The Primal Hunter Chapter 1273 - An Even (B)etter & Professional Evolution

Although several prominent entities across the multiverse detected the ripples from Jake's evolution, the very source of it remained completely unaware, preoccupied with figuring out his next move.

Jake truly had no clear idea about what to tackle initially. Damn, one side of him even yearned to simply take to the skies and test his newfound velocity, measuring up against the swiftness shown by Sylphie and Sandy, yet he recognized the foolishness of such an act prior to selecting his class.

Contacting Villy for a conversation proved highly alluring, since Jake possessed numerous topics to discuss. He could sense Villy's watchful gaze upon him at this moment, and Jake understood that the instant he directed the faintest mental outreach to the Primordial, their extended chat would commence.

Honestly speaking, Jake favored conducting that discussion face-to-face over a brew at the Order of the Malefic Viper. Telepathic exchange offered great security, and Jake trusted his capacity to detect any eavesdroppers or interlopers, yet caution remained preferable when handling matters that could reshape the multiverse. Thus, Jake opted to postpone the Villy conversation for the time being.

Moreover, completing his remaining evolutions would provide additional subjects to cover. This still required Jake to choose between evolving his class or profession first.

Yet, prior to contemplating that choice, Jake detected an unusual anomaly as he adjusted his position slightly on the bed beneath him. With a furrowed brow, he rose to his feet and examined the bed intently through narrowed eyes.

Employing Identify yielded no remarkable results, and on the surface, it appeared identical to the bed Jake had taken from Villy’s Challenge Dungeon during the Tutorial long ago. Nevertheless, upon channeling a portion of his energy toward it and prodding the item, he felt assured:

The bed hadn't transformed into a magical artifact, yet energy had undeniably permeated it, reshaping its core essence. Its resilience had increased substantially, not enough to withstand Jake's effortless destruction, but sufficient to endure D-grade assaults and certain lesser C-grade strikes, in Jake's estimation.

A grin spread across Jake's face as he let out a soft laugh at the ridiculous notion of his bed undergoing a minor evolution in tandem with him. It struck him as amusing, prompting a headshake while he anticipated with mild excitement what the bed might develop into after his A-grade evolution while perched upon it.

To achieve that, Jake needed to advance his class and profession levels beforehand, and prior to that possibility, both required evolution.

Reflecting on his C-grade evolution, Jake had prioritized his profession, reasoning that during his D-grade ascent, the class had come first. By that rationale, he ought to evolve his class now. However, Jake wasn't overly bound by logic, and he simply inclined toward the profession this time. He anticipated excellence from both evolutions regardless, rendering the order inconsequential.

With this resolved, Jake spotted the enticing system prompt awaiting him and immediately accessed it.

Steadfast in your Path, you have fully embraced your identity as a living paradox, continuing to embody the values and traits of both a heretic and a Chosen, all while truly being neither. The Malefic Viper remains your Patron, not because of a lack of other options, but due to your own personal loyalty towards someone you consider a friend. Your bond grows stronger, becoming more equitable as you benefit one another more and more, though the balance is still far from equal. Perhaps one day it will be. Despite your Path as an alchemist and further embracing the Legacy of the Malefic Viper, you have not shunned away from expanding beyond, seeking power in all places. You have started to embrace the Primeval Origin welling up from within, while even starting on the profound Path of Enlightenment. Your possibilities seem endless, your Path boundless, with one certainty above all: nothing but the very apex will satisfy your primal cravings for power.

Begin evolution now?

Y/N WARNING: Postponing evolution for too long may have adverse effects, and no further profession experience can be earned before the evolution is complete.

As always with these system announcements, plenty of elements demanded unpacking, but Jake lacked the desire to scrutinize them in depth. Not until he examined the actual professions, at least. This message aligned closely with his expectations. Instead of lingering excessively, he noted its references to acquiring his Sacred Meditate skill and approaching the Gate of Enlightenment. Those, along with the nod to Primeval Origins, stood as the sole novel aspects worth highlighting, while the remainder consisted of standard embellishments and the system affirming Jake's worthiness, alongside its evident bafflement at his alliance with Villy.

Having addressed that, Jake at last turned his attention to the initial choice among five, and truthfully? It represented a solid opening, in his opinion.

Galactic Conqueror of the Malefic Viper: With the power of the Malefic Viper as support, you set out on a mission to conqueror your entire galaxy. Through your leadership and divine presence, victory was achieved, your galaxy falling under you and the Order of the Malefic Viper’s control.

WARNING: Skills pertaining to Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper may be lost or changed upon becoming a Galactic Conqueror of the Malefic Viper.

To state the obvious, that profession title carried considerable appeal. If anyone had once informed Jake, pre-system, that an all-powerful system would deem him suitable as a Galactic Conqueror, he would have urged them to seek mental health aid for their fantasies.

In contrast, among the five potential evolutions, this ranked as the least desirable. It wasn't poor by any measure, but it clearly mismatched Jake's style. The origin of its unlock held no secrets, given his galaxy conquest, widely attributed to advancing the Malefic Viper's cause.

As for statistics: a key indicator of a profession's caliber and one of its vital features—this variant delivered +550 stats overall per level. An impressive sum, undoubtedly, yet considering the tripling of all stats during this evolution, the updated profession ceiling reached +720 per level. Viewed thusly, its allure diminished notably.

Not unexpectedly, despite the enticing name, Jake suspected superior iterations existed that he failed to meet the criteria for. Leadership eluded him entirely, and any morale enhancements occurred largely by accident.

It went without saying, but Jake dismissed this profession outright as a viable choice. Particularly given how selecting it would devastate his alchemical skills, he swiftly advanced to the second option presented.

This alternative improved matters considerably, though its title alone signaled Jake's disinterest in pursuing it.

Heretic-Chosen Prophet of the Malefic Viper: Despite the unorthodox actions that should brand you a heretic to be hunted down, you continue to further the goals of the Malefic Viper, making yourself worthy of the title of Chosen. With this acceptance and even at times encouragement from your Patron, continue to spread the influence of the Malefic Viper, bringing others into the fold, while at the same time claiming his powers as your own through a relationship you dare call that of equals. A heretic to some, a Chosen to most, but more importantly, a Heretic-Chosen to both you and your Patron. Your skills in Alchemy remain, but you craft primarily to strengthen your bond with the Malefic Viper while honoring his chosen Path. Grants skills related to alchemy, persuasion, manipulation, and religious practices. No matter the labels, no matter the definitions, you shall continue to further the goals of the Malefic Viper while grasping all the power you possibly can along the way.

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This echoed a prior offering, bearing the identical name to one presented during Jake's C-grade evolution. Substantial portions of the description overlapped, though enhancements had refined it, rendering it less overtly devotional. Alchemy now framed as bond-deepening rather than worship, and it emphasized equality with the Viper more prominently.

That said, Jake held no intention of choosing it, despite the superior stats. +645 total per level exceeded the Galactic Conqueror by 95, marking a substantial quality leap. Surpassing 600 stats typically signified elite-tier professions, where inherent restrictions and drawbacks gained prominence. For Jake, the Heretic-Chosen archetype's flaw lay in sustaining that delicate status, which the system viewed as inherently unstable.

Jake disagreed profoundly. He equated it to his class's limitation on experience from lesser foes—a technical drawback, yes, but irrelevant to his approach. Unless Villy abruptly demanded stricter adherence as a Chosen, of course.

Opting for this would steer him toward greater Chosen status, but no, he rejected that outright. Jake wasn't a prophet, and if Villy sought one, he shouldn't have bestowed his True Blessing so freely.

Advancing to the subsequent profession, and... fine. Time to focus earnestly.

With three selections remaining, the caliber had escalated dramatically as he scrutinized the third profession's details.

Enlightened Student of the Sage’s Path: To understand the world is the essence of power and a way of life. At least you believe it to be. Even if your encounter was brief, the interactions were profound, the guidance of the Sage paving your way towards enlightenment. Through your own efforts, you have gazed upon the Gate of Enlightenment and realized the endless depths lying within. You are determined to uncover all that you can. Enlightened Student of the Sage’s Path is a profession revolving around seeking enlightenment and comprehending the myriad concepts of the multiverse, documenting, assimilating, and passing them on to others. Grants skills related to documentation, comprehension, teaching, and understanding of the self. May you continue exploring your Path, the student perhaps one day becoming a Sage himself. Stat bonuses per level: +175 Perception, +175 Willpower, +175 Wisdom, +75 Intelligence, +100 Free Points (700 total)

WARNING: Skills pertaining to Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper may be lost or changed upon becoming an Enlightened Student of the Sage’s Path

Did this constitute a Legacy profession tied to the First Sage? Not quite—the deeper Jake pondered, the less it aligned, yet his encounter with the First Sage had undeniably shaped it. The description referenced Sage-guided steps toward enlightenment, synonymous with attaining the Gate of Enlightenment.

Jake recognized the Sacred Meditate skill as a monumental feat, but this development astonished him nonetheless. Stat-wise, it bestowed 700 total per level. Nearing the 720 cap, such near-maximum yields proved exceedingly scarce, often burdened by severe limitations that Jake might prefer to avoid. Moreover, while 20 stats differentiated professions and influenced B-grade skill potency, at 700, the gap seemed minor. Additionally... it boosted Perception generously. A clear advantage there.

He found it striking that the title designated it as Student. For a B-grade to hold mere student status underscored the Sage’s Path's immense potency. Regarding Sages... the capitalized term prompted Jake to question if it denoted an official rank. He recalled no such mention in his readings, save for the First Sage and Sagacity of the Malefic Viper. Perhaps the system employed Sage for profound conceptual mastery, unofficial or otherwise—but Jake resolved to query Villy on it soon.

Naturally, Jake wouldn't choose this, though it warranted consideration. Its emergence from his fleeting First Sage interactions and skill upgrade carried significance, urging him to allocate time for meditation.

Beyond Jake's alignment with conceptual comprehension and Gate of Enlightenment pursuits, this profession clashed with his nature. It suited a Dao Sect monk or meditative scholar far better—hardly Jake, who envisioned no future documenting multiversal concepts or lecturing on enlightenment in his spare moments.

Thus, while intriguing professionally, Jake had no desire to adopt it. The disruption to his Malefic Viper and alchemy skills alone sufficed to bypass it.

Progressing to the fourth option, Jake noted another recurrence and braced to reject it as before—its prior ominous tone and alchemy forfeiture had repelled him—but this reading revealed clear alterations.

Harbinger of Primeval Origins: All have an Origin; all have a Path to the peak. You shall be the Harbinger to awaken that Origin. Allows you to affect Origins, awakening primeval concepts within entities, resulting in the birth of things never seen before or long forgotten. You have already begun to embrace this aspect of who you are and strive to continue exploring the innate power deep within your being. It already seeps through every fiber of your being, so why hesitate? Through the heretically obtained Legacy of the Malefic Viper, you shall continue to make use of your alchemical prowess to display your abilities as the Harbinger of Primeval Origins, with or without your: perhaps soon to be former: Patron’s permission. In your eyes, not even a Primordial is fit to tell you how to use your Primeval Origin Energy, and staying a Chosen, heretic, or Heretic-Chosen is solely at your discretion. For only you wield this power, only you use it, and only you can spread its glory to the multiverse, awakening all you deem worthy of the honor. Or perhaps you could simply hoard it for yourself. Only you can decide, Harbinger of Primeval Origins. Stat bonuses per level: +210 Willpower, +120 Vitality, +120 Wisdom, +60 Toughness, +200 Free Points.

The last iteration of this profession had differed vastly from the current one. During his C-grade evolution, it portrayed Jake as an uncontrollable evolution catalyst, impacting surroundings consensually or otherwise. The chaos and terror had driven him to shun it entirely.

He anticipated a similar repeat now, but it diverged sharply. No longer a mere vessel leaking Primeval Origin Energy, Jake now assumed command over it. He dictated its application.

A prior deterrent had been its interference with his alchemical trajectory, yet again. This version evolved, incorporating alchemy seamlessly and permitting retention of his Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper role if chosen.

Admittedly, Jake questioned whether it rivaled a pure alchemist path, but preserving his skills marked a huge gain. Path of the Heretic-Chosen, likely to transform under warning-bearing options, anchored Jake's journey and facilitated his First Sage meeting. He refused to relinquish it, and this profession appeared to safeguard it.

Upon further reflection, Jake had intended to delve deeper into his Primeval Origin Energy during B-grade, and w