The Primal Hunter

Jake quickly took out the token to begin the sixth combat test. The fifth one had honestly been too easy, but then again, the huge thing was incredibly ill-matched against Jake. It just relied on being big and unapproachable, which just made a massive target for Jake.

When he activated the token, the environment shifted again. He once more found solid ground beneath him as he saw structures form all around. Within a moment, he stood within a huge colosseum of some kind more than five hundred meters across and with a magical barrier sealing him in.

A gate at the far end opened as five figures appeared. Jake frowned when he saw them.

It was five humanoids also wearing differing equipment. From what he could tell, it was two women and three men with a scalekin at the lead with a sword in hand. The ones behind were a female elf in a robe holding a staff, a human also wearing a robe, a demon in full plate armor, and a female beastkin with what looked like a rifle. Jake used Identify as he instantly understood.

[Human – lvl 156]

[Elf – lvl 160]

[Scalekin – lvl 162]

[Demon – lvl 159]

[Beastkin – lvl 160]

It was a battle to pit the testee against a full party of fighters - a healer, a tank, and three damage dealers able to strike at both melee and range. As Jake looked at them, they didn’t speak or emote at all, but their movements were clearly that of sapient people as the healer began casting some magic that coated them all in a green aura.

Jake decided for once to not take this too casually. He had little to no experience fighting teams despite being a mid-tier D-grade, and this group was clearly one made to test his ability to handle such a group.

Arcane Awakening activated at 30% as he took out his bow right off the bat and released a barrage of explosive arrows, jumping backward. Just as he did so, the demon warrior stepped in the front and took out a shield that summoned a barrier around its edges that expanded and totally blocked the explosions in tandem with the healer’s defenses.

While jumping back, Jake began charging Arcane Powershot as he took aim for the healer of the group. The logic of always killing the healer first was a tried and true logic that he would naturally follow. The enemy gunner also returned fire as the scalekin raised his blade and exploded with some aura that left a faint sheen on the body of everyone present.

The human mage seemed to begin some ritual as a large magic seal was formed right behind him, and Jake heard some kind of chanting. There was a lot to keep track of at once, and Jake wanted to quickly seize the momentum.

He released the Arcane Powershot just before a bullet arrived from the enemy gunner. Jake quickly made a shield with his hand as the bullet impacted it and exploded in a frosty white mist, creating ice on the stable arcane barrier.

His Arcane Powershot shot forward with incredible momentum as the demon warrior once more stepped forward to block. Jake used Gaze on him as the demon froze. Annoyingly so, the scalekin warrior stepped in, and just straight-up took the arrow with his own body as he was blasted back.

It seemed like a good thing for Jake, but the healer quickly reacted as the scalekin began visibly healing. He also noticed something else… the scales on the scalekin weren’t the usual kind. They had a dark green color, as Jake instantly recognized Scales of the Malefic Viper.

two black draconic wings appeared behind the scalekin as the swordsman flew towards Jake with great speed, even while injured. The demon warrior stayed with the healer, gunner, and mage as Jake

some attack as the human mage continued his ritual. The demon slammed his shield into the ground as it expanded and created a physical wall between Jake and

out Eternal Hunger and the Bloodfeast Dagger. Green energy swirled

into Jake, but he didn’t care. The swordsman moved his blade as he tried to do a feint, but Jake blocked as

and compared to the Sword Saint, his swordplay seems simple, Jake thought as he

nearly a meter in height. His muscles bulged as spikes erupted from his back, all pulsing with energy. Jake was still close and attacked his opponent but

on top. His opponent had gotten stronger, but not faster. However, he had also clearly

up. He had no experience fighting fights like this and wanted to take this test as a learning

what the projection had meant, but hey, what can you do? Jake kept brawling with this scalekin for a while longer, occasionally throwing an arcane spell in the direction of the demon’s

mage. The magic seal expanded as Jake suddenly felt invisible attacks coming for him from everywhere. Like invisible chains bound his limbs, he suddenly felt himself be weighed down as he also

time, the scalekin also closed in for an attack, with the demon even charging towards him to follow up. It was all a masterfully planned attack that would no doubt be able to kill most people in

Most people.

the scalekin, as Jake dove forward into the blow. He allowed the large swordsman to hit him in the shoulder as Jake, in turn, grasped the scalekin’s arm and twisted his body – all of it happening in a moment, not giving

scalekin as a shield against the gunner’s powerful attack. It rivaled Jake’s own Arcane Powershot, which showed as the scalekin was blasted away. Jake narrowly dodged the large figure as

able to control them slightly. They dug in deeper as Jake felt his resources be drained, and he gritted his teeth as he was now certain it was a soul attack of some sort.

was a bad target. He flooded certain parts of his own Soulshape with destructive arcane energy as

Malefic Viper bellowed out as he used Gaze on the group. The mental attack from Pride made them all falter slightly longer, giving Jake time to draw his bow and fire an Arcane Powershot towards the healer of the

Mile forward. The healer was struck by the

put into motion. His hand was glowing green as he summoned his wings and flew forward, catching the healer by her face after briefly breaking through

the wall in a clockwise direction, grinding her skull up against the fortified

a few seconds, leaving a red line of blood around the perimeter wall. Finally,

down,he thought as the notification came. Disappointingly, the notification didn’t include

four others, who were all

any MMOs?

slaughter of the four remaining members proceeded. It was one-sided from the start, and they had actually been a bit surprised he appeared to struggle in the beginning

to deploy more than that one tactic,” one of the

always

skills does he possess?”

all nine,” a fourth

the seventh test either. No… his question was related to what came after. “What are the chances he can do

on him as the beastskin spoke up. “I am voting for allowing it…

over, taking in whatever insights he had gained. Not that there was much… in his first real attack, he had killed the healer, so yeah, that was boring. Oh, and