The Primal Hunter

Jake felt how serious Viridia was, so he assumed this Nature’s Attendant was someone important just from her reaction.

”How will we meet?” Jake asked.

”I believe a private meeting room has been prepared. A god of his level descending upon this hall filled with mortals wouldn’t end well for anyone but you and a few others,” Viridia said.

”That strong?” Jake asked, a bit surprised. ”I must admit I have never heard of this god before…”

Viridia seemed taken aback for a moment but quickly gathered herself. ”Nature’s Attendant is the right hand of Yggdrasil and her most trusted partner. Some compare him to what the Lord Protector is to the Order of the Malefic Viper, but that isn’t entirely accurate. He is far more of an equal part of the Pantheon of Life, standing tall at Yggdrasil’s side. As a god from the second era, he is incredibly strong and has one of the most powerful Bloodlines known to the multiverse,” Viridia briefly explained.

”A Bloodline, huh?”

”His namesake. While I am uncertain as to its exact nature, it has to do with manipulation of nature affinity energy and communion with plants.”

”Alright. Will you teleport me to the meeting room?”Jake asked.

”The Malefic One will welcome this guest personally, so no,” Viridia answered. ”I just simply wished to inform you to avoid any issues and warn you to remain respectful. While he is not a Primordial, you may as well consider him at the level of one, and I also know that the Malefic One personally holds him in high esteem,” Viridia said. ”Ah, I believe the Malefic One will fetch you now. Good luck.”

Jake didn’t even have time to answer before he appeared in a separate room from the one he had been in with the three factions earlier. This wasn’t even a meeting room but was instead a large living room he had been in before, and after orienting himself, he looked at the Viper, who was sitting on a couch.

”So, special guest?” Jake asked.

”The one I told you about before,” the Viper smiled.

”Viridia seemed pretty freaked out about him.”

”As she should. This isn’t the kind of guest you can treat casually. And I will echo what she warned you about. However, rather than tell you to be respectful, I will warn you about trying to get into a dick-measuring contest using your Bloodline. That won’t end in anything productive, alright?” Villy asked.

”Alright, alright,” Jake said. ”Why meet here, though? Isn’t this your personal space?”

”And he is as much a personal guest as he is a guest to this ceremony,” the Viper shook his head and got up. ”Now, let’s welcome him. Oh, also, he has brought someone along. A potential party member for your Nevermore party.”

”Oh yeah,” Jake said, his interest piqued. ”Any idea who it is? Are they any good?”

”I do, and considering who is personally bringing her, I would have high expectations,” Villy smiled.

Jake nodded and waited. Less than ten seconds later, he felt it. Outside of the living room, in a small entrance area, a presence descended. Jake felt like the entire living room was bathed in energy, and he imagined himself back in the Tutorial forest again. Instantly, he understood.

The mana… it’s nature affinity.

The environmental mana itself had changed its affinity. Moreover, Jake felt something else resonate from deep within himself, and his heartbeat sped up slightly.

Then, just as he had properly registered this, two figures appeared in the room outside. One was a tall man wearing simple brown robes and carrying a staff with a flower at its tip, while the other was a young woman who looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. He could only see her face, and she looked mostly human, except for two small bumps on her forehead, and her hair looked very much not like hair but more like vines with flowers sprouting from them. After he saw them in his sphere, he understood why he got this odd feeling.

Bloodlines.

Both of them had one. Both were incredibly powerful, too, though Jake felt a slight difference between them.

As the two of them appeared, Villy went over to greet them with an oddly serious look on his face.

man – Nature’s Attendant – walked into the room with the girl following close behind, and Jake finally laid

and cloak and didn’t visibly wear any weapons, though she could have something hidden under her large cloak, which he couldn’t look beneath even with his sphere due to how Soulshapes and all that worked. Only her face was visible, and there he saw her small horns, which he recognized were actually antlers and her long green hair of thin vines with flowers blooming

did look like an older man, but one in peak physical condition with dense muscles displayed where visible. He reminded Jake a bit of an old farmer, and he had a soft smile

has been too long,” he

as he walked over and went for a hug, which

as

you could come,

woman he had brought with him look surprised. The two exchanged

you could have invited me earlier, but I guess you had your own stuff to deal with,” the old-looking man smiled,

serious. ”I take it you have this entire Yip of Yore situation handled? He

I do,” the Viper shook his head. ”No need to worry,

Jake. ”So, is this the young

good talk. My first one in far too many eras.

as he still looked at Jake. ”Thank you for getting Vilas to see

bowed, making Jake feel a bit

do much,” Jake scratched the back of his

like so, but you still managed to give him that final push. Now, let’s have a proper look at you,” the older-looking god said as he walked over and studied Jake

felt a bit awkward as the old man scrutinized him in both body and soul. Nevertheless, he stood still and just threw Villy a glance as the god put up his hands

not quite as simple as resisting auras, now is it? Ah, don’t worry, not gonna meddle in your secrets, just a small

before he

own Bloodline allows me to feel the mana

in the multiverse for a reason; I should have guessed he would figure it out,” Villy also said in a

more out than knowing he had some

finally meet you,” the god finally stopped his inspection. Then, with a big smile, he went to the one he had brought to this

introduced the girl as he practically dragged her over to stand in front of him. He proudly had both his hands on her shoulders, and she looked embarrassed and

– lvl 205 –

smile, the Nature’s Attendant glanced between

but it has only gotten worse through the eras, I tell you. With Dina here, it is even worse, as she can’t just go with an ordinary top-tier party but needs one that is truly top-tier, you know? Anything else would waste

and neither will his party members,” Villy said

An odd one for sure, but definitely powerful,” the god nodded. ”The Unique Lifeform is also quite something, and the hawk is interesting. I am sure you will like them

looked at the floor. The old man finally let go of her shoulders, and she looked at him with a meek expression as he nodded and

there and was surprised when he saw the staff Nature’s Attendant had brought float over to the girl. He saw the lotus flower at the head of the staff wave

few times as Jake tried to understand what the

she talking to the staff?” Jake asked

capable of slaying most gods by itself,” Villy answered. ”But yes, she is talking to

Her Bloodline is strong, too, isn’t it?

most powerful Bloodlines in the multiverse, and this girl has part of that. Oh, just

the grandmother?”

”Yggdrasil.”

reacting as he asked further. ”I thought it was incredibly hard for gods to have children? And

biological child, with her mother being a dryad god and her father an S-tier half-dryad. Both of which had Bloodlines,” Villy explained. ”I won’t reveal much more of her personal history, but you need a fifth party member, right? It is difficult to do any better. She is enlightened with

that?” Jake asked, even if he already had a good feeling

wasn’t a god waiting in the shadows to make sure she didn’t get hurt. That is one of the reasons she is here. She needs experience. She is also on the younger side, not even forty years old yet, and considering her lack of exposure to, well, anything, she is sheltered and not

I guess that explains why she doesn’t exactly give me the vibes of a genius,” Jake

it to godhood,” Villy answered. ”I guess you could say he is my only family. And

to not