The Primal Hunter

The Viper was silent for a moment but quickly seemed to agree to the change of subject:

“I think I have made it clear in the past that I am not a big fan of giving direct advice on things to improve as it often does more harm than good in my experience, but fine. For once, I shall act like a proper Patron god and give some actual advice and direction.

“There are limitless ways to fight in the multiverse, and to call one method superior to others is fallacious and stupid. However, no matter the method, understanding yourself and the path you walk is essential. Someone such as a highly experienced warrior – a swordmaster, spearmaster, et cetera – is one such valid path. To them, their weapons become extensions of their bodies, and they live and breathe through their weapon, every part of them poured into it. A mere movement of their weapon can impose their will upon the world as they become one… but I must emphasize this is but one path,” Villy began.

“A mage mastering magic and comprehending all there is of their given element, a spirit that is one with their environment or a snake mastering its toxins and embracing that part of itself is also a valid path. I myself have never learned to truly wield a weapon, but I did learn to use my claws, tail, fangs, and generally just my body as a living weapon. And Jake, if I am honest… so should you. At least partly.”

Jake frowned at the last part.

“Are you telling me to stop using weapons?” he asked, a bit confused.

“I am not telling you to do anything, just giving my perspective. But no, that is not what I am saying. I am saying where to center yourself. So let me first ask you something very simple… do you feel the edge of your blade as you hold your sword?” the Viper asked.

Without waiting, Jake gently lifted Sylphie off him and placed her on the table with only a few minor protests from her as he walked down from his porch and took out his scimitar. He stood there with it in hand, not sure exactly what Villy was asking about.

“I’m not sure I get it? Jake asked.

“Do you feel the wind on your skin right now?”

“Well yeah, of course?”

“Do you also feel it on the scimitar? No, not the slight nudging on it… do you feel the wind slightly cool it down, the sensation as a small gust embraces and wraps around it, and yourself holding the handle not only in your hand but like you are grasping your other arm or hand?” Villy kept asking.

Shaking his head, Jake just asked. “What the hell you on about?”

“That you never embraced any weapon, at least not a melee weapon. You swing them like sticks, not extensions of yourself. You use them as tools, a sentiment any master would feel offended by. I would say you have decent skills when using weapons, but you do not have any knowledge of weapons, nor have I ever felt any desire from you to truly embrace and understand one,” Villy elaborated.

“I thought that whole extension of your body thing was just some joke or over-exaggeration… but you’re serious?”

“Dead serious. I am certain that the old swordsman you fought views his sword as fondly as you view your arm. Many weapon masters in the multiverse spend obscene resources on upgrading old weapons or repairing them without sparing any expense when they could get better by buying new ones. I have seen one mourn his broken axe by annihilating an entire race of poisonous frog-like creatures, leading to their extinction after one corroded his axe into nothingness with their special toxin.

“Getting a new weapon for them is like adopting a child. There is a long time where they are uncomfortable with their new weapon, and have to slowly adapt and get used to it before forming a bond. Meanwhile, you just pick up any new shiny weapon you got and use it right away if it seems better than your old stuff,” Villy finished.

Jake took the words in, and he couldn’t really disagree. His Nanoblade had broken, and while he sure did like the weapon, he liked it for its usefulness, and he disliked it being broken mainly because he would have to find a replacement or spend time and money getting it repaired. Not because he felt like an old friend had died or something like that.

He then looked over at the porch table with Sylphie and the broken bow both sitting on it, Sylphie having fun with inspecting the ruined weapon. Jake didn’t really feel anything special there either. Again, he liked the bow, but it was in the end just a tool in his mind.

I learn to really embrace a

is wrong here. No one says that is the only option. I think an example of how it isn’t needed is that girl from Valhal also on your planet who only uses her fists. Her entire body

we back to me not using weapons?”

seasoned warriors. Your instincts for self-preservation and avoiding blows is simply too powerful, and in many ways, I can see a large tool get in the way of that. So,

furrowed his brows a bit as he

joked back as Jake imagined him

the Twin-Fang style skill,” Jake remembered. It was a skill he didn’t really use much, but he did recall

way back in the first era by someone following a powerful mammal-like creature with highly venomous teeth, and the man managed to acquire two of its fangs with some of its venom still on it after the beast had battled a powerful foe, and he began using them as weapons and developed a style with them. The guy kept hunting down venomous creatures and getting their fangs

the guy would have loved some Malefic Viper fangs…

it was actually mainly me biting him,” Villy answered, Jake certain both of them had silly smiles on their

said after the brief intermission. “I guess daggers do work

and honestly, even just scratching the skin is enough to deliver a good dose of poison most of the time,” Villy answered. “But again, it’s

for thought,” Jake said, nodding, as he moved to one thing

asking about because

than most bother with at your grade. I would say that the type of combat you are best at is honestly magic due to your level of energy control and skill in manipulating it

telling you to do whatever you want. You certainly have more skill with your bow than your melee weapons, but I wouldn’t classify you as

ignored. Besides, it isn’t a waste;

just coating magic attacks or creating new spells integrating it directly,”

I have stacked points in Perception, it would be

primary stat of magic users too, and you can easily specialize your magic to make better use of the stat,

require a bow to use, so abandoning

choice that can still easily be made as you have only been in the system for less than a year, and we are

magic, I will be able to make

choices,

archery,” Jake finally just

it. Your path will take you further than the engineered path of perfection created by someone else. Perhaps not in the short term, but most certainly in the long run. Bla bla, the path to godhood is a marathon and all that, and remember it is YOUR marathon. Not mine. So while I will gladly share my opinion, do know that what

really, magic? I am not that good at it in my opinion. I

I will advise you to continue pursuing those methods. Make the bow a harbinger of your power, a way to focus your magic like one would use a staff. You already kind of do that right now,

about melee combat and find a proper method for that. Anyway… Villy, while I

are wearing a living Unique Lifeform on your face without commenting on it or mentioning it as something important quite yet,” Villy shot back, slightly teasing but with plenty

“Oh. Yeah. That.”

had totally not forgotten it with everything else going on. Definitely

off his mask as he stared

how was the King still alive, second of all, why was he in the mask, and third of all, what should Jake do about having him in his mask? The entire situation was also just super awkward as Jake had naturally been the