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Chapter 113: Curiosity killed the cat.
🕑 Added 2023-03-18 21:35:49 +0000 UTC“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! 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 spectacular!” 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 place 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 glare 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,” Drake laughed, “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 was melancholy, “Maybe it’s just in me. I think we need to talk anyway. Don’t think I didn’t notice you’ve been avoiding explaining 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 times sake,” Drake said reluctantly, but grinned back nonetheless.
“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 like last 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 particular.
The construct materialized next to him in a wisp of inky black 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,” Theodore said, putting a pice of boar to his mouth.
“That’s fair. But maybe adding some flair 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’s coming 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 interupted 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 up 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 placed 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 explain it is another body, I came to a mountain. Tallest thing I’ve ever seen. 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 glaring 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 moment later.
“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 flatly.
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 it are his psyche changing. They will get stronger the closer he gets to reaching level 30 and finishing his Rank Up Quest,” Natto explained, 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. 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 planet will regret it,” Natto said growling the last 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 vye 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, becoming 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 contemplation.
“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 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.”
Comments
James Faulkner
Just came back here to note; love the integrated lore drop about there being a “first” system and the basis of a multiversal conflict. Leaves a massive amount of room for expansion which is something I love about stories like DoTF. (Also why I’m still reading it 1000+ chapters in)
James Faulkner
Goddamn. Guess it’s time to level that tyrant title
Sometimes you best friend turns out to be a world ending titan...
