The Primal Hunter

Multiversal events were few and far between. Very rarely did something happen that factions with any knowledge of the wider happening cared about, but this was one of them. The last one had been the initiation of the new universe, and while this one was certainly not even remotely on the same scale, it was still a matter of extreme importance.

Why it mattered was naturally due to who hosted it.

The Automata Legion, Endless Empire, Holy Church, Risen, Valhal, Dragonflight Accords, United Tribe, and Altmar Empire… these factions were generally considered the most known and most powerful of the entire multiverse. Others did exist with close to their power, but they ultimately still fell short for several reasons.

Umbra’s Court of Shadows was certainly powerful, but not many would consider them a true peak-level faction. Their numbers were still somewhat limited, they did not establish huge territories they controlled, and while Umbra was a peak-level figure, she rarely appeared herself or got involved.

The same could be said for many other large factions. There did exist forces filled with elementals, the Starborn, beast alliances, and the Golden Road Emporium… all were incredibly powerful but still limited. Top-level, yes, but not true peak factions.

None would say the current Order of the Malefic Viper was one either. But that didn’t mean it had always been like that.

The best comparison to the Order of the Malefic Viper would be Valhal.

Valhal did have many members, yes, but they did not control huge areas, still making them limited. People were rarely born into the faction but joined as it aligned with their interests. This meant their resources were not at peak level, and their numbers were not even close. Overall, their territory was small, and their influence was limited. Even then, none would dare not put them on the same level as even the largest of factions. Because they had one thing that made them considered a peak-level faction:

Valdemar.

When a single man could stand before an entire empire, a single decree of war could make previously considered top-level factions crumble to dust in but a few years… who would dare argue? His fighting power and threat level as an individual was equivalent to a peak-level faction alone.

And that was why the Order was best compared to Valhal.

Many still remembered. Back in the seventh era, before the Viper had disappeared, when people discussed the most powerful individual, many names were brought up, and the Malefic Viper was always among them.

Then it happened. The Malefic Viper went on a warpath and showed no mercy as he slaughtered his way through a universe.

Eight Primordials had needed to get involved in stopping the rampaging Malefic Viper. Valdemar, Inmortau the Blightfather, the Holy Mother, the Starseizing Titan, Stormild, Eversmile, Yggdrasil, and Aeon Clok had all appeared. Eight Primordials had gone to calm one, a fight ensuing as a result.

None truly knew what had happened… all they knew was that none of the Primordials that had been involved made any public appearances or left their divine realms for over ten thousand years after the fight, with the Malefic Viper entering seclusion. Leaving in his wake the tenth of an entire universe destroyed and desolate still to this day, and presumably, eight Primordials injured so badly they didn’t dare leave the safety of their realms.

But… that was then.

Eighty-five full eras had passed. Every other faction had expanded, and every other Primordial had publicly grown in power, keeping their spots at the peak of the multiverse. They had all struggled, participated in events for the gods, trained their people, gathered Records, and slowly improved themselves. They had progressed and grown with the world, their power now incomparable to what it had been back then.

Meanwhile, none had heard anything about the Viper. His Order had merely persisted, still a respected faction due to the Lord Protector and its heritage, but it was no longer truly considered a high-level faction by the general public. Only in name would they call it that, out of respect for its Primordial founder and due to so many other peak-level factions considering it so.

So the big question everyone had before this big ceremony was as thus:

What kind of god would appear on stage? What kind of Primordial had reappeared? What Chosen would he have picked among the new initiates? Was he even sane?

Perhaps most importantly, they would come to discover… had the multiverse just gained another peak-level faction comparable to Valhal simply by virtue of their leader?

Or was the Malefic One truly just a shadow of the past, surviving on his name and heritage alone?

Jake appeared in a waiting room with everyone else, Sandy having been forced to shrink down to not get hurt. No way they would be able to break the structures within the Order of the Malefic Viper, as Jake guessed not even A-grades could punch through a wall there.

”Welcome to the Order of the Malefic Viper,” Viridia said when they arrived. ”Lord Thayne, you will be the main character together with the Malefic One during this event, and I hope you are ready.”

She then turned to Sandy and bowed deeply. ”I welcome the Chosen of the Lord Protector. It is my honor to be in your presence. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you, and I will-”

”Snacks,” Sandy said.

”Pardon?” Viridia asked, confused.

snacks?” Sandy asked in

to the space worm’s demands, and less than five seconds later, figures began

of stuff for

”Yes, Lord Sandy.”

know that, right?” Sandy said before squiggling over and

me that the Chosen is satisfied with the

reckoned they were probably the best kind of Chosen one could have. No annoying demands, and you could make them happy by

the ceremony

will take the stage. You will then be brought there when the time is right, and your only jobs will be to just flare your presences. Don’t hide anything, but

take place. All of you will naturally be in positions as guests of honor, but as you are not party members of Lord

nodded. ”That

his best behavior. He seemed to have a lot of respect for Viridia and even called her a

will appear when the Malefic One summons you, but I assume you

by your fellow Verdant Witch,” Vesperia

the Hall Master smiled. ”Let us proceed then. I shall teleport you four

only people she had not spoken to directly yet. ”You three will be the party

them closely as if sizing them up. She barely looked at the King and seemed fine with Sylphie, but her gaze lingered for a while on the old man with a sword at his side. There were no comments, but she was

answered, seemingly aware of her gaze

will all be brought out after the ordeal with the True Royal, where you will be announced as his party members. Miranda should have told you

nodded. The King didn’t say anything either, but then again, it wasn’t like

their wishes of inserting themselves or a member of their own faction into this party, so do not take it

in an amused tone. ”You truly believe they would

would be foolish enough to challenge a Unique Lifeform or question its power, but the other two may face

anyone to

a light smile, not saying anything

at their determination. ”In either case, I wish you luck. I shall take

an utterly massive hall. The seating looked more like a stretching mountain range than a place for people to stand or sit. Hundreds of

be on a single one of those stands,” the

The old man didn’t give off the slightest hint

help my stage fright… Jake cursed internally as he

She saw people from every single Dragonflight present. The Emberflight, Azureflight, Regalflight, Stormflight, Darkflight, Lumenflight, Terraflight, Silverflight and the Wildflight. All of them had S-grades among their representatives, showing the amount of support the Accords had decided to display towards the Order. Even the stuck-up Regalflight,

asked Albaromoz. ”That the Malefic Dragonkin, Draskil, is truly

I find it doubtful,” he shook his head. ”The dragonkin was powerful, but I have seen other Chosen of less impressive gods.

think it is someone that has perhaps not publicly appeared in

One, he could have easily hidden anyone if he so desired, so that is entirely possible,” Albaromoz said, shaking his head. ”It truly is difficult to say, but I believe he is in the Order. Didn’t you hear about the young master from

”Wait, did he truly…?”

the Chosen,” he explained. ”The fact that the Malefic One acted also makes me believe his Chosen is indeed still early C-grade. If not, the Chosen would have handled

an easy matter and must have taken a long time and even more focus and talent. Isn’t it entirely possible he is a dedicated

find unlikely, the Malefic One has always been known as someone emphasizing fighting power,”

was unsure what to say as they simply waited for the ceremony to begin. The hall was filled, and she felt practically every faction that tended to be on friendly terms with the Order present, including a few new ones. Seeing the representatives from the Automata Legion and Endless Empire was especially surprising.

didn’t arrive,” Helen muttered after a while. She did not see them in the territory for

the Viper after their last encounter, even to this day. Seeing as

an actual conflict

can say