The Primal Hunter

Days passed as Jake entertained Reika, primarily through discussions on alchemy and just seeing the city. He had even given her a tour of his new alchemy laboratory, which she was quite impressed with, especially the room with the water basin in it, as well as the laboratory itself. She said that the craftsmanship was above anything anyone in the Noboru Clan could do, making Jake wonder how Arnold and Hank had pulled it off.

The best part of it all had no doubt been when they went to see the dungeon entrance and the under-construction garden, which had netted them both a big surprise.

“Why is there level 149 troll just below the city?” Reika had asked as she looked at the large troll digging through some soil with its hands. “And why is it wearing overalls?”

Jake didn’t have an answer for that as he looked at the troll wearing oversized blue dirty overalls covering its lower half as it worked. When the troll saw Jake and Reika, it waved happily at them, and soon enough, two small trolls ran over.

Reika looked a bit taken aback, but Jake calmed her down as one of the trolls ran up to him and handed him a shiny stone. It wasn’t an item or anything, just a bit shiny.

“Thanks,” Jake said, reaching up to the little guy. Yes, he had to reach up as the troll was slightly taller than himself.

The troll happily clapped and ran back to its parent while the second troll stayed and looked at Reika. It tried to poke her, but Reika backed away a bit from the dirt-stained hands of the troll. It looked sad, so Jake threw Reika a look, making her give in as he held out her hand and touched the little one’s hand.

It smiled and danced a bit in place as he held out its other hand to give her a small flower. Reika accepted that one, too, making the troll run back in excitement.

“Why did you get a flower when I got a rock?” Jake commented.

“That’s your takeaway? I’m wondering why you have a family of trolls living right beneath the city… isn’t this a hazard? And this close to the dungeon?” Reika said.

“Do they look dangerous?” Jake answered, smiling a bit. “They originally came from within the dungeon, and I chose to bring them out as I like them. The big one is also damn good at gardening; it is the one behind all this.”

The entire biodome once inhabited by the mushroom was already beginning to look a lot better, especially with the troll and its children now around to help manage things. The Cave Troll liked to dig up weeds, plant flowers, till the ground, and just generally tend to plants and just relax. It was a peaceful creature that had only been forced into conflict by the Deepdwellers in the dungeon. Now that it was outside, it could just dedicate itself to its true calling:

To be a troll gardener.

Ah, but not to misunderstand. The troll was still one of the strongest creatures in the city, and even after all Jake’s levels, he still didn’t want to take a direct clubbing.

her parents were also around. Are you planning on

a bunch of beasts or whatever come and wanna live here, they are free to. They

it can’t be done, but it will take

If anyone has a problem with others living here – be they human, beast, monsters, or whatever

a difficult spot… they have nowhere else to go if

bigoted assholes. If that is too much to ask, we are back to them fucking right off,

just annoyed him on a fundamental level. Sylphie, Hawkie, Mystie, the trolls in front of him, Villy, the King of the Forest… were as much people as Miranda and Arnold. Shit, Casper was not a human anymore either, and his girlfriend Lyra was a

giving better stats or something, in which case it was just better... okay, he didn’t see species making someone better. It didn’t even make much sense to talk about who or what

didn’t care how strong someone was or how influential or whatever. He would get as strong as they

argue about it because he knew most thought like that. Jake understood, partly, and believed in due time, people would come to learn the world had changed. Like, how could one hate the cute trolls just minding their own business and

Jake less willing to hunt them. In fact, anyone not showing hostility wasn’t someone he actively wanted to hunt down. As an example, if Jake had entered the monkey territory back right after he was evolved and all that had

also held that mentality towards humans. If he entered a settlement and was attacked,

after that and kept discussing the city, the garden, his alchemy lab, and a slew of other things. When Miranda finally came out of the dungeon, she was met with an avalanche of work as all of the folk from the Noboru clan needed proper housing in the actual

by the Noboru clan. Jake had come to learn that they planned on not just staying for a brief visit but would make it a long-term occupancy. At least until a teleportation circle had been established between Haven and Saya, which would

given it to Neil, so at least that should speed up the process. The distance to the territory of the Noboru clan was further than to Skyggen, but it wasn’t that much, only about twice as far. The only reason Haven and Skyggen had one established was that both sides worked together from the beginning and were willing to offer resources to make it happen as a priority. Many other places, including the Noboru clan, were still a bit

other side only needed one person? If someone

Something else he would also outsource was another thing Reika had brought up when she asked a very obvious question: what

the look Reika gave him when he proposed it wasn’t an approving one. Well, he did find out later it

make sure the beasts reproduced. Needless to say, Jake didn’t like the guy from the get-go as he clearly still viewed beasts as lesser lifeforms to be exploited and used for the good of mankind. Something he more or less confessed. Jake considered just having Sylphie teach the guy who was actually in charge. He would learn soon enough that denying treats to her

Miranda handle it, and he would just be the one to

learn how to talk in primitive ways, and even if not, he could at least learn to write a bit or

mainly studied alchemy and sparred with those from the Noboru clan, enjoying finally having others to talk to who knew a bit about it. It still ended up mainly being himself and

gained a lot from the experience, including levels. Jake’s Legacy Teachings of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist coupled with Legacy of Man, the unique racial skill of humans, truly made a powerful combo as just Jake

this time was relaxed as soon three weeks had passed, and even if Jake only gained that single level, he would say his time was

then… then the fateful day