The Primal Hunter

When Jake had asked if the hawk called Sylphie could join them, Miranda had naturally just agreed. Why would she not? It looked cute, and it could sit and listen in when they talked. However… she hadn’t expected it to also eat with them. Alright, even if it would eat with them, then it would just get some meat or something and sit off to the side. That would make sense to her. The current situation didn’t.

Jake cut off a slice of meat and ate it, having nice table manners. Miranda did the same, as she used her cutlery. The hawk too.

A third plate was at the table, and in front of it, a hawk sat on its butt. The cutlery was glowing green as it imitated her and Jake, cutting off small slices of meat and bringing them to its open beak. The hawk even made chewing movements, despite Miranda being absolutely certain birds didn’t need to chew food.

Well, by now, Miranda should really just call the hawk ‘she’… Jake talked to her like a person, and the hawk did act remarkably human. Miranda just had difficulty wrapping her mind around an animal being as smart as a person.

Besides the presence of the small hawk acting weird, everything was relatively normal. They talked about quite a few things, one of which was classes.

“I still find the concept of witchcraft interesting. I wonder how it allows you to attack through marking a target… I see possibilities there,” Jake had muttered in between bites after Miranda had explained some more details about her current class.

She still hadn’t evolved her class yet at level 100, so she wanted some advice. Jake’s advice ended up boiling down to “pick what you like the most, just go with your gut,” which wasn’t the most useful.

Sylphie had just made a screech, which Jake had interpreted as her agreeing. How the hell he got that from a screech, she didn’t know. Miranda was 50-50 on him just fucking with her, but the hawk didn’t protest either, and clearly, she understood their speech to some extent. At least Sylphie could pass the salt when asked…

“With the Fort expanding, it won’t be long before we reach six digits,” Miranda said proudly, talking about citizens. “After the Pylon’s influence encompassed the Fort, the vast majority of the people there automatically became recognized as citizens.”

“I’ve been wondering, what are the benefits of more citizens? Does it make you level faster?” Jake asked.

“Only partly. It appears to be based on how much work I do as a City Lord. In the end, I only have that much time and energy to work, and as we expand, help becomes required. From what I know, Sanctdomo has an entire government structure set up by now, with the Augur only working as the leader of a cabinet of leaders. It’s a far more efficient system and recognized as a correct path, but that doesn’t make it more correct than being a city lord leading a smaller city more intimately,” Miranda explained, adding. “The levels of the citizens only appear to have an impact on growth.”

She left out one thing, though… she also got levels by engaging with Jake. A part of the reason she wanted these meetings with him was that she nearly always got a level during them. Clearly, the system believed her interactions with Jake to be a crucial path of her role as City Lord. Based on her new profession, that had only become more important.

“Interesting… I guess it makes sense. It’s like leveling through killing. Singular, powerful citizens under your employ will be viewed as equally valuable to dozens of weaker individuals, I reckon,” Jake commented, nodding as if deep in thought.

“I’m not quite sure it’s that simple. It depends on how much work I have to do. It’s about what issues I resolve or prevent. Or when I make good diplomatic decisions or create valuable relations with someone important. Even appointing employees who do a good job rewards me. Me dealing with a level 40 troublemaker will reward me more than a D-grade who just sticks to himself and doesn’t bother anyone,” Miranda explained. Leaving out that according to the system, Jake was likely the largest potential source of trouble for Haven. Or perhaps just the most important element to handle.

“That sounds complicated… I’ll just stick to putting arrows in things,” Jake joked, making Miranda giggle a bit. Jake did seem a bit different today. More confident. A bit awkward as usual to begin with, but the dungeon and time away seemed to have done him good.

“You do that; then I’ll handle all those issues you can’t just fix with an arrow,” she answered with a smile.

issue that cannot be solved with oil, duct tape, and arrows,” Jake

with an arrow or at least the threat of an

drink to that,” Miranda agreed as she lifted her glass. Jake mirrored her

Jake and

magical creature that in no way could get drunk from regular alcohol. Also, what did her age have to do with being

level 101 - Stat points

the notification and stopped her train of thought, and she just took a large gulp of her wine. Yeah,

two humans and a hawk

casual. At least it was to begin with. After half an hour or so, he kind of

he had a lot of time to reflect. The concept of him being afraid of the opposite

never wore his emotions on his sleeves but preferred to keep them bottled up and be alone. Granted, he wasn’t the best

he never had any resistance either when he was pursued. He had his first girlfriend back when he was a

he had enjoyable times, but if he was genuine with himself, then the last half a year or so were the best in living memory. Of course, there had been hard times and difficulties, but all in all, everything had

Jake had wandered with it and experienced the mundanity that had been his life. Everything was black and white. Monotone. There was no color, nothing that truly interested him or made him happy. He now realized the reason

dad had told him he was such a wild child. He was quiet as a baby, but when he became a toddler, he always

dandy… until Caleb was born. Caleb was afraid of Jake. As his brother, Jake had a natural sense of competition with his little brother, and without being aware, he had utterly tried to suppress Caleb with his presence back then. It was

Jake also wanted to protect his brother - because while there was a rivalry, there was also a sense of family. So, in the end, Jake had begun subconsciously suppressing his bloodline. Suppressing his emotions and his real self. Perhaps his supernatural intuition had also made him aware even back then: this was not the world for the Primal Hunter. The bloodline was

is. When

could lead to emotions. Emotions would lead

they broke up with him. Even Madeline had agreed that the honeymoon phase was amazing until Jake began getting boring. Most relationships had been duds from the start. Lasting only a few months tops. Only Madeline from university

still not something he could really do. It had led to her disappointment in the end. He didn’t know how to act. Jake had to admit that most relationships were just ones of convenience. Whenever a woman or girl came onto him, he had no real reasons not

was why he had been actively avoiding potentially similar situations since back in university. It was just easier. If he didn’t let anyone in, they

fully awakened, everything wasn’t gray and dull anymore. He also noted how his attraction to Caroline faded nearly instantly. She just wasn’t interesting anymore. In the end, he only ever found her attractive… but that

he had still had above average instincts. But just because he was attracted to someone didn’t mean it would lead to something. He had gone through puberty with improved instincts without any

him was fully aware that if Jake stopped controlling himself, he would turn into someone he didn’t want to be. Some people didn’t restrain or control themselves in this new world, and that led to fucked up individuals. It led to people like Donald. Jake would rather put a dagger through his own throat than end up like that fucker just because he couldn’t keep his dick in

and told Madeline to fuck off without breaking down. He wouldn’t wallow in self-pity for years and drown himself in work. It had

them back then. Rage. Before the system, that was likely the time his bloodline was closest to reawakening. He wanted to get revenge back then when he saw them in that bed. The reason he just walked out was to control himself. Because if he had stayed… well, he would have killed both of them. No two ways about it. His only response back then was to avoid the situation. To hide and keep all his emotions bottled up.

grown a lot. At least, he thought so himself. Maybe the increased stats made memories more vivid and sped up brain functions and all that, but reflecting on himself as a person had become a lot

right now, he was growing further as he managed to act completely normal with a woman he found attractive. If it had been Caroline back then, he couldn’t do it. He would be awkward and