Chapter 198: Falling into Place 2

Drake stared down the monster. This time it looked like a real monster, straight out of a horror novel. Its head poking out of a tattered cloak looked to resemble a fly's head, with deep maroon eyes, more than Drake could count staring back at him. Two translucent wings on its back hummed as it flapped, keeping the monster hovering just above the ground. And a swarm of insects surrounded it.

[Mana Wasp Level 20]

[Mana Bee Level 20]

[Mana Scarab Level 22]

More insects inhabited the swarm that hovered around the Incectmancer but Drake was more concerned with the Orcs that had been fighting.

He quickly went to their aid, a wave of his hand summoning white flames that dispersed and burned any of the summoned insects it touched.

"Are you alright?" Drake asked quickly.

"C-came out of nowhere…" the Orc warrior grunted out.

"Don't worry. You did well holding out…" 

Drake gritted his teeth. He may have not known the Orcs long but he was responsible for sending them out. Reminding him of the reality that not everyone was as strong as he was, that if they were to survive he would need to figure out how to help them all get stronger.

His eyes never left the Muscas as his aura began to weigh on the area, his emotion of frustration becoming palpable.

A short time after Sah Ul' finally caught up taking in the scene herself and rushing to her tribesmen's aide.

"What happened?!" she growled.

"They held out that's what. And now, I'm going to incinerate this filthy bug. I should have never put anyone else in danger without knowing what was out here. I'm going to make up for it right here and now."

Drake stood, letting Sah Ul' gather and watch the tribesmen group that had been fighting, some of them injured but not enough to be life-threatening.

They're tough. I'll give them that. None of them ran even in the face of an E-Rank. Drake thought

The Muscas screeched, the swarm suddenly coming to life as it moved to smother Drake.

In an instant the swarm was gone, lit by a bright white flame that encompassed Drake and the group of Orcs around him.

"Good, looks like I won't have trouble with you. Sorry buzz boy, but seems that I'm your natural counter," Drake scoffed, "Let's take this slow. All of you make sure to take notes, we need to know everything we can about these monsters in our area. I won't have anyone lose their life on my watch!"

Drake shot forward, his body bulging with power as his hair cascaded into a deep scarlet.

"Marked. For the thrill of battle!"

Rushing the Muscas, Drake gave a sweeping motion of his left arm backhanding the monster to the side as it collided with the trees, knocking off the snow covering them and cracking the trunks in half as it continued to crash through them.

Drake's hair shifted to a brilliant yellow as he stepped forward following the bug.

"Pretty sturdy... Doesn't look like many would be able to damage you physically," Drake surmised observing the flying bug, "I would have guessed you were a Mage derivative based on summoning other insects…"

The Muscas suddenly shook off the momentary shock of Drake's blow, its wings fluttering as it shot up, scaling in height.

Drake followed it with his eyes, "Wings aren't just for show, check."

Summoning wind he flew upwards keeping parallel with the monster.

"Fast, but not so fast a group of ranged classes couldn't deal with… But your strength would be a problem with them… Oh?" Drake whistled as he saw the Muscas summon a new swarm of insects to its side.

Only this time the bugs began to swarm around the Muscas attaching to it in certain spots.

"It can equip the summons? Very game-esque of you. Looks like the higher-ranked monsters are more sophisticated in their skills," Drake laughed.

The Muscas swiped downward at Drake, a beetle on its forearm having turned into a serrated trident.

Drake dodged deftly in the air, using his wind and fire magic to fly circles around the monster.

"Let's check your magic resistance shall we?"

Snapping his fingers Drake summoned an instance of all of his elements starting his bombardment with Water.

A disk of high-rotation water flew forward colliding with the Muscas's raised guard only to barely scratch the monster's newly formed shell that looked to be a deep navy blue itself.

"Oh? Is it elemental resistance based on the insect used? Scarabs? Then onto the next," Drake said evenly pointing his hand, a torrential spinning blade of wind howling forward.

The blade whipped and spun cutting through the distance as it found its target pushing the Muscas downward from the drop in air pressure, but no damage seemed to have been done.

"Wind is a no-go also… Fine, next."

Drake sneered at the monster from above it as he looked down, his hand waving a finger downward as a spike of pure black Earth shot forward ripping through the air and finding its home in the shoulder of the monster. The Muscas screeched in pain but seemed mostly undamaged as it shot backward, its wings fluttering as its head served the area desperately looking for an escape.

"Looks like you've finally realized your fucked. Too late though. You won't be getting away before I'm done."

Drake's hand moved once more a blob of Magma gurgled as it suddenly appeared next to the Muscas, engorging itself on one of its fly-like wings burning it down to its base in an instant hardening on its back.

"As expected a combination of fire would work. Let's see if Ice works shall we?"

Drake shot forward grabbing the shard of ice in his hand as he went. Appearing behind the Muscas as it fell downward from the loss of its wing making it unstable in the air. Drake pressed the shard to the side of the Insectmancer's head.

Instantly the permafrost from the ice shard spread, covering half of its head before it ripped itself away, the small smokey fog from the difference in temperature hovering above the now frozen half of its head.

"Weak to ice as well? Looks like Insect types are still underpowered, unfortunate for you."

The Muscas chittered, having enough of Drake's games, and summoned a swarm larger than any before. Letting out a cry as the summoned insects began to glow green.

"Over already huh? Suppose we're doing ultimate moves then," Drake dropped to the ground his hair shifting to a pure white, a flawless white flame breathing to life in his hand.

"Turn to dust and disappear before me."

Clasping his hands together Drake pushed the flames into a solid form, condensing the mana to its limit as he molded it into a blade of pure fire.

"I won't let you regret this, Ban-"

Letting go of the blade it fell to the ground dispersing into countless petals of searing hot white flames enough to easily overwhelm the massive swarm of insects.

"-kai."

The sword bloomed and scattered the petals in a whirlwind of potent fire magic. Every petal that touched an insect went up in a puff of flame leaving only a burnt husk of smoldering ash.

"Senbonzakura, Kageyoshi."

In a flash of brilliant white the field was removed of every insect in the area save for the Muscas who's face twisted into an emotion Drake could only call fear.

Raising his hand the petals coalesced forming rows of bright flaming swords around them.

"This seems to be the end of your usefulness. Regret in your next life that you harmed those under my protection. Disappear," Drake sneered, lowering his hand.

"Senkei!"

With his last words, the rows pointed at the Muscas. The monster knew immediately what was to come and turned to run, desperately fluttering its remaining wing in its attempt to escape. But it was in vain as the numerous rows of swords pierced it one after the other lighting it in a pire of ethereal white, its cries of pain not loud enough to overtake the crackling of the fire.

[You have subjugated Muscas Insectmancer Level 31] [E-Rank] [Experience Earned]

—------------------------

Drake gave a breath of relief, his hair turning to a soft blue as he walked over to the corpse. The area had turned into a hot sauna from his spell, evaporating all the nearby snow.

He waited for a moment eagerly to see if the Monster would drop what he was expecting as he willed his remaining Elementals to return to the encampment with the patrols.

Drake had miscalculated. Assuming that there wouldn't be more E-Ranks within the area and that the system wouldn't put the world as a whole in that much danger.

From what he could tell most people had come out of the tutorial barely above level 12, yet here he was fighting E-Ranks and many other F-Ranks on the cusp of evolving. Was it just the area he was in? Or was it that the system knew and adjusted the surroundings that it pushed him into with the Territory Quest?

He would have to figure that out later but for now, the people around him were in more danger than he expected.

While in thought, a familiar mote of light shone and winked out of existence leaving a stone at his feet.

Smiling, he picked it up.

[Main Class-tree Stone: Spirit Summoner] [Epic]

Unlocks the Spirit Summoner Class-tree.

Requirement: Open Main Class-tree slot. Cleric-based Class level of 10 or more.

Drake withdrew the other stone he had received from Hula, his plan coming together for the teens and their classes.

[Main Class-tree Stone: Lightning Spearman] [Epic]

Unlocks the Lightning Spearman Class-tree.

Requirement: Open Main Class-tree Slot. Warrior-based Class level of 10 or more.

Turning around he regrouped with the Orcs and Sah Ul' a grin on his face as he moved his mask and stared at the stones.

"I love it when a plan comes together… Ah, everyone still in one piece no serious injuries? What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Drake asked, touching his cheek.

"D-defeated the monster… Alone…" one of the warriors murmured amazement in his eyes.

"Well, yeah…." Drake answered casually, "You saw me take on the big chicken right? That guy was hardly half as strong as that. I didn't even get to use many of my skills… But hey, at least we have more info on what monsters are around here right?"

The group of Orcs nodded slowly, whispering among themselves as they followed Drake back to the tribe's encampment.

Sah Ul' fell in line behind him as he put his hands up behind his head.

Drake was in a good mood after the fight, he had gained just the stones he wanted and he had many more for their skills once the time came. It was just a matter of time until they both turned 16 and entered the system.

"I can't wait! It's time for a good old training arc!" Drake cheered.