Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Lamar.

"How is there someone larger than you exactly?" Drake asked Bjorn in a low voice.

Bjorn scoffed, "Hey now, I'm not that tall… and he's a craftsman who picked up a non-combat class. He apparently got a hold of a hammer that changed his race."

"Bro, you are like six foot seven. Do you even realize how enviously tall you are?" Drake chuckled, "And where are all these items? I haven't seen one yet that does that…" Drake mused looking at the incoming figure, "So? What race is he now?"

"He's a Cyclops," Bjorn said tersely, giving the man a wave.

"Like the Odyssey?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup, he's a little brusque about certain things now that his race changed is what I'm told, so don't get offended," Bjorn warned.

"Me? Offended?" Drake said, Bjorn, giving him a look, "Fine… Long as he does not insult my mother or my height, it's whatever…"

The ground began to rumble with every step that Lamar took as he closed in on the camp. Now that he was closer, Drake could make out his features and clothing better.

Lamar was tall. Very tall. Seemingly around ten feet or higher, Drake wasn't able to measure exactly from his perspective. Lamar also wore a classic leather apron around himself, some soot and dirt here and there on his sleeveless shirt, his skin a shade of pink Drake hadn't seen outside of fantasy palettes. On his waist, a hammer made of what looked like steel from a fantasy movie, its sheen so eye-catching Drake had trouble pulling his gaze from it. And finally, Drake saw Lamar's eye, singular eye. And there was also a small protruding nub on his forehead leading to his bald head.

"Hey there," Drake said, giving a shallow wave.

Lamar ignored Drake, looking over to Bjorn.

"How are you Bear? Thank you for earlier. Short stuff here, guy?" Lamar said his face in a frown.

Drake grit his teeth. A tinge of frustration immediately bubbling up.

"I like him," Natto said approvingly.

Why do all the new people I meet immediately know what my sore spots are? Drake thought, pushing down his frustration, doing his best to keep his smile.

This guy is lucky I need him for crafting…. Drake mumbled internally.

"Excuse me, don't you think insulting someone as soon as you meet, a bit rude?" Dake said with his smile, but the smile didn't, couldn't reach his eyes.

Lamar raised his single brow, a bit surprised.

"This one a bit mouthy, ain't he?" Lamar chuckled, pointing with his thumb at Drake.

"I'll kill you," Drake said quickly.

"What?"

"I said, I'll keep you. I like a man who's upfront with his insults. Too many people going around with this passive-aggressive stuff lately," Drake lied.

Lamar raised his chin to look down at Drake, a smile slowly creasing his lips, revealing his sharp pointed fangs for teeth.

"Is that right? You'll keep me will ya?" Lamar grunted, his voice deep and low almost like cracklings of coals being raked, "How are ya ganna be doing that?"

Drake smiled back, his hand facing palm out towards the Cyclops.

"Shot…." Bjorn warned, inching closer.

"If you think threatening is going to work here, you got another thing coming ya bastard. I'm a master craftsman. You know how many wanna-be tyrants have threatened me?" Lamar snorted.

"Well, one. I'm a real Tyrant, I have the title to prove it. And two," Drake said, still smiling, "I just wanted to offer some things!" Drake shouted, pouting out every last Raw Gemstone he had in his inventory, along with piles and piles of material from his mines, completely covering the Cyclops.

Lamar roared out of the pile, his head popping out of the staggering number of materials with a 'pwah'.

"What the fuck is all this ya bastard!? Where in the world did you get this all?" he shouted his eyes going from gem to gem, pile of material to pile of material.

"Let's just say I was well endowed," Drake chuckled, "So? Ready to hear my proposal?" Drake said, offering a wide smirk.

Lamar took a moment to unlodge himself from the overwhelming pile of material he was currently stuck under. Eventually dusting himself off, his head turning side to side as he looked for his now missing hammer.

Casually he jabbed his hand into the pile of material, pulling out the tool, and spinning it briefly as he slipped it into his belt.

"I'll bite. What's it ya want? A weapon, armor, accessory?" Lamar asked, crossing his arms.

"I," Drake said, stepping forward, "Want a teacher," Drake explained, bowing his head slightly, "Please teach me to craft jewelry, Shishou!"

Silence.

Drake was hit with utter silence, forcing him to bring his head up to meet Lamar's eye.

Lamar had an expression of disgust as he looked down from his towering stature.

"Oh, you're one of those," Lamar spat, "Lamar is fine, and if you call me that shit again, it won't matter how much stuff you got, your ganna be finding some third-rate crafter instead."

Drake smirked.

So the big man doesn't like weeby stuff? Well, that's disappointing, but now I know how to annoy him. Drake thought, laughing.

"Of course. I would never dream of doing it if you disliked it," he lied, thinking of ways to piss him off just enough to be annoying, but not enough to go overboard, "Now then about my offer. I'd like to be taught, and I will give you half of the pile."

"All of it," Lamar countered.

"Are you trying to rob me?"

"Might be. I want all of it."

"Fuck you, no."

"Then find another Cyclops with a pure crafting class to help, dumb bastard."

Drake ground his teeth.

"Half and I'll cook your every meal. And I'll promise protection," he offered.

"What good is food going to do? And no one is dumb enough to try and harm me. They can't get what they want if they did," Lamar said.

"I'm not talking about just you. Have someone important to you? Say someone who can't defend themselves, or isn't quite as valuable?" Drake explained.

"You wouldn't fucking dare you bastard!" Lamar roared.

"Shot, that's going a bit far, even for you," Bjorn interjected.

"You're right it is going too far. Who said I was ever going to do that? Who do you think I am, Bear? I'm talking about protection for them. I might not be that scummy, but we both know there are people who are."

Lamar stepped back from his outburst and looked down at Drake.

"What makes you think you could stop anyone, pipsqueak," he sneered.

Drake looked up incredulously.

"Have you not been here the past two days or do you live under a rock?" Drake asked.

"I live in a workshop, and I don't leave it unless very select people ask me to," Lamar said looking at Bjorn.

Drake shook his head, then stepped past Lamar. After a few trots Drake moved into the opening of the field, pointing his hand into the air.

Looking over at Lamar, he scoffed.

"Ignis," Drake whispered, a crimson magic circle forming below him, as a ball of orange flame sparked to life in his hand, it quickly deepening then shifting hue to blue, the next moment snapping back and forth turning to pure white.

Drake willed the fireball to launch from his hand, screeching into the air, the ball of white-hot fire lighting up the surroundings even in the brightness of the waning sun.

The ball shot upwards roaring until it reached well above them and the outpost.

Drake snapped his fingers, the ball exploding, sending sparks and fragments of fire in every direction. The explosion looked like something had been hit by a ballistic missile in the air, as the fragments careened to the ground.

Next Drake clapped his hands, the magic circle below him shifting to pure white.

"Gelum," Drake said evenly, his hands separating into an arc, revealing fourteen shards of ice.

Drake then rested one hand at his side, the other held to snap his fingers. The instant the snap sounded, each shard of ice shot off trained right at the fragments of fire. Once an ice shard surged out from Drake, another quickly formed and took its place shooting forward in the same manner to hit its target.

The pieces of ice swiftly cut through the air, meeting their targets and exploding further into a burst of water crystals putting on a wondrous show in the twilight, forming water droplets enough to produce a rainbow in the air.

Drake snapped his hands once more, his hair shifting to blue as he changed endowments to regenerate.

"Good enough?" Drake asked.

"Nice light show bro," Bjorn said, his hand above his eyes as a visor as he whistled.

"I've seen better," Lamar said, scoffing.

Drake recoiled, aghast.

"W-where?!" Drake asked.

"Oh, I don't remember. Just ain't impressed. But I think it will do if that's what your offering," Lamar sneered.

This fucking guy! Drake seethed internally.

"I will say it again! I like him! He will be a great addition to the group of Anti-Drake cringe-ness!" Natto cheered.

Not helping…

Natto snickered but ceased her taunting.

"Then if it's good enough… Who is this person? Family?" Drake asked, sighing.

"Yeah, I got a sister," Lamar answered.

"Is she as ugly as you are?" Drake asked his intrusive thoughts slipping.

"Fuck you freak, she's 12 and still human!" he snapped.

"Whoa whoa, okay!" Drake chuckled, "I was just asking. So she's under 16 which means she didn't join the tutorial, that's good. It means she was excused from experiencing this nightmare…"

"What? Since when is that a thing?" Lamar asked.

"Oh, I forgot most people don't know that. Or maybe only the dumb ones haven't noticed there isn't anyone here under sixteen," Drake said rolling his eyes.

Lamar scowled at him.

"Don't call me stupid ya bastard. How was I supposed to know that?"

"Oh, I thought we were still on the insulting each other train. My bad," Drake laughed, clearing his throat, "Well, my completely unobservant, vision-impaired friend. If you agree to my terms then a wild new world awaits you! As I have the key to the kingdom in the form of a snippy, wonderful, sometimes detestable little glutton all rolled into a tight little one-foot package!" Drake exclaimed, spreading his arms.

Lamar scrunched his face up, turning to Bjorn.

"Is this guy alright in the head?"

"Everyone's a little crazy at this point bro, you're a cyclopean for crying out loud," Bjorn chuckled, giving the big man a pat on the arm.

Lamar gave a shrug, reluctantly agreeing as he couldn't argue that point. The world had become a crazy house, and they still weren't even in the 'real' world yet.

"Then if I agree, I get half, and you're going to just share all this information with me? What's stopping you from just learning how to craft what you want if you have all this knowledge in the first place?" Lamar asked.

Drake laughed wearily.

"Well, she isn't exactly the best informed in that department. System restrictions and all that," Drake jabbed.

"Hey!" Natto yelled, stepping into the conversation, "I have insurmountable knowledge on all things within the system!"

But do you know how to teach me to make shiny jewelry? Drake asked.

"N-no…." Natto replied softly.

Point made. Drake laughed.

"Fine. I'm not dumb enough to think I can defend my sister once the world starts up again. But how exactly are you going to help her? And are you going to tell me what's going to happen once the tutorial ends?" Lamar said, beginning to rattle off question after question.

"Ah, ah ahh. Nope," Drake said, stopping him and placing a handout and up to the cyclopean, "First, handshake. Then you get the deets."

Lamar stayed silent for a prolonged minute. Drake kept his hand upward, waiting for him to parse whatever decision he would make.

After a few more moments Lamar gave a rumbling sigh from his throat.

"I don't see why not, the deal is too good to say no to…" Lamar grumbled, "But I feel like I'm getting involved with someone I shouldn't…"

"Ha! Even he knows!" Natto spat, getting her last jab in.