Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Bear vs Drake, Where I stand.

“You think you can take me down with just a single stroke?!” Drake growled, suddenly offended.

Bear stood calmly, unperturbed by Drake’s outburst, “I don’t think anything man, it will only take one for a level 10.”

Drake blinked for a moment. He had forgotten that he was still level 10 with his stats completely outstripping his level, but deep down Drake still knew Bear’s words held some weight. The man’s aura was indication enough for it.

Drake scratched the back of his head, “Ah, I forgot I’m still sitting at 10, but I can promise you I’m far stronger than any 10 you’ve come across, I’m probably around level 20 or so stat wise,”

Bear was surprisingly still calm, not a punch of shock on his face, making Drake curious, “Wait you know?”

 

Bear placed the claymore on his shoulder, then used his free hand to point to the gate with his thumb, “I’ve been following your trail of blood my man, no level 10 is going to do that. You must have something under the hood I don’t know about because even Shigure would struggle to kill that many. Not to mention I don’t know what level that bigger Kobold is but I think it’s safe to assume it's close to 20 with its size alone. But, it doesn't matter.”

Bear shook his head and looked seriously at Drake once more, “I’m not trying to be condescending, the reality is I am that strong. No matter what you have going on behind the scenes, if we fought seriously, I would kill you.”

Drake ground his teeth, “Fine, then you’re going to have to prove it. I’m going to go all out. You may be the highest level here, and you may be a friend that saved me. But I’m not going to let you insult the hard work that I've painstakingly put in for the last two weeks!” Drake shouted pointing at Bear, “Get ready to see the culmination of all the strength I’ve gained so far! You can say you respect me, but I can see it in your eyes and posture. You’re only giving me lip service even if you don't realize it. So I’m going to etch it into your soul just how much I’ve changed since we last met!”

Drake stormed off into a cleared section of the outpost looking through the rest of his skills to make sure if there was anything he could use right away for this.

Sharp quick taps followed behind him, brooding his fists clenched. “Drake! I say, Drake!” Natto shouted after him.

“What?!” Drake turned, annoyance clear on his clenched jawed face.

Natto shuttered slightly at his raised voice, then recovered in time to give him a scowl, “Do not take your damned injured pride shit out on me!” she shouted back, “I do not know what has happened between you two or why you need to so fervently prove yourself here, but this is a bad idea, and I know you see that.”

Drake turned away stubbornly. Opening his skills to formulate a plan instead of answering.

Soon Theodore also walked with measured steps towards the pair, “My liege, do you think it wise to do this? Master Bear is level 23,” Theodore said, worry dripping from his voice.

 

“Thank you Theo but, please shut the fuck up,” Drake said through clenched teeth, his eyes wondering back to two skills he had yet to look at.

 

Warrior’s Stamina P1(5%) [F Rank]

• A skill that pushes the warrior past their physical limits.

• +10 to Stamina, and 10% to passive Stamina Regeneration (Increased based on Proficiency)

 

Guardian’s Reprieve P1(0%)

• The Guardian of the battlefield must move swiftly to protect themselves and their allies. The watchful eye of the Guardian is ever present.

• A skill that allows the user to create a small skin tight shield around themselves, and will give a instantaneous reprieval teleport to a location within view.

• Shield is based on a 0.5 to 1 Vitality (Increased based on Proficiency)

• Skill: Guardian’s Reprieve - “On blessed wings. Guardian’s Reprieve.”

• Teleport is made available once the shield is broken, 2 charges of teleports can be stored within the time span of 20 minutes before lost. (Increased based on Proficiency)

• Only 1 temporary shield from this skill can be present at a time.

• Cooldown of Shield is active only after shield is broken or expires after 10 minutes.

• Cooldown of Shield is 5 Minutes upon activation of cooldown. (Reduced based on Proficiency)

• Charges of Teleport can be gained through loss of temporary shield due to absorption of damage, or after a 10% loss of Vitality.

• There is no cooldown for use of Teleport

 

Drake laughed inwardly. Glad he had not overlooked these skills, especially his skill that resulted from his Epic Stone. It had a tight restriction but he had a few ideas to circumvent the requirements for the teleport based on the description alone.

And the most versatile one that he couldn’t believe he hadn’t been using.

 

Martial Strike P1(0%) [F Rank]

• A skill that allows the martial artist to infuse their body with inner energy to harden themselves and increase the damage done by strikes.

• A skill that uses Stamina to increase the damage efficiency of strikes by 100% (Increased based on Proficiency)

• Cost: Small amount of Stamina

• Cooldown: None

 

Drake dismissed the screens and refocused his gaze to the man who was walking towards them.

Standing at his full height the man was truly a mountain, in both stature and in presence. He was someone Drake would have to overcome to change in the greatest sense of the word. Bear may have become a trusted friend after he had saved him but, right now, he was just another wall to climb.

Drake knew the time had finally come to man up and face the truth that there would be people who would want him dead. Some for the TP, some because they wanted something else from him, or some just because. He would have to steel his weak heart once more if he was to fight against that, and the injustice that came with it.

“You ready bud?” asked Bear, his tone low, and serious.

“Yeah,” Drake nodded.

Both Natto and Theodore looked wearily with nervousness and fear visible on their faces. Natto most of all seemed as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

“You don’t have to go through with this Shot, I can see your determination already and how serious you are. I don’t want to do this,” Bear said finally emotion breaking his stone cold expression, to show a sliver of hesitation in his voice.

Drake grounded his teeth again, feeling them nearly crack from his jaw’s pressure, “Stop patronizing me!” he roared, his arm arcing across in front of him, “I know what you think this is, but… It’s more than that!” Drake growled, his voice becoming shaky, “I made a promise to someone, and when… When I see them again. I’m going to be a different person. A better person. So… So please. You have to let me do this. Please!” Drake begged, his knuckles turning white as they gripped and curled on themselves through his frustration, “You’re the strongest person here, and I need to know why! I need to know how I measure up! Whatever the reality is, I’ll face it head on and go beyond it. I told myself I was going to change, and this is how I do it.”

Bear listened intently, with the others doing the same. No words were spoken, but their body language showed nothing but acceptance for Drake’s determination. Quelling any rebuttal they could think of to stop him.

“Fine,” Bear said flatly, his aura once again stemming out from him.

It washed over Drake like a chill breeze, his body shivering slightly as it touched him.

Drake held his ground, his eyes hardening with reaffirmed will to improve and face the strongest man in the tutorial.

“Thank you, Bear,” Drake said.

Bear again unsheathed his claymore from his back, it humming with power now as a faint glow of white emanated from it. As he took up his battle stance, with the claymore in one hand, his other free and covered in a metal gauntlet, he shook his head.

“Bjorn, Johnson. If you want my full respect, you’re going to need my real name,” he said, turning his eyes to the small peanut gallery of Natto and Theodore, a smile on his lips.

They both recoiled and nodded knowingly. The silent affirmation that they would never speak of it to anyone, backing away further to a safe distance.

Drake smiled, his eyes relaxing for a moment, “Drake, Wallen,” then his own body tensed again readying for the fight.

Bear nodded in kind, and held his ground, waiting for Drake to start the fight.

“Let’s start out at 11 of 10, I won’t be holding back Bjorn!” Drake roared, his arm tattoos flaring to life in a brilliant blue.

Drake began casting his defensive skills in quick succession, “I am the wall on which my enemies billow. Unbreakable!” a sheen of green quickly cascaded over his entire body, the odd feeling of faint security coming over him, and as quickly as it came the flash of green faded.

Drake casted another, “I am the shield, I am the rampart. Bulwark!” another glistening sheen of green formed around him, the feeling of his stamina dropping bit by bit. The barely visible transparent covering of the skill covered him completely.

Drake took a deep breath as he stared down Bear, the tall man’s face shifting slightly as he looked confused. A small smile crept on Drake’s face, “ON BLESSED WINGS! GUARDIAN’S REPRIEVE!” he shouted, a final sheen of green encompassed him, a feeling of strength and stability flooding his body.

“I thought you were a mage…?” Bear mumbled softly.

Drake’s grin grew, extending beyond his ears. “I am a Mage. And I'll quickly become yours and everyone’s worst nightmare.”

Drake took no time to try out his new Endowment spell as well, knowing exactly what he needed against Bear’s hulking strength.

He wasn’t sure how to use the spell so he tried to cover for it, to make sure Bear wasn’t savvy to his game. “Wind that shall not be shackled, have freedom! Wind Cutter!” Drake shot forward like a loosened spring. His spell circle forming from blue into a gentle light green. Choosing to not release the spell and manipulating it into a torrential ball as he closed the distance.

Bear stood stoically, only following Drake with his eyes. And the fact that he even could with Drake’s increased speed from his accessories only paid respect to how strong Bear’s awareness actually was.

Kicking up dust with every step Drake circled Bear to position himself into his blind spot, chanting his new spell and hoping for the best, his ball of wind still in his hand, “The power of Wind is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess! Endowment!”

The sphere of gusting wind in Drake’s palm vanished, the feeling of a cool breeze shooting up Drake’s arm, as the black tattoo’s of his weapon turned the same shade of green as the spell circle, cascading to include his tufts of hair he could see. An immediate burst of Dexterity was felt within himself.

A devilish grin replaced Drake’s surprised expression instantly, as he shot forward at Bear’s exposed back.

The splitting of the rocks under Drake’s foot sounded with his roar as he closed in on Bear. Drake’s fist pushing forward in a straight at a speed like never before, his new Martial Strike ability on full display as the fist was enveloped in a sinister crimson glow, trained straight for the back of Bear’s head.

The next moments passed in a slideshow, every moment easily distinguishable from the next. Drake’s Adrenaline Acuity beginning to slowly take effect.

The scene became even more horrifying for him, as he saw Bear move in one frame from being front, to turning and facing Drake the next, a grim line across his mouth.

Drake’s mind could process the action of Bear turning, but his body couldn’t keep up as his fist flew forward right into Bear’s open gauntlet.

A resounding, clap of flesh hitting bare leather of the metal gauntlet rang through the outpost, the pressure of the contact creating a small burst of air around them.

Bear catching Drake’s first with all of the buffs and skills he had used with such low effort forced Drake’s mouth to gap.

“So you’re a mage that can move fast huh?” Bear said flatly, “Just not fast enough though,” he said, releasing Drake’s hand.

Drake pushed backwards instantly to gain distance, holding his fist with his other hand. It wasn’t broken but just from being blocked he could feel his hand shiver from the strength of Bear’s grip.

Fuck. How is he so fast to respond? Is it another skill!? Drake rapidly parsed, taking no time to stop his assault as he circled again with speed.

Trying now to bombard the man, Drake kept the façade of not being able to chantlessly cast, “The fire of my heart,” he began bringing both his hands front and center this time, “take form and sear my enemies! Fireball!”

Drake continued to circle around, doing his best to keep himself in Bear’s blind spot as fireballs continued to shoot from Drake’s hands. Each one pelting and kicking up dirt with a small explosion accompanying it.

Soon Bear was covered in smoke and a cloud of dirt.

Drake didn’t miss the opportunity and shot forward again, keeping the fireballs in his hand this time as he closed in.

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On the edge of the dust cloud Drake chanted again, “The power of Fire is not thine to adhere, but mine to possess! Endowment!”

Instantly the fireballs winked out of existence and power welled within Drake, his tattoos now taking on the crimson glow of their elemental endowment.

This time Drake added to the blow he was about to deliver, Bear’s back again coming into vision through the dust. Just as his thrown fist was about to connect, Drake’s eyes cascaded in colors of green, blue, and yellow. His visual skills flaring to life.

“Marked!” Drake shouted his fist inches from Bear’s head. The moment Drake’s words left his mouth, Bear’s body shivered slightly under Drake’s Of the Apex, and Weak Point skills, shining in a faint red glow in Drake’s eyes. Briefly, but enough that Drake could spot it with his Adrenaline coming slowly to life, as the fight continued to go on.

Drake’s fist moved again in slow motion as it closed in on Bear. But this time Bear turned into the fist at the last millisecond, taking the full brunt of the blow to the side of the cheek.

Unmoving.

Even through the loud crash of the blow again kicked the dust away from the pair, Bear smiled at the astonished Drake. Only the image of Bear grinning, a small trail of red liquid emerging from his mouth, in the moment they connected.

But Bear didn’t let Drake go this time. A fully covered metal gauntlet grabbed the wrist that assaulted his face.

Drake’s eyes went wide, “What?!” he cried.

Bear lifted Drake like a piece of cloth into the air, then slammed him down into the ground, an ear shattering boom sounding.

Drake hit the ground and was pushed into it further forming a small crater from the pure force of the slam. A cough of blood and loss of air from his lungs, with the sound and visual queues of Drake’s shields shattering sounding in his head.

 

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

 

A voice inside Drake’s head sounded. And before he could question how it got past the muted notification function, the incoming meteor of Bear’s fist filled his vision forcing him to think.

Drake looked past Bear, and prayed that the teleport would work. Drake willing himself to move into the air above the man.

The next moment Drake was ass up behind Bear looking down at him. Refocusing he began shouting his next spell, “The earth that will not falter-”

But he was cut short as Bear turned around, grabbing Drake again. Gripping his leg and slamming him down into another small crater, with a resounding crash.

 

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

 

Fuh-ck! Drake was barely able to curse inside his head, as another round of air was pushed from his body even harder this time, as he had no shields to cushion the impact.

Bear gave Drake no time to recover as his fist again came down a breath later onto him.

Drake didn’t have a choice anymore and didn’t have time to fake the cast again.

He willed Water Shot to form in front of him with one hand, and forced a Stone bullet into the other, Endowing it into himself using the feeling of the other spells as a guide. His arms taking on a deep earthy brown, as he put up his cross guard for the blow. The water spell formed into a large cube in front of his guard to hopefully cushion the impact.

Bear’s metal clad fist was brought down onto Drake with unbridled power, swiftly cutting right through the cube of water and pushing past Drake’s cross guard. Pushing him even further into the ground as the crater increased and the ground cracked with dust shooting in all directions from the impact.

 

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost]

 

Bear stood at the top of the crater looking down, his metal gauntlet slightly peppered with red splotches. His large claymore still humming with a faint white glow in his other hand.

“So you can chantlessly cast? I guessed you could have when you started casting multiple fireballs,” Bear mused, then his face turned serious, “You think you can try to force respect from someone when you are holding back with gimmicks! Huh, Drake!?” Bear shouted down into the small hole he made from Drake’s impact.

A low rumble sounded as the ground behind Bear shifted, then popped with an audible crack, revealing Drake. His hair and arms painted a light green now, from the previous earthy brown.

In one a searing ball of fire, in the other a shimmering ball of water. Drake clasped his hands together into a tight fist, forcing a finger out as a makeshift pistol. The spells shifting into a ball of water, covered by a condensed shell of fire. The water inside evaporating and condensing rapidly as the fire continued to boil the water inside, allowing none of it to escape the airtight shell.

“Inspirations aren’t gimmicks! I follow what I know, Bear!” Drake shouted, at the slowly turning mountain in front of him, “And this one’s a favorite! Don’t worry I won’t hold anything back on it!” he roared, “SPIRIT GUN!”

The small mass of fire and water shot forward, carving a bright red line through the air straight for Bear. In an instant it reached him and his raised gauntlet.

Bear didn’t even seem to bat an eye when the spell crashed into his open hand, and exploded in a mass of steamed water and fire. The explosion enveloping him completely.

Drake didn’t spend anytime hesitating, he knew that wouldn’t kill Bear, and could only hope it would hurt the man.

From Drake’s previously Weak Point ‘Mark’ he could see where Bear was in the screen of steam, and used a Reprieval teleport to get behind him, shooting his fists forward in a barrage to hopefully catch him off guard.

The reality wasn’t so accommodating, as Bear turned around and deftly dodged the blows by hair breaths. Each blow came with such force and speed from Drake, that it pushed the steam out with every missed blow.

How fucking strong is he?! Why is the gap so large! Drake screamed internally, every punch just barely missing its mark.

Drake tried to change tactics, as he chantlessly casted a fireball into his hand, and crunched it in his hand with Endowment, shifting his tattoos and hair to a crimson red.

Drake dropped low and empowered his leg, going for a sweep, only to hit Bear and feel the blow reverberate through his own leg. It felt like he had just hit a steel building with a rooted foundation that was unshakeable. And what was worse. When the steam cleared from the powerful sweep it revealed the ground below Bear.

Drake went slack jawed and his frustration was painted all over his face as he looked at the pristine untouched ground under Bear.

Outside of turning he hadn’t even moved through the entire fight.

Even after all of Drake’s attempts he hadn’t even budged the man.

Drake’s frustration and indignation bubbled inside him as he again shot his fists furiously towards Bear. Now weaving in pot shots of air, water and earth where he could.

But to no avail everything missed or was stopped in its tracks by the indomitable man in front of Drake.

Drake tried desperately everything he could to get a solid hit in, changing his endowment from Fire to Wind more and more seamlessly with every turn, gaining experience as he fought. But nothing worked.

Finally Drake used the last reserve of his Reprieval Teleport to get behind Bear again. Drake’s hair sheening green in the torchlight of the night, in his hands a Stone Bullet extended into a long lance.

Drake released it once he had teleported but Bear didn’t even have to turn, as he tilted his head and allowed to spear to harmlessly crash into the ground past him.

Bear then swung around with his free arm, and grabbed Drake by the throat.

“It’s enough isn't it? You’ve proven stronger than anyone here. No one has even come close Drake,” Bear said solemnly.

Drake struggled in Bear’s grip, and struggled to speak through gritted teeth, “No..Not stronger.. Th.. than.. You!!”

Bear sighed and leapt forward, with Drake in tow. Giving Drake barely any time to shift his Endowment to earth before he was slammed and dragged across the ground until he imbedded into the side of the mountain.

 

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost]

[Gained Reprieve Charge]

[Max Charges Stored, Charge Lost]

 

The resulting impact kicked up a mountain's worth of dirt and debris when Drake was slammed into it. And for a few moments it was silent until the dust cleared. A Hulking man standing in front of another in a heap almost merged with the mountain side.

“Drake…” Bear said softly, looking at the glaring man in the mountain.

“Y-you… still haven’t-” a cough of blood interrupting Drake, “You still haven’t swung your stupid sword, Bear..” Drake grinned, “It won’t end,” Drake said, as he rose shakily to his feet, his hair shimmering from the earthy brown to a pale green, as he formed a ball of air in his hand then inhaling it to push out his obviously crushed chest, “It won’t end! Not until I drop or you swing!!”

Drake roared and produced fire in his hand and pressed it against the exposed side of his undershirt that revealed a bloody friction burn. Cauterizing the wound that went from his hip to his chest, “I refuse to lose here without at least finding out how big the gap truly is! I won't lose! I CAN’T LOSE!”