The Primal Hunter

His entire body ached with pain. Pain, unlike any he had ever felt before.

But he could only smile at the sensation because pain meant that he was still alive.

When he had regained consciousness, he didn’t know. But he did know that it had been several days since he had nearly fallen. His entire body cooked inside his armor, his skin cauterized, the blood in his veins boiling, and his eyes popping out from the heat.

But despite all that, he had lived. Held on to his last sliver of health. He should have died; he knew that. But hadn’t because death was not his destiny. He was chosen, so his body refused to die, and slowly, he started to heal.

His entire body healed at once, meaning that all parts healed at a nearly equal pace. It only took a few days before his limbs started returning to peak condition, but his internal organs had still taken a long time to return to a functional state.

And today, for the first time, his sight returned. He could always see through the breastplate still on him, but now he could finally observe the world through his own eyes. Today, he was finally ready to make himself known once more.

The ash on him scattered as he moved his body. His skin revealed below, healthier than ever. His mind, sharper than before. William felt reborn like a phoenix experiencing nirvana. Reforged in both body and mind.

Looking around, he saw the now already half-eaten corpses of the ones he had slaughtered. He saw the dead rodents that had dared to think him just another cadaver to consume.

He had absorbed the armor and weapons of the fallen. He had regained his mana and was now far more potent than before. His skill to absorb metals had even upgraded in rarity, now allowing him to absorb even enchanted metals.

With his mind, he extended his armor to cover his entire body once more, only leaving his face visible. As he looked around for useful items, he was disappointed to find not a single enchanted item anywhere.

It didn’t take him long to put and two and two together. The other survivors must have come to gather the loot. In the end, no matter a herbivore or a predator, humans would be forever greedy. William saw no scenario of them leaving good stuff laying around.

He was lucky they hadn’t found him. He had been entirely burned, likely being why no one had recognized him as being alive. But luck was but to be expected. For a protagonist to experience supernatural luck wasn’t out of the ordinary in the least. At least that is what William believed.

His domination of the tutorial was, however, not over. As his tutorial panel clearly showed, he had more to kill.

Tutorial Panel

Total Survivors Remaining: 49/1200

Duration: 14 days & 00:40:44

As he looked through his logs, he found an entry he had expected.

Tutorial Quest: A Leader is born

Objective: Become the sole leader of at least 90% of the other humans during the tutorial.

Current progress: 2%

Eliminate other leaders: 0/1

He had gotten it the moment he also got the notification for killing Richard - a sweet notification indeed.

have slain [Human (E) - lvl 34 / Stalwart Bulwark - lvl 41 / Tyrranical Conniver– lvl

one fight. But

had gotten revenge. He had fulfilled the final wish of his first friend, Hermann Schmidt, and now he could

and dream as he slipped in and out of consciousness. With his body idle, he only had his own mind to keep him company. William had, for the first time, felt anger

anything when he killed, just a mild satisfaction from the levels and whatever else he got. He enjoyed the benefits from the kills, but not the act of

unlike an average person, William viewed it as only another tool. He had seen that emotions could allow

many people in this tutorial had been infected with the curse that was chaotic emotions. By guilt, loss, depression, bloodlust, and uncontrollable urges

made armor far stronger than he should have been able

had lost himself towards the end, felt the inklings of corruption enter his mind. His thoughts turned

had come over him. He felt close to what he did before entering the tutorial

now beyond his prior definition of perfection.

have never upgraded a skill like that without the massive stimuli from the near-death experience coupled with his raging emotions. It was a cocktail that forced him to overcome what he currently was, drag everything out from within to

first, he did so only as an instinctual craving, but now he truly desired it. He desired to reach perfection, to become an insurmountable

it was the fragile sort. Power reliant on others. He had been betrayed by those he believed to be his allies, which

a leader. Not because he believed himself incapable of leading, but because it wasn’t necessary. Yet his dreams made him aware that he was to complete

He was the leader of only one survivor, and that was himself - a fact he had

Jacob. It had to be. Weirdly enough, he didn’t really feel any desire to kill the man, but he knew he would have to. It was possible to force him into leading

winds at the loss of Richard but had stayed. It would be easier that way, and he would be able to get the unpleasant business out of the

long to return. He didn’t even bother to attempt a covert approach as he simply strolled through the open gate. He feared for a moment that the survivors had left, but just as he entered, he spotted two people sitting

first to open his mouth.

Jacob,” William answered, returning the man’s smile.

alright. You looked terrible

if that was true… why hadn’t he killed him? The man in front of him was also clearly not on guard at all. He was too damn relaxed. He couldn’t help but use Identify on him

[Human – lvl 37]

lifted his guard instantly. He also

[Human – lvl 26]

what the hell had happened this last week. What had the otherwise utterly useless ‘manager’ done to become so strong? And his previous comment also

William asked, the mana in his body churning, ready to strike at a

had lost something, and that you had a wrong you had to make right. And from the looks of it, you have

passive, a pushover, all of those were on the list. But not stupid. He

thought a lot about desires for the last week, which made it natural for him to

hell

actions. You have come here with a goal

what? While I kill you and everyone else here?” William asked, clearly annoyed. An annoyance that only got worse as the

others have already found their peace. I have no desire to die, but once again, my desires will not change the outcome. This is how it is meant to be. We can only hope to struggle against fate, and that hope is enough for me. I have altered the

a faint smile as the sawblade cut his head off. But before the severed head even hit the ground, his entire body turned to light that entered Jacob. William didn’t

will return to my side once more after a while,” Jacob answered the question the teenager had yet to ask. He

not a fight they could ever win, not that he had ever had the intention to fight. Even with all the survivors in the camp, it would only

some semblance of control of the situation. He felt like he

me earlier,” Jacob said as he summoned a lantern. Around it, many motes of light flew.

tutorial panel with his mind and