The Primal Hunter

Jake stepped through the door into the bedroom that he remembered belonged to the Viper. He had barely entered the room as a loud popping noise was heard along with a… party horn?

“CONGRATULATIONS!”

… In front of him stood the legendary god known as the Malefic Viper wearing a small party hat with a horn in his mouth. Beside him, an old-looking man with a big white beard, messy clothes, and overall unkempt appearance. Except for his headwear. He, too, wore a party hat, though he seemed less than amused at the entire ordeal, and Jake would bet his entire potion stash on the Viper having forced him to wear it.

“Thanks, I guess?” Jake managed to answer, still bewildered by the beaming Viper and the bored old man.

The old man was plump, if not outright obese, and looked like he hadn’t taken a shower for months. Yet, the most noticeable thing about him was his sharp eyes and the faint aroma of soil around him. Looking at him, Jake also instantly knew that this man was a god. He didn’t know how he knew; he just did. Perhaps it was the aura…

“Man, that finale in the tutorial was great. Straight up burned your entire damn soul to punch him harder. If not for how absolutely suicidal that was, I would want to see it again,” the Viper joked, as he slapped the back of the old man.

“This right here is Duskleaf, my true-to-me disciple. Taught the kid alchemy from when he was a wee lad. When it comes to alchemy, he isn’t bad at all, I tell ya.”

“Still new to this, but anyone who can become a god can’t suck, I guess?” Jake answered. “Nice to meet you, name's Jake.”

“Hmph.” That was all the answer he got from the old man who still looked like he really didn’t want to be there. Which he likely didn’t, but Jake had the faint feeling that the Malefic Viper could be quite persuasive.

“Oh, come on, why so gloomy? Isn’t this great, just three buddies chilling?” the Viper said, still slapping the bored old man on the back. A bit harder this time.

With a grunt, the old man said in a weirdly meek voice that didn’t suit him at all. “You said you would actually teach me something…”

“I did, and I will!” the scaled god answered. “We are still gonna do alchemy, no worries, we just have another participant! The more, the merrier and all that.”

“I feel like I am intruding in the middle of something here.”

“You aren’t-”

“Yes, you are.”

Before the Viper could correct him, his disciple quickly shot him down. Jake could only inwardly chuckle at the two. Without a doubt, they had developed their own little dynamic over the eternity they had known each other.

“If it’s any consolation, then I am pretty sure I am only allowed to stay a couple of days before I am whizzed off back to Earth. Or whatever the planet has become.”

“I know, that is why we are in a hurry! Come on now, to the lab!” the Viper yelled as he began marching out the room.

Duskleaf, knowing arguing would be useless, simply followed, with Jake also trailing along. They walked at a brisk yet relaxed pace, as Jake failed to hold back his curiosity.

provide information on the circumstances of

shortly before you return. Trust me; we

did you know three other gods had also given

they? I guess one was the tutorial’s main sponsor, whoever that is, but who are the other two? The Shroud should make it impossible for most even to know you exist,” the Viper asked, with a hint of surprise in his

sponsor, I guess, was a guy

unsurprising. Gwyndyr isn't that unexpected either, but I must

era. As a mortal, he was a beast tamer and commanded an army of beasts. He is just a rogue god, and all in all, he isn’t very impressive,” Duskleaf

prior conversations with the Viper that an era was when a universe was the newest one integrated. In other words, if one was born during the 89th era, it means that the 89th universe was the most recent universe to the multiverse. Currently,

Gwyndyr and Umbra?” Jake asked, addressing

have assembled, all focused on the concept of fire. As a mortal, he was an archer, most notable for having killed a god before achieving godhood himself. In other words, he isn’t a god to be belittled. He is old and powerful,” Duskleaf said, as

On top of that, she has an organization known as the Court of Shadows. Assassins for the most part, and one feared by mortals and gods alike. If you want someone dead, are

of what the fuck they were talking about. He did find one thing very

call some of the gods strong and weak? How

just like mortals in most ways. Some are strong, while some are weak. It’s just more… complicated than mortals. Just know that the main divide lies exactly in that word: Mortal. To become a god is to become immortal,”

or Umbra?” Jake asked,

with gods is that a lot of our strengths are conditional. To fight any god within their own realm is pretty stupid unless you are far more powerful than them. And even if you fight on

the answer a bit, Jake inquired further. “is Umbra a Primordial too?

not a rank but a title. It doesn’t really have anything to do with strength. The title is for becoming a god during the first era,

out on a limb here assuming that any god who is among

brag - actually fuck that, to full-on brag - becoming a god during the first era was fucking brutal. There weren’t any gods to guide you; no one knew what the fuck was going on. The system was still new and very different from today, far simpler. No tutorials, no stores, just killing and getting stronger. For even twelve of

half-jokingly said.

more gods than ever - many extremely

how many gods are there?”

the least amount. After that, it has only escalated exponentially. Think about it, just because the second era begins doesn’t mean that the first multiverse stops producing gods. By the end of the

isn’t to say that it just kept growing. Let me be clear, that even with it being easier to become a god, it sure as hell is never easy; any god, no matter who, is an extreme talent. This was also about the time we began really seeing gods even die. With the guidance of the prior generations, becoming a god became more manageable, but

we don’t have standouts still. The 92nd era, the one just before your universe, had Yip of Yore. A fucking lunatic of major proportions who killed half a pantheon the

Jake said,

gods. From how the tutorial apparently had ‘sponsors’ and how blessings and all that worked, he had a solid feeling that gods were an essential part of the multiverse. And as a

that Eversmile guy is also

But enough of that, we are

metal. On it was countless glowing runes, and Jake

he asked, averting his gaze

a big room with a big table and chairs, with not much else around,

see into those rooms with his sphere and saw that most of them just had a pillow placed on the floor. However, two of them were full-on alchemy labs, with more tools and equipment than Jake had

a time-chamber. Think of it like in that movie Interstellar. Time spent within this

sure this isn’t