The Primal Hunter

Jake hummed as he finished up another batch of elixirs. It had been a few days since he got the new skill and the Pride upgrade, and he had spent this time practicing that skill and doing alchemy. He hadn’t used that teaching skill at all. Mainly because he hadn’t spoken or interacted with anyone.

His practice with Pride of the Malefic Viper has been pretty simple. Infusing his presence with mana came naturally to him due to the instinctive knowledge from the skill, and the effect was quite prominent. He felt like everything around him became more familiar to him when he did it, and summoning magic around him became far more effortless. Shit, he could make more Arcane Bolts than ever while having the presence active.

There was one minor issue, though. It drained Jake’s mana pool at crazy speeds. It was like a turbo-charged version of Limit Break but for mana. Well, maybe it was nearly exactly like Limit Break? Limit Break improved him internally and infusing his presence increased his control over the external world around him.

He hadn’t had time to test the mental attack yet, but only practiced with magic. He would need to find an opportunity before the Treasure Hunt to not go in blind, but he had a feeling it would be effective. He especially wanted to see if he could make it more effective if he coupled it with Gaze of the Apex Hunter.

Jake had also spoken a bit with Villy about the teaching skill when the god got curious, and Villy had just told him that teaching someone could be a good move. This surprised Jake as he thought the overly-selfish god didn’t really care much about other humans on Earth. That is until Villy pointed out how teaching others could be good for personal improvement and how he himself had learned a lot by going back over some of the basics while training someone else. Apparently, Villy had had quite a number of students through the times, even if Duskleaf was the only one Jake knew about.

Anyway, besides that, Jake had made another nice pile of elixirs and even gotten another level under his belt in just three days. He had nearly entered another trance again but avoided it due to diversifying things with some Pride training and the chat with Villy.

Jake began another brewing as he took out a Fungalmancer core to make another vitality elixir. He wanted to try and make a Rare-rarity one of those soon before he moved on to improving his perception version. By now, he had realized he likely wouldn’t have time to make a Rare-rarity version of the perception elixir, but at least he could move up to Uncommon.

Just as he got done melting the core… he stopped.

Something felt wrong. Very wrong. Jake’s gut was telling him things were off… it took him a second to realize the source. Sylphie…

Jake stopped the brewing, tossed his cauldron with the unfinished sludge in his inventory, and took to the air.

His presence was infused, directed ahead of him. The mana gave way as his will manifested, and a small platform of arcane mana appeared in the distance. Summoned using his Sphere of Perception and his presence working together.

He used One Step Mile in mid-air and appeared on the platform ahead of him. Another platform was summoned within not even a quarter of a second ahead of him again. This one he also stepped onto, teleporting yet again.

The upgrade to Pride had allowed this. Jake didn’t even know it did before this very moment; he just had to find the fastest way to move forward. Because it was easier to manifest his mana inside his presence, it was fast enough. Did it consume a lot of mana? Yes, but right now, his primary priority was speed.

Jake had effectively just unlocked full-on air-walk-teleporting as he used One Step Mile forward into the horizon. He didn’t know where it was; he just had a gut feeling about the direction. Jake wasn’t even aware of what he was moving towards; he just knew one thing: Sylphie, Hawkie, and Mystie were in trouble.

A good while after he left the lodge, one of the enchantments around the time tree shattered with a bang - one of those laid down by Mystie.

Hawkie dodged the scorching white ray with a feather’s breadth but was still sent tumbling through the air. He managed to stabilize himself and accidentally made eye contact with the uncaring gaze of the alpha before him.

[Goldsun Eagle Prima – lvl 144]

It was a nearly ten-meter-long golden eagle. Its radiant feathers gave off a constant glow as it bathed in sunlight, with its entire body practically humming with power and powerful energy similar to the sun above.

He knew. Their opponent barely cared about them. It knew it was above them by not just a little and didn’t wish to waste any of its more prominent attacks. It was arrogant, with power to back up that arrogance. The only one it regarded as anything worth mentioning was his daughter despite her low grade.

told her to flee. Flee as they would try and hold

the radiant barrier around the beast. It was a hastily constructed attack that was unable

eagle in a tornado in sand and dust, obscuring its vision. Its mate began another ritual to summon a blast to

slain swiftly. They didn’t even stand a chance and were only mild annoyances

a barrier to defend herself. A second later, she was forced to stop her attack as a searing ray came for her. Yet again, the

them? Why was it waiting like this? Hopefully, at least time would be on their side, though

the lodge around the time-related natural treasure, hoping the human would discover it. She had done this the moment they were discovered by the eagle. They didn’t know if it could do anything, but he hoped the human who had

way… at least his daughter had

the distance. A sound that

large eagle, much like the one he and his mate were fighting, but a bit smaller and far weaker. Still stronger than his daughter,

– lvl

the Eagle Prima’s mate… Hawkie became clear on that because of the

the new eagle, another small form flew, looking a lot

Eagle

gone there to help train their daughter and get her experience and teach her things,

Prima was just weakening them with the purpose of making its spawn finish them off. They

of them had been together since before the system. They were mates for life. That didn’t only come with trust but also some amount of power. The two of them both had chosen two parts of a greater skill, one they could only

practiced not to face this kind of opponent but if

or it didn’t care. It welcomed its mate with a screech, who responded together with its spawn.

final look was

began crackling with lightning. Mystie began emitting purple myst. They didn’t need to screech or communicate – their gazes had said it all. The purpose was not to defeat the

a wave of light, searing her one wing. Hawkie was blasted by a small

wings. Magic in the air moved as a bubble of light was erected around them so big that it would take Hawkie nearly fifteen seconds to fly across. It was to seal them all in and damage them as the temperature within began increasing.

for

Two energies convened.

the first time since this entire battle began, the Eagle Prima looked

utmost as he flew towards the mate of the Prima. Their young spawn was behind the second Goldsun Eagle, and it chose to defend. Foolishly

to block their path but was too slow. Hawkie fused with Mystie turned

Myststorm Union

impact. The fused birds didn’t even stop in their track as they consumed the Goldsun Eagle and headed for the spawn behind the barrier –

destroyed it,

before them, more radiant than ever. Its rage was apparent as it had just seen its mate practically slain, and

be used for a single attack. Most of their energy was already expended on the Goldsun Eagle and the barrier, meaning they ran

burned through, lightning was dispersed, and the union was broken. Two figures were sent tumbling through the