Chapter 44: Chapter 43: Small Talk

Drake was silent for the next half an hour, trying to understand the implications of him being so high on the TP ladder, and how exposed he actually was. Anyone could identify him at this point, meaning anyone could see his alias and then see his level and put the two together, and try to kill him for an easy meal. He needed to find a way to circumvent that, or prove that trying to fight him wasn’t worth the prize.

He wordlessly cut the veggies on a table he brought out of his inventory for the stew, mechanically adding spices and skimming the skum from the pot. His head occupied with more important things.

“Hey man. You’re pretty good at that,” Bear said, his hand wafting in front of him taking in the pleasant aroma of the stew.

Drake came back to the present and just gave a casual answer, not stopping his hands, “Yeah I’ve got a few siblings. My Mom had to work two jobs most of our life after my dad passed, so I had to learn to do a bunch of stuff quick.”

“Damn I didn’t mean to bring something like that up,” Bear said with a grimace.

Drake waved his hand dismissively, now focusing more on the conversation, “It’s not a big deal. My Dad was pretty old when he passed, and my Mom happened to be his second wife,“ Drake said recalling his life, “She moved to the US from the Philippines to live here with him, and the rest was history. He left a big sum of money to us so we were fine for a little. But having as many siblings as I did and all of us wanting to go to college… It dried up fast.”

Bear was content to listen for the moment, just politely nodding here and there.

“So good ol’ Mother, had to go to work. Leaving me the eldest to go and do everything around the house, fixing broken bulbs, appliances, toilets. Making food for everyone, cleaning the house. That is at least until I was old enough to get a part time job to help out some, leaving my little brother to pick up on the grand old legacy of chores,” Drake smiled sarcastically.

He took a moment to think again on his family, hoping and praying to whatever god might have forced this nonsense system on them that they were alright. And if they weren’t.

Drake clenched his teeth, and the handle of the knife in his hand snapped from his strength, “Shit…”

He quickly threw the broken knife towards the mountain and pulled another from his inventory, cleaning it briefly before continuing to cut the food.

“Look man, I envy you,” Bear began, seizing the lull in conversation, “I grew up with my parents but it was only us. No siblings and, I didn’t have many friends because of my size. I don’t want to start a pity party, I’m just sharing because I think it’s only fair. I grew up in one fight to the next, and I guess it's a saving grace after looking where we are,” he laughed, “But when I got older I didn’t want that anymore, so I started up my own company to prove I was different than just what people saw on the cover. The thing is between you and me man, is I truthfully. I didn’t just happen to cross by when you blacked out that day,” Bear said standing up and looking down at Drake.

Drake felt the slight weight of pressure again press down on his shoulders.

“I saw your fight. The entire thing my man. I saw how desperately you wanted to live. How much you struggled to take down a monster you honestly shouldn’t have been able to. Your resourcefulness was something I haven’t seen from nearly anyone else yet. And honestly, big picture stuff. I think the world will need people like you, people like us,” Bear explained, his voice low and serious.

“Like us? And you saw the whole thing huh..” Drake said, trailing off.

“Yeah. And it’s why I decided to help you. I mentioned it before, but you don’t know how it is for everyone else,” Bear continued, “How long do you sleep every night,” he asked.

Drake raised a brow at the question, “Depends? I don’t normally need sleep anymore so it’s usually none unless I really feel I need a few hours. Why?”

Bear smiled, “Everyone else isn’t doing that, even if they can buddy,” his face turning serious again, “Everyone else but a select few are scared, and grouping together to keep themselves safe. The more demented ones are forming groups to kill people for TP thinking this is the perfect time to show their true colors, or even going as far to still think this is just a game or some sort. You haven’t run into anyone else it seems like,” Bear said raising his chin towards the still passed out Theodore, “Well, save that dude.”

“Yeah, that’s true, but again what does that have to do anything?” Drake asked.

“I’ll spell it out for you,” Bear said crossing his arms, “The amount you are working is probably twice as hard as anyone in the tutorial outside of myself. Most people are too scared to even go out in groups unless they have a healer, and as far as I can tell from all the groups I’ve had run-ins with. They are rare enough that the groups are kidnapping them from other groups for even a fraction more possibility at survival.”

Drake’s mouth hung open, “Wha..? That’s insane! Why don’t people just come together as a larger group then and fight to survive? That makes no sense to force someone against their will like that!” Drake countered, his voice raising as he spoke.

Bear raised his arms in a shrug, “Ego. Competition. Power? Some might just be that sadistic. But whatever the reason, it’s dog eat dog out there man, and now more than ever weakness is punished quicker than a guy can swipe right on a dating app,” Bear stopped to give a gruff sigh, “Even with being at the top of the ladder for the tutorial level, I’ve had a few people try stuff when they thought I wasn’t looking. The world is simply not the same. And that. Is where my point is. I can count on a single hand the people I’m willing to say I respect in this tutorial for their hard work, and tenacity,” he said, raising two fingers.

Drake was curious. He moved to the pot to stir it before asking the leading question Bear probably wanted him to ask, “And those two are?”

Bear smirked, “You. And a youngster named Shigure Kenzo, I’m sure you’ve seen his name on the boards.”

Drake raised his gaze as he thought on the name, “Yeah sounds familiar, he's right under you right?”

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“That’s damn right.”

“How young is he? And I would hardly call myself impressive enough, I still have a long way to go Bear,” Drake answered, a half grin on his face, continuing to stir the pot with one hand, his other slipping into his pant’s pocket.

“Don’t sell yourself short man. Remember how I found you? There’s been a clear trail of death and destruction leading to this place it’s honestly hard to miss. Not to mention the big fucking monster that you can see from practically half a mile in any direction just casually on the ground,” Bear chuckled with a quick shake of his head, “And the kid is 16, it’s the youngest age anyone here is. I’m sure you’re not dumb enough to have not noticed there are no children here. And thank god there isn’t, everyone has already got their hands full trying to not die, and keep the more sadistic POS’s from doing the worst,” Bear spat.

That caught Drake’s attention more than just the kid’s age. Did the system just promote this kind of heinous shit? “Just so there’s no misunderstanding-”

Bear cut him off, “Yes, rape and enslavement. Sometimes things even worse. Let’s just say I have had to come to some bitter terms where I draw the line on who does and doesn't deserve death.”

Drake’s face turned grim as his head drooped to look at the ground, “Talaga… Of course, why wouldn’t there be deranged pieces of garbage running around and doing that. We all suddenly got mind bending powers after all,” Drake spat, remembering the Kobolds and Goblins, “What do you think happened to the children under 16 then?”

Bear shook his head, “I haven’t the faintest bro, maybe ask your construct friend, seems like she’s waking up anyway.”

Drake was again surprised. How good was his sensory skill? Was it based on mana sensing like his identifying skill, or something else since Bear was a pure warrior from what Drake could tell?

“How do you know she’s a construct.. And even that she’s over there, what kind of sensory skill do you have Bear?” Drake asked, forcing the issue.

“I can’t tell you all the details but, it's basically a sphere of perception, won’t say how large it is or the info it gives, but I can tell where people and things are inside of it fairly easily. And it let’s me identify people within my line of sight. And before you ask, yes I had it since I first met you,” Bear answered then continued after a slight pause, looking to the tent, a slowly emerging squirrel construct, “ As far as knowing what a construct is. You ain't the only one with one.”

Drake glared at Bear with his eyes glowing from the mana infused in them, trying to find any other source of Mana around him.

“Don’t give me the scary eyes man. No I don’t have one, the Shigure kid does. But his is a little different than yours. She’s taller for one, and not a talker that's for sure. I should also mention, Shigure is the head of the largest group in the tutorial, and they've set up camp in an Outpost further south from here. It’s a coalition of around 5 different groups, with him in charge. Crazy to think about once you stop to,” Bear chuckled with his hardy thunderous voice, “If you need anything, they would be your first bet on where to find it, they have damn near over fifteen hundred people last time I checked.”

Drake chewed over the information he’d just been given. Natto had said that constructs weren’t exactly rare but to have two in the tutorial. Was it just happen stance or was there a reason the kid had gotten one as well?

Before Drake got a chance to really analyze the information, the quick soft trotting sounds of geta forced him to look up.

“Food!!!” Natto yelled, somehow completely ignoring the mountain that was Bear standing in between her and the pot of stew.

Drake moved over with an exacerbated smile on his face at the display of Natto jumping up to look inside the pot, a faint but quickly visible line of drool running from her open mouth.

“Hey! Don’t go spilling that, it’s been simmering for an hour now, you little garbage disposal,” Drake shouted, picking her up so she could get on his shoulder.

“Who are you calling a delicate flower such as myself a garbage disposal!? Dolt! Is it so queer that I am excited for the feast I rightfully deserve?!” she shouted back, rubbing her fist into the side of Drake’s face incredulously. 

A deep belly laugh sounded from across the pot where Natto and Drake stood.

“Haha! What is this? Is she your daughter or something, you two fight just like family,” Bear laughed holding his stomach.

“Who’s a Dad?!”

“Who is a daughter?!” They both yelled.

Bear ignored them both, pulling a bowl from his inventory and had it appear in his hand as he laughed his way to the bubbling pot.