Ranobes » The Primal Hunter » Chapter 79: Moment of Curiosity
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Chapter 79: Moment of Curiosity
The Primal Hunter

Jake dismissed his bow as the stag fell to the ground, never to move again. The fights with the beasts had only gotten more comfortable as he got accustomed to all their tactics and fighting styles. In the end, they were just beasts, making their strategies repetitive and straightforward. It had started getting a bit boring as they stopped being real challenges.

But at least the experience was good. Only four ponds cleared out, and Jake had reached his first goal.

*’DING!’ Class: [Ambitious Hunter] has reached level 50 - Stat points allocated, +4 free points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (E)] has reached level 50 - Stat points allocated, +5 free points*

He waited for a few moments after the notifications. After a few seconds, it became disappointingly clear that he wouldn’t get anything for getting his race to level 50. He had kind of hoped to get some amazing bonus or something. At least a skill or something. His only consolation was that his class, of course, didn’t disappoint.

*Ambitious Hunter class skills available*

Yet again, he decided to take the slow approach and go through the skills one by one. He quickly dove into the tall grass once more as he hid far away from any potential enemies. The pattern of other deer coming to investigate the pond he had just cleared was sure to repeat itself.

When he found a safe spot, he sat down and entered meditation as he went through the skills. He was low on both stamina and mana anyway.

He had a total of five new skills to pick from. The maximum he could be offered. The first one not being overly exciting, though.

[Stealth Attack (Common)] – The most decisive blow is the one not seen coming before it is too late. Increase the power of the first attack made to an otherwise unaware foe. Works with both ranged and melee attacks. Adds a minor bonus to the effectiveness of agility and strength when using Stealth Attack.

He was ninety-nine percent sure this one came from him advancing his stealth. He could see the usefulness of the skill, but the common-rarity tag just put him off. He was sure that he could get better at some point. If he advanced stealth more, chances were new skills would follow suit.

So he skipped it as he swiftly moved on to yet another common-rarity skill.

[Grappling Shot (Common)] – Getting to the right vantage point or merely climbing whatever impedes you is invaluable to any hunter when hunting his prey. Shoot an arrow with a string of mana attached. The arrow will easily stick to any surface it encounters without doing any notable damage to said surface. Adds a minor bonus to the effectiveness of agility and wisdom when using Grappling Shot.

This one was at least a bit more interesting. Jake assumed he unlocked it through his small rock-climbing session and by his constant use of mana strings. But while the way he had unlocked it was interesting, the skill itself was not.

Discounting any fantasies of cosplaying as a vigilante in a bat costume, he didn’t see many practical uses. If he really needed to climb something badly, he could just use the same tactic he used before.

The only other exciting thing he could find about the skill was that it scaled with wisdom and agility like his Shadow Vault of Umbra. Not that it had any effect on his decision to skip it over. His next option at least looked quite a bit better.

[Descending Fang (Uncommon)] – A fang descending like the clamping mouth of a snake. Do a downward strike with a melee weapon, significantly increasing penetrative power and damage inflicted. Damage improved further if the weapon is benefitting from Twin Fang Style. Adds a small bonus to the effectiveness of agility and strength when using Descending Fang.

This was the first true melee skill he had been offered that he would have to use actively. The skill was also clearly linked to Twin Fang Style and was likely also influenced by his liberal use of Venomfang.

The skill itself was without a doubt useful. Jake’s favorite move was to stab, to begin with, and it also made applying the venom far more effective. Besides, it was far more suitable for stabbing than cutting with the dagger formed like a sharpened fang. Hence the name Venomfang.

To say the skill didn’t tempt him would be a lie. It fit right into his style, and it would prove incredibly useful. He decided to reserve judgment, though, until he had also checked out the last two skills. The first of which was also incredibly interesting.

[Conjure Spectral Weaponry (Uncommon)] – One does not need to carry a weapon if they can manifest one at any time. Summon a replication of any weapon used prior composed solely of mana. Only the form of the weapon is replicated, and it does not retain any enchants or material integrity. The summoned arms’ power and durability are based on wisdom and the mana expended during their creation.

This one likely had similar roots to the Grappling Shot skill. Jake’s mana practice, to be more exact. He also had the option to learn Spectral Hand in his profession, so it was pretty clear that his improvements were recognized.

As for the skill itself? It was useful for sure, but Jake nevertheless felt unsure. There were many unanswered questions, such as how well the conjured weapons would hold up to his current gear and other details, such as how long it took to summon things.

His quiver took a few seconds per arrow, and if the speed of conjuration from the skill were anything close to that, it would prove pretty useless in combat. It took him practically no time to dismiss and summon things from his spatial storage, making that far more effective.

And, of course, there was the last point. Jake felt like he could do what the skill did without it. He could learn how to make a bow or a dagger from mana. Not that he felt anywhere close to able to do that, but his mana strings’ tangibility and strength got more robust by the day.

Which left the last skill - one that felt very familiar.

[Bestial Survival Instincts (Rare)] – The Ambitious Hunter has learned from the beasts he hunts and can now imitate their superhuman senses. Has a small chance to feel a distinct sense of danger from any attack, and improved reaction time for a brief duration after triggering the effect. Adds a small bonus to the chance and the accuracy of the extra sense based on perception.

The skill seemed just to explain what his bloodline ability already did, though in more detail and from the description, just straight-up worse. It only had a chance to activate, and it improved his reaction time? His bloodline already did both of those things far better.

But if he took the skill in isolation, ignoring his bloodline, it would surely be useful for someone that wasn’t him. His danger sense helped him immensely in combat and helped him gauge how strong a blow would be before it hit him, as well as warn him of any attacks he hadn’t seen coming.

Thinking back, he remembered many of the beasts he was hunting to have some kind of danger sense. But none of the humans he had fought had it. Perhaps it was just something many creatures got, but humans had to pick special skills for. Or maybe it came with levels as one’s combat instincts were honed.

The best example of a beast with the skill had to be the Alpha Badgers and the Den Mother. Both of those showed near precognition-level power to react, though he would still call it far less reliable than his own. It seemed to not really differentiate between harmless attacks and lethal ones, like how the Alpha dodged a random glass bottle tossed at it.

Yet despite all these cons, Jake got curious. How exactly would the skill work for him? Would it improve his already existing abilities? Double-down on the same, and just give him massive headaches from two danger senses activating at the same time? Maybe just do nothing?

Jake couldn’t help but be attracted to the skill, like it resonated with him somehow. His intuition didn’t really give him any details as to what would happen either. He did, however, get the feeling that it wouldn’t bring him any harm to get it.

He went through the list once more and hovered a bit on one of the skills he had passed over at level 40. There was still the one rare skill that offered him better mental defenses. It was attractive for sure… but it just didn’t excite him that much.

There was also the active camouflage… but at the point he began thinking about taking that, the thought of what would happen from picking Bestial Survival Instincts had already overwhelmed him.

In the end, curiosity got the better of him. Well, here goes nothing.

*Gained Skill*: [Bestial Survival Instincts (Rare)] – The Ambitious Hunter has learned from the beasts he hunts and can now imitate their superhuman senses. Has a small chance to feel a distinct sense of danger from any attack, and improved reaction time for a brief duration after triggering the effect. Adds a small bonus to the chance and the accuracy of the extra sense based on perception.

The second he gained the skill, he initially didn’t feel much except for the cold sensation of instinctual knowledge of how the skill worked enter him - just like with every other skill. The feeling, however, quickly changed as he felt a warmth spring up. He began to have a vague sense of annoyance at the new skill, an annoyance that soon turned to disdain.

Distinctly he heard the sound of his heartbeat.

THUMP!

The sound felt all-encompassing. The sound didn’t come from his physical heart, but something deeper within.

THUMP!

The warmth got more intense as he felt like his blood was heating up, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable in the least, but more like something within him had stirred. Like the intrusion of this new skill upon the domain of his bloodline had awoken it. Angered it and him. He felt angry, as if he wanted to just rip the skill right out of his status menu.

THUMP!

The feeling kept increasing as the heartbeat continued. Time itself seemed to stand still as the system message appeared.

*Synergy Detected*

Due to your bloodline, the skill [Bestial Survival Instincts (Rare)] is evolving.

*Skill Upgraded*: [Bestial Survival Instincts (Rare)] --> [Extreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Epic)]

He read the message as the warm flow increased, but he didn’t feel any better at all as even more instinctual knowledge began to enter his brain. His heartbeat showed no intentions of stopping either.

Due to your bloodline, the skill [Extreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Epic)] is evolving.

*Skill Upgraded*: [Extreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Epic)] --> [Supreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Ancient)]

Once more knowledge came, and once more, he found it wanting. It was weak, a downgrade. Not good enough.

Due to your bloodline, the skill [Supreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Ancient)] is evolving. Maximum rarity reached. Evolution unsuccessful.

Jake finally felt the warmth slow down as the skill seemed to cap out. The knowledge entered his head throughout the entire process as he got a far better understanding of the skill and its full evolutionary path.

A logical part of him knew that it was a great skill, but that part of him wasn’t what was in the forefront. No, that part of him that was his more impulsive and instinctual side, wasn’t satisfied. It was still so weak. Inferior to what he already had, what he already was. A lesser part of himself that he had no need for, that was better off culled.

THUMP!

A heartbeat that reverberated through his entire soul, sending out a pulse of energy. The warmth returned with a fury, unwilling to give any room for the new skill. His bloodline had been challenged; its territory entered without permission. And like a primal beast, it refused to give any leeway - a fact the system quickly recognized.

*Synergy detected*

Congratulation! Your [Supreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Ancient)] has successfully transformed.

*Skill transformed*: [Supreme Bestial Survival Instincts (Ancient)] --> [Moment of the Primal Hunter (Legendary)]

Congratulation! You have successfully created a new Legendary skill. A great accomplishment for any being, but even more so one still so early on their path.

Title: [Legendary Prodigy] earned.

Jake instantly knew that now it was truly over; his bloodline had won.

No, that wasn’t right. He had won. Jake’s face was grimacing with a toothy smile as blood trickled down his neck from biting himself in a fury before. A brilliant smile of victory - his fists closed, blood hitting the ground from him clenching his fists so hard.

He felt like he had just wrestled a mighty beast to the ground. Like he had continuously dominated it despite all its struggle.

The windfall from his moment of curiosity was immense. The warm flow disappeared a few moments later. He felt more powerful than ever before, and it didn’t take him long to locate the source as his new title.

[Legendary Prodigy] – A true talent standing at the pinnacle of his generation. Young, yet showing promise above even the elders of yore. Due to your immense accomplishment of creating a legendary skill while still below D-grade, you have proven yourself a true legendary prodigy. +10 all stats +10% all stats.

The title was as good as his Holder of a Primordial’s True Blessing. A title he had gotten from being blessed by a literal god.

An extra +10 in all stats was… immense, granting him a total of 90 stat points right off that bat. This was, of course, ignoring the 10% to all stats. As with the other titles, it worked additively, putting the percentage increase on top of the bonuses he already had. Not that it made the bonus any less massive. That 10% represented an increase of a few hundred total stats - a bonus that would only grow as he did.

Jake couldn’t help but briefly feel like the title wasn’t earned. It had been luck and pure coincidence.

But then again, could he genuinely claim that? It was due to himself that he got the bonus. It was what he was that made it possible. His bloodline was a part of him; it would be like blaming himself for being good at archery because he had functional arms. Besides... it wasn't the first time he had been called a prodigy.

As for the skill itself… Jake wouldn’t dare to complain.

[Moment of the Primal Hunter (Legendary)] – Instincts ascended to touch upon the concept of time itself. Through your supernatural instinct for survival, you seize the moment of crisis and turn it into one of opportunity. Momentarily slows down time if a blow would otherwise deal substantial damage to the hunter. The hunter is unaffected by the slowdown and can move uninhibited for the duration. Has an internal cooldown between each activation. Effect and internal cooldown of the skill are based on perception.

He honestly had no idea what to think about it. From the description, he couldn’t imagine it being weak, but at the same time, he had no idea exactly how powerful it would be. He knew that the rarity of skill alone wouldn’t instantly make it the best, but often also had a lot to do with the skill’s complexity… and from the looks of it, this one was pretty complex, right?

The skill said that it “touched upon the concept of time itself” … did that mean it literally controlled time? That it wasn’t just his instincts going into overdrive or something like that?

He had felt the momentary slowdown when a blow approached. It was something familiar; the brain goes into overdrive when one is in danger. A usual concept, even before the system. An idea that he had apparently brought to an entirely new level.

Separated by the endless void, two gods both looked on at this, one chuckling and the other sighing, a smile still on his lips despite his despondent mood - the first cheering as the strings of fate got jumbled up once more, the second shaking his head as yet another complication appeared.

The Primal Hunter
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    006_faceless
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    1 ⋅ 0
    There are actually 2 intermission chapters in between 78 & 79.

    Intermission 1 – Viridia (1/2)

    Around the same time Jake entered his second
    challenge dungeon, the Lucenti Plains, major things
    were happening in the Order of the Malefic Viper.
    All the branch leaders had finally gathered. For the first
    time since the coronation of Viridia, the Order had
    gathered in one place.
    Of course, what was happening this time was on an
    entirely different scale than merely appointing a new Hall
    Master.
    Nineteen branch leaders had gathered in the hall, along
    with their entire entourages. In total, more than a million
    people had gathered, which was also a testament to the
    size of their Order. The main hall had been built during the
    Order’s pinnacle of power, and back then had been used to
    hold gatherings with billions in attendance.
    The branch leaders themselves were each, as the name
    suggested, leaders of their individual branch. While they
    were at a lower rank than the Hall Master, Viridia had to
    admit that she held little to no authority over many of them.
    One of the reasons for this was relatively simple:
    strength.
    Back during her coronation, she’d had competition, but
    her master, the former Hall Master, had made sure she was
    chosen. It had been unfair, but the Order of the Malefic
    Viper wasn’t one based on righteousness and justice.
    Which meant that while she held the highest position in
    the hierarchy, she wasn’t the strongest.
    One of the requirements for becoming Hall Master was
    to be at the final stage of evolution before reaching
    godhood. S-tier, to be more exact.
    Of course, this one final stage was the most prolonged
    and significant of them all. Someone newly evolved would
    be nothing compared to someone in just the middle part. A
    late-stage, or even peak, S-rank was far above what Viridia
    could handle. She was currently still only in the early
    stages, as each level took more and more effort.
    The ones who had reached the absolute peak of S-rank,
    the ones who were but a single step from godhood, were
    referred to as demigods.
    Of course, being a demigod didn’t mean that one would
    turn into a true god. That final step was an impassible gap
    to most, nearly no one succeeding to overcome it. The
    official records stated that the Order of the Malefic Viper
    hadn’t given rise to any new gods within their Order after
    their Patron disappeared. If this was not proof of how
    difficult this was, she didn’t know what would be. And it
    was not due to a lack of demigods either, seeing as her
    master had even been one before time claimed him.
    Of the branch leaders, two were only A-rank, though
    both extremely close to their evolutions, and they both held
    strength where they could contend with weaker S-ranks,
    which explained why they had been chosen.
    The rest were all S-rank, of course. And among those
    sixteen was a demigod: Tortaros.
    Tortaros had been her main competitor for the position
    of Hall Master but had, in the end, lost due to the power of
    nepotism. A loss he had never quite gotten over, as he still
    remained the biggest obstacle to her leadership.
    And that man was currently moving towards her as she
    made her rounds, greeting the individual leaders one more
    time.
    He had, naturally, been the last to arrive. Only mere
    hours before the event began had he teleported over
    together with his followers.
    While he did have an absolute right to be audacious due
    to his strength, Viridia still couldn’t condone his lack of
    respect. Disrespecting her was acceptable, but
    disrespecting their great Patron was out of the question.
    Sadly, she could personally do nothing to admonish
    him… because he was by far the strongest outside of the
    Lord Protector and the Patron himself.
    After her coronation, he had only grown stronger.
    He controlled the power of space. Teleportation, pocket
    dimensions, and shattering reality itself were simple to
    him. Individuals with power over space were often feared
    and avoided by most, as they were incredibly hard to deal
    with. If they had the upper hand, escaping from them was
    borderline impossible, while if you had the upper hand,
    they could often run quite easily.
    Not long after she had become Hall Master, he’d
    performed his most extraordinary feat of strength yet.
    He had fought a god and survived. Not just that—from
    accounts, the god had even suffered injuries. Meaning
    Tortaros was not that far behind a true god.
    Perhaps the god had been weak, maybe even injured
    beforehand. But it didn’t matter. For a mortal to fight a god
    was never simple. The fight had lasted for hours, with
    Tortaros finally escaping—with grave injuries, sure, but he
    had survived.
    After that, he had only gotten cockier. He hadn’t dared
    to challenge Viridia’s position directly, but it was clear that
    he’d started looking down on her more.
    Moving against her openly was out of the question. She
    resided in the main hall for most of her time, and even
    when she was out, no one dared to make a move. The
    reason for that was rather simple. They feared the
    backlash.
    Eras ago, a Hall Master had been killed by a god without
    a reasonable explanation. The Lord Protector had
    investigated, and the result was the destruction of an entire
    faction, along with the death of the responsible god. No one
    truly knew the Lord Protector’s strength, but he had been a
    god since the second era, making him extremely ancient.
    Of course, all of this was discounting the looming threat
    of the Viper himself. Despite his absence, there was always
    the lingering fear of his return. And based on his history…
    the results of any transgressor would be catastrophic.
    Oh, and those absolute lunatics of the Primordial
    Church. If anyone ever went over the line in disrespecting a
    Primordial or their legacy, they would descend with untold
    wrath.
    Tortaros knew this, so he stuck to political maneuvering
    and insubordination. A sentiment that Viridia noticed had
    started spreading to some of the other branch leaders. Her
    position was rocky, she knew that, but there was no way
    she would back down.
    Which lead to the current situation, where the man
    approached her, ever as haughty.
    “So, girl, is the Patron truly back?” Tortaros asked the
    young Hall Master.
    “Hall Master, Tortaros,” she corrected, annoyed. “And
    yes, who would dare to lie about such a thing?”
    “Who knows?” he chuckled. “Someone desperate,
    perhaps?”
    “Oh, and why would one need to be desperate?”
    “Destiny is unpredictable, girl,” he answered as he
    looked sharply at her. “The return of the Patron marks
    many changes. A return to power. Perhaps one would be
    desperate if they no longer held the strength required for
    these changes.”
    “Such desperation would only be necessary if the
    supporting pillars fail to hold up their burden. Tell me,
    Tortaros, have the pillars of the hall started cracking?”
    Moving a bit closer, she got in his face. “Maybe we should
    do a renovation. Removing the old and broken pillars. They
    seem to be eroded and rotting, after all.”
    “Are you sure you can find new pillars that are up for the
    task? Can they truly hold the hall, or will the careless
    decisions of their architect result in collapse?” He smiled.
    “If so, do not worry, child. I will make sure to rebuild. Even
    if the architect has to retire from her position.”
    And with those words, he walked away, not giving her
    the chance to respond.
    Gritting her teeth, she decided to act like nothing had
    happened as she returned to socializing. She had always
    hated these political messes. Tortaros had made many
    moves she quickly discovered.
    While all the important figures were still very
    welcoming, she noticed they also seemed a bit reluctant.
    The only one who remained the same was the only other
    demigod in their Order: Elder Duskleaf.
    To understand this elder’s position, one had to
    understand the makeup of the Order.
    At the top sat the Malefic Viper himself, naturally. Below
    the Patron was the Lord Protector. These two, however,
    were not considered a formal part of the power structure.
    One could say that they resided above the structure itself,
    far out of reach compared to anything else.
    Below that was the nominal leader of the Order, the Hall
    Master. Once upon a time, there were many Hall Masters,
    and a council led the organization, but now only one Hall
    remained.
    Directly below that, one would find the branch leaders,
    but on equal standing with the branch leaders was the
    chief alchemist—Elder Duskleaf.
    Outside of the gods, this Elder was by far the oldest. In
    fact, he had lived longer than anyone else in the entire
    Order, being an old man even during her master’s time.
    Rumor was that the man had found a way to keep
    himself alive far longer than average. Something not out of
    the question, as he was undoubtedly the best alchemist in
    the Order by a considerable margin.
    While officially not on her level of authority, Viridia knew
    that this man, in many ways, held more power than herself.
    He, however, seemed to have little care for it, only focusing
    on his alchemy.
    But she also knew that if Tortaros got the favor of this
    elder, her days would be numbered. This was why she
    always tried to make a point of getting in his good graces
    whenever they met.
    “Elder Duskleaf, it is a pleasure to see you again.”
    “Ah, yes, you too, Hall Master,” the old man answered as
    he ran his fingers through his long beard. “Exciting, isn’t
    it? The master is finally returning.”
    Smiling, she replied, “The height of excitement indeed.
    Too long have we waited.”
    “Let us hope that this time it is for good,” the old man
    said as he kept his smile, showing no intention of
    elaborating on his thoughts.
    After that, they continued to chat away, the old man
    talking about alchemy, barely mentioning the Malefic Viper,
    except to throw in a rather inappropriate comment about
    how he should teach Duskleaf. She could only laugh at this
    but was honestly unable to give a straight answer. She
    found her Patron far too unpredictable, perhaps even more
    so than those who had actually met him.
    The minutes ticked by and the time drew nearer.
    Excusing herself from the conversation with Elder
    Duskleaf, she made her way to the podium to get the event
    started.
    The leaders had all been on a slightly elevated platform
    already, with all the other members gathered below. The
    other leaders quickly also got in position as she made her
    way over. Even Tortaros didn’t dare to dally, as he knew the
    importance of the day’s event.
    Looking out over the millions of people, she took in the
    atmosphere for a moment before she formally started. She
    clapped her hands; the sound reverberated through the hall
    and silenced the chatter.
    She had spent the last few days preparing her speech. A
    speech to unite the entire Order to, in concert, celebrate
    the return of their great Patron.
    “Welcome to this day of celebration. Welcome to the day
    that marks our Order’s return to glory. For too long has the
    Order of the Malefic Viper been constrained to th—“
    Loud clapping suddenly began in the hall below. The
    sound echoed through the halls, clearly amplified by magic.
    At first, Viridia suspected it was Tortaros, but soon found
    the perpetrator in the middle of the millions of lowerranked
    members.
    An all-too-familiar scaled man stood clapping
    enthusiastically. All the other members had quickly backed
    away from him in fright, looking at him in astonishment.
    What insanity had come over him to interrupt the speech of
    the Hall Master?
    Viridia, on the other hand, stood frozen as the scaled
    man made a thumbs-up at her.
    “Great speech—real touching stuff, right there!” he
    yelled exaggeratedly, even bringing both his hands up to
    his mouth.
    After his yell, the silence that followed was absolutely
    deafening. All the branch leaders and leaders were
    gobsmacked by the audacity of what they assumed to be a
    lower-ranking disciple or follower. Duskleaf appeared to be
    the only one standing unfazed.
    They didn’t have time to get their bearings before the
    scaled man teleported up to the podium, shocking
    everyone. Not the least Tortaros, who seemed to vaguely
    feel the concept of space within the move—at a level far
    above his own.
    Viridia, of course, recognized her Patron and quickly got
    down on her knees. “I greet the Malefic One.”
    Another bombshell shocked the hall as they all looked at
    the otherwise unassuming man. He wore a black robe with
    simple, dark green engravings running across it. His entire
    body was covered in scales except for parts of his face. A
    face that looked more human than reptile, and with long
    black hair growing on his head.
    The other branch leaders quickly also got down on their
    knees, as they too kneeled—all except one. Tortaros still
    stood.
    Instead of kneeling, he instead made a deep bow as he
    spoke. “Divine Heretic Tortaros greets the Malefic One.”
    Divine Heretic. A title granted to anyone who managed
    to fight a god before they attain godhood. A title most could
    only dream of. As with nearly all high-level titles, the
    details of what it provided were unknown, as none had
    been willing to share the details.
    Viridia suddenly understood why Tortaros didn’t kneel.
    It was etiquette that gods didn’t kneel to each other. And a
    Divine Heretic was more often than not provided the same
    privileges as a god in many social contexts.
    However… this was the Malefic Viper.
    “Good for you?” he said as he turned to the man. “And
    why exactly should I give a f#ck about who you are?”
    A bit stumped, the demigod tried to compose himself as
    he continued. “Of course, the Patron doesn’t need to do so.
    I merely wished to show that even with the Malefic One’s
    absence, a new powerful and promising member has
    arisen.”
    “Oh?” the Malefic one said as he raised an eyebrow.
    “And where may I find this so-called powerful and
    promising member?”
    Viridia had to struggle to hold her laughter back. Her
    schadenfreude was almost euphoric. The arrogant Tortaros
    was sure to be taught a lesson on this day.
    Of course, Tortaros didn’t feel very good at the moment.
    Viridia was certain had believed for the Malefic Viper to be
    at least slightly impressed. He had many factions visit him
    in his branch. Even gods had come. Several offers to join
    other organizations had been presented, but he had
    rejected them all. In his own mind, he was no doubt an
    extraordinary person.
    So when the announcement was made that the Malefic
    Viper had returned, he was perhaps a bit worried, but
    quickly began to see it as a great opportunity.
    The Viper was known to care for strength over all else,
    and Tortaros was powerful. At least… he believed himself to
    be.
    “My Patron, you must jest. I have reached my current
    level faster than any other Hall Master or branch leader for
    eras, fought through countless trials, and even battled a
    god. Through my path I—“
    “I didn’t ask for your life story, pal,” the Viper said,
    waving his hand. “What I care more about is why you
    believe that I would care for all of this drivel?”
    “My Lord, I simply mean to say that with my power I
    would—”
    “What power?” the Malefic Viper interrupted as he
    glared at the man. “You believe that wrestling a bit with
    some fledgling god makes you unique? I would be
    disappointed if you hadn’t. If you had killed a god, I could
    maybe have given you a little pat on the head and a
    participation trophy, but—“
    “My Lord, I just meant—” Tortaros interrupted as his
    temper flared. Viridia had been surprised, even if she
    shouldn’t have, when he had humbled himself and shown
    respect. Yet she could only rejoice when all he was met
    with was disdain. He had probably believed that today was
    supposed to be his day to rise to power. To claim his
    position as Hall Master! But he had failed to keep himself
    constrained. “I just meant that I believe that your return
    warrants changes! Changes fo—“
    “Changes?” the Malefic Viper asked as he smiled. His
    aura washed out over the room, bringing Tortaros to the
    ground, heaving in pain. The mere presence of the Viper
    was enough to end his life. Fear was in his eyes; he didn’t
    even dare to look up. “I agree. So let the first change be for
    you to be undone.”
    And with those words, the one known as Divine Heretic
    Tortaros turned to dust.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      006_faceless
      006_faceless
      1 ⋅ 0
      Intermission 1 – The Malefic Viper (2/2)


      The entire hall was tense as they all watched the everso-
      proud Tortaros turn to nothing. The man died
      without even knowing what had happened, a
      sentiment that made a shiver go down the spine of every
      single branch leader as they knelt a bit lower than before.
      “Well, that guy was annoying,” the Malefic Viper sighed
      as he turned back to address the crowd below, ignoring the
      branch leaders.
      The only one who managed to remain relatively calm
      was Viridia. The happiness of seeing Tortaros die seemed to
      cancel out the terror slightly, her disdain for the man in no
      way subtle. It was almost cute.
      “Everyone, relax,” the Malefic One addressed the crowd.
      He spoke in a casual tone, and yet every single person in
      the hall could hear him as if he stood right next to them.
      “With that annoyance gone, let’s get on with the program.
      First of all, nice to be back. Lots of pretty faces out there.”
      The crowd listened with undivided attention. “Been gone
      for a long time. But hey, better late than never, right?
      Anyway, let’s start with a little something to motivate you
      all to stop slacking.”
      With those words, he opened his eyes and a green glow
      illuminated the entire hall. A few people were initially
      frightened, but their fright soon turned to joy as they saw
      the status messages.


      *Blessing received*: [Lesser Blessing of the Malefic
      Viper (Blessing - Lesser)] – Be recognized by the
      Malefic Viper himself. Few throughout the ages have
      found themselves blessed by a Primordial, despite the
      desire for so many to be. +5% Wisdom. Grants access
      to many new paths. Only one blessing can be held at a
      time.


      Every single individual in attendance was blessed. One
      had to know that the blessings of gods were still considered
      relatively rare. Much more so for the blessing of one of the
      Primordials. None in attendance had expected this, but it
      was more than welcome.
      To make it better, it wasn’t even the lowest-ranked
      blessing. Blessings went from: Minor to Lesser to
      Intermediate to Major to Greater to Divine to True. But
      often, getting the minor blessing was as far as anyone ever
      got. It was a requirement for many classes or professions,
      making them essential.
      This was also one of the major reasons why the Order of
      the Malefic Viper had deteriorated so much. Without the
      blessings, a lot of opportunities had been cut off, the paths
      closed. Entire subsections of priests and other religionrelated
      classes and professions had been unavailable.
      The Lord Protector still gave out a few blessings, some
      of them even allowing evolutions in the Malefic Viper line,
      but it just wasn’t the same.
      Everyone could also still get classes and professions
      related to the Malefic Viper. Just not the religion-based
      ones. Being taught by a higher-ranked Alchemist of the
      Malefic Viper would also unlock it. The same for classes,
      though often it was done through teachings.
      The simplest way, however, was through legacies. Items
      created which held the power to unlock a particular class
      or profession were rare, as creating a legacy-item was far
      from easy. Of course, these items also still had the
      requirement that the system imposed.
      A blessing would open up many of these paths and make
      advancing easier, since blessings were one of the only ways
      to directly have your Records affected by an outside source.
      Thousands in the hall had been at bottlenecks for many
      years. Evolution didn’t merely require reaching the level
      limit, after all. One had to have sufficient Records too—
      Records gathered through countless means as you leveled
      and lived your life.
      And now these people got a direct infusion to their
      Records. And not a simple one of quantity, but one of
      quality. Which was why many were met by a system
      notification they had struggled to achieve for oh so long:


      *Evolution Requirements Met*


      The mood in the hall was ecstatic. The cheers turned
      into a concert of noises as a sentiment of fervent reverence
      spread throughout. The cheers got louder until a voice
      deafened all else.

      “Silence.”

      With that word, it became eerily silent. All sound was
      gone, as if the very concept of sound disappeared—all
      sounds, but the voice of the Malefic Viper.
      “This blessing does not come for free. I am not returning
      just to be satisfied with the shambles that stand before me.
      I have given you a chance, opened a path forward for many
      of you. Strive for power, reach for the peak, and this
      blessing will only be the beginning.”
      The crowd was still ecstatic, but no matter how much
      they tried, not a single sound came out. His last words,
      however, dampened the mood a bit.
      “I sincerely hope that none of you will disappoint me,”
      he said. “I doubt any of you even know who I am. In your
      minds, I am but a specter of the past, a being of legends
      and myths. You may have heard exaggerations of who I am
      or what I stand for. So let me set the record straight: I am
      so much more than any rumor can faithfully encapsulate,
      and I don’t give a f#ck about any of you unless you make
      me.”
      Standing on the podium, the Malefic Viper was more
      severe than usual. Mortals were relatively simple like this.
      A small favor granted after one has done nothing for so
      long, and all is forgiven so suddenly. But he wasn’t
      satisfied. They still needed to get stronger.
      His Order had fallen into disarray, which was to be
      expected. He had been gone for far too long. It was a
      miracle that the Order even still remained. He was lucky
      that he had subordinates that had stayed behind to keep it
      alive.
      But the strength had fallen. Not a single new god had
      arisen, which was honestly pathetic from his point of view.
      Only a measly fifteen branch leaders remained in the entire
      Order. Well, it was sixteen, but that one guy had honestly
      been way too annoying.
      A loss to many, but the Viper didn’t care. The man had
      been arrogant and self-satisfied with his measly
      achievements. The man himself had known that he would
      never step into godhood. He had stagnated, and he had
      accepted this stagnation—a crime that was worthy of
      death. A crime he was not going to let any of the other
      leaders follow.
      “The Order has turned to shit. With my return, there will
      be changes. No longer shall we find ourselves confined to
      this single hall or even Universe. Instead, we shall expand,
      and we shall conquer. Have every single living being quake
      at the mention of the Order of the Malefic Viper.
      “With those words, get the f#ck out there and get those
      levels and evolutions. Grow, prosper, and dominate. My
      decree shall soon come, and then you will move to impose
      my will upon the world. Our destinies are our own to make;
      fate is but a feeble excuse for the weak.”
      Turning to the branch leaders and Viridia, he gave them
      all a command.
      “Get your deputies, or second-in-commands, or whatever
      you call them over here,” he said, allowing sound to exist
      once more.
      None of them dared to dally, as they all called for them.
      They were in the middle section of the hall, above the
      masses, but below the true leaders.
      They quickly made their way up, and they too kneeled.
      All of them were A-rank, some of them close to S-rank, but
      they were still weak mortals in the end. But their martial
      power was not what they needed for what the Malefic Viper
      planned.
      “From today on, all of you will step in as active branch
      leaders,” the Malefic Viper said, feeling the distress of the
      actual branch leaders behind him. Turning to them, he
      continued. “As for all of you… Well, let’s see if we can’t get
      you whipped into shape.”
      Out of a crack in space, the Lord Protector emerged. He,
      too, bowed to the Malefic Viper.
      “Snappy here is gonna take you all out on a nice
      expedition,” the god said, patting his oldest subordinate on
      the shoulder.
      “Where to, Lord Patron?” one of the branch leaders
      asked. A young-looking man, who was only at A-rank, yet
      gave off a significant presence for his rank, easily rivaling
      some of the S-ranks at his side.
      “Nevermore.”
      A word that got quite the response. Pretty much all of
      the branch leaders paled.
      “You’re also going, little Hall Master.”
      She looked like she had hoped to avoid going, but that
      hope quickly died as she just nodded. Then again, she
      suspected this could be a good chance to reach for more
      strength. If any place existed filled with opportunities, it
      would be Nevermore.
      A few words later, a portal was opened by the Lord
      Protector, leading them closer to their destination. They
      didn’t even get any time to prepare, to the distress of many
      of them.
      Which could only be described as good riddance by the
      Viper. Being prepared for combat at all times was one of
      the most basic tenets of the strong, and not being alert at
      all times was a great way to get yourself killed.
      Dismissing the followers, the Viper watched on as they
      were led out of the hall by the deputy branch leaders. No
      one knew how long they would be acting leaders, so many
      of the lesser officials had already started groveling up to
      them, much to the Viper’s dissatisfaction.
      Too many politics, the Viper thought as he turned
      around to the one individual still in the hall.
      “It’s been a while.”
      “Disciple greets master,” the old man, Elder Duskleaf,
      said with a nod.
      “No need to be cordial after so long,” the Malefic Viper
      said as he smiled. “Besides, I have well and truly been a
      shitty master, haven’t I?”
      “Yes, you have,” Duskleaf agreed without any hesitation.
      “But seriously, after so many eras and you have barely
      made any progress. What the hell have you been doing all
      this time?” the Viper asked, genuinely confused.
      “Alchemy,” the old man said with a beaming smile.
      The Viper could only sigh at the man, whom he had
      accepted as a disciple all those eras ago. The snot-nosed
      kid that had cared for nothing but alchemy and had to be
      forced to do anything else.
      “Well, you better show me your progress, then!” he said,
      slightly defeated.
      “Of course!” Duskleaf said, smiling happily.
      If anyone had been there to see this interaction, they
      would have been more than a little confused. The Malefic
      Viper had not appeared for eras, far longer than any mortal
      could possibly survive.
      The explanation was simple: Duskleaf wasn’t mortal.
      “Oh, and why the hell are you still keeping up the whole
      ‘old wise alchemist’ charade?” the Viper asked as they
      walked towards the alchemy lab.
      “Because it makes people leave me alone,” his disciple
      answered. “They wouldn’t stop bothering Snappy all the
      time in the period after you left. They pestered me too. It
      was honestly so distracting, I couldn’t even spend a
      millennium or two experimenting without someone coming
      knocking. So I decided to just act like an Elder, and
      suddenly they left me alone.”
      Laughing, the Malefic Viper patted his old disciple on
      the shoulder.
      It was nice to be back.
      Read more
  2. Offline
    BalockA
    BalockA
    6 ⋅ 0
    Jake in the future: "ZA WARUDO, TOKI WO TOMARE"
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  3. Offline
    Shadowhead94
    Shadowhead94
    1 ⋅ 2
    I wonder if the Conjure Spectral Weaponry skill might evolve into great down the road. Personally I would have pick this instead. Since his Mana amd Wisdom stats are pretty high.
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      AinzDiablo
      AinzDiablo
      0 ⋅ 0
      I probably wouldn't as there is no guarantee it can evolve further. If it can't, it's just a waste of skill slot.
      Read more
  4. Offline
    -Shinigami-
    -Shinigami-
    26 ⋅ 7
    Wow archer class seems so pathetic, even at level 50 and with a high tier class still isn't even offered an epic, and doesn't get any cool skills that other classes seem to get like all of Williams crazy powerful skills or Jacob's super unique priest like skills, if it weren't for his insanely op bloodline he would've just gotten a crappy skill that wouldn't help much, feel bad for anyone else that picked archer, mage just seems crazy op with the insane diversity and potential
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    1. Offline
      Melpah
      Melpah
      14 ⋅ 3
      I think his class is more about having good foundation and cheese but yeah it's a bit underwhelming when you compare him to Jacob or Will
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      Xablarafa
      Xablarafa
      10 ⋅ 0
      all 3 got things from primordials, the mc got his profession and the other 2 got their classes, so obviously their classes, given by primordials, are better than his class, not given by primordials
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  5. Offline
    MoonshineOmega
    MoonshineOmega
    17 ⋅ 0
    And still always picking the last option offered. At least it transformed.
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    1. Offline
      Drsanders
      Drsanders
      1 ⋅ 0
      From what i understand the skills are listed by least rare to most rare. And the most rare is usually the best as well.
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  6. Offline
    Zenden1ST
    Zenden1ST
    18 ⋅ 0
    [Moment of the Primal Hunter (Legendary)] – Instincts ascended to touch upon the concept of time itself. Through your supernatural instinct for survival, you seize the moment of crisis and turn it into one of opportunity. Momentarily slows down time if a blow would otherwise deal substantial damage to the hunter. The hunter is unaffected by the slowdown and can move uninhibited for the duration. Has an internal cooldown between each activation. Effect and internal cooldown of the skill are based on perception.


    KONO DIO DA!
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    1. Offline
      schloan
      schloan
      25 ⋅ 0
      ZA WARUDO!!!
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