling to keep conversation. Turning his head, he saw Landin showing Atropos, Clotho, and Quetz the TV putting game controllers in their hands. ¡°I think I have time, I know my family is here and safe now. I feel like I can finally take a breath. So yeah, I have a bit of time to kill for once,¡± Drake sighed. Bjorn gave a wry smile, rubbing the back of his neck, ¡°Good, then I have a few favors I have to ask you for bro¡­¡± Drake held up a hand, shaking his head, ¡°No favors between us anymore. This isn¡¯t the tutorial, just ask.¡± Bjorn straightened as if a weight had been slightly lifted from his shoulders, ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t get too worked up about how she talks though.¡± ¡°The way who talks?¡± Bjorn gave a wave to someone down the hall that disappeared too quickly for Drake to make out a description, ¡°They¡¯ll meet us outside.¡± Drake gave a slight frown, not sure what the cloak-and-dagger atmosphere was about but nodded, opening the door for them to exit. ¡°Okay so?¡± Drake asked finally after waiting outside for a few seconds. But the answer showed up behind them, a man and girl turning the corner. ¡°Bjorn¡­ That isn''t a real fallen angel is it¡­?¡± ¡°Yup. I picked her up on the way to you, then I heard about your mom being here so we stopped and camped it out till you came. She is exactly what you think too.¡± Drake¡¯s mouth opened and closed for a moment, unable to believe what he was seeing. A girl in a wheelchair pushed by a man in a clean suit. The girl had long waist waist-length hair that draped over her shoulders and sat in herp. She wore a gothic-type dress that gave her a feeling of upper-ss royalty. Her hair parted down the middle one side a bright blond, the other a dark ck. Even more striking, her right eye was a pale white, and her left a dark midnight ck, both containing a golden outline around the irises. But what made Drake take pause was what was extending out from her back. A single raven ck wing the size that could easily cover her entire body. [Mordred Pendragon Level 10] Chapter 245: Big Fish Small Pond Chapter 245: Big Fish Small Pond Something stirred in Drake as a simr-looking man as the girl wheeled her out from the corner. The man stood around six feet tall, with short buzzcut hair and a well-trimmed beard with sses to boot. He had blue-colored eyes rimmed with gold much like the younger girl but had one significant difference. On his back, two yellow-golden wings were jutting from his shoulders. Drake¡¯s blood boiled for a moment, feeling his grip tighten as something instinctual heated his will to fight. He could tell, they were a strong race despite the girl''s rtively low level. A hand touched Drake¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Reel it in there bro, she¡¯s just a kid.¡± Drake blinked, finally taking a deep breath and quickly bringing back in his aura that had slipped out at the sight of her. ¡°What is she?¡± Drake asked giving a slight cough. ¡°Ask her yourself,¡± Bjorn shrugged. The girl and the man took a moment to reach Drake after his slight disy, but the girl¡¯s haughty and disapproving face hadn¡¯t waned in the slightest. ¡°Monsieur Bjorn, is this the man you spoke of?¡± Mordred said, looking Drake up and down in an unfiltered sneer. Bjorn nodded giving a smirk, ¡°Yep, this is Drake. Strongest guy I know.¡± ¡°Is he a hobo? Why is he wearing rags?¡± she scoffed. The man from behind her gave a slight frown, bowing his head apologetically. ¡°Do not apologize for me, Papa! I expected more! How is he supposed to help us when he can not even help himself!¡± she spat. ¡°Sorry bro, she has a sharp tongue, I think it¡¯s just her circumstances though. But you¡¯ll have to ask her to exin that,¡± Bjorn sighed, scratching his beard. Drake waved him off, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have a firecracker of a kid with me as well so I can deal with it. Wouldn¡¯t even be a big deal if she tried to off me a few times,¡± heughed, getting a raised brow from Bjorn. ¡°Now littledy, what race are you? Can¡¯t be an Angel, don¡¯t have both wings and yours are ck,¡± Drake mused trying to gauge the girl. He took a moment while she red at him to inspect the man behind her as well. She had called him father so he expected more simrities between them. Which in truth was there outside the wings. [Lucium Level 10] ¡°Lucium? Is that a y at Lucifer? You know that guy¡¯s a fallen angel right, like he has ck wings,¡± Drake said, ¡°And you don¡¯t have the samest name as the girl¡­ A distortion tool? No, you¡¯re the same level as her. Abat assistant huh?¡± Drake deduced. ¡°No! Shut up! He is my Papa!¡± Mordred shouted from her seat, her face taking on a ghastly furious expression, ¡°Do not call him that!¡± she roared. Drake stood up a little straighter, surprised by the girl¡¯s outburst but let her vent as he observed. The man tried his best to calm Mordred down and only a few minutester she had at least quieted, but refused to stop leering at Drake. ¡°Okay¡­ Seems to be some issues here, but hey, who alive doesn''t have them now?¡± Drake shrugged looking back over his shoulder at Bjorn, ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to what, guard her?¡± Bjorn nodded but Modred interrupted him. ¡°You look no more than a pauper, how are you supposed to protect anyone?! I am disappointed Monsieur Bjorn! After seeing how you dealt with those monsters I expected more out of the man you said could help us!¡± she growled. ¡°Is she for real?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yeah, like I said, I picked her up on the way here. Her assistant did all of the fighting, but she can¡¯t fight herself and she¡¯s stuck at level 10 now after getting her Main ss apparently. Not forck of experience, but because she doesn¡¯t have the ¡®right¡¯ stones for her subsses. And because of that her assistant won¡¯t be able to improve either. I didn¡¯t know this but they can¡¯t seem to level beyond what their Master¡¯s level is. Go figure, huh? Would have thought Shigure could have mentioned that,¡± Bjorn exined. ¡°Right stones? There isn¡¯t a right stone for anyone,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°Might I exin in more detail, sir?¡± Lucium said, speaking up for the first time. Drake raised a brow, ¡°He speaks!¡± Mordred growled, ¡°You do not have to talk to this dirty mutt, Papa! It is a waste of our time!¡± ¡°Do you truly wish to leave it at this Mistress? Are you ordering me to remain silent?¡± Lucium asked. ¡°I-I would never tell Papa what to do¡­ But just look at him! He¡¯s wearing peasant clothes! They are torn and ragged, he even has tattoos!¡± Lucium ignored her outburst and bowed his head again, ¡°I apologize, as you have surmised I am the Mistress¡¯sbat assistant.¡± Mordred gave a deep frown, crossing her arms and pouting. ¡°I would hope you could please leave it at that, without more exnation until the Mistress is willing toe to terms. Due to her experience in the Tutorial she has been afflicted with quite the amount of trauma. But I will divulge all that I can,¡± Lucium exined. Drake eyed the two but nodded, ¡°Fine. Bjorn asked so I¡¯ll be good on my word. Even if you didn¡¯t say anything I¡¯m willing to add you to the little group of teeny tinies I have. Then, races?¡± Lucium gave another half bow, ¡°Yes of course. You have guessed somewhat correctly. I being abat assistant was made in the image of my Master. Mistress Pendragon had the fortune of gaining a Legendary Rarity ss in the Tutorial. Due to her not using Subtree Stones, she has yet to fully awaken to an F-Rank being,¡± he paused motioning to Mordred, ¡°She is a race called a Fallen and it resembles the Angels of your old world. But due to her not advancing she has not fully taken on the traits of the race or had her body reformed. I personally wish to have her rank up as quickly as possible to give her the mobility and option to grow stronger as she wishes but we havee to a crossroads in that decision.¡± ¡°You want better quality stones since she has a Legendary Main ss?¡± Drake assumed. ¡°Indeed but it is only partly as you say.¡± Drake mulled over the exnation for a moment, then frowned, ¡°Partly? There¡¯s more to this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucium nodded, ¡°Do you perchance have experience with Legendary Stones, sir?¡± Drake gave Bjorn a look before answering, the big man giving up nothing. ¡°I might,¡± Drake answered stiffly. ¡°I see. In Mistress Pendragon¡¯s circumstance, the Fallen Race are not quite on the level of Primordials. Risen, or more urately what you would call Angels are one step higher and the top of their race hierarchy. They are considered along the lines of fairies but not parallel to them. Fallen and Risen have distinct features,¡± he motioned to his and Mordred¡¯s wings, ¡°As you can see they are the wings and eyes. I am modeled after thetter, but only in imitation. I do not hold the same race potency as a true Risen. My Mistress, however¡­¡± Lucium trailed off. Mordred scoffed and finally spoke up with a flourish of her long hair from her hand, ¡°It is fine Papa. I will tell him the rest,¡± she said with a sour expression. Lucium nodded, bowing slightly as he retreated to behind her chair. ¡°Chercher midi ¨¤ quatorze heures¡­ A Fallen quite hriously is the same as we have in stories. They are called abominations, malformations of the true thing, or so I have been told. Risen believe in purity and a Fallen is one of dirty blood. You have heard of Nephilum of the bible I am sure, Monsieur?¡± she asked. Drake frowned, ¡°Sure. Are you saying that you¡¯re just like them? Since you have Risen Blood they want to¡­¡± he pulled a thumb across his neck. ¡°It is as you say,¡± she said depreciating, giving a wry smile, ¡°Now that you know, of course, you can be surprised and turn us away-¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it. What¡¯s another pissed-off Primordial on our doorstep? Not like it makes a difference to me with the Dragon bitch breathing down our necks,¡± Drake said casually with a shrug, giving a mirthful smile. ¡°Yes. See Papa, Monsieur Bjorn, he is just like the oth- What?¡± Mordred said, her mouth hanging open. Bjorn gave a matter-of-fact nod from the side, smiling as if he knew it would turn out this way. ¡°Pick your jaw off the floor kid, or you¡¯re going to break it when it drops again,¡± Drake chuckled, pulling up his status, only showing his name, race, and level. ¡°Y-you.. You are¡­ What are you?¡± Drake fell forward. ¡°Excuse me?! You don¡¯t know what my race is? Susmaryosep! You didn¡¯t even tell her Bjorn?!¡± ¡°Why would I tell her, bro? I thought you wanted stuff like that under wraps? I was wondering what you were doing when a few of those announcements went out but still that could have been just a nickname for all anyone knows,¡± heughed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this city have a church?¡± Drake asked incredulously. ¡°Nope,¡± Bjorn shrugged, ¡°The city lord does squat as far as I know. Well, I shouldn¡¯t say squat but at least nothing beneficial,¡± he sighed. Drake cocked his eye, ¡°Such as?¡± Bjorn gave a dismissive wave, ¡°That¡¯s forter, stay on topic, bro.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Drake coughed, ¡°Asuran is a Primordial Race. And I¡¯m not even sure how many people are hunting me, but my bounty is getting bigger by the second.¡± ¡°Are you bragging?¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°I might be,¡± Drake smiled. Mordred leaned forward taking a second look at his status as she went down the lines, her face visibly stretching into a smile. ¡°You are level 27!¡± she beamed, ¡°Papa! Look the dirty animal is actually strong!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Drake shouted. He sighed, the back and forth was beginning to drain him. ¡°Are all kids this exhausting¡­¡± he muttered, but refocused, ¡°So now that I¡¯m guarding you I have a few conditions.¡± Mordred pursed her lips, looking to her assistant first. Lucium nodded and Mordred followed suit. Drake held up a finger, ¡°You do what I say when I say, no exceptions.¡± Mordred opened her mouth to protest but Drake spoke over her. ¡°All the teens under my protection and learning from me follow these rules too,¡± then whispered, ¡°At least most of the time¡­¡± and coughed clearing his throat, ¡°Two. You are going to show me your status, all of it. So we can get you started right away on what you need.¡± ¡°What I need?¡± Mordred asked her eyes thinning as if insulted at the thought of not already being perfect. ¡°Yes,¡± Drake repeated looking at her assistant, ¡°I assume your¡­ Papa hasn¡¯t been able to inform you or just isn¡¯t privy to the info of how to obtain Titles that will be beneficial to you?¡± Lucium nodded, ¡°I am unaware of such things. I am abat assistant, not an information or territorial one.¡± Drake nodded as well, continuing, ¡°That means you have a long way to go, and honestly. It¡¯s going to be harder than it was for the others since you will have to do it while still disabled.¡± ¡°Pardon? Why could I not do this after I have Ranked up?¡± she asked. ¡°Some of the titles require you to kill beings one rank higher than your current. You¡¯ve seen monsters before. Are you sure you can kill an E-Ranked one?¡± Drake asked. Mordred¡¯s face immediately paled and dimmed as she shook her head no but she gripped the hem of her skirt tightly biting down on the bottom of her lip. ¡°You said you have kids my age who have already done this?¡± she asked. ¡°I do. Six of them,¡± Drake answered. ¡°Then I will do it your way, Monsieur Drake. I will do anything to be stronger. Frankly, I do not care about the Primordials. I just wish to be strong enough to not be thrown away ever again,¡± she said, this time her eyes steely, beads of water pooling at their edges. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± she asked after a minute of silence. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it,¡± Drake said. Mordred nodded, flipping a blue window towards him. [Mordred Pendragon] [Race: Fallen] [Professions: Empty] [Duplexity Sword King] [Legendary] Level 10 [Vitality] 112 [Strength] 126(+30%) [Dexterity] 85 [Intelligence] 35 [Wisdom] 35 [Endurance] 45(+30%) [Free Points] 126 [Skills Branches] Empty [Titles] Marked by Risen, Of Heaven and Hell Drake hummed to himself for a moment. ¡°Only two titles, you really didn¡¯t do much, did you?¡± he said absent-mindedly, ¡°But at least you have all of your free points avable, that should be very good. Looks like this title ¡®Of Heaven and Hell¡¯ gives 20 to each stat?¡± Mordred nodded but looked like she swallowed a bug at the mention of not doing much. ¡°It isn¡¯t something to worry about, we¡¯ll get you up to speed in no time,¡± Drake said giving a reassuring smile, that only made Mordred recoil away. ¡°Has anyone ever told you, you¡¯re smile is creepy?¡± she frowned. ¡°Rude¡­¡± Drake grumbled, throwing a scoop of snow at Bjorn who wouldn¡¯t stopughing. ¡°Alright potty mouth, you look like you have way too many stats in some areas. Mind telling me what the initial stat gain was when you got your Legendary ss?¡± he asked moving the conversation forward. ¡°I received 50 to Strength and Dexterity, with 30% Stamina regeneration,¡± she said, her eyes distant as she seemed to be reading from a prompt, ¡°I gain 55 free points per level, but I do not know about my level stat gain since I have not yet leveled up since gaining the ss.¡± Drake whistled, ¡°Wow. If I wasn¡¯t jealous before I am now! 55 per level?!¡± ¡°Do you not have a Legendary ss Monsieur?¡± Drakeughed, ¡°No I have two Rare sses.¡± ¡°Oh you have two Rare sses,¡± Mordred paused, ¡°You have two¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a dual ss, yup. But I do have five legendary skill stones and a legendary subtree stone, so I still win,¡± Drake smirked, lifting the girl¡¯s jaw to close it. ¡°Now that is out of the way, how about we go inside and meet the gang and grab some grub? We¡¯re finally at my mom¡¯s house so she¡¯s bound to still have caldereta mix¡­¡± Drake mused, turning around to leave only to be stopped by Bjorn. ¡°Oh there is one other, but I don¡¯t know-¡± Bjorn was cut off, the front door of Drake¡¯s home mming open as a blond-haired boy was thrown to the street, tumbling down the stairs and snow. Drake¡¯s hair and tattoos had red to life instantly only to be held back by Bjorn who sighed, ¡°Right on time. Never fails to make an entrance, he¡¯s a lot like you, bro.¡± Raising his brow in confusion, Drake¡¯s head turned back around to Mordred as he heard an audible sound of disgust leave her lips. ¡°Geh¡­Se prendre t¨ºte. Must we include such trash as Glenn in this?¡± she sneered in abject disgust. The apparent Glenn had rolled ass over backward to the street, Drake¡¯s family home¡¯s door mming shut without a word. The boy grunted but smiled back up at Drake from below his turned-over legs. ¡°Oh, Bonjour! Ah, Mordred what are you doing out here with a man? Are you cheating on me?¡± Chapter 246: Family Business Chapter 246: Family Business [Glenn Delfane Level 10] ¡°This the other kid?¡± Drake asked giving a slight frown. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Glenn,¡± Bjorn answered. ¡°Disgusting gigolo¡­¡± Mordred spat, actually hitting Glenn between the eyes. ¡°Mon amour! You know I only have eyes for you,¡± Glenn smiled, wiping away the dribble on his face with his sleeve, then he stood up extending a hand, ¡°Je suis, Glenn Delfane, Monsieur. At your service.¡± Drake took the boy¡¯s hand out of habit, shaking it lightly. ¡°Quite the handshake, no?¡± Glenn said pulling Drake in so that he could whisper something to him, ¡°May I ask what is your type of woman?¡± ¡°Nico Robin,¡± Drake said immediately, then blinked as if he didn¡¯t mean to answer. Glenn gave a confused look, ¡°I do not know who that is, you will have to show meter¡­But it is not a problem! A man who knows what he likes can only be a good person!¡± he shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how that works,¡± Drake grimaced. ¡°Nonsense! For example, The only woman for me would be Mordred. This makes me a good man, yes?¡± Drake opened his mouth to argue, but Bjorn shook his head behind the teen, letting Drake know it wasn¡¯t worth arguing. He finally sighed and took a good look at the boy for the first time. Glenn was fairly tall for a teenager, nearly the same height as Drake. Maybe in a few years, he would even be taller once his growth spurt had finally finished. Glenn had bright blond hair cut short with just enough bangs to cover his eyes. Unlike Mordred, he also wore light armor of leather make but didn¡¯t have any equipment currently on him otherwise. His build was lean and he had mischievous blue eyes, if there was such a thing. If Drake were to sum up the boy in one very annoying word, it would be handsome. And Drake hated it. ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± Drake smiled, letting go of the teen¡¯s hand. Mordredughed from her seat while Glenn¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°Well that is to be expected, I am an acquired taste of a more sophisticated palette. No matter. You are the son of the wonderful woman who has put us up, yes? My deepest gratitude Monsieur,¡± Glenn said not missing a beat. Drake looked over his shoulder at Mordred, ¡°What¡¯s his deal, how do you know him?¡± Mordred frowned, ¡°He¡¯s a childhood fri-acquaintance¡­¡± ¡°Now now, no need to lie!¡± Glenn smiled, ¡°Mordred and I are quite close.¡± Mordred rolled her eyes and motioned for Lucium to roll her inside. ¡°It is a tale as old as time. Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy swears to serve her for the rest of his life!¡± Glen recited cing his hand on his chest. ¡°So you¡¯re a white knight..?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°That is a paleparison of what I would do for Mordred. She is my angel and I will guard her from anything or anyone who dares to hurt her. Even if she is a little daddy¡¯s girl.¡± ¡°You are womanizing trash! He is the son of one of the employees in my parent''s house,¡± Mordred exined, as she sighed being rolled passed them, ¡°I did not have the best health growing up, so he was one of the few people I could talk to.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Glenn gasped, gripping his heart, ¡°Such is a rose to have such thorns!¡± Drake ced his hand to his head, ¡°This is going to be a long trip back I can already tell¡­ Right well, since you are her plus one, she can take care of you. What¡¯s your base ss kid?¡± ¡°I am a humble but noble Knight!¡± Glenn announced, giving a blinding smile. Drake frowned, ¡°I can feel myself aging in real-time. I meant what is the name of your ss, and not the Glenn version.¡± It was Glenn¡¯s turn to frown as he brought up his status, ¡°I will show you only because Mordred seems to trust you. And I am of course indebted to your mother for hosting us for the time being.¡± [Glenn Delfane] [Race: Human] [Professions: Empty] [Earthbound Lance] [Rare] Level 10 [Vitality] 173 (+15%) [Strength] 69 [Dexterity] 40 [Intelligence] 30 [Wisdom] 30 [Endurance] 110 (+15%) [Free Points] 0 [Skills Branches] Empty [Titles] First Blood, Two vs One, One vs Many, Fae Killer, Living on the Edge, Close Call, Deadman Walking, yer of Sparkles, Awe of Many Drake looked at the boy¡¯s status with some surprise. He wasn¡¯t lying when he said he would protect Mordred at least. The boy had nearly two hundred Vitality and over a hundred Endurance marking him as a Tank ss, especially when one included his ss name. What surprised Drake more was that the boy had several hard-toe-by titles, including most of the near-death titles he aimed for the teens to get for the stats. ¡°yer of Sparkles? Don¡¯t like things that glitter huh?¡± Drake scoffed,ughing for the first time since meeting Glenn. ¡°Fairies. Lurh little cretines¡­ You could not imagine how disappointed I was to find that fairies were bloodthirsty little bastards with sharp teeth. Very sharp teeth,¡± Glenn spat. ¡°Well, this status is actually pretty impressive. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re a tank ss?¡± Glenn nodded. ¡°Good, that actually rounds out our squad pretty well,¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it for now. By the way, what did you do to get thrown out of the house?¡± ¡°I asked the green boy what type of woman he liked,¡± Glenn said tly, ¡°But he became angry and threw me out,¡± he shrugged, ¡°Some people are just terrible conversationalists.¡± Drake stifled augh and walked back inside. ¡ª------------ Going through the door and shutting it before Glenn coulde back in, Drake looked around his family home, the business as usual still continuing even after he left. He could see parts of the living room and the TV that was somehow still on. Sitting on the couch he could see the back of heads he recognised easily. White hair and wolf ears, auburn hair, short cut ck hair, and of course colorful feathers that were very quickly turning into a frustrated scarlet. ¡°What¡¯s going on over here?¡± Drake asked leaning on the back of the couch. ¡°The little man in the box is ying dirty!¡± Atropos screamed. ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t like this squishy pink monster that eats everything!¡± Quetz growled. ¡°You all are just noobs! Bow down!¡± Landinughed. ¡°Landin they¡¯re from a different world¡­ They didn¡¯t have video games¡­¡± Charlotte sighed pressing buttons mechanically. ¡°This isn¡¯t just any game, this is OG Smash! And Pikachu reigns supreme!¡± Landin corrected, Ifrit giving a wide yawn in hisp. Drakeughed, ¡°Always knew you were a Pokemon. Where¡¯s Kalik?¡± he asked. ¡°He¡¯s in the corner brooding after the French guy asked him something,¡± Landin said over his shoulder. ¡°Right, well. We have two new additions to the gang, including the ¡®French guy¡¯ so be ready to deal with them.¡± ¡°Who is the other person?¡± Charlotte asked a little worry in her voice. Drake looked around and found Mordred, pointing her out. ¡°The girl in the wheelchair, Mordred. Technically her helper as well but we¡¯ll count them as one. Either way, enjoy thest day of rxing we¡¯re moving out right after you guys have ranked up.¡± ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t think any part of the long trip was rxing. Quetz lost a lot of feathers on the way¡­¡± Quetz cooed. ¡°Oh great¡­ another one¡­.¡± Charlotte pouted, slumping down into the couch. Drake chuckled and let them continue ying, noticing some of the younger children who shared the house were staring up at the beastkin and avian girls with wonder in their eyes making him smirk. ¡°I know it¡¯s my reality but it¡¯s still funny how quickly kids adapt,¡± he muttered while going to the kitchen. There he found his brother Travis the elf girl as well as his mother and Sah Ul¡¯. Lamar and Bjorn were also there stirring something at the stove. ¡°Pretty packed in here isn¡¯t it?¡± Drake asked, announcing himself. ¡°Yeah, if only someone didn¡¯te into the kitchen to make it more packed,¡° Travis grinned. ¡°I just thought I¡¯d grace you with my presence,¡± Drake sneered back. ¡°Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, noticing him, ¡°I-i made this. W-would you like to try it?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ held out a spoon filled with piping-hot liquid that had a very acidic tang to it that Drake knew well. ¡°Sinigang?¡± Drake asked looking at his mom, ¡°We still have powder?¡± His mother nodded, smiling at Sah Ul¡¯. Sah Ul¡¯ urged the spoon forward, her ears reddening. Drake smiled and took a sip from the spoon tasting the tamarind, meat juices, and spice filling his mouth with blissful nostalgia for the dish. ¡°Ah¡­ That is just amazing. It tastes great Sarah. You learned to do this when I was outside? It was only a half hour at most.¡± ¡°I wanted to learn of your favorite foods. To maketer¡­¡± Drake felt his stomach twist seeing the usually stoic and fierce Sah Ul¡¯ act so demure, her simple statement somehow bringing a grin to his face. And also the fact that his brother was motioning to puke at him, helped as well. ¡°Is that right? We¡¯ll have to find ingredients to rece the stuff in the powder then won¡¯t we?¡± Drake said. ¡°I have already begun looking! Some of these tastes I can match with food from the vige, but others¡­I fear will be difficult,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ answered back, turning somewhat crestfallen. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can figure it out,¡± Drake nodded back then turned serious for a moment, ¡°Mom, Travis¡­ I think we should talk. Sooner rather thanter.¡± The previous casual andfortable air in the kitchen suddenly turned dour. ¡°I know you¡¯ve both seen the notifications but I don¡¯t know how much you both know about what is going on.¡± Bjorn turned around nudging Lamar who was bent over a pot on the stove. The huge cyclops shuffled around an extrarge spoon in his mouth with a confused look before he took in the surroundings looking at Bjorn and nodding. ¡°Then we¡¯ll excuse ourselves, bro, seems like something you want just between the three of you?¡± Bjorn said, making for the kitchen entry, Lamar, not far behind with Sah Ul¡¯ and the elf girl Drake hadn¡¯t gotten the name of just yet reluctantly following. Sah Ul¡¯ had a more dejected look on her face but Drake gave her a smile to try tofort her as she joined the rest in the living room and halfway. ¡°Thanks, Bjorn, I¡¯ll catch you two up on the way back,¡± Drake thanked, giving the two huge mountains of men ps on the arm. ¡°On what way back? Where do you think we are going, Drake? We are already home, you are home and now you bring your wife. You can start a family here finally and have my grandbabies,¡± his mother asked confused. Drake shook his head, ¡°We can¡¯t stay here Mom. Everyone in this house and anyone else willing toe from this city can return with us to ReUnite. My city, that is being built up right now to protect everyone. Protect you, Travis and Dillon! Our future!¡± ¡°What are you saying Drake? You can¡¯t possibly be saying we uproot our lives that we just got back to go across monster-infested forests that contain even E-Ranks?¡± Travis said butting into the conversation. ¡°I am,¡± Drake said not missing a beat, ¡°I have the strength to protect everyone. And with¡­ with Atticus and the undead on the loose it¡¯s the only ce I feel like I can keep you all safe as well.¡± ¡°Atticus¡­¡± his mother muttered, ¡°Is your brother really..?¡± Drake nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it with someone staying in my city, but there are also the notifications that keep pouring in. Mom,¡± he said stiffly, looking into his mother¡¯s eyes, ¡°He¡¯s even worse off than he was before¡­¡± Travis scoffed, ¡°Yeah, if you can even say that¡¯s possible¡­¡± ¡°Travis!¡± their mother snapped, ¡°He is still your brother! And while you live under my roof, you will have some respect for family!¡± Travis flinched but nodded and kept his gaze even. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Drake said warily, ¡°Travis is right.¡± Their mother scowled looking back at Drake now with some disappointment. ¡°We all know how Atticus behaved before the system. He was distant, he basically hated us when we moved in. Not only that he was never around,¡± Drake exined solemnly, ¡°And with the system, the power he¡¯s seemed to obtained. Did you know he calls himself a God now?¡± Their mother grimaced, ¡°That¡­ Your older brother has always been confused since your father left us¡­¡± Drake felt his anger boil over for a moment, ¡°Confused?!¡± He wanted to scream at her for being so naive, for living under a rock since the tutorial ended. But he knew he also held out a small amount of hope that he was wrong. Atticus and he had never been very close. No one from his mother''s side of the family was and he honestly couldn¡¯t recollect why. But he did know the morals his mother instilled in him and to never look down or give up on family, even if it hurt, even if they didn¡¯t want it. Because if you didn¡¯t have family or those you called family, who else was there? He took a deep breath, ¡°I won¡¯t give up on him until I see him and have him exin, but we need to face the reality here, Mom. He has killed people, I¡¯m not even sure how many just for being different than his idea of pure. I have saved children!¡± Drake said his anger smoldered as he remembered what had been done to Atropos, Clotho, Quetz, and the other countless ves he had freed and he knew were a direct result of them being sold off to Atticus. ¡°Children just like the ones that are in this very house! And I won¡¯t sit by and watch it happen, being condoned by someone in our family.¡± The heads of the teens swiveled to look into the kitchen but Bjorn shook his head telling them to leave it alone for now and pretending not to hear the conversation from across the hallway. ¡°You think he would go that far?¡± Travis asked hesitantly. ¡°Are you really going to tell me after the tutorial you haven¡¯t killed people? Haven¡¯t you seen things you wish you could forget Travis? I know I¡¯ve taken lives for my own selfish reasons and to protect people I care deeply for, but what Atticus is doing is borderline genocide.¡± Travis turned his head down, not wanting to meet Drake¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mom, I would do anything to protect you all. And I will do my best to help Atticus see reason. But I can¡¯t do that in this city. He and others are already on the warpath and there is no stopping it with the system doling out rewards for it.¡± Their mother bit her lip, ¡°Totoy¡­ When did you learn to talk like that?¡± Drake clenched his hands, ¡°When I had to protect the people around me and make hard decisions¡­ I¡¯ve done things Mom, things I never thought I could because it was me or them. Friends caught in the crossfire¡­ Or kids being put in circumstances they should never be forced to witness-¡± He was ready to continue his exnation but was cut short, the arms of his mother far too smallpared to him had pulled his head down into an embrace. ¡°I know baby¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­ We¡¯ll figure this out like we always do. I know my son is good, all my sons are good,¡± she said, letting his head up, ¡°Fine, if you think this is good for us Drake, well go.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Travis asked, ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Yeah, just like that?¡± Drake parroted in disbelief, ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk about this more?¡± Their mother shook her head, ¡°Susmarusep! I just agreed to do what you wanted for once!,¡± sheined, raising arge wooden spoon, ¡°But if you ever yell in my house again, punyeta!¡± she yelled as she brought the spoon down on Drake¡¯s backside, ¡°I will make it so you can not walk for days loco! And tell those kids of yours to pack up my tevo! I want to watch my soaps!¡± Drake ran around the small ind in the kitchen, his mother chasing him with a manic expression and her weapon of choice, the wooden spoon of justice. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided!¡± Drake shouted desperately as he ran, ¡°Once the kids have ranked up we¡¯ll head back to ReUnite!¡± Chapter 247: They Grow Up So Fast 1 Chapter 247: They Grow Up So Fast 1 After a torturous talking to, that included the use of a wooden spoon, metal hanger, and his mother''s favorite belt, Drake had finally been allowed to leave with a few added bruises and bumps. ¡°Her ss must seriously turn everyday objects into deadly weapons¡­ How does she have enough power to get past my defense? No¡­ I guess she could do that even before the system,¡± Drakeughed wearily as he dragged his feet to the living room. ¡°Yo,¡± Bjorn said, raising a hand, ¡°All done, bro?¡± Drake sighed and nodded, ¡°Yeah for the most part. I didn¡¯t exin everything but they agreed toe so that¡¯s all that matters I guess,¡± he shrugged looking at the teens, ¡°Alright troublemakers, that¡¯s enough games time for work.¡± ¡°What! You made it seem like we had at least a few more hours?¡± Landin grumbled, pausing the game. ¡°Yeah well the faster we do this and get everyone back to ReUnite the faster we can get you all stronger and I can go to Sandal,¡± he said looking at Atropos and Clotho, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about that ce, we¡¯re going to free everyone there just like I promised.¡± Atropos and Clotho both nodded in response silently. ¡°Then, wannae, Bjorn?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh? What are we doing, Rank Ups?¡± he asked back. ¡°Yup and I guess we should catch up on what¡¯s happened over thesest weeks.¡± Drake inspected Bjorn. [Bjorn Johnson Level 29] ¡°And figure out what to do about you almost being level 30,¡± Drake added, then found Lamar, ¡°Youing as well Lamar?¡± Lamar shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t need any of that mess, I¡¯m waiting on the food anyway,¡± he shrugged and ced an enormous hand on top of a girl''s head ruffling her hair, ¡°Zana is getting hungry too.¡± Drake looked back to Bjorn. ¡°His sister. He was surprisingly already here when we arrived, I guess he lived in this area, how¡¯s that for convenient?¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°Of course, something like that lines up, but oh well. Just means it¡¯s easier for me to do my job,¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°Alright let¡¯s get go-¡± He was about to motion for everyone to leave when he received a bone-chilling gaze hit the back of his head. Turning around swiftly Drake¡¯s tattoos red and he quickly chanted. ¡°Bulwark! Guardian¡¯s Reprieve! Unbreakable!¡± He felt himself redden a split secondter when he not only saw who it was but heard Bjorn cackling from the couch next to him. ¡°S-sherry¡­ Since when were you here?¡± Drake stammered. ¡°I was sleeping in your room, but I smelled food cooking so I woke up,¡± she yawned, giving a thumbs up and a smile afterward. Drake let out a breath shaking his head, ¡°Are there any other surprises I should brace for? I feel like I just wasted my skill cooldowns just now-¡± ¡°Hey,¡± another voice said from behind him. Drake reared his fist around instinctually at the voice sneaking up on him only to stop a mere centimeter from the person¡¯s face a st of wind kicking up the living room from the force. ¡°S-sorry¡­ I j-just didn¡¯t know when a good time to announce myself was¡­¡± Tom said, breaking out in a cold sweat as his eyes widened at the fist that nearly took his head off. ¡°T-Tom?¡± Drake muttered, ¡°What have I¡­ Never mind, I could have killed you, you know?¡± ¡°Y-yeah I see that, gotten stronger again huh¡­? Thanks for not ya know, taking my head off¡­¡± Tom said, smiling wryly. ¡°Ok, is there anyone else?¡± Drake asked, spreading his arms out before straightening out Tom¡¯s disheveled clothes. ¡°Where exactly did hee from?¡± Landin asked, confused. ¡°Was he here the whole time?¡± Charlotte added. ¡°I did not notice him at all,¡± Atropos muttered, amazed. ¡°He sneaks nearly as well as the Deceiver¡­¡± Kalik scoffed from his side of the room. ¡°Tom here is a tank believe it or not and a damn good one,¡± Drake exined, patting him on the shoulder, ¡°Sherry here, is like Tom, from my tutorial and she¡¯s a very special support ss.¡± Tom gave a nervous wave, while Sherry put up two V signs and then grabbed Tom by the arm. ¡°Food Tom, food,¡± she said eagerly. Drake¡¯s mouth dropped and he turned to Bjorn, ¡°When did this happen?¡± he asked as he watched Sherry usher Tom into the kitchen seeing the man¡¯s golden retriever tail almost manifest and wag. ¡°Oh, that?¡± Bjornughed, ¡°Happened when we came here. Honestly, I think it¡¯s a good thing. Sherry sticks to Tom because he has that fetch me this energy right? And Tom is just happy to have someone who¡¯s nice to him. Oh and don¡¯t worry Sherry actually likes him, the puppy dog energy is just a plus she says.¡± Drake imagined Sherry dangling treats above Tom¡¯s head as he sat and wagged his tail, nearly bursting outughing but stifled it since it seemed to match somehow. ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯m happy for him,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a pretty fun dynamic to watch since he can hold food over her head,¡± heughed. ¡°Pretty much,¡± Bjorn agreed. ¡°Oh there is actually one more, but I think she¡¯s in your room with your younger brother,¡± Bjorn added. ¡°Someone is in my room where Sherry was just sleeping and my 14-year-old brother is¡­ Alone..?¡± Drake frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry bro, you know who it is and she¡¯s attached to someone already,¡± Bjorn smiled. Then Drake heard the sound of stomping from the kitchen, his mother finally awakening to what had just happened in the living room. ¡°Punyeta! Who is tearing up my home?!¡± she stormed in pointing a drippingdle, ¡°Drake?! What did we just talk about!¡± Drake made a dash down the hallway before she could catch him, slipping into his old room with a m and click of the door¡¯s lock. He gave a sigh of relief only to hear the sound of a loud bass reverberating in his chest. Drake gave a start but calmed down immediately noticing that it was just his brother mixing and the music had somehow been loud enough to boom through his headset. There was also a girl sitting on the bed next to theputer desk, a simr headset bobbing her head to the music. Auburn hair split into pigtails. ¡°Chelsea?¡± Drake said, astonished to see the girl. Neither one of them seemed to notice his entry, both bobbing their heads to the music making Drake smile. He walked over to his brother tapping him lightly on his shoulder, the music stopping along with the deep base that was beating rhythmically. ¡°Oh, Drake? When did you get back? Happy birthday by the way bro,¡± Dillon said his lids half open. ¡°Were you up all night again?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°And thanks, is it my birthday?¡± Dillon shrugged, ¡°I know it¡¯s in December and it''s snowing out so.¡± Drakeughed, ¡°True, what¡¯d you get me?¡± he asked. ¡°We were going to prank you, but since whatever happened happened we weren¡¯t sure if we could. But since you¡¯re here now I guess it¡¯s still on.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just give your big brother a hug and an actual present,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I¡¯m giving you something better,¡± Dillon smiled, ¡°I¡¯m giving you memories.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re 14?¡± ¡°Age is just a number, man.¡± Drake smacked him in the back of the head, ¡°That¡¯s not something a 14-year-old should say, kid. In fact, that¡¯s not something you should ever say, the inte would eat you alive.¡± Dillon rubbed the back of his head grumbling, ¡°The inte doesn''t exist anymore.¡± Drake fell to his knees, ¡°D-don¡¯t remind me¡­My shows!!!!¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Chelsea finally asked. ¡°Comedy skit,¡± they said in unison. Chelsea sighed, ¡°You never change huh, even after all this time.¡± ¡°Would it be better if I did?¡± Drake asked getting up. ¡°No, not really.¡± Drake paused for a moment, ¡°So you¡¯re the one in here, which means Bjorn said you were¡­ Does that mean¡­ You. And Bjorn¡­?¡± he gasped, ¡°No¡­¡± Chelsea smiled, ¡°Persistence wins out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. You found an item or drugged him right?¡± Chelsea got up scowling, ¡°What kind of woman do you take me for?! I won his heart fair and square!¡± ¡°Then what are you doing in here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m allowed to listen to music if I want! And your brother makes good music, bite me.¡± ¡°You¡¯d like that wouldn''t you¡­¡± Drake said, his eyes thinning. ¡°Fuck you!¡± ¡°You¡¯d- Okay Okay, no need to get violent I was only joking!¡± Drake smiled backing up against the door, ¡°I have enough women trouble as is,¡± he scoffed, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good to see you. I¡¯m d you and everyone are alright. Is Jacqueline here too? I haven¡¯t seen her.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t sure¡­¡± Chelsea said a bit crestfallen. ¡°Damn,¡± Drake cursed. ¡°I¡¯m sure she will be fine though,¡± Chelsea said trying to stay positive, ¡°She knows how to leverage her assets and she¡¯s a healer remember? Anyone would be lucky to add her to a group.¡± ¡°Lucky to stay sane¡­¡± Drake muttered but got back on topic, ¡°Dillon I¡¯m borrowing your beat buddy for a bit, and pack up everything you want, have mom put it away we¡¯re leaving soon.¡± Dillon raised a brow taking back off one earmuff, ¡°Huh? Leaving? Why?¡± Drake rolled his eyes, ¡°Leave. Soon. Pack. Now,¡± he said pausing in between each word like he was talking to an infant. ¡°Fine.. after this song,¡± Dillon frowned. ¡°No. Now,¡± Drake said sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask again.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± Dillon scowled, shutting down theputer. Drake turned to Chelsea, ¡°Youing?¡± Chelsea shrugged, ¡°Sure, you just killed my vibes, so might as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me sister¡­¡± Dillon chimed in, only to get a smack to the back of the head, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I be the older brother? This youngest debuff sucks¡­¡± ¡°Be ready soon you hear me,¡± Drake reminded, stepping out into the hallway, Chelsea following along with long casual strides. Drake was met with his furious mother, lurking outside of the door, which he dealt with expertly by taking the ass-whooping he deserved and moved on to the living room to gather the teens. ¡°Alright, everyone ready?¡± Drake announced. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Landin snickered. ¡°Exactly what will happen to you if you don¡¯t zip your lip.¡± Landin raised his hands, putting them behind his head. ¡°Then, time to get this party started,¡± Drake grinned. ¡ª------------ It was finally time. Charlotte had been clutching the hem of her armor the entire time, sweating hands struggling to keep a grip. ¡°Ok,¡± Drake said, going out into the street, snapping his fingers to muster walls of earth, ¡°Strip. Well first take your stones, then strip.¡± ¡°E-excuse me?!¡± Charlotte screamed in surprise as her head swiveled to look at the other teens. Bjorn and the new woman Chelsea beganughing to themselves. ¡°Pardon? Why in the world would we strip?¡± Mordred scowled. ¡°Get your stones first, then enter each of your own rooms and strip, unless you want to wear dirty clothes after,¡± Drake said evenly, holding out several crystalline stones, ¡°Also you will all need toplete your quests for the extra stones. I was really hoping we could get some better stones on the way here, but it seems that we weren¡¯t lucky this time, and we don¡¯t have time to wait until we get back to the city. We have to bank on getting the subtree stones you will need through the quest. Mordred, Atropos, Clotho do you still have your quest?¡± ¡°I have alreadypleted mine, I have a King¡¯s Swordsmanship subtree stone,¡± Mordred pulling out the item. Atropos shook her head, ¡°We hadpleted ours in the tutorial, unfortunately, my stone was ofmon rarity, as was Clotho¡¯s. My apologies, Lord Drake.¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s alright we can work with what we have.¡± Charlotte shuffled on her feet slightly, looking at the quests on her side,pleting the quest in mention. [Quest Completed! Reach Level 10 Warrior] [ept Rewards?] [You have received Subtree Stone: Ulster¡¯s Spearmanship [Epic] [You have received Locket of the Hunter [Umon] [Locket of the Hunter] [Umon]
  • A memento of a long-lost hunter.
  • +5 to Dexterity and Endurance
  • +10% to Aura Strength
[Please select your choice of F-Grade Weapon] Charlotte as well as the other three who hadn¡¯tpleted their quest suddenly had shes of lights and items drop into their hands and in front of them. She gave out a breath of relief. Good, an epic subtree stone. Charlotte thanked, clutching the stone. She also received a decent ne as well, but now came what she needed most, a weapon. It didn¡¯t take long to find exactly what she wanted. [Shield Maiden¡¯s Training Spear] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • 110 to 298 Physical Damage
  • 35 to 88 Magic Damage
  • +5 to Dexterity, +5 to Endurance
  • A weapon suited to the blooming warriors of the Grand Hall. Crafted to be sturdy and robust but notpromise its weight and handling, it is a fine piece of equipment.
Charlotte snatched the spear out of the air as it materialized. A sleek white shafted spear with a pointed tip that was simple but somehow menacing. The length was perfect in her hands. She quickly gave a few practice thrusts, spinning the spear in her grip testing its bnce, and smiled as it felt second nature. ¡°Good, looks like everyone got something good,¡± Drake smiled looking at the teens, ¡°Now get going,¡± he said with a bit of hesitation. Charlotte was a bit confused about why he would be worried at all, they were just ranking up, right? But she understood it really meant there was no turning back after this. She walked up to one of the partitions, a four-sided room with no ceiling making it keep the chill of the outside. Drake snapped a door opening for each of the teens to enter, ¡°I hope no one changes for the worse¡­¡± he muttered just soft enough for Charlotte, the closest one to hear before he snapped again, the doors shutting closed. ¡°Thanks for that¡­¡± she muttered, gripping the stones in her off-hand, ¡°Guess it¡¯s all or nothing now¡­¡± Charlotte couldn¡¯t hear anything, only the soft sounds of her own breathing which gave an eerie tranquility to the situation. A calm before the storm. She took a deep breath, ¡°Here we go.¡± [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Clouded Skies] [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes][No] ¡°Y-yes,¡± Charlotte stammered. At first, nothing happened, she looked down at the stone in her grip confused. Then suddenly it shed with brilliant yellow light, melting and singing into her skin with a freezing chill like she had never felt before in her life. She screamed, the shout echoing in the room drowning out everything. And then just as suddenly a heat she couldn¡¯tpare to even burning herself assailed her entire body threatening to turn her to ash. She lurched forward falling to her knees screaming and trying her best to stay conscious. Her mind turned to regret, to anger, and then the face of her brother shed in her mind and she steeled herself wing at the ground, biding her time for the pain to pass. And after what felt like eons, it did. The painful searing heat reced with euphoric power. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Clouded Skies] [Rare] [You have unlocked the Primary Subtree: Tempest¡¯s Beckoning] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Tempest¡¯s Beckoning] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Tempest¡¯s Beckoning] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • The unrelenting storm can only be controlled by those of equally fierce will and determination. While still immature you gain brief control over the sky itself.
  • Passive Effects: +15% to Dexterity and Intelligence.
  • Skill: Tempest¡¯s Beckoning - ¡°The unforgiving lightning strikes at my beck and call. Tempest¡¯s Beckoning.¡±
  • Area of Effect Skill that surrounds an area with lightning strikes that deal lightning damage in a 5 to 1 to Intelligence. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Your physical stikes are now converted to Lightning Damage and deal an additional 2 Damage per point of Dexterity. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Arge amount of Stamina and Mana. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
  • Cooldown: 30 Minutes. (Reduced based on Proficiency)
Charlotte let out a heaving breath, taking back in the cold chilly winter air giving her a brief reprieve of relief. ¡°W-what was that..!¡± she gasped, ¡°That doesn¡¯t evenpare to when I got my main ss.¡± She held up the second stone, looking at it warily. But after only a second of hesitation, she gripped it tightly determined to finish what she started. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Ulster¡¯s Spearmanship] [Epic] [Confirm?] [Yes][No] ¡°Yes!¡± Charlotte screamed, clenching her jaw. Piercing cold assaulted her once more, chilling her to the bones and more. She fell as her body locked up, going as rigid as a corpse as she let out a silent scream feeling her body somehow creak and groan under her skin. Then once more, unrelenting searing heat burned her from within and she saw her auburn hair fall in front of her face as she snapped back falling on her side. Her insides and out felt as if someone was continually branding them with a hot iron heated by the sun, louder and louder snapping. Then, just as quickly as it came, it vanished, reced by welling and surmounting power as she sat upwards, a beaming smile on her face. She gave out a heartfulugh but the voice that came out sounded different, sounded clearer, lighter, more feminine? Then notifications hit her. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Ulster¡¯s Spearmanship] [Epic] [You have unlocked the Secondary Subtree: Cu Chinn¡¯s Spear Mastery][F-Rank] [Passive Effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Cu Chinn¡¯s Spear Mastery] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtrees] [Cu Chinn¡¯s Spear Master][F-Rank] P1 (0%)
  • As the defender of Ulster, one¡¯s battle prowess must constantly be at the peak and you have now been imparted with spearmanship of the greatest in Ulster¡¯s history.
  • Passive Effects: +15% Dexterity and Endurance. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive Skill Effects: Massive increase in understanding of the spear and allows the user to gain substantial remuneration for diligent practice of the spear.
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] [Student of the Tyrant Asuran]
  • You have stayed under the tutge of thest remaining Asuran while reaching F-Rank.
  • +20 to each Stat.
[You have received Title: Cu Chinn¡¯s Disciple] [Cu Chinn¡¯s Disciple]
  • You are entering the realm of the greatest spear wielder known to Ulster.
  • +50% Damage dealt with spears.
[You have received Title: Unrequited Love of the Tyrant] [Unrequited love of the Tyrant]
  • Your fervent passion for thest of the Asurans may have fallen on deaf ears¡­ for now, but your loyalty will not go unrewarded.
  • +20% to Aura Submission Effects to those of the same rank.
Charlotte tried to keep her smile, but she suddenly felt weak, her vision dimming as she saw the room spin until her visionpletely darkened and her ears heard a reverberating ¡®pop¡¯ in the chamber. Chapter 248: They Grow Up So Fast 2 Chapter 248: They Grow Up So Fast 2 Kalik walked through the open earthen doorway, ready to be done with this torturous trial the Gods were putting him through. They had already spat in his face forcing him to use the same weaponry as the human after his years of training to use the ancestral weapon of choice of his people. He gripped the stones the man had given him in his hand as he entered, the sound of the door closing behind him, but Kalik stayed unperturbed. He had received a second subtree skill stone from his sspletion quest, as well as appropriate weaponry and a piece of clothing that he honestly put away immediately as it embarrassed him. [Subtree Stone: Meridian] [Rare]
  • Unlocks the Meridian Subtree branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have a Main ss Tree unlocked.
[Subtree Stone: Brutal Tranquility] [Epic]
  • Unlocks the Brutal Tranquility Subtree branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have a Warrior-based Main ss Tree unlocked.
While the stone was of Epic Rarity, he was honestly very happy to see the name of the stone more than anything. Finally, something that matches with me. He thought, having a glimmer of hope. There was also the weapon he had gotten. [Delinquent¡¯s Worn Knuckles] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • 205 to 210 Physical Damage
  • 5 to 10 Magic Damage
  • +5 Dexterity, +5 Endurance
  • A weapon used by ruffians to not only brutalize but extort their fellow man. The weapons show noticeable wear from repeated use, probably on the side of someone¡¯s skull.
The gods must have a sick sense of humor to think that he, a proud warrior of the Rahk would ever resort to extortion of someone, but he hardly had a choice but to use the weapons because of his ss requirements. Then there was the item he had received, which made him grimace. [Ruffian¡¯s Bancho Cloak] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A long sleeveless coat that marks the leader of a hastily made gang.
  • 30 to 67 Physical Reduction
  • 22 to 50 Magic Reduction
  • 2% Critical Hit Reduction
  • +5% Defense Proficiency
Truly the Gods thought poorly of him. He let out a sigh, steeling himself for yet another unwanted yet necessary trial. ¡°I have gone through much to get here,¡± Kalik muttered, looking at his hand that had been healed a white line, the only indication of it being previously severed, ¡°But there is always more still.¡± He gripped the stones in his hand tightly, prompts filling his screen. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Meridian] [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] ¡°A warrior of the Rahk never backs down from a fight! I ept!¡± The sleek stone stayed silent at Kalik¡¯s eptance for a beat, then quickly melted in his hand pooling in his open palm until it finally was subsumed by his flesh sending a wave of cold he could only call one of death. He ground his teeth, feeling his tusks scream in protest from the pressure as he did his best to hold out from the feeling overtaking him. Soon the cold flipped to intense heat that made him feel as if he had been thrown into a cooking pit yet several times hotter. The radically changing waves of heat and freezing temperatures crashing inside of him forced Kalik to double over, his jaw locked so tightly in pain that he couldn¡¯t even pause for a breath. And just as quickly as it came, it was over. Peace had found him. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Meridian] [Rare] [You have unlocked Primary Subtree: Sun Lion¡¯s Body of the Still Lake] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Sun Lion¡¯s Body of the Still Lake] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Sun Lion¡¯s Body of the Still Lake] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • While bathing in the glow of the sun, the Great Lion found both power and peace staring out into the sske of its ancestors. And so shall you be bestowed with such grace.
  • Passive Effects: +10 to Dexterity and Endurance
  • Additional Passive Effect: Calm Body - Increases resistance to Abnormal Internal and External Effects by 25%. (Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Skill: Lion¡¯s Peaceful Body - ¡°May I see clearly and be at peace. Lion¡¯s Peaceful Body.¡±
  • Body Enhancement Skill that momentarily increases aura perception by 100% and increases Pure Mana internal disruption rate by 5% for 2 Minutes.
  • Cost: Medium amount of Stamina
  • Cooldown: 30 Minutes.
Kalik took in a calm deep breath, feeling the cold air turn and find equilibrium inside his lungs. He closed his eyes, exhaling and taking in anotherrge lungful before shouting at the top of his lungs, roaring with everything he had nearly shaking the walls around him. But he felt calm still, he had found tranquility in his anger and fury. It was a constant and he now knew how to live in tandem with the boiling rage he couldn¡¯t escape before. A smile creased his face. His mind was clearing and he looked to the next stone, anticipation creeping up inside him. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Brutal Tranquility] [Epic] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] This time Kalik was prepared for what was toe, he stood his body tense ready for the onught of the power that was to envelope him. ¡°I am ready!¡± The stone inside his grip melted, leaving his clenched hand empty as it tightened against his own flesh, the unforgiving chill running up his arm, every pore, every vein, every inch of it until it found home in his chest. Then suddenly a burst of heat beat from his chest overtaking the cold until it was all he could feel, all he could think of, all he could process, unrelenting, cruel fire. He let out a silent scream but only felt his face upturn into a smile as he battled with the stone¡¯s process, his body cracking and splintering underneath his skin as he felt the power well up inside him. And finally, it was over. Notifications chimed in his head as he stood there heaving one breath after the next, small puffs of white smoke. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Brutal Tranquility] [Epic] [You have unlocked Secondary Subtree: Brutal Tranquility] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Brutal Tranquility] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtrees] [Brutal Tranquility] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • Peace and bnce in all things. For every fallen leaf a beat of a hummingbird¡¯s wing. Every breath, a storm. In this world, there is one truth, one bnce.
  • Passive Effects: +15% to Strength and Dexterity.
  • Skill: Brutal Separation - ¡°Bnce is sometimes a cruel hammer. Brutal Separation.¡±
  • Area of Effect Skill that allows the user to physically manifest their inner energy bringing down a 15-foot palm strike on the opponents dealing +150 Pure Mana and 5 to 1 Dexterity as damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Skill: Brutal Coalescence - ¡°Bnce is reckoning. Brutal Coalescence.¡±
  • Execution Skill that strikes at the core of a 30% or lower healthed opponent imploding their internal mana to deal a 300 Pure Mana strike. Strike deals up to 200% more damage based on the opponent''s remaining mana pool. (Increased based on Proficiency)
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] [You have received Title: Prodigy of the Rahk] [Prodigy of the Rahk]
  • You have brought to fruition the praises and expectations of your elders.
  • +10 to each Stat.
Kalik sighed, letting out a painful breath as he slowly fell forward, his tired body unable to support his weight any longer. A single thoughting out in a voice much deeper than he recalled his own to be his vision darkening as he fell to the floor. ¡°Even in celebration, I can not escape that damned man¡­¡± ¡ª------------------------ Quetz shivered slightly as she entered the small room, not because she was scared or anything. Ok, maybe she was a bit scared of the dark. She didn¡¯t like being restrained. She had been through enough with her flock now that she hade to terms and confronted some of her traumas, but there was always something lingering still. Mental scars such as the ones she had didn¡¯t heal overnight no matter the salve. Quetz looked around the room giving a sad coo, the two stones in her hands jingling against one another lightly. ¡°Quetz isn¡¯t scared¡­ Quetz will get stronger¡­¡± she said to herself, ¡°Good girls do what they¡¯re told and Drake told Quetz to use the stones so she¡¯s going to¡­¡± She looked down at the stones seeing the small sheen of the two weapons she had gotten from her quest, both sitting in their holsters on her newfy cute pants. Quetz gave a small grin. [Toting Hand Guns] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • 120 to 137 Physical Damage
  • 30 to 41 Magic Damage
  • +10 to Dexterity
  • A 6-mana bullet-loaded revolver set used by an otherworld desperado.
  • Requires: Any type of .33 Mana Bullet.
[Cowboy Techno Chaps] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • A cowboy¡¯s leather chaps that seem to be slightly techno-punk?
  • 20 to 54 Physical Reduction
  • 10 to 30 Magic Reduction
  • 1% Increased Movement Haste
  • +3% Defense Proficiency
She chirped happily to get new shiny things and thefortable new pants she had gotten made her wiggle with a joyful coo. ¡°They¡¯re so cute too! Quetz likes the old cowboy¡¯s taste!¡± she giggled. Quetz knew she was procrastinating, not wanting to feel the onught of mixed and painful feelings the stupid stones made her experience. ¡°But Drake is going to be mad if Quetz doesn''t use the stones¡­¡± she pouted, not wanting to disappoint Drake. She cooed and took in a deep breath squeezing the first stone. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Fierce Gale] [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes][No] ¡°Quetz won¡¯t go back on her word. I¡¯m a good girl! Y-yesh!¡± she said, identally biting on her tongue. She wailed from the pain of nipping her own tongue, but it onlysted a moment before the stone in her hand liquified, disappearing in her grip as it crawled up her arm with the same cold she despised from the Main ss Stone. Quetz groaned and cooed painfully, pping her wings as if to try and throw away the chill that kept snaking up her arm. And soon, just like before the chill subsided, consumed by the overwhelming heat of how it felt to fly below the sun several times. Throwing her wings back and forth trying to cast away the heat that felt as if it was burning her feathers, she dropped to the snow, rolling back and forth to extinguish the non-existent me consuming her. Finally, with a heaving breath, she sat upwards, the battle inside her waning reced by a subsuming feeling of power welling inside. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Fierce Gale] [Rare] [You have unlocked Primare Subtree: Raging Gale¡¯s Concerto] [F-Rank] [Passive Effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stones slots in Ragin Gale¡¯s Concerto] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Raging Gale¡¯s Concerto] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A fierce gale does not strike once but is ever blowing, a tempest that uproots even the oldest tree. A Gale ising and you, its Conductor.
  • Passive Effects: +20 to Dexterity
  • Additional Passive Effects: Each Mana Bullet shot is now Wind Affiliated. Dealing +5 Wind Mana Damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Passive Skill: Conductor¡¯s Finale - Thest bullet within the chamber of a firearm or range weapon now deals extra damage to a consecutively hit target. (Weapon Choice Increases based on Proficiency)
  • Pistol: Final Bullet now deals negative condition Bleeding for 30 seconds, dealing 1 bleeding damage per 20 Dexterity over time. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Crossbow: Final Bullet in bolt belt now deals negative condition Poison for 30 seconds, dealing 1 poison damage per 20 Dexterity over time. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Bow: Every Fourth Consecutive Arrow inflicts +1 increased slicing damage for every 10 Dexterity. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Sniper: Every Consecutive Bullet deals increased pration damage, +5% increased physical and magical per bullet to the same target. Max 20%. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Quetz groaned, sweat dripping down from her forehead and dampening her feathers. ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t like the way these stones feel¡­¡± she sighed, slumping forward onto the ground, ¡°Ah¡­ the snow feels sho good¡­¡± She brought the second stone in front of her face frowning at it. ¡°Don¡¯t make Quetz feel yucky please!¡± she begged, gripping the stone. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Gunman¡¯s Arsenal] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Quetz pouted, ¡°Only because Quetz has to¡­¡± she muttered bracing and closing her eyes tightly. But the intense feeling she expected never came. Instead, a small prickling feeling crawled up her arm leaving a slight chill butpared to before waspletely bearable. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Gunman¡¯s Arsenal] [Umon] [You have unlocked Secondary Subtree: Gunman¡¯s Weapon Sling] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Gunman¡¯s Weapon Sling] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtrees] [Gunman¡¯s Weapon Sling] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A gunman¡¯s best friend isn¡¯t the pistol in his hand but the fully loaded pistol at his hip.
  • Passive Effect: +5% to Reload Speed, +5 to Weapon Haste
  • Passive Skill: Weapon Sling - Allows the user to sling a chosen weapon in a spatial container that can be essed at will.
  • While weapons are stored within the spatial container they are reloaded over time at varying speeds.
  • Weapons stored gain a brief +25 Pure Mana to initial bullet increase in damage and will lose effect over 5 seconds if not fired. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Only 1 Weapon can be slung at a time. (Increased based on Proficiency)
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] Quetz gave a chirp of relief. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad!¡± she cooed, but her reprieve onlysted a moment after she finished reading her notifications as she felt her skin worm, the bones under her skin crackling and a sudden darkening of her vision as the room swam around her. ¡°Geh!¡± she screamed as she fell backward, cking out. ¡ª--------------- Clotho reluctantly entered the earthen room, nodding to his sister as he did. ¡°I hope no one changes for the worse¡­¡± Those were thest words Clotho heard, his ears twitching in apprehension as the earthen wall closed behind him, leaving him in a darkened room. Unlike the others, he did not have the quests toplete but he had received two Subtree Stones from Drake. [Subtree Stone: Restraint] [Umon]
  • Unlocks the Restraint Subtree branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have a Main ss Tree Unlocked.
[Subtree Stone: Marite] [Umon]
  • Unlocks the Marite Subtree branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more empty Subtrees. Have a Main ss Tree Unlocked.
Clotho didn¡¯t hesitate to use the stones, not wanting to wait any longer for the ability to grow stronger and protect his sister. He knew very well he could have waited until they returned and bided his time, gathering cores until he was able to purchase a better subtree stone, but just as the small squirrel girl had said. It would be expensive and he was already so begrudgingly indebted to the man already. Clotho knew he was startingmed but to him, it was a willing struggle. Despite his appearance as a doting and caring brother now, before the Great Wolves took their n into the hunt he was a shy and helpless boy. He had always been helped by someone, his sister, their parents, the n head. It was always someone else, never his own strength, his own struggle. But after he met that man, the human his sister revered to the point of disgust. He not only made it forward on his own ability but he found with his hard work he was excelling beyond his own expectations. It was almost as if. He was born for this. Clotho gripped the stone, his teeth baring as a low growl escaped his lips. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Marite] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] ¡°Yes¡­¡± he growled. The stone cracked and melted into his palm, a cold chill shooting up his arm, but he easily fought against it. Enduring the freezing pain. It didn¡¯t evenpare to the pain from back then after all. It was almostughable. Soon the cold turned to heat and Clotho overcame it as well, nearly letting loose a scoff at the attempt to break him. Then there was power. A stream of pooling power welled within him as he let out a puff of white smoke his canines peering through his upward smile. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Marite] [Umon] [You have unlocked Primary Subtree: Fate¡¯s Doll] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Fate¡¯s Doll] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Fate¡¯s Doll] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • The strings of their fate are yours to pull. The puppeteer behind the performance.
  • Passive Effects: +10 to Wisdom.
  • Skill: Fate¡¯s Doll - ¡°A fate cast by threads, is fate indeed. Fate¡¯s Doll.¡±
  • The user''s weapon constrains the trapped opponent, turning them temporarily into an immovable object for 5 seconds. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Cost: Small amount of Mana. (Decreased based on Proficiency)
  • Cooldown: 30 Seconds. (Decreased based on Proficiency)
Clothoughed, feeling the euphoria of the subsumption of the stone taking hold of him. He had never before felt such pleasure. His life was filled with slim recollections of such joy. The most recent ordeal overtook even those memories of his family, his sister. ¡°More!¡± he shouted, gripping the second stone. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Restraint] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] The stone shattered in his hand, the specs turning to liquid as they touched his skin and Clotho excitedly waited for the feeling of power toe again. But this time was different, the chill that battered against his body intensified, turning his muscles rigid as it dropped to the ground, his arms outstretched and wing at the snow-covered ground in front of him. Spittle and drool pooled below his gaping maw as he screamed, hearing the crackling of bone below his skin like broken ss. And just as quickly he felt as if they were seared back into ce with a heat that made the torture he had endured from his time as a ve seem blissful. The knife¡¯s edge bnce of his consciousness seemed to drag on against the mes inside him before they finally sputtered out and he was able to breathe, his body ckening and dropping to the cold ground in a heap. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Restraint] [Umon] [You have unlocked Secondary Subtree: Timeless Petrification] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Timeless Petrification] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtrees] [Timeless Petrification] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • Time is a ything in your masterful hands. Decide their fates with the golden string.
  • Passive Effects: +20 Intelligence and Wisdom.
  • Passive Skill: Longing Petrification - Striking or restraining an opponent for 15 seconds will begin to inflict negative condition Petrification.
  • For each 5 seconds the opponent is under restraint they rue a stack of Petrification. (Can be cleansed by High Tiered Holy Magic.)
  • At 5 stacks target(s) are fully petrified and be ¡®brittle¡¯. Stacks diminish after 10 seconds.
  • Extra Effect: Brittle - Targets under this condition receive 500% more physical damage.
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] Clotho felt his head clear as his vision darkened, too exhausted to even scoff or smile. ¡ª----------------------- Atropos hesitantly entered the earthen room, giving a nod to her brother as he did to her. She turned around, getting onest look at her savior, the man she was so greatly indebted to. Lord Drake. His visage filled her head with hope and joy, even after he continued to increase his pack with one woman after the other. But what was a hunt withoutpetition? The door closed as she heard onest string of words from Lord Drake. ¡°I hope no one changes for the worse¡­¡± What could he mean by saying such things? She thought, her face furrowing slightly. ¡°The Great Wolves themselves coulde down and I would not change for the worse, Lord Drake¡­¡± Atropos gripped her hands in front of her chest. She knew. She knew Lord Drake only thought of her and the other girls as a father would a daughter. ¡°But even if he does not love me in the same way now¡­¡± she sighed, a smile creasing her lips as her eyes opened slowly, an eerie blue reflected in them, ¡°I am sure there wille a day he does¡­¡± One hand went to her cheek as she thought on it blissfully, her other gripping the first stone in her grip as she thought on how she would use her strength to destroy anyone who stood in his way or besmirched him. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Weapon Mastery] [Common] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] ¡°But of course,¡± she mused. The feeling of the chilling cold only served to increase the shiver sent down her spine as she thought of how she would help and serve Lord Drake, his face shing time and time again in her mind as she battled against the severe cold that soon cascaded to intense heat in her body. But it could not even hold a candle to the punishment she had received for simply having beautiful eyes from before, or the beating passion she had for the man who punished those same disgusting people. In fact, she reveled in the intoxicating feeling of being alive as she embraced it, the pain only small pinpricks inparison. Letting out a gasp of air Atropos saw her hair dampened and only stopped long enough to read the new prompts of the stone¡¯spletion. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Weapon Mastery] [Common] [You have unlocked Primary Subtree: Weapon Mastery] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Weapon Mastery] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Weapon Mastery] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A skill allowing increased weaponpetency.
  • Passive Effects: Increased overall weapon damage of 1% (Increased based on Proficiency)
The skill was not the best she knew, but she also knew it was the same as Lord Drake¡¯s. Which made her shiver down to her very soul. ¡°And now I havee closer to him in a small way¡­¡± she smiled as she wrapped her hands around herself, ¡°But I mustn''t waste time.¡± Atropos gripped the second stone, one she had been given by Lord Drake that differed from the one she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t defy a request from him. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Mage Bane] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] Atropos sneered at the prompt, detesting the fact that she was to use a stone that could be used against Lord Drake but begrudgingly epted. ¡°Only because I must,¡± she frowned. The stone shattered and the pieces melted as they fell against her skin, consumed by her flesh as the droplets rolled down it. She let in a swift gasp of cold air as colder still was the piercing force of the stone running up her body. Atropos squirmed but quickly began to go stiff as she was brought to her knees on the ground, her eyes closing shut against the pain. But once again he helped her, and the face of her savior shed in her mind. Another gasp escaped her lips as the cold turned to heat, searing both the stone¡¯s power in her body as well as the image of the reason she went through such pain. Lord Drake, the man she would be forced to love from afar. The turbulent shing of power inside her soon calmed and allowed her to breathe evenly for a moment as it coalesced into a deep well of a euphoric crescendo. ¡°All shall love him, and despair¡­¡± Atropos muttered as she lurched forward, her body releasing the sound of bones breaking beneath her skin and a reverberating ¡®pop¡¯ as she finally sumbed to exhaustion. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Mage Bane] [Umon] [You have unlocked Secondary Subtree: Mage Bane] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Mage Bane] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtrees] [Mage Bane] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A killer of Magic must use Magic. The ire of Mage¡¯s is the decided oue.
  • Passive Effects: +5% to Intelligence and Wisdom
  • Passive Skill: Mage Bane - Your strikes and magic now have increased 10% Mana Disruption properties. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Whennding a sessful blow target gains a stack of Mage Bane increasing mana disruption and their ability to cast magic. Stacks up to 3 times for a max of 30%. (Increased based on Proficiency)
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] [You have received Title: Unrequited Love of the Tyrant] [Unrequited love of the Tyrant]
  • Your fervent passion for thest of the Asurans may have fallen on deaf ears¡­ for now, but your loyalty will not go unrewarded.
  • +20% to Aura Submission Effects to those of the same rank.
¡ª------------- Landin sighed, ignoring thest little tidbit that Drake said as he closed up the hole behind him. ¡°Can that guy be any more dramatic? I mean based on what has been happening so far¡­¡± Landin thought aloud, clenching his hand around the stone, ¡°It¡¯s only natural some things change. Whether it''s for better or worse, is up to us.¡± Landin double-checked his stones, as well as the items he received for the questpletion. [Subtree Stone: Regalia] [Epic]
  • Unlocks the Regalia Subtree Branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more Empty Subtrees. Have a Main ss Tree Unlocked.
[Subtree Stone: Nurturer] [Umon]
  • Unlocks the Nurturer Subtree Branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more Empty Subtrees. Have a Cleric Main ss Tree Unlocked.
[Ritualist¡¯s Unlucky Staff] [F-Rank] [Umon]
  • 10 to 21 Physical Damage
  • 50 to 133 Magical Damage
  • +5 Wisdom
  • +3% to Inbat Mana Regeneration
  • A staff used by a Ritualist who has met an untimely end.
[Ring of the Earth] [F-Rank] [Umon]
  • +10 to Vitality and Intelligence.
  • +1% Critical Damage Reduction
  • A band made from earth infused with mana giving beneficial properties to the user.
He reread the descriptions cing each one into his inventory in turn. Some gave him pause. ¡°What does it mean unlucky staff¡­ Why am I getting a staff that is unlucky? This thing isn¡¯t cursed is it..?¡± he grumbled. Landin also remembered what Drake had said, and ced all of his clothes and old armor into his inventory stripping down to his skivvies. ¡°Alright show time.¡± [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Regalia] [Epic] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] ¡°No backing down now! I¡¯vee too far to stop changing for the better!¡± he roared, gripping the stone. His howl cascaded through the small room, Landin trying to psych himself up for the pain he knew wasing given how the Main ss Stone nearly knocked him out. And just as promised his body locked up, forcing him to fall naked in the snow that felt warm to the touchpared to the cold, forcing his body rigid as a block of human-shaped ice. His jaw snapped shut as he froze fighting against the stone¡¯s consumption, feeling almost as if he chipped a tooth, but soon he was limber once more and fighting against sweltering heat that had now epassed his whole body as he screamed his hands on his head. Landin let out a deafening scream while trying to calm his mind and body from the heat boiling his insides. Finally, after what felt like hours, he could hear his breathing calm, notifications chiming through the blood in his ears. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Regalia] [Epic] [You have unlocked Primary Subtree: Regalia Maker] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Regalia Maker] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Regalia Maker] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A king is only as good as his attire and as mighty as the beasts they are wrought from. Stand in the embodiment of the souls they contain.
  • Passive Effects: +20% to Intelligence and Wisdom
  • Additional Passive Effects: +10% to Summon Experience Gain.
  • Skill: King Maker - ¡°Dwell within me. King Maker.¡±
  • Extract the summon from a given piece of equipment to embody their form and gain 100% of their stats for 3 Minutes. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Up to 2 Summons may be extracted at a time. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Summons will be unavable but will continue to gain experience while extracted.
  • Extracted Summons will not transfer known skills while embodied.
Landin gripped against the ground huffing puffs of white smoke as he smiled, reading the description. ¡°Now that is a skill! About damn time,¡± he beamed, thinking of the small little blue wolf currently in his inventory safe and sound. ¡°And now one more,¡± Landin grunted, pulling out and gripping the second stone. [You wish to consume Subtree Stone: Nurturer] [Umon] [Confirm?] [Yes] [No] ¡°I won¡¯t go back to the old me, there¡¯s only forward now. Yes!¡± Landin tried to sit up, but the stone quickly melted, faster than the first, and put him right back down on the ground reeling from the swift onset of bone-chilling cold. He gave a wry smile, or at least tried to, at his attempt of bravado in standing up for the second round. The smile however only managed toe out on his face as a crushed mess when the pain that apanied the cold began tearing at his flesh and bones. Soon the heat returned solidifying whatever was happening beneath his skin in a christening me, sweat pooling on his skin, melting the snow beneath. Momentster, it finally subsided and he was able to enjoy the relief of thest stone¡¯s power calming within him. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: Nurturer] [Umon] [You have unlocked Secondary Subtree: Summoner¡¯s Helping Hand] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Summoner¡¯s Helping Hand] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Secondary Subtree Skills] [Summoner¡¯s Helping Hand] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • A summoner never fights alone. And even the help sometimes needs a nurturing hand.
  • Passive Effects: +5% to Wisdom
  • Passive Skill: Summoner¡¯s Spirit Regeneration - While a Summon is unsummoned their regeneration is increased by 50%.
  • Additional Passive Effects: While unsummoned for 12 Hours, Summons gain a Rested Buff for 4 Hours.
  • Effect: Rested Buff - Increased damage dealt by 15%, Increased resource regeneration by 10%.
[You have advanced to F-Rank] [You have received Title: Student of the Tyrant Asuran] ¡°That¡­ That wasn¡¯t so bad right?¡± Landin ventured, trying to get up again only to have his body copse instantly, his entire being protesting against the sudden gut-wrenching pain that was taking ce under his skin. ¡°Okay! I w-was wrong!¡± he growled, as his vision tunneled, eventually turning pitch ck. Chapter 249: Unwelcomed Guests Chapter 249: Unweed Guests ¡°Why must we wait instead of advancing as well?¡± Mordred asked, her nose scrunched up in dissatisfaction. ¡°Because I don¡¯t have the right Subtree Stones for you two. They all had well enough Stones from quests and what I gathered from the vampires earlier. You two on the other hand I¡¯ll need to go to the Auction House to figure out,¡± Drake exined looking at the earthen rooms slightly bored. ¡°You got an auction house, bro?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Yup was a reward for being so good-looking and amazing,¡± Drake smirked. Chelsea scoffed from the side. ¡°Got something to say?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing¡­¡± ¡°Your face is saying you disagree with some of the truths I just stated.¡± ¡°Okay you two let¡¯s calm it down,¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°She started it¡­¡± Drake booed. ¡°So, what exactly has been going on, you didn¡¯t really fill me in,¡± Bjorn asked ignoring Drake¡¯s grumbling, and a slightly miffed Chelsea. ¡°I¡¯ll spill if you do,¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°How¡¯d you two end up, whatever you are and what was that hinting you had about the owner of this city? I had a notification to take over as soon as I stepped into the city but not sure how that mechanic actually works.¡± Bjorn looked over at Mordred, Lucium, and a bored Glenn who was sitting down on the cold cement yawning. ¡°It¡¯s fine, they¡¯re part of the group now, and I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind a bit of story time,¡± Drake smiled. Bjorn shrugged scratching his beard as he recalled thest week or so. His journey from Canada, how thendscape had changed to no end, and the distance from there to here was several times what he expected. ¡°There was also running from every E-Rank monster on the way too. Some I couldn¡¯t ignore sadly and that''s why I ended up leveling up. I¡¯m not sure how close I am to 30 but honestly, bro¡­ I don¡¯t want to tempt fate if ya know what I mean,¡± Bjorn chuckled. ¡°Then Chelsea also knows about everything?¡± Drake asked scratching the back of his hood. ¡°More or less. We met about halfway, right about the time I found Tom and Sherry. Tom had Sherry dragging him around earlier than when I met them though, she¡¯s been dying to eat the food you promised so I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t just bugged you the entire time.¡± ¡°How about that? I knew they were kind of close but to meet up like that is interesting,¡± Drake mused, ¡°So how much do you know about what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Only as much as we knew in the tutorial and from what we can guess with the notifications. More than surprised to find you aren¡¯t the weirdest one in your family though,¡± Bjorn said. ¡°Yeah well,¡± Drake sighed, giving a wry smile, ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a sore spot but¡­¡± Drake then retold his daring tale of how he had saved children and helpless elderly alike in the city, bringing them to salvation after bettering the best warrior of the Rahk. How he had found a mad Doctor who had been in the same tutorial as his brother and began cultivating his own city. Of course, adding in the smaller things, leveling up, bing thest of his race, killing a Cardinal Beast, starting a war against the undead, and nurturing little monsters to fight said war. The smaller details. ¡°And these kids just signed up?¡± Bjorn frowned. ¡°Mostly yeah. Each one has their own reasons but they aren¡¯t kids anymore and I don¡¯t treat them as such. You should see how some of them fight,¡± Drake smiled proudly, ¡°Give them some time and experience to hit level 20 and I guarantee they wipe the floor with anyone of the same level or higher.¡± Mordred¡¯s ears perked up but she continued to listen contently as Bjorn went back and forth. ¡°But I¡¯ll have to do something about this apparent ve town and¡­ my brother,¡± Drake grimaced, ¡°From what I¡¯m told he¡¯s turned into a maniac or at least more than he was before. But the thing is I keep getting this nagging feeling that I don''t remember why.¡± ¡°It was years ago. That¡¯s what I¡¯d guess,¡± Bjorn said crossing his arms, ¡°And what about everything else? How are you going to deal with this Voting Summit thing?¡± ¡°Not sure. Natto assumes there won¡¯t be a definitive decision for now, which I¡¯m guessing will be true. There¡¯s over a hundred towns participating so it would make sense that everyone votes for themselves or has at best a handful of votes. So I¡¯m guessing it''ll be a tie at best or everyone votes for the biggest stick there, which is even better.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the big stick?¡± Chelsea scoffed. ¡°Kind of you to say,¡± Drakeughed. Chelsea rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay, what about the Monster Wave then, any info on that from the little missus?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Nothing she can really say. It¡¯s a system event and every new gets something like it. She¡¯ll be able to say more once it starts but honestly, I¡¯m more interested in upgrading the,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Hard to find experience?¡± Bjorn assumed. ¡°Yeah, E-Rank¡¯s aren¡¯t rare but aren¡¯tmon either, and with the increased threshold of my experience, it¡¯s been a long time since Ist leveled up. Almost two weeks now,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°The problem is¡­¡± ¡°If you upgrade the, what is everyone else going to do?¡± Bjorn finished. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Are you two married or something?¡± Chelsea pouted, ¡°Finishing each other¡¯s thoughts and sentences¡­¡± ¡°Jealous?¡± Drake smirked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± she growled. ¡°Either way there¡¯s a lot on my te so you can¡¯t imagine how happy you¡¯re here man,¡± Drake said honestly, ¡°I have a great gig for you when we get back too.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Bjorn smiled interested. ¡°Yeah, I have school-¡± Drake was beginning to exin when a burst of mana came from the rooms and several loud reverberating ¡®pops¡¯ began cracking inside them. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re all done,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Oh this should be good,¡± Bjornughed as well. ¡°You two are horrible,¡± Chelsea sighed. ¡°What? Everyone went through it,¡± Drake grinned. Snapping his fingers the walls came down around the group of teens and the immediate rancid disgusting smell of the expelling process from the Rank Up wafted through the air. The ground around every teen grotesquely painted an iridescent ck. ¡°As expected, all of them. Well all of them but Landin didn¡¯t listen to me,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°That smell isn¡¯t going toe out,¡± Bjorn said holding his nose. ¡°Dauber! What in the world is that stench!¡± Mordred scowled. ¡°That is advancing guck. It¡¯s what happens when you rank up, count yourself lucky you know about it now so I can¡¯t prank you with it like them,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Oi, get up sleepy heads!¡± he shouted spraying each of them down with massive amounts of warm water. The teens all gasped and shot up straight as they were soaked, steam rising in the cold winter air. And once they came to their senses each one groaned and reeled as they smelled themselves. ¡°Dear lord, what is this smell?¡± Landin coughed, his voice deeper than before. ¡°Ugh, thank god I packed shampoo,¡± Charlotte sighed somewhat emotionless despite her situation. ¡°Ah!! Thank you, Lord Drake¡­ To be bathed in his water magic as soon as we have awoken¡­¡± Atropos beamed, smiling widely. ¡°What is this foul shit!¡± growled Kalik. ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t like this sticky stuff!¡± Quetz cooed her voice a higher and clearer tone. ¡°Wow,¡± Drake said blinking his eyes at the teens, and throwing a towel at the naked Landin, since Chelsea and Mordred were blushing, ¡°Looks like everyone decided to change rather drastically¡­¡± Starting from the left to the right, the teens had undergone a dramatic change. Charlotte had grown several inches. Her hair had grown out past her waist and turned from the messy auburn to a more ignited and passionate red. But the most striking part was here humming lightning yellow yes the color of a topaz. Her skin had cleared up and be a soft cream color, but her face had lost a lot of its expressiveness. Kalik had also grown, his skin taking on a lighter tone of green, and his braided hair had shortened into a buzzcut with a remaining line of hair, like a movie-style gangster clinging to his face. His muscles had increased several times in both girth and definition as well making him look even more like a hoodlum than before and his eyes had turned a darkened smoldering red. Quetz had turned more feminine as well like Charlotte, her feathers growing out on her legs, arms, and head. The colors were a more vibrant shade as they cycled through a spectrum, but now always settling on a light verdant green. Her violet eyes gleaned with even more yfulness than before. Landin had turned into what looked like a man¡¯s man. His body was defined and taller as if he had aged 10 years. His hair had turned to a sharp silver the scar on his left eye still visible and he had a sort of confidence he didn¡¯t seem to have before. Atropos also seemed to age like the others but only enough to be called a young adult. The charming cuteness she had was now reced with adylike appearance that reminded Drake of Taliya from the Spirit Fox, which for all purposes made a shiver run down his spine. Her long hair had be more elegant, bing a pure white, also having two red entuating freckles now below each of her eyes. And finally, she had somehow added three more tails that swayed enthusiastically while she smiled like a predator at Drake. Clotho thest of the bunch, had also grown several inches, his hair remaining the same color and length. But his face had turned more androgynous, while he had also added another tail, and if Drake hadn¡¯t known he was a boy, he could have easily passed as a female. The only other thing that gave him away was his incredibly clear and deep voice that growled as he saw Drake. Drake raised a brow seeing Clotho. And in a sh, the boy moved forward aiming right for him. ¡°Oh? Looks like we got one that got a little crazy with power,¡± Drake sighed. Clotho was several times faster than before, his new subtrees doing wonders for him or possibly even skills. But he wasn¡¯t in his right mind and didn¡¯t even draw his threads, instead using his ws to scrape across the ground and barrel toward Drake like an animal. And just before he made it to Drake, somethings or someones dropped from above crashing his face into the cement. ¡°Bad dog.¡± ¡°Cease this, dear brother.¡± Both Atropos and Charlotte had moved instantly to stop Clotho, using their heels to drop him down into the snow, knocking him out instantly. Drake scoffed, ¡°Fast aren¡¯t we?¡± he smiled, then frowned, ¡°Ugh you both stink!¡± he grimaced waving them away. Charlotte¡¯s face may not have frowned but her eyes disyed some disappointment. Atropos on the other hand shivered and gave a yful frown. ¡°Lord Drake.. Why are you so mean! Did I not just help stop my brother?¡± ¡°We¡­¡± Charlotte corrected, crossing her arms. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± Atropos growled, doing a 180. ¡°We, protected him. And stopped your brother. Get it right you crazy love-struck puppy.¡± ¡°OKAYYYYY!!¡± Drake yelled spraying them both with water, ¡°I think we¡¯re all strung out from the rank up still, let¡¯s just clean up and-¡± But Drake was stopped as he gurgled out a mouthful of blood, the bloody outline of a dagger sticking out of his side. ¡°Lord Drake!¡± ¡°Drake!¡± Several shouts went out, but Drake hadn¡¯t died instantly from the blow. He quickly threw the two girls forward, lightly kicking Clotho in the same motion, and spinning around as the dagger was wrenched from his chest a trail of blood spurting out into the white snow. [You have resisted Undead¡¯s Coffin Poison] [You have resisted Umbral Disarm] [You have resisted Instant Death Strike] [You have resisted Assassin¡¯s Kidney Blow] The air in front of him shimmered and the most disgusting thing he had ever seen shed in his vision for only a moment. [Stiched Umbral Amalgamation Level 37] The brief reveal of the monster had shown a monster with several eyes, hands, and mouths, with dark stitching across every added appendage in some sort of worse-than-Frankenstein horror. Drake ced his hand on the wound already feeling the wound closing thanks to his absurd regeneration as his hair red and cascaded to a deep aquamarine blue. Bjorn had already sprung into action his sword drawn and armor now in ce as he swung it down where the monster had been. Chelsea acted just as quickly as she jumped backward her weapon and armor appearing as shended on the house''s steps. Drake stood his ground, recounting the resist notifications and trying to parse if those type of skills would have a low cooldown. His mind raced as he saw them, never having fought something this strong or with this many skills. His body shivered. Shivered in tion. He wiped the blood running down his chin with his sleeve, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since someone has hurt me. And no one makes me bleed my own blood.¡± Chapter 250: Unwelcomed Guests 2 Chapter 250: Unweed Guests 2 Drake began chanting his defensive skills, his aura spreading out to try and find the assassin-like undead that had stabbed him. Unfortunately for him though, there was no inkling as to where it had gone. Bjorn¡¯s sword had missed the mark, only crushing the paved sidewalk below. Chelsea¡¯s eyes darted every which way as she kept her bow drawn and ready, the tip of her arrow humming green. ¡°Drake!¡± Landin shouted helping shoulder Clotho up. ¡°You and everyone else get inside the house, this is a level 37 monster. You can¡¯t help me. Bjorn!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°Keep them safe, and don¡¯t let anyone out.¡± A green sheen shed around Drake as his chantspleted yet there was still no sign of the undead. Had it left? Or was it waiting for something? Drake thought and suddenly the sound of a gunshot rang out. Normally Drake wouldn¡¯t even bat an eye at a regr bullet anymore, even in the tutorial with Sato¡¯s mana-infused bullets it was hardly a challenge, but this was different. Drake reeled his head backward as he nearly folded backward to the ground, the sound of shattering porcin sliding against the snow. He raised his head infuriated, another bead of red falling from the center of his lip where his mask had protected him. Drake growled, ¡°That was my favorite piece of equipment you sack of shit!¡± Begrudgingly Drake withdrew his Asuran Headwrap from his inventory to rece his broken mask, his hood flipped backward as he tied his long hair. [Asuran War Headwrap [Rare] [F-Grade][Set Piece 1/6]
  • 202 to 234 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 178 to 193 Magic Damage Reduction
  • 5% Increase to Critical Strikes
  • +20 to Dexterity, +10 to Endurance
  • Set Effects: Increases Health and Mana Regeneration by 20%. Increases Skill Proficiency Gain by 2%. Increases Defense Proficiency by 50% when surrounded by Enemies scaling from 10 to 100.
  • Requires a minimum of 2 Set pieces to activate Set Effect.
  • The armor of choice for warriors of the Asurans. Mana-infused threads and leather made from the fierce monsters of their homeworld Ran¡¯tu Kai, these garbs offer defense to rival Dwarven-made Mana Steel Equipment. +20% defense proficiency.
He cursed once more as he readied himself for another shot, hoping to pinpoint where the shooter was with the next bullet. A shot rang out again and Drake sidestepped into the street, his eyes straining to see the bullet as his hair turned a brilliant yellow, his arms ring with golden light. Screaming through the air was an elongated bullet with green mana trailing it and Drake¡¯s eyes tracked it back to a tree further down the main street. But he had celebrated too soon, a piercing sensation gnawing at his side where he had been stabbed before. Within the moment of impact from the de, Drake had whipped around grabbing the dagger with a sneer and pulling the monster in. ¡°Persistent aren¡¯t we?!¡± Drake snarled, raising a fist, ¡°Marked!¡± Bringing his fist down, Drake was sure he would be able to kill the monster as it seemed to be an assassin and wouldn¡¯t have much vitality considering how swift it was. But to his dismay the bullet he had dodged curved. In thest moment before it hit him, he reluctantly released the Amalgamation, raising his arms as they assimted with his Martial skill and his hastily conjured earth attunement and endowment. The bullet collided with his cross guard, spinning against his defenses, sparks flying every which way as he was thrown backward from the sheer force. [Reprevial Charge Gained] Drake grunted as he flipped backwards skidding against the street and digging his heels in to stop. ¡°What¡¯s going on, why are they so deep inside the city?¡± he wondered, ¡°What is this city lord doing!?¡± Then the door to his family home swung open nearly making Chelsea fall forward from the force, Sah Ul¡¯s head popping out with a steely gaze, the handle of her obsidian-colored axe poking out. ¡°Patriarch!¡± she shouted. ¡°Stay back! You can¡¯t deal with these monsters and if you join it wouldn¡¯t be a fair fight,¡± he yelled back, keeping his focus on the surroundings, listening for another shot. But what came wasn¡¯t the pping of another bullet, but the grumbling and rumbling of something stomping next to him, the ground quaking. ¡°What now¡­?¡± Crashing through the buildings of the side street a massive monster at least two stories busted through an apartment building across the street. [Stiched Brutal Amalgamation Level 38] ¡°Just one after another,¡± Drake smiled, despite his continually worsening situation. ¡°Drake!!¡± Bjorn yelled out, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with their stats! It keeps shifting, bro!¡± he shouted, his eyes a pure white. ¡°Shifting?¡± Drake asked, looking at the Brutal monster. The monster swiveled its head in a broken fashion, jerking as if it was struggling to move the parts that had been used to create it. Its multiple eyes moved like a chameleon¡¯s, looking every which way in search of something until one eye found Drake, and its four mouths changed into an upturned smile showing yellowed, white, and rotten ck teeth. Drake grimaced as he saw the disy. The Brutal was different than the Umbral Amalgamation, having several whole arms instead of just hands stitched together. And each one was a bulking mess like someone had just pped together arm after arm to increase the sheer amount of muscle on each of the four. The Brutal stomped forward carving divots into the ground from its apparent weight as it charged Drake. Drake raised a hand, a crimson magic circle forming in the blink of an eye. ¡°Maluwat¡­ re Arrow.¡± The circle sparked to life a massive white ming arrow appearing and condensed into a sizzling weapon of destruction. In that instant, Drake fired it unhesitantly at the charging monster. The arrow shot forward evaporating the snow below it and drying the air on its way to its target. But Drake¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the arrow sputter out the closer it got to the Brutal eventually blithering weakly against its skin leaving on a small ck singe. ¡°What? Magic Nullification? No¡­ reduction?¡± he gaped. But the Brutal wasn¡¯t waiting for Drake to figure it out as its massive purplish arm mmed against his face, and ran him across the ground, tearing up the asphalt and earth below. Drake grunted putting power into his Tattoos as he mmed his fist into the side of the massive arm holding him. The blow did nothing to make the Brutal flinch but Drake didn¡¯t give up, throwing another punch into the side of the monster as his hair turned a fiery red. [Reprevial Charge Gained] One more red spiraled golden-tinted fist into the side of the Amalgamation¡¯s arm and it simply went limp, releasing Drake. But not before another arm grabbed him by the chest picking him up and mming him into the ground taking the air out of his lungs. Drake had enough. He consumed a charge teleporting behind the monster. ¡°Heretical Attunement Fire, Heretical Attunement Lightning! Quad Fold Asura!¡± Two magic circles appeared instantly to either side of Drake sparking to life and manifesting two lightning javelins that attached at his shoulders, his hair shimmering and split between red and yellow. ¡°To the death!¡± Drake growled, eating the 48-hour cooldown to finish one of the three monsters quickly. He reared back his fist throwing it into the side of the Brutal¡¯s head. At the moment of contact, it flipped forward from the impact mming into the ground, and creating a massive crater in the middle of the street. Drakended on the back of the Brutal¡¯s massive body, ready toy into the monster, but its head turned and Drake paused unable to move as he heard what it said. ¡°D-daddy..?¡± Drake flinched, ¡°W-what did you say?¡± The Brutal¡¯s body shifted and spun around grabbing Drake by the throat and squeezing against him, but Drake was unperturbed now that he had used one of his longest skill cooldowns. ¡°I-it hu-rts. J.am¡­e. W-here a..m¡­I?¡± the Brutal muttered from one of its mouths. Drake looked back at the monster with cold eyes. ¡°I see¡­ There are still parts of the people they used in there, aren¡¯t there¡­¡± His blood boiled, the tion from the fight waning, overtaken by sheer anger. ¡°How far will they go?!¡± he roared, the Brutal throwing Drake down the street, kicking up snow, asphalt, dirt, and finally mming into a tree. [Reprevial Charge Gained] Drake looked upwards, spotting thest of the three, an elongated barrel of flesh pointing at him. [Stitched Ambush Amalgamation Level 35] Drake remained slumped against the tree. Staring down the barrel of thest monster. Instead of an arm, the monster had a flesh-made sniper barrel protruding from its shoulder, a huge fleshy sack at the end. On its face, it only had one massive eye, a small red ss-like reticle covering it. ¡°W-wee back p-papa¡­¡± the Amalgamation groaned in a child¡¯s voice. Drake bit his lip as the sound of air being sucked into the fleshy sack of the monster wooshed as it pulled around him. He stared down the barrel with cold eyes, a green magic circle forming in front of his face. The crack and snap of another bullet being fired rang out, this time being shot from point nk. Drake¡¯s magic circle crackled with power as a thunderous torrent sounded from the galing winds that formed from the spell. Ignoring the quickly depleting mana in his peripherals, Drake glowered at the bullet spinning at a frightening speed right in front of his face, only stopped by the green magic circle with a miniature twister of air and snow fighting against it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know who you people were before this, but I have to win. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t stop this before it happened¡­¡± The Ambush Amalgamation chittered its teeth together, its head snapping to a 45-degree angle as it eyed Drake curiously. ¡°H-ho-me.. I w-want to go h-h-ome¡­¡± Drake closed his eyes, ¡°Yeah. Just wait a little longer, I¡¯ll send you there. So you can all rest. I¡¯ll make these vampire pricks suffer.¡± The sound of the winds ripped through the air carrying his voice, the bullet beginning to stall against the spell only to reverse, spinning in the opposite direction stuck in the torrential winds that Drake had created. ¡°Leave the rest to me. No more sympathy, not until it''s done.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes opened, his aura and skills flexing, freezing the Amalgamation in ce as the bullet continued to spin picking up speed until the mana bullet began to glow red hot. ¡°No more holding back. Heretical Endowment Septenarius.¡± Drake¡¯s magic bloomed to life, six more magic circles forming and shattering in an instant next to him, his two lightning arms vanishing into his endowment as his hair shimmered to reflect his elements only to bleed together into a golden light. He pushed mana into his tattoos grabbing the end of the Amalgamation¡¯s barrel, holding it in ce his other hand pointed like a gun at the center of its chest, as the bullet tilted in the same direction. ¡°Tatsumaki.¡± The bullet gave a deafening boom, kicking up dust and snow in the surroundings as it flew forward tearing a hole sorge in the chest of the monster that it left it in two pieces. Its upper half spinning backwards as it bounced against the snow-covered ground hitting a small fence of a neighboring house. [You have defeated Stitched Ambush Amalgamation [E-Rank] Level 35] [Experience Earned] [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller level 28] [140 Free Points have been awarded] Drake threw himself upwards, turning his head in the direction of therge Brutal Amalgamation with eyes of indifference. The monster took a step backward, somehow the feeling of fear piercing its lifeless emotionless expression. But just as quickly as it shed on its stitched disfigured face it was wiped away as the grotesque smile of before was painted across its multiple mouths of discolored teeth. Drake took a low stance ready to sprint forward. When the Umbral Amalgamation shimmered into view next to the Brutal one, only long enough for the Brutal Amalgamation to grab it in one of its enormous hands throwing it forward as it shimmered back out of sight. But. ¡°That was a mistake. For the thrill of battle,¡¯ Drake said evenly his hand going palm up into the air, ¡°Attunement Fire,¡± a sh of red burned, swirling around him, burning off any crusted blood and the remainder of his torn hoodie in a ze of white revealing his armor, golden hair, and tattoos in all their majesty. ¡°Ame-no-Nuboko,¡± a magic circle of brown formed above his palm a jet-ck spear forming. In the fraction it took for it to fully manifest Drake gripped it hurling it forward as it snapped against the air. He stepped forward and tracked the Umbral with his marked skill his stats once again shooting upward with his skill as he flew forward in tandem with his spear. With a burst of wind, he came to an abrupt halt with a downward swing of his fist into the air below him, finding purchase against the seemingly nothingness of the empty space. Only to hear the cracking and splitting of bones as the Umbral Amalgamation shimmered back into view. The monster immediately flew downward embedding itself into the asphalt. Drake in the same motion spun several times grabbing the flung spear trailing behind him with a snap then throwing the spear downward with somber execution, another snap and crack of the air. The sound of the spear digging into the earth through the monster echoed through the street, Drake hovering with his magic above the crater it had created. ¡°Still alive?¡± Drake raised his hand a massive white magic circle spreading out above him. The magic circle split turning into 40 separate circles each one a spear of ice forming as the sound of shattering ss chimed from them. ¡°Ice Block, Partizan.¡± Drake threw his hand down the spears flying down in a cacophony of the smashing ice, breaking of earth, and wrenching of dead flesh as they burred one after another down the crater, kicking up a cloud of fragmented ice. [You have subjugated Stitched Umbral Amalgamation [E-Rank] Level 37] [Experience earned] He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the kill notification, the sound of the hulking Brutal Amalgamation storming forward at him. Drake looked at his Status, his reserves low from thest spell sitting at 20% Health, 10% Mana, and 15% Stamina, but thanks to his regeneration it was quickly ticking upwards. He popped one of his few remaining health potions into his hand, uncorking it and downing the vial bringing his health back to an even 50% showing just howrge his health pool was nowpared to before. Using hisst reprevial charge he shed forward appearing right in front of the Brutal, throwing a white ming empowered fist right into the huge monster''s gut, bringing it a few inches above the ground. The Brutal only grunted out of necessity, the air that filled its lungs leaving its body, but its working three arms all convened right onto Drake grabbing at him wherever they could. Drake was unperturbed, throwing another punch into the sr plexes of the monster before its feet were able to reach the ground, throwing it even further above the street. And then another and another, stringing together abination of blows bringing it hovering helplessly in the air as Drakeyed into it from below. The sound of each blow sent out a shockwave into the area clearing the street and houses of snow after Drake had dug into the pitiful monster for more than ten seconds of unrelenting strikes. Somehow the Brutal still held on, its body glowing in a red sheen from the use of a skill. Drake flexed his aura removing whatever was allowing it to remain functional. Once he did his blows began to show real damage as the arms of the Almagamation began to tear apart, unable to withstand the damage despite its sheer vindictiveness to hold onto Drake. The fight was over, the monster was flung into the air, and only one broken arm still attached. Its health clearly below 15% as Drake could see the crimson silhouette of his execution skill outline the monster. As the Amalgamation began to plummet to the earth Drake raised a single palm his arm glowing a deep blood red that wisped and flickered like sinister hellfire. The monster careened to the street and only a moment before impact Drake brought down his palm in a chop. ¡°Death. Is. Nigh. Asuran¡¯s Punishment!¡± His hand being brought down deafened the area, slicing through the monster and sending a hellfire red arc of power down the street cutting a divote that exposed the ground until it mmed into nearby buildings bisecting them as they slid from their foundations crashing to the ground. [You have subjugated Stitched Brutal Amalgamation [E-Rank] Level 38] [Experience Earned] Chapter 251: What a Town Chapter 251: What a Town Katalina leaned over her staff, taking a micro nap to get some rest, her mouth mumbling unconsciously. ¡°Why did I ever take this job¡­.Kat, what were you thinking?¡± A pop next to her startled her awake and Kat creaked her head to the sound, knowing full well who it was. ¡°Sleeping on the job are we?¡± Natto smiled. ¡°N-no, ma¡¯am!¡± Kat replied quickly, ¡°Just waiting on my mana to recover.¡± Natto crossed her arms, interweaving her sleeves as she looked up at the building the earth mage had finished. ¡°I can not believe I am saying this, but the moron would have done a better job¡­ Regardless, it is passable.¡± ¡°No shit¡­ he¡¯s twice my level and a monster¡­¡± she muttered softly, almost growling the words. ¡°What was that?¡± Natto asked, jumping to her shoulder. ¡°N-nothing, just tired from the workload¡­ N-not that I¡¯m not thankful for being able to work directly for you Miss Natto!¡± Kat corrected quickly, seeing the construct of the town owner frowning. ¡°Yes, well, I have been working you hard thest few days since the brute has left. Oh look at that, he must have found something interesting,¡± she mused, not borating as she tapped a few screens, ¡°In celebration of this glorious event, I shall bestow on you a day off Katalina.¡± Kat¡¯s eyes widened in joy only to have them dashed away with the drop of a sac into her open hand. ¡°These are the stones and cores as promised, I have also procured you Mana essories and some regenerative equipment as a bonus. Now for your day off you will apany me to the gate. Onward,¡± Natto said tly pointing to the south gate. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ I think we have different understandings of a day off¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense! Is there no better time spent not working than with the magnanimous me!?¡± Natto gasped in disbelief, ¡°After we saved you from those monsters chasing you, picked you up off the street! Gave you a home, a ce to work-¡± ¡°Okay! Okay¡­ I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going¡­¡± Kat sighed walking towards the gate. Katalina was the sole Earth Mage stupid- unlucky -enough to stumble across ReUnite. In the earlier days of the construction of the town, now bing a more flourishing city day by day. Kat was chased from a town, expecting monsters of the same skill and level as the ones in her tutorial. Unfortunately for her, that was not the case, not by a long shot. She had been chased to the town and saved by the lord of the town, Drake Wallen. A quirky, yet ever so tyrannical monster in human flesh. And with that, her fate was sealed. Natto, Drake¡¯s personal construct, took it upon herself to ckmail, or in her words recruit Kat into helping with the construction of the city. Every day Kat would expend her mana building foundations of houses, state buildings, roads, walls, poles, you name it, until sheer exhaustion overtook her. At first, it wasn¡¯t that bad, she had done it because she felt indebted, but soon found out the little 1-foot ball of pure sass was a ve driver. Never letting Kat enjoy the house she was given, forced to drink mana potion after mana potion. Her boots clinked against the hardened cobbled road as she walked her head slumped as she gave a drawn-out sigh. ¡°Oh Kat, working hard again?¡± ¡°Kat don¡¯t let the Guardian wear you down- Ow!¡± ¡°Oh, Miss Katalina! Thank you for fixing our wall earlier, please take some fresh cooked skewers you looked famished.¡± Kat bowed slightly thanking and greeting everyone that stopped her, giving a bit more pep in her step. ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t all bad,¡± she smiled handing an obligatory skewer to Natto as she bit into her own. ¡°Yes, you have contributed nicely to the city. I¡¯m sure once the most important parts are constructed you will enjoy your new post,¡± Natto said through bits of meat. ¡°New post?¡± Kat asked making a turn at an intersection. ¡°Yes, one of the more useful party members of the moron has arrived recently and is in need of instructors. I told him you would help.¡± Kat frowned deeply. ¡°Do not be such a child. It is fewer hours than now and I will make sure topensate you ordingly,¡± Natto snickered, giving Kat a child-like pat on the head, ¡°Now we are almost there, be ready this might be fun if you let it!¡± Kat frowned even deeper, hunching her shoulders. Anything you call fun is going to get me killed¡­. ¡ª-------------------------------- ¡°Megan, you can¡¯t keep acting like this,¡± Julia said, grabbing her shoulder, and trying to console her. ¡°Why not?! He has a wife Jules! A wife! I thought he was just dating ire, but now he¡¯s married to the head of this Orc n?! Why, why am I not good enough! I worked hard getting here!¡± Megan groaned, her eyes tearing up. Julia rubbed her back pulling her into a hug as they walked down the street, ¡°I know, but that¡¯s just how it goes sometimes, sweetie. You don¡¯t have to be so hung up-¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it Jules! I am hung up on him. He¡¯s all I can think about after the tutorial¡­ I¡¯m not sleeping, I¡¯m not eating¡­ I need him to know I exist! To look at me,¡± she sighed choking back a sob. ¡°Megs¡­¡± Jules said with a sad look, ¡°This isn¡¯t healthy or normal. You have to find something, someone else.¡± ¡°What about you? I¡¯ve seen how you looked at him since he saved us. You won¡¯t say it, but I can tell, you like him too!¡± Julia¡¯s face turned a bit scarlet but she smiled, ¡°Yeah and I¡¯m fine with just seeing him. I know he won¡¯t look at me the same way he did ire. I¡¯m not even sure why he chose her over anyone else, but that¡¯s just how it is. Come on Megs, let¡¯s go get some food.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want food Julia,¡± Megan said, her shoulders quivering, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want¡­ I-i¡¯m going back home¡­¡± Julia pulled on her friend¡¯s arm, ¡°Oh no you¡¯re not!¡± she suddenly yelled, ¡°You have been moping around for days now. Days!¡± she huffed. Megan grumbled, pouting as Julia dragged her along to a small stall on the main street selling skewers. She stood slightly straighter when she saw a familiar construct on the shoulder of a woman she didn¡¯t recognize walking toward the south gate. ¡°Jules, it¡¯s Natto. Where do you think they''re going?¡± Julia turned a meat skewer already in her mouth as she handed over some mana coins to the vendor, ¡°I don¡¯t know. She runs the ce, doesn¡¯t she? Probably seeing to something at the gate again.¡± ¡°We should go help or at least see what¡¯s gong on!¡± Megan said suddenly perking up. ¡°You do know Natto is scarier than that E-Rank monster we almost died to right?¡± ¡°Hush, let''s get going, maybe helping out will make Drake feel different about us!¡± Julia sighed and this time was pulled by the arm by Megan as they ¡®secretly¡¯ rushed after Natto and the woman. ¡ª----------------------------------------------- ¡°Sir, we areing up on our destination now.¡± Hudson stretched in the back of the humvee, giving a long dramatic yawn. ¡°About damn time. We¡¯ve been on the road for nearly a week!¡± ¡°Apologies, but some of the personnel with us are mages and wouldn¡¯t be able to travel the distance required, sir.¡± Hudson gave the man a wave, ¡°No need for that Corporal, stop the caravan here, we¡¯ll travel the rest on foot. We haven¡¯t had a lick of monsters attacking us in thest couple of hours so I¡¯m assuming we¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t want to strut up to a city in full outfit after all.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± the soldiers answered in unison slowing the vehicle. The several other humvees that were trailing behind quickly slowed to a stop as well, sets of 5 exiting the doors of the trucks and a few more stepping out from the back ofrger ones. ¡°Alright this everyone?¡± Hudson asked a metallic magic circle forming next to him, his good ol¡¯ big ¡®un sprouting out of the ground. ¡°All ounted for, sir!¡± the CO answered saluting. ¡°None that you hear me ya idjit. That monster of a man hates that stuff for one¡­ Alright ground rules!¡± Hudson said shouting, ¡°No one addresses me as sir, I¡¯m just a man here to talk to a friend. Second! You are under no circumstances to provoke Drake Wallen. Third! We do not know the situation of his city and theck of monsters around the outskirts might mean they have cleared them out, making them stronger than we assumed. Or they are currently under siege, in either situation keep your eyes up, ears damn well perked, and asses tight!¡± ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡± thepany barked. ¡°Corporal you''re in front. I¡¯ll be on your six. Now let¡¯s move!¡± Thepany began moving toward their destination, using their scouting sses to map out the area for thest legs of their travel as well as monsters. After a few minutes, the entirepany let out muted gasps, Hudson just smiling. ¡°Well looks like he didn¡¯t waste any time making it big¡­¡± In front of them a few feet away from the outstretch of trees were enormous ck walls several stories tall. On top of them green-skinned men and women patrolling the area, ever so often a human with a bow scanning the area. The man at one of the corners of the wall spotted them, pulling back an arrow, the rest of the patrols pulling weapons out as well ring down. Hudson stepped out putting his hands up, nudging his corporal in the side to do the same. ¡°My name¡¯s Hudson Lawrance, I know the owner of this city. We¡¯re just looking toe inside and say hi.¡± The man ckened his bow pointing down the wall. Hudson and his soldiers all looked in the direction seeing the outline of what looked like a huge gate breaking up the wall, a small line of people formed next to it. He gave a wave and motioned for his soldiers to move. The patrol on the wall, eyed them as they went one of the residents following them as they made their way from on top of the structure. Small chattering began to break out between the soldiers and the scouts that rejoined the formation as they approached the gate. A massive arch marked the entrance, huge stone checkered spikes at the top where the gate¡¯s door had been lifted. At the opening a man with green skin and tribal wear waved people in with a smile, sometimes shaking hands and nodding to those who passed by pping them on the back. ¡°Looks like a monster¡­¡± the man next to Hudson said, ¡°Just like on the wall. Do we know this guy doesn¡¯t tame monsters?¡± he asked. ¡°Not that I know of, but get your head out yer ass, inspect the man, he has a name,¡± Hudson reprimanded. [Rvul Rahk Level 17] ¡°And he''s already level 17. So would it really matter?¡± Hudson added stepping into line. ¡°No..¡± the man whispered, ¡°But sir, isn¡¯t this a bit of a problem?¡± Hudson raised a brow, crossing his arms, his Robot on the other side doing the same and keeping pace. ¡°I just mean if the reports are correct, this man could be the strongest on the right now. And he has multiple people reportedly over level 15? Just looking at the people on the walls they were all around level 16!¡± ¡°Then we better make a good impression, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I believe we are certainly passed that,¡± a familiar voice said. From the gate, a woman Hudson didn¡¯t know walked out, on her shoulder a small girl he had seen many times in the tutorial. All around here, the green-skinned men and women bowed their heads slightly, even some in the line in front of Hudson doing the same. ¡°If it ain¡¯t Miss Natto? Came out just for little old me? Where¡¯s the pup?¡± Hudson said, putting his ent back on and smiling. Natto scoffed from the woman''s shoulder pointing to the man next to Hudson, ¡°Enough of your facade, Drake is not here and I am here for him, not you.¡± Hudson looked over to his corporal confused, ¡°Him?¡± ¡°Yes. Now be a good boy and exin why you are here worm. And the rest of your rabble will only feel a sliver of the pain I will inflict on you,¡± Natto sneered. ¡°S-sir! I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about!¡± ¡°Calm down, she won¡¯t do anything rash, just exin,¡± Hudson tried to say to calm them down, hispany also beginning to stir, pointing the ends of guns, swords, and bows in Natto¡¯s direction. ¡°I see. Pity,¡± Natto sighed, ¡°Kataline, step away.¡± The girl Natto sat on quickly beelined for Rvul her face paling. ¡°D-do you know what you¡¯re doing little girl!?¡± the man said shakily. ¡°Oh, but I do. You seem to already know who I am, most men your age would not even bat an eye at someone like me at this point. And since you are unwilling to answer my questions, I am sure your body will suffice to tell me what I need to know.¡± The man screamed pulling his sidearm from his thigh and firing off a round, the sound of multiple rounds alsoing from thepany behind him, joining the cacophony. ¡°What are you fucking idiots doing!?¡± Hudson shouted in horror. ¡°It is fine Mr. Lawrence,¡± Natto said from her position a hand raised and a pink wall of fire extinguishing everything that attempted to reach her. Hudson looked at her glowing pink eyes, his body suddenly filled with dread. ¡°We are no longer in the tutorial, my restrictions while still there for information, are mostly lifted forbat. And you are in my domain now,¡± she smiled. Disappearing in a sh, Hudson¡¯s head snapped to a scream next to him. Natto had somehow teleported or moved so quickly that she had appeared sitting on the corporal¡¯s shoulder leisurely. ¡°While I hate to say it, I am the imbecile¡¯s assistant. You riff-raff continue to attempt to infiltrate this city but you will continue to fail while I am here. Anyone,¡± Natto said starring at Hudson, ¡°Who wishes to bring harm to him or this city is doomed to fail.¡± Natto smiled again, the corporal looking at her, sweat beading down his neck and face as he shook subtly. She casually moved the back of her palm to his face and as she touched it, his head exploded, cut off cleanly from the neck up. Natto flipped backward off the limping body, disappearing again as screams began to sound from thepany behind Hudson. Pink fire, men¡¯s shrieks of pain, severed limbs, and spurts of blood continued to be seen from Hudson¡¯s position as he began to sweat, unsure of what was happening. ¡°When did she get this strong¡­?¡± he muttered and turned around toward the gate hoping someone from the city would stop her. But all he found were people going about their business, averting their eyes from the scene. Soon the ruckus behind him died down, Hudson¡¯s head turning back to see his men parting like the red sea as a small 1-foot girl in a Japanese-style dress walked out between them. Her hands, tail, and clothes, every inch soaked in blood. ¡°W-what did you do¡­?¡± Hudson stammered. ¡°It seems you are poorly informed. I have dispatched and looted the vampires that were within your ranks,¡± Natto yawned, flicking the blood off her fingers in disgust. ¡°Vampires? Like from the tutorial?¡± Natto¡¯s face turned into a mirthful sneer, ¡°Duh,¡± she scoffed, snapping her fingers as pink fire enveloped her, burning off every speck of blood on her person. ¡°Feel free to stay inside and wait until the ape returns. Rvul, they are clear to enter and pass the line, I have swept them personally,¡± Natto waved casually, snapping her fingers again and pointing to the ground, the woman from before, Kataline running over as Natto hopped on her shoulder. ¡°As you wish,¡± Rvul said bowing. ¡°Oh and Mr. Lawrence,¡± Natto said, smiling back over her shoulder, ¡°It seems that the world has taken both this city and my barking idiot lightly. I suggest you change that.¡± Chapter 252: Planning a Quick Return Chapter 252: nning a Quick Return Drake¡¯s arm fell to his side with the strike, his body crumbling to one knee as he gasped,pletely spent. He looked at the monster lying on the street in two massive pieces with a troubled almost sorrowful expression. Swinging his legs from under himself he sat forward heaving a breath as his hair returned from its golden hue to his natural ck then to a serene blue. He heard the hurried footsteps of people behind him but he just continued to calm his breathing looking over his status while he contemted what to do next after the realization of what had just happened. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 28 [Vitality] 809 (20+ 215%) [Strength] 935 (100 +15%) [Dexterity] 765 (95 + 25%) [Intelligence] 1237 (95+20%) [Wisdom] 861 (30 + 220%) [Endurance] 656 (95 + 230%) [Free Points] 140 [Titles] ¡­ Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, One of Four, yer of the West, Fledgling Ruler, Baron, Catalyst of the Capital, One of Four While still racking his mind on where to go, he would be remiss not to appreciate how much his stats had jumped with just one level and with the added benefit, if it could be called that, of being thest of his race bringing in an extra 100 free points to use. Drake quickly ced his points into Strength and Dexterity, 100 and 40 into each respectively, rounding his Strength to 1035, and Dexterity to 805. Not wanting to wait to increase his strength. Despite winning thest fight, it had drained himpletely of his skill cooldowns and without help from using a potion mid-fight, he would have been in serious trouble. ¡°What were those things?¡± Charlotte asked, walking up to the severed body. ¡°Patriarch, are you alright?¡± Sah Ul asked, kneeling down next to him. ¡°Always a spectacle with you isn¡¯t it bro?¡± Bjorn said, his words yful, but his face anything but. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Drake said both stiff and short, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly proud of that fight, it was sloppy to say the least¡­ You said their stats kept changing do you know why Bjorn?¡± he asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say, I¡¯ve never seen anything like these before,¡± Bjorn answered walking up to the body next to Charlotte. ¡°They¡¯re pieces of people¡­¡± Drake said hesitantly, ¡°That¡¯s why. I¡¯m not sure what is going on but I think these are some kind of monsters made by the vampires, specifically to fight me.¡± ¡°You?¡± Landin asked, slipping on a t-shirt as he walked up behind Drake. ¡°They only went for me. They could have easily went for the house filled with people and children, but instead only targeted me,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°But who would want to attack you, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked. ¡°Anyone with the desire to take over the world? Or just has a personal grudge maybe?¡± Bjorn spected out loud, ¡°Drake, this thing doesn¡¯t have a core. I think you may be right about it being made from people¡­¡± ¡°Lucium, can you tell us anything about this?¡± Drake asked, gathering himself as he stood. ¡°I apologize sir, but I have no knowledge of such monsters. My best guess is that they are some form of ritual magic of the undead,¡± Lucium answered, rolling Mordred closer. Drake frowned deeply looking at the body. Sah Ul¡¯ stood close, her ax drawn. The others also subtly formed around Drake, unsure if he was battle-ready after the fight. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Drake reassured, walking up to the monster himself, ¡°No skill stone, no core¡­ No spatial bags either. Bjorn, you said something about the town leader not being the best¡­¡± Bjorn frowned, ¡°I said he waszy, yeah, but bro. I don¡¯t think he would do this¡­¡± he said warily. Drake took a deep breath and looked at Bjorn, ¡°He allowed monsters of this level to just storm into his city and fight me in front of my childhood home. Even if he isn¡¯t responsible for this depraved ritual or whatever you can call such a disgusting practice. He better pony up some goddamn answers.¡± Bjorn gave a solemn nod,¡± I can agree with that. I¡¯lle with you, I know where he is.¡± Drake¡¯s expression softened a little, ¡°Thanks,¡± he then turned to Charlotte, ¡°Get everyone cleaned up and ready to go within the hour. We don¡¯t know if there are more of theseing or not. When we return we make for ReUnite. These problems¡­ I can¡¯t ignore them any longer.¡± Charlotte turned and nodded, making for the house. ¡°Lord Drake¡­¡± Atropos said, pointing to the body of the Ambush Amalgamation strewn against the fence, or at least what remained of the upper half, ¡°I know the face of this monster¡­¡± Atropos covered her mouth but refused to look away as Drake made his way to her. ¡°This is a girl from the city that was enved with us¡­ She was also a beastkin, I believe her name was Hera¡­¡± Drake grimaced, unable to hide his frustration. Had he waited too long to deal with these problems? Was Sandal connected to the undead and vampires? ¡°I see,¡± was all that Drake answered with, three circles of crimson sparking to life and setting ame the corpses, turning them into piles of grey ash. That settles it. Sandal is the first clue. After that, we have to find where these vampires are located. Drake thought. I need to go back and talk to Natto. This entire group needs to be outfitted correctly, filled out, and ready to fight. If they can send these kinds of things after me, it worries me what might be aimed at the city. Turning back to Bjorn, Sah Ul¡¯ hot on his tail not allowing him to go even a few inches in any direction without her. He gave him a nod. As the three left, the screaming of his mother opening the door and seeing the aftermath sent a shiver down Drake¡¯s spine that even the fearsome monsters he had just faced couldn¡¯t wishpare to. ¡ª------------ ¡°So what¡¯s up with this city leader?¡± Drake asked, slowing down to a casual run now that they were away from the Filipino reincarnate of punishment and anger itself. ¡°About as much as you do bro,¡± Bjorn shrugged pointing down the street, ¡°His house is there, he used to be a politician or something, but from what the other people in the city say. He¡¯s a prettyzy dude.¡± ¡°Hard working enough to get an anchoring crystal butzy enough to let three undead E-Ranks into his city?¡± Dake scoffed incredulously, ¡°Not sure if I buy that.¡± Bjorn frowned, ¡°You think he¡¯s working with the undead?¡± Drake shrugged yfully but his eyes were cold, ¡°Maybe, but we¡¯re going to find out.¡± Nothing out of the ordinary happened leading up to the house. Sah Ul¡¯, Bjorn and Drake arrived a few seconds after Bjorn had pointed it out. Drake spread out his aura, making sure to cover the whole building in case the man tried to flee and knocked on the door. ¡°Yes! Who is it¡­?¡± a childish voice asked from behind the door. Drake raised a brow. A kid..? Drake thought. But after a few moments, another voice answered the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± This time it was a much older man asking. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about your car¡¯s extended warranty,¡± Drake smiled, but forced a cough when nudged by Bjorn, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m here to speak to the city lord.¡± Some hushed murmurs behind the door and sounds of scramblingter, ¡°He is not at home! Please leave!¡± ¡°Guess we¡¯re doing this the hard way,¡± Drake said, opening up a system window. [Would you like to contest for Authority of Yundertown?] [Yes] [No] [Confirm?] Drake mentally ascended to the action and another prompt rang in his ears. [Drake Wallen has challenged for control over town: Yundertown] [You have begun contesting for the Anchoring Crystal of Yundertown] [New City Quest! Bringing Down the House]
  • Assert authority for contested town in one of three ways.
  • Kill the city lord.
  • Destroy and rece the current Anchoring Crystal
  • Subjugate 90% of the current popce.
  • Reward: Control over Yundertown and current sphere of influence.
  • Additional Reward: 200 Nobility Points.
His eyes widened slightly at that. That exins how Atticus is gaining so many points, he¡¯s just conquering towns left and right. Drake realized. The group heard shuffling and stumbling behind the door after Drake had dered war essentially on the town, but the door still didn¡¯t open. ¡°I hate to do this when there¡¯s a kid in the house but¡­¡± Drake grimaced, motioning for Bjorn and Sah Ul¡¯ to step back slightly. ¡°Back away from the door,¡± Drake shouted, cing his hand on the knob. With a swift and calm twist, Drake wrenched the handle free and quickly pulled the entire door from its hinges. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Bjorn said surprised. ¡°What?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh, just expected a ¡®here¡¯s Johnny¡¯ reference or something,¡± he shrugged, ¡°Honestly. I¡¯m kind of disappointed.¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°I can be serious when I need to¡­¡± Throwing the door aside they walked through the doorway, at the base of a staircase an older man shielding a younger boy and girl, a woman at the top of the stairs beckoning the children up. A twisted knot formed in Drake¡¯s stomach looking at the scene. Could he go through with what he came here to do? ¡°Go away!¡± one of the kids yelled. ¡°Nathan! You and your sister go to your mother!¡± the man shouted pushing the kids up the stairs. Drake held himself firm, trying his best not to hold up his hands in defeat or show his difort on his face. ¡°From the notification, I¡¯m guessing you know who I am?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Y-yes¡­ Please, leave my family. W-we can talk in my office.¡± Drake nodded, following the man without hesitation. The house was rathervish as they traveled through it to the man¡¯s office. Sprawling rooms with a tasteful modern design, far more spacious than Drake¡¯s family house. Someone certainly hasn¡¯t had to struggle¡­ Finally, across the house, they came to a ¡®small¡¯ study at the other end, enough to entertain all three of themfortably. ¡°N-now¡­ what is it y-you want?¡± the man said nervously. Drake didn¡¯t beat around the bush, ¡°Why did you allow for those undead to enter your city?¡± The man froze, ¡°I-i don¡¯t know what you are speaking of. There are no monsters within the city l-limits. We only allow domesticated traveling beasts.¡± Drake¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°You already know that I¡¯m also a city lord, no matter how zy¡¯ you are, allowing monsters of that level inside to wreak havoc isn¡¯t something that goes without notice.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled next to him, a small thread of aura leaking out. ¡°P-please! I don¡¯t know what you are talking about! I have a family. Please!¡± ¡°And you think we don¡¯t?¡± Drake said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t know anything!¡± the man shouted again, but his eyes darted to his desk, more specifically a drawer. Drake moved to the desk, sliding it open. Inside he saw a crystal, one that looked exactly like themunication crystals he had received in the tutorial. He grabbed it, quickly crushing it in his grip. ¡°Now, enough of your stalling,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°I truly don¡¯t know what monsters you are talking about,¡± the man insisted, even with Drake moving closer to intimidate him, ¡°L-look! I told you where themunication crystal was! I-i had to do what they told me or they would have killed me and my family!¡± ¡°Who told you?¡± Bjorn asked from the side. ¡°I don¡¯t know her name. But a man came one day, he told me just to turn a blind eye to people going missing and to the peopleing and going. If I did that he would make sure my family was safe and I would stay the city lord. I-i¡¯m not the only one! A lot of cities in the area are doing this!¡± ¡°And you were just okay with that?¡± Drake asked bitterly. ¡°W-what should I have done?!¡± Drake growled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have sold out the people in your city! You should have protected them! You sit herefortably while other humans are what? Kidnapped? Taken and sold to the highest bidder?! Used for experiments and rituals?! Do you even know what is going on, what happened to those people, to children?! The same age as your own son and daughter. Do you even have an inkling as to what is being done to them?!¡± He had grown into a flurried string of insults, Drake¡¯s hand crushing the desk that had contained themunication crystal into a mess of splintered wood. The man shrieked and recoiled back, ¡°What do you think I could have done!? I¡¯m not even level 10! I¡¯m not strong, I did what I had to to survive!¡± Drake moved very close this time, his aura tight and reigned in but the air was still somewhat icy and frigid. ¡°You traded other families for your own. I get that. But this time it was my family that was put in the middle. And I¡¯m only going to tell you this once. If ites to mine or yours, or anyone god damn else''s. It¡¯s mine every time. So you better tell me something to keep from making your wife a widow and kids fatherless because my patience is wearing thin and I don¡¯t have any more room to be forgiving.¡± ¡°I-i¡­¡± ¡°Anything!¡± Drake shouted his hand arcing to the side, a st of wind tearing the side of the wall to pieces, ¡°Where did this womane from, the man?! Where did they take the people?!¡± ¡°Drake¡­¡± Bjorn said, grabbing his shoulder. But Sah Ul¡¯ grabbed Bjorn¡¯s arm, ¡°You may be the Patriarch¡¯s friend, but you do well to stay your hand. If this was a Rahk matter alone, I would have skinned this pitiful man alive for threatening my family.¡± Bjorn released Drake and put his hands up in understanding, going back to the doorway. Drake continued to stare at the man, his eyes hard. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know where they take them,¡± the man muttered, but quickly added, ¡°But I do know where they go before that! All the cities are linked to it as a staging hub, i-it¡¯s called Sandal!¡± Drake¡¯s eyes flicked colors, ¡°Again with that town,¡± he grimaced, turning to the door, ¡°Gather your family, you areing with us. You are going to go under a contract willingly.¡± ¡°Y-you are going to take my family hostage?!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m taking you hostage. They are just there so they don¡¯t have to suffer for your stupidity! You are going to relinquish any right to this city. Do you know how many people are living here?¡± ¡°A few hundred at best. Mostly adventurers whoe and go for quests, why?¡± ¡°Good, then I won''t have to gather up anyone, they¡¯ll be fine on their own. Once you give up the town, you have 15 minutes to be ready to leave.¡± The man nodded, albeit reluctantly a prompt hitting Drake¡¯s notifications a momentter. [You have gained control over town: Yundertown] [You have gained ess to Yundertown¡¯s Anchoring Crystal] [F-Rank] [Quest Complete! Bringing the House Down] [200 Nobility Points have been awarded] [You have now increased the towns under your control to two] [New title awarded: The Warpath] [The Warpath]
  • You have begun your journey of conquest.
  • +1% to Experience Gained by those within your domain.
Drake read over the notifications and new title but wasn¡¯t pleased with it as much as he would have liked. With a sigh, he directed the man to leave the room first and made for the door himself with Bjorn and Sah Ul¡¯. ¡°You should have killed him,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ sneered looking at the back of the man. ¡°He has kids,¡± Drake said. ¡°So do you Patriarch,¡± she replied. His shoulders tensed. She was right. It was bing more and more apparent that what he said earlier was more aw of thend than his own moralpass. If you don¡¯t protect what was yours, sooner orter it belonged to someone else. Your life, family, town, anything and everything. It was a line in the sand he had to draw sooner rather thanter. Chapter 253: The Future Is Bright Chapter 253: The Future Is Bright Once the former lord of the town and his family were ready, Drake andpany met them at the door. Drake didn¡¯t have to watch them pack as he could keep track of the home through his aura just fine from the outside. ¡°Why do we have to leave with them?! They knocked down our door!¡± ¡°Yeah Daddy, I don¡¯t want to leave. It¡¯s cold out and you always told us to stay inside from now on!¡± Drake raised a brow, looking at Bjorn and Sah Ul¡¯ only to finally face the man with a troubled expression looking back. ¡°You never told them what was going on?¡± Drake asked in disbelief. ¡°N-no¡­ My wife knows of course about the monsters. We both survived our own tutorials thankfully. But the children have been in the dark since returning.¡± ¡°Dear. Why are you talking to this brute? We should be inside!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ gave a low growl at the woman showing two sharp tusks, forcing the woman to recoil back. Drake stifled augh as did Bjorn, but got back to it quickly. ¡°Well, are you going to exin it to them then? We are going to encounter monsters whether you like it or not on the way back. Do they at least know about magic?¡± ¡°Magic?!¡± the younger boy said, turning to his dad. ¡°I-i don¡¯t know¡­¡± the man said tentatively, ¡°Have you done this with your own children Mr. Wallen?¡± Drake was taken aback. ¡°I guess I have,¡± he said evenly. ¡°How did you ease them into it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. It maye as a surprise to you, but most kids now deal with monsters abruptly. The monster is either trying to kill them, they meet a high leveled person trying to kill them, or take them to sell them,¡± Drake said disgusted, pausing to look at the man, ¡°Or they witness me killing one of the two and process it themselves. The system seems to help them greatly in withstanding the sudden realization that the world has changed, but that¡¯s only for the older kids turning 16. How old are your troublemakers?¡± ¡°Troublemakers?! My children are angels!¡± the woman scoffed. ¡°Yeah, mini Lucifer¡¯s maybe based on their father¡­¡± Drake muttered. ¡°They are 13 and 12,¡± the man answered shushing his wife desperately. ¡°Little younger than Dillon then. As long as they don¡¯te directly in contact with a dangerous one, they should be fine until they are 16. They can enroll into the academy when we return, it will better prepare them for when they turn 16,¡± Drake exined, then knelt down to be eye level with the kids, turning to the dad for permission. The man nodded reluctantly. Drake raised a pointed finger, a small red magic circle sparking to life to produce a red me, that quickly changed to blue and then white. ¡°Magic,¡± he said curtly. The boy¡¯s eyes beamed in excitement, while the younger girl gasped clinging to her mother. ¡°You kids are in a new and wild world. Stay close to your parents and us and we will keep you safe,¡± he added, ¡°Now, let¡¯s get a move on we have a long way back, and I don¡¯t think it will be uneventful.¡± They began walking back for the kids to be able to keep up as their parents were still basic sses at level 5 respectfully. [Victoria Hogue Level 5] [Ronald Hogue Level 5] Drake frowned, unable toprehend how anyone could be so low-level after a tutorial, but a nudge from Bjorn fixed his mood. ¡°I kinda knew you¡¯d be soft on kids,¡± Bjorn smirked. ¡°What? You thought I¡¯d be some evil asshole that would kill someone leaving them fatherless and give them a reason to build a vindictive revengeful narrative against me because I like seeing kids witness the demise of their parents?¡± Drake said, exaggerating each point with his hands and face, ¡°Me?¡± Bjorn put his hand to his chin, ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± ¡°Bite me. Aren¡¯t you the corporate CEO guy that fires people for saying his feet smell? Ow! Sarah why did you bite me?!¡± ¡°Did you not say to bite you?¡± she said blushing, ¡°I simply wanted to follow your orders¡­¡± ¡°One, my feet don¡¯t smell, bro. Two, is she always like that?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°You mean earnest to a fault, while also being an airhead that can turn on a dime and kill you to protect her family and friends?¡± Drake exined. Bjorn nodded. Drake shrugged, ¡°Yeah, it works for her though, the gap moe is a weed change if you ask me.¡± ¡°Gape moe?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°I¡¯ll exin it when you¡¯re older,¡± Drake said. ¡°You should exin it now,¡± Bjornughed, then lowered his voice, ¡°And how you are going to deal with ire finding out? I thought you two were a thing?¡± Drake¡¯s shoulders slumped as they came up to the house, a group of people waiting on the steps for them. ¡°I know. We still are, it''splicated¡­¡± he said deting. ¡°Is it though?¡± Bjorn said giving him a side-eye. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean it¡¯s pretty simple, bro. We¡¯re in a new world with different rules and customs. Our exchange back there in the house reminded me of that. We are going to live for thousands of years right?¡± Bjorn said crossing his arms. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°So, do you love them both?¡± Bjorn asked leadingly. ¡°Of course. I mean there¡¯s nuance to it, but yeah¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. Obviously, you tell ire and keep everyone on the up and up, but I¡¯m not going to stand here and pretend to know how things are supposed to go.¡± Drake gave a wry grin, ¡°How do you always know how to derail any sort of emotional crisis I¡¯m going through with stuff like this?¡± Bjorn shrugged, ¡°Have to help somehow, kinda dead weight right now.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t dead weight. You can still beat people up and look really intimidating.¡± ¡°Right, while I pick flowers for my potions?¡± ¡°Exactly. No one messes with a 7-foot red-haired giant picking roses from bushes.¡± ¡°That does indeed sound like a formidable opponent. Where do we find such monsters, Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked intrigued once again in their conversation. Drake coughed, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about how it''s not ok to bite me in public yeah? I¡¯m not going to say no in priv-¡­ Actually, I¡¯m going to plead the 5th, No biting any parts that are mine even if I ask okay?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked confused at the rification but nodded slowly. ¡°Lord Drake!!¡± Atropos shouted running off the steps to meet them. She rushed to them with newfound speed after ranking up and obtaining her core skills, only toe to a halt her face scrunched and nose upturned next to Drake. A few sniffs in the airter, she frowned, her closed eyes zeroing in on his shoulder where there was a small red mark. ¡°I-is that a bite mark, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos stammered. ¡°This? Oh yeah, a misunderstanding- Whoa whoa whoa! What are you doing?!¡± Drake said holding back a widemouthed Atropos after being cut off. She had lunged instantly for the same spot Drake had been bitten lightly. ¡°I can not allow a love bite to pass! Even if she is your wife! To do such a thing in broad daylight and unt it!¡± Atropos cried, rubbing her face against his hand. ¡°Heel, Atropos. Heel!¡± Drake said frantically, ¡°I think the rank-up made you all a little more crazy than I thought!¡± heughed wryly. Landin cheered andughed from his seat on the steps, petting a small yet slightly bigger than Drake remembered blue-med wolf. ¡°I mean you had to have seen thising. You have how many women around you now?¡± Landin smirked. ¡°T-to do something so shameless in the daytime¡­¡± Charlotte said, her face and eyes devoid of emotion outside the slight flush of her cheeks. ¡°Stopughing and someone get her!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°Drake! When did I raise you to do things like that in public!¡± his mother shouted from the steps, walking down them with speed. His brother, Travis, not far behind an expectant grin on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong here!¡± Drake shouted, holding back a wave of people from biting, hitting him with a chan, and berating him with gigolo insults. ¡°Are we really going to follow this man, dear¡­?¡± Mrs. Hogue asked with extreme concern on her face. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡± her husband whispered, ¡°He may not seem like it but he¡¯s quite strong. I-i haven¡¯t been honest with you Vicky¡­ I¡¯ve made some dealings and if we don¡¯t go with him, I¡¯m afraid the kids will be in danger. He¡¯s assured me at least you and the kids will be safe if I agree to go with him.¡± Vicky gasped, but she didn¡¯t have time to ask questions or explode on her husband. The uproar around Drake hitting a crescendo. ¡°Okay!! Everyone take a step back and breathe!¡± Drake howled, ¡°We need to go and you can all ask and hit me all you want when we are back at ReUnite! Okay?!¡± Landin continued to cackle from his step, Charlotte frowning with her eyes and mute face, while Kalik had a more intense and eternal-looking anger boiling beneath his scowling expression. Clotho had still been slumped against the steps, clean, but still unconscious from earlier. And finally, Quetz gave a bored expression sitting next to Landin as she stared at Ifrit, whistling a tune that the pup¡¯s tail wagged to. ¡°First you six areing with me to the center. We¡¯re turning in quests and getting you some more equipment. Oh, scratch that, first you are going to get your aura skills hopefully. It¡¯s better now thanter,¡± Drake exined correcting himself mid thought. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell us that the rank-up process might have went overboard for some of us? And you want us to use rare and epic stones now to throw darts at getting a specific skill?¡± Landin asked. ¡°He¡¯s right Drake,¡± Charlotte nodded, opening a book, ¡°The introduction pamflet the construct gave us says it right here, ¡®Rare Skill Stones will increase skill toxicity leading to possible mental outbursts or significant changes in personality if used in continual subsumption without rest.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°That¡¯s true. But we don¡¯t have a choice. We will still spread out your use of stones, that¡¯s a given, but we need to obtain the core skills outside of your subtrees. And aura skills are the core of core skills. It goes beyond proficiency which is reflected in your statuses. It took me days to figure out my own aura when I got it but I can confidently say it is the most effective skill I¡¯ve obtained out of my whole set. And I have 30 skills.¡± ¡°Show off,¡± Kalik grunted. ¡°So it goes without saying,¡± Drake continued ignoring Kalik, ¡°That the sooner you obtain and master it the better, that isn¡¯t even mentioning that some skills will require you to use aura as a resource for skill activation. Everyone have their elemental stones?¡± ¡°I do not possess one,¡± Kalik said tersely. ¡°I also have not received such a gift from you, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos also said, ¡°My brother as well.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That is troublesome¡­ Kalik would benefit the most from a Water Skill Stone I¡¯d guess, leaning more in the stamina and mana regeneration¡­ Atropos and Clotho though I can see Fire, Wind, or Water. I don¡¯t have any on me at the moment¡­¡± That was when the elf girl his brother, Travis, seemed to be involved with stepped up. ¡°I have several stones,¡± she said, stepping forward through the crowd. Drake was surprised that she had spoken up and even offered the stones. Getting a better look at her, she had bob-cut blond hair, green emerald eyes, and a soft expression. ¡°Oh? Do you want something in return or are you offering?¡± Drake asked, giving his brother a nce as he did. ¡°I¡¯m offering. I don¡¯t need them. My skills are full and I have everything I need already,¡± she said, handing Drake several stones and moving back to Travis, wrapping her arms around his waist. Travis grinned, his expression going from mischievous to a helpless puppy dog. Drake scoffed, ¡°Works for me. But are you sure? You don¡¯t need equipment of any sort, essories?¡± ¡°You have jewelry?¡± Travis asked, perking up. ¡°Yeah, I should probably hand them out actually.¡± Drake handed out several sets of health, dexterity, and strength essories to his family. ¡°Don¡¯t try to use one of those as a wedding ring¡­¡± Drake said nervously looking at his little brother. ¡°Why in the world would I do that?¡± Travis scoffed. Remembering how ire had tried to slip on a ring he had given her right away he looked away, ¡°No reason.¡± ¡°Alright troublemakers,¡± Drake coughed, getting back on track, ¡°Thanks to Miss?¡± ¡°Vav, Nuuv Vav,¡± Nuuv answered. ¡°Thanks to Miss Nuuv, you have the stones you need, well, hopefully, if we can catch the right skills. It took me several stones before my Aura skill came up but hopefully, with some luck, we can get everyone¡¯s in one go.¡± Drake handed out the three he had received to Atropos, Landin, and Kalik Tu¡¯. ¡°Atropos, please wake up your brother, I think he¡¯s slept enough.¡± He looked empathetically at the slumped boy, hoping he wouldn¡¯t have any sort ofsting damage from the vicious blows from Charlotte and his sister. Drake gave a nce back at his youngest brother leaving the house, buttoned up to his face in a coat. ¡°Dillon, have you met everyone?¡± he asked. ¡°Not really, I was making tunes bro,¡± Dillon said shivering. Drake shook his head, snapping his fingers and summoning two magic circles, one of green and another of red. The wind he conjured circted around the small group of people creating a small dome of hot air with the fire heating it next to him. ¡°Better?¡± he asked. Dillon moved next to Drake, shedding someyers of coats as he hugged him, ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re like a personal mobile space heater¡­ Travis could learn a thing or two about ss selection.¡± ¡°I¡¯m useful too you little shit!!¡± Travis spat. ¡°I can use magic and this is what youpare me to? A space heater?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°You do know most people can¡¯t do this right?¡± Dillon gave a pleased hum, ¡°Yeah yeah¡­¡± he mumbled slumping against Drake starting to snore. Drake smirked, grabbing his brother and putting him on his back as their mother came over with a dotting defeated smile. ¡°He was up all night again¡­ Djos ko¡­¡± she cooed, stroking back his hair, ¡°Drake are you fine carrying him?¡± ¡°Yeah Mom, I got it. I might be a mage but I have over a thousand Strength, I¡¯ll do just fine,¡± he grinned, then turned back to the kids. Atropos looked envious, while Charlotte stared with an indifferent expression despite her eyes not moving from Dillon. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done now, shall we? Atropos you have a Darkness Skill Stone, I¡¯ve never seen one but it makes sense that you should use it. Again thank Miss Nuuv for that. Landin, you have a Light Skill Stone, I¡¯m hoping it will fit well with your ssing from a Cleric base. Kalik I¡¯ve given you a Fire one. I thought an earth, water, or wind would be better, but thinking on it more I think something a bit more explosive and wild would fit better. Quetz, and Charlotte, you both already have your specific ss elemental stones respectively and Clotho has an Earth Skill Stone. If my hunch is right, will be perfect for him.¡± The previously cked out teen, or better called young man, grunted finally waking up his drunken-like power trip long gone. ¡°Whenever you all are ready. Everyone else please step back just in case,¡± Drake directed, releasing some of his own aura, hoping tobat any of the teens should they get the skill. The group lined up, holding the respective stones as the rest of the group moved to behind Drake. Bjorn, Sah Ul¡¯, Chelsea and a few others who were higher level like his brother Travis also stood next to him. A momentter all of the teens gripped their stones tightly, the stones crumbling in their hands as each one began to ripple with pressure as the stone¡¯s power was consumed by them. The air around them began to ripple, multiple pressures battling for supremacy in the small area, but all were smothered by Drake¡¯s overwhelming Asuran Aura. However, some of the teen¡¯s new skills took on physical manifestations as some were brought to their knees. Charlotte stood as tall as she could, gritting her teeth as lightning crackled around her. Quetz dropped back floating just a small distance above the ground as she gasped for breath, the ground below her receiving small cuts. Landin had dropped to his knees, his whole body slightly illuminated in a white light, Ifrit next to him yipping as he heaved for air. Kalik struggled not far from him with the very air distorting with what looked like heat, the snow around him beginning to melt. Clotho and his sister, Atropos also seemed to have hit the jackpot as the ground around Clotho began to sizzle slightly, purple smoke rising from it. While Atropos had seemed to suck the life and light from the small area around her, a deep smile on her face. ¡°Just what do you feed these kids, bro?¡± Bjorn asked from his side, ¡°All six got auras that impressive?¡± Drake smiled, lifting his brother on his back a little higher, ¡°Little monsters aren¡¯t they?¡± Chapter 254: Everyone Is Tough Until Sah Ul’ Trains You. 1 Chapter 254: Everyone Is Tough Until Sah Ul¡¯ Trains You. 1 ¡°I-it hurts!¡± Landin growled gripping at his stomach. ¡°It¡¯s suffocating,¡± Charlotte agreed, forcing the words through her teeth. ¡°Quetz feels lightheaded¡­¡± Quetz groaned. The other teens also struggled to keep their auras in check, small sparks of mana crackling in the vicinity around them as their auras collided. Drake pressed down with his own aura slightly, increasing its suppression effect. ¡°Nowes the really hard part. Focus on your center, your core. Reign in your aura¡¯s like anchoring it to a container within yourself,¡± Drake exined. The group of teens didn¡¯t acknowledge Drake¡¯s exnation but some of them began to noticeably change their aura, beginning to control it little by little. They stood there for nearly an hour in total as they all watched the teens learn their skills. Drake nodded in approval at the speed they learned, others impressed to the point of disbelief. The first to finish was Charlotte, which seemed to have spurred something in several others as Atropos, Quetz, and Kalik Tu¡¯ finished with some struggle quickly after. Thest two to finish were Clotho who seemed to have some difficulty with the physical manifestation of his aura burning the ground around him, and Landin who seemed to have an especially strong aura to control. But eventually, all of the six were able toplete the task to an eptable degree. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m constantly flexing every muscle in my body,¡± Landin muttered in almost a pained whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry it gets easier,¡± Drake assured, ¡°Right now is going to be the most difficult time and I hope you can all see why I had you learn these skills first. These aura skills are powerful but to use them and to learn to fight while controlling them, is going to be one of the biggest hurdles you all face.¡± ¡°C-child¡¯s y,¡± Kalik sneered, gritting his teeth, ¡°I won¡¯t lose now that we have finally started to progress!¡± ¡°I agree, I refuse to be second best for much longer!¡± Atropos said smiling slightly, her head turned to Charlotte. Thepetition between Charlotte and Atropos had gotten even fiercer it seemed after their rank up. Charlotte somehow became more of a ¡®cool beauty¡¯ with stunted emotionspared to her previous flustered self. Atropos became even more ¡®passionate¡¯ about her desires, to her more restrained former personality. Landin outside of having a deeper voice and older features seemed to be mostly the same, more outspoken but still roughly the same personality-wise. Quetz, Clotho, and Kalik had all seemed to embody their previous personalities several times over. Quetz bing more yful in her speech and mannerisms, epassing everything that would describe a bubbly extrovert. Clotho an overprotective sis-con. And Kalik, the genius child prodigy who didn¡¯t want to lose to anyone or anything with the face of a delinquent constantly ready to fight. Drake overheard some muttering from Glenn and Modred from behind him, but he ignored it, knowing that they were just surprised at the changes that ranking-up made, and of course at the speed at which the teens were growing. In the course of a few days, they had gone from level 1 to level 10 and increasing to F-Rank to boot. Something that even took Drake, several weeks. ¡°Even if I had to do it twice¡­¡± he mumbled to himself for constion. ¡°Alright, someone find me, Sherry,¡± Drake hollered, to which apparently her new keeper pulled her from the small crowd around them. ¡°I got her. She¡¯s just taking a siesta from the food earlier,¡± Tom sighed, carrying her on his back simr to Drake and his brother earlier. ¡°You know Tom, I never thought it would happen, but you two seem more and more made for each other by the second.¡± Tom blushed, then frowned as he processed the wording. ¡°You can be really mean sometimes you know¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I know. But I meant what I said. You did good,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Now can you wake her up for me. Mr. Hogue!¡± he shouted, calling over the man. ¡°As we agreed, you will be going under contract. This is Sherry, our resident Pact Maker. This is Tom her keeper. Should you let this information go to anyone, I will be sure to make sure you regret it thoroughly, understand?¡± Mr. Hogue nodded vigorously, ¡°I understandpletely, sir.¡± Tom gave a wry smile, shaking his shoulder slightly as he roused Sherry. ¡°What is it¡­?¡± she mumbled. ¡°Morning sunshine, I need you to kill a bird,¡± Drake said. ¡°I don¡¯t do that¡­¡± she answeredzily. ¡°Oh. I need you to get this guy under contract then. He has to follow what I say, lead me to a city called Sandal, has to be within let¡¯s say a mile of me at all times. And has to NDA about you, me, and anything he hears us say until the contract is released.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± she yawned, patting the top of Tom¡¯s head to let her down. ¡°Good, while you do that,¡± Drake nodded, waving the teens over, ¡°You six areing to the city center to turn in your quests, we''ll be back in a few minutes. Travis, you mind taking Dillon for a little?¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it. Kid still does all-nighters just for music¡­¡± Travisughed, picking up his brother. ¡°He¡¯s definitely a Wallen, throwing yourself fully into something at the drop of a hat,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s get going then shall we? Be back in a few.¡± Drake, Sah Ul¡¯, and the teens left the area with slow steps at first, the teens still having some difficulty with their new skills. ¡°Let¡¯s see it then, what kind of auras did we get?¡± Drake asked interested. ¡°Having a bit of difficulty here. Can¡¯t this wait until we¡¯ve gotten a bit of control?¡± Landin said grunting with each step. Drake smiled, thinking back on when he first got his aura and skills and how he jumped right into a fight with Bjorn, and eventually fighting with Stewart. ¡°Difficulty is good, even more is better!¡± Drakeughed, ¡°Sarah, what did you do when you first got your aura skill?¡± ¡°Oh great, more stories¡­.¡± Landin groaned. Sah Ul¡¯ peered over her shoulder at the teens trailing behind her and Drake. ¡°When I received my skills I was in the midst of arge fight, there is no better ce to learn than a fight,¡± she said, nodding to herself. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more!¡± Drake nodded as well, ¡°I think we need to turn up the training a notch.¡± Drake raised a hand and six brown magic circles, from them mannequins began to form from ck earth that looked oddly like saibamen from a certain anime of the same size and build. ¡°Quetz does not like where this is going¡­¡± Quetz cooed as she hovered slightly above the ground, grimacing. ¡°Struggle and hardship are your reality. Defeat these elementals before we reach the center or Sarah can have you for the rest of the trip back to the city,¡± Drake scoffed. All the teen¡¯s faces besides Clotho and Atropos paled. Their apparent memories of her training during their journey to level 10 shed in their minds. The six mannequins spread out taking up position next to each of the teens as Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ walked casually in front, the sound of spells, screams, gunshots, and grunts ringing out behind them. ¡°Ah. Today is going to be a good day I think,¡± Drake said, stretching. ¡ª------------ Several minutester, Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ were at the front door of the system center of the town where he had been directed by Mr. Hogue earlier. The teens were also there. Although they were being dragged by the six mannequins across the ground to the center. ¡°Looks like you all lose,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°Lord Drake. Why are they so strong¡­¡± Atropos whined from the ground. ¡°Unfair¡­!¡± Quetz mumbled from the floor her feathers a bristled mess. ¡°These really did not seem to be a fair opponent for us Drake,¡± Charlotte added groaning. Drake was honestly impressed. The teens still somehow managed to keep their auras in check. However that was all they were able to do, their focus had been on controlling the skill, and they inevitably had trouble dealing with the little fighters Drake created because of it. He made the little guys to be around level 5, the only difference was that they were adept at fighting because Drake was controlling them. And while the teens were now level 10. With their minds preupied with controlling their new skills, they stood literally no chance of winning. ¡°No excuses,¡± Drake reprimanded, then added in a whisper, ¡°Now I can push handling them during the trip back onto Sarah¡­¡± He looked at his orcpanion only to see her grinning at him, making him take a step back. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I enjoy training the children. It is good to see them grow into strong warriors. I have also learned some things from teaching them, but most of all, seeing the results of the Patriarch¡¯s teachings shine through in their path to strength is most enjoyable,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ exined, ¡°I do not mind taking on the duty of ¡®breaking in the new boars¡¯.¡± Drake wasn¡¯t too fond of her wording and began wondering if he had made a mistake but that was future Drake¡¯s problem. ¡°Deals a deal, you guys lost, so you¡¯re Sarah¡¯s problem now, I¡¯ll help of course here and there but it''ll be good for you all. I think¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to anything!¡± Landinined. ¡°N-no trial is too difficult for a warrior of the Rahk¡­¡± Kalik tried to say proudly, but being dragged across the snow-covered ground made it far less imposing of a statement. ¡°d you still have the fire in your step, but I have another requirement,¡± Drake said as he opened the door to the center and dismissing his elementals, ¡°During this trip back, you are all required to protect the people in the group. Outside of my family, I will not help. That means that it is your job to keep them safe and alive, no matter what. No one, and I mean no one is allowed to help you.¡± Drake had thought about it for their entire time walking to the center but decided this was the best course of action to help the kids limate to new skills, learn to work as a proper party, as well as realize the severity and reality of what he was going to ask of them in the future. Charlotte stood, leaning on her spear as she gathered herself, her eyes fierce. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. I n on finding my family and protecting my brother. If I can¡¯t do this there wouldn¡¯t be any point in the first ce.¡± The other teens nodded as well, getting up. It seemed Charlotte had taken on the big sister role since ranking up. ¡°Good, now let''s get these quests turned in, grab our new shiny equipment, get some more quests, and be on our way. We still have to pick up a lot of monsters on the way back for Natto, but I¡¯ll take care of that for the most part.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a reply as he entered the building, the center surprisingly as empty as the outside. ¡°I heard there were adventurers here¡­¡± Drake thought aloud, ¡°If he¡¯s lying to me already that¡¯s a bad sign,¡± he growled. Without further adieu, Drake and his group moved to the counters turning in their quests. The quests received from the centers were different than the system obtained ones during the tutorial which Drake was actually happy to find out. The fact that the quests needed to be turned in like a quest from a game NPC made it much easier to experience bomb and not be tempted to turn them in right afterpletion for the rewards. All the teens turned in their quests as well grabbing several more that were avable but Drake was sure there would be even more back at his own city¡¯s center as this center wasn¡¯t a system building but a temporary one that would disappear within the year. He looked around seeing new equipment on the teens. Charlotte had received a new short spear. It appeared she had adopted the dual wield style recing her broken non-grade spear with the F-Grade one toplement her slightly longer one. As well as a pair of leather bracers. Landin had received a gaudy-looking silver earring with a red teardrop gem in it, that he kept ying with embarrassedly as if he wasn¡¯t sure he should be wearing it or not. And had reced the staff that he was using earlier with a leatherbound book, making him look much more like Mikhail in a way. Quetz had gained some very techno punk-looking goggles with violet lenses that she smiled and beamed at, chirping happily. She also switched between her new pistols and an older-looking bolt action rifle effortlessly, making Drake¡¯s eyes widen slightly. Kalik looked ufortably at a pair of red bandanas that were apparently shoulder equipment as he tied them giving his overall look of a hoodlum nearlyplete with his sleeveless long coat. He also yed with a pair of brass-looking knuckles that hepared with his own steel-colored ones with a difficult expression. Atropos looked a little disappointed at her new piece of equipment, a long steel-colored scythe about the same height as her. She had also gained something Drake was surprised to see. A ckce-looking oeice of cloth that she ced over her eyes, reminding him of a particr automata. But her brother looked even more disappointed as he slipped on some fingerless gloves flexing his hands and then reced the twisted metal that hung around his forearms with something Drake could only call acrylic nails? The teen looked very ufortable but still snapped each thick nail onto each finger, making Drakeugh derisively at how much the boy was turning into the ssic pretty boy trope. Everyone done with equipping their new equipment and settled with taking their new quests, Drake rounded them up. ¡°All set?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m very pleased with my new equipment,¡± Charlotte said, giving a subdued grin. ¡°I would have liked something more akin to what Lord Drake uses¡­ but I will ept what I have received,¡± Atropos sighed. ¡°Not sure how I¡¯m rocking this new equipment but do you mind if I step out for a minute?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Sure, what for?¡± Drake asked both curious and intrigued. ¡°I want to summon my secondpanion. I still have the set of ten cores you gave me and the new equipment honestly isn¡¯t as good as I would have hoped for stat-wise so I wanted to rece it.¡± ¡°Hmm, if I remember right, doesn¡¯t better equipment mean better stat transference?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It does, but with only Ifrit, I don¡¯t think I have enoughbat ability for the trip back,¡± Landin said scratching the back of his head, ¡°Most of my skills are supportive, even my aura helps with my summons. So I thought two would be at least the minimum for now.¡± Drake nodded in agreement, ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with that. It¡¯s your choice ultimately and I won¡¯t say no.¡± Landin nodded, walking out of the center, Ifrit nipping at his heels. ¡°What about the rest of you?¡± Drake asked again. Clotho just looked at his hands grimacing, but nodded. Kalik scoffed crossing his arms. ¡°Really leaning into your tropes huh¡­¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Quetz likes her new boom boom. She didn¡¯t like the bow before, but these sticks that make noise feel right in her hands. And Quetz got these really cute goggles! Look! See see Drake!¡± Quetz beamed shoving the goggles into his face. ¡°I see them,¡± he smiled, ¡°They are very cute.¡± The group done, they walked outside to find Landin holding one of the most horrific things Drake had ever seen in his hands. A wry smile on Landin¡¯s face. ¡°Ah! What the hell is that Landin? Did the summon go awry?!¡± Drake gasped. ¡°Awe, I think this small¡­ tree? Is somewhat adorable,¡± Atropos said, bending down to look at it. [Anima Level 1] ¡°Haha¡­ I would say it actually went well. Don¡¯t treat her too poorly man, it¡¯s rude,¡± Landin said. ¡°She?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yeah, Anima is actually a lesser treant. Not exactly sure why she seems so¡­ dried out? I think it¡¯s a level thing,¡± he shrugged. ¡°A treant huh? So you have an Ice using wolf named Ifrit and a, I¡¯m guessing earth or nt¡­ life using? Treant named Anima? Wasn¡¯t Anima like the end death boss or something? Are you making fun of me?!¡± Drake asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s funny yeah,¡± Landin smiled, ¡°And yeah, I can¡¯t tell what she does entirely, but when she burps, I feel warm inside so I¡¯m guessing she heals a bit.¡± Drake shrugged this time, ¡°Works for me, looks like you didn¡¯t stray too far from your base ss with all these supportive skills and now a healing summon. How¡¯s your mana with both of them out?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± Landin said, patting the top of Anima¡¯s bush-like head, ¡°A few levels and more into Wisdom I think it won¡¯t even affect my Mana with the regeneration I get.¡± ¡°Well then, looks like we can wrap it up here then,¡± Drake announced, ¡°Let¡¯s get back, we have a few day trip back, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be doing a lot of answering questions¡­¡± Just as he was about to begin, he felt his neck hair stand on end. Turning he saw Sarah smiling and donning a very long wooden stick she tapped on her shoulder. ¡°I may now start training them, yes Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°Y-yes?¡± Drake answered. A momentter, Sah Ul¡¯ dashed forward, holding the stick with both hands as she brought it down in an overhand swing above Charlotte, the stick vibrating with a red light. Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened but Sah Ul¡¯ had held back enough that Charlotte could ce her spears above her head, deflecting the blow and taking a swift step back. Sah Ul¡¯ didn¡¯t stop and lunged to her side, swinging her menacing stick in a horizontal strike right at Atropos. The wolf girl jumped using her new scythe as a tform to gain even more height with her jump, Sah Ul¡¯s stick mming into the shaft but missing Atropos. Atropos spunnding on the ground as she grabbed the spinning weapon out of the air and then jumped backward as well. Clotho and the others looked in confusion at her and then at Drake, but Drake only smiled and shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, en guard,¡± heughed. The teens paled and Kalik shot forward his green skin just a sliver less flushed a bead of sweat already rolling down his face as he threw a fist forward only to be mmed into the ground by Sah Ul¡¯s stick. Sah Ul¡¯ughed and pointed at the rest of the teens. ¡°If you do not learn quickly you are failures as warriors! Come at me all at once!¡± she roared. Chapter 255: Everyone Is Tough Until Sah Ul’ Trains You. 2 Chapter 255: Everyone Is Tough Until Sah Ul¡¯ Trains You. 2 Drake walked casually hearing the sounds of weapons shing, guns being shot, and spells being cast as he watched Sah Ul¡¯ ¡®train¡¯ the teens, as if she were ying with new puppies in the snow-covered streets. He had to admit that there might have been a discrepancy in power between the teens and Sarah but she was doing a good job of holding back. The teens were no slouches, however, as they learned quickly to y to their strengths. Charlotte, Atropos, and Quetz each yed to their speed and agility. Dodging Sarah¡¯s blows while trying their best to counter and attack from range where they could. Sarah even gave them a generous handicap by telling them to use their skills to the fullest, which unsurprisingly didn¡¯t help them. If anything it impeded their progress due to having to constantly keep track of new cooldowns and effects, all while still controlling their auras. Landin and Clotho did their best to support against the mountain that was the female orc warrior. Landin had Anima heal where she could and Ifrit barking mes of ice while being held back from getting in close because of his low level. Clotho also did his best tond blows where he could to increase his debuffs on Sarah, but unfortunately for him, Sarah only allowed a sparse few to hit and only when the previous debuff fell off with its timer. Drake had found out that Sah Ul¡¯ also had a skill to cleanse a certain amount of debuffs but it either had a long cooldown or she refused to use it again after the first time he witnessed it, after Clotho had stacked one too many. The only teen who seemed to have an unusually difficult time adjusting to their new fighting style was Kalik. He refused to steer away from the mostly upfront and straightforward fighting style he had used with his axes. This wasn¡¯t to say that being straightforward with his stats was necessarily wrong, but the boy refused to learn how to dodge and parry, only facing Sah Ul¡¯, a warrior both more experienced and stronger physically than him, with sheer strength. Once again he rushed in, using his speed to move past the others and throw a choreographed punch at Sarah. Only to be swatted awayically to slide across the ground right in front of Drake¡¯s feet. Drake looked down with a smile, ¡°Having some trouble there buddy?¡± Kalik growled, rubbing the side of his face and wiping away his loosened hair. He got up, ready to charge right back into the fray when Drake stopped him, grabbing him on the shoulder. ¡°Up bup bup bup! Not so fast, I didn¡¯t get to see everyone¡¯s aura descriptions before. Let me take a look so I know which stones to gather topliment them,¡± Drake exined. Kalik gave a nce at the fight that was continuing butplied, a blue screen appearing before Drake. Smoldering Bear Aura P1(4%) [F-Rank]
  • Fierce rage that forever deepens and burns, a fire lit that can never be smothered. A sense of peace can be found in an ever-present reservoir of anger.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura may suppress anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura momentarily gives a boost of Tranquil Rage when will is flexed.
  • Buff: Tranquil Rage - The user is given a temporary buff increasing their Strength and Dexterity by 100%. This buff decreases over 20 seconds until it has reached 0%. (Can only be used every 5 Minutes.) (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Hateful Lake - Gives a temporary 5% boost to Attack Haste in a 15-foot sphere around the user to all party members. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Drake nodded at the description, releasing the teen like letting an attack dog off their leash as Kalik shot forward the moment his hand left Kalik¡¯s shoulder. He gave a wry smile, ¡°At least he¡¯s still enthusiastic,¡± Drake chuckled. And not even a secondter another teen slid to his feet. This time it was Atropos with a smile on her face despite blood running down her nose. ¡°Ah, Lord Drake. A wondrous encounter,¡± she beamed. ¡°I¡¯ve been here the whole time, Atropos¡­¡± ¡°Yes, but you were outside of arm''s reach. Now I must but simply stretch out my arm and I could¡­ Ah! Excuse me!¡± she corrected herself covering her mouth and wiping off the trail of blood. ¡°As ttering as that is, hold on. I need to see your new aura skill.¡± ¡°Why of course,¡± she replied, instantly bowing her head slightly. Evanescent Veil Aura P1(6%) [F-Rank]
  • All falls to darkness sooner orter. Fate fades into shadow yet remains. Just like you, an all-seeing, all-consuming, and inevitable night.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura may suppress anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura consumes up to 5 of the most recent debuffs turning them into stacks of Night Veil when will is flexed. Debuffs must be of equal or lower Rank. (Can only be used once every 5 Minutes) (Increased based on Proficiency.)
  • Effect: Night Veil - Gives the user a 10% increased movement speed per stack when used. Effect from aura can only be used once per 30 minutes. Effectsst 10 minutes.
  • Additional Effect: Shadow Vault - Allows the user to consume 5 stacks of Night Veil to teleport to nearby shadow. (No Cooldown)
Drake raised a brow. ¡°That is a very interesting aura. Quite the trump card,¡± he said approvingly. Atropos smiled and sped her hands together around her scythe, her tails wagging rapidly. ¡°I am very happy to hear that you approve!¡± ¡°Alright back you go,¡± Drake said, waving her away. Atropos skipped forward waving over her shoulder for a few steps, then lunged forward with incredible speed back to the fight, unsurprisingly another person flying right back out with a fresh wound across his left cheek. ¡°Hey there Clotho, nice of you to make your appointment on time,¡± Drake smirked. Clotho grumbled something rubbing his face, his canines poking out of his thinned closed thin lips. ¡°Ah ah ah, not so fast there bud, new skill description,¡± Drake said, kneeling down next to the teen. Clotho nodded the sound of metal wire being reeled in at high speeding from his hands. Drake looked over seeing wire extended from the ck nails Clotho was wearing being rolled back into each fingertip. ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool. It¡¯s like you¡¯re Walter. Kill any vampirestely?¡± Clotho¡¯s head tilted to the side in confusion, Drake¡¯s reference falling t. ¡°I swear you bunch are severely deprived¡­¡± Drake grumbled, a blue screen appearing before him. Medusa¡¯s Debilitating Aura P1(3%) [F-Rank]
  • The worldes to a sickly and venomous halt around you. Destion as the ever-encroaching poison infects them to a just and timely death of fate.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-feet sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower, giving a movement, attack haste, and casting haste debuff of 10% for 2 minutes. Target¡¯s will also be inflicted by Creeping Inevitability once per hour, once Creeping Inevitability has fully fallen off or has been dispelled it can not be reapplied until the cooldown has finished. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Creeping Inevitability - Any target inside your sphere of influence has a currently possessed debuff stack increased by 1 every 30 seconds and is inflicted with Medusa¡¯s Venom.
  • Effect: Medusa¡¯s Venom - Target is dealt 1% of total health over 30 seconds per stack. Max 5 stacks. Increasing debuff refreshes effect. (Increased based on Proficiency.)
¡°Well, aren¡¯t you just the little annoying snake in the back¡­¡± Drake muttered, wincing from the description, ¡°Good thing I have such strong resistances,¡± he smiled warily. Clotho scoffed, motioning with his head back to the fight. Drake waved him off, standing up, ¡°Yup, off you go.¡± Clotho stood himself shooting off toward the fight, the sound of wire being pulled as they flew from his hands towards Sah Ul¡¯. Drake crossed his arms looking at the teens fighting as a group as they made their way back. The trip didn¡¯t take long until they were in sight of the rest of the previous group and the fighting died down, the teens taking a well-needed break. Holding out his hands, Drake caught an exhausted Quetz falling from the sky in his arms with a chuckle. ¡°All tuckered out?¡± Quetz cooed, her head sweat-drenched and bent backward, unable to meet Drake¡¯s mocking face. Atropos and Charlotte both leaned shakily against their weapons, raising a finger in protest. ¡°That is not¡­ fair¡­ that she gets to be carried¡­!¡± they grumbled in unison. ¡°Yeah, where¡¯s my princess carry,¡± Landinined from the ground, sticking a hand up as Ifrit jumped on his chest yipping, Anima patting his head lightly a green glow from her branch-like hand. ¡°Life is cruel and unfair, get used to it,¡± Drake scoffed, walking to the rest of the group. His brother Dillon had woken up from his nap, climbing back up on Drake¡¯s back without preamble, the sound of his rhythmic breaths continuing a momentter. ¡°What am I, a bed now?¡± Drake frowned, only to have several more teens slump against him. ¡°Now that you mention it, you are prettyfy,¡± Landinughed. ¡°Such bliss¡­ I could go to the great hunt at any moment,¡± Atropos mused, rubbing a cheek against his leg. ¡°Ok, weird,¡± Drake chuckled, then singled out Mr. Hogue with a scowl changing the mood. ¡°You, have you finished your contract?¡± Drake asked seriously. The man nodded quickly, beginning to sweat. ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°Then, were you lying to me earlier? We just came from the system center, and there wasn¡¯t a soul in there or around it,¡± Drake said pointedly. ¡°What? That can¡¯t be right. We had several hundred Adventurersing and going just until recently! I swear!¡± Drake chewed on the side of his mouth for a moment, thinking. He can¡¯t lie to me now that he¡¯s under contract. Did the undead do something? Or is there something else going on? Drake thought. ¡°Bjorn?¡± Bjorn looked over at Drake raising a brow, ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Has anything happened or you noticed anything?¡± Drake asked. Bjorn shook his head, ¡°Nope, why, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Just a bad feeling¡­ Alright, is this everyone?¡± Drake said, looking over the group of around 50 or so people. ¡°How do you n on traveling, Drake,¡± his mother asked, ¡°We have children here.¡± ¡°I have a n for that. There¡¯s a man who was selling tamed monsters that we could use for now until we reach the bus we left further out. Don¡¯t worry Mom, I have my best students on it,¡± Drake smiled, motioning to the teensying on the ground in exhaustion. ¡°Inspires confidence doesn¡¯t it¡­¡± Chelsea muttered from the side. ¡°They¡¯ll do fine! Everyone hit level 11 from the quest turn-ins and they have new weapons, skills, and a good baseline of stats andbat experience. Speaking of which, Quetz, Landin, and Charlotte. Let¡¯s see those aura skill descriptions.¡± Quetz raised her head with a bit of struggle from Drake¡¯s arms, a blue screen popping up in front of her face, and turning to him. Wind Cutter Aura P1(6%) [F-Rank]
  • Bristled by the updraft, the torrential winds will not be hampered. The sharpness to rival des of steel. The winds cut a path of woeful regret through your enemies.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower, dealing 50% of current Dexterity as Wind Affiliate damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura momentarily increases movement speed and attack haste by 10% when will is flexed for 2 minutes every 30 minutes.
  • Additional Effect: Updraft - Gives a permanent boost to Wind Aura control.
Simultaneously, Landin sent his screen up from his seat next to Drake below, Charlotte doing the same from his other side. Summoner¡¯s Embracing Aura P1(4%) [F-Rank]
  • A summoner never deprives theirpanion of the light. Uplifting and bountiful is the welfare given to those who follow in his wake.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower. And will boost Overall Combat Efficiency of Summons by 20% for 5 minutes once per hour when flexed. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Regenerative Light - Any summon within your aura is given 5 stacks of Regenerative Light once per 5 hours. Each stack diminishes over 30 seconds.
  • Effect: Regenerative Light - Stacks of Regenerative Light grant summons stamina, health, and mana 5% regeneration per stack. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Pale Lightning Aura P1(10%) [F-Rank]
  • The rolling thunder is but a preamble to your awe-inspiring strikes. The calm before the storm a held breath to be released in reverence of the final strike.
  • This skill gives ess to Aura.
  • The passive ability to inflict your will upon the world within a certain distance.
  • Allows the user to perceive their surroundings within a 15-foot sphere around themselves. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura suppresses anyone inside your sphere that is of your rank or lower, dealing 50% of current Dexterity as Lightning Affiliate damage. (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Aura momentarily increases attack haste and parry chance by 10% when will is flexed for 2 minutes every 30 minutes.
  • Additional Effect: Electrify - Gives a permanent boost to Lightning Aura control.
¡°Three physical manifestation auras, I didn¡¯t even know that was possible,¡± Drake said impressed, ¡°These are going to be very scaryter on.¡± He turned to Bjorn and Chelsea, ¡°Do your auras do stuff like this?¡± Drake asked. Bjorn shook his head, ¡°My aura is pretty normal, suppresses the same rank or lower based on proficiency and my level. Gets pretty scary though, so I think it might be influenced by the person''s ss rarity or maybe their battle experience? Not sure bro.¡± Chelsea also shook her head, ¡°I have ess to it, but mine is even worse off. You wouldn¡¯t even be able to notice it if I didn¡¯t tell you it was there. Mostly keeps my presence lower, handy for a ranger, piss poor for intimidation.¡± Drake ced his hand to his chin, dropping Quetz on top of Landin with a thud. ¡°Interesting.¡± Travis spoke up at this point, ¡°Drake, are we leaving now? You¡¯ve had us out here for nearly an hour and not everyone is so great against the cold.¡± His brother pointed to some of the younger children and lower-level people in the group that had been crashing at his mother¡¯s house. Some wore multipleyers to stave off the cold. ¡°Sorry, got a bit sidetracked I guess, and lost track. Yeah, we should go,¡± Drake agreed, snapping his fingers and summoning arge jet-ck earthen cart, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any school buses around so we can use this for now until we get to the one I mentioned before. All aboard!¡± In a matter of a few minutes, the group loaded up, the teens surrounding the cart after resting up while the cart situation was sorted. In front, there was Drake, Sah Ul¡¯, and Bjorn. In the rear, there was his brother Travis, Tom, and Chelsea. The group of teens had spaced out in a circle around the cart on the outer edge. Landin and Charlotte doubling up due to Landin¡¯sck ofbat prowess currently. Landin could use his new skill to embody his summon but it simply wasn¡¯t strong enough with Ifrit and Anima¡¯s current levels, hence Charlotte there. For now, Drake hauled the massive cart with ease as they moved through the city streets to the exit they had entered from. And just like Drake had hoped, he found the old man they had greeted a few hours earlier. ¡°Leavin alreadyd?¡± the man greeted, ¡°And with quite a few new people.¡± Drake gave a wave and smiled, ¡°Yup, you shoulde with us if you¡¯ve got nowhere else. I hear there¡¯s a city in need of tamers soon.¡± The old man shook his head, ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m fine where I is. You change your mind on those wolves?¡± ¡°Actually yes, I could use some to help pull some baggage.¡± There were someints from the cart at Drake¡¯s turn of phrase but he shrugged it off. ¡°Sure thing. Only two critters left, 10 coins a piece. But on ount of Mrs. Wallen, I¡¯ll give ya both for 15 total,¡± the man said, dipping his head slightly. ¡°Thanks, Frank,¡± his mother smiled, waving to the man. Drake shivered, ¡°Gross¡­ Right well, thanks.¡± He quickly ponied up the coins, thankfully not being strapped for cash anymore since the undead had sent so many people to him recently to hand deliver resources. A few momentster, the man disappeared behind a building, reappearing a few secondster pulling two Mana Wolves like he was leading horses. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned, it is a thing, huh?¡± Drake said in surprise. ¡°These two don¡¯t have names and honestly I wouldn¡¯t give them none. These low-level monsters usually don¡¯tst but they¡¯ll fill their job just fine.¡± It was a bit morbid of a farewell pitch but Drake could appreciate the man¡¯s honesty. ¡°Catch you on the flipside Frank,¡± Drake waved, pulling some rope to tie the wolves to the cart. While tying the wolves down, Bjorn nudged Drake in the back. ¡°Gotpany,¡± Bjorn said in a low voice. Drake could sense people as well entering his aura sphere, arge number of them outside the city limits. ¡°No time like the present to test the kids out I suppose,¡± he whispered back, ¡°I told the bunch we wouldn¡¯t help but can you take care of the cart?¡± Bjorn frowned, ¡°Times like these I really wish I never used those Legendary stones. It''s pretty boring just watching, not to mention frustrating... But yeah, don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Drake finished tying off the wolves, pping Bjorn on the arm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll figure something out when things settle down. Trust me,¡± he smiled. The group began again leaving the city¡¯s limits and as expected, once they were a bit further away that was when the people Bjorn and Drake had noticed appeared. Stepping out from behind trees were pale shrouded figures, but from Drake¡¯s senses, he knew there were many more trying to conceal themselves and position behind them as well. Instantly the teens and the rest of the group readied themselves. But one of the hooded figures stepped in front of the rest announcing herself. ¡°Hello. Mr. Wallen, I presume?¡± a shill female voice asked. ¡°No one calls me Mr. Wallen,¡± Drake scoffed back. ¡°Is that so? It matters not. I am here to offer you a deal with the Count. We have already overtaken several cities in the area and more will fall day by day, you can not win,¡± she exined, pulling back her hood, revealing pale skin and white hair with dull red eyes, ¡°You are outnumbered. Even if you have beaten the Amalgamations, there will be more soon enough, until you are unable to count them.¡± ¡°If my math is right, you didn¡¯t bring enough people. Might be outnumbered, but you¡¯re clearly outmatched,¡± Drake sneered, raising his nose. The woman¡¯s face twisted as she hissed, ¡°It was a mistake to think an idiot with lessers could see the potential of what is toe!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s pretty racist don¡¯t you think? Right, Bjorn?¡± Drake said over his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, wouldn¡¯t fly in the tech sector, believe me, bro,¡± Bjorn agreed, shaking his head. ¡°You dare mock me?!¡± she shrieked, her visage turning paler and more ethereal, ¡°Our Lord will turn this into a haven of dusk and ash! No more will the undead suffer you lesser living to pass!¡± Bjorn pped his hand against his head, Landin doing the same from behind the cart. Drake smiled, ¡°Oh, but you will suffer me!¡± He waved his hand in an arc before him, three bolts of lightning forming and cracking before vibrating to a violet hue as they shot forward. Drake rushed forward with the bolts, snatching one out of the air and crushing it, his hair turning an electrifying yellow. The moment his endowment changed his speed increased several fold as he covered the ground in an instant to the woman. [Beretta Hanes Level 16] Drake reached out his hand, ready to crush and kill her in a single blow, but his hand passed right through her, surprising him. ¡°Temporal?¡± Drake mused, changing course to ricochet off one of the hooded figures behind her, his two lightning bolts sounding the start of the battle as they impacted nearby with thunderous effect. The woman shifted after Drake passed by her, another shriek ringing through the battlefield as she appeared in the air hovering a few feet above the ground. Drake moved again, crushing the ground below his feet as he closed the distance, this time his hand glowing red from his skill as he attempted to grab the woman again. But s his hand passed through her once more. He clicked his tongue as he fell to the ground skidding to a stop, cing his hand out palm out aiming at the woman as a white magic circle formed in front of it. But as Drake aimed a gunshot rang out a split secondter blood and a wail of pain from the ghostly figure. Quetz hovered behind the woman with a grin on her face, a smoking pair of pistols locked onto the woman. Drake grinned letting his spell go, a shard of ice flying right into the woman''s stomach. ¡°So elemental spells and attacks work just fine on ghost people,¡± he said, nodding to Quetz. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Fire,¡± Drake chanted, his arms lighting up with white mes as he took a massive step forward, lurching as his wound-up fist struck to meet the falling woman. In the blink of an eye, Drake made contact, the hissing of mes meeting ghostly flesh sounding out, the arc of the strike leaving a line of vibrant white in the aftermath as he pulled her mid-air down to the ground below. [You have killed Beretta Hanes Level 16] [Experience Earned, 5 Nobility Points earned] Drake raised a brow only for a moment at the added notification line after killing the undead woman. His surprise was unable tost as dozens that turned into hundreds of hooded figures streamed out of the forest ahead and around them. Quetz moved from her position back to the cart with the rest of the group, who tightened up their encirclement. ¡°Does this still count as training?¡± Landin asked from the side. ¡°I think this might be a little much for a first outing,¡± Drake said with a shrug, but quickly smiled, ¡°Unfortunately for you. It doesn¡¯t look like Sarah thinks it¡¯s a problem.¡± Drake gave a sigh of resignation as he saw Sah Ul¡¯ pointing eagerly at the groups forming around the cart, pping Charlotte and Kalik on the back, encouraging them to fight. ¡°Guess I should help them a little bit. This is like 100 to 1.¡± He sent out party invitations to the teens, slight jerks of their heads and shoulders announcing to him that they had received them. ¡°ept the invites,¡± Drake shouted. Without pause, but not without grumbling from a few, his new party was formed, the teens filling 7 of 8 slots. ¡°Now this is all you guys, I¡¯m just helping a bit.¡± ¡°My soldiers Rage! My soldiers scream! My soldiers fight!!¡± Drake used his only supportive skill in his arsenal, his aura spreading out over the group enveloping them all in a golden light. ¡°Now get to work you little troublemakers!¡± Drake shouted,ughing the words. Chapter 256: What a Town 2 Chapter 256: What a Town 2 Tanya closed the door behind her, just finishing sneaking out and delivering extra food to the workers in the town. She held a frown on her face, seeing people she had grown to know and care for being treated worse than animals day in and out. Expected to perform and produce without real rest and sufficient food. Looking around she saw the shoddy wooden houses littering the area with smokeing out of the stacks protruding from the roofs. Tanya was currently in the metal ward, where the dwarves and various other ves who created weapons, armors, and items for the lord of this forsaken town. Her hand turned pale as it gripped the hem of her skirt that she had been forced to wear in service of the disgusting man. ¡°I know my family ising¡­ I¡¯ll do what I can until they do,¡± she muttered to herself. Changing from her dour frown to a forced smile. One she used often beforeing here. She walked down the depressed dirt road, the smell of forges, burnt wood, and coal-heavy in the air. Tanya turned her head, the loud echoing crack of picks sounding through the ends of the streets. There she saw the mountain that this town was stationed next to. Where other ves worked tirelessly to mine and gather ore for the forges the dwarves manned. Y, her closest friend in this town, was the best smith she had ever seen. Creating and forging weapons and armor that went well beyond the status quo. Even her unkeen eye could tell at just a nce. But the dwarves were not the only ones kept captive here. There were fishmen, beastkin, elves, and even humans. Each one was used until they expired regardless of age. Even worse were the Dredges. Tanya left the ward entering the main town through two steel doors manned by men in full te armor holding spears with a nod. No one would stop her. She was the lord¡¯s special little doll after all. Never touched, only seen as the man said. Until she had ripened. Tanya¡¯s shoulders quivered in abject disgust at the thought as she passed a line of ves chained together. The group was human, all severely injured and wearing rags. Tanya looked on coldly, not out ofck of sympathy but numbed and jaded to the scene. They were the new Dredges. The to be Abominations made from the poor people who could not work further. Very rarely would they be other races. As the lord mentions time and time again, anything other than humans is a waste. The stock too precious and valuable to waste on making mindless work puppets. She pulled her gaze away, unwilling to think on the fate of those poor people any longer. Tanya made her way through the city proper on the way to that man¡¯s residence. On her way she passed countless elves, some she even knew personally before they were dragged to this deste ce. All with a single feature that made her weep every time she saw it. Each elf, whether dark elf, ins, or wood had their ears cropped forcibly. It filled her with unbridled rage to see such a barbaric act happen to them. Only to show just how far the lord of this city would go to disrespect their race and lineage as a whole. But she could only grit and bear it, each passing elf breaking her heart bit by bit as she walked with an ever heavier passing step. Her forced cheery demeanor melted before she even stepped foot into her most hated situation. Arriving at the lord''s estate, Tanya was greeted by guards once again, this time they wore cloaks and of course, had skin pale as dull wax. They eyed her as she passed the gate, neither one greeting her. Traveling through the yard on the paved walkway, you would never have guessed that the atrocities of the city were happening just a few blocks away. The trimmed and pruned bushes, trees, and flowers gave a high-ss atmosphere. The groundskeepers, all elven and human women due to the orders of the lord. Entering the main house Tanya was greeted by the other maids of the residence. Only the most beautiful and untarnished were allowed to personally attend to the lord. ¡°Lady Silverwood,¡± they greeted her, bowing. ¡°Navdia, please. I¡¯m just another servant here¡­¡± Tanya reminded her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I stepped out again. Is everything still¡­ Tolerable?¡± she asked. ¡°Regardless I, and the rest of the guards are still your loyaldies,¡± she said bowing at the waist, ¡°However, Lord¡­ Xavier Thornsworth,¡± Navdia said, her voice dripping with disgust, ¡°Has been in his study for the entire day.¡± Tanya recoiled with a grimace, ¡°May the Blessed World Tree watch over those poor women¡­¡± she said with sorrow, her arms wrapping around herself. The study as the maids called it, was anything but. A room of depravity and horror for any woman who stepped inside. As Tanya was lost in thought the sound of doors creaking open filled the cold silence that had fallen on the entryway. ¡°TANYA!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± a man bellowed from above, sending a shiver down everyone present. Hearing the booming voice filling the building, Tanya jerked but quickly ran up the winding staircase to attend to the man. Fear of angering him forcing her quickly numbing legs to move. ¡°Y-yes Lord Thornsworth¡­.¡± Tanya asked at the door¡¯s entrance. ¡°Tanya¡­ My dear, dear Tanya. You know to call me Xavier. I can not have my most wonderful girl be so formal with me!¡± Xavier chuckled from inside the room, a disgusting smell emanating from the crack in the door. Tanya forced her nose from wrinkling, knowing full well what the smell was by now. She opened the door more, enough to enter the study, a small gust of the elixirs, and potent aphrodisiacs venting from the room. Strown about the floor and devices the man had ced inside were half naked and naked women. Marks and scars across their bodies, more than Tanya could count. Their eyes dull and distant, drool dripping from their open mouths. Her heart sank at the sight, even more did it quiver as she knew one day it would be her own fate should help note. ¡°Forgive me, Lord Xavier,¡± she finally answered, bowing. Raising her head she looked at the hulking man. A grave scar across his left eye going down to his chin, greying blond crewcut hair, and bulky muscles holding far gone women in each arm as he smiled back at her. ¡°See you can do it if you try,¡± he guffawed, licking his lips, ¡°Not much longer until you¡¯ve ripened¡­ I can hardly hold myself back! Fresh royalty must have a delectable taste¡­¡± Tanya shivered from the doorway, her thoughts drifting to the darkest of ces as the fear of her approaching 16th anniversary season loomed over her. Her breathing began to stall, then came in ragged gasps as the effects of the potions and tonics started to take hold of her, but a cold hand on her shoulder snapped her back. ¡°Lord Xavier. Surely you would enjoy a more seasoned meal this evening?¡± Tanya turned, seeing Navdia with cold eyes, but the face of a practiced courtesan. However, Tanya knew she was just as panicked as her. The hand on her arm trembling with sheer terror. Xavier pushed the doll-like women aside, standing up to reveal hisrge frame as he lumbered towards them, each step rocking the foundation of the room. He looked down as he loomed over Navdia and Tanya, arge intentful grin splitting his face. ¡°I am hungry for a more filling meal tonight¡­¡± heughed, then shooed Tanya out the door, ¡°Ah. No more sneaking out. We have a guest arriving any day now from the count¡¯s manor. He has a taste for beautiful women and I can¡¯t have him taking a liking to any of my collection. If you disobey this time, it may be a loss, but I will kill that entire section of the metal ward.¡± Tanya froze. She knew the Lord would have known about her activities. She had to pass guards regrly throughout the city to do so. But she had still continued her benevolent outings, only wanting to help her friend and others suffering under this deranged man. ¡°I-i understand¡­ my Lord¡­¡± she stammered, the door behind her creaking shut. ¡ª---------- Hudson sat down outside the store, amazed at the structures present in the city after only several weeks. ¡°Sir, is this really the time to be staying here drinking cocoa?¡± one of his soldiers asked wearily from next to him. ¡°Huh? Oh, put your tail out Private. Didn¡¯t you hear the lil Miss? Those men were vampires,¡± Hudson said calmly, trying to cate the soldier. But a shiver ran down his spine as the images and sounds of the men screaming shed in his mind. He had seen brutality in the Tutorial and during the many missions he had been sent undercover on. But for some reason the sight of a small girl who could have passed as a six-year-old, tearing and mercilessly killing grown men and women brought on a sense of dread he was not aware he could feel. He brought the cup to his lips, taking a deep sip. Exhaling a relieving breath his eyes went to the disy sign on the ck building. Dazzling Tyrant¡¯s Comic Hangout ¡°Pretty amazing they are doing well enough that shops like this are popping up¡­¡± Hudson said, not able to help a small grin. ¡°May I speak freely sir?¡± the soldier asked. ¡°Why the hell not, have at it pup.¡± ¡°Sir, this ce is unsettling. More than half the citizens are non-human and look¡­¡± the soldier lowered his voice, ¡°Like monsters sir.¡± Before Hudson could answer, the sound of a light pop came from across the table, a pink-haired girl looking yfully back at him, her hand inside a bag of chips. ¡°Yes, well. You must make do with what is avable,¡± Nattoughed. ¡°You sound mighty cold there littledy,¡± Hudson said, putting down his cup. ¡°Certainly. I am an administrator. It is better if I see numbers rather than people. But,¡± she said pausing from eating to look at Hudson, ¡°they are still my responsibility. Anything thates to interfere with that is subject to my judgment within these walls.¡± Hudson hesitated for a moment, not sure if he should push the issue. But his inquisitive nature overcame his fear and knowing that at the very least they had some history. That and hopefully her not killing him outright earlier meant that he had some ground to stand on. ¡°Like the soldiers you killed?¡± he said, standoffish. ¡°Vampires and Undead,¡± Natto corrected then added, ¡°I suppose a few humans died as well, but do you know why?¡± she asked, cing her snacks away and recing it with a vial of coagted red liquid. Hudson raised a brow taking the offered vial and inspecting it. ¡°Count¡¯s Blood? What in the hell is this? Are you saying mypany had these?¡± Natto nodded, ¡°I am able to scan whatever is in a person¡¯s inventory. Bringing such vile items inside knowingly and in suchrge quantities,¡± she paused, her eyes shing a deeper hue of pink, ¡°will not be tolerated.¡± She popped another item out of her sleeve sliding it across the table. ¡°A steroid¡­?¡± Hudson questioned, further reading the description of the item then frowned, ¡°What does this have to do with anything?¡± ¡°These have been used in conjunction with the blood to convert the unwilling. You would do well to pay attention to it, pup.¡± ¡°Are you trying to say that the New Colonies have something to do with these undead shenanigans? That¡¯s damn dirty and outrageous!¡± Natto scoffed at Hudson, ¡°Now it has been a day since you have arrived and had the opportunity to scout out the city. Certainly we can cut to the chase on why you have arrived with a variable army?¡± she asked. Hudson grimaced. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m such a small man, little miss?¡± he asked. ¡°You tter yourself. Labling you a man in any capacity would go beyond your capabilities I¡¯m sure,¡± she sneered. The Private next to Hudson winced for him, unsure if he should act to defend his superior after witnessing what Natto had done just the day before. ¡°Still don¡¯t pull any punches there do ya? I came here to check up on the pup, the army is just an unfortunate ball and chain of the job,¡± he exined, then sighed as he considered himself, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie. I was ordered to touch base with the pup in hopes of forming a connection for the New Colonies. But with the cat, I didn¡¯t know was in the bag, out of it, I¡¯m not sure if I should.¡± Natto grinned, ¡°Slightly more brain power than I expected. How much do you know of the current undead situation? You have also seen how fast the city has grown, as well as how strong those who inhabit are I am sure. Confirming that you are much higher up in the human food chain than I gave you credit, I am curious as to how your leader will vote in theing summit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not privy to that kind of info, little miss. Above my pay grade,¡± Hudson shrugged. ¡°Then you are useless.¡± ¡°After what you call the pup, useless might as well be aplimenting from you,¡± Hudson said tly. ¡°You misunderstand,¡± Natto leered, ¡°The rtionship between the imbecile and myself is unique to how assistants are made. I am a part of him as well as made to conform to his¡­ likes. Do not delude yourself into thinking that we have the same such familiarity or connection,¡± she said icily, ¡°I am every bit the tyrant that man pretends to be. Even before he subsumed the stones. The only thing keeping me from ending you and your little pissant annoyances is his bleeding heart. As I have said, you take me, this city, and more importantly him far too lightly and you will change that for your own further existence, if nothing else.¡± This time Hudson shuttered, feeling a deep chill run through his body as he listened to the little construct. She wasn¡¯t pulling punches anymore and somehow felt more monstrous than even Drake. ¡°I never took the pup as a squirrel hanging on a wire,¡± he coughed at his own wording, ¡°But that is beside the point ain¡¯t it? I might not know how the new President will vote at this summit, but I do have an understanding with him as my former boss. I could bring it up when I return. On that too, I do know a certain number of our affiliated cities. A few came in for talks just before I left.¡± Natto raised a brow, waiting. ¡°There''s a few human cities we do trade with and one or two elf and dwarven towns. We¡¯ve had beastkin refugees from¡­ Well, Drake¡¯s brother¡¯s rampage through the central part of this continent,¡± Hudson exined. ¡°Oh? You have mapped the currentnd mass we are on? Perhaps you are not so useless. And certainly, you can provide me with the names of these towns?¡± Natto prodded, giving a steely re at the Private next to Hudson, forcing his mouth to snap shut. ¡°It¡¯s not secure information as far as I¡¯m aware, so sure,¡± Hudson said, honestly eager to please at this point now that he was grasping at straws it seemed, ¡°There''s Laluga, one of the elf towns. Firebeard Mine, a dwarf town. Then the list of Human towns are a little bit more lengthy. North of the capital there''s what, Jovic, Treetop, Horror Lane, and what¡¯s that one I always forget. Slipper? Shoe? No, Flipflop? Private help me out here.¡± ¡°Sandal, sir,¡± the soldier corrected. The air suddenly turned cold. Both their heads snapped to the small girl at the other end of the table. The small cafe cleared out, and people ran off from the veranda that held the tables, leaving any food or drink in a rush to distance themselves. The table they sat at turned frigid to the touch, Hudson recoiling his hands quickly from the ck stone it was made from, only for it to begin to redden in heat as pink fire began to melt the opposite end. ¡°The sam hell is going on?!¡± Hudson stammered, standing from his seat. Natto eyed him carefully, then rxed, waving for him to follow her as she hopped off the melted chair walking to the street. ¡°Come. It seems a most annoying and somewhat useful person has returned to the north gate. You and he will have much to talk about¡­¡± Chapter 257: Return and Origin: The Father of the Void Chapter 257: Return and Origin: The Father of the Void ¡°Hey¡­¡± Travis mumbled over Drake¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t these cards kind of look like you? And do you just carry these around?¡± Throwing down a card and whooping as he raised his hands, Drake turned to his brother, ¡°So what if I do? And, no, I don¡¯t really see the resemnce¡­¡± he lied. Drake looked around seeing the bus they had finally gotten in halfway through the trip back filled with his family, friends, and two ck wolves in the very back, tongues lolling to the side. He scoffed, ¡°Did we really have to bring them with us?¡± ¡°Juju and Bombe are family now dude,¡± Dillon snapped, rubbing one of the ferocious creatures behind the ear, despite them being several times his size. ¡°Dillon those are monsters,¡± Drake reprimanded, ¡°You don¡¯t even have your base ss yet for two more years, they can seriously hurt you.¡± ¡°Pardon, but we all know you could kill them if anything even remotely threatened your family,¡± Mordred said softly, a low growling from the wolf whoid its head on herp, ¡°You are scaring them regardless, are you not, Monsieur?¡± Drake¡¯s lips thinned, ¡°I am, but better to prevent it so I don¡¯t have to-¡± He was cut off abruptly by the sound of two people being mmed against the side of the bus, nearly toppling it on its side, but with a wave of his hand a gust of wind formed outside righting the vehicle. This was amon urrence by now. The two people Kalik Tu¡¯ and Charlotte being thrown out of the fight with Sah Ul¡¯, who wore a wide grin on her face. Drake sighed, looking out through the window where the teens and Sarah fought along the moving transport, kids and adults alike staring out the windows as well, some with horrified expressions. And some children with wide excited eyes. Magic, skills, and the nging of weapons came from the scene. With the asional teen thrown to the wayside only to m against the bus as they grunted and then shot back into the fight. He gave a small smile seeing Kalik and Charlotte basically shake off being thrown against a metal wall only to jump headfirst back into their training with the Orcish-Spartan woman he had grown so close to. Sah Ul¡¯ had abandoned her stick, and reced it with a dulled ax at this point, paying respect to just how fast the teens were growing and learning. Over thest few hours, they had gained another level and consumed more of their respective skill stones to fill their skill slots. ¡°At this rate, those guards back at ReUnite might actually die if all six of them fight at once¡­ even if there are thirty or more,¡± Drake muttered. ¡°Oh, you have a fight going on between the kids? What¡¯s the story behind that?¡± Bjorn asked from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Have to assert dominance through the squad,¡± Drake replied with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s a few people still within the city with some misgivings, but after seeing their growth. I don¡¯t think it will even be close. At this point, I just hope no one dies¡­¡± ¡°Really? You think those kids are those strong?¡± Chelsea asked popping her head up behind a seat. Drake gave her a confused look, ¡°What do you mean? They¡¯re obviously strong.¡± Chelsea thumbed to Sarah, ¡°Yeah but isn¡¯t she an Orc like them? They aren¡¯t all strong like her?¡± ¡°What? You think every Orc is as strong as Sarah?¡± Drake asked. Chelsea nodded. ¡°What kind of city do you think I lead?¡± The sound of another pair of teens hitting the side of the bus thunked against the metal frame, a loud grunt eking out. Chelsea and the rest of the bus looked to the side, ¡°I don¡¯t know, some version of Sparta?¡± she said with a wry smile. ¡°No, my little party that I brought is different¡­¡± Drake said as he stuck his head out, seeing Landin and Atropos, both stuck to the side thanks to their skills, ¡°Having fun yet?¡± ¡°Have I ever told you I hate you¡­?¡± Landin grunted, blue mes of ice on his arms and head suddenly winking out of existence as he slipped away from the bus¡¯s side, a small ice wolf pup appearing out of nowhere. Atropos ground her teeth a low growl escaping her lips while her dark scythe sizzled against the metal of the bus. A momentter Atropos melded into the shadow under her, appearing again right behind Sarah only to be snatched out of the air and thrown into the air again. Quetz was taking aim with a long rifle in the air, only to p uncontrobly as a screaming Atropos careened towards her. Trying to move out of the way. Unfortunately for them, neither was able to dodge the other and collided in a tangled mess of body parts. That began falling to the ground, screaming. Sarahughed wildly, fending off Kalik, Clotho, and Charlotte as they attempted to gain the upper hand on the monstrous woman. ¡°Drake,¡± his mother said, pulling on his ear and forcing his head back, ¡°Tga, you are treating those poor children too roughly.¡± Drake winced instinctively against his mother despite not being hurt. ¡°Ah, Mom! Why am I being yelled at? It¡¯s for their own good! Besides Sarah¡¯s the one hurting them! Not me¡­¡± Drake groaned. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you doing it yourself! You are making your wife do all that strenuous work!¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Drake said pointing to Sarah, ¡°Does it look like she¡¯s working?¡± Sarah grabbed Kalik by the ankle, throwing him several yards forward nearly in front of the oing bus moved by Drake¡¯s elementals. Kalik struggled to get up in time, his eyes going wide in horror as the bus refused to stop. He luckily rolled out of the way with his increased stats but barely, raising a hand and screaming as it passed only to be ttened by a falling Clotho whonded on top of him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be worried about them falling behind?¡± Travis asked. ¡°Nahhhhhhhh, I trust Sarah to keep them safe,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Still you should be doing it yourself, I raised you better than to let others do work that is yours, Drake,¡± his mother reprimanded. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Drake said, firmly. ¡°Can¡¯t?¡± Mordred said from the back tilting her head as she stroked the head of the wolf, ¡°Pardon, but you are more than capable of fighting them, no?¡± ¡°Ah, still having problems bro?¡± Bjorn said, nodding in understanding. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve had a handle on it for the most part, but those kids are something else. And thatst fight with the undead¡­ Let¡¯s just say it was hard to keep it reigned in,¡± Drake confirmed. ¡°Susmareosep, why are you talking in riddles Drake? What is wrong with my boy?¡± Mrs. Wallen demanded. Bjorn gave Drake a look and Drake sighed, pulling up his status. ¡°I thought Travis would have told you by now, but I guess not. During my tutorial, a lot of stuff happened, Mom.¡± His mother looked over the lines and details, her eyes slowly widening with each one. ¡°Oh, my boy¡­¡± she said with a crestfallen expression. Drake gave a reassuring smile, ¡°Are you really telling me you didn¡¯t notice the long hair and darker skin Mom?¡± She gave him a p on his arm, ¡°I just thought you finally decided to leave your room for once,¡± she huffed, ¡°Tga, my children would have been so better off as doctors¡­¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t read those screen things,¡± Dillon said walking up to them through the aisle. Drake waved the screen away, ¡°Basically your big bro turned into a Saiyan.¡± Dillon gave azy but dubious look half yawning, ¡°Oh yeah? Then do the thing.¡± Drake paused for a minute, then understood. Standing up he went a little bit more towards the front of the bus. ¡°This is what they call a Super Saiyan,¡± Drake summoned a small ball of white fire gripping it as his hair turned red. He smiled, his brother¡¯s eyes lighting up slightly from their droopy sleep. ¡°This, is what¡¯s called a Super Saiyan 2,¡± he summoned a shard of ice, ¡°Heretical Endowment Two Fold,¡± his hair cascading from red to white and looping between the two. Then Drake summoned the rest of his elements, a viscus ball of magma, water, a gust of wind, a shard of earth, and finally an electrified ball of lightning spinning around him in the aisle. ¡°And this! Is to go further! Beyond! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!¡± Drake crouched down, fists at his sides as he screamed, releasing mana and aura, crackles of lightning from a separate bolt for added effect, ¡°Heretical Endowment, Septenarius!¡± His hair turned golden, the added effects of his wind and lightning magic blowing his hair like there was a breeze within the bus, crackles of sparks attesting to the power build-up. Dillon looked awe-struck for a moment, then his eyes went back to their half-lidded norm as he pped, ¡°Wow, so cool.¡± Drake deted, ¡°Well that was less than I expected¡­¡± he frowned. ¡°Ah, you are shouting just like you used to in the house!¡± his mother reprimanded, ¡°Are you still trying to be a streamer Drake? Or houseyer?¡± ¡°Houseyer?¡± Bjorn asked confused. ¡°Cosyer! It¡¯s Cosyer Mom!¡± Drake corrected then stiffened, ¡°No, I¡¯m not and we don¡¯t talk about the kuro rekishi!¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Dillon asked, tapping Travis on the shoulder, ¡°Is Drake stronger than you?¡± Travis frowned, ¡°A little¡­ Why twerp?¡± Dillon smiled, ¡°I guess it¡¯s true then.¡± ¡°What¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Having longer hair makes you stronger. Maybe you should grow yours out,¡± Dillonughed, pointing at Travis. Drake smirked, Travis diving into the seat behind him to wrestle Dillon into a headlock. But the banter onlysted a few more minutes before they finally came up on the outstretched ck wall that was the edge of ReUnite, the bus, and caravan of cages filled with captured monstersing to a halt. A few ¡®ooo¡¯s and ahh¡¯s¡¯ escaped the passenger¡¯s lips but Drake began exiting the bus with Bjorn and Chelsea who had already seen this type of magic before. Waiting for him in a half bow was Rvul. ¡°I wee the Patriarch back. I am d you have returned safely!¡± he shouted. ¡°Come on Rvul, you know you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Drake smiled, patting the man on the shoulder. ¡°It is natural to show respect to your leader, Patriarch. May I ask who these are? And where is my daughter, I do not see her with you?¡± he asked, craning his neck slightly to see over Drake and Bjorn. The sound of a person screaming broke the momentary silence from their arrival, a ball of six teens mming into the jet-ck wall behind them. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s training the young ones,¡± Drakeughed wryly as the kids slid to the ground, groaning in protest, chuckling he absently added, ¡°I fear for how traumatized our kids will be¡­¡± Drake paused, catching himself and looking to the side to avoid eye contact with Rvul. The old man was grinning ear to ear. ¡°I see!¡± Rvul bellowed, ¡°It is a great day it seems! The Patriarch and my daughter seem to have be closer! Ah, to be young! I look forward to seeing my grandchildren!¡± Drake winced. His mother pulled up the rear with the rest of his family, the entourage of people from the other town, not protruding Rvul in the slightest after seeing Drake. Turning into his ¡®head of affairs¡¯ mode, Rvul waved the people to the gate, not batting an eye at Lamar as the hulking cyclops lumbered past him stopping at Drake. ¡°Alright, so you got a forge ready for me? Or am I going to have to make my own?¡± Lamar asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have many artisans at the moment, so you can have your pick of the lot,¡± Drake motioned to Rvul, ¡°You can ask Rvul or one of the other administrators for somewhere that¡¯s free. I¡¯m sure they will be more than willing to help someone of your skill.¡± Lamar scoffed, ¡°I expect my sister to be taken care of.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°It goes without saying, my man. There is another weapon smith in the town, he¡¯s currently taking care of all the weapons, armor, and maintenance that we need. Maybe you¡¯d like to go see what he¡¯s up to? Your sister can take up residence with the other kids if you like in my big house on the ind. There¡¯s food, snacks, games, lots of stuff from the old world.¡± Lamar looked down at his sister, her hand in his, ¡°Well?¡± She looked back up at him, ¡°I¡¯m fine being close to you, I enjoy hearing the sound of you working,¡± she answered smiling back. Drake raised his brows, ¡°Wow, didn¡¯t expect her to be so wholesomepared to you.¡± ¡°Fuck you prick,¡± Lamar spat back, only to have his sister frown and p hisrge hand. ¡°No badnguage.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± he responded immediately. Drake made a whipping motion, ¡°Wah tschh!¡± Lamar growled but was led away before he could voice his opinion by his sister. Bjornughed, ¡°Youugh at him now, but just wait till ire gets here.¡± Chelsea frowned next to him, giving Drake a dirty look, ¡°I feel bad for her, you two-timing on her right after leaving¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it again! I haven¡¯t touched Sarah!¡± Drake said, defending himself. The woman in question fell in next to him a few momentster a smile on her face that she quickly fixed noticing Drake¡¯s nce. ¡°Like beating up on them, huh?¡± Drake smirked. ¡°I am simply teaching them how to fight as best I can. And how it feels to receive a strike, no more. Might I also remind you, Patriarch, you have touched me,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said, crossing her arms. Gasps rang out from the side of them, Rvul nodding his head happily. ¡°I knew it!¡± Landin shouted from the ball of tangled teenagers. ¡°Shut it! I never did anything!¡± Drake countered. Sah Ul¡¯ looked confused, ¡°We have spared and fought several times,¡± she exined, ¡°You have also carried me when I was injured.¡± Drake pped his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ Whatever fine, yes I¡¯ve touched you. PLATONICALLY!¡± ¡°For now,¡± Bjorn added from over Drake¡¯s shoulder, smiling. ¡°I-I¡­¡± Drake paused, looking at Sah Ul¡¯ her yellow eyes ncing back at him a brow raising, ¡°I¡­won¡¯t deny that¡­¡± A p came to the side of his head, his mother holding a slipper in one hand, her other on her side. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were two-timing on your wife! Punyeta! AH! What kind of monster have I raised!¡± she yelled, throwing her hands up into the air, the slipper vanishing as it wasunched forward aiming for Drake¡¯s head. ¡°Whoa whoa whoa!!!¡± Drake shouted, ducking behind Bjorn, ¡°I was with ire before Sarah! So technically¡­¡± The slipper whipped forward, its aim true. Bjorn and Drake¡¯s jaws dropped as they saw the slipper curve like a bullet, only to hear a ¡®pop¡¯ Natto appearing on Drake¡¯s right shoulder right before the slipper smacked her right between the eyes pushing her off. Drake, Bjorn, Chelsea, and now Rvul, all looked down, Natto scowling and rubbing the bridge between her eyes. ¡°Oh hey, Natto. Thanks for catching that stray,¡± Drake smirked. She sat up, growling, ¡°This is what I get for trying to be here to greet and inform you as soon as you arrive¡­¡± ¡°Oh, tell me of what?¡± ¡°One of the spineless dolts from your tutorial showed up, the one with the robots. You and he should talk before you do anything else, it is important,¡± Natto red up at Bjorn, ¡°I see you brought another problem to our doors. Again...¡± ¡°Yeah but you knew Bjorn wasing,¡± Drake said, giving a dismissive wave, ¡°Here, Look what I saved you.¡± Drake pulled out a pot filled of still steaming stew, filling the air with a slightly acidic smell that tantalized the senses. Natto immediately drooled, snatching the pot and cing it between her legs as she dug in. ¡°Savage¡­¡± Drake cringed, pulling out a pot of rice and cing it down next to her, ¡°At least eat it properly, you¡¯re disrespecting my heritage.¡± ¡°Obucwn waodn NCown ando fbuabf!¡± Natto barked. ¡°What did she say?¡± Chelsea asked. Drake couldn¡¯t help but smirk, ¡°She said, You disrespect your ancestors enough for the both of us already.¡± Bjorn nodded, getting a p on the arm from Drake, ¡°Don¡¯t agree with her, you¡¯re supposed to be on my side!¡± Bjorn raised his hands, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just an observer here, if it¡¯s funny, Iugh bro. Especially when it¡¯s at your expense.¡± ¡°What manners¡­¡± Drake¡¯s mother scowled, looking down at Natto. Natto looked up, her mouth still filled and face confused as if saying ¡®Who is thisdy?¡¯ ¡°Natto meet my family, this is my Mother,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°Mom, family, this is Natto. She¡¯s kind of like my daughter, in a weird way?¡± Natto scowled at Drake, pointing a spoon in his direction. Drake shrugged, ¡°What? It¡¯s true, you¡¯re made from my blood which is basically the same as making a kid, just without the fun. Or do we need to have a birds and the bees talk?¡± Mrs. Wallen gasped, scooping Natto up and interrupting her meal, ¡°Oh, is this my grandbaby?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me! Sige! I will have to teach her properly then!¡± His mother walked forward guided by Rvul through the gate, holding on tightly to a struggling Natto who was reaching over her shoulder, with desperate eyes asking for help. Drake smiled and waved at the helpless construct, then mimed a cross across his chest, praying for her toe back in one piece. ¡°Hey, Bjorn, have you been to the church yet by the way?¡± Drake asked, realizing he needed to do something there as well. ¡°Church? There¡¯s a church?¡± Bjorn asked. Drake nodded, ¡°Alright, you cane with me¡­¡± he looked at Chelsea, ¡°I guess she knows what¡¯s going on, so she cane too.¡± He turned to the rest of the group, ¡°Travis, Dillon, I have my home on the center ind in theke, you guys can set up in there, there¡¯s more than enough space although there¡¯s plenty of other people in the house. At least until we can get your own houses up and running.¡± Then he looked to the kids, who were untangling themselves, ¡°All of you get situated and take some time to talk to who you need to. Meet me in front of the auction house in about an hour alright?¡± The teens nodded. ¡°That includes you three as well,¡± Drake said, addressing Mordred, Glenn, and Lucium, ¡°Not sure howbat assistants work exactly but I¡¯m sure we can help you out a bit.¡± Lucium bowed slightly, ¡°I am grateful for your consideration.¡± ¡°As for the rest of you, please go through with proper procedure of being screened and we will find you homes, food, and a means to live herefortably. Mr. Hogue¡­¡± Drake trailed off. ¡°You and your family will be under lock and key until I have dealt with what I need to here and we leave for Sandal within the day. Understood?¡± Mr. Hogue nodded following the crowd of other people as he tried to calm his wife, his kids looking around like excited tourists. ¡°Sarah, can you please bring the cages into where Natto needs them? I¡¯m sure you can ask your father if she isn¡¯t avable.¡± She nodded, the rest of the people funneling in through the gate. His brothers gave him an assessing look as they passed. ¡°Look at Mr. Big Shot over here,¡± Travis jabbed. ¡°I own the city Travis,¡± Drake said, sneering back. ¡°I own the city, Travis,¡± Travis parroted mockingly, ¡°Yeah, but you''re our brother first, so I still reserve the right to make fun of you.¡± ¡°We still owe you a prank for your birthday. So watch your back, kid,¡± Dillon said, pointing two fingers at him. Drake smiled, shaking his head and turning back to Bjorn. ¡°Looks like Hudson is in town, but I have a feeling we should get to the church first, maybe we¡¯ll see him on the way, or. Oh, never mind there he is.¡± Walking out from the gate against the flow of foot traffic was Hudson, looking left and right spotting Drake. ¡°If it isn¡¯t my emotional support redneck!¡± Drake said, raising his hands, bringing Hudson into a brief hug, and sping him on the back. ¡°Pup, I¡¯ve never been either of those¡­¡± Hudson said ufortably, then cleared his throat losing his ent, ¡°W-we should talk.¡± Drake raised a brow, as did Chelsea and Bjorn. ¡°About?¡± ¡°Little miss, said you and I should talk after I brought up some town names. I didn¡¯t get anything other than that.¡± Drake pursed his lips and then saw a man in a military outfit follow in behind Hudson. ¡°Oh, so I was right?¡± Drake said, looking back at the small entourage Hudson had following him. Hudson scratched the back of his neck, ¡°Guess so,¡± but he tried to put on a smile adding, ¡°Smart idjit ain¡¯t ya?¡± Drake didn¡¯t care at the moment that Hudson had been hiding this part of himself, only happy one of his friends and teammates hade back safe and sound. ¡°That I am, my emotional support redneck, that I am. I¡¯ve been through the ringer the past few days, so we can wait to talk until after the fun.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± Hudson said cocking an eyebrow. ¡°Natto didn¡¯t tell you? I¡¯m having grown adults beat up kids for the luls,¡± Drake said proudly, then corrected himself, ¡°Wait no, I¡¯m having teens who now look like adults thanks to the system rank up, who used to be kids, beat up on grown adults for teaching and dominance purposes¡­? Yeah, that sums it up I think.¡± ¡°That don¡¯t sum up nothing. Might as well be fishing for trout in a gas station there pup,¡± Hudson said in confusion, his ent returning. ¡°Sounds about right,¡± Drake nodded. ¡°What part of that sounds right?¡± Chelsea scoffed. ¡°None of it, so all of it,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Well, you can rx for now Hudson, we won¡¯t be doing anything for a few hours. Hope you¡¯ve been put up well while you¡¯ve waited, I¡¯ll find you in a few. Bjorn and I have to see a goat man about something.¡± ¡ª---------------- After getting past the gate and traveling through the town that had taken leaps in infrastructure, to Drake¡¯s pleasant surprise. As well as Chelsea¡¯s touristy surprise as she pointed and pulled at Bjorn to go see shops and buildings on the way, only to be ignored as Bjorn walked in tandem with Drake to the church. They finally reached their destination. ¡°So what about this church is so important for me?¡± Bjorn asked, looking at the impressive building up and down. ¡°Well, I have to ask Pythanuel a few things to rify some stuff, but for you. I think it might be good to get a history lesson on Titans,¡± Drake exined walking up to the doors. Bjorn stiffened slightly shifting on his feet, ¡°This goat guy knows?¡± Drake shrugged, ¡°Kinda? When I came herest he talked a bit about the Asurans, so at the very least he can give you something. And we could use all the info we can get with how limited Natto is on stuff like that at the moment,¡± he said waving them in. The three passed through the massive swinging doors, a few patrons here and there praying to statue pyres as they looked around. Drake had already seen the building and skipped the ooing and awing as he looked for Pythanuel. And he didn¡¯t need to look long as therge-hatted priest found him quickly enough. ¡°Wee. I am pleased to see you return Lord Wallen,¡± Pythanuel said bowing slightly, ¡°Are you here to make a donation?¡± Drake gave a dismissive wave, ¡°No, I have a bone to pick and can you show me to the Titan¡¯s statue?¡± Pythanuel paused, a bead of sweat forming on his skin, ¡°Why would you want to see said statue, Lord?¡± ¡°Drake thumbed to Bjorn, ¡°It isn¡¯t really a secret anymore thanks to bounties and I¡¯m sure the Dragon bitch has spread it by now too. This guy is a titan.¡± A small gasp escaped Pythanuel¡¯s mouth as he quivered trying to maintain hisposure. A shaking hand raised as he arced it in front of himself into a deep bow. ¡°This humble servant wees one closest to the Originators. Descendant of the Endless Expanse, The World Eater, Father of the Void,¡± he raised his head, his face pale, ¡°I wee one who shares the blood of the Original Primordial Titan, Marun¡¯ Dune.¡± Chapter 258: Reports Chapter 258: Reports ¡°Closest to the Originators¡­?¡± Drake muttered, ¡°And where is this standing on ceremonying from? I didn¡¯t get this.¡± ¡°Apologies, Lord Wallen,¡± Pythanuel said, giving another bow, ¡°It is simply a precaution to not offend¡­ We show difference to all Primordials, of course, however, sons and daughters of the World Eater¡­.require more...¡± Drake gave a look to Bjorn, who looked just as confused as he felt. ¡°Care to exin?¡± Drake asked. Pythanuel looked far more anxious than Drake had ever seen him, even after the whole Asuran statue changing in front of him debacle. ¡°Please this way,¡± Pythanuel finally said, turning around. Drake, Bjorn, and Chelsea followed suit behind him. Bjorn and Chelsea looking around at the statues in wonder. ¡°They¡¯re basically statues of each race''s strongest figure, you can offer and pray to them for temporary buffs,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Dope,¡± Bjorn said, turning his head to a statue that had just melted and reformed as they passed, ¡°And what''s up with that, bro? It¡¯s the third one I¡¯ve seen,¡± he said pointing. ¡°Oh, the lower level ones I guess change a lot, higher and further back we go the stronger the people are, and the less frequently they change. Or so I¡¯ve heard,¡± Drake shrugged. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°Why are we going deeper instead of towards where all the rest of the Primordial Races are?¡± Pythanuel coughed, ¡°I-i apologize Lord Wallen. The Father of the Void is a very special case¡­¡± he exined looking up at the ceiling in worry as if looking past it, ¡°I am sure you are aware that the S-Rank beings can, and will bend the will of the system, yes?¡± Drake felt a twinge of pain hit the base of his spine where the Dragon woman had forced the legendary stones into him against his will. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware¡­¡± he grimaced. Pythanuel nodded, continuing, ¡°This is a known andmon urrence among Primordials to an extent. They incur harsh punishments for doing so, but to be able to do so at all is a miracle and a show of strength nheless. However¡­¡± He paused, turning around before taking a deep breath and looking at Bjorn. ¡°The majority of the great Primordials both fear and despise the Titan race. In the agreement they reached to ce a bounty on various races, they also ced an absolute decree on Titans as well. They were not to be interacted with under any circumstances or provoked in any way, deliberate or otherwise.¡± ¡°What? They aren¡¯t fighting these bastards that are eating wholes and killing tillions?¡± Drake said recoiling, then looked at Bjorn, ¡°No offense.¡± Bjorn shrugged, ¡°None taken.¡± ¡°You must understand, Lord Wallen, Titans are bonafide walking disasters. Catastrophes a degree of magnitude greater than anything you could imagine,¡± Pythanuel grimaced, ¡°So much so that they have agreed to relinquish entire systems if a Titan is known to inhabit it.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned slightly, feeling as if Pythanuel wasn¡¯t telling the whole story. ¡°Okay, that still doesn¡¯t exin why you are being so cautious about speaking with Bjorn and about the Titans.¡± Pythanuel loosened his cor slightly, beginning to walk down the hall again, ¡°As I have mentioned, Primordials are seen as the beings closest to the Originators due to their limited ability to manipte the system in some regards. However, the one race seen as even closer, are the Titans, each one a natural disaster in their own right, but also have the ability to somehow manipte the system further.¡± ¡°How¡­?¡± Drake asked pressing him. ¡°There are a few passing stories telling of Titans suddenly appearing all over the multiverse as if teleported there. The most notable would be of one particr individual, disrespecting a particr Titan I will not name¡­only to have them appear and devour the entire sector.¡± Drake and Bjorn grimaced. ¡°Is it wrong I think that¡¯s kind of badass..?¡± Drake said in a whisper leaning over to Bjorn. ¡°A little, but I can¡¯t help but agree, bro,¡± Bjornughed ufortably. ¡°Many stories have been told of their ability to simply break rules of the system as well,¡± Pythanuel said, breaking up their chatter, his face turning serious as he turned to face them, a wide room now behind him at the end of the hall. ¡°This is where I must leave you, as well as warn you, Lord Wallen. This is a substantiated story that I fear may apply to you now that I know of Lord Bjorn. Titans do not heed the warnings of the system, nor their restrictions, and they alwayse to members of their race in need.¡± Pythanuel bowed again, then left, passing in between the trio. Drake looked at Bjorn, ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t foreboding or anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty doom and gloom, he always like that?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°Not sure, he was pretty upbeat when I was here, maybe it''s just the effect you have on people?¡± he joked. ¡°Uh¡­ guys?¡± Chelsea stammered, getting Bjorn and Drake¡¯s attention. Both turned from the hallway to the room, it surprisingly expansive. A single window brought light in from the side to illuminate the room the rays brightening the sole statue within it. The statue was massive to say the least. ¡°That''s the Titian number one¡­?¡± Drake said pointing at the statue, ¡°Why does he get a whole room to himself?¡± ¡°Dunno. Maybe he just doesn¡¯t like everyone else,¡± Bjorn shrugged. ¡°Or maybe everyone else doesn¡¯t like him¡­¡± Chelsea muttered. They moved inside the room together, Drake getting up close to the statue the pyre in front of it a deep color almost the shade of ck. ¡°So what do we do here?¡± Bjorn asked, ¡°We got a little more information but doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s much else.¡± Drake put his hand to his chin, ¡°Not sure, I honestly expected a little more, and damn, I forgot to ask Pythanuel about the offerings he mentioned¡­ Maybe you should offer something and get a buff? You¡¯re a titan yourself so might be a good one.¡± ¡°You sure about that? Didn¡¯t that goat dude just say they could like teleport? You really want an S-Rank Primordialing down to earth bro?¡± ¡°Good point¡­¡± Drake agreed, ¡°Hm¡­ I guess that¡¯s all we can do for now then. I didn¡¯t expect the guy to be this big though, he has to be like a few stories high if the statues are to scale,¡± he mused. ¡°Yeah he looks pretty big,¡± Bjorn nodded but his gaze lingered on the statue. Bjorn was obviously thinking something over as he scanned the statue, his eyes looking focused but thoughtful. Drake nudged him, ¡°You okay there big guy?¡± Bjorn shook his head, ¡°Yeah, just. Kind of reminds me of that vision I had¡­ Not something I want to think about right now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. I¡¯m sure we will figure something out soon, I¡¯m at the door to E-Rank, which means Natto can hit me with more info soon enough. And even if that isn¡¯t good enough, I¡¯ll just keep going until we do. I told you man, just leave it to me, promise.¡± Bjorn gave a smirk. ¡°Yeah, yeah. We should probably go, we have somewhere else to be right?¡± ¡°That we do, myrge and slightly taller friend. Oh, I forgot to mention, didn¡¯t I? Theo, Megan, and Julia are here in town, oh, and Harley. Did you know Harley¡¯s pregnant? But you didn¡¯t hear it from me¡­¡± Drake said, whispering thest part. ¡°Megan¡¯s here?!¡± Chelsea shouted, making her way to the entrance. ¡°d some of the group is back together, missed Theo and his shenanigans. And Harley¡¯s pregnant, huh? Good for them,¡± Bjorn smiled. ¡°Yup, could you imagine my surprise when she came walking in and she was two times-¡± Drake stopped feeling a chill down his spine, ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s uh, get going.¡± Drake stepped past Bjorn leading the charge out of the building. Once outside the sound of a pop filled the air, and Natto appeared in front of them her hair braided into twin-tails, different clothes on her person, and a haggard look on her face. ¡°Finally! I thought you would never leave that sted building!¡± Natto screamed raising her hands into the air. ¡°Drake stifled augh, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I will tell you what happened! Your mother is just as much a menace as you are! She tried to dress me up! Continuing to say ¡®she always wanted a daughter¡¯ every few seconds, changing my clothes every few minutes, talking to me about rather useless information about some show I have never heard of, and trying to feed me without letting me breathe saying I was too skinny!¡± she said in a long drawn out breath, then paused, ¡°Now that I think about it, certainly I did not mind thest part. More delectables than I could have asked for. But I have had enough dress up for now!¡± she said, returning to being outraged. Bjorn began tough as well, but stopped as Natto scowled at him. But she breathed in a sigh and instead snapped her hands, her hair and clothes returning to normal. Then pulling a stack of folders from her sleeve. ¡°Here, dolt.¡± ¡°What are these?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Reports. You may not be part of the daily dealings of the city, but I found it appropriate to at least inform you of what is happening.¡± Drake groaned, ¡°Do I have to read these? Can¡¯t you just, I don¡¯t know, give me a summary?¡± She spat at his feet, ¡°That is a summary you mongrel! How much do you think has happened since you left?¡± Drake shrugged. ¡°Additions to the city in every corner. There are now blocks of solid infrastructure thanks to my tireless workings and possibly a particr overworked earth mage¡­ We have erected several orphanages for the children headed by several trusted people. The fields on the wall are running nicely thanks to addition of several new mages able to manipte fire and water among new farmers we have begun training. Resources are beginning to be processed in the nearby area. lumber, foraging, and we are searching for any other magical substances we may have missed, herbs, nts, ore, and the like. Unfortunately, I do not believe we will be able to obtain a steady import of these items. We have started searching for a local product we can produce to trade. Monster hunting and questing can only go so far before it begins to cut into profits and affect the economy, at least on a fledgling not suited for it such as ours,¡± Natto exined, then held up a finger before Drake could ask his question, ¡°If we only have Monster Cores as a form of ie for the people here, they will simply use them within the auction house and the money will be funneled outside of the city instead of within our own economic hub. We need to start producing local goods to keep the money here. It will take time but we are working toward it. If we could find a way to produce weaponry and armor for the majority of Ranks here that would be most beneficial.¡± Drake nodded along, flipping through the papers and folders only to get hit in the face with a book bound in leather. ¡°Ah, what the hell?! I was listening!¡± Natto had finished her summary and had already begun ripping off chunks of meat from a skewer. She paused, pointing at the book with the stake. ¡°That is all the information I can currently give you on your Rank-Up and the Quest associated with it. There are also the things we discussed about the lost cats you have picked up, their builds, rmended stones, etc.¡± Natto threw several more things at Drake, this time he pulled them out of the air, not wanting to be osted by objects any more than he had to today. ¡°Those are recording crystals. They are inexpensive and from the auction house, I have purchased several hundred of them to ce around the city for security. I thought you would also like to have some to maybe record the progress of your pet projects. Or¡­ other things,¡± Natto said, giving a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯m not into that kind of thing!¡± Drake growled. ¡°Are you not? Mr. xXxDemonHunterDrakexXx? If that is, your real name,¡± she guffawed, rearing back her head inughter. ¡°Who told you?!¡± Drake said, going slightly pale then realization hit him, ¡°Mom!!!!¡± ¡°Hey everyone, wee back to the stream! Today we¡¯re going to go questing, teehee!¡± Natto said in a mocking tone, sticking her tongue out and winking. Drake rushed forward grabbing Natto by the throat with both hands as he looked down, ¡°Oi. You¡¯re taking this joke too far.¡± Natto groaned but smiled, ¡°This is the hunter of nightmares, signing off¡­ See¡­you¡­next¡­t-time!¡± Drake released her dropping to his knees, ¡°Oh, the cringe! Make it stop!!¡± Bjorn shook his head, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear the day.¡± Drake turned as he whipped his head around, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear a damn thing, Bjorn! Right?!¡± He held up his hands, Theo shimmering into sight right next to him pping his hands. ¡°Theo? What¡¯s up bro, how ya been?¡± Bjorn said, noticing him. ¡°This one has been splendid, Sir Bjorn! Even more so now that this one has heard of his Lord¡¯s past splendor straight from the Lord¡¯s benevolent mother¡¯s mouth!¡± ¡°Not you too!¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to have a talk with her!¡± his shoulders slumped slightly before he took in a breath, ¡°Good to see you again, Theo. How is the schooling along? Oh! By the way, I have one of your new teachers here!¡± Drake said, pointing to Bjorn. Theodore¡¯s brows rose in understanding a small smile creasing his lips, ¡°Oh what a wondrous fate thy has to apany this one in the education of the Lord¡¯s future servants!¡± ¡°No, Theo, they¡¯re just students¡­not everyone is going to work for me,¡± Drake sighed. ¡°And I never agreed to be a teacher bro,¡± Bjorn added. ¡°Ahe on, you got nothing better to do! Just pick flowers and teach kids till they get their herbalist and alchemy quests or something. You wanted something rxing right?¡± ¡°This one is inclined to agree. We already have constructed an outline and are recruiting students from the orphans and other children in the city, having more staff will indubitably be a blessing, Sir Bjorn,¡± Theodore exined bowing slightly. Bjorn scratched his beard and sighed, ¡°Sure, pull at my soft side.¡± Drake nudged him again in the side, ¡°You sure there¡¯s a soft side on you? Cause I couldn¡¯t find it once whenever we fought.¡± He realized something and looked down to Natto, who had pulled out a steaming pot in the meantime waiting for them. ¡°Hey Natto, you know anything about like a hyperbolic time chamber type deal or a-¡± ¡°A fighting arena?¡± she said, finishing his thought. ¡°Yeah, a fighting arena would work I guess? I increased my nobility rank when we were out getting ganked by vamps, I haven¡¯t checked the Center Store yet but I¡¯m guessing there might be some new buildings to snag.¡± Natto thought for a moment. ¡°Yes, there is a facility called a Spirit Arena you can purchase from the Auction, but it is a B-Rank building contract and extremely expensive to purchase and upkeep. We would have to look at what the Center offers if I am being truthful as I am not sure. The offerings vary depending on the, but I am sure that something of the sort will be there at some point.¡± ¡°Oh, the auction! We have to go there and finish up filling out the little troublemaker¡¯s skills, don¡¯t we? I wanna see if I can get something for myself too, I think it¡¯s about time I talk with the locals and see if I can¡¯t haggle my way into some of Kajit¡¯s wares¡­¡± Chapter 259: Second Meeting Chapter 259: Second Meeting Drake andpany made their way to the System Center and Auction House. Walking down the ck-stone cobbled streets that Drake was beginning to notice everywhere. At least all that stone-making I did is going to use. I saw a few of the streets before, but whoever Natto is making do all this work, probably deserves a raise¡­ He thought. While continuing down the streets, they began to lose members. Theodore having to depart to return to his duties and to Harley. Bjorn and Chelsea deciding to leave as well to check out the city shops and find a nice ce to set up their tent. Drake had offered the ind where his own home was but they turned him down, wanting to be as far away from the crystal and Natto as possible. By the time he had reached the general market area where the auction, bank, and center were, it was only him and Natto. Many people nodded in passing to Natto, but it seemed that most people had tried their best to quickly leave after that or avoid eye contact with Drake. ¡°What¡¯s with the secondhand citizen treatment?¡± Drake wondered. ¡°You have not been here for the past week and we have had a significant influx of people. It has for some reason started to reduce to a trickle. But I have my suspicions. From interviewing the various undead we have caught and the general rumors going around from the adventurer partiesing and going I can certainly say you are not being painted in the best light,¡± Natto shrugged. ¡°Is that right? Are they at least getting my devilishly good-looking side? Even in bad lighting it''s not bad if I say so myself.¡± ¡°No, you dolt! The general consensus is that you are a real evil bastard. Tyrannical and willing to kill anyone who even looks at you the wrong way. Some of the rumors go as far as to say you are actively helping your brother round up people to kill. Thankfully the people here can see that such is not true, but it seems the rumors are spreading rapidly which will make expanding further much more difficult in the future. At least until we clear these current rumors up and find where the source is originating. I have ruled out the New Colonies, or at the least their leadership thanks to the robot user. He was not aware of my probing but it seems he knew nothing of the rumors when he arrived.¡± ¡°Yeah about that, Hudson is a secret agent or something?¡± ¡°That I am not sure, he has contact with the leader of the New Colonies and was sent to recruit you it seems. You will have to discuss with him for more. He was also unaware of the undead that had infiltrated hispany as well as the steroids. But¡­yes, you should speak to him quickly when you have a chance. Do you n to leave swiftly?¡± Drake nodded, rubbing his bare shoulders, feeling exposed without his usual hoodie to cover him. ¡°I¡¯d like to leave immediately but we need to finish up the group''s skills and have thepetition I promised. I n on taking that group with me to Sandal. I¡¯m sure I can fight whatever or whoever is there, but if there¡¯s going to be people needing rescue, the more people I have to help with it the better. I feel a little bad but they need to see what is happening to prepare themselves. I have a feeling this undead problem is only going to get worse. Did you get any information on how much of the poption survived the tutorials?¡± Natto brought up a screen, then pulled some more papers from her sleeve. ¡°It is not definitive, unfortunately. The cities still do not have enough contact to give a proper head count. Based on what I have heard from theings and goings of people, I would venture 10% of each world survived at worst, perhaps 20% at best. It seems that your world¡¯s iteration was particrly bloody, like we suspected¡­¡± Drake grimaced, looking over the rough estimates detailed on the paper, circled areas of the old world map showing where they had confirmed poption, butrge portions were cked out, nearly half the map. ¡°It isn¡¯t looking too good right now huh?¡± ¡°It truly is not.¡± He sighed, cing the papers away, only to have something tap against his head a momentter. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked. [Long Range Communication Crystal] [F-Grade] [Umon]
  • Allows two-waymunication to a paired crystal
  • Range: 500 Miles
  • Cost: Small Amount of Mana
¡°I assume you will be worried about your family when you leave? This should alleviate such worries,¡± Natto huffed from his shoulder. Drake smiled, pocketing the crystal. ¡°Thanks.¡± They continued down the street, Drake still in awe of how much the city had improved and expanded, making mental notes of ces he would like to check out once he finally had time to. Especially a ce named the ¡®Dazzling Tyrant¡¯s Comic Hangout¡¯ when another thought struck him from his earlier talk with Pythanuel. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask Natto. What¡¯s the reason behind the whole bounty for races thing? The goat dude in the church mentioned that it was more than just the Asurans.¡± Natto winced slightly and her eyes became distant, a first for Drake before she seemed to almost recite something as if reading from a script. ¡°Bounties for the ¡®Catastrophic Upheaval Races¡¯ were made in ordance with the other great Primordial races to strip them of their power and danger. Ridding the multiverse of the potential threats they posed to the Originators and the natural order.¡± Drake gave her a worried look, ¡°Natto¡­? You okay?¡± Natto shook her head, her hand going to her temple. ¡°Y-yes, I believe so¡­ I am not sure what came over me. What was your question?¡± Drake gave her another sidelong nce. This was the first time he had asked a question that garnered such a response. Was it the system impeding her? But he questioned if it was just that. He had asked her questions she couldn¡¯t answer before and had never gotten something like this. It had to be something else. ¡°No, nothing, don¡¯t worry about it for now,¡± Drake finally said as they came up to the auction house, arge crowd already huddling around the building, ¡°Huh, what¡¯s that about?¡± Moving closer Drake could hear a familiar voiceing from the center of the crowd making him smile wryly. ¡°Awe he¡¯s so cute! Can I pet him?¡± ¡°This miniature treant is so adorable! Where did you get her? Are you a tamer?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re single! Is this your first time in the city?¡± ¡°Wow, you have such deep topaz eyes! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. Do you want to grab a cup of coffee with me?¡± Drake pushed to the edge of the crowd of men and women, at the center Landin smiling and eating up the attention. Charlotte stood with a stone face expression, but her arms crossed in annoyance. Quetz floated above whistling a tune away from themotion, while the twins talked to themselves in a corner, or Atropos talked to her brother while he growled at any man or woman that approached. He found Kalik Tu¡¯ standing scowling with his hands in his pockets not far away fighting off orc and human women alike to Drake¡¯s surprise, like a yakuza with ¡®oi¡¯s¡¯ and ¡®ahhh haaa?!¡¯s¡¯ without effect as they screamed and giggled at his attempts. Mordred, n, and Luciem were also nearby awaiting Drake like the rest, but not nearly with as much attention as the others. Drake saw Glenn ogling at some of the girls here and there but he was held back like a dog on a leash by Mordred who wore a disgusted grimace as if she was holding garbage. After a bit of enjoying the atmosphere, Drake pushed through, grabbing Landin and ushering him forward into the auction. ¡°Alright Casanova time to go, remember that most of these girls are twice your age,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Ah! Wait,e on man! I¡¯m in my spring of youth here!¡± Landinined. ¡°Yeah yeah.¡± ¡°B-but my adoring fans!¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be here when you get back. Who would have guessed your rank up would turn you into a horndog.¡± Landin frowned, ¡°I¡¯m finally popr! Come onnnnnn!¡± Drake barked a deepugh, waving for the rest of the group to follow him inside, Natto poking Landin in the back of the head with her foot, a look of amusement at the teen¡¯s pain. ¡°The rest of you get in here too, no time to waste,¡± Drake pushed the rest of them inside and told them to wait then turned to the disappointed crowd of onlookers not willing to push past him to pursue, ¡°If you want to see them again and in action, free up your schedules to watch them fight against the Orc Guards in the next few hours. It will be a show to remember!¡± Finished with the onlookers, Drake turned back into the auction house, the eight teens plus Lucium waiting a few steps from the door with the bustle of the crowd passing by in every direction. ¡°Alright, everyone has cores or Mana Coins from the trip right?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Yes, we exchanged some when we went to the center earlier,¡± Charlotte nodded. ¡°We have made an appropriate amount of ie from the journey,¡± Atropos added. ¡°How did everyone¡¯s talks go?¡± Drake also asked, mainly wondering how Charlotte¡¯s brother took her dramatic change. Her face was as impassive as ever but she subtly shifted on her feet, ¡°Brodie, was surprised. As was Janey, but there wasn¡¯t much to do about it since it was an effect of the rank-up.¡± Charlotte twirled her finger around her slightly longer but more vivid red hair, ¡°They did say I looked prettier but colder¡­ I do feel like they are right, my emotions feel somewhat more muted¡­¡± Drake gave a sympathetic crease of his lips. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunately another effect of ranking up and using the stones, the more powerful the stone therger the effect usually is. It¡¯s why I had you all space out your use to minimize it. When I was filling out, I had dramatic changes in personality, almost cking out in blood lust and losing myself.¡± He looked at Mordred, ¡°Mordred, you are the most susceptible to something like that with your ss rarity so you must be even more cautious when you¡¯re selecting skills.¡± Drake handed her roughly, what the others had gained in stones. ¡°Glenn, Mordred, leave your subtree ss stones to me, but think long and hard on what skill stones you¡¯d like,¡± he turned to the rest of them, ¡°Everyone else take your time looking through the auction¡¯s catalogs. There isn¡¯t much in the way of weaponry or gear, I¡¯m assuming because you wouldn¡¯t want to sell stuff you could use yourself or others on your could but there should be a good amount of useful skill stones due to their avability and demand. Remember, take your time, you can¡¯t change your skills without dire and drastic means,¡± he reminded, making sure to enunciate thest sentence. ¡°Quetz is going to find the most colorful stones to use!¡± Quetz blurted out as soon as he was done, forcing Drake to look at Charlotte. Charlotte nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ go with her¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go haggle, when you¡¯re finished you can head to the front or find Sarah and train.¡± The group paled but nodded. ¡°What are you going to do Natto? Hanging out?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I will be leaving as well. The city does not run itself and I must allocate the monsters you have brought back, as well as the new people. You certainly brought back some troublesome things, I will say,¡± she added, looking down at Mordred. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff.¡± She frowned then sighed, ¡°I suppose two cmities do not make a difference if the first one destroys us in any case¡­ Ah! Woe is me for having been born to a moronic degenerate with a bleeding heart!¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°At least you get to eat good food.¡± ¡°A single drop in the bucket that is your ipetence¡­¡± she sighed, hopping off his shoulders and trotting off out the door. Drake smiled, and shooed off the teens, ¡°Alright, off you go.¡± The teens dispersed in different directions, doing their best to avoid therger groupings of people staring daggers and eager res at Drake. He was used to looks like this by now, receiving them more and more frequently. ¡°I wonder if I can somehow get a hold of something to disguise myself more?¡± he wondered aloud. Drake spotted one of the guards of the auction and nodded casually in their direction. The guard only acknowledged him with a nce returning to their duty. ¡°Bunch of stiffs¡­¡± He sighed and began walking through the crowd in the direction he hoped was the haggling area Talyia had mentioned before. Of course, he ignored the goadingments and oddly reverent stares he continued to receive along the way. After some pushing, shoving, and the odd one-off butt touch he received, he finally made it to a gated entrance within the auction. On the other side of the gate were magnificent cobbled streets with vendors hawking and shouting, pairs of people arguing between one another for lower prices to buy and higher prices to sell. Stepping through the gate the feeling of being transported once again was seamless but subtly noticeable to Drake, and the change of varnished wood floor to cobbled stone felt oddly good on the soles of his feet. ¡°Guess I should just walk and look around for now¡­ Subtree Stones are the priority, but if I can find some equipment or maybe some information on things outside my rank that would be a plus.¡± His mind doing back flips trying to understand how such arge space was able to fit inside the already spacious building, Drake walked down the seemingly endless street. Craning his neck and bending over stalls, tables, spread out nkets, and people to see and inspect items, armor, weapons, small animals, and numerous other things he was seeing for the first time. ¡°This ce is crazy¡­¡± he mumbled but more at the prices rather than just the things for sale. [Lackmiur Juvenile Level 3] He looked down at the price tag next to it, several red lines through the price that raised it even more than before a glowing blue pair of initials next to the new price. [361 C-Grade Monster Cores] Drake nched and did a double take looking at the animal. It was a small purplish blob with two bright white googly eyes looking in different directions, a pink tongue lolling out to the side. ¡°Head empty should be the name¡­¡± he scoffed, ¡°Wait this kinda looks like a certain purple tako¡­¡± He shook his head again, he was getting distracted. ¡°Well, there goes my idea of finding something. I guess there¡¯s a reason these items are out here, they¡¯re all ridiculously expensive and way better quality than anything on the standard auction¡­ Most of it is C-Grade and above too.¡± He sighed, deciding to continue window shopping for future reference at the very least. A few minutes of pursuing he began seeing less and less equipment and more items he didn¡¯t expect to see. Clothing, casual wear, shoes, hats, the works. The clothing ranged from things that looked like he would wear them, cartoonish and stylized characters of different races, to techno-wear that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie or a bad EDM concert. There were also other more, how would he say it, exotic clothing? He decided to walk past the shops hawking for him toe over and try out triangle loincloths by suspiciously eager sellers waving excitedly at him. Turning them down with an ufortable smile, he suddenly bumped into another patron. ¡°Oh! Sorry, I was distracted. Are you al¡­rig..ht¡­? Wait aren¡¯t you?¡± Drake looked down, golden irises, ck painted horns, and a scowl looking back. The woman¡¯s face suddenly paled and she pulled her hood down even more. ¡°It¡¯s fine, there¡¯s no need to apologize,¡± the woman said, getting up and picking up the piece of clothing she was looking at. She handed over some monster cores that made Drake¡¯s eyes pop out of his sockets. ¡°Miss, I can¡¯t ept this!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I enjoy your clothing, think of it as a gesture of appreciation,¡± she turned her back to Drake, ¡°I do not know who you are, but I suggest you take care if you are distracted so easily. It doesn¡¯t look well for your future otherwise.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get bumped into too? Shouldn¡¯t you have noticed me?¡± Her shoulders jerked. ¡°I-I¡­ was preupied with browsing this store¡¯s wares¡­¡± ¡°So you were distracted?¡± ¡°I was under the assumption that you would walk around me!¡± she growled. Drake shook his head sighing, ¡°Never mind that, I just wanted to say thanks for the advice from before, saved me a bunch of money.¡± The woman looked reluctant to stay as she turned her head slightly. But it seemed her curiosity or nature got the better of whatever was making her nervous. Her eyes shone with power for a moment before she spoke again. ¡°Are you participating in theing Assessment Tournament at your level¡­?¡± she asked. ¡°Assessment Tournament?¡± Drake asked back. ¡°Are you the strongest on your?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s any of your business,¡± Drake replied, suddenly feeling cautious. ¡°I see¡­ Then you haven¡¯t met the prerequisites for the invitation. That would mean you have yet to ess your first Trial Tower¡­¡± she shook her head beginning to walk away, ¡°I¡¯ve said too much. You are wee for before, but you will not be seeing me again¡­¡± She paused, Drake able to see her biting down on her lip. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°I-i¡­I-if..¡± her eyes steeled and she looked more determined than ever, ¡°If you are able¡­¡± she hesitated, ¡°Will you visit a ce called Zabek?¡± ¡°Zabek? Another world? How exactly am I supposed to do that?¡± Drake said, stunned slightly. ¡°Once you clear your first Dungeon Tower you should be able to select a system-created temporary one. From that you will receive a ticket,¡± she fully turned to him now, ¡°If you are able to make it that far you should have no problem breaking into the C-Rank-¡± But her mouth snapped shut before she could divulge more, her face turning a sickly gray and before Drake could even ask what was going on, or what was wrong, she vanished in thin air. He looked around bewildered, unable to find the woman, or even a trace of her or a skill that might have been used. Finally turning to the merchant next to him. ¡°Do you know what happened?¡± The purplish humanoid rubbed his beard, ¡°Looks like she was forcibly removed. Could have been the Proprietress,¡± then he raised a brow, ¡°She¡¯s been here a few times, always shes a bit of coin or core like she doesn¡¯t understand what she¡¯s carrying. Could be a noble or something and got recalled.¡± Recalled..? Drake thought, feeling like he had just been left on the edge of a cliff with nowhere to go. Chapter 260: The Grand Arena Chapter 260: The Grand Arena Drake scratched the back of his head, honestly flustered at what to do with the new information that was dropped on him, then suddenly cut off before he could get rification. Left there like he had just gotten done with a wild rapids ride, he shrugged. ¡°Well, that was probably some kind of canon event¡­ But¡­ Dunno where to go from here, so I guess it¡¯s time to get back to everyone.¡± ¡°Where are we going Lord Drake?¡± a voice said from behind him. He turned, both surprised and confused that he was caught so unaware sinceing back even with his Aura still doing its thing. ¡°Atropos, Charlotte. Done getting your skills?¡± Charlotte shook her head, ¡°I was only able to get one stone. They are simply too expensive for me. I think it may be better to fill up the remaining slots I have with the stones on hand.¡± ¡°I as well was not able to acquire much,¡± she agreed, her ears and tails drooping slightly, ¡°Umon and below stones are quite affordable, but once we delved into the rarer stones the prices became unwieldy.¡± ¡°It makes me think just how much you spent on the stones we already received¡­¡± Charlotte said trailing off. Drake gave her a ruffle of her hair, which he realized looked quite different now that she was basically the same height as him and looked like a grown adult. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff. And you can both just slowly add to your skill lists, there isn¡¯t a rush to finish it. Getting to E-Rank will take time right now just because of the monsters avable to hunt. But there¡¯s the Monster Invasionsing soon and who knows what else for opportunities, so just don¡¯t ck on training and it will alle in time. By the way, why is it only you two?¡± Charlotte crossed her arms, ¡°I couldn¡¯t let the puppy find you on her own. I saw her slinking off after she purchased something.¡± ¡°I was not, nor have I ever, slinked! I simply wished to see Lord Drake and assess whether or not he was in need of assistance¡­ with¡­ something¡­¡± Atropos huffed. Drake sighed, ¡°And you left Quetz alone?¡± Charlotte¡¯s stone-cold face jerked ever so slightly it was almost unnoticeable, but she crossed her arms, ¡°What do you take me for?¡± Drake waited. ¡°I left her with Kalik. To annoy him and because Landin was gone.¡± Drake smiled. ¡°I love that annoying Kalik is bing a thing. Just remember in moderation, poor kid probably doesn¡¯t know what a joke is¡­ And Landin is missing? Did he leave early?¡± Atropos and Charlotte shrugged. ¡°And your brother? He¡¯s usually at your hip?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Atropos looked away, ¡°Might have asked a nice guard to stop him¡­ for a bit¡­¡± ¡°You got him arrested?!¡± Drake yelled. ¡°No! He is only being brought to the proprietress I¡¯m told.¡± Drake¡¯s hand went to his temples as he sighed. Then he grabbed them both by the arms, ¡°Alright let¡¯s go save him¡­ I really didn¡¯t want to deal with Taliya today.¡± ¡ª------- Drake and the pair made their way out of the bartering area, the main floor still bustling with patrons heading to counters and stalls, others to therge audience halls for bidding. He quickly found a guard. ¡°Hey, I need to see Taliya, heard one of my kids got snatched up.¡± The guard frowned, ¡°It is Proprietress to you¡­¡± Drake gave a wave, ¡°Yup, need to see her. Please and thank you.¡± The guard growled, but another guard found them before anything detrimental happened. Namely, Drake getting his face run into the ground by a B-Rank Guard he was currently prodding like an angry bear. ¡°You know where the second floor is, you can find it yourself,¡± the new guard said. Drake nodded, heading for the back stairs with Charlotte and Atropos in tow. Atropos hummed, impressed that Drake was able tomand such influence in a ce like this, ¡°As expected of Lord Drake!¡± she mumbled under her breath. They quickly got to the top of the stairs, the second floor much less impressive than the main floor. Hallways filled with private rooms in all directions and a small viewing balcony for VIP¡¯s. Down the longest and widest hall, several guards stood at attention, marking Talyia¡¯s office or at least where she spent most of her time. Drake gave a wry grin trying to see the woman actually working after his interactions with her. But they moved down the hallway casually, the intimidating air of the guards pushing down on Atropos and Charlotte, however, both held out admirably, steeling themselves against the auras. Before they could fully get to the end of the hallway, the door swung open. And Drake gasped. ¡°No¡­¡± he muttered seeing both Landin and Clotho exiting the room, Taliya holding a wide grin as she ced the back of her hand on both their hands, both teens holding a crystalline stone in each of their respective hands. ¡°Gasp!¡± Drake yelled loud enough for them to hear, their heads turning to him, as Drake covered Atropos and Charlotte¡¯s ears with his hands. Landin¡¯s face turned a shade of red as did Clotho''s, surprisingly. ¡°Gasp!!¡± Drake yelled again, this time summoning hands of earth to shield Charlotte and Atropos¡¯s already wrapped eyes. Taliya licked her lips, covering her face with her fan, ¡°I hope to see you strapping young boys in the future. You are dismissed.¡± ¡°Gasp!!!¡± Drake said once more dramatically as he gasped, ¡°You two didn¡¯t!¡± Landin growled as Clotho turned his head downward. ¡°We didn¡¯t do shit! What do you take us for?! She just said she wanted to give us skill stones since we were having so much trouble!¡± Drake turned his head, his hand on his face as he pretended to shed a tear, ¡°I expected better of you two, just a few days ago you were so innocent¡­ Now¡­ Now!!!¡± He gave a dramatic grunt against the fist in his side. ¡°I think your joke has gone far enough¡­¡± Landin grumbled. Drake smiled, ¡°Fine fine. Can¡¯t me me for teasing. It¡¯s my job.¡± ¡°Since when!?¡± ¡°Since I basically adopted you all. You¡¯ll understand once my family settles in,¡± Drake smirked back. Landin and the rest were taken aback for a moment at the casual admittance of being adopted. The truth was that Drake had in a way made them family, watching them grow through admittedly a short amount of time, but they had gone through more than anyone in the world before would have. Saving their lives several times over, watching them in life and death struggles, fighting for days for their betterment. The bond they held went beyond a normal friendship or even family at this point. Even a student and teacher rtionship couldn¡¯t fully exin the depths of obligation and gratitude they felt for him even if some would not admit it. Drakeughed, ¡°Let¡¯s get going. I¡¯m sure Kalik has had enough of Quetz by now. And we have an appointment to keep.¡± He was the first to turn and begin walking down the hall, the rest of themgging just a step behind. Clotho fell back in line with his sister who was rubbing the side of her face Drake had touched with an ecstatic expression. Charlotte nced at his back, a slight flush of her cheeks on her stoney face. And Landin crushed the skill stone he had been given already, a crow appearing from a magic circle on his shoulder, darker than ck in color. ¡ª------- Drake pointed andughed, unable to form coherent words as they exited the auction. They had found Kalik and Quetz. Kalik was standing against a post, well as best he could, brooding with his arms crossed as he glowered at anyone passing by. Quetz on the other hand was on his shoulders, her elbows digging into the top of his head as they held up her own, apletely bored expression as she whistled azy tune. That was until she spotted Drake and the others, smacking Kalik on the head and pointing. ¡°Kalik look look! Quetz spotted them! Go go!¡± she cooed, rocking back and forth. Kalik growled, ¡°Oi! Get off me you damned rainbow chicken!¡± ¡°Boooo! What¡¯s wrong with rainbows!¡± Quetz huffed, her feathers shifting to an indignant red, ¡°Quetz likes them, they have lots of pretty colors! And who is a chicken?!¡± She smacked the top of his head again pulling at his mohawk-like hair, ¡°Stupid rooster!¡± Kalik threw up his hands roaring to swipe at Quetz but she jumped off, floating in the air effortlessly thanks to her new skills as she booed andughed at him pointing. ¡°Ha! Stupid rooster!¡± Drake walked up putting his hand on Kalik¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Enjoy babysitting?¡± Kalik raised a shaking fist his face scowling, ¡°I am a proud warrior of the Rahk¡­ I am a proud warrior of the Rahk¡­ I am¡­ a proud warrior of the Rahk!!!¡± ¡°Sure you are,¡± Landin snickered, petting under the chin of his newpanion. ¡°Oh, who¡¯s this?¡± Drake said, noticing the bird. Landin smiled. Drake gave the bird a quick check. [Bahamut Level 1] ¡°Really?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°I think it fits. Don¡¯t you Bahamut?¡± Landin asked, the bird cooing at his touch. ¡°Is that what you got from Taliya?¡± ¡°Yeah she gave me E-Rank Cores for a summon,¡± Landin shrugged, ¡°She seemed really interested in my ss. And I¡¯m not gonna say no to that. It shows he¡¯s very strong too off-rip. I can¡¯t wait to see what he can do.¡± Drake feigned a sob, ¡°W-was it worth it?¡± Landin raised a hand about to yell something, but a pop sounded and Natto appeared on Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Was what worth it?¡± she asked. ¡°Landin traded his chastity for 10 E-Rank Cores,¡± Drake snickered. ¡°Hooo¡­¡± Natto mused, ¡°Only ten? I suspect you could have at least gotten a single A-Rank, you are a healthy young Vessel after all.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t sell myself!¡± Landin screamed, his face reddening. ¡°We know, we know,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Alright that¡¯s enough teasing from everyone,¡± he said, waving his hand and a vortex of wind pulled Quetz to the ground with a thump and a groan. ¡°Ah¡­! Dummy! My feathers are all dirty now!¡± Quetz grumbled getting up, dusting herself off. ¡°That¡¯s just how it goes, punishment for your teasing.¡± ¡°Then where is yours?¡± Landin mumbled. ¡°In due time! In due time,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Anyone seen Glenn, Mordred, and Luciem?¡± The teens shook their heads. ¡°I saw her browsing the booths and consoles but it¡¯s hard to keep track of everyone in that ce,¡± Charlotte offered. ¡°Natto?¡± Drake asked. She raised a brow and a few blue screens appeared in front of her, ¡°The half angel girl? She is currently at the cafe on main street.¡± Drake pursed his lips, ¡°Hmm¡­ I thought she would want to Rank Up right away but looks like she¡¯s rxing? Well, that¡¯s fine.¡± Natto interjected before Drake could get off track again, ¡°I would like to mention that I have taken the liberty of purchasing the arena after visiting the Center on your behalf.¡± Drake looked at her, then opened his inventory, frowning. ¡°Really? That much?¡± he asked. ¡°No one said it would be cheap. A few thousand F-Rank Cores is a penance for what we were able to purchase. Lest you forget we also have a small ie, for now, from the city. I simply pulled from your purse to bnce the cost,¡± Natto grinned. Drake sighed, ¡°Fine, I was going to get it anyway so¡­ Then let¡¯s go pick up Mordred and them on the way. Have you seen Sarah at all?¡± ¡°She awaits you all at the Grand Arena. There was an increase of thepetitors as well and I should mention that the arena will be costly for use. I suggest you keep it to only students and the elite you wish to nurture. Daily use of it will go beyond our means at the moment.¡± ¡°Oh? Where did you ce it?¡± ¡°Within the school''s facilities, dear Theodore and Harley are already there for the show.¡± ¡°Show?¡± the teens asked in unison. ¡°Why yes, I felt it was appropriate to spread the news and make some coin from this, the arena is sold out,¡± Natto smiled, ¡° And might I say the storyline is quite enticing! A battle between the greenhorns of the city against the hardened rugged veterans that guard the citizens! How will the new pirs of both the youth and students of the Tyrannical Asuran fair? Will they triumph? Or will they be pitiful stains of blood on the arena floor?¡± Drake nodded approvingly. ¡°Pirs of ReUnite, I kind of like that.¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± ¡°Yeah, no.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°I must also unfortunately turn this down, Lord Drake.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not cute! Booo..!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s unanimous! The Pirs of ReUnite it is!¡± Drake said smiling. ¡ª----- Drake andpany walked down main street, pulling eyes from everywhere as they made their way to the cafe Natto had mentioned. Eventually, they reached their destination finding, Mordred sipping something out of a cup, Lucium stoically behind her like a butler in movies. Glenn was at the other end of the table, his head slightly down. ¡°There you are,¡± Drake greeted, ¡°Find anything useful?¡± Mordred frowned as if his question soured both her mood and drink, ¡°Non, we were unable to find anything of substantial benefit to us. How did Monsieur fair?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t really have time to browse for too long, so nothing so far, I can give you some more coins if you want to look for yourself or you will have to wait for now. We are heading to the arena, you should join us and see how everyone fights, since you¡¯ll be joining the team before long.¡± Mordred looked the group over, eventually nodding. Lucium bowed, wheeling her from the table and out to their group, Glenn following like a puppy that had been scolded, his shoulders slumped and head down. ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± Landin asked. ¡°Glenn was rejected by every girl he has approached since arriving,¡± Mordred huffed, ¡°Par the course.¡± ¡°They said I was too weak¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Makes sense, most people are getting past level 10 now, and you haven¡¯t ranked up,¡± Drake agreed, putting a hand on the kid¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry you¡¯ll get there.¡± ¡°Mon frere!¡± Glenn said, spreading his arms wide for a hug. Drake put his hand up stopping the teen in his tracks with it, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t a hug, we aren¡¯t there yet.¡± Glenn rubbed his nose, where it felt like he had run into a steel wall, and nodded, ¡°Oui.¡± ¡°Alright without further adieu! Let¡¯s get our butts to this party!¡± Drake shouted, raising a hand into the air, only Glenn and Quetz parroting the action. ¡°You guys are no fun,¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°You ever think it¡¯s you and not us?¡± Landin frowned. ¡°Never.¡± Drake turned, pointing down the street and marching in the direction of the academy district. A few minutester they were pushing through a packed crowd so thick they couldn¡¯t see anything in front of them. But once people began noticing their group the crowd suddenly began to split to allow them through. ¡°There¡¯s so many people!¡± Quetz beamed. ¡°Is the whole city here..?¡± Charlotte asked, her head turning. ¡°Oh¡­ what a crowd,¡± Landin mused. Before long the roaring crowd dissipated, and the arena was finally in view. It wasn¡¯t what Drake expected, the huge building looking more like a futuristic facility rather than a colosseum that he would have thought of when hearing the word arena. It was a sleek white building with no windows, that looked to have an entrance at each side from the lines that were forming from his observation. On the walls closest to the arena there were stalls galore and to Drake¡¯s interest a line of people around a man with sses shouting for bets. ¡°You all go inside¡­ I¡¯ll be there in a second¡­¡± Drake muttered as he walked away. ¡°Where is he going?¡± Landin asked. Charlotte shrugged, ¡°We should get inside.¡± The teens moved to the front of the line, being let inside without argument as they saw Drake move out of sight, only to hear him yelling something, the sound of something veryrge and jangly, like a bag of coin, hitting the ground. Chapter 261: Competition Day Chapter 261: Competition Day The arena was nothing like the unassuming yetrge square cube on the outside. The teens and Drake, who finally caught up with them, were taken aback by thendscape when they entered. Halls as wide as streets filled with people from the city, shouting and chattering as some went to box offices for tickets, and others pointed to futuristic monitors hanging from the ceiling. The monitors showed nk screens for now, on the tabs next to the zeroed out numbers, which looked like some form of real-time stats. Below them, match schedules and odds for said matches. ¡°Wow, ain¡¯t this ce fancy?¡± Drake whistled. ¡°It¡¯s so crazy big¡­¡± Landin agreed, his head on a swivel to look around. ¡°Where should we go?¡± Charlotte asked, trying to navigate the crowds. ¡°Not exactly sure,¡± Drake said, scratching his head and also looking around. Natto tapped the top of his head, pointing to an elevator entrance marked by a bright red border, ¡°That way. It is the fighter entrance for the matches, Drake can enter for now to set up the rules, but you will need to go to the spectator section with everyone else afterward.¡± ¡°You heard the squirrel, march!¡± Drakemanded with a smirk. ¡°Pardon Monsieur. Where should we go?¡± Mordred asked. ¡°Oh,¡± Drake paused, then shrugged, ¡°Tag along and hang out for a bit you three, don¡¯t want to lose you in this crowd.¡± He waved everyone into the elevator, the door closing, only to stop and reopen as a man covered in fur with a long white robe stepped in, holding a broom. ¡°Pardon the intrusion, just heading up to clean.¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°Are you part of the Arena?¡± The man turned, his monkey face giving a toothy grin, two long canines making a mischievous expression. ¡°That would be correct, sir. Call this one Gnokuw. I cleans up around here.¡± Drake felt his hand tighten, his blood beginning to boil as his heart rate sped up. He¡¯s strong. Feels like¡­ Taliya¡­? Drake thought. ¡°That right, Gnokuw? Is that all you do?¡± Drake asked leadingly. ¡°Tis what I do sir, don¡¯t ask too much of this old coot. Just an old man who likes cleanin,¡± Gnokuw beamed scratching the back of his head, his lips curling into another grin. ¡°Shame,¡± Drake sighed, choking down his rising pulse as best he could. ¡°Something the matter, Lord Drake?¡± Atropos asked. Drake gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°No, just a little,¡± he looked at the back of Gnokuw¡¯s head, ¡°Disappointed. Anyway, you four ready? Get some more skills?¡± ¡°Four?¡± Atropos and Charlotte asked in confusion. ¡°Atropos and Clotho aren¡¯t fighting as well?¡± Charlotte asked. Drake shook his head, ¡°Nope, the deal was for only you four at the time.¡± Natto tapped his head, ¡°I do believe it would not be an unreasonable decision to add the other two.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± The doors opened, Gnokuw stepping out with a wave as he turned the corner, the lights or sun beaming in blinding the rest of them for a moment as the roar of a crowd hit their senses. Their eyes focused and looking out they found packed arena seats behind what looked like nearly transparent fields of some kind. The four walls covered a square white arena, on the other side arge line of people exiting a simr elevator. Drake whistled. ¡°Now how¡¯s this for a crowd! Do we really have that many people to fill something like this? And are those added people or something?¡± Natto nodded, crossing her legs as she raised up her nose. ¡°I thought it would make for a better show to spread the word. When I revealed that the victor of this little challenge would also remove you as city lord, and annul your marriage to Sah Ul¡¯ we had guards, adventurers, and others line up all the way around the corner. We had to stop sign-ups around 100 I will admit, can not have the odds skewed too far in one side¡¯s favor.¡± Kalik scoffed, taking a step forward ahead of the group, ¡°For them perhaps. A hundred? There will not be enough for the rest of you.¡± Atropos glided next to him, a face of ice and a smile just as cold. ¡°So these little cockroaches want to stand in Lord Drake¡¯s way? How amusing,¡± she huffed. A yip sounded next to Drake, looking down he saw Ifrit manifest from a magic circle. Landin unfurrowed his book as he cracked his neck. ¡°This ain¡¯t nothing after all those fights with Sarah.¡± ¡°Agreed. This will hardly be a warm-up,¡± Charlotte said coldly, a lick of electricity snapping off her leather armor. Quetz hovered forward leaning prone on her arms, her expression bored. ¡°Ehhhhh, they don¡¯t look like fun. Quetz is disappointeddddd¡­..¡± she booed. Clotho was thest of the group to exit the elevator, the ground slightly sizzling below his feet. Drake smiled, feeling a tingling of anticipation on the back of his neck, raising the hair on his skin with excitement. ¡°Maybe I should¡­..¡± ¡°No!¡± Natto snapped, pulling his ear, ¡°You stay out of this! Just get over to that terminal and set those sted rules! Certainly, you wish to let the children deal with this and not ruin it for them!¡± Drake frowned, but fixed his posture and face as he nodded to the backs of the six, ¡°Do they look like children anymore to you?¡± [Charlotte Mcrin Level 14] [Kalik Tu¡¯ Rahk Level 14] [Landin Raymond Level 14] [Atropos Pagos Level 14] [Clotho Pagos Level 14] [Quetzel Mano Level 14] ¡ª------------------ Drake walked up to the control console, meeting him there was someone he hadn¡¯t seen in quite some time. [Haygur Rahk Level 18] ¡°Look who¡¯s here,¡± Drake said, giving a smile. Haygur spat on the ground. ¡°Have your babes stopped their shaking knees?¡± Drake scoffed, hearing Atropos giving a deep growl behind him. ¡°Should you really be saying that after my assistant decided to even out the odds by giving you an extra fifty or so people?¡± Drake prodded, raising his chin, ¡°You don¡¯t have any qualms with me adding the two little pups here right? Being the big strong adult you are with over a hundred people against a mere four babes, was it?¡± ¡°Oi, who are you calling a child?! Ahh?¡± Kalik snapped, trying to rush forward only to be pulled back by Quetz who leaned back in the air, her hands pulling back on the sides of his face. Haygur growled, ¡°Two or two hundred! It makes no difference! The hardened warriors of the Rahk are more than enough for children who have never known a real fight!¡± ¡°Hey, who wants to break it to him,¡± Landin whispered, nudging Charlotte and smiling. Charlotte on the other hand was having none of it, her usually icy re had turned to a death stare as she leered at Haygur, the aura around her thickening as sparks began to crack. ¡°Good, done deal then. Six on¡­¡± Drake looked to his shoulder. ¡°One hundred and twenty-three,¡± Natto said casually. ¡°One-hundred and twenty-three. All skills allowed. So Natto, how does this work exactly?¡± Drake asked, pointing to the console. ¡°ce the settings you desire into the screen, then deposit the appropriate Monster Cores to fuel the arena system. The system will emte real battle situations, meaning loss of limb, injury, and death. Once a participant is felled, they will be forcibly expelled from the arena. A few hundred F-Rank Cores should suffice or a handful of E-Rank Cores,¡± she exined. ¡°Proceed quickly, or are you stalling for time? Are you not happy your little newborns will only have to feel the pain of defeat once under such a worthless leader-¡± Drake snapped to, his hand raised bathed in red and golden light as he stopped the electrified spear and ck-licked scythe, the sh of weapons silencing the room for a moment. ¡°Hey now¡­ The fight hasn¡¯t even started yet, he really would have died you two,¡± Drake frowned. Charlotte and Atropos scowled, releasing a puff of air as they righted themselves from their strikes. ¡°You¡¯ve been talking a lot like you know something about us. Yet, it seems like you¡¯re the only nervous one here, fool,¡± Charlotte sneered. ¡°Insects should sit silently, waiting to be crushed. No, one like you can hardly even be called intelligent. Unable to see the greatness of Lord Drake,¡± Atropos glowered a thin smile, letting her fangs show, her fur-tipped ears and tails standing on end. Drake shooed the two back into their corner and turned to Haygur, the man¡¯s mouth hanging slightly open. Drake shook and held his hand up, smoldering slightly as he blew on it, the skin slowly healing in real-time. ¡°Well, good luck,¡± Drake encouraged, giving a toothy grin. ¡ª----------- Drake had finished finalizing the rules. A standard team elimination battle, six versus one-hundred and twenty-three, no recovery items allowed. He, Mordred, Luciem, Glenn, and Natto moved to the stands trying to find open seats, when they spotted Bjorn, a red headed giant in the sea of spectators standing above them all, waving Drake and crew over. ¡°Oh, you came?¡± Drake asked, seeing Sah Ul¡¯, Julia, and his family in the area as well. ¡°Yeah, nothing to do, and the house we picked out won¡¯t be built tillter anyway. And it''s honestly hard to miss this event, bro. Littledy put posters all over town,¡± Bjorn scoffed. Drake turned his head, Natto whistling innocently. ¡°Right. Well, should be a good show. They¡¯re all fired up, had to stop them from killing someone before it even started¡­¡± he shrugged, moving down the aisle to a seat next to Bjorn and Sah Ul¡¯. Sah Ul¡¯ was already thumping her feet excitedly looking at the teens ready themselves for the fight, nearly tripping Drake as he passed. ¡°Someone¡¯s invested,¡± Drake smiled, then looked over Bjorn¡¯s shoulder, ¡°No Chelsea?¡± Bjorn shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s with Megan right now, something weird is going on with her she said. And by weird I mean she¡¯s obsessed with you.¡± ¡°Not sure what more I can do there¡­ I¡¯ve turned her down several times man¡­¡± Drake sighed, taking his seat only to hear the loud rumblee from both the seat and his butt. Sah Ul¡¯ jumped to attention, ax at the ready. ¡°What manner of beast was that?! A monstrous frog?¡± she growled, scanning the surroundings. Drake frowned, pulling the pink cushion from his seat, and turned to see his brothers snickering. ¡°Really? This is the best you got?¡± ¡°We¡¯re making do with what we have. Don¡¯t worry, we got more where thates from,¡± Travis chuckled, getting a high five from Dillon. Drake shook his head, doing his best to calm down and exin to Sarah that it wasn¡¯t a monster, just a monstrously bad joke. The match countdown timer appeared on the hanging screens just outside the arena¡¯s transparent walls, and the stands began to erupt around them. Lucium carried Mordred to her seat, sitting next to her and Glenn, while two empty seats remained next to Bjorn. A tap on Drake¡¯s shoulder made him turn before he had the chance to ask about them, a familiar face looking at him with an uncharacteristic worried expression on it. ¡°Julia? What¡¯s wrong?¡± She gave an anxious grin, ¡°A lot. Bjorn told you about Megan right?¡± Drake nodded. ¡°It¡¯s worse than that. Much worse¡­¡± she began exining, ¡°Drake, she isn¡¯t eating. She is barely functioning. It¡¯s like she¡¯s possessed.¡± Drake raised a brow, Natto munching on snacks while sitting on his opposite shoulder willfully ignoring their conversation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can do about that Julia, I¡¯m not a doctor. Has she gone to see the Doc?¡± She shook her head, ¡°It isn¡¯t anything like that, I think it¡¯s something mental. Maybe a curse? Are there curses now?¡± Drake gave a nudge to Natto who nodded back. ¡°Apparently. But she¡¯s a priest-type ss, she should at least have a skill for resistance but we can have Yorth look at her when he gets back.¡± Natto tapped his head, thumbing to the stands behind them, Mikhail¡¯s party looking at the screens with excited anticipation. ¡°Thanks¡­ But I think you should talk to her,¡± Julia grimaced, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say, but she¡¯s fixated on you in an unhealthy way. She was like this with Chris but¡­ It¡¯s worse, like a hundred times worse.¡± Drake rubbed his temples. ¡°I¡¯ll visit her before we leave, but I can¡¯t promise anything.¡± Julia smiled, patting his shoulder, ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s all I can ask¡­¡± her face brightened slightly, ¡°So looks like your kids are losing the public vote. But 70 to 30 isn¡¯t bad considering the numbers.¡± Drake clicked his tongue, ¡°Bah! I wish it was more skewed¡­¡± Bjorn chuckled, ¡°You bet, huh bro?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t bet. I prophesied. It isn¡¯t betting when you know the oue,¡± Drake smiled. ¡°Indubitably, my Lord! This one has also ced a sizable fortune on thou¡¯s students,¡± Theodore said, making his way down the aisle, Harley¡¯s hand in his as he helped her across. ¡°Theo! Was wondering when you¡¯d show up!¡± Drake cheered, ¡°Are you sure you should be betting like that?¡± ¡°This one has full confidence in my Lord¡¯s students to ovee any obstacle! A few hundred against the future stars of my Lord¡¯s city! Ha! They could make it several thousand and this one is sure it would remain a spectacr victory!¡± ¡°Speak for yourself! You are spending all of our candy money!¡± Harley protested, giving him a reproachful re. She shimmied across the row, sitting on the other side of Bjorn, and waved to Drake. ¡°Mr. Wallen, I may have something interesting for you that has juste in,¡± she smirked. Drake raised a brow, eyeing the countdown that was closing in, the crowd began the thunder loud and louder, even Sah Ul¡¯ beginning to stand and cheer. ¡°Yeah?¡± Drake asked. Harley popped several cards in her hand, sying out the white square backgrounds to hide her feline smile. She snickered, ¡°The photoshoot of your dear wife has finally finished printing, I managed to find someone with a battery to help print them. I¡¯m low on ink but I believed this was worth it.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Drake shouted, grabbing for one of the photos. He turned the square piece ofminate, his eyes bulging. ¡°You¡¯re giving me these?¡± he asked, his eyes more serious than they had ever been. ¡°Not quite,¡± Harleyughed wagging a finger, ¡°50 F-Rank Cores per photo.¡± ¡°You¡¯re charging me?! Why should I pay for photos of my own wife?!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Harley sighed frowning as she attempted to ce the photos slowly into her sleeve, ¡°You don¡¯t want them then?¡± Drake stayed her hand, gripping it, ¡°I¡¯ll take your whole stock,¡± he said without hesitation, ¡°Do you haverger prints of the swimsuit photo?¡± Bjorn shook his head trying to focus on the oing match that was supposed to decide the fate of the city and Drake¡¯s position as its leader. Yet Drake himself was somehow more adamant at the moment at googling at photos of the person next to him. Drake coughed, cing the photos into his inventory, his wallet much lighter. ¡°I hope to do business with you again.¡± ¡°Why of course,¡± Harley smiled, satisfied. The crowd began to settle, the sound of the countdown bing more and more pronounced, a hand gripping his shoulder. ¡°Patriarch, they are about to begin!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ yelled excitedly, almost jumping out of her seat. Seeing her shake with anticipation, her excitement became infectious. Drake had no doubt that the teens would take home the win after seeing their progress over the week. Their victory was more than assured. And he knew that Sah Ul¡¯ also knew that, having been the one who trained with them. But to see her usually serious face brighten with the pride of seeing the kids she had nurtured with him proving themselves here brought up feelings of both longing for the future but hesitation for what mighte. ire was someone he had grown to love during the tutorial and he had an obligation to her just as much as he had to this love he had for Sarah. The thought filled him with more confusion and frustration than he had felt during his entire life up until now. Was it right to love two women at once? What if there were more that he would still meet? Just like Bjorn had said he and they would live for thousands of years now. Would they meet someone else as well? Would he be alright with seeing them with someone else? Was it fair if he asked them to ept that he had more wives, yet they had to share him? He had no idea. It was a bridge he would be forced to cross once the time came, but he did know he loved them deeply. And he knew he didn¡¯t just collect whoever passed him by offering. There was something there. Complicated, but there. Before he could delve deeper into his internal turmoil the sound of the beeping overtook the crowd and his rambling thoughts, turning to a mechanical voice counting down. 10 9 8 7 The monitors zoomed in on the teens scanning the field to show the opposition of more than a hundred guards and adventurers. Drake however didn¡¯t use the monitors, his visual and audible acuity far surpassing superhuman as he looked down proudly at the teens lining up. 6 5 Then in thest seconds, he saw and heard the groups begin talking. ¡°So these are those same kids? They sure grew up.¡± ¡°Ha! Yeah, it will feel a little bad beating up on kids but, it is what it is!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hold it against us kiddos!¡± Charlotte¡¯s aura alone crackled and snapped forward, burning deep ck lines in the white floor of the arena between the groups, her eyes glowing with a deep yellow. ¡°Ah, no hard feelings,¡± she muttered, raising her chin as she pointed her full-length spear at Haygur, ¡°You insulted the one person I admire. The person who saved me and my brother. Make sure you thank him,¡± she mmed the butt of her spear into the floor, ¡°Because if it was not for this arena, you would not be leaving this building alive.¡± 4 3 ¡°Do not think you are the only one saved by Lord Drake. It is only natural that those who insult him should perish,¡± Atropose agreed, her own aura beginning to burn, manifesting as it twined around her in ck shadow-like mes. 2 1 ¡°Hey, hey! Are we fighting? We¡¯re fighting, right? Quetz is going to pew pew bang bang them ¡®kay?¡± she chirped, jumping up and down as she nudged Clotho next to her. [Begin] The mechanical voice raised its volume, a loud buzzer announcing the start of the match. Drake grimaced able to hear the conversation in the arena. I¡¯ll have to teach them some moderation¡­ He thought. The moment the buzzer went off, buffs and skills were used to enhance and protect the adventurer¡¯s side. But the teens had buffs of their own, new skills Drake hadn¡¯t seen just yeting to light. ¡°Our victory to the sound of thunderous apuse!¡± Charlotte roared. An intense yellow magic circle epassed their side, small threads of lightning snapping to life on all the teen¡¯s persons. Each thread dissipated just as quickly as they appeared leaving a light yellow glow on them. The room had grown dead quiet the moment the first second rolled past, the next second the spells and buffspleting, A third second, Atropos and Charlotte reared back their weapons. One a spear covered in lightning, the other a two-handed scythe bathed in purplish ck. The next, the weapons flew through the area, crossing the distance and heading straight for Haygur. Haygur however was a veteran warrior, seeing both the weaponsing from a mile away. Drake didn¡¯t know Haygur¡¯s ss, but he seemed to have somebination of speed and strength, as he deflected Charlotte¡¯s spear with the t of his own ax de, opting to dodge the me-covered scythe of Atropos. But Haygur''s eyes bulged just as Drake¡¯s brows rose, the silence from the crowd only broken by the sound of the weapons being deflected, the next beat, both Charlotte and Atropos appeared instantly holding their weapons, right above Haygur. ¡°The thunderous roar of your end is nigh. Focl¨®ir Gaeilge!¡± Charlotte shouted coldly. ¡°Your fate ends here! Fate¡¯s Rend!¡± Atropos sneered. The sound of a lightning strike pped the area and room as Charlotte thrusted a lightning-d spear in and through Haygur, the shockwave of the skill and weapon mming into the floor pushing back the few others around him being caught off guard. Then four quick shes leaving four ck lines of fire in the air separated Haygur, separating him into burning pieces of ck fire. The man didn¡¯t even have time to scream before his body fell broken and falling to pieces, while the two women remained standing on the smoldering ashes. The pieces suddenly turned to blue particles and disappeared from the arena a momentter. The silent arena erupted. Chapter 262: Skills On Display Chapter 262: Skills On Disy Drake gave a wry smile as he saw Haygur materialize outside the arena, his face three shades paler than normal and dripping sweat. ¡°Would you look at that, he really didn¡¯t die,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°That could be useful,¡± he nudged Bjorn, who shook his head. ¡°No thanks bro, I know a fight I can¡¯t win anymore when I see it. My growth stopped a while ago. Maybe a spar¡± heughed, ¡°But we both know it won¡¯t end in a spar.¡± ¡°Fair¡­¡± Drake sighed, only to have himself shaken forward an ecstatic shouting Sah Ul¡¯ next to him. ¡°Drake! Did you see that! They did beautifully! And those are new skills if only I had more time to train with them! They could have utilized it better!¡± Drake smiled. Sarah had addressed him by his first name, showing just how excited and proud she was of them after just the first exchange in the fight. ¡°Yeah, they have the rest to think about now though,¡± he said leaning back into his seat, trying his best to push down his smoldering instincts to jump into the arena with each passing moment. A shout came out from the monitors from the adventurers. ¡°They used a movement skill! It must have a long cooldown lock them down and take them out now!¡± ¡°Take em out! Or do you want to be embarrassed by some kids!¡± another shouted. Atropos and Charlotte looked unperturbed by the hundreds of people they had forcibly broken through to kill Haygur. And it seemed to be for good reason. Another roar came from the front line of the adventurers and guards as a man was thrown careening into one side of the encirclement around the two women. Kalik spat on the ground behind the small cloud of dust that had kicked up from the thrown man, his hands in his coat pocket as he raised his chin high. ¡°Oi! You forgetting about the strongest one here?! Ah?!¡± he pointed to the orc guardsmen, ¡°You should be ashamed as warriors of the Rahk! Ganging up on two people! Kalik Tu¡¯ the future Patriarch of the Rahk is right here and ready to beat you background characters into an early grave!!¡± Drake couldn''t help butugh hearing the young teen¡¯s deration. But Charlotte and Atropos both frowned from their position. ¡°Who is the strongest?¡± Charlotte bemoaned. ¡°Certainly not the ruffian¡­.¡± Atropos added sighing. ¡°There just kids! What are you waiting for?¡± someone shouted from inside the arena. The signal snapped the surprised mob of people into action, spells firing, skills activating, and debuffs flying out from the crowd. Kalik breathed out, taking a practiced stance and bending at his knees. ¡°Tranquility finds all, Blossom Rotation!¡± His blood lit up with a silvery glow, his hands pointer palms out as the light quickly spread out in a sphere. Once it reached it seemingly max range covering the three, he began rotating his body quickly burning a small ck spot into the ground. The spells, skills, and projectiles ttered against the light and flung back where they came just as quickly. Fireballs, lightning bolts, shards of ice, arrows, bullets, and even some conjured weapons flew back into the crowd as the counter of the participants in the arena began counting down. Kalik decelerated, bringing his hands together and breathing out once more, a wide toothy grin on his face. ¡°Just stand back like always and let your better do all the work!!¡± he howled, throwing himself forward into the now disorganized group. Drake smiled from the stands, Sah Ul¡¯ throwing a fist forward. ¡°Kalik! Why are you rushing forward like that! Ah! Be more aware of your surroundings!¡± she groaned. ¡°That rank-up really did a number on his personality huh¡­¡± Drake mumbled watching the fight as the crowd was a chorus of ¡®oo¡¯s¡¯ and ¡®ah¡¯s¡¯. The spells continued after a moment¡¯s break from Kalik¡¯s skill, beginning to bombard the two women once more, this time a line of warriors running in with the spells and projectiles to begin a skirmish. Charlotte twirled her spears in each hand, bracing herself for the fight, as Atropos began chanting, arching her hand. ¡°The night is all-consuming! Shadow me.¡± From the flourish of her arm, Atropos summoned four dark purple magic circles surprising the crowd and Drake. ¡°She got a multicast skill?¡± he said wryly, ¡°She¡¯s trying really hard to be like me huh?¡± From the magic circles, four ck mes bloomed, in the next moment growing double in size as they wereunched into the oing line of close-range fighters, setting two aze as the other two missed their mark. But the first dodge of her spells only paused the result as the mes stopped turning to collide with the unguarded back of the two that had evaded. ¡°She¡¯s some kind of hybrid spell caster, be careful!¡± a shout warned. The remainder of the first line of fighters pushed past the fallen burning corpses turning into blue lights screaming with their weapons raised and skills being yelled aiming for Atropos. But Charlotte intercepted easily, her spear deflecting the desing down on the Atropos with astounding expertise. With practiced motion Charlotte slid her spear around the oing onught, parrying the blows with both her full-length spear and short spear, each one thrusting forward and finding vitals as the other deflected blow and blow. ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯tnd a hit!¡± ¡°They¡¯re just level 14! Overwhelm them with numbers!¡± A cry rang out as the adventurers and guards began to be desperate. Unfortunately for them, they had forgotten about the other three members of the teen¡¯s group. Quetz glided abovezily, two pistols in hand behind her head as she looked down. ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t think she even needs to bang boom, boooo...¡± she grumbled, only to have an arrow fly towards her. But with a flex of her aura, the arrow changed direction passing over her shoulder. ¡°Ehhh! That¡¯s dangerous you know!¡± she chirped, ¡°Quetz was disappointed because the stupid annoying guy died so fast, but if you are gonna shoot at Quetz!¡± She twirled in the air, her body going into a dive as she kicked off the air somehow flying down into the backline of archers, mages, and other support participants with a gust of wind, her pistols pointed at their heads. ¡°Then Quetz will just shoot back!¡± she giggled. The sound of the guns cracking popped like firecrackers one after another as she emptied her bullets into the people around her. ¡°She¡¯s out of bullets!¡± ¡°Nuh-uh!¡± Quetzal cooed, flipping backward as she dodged ance of fire, twelve blue tipped bullets twirled in the air next to her as she emptied her pistol, turning in one fluid motion to guide the new bullets into the chamber of her weapons with her aura, snapping the chamber closed. Firing off another few bullets she giggled, ¡°See?¡± ¡°Slow her down! She has to be dexterity-based, get debuffs on her!¡± Quetz frowned, her pistols shimmering away, reced by a single-barreled shotgun with red etchings. ¡°Quetz doesn¡¯t like ugly slow things!¡± She pointed the end at the man who yelled out. ¡°The wind sings with the howl of a whipped storm.¡± The barrel began to vibrate and glow green as the slide smacked and cocked five times, five slugs hitting the floor. Quetz whistled, a beaming smile on her face. ¡°Howling Gale!¡± The shotgun exploded forth, bright sparks as the empowered slug burst forth mming into the man, tearing him into pieces as it pushed through him into several people behind him. ¡°You kids are getting ahead of yourself!¡± someone shouted from behind Quetz, forcing her to turn. Behind her was a hulking man nearly the size of Bjorn, an enormous hammer in his hands raised high to bring down on the small avian. The man roared motioning to m the hammer down only to catch on something in the air, his face twisting into pain and confusion. ¡°W-what is this!?¡± Beads of red dripped and revealed lines in the air, no, wires. A growl sounded from behind the man¡¯s head, Clotho suddenly on his shoulder his hand raised and quivering as he wrestled with the beast of a man with his metal threads, his face a feral. Clotho¡¯s canines gleamed in the light of the arena as he looked down at the man, his hackles turning his face almost primal from his normal androgynous expression. ¡°Y-you little shit! You think you canpete with a pure strength ss!¡± the man roared, struggling. The man groaned and shouted, fighting against the wires as his body shimmered in a red hue, but Clotho wasn¡¯t sitting idly waiting for his wires to snap. With his free hand, Clotho bent back a finger, flicking one of the wires connected to the man. The wire rang and vibrated a venomous green dripping down the shaking string. The man no longer struggled, instead, his eyes tracked the green running down the wire. ¡°W-what is that!? H-hey stop!¡± Clotho snarled, the venomous color shooting forward and encasing every wire entrapping the hulking man, turning his skin a pale gray wherever they touched. His petrifying status condition was being elerated. Drake was again surprised, his leg beginning to bounce as he leaned forward. ¡°Crazy¡­ He has a skill to elerate his status conditions now and he can even stop a pure strength ss above his level,¡± he smiled, ¡°He¡¯s really put in a lot of work to grow.¡± Clotho howled, the man turned into a half-statue in a matter of seconds. And with a flex of his hand, the wires screeched and reeled back into the nails on Clotho¡¯s hand passing through the brittle afflicted man with ease, his body copsing into pieces. The crowd howled with him, some beastkin joining his roar, while others cheered so loud it almost drowned out the shing of weapons in the arena. Quetz gave a happy chirp as she waved to Clotho. ¡°Quetz didn¡¯t need it, but thank you CC!¡± Clotho huffed, flicking his wrists as his wires shot out again, slicing and entraping those around them he couldn¡¯t bisect in a single swipe of his wires. The battle raged on, the teens fighting with the cooperation that should have outstripped both their age and experience to anyone who had seen them just a week prior. But they had not seen the fights they had been through and the trials they had ovee together while with Drake. ¡°They¡¯re just kids! How can¡¯t we take them? Their resources can¡¯t be endless, they have to run out sometime!¡± someone yelled. Drake scoffed. It was true their resources weren¡¯t endless, but it wasn¡¯t as if the teens weren¡¯t taking damage as the battle went on. They had gained experience and prowess during the week they had traveled but they were still just in the process of being polished. However, no one seemed to notice the subtle scent and mana that was traveling through the arena as well as where it wasing from. Landin had stayed out of the fight for now, letting Anima work her healing magic as he kept his aura condensed around them and constant to fuel her regeneration. ¡°You¡¯re doing good sweety, keep it going steadily. It¡¯s our job to let them shine for now,¡± Landin said, keeping his eyes on the fight. But he could avoid the battle only for so long before people began to notice. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± he said, turning to the oing group of te and leather wearers that charged toward him. ¡°Looks like you think sending melees in to fight a support ss is going to be an easy victory. Hate to tell you, but I¡¯m not exactly alone.¡± Landin snapped his book close, sliding it into a holster on his side as he put his hands into his robe¡¯s pockets. ¡°Ifirit, Tundra Howl.¡± A small wolf jumped in front of Landin, pale blue mes running down his legs and mane as a guttural growl formed in his throat. The pup¡¯s jowls quivered blue mes escaping its jaw until Ifrit released and opened his maw a breath of pale blue mes flooding forward, freezing everything it touched. The ground zed over in ice and people were instantly turned to statues of frozen flesh in the blink of an eye. But it seemed someone had slipped past as someone teleported behind Landin. ¡°You¡¯re too cocky boy! Guillotine de!¡± Without looking, Landin snapped his fingers, vanishing and reced with Anima, who easily dodged the blow due to being one-third the height of Landin, making the de pass over her bushy head harmlessly. But it didn¡¯t stop her from raising her flower-covered arms in protest at Landin who was now where she was just a moment ago. ¡°Sorry sweety,¡± heughed, ¡°Had to be done, and I knew you¡¯d be alright.¡± The rogue¡¯s face paled as a tiny frozen rocket that was Ifirt mmed into him after missing his strike, tackling him to the floor. Landin walked over casually, Ifirit¡¯s jaw already clenched down on the man¡¯s throat, freezing it over. ¡°No hard feelings right?¡± Landin said leaning over the man, ¡°Don¡¯t know what you guys were expecting when you got into this, but unfortunately for you that guard decided to rattle too many cages when he insulted Drake.¡± Landin pulled his book from its holster unfurrowing it, ¡°What he has done for me, for all of us is more than we can repay. He let me change, let us change and ovee. And that man, Haygur? Decided to take it too far. And it looks like either Drake or Natto decided to make an example of him and everyone here.¡± The man was frozen from his neck up, Ifrit wagging his tail as he sat on the man¡¯s chest, his tongue lolling to the side in satisfaction. ¡°Guess he can¡¯t hear me anymore¡­ Good boy Ifrit.¡± Landin rolled to the side, a de passing over his shoulder. ¡°What are you on about kid!¡± Landin came to a stop, righting himself. ¡°Just making conversation and thinking out loud. It¡¯s my process.¡± The woman roared dashing forward holding two longswords in her hands as she shed in a cross. Landin jumped backwards, Ifrit trailing behind the woman doing his best to mp down on her legs. But the woman was adept, keeping her footwork clean and precise enough to both move forward as she continued to sh at Landin while dodging the small wolf pup. ¡°Why can¡¯t I hit you! Are all you brats hybrids!¡± she growled with a downward sh. Landin turned to the side, the de passing in front of him. ¡°In a way, sure. But back to my point, I think Drake or Natto wanted even better odds than this.¡± The woman huffed, ¡°Shut up already!¡± ¡°See, when we wereing back we had to fight just like this,¡± Landin exined, dodging and slipping in and out of the woman¡¯s strikes, ¡°But that was much worse and we had less skills. But now? We have a few new tricks up our sleeves and as far as I see it this isn¡¯t a battle anymore.¡± The woman growled again her des humming and shining green as she went for another cross sh. Landin couldn¡¯t dodge this time, so he was forced to snap his fingers again, trading ces with Ifrit suddenly behind her. ¡°It¡¯s a disy of skill,¡± Landin exined, ¡°And of overwhelming power. And man, I have no intention of holding back like everyone else.¡± ¡°Ifrit, Let the bell toll!¡± The woman swiveled on her heel bringing the sword in an arc around her. But Landin ducked continuing to chant. ¡°Ring the sound of victory, devour the branch of life-¡± The woman shed and hacked trying tond a blow, the magic circle below Landin growing as he continued to dodge. ¡°Grow and expand. Step forward into the light!¡± Landin jumped backward, snapping his book shut and throwing his palm up. ¡°Summoner¡¯s Enlightenment!¡± The woman tried to shoot forward to catch Landin while he was in the air, but her foot caught and she stumbled. Tumbling to the ground she winced, her hands going to her leg, or missing leg. Her foot was missing an icy stump remaining, the ssy skin slowly inching its way up her thigh. A deep growl reverberated in her chest as she looked up. There the small wolf pup was reced by a fully grown and enormous ice wolf, its fangs longer than her chest. Her mouth opened but sound escaped her right up until the moment Ifrit bit her in half reducing her into particles of blue. Landin patted Ifrit on the snout with a smile, the wolf growling lightly and leaning into his hand. ¡°Good boy.¡± Chapter 262.5: New Inspiration! The Seven Pillars! Chapter 262.5: New Inspiration! The Seven Pirs! Aono sighed, slumping against the table, one of her employees pouring her another cup of expresso. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh¡­¡­¡± she sighed, then abruptly sat up kicking and screaming, ¡°Ahhh!!! Where is my knight!? It has been days! Days without proper motivation!!¡± On the second floor of the cafe, the Dazzling Tyrant¡¯s Comic Hangout, everyone was already ustomed to the owner''s random outbursts. The VIP patrons gave it no mind as they continued their conversations and drinks. ¡°Mistress, please be aware of the guests¡­¡± the woman tried to say, only to have a stylus pointed at her face. ¡°Nonsense! My passion will not be quelled! AH! Why did I open this stupidic store! It has only given me more work and taken away from following my dazzling knight!¡± Once more she groaned a tear running down the side of her face as she slumped against the slightly cold yetforting table, her head turned towards the window pointed at the street. She watched idly as the people of her knight¡¯s town passed byughing and smiling. ¡°Ah¡­ when will something of interest hap..p.e..n¡­ Oh¡­?¡± ¡°Mistress?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Aono raised a finger to the other woman¡¯s lips, then gripped her in a headlock as she pulled her in nearly spilling the contents of the waitress¡¯s mug. Pointing outside the window at a group of people passing by Aono¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-w-w-w-w-who are they?! I¡¯ve never seen them!¡± Aono gasped. Tapping on Aono¡¯s arm, the waitress tried her best to get out an answer. ¡°T-they¡­ are¡­ students of the city¡¯s owner¡­¡± Aono released the waitress only to grab her desperately by the cor with both hands. ¡°Why have I not been informed of this?! My Knight has s-s-s-s-s-s-s-students?!!¡± Aono¡¯s spine suddenly had a chill run down it, her hair standing on euphoric end as she shivered in delight. ¡°I know what I must do!¡± she yelled standing up nearly toppling the table in her corner of the shop. ¡°Are they really that impressive..?¡± the waitress asked, ¡°As far as I am aware they have just recently made it to F-Rank and are supposed to be fighting the Guardsmen and some adventurers in a new arena. The arena is only open to the public for this event supposedly¡­¡± The waitress held up a piece of brownish paper. Aono snatched the paper away from her with quickness unbeguiling her nonbat ss. ¡°Dore dore¡­Open sign-ups¡­ firste first serve¡­Winners have a chance to be the leader of the city¡­.Hmph!¡± Aono scoffed, ¡°As if anyone could lead the city but my great knight! Hmmm¡­ open sign ups¡­ open sign ups¡­ o¡­p¡­e¡­n¡­.OPEN SIGN-UPS?!¡± Aono ran through the floor and immediately through the shop, gathering a cloak and making her way straight to this new arena. She sprinted through the streets like a madwoman weaving between the crowds that only became thicker as she came closer to the now towering building in front of her. Aono quickly grabbed the nearest person, shaking them down for the information of where the sign-ups were. After a bit of navigating the crowd, she found a line of people leading to a small window. At the window was a disinterested woman picking at her nails as she slipped a paper from under the window for people to sign. Without hesitation Aono cut the line, snatching away the paper from the person in front, signing it, and returning it to the woman. ¡°Hey, what the fuck gives?!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just cut in front!¡± Aono only scoffed at the people reprimanding her, she cared not for the words of background characters. Her unrelenting obsession, or as she called it passion. She only stuck up her nose at the line of people, the woman behind her finally stopping from her nail-picking to say something. ¡°Alright, looks like that is all they wanted for people. Sign-ups are closed, now go fall in a ditch or something,¡± she said sarcastically. The line of people¡¯s eyes instantly went to Aono, fury and malice bubbling within them. A line of cold sweat ran down her face as she pushed up her sses. ¡°What an unfortunate turn of events. I bid you all a good day! Please root for me!¡± she smiled, turning tail and running back into the crowd. ¡°Come back here you little shit!¡± ¡°You think you can get away with taking this chance from us!¡± ¡°We were going to beat those sorry little kids to a pulp and be leaders!¡± The voices of the angry adventurers faded into the distance as Aono delved deeper into the crowd, using the civilians and spectators as cover. Sweating and taking in deep gasps for air she smiled, wiping her brow with her cloaked sleeve. ¡°Insignificant bugs! Nothing shall stand in my way on my journey to capture every facet of my dazzling knight and the history he bestows on the world!¡± she announced in the crowd posing proudly with a hand in the air, hand on hip. The passerbys looked on confused, some children pointing andughing. ¡°It¡¯s the funnydy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t point, it¡¯s rude.¡± With a light cough, Aono put her hand to her head like a visor as she looked around for the entrance. Which took her no time to find thanks to the flooding stream of spectators into the building. A few more minutes of following the traffic she found herself surrounded by over a hundred other guardsmen and adventurers as they entered arge open space with an arena in the center. She looked around trying to find her quarry through the mess of sweaty, armor-bound men and women. Her eyes finallynded on a small group of seven on the other side, standing off against one of the guards. ¡°Oh?¡± she hummed squinting her eyes to make out the group better as she inched past people on her side to get a closer look. ¡°...are you stalling for time?¡± Aono could barely make out some of the conversation they were having from her distance and felt the pressure before she could see or hear the rest. A loud boom concussed the entire arena silencing it for a breath as Drake suddenly appeared in front of the guard his hair blown back from the impact. Aono¡¯s eyes sparkled as she shook her hands up and down, thest of the conversation reaching her ears. ¡°... Seems like you¡¯re the nervous one¡­¡± ¡°Insects should be silent¡­ Unable to see the greatness of Lord Drake¡­¡± Aono¡¯s whole body broke out in goosebumps, her mana paper and stylusing out unconsciously as she continued to watch the two women in all their glory. ¡°You tell that half a brain cell having lowlife!¡± she cheered, her hand sketching as she did, ¡°Viva Drake! Wallen Banzai!¡± Her surrounding team looked at her confused. ¡°Is she cheering for the kids?¡± ¡°She¡¯s on our team though, right?¡± The match was seconds away from beginning. Reluctantly, Aono followed therge group into their side of the arena. She found a spot somewhere in the middle of the group, able to see the other group of teens rtively well. Looking over to her left she saw the guardsman that had been saved by her Knight surrounded by other guardsmen. The counting down began to sound out in earnest, with a mechanical voice announcing thest few seconds. 5 4 3 Jeering from both sides found its way in between the counting, bringing Aono to turn her head from the guardsmen and to the front of the groups. 2 1 [Begin] The instant the match started she felt a weight fall on her shoulders, and her ears ring with the sound of thunderous booms from the other side of the arena. Forced to ce her hand to cover her eyes from the crackling light across the arena, Aono heard the faint whistling of something cutting through the air one moment. The next she caught something on the side of her vision, forcing her head to turn. Her vision panned in slow motion, seeing a lightning-d spear and ck-med scythe traveling the distance right above the earlier guardsman. Aono¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to take in the image of the dazzling women, one with bright red hair, and lightning crackling off her armor. The other of pure white hair, animal ears, and tail. Both suddenly appeared with the weapons gripped in their hands. ¡°Focl¨®ir Gaeilge!!¡± ¡°Fate¡¯s Rend!¡± The weapons struck true, passing through the man and splitting him to ashen pieces, the impact from the floor sending out an enormous wave of pressure, kicking up dust. Aono tried her best to brace herself, her hair snapping against the wind and blowing her cloak nearly off her shoulders as she gripped her mana paper against her chest, her other hand releasing her stylus to fix her sses in ce. The stylus flew backward with such force it hit a bystander next to her sending the poor man off his feet from the blow despite Aono¡¯s stylus having no damage stats. She forced her feet to stay nted against the whipping pressure, leaning into the wind at nearly a 45-degree angle. ¡°Magnifi-nauiebcanwca!!!¡± she tried to say her mouth expanding from the gustically, pping in the wind as she tried to form words, her eyes spread open as wide as her body would allow to drink in the women¡¯s victorious visages. After the brief christening of the match passed, the wind dying down, Aono began to furiously sketch down with her revitalized inspiration, new stylus in hand. ¡°Magnificent!¡± she shouted, her eyes beginning to leak like faucets, ¡°Simply wondrous as the knight who taught them! Ah! Title! The Crackling Dawn! And! The Night Reapess!¡± Immersed in her fantasies, Aono nearly missed the adventurers sprinting into action tounch a counterattack against the two, surrounding them in a fraction of a second. However, a fraction of a second was all that was needed from the remainder of the opposing group as another man was hurtled into the crowd of adventurers a whirlwind of anger, angst, and furious greennded in front of them. ¡°Oi! You forgetting about the strongest one here?! Ah?!¡± A man with a red mohawk and long coat walked forward with his hands in his pockets, head reeled back. Aono let out an unconscious girlish scream. ¡°Bancho! Tochaku!!¡± The new ruffian-like gangster raised his jaw and looked down at the adventurers as they threw every spell, skill, and weapon imaginable at him. But the man only sneered back at the apparently feeble attempt as he crouched down. ¡°Blossom Rotation!¡± His body turned into a tornado of protection, reflecting and reversing every attack that tried to harm the three within the spinning form. Gasps of incredulity came from adventurers as they were forced to dodge their own weapons and skills. A momentter the man appeared unscathed and jeering as he mmed his fists together rushing forward into the crowd headfirst. ¡°Such manliness! Despite being so hard on the outside, he protects hisrades with suchpassion! Title! The Unruly Guardian!¡± Aono announced her stylus sliding across her paper with a beaming fanatic smile. The screaming and yelling continued within the arena all around her as she continued to paint the ensuing fights from the three until she saw spells and weapons fly upward toward a girl in the sky. Aono¡¯s head snapped upwards seeing the girl easily disperse and misdirect the projectiles in the air only for her to divebomb down a momentter, touching down with a gust of wind right behind Aono and in the middle of several Mages. Next, the sound of gunfire rang out, Aono¡¯s face painted with red from the Mages being felled one by one. She quickly used her hand to wipe away the mess on her face and sses as it turned to blue particles bringing rity to her sight swiftly enough to see the results of the girl¡¯s rampage. ¡°Oh. Oh my!¡± Aono gasped, ¡°Such ferocity from such a small and cute girl! Exquisite!¡± The colorful girl was not done yet. Brandishing a single-barreled shotgun that quickly hummed with power. ¡°Howling Gale!¡± The girl whistled and beamed, unleashing arge burst of power from the weapon andpletely removing several Mages from the arena as she chirped and reloaded her weapon. In her brief moment of vulnerability, arge man with a hammer approached her from behind. Raising it high to m the enormous weapon down on her head. But the blow never came as he was suddenly strung up, frozen in an intricate web of metal wires outlined in his own blood. On the man¡¯s back, an otherworldly-looking person appeared, forcing Aono to blush as she felt her heart skip a beat. The feeling was only enforced more as she saw the person¡¯s face twist into a primal rage as he raised his arm that housed the wire¡¯s controlling point, battling against therge man¡¯s strength. With an animalistic growl, the person rapped his finger against the strings, a venomous green running down the length of the wire only to petrify therge man in moments to Aono¡¯s delight. And with another tug of the person¡¯s hand therge man copsed in a pile of stone and flesh, to disappear in motes of blue a breathter. ¡°Incredible! I never imagined having such inspiration in such quantities!¡± Aono beamed, wiping her mouth with her cloak¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Title! The Whistling Death! And! Silent Fate!¡± Just when she thought it wasing to a close Aono caught the scent of flowers within the arena, her nose leading her to a man with dark skin and white short cut hair quite the distance away from the fight. At the same time, she had noticed him, apparently the adventurers had noticed him as well, attempting to charge him in a seemingly desperatest-ditch effort to change the pace of the fight. But the man seemed to be calm as he raised a hand, a small blue and white puppy jumping in front of him. ¡°Ifrit, Tundra Howl.¡± With a somewhat surprising, yet cute, howl, the small pup let loose a torrent of pale blue fire that froze the oing onught of close-range fighters that were convening on him. And suddenly a woman appeared behind him, revealing herself from some type of stealth skill, her weapons drawn and aimed right for the man¡¯s neck only to find purchase with nothing. The man had snapped his fingers, switching ces with a small tree that raised two branches as if furious with the man. The battle between the man and the new rogue-like woman ensued for several seconds until a bright white light appeared under the man¡¯s feet as he dodged and danced around the seemingly dexterous woman. And with thepletion of the spell, Aono¡¯s eyes grew several sizes with the puppy behind the woman, who had also grown even more in size, into a full-fledged monstrous wolf. And in several breaths, the fight was over, the wolf entirely engulfing the woman''s upper torso in one fell swoop, his owner patting him on itsrge snout in reward. Aono¡¯s cheek twitched as she fought back the urge to scream in ecstatic bliss. She had finally found more inspiration. Enough to live an eternity. ¡°And it was all thanks to my dazzling knight!¡± she screamed, pulling the man and wolf¡¯s attention. She looked back at him with a crazed expression of euphoria, her shoulders raising and falling in deep breaths, her smile only growing. The man jerked, his person visibly shivering as he grimaced. But before he was able to direct his beast toward Aono, another round rushed in trying their best to surround the man once more. She watched as the new supersized wolf fought back against the oing flood of people. However, the man seemed to have more tricks up his sleeve. ¡°Looks like everyone is getting tired. This will be a first, but better now than never,¡± the man hummed. ¡°Duality Core. Ifrit into Anima!¡± the man roared, two pieces of equipment on his body lighting up in pale blue and green, therge wolf shining in brilliant white as it shot up into the air. The small tree monster also doing the same, colliding in front of him. ¡°Plus Bahamut!¡± A final ball of light shot from the sky down tobine with the already potent mixture of power, a third piece of equipment brimming to life with a pale purple on his person. The surrounding adventurers paused for a moment, the influx of pressure from the skill stalling them in ce. And the following event shook the area. The ball of power stilled and cracks formed, spider webbing across the surface until the sound of shattering ss resounded in the area, a truly monstrous abomination emerging from the ball of energy. Aono¡¯s knees shook and gave out as she fell to the ground cackling. The monster an amalgamation of arge wolf-like tree with red eyes and a wooden frame, blue mes covering its arms, back, and legs, with two enormous ck wings jutting out from its shoulders. The man took a step back his face paling slightly, but a smile formed on his face as he muttered one word. ¡°Monst3r.¡± The amalgamation of beasts took in a deep breath before letting out a guttural roar that silenced the arena, all heads turning to the fight. And with a beat of its two enormous wings, it blew the surrounding adventurers back across the arena. Aono raised her hands, the monster taking thunderous lumbering steps towards her as she looked up, arge wooden and taloned foot casting a shadow down on her from above. ¡°Magnificent! Such elegance!!! Hahahaha!!! Title! The Monster Monarch!!!!¡± Chapter 263: Trouble On Two Legs Chapter 263: Trouble On Two Legs Drake¡¯s mouth hung slightly as he saw Landin nearly effortlessly handle the rogue that had attacked him, even going as far as to concurrent chant. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a spell-casting reduction skill¡­ That was just pure skill. Was it from when he was a cleric? To have this much understanding of his spells limitations is really impressive.¡± A hand draped on his right shoulder, Bjorn giving a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t go jumping in there, bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± Drake replied. Bjorn pointed to Drake¡¯s hand. Drake had already conjured a small fireball, his arms glowing gold from his tattoos. ¡°You didn¡¯t even notice?¡± Bjorn asked, reeling Drake back into his seat. ¡°N-no¡­ I didn¡¯t, thanks. I guess they¡¯re just growing up so quickly, I didn¡¯t even realize.¡± ¡°Makes sense though, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, like the kid said, they¡¯re trying to chase after you and repay you right? That¡¯s a tall order just going by levels and stats,¡± Bjorn shrugged, ¡°Then add in that you saved them all, that¡¯s weight on the shoulders of kids that most adults would probably crumble under.¡± Drake¡¯s expression turned thoughtful. He hadn¡¯t thought too deeply on that. He knew very well he was putting a lot on the teens and expected even more because of the growth they disyed during the past week. But even if that was true, he didn¡¯t have a choice. He didn¡¯t have many other people to trust with protecting the city originally. Now Bjorn and his other party members from the tutorial were gathering thankfully, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. He had seen how fast the undead were converting towns and if he was right, there would be thousands more, if not hundreds of thousands of undead just waiting in the wings for him to leave or give an opening for them to exploit. Natto tapped him on the side, making him turn while the crowd continued to cheer, the battle resuming in favor of the teens against the adventurers. She pointed to the staircase between the stadium seats, Rvul standing there with a troubled expression. Sah Ul¡¯ had not noticed her father just yet, enamored with the fight inside the arena just like the crowd. Drake grumbled, his head torn between looking at the arena and addressing Rvul. He sighed and finally moved past Sarah, who turned and followed after realizing her father was there. ¡°Yeah, something the matter Rvul? Look like you ate my mom¡¯s cooking,¡± Drake joked. Rvul bowed his head slightly, ¡°Apologies Patriarch, there is something¡­ Troublesome.¡± Drake raised a brow, and with a pop natto was gone. ¡°What do you mean? Monsters? More vampires? Gonna have to be more specific there man.¡± ¡°There is currently a group of people waiting at the gate demanding to see you. One of the members seems to be asking for you by name and is insisting they know you personally.¡± Drake¡¯s mind turned to everyone he knew that was still out there. Another pop and Natto was back, her face scowling. ¡°You need not deal with this, I will send them away.¡± ¡°Well, now I¡¯m really curious, who is it?¡± ¡°You are better off not knowing,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Natto,¡± Drake asked again just as firmly. She grumbled, ¡°It is a woman named Marrissah Terreno¡­¡± Drake was surprised by how calm he was hearing the name of his former co-worker. After what had happened with Stewart he expected to react more viscerally. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Drake said coldly, ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll see her, which gate?¡± ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked, noticing something off in his tone. ¡°Which gate,¡± Drake asked again. ¡°The East gate,¡± Natto replied, ¡°But you do not have to-¡± ¡°I¡¯m going, tell her I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Before anyone could protest, Drake began going down the stairs with measured steps. Sah Ul¡¯ and Rvul moved quickly to catch up with him. ¡°Patriarch you are leaving? Before the fight is done?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°You can stay and cheer them on, this is something that needs to be taken care of,¡± Drake replied seriously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Patriarch, I tried to send them away. They have excessive demands and have an unruly group, so they have been contained to outside the gate,¡± Rvul exined. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I honestly expected no less. Whether or not it¡¯s the system or just people¡¯s personalities finallying to light thanks to the power. It looks like some people are just born despicable,¡± Drake said, moving faster down the hall, leaving them both behind. ¡ª--- Within a few seconds Drake had moved to the east gate, already hearing the screaming andining of the group in mention, being held back by the guards who unfortunately had to stand on duty while the others enjoyed the show in the arena. Drake moved to the elf man, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened seeing both Natto and Drake, his head bowing slightly as he moved backwards. Drake looked at the group, their yelling and screaming now directed at him. ¡°Is this anyway to treat visitors?!¡± ¡°We came here for the auction! Why aren¡¯t we being allowed in!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this horseshit about being watched? Who gave you the right to monitor us!¡± ¡°I demand to see Drake Wallen, the leader of this sorry excuse for a city! Once he hears what I have to say, you¡¯re all going to regret it!¡± Drake scoffed, watching the woman he used to know from work wag and threaten him with his own name. Brown hair tied back into a ponytail, leather armor that was obviously of good quality. And as far as Drake could see, barely marked with use. He gave her an even stare. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? We are guests here! And we demand to be let in! Or is our money not good here because we aren¡¯t Monsters?¡± Marrissah scoffed, crossing her arms. ¡°You really have the audacity to say that?¡± Drake replied in a low, cold tone. ¡°Excuse me? How dare you say that to me! I know the owner of this city! I¡¯ll have you-¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t recognise me? Or are you really that stupid that you haven¡¯t used your identify skill? No¡­ you don¡¯t have one?¡± [Marrissah Terreno Level 12] ¡°Wha- I¡¯ve never!¡± Marrissah snapped, literally snapping as another man walked forward, his eyes shining green. ¡°Marrissah¡­¡± the man whispered, even though Drake could easily hear him from their distance, ¡°This guy is Drake Wallen.¡± Marrissah¡¯s face instantly twisted in realization, her face turning into a more palpable facade. ¡°Drake¡­.¡± she said coyishly, sauntering forward a bit, ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much that I didn¡¯t recognise you right away!¡± She moved to ce her hand on his chest, but Drake snatched her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me so casually,¡± he sneered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you and this sorry group one chance. Leave.¡± He released her, and she backed away rubbing her wrist. ¡°Why are you being so distant and mean!¡± she wailed, puffing out her cheeks, ¡°Didn¡¯t we have fun before all this craziness happened?¡± Drake held a hand up, Natto about to say something. Instead he simply leveled his gaze. ¡°Fun? You mean how you and Stewart set me up? And ruined my life?¡± Marrissah flinched slightly, but tried her best to continue her parade, ¡°Set you up? I have no idea-¡± ¡°You know,¡± Drake cut her off, lifting his chin to look his nose down at her, ¡°Stewart was in my tutorial.¡± She paled. ¡°He spilled the beans on everything. And even after all of that, I¡¯m giving you a chance to leave, alive.¡± ¡°I-.¡± Drake had enough, he growled his aura spreading out, his hand pointed palm out just inches from Marrissah¡¯s face a shard of ice slowly forming and inching forward. ¡°Not. Another. Word,¡± he said coldly, ¡°Leave and never return, you are not wee in my city.¡± Marrissah and the twenty odd people fell backwards, tumbling and scrambling in the snow. Somehow Marrissah wasn¡¯t disheartened, mustering up the courage to keep talking. ¡°So demanding¡­¡± she said her voice shaking as she tried to keep up her front, ¡°I like this new Drake. But if you are going to send us away you might as well kill us. We have nowhere to go and there are more undead roaming around by the day.¡± Drake¡¯s gaze never faltered. ¡°Not my problem.¡± He turned around, motioning for the guard to close the gate, beginning to walk back to the city. But Rvul found him first before he was able to return to the arena. ¡°Patriarch, did you send those people away? Who exactly was that woman?¡± Rvul asked. Drake sighed, ¡°She was a very old¡­acquaintance. And yeah, I told them to fuck off.¡± Natto gave a concerned look, her mouth twisting as if she was chewing on something sour. ¡°What¡­¡± Drake asked reluctantly. ¡°While I do not fault you, in fact I would have turned them into motionless bodies on the ground, but I do fear what this will do if we should allow them to leave and they are overtaken by the undead while some survive and spread even more rumors about you and the city,¡± she exined, ¡°I certainly understand the situation we are in and that they have dug their own graves, but we areing to a point where we must consider our image as a whole with the summit steadily approaching.¡± Drake rubbed his temples. ¡°So you want me to let that inside?¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°No, of course not. I am simply saying that it may be appropriate to find them a safe alternative. A little good PR goes far in a situation like this.¡± ¡°Well they aren¡¯t staying here. After finding out what happened, she¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t just let my spell pass through her stupid face¡­¡± Natto patted Drake¡¯s head sarcastically, ¡°Now, now.¡± He gave her a side eye. ¡°If it is such a small thing, why don¡¯t I take this problem on, Patriarch?¡± Rvul asked. ¡°Rejected,¡± Drake said instantly, ¡°I can¡¯t risk you going and doing something like this. Having my father-inw going out alone with a group of people is just too dangerous.¡± ¡°Then I will take the warriors that were defeated during the match. It has finished with the children winning with great strength. It will let the warriors regain some face as well as get away to think on the fight,¡± Rvul proposed. ¡°Why do you want to do this so badly?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I feel that I am just not doing enough here. The city is running more smoothly with Lady Natto, and the administrators settling into their roles. I am a warrior at heart, Patriarch, and seeing the kids fight with such verocity made me realize despite my age, I am still such.¡± Drake rubbed the back of his head, feeling a headacheing on. ¡°If I might also step in, we can alsoe along,¡± Mikhail said, approaching them, ¡°We just got back but if Mr. Rvul is leaving, we don''t mind guarding him, I know of a small town only a day or so away by foot.¡± ¡°Ah, Mikhail,¡± Drake waved, patting the man on his shoulder, ¡°It would make me feel better, but are you sure? You guys have afy gig inside the city already waiting for you don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Think of it as onest hurrah before the group retires to teach. I must say I do appreciate the offer. When you told me you had a job for us possibly I didn¡¯t think it would be something like that.¡± ¡°I just mentioned you guys to the headmaster, he¡¯s the one offering the job,¡± Drake smiled, feeling slightly better now, ¡°I don¡¯t particrly care for politics or what people think, but if you all are willing I won¡¯t go out of my way to stop you. But please be careful, stock up on whatever you need. Oh! I do need to borrow Yorth for the day though or at least a few hours. I have to visit someone who might need some healing. Yorth has a few cleansing spells right?¡± ¡°He has minor curse and detoxification, but do not expect too much,¡± Mikhail exined, ¡°Someone was cursed?¡± Drake waved him off, ¡°Nothing to worry about, it''s just a precaution is all.¡± ¡°I do not mind. I¡¯ll return to the arena first then and send him on his way. Where can he find you?¡± Drake looked at Natto and she nodded, disappearing with a pop. ¡°No need, Natto will grab him. I¡¯ll have him back to you in one piece in a few hours I think,¡± Drake guessed, bringing his hand to shade his eyes from the setting sun. ¡°Then, I will see you again soon, I must get the others and prepare,¡± Mikhail said, giving a small bow of his head. ¡°Ah,¡± Drake replied. ¡°Thank you for epting my selfish request Patriarch,¡± Rvul smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t ept it, you¡¯re just lucky Mikhail came to make it safer. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said you¡¯re too important, Rvul, you do a lot for this town, and it doesn¡¯t go unnoticed. I can promise you that.¡± Rvul ced his right hand over his chest, ¡°You are too kind Patriarch, this old man can not thank you enough for epting his proposal when we first met. You have brought more strength than you know to the Rahk and I have not seen my daughter so excited in some time. Ah, to be young!¡± he beamed. Drake rubbed the back of his head, feeling a ting of embarrassment. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see my grandchildren! Son!¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ Only if my girlfriend doesn¡¯t kill me before my wife,¡± Drake muttered under his breath. ¡ª---- Megan curled up her legs and hugged to her chest, just like thest several hours even while and after Chelsea had left. Her body was sweat-beaten, her mind hazy, and her whole body felt as if it was freezing underwater and zing hot under a zing sun at the same time. She gripped at the nket, giving a silent scream. ¡°Why¡­ Why isn¡¯t he here¡­ Why isn¡¯t he with me? He saved me didn¡¯t he? Doesn¡¯t that mean he should stay here!?¡± A knock came from the door. She ignored it. Another knock. Then silence. ¡°Megan?¡± She jumped out of her bed, almost lunging for the handle as she wrenched it back. ¡°Drake?¡± she gasped. There was the man that had saved her, kept her alive and well during the madness that was the tutorial. The one she came to see after such a long journey from. From where again? She shook the thought. It didn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s here now. She thought. Drake looked at her, his face painted with pity. ¡°How long have you been in here?¡± he asked. ¡°N-not long,¡± she lied, ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling well, bute in!¡± She offered for him toe inside, spotting someone with red hair behind him. But Drake held up a hand for the man to wait outside. Aftering inside, she quickly went to light one of the smallmps they had made from a monster core. The core lighting up the room with a moderate beige glow. Megan caught a nce of herself in her mirror and immediately went tob her hair with her fingers as her face reddened. ¡°I wanted to talk,¡± Drake said suddenly. ¡°Talk? About what?¡± Drake leveled his gaze at her, ¡°About your obsession with me.¡± She flinched, her hand stopping at the end of her hair, gripping it much more tightly than she intended, identally pulling a few blond strands out. ¡°I¡¯ve told you this many times already Megan, I can¡¯t give you what you want. Just like Chelsea you need to move-¡± ¡°No!¡± Megan screamed, cutting him off her head whipping side to side rapidly, ¡°D-don¡¯t say that! You saved me! Just like you saved everyone else, like C-ire! Yeah, just like her! Shouldn¡¯t you stay by my side just like her?! E-Even more so!¡± Megan¡¯s face became desperate and estranged as she rambled, trying to rationalize her chaotic feelings rapidly. ¡°You don¡¯t have a problem having more than one lover right? I-I¡¯ll do anything! You can have anything! No one has ever touched me, not Chris, not my previous boyfriend! It would be just you!¡± she stammered, her whole body quivering. She inched forward her hand going to reach for Drake¡¯s arm. Drake backed away, his face pained with pity. ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± he said, ¡°You barely know me and I don¡¯t even know you. I didn¡¯t save you Megan. I did it to help Chelsea and recover my own arm. This person you seem to think of me as doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not true! You freed me from Chris, it has to be you! You¡­¡± her eyes turned crazed, ¡°You were and are my hero! Don¡¯t throw me away! Just tell me what it is that you don¡¯t like and I¡¯ll change it! I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Megan had dropped to the floor on her knees, covering her face as she fought back sobs. Drake bent down, ¡°You need help Megan. I have Yorth with me, he has detoxification and purification magic, and we can try to see if something has happened to you.¡± He got back up, turning around to bring in Yorth only for Megan to scream behind him. ¡°No! Look at me!¡± Drake sighed, turning around to find Megan red eyed and tears running down her face without her clothing, everythingid bare in front of him. ¡°Is this still not good enough!? This is what you wanted right! This is what everyone wants and I¡¯m giving it to you! J-just say you won¡¯t leave¡­ Say you love me¡­.¡± she said, her face cracking into a sob as her lips quivered. Drake didn¡¯t turn his gaze, unable to think of her as anyone other than a person that needed help. Julia was right. There was something wrong with her and he wasn¡¯t sure he could help her. He moved forward spreading his arms and cing them behind her. Megan¡¯s face drenched in tears finally produced a smile as she looked up at him, moving to ce her arms around him as well. But instead she felt a soft coat fall on her shoulders. Her face turned nk as Drake took a step back, her arms moving to embrace him, yet, holding nothing but air. Drake turned, putting his hand on the door, ¡°In a few minutes, I¡¯ll send in Yorth. I only hope for you to get better and move on Megan. When I get back from Sandal, we¡¯ll talk more and figure this out. However long it takes we will¡­ I will fix this.¡± The door opened and closed shut. Megan was still standing there, her hands slowly beginning to shake until they finally fell to her sides, a small chuckle beginning to sound from her. ¡°Haha...Haha¡­.hahahahaha!! F-Fix¡­? Fine!¡± Megan screamed her hands moving to her shoulders, nails finally wing at her sides, ¡°If I can¡¯t have you!! NO. ONE. CAN!¡± Crazed and broken, Megan¡¯s mind went into a haze, a small yellow glow outlining the shape of a sun, emzoned on her shoulder. Chapter 264: To Sandal Chapter 264: To Sandal Drake sat at the steps of the house after sending in Yorth, his hands motioning slowly as he melded and cycled through his elements. He had defaulted back to doing this exercise from the tutorial when he began thinking. He couldn¡¯t ce the mana he saw around Megan, it felt and looked malformed as if it was melting the air around it. Drake clenched his hand, staring off absently as the spells melded together forming a sphere of condensed energies. His mind whirled trying to ce the off putting feeling he had inside the house and the words she had said. Why is she so fixated on me? He thought. No matter how you look at it, the obsession isn¡¯t natural, it feels¡­. He shook his head, instead focusing on the ball of magic hovering above his hand, willing it to condense even more, slowly shaping it to his will and spinning with such speed it began to cut the wind around it. Drake flexed his will, surging mana into the ball as it glowed and hummed with power, a bright white sun spinning in ce. Then a pop sounded and he felt a weight on his shoulder. ¡°Having fun pretending to y doctor are we?¡± Natto asked. ¡°Not really in the mood,¡± Drake sighed, using a finger to point the ball of elements into the ground. The condensed package shot straight down at hismand, burrowing a red hot hole at the bottom of the steps. A momentter a small rumble shook the area. ¡°Can you detect anything wrong with Megan?¡± Drake asked, ignoring the rumble. ¡°The girl?¡± Natto said, raising a brow, ¡°I can not inspect any status conditions on individuals. I am only privy to very limited and specific things pertaining to the city. Was she particrly estranged?¡± Drake nodded. ¡°I have been keeping track of her since she arrived but I can only say that she acts in line with a love-struck girl. However, she has refused to leave her house in the recent week. Do you believe it to be more than simple obsession?¡± Drake rubbed his temples and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Since the system happened I''ve had a few people try to force rtionships. But nothing like this, she seemed off, crazed. Everything I said she was hanging on unnaturally¡­ Like,¡± Drake scoffed to himself, ¡°Like it was word of god or something.¡± The door creaked open behind them, and a long red-haired man stepped out. ¡°Anything?¡± Drake asked. ¡°The skill didn¡¯t detect anything if that¡¯s what you''re asking. She is normal,¡± Yorth said, then scratched the back of his head, ¡°Status-wise, that is.¡± Drake got up dusting off his knees, ¡°Is that so. Sorry for bothering you then. Take care of Rvul for me while you¡¯re out there. Appreciate you entertaining this.¡± Yorth shook his head, ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t do more, ¡°he smiled, ¡°Those kids you trained up are all grown up now, huh? It was something else to see what they did in the arena.¡± Drake smiled back, ¡°Yeah, they¡¯vee a long way. I¡¯ll see you all when we get back, yeah?¡± Yorth waved as he left for the main street, turning the corner he was reced by a small group of rowdy teens, arge giant of a man, and one especially happy woman. Drake stepped off the steps of the building giving a nce backward while feeling a tinge of regret of not being able to do anything for Megan. He met the group a few feet away from the building, raising a hand in greeting. Sah Ul¡¯ had her arm wrapped around Landin, patting him on the shoulder with the other in praise. ¡°I can not believe you had fighting ability like that! It must have been a new skill, you young warriors are so full of surprises!¡± sheughed, pping him. Landin lurched forward a few steps, trying and failing to rub the spot Sarah had hit with his face twisted in both pain and pride. ¡°She¡¯s right, you really stole the show there in thest bit,¡± Bjorn agreed, waving to Drake. ¡°You¡¯re all doing this on purpose because I missed the ending of the fight aren¡¯t you?¡± Drake chuckled wryly. ¡°We certainly might be,¡± Charlotte nodded, her emotionless face somehow conveying slight anger. ¡°I am disappointed that Lord Drake did not see us wipe the floor with those foul-mouthed cockroaches,¡± Atropos huffed, crossing her arms. ¡°Quetz got to shoot a lot of people and make some really pretty lights!¡± Quetz beamed, running to Drake and rubbing her head into his chest. Drake patted her on the head, ¡°Is that right? Well I think that deserves a reward,¡± he smiled looking around, ¡°No Theo, Harley, or Chelsea?¡± ¡°Theo took Harley home. Chelsea went to grab some things from the auction to try to help Megan with Julia. How is she by the way bro?¡± Bjorn asked, looking past Drake. He shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s confused, to say the least, it isn¡¯t normal and it doesn¡¯t seem to be a skill or curse. Yorth wasn¡¯t able to cleanse anything from her, so I¡¯m at a loss.¡± ¡°Hey, hey! You said presents?!¡± Quetz interrupted. Drake smiled, ¡°Yeah, that I did,¡± he turned to Mordred, Glenn, and Lucium, ¡°As for you three. Natto, will you see to it that Mordred at the very least gets her second Subtree Stone and ranks up? She should already have one, but she needs the highest rarity avable that we can afford.¡± Natto leaned back on Drake¡¯s shoulder with both hands, her nose up as she peered down at the ck and white-haired girl, ¡°Must I? I have better things to do with my time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you to do it. Have her ready by the time we leave.¡± Natto grumbled but hopped off Drake¡¯s shoulder, her geta making distinct wooden taps as she trotted along, ¡°Fine, I expect candy inpensation¡­ Come now half-breed, let us get you well and grown.¡± Mordred¡¯s face turned incredulous and she looked back to Drake who only smiled and nodded. She, Glenn, and Lucium followed the small construct albeit reluctantly, leaving the rest of therge group with Drake. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go see what my best friend is up to,¡± Drake smirked. ¡°You have friends other than me?¡± Bjorn asked, clearly surprised. ¡°I have at least three,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°Quetz is your friend!¡± Quetz perked up, raising her hand. ¡°I am also Lord Drake¡¯s friend!¡± Atropos added after hearing Quetz shout. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re all my friends,¡± Drake chuckled wryly, ¡°Alrighte on, hopefully, he¡¯s all set up.¡± The group began walking down the main street, garnering eyes from passerbyers after the arena event, but none of them seemed to notice as they happily chatted idly as they walked. But soon, Drake was met with Hudson and a small troop of soldiers intruding on their little walk. ¡°You got a minute pup?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°For you? I can spare at least one,¡± Drakeughed. Hudson¡¯s face conveyed just how ufortable while he looked around, ¡°Little Lady ain¡¯t around?¡± ¡°Natto? I sent her on a little errand.¡± Hudson breathed out a little puff of air in relief, ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good?¡± ¡°Damn right, she wanted me to talk to you about some of the cities that the New Colonies is associated with but she had me damn near ghost white when I mentioned some of the cities.¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Drake asked, as their nowrger group turned a corner. ¡°Not sure what got into her, but soon as I mentioned the dang ce she melts a whole table!¡± Drake raised a brow. Since when can she melt things¡­? And what would make her that irritated? Drake thought. ¡°You¡¯re stalling. What¡¯s the name of the city?¡± Drake urged. Hudson scratched the back of his head, ¡°Alright, alright. Can¡¯t me me after how she acted, but she said to talk to ya about a ce called Sandal.¡± Drake stopped midstep. ¡°Come again?¡± Hudson and the rest of the group stopped turning to him, ¡°That look¡­ That¡¯s the damn same one that littledy gave me. I said Sandal dang it, what is with you two? It¡¯s a trading partner for the United Colonies, but that¡¯s all I know.¡± Drake drew in a breath, ¡°I¡¯ll ept that only because it¡¯s you telling me Hudson. But¡­¡± he paused, trying to rapidly go through his thoughts, ¡°Natto!¡± With a pop, she quickly appeared in front of him, her arms crossed. She looked over to see Hudson, then back to Drake. ¡°I see the liar has finallye clean,¡± Natto said evenly. ¡°I ain¡¯t no liar-¡± Hudson defended. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Drake said, cutting him off, ¡°Change of ns. Get Mordred and Glenn ready within the hour. I didn¡¯t want to rush them but we¡¯re leaving as soon as Lamar is done with what I need, so we don¡¯t have time to be gentle with the rank up. After that is done, get Mr. Hogue, we¡¯re leaving for Sandal, tonight.¡± Drake turned to Hudson, ¡°You and your little troup of spies areing with us as well.¡± ¡°Now hold on just a damn second-¡± Hudson tried to protest, obviously confused but was stopped by Drake, pirs of ice suddenly erected in the area around them, each one pointed right at the head of a soldier. ¡°I trust you, Hudson. We went through a lot in the tutorial. But that doesn¡¯t mean I trust the people you are with. And a lot can happen to a person in the month we¡¯ve been apart. I have an obligation to keep my city and people safe,¡± Drake exined, taking a step forward, ¡°And right now, that thread might very well be you and the United Colonies.¡± Without exining further Drake moved down the road, his ice pirs continuing to stay at the ready, forcing the group of soldiers, and Hudson, to move as well. ¡°Patriarch, I thought this man was your friend?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°He was,¡± Drake said, ¡°A month ago and before he was a part of an organization which trades with a city we know deals in ves¡­¡± He gritted his teeth, hating that he was forced to make a decision of holding someone he knew essentially at gunpoint, but he seemed to not have any other option until he understood the rtionship between Sandal and the United Colonies. It might exin why the UC is going up the Nobilitydder so quickly as well¡­ Is there something else? It feels like I¡¯m missing something. He thought. His mind whirling like a chaotic storm in his head, the group finally made it to their destination without much more conversation. Drake couldn¡¯t help but scoff and smile at the sign on the door in bold red letters. No Solicitors. Especially that Prick Drake. He opened the door without hesitation. ¡°Lamar! Buddy!¡± Drake shouted. Immediately after entering the door, Drake was assailed by heat and the smell of coal and iron but was unable to find the enormous cyclops. Instead, he found his sister flipping through a book at a table, her head bobbing back and forth to the sound of a hammer hitting metal. She looked up, saw the group of people, some with magic ice pointed just a few inches from their heads, and went back to her book, thumbing to another door. ¡°Brother is inside. Please don¡¯t bother him too much.¡± Drake felt stonewalled and deted slightly. ¡°R-right¡­ We¡¯ll be quick.¡± ¡°Wow, she handled you like she¡¯s done it a million times,¡± Landin whistled. ¡°Maybe you and Lamar are more alike than you think,¡± Bjorn smirked. ¡°Yeah whatever¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Stay here, Quetz, Kalik, Charlotte, Landin, Atropos, Clotho, you six with me. Sarah, please watch the rest with Bjorn, feel free to deal with them if they try to do anything. Do your best not to kill them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Come on then,¡± Drake said, waving for the teens to follow. Opening the door, the cracking of a hammer on molten metal continued as the seven people filed in, crowding the room. ¡°Kinda packed in here isn¡¯t it?¡± Landin muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll get bigger once they have some more time to settle in,¡± Drake exined, ¡°Lamar. Hey! Lamar!¡± Drake yelled, having to get the man¡¯s attention. ¡°The fuck do you want?¡± Lamar shouted back, mming the hammer down without pause. ¡°I need you to help me make some stuff. I need it done quick and you''re the best we have so.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What if I ask nicer?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Pretty please?¡± ¡°No, damn it!¡± ¡°Okay, I guess you just aren¡¯t the best here then?¡± ¡°What did you say, you little prick?!¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just do it myself. I had to do it in the tutorial too, no surprise I¡¯ll have to do that again.¡± ¡°I see what you''re doing. I ain¡¯t falling for that!¡± ¡°Oh I know. You¡¯re far too smart for that. And I know it would be too easy for you to make small little trinkets like this,¡± Drake said, tossing him a ne. ¡°Ha! This isn¡¯t even worth my time!¡± Lamar spat, ¡°What do you need more disguising nes for anyway?¡± ¡°No, no, don¡¯t worry about it. I wouldn¡¯t want to take up more of your time with something so easy even I could make.¡± Lamar pulled his hand back, ¡°Are you saying I can¡¯t make this better than your scrawny ass?¡± ¡°I never said that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making that stupid face that says I can¡¯t though.¡± ¡°This is just my face, man. Really, I wouldn¡¯t want to bother you any more than I have,¡± Drake sighed, going to grab the ne. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t a problem.¡± ¡°No really, I¡¯ll just do it myself. Give it back.¡± ¡°No no, I got it. Fuck off!¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s mine and I said it¡¯s fine! Give it back you one-eyed bastard!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult my skills you short-assed-long-haired loser! I¡¯ll have this done 100 times faster than you could!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you can! I don¡¯t want you making them now!¡± The teens looked on in confusion as the two fully grown men continued to bicker and pull at each other for the ne. Landin pointed at the scuffle that had ensued, ¡°Anyone else know what just happened?¡± The other five shook their heads. ¡°Such stupidity¡­.¡± Kalik muttered. They all couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. Chapter 265: Knocking On The Gate Chapter 265: Knocking On The Gate ¡°Finally all done?¡± Bjorn asked, before smirking and letting out a deepugh, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Drake frowned, his ck eye healing in real time. ¡°I got into a disagreement with the one-eyed bastard¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°And he hit you? Surprised he could hurt you,¡± Bjorn chuckled. Drake rubbed his eye, the itchy feeling finally subsiding, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Lamar¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Landin scoffed from behind Drake, a big smile on his face, ¡°Lamar¡¯s sister hit him with a hammer for being too loud.¡± Bjorn couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing, ¡°His sister?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ did not find the statement nearly as funny as she moved to get past the teens and inside the building. ¡°How dare she strike the Patriarch!¡± ¡°Whoa whoa!¡± Drake said, putting a break on her beeline inside, ¡°I was in the wrong, it¡¯s fine. Besides, can you really say that after you smacked me around quite a lot in the forest earlier.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s face flushed red and she became significantly more timid. ¡°She hit you too?¡± Bjorn asked, surprised. ¡°Happens more than you think,¡± Drake chuckled. Landin elbowed Kalik, wiggling his eyebrows, ¡°It¡¯s cause he likes it I bet.¡± ¡°Landin, I think you and I need to have a talk,¡± Drake scowled. Landin put his hands up, ¡°Just a joke, just a joke. Not like everyone was kinda thinking it.¡± Drake shook his head, but quickly got back to the point of their heading here. Taking out ten nes, he handed one to each of the teens and one to Sarah, saving the others for Mordred, Glenn, and Lucium. ¡°Put them on, and set your levels to 11 or 12, it doesn¡¯t matter which. Keep your names the same and make sure to keep your sses the same as well. I don¡¯t think we will need to worry about changing stats. From what I¡¯ve experienced and what Natto has told me, inspection skills intrusive enough to give that much information are very rare skills. Even my inspection skill isn¡¯t there yet.¡± ¡°Why are we doing this?¡± Charlotte asked, slipping on the trinket. ¡°d I got that Hoarder skill¡­ If not I probably couldn¡¯t use this,¡± Landin murmured. Drake nodded, seeing them all ce the ne on, recing some equipment, but the change was necessary for now. ¡°Because when we arrive at Sandal, I want to do a few things,¡± Drake answered honestly, turning his head to Hudson and the group of soldiers, ¡°One, is how much information has been leaked about you all. Two, if they arepetent enough to investigate the group we are bringing despite Mr. Hogue leading the way. And of course three,¡± Drake took a long pause, forcing everyone to lean in slightly, ¡°And the most important.¡± He put his hand up raising a finger high into the air, ¡°Because True Power reveals are a must.¡± The area filled with groans and guffaws, some even coughing at Drake¡¯s reasoning. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Landin grimaced, then added in a whisper as he rubbed the ne, ¡°He kinda right though¡­¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Alright, now we¡¯re just waiting on Natto and the others. So get some rest before we leave, if you want, go to the auction house and browse for any skill stones you might still need. We¡¯ll meet at the North Gate in thirty minutes.¡± ¡ª--------------------------- Mordred tapped her finger against the arm of her wheelchair impatiently, her brows knitted into a frown as she waited outside with her Papa and the rabid dog she had the misfortune to call a childhood friend. She sighed, watching as he went from woman to woman like clockwork, talking to them and flirting at every chance. ¡°Relou¡­.¡± she groaned, eyeing the doorway to the auction, ¡°Papa, must we wait for Monsieur Drake¡¯s tiny assistant?¡± Lucium looked down from behind her, ¡°I believe so Miss. They are doing us a great deal of service by providing thest piece needed for your Rank Up. Please be patient.¡± Mordred crossed her arms, ¡°I am being patient¡­¡± She grumbled to herself as they waited for a few more minutes, her mind drifting to the past as it did in times of idleness. shes of the tutorial gnawing at the back of her mind. The monsters that ravaged the people around her as her Father tried to protect Mordred and her mother. Days and weeks of being protected by her wonderful Father. She looked back seeing his face on Lucium¡¯s. She gripped the hem of her dress, clenching tightly as she bit on her bottom lip. Thest stretch of the tutorial was the hardest. Her entire life, Mordred had been a burden, although her Father had never made her feel as such. Even in the torturous ce they had been sent, with no idea how or why, her Father never once showed hate for her in his eyes. Unfortunately, her mother was not the same. Her mother had loved her, of that she was sure. Their life before the system was something others could only dream of. Traveling the world as a family, happily without a care. But the system or the stress of the new reality they faced had broken her. Mordred¡¯s mother began to crack day by day, only showing selfish motives for self preservation, pushing everything onto her Father despite being an able adult. While others like her fought and died in her stead. Mordred tried to help, she truly did. Wanting to be helpful, strong, and stoic like her Father. Defending the people she held dear. But her crippled legs prevented her. And one day they cost her more than she was ever willing to pay. Thest week of the tutorial, the monsters had be insurmountably strongpared to before. The remaining band of people within the tutorial came together to fend for their lives, Mordred¡¯s Father at the forefront, as was natural for someone as strong as he. But even with his strength, there were always things that did not go to n. Mordred was forced to watch as her Father was struck trying to protect her. She had been unable to move from her position due to her legs, and with his dying breath, Mordred¡¯s Father had killed thest beast, ending their tutorial but losing his life in the process. Her Mother was hysterical from the event,shing out at everyone. ¡°What am I supposed to do now that he¡¯s dead?! I can¡¯t fight these monsters on my own!¡± She turned to Mordred, her eyes red with hate and anger. Mordred could still remember the face clearly in her mind. ¡°You¡­If only you weren¡¯t here! If he didn¡¯t have toe back to protect you, he would have lived! You useless! Worthless! Cripple! I knew we shouldn¡¯t have kept you after finding out you would never walk! The money we spent on your medical bills! Treatments! Physical training! Wasted!¡± Mordred couldn¡¯t refute her Mother¡¯s tirade. She tried to speak, but her thoughts and words only caught in her throat as insult after insult was thrown at her. ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You should have never been born!¡± After her Mother was finally pulled away by the others, Mordred was left alone with her Father, given his spatial sack and equipment. She stared at his lifeless body for hours, perhaps days. Crying until the tears dried and would fall no more. Mordred didn¡¯t hate her Mother, she was right. Mordred hated herself. She hated the weak and insignificant useless person she currently was. For a long time more, she stared at the de held in her Father¡¯s grip. Thoughts of ending it all passed the forefront of her mind in an endless torrent. The announcements and notifications of the tutorial ending just background noise against the raging storm of thoughts inside her head. She turned to see her Mother still shouting and yelling only to have two items drop into herp from motes of light. A brilliant ck and white stone, and a proclean colored egg. After a time, she gripped them both. A hand touched her shoulder, ripping her from her shback. ¡°She has finished it seems, Miss,¡± Lucium said, pointing to the front of the auction house. Mordred secretly wiped a tear from her eye, nodding, ¡°I see that.¡± The small girl tilted her head as she looked up at Mordred. ¡°Ready girl?¡± Natto asked. ¡°My name is Mordred,¡± Mordred said sternly. ¡°It is good you have some backbone,¡± Natto snickered, ¡°You will need it.¡± Natto raised a hand, a small stone in it, ¡°Take it and let us be on our way. The flirting imbicile will have to do with a less rare stone, but I was lucky enough to bargain for this.¡± [Sub-tree Stone: Of Heaven and Earth] [Epic]
  • Unlocks Of Heaven and Earth Sub-tree branch.
  • Requirement: Have one or more empty Sub-trees. Have a Main ss-tree unlocked.
¡°Epic?¡± Mordred said with amazement, ¡°Are you certain I can have this?¡± Natto waved her hand, ¡°It did not cost much, just a few photos of Drake without a shirt. Or pants. The vendor was very pleased to see a legendary Asuran with only his skivvies,¡± she smirked. Mordred wasn¡¯t prepared for the answer Natto gave her, and couldn¡¯t help but give a stifledugh, covering her face to hide the embarrassment. ¡°Madame Natto, I thank you for your generosity, I do not know how to express my-¡± Natto cut Mordred off, sticking out her tongue as if she was about to expel her ck hole of a stomach. ¡°Gah, shut up! I am doing what I was told for more food. Cease your babbling and let us be on our way. That ape continues to speak my name and it is beginning to make my ears itch!¡± sheined, sticking a small finger to dig at her furred ear. Mordred felt offended at first her thanks being belittled, but she sighed, seeing that the small girl also treated the most powerful man she had ever witnessed the same made her quickly realize it was almost apliment to be treated the same. She bowed her head slightly, ¡°As you wish. Papa, let us go.¡± ¡°Of course, Miss. What shall we do about Monsieur Glenn?¡± Lucium asked. Glenn had beenpletely oblivious to the conversation, continuing his escapades in the background. Mordred frowned, ¡°Leave him be, he will figure out we have left soon enough I¡¯m sure¡­¡± she sighed, shaking her head and thinking better of it. Reeling back her hand she pulled a smallmon skill stone from her inventory and flung it at the back of his head. ¡°Depeche toi! Bouffon!¡± she shouted. Gleen rubbed the back of his head, raising both arms. ¡°Vas-y mollo, mon amour!¡± ¡°Who is your love, pervert! We are going!¡± she snapped back, ¡°If you would, Papa.¡± Lucium nodded, bowing his head slightly, and moved the wheelchair to follow Natto. Natto led them quietly, the surroundings and conversations a blur in the background. In her hand the two Sub-tree stones that would hopefully change her life. Mordred¡¯s back tensed, the wing that had grown after her partial race change shaking slightly. And before she knew it, they had arrived at a small ck building with no windows and a single door. Natto intertwined her arms, cing both hands in the opposite sleeves of her dress. ¡°Go right ahead girl, you¡¯re up before Mr. Googly-Eyes.¡± Mordred craned her head, taking one more look at thebat construct she had called her Papa since leaving the tutorial, a constricting desperate feeling twisting into a knot in the pit of her stomach. ¡°Would you like me toe with you Miss?¡± Lucium asked softly. Mordred steeled herself. ¡°No, it is not needed. From here on out I will be caring for myself¡­. Pa- Lucium.¡± Sheid the stones down on herp, cing her hands on the wheels as she pushed herself forward into the open door and into the dark room, Natto closing it behind her. It was quiet. Mordred took in a deep breath, then began. [You wish to consume Sub-tree Stone: King¡¯s Swordsmanship] [Rare] [Confirm?] [Yes/No] She mentally epted the prompt, unsure of what to expect. The partial transformation of her race had left a scar on her mind, the pain something she would not soon forget. However. ¡°I will not be deterred from this¡­ I will kill off my useless and helpless self!¡± Mordred braced herself for the worse, the stone melding into her hand like liquid drawn to dry sand, the cold familiar sensation running up her arm into her chest. The power from the stone forcing her entire body to shake as if thrown into a sudden blizzard. Falling from her chair to the floor, she gasped for breath as her hand gripped her chest, her eyes going blurry. And finally a momentter her body turned hot as if butter thrown into a searing pan. Turning over on her stomach she felt the skin on her back bubble as she lurched giving a silent scream, a momentter two distinct pops resounding in the small room. [You have consumed Subtree Stone: King¡¯s Swordsmanship] [Rare] [You have unlocked the Primary Subtree: Pendragon Royal Swordsmanship] [F-Rank] [Passive effects have been applied] [You have unlocked 5 new skill stone slots in Tempest¡¯s Beckoning] [You have unlocked 1 of 1 Primary Subtrees] [Pendragon¡¯s Royal Swordsmanship] [F-Rank] P1(0%)
  • Passed down over generations, the art of the sword finally reveals itself to you. And by your ancestor¡¯s wish shall bestow greatness upon you.
  • Passive Effects: +15% to Endurance and Strength.
  • Passive Skill: Pendragon¡¯s Masterful de Arts
  • Increases weapon haste of one-handed des by 5% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Increases damage dealt by two-handed des by 15% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Increases parry rate and weapon haste when using two one-handed des by 10% (Increased based on Proficiency)
  • Additional Effect: Your physical strikes are now converted to Holy and Depravity Damage and deal an additional 2 Damage per point of Strength. (Increased based on Proficiency)
Mordred did her best to keep the swelling feeling of nausea running rampant inside her as she pulled in her elbows to raise herself from the cold ground momentarily. With effort she scrambled, searching for the second stone, finally finding it a few secondster. Gripping it tightly in her outstretched hand. ¡°Never again will I be tossed away¡­ Never again will I see myself as lesser than!¡± [You wish to consume Sub-tree Stone: Of Heaven and Earth] [Epic] [Confirm?] [Yes/No] ¡°I will force the change I wish to see. I am not useless, Papa saving me will not be wasted! I will not let it be so!¡± ¡ª-------------------------- Drake rocked back and forth on his heels, watching the teens wait patiently for thete arrivals. Bjorn already parting ways, wanting to meet back up with Chelsea and Julia. Landin yawned deeply as he sat in a patchless spot of snow, Ifrit on hisp opening his mouth in a yawn as well. Charlotte leaned against the gate, tapping away on screens he couldn¡¯t see, as the twins talked between themselves. Quetz floatedzily with her arms behind her head, whistling a tune. While Kalik surprisingly bobbed his head to melodic sound. ¡°Are you sure it is best to leave so soon, Patriarch? Will they not tire so soon after fighting?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will,¡± Drake said casually, ¡°But that¡¯s just something they¡¯ll need to figure out themselves. You can¡¯t always fight at your best, you never know what mighte and when.¡± ¡°Do you always have to say it like that?¡± Landin hummed, ¡°Not everything needs to be so dramatic¡­¡± ¡°It only sounds dramatic because you don¡¯t want to believe that it¡¯s true. You all have won a major battle,¡± Drake grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to your head alright?¡± ¡°Drake is right, Landin,¡± Charlotte added from behind them, ¡°You decided to go all out, showing every skill at your disposal. It let the rest of us keep our trump cards secret. But please remember that means more information about your skills are now spreading after a disy like that. You¡¯ve made a target of yourself for everyone else¡­¡± Landin waved a hand, ¡°I still have one or two tricks up my sleeve,¡± he said, ruffling Ifrit¡¯s fur, ¡°Right buddy?¡± Drake smiled at his confidence in himself, a stark change from the boy he first met. And apuded Charlotte for acting more and more like a leader taking responsibility for herpanions. But this win might have the opposite effect of what I wanted for them¡­ Drake thought. They were forced to struggle in the beginning, but now that they¡¯ve be stronger the danger they felt might lessen. I just hope it doesn¡¯t turn into them being overconfident, I can¡¯t always be there to bail them out. Ah¡­ is this what it feels like to be an overprotective parent? Drake sighed, putting his hand to his head feeling a headacheing on. ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked next to him. He looked over at her. And what happens when I have my own kids? He thought bing even more worried. Are my kids going to be alright? Is the bounty going to apply to them as well? How are we going to protect them? Are they even going to be born Asuran? ¡°Ah! So pretty!¡± Quetz suddenly cooed from above. Moving past the small group of soldiers and Hudson, was a taller woman in chainmail, hair split between raven ck and ivory white. On her back pped three massive wings, on her waist two broadswords. And she was walking on her own two feet, Lucium and a man Drake could only assume was Glenn walking in stride next to her. Mr. Hogue a few steps behind. Drake gave out a whistle, ¡°Looks like the Rank-up worked out, wee to the fray.¡± Mordred bowed her head slightly, ¡°I can not thank you enough for assisting me in my goals, Monsieur.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any thanks. I owe Bjorn a lot,¡± Drake chuckled, moving to meet her, ¡°And I think you¡¯ll be a great investment. When we first met, I could tell right away you were just like the others.¡± ¡°Others?¡± Drake thumbed to the other teens, ¡°Just like them. There was a chip on your shoulder. And more importantly,¡± he smiled pointing to himself, ¡°Just like me.¡± ¡°Are you calling me a mere chip on your shoulder?¡± Natto growled from Drake¡¯s shoulder, having been there the entire conversation. ¡°Well after thest few days, I hate to tell you¡­ It¡¯s more like a boulder- Hey that hurts!¡± Drake attempted to pull Natto from his side, her jaws locked on the side of his face. ¡°Now that Mordred and the rest are here, we can finally,¡± he began, pausing for a moment to distract Natto with some candy, ¡°Begin.¡± His expression turned serious. ¡°This is where you will find a crossroads in where you follow me,¡± Drake said, addressing everyone, ¡°You have fought people before, vampires, and the undead. Those people were after your lives and in turn you defended yourself. Here¡­ Where we are going, we are not going for training, we are not going to meet friends. We are going to save those who can not save themselves. We are going there to end the lives of those we deem in our own views as immoral and wrong. Here we are the aggressors. In our story you may think of yourself as heroes but remember.¡± Drake took a moment to look directly at Hudson, then each of the teens in turn. ¡°Everyone is a viin in someone else¡¯s story. And I will not force you to be one. Everyone here has gone well beyond any expectation I have ced on you. You are free to carve your own path and write your own story now. Whether it is here in this city, or on a journey to find your lost families. But whatever you choose from this point on, you are family to me, and there will always be a home here for you no matter where you go.¡± Drake didn¡¯t joke further, had no sigh of relief, no smile or smirk or expression. He meant what he said whole heartedly. The silence felt like a tangible pressure on the surroundings as everyone seemed to wait for someone else to be the first to break the silence. ¡°I¡¯ve known for a long time that my family was gone,¡± Charlotte said, picking up where Drake had left off, ¡°When I first came here I wanted to believe that somewhere there was still hope they were alive, but after seeing more and more of what it is like outside these walls¡­ I knew there was no way my parents would simply not return for me and Brodie. What you have given me, us, here, I can and will never be able to repay. This is my family now, this is my home. And as long as it is, I will do whatever it takes to keep it safe.¡± Landin scratched the back of his head, getting up from his seat, as Ifrit dispersed into white particles. ¡°Ah¡­ You made it really hard to follow that up, you know? I don¡¯t know if my family is still alive, but I have no ns on leaving. I have more to learn and do here after all.¡± The next to speak was Kalik, his angry expression the same as always, his brows knitted. ¡°The tribe is here. And as long as it remains here, I won¡¯t be going elsewhere. One day soon, I will also be taking the position as leader of the Rahk. You can count on that,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Quetz will always be with Drake and the others,¡± she chirped from slightly above them, ¡°It¡¯s more fun being here. And anyone that gets in the way,¡± she made a finger gun, ¡°Pew, pew!¡± ¡°You know where we both stand as always, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos said, bowing her head, ¡°To the ends of this world and the next, it goes without saying.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Good. Then,¡± he said, raising a hand and flexing his aura, ¡°Let us go to war.¡± Chapter 266: Knocking On The Gate 2 Chapter 266: Knocking On The Gate 2 ¡°W-why are we doing this again..?¡± Landin said, gasping for breath, his hands on his knees. Drake stretched back and forth, extending his arms as he bent from one side to the next. ¡°Because, unlike us. Mr. Hogue can only continue on for so long. If we could move how we wanted we could make it to Sandal in about a day, but unfortunately that isn¡¯t possible right now so it will take at least a day and a half. So to make the best use of the time we might as well have some fun.¡± Charlotte lunged forward her lightning-d spear shooting past Drake¡¯s face by mere inches as he bent backward gripping the spear with his bare hands. The sound of sizzling flesh crackled from the contact, but Drake ignored the pain, pulling in the spear and throwing Charlotte across the snow-covered area. ¡°Fun for who exactly?¡± Landin sighed, taking in a deep breath, ¡°Ifrit! Tundra Howl!¡± Charlotte cleared the distance, twirling in the air andnding a few feet behind Landin, the bristling pup in front of him growling as small embers of pale blue fire began escaping his closed maw. A momentter the wolf pup howled, his mouth parting to let loose the massive eruption of ice mes trained right for Drake. Drake raised a hand, a scarlet red magic circle producing a white me instantly in front of him. The mes spread creating a shield and battling with the onught of the icy barrage, steam, and vapor hissing within the area. The small pup did his best to keep up the stream of pale blue fire only to sputter out a few secondster, falling face-first into the snow, his hind legs up in the air. Drake smiled, his hand closing and his own fire extinguishing, ¡°Fun for me of course.¡± A growl sounded from behind him and Drake moved his left hand in a sweeping motion, deflecting Kalik Tu¡¯s closed fist covered in white light. ¡°Pacing is getting better all around. Your learning to capitalize on openings and covering for each other¡¯s skill cooldowns more and more, very good!¡± Drake cheered. Drake matched the pace of Kalik¡¯s strikes, blocking and deflecting each blow, the teen¡¯s face growing more and more frustrated as the exchange continued fruitlessly. Both had improved on their closebat, but unfortunately for Kalik, Drake simply overshadowed him in stats and battle experience. The teen was unable to gain ground before two more of his team charged into the fold. Charlotte roared as she thrusted forward with her two spears, Atropos moved in closely behind her, a ck-covered scythe leaving trailers of pale gray as she tried to sh down intertwining her strikes with both Kalik and Charlotte. Drake picked up the pace his hair shifting to a brilliant yellow hue as he weaved in between the blows, careful to avoid Atropos¡¯s strikes due to their particr status effects. The sh of the four continued for several more seconds, each passing moment frustrating the teens as they failed tond a direct blow against Drake. ¡°Iing!¡± Quetz shouted from above. In that brief moment, all three of the teens halted their assault, leaping backward. Drake looked upwards, Quetz holding her rifle the barrel glowing a bright green, a tempest swirling the wind around the charging shot. ¡°Howling Gale!¡± Quetz shouted her skill the clinking of the hammer hitting the back of the casing ringing through the air as the shot fired off roaring down from above. The bullet mmed into the ground kicking up snow and dust. ¡°Ah! Oops!¡± Quetz stammered, ¡°Where did Drake go?¡± she chirped. Drake tapped her shoulder, Quetz turned around startled so much that her feathers turned yellow. ¡°What are you doing causing a smoke screen for me¡­¡± he admonished. Quetz stuck her tongue out and Drake shook his head, grabbing her by the arm. ¡°Take this seriously!¡± he shouted twirling mid-air as heunched her downward. Quetz screamed as she careened toward the hard frozen floor below only to be caught by gentle condensed threads slowing down enough to cushion her fall. Drake fell softly down to the ground, the teens exhausted. ¡°Let¡¯s call it here for now,¡± he sighed. ¡°We did not evennd a blow¡­¡± Atropos grumbled, her scythe skill dissipating as she fell backward into the snow. ¡°It¡¯s only natural based on our level differences,¡± Charlotte said, trying her best to mask her own frustration, yet unable to keep her hand from gripping her spear more tightly. Drake pursed his lips. ¡°Why do you think I made you fight me?¡± he asked, crossing his arms. ¡°Cause you like torturing us to boost your own ego?¡± Landin answered. Drake flicked a small rock at his head. ¡°Wrong.¡± ¡°You wish to show them what it is like to fight something you have no hope of beating,¡± Mordred said from the sidelines. Drake snapped his fingers, ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit much for something like that? ¡° Charlotte asked. Drake shook his head. ¡°Sarah,¡± he said addressing Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°When we first met, what was your first thought?¡± ¡°Child,¡± she replied instantly. Drake coughed, ¡°Okay second thought, after we started fighting.¡± ¡°I had no hope of winning.¡± ¡°And what did you do?¡± ¡°Regardless if I could win or not, it was my duty to protect my tribe. I had to fight on,¡± she said tersely. Drake nodded. ¡°It is your job, despite you being unable to win, in the face of an insurmountable opponent. If yourrade¡¯s or loved one¡¯s lives are at stake. To keep fighting. This little training exercise will pale inparison to the real thing, but take the lesson in stride. There will be opponents, monsters, and whatever else that will be stronger than you and it will be your job to still prevail.¡± Before the teens could talk, Drake raised a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want answers. I just want you to think on it. Could you have attacked differently to wear me down, could you have prolonged the fight, could you have struggled more, used potions, and items to help you or harm me. These questions should be at the back of your mind always. Do not forget the struggles that forged you until this point.¡± A beat of silence lingered over them as Drake hoped they understood and internalized his advice. I should take a page out of my own book. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had a real fight. The Amalgamations pushed me, but that was only because I let my emotions get to me¡­ There are people out there who can beat Cardinal Beasts just like I can. I should give it some more thought about finishing them off and progressing. Drake pondered. He turned letting the teens rest for a spell, walking back to where he had left Hudson, his troop of soldiers, and Mr. Hogue. ¡°Hey pup, how long are you going to keep giving us the cold shoulder treatment?¡± Hudson asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to treat you like this. But at least until we get to Sandal, it is what it is. I can¡¯t risk more happening, especially when I can prevent it,¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°So cut me some ck and just behave. If you are innocent, you got nothing to worry about.¡± Hudson scoffed, ¡°Feels a lot like when we were in the tutorial. Prison is still a prison, don¡¯t matter much if I can see the damned bars or not.¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Call it what you will, but don¡¯t point fingers when the ce you pledge allegiance to is dealing with not only beastkin trafficking but human trafficking and perhaps even other races like it¡¯s some kind of open secret.¡± ¡°I told ya, I ain¡¯t know nothing about that!¡± ¡°And I told you, if that¡¯s true then once I deal with Sandal. You all are free to leave.¡± ¡°And what exactly are ya going to do?¡± ¡°Exactly what you think I am,¡± Drake said coldly, ¡°You saw the ghouls in the tutorial, but you didn¡¯t see what they have done to towns, thousands if not more of people changed or worse. All facilitated by that city, maybe others too. So Sandal is the first on my shit list.¡± Before Drake could go another round with Hudson, all of the soldier¡¯s eyes on them filled with concern. Drake¡¯s pocket vibrated and he slipped his hand into it pulling out a small crystal. ¡°Is this thing working? Natto dear, I thought you said I only had to put mana into it¡­¡± a voice said from the crystal. Drake looked at it, a strong urge to slip it back into his pocket or inventory bing stronger by the second. ¡°M-mom¡­?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Oh! It works. Drake! How dare you leave without telling your mother!¡± Drake began walking away from the group, his head beginning to hurt, ¡°I¡¯m not a kid. I have, ya know¡­ Important things to do.¡± ¡°You might be big and important! But you¡¯re not old enough or important enough for this whoopin! I am still your mother! I swear to the lord, Drake Wallen, when you get back here-¡± Drake ced the crystal into his pocket, cutting off and muffling the conversation, a cold sweat forming on his face. ¡°Ah¡­maybe I won¡¯t go back for a few days, or years¡­¡± ¡ª--- Drake and his party moved through the snow-covered forest northward toward Sandal. Resting the bare minimum for Mr Hogue as the teens continued to train every few hours. Mordred, Glen, and Lucium fought monsters where they were allowed, but unfortunately, the levels of the monsters seemed to be increasing as well as their numbers only allowing for Sarah and the teens to fight for now. It wasn¡¯t that Mordred was weak, far from it. Her ss was of Legendary Rarity, but she simply did not have enough skill stones to help round out her kit. The same went for Glenn. Their job this journey was to observe and train to limate their new physical bodies'' limitations. Drake had never seen the progression of abat assistant, but it seemed to be roughly the same as Natto. While they increased in strength, their physical appearance did not seem to change too dramatically. Lucium grew as a normal Mana Vessel would, through experience, but Drake couldn¡¯t help but tease the man when he saw him pop the cores of F-Rank Monsters and the odd skill stone into his mouth, chewing them like candy. ¡°Do they taste good?¡± Drake asked. ¡°They do not,¡± Lucium answered tly. Drake put his hands behind his head going through his screens as he watched Sarah fight the teens this time. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 28 [Vitality] 809 (20+ 215%) [Strength] 1035 (100 +15%) [Dexterity] 805 (95 + 25%) [Intelligence] 1237 (95+20%) [Wisdom] 861 (30 + 220%) [Endurance] 656 (95 + 230%) [Free Points] 0 [Titles] ¡­ Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, One of Four, yer of the West, Fledgling Ruler, Baron, Catalyst of the Capital, One of Four, The Warpath Pursing his lips he let out a puff of air. Two more levels to go and I just hit 28¡­ The time it takes just keeps going up. I really have to consider upgrading the if I want to keep up my old pace don¡¯t I? Drake thought. Looking at the teens'' struggle to fight a fully equipped Sarah, obsidian war-ax and all, he truly wondered if it would be right to do it now. His city could fair decently, that was for certain. It had him, Sarah, Bjorn, and of course the teens, with many other adventurers closing in on level 20 and higher. But he was still apprehensive about other towns and cities. His eyes turned to the quests ticking down, the deadlines for some closing in more quickly than he would like. [Limitation Release!]
  • Time Remaining Until Protection Lifted: 9 Years, 336 Days, 9 Hours, and 54 Minutes.
[The Fight for the Top!]
  • Time Remaining Until First Round of Voting: 12 Days, 9 Hours, and 54 Minutes.
[World Wide Quest - Defeat the Waves!]
  • Time Remaining Until First Wave: 71 Days, 9 Hours, and 54 Minutes.
Thest not being an official quest, but the scheduled time for the Auction would be only slightly more than a week away. ¡°Time just ticks away¡­¡± Drake mused. ¡°Did you say something, Monsieur Drake?¡± Mordred asked next to him, Lucium brushing her hair. ¡°Time is the fire in which we all burn.¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing the thing again,¡± Landin said, pointing at Drake. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be training?¡± Drake said pointing back. ¡°Sarah said to call it a day, we¡¯re only a few hours from the city.¡± Drake waved away his screens, getting up. ¡°She¡¯s right, rest up. You all gained a level from the fighting so far and your training ising along well. When we get to the city the real fighting will start. Brace yourselves,¡± Drake reiterated, ¡°Mordred, Glenn, Lucium. You¡¯re to stay with me at all times. I¡¯m confident you can handle yourselves well enough not to die but we¡¯ll have to tread carefully for now regardless.¡± ¡°It would seem things are getting serious, Lord Drake,¡± Atropos asked. ¡°Do we expect a fight right from the start?¡± Charlotte added. Drake shrugged, ¡°We won¡¯t know until we get there. We are going to have Mr. Hogue bring us in as trading partners for now and we¡¯ll go from there. Hopefully, they haven¡¯t gotten much information about everyone besides me and we can slip in with your levels lowered from the nes. Especially Sarah. But I¡¯m not banking on it¡­ Information can travel much faster than I would have guessed. Thesemunication crystals really put a stick in works¡­¡± ¡°Stick in the works? Can we not simply break the stick?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked. ¡°I-I again have no words¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said proudly, sticking out her chest. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t praising¡­ Never mind. Alright, pack up! We¡¯re going!¡± Drake sighed before shouting. The group gathered their things, putting out small campfires, and began moving once again. They encountered a small number but slightly higher-level monsters that the teens took care of. Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake supervised while regrly scanning the area. And just as nned they arrived at the gates of Sandal during the middle of the night. Drake was at the head of the group with Mr. Hogue, as they walked to the entrance of the city. Unlike Drake¡¯s city of ReUnite, there was not a magic-made wall, instead,rge amounts of man-made material were piled to erect a makeshift wall around the city. Running the length of several times the size of ReUnite, cars, trucks, tractor-trailers, and pieces of buildings stood forming a long barrier. On the top of the barrier, instead of guards, there were simply masses of barbed wire. What surprised Drake was that there were no signs of injustice from the outside. He was unable to glean much from his aura sense from outside the gate, small groups of people moving here and there, others standing what he assumed was guard of certain buildings. But outside of that, he was unable to tell much. They approached closer until they were stopped by the guards at the gate. ¡°That¡¯s far enough. State your name, affiliation, and business,¡± said one of them. They aren¡¯t just scanning us like Natto does? So they don¡¯t have an assistant controlling the crystal here. Drake noted. ¡°My name is Senator Hogue from Yundertown, that is also my affiliation. I am here to introduce this man as a possible trading partner, and these people are hispany as well as an escort from the New Colonies. Is the city Lord avable?¡± Hogue asked. ¡°Drake Wallen, Reunite. It is as Mr. Hogue stated,¡± Drake said tersely. The guards posted looked at one another and quickly one ran off into the town. After several minutes, Drake looked upwards feeling water on his cheek. The snow had stopped and it was beginning to rain. A few minutester the man returned and spoke to one of the guards. Nodding, they all went back into the city, returning quickly with shackles. Drake raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked. ¡°We understand this may be an inconvenience, but due to the circumstances of who you are, we must ask you to wear these Mana Cors and Shackles.¡± Drake hesitated to answer for a moment. But stepped forward. ¡°This is only necessary for me?¡± ¡°No, your entire group will be required to wear this while inside the city.¡± If it¡¯s only shackles¡­ Drake thought. ¡°Fine, I will go first then,¡± he said, evenly raising his hands. The guards nodded to one another as one stepped forward cautiously before snapping the shackles into ce on Drake¡¯s neck and wrists. Drake instantly felt a tinge of pain akin to when Atropos struck him, but not nearly as intense. He peered at his status, his mana only dipping by 5% before holding steady. Interesting. So it only consumes mana? And they have so many¡­ Are they manufacturing them? I wonder¡­ Drake thought. Pushing a bit of mana into the shackles, using his Tattoos as a reference for the flow, Drake watched as his status began to drop significantly more. Another 5% then 10% and finally ending at 50% before he heard a small crack, one of the shackles chipping. Drake¡¯s brows rose as he cut the extra flow down to 40% of his total status. Luckily no one had seen or heard the process, too busy with cing the items on the others in the group. Whoops¡­ That was close. He watched as the others were forced to follow suit reluctantly. But Drake made sure to smile as they looked to him for direction, hopefully letting them know it was alright. Once everyone was restrained, Drake was not surprised to see what happened next. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± a guard asked. ¡°Yup, that''s thest one!¡± The guard¡¯s face next to Drake turned into a sneer, ¡°Good!¡± the man shouted as he threw a metal boot into Drake''s stomach. Drake pretended to take the blow, dropping to his knees and letting out a grunt. ¡°Imagineing here on your own? Fucking dumbass! We know who you are! And those fake levels won¡¯t do you any good. I can¡¯t believe you let us put those shackles on you willingly!¡± The man threw his head backughing. Drake looked up with a grin. ¡°Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me,¡± he joked. The guard¡¯s face turned to disgust. ¡°Freak!¡± he shouted, throwing another boot into Drake¡¯s jaw. The others behind him attempted to move trying to rush the guard, but the shackles were doing their job for anyone but Drake. And he also did his best to meet their eyes to show he was alright. ¡°Get him up! The boss is busy having fun right now, he said just take them to the sac pits for now.¡± It took two men to pull Drake up and several more to push him inside. Putting up a fight was intentional though as Drake wanted to keep the focus on himself. He saw how the guards were looking at some of the women already and he wasn¡¯t sure he could continue with his n to just walk in and gain some more information if they attempted to do anything, unsightly. Ushered into the city, Drake was finally able to get a good look around. The city itself seemed to be partially man-made from the ground up and abination of a pre-system city. There were broken but paved roads here and there, and it seemed that most of the city was partitioned. Here at the gate¡¯s entrance, the city looked all things considered normal. But that soon changed. Pushed through the streets they came to arge partition, this one magic-made. Arge towering earthen wall with a steel gate. What hit Drake first was the smell. It made his nose hairs curl just getting in the vicinity of the gate. The gate raised and they were forced through. Immediately the scenery changed. All around them were straw and mud huts, rundown buildings, and long lines of people, beastkin, elves, and what looked to be fish-people or mermen. All chained together with various scars and worn clothing on them. Each one of the lines had at least one guard with them, whip in hand and a disgusting crooked smile on their face. ¡°What manner of hell is this¡­?¡± Mr. Hogue muttered next to Drake. Drake didn¡¯t answer his head panning the area and trying to take in everything he could see, sense, and hear. He also waited for a notification that he still had not received. Where¡¯s the deration notification? Is this not a system-sanctioned town? Or is the influence of the city lord so small it can¡¯t cover the entire city? Drake thought. His head swiveled to the sound of shouting as they were forced forward toward another partition in the distance. Being abused were many of the captives, but Drake made out a race he had not seen since leaving the tutorial. A woman with the upper half of a human, and the legs of a spider. ¡°An Arachne¡­?¡± Drake said in a hushed tone. The woman was being whipped in front of him. Whipping her a slender man with a sneer. He cracked his whip, pointing to several machines in anger. ¡°Can¡¯t you produce more?! I¡¯m the one that gets in trouble if we can¡¯t meet our quota you damned insect! We got orders to fill for your damn thread!¡± Drake clicked his tongue, unable to hold back as his eyes shifted to yellow briefly and he directed a concentrated pulse of aura at the man. The man paused, paling instantly before he coughed and grabbed his throat as fell forward. The Arachne looked confused until she caught Drake¡¯s eyes and bowed her head slightly. Drake pretended to see nothing, cutting of his aura and Apex ocr skill, walking as he was pushed from behind. But not even a few feetter another scuffle broke out. Being pulled from a building, an old, short man, who was far too skinny for his frame, was dragged across the quickly muddying ground. ¡°P-ple..ase..! S-spare him! I-i n...e...ed him!¡± a voice shouted from behind, running out of the building, ¡°D-d..on¡¯t! D-don¡¯t take my father!¡± ¡°This old fuck is useless! If he can¡¯t make weapons anymore, there¡¯s only one ce he belongs! And that¡¯s the pits!¡± ¡°P-please! I¡¯ll¡­ d-do twice the wo..rk!¡± the girl pleaded. Drake¡¯s eyes turned cold, watching the elf girl, no. Seeing her ears, she was something else. They weren¡¯t long like the other elves he had seen. She was short but at least a foot taller than her father, and her ears were pointed, longer than a human''s, but shorter than an elf¡¯s. A dwarf perhaps? The man yelled, kicking the girl to the ground and pulling a sword from his hip instead of a whip. ¡°Get back into that forge damn it! Do you want to die?!¡± Drake moved before he could think, pulling the men struggling to hold him back, three words escaping his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough.¡± Chapter 267: War Chapter 267: War Another day, another cracking of the hammer to steel. Y loved the sound. It was the only thing that calmed her, the hammer in her hand striking the anvil. The craft was close to her heart. The skill her father taught her and her mother once praised her for. Forging was the one thing she was good at. Not speaking to others, conveying feelings, fighting. Just the striking of metal, the sound of the hammer. She lost herself in the sound and today was no different. At least that was until she heard a thud behind her. ¡°F-Fath..er!¡± she yelled, dropping her tools and rushing to him. Her father, Horrib, had copsed. Y shook him, trying to rouse his weakened body. If the guards saw him like this she could only shake in horror as to what they would do. ¡°F-Father, please! G-Get¡­ up!¡± But it was toote. The sound of the front door creaked, and Y could hear the metal boots on the hardened dirt as someone entered the building. Y¡¯s face paled as she scrambled to help her father up, but it was of no help. She slipped her arm under his shoulder only to have him pulled away, herself slipping and falling face-first to the ground. ¡°Old man finally kicked it huh?¡± the guard said, holding up Horrib like some kind of dirty rag. ¡°P-please, he is j-just¡­ tired!¡± Y pleaded, ¡°I-if you could give h-him s..some time t-to rest!¡± The guard scoffed, turning around, kicking the door back open, and stepping out into the drizzling rain. Y panicked, stumbling over herself as she ran for the door, the fatigue in her body making it feel as if buckets of wrought iron were tied to her feet. Running after the man dragging her father, she gasped for breath, pleading as much as she could. The guard threw his foot forward, hitting the girl square in the chest and sending her backward into the slosh of snow and mud. ¡°Get back in that forge damn it! Do you want to die?!¡± Y slid across the ground coughing furiously as she tried to catch her breath, suddenly hearing the sound of metal being pulled from a scabbard. She looked upward and forced her eyes to focus long enough to see the de falling on her. Closing her eyes she braced for the end that she had no power to stop. But the pain of the strike never came. ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°Do you want this to end?¡± a second voice asked. Y¡¯s eyes slowly opened, seeing a man in brilliant armor she had never seen the likes of before, shackled with the same mana-restricting equipment she had. The man was being held by four different men and she felt her body freeze as she saw the sword sticking out of his upper shoulder. The same one that would have killed her. ¡°W-what..?¡± she muttered. The man looked down at her and asked again, ¡°I¡¯m asking if you want to live. If you want this all to end.¡± Y¡¯s mind went nk. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She had no idea who this man was or what he was doing here. Is he another ve brought in and being punished? Has his mind broken like the others? He¡¯s wounded. She thought, then saw his armor, golden chains draped from his arms and chest. With her smithing ss, she could tell just how high quality they were. With another nce at his arms, she could see how defined they were and the inert tattoos below the skin. ¡°I-i¡­¡± Y started, but spotted the guard behind the man, his eyes furious and telling her exactly what would happen if she did or said anything stupid, ¡°N...No¡­I-I¡¯m fine¡­¡± The man¡¯s face frowned, the guard struggling to pull his de from the man¡¯s shoulder, and the other men and women desperately trying to yank the man back into the line with the others. The man bent down, getting to eye level with Y. All the while pulling the others down with him. ¡°Is that really true? I know what is being done in this city¡­ Are you okay with what is happening here? Or would you like me to save you?¡± his words were confident and there were no lies in his blue eyes, ¡°I have the power to do it.¡± ¡°What is this lunatic saying?!¡± ¡°How is he so strong! He has four pieces of Mana Shackles on him! Someone hurry and get reinforcements!¡± Y¡¯s mouth parted slightly to answer but closed, unsure of what to do. Is¡­Is he really able to do that? Am I allowed to ask¡­? Can I ask this stranger to end this¡­ nightmare¡­? She thought. ¡°Drake!¡± another man shouted from the line of prisoners behind the man, pointing with his shackled hands. Coming in from another partition was a group of guards muchrger than the ones currently surrounding them. Y¡¯s face paled again, thinking of her father, the rest of the people in the mines and city. Of her dear friend, Tanya. ¡°I-I¡­¡± she croaked the words catching in her throat, but she caught the man¡¯s gaze, his eyes still filled with die-hard conviction, ¡°Stop them! Save us! I want this to end! I want to live!¡± Snap. Y¡¯s mouth hung open as she saw the mana shackles that covered the man shattered and crumbled as if he was tearing paper, rolling his wrists as he stood. The man smiled down, his silhouette illuminated by a massive magic circle at his feet in green. ¡°You heard her,¡± the man said, a torrential gust ripping through the area, the sound of metal snapping and thudding against the ground, ¡°Soldiers of ReUnite! Take the city, free everyone!¡± [Drake Wallen has challenged for control over town: Sandal] ¡ª-------------- Drake pulled the sword from his shoulder, switching his endowment to water, his open wound mending before he had finished turning to the guard that held the old man. Switching his endowment again, his hair turning white, he produced des of wind above his shoulders severing the arms of the guards that held him. ¡°W-what?! How?!¡± ¡°Seems like you cheaped out on those items. They couldn¡¯t even withstand half of my mana pool,¡± Drake smirked, waving his hand and beheading the guard. Swiping away the notifications, he looked around. Sah Ul¡¯ and the teens had already dispatched the reinforcements after he had removed their shackles with his wind magic. ¡°I wanted to see for myself if what was happening here was true¡­ But it¡¯s worse than I expected. I really wanted to hold out hope that these people hadn¡¯t fallen this far,¡± Drake said, the sight of the surroundings leaving a vile taste in his mouth. The teens had finally killed humans, not undead, and on his orders. But that was the reality of the world now. ¡°We¡¯ve secured the immediate surroundings, but the noise and the notification will surely cause a ruckus, Drake,¡± Charlotte said, reporting to him. Drake turned looking down at the dwarven girl who was now helping her father. ¡°We¡¯ll take this block first, gather up all the ves and protect them for now, restrain the guards if you can. I don''t want to kill anyone we don¡¯t have to yet. We¡¯re going to have to use this as the field base for now. Y, is it?¡± Drake said, addressing the woman. She looked up still in shock, ¡°Y-yes¡­?¡± ¡°Do you know where the Anchoring Crystal is located?¡± ¡°I d-don¡¯t¡­ know the e-exact location. O-only¡­ that it¡¯s in t-the mine,¡± she answered, pointing towards the west. Drake nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a start. They¡¯ll probably fortify that position so we will either need to blitz it or¡­¡± He looked around, the teens quickly bringing in groups of ves, their weeping and cries beginning to fill the area as they thanked the teens, praying to whatever they could for the miracle. ¡°No, we¡¯ll sweep the city first, freeing everyone. Then I¡¯ll take the mines myself,¡± Drake said aloud, then taking a red vial from his inventory, and whatever rations he had on his person,ying food down under tents that he still had from the tutorial making a recovery area for the freed people, handing the vial to Y, ¡°Here for your dad.¡± ¡°Landin!¡± Drake shouted, stopping the teen from going back out. ¡°Yeah?¡± Landin asked, his face slightly pale. ¡°I need you to do what you can to heal and distribute food, water, whatever these people need. You¡¯re the only one who can heal right now,¡± Drake instructed. Landin nodded, not arguing the point, Anima manifesting next to him in a sh of blue light. ¡°T-thank you¡­¡± Y managed to get out, gently pouring the vial into her father''s mouth. ¡°Thank me when it¡¯s over,¡± Drake answered. Drake stepped out of the tent area, the teens and Sah Ul¡¯ rushing back and forth with more and more people. ¡°There¡¯s just so many of them,¡± he muttered, his aura sense spreading out, making him realize just howrge this partition was, ¡°We¡¯ll have to speed this up.¡± Letting out a breath, Drake¡¯s endowment shifted, his hair turning a bright yellow, sparks of electricity arcing off his shoulders as he pushed off the ground. In record time and speed, Drake pushed forward, meticulously entering buildings and workshops. Finally ending a few minutester and standing back in ce, his arms covered in burnt blood, the rain evaporating on his shoulders. ¡°Everyone!¡± Drake shouted, getting the teen¡¯s attention, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of the guards in the area, there¡¯s only recovery left to do. Clotho and Atropos, take care of gathering and protecting the people in this area, you¡¯re both familiar with the people here, more than us at least. Everyone else with me, we¡¯re going to sweep the other areas.¡± Drake turned to Hudson, Mr. Hogue, and the soldiers, ¡°Mr. Hogue, stay here, you¡¯ll be safer with the twins. The rest of you areing with me to help these poor people. Is that understood?¡± The soldiers nodded and Mr. Hogue ran off immediately, not wanting to be near the current Drake any longer. ¡°Pup, your face is mighty unsettling¡­¡± Hudson said, his face more fearful than concerned. ¡°Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked putting her hand on his shoulder. Drake¡¯s face was cold and apathetic. And it had startled everyone around him when he reappeared. He touched his cheek, the crusted blood on his hand beginning to dissolve from the rain leaving a small stain on it. Realization that he had killed more than a hundred people in the past minute, the notifications piling up. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no getting around it, and I¡¯m done pretending that these people are worth the air they breathe¡­ Gather the guards if you can as I instructed, but don¡¯t put yourself in danger to do so. Your priority is saving as many people as possible and your own safety. Let¡¯s go!¡± But Drake was stopped by a shout from the tents. ¡°W-wait!¡± Y pleaded, ¡°P-Please go to the city Lord¡¯s m-manor. T-there is an i-important guest there¡­ I overheard from the g-guards¡­¡± ¡°An important guest?¡± ¡°I-I heard his name¡­ was A-Adam, f-from the Count¡¯s estate¡­¡± Drake felt his blood run cold. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s in the east-most¡­ part of t-the city.¡± Drake¡¯s voice was steady and frigid,ced with ice, ¡°I see.¡± Without another word the group moved through the partition gate they had been led through, Drake crashing through the metal gate in aughable fashion, kicking up debris. ¡°Fire!¡± someone shouted right as Drake broke the gate, a hail of mana-infused bullets raining down on him. Drake raised his hand, conjuring a tempest of wind as he had with the Amalgamation, stopping the bullets in their tracks. Sah Ul¡¯ and Charlotte rushed past him the moment the bullets were halted, their weapons moving in a blur as the guards were bisected and disposed of in seconds. More spells and the sound of guns firing were heard from the buildings they had passed when entering the city. Guards shouting and shooting from the cover of buildings. Drake shot forward, getting in front of the two women, his arms glowing gold as his hands moved to deflect the spells and bullets, the projectiles and spells sparking off his tattoos. From the gate, Kalik Tu¡¯ burst forward, his arms painted in red light as he crashed into the line of mages and rangers behind the buildings. Men and women being flung in all directions as he threw them like rag dolls from cover. Cleaning up the initial resistance, Drake looked upwards seeing Quetz pointing in the direction that Y had indicated earlier. ¡°This is strange,¡± Drake muttered, looking around. ¡°What might that be?¡± Mordred asked. ¡°There are no undead,¡± Drake said, pointing with his foot to one of the guards, ¡°All the guards so far have been human. This ce is being used to convert massive amounts of people, so where are all the undead?¡± ¡°Maybe they are in the other direction where the guards were leading us? The pits they called it?¡± Charlotte proposed. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Drake mused, ¡°Clear this partition. I want to get to that manor as soon as possible, but we can¡¯t neglect the people that need to be freed. Send any of the freed ves to Landin and the twins.¡± The teens and Sarah nodded, rushing off towards the buildings where Kalik was still fighting, Quetz¡¯s arial support sending a crack from her rifle every so often. While they cleared the rest of the partition, Drake moved to the next gate, this one much thicker than thest, but simr in that it hadrge rolls of barbed wire at the top instead of guards. He nced at his status, his health at full. His mana and stamina quickly recovering thanks to his monstrous recovery. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, stay calm. You can¡¯t lose yourself to the fight like before, this city isrge and we don¡¯t know how many enemies are here yet,¡± Drake muttered to himself. He breathed out trying to focus, trying to push down the roaring thing inside of him that was shouting in his ear to fight, to keep going, to not stop until the threat was eliminated. Turning from the gate he made his way back to the crowd of people quickly gathering. Kalik Tu¡¯ threw a man to the ground, grinding his teeth as he did. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Drake asked. ¡°An excuse for a warrior. Even a Gak¡¯thar will fight without a limb, yet this poor little man gives up the moment he saw me!¡± Kalik answered, getting close to the man¡¯s face and growling. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you brought him back.¡± Kalik motioned his head behind him, Charlotte dragging several other men with an indifferent face but the way her spear bobbed letting each of the men that were tied to it in a line, trip and fall scraping and tumbling into mud and stone. It was easy to tell she was not happy. ¡°If the girl did not keep me from caving in his face, he would be nothing but mush on the floor,¡± Kalik sneered, spitting on the man, ¡°But it is not our ce to decide¡­¡± he said reluctantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry once this is over, they will get theirs,¡± Drake said coldly, snapping his fingers to shackle the man in earthen cuffs, ¡°I told you all I wouldn¡¯t burden you with bing monsters like me and I intend to keep that promise. His fate will be on my shoulders, just like the other guards. You did well restraining him.¡± Kalik scoffed, ¡°I need no thanks from you. And I do not need to be sheltered. These people are scum worse than muddied dirt, removing them from this world would be nothing but a blessing.¡± Drake didn¡¯t say it, but he couldn¡¯t agree more. Seeing the freed prisoners, ves, even the dwarf girl, Y, and what had almost happened to her father gave more than enough reason to burn this ce to the ground. It took several more minutes for them to clear this partition, but what surprised Drake was theck of resistance and reinforcements that they had encountered prior. Something was going on, although Drake was not sure what. We¡¯ll just have to move quickly and carefully, there¡¯s no going back now. He thought. Waving his hand, he gathered the teens and Sarah. ¡°Quetz, take them to the temporary rescue station ande find us after, you¡¯re the most mobile, and seems like they don¡¯t have anything that can reach you in the sky. Take the soldiers with you and have them return with you after. If they try anything, don¡¯t hesitate to remove them. I won¡¯t have you hurt, understand?¡± ¡°Quetz understands! Drake really really likes Quetz, so she¡¯ll be careful!¡± she beamed, and stepped off the ground into the air, waving for the people to follow her. Turning back to the thick gate he had found earlier he motioned for the rest toe as well, ¡°Let¡¯s get going then.¡± Moving across the span of the partition, Drake¡¯s arms red to life with golden light as he poured mana into his tattoos. Rearing back a fist he easily tore the gate from its hinges, flinging it forward into the next area. Preparing another wind spell in his other hand he braced for spells, projectiles, and anything else that might fly there way, but nothing came. The dust from destroying the gate settled, and silence fell over the group. Drake tried to feel out the area with his aura and was startled by the number of signatures he felt. ¡°M-mother¡­?¡± Drake looked to the side, Kalik Tu¡¯ paled faced and mouth quivering as it hung open. ¡°Batkh Tu¡¯...¡± On his other side, he heard Sah Ul¡¯ mumble someone¡¯s name. Kalik ran forward ahead of the group his steps uncoordinated and clumsy as if they suddenly were unable to support his weight. ¡°Stop!¡± Drake shouted, but Kalik wasn¡¯t listening. Forced to rush forward, Drake sprinted ahead of Kalik, grabbing the teen by the shoulders. ¡°Stop Kalik! We¡¯re in the middle of a fight!¡± ¡°Let me go! Release me, Deceiver! T-that is my... THAT IS MY MOTHER!!!¡± Kalik cried, trying to rip himself from Drake¡¯s grip. Drake ground his teeth staring up at the wall. There hung countless bodies of all races. Humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and many more. Their bodies were abused and unsightly as if they had been left out in the elements for weeks. And looming over that same wall was someone Drake had been looking for. ¡°Hey there bastard. You know this chick?¡± Adam sneered, thumbing to Kalik¡¯s mother, ¡°She was no fun, I¡¯m hoping those women you brought will be more entertaining!¡± Chapter 268: A Man’s Fight And A Parent’s Responsibility Chapter 268: A Man¡¯s Fight And A Parent¡¯s Responsibility ¡°Was this you¡­? Did you do all of this?¡± Drake asked in a low voice, still holding on to a desperately struggling Kalik. ¡°But of course! I have a duty to keep my word to you and my master. I told you that our armies would be massive and they are! Growing day by day! Just look at the small number I¡¯ve brought with me thanks to this city!¡± Adam replied, spreading his eyes. The walls were suddenly infested with undead. Ghouls, banshees, vampires, and other things Drake previously thought were just cryptids and legends. Pale faced monsters with multiple limbs, some with cloaks and masks, others in the forms of pure ck shades, too many to count. And that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. On the wall were several other E-Rank Amalgamations with characteristics he hadn¡¯t seen from the previous ones. [Stitched Maniption Amalgamation Level 35] [Stitched Hardened Amalgamation Level 35] [Stitched Shadow Amalgamation Level 34] [Stitched Elemental Amalgamation Level 36] [Adam Savage Level 19] Drake looked down, Kalik suddenly bing still in his grip. ¡°P-please¡­ Please cut her down¡­¡± Kalik mumbled. Without answering, Drake released Kalik. Sah Ul¡¯ moved to rece Drake to restrain Kalik but was waved off by Drake. Drake looked upwards, moving forward without hesitation or care for the massive army that appeared on top of the wall and even the many more he felt behind it, waiting for themand to flood the area. He flicked his wrist, a bright green magic circle manifesting and conjuring wind. The spell quickly condensed into a de, cutting the rope that held Kalik¡¯s mother high above and just as quickly forming a wind below her carrying her down. Drake never let his eyes wander from Adam, as did Adam never let his egotistical triumphant smirk leave his face. After some time, Kalik¡¯s mother, Batkh Tu¡¯, floated down into Drake¡¯s arms. And he turned, breaking his gaze from Adam. ¡°You really going to turn your back on me? When I have this many servants at my beck and call?! The number of pawns I have has swelled well beyond what I had in the tutorial you maggot! My army! Will blot out the sun!¡± Adam jeered. Ignoring him, Drake continued to walk, uninterested in having a back-and-forth. His priority was bringing this lost woman, the mother of his student, back to her family. The rain fell and the droplets let off a rhythmic sound against the surroundings, making the night somber, a small mist beginning to form above the ground. Drake reached Kalik and Sarah finally. Kalik¡¯s face was unreadable as he looked down at his mother in Drake¡¯s arms. Charlotte, Mordred, Glen, and Lucium standing a few feet back watching intently. With a flick of his wrist, Drake summoned a small tform and ced Batkh Tu¡¯ on it. Kalik¡¯s hand went to his mother¡¯s face, and Drake could hear the cracking of the boy¡¯s jaw. ¡°I will kill him¡­¡± Kalik muttered. ¡°No,¡± Drake said coldly. Kalik¡¯s face lifted and his eyes were bloodshot with unbridled fury, ¡°I will kill that pale-faced monstrosity and take back my mother¡¯s honor! You can not stop-¡± The sound of Drake¡¯s hand crossing Kalik¡¯s face rang loudly over the area. ¡°I said no. You can¡¯t win, don¡¯t rush to your own death.¡± Kalik¡¯s fist shook by his side, but he didn¡¯t yell or snap back. ¡°Please. Lord Wallen¡­ Patriarch¡­ I know I may be weaker than that abomination, but I must fight him,¡± Kalik turned his head to look back at Drake in the eyes, ¡°He killed my mother¡­ I was not here, nor strong enough to protect her. At least allow me to prove I am my Mother and Father¡¯s son. I am not a coward. I will challenge that thing to Mahk Rul. And I will fight regardless.¡± Drake was silent for a long while. He and Kalik looked back at one another. He finally let out a sigh. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious Drake,¡± Charlotte said, stepping forward, ¡°There are thousands of undead up there.¡± ¡°Patriarch¡­ I do not approve of this. Kalik is strong but that monster is evil,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ agreed, ¡°We must fight him together, him and his army.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t up for debate. What would you want? If it was someone you loved who was on that table and their killer was right in front of you?¡± Drake exined, ¡°If it was my mother, brother¡­¡± he looked at Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°If it was you?¡± The ground shook slightly, as Drake¡¯s mana and aura red for a split second. ¡°There would be no stopping me.¡± ¡ª------------------ ¡°This will only happen if he agrees. Is that clear?¡± Drake said, walking next to Kalik as they approached the wall. Kalik nodded back, his expression t, and demeanor a stark change from his chaotic emotions before. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t ept, then you will leave with everyone else and I will take care of him,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Done having your little shitty pep talk?¡± Adam scoffed, looking down at them from atop the wall. Kalik took a step ahead of Drake. ¡°I challenge you to Mahk Rul.¡± ¡°A what now?¡± Adam asked, putting his hand to his ear as if he couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°A one-on-one fight to the death,¡± Kalik repeated. Adam scoffed, ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re in any position to demand anything!? Why would I fight one-on-one with some filthy little orc?¡± ¡°Because if you don''t, you¡¯ll have to fight all of us,¡± Drake said, stepping into the conversation, ¡°Do you really want to fight me and my party? Already forget what happened in the tutorial¡­?¡± he added, his eyes shing yellow. Adam¡¯s body recoiled subtly, but Drake didn¡¯t fail to catch the shade of fear in it. ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s just some freshy kid Adam,¡± a voice said from above. Peaking over the top, the painted face of a clown looked down, with long pale ears and two ponytails. ¡°Silvyr¡­ Shut up! I have no reason to fight him!¡± Adam growled, ¡°I have more than enough monsters to crush them all!¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Drake frowned, pointing a finger at one of the Amalgamations. Before Adam or the new arrival, Silvyr, could react, Drake had summoned several ice crystals over his shoulders and his own concoction of fire and lightning magic forming a tight sma ball that hummed at the tip of his finger. ¡°Heretical Endowment Tri-fold Ice. Starlight Cannon,¡± Drake said evenly, a sonic boom exploding from the tip of his finger, blowing the water droplets away in a sphere around him and Kalik. A trail of light screeched through the air, water vapor hissing off the contact with the spell. Both Adam and Sylvyr turned, looking over to find one of the Amalgamations toppled over, a massive smoking red hole in its chest. ¡°You seem to think I can¡¯t just kill you whenever I want, Adam. But your death is inevitable. You should have taken my warning and dug a hole so deep down you would never see the light of day. No, today you die. By my hand or his, this time, it¡¯s inevitable,¡± Drake scowled. ¡°Marked.¡± Just for good measure, Drake made sure to target Adam in case the man somehow was able to leave. Canceling his endowment Drake regressed back to his normal ck hair, but kept his focus on Adam, using his Magic Eyes to do his best to dissect the spells that were currently in use. If he was able to he could remove a beneficial buff, hopefully, the one that allowed him to cheat death. ¡°H-how did you do that?! That isn¡¯t possible!¡± Adam shouted. Drake summoned several elements, rolling them above his hands, ¡°I have the ability to regte my buffs. Now, enough stalling. Fight Kalik Tu¡¯ or I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± ¡°The count will not like this,¡± another voice said from above the wall. This time a broad silhouette showed in full te armor and helmet. ¡°Yahaa!! It¡¯s fine, Adam was never supposed to be at the top anyway! He just happened to be the first to meet the master! Say can¡¯t we have a go at the others while he dies?¡± another voice cackled. Jumping onto the shoulder of the ted person, a beastkin with gray hair, spun a knife and beamed in anticipation. ¡°Shut up! All of you! I¡¯m in charge here!¡± Adam screamed nervousness clear on his face as he began biting down on his thumb. Drake looked carefully at the neers. [Silvyr Rava Level 17] [Bromdo ckrock Level 18] [Mae Cris Level 20] Adam still hesitated but began speaking, ¡°What if I beat your little booger here, then what huh?¡± ¡°You die,¡± Drake growled, ¡°There is no winning for you. Kalik just wants to kill you himself. ept your reality, there¡¯s no circumstance where you live.¡± ¡°I reject your reality!¡± Adam spat, a purplish circle forming underneath him, ¡°And substitute my own! Decrepit Mist!¡± The people on the wall scowled and cursed, jumping away as sickly purple mist began spilling out and over the top of the wall. ¡°As long as only Adam and Kalik are fighting and no one interferes, I won¡¯t help!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°But if anyone jumps in¡­¡± he warned. ¡°Screw this shit show, I¡¯m going to find fun elsewhere!¡± Mae, the beastkin sneered, running off past them. ¡°For once I think Mae is right, this seems to have devolved into something uninteresting now¡­¡± Silvyr added. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted. ¡°Go, we¡¯ll be fine here. Charlotte, you go as well, don¡¯t worry about Kalik, I¡¯ll take care of him. Mordred, you, Glenn, and Lucium make sure nothing happens to his mother¡¯s body. Sah Ul¡¯ gave onest look back at Drake, Kalik, then the still body of Batkh Tu¡¯, before gripping her massive axe and sprinting after the trio that had left. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest of the group,¡± Charlotte encouraged, ¡°Please be safe and give that monster what he deserves.¡± Drake nodded curtly, keeping his eyes on Adam and the rest of the undead, spreading out his aura to force many of them into submission, preventing them from acting. Kalik stood next to Drake, his body tense but ready to fight, his own aura bubbling over as steam began rising from his exposed skin and hair. Drake ced a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Fight smart, remember what we¡¯ve been practicing in training.¡± Kalik only nodded, his hands flexing over his knuckles as the poison cloud from Adam slowly crept closer the dense mist clinging to the ground and overtaking the light white mist surrounding the area. Drake gave the teen a p on the back, ¡°May the Mother bless your hunt.¡± ¡ª-------------- Blood beat like a war drum in Kalik¡¯s ears, the high-pitched ringing subsuming anything but the filth in front of him. Images of his childhood, his mother taking care of him and him telling her he would protect her in his father¡¯s stead. Every second ticked by, the small crimson bar of red in his peripheral filling with each sh of his mother in his mind, until thest image of her hanging on the wall crossed it. The bar filled. ¡°I am a proud warrior of the Rahk Tribe! Kalik Tu¡¯ Rakh! And I will crush you with all of my being!!!¡± roared, his aura bursting to life kicking up his coat as it whipped against the pressure he was exuding. ¡°Will you shut up already!! I¡¯ll just kill you both! I don¡¯t need thoseckeys! Bone Lance!¡± Adam drew a staff from his inventory, pointing it right at Kalik from on top of the wall a pale gray magic circle formed, and an ivory-white sharpened bone formed out of it. Kalik crouched down, ¡°Open! Gate of Brutality!¡± [You are now under the effects of 2-Gate Prosperity: Brutality] [Rage meter is being actively depleted] Kalik¡¯s body bulged, taking on a red hue as his armor and weapon creaked against the sudden increase in mass. But he wasn¡¯t done. ¡°May I see clearly and be at peace. Lion¡¯s Peaceful Body!¡± Kalik¡¯s body suddenly shed in white, an ethereal fire covering his entire self until it condensed covering his forearms. ¡°What of it! You can¡¯t hope to beat me!¡± Adam sneered, his bonence firing off. Kalik stared down thence, the poison mist just feet away from him as thence shot at incredible speed at him. Thence inched closer and just before it reached Kalik, he raised his white fire-d fist, and mmed it down, shattering the spell. ¡°What?!¡± Adam stammered, in pure shock. Kalik gave out a guttural roar, running forward and straight into the mist. [You are now under the effects of Decrepit Mist] [- 1% Health every second] Coughing, Kalik pushed forward, smashing the subsequent bonences that Adam was shooting down at him. Using his strength he coiled himself at the base of the wall jumping upward and mming down at the top of the wall, right in front of Adam, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Adam¡¯s face turned to panic, ¡°What are you useless shits doing! Get him!¡± But the undead on the wall refused to move, their focus on the ever-present threat that was Drake. Even the E-Rank Amalgamations hesitated despite having no will. ¡°Unhonorable, spineless, filth!¡± Kalik growled, his voice slightly deeper after opening the Gate of Brutality. ¡°Screw your honor! Bone Lance! Wall of Corpses!¡± Kalik tried to dodge thence, unable to react in time to the spell that seemed to be cast faster than before, as he attempted to duck under it. Unfortunately, thence clipped his shoulder opening up a wound and taking a huge 10% chunk of his already dwindling health. But he pressed on, leaning into the spell, throwing a fist. However, he was only able to grunt in anger as a wall of melded bodies and parts shot up in front of his strike, his metal knuckles only slightly denting the defenses. Kalik crouched down taking another stance quickly, hoping his increased strength from opening the gate would be enough to make a quick victory as he saw his Rage Meter slowly reaching empty, the blue meter below it almost full. Internal energy stirred instantly in Kalik¡¯s fist as he held the charge for several seconds, but couldn¡¯t let the chance Adam gave him obscuring his vision. The charge pulsed and he roared, throwing his fist forward. ¡°Shak Rah Ho!!¡± The beam of internal energy crashed against the corpse wall blowing a human-sized hole into it and Kalik instantly ran through it finding a surprised Adam. ¡°You little shit-¡± But Kalik moved in, stepping forward and using his body to leverage a punch down right into Adam¡¯s head, throwing the vampire into the floor. When Kalik moved to follow up, raising another fist, he instantly dodged back instead, a bonence flying past his head. What? He was not injured? Kalik thought. A secondnce began forming at the tip of Adam¡¯s staff, his face brimming with anger. ¡°You hit me! You fucking hit me?! Bone Lance!¡± Prepared for the counterattack this time, Kalik threw his left first into the side of the formingnce, smashing it to pieces. As quickly as he could he clenched his hands together bringing them down like a hammer on the unprotected Adam, crushing him and the wall slightly beneath him. But there was no blood, no notification of his victory. And his Rage Meter had depleted his body reverting back to normal, steam billowing off his shoulders. [You are no longer under the effects of 2-Gate Prosperity: Brutality] Breathing heavily he jumped backwards, putting some distance between him and Adam. Adam got up without struggle his face twisted in fury. ¡°You fucking green bastard!¡± he shouted. Kalik didn¡¯t respond, instead looking behind Adam as one of the Amalgamations turned to dust suddenly, clicking into ce what was happening. ¡°Damage substitution¡­?¡± he muttered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you know now! You¡¯re running on empty! And my poison will turn you into a little puddle of vomit! That moronic prick Drake should have never left you to fight me alone!¡± Adam sneered, pointing his staff at Kalik. ¡°The world rots at mymand! Rapid Dpisition!¡± Kalik felt a sickly pulse go through his body before he wretched, spilling ck bile and blood on the ground in front of him. ¡°W-what?¡± Kalik stammered, looking at his status suddenly tanking 10% and losing more by the second. He has increased the amount of damage he is dealing over time. Is it like the wolf pup¡¯s skill? Speeding up the process? Kalik thought, wiping his mouth. I don¡¯t have much time. He¡¯s looking down on me and I¡¯ve finally managed to get close. He can only have so much substitution for the damage, I¡¯m sure. I will break his spell and kill him before I fall! Kalik pulled a vial of red from his coat, uncorking and pulling on the liquid restoring his health back to 90% but it was ticking downward faster than before. He had only a fraction of the time that he did previously. ¡°Open! Gate of Tranquility!¡± he howled, his body shrinking in mass, and a ck light epassing his hands, his skin turning a pale blue. [You are now under the effects of 2-Gate Prosperity: Tranquility] Breathing out a puff of white smoke against the falling rain, he took a different stance, his palms open and his eyes cold. Adam took a step backward after the quick transformation to gain distance shouting, ¡°Bone Lance!¡± Kalik saw thence more clearly now that he had switched to his Gate of Tranquility. His palm touched the tip of thence and deflected thence downward. In the same motion, he turned with the momentum, thenunched himself forward with a speed far greater than before, getting in close to Adam. ¡°W-what?!¡± Adam screamed firing another bonence. Kalik, jumped, stepping on thence and somersaulting in behind Adam. The ck light on Kalik¡¯s arms grew in density and illumination as he took in a breath. Then thrusting a palm into Adam¡¯s back, he began a barrage of strikes, striking with pinpoint uracy at Adam¡¯s vitals and coalescent points on his body without reprisal. A strike to the kidney, sweeping the legs, downward strike to the lower spine, two strikes to the jugr. His barrage threw Adam into the ground, where he growled without damage and unstunned from Kalik¡¯s Mana Disruption effects, instead pointing his staff back and shouting his bonence spell. In this boosted status and distance, Adam was not Kalik¡¯s equal. Kalik easily deflected the blows, moving with speed on top of Adam, remembering the fighting he had done with Drake that felt countless. Taking in another breath he threw down another fist, and another, and another, the barrage picking up speed with each strike and bow, giving no time for Adam to chant his spell from the subsequent strikes to his face. Adam was quickly beginning to panic, his face bing more and more worried. ¡°Corpse Explosion!¡± he finally managed to chant. The sound of something behind Kalik imploded and he suddenly felt pain in his back, throwing him forward. Coughing, Kalik saw blood but grit his teeth regardless twisting in the air andnding on his feet, ready to counterattack. ¡°Bnce is sometimes a cruel hammer!¡± he began chanting his palm out and down, a massive white hand forming above Adam, ¡°Brutal Separa-¡± But Kalik fell to one knee, coughing again seeing a jet white bone protruding from his chest. ¡°N-no¡­¡± he muttered, ¡°I-it can¡¯t end like this,¡± he roared, ¡°I w-won¡¯t lose! I CAN¡¯T LOSE-¡± The outline of another small Amalgamation shimmered in front of him, Adam getting up and sneering. However, Adam¡¯s face, already pale, turned ghostly white. ¡°I told you what would happen,¡± a cold voice said from behind Kalik, ¡°I¡¯m sorry you won¡¯t be able to see this to the end...¡± ¡ª--------------------- Drake moved instantly, his whole strength on disy as he moved nearly instantaneously as soon as the cloaked Amalgamation struck Kalik with a dagger. With lightning speed hended on the wall, taking another step with an arc of his arm, taking the Amalgamation¡¯s head clean off its body, freezing it, and crushing it. In his other hand summoning a massive gust of wind clearing the poison mist. In the same motion, he kneeled down propping Kalik up, and putting another potion into his mouth. Drake looked up, abject hostility in his eyes as he froze Adam in ce. ¡°I told you what would happen.¡± Drake looked down, ¡°Mordred!¡± The girl quickly made her way over her wings pping to carry her up the wall. ¡°Take him down to his mother. I¡¯ll be finished here soon.¡± Mordred looked down at Kalik with sympathetic eyes and nodded, turning and jumping off the wall. ¡°Y-you told me-¡± ¡°Quiet.,¡± Drake said coldly, ¡°I knew you would cheat, that¡¯s just the kind of man you are¡­But I still had to allow him to fight you. And if he was a little further along, he might have won.¡± Adam shook with fear, trying to mumble something under his breath, but Drake flexed his aura, Adam¡¯s eyes going wide. ¡°W-what did you do?!¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Seems like I picked a good one, was that a teleportation or substitution skill? Kalik was able to destroy two of the Amalgamations himself from his damage, impressive for a level 16, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Shut up! Bone Lance!¡± Adam howled. Drake¡¯s body shed in green, his defensive buffs covering him. A momentter thence connected with his Bulwark shield shattering. [You are now under the effects of Bulwark] [You are now under the effects of Guardian¡¯s Reprieve] [You are now under the effects of Unbreakable] [Bulwark has been broken] [You have gained a Reprival Charge] Instantly using his charge, Drake teleported behind Adam. ¡°Heretical Endowment, Septenarius. Heretical Attunement Two-fold Fire.¡± His body broke out in a gold light, his arms ring twice his size in white fire as he pulled back his right arm. Adam¡¯s head barely turned in time to see Drake over his shoulder before Drake thrusted his fist forward right into Adam¡¯s back the impact sounding like a tank had just shot a round and threw Adam across the top of the wall. But Drake increased his speed, taking a step forward and getting ahead of the flying Adam. Moving just ahead of his trajectory, Drake reached out a hand, catching Adam by the throat, surprisingly undamaged. Looking back down the wall where Drake had sent Adam flying, a long line of undead and Amalgamations disintegrated into nothing. ¡°That¡¯s a powerful skill you have. Even still I killed a few hundred with that light strike,¡± Drake said evenly, holding the man high into the air. ¡°L-light? You call that light?!¡± Adam said warily, fear in his eyes. ¡°Ah. Scared?¡± Drake leered, ¡°You should be. Let¡¯s see if I can hit a new record, I¡¯m quitepetitive like that.¡± Drake lifted Adamn slightly higher, then grunted as he thrusted the man into the wall, embedding him into the construction, a few more undead sputtering into nothing on the other side of the wall. Lifting his hand, Drake removed the white fire of his attunement, instead summoning a culmination of elements right above his fist as he loomed over Adam. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting a little serious.¡± The ball of magical elements ballooned, covering arge portion of the wall enough to remove the sound of the falling rain. However, just as soon as it ballooned did it shrink, the elements bing a concoction of humming power. ¡°Heretical Attunement, Septenarius, Symphony of Elements.¡± ¡°W-wait, I give-¡± Drake threw down his fist. ¡°Kokusen!!!¡± Drake¡¯s fist made contact with Adam¡¯s chest, throwing him deeper into the wall, crushing and destroying the entire partition as it fell apart inrge sections. Standing above the copsing structure, Drake looked as tens of thousands of notifications rolled in and he saw down to thest undead turn to dust, the rain washing them away. But he did not get thest notification. Adam was still alive, and Drake could see him stuck in the ground thanks to his Marked skill. Slowly Drake drifted down to the ground, throwing his hand into the rubble, pulling a finally bloody Adam out by the back of his head. ¡°Tell me, Adam,¡± Drake said, bringing the man¡¯s face to eye level, his other hand on his neck, ¡°Who is this count and who is your master?¡± Adam¡¯s mouth moved to say something, but Drake didn¡¯t wait. Using his strength Drake ripped Adam¡¯s head from his body, pulling it out like he was unsheathing a de, his spine still attached. ¡°You would have lied anyway¡­¡± Drake growled, then raised a brow surprised, ¡°But, you¡¯re still alive huh? Like a cockroach¡­¡± Adam¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a fish, his body falling limp and new flesh beginning to slowly form around the bottom of his neck around his spine as he regenerated. Drake brought the head back to eye level. ¡°You and your kind aren¡¯t wee on my Clenching his hand, Drake crushed Adam¡¯s skull like an egg. [You have killed Adam Savage Level 19] [Experience Earned, 374 Nobility Points awared] Drake set himself aze in white fire, cleaning every speck of blood and stter from the area. He looked to where Kalik was resting, Mordred looked at him with eyes widened in surprise, but nodded. Glenn and Lucium¡¯s expressions unreadable. ¡°Your son fought well. I hope you can rest in peace¡­¡± Drake whispered. Chapter 269: Silvyr vs Charlotte, Sah Ul’ vs Bromdo Chapter 269: Silvyr vs Charlotte, Sah Ul¡¯ vs Bromdo Charlotte breathed heavy her steps breaking the small puddles beginning to form on the ground as she ran after the three people appeared on the wall with Sah Ul¡¯, trailing behind her. ¡°Sarah, what are we going to do about them?¡± she asked. Sah Ul¡¯ looked over her shoulder, taking long strides, ¡°We are first to reach the temporary camp. The Patriarch instructed us to go but he would not want us to allow them to harm Landin and the others. There must be more of these undead hiding in the city¡­ Patriarch will be fine, but we must regroup.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ picked up speed, digging divots into the ground as she moved to catch up and move past the three ahead of them. ¡°Looks like the fun has followed us,¡± Silvyr hummed. ¡°You two can deal with the tagalongs, I¡¯m going to have my own fun!¡± Mae sneered. ¡°There is no helping it. We shall stop them here,¡± Bromdo grunted, turning on his heel and pulling arge hammer and shield from his inventory. Charlotte and Sah Ul¡¯ skidded to a stop, both readying their weapons. Silvyr smiled widely, pulling a pack of cards from behind her back, shuffling it in a wide arc. ¡°I¡¯m not one to pass up on an eager audience but I am in a hurry. We¡¯ve been here longer than we intended already and I have more shows to perform,¡± she snickered. ¡°It would be problematic if we allowed them to follow us, the count would surely give us severe punishment¡­ I will take the stronger one, Silvyr,¡± Bromdo huffed. ¡°Charlotte, I will fight therge one. His armor will be difficult for you. I am not confident that I can keep up with the more nimble one, I leave her to you,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ whispered, gripping her axe tightly. Charlotte¡¯s face slightly frowned at being called the weaker one, but she nodded. Right now she wasn¡¯t prepared to take on a heavily armored opponent, her skill set simply wasn¡¯t made for it. Charlotte began chanting and the moment the first word left her mouth, Sah Ul¡¯ was already running headlong into her opponent, her aura burning red hot around her. ¡°Our victory to the sound of thunderous apuse!¡± The lightning magic circle spread out covering Charlotte and Sah Ul¡¯ endowing them with lightning attune magic. Once thest word left her lips, Charlotte immediately raised her short spear, deflecting a white card aimed at her head. The card hit the spear with a metallic sound and much more force than was possible for a paper card. Charlotte tracked it with her eyes as it changed trajectory, embedding itself into the ground and begun glowing. Gasping, Charlotte rolled out of the way, the card exploding a momentter. ¡°Just one of my tricks,¡± Silvyr said gleefully, shuffling her cards in an arc, ¡°Let¡¯s put on a fun performance shall we?¡± Charlotte¡¯s emotionless face gave away nothing, but her heart was racing. It was the first time outside of Drake and the group that had followed him, she had faced someone remotely strong. Gripping her spears she steeled herself. It¡¯s time to put everything into practice, I know what they¡¯ve done to these people, what they want to do to everyone¡­ I¡¯ll do my part, I¡¯ll stop her here! Charlotte shouted in her mind, throwing her short spear forward. Surprise painted the white face of Silvyr as she turned to dodge the spear. ¡°Throwing your weapon? Dubious indeed-¡± But before she could finish, Charlotte appeared gripping the thrown weapon, her other spear d in lighting as she thrust it forward, aimed right for the elf woman¡¯s chest. Silvyr smiled, pulling and flipping a card in her hand, a ck joker on a white background and when the spear contacted her, she went up in smoke. Charlottended, skidding against the muddy ground and immediately spreading out her aura to find the woman, small sparks striking the area. ¡°Interesting skill, but I have quite the bag of tricks myself,¡± a voice hummed from behind her. Put on her back foot, Charlotte turned, arcing her spear in a wide swing but hitting nothing. Then she felt something on the edge of her aura, turning to it she saw Silvyr smiling broadly, holding up another card, a yellow spade. Charlotte tried her best to process the information, the cards color and suit having something to do with their abilities but she didn¡¯t have enough to say for sure. ¡°I¡¯ll have to be cautious but still press her¡­¡± she whispered, sprinting forward. Silvyr threw several more white cards at Charlotte, and Charlotte easily deflected them, a few momentster the cards letting out small explosions. Finally able to get in close, Charlotte began her assault, thrusting and swiping with her spears inbination. Large arcs of lightning striking the area as she did, some hitting their mark but seeming to have little effect. Silvyr was no slouch however, and with each sessful strike, Charlotte slowly umted cuts here and there from the cards she wielded between her fingers. The exchangested several seconds before another joker found its way into Silvyr¡¯s hand and she went up in smoke again. ¡°This will simply not do¡­ I have underestimated your ss specialty. I¡¯m at a loss in speed, so it seems I will have to overwhelm you,¡± Silvyr mused, pulling a red heart from her deck in one hand, flipping it in her hand to produce two, then four, then eight, and then sixteen. Each flip of the card doubling the amount of cards until Silvyr threw them into the air and they began flying straight for Charlotte. Charlotte clicked her tongue, but she couldn¡¯t pull her punches against someone several levels ahead of her. Throwing her long spear into the air, she threw her other straight at Silvyr. ¡°Snc thintr¨ª, C¨®ipleabhar.¡± Using her skill once more she moved to her thrown short spear, her long spear above her crackling with electricity and then suddenly splitting into six identical spears of lightning. Charlotte quickly gripped one of them in her free hand, ¡°Titim!¡± The bolts of lightning instantly convened on Silvyr along with Charlotte¡¯s main and off hand. But the fight was not over. Silvyr managed to dodge several of the spears, but two of them hit home, skewering her to the ground with a grunt. Now was Charlotte¡¯s chance, she had a vague idea of how Sarah¡¯s fight was progressing in her favor but there was no telling what might happen. She had to finish this now. ¡°The thunderous roar of your end is nigh!¡± she shouted, raising her spear into the air, the lightning around it humming to a crescendo, ¡°Focl¨®ir Gaeilge!!!¡± The sound of rapturous lightning struck down on the elven woman like a hammer from above. The blow dealt a significant amount of damage to Silvyr but somehow she remained alive, struggling to pull another card from her deck. And just before Charlotte was able tond another thrust with her spear, she went up in a puff of smoke. ¡°No!¡± Charlotte screamed trying to pinpoint the woman again. She clenched her jaw and fist, frustration welling up after being unable to finish the job. But she knew that the elven woman could only travel so far with the skill. Charlotte had to use her trump card, but it would exhaust her of her resources. She would bet it all on this. ¡°The unforgiving lightning, strikes at my beck and call. Tempest¡¯s Beckoning!¡± Calling down a cacophony of lightning strikes each one hitting the groundrger than thest as she fought back against her waning vision struggling to stay conscious from the exhaustion. And finally when thest bolt of lightning struck, Charlotte heard a wail of pain and a notification entered her darkening peripheral. [You have killed Silvyr Rava Level 17] [Experience Earned, 115 Nobility Points have been awarded] [Congrattions you have increased to Lightning Spearman Level 16] [25 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions you have increased to Lightning Spearman Level 17] [25 Free Points have been awarded] ¡ª--------- Sah Ul¡¯ lunged forward, leaving her husband¡¯s young student to fight her first real battle as she went to take on the full te armored man in front of her. Bringing her ax horizontally from one side to the next she began ramping up her Berserking Aura. ¡°Heavy Crescent Cleave!¡± Sah Ul¡¯s ax glowed with red light as it arced forward towards the armored man¡¯s neck. But Bromdo raised his shield, pping his shield like a gong with his hammer. ¡°Heavy Fortress!¡± With the skill activation his skill hummed a deep blood red just before Sah Ul¡¯s ax crashed against it, sparks of metal and mana flying in every direction as they both fought for supremacy. Sah Ul¡¯s skill ran out and she pulled back her ax with one hand, gritting her teeth as she brought it down again and again against the man. Bromdo was fighting a defensive battle not because it was his especially but because of Sah Ul¡¯s unrelenting fighting style. Each swing of the ax forced Bromdo to grunt in displeasure, and despite digging his heels into the ground he was slowly being pushed back. The assault from Sah Ul¡¯ continued for several more seconds as Bromdo was forced to bet on him ousting her in a fight of attrition and her exhaustion. ¡°You are very sturdy!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted, ¡°But my husband is much more sturdy!¡± Suddenly her strength increased, her passive skills and Beserking Aura finally reaching their peak. Bromdo couldn¡¯t help letting out a gasp as he saw his shield begin to chip against the consecutive swings and began to panic, shouting out several more skills. ¡°Stout Guardsman¡¯s Vitality! Bulwark! Unbreakable!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ lifted her ax high, gripping it with both hands this time. ¡°Overload! Overwhelm!¡± [You are now under the effects of Overload] [You are now under the effects of Overwhelm] Bathed in red light her muscles bulged and she roared one final skill, ¡°Heavy Crescent sh!!¡± Chopping downward her de passed through the te armored man effortlessly embedding itself into the ground. [Bromdo ckrock Level 18] [Experience Earned, 139 Nobility points awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Orc Ax Master Level 24] [20 Free Points have been awarded] Bromdo¡¯s body slumped to the ground splitting down the middle, his helmet falling leaving his aghast face staring back at Sah Ul¡¯. ¡ª---------------------------------- It had been less than a day since they left the city, Rvul and Mikhail¡¯s party were escorting a group of people to the next nearest city to help improve their rtions for the uing summit. Rvul led the expedition with Mikhail helping, his party bringing up the rear while he stayed in the front with the rest of the Rahk guardsmen who begrudgingly came under his orders. The guardsmen were disgruntled but easily silenced after their poor showing against the Patriarch¡¯s students whipping the floor with them. ¡°Keep your heads up! There is no shame in losing to stronger warriors of the same tribe! You must simply grow stronger and win next time!¡± Rvul encouraged thumping his chest and chuckling. ¡°Chief¡­ We did not simply lose, we were beaten so one sidedly. Even Haygur¡­ did not have a chance to disy his skills. None of us did!¡± Rvulughed again, ¡°And that is just how strong the Patriarch students are! My son is great! Imagine how strong he has be when even his students are this powerful! It¡¯s amazing, yes?¡± he guffawed, pping one of the people they were escorting on the shoulder. ¡°Will you shut up already? It¡¯s been Patriarch this, Patriarch this the entire trip! I¡¯m sick of hearing about him!¡± Marrissahined. ¡°Now, now. We are almost to our destination, please just put up with his bragging about his son-inw for a few more hours,¡± Mikhail said, trying to cate the angered woman. Marrissah scoffed, rolling her shoulder to bring up her coat. The group had encountered monsters through this trip but seldom other people, which made for a fast pace. Everyone was also part of the system which allowed them to travel through most of the night, leaving little trouble to be had. Rvul looked upward, seeing the snow cease and feeling the droplets of cold water hit his skin. ¡°We will want to pick up the pace, being out in cold rain will not be good for too long!¡± he shouted, hurrying them along. But quickly feeling people enter his aura¡¯s range along with his sensing skill setting off rm bells, he held up his hand an instantter. ¡°Wait!¡± hemanded, pulling two axes from his inventory, ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Out of the treeline, rows upon rows of pale faced men and women, along with humans in all white robes stepped out. ¡°State your business!¡± Rvul demanded the line of Rhak Warriors forming around him. ¡°We do not need speak to lesser trash¡­¡± one of the men growled. Mikhail¡¯s party took up the rear forming a small circle around the people they were escorting. ¡°Stay your ground! We can hold the line if we remain calm, many of them are lower level!¡± he shouted, pulling his daggers out. Rvul and the rest of the group began shouting and chanting skills, waiting for the mass of newly announced opponents to make the first move. ¡°Do not worry, we will make sure you will reach safety. I bet my life on it as the former chief of the Rahk, and a member of the Patriarch¡¯s city!¡± Rvul roared. But he only felt a pain in his side and a soft whisper in his ear. ¡°You took the wrong bet, green man¡­¡± Marrissah hummed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will let one of you tell Drake what happened here.¡± Rvul pped away the hand holding the de in his side, turning around only to have other members of the guardsmen shout out in pain as well being stabbed,shot and hit with skills or spells from behind. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± Rvul growled, nursing his side, ¡°Y-you nned this from the beginning¡­?¡± Marrissah pulled another dagger from under her cloak, ying with it in her hand as she smiled. ¡°Yorth! Heal Rvul! Hurry!¡± Mikhail screamed, turning around trying to reach the Orc Chieftain, only to be shackled to the ground by threads of light. Mikhail knew exactly what this spell was, it was Yorth¡¯s only form of crowd control. Turning his head he spotted Yorth pointing his staff at him, his eyes dead and distant, a small sun radiating orange on his right cheek. ¡°Drake always was soft. And of course¡­ No one can outsmart the Emperor,¡± sheughed, ¡°Praise the sun! All hail, the Grand Sun Mage!¡± A cacophony of triumphant shouts rang out from the people in white robes and the group that came with Marrissah. She pointed to Mikhail, ¡°Leave him. The rest can be cleansed and sent to the undead as was agreed,¡± she smiled, moving next to Rvul, ¡°He will send Lord Atticus¡¯s message just fine¡­¡± Chapter 270: I Am Strong Enough Chapter 270: I Am Strong Enough Atropos tapped her finger impatiently as she stared at the gate of the partition from the temporary refuge they made for the freed citizens. Her brother standing close by but making sure to survey the area and help where he could with the growing number of people. Landin had been working tirelessly with Anima, spreading his aura to help heal and recover the people as well, doling out food where he was able. The three had heard many thanks as well as horrid traumatic stories more times than they could count. And although small, they had also done as Drake asked, rounding up all the guards that had surrendered. No matter how much some of the freed wished them hard, it wasn¡¯t their job to judge. The teens on more than one asion since Drake had left nearly half an hour ago had stopped one another from cutting down the guards of the city. They obviously taking advantage of what Drake had ordered the teens to do and surrendering to save their own skin. ¡°It is taking some time for Lord Drake to return¡­ Howrge do you suspect this city is?¡± Atropos asked. Landin wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve, kneeling down to pat Anima as she continued to spread out her AOE heal, ¡°Not sure, but the guards were pretty much pushovers. So maybe pretty big? Unless there¡¯s someone stronger here.¡± ¡°Strong enough to give Lord Drake trouble?¡± she asked, dubious. Landin shrugged, ¡°The people who came out of the tutorials are miles ahead of us, even with Drake helping us along. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were a few crazy strong people like himying around. There was about what, close to ten billion of us when the integration happened.¡± ¡°Ten billion? What is this number?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say its a very big number,¡± Landin chuckled wryly, ¡°How many people were in your world?¡± Atropos turned to Landin, ¡°I do not know. The tribes on our were always territorial, but the Ice Wolf n had several thousand nsmen before the Great Wolf Gods took us.¡± Landin stood up, ¡°Hmmm¡­ sounds like you didn¡¯t have cellphones or much technology, you guys were surprised when we showed you the tv and games afterall,¡± he mused. ¡°Cursed pink ball of endless gluttony¡­¡± Atropos grumbled, Clotho grumbling in agreement. The ground suddenly shook, breaking off their conversation and the people within the small camp stirring with confusion and fear. ¡°What was that?!¡± ¡°I knew it was too good to be true!¡± ¡°The great Tree has forsaken us!¡± Landin tried his best to calm everyone but failed to do so until Clotho roared above them all, spreading out his aura and silencing the crowd. ¡°Jeez, excessive much?¡± Landing coughed, ¡°It¡¯s fine! That¡¯s just Drake, I think¡­ He¡¯s the only one I know that can make something like that happen¡­ Why is he letting loose?¡± ¡°We must go to him! What if he is in danger!¡± Atropos shouted. Landin grabbed her by the arm, ¡°Please. You think we can do anything if Drake is in trouble? Besides, our job is to make sure nothing happens to these people.¡± Interrupting their conversation once more, they heard a familiar whistle through the air, the teens turning their head towards the gate, seeing Quetz along with a mass of soldiers and citizens of the city droves farrger than the one that was already there. ¡°We won¡¯t have enough room for them,¡± Landin grimaced, ¡°Bring out anything you can to make shelter. Sorry Anima, you¡¯re going to be working overtime today.¡± Anima shook in understanding, waving a bushlike hand. ¡°Hey, hey!! Quetz brought more people. Drake said you can order around the annoying soldiers however you want,¡± Quetz chirped. ¡°He did not say that, god damn it,¡± Hudson sighed, ¡°But we¡¯ll help however we need ta. This city is the worst thing I¡¯ve every damned seen¡­¡± Another thunderous boom forced the ground to shake around them, startling the crowd of people once more. ¡°Damned idjit! sted man can make earthquakes now?!¡± Hudson grunted. Landin and the rest of the teens just smiled at Hudson¡¯sment, ushering in the new group of people. Soldiers began running around setting up tents and spaces for them to sitfortably as Anima stretched her area of effect thin to epass all of them. Hudson began walking around the small camp, silver magic circles beginning to form small turrets straight out of a sci-fi movie en mass as well as onerger circle summoning a type of Automaton they had never seen before. The thunderous quaking they assumed was from Drake fighting had finally ceased, leaving them more assured for several minutes as the camp began to calm down. Landin ran around as Clotho and Atropos continued to stay vignt of the surroundings. Landin searched and found several people who were healers among the freed people, giving them instructions to do what they could to help. While doing so he also found several other support sses and range sses that could help with setting up a first line of defense of the area. A few minutes of doing this was more tiring than fighting in the tournament, Landin wiping his brow and exiting the tents just to cool off with the falling rain. ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± a voice cooed next to him, ¡°A hybrid support ss? Guess you die first!¡± On instinct, Landin snapped his fingers, his head barely turning in time to see the gleam of a knife mere centimeters from his eye. Before his surroundings changed and he was inside the tent. ¡°Enemy attack! Clotho, Quetz, Atropos! It¡¯s a stealth user!¡± Landin cried out, Ifirit, Bahamut, and a new Anima materializing next to him as he ran back out of the tent. Ignoring the startled people around him, Landin flipped the tent p up, seeing Atropos and Clotho already engaged with what looked like a Mage. The stealth user that attacked Landin nowhere in sight. Atropos began using her own spells to counteract the spells of the Mage, but she was at a disadvantage. The mage was strong and specialized, and was using several elementspared to her single element. [Otarrah Breaker Level 18] I can¡¯t let Ifrit help. We still don¡¯t know where the stealthy went. Bahamut is underleveled but¡­ Landin cursed. ¡°Bahamut! Overload! Gale re!¡± Landin shouted, spreading out his aura, his passive buffs activating for his summons. Bahamut shot off Landin¡¯s shoulder, skirting around Atropos and getting in position on an unprotected side of Otarrah. pping his raven ck wings, Bahamut began summoning an intense tempest of wind, building it up to a visible gale. Otarrah, still preupied with Atropos, only eyed the crowzily as spells continued to contest each other between them. Bahamut released a high pitched shriek, letting loose the gale in a turbulent tornado. But the result was not as they expected, Bahamut¡¯s skill mmed against a bluish shield around Otarrah. ¡°Do not take me for some naive welp, boy¡­¡± Otarrah said, in a surprisingly female voice under therge reddish-brown hat that covered her face. A moment after, Clotho grunted, pulling with both hands against something, the sound of snapping wire sending out loud pangs. Revealing themselves with a sneer, a wolf-like man with gray colored hair and fur looked back them, his dagger only a few inches from Atropos¡¯s side. Stopped by Clotho¡¯s wires. ¡°Oh, you have some skill there! Yahaa! This is going to be more fun than I thought! A supporter ss that can teleport! And a mute that can use strings!¡± Maeughed, his dagger hand struggling against the wires. Mae suddenly dropped his dagger, picking it up with his other hand and disappeared, two arrows sliding into the ground where he had just been. Reappearing next to Otarrah, he flipped his dagger in his hand, frowning, ¡°Little birdy is a ranger too¡­ At least the information we got is correct.¡± The exchange broke the magic spell contest between Atropos and Otarrah momentarily, allowing the teens to regroup. ¡°It¡¯s two against four, we have the advantage,¡± Atropos said, her scythe suddenly enveloped by dark purplish mes. ¡°But they have the level advantage, and they know our skills¡­¡± Landin whispered, suddenly regretting using almost his entire kit during the fight in ReUnite. ¡°Quetz can take on the gloomy looking wolf. She made plenty of colorful bullets for the trip,¡± Quetz chirped. ¡°Fine, Atropos and I will take on the mage. Quetz, Clotho, we need you to keep the stealth user busy,¡± Landin suggested. Clotho grumbled, but Landin went into more detail. ¡°Clotho is the only one who has a chance against him with his kit. Anyone else is in danger of instantly dying if we fight him. He¡¯s level 20 after all.¡± ¡°Yay! CC and Quetz are teaming up!¡± Quetz cooed, raising her hands, her bow dematerializing and two pistols reappearing in her grip. ¡°Oi, oi! What the hell is this!!?! MAEEEEEEEE!!!!!!¡± a booming voice shouted from the gate. Mae turned visibly displeased, his yful attitude disappearing as he stopped idly tossing his weapon. ¡°Great¡­ The disgusting city head is here¡­¡± Mae grumbled, ¡°Fuck off old man! Go back to your little sex dungeon and let real fighters take care of everything, like always!¡± Walking from the gate, arge man with graying blond hair, and a scar running from his eyebrow across his face strutted forward with an ear to ear sneer. ¡°Shut up mutt! Don¡¯t you forget who¡¯s in charge here! Your little pussy bat leader might be making us all good money, but this is still my legacy! And what a mess you¡¯ve made of it!¡± Xavier growled. ¡°What did you say, Lesser!? I¡¯ll cut you from ass to mouth if you utter another-¡± But Mae was silenced, Xavier moving so quickly the teen¡¯s thought they were looking at Drake for a moment. Xavier grabbed the wolfman by the throat mming him into the ground several times before lifting him once more. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you, stray, but you piss me off any more and you might have a little ident!¡± he grinned, dropping Mae to the ground. Mae coughed up several pools of blood, struggling to get to his feet, as Otarrah watched silently. ¡°We might be in deep shit¡­¡± Landin muttered seeing the man. [Xavier Thornsworth Level 18] ¡°He just trashed a level 20 with speedparable to Sarah, maybe even Drake. He¡¯s using concealing equipment for his level, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Landin muttered warily, his eyes drawn to the new people walking through the gate as well. A line of elven women walkednguidly through the gate, their ears noticeably cut except for one at the front. Her condition leagues above the rest, even wearing a clean maid outfitpared to the thin clothing of the others. ¡°Did this guy really bring an entourage of¡­ sex ves to a fight?¡± Landin said in disbelief, only to hear shouting from the tents behind him. ¡°T-Tanya!!¡± Landin swiveled his head, looking behind him and seeing the dwarf woman Drake had first freed, huffing and puffing as she tried her best to yell. ¡°Tanya! It¡¯s going to be o-okay! They¡¯vee to s-save us! He¡¯se to save us!! We can finally g-go¡­home!¡± Xavier looked over displeased but didn¡¯t move, ¡°Who?¡± he asked, ¡°These pussies? Ha! They won¡¯t even be a warm up!¡± Mae downed a red vial, rolling his shoulders with a scowl. ¡°Fight whoever you want. But we were here first.¡± Xavier scoffed, ¡°Then run off somewhere with your tail between your legs, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Landin had turned back around, watching Xavier, Mae, and Otarrah¡¯s exchange while also ncing at the girls that were lined up. The only one he saw whose expression changed he assumed was Tanya, the other women seemingly like dolls without emotion or any real semnce of where they were as if drugged. Y tried once more to call out to Tanya but was cut off by Xavier. ¡°Will you shut up already! None of these dirty little skanks even want to leave! Isn¡¯t that right?!¡± Xavier shouted, the women in line saying nothing, ¡°See! They¡¯re perfectly happy right here! Hahaha!!¡± Landin clenched his fist, tired of hearing the absurdity from this deranged man. ¡°Listen,¡± Landin whispered to everyone, ¡°Our only shot is for you three to fight and beat the other two, then get Drake back here as fast as you can.¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± Atropos asked over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll keep big, tall, and ugly busy as long as I can¡­¡± he answered wryly. A brief silence hung over them, Atropos gripping her scythe before sighing with a nod. ¡°Clotho, we must give it our all here. Let us meet once more, safe and sound.¡± Clotho gave a small grunt, leading Quetz to the side, Mae smiling as he followed them. ¡°Huh? Are we going? Hey, are we going now?¡± Quetz asked being ushered to the other side of the partition, in the direction the guards originally were leading them. ¡°Hunt well, Landin,¡± Atropos said softly with a small smile on her lips, ¡°We will return quickly with Lord Drake.¡± Landin gave a small smile back, raising a hand with a thumbs up. ¡°Don¡¯t count me out just yet, I¡¯ll beat this guy before Drake even gets here.¡± Chapter 271: And I Am Strong Enough 2 Chapter 271: And I Am Strong Enough 2 Atropos never lost concentration, focusing her perception on the woman across from her as they moved away from the others. Despite having her eyes closed and behind bandages she was always able to track the woman through her mana. Her silhouette a misty light blue in her dark vision. Her skills furthering her innate talent she had nurtured during being captured before meeting Drake. Now with the increase in ability the system granted she could make out an entire person with her senses without issue. ¡°You are the first person I have met with your unique elemental affinity¡­¡± Otarrah suddenly said, ¡°Someone so beneath me is able topete due to its effects. It is interesting and also a shame you serve such an ipetent master.¡± Atropos¡¯s eye twitched below her bandage. Did this halfwit bitch, call the great, Lord Drake¡­ I-i-ipetent?! She fumed. ¡°The only shame here is the fact you think you have any chance of winning against a student of the Tyrant Asuran!¡± Atropos said proudly, raising her chin, ¡°You have made a grave error in allowing us to separate you from prying eyes¡­¡± ¡°I would not be so sure. I have heard you only increased your strength recently. And this certainly proves such. You are high-strung, intoxicated on the euphoric aftertaste of leveling so quickly. But I will soon quell that.¡± Atropos scoffed, pulling down her blindfold and for the first time since training with Drake, opened her eyes, pristine sapphires staring in the night. ¡°Only two men, three people, still live that know what my eyes look like. And by the end of this night, it will remain those two men. I stake my life on it.¡± ¡°Then, I shall take that bet.¡± Otarrah raised her staff and in a brief sh of red, brown, and green, three magic circles formed at her sides. A spike of earth, a ball of me, and a cutting torrent of wind manifesting quickly and without incantation. She has a skill to omit spell casting, she must use a significant amount of her skill slots towards it then. Atropos thought, taking hold of her dark magic enchanted staff. ¡°Landin must have assumed the same, to ce me against you alone. As expected of another student of Lord Drake, he is perceptive.¡± Atropos moved quickly, running forward in sweeping zig-zag motions as she duck and dove across the distance between them, dodging fireballs, spikes of earth, and des of wind. Unable to dodge every single one she took to using her scythe to deflect the spells, finding that she could cut them down due to her elemental effect. shing down, the weight of her enchanted scythe being more than herself, she lurched forward, the dark purplish crescent sliding into the muddy ground. With her increased stats she pushed off the ground, somersaulting over the weapon and pulling it as she went, throwing it forward in the same motion. The scythe whizzed through the air cutting through spells with sounds simr to bugs flying into an electric trap with each manifestation of magic it passed through until it collided with Otarrah¡¯s shield. Atropos¡¯s weapon bounced off the shield leaving a small crack and singe mark, surprising Otarrah, which was further exacerbated by Atropos appearing out of thin air, both hands around the shaft of her weapon. ¡°There are several things I know to be true. Lord Drake is stronger than anyone or anything in this world or the next. And that you will die here for insulting the man I adore. Your fate has been decided, I have foreseen it!¡± Otarrah¡¯s head whipped up, as the magic circles twisted with her, the spells manifesting at speed to rebuke Atropos. ¡°The ranting of a scared child,¡± she muttered back. But the spells, just like her words, fell on deaf and eluding ears. Atropos moved with such speed, no. Such conviction as the future wasid before her, allowing her to move ahead of the spell¡¯s formation and release, dodging every single spell with minimal effort. Moving her head slightly a spike of earth passed harmlessly through her hair, her entire body taking on the skills effect. Atropos¡¯s eyes glowed, shifting from the sapphires into deep amethysts, her pristine snow-white hair turning to raven ck, her four tails swaying hypnotically as they radiated with mana. Spell after spell, aimed for her vitals. Exhaustion began to paint Otarrah¡¯s slowly pained face as each spell missed their mark even from the short distance. Atropos danced in the night rain, her eyes leaving small trails of purple as they followed Otarrah through her precise steps to dodge sts of fire, wind, and earth. Otarrah¡¯s face was quickly bing panicked, her spells less frequent until finally they became non-existent. ¡°W-what are you? Monster!¡± Atropos walked forward, hips swaying, scythenguidly behind her back until she stopped a few steps in front of Otarrah. ¡°Monster I may be. But I am his monster.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Otarrah roared, a spike of earth flying out from below her feet, right for Atropos¡¯s throat. But just like the others, Atropos saw iting with her foresight skill, and just like before she raised her scythe in a fluid motion splitting the spike of earth in two as it passed her harmlessly. Otarrah growled, her breath ragged as she looked up from below her mage hat, pale blue eyes staring daggers at Atropos. Atropos swung her scythe aiming to end the fight so she could rush to Drake¡¯s side and save Landin, but a ng rang out as her weapon bounced off the barrier skill despite Otarrah being exhausted. ¡°There will be no getting through my barrier. By the time it¡¯s up I¡¯ll have enough mana to recast it and kill you eventually. You can¡¯t win!¡± Otarrahughed, raising her voice. ¡°Is that so?¡± Atropos said matter of factly, cing her hand to the barrier, ¡°It looks that this is made from pure mana¡­¡± she smiled, ¡°Pity.¡± Atropos raised her scythe once more. ¡°What are you doing¡­? It¡¯s no use you flustered child! You¡¯ve lost!¡± Otarrah yelled, sweat beading down her face. ¡°Then you have nothing to fear.¡± Atropos brought down her scythe, scraping against the barrier, a purple line cracking the shell. ¡°One,¡± Atropos counted, swiping horizontally and hitting the shell again, ¡°Two,¡± now throwing her scythe upwards and teleporting to it, gripping the weapon with both hands and shing in a downward strike, ¡°Three!¡± The third strike passed through the barrier, the sound of shattering ss and crackling like static snapping and prickling their ears. Otarrah¡¯s mouth gaped open as it quivered. She tried to raise a hand only to see her vision part into several small windows. ¡°Rend,¡± Atropos whispered, her hair¡¯s raven ck receding back to white. [You have killed Otarrah Breaker Level 18] [Experience earned, 197 Nobility Points awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Night Oracle Level 17] [25 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Night Oracle Level 18] [25 Free Points have been awarded] Atropos swiped away the notifications from her vision, her skills dissipating as she returned to normal, her scythe sizzling out and the ck-purplish inky fire receding. She plucked the bag that materialized from Otarrah¡¯s body, stowing it away before she turned in the direction of where Drake had gone. Putting one foot in front of the other only to trip, slipping to the ground as her legs gave out underneath her. ¡°L-Lord Drake¡­¡± she muttered, reaching a hand out in his direction. Her strength gave out, her vision darkening from over exhaustion. But she felt something catch her falling hand just before it touched the wet ground. ¡°You worked hard Atropos¡­ Leave the rest to me.¡± She smiled upon hearing those words and let her consciousness fade. ¡ª-------- Clotho walked warily behind the wolfkin, Quetz on his side, almost skipping along as if not a worry in the world. ¡°Teaming up with CC, teaming up with CC yay!¡± she hummed. This girl will be more trouble to watch after than my sister¡­ He thought. Spreading out his wires to discreetly circle them he made sure to track the wolfkin, Mae. Clotho had no idea the extent of his abilities, but in theirst exchange, he was barely able to keep him at bay from killing his sister. And from the strain on his wires, he could tell it was only because Mae had let him. They walked through a gate further away from Drake and the others, more toward the north and deeper inside the city than they had been. And the further the better. In Clotho¡¯s mind, he only wished for his sister to be safe and he knew very well that the mage was not her opponent. Throughout their life, Atropos had been the fighter. In his thoughts, he suddenly caught the scent of something acrid, on the verge of turning putrid. They were still too far from the source but his sense of smell was keen, more enhanced now after advancing to F-Rank. He knew this smell well after the trials and training in the forest with Lord Wallen, it was the smell of blood. A lot of blood. ¡°This is far enough, yeah?¡± Mae finally said, stopping, ¡°If we go further we¡¯ll hit the pits and I just can¡¯t stand the smell of that nasty ce. The count needs them, but I don¡¯t see the point when he has upper undead like us. Oops! I wasn¡¯t supposed to say that. Just forget it ok? Not like it will matter though, you¡¯re going to die anyway,¡± Mae grinned widely. Clotho¡¯s body tensed but he did not reply. Quetz didn¡¯t either, but herck of response seemed to be more of her not paying attention rather than not being willing. She still hummed, bouncing slightly from foot to foot with a slight smile on her face, her hands behind her back. Mae growled, annoyed with theck of reaction, ¡°Are you ignoring me..? I can kill you without breaking a sweat and you¡¯re¡­ ignoring me?¡± He beganughing, throwing back his head as he moved the dagger in his hand back and forth like a metronome, Ah¡­ Ahhhh!! I¡¯m going to fillet your flesh from your lousy worthless bodies, then throw you into the pits, you-¡± But he was suddenly cut off, Quetz frowning and a smoking gun pointed at Mae. Mae had blocked the bullet with the tip of his dagger, moving it dramatically from his face to show another mirthful sneer. ¡°Little birdy has a temper¡­ I like it! Yaahaa!¡± Mae¡¯s form blurred like a mirage, the raindrops cutting through it as if it were ink on paper, running lines through the translucent image. Clotho felt something pull on one of his wires, and he yanked his hand back to capture it. Mae materialized with a frown on his face, his hand caught in the wire. But it was only for an instant as he pulled another dagger from his side, and cutting upward freed himself from the entanglement. Clotho¡¯s lip curved upwards in a growl. It wasn¡¯t long enough to apply a stack of his passive. Quetz gave a sharp whistle and shot to the sky, her pistols in hand and ready to fire. They both could not track the wolfkin but Clotho did have the best chance at a counterattack and preventing him fromnding a fatal blow on either of them. But counter to what Clotho was preparing for, Mae backed off, leaping back after freeing himself and throwing one of his daggers into the air. ¡°Dagger Fan Dance,¡± Mae uttered. His thrown dagger multiplied instantly, adding five new daggers side by side hanging above his head. Quetz reacted first, firing off several bullets in the same second, the wind around her bristling with power enhancing her weapons while slicing through the rain producing breaks in the rainfall. Mae motioned with his hands, the fan of daggers beginning to rotate clockwise, each of Quetz¡¯s bullets sending sparks off the des. The wolfkin smiled behind his spinning daggers. ¡°Bet you thought you had the advantage huh kids? Too bad!¡± heughed in condescension. However, Quetz was not the only one fighting him. Clotho gave a few flicks of his wrists, his wiresing alive and going to work. The wires quickly surrounded Mae, cutting through rain so finely the surroundings were undisturbed as they closed in around the gray wolf. Mae grabbed a dagger from the spinning six and crouched his body glowing green just before he blurred. Spiraling des of green light shot out from him in each direction cutting through the wires with ease as they dropped to the floor in pieces. More than half of Clotho¡¯s weaponry was rendered useless. The level difference between us is toorge, but that doesn¡¯t exin the strength he has alone¡­ He must have a high rarity ss as well. Clotho growled inwardly. Several more shots rang out from above, Quetz unrelenting in peppering Mae, trying to do her best to cover Clotho. The fan of daggers had never stopped spinning in Mae¡¯s defense, however. The bullets ricocheted off the ts of the des. All except for one. One of Quetz¡¯s bullets curved, threading like a needle between the daggers and striking Mae in the shoulder. ¡°Ahh! You little!¡± Mae grunted in pain, his jowls curling in a feral growl. Mae had been distracted for just a moment, but Clotho wouldn¡¯t let the opportunity slip. It was finally his chance to do some damage also. He flicked his wrist and flexed his aura at the same time. Mae¡¯s face visibly paled for a moment before turning to unbridled rage as he looked down at a small wire wrapped around his ankle. ¡°What did you do?!¡± Mae seethed. Mae snapped his wrist, cutting the wire like a seamstress snipping thread, then blurred out of vision. Quetz rushed down next to Clotho, flexing her own aura into the surroundings and a myriad of spiraling transparent des of wind began slicing through the rain and anything close to them. But somehow Mae had evaded almost all of them, getting in close. The only indication he had, a small cut on his cheek, the meek stter of blood revealing his location. Clotho¡¯s aura and first two stacks of his Creeping Inevitability having a significant effect. And it seemed that Mae had finally noticed the health depletion from his Medusa¡¯s Venom as well. Mae¡¯s glowering face devoid of the casual yful enjoyment he had earlier. In Quetz¡¯s hands, her pistols vanished, reced by a shotgun. ¡°The wind sings with the howl of a whipped storm. Howling Gale!¡± Quetz chanted, her voice carried by the wind of her aura, making it nearly ethereal between the gusts. He shotgun racking five times in less than a second, the slugs still leaving the slide. Her shotgun glowed in a vibrant verdant green, humming with power for only a moment. Before it was expelled with the sound of a hurricane being let loose. The st collided with Mae. But his fan of spinning daggers quickly came to his defense, fighting against the turbulent enchanted shot. This was where Clotho out pulled all the stops. Flicking his wrist and pulling on strings with his fingers as if he was ying a song on the air, his wires shot forward. Clotho finally speaking, ¡°A fate cast by threads, is fate indeed. Fate¡¯s Doll!¡± The remaining wires he had were lessened but it didn¡¯t matter, his skill entrapping and surrounding Mae as he was preupied with fighting against Quetz¡¯s skill. Clotho activated his strongestbo against the immobilized Mae. Using his newest skill that he gained from the Fox woman in the auction. Fated Degradation. A skill that speeds up any harmful effects currently on a target to their max effect, but holds an enormous cooldown and cost. Mae instantly froze, his body beginning to petrify and turn to stone. The full effects of Clotho¡¯s Brittle effect evident. In the same breath, Clotho felt his grip on Mae weaken, but the skills had already done their job. ¡°Losing yourself in the strings of fate, leads to a mortal end. Cat¡¯s Cradle¡­¡± Clotho eked out, his voice barely a whisper against the Howling Gale of Quetz. But he looked at Mae satisfied as he saw the wolfkin break into pieces, then scattered to dust in the turbulent winds. [You have killed Mae Cris Level 20] [Experience earned. 315 Nobility Points awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Thread Maniptor Level 17] [20 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Thread Maniptor Level 18] [20 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have increased to Thread Maniptor Level 19] [20 Free Points have been awarded] The silence after the fight was a stark contrast to the cacophony of sounds and sts just a moment ago. Clotho fell to the ground expecting to hit cold wet dirt, but instead felt damp yet soft feathers wrapping around him. ¡°Quetz always knew CC had a nice voice,¡± she giggled, exhaustion straining her face, yet still having a small grin. Clotho¡¯s eyes widened in surprise but he didn¡¯t have the strength to fight and separate himself. He caught the sudden scent of fruit, his mind wary, ¡°It smells¡­ nice¡­¡± Chapter 272: And I Am Strong Enough To Be Cruel Chapter 272: And I Am Strong Enough To Be Cruel Landin stood next to his three summons, staring down the massive man across from him. Xavier and Landin had moved a small distance away from the rescue tents, the only audience the entourage that Xavier had forced to apany him. Hudson had stayed behind reluctantly to keep the rescued citizens safe from any other surprises and the soldiers were unsurprisingly unwilling to follow Landin. ¡°You done there, princess? I¡¯d like to hurry this up, I got lots of ns to get to today,¡± Xavier sneered, licking his lips. Landin grimaced, ¡°Shut up. Your insults are as bad as a Halo 2 lobby, you gross old man. Can you even get it up, you disgusting, balding, Slender Man looking idiot? Maybe need a little blue pill there, maybe some blue chew, Giganto?¡± Xavier frowned, shing forward before Landin could realize what happened. Landin was looking up at the clouded sky, his back searing in pain as he coughed up a wad of blood. W-what happened?! He thought, his mind racing only for a moment until he saw Xavier standing above him. ¡°You talk too much.¡± Landin grinned, ¡°Habit I picked up from my cringy teacher,¡± he chuckled, spitting a glob of blood back at Xavier, it hitting him on the cheek. Xavier¡¯s frown devolved into a scowl as he wiped the red splotch from his cheek. Xavier grunted loudly, raising his massive military-like boot above Landin. But just as his foot came down, Landin was pulled out from under the blow, Ifrit barking loudly as the wolf pup yanked hard on Landin¡¯s pant leg. Jumping back up, Landin wiped the blood from his mouth, bracing himself for whatever wasing. But to his surprise, the man didn¡¯t move, instead rolling his shoulders and neck. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a stretch in a while. And since we have such a captivated audience. I think I¡¯ll enjoy embarrassing you before I rip your shitty little throat out kid,¡± Xavierughed. Landin scowled, but this was the best scenario for him. Xavier was underestimating him and giving him precious time for the others to get to Drake. But Xavier blurred after a light sneer back at Landin, a secondter in front of him, already in the motion of a right hook. Landin¡¯s eyes once again widened, unwilling to believe this man was so leagues above him in stats. Quickly snapping his fingers, he switched ces with Anima. Their differences in height saving both of them once again, Xavier¡¯s hook passing over her harmlessly. Landin needed to pull out all the stops or he wouldn¡¯tst long enough in the fight, even with the bastard of a man ying around with him. He had just used up thest charge of his recement skill and it wouldn¡¯t be back for several minutes. He began chanting, straining his eyes to keep track of Xavier. ¡°Ifrit! Let the bell toll!¡± he began. Landin crouched ready to receive another blow but it never came. Xavier rolled his arms again, this time a glow beginning to emanate as he did. A skill? A body enhancement like Drake¡¯s, but it works with him fighting longer like Sarah? Or is it just from him rolling his arms? Landin thought. But he continued the chant, not time to waste. ¡°Ring the sound of victory, devour the branch of life, Grow and expand! Step forward into the light! Summoner¡¯s Enlightenment!¡± he roared, Ifrit taking long leaping bounds towards him. Ifrit was bathed in white light suddenly growing several times bigger, his legs bing more muscr, ws longer and sharper. The mes on his mane and elbows burned with more intensity. Finally, his face turned several times more severe and ferocious. No longer a puppy but a full-grown Tundra Wolf. Landin continued, reaching his hand out to Ifrit. ¡°Dwell within me! King Maker!¡± Ifrit lept into Landin¡¯s chest a magic circle forming instantaneously as he did between them. As Ifrit passed through the circle, Landin began to glow in bright bluish light, his body expanding outward, his hands bingrger with sharp ws instead of nails. His hair growing out past his waist and changed to a deep blue. Landin gave a guttural animalistic growl, his eyes yellow and sharp. ¡°Oh look, the snot-nosed kid, grew some sharp nails, want me to wait while you paint them?¡± Xavier bellowed, his head snapping backward with each amusedugh. Landin ignored him and flexed his legs, taking a step forward, the ground underneath him cracking and denting from the force. He shot forward before Xavier was able to react in time. Landin thrusted his hand forward like a spear, his new ws set to points, aimed directly at the man¡¯s chest. But it was never that easy. Either a skill, defensive item, or just the difference in levels and stats prevented Landin¡¯s blow from dealing any real damage. His wed hand ricocheted off Xavier¡¯s chest, only ripping the clothes and leaving a small scratch against the man¡¯s skin. Xavier frowned, ¡°That¡¯s some power-up! Still not good enough though! You''re just some weak little brat who got some fancy stones!¡± Landin tried to retreat, taking a step back, but his wrist was grabbed in a sh by Xavier. The strength behind it too much as Landin could hear and feel his bones snapping under the hold. ¡°Let me teach you just how weak and useless you really are!¡± Xavier bellowed anotherugh, lifting Landin like a paperweight into the air and mming him down into the ground. Landin gave out a grunt of pain, air forcibly expelled from his lungs as his eyes rolled back into his head. Then was thrown across the open area, skipping across the ground until he crashed into a building, toppling it from the force. Xavierughed mirthfully. Allowing Bahamut and Anima to go to him. A voice Landin hadn¡¯t heard before yelled out as he scrambled to get up out of the house¡¯s rubble. ¡°Please! Please stop! You can¡¯t win! Don¡¯t throw your life away!¡± Landin flexed his aura, Anima beginning to heal him as his head struggled to lift to see the owner of the voice only to hear a single crack of a hand. He finally found it, Xavier, had pped the elf woman in maid clothing across the face, sending her to the floor. ¡°Who told you to speak, you dumb slut! You sit there and you watch as I beat the shit out of this less than dirt, burden! And just for talking, I think I¡¯ll have extra fun for our special night!¡± Something twinged inside Landin, a fierce scowl forming across his wolf-like face. ¡°I¡­ am not worthless,¡± he growled, canceling his King Maker skill, his body reverting back to normal, ¡°And I am not a burden!¡± The elf girl held her hand to her face, a difficult expression on it, but yelled out again. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your life for us, we¡¯re already lost¡­ There¡¯s no hope of us escaping, no matter who is here!¡± Xavier turned, but Landin shouted first. ¡°SHUT UP!¡± he growled, ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for you! I¡¯m doing it for me! I¡¯m not going to be told I can¡¯t do something ever again! It¡¯s my job to protect this camp and there are people in front of me who need help, and I finally have the power to do something about it! I¡¯ll do it, just like he did it for me! So just shut up, sit there, and let me put my life on the line to finally do what I want to!¡± he gave a feral grin, pointing a finger at Xavier, ¡°I¡¯m finally living my life my way and right now that means kicking this Lieutenant Surge wannabe reject, head looking ass¡¯s dick in the dirt!¡± Xavier¡¯s face turned purple in rage, turning back to face Landin. He began swinging his arms, the dim glow Landin had seen before beginning to brighten and deepen in color, turning to a deep red. Landin had no other options, he wasn¡¯t even sure if what he was about to do would work. But if he didn¡¯t he was dead. His enhanced form with Ifrit was the strongest skillbination that he had used. There was only that left. ¡°Duality Core! Bahamut into Anima!¡± Both summons glowed, turning into spheres of light and then crashing into each other as their anchors on Landin¡¯s body glowed and vibrated with power. ¡°Plus Ifrit! Monst3r!¡± Landin roared, Ifrit bing a sphere of light and finishing the skill as it crashed into the other. Xavier blurred, shing out of sight. But Monst3r formed from the light, taking the blow meant for Landin in its shoulder, blowing it¡¯s arm from the shoulder down clean off. The amalgamation of the summons shrieked in pain and grunted as it slowly used Anima¡¯s power to recover itself. Unfortunately, Landin didn¡¯t have time to wait for his summon to fully heal. He was almost out of mana, and Duality Core onlysted so long while putting a huge tax on his resources. Gritting his teeth Landin shouted while he still had eyes on Xavier. ¡°Dwell within me! King Maker!¡± He jumped forward, aiming right at the back of his new summon. Praying the skill activated. And with luck, it did. Just inches from colliding with Monst3r, a magic circle formed and he melded with the summon. Landin¡¯s entire body grew several timesrger as he loomed over Xavier now. His facial features were fierce and sharp, his skin several shades darker as if it had turned to woodish bark. His face still resembled himself, however, blue fire escaped his mouth and yellow-slitted eyes leered back at Xavier. On Landin¡¯s back enormous dark wings spread wide, his feet changing to serrated talons, and his arms covered in white-blueish fur with knives for fingertips. Xavier was stunned for a moment looking back up at the creature. Landin sucked in a deep breath, then gave a guttural howl of blue mes, covering Xavier in frozen fire. It was a gamble, but it looked like it had paid off. Landin didn¡¯t have the minute control his summons had over their skills, instead, he could only brute force them. And he had never practiced, giving this fight a whole new level of difficulty. Then, it was Landin¡¯s turn to be stunned as a only slightly frostbitten hand reached out through the gale of blue fire. Trying to grab for his throat. Landin cut off the bellowing fire and threw his serrated hand in an uppercut to deflect Xavier''s grip. Once he did, another hand came from the side in a left hook. Landin put his right elbow up to block it. But that was a mistake as he was flung to the side, his arm going limp. Xavier had shattered his arm. Landin stopped himself mid-air, flexing his wings, and willed his body to mend thanks to Anima¡¯s skills. But it was clumsy at best, which only slowed down the process of mending the shattered bone. And Xavier wasn¡¯t waiting any longer. The man dashed forward chasing Landin, throwing several jabs in quick session. Landin could see the blows now thanks tobining with his summons, but only barely, the blowsing in blurred streaks. He tried his best to dodge the blows, dipping to one side, but one of the jabs touched the side of his cheek, cutting it wide open. Landin pped his wings, forcing himself into a spinning kick with his talons only to hear a scraping sound against Xavier¡¯s skin as if Landin was scratching metal against metal. Xavier¡¯s guard halted Landin¡¯s strike, allowing him to grab him by the leg and throw him to the ground once more. Landin impacted and crushed the ground beneath him, blood escaping his mouth as he grimaced, trying to stay conscious. But Xavier was unrelenting. Jumping onto Landin¡¯s chest, he swung his arms, the light growing and growing with each rotation. ¡°Anyst words piss ant?¡± Xavier sneered. ¡°You look like an ugly Mr. Potatohead¡­¡± Landin smirked, showing two elongated canines. Xavier¡¯s face twisted in derision and he gripped his hands together like a hammer, bringing it down on Landin¡¯s stomach. The blow folded Landin like awn chair as he was pushed further into the ground. His body desperately tried to heal the damage, but he was running on empty, his health and mana bars dangerously low. Xavier reached down into the hole, picking Landin up by his hair and dragging him in front of the elf girl. ¡°See what happens when you step out of line bitch? You¡¯re just like him, useless! Only good for that thing between your legs. Too bad this sack of shit, couldn¡¯t back up his mouth. I needed to burn off those snacks I had earlier!¡± Xavier guffawed. Landin coughed, one eye forced shut, the other half able to open. ¡°Y-you taking a break potato face? I-I didn¡¯t hear no bell, spudman¡­¡± Xavier growled, rearing back his free arm as Landin¡¯s eye began to close, exhaustion taking him, his skills and spells running out and canceling. Then Xavier was gone. The sound as if a grenade had gone off next to his head rang deep within his being deafening the surroundings and blurring his already darkening vision. The only sensation he felt was theck of rain for a few moments, then warmth entered his body. Landin opened his eyes, a goofy empathetic smirk looking back at him. ¡°It¡¯s about goddamn time-¡± Landin said, but coughed, a dribble of red liquid leaving his lips. ¡°You did good. I didn¡¯t expect someone so strong to be here. That was my fault¡­ It won¡¯t happen again,¡± Drake answered, standing up. Drake motioned to several people, ¡°Take care of him. Tanya? Bring him and those women to the tents. Sarah, Mordred, Glenn, Luciem. Go to the pits, and find Clotho and Quetz. Evacuate anyone you can. You have 10 minutes.¡± A roar came from behind Drake, the voice now very familiar to Landin. ¡°They aren¡¯t going anyw-¡± But the voice was cut short, the surroundings crackling and humming with power as magic circles of every element at Drake¡¯s disposal manifested and then vanished, his entire being going golden. Drake turned away from Landin, his eyes sharp daggers in a vicious primal re as he looked over his shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could speak.¡± Landin bent to the side slightly to see past Drake, seeing Xavier syed across the muddy ground, his face showing just how much effort he was putting into fighting against Drake¡¯s aura. ¡°What about the guards we¡¯ve captured, Patriarch?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ asked from the side, looking at the man with murderous disdain. ¡°Leave them here. I know what to do against men like him. They are going to die just like he is, and thest thing they see is him. As the true weakling that he is. You can try to fight against my aura. But you are just like Adam,¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Bjorn was right. It looks like our auras are affected by some things. And yours has no bite. I can only assume how you came to be so high level but you do not deserve it. There is no substance in it, just like you. A small little man, on a small little throne.¡± Landin chuckled slightly. ¡°Oh, now you''re screwed.¡± Chapter 273: Volume 3 Finale – And I am Strong Enough To Be Cruel! 2 Chapter 273: Volume 3 Finale ¨C And I am Strong Enough To Be Cruel! 2 Drake walked forward, his face painted in unbridled disgust and fury. He had seen what was left in the city, what littered the mansion of the town lord. He had made a mistake. Too many mistakes while entering the town. Trying to give his students room and time to grow had resulted in more than half of them being injured. One misstep taking their lives if he hadn¡¯t been there to stop it. It was his fault, but this man. Drake looked with disdain down at the man in front of him, looking back at Drake with pure hatred and defiance. He was so strong yet so weak. His level was truly the first one Drake had met that was inted. Natto had told him about people using skill stones to progress their skills, how it would help in the short term but quickly hinder their progression, eventually stopping their growth. Drake never thought he would meet such a person so soon, and so, broken. He bent down, the man, Xavier, still struggling against Drake¡¯s aura on full disy. ¡°Let¡¯s see just how over-inted you really are,¡± Drake said, pulling at the ne around Xavier¡¯s neck. Drake scoffed, ¡°How many people did you kill¡­ How many innocent people did you take to reach that level?!¡± he sneered. [Xavier Thornsworth Level 28] ¡°Y-you¡¯ll regret t-this¡­ you golden prick!¡± Xavier croaked. Drake already directed everyone to evacuate. Telling Sarah and the others to gather and leave within ten minutes, but Drake wasn¡¯t sure if he could contain his anger for that long. His blood boiled. He had been naive, he underestimated the true depravity that was allowed to be in this world he was supposed to call home. Whaty inside men who gained power. ¡°Regret?¡± Drake growled, ¡°The only thing I regret is allowing those kids I care about to fight against monsters like you, thinking they were ready for this life. The only thing I regret is noting here sooner to wipe you off the face of this. The only thing I regret is not being able to let every innocent person you¡¯ve ever hurt, defiled, and taken advantage of, get their deserved justice.¡± Drake turned his head, a cowering group of guards they had collected throughout the city shivered in the rain, looking at his exchange with Xavier. ¡°I know how to deal with sad little men like you. Men who take advantage of anyone they can, beating down on those they deem lesser than, ¡°Drake said, turning his head back down to look Xavier in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to show just how weak you are in front of all those people you lorded your power over. I¡¯m going to make sure that when I¡¯m done with that, I will erase any spec of you being here. Of ever being born, of ever existing. No one will remember you. No one will ever spare you a sing miniscule thought again after today.¡± Xavier struggled desperately against Drake¡¯s aura, a slow realization twisting his face into hopelessness. Until the suppression was gone and he was able to rise, looking at Drake, whose eyes shed blue, yellow, and green. ¡°That little voice saying there¡¯s still hope,¡± Drake said softly but seemed to silence the surroundings, ¡°It¡¯s lying. Your death will be in vain,¡± Drake¡¯s aura and mana exploded out, crushing Xavier back down onto the ground, face first into the mud, ¡°And I like that.¡± Xavier¡¯s eyes widened and shook, hearing the bone-chilling voice filled with power right above his head, unable to see Drake. Drake released his aura once more, reigning in his skills. But he was already on the verge of falling into a battle frenzy. His blood ignited in a turbulent storm, fighting to be let out to teach this worthless insect what true power really was. What it meant to fight someone who was sharpened by life and death struggle. He shook his head. He was already losing himself again. Drake was livid, seeing Kalik nearly killed. Finding Atropos passed out after her fight, and finally returning to see Landin almost killed as well. He would correct his mistake. Here and when he went to the summit in just a few days. When he would finally see Atticus. Drake came out of his thoughts. Xavier roared loudly as he charged him, his arms glowing red from some kind of skill. He had already been in a fight technically since he began using his aura, his Asuran¡¯s Battle Acuity skill fully ramped up, and allowing him to see Xavier as if moving at half speed. Moving his head slightly to the side, Drake dodged the straight, and threw his open palm t into the man¡¯s face, throwing him backward several feet. Xavier wore a look of disbelief as blood dripped down his nose and broken lip. Drake only sneered back. He could only assume the man hadn''t been struck that hard in some time. That or he had a skill that enhanced his defense, that Drake easily overwhelmed. ¡°To the death,¡± Drake chanted, increasing his own stats further, ¡°For the thrill of battle.¡± Drake¡¯s skills forced his status to balloon, increasing everything by well over 200%. He didn¡¯t wait for Xavier toe out of his stupor and took a step forward, one hand open-palmed. His hand struck the side of Xavier¡¯s face, a thunderous impact sounding out , the impact scattering away the rain. Xavier gave a pained grunt, his eyes going wide as if he couldn¡¯tprehend what had just happened. Xavier¡¯s face stiffened and he let out a low growl as he tried to counterattack with a skill-enhanced uppercut. Drake deflected the blow, using one hand to redirect the t of his knuckles, much like how Kalik fought while in his Tranquility state. And with his other hand, open palmed, he pped Xavier across the other side of the face. Xavier growled, bloody dribbleing from his mouth. ¡°W-what are you doing?! Aren¡¯t you going to fight me proper?!¡± Drake¡¯s lip curled into a sneer, ¡°I am giving my all. Putting my all into properly embarrassing you. I told you already, you¡¯re nothing but a sad little man on a sad little throne. I want you to fully understand just how tiny you are. To know that I could end you at any point, but choose to let you live a while longer.¡± Xavier screamed, trying to rush Drake with both hands extended. Drake dropped low, throwing two palms into Xavier¡¯s midsection in quick session, folding the man at the center. Then in one fluid motion, Drake stepped back, spinning and throwing his heel into Xavier¡¯s temple, sending the man to the ground. Xavier screamed, throwing a fist into the ground. ¡°I-i won¡¯t ept this! I worked so hard to get where I am!¡± Drake grabbed him by the back of the head, mming it into the ground, his own face emotionless as he raised Xavier¡¯s head again, ramming it into the ground, again and again. ¡°You don¡¯t know the meaning of hard work. You enved thousands, taking the lives of innocents for your own gain¡­ Standing on a mountain of corpses, robbing men, women, and children of their futures!!¡± Drake growled. ¡°You like to talk like you haven¡¯t done the same!¡± Xavier snapped, throwing a desperate fist at Drake¡¯s face. Drake moved his head to the side, the fist passing harmlessly and grabbing Xavier¡¯s elbow in his grip. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve killed thousands. Tens of thousands. And just as many people, like you! But we are not the same!¡± Drake roared, clenching down on Xavier¡¯s elbow, feeling the bones snapping under his grip. ¡°The people I¡¯ve killed deserved it, just like you!¡± Drake growled. Xavier screamed in pain, grabbing at his broken arm, but snarled back, ¡°That¡¯s just an excuse! You like it! Just like I do!¡± Drake threw his foot into Xavier¡¯s chest, sending him flying back into one of the partition walls. ¡°I don¡¯t need an excuse to take out trash. I will wipe people like you out like cancer from a body. I will exterminate you and anyone like you! I know what I¡¯ve done and I don¡¯t need tojustify my actions to someone like you! The world isn¡¯t ck and white and I don¡¯t pretend to know better. But I do know, right here and right now, you are wrong!¡± Xavier didn¡¯t move from where he collided with the partition, forcing Drake to walk over. The man had gone unconscious, notsting even five minutes against Drake. ¡°Pathetic,¡± Drake sneered, pulling a red vial from his inventory and throwing its contents on the man. Xavier gasped as he came through, his eyes wandering until he found Drake in front of him, arge brick of ck earth floating between them aimed right at his most intimate parts. ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Xavier stammered. ¡°Giving justice,¡± Drake said coldly, the brick rising into the air, ¡°Downforce.¡± The brick ignited in fire, bubbling into magma, yet keeping its form as if it was red-hot metal instead of earth. Then mmed into the ground. Xavier¡¯s eyes crossed, his mouth letting out a silent scream as the smell of burning flesh and sizzling rain fell on the smoldering brick. Drake dismissed the spell, grabbing Xavier by the throat and pping him across the face several times until the man came to. ¡°Now to kill some time for my wife and kids to exit this god-forsaken city. I¡¯ll ask you some questions. Who is this Count I keep hearing about?¡± ¡°F-fuck you¡­¡± Xavier spat. Drake raised a hand, one finger glowing red from his Martial skill. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to tell me?¡± Drake brought Xavier¡¯s face close, ¡°Look me in the eyes and tell me.¡± Xavier¡¯s eyes shook seeing the seriousness in Drake¡¯s. ¡°I-I don¡¯t- Ahhhh!!!¡± Xavier screamed in agony, Drake thrusting his finger into his eye socket. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Seeing the things in this city and knowing what I do. I know you have a name. Give it to me.¡± Xavier screamed, unable to hear Drake¡¯s question. Drake dropped the man, turning to the men and women guards, raising a hand into the air, a red magic circle forming as he gazed down at them with cold eyes. ¡°How about you lot? Do you have a name?¡± Drake asked. The magic circle sparked a fireball that instantly turned a shade of blue, then white, steam hissing off the top, the rain turning to steam instantly as the fireball turned into an infernal sun above Drake. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything!¡± ¡°I was forced into this!¡± ¡°I-I swear to god I know nothing! Please!¡± ¡°Please, please! Don¡¯t kill us! We were just following orders!!¡± ¡°Why do they always resort to lying and begging,¡± Drake muttered, bringing his hand down in a chopping motion, the massive ball of fire colliding with the people. Tens of notifications flooded Drake¡¯s vision as he turned away, walking back to the man still scrambling on the ground holding his face. ¡°Are you ready to tell me yet?¡± Drake asked, fed up with the whole ordeal. He had suppressed his Asuran blood, leaving him feeling empty and hollow. An expectant fight turned into nothing more than a one-sided killing of immoral, corrupt, liars who let their authority and power over helpless innocents go to their heads. Xavier didn¡¯t answer, only screaming as he rolled from side to side. Drake grabbed another vial of red, unconcerned with any sort of potion poisoning for the man. Throwing just enough to heal Xavier¡¯s eye, but nothing else. Grabbing Xavier by the hair, Drake summoned a bright green magic circle at his feet, rising into the air with a gust of wind. They rose into the air and Drake was able to see the city in full view. Looking at one of the gates he saw a mass of people exiting. ¡°This should be good enough then.¡± Drake snapped his fingers, conjuring five magic circles of blue, water shooting out of them like tentacles and restraining Xavier. One of them moved to cover his eyes, washing away the blood, then quickly froze over forcing his eyes open. ¡°This city is your legacy, right? The only thing you have to leave behind,¡± Drake said, his hair reverting back to normal as twenty magic circles formed around him, ten of water, ten of ice. ¡°Watch as I eradicate it from my.¡± Drake gave a flourish of his arm, summoning four magic circles of soil brown, the twenty he summoned before hovering around him. ¡°Heretical Endowment, Duo, Ice, Water, Ten Fold.¡± The spells of water and ice vanished, and Drake¡¯s hair turned white with blue streaks swimming through it. Drake¡¯s body wrenched in pain, rejecting the overexertion of his buffing skill. Coughing, a line of blood ran down the side of his mouth. ¡°I won¡¯t forget the pain this ce has brought on Quetz, Clotho, and Atropos. And the thousands of others you¡¯ve enved here.¡± Drake poured power into his spikes of earth, the mana reced almost instantaneously by his ten times increased regeneration from his water endowment. The spikes grew to massive pirs of ck earth, four pirs the size of buildings hovering in the air. Drake¡¯s arms spread out, shaking as if holding the weight of the pirs up with sheer will. ¡°W-what are you doing! Hey! S-stop! I said stop!!¡± Xavier pleaded, his personality taking a turn. ¡°A great man once said, be strong enough to be gentle. But I am no great man. And I am strong enough to be cruel¡­ Your world, will know pain.¡± The pirs dropped, nting themselves into the center of the city with thunderous crashes, kicking up debris and dust, even in the pouring rain. Drake¡¯s arms shook as he began infusing his mana into the pirs again, forcing them into the earth below. ¡°SHINRA TENSEI!!!¡± Drake bellowed, his voice carrying over the area. He had embedded half of the pirs into the ground, half still above and towering over the small structures on the ground. With his words, Drake visibly paled but pushed through, his regeneration kicking in enough to keep the spell, bringing the drain on his status down to a trickle. The pirs began to rumble and carve out the ground, shoving the ground out and churning the earth as they began tearing through the city. Anything and everything was overturned and began moving with the massive pirs as if the earth had turned into an ocean and an enormous wave was building across it. Drake began sweating, his arms shaking with a tumultuous roar of effort. The sound of earth scraping against earth began to build into a crescendo as if the tes beneath the earth themselves were being forcibly moved. And after a full strenuous minute, Drake was finished. His body was torn to shambles from the inside from overloading his system with the forced enhancement beyond anything he had attempted before. Blood leaking from every orifice and pore on his body. The city of Sandal. Was no more. Left in the aftermath was only a field of rubble and upturned earth, not even therge walled partitions remained. Xavier was quiet, his mouth hung open, gaping as if he were a fish out of water, in pure disbelief of what he had just witnessed. Drake could no longer hold him or Xavier up and they began to descend to the ground in a near free fall. And just before they crashed into the earth, Drake summoned two pirs of water, allowing the tops to ripple and break the surface tension. The two crashed into the pirs falling to the bottoms safely. Drake dismissed them quickly, pulling hisst potion from his inventory and letting the warm liquid slide down his throat as he gasped for air. Sitting on the ground, a few minutester he saw a group headed by Sah Ul¡¯ run to meet him. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ shouted with worry evident on her face. He waved her off and pointed to Xavier. ¡°Sit him up,¡± he instructed, ¡°The name of the Count. You have nothing left,¡± Drake said scowling. Xavier¡¯s eyes had gone dull and lifeless. He smirked,ughing like he had lost his mind. ¡°Haha! You want a name¡­? Fine! I don¡¯t care anymore! That bastard can burn in hell with me for lying to me! His name is Ferdinand Smith, the leader of the New Colonies!¡± Drake pointed a hand at Xavier¡¯s head, firing a bullet of ice and killing him instantly, a hole between his eyes. [You have killed Xavier Thornsworth Level 28] [Experience Earned, 761 Nobility Points have been awarded] [Quest Complete. Bringing the House Down] [You have imed ownership of Sandal] [You now im ownership of three different Anchoring Crystals] [Congrattions! You have increased to Elemental Miller Level 29] [140 Free Points have been awarded] Drake¡¯s hand fell next to him, his bodypletely spent as Sah Ul¡¯ slung an arm under him to help him up. But just when he thought the worst was over, his pocket vibrated. The long-rangemunication crystal turning on. Drake struggled but removed it from his pants pocket. ¡°What is it? Kind of a bad time-¡± ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto¡¯s voice came out in a cold tone from the crystal. ¡°What happened?¡± He replied, hearing the seriousness in her voice. ¡°Return to the city now. Mikhail just returned¡­¡± There was a long pause before Natto¡¯s next words came through the crystal. ¡°Rvul is dead.¡± Chapter 274: A Line Once Broken, Unknowingly Remade Chapter 274: A Line Once Broken, Unknowingly Remade The sounds of light taps resonated down the hall. An otherworldly-looking woman of deceivingly short stature walked down the hall, arge beaming smile on her unblemished and perfect face. Skin as dark as the abyss, eyes as golden as the morning sun, and hair so richly colored it could be mistaken as gold itself. Madoka Nana, the Matriarch of the Renmai, the Dream Shifter. Two attendants followed down the hall alongside her, Madoka¡¯s nine sunlight-gold tails trailing her as she swayed from foot to foot. Eventuallying to an ostentatious door, donning a silver base, with thest of the Obsidian Dwarven made Orihalcum left within the multiverse. Madoka waited, her attendants grabbing the silver handles as they wrenched the door wide for their master to pass. ¡°It took you quite some time to arrive¡­¡± A voice said from across the room, irritation dripping off every word. Madoka waved the voice off, ¡°We all know we are waiting for that bag of bones to possibly arrive. From what I hear he will not even show up,¡± she said, pausing and looking around the room, ¡°I¡¯m told he is having too much fun in the new sector¡­¡± Across the room sat arge table made of a white wood that looked almost petrified, but emanated such life and mana it became almost blinding. The wood of a World Tree, of which tree she didn¡¯t know, but the woman sitting at the head of the table had many things in her possession that were of the rarest kind. They eyed each other for a moment. ¡°Fine, I apologize for beingte. I was ying with my great-great-grandchildren,¡± Madoka sighed, waving a hand and growing several feet in height, filling out the white and gold dress she wore, ¡°The next time we meet in a few hundred years it will not happen again, Mir¡¯phyra.¡± The old dragon Matriarch gave a sneer that could still melt the hearts of mortal men back at Madoka, Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s two sons on either side of her. ¡°These meetings are important. We must maintain the verse through measuring how much the Titans have advanced as well as their locations. Have you forgotten why we made the decision to convene a council such as this?¡± Mir¡¯phyra scowled. Madoka shrugged, looking around at the other Primordials at the table and their attendants. Ignata Gulfar, the Eternal Ember, Immortal of the Primal Elementals. Seras Enire, the Mother of Nature, Matriarch of the Kirins. Aliwi Vernelis, the Sword of Spring, First Tree of the High Elves. Azrael, the Pureblood Reaper, High Arc Angel of the Risen. And finally, one empty seat, with two skeletons on either side, draped in ragged clothes. The seat reserved for Vandalieu, the Lich King, Undying Ruler of the End. Taking her seat, she tapped her long gold nails on the table, small sparks of mana released from each brief rap. ¡°Then, are we here to talk about what happened with your respective tutorials?¡± she asked. A pulse of aura filled the room. Everyone suddenly flexed their own tobat it. ¡°Do you happen to mean the tutorials that you also were a part of? And allowed valuable, priceless, and purposefully regted skill stones to go back into cirction?¡± Mir¡¯phyra said coldly. Madoka smiled back, ¡°Do not forget that Seras also allowed those stones out, not to mention, someone¡¯s little fresh green-horned daughter happened to give several and the most problematic set to leave your vaults.¡± The table cracked down the middle and Madoka vanished, her two attendants struggling in the air, their hands around their necks as they gasped for breath. Madoka appeared on the other side of the table, her hand draped casually around Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s eldest son, Trit¡¯rea. ¡°I seem to have been dealt the better hand Mir¡¯phyra.¡± ¡°You will regret threatening my son, Dream Peddler,¡± Mir¡¯phyra sneered back. ¡°Or what? You will ce the Renmai on your little hit list? We all remember how that went,¡± Madoka snickered back, a bright smile creasing her face. ¡°May we move on from this dribble?¡± Azrael sighed, fourrge golden wings bristling slightly. ¡°I must agree. We are all busy with our own affairs and having titans possibly approach our sectors is not helping,¡± Aliwi added. Mir¡¯phyra lowered Madoka¡¯s two attendants, both dropping to the floor in a heap. And Madoka removed her own from her son, flipping her long golden hair. ¡°My daughter has been significantly reprimanded, her Rank reduced and her authority to rule a border revoked. She will be forced to be re-educated and climb the Ranks once more,¡± she said with a displeased curl of her lips. ¡°That isn¡¯t the half of it dear Mir¡¯phyra,¡± Madoka said, shrugging and shaking her head. Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s delicate eyebrow rose, ¡°Legendary stones have slipped through the cracks before, this time is no different. We will have our fun and the order will return to normal.¡± ¡°This time is different,¡± Madoka said with a smirk, her eyes shifting to daggers of brilliant ruby. ¡°You speak of the boy on the new¡­¡± a smoldering deep voice said, Ignata finally speaking up. She nodded, ¡°The new sector. A descendant''s branch family has established one of their auctions there. All of the stones that we have lost are on that. Including the Asuran and the Titan¡¯s.¡± Mir¡¯phyra waved her hand, ¡°We knew this months ago. We also know that they are all Dual ss Lunatics, save the Titan boy. They will simply go insane, or we will deal with them as we always have.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Madoka nodded, her eyes thinning, ¡°I remember our contract so many years ago. But these ones feel¡­ different.¡± As Madoka finished her thought, the doors to the room swung open. A gangly skeleton in tattered robes, jewelry adorning every inch of his body, strode in. If the ivory-colored skull could smile beneath its hood and crown, it would be. The room chilled as he took his seat and Madoka returned to her own. ¡°Pleasant as always Vandalieu¡­¡± Mir¡¯phyra sneered. ¡°Do not sour my mood, Mir¡¯phyra. I am having my own fun among your lots mistakes,¡± he replied. She gave him a scathing nce, ¡°Not so much amusement to be a problem, I hope?¡± ¡°Bah. I will do as I please. I have been a part of this Primordial Counsel since its conception. Before any of you were thoughts in your father¡¯sher regions. Back when the fighting was constant and plenty. Not this castrated dross.¡± The whole table collectively grimaced, but they couldn¡¯t reprimand the Lich for his words. Making an enemy of the undead was a fool''s errand. Their empire spanned several sectors already and had only ceased due to Vandalieu¡¯s wistfulness. ¡°Be that as it may, we must deal with the new Titan soon. We all realize how vital it is to relocate them before, he is forced to,¡± Mir¡¯phyra exined. The table nodded as she continued. ¡°There is also the matter of the Weing Tournament. It is a great opportunity to test the fledglings and put them on the fast track to break through the E-Rank.¡± Aliwin spoke next, ¡°There were only twos created in this initiation. Many of us dealt with tutorials of only one of them. But we do know that there is only one legendary ss on thetter. They will not bepetition, of this I am certain.¡± Mir¡¯phyra closed her eyes and sighed, ¡°Yes, I am sure one of our candidates will win again. And from the reports I have collected, we expect it to happen within the 10-year timeframe if not sooner. Due to meddling¡­¡± she added in a displeased whisper. Vandalieu pped his bony hands together, pleased. ¡°Oh good! I get to witness a new war betweens and find prospects for a wonderful new undead. This century is turning out to be bountiful indeed. When was thest time I had a proper convert¡­ Maybe I will add another Asuran to my collection, or possibly a Silver Wolf? It has been centuries since I¡¯ve added an Obsidian Dwarf!¡± ¡°The Asuran boy, is my business Vandalieu!¡± Mir¡¯phyra reprimanded, ¡°I gave him his stones and I will recollect them when the investment has reached fruition.¡± Vandalieu tapped his fingers against the table, ¡°Are you going to stop me? Little Mira?¡± he asked, power resonating with his voice. Pressure weighed down the surroundings again, this time a result of Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s skills, not just her aura. ¡°Do not use that name. We are even, Vandalieu. My debts are paid and I will not tolerate you taking from me what is mine!¡± Vanalieu continued to tap his fingers on the table casually, as if the pressure of Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s skill and aura were but a light breeze on his bones. His red hollow eyes looked at her as if gauging whether or not the fight was worth it. ¡°Fine,¡± he conceded, ¡°I will just have my fun elsewhere.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Madoka snickered, getting up from her seat, ¡°I think we¡¯re done here. I¡¯ll be going back to my domain. Politics always makes me sleepy.¡± The other Primordial leaders nodded, getting up and filtering out with their attendants one by one, leaving Mir¡¯phyra alone with her sons and thoughts. Different¡­? She thought, a deep suppressed memory rummaging up in her mind, like dirt stirred at the bottom of a pond. A thought of the man she once loved and lost, a thought of a line once broken. ¡°No. It is impossible, I killed them all. Down to thest child,¡± she reminded herself, ¡°There will never be another.¡± ¡ª-------------------- Madoka walked through the door, space folding around her as she stepped through. Her heels tapped against the polished wood each step resonating through the hallway until she came to a empty open room, save a woman kneeling in front of a table. Bright yellow hair, and seven tails swayed lightly back and forth against her kimono, the faint scent of burned tobo in the air. ¡°Talyia, dear, what brings you here? Have you not already informed me of your dealings?¡± Madoka hummed, her attendants taking her cloak from her as she sat at the table. ¡°Yes, Grand Ancestor. I have done as instructed to ce the boy onto the path. And I have looked back,¡± she said, looking up to meet Madoka¡¯s eyes, her own turning a reflective yellowish silver, ¡°But I am unable to determine his past. My mana is simply not enough.¡± Madoka raised a brow, ¡°Is that right? Are you saying an A-Rank descendant of a primordial on the cusp of reaching S-Rank does not have enough mana to observe the past of a mere fledgling F-Rank?¡± A deep smile crept onto Madoka¡¯s face, ¡°Then¡­ that means?¡± Talyia nodded, ¡°Yes, the fact I am unable means what you suspect is true. He bears protection of an S-Rank Primordial if not more. The time on his home of Earth that I observed is brief. And I am unable to look back to his conception, it is as if he appears from the void.¡± Madoka ced a hand on the table, a ss of red liquid gently ced there by an attendant. She stirred the ss gingerly, a glowing smile and eyes of deep gold humming with excitement. ¡°And the Dragon Princess?¡± ¡°The information I have gathered has told us she was reduced down to the bottom of E-Rank. The she governed, an outer world once held by the Asurans. Given to her younger brother. It does not look good for those people¡­¡± Madoka scoffed, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask about their wellbeing. The girl, Talyia. I only have so much free time.¡± ¡°Yes. She is currently being secluded to one of the System Towers. We unfortunately do not know which.¡± ¡°I see¡­ The Asuran boy. Will they cross paths?¡± Taliya paused for a moment, and then rose, ¡°Fate is ironic is it not, Ancestor?¡± ¡°That is not what I asked, sweet girl,¡± Madoka sighed. ¡°I believe it goes without question such a fate is theirs.¡± Madoka¡¯s eyes thinned into crescents, ¡°Good.¡± Chapter 275: Returning Home Defeated Chapter 275: Returning Home Defeated Sitting in the rain, Drake felt his heart drop into his stomach. The words from the crystal, still hanging in the air like a cold sickness. The world went silent as if it refused to speak, to give credence to Natto¡¯s words. But Drake was forced to. He threw out his hand, gripping Sah Ul¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°You can¡¯t go alone.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ wouldn¡¯t turn to look at Drake. ¡°I am bound to avenge him¡­ Or would you stop me?¡± she asked stoically, but Drake could feel her arm quiver under his grip. Drake was still in such agony from hisst spell he could feel the muscles underneath his skin rip and tear with the effort of holding Sah Ul¡¯ back. ¡°I will not lose you too. I¡¯m telling you to stay and wait!¡± Drake grunted, wincing in pain. She still did not turn, ¡°Is this an order from the Patriarch?¡± ¡°No. This is a demand from your husband. A husband who is afraid to lose his wife!¡± he said firmly. He felt Sah Ul¡¯s body cken, her shoulders slumping, but sheplied, relenting her resistance. Drake let her wrist go and struggled to get to his feet, snapping a water spell to force his endowment to heal himself, despite his body feeling as if it was constantly being torn apart. He looked around, the only people surrounding them, Hudson, some of his soldiers, and a few of the people they had freed. A face he recognized was the dwarf woman, Y, looking at him concerned. He ignored the stares and cycled through the people¡¯s faces. Finding Hudson¡¯s face with an expression that seemed to want to ask Drake a mountain of questions. ¡°Sarah, give me just a few minutes. Gather what you can of the stones and spatial bags. We will leave as soon as we can. Hudson,¡± he said, turning to address his old party member, ¡°I need you to bring these people back. Quetz, Clotho, Atropos, and Charlotte should be fine to fight in a few hours after some rest.¡± ¡°Boy¡­¡± Hudson grumbled, ¡°A-aren¡¯t you ganna talk about it?!¡± he shouted finally. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. That undead will die, just as I promised. It doesn¡¯t matter who they were before. But thises first¡­ Unless you are saying you knew?¡± Hudson recoiled, his face turning red, ¡°Don¡¯t insult me! I¡¯ve done terrible things in my life but I would never!¡± ¡°Then bring these people safely back to my city. When I¡¯ve removed whoever had the audacity to¡­¡± Drake clenched his teeth, unable to finish the thought, ¡°This will be different going forward. Sah Ul¡¯ and I will go on ahead, I trust you and everyone else knows the way back. My students will be able to deal with anything normal along the way.¡± Drake pulled the long-rangemunication crystal from his pocket, handing it to Hudson. ¡°If anything happens, anything at all that you don¡¯t think you can handle. Use this to contact its pair. I¡¯ll be picking it up when we reach ReUnite.¡± Hudson nodded, storing the crystal. ¡°L-Lord D-Drake¡­ you are leaving?¡± Y asked in a weak voice from behind them. Drake turned, seeing the dwarf girl¡¯s concerned expression, next to her another face he recognized from before the fight with Xavier. An elf girl named Tanya, or should Drake say a dark elf girl? Tanya was unlike the other elves he had seen up until now. Her skin was a light caramel, and she had ghostly white hair, with purple jasmine eyes that reminded him of Quetz but a lighter shade. She also of course had the iconic long ears that poked through her shoulder-length hair. Ignoring the ridiculous outfit she seemed to be forced to wear, she almost looked like a movie princess. ¡°Not leaving, just going ahead of everyone. You¡¯ll be safe with this group,¡± he answered. ¡°We understand,¡± Tanya said, bowing slightly, ¡°We just wanted to thank you¡­ What you did for us, what all of your people did, I do not know how we will repay you.¡± Tanya¡¯s bow deepened. ¡°Then make sure you thank Landin when he wakes up,¡± Drake said, unable to help himself from grinning slightly, ¡°I hope you will look over him until he does.¡± Tanya straightened and nodded, tears on the verge of spilling from her eyes. Drake put on a sympathetic expression, pulling a cloth from his inventory and offering it to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can all rest easy now.¡± But Tanya shook her head, ¡°No, my sister is still out there¡­ And I know who sold us off to that horrid man.¡± She wore a grim expression, one filled with disgust and contempt, but Drake would have to ask her to borateter. His body had taken a beating from the overuse of his endowment, but his senses were as sharp as they had ever been. On the edge of his aura sphere he could feel the tens of thousands of people they had liberated, but there was a small group rushing towards him. A single person shooting off ahead at speeds only capable of a few that he knew. Drake braced himself, his hair shimmering from blue to yellow as he dropped the cloth and pushed mana into his tattoos, his arms glowing golden. A crash of metal against mana sounded like a hammer hitting a gong. Drake held a serrated dagger the size of his forearm just inches from his stomach. He flexed his aura, a dark-skinned woman with white hair and spiraling drill twin tails melding back into view, her face a deep scowl bristling with abject rage. ¡°What have you done to my sister!? My people?!¡± Drake was in no mood for whatever this was and pulled his fist back, holding the de in his other hand, refusing to release it to his would-be killer. ¡°Piss off.¡± He began throwing his fist forward, it bathed in gold and red light from his tattoos and skill. Only forced to stop not a hair¡¯s length from Tanya¡¯s face. ¡°Stop! Please!¡± she said, face pale and drained of blood as she sweated bullets, ¡°T-this is my sister, Princess Aralleen! Araleen, stop! He isn¡¯t our enemy! This is the person who saved us! All of us!¡± she pleaded, not willing to move her gaze from Drake¡¯s fist. ¡°He is what?!¡± Aralleen asked, her voice quivering slightly. Drake lowered his hand and sighed, ¡°You heard her Sarah, she doesn¡¯t seem to be an enemy, just a concerned sister, you can lower your ax.¡± Tanya and Aralleen turned around. Sah Ul¡¯ raising her hands above her head, with ax in hand ready to cleave them both in half. Apparently, neither Drake nor Sah Ul¡¯ were willing to y around after hearing the news and were on full alert. ¡°While I won¡¯t fault her for attacking me because she was trying to protect you without knowing the circumstances. I am one for equality and she did just try to kill me,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°I will take on any punishment you see fit for my sister!¡± Tanya said, determined. ¡°Nope, just her,¡± Drake said casually, throwing a jab over Tanya¡¯s shoulder, her hair pping wildly in the aftermath. Tanya gasped and turned back around to see her sister several feet away on the muddy floor. She struggled to get up with one arm while her other held her nose. ¡°Someone get her a healer or a potion. Since she is here that makes it even safer for you all,¡± Drake paused, looking slightly further out of the dug-up crater that used to be Sandal. A small contingent of people rushed to them and yelled. ¡°Looks like you have a small entourage too, Princess Aralleen. They can help keep your sister and my people safe on their way to the city. I¡¯m sure you have questions and we can talk all you like once I am finished with my immediate problem.¡± Drake didn¡¯t wait for an answer, walking past them with some difficulty, his body still in agony from the bacsh. With a snap of his fingers, his hair changed to a striking yellow as he scooped up Sah Ul¡¯ in a princess carry, running off and leaving the group behind. ¡ª------------------ ¡°Princess Aralleen!¡± several soldiers shouted as they arrived. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Who was that man?!¡± ¡°Are you hurt, my Lady!¡± Aralleen waved them all off, too embarrassed to answer. She looked at where the man had stood before practically vanishing her stomach tying into knots with each passing moment. He could have killed me¡­ He saved my sister and I tried to kill him! I¡­ She thought in frustration. She had not conducted herself well. Without knowing more she had seen and heard the fight ensuing from the city. And after witnessing the destruction of the city her mind had gone into disarray, with only concern for her sister and her people at the forefront. Aralleen rushed off ahead of her guard, desperate to find her sister before it was toote again. And then she found a man she didn¡¯t know trying to touch her. Some filthy man dared to put his hands on her sister. ¡°Aralleen?¡± Tanya said, offering a red vial and snapping her out of her thoughts. Aralleen¡¯s expression softened and she took the container, sipping on it gently as she felt her broken nose return to normal, the pain subsiding. Once she finished the potion she threw the vial away, wrapping her arms around her sister, ignoring the dirt and muck she wore. ¡°I¡­I was so worried Tanya¡­ I didn¡¯t know where you went. I¡¯m sorry, I should have been more attentive! I should have double¡­ triple checked the guards!¡± she cried, breaking down. Tanya sniffled and pulled her sister in close. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t your fault! H-he sold us all off¡­ He sent us here and sold out his own people!¡± Aralleen forced herself to separate from her sister, holding her at arm¡¯s length and her face stricken with confusion and tears. ¡°Who?¡± she asked. Tanya¡¯s face held a difficult and frustrated look, ¡°I think you already know¡­ It was Valor. He sold us to that man!¡± she said, looking with disgust at a corpse not far away. ¡°Then,¡± Aralleen thought aloud, ¡°That man that was just here, he really saved you all? How?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. He is unfathomably strong. The man who kept us imprisoned was exceedingly strong. No one could defy him¡­ But that man, Drake, no Lord Drake Wallen. He fought him as if he was ying with a child. Sister¡­¡± Tanya said, her expression turning serious, ¡°We need his strength.¡± Chapter 276: Your Punishment, Is Eternity Chapter 276: Your Punishment, Is Eternity Drake ignored Sarah¡¯s struggles and protests in his arms. They didn¡¯t have time to waste and he was simply faster than her by several degrees. He navigated the forests in the span of minutes, his legs screaming in agony every step of the way, he swore he almost heard them yell in colorful protest aagainst him. But he was determined. Determined to find out just what happened. He didn¡¯t have much time to process it. The fact that his father-inw who he was justing to terms with being family was now gone still felt surreal. Sah Ul¡¯ being the strong-willed warrior woman that she was, gave very subtle indications of distress, making it all the less tangible in Drake¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t imagine if one of his close family had been taken. What he would do, how he would feel. The lengths he would go to get revenge. It was a dark ce in his mind. It was something he had felt before, but couldn¡¯t ce his finger on, like a papercut he wanted to but knew he couldn¡¯t scratch. It was maddening. Drake and Sah Ul¡¯ didn¡¯t have much time to discuss what they would do outside of finding this person. Drake¡¯s speed was nearlyical as he went through the forest kicking up the remnants of snow and cutting through the fresh rain with a wind spell to keep them dry. They arrived at the gates of ReUnite quickly and to the guards'' surprise. But everyone under the employ of Natto and by extension Drake, knew his face. And before they could even check him, Natto had appeared, her face sympathetic, but calm. ¡°Mikhail is with the Doctor for now. We still do not have experienced healing sses and well¡­ It is best if you speak with him,¡± she exined. Drake let Sah Ul¡¯ down and began walking in the direction of the Doctor¡¯s building. Natto hopped onto his shoulder. ¡°I take it that the business with Sandal has been taken care of based on the notification. How many should we expect?¡± Drake wasn¡¯t in the mood to discuss it, but he hardly had a choice, the walk would take some time. Also, it would only help Natto prepare. ¡°It¡¯s in the tens of thousands. Many of them are Elves and Dwarves. Craftsmen mostly, I don¡¯t know if they arebat-oriented.¡± ¡°Good, we are in dire need of craftsmen as you know. And Elves¡­ This is certainly a blessing. Elves have a natural affinity with nature and healing. It will easily bolster our numbers and utility if, they should decide to stay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they have anywhere else to go. From what one of them said they were betrayed by someone in charge.¡± Natto nodded, ¡°This is even better, we have the upper hand in negotiations.¡± Drake gave a deep sigh, ¡°I will leave it to you, I¡¯m in no position to be doing anything like that right now.¡± ¡°No position?¡± Natto seemed to bristle on his shoulder, ¡°You are the leader of this city. When are you going to start acting like it! You are in thee position! I know you and Sah Ul¡¯ are hurting right now, but you have a duty-¡± Natto mped her mouth shut, seeing Drake¡¯s even stare. ¡°Not now. You can chew me out all you want when Ie back. These people¡­ Those people¡­ I am no longer sympathetic. Thest of my patience, thest of my willingness to be understanding. They lost it all when I found out just who is behind it all. I will make them bend the knee. No more losing innocent lives and people I,¡± he looked over at Sah Ul¡¯ grabbing her hand and squeezing it, ¡°We, care about. I will make sure that everyone knows that this city, our city is not to be touched, ever again.¡± ¡ª-¡ª-¡ª-¡ª-¡ª-¡ª-¡ª-¡ª- Drake, Sah Ul¡¯ and Natto entered the building, passing the front rooms and going right into Bridgette¡¯s room. On the table with his head in his hands and bandaged from head to foot was Mikhail. Bridgette a short distance away her head in a book and a cigarette burning. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve had a rough week,¡± Drake smiled wryly. Mikhail¡¯s head slowly went up and he gave an emptyugh back. ¡°Drake¡­¡± he began, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡± Drake ced a hand on Mikhail¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Start with what happened. There will be time to grieve and be angryter.¡± Mikhail took in a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Everything was going fine. The people we were escorting gave us someints but nothing that I wouldn¡¯t call normal for their circumstances. Rvul and the other guards led the front while my party covered the rear¡­ There were minimal monsters along the way to our destination and things were going smoothly. But,¡± he paused, his hands clenching around his bandages as a small red splotch began to form on them. ¡°I do not know if it was that woman, Marrissah. Or,¡± he looked Drake in the eyes, ¡°Or if it was your brother who nned it.¡± Drake felt his whole body tense and his legs lock up as they struggled to suddenly hold his weight. His brother had a part in killing his father-inw. Mikhail continued, ¡°We were suddenly surrounded at the edge of the forest only a few more minutes from our destination. They weren¡¯t particrly strong or high level,¡± he gave a derisive scoff, ¡°If anything we should have been fine even outnumbered like we were¡­ But we didn¡¯t expect for people inside to turn on us. Our only healer, my party member Yorth¡­ He betrayed us. Along with many of the people we were escorting, it became too chaotic. They killed everyone. They¡­ They only left me alive to tell you what happened.¡± By now Drake wasn¡¯t the only one shaking with anger. Bridgette looked up from her book with a look of concern as she kept an eye on Sah Ul¡¯. Her aura filling up the entire room. ¡°Do you have any idea where they are?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I can only guess,¡± Mikhail grimaced, ¡°They weren¡¯t high level and they have many low-level, ssless people with them. I don¡¯t think they would be able to get very far if they didn¡¯t want to put them on a death march. But they are not normal¡­ People¡­ People wouldn¡¯t be able to do what they did¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it, they aren¡¯t people anymore. They might as well be monsters,¡± Drake said coldly. Mikhail¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed Drake¡¯s wrist, ¡°Please. If you can, spare Yorth. I can¡¯t exin it but he wasn¡¯t himself. He would never, never, do something like this. Even if he had a good reason, I just can¡¯t see him going along with anything even close to this. Bring him back so I can speak with him, that¡¯s all I ask.¡± Something twigged in Drake¡¯s head at his wording, and he looked over to Natto on his shoulder. ¡°Could he be under some kind of spell or charm maybe?¡± he asked, remembering how Megan and even Marrissah had acted strangely. Natto thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°It is possible, but I would not be able to tell as I have mentioned with the girl previously. I am not privy to their full status, only portions of it. You would need a very specific ss that deals with ailments and the like to be sure. Perhaps one of the newly arriving Elves will have one?¡± Drake nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, Mikhail. Yorth has helped me out plenty of times. But the rest of them¡­¡± He left it unsaid. Even Drake wasn¡¯t sure what he was about to do when he found them. Cutting off the conversation he turned and left, Sah Ul¡¯ quietly on his heels. Natto excused herself as soon as they were out the door. She needed to prepare as best they could for their new arrivals in a few hours. Drake made sure to give her all of his winnings from thepetition earlier. He had ced a hefty bet on the teens at 10 to 1 odds. The look on the bookie¡¯s face when he was forced to hand over the coins and cores gave Drake a brief smile. But it was soon gone as he and Sarah rushed out of the gate in the direction of where Mikhail and Ruvl had left earlier. Sah Ul¡¯ did notin this time when Drake picked her up into a carry, instead gripping him tightly around the neck, her hands quivering. She had still not looked Drake in the eyes since they heard the news, her face buried in his chest as he rushed through the forest. It did not take long for Drake¡¯s enhanced speed to get them to where they needed to go. Even with him still in near tatters internally. It didn¡¯t matter what the bacsh for what he was doing right now. He would continue until it was done. Until they received justice. Until he made up for his mistake. Drake looked down at the forest''s wet, muddy floor. Bodies of charred remains left scattered about in unspeakable conditions. He ced each and every one into his inventory as they went, Praying that Sah Ul¡¯ did not notice him doing so at their speed. His aura spread out to find any remnants of the group that had done this. He quickly found them, there were at least a hundred people traveling through the forest ahead of them. They had not gone far, just like Mikhail said. Stepping forward and increasing his speed, Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake found them. The moment they did, Sah Ul¡¯ leapt from his arms, her massive obsidian ax materializing in her hands as she swept through the people without remorse. Each powerful cleave apanied by a guttural scream. Drake let her do as she pleased, uninterested in stopping the massacre. Instead, he stepped through the people desperately trying to escape. Men and women in casual clothes, some in basic armor, and some in white robes with suns patched on their chests. But Drake was only concerned with two people. He quickly bound them both in shackles of ice and looked down with emotionless dead eyes. A man with red hair that didn¡¯t even seem coherent enough to struggle. And a brown-haired, brown-eyed woman glowering back at him. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± Drake asked with faux calm. Marrissah spat at him, ¡°Of course, I know! The will of my God is the will of his followers!¡± ¡°You are a fool. My brother is no deity. No God. He is just a lost and confused man.¡± ¡°No! I love him! As do all his followers! He is our salvation! He will guide us and cleanse this new world, making it a paradise for us!¡± Marrissah recited fanatically, ¡°And he knows how much it hurts you¡­¡± she snickered. Drake¡¯s hand twitched, mana beginning to leak into his tattoos as his arms began to glow gold. ¡°He knows the truth! You were never one of us, you threw in with these monsters! We all know how many humans you¡¯ve killed!¡± ¡°Is that why he teamed up with the undead? Because he¡¯s such a pure-hearted soul?¡± Drake seethed back. ¡°A necessary evil to kill you and take this world as his own! Those filth ridden maggot bags will get theirs just like you will!¡± sheughed, her hands trying to force themselves from the ice shackles only to bleed, her skin sticking to the frozen cuffs, ¡°I told him you know. I told him everything! Every day you were in the office, ving away! The party! How we hit it off only for me to sell you out and get you fired! Heughed! He said you deserved it for what you did to him-¡± Drake had to stop himself. His hand shook from restraint, just mere centimeters from Marrissah¡¯s throat. ¡°I have only ever loved and tried to help my brother¡­ You don¡¯t know what you''re talking about!¡± Drake growled, stepping back. ¡°Don¡¯t I?!¡± Marrissahughed, ¡°He told me exactly what to do, exactly how to get you to send me away! He wanted to hurt you, he wanted you to be confused and suffer! To run chasing your tail like the goodie little two shoes you are!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ had finished killing the entirety of the group, walking up next to Drake silently. Only Yorth and Marrissah were left. ¡°Patriarch, I will be taking my right to vengeance,¡± she said evenly, looking down at Marrissah and raising her ax into the air. ¡°You can kill me!¡± Marrissah smiled manically ¡°But I¡¯ve already done what I was sent here to do. I will forever be loved by my God, covered in his warm embrace as I go!¡± Drake stopped Sah Ul¡¯ and she immediately looked at him with the same anger she had when they first met months ago. He shook his head, pushing the knife wound the look made him feel in his heart. Sah Ul¡¯ wanted revenge, Drake knew that and she only looked at him that way because she thought he was stopping her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to keep you from doing it. But she¡¯s right, if we kill her now she will get what she wants,¡± Drake exined, pulling a long ck pole from his inventory. He remembered what Natto¡¯s notes had mentioned about the item. [Small Dungeon Dimension Anchor] [F-Grade]
  • Anchors a Dimensional Space. Producing a Small Dungeon Anomaly.
  • Does not provide the Monsters within the Anomaly.
  • Anything trapped within the Anomaly space when anchored will be forever linked to it.
The item would not only link the beings inside for the entirety of the item¡¯s life span, which was timeless so long as it was not destroyed. And if the item was destroyed, anything inside would be lost with it. This fact was what Drake nned to use against Marrissah. This and that anything killed within the dungeon, would reform ande back to life to be killed again after a set period of time based on their rank and level. She would be forced to fight, giving experience to everyone Drake sent to this dungeon for all of time, never to rest. ¡°This will make her pay for what she did. Forever,¡± Drake said, his voice dripping with venom. Sah Ul¡¯ remained silent but lowered her ax, looking at the item with hollow curiosity. ¡°What is that?¡± Marrissah asked, finally perturbed for the first time. Drake mmed the ck pole into the ground, activating the item as it split in two opening almost like a sliding door for a shimmering ck negative space between the pieces. ¡°This is going to be your prison for the rest of time. You will never meet your false God ever again. You will never die, not in the truest sense anyway,¡± Drake sneered, picking her up and throwing her into the spatial rift the item created. [You wish to finalize this Dungeon Anchor?] [Confirm?] Drake ented and the rift began to spark, the two pieces of the pole beginning to close in on themselves. ¡°W-wait!¡± Marrissah pleaded, her voice bing soft and gentle, ¡°We can talk this out! Drake! Y-you wouldn¡¯t do this to me, right!?¡± She tried to crawl out of the rift as it closed, desperate to escape, but Drake simply threw his heel into her chest and kicked her back in. ¡°You will be alone in that ce for the rest of time. Your punishment for killing my people, my father. Is a lonely life for all eternity.¡± Chapter 277: A Father’s Letter To His Shining Star Chapter 277: A Father¡¯s Letter To His Shining Star Landin came to, his eyes doing their best to blink the bleariness away. But as soon as he regained consciousness he felt pain assail his entire body, forcing a groan of pain. ¡°Ahh! Son of a¡­!¡± ¡°Lord Landin!¡± a voice called out to him. ¡°Lord what now?¡± he replied, trying to will his arms to clutch his stomach only to ¡®nope¡¯ out of the decision the moment the pain in his entire body worsened. He moved his eyes, trying to find the owner of the voice. They eventuallynded on a woman he thought couldn¡¯t possibly exist in reality. Caramel skin, shoulder-length cut hair white as snow, and eyes like amethysts with thin, rose colored lips. Lips, Landin would like to mention, were far too close to his face forfort. ¡°W-what?! Who are you, and why am I moving?! Where is Drake, what happened to the dumb bald headed doofus that kept smacking me around?!¡± Landin stammered, suddenly remembering that he had lost. His face turned grim. He had lost. Again he wasn¡¯t of much help. Remembering Xavier¡¯s words, maybe he was a burden. ¡°No! Lord Landin, you afforded us enough time for Lord Drake to save us. It is admirable that you were even able to fight against him for so long. All of the other elven warriors could not evenst a few seconds!¡± the girl said, apparently taking his words and expression to heart. Landin would be lying if he said that didn¡¯t make his stomach go into a summersalt, jarring loose some butterflies. He had never had a woman say something like that to him, even after his Rank-Up and being mobbed by ¡®fans¡¯ before thepetition with the guards. For him, it was a pleasant first. ¡°T-thanks¡­ But who are you and where is everyone? Where¡¯s Drake,¡± he asked again, looking down and seeing a man in an army uniform carrying what looked like the end of a stretcher. She moved alongside him and gave him a smile that made him blush far more than he had any business doing so in his condition, enough to give him a headache from the blood rushing to his head. ¡°My name is Tanya. Tanya Silverwood, do you not remember me?¡± she asked, pouting deeply, her thin white eyebrows furrowing. ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°So just shut up, sit there, and let me put my life on the line..!¡± Tanya recited, balling her hand into a fist, ¡°You do not remember saying that to me? Risking your life to stall that despicable man!¡± Landin felt his face drain of blood and color as he recollected exactly what he had said. Remembering a few more words that she so delicately excluded from his little speech. ¡°Oh¡­ Yeah, I remember now.¡± She smiled again, ¡°I am indebted to you! I did not believe what Y had told me when I firstid eyes on your group, but seeing you fight, sparked such hope in me¡­ I have difficulty exining it!¡± Landin felt some piercing res hitting him and decided to mp up for the time being. ¡°You are finally awake, Landin. I am d to see our little n worked,¡± Atropos said, walking up to him. ¡°Atropos. Yeah, I¡¯m d that everything worked out, good job getting Drake so quickly.¡± Atropos shook her head, ¡°Our Lord was already on his way. By the time I had finished my fight, I was too exhausted to seek him out¡­ It goes to show we still have much to learn. There are far stronger people out there than even Lord Drake predicted.¡± Landin¡¯s jaw clenched, remembering his fight with Xavier. Landin had held the advantage only for brief moments when he used skills, but he couldn¡¯t ovee the difference in a 10 level gap with his current abilities. Even as an Epic ss holder with all the help Drake gave him. He felt the poisonous sting of regret and disappointment, but only for a moment. Shaking his head he promised to never let those feelings dictate his life again. I am not a burden. I will get stronger. I bet my life on it. He thought. ¡°That just means we have to work that much harder,¡± Landin finally said, ¡°When we get back¡­ I think I¡¯m going to go questing. I don¡¯t want to fall behind anymore than I have. I want to help Drake but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m of much use as I am now, I need to level up.¡± Atropos nodded, her face saying it all. She knew how Landin felt. She knew despite her devotion to Drake, she needed to grow stronger as well. ¡°Huh, huh? Are we going on a trip?!¡± Quetz cooed, poking her head into view above Landin, ¡°We¡¯re going too right, CC?¡± she smiled. Landin couldn¡¯t turn his head to see Clotho¡¯s expression but from the pout Quetz made, he could only assume his answer wasn¡¯t to her liking. ¡°What do you mean no?! If everyone is going, Quetz wants to go too!¡± she demanded. Landin winced, chuckling slightly had sent another jolt of pain up his body. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Grumpy?¡± Landin asked. This time Charlotte answered. She was apparently ahead of them and walked back to meet them from the front, her expression as icy as ever, but her voice dour. ¡°He¡¯s not in good shape,¡± she exined, ¡°Mordred, Glenn, and Luciem are watching him right now but¡­ He lost his mother. What they did to her was¡­ unspeakable¡­¡± Landin grimaced, ¡°We knew they were psychos but¡­ To think that Kalik¡¯s mom¡­ Did we get the person that did it?¡± Charlotte nodded, ¡°Drake made sure the bastard died. Too quickly, if you ask me,¡± she said, her voice dripping with malice, ¡°If Drake didn¡¯t take care of them, we would be in trouble. There were thousands of those undead. I can only imagine how many people had to die to make them¡­¡± Landin couldn¡¯t bring himself to try and say something to fill the silence. Everyone felt for Kalik, he wasn¡¯t the most pleasant but he had been with them throughout their entire journey to this point. They had fought together, nearly died together, and matured with each other under Drake¡¯s tutge. The rest of the journey was silent as they marched on, everyone growing more and more determined with each step to do more. To help Drake, to help each other. ¡ª----- Drake looked at the small ck pole, a swirling, twisting, pocket of space at the top of it. He knew that Marrissah would suffer inside of the dungeon for all time now, but it still felt unsatisfying. She was left to live a life alone but she was still left to live. Rvul had his life cut short. Rvul would never be able to see his n prosper like Drake had promised him, never able to see Sah Ul¡¯ and Drake¡¯s children, see them grow up. Rvul would never see their wedding day. That thought made Drake grimace. After all this time he had still not had a proper wedding. He didn¡¯t even know if the Rahk n had a wedding tradition. He grit his teeth. He had gotten distracted just like Marrissah said, he had fallen into whatever dark n was at y, whether he knew it or not. Drake had let his ideals of wanting to protect everyone blind and distract him from the problems at hand. Drake thought he was past thinking that the world was the same as before, he thought he was smarter, more decisive, and prudent. But this had proved him gravely wrong. He turned, seeing Sah Ul¡¯ staring at the dungeon pole or gate the same as he had. Her eyes were thin as if trying to stare past the disturbed space, trying to find the reason for what happened. Drake took her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°What home¡­¡± she scoffed, ¡°My father is gone, my mother taken in the trials of the Gods. I gave everything to protect my tribe and it was still not enough¡­ I have no home, nothing left to protect!¡± she shouted. Drake grabbed her, pulling her head down into his chest and squeezed. ¡°You have me,¡± he said evenly, ¡°You still have the kids. You have everyone in the city. This wasn¡¯t your fault Sah Ul¡¯, it was mine. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll make it right, but I will. If you have to hate me for the rest of my life, if you have to hit me, hurt me¡­ to make it make sense, then do it.¡± He put his other hand against her face, gently guiding it so her eyes looked at him. ¡°But do not say you have nothing. Even if you think it¡¯s true, I am proof that you have something. Have me, have love, and can make many more reasons. I may not have been able to protect your Father, but I would, will, do anything to protect you. I swear it, on my life. So please. Let¡¯s go home Sarah, everyone is waiting.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s eyes quivered looking into Drake¡¯s, the strong mask she had kept up falling to pieces. Tears fell as she leaned into Drake¡¯s arms, letting herself truly be vulnerable in front of him as she cried. Drake said no more, holding her tightly and stroking the back of her head. He let Sah Ul¡¯ grieve for a long time. Until her sniffling stopped and she finally got on her feet but still leaning against Drake, wanting the warmth of contact. They stayed silent as Drake guided them through the forest, taking their time walking through it with no monsters daring to approach. Whether it was the intimidation that Drake exuded or the world had wanted to give them a small reprieve, he wasn¡¯t one to say. Night fell well before they reached the city¡¯s walls. Drake appeared out of the forest, with a woman cradled in his arms, her light breathing and sniffling showing just how mentally exhausted she was. Sah Ul¡¯ had fallen asleep on their way to the city still whimpering every now and then as she pressed herself against Drake. The guards moved to greet him, but Natto appeared and waved them off. ¡°Is it done?¡± Natto asked. Drake nodded, ¡°We didn¡¯t find his body¡­ Take Yorth to the doctor and Mikhail. I¡¯ve already restrained him but he seems to still be incoherent or under some kind of spell. But I have several of the fallen, I want them given the best funeral we can provide. Find their families andpensate them as well as you can. I¡¯d like the list to apologize to them personally. I¡¯ll face any punishment they see fit¡­¡± he said trailing off. But Natto didn¡¯t agree to hisst statement, instead bing slightly angry, her voice a low growl. ¡°Punishment? I have certainly had enough of your wallowing in self pity! Your reality as a leader is brief and new! What did you expect?! To lose no one? To not have blood of those you loved on your hands? The Multiverse, the system, this is a cold heartless ce Drake! Your race should be evidence enough!¡± Natto began huffing, wanting to say more, but her mouth mped shut. Drake had seen that face before. She was being restricted by the system from saying more. What it was, he didn¡¯t know, but he did know that anytime Natto eluded to more than basic information about Primordials she was stonewalled. Frustrated, Natto screamed, stomping her foot and sticking out a judging finger, ¡°When will you realize this life requires you to be more ruthless and cold than you could imagine. This life you chose, the moment you lived through the tutorial and decided to be a king is an endless battle. You must fight! Fight or be forgotten! There will always be someone trying to bury you in nameless history, Drake! And I for one, will not allow it to happen! Get your act together and quickly! I will not stand for a helpless ape for a Master much longer!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ began to stir in Drake¡¯s arms. ¡°Later¡­ We¡¯ll talk about thister,¡± Drake answered softly. ¡°Drake!¡± ¡°Later. You''re right, Natto. I¡¯ve been too lenient on myself and others. I was not lying when I said that I will make sure this world bends the knee and never harms this city again. I will do whatever it takes,¡± he looked down at Sah Ul¡¯ and ire¡¯s face shed across his mind, he had too much to lose, ¡°Whatever it takes.¡± Drake walked past the gate and past Natto in the direction of Rvul¡¯s tent that he shared with Sah Ul¡¯. He hadn¡¯t asked if the others or the refugees from Sandal had arrived yet, but Drake would leave that for the morning. He and Sah Ul¡¯ needed rest and more importantly needed time to themselves. Sah Ul¡¯ most of all to process what happened. They arrived at Rvul¡¯s tent, the previous chief¡¯s tent after a short walk through the old Rahk Tribe¡¯s encampment. Anyone that saw Drake avoided him, seeing Sah Ul¡¯ in his arms. He used a spell to produce a small gust of wind to open the tent ps, letting himself in. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find the torches on therge wooden stakes to light, allowing him to move behind a separate p where a bed was syed out. Drake lowered Sah Ul¡¯ down, covering her in a nket and exited to the main room where a small firece was. Igniting it as well he took out a chair and slumped down into it heaving a long breath, finally able to let himself rx and cancel his Endowment skills, letting the draw of sleep take him. ¡ª---------- Sah Ul¡¯ groaned awake, her hand grabbing for the warmfort of Drake that she could not find. She sat up abruptly, kicking off the covers and rushed for the p of the main room, a sliver of light shining through the crack. Heaving a sigh of relief, she saw him breathing softly, his eyes closed and the light of the center hearth lighting his face. Sah Ul¡¯ never would have imagined she would grow to crave thefort of his touch andpany, to fall in love with someone like him. A human, who she thought was weak. But by some stroke of luck or turn of fate by the Gods, herte Father had bonded them. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as she thought of her Father. Sah Ul¡¯ would never see him again. Never hear him greet her or reprimand her. Tell her goodnight or praise her for her hard work. Her eyes pressed shut, trying to stay the tears, only to have them escape despite the effort. She gave a silent pained cry as she wiped her furred sleeve against her face, her jaw clenching. A few seconds of fighting against the pain, she was able to finally breathe more evenly. Enough to turn around, leaving Drake to rest and entering her Father¡¯s small room. She lit the torch in the room and couldn¡¯t help but smile at the simplicity of the room. A single bed, a table fashioned from wood and animal bone. A worn ax above the bed and a leather bound book on the table. Sah Ul¡¯ hadn¡¯t been in the room for years, not since she was a small girl. She walked to the end of the bed, tracing her finger against the ax. It had grown dull from use andck of maintenance, but she recognized the handle and knew it was an ax her Father had used for years. Another pained choke caught in her throat and she wiped her eyes again. She moved to the table, cing her hand on the top of the leather book. With a deep breath she opened it. She saw small notes, shorthand for hunting seasons of the old world. The first time he and Sah Ul¡¯s Mother met. She smirked. There were entries of how nervous he was speaking to her and his ns on proposing. Nearly dying to find and hunt thergest animal he could at the time. How happy he was when his proposal was epted. And how much happier he was when Sah Ul¡¯ was born. His Shining Star. That is what he called her. She hadn¡¯t heard it in so long. Not since her Mother was taken. Flipping through the pages she came to thest entry. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯, I am leaving in service of our Patriarch. I do not know what hase over me. Maybe it is my old age, but I have not been so happy in years. Our n will see greatness like never before, well beyond my years and it is you who brought it¡­ I will admit I feared the man you brought that day but that soon turned into gratitude. To see you, my whole world, able to find someone you wish to devote your life to, to smile for every day. Has given me no greater happiness. If I should not return, I know you will find this. Do not cry for me, I have already seen the greatest happiness there is for a Father and I trust the man you have chosen. Work hard and stay strong. I wish for you a glorious life, be well and prosper. My daughter, my sun, my bright star in the night, I love you and I know your Mother would be happier than I.¡± The sound of tears hitting the rough canvas of the book filled the room. Sah Ul¡¯ pulled the book to her chest, holding it close as she fought back more tears. Once the tears dried, she ced the book into her inventory and walked back into the main room of the tent. Her Father may be gone, but the man she hade to love was still here. Sah Ul¡¯ looked at Drake for a moment in the light of the hearth. She would make a life with him. ¡°Drake¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ whispered, shaking him slightly. ¡°...Huh¡­?¡± Drake grumbled, his eyes barely opening before they went wide. Sah Ul¡¯s lips pressed against his, her tusks making the action slightly awkward, but Drake didn¡¯t seem to mind. Her eyes opened and she saw Drake¡¯s, his face so close and suddenly felt her entire body flush with heat. But Sah Ul¡¯ was sure of her decision. She loved this man, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, and it was no greater honor. She wordlessly pulled him off the chair by the hand and Drake did not put up any resistance as she led him to her room. Chapter 278: When Trouble Comes In Pairs Chapter 278: When Trouble Comes In Pairs Drake stared at the top of the tent¡¯s canvas, the morning light brightening it slightly as it bleed through. The torches within the tent long since burned out and the rain finally sputtered to a stop. He gave a slight grin and whispered, ¡°Not like I could have heard it anyway¡­¡± A soft groan came from his side and he looked over to see Sah Ul¡¯ nuzzled close. Her breathing had be steady and evenpared to the night before after they had avenged Rvul. How she was truly feeling mentally he could only guess. And why she had decided now of all times to consummate their marriage was a mystery to him. But he had no qualms with being led by the nose. In fact, seeing this side of Sarah was a type of gap moe he could only dream of. He had in a way, tamed a warrior princess. ¡°Xena, eat your heart out.¡± But Drake¡¯s blissful monologue could onlyst so long before something as always came up. His body was still somewhat aching but recovered for the most part. It seemed his Asuran blood wasn¡¯t just for show. Compared to thest time he went overboard and used Septenarius the first time, it was a walk in the park. Drake¡¯s aura and skills had gone back up and in full effect once he and Sarah had finished bumping uglies, and Sarah had gone to sleep. Leaving Drake to his thoughts for the rest of the night till morning. And there was currently someone outside the tent. Drake got up, doing his best not to disturb Sah Ul¡¯, and dressed himself. Going out and exiting the tent a frowning Natto faced him. ¡°Satisfied with ourselves are we?¡± she groused. ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t. Also, she tapped out first,¡± Drake said, raising his eyebrows, ¡°Just for the record.¡± Natto¡¯s eyebrow twitched, ¡°For whose record?! Enough of your false bravado. We have a mountain of things to address and I have forced myself to be patient while you deal with your grief and urges.¡± ¡°More problems? Have the teense back yet?¡± ¡°There are several urgent matters. First, we simply do not have enough housing to amodate the new residents should they all choose to stay. Unless there are craftsmen that can help with erecting the buildings we need it will be difficult. Then there is the infrastructure for the sewage and water systems. And after that, we will need to expand the farnd we are developing as well as capture more domestic monsters for food!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of problems.¡± ¡°Whose fault do you think this is?!? I have tried to inform you earlier but you would not listen!¡± ¡°Well it sounds like whoever you told didn¡¯t want to listen and needs to be fired from his job,¡± Drake proposed. ¡°That person is you, dolt!¡± Natto screamed, sighing, she rubbed her temples, ¡°This is not the only problem. This morning we also had arge group of visitors who need to be greeted. They demand to see you and will not see anyone else.¡± Drake tensed. Thest time he had heard this it was Marrissah. ¡°Fine, which gate? I¡¯ll deal with it now.¡± ¡°The South Gate. It seems that they havee a long way,¡± Natto exined, ¡°They are beastkin, but that is all I know.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll head there now. Come get me when either Sarah wakes up or the teens are back. Once they are back I¡¯ll have to have a sit down with them and the elf princesses.¡± ¡°Princesses? You did not mention there was royalty among them. This could change things¡­¡± Drake wanted to ask how, but he needed to go to the gate and greet the visitors. Despite what happened with Marrissah he was still the lord of the city and would have to continue his duties as such. Sighing he began walking in that direction. Along the way he was joined by Bjorn, Chelsea, and eventually Theodore. ¡°I heard what happened, not sure what to say, bro¡­ How is she holding up?¡± Bjorn asked, cing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s not doing the best, but she¡¯s resting right now. Sucks that you can¡¯t take a break even when you need to. The world doesn¡¯t stop just because something tragic happens,¡± Drake grimaced, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the South Gate, apparently there¡¯s more visitors, you guysing?¡± ¡°This one would go to worlds far abound to apany my Lord! In thou¡¯s time of need, one¡¯s knight must be ever-present! Tis a matter of course!¡± Theodore boomed. ¡°Oh, how I missed your enthusiasm, Theo. I could use more of that right now,¡± Drake chuckled. ¡°You know Drake, I know we¡¯ve had our differences but¡­ I am really sorry for Sarah¡¯s and yours loss. My parents haven¡¯t been around for a long time, but I know how it feels¡­¡± Chelsea consoled. ¡°Thanks. I lost my Dad when I was pretty young but I still remember how the months felt after¡­¡± Drake sighed, ¡°I appreciate the thoughts guys, really.¡± They talked casually for a while longer. Drake found out that Bjorn and Chelsea had found a ce to stay somewhat close to the center of the city. Also, Harley was now stuck to house duty full time as she was entering the end of her pregnancy. ¡°Kids huh¡­¡± Drake mused, thinking of Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be a good Dad Theo? Who am I kidding, you''re the head of a school now aren¡¯t you? Practically made for raising kids at this point!¡± he smirked. ¡°It truly is a blessing, my Lord. However, this one would be remiss to not state how nerve-wracking preparing for a newborn is. Perhaps even more disastrous than maintaining my love¡¯s appetite¡­¡± Theodoreughed but it was hollow and empty. Drake took a good look at Theodore, noticing the bags under his eyes, and his mustache not shining as it once did. Theodore was tired, it was in to see now. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not selling me on kids right now Theo,¡± Drake scoffed. Theodore shook his hands and fixed his monocle, ¡°A thousand apologize, my Lord. This one would never insinuate that thou would be on the same poor level of parenting as I. In fact this one looks forward day by day to the time this one can serve his Lord¡¯s heirs! Speaking of which, this one has a proposal of sorts!¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°In light of recent events, this one wishes to rename the Academy. This one thought it best to erect a statue of thete Rvul Rahk and name the school, The Rvul Magic Academy. That is if my Lord finds it fitting.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a better name, thank you, Theo. I¡¯d be honored to make the statue myself when I have some time.¡± Theodore nodded, ¡°Perfect! This one also thought it best to ask my Lord if he would do the honor of both doing so and giving the new students a small speech! This one has heard of theing refugees and expects many to be enrolling into the school as per Lady Natto¡¯s instruction. This one is sure they would like nothing better than to hear their savior''s words of encouragement!¡± Drake gave a wry smile, not sure if that was true. ¡°I¡¯ll think it over¡­¡± After a few more minutes of walking they arrived at the South Gate. And as expected there was a swath of beastkin waiting impatiently. When Drake¡¯s small group arrived, the entirety of at least a hundred people turned and red their way. ¡°Oh their piercing res wound me,¡± Drake gasped. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more like, professional,¡± Bjorn scoffed. ¡°I could, but that isn¡¯t exactly me,¡± Drake shrugged. The crowd parted and a giant of a beastkin woman stepped forward. Drake was struck by how she looked. Long white hair that went to her ankles and two tails swaying back and forth. She wore tight leather armor under what looked to be chainmail. But her most distinctive features were her height, standing at least a head taller than Drake almost on par with Bjorn. And therge toothy grin she had creasing her face as she looked down at Drake. Finally she had an eyepatch covering her left eye, the other a brilliant sky blue. ¡°So you¡¯re the little Lord I¡¯ve been hearing about!¡± she boomed. ¡°I am not little,¡± Drake grumbled, ¡°What brings you here? What makes you think you need to speak to me?¡± ¡°Ah! Right to the point! I like that!¡± she smiled, ¡°I am Teresa de Hielu, Pack Leader of the Ice Wolves. I¡¯ve heard that you are liberating my kin from vers and I havee to pick them up.¡± ¡°Kin?¡± Drake thought aloud, ¡°You mean Atropos and Clotho?¡± ¡°They would be the ones. My sister left them in my care when she died during the Great Hunt. I¡¯m ashamed to admit that we were separated during the end and had no idea what happened until I was told by some of the people you had freed.¡± Teresa looked Drake up and down, bringing a hand to her chin and her smile growing as she did. ¡°Say¡­ You are a lot stronger than I was told¡­ How about a fight?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Drake asked, unable to keep pace with the woman¡¯s straightforwardness. ¡°A fight! It will be mating season soon and I must find a suitable sire. What do you say? If you win you can have your way with me, if I win you will be my stud while we repopte the n.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Drake repeated. ¡°It¡¯s a good deal, no? No man has ever been strong enough to submit me,¡± she grinned, showing sharp canines, ¡°And I¡¯ve never seen one strong enough to keep my interest! Oh, are you worried about my purity? Do not! I have never mated before, it is tradition in the Ice Wolves to only have one life partner you see. I know you humans are very picky about that sort of thing.¡± Drake held up a hand, ¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯m all full up on that, I have a wife, several actually¡­¡± he coughed, ire and him might not be officially married but he would be disgusted with himself if he didn¡¯t include her. ¡°Sorry, but asking was only a formality!¡± Teresaughed, rushing forward. Drake zoned in on the rushing woman. She was not the fastest he had ever seen but definitely ahead of the teens. He gave her a quick once over. [Teresa de Hielu Level 21] She¡¯s a pretty high level. Has everyonee this far already? Or was that tutorial particrly hard? He thought. But Drake had just finished fighting Xavier, the scum of Sandal. And Teresa was admittedly leagues below him. So much so that he took a minute to look at his own stats. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [F-Rank] [Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 29 [Vitality] 846 (20+ 215%) [Strength] 1058 (100 +15%) [Dexterity] 820 (95 + 25%) [Intelligence] 1264 (95+20%) [Wisdom] 884 (30 + 220%) [Endurance] 671 (95 + 230%) [Free Points] 140 [Titles] ¡­ Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, One of Four, yer of the West, Fledgling Ruler, Baron, Catalyst of the Capital, One of Four, The Warpath Teresa pulled arge ball and chain from her inventory, the weapon beginning to glow with a bluish-white light as she roared. Drake stood his ground watching closely as she approached, swinging the massive spiked ball above her head. ¡°A strength-based augmenter? The opposite of Clotho and Atropos. Sorry, but I won¡¯t be entertaining you for long, it¡¯s been a rough couple days.¡± Stretching out his hand, his arm red golden. The massive magically enhanced weapon stopped in its tracks when it mmed into Drake¡¯s open palm. ¡°W-what the?!¡± Teresa gapped, her eye going wide as a bowling ball. The ball stopped and Drake slipped under the weapon, grabbing Teresa by the wrist and pulling her over his shoulder, throwing her to the ground and crushing it underneath her from the impact. Unrelenting, Drake moved quickly to get on top of her, throwing a swift jab into her abdomen, the air from her lungs expelling with a grunt. The fight was over in an instant. Drake was unwilling to pull his punches at the moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s bad manners to ask someone to sleep with you, then attack them?¡± he frowned, then remembered how Atropos had acted after her rank up, ¡°I guess it must be a beastkin thing¡­¡± he mumbled under his breath. ¡°Over already?¡± Bjorn asked from the side, Theodore pping in congrattions next to him. Teresa groaned from the ground. ¡°Anything to say for yourself?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I-I like you, we will have incredibly strong children¡­¡± she mustered before her head fell back apparently passing out. Drake felt a shiver down his back, an eerie feeling of deja vu hitting him. ¡°Nope, nope, nope. I did not just fall into another weird marriage trap!¡± he shouted, throwing his hands into the air. ¡°You sure are popr bro,¡± Bjorn guffawed, pping him across the back. ¡°You aren¡¯t helping! I¡¯m not trying to do this on purpose you know! I have enough women trouble as it is! And there are other options than not marrying someone and marrying them! There are in-betweens you know! Stages!¡± With a pop, Natto appeared on Drake¡¯s shoulders and nearly fell off as he had his head in his hands slumped over slightly. She mbered up and patted his head. ¡°Oh my. Have you fallen into another trap of beating up a woman who likes it? Dear me, it certainly would have been beneficial if someone had informed you not to fight her at all costs, subsequently leading to you unknowingly finding another woman to wed that would be a great boon to the city after losing so much of your fighting force,¡± she said softly, raising a sleeve to cover her mouth. ¡°You did this! Again?!¡± Drake yelled. ¡°I have no recollection of what you are saying. I have not and never done such a thing, hohoho¡­¡± she snickered, ¡°But certainly it would be poetic justice for it to happen as a result of you not listening to your adviser would it not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re punishing me for not talking to you by having me marry more gorgeous women? You do know what a punishment is, right?¡± ¡°You do not find having women that could slit your throat in your sleep because you are performing active and tant infidelity punishment?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this on purpose!¡± Drakeined. ¡°I know, I am doing this on purpose.¡± ¡°See! I knew it!¡± ¡°I have told you this before. Being a leader requires certain sacrifices. As someone who is going to reign over multiple cities and eventuallys. You will need people. The easiest path to secure that is through marriage with influential people. Or are you saying you can be everywhere all the time, all at once? You have not obtained a clone skill if I am not mistaken and youck appropriate andpetent retainers.¡± Drake wanted to argue but the small squirrel was spot on. He hated to say it, but if he had stronger people or more, it could have saved Rvul. If his people were stronger, being ambushed might not have mattered. If they had more influence over the right now instead of their rtively small city, they would have more information as well. He could be doing more as a leader and she was not so subtly reminding him of that. ¡°Well talk about it-¡± ¡°Later, yes. We seem to have more guests it seems,¡± Natto interrupted him, pointing further out towards the forest. Drake raised his head and was surprised to see another beastkin man holding a spear. He looked down to ask if it was more from Teresa¡¯s n but she was still out cold. Drake tried to identify the man. [Leonardo Velcruz Level 29] ¡°He¡¯s level 29¡­? And his name is¡­ The one who killed the other Guardian?¡± Drake mumbled in disbelief. The man walked casually through the crowd of other beastkin. The group moved even further away than they had for Teresa, giving him a wide berth. He raised his hand casually, ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up pussy,¡± Leonardo sneered. Drake¡¯s eyes widened, the inflection in the voice, the disrespectful familiarity. He recognized this person. ¡°G-Grumps¡­?¡± Drake stammered, ¡°Is that you¡­?¡± ¡°About time you and I met,¡± Leonughed, looking down and seeing Teresa, ¡°Took me a while to get here, but you beating up on women now?¡± ¡°She attacked me,¡± Drake exined, ¡°I only knocked her out.¡± Leon shrugged, ¡°Not that I care. I¡¯m here to see you, I¡¯ve been meaning to give you something for a long time.¡± Drake raised an eyebrow. ¡°Clench your teeth, dumbass!¡± Leon roared and vanished from Drake¡¯s sight. Drake could barely register Leon disappearing before his eyes were able to find him to his right, his arm outstretched. Drake raised his guard, trying to block the punch, but Leon¡¯s hand slipped past it, his knuckles connecting square on Drake¡¯s jaw and sending him flying backward into the forest and through multiple trees. Groaning, Drake got to his feet, feeling a line of warm liquid running down the side of his face. He injured me?! And his speed isn¡¯t normal! Wait, Natto?! Drake thought, looking around desperately for her. ¡°I think that makes us even right?¡± Leon¡¯s voice called from outside the forest, holding Natto by the back of her kimono in the air. Drake growled, ¡°Even for what?! Put her down Grumps!¡± Shooting forward, Drake quickly cast his Heretical Septenarius spell, his body going golden and lunging for Natto. Leon let go of Natto, letting her fall to the floor, and jumped backward, thrusting his spear right at where he was just standing. Drake maneuvered quickly, using a burst of air to change trajectory now that Natto was free. With a second burst, he propelled himself forward. Leon had been chanting something since a moment ago, his body shing in different colors as well, matching Drake¡¯s speed. They remained at an even distance for several seconds as they danced around each other. ¡°Even for losing me a server first on that new server! We nned that for months, but you had to go and break your hand!¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°I got into a fight with my brother! You think I wanted to break my hand on a wall?!¡± ¡°I think you should have just broken it on your brother¡¯s jaw! You¡¯re six years older than him, you shoulda just beaten his ass!¡± ¡°You would say that wouldn¡¯t you!¡± Drake grinned, his blood beginning to boil. When was thest time he had met someone able to keep up with him? Someone who was dead even in ability. Drake could tell at a nce, that they were both testing the waters and Drake wanted to keep this fight going. Waving his hand he began summoning spells of fire, water, and lightning, throwing balls of fire, cutting des of water and bolts of lightning right at Leon. ¡°Oh? Still the little sissy boy, huh? Can¡¯t take a joke!¡± Leonughed, stopping himself on the ground. In a motion Drake could barely follow, Leon shed through the spells effortlessly. The severed spells crashed to the ground and kicked up debris. The crowds and Drake¡¯s small group had moved behind the safety of the gate by now. Leon and Drake¡¯s fight beginning to get out of hand. Drake rushed forward, continuing to use spells to try and catch Leon off guard as he met him in a brawl. Leon stabbed and thrusted, meeting Drake¡¯s enhanced fists in tandem with each strike while still having time to defend himself from Drake¡¯s spells. ¡°I always knew you woulde out of that tutorial strong!¡± Drake shouted. ¡°It¡¯s only natural! We both know I¡¯m the best!¡± Leonughed back. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that! This is where I prove I¡¯ve finally gotten better than you!¡± Drake replied, his Asuran Instincts finally ramping to their peak. ¡°Marked! For the Thrill of Battle!¡± Drake chanted, beginning to pull out all the stops. He stepped in instantly, throwing an uppercut to Leon¡¯s side, and using his other hand to summon a ball of white fire to circle around him. Leon¡¯s face painted in surprise from the burst of speed, but moved his spear¡¯s shaft to intercept Drake¡¯s body blow. However, the fire spell stillnded home, throwing Leon into a forward somersault. Drake followed, rushing to continue his assault only for an arrow of light tond at his feet, then several more stopping him cold in his tracks, even pushing him backward to dodge them. Leon stood wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Above him nine glowing white spears hovering. ¡°I haven¡¯t used this skill since leaving the tutorial and maxing it out you know. But since it seems you can¡¯t keep your cooldowns in your pants,¡± Leon grinned, his eyes turning into feral daggers, making his face look like a real bonafide wolf, ¡°I guess I won''t hold back either!¡± Drake smiled back, ¡°Then! To the death!¡± he howled using hisst avable status-boosting skill. ¡°I am the hunter! And you are the prey!¡± Leon shouted back, ¡°Begin the hunt!¡± Both Drake and Leon flexed their auras, the powerful energies shing in between them sending sparks of red and green as theypeted for dominance, neither one letting up. But before they could continue the battle somethingrge. Veryrge, crashed down between them, leaving Drake gaping in even more disbelief. ¡°A-a B-blue MAU?!¡± Drake eximed. A mechanical voice came from the machine standing as tall as three men, sending Drake back in a daze. ¡°Will you two goons knock it off already? You dumbasses alwayspeting like there¡¯s no tomorrow for no got damn reason!¡± Drake caught the verbal quirk and only knew of one person who knew about him and Grumps'' rivalry. ¡°W-Wow-fi?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re got damn right it¡¯s me!¡± the robot creaked, turning to Drake, then pointed with a ded hand to the forest, ¡°Now knock this nonsense fighting off, before you destroy the whole got damn forest and your own got damn city!¡± Drake looked at the aftermath of their fight. He¡¯d lost himself in the thrift of it once again, not noticing the damage. The ground was riddled with craters from his magic, the wall dented with the same. Some of the forest was on fire. Anding out of the forest were scared and panicked people. They were the refugees from Sandal. Drake quickly moved to extinguish the mes and fix the area with his magic, feeling himself dete. ¡°D-Drake¡­?¡± a voice suddenly called from behind him. For the third time he turned, recognizing the voice instantly. Standing there with a one-braided side ponytail of dirty blond hair and looking at him with deep blue eyes, wearing a new priest outfit he hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°C-ire?¡± Chapter 279: There’s A Good Explanation For This! Chapter 279: There¡¯s A Good Exnation For This! ¡°ire!¡± Drake smiled, racing to her to throw his arms around her, ¡°How did you get here? Did youe with the refugees? No, I would have seen you¡­ You didn¡¯t make it here alone did you?! You know how dangerous it is-¡± ¡°She came with us, sir,¡± another female voice said calmly. A woman with ck bob-cut hair and sses, wearing office attire raised her sses by the brim, and looked evenly back at Drake. ¡°Us? Who are you?¡± he asked, cing ire down gently. ¡°My name is Ari, I am Sir Leon¡¯s personal attendant.¡± ¡°Attendant?¡± Drake asked, looking at ire for rification. She nodded, a smile creeping on her lips, ¡°She and Mr. Leon helped me, us, reach the city. He¡¯s so incredibly strong like you Drake. We wouldn¡¯t have made it here without him. I can¡¯t believe we''ve finally made it, it feels like a dream to see you again¡­¡± ire giggled, tears beginning to pool on the edges of her eyes. She grabbed at the ne around her neck, gripping it tightly, ¡°I knew I would get here somehow. I¡¯ve missed you¡­¡± Drake suddenly felt a flood of guilt. He of course missed ire, but he hadn¡¯t actively been able to go search for her and it had taken hering here herself for them to be reunited. There was also the issue of Sah Ul¡¯, how exactly was he supposed to tell them about one other? ¡°I missed you too¡­ We should talk, I have so much to tell you about.¡± But things never went to n. Chelsea had already spotted ire in the group of people moving towards the city and had run over. ¡°ire! You''re finally here!¡± Chelsea beamed, wrapping her arms around her, ¡°We have so much to talk about!¡± ire gave an embarrassedugh as Chelsea rubbed her cheeks against hers, bombarding her with information. Thankfully nothing detrimental for now. But again, things never went to n. This time Charlotte, Atropos, Quetz and Clotho had spotted him and moved to report. ¡°Lord Drake, I am pleased to see you are well,¡± Atropos said, bowing slightly, ¡°Whom might these new visitors be?¡± ¡°I am curious as well, do you know them, Drake?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°I do, this is ire. She is my girlfriend,¡± Drake admitted, bracing for scathing nces and outbursts. But surprisingly no one said anything. He received a few looks from Charlotte and Quetz. As well as one cold re from Atropos that turned into an assessing gaze at ire, but everyone remained silent. ¡°ire is very special to me and I¡¯ll be needing to talk to all of you about what is going to happen going forward. Take the next few days to rest up. After everything, I know you all need it. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Charlotte replied, then added, ¡°We all have an idea of what to do as well. Landin and Kalik are still in poor conditions so we will see to them. Will the house be avable?¡± Drake winced hearing the insinuation in her voice, but he collected himself quickly. It was his house, why should he feel embarrassed for what may or may not happen in it, now that his second girlfriend and possibly wife had arrived. ¡°Of course you all are always weed in my house,¡± he said firmly. A new voice spoke up, one Drake had never heard before. ¡°So this is Drake?¡± A man strode up out of the crowd of people exiting the forest, standing next to ire and eyed Drake. Looking him up and down, then to the side where he saw Charlotte, Atropos, and Quetz. The man frowned. ¡°I told you ire. Don¡¯t you see he¡¯s already got more women? I doubt he cared about you at all, he never even went out of his way to find you!¡± Drake scowled, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Charles!¡± ire snapped, ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! What gives you the right to say something like that!¡± ¡°Just look at him! He has three beautiful women just hanging on him!¡± Atropos growled deeply, ¡°What is wrong with a man of Lord Drake¡¯s stature having multiple females¡­? It is the alpha¡¯s right to lead the pack!¡± The man Charles flinched, but apparently wouldn¡¯t back down feeling emboldened for some reason. ¡°Of his stature? What has he done that¡¯s so great? Left his girlfriend to fend for herself for months while he¡¯s off ying with any girl he can get his hands on?¡± Charlotte¡¯s aura began to prickle, ¡°You better watch your tongue. Drake has been more than you can imagine and has done more than anyone!¡± ¡°Ha! He even has you all brainwashed enough to defend him! I told you ire, he didn¡¯t deserve you-¡± Charles tried to say and ce his hand on ire¡¯s shoulder, but it was pped away. ire¡¯s hand quickly dismissed Charles, then another crack of her hand met the side of his face. ¡°Shut your mouth! I told you from the beginning that Drake saved me, how important he is to me! Do you think insulting him without him even being able to exin what is going on, is going to make me what? Run off with you?! I thought you were a friend, Charles!¡± Drake¡¯s shoulders rxed slightly. He had been ready to take off the man¡¯s head if he managed to touch ire. In a world of skills and status increases, there was no telling what could have happened. But themotion had brought the eyes of a lot of people towards them. He saw the elven princesses look over from the refugee group and begin to walk over. His friends Grumps and Wow-fi listened quietly a little ways off, Ari, the girl that had introduced herself had moved to Grumps¡¯s side. Bjorn was a little ways off listening in as well, Chelsea had moved back to stand next to him. Then Atropos and Clotho¡¯s noses began to twitch as they raised them into the air. Their heads snapped to arge woman walking over, their mouths gaping in disbelief. ¡°Aunt Teresa?!¡± they both gasped. Teresa finally regained consciousness, rubbing her stomach where Drake had hit her and grimaced. ¡°Oh Atropos, Clotho. I can barely recognise you! Look at how much you¡¯ve grown!¡± she smirked, then focused on Drake, ¡°You really put me out there. You¡¯re even stronger than I expected. A deals a deal,¡± Teresa sighed, beginning to lower her fur coat from her shoulders, ¡°Have you way with me as promised.¡± ¡°See!¡± Charles eximed, pointing to Teresa, ¡°There¡¯s even more of them!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know this chick!¡± Drake snapped, ¡°She demanded I fight her literally less than 10 minutes ago!¡± Atropos¡¯s face turned into a deep scowl, ¡°Aunt Teresa¡­ You don¡¯t think you can im him¡­ do you¡­?¡± Teresa¡¯s brows rose with interest and a smile filled with sharp canines offered a silent challenge. ¡°See! They¡¯re literally fighting over him!¡± Charles shouted again as if proving his point. ¡°Lord Drake, I understand this might not be the best time, but we would like to speak with you.¡± This time it was Tanya and her sister Aralleen. Tanya was in a half bow but Aralleen looked disgruntled, she put on a pleasant face, but her crossed arms and rigid posture spoke to how she really felt. ¡°And there¡¯s more!¡± Charles yelled. ¡°Will you shut the fuck up already! I¡¯m the leader of a city, of course people want to speak to me!¡± Drake snapped. And finally thest nail in the coffin appeared. ¡°Drake¡­?¡± a voice softer than usual said. Drake looked up. He saw Sah Ul¡¯ her face confused and not its usual stoic self. She looked tired and was wearing a thicker cloak than normal. He ran to her quickly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Sarah, are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°I am alright, slightly dizzy¡­¡± Drake frowned, ¡°You need to rest. You shouldn¡¯t be walking around-¡± ¡°Who is that Drake?¡± ire asked from behind him. Drake turned around, it was time to face the piper. ¡°ire, this is Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk. She¡¯s my wife.¡± Drake looked into ire¡¯s eyes, doing his best to stay firm in what he said as well as gauge her reaction. Realization passed over ire¡¯s face and Drake could see her mind working behind her eyes. He could see the pain and betrayal briefly. But it quickly changed to understanding then determination. Drake opened his mouth to say something, but ire beat him to it. ¡°I knew this would happen¡­ Natto told me to be prepared for it,¡± ire said, walking up to Drake, ¡°I just didn¡¯t think it would happen so soon. I knew because of who you were you would find others to protect and save. It was inevitable that I couldn''t keep you to myself.¡± ire reached around Drake¡¯s neck pulling him in and cing her lips on his. ¡°I won¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± she continued, her eyes watering, ¡°but I¡¯m not willing to give you up for anything or to anyone. I love you too much for that¡­¡± Drake was frozen for a moment, trying to search his scattered brain for something to say. ¡°I never intended to hurt you,¡± he said gently, squeezing her, ¡°And I think we have a lot to work out for the future¡­ because I never had any intention of letting you go either.¡± He turned and cleared his throat, ¡°Sarah, this is ire. You remember the stories I told you about her?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked at ire, her eyes squinting slightly. He¡¯d never seen her do something like that before. She began swaying on her feet, before she expelled whatever food she ate the night before on Drake and ire¡¯s feet. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯!¡± Drake moved to grab her before she fell, ¡°What¡¯s going on, is she sick?¡± ¡°No, she is pregnant you dolt! And certainly about time!¡± Natto screamed at him, popping into ce on his shoulder. ¡°Where have you been and what do you mean, she can¡¯t be. It just happenedst night!¡± ire pinched his side, but stayed silent. ¡°She is an Orc you durd¡­ Orc¡¯s, especially Lond Orc¡¯s are a warrior race. They required their pregnancy to be short to survive. It is about half the term of a human, roughly five months. This was all in the report I gave you¡­ DID YOU NOT READ IT!?¡± she howled into his ear. Drake¡¯s face paled, stages of surprise, terror, bewilderment, guilt, terror again, then happiness, then horrible awful terror onest time, crossed his face. Until he finally settled into cold realization. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a Father¡­?¡± ¡°Unfortunately for everyone, yes,¡± Natto smirked, ¡°O-me-de-to,¡± Natto whispered sarcastically into his ear. Drake scooped Sah Ul¡¯ up into his arms, ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the house to rest.¡± But ire pulled on his shoulders, ¡°No you are not!¡± He looked back confused, ¡°Of course I am?¡± ire pointed to therge group of people still waiting at the entrance of the gate to ReUnite, then the group of others waiting to speak to him. ¡°There are too many things you still need to do. It sounds like she is just having morning sickness. Let me take care of her, it will let me talk and get to know her too,¡± ire¡¯s expression went soft, ¡°She¡¯s important to you?¡± Drake nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to her. Do you have people you can trust to help me?¡± ¡°Kids!¡± Drake shouted. Charlotte, Clotho, Quetz, and Atropos walked over. ¡°It has been weeks since you addressed us as children¡­¡± Atropos pouted. ¡°Is there something wrong with Sarah?¡± Charlotte said, her face cold but her hands moving hesitantly over to Sarah in concern. ¡°Quetz has shot many people¡­ Quetz isn¡¯t a kid anymore! Right CC?!¡± Quetz chirped. Clotho just shook his head, waiting for Drake to exin whatever he was about to. ¡°I can¡¯t do proper introductions so you¡¯re all going to have toter. ire, these are my kids. Kids, this is ire, my girlfriend-¡± ¡°First. Wife,¡± ire corrected, pulling out and showing Drake¡¯s old tattoo ring, shaking it for everyone to see. ¡°R-right. I need you all to look after her and Sarah until I can finish here. Please,¡± Drake directed. Charlotte and Atropos looked displeased but nodded. They owed Sah Ul¡¯ too much to say no regardless of the appearance of ire. ¡°Thank you,¡± Drake smiled. They began carefully taking Sah Ul¡¯ into the city, her nauseated groans hurting Drake¡¯s heart but ire was right. He was still supposed to be the leader. But ire turned and ran back to him wrapping her arms one more time around his waist. ¡°I expect a real proposal. And soon¡­ And a real ring! And a big wedding! With lots of cake¡­and sweets¡­¡± Drake smiled and stroked the top of her head, ¡°Yeah. I promise. It will be the biggest wedding you¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°And we are going to have a very. Long. Talk. Alone,¡± ire said, enunciating each word pointedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are plenty of rooms in the house Natto built for us. We¡¯ll have plenty of privacy,¡± Drake chuckled lightly. ire¡¯s face went scarlet and she threw a soft jab into his stomach, her forehead rubbing against his chest, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant..!¡± She sped back off after Sah Ul¡¯ and the teens. Charlotte and Atropos followed exactly what happened with deadpan expressions and crossed arms. ¡°Finally all done?¡± Leon called. ¡°What do you want to fight again?¡± Drake answered, his eyes going into a squint. ¡°Oh! Got some more bite in ya? I¡¯ll whoop your sorry ass again if that¡¯s what ya want!¡± Leonughed. ¡°Sir Leon¡­¡± Ari reprimanded. ¡°I know I know¡­ Fine, Tatsuki, you cane out now,¡± Leon grumbled. A small girl exited the side of Leon¡¯s head. She wore a yukata not unlike Natto¡¯s miko kimono but of deeper colors, and had a painted white face like a geisha. Drake¡¯s eyes went wide, but Natto spoke first. ¡°Another Territorial Assistant?!¡± Tatsuki bowed, raising her crossed sleeves up, ¡°I greet Lady Natto and her Master, Drake Wallen. I am Tatsuki, assistant of Leonardo Velcruze.¡± ¡°Hey! Why are you two always forgetting about me?¡± Wow-fi growled from below them. Drake had almost forgotten about Wow-fi. After his dramatic entrance with his full blown Blue MAU Mecha, he had uncharastically stayed silent. Drake couldn¡¯t remember him ever shutting up when they yed. It was always one thing or another happening in the games. He was getting ganked by some rando¡¯s, or was asking how something worked in the game, or just talking to everyone in general. He inspected him. [Damian Beir Level 29] ¡°You¡¯re both level 29?!¡± Drake eximed. ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised!¡± Damian said, puffing his chest out, ¡°You two ain¡¯t special! Come out and rock their world Ekko, drop them some bars.¡± Out of the side of Damian¡¯s head emerged a small girl with dark obsidian ck skin like his own with neon lit punkish clothes, on her head bright neon headphones with two pink and green cat ears. She threw a hand forward and blew out a bubble of gum, popping it. ¡°Yo, for once we ain¡¯t skiddin¡¯ n¡¯ sippin¡¯. Love it when we finally allowed to keep ournd legs. Tired of shark stew. Fish n¡¯ chips ain¡¯t my bag, but nothin¡¯ better ensued.¡± Drake¡¯s mouth hung open slightly. But Damian was bobbing his head. ¡°Got damn, it¡¯s just another bomb!¡± ¡°There is another Territorial Assistant¡­?¡± Natto said inplete disbelief, ¡°I expected there to be several in the world, but for three to be in the hands of Primordials¡­¡± ¡°Primordials?¡± Drake asked, then looked to his long time friends. ¡°Ah, yeah, about that. Turns out I changed into a Silver Wolf or something. Tatsuki says it¡¯s important but I just like the stat increases,¡± Leon waved dismissively. ¡°Obsidian Dwarf, most hype and crazy crafter, sh, machinists in the, wait for it. Universe! And remember how I always said tall bitches love me? Well, now they all is tall bitches!¡± Damian yelled, smiling. Drake pressed his hands to his head, ¡°I feel a headacheing on.¡± Chapter 280: The Tree, The Crown, The Flail, The Hammer. Chapter 280: The Tree, The Crown, The il, The Hammer. This was. Overwhelming. To say the least for Drake. One monumental asion marked by another and then another, and then another. He realized he needed to be more organized. And it was painfully obvious he didn¡¯t have enough administration for his city or its growing size. Drake could feel a dull pain slowly filling his stomach. Not from the hectess of the situation but the realization that most of what he was doing at this moment. Rvul had taken care of and wonderfully so. He once again toote came to the conclusion he was outsourcing the most important parts of being a leader. He had the big stick, sure. But what it took to make a city run, the politics. Werepletely beyond him. Drake tried to delude himself into thinking that his years of running guilds in games and dealing with hundreds of nsmen and guildmates equated to real world experience where the stakes were immeasurably higher. He summoned a block of ice to his hand pressing it to his forehead. ¡°So let me get this straight. You and Damian are also Primordials? And that means that you killed one of the Guardian Cardinal Beasts?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Did I do that?¡± Leon asked, turning to Ari for confirmation. Ari nodded, ¡°Indeed, sir. You dispatched it during our trek across the thundering desert. The big ss monster.¡± ¡°Ohh! Yeah, I did do that. That was me,¡± Leon nodded, ¡°That one was disappointing. It had such a level advantage I thought it would put up a fight, but it ended up just running away,¡± he shrugged, sighing deeply. Drake gave a wry chuckle, remembering his fight with his own Cardinal Beast. Honestly feeling simr. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t both of you start a city? You both have Territory Assistants.¡± Damian waved him off, ¡°Ain¡¯t my bag, dawg. You know me, I¡¯ve always just been a point me in the right direction kinda guy.¡± ¡°What, to get lost and then ask one of us to escort you five minutester?¡± Leonughed. ¡°That only happened-¡± ¡°All the time,¡± Drake chuckled. Damian threw his hands up, ¡°A guy puts on the auto run one time! And ya¡¯ll just never let that shit go!¡± ¡°Right,¡± Drake began, calming himself down, ¡°So you both thought it was a hassle and let me guess, saw my notification that had the old Guild Tag in it?¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± ¡°Dat¡¯s right.¡± Drake let out a long deep sigh. ¡°For this reason, we wished to seek you out,¡± Tatsuki interrupted, ¡°Our primary goal as Territory Assistants is to cultivate and nurture our Master¡¯s Cities and eventuals, with some luck. But,¡± one of her slitted eyes opened up slightly showing a ruby red iris, ¡°Master Leon has proved tock such ambition.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right,¡± Leon said, his face carefree as if it was a conversation they¡¯d had many times. ¡°Therefore I wish toplete my duties instead as a branch Assistant to Lady Natto, until the time another is under Lord Drake¡¯s control and needs Administration.¡± ¡°Ekko, been bugging me about the same, but she been pretty rxed about it. I throw on some Biggie and she just veg¡¯s out,¡± Damian added. ¡°A Branch Assistant. Is that a real thing?¡± Drake asked Natto. ¡°It is. Certainly we can arrange something of the sort. You do have two towns currently that are wasting away. Unfortunately, we do not have the personnel nor the need to expand into the towns.¡± A lightbulb turned on in Drake¡¯s head, ¡°Wait, I think the town formerly known as Sandal, has a mine. Give me a minute.¡± Drake looked around over the group of people, trying to find someone. And in a few seconds he spotted a shorter woman helping an elderly man. ¡°Ah, there she is. Y!¡± Drake called out, running up to her. Y stopped and spun her head around in each direction as if she couldn¡¯t believe Drake was addressing her even after calling out her name. ¡°Y-Yes¡­?¡± she croaked. ¡°Sorry, I know you both are still getting processed but you said something about Mines when we first met. Can you tell me more?¡± Y had two dirty purple colored side ponytails and they bobbed slightly as she lowered her head, to not meet Drake¡¯s eyes. ¡°Y-Yes¡­ L-Lord Drake..¡± ¡°Just Drake is fine.¡± ¡°D-Drake, then. The mines¡­ that are at S-Sandal¡­ are mostly Mana Iron and other infused¡­ Mana Minerals,¡± Y paused, and Drake saw her eyes look at his arms. He looked at himself, seeing nothing because he was not infusing mana into his tattoos. Was she interested in it? Drake looked up seeing her eyes now looking at his chest, or better his armor. ¡°They are good for general tools and equipment but can be better,¡± Y continued, seeming to grow more confident while talking about the topic of arms, ¡°If we had better processes of refining the materials and higher ranked monster cores. I would be able to do a lot more¡­¡± Y looked up from Drake¡¯s equipment seeing that he was looking directly at her with a raised eyebrow and her mouth snapped shut. She began bowing her head repeatedly, obviously distressed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I-I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t mean to ramble¡­¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Do you like making equipment?¡± he asked. Y nodded, ¡°I-It¡¯s the only thing¡­ I¡¯m good for¡­¡± Drake waved his hand in front of his face, ¡°Exceeding at one thing you love is a great thing. Don¡¯t demean it by saying it is all you amount to. How would you like to craft equipment for me? Of course with proper pay, housing, and rest.¡± Y¡¯s eyes shot up and glistened, jostling her father in her arms. ¡°What the sted!¡± he grumbled, ¡°Y what are ya doin¡¯ to yer father?!¡± ¡°D-dad¡­ S-sorry¡­ I just got e-excited to talk about crafting¡­¡± Y¡¯s father, Horrib, tried to focus his eyes, tired and weary from the trip to the city. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± he asked, looking at Drake. ¡°Drake Wallen,¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Leader and owner of the city you''re in, well almost in. Which reminds me,¡± he looked at Natto, ¡°Are they all cleared to enter? Do we even have enough temporary housing made yet?¡± Natto waved a hand, a few screens appearing. She took a minute to look them over and sighed, ¡°A moment please.¡± Suddenly she vanished and a few screams rang out from the massive crowd outside the walls. A few momentster she reappeared on Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The undead have been dispatched, they are at bare minimum not containing anything harmful or illegal. As for if they are agents for your brother, I can not say for certain. It is appreciated that your friends have brought other Assistants, I will be needing their abilities to watch over this many individuals at my current Rank¡­¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°Just how many are here now?¡± ¡°With the addition of the brutish and distasteful silver wolf¡¯s-¡± ¡°Leon,¡± Drake corrected. ¡°That is what I said,¡± Natto sneered, ¡°It will ce the current influx of citizens to 12,894. The current popce is now closing in on twenty thousand. We are quite close to max capacity and I should mention that we will need to put them to work quickly. We simply do not have enough food and will certainly exhaust the number of monsters in the vicinity lowering our Monster Core stores. Now more than ever we will need to expedite a proper staple food as well as goods.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I feel another headacheing on¡­¡± Drake groaned, scratching at his ear with a finger. ¡°Did that littless just¡­¡± Horrib asked, his face grimacing. ¡°She did,¡± Drake answered, ¡°And you should be d she did. She is the one who is going to protect you all while I go out to take care of some long overdue problems.¡± Y wasn¡¯t paying attention, still stealing nces at Drake¡¯s armor. ¡°We have a small crafting area. Go find a stick in the mud named Lamar, he¡¯s most likely the best crafter here. I¡¯m sure you two will have loads to talk about. Thanks for the info on the mines.¡± Y¡¯s eyes focused and it looked like her mind was registering what Drake had said. When she finally processed it her mouth hung half open and she nodded vigorously. ¡°I-I shall find the stick¡­¡± she repeated, and began hurrying her father away. Shaking his head, Drake prayed that she understood his joke and wasn¡¯t actually looking for a stick in the mud. Turning he walked back to the group that was waiting for him. ¡°So, looks like Sandal does have a mine and it has exactly what we need. The problem is I don¡¯t know how I would feel about sending people back there at the moment. I don¡¯t think I destroyed the Anchoring Crystal, which means it¡¯s probably in the Mines rather than in the city I ttened. Either one of you want to take charge of that?¡± Drake asked, looking at Leon and Damian. ¡°Pass¡­¡± Leon yawned. ¡°Hell no,¡± Damian scoffed. ¡°I thought so¡­ It will just have to wait then. So? What are you two nning on doing? Are you going to stay here for a bit or move on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be staying to cause some trouble for a while. We came from the south up and it seems like most of the monsters cap out around mid-30¡¯s level wise. At least naturally,¡± Leon waved. ¡°Naturally? Do you mean the undead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s some of it. From what Tatsuki keeps yelling in my ear, they will naturally grow stronger until the world assimtes and finds its Mana Baseline Capacity. Killing those Guardian¡¯s only speeds up the process, bumping us up to E-Rank.¡± Drake looked at Natto. Natto mimed a book and pointed to it, then scoffed. ¡°I have to really read that book¡­¡± Drake whispered. ¡°I¡¯m just chixin here. I got a mighty itch to make some new toys and beats, tell me you got a ce I can set up in G?¡± Daimian asked. ¡°How are we looking on space Natto?¡± ¡°We are near full capacity as I stated. But your influx of Nobility Points has expanded the influence quite a bit. If you are willing, we may take more of the surrounding area. We will certainly need it for food and cattle production sooner thanter,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯ll just pick a spot and set up shop,¡± Damian shrugged, walking the outskirts of the wall, hisrge mecha rumbling behind him, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for ya call. I already know it¡¯sin¡¯ when ya need me.¡± ¡°Oh! There you are Luke. Don¡¯t think you''re sneaking off!¡± Leon suddenly shouted, grabbing a man by the back of neck, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet the guy you¡¯ve been trash talking the entire way here? Go on, say hi there Aussie.¡± ¡°Oi! Let me go there, ya god damn bogan!¡± Luke yelped, throwing his arms up. Drake looked curiously at the man, he wore surprisingly modern urban gear. Making Drake wonder if it was actually armor or just clothes from before the system. He had short yellow hair, blue eyes and skin that looked like it hadn¡¯t seen the sun in years. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Drake asked. ¡°This, is your problem now,¡± Leon smiled, ¡°I¡¯m dropping him and the rest of them here,¡± he saluted sarcastically, ¡°All in a day¡¯s work Race Leader.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°I wanted to be in charge one time! That doesn¡¯t mean you should force everything and anything onto me!¡± ¡°Yes it does, have fun. We¡¯re going to tour the city, find me when ya need me bro,¡± Leonughed waving as he walked toward the city gate. Ari bowed slightly and followed him without a word. Drake looked down at Luke, ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Well what, cunt?¡± Luke spat, then quickly corrected himself, ¡°I mean yea! Good cunt ya are! Everything Leon said wasn¡¯t true, never said a darn thing bad bout ya. Even if ya do look like a eshay, I got nothin¡¯ but respect for a man that can kill a Cardinal Beast, runs a city, and looks like he could snap me like a dry bit a wood.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Natto? What should we do with him?¡± Natto looked at him scornfully, ¡°He seems like a worthless clump of dirt. Are you sure he would not fit in right at home?¡± Drakeughed sarcastically, ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­¡± ¡°Oi, who¡¯s the little ankle biter?¡± Luke let slip, then Natto dropped from Drake¡¯s shoulder to the floor. She walked over casually as Luke watched her, a momentter actually biting his ankle and throwing him around like a dog with a chew toy, tossing him across the area. She spat to the side, ¡°I assume you will be more respectful next time!¡± Drake couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°What do you n to do with the other annoyance?¡± Natto asked, hopping back up on his shoulder. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The one who seems to be making googly eyes at one of your women.¡± ¡°Oh? That Charles guy? He seems harmless and no, I won¡¯t kill a dude just because he has the hots for my wife. But¡­ I won¡¯t stop you from tormenting him a bit.¡± ¡°Fun,¡± Natto smiled, tapping her fingers together, ¡°Then, I shall keep a watch on him for the time being. Is there anything else?¡± Drake looked at the remaining people in the group, Tanya, her sister, Aralleen. And the Ice Wolf n Leader, Teresa, who was eyeing him with great interest. Her two tails swaying back and forth, a catish smile on her face despite being a wolf. ¡°Alright, I guess we should take the rest of this talk somewhere private. Have anywhere we can do that Natto?¡± ¡°I do indeed,¡± she answered. ¡ª-------------- Aralleen looked to the side, her sister walking with her as they followed the man who saved Tanya. The leader of the city and perhaps the strongest person on the ording to Tanya. She had only seen the aftermath of the fight that leveled the entire city she was so desperate to arrive at. The only thought in her mind was saving her sister, but by the time she arrived, the fight was already long over. Aralleen looked up. The man¡¯s back was broad and muscr yet lean enough to not be bulky. His hair was as long as her own, going down to his waist and tied at the end with a single band. The man¡¯s armor was unfamiliar and unconventional, she had never seen armor that did not cover every inch of a person¡¯s body. Was it made for fighting in the desert? And he had a small girl on his shoulder in clothes she had never seen before either. But she knew for sure this Assistant as the girl referred to herself as was strong. Unlike the man, the small girl, Natto¡¯s Level was not being concealed. [Natto, Territorial Assistant Level 29] Tanya leaned over, whispering, ¡°Sister, remember what we spoke about.¡± Aralleen grimaced but nodded, ¡°I know¡­ If it is for our people, I¡¯m willing to do anything,¡± she gazed at Drake''s back, ¡°Even if it means making a deal with a devil¡­¡± ¡°How much longer are you going to make us walk for, Boss?¡± Aralleen looked to the side, the third person following Drake, a brutish looking beastkin. Blue hair, an eyepatch over one eye and a mixture of chain mail and leather armor. But it didn¡¯t cover all of her body much like Drake¡¯s. Shameless¡­ Aralleen thought, seeing such skin exposed. It reminded her of the brute of a woman who had somehow snuck up behind her earlier. She wore so little she might have been naked! She thought, her face reddening. Was that what this man, Drake Wallen preferred? Women who showed their bare skin? Would he force her to do the same? Shameless! Her face flushed again, thinking about the possibility as they walked. ¡°Who¡¯s your boss?! Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re the twin¡¯s aunt I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want¡­¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°Come on!~¡± Teresa mused, ¡°Let¡¯s ditch these scrawny little elves and have some fun, yeah? We can find somewhere quiet and fight to our heart¡¯s content! I know you¡¯d like that. Right, boss?¡± ¡°Enough acting like a dog in heat,¡± Drake growled back. The surroundings chilled slightly and Aralleen unconsciously touched her nose, remembering when Drake struck her for nearly stabbing him. It was a scene she never thought she would witness. Since before the system she was trained to protect the World Tree Sapling. How to remain silent and move with the shadows of the trees so as to never be caught. And it was only exacerbated by the improvements of the system and the skills it brought. Yet, this man was able to stop her with ease and strike her without her being able to react. What her sister said about the man had merit, if not the outright truth. Teresa backed down for now after being reprimanded by Drake and they continued their way through the town. Aralleen had entrusted her guards to oversee the refugees of Sandal with the city¡¯s administrators. If nothing else this city would allow them to get situated and figure out their next move. No¡­ That¡¯s not all. She thought. They would have to deal with Valor and the World Tree he had under his control. And Aralleen knew better than anyone they didn¡¯t have the strength to take the city alone. Many soldiers and civilians had departed from the city when she rose to rescue their captured people. But even with those and the elite guard under her, they were up against a proper army that now had the strength of the system and the World Tree on their side. She took another look at the back of Drake. They needed to convince this man somehow to help their cause and at any cost. They walked through the streets of ReUnite on their way to the center. Aralleen, Tanya, and Teresa looked at sights they had never see before. Buildings as tall as trees, the bustling streets paved in ck earth and people of all races mingling. Light skinned elves known as Spirit Kin to her people, beastkin of all kinds, Orcs, and humans. Talked to one another without discrimination. She saw many of them even walking in pairs holding hands. How shameless. ¡°This ce is wonderful isn¡¯t it sister?¡± Tanya muttered looking on in amazement, ¡°Everyone seems so free¡­ No one is looking at each other with scorn. And the smells of delicious food,¡± she took a deep breath of the air, ¡°I wonder what spices and food are making such a mysterious aroma¡­¡± Drake looked over his shoulder, ¡°We just upgraded our fields and found more livestock, so the food is top notch.¡± The small girl smacked him on the back of the head. ¡°O-or so I¡¯m told¡­¡± heughed wryly. Aralleen let her scowl deepen. Who was this person talking now? He was so different than the cold man that had struck her only a day earlier. She had seen so many sides of him already. An elbow came to her side. ¡°Sister, your face, your face¡­¡± Tanya muttered in a whisper. Aralleen touched her face, realizing she was scowling. ¡°Ah. Sorry¡­ He¡¯s just so¡­ confusing.¡± ¡°Do you believe so? He seems very transparent to me,¡± Tanya smiled back. They hade to the edge of arge pool of water, a wooden bridge spanning across to a center ind. ¡°Is that so?¡± Aralleen asked. Tanya nodded, ¡°In the short time I¡¯ve interacted with Lord Wallen, he has only shown concern for his people. He allowed his subordinates to fight their own battle to their limit and with respect, yet would not allow for them to fall. He even went so far as to protect strangers such as us during that battle. And made the men that captured us pay¡­ None of them survived. Patient and protective of those close to him, yet a iron fist and little mercy for those who dare threaten to harm them. It is quite simple and somewhat out of a story book. Like the ones Father and Mother used to read to us.¡± Aralleen was taken back by her sister¡¯s heated exnation, pushed to silence as she thought on it herself and they walked to the ind. A few minutester she was broken from her thoughts. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re here. This building is apparently where we hold important meetings,¡± Drake said, holding a hand out for them to enter, ¡°Or so I¡¯m told. I¡¯ve never been inside¡­¡± Aralleen¡¯s eyes thinned again. Now he was acting as if he was a court¡¯s fool? Was he not the leader of this city? How did they survive so long with such a man? ¡°I can see your thoughts clear on your face, double drill girl.¡± The small girl on Drake¡¯s shoulder spoke. ¡°He may be new to ruling but he is a brute and his strength is certainly up to par. The city is my responsibility and has survived due to my expertise,¡± Natto said, sticking her nose up in a sneer, ¡°Or are you trying to say the city you fled from is much better? I can hardly believe so with a leader who is willing to turn tail and leave her people behind.¡± ¡°Natto,¡± Drake said tly, ¡°We don¡¯t know the whole story yet, keep that to yourself. In fact,¡± he thumbed to his head. Natto raised her hands with a shake of her head, ¡°Always so soft¡­¡± The small girl seemed to meld and vanish into the side of Drake¡¯s head, earning a gasp from Tanya and Aralleen. Teresa only gave a hum of interest. ¡°Now that she¡¯s gone, we can finally talk,¡± Drake said with his face turning serious, ¡°Let¡¯s hear exactly what is going on, Princess Aralleen Silverwood.¡± Chapter 281: Countdown To The Summits And A Girl Worth Fighting For Chapter 281: Countdown To The Summits And A Girl Worth Fighting For ¡°So you¡¯re saying I should go and take care of this Valor guy and destroy this World Tree?¡± Drake asked, leaning against one hand, the other, his fingers tapping against the desk he sat at. ¡°Lord Wallen, you make it sound so simple. After the extensive exnation we just gave¡­¡± Tanya grimaced. ¡°Well that¡¯s basically what you¡¯re asking right? You want me to go take care of your problem,¡± Drake pointed at them, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, this whole thing with Sandal forced us to cancel the auction. Now I owe that Fox two favors¡­¡± The two girls looked somewhat crestfallen at his statement as if they were about to give up. Drake sighed. Do I really need to y this hard to get Natto? We nned on having that guy on the list regardless of what they asked. He did send his people to very and helped the undead. Drake thought. ¡°Because we need to make sure they are worth the risk! We can not keep running around for charity and your bleeding heart! These two are also the Last of their Bloodline, making one of them most likely a holder of a World Tree Sapling,¡± Natto exined. What makes you say that? Drake asked. ¡°They already told us that the man who sold of the smaller one has control of a World Tree. A World Tree must always produce a sapling. In all instances I know of, the royal family is responsible for protecting it. A World Tree of any caliber would be of certain benefit to us. It will increase in rank in tandem with the world it is attached to, giving absurd benefits to the area it surrounds and the Priestess it is attached to.¡± Is it really that great¡­? Drake wondered. Natto screamed in his ear, ¡°You imbecile! I have told you when we saw the Sapling in the tutorial shop! The benefits wrought from a World Tree are immeasurable! The boosts to farming, livestock, experience gains, regeneration of citizens, and resistances from sickness alone! Not to mention how it will boost my ability to defend this ce!¡± Drake scratched at his earlobe wincing slightly, ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± he said aloud. ¡°Get what, Lord Wallen?¡± Tanya asked. ¡°I-I understand the situation¡­ You want me to risk my life and the life of my army? Can I call the teens an army? My fighting force. To take Valor¡¯s city and dispose of his World Tree. But what are you willing to offer for that? I¡¯ll say now, but there are no amount of skill stones, or Monster Cores you could offer that I would take. Your sister Tanya has already seen a small portion of what I am capable of and collecting stones and cores wouldn¡¯t be a problem if I needed to,¡± Drakeced his fingers together eyeing them both, ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt, you are at a severe disadvantage negotiation wise.¡± Aralleen looked troubled and exchanged a look with her sister. Teresa from the side looked pleased with Drake¡¯s forwardness, as if she expected nothing less. ¡°T-Then what would you have us do¡­? What do you require of us?¡± Aralleen asked, but her eyes hardened, ¡°I will say so now, but I refuse to allow my sister to wed someone simply for political gain. If anyone should-¡± ¡°Whoa whoa whoa. Stop right there,¡± Drake said, waving his hands, ¡°I¡¯m not marrying anyone alright. Especially some brat. Besides, I think your sister is smitten over my Mini Me.¡± Tanya¡¯s ears bounced and reddened slightly, ¡°L-Lord Landin is amenable and admirable. He defended us valiantly until you arrived¡­¡± She quickly shook her head pping her hands together, ¡°That is perfect then! As I am not desirable for Lord Wallen, it is only sensible that you take my sister as your bride!¡± ¡°W-w-what?!¡± Aralleen eximed. ¡°What did I just say?!¡± Drake shouted, ¡°No one is marrying anyone. Especially against their will! I have no intention of furthering the amount of marriage partners I have regardless!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Tanya said, putting a finger to her lips in a thoughtful gesture, ¡°From my perspective you are sorelycking in someone with experience in dealing with politics and royal etiquette. Have you not mentioned yourself that you will be needing someone with experience in overseeing arger nation as well? My sister,¡± she smiled, ¡°Has many of these qualities¡­ As first Princess she was born and raised to marry a strong man and rule the throne. She has years of experience in administration already before The Great Tree saw fit to take us from our home and present us with this challenge.¡± ¡°Drake, she does have a point,¡± Natto agreed. I¡¯m not taking wives just because it''s convenient! Drake spat. ¡°Was Sah Ul¡¯ not the same at first?¡± That¡¯s different, it was a necessity for a quest! And besides Sarah was my type! ¡°Oh? Does not conquering this Elven city not align with your quest for making a world capital? And I can certainly see that this snooty elf woman is a sight to behold.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned but he sighed and looked at Aralleen more purposefully for the first time. The elf woman was a beauty, Drake couldn¡¯t deny it even if he wanted to. A lie detector test would out him as needing to do ten hell marys for perishing the thought. She wore form fitting leather armor for now that only entuated her body, ifpared to Sarah¡¯s armor that showed more skin, the leather Aralleen wore covered everything but stuck to her body. One could say it was even more revealing than if she was just in her birthdaysuit. On either side of her waist were daggers, and she also had, for one reason or another, high heeled leather boots. Which honestly made Drake gulp as he felt his body heating up. Caramel sun kissed skin, white hair that looked like it had been groomed perfectly into curls that went down to her waist. And gem-like purple-jasmin eyes that glittered in the morning sunlight passing through the window. Drake took in a deep breath. I¡¯m a bad man aren¡¯t I¡­. He thought sighing. ¡°Was this ever a question to begin with?¡± Natto scoffed, ¡°She is pretty and now that we have that out of the way. We must get down to the crux of the situation. Her sister has given us a small glimpse into what the woman can do for us, but the real question is. Does she have the sapling?¡± As if reading their minds, Tanya spoke up again. ¡°Might I also mention that we have every intention of staying here, even if you do not wish to wed my sister.¡± ¡°We do¡­?¡± Aralleen asked, slightly shocked and dumbstruck from the conversation, only to be pinched by her sister, ¡°I mean, of course we do. I apologize, Lord Wallen, I have been distant from the conversation. But we owe you a great debt for saving our people. And I understand that there is a heavy burden on your heart as a ruler to push your troops into action at the behest of another. But I implore you to do so. Valor is a clever man and I can not imagine he would not be scheming to take your city for himself at some point. He has always had ambition but I was blind to see that such ambition would put our people in such horrible circumstances¡­ I¡¯ve made a grave mistake in allowing him to take hold in our nation in absence of my parents.¡± Aralleen looked as if she came to a decision, bringing her hand to her chest and pulling an item from her inventory. ¡°Should you go to war for us once more¡­ I will offer you everything that I am. Be it my body, my mind, my life. If you can promise my people the same protection and prosperity I have witnessed in my short time in this city. I am more than willing. From your earlier questions I suspect you know of the Sapling.¡± She held out a small ss case. It held a small sprouting nt with only two leaves in a pile of dirt, but Drake could feel a fluctuation of mana around the case when it exited her inventory. ¡°I do not know how much to one¡¯s liking I am, but if you also desire the World Tree there are several requirements that must be met.¡± ¡°Drake¡­¡± Natto said, raising her voice slightly. ¡°And what exactly are they?¡± Drake asked, already able to guess. Aralleen looked to the side at Teresa who was currently looking outside one of the windows bored. ¡°First, there may only be one World Tree on a at any given time,¡± she exined. Drake nodded, he already knew that from Natto¡¯s exnation. ¡°This means that the current World Tree¡­ or in a way an extension of our God must be destroyed to nt another.¡± Drake waved his hand, ¡°That¡¯s easy enough. Breaking things is my middle name.¡± Aralleen failed to see the joke, forcing Drake to cough and wave her to continue on. ¡°Second, the Sapling must be nurtured and nted by a Priestess who is trained since birth to do so.¡± ¡°Is that a ss? With what you did in Sandal I expected you to be an assassin type ss.¡± She shook her head, ¡°It is simply a non system profession, passed down the royal line. And Third¡­ The Priestess must be wed or betrothed at the time of the nting¡­¡± Tanya frowned, ¡°Sister¡­¡± Aralleen coughed rubbing her hands together as her ears became rose colored. ¡°The Priestess must be with child¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°What?!¡± Drake spat, ¡°What kind of Hollywood bullshit is this?! Please, someone tell me I¡¯m being pranked. Ashton! Hey, Ashton?!¡± he huffed, ¡°In what world does it make sense that you have to have a kid to nt a tree?¡± ¡°It is tradition¡­¡± Aralleen said, tapping her pointer fingers together, her ears growing deeper shade of red, ¡°Traditionally the priestess is a royal. To ensure that the Tree is cared for and remains in the hands of the royal bloodline, it is required for there to be a proper partnership. You may think of it as a Queen and her Knight¡­¡± ¡°And the kid..?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It is to ensure the future. Insurance in case the worst should happen¡­ The Tree at the time of maturity produces a single sapling for the next generation, and each priestess hands down the sapling until it is needed.¡± Drake held up a hand, his other rubbing his temples. ¡°So wait. You¡¯re telling me that you need to be in a rtionship and have a child to control and grow this World Tree right?¡± Aralleen nodded. ¡°Then does that mean Valor is your dad?¡± Tanya and Aralleen scowled, ¡°No!¡± they said immediately. ¡°The control of the tree can be temporarily relieved to an advisor in case of emergencies, but should they continue to have control when the Priestess is killed¡­¡± Drake gave a knowing look. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± ¡°The hell you have! Drake you will take that woman and get me that Tree, you hear me! This lines up perfectly with everything you need! She is a Royal and she will be able to maneuver through the more annoying political negotiations you will have to one day deal with. She will also give us control over an item that will give us untold benefits in the future! And need I remind you, the poption on this of Elves is immense! Having a popce of that magnitude will only help in the long run. You have fought now alone, but the further you climb in Rank the more you will need a standing army.¡± Natto implored. Drake looked at a Quest. The timer counting down. [The Fight for the Top!]
  • Time Remaining Until First Round of Voting: 10 Days, 12 Hours, and 54 Minutes.
¡°How far away is your city from here?¡± Drake asked. ¡°It is roughly a week¡¯s travel on foot, perhaps shorter if you left with a small group,¡± Arallen answered. ¡°Remain in the city for now, make yourself familiar and see if you truly wish to live here. You will be able to find Natto whenever you need her if you call her. We will leave in three days. As far as everything else, we will have to see what happens at the World Summit. I assume Valor will be present. I want to gauge the man myself. Now you three are free to leave, I have my own business I want to take care of and people I have to attend to.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Wallen. If it pleases you I wish to also state my intention to be your personal assistant. Cleaning, errand running, and cooking. Please think of me as yours tomand,¡± Tanya said, bowing her head. ¡°She wishes to stay close to you for information, huh? Smart girl,¡± Natto giggled. ¡°I¡¯d rather you go check up on Landin for now. He¡¯s still in rough shape.¡± Aralleen, gave her sister a look as if a royal shouldn¡¯t be lowering herself to running errands but apparently she knew better than to bring it up at the moment. Instead, she bowed her head as well, leaving with her sister. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? You can leave,¡± Drake repeated to Teresa. ¡°I heard you loud and clear, Boss,¡± she smirked, ¡°But I¡¯m not going anywhere until we settle what we started.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not fighting you in here.¡± Teresa began undressing, ¡°Who said anything about fighting? You won remember? You can do anything you want- Yahh!¡± she yelped. Drake had thrown her out of the room half-naked. Teresa pouted, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms, ¡°Boss is shy huh¡­ No matter, I¡¯ll simply find out which room is his from Atropos and sneak in- Yahhh!!¡± she yelped again, electricity putting all her tail¡¯s fur on end and singing it. Chapter 282: What Regret Feels Like Chapter 282: What Regret Feels Like ¡°Uhhhhh¡­.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ groaned, feeling as if her entire world was spinning and perhaps a boar was twisting her insides. ¡°Shh¡­ It will be alright, your nausea will pass but please try to drink,¡± A voice said to her gently. ¡°D-Drake¡­?¡± Sah Ul could barely make out the voice, her head spinning and body feeling worse than she had ever experienced before. She tried to grab for the voice but couldn¡¯t muster any strength at the moment. The voice giggled slightly, ¡°Sorry no, I¡¯m not Drake. He¡¯s busy getting into more mischief I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m ire. I don¡¯t know if you remember me when Drake introduced us, but you threw up on my good shoes.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s eyes thinned, trying to make out the figure, ¡°I-I apologize. Yes, I do know the name. The Patriarch has told me much about you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Patriarch now? You were calling him by his first name the entire way here,¡± ire snickered, ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± Sah Ul¡¯s face blushed and she turned away, rolling over in the bed she found herself in. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to embarrass you. I can tell from everyone around that you and Drake are very close¡­ I hope you treated him well while I was away from him. He never lets it show, but he goes through a lot¡­As his wives we have to support him¡± Sah Ul¡¯ turned around. Others? She thought, looking around and finding that the children were in the room as well excluding Kalik, Mordred, and Landin. For some reason she felt her face flush more knowing there were other people in the room listening to their conversation and a sudden bout of nausea hit her. She felt someone grab her hair, pulling it backward as they gave her a bucket. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone go through pregnancy but the church had some sses exining it. You might be dealing with this for a little longer.¡± ¡°Where is the Patriar-¡± ire gave her an even look. ¡°Where is Drake¡­?¡± Sah Ul¡¯ corrected. ¡°He¡¯s speaking with the elven princesses and the twin¡¯s Aunt, I¡¯m told. Mr. Leon and Mr. Damian left to explore the town. But more importantly when you are feeling better, we should talk. I can tell from walking the streets how the city respects him¡­¡± ire said, her face turning slightly dour, ¡°But it¡¯s like in the tutorial, people respect him but they also fear him. They only see the face of the man we love, that is hard and cold, and must do what is necessary.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ looked into ire¡¯s eyes and saw the sympathy she had for Drake. They must have gone through a lot in the trials of the Gods¡­ I can see how much she cares for him. She thought, a slight tug on her heart. ¡°You care for Drake much, ire¡­¡± she eked out, ¡°But I will not give him or this child up. He and I are bonded and I will not forget the words of my Father to make this tribe great.¡± ire raised her brows but smiled, ¡°Unfortunately for both of us, I don¡¯t think we will have a choice in not sharing. Miss Natto didn¡¯t speak to you about it? Great powers of the Multiverse often have many lovers and wives. I know Drake wouldn¡¯t do that unless he cared for the person deeply,¡± she giggled, ¡°I remember it took me getting kidnapped before he even thought of me in that way.¡± Sah Ul¡¯s face turned soft, ¡°Indeed. He took a very long time to court me as well¡­¡± her face reddened, ¡°I had to¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t say more. ire giggled again, ¡°For someone who looks so fierce, you are surprisingly girlish¡­¡± she ced her hand on Sah Ul¡¯s, ¡°I think we can be friends Sah Ul¡¯ or at least together make a home for the man we love toe back to.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯id back down on the bed, heaving a breath, ¡°You are stronger than I imagined ire. I do not think I could be so weing of another to my bonded, should our positions be exchanged,¡± she closed her eyes to rest, ¡°I would like that, to be friends, very much.¡± ¡ª--------- Drake kicked the door open, struggling to keep everything he had gathered in his arms steady. ¡°Sarah! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sote, how are you feeling? Are you still nauseous? I went to the Doc and got all the pills I could find. She tried to tell me she didn¡¯t know anything about prenatal care so I threatened her and she gave me a list of stuff to get. I went and rounded them up and went to Janey for the rest that I couldn¡¯t find. Honestly Janey was more help than the Doc! I brought warm towels, my old foot massager, snacks I¡¯ve been hiding from Harley and Natto, The Notebook on DVD BlueRay for you, and,¡± Drake pulled some headphones from his pile of stuff, ¡°Death Note on theptop for the baby.¡± Drake stuck his head out from the pile, half smiling from being pleased with himself only to see ire scowling at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s resting!¡± ire whispered angrily, ¡°And why are you trying to make her stomach listen to cartoons?!¡± Drake frowned, ¡°You know I forgave you in the tutorial, but that¡¯s twice you¡¯ve called anime cartoons. You¡¯re pushing your luck.¡± ire¡¯s eyes thinned, ¡°And isn¡¯t it usually Mozart or Beethoven they have kids listen to?¡± Drake waved her off, ¡°I want my kids to grow up the right way,¡± then he looked around the room, seeing the teens standing guard in the corners, ¡°You guys can leave now. Thanks for helping, I really appreciate it. But go and rest up now, I know everyone has been through a lot.¡± Charlotte pushed off a wall she was leaning on, ¡°Do you want us to go see to Kalik and Landin? And what about the Elves?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Tanya is looking after Landin and Mordred is watching Kalik. They were the only two who lost their fights, it¡¯s expected they would be down in the dumps. I¡¯ll be checking on themter but I want you all to take your rest and recuperation seriously. You all know even if your statuses have recovered doesn''t mean you are at 100%.¡± ¡°And our Aunt¡­?¡± Atropos asked pensively. ¡°She¡¯s annoying and in heat so I kicked her to the curb for now. Try to get her under control I guess if you can but don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± Atropose gave a breath of relief for some reason and nodded. ¡°D-Drake..?¡± Sah Ul¡¯s head rose from the bed slightly, her voice weak. Drake ced the things he brought down on a nearby table and moved next to the bed, kneeling down next to Sah Ul¡¯, his hand on her forehead. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here now Sarah. Sorry it took me so long to get back, how are you feeling?¡± She gave a weak smile, ¡°I would be much better if you would cease being so loud¡­¡± Drake gave a look of surprise for a moment, then a wry grin overcame his expression. ¡°Haha¡­ I guess I just wanted to keep things as normal as I could. After everything I just wanted things to go back to normal, for all of us.¡± ire gave a raise of her brows not sure of what Drake was talking about. ¡°It is not your fault Drake. My Father wished to help the tribe in any way he could. We have taken revenge on all those directly responsible, and your punishment for the woman I may not understand just yet, but I trust you. I¡¯m sure it was more than enough¡­ Taking their lives may not have given back my Father, but his spirit can now rest. If the Gods are just, he is with my Mother now and that is enough.¡± She ced a hand on Drake¡¯s arm and squeezed. ¡°You lost your Father, Sarah?¡± ire asked, her face a twisted mess of concern, ¡°W-when did this happen?¡± ¡°It was yesterday. We¡¯ve already killed the people who did it, but¡­ My brother has a lot to answer for,¡± Drake said, answering for her. ¡°Why must you make such a face Drake? I do not me you,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ said gently, ¡°My Father died fighting for the tribe, it was a good death-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Drake snapped, ¡°You should be angry! If not with them, with me! I let him go when I should have just gotten rid of that rotten woman. I knew she was trouble the moment she tried to weasel her way into the city. I was too soft, too weak, to just do what needed to be done because I didn¡¯t want to be the tyrannical monster I know that I am! I could have wiped her and that disgusting group of people with a wave of my hands but I didn¡¯t! If I just¡­ If I just did what a proper leader should have done, maybe Rvul would still be here.¡± ire came over putting her arms around his shoulders and Sah Ul¡¯ gripped his arm tighter, a long silence passing over the room. Drake took in a deep breath, ¡°In three days we are going to move on the Elven City of Avalon. You, ire and the kids are going to stay here in the city.¡± ¡°What?! You can¡¯t just-¡± ¡°No, Lord Drake-¡± ¡°But we can fight-¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way-¡± ¡°Drake-¡± Voices of protest began but Drake cut them all off. ¡°This isn¡¯t negotiable!¡± he yelled, ¡°I won¡¯t put you all in needless danger again! Focus on protecting the city and training. I¡¯m going with Princess Aralleen and her troop of guards. If you want to help, aid in getting the refugees ustomed to life here and helping Natto with anything you can. It¡¯s a few day¡¯s journey there and back so I need people here I can trust to keep Sarah safe while she¡¯s like this.¡± ¡°Drake!¡± ire shouted, her face twisted into a scowl, ¡°Are you really intending to leave me behind again?!¡± ¡°I intend to keep you safe! All of you safe!¡± She prodded his chest with an usatory finger, ¡°You can¡¯t lock us up here in a tower and keep us from the world! I¡¯m going!¡± ¡°ire-¡± ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± she repeated, staring him down as if challenging him to say different. ¡°I¡¯m going as well, Drake. I know I can be of help, I leveled up quite a bit from the fight in Sandal and I won¡¯t leave you to do this all alone,¡± Charlotte said firmly. ¡°I will be going as well, Lord Drake. I have no intention of allowing you out of my sight!¡± Atropos agreed, adding in a whisper, ¡°There is no telling what how many more women you will bring back without proper supervision¡­¡± ¡°Quetz and CC want to go too! Helping out is always a good thing right?¡± Quetz chirped, raising both her hands and one of Clotho¡¯s. ¡°Besides,¡± ire huffed, ¡°Natto is more than capable of protecting the city! And with Mr. Leon and Mr. Damian¡¯s Assistants here as well I doubt even you would have an easy time breaking into the city.¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡± Drake muttered, a hand tightening around his arm. ¡°ire is right, Patriarch,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ grinned weakly, ¡°You can not keep the world from us.¡± ire nodded, ¡°If you¡¯re going to be like that with us, how are you ever going to handle our kids! You better learn quickly and not make me and Sarah have to be the sensible ones!¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m already being scolded? And our kids huh? When did you get so aggressive?¡± His expression softened, but Drake¡¯s mind remained cold. If he couldn¡¯t keep them safe within the city, he would just have to eradicate anything that could harm them. It was time to stop pretending. There would be no more regret. It was time to make his moniker a reality. The Tyrant Asuran would not see his family hurt again. Chapter 283: What Regret Feels Like 2 Chapter 283: What Regret Feels Like 2 The rest of the day progressed steadily. Drake remained in the room with ire and Sarah. Therge mansion that Natto prepared for him was massive to say the least. He never would have imagined rooms so spacious to be his. He recognized most of the furnishings as things from the tutorial, but Drake was told that it would only be for so much longer, before the new craftsmen came up with something for their savior¡¯s living quarters. Natto stopped in frequently to check on Sah Ul¡¯ as well as update Drake on the happenings of the settlement for the refugees from the city. Natto made new rules due to the massive increase in poption for the city. But she didin briefly that while she was made to maintain and govern a territory for Drake, she was not particrly good at nuancedw. Natto made it clear she could only do so much on her own without the input of either Drake or someone in simr authority for the city, whether that be his wives or someone he trusted and appointed himself. Drake gave a sour look, knowing what Natto was insinuating. He hadn¡¯t made any decisions on Aralleen or her younger sister yet. And his mind was still a tornado of repressed problems he¡¯d yet to deal with. It seemed his life was destined to be interesting. It felt as if he never had a spare moment even when he made time for it. Sitting on the side of Sah Ul¡¯s bed, he stroked her head gently as she did her best to rest. ire cozied up next to Drake in his other arm as they talked softly and caught up. ire recalled what happened during her journey back to him. How she met with Leon, Ari, and the rest of the small mercenary group that followed Leon around. Sheughed asionally at how simr, yet different Leon was to him. Leon would retell the days of them ying games as if it was life and death. Reminding ire of Drake almost every day. She told Drake how Leon¡¯s personality also seemed to help him with dealing with monsters. He was cold and precise but always looking for a more challenging fight. ¡°Mr. Leon said he was upset when he found out you finished your tutorial before him,¡± ire giggled. ¡°He was actually upset?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t use those words, no, but you could see from his expression.¡± ¡°That sounds a lot like him. I used to race him in every game to see who would progress faster and when I won I would rub it in his face. But he never seemed upset, just got really quiet. It¡¯s funny to think that he was actually fuming silently to himself,¡± Drake chuckled, ¡°This¡­¡± he squeezed ire closer, running his thumb against her shoulder and looking down at the resting Sarah, ¡°This is nice.¡± ire pinched his side, ¡°Not too nice, I hope¡­.¡± she grumbled slightly, then looked sullen for a brief moment, ¡°The trip here wasn¡¯t easy, but to think of everything that¡¯s happened to you two. I feel guilty for feeling jealous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re jealous?¡± ¡°Just a little bit¡­¡± she muttered pursing her lips, ¡°You know how I grew up. I wanted a white picket fence¡­ lots of kids. Our parents woulde over during the weekend to spoil them and my Dad would force us to church. Instead, it feels like the world is against us.¡± She looked up at Drake, leaning into him, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem so bad now that I¡¯m back here. Seeing what you built for everyone¡­ for us,¡± then she pushed a knuckle into his side, ¡°It still would have been nice if you came and got me!¡± ¡°I know, I know. I just¡­ had so many things to take care of. It was one problem after the next. And¡­ Are you absolutely sure you want toe?¡± he asked. ¡°Drake,¡± ire said sternly, looking him in the eyes, ¡°I aming and there is nothing that is going to change my mind. You already left me behind once with the Ants, but this time unless you n on locking me up, I¡¯m going and that¡¯s final.¡± Drake wiggled his eyebrows, ¡°Oh you like being tied up huh?¡± but ire remained steadfast and Drake was forced to sigh, ¡°I get it. I just hope you don¡¯t think ill of me for what happens. Things have gotten much more ck and white for me. And that means I will protect you and Sarah at all costs.¡± ire smiled, leaning back into him, ¡°I know you will,¡± she brought up his old tattoo ring around her neck, tracing the outside of the ck material, ¡°Do you think when we get back we can¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty forward.¡± ire punched him in the arm, ¡°You know what I mean!¡± Drake rubbed his shoulder, ¡°Yeah, I know. I think we should. This ce needs something good happening I think. But before that. Tomorrow we¡¯re going to hold a funeral for everyone that was killed. Then we leave for the Elven City of Avalon.¡± ¡ª-------------- Landin winced, feeling his stomach turn with sharp pain as if someone was rotating a knife into it. His head swimming he struggled to rouse himself. Blinking away bleary vision, it focused to see a hand reaching for his face. He quickly grabbed for it, snatching the wrist out of the air, a girlish squeal reaching his ears. ¡°L-Lord Landin! You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Landin groaned, his free hand gripping his side. ¡°Does it still hurt? It has been a day already but your wounds¡­¡± Landin squinted, blinking to focus his vision. It seemed that it was still bright out and the light from the window told him it was at least the morning after they had returned. He heard a soft groaning as his eyes swept the room trying to figure out his situation, grabbing his attention. There, Tanya, the elf girl he had saved and that nursed him on the way back, stared back at him. Her face looked flushed and she seemed to squirm. Landin noticed he was still holding her by the wrist and released her. ¡°Sorry! I didn¡¯t hurt you did I?¡± Tanya shook her head, ¡°No, not at all, Lord Landin.¡± ¡°Where is everyone? Are we back in the city already?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes. We arrived shortly after you passed out on the road. Lord Wallen is caring for Lady Rahk in his room. The rest of your party is resting as well. That is¡­ except Lord Kalik and Miss Mordred.¡± Landin¡¯s brows scrunched together, then suddenly recalled what Charlotte had told him. He struggled to get up, leaving the bed. ¡°Where is he? He isn¡¯t doing something stupid right?¡± Tanya looked away from Landin, not meeting his gaze. ¡°He has been training alone, from what I understand. In a ce called the arena? I¡¯m told Miss Mordred is doing her best to have him rest but he will not listen. But please! You must rest yourself. Your status may have recovered but I understand that the pain from a fight will linger for days. Even Lord Wallen is-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn,¡± Landin groaned, getting out of bed and going for the door, ¡°I know exactly what that grumpy bastard is thinking and I¡¯m not about toy in bed while it happens!¡± ¡ª----------------------- ¡°Raaaaaahhhhhh!¡± Another guttural roar reverberated through the Arena tform as Kalik struck air. Since awakening he had done nothing but single mindedly train. He was not allowed to leave the city. Apparently Drake or Natto told the guards at the gates to refrain from letting him pass. Since he had no option of fighting monsters, Kalik moved to the next best option. The Grand Arena that they fought in a few days earlier. There currently wasn¡¯t anyone in it, but here he wouldn¡¯t feel the pain of his lingering injuries. The Arena did not allow one to gain experience to break through to the next level, but it did give a reduced amount of Proficiency for skills. Every punch, every kick, every breath, every strike was aimed to move forward, but Kalik could only see one thing. His failure to protect his mother. The back of the man he hated so ferventlying to his rescue because he was not strong enough. He was filled with anger, with regret, and overwhelming disappointment. Kalik took in a breath, throwing another straight, stepping forward to pivot on his foot to strike with his leg, then dropped to sweep with his other into another strikingbination. Stringing together everything he could imagine that he had practiced with Drake. If I had trained harder¡­ If I had swallowed my damning pride to ask him to train me earlier¡­If I had listened to my elders, to Sah Ul¡¯ to ept Lord Wallen¡­ He thought, abject rage building up in him once more. He screamed, his fist hitting the tilted floor of the arena, however, the floor won. Kalik¡¯s hand snapped, his wrist bent into an awkward angle. ¡°I understand your frustrations, Monsieur Kalik. Mais ce n¡¯est pas bon¡­ But this is not going to help,¡± Mordred said, stepping into the arena. Kalik ground his teeth, ¡°What would you know about it?! Losing someone you were sworn to protect! Allowing your own inability to overtake your ambition!¡± Mordred frowned, ¡°I know well more than most, Monsieur Kalik,¡± she replied, putting her hand over her chest, ¡°And I do not think what I witnessed during that fight was a person so willing to admit defeat. You fought admirably.¡± ¡°But I still lost regardless!¡± he growled, standing up to face her. Mordred pursed her lips. She wanted to say otherwise but Kalik was adamant to punish himself for not being victorious and losing his mother, despite there being nothing he could truly do. Adam at the time was several levels above him, as well as having an army of E-Rank Monsters by his side. If anything, it only showed the gap in strength between them and Drake. ¡°Kalik!¡± a voice roared from across the room. Landin glowered at Kalik, storming towards him with a slight limp to his step. ¡°What do you want, huh? Go back to bed,¡± Kalik spat. ¡°While you sit here and loathe in self pity? What do you think you¡¯re doing, you weren¡¯t the only one that lost a fight at Sandal.¡± Landin strode up to Kalik, getting a few inches from him. ¡°There is no pity here, it''s just the truth I wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect my tribe or my family. I couldn¡¯t even avenge my own mother¡­¡± Landin grit his teeth frustration painting his expression, ¡°That isn¡¯t the truth and you know it! How were you supposed to save someone that you didn¡¯t even know the location of?¡± ¡°The Patriarch would have saved her¡­¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t Drake man!¡± ¡°And that is my point!¡± Kalik growled, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t so blinded I could have had a sliver of his prowess! I would not have been bested by some coward! As I am now I can not protect anything¡­¡± Landin¡¯s face scrunched in anger and he grabbed Kalik by the cor. ¡°Stop spouting bullshit! You¡¯re not supposed to be someone this weak! Where is that stubborn grumpy dickhead who used to scoff at the sight of me! The headstrong warrior who saved me, Charlotte, Quetz! Countless times in training?!¡± Kalik grabbed Landin¡¯s wrists, wrenching them from his cor, ¡°He wasn¡¯t good enough! Do you not understand?! I am not strong enough! I have no goal¡­ The tribe does not need someone like me, blinded by empty pride, unwilling to improve under a man I loathe.¡± Landin couldn¡¯t take it any longer. He shoved Kalik backward. Summoning Ifrit to his side. ¡°Dwell within me, King Maker!¡± Landin¡¯s body glowed and shifted, growing in height his limbs extended out, hands bing serrated ws and face elongating to a mussel with razor sharp fangs. ¡°I won¡¯t ept you giving up like this! Even if I have to beat your sorry ass to get you back on your feet!¡± Landin rushed forward throwing his wed hand into Kalik¡¯s unprotected jaw, sending him flying across the tform. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Mordred gasped. ¡°Stay out of it! I¡¯m not going to continue listening to him think he¡¯s in this alone! All those days training, fighting for our lives, who do you think we were chasing! Who do you think kept us pushing to get better?! Drake!? No!¡± Landin growled pointing a finger at Kalik slowly getting up, wiping at his lip, ¡°It was you, you stubborn idiot!!¡± Landin syed out his hands, then dropped to all fours to rush Kalik. But Kalik, despite initially being caught off guard, was now ready for Landin. Kalik¡¯s body grew as he went under the effects of his 2-Gate Prosperity, his skin changing to a light red. The two shed with a thunderous impact as they sped hands, both struggling to overpower the other. ¡°Do not try to deceive me! I treated you all as nuisances! Children I had to help learn to walk!¡± Kalik roared. Landin threw his head forward, headbutting Kalik and separating them. Landin quickly followed up on the temporarily stunned Kalik, putting his hands together to bring them down in a hammer blow, throwing Kalik to the ground with a grunt. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! You were so much better at fighting than the rest of us! You lost your hand defending Charlotte! And when we first were thrown into training. It was you that led the charge when I was too scared to even move!¡± Kalik growled, gripping Landin¡¯s leg and yanking it out from under him, bringing him to the floor as well. Shooting upwards Kalik moved to strike Landin from above, his fist resonating with power as he brought it down on him from above. ¡°I was a trained warrior! It is expected!¡± Kaliks fist hit the floor as Landin rolled out of the way, sweeping Kalik¡¯s legs with his own, dropping Kalik to the floor once more. Landin quickly got on top of him, balling his fists. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what made us try to surpass you!¡± Landin threw fist after fist into Kalik¡¯s face, Kalik doing his best to defend himself. ¡°But if you''re going to sit here and pretend we aren¡¯t friends! Comrades? Family!? Then I¡¯ll just make it so you have no choice but to work hard to beat me!! And maybe then it will remind you of how you wanted to beat Drake! Then maybe you¡¯ll go back to that stubborn idiot we all know-¡± Kalik threw a punch, stopping Landin¡¯s rant in its tracks. ¡°Enough! I will not be lectured by you!¡± Landin was forced back by the blow, but quickly came back for more, foregoing any kind of fighting strategy to win. He just wanted to pummel Kalik. ¡°Unless you can shut me up! You¡¯re going to keep hearing me, dumbass!¡± The two exchanged fist after fist. Even long after both their empowerment skills receded and vanished, leaving them striking each other till exhaustion. Mordred had given up, resigning herself to watching the two beat each other to a pulp for nearly an hour until another person entered the tform. The sharp steps of her heeled leather bootsing closer to the fight. ¡°What in the world are you two doing? You¡¯re both supposed to be resting,¡± Charlotte said evenly, looking at the two syed out on the floor, still struggling to raise arms to strike the other. ¡°H-he was sulking¡­!¡± Lanin groaned, Kalik¡¯s fist connecting to his cheek. ¡°I-I was training¡­!¡± Kalik grunted, Landin¡¯s leg striking his side. ¡°And this is how you deal with it¡­?¡± Charlotte sighed, ¡°Boys¡­.¡± Charlotte looked over to Mordred, ¡°Make sure they both get some rest. Drake is holding a ceremony for the fallen warriors tomorrow,¡± she looked back at Kalik and Landin, ¡°And if either of you want even the hope ofing with us to Avalon after, you will need to recover enough to fight.¡± She was cold, but seeing the two still desperately try to hit the other, a slight smile broke her normally icy emotionless face. Charlotte turned to Mordred again, ¡°It¡¯s good he¡¯s feeling better.¡± Mordred looked confused at the pair and then back to Charlotte, ¡°Madame Charlotte. You are telling me this is better¡­?¡± Charlotte walked off, ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of how Drake deals with things. I¡¯d say they worked it out.¡± Chapter 284: Ceremony Chapter 284: Ceremony Drake woke up, both his arms locked in ce under Sarah and ire. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d wake up like this¡­¡± Drake chuckled, both still sleeping soundly. He wiggled his way out of the bed and made his way for the door, giving onest look to the pair who began snuggling up to one another. ¡°I¡¯ll be back when it¡¯s time for the ceremony,¡± he muttered, cracking the door open. Stepping out he frowned, closing the door behind him. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Good morning, Boss,¡± Teresa grinned. ¡°We already went over this. I¡¯m not your boss and you better stop following me.¡± ¡°Lord Drake is right, Aunt Teresa! He is a very busy man and can¡¯t be bothered with your games!¡± Atropos chided, popping out from behind Teresa. ¡°What¡¯s this pup? Think you''re grown enough to tell me what to do?!¡± Drake gave a sharp flex of his aura, silencing them both. ¡°People are still resting, keep your voices down¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Why are you here too Atropos?¡± Atropos shook herself to relieve the stiffness from Drake¡¯s aura suppression, perking up right away. ¡°I smelled my aunt skulking to your room¡­ So I came to protect you, Lord Drake.¡± Drake raised a brow, ¡°Do I really look like I need protection? And where¡¯s your brother?¡± ¡°He is still sleeping. Not that he needs it with his status, but he has always been a heavy sleeper.¡± Looking around for a moment, Drake half expected Charlotte to meld out of the shadows but was surprised when nothing happened. ¡°And the rest of them?¡± ¡°Everyone is preupied at the moment. Charlotte is dealing with family matters. Kalik Tu¡¯ and Landin are both recovering for theing fight. Mordred is watching them closely for now as well. And I believe Quetz is, well, doing Quetz things,¡± Atroposughed wryly. ¡°Right¡­ Well, let¡¯s get a start on the day''s itinerary then, I have a lot of people to apologize to,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡ª----------- ¡°Why are you leaving again?¡± Brodie asked, scowling from the couch. Charlotte¡¯s eyelids lowered, making her cold face look even more so. ¡°I¡¯ve told you Brodie. There are still more enemies of the city out there and I have a duty now to protect it and you,¡± she exined. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you have to be the one to go. You can stay here right? It¡¯s dangerous right?¡± ¡°It is, but that''s exactly why I have to go. I don¡¯t want to put anyone else in danger. And I¡¯m much stronger than anyone else, it wouldn¡¯t be right to let-¡± ¡°Stronger than Drake?¡± Brodie interrupted. ¡°No¡­ No one is stronger than him¡­ I don¡¯t think. Maybe the new people that arrived might be just as strong but¡­¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t it okay for them to go? I never get to see you anymore! It¡¯s like when Mom and Dad left for work, they¡¯re never home! Are you going to tell me it''s for me like they did? Say it will make sense when I¡¯m older?¡± Charlotte bit her lip. When did her brother get so good at arguing? She looked to Janey for help. But Janey shook her head, burping the baby on her shoulder, her face telling her she was on her own for this one. ¡°I don¡¯t know why anyone is going in the first ce¡­¡± Cid grumbled next to Brodie, ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so great about that guy anyway. All he¡¯s doing is hurting people he doesn¡¯t like¡­¡± ¡°Cid!¡± Janey snapped. ¡°What?!¡± he countered shooting up from the couch, ¡°I¡¯ve heard what the adventurers and tourists are saying! And look what he did to Charlotte! She looks like she aged 10 years! And now what? She¡¯s fighting monsters?! Do you even want to do that?! Janey, don''t you remember those worms!?¡± he turned to Charlotte, ¡°You could die!¡± Charlotte¡¯s expression hardly changed even when Drake was insulted, but she could feel her grip tighten in on itself. ¡°That isn¡¯t true,¡± she shook her head, ¡°Drake never made me do anything I wasn¡¯t willing to. And we do what we have to, so no one else has to. I don¡¯t know what lies are being spread in the city, but Drake is a good man. The only reason you get to sit here and y games, ignorant to what is happening outside, is because of him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just as brainwashed as the rest of them!¡± Cid shouted back, ¡°All of the guards and people under him just want to say how great he is! But the ssless and adventurers are the ones telling the truth!¡± Cid stormed out of the room. Janey shook her head, ¡°He¡¯s still just a kid. Don¡¯t let it get to you Charlotte. He¡¯s only saying that because he¡¯s worried and he has a crush on you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right though,¡± Brodie grumbled, ¡°All you do is sing his praises, but is he really that great? Even if he is, you don¡¯t need to follow him. You can stay home¡­ Mr. Rotwood says the school will be opening in a few days even. You could ask to teach there maybe? You¡¯ve got enough experience right?¡± Charlotte fought with the urge to tell Brodie more. Exin why she couldn¡¯t just sit here and grow weaker instead of helping with the fight. He was too young to understand the importance of moving forward. So she did the best thing she could think of. She told a white lie. Producing the best smile her cold face could, she answered him, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him, sure. But only after Ie back. Is that good enough?¡± Brodie gave a disgruntled look but nodded, ¡°It¡¯s good enough¡­¡± he answered, getting up and bringing Charlotte into a hug. Charlotte squeezed him close, patting the top of his head, the absentmided thought of how much smaller he¡¯d gotten since she ranked up passing her mind. ¡ª----------------- ¡°Lord Drake, do you think it best to do this before the official ceremony..?¡± Atropos asked concerned. ¡°I¡¯d rather get this over with sooner thanter. And the families of the Rahk deserve to face the person who sent their loved ones to their death¡­¡± ¡°In the Ice Wolf Tribe, dying in battle is a good death. I can¡¯t understand why you would need to apologize for doing what is necessary as a leader,¡± Teresa scoffed, earning a scowl from Drake. ¡°Let¡¯s just say its a difference in culture,¡± he said, taking in a breath as the sound of a pop rang next to his head. ¡°I have exined this to you as well Drake, you can not act like this for much longer as the leader of a city thisrge. We are on the cusp of being a capital and blooming into a nation. With the summits on the horizon, we are even in more dire straights than I expected as well¡­¡± Natto sighed. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Drake asked. ¡°We have done a poor job of gather other cities to our cause. You¡¯re constant running around has left us without allies Drake. Meanwhile I can only assume your brother and the leader of the United Colonies has done nothing but recruit and topple cities for votes. Also have you finally read the report I have given you?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± Drake admitted, ¡°I haven¡¯t had time.¡± Natto gave him a side eye, ¡°Too busy ying snooky I see¡­¡± ¡°Have not.¡± Atropos and Teresa gave him a sniff, nodding in agreement. ¡°I do not smell the auroma of lust on him,¡± Teresa said, crossing her arms. ¡°Regardless,¡± Natto continued, ¡°The results of the summit will be directly corrted with the amount of killing you must do. I hope you understand that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Drake asked incredulously, ¡°Killing?¡± ¡°Yes, you fool! Yourck of awarness on the subject is astounding! Did you think that if you should fail to be the leading city of the summits you would be allowed to sit on your hands?! Certainly not! Should your brother or that lunatic vampire win, you will be forced to attack their cities to bring them to submission! That includes all of the people they have tricked or coerced to their side!¡± Drake wanted to protest but he knew in the back of his mind that would be the result of his efforts all along. He had pushed it down, thinking he was doing the right thing helping those in front of him and around him. But there were always consequences to all actions and he was learning that more than most now. ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s how it is, then so be it. I won¡¯t back down in thinking helping those around me was a mistake. All those people we helped save was not a mistake. And if my brother wants a war, he can have one,¡± Drake growled, ¡°Enough about the summits for now, we can continue thatter with Princess Aralleen. What about the ceremony?¡± Natto gave a sigh but nodded, ¡°Dear Theo has taken care of most of the preparations per Rahk tradition. A funeral pyre is being constructed by the rest of the Rahk tribe. As for Mikhail¡¯s party members¡­ We did our best to identify them from the corpses you retrieved and buried them. Mikhail oversaw the process but I believe you should speak to him when you have time. He is still in shock of what happened and the state you returned Yorth in.¡± ¡°How is Yorth¡­?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He is in a perpetual state of haze. Whatever has happened to his mind will not be easily reversed. I suspect it is a potent item or mind control spell that can only be removed by a higher ranked purifier or purifying item. I regret to say we have neither, nor the funds to purchase one. That being said the only alternative we have is to destroy the item or caster of the spell.¡± Drake nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll see to it. Have Mikhail attend the ceremony and I¡¯ll speak to him there. Now¡­¡± he trailed off looking at the tents in front of him. The homes of the Rahk tribe members, ¡°I¡¯ll have to take my whippings¡­¡± He motioned for Atropos and Teresa to wait for him at the edge of the Rahk¡¯s encampment within the city, Natto vanishing off his shoulder to continue with the preparations of the ceremony. Taking a deep breath he made himself known at the first tent. ¡°Excuse me! It¡¯s the Patriarch¡­¡± he said with a little less confidence, ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize for what¡¯s happened.¡± There was no answer for a few moments, before an Orc woman came out of the tent, folding back the p and rubbing her hands against a cloth-like towl. ¡°What is this?¡± she asked. Drake bowed his head,pletely ready to be reprimanded for his fault as a leader. ¡°I wanted- No, needed to face you and apologize for your husband falling in battle due to my poor judgment. I will take any punishment you see fit!¡± He felt a sudden p across his face. ¡°You disrespect their fight, Patriarch,¡± the woman said sternly, ¡°It is the duty and honor of a warrior of the Rahk to fall in battle for their tribe! Being bonded to the Chief¡¯s daughter you should know that!¡± Other Rahk members exited their tents hearing themotion. ¡°Sah Ul¡¯ brought justice and vengeance to our fallen, letting them reach the great hunt above! The Chief has no ce bowing his head to us!¡± she shouted in anger, ¡°If the Chief is not strong then who will be?!¡± Drake raised his head, seeing the contorted expression of anguish in the woman¡¯s face, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. ¡°Honor them! Honor the brave Rahk warriors by trampling on those fiendish people that dared to take them from us! Do not apologize and show such weakness! You dishonor Rvul Rahk and your bonded!¡± Shouts and yells of agreement rose up throughout the tents, forcing Drake to stand back up. He had not expected such a reply from mourning families, but their world was different from his. Life and death were something they must have lived with closelypared to his peaceful life. He felt his jaw clench. ¡°Then that is what I will do¡­¡± he said firmly, raising his voice, ¡°As the Patriarch of the Rahk tribe, I will honor them! I will wipe these undead and those that aid them from this, even if it is with myst breath!¡± and added in a whisper, ¡°Even if it means killing my own brother¡­¡± Chapter 285: You Are Invited To Attend The Summit Chapter 285: You Are Invited To Attend The Summit Drake hesitantly raised a hand to knock on the door of the room, despite already going through the Rahk encampment and having his aura tell him Sarah and ire were already up. Both ready to attend the ceremony. Taking onest deep breath, he let his knuckles rap against the door. Opening it as he did. ¡°... I see, so he was like that with you too¡­?¡± ire hummed. ¡°Like what?¡± Drake asked suspiciously. ¡°Oh¡­ nothing¡­.¡± ire replied, pursing her lips and giving him a slight side eye, ¡°Just girl talk.¡± Sarah nodded from her seat at the bed, ¡°Yes¡­ The talking of girls as ire said.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned, ¡°I don¡¯t like the vibe I¡¯m getting here¡­¡± he murmured, ¡°Right, the ceremony is soon. Are you both ready?¡± ire stood up, holding out a helping hand for Sah Ul¡¯, ¡°I think so. She¡¯s still a little nauseous but¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ nodded, ¡°I will manage. The leaders of the Rahk must remain strong together,¡± she smiled, taking ire¡¯s hand. Drake moved to help as well, ¡°You two got awfully close, huh? ire smiled back, ¡°It¡¯s easy to bond when you love the same thing. That and making sure we can destroy you if you ever betray us¡­¡± ¡°You what now?¡± Drake shuddered. ¡°Nothing~¡± Drake shot them both a dubious nce but then his attention was brought to their clothing instead. Both of the women had somewhat dressed up for the ceremony. Where they got the clothes only Drake could guess, however ire was wearing more formal attire. A ck dress with white ents. Sah Ul¡¯ was wearing more luxurious furs and showed no skin like her usual equipment. Her coat had been exchanged for some kind of boar hide that Drake didn¡¯t recognise, the animal''s head resting on her shoulder, the tusks pointing outward. The air of the room was still casual thanks to ire, but seeing the women turned Drake¡¯s mood somewhat sour as he remembered the events. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± he asked softly. He helped Sah Ul¡¯ out of the room as ire followed along on his other side. Once outside the house they were met by the teens, they in all their armor, more ready to fight than a ceremony. Drake supposed it was more that they had no formal wear, much like himself. Once they greeted each other they began walking over the bridge. Their group was met by Drake¡¯s Mother and his siblings. ¡°Oh, dear, you look like a mess¡­ I¡¯m so sorry por everything,¡± Mrs. Wallen said sympathetically, walking up to Sah Ul¡¯ and bringing her in for a hug. ¡°I will be alright, Nanai. I know we will bring honor to their memory. I know Drake will,¡± she responded, letting herself be pulled down into Mrs. Wallen¡¯s arms. ¡°And who is this girl?¡± Mrs. Wallen asked, releasing Sah Ul¡¯. Drake¡¯s face twisted in fearful anticipation, but the words left his mouth regardless, ¡°This is ire, my secon- Ow?! My other- Ow?! Hey! My first wife. Since I technically was dating her before I met Sarah¡­¡± He quickly recoiled in preparation for a flying slipper, but instead was met with something worse. He looked at his mother¡¯s scowling face filled with abject disgust at him. Mrs. Wallen moved next to ire looking her up and down. ire¡¯s face began showing signs of nervousness as she stood stock still while Mrs. Wallen seemed to assess her. A momentter, Mrs. Wallen nodded, and pulled her in for a hug as well, cradling ire¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my son has done this to you both. He was raised better, but ah! My children never listen to their mother!¡± ¡°What?! I listen!?¡± Drake refuted, only to duck out of the way of a chan, ¡°Okay I listen when it makes sense! And this and that are different things Mom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?! He is openly cheating and all he gets is a scolding?!¡± Travis shouted, raising both arms incredulously, ¡°Where is the punishment?! I want to see blood! Blood I tell you! There¡¯s no shot he gets to have two women this good looking!¡± The woman standing next to Travis thinned her eyes, pushing a knuckle into his side. ¡°Is there a problem with my attractiveness? Travis..?¡± Nuuv asked, crossing her arms. Drake pointed andughed, ¡°Ha! Karma! How does it feel?¡± ¡°Should you really be saying that?¡± Landin scoffed from the group. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry it¡¯sing for you too bucko. Don¡¯t think a little birdy hasn¡¯t told me how nice and close you are to our new elf rescuees. I wouldn¡¯t be throwing stones from a ss house just yet there, Casanova,¡± Drak grinned, pointing over Landin¡¯s shoulder a new small entourage walking up to them. A few momentster, Drake had his arm around Landin with a big smile on his face as Tanya, Aralleen, and a few other elves that Drake assumed were her guard greeted them. ¡°Lord Wallen,¡± Aralleen said, bowing her head slightly, followed by her sister. ¡°Lord Wallen, Lord Landin,¡± Tanya said, bowing as well, her ears turning a slight shade of red. ¡°Huehue!¡± Drake prodded, poking Landin in the side of the face, only to receive a pinch from ire. Drake rubbed his side, bing more serious, ¡°Princess Aralleen, will you be attending the ceremony as well?¡± She nodded, ¡°Yes, I would like to show my respects. If we n to.. If I n to remain here, I must make an effort to show how important the popce is to the growth and defense of this city. The loss of life is something I never stood for before and I will not stand for now. Human, Elf, Orc, or otherwise.¡± ¡°My sister is correct. The strength of a nation is its people. Having a strong few will onlyst so long. When this city grows we will need a capable nation, not just Lord Wallen and his group. And I for one will do my best to support them,¡± Tanya added. ¡°Oh? Do you hear that Landin?¡± Drake teased again. ¡°I will also be doing my part to support the city, regardless of your future decisions, Lord Wallen,¡± Aralleen added further. ¡°Did you hear that Drake? Looks like you¡¯ve added yet another one to the group,¡± Landin said, having his turn to poke fun at Drake. Drake opened his mouth to say something, only to feel a pinching sensation at his side again, along with a firm hand on his shoulder. He coughed, clearing his throat, ¡°I¡¯m still deliberating on that, Princess. And there will be time for it after we finish retaking your city. But first things first, we need to attend the ceremony, and then gather everyone that ising. I want to be swift about this and move on to other problems we face,¡± Drake exined his face turning dour, ¡°The quicker we move to deal with my brother¡­ the better it will be for all of us.¡± A heavy air took over the group at the mention of Atticus. Drake¡¯s family looked the most disappointed and concerned, yet not speaking on the subject. But the gloom was cleared quickly as someone who could not read the atmosphere approached them joining the group. ¡°Good morning Boss!¡± Teresa greeted, not having a following of guards like Aralleen did, ¡°Are we going to a fight?¡± she asked, looking at the group of teens in full armor. ¡°No, Aunt Teresa¡­¡± Atropos growled, ¡°We are to attend the ceremony for the fallen citizens of the city. One of which is Lady Sah Ul¡¯s Father and Lord Drake¡¯s Father-inw!¡± For the first time since meeting Teresa, Drake spotted a subtle hint of embarrassment on her face, her tails drooping just slightly. ¡°I am sorry. I did not know,¡± she apologized, bowing her head slightly, ¡°Losing part of the pack, for any reason, is cause for anger.¡± Drake was taken aback, legitimately surprised at Teresa¡¯s response. After his interactions with her he assumed she would not be so serious and articte about something like this. ¡°We¡¯re heading there now, if you behave you are free to show your respects like the others. I¡¯m sure Natto has already told you how things work around here, but this ceremony isn¡¯t something I¡¯ll allow any foolishness to happen,¡± he said deadpan and began walking in front of the group in the direction of the academy. Natto had popped in yesterday for a moment, exining they would be holding the ceremony there, christening the new school, the monument Drake would be making in honor of Rvul, and to send off the fallen. The group grew silent as they followed him down the just as quiet roads of the city. The normal hustle and bustle of adventurers and citizens nowhere to be found in the streets. Food stalls, restaurants and shops left eerily silent. The rest of Drake¡¯s party members, Hudson, Bjorn, Chelsea, Theodore, Harley, Sherry, Tom, and Megan would be meeting him at the academy he assumed, since they had not met him when his family had. He was particrly worried about Megan, the scene of when he left her shing in his mind briefly. She was unstable to say the least, but he reminded himself that she was not his responsibility anymore. Drake of course assured her basic safety as someone living in the city, but the tutorial was over. And she was Chelsea and Julia¡¯s friend, not his. Drake¡¯s other long time party members and friends, Leon and Damian. He was not sure if they would attend. They had only just acquainted with each other and despite knowing them for over 15 years, he had no idea how they handled themselves now that the system had influenced everything. He could only hope they would attend and behave if they chose to show. The closer the group came to therge ck gated section housing the entirety of the current academy the more Drake found himself looking at Sah Ul¡¯, searching her face for emotion. However she held herself silent and stoic. If Drake had not known better he would have assumed the morning sickness she disyed was a dream. She walked behind him with strength akin to her normal self and next to her ire, making sure to be ready to help if needed. And even behind her, he could spot concerned faces of the teens following close behind. Drake also noticed how the Elven Princess held herself along with her sister. Tanya¡¯s yful attitude was reced with a serious regal air, just like her sister Aralleen. Once at the gates a small pop cracked on Drake¡¯s shoulder, Natto sitting casually, but without her normal mirthful expression. ¡°Everything is prepared. Dear Theo is seeing over the final preparations. How are you feeling?¡± she asked, looking at Drake, then turning to Sarah. ¡°I¡¯ll be better once this is settled,¡± Drake said softly. ¡°I as well wish to see this through. And put an end to these cowards unwilling to show their faces and fight,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ added, ¡°Our family is just getting started and I only wish I realized it sooner.¡± Drake paused, turning and bringing Sarah into a tight hug, ¡°I have made mistakes. I wanted to believe Atticus couldn¡¯t be the person this world has turned him into. I wanted to believe that there was more good in people than the evil we¡¯ve witnessed. But I was being naive and it cost you your Father and so many others. I¡¯m going to make it right, I¡¯m going to honor them.¡± Sah Ul¡¯ returned the embrace silently. And a momentter they parted and walked through the gate together. Swaths of people stood around a massive unlit funeral pyre, tannish cloth wrapped around human figures atop it. As the group entered, heads turned to follow them. No words were shouted, no grievances made known. Only the frustrated and tear-ridden faces of the Rahk Tribe waiting in earnest for the ceremony to start. Drake nodded to Bjorn and the others as they passed them in therge crowd, making his way to the pyre with Sarah, ire and Aralleen. The others settling in next to Bjorn, Theodore and the others. There were no words spoken. Drake knew there was nothing he could say tofort the Rahk Members of their loss, his dealings with them had told him such already. They didn¡¯t wish for pretty words or empty titudes. What they wanted, what they needed was action. Actions worthy of a true Patriarch. pping his hands, Drake ced them to the ground arge earthen brown magic circle spreading out through the area. Forcing his mana into the earth, a statue began forming in the open area behind them. After a brief few seconds a monument worthy of being called a memorial to the past Chief was erected. A sleek obsidian statue showed Rvul standing tall and proud with two axes, one at the ready, the other leaning on his shoulder. The same confident grin on his face Drake knew him for when Rvul called him son. Surrounding him were Rahk men holding weapons at the ready, prepared to fight with their Chief. And finally, a small handful of humans, Mikhail¡¯s party members raising weapons with a roaring expression. Drake stood opening his palm to conjure a white hot me that burned and crackled, lighting up the surroundings before floating over to the pyre and igniting it. Suddenly Sah Ul¡¯ shouted out next to him. ¡°May the Mother find them well! And may she bless their hunt! We honor them!¡± Roars of agreement and shouts came from the Rahk Tribesmen in the crowd, drowning out the crackling of the pyre. Shouts so loud Drake could feel them in his chest. ¡°Honor them!¡± ¡°Honor them!¡± Drake finally raised a fist into the air, ¡°We will honor them!¡± Looking into the crowd, Drake¡¯s gaze fell on a woman he recognized from earlier. The same one he had met in the Rahk encampment. She held a small child in her arms and stared back at him, her free arm going into the air as a shout went above the others. ¡°Honor them! May the Mother bless your hunt!¡± Drake¡¯s jaw tightened keeping an even gaze with the woman and nodding. He was going to fight a war he hadn¡¯t started. But he was damn sure going to finish. ¡ª---------------------- ¡°You¡¯re stepping in too quickly kid. If I wasn¡¯t so nice, you¡¯d be lying on the ground with a hole through your chest,¡± Leon scoffed. ¡°You aren¡¯t nice,¡± Charlotte said evenly, ¡°And are you ever going to teach me anything seriously?¡± ¡°I¡¯m showing you everything you need to know. Just because I don¡¯t wrap it up in a nice little bow like Shot does, don¡¯t mean it¡¯s not there. You¡¯re just not being observant. Take a gander,¡± Leon said, pointing behind him. Damian was also fighting with Landin. Drake with Kalik Tu¡¯ and Aralleen. And many others paired up. ¡°Everyone is preparing to fight,¡± Leon exined, scratching at the back of one of his ears, ¡°And we agreed toe because that¡¯s just how it goes. But don¡¯t go thinking I¡¯m like Shot. You¡¯re responsible for yourself and I could give a rat¡¯s ass if you go down when the scuffle starts. I¡¯m here for the fight, not for you. So pick your scrawny ass off the ground and go again.¡± ¡°Mr. Leon!¡± a voice shouted from the sidelines, ¡°You are being too hard on her! What have Ari and I told you about your foul mouth?!¡± Leon gave a nce to the voice as if he had heard this same conversation many times already. ¡°What about my mouth? I told Drake if he wanted me to do this crap I would be doing it my way. I¡¯m not a teacher,¡± Leon grumbled. ire and Ari walked closer, ire frowning and Ari pressing up the brim of her sses, her free hand holding arge paper notepad. ¡°Mr. Leon, she is right. I have told you many times that yournguage is detrimental to your image. Making concessions here will make for better rtionshipster. Miss Charlotte is a fine prospective fighter, helping her grow will only help,¡± Ari exined, jotting some things down. Leon waved his hand, ¡°Yeah yeah¡­ You two aren¡¯t going to prepare? We¡¯re only a few hours from the summit thing aren¡¯t we? And a few days from where we¡¯re going.¡± ire¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°No¡­ Drake is taking the Elven Princess Aralleen with him to the summit. She will plead her case to the other leaders and try to make her people see reason.¡± ¡°Plead her case?¡± Leon scoffed, ¡°This is why I never wanted to be Guild Leader¡­ Any kind of politics makes my teeth itch.¡± ¡°Aralleen¡¯s situation was exined to us before we left but is the World Tree really that important?¡± Charlotte asked. A sudden pop came from Leon¡¯s shoulder as Tatsuki manifested on it. ¡°Lady Natto gave a brief exnation but it seems that further boration is required,¡± Tatsuki said behind a sleeve, ¡°A World Tree is considered one of the greatest assets to a nation and is why the High Elves have kept such a powerful position despite their dwindling numbers in the verse. The Tree acts as an immense beneficial bonus for anyone directly affiliated to the nation in control of it. Giving experience,bat and training benefits several times more than the advantages gained through prayer at the church.¡± Tatsuki opened one eye, showing the red glow of her iris, ¡°The benefits are sorge they are akin to having a full increase in Rank for some individuals.¡± ¡°Then are we going to be heading into a fight where they are on the same level as Drake?¡± ire asked. Tatsuki shook her head, everyone hanging on her words now, ¡°No. The Tree from my understanding is old, but new to the system. It will be some time before it will cast such benefits. At most they will feel as if they are slightly above their level, at worst the Tree will show no effects at all.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t matter what the Tree does,¡± Drake said, stepping into the conversation, ¡°They¡¯ll be up against three of the greatest fighters known to this.¡± ¡°Yeah? Who¡¯s the other two?¡± Leon smirked. ¡°Very funny,¡± Drakeughed, but had to hold himself back. Lately his Asuran blood had been bubbling up more frequently. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he was in such close proximity to other Primordial Races, but the feeling of wanting to fight had been amplified ever since meeting Mordred, then Leon and Damian. Drake looked back over his shoulder, watching Aralleen spar with Kalik. Kalik had be more serious in his training, almost borderline obedient since the fight in Sandal. And his skills were maturing quickly to their capacity as an F-Rank. He was more than an equal match for Aralleen, who Drake found out quickly was an assassin type ss like he expected. Her ss name was Forest Whisperer and although Drake noticed she was not using the full extent of her skills, he could guess she would be a problem for anyone to fight one-on-one. She used dual daggers with high damage and status ailments much like Clotho¡¯s debuffs that helped her hit-and-run fighting style. Drake was surprised she even needed his help in taking back the Tree. But that just attested to how strong this Valor and the people backing him must be. Small chatter and sparing continued for several more hours as Drake watched over it. His body became more tense as he watched the clock for the Summit Quest tick down. Until finally. [You have been invited to the first Summit Meeting] [You are allowed a +1 to apany you to the summit] [During this time period you will be unable to attack other participants while voting and will be relegated to a system enforced partition] [If a decision is unable to be met, the Summit will reconvene in one year¡¯s time] [The leader of the highest voted city will have their Honing Crystal Upgraded and the city promoted to World Capital. Said World Capital will be allowed to select three sub-capitals. If no sub-capitals are selected, the three next highest voted cities will be selected] [Will you ept the invitation?] [Yes/No] Drake beckoned Aralleen to him. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Aralleen gave a slight bow, ¡°As I ever will be, Lord Wallen.¡± Drake looked over to ire, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a sh,¡± he smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t go being that snotty hot head you used to be man,¡± Damian snorted, ¡°Them elves are already in for an ass whoopin, no need to rile them up more,¡± he looked to Aralleen, ¡°No offense.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what he does. They wanted a fight and now they got it. I¡¯ve been itching to get it in, the monsters on this just don¡¯t cut it anymore,¡± Leon grumbled. ¡°Be safe Drake. And¡­ are you sure you¡¯re going to be ok?¡± ire asked, grabbing his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m just going to beat some sense into my brother and fix this whole mess. How hard could it be, right?¡± Drake smiled, giving ire onest squeeze of the hand, and ced a kiss on her lips. Letting go while hearing a small gasp from behind him he waved goodbye and epted the invitation. Aralleen and Drake were enveloped in light, a sensation simr to when they were transported to the tutorial moving them to whatever space the summit was being held in. And just like the transfer from back then, they had a small bit of time in transition. Drake looked over, seeing Aralleen¡¯s face reddened just like her ears, the long pointed appendages scarlet and slightly folded over. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Drake asked. ¡°N-n-no¡­ I just never expected such a public disy of affection¡­ Is that normal among humans?¡± she asked. ¡°Dunno, but I like to sneak one in wherever I can,¡± he smiled. Aralleen¡¯s face reddened another shade, ¡°I see¡­¡± she muttered, putting a finger to her lips. Drake could quickly feel the sensation of being transported waning and readied himself. ¡°Look alive, looks like we''re here.¡± They both felt their feet touch something hard as the lights around them began to scatter and dissolve. Opening up to what looked like arge sphere contained in a pitch-ck space. Inside it smaller spheres containing the figures of humanoid-like silhouettes. Drake¡¯s eyes scanned the ball like containers until he came to one he had not seen for over a decade. ¡°Atticus¡­!¡± Chapter 286: The Monster Called Atticus Chapter 286: The Monster Called Atticus Drake glowered deeply at his brother. The man he had not seen in over ten years holding a slight grin and thin eyes, while wearing long white robes with golden ents. In his hands a staff and a small ball that radiated like a miniature sun. After some time, Atticus seemed to find Drake and his smile grew wider. From across the sphere Drake roared. ¡°Atticus! What have you been doing?! Answer me! Tell me it¡¯s not true! Tell me you haven¡¯t done these things!¡± The curious eyes of the other Summit participants moved to Drake and Aralleen¡¯s sphere. [The Summit voting willmence in 30 minutes time. Please remain inside your designated areas during this time] Drake ignored the announcement, beginning to shout once more. ¡°Atticus! Why would you do this! Do you even know what you¡¯re doing! Don¡¯t you care that you put your family in danger?!¡± This seemed to get Atticus¡¯s attention. As his face frowned, and his lips finally parted. ¡°Family?¡± he sneered, ¡°Just what family are you speaking of?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Drake growled back. ¡°My only family is long dead and forgotten. You and that bitch mother of yours saw to that. Dear brother. But calling you such is a lie, isn¡¯t it? Even yourst name is stolen. I know what you really are, Asuran. My god has shown me the light, the truth. And I know you are not of this world. And I know what you have done.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Drake¡¯s blood began to stir, his anger bing unhinged as his aura and mana started filling the small sphere, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I haven¡¯t stolen anything! I might have changed but we¡¯re still family! Let me help you! Even after you¡­ You killed Rvul, I know it must have been a mistake! Did they force you? Just tell me who it was. Did they threaten our family? Mom, Travis, and Dillon are safe-¡± But Atticus cut Drake off,ughing maniaclly. ¡°Forced?! Do not make meugh! No one forced me, I nned it all. The one who sent that woman to your doors was me, you foolish wild beast! You stole everything from me! And your blood covered bastardized race wanted me to take it with a smile! I will take everything you love from you, just like you took it from me Drake! I¡¯ll kill your mother, your brothers, and any disgusting lesser you have in your city! No one you¡¯ve ever spoken to or interacted with is going to be safe! No one will love you, no one will cry for you! No one!¡± ¡°Stop¡­!¡± Drake growled, ¡°You don¡¯t mean anything of that! Don¡¯t you remember when we were kids? When Dad-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak his name! You don¡¯t deserve to!¡± Atticus snapped, ¡°Do you even remember your childhood? Can you even recall what happened?¡± ¡°Of course I can! I remember when we fought over the TV, when Dad would scold us for getting into fights! When you got your firstputer and wouldn¡¯t let me-¡± ¡°STOP LYING!¡± Atticus roared, pointing the tip of his staff at Drake, ¡°None of those things ever happened! That drivel is just muck nted for your convenience. Do you even know what my father was really like? He was the only thing I had and you took him from me! So I¡¯m going to take, what were their names? ire Osberg, Sah Ul¡¯ Rahk? You went and married a disgusting monster? Par the course for a monster like yourself¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Drake¡¯s arms red with power, every endowment and attunement he could muster charging his spirit tattoos as he reared back his fist preparing to strike the sphere. ¡°Lord Wallen, what are you- Stop!¡± Aralleen said in a panic. ¡°Shut up!¡± Drake roared, throwing his fist into the transparent material. [Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area] ¡°Shut up!¡± Drake mmed his fist into the sphere once more, grunting with the power he was putting behind the strike. [Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area] ¡°I said shut up!¡± The striking against the system fortified container began to drown out the sounds around him, Aralleen¡¯s shouts of concern turning to a dull hum behind him. All Drake could see was Atticus¡¯s sneering face across the area, the beating of rushing blood filling his ears. [Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area] [Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area] [Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area] [Please refrain from attempting to leave¡­ Drake put the entirety of his status into onest strike, throwing a white me attuned fist into the ss like container. When his fist collided he finally managed to crack the sphere. With the opportunity he struck it again with a barrage of blows. Opening the small crack into arge enough gap for him to jump through. His hair swiftly changing to blue for his regeneration endowment, as he threw himself across the area,nding a momentter on top of Atticus¡¯s sphere. ¡°What you¡¯ve done to this, my city, the people I care about! Do you even realize the damage you¡¯ve caused, Atticus!?¡± Drake howled through gritted teeth. Atticus¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver as he stared back at Drake. ¡°Of course I do,¡± he said evenly, walking to the edge of the sphere, right in front of Drake and whispered, ¡°And I can¡¯t wait to show you what I have in store for your disgusting little city. That dog of a mother, that filthy animal you call a wife. The terrible things they are going to endure because of you¡­¡± Atticus¡¯s eyes opened and shed golden, ¡°It is going to be your fault! Your fault that they die! Just like it was your fault I had to leave, why I couldn¡¯t go to my fathers funeral! WHY I COULDN¡¯T SEE THE ONE PERSON THAT LOVED ME AT HIS END!¡± [You have resisted the effects of: The Merciful Love of the Sun] Drake had heard enough. Summoning several red and blue vials he uncorked and threw the contents into his mouth. His status replenished he changed everything he had into his strike one more. The glow around his fist increased to a deafening torrent of mana and power, the mes growing sorge it looked as if his arm had turned into a trailinget. ¡°Raion Hoko!!¡± Crashing through the sphere Drakended on top of Atticus, pinning him to the floor with his hands outstretched around his brother''s neck. However the system prevented him from directly interacting with Atticus, Drake¡¯s hands simply hovering just above Atticus¡¯s neck, his fingers wing into the ss like sphere below to pin him down. [Violence during the Summit will not be tolerated. You will be transferred to your designated location in 10 seconds] ¡°Why! Why did this happen, Atticus!? What turned you into this monster!? Tell me the truth! Who is this god you keep talking about, Who is telling you these lies?!¡± Atticus scoffed, ¡°Monster? I think we can all see just who the monster is here. You¡¯ve shown these people more than enough to facilitate your own disqualification from this vote. And haven¡¯t you realized? Viins aren¡¯t born, dear brother. They are made. And you made the one you see before you. All I knew was my father. And you and your lying deceiving, false, family took that from me the day you were so conveniently dropped into ourps. Father was never the same, he could barely recognize me, he barely knew me. And what was worse? Neither did I. But this system and by the grace of my god I was freed! Freed of that nightmare and allowed to remember. But now father is gone and you were the one that killed him! So to steal back that love I will make the whole human race love me. The whole universe will be pure, fair, and just under my bright glowing rule! All will love me and in turn I will free them. There will be no more monsters! THERE WILL BE NO MORE YOU!¡± [You are being relocated] In an instant Drake was moved, his hands clenched around nothing as he yelled in frustration. His mind went nk and he repeated his actions in a fit of rage, powering his strength through his endowments and attunement. Striking the newly made sphere with abandon, but was unable to force his way through this time. The system seemed to have adjusted the strength of the containment, not allowing him to prate it again. Forced to look back at Atticus across the room, he stood waiting. Simmering in his thoughts. Why! Why is he saying these things?! Does he really believe we aren¡¯t rted? How could he have done such heartless killings with no remorse?! And what was that skill I resisted? The system allowed it to go through so it couldn¡¯t have had a physical effect¡­ He thought, clearly flustered as his mind ran a mile a minute. ¡°L-lord Wallen..?¡± ¡°What?!¡± he growled, turning his head. Drake¡¯s face went from a rabid animal to embarrassment. He¡¯d forgotten that Aralleen was even present. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. What is it?¡± he said, correcting himself. A breath of relief left Aralleen¡¯s mouth, ¡°You were not yourself just now¡­ That man¡­ He is your brother?¡± she asked pensively. Drake sighed, taking a deep breath and doing his best to calm himself ¡°He is¡­ I thought I could reason with him. I thought everything that has happened might just be some sick joke or mistake. Y-yeah¡­ that¡¯s it¡­¡± Drake stammered, his hands clenching, ¡°He¡¯s sick. He¡¯s just sick, I- I have to get him to someone that can help, I have to save him somehow, right?¡± Aralleen only looked back at Drake evenly. It wasn¡¯t her ce to say what Drake should or shouldn¡¯t do. They had only known each other for several days and regardless if they would be obligated in the future to nurture the World Tree, it was simply too early for her to give him advice. [10 Minutes until Summit Votingmences] Drake stilled his breathing, trying his best to calm down once more. This time he refrained from staring down Atticus, not wanting to lose his temper again. He knew what he did was foolish, but the overwhelming feeling of betrayal when he saw his brother, and the words he said had pushed him over the edge. The festering problems in the back of Drake¡¯s head, the Asuran Blood that seemed to grow stronger each battle within him. As if the thrill of battle was acting as a distiller for the blood to grow more potent within him. His eyes wandered from sphere to sphere. Catching the gazes of several people he didn¡¯t know but could easily guess they were undead or part of Atticus¡¯s group. Some had pale skin and dull red eyes, others wearing simr robes to Atticus, small golden suns emzoned on their shoulders. Then his eyes met with someone. Someone powerful. The man wore golden clothes with simr golden trinkets and jewelry adorning his neck and hands. His clothes somewhat resembling Drake¡¯s with a vest leaving an open chest and baggy harem pants. The man stared back with an even gaze, as if measuring Drake. Drake could feel his body tense. His senses telling him a fight wasing yet they were unable to leave or hurt one another within the Summit. [Your Asuran¡¯s Magic Insight Skill is too low to identify this target] What? That¡¯s a first. He has a stronger skill than a Primordial enhanced one¡­? Just who is this guy? He thought surprised. After a few minutes of a staring contest Drake began scanning the spheres again. ¡°Looks like roughly a third are undead, just based on looks. Maybe the higher undead races don¡¯t show the same features? But either way this doesn''t look good. And I didn¡¯t help by going crazy¡­¡± he turned to Aralleen, ¡°Sorry, I might have made your job a little harder than it needed to be. Can you point out this Valor guy by the way?¡± Aralleen nodded, scanning the area for a moment, but quickly found who she was looking for, pointing him out. Drake followed it until he saw the man. Green robes, arge staff in hand and a face so punchable Drake almostughed. ¡°Oh he looks just like I thought he would,¡± he scoffed. [Valor Alvea Level 28] ¡°He isn¡¯t hiding his status..? Is he a moron or is he just that confident?¡± Drake murmured. ¡°I am not sure. He has grown quickly since leaving the trials. Even my own progress has stalled due to the current monster¡¯s levels and scarcity, yet Valor¡¯s continues to rise steadily. I am not sure as to why,¡± she replied. Drake felt his stomach drop slightly, remembering Xavier from Sandal. Killing sentient creatures seen by the system as above monsters provided massive quantities of experience. He had seen it first hand with Xavier, himself, and many other people who killed for pleasure. ¡°I have a few ideas. None of them are pleasant¡­¡± Drake sighed, continuing to scan the room. He came to thest few spheres finding several familiar faces. A dark skinned woman with puffy ck hair who stared ring daggers at him. ¡°Haha¡­ Looks like Jacqueline is alive and well, and still can¡¯t stand the sight of me,¡± he smiled giving a wave. Jacqueline scoffed crossing her arms and turning her head. Drake couldn¡¯t help butugh, evening his mood. Looking next to her Drake saw the man she stood across from in the same sphere. The man wore a leather-like vest and pants, looking like the spitting image of a pirate of the caribbean. [Pablo Cortez Level 22] ¡°Not the best but respectable. Looks like I won¡¯t have to worry about Jacqueline¡¯s safety for a while. I¡¯ll have to touch base though and figure out where she is.¡± Continuing to the remaining sphere, Drake¡¯s grin widened. But the person on the receiving end only grimaced at being noticed, the man next to him jumping for joy. [Shigure Kenzo Level 24] [Sato Naioki Level 19] ¡°SHISHOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Sato screamed, waving his hands to get Drake¡¯s attention, Shigure covering his face with a hand, but Drake could easily see his reddening face. Chapter 287: Kangaroo Court Chapter 287: Kangaroo Court [The Summit will now begin. All participants will be released from their designated areas to converse. There is no time limit for discussion and the Summit will conclude once all participants have voted.] [All participants may vote through designated system windows] [If a majority vote of 75% or 75 individual votes is not reached at conclusion, the Summit will end and be reconvened in 365 Days] [While conversing, no participant will be allowed to harm another while the Summit is in session] The announcements finished and the ss-like sphere surrounding them melted away into nothing. The moment it had the entire area burst into discussions and the bustling of people moving to what Drake assumed were predetermined alliances. Both Drake and Aralleen remained where they were, their sphere¡¯s tform slightly above the ground. Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice Shigure casually making his way over with Sato, but also that some of the more powerful people he had noticed refrained from moving as well. Once the shuffling of people ended, there seemed to be fourrge factions present with many small groups littered around the area. There was Atticus¡¯s group, men and women wearing white robes with golden suns emzoned on their chests. A man Drake had never seen before, but was surrounded by pale looking constituents who Drake could tell at a nce were undead from his past experiences. Valor¡¯s group, containing arge portion of the Elves present. And finally to his own surprise, Shigure¡¯s. ¡°Wow, Shigure, you¡¯ve been busy,¡± Drake pointed out. Shigure sighed, shaking his head, ¡°And I see you have not gained a single ally since we left the tutorial¡­ Just what have you been doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hurt. I have allies. Just not other¡­ cities¡­¡± ¡°That was the whole goal leading up to the summits was it not?¡± Shigure chastised, ¡°Thankfully I nned for this and did enough for both our parts¡­¡± ¡°Who might I ask is this Lord Wallen? He speaks to you with such informality. Is he a friend?¡± Aralleen asked. ¡°Oh, Shigure? Yeah, we were in the same tutorial. Shigure, this is Princess Aralleen.¡± Shigure bowed his head slightly, ¡°A pleasure to meet you. But a Princess? Was there royalty on your before the integration?¡± ¡°An Elf Princess¡­ Shishou! You have already begun the prophecy haven¡¯t you!?¡± Sato eximed, nodding up and down. ¡°I have literally no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Drake grimaced. ¡°THEE PROPHECY! THE MAIN CHARACTER¡¯S HAREM PLOTLINE!¡± Sato said louder this time, throwing his hands into the air. Aralleen frowned and Drake leaned in next to Shigure. ¡°Is your friend alright? I liked him in the tutorial but even that one was out of left field for me,¡± Drake whispered. Shigure sighed, ¡°Sadly yes¡­ Sato has be more engrossed sinceing back. Binging the stores of his shows and being reunited with his¡­figurines¡­ Please just ignore his idiocy.¡± ¡°I was going more along the lines of he¡¯s spot on¡­¡± Drake sighed, crossing his arms, ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble but the Princess is only a mutual partner I suppose. Her ns line up with mine for the moment so I¡¯m helping her with some things.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Wallen has been kind enough to lend me and my people his strength. He has saved countless lives from servitude and worse. Including my sister. I hope to continue a favorable rtionship with him,¡± she exined, giving a picturesque smile. Sato nudged Drake with his elbow, ¡°You dog¡­¡± he muttered. Drake pushed him away, ¡°Right, enough fantasizing about my love life, we have real problems to deal with here.¡± He looked to the other groups that had formed, therger three and smaller factions made up of dwarves, humans, beastkin, and pairs of other races he did not recognize. ¡°Do you have any information on them? We¡¯ve been preupied with fighting for the most part on my side. I¡¯ve hardly even been to other cities as it stands,¡± Drake exined. ¡°My city is on the other side of the world, Drake. Our information is just ascking. However we have gathered some information on your brother, but I must admit who hasn¡¯t. His influence is quite expansive. And from our understanding the world is at least 7 times bigger than before, evenrger than we assumed in the tutorial.¡± Shigure grimaced as he shook his head. ¡°We have attempted to reach out past the immediate inds surrounding Japan; however it has bore no fruit.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Currently there are several problems. The monsters in the oceans are far stronger than the ones onnd. And we are simply not equipped to fight them properly. We have strong fighters, of that there is no question. But sadly they are not specialized for aquatic warfare. We are waiting on a new batch of fighters to take on the seas but finding skill stones and ss stones tailored to fighting on water is difficult.¡± Shigure clicked his tongue. ¡°And these are the simple problems we are encountering. It would seem that our tutorial was particrly hard, leading to higher levels for those involved. But this has backfired.¡± Drake somewhat understood what Shigure was saying. He had encountered the same problem on his end. Starting in the F-Rank World limited which monsters he could use for experience. ¡°This limits ones such as us on pushing forward. But has not impeded those of the world who¡­¡± Shigure continued. ¡°You mean people willing to kill others for experience,¡± Drake finished. ¡°Yes, precisely,¡± Shigure spat, ¡°Our surrounding allies see this as not only barbaric, but idiotic. We have a war to win against both monsters and the other we will be forced to face in ten years. It is foolish to lower our chances against both by culling the world of potential fighters and allies.¡± ¡°Well we bettere out on top here then,¡± Drake agreed, looking past Shigure at his brother Atticus, ¡°Because if we don¡¯t I¡¯ll have to im it by force.¡± ¡°Let us hope for all our sake, that does not happen¡­¡± Shigure scoffed, ¡°I have seen how you handle such things first hand and it would seem you have grown much stronger since then. We¡¯ve all seen the notifications.¡± Drake''s brows raised, ¡°Oh, I should also mention that the person who killed the other Cardinal Beast is with me. Turns out he''s a close friend,¡± Drake smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t know if that will help with negotiations or not.¡± Shigure¡¯s face took a brief sh of surprise only to shake his head, ¡°I thought it was bing hard to surprise me, but I suppose I should give up on such.¡± Drake pped Shigure on the shoulder sympathetically when someone walked up from the group behind them. ¡°Sir Shigure, if I may?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Ah how could I forget. Drake, this is Suisei Yuki. She is surprisingly a Japanese citizen who found herself in Russia during the transportation to the tutorial. She is one of the only people outside the inds we have contacted. One of her requirements for her vote was to speak with you,¡± Shigure exined. ¡°Me? Why?¡± Drake asked curiously. ¡°Sir Wallen, I have a request that I believe would benefit us both,¡± Seisei prefaced. Drake held up a hand, his brows scrunched in thought, ¡°One second. Do¡­I know you¡­?¡± ¡°I would think not. Please-¡± ¡°Hold on. I know your voice...from somewhere¡­¡± Drake said, cutting her off. ¡°Sir Wallen, please. We have limited time and I implore you to hear me out.¡± Drake couldn¡¯t locate in his foggy memory where he had heard her voice before, but he did remember her name from the town notifications. ¡°Fine. So you¡¯re Suisei Yuki, the Witch of the North was it? Let¡¯s hear it then.¡± Suisie bowed her head slightly, ¡°Yes, thank you. There is currently one of the two remaining Cardinal Beasts in the vicinity of our city. It is my hope you will defeat it.¡± Drake waved his hand, ¡°Oh is that all? Sure, we¡¯ll deal with it soon enough.¡± ¡°We?¡± Shigure asked this time. ¡°Yeah, I told you. I met up with some of my friends, we all need to have the world advance so I¡¯m sure one of them will head that way soon. It¡¯s good that we know where one of the two are, speeds it up,¡± Drake exined. ¡°Just who are your friends?¡± Shigure asked incredulously. ¡°I told you, one already beat a Cardinal beast and the other, let¡¯s just say¡­ They¡¯re just as strong as I am. Okay maybe not as strong, probably a little weaker, but don¡¯t tell them I said that.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Suiesei pleaded, ¡°I know this is selfish to ask but we are barely able to survive as it is and with the beast so close we can¡¯tst much longer. Please, you are our only hope!¡± Drake scratched the back of his head only to be cut off by Aralleen. She stood firm next to him, her back straight and a firm air about her. ¡°We understand your plight, however there is a hierarchy to these things. Our own city is in peril. Danger lurks around the corner for all of us. And we must deal with such matters before we can look outward further. Please understand we wish to help, but would you have the means of a secure and timely way for us to reach you? It is my understanding that we have yet to map out our new world let alone find reliable transport to one another''s cities.¡± Drake was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t heard something put so eloquently before. And her small exnation hit the nail on the head while putting the image of Natto¡¯s smug face in his mind. Natto¡¯s urging for him to take Aralleen for his third wife ringing true for a proper facing negotiator if nothing else. ¡°Then what would you have us do? Die as we wait?!¡± Suisei countered desperately. Aralleen shook her head, ¡°Absolutely not. If you wish for us to reach you soon, we must simply do better here for all our sakes. If ReUnite is to be the capital city, Lord Wallen will be allowed to designate three sub-capital cities. While we do not yet know what that entails I can only assume they wille with such benefits that will only help you survive until help doese,¡± she smiled grabbing Suesei¡¯s hands in her own, ¡°So let us do our best to convince this Summit to vote for Lord Wallen shall we?¡± ¡°That is easier said than done, Princess Aralleen,¡± Shigure interjected, ¡°With how Drake acted earlier, I don¡¯t believe it will be such a simple task. And I have a feeling there is something going on here that is heavily against us seeding.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Drake wondered, his eyes going to the human man surrounded by undead, ¡°But I have to admit, I have a feeling you''re right.¡± ¡°Yes, you suspect that man as well then?¡± Shigure nodded, ¡°From what I can see those other city Lords are undead.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how this goes we¡¯re in trouble. My brother has an alliance with the undead, which means they have almost 50% of the Summit on their side.¡± Aralleen jumped in, turning around, ¡°There is also Valor. We should expect him to stand with the undead if what you spoke of from Sandal was true.¡± Drake clicked his tongue, ¡°So we''re looking at almost two thirds of the Summit against us huh¡­¡± Shigure nodded, ¡°It would seem we must forfeit the win this round. Our goal must be to keep them from being victorious.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± Suisei muttered, losing hope. ¡°It¡¯s our only option for now,¡± Drake agreed, ¡°But now we have to convince the rest of the Summit.¡± ¡°We?¡± Aralleen and Shigure said together. ¡°Yeah, us right?¡± Drake repeated. ¡°I apologize Lord Wallen, but you have done enough,¡± Aralleen said wearily, ¡°Please entrust this to me. I have faith that you will be able to win any fight youe across, however this is a battle of words.¡± ¡°I would have to agree,¡± Shigure smiled. ¡°Hey, I can use words,¡± Drake frowned. ¡°Please Lord Wallen,¡± Aralleen pleaded, ¡°Allow me to take the lead here. I wish to convince the other Elven Leaders to at least hear reason, even if Valor has poured venom into their ears. I beseech you to put your trust in me.¡± Drake looked Aralleen in her violet eyes, seeing the determination. He sighed and relented. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll stay out of this one. I¡¯ve probably put us on the backfoot so do your best, Princess.¡± Aralleen nodded, her ears bobbing slightly. ¡°I shall convince my people as if my life depends on it!¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°No, not your life. Theirs.¡± Chapter 288: Kangaroo Court 2 Chapter 288: Kangaroo Court 2 ¡°Shall we begin?¡± The man at the head of the group of undead spoke up and came forward from his side of the sphere. Drake had his own thoughts on what to do, but he kept to himself, leaving the talking and negotiation to Shigure and Aralleen like he had agreed. ¡°Yes, I believe we all have ces we wish to get back to. There is no telling what is going on outside while we are being held here,¡± Valor agreed. ¡°You make that sound as if you know exactly what is going on outside of this ce. Valor,¡± Aralleen said evenly. ¡°My, little Princess Silverwood. I did not see you there. Have you found another poor naive supporter of your vicious agenda?¡± Valor sneered back. ¡°Calling negotiation based on tradition and fact, vicious? It would seem an old dog will call anything that threatens its position violence.¡± ¡°Violence? Hardly. As you say, such a thing would have to pose a threat in the first ce.¡± ¡°I think that is enough back and forth for now,¡± the man interrupted, ¡°If we wish to have this done in any sort of timely fashion, we should agree on how we are to discuss this voting, yes?¡± Aralleen and Shigure nodded, the others behind them agreeing as well in turn. Atticus held the same subtle smirk he wore since Drake first saw him, the people behind him using their silence under white hooded cloaks as agreement. ¡°I believe that is best for now as well. How should we proceed, introductions first?¡± Valor offered. ¡°That sounds like a wonderful suggestion. My name is Ferdinand Smith, the current leader of the New United Colonies.¡± This is already off to a bad start. They have the momentum in the conversation and it looks like they will be piggy backing off each other to keep it¡­ Drake thought. And that¡¯s the Count huh¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for Atticus, I¡¯d be far more angry at meeting this prick. All the people he¡¯s killed¡­ ¡°My name is Valor Alvea. The one and only leader of the grand Elven race,¡± Valor recited oh so condescending. Aralleen and Shigure did not want to lose any more ground than they already had, Aralleen talking first. ¡°I am Aralleen Silverwood, representing Lord Drake Wallen of ReUnite,¡± then she quickly added anything she could recall to make Drake seem more grandiose, ¡°Known as the yer of the West, Thest Asuran, and the Tyrant Asuran.¡± Shigure gave Aralleen a sidelong nce, apparently feeling her introduction was a bit over the top. ¡°Shigure Kenzo, leader of Shinchoku.¡± After Shigure¡¯s short and to the point introduction the rest of the city lords began a long round robin of introducing themselves. Some giving far more information than needed and others simply giving their name and nothing else. Until it came to Atticus. ¡°Atticus Wallen. The Grand Sun Mage, defender of humanity, advocate of a pure and just world free of monsters.¡± Cheers went up behind him, his cronies raising their voices loud in chants. Drake bit back a growl of distaste, not wanting to jeopardize the summit any more than he had. ¡°You call yourself a defender of humanity, yet are you not the same person who gathers, hunts and corrals people into cages,¡± Aralleen spat, ¡°Selling not only elves, beastkin and others, but your own race to the undead. To be used in unspeakable experiments?¡± ¡°Miss Aralleen, there is hardly a need for that type of disparagement. Especially such gross usations without evidence,¡± Ferdinand countered. ¡°She is simply trying to smear others to make herself look more just. Amon tactic for someone like her. A line of Elf not even we would im. Look at her, she has no support of even her own people, forced to run to a monster lover,¡± Valor sneered. Shigure looked to Drake for a moment before speaking, ¡°I would caution you from throwing stones from ss houses. Even on the other side of the world we have heard exactly of what is happening on the western continent. Undead run rampant, growing in number and strength by the day. Aided and subsidized by your very city!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never! What proof do you have of such ims!¡± Shigure motioned to Aralleen who stepped forward a crystal in hand. A recording device that Natto had prepared beforehand. ying the crystal it showed ounts of the elves saved from Sandal, including her very own sister. The images projected from the small device brought gasps from people, but only those not in the major groups. It appears that they had prepared for something like this. ¡°A very convincing disy,¡± Ferdinand said, pulling his own crystal from his pocket, ¡°However non-verifiable one off ounts can hardly be called reliable. That is to say we have our own recordings of just how unjust your leader is.¡± Ferdinand yed his device. This one showing Drake¡¯s fight in Sandal. However, the video only disyed highly manicured clips of the most brutal fights. Drake¡¯s fight with Adam and its conclusion. As well as Drake¡¯s execution of Xavier, conveniently leaving the audio out naming Ferdinand as the undead count. ¡°These have been taken out of context,¡± Aralleen said, frustratedly gripping her hand around her own crystal, ¡°Lord Wallen in fighting those people saved tens of thousands!¡± ¡°Then you should be able to provide support of your im if you were present, should you not?¡± Ferdinand countered, ¡°Unless you are saying you were not?¡± He has us¡­ Drake frowned, I didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to record the entire assault on Sandal. But even if we did¡­ ¡°That is not all,¡± Ferdinand continued, ¡°It is in fact, Mr. Atticus Wallen that has been bringing peace to the Western Continent, Mr. Kenzo. I would appreciate you having your facts correct in the future.¡± ¡°And we are just to take your word for this?¡± Shigure questioned. ¡°Of course not, we have many witness ounts,¡± Ferdinand exined, waving on for several people to disy crystals. Tens of people both behind Ferdinand, Valor, and Atticus stepped forward. The crystals showing Atticus giving helping hands to people with gracious and relieved faces. Handing out food and supplies to many. That seems to be the nail in the coffin. Drake sighed, moving next to Aralleen and Shigure. Aralleen began to speak but Drake ced a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. There would be no convincing the Summit with reason. They had simply not prepared enough and the opposition had. While might made right outside, here in this small room where Drake¡¯s power was only a detriment not a benefit. He had underestimated just how much preparation was ced into the summit by the undead and his brother. ¡°I think we can stop this here, unless there is anyone else who wishes to plead a case for themselves,¡± Drake said evenly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Wallen, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t prepare properly. It¡¯s my fault, you did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Sorry Drake, I couldn¡¯t do much here. We will just have to hope our votes are enough,¡± Shigure whispered. ¡°So he finally speaks? Monster of the Asurans!¡± Atticus shouted, spreading his arms wide. ¡°I believe we¡¯ve heard enough from you bickering siblings for one day,¡± a man said over them. Drake turned his gaze from Atticus to the new man, the same man he was unable to identify earlier. ¡°Apologies but we do not know your name, sir¡­?¡± Ferdinand asked leadingly. ¡°And you will not know it still,¡± the man scoffed, ¡°I have heard enough from both sides of your mouth today, Vampire.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± The man ced a crystal on the ground, an image lighting up clear and bright. Ferdinand leaning over a woman on his desk, his and the woman¡¯s face obscured by the angle of the camera. That was until Ferdinand rose and turned, his mouth covered in red liquid. ¡°How did you!?¡± Ferdinand scowled, looking behind him trying to find a culprit. The man smiled, ¡°You should pay your people better. Fear will only control the weak for so long, mongrel. You three,¡± the man addressed, looking at Ferdinand, Atticus, and Valor, ¡°Have obviously tailored the Summit in your favor, so words are worthless here. However¡­ You still require a majority vote. And by my count.¡± The man looked around the area, counting in silence as he pointed to each person present, tallying up the numbers in his head until he pointed to himself smiling. ¡°You are several votes short of a majority.¡± ¡°Are you really willing to go against all of us?¡± Valor stepped in with a frown. ¡°I have weathered storms far worse than the small warm breeze that is a pathetic Elf who would kill his own people. And since time ephemeral I have known many men like you. You will fall like they have, by my hand or anothers.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°I am the keeper of the golden key, King of Heros, and the Ruler of the greatest city known to man and beast. I do not need dare. I do as I please and take what I will. This false court you insignificant mongrels have put on disy will not turn the tables for you. There is only one King here and it is not you.¡± The man walked past the area, standing next to Drake and cing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Hello, Shot. It¡¯s been a few years¡­ Still mad you can¡¯t beat the RNG God? Even in this ce?¡± Drake¡¯s head snapped to the man¡¯s face. It was unrecognizable from his friend. ¡°P-Phoon?¡± Drake muttered, only to have the man ce a finger to his lips. ¡°We have much to discuss, but you have more to do first. After you have dealt with things,e find me. I am where Egypt used to stand. I have an old acquaintance from your tutorial in my employ. You haven¡¯t forgotten young Amir have you?¡± ¡°Amir, huh?¡± Drake repeated, blinking a few times, ¡°No I haven¡¯t, but-¡± ¡°Later, as I said. I have set the stage for them to lose. But I will not be able to help you outside. Though, I don¡¯t believe you will need it¡­¡± Drake nodded, a torrent of emotions and questions flooding his mind. He couldn¡¯t believe he would meet another person from his past here, let alone a friend who was apparently so strong or had a skill so powerful that his own skill would fail. However, Drake moved past it, addressing the room. ¡°We should get on with the voting, but regardless of the results,¡± Drake pointed at Valor, ¡°You are the first person I aming for. I¡¯m giving you three days to remove yourself from your city and surrender the World Tree to me.¡± Valorughed, ¡°Surrender? To you? A mere human wishes to test himself against me? Ha! I do not fear mortal men such as you Drake Wallen.¡± ¡°Then you will simply die braver than most,¡± Drake stated evenly and moved to Ferdinand, ¡°And you will pay for what you¡¯ve done. Selling out your own people to the undead, turning them into abominations! I¡¯ll wring from you the very pain and suffering you¡¯ve inflicted onto thousands.¡± Ferdinand¡¯s brows rose and then his eyes shed from hazel browns to dull red, ¡°Hundreds of thousands, boy. And survival has a price. It always has, don¡¯t think you¡¯re any better after you gave up your humanity for power.¡± Drake turned finally addressing his brother. Frustration welling up as he stood in front of him. Frustration at not being able to convince him during the summit to see reason. The desprate pleas Drake used to hopefully not have to follow through on his word to put a stop to him. It may have been years since theyst met face to face, but they were still family. And he owed it to him to offer onest olive branch. It wasn¡¯t that Drake hadn¡¯t steeled himself to kill Atticus. It was that he was the thought of going through with it left him forlorn. Where would Drake draw the line on his once thought concrete morals. He was supposed to protect family, not end it. But Drake could not turn a blind eye to Atticus, not anymore. Regardless he wanted to put faith into his brother. Onest ditch hope. Drake steadied his feet and breathe. ¡°And Atticus¡­I just want to help you. Let me help you, don¡¯t make me¡­ For our family-¡± ¡°I am not your family!¡± Atticus cut off, ¡°I am neither broken nor confused, you filthy animal! And I do not need your help! I will wrench those sickening beasts you call wives from their beds and string them up in front of you. You will know the same empty pain you¡¯ve caused me several folds over! Prepare! For my God will descend upon this world and clean it of the muck and grime that you and monsters like you spread across it. You will be cleansed, just like the rest!¡± Drake fought back the urge to argue, knowing there was no more he could say without going in circles. Atticus had thrown hisst offering of a peace back in Drake¡¯s face. Pulling up the system interface for voting. Drake selected his own name and confirmed the vote. Seeing the people within the area making simr gestures, they all soon heard the announcement of the system. [All votes have now been submitted] [All votes are now being tallied] [Votes have failed to reach a majority. Highest vote has been tallied as: Atticus Wallen - Purity at 74% of total votes] [Due to the Summit failing to reach a consensus the next Summit will be held in one year¡¯s time] [You will now be transported back to your original locations] Drake started back at Atticus as light began to envelop his surroundings. ¡°How¡­ How did I¡­ Just where did we go wrong¡­?¡± Drake muttered to himself as the system took them, thest image burned into his mind, his brother¡¯s sneering face. Chapter 289: Battle for the World Tree Chapter 289: Battle for the World Tree Drake and Aralleen made it back to the camp. The day had turned to night, signaling that a few hours had passed since they left. It seemed that time flowed the same in that system space. Once they arrived back, they were swarmed with the people gathered. The teens, ire, the elves that had apanied Aralleen, and Teresa who had forced herself along to both watch Atropos and Clothos as well as Drake. She had for the most part just observed them, leaving the group alone. But even she grew curious on how the Summit had gone for them. ¡°Well, what happened?¡± Landin asked expectantly. Drake shook his head, ¡°Not as nned. At the very least no one won, but that also means we didn¡¯t.¡± A collective grumble came from the group. ¡°I am sorry once again for failing to live up to expectations Lord Wallen. I thought I could speak to my people, but it seems they are well within Valor¡¯s pockets now¡­¡± Aralleen apologized. ¡°Now, now. It isn¡¯t your fault. We didn¡¯t prepare well enough and they evenid a trap with our own recording crystals. I can only assume we have people purchasing for them through our auction house, but that¡¯s expected. I¡¯m more concerned with Atticus and his skills.¡± ¡°What do you mean Drake? What happened in there?¡± ire asked. ¡°He was able to use a skill that the system didn¡¯t inhibit. I¡¯m not sure what it was since I resisted it but it must have been some sort of status effect, maybe mental¡­¡± Drake thought aloud, before he pulled a crystal from his pocket. ¡°Natto.¡± Natto¡¯s voice quickly came through the crystal. ¡°Yes? What is it? Have you all run into dire need of the great me?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°I need you to get as many of the best mental attack resistant essories you can find and we can afford. I don¡¯t care if we go broke buying them. I¡¯m sure you know how many I want?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, enough for your family and the brats. I will do my best to acquire enough for the brutes and dear Theo but I can not promise much. Large portions of our funds are going to expanding the city currently and it will take time to replenish our stores. Now, how did the Summit go? I assume from theck of notifications, it went poorly?¡± Drake winced, remembering how he had it out with his brother during the Summit. ¡°Yeah, you can say that¡­¡± ¡°I see. We will speak further once you have returned. Be quick about it. Felling an oversized tree should be no matter, even for the likes of a deplorable dithering durd such as yourself.¡± The crystal dimmed and Drake ced it back into his pocket. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal then? They refuse to listen?¡± Leon askedzily. ¡°Unfortunately yes. The New United Colonies, Avalon, and my brother¡¯s Purity. All of them tried to trap us during the Summit. They missed winning by only 1%,¡± Drake sighed, his head leaning back, ¡°I gave them three days to evacuate but I don¡¯t think Valor is the type to listen.¡± Leon frowned, ¡°You gave them a warning? Are you fucking stupid?¡± Drake leered back, ¡°These are people we¡¯re talking about Leon. Not everyone who is forced to live in a city ruled by a lunatic agrees with what they are doing.¡± ¡°Yeah, only enough to not leave or stand up against it.¡± ¡°You think they have a choice?! Have you even seen what is going on?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t my problem. And it isn¡¯t yours either. The only way you¡¯re going to stop that crap is by taking out the bastard in charge. And all you did was give him a heads up to make things worse,¡± Leon scoffed, poking Drake between the eyes, ¡°Use your tiny little peebrain! You said the guy¡¯s a lunatic? What if he decides to use human shields now? Maybe child soldiers? Holds the whole ce hostage, what then?¡± Drake bit back a retort, but Leon was right. ¡°You might think you¡¯re doing those people a favor by being merciful, but all your doing is putting more people in danger. And not just them. All these people you''re so desperate to protect here just got the difficulty shot up through the roof because of you. And are you prepared to stick it through the heart of some person who wanted nothing to do with this fight to get to the evil fuck?¡± ¡°Leon, bro. Cool it my man,¡± Damian cut in, ¡°You know how the kid is, He ain¡¯t gonna learn till he deals with it first hand. You know how many got damn times we had to teach this knucklehead the same lesson before it stuck?¡± ¡°He aint a kid anymore. And I¡¯m sick and tired of killing helpless weaklings. I thought we¡¯d at least have something to do here, but all we¡¯re doing is cleaning up his mess like we always do,¡± Leon grumbled. ¡°I can clean up my own messes,¡± Drake spat, ¡°And I¡¯m not going to change how I do things. Yeah, telling them we¡¯reing might be a dumb decision, but if it saves one kid, one family, giving them enough time to get out, that¡¯s fine by me! Because I want to be a person strong enough to help others and take care of the people I love. I might watch the world burn to protect them, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to use that as a standard. I¡¯ve seen enough of what¡¯s happening to know those people in that city just want to live to see the next sunrise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just being naive, just like you¡¯re being with your brother,¡± Leon frowned. ¡°Excuse me? How are either of these even remotely close?!¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°You know exactly what I mean. If you had just-¡± ¡°Just what? Gone after him the moment I heard he was killing people? Left my city filled with innocent people vunerable to chase after him? Not gone after my Mother and family to protect them? If I had just run to kill my own family without even trying to help him?! It may be easy for some, but I¡¯d like to keep my conscience for as long as I¡¯m able!¡± ¡°We both know that conscience of yours has no ce here. Not anymore. So don¡¯t bring that crap back on me for telling you the truth, since no one else will! And don¡¯t me me when ites and bites you in the ass,¡± Leon tapped his spear against Charlotte¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Come on kid, looks like you got hell of a lot more sparing to do if you don¡¯t want to die for his dumbass ideals.¡± Charlotte looked between the two, but nodded, following Leon. ¡°The rest of you should do the same, we¡¯re leaving bright and early to get to Avalon and I want some private time to talk with my wife about some things,¡± Drake exined, heaving a breath. Damian smacked Drake on the side, ¡°Don¡¯t let ol¡¯ Grumps tear ya a new one like that. Ande check out my ride before we head out. I know you been eyein¡¯ ma¡¯ baby since you seen it back in the city.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Yeah, I will. Thanks man.¡± Once Damian also left, Drake had to wave off the others. Atropos and her Aunt Teresa not wanting to part, knowing what was about to happen between Drake and ire. ¡°I¡¯m entitled to alone time with my wife! Get the hell out of here, you nosy little runts! And why are you even here?! Just to spy on me?¡± Drake grumbled, pushing Teresa away. ¡°But Boss! We haven''t even had time to ourselves! At least let us consummate our deal! There¡¯s no need to be shy- Yah!!¡± Teresa shot off like a scared cat instead of a wolf, her hands holding her burnt rump where Drake had zapped her. Atropos reluctantly followed suit with the others to go to train, leaving Drake, ire, and Arallen. ¡°You too Princess, big day tomorrow so get some rest. And don¡¯t dwell on what happened too much, it wasn¡¯t your fault, it was mine. So go ahead and me me for it until we get there. You did your best, now just leave the rest to me alright?¡± ¡°I appreciate your words Lord Wallen, but it is my responsibility as-¡± ¡°Nope! It¡¯s mine. Can¡¯t run things if you don¡¯t take the fall when shit hits the fan. It¡¯s my bed toy in. You just worry about how you are going to save as many people in that city as possible,¡± Drake interrupted. He sped her on the shoulder and tried to give her a reassuring grin, but Aralleen recoiled, turning her head away as her ears went beat red and bounced slightly. ¡°Then¡­ I will do just that, good evening Lord Wallen, Lady Wallen¡­¡± she replied, speeding off. ¡°What¡¯s her deal?¡± ire grounded her knuckles into Drake¡¯s side, puffing out her cheeks. ¡°Idiot¡­¡± ¡°What? I just went through all that so we could be alone and you turn around and insult me?¡± ¡°Who said you should go and flirt with a Princess right in front of me?! Why are you always surrounded by more and more women¡­¡± ire sighed. Drake chuckled and pulled her into his embrace, ¡°I thought you were prepared and ready for stuff like this?¡± ire pushed her head into his chest, ¡°Just because I know it¡¯s going to happen doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t get jealous,¡± she pouted, ¡°And I¡¯m always going to want you to myself¡­ I¡¯m sure Sarah is the same way.¡± Drake felt a pang of guilt, but this was their reality. He wouldn¡¯t be able to stay a one woman man in this world. ¡°Well for tonight at least, I¡¯m all yours.¡± ¡ª------------------------- Exiting the tent the next morning, Drake felt refreshed. Or at least physically. Having to go over the Summit in his head multiple times, trying to figure out a way around the truth was wearing on him. And each time he yed the scene out in his head the more he felt torn apart. The things that Atticus told him didn''t make sense. His memories were clear, he remembered each and every year of his life leading right up until the present. Drake also couldn¡¯t find a way to dismiss the pure hatred he saw in Atticus¡¯s eyes when he berated him. He hated it, the feeling of helplessness he thought he was long past. Drake could tell what Atticus said about getting his vengeance and going on this crusade against him was heartfelt and that is what worried Drake all the more. I¡¯m really going to have to stop him¡­.aren¡¯t I? Drake thought. But his thoughts were soon pushed to the back of his mind. It was time to go. Avalon was still a day''s travel and now that Drake had announced their arrival to the Summit, he would have to be all that more attentive. He was soon surrounded by the people he brought along. First ire, still sleepy eyed and reluctant to leave the tent¡¯s warmth. The teens, all in full gear with Charlotte and Atropos shooting Drake some irritated nces. Teresa and Aralleen came a few minutester with the elven guard in tow. Somehow the two had started a fight between one another over their dress code. Drake didn¡¯t pay too much attention. Damian, Leon, and Ari camest. And Drake couldn¡¯t help but smirk seeing his old friends hadn''t changed all that much. Leon walked in front, pulling Damian along as Damian tinkered with one thing or another in his hands. If it wasn¡¯t one thing it was another that always kept Damian slow to arrive. Girls, music, shopping online, or designing something or another. And now it seemed to be his Dwarven blood that pushed him to make gadgets and the likes. ¡°Are you still messing with that thing dude? You kept us up all night¡­¡± Leon yawned. ¡°Yeah and you two kept me all night with your got damn feral skin pping, so we even G!¡± Damian countered. Leon grinned, ¡°We did go pretty hardst night didn¡¯t we,¡± he looked over at Drake, noticing both his and ire¡¯s unkempt hair and clothes, ¡°Didn¡¯t we.¡± Drake raised a hand, ¡°I¡¯m married, it goes without saying. Besides how do I keep my hands off a wife this beautiful- Hey, I can feel you pinching me you know.¡± ire puffed out her cheeks continuing to pinch and twist Drake¡¯s lower back silently. ¡°Right, well now that everyone is here, I guess it¡¯s time to let you all know the n before we start moving out,¡± Drake began exining despite ire¡¯s tortuous needling behind him. Everyone besides Leon and Damian stood at attention. ¡°The party that is going to assault the city,¡± Drake paused, ncing at Leon and Damian, ¡°Is going to only be myself, Leon, Damian and The Princess.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious Drake, we¡¯ve been training for days. Not to mention we helped with Sandal didn¡¯t we?¡± Landin protested. ¡°Drake, you aren¡¯t going to leave us here!¡± ire shouted from behind him. ¡°Lord Drake, please, allow us to aid you. We will not be burden-¡± ¡°But you will be,¡± Drake said firmly, cutting off Atropos. ¡°Why would you keep us from gathering more strength? Do you not wish for us to progress further, Patriarch?¡± Kalik asked, biting back his attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I want nothing more than to have everyone grow stronger but there are some things preventing that here.¡± Drake looked at Aralleen, ¡°This is the Princess¡¯s fight for one. That is the sole reason she ising along. I will need her to navigate the city, deal with the Tree, and possibly Valor, as well as get any willing people out of the city unharmed,¡± he took on a serious expression he had not worn since the ceremony, ¡°And I will not put anyone else in danger. The fight at Sandal showed me that you all are not ready for this. I rushed your growth and put you all in mortal danger. That said, the experience you gained was invaluable but I won¡¯t be making that same mistake. The three of us will finish this quickly. The rest of you are going to stay at a safe distance and protect yourselves.¡± ¡°I am not bound to listen to this. I came for a fight and to follow you into battle, I will not be pushed aside to wait-¡± Drake hit Teresa with a scathing re backed by his aura, ¡°You will if you know what is good for you. I have no room to tolerate disobedience this time. My family is here, my wife is here. And if you aren¡¯t willing to listen, you are not wee here.¡± He moved close to Teresa, each step pushing down with more pressure as she fell to her knees, her ears and tails slumping down. ¡°Do I make myself clear?¡± Drake reiterated. ¡°Y-yes boss. If that is what you want, I will keep them safe,¡± Teresa said meekly. ¡°Good,¡± Drake sighed, his hair shifting colors from its natural ck, to snow white, ¡°Princess Aralleen, please lead the way.¡± Aralleen nodded, her face visibly conflicted over something but began to lead them nheless. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten colder huh Shot. I didn¡¯t give you enough credit,¡± Leon smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not like I enjoy doing that. But some people only listen when you put the cold hand of reality to their neck¡­¡± Drake sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, ain¡¯t it always a dick measuring contest one way or another?¡± Damian scoffed, ¡°Was like that when we was at the top and it¡¯s gonna be like that now. So why don¡¯t we start our reunion with a bang?¡± ¡°A bang, huh? What did you have in mind?¡± Damian snapped his fingers, his enormous mecha mming down next to him, kicking up wind and dust. ¡°Oh, I gots a few ideas,¡± heughed, smiling ear to ear. Chapter 290: Battle For The World Tree 2 Chapter 290: Battle For The World Tree 2 Two days after arriving back from the Summit, Drake and his party were finally within reach of Avalon, the Elven city that Princess Aralleen and her sister came from. The road to the city was smoother than Drake expected. There had been no traps or waiting ambushes that he was prepared for. Instead just general monsters of average level, roughly 13 to 15. Which by his estimate was slightly above what it was a few weeks ago. Just as Tatsuki exined as well as Natto before her, the world was still assimting the changes from the integration as the monsters continued to grow in strength. Drake during their day¡¯s travel had begun working his way through Natto¡¯s detailed reports that he had admittedly been reluctantlyzy to read. The information in them was what he expected. Reports on the daily activities of the city, where manpower was being allocated, where funds were being funneled for growth, how the city was developing in general. There was also information on specific areas that theycked, such asws and regtions, staff and positions on general oversight outside of Natto. They currently had a small force of people who would keep the peace, but with the influx of people Drake had recently rescued it was impossible for them to keep up properly. Natto wrote several pages worth of requests for more funds, personnel, proper training for said personnel, and more than enough pages yelling at Drake for not enough snacks and sweets being paid. Drake had to be helped up multiple times by ire, as he read the documents tripping over nothing from sheer exacerbation. Moving to the dredges of the reports it began detailing uing events and quests Drake should be prepared for. In particr it detailed the process of ranking up to E-Rank for most individuals, as well as the quests that aremonly associated with them. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ So it looks like hitting E-Rank isn¡¯t the difficult part normally, just level up to 30 and you go through the same process as F-Rank¡­ Gross does that mean I have to blow up again?¡± Drakemented, mumbling to himself as he read, ¡°Skills be stronger and reset Proficiencies, same with Professions. Okay simple enough, but there¡¯s an unlock quest normally that is scaled to main ss rarity. Now that sounds like a bitch¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm? What are you reading?¡± ire asked, leaning over to peek. ¡°Just reports and stuff I¡¯ve been cking on recently. Natto gave me an earful when you arrived at the city, remember?¡± ire pressed a finger to her lips, ¡°Oh I do remember that, I just thought she was yelling at you like she always does. Even when we first met she was always poking fun,¡± she giggled. ¡°Haha¡­ yeah, She''s just oodles and oodles of fun. But this is a little different, I actually deserve it after reading through these. There¡¯s a lot of information I haven¡¯t been told since I¡¯ve been away from the city recently. I guess leveling up let her divulge a lot more. There¡¯s even some detailed exnations on the races here¡­ Like how Ice Wolves fight in a ceremony of dominance¡­ to¡­ pick¡­a¡­ mate- God damn it!¡± ire¡¯s eyes thinned and she rubbed a knuckle into Drake¡¯s side. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± Their fun ended soon as they came to a small clearing in the woods. Led by Arallen, the Princess stopped pointing to the sky. ¡°We are a few hours from the city now. You will be able to see the Millenium World Tree Fern,¡± she exined with a somewhat sorrowful expression. Drake whistled, ¡°Now that¡¯s a tree.¡± ¡°Fern is a rtively young World Tree. Even still, they have been rooted since before my family¡¯s line was made.¡± Spread out before them in the distance was something incredible. Never had Drake seen something sorge. The monumentallyrge tree, even at the distance they were, could be seen clearly. Its enormous canopy spread over the horizon and let down hanging vines so thick they seemed to be fingers reaching for the earth. Not only this, but there seemed to be a different air about the tree, a small ripple in the air attesting to not only its power but vital energy is the only thing Drake could use to describe it. ¡°Looks like they aren¡¯t going to be taking my advice either,¡± Drake frowned, looking out, seeing the small outline ofrge walls with blobs of what he could only assume were people running on top of them. He turned to the group, ¡°Everyone will stay here as nned. The rest of us will go receive their warm wee.¡± ¡°Drake, you are seriously going to go through with this and not take us with you? You know how much my skills will help, especially with your magic!¡± ire protested. ¡°No. We¡¯re doing this with just us. And Charlotte here specializes in lightingbat magic, so save your buff skills for her. I¡¯ve let you have your way ande along, but this is where I put my foot down. You are staying here.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No buts! You¡¯re staying here where I know you¡¯ll be safe and I can focus on doing what I have to,¡± Drake turned away from them and began walking towards the tree in the distance, ¡°Let get this done quickly.¡± Leon looked over as well, nodding to Ari who bowed slightly and stayed with the remaining group without a fuss. Drake gave a nce to Leon and his expression soured more. ¡°What?!¡± Drake scowled. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything dumbass. Don¡¯t bring it here just cause you''re frustrated at yourself,¡± Leon scoffed, throwing his hands behind his head. ¡°Who said I¡¯m frustrated?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over your face dude,¡± Damian pointed, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be strong enough to just protect them! Ahhh, you better shut your ass about that dawg. We plenty strong out here, but things just happen. You remember that time we was grinding in the back lot of that map?¡± ¡°Oh the one we thought no one would bothering to because it was such a pain to get there?¡± Leon said, remembering the game Damian was mentioning. ¡°Dats right. And what happened at 4 AM on a weekday?¡± Drake sighed, ¡°Some assholes decided to raid our spot just because.¡± ¡°Yup. We all know sometimes people just do shit just cause. And bad things happen sometimes just cause. If Ekko was here she¡¯d say the same thing, she smart like that.¡± ¡°Your point?¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°Point? You know damn well what my point is, Shot. You ain¡¯t dumb. For all our power there are going to be things that are unexpected, it¡¯s just how it goes. And your ass is trying to keep them in a nice little box so it don¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Is that so wrong?¡± ¡°We all been there,¡± Leon yawned, ¡°But you''re missing what Wow-fi is sayin¡¯. You¡¯re trying to take away their choice in the matter.¡± Drake flinched, frozen in his tracks for a moment as a conversation he had with natto in the tutorial shed in his mind. ¡°Yeah, there it is,¡± Leon smiled, ¡°There¡¯s the ssic, I¡¯ve heard that before from someone else look.¡± Drake frowned, ¡°You¡¯ve never seen my face before a few days ago, how would you know what the hell this face is.¡± Leon waved his hand, ¡°Dude, we could see that face through the mic a thousand times, how long do you think we¡¯ve known you? Not to mention our asses are older than you, we been through everything you have dumbass. Just wish you would listen to us the first time instead of having us drill it into your fat head.¡± ¡°You guys are pretty old,¡± Drake scoffed. Leon swung his spear, hitting Drake in the back of the head. ¡°You¡¯re old too, dumbass.¡± Drake rubbed the back of his head, but couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was nice having them back like the old times. He had lost his father when he was young and these two were the ones teaching him growing up for better or worse. Drake¡¯s dad was gone so there was no one to keep him in check and tell him when he was being stupid or crazy. It was a nostalgic feeling, like he was back in his room just talking to them on theputer again. Telling them about his problems. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Lord Wallen,¡± Aralleen spoke up, being silent for the entire walk. He felt a little embarrassed for letting her listen in on their conversation but Drake put his head back on straight. He wasn¡¯t going it alone, having to protect everyone again this time around. This time he had his old friends by his side. Ones he had trusted his back to time and time again. Other Primordials. They all looked at the towering walls on par with ReUnites. However these were made of twisted and petrified vines. ¡°The World Tree Fern¡¯s branches formed these walls,¡± Aralleen exined, ¡°They are very sturdy and will be difficult to get past,¡± she looked behind to their small force of less than 30 people. Drake had only brought themselves and the small contingent of Aralleen¡¯s personal guards. ¡°I don¡¯t think will be havin¡¯ any kinda problem getting through,¡± Damian smiled and tapped on his suit¡¯s massive blue leg, ¡°Things like this are kinda our specialty.¡± Leon ced his hand to his head like a vision, looking up at the wall, moreso the people than the structure itself. ¡°Drake, Elf girl. You think these people are prepared?¡± Leon asked. ¡°I thought you said it wasn¡¯t your problem?¡± Drake shot back. ¡°It isn¡¯t but I don¡¯t like killing weaklings.¡± Drake looked over to Aralleen, ¡°What do you think Princess?¡± ¡°I fear all the sensible citizens left when we had. Anyone remaining will either be forced toply due to Valor holding their families captive, or are just that fanatical in their loyalty to Valor. We elves are stout of heart and I am sure they are prepared for what should happen while they are on top those walls,¡± she said sorrowfully. Drake took in a deep breath, stepping ahead of the others, ¡°I¡¯ll be giving them onest chance.¡± pping his hands together arge green magic circle formed in front of him. The wind around them beginning to kick up. ¡°Citizens of Avalon. This is yourst warning to vacate the city,¡± Drake began, his voice carried by the wind, ¡°Your leader has partaken in vile dealings with the undead, selling off your own for his selfish gain. I urge you to reassess your loyalties and not meaninglessly lose your lives in a fight that is not yours. I will give you one hour! And any one that surrenders peacefully will be treated fairly by Princess Aralleen!¡± Drake released the spell, the magic circle vanishing into particles of mana only for the shouts above the walls to fill the area. ¡°Begone Demon!¡± ¡°There is no quarter for you and your lies here!¡± ¡°The Princess is just the daughter of liars and tyrants! Of course she would ask for aid from such a monster!¡± ¡°We have seen what you have done to cities!¡± ¡°Do not underestimate the strength of our city!¡± Leon sped Drake on the shoulder, ¡°Still want to give them that hour?¡± Drake bit his lip and nodded, ¡°I just wanted to hope.¡± ¡°You doing a lot of thattely?¡± Leon asked. ¡°It¡¯s all I have right now¡­ Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That one¡¯s over my head. But, stop putting your fucking head down. It¡¯s pissing me off. If you¡¯re going to do things your way even against our advice. At least do it with a raised chin and a straight back. A man bears the idents and bumps in the road as theye, with strength and the determination to go on, making the best of times.¡± ¡°Wow that was really-¡± ¡°Even if I think you¡¯re being incredibly fucking stupid.¡± ¡°Aaaaand it¡¯s gone. You know, you and Natto might be brother and sister.¡± Another p came from his side and Drake looked down at Damian. ¡°Life didn¡¯t give no got damn manual to us, and it sure as shit didn¡¯t give it to you. Work through it just like we did man. Now, how you wanna handle this? Iron man style or are we steam rolling this city?¡± Drake scratched the back of his head, ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside. They¡¯ve had enough time to call for reinforcements from almost anywhere I¡¯d guess¡­¡± ¡°Mane on, you acting just like you did before that castle siege back in the day. You remember that Leon?¡± Damian spat. ¡°Oh? The one everyone else canceled on so we had to go in with just us?¡± ¡°Dats the one. Bunch a bitches! They all backed out because it was runningte, then Shot went into trying to figure out the best way to fight it. But what ended up happening huh?¡± Drakeughed, ¡°We ended up rushing the front gate and steam rolling them anyway.¡± ¡°Yup. But now there¡¯s a big difference.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Now we got Lady,¡± Damian thumbed to his mech. ¡°You named your ride?¡± Leon bursted outughing. ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous,¡± Damian scoffed, ¡°Me and Lady got the gate, you two figure out the rest.¡± Leon and Drake looked at each other and shrugged, ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡± ¡°Please wait! Fern has a constant barrier surrounding the city. Not even a thousand warriors could prate it without substantial preparation!¡± Aralleen interjected. ¡°You¡¯re just bringing this up now?¡± Drake rolled his eyes, ¡°What do you say now Wow-fi? Your Blue-MAU able to handle it?¡± ¡°Man¡­. Fuck that barrier,¡± Damian scoffed, jumping into his mech. ¡ª--------------- Damian settled into his sports seat inside his mech, Lady. Pressing a small button on the console as music began ying and a cup holder extended out in front of him. ¡°Wee back, Pilot.¡± A mechanical female voice greeted him. Damian took in a deep breath with a satisfied ah. ¡°Nothing like the inside a sci-fi killing machine. Smells like got damn winning in here! Boot up the cannon. Armor pen rounds. Let¡¯s dump 50%.¡± ¡°Initializing Siege Cannon¡­ Processing¡­¡± Damian leaned back, pulling arge cup from his inventory as the sound of humming began to overtake the music. ¡°Turn up the jams Lady. We be showing off today. st the Free Bird.¡± ¡°Loading 700mm AP Antimatter Shell¡­ Round Seated¡­ Charging Mana Battery Fold¡­¡± Looking at the disy screen, the surroundings began to glow and Damian could see the elves in the distance begin chanting spells and bombarding him with skill empowered arrows. But none of them were powerful enough to prate his Mech¡¯s armor. ¡°Depleting main Monster Core storage by Pilot directed 50%... Mana Battery Fold overcharged by 30%.¡± ¡°Let it be,¡± Damian took a sip from his cup and ced it into the holder. ¡°Twilight Salvos. Fire.¡± ¡°Positive Pilot Voice Confirmation. Firing Twilight Salvos.¡± The cockpit lit up instantly, the bright re of energy being discharged whiting out the heads-up screen and shaking the entire Mecha for a brief moment. Once the screen dimmed and then normalized, Damian smiled at his work. A massive hole was punched into the wall, scorching the earth ck around the weapon''s impact. Further out he saw the still smoldering hole punched into the center of the World Tree. Taking the cup from the holder he took another sip. ¡°That¡¯s what I call a bang.¡± Chapter 291: Battle For The World Tree 3 Chapter 291: Battle For The World Tree 3 Drake unplugged his ears. Looking at the aftermath of Damian¡¯s mecha st? Particle Beam? Rail Gun? He looked to the side of the huge mechanical monster, a still smoking shell sizzling on the ground. Drake wasn¡¯t sure what to call it other than pure destructive force that might rival his own magic. Letting out a long whistle he gazed at the still smoldering remains of the wall, area, and the hole taking arge chunk out of the World Tree in the distance. ¡°That was some crazy- No way,¡± Drake scoffed, looking at the Tree, ¡°It¡¯s regenerating? Seriously?¡± The cockpit¡¯s cover cracked and swung open with a puff of air and a hiss, Damian¡¯s music ring. ¡°Got damn it! And here I thought I one-shotted the thing.¡± ¡°You got more of those in you? Was that a skill?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Naw, I can¡¯t be doin¡¯ another of those. Cooldowns too long and I ain¡¯t trying to lose my whole Monster Core Stock in one fight. I¡¯ll stay here and chill for now. I¡¯ll let you and Leon handle the rest dawg.¡± Leon scoffed, ¡°He said he¡¯d let us deal with it,¡± he beganughing, ¡°Dude never changes huh? You remember when he started that server wide guild war, then left us to clean it up?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°Depends. Which time are we talking about? Wow-fi never could keep his mouth shut.¡± Damian waved them on like he was shooing cats. The rest of their small group, Aralleen and her guards standing in awe of the destructive force just disyed to them. ¡°Oi¡­ Princess. Anyone still there?¡± Drake hollered, tapping on her shoulder. Aralleen snapped to attention, shaking her head. ¡°I-I¡¯m present! What exactly was that beam of light!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go getting surprised just yet, you still need to point us in the direction of Valor. And did you want to give up on saving as many people as you could? Or are you going to just stand there?¡± Drake asked. Aralleen¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°I will not! Valor will be close to the Tree¡¯s base, of that I am sure. It offers the greatest protection and he will not be willing to leave it,¡± she fell to one knee and ced a hand over her chest, ¡°Allow me to once again speak to my people. I swear I will change their hearts and see the error of standing with a man such as Valor.¡± Drake scratched at the back of his head, not sure how to handle such a formal request. ¡°Ah¡­ And I thought the way Sarah asked for things put me on edge¡­ Come on, get up. No need for that,¡± he sighed, holding out a hand, ¡°We already decided to do this. There¡¯s no reason you need to ask to save people. Not from me at least. Go on, go do your best Princess.¡± Araleen¡¯s eyes shot up and stared at Drake for a long moment, before beginning to shake. Her head dipped covering her eyes as she took his hand and stood. ¡°I will leave the World Tree to you, Lord Wallen. I wish you victory.¡± Drake waved his hand back and forth dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Just focus on your task and get as many people out as fast as you can. I can¡¯t guarantee Leon and I won¡¯t blow this ce up with the Tree.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Why are you saying I''m going to do it? You¡¯re the one always messing up and changing ns,¡± Leon scoffed. Drake ignored him, ¡°Off you go,¡± he pointed to his wrist, ¡°Time¡¯s ticking.¡± Aralleen nodded and turned to her guards, ¡°Let us be swift! Recover as many people within the walls as possible! This is a royal order!¡± Cheers and shouts rang out as the guards raised arms and weapons into the air before speeding off into the opening created by Damian. Once they were gone, Drake turned to Leon. ¡°So, you want the Tree or the Evil Elf Overlord?¡± ¡ª--------------------------- ¡°Have any reinforcements arrived yet?!¡± Valor shrieked at the standing guard. ¡°No, my Lord. We have had no contact through any of the long-rangemunication crystals¡­¡± ¡°Useless!¡± Valor growled, ¡°No matter! They only brought less than fifty soldiers, it would be inconceivable that they could prate the walls, let alone the World Tree¡¯s barrier¡­¡± Valor rubbed the top of one the arms of his chair nervously. Only a fool woulde here with no army! That lowly human was barking like some mad dog in the summit! There is no possible way he could¡­ Valor thought but the scene of Drake breaking through the system protection to get to his brother shed in his mind, sending a chill down his spine. He tapped anxiously against the wood that made up his throne under the World Tree impatiently. ¡°Is there any news from the wall?!¡± he finally shouted. ¡°They are reporting that the Princess and a small force has taken up position outside the West wall, my Lord.¡± Valor mmed his fist against the armchair, ¡°Then have them dispatch them! I will not waste time allowing them toe closer to the city!¡± ¡°My Lord! It seems one of the members of Princess Aralleen¡¯s group is preparing to breach the wall!¡± ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°He appears to be inside a siege weapon we have never encountered before.¡± ¡°Well, take it down!¡± Valor shouted, then scoffed to himself, ¡°A single siege weapon couldn¡¯t possibly-¡± The next moment a deafening cry shouted out, a bright white haze filled the room removing any shadow and any sound from the area. Valor tried to shield his eyes only to fail as the intense light would not be ignored. He took in a sharp breath, his ears ringing, and his body suddenly filled with irreparable dread. The light dissipated quickly leaving his eyes unfocused and the sounds around him still muted, as he attempted to scream for someone to figure out what had just happened. Throwing out his arm to point at the silhouette of one of the guards, he saw how feverishly his arm was shaking. He gripped it, trying to still the shaking with his other arm only to find the dread that was pooling deep in his stomach thicken as his arms continued to quiver uncontrobly. The muted ringing finally began to clear in his ears, the rooming back into focus and he could hear his voice once again. ¡°What just happened! Where did that ste from?! What are the soldiers on the wall doing!!!¡± Valor¡¯s head was now on a swivel, trying to assess the surroundings. For some reason none of the elite guards posted to protect him and the World Tree were responding. ¡°Answer me damn it!!¡± he shouted once more into the clouded area filled with dust and debris. ¡°Now that¡¯s no way to speak to guests.¡± A voice came from the opening in the room still draped in gray clouds. The sound of crunching wood from the room¡¯s entrance filled Valor¡¯s ears. Slow and methodical. As if the person, no, people, were taking a casual stroll. Infuriated Valor screamed, ¡°What are you all doing standing there!!?! They are intruders! Take them!¡± A desperate cry came from the surrounding guards as a shrill scream through the clouded room. However, in the next moment, the dust and dirt was blown away and every outline that Valor could see previously was lying dead on the floor. Only two figures remained upright. One he knew very well, the other, made him feel as if he had turned into a small mouse. Cornered and waiting to be turned into a meal. ¡°D-Drake Wallen¡­ Bastard¡­! H-how is it possible?! How did you get past the gate, the protection of the World Tree!¡± The beastman next to Drake scoffed, cing a blood tipped white spear over his shoulders, yawning. ¡°That was barely even a light stretch¡­ I guess I should¡¯ve picked the Tree¡­¡± ¡°Now, now. Don¡¯t go pouting when I gave you first pick.¡± Valor¡¯s face reddened. Never once had he been so ignored. Pulling his staff from his inventory, he raised to his feet. ¡°That which gives life also takes it! Life Tether!¡± A vibrant green magic circle formed at Valor¡¯s feet, vines budding to life from the floor beneath and shooting forward. Valor aimed for Drake with the points of the vines, but that was his mistake. Drake¡¯s hand rose, covered in golden light as he snatched the vines out of the air as easily as picking a fruit from a branch. Meanwhile the beastman vanished. And before Valor was able to utter another word he was on the ground, searing pain in his shoulder, above him the beastman, sneering down. ¡°Bad move, chump. Looks like you¡¯re just another level inted bum¡­¡± Valor looked to the side seeing the white spear now pinning his shoulder to the ground. He tried to struggle but the aching pain from the wound quickly smothered any will to resist physically. ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this! My allies wille! I have already sent word to them, they will be here soon. If you leave now, I will spare your lives-¡± ¡°No one ising for you,¡± a voice told him coldly out of view, ¡°But if they do decide to show up, that¡¯s better for us. I¡¯ll get rid of you and whoever else is dumb enough to back a ver. A worthless ruler willing to sell his own people out for empty strength and promises of power.¡± Valor tried to angle his head to see the owner of the voice despite knowing them. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you and that little bitch Princess!¡± Valor suddenly felt a lead weight drop on his chest, knocking the air out of him and then he saw crystal blue eyes eerily staring back at him. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Drake leered. Feeling what seemed like the weight of the world on his chest, Valor¡¯s mouth finally snapped shut, a warm liquid pooling at his legs. Drake gave a sharp exhale of disgust, ¡°Unlink or remove yourself as owner of the World Tree. If you do, I won''t have to level this whole city. Do at least one good thing for this city in yourst moments-¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Valor stammered, ¡°D-D-Do not wish to dirty your hands with killing more people?! I have worked my entire life to be where I am, you will have to take that Tree from my cold dead hands!¡± Leon scraped his spear from the ground, lifting Valor into the air. cing his hand out, Drake offered Leon another spear. ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Valor winced. ¡°Captain has to go down with the ship right?¡± Leon stated evenly, walking back over to the throne made of vines. Drake pointed his hand upwards, blowing a hole into the roof of the building, the sky a shade of red now that the setting sun was falling. In the edges of the hole, branches and vines of the World Tree swayed gently in the breeze. ¡°It isn¡¯t the best view,¡± Drake said, ¡°But at least you¡¯ll be able to see what¡¯sing.¡± ¡°See what ising?¡± Valor parrotted. ¡°Why, the end of your city. It¡¯s only fitting I give you the best seat in the house, right? You did so much to deserve it after all.¡± Drake nodded to Leon. Leon threw Valor to the throne as hended with a pained grunt, only to scream out in pain once more as a spear was thrusted into his lower abdomen. The spear pinned him to the throne, a wound that would have easily killed him before the system, but now with Valor¡¯s stats, although inted, allowed him to survive. Valor looked up from the spear, gripping it in bloody hands, struggling to release himself. Only to see Drake staring back at him, his visage surrounded by several rotating elements, filling the room with a density of mana Valor had never felt before. ¡°A Tree has been a symbol of life. It¡¯s only fair I use something that has wiped out all life on this to destroy it.¡± Chapter 292: E-Rank Chapter 292: E-Rank ¡°Heretical Endowment, Sepentarus.¡± Drake consumed the rotating spells around him, his hair shing in a myriad of colors until eventually they melded together into a brilliant gold. ¡°Leon, will you make sure that Aralleen and ire have evacuated the area?¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re big enough to order me around now?¡± Leon scoffed, ¡°But yeah I got it. What do you have in mind to take this thing apart anyway? The regeneration we saw is pretty next level, it would take a meteor to blow it apart.¡± Drake smiled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll do just that.¡± Leon raised a brow thenughed. ¡°Having magic is pretty fun huh?¡± Snapping his fingers a gust of wind took hold of the room, slowly lifting Drake into the air. ¡°Oh you know it,¡± he grinned, ¡°My imagination is let free, but,¡± he looked over to the still struggling Valor, ¡°It isn¡¯t all good¡­¡± Leon threw a jab into Drake¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t get caught up in what these idiots do. Your magic, is yours. And how you use it is up to you. If you use it for good, use it to kill monsters,¡± Leon grinned, ¡°Or use it for those party tricks you do. It¡¯s you, not them doing it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling my unbelievably powerful magic. A party trick?¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Maybe I should just break your toothpick?¡± Leon waved a hand, exiting the room, ¡°Just burn down the tree already, I¡¯m trying to get in a nap before we go try to find someone better to hunt.¡± Drake shook his head and then raised it to look at the branches of the World Tree far above before taking a look at Valor onest time. ¡°I¡¯m not as invested in this fight as the others, but working hard has always been my prerogative. Just like that filth from Sandal, sit there and watch as all you¡¯ve worked for, turns to dust.¡± He could hear the frantic screaming from the throne as he lifted into the air, powered by his wind magic. Drake couldn¡¯t help but stare in awe of the World Tree that looked just like it was out of a fantasy book. A wide birthed sturdy trunk, with countless branches and vines that seemed to hum with life and power, almost alive, breathing in the air and mana in the surroundings. The light cutting of the gentle breeze through the branches almost made it seem as if the Tree was whispering in the wind. Drake quickly came to the peak of the tree, feeling the edge of the barrier surrounding it that he and Leon passed through previously with some effort. He prepared a spell to puncture the barrier once more but was surprised that it allowed him to pass it without resistance. But once through he found the barrier as hard and solid as metal, preventing him from reentering and allowing him to stand on it without the help of magic. Drake tapped his foot against it. ¡°Pretty sturdy aren¡¯t we?¡± he muttered, giving an amused smirk that turned to a solemn expression, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re actually some kind of special creature in the form of a Tree, but Princess Aralleen¡¯s admiration for you was real. So out of respect¡­¡± Drake raised a hand to the sky, an orange magic circle spreading out over him and the entirety of the Tree¡¯s canopy. ¡°I will give my all inying you to rest.¡± The magic circle ceased growing, bringing forth a viscous orange liquid from its center as it pooled and swirled inward condensing quickly. After a few short breaths the swirling ball turned into an enormous spinning red hot sphere of power. Drake raised another hand and this time a deep earthen brown magic circle formed encasing the ball in a jet ck shell. He sped his hands together a final magic circle of striking yellow thundering into existence as it electrified the small meteor above him. ¡°The present is here, the past is here¡­ The future is here! Come wind,e lightning!¡± Drake roared, bringing down his clenched fists like a hammer, willing the conjured spell to fall from the sky onto the World Tree like a shooting star. ¡°When the morning star shines, let all the world know the sun¡¯s light reaches every corner of the Earth!¡± The massive ball of fire, connected with the World Tree¡¯s barrier like a hammer striking a gong. The sound of the impact deafening the area with the single blow. The contest between the mighty defensive protection the World Tree granted and the power of Drake¡¯s endowment enhanced spell, both fighting in a desperate struggle against one another. ¡°Piedra! Del! Sol!¡± Drake¡¯s status dropped significantly, beginning to trickle down even more as the World Tree refused to allow the spell through. His empowered regeneration unable to keep up with the expenditure of fueling the spell. Drake grunted with effort catching a glimpse of a mass of people exiting the section of the wall Damian had destroyed, joining the small group where he knew ire was. He grit his teeth, ¡°This isn¡¯t just about taking down this city. It¡¯s about announcing to the world there will be no more quarter! I won¡¯t stand for my family being hurt anymore! Anyone willing to raise a hand to harm what is mine, will meet overwhelming power!¡± Drake looked down at the World Tree, the sparks from the fight between him and the barrier obscuring his vision. However he knew just below Valor still struggled to release himself and the only thing between them was the World Tree. ¡°It seems I was only puffing out my chest when I said I would give it my all. A measured spell isn¡¯t going to take you down is it? Fine!¡± Drake pushed off the barrier beneath him, shooting into the sky as he temporarily released his endowment. pping his hands together fifteen magic circles formed, five of red, five of blue, five of white. All producing their respective elements. ¡°Heretical Endowment! Fire, Water, Ice! Five Fold!¡± Drake¡¯s regeneration suddenly shot up, topping off his status, but he could feel his body slowly tearing apart just as it had in Sandal. ¡°I will be the cataclysm that reset the Earth!¡± Drake¡¯s tattoos hummed with increased power, the gold dancing with the crimson red of his Martial Skill. ¡°Attunement! Fire!¡± Two embers formed magic circles in front of his fists, the mes snaking up his arms. ¡°Witness the power of my determination and conviction!¡± Drake¡¯s fists collided with each other, sparks of mes spitting out in a beautiful disy. Above him a green magic circle bursting to life with a gust of wind, a small well of violent air preparing to be let loose. The other formed just above the crashing meteor below. ¡°Ultimo Tope!!¡± The wind spell released, shooting Drake forward with enough force it threatened to bring him unconscious from the sudden movement. But Drake refused and even with darkening vision traveled through the second wind spell he prepared, crashing into the meteor he created and catapulting it forward into the barrier. ¡°PATADA!!!¡± Drake felt bones snap and mend repeatedly from the effort of forcing his spell down and past the World Tree¡¯s barrier. The electrified sparks from the contest came to a brilliant finale as the sound of ss shattering rang out to a magnificent tune, proving that Drake had pierced the barrier. A momentter the entirety of Drake¡¯s spells came in contact with the World Tree, splitting it down the middle with fiery vengeance. He gave out a guttural roar as he traveled through the entirety of the World Tree and down to the earth below, his spell and skills charring the ground around him as smoke began to bellow from the impact. And he stayed there for a moment, exhausted and teetering on the edge of cking out, but he stayed standing, victorious. [You have killed Valor Alvea Level 28] [Experience Earned, 3,391 Nobility Points have been awarded] [You have felled the World Tree Fern] [Destruction of a Global Restricted System Structure has been recognized. Experience will be given in rtion to contribution.] [Title: I am the Axe, has been awarded] [I am the Axe]
  • You have topped a shard of the God Tree, Callon. The eyes of the First Tree and the Mother of Nature are now drawn to you.
  • +10% Damage to all Nature. +20% to Nature Damage. +5% Passive Status Regeneration.
[Congrattions, you have increased to Elemental Miller level 30] [140 Free Points have been awarded] [Congrattions! You have met the threshold to advance to E-Rank] [Title: World Baseline, has been awarded] [World Baseline]
  • You are the first to reach the second step towards greatness on your. The journey to power will be long and treacherous.
  • +5% Damage to beings one rank above you. +5% to all stats.
[World Alert!] [The first E-Rank Mana Vessel has been detected. The has been entered into the Weing Tournament.] [The top E-Rank Mana Vessels will be transferred to the designated Tournament in 2 Years, 364 Days, 16 Hours, 23 Minutes] [Participants of the Tournament will be determined based on Level and any Mana Vessel above Level 60 will be unable to participate. Rules for the Tournament will be announced on the day.] [Invitations to participants and spectators will be sent 30 days before the Tournament.] [Proficiency restrictions on ss and Skills have been lifted and reset] [You now have ess to all E-Grade Equipment] [Congrattions! You may now ess your Church Offerings Box at any system Church] [New Quest! Unlock your potential! Defeat-in8@7ubH¡­ ErRoR¡­*209fniW¡­ [Quest interference¡­] [Quest Update. Ghosts of the Past] [You have reached Level 30, your consciousness will now be transferred to the Legacy Chamber as per instructions.] ¡°What..?!¡± Drake snapped, turning around and using a gust of wind to dispel the surrounding smoke and fire. His hand immediately went to his head, his vision beginning to blur while his feet became unsteady. ¡°What is going¡­ on¡­¡± he muttered, fighting the bat of exhaustion that began hitting him like crashing waves, threatening to drown him. His body was slowing down and quicklying to a halt, but Drake¡¯s mind was racing. I have to at least get to ire and the others before I pass out! He growled internally, pushing down against the ground to propel himself towards the wall opening. Each step brought him closer to his goal, but also forced his eyes ever more shut, his vision just a shade more dim. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on!¡± he grunted, forcing his legs to move as he saw the walle into view. [Transfer to Legacy Chamber nearingpletion.] [While in the Legacy Chamber, Legacy Holder will be unable to ess their outside inventory and will temporarily not have ess to experience and skill proficiency gain. However, any experience or items gained in the Chamber will be granted after Questpletion.] Drake grounded his teeth. ¡°No.. No, no, no, no! I can¡¯t go somewhere right now! I have too many problems here! You hear me you fucking dumb system! I don¡¯t want to go right now!¡± he shouted into the air. He finally came to the edge of the wall, seeing arge blue mechanized suit of armor in the distance surrounded by the outlines of people. Drake shot himself forward one more time, hisst step taking him into the arms of a worry stricken ire and his endowments being forced to cancel. With heavybored breaths Drake tried to grunt out a question but stopped. His eyes catching Leon, also struggling to hold himself up off the ground. ¡°Drake?! Drake what happened?! What¡¯s going on?! What do you need me to do? Are you hurt? Mr. Leon suddenly copsed!¡± ire said in rapid session. Drake attempted to speak, but suddenly coughed, his hand covering his mouth to feel a cold liquid spill between his fingers and the taste of something incredibly bitter almost like wet y filling his mouth. He pulled his hand away looking at his palm to see a dark iridescent ck goo. It¡¯s the same stuff from the F-Rank advancement. He thought, then looked at ire, her face desperate. I have to.. I have to tell her, tell them¡­ Drake looked around seeing the teens¡¯ worried faces, Aralleen staring at him in shock and Teresa equally perturbed. ¡°L-listen, carefully,¡± Drake sputtered, ¡°It looks like.. L-Leon, Damian and I are going to pass out in a few moments. Take everyone back to ReUnite until we wake up¡­¡± he exined, then raised a hand, doing the only thing he could think of to help protect them, ¡°I-I¡¯m going to give us a little insurance. Ari, step away from Leon, and everyone else stand clear of me and Damian¡¯s suit.¡± ¡°Drake no! Where are you going? You need to exin this more clearly!¡± ire pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t leave me again!!¡± Drake gave the best smile he could, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s no time ire,¡± he looked at the rest of the group, ¡°I¡¯m trusting you all to protect the city. And our family.¡± Cries of protest and shouts of question bombarded Drake, but his consciousness was wavering, his vision zing over by the second. Mustering up all the focus he could, he summoned three white magic circles. And by pouring thest remainder of his mana, he encased Damian¡¯s suit, Leon, and himself in ice. They should be able to break out of it when they wake up. I just hope we don¡¯t suffocate haha¡­ Drake smiled to himself, his vision going dark. ¡ª--------------- Drake¡¯s eyes shot open. His head went on a swivel as he looked around, but all he was met with was darkness and the eerie sound of nothing. Raising himself from the ground he tried to spread out his aura only to find he couldn¡¯t sense anything. As in he couldn¡¯t produce his aura. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign¡­¡± he muttered to himself. Standing up, Drake attempted to use his skills and magic running into the same problem as with his aura. They did not work. ¡°Fuck.¡± Drake¡¯s fingers curled inward in frustration. He was without his magic and skills. The sound of a shout suddenly caught his ear and his head snapped to it. ¡°...I told you¡­ little shit!!¡± In the distance Drake could hear the echoing of a voice, a faint silhouette of someone or something in the distance against the pitch ck background. He began running as fast as his legs would take him. However his chest began to burn as if he was without his stats again. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± Drake gasped, running towards the voice. He could hear the shouting grow louder as he closed in on the outlines. Now able to hear them more clearly, he could make out the clear sound of someone being struck. ¡°Look what you made me do! You little shit! Now where am I supposed to get my drink!?¡± ¡°I-i¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, Dad! P-plea-¡± ¡°Shut up you fucking little shit!¡± Drake could see what was happening, and pushed his body harder. There was clearly a grown man raising a hand with a bottle in it, a small child about to be struck, cowering in fear. A woman¡¯s body on the ground next to them, unmoving. ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± Drake roared, ¡°Stop! Stop right now!¡± Drake lunged for the man, tackling him to the floor. Both tumbling until Drake was able to wrestle the man to the ground. ¡°I said what the fuck are you do-¡± Raising one fist he was about to unleash a barrage of strikes on the drunkard but was stopped. The face of the man was different, but all too familiar. Riddled with growing stubble, sunken eyes, messy hair, and a dull look. But he was still there. ¡°D-Dad¡­?!?¡± Drake muttered, then looked to the still crying child, his eyes going even wider. The boy had blond hair and couldn¡¯t be older than 8, but Drake would never mistake the face he saw. ¡°A-Atticus?!¡± Chapter 293: A Cold Reality Chapter 293: A Cold Reality ¡°W-what is going on?! D-dad, it¡¯s you right? But you''re dead! How is this possible-¡± Drake gasped, still holding his Father by the cor of his shirt. ¡°Get the hell off me! Who the fuck are you?! And what are you doing in my house!¡± his Father roared in a slurred voice. Drake grimaced, smelling the potent stench of alcohol on his breath. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he growled, ¡°Hitting a child?! Are you insane?!¡± ¡°What of it?!¡± his Father scoffed, ¡°What I do to my own flesh and blood isn¡¯t any of your business! Now! Get the hell off me!¡± His Father pushed him backward with considerable force. Drake staggered, wincing from the surprising power of it. When his eyes opened, his Father and Atticus were gone. Drake looked around, feeling his chest where his father had shoved him. ¡°What the hell was that? It felt real¡­ But¡­ My Dad would never¡­¡± ¡°Oh but he would¡­¡± A voice whispered into Drake¡¯s ear and instantly he spun around, but found nothing. He kept his eyes peeled, scanning the surroundings. His confusion mounting. Drake knew he was inside some sort of quest zone or temporary area like the tutorial. But what he couldn¡¯t understand was seeing his long passed father and a younger Atticus. Not only that his skills and magic were not working, leaving him feeling entirely naked without his constant aura sweeping the area. ¡°What the hell was that? Is someone there?¡± Drake blinked and suddenly he saw another boy in front of him. ¡°Is that¡­? Me¡­?¡± he muttered. He slowly approached the boy who was kneeling down with something cupped in his hands. This is when I found the butterfly¡­ That means¡­ Drake thought, looking to the side. And sure enough he found his younger brother, Travis, bringing over a dirty aquarium filled with sand. ¡°I got it like you asked, Drake,¡± Travis said with a slight lisp. Drake¡¯s face put on a small smirk, remembering his brother had just lost his front teeth a few days earlier. But he soon tried to interact with the pair remembering this must be something to do with the quest. ¡°Hey, you two,¡± he asked, however both the boys ignored him. ¡°Nice! Oh, it¡¯s dirty¡­ Put it down so I can clean it up!¡± little Drake said. Drake¡¯s eyes widened and he rushed to stretch out a hand to stop his younger self. ¡°No! Don¡¯t-¡± Then Drake felt an agonizing pang in his head, the surroundings shed and warped suddenly as his younger self¡¯s foot came down on the aquarium. The aquarium changed. Suddenly it became a younger boy, cowering and screaming with his hands raised to protect himself. Pulling back on Drake¡¯s younger self was a small girl he didn¡¯t recognize in tears. ¡°Dwake! Dwake! Stahp! He said he was sowwy!¡± Drake moved to stop his younger self, his hand passing through the young boy as he tumbled forward. He swiveled quickly to face his younger self only to see a face that should never be on a boy. A face of stark rage. He had to stop his younger self, if he didn¡¯t, he might seriously harm or even kill the other boy. ¡°I said stop!¡± Drake shouted again but he was unable to stop himself, his hands passing through the boy like he was trying to grab smoke with his bare hands, ¡°Susmaryosep!¡± He tried once more to grab the boy, only to pass through his younger self again. When he rose, the scene had vanished for a second time. ¡°Am I losing it¡­?¡± ¡°I think we both know what¡¯s going on.¡± The same voice from before whispered behind him, making Drake spin to the side to find the owner. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this crap! I knew the system was bad but even this is a level above for shit jokes! If you want to test me, just throw monsters at me! Stop showing me things that never happened!¡± The voice came again, ¡°Oh but I¡¯m not¡­ We are just¡­ Remembering.¡± Suddenly the voice became solid, no more was it the whisper in the dark that Drake could barely hear out of view. He pivoted on his foot and came eye to eye with an inky purplish smoke, two golden sun-like eyes looking back at him. ¡°Hello, Drake,¡± the smoke hummed. Drake stared back at the figure for a moment. Then quickly thrusted his fist forward, square between the figue¡¯s eyes. But his hand passed through it just like it had with his younger self just seconds earlier. ¡°That¡¯s rather rude¡­¡± the smoke chirped, quivering as it coalesced again into a figure. ¡°No more rude than an unwee guest.¡± The smoke¡¯s eyes widened as it looked behind Drake at the new voice. Drake also jumped to the side, bringing both figures into view in front of him. This second voice was owned by a simr smoking figure, however this one held deep blood crimson eyes and was outlined in gold. ¡°Do not meddle with my fun, Asuran,¡± the golden eyed smoke hissed. ¡°You have no say here, Dragon¡­¡± the other said evenly, then its head turned, the smoke¡¯s eyes gazing right back at Drake, ¡°You can not see us for what we are yet¡­ Han Kol¡­ What is your n¡­¡± The second figure seemed to be speaking to itself and came to a conclusion on its own as it waved a hand, turning back to the golden-eyed smoke. [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Journey through the demise of the Asuran race.
  • Recall the memories of your past through clear eyes.
  • Forge the makings of your legacy.
¡°The great King has not yet removed you from this ce, so I have no right to eradicate you. However I will be observing. How you found your way into branding an Asuran and traveling with them here is curious, but know that he is no longer yours to y with. Every Asuran is family and our pride will not let you have your way.¡± The golden figure vanished, leaving Drake bewildered and with the golden eyed and far less golden glowing, purplish smoke. The remaining figure scoffed. ¡°Such arrogant talk for a lowly mercenary¡­ And to ruin my fun,¡± it sighed, the smoke forming its figure wisping back and forth, in what looked like a shrug, ¡°Here I wanted to y more. But now that you know I¡¯m not part of this ce, I suppose it will be hard to do much of anything.¡± Drake rxed slightly, although still greatly confused about theing and goings of these ghostly figures he had no choice but to follow the quest¡¯s directions if he wanted to leave. He had to get back to his or body. Just get back. ¡°Don¡¯t care what you do. But have any idea what I''m supposed to do now, Smokey?¡± he asked. ¡°Smokey¡­?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t keep calling you smoke-like thing or golden eyes can I? So Smokey or would you prefer Regis? I just guessed you would be mad at beingpared to a dog,¡± Drake smirked. Smokey¡¯s golden eyes thinned, ¡°You dare act in such a way to a Dragon? Do you know who-¡± ¡°Nope! Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care right now,¡± Drake waved his hand in front of his face, ¡°Can¡¯t tell who you are any damn way so. Got any ideas?¡± ¡°This is a Legacy Chamber and a Legacy Quest¡­.¡± Smokey grumbled, ¡°I could tell you nothing even if I knew,¡± it paused, ¡°...Did you not hear the part where I am here to impede you?¡± ¡°I did, but it¡¯s in your best interest to help me along right? Get to know more info if you do.¡± Smokey¡¯s eyes widened briefly, then scoffed, ¡°The quests will be changed and received as you require them. Why are you in such a rush to remove yourself from this ce? Has something happened on your little dirtball?¡± Drake smiled, ¡°None of your damned business lizard.¡± [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past] The scenery shifted in the blink of an eye. The dark surroundings were painted over by vast golden wheat fields and an orange setting sky. In the distance birds chirped while trees swayed in the breeze. Theughing of children came and went on the other side of the stone brick fence. [Follow the Asuran children at y and hear of the battle against the Father of the Void]
  • Reward: Experience.
Drake looked at the surroundings, the scenery reminding him of something out of a historical movie about ancient times. ¡°Quaint isn¡¯t it? Ran¡¯tu Kai¡­.¡± Smokey whispered in Drake¡¯s ear. ¡°Ran¡¯tu Kai¡­? Where have I heard that before- The Asuran homeworld? But why would I have memories of¡­¡± Drake began but bit his tongue, a small sliver of uneasiness bubbling up, Atticus¡¯s voice beginning to blister his mind. ¡°Do you even remember your childhood? Can you even recall what happened?¡± Smokey¡¯s voice came out in a grumble, refocusing Drake. ¡°It has been centuries since I havee herest¡­¡± Drake¡¯s eyes thinned. A Dragon on the Asuran homeworld¡­? He thought dubiously. ¡°I thought you guys were the ones putting the hit on the Asurans and the other races?¡± he asked. Smokey remained silent. The sound of theughing children grew louder and Drake¡¯s curious gaze was pulled away by surprise as several small children passed through his body. ¡°Aw grosssssss¡­.. Is it going to be like this the whole time?!¡± Drake groaned, ¡°Holy shit, does that kid have¡­ four arms?¡± The children running through the field stopped as one of them caught another and they tumbled to the ground. Drake¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the face of one of the small boys. ¡°What is this..?¡± But there was no reply from his ghostlypanion. Instead Drake heard another child''s voice yell out from behind him. ¡°Dwake! Stop wanning so fwast!¡± Drake¡¯s head turned, a girl with golden wheat hair, and vivid scarlet eyes panted as she struggled to keep up with the older kids. He felt his heart drop into his stomach and his knees became weak. A gnawing truth at the back of his mind was wing through as Drake turned back to the boy. It was not an exact match, the boy¡¯s skin was tan and his hair a deep brilliant gold. With two deep crimson eyes. But if the boy instead had ck hair and blue eyes, it would be a perfect match. ¡°T-that¡¯s me..?¡± Drake¡¯s eyes swam as he felt himself be even more unsteady. ¡°That can¡¯t be. I-i¡¯m¡­ I was! I¡¯m human! I remember every birthday since I was six. I remember fighting over toys and the fucking remote control with my brothers! Jumping on bunk beds, getting in trouble for ringing neighbors doorbells¡­¡± Drake continued to list his memories as if reciting memorized lines from a storybook that he had read a million times. He shook himself upright. It had to be the system ying tricks on him. Or perhaps not sleeping for weeks on end had finally caught up with him. ¡°Celine,¡± the boy grumbled, ¡°I told you to stay home with Mother. You are too small to follow us.¡± ¡°Bwut I want to gwet stwong too!¡± Celine protested. Drake moved closer to the children to hear better. ¡°You are too young Celine. You know what father and mother would say.¡± ¡°Then why do you gwet to twain! You¡¯re as small as me!¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s because¡­ I¡¯m going to be a great warrior like father someday!¡± ¡°A great warrior eh?¡± a voice said from behind Drake. The children¡¯s heads all turned to the voice. Oo¡¯s and ah¡¯sing in swaths as they looked at the man. The possibly younger Drake and his sister gave troubled expressions of children that had obviously been caught doing something they were not supposed to. ¡°B-brother¡­¡± ¡°It is dinner time, Mother sent me to find you two.¡± Drake was stunned, ¡°I-I¡­ No. This quest is ying tricks on me. I¡¯m human. I might have been forced to turn into an Asuran because of that bitch but I was born a human. My only other brother is¡­¡± He stopped, his words refusing to escape his mouth. Atticus¡¯s words from the summit again rattling in his mind. ¡°We are not family!¡± Drake shook himself to focus on the new person. This, older brother, stood tall. Tan skin like Drake¡¯s younger self and hypothetical sister. Golden hair and blood red eyes. The man¡¯s features were defined and he had noticeable scars on his exposed arms,chest, as well as a small cut on his chin. ¡°Drake, Celine. Let¡¯s be going. Father is here as well,¡± the older brother said. Small Drake¡¯s face lit up, ¡°He¡¯s returned?! Will you both be going out again? What des did you receive Darri?!¡± Darri grabbed young Drake, cing his arm around the boy¡¯s head and dragged him, lifting his younger sister Celine up on his shoulder with the other arm. ¡°I will tell you of my great feats over dinner! These two fists did more than any Asuran against the Insect Queen¡¯s hoards!¡± Darriughed. Drake was still dumbstruck, following the distancing siblings walking down the road. He turned to ask Smokey once more what was going on, but saw the purplish figure in a posture that looked as if it was biting on its hand in frustration. ¡°Smokey..?¡± Smokey grumbled in a low voice, ¡°Darri¡­¡± then turned to Drake, their golden eyes ring as if something hade to mind. Before Drake could delve further, Smokey wisped after the siblings, forcing Drake to follow if he wanted any answers. Once they had caught up to the siblings, they had already seemed to be closing in on their home. A sizable red mud tinted building with open air windows without ss, a chimney with grayish smoke billowing out slowly from the top. And the smell of some kind of meat Drake had couldn¡¯t name but smelled. Nostalgic. But Drake was even more confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a introduced to the system since the beginning? Asurans are Primordials, why in the world would they have no system buildings? I didn¡¯t even see any on the way here either,¡± he said, asking himself more than his ghost-likepanion. ¡°Asurans hate the system,¡± Smokey said tly, ¡°They only allow themselves to grow through it as a way to unlock their potential as fighters. And whether that is why they have their particr problem or not as cosmic karma¡­ Some might say the system hates them just as simrly.¡± ¡°Problem?¡± Drake parroted. Smokey moved to follow the siblings inside the house, Drake once again following for answers. The sound of indistinct chattering touched Drake¡¯s ears but he was left so disoriented at who he saw inside that the conversation from the people were disconcernable. Drake was also taken aback. Smokey was standing right in front of the person who had frozen him in ce. Their ink-like purple hand made of smoke moving to touch the man¡¯s face. The man stood several heads taller than Smokey. And was the spitting image of the statue Drake had once seen in the system church. Long hair of gold, blood ruby colored eyes. Attire that looked strikingly simr to Drake¡¯s own armor. ¡°Han¡­¡± Smokey said softly, their hand passing through Han Kol¡¯s cheek. Once it had, Smokey¡¯s hand shuttered even as a ghostly spector. The wisping ink-like smoke seemed to convey just how hurt, frustrated, and angry they were. Smokey then turned, looking at the woman across the room. The woman smiled happily as she set the table. Dark raven ck hair, so dark it turned a shade of purple. Skin a shade lighter than her children. And a joyous expression that lit up the room. But Smokey growled at the woman, a sound Drake had never heard even from the most angry of beasts he had faced. Smokey lunged with both billowing smoke hands outstretched, screaming, ¡°ALTORIA!!!¡± before a momentter passing through the woman¡¯s visage and disappearing from view. Drake waited, watching the happy family talk but hearing nothing. He was still in so much shock the words couldn¡¯t reach him. But he didn¡¯t have to wait long before Smokey rose up through the table the family ate at. ¡°I had my suspicions the moment I saw Darri. But now I am certain,¡± Smokey said coldly. ¡°Certain of what? Of this confusing and obviously bullshit quest?¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°You haven¡¯t got a clue do you? Han must have wiped your memory and concealed you¡­ That exins¡­ No. He could not have made this chamber and quest while also protecting you. Perhaps another¡­¡± ¡°Concealed me? Why would the Asuran King do anything like that, he doesn¡¯t even know-¡± ¡°Are you really such a fool to not see what is right in front of you?¡± Smokey shouted, cutting Drake off, ¡°You are not only a true blooded Asuran. But you are of Royal Blood¡­ Perhaps thest.¡± ¡°Last¡­?¡± ¡°You are no Asuran. You are the son of Han Kol Asura, thest Great War King of the Asuran race.¡± Chapter 294: A Cold Reality 2 Chapter 294: A Cold Reality 2 ¡°You¡¯re full of shit,¡± Drake spat, ¡°I look nothing like these people. I was born a human. I have a human mother and human father. I didn¡¯t even know about Primordials until halfway through the tutorial a few months ago.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t believe me. It makes no difference and honestly will be of greater benefit to me. If you do not fully embrace your heritage you will never truly be an Asuran, simply making it easier to find you and kill you,¡± Smokey¡¯s eyes thinned, ¡°I have learned what I needed to and I will be going now.¡± Smokey began descending into the floor only to stop halfway, their upper body jolting in confusion. ¡°What is this?¡± they said bewildered, ¡°Why can¡¯t I¡­¡± Smokey¡¯s confusion turned into frustration and then anger, ¡°Do you intend to keep me here?! Once the Legacy Quest isplete I will leave either way! There is no point in dying the inevitable!¡± In a gust of wind, Drake shielded his eyes and when he lowered his arm the golden outlined smoke from before stood next to him. The scene of the Asuran family frozen in time in the background. ¡°Do not be so sure that you will be leaving here. It will all depend on the will of this young Asuran and the will of our King. But until that time, you will be held here in this space.¡± The golden outlined smoke turned its head just briefly enough to look Drake in the eyes and then wisped out of existence. ¡°You meddling spawn of that despicable woman! Fine! There is no displeasure in watching your mudslinging worthless race go extinct once more!¡± Smokey shouted indignantly. ¡°Mudslinging¡­?¡± Drake murmured, remembering pieces of a hazy conversation from before. The scene resumed and Drake had enough time to gather some of his thoughts. Enough that he could focus on the conversation at the table. ¡°Can¡¯t this wait until after we have eaten, Han?¡± Altoria asked. ¡°This affects everyone,¡± Han replied, shaking his head, ¡°They are calling for every Asuran, Silverwolf, Obsidian Dwarf, Stardust Golem, and Phoenix. This is arger assault than the attempt on the Insect Queen. The Alliance wishes to take down the Void, severing his tie with the Originators once and for all.¡± ¡°They are calling for every mercenary group¡­ Han,¡± Altoria said leadingly, her face beginning to show a sliver or worry. He nodded, ¡°I suspect as much. To gather this many Primordial Races in one ce could end this war once and for all, or they could be leading us into a trap.¡± Smokey shivered next to Drake. ¡°H-he knew¡­? Yet he still honored the order. You removed your father for his stubborn pride, yet you allowed your own to be the downfall of your race¡­¡± ¡°What order?¡± Drake asked, ¡°And he keeps mentioning the Void, does he mean the Primordial Titan?¡± ¡°Yes, you fool. This was more than a century ago. The Primordial Alliance called for every race with an S-Rank leader to join the fight. It was the best day for the Alliance¡­ We were able to wipe out every race to ever foster the anomalies of the system.¡± The room was quiet, the Asuran family had let Han¡¯s words linger, even the children seemed to know the magnitude of a conversation Drake could notprehend. He looked at Smokey who was slumped forward slightly. ¡°If it was the best day, then why do you seem so beat up about it? And what anomalies?¡± ¡°I am no such thing! We were good to be rid of those loathsome monstrosities. Especially the Asurans!¡± Smokey had stopped there, not answering further. ¡°You said they called for every S-Rank. So does that make them..?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Han Kol is the only S-Rank from the Asurans to ever be born, even his father on the pinnacle of A-Rank could not get over the hill. And no. That pathetic helpless wench Altoria¡­ She is- was- A-Rank. The boy Darri, he was well on his way to surpass his mother. A few more years and he may have done it.¡± ¡°He was the only one? Just how rare are S-Ranks?¡± Smokey scoffed, ¡°What do you believe I look like? An Assistant? You will get no further answers from me, mud monkey.¡± ¡°See this is why no one likes you,¡± Drake said pointedly, scrunching up his face. ¡°I am adored and feared!¡± ¡°Yeah but you have no friends, I can tell.¡± Breaking up their back and forth the conversation at the table resumed. ¡°I am wary. The women and children will stay with a select few of our most promising warriors. Darri, you will remain here,¡± Han instructed. ¡°But Father. I want to fight! Prove myself on the field of battle like you once did!¡± Darri protested. ¡°You are already a decorated Asuran warrior, son. There is no need to rush to an end. Stay, enjoy life, find a good woman, and make a family for yourself.¡± ¡°Han¡­¡± Altoria said, hesitating slightly, ¡°You are our leader. The King! Should you not stay with us?¡± ¡°It is because I am King that I must go. I can not bear to send our people into the unknown without leading the charge. The other Primordials, once ves to the alliance, are now called. I can not leave them. It is my duty to see this through. No matter what.¡± [Partial Quest Complete] [Quest Updated! Ghosts of the Past] [Experience earned] [Experience stored] [Temporary ss designated to Mage] [Temporary Race designated to Asuran] [Pseudo Mage Level Increased to Level 2] [14 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage Level Increased to Level 3] [14 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage Level Increased to Level 4] [14 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] ¡­. ¡­ .. [Pseudo Mage Level Increased to Level 9] [14 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage Level Increased to Level 10] [14 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Temporary ss level threshold reached, Temporary ss changed to Warrior] [Temporary ssbination changed to Mage x Warrior] [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Reverted to Level 1] [Received Title: Dual ss] Drake¡¯s head rang with the sudden notifications, making him grimace with a slight smile as the nostalgic flood of notifications was something he had not heard in quite some time. But he paused momentarily, the surroundings slowly fading to ck as he went over the notifications again. ¡°Pseudo Levels and Temporary sses¡­ This is the same Title I got back in the tutorial, but something is missing?¡± He checked over his status, happy to see the function still worked despite his skills not. The status screen grayed out. [Drake Wallen] [Race: Asuran] [E-Rank] [Profession: Miner P1(0%)[E-Rank], Jeweler P1(0%)[E-Rank] [Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 30 [Vitality] 883 (20+ 215%) [Strength] 1081 (100 +15%) [Dexterity] 835 (95 + 25%) [Intelligence] 1301 (95+20%) [Wisdom] 907 (30 + 220%) [Endurance] 686 (95 + 230%) [Free Points] 280 [Titles] ¡­ Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, One of Four, yer of the West, Fledgling Ruler, Baron, Catalyst of the Capital, One of Four, Race Representative, Strength of a Race, The Last Asuran, Legacy Holder, The Warpath, I Am The Axe, World Baseline ¡°The ¡®First of Your Kind¡¯ title is missing? Then that means since I¡¯m here and not the tutorial..?¡± ¡°Your little backwater Church Clergy did not mention it?¡± Smokey scoffed, moving to hover over Drake¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Han Kol¡­ Is a Dual ss and the only Asuran, as well as Primordial, to ever reach the pinnacle as such.¡± Drake¡¯s mouth widened in both surprise and awe, ¡°H-he was a Dual ss¡­?¡± Smokey scoffed once more but remained silent. [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Follow the young Asurans to school.
  • Observe the Youngest Son of Han Kol during his training.
  • Reward: Experience, Temporary Weapon and Armor Set - Traditional Asuran Garb.
Drake dug at his ear, wincing as he spoke, ¡°Just how many parts is this quest exactly?¡± ¡°It will continue to provide you with quests until the purpose of the Legacy Chamber is fulfilled. It requires a massive amount of power and maniption of the system to create. It is also why it is never used,¡± Smokey said, deciding to be helpful. ¡°You make it sound as if you¡¯ve never considered it yourself?¡± Drake prodded. One of Smokey¡¯s golden eyes thinned as the other rose in a dubious expression. ¡°I see you have deduced at least a part of who I am. Yes, I¡¯ve never considered it. Only a lunatic would do something like this when they have gone through such lengths to grow to S-Rank. What you would require to create it¡­ It would kill you.¡± Drake suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, feeling as if something was jarred loose. A memory? A feeling he had forgotten years ago? The scenery shed. And once again a dirt road with stone fences on either side were in front of them. Drake attempted to shake off the pain he felt in his mind to survey the surroundings but there was only himself and Smokey, the sound of insects chirping from the fields of grass and crops on the other side of the fences. He took the time to look at his status screen once more. Drake didn¡¯t feel the need to check it in depth but seeing how the quests were continuing and he had noticed the extended screen earlier. Now felt like a good time to look. [Temporary Mana Vessel] [Unnamed Asuran Soldier] [Race: Asuran] [No Rank] [Profession: None] [Mage x Warrior] [Unique] Level 1 [Vitality] 187 [Strength] 151 [Dexterity] 115 [Intelligence] 167 [Wisdom] 131 [Endurance] 151 [Free Points] 126 [Titles] Dual ss Drake¡¯s eyes bulged out of his head. ¡°What in the hell are these numbers?! I only have one title and almost all of my stats are over 200 already¡­.? That means¡­ I started with almost double of my original base stats as a human?¡± he eximed. Smokeughed, ¡°That¡¯s it? You are surprised with such lowly numbers? Han must have a sense of humor to not ce you as a proper Asuran¡­ Ha!¡± Drake¡¯s face turned to a questioning scowl, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Pah! Are you not aware most Primordials begin life as a C-Rank?¡± ¡°I was told¡­¡± Drake muttered looking back at his temporary stats. ¡°This is simply a saying. You can not be born into the system as a high rank. However, Their statuses are the equivalent of a normal C-Rank with average Titles and aplishments. Meaning they hold several thousand in each status,¡± Smokeyughed this time, so loud it was almost a cackle, ¡°He must wish to kill you! I can not imagine how you are to continue here if he has only offered measly triple digits¡­¡± Drake wasn¡¯t sure if they were serious. These numbers were astonishing and she was trying to say that babies were given thousands of stat points at birth? ¡°Just how are these bad?¡± he asked, ¡°If I started with these numbers in the tutorial I would have never struggled once.¡± ¡°Fool¡­¡± Smokey waved a hand, ¡°These are one of the ancestralnds of a Primordial Race. Do you think the monsters and conflicts here are even remotelyparable to that of a moderated tutorial?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen a single monster sinceing here and I¡¯m not exactly willing to take you at your word for most things. I¡¯m still not convinced any of this is even real too. What if it¡¯s just an borate ploy or I somehow was put under a curse or something and now I¡¯m just being shown convenient illusions to keep me here?¡± Smokey¡¯s eyes thinned, ¡°Do you really believe this could be the work of an E-Rank let alone an F-Rank? What type of lowborn mudpup are you? You are an Asuran, a person able to ce you under significant status conditions would need to be of the same pedigree or at least a Rank higher, though I am loath to admit it. Can you think of such a person on your backwater world?¡± Drake kept silent not wanting to divulge anything. He was aplishing keeping hispanion talkative, but he didn¡¯t want to give anything away himself. He knew very well the little smokey wisp could also be telling lie after lie, so he kept mental notes to confirm with Natto once he returned. ¡°The problem is I need to figure out how to return quickly¡­ I have no idea what is going on outside of this¡­ whatever this is,¡± he mumbled to himself. Caught in his own dilemma Drake failed to notice the pattering of hurried steps behind him. The sound of children arguing with one another over something as they ran. He only realized what was happening when two children passed through his body. ¡°Ugh¡­.I feel¡­ugh¡­ Please tell me I get a physical body soon¡­¡± Drake grumbled. ¡°It will depend on the quests and the tasks required of you. How am I to tell what is going on inside the head of the Asuran King?¡± Smokey scoffed. ¡°Right, well. It looks like that was our cue to follow,¡± Drake sighed, rubbing his sides, ¡°I feel like I just had a spiritual enema or something. This is worse than the first time Natto¡­¡± he shivered, then began running in the direction of the arguing kids. ¡°Would they even have a proper school in a ce like this?¡± he asked looking around, ¡°It looks like we¡¯re basically in Sparta or something. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see Leonidas sprinting across the fields at any moment.¡± Drake tried to make conversation, doing his best to ring out any more information from Smokey that he could. But Smokey seemed to be more preupied with taking in the scenery. As if it was nostalgic for them, something they hadn¡¯t seen in quite some time. Eventually they caught up with the children, bringing them in front of arge redstone building with many children pouring in through the door, assumingly to get to ss. ¡°I guess we just walk in..?¡± Drake shrugged, following the flow of little people. Now that he had a chance to look closer it was strange. He knew people came in all shapes in sizes, even on Earth before the system. But the diversity on the Asuran homeworld was even wider than that. Some of the children as he saw before had four arms. Some had pale blue skin, or vibrant purple skin. Some even had several more sets of eyes. The variance of the children spanned widely. Once entering the building, Drake was also surprised to see some simr structures from his own world. There were stone cabs on the walls next to room openings for the children to leave their belongings during ss. Each one bearing a name and a symbol. Drake could only assume it may have been a family crest of some kind or perhaps their favorite animal or beast. The lettering was foreign to him at first nce, but after he strained his eyes the words came to him. ¡°Irik¡­ N-Nobu..? Samrah. Guinn¡­¡± He read through the names, the lettering bing more and more familiar and fluid as he did. But instead offorting him, the process stirred something frightening inside of his chest. ¡°I¡­ No. How can I remember a ce I¡¯ve never been?¡± Drake grabbed at his chest and looked to a door down the hall. A feeling of being pulled guiding him to it. ¡°I remember this room¡­ Today was the day I found out about-¡± suddenly cutting off Drake winced, his head pounding. ¡°Today we are going to talk about our heritage,¡± the woman at the front said, jotting some things down on a board behind her in yellowish chalk of some kind. Drake raised his head hearing the voice, sounds of groaning from the children overpowering the teacher¡¯s for a brief moment. ¡°Settle down, settle down,¡± the teacher chided, ¡°These are tales you all should know. Before we were free, before we had the right to truly embark on the Long Great Fight. We were at the mercy of the Old Gods.¡± The room took on a peculiar chill. Even Drake felt a small tingle down his spine forcing him to tense. The teacher continued, drawing on the board, ¡°Restrained only to fight for them, at their beck and call, never to push past our limits into the realm of such Gods. Our Kings and Queens were kept on leashes. Forced to halt their journeys in fear of them bing too strong.¡± Smokey scoffed, ¡°What nonsense¡­ What fear does a Dragon have for an ant ying in the dirt?¡± ¡°For generations, milenia¡­ Their lives, the lives of our great Warrior Kings and Queens were cut short,¡± the teacher stopped, circling a small figure at the end of the timeline they drew, ¡°We know now that because of the ancient pact made by the First King, every King and Queen thereafter was made as an offering to keep our Race alive. And from that point on we were made ves, shackled to the bidding of the Old Gods.¡± ¡°Then Han Kol took his Father¡¯s life¡­¡± Smokey whispered behind Drake. ¡°That was then when Han Kol, the Greatest of the Warrior Kings broke the cycle. At immense personal cost. Bounded by pride and honor for his kinsmen he slew his Father and transcended the wall known to all Asurans. Fulfilling his name as the Rights Giver, The Undying Asuran, and bing our Great King.¡± The teacher began walking the ssroom, ¡°Are there any questions so far?¡± A child with purple skin warily raised a hand, ¡°If this went on for so long¡­ H-how did the King Han Kol break us free?¡± The teacher nodded, ¡°That is a good question. We all know of what ¡®Innate Talents¡¯ are, yes?¡± Another child raised their hand, a child Drake knew. His younger self. ¡°Innate Talents are the potentials a warrior poses before they are taken into the Great Journey. They add to their potential when the stones are taken, and dies are cast.¡± Drake smiled a bit muttering to himself, ¡°Maybe that is me¡­ He talks like a little know it all¡­¡± ¡°Good!¡± the teacher praised, ¡°Innate Talents can be anything. Extraordinary smelling ability. Strength only seen once in a hundred years. Skill with a de that goes beyond that of years of experience,¡± she looked around the room, ¡°Does anyone know what our King¡¯s talent is?¡± ¡°So Atropos had an Innate Talent¡­ She¡¯s more special than I thought,¡± Drake smirked. His younger self raised his voice again, ¡°Magic. My Father¡¯s talent and greatest skill is Magic.¡± ¡°Magic? Is magic really that so surprising? I guess no one could use it on Earth or at least really use it,¡± Drake said confused. The teacher nodded, ¡°Yes! The King¡¯s Talent is magic. This! This is what allowed him to break free of the Old Gods.¡± A boy with four arms raised a hand. ¡°But I thought we Asurans¡¯ couldn¡¯t use magic?¡± The teacher pointed and pped her hands, ¡°You are right. We, all Asurans have been said to be hated by the Guide of the Great Journey. They forsook us, it is assumed. Leaving us with only the means to fight with our strength and inner Ki alone,¡± the teacher smiled, ¡°And even with such things we have remained strong and grown stronger still! But that is what makes our King so great and so feared. Making him the pride of our long and victorious history. Han Kol Asura is the strongest Asuran to date.¡± Drake was even more confused now, turning to Smokey. ¡°What does she mean Asurans¡¯ can¡¯t use magic. I can use it just fine? Can¡¯t they just use a stone to learn it as well?¡± he asked. Smokey turned their wisp like head away, ¡°Who can say?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going to tell me?¡± ¡°Why should I? I despise your kind and you seem to have forgotten I am here to ruin you! Not help you!¡± they roared. Drake crossed his arms turning back to the teacher¡¯s lecture. ¡°Han Kol is forck of a better word an anomaly. As you have been taught, on your 16th year you will all be weed into the Great Hall to begin your Journeys. And with that, unlock your potential as warriors. But the stones of which we have gathered and inherited from your families can only do just that. Unlock your potential. No other Asuran has been found to have talent, let alone potential for Magic. Only in his Asura Bloodline has this innate talent shown, eventually manifesting into his skill with Magic. It is why every King and Queen since the first King had their life taken before they could reach the pinnacle. The fear of an Asuran so strong would be too hard a task to restrain. The first King and Han Kol are the only two known Asuran Magic users. And while we have only seen it blossom from our King in our lifetime so far, we have high hopes for his children and the continued growth of our race.¡± ¡°If the Old Gods hated us so, why did they allow Han Kol to get so strong?¡± a child asked, on the edge of their seat, enamored with the story. The teacher smiled, ¡°That is also why our King is so great. During the dark years, forced to fight battles we wished not for. He hid his strength, nurturing it until the point he could climb over the wall of the final length of the Great Journey. The Old Gods are sly, but our King was clever still. Using the equipment of his forefathers he concealed his skills. And our Watchers could not see. They were too busy counting their coin and fighting amongst themselves using our ancestors and the ancestors of the enved races for their wars.¡± Drake found himself also engrossed in the story, wanting to know more. A deep longing to hear pulling at his heart. ¡°But our freedom was also due to two greatpanions of our King,¡± the teacher said, raising a finger into the air, ¡°Can anyone tell me their names?¡± Drake¡¯s younger self raised a hand, ¡°Mir¡¯phyra White Dragonroad and her brother Zet¡¯rea Gold Dragonroad, the two Liberators.¡± Drake¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Chapter 295: A Cold Reality 3 Chapter 295: A Cold Reality 3 Drake pointed at the teacher, his blood beginning to boil at the mention of the names. ¡°That can¡¯t be real! That Dragon Bitch? A savior? A liberator?! Now I know this is horse shit! She and the rest of them are the ones that ced bounties on the Asurans and others! You expect me to believe this?¡± ¡°Whether you believe it or not is of no consequence to me. The memories you are reliving are your own and I have no influence on what they show, at least now that I have been caught by the bastard¡¯s child¡­ Perhaps if they allowed this part of me to have my way I could be more helpful. But as it stands, as I said I am here to deter and hinder you. It is in my best interest to keep you from bing a full fledged Asuran for as long as possible,¡± Smokey hummed to themselves, ¡°Whatever little stroll through memoryne Han Kol has provided,¡± they raised two wisp-like hands, ¡°My hands are metaphorically tied.¡± Drake¡¯s using hand fell to his side as he stared back at Smokey, ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re right. I keep forgetting you¡¯re a slithering snake. Just like that old, ugly, belly dragger¡­¡± Smokey¡¯s eye began twitching slightly. Drake sank to the floor, sitting next to his younger self and looked up at the boy. ¡°How much longer am I going to be here? How long have I even been here¡­ Hours? Days? And I¡¯m still so confused¡­ Why is this happening now? What does this Han Kol want from me? It¡¯s not like I can just believe all of this at the drop of a hat.¡± He looked at the quest. [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Follow the young Asurans to school.
  • Observe the Youngest Son of Han Kol during his training.
  • Reward: Experience, Temporary Weapon and Armor Set - Traditional Asuran Garb.
Half of the quest is done. I guess the only way to progress is just to follow along for now. But how is watching a kid pretend to fight going to help me at all? Drake thought, signing to himself. The rest of the ssroom revolved around mundane history. The teacher spoke more on how great Han Kol Asura was and how much was expected of all young Asurans to follow his example. Drake didn¡¯t learn too much else from that point on. The teacher harped while the children began to lose interest. But Drake didn¡¯t fail to notice as his gaze surveyed the room, that many of the children were holding resentful expressions as they looked at a particr child. His younger self. ¡°Well bullying has always been a part of the education system¡­ Looks like even Primordial ssrooms can¡¯t escape that,¡± he with slight mirth as the ssroom began to conclude. ¡°We will continue this tomorrow,¡± the teacher said loudly, as the children began to exit, ¡°Resuming with the previous Kings and Queens leading up to our current King. Do not forget what I have told you, as young Asurans you must live on with great pride and honor. Fight to bring that same honor to our ancestors and your children, for there is nothing greater!¡± Drake let out a deep breath, ¡°I remember some of this. So there has to be some truth here somehow¡­ But I feel like there¡¯s more, Ahhhhh!¡± Drake grumbled scratching the back of his head in frustration. He and Smokey followed his younger self as Drake went back and forth with himself, desperately trying to remember whatever it was that was currently at the far reaches of his mind. Drake crossed his arms and scowled down at his younger self as they followed, ¡°I know there''s something else. I feel like I¡¯m on the edge of a brainst here.¡± ¡°A what?¡± Smokey asked. ¡°You know, a eureka moment. Lightbulb going on? Switch flipping? Hamster wheel going full speed?¡± Smokey stared back at him, obviously confused. ¡°Right¡­ Nevermind,¡± Drake sighed, ¡°The kid seems to be going somewhere so all we can do is follow. I just hope he does this training thing soon, I don¡¯t want to be here longer than I have to. There¡¯s no telling what-¡± he paused, looking over his shoulder as he remembered Smokey. Smokey wasn¡¯t an ally. Drake had almost forgotten even with the constant reminder. Because they were both temporarily stuck here, he at least considered them a conversation partner and had almost spilled his guts. I¡¯ll have to be more careful about that. I never was good at keeping my mouth shut¡­ He thought. They finally exited the school a few minutester. Younger Drake walking with purpose in the direction of his home, his younger sister, Celine, had joined him. Taking in the scenery as well as the kids bickering back and forth left a small smile on Drake¡¯s face. ¡°I''m not fully sold on this being me and this being my little sister, but I do have to admit they do remind me of Travis and me back in the day¡­ Yelling at each other while waiting for the bus¡­ Sitting on opposite ends of the bus and ignoring each other at school until we got back home and argued some more. Ah those were the days..¡± Reminiscing for a minute they followed closely behind the two children on their way to their destination. That was until trouble found Drake¡¯s younger self. Drake scoffed, ¡°That certainly didn¡¯t take long. Asuran kids don¡¯t waste any time in showing their displeasure huh?¡± Smokey grumbled next to him, ¡°For meremoners to show such disrespect even to mudpup royalty¡­ They should all be gravely punished.¡± Drake grimaced, ¡°They¡¯re just kids, how bad can it be?¡± ¡°Disobedience to your betters will only sow further problems. A popce must fall in line, but I suppose this is just how Han ruled, or perhaps Asurans¡­¡± Drake¡¯s younger self and his sister stopped, turning around to meet their approaching ssmates. ¡°What is it now Banwei? We arete for lessons,¡± younger Drake said with slight irritation in his voice. ¡°Oh his voice got a little deeper? How long is this memory from the first one?¡± Drake said absentmindedly. Banwei, the leader of the group of boys apparently, pointed one of his four hands at Drake¡¯s younger self. ¡°What are lessons going to do for you? The teachers sing your worthless freak father¡¯s praises, but how long has the campaign against the Titanssted?¡± he spread all four of his arms angrily, ¡°Our parents are lost daily for his ambition, his mission. While your brother! A War General stays herefortably ying babysitter for years! Is your brother that desperate to stay safe?¡± Well that answers that question¡­ Drake thought, watching the argument between the boys. ¡°My brother is only here at the request of my father. May I remind you, your King! Take back your words!¡± younger Drake growled. ¡°Or you¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°Or I will make you take them back. My family is my pride and I will not let your insults against them stand.¡± Drake¡¯s brows rose, ¡°Kids pretty feisty huh? Wait, I remember this. This kid is going to get seriously injured.¡± The fight between the children began to look troublesome. Drake recalling the memory he had seen earlier of his younger sister begging his younger self to stop. But there was nothing for Drake to do without a physical body. He was forced to watch the proceedings as the memory unfolded in full. The boys were still too young to be a part of the system, but what Drake underestimated was their strength as Primordials. Both boys roared as they charged each other. Banwei attempted to grapple his younger self and push his advantage of having four arms. However young Drake was nimble on his feet, far more than even the current Drake was, surprising him further. Young Drake charged forward, getting into striking distance, then at thest moment hopped backward, dodging Banwei¡¯s grab. And just as quickly as he had maneuvered around the boy, moving to his side, throwing three quick, yet explosive jabs, folding the boy. Banwei grunted loudly, falling to one knee while gripping his side. The fight was over in that instant, there was no way for Banwei to regainposure. Young Drake wouldn¡¯t allow it. From that point Young Drake gripped the other boy¡¯s head, throwing his knee square into his face several times. Letting go only for Banwei to slump to the ground. Young Drake then pinned the boy to the dirt, gritting his teeth and hammered down precise blows to his face as Banwei tried to cover his body with his arms. Drake, like the spectating boys and his younger selve¡¯s sister, saw how serious and far this fight was going. But the other boys hesitated to break up the fight. Fear of being beaten just as badly or putting their hand on a royal kept their bodies frozen. But Young Drake¡¯s sister didn¡¯t seem to have such a problem. ¡°Dwake! Stahp, Dwake! P-Pwease stahp! Your gowing to kwill him!¡± Young Drake however didn¡¯t seem to care, and only rained down punches with more fury. ¡°What do you know about it! What do you know of how my family suffers as my Father fights!¡± Young Drake roared, ¡°Insulting my brother! My Father! Take it back! I said take it back!¡± Banwei whimpered under the cover of his arms, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­! P-please! Forgive me! I-I didn¡¯t-¡± Young Drake screamed louder, cutting Banwei¡¯s apology short. Throwing more and more punches at an attempt to break his defenses. Celine pleaded with Young Drake again, ¡°He said he was sowwy! Dwake! Stahp!¡± she begged, beginning to cry, ¡°Dwake!!¡± Drake looked at the now one sided beating perturbed. ¡°Is that really me¡­? He¡¯s just¡­ He¡¯s just a kid. He fights better than I do¡­ And where is all this angering from?¡± The fight finally settled down. Young Drake had run out of breath and stood above the battered Banwei, his fists bloodied and his sister crying next to him. Drake saw his younger selve¡¯s face shift from fury over to realization slowly. As if this wasn¡¯t the first time. His younger self grabbed his sister, pulling her away. ¡°It seems it is true,¡± Smokey said softly, watching Young Drake run away with his sister down the road. Drake looked over to Smokey. Smokey shrugged, ¡°It is not a secret. Asurans¡¯ have an insatiable bloodlust. But I am astonished it is showing in one so young. It must be the potency of your royal blood. Han was quite the same when I met him.¡± Drake wanted to ask more questions. There was so much he didn¡¯t know. But he knew Smokey wouldn¡¯t always volunteer answers. And he had no way of knowing if what they said was fully urate or lies made to mislead and hinder him. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ We¡¯re losing the kids,¡± Drake muttered, chasing after the fleeing children. After a few minutes of sprinting, Drake and Smokey had caught back up with his younger self and his sister. Celine had somewhat calmed down, only sniffling and rubbing her eyes. While his younger self stood in front of his older brother, Darri. ¡°It happened again?¡± Darri asked calmly. Young Drake was silent. ¡°It is not the first and it will not be thest Drake. But you need to talk to me if I am going to help. Or do you n on staying this way forever? I thought you wanted to be a great warrior?¡± Darri sermoned. Young Drake bit his bottom lip before speaking, ¡°I will. But¡­ Banwei insulted father¡­ Insulted you¡­ He said you were scared to go to the battlefield with father.¡± Darri ced a hand on Young Drake¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do not hang on the words of a child who does not know war,¡± Darri chuckled and smiled, ¡°I crave to fight, yes. But I am afraid.¡± Young Drake frowned. Darriughed more loudly, ¡°What? Did you not wish to hear the truth little brother? To fight and die against a stronger opponent is befitting an Asuran. But I do not wish to meet my end anytime soon. And just as father asked, my ce is here protecting our home for now. But we are losing daylight. Enough talk of war and father. We must deal with the matter at hand.¡± Darri moved to stroke Celine¡¯s head, ¡°No more crying Celine. Great warriors do not shed tears over such small fights. Wipe the water from your eyes and watch how I punish your mean older brother.¡± ¡°What!? Why am I being punished! Banwei insulted father. I was only defending you and him!¡± Young Drake shouted. ¡°As well you should,¡± Darri hummed, ¡°But from what you told me Drake, the fight was long over after your first strike. Your fight with the other child was not to the death. It was not a duel. We Asurans must stay united and not aim to cripple each other. We have enough enemies lurking in the vast space of the void. Not only that,¡± he smiled, ¡°We must get that anger out of you. It is the only way to maintain your sanity until you can use the Serenity Mixture to free you. Now take your stance, mother is cooking stew for dinner.¡± Darri waited a moment for Drake¡¯s younger self to put up a stance and after a bewildered moment he did. In that split second Darri was already on his younger self, an adult sized fist mming into the side of his face. Young Drake tumbled to the ground, kicking up dirt and debris. ¡°You¡¯re slow to react, little brother. Have all these weeks of training been for nothing?¡± Darriughed. A roar came from the dust cloud where Drake¡¯s younger self settled after skidding across the open area, the next moment a blur bursting from it. Drake¡¯s head snapped to follow the figure shooting across to close the distance, his mouth wide in amazement. The figure collided with Darri who couldn¡¯t seem more rxed even if he was on a beach in the Hawaiian Inds. Drake¡¯s expression focused as he watched the exchange. Something inside him resonated with the fight and he began drinking in every blow, every counter, every feint thrown, blocked, andnded between the two. ¡°Susmaryosep¡­ What is this Sayian training camp?! And isn¡¯t this kid supposed to not even have a ss yet? He can¡¯t be- I mean, I can¡¯t be- This kid can¡¯t be more than 12 years old!¡± His surprise returned as the fight continued, Darri still just as rxed as when the fight started, if you could call it that. ¡°He¡¯s ying with me- I mean him,¡± Drake grumbled, feeling somewhat annoyed. ¡°Yes. Do you expect a child topete with a B-Rank Primordial? I might despise Darri, but his moniker as a War General. And one of the coldest killers I have ever met. Is not just for show,¡± Smokey sighed, looking uninterested. ¡°You¡¯ve met him¡­? Just how old are you?¡± Drake asked, raising a brow. ¡°It is neither your business, nor the point. This can hardly be called a fight. Darri is simply letting this boy exercise.¡± Drake turned back to the fight. His younger self sent flying across the area once more after taking a kick to the midsection. And afternding back on the ground shooting off to return to the fight. He pointed, ¡°That¡¯s exercise?¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± Smokey sighed, ¡°What else would you call it? A Primordial child of royal blood, even disgusting Asuran blood, could fell cities. And Darri? I seem to recall a few asions on which he did just that. Nasty business keeping the Insect Queen in check¡­¡± Drake couldn¡¯t keep his eyes from the fight. Learning more and more from each exchange from a small boy and this supposed brother. ¡°This mixture Darri mentioned. What does it do?¡± he asked, remembering the conversation prior to the fight. ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not an Asuran¡­¡± Smokey scoffed, ¡°And even if I did, you would be thest to know. Better you go insane just like the rest of them. Makes it more fun to watch.¡± Drake ignored Smokey¡¯s animosity and refocused on the fight that wasing to a close. The small boy simply couldn¡¯t keep the exchange going for too long. Young Drake was amazing but he was still a child with significantly lower stamina than an adult. ¡°Good, you are getting better little brother,¡± Darri smiled, ¡°But you are still too stiff. You keep to one fighting form for too long. You must learn to meld them together, make them fluid as if an extension of yourself. They must be second nature, only then will you find how to use them to surpass your limits as a fighter.¡± Celine pped happily on the sidelines. Her tears dried and a smile reced her worried expression. ¡°I guess she really knew that poor kid Banwei was about to die¡­ If he can exercise with his brother like this, that kid didn¡¯t stand a chance¡­¡± Drake grimaced. ¡°Now, let¡¯s move onto your real training,¡± Darri said evenly, his smile disappearing and an item appearing in the palm of his hand, ¡°Celine, remember to stay where you are, once you leave the area you can¡¯te back in alright?¡± Celine nodded. ¡°And we don¡¯t talk about this to anyone right?¡± Darri added. Celine covered her mouth, nodding more fervently. ¡°What is he doing?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He¡¯s putting up a privacy zone. By the looks of the item, an A-Grade one,¡± Smokey exined, suddenly interested. ¡°I thought you said Asurans didn¡¯t like the system?¡± Smokey inched closer, ¡°They do not¡­¡± Darri activating the item, a thin translucent barrier veiled over the surroundings. ¡°This isn¡¯t much of a privacy screen. I can see right through it,¡± Drake scoffed. ¡°Of course you can. It is from your memory¡­ What purpose would this serve if you couldn¡¯t see or hear what is going on?¡± Drake shrugged, Smokey having a point. ¡°Now Drake, focus,¡± Darri instructed, ¡°I can only guide you to increase the destructive power of your spells. At least until Father returns.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Smokey screeched, ¡°There is no possible way-¡± Younger Drake threw his hands forward, producing an ear shattering gust of wind that collided with Darri. Drake smiled amused, ¡°Not bad for a kid!¡± heughed, turning to see Smokey¡¯s reaction. The wispy ck figure had produced a gaping maw from its ink-like body, obviously in shock. ¡°I-i-i-innate Magic Talent¡­¡± it stuttered, turning to Drake, ¡°What kind of monster are you¡­?¡± then its expression turned sour, settling on a firm look of determination, ¡°Once I leave this ce, you must be killed at all costs!¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Why so serious all of the sudden? It¡¯s just a bit of magic.¡± ¡°Have you not been paying attention this entire time? A full blooded Asuran using magic is the entire problem! It was what could have made Han Kol Asura the most powerful Primordial if he was allowed to continue growing!¡± Drake took a long look at Smokey. His mind was not lingering on their words but more the direction of them. Smokey had continued to let slip small bits of information eluding to their true self. And with thisst outburst, Drake was rtively sure who it was now. ¡°Then why did you turn-¡± But Drake was cut off. The sound of shattering ss pulling his attention. The privacy zone that Darri had erected had been destroyed and the look Darri was currently making could kill. ¡°Vandalieu, what are you doing here? How did you get past the guards at the teleportation crystal?¡± Darri asked, or more so demanded. Drake could feel the warmth being pulled out of the air, even without a physical body as he watched the neer walk closer to Darri and the children. ¡°Why is that old retch here?¡± Smokey quandered. The neer slowly wobbled forward, covered in rags with holes in them. Drake able to see clean porcin like material through the holes. ¡°Guards? You call these rude younglings guards?¡± Vandalieu chuckled, rolling out several heads to the ground, ¡°To stand in the way of Death¡¯s ns. Not very smart were they?¡± Darri¡¯s aura began to leak out, the force so strong it physically manifested. The air and light bent, Drake finally witnessing the brunt of a pinnacle B-Rank Primordial¡¯s skill up close. It was suffocating. Drake was unable to move, unable to blink, nor tear his eyes away. His only saving grace was that this was simply a memory and his body was not yet made real here. The sound of a notification pushed through. [Partial Quest Complete] [Quest Updated! Ghosts of the Past] [Experience earned] [Experience Stored] [You have received Asuran Traditional Garb] [You have received Asuran Recruit Set [F-Grade] [Umon]] [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Increased to Level 2] [28 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Increased to Level 3] [28 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Increased to Level 4] [28 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] ¡­ .. . [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Increased to Level 9] [28 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Mage x Warrior Level Increased to Level 10] [28 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Temporary ss improved to F-Rank] [Temporary ss Upgraded to Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate [Unique] [F-Rank]] [Temporary Primary and Secondary Skilltrees are now unlocked] [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Witness the destruction of the Asuran Race and the downfall of the Asura Bloodline.
  • Reward: Experience, Unique Title
Chapter 296: The End Is Nye Chapter 296: The End Is Nye
When Chen Ren transmigrated as a trouble-making young master in a world of cultivation overrun by sects, beasts and ns full of murderous people, he wanted nothing to do with it. He simply wanted to make money. After all, even in a world of magical murderhobos, money ran supreme. Ignoring the numerous martial daos, he chose the dao of money, using his brains and earthly knowledge to build businesses and acquire resources to reach immortality. But before that, he had to deal with a mountain of debt, the cultivators who wanted to kill him and deciding on his first business idea. *** What to expect - 1. Lots of businesses and mc getting rich. 2. A highlypetent main character. 3. An interesting Cultivation journey. 4. Mysteries. 5. Face pping. 6. Sect building. 7. Cats. What not to expect - 1. Harem 2. Not cats Inspired by ck Market Litrpg, Laws of Cultivation and Calcting Cultivation.
¡°Drake. Take Celine back to mother,¡± Darri said calmly, moving in front of the stunned children. ¡°B-b-but I can fight!¡± Young Drake stuttered. ¡°You will do as you are told!¡± Darri snapped, ¡°You are too important to get caught up in what is about to happen! Now go!¡± ¡°So that is Han¡¯s other little welp is it?¡± Vandalieu snickered, ¡°How about it boy? Want to be one of my collection? These unwilling folk burn out too quickly and its been a while since I got my hands on a willing Asuran-¡± ¡°Shut your rotten maggot filled lips, Lich!¡± Darri roared, ¡°I will breathe myst before youy a hand on my family!¡± ¡°Littlete for that, Darri. Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s little group of fools already took your blundering idiot of a father.¡± Darri¡¯s body recoiled like the words had burned him, ¡°Liar¡­¡± A boney hand extended out of the rags, each finger covered in golden rings adorned with colorful jewels. ¡°We lost a few, but that¡¯s no concern of mine, just more corpses for my fun. But we did shackle the feisty little bastard. So? Want to take my deal? Two Asurans for the price of one would make my millenia.¡± Smokey snarled next to Drake, ¡°I should have known! That filthy corpse came here before us!¡± Drake was bewildered. Too much information was being thrown at him. A lich? Does that make him a Primordial? Is a lich the strongest undead? And wasn¡¯t Mir¡¯phyra a liberator? What is she doing capturing Han Kol? And now an Undead is here? Drake thought, looking at the rag covered figure. He doesn¡¯t even look strong. And I can¡¯t feel an aura but Darri looks like he¡¯s scared shitless. Too much is happening and I feel like I¡¯m missing pieces of the puzzle. Drake¡¯s younger self still hesitated to run in spite of Darri¡¯s order. His face paled and legs shaking as he desperately hung onto his sister, doing his best to stay in front of her. ¡°What are you still doing here Drake! Go! Hurry! Mother is the only one on this left that can stall long enough for Father toe!¡± Darri reprimanded. ¡°I already told you, squirt. Daddy¡¯s locked up good and tight. Mira made sure of that so she can hold her precious little pet for all eternity,¡± Vandalieuughed but shrugged, ¡°Not that I can judge. I¡¯ve done that plenty of times.¡± Unwilling to wait for young Drake toe to his senses, Darri finally kicked him, pushing him away as he charged forward in a blur at Vandalieu. Drake looked at his younger selfe to his senses and grit his teeth, as he pulled his crying sister away. Drake looked back at the fight, hoping to garner more information or see just how upper Rank Primordials fought. But the scene froze. ¡°What is this?¡± Drake questioned, ¡°It just stops?¡± Smokey strode up to Vandalieu, poking their ink-like arm through his hooded head, ¡°We are reying your memories. It is only natural you didn¡¯t witness everything, there could be lost information everywhere. It seems that we will have to follow your younger self to continue on.¡± Drake wanted to argue, but it seemed he didn¡¯t have any other option and there were too many questions he needed answers too. Little by little the possibility of this quest showing him his actual past was bing more of a reality. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling in the back of his mind of deja vu, but that was where the feeling stopped. It was like the sun shining through broken storm clouds; only bits and pieces were making it through whatever veil was keeping him from remembering the truth. Biting his lip he moved on, chasing after the children. Taking onest look over his shoulder only to see Darri frozen in time, roaring as he raised a fist about to collide with the Primordial Lich, Vandalieu. An ache in his chest began to throb. Drake had felt this sensation many times before throughout his life. It was regret. Turning back he raced off, a few minutester able to catch up to his younger self and sister as they approached their home. Whatever was urring on the, it seemed to have not reached here just yet. However their Mother, Altoria was still on full alert. She was at the edge of the house in full armor and wearing spiked gauntlets that put anything Drake had ever worn or seen to shame. Even on closer inspection Drake could see that the equipment was worn from use but still gave an striking impression. Tightly fit ck metal trimmed in silver. Ruby red jewels adorning the shoulder guards and knee guards. A gold symbol in the center of her chest. A broken chain link. ¡°Get inside the house,¡± she said calmly, checking her gauntlets. ¡°Mother¡­ D-Darri¡­ he-¡± Young Drake tried to exin, still clutching his crying sister¡¯s arm. ¡°I know Drake. He did his duty and now it¡¯s time you and your sister do yours,¡± his mother said softly, ¡°You need to survive.¡± Young Drake tried to protest again. Having been dismissed by his brother earlier, unable to help or even witness his supposed end. The frustration was in on his face. But his mother would have none of it. A look of fear and surprise painted over Young Drake and his sisters expression. This was apparently the first time they had ever seen their mother this angry and serious. ¡°You will get in that house! And you will not leave it! Do you understand me, Drake Asura! I will not let today be the end of this family!¡± she roared. ¡°Touchy touchy¡­¡± A chittering voice came from beyond the entrance of the yard behind Altoria. She quickly mmed the door shut, turning to face the man in ragged clothing. ¡°Vandalieu. I always knew you woulde. It was only a matter of time until you became bored enough¡­¡± Altoria growled. The lich pulled back his hood, revealing a porcin skull and the golden jeweled crown sitting on top his head, different crowned teeth filling its crooked boney mouth that almost seemed to twist into a grin. ¡°How right you are!¡± he boomed, ¡°You should be thanking me though! After all, you won¡¯t get a better deal with anyone else. To curb my eternal boredom I¡¯ve got some fun in mind.¡± Altoria¡¯s hands curled in on themselves, the metal creaking beneath the effort. ¡°Thanking you¡­? Where is Darri! Where is my son?!¡± Vandalieu¡¯s mouth ttered in a chuckle, ¡°Oh he¡¯s right where he¡¯s supposed to be. But you should be more concerned with children that are still alive¡­¡± Altoria vanished. The next moment she appeared with half the yard obliterated. ttened against the force of her blow against a wall of ck and gold bone. Vandalieu cackled, ¡°Just like your hubby! But can¡¯t say that I disapprove¡­ I like ¡®em feisty! How about it? We both know you can¡¯t win.¡± His boney head turned and motioned to the house, ¡°How about it?¡± he said again, ¡°I¡¯m taking them either way¡­ You might as well make a deal¡­¡± Young Drake and his sister burst out of the house, their fists raised and screaming. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!!!¡± A look of horror came over Altoria¡¯s face and she tried to move to protect them only to realize her arm was caught in the wall of bone. Vandalieu waved a jeweled hand, two skeleton rib cages erecting from the ground and encasing the children. ¡°Like I said. Feisty! Your whole family are just little angry fire bees!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurt them!¡± Altoria pleaded. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not that evil¡­ At least right now. I¡¯m getting a whole smorgousport of Asurans today. That type of thing will put anyone into a good mood.¡± Vandalieu strode over, cing a boney finger against the children¡¯s heads as their bodies slumped against the cages. As he did, the world continued to move, but darkened. Bing colorless and mute. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± Drake asked, looking around at the watered out surroundings. The voice that answered wasn¡¯t Smokey¡¯s. But instead one he recognized now. The smoke coated in gold returned, its ruby colored eyes looking over the scene. ¡°This is where you passed out. You may have heard their conversation subconsciously but it seems theyers separating your memories are still too strong to break even with this event.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Darri? Right?¡± Drake muttered watching a small exchange between Altoria and Vandalieu unfold wordlessly. The gold smoke smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right little brother. I¡¯m d you finally noticed,¡± but then waved a hand still covered in ink-like smoke, ¡°Looks like you still can¡¯t fully recognize me however. It seems you need more convincing.¡± Smokey hissed next to them, ¡°This boy is a monster! Allowed to grow he will destroy the natural order! Just like his father!¡± The smokes shed in a plume of ck and gold for a moment. Eventually they settled next to Drake who was bing more and more bewildered by the sequence of events. His brother, Darri¡¯s visage, prevailed. Holding Smokey by what seemed to be their neck as they continued to struggle. ¡°You may be more powerful than me outside of this ce, but here you are nothing more than a worm. Allowed to crawl on the ground at the grace of the race you loath so much¡­ But that isn¡¯t the whole truth is it? You loved my Father,¡± Darri turned to Drake, ¡°But just like my Father, my brother is no longer your charge, your toy to y with, your pawn to move along your board. He may be a monster! But from today on, he is your monster no more Mir¡¯phyra.¡± Drake thought he would be more surprised watching as the smoke around Mir¡¯phyra dissipated, but he had assumed it was her for some time now. However it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Mir¡¯phyra was the one that captured Han Kol. She had to have hated him. She killed everyone here!¡± Drake said with more emotion than he intended. ¡°Do you wish to exin to him then? Or shall I?¡± Darri asked calmly. Struggling Mir¡¯phyra growled back. ¡°She loved Father. More than anything because he was different. Unique. Strong. But he had no intention of falling for a woman of a race that imprisoned his own for milenia. So-¡± ¡°So I made sure he was mine and mine alone. What of it?!¡± Mir¡¯phyra sneered. ¡°Dragons,¡± Darri spat, ¡°Possessive to a fault. Saying it was for the good of the natural order, good of the alliance. But you simply wanted to take him from everyone he loved and cared for!¡± ¡°And it would have stayed that way forever! He was mine! I watched as he grew into the man he was. The only man I was willing to spend eternity with! But he chose his race over me! Over his family! Over everything!¡± ¡°Then how did he die¡­?¡± Drake asked. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have,¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed, ¡°He was determined to live on until one day he could escape and bring back his own race from the precipice of extinction. But somehow someone broke into my vault¡­ And aided him in killing himself,¡± then her golden eyes looked down at Drake, ¡°It is now I realize why¡­¡± Drake was dumbfounded. Turning to watch what seemed like thest of the exchange of his mother and the lich in silence. Altoria continued discussing something with Vandalieu, her face stern and frustrated. As Vandalieu continued to gesture casually, sometimes rearing his head back in what Drake could only assume wasughter. Finally, Altoria nodded, turning back to her children as the bone cages around them receded into the ground. She hugged them with tears in her eyes as she whispered something softly. Behind her Vandalieu pulled an item from his robes, a momentter a rift like door opened and Altoria stepped through. ¡°Does that mean?¡± Drake wondered aloud. ¡°No,¡± Darri shot down immediately, ¡°Remember the church. If she was still alive it would be her standing there not you.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Drake asked. Darri lowered Mir¡¯phyra, floating over to Drake¡¯s side as they both watched Vandalieu pick up the children and walk into a separate rift made from another item. ¡°You can not truly see me yet. Which means you do not embrace your Asuran blood fully. You will stay here until you do.¡± ¡°How long,¡± Drake asked through his teeth, ¡°How long am I going to be forced to be here?! I¡¯m cut off from my friends and family! I have no idea what is going on outside! And I have no way of telling if what you are showing or telling me is even true!¡± ¡°You know it is true,¡± Darri answered, ¡°But for some reason you are too scared to ept it.¡± Darri ced a smokey arm on Drake¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Trust me little brother. This is all for you.¡± Drake looked at the frozen scenery around them. His younger self had left the and it was the end of the memory. The quest notifications rained in as his mind raced to put the jumbled pieces of information in his head into ce. [Partial Quest Complete] [Quest Updated! Ghosts of the Past] [Experience earned] [Experience Stored] [Received Title: The End Is Nye] [The End Is Nye]
  • You have witnessed the near end of a race. The remnants of the once proud Asurans bnce on a knife¡¯s edge, new enemies knocking on your doorstep. The truth of your origins are bing undeniable.
  • +20% to all Stats
[Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 11] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 12] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 13] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 14] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] ¡­ .. . [Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 29] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Pseudo Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate Level Increased to Level 30] [50 Temporary Free Points have been awarded] [Temporary ss improved to E-Rank] [Temporary ss Upgraded, Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate [Unique] increased to [E-Rank]] [All temporary ss skills and secondary skills will be immediately increased to E-Rank when learned] [Quest Update! Ghosts of the Past]
  • Increase your temporary level to 40.
  • Gain the trust of your group.
  • Meet with Han Kol Asura.
  • Find the key to the Serenity Mixture.
  • Reward: Experience, Title, E-Grade essory, Meeting with The War General Darri Asura and The Great War King, Han Kol Asura.
Chapter 297: A Promise Kept, A promise Made Chapter 297: A Promise Kept, A promise Made Aralleen felt utterly devastated. The light around her and Drake dissipated quickly and they found themselves back in the forest on the eve of attacking her once beloved home. ¡°I am sorry once again for failing to live up to expectations, Lord Wallen.¡± Her words continued toe out in apology. Not only had she failed to hold up end of her promise and the opportunity she had to prove she was worthy of the help she and her people were receiving from Drake. She failed to meet her own expectations and for her failure she knew. Aralleen looked at Drake as his words left his mouth. Comforting words that it was not her fault, that he was the one unprepared. But at the cost of her failure would be the loss of life only a war once every thousand years would bring upon her people. She remembered the look in the man¡¯s eyes when they entered the summit. The fury, the anger, the frustration. Most of all she remembered the chill down her spine she felt from the power he exhibited during his fit of rage. To go against the system, even for a moment. Aralleen had never seen such a thing. It was an unspeakable strength. The conversations blurred for her the rest of the day until she and the rest of the group were dismissed to the next day. Waking up the next morning she met with the rest of the group. These people, they used such vulgar speech and wore such revealing clothing. Especially that beast woman, Teresa. Putting such skin on disy. It was unsightly and so scious. She was instructed to lead the small group of her guard and three others, including Drake, to the city. But she did not understand how they were to prate the wall protected by the Millenium World Tree Fern. That however was not her mission or concern for now. Aralleen¡¯s concern was something much different. She would have the task of trying to convince the civilians still within the walls and protection of the World Tree to leave. And if that was not problematic enough, she kept finding herself stealing nces at Drake. Ever since they went to the summit and she saw he and his wife kiss. She was all too acutely aware of him now. After all, I will possibly be married to him as the protector of the next World Tree¡­ She thought to herself, her finger touching her lips out of view of the others. ¡°Me and Lady got the gate, you two figure out the rest.¡± The conversation had brought her out of her slight daze. And before she realized it one of the Primordial trio was moving to their grand machine. ¡°P-Please wait! Fern has a constant barrier surrounding the city. Not even a thousand warriors could prate it without substantial preparation!¡± Drake and the small obsidian ck dwarf shared a small exchange of looks before Damian scoffed. ¡°Man fuck that barrier.¡± Aralleen could not believe what she was hearing. Did they not understand the magnitude of the defensive barrier the World Tree provided? A single man could not- As her mind raced toe up with something to say to halt their foolish attempt to break the gate. The surroundings shed in blinding white light. The crack of a whip louder than anything she had ever heard sounded through the area and deafened her senses. The sheer gust of wind and turbulence that followed had her surprised she was still standing. That was until she saw why. Drake had held her upright and in ce, his hands on her shoulders as he whistled. It took her a moment to look from his hands around her to his face and then follow his eyesight to the aftermath of whatever had just happened. The gate was gone. Nothing but a smolder pile of ash left with a circr cut out of the once indomitable wall. A tap came to her shoulder while she surveyed the ruined wall. ¡°Still there Princess?¡± ¡°Y-yes I am present!¡± she replied abruptly. ¡°Don¡¯t go getting surprised just yet, you still need to point us in the direction of Valor. And did you want to give up on saving as many people as you could? Or are you going to just stand there?¡± Drake asked. ¡°I will not! Valor will be close to the Tree¡¯s base, of that I am sure. It offers the greatest protection and he will not be willing to leave it.¡± She felt more responsible now more than ever to prove herself. This binding of their fates, this alliance, tying herself to this man and his constituents. She could not fail. ¡°Allow me to once again speak to my people. I swear I will change their hearts and see the error of standing with a man such as Valor.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason you need to ask to save people¡­ Go on, go and do your best Princess.¡± Aralleen felt her hand and heart squeeze at the words and nodded, running ahead of Drake and the others with her personal guard in tow. ¡°Mydy what are your orders?¡± one of the guards asked speaking out. A look of determination washed over Aralleen, ¡°We are to save as many lives as we can. At any cost. We will not leave our brethren to die for Valor¡¯s sick ambition.¡± ¡°As you will!¡± the group shouted in affirmation of the order. They began infiltrating the city. Going from house to house made of the vines and branches of Fern. But the operation did not go smoothly. Immediately they found themselves in contention with the citizens. ¡°Leave us! You will not take us to that monster¡¯s city!¡± ¡°Please there is no other way. This city will be leveled by Lord Wallen in a matter of minutes! Do not condemn your children-¡± Aralleen pleaded but was sharply cut off. ¡°What would you know of it! How to treat and care for my children! You left! The King and Queen left! You have no right to ask us to follow you!¡± Aralleen¡¯s body stiffened but she needed to make her decision with time running out, ¡°Take them¡­¡± ¡°Mydy?¡± a guard asked. ¡°I said take them! There is no time for this!¡± she shouted. The woman¡¯s face twisted in disbelief looking back at Aralleen, ¡°You have no right! You may have sold your soul to that of a monster but we have not! You have no right to take away our choice!¡± ¡°The only monster here is the one that has sold his people to the undead. Lord Wallen is a good man. And I will not leave my people here to follow the cast of fate they did not truly choose. Bring them all to safety! Do whatever is necessary! If they wish to hate me for my decision, so be it! But at least they will be alive to do so!¡± With the decision made, the guardsmen began pulling people from their homes and the streets. Gathering them on the outskirts of the city as Aralleen overlooked the process. Her face was cold as she watched but her heart wavered. She found herself somehow longing for thefort of Drake¡¯s hand on her shoulder. The reassurance of someone so strong supporting her. Soon however, she was broken from her inner turmoil as she saw something, no someone shoot out into the sky in the distance. Coming from the direction of the World Tree¡¯s base, Aralleen knew it could only be one person. Aralleen turned to a guard, ¡°How long until the evacuation isplete?¡± ¡°We still have at least half the city mydy.¡± She cursed to herself, ¡°It is not fast enough¡­¡± Aralleen began melding into the shadows of a nearby home. Using her skills to move through nature within her home made of the vines of the World Tree. The skill was powerful but draining. She had hoped not to resort to it. While she foundfort in thepany of Drake¡¯s entourage, there was no telling what might happen. And she needed to be ready to defend herself and her people at a moment¡¯s notice. However there was no room left to be cautious now. Time was running out and Drake had given her a strict time frame to save as many people as possible. And that is exactly what she would do. Traveling through the shadows of the vines and branches of her once beloved home. Aralleen began snatching and transferring every person she came across. Bringing them through the shadows with her skill only increased the drain from the skill on her status but she had no other choice. I only pray that it will be enough. She thought, exiting the shadows near the gate as she fell to her knees. But she was determined. Waving away her guard¡¯s concerning words and hands she pulled a blue and green vial from her inventory, letting their cold liquid slide down her parched throat. Revitalized, she once again stepped into the shadows. A momentter she found herself in a home of three. A mother and two children. But this time she could not grab them without resistance. The sound of a monstrous impact came from above, the fading daylight suddenly turned into a blinding starlight spotlight. The ground shook as she swayed from the quaking. Aralleen looked up, seeing the faint outline of a man in the blinding light before her eyes were torn from the intense spotlight. ¡°He is actually doing it. I must hurry,¡± Aralleen mumbled as she lept to grab the family. Speeding up the process Aralleen and her guards managed to retrieve the remaining elves within the city. Her thirty guards and herself gathering nearly two thousand citizens outside the gates of Avalon. Exhausted and trembling, Aralleen sat on the ground, looking above like everyone else at the battle Drake was currently in with the defensive barrier of the World Tree. The shouts andints of the rescued elven citizens were quickly quelled by both the spectacle above their home, and the fierce looks of the man Drake called Leon. ¡°How can he be so strong¡­¡± she mumbled, staring at the magic being used to assault the barrier. ¡°Because he has to be,¡± ire said, standing behind her. ¡°I know I am being a hypocrite saying such, I needed him to be strong but does one man or King requires such power? Strength and stature is not always a boon.¡± ¡°I envy you then. To think like that,¡± ire said, looking at Drake¡¯s battle above, ¡°Your tutorial must have been very tame.¡± Aralleen¡¯s head turned to look at ire. ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you, if that is what you think. Our tutorial was just¡­worse. If it wasn¡¯t for that strength you seem to think is too much for one man to have, we wouldn¡¯t be standing here. The changes he was forced to make, the humanity he had no choice but to give up. It was all for us. I know what you might be to him in the future.¡± ire looked and bent down on her haunches, whispering in Aralleen¡¯s ear, ¡°If you support him, I will wee you with Sarah. But if you even think about harming or betraying him. I - This family,¡± she motioned to Drake¡¯s entourage, ¡°Will not let it go.¡± ¡°Is that a threat¡­?¡± ¡°I love Drake. He has given up things I couldn''t even begin to repay. And helped me out of the dark cold hole I thought I would never crawl out of when my brother was killed. And I would do anything for him. Anything.¡± Aralleen shakily got up as ire did the same and they locked gazes for a few moments. But before they could continue the sound of shattering ss rang out loud enough to deafen the area. Her hands desperately covering her ears she turned to the World Tree, only for her eyes to widen to saucers. The World Tree was burning, split down the middle and copsing. The sound of the twisting wood crackled and snapped. And despite herself Aralleen began to weep. The sight of their World Tree being felled struck every elve¡¯s heart like an icy cold de. She knew she would never be forgiven for this, but to protect her people, it had to be done. Only moments after the impact¡¯s aftermath settled and the winds calmed did they begin to gather again, talking of what happened. ¡°So Drake took down the big tree? What¡¯s our next move then?¡± Landin asked. ¡°We must wait for him before moving forward. And then there is the issue of the refugees once again. I¡¯m sure Lady Natto will be delighted to see more people,¡± Atropos added, her tails slowly swaying back and forth. ¡°Atropos is right. We have to wait until Drake returns to decide if we will continue on or return with the rescued,¡± ire exined, ¡°We have a lot of work to do to repair the city¡¯s reputation. And it is going to be a long year until the next summit¡­¡± Their attention moved quickly from the conversation, as suddenly they heard Ari cry out. ¡°Leon! What happened?!¡± Ari held up Leon as he slumped weakly against her and his spear, ck muck running from his mouth, his eyes hazy. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ The tree kill pushed me to E-Rank. I can¡¯t focus¡­¡± The next second Drake suddenly appeared in front of them, looking haggard and in just as bad as shape as Leon. ¡°Drake?! What is going on?¡± ire cried out confused. Simr shouts came from the teens, Teresa and Aralleen as they rushed to Drake with ire. Leon slumped to the floor a few feet from Drake, his eyes dulling. Tatsuki rolled out of his person a few momentster,pletely confused and disoriented. ¡°In a few minutes¡­¡± Drake began exining to them that he, Leon and Damian were somehow being transported away. He also exined what they should do. Return to the city, protect their families. ¡°I¡¯m trusting you all¡­¡± Drake said weakly with a smile, locking eyes with all of them as he summoned magic circles of ice to encase himself, Leon, and Damian. Cries of protest rang out as Drake was slowly encased in ice. ire¡¯s loudest of all. But soon the magic settled around the three and the area grew silent. ¡°C-Cover them¡­¡± ire ordered. Charlotte and the other teens gave a wary look to each other before nodding. ¡°Landin, Clotho, Mordred, Quetz. Make sure no one leaves the group¡­¡± she began in a cold tone, ¡°We have to make sure we dy how quickly this information gets out that Drake is gone¡­¡± she turned and shouted, ¡°We are returning to ReUnite!¡± ire turned to Aralleen, and then to Teresa, ¡°I trust you both will help move them. If you want to repay your debt to Drake, or find a ce in our home you will do what he asked of you. Protect the city.¡± Aralleen nodded quickly, ordering her guards to gather and help move Drake and Leon. Tatsuki had perched on Ari¡¯s shoulder as she looked on worried, walking in pace with Leon¡¯s ice crystal. Teresa obviously had more misgivings than Aralleen but eventually moved to hull the massive covered piece of ice that housed Damian and his machine. The group, as Drake wished, began their march back to ReUnite with more people than they arrived, but missing their leader. Chapter 298: A City In Chaos Chapter 298: A City In Chaos Natto tried to observe her system screens as she had daily the past weeks. Making sure theings and goings of visitors and adventurers were normal, and that there were no oddities slipping into her city. Supervising and keeping a close watch on the functionings of the city. But it had recently be more difficult with the loud ring musicing from the headphones next to her. ¡°I must say¡­ How in the world do you work with such a racket in your ears Ekko?¡± Natto sighed. Ekko the territorial assistant of Damian, another Primordial and close friend of Drake continued to bob her head to the beats reverberating in her headphones. She had be an associated assistant before her master Damian had left with the others to assault the elven city of Avalon. Natto¡¯s eye twitched at being ignored. She yelled more loudly and nudged Ekko on the shoulder. ¡°Ekko!¡± ¡°Ah! What? What¡¯s good G Girl?¡± Ekko replied, slipping one of the earmuffs off, ¡°Where¡¯s the E-Mergency?¡± ¡°There is no emergency¡­ I simply wanted to know how you can work with such noise.¡± ¡°Noise? You calling my fat home made beats noise? These sound waves are otherworldly and just because your taste in music is so poorly, cultivated. Doesn¡¯t mean the rest of the world thinks bangers aren¡¯t extra-ordinary.¡± Natto tapped a screen, dismissing it while looking at Ekko, ¡°Certainly¡­ And please do something about how you speak, I can hardly understand you¡­¡± ¡°No can do sista,¡± Ekko dismissed with a quick shake of her head, ¡°What¡¯s got you all in a twist?¡± ¡°I hope it is nothing,¡± Natto grumbled, ¡°I will be making rounds, report on anything unusual. We are due for more undead or worse.¡± ¡°Aye Aye, bossdy. Don¡¯t forget to deliver, some exquisite cheddar. When youe back from your little walk about, know what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about?¡± Natto waved a hand, ¡°Yes, I will try to scrounge up some snacks for you. Back to work Ekko. We must make this ce run smoothly if we are to start on the Mining Town project soon.¡± Stepping off the Anchoring Crystal, Natto vanished in a puff of pink fire. The next moment traveling throughout the city. ¡°Good evening Miss Natto.¡± ¡°Mom, look! It¡¯s the guardian.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t point¡­ she might take your finger off!¡± Natto ignored the greetings and continued her stroll through the city. She wanted to enjoy it while itsted. Soon the city would be toorge for her to do this. She had big ns for Drake. And those ns included a World Capital, as well as many others under his control. Once that happened she would not be able to take such casual walks out in the open. She would be confined to area around the Anchoring Crystal simply to make sure it was safe. That and protect Drake¡¯s bloodline. ¡°Speaking of such things,¡± Natto hummed, vanishing off the street. She appeared again in arge room back near the crystal. The woman inside grumbled to herself as she looked out the window on the newly made veranda. ¡°Is this room not extravagant enough for your tastes? Certainly it is spacious enough?¡± ¡°I should not be left here. I should be on the front lines with my bonded, with Drake¡­¡± Sah Ul¡¯ grouched. ¡°Now now, Miss Rahk,¡± a voice cooed, opening the door to the room, ¡°You are pregnant. And pregnant women have a duty beyond fighting. You are here to rest, recoup and take care of your husband''s child.¡± The caramel skinned elf girl tried her best to soothe Sarah, bringing her a warm cup of tea and cing it on the table in front of her. As well as some snacks, Natto hungerly eyed. ¡°Do not worry Miss Natto,¡± Tanya giggled, pulling out a small paper bag for her, ¡°I also prepared some for you as well.¡± Natto snatched the bag in an instant, slipping them into her sleeve. ¡°Is there any news of my sister and Lord Wallen?¡± Tanya asked. Natto shook her head, ¡°None I am afraid. They should have arrived earlier today, and the buffoon¡¯sst transmission told me exactly how poorly the summit has gone. Which reminds me, I have finally procured the items he requested, here.¡± She pulled two nes from her personal inventory, handing it to them both. ¡°They are powerful mental resistant essories. You are to never remove these until we have dealt with Drake¡¯s brother-¡± Natto stopped mid thought, kneeling to the floor and grasping her chest. An intense influx of power felt as if it was burning a hole right through her, searing her insides. ¡°Miss Natto?!¡± ¡°Natto?!¡± She raised a hand, reassuring them she was fine while ncing at her own status. [Territorial Assistant Natto Level 30] ¡°That is certainly a good sign¡­¡± she muttered, ¡°It would seem the Lord of the city is finally making progress-¡± But the next moment the smile on Natto¡¯s face was whipped away, a disorienting headache nearly toppling her to the ground. After a few moments Natto finally got to her feet, doing her best to steady herself as Ekko also appeared within the room. ¡°G Girl¡­¡± she eked out, holding her mouth with a hand as if ready to expel her stomach at a moment¡¯s notice, ¡°Did you feel that unbearable¡­ feel¡­?¡± Natto straightened her clothes, but nodded, ¡°Yes, something has happened, and just after such a good moment. What have you done now Drake?¡± ¡ª--------------- Five days after Natto and Ekko had been struck with the horrible phantom feelings directly after both reaching level 30, and by design E-Rank. They, as well as the city watch, had gone on high alert. Doubling patrols and outlining ns to increase the city¡¯s force were expedited. All the while Natto periodically cased the outer walls herself as well as stopped in to see Sah Ul¡¯ whenever free. She had also handed out the mental resistance equipment that Drake had requested after the summit to everyone currently within the city walls. Natto had an idea as to why but hoped it was not true. ¡°Certainly someone with a powerful mind controlling or charming skill is going to be an annoying thorn in our side¡­¡± she mumbled, looking out into the forest beyond the wall. Her eyes thinned. Winter was over and the weather warmed by the day, but she couldn¡¯t shake the small chill that lingered at the base of her neck. ¡°That imbecile is taking his sweet time returning.¡± Then she heard the felling of trees, their trunks being snapped with ease in the distance. Getting ready she also turned to the nearest city watchman on the wall. ¡°Send for the oaf and the rest, it seems we have guests.¡± The thing breaking the trees came into view, a young orc in robes that reminded Natto of Drake¡¯s first armor in the tutorial, and a young woman fitted in full te armor holding a word in each hand. ¡°I stand corrected,¡± she grimaced, seeing therge following of both people and several objects covered in tanned cloth behind the pair, ¡°Bring Sah Ul¡¯, the oaf, Theodore, and the rest of them. Close every gate and entry into the city save this one. No one is to leave or enter the city until I tell you otherwise.¡± Natto teleported instantly to the gate as the mana reinforced steel, freshly made from the cyclops and dwarfs, swung open and she waited to greet the returning force. Her face began to twist in irritation as she saw ire, Aralleen, Thresa, Ari with Tatsuki on her shoulder, followed by the teens trained by Drake instead of Drake himself at the front. ¡°Where is the fool?¡± she asked. ire looked more hardened as she answered, as if keeping on a strong face despite falling apart inside. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you do not know? Exin.¡± ¡°Lord Wallen sacked the city-¡± Aralleen tried to exin but was silenced from a look from Natto. ¡°I am speaking to the wife of your Lord. Not you. You may be a candidate, but you are still not his. Now¡­ Exin.¡± ¡°Drake went into the city with Princess Aralleen, her guard, and Mr. Leon. I don¡¯t know what happened inside, but they managed to destroy the World Tree like they nned. Mr. Damian, Mr. Leon, and Drake all seemed to have leveled up from the fight, as well as the Princess,¡± ire exined, tightening her grip on her own arm, ¡°But they all began to copse, Mr. Damian didn¡¯t even make it out of his machine, spitting up the same ck gunk from when we advanced to F-Rank.¡± ire pointed to the objects covered in tan cloth, ¡°Drake and the others went unconscious for some reason, h-he¡­¡± she took a breath, ¡°He said he was going somewhere. And that we need to protect the city.¡± Natto looked at Tatsuki, wanting a further exnation. ¡°My Master has reached E-Rank as Lady ire has said, Lady Natto. As we both know, they should expel unwanted impurities in their bodies as part of the rank up. However¡­ There seems to be something interfering with all of their Rank Up Quests. I have never heard of such a thing. I can not merge with Leon to get a better hold of the situation either.¡± Tatsuki bowed slightly, but it was clear she was frustrated. Natto couldn¡¯t understand it either, she had no information on something like this even after increasing to E-Rank. The people Natto called for arrived with Ekko as she continued to scour her mind and information for answers. ¡°You drudged us all up for a weing party littledy?¡± Hudson asked, ¡°That ain¡¯t like ya.¡± ¡°Tis true, Lady Natto. Calling upon my Liege¡¯s circle is not something thou does lightly,¡± Theodore added. ¡°What happened! Where is Drake?! ire? Where is he?¡± Sarah asked desperately, worry painting her face, as Tanya struggled to hold her back and calm. Natto ignored Sah Ul¡¯ for now as ire moved to also attempt to calm her, ¡°Theodore, we will be shortening the schedule for the academy. I want you to begin training the students and open the Military academy branch ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°Now hold on,¡± Bjorn said, stopping her, ¡°What¡¯s this about? Did something happen?¡± Natto turned to Bjorn, ¡°This does not leave this conversation. Or at least as long as we can prevent it,¡± she sighed, shaking her head slightly, ¡°Unfortunately Sherry does not have the capability to keep all of these people under contracts of silence. Zappy girl.¡± ire¡¯s brows rose, not hearing Natto¡¯s nickname for her since the tutorial. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°These are all the people from the elf city that you are aware of?¡± ire looked to the side at Aralleen, who nodded back, ¡°Yes I think so¡­¡± ¡°They are to remain within the city walls until we have a hold on what exactly is going on. We must contain the information of what has happened to Drake and the others for as long as possible,¡± Natto looked at everyone present, ¡°Is that understood?¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± a woman from the crowd roared, ¡°You can¡¯t make us do anything! I will not have my children forced into a city ruled and shared with monsters! That man destroyed our city-¡± ¡°You dare!¡± Sah Ul¡¯ growled. Natto stopped Sarah, and turned and gave the woman a fierce look. ¡°If you dare call him a monster again. I will show you what a real monster looks like. That man could have left you within those walls of your rotten city and watched you all burn to the ground. It is certainly what I would have done. You do not know what true monsters are girl. Drake is a sweet little boypared to the things I am prepared to do to keep this city safe. So you will get inside, and you will keep your mouth closed on what you have seen and heard from that battle,¡± she raised a hand, igniting pink fire in her palm, ¡°And I will know if you do. I have eyes everywhere.¡± The mass of people began funneling into the city as Ekko and Natto checked the their statuses. Meanwhile the others that Natto called watched as they began discussing what to do with the solid blocks of ice Drake, Damian, and Leon were in. ¡°Why are we here doing nothing. We should be calling every healer ss in the city to try and figure out what is wrong with Drake and the others. We can get Yorth,¡± Charlotte offered. ¡°Yorth is in no condition to do anything,¡± Natto sighed, handing out the remainder of the essories she acquired for Drake, ¡°He is still suffering from whatever charm led him to his current condition.¡± ¡°Then I can go get Megan, or Julia. Maybe they have open skill slots to learn some sort of cleansing or-¡± Chealsea tried to offer. ¡°That will not work either. That girl Megan has already left the city. And Julia would not be able to help them¡­¡± ¡°What? How is she gone?! I thought you knew everything that happened in the city!¡± Chelsea snapped. ¡°I do not know. She must have purchased a concealing item from the Auction House, or had help, it is not an item one can obtain on their own so easily. Regardless, she is now gone and I do not know where. But whatever is affecting Drake and the others, is not a status ailment. I can find nothing wrong with them. They are¡­ simply unconscious¡­¡± ¡°What would you have us do, Miss Natto?¡± Atropos asked, ¡°We can not leave Lord Drake like this¡­ The others and I can try to find a solution elsewhere! We will go to every city and find a healer who can help them! I will go to the ends of the world if I have to!¡± ¡°You will do no such thing,¡± Natto said, swiping at a blue screen. ¡°Then what? You want us to sit on our hands while they wither away for who knows how long?¡± Landin scoffed. ¡°I would have you do what you were intended for, fool,¡± Natto scowled, ¡°You will remain in the city to protect it. Train like you are going to die, increase your strength as Drake taught you. And teach at the academy to have others do the same.¡± ¡°You want us to teach? Us?¡± Charlotte asked bewildered, ¡°None of us have any teaching experience and we are only kids. Who is going to listen to us?¡± ¡°You are not children any longer,¡± Sah Ul¡¯ spoke up, ¡°You are Drake¡¯s pride and joy, as well as mine. You all have grown in strength. And now it is your turn to help the city.¡± ¡°You as well oaf. You are the strongest person here after myself. I expect you to lend a hand while Drake is incapacitated,¡± Natto said, more like an order than a suggestion, ¡°We will all have a part to y in holding this city together I feel. It is only a matter of time until the rest of the world knows Drake is not here anymore and will look to remove theirpetition for the next Summit¡­¡± Chapter 299: Jungle Fever Chapter 299: Jungle Fever ¡°You know!¡± Drake huffed, ¡°This isn¡¯t what I was expecting when I saw the next part of the quest! Why! Why do animals always want to kill me!?¡± Drake sprinted as fast as his body was able without his usual skills through the dense jungle, bobbing and weaving through vines, brush, andrge twisted trunks of trees. Doing his best to put distance between him and his pursuers. He looked over his shoulder to see a golden lion or tiger or bear. Oh my. Drake wasn¡¯t sure of which since he never had a chance to get a good look at it before he was in mortal danger as it charged him, hoping for a quick meal. ¡°And if that wasn¡¯t bad, I¡¯m stuck with you two instead of Natto!¡± ¡°You should just give up and let it eat you,¡± Mir¡¯phyra giggled, ¡°If you die, I¡¯m quite sure I will be allowed to leave this wretched ce. ¡°Ok!¡± Drake shouted ducking under a hanging branch, ¡°You were the first name on my shit list, but now! Nowdy! You are getting a shiny new star next to your name!¡± ¡°Why are you conversing with this treacherous Dragon! And why are you running!? You shoulda face the beast like a true Asuran!¡± Drake scoffed, looking at the other unfortunatepanion he now had since the scenery change, his younger self. ¡°I¡¯ve never hit a kid before, but I¡¯m this close to knocking you the fuck out! Do you see this?!¡± Drake pointed to his left arm, four red scabbing marks running down it, ¡°That¡¯s from that golden terror back there. And that was when there was only one of them! I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed but there''s four of those assholes chasing us.¡± ¡°Those are good odds for a pure blooded Asuran! I could kill those monsters right now! How have you be so weak?!¡± Mir¡¯phyraughed, ¡°I am bing quite fond of younger you.¡± ¡°Cram it! You aren¡¯t helping!¡± Drake snapped. ¡°Oh? Was I meant to?¡± Drake¡¯s breath was bing rougher and rougher as he ran, only ncing over his shoulder now and then to see if he was still being followed. ¡°Isn¡¯t the difficulty too hard!? It¡¯s been a whole week in this ce and my ss skills are locked because I haven¡¯t killed anything, and I can¡¯t unlock them because, I CAN¡±T KILL ANYTHING!!¡± Drake yelled, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen any other people, I can¡¯t find any skill stones to fill my empty branches and skills. This is as far up shit¡¯s creek without a paddle I think I can get!¡± ¡°I did tell you that you would be doomed with your current status didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Not the time Smokey!¡± Drake jumped over a fallen tree, but was forced to slide down a small slope behind it. His body covered in dirt and debris as he tumbled down it only finallying to a stop as he sshed into a small stream. ¡°OKAY! Jungles are officially on my list of ces I never want to go again! Everything is trying to kill me! It¡¯s sticky, it¡¯s hot, I have dirt and leaves in ces I didn¡¯t know I had! I¡¯ll take frozen wastnds over this!¡± ¡°Where is your Asuran pride? I had trained since I was old enough to walk to follow my family into battle one day. And¡­ This is the result? What has happened?¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed next to Drake as his eyes thinned into a re at his younger self. ¡°Yeah?¡± Drake grumbled, swiping his hand across his younger selve¡¯s face, only to feel his hand pass through the boy¡¯s head, ¡°Susmaryosep! I can¡¯t even hit him! What the hell is this Han Kol guy doing to me?!¡± ¡°Speak not of my father! He is like a God to our people! And you should show respect!¡± ¡°God? The only simrities he has with God are that he¡¯s perpetually absent.¡± Drake¡¯s younger self recoiled slightly, unable to say different. ¡°He might be your father which means¡­¡± Drake hesitated for a moment, ¡°Which means he¡¯s probably mine¡­ But where was he huh? I saw what happened to Darri, Celine, your Mother. Why wasn¡¯t he there if he¡¯s so great?!¡± Drake was bing more heated, but was cut off by the sound of rustling leaves from the top of the slope. He grunted in irritation and dashed as quickly as he could across the stream. ¡°A week¡­ A whole week here and I¡¯ve done nothing but get chased! I don¡¯t have time for this!¡± Drake had to make up his mind. Did he bide his time until something in this Legacy Chamber changed, giving him some sort of direction as to unlock his skills and finally be able to progress. Or did he bet it all on fighting here with the very significant possibility of dying to a monster he couldn¡¯t identify the level or Rank of thanks to his skills and abilities not working? He looked over his shoulder briefly but couldn¡¯t see his pursuer. However, that didn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was still being followed. It had felt like years since Drakest ran from a fight and he hated it. Not just the fact that he was unable to fight, but battling with the feeling of wanting to fight. The gnawing want to turn around and prove himself in a fight against something stronger than him was eating away at the back of his mind. Something instinctual was telling him toy it all on the line. His younger self¡¯s words echoing in his mind. How long are you going to run? ¡°I¡¯m not running¡­.¡± he muttered under his breath. But he was. Drake was running not only from the monsters chasing him, but the responsibility of his brother. The responsibility of being a leader to his city and giving justice for those families that lost their loved ones to Atticus. He shook his head, gritting his teeth, ¡°I¡¯m not running¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Has the boy broken finally? It is about time, I can finally leave here,¡± Mir¡¯phyra sighed relieved. ¡°Screw you,¡± Drake growled, skidding to a stop, ¡°I don¡¯t have my skills but I started out not knowing how to use my spells. And this time- this time, I have stats.¡± He looked around, seeing vines and branches of trees, bushes he could hide in. And a n began to form. Drake ran to the tree, pulling on the vines and testing their strength, ¡°They won''t do alone but if I just¡­¡± Twining the vines together quickly, Drake pulled on them again satisfied with their durability. ¡°Now the unpleasant part¡­.¡± he grimaced. Drake looked at the tree, grinding the palm of his hand against it. ¡°Fuck this is harder because of my stats but,¡± Drake winced, but quickly turned to a pained smile, his palm leaving a red streak against the tree¡¯s bark. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± his younger self asked. ¡°I¡¯mying a trap kid, take some notes.¡± ¡°A trap? That is no way for an Asuran to fight!¡± ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯m not an Asuran. Well I guess I am, but this is how I fight, so get used to it. Use everything you can to win, every tool at your disposal. You can onlyin while you still breath.¡± Drake began running with the vines in hand, his other rubbing against the trees every so often. He was unsure of how many monsters were following him now, but just like in the tutorial. It didn¡¯t matter. He only needed to find one alone. Alone long enough for him to face it one on one. Stopping after a few minutes, Drake began to double back, again spreading his blood on the trunks of trees, seeing his health tick down only to regenerate back to full after a brief stretch of time. Satisfied he stopped, grimacing again but steeled himself. Gripping onto his forearm he dug his nails in, the puncture wounds oozing out significantly more blood at the base of the tree. Once there was a small puddle, Drake released his arm and let out a sharp breath. ¡°You are mad¡­¡± his younger self said astonished. ¡°Really? I find it quite amusing, he reminds me of Han in the early days¡­¡± Mir¡¯phyra mused. Drake¡¯s younger self gave an unamused look at Mir¡¯phyra as Drake climbed the tree, holding onto the end of the vine rope he ced around the puddle of blood. His hand had already begun to heal thanks to his stats even without a skill to help the regeneration. ¡°Darri would never allow me to fight in such a way¡­¡± younger Drake muttered. ¡°Yeah well, maybe that¡¯s why Darri is dead kid,¡± Drake said absentmindedly. There was no response as they waited for the monsters following Drake to catch up and hopefully fall into the trap. He looked over curious only to see his younger self biting down on his lower lip, tears welling up on the sides of his eyes. Drake groaned slightly, realizing how insensitive he was being to his, well, himself. He had forgotten that this version of himself was still barely a teenager. Drake wasn¡¯t sure what that meant for a Primordial race, but he was still a young kid and hisst memory from what Drake gathered was of his entire falling to the High Lich Vandielu. ¡°Look kid. I didn¡¯t mean to say¡­ I¡¯m sure Darri is fine. Your brother, I mean¡­ Our brother was really strong right?¡± he said, trying to console his younger self, even while struggling to admit Darri was his brother. Drake wasn¡¯t still convinced of anything, still unsure if this whole quest was some long con by Mir¡¯phyra or some other person, but there had always been a soft spot for kids in his heart. The rustling of leaves forced Drake¡¯s attention back to the moment, the low snarling of a beast emerging from the bushes beyond. A brief momentter the shining golden fur of a monster protruded from the brush, two elongated fangs curving down and out of the monster¡¯s mouth. This was the first time Drake had the chance to really look at the monster. Sleek golden fur covering its entire body with two sun-like eyes slowly observing back and forth as its nose stuck up in the air. But Drake¡¯s eyes kept going back to the two serrated fangs going well past its mouth like a sabertooth. The monster crept forward cautiously, the sound of it breathing in the airing in short sniffs. It finally found the puddle of blood, its lips curling in distaste and disappointment, one leg inside the vine rope trap. It¡¯s now or never! Drake shouted internally, yanking on the rope and jumping down off the branch. The monster yelped in surprise, its leg caught in the rope as it was pulled upward, its whole body iling in an attempt to get free. Drake quickly tied the end of the rope to whatever he could find sturdy enough to hold the beast. He reared back his fist willing his Martial Skill to activate like normal, only to click his tongue when not only the skill but the normal sensation of his spirit tattoos failed to activate. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to use brute force to beat the shit out of you!¡± he roared. Throwing the fist, it connected with the monster¡¯s golden fur only to give a dull impact. Drake bit back a groan as he felt like he had just punched a steel beam. But he had no time toin, the struggling monster quickly began to tear at the rope, doing its best to angle its way to sessfully swipe at the vines. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t! My fingers like arrows! My arms are like iron!¡± Trying to cast a spell, he cursed at the habit when nothing activated once again, but still brought his hand and fingers to a point. Hoping desperately that his stats would back up his efforts. Throwing his spear-like hand into the monster again, he grunted with effort trying to prate the monster¡¯s tough hide that seemed to be made from steel. ¡°Just die already!¡± Drake howled, winding up another stab with his hand, however just as he threw it forward the sound of the vines snapping were apanied with searing pain. The monster¡¯s ws ripped through the vines, swiping down as they tore through Drake¡¯s left shoulder. Drake retreated backward, nursing his shoulder with his right hand. ¡°Damn thing isn¡¯t a low level E-Rank! With my stats I should at least be able to hurt it!¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed next to him, watching the fightpletely entertained. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?!¡± Drake scowled, his eyes darting around for anything he could use. The monster lunged forward with both arms and swiped down only to tumble over itself after Drake dodged, the monster tripping over the remaining vines still attached around it¡¯s leg. ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t a normal E-Rank. It wouldn¡¯t be sporting to have just regr monsters training cattle,¡± she snickered. Drake looked to his younger self for answers but he shook his head. ¡°I do not know what monster this is,¡± his younger self answered. ¡°I thought you were trained from birth!¡± Drake snapped, his hands going around the trunk of a small tree. ¡°I was trained to fight. I had not gotten to learning monster ecology of others yet!¡± ¡°Some help you are!¡± Drake grunted in effort, a vein popping out of the side of his head as he pulled with all his strength on the tree. ¡°Bjorn, I¡¯m taking a page out of your book, you red headed behemoth!!¡± The monster got up once again snarling in irritation as its fangs and ws began to glow a verdant green. It lunged forward at Drake, closing the distance faster than before. Drake struggled with the tree for a fraction of a second longer allowing the monster to swipe at his back. He screamed in pain but managed to separate the tree from its home in the ground, swinging it up and close lining the monster in the side of the skull. The monster yelped in pain, thrown to the side and skidding against the ground as it broke through bushes, fallen branches, vines, and logs. However the monster had not perished just yet. Shakily getting to its feet Drake cursed and looked at the broken tree in his arms. ¡°Stupid tree, stupid golden tiger, lion, bear thing!¡± He scoured the area looking for something else to use and suddenly stopped his gaze on an elongated fang at his feet, still dripping a small amount of blood from the broken cavity. Drake¡¯s blow had managed to break one of the monster¡¯s long fangs. He scrambled for it, dropping the tree in his hands and grabbing the fang like a dagger in his working right hand. The monster had barely recovered as Drake moved to pounce on the creature, barreling down on the golden beast with its own fang. Again and again. [You have subjugated Sun Touched Lion Level 34 [E-Rank] [Temporary Experience earned.] [Experience has been stored.] [Congrattions, you have reached level 31 Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate] [50 FP has been awarded] Drake roared in triumph, heaving haggard breaths when more notifications poured in. [You have reimed a small portion of your Asuran heritage. +100 points to all stats for your temporary vessel.] [You now have ess to your Main ss Skills and Subss Branches.] [You now have ess to your temporary vessel¡¯s inventory.] [You have received Title: Tooth For A Tooth] Tooth For A Tooth
  • You have killed a Sun Touched Lion with its own fang. Unusual but effective. +5% Damage to Beasts.
Drake, distracted by his victory and the flood of system messages, couldn''t notice the snarling beast lunging for him until thest second. Another Sun Touched Lion¡¯s maw was mere inches from his face, long fangs moments from embracing his face when the monster was caught mid-air by something and then impaled on a nearby tree.. He held his breath, the image and sound of the jaws snapping shut like a steel trap closing on itself shed in Drake¡¯s mind. Realizing just how close he was to dying again. Drake¡¯s head turned to the beast on the tree, blood running down the trunk. ¡°I told you I smelled blood Gnobin,¡± a voice said. ¡°What¡¯s this? We got another deserter ying in the woods?¡± ¡°Just report the idiot and let¡¯s get going. If we¡¯re out here for too long it will be our asses.¡± Drake turned toward the voices seeing people walk out of the brush. Some dragged simr looking monsters alongside them. He was amazed to see what the people looked like. Some with blue skin, some with tanned red skin. There were beastmen who looked like Leon, however they were covered in fur from head to toe. They all wore simr ragged clothing, green vests, pieces of scratched armor covering their forearms and calves almost looking like a modern rendition of a roman soldier. ¡°Cattle¡­¡± Mir¡¯phira groaned in disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t know these races,¡± his younger self added, ¡°They are not purebloods. They are not even half bloods.¡± ¡°So what are we going to do about him? He looks half dead already,¡± one of the men said. ¡°Yeah just kill him, we get the coin for every deserter¡¯s head we get anyway.¡± ¡°How we split it?¡± ¡°Flip a coin.¡± ¡°Just don''t give Kuuwei his share, he¡¯s going to lose it at shardster anyway!¡± Laughter filled the area and Drake rose from on top of the Sun Touched Lion, the fang still in his hand, ready to fight. ¡°Oh! We got a fighter! Who¡¯s cing bets?¡± But a softer voice came from behind the men. Despite the soft tone it silenced theughing and the banter. ¡°Enough.¡± Walking through the group of men a slightly shorter man moved in front, looking back at Drake with blood red eyes, long ears, and green hair. He stopped in front of Drake, just a food between them with not a care in the world. As if he didn¡¯t see Drake as a threat. The man looked Drake up and down before speaking again. ¡°I don¡¯t know you. What is your name?¡± Drake didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Oi, Tan asked you a question.¡± A man behind Tan spoke up, pulling arge sword from his back. He still didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Take him. We won¡¯t be killing anyone today. We need all the bodies we can get¡­¡± Tan sighed. The men behind Tan all chuckled and smiled. ¡°You heard the man Goldilocks, looks like you just got re-drafted!¡± Drake braced himself to fight, putting up his guard. But he was flung forward his vision darkening. Chapter 300: Rights Giver Chapter 300: Rights Giver ¡°Uhhh¡­.¡± Drake groaned, his eyes creaking open while trying to rub his sore neck but unable, ¡°What the hell hit me¡­¡± He tried to move his hands again but quickly realized his hands were tied behind him. ¡°Finally awake?¡± Drake¡¯s vision focused and he saw the same man from before, shoulder length green hair, long elven-like ears, and blood red eyes looking back at him coldly. Looking around for his younger self and Mir¡¯phyra. Drake found slight relief when he found them at his side. Mir¡¯phyra not so much, but seeing his younger self fine helped his slight confusion. Drake put some strength against his binds, finding that whatever it was holding him down had no give. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Tan said looking down at Drake, ¡°Those are C-Rank Red Dwarf cuffs. Even if you were a full fledged Primordial you wouldn¡¯t be getting out of them.¡± I¡¯m still alive¡­ So he must want something from me. Drake thought, rxing slightly. And doesn¡¯t feel like they did anything other than knock me out. So is he going to torture me? ¡°Sorry, first time being kidnapped. Feeling a bit nervous,¡± Drake smiled. Tan was not amused and went to a table across the room. ¡°Do you know where you are?¡± he asked. Drake looked to his younger self who shook his head. Mir¡¯phyra only smiled. It looked like Drake was not going to get anything out of her. ¡°Some backwater camp by the smell of it,¡± Drake answered. ¡°What are you from? I can tell that you aren¡¯t lying¡­ That you don¡¯t know where you are, but I have not seen you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me why you haven¡¯t just killed me? Your men seemed happy enough to do it for some money.¡± ¡°Oh yes, please kill him,¡± Mir¡¯phyraughed. Tan didn¡¯t reply to Mir¡¯phyra. Confirming he couldn¡¯t see or hear her or Drake¡¯s younger self. Instead attempting to gauge Drake once more. ¡°I don¡¯t kill useful tools unless I¡¯m told to. And I have a feeling you will be worth more than a few E-Grade coins with that hair,¡± Tan exined. ¡°What about my hair?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gold.¡± ¡°And you have green hair, what¡¯s your point?¡± Tan paused, pouring himself a drink, sipped then pointed to his eyes, ¡°You wanted to say my eyes are red. Because I¡¯m half Asuran, just like you.¡± Drake had to fight against raising his eyebrow in curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m not part Asuran,¡± he replied. I¡¯m a full blooded Asuran¡­ He thought. ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie here at the Farm,¡± Tan scoffed, showing the first bit of emotion Drake had seen from the man since meeting him, ¡°Everyone here is a bastard. Just not everyone has potent enough blood to show it off. I suspect we are distant rtives, one way or another. So I decided to give you a break.¡± Drake titled his head, ¡°So this is the Night¡¯s Watch?¡± Tan furrowed his brows. ¡°Nevermind. So what do you want in return for letting me live?¡± Drake asked. ¡°The same thing I ask from all the bastards here. Train. Train until we are forced to go wherever the Old Gods tell us to go. And then die for whatever pointless or deluded idea they ask.¡± Drake turned to his younger self, remembering the lecture from the ssroom. The ¡®Old Gods¡¯ was referring to the Primordials in charge before Han Kol set them free. Just where am I? And¡­ how far back? Drake asked in his head. ¡°What if I just run again?¡± Drake asked, looking at his stats, convinced he could. [Temporary Mana Vessel] [Unnamed Asuran Soldier] [Race: Asuran] [E-Rank] [Profession: None] [Weakened Magic Tempered Asuran Initiate] [Unique] Level 31 [Vitality] 404 (+20%) [Strength] 667 (+20%) [Dexterity] 498 (+20%) [Intelligence] 719 (+20%) [Wisdom] 595 (+20%) [Endurance] 251 (+20%) [Free Points] 1,218 [Titles] Dual ss, End is Nye, Tooth for a Tooth His stats were well beyond his original at this point. The gains from his leveling as well as his base stats boosted as an Asuran from the start this time ballooned well past his stats back on Earth. He also noted the massive number of left over free points he still had to distribute. ¡°We would find you,¡± Tan said casually, ¡°There is no way off the Farm without using a teleport crystal. And all crystals are regted. As well as guarded by B-Rank Primordials who,¡± he smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s say, don¡¯t like or respect us very much.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Everybody we have is important. We do not know when we will be shipped off or how difficult the assignments will be. So killing you, someone with the blood of one of the best fighting races in the universe is moronic at best.¡± Drake gave a dubious look, ¡°So you want me to what, be your little pet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tan sighed, walking over and unlocking Drake¡¯s cuffs, ¡°I want you to be another brother in arms.¡± ¡°Brother in arms,¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed, ¡°These cattle are nothing more than rats at the bottom of a sewage drain. Scurrying around huddled together for whatever scraps they can get. He will stab you in the back the moment you find something useful. I¡¯ve seen it first hand.¡± He¡¯s already let me live when he could have gotten something. He doesn¡¯t seem the type¡­ Drake thought. ¡°How can I believe you?¡± he asked, sparing a nce to Mir¡¯phyra. Tan didn¡¯t answer, instead moving to the room¡¯s door. Pushing it open and signaling for Drake to follow. Drake followed along, hoping he would get more answers and more importantly move the quest along to leave this ce. Blinded slightly by the sunlight, he shielded his eyes for a moment, then focused on the surroundingsing into focus. The sound of heartyughter, screaming, shing of weapons, striking of hammers on metal, thunderous booms and explosions in the distance filled his ears. Drake took a moment, looking back at the building they had juste from confused. ¡°There is no way I didn''t hear all of this inside.¡± ¡°The building is protected by a C-Rank sound barrier,¡± Tan exined. ¡°You have some nice toys,¡± Drake said, impressed. ¡°I would rather not use it but everyone has a secret or two.¡± ¡°Or three¡­¡± Drake muttered. They both began moving down a dirt street, everyone nodding and some even bowing to Tan as they went, offering greetings and salutes. ¡°You''re the big fish here, huh?¡± Drake thought. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. I¡¯m just one of the longersting squad leaders here.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Walking Tan continued to exin, ¡°I told you we didn¡¯t know what we would be sent off to do. And that is the truth. We are sent in blind to whatever, battlefield, or whatever else the Old Gods desire. Most of it is just throwing bodies at a problem. And that problem is always something we aren¡¯t prepared to handle. Larger numbers, stronger forces, better equipped fighters, diseaseds. There was even a where the local fauna could control the minds of people,¡± he sighed, ¡°However that one was an exception, it wasn''t the fauna that was the problem.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t?¡± Drake asked casually, pretending to sound only slightly interested. ¡°No, the problem was us.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°The madness within all of us,¡± his younger self said behind him. ¡°You¡¯re partially Asuran. You must have been told, or felt it?¡± Tan asked. ¡°The¡­¡± Drake looked at his younger self and parroted, ¡°The madness?¡± ¡°That''s one word for it. The Asuran race¡­ We are strong. Undeniably so. We adapt to fighting like breathing. In all of us is the blood of warriors. We learn beyond what is exinable by skills and stats quantified by the system. And for that it hates us. Even our ancestors seemed to hate us.¡± Drake racked his memory for a moment, remembering the lecture from the school. ¡°The first king¡¯s agreement?¡± he ventured. Drake saw Tan¡¯s face turn dark for a split second, the ground beneath him cracking underfoot and the air vibrating for a moment. Then in the blink of an eye he was back to normal. ¡°Yes. But it was more like a death sentence. He condemned himself and every Asuran after him to a life in chains and servitude. Never allowed to reach their full potential and have true freedom.¡± Tan shook his head, ¡°Never say that outside of this conversation.¡± Drake gave him a questioning look. ¡°If one of our handlers heard you say what I just did. They would have you killed on the spot. And they would make me do it,¡± Tan began walking again, ¡°This area is for the oldest standing members of the farm. We aren¡¯t given much but having buildings to sleep in instead of tents, is better than nothing. Up ahead are the workshops, you didn¡¯t have a weapon on you so let¡¯s get you something. And here.¡± Tan tossed a small ss stone to Drake. [Skill Stone: Iron Hide] [Rare]
  • Unlocks a random skill from the Iron Hide Tree.
  • Requirement: Open Skill Slot.
Drake smirked, holding it up to the sunlight so Mir¡¯phyra could see. ¡°Surprised you didn¡¯t keep this for yourself.¡± Tan held up a small stone over his shoulder, ¡°Oh I kept the core, think of it as a¡­ save your ass fee. And we¡¯re going to have to use something to pay the dwarves. Little drunkards will bleed you dry if they can.¡± Drake remained a few steps behind Tan, rolling the skill stone in his hands as he began going over his status, inventory and skills. First his inventory contained the set rewards from the previous quest chain. [Traditional Asuran Garb]
  • Clean shirt and pants made from soft woven thread of the Sparrow Moth.
[Asuran Recruit¡¯s Ringlet [Umon] [F-Grade] [?]
  • Basic equipment given to fresh Asuran soldiers for minimal protection.
  • 20 Physical Damage Reduction
  • 54 Magic Damage Reduction
  • +1% to Critical Damage and Critical Hit Chance.
  • +2% to Defense Efficiency
  • Set Effects: Increases inbat regeneration by 10%, increases defense efficiency by 10%, increases abnormal status resistance by 10%
  • Requires four pieces of set to activate set effects.
Drake went over the other pieces of the set one by one, each one giving very minimal bonuses to his stats. So much so they might as well have not been there. However beggars could not be choosers and something was better than nothing. Thest piece he looked at was the weapon it provided. [Asuran Recruit¡¯s Ki de] [Umon] [F-Grade]
  • A de specially made to channel inner Ki
  • 372 to 390 Physical Damage
  • 104 to 115 Magic Damage
  • 306 to 388 Ki Damage
  • +5% to Ki Based Damage
  • +2% to inbat regeneration
He willed the equipment to the slots on the model in his inventory. Comfortable but also fitted well. Drake looked at himself for the first time, seeing the tan cloth on his person, a two piece robe with a sash to tie around his waist. A golden lock of hair falling in front of his hair giving him pause. ¡°Oh, I really do have golden hair¡­ so this is why they called me goldilocks. I thought they were just being insulting.¡± ¡°So you did have something hidden away,¡± Tan said, spotting the change of clothes, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone wear traditional robes in years. Where did you get them?¡± ¡°The same ce I got this sword. Out of my inventory.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pry, it just isn¡¯t every day you see these old relics,¡± he said pointedly, ¡°Are you a noble?¡± ¡°This man is sharper than I gave him credit,¡± Mir¡¯phyra mused, ¡°I can see how he hassted so long, sadly that is why he will never be free.¡± ¡°Impressed?¡± Drake said absentmindedly. ¡°Impressed? With your equipment? I suppose,¡± Tan answered. Drake gave Mir¡¯phyra a t look as she snickered back at him. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this tour over with so you can get to the point.¡± ¡°The point? I believe I have already told you the point.¡± Drake scoffed, ¡°Yeah you want me to fight alongside you sure, but I mean the point of telling me and giving me the personal rundown. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t do this for everyone, being so important and all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t,¡± Tan answered calmly, ¡°But you aren¡¯t like everyone else. You can exhibit your Primordial blood. That means you will be a toy to the handlers and a threat to my people. Just like I am.¡± Now Drake was both surprised and confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°The closer we are to being a full-fledged Primordial, the more they hate us. The handlers don¡¯t want to see us as equals, so they muddy our blood, force us to lessen our strength generation after generation. And if they somehow find one of us. They will make you wish you were never born. So I need you to be strong. Stronger than the others, because whatever group you are sent to will be in more danger than you can imagine simply because you exist.¡± Drake was taken aback as Tan continued. ¡°And because of the blood running through our veins we can¡¯t back down from a fight. It is a double edged sword. It makes us strong but stupid. If only we had the mixture we would be unstoppable,¡± Tan smiled derisively, ¡°But an Asuran never forgets their pride. We are a race of warriors and even if the Old Gods force us to our knees in our own blood, we will still crawl with our heads held high until the end.¡± A quiet moment found them in the ttering of noise around them. Drake seeing Tan as something else other than the meek looking half elf Asuran he was and instead as someone he could follow. He quickly shook his head. This is a dream or a vision of the past. This guy isn¡¯t real and he isn¡¯t alive. I¡¯m justpleting a quest to get back home. Drake thought, trying to convince himself. ¡°The boy has some spirit,¡± Mir¡¯phyra sighed, ¡°Unfortunately he is wrong. The Primordials that act as handlers do y games and look down on the cattle, yes. However we did so because it helped us remember they are below us. It is tradition.¡± ¡°Come, we will meet a cksmith I¡¯m friends with before I send you to basic training.¡± Tan seemed done with his exnation and moved forward through the camp. Drake allowed him to get a little distance ahead of him before he spoke with Mir¡¯phyra. ¡°What do you mean we? Are you saying you were also a part of this? And I thought I couldn¡¯t hate you any more than I did,¡± Drake scowled. Mir¡¯phyra shrugged, ¡°This was several hundred years ago. A blink of the eye for a Primordial S-Rank such as myself.¡± ¡°And why all the sudden, are you in such a sharing mood?¡± ¡°Since I figured out what Han is doing here. And what I need to do to relieve myself of this ce.¡± Mir¡¯phyra smiled at Drake. ¡°Gross,¡± Drake gagged. ¡°I do not understand what one of the Liberators is doing here,¡± his younger self spoke up, ¡°But this man, Tan, is not wrong about the Asuran. We value our teachings deeply, so much so that we can be crippled from them. Even I¡­ if we did not already have the Serenity Mixture would have sumbed to the blood lust.¡± Drake had almost forgotten the boy was there. He guessed his younger self was taking in every just as he was, stifled by the whole thing. ¡°This blood lust. What does it feel like,¡± Drake asked. ¡°It is different for every Asuran. Those of weak heritage will not feel its effects until they pass E-Rank. But full blooded Asurans and those of royal heritage¡­¡± he looked up at Drake, ¡°You will hear the Kings and Queens of the past speaking to you. Driving you to fight stronger and stronger opponents until it makes you go insane. I have never seen its full effects in my life, but that is because my Father found the key ingredient long ago. And we have never had to go through that again since.¡± Drake tried his best to not show it on his face, but he was startled to hear what his younger self had said. It was yet another point in the camp of him truly being a full blooded Asuran. And he was frightened. Everything he had experienced on Earth would then be a lie. His life, his memories, his hardships. Who was he truly if he was living as someone else this entire time. Caught in his mental turmoil he only noticed the end of a conversation Tan was having with someone else. ¡°...Are you sure?¡± Tan asked, his face a sad grimace. ¡°Yes, she won¡¯t make it through the night. Ishta asked for you to do it.¡± Tan took a moment then nodded, turning to Drake. ¡°Change of ns, we are going to the training grounds.¡± Drake didn¡¯t argue, still caught up in his own thoughts and followed. A few minutester they were in arge dirt circle with a woman holding two swords at the ready. But there was something off about her. He looked closer, seeing that she was foaming at the mouth, veins bulging from her skin and held a white grip around her weapons. ¡°H-Hello, Tan,¡± the woman said. ¡°Ishta,¡± Tan replied, motioning for Drake to wait at the end of the circle. ¡°I-I never thought¡­ I-It would be here, but here we are!¡± sheughed, spreading her arms wide, tears beginning to run down her face, ¡°I wanted to at least die on the field of battle, with myrades by my side, but fate is cruel.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Tan agreed, readying no weapons. Instead Drake could feel the aura around him bing more dense, Tan¡¯s arms lighting up with golden light as it enveloped them. Tan spoke with no inflection, but Drake could feel the sorrow in them. ¡°I, Tan Belvath Sol, give you Ishta Fol Rokst rights, and sentence you to death.¡± Ishta readied her weapons and a skill, smiling with tears, ¡°Thank you. Take care of the rest.¡± In the next moment Drake couldn¡¯t follow Tan with his eyes. One moment he was in front of him, the next his first was bloodied and through Ishta¡¯s chest. ¡°What was that..? Why did he kill her?! Couldn¡¯t she have gotten help from a healer or taken a pill or gotten an item?!¡± Drake asked, confused. ¡°Shut up goldilocks,¡± someone said, ¡°I envy you if this is the first time your seein¡¯ this. Muste from a real peaceful ce¡­ but there ain¡¯t nothing helping that madness. Not when the drugs the Old Gods give us. Better a quick death against a stronger opponent and someone you respect, than fallin¡¯ to madness. It¡¯s why Tan always does it. It¡¯s why he¡¯s the Rights Giver.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 301: Let’s Take a Stroll Chapter 301: Let¡¯s Take a Stroll ¡°Madness? What madness?!¡± Drake spat. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Tan said, walking back from the fight, ¡°You haven¡¯t been here long. Do not pretend to understand how serious givingst rites to our sisters and brothers when they are on the precipice of losing their mind and free will is.¡± ¡°Pretty words for such brutal actions. Where Ie from, we don¡¯t kill our allies.¡± Tan red back at Drake, ¡°What about diseased animals?¡± he walked closer, ¡°Because that is all we are to them. She dies giving her strength so that I may carry on our future as a race. I do it because it is the only way I can honor her. Because it is the only way they permit me to.¡± He motioned for the crowd to disperse and looked back at Drake before going back in the direction they originally were headed. Drake looked over his shoulder, seeing the woman, a sense of deep regret and anger beginning to well up inside him. A growing feeling that he knew all of this and that what Tan had done was more than just a mercy. It was an honor. Ishta¡¯s body was being surrounded by people. They gingerly lifted her up and carried her off. ¡°Where are they going to take her now?¡± he asked. ¡°Her body will be cremated. We are not allowed to bury our dead¡­ The Old Gods do not wish for us to have that right. Her belongings and skill stone will be given to her next of kin if she has any,¡± Tan exined, ¡°That is as long as she did not have or manifest an Asuran stone. Yet again another piece of us we are not permitted to have.¡± Drake felt utter disgust for a moment. As if he himself had been wronged. Not permitted..? He thought. Just how much is prohibited from these people? Drake wasn¡¯t sure if he felt sympathetic, or angry, or remorseful, or just in confused. Tan broke Drake from his thoughts, ¡°We¡¯re going back to the smiths. You might not need a weapon now, but having a rtionship with the descendants of Obsidian Dwarves is never a bad thing.¡± Drake followed without protest, but suddenly remembered he had to fill out his skills again. And the first time was such a wonderful experience¡­ ¡°Is there a way for me to get some skill stones around here?¡± he asked. ¡°You can trade for them if anyone is willing. We don¡¯t have a System Center here. We aren¡¯t allowed. So your best option is to go back into the jungle and hunt for them. But do not expect me toe find you if you get lost.¡± Drake nodded, following along with another suspicion tickling the back of his mind. That guy called Tan, the Rites Giver. I¡¯ve heard that title before. Earlier in the quest. But that was given to Han. he thought, looking at Tan¡¯s green hair and long ears. And this clearly isn¡¯t him. He looked to his side, his younger self looking a bit depressed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Drake asked in a whisper. His younger self looked up with a troubled expression. ¡°I had heard of what happened in the old times before my Father released us from the Old Gods. I have heard of this giving ofst rites. But¡­ I did not think it so viscous. And¡­ well, so heartbreaking.¡± ¡°You are all savages after all¡­¡± Mir¡¯phyra scoffed behind them. Drake leered back at her. ¡°Taking a life is always heartbreaking. Even when it can be justified it should always be a hard decision,¡± he looked at Tan¡¯s back knowing this was not the first time he had done this and it seemed it would not be thest, ¡°But some of us be numb to it. We live in that type of world now.¡± Drake heard pping behind him. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Mir¡¯phyraughed indignantly, ¡°Another wonderful gem of spoken word from a savage. It brings back memories of Han when I first met him. He used to go on and on about family and how his race must be stronger to protect them. But always remember how difficult the journey to such a time would be on all of them. It was so very amusing, for a time¡­¡± ¡°If that is how you felt about someone you loved, I¡¯d hate to see what you do to people you despise,¡± Drake whispered, getting a small chuckle out of his younger self. ¡°My Father used to say all Asurans were family. He recited it to us every day at least once. I can not see it being true after witnessing what happened. I could not find in myself to treat anyone that way if they were family¡­¡± his younger self thought aloud. ¡°I couldn¡¯t either,¡± Drake agreed, ¡°Maybe we are a little more alike than I thought, huh?¡± The sound of hammers smashing steel, and the roaring of bellows, with heartyughter to pair with it became loud enough that Drake couldn¡¯t ignore it. His attention was brought to the workshops that started to line the dirt roads of the area. ¡°Aye if it ain''t pretty boy! You bring another pretty one to us?¡± a voice called from a kiln. ¡°This one¡¯s a looker fes! And if I ain¡¯t lost my eyes, he¡¯s got bloody gold hair!¡± Whistling and cat calls followed as Tan ignored them going to a hobbled building further down the dirt road. ¡°I¡¯m more than a piece of meat,¡± Drake scoffed, raising a chin, ¡°You will never get this!¡± he yelled back at them. ¡°Oi! We got a feisty one! Meet us at the tavern boy, first round¡¯s on us!¡± ¡°Oh they aren¡¯t so bad,¡± Drakeughed. ¡°Don¡¯t let them fool you. They will keep you at the tavern until your ancestors'' pockets are dry and then some. They are good people but they like to drink far too much. But the more potent blooded have a different vice.¡± Tan exined as they walked only to end it at the sound of something exploding in the building they were walking to. A pir of smoke suddenly rose from the cracked doorway. Coughing, someone with ck skin and half their size bursted from the doorway. ¡°Son of Thm¡¯rea! sted little toy almost took my beautiful face off!¡± the man grouched. ¡°Watch your words Rodrick. Using that name as a curse will get your whole race executed,¡± Tan sighed, as if this was a regr urrence. ¡°They couldn¡¯t kill my charcoal arse even if they wanted tod. They need my little buggers to win them their wars!¡± Rodrick guffawed, dusting off his clothes and beard. ¡°Disgusting animal¡­¡± Mir¡¯phyra growled, ¡°If I had known they were so foul mouthed I would have killed them all earlier¡­ To take my grandfather¡¯s name in vain¡­ They are courting a fate worse than death.¡± Drake raised a brow at her reprimanding, but remained silent. ¡°All it will take is another younger and less temperamental dwarf having potent blood to rece you. We both know they don¡¯t care about how useful you are or have been.¡± ¡°Aye you might be right, but they can shove it up their arse. Especially that frilly little Elf. First Tree my less lovely backside. More like First Twig, I could snap the man with a wink of an eye.¡± Tan put a hand to his forehead and sighed. ¡°I am not here to debate your loathing for the Old Gods.¡± ¡°Then what are ya here for? Finally ready to have a real drink? Put some hair on your smooth chest? We both know you need it Tan,¡± Rodrick bellowed. ¡°No. This man will need weapons and armor in the future. I thought it best to bring him to you before that.¡± Drake gave a quick wave, but Rodrick ignored the greeting, his eyes drawn more to the sword at his hip. ¡°You give me that de you got there and I¡¯ll make you whatever you want.¡± ¡°This thing?¡± Drake said curiously. ¡°Ki weapons are a dime a dozen round here,¡± Rodrick said, rubbing his beard, ¡°But that thing is a relic. Don¡¯t see many pieces like them anymore. Damned handlers keep killing all the Asurans from old families so they just get lost and melted down.¡± Drake hadn¡¯t had the weapon for more than a few hours, but somehow felt sentimental. ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± Rodrick shrugged, ¡°Nothing. Call it a quirkd.¡± ¡°More like a fetish,¡± Tan scoffed. ¡°Quirk or hobby, don¡¯t really care which. I like old and special things, helps me with my crafting process when I tinker. So, what ya say?¡± Drake thought for a moment. He didn¡¯t really have the weapon, it was made as something for the quest. And honestly he couldn¡¯t use Ki so it was useless to him. ¡°Can you make Tattoo Rings?¡± ¡°Nope. Need a special ss to make those, no Inkers about these parts. I have the material that¡¯s for damn sure, but the skill. Hate to say it is niche, you might find someone on a trade hub but ain¡¯t going to find it here.¡± ¡°What about gauntlets?¡± Drake asked instead. ¡°Those I can do. You want the ones that are physical,¡± Rodrick smiled, giving a nce to Tan, ¡°You are Asuran, right, pretty boy?¡± Drake felt slightly confused. Did this dwarf have a special skill that let him see Drake¡¯s ss? Or did many part Asurans have magic? ¡°No, no magic. But something that deals magic would be cool.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do that neither. Handlers will just take it. They don¡¯t want anything too good being used by cattle.¡± Drake grumbled slightly but nodded. ¡°We have a bargain then?¡± Rodrick smiled, his white teeth distinctly showing in contrast to his midnight raven skin and hair. Drake couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and stuck out a hand to shake on it. ¡°Yeah deal.¡± Rodrick took his hand shaking it once, ¡°Good,e back in an hour or so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take my measurements or something? Maybe want a downpayment?¡± Rodrick scoffed, ¡°Where are you gonna god? Only one way off this god forsaken rock and they don¡¯t take lightly to runaways.¡± ¡°Then we have reached an ord?¡± Tan asked more rhetorically than anything. ¡°Aye, blondie here will have the best he can wear without drawing eyes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being objectified like this¡­ But yeah, we¡¯re good. What¡¯s next on the docket el capitan?¡± Drake asked sarcastically. ¡°Time to meet your squad. I am going to ce you in my own for now,¡± Tan said. However Drake heard him loud in clear, ¡®You will be in my squad so I can keep a close eye on you.¡¯ ¡°Lead the way.¡± Drake followed Tan through the smithing area with many versions of dwarves he had never seen. Some even looked like Kobolds or Goblins. There were some blue skinned ones as well, a few with helmets filled with water to cover what looked like gills. ¡°Diverse bunch of people on this¡­¡± Drake muttered. ¡°Every race in the multiverse is under the thumb of the Old Gods. There are no exceptions to anyone outside their inner circle. Even the people in a backwater camp know that. You talk almost as if you are new to the system and the way of things. Are you from a newly introduced?¡± Tan asked. Drake coughed, ¡°No. I¡¯ve just never seen so many different races. Thinking out loud and all.¡± They began to pass thest of the smiths, the sounds of hammering metal and crackling fires fading into the distance. They were instead reced by the smell of something awful and even more poorly maintained roads. He was almost in disbelief of the surroundings. He had never seen such neglectedly maintained public spaces outside fantasy novels depicting just what he was seeing. Almost dystopian surroundings. Torn and tattered huts with small fires used for more the burning of trash and waste than keeping warm. Filled the area with a stench Drake would not quickly forget. ¡°Disgusting, is it not?¡± Tan said. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s not pleasant¡­¡± Drake responded. ¡°Those of us that are only used for fighting are given worse than nothing.¡± ¡°You have your own building though?¡± ¡°Special circumstance. I have tried to return the privilege but let us say that I was threatened to keep it,¡± Tan said, his tone showing just how distasteful it was for him, ¡°My brothers and sisters here. I wish to do more for them. I consider them all family.¡± Soon they found a set of huts, several people rxing and talking around a bigger fire than most of the surrounding huts Drake had seen on the way there. He also saw some of the people Tan had with him when he was knocked out. A beastman covered in fur. But there were also people and races he didn¡¯t recognise as well. ¡°Oh. Boss is here,¡± someone said sarcastically, ¡°Everyone at attention, don¡¯t want to be sent off on a suicide mission alone do ya?!¡± ¡°Every mission we get is supposed to be ourst isn¡¯t it?!¡± someoneughed loudly, raising a dirty mug. ¡°Not with Tan at the lead right mutts?!¡± someone roared, a cheer following the deration. ¡°Enough,¡± Tan said evenly and began pointing at the group members, ¡°This is your new squad. You probably remember Gnobin, he found you.¡± The beastman raised a wed hand. ¡°That¡¯s Kuuwei, he knocked you out.¡± A blue skinned man with a third eye gave Drake a grin. ¡°No hard feelings there, Goldilocks, just following orders!¡± Tan ignored him and pointed to the rest in order. ¡°Dolf, he is part Asuran, mostly Orc blood. Silvester, Silverwolf and Rock Troll. Vale, she has Phenix blood in her. Take note of her, she is our only healer. Norris, not sure what he is, but keep an eye on him, he will pick your pockets.¡± ¡°Only did it once Tan! Let it go will ya?¡± ¡°Last is Ganeer, part Stardust Golem and he is the longest surviving member of our squad after me.¡± Drake¡¯s jaw hung open as he saw the thing get up. A marbled man three times his height, rose to its feet, small yellow lines running through its grayish skin like lightning. The man moved and hovered over both Tan and Drake, stone faced. ¡°What¡¯s your name then?¡± Ganeer asked in a voice so deep Drake actually looked down to see the dirt rumble. ¡°Drake. Drake Wallen.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 302: Interrupted Chapter 302: Interrupted Ganeer smiled revealing shimmering yellow teeth, ¡°Nice to meet ya Goldilocks. You¡¯re bunking with Norris. Don¡¯t let him steal ya shit. Cause he will, then I¡¯ll have to beat his ass to get it back. But I don¡¯t like beating the snot out of little brats like Norris. And I like snitches that rat on our people even less.¡± Drake smiled wryly, nodding back. A very heavy handnded on his shoulder, ¡°Good! You¡¯ll fit right in with us bastards!¡± Ganeer bellowed with augh. ¡°He won¡¯t be doing nothing if he¡¯s as weak as he looks,¡± scoffed Kuuwei. ¡°Now, now,¡± an angelic voice cooed from behind Kuuwei, ¡°Tan is bringing him to us. There must be something more to this¡­dashing young man¡­¡± Drake felt a familiar chill run down his spine. As if he was being sized up as a delicious meal. ¡°Enough spection. Rest up for the night, we are going out again tomorrow. We need to gather stones and cores. Whenever they call us off this rock we do not wish to be in short supply,¡± Tan instructed. ¡°They¡¯re just goin to steal them right off us though. What¡¯s the point?¡± Norris griped. ¡°That is not the point. You want to live? You can not keep relying on me to pull your ass from the fire. Train. That is how we all get off of here and earn our right.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Drake asked. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this kid?¡± Gnobinughed, showing a few canines. ¡°We do not pry. You know that better than anyone Gnobin. That is unless you want to share now?¡± Tan snapped. Gnobin waved a furred hand dismissively. ¡°A Right is our right to live. Everyone here is fighting for themselves or family offworld. When we are of age we are given a ss and sent here. If we live long enough or gain enough des we are allowed to go back. We are still not free, but we are allowed to at least be with family,¡± Tan exined. ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­¡± Drake grimaced, his eyes going to Mir¡¯phyra. ¡°Don¡¯t know what your blubberin about Tan. My family¡¯s right here! Ain¡¯t that right boys!¡± Ganeer chuckled, spreading his arms wide. The group cheered in agreement. ¡°That is all the questions I am going to answer for today. Rest up,¡± Tan turned to Drake, ¡°That means you too. Get your weapon from Rodrick then find a ce to sleep, even if you do not think you need to. Get some while you can¡­¡± Tan walked off leaving Drake with the rest of the group. He smiled awkwardly, ¡°So¡­what kind of monsters are around here?¡± ¡°What you worried about monsters for? Didn¡¯t we just haul your scrawny ass from the jungle?¡± Norris smirked. A greenish hand smacked Norris from behind the head. ¡°Keep your mouth shut Norris and answer the kid.¡± The one that was reprimanding Norris was Dolf if Drake remembered correctly. Norris rubbed the back of his head, ¡°Do you want me to talk or shut up? Which one is it you confusing prick?¡± Dolf smacked him again, ¡°It¡¯s shut the hell up.¡± ¡°Now let¡¯s not fight boys.¡± The soothing voice Drake heard earlier spoke up again. It sounded smooth andforting, like a hearth fire on a cold night. The woman¡¯s name was Vale from Tan¡¯s introduction. Striking red and gold feathers covered her body, reminding Drake a bit of Quetz with a different color scheme. However, Vale was far more striking. Her feathers radiated not only with power, but a subtle heat that Drake could tell was being suppressed. She looked at Drake with vibrant verdant eyes, ¡°Not the most diverse bunch around here. Mostly Moon and Sun Touched Lions. If you¡¯re looking for skill stones you won¡¯t get many here.¡± Drake was disappointed to hear that, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. He needed whatever he could get for now. Filling out his skill slots was his priority and his fastest way to progress in the Legacy Chamber. ¡°Thanks for the info.¡± Vale gave him a blinding smile, ¡°Anytime goldilocks¡­¡± ¡°Stay away from Vale kid,¡± Ganeer warned, bending down to speak into Drake¡¯s ear, ¡°Phoenixes might be nice to look at, but they¡¯re still a top of the food chain predator. And there aren¡¯t any male Phoenixes for a reason.¡± Drake felt another shiver down his spine, ¡°Thanks¡­¡± I feel like I can¡¯t escape this nagging feeling that I¡¯m a tall drink of water sometimes¡­ He thought sarcastically. He quickly shook his head, ¡°This was nice and all, but I¡¯m going to go. Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± Kuuwei touched his nose, ¡°Don¡¯t worry there, goldilocks. If we need to find ya we will.¡± Drake didn¡¯t wait any longer and began doubling back to the smithing area, feeling both out of ce and a slight culture shock from the fight before. ¡°I knew it was different, but for some reason this feels worse than the tutorial. Why are they being treated like this? What exactly did they do?¡± Mir¡¯phyra looked uninterested, but saw Drake¡¯s gaze burrowing into her. ¡°Do not look at me. They were long like this before I came along. The first King of the Asurans did this to them, not I. You would have to ask my grandfather on something that old. Not that you could. He would char you to a crisp before you had the chance.¡± ¡°The first King again¡­?¡± Drake sighed, ¡°No use in dwelling on it right now. I have to gather resources before the quest changes again or something else.¡± Drake was interested in hearing about another dragon. He didn¡¯t think someone as old as Mir¡¯phyra would have any living rtives. But he remembered how long Natto had mentioned he would be able to live now thanks to the system and ranking up. However his mind still wondered. If Mir¡¯phyra is the matriarch now. That means she is stronger than her grandfather right? So why does she sound so respectful of him? I¡¯ve never heard her give a hint of respect to anyone by Han. Drake groaned and raised his arms to stretch, ¡°Ahhhhh, nothing doing! Time to go bother that dwarf.¡± He looked down to his younger self. It might have been him, but the distance he felt with the child made him another person. His younger self lived an entirely different life than his own. Drake shook his head, trying to shake the thought creeping into his mind that his whole life was a mere fabrication of someone. He thought back to that scene of the woman supposedly his mother and the High Lich, Vandaleu. There was only one way out and to the truth. He had to finish this quest quickly and talk to Han Kol Asura himself. He suddenly felt overwhelmed with a feeling of impatience, his feet picking up speed. ¡°In a rush now are we?¡± Mir¡¯phyra snickered. ¡°Can it lizard.¡± Drake moved quickly backtracking to the smith area where they had met up with Rodrick. His hand went for the door, ready to knock. When abruptly the door swung open, the short dwarf diving out of the small hut. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand that you damned idiot! Get down!¡± Drake¡¯s eyes grew wide seeing Rodrick fly out of the door, a small glow of orange behind him deep within the billowing smoke. His instincts took over immediately and he pulled the dwarf towards him as he shot backwards. The next moment a thunderous boom followed by splintering wood flying in all directions rang through his ears. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± Drake coughed, slowly getting up from the muddy ground. Rodrick gave a deepugh, pping himself on the leg, ¡°Damn thing blew up again! Oh boy! Back already? Thought I told ya it would be an hour?¡± ¡°I got impatient, I want to get started on some things. So? Are my gauntlets ready?¡± Rodrick waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I was done with ya wee knuckles a few minutes after you and Mr. Pretty left.¡± Drake¡¯s expression turned confused, ¡°Why did you say an hour then?¡± Rodrick smiled, ¡°I couldn¡¯t work uninterrupted if I had you sted Asuran muts askin¡¯ me for things every other minute now could I?¡± ¡°I never said I was Asuran¡­¡± Rodrick pointed to his head, ¡°The gold hair¡¯s a dead give awayd. Might want to fix that if you don¡¯t want an early grave. But I¡¯m sure Tan told ya that much. Either way here¡¯s your stuff, now where¡¯s my sword?¡± Drake pulled the weapon from his side handing it over. Rodrick fished through what Drake guessed was his inventory and a pair of gauntlets materialized in his hands. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a fair trade? These gauntlets are E-Grade.¡± Drake said, surprised by the weapons. ¡°Aye, they aren¡¯t my best but they¡¯ll do for what you can use in front of those Primordial stiffs. They won¡¯t bat an eye at them.¡± [Studded Hammer Gauntlets] [Rare] [E-Grade]
  • A pair of dwarven forged gauntlets made to increase the damage dealt by concussive force.
  • 744 to 767 Physical Damage
  • 214 to 221 Magic Damage
  • +15% to Blunt Damage
  • +5% to inbat regeneration
  • 5% Reduction to stamina used for skills.
Saying Drake was impressed with the weapons was an understatement. He was used to having nothing on his arms while fighting by now thanks to having Spirit Tattoos. But slipping on the gauntlet felt like they weren¡¯t even there. The insides of the gauntlets felt like a glove. Snug but unrestricting. They were inlined with some kind of fur that felt like silk, but were breathable enough to keep his hands from sweating. The metal used to forge the weapons was strong, each piece made so well he could flex his fingers and wrists without hindrance despite the gauntletsing up his forearms. On each knuckle was a small spiked stud bluish gray in color. And Drake could tell right away they were infused with some kind of mana. ¡°These are more than I could have asked for. And you said you did this in a couple minutes? What could you have done if you had hours?¡± Rodrick smiled, ¡°That would be something you could never affordd,¡± then his smile fell, ¡°And a day I¡¯ll never get to see. Not so long things stay the way they are.¡± Drake felt somewhat mncholy after his statement, but patted Rodrick on the shoulder, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll put them to good use.¡± ¡°See that ya do boy. Now get out of here, I¡¯ve work to do,¡± waving Drake away and going back into the still smoking remnants of his shop, ¡°Who made all this mess!? It¡¯s like a bomb went off in this godsforsaken hole!¡± Drake shook his head briefly before turning back around and making his way out of the smithing area. ¡ª-------------- It took Drake a few minutes to find the edge of the encampment but when he did, he did not find it difficult to find the wild jungle he was found in. ¡°Susmaryosep, I feel like I just walked into Tarzan or something.¡± ¡°Who is this Tarzan? Is he a mighty warrior?¡± his younger self asked. ¡°Something like that. Beefy dude, long hair, swings from trees, not the smartest tool in the box,¡± Drake responded. ¡°So he is you essentially?¡± Mir¡¯phyra snickered to herself. ¡°You know I¡¯m getting really sick of you¡­¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Before Drake and Mir¡¯phyra could argue more, his younger self interrupted. ¡°What is the purpose ofing to the jungle? Are we not already E-Rank?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°This quest is using some weird pseudo body. I don¡¯t have any of my original skills or stats. Even my ss is different,¡± he sighed, flexing his hands and rolling his shoulders, ¡°Which means I have to get used to this new ss and fill as many of my slots as I can before I get whisked away to somewhere else.¡± His younger self was more interested than Drake anticipated, his younger selve¡¯s eyes brimming with curiosity. Drake guessed he had never seen someone gather skill stones and the like for their ss before. And he had to admit, seeing it first hand was a sight to see. Mir¡¯phyra yawned, covering her mouth with one hand, the other waving an imaginary g, ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t wait to see how mediocre you perform¡­It would be awful if you were to be eaten alive by those lions from earlier, but by all means, please enter this overly dangerous forest designed by the real primordials to kill off cattle¡­¡± ¡°Smokey,¡± Drake sighed giving her a bombastic side eye, ¡°Just watch me work.¡± Sheughed, ¡°Have you forgotten I proctored your tutorial? I have already witnessed you work. I am not impressed.¡± ¡°It should be a crime to be as good looking as you are and such a bitch¡­¡± ¡°As much as it is a crime to be dull and unappealing as you are despite having a Father like Han Kol,¡± Mir¡¯phyra smiled sarcastically. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet you outside this stupid chamber,¡± Drake scowled. ¡°And I, you¡­¡± Drake began walking forward into the jungle, not willing to argue with the dragon bitch any longer. ¡°Now if I was a bloodthirsty lion animal thing, where would I be¡­?¡± ¡°Try a dark hole,¡± Mir¡¯phyra sighed. ¡°I¡¯d like to push you down a dark hole¡­¡± he sighed, picking up speed to go through the jungle, ¡°My best bet is to try and find my way back to where they found me. But first I should try and figure out my ss and how to distribute my free points, huh.¡± Drake quickly put on the breaks, smiling to himself and remembering his initial actions during the tutorial. Which felt like eons ago. ¡°But this time around I know I can inspect my ss.¡± Sealed Arbiter of Elements P1 0% [E-Rank] 0/5
  • Known as the guide, you lead the way in the practice of the critical elements of the world. Each element a road and you its destination.
  • Current ss has been sealed. Pleaseplete prerequisite tasks to unlock its full potential.
  • Task: Regain yourplete Asuran heritage.
  • Skill: Guide of Elements.
[Guide of Elements] [Weakened]
  • Gives ess to the four basic forms of natural elements. Fire, Water, Wind, Earth.
Drake would have to leave the minute details for his elements until he expected his other primary ss, but he was ted to see that he hadn¡¯t lost his magic. But there was someone who was very willing to rain on his parade. ¡°You do understand that if you are caught using magic you will be killed immediately, correct? Not that I am advising against that.¡± He looked over his shoulder to see Mir¡¯phyra smirking behind him, hovering in the air. ¡°Why¡¯s that I thought half-bloods could use magic just fine?¡± Mir¡¯phyra shrugged, ¡°Why certainly, the mixing of races will allow some to use skills they should not normally be able. But for Asurans¡­¡± she waved her finger back and forth, ¡°It is a, how do you say? A no no? While you would have to have normally, such weak Asuran blood to allow you to use magic, you are still an Asuran. It is the same reason the other races are searched for unique abnormalities as well.¡± ¡°Abnormalities? So other races have restrictions on what they can do?¡± Mir¡¯phyra¡¯s eyes moved to Drake¡¯s younger self before scoffing, ¡°That¡¯s all you will get out of me.¡± Drake grumbled, but moved on. Sealed Primordial Asuran Archon P1 0% [E-Rank] 0/5
  • Leader of the Asurans. Master of Combat. King to the ultimate warrior race. Possibility in impossibility. Blood from stone. A King knows not defeat. There is only forward, even when anchored by chains.
  • Current ss has been sealed. Pleaseplete prerequisite tasks to unlock its full potential.
  • Task: Regain yourplete Asuran heritage.
  • Skill: Asura Bloodline Martial Arts, Asuran¡¯s Battle Pride, Archon¡¯s Decree.
[Asura Bloodline Martial Arts] [Weakened]
  • Through centuries of war, the Asura have battle tested their martial arts to be the greatestbination of the universe''s most deadly fighting styles. An unarmed Asura is more deadly than any well trained army.
  • Gives ess to the Asura Bloodline Martial Arts. A deadly mixed martial arts turning any body part of an Asuran into a lethal weapon.
  • Increased knowledge of unarmed fighting.
  • +50% to all unarmedbat effectiveness.
[Asuran¡¯s Battle Pride] [Weakened]
  • An Asuran¡¯s most trusted weapon is their Pride. Assurance that they have trained beyond any superhuman means to ovee any obstacle they are faced with.
  • Increasedbat effectiveness.
  • +25% to all stats while facing more than one opponent. Max 200% (Increases with proficiency.)
[Archon¡¯s Decree] [Weakened]
  • The leader of the Asuran¡¯s must not only be strong but pull from the well of strength passed down through the era¡¯s of the War Generals before them. Your decree isw, unshakeable, and generations in the making.
  • Tap into the knowledge and power of previous generations of Asuran War Generals.
  • Infuse your body with the skills and strength of past War Generals doubling your stats and bonuses for a set period of time.
  • Skill Duration: 1 Minute.
  • Cooldown: 1 Year.
Drake pursed his lips. ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± He looked at the skills again. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­..¡± Drake¡¯s head slightly tilted in confusion and some astonishment, his overdone expression bewildering his younger self. ¡°Is there something wrong with your head?¡± Drake shook his head, ¡°No there might be something wrong with my eyes though. I mean seriously, these are supposed to be weakened?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how thesepared to other Primordial races¡¯ skills but even to his juiced up skills after turning into an Asuran. These were powerful. Even as weakened versions of themselves. ¡°I can only imagine what the pure skills are like and I haven¡¯t even looked at the extended magic spells.¡± His younger self spoke up, ¡°I do not know the extent of our magic capabilities, but it is my understand that my Father could control his magic quite well from an early age. Even without the use of a skill aiding him,¡± he looked around, ¡°But it is perhaps prudent to use yours with discretion here. At least until you have gained more skills.¡± Drake was surprised even more now. His younger self was theplete opposite of him now. He was showing foresight, calm thinking and assessment of the situation. Something Drake struggled with, even now. I guess he was trained better than I was¡­ Drake sighed inwardly. I wonder what happened? Drake was not entirely convinced. But every passing day it was bing harder and harder to deny that this might have truly been his life. It doesn¡¯t matter at the end though. Right now. He thought. I have to get this done no matter what so I can get back to them as fast as possible. His hand gripped on the leather insole of his new gauntlet. ¡°No magic for now then. But it¡¯s high time I found some monsters to beat the shit out of.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!