Chapter 252: Planning A Quick Return

Drake's arm fell to his side with the strike, his body crumbling to one knee as he gasped, completely spent.

He looked at the monster lying on the street in two massive pieces with a troubled almost sorrowful expression.

Swinging his legs from under himself he sat forward heaving a breath as his hair returned from its golden hue to his natural black then to a serene blue.

He heard the hurried footsteps of people behind him but he just continued to calm his breathing looking over his status while he contemplated what to do next after the realization of what had just happened.

[Drake Wallen]

[Race: Asuran] [F-Rank]

[Profession: Miner P5(0%)[F-Rank], Jeweler P5(0%)[F-Rank]

[Elemental Miller] [Unique] Level 28

[Vitality] 809 (20+ 215%) 

[Strength] 935 (100 +15%) 

[Dexterity] 765 (95 + 25%) 

[Intelligence] 1237 (95+20%)

[Wisdom] 861 (30 + 220%)

[Endurance] 656 (95 + 230%)

[Free Points] 140

[Titles]

…

Dawning of a Tyrant II, Hated by Many, The Awe of Many, Bounty, First Completionist, Top 3, Top 1, One of Four, Slayer of the West, Fledgling Ruler, Baron, Catalyst of the Capital, One of Four

While still racking his mind on where to go, he would be remiss not to appreciate how much his stats had jumped with just one level and with the added benefit, if it could be called that, of being the last of his race bringing in an extra 100 free points to use.

Drake quickly placed his points into Strength and Dexterity, 100 and 40 into each respectively, rounding his Strength to 1035, and Dexterity to 805. Not wanting to wait to increase his strength.

Despite winning the last fight, it had drained him completely of his skill cooldowns and without help from using a potion mid-fight, he would have been in serious trouble.

"What were those things?" Charlotte asked, walking up to the severed body.

"Patriarch, are you alright?" Sah Ul asked, kneeling down next to him.

"Always a spectacle with you isn't it bro?" Bjorn said, his words playful, but his face anything but.

"I'm fine," Drake said both stiff and short, "I'm not exactly proud of that fight, it was sloppy to say the least… You said their stats kept changing do you know why Bjorn?" he asked.

"I couldn't say, I've never seen anything like these before," Bjorn answered walking up to the body next to Charlotte.

"They're pieces of people…" Drake said hesitantly, "That's why. I'm not sure what is going on but I think these are some kind of monsters made by the vampires, specifically to fight me."

"You?" Landin asked, slipping on a t-shirt as he walked up behind Drake.

"They only went for me. They could have easily went for the house filled with people and children, but instead only targeted me," Drake nodded.

"But who would want to attack you, Lord Drake?" Atropos asked.

"Anyone with the desire to take over the world? Or just has a personal grudge maybe?" Bjorn speculated out loud, "Drake, this thing doesn't have a core. I think you may be right about it being made from people…"

"Lucium, can you tell us anything about this?" Drake asked, gathering himself as he stood.

"I apologize sir, but I have no knowledge of such monsters. My best guess is that they are some form of ritual magic of the undead," Lucium answered, rolling Mordred closer.

Drake frowned deeply looking at the body.

Sah Ul' stood close, her ax drawn. The others also subtly formed around Drake, unsure if he was battle-ready after the fight.

"I'm fine," Drake reassured, walking up to the monster himself, "No skill stone, no core… No spatial bags either. Bjorn, you said something about the town leader not being the best…"

Bjorn frowned, "I said he was lazy, yeah, but bro. I don't think he would do this…" he said warily.

Drake took a deep breath and looked at Bjorn, "He allowed monsters of this level to just storm into his city and fight me in front of my childhood home. Even if he isn't responsible for this depraved ritual or whatever you can call such a disgusting practice. He better pony up some goddamn answers."

Bjorn gave a solemn nod," I can agree with that. I'll come with you, I know where he is."

Drake's expression softened a little, "Thanks," he then turned to Charlotte, "Get everyone cleaned up and ready to go within the hour. We don't know if there are more of these coming or not. When we return we make for ReUnite. These problems… I can't ignore them any longer."

Charlotte turned and nodded, making for the house.

"Lord Drake…" Atropos said, pointing to the body of the Ambush Amalgamation strewn against the fence, or at least what remained of the upper half, "I know the face of this monster…"

Atropos covered her mouth but refused to look away as Drake made his way to her.

"This is a girl from the city that was enslaved with us… She was also a beastkin, I believe her name was Hera…"

Drake grimaced, unable to hide his frustration.

Had he waited too long to deal with these problems? Was Sandal connected to the undead and vampires?

"I see," was all that Drake answered with, three circles of crimson sparking to life and setting aflame the corpses, turning them into piles of grey ash.

That settles it. Sandal is the first clue. After that, we have to find where these vampires are located.  Drake thought. I need to go back and talk to Natto. This entire group needs to be outfitted correctly, filled out, and ready to fight. If they can send these kinds of things after me, it worries me what might be aimed at the city.

Turning back to Bjorn, Sah Ul' hot on his tail not allowing him to go even a few inches in any direction without her. He gave him a nod.

As the three left, the screaming of his mother opening the door and seeing the aftermath sent a shiver down Drake's spine that even the fearsome monsters he had just faced couldn't wish compare to.

—------------

"So what's up with this city leader?" Drake asked, slowing down to a casual run now that they were away from the Filipino reincarnate of punishment and anger itself.

"About as much as you do bro," Bjorn shrugged pointing down the street, "His house is there, he used to be a politician or something, but from what the other people in the city say. He's a pretty lazy dude."

"Hard working enough to get an anchoring crystal but lazy enough to let three undead E-Ranks into his city?" Dake scoffed incredulously, "Not sure if I buy that."

Bjorn frowned, "You think he's working with the undead?"

Drake shrugged playfully but his eyes were cold, "Maybe, but we're going to find out."

Nothing out of the ordinary happened leading up to the house. Sah Ul', Bjorn and Drake arrived a few seconds after Bjorn had pointed it out.

Drake spread out his aura, making sure to cover the whole building in case the man tried to flee and knocked on the door.

"Yes! Who is it…?" a childish voice asked from behind the door.

Drake raised a brow.

A kid..? Drake thought.

But after a few moments, another voice answered the door.

"Who is it?"

This time it was a much older man asking.

"I'm here to talk about your car's extended warranty," Drake smiled, but forced a cough when nudged by Bjorn, "I mean, I'm here to speak to the city lord."

Some hushed murmurs behind the door and sounds of scrambling later, "He is not at home! Please leave!"

"Guess we're doing this the hard way," Drake said, opening up a system window.

[Would you like to contest for Authority of Yundertown?]

[Yes] [No]

[Confirm?]

Drake mentally ascended to the action and another prompt rang in his ears.

[Drake Wallen has challenged for control over town: Yundertown]

[You have begun contesting for the Anchoring Crystal of Yundertown]

[New City Quest! Bringing Down the House]

Assert authority for contested town in one of three ways.

Kill the city lord.

Destroy and replace the current Anchoring Crystal

Subjugate 90% of the current populace.

Reward: Control over Yundertown and current sphere of influence.

Additional Reward: 200 Nobility Points.

His eyes widened slightly at that.

That explains how Atticus is gaining so many points, he's just conquering towns left and right. Drake realized.

The group heard shuffling and stumbling behind the door after Drake had declared war essentially on the town, but the door still didn't open.

"I hate to do this when there's a kid in the house but…" Drake grimaced, motioning for Bjorn and Sah Ul' to step back slightly.

"Back away from the door," Drake shouted, placing his hand on the knob.

With a swift and calm twist, Drake wrenched the handle free and quickly pulled the entire door from its hinges.

"Huh…" Bjorn said surprised.

"What?" Drake asked.

"Oh, just expected a 'here's Johnny' reference or something," he shrugged, "Honestly. I'm kind of disappointed."

Drake shook his head, "I can be serious when I need to…"

Throwing the door aside they walked through the doorway, at the base of a staircase an older man shielding a younger boy and girl, a woman at the top of the stairs beckoning the children up.

A twisted knot formed in Drake's stomach looking at the scene. Could he go through with what he came here to do?

"Go away!" one of the kids yelled.

"Nathan! You and your sister go to your mother!" the man shouted pushing the kids up the stairs.

Drake held himself firm, trying his best not to hold up his hands in defeat or show his discomfort on his face.

"From the notification, I'm guessing you know who I am?" Drake asked.

"Y-yes… Please, leave my family. W-we can talk in my office."

Drake nodded, following the man without hesitation.

The house was rather lavish as they traveled through it to the man's office. Sprawling rooms with a tasteful modern design, far more spacious than Drake's family house.

Someone certainly hasn't had to struggle…

Finally, across the house, they came to a 'small' study at the other end, enough to entertain all three of them comfortably.

"N-now… what is it y-you want?" the man said nervously.

Drake didn't beat around the bush, "Why did you allow for those undead to enter your city?"

The man froze, "I-i don't know what you are speaking of. There are no monsters within the city l-limits. We only allow domesticated traveling beasts."

Drake's eye twitched, "You already know that I'm also a city lord, no matter how 'lazy' you are, allowing monsters of that level inside to wreak havoc isn't something that goes without notice."

Sah Ul' growled next to him, a small thread of aura leaking out.

"P-please! I don't know what you are talking about! I have a family. Please!"

"And you think we don't?" Drake said coldly.

"I'm sorry I don't know anything!" the man shouted again, but his eyes darted to his desk, more specifically a drawer.

Drake moved to the desk, sliding it open. Inside he saw a crystal, one that looked exactly like the communication crystals he had received in the tutorial.

He grabbed it, quickly crushing it in his grip.

"Now, enough of your stalling," Drake sighed.

"I truly don't know what monsters you are talking about," the man insisted, even with Drake moving closer to intimidate him, "L-look! I told you where the communication crystal was! I-i had to do what they told me or they would have killed me and my family!"

"Who told you?" Bjorn asked from the side.

"I don't know her name. But a man came one day, he told me just to turn a blind eye to people going missing and to the people coming and going. If I did that he would make sure my family was safe and I would stay the city lord. I-i'm not the only one! A lot of cities in the area are doing this!"

"And you were just okay with that?" Drake asked bitterly.

"W-what should I have done?!"

Drake growled, "You shouldn't have sold out the people in your city! You should have protected them! You sit here comfortably while other humans are what? Kidnapped? Taken and sold to the highest bidder?! Used for experiments and rituals?! Do you even know what is going on, what happened to those people, to children?! The same age as your own son and daughter. Do you even have an inkling as to what is being done to them?!"

He had grown into a flurried string of insults, Drake's hand crushing the desk that had contained the communication crystal into a mess of splintered wood.

The man shrieked and recoiled back, "What do you think I could have done!? I'm not even level 10! I'm not strong, I did what I had to to survive!"

Drake moved very close this time, his aura tight and reigned in but the air was still somewhat icy and frigid.

"You traded other families for your own. I get that. But this time it was my family that was put in the middle. And I'm only going to tell you this once. If it comes to mine or yours, or anyone god damn else's. It's mine every time. So you better tell me something to keep from making your wife a widow and kids fatherless because my patience is wearing thin and I don't have any more room to be forgiving."

"I-i…"

"Anything!" Drake shouted his hand arcing to the side, a blast of wind tearing the side of the wall to pieces, "Where did this woman come from, the man?! Where did they take the people?!"

"Drake…" Bjorn said, grabbing his shoulder.

But Sah Ul' grabbed Bjorn's arm, "You may be the Patriarch's friend, but you do well to stay your hand. If this was a Rahk matter alone, I would have skinned this pitiful man alive for threatening my family."

Bjorn released Drake and put his hands up in understanding, going back to the doorway.

Drake continued to stare at the man, his eyes hard.

"I-i don't know where they take them," the man muttered, but quickly added, "But I do know where they go before that! All the cities are linked to it as a staging hub, i-it's called Sandal!"

Drake's eyes flicked colors, "Again with that town," he grimaced, turning to the door, "Gather your family, you are coming with us. You are going to go under a contract willingly."

"Y-you are going to take my family hostage?!" 

"No, I'm taking you hostage. They are just there so they don't have to suffer for your stupidity! You are going to relinquish any right to this city. Do you know how many people are living here?"

"A few hundred at best. Mostly adventurers who come and go for quests, why?"

"Good, then I won't have to gather up anyone, they'll be fine on their own. Once you give up the town, you have 15 minutes to be ready to leave."

The man nodded, albeit reluctantly a prompt hitting Drake's notifications a moment later.

[You have gained control over town: Yundertown]

[You have gained access to Yundertown's Anchoring Crystal] [F-Rank]

[Quest Complete! Bringing the House Down]

[200 Nobility Points have been awarded]

[You have now increased the towns under your control to two]

[New title awarded: The Warpath]

[The Warpath]

You have begun your journey of conquest.

+1% to Experience Gained by those within your domain.

Drake read over the notifications and new title but wasn't pleased with it as much as he would have liked. With a sigh, he directed the man to leave the room first and made for the door himself with Bjorn and Sah Ul'.

"You should have killed him," Sah Ul' sneered looking at the back of the man.

"He has kids," Drake said.

"So do you Patriarch," she replied.

His shoulders tensed. She was right.

It was becoming more and more apparent that what he said earlier was more a law of the land than his own moral compass.

If you don't protect what was yours, sooner or later it belonged to someone else. Your life, family, town, anything and everything.

It was a line in the sand he had to draw sooner rather than later.