The Primal Hunter

Jake was still within the vision of the Viper repeatedly doing alchemy but no longer focused much on it. As odd as it was to say, then Jake didn’t really have much to learn from the current Viper within this Record Fragment. Jake was better than him already when it came to making potions, and he had already seen all he needed to see during the first few rewinds.

Checking his notifications, Jake saw the level-up.

*’DING!’ Profession: [Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper] has reached level 199 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 197 - Stat points allocated, +15 Free Points*

197, Jake thought. He could almost taste the evolution now. With this level and his reaching the peak of D-grade, he also got one more thing: his very first evolution quest. Jake checked it, and if he was being honest, it was pretty much exactly what he expected.

Profession Evolution Quest

To walk the Path of a Heretic-Chosen is to not simply be given but to claim the power of your Patron. With every step, you move closer to the Malefic One, yet you remain a heretic, unswayed by the Records of a Primordial as they fail to supersede your being. Go forth, claim the Legacy of the Malefic Viper and make his Records yours to wield.

Objective: Upgrade skills related to the Legacy of the Malefic Viper to legendary rarity (8/6)

Jake had already completed it. It could be called anti-climactic, but as mentioned, Jake had expected this outcome. Why wouldn’t he have?

Evolution quests were not about pushing the person to their limit – it was to test that the person had reached the expected achievements of the class or profession. If it required Jake to do something insane for even him, all it would have been proof of was that Jake had not lived up to expectations during his journey to C-grade.

Not that this one was easy… it required Jake to upgrade at least six skills to legendary, and based on the ”8/6,” it seemed to still count more upgrades he got now. He read that as an indication that the system still recognized him upgrading more as part of the quest. Especially because the quest was still there and had not just been completed automatically.

Jake knew he could evolve his profession there and then if he wanted. Needless to say, he had no interest in this as he was aiming for the Perfect Evolution and also wanted to upgrade the last skill anyway.

Smiling to himself, Jake closed the quest menu just as he felt the vision was also about to end. He had barely been paying attention and still found himself merged with the Viper, but as had happened before… the vision extended a bit beyond the usual during this final time.

Still merged with the Viper, Jake felt the would-be Primordial’s happiness at his success, and he celebrated a bit by himself. Jake just smiled alongside Villy, happy for his buddy’s success, even if it was just a peek into history. Yet, mere moments before the vision ended, he felt something observing him – observing Villy.

A powerful presence that Villy did not at all notice but that Jake naturally picked up on. A familiar gaze that Jake had felt during a previous vision.

The First Sage?

The vision ended just as Jake became sure of the source and returned to the real world.

Scarlett felt all giddy as she guided the Chosen around the Mangrove. The thought of getting invited to the sacred Order of the Malefic Viper had never even crossed her mind, but the more she considered it, the more excited she became.

The Chosen was also nice and allowed her to stay with him during his visit to the Mangrove. She knew she had much to learn from him and would observe his every action whenever she could. Scarlett also noticed how the other humans of the Mangrove looked at him, and she felt their emotions. Their odd mix of emotions.

Fear and nervousness were two of the strongest senses other humans got from watching the Chosen. It was only right to feel fear before a superior being, and she could only approve of their understanding to not approach and needlessly annoy or delay the Chosen in his matters.

he was done with his business, they went to the largest building in the Mangrove, where she led the Chosen to a room for him to meditate in. He

Also, did he really trust her that much to allow her to use her venom on him? It

something. An odd shift in the environment as whispers of a presence that did not belong on a small planet like Earth appeared. Her eyes opened wide as she recognized it and stared wide-eyed at the Chosen as her heart began pounding from the pressure. Then, at the very next

she could not stop herself from shaking. That had been the presence of the Malefic One… the Forefather of her entire race. What had the Chosen done? It was like he, for a moment,

it dispersed like it had never been there, leaving only the Chosen deep

Villy? How had he been aware of him? Villy’s description said that the first time they met was when the Viper tried to sneak in and learn

and Jake began to suspect that his choice of seeking out the First Sage had more to it than the Viper knew. Had he been led into seeking out the man? If so, for what purpose? Did

over too much. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to ask Villy about it… maybe it was just better to keep it to himself and hope that a future

and addressed the snake girl in the room, who was staring at him with wide-open starry

of the Forefather. What happened? Did you go see the Malefic One?”

say that,” Jake smiled. ”I used one of my skills as a Chosen,

you for allowing me to witness

heart to tell her that he just didn’t really see any reason to hide something like this. She knew he was the Chosen already, so him doing Chosen stuff was just

forgetting that part that blasted out the presence of himself and the Viper whenever he used the skill. In his defense, he had not actually planned on just using the skill right away, but when he focused on stuff, he kind

mind if I did some alchemy?” Jake then asked the snake

plan on staying here for a bit before heading back to Haven before the World Congress,” Jake informed her, Scarlett naturally

have some already in storage, but he wanted to craft some more before he evolved anyway. He had three hundred stats to get and saw

hands on it, he instantly felt the difference from the newly upgraded skill. It was like everything within the cauldron appeared clearer than before, even if

a mental command, Jake manipulated the very air within it. He felt the different affinities and, out of curiosity, focused on them. Water, wind, space, time, nature, wood…. so many affinities he recognized. Jake chose one as he strained himself, and in

as

as there really weren’t many details he couldn’t already catch with his Perception. It was far more effective during experimenting, that was for sure. He

was certain it would be damaged and be in need of repair afterward. It had the rune on the bottom to accomplish this, but it

just dove into the alchemy as time passed. Scarlett stayed by his side silently for nearly two days, simply staring at everything he did with interest. She was damn lucky Jake had been conditioned by Villy’s constant staring, allowing him to completely

time to head back to Haven, Jake went

a

+5 Perception.

assimilated a strong energy of

+5 Perception.

You have…

graciously accepted but only wanted a single one, which was a bit weird. Especially as she looked to have no interest in drinking the elixir but simply held onto it

smiled after he was done drinking. Over just a few days, Jake had gotten around one thousand more Perception from the skill upgrade, elixirs, and Free Points, making him

least, that is what he told himself to excuse

prepared to head back. ”After the World Congress, I will come back here, and we will travel for the Order of the Malefic Viper, so make

Scarlett enthusiastically nodded. ”Will you need me to do or bring anything

won’t need you to bring anything, but we do need to talk about a few details related to my identity at the Order, but

acknowledged. ”I once more thank the Chosen