The Primal Hunter

Flexing status was always a great way to get a message across, but it only ever worked when the other party knew who you were. In all honesty, Jake had been surprised the wyvern didn’t recognize him even after being blessed. It wasn’t that he expected every single god to tell those they blessed about him… but wouldn’t it make sense to at least mention the Malefic Viper if you bless a wyvern living not even a day’s flight from the home base of his Chosen?

Well, it definitely would; there had just been one problem:

The wyvern was a hermit.

As in, it knew literally nobody. It didn’t know anything about the planet it was on or what was going on whatsoever, either. It had lived in its own little bubble, killing anything that dared try and approach it. It didn’t even know about Nevermore. As Jake listened, he also realized that the damn dragon god that blessed the wyvern was partly to blame.

That asshole dragon had told the wyvern to just dominate its own domain and keep absorbing energy there. They only ever had one meeting, where all the talks were about making optimal use of the unique mountaintop.

However, now the beast definitely seemed to realize who he was as Jake saw the wyvern get what he assumed was a less funny Villy-style round of exposition. The beast kept its head low throughout, seemingly wanting to bury it in the snowy floor of the cavern every time the wyvern spoke its apologies, trying to excuse its own ignorance while groveling to Jake with promises.

“I had a severe lapse of judgment and can only wish to beg for forgiveness and make up for my transgressions through any form of assistance I can possibly provide,” the wyvern said, definitely reading from a provided script.

Jake just stood back as he let the poor wyvern get a talking-to. When he thought about it more, Jake kind of understood why the wyvern had acted like it did. Earth was a pretty fucked up planet for it to be born on, and he was sure that in many other places, the wyvern would have been fine acting as it did. It would be the kind of creature the enlightened on the planet called a Beast King or something, and the mountain deemed a forbidden zone.

The problem for the wyvern was that Jake knew at least a dozen people who could kill the wyvern if they so desired, and when more people returned from Nevermore, it would be even more. Shit, based on the people he saw in Haven, he was confident a forty-man raid party could be gathered there capable of taking down the wyvern, not even to mention if Skyggen got involved and sent a group of high-level assassins recently returned from Nevermore. Jake’s brother alone could quickly kill the wyvern.

So… while the wyvern had indeed been a dick, it had acted pretty natural if this had been a normal planet, and as long as it was willing to correct its ways, Jake wasn’t going to unilaterally kill it. Besides, with its level, it wouldn’t even give him any experience.

Before the wyvern could begin to practically beg again, Jake decided to let it escape from limbo as he spoke.

“Stop. You now seem to realize where your little mountain is located and why your actions up till now have been rather unwise?”

“Yes, Lord Chosen,” the wyvern nodded enthusiastically. “My own foolishness and ignorance-“

“It’s fine, as long as you know and will change your ways,” Jake interrupted. “I can’t have a wyvern living here causing trouble for people wanting to just pass by.”

“I swear that I shall never attack another of the enlightened races again,” the wyvern readily agreed.

“No need to go that far,” Jake waved it off. “Just don’t kill people randomly. If they attack you, go for it, but if they are just passing by or want to speak, don’t automatically attack.”

Looking over at the frozen vampires and the burrowed dead vulture, he continued. “When it comes to feeding this mountain, I would advise you to stick with beasts, especially those around your own level of power. You will dilute the quality if you aim for quantity. Needless to say, those vampires also aren’t going to stay here.”

“Na- naturally,” the wyvern said as its eyes glowed for a moment. Instantly, the ice started to melt, releasing them from their icy imprisonment. As they quickly thawed, one thing also became pretty clear.

They heard everything… which means they were fully awake and aware despite being frozen. Pretty fucking scary way to die if I say so myself, Jake thought as he saw the clarity in all their eyes, with a few of them even looking with reverence and gratitude toward him.

Jake waited patiently as he even saw the wyvern remove some of the cold energy from around the vampires, allowing them to unfreeze faster while not letting the cold bother them as much. It didn’t take long before the first one was fully free, and he didn’t wait to bow, despite it looking pretty damn painful as his clothes and even skin cracked in places.

Malefic One for his assistance,” the vampire said, with

offended, as they just thanked him once more before they left, supporting each other on the way. They didn’t even

gone, Jake returned his attention to the wyvern that had kept its head lowered, not even daring to look up. Sighing, Jake really wasn’t sure what to do about the big lizard. He could literally see it shaking, and it definitely wasn’t from the cold. Alas, he had already decided he wasn’t going to give it

on the wyvern’s face, as, despite the entire conversation they just had, it definitely assumed he still wanted some kind of personal revenge. Which, to

really wasn’t in the mood. He also had to admit to himself part of his reluctance was because he was dealing with a wyvern. No, not just a wyvern, the first wyvern he had seen in the wild. Killing it just for some slight born of

wyvern asked, though it was clear it was also this Everfrost Dragon God behind

will demand as compensation,” Jake said after thinking

“Anything,” the wyvern insisted.

believe you were simply born a wyvern, so what

Mainly knowing if this wyvern had also once been a snake, or if it had

I was born as?” the

take it as fulfilling my personal curiosity,” Jake said. “Tell me how you became what you are today. The story of your life, if

for a moment before it spoke. “I was born as a creature called an iguana. I had lived on this mountain all of my life, simply surviving in the harsh environment. Back then, this was no snow-covered peak, even if it was cold at times. Then, the initiation of the system arrived and everything changed. Day after day, the mountain grew taller as the world expanded beneath me. We all turned feral, killing each other and fighting for this odd energy far more

to hear the perspective of a beast and how they experienced the integration compared to humans. The

one day, we were all drawn to this cavern. We fought, and I killed all of my kin before I finally consumed that which had brought me here. It was an odd plant, and after consuming it, the cold began to be a source of nourishment, not something to overcome. I do not know specifically why, but

the wyvern was almost talking about someone else. Which it kind of

how did you obtain the budding dragon’s heart?” Jake followed up. “A skill offering

wyvern confirmed. “I selected it, and it warped my heart into what it is today. I am also fully aware that I need to upgrade it

looked toward the cavern exit. “This has been enlightening. I shall not bother you anymore than this, and thank you for sharing your life story. I hope this experience has allowed you to wise up, and I look forward to seeing

Chosen for his magnanimity,” the wyvern bowed its head. “I shall ensure to

waved the wyvern off as he walked out of the cavern before he felt a minor shift that made him glance back and use one final Identify,

Wyvern – lvl 271 – Divine

came here to scold the lizard and ended up getting it a free Blessing upgrade instead, Jake admonished himself jokingly as he made his way out of the cavern. His little pit stop for the wyvern hadn’t turned out how he’d expected, but

Skyggen as he decided to

simply killing anything they hit. These bolts carried the power to slay even S-grades

the midst of everything, two figures were fighting, as the rocky terrain that had been molded and empowered by the onslaught of lightning for millions of years was torn up

a tall man, swinging a battleaxe as he attempted to catch his opponent, a winged woman with more muscles than the warrior. She fought using her bare fists, deflecting the weapon of

minutes until the man suddenly appeared distracted. A fist struck him in the face, blowing off his entire head as he stumbled back before it rapidly

the man said with a scowl as he used his horns to crack

as she looked toward the newcomer who had been the cause of the distraction. A suit-wearing devil had appeared, carrying a light smile

his

the Fifth Hell

it’s related to Nevermore, isn’t it?”

devil

princeling returned?” the duke asked

duchess asked. “If not, I don’t see why

the Malefic Viper, who took second and first, respectively,” the suited devil answered. “The Chosen of the Malefic Viper also took the top spot

fail to realize why