The Primal Hunter Chapter 1270 - A Totally Standard Human(B) Evolution

In Jake's mind, doubt had no place at all; he quickly accessed the system notification, revealing the decision laid out before him.

You remain steadfast on your Path, embracing your Legacy and Origin as you do so. Every challenge in your way is merely an opportunity for improvement, and every opponent a stepping stone towards supremacy. Despite myriad mysteries still eluding you, never once have you questioned who you are or what you stand for. A hunter, unrivaled as you seek the furthest horizons, a human, yet so much more, a creator, living omen to Origins thought forever lost. Never shy away from your Path, but remain true to yourself, allowing none to stop you from reaching the apex.

Begin Evolution now?

Y/N

WARNING: Postponing evolution may have adverse effects, and no further race experience can be earned before the evolution is completed

Jake examined the notification with keen attention, a grin spreading across his features as he progressed. Announcements like this brought him as near as possible to the system openly sharing details of his essence, and he zeroed in on one particular line:

“Human, yet so much more.”

This essentially assured Jake that, yes, he remained a human, but one enhanced beyond the ordinary. Precisely what that enhancement involved stayed a complete mystery to him, yet he believed steadfastly that persisting along his Path would reveal it in time.

All in all, the announcement resembled the one from his C-grade evolution, except this version delved deeper into specifics. It referenced his class and profession outright, leaning heavily on his knack for wielding Primeval Origin Energy over his alchemical pursuits, a tilt that Villy would no doubt disapprove of.

Even more intriguing was the nod to horizons. Jake had long sensed that his class's Path was anything but commonplace, and linking it to his unusual variant race and the Primeval Origin quirks spoke volumes. Prior to glimpsing the choices, he was already set on pursuing that Path during his upcoming class evolution... but that could wait. First, he needed to ascend to B-grade, and this race evolution promised some captivating elements of its own. It lacked true thrill, however, since he largely anticipated every detail.

Regarding whether to proceed with the evolution right away? Naturally, Jake deemed the query rather absurd and accepted it without delay.

In an instant, he vanished from the bed in his lodge, materializing inside a void for which he now felt profound respect and familiarity. Previously, it had been mere speculation, but now, suspended there, certainty washed over him.

This was unquestionably the identical realm where he had encountered the Gate of Enlightenment.

Yet... not entirely so. Labeling it a "location" was inaccurate. Regardless of how far Jake ventured from the Gate of Enlightenment, he could never reach his present spot, and no amount of drifting through this void would bring him closer to the Gate.

More precisely, perhaps, they didn't occupy the same space; they merely drew from the same Origin. Each represented a unique system-crafted domain, tied to the Truesoul, intended to ignite advancement in anyone who entered.

While Jake mulled over these ideas, the system granted him space. It allowed him to complete his reflections, and once he had, the void stirred to life just as in his past visits. A rush of power flooded in from every direction, seeping into his form and essence, nourishing him at his core.

Congratulations! You have successfully evolved into a variant B-grade human.

Due to Origin, all other variant options are blocked.

Congratulations! You have successfully evolved to B-grade!

The system alert held no unexpected twists this round, prompting Jake to wave it aside as he immersed himself in the evolution's feel. The power kept pouring in, extending to Eternal Hunger and his Eternal Shadow, and astonishingly, his fresh bow transformed too, advancing with him.

Unlike his C-grade shift, this energy surge dragged on much longer, and Jake attuned himself closely to the transformation, sensing his being elevate and refine on a profound level. The experience always struck him as strange, sometimes unsettling, yet the system managed it all flawlessly, stripping away any discomfort and delivering pure enhancement.

Eventually, the energy flow tapered off, and Jake faced his updated race details.

Perusing the race outline, Jake felt torn. Disappointment nagged at him mildly because, for all its "variant" status, his race mirrored everyone else's in stats and wording. As expected, stats had tripled, and the description appeared bland enough to mark it as the default version.

Nevertheless, amid that mild letdown, a subtle relief bloomed in Jake—he was still fundamentally human. This mattered not just because he'd find it odd to lose that identity, but also to sidestep the flood of inquiries if a "high human" or similar novelty emerged, presumably for the first time across multiversal history.

Even Shroud of the Primordial might not conceal such a shift indefinitely, and once discovered, complications would pile up. Valhal's curiosity would spike, and Jake could picture countless factions pursuing him, convinced he could guide evolutions not only for beasts but for enlightened races too.

Luckily, such concerns didn't even arise. Better to dwell on the race description's closing note about the Human Spirit. Jake recalled how selecting the Path of the Hunter had bestowed the Wisdom of the Hunter skill plus bonus stats during his C-grade phase.

Or so the tomes described it. Information on common evolutions like the human one wasn't shrouded in secrecy or deemed Forbidden Knowledge. Hiding it would prove futile amid countless humans, so Jake was well-versed in the norms.

Jake figured grasping the baseline helped spot any deviations in his own process. Hence his thorough study of human evolutions, preparing him for twists—though none had surfaced yet.

Scanning the subsequent system prompts confirmed his expectations largely held true.

Through the eras, humanity has always prevailed, in no small part due to its profound Legacy and heritage. Records run deep within all humans, and now, you have been given the chance to tap into these Records and take inspiration from all those who’ve come before you, embracing aspects of their spirit.

Your spirit.

The Human Spirit.

Ten aspects of the Human Spirit are presented to you. Choose to embody two of them, signifying the variety of humanity’s power and potential, and embrace the power found within the eternal spirit that dwells deep within.

Up to this point, everything aligned with the ordinary. Jake had even pre-decided his picks, uncertain though he was that both would appear. From his knowledge, over a hundred standard Spirit of Man skills existed, each with varying potency.

Choosing fresh skills remained enjoyable, especially doubling up this time, so positives abounded! True, the selection lacked excitement, but the skills' impacts were far from trivial.

The list displayed ten choices, and Jake smiled at the top one, which seemed the clear pick... initially, anyway.

[Hunter’s Collaborative Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of collaboration and improving alongside one another to create the tool of your ace. You embody this aspect. Reduces experience penalty while hunting alongside other enlightened races. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans. Grants slight damage resistance against opponents when fighting alongside other enlightened races. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans.

To be honest, Jake's eye caught "hunter" right at the start, leading him to think it matched his intent. But delving deeper, he saw it wasn't the right fit. A solid ability nonetheless, just not suited to his style.

Luckily, the desired skill appeared just two spots lower.

[Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of braving danger and facing the impossible. You embody this aspect. Increases experience gain when slaying opponents higher level than yourself. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans. Grants slight damage resistance against opponents higher level than yourself.

Indeed, among the offerings, this one aligned perfectly with him. To explain, these Spirit of Man skills stayed broadly applicable despite their range. None would mesh flawlessly with his Path, but this came closest by far.

In an ideal world, Jake would snag two "hunter"-named skills, but overlapping stats ruled that out. Scholars on human evolution chalked this up to intentional design. With classes and professions in play, it made sense to pair one skill to each. Jake saw no cause to deviate.

Having reviewed all ten, he felt sure Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man would join another profession-friendly option.

[Alchemical Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of creation, the alchemical arts being no exception. You embody this aspect. Increases experience gain when performing profession-related activities. This effect is even stronger when working collaboratively with your fellow humans. Grants slight resistance to some toxins and negative environmental effects found in alchemical travels.

Yes, this struck him as the ideal second choice. As an alchemist, it fit, and perfection wasn't on offer anyway. He found it amusing that it boosted toxin resistance, pondering if it synced with Palate of the Malefic Viper, but no matter.

Having mentally locked in the pair, he proceeded without pause, confirming Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man.

The ambient energy surged anew upon his choice, directly empowering the skill integration. The customary rush of a new ability hit, complete with innate understanding... yet something jarred immediately.

Something terribly off.

A system prompt materialized before Jake, blinking into view for just an instant, letting him glimpse its content.

: [N/A]

Confusion gripped Jake as the energy within him ramped up fiercely.

ERROR

The alert flashed again briefly, displaying the error before shifting to equal absurdity.

[N/A]

It required no brilliance to sense the process veering from the typical B-grade human evolution script. Jake's studies had never hinted at system glitches or bizarre prompts like these.

Still, amid the chaos and his inability to access the menu, panic evaded him. The mess was real, but danger felt absent, and he placed faith in the system's reliability. No scenario existed where it would derail his Path or taint his soul. That simply wasn't its way, and if it willed, the system could reshape reality, rendering failure impossible.

This was adaptation in action, and as Jake drew in more environmental power, something stirred deep inside. Far beyond predictions now, he simply endured, centering on the essence of being in this system sanctuary.

At last, after an endless stretch, the energy intake faded, and the system activated once more. A recognizable message emerged, as though the Spirit of Man selection restarted from scratch.

Which it likely had.

Through the eras, humanity has always prevailed, in no small part...

Jake glossed over the repeated text, and at the conclusion, he noted the altered final line.

The Spirit of Man echoes throughout your being, resonating with your Origin. As the Primal Hunter, you do not choose which aspects to embody, but radiate all those deemed useful for your Path. Through the Legacy of humanity and your very Origin, you embrace this power, your Spirit of Man, unlike any other, past and present.

As someone versed in multiversal human evolutions, Jake recognized he'd surpassed the norm entirely. The system's explicit mention of his Primal Hunter identity arched his brow... though what followed raised it higher.

With one last surge, the energy vortex around Jake halted, coalescing into a lone skill. Where others claimed two, he gained one, as the final prompt materialized.

: [Primal Hunter’s Spirit of Man (Unique)]

Instantly, waves of inherent wisdom and might flooded Jake's thoughts with the skill's arrival. Without even viewing the details, he understood... he had zero grounds to gripe about receiving just a single Spirit of Man skill.