บท 54: Chapter 53: The Problem
Drake stood with his arms crossed as habit the side of his mouth, replying reluctantly, "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 safety comes first to me, so I will not advise you to help them," she stated flatly.
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 recover later 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 hours come back and lead me to them."
Theodore immediately accepted, "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 finished come 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 or lawyer…"
Drake rolled his eyes and hobbled to the Mine Entrance with careful measured steps, his body still somewhat stiff.
-----------------------------
A few arduous minutes of walking later Drake had made it to the entrance of the Mines. Its large, daunting opening able to accommodate 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 by coming here.
He needed to pick up his Mining Profession for one, and also it was just plain 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 total combat 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 spell combinations! 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 played 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 to combine the spells at their base, and not form one around the other.
Sadly the spells sputtered out and flashed out of existence in an oil fire like burst of flames.
"At least Chef would be proud of how I can flambé anything haha…" Drake said sarcastically.
He tried several more times as he walked with different combinations. 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 too large 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.
Placing 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 aflame 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 steady comfort 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 for combination 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 to combine 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 the larger 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 blade, "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...!!!!!!!"
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