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.

to really embrace a weapon then?” Jake

option. I think an example of how it isn’t needed is

back to me not using weapons?”

necessarily. There are other options, but I would consider going away from tools not fitting you as much. Your body moves like a weapon as you fight, and you have embraced it far more than I see many 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, maybe consider going smaller? Something where your weapon is only a small extension of your own body, and

brows a bit as he considered.

Villy joked back as Jake imagined him

didn’t really use much, but he did recall what it did. It was an actual martial art

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 as he honed his style, in the end becoming far more skilled at using fangs than the creatures they originally came from. After

guess: “I am sure the guy would have loved some Malefic Viper fangs…

Villy answered, Jake certain

after the brief intermission. “I guess daggers do work

something you already do. Plenty of methods to get around it, 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 all up to you. Just something to consider for the future. Daggers or short weapons are far closer to your body and are

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

asking about because he did have a bad feeling about what

say that the type of combat you are best at is honestly magic due to your level of energy

back to me 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 some archery genius. You’re decent enough, but my honest take is that giving up on the bow and focusing more on magic

answering. “Well, that is dutifully noted and promptly ignored. Besides, it isn’t a waste; archery is a damn good way to deliver my poisons,

coating magic attacks or

I have stacked points in Perception, it would be a

to make better use of the stat, and besides, you are still only

many of the class skills currently require a bow to use, so abandoning

you have only been in the system for less than a year, and we are back to you having

will be able to make use of the best

skill choices, levels, mental energy, and time,”

archery,” Jake

like it, do 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

victory. “But really, magic? I am not that good at it in my opinion. I just

linked with your archery, and I will advise you to continue pursuing those methods. Make the bow a harbinger of your power,

when it comes to archery while maybe focusing a bit more on improving some basic archery stuff. But I definitely need to learn some more about melee combat and find a proper method for that. Anyway… Villy, while I do have more questions, I feel like those can wait. Thanks as always, we can chat later. Unless you got something

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 of

“Oh. Yeah. That.”

it with everything else going on. Definitely

he stared down at it. “Hey… so… got

was he in the mask, and third of all, what should Jake do about having