The Primal Hunter

Chapter 997: Something Stupid (?)Jake and Villy continued speaking for a good while more, discussing some additional details of what Jake’s role would be in all this. He felt like an actor having a role way beyond his skill level put upon him, and he felt a lot of pressure to carry things out properly as the Viper wanted him to.

Acting and Jake were two things that really didn’t go well together, and the Viper at least took this into account and did so that Jake needed to do as little acting as possible. Moreover, this acting would nearly exclusively be done in front of people who didn’t really know him in the first place, making it far harder to detect any discrepancies in his actions.

They both also knew all this was for the Viper and had little to do with Jake’s own goals or Path. Jake was fine with just teleporting right now and attacking Ell’Hakan wherever he was, and the only reason he held back and would agree to any of this was because Villy was the one asking him to. Sure, Jake did excuse himself for going along with everything by arguing he owed the Viper a favor, but honestly, it was more than that.

Time and time again, Villy had helped Jake without asking for anything in return. He’d given him access to far more resources than Jake could possibly use: knowledge gathered by the Order since the very first era, personal guidance… so many things. And for that, he’d never asked Jake to do anything Jake wouldn’t have ended up wanting to do anyway.

Jake didn’t count his exploits and performances during system events as favors to Villy. All those were just Jake being Jake, and the fact it benefitted the Viper because Jake was his Chosen was just a bonus. Counting these would just feel wrong.

At the same time, Jake didn’t want to be the kind of person who counted favors between friends and made their relationship transactional… but that didn’t mean he couldn’t feel the clear disparity in how much one party helped the other. The best comparison Jake could make was with holiday gifts. Sure, gifts were not meant to be seen as transactions, and one wasn’t meant to count monetary value between what two friends gave each other… but if Jake gave someone a damn toaster and they gave him a new laptop, he would feel really awkward about it.

So, even if the Viper didn’t care – and kept saying he didn’t care – about the disparity in how much they helped each other, this was an opportunity for Jake to at least feel less awkward about things. Oh yeah, and helping out the god was also just something a friend would do, as while the sacrifices Jake had to make were annoying, they weren’t significant at all.

Finishing their conversation, Jake felt as ready as could be to carry out the plan and try to bring the others on board. It wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to do his darndest. Before they cut the connection, Jake did have one last thing to say, though.

“Hey, Villy?”

“Got more questions?” the god asked.

“No, no, I’m good… I just want to make sure we’re on the same page here. This all ends with us both walking away whole and better than ever, right?” Jake asked.

“And what do you mean by that?”

“That you aren’t going to do something stupid,” Jake said in a rather stern tone.

“Duly noted, but truly, you have no reason to worry… still, thanks for the concern, I guess,” the Viper said, seemingly not entirely sure how to respond.

“That’s what friends are for,” Jake shrugged before smiling. “Now, let’s go pull off the scam of the era.”

“Yeah, no, that’s never gonna happen,” Carmen said, her arms crossed as she stood in front of the golden projection.

that I’m not asking you to ensure it happens now but that you merely lay the groundwork for the future.

doesn’t. It’s not like our respective factions will have fuck-all effect on things once all this stuff is over,” Carmen said, a bit annoyed at everything going on. “Can I

the contract properly,” Gudrun said in a scolding yet motherly tone as she smiled. “Not like you would have rejected signing it no matter what

smiled, preferring the casual tone

was honestly standard by now – and had begun this discussion. Her ritual for contact was to summon a projection like this, using a rather expensive item as a catalyst, as well as making use of her Divine Blessing, as a lower

currently going on, including the entire clash happening in the rest of the multiverse. Gudrun didn’t disclose much,

overly worried, though. However, she did view this as an opportunity. She proposed to Carmen to take Jake to the planet in the Milky Way

diplomatic route. Maybe Miranda would try and convince him to try something like that, but she was pretty damn confident not even she could talk him out of just recklessly charging at Ell’Hakan to put an arrow in his

seemed convinced he would be open to diplomacy. Assuming she was correct and Jake would come to the planet ruled by Valhal, Gudrun wanted Carmen to naturally come along. Once there, Jake would know no one except Carmen, and while he could certainly entertain himself, Gudrun believed this was a great opportunity to see the good things about

Amazon, note that it's taken without

to try and convince Jake that Valhal was a cool faction and totally one he should join. Even if it wasn’t now, then in the future, he should consider them. If not, then at least he should have a very favorable view of Valhal and be willing to work closely with them going forward, perhaps even

mortals switching factions upon ascending to

had pretty much felt forced to sign a long time ago. It was related to all the shady bullshit going on, and to ensure she wouldn’t spill the beans, Gudrun had her sign it shortly before Nevermore. All it did was

At least she could get out of the contract at any point if she wanted by just taking off the ring she had been given, which was what restricted her from speaking on accident, though she had

considering this knowledge was the kind not even shared with other gods. Carmen was one

and Yip of Yore had one too. One that did obligate Valdemar and Valhal to assist Yip

make

step in and help the Viper?” Carmen asked after a while, as she really couldn’t imagine a world where anyone wanted that Yip guy to win. She didn’t expect an answer

Yip of Yore is entirely on them. No one from Valhal will interfere. In fact, we will ensure no one interferes, no matter what,” Gudrun said with

the Viper

new being recognized as at least equal to the other

Valhal is

Gudrun said with a smile. “He recognized Yip of Yore has the potential to reach the peak. Valdemar wants nothing more than to have someone willing to battle and worth fighting, and if this conflict gives

what exactly was going on between the Viper and her own Patron. She didn’t know if they were friends, enemies, rivals, or just two really old creatures who

me to do is bring Jake away from Earth and to our planet?” Carmen asked, clarifyingly,

from there. Just play along with him and back up whatever he does, but don’t personally get involved in