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.

that. Then again, giving a True Blessing could not be done the usual way. The two souls had to meet as the transference was more intimate and intense than any other Blessing. Doing it in the divine realm of a god was the easiest for both

wondered what kind of

Worm and Hydra met.

mass of heads too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend appeared before the

a few seconds before the worm opened

“This place tastes weird.”

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

such a long name! I am just Sandy, pleased to meet

neither spoke for a period after. Sandy just sucked in some more of the atmosphere and looked around, clearly unsure

the Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked the

a silly question,” Sandy scoffed.

planet but the multiverse as a whole. Are

I am just doing what I do. I eat stuff, grow and get stronger and better at eating stuff. I am not doing that to be

that you intend to abandon the Malefic’s Chosen if you find it convenient?” the ancient god asked

Jake says that friends don’t owe each other anything. They help because 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.

to contemplate the answer. “Would you

I am pretty sure that would kill me, and I

betraying and backstabbing the Malefic’s Chosen for a tremendously powerful treasure, would you do

super impractical. How do I even stab him when all 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 something is trying

with devouring treasures? Is it truly a Path you want to follow for eternity?

not? Sometimes I also like to lay around and digest and stuff. But after that, I will definitely need to head out for a snack. Why would someone not want to 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

questions? So, why are you called

was similar to yours, and in my pursuit of 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 is no limit, only one’s abilities holding one back,” the Lord

am fine with only

if there are differences. Nevertheless, my Records do compliment yours. So, finally… would you,

his friend Villy!? Yeah, we can totally be friends if you

“With it will come responsibility and power. It will allow you to go further, but should 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

a lot of things just for becoming your friend, but I guess all that stuff is fine. Though, actually, can you explain it all a bit better? Jake did also mention that only idiots don’t properly take their time to understand an agreement before accepting it. That is how you get scammed, and I am

the Hydra answered in

felt damn weird; no two ways about it. He felt his body flooded with the two presences as Sandy’s body had gone entirely limp. He instinctively knew their soul had been projected elsewhere,

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

are those two having a nice

them, and not even I can 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,

not why Sandy would be a good candidate. Like, I see it kind of,

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 is

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

was not exactly the kind of being Jake thought of when

said. “Okay, finally, I 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

as Sandy also

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