The Primal Hunter

Jake liked loot. Who didn’t like loot? Wait, did getting a weapon from a craftsman even count as loot, as he technically didn’t loot it off anything? Jake wasn’t sure, but he kind of hoped it did, and if it didn’t, he just refused to care and still classified it as getting loot.

Arnold escorted Jake back to the workshop and led him toward one of the walls that contained a large locked case. Jake could already see inside using his sphere and saw the weapon within, but he waited for Arnold to open it properly. Because there was one thing bothering Jake… it looked like the tip of the katar in the box was broken.

“The Nanoblade is still considered a work in progress, and constant iterations keep being made, with this being the newest deployable version,” Arnold explained as he opened the case. The moment he did so, Jake saw the weapon in its full glory.

The Nanoblade had now been attached to a handle to make it into a katar, and the design of the blade itself had changed a lot. Rather than being a single-edged cutting weapon, it was now a proper stabber, with thin edges on both sides, though that did mean Arnold had to add some more bulk to the middle. The blade was around the same length as his Eternal Hunger, so that was nice. It made sense as Arnold had based the design on the mythical weapon.

The handle was of a single design and did not include any guard, but the part he held with his hand still seemed a bit thick. The entire thing was of a grayish color, except for one part that really stood out: the tip of the blade.

It was pitch-black. Not normal black, but the kind of impossible black that made no damn sense. It looked impossibly dense, yet at the same time, Jake felt he could stare straight through like it was translucent. However, more than anything, it showed up weirdly in his sphere. Like there wasn’t a physical tip but that it was just made of pure energy.

Using Identify, he got some clues as to what was going on.

[Blackpoint Nanoblade Katar (Ancient)] – A katar with a nanoblade made of a composite alloy formed into an ultra-thin blade. The blade itself can cut most materials effortlessly but has little to no effectiveness against magical wards or defenses when not infused with mana. The tip of the blade appears to have been touched by the void. A coating on the blade allows it to have an incredibly high level of mana conductivity and can handle most types of mana. The handle contains a series of energy cores capable of storing mana of any affinity. This stored energy can all be released at once through the tip of the Nanoblade. . Enchantments: Extreme Conductivity. Blackpoint Burst.

Requirements: lvl 200+ in any humanoid race

The rarity surprised him, as Jake had not expected anything this good. There were a lot of parts at play, but Jake very much suspected this rarity came to be primarily because of that tip. Jake was about to ask more about the weapon, but Arnold began speaking without being asked.

“This version of the Nanoblade integrates far more concepts than any prior iterations and has moved away from Altmar-based methodology to one not fitting any set category. The blade is more durable than ever and has been strengthened through the merging of eleven metals and coating it with an improved version of the old aluabsorbant for improved mana conductivity and to facilitate the Blackpoint functionality of the weapon,” Arnold explained in detail. He pointed to the tip of the blade and continued.

“Rather than focusing on potent single-edged cutting, this weapon is optimized for stabbing attacks, taking inspiration from my current work-in-progress speartips. Through methods I will not disclose, I was able to momentarily allow the tip of the blade to touch concepts related to the void, allowing it to far more easily penetrate any matter. Make note that is all it does, and it has no inherent void-based abilities. However, as long as the rest of the blade retains integrity, the tip will never lose sharpness and remain virtually indestructible.

“Finally, there is the handle. Due to the design of the katar compared to a sword, I was able to make more use of it as I have inlaid energy cores capable of storing mana, including your arcana mana. This mana can then be unleashed through the tip of the Nanoblade, resulting in an explosion. It is heavily advised you activate the Blackpoint Burst enchantment after the successful insertion of the blade into your target for optimal damage unleashed internally. Only the tip will be able to release the stored-up mana, as it is the most resilient part of the blade and able to handle the pressure applied upon it caused by the intense outburst of mana. This was a necessary limitation, especially if it is meant to handle your destructive arcane mana.”

Hearing Arnold talking about how causing mana explosions inside people was a recommended feature of the weapon was a bit funny, especially with how he said it so… objectively. Jake also considered the part about the tip being the only thing to handle the blast… an issue Jake didn’t really have with Eternal Hunger. Destroying that weapon was just not a thing, especially as Jake could reform it if he somehow lost it.

“Can I pick it up?” Jake asked.

Arnold nodded. “The Nanoblade was created for you specifically, and I already view you as the owner of it.”

and tried to move it around a bit. It didn’t sit as well in

“Initial thoughts?” Arnold asked.

a whole. The last Nanoblade broke when I tried to block with it, and that proved

however, attempt to do so with the tip. It may seem counterintuitive, but it will never chip, and the pressure put on the rest of the katar’s internal structure will

that work?” Jake asked

it innate nullifying capabilities. Any force hitting the tip that has been touched by the void will thus be partly nullified. The same happens when you are striking a foe, making the tip automatically nullify some of

he would have to test in practice to truly understand. The

“The mana burst is released from the tip, right? Isn’t that counterproductive as it nullifies part of the

void concepts due to system-imposed

so system-fuckery makes it work,”

a moment before understanding. “System-fuckery does strike me as an

that mean we make that the official scientific term?” Jake asked

said without even a

trademarking a term that may or may not end up being commonly

underway, but nothing that is ready yet. With the materials provided today, I

Nevermore, are

“Yes,” Arnold confirmed.

a group, or are you just

have been made,” Arnold answered, his tone making Jake guess he wouldn’t get any specific information. He was curious about who

would

if you need another

will you take the payment? Assuming there is

Jake dismissed the scientist. Had the stuff been expensive? Yes. Was Jake still ridiculously loaded and could get access to near-infinite funds if he wanted to by being a Chosen or just selling alchemical goods? Yes, yes, he

have someone do the old back-and-forth

he began making his way out of the workshop with

the last thing Jake saw before he made his way out of the metal

loose a little and push himself. The termite plains were quite a bit of distance away, so Jake had some time to truly test his speed. One Step and wings combined

stepped down in an alternating matter, propelling him forward

body. On top of it,

he relied on mixed energy, and