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.

a few essential side characters. While Richard manipulates William, Richard himself

after he left the dungeon. Again, with slight changes that the god made sure to point

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 but still alive

in this play, which is why the fight

things go downwards. He is even crueler than Richard and forces the second protagonist Jacob to still work for him and keep everyone in line. Those

holds on to hope and gives them hope too… finally realizing his own destiny as he becomes an Augur. He begins to truly lead the camp

did not come for

save the souls of the crafters. After that, he

the sole survivor of the tutorial. With the quest in the bag, he travels and kills until

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

that isn’t how it went,” Jake

fate had in store, and what had been divined by the most powerful of gods. Yet introduce one new element, one single actor not following the script, and destiny

night he was supposed to. Holding a bloodline that was not part of what was

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

much,” the Viper

loud. “If a single variable, a single moment of chance, can alter the course so significantly, can you even call it

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

They divined what would happen and made slight changes to get what they

challenge fate; they work to realize it. And when fate is written by

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

down some preset path I want you to walk. That isn’t how friendship works. I can give you tips and advice, but I will never tell you what to do. The reason why I gave you Shroud of

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 with

piss off a bunch of

the Holy Mother, only tend to follow fate and use it as a tool to judge who is worthy of uplifting and who is not. Only maniacs like Eversmile fuck with

to Earth too? Won’t that mean that Eversmile fellow will keep fucking with things there to

he is that annoyed at what happened here today. In his mind, it will just spice up whatever insane experiment he has ongoing,” the Viper

with…” Jake sighed as he looked

Malefic Viper couldn’t help but hold back a laugh as he spoke

they are the ones who go above and beyond what their destiny has in store. Not a single god has ever been divined to godhood, not one genuinely remarkable being destined to reach

divined to die at only D-grade. Tens of times at C-grade. Hundreds after that by seers, soothsayers, augurs. One after another, I shattered their feeble

a little bitch it is, and reach for power that was never fated to be yours. Because fuck fate, fuck destiny. The path you forge is your own, and

stop giving a shit about it. You do you, and I think

William out of your mind and

day’s work,” Jake said, smiling. “Thanks, man… I needed

your best-bud-god is for,” the Viper said, returning the

thing that has been bothering me for a very long time,” Jake said, as he