The Primal Hunter

Jake stood on top of a large purple mushroom as he inhaled deeply, taking in the atmosphere. This cavern, which he had decided to now call a biodome, was truly interesting.

On the ground beneath him lay tens of dead insectoids. None had been a threat, but all of them insanely aggressive, nevertheless. The beasts above had either scurried off upon seeing him or at least been hesitant. These insects didn’t give a damn.

Which naturally resulted in their untimely demise. One charging mantis quickly attracted others to come out of the woodwork - or shroomwork in this case - and joined the charge. One charging mantis had quickly resulted in many dead mantises.

The strongest had been level 48, with the weakest at 26 - quite the disparity. Far more so than a dungeon would have, but then again, this area wasn’t as ‘designed’ as those were. Besides, Jake could feel that he hadn’t met the big boss of this biodome yet.

For the first time, he felt a bit of excitement. Maybe he could even find something worth fighting down here.

With those thoughts, he moved onwards. Slaughtering everything in his path as he went towards the center of the biodome.

On the way, he didn’t care for herbs as before. He only focused on the aura he felt. It was faint… but it was there.

A sword in one hand, a dagger in the other, he cleaved down mantis after mantis. Occasionally a centipede-like monster would appear, but they didn’t seem to be on friendly terms with the mantises either. Most of them were either injured or in the middle of being devoured.

The same was true for every other species than the mantises. This was clearly their territory. Their domain. A domain that had now been invaded by an enemy predator in the form of a human.

Soon he couldn’t strike the mantises down in a single blow anymore. Their levels were growing. From the early 50s to now being in the early 60s. Even the occasional one in the early 70s. Any of these mantises would be the apex predator only a few hundred meters above them.

But down here, they could only play second fiddle to the true lord of the biodome.

Jake jumped to one of the tallest mushrooms and stared down at the huge insect beneath him.

Its body was bright green, its eyes even shining slightly. Its two blades were more than three meters long, strong mandibles that looked like they could easily crush steel, and a level making it worthy of being the ruler here.

[Alpha Mantis Scyther – lvl 89]

Smiling, Jake looked down at it, making eye-contact. He had hoped to see a trace of intelligence as he had seen in all of the dungeon bosses. Yet, he found only disappointment. Not a single spark of intelligence was present; it was clearly nothing more than just a giant stupid insect.

A shame, he thought. Hopefully, it can make up for it in power.

Taking out his bow, a quiver appeared on his back simultaneously. At the same time, the mantis had now clearly noticed him also. And like all the others, it merely attacked.

Jake didn’t use Infused Powershot but instead opened with a Splitting Arrow.

In-flight, one arrow split into two dozen, the most considerable amount Jake had created so far with a single shot. Jake could see the arrows about to hit the mantis when he got his first pleasant surprise. Its back opened up, and out came two transparent sets of wings.

With a swift motion, it dodged all of the arrows as it continued its attack. Even faster than Jake had anticipated. Less than a second after he had fired the arrow, the alpha mantis was before him, its scythe cleaving down.

Jake took a step forward as he saw the mushroom be split in two behind him through his sphere. His step had naturally been the skill One Step Mile and had taken him down to the ground, close to where the mantis had been initially.

him. He hit it right in its midsection and saw the arrow sink in deeply as it shrieked in pain. He was pretty sure mantises couldn’t shriek

more than alert it to his position. With its more than six-meter tall body, it flew towards

he hit it another time before it reached him.

in speed. Clearly, its agility and maybe even strength were far above his own. He didn’t doubt that

going for a few minutes, with Jake dodging and the mantis frantically trying to cut him to pieces. Eventually, Jake began to get bored, as the insect hadn’t done jack shit to

skill or hidden ability. But… nothing. It was just slowly fighting a battle it clearly couldn’t win,

Jake

One Step Mile

around, an arrow already nocked. The mantis was once more confused,

of the

its body freeze for a moment,

Infused Powershot

its head to an arrow that soared through the biodome

staring out at the serene pond. She saw the small eels swimming without a care in the world as the thoughts jumped around

a vast difference between her and the young formerly-masked man. Not just in power, but mentality and

lived in it far longer than Miranda or the others. Or actually been able to learn from someone

were so much more than hers. The most significant

system, she interacted and worked with many different types of employees. Over time she had begun to classify them mentally. Put them into boxes - one for those you need

incompetent, etc. - yet she found the most volatile of them

the job done and go home. But the driven want more than that.

first types of person. Not in her job before the tutorial, but in the tutorial itself. Like a worker merely working to live, she had done

went above and beyond to organize and try and lead some of the other survivors. But… she couldn’t honestly say that

ended, Miranda returned to the rest area as quickly as possible. Yet… what if she had remained within the trial area? No one forced them to leave. What

was just walking forward to survive one day at a

be the employee that could take the company to the next level. Have a new innovative idea or strategic insight that could lead to

worst type. The one who would advance by any means necessary. Willing to stomp on

have stayed in the trial area. He would have gone beyond it. She heard how he spoke. As if it was natural to hunt down whatever monsters lurked in

of the tutorial more powerful than she thought possible. And what did he do then? He kept working; he kept grinding. Somehow, he had managed to find the

time, she

the archetype that would bring himself up, and by doing so, uplift everyone around him? Or the one who left others in his wake,

were talking about. It wasn’t just a lost bonus or a missed promotion. It wasn’t a bastard taking credit

between letting others live and outright killing them. The difference between the

their conversation. She had been so sure… until the end. Now she wasn’t so confident. Was he a monster or a savior?

looked down at the pond, her face easily reflected by the calm water. Her slightly haggard look was making her a bit embarrassed. Her long orange hair all curled

she could easily be confused for being homeless. At least her skin was still as healthy as before. She found it weird how the system affected appearance

faults, the system would better them. It couldn’t do significant changes, at least not at E-grade, but it could do smaller things according to what

without a doubt, she thought as she sat down at the edge of the pond and began clearing her face and hair. The water was cold and pleasant,

to see Hank standing a few meters

masked man go?” he asked, appearing