The Primal Hunter

Jake saw the creature disappear, but instead of attacking, the monster appeared inside the barn below. He wondered what the hell the Minotaur was up to.

His Sense of the Malefic Viper made him aware that his poisons were being quickly eliminated, hinting at the creature having quite a lot of vitality. Not so much toughness based on how easily his dagger penetrated his skin.

He didn’t follow right away but stayed up there, inspecting the remnant energies still in his head. Mental magic was some real mind-fuckery, as it basically implanted fake ideas, concepts, or signals. It made him see things that weren’t real while masking what was.

But… it didn’t work on his sphere or instincts at all. He also could now feel how the energy implanted on his body was slowly being fought off passively, meaning whatever influence the Minotaur used on him was temporary no matter what. This also boded well for the girl he saw, as the energy affecting her should dissipate naturally with time.

The more complex or foreign any manipulation was also made it less effective. Jake felt pissed at the memory of briefly seeing the monster as an ally, even if he swiftly dispelled that idea. It was just too contradictory, and he quickly broke that spell… but he could imagine some fucked up things a real mind mage could make people do if they were significantly stronger than their opponent.

How do I know someone hasn’t already infected me? I have met gods… could they have done something that I have no way of feeling?

The thought occurred… and was just as quickly dispelled. It may be hubris or absolute arrogance, but Jake believed that not even the Malefic Viper or any other god in existence could truly fool his instincts. They could fuck up his mind… but they couldn’t fuck up his bloodline.

Hell, the only real mental interference I should be scared of in the long run is what is caused by my bloodline… if that can even be called interference. Not that I can change anything about it, but try and be aware.

Jake shook his head as he tried to expel all the distracting thoughts as he kept inspecting the foreign mental energy. It truly moved unobstructed through him, encountering only the natural resistance caused by what he assumed was his willpower stat.

While he could deal with the mental interference pretty well… it was still annoying. The damn monster could make his archery borderline useless, and for some reason, as he needed it to remain in his sphere, he didn’t even detect the energy that invaded him during the fight. Likely because it also implanted the idea that the energy wasn’t something worth noting… so annoying.

He would get Pride of the Malefic Viper shortly, so that should help. It wasn’t going to help him today… but he didn’t see himself losing. Sure, the Minotaur was actually the strongest opponent besides the King he had ever met, and without his bloodline, his head would have been smashed in before he even noticed the attack coming.

But he had his bloodline, and the Minotaur's power just sucked against him. It was like the opposite of a Cloud Elemental. Like the path of this stupid monster… his strengths are shortsighted too. Would the mental magic even work on an elemental, or what if he encountered a creature with great mental defenses? Or a human who fights using instincts? Well… lose, I guess.

He had to admit that the monster’s strength was… immense. He gazed about and saw a few craters below, with even a few bovines that had died from wayward attacks. It was just the remnant shockwave left by the staff’s wide swings, but it was enough to crush nearly anything.

If the Minotaur Mindchief had fought the Thunder Roc, he would have won easily. He was also pretty sure it could handle something like Mystie easily too. In fact, he was happy Mystie hadn’t come along but stayed at the fort. He was pretty sure the Mindchief could dominate the mind of the hawk for at least a period, making the battle into a two versus one. And even if he couldn’t, he sure as hell could make the bird disorientated enough for him to kill it as Jake was relatively sure Mystie wasn’t the most resilient to physical attacks.

Without tarrying any longer, he summoned a bolt of mana and fired it down towards the barn. The roof blew up, leaving a gaping hole as he was able to see inside.

”Took you long enough,” he heard a voice say, the friendly tone of the Minotaur back, but with an insidious undertone.

When the dust cleared, Jake saw the interior of the barn. The Minotaur was back on the stage, but he was no longer alone. He was now surrounded by humans who all stood blank-eyed, staring into thin air.

Jake flew down and landed in the middle of the barn, the Minotaur just within the range of his sphere. He also did it to confirm if the humans were actually real or just mental illusions. They were. The bovines in the barn had gone outside, leaving just Jake, the Minotaur, and the human captives behind.

”I must admit, I underestimated you. You are a champion sent by your race to end my ambitions, fighting for the survival of their species. You are without a doubt the pinnacle of their talents… trained to battle me, but in your arrogance, you forgot… I am a King, not a soldier,” the Minotaur laughed as suddenly all the humans drew their weapons.

”But I will give you a chance!” the monster said as he waved his hand and summoned a string of rune-like text in the air. Jake saw it and noticed that he somehow understood what he said. It was a… contract.

”This is an auction, after all. So tell me… what would you give to free your fellow man?” the monster spoke as he laughed. ”Serve me, and I promise safety for these hairless monkeys and those you wish to keep alive. I am a generous King… I shall allow a sanctuary to keep your race alive and for you to lead them!”

Jake had to admit it sounded like a terrific deal. At least he thought so for a fraction of a second before Jake dispelled the mental energy in his head, at which point it sounded like hot garbage, spewed out by an arrogant asshole who couldn’t even keep his own beliefs consistent.

He looked up at the creature as he shook his head. ”You are utterly pathetic… and certainly no King. You can only bully those weaker than yourself, taking pleasure in torturing them, while you run away like a scared child before anyone who can challenge you. You can’t even stick to your chosen path. Stop embarrassing yourself and at least die with a shred of honor and dignity.”

at the masked human, confused for a few moments before his face turned to one of

hundred hairless monkeys turned and attacked the person next to them. A single swipe of a

intrude and manipulate. Even if the Minotaur couldn’t make the human kneel willingly, he could shatter his psyche through killing his kin, whittling down his resolve until

result of your actions! Now kneel

that claimed himself to be a hunter just shook his head again. ”I

eye and saw only… indifference and a small spark of rage. Not a single trace of despair or regret. This human does not care for its kin?

skimmed that thought in their fight earlier. To understand the basic intent of an opponent or read surface thoughts was a fundamental aspect of mental magic. For some reason, he couldn’t quite read the human’s thoughts in combat, but he could most certainly read his intent. He had avoided fighting in the barn to avoid killing his fellow man… so why not bat an eye when they died

this human does not break from this… I shall crush him

stood at the pinnacle of mental magic for

the humans die with a single command, and he felt only his anger grow. It kept perpetuating the needless killing… it didn’t do so with a goal. It wasn’t even a hunt. He didn’t mourn those who died… he only pitied them. In some ways… they died the moment the Minotaur

Minotaur. The monster blocked his blow as if he already knew Jake was attacking. Because it did. But he didn’t know where next he would strike… because

and the Minotaur was cut on his chest once more, the old wounds far from having healed. Jake felt

have to kill

backing off. The humans around him also all charged at him, but none of them could get close as they all froze up. It was a bit tiring, but he would have to keep them frozen with Gaze of

Minotaur, releasing a blast of mana that sent it flying back through the back wall of the barn. Yet, the stream of mental energy kept pouring into him.

grow as he

than ten meters between them. Neither moved as both seemed satisfied with

a dozen seconds, Jake released the arrow, and the Minotaur just raised his staff to try and block. He blocked the blow, but the arrow exploded, sending the Minotaur flying back. Jake pelted him with even more arrows and soon a dozen were sticking out of

had visibly weakened. Yet, even as the Minotaur’s power waned, Jake felt his sense of crisis only grow. He tried to do as much

Minotaur looked up at him and smiled. ”Behold, the true

a stream of energy unlike anything before smash

of Echoing

sitting in a side room with the psychologist. The girl was still unresponsive like before, but they didn’t want to risk anything. Silas wanted to stay close if he could help with anything, and the psychologist just seemed happy to finally feel useful as

to calm her down. He placed his hands on her head and felt the mental energy that was

who had caused it clearly couldn’t keep

he worried, but he didn’t have time as the two men in the

the bridge was established, and their minds became one. Together, he and the human would walk a journey. In the realm of the mind – or more

memories one by one – the goal simple. The Minotaur Mindchief believed that every sapient being had a weakness in

powerful, and not even D-grade yet. The hunter was the champion put forth by his race, their hope of defeating him. He would turn their cultivated weapon against them and have

He tried to go back, to see what happened when the human was but a child. He had learned that is where most traumas were

stumped early.

scenes. There were some things, such as the betrayal of

mage sealed memories? No, he saw no signs of tampering. Even if the memories were repressed, he should be able to find them, but they appeared just

so fractured, but everything became usual after that. Did something happen during that time that broke his

did notice that the human became more… muted. The fragments in the start displayed a human of action, a wild child with neverending energy and disposition of a creature standing at the apex of his species.

was hard to compare the muted human he

to see, but everything had a gray aura. The emotions tied to the memories had an underlying sense of

Ah… I found it.

The thing to exploit.

back - besides a few sparks here and there - there was not much. No, it would need to find the trigger that made the color return and the world be attractive

same day that marked his own ascension that the human found his meaning

it wasn’t right away. The palette changed as the human called Jake entered the vast forest, the world brightening ever so slightly. No, the return