The Primal Hunter

"The fighting style itself cannot reasonably include a method to nullify negative environmental effects… we will need something else for that. There was potential in Pride of the Malefic Viper, but we need a proper method to not find ourselves in a similar situation,” sim-Jake said.

“Easier said than done, considering these kinds of enemies rely on their environments and will actively try and break down any defenses you have made against them. I could likely have made an arcane barrier isolating myself from the water pressure, but the shark would instantly try to destroy it for its magic to work,” Jake argued.

“I never said it was easy, just that it needs to be done. Maybe figure out how others do it. Though I will admit that it is a major hurdle. Moving in water is simply not optimal with the human body, and it eliminates all footwork and weakens every attack,” sim-Jake mulled over the issue. “I can see using the destructive arcane energy as a way to partly eliminate the pressure at all times, especially when striking, but that also creates problems.”

“Sustainability,” Jake nodded.

“Exactly.”

The mana cost from infusing every movement with mana would be too much for him to bear, and they both knew it.

“A solution will have to be found at some point,” sim-Jake concluded.

“Naturally,” Jake agreed before asking something that had been on his mind. “What happened, by the way? Not to be rude, but you were on your way out the last time we met. Now, you are more you once more. What changed?”

“Honestly,” sim-Jake said. “You should know it. I am you, and you are me, and not existing is one of the thoughts that we fear on a very base level. When I did feel myself begin to fade away and become nothing, something triggered in me. A sense of survival, even though I know that remerging with you is still me surviving. I guess you can just say that I don’t wanna die. After meeting Sandy and seeing Earth transformed and not just that boring mansion in the Order and the occasional mind-numbing alchemy lesson, I realized that I still want to enjoy at least a few more adventures.”

Jake had indeed kind of known this was the case but wanted to ask anyway as he wasn’t entirely sure what his other self was thinking. “But this doesn’t mean the merging stopped.”

“No, that it does not. But let us just say that I will immortalize myself one way or another. You won’t be rid of me that easily. Luckily too, because there is more to improve in our fighting style than I originally estimated, and two heads are better than one,” sim-Jake said. “Ah, and don’t worry, our new Vault skill will come, even if I know that the Records of that skill keeps me alive right now. Keeps me, me.”

“Just don’t begin to get any fancy ideas about taking over the body and replacing me,” Jake smirked.

“We both know that won’t happen. I can’t. Your Records trump mine so many times over it isn’t even funny. Being best buds with Villy is just cheating,” sim-Jake snickered in return. “Now go back to Sandy’s stomach and get to work. I have business to attend to.”

he exited his Soulspace,

immediately begin practicing but went towards the chimera of pure curse energy. It looked satisfied after having a feast and didn’t even react as sim-Jake laid a hand on it. Closing his eyes, energy moved between them for

other one on his formerly severed hand. It would have been cheaper to just retrieve the glove, but he had honestly forgotten about it as the item had turned inert after he cut off the hand.

hand over the next hour was relatively interesting. It was all system-fuckery to the extreme, but he was not complaining. Once the glove was back

as he felt

and why there were many creatures you could slay, and their blood turned into valuable items. Vampires consumed blood

the body more efficiently. Heck, this was why regenerating dozens of holes in the body was easier than healing a severed hand, even if the pure mass of flesh one had to heal was larger. Regenerating the hand relied mostly on transporting energy through the Soulshape, while holes in the body could be supplied with

that someone with more Vitality could produce more blood than someone that had a lower stat. All of those things were true, and

has been further improved, even carrying traces of the True Blood of the Malefic One within. The blood can be used as an ingredient in alchemy and as a deadly weapon against your foes. The nature of the poison is determined based on the Records of the Alchemist. The blood’s toxicity level is based primarily on Vitality and Wisdom but receives an increase from all physical stats. Passively provides 1 Vitality per level in Alchemist of the Malefic Viper. May your blood be forever the bane of all that

truly indicate it had anything to do with the stat. For all other skills, he saw it make far more sense,

the skill. He had first gotten it at epic rarity and then upgraded to Ancient after the Trial of Myriad Toxins by absorbing the drop of blood from Villy. That had been the catalyst, and what was

blood better when used and giving it far more scope. The part

experimenting right away as he tried out his theory. Jake could not truly control the blood he infused, and he had always used it as an external tool, either as an ingredient or a weapon. However, blood was meant to be inside the body the last time he checked, so would there not be

Jake expected, and he ended up having to apply some methods from his usual alchemy as he effectively turned

needed to properly infuse more active vital energy into the blood, but he couldn’t control the process, at least not satisfactorily. As he wondered what to do, Jake got a

proceeded to cut off his hand once more and consumed a health potion. Vital energy flooded his body and, as usual, bound itself to his blood. Jake then began the process again, but rather than trying to infuse vital energy from scratch, Jake used the

potion cooldown was ready, and he cut it off again. This continued for nearly an entire day as he slowly began to form a coherent idea and became more familiar with his blood and

to achieve was besides making more active vital energy to make his blood better when it came to healing. Jake did feel like he made some progress, but he needed the healing potion every time

make his usage of the healing potion

stuff to steal here and there. It was understood that Jake did not want any more

potion as he healed it. He also tried inflicting injuries on himself in other places. He even took some of the venom from that Emperor Urchin that the whale had given him and consumed it. It was potent enough to deal noticeable damage, even if it was primarily of a neurotoxic nature. He needed it for Palate either way,

was touching upon an idea, but he was still missing something. Jake was certain that with another week or so, he would have

to experience the Legacy of the Malefic

so he should use them all now, right? Also… he kind of liked learning about Villy. It was a bit like stalking your friends on social media for embarrassing photos from their teenage years, and Jake was all for it to get some ammunition to make