The Primal Hunter Volume 5

Focus Perfected 2

The two arrows collided in mid-air, falling to the ground where they had met. Two more arrows flew, curved in opposite directions so as not to clash. Dodging them both was effortless for the two men, as they switched tactics in concert.

They both stormed forward and clashed weapons, blocking and dodging. Rather than a fight, it looked more like a choreographed dance, and in some ways, that was a more accurate description of what their bout had devolved into.

The weapons stabbed and swiped, yet neither man was hit as they got closer and closer, each blow missing by mere millimeters. Then they both swung, their two katars meeting with a hard impact. Both men decided to dive forward to tackle the other. Both failed as the other countered, and once more, both froze.

Two katars, each at the neck of the other. All either had to do was slightly move forward to find purchase. Yet, the first to move would also be the one to incite a response, and if everything went as it had the other times, that person would end up the loser.

"Another tie," Jake spoke.

"Nine hundred and ninety-two in a row," sim-Jake answered. "We don’t need to reach a thousand."

Jake wasn’t sure how long it had been, but it felt like neither had landed a decisive blow on the other for more than a year. In fact, it had been months since either had even inflicted a wound. Trading blows had entirely stopped, as both knew that committing too far to actually deal damage would result in a worse counterattack.

"This has indeed become meaningless," Jake agreed. There was nothing more to learn and nothing more to teach.

Sim-Jake and Jake had exhausted all there was to learn from the other about combat. Sim-Jake had learned to use the bow merely by observing and copying Jake, and Jake had done the same with the melee fighting style of sim-Jake.

It hurt for Jake to admit, but sim-Jake had reached his level of archery far before Jake reached sim-Jake’s skill level in melee combat. However, now—and for the last few… years?—there was been no difference between them. Outside of magic, neither could do anything the other couldn’t. Sim-Jake had even learned to use a few important skills of the regular Jake here and there, including Gaze.

There was no debate that the real Jake had benefited the most from this. It had not been the initial plan, but Jake had naturally learned all there was to the fighting style. Both of them had kind of hoped to improve it together, but they’d found it impossible within the Soulspace.

Jake and sim-Jake were both the kinds of fighters who needed experience to improve. They needed actual combat. In fact, even trying to improve the style by only fighting each other could end up worsening it, as it would be adapted to fighting against someone with his Bloodline. No, they needed new opponents to improve.

Sim-Jake and Jake looked at each other for a bit, as they both knew. Both felt it.

"It’s time."

"It’s time."

Having spoken in unison, they smiled. There was nothing they could do, nothing more to learn. Sim-Jake’s body already gave off a sensation reminiscent of Eternal Hunger, and the cursed beast no longer attacked sim-Jake whenever he got close, even if it did still want to eat the regular Jake.

"You finish up here and head towards the dungeon,” sim-Jake said. “I will finish up the final attunement progress and prepare for the final merge."

Jake smiled, somewhat melancholy. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

No matter what happened next, sim-Jake would not be the same. Once the skill was made, and he was fully integrated with Eternal Hunger, his Records would fully join and become one with Jake’s. Jake felt a bit bad seeing his other self go, even if he knew it was for the best.

In the outside world, the bone that held sim-Jake’s existence had already begun to show signs of failure. Microcracks covered it entirely, and even if it remained sturdy enough and was still useful, Jake knew it was close to the end of its lifespan.

Sim-Jake staying a separate entity forever had always been impossible; they had discussed it so many times. His other self had even sped this up by giving away his memories and Records. Sim-Jake had admitted that he could no longer remember a damn thing from before the system in his simulated reality—nothing aside from what Jake had seen during his vision, anyway. Even the tutorial was just snippets here and there. His only reasons for retaining an ego now were his inherent will to survive, and the fact that he had actively worked to remain separate.

But all things must come to an end.

"It does seem like that," sim-Jake said, nodding in response. "Though I think goodbye is a bit too strong of a word. It is more that I will change. In some ways, wasn’t this what I wanted? To evolve to something that didn’t need a profession? Something more than human? Being an embodiment of an ancient curse must qualify there."

"Well-argued.” Jake smiled.

"Besides, aren’t you afraid that I am going to pull a fast one and try to take over your body at the very last second?" sim-Jake teased.

"We both know I would see that coming," Jake teased back.

"And my intuition is saying it wouldn’t work anyway.” Sim-Jake shrugged. "Now, get going. We have a hydra to kill and a skill to create. And stop being so damn gloomy. If everything works out, you will never be completely rid of me."

"Rather than goodbye, then… see you around."

In the outside world, Jake opened his eyes. The katar in his chest disappeared, the wound healing nearly instantly. Jake stood up, noting that his body was slightly rigid from sitting down for… years? Jake didn’t know how long had passed. It didn’t matter right now either.

"I’m done," Jake spoke.

He felt the odd sensation from the time chamber slowly grind to a halt as his eyes opened wide. He felt dizzy, and the world started spinning. His body began hurting all over, but he gritted his teeth and tried to soldier through. Nearly fifteen minutes passed before his body had adapted, making him feel normal again—just in time for Villy to teleport in.

"I assume it has been fruitful," the god said.

"Yeah… can we talk after I am done?"

"You don’t even wanna know how long you were in there? How much time passed in the real world?"

"Later. For now, please help me get to the dungeon.” Sim-Jake, within his Soulspace, was ready. They both were. Delaying them would only reduce their chances.

The Viper simply nodded as the two teleported away, appearing before a gate.

"Good luck," Villy said, not asking further or saying anything.

Jake nodded, placed his hand on the gate, and accepted the prompt to enter. In the very next moment, he disappeared. He had been told of this combat dungeon. It was a gauntlet of sorts, with several images of old, powerful members of the Order saved. The strongest of which was naturally the Lord Protector.

He had no interest in any other target.

Appearing within a hall, a projection instantly popped up in front of him. "Welcome to the⁠—"

Without hesitation, Jake released his aura, as well as everything that indicated his identity.

"I am the Chosen of the Malefic Viper; take me to fight the Lord Protector’s image," Jake said, having no desire or time to delay.

The projection merely waved its hand, and Jake was teleported once more. He appeared in the same swamp as last time. In the distance, he saw his target.

Jake then pulled out two things: the bone katar and another item he had been saving for this occasion.

[Partly Digested Phantomshade Fang (Unique)] – A Phantomshade Fang granted by the system to the newly integrated 93rd Universe. Contains a vast amount of energy and Records that will allow any compatible beast that consumes it to grow far faster and gain magical skills and abilities related to dark and space magic. This fang is already partly digested, having only a bit of the original energy left.

He just needed its energy to stabilize the bone long enough for them to succeed while also giving sim-Jake a good boost of energy. As the energy within was already primed, Jake easily tossed the katar and fang into a cauldron and used Touch to temporarily strengthen the weapon.

It took less than ten minutes before Jake pulled out the improved katar, which now had all its minor cracks filled with dark energy. The weapon wouldn’t last much longer, but it should be enough. Jake took it in his left hand as Eternal Hunger appeared in the other. The hydra in the distance noticed Jake the moment he let his aura loose and began walking towards it.

[Two-Headed Hydra of Perennial Consumption – lvl 199]

Time for a proper rematch, Jake thought, smiling to himself as he shot forward to face the beast in melee combat.

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