The Primal Hunter Chapter 1272 - The Good (Mostly Good) And Bad Parts of Evolution

Having dealt with that incredibly dominant skill, Jake continued his evolution process while reviewing the other system messages he'd overlooked. The excitement from the Spirit of Man abilities had kept him from noticing anything more, and it was only at this point that he realized the huge surge in strength and attributes wasn't solely from his fresh race ability, but also from a title he'd anticipated fully.

[Perfect Evolution (B)]: You have achieved a flawless evolution into a B-grade human. +1980 to all stats.

Although the quests for Perfect Evolution had vanished, the title itself persisted. It seemed that by the time individuals reached B-grade evolutions, they would understand what a Perfect Evolution entailed. That was Jake's current assumption, at least.

Next up, Jake noticed another upgrade to his Bloodline that he'd foreseen. He couldn't help but acknowledge how absurd that idea sounded. Expecting what others viewed as utterly unattainable spoke volumes about Jake's ongoing Path and mindset. Or perhaps, following the Primal Hunter’s Spirit of Man, he'd simply run out of astonishment.

Your Bloodline has been awakened by the evolution, enabling it to advance alongside you.

: [Bloodline of the Primal Hunter (Bloodline Ability - Unique)]: Latent power resides deep within your core. A distinctive, inherent power stirred in the Bloodline of Jake Thayne. Provides the Sphere of Perception. Boosts danger awareness. Unlocks and permits the use of Primeval Origin Energy (Jake Juice). Strengthens all instincts and gut feelings. +30% to Perception.

Just as anticipated, Jake’s Bloodline progressed precisely, boosting Perception by an additional 5%. Yet, it also included a new line in the description regarding access and utilization of Primeval Origin Energy. To be honest, Jake wasn't sure if this update was recent or had been present earlier.

To recall, Bloodline abilities stand apart from standard skills in how they're described. Instead of detailing capabilities, the description mirrors Jake’s personal insights and reflections on it… a point hilariously illustrated by the bizarre inclusion of Jake Juice.

Objectively, did Jake find the system's use of that term amusing? Absolutely. Did he accept that its appearance stemmed from his habit of mentally dubbing his special energy as Jake Juice? Definitely. Any regrets on his part?

Nope, none at all. He saw it as more entertaining than problematic, and the label he used had no impact on its function. After all, the formal designation remained Primeval Origin Energy, known to others beyond Jake, and while he was impressive, he doubted his influence extended to altering the Records of this enigmatic force to officially rename it Jake Juice.

Perhaps someday, though by then, Jake hoped he'd matured enough to avoid inventing silly names for his abilities. He intended to wish for growth without actively pursuing it, so the odds were slim, but even if it somehow became official Jake Juice, the humor would endure.

While Jake indulged in these childish musings, a crucial detail caught his eye: the exact moment of his Bloodline Evolution. The sequence of events hadn't unfolded in strict order, but now he understood that his bloodline had advanced precisely when he chose his initial Spirit of Man skill, causing a system glitch that later resolved into offering Primal Hunter’s Spirit of Man.

This explained the sequence of occurrences. It held little practical importance, but the clarity felt satisfying.

Clearing these messages, Jake faced just one remaining. Possibly the most significant.

Reaching this level signaled the end of his stay in the strange system void. He recognized the implications, mentally steeling himself while deliberately curbing his senses to prevent an overwhelming rush upon returning to his lodge.

With a profound sigh, Jake felt prepared as the system transported him back to reality. Even with his best preparations… he remained unready.

The instant he rematerialized on his bed, his heightened senses bombarded him with excessive input he couldn't process. Luckily, though the sensory flood surpassed any prior evolution, Jake possessed better means to manage it, instantly channeling his focus into activating the Meditate skill.

As the skill engaged, a measure of tranquility washed over him, elevating his psyche to unprecedented heights, his soul seemingly broadening. Moreover, it dampened most senses, creating space to adjust and tackle one overload source gradually.

Normally, during evolutions, only Jake's Sphere of Perception posed the main issue, but this instance overwhelmed him from every angle. Unfamiliar noises assaulted his ears, intense light blinded him, overwhelming scents induced queasiness, and even the bed's texture baffled his comprehension. It proved excessively intense.

Through meditation, Jake severed nearly all senses, retaining just a few, with the Sphere of Perception prioritized. He extended his awareness, scanning several kilometers in every direction without restraint.

In C-grade, Jake routinely limited his sphere to a few hundred meters up to about a kilometer, relying on Pulse of Perception for greater distances. The Pulse extended to several hundred kilometers, peaking at roughly five hundred.

Now, unleashing his Sphere of Perception, Jake swiftly encompassed a hundred kilometers with minimal mental fatigue. It accelerated, hitting two hundred kilometers in radius. Geometry ensured each added kilometer vastly expanded the covered area, yet he managed without strain.

At three hundred kilometers, pressure finally mounted, prompting Jake to halt the growth and stabilize the skill at that extent. He paused to recuperate mentally, acclimating to the expanded Sphere of Perception as data streamed into his mind, filtered continuously.

It created a peculiar condition where Jake perceived all activity within the vast Sphere of Perception without truly absorbing most of it. Directing attention to a specific search made him instantly detect matches, like scanning for ongoing fights in his range.

Images of backyard spars, forest explorations near Haven's borders, and even a resisting arrest appeared vividly. Jake tracked them intently, but upon shifting focus, their actions faded from active notice.

Indeed, it was bizarre and tough to articulate, but essentially, Jake monitored everything across three hundred kilometers constantly. His Sphere of Perception had expanded dramatically, echoing the First Sage's advice from their encounter.

The First Sage had mentioned that B-grade would allow Jake to wield his Bloodline's full potential, and events largely confirmed this. Overlooking the Bloodline's own evolution, naturally.

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Once accustomed to his new sensory baseline, Jake conducted another test. Bracing mentally, he released a full-powered Pulse of Perception. A brief pain flared, but it delivered an immense snapshot of his surroundings… impressive.

Lacking precise measurement, Jake gauged the Pulse's reach beyond two thousand kilometers. Though less dramatic than the Sphere's growth, it remained staggering, and he anticipated further expansion as B-grade advanced.

Jake paused to unwind and steady his thoughts before gradually deactivating Meditate, reintroducing senses sequentially. Initially challenging, he suppressed them forcibly for swift adaptation.

Progressing through the senses, he realized meditation had largely auto-adjusted him already. He allocated ample time to fully orient himself before opening his eyes and exhaling deeply.

Full recovery from the overload wouldn't happen instantly, but fortunately, a potent distraction awaited. Admittedly, labeling it potent seemed off, given its unwelcome nature, yet it accompanied evolutions inevitably.

Skill Rarity Adjustment Initiated.

As your power grows, so do your Records. What may have been an achievement before is now only to be expected, and what may have seemed rare before may now merely be uncommon. Thus, an adjustment is needed to reflect your progress.

All skills will be adjusted to your current grade, resulting in potential downgrades in rarity. All functionality of the skills will remain unchanged. Some skills may be adjusted without affecting their rarities. This may or may not result in increased difficulty of further rarity upgrades.

Skill downgrades irked everyone, even without tangible losses beyond a less impressive status display. Arguably, they offered benefits by easing future upgrades.

Jake disliked it regardless, but acceptance was necessary, so reluctantly, he continued reading, dreading the extent.

Profession Skills:

Note that some skills that did not experience a downgrade in rarity did have their relative rarity lowered.

Rarity Adjusted:

[Arcane Curse Manifestation (Ancient)] --> [Arcane Curse Manifestation (Epic)]

--

It wasn't severe. Jake verified twice that merely one skill had downgraded. He'd worried about Malefic Viper Legacy skills shifting, but they remained intact.

Concerning the downgraded skill… yes, it made sense. He'd seldom employed it, so the drop aligned with expectations. Still, the absence of other changes puzzled him slightly, as multiple downgrades were typical, yet reviewing his list clarified why rarities held steady.

Rarity Unchanged: [Path of the Heretic-Chosen (Unique)], [Grimoire of the Heretic-Chosen (Unique)], [Alchemist’s Purification (Inferior)], [Brew Potion (Uncommon)], [Craft Elixir (Rare)], [Concoct Poison (Epic)], [Soul Ritualism of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist (Ancient)], [Malefic Viper’s Poison (Ancient)], [Blood of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Sense of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Wings of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Touch of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Legacy Teachings of the Heretic-Chosen Alchemist (Legendary)], [Pride of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Scales of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Fangs of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)], [Core Manipulation of the Primal Hunter (Legendary)], [Divine Bargain of the Malefic Viper (Mythical)], [Sagacity of the Malefic Viper (Mythical)], [Heretic-Chosen’s Invocation of the Malefic Viper (Mythical)], [Palate of the Malefic Viper (Mythical)], [Alchemical Flame (Mythical)]

--

Excluding Malefic Viper Legacy skills, roughly half couldn't downgrade structurally, like Concoct Poison and Brew Potion, or unique ones immune to change, while the rest were recent acquisitions or heavily utilized in C-grade. Prime downgrade contenders included Soul Ritualism, Legacy Teachings, Core Manipulation of the Primal Hunter, Divine Bargain, Invocation of the Malefic Viper, and the new Alchemical Flame.

Jake dismissed the final two as unlikely: one capped his C-grade profession, the other his fresh Supreme Soulflame. Malefic Viper-linked skills seemed secure too. Soul Ritualism had dropped entering C-grade but upgraded once and held now, thanks to frequent use—nearing legendary pre-evolution.

Legacy Teachings saw limited direct application beyond an Order lesson, yet it endured. Surprising somewhat, but not entirely, since Jake accrued Records in knowledge transmission via his evolution. Then, Core Manipulation of the Primal Hunter? No chance of downgrade with that name.

Overall, his profession weathered the B-grade adjustments with minimal damage, and he anticipated similar fortune for his class.

Class Skills:

Note that some skills that did not experience a downgrade in rarity did have their relative rarity lowered.

Rarity Adjusted:

[Supreme Stealth Attack (Epic)] --> [Supreme Stealth Attack (Rare)]

[Splitting Arcane Arrow Rain (Epic)] --> [Splitting Arcane Arrow Rain (Rare)]

[Bestial Hunter’s Tracking (Epic)] --> [Bestial Hunter’s Tracking (Rare)]

[Piercing Cursed Arcane Fang (Epic)] --> [Piercing Cursed Arcane Fang (Rare)]

[Penetrating Arcane Arrow of Horizon’s Edge (Ancient)] --> [Penetrating Arcane Arrow of Horizon’s Edge (Epic)]

[Unblemished Arcane Arrows of the Horizon (Legendary)] --> [Unblemished Arcane Arrows of the Horizon (Ancient)]

[Relentless Hunt of the Avaricious Arcane Hunter (Legendary)] --> [Relentless Hunt of the Avaricious Arcane Hunter (Ancient)]

--

In contrast to his profession, Jake’s class suffered heavy hits from downgrades. Seven skills shifted, and worse, four dropped from epic, leaving him with four rare ones.

Still, the outcome didn't shock him. Among the four, only Supreme Stealth Attack raised a brow due to its recent evolution, but he comprehended the reason. For the other three, Jake admitted he'd overlooked their upgrades.

The remaining three were mostly passive, with Penetrating Arcane Arrow serving as an arrow enhancement for Protean Arrows. For all, he'd been content without pushing upgrades.

Witnessing the downgrades stung, yet it highlighted priorities for upgrades upon resuming hunts. He aimed to eliminate those rare skills promptly, though self-awareness warned of distractions leading to neglect.

Proceeding, Jake scanned unchanged skills, spotting no unexpected survivors.

Rarity Unchanged: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter’s Arrows (Epic)], [Archery of Expanding Horizons (Ancient)] [Arcane Powershot (Ancient)], [Arcane Awakening (Ancient)], [One Step, Thousand Miles (Ancient)], [Horizon-chasing Big Game Arcane Hunter (Ancient)], [Mark of the Horizon-Chasing Arcane Hunter (Ancient)], [Arcane Supremacy (Legendary)], [Unseen Hunter Arcane Hunter (Legendary)], [Lone Hunter of Horizon’s Edge (Legendary)], [Protean Arrow of Eternal Horizons (Legendary)], [Timeless Focus of the Apex Hunter (Legendary)], [Fangs of Man (Legendary)], [Eternal Shadow of the Primal Hunter (Mythical)], [Primal Gaze of the Apex Hunter (Mythical)], [Moment of the Primal Hunter (Mythical)], [Event Horizon (Mythical)]

--

Eternal Shadow of the Primal Hunter seemed vulnerable since Jake hadn't advanced it post-acquisition, but the Primal Hunter label protected it. Arcane Supremacy might have risked it too, yet its potency preserved legendary status. Perhaps One Step, Thousand Miles as well…

Dismissing such notions, Jake appreciated no further downgrades and the immunity of his mythical skills from this system overhaul. Race skills avoided adjustments for humans, unlike monsters reliant on them, likely due to human versions' limitations.

Sensory equilibrium improved after reviewing downgrades, when a sudden idea hit Jake: had Arnold evolved to B-grad