Dual Class [LitRPG] – Current Vol 4

Chapter One- Hundred and Fifty-Five: Ok, so it wasn’t the best idea I’ve had!

“How you holding up Theodore?” Drake grunted as he turned his head over his shoulder.

“T-this one is managing… my Lord!” Theodore grunted back on top of Drake’s shoulder.

“Why is this place so fucking complicated! There isn’t any rhyme or reason for any of the tunnels! It’s like they want us to get lost! Oh…” Drake roared, running at full speed, jumping off the heads of and blasting some of the Ants here and there in the tunnel.

For the past week, Drake had been looking for a ‘place to rest’ for Theodore, but unfortunately for them, there was no secured location.

They had tried holding up in a small cave Drake had made for them overnight, but were quickly found once Theodore fell asleep, and his concealment spell was canceled.

“You do understand it would have helped if you did not constantly leave a trail of destruction wherever you went,” Natto shouted.

It was a good idea at the time! And it did get them off our tails for a little bit! Drake shouted internally.

Drake’s idea to use the Man Eating Fruit Trees to cause chaos for one of the nurseries they had found had been a good idea at the time. He was striking the Ants at the heart of the problem.

What he hadn’t unfortunately known was that there were many more nurseries in the nest. And his impulsive idea had now caused them to be chased through the Hive for the past week.

On his tail currently were trackers and some of the Royal Guards. And normally this wouldn’t have been a problem, but with THeodore here with him, Drake was limited in what he could do.

Theodore was barely a fraction as durable as Drake was, and a very delicate class by nature of being a mage variant.

He was also at a loss at what to do about counterattack the chasing Ants. He had been able to and did use a large area spell in the main chamber, but this tunnel was obviously not the large cavern. Drake was wary to keep blowing up tunnels as well based on the fact they had still not found the treasure room or a new exit that he expected the Ants were going to build to reach the surface.

“You would think they would have made an exit to the surface by now! What’s taking them so long?!” Drake growled, rushing forward through the tunnel, jumping from Ant head to Ant head.

“It is possible they already have and we just have not found it as of yet? Lest you forget we have yet to find the Queen’s Chamber or any of the princes, or the treasure room,” Natto reminded.

“It would be nice if you had anything helpful to say. Drake sighed, then clicked his tongue as he looked forward, “They’re blocking the tunnel again,” Drake cursed.

A few feet in front of Drake there was a barricade of Ants with weapons and shields at the ready. A phalanx of Guards and Royal Guards chittering in anger waiting for Drake.

“Another blockade Theo, brace up!” Drake shouted, stepping down on the Ant’s head and bringing it to the floor in a crunch this time.

“Y-yes, my Lord!” Theodore said nervously.

Drake planted his feet, throwing his free hand in an arc in front of them. Multiple magic circles of brown formed, one of snow white, and one of a dense blue.

In one motion a whip of water formed, bisecting the ants around Drake, then falling in a small encirclement on the floor. A spike of ice formed from the white circle only to be crushed as Drake’s hair and tattoo cascaded to white. The brown magic circles formed spikes of jet-black earth pointed right at the blockade.

“Earth Spike Repeater.”

Drake willed the spikes of earth to condense into smaller bullets, then fire off like a gatling gun as he anchored himself in the tunnel.

The bullets of black earth sped forward piercing through the air, the blockage, and anything in between in moments.

Drake sprinted forward with Theodore on his shoulder, following the bullets as he picked up stones, armor, and corpses along the way.

He was able to deal with some of the ants when necessary but Drake was limited. Forced to stay long-ranged with his magic and nothing explosive or too large. Right now he couldn’t risk getting in too close with Theodore not safe and still exhausted.

“It would be nice if we could find this treasury soon,” Drake sighed, dashing forward past where the blockage had been,”

“Tis only a matter of time before we find it, my Lord. Thou hast been traveling for days, tis bound to be hither in but a few breaths!” Theodore encouraged over his shoulder.

Drake raised a brow, “Wait. It has been a few days of running non-stop… Are they playing with me?” Drake suddenly thought.

“My Lord?”

Drake jumped up, beginning to jump from Ant to Ant again, now that they had swarmed the tunnel once more.

“What if the Ants are actively changing the tunnels? It’s been what, 24 hours since we found a new nursery right?” Drake said aloud.

“That seems to be a stretch, no? How would you even test that theory?” Natto asked skeptically.

“Only one way,” Drake thought, turning his head to a random worker ant, “Marked,” he whispered and continued to run.

Drake switched his endowment quickly to Lightning, increasing his speed.

Running forward as fast as he could, and ignoring the screaming Theodore on his shoulder. Drake followed the tunnel, keeping a mental note of where the Ant he had marked was.

A few minutes into running he began to scowl, feeling the Ant’s position close in.

“Those bastards are fucking with me!” Drake growled, eyeing the worker ant in front of them, “Then new plan,” Drake smiled, putting Theodore down.

“If they are using the same Ants in this tunnel to keep us here, that means no new reinforcements. So I get to clear out the tunnel!”

---

Obiteron played with the ring on one of his clawed hands, waiting patiently for news of the human that had entered the hive.

“Your Majesty!” a guard shouted, scrambling into the room.

“Yes, what is it?” he asked somewhat expectantly.

“The human has killed another blockade and several guards. It seems he has figured out our means to stall him,” he reported, bowing at the head.

“Seems he is not completely dull… Inform the workers that they are to tunnel him to the second chamber, I believe my brother is becoming impatient enough as it is,” Obiteron ordered in an even tone, going back to his jewelry.

“But your Majesty! That is right next to the Queen’s birthing chamber!? We can’t poss-”

Obiteron waved his hand, the blood from the Guard’s head splattering to the floor. He then pointed to a standing guard in the chamber.

“You, tell the workers. I don’t believe there is a problem, yes?”

The guard nodded and scrambled out of the room just as fast as the now-deceased guard scrambled in.

Obiteron focused back on his jewelry, playing with it in his claws.

“Good. Everything is going to plan. First Braxor, then Rasha…”

---

“My Lord, what may this one ask is the plan now?” Theodore asked, sitting down on a comfortable seat Drake had placed in the tunnel.

“Not sure… I can’t exactly go blasting through walls,” Drake replied, sitting on a similar chair as they both took time to relax, “But take a nap if you can. The tunnel is cleared for now, and they don't seem to be sending in more reinforcements right now for whatever reason…. So I guess we just wait for now,” Drake surmised shrugging.

“This one fears that they can not find solace in slumber just yet…. The events that have unfolded art but fresh in this one’s mind after all, my Lord…” Theodore said wearily.

“You won’t get another chance until we find a really secured place Theo, might as well try. Want a bed instead?” Drake asked jokingly.

“This will suffice, my Lord…”

Drake chuckled and went back to focusing on his senses, trying his best to stretch out his aura past the rocks of the tunnel but continued to fail each time.

Sighing he took a break. Making sure to stretch his aura wide enough to cover as much of the tunnel as he could, waiting for something, anything to burrow through and give them something to do.

“Quite curious,” Natto chimed.

What is? Drake asked.

“That you are being so patient with this. Normally you would run in head first and worry about the consequences later. I understand you have dear Theo to worry for but even still. It has not stopped you before. What is different this time?”

Well, for one I can’t dig us out. Two, whoever is directing us, has me by the twig and berries. So might as well go along for the ride.

“You believe this to be best? Let the artificer of our doom direct you as they will?”

Not exactly. I know I can beat anything in here. That, I’m sure of, at least anything we’ve met so far. The problem is I can’t have Theo being taken hostage, or let us both be buried under who knows how many tons of rock. If they decide to collapse a tunnel on us. There isn’t a need for anything drastic just yet, so I’ll let whoever it is pull us around. We got nothing but time for now. And hey, they were nice enough to let us rest after chasing us for a week. Can’t be all bad?

Natto remained stunned in silence, unsure how to answer Drake’s laid-back position on being jerked around.

Drake put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, focusing on his aura sense fully.

He could feel and hear Theodore breathing slow as he apparently finally fell asleep from exhaustion. Drake smirked slightly and continued to monitor the tunnel.

Hours passed as Drake remained vigilant. Keeping focus on anything that may change at a moment’s notice within the tunnel.

“My focus has skyrocketed…” Drake mused, “If I had this kind of focus when I was an artist, I would have been the best there ever was…. Is it a result of my status increasing?” Drake wondered.

“Yes,” Natto replied flatly.

“Oh.. Well, that solves that mystery,” Drake laughed, “If only that introduction construct was that concise.”

Drake slumped slightly in his chair growing tired of waiting for hours, when what he had been waiting for finally happened.

He quickly turned his head hearing the moving of gravel and dirt from the wall further down the tunnel.

“Strange.. I don’t feel anything entering the tunnel. They’re running away. Guess we’re being led by the nose again,” Drake thought aloud sitting up, “Let’s go see what killer Tyrant Santa brought us.”

Drake moved over to Theodore, gently pushing the man to rouse him from his sleep.

“Wakey wakey Theo.”

“W-what is it my Lord…? Hast thy enemy found our location?” Theodore answered blearily.

“Not quite,” Drake said, offering him a cup of water, “More like we are being led out of here. Come on, wash up, and let’s go.”

After a brief minute, Theodore, and Drake moved through the tunnel, finding one side collapsed. Opening into another tunnel.

“Shall I conceal us, my Lord?” Theodore asked.

“No need. They know we’re coming. Keep yourself concealed though. Once we exit the tunnel I want you to try to get to a position where you can use your Illusions again safely,” Drake instructed, starting to walk down the tunnel.

Minutes passed then an hour as the pair walked down the tunnel pensively. Unsure of when they would be ambushed or led out of the hive.

“This is getting really theatrical don’t you think..? What’s with all the cloak and dagger they’re putting us through? It’s like it isn't even about us being here,” Drake sighed.

“That is what you are upset about? The fact that it is not centered around you?” Natto scoffed.

Well yeah… I mean you would think they would be more adamant about trying to get rid of us right? It only makes sense. Drake thought.

“I suppose it does. It is quite strange they did not send a full-force suppression party after you two. It does beg the question.”

I don’t like begging.

“That is not what I was inferring, you moronic ape!”

Oh sorry, I thought it was about me again. Drake smirked.

Their back and forth was cut short suddenly when the sound of chittering and movement resounded in the tunnel, a dim light in the distance.

“Looks like we’ve reached the end of the line. Took long enough,” Drake sighed.

Theodore remained silent, wanting to conceal himself before they reached the exit of the tunnel.

“And behind door number one…?” Drake said, running out of the exit.

Bursting out of the tunnel, Drake was met with the unexpected. Looking out he saw the forest. Ants continued to skitter about the forest floor, but there was no sun. The expanse and magnitude of the cavern putting him in awe.

“Well, wasn’t expect that one….”