The Primal Hunter Chapter 1240 - A Negligent Pioneer

Jake gave the Viper a bewildered look for a moment before replying:

“Yeah? I’m fairly certain I mentioned it already, but if not, it was the capstone skill I picked up at level 320,” Jake explained, confused by Villy’s sudden gravity. The skill was undeniably powerful, but it seemed strange for a Primordial to be this hung up on it.

“So it was that one, huh,” the snake god murmured, crossing his arms and rhythmically tapping his finger. “Strange. Truly strange.”

“Are you going to explain the mystery, or are you just going to keep me guessing?” Jake asked, his own interest now piqued.

“Fine, fine,” the Viper relented with a sigh. “Eversmile and I—and spoiler alert, I was watching the broadcast with my fellow Primordial—were both observing you use it. Even though my observation skills can't capture every single detail perfectly, they shouldn't have been completely blocked from seeing what happened when you activated that Event Horizon skill.”

Jake scowled, not because the revelation was shocking, but because Villy’s reaction was so odd. “And? The skill description basically says people aren't supposed to see what's happening. Only I can witness the Event Horizon, and maybe the person I’m targeting.”

“That’s all well and good for mortals, but it doesn't explain why two Primordials were shut out,” the Viper sighed. “System skills operate under system laws, and the most universal law is that power trumps everything. High Perception can pierce the best stealth, and immense senses can detect even the most secretive skill usage. I’d bet that I should be able to perceive anything a C-grade does, regardless of how powerful that C-grade is or how rare their abilities are. But in this case, I couldn't. That’s why I’m asking; the only other class skill you have that I can’t see through is that life-saving Moment skill. And we both know the source of that one isn’t exactly standard.”

The snake god’s lengthy explanation made Jake grimace as the realization hit him. It actually was quite bizarre that the Viper couldn't see through Event Horizon, despite what the skill description claimed.

“You have a point. That is weird,” Jake admitted, looking at Villy. “But I have a feeling you already have a theory?”

“I do. I just needed to confirm it was a standard system-offered class skill before I said it,” the Viper nodded solemnly, his voice suddenly full of authority. “Your Event Horizon skill is absolute, total garbage.”

Jake stood there with his jaw hanging open for a second as the insult landed. Fortunately, the Viper continued before Jake could lose his temper.

“Or, more accurately, the diluted version you received is garbage compared to the true form,” Villy said, a playful smirk returning to his face. “I’ve seen this happen before—where a skill is provided as a heavily nerfed iteration of the original. However, it’s a bit startling that your stripped-down Event Horizon is still ranked as mythical rarity.”

“Why is that startling and not just great?” Jake asked, confused. If the Viper was right—and Jake’s own experiences with the skill suggested he was—wasn't it a good thing that the skill had so much room to grow?

“I didn’t say who it was a concern for,” Villy replied flatly. “I’m talking about every other poor soul trying to keep up with you. Normally, this would be bad for anyone else. Since the skill is already mythical, if it doesn't downgrade when you reach B-grade, upgrading it would be nearly impossible. An upgrade would likely require a jump in rarity, and the System requires far more effort to allow a rarity increase for skills with such a fixed path.”

“But it won't be that way for me because I already possess a sacred rarity skill,” Jake said, catching on.

Acquiring the very first skill of a higher rarity is always the most difficult hurdle, requiring immense effort and Records. Once achieved, however, the individual possesses Records proving they can handle that tier of power. These Records influence future growth, making subsequent upgrades much smoother. Essentially, having one skill of a certain rarity lowers the System's threshold for others, allowing it to provide that final nudge toward evolution much sooner.

“Bingo,” the Viper smiled, nodding. “It will still be a massive challenge to get more skills to sacred rarity, though, as it requires a touch of the divine.”

“I suppose,” Jake nodded, but then a thought occurred to him. “Wait, what happens if a mythical skill is improved enough to upgrade without adding any divine elements?”

“What an excellent question,” the Viper noted. “Regardless, my point is that Event Horizon caught both me and Eversmile off guard. It has incredible potential. If I had to guess, the true version of that skill belongs firmly in the realm of divinity.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Jake pointed out.

“Very observant of you,” the Viper simply nodded again. “I would definitely suggest testing the skill more to fully grasp its nature. The Gate of Enlightenment should assist you there, provided you know what to look for. Just be careful not to get lost in meditation and abstract concepts yet. You are still a mortal; it would be quite embarrassing if you accidentally killed yourself by meditating for so long that you withered away.”

Realizing he wasn't going to get an answer about the rarity mechanics, Jake gave up and nodded. “You know I don't have that much patience. I’d get too restless if I spent that much time meditating without any combat.”

“True,” Villy agreed, falling silent for a moment. “I assume we should head out? Unless you want to visit the resort nearby? I’m sure it’ll be open again once the panic subsides. Though I doubt they’ll let you back into the casino.”

“I don’t need the Credits,” Jake shrugged. He hadn't checked his balance in decades and saw no reason to start now. “So yeah, let’s go back. I still need to heal up.”

The Viper nodded, wrapping Jake in energy as he prepared to traverse the void. The Primordial had come in person to escort Jake solely for his protection, given the dangers of void ambushes. Jake didn't mind; traveling via Villy’s teleportation was far faster and smoother than going with any other deity.

To Jake's surprise, the trip through the void was once again uneventful, lacking any sudden appearances by Void Gods or ambushes from ancient, hidden factions lurking in the dark corners of the multiverse.

Once back at the Order, Villy dropped Jake onto a couch and gave him a nod.

“There you go. Now, focus on your recovery,” the Viper instructed. “I assume you want to go hunting and get your class level caught up with your profession as soon as possible?”

“That’s the goal,” Jake confirmed. “I don’t have much left to do before I evolve to B-grade.”

“You have a few things, actually,” Villy countered. “And I’m going to help you with one of them. It’s something I’m fairly certain you haven’t even considered.”

“Now I’m interested,” Jake said, tilting his head. He expected a joke, but the Viper’s expression remained serious.

“To maximize your Records for B-grade, you should fully upgrade all your titles. If I’m right, your Dungeon Pioneer title has been completely ignored,” the Viper said, reminding Jake of something that hadn't crossed his mind in years.

Villy’s words sparked a realization. Jake quickly checked his status and focused on the title… and yeah, it was severely lacking.

[Dungeon Pioneer VI] – Be the first to clear a dungeon suitable for your level. +24 all stats.

Thinking back, the last time Jake had upgraded that title was when he cleared the Undergrowth shortly after reaching D-grade. That was ages ago. While it might seem odd he hadn't been the first to clear any dungeons since then, it actually made sense.

Earth didn't have dungeons that interested him, and he preferred hunting in the wilderness. The few dungeons he had entered were either owned by the Order—meaning they’d been cleared countless times—or were part of Nevermore.

Jake also saw why Villy had mentioned it; there was a lot of power on the table. The title granted +3 to all stats for the first five levels and +9 for level six. If it scaled like the Dungeoneer title, it would provide +27 stats per level for levels ten through fifteen. A quick mental calculation showed him he was missing out on a massive amount of stats. +171 to all stats in total.

But that was for normal people. As a Peerless Conqueror of Nevermore, Jake’s dungeon titles were even more potent thanks to the extra boost described in his other title:

With that multiplier, Jake had a total of +256 to all stats waiting to be claimed by maxing out Dungeon Pioneer. And that was before his percentage-based bonuses, which would more than double that figure.

In short, there was a mountain of stats to be harvested… provided he could find nine level-appropriate dungeons that were still uncleared. That was where Villy, his helpful Patron, came in.

“You’re right, I haven't touched that since early D-grade. It’s only at level six,” Jake admitted shamelessly, looking at the snake god with high hopes.

“So you need nine dungeons?” The Viper arched an eyebrow. “That doesn't sound… oh, right, I forgot to count my own initial Challenge Dungeon. How embarrassing. Anyway, I’ve located ten dungeons for you. All of them are uncleared and perfectly suited for peak C-grades.”

Jake looked at the Viper and couldn't help but grin. “That’s honestly one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”

“I know, I’m great,” Villy smirked. “On that note, I made sure they were all natural dungeons. Even though the research is a bit thin, I believe getting Dungeon Pioneer upgrades from natural dungeons is superior to using crafted ones.”

Jake nodded, beaming… though one small worry lingered. “There is one issue… I feel like I’ve been away from Earth for too long. I’m probably overdue for a visit with my family.”

“Yeah, about that,” Villy said, letting out a heavy sigh. “They’re gone.”

Jake’s eyes widened in shock before the jerk finished his sentence.

“As in, they aren't on Earth anymore. I just checked. Apparently, they decided to go see the multiverse for a bit. Seeing all the visitors from other universes made them curious about what else is out there. Your nephew is also at an age where seeing the world is good for his development.”

“Did you really have to try and give me a heart attack like that?” Jake snapped, glaring at the god.

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but heart attacks aren't really a thing for you anymore,” the Viper pointed out. “A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, was a term for when blood flow to the heart was blocked, usually due to a clogged coronary artery. They were caused by arterial diseases, with risks like high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking—things your science hadn't fully solved before the integration. Luckily, none of that matters now. All cardiac diseases are a thing of the past.”

“You’re being particularly annoying today, aren't you?” Jake muttered.

“Not especially,” Villy smiled. “I just like messing with you, especially after you’ve had a big win. I have to keep your ego in check, honored Dragonslayer. On that note, dammit, I lost another bet.”

“Do I even want to know what the bet was?” Jake asked, already sensing he would regret it.

“Nothing major. Just a wager on whether you’d become a Dragonslayer or a Dragonlayer first. I put my money on the second one—not because I doubted you could kill a True Dragon, but because I figured at least one Dragonflight would send a young female whelp after you who was too aggressive for you to turn down,” the snake god sighed.

“That is an incredibly disrespectful bet,” Jake said, glaring again.

“In my defense, the Emberflight were really trying to make a move for that sweet Bloodline of yours. Plus, you’ve shown you’re open to that sort of thing, so I thought the odds were in my favor,” Villy argued.

“At least Duskleaf had some faith in me,” Jake sighed.

“You know what? You're right. I’ll do you a favor and not tell you the reason why he bet against me,” the Viper said.

“I’m done asking,” Jake said, more than ready to change the subject. “Anyway, if my family isn't on Earth, I guess it’s time to farm some dungeons. How big are these places? How hard are they?”

“I had Dungeon Engineers and Architects take as many readings as possible without actually going inside. These ten were picked from over four hundred candidates,” Villy explained, showing he’d been planning this for a while. “They were chosen because they have high difficulty ratings despite being small. That usually means the mobs inside are very strong or the final boss is exceptionally tough.”

“Any chance of B-grade bosses?” Jake asked hopefully. He remembered that the mega-dungeon Minaga was building on Earth had sections that crossed grades, which were considered incredibly rare and valuable. He knew the chances were slim that—

“Duh, obviously. If they weren't, you wouldn't get any levels,” the Viper said, looking almost offended that Jake would think otherwise. “The titles are the priority, but getting class levels along the way is just efficient. I didn't want you getting bored, either. I can't promise anything as strong as a True Dragon, but hopefully, some of these bosses will give you a real challenge.”

Jake nodded, fully on board with the plan. He hadn't thought of it himself, but Villy was right. Securing those titles was a smart move, and since he needed the experience anyway, it was the perfect way to hit two birds with one stone.

For now, it was time to recover, but after that, it was time for some serious dungeon crawling and title hunting.