The Primal Hunter Chapter 1302 - The Nature of the Arachnecs

Being just a straightforward archer, Jake had no clue about the intricate magical elements. Miranda’s class was already a massive enigma to him, and even though he grasped some basics of how classes functioned, that didn’t stop him from being awestruck by the magic being showcased.

The Shaman’s actions landed squarely in the realm of things Jake couldn’t fathom at all. When combat began, the Venusian’s aura swelled to over double its size right away, clearly going beyond what any boosting skill could achieve, which indicated he had likely tapped into his real power.

The robed frog’s projection also radiated an aura far too potent, yet it still seemed appropriately “weak” for a manifestation from the Shaman. This projection stood out as odd too, appearing fully ethereal at times, but shifting to physical form depending on its environmental interactions.

Jake was equally baffled by the geyser of spiritual liquid. Countless unfamiliar concepts and affinities were at work, which made perfect sense considering it came from a shaman.

Though Jake had been shocked and amazed by everything the Shaman pulled off, it was his ultimate feat that left Jake truly perplexed. He knew shamans could call forth spirits and that their strength drew from imagination, belief, and similar elusive ideas, but he never dreamed the Shaman could produce a projection mimicking Jake himself.

Moreover, this wasn’t some vague summon resembling Jake. Its bow-drawing stance, the “Arcane Powershot” it gathered, and the residual destructive energy after firing all mirrored Jake’s own attacks with eerie precision.

It was clear the Shaman had drawn straight from Jake’s prior combat style, a notion that was downright terrifying to contemplate. They’d only known each other for days, with the Venusian witnessing him fight just a handful of times. Yet from that scant info, he crafted such a spot-on projection of Jake.

Either the Shaman was a total prodigy, or his magic was insanely adaptable. Sure, summoning a Jake lookalike with a comparable attack style wasn’t unheard of, but replicating the energy type was what truly amazed. True, it hadn’t duplicated Jake’s arcane affinity exactly, but it came frighteningly close.

The idea that the Shaman comprehended Jake’s arcane affinity was absurd and something Jake refused to entertain. Villy had admitted not fully grasping it himself, so how could a B-grade frog manage? Even partial insight seemed impossible.

In essence, the Shaman’s ability skipped comprehension entirely and just... executed. That’s where Jake was completely thrown by the robed frog’s power—which was the Shaman’s—to conjure such a precise Jake replica from merely observing a few fights.

“Ah, I take it your kind doesn’t have similar forms of magic?” the Shaman asked, after letting Jake process it all in his head.

“We do have ones called shamans, but I’m not sure I can confidently say they’re similar,” Jake shook his head. “Admittedly, I do lack knowledge regarding how they work, too. None of those I interact with regularly are shamans.”

He thought about likening shamanic magic to witches’ but held back. Who knew if this Minor World had witches as Venusian foes, and without classes here, the frog might misinterpret.

“Truly? There are also human shamans?” the Venusian said with surprise.

“The human race is diverse, if nothing else,” Jake shrugged. “There are more Paths than can be imagined, and humans are known throughout the outside world to be able to walk the vast majority of them.”

The Shaman nodded thoughtfully, seeming lost in contemplation before responding. “I’m starting to realize that the way your race functions is outside my current scope of understanding. I already found myself perplexed by the result of my Identify merely referring to you as a human, and now I’m even more so. Would I be right to theorize that the human race’s variant evolution is not shown through Identify?”

Truthfully, the Venusian had taken long enough to bring it up. Every monster revealed its variant through Identify, whereas classes and professions didn’t appear simply from activating the skill. Of course, monsters could hide their variant race too—like the method Villy employed as a mortal to deceive others into believing he was enlightened—but such techniques were uncommon, and most monsters showed no interest in them. In a realm such as this, Jake wouldn’t be shocked if no beings possessed that skill, since it offered little purpose beyond perhaps concealing one’s strength, though superior alternatives existed.

As for the Shaman’s inquiry:

“All humans merely Identify as human,” Jake replied, uncertain what else to add, since revealing the existence of enlightened races would drag him into hours of detailed explanation.

“What a peculiar racial trait,” the Shaman murmured, shaking his head.

“Yet one shared by the most populous races beyond what you term the Boundary,” Jake revealed, offering a small insight. “As you likely guess, my Path differs somewhat from yours, but not by much. Ultimately, it boils down to earning levels and evolving for everyone. I’m certain you’ll discover far more about my kind once the Venusians venture outside the Boundary.”

“Then I shall anticipate that day,” the Shaman nodded, refraining from pressing further as he sensed Jake wouldn’t provide a direct response regardless. This opened the door for Jake to pose his own questions.

“My turn. What was that summoned projection you made earlier? Who or what does it depict?” Jake inquired.

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“That is a depiction of the Ancestor Spirit,” the Shaman answered willingly. “The Ancestor Spirit resides within every one of us, and we shamans can channel its power.”

“Where does the Ancestor Spirit originate?” Jake pressed, already determining it was merely a symbolic embodiment of a larger concept.

“Hm, I’ve never truly pondered that before. What I understand is that the Ancestor Spirit forms from the collective will of all Venusians, and upon our death, we merge with it,” the Shaman explained, remarkably forthcoming about what amounted to the Venusian faith.

This further suggested that introducing gods might be premature. Gods’ existence didn’t outright clash with the Ancestor Spirit idea, yet it would require significant reframing to fit. A task Jake had zero desire to undertake.

“I see,” Jake nodded with respect.

“If you desire more knowledge, the Oracle would surely share it. She taught me everything I know and led me to link with the Ancestor Spirit initially,” the Shaman offered warmly.

“I might take you up on that,” Jake nodded, pausing briefly to word his next question before continuing: “Say... that last move you pulled off. When you, as you put it, channeled my visage, how exactly did it happen? I’m not upset or anything; I’m simply intrigued by how you managed it, since I’ve never witnessed something so unique.”

“It’s tough to put into words,” the Shaman frowned. “Maybe it’s better to say I served as a conduit rather than channeling your visage myself, letting the Ancestor Spirit take the lead. I’d observed your skills in action, giving the Ancestor Spirit the basis to summon your likeness and aim to replicate your power accurately. Regrettably, though the outcome was decent, I wouldn’t deem it fully successful. The manifestation seemed flawed, and the energy the Ancestor Spirit expended far exceeded what was anticipated.”

For whatever reason, Jake felt much more at ease hearing this, impressive as the Shaman’s feat had been. The Shaman was right that invoking Jake hadn’t been the optimal choice, with the energy cost outweighing the benefits. Did those arrows inflict damage? Absolutely, but they paled against Jake’s genuine Arcane Powershots. The true marvel remained the attack’s striking resemblance to the original, not its raw might.

“Regardless, it was impressive,” Jake said smilingly. “Even if channeling me turns out trickier than foreseen. That doesn’t shock me, since plenty have said I’m a handful.”

“A claim the Arachnecs are bound to endorse,” the Shaman chuckled, shaking his head. “Speaking of...”

“My turn to continue the slaughter,” Jake grinned, fully recovered after watching the Shaman showcase his powers during that time. He aimed to snag a level or even two before the Seat of the Exalted Prima event kicked off, and although his diplomatic efforts with the Venusians had become the main priority, powering up through levels was something he wouldn’t ignore.

The six-member group pressed deeper into the deadly domain, relentlessly hunting more Arachnecs. As they advanced, undead spider beasts grew more numerous and fiercer.

Jake noticed something puzzling, however.

“Why do these Arachnecs patrol like this? Not that I’m complaining—it makes slaughtering them way easier—but it feels like a terrible tactic if they’re trying to stay alive,” Jake questioned the Shaman right after wiping out another squad of four Deathstalkers.

“To sustain and grow their domain,” the Shaman replied. “Just being there warps the surroundings, boosting the death affinity in the area, so they must stick to the turf they’ve claimed. Ignore that, and the death affinity fades over time, letting the land revert to normal.”

That explanation clicked perfectly. The poisonous surroundings had a natural eroding effect, probably chipping away at the death affinity too, gradually cleansing the ground. But it sparked yet another curiosity.

“Why bother claiming so much territory when the Arachnecs don’t even use it? Wouldn’t a compact, supercharged zone be smarter for them?” he pressed further.

If the domain existed to benefit the Arachnecs, Jake figured mimicking the Venusians’ style—compact, densely packed strongholds—made more sense. Right now, their approach left the land undefended, just begging to be picked off by hunters.

“Like I said earlier, every Arachnec we’ve slain is merely a spawn from the Nest, worth little to them overall,” the Shaman clarified. “They exist solely to serve the Nest. Each Nest draws energy straight from the rooted land, so bigger territory means a vaster resource pool for it to tap, fueling its growth—that’s all the Arachnecs truly value. Our hunt’s real goal is shrinking their claimed lands; slaying them is just the method. I get your focus is different—you’re here purely to kill them, and we reap the rewards from tagging along.”

The deeper Jake delved into the Arachnecs and their Nest, the more they reminded him of Ectognamorphs, maybe blended with some plant traits? Those Nests sure acted plant-like, sucking up land nutrients and all.

“So destroying the Nest is the only permanent fix?” Jake inquired.

“Correct,” the Shaman confirmed with a nod. “We’ve managed it a few times, but it demands massive coordination from the entire Circle. A-grades join in droves—not just a handful—so it’s way beyond what folks like us can touch.”

Jake nodded back, flashing a smile. “Then let’s just trim their outer edges a little.”

“Sounds like the best plan,” the Shaman agreed fully as the hunt raged on.

Days blurred by with hundreds of Arachnecs falling to their blades, Jake claiming most kills, though the Shaman and the other four Venusians jumped in more actively. During his breaks, those five teamed up seamlessly, giving Jake a front-row view of the Shaman’s group combat style.

It was clear as day: against the Boglord, none had unleashed their full might, probably since killing it wasn’t the point. The Shaman especially had reined himself in before, now unleashing his full arsenal of bizarre, varied skills with relish.

Buffs flowed from him to empower the quartet, often in strange guises—like draping a Warrior in eerie spiritual slime that repelled or canceled strikes entirely, or casting a spell on the Virumancer riddling the frog’s form with holes sure to horrify anyone plagued by trypophobia unlucky enough to glimpse the Venusian.

When mentioning the Virumancer, Jake discovered that frog’s magic equally baffling, yet somewhat easier to comprehend than the Shaman’s. This Virumancer wielded a form of virus magic, not resembling pre-system viruses, but capturing the essence of a virus instead. These minuscule, destructive “creatures” inflicted harm much like poison, though crucially, they were not poison itself.

The Virumancer appeared to infuse the released viruses with ambient poison, yet their damage method differed vastly, enabling the Venusian to sidestep the natural poison resistance inherent in all creatures of this realm. Jake sensed that if struck, his Palate would offer no real defense, igniting his desire to explore this magic more deeply.

Luckily, ample chances awaited to witness additional displays of the Venusian’s magic in the days to come, as they ventured deeper into Arachnec territory, carving a bloody swath behind, with a level or two possibly awaiting them.

Maybe even mightier Arachnec variants, for Jake firmly believed this Nest wouldn’t permit their unchecked rampage indefinitely. A confrontation he eagerly anticipated.