The Primal Hunter

Getting a massive sandworm to eat you was actually way easier than Jake had expected. Not that Jake should have expected much from the get-go, it was a stupid expectation. All he had done was just land on the sand, get semi-close to a natural treasure while using Arcane Stealth, and boom, a worm popped up and swallowed him. It was a level 198 worms, so damn close to evolution too.

The worm nearly instantly noticed it had caught something it didn’t want and tried to spit him out. However, Jake held on inside its massive maw as he spoke. ”Hey! Worm! Make a deal!”

It did not react but kept trashing and trying to spit Jake out. That is when he realized that the sand worms had no ears and probably not even a sense of hearing, making him switch to telepathy.

”Worm. Make deal. You help me, I help you. If not, death.”

As he said the words, Jake took out a handful of earth affinity herbs and tossed them down the gullet of the worm. It was a gamble… that paid off immediately as the worm stopped moving. By now, Jake was hanging onto the flesh walls of the giant worm’s mouth as he spoke again.

”If you help me get that way,” Jake sent telepathically as he poked the side of the giant worm’s mouth with a weak arcane bolt. ”I will feed you. Okay?”

It should not come as a surprise that the giant worm could not speak. Jake was really gambling on this idea as he assumed that these sand worms were dumb as bricks and-

”I apologize; I think there is some kind of misunderstanding. I did not mean to try and eat you… actually, what are you?” Jake heard a deep rumbling voice in his head.

Wait, what? Jake questioned himself.

”You understand me?” Jake asked, confused.

”I think? I am more questioning how you can speak. You aren’t a worm. Or are you? You don’t look like one, but I have seen weird worms before…” the creature spoke.

”I am not a worm, no,” Jake made clear. ”I am human and ended up here on accident. All I am looking for is a way out of the desert.”

”Human? What are those? And why leave? You can’t move properly outside. A few tried. Oh, unless you get stronger and evolve, I saw one able to do it. Are you evolved?” the overly curious worm asked.

Jake had to admit, when he began his plan, he had not expected to have a conversation with a worm. He had more hoped to communicate his intent and perhaps find a way to nudge the worm in the right direction while bribing it with stuff.

”I am not evolved, no, but I can move properly outside. I cannot move properly here, though, which is why I need your help,” Jake said. ”If you can help me get out of the desert, I can give you good stuff in return.”

The worm fell silent for a few moments, still just sitting there while poking out of the sand like a tower with its mouth wide open, making it so Jake could fly out at any moment. ”What kind of stuff?” it finally asked.

Jake smiled a bit to himself as he took out one of the orbs he had looted from one of the many Earth Elementals he had killed while traveling with Carmen. ”Things like this,” Jake said as he threw the orb down the long tunnel that was the worm’s mouth.

Seconds passed before the worm answered. ”Okay. I will help you, human. Also, don’t I have to? If not, I will die.”

He had kind of forgotten he had threatened death before. Jake had only really done it, as that kind of intent was something animals tended to understand.

”I promise I won’t hurt you at all. Instead, let’s make this something to benefit us both.”

for sure,” the worm said, Jake detecting a hint of sarcasm in the

and got a better idea of how their species worked. The worms were actually damn good at magic and moved primarily

groups of worms to help them in case anything went wrong. There were creatures besides the Sand Elementals that hunted the worms, but most never chased down into the

things outside the desert as he

threads of stable arcane mana, he anchored himself to the side of the worm’s mouth and got into a comfortable position. Contrary to what one would expect, the inside of the worm was not moist at all but dry as the desert outside. The walls of the mouth were also rough and tough like rock, likely from repeatedly swallowing sand. Something the worm would avoid doing with its

giant sand worm as he traveled what had to be a few kilometers under the sand. They shot forward with the speed of a bullet through the desert, and Jake faintly felt a few worms around them at times, but being

to rummage on one of his most pertinent issues: what if Ell’Hakan could do that weird

have more orbs or a ritual circle, it was a huge risk anyway, simply because

were aspects of it, it wasn’t space magic. Jake had a strong feeling that even if he managed to break through and use One Step, he would not have been freed. Maybe he would have moved a bit, but the

concept of space to travel, so if space magic

was Shadow Vault, Jake popped into his

sim-Jake said the moment

considered his second option. One he had seen be used to

of

started as expected. The weaker individuals took the frontlines from the side of the Holy Church and United Cities Alliance while the Risen tried to preserve their numbers and strength. They tried to only send out the stronger parties from their side as this was not a battle they

thought to himself

bringer of death and misery with his specialization in curses. Yet, Casper realized that he hadn’t actually killed any humans since the Tutorial. Not even during the

Until today, that is.

was a common occurrence in the multiverse. He knew the Blightfather and the undead faction as a whole condoned these kinds of wars and viewed them as a good thing. It helped weed out the population and, in turn, gave rise to not only more powerful, but more talented individuals. War was far more than a single fight. It was a long struggle and something that forced you to not only train your skills but your mind. Those who came out of a war on

He hated it. He despised the senseless killing of people fighting for things that were either lies or that they barely believed in. Most of the invaders

help that he was really fucking good at

sabotaged, far from all had been struck. The most potent defenses only a handful were aware of. One of these defensive items was called the Thousand Splinters Pillar. To the naked eye, it looked like a giant rotten treetrunk, but to Casper, it was a battery

him as he sent splinters raining down towards the battlefield. Every time a splinter hit someone, they were struck by a mental attack. Those unable to resist lashed out and began attacking those around them mercilessly as their perception of who was an ally or friend changed. To make it worse then, the curse energy in each splinter

down with time as they adapted, but Casper was just stronger. Some were not even D-grade, and Casper quickly realized something was off but kept fighting. At the beginning of the second day, after

enemy lines. He stopped, and as this moment, his Spirit Mark resonated, and he

bodies at us to tire us out both mentally and

he began to make his way back. He stared at the battlefield below and saw corpses everywhere. Most were from the Holy Church, but Priscilla was right… these were just meat shields. Proof once more of the ruthlessness of the Holy Church when it came to

specially attuned death mana pulse out to reanimate those who had died as undead. Not

out!” Casper suddenly

but a shield still appeared and blocked a beam of light that had been headed straight for him as one of his pre-prepared spells activated. Casper’s eyes opened wide as a second attack arrived, this time from directly below. He retreated away, towards the battlefield once more, as a

me in an ambush…”

Bertram. It was the healer Noor, the swordsman Lucian and

two replacements were also an

they enter the Holyland with honor,” the priestess,

he saw no need for further words. With the pillar still floating behind him, Casper counterattacked as he prioritized getting back to safety. Lucian

the fray and tried to pressure the Risen, but the difference was clear. Which only made