The Primal Hunter Chapter 1311 - A Drastic Mood Shift

Jake really didn’t like feeling like the neglected child caught between two warring parents who absolutely should have separated long ago but stubbornly remained together for nonsensical reasons.

Making matters worse, they undeniably treated him as a child, being merely B-grade while everyone else present was A-grade. It was true that, age-wise, these grotesque frogs and spectral spiders were ancient compared to Jake. The Shaman, for instance, had spoken of the Oracle's age exceeding two millennia, with the Nestmother and the horned frog being even older.

And as if that wasn't enough, this was no amicable separation. Both sides vehemently desired sole custody, and either would sooner see their metaphorical offspring obliterated than concede to the other. Jake found himself trapped in the middle, compelled to make a choice he was utterly unequipped to handle.

This predicament was something the horned frog seemed perfectly content with. Should Jake align with the Venusians, the Arachnecs would likely balk or even attempt to eliminate Jake outright. Conversely, if he sided with the Arachnecs, the damnable frog had the perfect pretext to unleash utter devastation upon the nest. He had clearly arrived seeking conflict and was merely browsing for an excuse, leaving Jake to genuinely ponder why such an individual had been chosen by the Venusians.

Perhaps it was simply because he was one of their most formidable and available combatants... but even so.

For several tense seconds, Jake contemplated his dire situation, his projection observed by all, with the Archweaver’s gaze fixed intently upon his physical form. The atmosphere grew thick with anticipation as Jake, having reached a resolution, briefly closed his eyes.

Releasing a deep exhalation, Jake shook his head and declared, "This entire charade is profoundly idiotic. Honestly, what in the world are we even doing here?"

Jake’s unexpected declaration was clearly not the response anticipated by any of the A-grades or the Archweaver. This unexpected turn allowed him to seize the initiative, as a moment of stunned silence ensued.

"I've only been in this world for a little over a month, which is certainly insufficient time to grasp its entirety and history. However, one thing is unequivocally clear: the Venusians and Arachnecs harbor a deep-seated animosity towards one another. Am I correct in that assumption? You needn't even bother confirming the obvious," Jake stated, his tone conveying a sense of utter boredom with the proceedings.

"As for the origins of your mutual hatred, my conjecture is that it began, as most such conflicts do, with fundamental incompatibility. The Arachnecs require domains of death, while the Venusians are dependent on life, making you natural adversaries purely due to the inherent clash of your respective Daos. This inevitably led to bloodshed and, over time, festered into profound hatred as both sides annihilated each other," Jake continued, articulating observations that seemed glaringly apparent.

The A-grades remained politely silent as Jake expounded, and judging by their subtle reactions, his assessment was indeed accurate. Once again, it was an obvious conclusion, as this appeared to be the root cause of most conflicts both prior to and following the System's arrival.

"And precisely because of this, I find this entire conflict utterly senseless. You are all completely neglecting the larger objective, consumed by petty rivalries and allowing animosity to cloud your judgment," Jake proclaimed, shaking his head with a palpable sense of disappointment.

Jake maintained a composed demeanor, intentionally projecting an air of condescension towards all the significantly more powerful A-grades present. This approach certainly did little to endear him to anyone, as the horned frog was the first to break the silence.

"I do concur with one aspect of your statement. You lack true understanding of our kind or our history, therefore-"

"Why would such knowledge be necessary? Ultimately, it is irrelevant," Jake interjected with a shrug, fully aware that he had just deeply offended the near peak A-grade, yet he pressed on regardless. "Listen, let us take a moment to reconsider. Your collective aspiration is to transcend the Boundary and venture into what is known as the multiverse. That is its designated name, in the event you were unaware."

His revelation of this minor piece of information regarding the external realm was sufficient to pique the frog's interest, momentarily eclipsing any other emotions. The A-grade remained composed, allowing Jake to elaborate further.

"However, have you truly contemplated the implications of entering the multiverse? Because from my vantage point, it appears that both factions perceive it as the ultimate pathway for one of your own to achieve S-grade status, thereby securing absolute dominion. Oh, and a small additional detail for your awareness, S-grade follows A-grade," Jake continued, speaking with an unnerving casualness as he imparted more monumental information to the Minor World.

Recognizing his precarious position, Jake had decisively opted to alter his strategy for engaging with these formidable factions. It was also possible that their objectification of him played a minor role; they regarded him more as an arcane artifact than a sentient being, manipulating him as a mere pawn in their intricate political machinations. They presumed him to be just another piece to be moved across the chessboard by the Venusians and Arachnecs... but he was resolutely determined to make them understand he was no pawn.

He was now the one dictating the very rules of the game.

"Do you possess any means to substantiate this assertion?" the horned frog inquired, posing a question Jake once more found remarkably absurd.

“You’re really proving my point here. Everyone knows S-grade comes after A-grade in the world outside, for the simple reason that in the grand scheme of things, S-grades aren’t that rare,” Jake said, shaking his head.

While S-grades were the peak of mortals and were incredibly powerful and rare, the multiverse was simply so unimaginably gigantic that there were still a lot of them. The Holy Church could mobilize an entire army if it had to, and often did when fighting the Risen.

“Which brings me to my main point. What you all seem to be missing. Your ability to go beyond the boundary and explore the rest of the multiverse also means that the multiverse can explore this place. You will become part of the multiverse, and that comes with a lot of implications, I think you all need to consider very carefully,” Jake said in a severe tone, getting the crux of everything.

Jake didn’t need to include that the ninety-third universe was currently isolated, but focused more on the fact that these frogs and undead spiders were about to be exposed to a world far beyond their comprehension. While an army of A-grades and likely several S-grades in the semi-near future was an impressive line-up, it was nothing compared to the overwhelming power of divine factions.

What’s more, Jake couldn’t forget where the entrance to this Minor World was placed. It was in his backyard, part of his galaxy, and frighteningly close to Earth, his home planet. Which meant that, by all accounts, when all was said and done... this Minor World was part of his dominion.

His words seemed to have gotten the cogs turning in the heads of the many A-grades as this obvious realization seemed to suddenly hit them all. They had been so caught up in going beyond the Boundary that they forgot that what lay beyond it could also enter their world.

Stolen novel; please report.

“So what you’re saying is that our fight is ultimately a waste of time, because some outside force with power beyond our imagination will end up conquering this place anyway?” the Nestmother spoke up for the first time in a while.

“In essence? That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Jake said in a matter-of-fact tone. “The entrance to this Minor World is placed somewhere that already has the protection of a faction with power beyond your wildest imagination.”

They were all quiet for a few more moments, everyone throwing looks at the Venusian that was capable of confirming whether Jake was telling the truth. The frog could only give a grave nod to all those present, making the situation significantly more tense.

The next one to step forward was the Oracle, who looked at Jake with an inquisitive gaze.

“You keep talking about beings far more powerful than we understand. I assume these are beings beyond even this S-grade you mentioned?” she asked.

“Naturally,” Jake confirmed, having already decided by now to reveal the existence of the divine. Primarily because he had a strong feeling that he would have to soon anyway.

“What is this grade called?” the Venusian asked, all the A-grades present once more looking incredibly curious. It was honestly a bit funny that everyone present seemed to forget all animosity and why they were even there as soon as Jake started to reveal interesting knowledge about the multiverse.

“I’m not quite sure I would call it a grade,” Jake muttered, making all the curious souls even more interested. “After S-grade is the end of mortality. It’s a qualitative shift in one’s existence and the hardest wall to overcome. Far harder than any regular kind of evolution. But should one succeed, they will become what is known as a god.”

Jake said this final part with full expectation of getting some kind of visceral reaction from someone. The Venusians treated this Ancestor Spirit as a god, and while the Arachnecs didn’t appear to have any existence like that, he wouldn’t rule out the possibility either. That’s why he was ready to see at least someone call him a blasphemer or something... but nothing.

“God, you say,” the Oracle muttered, with the others also looking in thought, making it evident that this was a word none of them had ever even heard before. So, yeah, that was a nice hurdle to avoid having to overcome.

The Nestmother stared at Jake as she narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean when you say it’s the end of mortality?”

Knowing this was probably the biggest reveal so far, Jake took his time to build suspense as he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again with a serious look on his face. “Immortality. Gods no longer fear the march of time, but have eternity before them.”

Jake had predicted this was the biggest bombshell to the powerhouses of this world, and from their immediate reaction, he was very right to have that assumption. The horned frog’s eyes opened even wider than usual, as everyone else had similar reactions of disbelief or awe. Mostly disbelief, though.

The situation wasn't improved by the fact that the Venusian, who could vouch for Jake's honesty, stood there themselves, utterly stunned. All eyes turned to him, as he was far too slow to confirm Jake's truthful account. His delayed nod served as another shock to the onlookers, as it seemed to dawn on them only now that the outside world was something they'd struggle to comprehend.

Deciding to seize the moment, Jake pressed on.

“The most powerful deities in the multiverse have existed since antiquity, with some even present from the system's very inception. They have endured countless ages, witnessed the rise and fall of innumerable A-grades and S-grades over time, all while refining their own might and establishing their factions,” Jake explained, fully capitalizing on the prevailing astonishment.

“These factions are now the primary rulers of the world beyond the Boundary. They are led by formidable beings who could, without effort, obliterate this entire world should they choose,” Jake concluded, and judging by their expressions, he had moved past the stage of them instinctively doubting him, as they now listened with rapt attention.

The atmosphere had completely transformed by this point, and Jake felt it was the opportune time to unveil another crucial advantage, now that he no longer feared they would dare to end his life.

Glancing at the Nestmother, Jake spoke once more. “Do you recall our discussion regarding Records and the extraordinarily potent snake I am acquainted with?”

The high-tier A-grade nodded gravely, clearly having grasped Jake's implication, or at least a part of it.

“That serpent is known as the Malefic Viper. It is a Primordial God, a title bestowed upon the first twelve beings in the multiverse to ever attain godhood,” Jake revealed, allowing them a moment to absorb this revelation before proceeding. “Beings such as the Malefic Viper possess such immense power that their Records permeate all of existence, reaching even places like this. As a prime example, consider the entire existence of the Arachnec race.”

“What do you mean by that?” the horned frog inquired, a frown creasing its brow.

“Blight. Do you know what that entails?” Jake posed the question broadly, uncertain if they were familiar with the term. To his surprise, both the Nestmother and Archweaver appeared taken aback, as if they found it impossible that Jake knew of this concept.

Observing their reaction, Jake gestured to the Nestmother. “Blight is also common knowledge across the multiverse, so please, enlighten us on your understanding of it?”

The Nestmother seemed deeply conflicted, but perhaps swayed by the prevailing atmosphere and the flow of the conversation, she actually responded. “We refer to it as the Noble Essence of us Arachnecs. When present in sufficient quantity and quality, it is what empowers us to create nobles.”

Indeed, this was information unknown to the Venusians, but unsurprising to Jake. The only truly surprising aspect was that it seemed the Arachnecs had discovered a method to channel and concentrate Blight energy intentionally, though he should have anticipated this.

“Did you realize that Blight is not a naturally occurring phenomenon? It was created by one of these twelve Primordials. A deity known as the Blightfather,” Jake continued. “When he first manifested this energy, it was recognized as his innate affinity, but through his colossal power and influence, it has evolved into the Blight you are familiar with today. It can manifest anywhere and everywhere due to its Records.”

Jake noticed that upon the mention of the name Blightfather, both Arachnecs displayed a peculiar reaction, as if they recognized the name without truly understanding its origin. It was perhaps an instinctive familiarity. Their entire race owed its existence to this Primordial, even if he was unaware of their existence.

“And this is merely the passive diffusion of Records,” Jake added. “I am certain you have already observed how a mentor can impart Records to others. How the lineage of one's parents influences their Records. Now, envision something analogous to that, but involving the Records of a god. Actually, rather than envisioning, allow me to demonstrate a minor Legacy skill that I acquired from the Malefic Viper.”

To truly solidify his position, Jake concluded that merely appearing as a projection before the A-grades would be insufficient. Furthermore, as this had prolonged considerably, Pride was back on his mind. Naturally, if he intended to utilize that option, Jake would need to ascend to the heavens.

“I shall arrive shortly,” Jake stated, stepping back. His projection vanished from the sky as he exited the bubble created by the Archweaver. Two wings unfurled on his back as he met the Archweaver's gaze.

“I’m heading outside, and thank you for the tour,” Jake said with a grin as a sphere of poison began to materialize around him.

“The barriers around the Nest are beyond my power to deactivate,” the Archweaver stated, eliciting a slight smile from Jake. His statement implied he would have gladly removed them if capable, further confirming Jake’s revised perception of him.

Conveniently, Jake had no need for the barriers to be disabled.

“No worries,” Jake replied, activating the escape function of the Wings of the Malefic Viper and propelling himself upwards. While conversing, Jake had also been diligently analyzing the Nest’s surrounding barriers. Despite their considerable strength, a critical vulnerability was discovered: they permitted the free passage of toxic energy in and out.

This was likely intended to allow monsters access to more environmental energy. Normally, this wouldn't pose an issue, but through a clever combination of Unseen Hunter and transforming himself into a veritable embodiment of toxins, Jake had fashioned an entry point. His heightened spatial awareness also proved unexpectedly beneficial, significantly boosting his control over movement, speed, and destination.

As Jake halted his ascent, his wings dissolving into a cloud of toxic particulate, he found himself directly amidst the A-grade cultivators. They were clearly caught off guard by a mere B-grade’s ability to emerge from within the Nest.

“Much better,” Jake declared with a grin, ceasing to hold back. He fully unleashed his Bloodline, proudly unfurling his aura as the Chosen of the Malefic Viper, which spread like a shroud across the heavens.

“Now, let us have a thorough discussion regarding the future of this world.”