Arthur_Inverse
Landin gave a heavy labored breath as he stopped, his hands on his knees, puffs of white smoke filling his vision.
Lately, he had felt cooped up in the tent with everyone, restless even. Not only because Drake had somehow thought it was okay to stuff 16-year-olds of the opposite sex all into one place, but he had also felt as if something was approaching. Not someone or something physical but rather some hard-to-describe feeling that was welling up day by day.
No, that wasn’t true. He thought.
Landin knew what the problem was. Tomorrow he would turn 16 himself. And he would have to make good on his word.
When Drake had saved him, taken him in. Landin was grateful. When Drake had shown how strong he was during the fights on their way to this town, he was wary. And when Drake had finally asked them to join him, telling them about what was in their future. He was honestly scared, hesitant even.
But, Landin had gone with the flow as he’d normally done despite himself. Caught up in the determined energy that Charlotte had projected when she accepted Drake’s proposal.
But now? Now that he had time to simmer in his thoughts, the fateful day drawing ever closer? He kept picturing the woman who had nearly kidnapped him and killed him.
Would he become like her? Deranged beyond reason? Would he have to fight monsters or even people of that strength or greater like the huge bird Drake had tossed around like some sort of child's toy?
He didn’t want that. He didn’t want anything to do with that.
“Man…. why do I always have to just do what the pretty girl says? Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut!” he grumbled.
Above him, just like the last few days, the avian girl Drake had saved flew.
She had followed him out almost every day for whatever reason and it was nice to have someone at least watching over him. He had tried to talk to her a few times. Not because she was cute but from what Drake had said, she was going to be part of their little group when they set out.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t understand her, and she couldn’t understand him. At least not yet. From what he had heard from the other people in the town, once you were a part of the system you would be able to learn language skills and profession books. He wasn’t entirely clear on exactly when this was possible but he was hopeful.
There were just far too many new exotic -nice- girls joining the ranks of the city lately.
Just as he thought about how he would break the ice with some of them, the feeling of a deathly cold brushed up against him, putting his hair on end as he gasped for breath. He knew what the feeling was, but was still scared out of his wits every time he had felt it before.
“Damned Drake…. Can’t he not do that man? Some of us still don’t even have levels yet! And even those high-level Orc Warriors get knocked out when they get hit by it up close…”
Landin sighed his head dipping down as he tried to warm his newly chilled body, only to see his shadow getting eerily bigger.
“Wait that’s-” before Landin could finish his sentence he snapped his head upwards, seeing a panicking Quetz, flapping her arms wildly as she squawked.
Landin did the only thing he could think of. He raised his arms to catch her.
But he was still shaken by the aura pulse that hit him earlier, so his grip slipped as she landed on top of him, buttocks first.
They both slammed into the snow, slightly cushioning their fall. But it still stung like someone had hit Landin in the side of the head with a baseball bat.
“This is not how I imagined getting sat on for the first time to go…” Landin managed to mumble from beneath Quetz, “A-are you ok?” he asked.
Quetz shot up, grabbing at herself as she chirped in a woeful tone. But still bowed her head slightly before flying off in the distance albeit unsteadily.
Landin looked at her growing smaller in the distance, feeling like he had done something wrong but still wondered if she was alright.
Had Drake’s aura thing made her unstable enough to fall? He wondered.
Landin shook his head, giving a small sigh as he brushed the snow from his clothes. He still had too much on his mind and the slight reprieve only lasted long enough for him to take a breath.
Beginning to pace forward he started to run. What he should do about Drake’s offer spinning over and over in his head.
—-----------
“Oraaaaa!”
Claire looked on as the man with wolf ears once again cleared the monsters that had found their group. Her gaze was casual as if it was just another day on their journey to their destination.
“Just more weak prey… Where are the real fighters?! I want a damn better hunt!” the wolf man spat.
A woman walked up next to him, “Sir…you should restrain yourself from such language, it is not good for your image.”
“Ari, you know I don’t care about shit like that. I’m just getting tired of these little annoying sac of shit weaklings,” Leon growled, his silver-tinted tail standing on end.
Claire looked between the two, amazed at how they were so close when they were such complete opposites, or why Ari would call him sir constantly, but then again Theo did the same thing to Drake essentially. So she guessed it wasn’t nearly as odd as she first thought.
The woman Ari was a properly dressed lady, prim and proper office clothes that attenuated her body perfectly. Making Claire a little jealous that she was able to get such fitting armor, while she had been forced to wear her priest-like clothing.
Ari was well-spoken and if summed up in one word, efficient. She had easily and effectively detected all the monsters they had come across that Leon dispatched with just as much ease.
The silver wolfman was the exact opposite in appearance. He exuded a completely wild aura with his primal animalistic grin that showed his pointed canines, along with his unkempt shoulder-length blue hair that looked like a fierce sea of blue fire on his head with two small silver-furred islands for ears on the top of his head.
He wore a white vest with a leather chest piece on top of it, accompanied by minimal leather armor all over his body for optimal movement.
Leon swung his silver spear, cleaning the blood from the tip of the edge in one motion before slinging the shaft over his shoulders to rest his arms.
“If it isn’t bad enough I have to deal with fodder. Of all the people we had to have tag along….”
“Don’t say that ya bastard! I know you enjoy my bloody company! Don’t he boys?” Luke jeered from the back, raising a gun into the air.
“Damn right!”
“You’re our meal ticket man!”
“Let us tag along sir!”
“Have my babies Leon!!”
Shouts from the men and women behind Luke sounded out in a jumble of cheers. But it only served to make Leon more annoyed.
“I fucking hate crowds and dealing with people…. As soon as we get to Shot’s city I’m dropping all of you off and I never want to see your ugly faces again!”
“Don’t say that, we don’t even know the cunt,” Luke said back, “How are we supposed to know if we’ll be safe, or if he’s even strong enough?”
Claire scowled back at the man, “He’s plenty strong! Didn’t you see the notifications? He’s already killed a Cardinal beast!” she spat.
“Now, now little lady. I know you have the hots for old boy, but I’m just coverin’ all ma’ bases,” Luke said raising his hands.
Leon walked over to Luke, “Luke, shut your mouth and stop bad-mouthing the man in front of her. Keep what you think about him to yourself, because frankly, I don’t care to hear it. Anyone with a title, who has already established a town, and one of the first ones could easily wipe the floor with anyone we’ve come across on this stupid little trip. Including you,” Leon said, power leaking through in his voice, “You’re lucky enough that I’m even tolerating you after having to do it all tutorial long.”
Luke smiled wryly but backed down, nodding, “Whatever you say bossman…”
Claire shivered slightly at the powerful aura that reared its head briefly from Leon, gripping at her sides.
It feels even more chilling than Drake’s… Just how strong is he… She wondered.
“So you said that you know Shot from your tutorial, yeah?” Leon asked, turning his interest back to Claire.
“Y-yes… He mentioned you and another a few times. He thinks very highly of you both and somehow knew you would be a dual class as well as strong,” she said looking briefly behind him to the monsters ranging from level 20 to even some E-Ranks in their early 30’s who were all defeated by single thrusts to their vitals.
Leon chuckled, “Kid knows what’s up still. Ain’t no way some stinking little tutorial is gonna kill me off. He mentioned Wow-fi too huh? Haven’t seen that guy IRL yet but suppose as long as he found some people to leech off of for a while he would be fine. He likes to fight too much to be with anyone long though… We did never get along well with anyone else,” he smiled, seemingly reminiscing.
A small girl suddenly appeared on his shoulder with a pop, forcing him to turn while she whispered something into his ear.
“I know, stop badgering me damn it!” Leon sighed, “Tatsuki says she’s excited to meet with Shot and talk to his territorial assistant since I refused to make a city.”
The little girl nodded, covering her face with her long sleeve. The construct much like Natto had a Japanese-style dress. Was it something that all constructs wore?
Tatsuki’s yukata was much deeper in color than Natto’s, which was a bright mixture of colors. It bore deep almost opaque black with striking deep red trimmings. She also had a doll-like face that was painted in white makeup, keeping her eyes closed nearly all the time giving her a very otherworldly appearance.
“I’m not so sure, Natto is a very… peculiar person,” Claire laughed wryly.
“Tatsuki isn’t much better,” Leon smirked, Tatsuki frowning and disappearing back inside him.
Ari slapped him on the arm, “See what you did? She’s sensitive,” she reprimanded.
“You only say that because you aren’t able to hear her inside my head….” Leon sighed, “Either way, when we get there in a few weeks it will lay to rest anything about that little hot head and that city of his.”
Hot head? Claire thought, but then nodded, agreeing that Drake was slightly more impulsive than the normal person.
She longed to see him again, the way he always jumped into the fray for those around him. His stupid grin when he joked and laughed at his own jokes. How he made her feel safe, how just his smile, his smell comforted her.
Her hand unconsciously moved to grab the ring dangling around her neck, her finger tracing the cool dark metal.
The man Charles, finally spoke up behind her.
“Really missing him huh? Hope he’s everything you said he is, we could really use a rest once we get there.”
“I-i might be a little biased…” Claire laughed, her face blushing slightly, “But yes, I do miss him. With Mr. Leon here though and Ari to lead the way, I’m sure we will get there in no time.”
Claire smiled on the outside, but over the last week after meeting Leon she noticed a huge discrepancy in how Leon described the man she knew.
Leon told her of their past together, how they met and used to play games in the old world. She didn’t really understand that part of the explanation since she hadn’t played such things. But she enjoyed hearing more about him all the same.
The stories contained how much Leon had tried to guide the younger Drake after he made mistake after mistake. She was surprised to hear that they had known each other since Drake was still a young headstrong boy who wouldn’t take advice from anyone and only gave Leon a headache like some kind of naive younger brother.
It made Claire giggle to hear Drake described as a ‘little punk’ when she knew Drake had said the same thing on occasion about Shigure.
But despite the fondness in his voice as Leon had told her about their past, Leon never mentioned some of the things she knew to also be true.
Leon told her that Drake was a crybaby for many years, never standing up for himself and always starry-eyed about his idealistic perceptions of the world. How after he had lost his job Drake had fallen into a pit of depression and self-loathing.
The Drake she knew in the tutorial, the one she had fallen in love with. Was nothing like that. The Drake she knew gave everyone a chance and a second chance. Sure he may have had unrealistic expectations of people, but that never kept him from being cautious where he needed to be. Drake had even gone as far as to make disadvantagous contracts with several people, just to prove a point.
All this only served to shake the image she had of him in her head. Making her realize she didn’t really know the man called Drake Wallen. And over her time knowing him, his personality had changed because of the events in the tutorial.
She loved him, she knew that. And that wouldn’t change for her no matter what. He had been the one to save her when she was at her lowest point when he had no obligation to do so.
But still. Leon’s stories made her question who Drake really was and who he would become when he was out of her sight.
The sound of lightning striking the ground broke her from her thoughts. The sleek glass-like expanse that was around them for as long as the eye could see was both breathtaking and frightening.
Their new world that they were exploring for the first time like the explorers of old was captivating. The hodgepodge of worlds the system merged together created all sorts of weird phenomena. The southern part of where they were clashed with the cold north to create a perpetual border that housed never-ending lightning storms. Constantly striking the metal pillars that jutted from the ground as well as sometimes veering off course and hitting the sandy ground turning it to glass.
They had to be very wary when crossing the stretch of land and thankfully no one had been injured too badly during their travel.
Claire’s eyes darted from the lightning strike to the front of the group again, the sound of shattering glass pulling her attention.
“Haha… Now that’s more I like it!” Leon shouted.
In front of their group, breaking out of the ground was a massive creature of the likes Claire had never seen.
It was an enormous, towering, mobile skyscraper with red basketball-sized pearls for eyes that looked down at them with disdain. The creature’s -if it could be called a living creature- arms came to serrated glass points with no apposable hands or fingers. Its entire body was made out of the same glass they were standing on.
Shouts of panic and fear came from the group as they screamed in discontent at the sudden monster.
“I-it’s one of the Cardinal Beasts?!” someone from the group shouted.
“I’m sorry, Sir, I didn’t detect it at all with my skill! It must have been hiding in the ground!” Ari shouted.
“It’s not a big deal,” Leon grinned casually, his silver spear slipping off his shoulders as he took a fighting stance, “Everyone back up and don’t interfere, I’m going to let loose for a little bit.”
Claire wanted to protest, she couldn’t fight but she was a support class with more buffs now than she had in the tutorial. She could help. But Ari grabbed her by the arm with a smile.
“Don’t worry about him, he’ll be fine, come with me to a safe distance and observe with the rest of us. It’s always a spectacle to watch him fight.”
Claire nodded reluctantly, knowing just how strong Drake was she was certain Leon could just as easily be a monster in human form since he had a second class as well.
They looked at the back of Leon who stood off with the monster.
It looked as if the monster was waiting expectantly for him to make the first move.
“Looking down on me huh? Well, let’s have a little game then!” Leon growled, “Let’s see how long that attitude lasts until you run away with your little Ken-doll smoothness between your legs!”
Leon bent at the knees with his spear in both hands as the world began to quiet around him, a fierce primal aura leaking out as he began chanting skills Claire had never seen him use.
“Basic Strengthening, Greater Strengthening, Basic Dexterity, Greater Dexterity, Beastal Attunement, Basic Armor Penetration, Greater Armor Penetration.”
The air around Leon began to hum with power Claire hadn’t felt since Drake had fought the Ant monster in their tutorial, every skill cast increasing the pressure around the man several folds until it almost looked like it had distorted the space around him.
“He has so many self buffs…” Claire muttered to herself, but Leon wasn’t done.
The monster had begun to if it was possible for the glass beast, pale. It had taken several steps backwards already as Leon chained together his skills each buff filling his already bloodthirsty aura with more brimming hostility but the last several skills are what made it turn in horror.
“True Hunter’s Ability Boost,” Leon said his voice becoming ethereal in the air as it shook and vibrated, “Let the hunt,” he grinned sadistically.
“Begin.”
The sound and commotion of the world flooded back with his words and the striking of another lightning bolt to his side, flashing and illuminating his form that was now shrouded in visual strands of green floating and dissipating from his body.
Now that Leon was what Claire assumed was fully buffed, the sound of the thunder had been almost like the crack of a starting gun of a race. The Glass Golem-like monster turned tail and ran, its pointed feet cracking the ground with every elongated step it took in the opposite direction.
“Running already?!” Leon howled with glee from behind the Golem as his stance went lower and lower almost as if he was coiling a spring too tight, “Didn’t even last more than a few seconds! Now you just die tired.”
—-----------------------
Walking through the doorway of the Spirit Fox gave a seamless transition to her home on the planet she had tirelessly begged to govern. Around her cobbled streets that bustled with life made a mixture of chattering, boxes of goods being moved, and calls of hawkers from street stalls.
This was planet Zabek, one of the small training planets of the Asurans’ turned into just as small trading hub.
The woman gave a breath of relief after walking back onto the sidewalk, moving in the direction of her house, making sure to cover her face and horns so as to not be noticed by the passing guards that patrolled the streets.
She had gone out without a guard duty or permission of her advisor after all.
If Lia’vea catches me out again, she’s going to take away the new outfits I just bought! She thought helplessly.
After some walking and weaving through foot traffic, she arrived at her abode. It was a moderately sized house compared to the ones on her mother’s home planet, but it was more than enough for her. She was simply happy to be away from her and her siblings, able to speak freely with the people of this small planet she had grown to cherish.
Sneaking to her room she tip-toed through the sprawling house, making sure to miss the creaky steps that she had been forced to memorize lest she be caught again because of the blasted things.
Able to safely reach her room without alarming the bestial woman who wore the facade of her assistant, she breathed out a sigh and removed her hood.
The mirror across the room caught her eye and she twirled in front of it to look at her new outfit once more.
“Yes! It looks so cute! I just love the colors and how the black pops,” she nodded, touching the hem of the skirt, “You look amazing!”
“Yes, you look lovely as ever, Lady Gala’phyra.”
Gala’phyra froze, hearing the icy cold voice come from her bedroom doorway.
“L-l-l-lia’vea…. H-how are you t-t-today…?” she stammered back.
“I am the same that I was yesterday. Overworked and underpaid,” the woman said back deadpan as she raised the brim of her glasses with a finger.
“Your mother wishes to see you, so please change. I do not wish to be killed,” she added before leaving just as abruptly as she had come.
“Geh..” Gala’phyra winced, “So that’s why she didn’t punish me…. Mother will do 100 times worse than she ever could…” she sighed.
Gala’phyra walked to her closet, pulling from it an elegant white dress and placing it on the chair next to the mirror. She began taking off her outfit she had purchased from the auction revealing her milky white skin and the pristine white scales that covered her hands, wrists, feet, shins, and small patches on her cheekbones that she inherited from her mother.
She stared back at the mirror, slight disgust welling up inside her. She hated how similar she looked to her mother, what she had done to countless races and people they ruled over brought her nothing but sleepless nights and anger.
Gala’phyra had tried her best to counteract her mother's malevolence once she was old enough to know better, going against her deeply ingrained Dragon’s mentality that she had been taught from birth. She tried her best to help those affected on their respective planets, doing her utmost to throw a wrench into her mother’s plans whenever she could. But sadly she was just too weak. A lonely C-Ranked Vessel against an insurmountably powerful being.
Taking the cleaning wipes off the table she turned back to the mirror, wiping away the mascara and makeup she had placed on her face to try to cover the traits she had inherited from her mother. Finally taking another wipe after throwing the used pieces to the side she began to clean her antler-like horns, the brilliant porcelain white bleeding through the black coverup she had drenched them in.
Finally, she saw an upright Princess staring back at her in the mirror. She was no longer the rebel she tried to be. She was forced back into the cold, heartless, obedient, agreeable daughter of the Primordial Dragon race.
A few moments later she left her room, an emotionless expression on her face as she stepped up the personal teleportation crystal, her guards already standing in formation awaiting her departure.
Bracing herself she touched the crystal and stepped through the motes of lights, the next instance inside a grand hall. The grand hall of the Matriarch of Dragons.
“Welcome home my lovely daughter.”
“Yes, Mother. It is good to be home….” Gala’phyra answered, dropping to one knee and bowing.
“You may stand,” her mother cooed.
Standing up, Gala’phyra’s eyes moved as she surveyed the hall. The guards littered the edges of the large room as usual. At the base of the steps leading up to the throne her mother sat at her two brothers stood stoically.
To the right, her eldest brother, Trit’rea, the Great Betrayer. The only known Undead Dragon.
To the left, her 2nd older brother, Bala’rea, a powerful Earth Dragon who was a budding star in their clan currently at C-Rank like her.
“Do you know why I called you here?” Mir’phyra asked, breaking Gala’phyra out of her thoughts.
“I do not, Mother,” she replied, feigning ignorance.
Mir’phyra scoffed, “I am in a foul mood, I am still reeling from the punishment of the system for playing with my latest toy. But I suppose I should thank you for your machinations daughter, for if you did not allow that poor mud puppy to receive such valuable stones I would have suffered greater punishment. Incidentally, you forced my hand, making me give him a favorable trade for the stones, but in the end, I could not help myself….” she smiled.
Gala’phyra said nothing, only looking down as she listened to her mother’s cold monologue.
“Do not make contact with him again….” Mir’phyra said, letting her oppressive aura wash over the room, “He is my toy… And he will bring me great entertainment. Should you disobey this time, I will destroy the little pet project you are doing on that relic of a planet, understood?”
Gala’phyra’s eyes went to points as her anger rose, the taste of copper and iron filling her mouth but she couldn’t object, “Yes, Mother. I understand….”
“Good. You may leave.”
Gala’phyra turned but was stopped.
“Oh, I nearly forgot. Your brother, Bala’rea, will be staying on your planet, see to it that he is given ample resources as he trains to break through the B-Rank bottleneck.”
Gala’phyra only nodded, fear filling her whole being.
I have to warn the populace. No, I must relocate the entire planet! I can’t let my insane brother step on the planet while even one person is still on it! She thought desperately.
A hand touched her shoulder making her jerk and tremble at the following voice.
“Looking forward to having some fun. Dear sister….”
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
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Arthur_Inverse
Landin gave a heavy labored breath as he stopped, his hands on his knees, puffs of white smoke filling his vision.
Lately, he had felt cooped up in the tent with everyone, restless even. Not only because Drake had somehow thought it was okay to stuff 16-year-olds of the opposite sex all into one place, but he had also felt as if something was approaching. Not someone or something physical but rather some hard-to-describe feeling that was welling up day by day.
No, that wasn’t true. He thought.
Landin knew what the problem was. Tomorrow he would turn 16 himself. And he would have to make good on his word.
When Drake had saved him, taken him in. Landin was grateful. When Drake had shown how strong he was during the fights on their way to this town, he was wary. And when Drake had finally asked them to join him, telling them about what was in their future. He was honestly scared, hesitant even.
But, Landin had gone with the flow as he’d normally done despite himself. Caught up in the determined energy that Charlotte had projected when she accepted Drake’s proposal.
But now? Now that he had time to simmer in his thoughts, the fateful day drawing ever closer? He kept picturing the woman who had nearly kidnapped him and killed him.
Would he become like her? Deranged beyond reason? Would he have to fight monsters or even people of that strength or greater like the huge bird Drake had tossed around like some sort of child's toy?
He didn’t want that. He didn’t want anything to do with that.
“Man…. why do I always have to just do what the pretty girl says? Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut!” he grumbled.
Above him, just like the last few days, the avian girl Drake had saved flew.
She had followed him out almost every day for whatever reason and it was nice to have someone at least watching over him. He had tried to talk to her a few times. Not because she was cute but from what Drake had said, she was going to be part of their little group when they set out.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t understand her, and she couldn’t understand him. At least not yet. From what he had heard from the other people in the town, once you were a part of the system you would be able to learn language skills and profession books. He wasn’t entirely clear on exactly when this was possible but he was hopeful.
There were just far too many new exotic -nice- girls joining the ranks of the city lately.
Just as he thought about how he would break the ice with some of them, the feeling of a deathly cold brushed up against him, putting his hair on end as he gasped for breath. He knew what the feeling was, but was still scared out of his wits every time he had felt it before.
“Damned Drake…. Can’t he not do that man? Some of us still don’t even have levels yet! And even those high-level Orc Warriors get knocked out when they get hit by it up close…”
Landin sighed his head dipping down as he tried to warm his newly chilled body, only to see his shadow getting eerily bigger.
“Wait that’s-” before Landin could finish his sentence he snapped his head upwards, seeing a panicking Quetz, flapping her arms wildly as she squawked.
Landin did the only thing he could think of. He raised his arms to catch her.
But he was still shaken by the aura pulse that hit him earlier, so his grip slipped as she landed on top of him, buttocks first.
They both slammed into the snow, slightly cushioning their fall. But it still stung like someone had hit Landin in the side of the head with a baseball bat.
“This is not how I imagined getting sat on for the first time to go…” Landin managed to mumble from beneath Quetz, “A-are you ok?” he asked.
Quetz shot up, grabbing at herself as she chirped in a woeful tone. But still bowed her head slightly before flying off in the distance albeit unsteadily.
Landin looked at her growing smaller in the distance, feeling like he had done something wrong but still wondered if she was alright.
Had Drake’s aura thing made her unstable enough to fall? He wondered.
Landin shook his head, giving a small sigh as he brushed the snow from his clothes. He still had too much on his mind and the slight reprieve only lasted long enough for him to take a breath.
Beginning to pace forward he started to run. What he should do about Drake’s offer spinning over and over in his head.
—-----------
“Oraaaaa!”
Claire looked on as the man with wolf ears once again cleared the monsters that had found their group. Her gaze was casual as if it was just another day on their journey to their destination.
“Just more weak prey… Where are the real fighters?! I want a damn better hunt!” the wolf man spat.
A woman walked up next to him, “Sir…you should restrain yourself from such language, it is not good for your image.”
“Ari, you know I don’t care about shit like that. I’m just getting tired of these little annoying sac of shit weaklings,” Leon growled, his silver-tinted tail standing on end.
Claire looked between the two, amazed at how they were so close when they were such complete opposites, or why Ari would call him sir constantly, but then again Theo did the same thing to Drake essentially. So she guessed it wasn’t nearly as odd as she first thought.
The woman Ari was a properly dressed lady, prim and proper office clothes that attenuated her body perfectly. Making Claire a little jealous that she was able to get such fitting armor, while she had been forced to wear her priest-like clothing.
Ari was well-spoken and if summed up in one word, efficient. She had easily and effectively detected all the monsters they had come across that Leon dispatched with just as much ease.
The silver wolfman was the exact opposite in appearance. He exuded a completely wild aura with his primal animalistic grin that showed his pointed canines, along with his unkempt shoulder-length blue hair that looked like a fierce sea of blue fire on his head with two small silver-furred islands for ears on the top of his head.
He wore a white vest with a leather chest piece on top of it, accompanied by minimal leather armor all over his body for optimal movement.
Leon swung his silver spear, cleaning the blood from the tip of the edge in one motion before slinging the shaft over his shoulders to rest his arms.
“If it isn’t bad enough I have to deal with fodder. Of all the people we had to have tag along….”
“Don’t say that ya bastard! I know you enjoy my bloody company! Don’t he boys?” Luke jeered from the back, raising a gun into the air.
“Damn right!”
“You’re our meal ticket man!”
“Let us tag along sir!”
“Have my babies Leon!!”
Shouts from the men and women behind Luke sounded out in a jumble of cheers. But it only served to make Leon more annoyed.
“I fucking hate crowds and dealing with people…. As soon as we get to Shot’s city I’m dropping all of you off and I never want to see your ugly faces again!”
“Don’t say that, we don’t even know the cunt,” Luke said back, “How are we supposed to know if we’ll be safe, or if he’s even strong enough?”
Claire scowled back at the man, “He’s plenty strong! Didn’t you see the notifications? He’s already killed a Cardinal beast!” she spat.
“Now, now little lady. I know you have the hots for old boy, but I’m just coverin’ all ma’ bases,” Luke said raising his hands.
Leon walked over to Luke, “Luke, shut your mouth and stop bad-mouthing the man in front of her. Keep what you think about him to yourself, because frankly, I don’t care to hear it. Anyone with a title, who has already established a town, and one of the first ones could easily wipe the floor with anyone we’ve come across on this stupid little trip. Including you,” Leon said, power leaking through in his voice, “You’re lucky enough that I’m even tolerating you after having to do it all tutorial long.”
Luke smiled wryly but backed down, nodding, “Whatever you say bossman…”
Claire shivered slightly at the powerful aura that reared its head briefly from Leon, gripping at her sides.
It feels even more chilling than Drake’s… Just how strong is he… She wondered.
“So you said that you know Shot from your tutorial, yeah?” Leon asked, turning his interest back to Claire.
“Y-yes… He mentioned you and another a few times. He thinks very highly of you both and somehow knew you would be a dual class as well as strong,” she said looking briefly behind him to the monsters ranging from level 20 to even some E-Ranks in their early 30’s who were all defeated by single thrusts to their vitals.
Leon chuckled, “Kid knows what’s up still. Ain’t no way some stinking little tutorial is gonna kill me off. He mentioned Wow-fi too huh? Haven’t seen that guy IRL yet but suppose as long as he found some people to leech off of for a while he would be fine. He likes to fight too much to be with anyone long though… We did never get along well with anyone else,” he smiled, seemingly reminiscing.
A small girl suddenly appeared on his shoulder with a pop, forcing him to turn while she whispered something into his ear.
“I know, stop badgering me damn it!” Leon sighed, “Tatsuki says she’s excited to meet with Shot and talk to his territorial assistant since I refused to make a city.”
The little girl nodded, covering her face with her long sleeve. The construct much like Natto had a Japanese-style dress. Was it something that all constructs wore?
Tatsuki’s yukata was much deeper in color than Natto’s, which was a bright mixture of colors. It bore deep almost opaque black with striking deep red trimmings. She also had a doll-like face that was painted in white makeup, keeping her eyes closed nearly all the time giving her a very otherworldly appearance.
“I’m not so sure, Natto is a very… peculiar person,” Claire laughed wryly.
“Tatsuki isn’t much better,” Leon smirked, Tatsuki frowning and disappearing back inside him.
Ari slapped him on the arm, “See what you did? She’s sensitive,” she reprimanded.
“You only say that because you aren’t able to hear her inside my head….” Leon sighed, “Either way, when we get there in a few weeks it will lay to rest anything about that little hot head and that city of his.”
Hot head? Claire thought, but then nodded, agreeing that Drake was slightly more impulsive than the normal person.
She longed to see him again, the way he always jumped into the fray for those around him. His stupid grin when he joked and laughed at his own jokes. How he made her feel safe, how just his smile, his smell comforted her.
Her hand unconsciously moved to grab the ring dangling around her neck, her finger tracing the cool dark metal.
The man Charles, finally spoke up behind her.
“Really missing him huh? Hope he’s everything you said he is, we could really use a rest once we get there.”
“I-i might be a little biased…” Claire laughed, her face blushing slightly, “But yes, I do miss him. With Mr. Leon here though and Ari to lead the way, I’m sure we will get there in no time.”
Claire smiled on the outside, but over the last week after meeting Leon she noticed a huge discrepancy in how Leon described the man she knew.
Leon told her of their past together, how they met and used to play games in the old world. She didn’t really understand that part of the explanation since she hadn’t played such things. But she enjoyed hearing more about him all the same.
The stories contained how much Leon had tried to guide the younger Drake after he made mistake after mistake. She was surprised to hear that they had known each other since Drake was still a young headstrong boy who wouldn’t take advice from anyone and only gave Leon a headache like some kind of naive younger brother.
It made Claire giggle to hear Drake described as a ‘little punk’ when she knew Drake had said the same thing on occasion about Shigure.
But despite the fondness in his voice as Leon had told her about their past, Leon never mentioned some of the things she knew to also be true.
Leon told her that Drake was a crybaby for many years, never standing up for himself and always starry-eyed about his idealistic perceptions of the world. How after he had lost his job Drake had fallen into a pit of depression and self-loathing.
The Drake she knew in the tutorial, the one she had fallen in love with. Was nothing like that. The Drake she knew gave everyone a chance and a second chance. Sure he may have had unrealistic expectations of people, but that never kept him from being cautious where he needed to be. Drake had even gone as far as to make disadvantagous contracts with several people, just to prove a point.
All this only served to shake the image she had of him in her head. Making her realize she didn’t really know the man called Drake Wallen. And over her time knowing him, his personality had changed because of the events in the tutorial.
She loved him, she knew that. And that wouldn’t change for her no matter what. He had been the one to save her when she was at her lowest point when he had no obligation to do so.
But still. Leon’s stories made her question who Drake really was and who he would become when he was out of her sight.
The sound of lightning striking the ground broke her from her thoughts. The sleek glass-like expanse that was around them for as long as the eye could see was both breathtaking and frightening.
Their new world that they were exploring for the first time like the explorers of old was captivating. The hodgepodge of worlds the system merged together created all sorts of weird phenomena. The southern part of where they were clashed with the cold north to create a perpetual border that housed never-ending lightning storms. Constantly striking the metal pillars that jutted from the ground as well as sometimes veering off course and hitting the sandy ground turning it to glass.
They had to be very wary when crossing the stretch of land and thankfully no one had been injured too badly during their travel.
Claire’s eyes darted from the lightning strike to the front of the group again, the sound of shattering glass pulling her attention.
“Haha… Now that’s more I like it!” Leon shouted.
In front of their group, breaking out of the ground was a massive creature of the likes Claire had never seen.
It was an enormous, towering, mobile skyscraper with red basketball-sized pearls for eyes that looked down at them with disdain. The creature’s -if it could be called a living creature- arms came to serrated glass points with no apposable hands or fingers. Its entire body was made out of the same glass they were standing on.
Shouts of panic and fear came from the group as they screamed in discontent at the sudden monster.
“I-it’s one of the Cardinal Beasts?!” someone from the group shouted.
“I’m sorry, Sir, I didn’t detect it at all with my skill! It must have been hiding in the ground!” Ari shouted.
“It’s not a big deal,” Leon grinned casually, his silver spear slipping off his shoulders as he took a fighting stance, “Everyone back up and don’t interfere, I’m going to let loose for a little bit.”
Claire wanted to protest, she couldn’t fight but she was a support class with more buffs now than she had in the tutorial. She could help. But Ari grabbed her by the arm with a smile.
“Don’t worry about him, he’ll be fine, come with me to a safe distance and observe with the rest of us. It’s always a spectacle to watch him fight.”
Claire nodded reluctantly, knowing just how strong Drake was she was certain Leon could just as easily be a monster in human form since he had a second class as well.
They looked at the back of Leon who stood off with the monster.
It looked as if the monster was waiting expectantly for him to make the first move.
“Looking down on me huh? Well, let’s have a little game then!” Leon growled, “Let’s see how long that attitude lasts until you run away with your little Ken-doll smoothness between your legs!”
Leon bent at the knees with his spear in both hands as the world began to quiet around him, a fierce primal aura leaking out as he began chanting skills Claire had never seen him use.
“Basic Strengthening, Greater Strengthening, Basic Dexterity, Greater Dexterity, Beastal Attunement, Basic Armor Penetration, Greater Armor Penetration.”
The air around Leon began to hum with power Claire hadn’t felt since Drake had fought the Ant monster in their tutorial, every skill cast increasing the pressure around the man several folds until it almost looked like it had distorted the space around him.
“He has so many self buffs…” Claire muttered to herself, but Leon wasn’t done.
The monster had begun to if it was possible for the glass beast, pale. It had taken several steps backwards already as Leon chained together his skills each buff filling his already bloodthirsty aura with more brimming hostility but the last several skills are what made it turn in horror.
“True Hunter’s Ability Boost,” Leon said his voice becoming ethereal in the air as it shook and vibrated, “Let the hunt,” he grinned sadistically.
“Begin.”
The sound and commotion of the world flooded back with his words and the striking of another lightning bolt to his side, flashing and illuminating his form that was now shrouded in visual strands of green floating and dissipating from his body.
Now that Leon was what Claire assumed was fully buffed, the sound of the thunder had been almost like the crack of a starting gun of a race. The Glass Golem-like monster turned tail and ran, its pointed feet cracking the ground with every elongated step it took in the opposite direction.
“Running already?!” Leon howled with glee from behind the Golem as his stance went lower and lower almost as if he was coiling a spring too tight, “Didn’t even last more than a few seconds! Now you just die tired.”
—-----------------------
Walking through the doorway of the Spirit Fox gave a seamless transition to her home on the planet she had tirelessly begged to govern. Around her cobbled streets that bustled with life made a mixture of chattering, boxes of goods being moved, and calls of hawkers from street stalls.
This was planet Zabek, one of the small training planets of the Asurans’ turned into just as small trading hub.
The woman gave a breath of relief after walking back onto the sidewalk, moving in the direction of her house, making sure to cover her face and horns so as to not be noticed by the passing guards that patrolled the streets.
She had gone out without a guard duty or permission of her advisor after all.
If Lia’vea catches me out again, she’s going to take away the new outfits I just bought! She thought helplessly.
After some walking and weaving through foot traffic, she arrived at her abode. It was a moderately sized house compared to the ones on her mother’s home planet, but it was more than enough for her. She was simply happy to be away from her and her siblings, able to speak freely with the people of this small planet she had grown to cherish.
Sneaking to her room she tip-toed through the sprawling house, making sure to miss the creaky steps that she had been forced to memorize lest she be caught again because of the blasted things.
Able to safely reach her room without alarming the bestial woman who wore the facade of her assistant, she breathed out a sigh and removed her hood.
The mirror across the room caught her eye and she twirled in front of it to look at her new outfit once more.
“Yes! It looks so cute! I just love the colors and how the black pops,” she nodded, touching the hem of the skirt, “You look amazing!”
“Yes, you look lovely as ever, Lady Gala’phyra.”
Gala’phyra froze, hearing the icy cold voice come from her bedroom doorway.
“L-l-l-lia’vea…. H-how are you t-t-today…?” she stammered back.
“I am the same that I was yesterday. Overworked and underpaid,” the woman said back deadpan as she raised the brim of her glasses with a finger.
“Your mother wishes to see you, so please change. I do not wish to be killed,” she added before leaving just as abruptly as she had come.
“Geh..” Gala’phyra winced, “So that’s why she didn’t punish me…. Mother will do 100 times worse than she ever could…” she sighed.
Gala’phyra walked to her closet, pulling from it an elegant white dress and placing it on the chair next to the mirror. She began taking off her outfit she had purchased from the auction revealing her milky white skin and the pristine white scales that covered her hands, wrists, feet, shins, and small patches on her cheekbones that she inherited from her mother.
She stared back at the mirror, slight disgust welling up inside her. She hated how similar she looked to her mother, what she had done to countless races and people they ruled over brought her nothing but sleepless nights and anger.
Gala’phyra had tried her best to counteract her mother's malevolence once she was old enough to know better, going against her deeply ingrained Dragon’s mentality that she had been taught from birth. She tried her best to help those affected on their respective planets, doing her utmost to throw a wrench into her mother’s plans whenever she could. But sadly she was just too weak. A lonely C-Ranked Vessel against an insurmountably powerful being.
Taking the cleaning wipes off the table she turned back to the mirror, wiping away the mascara and makeup she had placed on her face to try to cover the traits she had inherited from her mother. Finally taking another wipe after throwing the used pieces to the side she began to clean her antler-like horns, the brilliant porcelain white bleeding through the black coverup she had drenched them in.
Finally, she saw an upright Princess staring back at her in the mirror. She was no longer the rebel she tried to be. She was forced back into the cold, heartless, obedient, agreeable daughter of the Primordial Dragon race.
A few moments later she left her room, an emotionless expression on her face as she stepped up the personal teleportation crystal, her guards already standing in formation awaiting her departure.
Bracing herself she touched the crystal and stepped through the motes of lights, the next instance inside a grand hall. The grand hall of the Matriarch of Dragons.
“Welcome home my lovely daughter.”
“Yes, Mother. It is good to be home….” Gala’phyra answered, dropping to one knee and bowing.
“You may stand,” her mother cooed.
Standing up, Gala’phyra’s eyes moved as she surveyed the hall. The guards littered the edges of the large room as usual. At the base of the steps leading up to the throne her mother sat at her two brothers stood stoically.
To the right, her eldest brother, Trit’rea, the Great Betrayer. The only known Undead Dragon.
To the left, her 2nd older brother, Bala’rea, a powerful Earth Dragon who was a budding star in their clan currently at C-Rank like her.
“Do you know why I called you here?” Mir’phyra asked, breaking Gala’phyra out of her thoughts.
“I do not, Mother,” she replied, feigning ignorance.
Mir’phyra scoffed, “I am in a foul mood, I am still reeling from the punishment of the system for playing with my latest toy. But I suppose I should thank you for your machinations daughter, for if you did not allow that poor mud puppy to receive such valuable stones I would have suffered greater punishment. Incidentally, you forced my hand, making me give him a favorable trade for the stones, but in the end, I could not help myself….” she smiled.
Gala’phyra said nothing, only looking down as she listened to her mother’s cold monologue.
“Do not make contact with him again….” Mir’phyra said, letting her oppressive aura wash over the room, “He is my toy… And he will bring me great entertainment. Should you disobey this time, I will destroy the little pet project you are doing on that relic of a planet, understood?”
Gala’phyra’s eyes went to points as her anger rose, the taste of copper and iron filling her mouth but she couldn’t object, “Yes, Mother. I understand….”
“Good. You may leave.”
Gala’phyra turned but was stopped.
“Oh, I nearly forgot. Your brother, Bala’rea, will be staying on your planet, see to it that he is given ample resources as he trains to break through the B-Rank bottleneck.”
Gala’phyra only nodded, fear filling her whole being.
I have to warn the populace. No, I must relocate the entire planet! I can’t let my insane brother step on the planet while even one person is still on it! She thought desperately.
A hand touched her shoulder making her jerk and tremble at the following voice.
“Looking forward to having some fun. Dear sister….”
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
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