The Primal Hunter Chapter 1323 - To Focus On Personal Progress

Judging by Villy’s swift response, the snake god had indeed anticipated Jake’s attempt to reach out sooner rather than later. As the connection stabilized, Jake remained silent for an awkward moment before finally murmuring:

“So…”

“Yeah?” the Viper replied, his tone as nonchalant as ever.

Jake sighed, shaking his head. “I suppose I should start by thanking you. Without your foresight about this situation, the outcome might have been far less favorable.”

“If only I had heeded your advice and left when I had the opportunity,” Jake lamented. When he had departed with those five Arachnecs and five Venusians beyond the Boundary, escape had been a possibility. He could have journeyed to Earth or visited the moon where Arnold resided. Instead, he had foolishly believed in his diplomatic prowess and the possibility of befriending everyone, a notion that had proven demonstrably false. Ironically, his actions had inadvertently fostered better relations among the factions, largely due to the shared apprehension of the Great Sea Serpent.

Villy’s voice chimed in, laced with amusement.

“My lesson is to keep my mouth shut and refrain from sharing information without careful consideration,” Jake admitted, shaking his head. “Especially in a world like this, where I’m completely isolated. Well, not entirely, because if I were, I’d be utterly screwed.”

The snake god responded, his tone tinged with a hint of disapproval.

Jake’s brow furrowed as he contemplated the snake god’s words. After a brief pause for thought, he grasped the Primordial’s underlying message. “You mean I was too weak to truly explore this Minor World without the Order’s support?”

The snake god replied, as if he expected no less from Jake.

Jake felt an instinctive urge to object; the mere thought of being considered inherently inferior irked him. However, he recognized the futility of arguing against it. While the A-grade individuals at the Boundary had been polite, their interactions stemmed from what Jake could offer, not from any genuine regard for him as a person—a realization he’d already reached. Had he not possessed the ability to transport them beyond the Boundary, they likely wouldn’t have bothered conversing with him at all. Furthermore, if he hadn’t at least implied he hailed from a significant multiverse faction, they might have readily coerced him into a far more disadvantageous Soul Contract.

More stark truths that Jake could not, in good conscience, dispute.

The Viper followed up, adopting a more relaxed demeanor.

“Indeed,” Jake muttered, releasing a heavy sigh. “You’re likely correct. It was an exceedingly risky endeavor with no tangible benefit.”

If Jake’s objective had been to accumulate experience, countless other locations existed besides these sealed Minor Worlds inhabited by oblivious natives whom he barely understood and who, to boot, possessed significantly greater power than himself.

Villy spoke again, eliciting a degree of surprise from Jake.

Jake listened intently as his Patron imparted crucial advice concerning his cultivation path. He found himself uncertain how to process it. A part of him naturally gravitated towards self-improvement and eradicating obvious weaknesses, yet he acknowledged the validity of the Viper’s perspective. Jake’s consistent approach had always been to maintain simplicity and address complications as they arose; attempting to become a meticulous planner, anticipating every potential pitfall, simply did not align with his core identity.

After a short while, Jake sighed once more and nodded. “You’re absolutely right. It does feel rather wrong knowing that others might have to compensate for my deficiencies, though.”

Villy responded, reverting to his characteristic jesting tone.

“That will likely require a considerable amount of time,” Jake chuckled.

The snake god stated.

“I was planning to establish a teleportation circle,” Jake confirmed with a nod. “Should I notify the Great Sea Serpent of my intentions?”

The Viper inquired.

With those words, the Viper ended the connection, leaving Jake alone once more in the faintly damp cavern. He dedicated the next couple of hours to a mental recharge before commencing the intricate task of setting up a magic circle designed to transport him to the Order of the Malefic Viper. Naturally, Villy’s assistance would be integral to the process.

The creation of the circle ultimately spanned approximately three days. The procedure deviated somewhat from the norm, as Jake had to adapt his existing knowledge to accommodate his newly attained B-grade status. This necessitated strengthening the circle from his end, which in turn demanded a greater quantity of materials. Fortunately, Jake was something of a collector and possessed all the requisite components.

With the teleportation circle established, Jake experienced a palpable sense of security. It meant that with less than a dozen seconds’ notice, he could depart this entire Minor World by traversing the void. His hope was that outright escape wouldn’t be necessary, but rather a simple departure when the time came for the Seat of the Exalted Prima system event.

For the moment, however, Jake desired to pursue a different endeavor. Since acquiring the new skill, Jake had postponed engaging in a proper meditation session. Considering the present circumstances, this appeared to be the opportune moment, and the surroundings were equally ideal.

He could observe the Gate of Enlightenment while his physical form worked to neutralize the surrounding toxins through the Palate, thereby enhancing the skill and bestowing Records upon him. It was even conceivable that he might utilize the absorbed Records to gain inspiration before the Gate of Enlightenment, though only the passage of time would reveal this.

Taking a seat at the heart of the teleportation circle, Jake conducted one final verification to ensure it was poised for immediate activation before gently closing his eyes and allowing his consciousness to descend into profound meditation.

He found himself within his Soulspace and swiftly made his way towards the Gate of Enlightenment, already sensing that the journey was considerably more facile now that he had attained B-grade status compared to his previous state. The experience remained quite overwhelming, as even individuals of B-grade were not typically meant to interact with the Gate. However, if Jake could manage it while in C-grade, he was confident he could manage it now.

Standing before the Gate of Enlightenment, Jake felt his thoughts drift, focusing intently on the myriad concepts subtly emanating from the Gate. He allowed his innate instincts and intuition to steer his course, eschewing any pre-conceived strategy. Just as he had discussed with Villy earlier, Jake was not inclined towards meticulous calculation; thus, why deliberate excessively when his gut feelings served as a far superior compass?

--

The initial segment of the Administrator Test had mirrored a accelerated rendition of the Tutorial. Miranda had navigated this phase with considerable ease, largely attributable to the competence of her party members, particularly William. This success naturally led her to anticipate that the subsequent phase of the test would align with events that transpired shortly after their return to Earth.

Such was not the case.

Instead, the second stage transported Miranda and her companions to an entirely unfamiliar locale, one that none of them recognized. Furthermore, instead of being placed at a lower level or having their skills restricted, they all manifested in their true forms. This circumstance cast doubt on whether this was merely another simulation or perhaps a newly established world by the system specifically for this unique system event.

Nevertheless, considering that the original system notification regarding the event explicitly stated the test would occur within a simulated reality, Miranda surmised that the second level would adhere to the same format.

"I detect something in the distance," Holstred remarked, his gaze fixed upon the horizon from the modest hilltop where they had materialized.

Before he could elaborate further, the system message detailing their objective appeared.

Administrator Test is continuing. Stage two: Starting Anew.

Objective: Consider the circumstances of the Unnamed City and take whatever actions you deem necessary. This stage will last for thirty (30) days.

"I suppose that is the unnamed city you are observing," Miranda commented, unable to discern the sight Holstred was referring to herself.

With regard to the objective, it was, to put it mildly, ambiguous. Successfully completing the Tutorial had presented a straightforward goal, but this time, there was no definitive instruction indicating their course of action. This vagueness was hardly helpful, especially considering it was an Administrator Test, where the precise nature of the assessment remained unknown to all participants.

"What is the strategy?" the frost wyvern inquired, narrowing his eyes as he, too, attempted to discern the city that only Holstred could apparently perceive. Perhaps William could also see it, though Miranda doubted he relied solely on his eyesight for its location.

"We shall approach the city," Miranda stated, seeing no alternative course of action, before turning to William. "Could you perhaps scout ahead before we advance any closer? I would prefer to ascertain what we are venturing into."

William gave a nod. "Certainly, I will return at the earliest opportunity."

With that, he leaped from the hill and launched himself into the distance, vanishing from sight shortly thereafter as he activated his stealth abilities. Meanwhile, Miranda settled down, and Lillian joined her, producing some refreshments. Holstred and the wyvern soon followed suit, opting to remain stationary and await William's return.

The designated arrival points in system events typically served as secure zones. Given their uncertainty regarding the nature of this Unnamed City, it was deemed most prudent for them not to advance collectively. William possessed the highest probability of evading detection if the city happened to be populated by formidable entities. Should William encounter a perilous situation and perish, it would merely be a simulated outcome with no actual consequence. After all, Miranda was the sole individual mandated to survive.

Was this an excessive measure of caution? Possibly, but the system's message still struck Miranda as peculiar. It instructed them to contemplate the city's circumstances and subsequently act, and was it not entirely plausible that those circumstances involved the city being teeming with B-grade individuals considerably more powerful than their current party?

Ultimately, her circumspection proved to be unwarranted, as William returned bearing a surprising revelation.

“Not a single presence higher than D-grade was detected,” William stated, his brow furrowed slightly. “However, the city possesses formations that I doubt even C-grades could have constructed. It’s a reasonable assumption that B-grades are involved with this city, though none are present at this moment.”

“And yet no C-grades?” Miranda inquired, a note of bewilderment in her voice. “Was there anything else noteworthy?”

“It’s a dump,” William declared with blunt finality. “An abundance of negative karma permeates the air. Whoever governs this place is deeply unpopular, and the populace is far from content.”

“I comprehend,” Miranda murmured, quickly grasping the nature of the settlement. “A city in chaos, ruled by either incompetence or malice, presenting us with the opportunity to intervene and instigate change.”

“But how will the system determine if our chosen course of action is the correct one?” Lillian questioned. “What would an individual worthy of being an Administrator do in such a situation?”

Miranda pondered for a moment before turning her gaze back towards the city. “I suppose we shall discover. For the present, let us proceed there and make a decision following a thorough investigation.”

Several days later, subsequent to covertly observing the Unnamed City and becoming acquainted with its frankly dystopian metropolis, Miranda arrived at a conclusion. The city, reminiscent of a world plunged into an industrial revolution devoid of any worker protections, was undeniably a dreadful place. The citizens were discontent, and the leader demonstrably incompetent. This likely contributed to Miranda’s surprising answer to the objective:

She resolved to depart the city and dedicate the remaining weeks of this Administrator Test stage far from its confines, focusing on gaining a deeper understanding of her capabilities as a B-grade. The other four individuals made the same choice.

From the outset to the conclusion, they never truly engaged with the city, opting instead to disregard its existence. Miranda had determined that dealing with it would be a complete waste of time. Her chosen strategy was non-action, as, in the grand scheme of things... wasn't focusing solely on personal advancement, rather than addressing the city's issues, an utter waste of time given their current circumstances?