Chapter 202: Daily Rounds

"Chief, are you sure about your decision..?"

Rvul looked to his side at the man. Walking back to the encampment, Rvul was well aware of the uncertainty he brought to his Tribe. The newcomers that the Patriarch had brought, many if not all did not speak their language and could not understand each other.

"I am. You have seen his strength, do you understand what might have happened if we tried to fight against him?" Rvul explained, "Now we have an opportunity to make ties with this man and flourish as a tribe in the world brought by the Gods. He will bring greater strength to our already great tribe."

"Even if it costs you your own daughter?" Kalik Tu' growled from behind him.

Rvul looked at the boy with sympathy. He was already blessed with great skills as a warrior but Kalik did not have the experience of a man yet. He admired Sah Ul' as a warrior but Rvul knew he also saw her as a woman.

"My daughter made her own decision long before I told her to marry the Patriarch. When we were pulled by the gods into that domain, fighting for our lives. Something that you as a child would not know. She had decided to marry a man that would protect this tribe on its new journey."

Kalik scoffed, "I won't believe it. He may be strong but he will only stay that way for so long! Once the gods bestow on me my calling I will outstrip him! I'll be the strongest in the Tribe, I won't lose to anyone or anything! That filthy human!"

Rvul sighed, rearing his hand back and slapping Kalik across the face bringing the boy down to his knees, "Watch your words. Whether you believe or like the Patriarch, you know our laws. It is a disgrace to throw mud on a man not there to defend his name. If you wish to bring him down, do it properly. If you can, that is."

They left Kalik in the light fall of snow as they made their way back, many of the other youths looking at him with pity as they passed.

"Rvul, should you have been so hard on the boy?"

"A strong weapon must be tempered. He has been proud ever since he went on his first hunt. He is talented but his arrogance will only fuel his downfall if he does not learn to see what is beyond that," Rvul answered, "I pity the boy, he will certainly be stronger than Sah Ul' but he has not found a place to use that strength. I hope that our Patriarch will teach him well…"

—--------------------

Drake looked up at the stars, sitting down next to the crystal as he sensed his Elementals on the walls around the encampment.

"Day three…" he mused looking up at the familiar night sky, his white breath wisping along with the light breeze, "There's one star I've never seen before though…"

In the night sky there was a noticeably bright star Drake had never seen before and could only lean on an inkling as to what it was.

It's probably that other planet Natto mentioned that we will have to fight eventually… I'm not looking forward to that. Drake sighed, remembering some of the fights he went through in the tutorial.

But a small part of him smiled.

I hope there's at least someone on there that can put up a good fight…

He shook his head, unsure where the thought came from and passed so quickly. Turning he looked at Natto next to him still in her meditative trance.

Taking his hand he brushed off the snow that had piled up on her, snapping his fingers making a small shelter for her.

"Four more days huh? Well, I better get back to it," Drake said, nodding to the elemental he had resummoned next to Natto, "Keep her safe for me."

Walking over the bridge casually, Drake saw the line of people waiting as per usual since he had displayed his strength on the first day against the Cardinal Beast.

"Alright, who's first? Remember the rules, one try per day, and monsters take priority, no exceptions. And no harming of anyone's property," Drake explained, cracking his shoulder, pulling his hood up over his head.

"First," Kalik growled, pulling two axes from his sides, taking a battle stance.

"Again? Have you healed from yesterday? Sure you're ok?" Drake asked with a smirk on his face.

Kalik Tu' growled louder, his tusk showing through, "Don't need concern! Fight!"

Running forward the boy threw an ax straight at Drake, pulling a third from his side as he jumped forward.

Drake dodged the axe easily, Kalik not having any stats yet making it a clearly unfair fight, but Drake wouldn't disrespect the youth by not fighting him seriously.

He kept his stats down to a minimum fighting the boy with as normal a strength as he could, but Kalik while being a good hunter was not a sophisticated fighter.

Most of the tribe were good fighters as far as Drake had seen the past day, at least in the sense of instincts and strength. Each were strong and knew their weapons, but it was clear that they were still primitive in their technique, using their massive bodies and strength as the crux of their fighting style.

Drake dropped low, striking upwards as he gripped Kalik's hands around the wrists with his own. He twisted outwards, the boy shrinking away in pain as he dropped his weapons. Using his knee, Drake brought it up into the boy's stomach, taking him down in a single strike.

"And that's game, someone play Silver Scrapes for me. Nice try, Kalik but I think you should maybe try a different weapon or wait until you've turned 16. Your strikes are too honest, always pushing forward. There's no misdirection."

The teen coughed, wiping the spittle from his mouth as he picked up his axes, "To deceive is dishonorable!"

Drake shook his head waving the teen off, "If you say so. I'll respect your view but the results speak for themselves. If you can't beat someone in a straight fight with your life on the line, you will need to use everything at your disposal to win. Pride and honor are all good but only if you can wake up the next day."

Not that I can really talk… I've done plenty of stupid things in the name of some lofty ideals… Drake thought, smiling nervously.

Kalik Tu' spat at the ground baring his teeth still as he limped away, Drake waving as he did.

"Ok next!" Drake called out.

—----------

Kalik stormed off pushing past the crowd of his tribesmen, his hand nursing his stomach where he was struck.

"Mother be damned! I'll break that scrawny human's neck!" Kalik Tu' coughed, wincing, "Ahhh! If only I had the blessing of the gods already!"

Walking still he passed some of the other humans he was forbidden from confronting by the chief. He couldn't understand them as they looked at him talking to themselves, one looking at him in concern.

Kalik scoffed, "Have I fallen so far that a human child who has never held an ax, looks at me with such pity!" he growled his hand tensing around his ax handle at his side, "I'll bring him down. I won't let him disgrace our tribe! I won't let him disgrace Sah Ul'!"

—----------

"What was his deal? Mad Drake tossed him again?" Landin asked looking over his shoulder at Kalik.

"He looks hurt, you shouldn't take it so personally," Charlotte told Landin, reprimanding him, "He's doing more than we are, you have to remember that. I'm not looking forward to learning how to fight if a person who's spent their whole life doing it can't even hurt him…" she mumbled.

"Aw come on, Drake wouldn't be too hard on us right? Right…?" Landin asked worriedly.

"I don't know, you tell me," Charlotte smiled back nervously, nodding to the line that had formed for the second day.

Drake was surrounded by well over 50 of the Rahk Tribes top warriors, all bereaved by his orders to stay out of the defense of their encampment due to the threat of the E-Ranks that could appear at any moment.

They had instead turned their frustration towards him, using him as a challenge as well as an outlet.

"Too slow to adapt," Drake shouted, dropping down and sweeping the warrior's leg, finishing him with a blow to the back of the head, "You're playing to your strengths but you aren't covering for your weaknesses making them easier to see since you can't finish me off in one blow."

The warrior groaned as he rolled to his side, struggling to get up and pick up his ax.

Drake looked to the crowd, "Next," he sighed waiting for the next challenger as he stayed attentive to his elementals on the wall.

"Are there only ax wielders in this tribe? I'll have to talk to Sarah about it later when I get a chance," Drake mumbled looking to the side, seeing her leaning against a tent pole watching him attentively.

She hasn't challenged me since we last fought and I broke her weapon. But she never stops watching. I can tell she's observing to learn but I wish she would… put some clothes on… Drake sighed.

The Rahk Tribe all had very minimal armor due to how they fought and waged war before the system came to them. And with the system much of their armor that they had gained was tailored to that same aesthetic. Which Drake wouldn't have such a problem with if Sah Ul' wasn't so attractive.

Sah Ul' was by far the most attractive woman he had seen in some time, not counting Claire. Even despite that, she was of an entirely different race he couldn't help but admit it. But as it stood she was still closed off to him, only following him as her father had ordered.

Drake turned again, looking at the next warrior ready to fight him but was forced to pause, raising his hand.

"Hold on, I'll be right back."

Putting the fight on hold, Drake changed to his lightning endowment and moved to the south wall in an instant.

What he saw wasn't anything new to him. A new group of people were staring down his Elemental, but something was interesting about their leader.

[Mikhail Jordan Level 17]

Hmm, he's the highest-level human I've met since coming out of the tutorial. Drake thought.

"State your business," Drake said flatly, startling some of the man's group.

Mikhail turned calmly and gauged Drake before answering just as calmly.

"So you are Drake Wallen… You look much stronger than a Level 10."

Drake didn't answer but laughed to himself at how perspective the man was.

"We're, for lack of a better term Adventurers," Mikhail finally answered.

"Adventurers? This isn't some game…" Drake grumbled, "That doesn't tell me much, what do you want to do here," Drake scoffed, "Fight, seek help, maybe looking for directions?"

Mikhail shook his head, "You misunderstand, I apologize for not being more direct. I assumed you knew by now that Adventurers are parties of people who simply complete quests to benefit System Sanctioned Towns."

Drake raised a brow, "Is that so…?"

Looking Mikhail up and down Drake tried his best to get a sense of the man. He wore what looked like cleric robes but seemed to be more of a rogue at second glance. He held two knives on either side of his belt and wore bracers obviously meant for parrying.

Drake changed his gaze to the group of five behind him. Each one was obviously there to serve a role.

"You even have a healer in your group?" Drake asked.

Mikhail nodded, "We do. Could we bring this inside, it is quite cold out."

"No," Drake said firmly, "I won't allow you inside these walls until I know exactly why you are here and if you are a threat to those I protect."

Mikhail stiffened feeling Drake's aura press against him but nodded all the same.

"U-understandable, what is it you would like to know?"

"You said you help System Sanctioned Towns, how so? If it's completing quests, I can do that myself. I'm assuming you found this place through the list that is available in the system center as well, so," Drake looked down at Mikhail looking for any tell on his face, "Why choose this town?"

Mikhail gulped, "We all saw the notification for you killing the guardian. I am not ignorant. I know that the guardians are E-Rank monsters. For a level 10 to bring one down, seemingly alone. You would have to have a legendary class or…" Mikhail smiled, "You would have to be hiding your level."

Drake grinned, "You are very perceptive."