The Primal Hunter

Jacob happily walked towards the exit of their base, Bertram on one side, Caroline on the other. It had been a few hours since Jake's message arrived and the subsequent meeting with Richard. Caroline had somehow managed to convince him to let them leave with just the three of them.

According to her, he hadn’t been happy about it and had holed himself up inside. Jacob wanted to go and smooth things out with the camp leader, but Caroline had talked him out of it. So, for now, he could only take the fortune he had been given and go to the meeting.

Caroline had stipulated that they needed a proper plan before going to the meeting, something Jacob had agreed to instantly. He did like making plans, which was why they had taken so long to leave. Jake had only specified a place to meet and not a set time. From how it was written, he wanted it to be sooner rather than later, but a few hours shouldn’t be too long. The meeting area was quite open-ended, but Jacob had confidence in them finding each other.

The walk wasn’t very long, only a kilometer or so from their base. They had built right next to the barrier, so the area he could be in was somewhat limited.

A hundred meters or so away, Jake sat. He, like Jacob, was nervous about the meeting. He even feared the same outcome, though for different reasons. Jacob feared that he was wrong and that Jake would turn on them. Jake feared they wouldn’t believe him and think he was actually the culprit, inevitably resulting in them turning on him.

Perhaps it was the nervousness, but Jake somehow only spotted them moments before they spotted him, despite his higher perception. He had to control himself and not rush to them. Instead, he chose to stand still and let them come to him.

Jacob relaxed a bit as he saw Jake just standing there, his hood down and face visible. Especially his nervous face made him relax. He couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly as Jake's face looked nearly identical to how it had the first time he was forced to make a presentation to management. And all the times after that, actually.

Jake hasn’t changed, he told himself; it must be a misunderstanding. Perhaps he was just naïve, but he truly believed in Jake.

Bertram and Caroline, on the other hand, didn’t share his sentiment. They both glared at their former colleague, and both had up their guards. Unlike Jacob, they didn’t see him as good old Jake, but as a potential threat. Not for the same reasons, though.

His demeanor was somehow different. His face looked roughly the same, but his stature exuded some hidden confidence. An innate sense of inferiority was also faintly felt, making them aware that he was more powerful than them. None of them knew this, but this was the suppression of rank…

But more importantly, they both tried to identify him to find out they couldn’t. A phenomenon they had never met before. Even if they couldn’t see level, it would at least show something. But for Jake, it just gave a simple question mark. Giving them the same surprise William had, as William hadn’t shared that detail with the others.

Jake remembered telling Jacob to come alone, but he was honestly pleasantly surprised that Bertram and Caroline also came along. Scouting the area with a quick look, he didn’t see any signs of anyone following them.

Jacob and the others stopped five or six meters away from him, as both just stood there for a bit. Jake had run through this scenario a few times in his head before and finally managed to get something out:

“Eh… Hey Jacob, how you doing?” he asked, as he instantly slapped himself mentally. What the fuck kind of question is that?

“Oh… I am fine… you?” Jacob said, also feeling a bit awkward himself now.

“Fine… I guess…” Jake answered.

…

“So, you called us, or well me, out here?” Jacob said, taking the lead as Jake did not indicate that he would continue speaking.

“Yeah… I had some weird run-ins with people in the forest,” Jake answered, now finding a bit of confidence. “They seemed to believe I had done things I have no idea about.”

“Jake, how many people have you killed since entering the tutorial?” Caroline cut in, staring daggers at him.

A bit taken aback, Jake was surprised by the stern tone for a second, mostly because he had never heard Caroline speak to anyone like that before.

“I think…” Jake began, as he thought about who he had killed. 3 attackers during the first night, 6 people Richard sent after him, and the party of 5 with the green warrior. “Too many… but far from enough to have caused some war. After we split, I have only had to fight humans twice, once against a lone caster and the other time a party of five."

Bertram and Caroline looked at each other to assess the reaction of the other. Bertram thought that either Jake had managed to turn into an Oscars-worthy actor during the last month or he was telling the truth.

sigh inwardly, however. This… wasn’t going as planned. Jake wasn’t the

told you Jake didn’t do it!” Jacob said as he turned smiling to the others,

as he raised an eyebrow. “Metal caster, young,

lone caster you met, right?” Jacob asked, looking

to ambush me after saying he would take me to meet you guys in Richard’s camp,” Jake said, now

must also be the one who killed Casper as he tried to pin it

is

as he too

come here was

the death of Casper. It had somehow hit him harder than he expected. Ripping off the band-aid now and accepting those they lost

the three of us as well as Joanna remain. Oh

faint shimmering in the air. He

later, the shimmering disappeared, revealing Richard along with four

adequately, he spotted more and more figures appearing within his vision, as the shimmering disappeared gradually,

Jacob!?” Jake yelled as he backed away from the three of them, ready to

now also fully aware of the situation, looked confused about and spotted people also appearing behind Jake. One

didn’t!” Jacob said, trying to explain

know,” Richard said as he stepped closer, his massive tower shield at the ready. His armor and

said in a slightly apologetic tone as he turned to

nice and easy, and we can get to the bottom of this together. If you didn’t attack anyone as it

buy it for a second. He didn’t need social awareness, only his instincts, to feel the faint killing intent given

more cautious and keeping his guard up. No way they should have been able to get that close even if some

reason for all this! We can-” Jacob protested but was interrupted by an intense glare

time to answer

saw a man wearing a red robe wielding a spear charging straight at

felt pressure from the man, instantly making him aware that this wasn’t someone to take lightly. Which was only further confirmed as the spear started burning, leaving a trail of

the charging man yelled, releasing a wave of fire towards Jake. His eyes filled with

the horizontal cone of flames as he tried jumping to the side, only to

blocking his path, as Jake

something, but was too busy to listen. This situation was dire - enemies all around

people entered the fray as arrows and spell started flying about, aiming for him. Ice, fire, spikes of earth, and lightning sparks

foot, halting his movements as he saw the red-robed man holding it on the other end. More

as he tried to Shadow Vault away but found it blocked by the whips holding him down. He could barely move his

longer sit still as he charged

Jake struggled and moved a little, but it was too late as an arrow struck him on the shoulder,

over, drawing from within, as Jake drew on his deep pool of mana. More than he had ever done so before. No intricate thread or such thing was created. He just opened the floodgates. A transparent sheen of mana started coming out

dispelling the whips and sending all the spells and projectiles aimed at him flying in all directions. The earth broke apart as cracks appeared on the ground. Even Richard, who was charging at him and

on one knee, wounds covering his body. The unbridled

ambitious warrior continued the attack as he charged with a

of the onlookers could react, Jake

skin started peeling off and rotting. The healers around him reacted fast, but before they could even heal him, half his face

Jake enough time to down a health potion as he rushed

moving, so did everyone around