The Primal Hunter

Jake reached the bowyer after teleporting to the right district and quickly headed inside. Contrary to most other shops Jake visited, this one was far simpler and had a thoroughly tribal atmosphere. Pelts of powerful beasts lined the walls, and several bows used as showcases were protected behind barriers, proudly on display.

One of the four beastfolk that Jake had talked with last he and Irin visited stood in the reception area and noticed him as soon as he entered.

“Ah, there you are!” he said cheerfully. “The others are in the back with everything ready. Do you want to head back there and get this started?”

“Let’s get to it,” Jake smiled beneath his mask.

“Great! I must say, it is a wonderful item you brought us with a very interesting if admittedly not that unique, type of enchantment. However, it is rare that the system gives out such specialized equipment. Hence why it is such a great frame of reference when making our own similar enchants,” the man gladly explained as they walked to the back.

Entering the workshop of the building, Jake saw three other beastfolk gathered around a tub filled with some odd semi-golden liquid. His bow was hanging above it with some kind of oily substance covering it. The three beastfolk were talking as they turned and saw the two newcomers.

“Ah, you’re here!” the largest of the beastfolk said with a huge grin.

Jake looked at the beastman he knew was in charge, a large muscular guy with a mane for a beard and very obvious lion-like features.

“So, how are things?” Jake asked, looking at the bow and tub.

“Good, good. We have finished all we can on our end and need your assistance to get across the finish line,” the man said.

Jake nodded, motioning for him to continue.

“Two challenges,” the lion man explained. “First of all, the bow is Soulbound, which requires your direct consent for us to make any alterations or improvements. Also, let me make it clear, upgrading its rarity isn’t something we are capable of, and I dare claim you won’t find anyone in the Order of the Malefic Viper able to. System-given items like this are notoriously difficult to mess with unless you want to risk breaking them.”

Jake nodded in understanding. It was also one of the reasons no one tried to mess with things like unique natural treasures outside of just extracting the energy or in rituals. It was borderline impossible. “What is the second issue?”

“The energy the bow itself has adapted to. You said it was your arcane affinity, right? Due to the way the enchantment works, it integrates a particular type of energy and becomes adapted to that, but if the energy experience significant change, this in-built adaptation may become an obstacle. Your evolution to C-grade fundamentally changed your energy signature and thus your arcane energy, resulting in whatever the bow was attuned to now working against you, and my guess is that you then forced too much energy it was not adapted to through it, leading to its current shape.”

“I see,” Jake realized. While it was true the bow had felt different after his evolution, he had just written that up to the evolution itself and his change in energy. Now he realized it was in part due to how the bow worked. “So, what is the plan?”

“As I said, then this is one-hundred percent a repair job, but seeing as you have evolved and it is a Soulbound weapon, you may as well view it as an upgrade. The oil currently coating the bow is meant to soften it up a little, while the liquid below will drill into the bow and momentarily fill the bow with new life, allowing the wood to regrow. As the wood grows, it will also be strengthened throughout, but for this to happen, we need to eliminate the current energy adaptation and do a soft reset for you to re-adapt it afterward. We need you for this, as we quite frankly can’t get rid of your affinity without risking breaking the bow,” the lion man shook his head helplessly.

“Aight, can I remove it now?” Jake asked.

“You would have to before we can begin,” the man nodded. “If you need anything to help you extract it, we have some tools.”

“Should be fine,” Jake said as he walked over to the bow. He felt the energy trapped within and held his hand out toward it. Firstly, he changed the energy to be far more stable in order to not destroy the bow as he extracted it, and then he simply led the arcane energy out through all the small fractures. Strings of arcane energy exited the bow as Jake made it unstable once outside, allowing it to dissipate in mid-air. The entire thing only took a few minutes before the bow was cleaned out.

you began using it after your evolution, it would not

called out but could only scratch the back of

the craftsman shook his head. “You boys

leader looked at Jake. “We are starting now. Remember

had to actively consent when any

further ado, the crafters got started. The bow got a quick treatment of the oily substance again, as Jake’s extraction had destroyed some of it. Then, the bow was lowered as four runes activated on the tub, each crafter responsible for one. Jake guessed the entire tub functioned a bit like a cauldron, and the

intently as the process began. The golden liquid slowly got absorbed by the bow as he watched on nervously. He hated this kind of thing where he could only be an onlooker. Nothing he could do would change the outcome, which was frustrating as hell to him. His

It wasn’t.

just standing there staring, the lion men all with their eyes closed as they focused. Jake thought they were done at several points, but the process just continued as the bow absorbed more and more energy. What was a bit freaky was how the liquid did not seem to

end of the process, not a single drop remained within the

just as strong. At the end of the eleven hours, the crafters did one final push as the leader took out a handful of some sort of dust substance and threw it into the tub. The dust instantly whirled around the bow and entered it,

the leader exclaimed as all four of them roared like the lion men

man leader, picked up the bow. He

who only seeks to challenge worthy foes and effortlessly strikes down those inferior that dare impede his quest. Increases damage done against foes dependent on level disparity – both lower and higher – up to a certain threshold. This effect is based on Perception. The bow is incredibly durable and will adapt to energy infused into it, beginning to take on its properties and empowering attacks using the

that far from told the whole story. Jake felt the bow’s higher level of power as he held it. Infusing a bit of his energy, he felt the bow greedily absorb it, and as he did, the lighter wood where all the cracks had been subtly lit up with the

even all of C-grade. One thing was for sure, it was now even better than it had been before, and the bowyers had gone above and beyond anything he could have

turned to

the payment-“ Jake began as the

shook his head. “Sadly, our Patron will not be able to attend the ceremony, so we hope

shop, but none of them

I have to thank?” Jake asked, not

Flame Pantheon,” the lion man

Earth who had worked as a mercenary for the Holy Church. Whatever

has helped me get a bow,”

offense that we

the bow a bit more.

of the other beastfolk smiled, looking

was the Loot Tower of the Malefic Viper, as he had decided to refer to it. It was where he had gotten the gloves and where he hoped

but headed straight for where he remembered the grand tower being located. It took him a bit to get there as he only went to the wrong place twice. He could already imagine how many days, if not weeks, he would have spent wandering around trying to find non-shit crafters without Irin giving him

he carried a Blessing, and for a few moments, he wondered if the one in charge

C-grades – where he met up with the same person he spoke to

evolved faster than I would have expected,” the attendant said as he entered the room that Jake was waiting in. “Would I be right to assume the

nodded at the hooded attendant. “I also remember the rule of only one piece of equipment per person… if I return the

as the gloves are still intact, then yes, they can be returned