The Primal Hunter Chapter 1238 - Dragon Hunter (7)

Yrelstromoz had been intensely focused from the moment she recognized the genuine peril to her existence. Trusting in her birthright as a True Dragon, she allowed her training and instincts to guide her. Ancient techniques, maneuvers, and skills dormant for decades flooded back into her consciousness—including several foolproof tactics designed to effortlessly slaughter even the most formidable B-grades of her rank.

Yet… nothing was effective. The human simply refused to collapse, regardless of her efforts. When she witnessed him absorbing her Dragon’s Breath directly, she was certain the struggle had concluded. She expected his total annihilation; even if her Dragon’s Breath wasn't her most refined attribute, it remained the devastating breath of a True Dragon.

Seeing him still upright afterward, his aura barely diminished, shook her to her very soul. The situation only worsened as the Chosen of the Malefic Viper resumed his assault despite his shattered physical state. She fought to repel him, attempting to end his life even as she felt her own vitality and soul withering away, but he was relentless.

Her determination gradually dissolved into terror. Once her second Dragon’s Breath failed—thwarted by the human’s use of a time-affinity survival skill—every lingering doubt vanished.

This human… this mere C-grade… was an opponent she could not overcome. Arrogance and pride evaporated, replaced by a raw, desperate urge to survive. Her objective shifted instantly from execution to escape.

She acted on two fronts simultaneously. First, she reached out to her aunt using the communication token she had been gifted. Second, she unleashed a wave of magic intended to blast the Chosen away and create a window for her flight.

Yrelstromoz was acutely aware of her physical condition. Without outside intervention, her survival was questionable. If she could gain enough distance, she might wait out her potion cooldown and consume one. However, her primary hope rested on a swift response from her aunt. Perhaps she would arrive to save her… but Yrelstromoz knew she couldn't rely on that and would do everything possible to flee on her own.

Expending her remaining resources, she banked toward the sky, aiming for the vacuum of space. As a member of the Lumenflight, she belonged to one of the swiftest dragon lineages. While she now respected the power and speed of the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, she remained certain he could not maintain a chase.

He might possess burst movement or temporary pursuit methods, but in a test of sustained speed, Yrelstromoz believed she would prevail. This was her assumption as she ascended, and for a time, it seemed her judgment was correct.

Having been knocked back, the human was slow to initiate a pursuit, granting Yrelstromoz a significant lead. A flicker of hope sparked within her that he had simply conceded, content with his victory. It hardly mattered now; as she drew further away, the human remained stationary below, merely watching her ascent.

As she reached the upper atmosphere, the path to the stars lay open. Yrelstromoz began to truly believe she would survive this nightmare… but fate had other plans.

The world shifted. Something changed. Yrelstromoz stared toward the distant stars, but they suddenly seemed to retreat and fade as a voice resonated from every direction at once.

“Event Horizon.”

The stars vanished, and light was extinguished from her reality. Even the glow of her own fading body was swallowed. The universe was plunged into total darkness for a heartbeat before a new sight emerged.

She caught a faint glimpse of a ring of light encircling her. It seemed both intimately close and impossibly distant. Despite the desperate flapping of her wings, Yrelstromoz couldn't tell if she was making any progress. Ahead lay a void, as if she had reached the precipice of existence itself. Lacking any sense of motion, she instinctively looked back toward the planet.

It had disappeared. All that remained in this hollow world was a lone figure, though gauging the distance was impossible. She couldn't see his physical form; instead, two eyes stared back from the abyss, sending a violent shiver down Yrelstromoz’s spine.

Then… the vision broke.

Light flooded back, the world returned to its natural state, and Yrelstromoz felt herself moving through the air again. Everything looked identical, yet she knew the truth had changed. Whatever he had done had planted a seed of inexplicable dread in her heart, and in that moment, she understood:

There was no path to survival for Yrelstromoz. Her only remaining hope was that her desperate plea for help had reached her aunt in time.

--

Jake had held back Event Horizon, waiting for a perfect opening. He hadn't been entirely sure of its effects or appearance. Seeing it now, he realized the skill possessed depths far beyond his current understanding; he was merely touching the surface of its ultimate potential.

The Event Horizon was… magnificent. Once those words left his lips, the universe fell away until only Jake, his target, and the horizon existed. He saw Yrelstromoz and a distant line of light that defined the very boundary of reality. An instant later, that horizon warped, curving and folding until it formed a flawless ring around the True Dragon, who flew desperately against a backdrop of absolute black.

For a fleeting moment, Jake perceived everything. His Sphere of Perception expanded to encompass this entire artificial realm. Even though Yrelstromoz was over a thousand kilometers away, he saw her with perfect clarity. Nothing was hidden; it felt as though the unreachable horizon was within his very palms…

Then the vision faded.

But his Event Horizon endured.

Even as reality stabilized, Jake could still see it. A circular band of light, visible only to his eyes, surrounded Yrelstromoz. He tracked her with every fiber of his Perception. It felt like second nature as Jake raised his bow and produced the prepared Protean Arrow.

He had already molded Eternal Hunger into the shape of an arrowhead, and fitting it into the arrow’s shaft was simple. With the weapon ready, Jake drew the string and took aim—an act that felt more natural than ever before.

True aiming wasn't even necessary. In his mind, the ideal trajectory between himself and his quarry was already mapped out. Within his Event Horizon, it was only logical that any strike would inevitably find Yrelstromoz.

His Arcane Powershot gathered strength while Yrelstromoz continued her frantic flight, burning through mana in her desperation. The distance between them grew by the second, but Jake remained unbothered, continuing to charge the strike that would end the True Dragon.

Only when his physical form reached its absolute breaking point did Jake loose the shot. At the final microsecond, he channeled every bit of his accumulated Hunting Momentum into the release.

Just before the arrow left the string, Jake sensed something that nearly broke his focus. He knew Villy was watching, but another presence had turned its gaze upon him. It was an entity far more potent than himself. Jake shoved the thought aside, focusing entirely on the shot.

A massive burst of arcane energy erupted as the Protean Arrow streaked toward the heavens. Its velocity surpassed any projectile Jake had ever fired, moving at a speed that defied imagination. While his arrows were normally swift due to Unblemished Arrows and his high stats, this was on an entirely different scale.

In less than a second, it reached the True Dragon, who was pushing toward space at maximum speed. She had no time to react or dodge. The flimsy shield she managed to manifest was useless. To ensure the kill, Jake applied one final Primal Gaze just as the arrow connected.

The projectile tore into Yrelstromoz’s back and transfixed her body, inflicting even more carnage than Jake’s opening move. A thunderous roar escaped her as the Protean Arrow shredded her internal organs, ending her life from the inside out. Combined with a massive dose of Dragonsbane Poison, her cry was cut short as she began a terminal descent back toward the world. Jake doubted she would survive the fall.

Her scales lost their luster as her consciousness slipped away. Jake saw no need for a follow-up shot and began flying toward her landing site. Along the way, he triggered his Hunter’s Mark, hoping to grant her a quick end. Despite the explosion of destructive arcane force, the legendary vitality of a True Dragon kept her clinging to life—a cruel fate in this instance.

Jake could tell her soul and body were failing; Yrelstromoz was merely waiting for the end. She could no longer manipulate her Qi, and the Dragonsbane had become too pervasive. She drifted slowly toward the ground, kept alive only by a stubborn, instinctive will to survive.

She crashed into the earth, creating a small crater. Jake arrived moments later, looking down at the broken dragon. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. Jake didn't delay, teleporting to her side to end her misery.

Katar in hand, he moved toward her throat. Suddenly, her eyes cleared, locking onto him with a gaze saturated with resentment and loathing. Jake paused, feeling an odd sensation that was explained a moment later.

Yrelstromoz’s body erupted with an aura unlike anything she had previously shown. She mobilized every remaining scrap of energy even as the Dragonsbane ravaged her. She no longer cared about the cost; her impending death only seemed to fuel the power of her final act.

A shroud of black, smoke-like energy billowed from her as an aura of pure malice and death took hold. Her final words were spat out, dripping with venomous hatred.

“Why? You had no business with me. I had no business with you. Why do this?”

She wasn't seeking a rebuttal. The aura intensified, and coils of black smoke began to wrap around Jake’s unmoving form. This was the last of her strength, and her following words were her final breath.

“I hate you… I want you to die… just… die…”

As the last spark of life left her, the black energy detonated, rushing toward Jake to corrupt his soul. It was a manifestation of pure emotional energy, the kind born from extreme circumstances. Such energy, fueled by intense hatred from powerful magical entities, was rare, and Jake hadn't anticipated it.

But Jake felt no fear.

As the curse lunged at him, Jake brandished his katar. The moment the weapon appeared, the flood of dark energy shifted its target. Instead of invading Jake, it was drawn directly into Eternal Hunger.

It wasn't a choice; the Sin Curse of Hunger was vastly more powerful than the death-curse Yrelstromoz had attempted. Within seconds, Eternal Hunger had consumed every scrap of the energy, the weapon humming with a sense of grim satisfaction.

The True Dragon’s final attempt at vengeance had been transformed into a boon. It was perhaps a mercy that she was dead and could not witness her last act becoming a gift to her killer.

Jake shook his head, looking at the dragon's remains. Despite the victory, he didn't deactivate his boosting skill, even though it was straining his injured body. He still felt that other observer watching him, prompting him to speak.

“Come out already,” Jake commanded, his voice laced with power. He had used a Pulse and knew the person was outside its immediate range, but he trusted his willpower-infused voice would carry.

It did. A second later, a figure manifested beside the dragon’s corpse. It was a woman—or rather, a dragon in human form. She bore a resemblance to Yrelstromoz but appeared older and possessed a significantly more powerful aura.

She gazed at the body and sighed heavily before looking at Jake. She cupped her hands and offered a respectful bow. “I greet the Chosen of the Malefic Viper.”

Jake tensed, realizing he was facing another dragon of the Lumenflight, but he forced himself to relax. Given her strength, caution was largely irrelevant. If she intended to kill him, he would already be gone. Her respectful tone suggested she wasn't seeking retribution, despite her obvious grief.

“I assume you were related?” Jake asked, nodding back. He realized he might be coming off as rude, but looking like a walking corpse and being stuck in his boosting skill made him less concerned with etiquette.

“She was my niece,” the True Dragon admitted with a sigh. “I gave her a token to contact me recently. She had never used it until today.”

The dragon sighed again. “Do not fear; I am not here for blood. I am simply saddened it ended this way. Yrelstromoz was a troubled whelp from the start, though her parents tried to guide her. After they passed and she reached maturity… I want to believe that was when she strayed, but I suspect it simply allowed her nature to flourish. In many ways, this outcome was inevitable.”

Jake wasn't sure how to respond. Feeling a bit awkward, he offered a quiet, “This might sound strange, but I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Do not be,” the dragon replied with a faint smile. “She crossed a line. she took a life she shouldn't have, and if it wasn't you, someone else would have stopped her. Since she had to fall… I am glad it was to someone of your caliber. At least her Legacy will be more than just another arrogant dragon meeting a predictable end.”

“If it helps, I thought it was a good fight,” Jake added. It might not have met his internal hype perfectly, but it was a solid battle, if a bit strange.

Yrelstromoz had been a paradox of weakness and immense power. Had she been focused from the start, the fight would have been much grimmer. Even with her late start, she had demonstrated why True Dragons were considered an apex race across the multiverse.

“I appreciate that,” the dragon said sincerely. Her expression shifted from sorrow to a more serious demeanor. “Now, this may be a bold request, but she is still my kin. If the Chosen permits, I wish to lay her to rest with her parents in our ancestral graveyard.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, and the dragon continued.

“In exchange, I will ensure you are compensated. I know a True Dragon’s body is a treasure, but if you let me take her, I will help you extract her heart and empower it with the Records remaining in her corpse before I depart,” Yrelstromoz’s aunt proposed.

“Deal,” Jake agreed instantly. He didn't need to deliberate. Even without the offer, he felt uncomfortable telling the woman he planned to butcher her niece for parts.

“I thank the Chosen for his mercy,” the dragon bowed. “The Lumenflight is in your debt for this kindness.”

She gestured toward the body and whispered words Jake couldn't catch. The corpse of Yrelstromoz glowed briefly, and a heart phased through her chest. It drifted toward the aunt, who then sent it floating to Jake.

He caught the heart, saving the inspection for later. He noticed the corpse now looked even more battered, its powerful aura having vanished.

The aunt took one final look at the remains before waving her hand, stowing the body in spatial storage. She closed her eyes, exhaled a final sigh, and looked at Jake.

“Thank you once more. I shall depart now… Dragonslayer,” she said. In a flash, she was gone, leaving Jake in the silence.

Sensing that the observation had ended, Jake collapsed onto the ground. He finally deactivated Arcane Awakening, allowing the massive wave of fatigue and pain to wash over his broken frame.

“Damn,” Jake groaned as the agony returned in full force. He was a mess, and even drawing breath was a chore. He closed his eyes and began to meditate to start the recovery process.

Residual energy from the Dragon’s Breath still plagued his system, and it would be a while before he reached full strength. But as he sat there, he realized he had a massive pile of system notifications to read—and more importantly, a reason to smile.