The Primal Hunter Chapter 1264 - Jake’s New Flame

Indeed, Jake truly had no idea when his Soulflame would finally appear. The mechanics of the Cradle of Soul’s Kindling offered no certainties, serving mainly as an enhanced gamble that provided an extra pull on the slot machine in pursuit of those elusive triple sevens.

Jake had developed a routine of inspecting the item roughly once every week, observing how the Arcane Soulflames inside steadily increased in number. Yet, none among them emerged as exceptionally prominent, and since only one could be drawn out, he opted for patience and ambition. Still, he came to understand that chasing a Supreme Soulflame simply wasn't feasible.

To recap, Soulflames came in rarities ranging from elementary and low-tier up through mid-tier, high-tier, pinnacle-tier, to the rarest Supreme Soulflames. Elevating even a single Soulflame's rarity proved challenging enough, and attempting multiple upgrades grew exponentially tougher with each step forward.

Given that an Alchemist could possess just one Soulflame at a time, securing a strong one from the start was crucial. Sure, separation from a Soulflame was possible in theory, but that process demanded even greater effort than enhancement. The deep bond between the Soulflame and the alchemist's soul ensured some inevitable soul injury during detachment, rendering it a peril most wouldn't dare, including Jake himself.

Even though Jake figured a Supreme Soulflame emerging in the Cradle seemed improbable—and if it did, it probably wouldn't occur until he ascended to godhood—hope lingered thanks to a vital trait of this legendary artifact. He'd pondered this very aspect upon first reading the Cradle of Soul’s Kindling's description.

[Cradle of Soul’s Kindling (Mythical)]: The Cradle in which a flame may be kindled as it awakens its own spirituality. Nascent Soulflames of hundreds of affinities burn within the internal space of the Cradle, experiencing a cycle of life and death as they struggle and absorb one another while growing in power. Waiting for one of them to ascend to the world outside. Only a single Soulflame can truly be born from the Cradle, the item getting destroyed upon extraction as all others become fuel for the chosen one. The Cradle can be infused with energies to sustain and influence the internal world. The internal world of the Cradle cannot be entered by any being with a Truesoul, and any Truesouls born within will immediately find themselves destroyed, their energies only nurturing the Cradle further.

Requirements: Soulbound.

The key detail in that description highlighted how all remaining Soulflames inside the Cradle would fuel the extracted one. Since Soulflames primarily advanced by devouring each other within the Cradle, this final consumption during extraction surely delivered a substantial surge of power.

Naturally, Jake didn't anticipate flawless absorption of every ounce of energy from the other Soulflames. Were that the case, he might have simply chosen a high-tier one early on, and with the sheer volume inside, it could well have ascended to Supreme rarity.

Should Supreme rarity elude him, a Pinnacle Soulflame would still satisfy Jake completely. As its title suggested, Pinnacle Soulflames represented the peak of excellence, and in raw power, they matched Supreme ones without any shortfall.

Rather, Supreme Soulflames excelled in versatility for their wielders, thanks to their enhanced synchronization with the owner. Though no Soulflame could claim true sentience, Supreme variants approached that boundary more closely than others.

They lacked independent thought entirely, yet they interpreted and executed an alchemist's commands with superior precision. Put simply, instead of micromanaging every aspect, a Supreme Soulflame handled minor tasks autonomously when aligned with the user's intent.

In any event, acquiring his Soulflame hadn't been on Jake's agenda at all, yet it unfolded unexpectedly. During that pivotal moment, mere months into his intense alchemy sessions, he examined the Cradle and right away sensed an unusual shift.

Typically, the Soulflames churned endlessly, preying on one another, but now they clustered densely, refraining from mutual attacks. Rather, they all appeared to await the approach of a particular nearby Soulflame, which immediately piqued his curiosity.

For the first time, Jake laid eyes on a pinnacle rarity Arcane Soulflame, instantly lifting his spirits. Moreover, this flame advanced purposefully toward the gathering of more than a thousand inferior Soulflames, clearly aiming to engulf them entirely.

Jake halted his alchemy work that day without hesitation, observing eagerly to witness the unfolding drama. As the Arcane Soulflame neared the diverse-affinity cluster, both sides surged forward in unison.

In a flash, dozens of Soulflames vanished into the pinnacle one, powerless against its dominance. With relentless hunger, the Arcane Soulflame devoured over a hundred more in quick succession, though in turn, the surrounding flames began nibbling at its edges.

This dynamic explained the rarity of potent Soulflames emerging in the Cradle. The mightier a Soulflame grew, the richer its energy became, drawing the envy of all nearby. Each devouring act drained some vitality, leaving it vulnerable to counterattacks.

Compounded by their total absence of cunning or self-preservation, Soulflames frequently met doom in precisely such scenarios. Drawn solely to the enticing Pinnacle Arcane Soulflame, the lesser ones ignored each other, fixated on claiming the prize.

Jake observed with growing worry as the Pinnacle Arcane Soulflame battled fiercely, yet it was evident that by day's end, consumption awaited it—likely spawning several high-tier Soulflames, which might then clash among themselves. Inevitably, this cycle would dilute their strength, leading to swift downfall by weaker flames post-evolution, thus resetting the Soulflame growth anew.

Had this been a living being, Jake would have merely spectated, intervening only if it triumphed to claim it. But an Arcane Soulflame wasn't alive in any meaningful sense. Applying his usual ethics to it resembled judging a clash between molten rock and water—it was merely the natural order... until Jake decided otherwise and interfered.

He permitted the Pinnacle Arcane Soulflame to feast as much as possible before activating the Cradle of Soul’s Kindling's primary mechanism.

At once, every motion inside the mythical artifact's inner realm froze. An enigmatic force enveloped the selected Pinnacle Arcane Soulflame, triggering the Cradle's entire interior to crumble.

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As collapse spread, countless Soulflames got ensnared, swiftly devoured and converted into a torrent of energy flooding the Pinnacle Soulflame. It resembled the apocalypse unfolding, existence fracturing from every direction, with Jake's chosen flame at the epicenter.

The Cradle's ruin soon overtook the encircling Arcane Soulflames, dismantling them into fuel that rushed toward the shielded core. It voraciously absorbed it all, swelling with might. Jake continued monitoring as the infusion persisted for minutes, relying solely on the artifact's inherent processes.

In the external realm, fissures spiderwebbed across the Cradle's surface. Tension gripped Jake as fragments chipped away, dissolving into energy specks that looped back inside, producing faint luminous streaks.

With one final energy deluge, the Cradle ignited fully. Initially colorless, the blaze swiftly shifted to a pinkish-purple hue, radiating a strikingly familiar presence. The nascent Soulflame burst forth from the Cradle, devouring the artifact itself in the process, leaving only the hovering flame behind.

Jake gazed at it suspended there briefly, sensing its emanation. Soulflames posed little threat inherently, lacking any urge to assault, though they weren't without risks.

To bond with a Soulflame, an alchemist had to draw it inward and subdue it, with severe errors potentially causing profound soul harm or fatality. Predictably, stronger Soulflames amplified the absorption challenge.

However, as Jake drew near, no peril emanated from it. On the contrary, the arcane flame drifted subtly in his direction, drawn instinctively to his essence. This subtle shift brought a grin to Jake's face, solidifying his success, and a swift Identify affirmed his suspicions.

[Arcane Soulflame (Supreme)]: A Soulflame created from the arcane affinity of Jake Thayne. After having consumed countless other Soulflames, it has reached the Supreme rarity. Due to its nature as an Arcane Soulflame, its properties are mostly unknown and are to be discovered by its eventual owner.

Requirements: Jake Thayne’s Arcane Affinity.

The entry remained sparse, as was typical for arcane affinities. The system avoided revealing too much prematurely. Jake welcomed this, eager to explore his Bloodline-rooted arcane affinity firsthand.

Wasting no time, Jake advanced to the Supreme Arcane Soulflame and extended his hand. It glided gently to his palm, then spread rapidly over his form.

Jake burst into flames, but no agony followed as they enveloped him. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on integrating the Soulflame into his body and soul, forging an unbreakable unity.

Most alchemists might employ rituals to safeguard the merging, yet Jake saw no necessity. Absorbing an Arcane Soulflame tied to his own Arcane Affinity minimized risks, especially to the soul—a realm where Jake felt utterly secure. This confidence stemmed from his trials with the First Sage and glimpsing the Gate of Enlightenment, transformations to his soul beyond his current grasp.

All that remained was welcoming the Soulflame while channeling his Alchemical Flame to bind it fully to his soul, intertwining it with the skill. The Alchemical Flame, a basic ability Jake had seldom refined, saw minimal use lately beyond cauldron warming in alchemy. Even that was optional, as the cauldron's inscribed formations could self-heat more reliably and efficiently.

Beyond generating warmth, Alchemical Flame excelled at dismantling ambient mana in materials. Stones or metals resistant to his mightiest Arcane Powershot melted effortlessly under its touch, owing to the skill's distinctive principles. This same essence necessitated a flame for stubborn ingredients during breakdowns.

His prior neutral Alchemical Flame had sufficed, if imperfectly, but replacing it with an Arcane Soulflame promised transformative gains—Jake anticipated them keenly.

Time elapsed as the flame blanketed Jake's body, gradually permeating his skin toward his Soulshape and deep into his Soulspace. Eyes shut, he delved into his Soulspace to assess the progress.

Manifesting in his inner domain, Jake turned to the arcane-saturated heavens and spotted a fresh formation amid his Soulspace: a stellar body disrupting the sky—a sun born of his Arcane Soulflame, shattering the perpetual arcane storm above.

Absorbing the Soulflame required no effort from Jake. It felt less like incorporating an outsider and more like ushering it to its rightful home.

Lifting his hand, Jake invoked the Alchemical Flame skill, intent on fusing it with the Supreme Arcane Soulflame. This step had mildly worried him, as failure to integrate could cause the Soulflame to dissipate from his being.

Luckily, it unfolded with surprising ease once again. A touch of focus, drawing on prior Soulflame studies, plus the Supreme variant's innate aid to its bearer, rendered the task almost trivial.

A smile crossed his face as the prompt materialized, marking his most dramatic skill rarity leap yet—possibly his smoothest upgrade ever.

[Alchemical Flame (Common)]: The flame of an alchemist is one of the most critical aspects of the crafting process. The flame itself is affinity-less and not polluted by the impurities of burning a catalyst. You have just embarked on the path of refining your alchemical flame, and may your path towards the pinnacle be swift. Allows the alchemist to create a moderate alchemical flame, emitting heat. Adds a small increase to the effectiveness of Alchemical Flame based on Wisdom.

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[Alchemical Flame (Mythical)]: Any good alchemist has a capable Soulflame, and you? You aim to be among the best. Allows the alchemist to create an Alchemical Flame carrying the properties of a Supreme Arcane Soulflame. The Arcane Soulflame is a paradoxical flame, capable of displaying both pure destruction and absolute stability. Control and usage of the Arcane Soulflame are dependent on the abilities of the alchemist. Adds a significant increase to the effectiveness of Alchemical Flame based on Wisdom.

Perusing the updated skill details, Jake grinned broadly. Alchemical Flame stood as a foundational alchemy tool with little evolution over time, and even at mythical rarity, its wording stayed straightforward and unadorned. It echoed Concoct Poison and Brew Potion in its simplicity.

Nothing in the revised description caught him off guard or revealed novelties. The lone unexpected element was earning experience from the Soulflame integration itself.

Just a single level, admittedly, after months of fruitless crafting, but progress was progress. It paled against advancing a Malefic Viper Legacy skill, though Jake hadn't anticipated otherwise.

His mind raced too excitedly to dwell, fixated on testing his fresh Arcane Soulflame.

Back in reality, eyes open, the flames had vanished into him completely. Raising his hand, a violet-tinged arcane blaze ignited swiftly, dancing and illuminating the chamber as a wild grin lit Jake's features.

Oh, the possibilities flooded his thoughts... countless tomes on Soulflame varieties and their bespoke potentials had fueled his imagination. Now, with his own in hand, exploration beckoned—what marvels did a Supreme Arcane Soulflame hold? And with any luck, his alchemy lab would endure the trials.

No guarantees on that front.