The Primal Hunter

Jake felt his vision practically turn red as he flew down. He was still accelerating as he pushed mana into his wings to fly even faster and at his top speed approaching what was once the sound barrier. Hundreds of meters passed every second.

The last time he felt this amount of anger was when he met William the second time in the tutorial when he had felt the same surging bloodlust beckoning Jake to kill him.

He didn’t think as he soared through the sky. It would only take him a few more minutes to get there. He was flying to be directly above the Pylon to make his landing more easily. To avoid the trees.

As he got directly above it, he stopped momentarily and stared down. The valley was a natural clearing with few trees covering it, ... so from several kilometers up, nothing was hidden from his gaze.

He saw a transparent barrier surrounding a house. More than a hundred people were attacking it. Miranda sat on the porch of the lodge that hadn’t been there before. A man and young woman standing right in front of said barrier.

Too many things were happening for him to wrap his head around it. His anger too high to even bother trying.

So he turned in the air as he began his descent once more. Not bothering to hide… no, willingly throwing out his bloodlust downward. His aura was nearly tangible as he let it wash into the valley below. He wanted them to know he was coming.

Everyone looked confused. Only a single person able to locate the source instantly. The woman was standing in front of the barrier with Miranda. The only one of any consequence from a cursory glance.

Seconds later, he reached the valley.

BOOOOOM!

Without stopping in the slightest, he smashed into the ground - soil, and dust thrown everywhere. His high toughness made the impact not harm him in the slightest despite the small crater where he landed.

“MIRANDA!” he yelled. “EXPLANATION. NOW!”

Even in his rage, he could recognize that the situation wasn’t simple. But he wasn’t relaxed enough to think straight either. He barely had enough control to not smash into the barrier separating them.

Miranda, on the other hand, felt the bloodlust wash over her as she shivered. She knew this was not the time to mince words.

“We came under attack, and I triggered the process as a last resort. I don’t want to claim it or challenge you!” she yelled back.

Jake just looked at her for a second, not getting the feeling that she was lying. His rage died down ever so slightly but was fast reignited when he saw several people walk out of the lodge - four of them newcomers with relatively high levels.

“And they are?” he asked coldly. Was this really just some elaborate trap? He felt the gazes of all the people around him upon him. It reminded him of the time Caroline betrayed him in his meeting with Jacob… which didn’t help his anger management situation.

It was the same… surrounded, lured in by people he naively thought he could trust. No… this was different. He was different. He wasn’t going to be naïve like then and nearly lose his life. Even if surrounded, he was confident in his ability to at least escape.

And not just escape… but make sure not a single fucking one of them was going to make it away.

hiding here as we did!” Miranda tried to explain. His level of anger far higher than

trying to

finally shifted to them - especially the woman who had the highest level besides him,

not particularly fond of that shtick,” the woman said, having gotten her bearings. She had to recognize that the man in front of her was strong… but he was

front of her. While Jake wasn’t overly tall, she was on the small side herself. Meaning she suddenly found herself staring up at a

“Explain.”

dagger into her throat. The minor slight of not taking him seriously was enough for him to want to murder her. He barely managed to remain rational. A small voice in the back of his

spooking her far too much to even hear his question, as she quickly blasted

she appeared to begin to believe that

companions. The moment we get him, we will be on our merry way, and hopefully, we will never meet again,” she said after calming herself

the results of a fight they had just before he got here by his estimate. Upon further inspection of his surroundings, he saw

at this point that Jake truly realized that something was seriously wrong. Not

been forced to actually think when he began talking to them. His rational mind was starting to do some work to analyze the situation. Why had he been so mad, to the point of nearly going entirely out of

seconds of thinking should have led him

felt like he wasn’t in control of his body at all. In his mind, he had

barrier didn’t separate him and Miranda… he may have even just killed her outright before getting any understanding of the situation. I will have to figure out what the fuck is wrong

the bloodlust in the air disappear like it was never there, to begin with, and his

could. At the same time, he dismissed his two wings to appear more… human. Also, they

was naturally surprised at everything that was happening. His seemingly sudden shift in personality from last she saw him. Back then, he appeared relatively calm and collected, and now he had barged in like a beast out for blood… and then back

didn’t bother to interrupt either, as she was actually quite interested in

of it, the Neil guy didn’t look like he thought anything was off about her explanation. However,

bother interrupting at all, though she was a bit taken aback when Miranda mentioned her being after a legendary orb that Neil had and

a fight over an orb, and now they marched into my place and made a mess of it?” he summarized

essence… yes,” Miranda nodded. Not entirely agreeing with

anything to add?” he asked Abby, who just stood there nonchalantly. Her father at her side, showing full confidence

she shrugged. “It is bullshit Neil got the orb to begin with. Nothing wrong with reclaiming what is

Jake understood what had gone down. And he… didn’t really care much. But

admonishing glance from both Hank and Miranda and a surprised one from both

it not unfair that he gets lucky as fuck and gets a

lose because you were too weak?” he asked. Not even trying to be condescending. These were his genuine thoughts. “Why didn’t you just beat the test

lost and have no one to blame but his own

having a quippy answer quite at the ready. Her brief moment of embarrassment only serving to make her angry. “Who the

of his newly commissioned house while

me the