The Primal Hunter

Some lessons in the Order of the Malefic were limited to certain members. This was one such lesson, limited to individuals who had been in the Order for less than a year. The lessons were also held once a year, making it one you could only attend once. Jake heard that the Hall Master had missed some lessons in recent times due to being away training, but it didn’t have that huge of an impact who taught it. Rather than teaching much, it was an orientation of sorts, and Jake honestly only attended because it would be suspicious if he didn’t. Well, that, and one kind of ulterior motive.

As for the topic of the lesson? How to become a true member of the Order of the Malefic Viper. Currently, they were all members of the Academy, but they were not truly members of the Order. One had to remember that many who attended the Academy came from different factions from all across the multiverse. Risen, who were loyal to the Blightfather and the undead faction, people from the Altmar Empire, or even the Endless Empire of insect-like creatures. That wasn’t counting all those from minor factions.

Reika was still a member of the Noboru Clan and was loyal to Earth with no real sense of loyalty to the Order as far as Jake knew. Jake didn’t really know if he would consider himself a true member of the Order, even if everyone else would, for one simple reason: he had a Blessing. That was, to many, a clear indication he was a true member. Even if no such rule existed, those blessed just tended to be. Jake was sure it would be touched upon how easy those like him had it with Blessings from the Viper.

With plenty of knowledge of what he was about to experience, Jake walked through the portal to the lesson hall, and to call this one huge was an understatement. But it was more than that. It was not one of the regular lesson halls but was clearly one specialized for this kind of thing. Carvings of the Viper lined the walls, and at the podium in the center was a massive statue of the Malefic Viper. It was a huge coiling snake wrapped around a dragon and sinking its teeth into the neck of the larger beast, with the aura given off by the snake far more profound than the dragon. It was almost a statement that the Viper as a snake was superior to dragons.

On the ceiling was an equally impressive mural depicting the founding of the Order. At least, that is what he assumed it was about. It showed the Viper in human form followed by a huge swathe of people in robes as he demolished an army of beasts and, with a wave of his hand, created a massive hole in the ground to begin building the mostly underground headquarter of the Order of the Malefic Viper.

The entire hall was pretty much an for how awesome the Malefic Viper and the Order were. As mentioned, then Jake didn’t feel like he would get much out of this lesson, but he did also go for one other reason: to see familiar faces.

Being the hunter he was, he used his tracking skill to find the aura signatures of those he was seeking. He quickly spotted Reika with the other alchemists from the Noboru Clan, sitting with a bunch of other people and chatting away already. Jake had to admit that the other alchemists looked a bit haggard, but Reika looked full of positivity as she chatted with a female beastfolk Jake didn’t recognize.

Seeing as Reika looked a-okay, he left them alone. Jake scanned the room a bit more and spotted Draskil by himself, as always. By choice, mind you, as there were many who wanted to get close and talk to him. His Divine Blessing was just too effective at making people want to suck up to him and make him an ally or even friend.

Jake looked around and spotted a few more people he had seen or met before, including quite a few with whom he shared lessons. Ultimately, he decided to just go over to Draskil and sit with him.

One had to remember that Draskil had a standing higher than pretty much anyone there. He was no-doubt known as a loner who was too haughty to bat an eye when anyone approached, and those he would bat an eye at wouldn’t approach him.

So Jake got quite a few stares as he casually walked over and took a seat next to Draskil. It was naturally unoccupied as no one had dared sit and risk angering him. The Malefic Dragonkin regarded Jake as he sat down, with Jake taking the lead.

“167.”

widened in realization. “Was it a weak

his mask. “It was pretty newly evolved, yeah, but not on the weaker side at all. Wielded both dark and space magic, with

his successful C-grade hunt. The last time he and Draskil spoke, they had discussed Draskil killing a C-grade while still in D-grade, and Jake had now managed to kill one while a few levels lower. He had to brag about it, and the Dragonkin seemed more than interested in engaging him in conversation. Much to the dismay of many of

she patted Jake on the back, clearly elated at his kill. With great interest, he leaned a bit closer. “How was the

grinned. “Man, it

before attending. All the get-togethers so far had consisted only of

present within the hall. Considering the Order recruited and allowed entry of people of all grades, Jake assumed there were separate lessons for them. It usually wouldn’t end well to mix B-grades with those significantly weaker as their auras alone would crush those present. E-grades – which there were a few of – already felt the pressure from the C-grades and stronger D-grades, making them all congregate at one end of the

in front of the statue of the Viper, a green portal opened as

a shadow of doubt in his mind. She had an incredibly potent social-type

the Order of the Malefic Viper,” Viridia smiled as she regarded everyone in the room. Her eyes stopped on Jake for a second, clearly aware beforehand he would be there. She

our Patron’s return. No more words need to be said to fully establish that the Order is not

murmurs were heard around the room, primarily from those who hailed from the ninety-third universe but also some who had merely applied to the Order by

within the confines of the Order, but outside our territory, you are not considered one. This lesson today is about your status in the Order, how to improve that status, and how to

the Order in a simple fashion. At the very top was naturally

followed by Branch Leaders, and then a bunch more ranks Jake didn’t bother to remember before finally getting to the bottom. Temporary outer members. This rank was highlighted as Viridia spoke

her eyes didn’t even move, nor did she in any way indicate she was talking about him. “No, the ranks you can reach for are those at the bottom. Right now, the majority of you

Order. You can remain part of any other faction as long as they are not enemies of the Order, and we

Order to study for a time, and these would naturally only be temporary members. While in the Order, these people were formally recognized as members, and their status from their home faction decided how they were