The Primal Hunter 15: A LitRPG Adventure, page 20
Good luck, natives of the 93rd Universe.
It was a long system message with a lot to unpack. Starting from the top, it was just repeating a lot of points made by the system message they’d gotten upon finishing the event for the Milky Way Galaxy. The only new tidbit was about the Exalted Prima watching on, which Jake wasn’t sure how to interpret. What it did make clear, though, was that they were indeed competing to lay rightful claim to a World Wonder, meaning the system wasn’t done spurring on conflict.
After that was just the talk about rewards. Compared to prior system events, this one didn’t have any fancy titles or anything like that. Jake and everyone else had also already gotten their rewards in the form of loot from the Prima Guardian, with Jake reaping the best of it with his mythical Administrator’s Seal of the Exalted Prima. On top of that, he was now an Administrator of the Seat, and even the top-ranked one following the death of Ell’Hakan.
There was also the boost to Records for the entire galaxy, but that one was a lot harder to quantify. All Jake knew was that Miranda and many others who tracked that kind of thing had statistics showing that the average leveling speed had risen following the event’s end, and many who’d previously experienced a wall were suddenly able to overcome it.
He didn’t really have many thoughts about the Prima Vessels, besides figuring he should probably go and relocate the Prima Vessel to somewhere safer than the middle of a desert, as he would need it to teleport to the Seat of the Exalted Prima once he became B-grade.
The final and perhaps biggest point was something Jake had expected to see: the opening up of the 93rd Universe. Being able to freely communicate and travel back to other universes was great, but now others could also come to their universe.
This had definitely been one of the hottest topics for speculation in political circles recently, and one of Miranda’s most prominent points of worry. Based on historical data, they knew that the universe wouldn’t just fully open up from one day to the next, but many had suspected that anyone below B-grade would now be allowed to freely travel back and forth.
That in itself was a massive pain to deal with. Sure, Jake and everyone he hung out with was powerful, but what would they do if someone like the Holy Church sent a billion peak C-grades? Well, their only response would be to have the Order of the Malefic Viper also send a whole bunch of peak C-grades, which would make Valhal, the Court of Shadows, Risen, Endless Empire, and untold others also send in entire armies, instantly flooding the galaxy.
However, Jake was relieved to see that there was still a level restriction—and a decently low one, too. To be clear, level 300 was still pretty damn strong, but it at least allowed them to avoid those at the peak of C-grade... for a while, anyway. Every hundred days, it would increase by one level, which meant that, according to rough math, it would take around thirteen and a half years for peak C-grades to enter their universe. At that point, things would definitely be a lot more stable than now.
Having a hundred days of leeway before people could travel to their universe was also great, as it allowed them to ensure the Holy Church was gone for good by that time. Jake didn’t doubt Miranda also had a lot of plans for how to ensure they weren’t overrun. He knew she had already worked on deals with several factions, but she was far from done.
As a final note on that topic—and the main reason Miranda hadn’t quite panicked at the prospect of the universe opening up—it wasn’t as if teleporting to their universe was currently easy in any way. Jake just made it look easy as a Chosen, and while most factions had methods to bring people back and forth, it wasn’t cheap, and was only worth doing for actual elites. With time and higher-level experts on both sides of the teleportation circle, things would get easier, but for now, the ones outside of the 93rd Universe had to facilitate ninety-nine percent of it. Breaching the void wasn’t easy, after all.
Having gone through the message properly, it appeared the others had done the same.
“I guess we all know what this means,” Jake’s dad said after a little while.
“Yeah... I’ll have to head off now,” Caleb answered with a nod as he quickly stood up. He gave Maja a kiss and Adam a quick hug, then teleported away after waving goodbye to the rest of them.
Jake probably also had to get going, but he was temporarily delayed when he felt something else. Somebody observing him. For the last few years, Jake had been free, but now, his stalker was back in full force.
“How about you, Jake?” his mom asked, looking surprised that he hadn’t left yet. “Aren’t you needed elsewhere?”
“I’m leaving in a second,” Jake said with a sigh. “I was just momentarily distracted by someone.”
“Well, I apologize—I didn’t mean to disturb your family dinner,” the Malefic Viper said. “In fact, I’m also eating right now, having quite a nurturing meal.”
“Up for talking a bit later, alright?” Jake quickly answered.
“Fair enough. But just so you know, I don’t need an update about what the system notification said; I already heard it.”
“Who distracted you?” Maja asked, confused.
“Just a needy god,” Jake said with a shrug, getting a few weird stares. “But I do have to leave now. You already have my number if I’m on the planet, but if I’m in another universe, just contact Miranda or Caleb.”
“Just take care of yourself,” his dad said with a nod.
“I will,” Jake said as he turned to Adam. “You also be good, right?”
Adam nodded before asking a question no one else would. “When are you coming to visit again?”
Jake just gave the kid a small smile. “Who knows? Just know that when I’m not here, it’s because I’m fighting dragons or evil mushroom people.”
“Are there good mushroom people?” Adam asked, confused.
“You have a bright future ahead of you,” Jake said, giving the kid a wide smile as he ruffled his hair. With a final goodbye to the others, Jake left the house through the front door, briefly stopped by his own little residence to pick up a few things he’d left there, and then promptly shot off to the teleportation center to quickly return to Haven.
On the way, he reached out to Villy once more. “Thoughts on the universe opening up soon?”
“We all knew it would happen, didn’t we?” the snake god answered promptly. “One can only hope that the foundation you’ve established is powerful enough to survive what’s to come. And I’m not talking about a foundation based purely on power, but stability. Your little budding empire won’t rise or fall due to a lack of soldiers, just inadequate administration. The only way I could see your rule falling apart due to a lack of power was if you died, but telling you not to die hopefully isn’t advice I need to give.”
“So what you’re saying is, I need to actually engage with ruling the galaxy?” Jake asked, a sense of dread washing over him.
“What? No, I never said that. I just said that you need to ensure the people you’ve tasked with the job do it well, and from what I’ve gathered, that witch of yours is doing fine so far. Unsurprisingly, I might add, as she is under the tutelage of people I also trust to handle administrative tasks within my Order. It wasn’t a coincidence that approaching the Witches of the Verdant Lagoon was one of the first things I did after leaving my realm.
“However, I will say that at least knowing about what’s going on is a good idea. You also need to set a direction, both for her sake and your own. For yours, because if you can’t even tell your faction what to do, what the hell’s the point of it? And for her sake, so she can use you as a shield. As the one enacting policies, she will get a lot of flak if she also made them, but if all she’s doing is carrying out your will, she can use that as a defense whenever she does anything unpopular. People are way less likely to bring up complaints to you.”
Jake listened but wasn’t quite sure if the Viper’s advice was even applicable. “Earth is ruled by a council, though. The plan is to do the same with the entire galaxy. They are the ones who decide stuff, not me.”
“They decide the small stuff. You’re still the one who sets the direction. Why do you think slavery has been outlawed in the entire galaxy? That the laws governing every civilization are slowly morphing to become more similar to Earth’s before the integration? Even if you don’t tell those beneath you what direction to move in, they’ll still try to do things they believe you’d want them to.”
Jake sighed mentally. “I can’t really argue against that... but the entire point of this council is that I’m not some dictator telling everyone what to do.”
“And yet you shall dictate the direction of your galaxy,” Villy said in a matter-of-fact voice. “But, hey, your mere desire to not be a dictator will bleed through and more likely than not make your rule far less authoritarian than that of others. Just remember to keep the people important to your little faction loyal; that’s the most important part. You aren’t living in a democracy, and while having the support of the general populace is all well and good, it’s just a tiny bonus at most.”
“I’m beginning to reconsider if it’s wise to take advice on running a functional society from an evil snake god with an Order that isn’t exactly known for being a nice place,” Jake said after a moment.
“Hey! People love the Order! If they’re worth anything, that is.”
This made Jake even more sure he should stop listening, even if some of the things the god said made sense. “Anyhow, what have you been up to recently?”
“Until very recently, I was busy digesting a certain someone,” the snake god answered. “Still not entirely done, and I won’t be for a while, but it’s getting there. With my proper return to the multiverse, I also decided to finally explore some of the places I hadn’t had a chance to visit during my isolation. Not that long ago, I entered a World Wonder called the Mycotic Depths, and from the name alone, I’m sure you would love the place.”
“A World Wonder?” Jake asked, trying to ignore the name. “How does that one work? And are you talking to me from inside of it right now?”
“The Mycotic Depths is a lot like Yalsten, where the Treasure Hunt event took place. It’s a separate world from the regular universes, and it wasn’t even known to be a World Wonder before well into the 13th Era. However, once people began to explore its insides, its status as a World Wonder became clear.”
“Wait, I’m a bit confused... Yalsten wasn’t at all considered a World Wonder, right? If so, why does this mushroom cave get called one while Yalsten didn’t, if they’re both just separate spaces?”
“In many ways, World Wonders are just extremely useful objects or locations found within the different universes, but what truly makes them World Wonders is the system’s direct involvement,” the Malefic Viper said. “The Mycotic Depths has different caves one can use to enter, bringing you to different areas, and while it’s all one space inside, they’re still separated. Do you remember that barrier in your tutorial that cut off the inner section with more powerful monsters? This is a bit like that. Natural barriers result in certain sections being restricted to those below certain power levels. No matter how much I wanted to, I would never be able to enter the section for S-grades, much less C-grades like you. All regulated by the system.”
“I see... but it seems like the world isn’t entirely cut off, seeing as you can talk to me,” Jake said.
“Communication with the outside world is somewhat restricted inside, but the version of me you’re talking to right now isn’t inside. You’re talking to my real body that’s in my realm, busy digesting Yip of Yore. The one in the World Wonder is one of my special avatars. If that avatar does find something in there that it’s too weak to handle, I may go with my true body, but otherwise, it would just be a waste and a needless risk.”
“Do you ever go anywhere with your true body?” Jake wondered.
“Few gods do, especially at my level,” the Viper said in a casual tone. “It isn’t due to cowardice, though. I’m working on things I need the power of my true body to handle. Meanwhile, exploring a World Wonder with an avatar is as efficient as using my real body, as it’s more than powerful enough.”
“I see.” By now, Jake had already gone through the teleportation circle and was back in Haven.
“You interested in also paying a visit to the wonderful Mycotic Depths? Mushrooms as far as the eye can see, and there’s even an entire civilization of Deepdwellers there! Remember them, from that little dungeon under your house?”
“Man, I would love to, but I’m just heading into a very important meeting,” Jake said, quickly excusing himself from the snake god’s whispered offer of poison. “You know, to stay on top of political stuff—something you said is a good idea…”
“Fine, fine… I guess you wouldn’t have the time to do so afterward, either. Not with your other upcoming trip and all…”
Despite knowing it was bait, Jake just had to ask him to elaborate. “What upcoming trip?”
“Oh? I’m pretty sure I heard you planned on going on a trip in an attempt to connect with your inner dendrophile.”
Yeah… Jake didn’t even know what that word meant.
Chapter 22
One Last Meeting
“I’m not even sure if that was an insult...” Jake answered after a bit, still not certain what the hell a dendrophile was. At times like this, he really missed having the internet, as he would usually just search up this sort of stuff. Hopefully he could get his own Partial Omniscience or something similar in the future...
“It was merely an observation. If I wanted to insult you, I would have insinuated you were a paraphiliac instead.”
More words Jake didn’t know the definition of. “I know this is probably really funny for you, but I’m just getting confused,” he shot back, not at all ashamed of his ignorance.
“Eh, fine. I was just hinting at it being a good idea for you to pay the Pantheon of Life a little visit. If I recall correctly, you have a standing invitation and a little gift waiting from Nature’s Attendant, and I’m sure Dina would also welcome you. Oh, and there was one more person there, right? Who was it again...”
Jake refused to answer on principle, as he knew the Viper was just playing with him.
“Ah, yes! Yggdrasil would probably also like to see you. I’ve heard through the grapevine that she’s taken an interest in your abilities, and seeing as Yggdrasil is a very good friend to have, I would heavily implore you to go.” Here, the Viper at least turned a bit more serious.
“I already planned on paying them a visit,” Jake answered, fine with being blunt. “Also, it’s about time I clear up the situation with Artemis.”
“Oh yeah, there was that, too!” the Malefic Viper said, sounding incredibly amused. “Looking forward to seeing how that one turns out for sure. It must be super awkward for you both, seeing as you two have never really met and yet been so... close. Definitely a lot to unpack there and deal with; just make sure she doesn’t end up killing you to avoid any bad rumors from spreading.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Jake said, sighing. “It’ll be fine. She at least invited me to visit, so we will see what happens when the time comes. Hopefully, even if things go south, it won’t end up with me getting permanently deleted.”
“Think positively,” the Viper said, clearly still amused. “If she does kill you, it’ll likely be within the territory of Yggdrasil, at which point she’d probably just bring you right back to life without even thinking about it first.”
“I’m just going to assume it won’t come to that,” Jake said with another sigh, wanting to move on from the topic. “As I said, I already planned on paying a visit. I had considered waiting for B-grade, but there probably isn’t a need for that.”
“There isn’t,” the Viper agreed, obliging Jake’s intent to move the conversation forward. “They have some great hunting grounds for you to explore, and I’m sure you can get plenty of levels there if you so desire. Personally, I would also like to see you go sooner rather than later. Not as Jake, muse of Artemis, but as my Chosen and a representative of the Order. Your visit will no doubt be public, and the fact you get a nice welcome will communicate to the rest of the multiverse that the Order and Pantheon of Life are still on good terms, no matter how opposite our factions might be in many areas.”
“So now it’s suddenly a work trip, huh,” Jake muttered.
“Two mushrooms with one bite!”
“Never, ever use that phrase again,” Jake said, his tone more serious than at any other point in their conversation.
“Well, excuse me for finding it silly to throw stones at birds when you can instead devour some savory snacks,” the Viper continued to tease. “Anyway, we’ll talk more when you’re done on Earth and stop by the Order. How long do you reckon it’ll take?”
“You need me back as soon as possible, right?”
“Eh, no rush,” the Viper said flippantly.
“Please say you need me back as soon as possible,” Jake tried again.
“I’m not gonna let you use me as an excuse to get out of a meeting. In fact, as your Patron, I would recommend that you really get engaged with it. That you go in there with full passion and serve as an active participant from beginning to end, truly—”
“Oops, you’re cutting out, bye!” Jake said as he severed the telepathic connection, putting an end to any further drivel.
Besides, he had already arrived at the meeting hall in Haven, and as expected, he was the last person there. Partly because he really hadn’t hurried over. Also, everyone knew the system event would end soon, so the World Leaders had all returned to their own planets, leaving behind only a few dedicated diplomats—most of whom had skills to contact the World Leader directly in case other means of communication didn’t work.
