The Primal Hunter

Finally, it was skill-selection time. It had been a good while since he had last selected a class skill. Shit, the last time he picked one was when he got Steady Focus of the Apex Hunter during the Treasure Hunt. It felt like ages ago. Since then, he had gone to the Order and mainly focused on alchemy, so his class had really been put on the backburner. Not that this time spent hadn’t also benefitted his class. Through his profession, he had gotten a lot stronger, especially when it came to his magic and energy control.

Jake did not know what he wanted from this skill selection. He considered if he needed a good melee skill but still wasn’t entirely certain on what Path he wanted to walk there. Not that what he wanted necessarily mattered anyway when it came to what the system offered… well, it did to some degree due to Records and all that, but for the most part, it was down to what he had done and experienced not what he wanted.

So, without further ado, he opened the menu and, as was customary, saw a disappointing first offer.

[Looping Arcane Bolt (Epic)] – The only thing better than one arcane bolt is two arcane bolts. Allows the hunter to summon a large arcane bolt that will passively drain mana to recharge itself and release arcane bolts every few seconds towards any designated targets. The large arcane bolt can be detonated at any point, releasing destructive arcane mana. Adds a bonus to the effectiveness of Intelligence when using Looping Arcane Bolt Arcane Orb.

Arcane Bolt, but now self-firing or something? From how he understood it, he could summon a bolt that would then shoot more bolts, allowing Jake to set up remote towers to bombard people. He liked the idea… if it summoned a bow that shot arrows, that is.

True, this could have some practical applications here and there, such as the fight he just had with the Prima, but it wasn’t like he needed it, and he viewed it more as a bit of direction for what he could do by himself without getting a skill.

As it was, this skill was just proof Jake had continually improved his mana control enough for the system to unlock this skill. Something the next skill also did.

Arcane Lance (Epic) – Just a bigger Arcane Bolt. What did you expect?

Yeah, that wasn’t actually what the description said, but it was exactly what it was. A big Arcane Bolt that was now an Arcane Lance that took longer to charge but did a lot more damage. Jake could already do that and sometimes even did, and considering he had no interest in gaining the extra stat-scaling from having it as a skill, he moved on.

[Twin-Fang Whirlwind Strike (Epic)] – May your fangs embrace the wind as a whirlwind is born from your strikes. Allows the hunter to infuse both weapons with potent wind mana and perform a circular strike to create a whirlwind that cuts and rebuffs all foes around you. Twin-Fang Whirlwind Strike can be repeatedly performed to further empower the whirlwind and persist for a small period even after the skill is no longer performed. Adds a small bonus to the effect of Agility, Intelligence, and Strength when using Twin-Fang Whirlwind Strike.

Three epic skills in a row… but this one did not include anything related to arcane energy, something Jake more or less felt used to at this point. No, this was pure wind magic, a school of magic Jake hadn’t really dabbled in at all outside of that one bow he got in the Tutorial, and that had just been an item. So the question was… how did he get it?

His first guess would be that his class just liked to offer some melee skills, and Jake had the affinity with his second guess being that a certain green murder bird was the cause. In any case, the skill itself looked interesting and clearly took some inspiration from Fang of Man. However, it didn’t really click with him. It required him to be in melee, and when Jake fought in melee, it was usually against foes he overpowered or when he did so defensively. This skill did have some defensive applications, but it struck him more as a skill that affected a large area and needed some charge-up to work, which was not the kind of melee skill Jake wanted. He could already imagine himself beginning the spinning to use the attack only to get smacked away.

So, yeah. Jake was not keen on it as he moved on to a skill that was a lot more interesting.

[Arcane Stalker (Ancient)] – A true artisan of stealth, you skulk your foes as they remain none the wiser to your presence. You find it easier than ever to blend into the environment, making your presence, mana, and nearly all traces of your existence hidden as you move stealthily. You are hidden from nearly all forms of magical scans, and when standing still, your arcane mana will automatically create a barrier, making you appear one with the environment, even to the sense of touch. Adds a bonus to the effect of Agility, Perception, Willpower, and Intelligence while successfully remaining undetected.

WARNING: This skill is unlocked by and will serve as an upgrade to your existing Arcane Stealth.

Jake had made some progress with stealth himself already. From a sucky inferior rarity skill to a rare one so far, so for the system to finally recognize it and offer him a skill was no surprise. The skill itself also clearly built upon what he had already done before. Currently, he could make himself invisible when standing still and actively focusing on using his arcane mana to hide, but this skill would make it all more automatic. It was without a doubt a good stealth skill… but…

He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like it. Logically he knew the skill was good, but something made him think picking it was a bad idea. Jake frowned as he closely read it a few more times but found nothing that indicated to him it would have any downsides compared to what he currently had. Yet the feeling remained.

For a moment, he considered asking Villy but ultimately decided not to. His gut feeling told him to not take it, and he would trust that even over the advice of a god. He did consider why he felt as he did, and he only had one real guess.

got the

to if he was offered an archery skill. Jake seriously couldn’t see himself picking a skill during the selection that upgraded his archery proficiency skill. He did remember some conversation with Villy about wasting skills by choosing to upgrade one in the past, so perhaps this was also part of it. Picking a direct upgrade would also inadvertently result in the skill not being as familiar to you compared to a skill you upgraded yourself, hence making it less powerful in nearly all cases. Finally, maybe this would lead

wouldn’t as he moved on to the final option. He

Resist and perhaps even channel the whispers of the void as your soul finds serenity

you can come across a skill you kind of understand why you get offered, but also nope the

this. Even so, it did surprise him. It didn’t make much sense to him that merely meeting a creature of the void would warrant unlocking a legendary skill. If that was so, wouldn’t peak factions just have a god bring an entire army to gaze at one for a bit before leaving? Then again, would this skill fuck people up somehow? Or was it rare to get it offered? Did he gain the skill

just remembering Oras, and the skill itself also had some shady-ass wording, making him believe it had a great chance of having… unforeseen effects. His guts also

one stealth skill that did seem great but made him apprehensive,

quickly came to mind was one he had skipped at

arcane energy, blocking out all kinds of direct attacks that attempt to pass through – both physical and magical attacks alike. Mana or stamina will be consumed depending on the nature of the blocked attacks. All concepts not deployed by you will

a bit reluctant was how much his own barrier magic had already progressed without any skills. Also… a pure magic skill like this just didn’t feel like it “fit” with the rest of the skills for his class. All the ones he currently had, at least from the ones gained in D-grade, were related to archery in some way, while this one would have no relation. Sure, that was only two skills so far, not counting the ones gained from the evolution itself, but even those he had from his earlier grades all fit a hunter “theme” more than an arcane barrier

practice. His mana control was improving every day and had especially taken a jump after he went to the Order. As he

but he also noticed some had disappeared, such as the Basic Nature Affinity offered all the way back at level 30 and the mental defense skill from level

A skill Jake had skipped over back at

not thought much about this skill back then due to how curious he had been about what

too late. Increase the power of the first attack made on an otherwise unaware foe. Works with both ranged and melee attacks. Adds a bonus to the effect

Jake skip it outright, but this one felt different. While it seemed like a super simple skill – stealth attacks do more damage – he now knew far

that Jake had no chance to. Anything that gave direct damage or directly increased something without any drawback was naturally

locate his foes with Mark and his Sphere, making it immediately useful. There were only so many ways to make his Arcane Powershot more powerful, and

be upgraded. Jake’s stealth skill had been shit when he got it. His archery skill had also been at inferior rarity yet was now epic. While he right now had no idea

day want. To get it at common rarity meant he could mold it, and it would likely be a better skill for him at whatever rarity he

his head, but it was damn minimal and just made him aware that only the first attack would ever count, as it would count as if the foe was

checked his status for the first time in

Status

Name: Jake Thayne

[Human (D) –

Arcane Hunter

of the Malefic Viper –

Health Points (HP): 35682/46250

Mana Points (MP): 39888/72825

Stamina: 19369/33750

Stats

Strength: 3279