The Primal Hunter

Reika had sat in the booth together with her great-grandfather as the auction of the Soul Renewal was underway. She was confused at his refusal to bid and had failed to hold herself back. When it was finally sold, without him even fighting for it, she failed to hold herself back.

“Why-“

“Choices have consequences,” he answered before she could even finish her question. “I made a choice, and now I bear the burden of that choice. I have already forced one change of season… let’s not break the balance more than necessary and force another.”

Still finding the answer unnecessarily vague, Reika nevertheless nodded and accepted his words. Deep in her heart, she just thought he was too proud to use such an item. Perhaps a part of him didn’t want to spend the funds of the clan on something so personal. Perhaps he truly did believe that he didn’t need it … maybe he even saw it as a test he had to overcome.

While Reika tried to take a logical approach and a scientific one where possible – something that had become quite a bit more complicated after the system – the Patriarch was different. He had always been a spiritual man who believed there was more between heaven and earth. He had been a good businessman and logical when operating his corporate empire, but a part of him had always found solace in the metaphysical. A solace and belief that had now translated to power.

“I understand,” she just said with a nod as she got up. “I shall take my leave and go discuss with the other branch managers now.”

He just nodded slowly in return as he closed his eyes to rest. The Sword Saint, one of the strongest people on Earth, was still too weak to walk around without his cane and found it exhausting. But… it was his choice.

Well… in some ways. Reika did believe he had enough Credits to compete, but she was unsure if he could have beaten the competition.

Jake was powerful and influential in every way. Even if he seemed to not realize it himself very often. There were archers in the Noboru Clan who would use the bow offered; some had personal funds to afford a bid, at least when it was below a hundred million. But none had made a bid out of respect and perhaps a bit of fear.

Reika understood why the Patriarch placed so much importance in hopefully making him an ally, or at the very least avoiding making him an enemy. Which is exactly what she was going to talk to the branch managers about… delegation of her responsibilities.

Because shortly after returning the auction event, it would be time for her to begin her travel towards Haven. Of course, she would not leave while the Patriarch was still in his current state. And if she did have to leave, she at least had to make sure there would be no problems.

The rest of the auction event passed without anything noteworthy happening. Jake had bound his bow to himself, chatted a bit with the others, and watched over the still sleeping Sylphie. When only ten minutes remained, everyone had returned to the booth as they prepared to leave.

“Would you like to return to Haven right away or stay in Skyggen a while longer and make your own way back?” Miranda asked him.

“I think returning is best, also for the bird on my head,” Jake answered. He had also spoken to Caleb about his parents before leaving, so him not returning to Skyggen was expected.

Neil chimed in as he had also just returned. “I have compared some notes with the space mages from Skyggen, and I think we are closer to a teleportation circle than ever. Shouldn’t take more than a month from now.”

“Nice,” Jake said. “Should make the choice easier then if I can just go visit again in a month or so.”

With all of that decided, they just kept chatting as Sylphie had yet to wake up. Considering she was on his head, he assumed that counted as physical contact, but he still wanted to make sure as he raised his hand, pressing down on her like she was a hat on a windy day. The fluffy ball of feathers was very squishy.

Miranda placed a hand on his shoulder just before the time expired, and his vision shifted for a moment. Shortly, Jake found himself back in Miranda’s office in Haven. Sultan appeared together with them, having had a hand on the shoulders of Felicia and Roman to give them an easy trip to Haven. Jake had never actually considered using this method as fast travel, but it appeared to work quite well, and it would in no way surprise him if other factions did it.

interesting,” Sultan said just as

it?” Miranda

new interesting opportunities… something for us to discuss at a later time for sure, especially now that the System Store is gone,” the

he had honestly thrown it to the back of his mind. He hadn’t used the store much himself

raw materials to mass-produce potions with it gone. Luckily, Jake should have a large storage

telling Miranda to have

the event while making his way back. His trip to the lodge wasn’t the fastest as Jake had to travel carefully due to the still-sleeping

least not above ground. With his sphere, he saw people underground, doing some stuff to the walls. Hank himself was not there,

would just wait for Hank. Jake took a seat on his porch as he leaned back to relax. With a hawk on

time?” Jake asked out loud as he established a connection

first to not disturb your talks with the other mortals. That is just common courtesy, you know?” Villy answered more or less instantly. “Now give

Missed me?”

like when you were just watching a damn great video, and then suddenly the internet dies for a time, and you just have to wait for it to get fixed as the video buffers. Excruciating experience,” Villy returned his joke. “In all seriousness, it is an unsettling experience for many gods if their blessed are in special closed-off system spaces like that event. We have no way to

we use that time

the best time to,” Villy said. “But come on… give me a rundown. Including why the Sylphian Hawk has consumed a

as apparently, it

the shape they take differs. When you look at it, you see a human. I see a snake… the hawk on your head probably saw a hawk there. Or a human… it differs from individual to individual; it isn’t always a being of your own race. As

how powerful is the system actually?” Jake asked. He already kind of knew, but

reality is. How strong energy is. How strong the concept of existence is. There is nothing to quantify, nothing to compare. For a single event, the system has recreated entire universes on a whim, created beings more powerful than any god, even I, and facilitates everything we are. Without the system, none

times infinite?” Jake asked half-serious,

infinite even!”

file a complaint about my bow only being legendary then? Could have given me a

has limited powers in the realms of customer support. Though technically, you just having voiced or even thought your complaints means they have been registered

Jake relented, acting all offended. “Anyway, the

Core were both incredibly valuable items that would go for ludicrous prices in the wider multiverse if one could even buy them. The legendary equipment was all great, too, though Villy honestly cared little for those. Jake knew he only faked being all excited for Jake’s bow, but that was okay… it was like Jake getting

the Noboru clan and the Horn were also both nice. According to him, both would

all the items. The Gift of Wind. It was the kind of item that could never, in any way, be bought. It was an item that even S-grade elementals would go

it would likely just result in Sylphie upgrading a skill and affecting her Records for future evolutions. As she was categorized as a monster, natural treasures could

of Soul Renewal,” Jake said as

is,” Villy just answered, with Jake hearing

the bottle in his hand to show it off, as he

Soul Renewal is able to heal any wound to the soul and restore any damage or temporary affliction imposed

Requirements: D-grade.

ten or so seconds, Jake was a bit