The Primal Hunter

The inside of the keep was quite spacious, but what hit Jake first was how hot it was. The building was split into several sections, and he felt heat emanate from one of the side rooms he looked towards. The others also looked at it. Phillip explained with a bit of pride, perhaps just happy to feel like he was not ‘losing’ any conversation currently.

“Inside there, we have our smithy. Lots of talented men and women who focus on their professions have managed to create old-world technology with new magical means,” he said, leading them into the room, happy to show off the good parts of the fort after walking through the terrible situation outside.

Inside the smithy, Jake truly felt the heat as he saw several contraptions and worktables scattered around the room. It all looked somewhat chaotic, with the only real order being to split the furnaces and anvils away from the workbenches. Nodding his head towards one of the men sitting in the corner, Phillip brought their attention to a small thin man intensely working. The man hadn’t even noticed them, or maybe he didn’t care. He was sitting with what looked like tiny electronics, and Jake saw a drone on the table like the one they encountered earlier.

“That there is Arnold; he is the one who made the drone and nearly all our more advanced equipment. He made the walkie-talkie too - a real genius, that one. The rest mainly focus on weaponry and armor, and we produce a wide variety of both cold weapons and firearms.” Phillip explained proudly.

“Interesting. How do firearms work with the system?” Miranda asked.

“Calling them firearms is actually a bit silly now. They are more like magical weapons now and generate their own bullets. Not that much different from wands in many ways. They also use mana, of course, so there honestly isn’t much difference between a mage and a gunman,” he said before continuing his explanation.

“Yet guns do retain one of their most useful features from before the system: they are easy to use. While each weapon has a level requirement to use, they aren’t that different to operate than a pre-system gun. As a ranged weapon, they are far easier to use and still vastly superior to something like a bow.”

Jake scoffed, getting the man’s attention, but he didn’t dare enquire further. While the hunter did see some usefulness in guns, he vastly preferred bows. The reason for that being relatively simple. A gun only used your magic-stats, and it was far easier to, one could say, customize your attacks with a bow.

When using a bow, Jake used nearly his entire body. He even used his magic-stats with Infused Powershot, and in cases where he didn’t use them for the shot itself, he used it with his Arrow of the Ambitious Hunter or his poisons. Oh yeah, that was another major thing. It was far easier to poison arrows than bullets.

Sure, you could build a gun specifically to use pre-made bullets and then make poison-bullets, but at that point, you should just get your shit together and use a damn bow. The only possible advantage Jake could see bullets have was with range and while using a sniper rifle. But even then, one just had to ask the Storm Elemental if Jake wasn’t also deadly at extremely long range.

“Anyway,” Phillip said, trying to act like he hadn’t noticed Jake’s protest. “We have managed to arm nearly every individual, and with our tall walls, we have managed to defend the fort from any beasts. As a large settlement, we appear to attract a lot of attention.”

“Not surprising,” Neil said, cutting in for the first time. “You are effectively a bag of experience waiting to be claimed by those strong enough. I reckon there are quite a few levels to be earned for any beasts managing to break through and enter the courtyard.”

“Yeah,” Eleanor added. “The only reason you haven’t been overrun is that you aren’t worth it for the stronger beasts. While you all level and get stronger, you will also begin attracting stronger and stronger enemies. It is just a matter of time before a D-grade comes.”

“What makes your settlement any different from ours?” Phillip asked. He appeared to understand their logic, and a part of him knew the fort couldn’t stand forever, but that didn’t mean some other place was safer.

“Because it’s my territory,” Jake answered without even thinking.

Everyone turned to him as this part certainly wasn’t part of their practice. They instead had planned on Miranda explaining how the forest was safer, how they had a talented space mage and then finishing by mentioning that the owner and the D-grade beast would defend them. Mainly the D-rank, actually, as that was a kind of power more quantifiable than the enigmatic Jake.

“I don’t see how that matters, an army of beasts could still easily de-“

“Beasts aren’t as stupid as you think,” Jake said. “They know to stay away from where they don’t belong. it's simply pure instinct. A beast does not willingly enter the domain of a hunter.”

When he said those words, Jake came to a realization he probably should have a long time ago. The area claimed by the Pylon was his, that was clear. His mana signature was in the atmospheric mana itself, making it clear it was his. And like a beast marking its territory, so had Jake marked what was under the influence of the Pylon.

It wasn’t the Pylon keeping beasts away. It was that it was Jake’s Pylon. They all felt the faint aura of Jake, and their instincts made them aware that they should stay away.

territory

wasn’t a D-grade, that didn’t mean his aura was any less powerful. But it was different because

had any physical effects. No, it was purely mental. The bird gave Jake a small nudge

he thought, afraid that he just ruined

than when the Mystsong Hawk had released its aura. Like every fiber of her being – especially the small lizard brain all humans had

bucket of cold water, the sweat visible on his face. He looked genuinely scared, and it appeared he just realized. The Mystsong Bird was not the

Miranda said, throwing the masked owner a look. She needed to communicate that even with his power, he was still human and at least listened to her advice. It would strengthen

apologetic? No, she must have read that wrong. Truly skills that

had already dispersed as

any way; I didn’t mean to question your words,” Phillip

encouraged. Now; should we find a place and talk about what comes next? I would also

wanting to get

in the room while Miranda led Phillip and the others away, leaving him only with Lillian. She went over to his side and just

to follow; that was clear. He had made everyone uncomfortable by forgetting to restrain himself. He had known since childhood that one had to be controlled or you would scare others. Before the system, Jake had just thought he had a

it… that was clearly the

that Caleb would be scared if he got too close while emotional, and it was only when Jake got older and more reserved and meeker in front of him that his brother stopped

developed a rivalry. Jake unconsciously always competed with him, and

figure out what exactly this

now just been standing still

as he praised the Malefic One for no one being able to see his face. “Yes, let us

just did his best to ignore their gazes while Lillian seemed to genuinely not care. As the only woman surviving the hellspawn

keep as he looked around the fort. And man, did he mention

this many people. He took the time to try and determine how many people lived there, and

lot of people, but his territory was also big and expanding by the day. He could already imagine the many

get a profession related to

bit before she waved her hands. A barrier appeared around them. It was invisible to the eye

it. I believe there was discussion about making Neil a Lord as she could appoint three lords and one Baron, but nothing is settled. She

So she told you about the Pylon?” Jake asked, frowning. He was pretty sure that

contract that bans me from discussing anything related to the Pylon with anyone

but he always assumed they were just regular old contracts like the one he made with Miranda. Was it possible to make them system-enforced? It must take a

the punishment if

someone can listen in without my knowledge, it does not count as

looked her over as he nodded. He could hear in her voice, she had experimented with it. Without even caring for her life, apparently. But… Jake didn’t really have much to say about other near-suicidal people. He had done equally stupid stuff himself. And in the end, that stupidity had led to gains. Also, he would have totally done the same

keep up the good work,” Jake said in acknowledgment. Wait,

said with a smile. Well, who cares? Everyone likes positive reinforcement,

through the fort as he looked the place over, and at the same time, considered if it was really wise of him to come along. Mystie alone could have done the same job of being intimidating, and at

be just a freeloader. While he was totally fine with having Miranda do 99% of the work, he did feel like he should at least do something to contribute. He was technically her boss.

everyone they came across got out of the way. It was somewhat unsurprising that people just tried to avoid the unidentifiable masked guy whom even