The Primal Hunter

While it was true Jake usually didn’t like to get involved in the fights of others, he didn’t really count this one. They were barely fighting but just throwing stuff at each other, accomplishing nothing. What did the bears hope for? That the big tree would run out of energy? They had a limited time to be there from the looks of it as the tree gave off a constant aura slowly wearing them down, and coupled with the thrown root balls, they could end up getting hurt unless they left at some point.

In some ways, looking at it annoyed Jake. Neither side was willing to take any risks but just tried to play it slow and safe. Suddenly it made a lot more sense why none of these beasts had managed to properly progress in C-grade with so long passing… they were slacking off.

It honestly was an excellent area for beasts. The passive mana alone would allow most to grow into C-grade if they managed to form a den and properly absorb it for long enough. The problem, as always, was the quantity of this energy. It was well-known that it was limited, and if one packed an entire group of beasts into the area and had them all absorb it, the environment would be unable to keep up. This was why singular, powerful beasts often claimed large areas for themselves to monopolize the energy allowing them to grow. The source of this energy seemed to often be a natural treasure, or maybe it simply came from the land itself, though Jake was honestly not sure. Probably a natural formation formed by a concept that appeared exclusive to the system.

The area Jake was in currently was more akin to the peak of the mountain that the Frost Wyvern was in than the vast ocean and the open skies. It was a small alcove of dense energy, but there was not enough to sustain many monsters. That was probably also why none of these monsters had grown much despite having been there since around when Jake returned from the Tutorial. They had to share the energy between too many individuals, and they didn’t make up for this lack of energy by hunting for more experience points.

Okay, Jake could maybe excuse the Ethgleam Mothertree for not moving about and hunting down other beasts, but the bears were just damn cowards. Jake considered his approach as he looked at the bears, still throwing their weak attacks at the seemingly impenetrable barrier.

Should he break the barrier to spur on the bears? Attack the bears to make the tree try and take advantage of the opening? Stay and keep a look at the situation until either side decides to retreat and ambush them when they try to leave?

Or, the most fun option, rain down destruction on the entire area and create some chaos?

It naturally wasn’t even a question as Jake flew up and stared down from above. Sadly, he could not do a big barrage as there were trees and stuff in the way, but he could do a bit of arrow rain.

Nocking an arrow, Jake took aim. He released it quickly before nocking another and firing it immediately. Both arrows curved around any obstacles before splitting once they had a clear line to their targets.

Neither side of the warring monsters below had expected his arrival. The bears were taken by surprise as destructive arrows exploded in the midst of them, while the tree’s barrier was impacted hard by dozens of explosions too.

Both sides stopped what they were doing for a moment, neither hurt by the relatively weak attack, but the bears sure looked stunned. The tree didn’t really have any facial expressions to read. Jake smiled to himself and flew below the canopy of some of the trees, his stealth disabled and his aura flaring. The attention of the many creatures below landed on him as Jake smiled.

”Ladies, gentlemen, bears, and trees. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Jake spoke, his smile deepening, knowing the monsters understood him. ”Now, let’s decide who gets to claim this forest as their own, once and for all.”

They seemed confused for a moment before, surprisingly enough, a voice came from the large Den Mother below. ”How dare a mere D-grade come here and-”

Jake activated Arcane Awakening in its destructive state, his body overflowing with arcane energy. ”I didn’t come for a talk but a fight.”

Jake the tree able to influence weaker beasts and monsters and allow them to give memories, showed the tree knowing of Haven, and guessed Jake was from there.

but ended up sighing. Should he agree? A soul tree had to be helpful if

by the fires of-” the Den Mother spoke again, Jake

your mind and want to fight to the death afterward, I am up for it,” Jake answered the tree as he turned his attention to the bears. He saw

tree simply answered, having quite the Perception for a tree to get such a good read on Jake’s aura and soul. Jake knew

Jake guessed the bears would have to make do. Six C-grades, two variants, and four weak beasts who had barely reached their grade. Looking down at them, he knew that the only reason they hadn’t attacked yet was because of the soul tree. Perhaps they feared getting distracted with killing Jake

Jake thought as he nocked another arrow and took aim. Drawing back the string, time seemed to slow down as Steady Aim activated, and the arcane energy began to build up. The bears below seemed to finally pay him

beams of fire were utterly repelled as the arrow struck true, hitting one of the bears straight in the mouth. An explosion of energy from the Powershot alone sent the bear flying back, the attack having torn off a large part of its mouth and heavily injured its entire face. Sadly, the beast was far from

finally, the bears paid him full attention… and reacted by

released it, hitting one of the running bears. Flapping his wings, Jake gave chase while repeatedly firing

a good fight before evolving but grit his teeth as he found everything so far just annoying and insulting. At least the termites would have

open. He chased the bears into a denser area of trees, forcing him to fly lower to allow him a clear line of sight. The moment

flames. At the same time, six blasts of flames came towards him from the directions the bears had

as the entire forest around him set ablaze from the massive attack. Jake was still flying downwards as two bears came

its massive claw upwards as the ground was torn up from the swipe. All the rock it pulled up turned red as a torrent of lava headed towards Jake, with the second bear going straight

was a

Unfortunately for them…

time, he dodged to the side. The bear smashed into a shadowy version of Jake, the

Eternal Shadow dispersed as Jake moved to the side while pulling out his bow, firing a barrage of arrows, not toward the bear he had just struck, but at the four preparing another attack in the distance. All of them seemed confused by two versions of him appearing, making the bear he had aimed at not react

on the attack tried to follow up its own lava swipe but instead found itself freezing up as Jake glanced its way right at he stepped down. Jake appeared right in front of the bear’s face as he stabbed Eternal Hunger forward right into

in D-grade would usually take an extremely high level of skill or an insane Strength stat… or an overpowered Mythical

a bit at how the skull of a C-grade bear felt less durable than the scales of a peak D-grade hydra but didn’t have much time to ponder on this as the bears in

he moved around the beast to dodge its attempt to retaliate. Planting both his hands firmly on

disadvantage of a large body was made apparent. The bear tried to get Jake off, but he easily dodged its repeated attacks as toxicity built up within the beast. It was only when the other bears arrived Jake was forced to

grin as one of his theories had been proven correct. Fangs of

Viper remaining active despite Jake no longer physically touching the weapon. It kept on forming poison on its form like usual, though Jake did notice the constant upkeep having increased and a strain on his mental energy. Nevertheless, it was effective. Something the bear clearly noticed as it tried

paws, the bear had no way to get it out by itself, meaning it needed help. Jake was sure any of the others could