The Primal Hunter

When Jake got his class upgrade, not much happened, honestly. He just got some cool-ass skills, and that was about it. Yet this time, he felt something else other than skills right away… something a lot like when he communicated with Villy.

A warm flow entered his body as he felt his intelligence stat increase, and at the same moment, a system message appeared.

Your bond with the Malefic Viper is further strengthened as you reforge your karmic connection, claiming partial dominion over it. The Malefic Viper can no longer reclaim his blessing, and you have lost your ability to denounce it through all usual means.

Jake read it through and wasn’t sure if he should be worried or not. His theory of one of the limiting rules of the profession requiring him to maintain his blessing had been a bit off… it was the exact opposite. It meant he couldn’t give it up. Jake also instantly knew what this meant… the only way for the Viper to sever their connection when he wanted to was to kill Jake – an easy feat for a Primordial. And if Jake was honest, he felt like if the Viper wanted to, he could kill Jake solely through that karmic connection.

At the same time, he had to retain his defiant attitude towards the Malefic Viper. It truly was paradoxical… he had to both oppose and stay in the good graces of the vastly more powerful god at the same time.

A bit of a nasty restriction, eh? Jake thought, but he honestly wasn’t scared. He had a feeling Villy was the kind of snake that would kill Jake if he wanted to anyway, so it really wasn’t that bad. Also… not like he could do anything about it, so why worry? What should he do anyway, begin acting like an asslicker to try and not piss off Villy? Nah, fuck that.

Instead, Jake would stick to his motto: “Keep things simple, and take the complications as they come.”

Anyway, his blessing had once more been improved and was honestly starting to get damn good.

[True Blessing of the Malefic Viper (Blessing - True)] – An Alchemist recognized by the Malefic Viper himself that has now seized parts of the blessing in an act of defiance. Few throughout the ages have found themselves blessed by the Primordial, despite their desire to be so. You are his Chosen. Now even the true blood of the Malefic Viper himself is found within your very being, only strengthening your bond further. Through your powerful direct karmic and bodily connection, the wisdom, willpower, vitality, and intelligence of the Malefic Viper empower you. +10% Willpower, +10% Wisdom, +10% Vitality, +10% Intelligence. Grants access to many new paths. Only one blessing can be held at a time. Cannot be denounced or retracted.

Jake was never going to say no to extra stats, and it even gave intelligence, a stat that had just gained newfound value. With his class and profession together, he would also begin to get quite a lot of it, with 10 from every level as an alchemist and 12 from every level as a hunter. Wisdom was even more crazy, giving a combined 25.

After looking over the whole blessing thing, he finally saw the class level gained and the accompanying skill gains and changes.

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has reached level 100 - Stat points allocated, +10 free points*

*Gained skill*: [Craft Elixir (Common)] – Potions for emergencies, flasks in preparation for the toughest of foes, and elixirs to build the foundation of power. Allows the alchemist to craft elixirs of common-rarity and below. Elixirs are able to grant those who consume it a permanent increase to stats. Must have suitable materials and equipment in order to create elixirs. Adds a minor increase to the effectiveness of created elixirs based on Wisdom.

Getting used to only seeing Ancient-rarity skills from his profession, Jake was actually a bit taken aback when he saw the common-rarity tag, but on the other hand, wasn’t this skill just something most alchemists got upon reaching D-grade?

Jake happily accepted it as it was the kind of skill he felt like he would want to pick up anyway down the line. Or maybe Sagacity of the Malefic Viper made it superfluous?

Well, not entirely…

Because when he thought about making elixirs, knowledge instantly appeared, just like with Brew Potion and Concoct Poison. The small stat bonus to his creations based on wisdom should also still be useable.

Either way, the ability to make elixirs wasn’t exactly anything new to him but a welcome addition to his repertoire of skills nevertheless.

was an upgrade to an existing skill, a

The Malefic Viper stalks its prey and needs only to strike once as venom devours its prey. Increases the potency of all crafted poisons. Grants the ability to craft a poison with a rarity above that of your Concoct Poison skill if certain conditions are met. The poison may at most be upgraded to the rarity of the Malefic Viper’s Poison skill (Uncommon --> Rare). Allows poison not to lose efficiency for a short amount of time after being applied

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Malefic Viper stalks its prey and needs only to strike once as venom devours its prey. Increases the potency of all crafted poisons. Grants the ability to craft a poison with a rarity above that of your Concoct Poison skill if certain conditions are met. The poison may at most be upgraded to the rarity of the Malefic Viper’s

upgrade between 1-10 in how boring it was, this would be a solid 9. This isn’t to say the effects of the upgrade weren’t great. Once more, comparing it to Big Game Hunter, this was the kind of skill that just did things behind the hood. It made all his poisons better and even helped when he coated his weapons in it to make it

of it was the ability to sometimes “buff” an item. It had only triggered twice so far – once in the challenge dungeon

bit subtle. Either way,

anyway. The profession was clearly special, and a part of

the Malefic Viper’s Legacy’s core skills, a skill that you adequately comprehend, will allow you to peer into its true Records as you journey through time, space, reality, and experience history firsthand. Be warned that gains are not guaranteed, and while the journey cannot harm you directly, the journey may cause harm or have lasting effects – a risk you must take as a Heretic. May you walk with confidence as you tread a path never walked before. Gains 1 use every 10 levels in Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper. Any skill can only be

in that their actual power couldn’t necessarily be determined. Heck, his Legacy of Man was unique-rarity, and he wasn’t sure how good that one actually

impression it was impressive if

reading it correctly, this skill would allow him to upgrade his other skills related to the Malefic Viper more easily, more accurately the “of the Malefic Viper” ones. He had already checked the descriptions of all the skills and seen that they hadn’t changed. They still “only” gave 1 stat per level in his profession. Jake assumed

he probably should have done before

“So, Villy. Thoughts?”

presence descend on his soul. He felt its intent to utterly suppress him and bring him to his knees, but

himself!? A mere mortal has the audacity to display such arrogance!?” Jake heard the voice of the Primordial echo loudly in his

kinda funny?” Jake

yeah, equally funny and interesting,” he heard Villy’s voice answer back, and he could easily picture the god snickering as he spoke. “But you are fully aware that if I find someone else I want to make my Chosen, I will have to kill

is what it is. Any other way to get rid of that black

with faux outrage. “As for getting rid of it… just become a god, pretty easy actually. Trust

possible to become

not,

have changed despite the system clearly seeing it as a perilous

having the system menu open and staring at the Path of the Heretic-Chosen in

see your

honest, I kind of assumed you could. Sure, maybe you are unable to see the detailed description or something, but I had just guessed you had

see someone else’s skill would be the same as peering into their Truesoul and isn’t something people just do. I never met someone who can anyway. There are ways to share descriptions, but it is honestly

your Legacy or something to upgrade skills.

a few small important details off,” the Malefic Viper said. “Normally, the individual you get the Legacy from is aware

can also just ignore asking for forgiveness because honestly, who’s got time for that?” Jake joked back. “Oh yeah, now that

whatsoever,” the Viper answered back

why you said claiming one of those Pylons