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 the transference was more intimate and intense than any other Blessing. Doing it in the divine realm of a god was the easiest

kind

Worm and Hydra met.

A mass of heads too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend

simply existed for a few seconds before

“This place tastes weird.”

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

name! I am just Sandy, pleased to

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 the other hand, just

Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked the worm after a

silly question,” Sandy

true stage is not your small planet but the multiverse as a whole. Are

say do what is necessary? I am just doing what I do. I eat stuff, grow and get stronger and better at eating stuff.

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

Who knows? We are friends, and 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.

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

would kill

backstabbing the Malefic’s Chosen for a tremendously powerful

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

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

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

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

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

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

we can totally be

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

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, showing a bit of doubt for the

the Hydra answered in a

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, probably into the realm

or do anything, he

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

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 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 time he

would be a good candidate. Like, I see it kind of, but have you not talked repeatedly about how giving a True

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.

kind of being Jake thought of when someone mentioned a Chosen. Not that

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. A True Blessing from someone like Snappy will help with that tremendously. More than that, the guidance of the Boundless Hydra

Sandy also wants

are 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 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