Chapter 35: Chapter 34: 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 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?!” Drake complained, 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 the combination of your blood. Or would you rather have I been naked? Pervert,” she said, almost spitting the last 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 slapped 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 require combat experience and Skill Stones to progress,” she explained.

“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 very comfortable with him in such a short time, even after he had almost made her bite the dust twice already.

Drake picked up the stones into his inventory and hopped down from the bed. Kicking open the shack door, it was barely illuminated by the light from the shack’s 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 fire coming 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 came 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.

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“You could. Or you can just learn to live in the cringe, become one with the cringe. We are cringe, but we are free,” Drake said in almost a monkish 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 to compensate for stats,” Drake asked, coming 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?” 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. I thought maybe making accessories would be the best way to compensate for that,” Drake explained.

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 gorilla and such,” she giggled, jumping to his other shoulder as Drake tried to grab 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 would come from alchemy would do well to increase your stats temporarily, even some of the later 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,” 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,” Drake explained.

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 she felt. 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 access 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 recommend 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,” she explained.

“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 a language you understand. You are in the tutorial, any literature you find would be in a different dialect that you couldn’t understand until you have learned a ‘Myriad Races’ language assistance book,” she answered.

“There are things like that?” 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 congratulations is in order for a feat of such stupidity,” she laughed lightly, clapping echoing within the mine.

“Ugh, that bitch of a construct. I say one wise ass thing and it's like Black 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. But it’s kind of my coping mechanism, and I’d like to think I’m a funny guy,” Drake said wearily.

“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 my comical 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 gorilla!! I will take your penance in blood!! Come back here!”