The Primal Hunter

Okay, Jake did fuck up one thing during – or after, really – the discussion with Sword Saint. Jake liked walking off after getting the last word in, as he felt like it was the easiest way to come out on top of a discussion and because it allowed him not to need any more arguments.

This resulted in Jake leaving behind two undead with no one really talking to them, as Jacob and the City Lord were already doing their own thing.

It wasn’t like he could walk back in either. Both because the barrier blocked him, but more importantly because that would be totally uncool. Luckily, Casper didn’t want to be in there either as he also walked out… Priscilla following a few moments later, looking quite conflicted, wondering if she should have stayed or not. In the end, she seemed to have decided to rather go with the city that didn’t either openly hate the undead or were bigoted towards them.

When Jake saw them following… well, he decided that he might as well also get them on board. With them, the Treasure Hunt would be damn near ensured. He would also go by Caleb and do as any good big brother and use their familial relation to convince him to go with Treasure Hunt by bringing up old memories, like how Jake always allowed Caleb to use the good controller.

Anyway, the undead faction wanted the Town Defense event because it would allow them to form better relations with other factions of Earth. Jake felt like as long as he could alleviate their fear of humanity suddenly banding together to wipe out the evil undead, they would be more open to voting for the Treasure Hunt.

Jake felt pretty sure about his assessment, but it was always good to confirm as he went up to Casper and asked.

”You guys want the Town Defense mainly to make humanity less assholish towards the undead, right?” he asked as straightforwardly as he could.

”Yep,” Casper answered with a shrug. ”Can’t see most of the others do anything good for our image. Could you imagine if we actually did well in the tournament and got a good reward? The ”righteous crusade to wipe out the unclean” would be just around the corner if that happened. It would have nothing to do with just wanting to take our stuff, not at all.”

”People like justifying their own shitty behavior, nothing new there,” Jake said, shaking his head in his disappointment of the human race.

On a side note, all of this was said outside any of the platforms, allowing anyone interested to listen in.

Priscilla – despite Jake’s cold reception to her earlier – still caught on as she nodded in agreement, her eyes practically shining at the opportunity.

”Indeed, we just want to form good relations with everyone and make valuable allies for the future. We carry no animosity towards anyone; we simply are what we are. Most of us didn’t choose to become Risen. I died a few hours before the integration myself, and I was one of the people brought back to life by the system as a Risen along with thousands of others. Everyone who died less than 24 hours before the system integration, in fact,” she said, giving a small speech, continuing.

”We Risen are barely different than anyone else… we have classes, professions, families, and friends just like everyone else. Casper here is a rare exception as someone who chose to become a Risen, and the Progenitor knew him beforehand. Has he truly changed?”

Her last words were naturally directed towards Jake.

It was clear she wanted validation, even if a bit of it was bullshit. Casper didn’t as much choose to become a Risen as he got blackmailed into it with his dead girlfriend’s soul. He also was a bit different than before, though that was primarily due to the constant dark energy that he kept bottled up – no doubt related to his curse magic. Personally-wise, he was pretty much the same, except for those suppressed emotions.

”Yeah, he is still the same downer he always has been,” Jake answered, throwing a cheeky smile towards Casper. ”Probably still sucks at poker too.”

”Fuck you; I’m still convinced you cheated,” Casper answered back with an accusatory smile.

”I deny all such accusation.”

Wait, did I cheat? Considering I always had a muted version of the bloodline even before the system, it is entirely possible. I did like betting based on intuition more than anything. I should have gone to casinos… also, sorry, not sorry, Casper.

Priscilla just stood smiling as the two talked, elation clear on her face as Jake did all the PR work for them. If being a bit nice to them could help his friend in the long run, he was all for it.

bit more closely behind closed doors?” Priscilla

now he noticed the name of the city. Jake would have personally thrown money on it, either being called Necropolis or The Graveyard or

was met with the boring vanilla name Deepshire. Nothing related to death at all except maybe the deep part – something Jake would later learn actually just referred

his brother off to the side, leaving another platform, and Jake took the chance as he yelled. ”Hey Cal, we are having a small meeting; wanna

brother when he did fun stuff. Jake totally didn’t have any ulterior

a quick look at the two people with him, and nodded as

and together they all stepped up on the platform the four of them. From what Jake knew, it was the first time his brother met Priscilla face-to-face, and he was already looking forward to how

when she went to greet him after they all stepped on the platform, he had to

she said, as she did a curtsy towards him respectfully. ”I apologize for not seeking you

tend to do well by each other in the multiverse; let’s not make Earth any different,” Caleb said, as he also greeted

expected Priscilla to act like she did with him and Casper and make a bit of a fool of herself when Caleb shot back with ”I’m

into the pants of anyone with strong backing. Was it because his brother wasn’t blessed by a Primordial? No,

actually was competent. Yeah, she had to know that Caleb was taken, so she didn’t even try any of her shit… damn, I was looking forward to

would have to actually do

you’ll vote with your big bro for the Treasure Hunt, right?” he asked,

tournament,” Caleb answered back, returning

brother, who always did as

leader of a shadow assassin organization,” Caleb answered curtly. ”My question is why you wouldn’t like a 1

through 10 days of battles against weaker foes for a handful of good fights… I can find plenty of good fights outside of events. The Treasure Hunt, on the other hand, will likely offer unique and cool challenges to get the treasures… and you can do the fun stuff from day one. No need to

at hunting treasures? You can sneak around and steal stuff from others or quickly swipe things

better

Reasonable… however…

shadow right as they least expect it or after they just get done fighting a tough foe for a treasure. Then

also tend to group up when it is possible, and it tends to

you bring even more assassins. Group assassinations. Sounds like

as great as the afterparty for when we do

and Casper. ”You guys support the Treasure Hunt, right? No one

”It depends on what is best for the

I am going out there right now yelling loudly about how we need a crusade,” Jake announced - his mask

don’t think that’s

I come with you and toss out some curse magic to really solidify the image

the Holy Church and Haven will both vote for Treasure Hunt, and we are collecting more votes as it is. Pretty sure Jacob will get the Noboru clan vote locked down, and Miranda is working

you’re telling us to be on the right side

really want to see their children fight?” Jake asked, going full-throttle on the emotional manipulation. ”The tournament might force us to

anyway,” Caleb said, not taking Jake seriously at all. ”But it does sound like we’re screwed. The group we just came from seemed pretty

voters are the cool guys,” Jake fully agreed, once more regarding the

lower than you humans,”