The Primal Hunter

“Not quite as I had hoped,” the old swordsman smiled to himself as he shook his head. It had been difficult, but in the end, he had done it. The spirit of competitiveness had truly fueled him as he became aware that Jake had gained a mythical skill from his Patron, Aeon. It had pushed his old bones further than he thought they could handle, and his desire had intertwined with his competitiveness and Transcendent insights, giving him what he wanted.

[Mythical Prodigy] – A genius ahead of the curve, not even the mythical deluding him. It feels as if your Path has barely begun, yet you refuse to be confined to the expectations of your station. Creating a mythical skill while below C-grade is no easy feat and the feat of a true myth in the making. Be proud. +100 all stats +20% all stats.

Prodigy, as a word, still felt odd to Miyamoto. It felt like a title reserved for the young. He knew that in a multiversal context, he was actually considered young and that both the former Monarch of Blood, Iskar, and his Patron were far, far older than he was. Even so, it did not change how he felt in his heart.

As for what had not gone as he had hoped… Miyamoto had also now evolved to C-grade.

“You have reached the grade of the true elites. Congratulations, I, too, feel my powers return,” Iskar said, his aura now also that of a C-grade. “For it to remain mythical would be an outlier. However, with effort and your talent, it is only a matter of time before it reaches the rarity once more.”

“I am aware, and yet I can only lament at my own lack of skill,” Miyamoto sighed. While he had managed to create a mythical skill shortly before his evolution, he had only been able to experience it for less than a day before he evolved.

“Having more than a single legendary skill upon evolving to C-grade is already considered an incredible achievement, much less a skill already so close to edging over to mythical,” Iskar once more reiterated. “Besides… the power of that skill is not to be looked down on, no matter what rarity the system has assigned it.”

Miyamoto nodded, knowing that already. Yet his vanity was hurt, his pride slightly scuffed. Hence why, he chose to change the subject. “Speaking of progress, how goes it with the young ones?”

“Better than expected,” Iskar said with a nod. “The average talent within your clan surpasses many elite factions of the multiverse, but considering this is a newly integrated universe and the absolute number of outliers present on this planet already, perhaps that should not come as a surprise. Though I do have some minor concerns.”

“Oh?” Miyamoto exclaimed. The young ones they were talking about were those who had chosen to become vampires. There weren’t that many yet, and this first batch was still very much viewed as a trial of sorts. So far, the vampires surpassed the other humans when it came to pure progress, though it was hard to say if that was only because of their changed races or due to those choosing to embrace vampirism being more dedicated to progressing to begin with.

“Your culture seems to have an… odd relationship with those born from the blood of Sanguine. Back in Yalsten, recruiting those who were not vampires was borderline impossible due to our status in the multiverse as creatures needing the vital energy of other humanoids to keep ourselves alive. However, here on Earth, it is almost… opposite?” the Monarch said with genuine confusion.

Miyamoto was quite uncertain about what Iskar was getting at. He understood fearing vampires due to their inherent requirements and the innate danger they posed to humans, so what did he mean by them having an opposite view of vampires?

“I am not quite sure I understand what you mean. Is a lack of fear not only beneficial?” he asked.

“That… I would agree, but it is more than a lack of fear. Did you know that many of the young men who became vampires now find themselves hounded by human women, especially those in their teenage years, causing a significant portion of them discomfort? Many of these women even want to have their vital energies consumed and drone around the vampires. Additionally, and perhaps the most confusing part, they keep referencing the concept of twillight for some reason,” Iskar said, shaking his head.

“Oh,” Miyamoto muttered, unsure. It was odd. He had not heard of anyone practicing or using the magic of the eventide. “Hm, perhaps we should get one of these young ones to explain this odd development?”

“I have attempted to, but they keep saying I am not in the target demographic and wouldn’t understand… as if this knowledge is not something I am allowed to be blessed with.”

Miyamoto frowned deeply with concern. He would definitely have to try and get a grasp of this development before Nevermore. If Iskar was right, he feared another fringe faction could be forming among the young. Even if he did want to take a step back from the clan as a whole, he did still feel responsible for those who chose to become vampires.

*Crack*

The core in Jake’s hand cracked all over, more micro-fractures forming in seconds before the entire thing crumbled into a fine dust. Even this dust disappeared shortly after, the only remnants of the Queen’s Guard’s core remaining the faint sensation of Jake’s arcane energy lingering in the air.

weak,” Jake muttered to himself. He did not need to wait as he took out another

needed to do this with a strong core if he wanted

of meaningful item for this final part of the ritual. The reason was that Jake didn’t only inject

had been mainly working on this week. Jake’s problem was that he was putting too much quantity and not enough quality into the cores, resulting in them getting overpowered. This had not been an issue with prior items Jake had worked on, especially not something like the meteorite, so he needed to adapt and change

items spawning in areas with dense energy. However, the problem he ran into here was that

something to help in evolution, but that had been wrong. He needed energy and Records that were already primed toward the Path of whatever monster he wanted to consume the item. This was not something other people needed to be a thing, as they

not

to actually transform any energy or change any

Jake had read. These cores had no innate intent, so how would they know they had to change and evolve at all? Why would Jake’s energy make them change? For this, he had no answer, but he knew it was happening. He felt it happen. It also fit in with everything Villy had

been about. The word harbinger was a very specific name in this case.

the omen, the herald, the sign and indication that something was to come. Jake was much the same. He was only the presence that let the Records know it was time to embrace their Primeval Origins. It could be argued he was the source of the change, as without him, they would not happen, but in the eyes of the system, he was not the direct cause: merely

core, swiftly taking out another. As he was

I think I’m right.

postulations that directly contradicted what he had studied to be the truth. There were so many things he knew should not work but that he still believed

right… so let’s

it properly, he meant that he would use all the momentum he had built up to just make a usable item for the ritual in one go. Fuse all materials he had into one core. He believed the

small remnants of Records from the Queen herself. It was natural, as she had spawned them. So the first step was to

by the books. He had already done this plenty with the cores he used for the ritual, so nothing was new or difficult here, and

another simple process he had experience with. Jake started out by cutting out certain energies within the core that he did not want, primarily energy and Records related to the earth affinity and the magic the Queen and her Guards had used. Jake wanted to only have Records related to the base concept of ectognamorph Queens, nothing

he could get to preserve and empower the core. He leaned into the skill heavily, and for a good reason too. Jake did not simply want to successfully create a core for the ritual… he wanted to make it a replicable process. The best way to do that was with the help of the system by upgrading

than any prior. Three full days were spent merging

these eight days, Jake had an Isoptera Hive Queen core far more powerful than before. He did not doubt that he could use it as a damn good ingredient in

meditated for quite a few hours to fully replenish his mental energy and resources before it was time

transformation of the

his insight coalesced, and he attempted to make

concept. It was the simplest form of energy and was through

core of the Records remain, you have the Origin. When all history, all Records related to an object are turned

resources began slipping away, his mana, health, and stamina all draining at a rapid rate as he poured in all he had. The core

on the right track. He would

kind of… instinct awakened with it. He felt a connection to the core, but as he did, he felt rejection. Opposition. Defiance. This odd instinct-like reaction from the Records tried to

sounds, smells, concepts, and so much more… all flashed before his eyes, each passing by too fast for Jake

termite working

to the

Warriors fighting in wars.