The Primal Hunter Chapter 1 - Another Monday Morning

It was merely another tedious Monday morning. Thin slivers of sunlight filtered through the narrow slits of the blinds, failing to wake the man lost in a heavy slumber. This tranquility was fleeting, however, as the obnoxious blare of his alarm clock performed its daily ritual of shattering a pleasant dream.

Jake, who had been enjoying the warmth of his blankets, jerked awake. He scrambled blindly until his fingers finally brushed against his phone. With a low mutter, he rolled out of bed to begin the mundane morning routine required for another day of employment.

He took a warm shower, ate a hasty breakfast, and got dressed. Less than thirty minutes after waking, he grabbed his belongings and stepped out the door.

As he descended the stairs toward his vehicle, a sudden intuition whispered that the day might be interesting. He couldn't pinpoint the source of this feeling since everything seemed perfectly normal, yet the sensation persisted. Perhaps someone had simply brought donuts to the office?

The city traffic was as abysmal as ever. Most of his commute was spent idling in stagnant queues of the morning rush rather than actually driving. While he had toyed with the idea of running or cycling to work, the prospect of having to shower and change at the office seemed far too troublesome.

Upon finally reaching the parking lot, he exited his car, snatched his bag, and entered the corporate glass monstrosity where he had worked for the past few years. The building was an oversized tower of windows, towering over the landscape alongside several nearly identical structures.

Entering the lobby, he was met by Joanna, the receptionist. She was a middle-aged woman known for her massive earrings and a quantity of makeup that could easily supply a whole class of high schoolers for a week. To Jake, she was the quintessential soccer-mom trapped in a never-ending mid-life crisis. Since the reception desk sat just a few meters from the elevators, greeting her was an unavoidable part of the morning for most staff.

“Morning, Jake, had a good weekend?” she chirped, radiating a level of energy that felt inappropriate for the hour.

“Same as always, how about you?” Jake replied with polite resignation, already anticipating the response.

“Oh, it was great! You know me and Mike tried to…” she began enthusiastically. As she launched into a detailed explanation, Jake felt a wave of déjà vu, as if the exact same conversation had occurred just the week before.

After enduring the lengthy chat about trivial matters, the elevator finally arrived to rescue him. He made his escape and hit the button for the 14th floor.

Stepping out, Jake entered a quiet, open-plan office. It appeared he was among the early arrivals, he noted, as he navigated to his workstation. After booting up his PC, he began sorting through the emails that had accumulated over the weekend.

Jake had been at this firm for over two years. His role was one many would find dull, yet he took a certain peaceful satisfaction in losing himself within financial reports and spreadsheets. He was part of the finance department, and by his own estimation, he was quite skilled at his craft.

His official title was business analyst, focusing primarily on investments. Jake possessed a natural talent for identifying profitable stocks while dodging the losers; he had always relied on a strong gut feeling for such matters.

The office gradually buzzed to life as more colleagues stepped off the elevator. Following the initial rounds of morning pleasantries, the noise subsided as everyone settled into their tasks. No donuts, he observed with a sense of internal gloom.

Having cleared his most pressing duties, Jake felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, a clear sign of sleep deprivation. Most of his coworkers had learned that he wasn't interested in idle chatter, so they generally left him to his own devices. He preferred it that way.

Jake had always been a reserved, cautious individual. Being somewhat of a loner, he usually gravitated toward solitary hobbies. Even when his father had pressured him to take up a sport to get him out of the house, Jake had picked archery because it allowed him to practice entirely alone.

Generally speaking, Jake was satisfied with his existence. He possessed a lucrative job, a stable family, a pleasant apartment, and decent coworkers. His future looked promising. He wasn't someone extraordinary, just another face in the crowd—a status he actually enjoyed. To stand out was to invite unwanted attention, which he preferred to avoid.

Just as these thoughts concluded, his boss, Jacob, approached him with a wide grin.

“Hey there buddy! Me and the others are heading out for lunch, you wanna come?” he asked with his usual cheer.

“Eh, sure, sounds good,” Jake answered with a bit of hesitation.

He had a genuine liking for Jacob. Jacob was a natural-born leader who possessed sharp social instincts and an ability to make anyone feel at ease. He was one of the few individuals Jake actually considered a friend.

Following behind him was Bertram. Though he looked big and intimidating at first glance, he was actually a gentle soul. Word was he had looked after Jacob since childhood, acting as a sort of butler or guardian.

Jake knew Jacob’s family was incredibly wealthy. It was honestly surprising that Jacob hadn't become a spoiled brat, growing instead into a well-respected man. He was popular by every standard, particularly with a specific demographic in the building.

His tall frame, handsome features, and natural charisma made him a favorite among the office women. His hair was always perfectly styled, his suits were impeccably tailored, and a relaxed smile seemed permanently fixed on his face.

The two of them got along largely because Jacob could maintain a conversation with someone as laconic as Jake. Furthermore, the fact that Jake was a reliable worker who never caused drama made their professional relationship easy for both parties.

This was exactly why Jake agreed to the lunch invitation. With Jacob there, he knew the social interaction wouldn't be painful.

Jake stood up and walked toward the elevator alongside Jacob and Bertram, discussing work and an upcoming post-lunch meeting as they went.

He noticed Joanna and her husband, Mike, entering the same elevator they were approaching. The space became crowded quickly, as three other people were already inside waiting to descend.

Among them was Caroline. She worked in Human Resources, a department that shared the office floor. A year younger than Jake, she was blonde, slender, and precisely what Jake would consider 'his type'.

He suspected his attraction was likely just a result of her being one of the few women his age he saw daily—simple proximity at work. This was one reason he never tried to pursue her. There were other reasons, too; he wasn't much of a romantic, and his last relationship had ended disastrously. Getting cheated on by his best friend certainly qualified as 'disastrous' in his book.

Consequently, he only offered her a brief nod and a quiet “good morning,” despite it already being midday. Jake struggled to hide his internal embarrassment, but she luckily seemed to take the slip-up as a dry joke.

Jake was fully aware that Caroline viewed him as little more than an acquaintance and had zero romantic interest in him. Her attention was clearly fixed on Jacob instead. He couldn't blame her; Jacob was a fantastic guy, and Jake found it impossible to resent him, even if he was his unwitting, one-sided rival in love.

Physically, Jake was the definition of average. He wasn't overweight or overly thin, possessing brown hair, brown eyes, and a face that was neither striking nor unpleasant.

His only standout feature was his solid physique. This was a result of his ongoing hobby of archery—he even had a private range at his parents' home—combined with a consistent gym routine. He had maintained the healthy habits from a time when he still harbored dreams of becoming a professional athlete.

*DING!*

The chime of the elevator doors closing snapped him back to the present as they began their descent. However, just as he started wondering what to eat for lunch, his train of thought was violently disrupted.

*DING!*

An identical sound echoed inside his skull. Simultaneously, glowing words manifested before his eyes, imprinted directly into his mind. He barely had time to process the text before darkness claimed him.

*Initiation of the 93rd Universe confirmed. Introduction and tutorial sequence commencing*