The Primal Hunter Chapter 1276 - An Evolution Full of Class

Jake felt content with his profession's evolution, thrilled by the array of alchemical paths open to him in B-grade. He enjoyed the art of alchemy and the puzzles it posed, simply because challenges of any kind excited him. Yet, these alchemical trials missed one vital element:

Danger.

Certainly, he faced the chance of wasting materials during crafting, and there were times he pushed into excessively hazardous trials, but such risks paled against the intensity of wagering his life in a hunt versus a superior adversary. No sensation rivaled the rush of confronting a rival who could end him with a single error.

This explained why, despite his fondness for alchemy and the profession upgrade, Jake's heart lay more with his class evolution. It likely stemmed from viewing his class as the true embodiment of his Path, more so than his profession, even as he had started straying slightly from the Legacy of the Malefic Viper through this latest evolution. Both now ventured into uncharted territory for him, yet his class had done so much earlier and longer.

Besides... as the Primal Hunter, not the Primal Alchemist, it stood to reason that his greater passion rested with the class's advancement.

Reclining on his sturdier bed—a change undoubtedly from his habit of lounging there during evolutions—he initiated his third and last B-grade evolution as the notification appeared.

The Horizon lies eternally ahead, forever out of reach, yet a sense of nearing it washes over you. At minimum, your awareness has sharpened immensely, to the point of catching sight of the Event Horizon—a sight that only fueled your intrigue and ambition further. In chasing the horizon and strength, countless have perished in your wake, from the Usurper dubbed the Celestial Child to a True Dragon that couldn't evade your relentless hunt once marked as quarry. You eagerly employ every tactic at your disposal for successful hunts, harnessing inner-born powers while embracing lessons from the Legacies of ancient mighty figures. Regardless of method or barrier, your Path endures, and any who attempt to halt you will discover that escape from the Primal Hunter is impossible; it's merely a question of when they fall as prey, not whether.

Begin evolution now?

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

Again, the system showered Jake with accolades, portraying him as the finest of all. It even invoked his title, Primal Hunter, which always brought a smile to his face. Delving into these evolution notifications that summarized his C-grade exploits was enjoyable, and it caught him off guard by directly referencing his defeat of Ell’Hakan. Jake recognized Ell’Hakan's genius and the vast Records he held with a promising destiny, yet he realized he'd undervalued the man somewhat. Regrettably for Ell’Hakan, he'd emerged in Jake's era and foolishly challenged him, as the system's message aptly noted—no one evades the Primal Hunter.

He found it odd that it skimmed over Nevermore or his clash with Valdemar, but then, he lacked a class during the Primordial's image encounter. The Gate of Enlightenment went unmentioned too, though that didn't puzzle him as deeply.

Instead of pondering the system's emphases, Jake humbly soaked in the compliments and turned to the evolution choices awaiting him. Following his profession upgrade, his hopes ran high, and truthfully, it kicked off strong.

Lone Arcane Master Hunter – On the endless hunt for power, you have chosen a solitary route, wishing to become a master hunter all on your lonesome. Is it a lonely Path? Yes, but to you, it’s the right one, and in the end, you know that to reach the apex, the only one you can fully trust is yourself. With a bow as your primary tool for hunting, supplemented by your powerful arcane affinity, you continue to chase down progressively more powerful foes, facing them on your own to satisfy your innate craving for a challenge. When you are alone, you shall grow stronger than ever, accepting of the fact that should you foolishly stray from your chosen Path, it will only be a display of weakness. Fortunately, you are no fool, but a lone hunter with no one worthy of recognition as your equal. Stat bonuses per level: +175 Perception, +150 Agility, +125 Strength, +100 Endurance, +50 Intelligence, +50 Willpower, +50 Wisdom, +125 Free Points (825 total)

Would Jake ever select this? Absolutely not, though the stats impressed. B-grade classes maxed at 900 total points, so hitting 825 already promised strong contenders ahead.

As for the class itself, Jake held little commentary. It heavily emphasized his Lone Hunter skill, more than he desired. Sure, he favored solo battles, but he enjoyed teaming up occasionally and recognized times when solitude wasn't feasible, making a class with penalties for such choices plainly unwise. Unless isolation from all was his aim, which it wasn't.

With no cause to linger on this clear reject, Jake advanced to the second offering, which improved markedly.

Apex Monster Hunter – The job of a hunter is to hunt down foes, and you? You have chosen to hunt down the most powerful monsters the multiverse has to offer, claiming their Records as your own in the process. Taking inspiration from slaying a True Dragon in solo combat, you wish to continue this streak, hunting down monsters that most fear. With a bow and the powers of your arcane affinity as your primary weapons, few foes are worthy of your arrows, but when you find one, their fate shall be sealed. As you hunt down True Dragons and other powerful monsters, you adapt yourself and absorb their Records, allowing you to take on the properties of monsters to improve yourself as a hunter. No matter what your vessel becomes, no matter how much you change, you know that all is done in the service of standing at the apex of all existence, with all monsters nothing more than prey before you. Stat bonuses per level: +150 Perception, +150 Agility, +125 Strength, +100 Endurance, +50 Vitality, +50 Toughness, +50 Intelligence, +50 Willpower, +125 Free Points (850 total)

To admit quietly, Jake had anticipated a Dragonslayer or Dragonhunter class in his evolution, given the theme and likelihood.

This matched closely, though not precisely as envisioned. Clearly, it arose from his slew of mighty monster kills, prominently a True Dragon, forming the heart of the Apex Monster Hunter. Far surpassing a mere Dragonhunter in scope and strength.

Upon deeper thought, a dragon-centric class would falter. True Dragons were rare, not commonplace, so centering a class on them would constrain him and earn enmity from all Dragonflights.

Apex Monster Hunter targeted elite beasts broadly, inspiring and molding him into a superior predator. Jake intended to pursue more multiverse apex predators, but he recoiled at the physical transformations implied. He grasped the system's reasoning, given how Legacy of the Malefic Viper skills had altered him, even fooling others into seeing him as a beast, and Primal Gaze granting his eerie eyes. Those shifts didn't trouble him greatly, yet he rejected becoming a patchwork of monster traits for power. It might clash with his variant race, though he suspected not.

Stat-wise, it jumped to 850 of 900, marking it elite and appealing to many, but Jake eyed three further options, ideally superior... though the next he dismissed at first glance from its title.

Exalted Hunter-Champion of the Malefic Viper – Your arrows shall be the instrument to carry out the will of the Malefic One, furthering the goals of your Patron alongside your own. To others, you are a champion of the Malefic Viper, but within, you know your true identity is that of a hunter, taking priority even over your role as a Chosen. Fortunately for you, your Patron more than gladly accepts and revels in this. A bow remains your preferred tool for combat, and you do not shy away from mixing in a myriad of tools, especially your arcane affinity, but your most powerful method of empowering your arrows is found within the Legacy of the Malefic Viper. Your arrows are coated in toxins, making every shot a deadly concoction that few can stand against, and you are certain that the Legacy has far more methods available to make you the most exalted champion the Malefic Viper has ever had. In fact, you refuse to be anything less. Stat bonuses per level: +150 Perception, +150 Agility, +125 Strength, +100 Endurance, +60 Intelligence, +60 Willpower, +50 Vitality, +50 Toughness, +125 Free Points (870 total)

Jake, and likely anyone attuned to his arc, foresaw this from afar. Each evolution presented such a tie-in to his Chosen of the Malefic Viper title, now adapting somewhat to his Path. Though he'd never choose them based on names, they revealed the system's view of his bond with Villy.

First, he spotted the shift from Heretic-Chosen to something conventional, with the title suggesting elevation tied to his exemplary C-grade service as Chosen. His recent race evolution might factor in, but regardless, Jake deemed his performance exemplary.

Topping Nevermore boosted the Order's renown, then he aided Villy in deceiving Yip of Yore in a cosmic ploy, culminating in slaying Ell’Hakan to sever Yip’s Legacy's revival. Plus, galaxy conquest, credited to the Order by most. Given his feats, wasn't gifting rare True Dragon bits for Bane Poison trials the bare minimum Villy owed?

Recalling, Jake ought to demand more, particularly post-race evolution.

Anyway, this edged stats to 870 per level, nearing the limit. It spread bonuses wider than previous, mirroring his balanced Path blending archery and magic.

It aligned, as embracing Hunter-Champion status would steer him toward a magical or poison archer role, heavily enhancing toxins per the description. Excellent class, but Jake resisted deepening his role as Malefic Viper's echo, preferring a uniquely his Path.

The following class captured that essence perfectly.

Arcane Hunter of the Boundless Horizon – You’ve found yourself glimpsing the Event Horizon, and every time you do, you cannot help but draw closer. Be it arrogance, confidence, or rightful belief in yourself, you continue your eternal pursuit of this infinitely distant horizon. On this seemingly impossible quest, the bow is your primary tool, but you do not shy away from facing enemies with a myriad of means, adopting any methods available to uncover all the secrets of the boundless horizon. You continue onwards, slaying all in your path, no matter how powerful they believe themselves to be, uncaring, for your goal lies far beyond them. Never shy away as you gaze upon the Event Horizon, and never back down, but touch upon that which lies outside the boundary. Touch it, claim it, or merely admire it. No matter your choice, you know power comes from the journey, so why not make your goal boundless? Stat bonuses per level: +200 Perception, +150 Agility, +125 Strength, +100 Endurance, +75 Intelligence, +75 Wisdom, +30 Willpower, +125 Free Points (880 total)

Setting aside everything else... the +200 Perception per level made Jake's mouth water. It topped all prior choices, curiously outpacing even the initial Lone option. Should Perception sway his pick? Ideally no. Yet it tempted, though it ought not.

Other stats shone too, favoring physicals while adding Intelligence, Wisdom, and a touch of Willpower. Not abundant, but sufficient, as his profession covered mental stats well. Thus, the distribution suited him, totaling 880—just shy of max. Surely drawbacks lurked, but Jake suspected they wouldn't faze him.

Stepping back, this clearly upgraded his Arcane Hunter of Horizon’s Edge directly. The name alone left him unsure of greater might, but Boundless outshone Edge. It evoked the Boundless Hydra—Snappy—a positive nod, surely?

Seriously, Jake grasped the evolution's meaning. In C-grade, he'd initiated the horizon motif, with the class centered on nearing the horizon's edge, ever-receding despite progress.

Now, he viewed the horizon as boundless concept, limitless by nature. No matter his growth, he'd never attain it... yet, in hubris, he thought to glimpse it someday. Likely what the Event Horizon represented.

Perhaps he erred, with realms beyond the Event Horizon, or nothing until viewed properly. The description hinted at something awaiting, but regardless, Jake anticipated discovery. Even if classes shifted from horizons, his archery would push arrows toward the unattainable.

At the fourth choice, Jake favored this upgrade immensely... yet, as the penultimate, one more remained. A quick scan showed identical total stats to the Boundless Horizon, positioned later, implying higher system regard.

Inhaling deeply, Jake examined the fifth and last, predictably tying into his deepening Primeval Origins alignment.