Chapter 191: Chieftain of the Rahk Tribe

"Ask, again. Are owner of pesky birds? Trespass on Rahk territory," Sah Ul' said evenly, the sound of her hand tightening around the leather strap of her weapon.

"Oh, she's not happy…" Drake mumbled then turned to whisper to Natto, "Is she a monster that I can just understand now? She is an orc after all, what's the difference between her and a Goblin?"

Natto sighed and then spoke into Drake's ear.

"The Orc race when you boil it down is the same as the Goblins, yes. But she is not a mere Orc. If I am correct she is a Low-land Plains Orc. They are one of the more potent species of Orc and of course much stronger as well as smarter."

Drake looked at her skeptically, "Then why is she missing entire words when she is speaking?"

"That is just an unfortunate price of using the Myriad of Languages. The book will allow you to understand, but the nuance of language is lost if you do not learn it from scratch."

"Ohhhh, that kind of makes sense. Then this is what the quest was aiming at. I'm assuming her village or Tribe is smack dab in the middle of the quest location right?"

"Yes, I would assume so," Natto nodded.

"Then, what? They don't, or, you don't expect me to just wipe them all out right? They aren't monsters Natto," Drake frowned.

"No, I expected you to force them into submission through a duel with their Chieftain," she said looking at Sah Ul', "I am guessing this young Orc is just that, which is surprising…"

"Why's that?"

"Normally, well, as far as I understand it, before the system, the men of the orc Tribes are considerably bigger and stronger than the women. She must be quite the anomaly…."

"Guess that makes two of us then. So I just challenge her to a duel?" Drake asked watching Sah Ul' grind her teeth as she glowered at him.

"Yes. In Low-land Orc tradition the winner of a duel must submit to the winner. Their war rules are also quite similar, they pride honor and strength."

Drake nodded, "Good fit then."

Walking forward after Natto infused herself into him, he waved placidly to Sah Ul'.

"Hi again. I am the owner of those birds. And I'm here to challenge you to a duel apparently. My quest needs me to take over the location ahead," he said pointing behind her.

"Small child? Challenge me, to Mahk Rul?" Sah Ul' asked incredulously.

"Yup, I'm not a child thought. I know I'm under six foot now but that's just insulting…" Drake sighed.

"Will not. Turn back before lose life," Sah Ul' growled annoyed.

Oh, this isn't good. Is she allowed to refuse? Isn't it like normal plot progression for her to just accept? Drake asked.

"This is troublesome… She should have to accept any challenger but I guess she believes you are actually a child? Are you the first human she has encountered?" Natto speculated.

Well, that makes sense since we're so far off the beaten path… And there are pretty strong monsters here. Oh, I know!

"You have an inspection skill right?" Drake asked smiling.

Sah Ul' didn't answer only her yellowish eyes flashing a deep red before she barked a laugh.

"Small weak child. Go back home."

"Ok. That one was personal…" Drake smiled but didn't smile.

During the exchange, a notification struck their ears.

[The first Honing Crystal has been placed by Atticus Wallen - The Sun Emperor, 24 hours until completion]

Drake's face turned serious.

What is this about? Ignoring the fact a dead man just used an Honing Crystal, why is it 24 hours instead of the week-long like mine? Drake asked.

"Each tutorial had a coupon for a different length Honing Crystal. His must have been from a lesser sponsored tutorial meaning he will start with less influence and land. But that does still mean if his crystal anchors he will be the first to achieve it," Natto sighed, "This is why I told you to be quick! I assumed yours would take much longer after we confirmed the Dragon Sponsors."

But that wouldn't have mattered! I can't make it anchor faster! Drake growled.

Drake looked back at Sah Ul', his eyes shifting as he gripped his necklace.

"Sorry, I don't have time to waste anymore," he growled, placing the equipment into his inventory.

Sah Ul's eyes shone red again, her face twisting into a frown as she lowered her stance.

"Deceiver. Unhonourable! Make Sah Ul' think deceiver are child?!"

Drake scoffed, entirely pissed. His demeanor turning serious, "I didn't say shit, you made that assumption all on your own. Are we doing this then?" Drake snapped his fingers, his elementals converging on him in an instant.

He turned to them, instructing them, "Take the buses to a safe distance, and protect them."

The next instant they returned to the buses, the children waking from their naps and looking outside the windows, some boos, gasps, and shouts reaching Drake's ears.

"Now then. Duel? Mahk Rul was it?"

"Sah Ul' accept. Die now for deceit," Sah Ul' snarled.

"Sorry, but even if you are a woman, and…. Nevermind. Don't expect me to pull my punches, I took off the necklace so there's no sense in hiding anything for now-"

Drake tried to continue his monologue but Sah Ul' didn't allow him. She careened forward at a speed Drake was surprised to see, his assumption from her weapon that she was a strength-based class. She moved lightly over the distance between them, raising her enormous ax just as easily.

Shouting as she brought it down in a cleave, the weapon glowed in a red light.

"Heavy Crescent Cleave!" she shouted.

Drake changed endowments instantly, his hair shimmering to a deep setting sun orange, his staff dropping into his inventory, as his skills went into action.

"Bulwark. Unbreakable. Guardians Reprieve. For the thrill of Battle."

In the second that it took for her foot to leave the ground, Drake had also prepared, his hand rose as his skills finished, and his new tattoos flared to life in a golden hue. He stopped her ax's blade in its tracks like he was stopping a child's toy. The impact of the blow destroyed the hoodie he was wearing, exposing him in his battle garbs, his hair whipping in the turbulence from the blow.

Sah Ul's face said it all. The disbelief in her eyes as she ground her teeth putting more and more strength behind her weapon. But to no avail, Drake did not budge.

"As I said, unfortunately for you I don't have time to do this fight with proper big battle scene etiquette. You are going to have to lose here quickly."

Drake's arms crackled with power as he fed the new tattoos with mana, the golden light humming more brightly with the influx of resources.

He raised his other arm, a white fireball forming in a split second in front of it.

"Heretical Attunement, Fire."

Throwing his fist into the caught blade he snapped it in half, Sah Ul's face contorting into fear as she jumped backwards.

Drake crushed the rest of the piece he was holding before he addressed her, her bravado nowhere to be seen.

"Do you give up?" Drake asked.

The words hit her like a ton of bricks the fear on her face gone, filled with courage, responsibility, and indignation.

"Can't let win. My Tribe counting on me! Not let you harm them!" she shouted, holding up the broken weapon shakily.

"I see. Pity," Drake said in an icy tone, "If it wasn't for that notification, I might have gone easy on you… I'm sorry, but don't die."

Drake clapped his hands together, spreading them apart as a colorful array of magic circles formed in the space in between. His spells began to grow, white fireballs, purple-hued spikes of ice, and jet-black lances of earth. Lighting crackled with violet fervor above him as if it was angry at being held back from destroying the opponent in front of him.

Sah Ul's face paled as she saw the display but Drake was not done. The full brunt of his Asuran's Prideful Aura came down on her, stripping her of her will and any beneficial skills she was currently using. 

She collapsed to her knees, sweat beading down her exposed skin as she struggled to breathe and stay conscious.

In front of her was an insurmountable opponent she was not prepared to face. She had misjudged him.

"I promise no harm will come to your tribe. Surrender," Drake asked one more time, the halo of spells ascending above him as he looked down at her.

"D-don't.. believe you!" Sah Ul' croaked.

"I respect your pride but you are about to die for it," Drake scowled.

"It is honor to die for tribe… Will see the great mother and live in the eternal hunt. Win only if kill Sah Ul'!"

"So be it."

Drake was about to throw his hand down willing his spells to converge on her, when he stopped his pressure and spells winking out of existence.

"Why did you stop?" Natto asked.

"She passed out…" Drake laughed, "Guess I win by TKO?"

—---------------

"Is she dead?"

"No, she's just sleeping."

"She's pretty… but why is she green?"

"She ate too many green veggies."

"That's a lie! My mom told me that can't happen."

"Fine, she's an Orc. Hey, don't poke her! Natto control your kids!"

"They are your kids you doofus!"

Sah Ul' could hear the conversation around her, her consciousness slowly coming back as the voices came into focus, her head on something soft.

Her eyes blinked trying to wash away the blurred vision she had, only to see the man she was just fighting above her.

"Yo, good morning sleeping beauty. Sleep alright?" Drake asked grinning.

Sah Ul' got up abruptly her hand going for her blade but it was nowhere to be found.

Drake stood up with her and in a flash was behind her, his arm catching her in a choke hold.

"Sorry but I'm going to need you to calm down, there are actual children here now," Drake said calmly, his hair now red from the black it was earlier.

Sah Ul' struggled slightly more, forcing Drake to summon restraints of earth at her feet and arms.

After a few more seconds of her resisting she tired herself out and began looking around, seeing the smaller humans surrounding her, and a few more the size of Drake.

"If you haven't noticed. You lost Sarah," Drake said calmly, walking out in front of her again.

"Sarah…?" Sah Ul' asked.

"Yeah, Sah Ul' Rahk is a little… Hard to roll off the tongue? You ok with me just using Sarah?"

"Do not speak like know Sah Ul'!"

"You're right I don't. But you lost, that means I'm in charge and you have to listen right?"

"Sah Ul' breathe still! Have not lost!" she growled.

Drake sighed, his aura coming out in full force again as his eyes glowed with power.

"Do you really want to go again? I already spared you once."

The pressure froze the air and came down on her with more force than before because of their proximity to one another. Her face going from a light green to a pale gray.

After only a few seconds the wind in her sails emptied and she shook her head.

Drake released the pressure, and heaved a sigh, "I'm getting better at using that with precision but wow that takes a surprising amount out of me… Anyway, are you going to behave now?" Drake asked, then looked around double checking that the kids were ok and not affected.

"Not child… Warriors not go back on word," Sah Ul' said evenly.

"Good. Oh, and someone wake up that lousy Doctor!" Drake shouted.

"I got it!" Charlotte said from one of the buses.

A second later she poked her head out of the door, "She's awake but she said she can't move and needs to… ya know…"

Drake snapped his fingers going back to his ways of trying to limit how much information was out about how his skills worked as well as having already replaced his necklace that changed his level.

Sarah rubbed her neck, arms, and feet after he also dispelled his restraints on her.

"How so strong?" she asked.

"That's a story for later, I'm in need of getting this quest done. So you are going to take me to your tribe and we are going to plant this crystal and get this quest done," he instructed, then shouted at the Doctor coming out of the bus, her hair frizzled and a cigarette already in her mouth.

"Hey Doc!" he shouted her head turning to him, "You're in charge of making sure nothing bad happens. If anything bad happens to these kids while I'm doing this," Drake motioned to one of the Elementals made of lightning.

The Elemental snapped with power, burning a hole into the ground.

Her face paled, then nodded.

"Alright, now that is out of the way, let's go Chieftain!" Drake grinned.

But Sarah looked confused.

"Sah Ul' is not Chief of Rahk Tribe. Sah Ul's Father is."

Drake's eyes widened, "Shit..."