Chapter 6
It was already past noon at the city of Orario. By this time all the regular people and adventurers that didn't specialize in Dungeon Diving returned back to work.
Stand owners shouting in the markets, people buying or bargaining, children running carelessly on the street… had it been Remnant there would be almost the same at rush hour, except there wouldn't be children running alone in the city.
Yet, he couldn't help but compare to how the air and overall flow of emotion of this place was so different for Remnant.
Yes, his original world had kingdoms protected by walls against the creature of Grimm. It had its huntsman to protect them.
'There's only so much that a row of pawns can protect.' The blonde snorted. Thanks to his past experience, he couldn't help but compare Remnants 'fighters' as pieces of a game of chess, because the person that helped train them had that very thought of them. Drake thought the same for different reasons; the first one being considered a pawn by how they were compared with some people here. And second; what else could you call people that followed someone so blindly without thinking or questioning things?
'… Many names now that I think about it… the other most fitting would be-'
Useless.
Because even if they 'protected' the people, they would still fear deep down an imminent Grimm invasion that one had any idea when would come.
But in Orario somehow that was different. The people here put their whole faiths in Adventurers and the Deities that resided here. Everywhere he walked he would at least hear a positive comment about the Loki or Freya Familias, although the latter were scarcer.
The only thing he didn't like was that normal folks depended blindly on them and had no sense of independence or autonomy whatsoever, the people of Remnant, at least the new population of mortals, adapted and evolved after the twin gods wiped out almost all of its habitants.
'And that's the only positive thing about Remnant's people.' Thought the blonde as he stopped leaning on the wall of an alley.
Drake walked out of it after adjusting his hoodie on his head to continue his unspecified path. If it was up to him, he would stay in that alley until the sun had gone down. But someone was bound to notice him there eventually and look at him suspiciously; although he did admit that would be partly his fault since he was wearing all black. Not to mention his default setting is on 'scowl' most of the time, his eyes didn't help either for that matter. So, he always moved after some time to avoid someone calling the authorities on him.
It was in moments like this when he wished to enter the shadows like he used to; he wouldn't have to deal with his current situation, the damn sun, or the two damn pairs of eyes looking at him from afar.
'Just a little more.' He thought to himself as he recalled the rest of the meeting with Hephaestus and Tsubaki.
The Goddess of the Forge sighed as she rubbed the split between her eyes. "It's on you Tsubaki."
"Oh, come on!"" The captain whined. "How was I supposed Loki Familia was gonna be there?"
"You still sent him to an Adventurer's bar, and you" she looked at the blonde. "Should have kept a little more self-control, even if it was justified." Hephaestus said as she thought in how she would act if someone had the audacity of removing her eyepatch with the intention of mocking her.
'… I would probably freeze at first.' She admitted her dominant hand was slightly clenched into a fist. 'And then I would hit them with my hammer.'
She dismissed the idea quickly, because no mortal or deity had dared to do that for any reason or another. Although-
"Can you please stop staring at me as if I was gonna do something insulting?"
-the blonde sitting across the table might just have the nerve to do it.
"Well," she sighed. "Nothing I can do about it. And you literally told them nothing worth, no name, or affiliation whatsoever; I think we are good in that department." She chuckled. "A friend in Tenkai would love to hear this story," she pondered for a moment. "I think she's a few turns away from coming down now that I think about it, I am sure you and her would get-"
"Not happening." The blonde mercilessly interrupted. "As I said, you are the only exception I am willing to make when it comes to deities… hopefully."
'…At least he's not talking in the same cold tone as before.' Thought the Goddess.
Now that she thought about it, he and Hestia wouldn't get along at all. As much as she loved her friend, Hestia could be quite noisy, annoying… and a little stupid sometimes.
And from what she heard from her captain, Drake hated a lot of kinds of people, stupid ones above all.
'Sorry Hestia.' The Goddess apologized to her friend in Heaven before taking charge of the conversation once more.
"Back to what's important." She looked at the mountain of items standing on the other part of her office before she rested her head on her intertwined hands, an adorable smile adorned on her face. "How much?"
She wasn't gonna lie. This was one of a time chances since no one, literally no one would walk right in her office with that many drop items. She was prepared to pull a good bargain for them and save some money in the process. The Goddess knew the blonde was made different, but if there's a thing that most mortals have was greed for more money.
"Consider it a gift for Tsubaki."
Too bad she didn't know just how different he actually was. His sudden response made her drop her head from the comfort of her hands while Tsubaki looked at him with a widened eye, to which the Goddess figured out her captain didn't plan that.
"What? No good deed goes unrewarded." He eyed the items. "Besides, I am not gonna do anything with them."
"Well… " Tsubaki finally recovered herself from the state of shock before patting his shoulder. "Thank you… now," she stood up with enthusiasm as she walked to the items with a grin on her face as she rubbed her palms. "What am I gonna forge with you all?"
"While she's on forging hype…" Drake looked blankly at Tsubaki before looking at the Goddess. "Shall we… what?"
"… Tsubaki told me your brother's a blacksmith. And you specialized in enforced clothes, but why not both."
Drake leaned on the table and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Consider it mere curiosity."
"…" he rolled his eyes. "Dirk, the dwarf that helped raise us, didn't want to teach me." He saw the confusion on her face. "No, it wasn't because Lloyd got special treatment, I just didn't have what it takes at the time."
"Are you saying you were dumb?"
Drake's mouth twitched as he eloquently rubbed the side of his head with his middle finger at Tsubaki, who apparently had her other eye on the back of her neck since she flipped him off back.
"I didn't know what it was until later, but by that time there was barely any time to learn forging… until Lloyd drilled it into me." He moved his elbows on the arm of the table while his head rested on his palms. "Seventy-two damn hours locked in the forge just to make sure I was ready, and then one whole damn week to…" Drake stopped the moment he noticed Hephaestus was staring at him with enthusiasm.
"… Yeah. You are making that face again." The blonde shut his mouth after that, making the Goddess pout.
"Oh, come on! Why is it so bad to tell me something that already happened?"
He shook his head.
"Because it's weapon related. You have already demonstrated you can't concentrate when it comes to them."
"Only the nice ones."
His eye twitched, because the bitch in had the audacity of justifying her childish behavior with a childish answer. "You Gods are so special, aren't you?"
She ignored the clear sarcasm in his voice as she pressed the subject, in a calmer manner this time. "Can you at least tell me what you lacked?"
"It's also related so no."
The Goddess closed her eye and sighed in exasperation.
Here he was. Another one-of-a-kind individual with not only knowledge but also apparently experience in forging and he doesn't want to do it. Welf Crozzo at least dedicated his life to forging, but refuses to use all his potential on it, Drake on the other hand simply doesn't want to do it overall.
"You better not be comparing me with that child of yours you are so fond of?" The obvious hint of annoyance in Drake's tone brought her back to reality, blushing out of shame at that.
"I- I- I thought you couldn't see or hear anything related to the shadows with me."
The right corner of his lips moved slightly upward. "I can't, you just admitted it." her face suddenly got redder. "Also, as for how I know about said child," he points at Tsubaki. "She talks a lot when drunk."
Both stared at the captain, who kept examining items and pretended to not care for the rest of the world while her Goddess narrowed her eye at her before sighing.
"… Can you at least tell me," her eye focused on the blonde, all traces of shame gone, just seriousness remained now. "Why don't you want to forge? And don't say it's because it annoys you."
"it's simply really, it just isn't my thing." He could see the Goddess fight the urge of slamming her face on the table. "My brother loved forging, he found joy in it, and it brought him even more joy when he delivered the weapons to their owners."
"And you don't?"
He shook his head. "Only when I forged with him. Although, it was the first and only time I ever did, I know it isn't my thing. Even if he did the best damn job in teaching me."
Hephaestus sighed in defeat. At least it was a better excuse than Welf's, Drake simply wasn't a blacksmith.
"Besides, I never half ass things," he looked at his opposite palm, his aura surged. "I know whatever I forge to serve my needs would be something dangerous. And I think-" he crushed his palm and stared straight at the Goddess. "-none of us want that."
Hephaestus groaned as a response to his point. "I get it, I get it, I won't press on it anymore, geez." The fact that she knew he was smiling behind his scarf irked her. "You could have at least forged your own weapon."
Drake shrugged. "I am sure Tsubaki and I can reach a good deal."
"Now that you mention that."
Hephaestus' eye twitched seeing now her captain was aware of the rest of the world, how fitting.
"I have meant to tell you about something." She stood next to him, only to then smack him on the back of the head, hard.
"And you fucking wonder why people call you an unhinged bitch behind his back." Drake groaned as he rubbed the back of his head.
"They also make pirate jokes behind my back." She replied as she sat on her chair. Hephaestus on the other hand looked at the exchange unamused by this point. "I take it he deserved that because…"
"He broke my katana." The cyclops looked away with a pout while Drake stared at her menacingly.
"We already knew that" Drake replied grudgely as Hephaestus wondered what they were talking about exactly.
"Apparently, everything in his world has Aura; this includes the metal and everything else used for weapons. So, since our weapons lack Aura, this dumbass over here is gonna end up dropping the durability of the weapon until it breaks." She said with a growl before looking at her Goddess in annoyance. "It also looks like he left residues of his Aura seeing as the blade I let him borrow was broken by the time I went to do its maintenance."
"What about the assailant's weapon, did it also break?" Hephaestus asked with worried tone since that blade was evidence of a murdering attempt, but Drake shook his head.
"I didn't infuse my Aura with the blade, just enhanced it. it still forces a lot on the weapon, but it doesn't have any long-lasting effects."
She sighed in relief as she pondered the situation. "Is there anything that can be done? Our weapons materials don't have Aura, so how can Tsubaki make a weapon that fits you?"
"Well, there's something…" Tsubaki with a grin. "Can you just awaken my Aura? You said you could, right? You could teach me the basics, and I am sure there should be some sort of way to infuse it into things, right? Or even make some sort of pact with me like you did with your brothers."
Drake nodded as he sighed and focused on Tsubaki, and for some reason he just knew Hephaestus was again leaning on her seat. "I could… and I want to, really."
Tsubaki narrowed her eyes. "For the love of her" she pointed at her Goddess, who stared blankly at her captain. "Don't come at me with 'Buts' or 'it's not you, it's me' kind of bullshit."
"That's for couples, dumbass. The problem is there might be a very high chance I end up blessing you during the process, that means having some sort of extra divinity in you. Same applies for a pact, which means-"
"Problems." Both looked at the Goddess, who simply sighed. Nothing could really go her way today; she was so not used to this at all. "Let it go Tsubaki."
The captain sighed as she looked at the mountain of items. "I am gonna try to use those to make you something decent, gonna add Durandal and see if that solves the problem of it."
The Goddess smiled at her child and appreciated her for understanding the situation, and even more for already thinking in a way of going around the problem.
"The preference? Anything you excel at the best." Tsubaki asked the blonde, who crossed his arms as he thought.
"A 120cm Taicho."
Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "You sure? because I saw you doing really well when you used your Aura to shame my blade into a Nodachi."
He waved his hand. "Don't worry about it, I specialize in every kind of blade, spear and even hand to hand combat."
She snorted. "What do I call you? Master of Arms?"
He groaned. "I wish, was never able to handle guns."
He knew he screwed it up the moment he said the G word as he could feel the Goddess's curiosity rising , but he ignored her. "But don't use all of the items on just that."
Tsubaki slapped his shoulder as she noticed it was an attempt to ignore her Goddess. "Who do you take me for?" and cooperated in the process, something Hephaestus got as she sighed.
"Ok, I got the hint. Now, let's talk about this business proposition we were making."
An hour went by before they realized it, as both came to terms to which Drake would do and how much effort he would put into it.
Hephaestus suggested that he go to the guild and research about the Dungeon, from its floors to the monster. To which he agreed but wondered if the Guild would give him any problems, but the Goddess reassured her they wouldn't since its source of information was available to anyone.
Then they agreed he wouldn't go past floor forty, much to Tsubaki's dismay since she knew he could go even further. This was so people wouldn't question him much in case they found him on the floors beyond that. But secrecy came first.
Speaking of which-
"How are you planning on dealing with your honesty? If someone asks you what Familia you are from, you won't be able to answer." Hephaestus agreed with Tsubaki's statement, to which Drake rubbed his chin as the solution came rather easily.
"Been thinking about that as well. Since I technically have the blessing of a deity, and that's pretty much what it takes to be considered an Adventurer or a member of a Familia. So, all I could say is, 'Drake Aurion, Member of the Origin Familia'… fuck, it feels disgusting to say that." He replied as he felt the actual disgust in his mouth.
"I thought you said you were on good terms with the spirits in your world." Tsubaki teased as Drake growled.
"Let's just say the King Of The Spirits is a fucking dick." Drake replied as he noticed Hephaestus pondered deeply before shaking her head.
"It won't work. Almost every deity knows each other, and there's no God called Origin in tenkai." She rubbed her chin. "Just say you are an Adventurer and part of a Familia, there's no need to specify who's your patron deity."
"Good, what about when someone asks his level?"
Drake leaned on his chair. "That's one easy, 'None of your fucking business.'. For what you have told me, Adventurers can be reserved about that stuff."
"Neat. As for the crystals you get, you won't be able to exchange them in the guild since you are not registered and they will most likely bombard you with questions. So, I suggest you just come to me to exchange them."
Hephaestus agreed with Tsubaki's reasoning as that seemingly covered everything.
"There's something that's been bothering me." Hephaestus said suddenly, with an unsure tone in her mind. "It isn't about this. It's just," she focused on the blonde. "Why are you so adamant on doing this? I get that you really feel indebted to Tsubaki, but to go such lengths just to benefit us? I noticed that you seemed really uncomfortable when this subject was brought up." Tsubaki seemed just as uncomfortable.
She once again leaned on her chair and moved her right elbow over the arm of the chair so she could rest her cheek on her palm while looking away. "Is there something you aren't telling me? Is there a reason you need to go to the Dungeon that I don't know of? I get you may distrust me directly, but-"
"I… think a lot."
"…Ooook… I don't see where you are going with this."
The blonde sighed as he leaned on his chair and rested his arms on the table as proof, they were standing on even ground. "I am always thinking about something. Be it possible Ifs, the past, the present, the future and so on… there's always a thought running in my mind."
"So," she clapped her hands. "You are saying that you want to go Dungeon diving…to keep your mind from thinking about something?" he could feel her irritation rising, it was understandable.
So, he decided to give her the full context.
"Let me tell you what it takes to permanently kill a deity in my world?"
The previous coldness in his tone returned, making Hephaestus feel a chill run down her spine. But not because of the tone of his voice, but because for a moment she had forgotten that the person in front of her killed a deity. The fact that he mentioned permanently made her feel a sensation of fear she didn't know it was possible to experience.
"When a Spirit is killed, they are reborn after some time with their memories wiped, although some echoes of their previous incarnations remain. This is because the World recognizes there should be an entity fitting to take care of their domains, so it recreates them. For the Great Spirits… it was unknown since they had never died in the past, but we figured out that if there was someone more fitting to their domains, they would cease to exist in their entirety."
Hephaestus could already see where Drake was going, to which Drake nodded at the unasked question.
"That's right. My revenge against the Great Spirit Ratatosk consisted in taking his domains. One of them being the 'Regulator Of Nature'. Funnily enough, that domain was directly tied to the World Tree; it was a giant tree that produced Aura and filled the whole planet with it, and it also was one of the main sources of Ratatosk divinity since he was the Spirit of said tree."
She didn't need to hear more to figure out what he did. "You burned the tree… you doomed your whole planet just for-"
"Actually, I sent someone else to do it."
Her ire raised at the lack of care in his voice.
"Goddess," Tsubaki snapped Hephaestus back off her raising anger, the look her captain was giving her was a serious one, one she wasn't used to seeing often. "Let him finish."
The captain just stared at the blonde with wariness, because she knew he would have just continued regarding her Goddess's emotions. "Besides, remember I told you that Spirit wanted to cause a genocide."
She did remember, at least now. The Goddess knew what Tsubaki was trying to do, appealing to Drake's side, something the blonde appreciated as he finished the thought. "Revenge was always on my mind; I won't deny it. But I never doomed anyone that wasn't related, not to mention my brothers were there to keep an eye on me… that's why I lied to them."
His coldness was gone, now all she could see was a hint of depression coming from him.
"What did you lie about? How were you even able to lie at all? And how's that related to preventing a whole planet from dying."
He chuckled. "We had everything prepared to plant another World Tree, all we needed to do was get rid of Ratatosk… and that's why I asked someone with the knowledge and had our trust to lie for me."
Hephaestus tensed herself as it did make sense.
"As for the actual truth of planting another Tree… in order to awaken it, it needed a core of Spiritual Energy, but we didn't have that. So, there wasn't any other way but for a deity of very high level to take the spot… giving his life in the process."
It was at that moment that Hephaestus recalled what Tsubaki had told her. She claimed that Drake had died before coming here.
"Yeah… that's how I met my end."
Hephaestus rested back on her chair. She rubbed her forehead as she thought of the person in front of her. She couldn't figure out how he was selfish and selfless at the same time.
'… No, that's wrong. He's a realist at hearth, he took responsibility for his actions willingly and without hesitation. Even if he didn't do it for the rest of his world but only for a few just strengthens my idea.'
'Drake Aurion isn't a good person, but he isn't a bad one either.' Those were the words her captain had used to describe him yesterday, but now she finally understood Tsubaki's words to heart.
"I still don't understand what this has to do with you… 'thinking a lot.'"
Tsubaki mentally sighed as she noticed her Goddess anger had dissipated and was calmer than before.
"…My memories near the end of our battle with Ratatosk are… noisy." The blonde placed his hand on the side of his head. "I get fragments of what happened after, and even from the moment I finally closed my eyes… but the fact that my memories are not fully intact makes me mistrust them. Besides, there's also the one obvious fact that's bothering me the most-"
Hephaestus interrupted him; she already knew what it was. "You should be dead…" her eyes widened, finally figuring out where he was going with this. "If you are here… then that could mean-"
"That I never awakened the tree. Which means that someone else had to take my place." He thought as several people fitted criteria, the two more probable ones being his father or uncle.
But he didn't want that. Hell, he wouldn't even put one of the people he hated the most as sacrifice.
Funnily enough, it was more than just that being his burden, but what he had decided on his own. Tsubaki knew this, and it was why she was hesitant on the subject since she couldn't understand at all why he would willingly do that kind of sacrifice.
"It's eating you on the inside, not being able to be sure if what you did worked." Hephaestus concluded; her eyes narrowed slightly as she finally understood. "You want to keep your mind off that thought to not question it, because the idea that only you had to pay the price is your clinging hope."
"It's not just that, what if my memories of those last moments are fake? What if there's something that occurred between those lapses of noise? Why are only memories after that point affected?" He sighed and looked at the ceiling. "It's not the first time I have been in this kind of situation when it comes to how I think, but I have always found the answer I was seeking in those moments… but this is a completely different scenario, both metaphorically and literally."
She might have figured him out, but she didn't feel good about it.
It was in moments like this where Hephaestus remembered why she preferred not dealing with emotions and just focus on her and her children's work.
It was obvious that Tsubaki had already had this talk and didn't reach a conclusion. It was normal since she had never experienced something like this before. So, not knowing how to proceed was normal in her case.
Hell, Hephaestus didn't know either since this was a really particular scenario. But she decided to put her two valis as she spoke.
"Could it be, you are lost?" The bland expression of both Drake and Tsubaki made her realize she wasn't putting the right context. "I mean… You had dedicated your whole life for something or someone, and that very purpose was suddenly taken from you."
Tsubaki didn't know what the blonde was thinking at the moment, but Hephaestus was hitting the nail pretty effectively.
"You already fulfilled your life's mission… wouldn't the rest just be… finding a new path?"
Drake stared emotionless at the night sky as he finished recalling the events of today. Suffice to say, he left Hephaestus' office with a sour mood, but nothing negative happened.
Tsubaki has been kind enough to offer him stay in her place this time, but then they recalled they had yet to speak about the whore in the tower and her loyal cat. The captain in question was grateful since it looked like her Goddess had already a lot on her plate as it was, and even more grateful the moment he said 'I will take care of it.'
Tsubaki knew that Orario's common sense didn't apply to Drake. But she wasn't worried about him, she was worried about how far he would 'take care of things'. Even though the blonde had assured them he wouldn't take it too far.
So, with a sigh of defeat; Tsubaki Collbrande told her what she knew about-
"Vana Freya…" he muttered as he finally looked down at a jagamaru he had been holding for the last fifteen minutes. "Such a fucking stupid name." he replied before taking a bite out of it as he started to walk at an empty street in one of the most secluded areas of Orario.
"Not like it's worst of it, Tsubaki really should ask for her alias changed." Drake deadpanned as he recalled the name 'Cyclops'. "Gods must really have a twisted sense of humor… then again, you would really have to be so fucking full of yourself to name an Adventurer after you, don't you think?" he asked outload as he finished his Jagamaru.
The only answer he received was the silence of the night, but Drake could hear a faint growling in the distance as he still kept going.
"I mean, I don't see what the deal with her is." he stopped walking. "For all I have heard; she seems like a bitchy, arrogant, and overrated whor-" right on cue, the blonde moved his head to the side to avoid the tip of an spear as he quickly tossed the empty jagamaru bag right on his assailant to block his view and then hastily move his elbow back.
"[Beast]" the blonde muttered as a dragon made of energy exploded on the cat person's face the moment it made contact, pushing his back several feet apart as he withstood the Arte.
"I was told you were hot headed, but I didn't think you would be so stupid to retaliate at such an immature provocation."
Tsubaki really wasn't exaggerating.
"You dare?! You insult our Goddess and think you can simply discard your crimes."
This guy was without a doubt-
"I will show my Goddess right here that there's nothing worth from you to warrant her attention!"
A simp.
"Are you done? Please tell me you are done, I feel I lost some neurons just by listening to you, Garfield." Allen Fromel found it insulting, and for some reason it felt more insulting since the blonde said it with no hint of emotion. Also-
"Who the fuck's Garfield?"
Drake pointed at the only person on sight. "You, you stupid cat."
Had it not been because he was in a full set of armor, anyone would be able to see a vein ready to pop on Allen's forehead.
"Anyway, I'm sorry."
The cat person gave a sadistic grin at his apology. "Do you seriously think I am gonna let your insults un-"
The blonde waved his hand nonchalantly. "I am not apologizing for that," Allen felt a chill run down his back the moment the blonde lifted head slightly, Allen could see a pair of emerald glowing orbs with black sclera under the blonde's hood. "I am in a rather bad mood, you see. Not entirely your fault, but you have also been an annoyance ever since yesterday."
Allen hid his surprise perfectly, what he couldn't hide was his annoyance as his response came with a growl.
"You knew?"
"Of course, I knew, why do you think you lost track of me this morning?" The blonde exposed a tone of irritability of his own, and it kept raising. "Or why I kept walking with no clear destination the rest of the damn day." The Vice-Captain of the Freya Familia strengthened the grip on his spear as he finally figured out the blonde had played him the whole day.
He spread his legs and bent his knees slightly as the ground he stood on started to crack
"I had to keep eating fried potatoes thanks to you, you piece of shit."
An invisible pressure made the area around Allen crack more as he moved his upper body slightly to execute a lunge attack.
"And all it took to make you come out was calling your Goddess a-"
Allen shot himself at that very moment.
He was the fastest Adventurer in Orario, only his Captain could manage to keep track of him. So, there was no way a nobody could fandom the idea of beating him at what he was best… So why was he seeing the blonde's fist coming straight at him?
Drake had been ready the moment he had forced Allen to keep his distance, he anticipated the moment the Adventurer launched himself to attack to rush at the same time. The blonde positioned himself right in front of the tip of the spear and moved his head to the right, while taking advantage of his momentum to move his left fist right over the spear to deliver a straight [Beast] at Allen's face as he made sure the end of his sentence could be heard.
"whore."
Had Allen not been so harsh in putting everything into a straight attack, he might have been able to dodge. Sadly, that wasn't the case as he was sent crashing at a building, breaking the wall not a second later the Arte made contact with him.
"Also, why else do you think I dragged you here?" The cat started to get up inside the building, there was nothing but old furniture in sight. "This is one of the parts of the city where no one lives or has been abandoned."
Allen growled as he tried to fight the dizziness as he noticed something warm was leaking from his nose.
'!'
The cat person looked in shock as he saw his own blood falling on the dusty floor. But that wasn't the only thing noticeable, as small black fragments of a black material fell as well. Drake had managed to make a crack on his helmet, cracks that started to expand until his whole head gear finally broke.
"Huh… blue eyes." Said Drake from afar as he walked closer to the building, but he was still far away. "I thought it would be brown like your sister's. Nice girl by the way," Allen felt enraged, even more than when the blonde had insulted his Goddess. It wasn't because had managed to land a 'lucky' hit, or because he was bleeding.
"She might be kind of a clutz, but apparently you were the dumb child."
But because he was comparing him to his failure of a sister.
"YOU BASTARD!"
The Vice-Captain shot himself forward once more and clenched his fist only to notice something was missing: his spear.
Where was his spear?
His question was answered the moment he finally noticed Drake had taken a stance while holding his spear with his right hand.
'When!?' Allen's mind went into overdrive to figure out the moment his opponent had stolen the spear. It had been right at the moment his previous attack connected to his face, in that moment the blonde moved his left hand to the spear's side to grasp it the moment Allen had been sent flying.
'don't tell me,' Allen figured it out, as he thought the time frame to strike him and grab his weapon with the same hand would be less than a second. 'This bastard is actually faster than me!'
"I am just better than you overall." Allen's eyes widened at the blonde's statement, it was as if he could read his mind. The cat person clenched his teeth as he stopped his rush and stepped back in order now that he realized he didn't have his weapon, but it was too late as Drake made a slice to the air while Allen was on the right distance.
"[Raging Luna Storm]"
A green vortex of wind blades suddenly appeared to pull Allen towards it, succeeding on it since he didn't have anything to hold himself to as the blades managed to strike him. Little by little he could feel how the wind blades started to tear his armor while Drake jumped back to then swing the spear one more time, but this time to make another wind vortex tash pushed Allen back.
The blonde quickly dashed forward while being airborne, the cat person shielded himself with his arms as he fell. He would take this chance to take his spear, but it would be futile as Drake dashed upward right in the moment Allen was gonna execute his plan.
"[Thunder Moon]"
Drake swung the spear vertically so blue lighting could strike Allen, making him gain more height to be right in front of the blonde. But he couldn't do anything at this point as his whole body felt paralyzed for a moment by the previous attack.
"Wai-"
"Nope." Drake interrupted him mercilessly before he spun his body and made a swing with his whole body while wind energy surrounded him.
"[Rising Luna Rondo]"
Allen received the full attack straight in his chest before Drake made a final swing to create a small wave of wind that pushed Allen forward. The cat person had trouble breathing at this moment thanks to the last attack.
He wondered what the hell was going on. He was a level six, his endurance was high enough to withstand this kind of attacks, even if his broken armor said otherwise.
'He lied.' Allen thought as he heard that the blonde wasn't an Adventurer. He had to be, and a high level one at that, there was no other explanation to it.
His thoughts kept going and going until he finally noticed something as he fell. It was a cloudy night, the moon wasn't visible, so Allen wondered why he was seeing the faint image of a full moon behind the blonde as he prepared to throw the spear as if it were a javelin.
All the Adventurer could do was wide his eyes as he heard the name of the incoming attack while the tip of his spear was surrounded by a red energy.
"[Moonbeam - Bird]"
The eyes of the blonde narrowed before the spear managed to go through Allen's right leg as an explosion took place the moment both weapon and owner hit the ground.
The blonde didn't waste a second the moment he hit the ground and rush towards the fallen Adventurer, only to stop as he stepped back the moment his instincts screamed at him of the incoming attack in the form of a great sword that was slammed on the very spot Drake had been a moment ago.
The blonde narrowed his eyes as he quickly grabbed his scarf with his right hand to wrap it up and then threw the end in the direction he was facing, only so the newcomer would slam his weapon on the scarf once it had entered the cloud of dust that was starting to dissipate.
'Under any circumstances, never face that guy.' Tsubaki's voice sounded in his mind. 'I don't know how strong you may be without tapping into your divinity; but let's play it safe for now if you end up crossing him.'
The Number one Adventurer, the King.
"Ottarl… right?" Drake asked, unsure as all that it came from the giant figure was a low grunt.
"That's enough. There's no need to continue this." His grave voice was all the answer the blonde received as he noticed that his scarf was being held by the boaz's weapon.
"Let's see… is your Goddess gonna keep bothering me?" The eyes of the blonde glowed as he eyed the strongest Adventurer in Orario.
"Until my lady says otherwise. However, accept my apologies on behalf of my fellow Familia member, he wasn't meant to intervene di-"
"I know." The blonde interrupted as he narrowed his eyes under his hood. "I don't like having someone watching over me, dumbass or deity alike."
Ottarl gave a narrowed look of his own as Drake continued. "So consider this a message."
"Then I suppose we are done-"
"Not sure about that. I still have to break his other leg, after all… but I suppose the alternative would be good as well." The blonde tightened the grip on his scarf while Ottarl did the same with the handle of his sword.
"Did you know that 110 volts is enough to kill a normal person?" The clouds finally started to dissipate themselves as the light of the moon shone brightly upon them. "Let's taste how much a first-class Adventurer can take." Sparks of black electricity started to surround the blonde as his scarf served as a conduit, making it so Ottarl would receive ten times the amount of charge Drake had described before.
"…" but it seemed that it wasn't enough as Boaz simply scowled. "Is that all?"
The blonde smiled as if he was taunting him, this resulted in Ottarl having enough as he lifted his sword to finish this. Only for his eyes to widen as he heard Allen's screams coming from behind.
Ottarl was never his target. It remained being Allen as the Boaz saw the other end of the scarf attached to Allen's spear, which was currently impaling its owner's leg. The Captain quickly looked at Drake who kept smiling while he realized his mistake.
The current hadn't gone straight at Allen before because one of the sides of the scarf was pinned against the ground, making the charge dissipate while Ottarl received it from the side his sword was touching. But that changed the moment he lifted his sword from the ground, giving free passage to Allen's spear and then the Adventurer himself.
This made the Boaz grit his teeth as he charged at the blonde since it would be the fastest way to end the whole thing. But that wasn't the case, as his great sword passed through Drake's body.
"I think that's enough." Drake muttered to himself as he stopped generating electricity, ignoring Ottatl's look in the process. "Tell your Goddess that's gonna happen to the next dumbass she sends," the eyes of the Boaz narrowed as his adversary started to disintegrate as if he was made of black energy.
"And if she keeps insisting, I will personally pay her a visit, and I can promise you it won't be pre-." Ottarl roared before slamming his sword on the spot with the sole reason of making the blonde disappear quickly.
On a certain alley near the Hostess of Fertility, the real Drake Aurion opened his eyes as he noticed his shadow finally returned to him.
"… that went well." He thought out loud as he started to walk out of the alley.
"We thought you wouldn't be coming back." Ryuu Lyon said as her eyes caught the shadow of someone coming from behind with no sound of footsteps.
"I am sure you would have loved that." The blonde stopped as the elf focused on picking the board with today's menu into the Hostess.
"I am afraid the kitchen's already closed, you will have to pass the night with an empty stomach."
Drake snorted as he followed into the Hostess. "That wasn't a no. Unfortunately for you, I already ate." He mentally groaned as he recalled how many jagamarus he ate.
"If you found a better place to eat, you should go there every day instead." The elf replied as she recalled this was only the second night the blonde would be staying in the Hostess; he still had the next night reserved here.
"I will make sure to tell Mia you recommended another place." He walked past her as she felt a chill run down behind her spine at the thought. Mia would kill her, or worse, put more extra work on her daily tasks.
"Besides, Jagamarus are hardly something I would eat for lunch or dinner. I didn't have a choice today."
"Rough day?" Ryu froze in place as Mia came out of the kitchen, her usual grin on her face while Drake sighed. "I had to deal with a grumpy cat and giant boar, let's leave it at that." That was the last thing the blonde said as he waved her goodnight to which the dwarf did the same.
"So," A vein made itself present on Mia's forehead as she looked at the elf, who had been trying to sneak out, various drops of sweat visible on her delicate skin. "Trying to scarce the clientele, huh?"
The elf would be forced to clean the bathroom the next day once more.
"Ok…" the blonde opened the window to let the moonlight enter and then proceeded to move the bed to a spot under light.
Hephaestus' words kept echoing inside his head. It sounded too easy at first glance, but for him it was near impossible since all he had ever done focused on something he could no longer do.
In the end, he needed advice from only a few of the only people he could establish a genuine bond with. But since he wasn't in his world he would have to improvise.
"… Fine. Let's do this." he sat cross legged on the bed and let the moonlight fuel him as he closed his eyes.
The next time he opened them, his whole panorama changed as he was now standing in infinite darkness as far as he could see, with the single exception of an elegant greenish-black door with his symbol standing a few feet away from him.
Drake placed his hand on the door knock and sighed, mentally preparing himself for what was to come as the darkness around became distorted for a second. The blonde steeled himself as he finally opened the door and walked through.
Once again, the scenario changed to a nightly one. He was now standing on a field of green grass with no end in the distance under a full moon that seemed to be rather close in the horizon.
"That's… new." Drake thought out loud as he recalled the moon was similar to Remant's the last time he was here, broken. But now it was complete.
He then turned to the side and noticed a giant tree that seemed to reach the stars, but what caught his attention was the round table with eight types of different chairs around it placed a few meters from the tree.
"Ok," he shouted as he walked to the table. "Come out already."
Silence.
"…Please." He replied after groaning, only to receive more silence.
"I could really use your advice right now…" he sighed as he placed his hands on the table, feeling a familiar sense of nostalgia as he did. He found it funny seeing as it felt like it has been a long time since he touched it, even if it wasn't the real table. But in reality, it had only been a couple of days at best.
'You wanted to do it this way… fine' he thought as he clenched his jaw for what was coming.
"Ok then… all of you are pissed at me. I get it." The answer he got was the soft graze of the wind. "But here's something that isn't new to any of you… I would do it again if I cou-" he never got to finish the sentence as someone grabbed his shoulder to turn him around.
The next thing his brain was able to register was that he flew over the table a couple of meters away after being punched by an electric enhanced fist.
Drake rolled on the grass a couple of times until he finally stopped, looking at the stars. He tried to laugh as he felt the right part of his face go numb by the charge he received.
"You find this funny?" A voice sounded in the not so far distant as several steps could be heard.
"Yes," the blonde sat on the grass as he raised his right knee to place his hand on it. "Because you still punch like a bitch, just like I remember." He said as he eyes seven individuals, each looking at him with different emotions, almost as if they were judging him.
"So, who's next?" Drake asked as he stood up to have a better look at his brothers.
Remnant's Guardians.
