"That doesn't explain why I would need you," Drake said, crossing his arms and sitting at the table he had summoned.
"Yes, well," Mikhail began, "I believe your town still has several days before it has completed its anchoring correct? So I understand now why you would not know. When a town is completed it is registered and the owner is given an according nobility rank."
Drake nodded, "That I know, it's part of the quest rewards."
"Yes well, to increase that rank you must complete quests. That is where we come in. The faster the quests are completed by affiliated Adventurers the more points you receive and higher on the board you will go. I have also heard that after a portion of the quests are complete, the owner of the town receives rewards as well as noble standing."
Mikhail withdrew a card from his inventory showing it to Drake. Receiving the card, Drake turned it over in his hands.
"First I've heard of it," Drake replied skeptically as he looked it over.
The card was simple, stating Mikhail's full name, level, and rank. As well as his current affiliation, which stated McMyer.
"Do you not have an Assistant to tell you?" Mikhail asked, raising a brow, "Ah, that's right, they are restricted from telling you until the anchoring is complete, forgive me it slipped my mind," he amended, bowing his head slightly.
Drake tried not to show the surprise on his face, opting to stay silent.
"You do not have to be so defensive," Mikhail smiled, "Anyone with knowledge of the system town quests knows by now that you have to have an Assistant to access it after the tutorial. For regular people it is extremely difficult to access the quest. We have to jump through several hurdles, which I for one think are not worth the effort."
"You don't want to be a leader of a town?" Drake asked, now more curious as he handed back the card.
"Heavens no. I only lead this group because, well, we were work colleagues. I also have a very specific class that requires others to perform well."
"Show me."
"Only if you agree to allow us to stay."
"No, go," Drake said firmly, shaking his head, "You show me now or you can turn around and leave. You've already given me information, so I'm thankful, but I have other people to think about."
"It seems we are at an impasse then…" Mikhail sighed, "Perhaps we can negotiate an arrangement?"
Drake pursed his lips gauging the man once more, looking for anything telling if he was lying or something else, "I'm listening," he replied finally.
"You have approximately four more days until you have anchored your crystal if I'm not mistaken," Mikhail explained, raising four fingers, "Allow us to help in defending it. From outside the walls of course. Provide us with shelter during rest periods as well as food and water. If we do a sufficient job, you will allow us to stay."
Drake looked over the group once more, seeing that they ranged from 15 to 17 in level, posing no threat to him personally. He saw no reason to reject offered help that would only go to lighten his load.
"I will, on the condition that you still show me your full statuses at the end of it. You've proved that you have an insightful mind Mikhail, but that isn't enough to seal the deal here. You've come from a tutorial just like me. You must understand I have to be careful about the people I allow in, especially at this moment. I will set you up here but you will be watched 24 hours by my Elementals, if you are caught doing anything suspicious or trying to enter the camp. They will kill you."
"That is acceptable," Mikhail said motioning to his group and standing up, "You said Elementals though, I only see the one?"
Drake smiled and snapped his fingers, three more forming from magic circles from the ground up. Each one made of a different element.
Mikhail's eyes bulged for a moment in surprise, before going back to the observant gaze he had before.
"That is quite, something… I believe, this is going to be a very fruitful relationship," he mused, holding out his hand.
"We'll see about that… You sure are a talker," Drake said, taking the man's hand, only for Mikhail to flinch at the wording.
"Y-yes… so I've been told…"
Drake looked past them seeing a wave of monsters in the distance cutting through the snow.
"Looks like you guys are up. Try not to die, I have some very delicious venison stew cooked up for today's dinner," Drake laughed, putting away the chairs and tables.
[Mana Cougar Level 20]
The incoming group of monsters outnumbered Mikhail's group at 10 to his 6, but Mikhail didn't seem nervous at all even at a level disadvantage.
Mikhail turned around his group already getting into position, "Looks like this is the job interview everyone. Positions! You know your duties!" he shouted, pulling his knives from his side, and taking position next to a woman in a white robe.
Drake jumped back up to the wall, eager to see how the man fought with his group as Drake had never had an opportunity to do so with his own group. He was for better or worse at his strongest when he was alone.
He looked on with interest as he felt several people approaching the wall. Looking to the side briefly he caught the reflection of sun in the deep maroon hair of Sarah, Charlotte and Landin not far behind her.
Turning back he resumed his focus on the new group.
"Drew! Hold the line! Blake find an opportunity to exploit the gaps as usual, Vicky begin thinning their numbers before they arrive! Ten seconds!" Mikhail ordered, his group beginning to spread out.
Drew, apparently the group's tank roared and stood in the foremost position, his body clad in red due to some skill.
Drake's eyes cycled and turned a bright blue as he looked on, trying to decipher the magic in the air as they prepped and began their defense.
"Taylor, start casting. Yorth, prep the heal over time for the melee."
Mikhail continued to bark decisive orders to his group, each one moving concisely to his words.
"They're used to following orders it seems," Drake mumbled, his hand going to his mouth thoughtfully, "There's something going on that I can't place. There's too much mana in the air for a skill or spell not to be at work… Ah I see, he's a buffing class? Orders? No, words? Is it as long as he speaks?"
Taylor began summoning a magic circle at the bottom of her feet. It reminded Drake of a classic mage performing a large area of effect spell. The other members thinned the ranks as they approached. Vicky, who seemed to be using a rifle and not a bow drew Drake's eyes as well.
Vicky rattled off several rounds from her rifle, taking down the first Mana Cougar but it was the only one as the rest of the pack began to clash with Drew and the other melee.
Drake watched carefully, his finger on the trigger to summon a spell should they need it, but only if they needed it.
Drew forced the Mana Cougars to intercept him as his large frame seemed to draw them in, his shield nearly magnetic as it slammed against three of the monsters. In near instant timing, a man flew from Drew's shadow striking down one of the three with a long sword bisecting the monster.
Drake chuckled, "Very solid teamwork."
"Drew, watch the left! Don't let them past you! Blake swiftly find their vitals and take them down just like before!" Mikhail shouted, his eyes scanning the field, "Vicky fall back to the backline, give support until Taylor finishes the spell!"
The fight had only lasted a few seconds so far and they had already taken out three of the ten Mana Cougars with no damage or casualties while being out leveled and outnumbered, impressing Drake. But the test was yet to come as the remaining seven monsters convened on them all at once now.
Taylor's mana peaked, the bluish magic circle suddenly turned white. Mikhail took the change as a cue and shouted to the front-liners, "Flash freeze incoming! Jump!"
And as told the front-liners jumped into the air, leaving the Mana Cougars on the ground.
"Lay the land to an icy waste! Flash Freeze!" Taylor cried out the ground's soft newly fallen snow turning to a clear ice that expanded out without remorse, jagged shards erupting from the ground piercing and shackling the Mana Cougars in ice.
"Counter-attack!" Mikhail roared, stepping forward as well, capitalizing on the area of effect debuff on the remaining Mana Cougars.
The group surged forward, Drew, Blake, and Mikhail essentially having free reign as the monsters struggled to break free from the ice. Taylor collapsed next to their healer Yorth, while Vicky pressed something to her rifle and began shooting without contest.
"Looks like there was nothing to worry about, though they are a bit slower than I'd like. But with some better gear and levels they'll be fine," Drake nodded to himself.
"Who are people," Sah Ul' asked next to Drake, seeing the aftermath of the battle.
"Hired help, they seem alright," Drake answered smiling, "I think they'll be more useful than I thought…" Drake added, tapping on his chin with a finger.
"Who are they?" Landin asked, rubbing his arms.
"Is there an echo in here?" Drake scoffed, "They're Adventurers apparently, hired help, and also they are going to help you guys learn how to fight as a group!"
"They are?" Charlotte asked, confused.
"Technically, yeah. Starting today you are going to follow them around and watch how they fight. Charlotte you especially I want you to watch that man," Drake pointed, "Mikhail. Understand how he positions his group and reads the field."
"Ok..?" she answered.
"Trust me it's going to be important," Drake reiterated, "They seem to have it handled here for now, but I want you two to stay and watch. If anything happens the elementals will keep you safe. Don't go beyond the wall or let them over it. I have plans for them but I still don't trust them fully."
"Aye Aye sir," Landin said, lazily putting his hand to his head.
"I'll be back," Drake smirked back, "Any idea where Kalik is?"
Charlotte pointed behind them towards the group of tents the Rahk stayed in, "We passed him over there, but that's about it."
"That's good enough, "Drake nodded, "Sarah, are you staying here or are you still babysitting me?"
"I will follow Patriarch," she answered matter of factly.
Drake sighed, turning to look down at Mikhail's group as they appeared to be cleaning up the area and monster corpses.
"Do you have military training?" Drake asked Mikhail flatly.
Mikhail looked up, pausing from removing a monster core.
"I do not."
"Then where did you learn how to command a group like that?"
"It's partially my class if I'm being blunt. But I used to be in upper management at our company. Telling people what to do comes very naturally, if I do say so myself," Mikhail smiled.
Drake wasn't convinced but the man wasn't going to give him a straight answer it seemed.
"I see. Your group will stay on the wall in this area. I'm leaving some students here to learn. See that they aren't harmed, my elementals will prioritize them over you without exception," Drake said.
"Students? There are students still?" Mikhail asked.
"They're my students. For now at least," Drake scoffed and turned away, "I'll be checking in later."
With a wave, Drake was off to the encampment in search of Kalik Tu'.
I'll be needing at least Charlotte, Landin, and Kalik for a solid foundation of people to protect this place. Hopefully, more people will come forward to learn by the end of the week. Drake thought as he walked through the tents.
Sighing he pushed back the sickening feeling of essentially using child soldiers.
"It's not like I have a choice… The system will indoctrinate them one way or another when they turn 16 and I'll just have to make it as safe as possible for them. I know I said it myself but the reality of adjusting to this new way of life is going to be incredibly hard…"
Drake didn't like the idea of having kids fight, but he didn't have any other way of helping them than doing this. The others that had already been through receiving a class wouldn't be a great selection. They had already chosen classes to survive the tutorials they were placed into and were tailored to them.
From his own tutorial, it was rare to find groups that worked as well as Mikhail's and formed a cohesive party that covered each other's weaknesses. And what Drake aimed to do was just that. Create a tailored party that could operate to protect the city he planned to build to keep everyone he cared for safe.
He knew well enough that he was strong, but he couldn't be everywhere 24/7, the tutorial had proven that more than enough times already. And he wouldn't make the same mistake of not being prepared for the event that he would have to go outside the city at some point.
Drake's thoughts slowly churned in his head until he eventually found the little angry ball of green he was looking for.
"Hey, buddy. How's the stomach?" Drake smiled, "Ready to do some learning?" he asked, placing his hand on the youth's shoulder.
Kalik Tu' growled pulling and throwing an axe at Drake.
Drake caught the weapon between his fingers and chuckled, "I'll take that as a yes?"