The Primal Hunter

An annoying ringing sound reminiscent of his old alarm woke Jake up from his nap. With a start, he sat up only to groan in pain as his body still hurt like hell. He wondered what was going on as the alarm kept blaring in his head until he finally found the cause.

“Villy… are you cosplaying as an alarm clock?”

“I was going more for a phone alarm with the most annoying option selected, actually,” the god answered.

Jake was about to ask why the god was doing that, but he instantly realized the reason, and Villy also gladly reminded him.

“Let us just ignore the fact that you effectively just demoted your own Patron – a Primordial – to a damn alarm to remind you of your own damn scheduled system events,” Villy said in a half-joking, half-scolding way. “Not that I am surprised. In fact, I am beginning to see a pattern here. Do you just like hunting dangerous prey while under time pressure? Either way, you got ten minutes till it begins, so get going with all the stuff.”

“If it is worth anything, then you are the best alarm clock I have ever had,” Jake said with a smile as he stood up. He had been using the now rapidly decaying corpse of the Panther as a bed, and he was a little bit dirty. Not to mention how his armor was shredded and his body filled with holes that were still healing.

“It is not,” Villy said. “Now go on with what you have to do. We will talk more after the system event. If my guess is correct, this one will be like the others and not necessarily only concern Earth. Good luck with it all… and good fight, mate.”

Jake nodded in appreciation, a smile still on his lips. He hurt all over, but he felt elated. Killing a C-grade was not easy, and the Phantomshade Panther was not a weak C-grade either. Checking his notifications, he saw that while the beast had been C-grade, it was only barely. Also, the clone level had been right.

*You have slain [Phantomshade Panther – lvl 204]–Bonus experience earned for killing an enemy above your level*

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 165 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

…

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 169 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 168 - Stat points allocated, +15 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 169 - Stat points allocated, +15 Free Points*

Jake had gained five levels from that one fight. Killing a level 199 didn’t even give him a full level anymore unless it was a particularly strong specimen, so seeing how much he got truly demonstrated the difference between D and C-grades.

Jake turned his attention to the beast in question and began using Alchemist’s Purification to remove the last of the remnant poison lingering behind. Once done, he checked for loot and found a C-grade Beastcore attuned to dark and space affinities and something even more interesting.

It was a black fang that hummed with intense energy. Jake frowned as he looked at it but quickly realized what type of item it was.

of energy and Records that will allow any compatible beast that consumes it to grow far faster and gain magical skills and abilities related to dark and space magic. This fang is already

had absorbed to quickly reach D-grade, but a far more potent version… perhaps one good enough to

the fallen beast. The pelt was not worth much, but he still wanted to take it with him and not leave it rotting on the

just one more thing. When he had escaped that spatial tunnel with Moment of the Primal Hunter active,

to cross vast distances. It is said that the very space between the user and their foes shrinks with every footfall. By drawing on the concept of space, this skill allows the user to cross far longer distances with every step than otherwise. Note that there must be a clear path between you and your target. Grants a noticeable bonus to the effectiveness of Endurance and Agility when using One Step

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space between the user and their foes shrinks with every footfall. By drawing on the concept of space, this skill allows the user to cross far longer distances with every step than otherwise. Note that there must be a path between you and your target. Grants a noticeable bonus to the effectiveness of Endurance and Agility when

where nothing had changed. Okay, saying nothing was not accurate. One fucking word was gone. It had gone from “there must be a clear path” to “there must be a path,” which was so damn minuscule it barely counted. Was that all his improved ability to

the rarity had upgraded along with the skill name. Jake wondered what was up

Miles as it is called now… what is up with

the god gladly

but

expect to change?” Villy once more asked. It wasn’t

just got a bit better, and nothing else,” Jake shrugged, but he

power and influence, gained by far more individuals than you would expect. It is simple, elegant, and a core skill that has been around since… forever. It

your

and my Records. One Step is a skill that originated from the system itself, as far as I know. It is not bound to any individual or any Path; it merely is. The skill is one that you can keep upgrading and using all the way to the pinnacle, going from simply stepping a bit through space

he began to appreciate the simple skill even more. Thinking about it, didn’t it fit him quite

for the exposition on the deep lore of my movement skill,” Jake thanked

For real this time. You

said, having already seen the timer, and

Updated: The Call of

those who have managed to form keys to allow their entry.

of Earth may not be ready to face yet. Should they unleash this danger

key, you shall be allowed entrance into the Seat during its opening hours. May fortune be with you, and may your world come out stronger. The Seat of the Exalted

Exalted Prima, enter the Seat of the Exalted

key from his inventory and used Identify on it once more. He had

of the Exalted Prima. Use the key to open a portal only a Prima Key Holder can use, leading to

this event was different. Jake was not just teleported to it after accepting a system prompt but could choose to teleport there.

just survived a fight to the death with an incredibly powerful opponent, Jake used the key. A portal opened up in front of him, and feeling no sense of

find out what all of that Prima stuff was