The Primal Hunter

“Hey Guide, what now? Is there really no way to leave here?” Jake asked the vaguely human-like creature that the system had conjured.

“You have been offered four invitations from gods who are willing to receive you. If you accept, you will be able to go to them for the remaining time.”

“That was an option? And what gods?” he asked. He knew one of them, but he was interested in the three others.

“First, the main contributor to the tutorial you have just finished, Karroch. He has offered you to come to his realm and the potential to receive his blessing and guidance.

“Secondly, the god Umbra. She has offered you the opportunity to join her court and receive training to better use your high affinity for dark mana and the guarantee of a blessing and high position in the court if you perform well and wish for them.

“Third is the god Gwyndyr. He has offered his blessing and the possibility to acquire his legacy, which revolves around archery and the concept of fire. He has also guaranteed his blessing as well as training and guidance.

“Fourth is the one known as the Malefic Viper. He has offered you a ‘cool-ass, time-warped training session in alchemy’ as well as a bottle of vodka. Do note that all offers are binding for the gods.”

“Well, can’t say no to that last one,” Jake smiled. He was still quite interested in the other three gods as he had only heard the name Umbra before from his bracers and, of course, his Shadow Vault of Umbra skill.

Sure, they would offer stuff, but he could only have one blessing, so he wasn’t really interested. He also didn’t really feel like meeting a bunch of people he didn’t know… Jake remembered going to parties where he didn’t know anyone but one or two, and that seriously sucked… yeah, fuck that.

“I accept the invitation from the Malefic Viper. How do I go there?”

A few seconds passed with nothing happening, until suddenly a doorway appeared, leading into a room Jake had seen that time he accidentally sent a part of his soul to the Viper. Well, that was easy enough.

Looking at the Guide, he still wondered what the hell it actually was. If it was indeed a personification of the system or perhaps something else. Maybe he would never really know.

“Been a trip. See ya around.”

“If your path takes you.”

The Guide's voice, appearance, and demeanor were all the same as the first time Jake had appeared in this realm more than two months ago. It hadn’t changed. Jake was the one who had changed.

No longer was he in formal wear, wearing his shined black shoes and hair combed back. Now his hair had grown out to cover his ears and was unkept. His shiny shoes changed out for old worn boots, and the rest of his outfit a collection of fur and leather, all covered by a cloak and even a mask covering his face. The only thing similar was the color scheme, as he also wore quite a lot of black before.

But his looks weren’t the only thing that changed. Jake had experienced a lot over the brief period, and he had learned a lot about himself. He had, of course, gotten significantly stronger and developed his skills in combat.

his encounter with the King of the Forest likely being the most immediate. It was his biggest crisis, but at the same time also his most significant achievement. The day he killed the Den Mother, he set the goal of killing the

had now met. When he heard the ‘congratulation’ for passing the tutorial, it truly seeped in. He had succeeded. He won. It was a lofty goal, to begin with, and yet he had managed to

worst thing they had ever experienced. For Jake, it also hadn’t been a cakewalk. He had lost nearly all his colleagues, suffered

It was fun.

looming knowledge that there was more to see and more to experience. And

the door with a satisfied smile hanging on

your movements too stiff. Don’t think. React,” the Grand Master said as he admonished the black and blue Bertram sitting on the floor.

maybe? Bertram wasn’t sure. He still had a hard time comprehending the concept of how time

a formation put down by an A-rank High Inquisitor, but that was about it. The rest of the time had been spent training. Learning how to fight with his sword and shield

competent with both a knife as well as a gun. But he had

him was just on an entirely different level. Every one of his movements was exquisite, every step calculated to the smallest

man was, but he couldn’t be some lowly soldier having achieved the title of Grand Master. He was the leader of an order of Templars directly below one of the subordinate gods

follow them back to earth, something he had gotten a solid negative answer to. The system didn’t allow other universes

more accurate now. That responsibility was the only constant in his life. A constant he would hold unto no matter what happened. He would follow the young master no matter what he decided to do. Be he a devil or a saint; it was not for him to judge. He was just his

and down the hall was his young master studying a large tome. Jacob had spent the majority of his time waiting for his return to Earth reading. His

as just expanding his knowledge, helped. He had already read that

went astray, it could end badly. Jacob was also strictly aware of exactly how heavy these penalties would be: if he ever killed a single enlightened

also by practicing with his sword and improving his skills. Needless to say, however, it was much slower. Slower, but infinitely safer. However, it

point, you would stagnate. You would be unable to level up further. Even going out slaying beasts at that point wouldn’t necessarily grant a level. Jacob had come to learn that despite his and most likely most others' assumptions, that

knew it was his translation of it, and it held many names, but all boiled down to the same thing in the end. Like the Akashic Records that the translation was based on, it was a collection of everything. Of all that has ever

fighting would write upon these Records. Every single thing in the system carries within them a collection of their own Records - their own accomplishments, failures, and successes. Each person had their own story, and

on leveling comes in. One needs to have sufficient Records to be able to level up. One could liken one’s Records to being a pond, with experience points being the

would grant experience to fill the pond but wouldn’t help expand the pond at all. One would fill it

at the same level or stronger, one would expand their pond at the same pace or faster as the experience was earned. One would be able to keep leveling like that, but of course, it also came with a constant risk to your

zones and strive to improve themselves. Craft items of higher rarity or greater difficulty, maybe

leveling was one all faced -

up from E to D tier or D to C tier wasn’t simply expanding the pond. It was a renovation - one that required far more Records than just the ones needed to be able to keep leveling normally. Rank upgrades would more often than not mean a bottleneck. One most would never overcome - all of this, not even mentioning that

substantial reward from titles was the actual title and their associated bonuses. But many, especially those of higher rank, would disagree. The most considerable reward from a title was the

of

aren’t only what limits when you can level and rank up, but also what you can gain from it. The skills, classes, professions, races, etc., available. All of it was coming

Records of quality one has, the more options. Better options. Often there was a snowball effect to having strong Records early and getting a great class and/or profession at

stronger your base, the more is required of you to move forward. Complacency would still mean the end of your path, while one who started