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.

and all that. Then again, giving a True Blessing could not be done the usual way. The two souls had to meet as

kind of monster

Worm and Hydra met.

had assumed his true form. A mass of heads too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend appeared before the insignificantly

for a few seconds before the worm opened its mouth and

“This place tastes weird.”

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

impressed. “That is such a long name! I am just Sandy, pleased to meet you, the Boundless Hydra,

period after. Sandy just sucked in some more of the atmosphere and looked around, clearly unsure how to act or what to do.

Why do you travel with the Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked the worm

a silly question,” Sandy

is not your small planet but the multiverse as a

and better at eating stuff.

the Malefic’s Chosen if you find it convenient?” the ancient god asked the mortal

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

silent for a few seconds, seeming to contemplate the answer. “Would you give

I am pretty sure that would kill me, and I

the choice of betraying and backstabbing the Malefic’s Chosen for a tremendously powerful treasure, would

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 will you be satisfied with devouring treasures? Is it truly a

keep eating stuff? Eating stuff is the best. Oh! And I can even find different ways of eating things, like making food-making stomachs and stuff by eating living things! That is infinite food right there. Doesn’t sound boring at all,” Sandy once

So, why are you called the Boundless Hydra? Did you use to be

power, I expanded every part of myself and grew. We Hydras tend to be more powerful the more heads we have, and my goal was to reach the apex. Turns out the apex is realizing there

fine with only one head, though,” Sandy

we do share the Path of consumption, even if there are differences. Nevertheless, my Records do compliment yours. So, finally… would you, Sandy, the Cosmic Genesis Worm, have the honor of becoming my

his friend Villy!? Yeah, we can totally be friends if you want to! You seem like

you fall, it will, in turn, harm me. It is both a responsibility and a privilege. You will come to possess an Identity that will be recognized in the wider multiverse too. It is truly no decision to make lightly,”

that only idiots don’t properly take their time to understand an agreement before accepting it. That is

answered in a pleased

as Sandy’s body had gone

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

a nice

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 tied to having blessed ones out there. Snappy has been cooped up in the Order ever since I went into seclusion, and I believe it’s high

would be a good candidate. Like, I see it

which is why I am not the one deciding if he chooses to bless the worm, and he may just decide on only 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

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

but… Sandy was not exactly the kind of being Jake thought of when

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 with you.

long as Sandy also wants

the only one I know that cannot renounce a Blessing, and also the only one I know who would not instantly jump at the opportunity of a True Blessing. Anyway, the worm can just choose to