Arthur_Inverse
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Chapter 123: Finding the Thing, I mean Crafter I've been looking for.
🕑 Added 2023-04-01 00:56:29 +0000 UTCThe 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 particularly hungry, but because there were two certain bottomless pits, comparable 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 the eager to resume venting their frustrations on Drake. Not to mention they enjoyed having the old-world challenge of fighting like regular 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 relative 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 available.
Drake was also somehow able to convince some bystanders to let him use his ocular 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 sorely lacking due to time and inability to utilize.
This again continued until dinner. Where he was interrupted by a cranky Sherry and complaining 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 and laughed 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 penetrating gazes coming from the forests as well as Shigure’s outpost. His thoughts turned to how tonight might be more bothersome than the last, 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 classes will still be able to outperform you in Mana Manipulation 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 explained 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 particularly need anything desperately outside of stones, but it’s always nice to have shiny new equipment,” Drake thought aloud, his wanting to upgrade equipment coming through.
Drake may not be playing 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 accessories, 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 still laying 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?” 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 drool coming 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, slapping 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,” Drake laughed back, pretending his back was not stinging.
Bjorn gasped in faux offense.
“I used to be the best singer at company karaoke,” Bjorn said, his face filled with confidence.
“Bjorn,” Drake laughed, “You were the CEO of your company at a company event,” Drake said, his eyebrow raised.
Bjorn’s confidence deflated 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?” Drake laughed 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 tech company 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 should laugh 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 placed 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 exclaimed.
“Guy inside makes it, they have a good amount of craftsmen in the camp ya know?” Bjorn said nonchalantly.
“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. Drake laughed 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 class 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 classes. Your stats and skills are oriented for non-combat support just like Claire and Amir. So you wouldn’t last long in a fight, but sparring i don’t see it being a problem. But if they know you are a vulnerable class, 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 explained 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 relay 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.”
Drake laughed 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 accessories, specifically jewelry if possible, but rings would work too,” Drake explained.
“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 glare.
“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,” Bjorn laughed, slapping Drake’s naked back.
