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.

his own realm for the conversation. Forever true to tradition and all 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

wondered what kind of monster he

Worm and Hydra met.

heads too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend appeared before

a few seconds before

“This place tastes weird.”

is my energy. I am known as

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

more of the atmosphere and looked around, clearly unsure how to act or what to do. The Hydra, on the

the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked

silly question,”

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

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?” Sandy asked

abandon the Malefic’s Chosen if

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 said with much gusto, not a

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

pretty sure that would

the choice of betraying and backstabbing the

thing to do and also 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

think you will be sated? When will you be satisfied with devouring treasures? Is it truly a Path you want to follow for eternity? A never-ending cycle of consumption?” the

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 once more answered

are you called the Boundless Hydra?

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

only one head, though,”

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

we can totally be friends if you

Protector chose not to argue. “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 be recognized in the wider multiverse too. It is truly no decision to make lightly,” the Hydra made

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 not here to get scammed. So! Details, please?” Sandy did ask,

answered in a

with the two presences as Sandy’s body had gone entirely limp. He instinctively knew their soul had been projected

move or do anything, he just

are those two having a nice chat?” Jake asked the

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 tied to having blessed ones out there. Snappy has been cooped up

candidate. Like, I see it kind of, but have you not talked

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

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

it, but… Sandy was not exactly the kind of being Jake thought of when someone mentioned a Chosen. Not

that worm will gain a huge boon,” Villy 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

as Sandy also wants

the opportunity of a True Blessing. Anyway, the 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 god is not one of