Drake ran through the forest in the direction of the scream, making sure to snap and preemptively place a ball of fire and lightning above his shoulders. His hand ready to snap again to change from Water to Ice or any of his other Endowments at a moment's notice.
"Must we do this? Even if this is not a trap, and there are people in need. You yourself have said that you owe these people nothing and rightfully so. What have they done for you? You should not be risking your life for people. And what about those people in the camp that you passed by? Is this not hypocritical?" Natto asked.
Drake mulled over the words before answering. Running quickly through the forest was almost second nature now as he maneuvered through it. His visage a blur.
I would hardly call it hypocritical. Drake thought. It's true I do not owe strangers risking of my life, but at the camp, I had the priority and obligation to see Theo and his wife safe. Here, I'm just stretching my obligation to delay monsters so Harley can be safe again. See not hypocritical. Drake smiled impishly.
Natto was silent at Drake's reply, obviously in disagreement with his thought process.
Look… We are only looking. If it's something I can't handle we delay and go back, simple as that. Drake thought.
"When has it ever been just simple with you! And you always do things you know you can not handle! Need I remind you of your fight with Bear!?" she screamed back.
Sorry- Er- You-r break-ing u-p. Drake joked.
"You are a child!"
Only when it suits me. Drake grinned.
Moments after their conversation, Drake's eyes picked up the change in the ambient mana before his Aura picked up on the lifeforms that entered his range.
Stopping and placing himself tightly behind a tree, his floating elements lining up with him, Drake looked out at the disgusting scene before him.
Fucking… Again!? What are they doing? Drake spat.
"I have told you before this is quite the common occurrence in the multiverse. The strong and the victors dictate the treatment of the losers. Much like your world before, Victors write history. This is certainly much of the same," Natto explained with an even voice.
Yeah well, things seem to be getting more and more heartless… Drake replied.
Looking out at the scene a chain linked line of people were being marched by the Goblins, many Jailer Goblins on either side of the long row of people.
Drake grit his teeth as he saw the amount of people and their condition. Each one was bruised or maimed, their clothes in tatters. Some even worse off, their eyes swollen or completely missing, others with burns on their bodies.
At the front of the line was a Goblin unlike any other Drake had seen before. It stood gangly and hunched, in its hand was a staff of gnarled wood that stood taller than it. Beads hung from the outstretched branches of the staff, and the Goblin wore a long pitch black robe over its shoulders.
[Mufasi' Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank]
It's a Mage General? Drake wondered.
"So it would seem. There is no telling what it specializes in, its clothing and weapon are too generic," Natto replied.
Drake sized up the monster before being drawn to the line of people again as it began marching forward at a languid pace. The crack of a whip pulling his attention to a man being lashed on the back, a long line of red crossing his tattered clothes with his scream of pain.
The man lurched forward, nearly tripping over the chains that bound him.
Drake tightened his fist, ready to jump out from his cover.
"Drake! No! You said you would only look," Natto said concerned.
Drake paused, but felt a gaze fall on him.
He looked over to the Mage in front, its eyes piercing the tree Drake hid behind, a crooked yellow smile on its face, with yellow glowing eyes.
Jigs up, it has a mana sensing skill! I'll end it in an instant. Drake roared in his head.
Quickly snapping his fingers, Drake switched to his Ice endowment, his lightning winking out of existence.
Drake then roared and flexed his Aura, hitting everyone in the vicinity with his Tyrannical Aura Skill. Including the prisoners but they would have to deal with it momentarily.
Stripping whatever buffs they might have, Drake clapped his hand and earthen arm around the Fireball he had conjured beforehand, changing his arm to Molten rock.
As he pulled his arms apart molten bullets of brimstone dripped in front of Drake. Four in total, just enough for each Jailer.
Drake eyed the first on the left of the line, screaming his skill, "Marked!" and with the shout a fiery bullet launched at the head of the Jailer, burrowing deep and through with a red hot wound in its metal helmet.
[You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 3,500 TP awarded]
In quick succession Drake shouted again, "Marked!" another bullet firing off killing the next Jailer.
[You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 19] [Experience Earned, 3,000 TP awarded]
Collecting his mark once more he looked to the next one, less than a fraction of a second later. Marking it and firing his bullet. But the bullet fizzled out, as Drake saw the Mana in the air shift.
He glanced at the Goblin Mage, its face contorted in a smile.
It can cancel magic?! Drake thought surprised.
But Drake didn't let that keep him from pressing his attack. He instantly snapped his fingers after canceling the Ice Endowment for Magic power, summoning a Lightning bolt in the same motion as stepping forward, his last molten bullet sizzling away in the air as he switched to his Lightning Endowment.
He raced across the distance to the third Jailer in a flash of sparks, another snap of his fingers changing his Endowment to Fire, a glowing Red sheen around his left outstretched hand.
Drake gripped the Jailers head in his hand and crushed it in the same motion of flying past it, hitting the ground, it cracking beneath his momentum.
[You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [Experience Earned, 3,500 TP awarded]
Snapping his fingers with a loud ringing, Drake canceled his Fire, and switched again to his Lightning Endowment, another step digging deep into the ground as he shot forward like a cannon to the last Jailer.
"Marked," Drake whispered as he snapped his fingers changing again, this time to his Ice endowment, only a moment before his earthen hand molded to a blade, it passing through the Jailers head effortlessly.
[You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 21] [Experience Earned, 4,000 TP awarded]
But he wasn't done. Drake had aimed his body so that he was lined up with the Goblin Mage.
Shooting still forward, he snapped again, his hair shifting to a light electric yellow. Drake taking a split second to notice his Weakened Debuff falling off, with a grin.
Finding himself just inches away from the Mage, Drake threw his left hand forward, trained at the Goblins hunched body. Drake's Tattoo flaring with more power as he sunk mana into the weapon, it glowing a visible blue.
The blow never connected. The Goblin raised its staff as a physical nearly transparent bubble formed around it. It shooting backwards at the force of the blow.
But Drake wasn't about to let up. Chanting two quick skills as the Monster flew backwards, a crack of white light forming around the impact like a spider web.
"Fear is binding. Cower!" A black smokey tentacle shooting out, chasing the Goblin, "Wounds of the mind are not so easily healed! Atrophy of the Mind!" Drake shouted after, a line of blue light shooting from his fingertips.
The ink like tentacle fizzled out as it traveled towards the Goblin, but the line of blue made it, piercing the Goblins chest harmlessly. But Drake noticed the gasp of anger the Goblin showed when it connected.
Drake shot forward again not wanting to cease the chase.
But the Goblin had other plans. Its staff lit up in a muggy green, as four balls of green materialized in front of it.
Drake grimaced, snapping and changing to his Magma Endowment instantly for the Resistance buff.
Chanting his skill he also snapped his fingers to conjure makeshift Wind Cutters for bursts of propulsion to dodge the incoming green balls of goo.
"On blessed wings! Guardian's Reprieve!" the comforting green sheen shimmering over his body, "I am the wall on which my enemies billow! Unbreakable!" another feeling of security encompassing him in a green sheen momentarily.
Drake used his makeshift air jets to dodge the first two balls of green, but the third and fourth smashed against his shoulder, with the sound of shattering glass.
[Reprieval Charge Gained]
He grit his teeth as the initial hit splashed against the shield, the splattering touching his skin with a sizzle.
"Fuck!" Drake howled through his teeth, his eyes searching for the Mage to teleport to, but the Goblin had disappeared.
Drake touched the ground, his eyes and Aura quickly looking for the Mage. His Aura picked up the location first as he turned around a scowl forming as he saw the Goblin.
The Goblin had teleported to the line of people. It picked up a female prisoner in its hand, its staff pointing at her head with the other.
Disgusting piece of shit! It's using a hostage?! Drake scorned.
The Goblin snickered its yellow crooked teeth in full view as it muttered something, then a ball of acid plunged through the woman's chest, her screams falling short as she died instantly. Her body turned into something Drake didn't even want to describe.
"You fucking-" Drake shouted taking a step forward but stopped as the Goblin picked up another prisoner, a man this time, his eyes wet, and his expression desprate.
"P-please! I don't want to die! Pl-pleaseeee!" the man sobbed, as the Goblin moved the man in front of him snickering.
Drake grit his teeth not sure what to do. If he teleported behind the Goblin he could surely kill it, but would the man die in the process? Would it be better to sacrifice the man so he could stop the Goblin from killing the others?
Fuck! Drake screamed internally, his real hand turning white from the grip in the absence of his other.
Drake's shoulders shook in anger as he looked on, frozen in indecision.
But the monster made the decision for Drake, as it pointed its staff now at him instead of the man it held in his arms.
Drake understood. It was going to be his own life instead of the man's.
Drake smiled wearily but didn't move. The Goblin Mage formed a ball of acid and shot it forward hitting Drake's chest, it only sizzling slightly against his robes before it dripped off like water.
[Reprieval Charge Gained]
The Goblin raised a brow in surprise but fired again. Drake inching slowly forward after taking each hit.
He began forming a small magic circle on his empty shoulder, a small rumble of earth beginning to form outwards.
Drake waited, as he began feeling his robes start to falter, the smell of burning flesh beginning to fill his nose.
[Reprieval Charge Gained]
[Maxed Charges Stored, Charge Lost]
Finally the Goblin huffed, in exhaustion. Drake's Atrophy finally pulling dividends.
Drake teleported instantly at the split second of delay in the spells, his earthen arm forming in a flash, then his arms gripping the Goblin's, shock plain on its face as Drake wrenched the Goblin's hand from its arm and the man free.
Drake quickly followed up with a glowing red and blue arm but not before the Goblin formed another Barrier around itself, its still attached hand holding the staff covering the lost one.
He cursed then kicked the Goblin, barrier and all across the forest.
Drake followed the flying ball with a display of speed that would have impressed some anime protagonists, as he shot in front of the monster, both his hands clenched together in the form of a hammer that Drake brought down on the barrier.
It somehow still holding against his might. The barrier took the abuse and fell downward into the ground, embedding itself.
Drake jumped backwards and canceled his endowment. Looking down with an ice cold glare he summoned a ball of fire in one hand, and a pillar of air above his earthen palm in the other.
"Not a spec of your disgusting ilk will be left behind!" Drake growled, "Reap him from this world. Blow this vile beast like ashes to the winds!" Drake pumped mana into his fire, it turning blue before he slammed the Wind pillar and Fireball together, it erupting into a massive tower of blue-flamed pitch, "Foraz Zora!!"
Drake roared as he brought down the enormous fire tower on the Goblin Mage, but no notification came. Drake was sure the Mage was still underneath the pillar as he could feel it with his Aura.
Looking at his status it was quickly dropping, but Drake wouldn't let the monster go.
Drake dropped his remaining free status points into his Intelligence as he roared, pressing down the pillar of blue flames on the Goblin like an enormous cleaver of fire as it scorched the land around it.
[You have defeated Goblin General: Mufasi' Fuv Jeric Level 24 [F Rank] [Experience Earned and 350,000 TP rewarded]
Drake felt the exhaustion cascade over him as his spell winked out of existence, the forest scorched from the impact and burned black. His status had bottomed out and he had nothing in the tank left as he fell forward to the ground.
Breathing heavy Drake struggled to stay conscious.
"Drake! Drake! Stay awake! If you pass out there is nothing stopping them from coming here and killing you!" Natto shouted.
I-I'm awake… just don't you dare come out… I don't think I can fight anyone if they take you hostage too. Drake grumbled in his head, a smirk forming on his face.
"This is not a joke you halfwit!" Natto chided.
Yeah but it's still pretty funny. Did you see that last spell? It was almost the same thing as the real one… If only I could make black flames… Drake sighed inwardly.
The sound of footsteps reached Drake's ears and he tried his best to roll over onto his back.
But relief came over him when he was rolled over, and the face of the person, and their mustache became visible.
"My liege!" Theodore shouted, a smile on his face.
"Oh.. Hey there Theo, is the outpost ok?" Drake laughed.