Chapter 180: 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 clarity.
"A noble phantasm," Drake answered flatly.
"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 plainly… People will grow more hungry as we dally. After the last rant, you two went on about how strong Magical Girls really are in comparison 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 flash 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 accompaning 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 uncomfortable 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 solace you find in knowing that he will never again do such an atrocity again. You are welcome," Drake said solemnly, placing 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 flash 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 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 how large this place 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 placed his hand forward, feeling a glass-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 flared with mana, his last Tattoo Ring crackling with power, as it shimmered in Blue, then coated itself in a fiery red followed by another layer 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 places 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 welcomed 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. The computer 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, and come out on top!"
"Drake…" Natto said in a hushed tone.
"I'm alright…" Drake whispered, coming down from his rant, "I just… I just needed to be weak for a moment one last 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."
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