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.

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,

it expanded and created a physical wall between Jake and the ranged fighters. The healer could still cast through the shield, it appeared

Eternal Hunger and the Bloodfeast Dagger. Green energy

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

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

was. The scalekin suddenly exploded in power as he bulked up and grew nearly a meter in height. His muscles bulged as spikes erupted from his back, all pulsing

of them fought a bit more as Jake still came out on top. His opponent had gotten stronger, but not faster. However, he had also clearly gotten way bulkier and resistant as Jake’s weapons didn’t cut

were going as they were was that Jake allowed them to. He wanted to see what his opponents were cooking up. He had no experience fighting fights like this and wanted to take this test as a learning opportunity, as he had been told by the

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 shield until finally, the gunner and

limbs, he suddenly felt himself be weighed down as he also began taking damage as it was clearly

the same time, the scalekin also closed in for an attack, with the demon even charging towards him to follow up. It was all a masterfully

Most people.

was 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

Jake’s own Arcane Powershot, which showed as the scalekin was blasted away. Jake narrowly dodged the large figure as it flew over him and smashed

resources be drained,

the other hand, was a bad target. He flooded certain parts of his own Soulshape with

then went on the offensive. Pride of the Malefic Viper bellowed out as he used Gaze on the group. The mental attack from Pride made them all falter slightly

was struck by the Arcane Powershot but managed to protect

colosseum wall that he would now put into motion. His hand was glowing green as he summoned his wings and flew forward, catching the healer by her face

into the wall with Touch of the Malefic Viper going as he dragged her across the wall in a clockwise direction, grinding her skull up against the fortified rock. The mage tried to

and help too, but Jake was too fast as he made four full revolutions around the arena within a few seconds, leaving a red

as the notification came. Disappointingly, the notification didn’t include class and profession,

attention to the four others, who were all preparing to attack

never played any MMOs? It’s

the four remaining members proceeded. It was one-sided from the start, and they had actually been a bit

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

always wins out,”

does he

nine,” a

many comments anymore. He didn’t truly question if he could beat the seventh test either. No… his question was related

spoke up. “I am voting for allowing it… I want to see him fight that

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 speaking of gains: he