The Primal Hunter Chapter 1270 - A Totally Standard Human(B) Evolution

Without a second thought, Jake dove straight into the system notification, where the decision lay right before him.

You stay firm on your Path, accepting your Legacy and Origin just as they are. Each obstacle blocking you turns into a chance to get better, and every foe becomes a rung on the ladder to ultimate power. Even with countless enigmas still out of reach, you've never doubted your identity or your principles. A hunter without equal, chasing the distant edges of the world, a human, but far beyond that, a creator, a living sign of Origins believed gone forever. Don't turn from your Path, stay loyal to who you are, and let no one halt your climb to the top.

Start Evolution right away?

Y/N

WARNING: Delaying evolution could bring negative consequences, and you won't gain any more race experience until it's done

Jake scanned the notification carefully, a grin spreading across his face as he read. Messages like this came as close as possible to the system sharing insights about his own nature, and one line stood out especially to him:

“Human, yet so much more.”

This pretty much assured Jake that he remained a human at heart, yet transcended the ordinary. Exactly what that extra something was, Jake had zero idea, but he sensed that sticking to his Path would reveal it in time.

In general, this notification echoed the one from his C-grade evolution, but this version hit closer to home. It even referenced his class and profession outright, though it leaned heavier on Jake's knack for wielding Primeval Origin Energy over his alchemy skills, a point Villy would no doubt dislike.

Even more intriguing was the nod to horizons. Jake had long figured his class Path was anything but normal, and pairing it with his odd variant race and Primeval Origin quirks spoke volumes. Long before checking the choices, Jake felt sure he'd stick to that Path for his class evolution... but that was for later. First, he needed to hit B-grade, and this race evolution promised some intriguing twists. It wasn't overly thrilling, since he already grasped most of what it involved.

When it came to evolving right then? Of course, Jake thought the query was a touch ridiculous and hit accept without delay.

In an instant, he vanished from the bed in his lodge, materializing in a void he now understood and valued much more deeply. It had been just a hunch before, but now, suspended there, Jake knew for sure.

This was truly the same realm as the one holding the Gate of Enlightenment.

Yet... not quite. Labeling it a "location" didn't fit at all. No amount of distance from the Gate of Enlightenment would bring Jake here, and no effort to drift through this void would draw him near the Gate.

More precisely, perhaps, they didn't occupy the identical space; they drew from the same Origin. Both served as unique system-crafted zones, tied to the Truesoul, meant to ignite advancement for anyone entering.

While Jake mulled over these ideas, the system held back patiently. It let him wrap up his reflections, and once he did, the void stirred to life like in past visits. A rush of power flooded in from every direction, seeping into his body and soul to nourish him at his core.

Congratulations! You have successfully evolved into a variant B-grade human.

Due to Origin, all other variant options are blocked.

Congratulations! You have successfully evolved to B-grade!

Nothing unexpected popped up in the system alert this round, so Jake brushed it aside fast to zero in on the evolution's feel. The power kept pouring in, reaching Eternal Hunger and his Eternal Shadow too, and surprisingly, his fresh bow transformed with him, upgrading in sync.

Unlike his C-grade shift, this energy surge dragged on much longer, and Jake immersed himself in every bit, sensing his qualitative leap forward. The feeling stayed strange and somewhat unsettling in spots, but the system handled all the rough edges, leaving pure growth behind.

Before long, the energy flow eased off, and Jake faced his "updated" race details.

Going over the race summary, Jake felt torn. One side of him dipped into mild letdown that his "variant" status still delivered the exact same stats and description as any other. Stats had tripled as usual, and the wording looked standard enough for Jake to peg it as the default.

Still, amid that faint disappointment, Jake also sensed a small wave of relief at staying fundamentally human. Not just because ditching humanity would unsettle him personally, but because popping up as a "high human" or similar would spark endless questions, especially if it marked a multiverse first, as Jake suspected.

Even with Shroud of the Primordial, hiding it wouldn't be easy, and once word leaked, complications would pile up. Valhal would amp up their interest big time, and Jake could picture droves of factions chasing him, convinced he could guide evolutions for monsters and enlightened races alike.

Luckily, he dodged even pondering such headaches. Better to focus on the race description's closing bit about the Human Spirit. Jake recalled how picking the Path of the Hunter had gifted him the Wisdom of the Hunter skill plus bonus stats back in C-grade.

At least, that's what the texts claimed. Info on common evolutions like the human one wasn't Forbidden Knowledge or concealed; with so many humans around, secrecy was pointless, so Jake had the full scoop on expectations.

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Jake figured grasping the norm helped spot any deviations in his own evolution. That's why he'd dug deep into human evolution lore, prepped for twists, though nothing unusual had cropped up yet.

Skimming the next system prompts confirmed his prior knowledge, more or less.

Through the eras, humanity has always prevailed, in no small part due to its profound Legacy and heritage. Records run deep within all humans, and now, you have been given the chance to tap into these Records and take inspiration from all those who’ve come before you, embracing aspects of their spirit.

Your spirit.

The Human Spirit.

Ten aspects of the Human Spirit are presented to you. Choose to embody two of them, signifying the variety of humanity’s power and potential, and embrace the power found within the eternal spirit that dwells deep within.

Nothing out of the ordinary so far. Jake had even decided on his picks ahead of time, though he couldn't guarantee these exact two would appear. From his reading, over a hundred known Spirit of Man skill variants existed, each with varying strengths.

Selecting fresh skills was always a blast, and getting two this go-around sweetened the deal! Plus, while the choosing bit lacked thrill, these skills' impacts were seriously potent.

The list showed up with ten choices, and Jake grinned at the top one, which seemed the natural pick... at least on the surface.

[Hunter’s Collaborative Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of collaboration and improving alongside one another to create the tool of your ace. You embody this aspect. Reduces experience penalty while hunting alongside other enlightened races. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans. Grants slight damage resistance against opponents when fighting alongside other enlightened races. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans.

To be honest, Jake's eye caught "hunter" right at the start, leading him to think this was his target. But after a full read, he saw it wasn't. Solid skill regardless, just not suited to him.

Luckily, just two spots down, he spotted the one he'd anticipated.

[Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of braving danger and facing the impossible. You embody this aspect. Increases experience gain when slaying opponents higher level than yourself. This effect is even stronger when hunting with your fellow humans. Grants slight damage resistance against opponents higher level than yourself.

Yes, among these, this matched him perfectly. To explain, all Spirit of Man skills stayed fairly broad, despite their range. None would align flawlessly with his Path, but this came closest by far.

In a perfect world, Jake would've grabbed two "hunter"-named skills, but overlapping stats killed that idea. Scholars on human evolution chalked it up to deliberate design. With humans built around classes and professions, it made sense to snag one for each. Jake saw no cause to stray from that.

After checking all ten, he felt sure Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man was a lock, paired with another solid for his profession.

[Alchemical Spirit of Man (Unique)] – The human spirit is one of creation, the alchemical arts being no exception. You embody this aspect. Increases experience gain when performing profession-related activities. This effect is even stronger when working collaboratively with your fellow humans. Grants slight resistance to some toxins and negative environmental effects found in alchemical travels.

Yep, this fit the second slot best. He was an alchemist, after all, and perfection wasn't on the table anyway. He found it amusing that it boosted toxin resistance, and pondered if it meshed with Palate of the Malefic Viper, but whatever.

Having mentally locked in the pair, Jake sealed the deal by choosing Hunter’s Brave Spirit of Man without hesitation.

His choice triggered the energy around him to surge anew, powering the skill infusion straight away. The usual rush of a new skill hit, complete with innate understanding... but right off, something rang false.

Terribly false.

A system alert flashed before Jake, blinking into view for just an instant, letting him glimpse its content.

: [N/A]

Confusion gripped Jake as the energy flooding his form ramped up relentlessly.

ERROR

The alert blinked again briefly, displaying the error first, then shifting to equal gibberish.

[N/A]

It didn't take a sharp mind to see this strayed from the standard B-grade human evolution playbook. None of Jake's studies mentioned system glitches or bizarre messages like this.

That said, despite the chaos and his inability to access the menu, Jake stayed calm. Sure, it was messed up, but no danger prickled at him, and he trusted the system to handle its role as always. He couldn't envision it derailing his Path or tainting his soul— that wasn't its style. If it wanted, the system could reshape reality, so failure wasn't in the cards.

This was just adaptation in action, and as Jake kept drawing in ambient energy, he sensed something budding inside. Way past standard expectations now, he simply waited, attuned to the vibe of this unique system void.

At last, after what seemed endless, the energy intake faded, and the system stirred once more. A known message reappeared before Jake, as if the whole Spirit of Man selection restarted from scratch.

Which it likely had.

Through the eras, humanity has always prevailed, in no small part...

Jake glossed over the repeated part and reached the end, where the closing line had shifted.

The Spirit of Man echoes throughout your being, resonating with your Origin. As the Primal Hunter, you do not choose which aspects to embody, but radiate all those deemed useful for your Path. Through the Legacy of humanity and your very Origin, you embrace this power, your Spirit of Man, unlike any other, past and present.

As someone versed in multiverse human evolutions, Jake knew he'd veered far from the norm. The system's direct callout of his Primal Hunter identity raised his brow... but not as much as the follow-up.

With one last surge, the energy vortex centering on Jake halted, birthing a single skill inside him. While others claimed two, Jake got just one, as the final prompt materialized.

: [Primal Hunter’s Spirit of Man (Unique)]

The skill hit, overwhelming Jake's mind with raw instinct and strength. Even before peeking at the details, Jake grasped... he had zero grounds to gripe about landing only one Spirit of Man skill.