The Primal Hunter

Jake moved on down the list of skills, and he had to say that the second skill was a bit more… traditional.

[Piercing Arrow (Common)] – The first strike is often the most important when hunting. Grants the hunter the ability to infuse an arrow with energy to increase its penetrative power. Increases power depending on stamina expended. Adds a small bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using Piercing Arrow.

This skill was also fascinating, and it would likely synergize incredibly well with Powershot too. But did he genuinely need a more powerful opening shot and more preparation for now? Would his arrows even be able to handle the skill, or just break apart?

If the skill said that it conjured an arrow, he would be far more excited about it. Many skills had to do that, but this one clearly didn’t.

Assuming he did get the skill to work correctly, it would bring his opening attack to a ridiculous power-level. It was already quite silly with Powershot and his poison alone, but coupled with this… perhaps he could even have killed that giant buffalo.

Postponing the decision, he moved on to the next one. It was one of the skills that had gotten an upgraded version.

[Hunter’s Tracking (Uncommon)] – The hunter does not sit silently in his lodge but actively hunts for his prey. Unlocks proficiency in tracking down prey based on limited clues left behind. Also allows the hunter to more easily identify characteristics of the game, including mana signatures and aura. Adds a small bonus to the effect of perception while tracking.

This had been one of the skills he’d wanted back at level 5 in the early days of the tutorial. He had chosen Basic Stealth back then instead, a decision he hadn’t felt any regret towards, but he did have moments where being able to track people would be useful. Such as when he was searching for his colleagues.

In hindsight, however, perhaps it was good he hadn’t been able to track them down earlier. If he hadn’t leveled up and acquired Shadow Vault, he would undoubtedly be a dead man by now.

If he thought about the current benefits the skill would provide… it was somewhat limited. It was the type of skill you hated not to have when you needed it, but rarely found yourself in a situation where it was actually necessary.

But even more importantly… Jake felt like he could learn a lot of what the skill did by himself. He was already starting to get a basic understanding of recognizing energy given off by others. He also had his Sphere of Perception, which allowed him to quickly search an area far more effectively than he ever could with his eyes.

Instead, he would try and get a skill that did something he was incapable of, something that did something impossible to learn for the current him.

Sure, the skill would still be beneficial even if he learned everything himself merely due to the stat effectiveness increasing effect, but he honestly felt it wasn’t worth it. So he moved on.

[Hunter’s Trapping Expertise (Uncommon)] – The Hunter has many tricks hidden up their sleeve and are not limited to merely facing their prey in direct combat. The Ambitious Hunter instead uses the materials found during his hunt to improvise and create traps to get an edge. Unlocks proficiency in creating traps and tools associated with traps, along with knowledge of how to use them. Adds a small bonus to the effectiveness of stats based on the nature of the used trap.

This skill was very much like the prior one, as in another upgraded skill that was more focused on granting knowledge and know-how than actual abilities. He wasn’t a fan of it. He didn’t exactly plan on going around placing traps anyway.

He preferred to take a more… active approach. He liked to be the hunter, not the hunted. Instead, he would rather strike with a fast and deadly blow rather than sit back and wait patiently for his enemy to slip up. For pretty much the same reasons as the prior skill, he skipped over this one too.

[Splitting Arrow (Uncommon)] – One arrow becomes many; one fallen prey becomes a field of death. Fire an arrow that splits into several copies while in flight. Each arrow strikes with the power of the original. Adds a small bonus to the effect of agility and strength when using Splitting Arrow.

This one was a bit like the first Piercing Arrow, aka a skill that had an active effect, but he instantly liked this one far more.

Perhaps he was still quite biased due to the previous fight, but having some area coverage would be very useful. Sure, the damn beasts could dodge one arrow, but could they escape five? Ten?

work with it. It said that it would make an arrow that splits and strikes with the arrow’s original power. Did that include

precisely use logic to figure it out. This was quite literally the creation of matter itself. Making something from nothing. Sure, it did require energy from him, but it was still

sure this skill was an upgrade of that. They

considered. He did briefly look back at Active Camouflage but decided against it rather

his first strike. He already had Powershot and

Splitting Arrow or Basic Nature Affinity. Both of those would help him a lot here and now. Nature Affinity would surely help him survive this mess and synergize well with his already high

man was still among the strongest survivors he had met during this tutorial. While he did seem weaker than both the spear-wielding fire-guy, Richard, and William, he was undoubtedly strong. His defensive powers at least were spectacular, easily blocking Jake’s arrows with

been using nature mana, however. It was instead stamina, or inner energy, infused with nature-affinity through some skill. Wait, he thought. Couldn’t

nature-affinity… but what stopped him from just doing the same thing with his unattuned energy? He could do so

dropped the quiver he was still holding

entered meditation as he allowed

wish? To avenge my family?” the Smith

him during this tutorial than Richard or anyone else. He had helped him learn to smith, patiently guided him, and now he was even making this armor for him.

and placed both hands on it as he turned to William with a sad smile.

got an awful feeling as

selfish request of keeping their

to encompass the man as he kept eye contact with William. The young caster wanted to stop whatever

friend. May you find happiness in this

words, an explosion of mana came out of the man as it entered the armor. But soon, other energies began coming out too. First, his stamina started pouring out, followed by his vital energy. Every last ounce

he stepped forward. He didn’t know why. He couldn’t understand it, but he didn’t want the man to die.

left the man. With only his health points being poured out. It was not just his health points disappearing,

thin, and sickly. The Smith aged

final vestige of energy left, so did what life remained in the

a long time ago… yet

dumbstruck. The seconds passed by as Herrmann's now withered corpse still stood with its hands on the armor. The armor itself had lost a lot of its shine, now no longer silvery but

just stood there frozen as the wheels in his head spun at high speed. He was confused, angry, shocked, but most of all, he felt a

the young man walked towards the corpse. He was unsure what to do when he finally stood right before it. Was he supposed to move him? Would he have wanted William to do that? And when the hell did he start

bed or something. But the second his hand

as he noticed something drop on the

out of his eyes. He was crying. Why? These tears were real. They were real, and

a lot. It wasn’t physical pain, but something else. He hadn’t ever felt that before. When he remembered the old smith that would have admonished him for acting like a scared

afflicted with more. Grief. Something his parents

finally understood that emotion, he so dearly wished he never had. It was a disease, a weakness. It made one do stupid things. According to William’s grand philosophy of life, feelings were the key to all things stupid in this

he had foolishly rushed to their camp with far too few men after Richard had sent an archer to fetch him after Jake

had been the death

the armor in