The Primal Hunter

“Okay… no talking about bloodlines…” Jake said, a bit hesitant but not arguing back.

They both sat in silence for a while before the Viper spoke again. “But… it does explain quite a few things…”

“What do you mean?”

“About this entire tutorial of yours. This tutorial was more than a little… unique. Eversmile said that it was ‘ruined’, but I think ‘changed’ would be a better word.”

“… again, what do you mean?”

The Malefic smiled at him as he leaned back. “I guess we should talk about it… so let me tell you a story Jake… about a particular tutorial during the integration of the 93rd Universe.

“In this story, we have two main characters - one who enters with his nine colleagues, and one who enters on his lonesome. The lonesome one quickly finds his stride as he discovers a wand and kills the ones he entered with. This shall be the impetus for him to realize his destiny.

“As for the other, he struggles a bit more. But he has some competent people around him who help him in the start. But already on the first day, it goes wrong when a large beast attacks them, and they lose two.”

Jake looked confused as he interrupted. “That isn’t what happened, we-“

“This isn’t your story Jake, so stop interrupting,” the Viper said with a playful smile. “This is the story of what was to happen. A story of fate and destiny.

“Now, where was I? Oh yeah, two dead colleagues. Anyway, they struggle to survive and end up making camp to rest for the night. One of our protagonist’s colleagues sits watch alone for a while as they try to get sleep. But the night would not turn out to be a restful one.

“Three attackers appear in the night, and despite his efforts, the one on watch dies. Jacob mourns as he has lost three friends that day. Dennis, Lina, and Jake.”

Now even more confused, Jake did all he could not to interrupt, as he had even forgotten the bottle of beer in his hand.

“They fight off the ambushers but take injuries. They are soon found by a man named Richard and his lieutenant Nicholas. Half-coerced, they join him."

After that, the Viper pretty much summarised what had happened to his colleagues while he was in the dungeon. How they had struggled and how many had died as they were split up. But there were some differences that Jake quickly noticed…

“I killed Nicholas,” he said, instantly giving an apologetic look as he had interrupted.

“That you did, Jake. You not being dead at this point sure screws up the story, right? Anyway, let me continue.

“Now, our second protagonist is our old friend William. The chosen one. Born with an incredible innate talent for mana manipulation and a mentality very suited for one striving for the top. Ruthless and determined.

“But he is also broken in many ways. He is arrogant, delusional, and most importantly, he is limited in comprehending the world. He does not understand emotions, which will come back to bite him in the ass down the line but is very beneficial in the early days.

“Ah, but I wouldn’t worry because the screenwriter will fix this through some character development. The screenwriter, Eversmile, will pay off other divine actors, and they will outsource to their mortal counterparts in the tutorial. Make sure he develops in the intended direction. Gets the things he needs when he needs them.

few essential side characters. While Richard manipulates William,

what happened after he left the dungeon. Again, with slight changes that the god made sure to point out. When he came to the final fight, he summarized

William got put out of commission for far too long. In this version, William is also betrayed because Nicholas fears his power, and he ends up fleeing the battlefield - wounded

is why the fight is so equal, to begin

protagonist Jacob to still work

realizing his own destiny as he becomes an Augur. He begins to truly lead the camp as he grows in

powerful than before, he slaughters every single fighter in the camp, Nicholas included. He did not come for the crafters, but he changes his mind when he gets the quest to be a leader. He is a perfectionist, after

the souls of the crafters. After that, he is ‘killed’ and ascends like in

that, William goes and does his own thing, the sole survivor of the

of the 93rd Universe, if it isn't the most messed with ever. With Eversmile having spent far more resources than reasonable but getting a disciple out of it, the Holy Mother an Augur and your pal Casper still an undead. Counting the bodyguard of the Augur, Bertram, only four survivors out of 1200 remained. Me,

isn’t how it

what was meant to happen. What fate had in store, and what had been divined by the most powerful of gods. Yet introduce one new element, one single actor not

night he was supposed to. Holding a bloodline that was not part of what was divined, and the will

played… well, gods, and manipulated everything in this tutorial to get what they wanted? Or at least tried to?” Jake asked, more than a

much,” the Viper

still not sure I get that whole destiny or fate crap,” Jake said, wondering out loud. “If a single variable, a single moment of chance, can alter the course so significantly,

probabilities. With the support of skills, stats, and the system, they tend to often be correct. Especially when some are satisfied surrendering themselves to their fates once they know it. Or go one step further, and try to realize an intended

divined what would happen and made slight changes to get what they wanted. Sacrificed pawns and played their game. Jacob being a willing pawn. This is

realize it.

know if I am doing things because some god wants me to or if I make my own decision? How do I know I am not just following some fate or destiny that you created for me, and that this entire conversation is just an attempt to make me do something?”

you tips and advice, but I will never tell you what to do. The reason why I gave you

influence it. You will be a constant spanner in their carefully constructed machine of fate. Every single one of your actions will fuck it up to the level of them not even bothering,” the Malefic Viper explained

I will piss off a bunch of gods just by

and use it as a tool to judge who is worthy

will keep fucking with things there to try and… wait, what does he

here today. In his mind, it will just spice up whatever insane experiment he has ongoing,” the Viper said with a shrug. “Though I

is all a lot of information I don’t have any idea what to do with…” Jake sighed as he

hold back a laugh as he

truly matter are unconfined by it, they are the ones who go above

Tens of times at C-grade. Hundreds after that by

reach for power that was never fated to be yours. Because fuck fate, fuck destiny. The path you

fucking is, so stop giving a shit about it. You do you, and I think you’ll be just fine. Learn from your mistakes, improve yourself, never be satisfied with where you are or what

from me. Just put William out of your mind and focus

smiling. “Thanks, man… I needed to get

what your best-bud-god is

bothering me for a very long time,” Jake said, as he suddenly turned