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

towards the undead faction’s platform. Actually, it was only now he noticed the name of the city. Jake would have personally thrown money on it, either being called Necropolis or

name Deepshire. Nothing related to death at all except maybe the deep part – something Jake would later learn actually just referred to how they were geographically placed low and how they had many mines and underground

platform, and Jake took the chance as he yelled. ”Hey Cal,

to involve his little brother when he

looked his way, threw a quick look at the two people with him, and nodded as he went towards Jake. ”Shouldn’t

on the platform the four of them. From what Jake knew, it was the first

after they all stepped on the platform, he had to hide his childish

did a curtsy towards him respectfully. ”I apologize for not

tend to do well by each other in the multiverse; let’s not

a bit of a fool of herself when Caleb shot back

pants of anyone with strong backing. Was it because his brother wasn’t blessed by a Primordial? No, Umbra was also pretty awesome in her

actually was competent. Yeah, she had to know that Caleb was taken, so she didn’t even

would have to actually do political

the Treasure Hunt, right?” he asked, with a

of course not; we are going with the tournament,” Caleb answered back, returning the

to my obedient little brother, who always did as his awesome older

Caleb answered curtly. ”My question is why you

not that; I just wouldn’t enjoy slogging 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

who says shadow assassins aren’t good at hunting treasures? You can sneak around and steal stuff from others or quickly swipe things and run away! I am sure you would

better at assassinating people,” Caleb

Reasonable… however…

then as they will be distracted. You can snipe them from long distance unnoticed, emerge from a shadow right as they least expect it or after they just get done fighting a tough foe for a treasure. Then you can both beat them and get the loot. Win-win for everyone but the poor sap who gets robbed and possibly killed.”

when it is

if you bring even more assassins. Group assassinations. Sounds like a great teambuilding exercise, doesn’t it?” Jake kept

afterparty for when we do

shook his head before turning to Priscilla and Casper. ”You guys support the Treasure Hunt, right? No one likes Town

noncommittally. ”It depends on what is best for the Risen as a whole… not just

a crusade,” Jake announced - his mask hiding his emotions a bit too well as Priscilla

don’t think that’s necessary, what

with you,” Casper chimed in with a big grin. ”But if you do go for it, can I come with you and toss out some curse magic to really solidify the image that we are evil life-hating

seriousness, 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 on

to be on the right side

mom and dad really want to see their children fight?” Jake asked,

like we’re screwed. The group we just came from seemed pretty damn disingenuous when they

Hunt voters are the cool guys,” Jake fully agreed, once more regarding the undead. ”The Risen are cool,

indeed lower than you humans,”