The Primal Hunter 9, page 59
"The Ashen Phantom Devourer was not truly on his side,” the King said. “It was simply a temporary ally, convinced that working with this Ell’Hakan would prove beneficial. I doubt it would have wanted to attend Nevermore with him, much less a group of party members he shows up with. That is assuming the Devourer even knew about Nevermore and had any interest in participating.”
"The Unique Lifeform would have known of it," the Sword Saint said. "It soon will, at least. I asked my Patron if our going to Nevermore won’t result in the upcoming system event becoming far easier than intended, and he informed me that Nevermore is expected. The Wyrmgod, working with the system, will begin sending out tokens to the new universe in a year to many of those who manage to reach C-grade, allowing them to teleport directly there and home again."
"Huh, I hadn’t heard of that," Jake commented.
"Presumably, it has been like that for many eras already. It was just never relevant to us.”
"I guess,” Jake said, nodding. "Anyway, are you all ready to make our grand appearance? The hall ahead is pretty filled, and there are a lot of early C-grades among them. Competition for you all, I reckon."
"I shall welcome any and all," the Sword Saint said, confidently smiling.
"If they wish to indulge in their own ignorance and delusion, they are free to issue a challenge," the King said with a scoff.
"Ree!" Sylphie said, making it clear she would take shit from nobody.
Jake smiled. "Let’s make our glorious entrance, then."
He and the others walked towards the double doors leading into the hall ahead, and as they got close, the Sword Saint and Sylphie both unleashed their Blessing-infused auras. The King, refusing to be outdone, released an aura infused with nobility and the unique signature of, well, a Unique Lifeform. Jake held his own aura back to avoid stealing the limelight.
Jake saw that attention had already switched to the door once he opened it, the gazes of all those present landing on the group of four as they entered. A masked man with mostly black armor and a black cloak, a green bird in a vest on his shoulder, an old man in a dark blue robe carrying a sword, and a willow tree-like being with bony ivory claws and feet, floating a few centimeters off the ground.
Definitely the average dungeon group, if Jake said so himself.
This was the group’s first reveal, and Viridia was ready to loudly announce them.
"Let’s all welcome the Chosen of the Malefic Viper and his three party members for Nevermore," Viridia spoke as she teleported over and stood beside the four of them. “Allow me the honor of introducing them.
"Firstly, we naturally have the Chosen. He is a multitalented fighter, especially gifted in long-range combat, though he is also a skilled alchemist specializing in poisons. Then we have the Sylphian Hawk—a beast variant I am sure none of you have heard of before, but let me assure you, her talents are remarkable, and her wind magic is multipurpose. Moreover, despite being a hawk, her sylph-related heritage shines through, allowing her to display properties and unique talents often reserved only for elementals. Last but not least, she is recognized by Stormild, the Primordial."
Jake had to admit he wasn’t a fan of revealing information related to what they could do, but Viridia and others had assured him there truly was no way around it. The factions that really wanted to know could find out through various means, and not sharing it could lead to misunderstandings when it came to recruiting a final party member.
Saying outright what their roles were also meant that some swordsman would know that trying to join as a fifth member would be a waste of time. He would instead have to target the Sword Saint for his spot. Also, it wasn’t like the information provided anything specific that many high-level evaluation skills wouldn’t already give. Saying Sylphie was related to sylph-stuff wasn’t exactly a spoiler.
"Next, we have the Fallen King, a Unique Lifeform with powerful telekinetic magic and some soul magic. Ah, does he even need an introduction? I don’t think I have to explain why a Unique Lifeform is more than qualified. All I will add is that he can fulfill nearly all direct combat roles unrelated to long-range combat and healing.” Viridia chuckled, seemingly at the fact that she’d even bothered to explain that a Unique Lifeform was strong.
Shit, it wouldn’t be an understatement to say the Fallen King was more qualified to be in the party than Jake. Just by being a Unique Lifeform, everyone knew they were dealing with an apex creature. On a side note, the Fallen King was described as not good at long-range combat, which was the truth. He was more classified as a mid-range fighter, as his effective combat range was far lower than someone like Jake. Then again, Jake would call himself an ultra-long-range fighter.
"Finally, we have the human known as the Sword Saint from the Chosen’s home planet. I should add here that all three of them are technically from his planet, so while this is not unique to him, seeing another human recognized by the Chosen should give you all pause. Also, quite a bold name to call himself the Sword Saint, isn’t it? But that title is not one to be taken lightly. He is a true swordsman, recognized and blessed by Aeon Clok—no doubt also meaning he has some time magic hidden up his sleeves. Oh, and did I mention… he is a Transcendent."
People were already silent, but it still seemed to get heavier after she announced that fact. Jake and the others had discussed whether they wanted to reveal it, and the Sword Saint had ultimately said he saw no reason not to. Another Transcendent would be able to tell right away, and announcing it would only make their party seem stronger. Additionally… the old man said he wanted to at least have something to brag about, standing next to a Unique Lifeform, a Chosen of a Primordial with a Bloodline, and some mythical half-hawk, half-elemental never-seen-before creature.
The many gazes upon them evaluated the group on both an individual and collective basis. Jake, in turn, scanned the room and the many people looking at them. He focused solely on the C-grades among them capable of joining their trip to Nevermore. There were a few hundred at least, and going through them just with a cursory glance, he found the majority sorely lacking and, for some reason, ninety percent female.
"You will all get ample opportunity to chat with these outstanding individuals from the new universe later, but before we do that, let us move onto something you have all no doubt looked forward to," Viridia said, displaying a big smile. "Gift opening time."
Oh, shit, Jake thought as everyone looked at him. Usually, he would feel awkward about it, but the embarrassment was drowned out by a far more powerful emotion:
Greed for some of that sweet, sweet loot.
Chapter 67
Chosen Ceremony = Loot 7.0
Just as Jake’s earlier briefing had mentioned, the majority of presents would not be handed to him directly. Most would go through the Order and simply be delivered to his residence, or somewhere else he designated, with Miranda or Viridia briefing Jake on any important things he may want to bring along to Nevermore.
Only gifts from the top factions would be handed over directly and opened in front of everyone. Even if the gift was not one that could just be handed over, they would still voice what it was. This was not really for Jake, but for the factions handing over the gift. It was their way of showing intent toward the new Chosen of the Malefic Viper and, at the same time, flexing on other factions. In some ways, this did benefit Jake, as the gifts given openly had to be impressive in some way, or it would be an embarrassment that showed everyone how shitty your gifts were.
Viridia led Jake to one side of the room, the tiled floors raising themselves to form a small platform. Jake honestly thought this was overdoing it, but he knew these kinds of theatrics mattered to others. The many people present all observed him as Viridia invited him up to the stage.
Then the Hall Master turned to address them. "I do wonder what the denizens of the multiverse wish to gift our Chosen, considering his rather unique status as someone from a new universe and still a C-grade. Even more so when you consider his upcoming trip to Nevermore." Viridia had a big smile, pretty much hinting to the factions that they’d better have something useful.
"Now, who would like to go first?" Viridia asked.
Jake was pretty damn sure this wasn’t a real question, as only one person responded. A Risen wearing a golden crown and immaculate robes stepped forward and bowed. "The Risen would be more than honored to do so."
The man wasn’t some low-level person, either. He was an S-grade and even had a Divine Blessing from the Blightfather himself.
"One of the Ghost Kings of the Risen," Viridia informed him with telepathy. “A title given to those who are deemed to have a high chance of reaching godhood.”
"Considering the Chosen’s affinity for alchemy, we made some inquiries and believe that these gifts will be more than fitting, especially considering your adventure to Nevermore," the Ghost King said as he kneeled and presented two items. “Specialties from the depths of the Ghostlands itself, the Blightsea.”
One of them was a box, and the other a black flask. Jake used telekinesis to accept both items while the Risen retreated a bit, giving Jake the opportunity to check out his things. This was pretty much mandatory, and something Jake had been briefed on. He needed to "show off" the items to everyone. That was part of the deal.
He opened the box to find ten black roots within, all emanating intense death mana. He flashed a pleased smile beneath his mask after using Identify.
[Blightroot (Legendary)] – A root found on the shores of the Blightsea. Contains incredibly dense death-affinity energy and is extremely potent when mixed with necrotic toxins. Has been primed for alchemy, making it easier to work with than usual Blightroots. Direct consumption for non-Risen is not recommended.
They were pretty fucking good. Without delay, Jake also checked the flask.
[Dead Man’s Flask (Legendary)] – A flask containing Blightsea Shore Water. Indestructible to anyone below S-grade. The water within will never lose potency, no matter how much time passes. The interior is spatially expanded.
He lifted it up and took the small cork off, then poured out a single droplet that he also quickly Identified.
[Blightsea Shore Water (Ancient)] – Water that has been taken from the shores of the Blightsea. Contains incredibly dense death-affinity energy and is extremely potent when mixed with necrotic toxins. This water is primed for alchemical use, making it far easier to work with. Direct consumption for non-Risen is not recommended.
The liquid floated there for a while, long enough for everyone around to see it, before Jake put it back into the bottle. He then replaced the cork and nodded.
"I hope the gifts are to your satisfaction, Chosen of the Malefic One," the Ghost King said.
"Thank you, and I thank the Risen for their gift,” Jake said. “I am certain they will all prove useful."
This got a smile from the man as he bowed one more time before retreating back into the crowd, with everyone else nodding and a few clapping at the exchange.
Jake just felt relieved he had managed to receive a gift that was actually useful. They quickly moved on, allowing Viridia to introduce the next gift-bearing guest. This guy was from some merchant group that he hadn’t heard of before.
And with that… it began.
"We at the Evergreen Conglomerate have long considered what we could possibly offer the Chosen of Primordial, and we have finally settled on a gift we believe is only proper: assistance in establishing your dominance within the newly integrated universe," the merchant said as he bowed deeply. “Thus, we would be honored to offer the Chosen one thousand D-grades and one million E-grade slaves who are all natives of the 93rd to help populate and expand the Order of the Malefic Viper. Naturally, they will also come with resources to make the transition as easy as possible.”
As nods of approval and comments on how good a gift it was came from all around, Jake practiced his poker face. What the actual fuck? Like, he knew he would get slaves, but a million fucking people? That was just… insane. How was he even supposed to house them? Luckily, he had discussed this plenty with Miranda before. He simply nodded, not voicing a single one of his thoughts. "Very well. Go through the Order to handle all logistics."
"As the Chosen commands.” The man smiled, bowed out, and walked down from the stage, getting more claps from people who clearly thought it was a great gift. Why they thought this was quite obvious, too…
Because the next three people did the same thing, putting Jake’s total count of new slaves at five million. Naturally, they had to praise others giving slaves since they had the exact same fucking idea.
Finally, after those three, it was then time for someone Jake actually wanted to receive a gift from. A high elf woman wearing a white dress with golden embroidery walked up the steps toward him as Viridia gave a quick telepathic brief.
"A princess from the Altmar Empire. Her father is an S-grade, system-recognized king who rules several galaxies, with her mother also an S-grade from one of the highest-level noble families in the entire Empire. Also, she is one of the people here as a potential party member."
"I greet the Chosen," the high elf said, bowing as she went on stage. She took out a small box and presented it to Jake as she explained, "Per the wishes of the Chosen, relayed by my little cousin who privately discussed with your excellency earlier, we have prepared an item specifically for the Chosen."
Her words were purposeful, communicating that the Altmar Empire had talked with him beforehand and had a personal connection while also explaining their gift and why it was so special. She also sprinkled in that she was family with Izil, though from what Jake remembered, Izil was not from some high-level noble family. So that entire cousin thing was probably a hard stretch that was only true on a technical level.
Jake graciously accepted the box and opened it to reveal a ring. Just what Jake had hoped to get to replace his current Altmar Signet. He used Identify with high expectations, as he already felt the dense energy packed into the small piece of jewelry.
He was not disappointed.
[Altmar Signet of Supremacy (Legendary)] – A ring presented by the Altmar Empire to the Chosen of the Malefic Viper. This ring is made of an unknown but extremely energy-dense metal, with an unknown gem of immense power embedded in it. This ring was originally based on the Trial Signet design but has been further refined and improved to make a fitting gift for a Chosen. The first time the wielder equips the ring, they will be able to distribute the signet’s energy into whatever stats they desire. Distributing any of the stat points will make the ring Soulbound. A brief recharge period is required between each redistribution of stat points. Stat points cannot be redistributed during combat. Enchantments: +5000 stat points (undistributed).
Requirements: Lvl 200+ in any humanoid race.
What Jake saw was the Altmar Signet, but better in every conceivable way. 5000 fucking stat points packed into one small ring was utterly insane and surpassed all items he had seen prior. Then again, the ring only gave stat points and offered no other functionalities, which was probably why packing so many into it was even possible. Well, Jake said no other functionalities… except for the ability to redistribute stat points repeatedly.
Jake’s current ring could be set once, and then it would be Soulbound and locked forever. This one, he could reconfigure on the fly if he needed some other stat boosts or to play around with stat caps. Jake wanted to play around with it then and there, but knew he would have to wait till later. One thing was certain, though: With this ring, he had hit the stat cap from equipment and even gone well beyond, allowing him to get more and more out of every level-up as the cap increased. Jake was even able to get the stat points he wanted… and as he could change stat points, nothing stopped him from making it give 5000 Perception.
In conclusion, the ring was bloody insane, and Jake did all he could to not have a giant grin on his face. That would be unbecoming, after all.
"I sincerely thank the Altmar Empire; the ring surpasses my expectations," Jake said, making the high elf smile while she slowly retreated. More claps all around, though, for some reason, people seemed to think this gift was somehow lesser than the damn slaves.
Only people related to Jake knew the ring was infinitely more useful.
Things progressed as expected, with four more factions coming up and offering him various miscellaneous alchemical items and specialties of theirs. Oh, and a few slaves, too, because why not? Jake had honestly not believed it when Izil and everyone else had mentioned that the majority would offer slaves, but that did turn out to be the case.
The only good thing was that because so many offered them, Jake could act less and less thankful every time, simply nodding when they mentioned the gift of slaves. After these four, the ones who only gifted slaves didn’t even want to come up to the stage anymore, and those who did offer other items along with slaves only spoke of them as an addition.
Not that it was much of a comfort… because they were already up to fifteen fucking million slaves. More than the populations of many pre-system countries. Jake already felt bad for Miranda when he saw her standing in the hall with a hollow look on her face.
When Jake heard from Viridia that the next group was also from some merchant group, he wanted to scream, but then she mentioned which merchant group. Golden Road Emporium. Jake remembered that was the one Sultan and Renato were both in, and as Viridia added, it was the biggest merchant faction in the multiverse.
The one who offered the gift was an S-grade dark elf that Jake naturally didn’t know, but Viridia informed him he was one of the people working on issues related to the 93rd Universe.
