Dual Class [LitRPG] – Current Vol 4

Chapter One-Hundred and Ten: Shigure vs Drake. And I took that personally.

Drake stood his ground looking at the teen begin to channel some sort of skill.

He gave a nod to Theodore and Bjorn as they took Miss Braun away and removed themselves for the surroundings.

“Is this really how you act when goaded by a stranger?” Drake asked, admitting that he had intentionally insulted the teen, “How in the world did you even become the leader of such a large group when you can’t even discern friend from foe.”

Shigure lowered his stance and growled back, “Because it is you, who said it!”

“What?” Drake said, confused.

Bjorn spoke up next from behind in the crowd.

“My bad! Might have said a few things about you to him! Don’t take it personally!” Bjorn shouted.

Drake tilted his head in confusion not sure what exactly he could have even told the teen about him that would have him this upset.

“I’m not sure I get what you mean?” Drake said honestly, his weight shifting to one leg as he crossed his earthen arm, his other gong to pick at his ear.

“That! That’s what it is! Sir Bear has told me everything about you, everything I need to know! How you started the tutorial alone. How you went off on your own selfishly ignoring the plight of others within the tutorial!” Shigure shouted.

“Oh no, here we go again. And he wants to say he hates anime but always monologues like he has main character syndrome….” a man wearing glasses said, polishing a gun that reminded Drake of a certain vampire in a red cloak.

“You’re mad I prioritized myself over others? In what world are strangers my responsibility over my own safety? If you haven’t noticed we are in a life-and-death situation. Not only that,” Drake said thumbing to the rest of his group, “I think I’ve gone out of my way to help others a fair amount.”

“You could have done more! Sir Bear has told me of how you struck down a named monster! How you rampaged on the other side of the forest and captured an Outpost on your own! Do you… Do you know how many people we had to sacrifice for this outpost!? And you gained one on your own! Why did you not use that strength for others sooner?! The amount of life you could have saved could have been many times more!” Shigure continued his eyes thinning to points.

“Listen here. I am not the moral authority and don’t owe it to you to confirm or affirm your morals. I do what I want when it suits me and when I feel it’s right, my life, my decisions. I take what comes with it, accepting every consequence and loss. Learning from every mistake as best as I can and move forward, for me and those I hold dear. Even if that means killing someone to protect my own family or stepping on some shithead monster who thinks they can harm people close to me,” Drake scoffed, “So don’t come at me with these anime protagonist lines of self-loathing and projecting your inadequacies onto me. You lost people either because they were weak, or you suck as a leader and didn’t plan enough ahead, so enough of this guilt-tripping from some imaginary moral high ground, it’s getting old real fast. Especially when you can’t even back it up.”

“You are going to compare me to a fictional character?! This is real life, not some game or show! Real people died because you lacked the empathy to help them when you could!”

“Excuse me…? What the fuck do you know about my struggle. I may have jabbed at you and insulted your opinion on the matter with the criminal and leadership, but I never once assumed you didn’t struggle like anyone else who's still standing here,” Drake growled, “And those fictional characters hold a very special place in my heart, so watch your fucking mouth.”

“Then you’re a fool! Those shows are meant for children and imbeciles!” Shigure shot back.

“Ha! I like this kid, he certainly understands it!” Natto chimed in.

“Ok. No more talking. That last comment, I took personally,” Drake said evenly, his eyes flashing yellow.

Shigure lowered his stance, steadying himself against the ground as he eyed his opponent.

The man before him, Shot, was an insult to everything he had gone through in the tutorial, and before.

Being who he was, a Kenzo, he had to meet every expectation and more of his family and peers in every capacity. There was no failing, there was no less than.

And this man had flagrantly gone against everything Shigure himself had gone through. He had ignored expectations and done anything and everything he wanted, not caring for anyone but himself.

Shigure was disgusted. Throughout his entire life he was expected to live for the clan, for everyone as a whole, it was his duty and his greatest pride.

Helping his friends in school, helping his family during Kendo lessons, excelling in every area he could, and taking on more and more responsibility to prove to himself and everyone else that he was better, that he could go above and beyond.

He had been the head of the Kendo Club, the center of every eye in his school when he won at the National Tournament as the youngest competitor in years, shocking and awing his entire school. Even more so his parents who had said he was their pride and joy.

But this man, he had done everything Shigure had done in the tutorial and more, all while following his own whims! It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right! How was he any better than himself? How was he any more deserving of adoration from the number one in the tutorial over him?

Shigure gripped his sword in anger and frustration. Taking a quick glance at Bear, the man who still hadn’t trusted him enough to even give his real name. The man who would not stop singing the praises of this man, Shot.

Shigure had been calming down and internalizing his anger since that day Bear had returned saying that he would soon not be able to beat Shot. But, when the notification came a week ago of the Goblin King being slain.

His mental limit had been reached. A man he had never met had far surpassed him in contribution to the quest, and even Bear.

When they both had seen the notification, Shigure was devastated, expecting Bear to be the same, but instead Bear was smiling. Even going as far as to say, ‘It was only a matter of time before he blew past me.” He, the number one in the tutorial. Bear was not frustrated or angered but expectant like it was only natural that the man passed him.

Shigure wouldn’t have it. Not this man, not a man of his caliber, that had done nothing before the tutorial, not a man who played the song to only his own desires. He was not a man of stature, not a man of rock-solid morals, not a man in Shigure’s eyes. He was nothing but a filthy degenerate.

Shigure shouted using his skill before striking, using every resource available to him from his skills. He was assured in his win, he was a one-on-one specialist, and his skills reflected it.

“Kenzo, Shigure! Kensei! Maeru!” he announced activating his Shogun’s authority for a duel, increasing his attack by a full 100%.

“First Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsu Iai,” Shigure whispered his eyes trained on Drake.

Leaping forward with the last word of his skill, Shigure drew his katana-o from his saya the ring of the metal leaving it sounding through the area.

Shigure expected the battle to be finished immediately but was struck in sheer surprise when he saw Shot standing there, his hair changed to a radiant orange, his hand holding Shigure’s blade in between his fingers, his expression even, as Shot’s eyes shifted from blue to green to yellow.

“Ah, so you got a funny nickname too huh? And you’re pretty fast. Expected nothing less of someone above level 20,” Drake stated, as Shigure struggled to remove his blade from Drake’s grip.

Shigure’s eyes widened in surprise as he continued to struggle to wrench his blade from Drake. The color of his arm painted in a fiery orange covered in a glow of deep blue.

Shit! How can he be so strong?! I’m four levels above him! Does he have an Epic or higher class?! Shigure cursed, his hand releasing his blade to unsheathe his smaller daisho blade, his Wakizashi.

“Fifth Strike, Blood Moon Style, Ketsushouku!” Shigure shouted trying to use his smaller blade to force Drake to release his primary blade, his smaller blade reddening with the skill.

Although the strike was awkward from his position and with his wakizashi was able to force Shot to release his katana-o. Shigure’s skill cut upwards the sword aura screeching with power from the skill.

Looking at the man who now stepped backward, his hair a brilliant yellow hue, his arm changing color with it, hearing Shot whistle slightly.

“Wow, got some nice skills there. Are they part of your class skills? Having that many individual skills would take up a lot of slots,” Drake mused, as he flicked his wrist while snapping his finger simultaneously, a staff appearing in front of the man which he grabbed and spun into position. A shard of ice forming from a white magic circle at his side.

Shigure was again surprised, his eyes widening.

“You’re a mage?! But how? You stopped my strike cold?!” Shigure growled, holding his two swords at the ready.

“I’m just full of surprises, don’t you worry. Or well, you know, do,” Drake laughed, “Regardless, let me enjoy humiliating you a bit more.”

“You’re nothing but a self-centered bastard! Why would Sir Bear ever say you were better than I!?” Shigure yelled, “You dare say you are going to humiliate me after trying to stand on your own ideals, mocking my own? You are a hypocrite!”

“Only when it suits me! And I never said I wasn’t,” Drake sneered, the shard of ice vanishing as his hair turned ghostly white, the changing flames on his left arm no longer there, “I am the storm that is approaching,” Drake began chanting.

“I won’t let you! Eighth Strike, Blood Moon - Nitoryu no Ogi, Mugen no Chi no Mai!” Shigure screamed, both of his blades lighting up in deep blood red as he surged forward chasing Shot. The man somehow deftly dodging each swing of his swords with a hair’s margin, only to continue casting his spell.

“Why! Why are you so fast!” Shigure screamed his blade striking downward as Shot lightly stepped to the side.

“A good magician never reveals his secrets! And you seem to be struggling there, Sword Saint! Very secret technique-esque, just to not land a single blow,” Drake answered, goading Shigure further before continuing his chant, “Provoking, black clouds in isolation!”

Shigure continued to swing, struggling to land a blow, as his stamina began dropping from the prolonged expenditure of his skill. But Shot seemed to be in good spirits, as the yellow circle that was forming under Shot, began crackling and snapping further with each word he spoke.

“Stop with your foolishness! Will you not even take me seriously!” Shigure spat, continuing to chase forward, beginning to swing more and more wildly as his emotions flared.

“Finally noticed? I told you! I’m going to put you in your place. No one insults my heroes. Let the true meaning of fear and power be etched into your very being!” Shot howled, as his eyes flashing again to yellow, and Shigure stiffening.

Shigure suddenly couldn’t move, his breath stalling as he could barely feel his hands gripping his swords. As if everything had stopped, and his blood had gone cold, he felt Shot’s eyes on him.

Never before had he felt this small under someone’s gaze, the feeling of vulnerability increasing as the slow realization washed over him that he was outclassed.

[Hardened Body has been disabled. Loss of 50% defensive effectiveness]

[Shogun’s Authority has been disabled. Loss of 100% overall damage increase]

What?! Shigure shouted internally, looking back at the eyes of the predator before him. Cold sweat pooling over his body as he shook struggling to move his body.

“I have a nickname too apparently. Shall I share it?” Drake asked, evenly his eyes never leaving Shigure.

“F-fu-fuck you!” Shigure managed to growl out of his clenched jaw.

“It’s the Tyrant. Reap what you sow for challenging me!” Drake cackled, his arms spreading, “I am the reclaimer of my name! Born in flames!” Drake shouted the circle below him bursting to light as a thunderous crash sounded, the lightning forming into lashes of electricity reaching behind him, “I have been blessed!” Drake continued his figure being illuminated by the blinding light of the dense lightning magic behind him, “My family crest is a demon of death!” he roared, the magic circle forming a huge Oni behind him, putting Shigure in awe, as he finally regained control of his body.

The massive amount of mana and the size of the spell put Shigure to his knees.

“It’s not fair….!” he screamed trying to reject the reality in front of him.

“The world was never fair. And now. You shall die,” Drake proclaimed, casting his spell. The figure of lightning magic changing into a dense spear of Mana in Drake’s left hand that he pointed right at Shigure’s face.

Shigure looked up, his loss evident now. The reality hitting him as he contemplated the regret in his heart for being so blind to think he was stronger.

“There’s always someone stronger.. I became conceited. If only….” Shigure said evenly, his eyes looking into Shot’s, the acceptance of his fate plain on his face.

Drake raised the spear of lightning high above his head, and Shigure closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. A snap was heard but the blow never came.

After a few seconds, Shigure finally cracked his eyes open slowly, seeing Shot standing there, no longer the tyrant of death that he saw before closing his eyes.

“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. You got some good convictions kid, even in the face of an insurmountable opponent you accepted your mistake and realized your shortcomings. Good stuff,” Drake said, moving his mask to the side revealing a smile, as he bent down to give Shigure a pat on the shoulder.

“You aren’t going to kill me?” Shigure questioned.

“No, of course not. Wouldn’t be a very good first impression, and I still need you to take care of all my people,” Drake said, Shigure visibly relaxing with a sigh, “But. I still have to kick your ass for insulting anime,” Drake laughed, snapping his fingers next to Shigure’s head, the staff in Drake’s hands vanishing, replaced by a single ring in the air and a small fireball that vanished as quickly as it appeared, “Clench your teeth kid!” Drake howled as he laughed, his open hand moving to equip the ring on its way to Shigure’s face.

Drake’s hair shimmering to red and forming into a fist that glowed red, covered by a blue glow just moments before impact.

Shigure had one thought before he was struck.

Fucking asshole…