The Primal Hunter

They had just made it above the clouds as Jake felt a ping by Villy. “Hey, Jake, can I borrow you for a second?”

“Sure, what’s up?” he asked.

“No, I mean in a more literal sense. Can I borrow your body to do something?”

“I guess?” Jake kind of agreed.

“Great!”

Jake felt the Viper descend. It was like Jake’s aura got mixed with something else, and he then felt a third presence enter, confusing him even more. At that moment, was very happy that he had a strong soul before he felt the sheer level of pressure upon it as he channeled but a fraction of the Viper’s aura. Sandy also noticed as the worm stopped in mid-air before asking him in a confused tone.

“Uhm, I just got some weird pop-up, and I think it might be a scam?”

“What is it?” Jake asked curiously, soldiering through. Had Villy decided to bless Sandy? That would actually be awesome, and he was mentally slapping himself for not having thought of giving the worm one earlier.

“You see, I got this Blessing thing offered like you have, right?” Sandy asked with doubt.

“Yeah?” Jake asked. So it was Villy giving a ble-

“And… well, I just feel like if you have to include that something is True in the description, isn’t that kind of red flag that it isn’t? Like, if it is real, why do you need to put so much emphasis on it you know?”

Wait, what? Jake asked himself, utterly perplexed at what Sandy was asking. Include True? Did it maybe say something about it coming from someone with a True Blessing?

“Can you explain what it says in detail?” Jake asked Sandy.

“Okay, it asks if I want to talk to this god or something about receiving a True Blessing? It is very weird,” Sandy answered.

Jake, even more confused, asked: “What is the name of this god?”

“The Boundless Hydra.”

Who the fuck is that? Jake asked himself for a moment before a lightbulb went off. Sandy: likes eating stuff. Snappy: likes eating stuff. It all suddenly made sense; they were a match made in heaven.

“Hey, Villy, is Snappy really offering Sandy his True Blessing?” Jake asked the Viper.

“Yes, but an emphasis on offer. It will be up to them to reach an agreement if your wormy friend agrees to a conversation on the topic,” Villy explained. “You will have to function as a conduit during this process, and it will be a bit straining, but you should be fine.”

Jake nodded, totally fine with that, before talking to Sandy: “Yep, I know who the Boundless Hydra is. The offering is a True Blessing, the same as what I have but from a different god. I would recommend for you to have this talk with the guy, okay?”

“Oh, okay,” Sandy agreed. “As long as it isn’t a scam.”

Villy’s presence intensified as Jake felt the god channel power through him. He allowed it all to go through as he got a slight headache. Jake closed his eyes as Sandy had also completely frozen in the real world as the Hydra and Cosmic Genesis Worm spoke.

giving a True Blessing could not be done the usual way. The two souls had

smirked as he wondered what kind of monster he was

Worm and Hydra met.

too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend appeared before the insignificantly small Cosmic Genesis Worm. The Hydra soon collected its form to

existed for a few seconds before the

“This place tastes weird.”

divine realm, and what you are consuming is my energy. I am known as the Boundless Hydra, Lord Protector of the

just Sandy, pleased to meet you, the Boundless Hydra, Lord

followed as neither spoke for a period after. Sandy just sucked in some more of the atmosphere and looked around, clearly unsure how to act or what to do. The Hydra, on

of the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked

question,”

the Malefic One will keep walking a Path of conquest and power. He will grow in power without end, and his true stage is not your small planet but the multiverse as a whole. Are you willing to follow him that far? Are you willing to do what is necessary to remain someone useful to him even

just doing what I do. I eat stuff, grow and get stronger and better at eating stuff. I am not doing that to be useful to him; that would be super silly, wouldn’t it?”

abandon the Malefic’s Chosen if you find

they want to, not because they have to. Also! I remember him once saying never say never, so I am never going to say never. Wait, I did just say never a lot of times… anyway! Jake is my friend, so that is that. Stop talking about silly stuff like abandoning others. If anything, he was the one about to abandon me just now!” Sandy

silent for a few seconds, seeming to contemplate the answer.

that would kill

choice of betraying and backstabbing the Malefic’s Chosen

my teeth are gone?” Sandy perfectly answered. “Also! I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to stab him in the back even if I had teeth. He is mega good at knowing when

you will be sated? When will you be satisfied with devouring treasures? Is it

stuff? Eating stuff is the best. Oh! And I can

you the only one asking me questions? So, why are you called the Boundless Hydra? Did you use to be bound or

the more heads we have, and

with only

Nevertheless, my Records do compliment yours. So, finally… would you, Sandy, the

Villy!? Yeah, we can totally be

you fall, it will, in turn, harm me. It is both a responsibility and a privilege. You

only idiots don’t properly take their time to understand an agreement before accepting it. That is how you get scammed, and I am not here to get scammed. So! Details, please?” Sandy did ask,

Hydra answered

flooded with the two presences as Sandy’s body had gone entirely limp. He instinctively knew their soul had been projected elsewhere, probably into the realm of

unable to move or do anything, he just had to ask Villy how things

nice chat?”

forcefully listen in. Sure, Snappy would just allow me to, but I won’t,” Villy answered. “But I will share a bit. You are probably wondering why Snappy is suddenly here talking about giving away a True Blessing. Snappy has not given out his True Blessing for many Eras by now; he has barely given any Blessings out, in fact. Firstly it is not really part of his Path, and secondly, there is risk and responsibility

be a good candidate. Like, I see

giving a lower-level Blessing. What I did suggest to him was that maybe the worm was worth gambling on. So yes, it is a massive gamble, but one I think is worth taking for him. Plus, it will give him a stronger connection to the outside world,” Villy

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

not exactly the kind of being Jake thought of when someone mentioned a Chosen. Not

will admit that I want to see what exactly a Cosmic Genesis Worm can turn into as it grows in power. It is an interesting beast and one I think can be useful to you for a long time if it can keep up

Sandy also wants it,” Jake

worm can just choose to throw it away if it turns out to be something they don’t want,” Villy reminded him. “The bond between a Chosen and their