The Primal Hunter

Jake stared up at the white snake that, in turn, regarded him, waiting for an answer to its question. It had mentioned something about a Forefather, and the hamster wheel in Jake’s mind spun as he put two and two together… the snake had to be talking about the Malefic Viper. It did confuse him a bit, though.

The snake didn’t have any Blessing as far as Jake could tell, and he couldn’t see any connection between the C-grade and the Viper at all. Well, besides them both being highly venomous snakes. Also, why had the snake come to begin with?

One thing that did put his mind at ease was the lack of hostility. The snake had helped them and now seemed friendly and curious. Considering that was the case, Jake decided it would be wisest to be honest about what they were doing there.

“We are simply passing through and had no plans of getting into any fights, but the frog attacked us,” Jake answered truthfully.

The snake regarded Jake and then tossed Sylphie a look. “To bring a young one from such a heritage through this area is unwise.”

“We realize that now,” Jake nodded. He still had no idea why the snake was so friendly, though. At least not for the next half a second before he felt a certain snake god send down a message.

“Divine teacher coming in with a quick lesson because this isn’t really anything taught anywhere as it is considered pretty common knowledge. I got shit-all to do with this particular snake. At least not directly. Without going into a lengthy explanation, then I am in some ways connected to nearly every single snake in existence due to how Records work, and while I may not know of this snake, it clearly knows of me simply due to its heritage. Beasts have heritages like humans do, and this one may walk one related to me. This all leads back to how we ancient beasts more or less raised the Records of our entire races and hence became known as Forefathers. So yeah, the snake can see you walk a similar Path as herself. Good luck making a new friend!”

Jake got the entire message from Villy within a few seconds as he got a better understanding of what was going on. Currently, Jake still had his scales summoned and his wings out. He didn’t look very human, and the snake potentially didn’t even think he was one.

It was a bit risky, but he wanted to dispel that illusion right away as he dismissed his scales and wings, returning to being more human. Normally you could barely see the scales, but Jake currently had quite the gnarly wound on his chest with his armor entirely tattered from absorbing the blow, revealing his upper body.

When the scales and wings disappeared, Jake felt the snake be surprised as she moved her head closer.

“Human?” she asked, perplexed.

“I apologize for any misunderstandings, but even if I am human, I too walk the Path of the Viper – your Forefather,” Jake explained to the female snake. He wanted to make it clear he was still her “kin,” so to say, as he really didn’t want the snake to turn hostile. Jake was unsure if he could escape himself and certain Carmen would be unable to unless she had some item to help her. Sylphie was also a big question mark. No, better to try the diplomatic approach for now.

Also… the snake had yet to turn antagonistic, and she even seemed disinterested in Sylphie despite clearly being aware of the hawk’s heritage.

“I was merely surprised,” the snake answered. “I sensed the blood in the river and came as I feared one of my own had been attacked, but I see now it was you. It is interesting to see a human with the blood of the Forefather… are you a descendant of some sort? No, you are a pure human... tell me, how do you walk the Path of the Forefather?”

Jake’s mind blanked for a while as he had just discovered a giant gap in knowledge. He had believed himself to be the ignorant one – in his defense, he usually was – but clearly, the snake before him was also unaware of many things considering common knowledge. She didn’t seem to have any experience with Blessings and possibly even the way humans worked with their classes, professions, and races. Which… well, it made sense she didn’t.

If he assumed the Alabaster Crimsoneye Snake was a native of Earth and had only awakened true sapience in C-grade, how would she have learned? Jake did know that when an animal would awaken, sapience was deeply related to their intelligence before. Reptiles tended to need C-grade at the very least, while some smarter animals would awaken it far earlier. Hawkie had already been damn smart at E-grade, and Sylphie had been a smart little bugger from birth. He also knew beasts had inherent knowledge based on their Heritages. This was likely how the snake even knew of the Viper, but that knowledge hadn’t covered this it seemed.

“Are you familiar with the concept of Legacies and Blessings?” Jake asked the snake.

The snake looked at him a bit with her deep red eyes before answering. “Legacies… yes. Heritages and Legacies are closely related, correct? I have heard of Blessings, but I am uncertain of its effects. A competitor of mine speaks of possessing a Blessing, so I assume it is beneficial?”

some expectations. Tell me, what do you know of your Forefather?” Jake asked, wanting to make sure they weren’t speaking

and sent echoes throughout existence as he embraced eternity. I am not certain what more you expect me to know?” the snake asked, and Jake

Primordial. His Blessing that was otherwise suppressed to the level of a Lesser Blessing flared as it grew to that of his True Blessing. He had

she asked with fright but

out Blessings to those they want, creating a bond between themselves and the blessed individual. This usually just resolves in the blessed one getting access to the Path related to the god, and the gods themselves gaining a presence among mortals as well as some

been hanging back and had clearly been on guard in case things went south. In fact, Jake saw now that she was holding some golden medallion of sorts

all kinds of creatures and races, and Jake and the Viper just happened to be highly compatible, so the Malefic One made Jake his Chosen. Ah, a Chosen is like a prophet or something and is the highest level of Blessing possible, more or less making Jake the most important mortal in existence from

what any of them could handle. Even Sylphie was hiding away. In her anxiety, she had just opened the floodgates and had spoken, wanting

Jake felt a

deemed more important than any other snake-kin in

froze as she.

Jake interrupted Carmen as he stared up at the snake. “Is that really so hard

human as more worthy than any of his kin. On account of

from Carmen, who had just begun to look

as he stood in opposition to the snake. She glared at him as she subconsciously retracted her head a bit in front of his Bloodline-powered

Beam me

giving out Blessings to any random creature you meet,” Villy promptly answered. Jake had known the god had looked on with

you can,”

this little one

commanded. “You did help us, so I guess

you planning?” the snake sneered as she showed her fangs. Jake felt the venom within them and got even more sure that he would probably be in for a very bad time if any of that entered

some measly D-grade human can harm you?” Jake taunted the snake. He believed he had read her right, and he turned out to

he vaguely felt that he didn’t need to when he began infusing his energy. Need to ask, that is. He felt a connection be formed and

time as he felt Villy bless the snake by using him as the conduit. A pulse of power went through his hand and entered the snake, and he saw the crimson eyes flash dark green for

five as Jake just stood there with his hand on the snake. None of them moved, and only a

Jake as she swayed slightly, and Jake saw what

“Please don’t be mad…”

the library as she searched for a specific book she had been asked to find. Well, she needed to find a book with a topic she had been asked about. She was sure she had seen it before, she just wasn’t entirely clear on the name, but she had

all over it. She hadn’t touched it because it had been left like that by her Master. He was a bit messy, but she remembered hearing

soon enough found the section she had been thinking of and quickly went towards the entrance hall again, where she activated the

said once she

find than expected,”