Dual Class [LitRPG] – Current Vol 4

Chapter 251: What a Town

Katalina leaned over her staff, taking a micro nap to get some rest, her mouth mumbling unconsciously.

“Why did I ever take this job….Kat, what were you thinking?”

A pop next to her startled her awake and Kat creaked her head to the sound, knowing full well who it was.

“Sleeping on the job are we?” Natto smiled.

“N-no, ma’am!” Kat replied quickly, “Just waiting on my mana to recover.”

Natto crossed her arms, interweaving her sleeves as she looked up at the building the earth mage had finished.

“I can not believe I am saying this, but the moron would have done a better job… Regardless, it is passable.”

“No shit… he’s twice my level and a monster…” she muttered softly, almost growling the words.

“What was that?” Natto asked, jumping to her shoulder.

“N-nothing, just tired from the workload… N-not that I’m not thankful for being able to work directly for you Miss Natto!” Kat corrected quickly, seeing the construct of the town owner frowning.

“Yes, well, I have been working you hard the last few days since the brute has left. Oh look at that, he must have found something interesting,” she mused, not elaborating as she tapped a few screens, “In celebration of this glorious event, I shall bestow on you a day off Katalina.”

Kat’s eyes widened in joy only to have them dashed away with the drop of a sac into her open hand.

“These are the stones and cores as promised, I have also procured you Mana accessories and some regenerative equipment as a bonus. Now for your day off you will accompany me to the gate. Onward,” Natto said flatly pointing to the south gate.

“Ma’am… I think we have different understandings of a day off…”

“Nonsense! Is there no better time spent not working than with the magnanimous me!?” Natto gasped in disbelief, “After we saved you from those monsters chasing you, picked you up off the street! Gave you a home, a place to work-”

“Okay! Okay… I’m going, I’m going…” Kat sighed walking towards the gate.

Katalina was the sole Earth Mage stupid- unlucky -enough to stumble across ReUnite. In the earlier days of the construction of the town, now becoming a more flourishing city day by day. Kat was chased from a town, expecting monsters of the same skill and level as the ones in her tutorial.

Unfortunately for her, that was not the case, not by a long shot. She had been chased to the town and saved by the lord of the town, Drake Wallen. A quirky, yet ever so tyrannical monster in human flesh. And with that, her fate was sealed.

Natto, Drake’s personal construct, took it upon herself to blackmail, or in her words recruit Kat into helping with the construction of the city.

Every day Kat would expend her mana building foundations of houses, state buildings, roads, walls, poles, you name it, until sheer exhaustion overtook her.

At first, it wasn’t that bad, she had done it because she felt indebted, but soon found out the little 1-foot ball of pure sass was a slave driver. Never letting Kat enjoy the house she was given, forced to drink mana potion after mana potion.

Her boots clinked against the hardened cobbled road as she walked her head slumped as she gave a drawn-out sigh.

“Oh Kat, working hard again?”

“Kat don’t let the Guardian wear you down- Ow!”

“Oh, Miss Katalina! Thank you for fixing our wall earlier, please take some fresh cooked skewers you looked famished.”

Kat bowed slightly thanking and greeting everyone that stopped her, giving a bit more pep in her step.

“I guess it isn’t all bad,” she smiled handing an obligatory skewer to Natto as she bit into her own.

“Yes, you have contributed nicely to the city. I’m sure once the most important parts are constructed you will enjoy your new post,” Natto said through bits of meat.

“New post?” Kat asked making a turn at an intersection.

“Yes, one of the more useful party members of the moron has arrived recently and is in need of instructors. I told him you would help.”

Kat frowned deeply.

“Do not be such a child. It is fewer hours than now and I will make sure to compensate you accordingly,” Natto snickered, giving Kat a child-like pat on the head, “Now we are almost there, be ready this might become fun if you let it!”

Kat frowned even deeper, hunching her shoulders.

Anything you call fun is going to get me killed….

—--------------------------------

“Megan, you can’t keep acting like this,” Julia said, grabbing her shoulder, and trying to console her.

“Why not?! He has a wife Jules! A wife! I thought he was just dating Claire, but now he’s married to the head of this Orc Clan?! Why, why am I not good enough! I worked hard getting here!” Megan groaned, her eyes tearing up.

Julia rubbed her back pulling her into a hug as they walked down the street, “I know, but that’s just how it goes sometimes, sweetie. You don’t have to be so hung up-”

“That’s just it Jules! I am hung up on him. He’s all I can think about after the tutorial… I’m not sleeping, I’m not eating… I need him to know I exist! To look at me,” she sighed choking back a sob.

“Megs…” Jules said with a sad look, “This isn’t healthy or normal. You have to find something, someone else.”

“What about you? I’ve seen how you looked at him since he saved us. You won’t say it, but I can tell, you like him too!”

Julia’s face turned a bit scarlet but she smiled, “Yeah and I’m fine with just seeing him. I know he won’t look at me the same way he did Claire. I’m not even sure why he chose her over anyone else, but that’s just how it is. Come on Megs, let’s go get some food.”

“I don’t want food Julia,” Megan said, her shoulders quivering, “I don’t know what I want… I-i’m going back home…”

Julia pulled on her friend’s arm, “Oh no you’re not!” she suddenly yelled, “You have been moping around for days now. Days!” she huffed.

Megan grumbled, pouting as Julia dragged her along to a small stall on the main street selling skewers. She stood slightly straighter when she saw a familiar construct on the shoulder of a woman she didn’t recognize walking toward the south gate.

“Jules, it’s Natto. Where do you think they're going?”

Julia turned a meat skewer already in her mouth as she handed over some mana coins to the vendor, “I don’t know. She runs the place, doesn’t she? Probably seeing to something at the gate again.”

“We should go help or at least see what’s gong on!” Megan said suddenly perking up.

“You do know Natto is scarier than that E-Rank monster we almost died to right?”

“Hush, let's get going, maybe helping out will make Drake feel different about us!”

Julia sighed and this time was pulled by the arm by Megan as they ‘secretly’ rushed after Natto and the woman.

—-----------------------------------------------

“Sir, we are coming up on our destination now.”

Hudson stretched in the back of the humvee, giving a long dramatic yawn.

“About damn time. We’ve been on the road for nearly a week!”

“Apologies, but some of the personnel with us are mages and wouldn’t be able to travel the distance required, sir.”

Hudson gave the man a wave, “No need for that Corporal, stop the caravan here, we’ll travel the rest on foot. We haven’t had a lick of monsters attacking us in the last couple of hours so I’m assuming we’ll be fine. Don’t want to strut up to a city in full outfit after all.”

“Sir!” the soldiers answered in unison slowing the vehicle.

The several other humvees that were trailing behind quickly slowed to a stop as well, sets of 5 exiting the doors of the trucks and a few more stepping out from the back of larger ones.

“Alright this everyone?” Hudson asked a metallic magic circle forming next to him, his good ol’ big ‘un sprouting out of the ground.

“All accounted for, sir!” the CO answered saluting.

“None that you hear me ya idjit. That monster of a man hates that stuff for one… Alright ground rules!” Hudson said shouting, “No one addresses me as sir, I’m just a man here to talk to a friend. Second! You are under no circumstances to provoke Drake Wallen. Third! We do not know the situation of his city and the lack of monsters around the outskirts might mean they have cleared them out, making them stronger than we assumed. Or they are currently under siege, in either situation keep your eyes up, ears damn well perked, and asses tight!”

“Sir, yes sir!” the company barked.

“Corporal you're in front. I’ll be on your six. Now let’s move!”

The company began moving toward their destination, using their scouting classes to map out the area for the last legs of their travel as well as monsters.

After a few minutes, the entire company let out muted gasps, Hudson just smiling.

“Well looks like he didn’t waste any time making it big…”

In front of them a few feet away from the outstretch of trees were enormous black walls several stories tall. On top of them green-skinned men and women patrolling the area, ever so often a human with a bow scanning the area.

The man at one of the corners of the wall spotted them, pulling back an arrow, the rest of the patrols pulling weapons out as well glaring down.

Hudson stepped out putting his hands up, nudging his corporal in the side to do the same.

“My name’s Hudson Lawrance, I know the owner of this city. We’re just looking to come inside and say hi.”

The man slackened his bow pointing down the wall.

Hudson and his soldiers all looked in the direction seeing the outline of what looked like a huge gate breaking up the wall, a small line of people formed next to it.

He gave a wave and motioned for his soldiers to move.

The patrol on the wall, eyed them as they went one of the residents following them as they made their way from on top of the structure.

Small chattering began to break out between the soldiers and the scouts that rejoined the formation as they approached the gate.

A massive arch marked the entrance, huge stone checkered spikes at the top where the gate’s door had been lifted. At the opening a man with green skin and tribal wear waved people in with a smile, sometimes shaking hands and nodding to those who passed by clapping them on the back.

“Looks like a monster…” the man next to Hudson said, “Just like on the wall. Do we know this guy doesn’t tame monsters?” he asked.

“Not that I know of, but get your head out yer ass, inspect the man, he has a name,” Hudson reprimanded.

[Rvul Rahk Level 17]

“And he's already level 17. So would it really matter?” Hudson added stepping into line.

“No..” the man whispered, “But sir, isn’t this a bit of a problem?”

Hudson raised a brow, crossing his arms, his Robot on the other side doing the same and keeping pace.

“I just mean if the reports are correct, this man could be the strongest on the planet right now. And he has multiple people reportedly over level 15? Just looking at the people on the walls they were all around level 16!”

“Then we better make a good impression, shouldn’t we?”

“I believe we are certainly passed that,” a familiar voice said.

From the gate, a woman Hudson didn’t know walked out, on her shoulder a small girl he had seen many times in the tutorial. All around here, the green-skinned men and women bowed their heads slightly, even some in the line in front of Hudson doing the same.

“If it ain’t Miss Natto? Came out just for little old me? Where’s the pup?” Hudson said, putting his accent back on and smiling.

Natto scoffed from the woman's shoulder pointing to the man next to Hudson, “Enough of your facade, Drake is not here and I am here for him, not you.”

Hudson looked over to his corporal confused, “Him?”

“Yes. Now be a good boy and explain why you are here worm. And the rest of your rabble will only feel a sliver of the pain I will inflict on you,” Natto sneered.

“S-sir! I don’t know what she’s talking about!”

“Calm down, she won’t do anything rash, just explain,” Hudson tried to say to calm them down, his company also beginning to stir, pointing the ends of guns, swords, and bows in Natto’s direction.

“I see. Pity,” Natto sighed, “Kataline, step away.”

The girl Natto sat on quickly beelined for Rvul her face paling.

“D-do you know what you’re doing little girl!?” the man said shakily.

“Oh, but I do. You seem to already know who I am, most men your age would not even bat an eye at someone like me at this point. And since you are unwilling to answer my questions, I am sure your body will suffice to tell me what I need to know.”

The man screamed pulling his sidearm from his thigh and firing off a round, the sound of multiple rounds also coming from the company behind him, joining the cacophony. 

“What are you fucking idiots doing!?” Hudson shouted in horror.

“It is fine Mr. Lawrence,” Natto said from her position a hand raised and a pink wall of fire extinguishing everything that attempted to reach her.

Hudson looked at her glowing pink eyes, his body suddenly filled with dread.

“We are no longer in the tutorial, my restrictions while still there for information, are mostly lifted for combat. And you are in my domain now,” she smiled.

Disappearing in a flash, Hudson’s head snapped to a scream next to him.

Natto had somehow teleported or moved so quickly that she had appeared sitting on the corporal’s shoulder leisurely.

“While I hate to say it, I am the imbecile’s assistant. You riff-raff continue to attempt to infiltrate this city but you will continue to fail while I am here. Anyone,” Natto said starring at Hudson, “Who wishes to bring harm to him or this city is doomed to fail.”

Natto smiled again, the corporal looking at her, sweat beading down his neck and face as he shook subtly.

She casually moved the back of her palm to his face and as she touched it, his head exploded, cut off cleanly from the neck up.

Natto flipped backward off the limping body, disappearing again as screams began to sound from the company behind Hudson.

Pink fire, men’s shrieks of pain, severed limbs, and spurts of blood continued to be seen from Hudson’s position as he began to sweat, unsure of what was happening.

“When did she get this strong…?” he muttered and turned around toward the gate hoping someone from the city would stop her.

But all he found were people going about their business, averting their eyes from the scene.

Soon the ruckus behind him died down, Hudson’s head turning back to see his men parting like the red sea as a small 1-foot girl in a Japanese-style dress walked out between them. Her hands, tail, and clothes, every inch soaked in blood.

“W-what did you do…?” Hudson stammered.

“It seems you are poorly informed. I have dispatched and looted the vampires that were within your ranks,” Natto yawned, flicking the blood off her fingers in disgust.

“Vampires? Like from the tutorial?”

Natto’s face turned into a mirthful sneer, “Duh,” she scoffed, snapping her fingers as pink fire enveloped her, burning off every speck of blood on her person.

“Feel free to stay inside and wait until the ape returns. Rvul, they are clear to enter and pass the line, I have swept them personally,” Natto waved casually, snapping her fingers again and pointing to the ground, the woman from before, Kataline running over as Natto hopped on her shoulder.

“As you wish,” Rvul said bowing.

“Oh and Mr. Lawrence,” Natto said, smiling back over her shoulder, “It seems that the world has taken both this city and my barking idiot lightly. I suggest you change that.”