The Primal Hunter

Jake was polite and asked both Meira and Vesperia if they wanted to join him on his shopping trip, and he quickly got two declines. Vesperia because she saw it as far too risky to walk around in public as a True Royal, and Meira because she claimed to be busy. The fact that she refused to even open her door and he saw her hiding under a blanket through his sphere made him doubt that explanation, but he let it go and just went by himself.

At least, he planned on doing that until he remembered he did have one person he could ask and at the same time inform about the upcoming big reveal. He was naturally talking about Irin. Meeting up with her would also give him a chance to ask about Scarlett, as Jake had not really heard anything from or about her ever since she went to join the Order. He didn’t even have her contact information as they hadn’t talked since she got her token – assuming she got a token, to begin with.

Taking out his own, he infused energy and reached out to the succubus. Within five seconds, she answered.

”To what do I owe the pleasure, Lord Thayne?” Irin asked.

”Are you busy right now? I evolved to C-grade and need some new equipment, so I will go shopping for it soon, and a good guide would be great,” Jake asked, thinking he could always bring up the Chosen thing if she agreed.

”When would this be?

”Nowish?” Jake said, a bit embarrassed. Yeah, giving some kind of grace period would definitely have been the polite thing to do.

”Give me five minutes, and I will come by your residency, alright?” she asked tentatively.

”Sounds awesome,” Jake naturally responded, glad she agreed. Life without modern GPS to find stores and the ability to just search on the internet was tough, and he questioned why no one had invented magic internet yet. Or maybe someone had; the Order just wasn’t hooked up to it. Either way, for now he would have to rely on an analog guide.

With five minutes to spare, Jake just looked on as Vesperia got busy setting up some magic circle of sorts on the lawn. Analyzing it a bit, he estimated it was made to amplify her own energy absorption speed and potentially even allow her to better focus. It was the kind made to meditate within, and Jake wondered if maybe the circles Villy had Jake train within while upgrading his skills had similar effects.

Minutes rapidly passed, and soon he saw Irin appear within the mansion’s entryway. She seemed to sense the motion outside and exited the door, instantly laying eyes on Jake and Vesperia.

”Hey, Irin,” Jake waved to her the moment she came outside, but before the succubus could answer, her gaze wandered to the giant wasp woman working on his lawn.

She stared for a few seconds before glancing at Jake and then back to Vesperia.

”Oh,” Jake noticed as he smiled and walked over. ”Let me introduce you to Vesperia, a Vespernat Hive Queen.”

Irin seemed to snap out of her spell and nodded slowly. ”I was not aware you had a visitor. Someone from the Endless Empire, no less, based on her aura.”

Vesperia finished up what she was currently doing and turned towards Irin, scanning her up and down. ”A succubus? Unexpected. Your assertion is somewhat incorrect as I do not officially belong to the Endless Empire as of yet, and I would not call myself a visitor as this place is the only thing I have ever known since my birth.”

The succubus got even more confused and glanced at Jake, full of questions.

”It is a bit hard to explain, but through means that I won’t disclose right now, I managed to hatch a Hive Queen quite a bit more impressive than expected from that bee ritual you saw I had going on. That Hive Queen is Vesperia here, and she is… kind of my offspring? The word daughter feels wrong, but it is probably the closest we can get,” Jake tried to explain.

Irin was about to question his preposterous explanation as Vesperia spoke up, adding fuel to the fire.

Jake. ”If you wish to refer to me as your daughter, you are naturally free to do so, but it will raise questions, so perhaps simply say that I am your creation even if it feels

saying creation or spawn or anything else like

I understand. So, what did you want to go

himself taken

more lost. Something like a True

off in the first era, and I am the reemergence,” Vesperia added with

way more than I want to deal with,” Irin shook her head. ”Rather spend my mental energy on something I can assist with and get to the shopping. The less I know, the easier things will be for me in the long run. Either way, pleased to meet you, Vesperia. I am Irinixis from the Order of the Malefic Viper. If you would please excuse me, I hope to assist

fair enough,” Jake nodded. ”Things will be better explained at the big announcement the Viper is planning for next month anyway. Oh, yeah, I nearly forgot to add I will also officially come out

dumbfounded at him for several seconds due to the sheer level of importance of the information he had just given her and

five seconds, she once more nodded. ”That is… I guess it is about time your identity was revealed to the multiverse as a whole, and… yeah. I assume I will hear more

”Shopping,” Jake smiled.

and shook her head before saying something that this time around left Jake lost for

great assistance to your Path considering your race,” Vesperia said with a genuine smile, with not

to. She scoffed and shook her head. ”If only. This guy only has eyes for fighting and alchemy, so it is a difficult work in progress that I hope will one day materialize, allowing me to assist in more intimate matters,

right here,

course, Lord Thayne,” Irin just smiled at him.

deep breath and pointed at the door to the

smile grew. ”Shopping

the opposing seats across the long table. He felt presences also appear at

At the head of the table was a dark elf in a golden robe, patiently waiting for all of them to arrive. Something they all did within

could say many things about merchants, but calling them tardy and accusing them of missing lucrative appointments was not one

them and

such short notice, so let us get down to business. This is no social call, now is it?” the dark elf spoke, getting a few polite

many of the young geniuses of the ninety-third universe, which should lead to a rush on the World Wonder, and we would be foolish to not capitalize on this opportunity. I take it you have all gathered goods unique to your planet and universe in preparation for Nevermore?” the dark elf asked the

nodded, as they had both discussed this already and were ready. While they were not friends, they were ultimately business partners considering they worked for

far easier after the establishment of the World Council, leaving many merchants wanting to get in their good graces by joining up with Sultan and Renato, who

have the most demand?” a fish-like man asked the dark elf meeting

already, but tentatively what should do best in the multiversal market is anything fitting characteristics that are considered unique to the ninety-third universe,” the dark elf explained. ”Especially rare natural treasures, rewards from system events, new plants and herbs, as well as minerals holding mana signatures showing at least an eleven percent energy-signature deviation from a similar mineral in the dossier. Naturally, if you have any talented crafters on your planet, bringing their goods could also be

spoke up, an elf with bronze skin wearing a very expensive-looking robe. ”How about slaves? We have a substantial stock of elves with potent metal and earth affinities, prime for mining and construction efforts in the newly integrated universe where only natives

possible to properly transport large quantities of living goods across universes, and even if we could, the cost would outweigh the profits. Hence why we are sticking to non-living items

elf looked disappointed but nodded in understanding. The beastfolk woman in front of Sultan then spoke, addressing the elf. ”If we can look into establishing an in-universe transportation system making the transfer of slaves feasible, perhaps we could discuss an arrangement. I am certain the World Leader of my planet

Smiling, the bronze-elf nodded.

elf cleared his throat to get the attention of everyone back on him. ”Internal business should be discussed later. For this meeting, we shall focus on Nevermore. Now, the first order of business is the assignment

as his eyes opened wide. ”Excuse me, urgent matters suddenly came