The Primal Hunter

Many herbs were still in the garden and cave. After all, Jake had never made anything above inferior-rarity in potions and still had all the common-rarity ingredients left entirely untouched. With the spatial storage able to store plants, he needed a way to get them into it.

He quickly discovered he couldn’t just will them to enter it. Sadly, the spatial storage couldn’t just tear them out of the ground.

So, the next one and a half hours went by as he dug them up by hand. He also went by the cave afterward and collected all of the mushrooms and moss.

It didn’t take him long to gather everything - his improved physical stats finally being used constructively.

With less than half an hour left in the dungeon, he did the only logical thing he could think of and took a shower. He didn’t know when he would next get access to a nice bathroom, something to be made use of as much as possible while he still could.

After cleaning up and putting on his clothes once more, he went to the garden as he waited for the time to end. Looking at his reflection in the pond, he saw the minor changes the evolutions had brought about.

It had made him a bit more handsome if he had to say so himself. His features all a bit sharper. He was initially a bit on the short side but had grown a couple of centimeters too from the looks of it. His fashion-sense did ruin his improved looks a bit, though. The brown cloak, leather bracers, and old worn boots were standing out like a sore thumb.

He looked a bit funny if he had to say so himself. He wore some old linen clothes he had found in the bedroom dresser if one looked below the cloak. His old clothes had been wholly ruined a long time ago.

As his thoughts wandered, time ticked on, and with a final look at his reflection, he disappeared from the dungeon.

Caroline exited the cabin with Richard after reporting what she had just learned. Casper had made himself known once more.

Two weeks ago, he had wandered out of the camp in the middle of the night. Their expectations were broken as he just vanished without a trace. No one had heard or seen anything from him before today, making them believe that he was actually dead.

He wasn’t. He had contacted them through a stake outside their base… addressed to William.

Casper hadn’t headed towards the enemy camp… instead, he had gone back. Back to where they had entered the tutorial initially. And now, she and Richard were thinking of what to do.

A small sphere was around them, blocking out all sound as they walked through the camp. “Just send William… wouldn’t it be better just to kill him already?”

“Casper or William?” Richard asked.

“William, of course. Casper hasn’t done anything for two weeks… we can have him return,” she said, almost pleadingly. Jacob had been in a slump emotionally ever since Casper disappeared… and guilt had been gnawing at her too.

“… Fine,” Richard conceded. Even if William dies, I can figure something else out. The only positive thing one could say about William was how little he had done for the last two weeks. He had only been hunting beasts really and spent the majority of his time with the Smith.

However, despite all that Richard tried, people began to question too many things. He was also relatively sure Jacob knew that the kid was way off. He had wanted to get rid of William and Hayden already, but sadly no opportunity had presented itself.

Now, with Casper calling out William directly, too many had begun connecting the dots. Richard was unsure of what to do. If he acted like he didn’t know anything, he would appear incompetent. So, he went with the most straightforward solution of hopefully just having the two kill each other.

Can I still use this to lure Hayden out? he thought as he began to gather his hunting-party with Caroline. Not to go after William… they had to keep leveling themselves too.

on

he was coming. The narcissistic

day, he had prepared the clearing. Everything was

last two weeks had been… eventful. It all started

had been Lyra. His shining star in this hellhole. He had fallen head over heels for her instantly. They had begun a relationship that never had time to truly flourish.

overtook him. He didn’t care about some war; he didn’t care about the other faction leader, claiming that his son

beasts in human skin roaming through the forest. It was his personal mission to thin out the herd as much as possible before he joined her. Casper had no naïve hope of surviving the forest. He knew it would be his final resting place, and he would lay down here gladly to

weeping alone, he heard a whisper

to a challenge dungeon. The dungeon hadn't contained any challenge. It was just an island with a single tower on it, surrounded by a black sea. Not of water, but a black sludge that Casper

he met him. Or at least a part of him. And that being offered him a deal, one he couldn’t refuse. It helped prepare him, evolve

of spikes of dark metal were embedded. Runes were running down their surface as each impaled

his eyes, aware once more, as he looked up and saw the blue-eyed, blonde teenager of his former

and deceit,” the teenager said as he did an exaggerated bow towards Casper. He had a playful look in his eyes and a friendly smile on his lips. Yet he was

a part of him a

ain’t nobody telling me where I can and can’t go,” William answered with

follow their whims nevertheless,” Casper mocked

completely ignored the first part as he responded to the second. “I am just curious why you asked for me; I don’t recall us

starting a war is clear as day to anyone not constantly stuck inside the camp. Richard knows. Half of his men know. So just stop this silly farce and speak as your true self for once,” Casper said, a bit

were cold. “Fine. Let’s talk. But I go first… what the hell is your plan out here? Your plan with recklessly

for what they did to her. I know you didn’t directly kill her, but you still fucking caused it!” Casper

Obviously, a bit bewildered at

I don’t get why they go so much overboard when killing, and I think torture is quite dumb. But isn’t it equally illogical to react to it like you

curious. He didn’t understand it. He had been lost on why the reaction had been so violent

the youth before he answered with a question of his own. One, he already

level of forsaking all logic like you?” William asked, a bit confused by the question. He had quite honestly always been a bit stumped

become your entire world. Then, if someone takes away that world, wouldn’t you want to take theirs in return?” Casper asked, unable to hide his emotions. He hated himself for not realizing how much Lyra

seem a bit stupid to invest so much in something that you lose everything by losing it,” William said. He could kind of understand

William. Love is an emotion far too complex for one such as you to comprehend,” Casper said. Purposefully trying

youth asked,

ever get it, William. You won't ever understand the feeling of losing someone. Truly losing someone,” Casper said as he smiled

on about?” William sneered. A weakness? What was this moron on

weakness… when your inability to feel is the

they are so important, then why don’t you explain them? Make them actually make sense for once?” the young caster said, as he was preparing himself to strike. “Because from what I’ve

my

now well and truly pissed off, went back to a

to kill you. You know what I am capable