The Primal Hunter

Jake felt like he had wished for a bow for years, even if it had only been like a week. He had felt naked using a shitty bow, not sure what would happen if he got into a big fight. So when the system offered a bow, he was both relieved and ecstatic.

Now the only question was… would the bow be good?

The answer? Fuck yeah, it was.

[Bow of the Apex Hunter (Legendary)] – A bow offered directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This is a bow for an apex hunter who only seeks to challenge worthy foes and effortlessly strikes down those inferior that dare impede his quest. Increases damage done against foes dependent on level disparity – both lower and higher – up to a certain threshold. This effect is based on Perception. The bow is incredibly durable and will adapt to energy infused into it, beginning to take on its properties and empowering attacks using the adapted energy. Enchantments: Apex Hunter.Requirements: Soulbound

He had already placed his bid halfway through reading the description, and the further he got, the more the smile on his face grew. It was basically just his Big Game Arcane Hunter and working against lower-level foes. It was a bit funny that the bow was just straight-up worse against those of similar level to himself. Except it also managed to fit in some Perception scaling, making Jake a happy clam.

It was also able to adapt to his energies, which is likely what forced the Soulbound requirement, a bit similar to the scabbard before. This did not make it a growth weapon he could use for life, though, as the material strength and Records within were still limited... but that didn’t make it any less awesome here and now and for many battles to come.

Jake waited patiently as the bid on fifty million remained. He stared at the countdown and frowned, a bit confused as it just reached zero without anyone else even attempting to bid.

“The item has been sold for fifty million Credits.”

And it was just that easy. No one had fought him, and Jake couldn’t help but turn and look at Sultan, who just shrugged.

“I guess no one wanted to put a target on their back for you to use that bow on down the line. So far, you have a reputation for being a bad target to provoke. Especially after the Treasure Hunt,” Sultan explained. “Also… archers able to afford it and able to bid are limited. Maria obviously chose to not fight you, and besides her, I honestly can’t get on anyone else with fifty million Credits and the potential to challenge you.”

Jake nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m not complaining.”

He couldn’t help himself but take out the bow and admire it. It was of a simple design and was honestly just a wooden stick with a string attached. It looked like something a semi-competent bowyer could make within an hour, and compared to his old bow with fancy gems faceted in it and glowing veins of arcane mana, this one just looked cheap. Heck… the design was practically identical to the tutorial bow he had gotten that very first day.

And Jake had absolutely nothing against that. In fact, he preferred it. In his mind, simple was best, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Still basking in the feeling of finally having a good weapon again, he heard the announcement of the next item.

“The twelfth item is a Thousand Swords Formation Array Disc. This formation is especially suitable for protecting a settlement inhabited by sword-users and can use their skills with the sword. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits.”

[Thousand Swords Formation Array Disc (Legendary)] – A Thousand Swords Formation Array Disc offered directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This array disc allows the user to place down a Thousand Swords Formation at a chosen location, using up the array disc in the process. The Thousand Swords Formation allows up to a thousand sword-wielding individuals to pool their power together to create a singular phantasmal blade. The users of the formation must be of similar strength.

It appeared the system had done a U-turn, and now it was back to those faction-focused items. Jake had a theory these were because there were no outstanding individuals to reward, so it just rewarded multiple people or entire factions.

In this case, it was clearly a reward for the Noboru clan and Reika. It just screamed samurai clan, and seeing it offered did make him consider what would have happened if they had put that illusory formation up for sale and the Noboru clan had bought it. Would the system then just have offered something else? Or would they have been forced to choose between two different formations?

If that was the case… was there a risk Jake would have been offered a quiver and not a bow if he had not bought the legendary one earlier? No, Jake, don’t even think about it… no one needs that kind of negativity in their lives.

As for the formation… well, now we were back to the fact that many used swords, so sadly for them, they had competition. This meant they had to shell out three hundred and eighty million Credits.

Moving on… it appeared that the Holy Church had also had enough of a collective contribution to get an item. Perhaps the most shamelessly aimed at any faction so far.

“The thirteenth item is a block of Holy Marble. This marble is especially suitable for creating a statue or a monument related to a god in possession of the holy affinity. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits.”

[Holy Marble (Legendary)] – A block of Holy Marble offered directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. This marble is infused with a substantial amount of holy mana, making it especially suitable as a raw material for a sculpture depicting a god of the Holy Pantheon.

Seeing the item appear was a bit comical. It was a massive block of stone giving off a faint golden glow, nearly ten meters tall and wide. The auction room was utterly massive, making it not an issue, but seeing a giant block of stone just float did look funny. Jake even saw a few down on the floor flinch when it just popped into existence.

As for the item itself… well, as Jake knew, only gods of the Holy Pantheon could even use the Holy affinity. It was like only Villy, and those with his legacy could use the Malefic affinity, and only the Risen and those related to the Blightfather could use the Blight affinity. It was the Holy Mother’s affinity, so the only reason anyone would possibly bid on it was to mess with the Holy Church and force them to spend more than they wanted.

Anyway, it went for three hundred and ninety-two as the undead decided to fuck with them.

Next up was Valhal’s turn, this item looking a lot like a reward for Sven.

“The fourteenth item is a Horn of War. This item is for the leader who indulges in war and leads those under his command to victory. Bidding starts at fifty million Credits.”

[Horn of War (Legendary)] – A Horn of War offered directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Blow the horn of war to signal it is time to wage war, reducing stamina consumption of all those under your command who hear the sound. Blow a second time in the midst of battle, releasing a wave of inner energy, restoring a substantial amount of stamina for all those affected. Will also amplify the effect of leadership-related skills if used with the horn.

Jake actually found this item genuinely interesting, and he also recognized that while it was surely aimed at Valhal, fitting their theme and all… it was one every single faction with a lot of warriors could make good use of. Even Miranda could probably use it.

Bidding began, and instantly it was a bloodbath. The first bid was from the Holy Church, the second one from Valhal, and the third came from the Noboru Clan. Jake just sat back with a slight smile as the price just went up and up.

Jake was already certain Haven as a city would not be offered anything. They only had Sultan and Neil with his party during the last phase besides Jake, while every other faction had way more. The Court had already received that Heart of Darkness, and Jake guessed the Dungeon Core was seen as the reward for the undead.

“How far up do you think the price will go?” Roman asked Sultan as they stared at the bidding.

“Not much higher,” the merchant answered, as the price went to seven hundred million. “While this is good… many factions should soon be broke, and the use of it is limited for those not commanding large groups.”

What he said turned out to be true, as the price only went to seven hundred and twenty-four million before bidding stopped. In the end, it went to Valhal as it rightly should, only the Holy Church bidding with them at the end. A part of Jake really hoped the undead made them unable to afford it by hiking the price up on the Holy Marble.

I wonder what is next? Jake thought, not sure what more there would be. Unless it was something for the undead if the core did not count? Either way, it was clear there was more as the system spoke again.

“The fifteenth and final item is a bottle of Soul Renewal. Soul Renewal will be able to heal anything afflicting the soul, including temporary damage sustained due to the use of Transcendent skills or skills used to circumvent death. Bidding starts at one billion Credits.”

What appeared was a small bottle that looked like a potion bottle with some transparent liquid within. Jake felt nothing from it, and without using Identify or hearing the system describe it, he could have totally had mistaken it for just being purified water.

[Soul Renewal (Unique)] – A bottle of Soul Renewal offered directly by the system due to Earth’s performance during the Treasure Hunt event. Soul Renewal is able to heal any wound to the soul and restore any damage or temporary affliction imposed upon it, including afflictions of the Truesoul.Requirements: D-grade.

This was the final item of the auction, with a starting bid of a billion Credits… and Jake understood why. This was no simple item. It was one that confirmed his theory that it wasn’t that Transcendents were above the system when it could create something that could even heal the backlash from one. Healing the Truesoul was not something anyone could do… not even gods. Often the Truesoul would just heal by itself with time – a long time – or one had to restore that parts that were damaged somehow through other actions. Like how the Sword Saint now had to get the levels back he had “lost,” effectively repairing it by using experience.

The item was clearly aimed at the Sword Saint. This small bottle would allow him to completely get rid of the backlash from the Transcendent skill within a moment. It couldn’t be any more obvious who it was for… at least, he didn’t think it could. Until he felt something poke his mind. It was faint and weak, a mere request for him to open a channel of communication. He had felt it once before and allowed it in as the familiar voice spoke in his mind.

“It has been a while… hunter,” the voice of the King echoed in his mind. It was the same as back in the tutorial… but different in many ways too. It no longer carried disdain but a feeling of respect, and even more so, a sense of weakness.

“You really did survive, huh,” Jake answered through the link, having had plenty of experience with telepathic links during all his talks with Villy.

“In… some form… yes,” the voice answered, already sounding weaker than before. “I require that liquid… and I swear it will be of benefit to you… on a King’s honor…”

Jake, still wearing the mask, frowned beneath it. “What kind of benefits?”

“…I…” the voice petered off as Jake felt the King enter slumber once more. He barely registered the word and wasn’t sure of the meaning. He felt like the King had wanted to say more without being able to… so now he was too damn curious.

Returning his attention to the bidding, only around seven seconds has passed, with the price currently at one-point-two-three billion Credits. The current top bid was the Holy Church, and Jake was confused when the undead overtook the bet with one ten million higher, only for Holy Church to bid again.

He hadn’t seen the Sword Saint place a single bid. Is he out of Credits?

It was possible he didn’t have a billion… but he should have, right? Jake found it hard to believe he didn’t. Jake still had around four billion even after buying the bow and Sylphie’s Gift of Wind. That is to say… the other factions didn’t stand a chance.

Jake was about to bid when he saw the price go up by another ten million. The bidder? Sultan.

“You’re that rich?” Jake asked with exasperation.

The man just looked straight at him as he answered unapologetically. “Yes.”

“Well, this one is mine,” Jake just stated as he outbid Sultan by ten million. He was then outbid by the Church, so he bid again, only for the undead to bid, and just when Jake thought it was over, the bastards over at Valhal had apparently convinced Carmen to also toss in a bid.

Jake refused to lose as the price kept climbing one small step at a time. It was to the level of just getting silly with the price going up more than twice every second as four factions were bidding. Sultan was smart enough to bow out, and the other major merchant Jake knew of, Arthur, had not been part of the last phase and was thus unable to bid even if he had the funds.

The silly display continued for several minutes as the other parties dropped off one by one until finally, Jake placed a bid of two billion and one-hundred and eighty million Credits, outbidding the Holy Church. It went uncontested as he theorized no one had the funds to keep up.

The bottle appeared in his inventory without further ado as the system spoke again.

“This marks the end of the final phase of the Auction event. All Credits traded during this phase will be distributed among the participants of the final phase of the Treasure Hunt, dependent on their level of contribution.

“For the remainder of the event, all participants are free to make use of the space provided. May you find your path, denizens of the ninety-third Universe.”

With that announcement, the system being disappeared like it had never been there. It was honestly a bit anti-climactic of an end to the entire event.

However, he did note how it said it had distributed Credits. Jake had spent quite a lot and had been below two billion after getting the Soul Renewal. So when he checked his Credits after getting some back… well, it was just comical to him.

Credits Available: 4,101,258,995

Jake was only down half a billion in this entire phase, despite being the person spending the most. He just shook his head as he asked Sultan beside him.

“How much did you get for contributions?”

“About six hundred thousand,” the man answered.

“I got two hundred and twenty,” Neil chimed in.

The others in his party had similar numbers. Jake chose to not share, and they didn’t ask.

Checking how much time of the auction event remained, he saw there was still a bit left. A few hours, it seemed. It was likely time to trade and do some politics. At least that is what Miranda left to do shortly after, with Sultan also taking his leave.

Jake had no immediate plans himself and couldn’t really go anywhere as he had a bird sleeping on his head, and teleporting out of the booth would likely be bad for her. So, he decided to just spend this time inspecting all of the stuff he had gained and get a bit of relaxing in.

This entire auction had been a bit hit and miss, but he had gotten some good stuff overall.

Once he got out… oh boy, there were things to do. Cursed blades to enhance, a Queen Bee egg to evolve and hatch, a King to awaken, and equipment to test out. It was also truly time to get everything related to his underground alchemy lab going. All in all, busy times ahead, just as he liked it.