The Primal Hunter

Jake was aware that the vampire weapons could fuse, but he had kind of assumed that would happen when he got all nine and not with just three of them. He wasn’t going to complain, though, as he summoned all three of them on a wooden table he had also just tossed out.

Instinctively, he felt the three weapon’s desire to devour one another. He just had to permit them… so he did. Jake had to choose a weapon to absorb the others, and he chose the blade over the dagger or rapier, as he was more used to using swords.

The three weapons acted almost magnetic as they attracted each other and clashed when he gave permission. The moment they touched, their black metal became liquid, and within a few seconds, all of them had turned into a weird glob of what looked like black mercury. It did kind of keep the shape of a sword throughout this process, but it didn’t exactly look stable.

He observed the entire process closely as he felt them slowly become one. Throughout, it became clear that they were made for this. Their Records fused, and the metal itself gladly mixed and consolidated as the size of the weapon didn’t increase.

Around a minute after it began, the blade returned to the shape it had before he began. It did not look any different at all but was just a simple black metal sword, but its aura had been amplified significantly, and Identify also confirmed the changes.

[Count’s Vampiric Transforming Blade (Epic)] – A weapon created fusing three weapons wielded by Counts of Blood, all of which have been soaked in the blood of countless enemies throughout the ages. Crafted using a special type of steel, the blade can absorb the lifeforce of vitality-based lifeforms to repair itself. The combined Records of the three weapons have allowed the blade to evolve and transform even further, allowing it to steal a portion of the lifeforce of anyone injured as well as change form between a sword, a dagger, and a rapier. This blade was originally crafted in a set of nine using the unique environment of the hidden world and can absorb the weapons of other Counts of Blood to enhance itself. Three have now been fused, and six remain. Note this functionality is only available within the Treasure Hunt area and will disappear once the event concludes. Enchantments: Hemoabsorbant Self-Repair. Vampiric Weapon. Transformation.

Requirements: lvl 130+ in any humanoid race.

The level requirement had gone up by five, and the rarity increased to epic. Those were the most obvious changes. Besides that, the only real change was the ability to transform.

Jake picked it up, and with an easy mental command, the entire weapon changed into the shape of a black metal dagger. The entire process took less than a second, but that still made him frown as it meant it wasn’t something he could do in live combat. He had mastered the art of fast weapon switching using his inventory already, and it was far faster just to do that. He also fast discovered it could only transform into the set shapes of a dagger, a sword, or a rapier – in other words, weapons he had used to fuse it.

This led to the ultimate question… would he switch using this blade over any of his other weapons? Jake honestly wasn’t sure yet.

The Scimitar of Cursed Hunger was in a weird place, in that Jake couldn’t determine exactly how powerful it was. It looked to be made of black steel or iron, and the metal itself didn’t strike him as anything significant. What was significant was the curse on it. The weapon grew with every fight he was in as it absorbed excess vital energy, so even if it was Soulbound and didn’t have a level requirement, if it did have one, he guessed it would be around 115 or 120 by now.

He also had to admit he had a bit of an emotional attachment to it, as it was the first weapon he created using Touch of the Malefic Viper that was actually worth a damn. It would also be a waste not to keep improving it. The power curses could hold was also evident to him, especially after exploring this Treasure Hunt.

Curses were essentially just emotions, willpower, magic, and possibly other stuff mixed oddly together to create something he didn’t fully understand. No two curses were the same, and there didn’t seem to be many rules or standards to how curses functioned either.

So he wasn’t going to replace his scimitar as he saw too much potential in it, which left his Nanoblade. The Nanoblade had a lower level requirement and even a lower rarity than this vampiric blade. All the statistics would make one believe it was weaker, but… it just suited him too well.

It was a no-nonsense weapon. All it did was to be unbelievably sharp and durable and make his arcane energy better when Jake coated the blade in it. Perhaps the vampiric blade would be better, but there was also something to be said about familiarity, and Jake had to admit that he just liked using the Nanoblade. Meanwhile, the vampire weapon didn’t sit well in his hand when he held it, and he just didn’t click with it. Was it more powerful? Perhaps. Would he use it? No.

Not yet, at least. If Jake got his hand on more vampire weapons and upgraded it again, his chosen weapon could very well change.

With everything done in the chamber, Jake left. Now, one may wonder how he found another tower so readily available without anyone getting in his way or messing up the fight. The reason for this was the same as why he didn’t steal the gate.

Walking out, he smiled and dispelled his mask as he gave the person waiting for him a wave. “Count is officially down for the count.”

feel

at the end floating behind him. He looked a lot like Jake, but that was to

for my humor?” Jake shot back,

close to

even take me

“I apologize for my impoliteness, oh glorious Champion of the Malefic Viper, Progenitor of Earth, and the true chosen one and hero of

did make some concessions. No way he was going to burn off the gate with Caleb staring him over the shoulder while judging him for

chuckled as he turned a bit more serious. “Any issues with the Count

answered, giving Caleb some quick details about the Count and how he had beaten her. There was no one else present, and Caleb was at the gate just in case the vampire made it out. While he had admitted to Jake he didn’t

like a tough enemy for any regular group,” Caleb noted.

still in the process of getting it, but they had gotten very unlucky with the kind of method they had to use to open the gate it was hidden behind. It required them to correctly

before swiftly changing the topic. “How is everyone? Do you have

but just rushed for the Count, also by request of his brother just to get the boss done… but now

got things handled. Just focus on what you need to do. Your presence alone is a shield,” Caleb answered with

A time so simple it appeared gray and dull in his mind… it was cruel to think. But he couldn’t lie. He had to admit he

His brother’s smile slowly faded as he turned a lot more serious. “Jake, after the Treasure Hunt, you’re

Jake sighed. “Got it.”

You may be lucky and snatch another Count before all of them are slain. From all the info we have gathered, this is the sixth key to be claimed. The Noboru clan has two, Holy Church one, you three, and last I

keep that in mind, and thanks,” Jake answered as he got

isn’t that what family is for? Helping each other

with a teasing smile. “I am surprised you guys don’t have a key; you seem to enjoy

will be heavily reprimanded when we get back. But, seriously, he once stole a damn uncommon-rarity dagger and refused to give it back until his dad

a grade A member of the Court,” Jake

at stealing stuff and even more capable at making tools to steal things,” Caleb

delegate everything and

it is. Anyway, I think you should get going if you want to get another Count before others do,” Caleb said, adding on a final warning. “Be careful of the Sword Saint; he isn’t simple at all. The man named Eron also isn’t to be taken lightly, though he seems to have little interest in the keys. I heard he fought a Count

keys first,” he nodded. “I’ll be off. Take care, and

those words, Jake turned around to make his way towards the

cleared. She still had the Stake from the Pure Ones ready, too, in her Hunter Insignia. She had sent the message to her great grandfather already, and her follower had used a skill allowing the Patriarch

waited with anticipation as she slowly got updates about the happenings of the Treasure Hunt. Reika sat down with her alchemy cauldron, making some potions as she needed some practice making stamina potions. She listened attentively as she heard the news that Lord Thayne, Jake, had killed another Count of Blood and was last seen entering a

wasn’t like her great grandfather, where she understood his power. Her time with Jake had not helped her truly comprehend him either, besides the fact that he was driven. Driven to a ridiculous degree. He also

heard a sound. Soft footsteps echoed

around a corner. His steps were immaculate, and every one of them

as he came to a stop before