The Primal Hunter

The situation was just a tiny bit tenser after Jake took out the trash. He considering if they should slap on a charge for contaminating Haven with toxic waste but held himself back. During the brief intermission, the two women had exited the cabin. They now actually stood behind Sultan as if seeking protection from him, both looking terrified.

Miranda cleared her voice, bringing the attention back to her even if Sultan still threw glances at Jake. He didn’t seem mad or offended at all but borderline elated.

“Needless to say, we reserve any right to dish out punishment as we see fit. If it is decided by the leadership of Haven – especially Lord Thayne – to deliver the aforementioned punishment, then that is something you will have to accept,” Miranda said.

“Naturally,” Sultan agreed, his smile now back. He seemed less stressed than before despite just losing two of his “bodyguards.” Not much bodyguarding going on, honestly, as those two had been weak. He guessed they were the kinds of casters who needed ample preparation to show their full power, and Jake hadn’t given them that. Not at all.

As to why he had killed them? Because they had crossed a line. Where exactly that line was, he couldn’t say. They just had, so he acted. Jake was inherently an impulsive person, so when that overwhelming feeling of bloodlust came up, he felt it hard to hold himself back. He still had the self-control to throw Miranda a glance and get a nod of approval from her. After that whole Abby and Donald business, Jake didn’t always trust his own sense of anger when it came to other humans.

As for the two last slaves? He didn’t care. One of them was that Gabi woman, and he didn’t know any details of the other, not even her name. Considering there wasn’t any visceral reaction to her, Jake assumed she couldn’t be as bad. Miranda could decide what to do with her. They were fucked up, sure, but they didn’t incite any feeling of anger, only disgust. He did have some clue as to why that was and also why he disliked Sultan so much.

What Jake truly despised was unnecessarily causing harm to others in a disproportional way. He was fully aware sometimes you had to kill weaker individuals when it came to fighting, but going out of your way to torture or kill someone weaker was just wrong.

This was why Jake didn’t just kill any random beast he came across, even while he still got experience from them. Killing a foe many levels below himself just for an insignificant amount of experience just didn’t sit right with him. As an example, if the Minotaur Mindchief had only tried to kill powerful D-grade humans, he would say fair game. The problem was that it tortured and killed those significantly weaker than itself, like a fucking coward.

Sultan was a lesser version of that. He was a sadist who enjoyed torturing, not because he got anything out of it, but just because he was a bastard. Actually, if Sultan just had those four slaves without the whole torture part, he could maybe even see them get along. Sure, he was an ass, but who wasn’t a bit of an asshole these days?

It was not like Jake would even pretend he and Miranda were the good guys right now. They were essentially blackmailing and forcing Sultan to give in to all their demands. Shit, they had yet actually to offer anything in return besides his potential survival.

Yet, for some reason, Sultan seemed fine with all that. It was honestly perplexing in every way. Things were going terribly for him, weren’t they?

He hadn’t been wrong. Sultan had begun questioning his decision to come to Haven before, but seeing the Chosen act, all that doubt was dispelled like the morning fog.

Lord Thayne was domineering, assertive, and acted like he didn’t care about anyone else’s opinion. He was perfect. His bloodlust and power were enough to send shivers down his spine and make his heart pound. This was what a true powerhouse of the multiverse should be like.

Sultan had met the Augur during his last visit. He had even been asked to join the Holy Church or just become an affiliate partner, but he had refused. The church was controlling, and so was the city. In the end, you had to work for the collective, and while they supported the standouts a lot, Sultan didn’t like the way they did things. It was a hive of covert corruption and politics. Without the Augur, the shitshow that was the political arena of Sanctdomo would already have fallen apart. Being a part of that city would mean being forced into politics if he wanted any proper benefits.

more to his liking. He had hoped to endear himself to the Chosen personally, but even if that had failed, he had time. Even if he couldn’t make Lord Thayne

slaves? A silly hobby? The profits and power he could accumulate from working with Lord

population in the city in excess of 50 million, that only made sense, and that number was increasing with sometimes hundreds of thousands a

he was better than every single one of Sanctdomo’s merchants, but he knew he would never get the best things. Because he wasn’t loyal, and he would never be loyal to anyone but

merchants associated with the city quite yet. At least Sultan hadn’t heard of any, so no one worth his notice had appeared. It was a massive opening and exactly what he had been hoping for. Getting in on the ground floor would be good now. And in the

one of the most prominent

The best merchant needed the strongest backing. The richest man would be the strongest, and the most influential would be the one capable of

had seen firsthand what happens to those not strong enough. Sultan had lost everything once already, and he

to begin with. It had now changed to him already having lost two D-grade slaves, and he was sure he would lose the two others too. One way or another. Even his life was on the line, and he didn’t

viewed as a juvenile of its race at D-grade? It was bound to become powerful. Sultan was certain Haven also hid

join

clashed… he couldn’t see Sanctdomo and all their powerhouses coming out unscathed. No… he

wanted to join. Now, he

now, and he accepted death as a potential risk in pursuit of his goals. He was a man who went for

the Chosen didn’t like him, he sure as hell liked the Chosen. Hopefully, they could foster a

Well, he would figure that out… hopefully, they would allow him to keep one of the slaves. Prostitutes always overcharged him for

went along with borderline anything and made concession after concession. He did have some points he refused to concede on, but nothing Jake disagreed

but Sultan refused adamantly, refusing to be bound by a contract to the city. To Jake, that only made sense. Why would anyone clearly talented bind

fast discovered it was an absolute dealbreaker. Ultimately it didn’t matter to Jake if the guy was loyal. Having to write a

the slaves and what to

get

wanted confirmation. Both wanted to remain slaves. By now, Jake had become aware one of them liked to kill entire families because she was fucked in the head and had dearly hoped

you would prefer to

it got surprising. The one called Gaby didn’t hesitate to want to get the fuck away from Sultan as she began pleading about being reformed. Honestly, it was bad. Like, even Jake could say with 90% certainty she was just desperately trying to be

and stalker woman wanted to remain with Sultan… in fact, she stood oddly close to him as if afraid they would take her away. Could Jake try to analyze her movements and intent? Sure, but that would be a massive waste of brainpower. While it had more or less been decided he wouldn’t kill her, that didn’t mean he would have to deal with her. Hunting kids was just bad sport – be it to kill or enslave them. Adding on to that, had Sultan walked in with