Глава 1
The Ultimate Survival Game Begins
In a world where Monday mornings blend into an endless cycle of corporate monotony, Jake Thayne's life was about to be violently upended. Like millions of others, Jake was just going through the motions-alarm clock, shower, commute, office small talk-when something extraordinary happened. As he stood in an elevator with colleagues, strange words appeared in his mind: "*Initiation of the 93rd Universe confirmed. Introduction and tutorial sequence commencing*." In that moment, Jake and every other human on Earth were thrust into "The System"-a multiverse reality where skills, stats, and classes determine survival. Little did Jake know that his natural hunting instincts and peculiar affinity for poisons would transform him from an unremarkable business analyst into something far more dangerous: The Primal Hunter. This phenomenon isn't just another LitRPG fantasy-it's become a cult sensation among readers who crave the perfect blend of progression fantasy and survival stakes, with fans particularly drawn to Jake's unconventional path to power through poison crafting and archery.
Глава 2
From Office Worker to Archer: The System's Arrival
One moment Jake was in an elevator with his colleagues; the next, he stood before a featureless entity welcoming him to "The System." This cosmic force explained that Earth had "passed the minimum threshold required to enter the multiverse," fundamentally changing reality for all humans. Jake quickly found himself staring at a status screen displaying his race (Human G), level 0, and basic attributes ranging from 6-10 points.
Unlike many of his peers who chose warrior classes, Jake instinctively selected Archer, receiving three initial skills: Basic Archery, Basic One-Handed Weapon, and Archer's Eye. He also gained the universal Identify skill and starter equipment including a wooden bow, quiver, knife, and cloak. Most intriguing was his Enchanted Quiver that could magically produce arrows when infused with mana-a concept Jake had barely begun to understand.
When the tutorial officially began, Jake and nine colleagues from his company found themselves on a massive pillar overlooking a forest. The rules were simple yet brutal: survive for 64 days while collecting Tutorial Points by killing beasts. As the pillar slowly descended toward the forest floor, Jacob, Jake's supervisor, naturally assumed leadership, organizing priorities around finding water, food, and shelter.
What nobody realized yet was how fundamentally different Jake was from his companions. While they approached the tutorial with fear and hesitation, Jake felt an unusual excitement stirring within him. The hunt called to him in ways he couldn't yet comprehend-a primal instinct awakening after years of dormancy in the mundane modern world.
"There's something about this that feels right," Jake thought as he tested his bow's weight. "Like I've been waiting my whole life for this moment without knowing it."
Глава 3
The Awakening of the Primal Hunter
Jake's first real battle against badger-like beasts revealed something extraordinary about him. While his colleagues meticulously planned their attack strategy, Jake grew impatient with the excessive caution. When finally allowed to engage, he felt a natural connection with his bow as Archer's Eye activated, allowing him to perceive the beasts' weak points with supernatural clarity.
With fluid precision that surprised even himself, Jake dispatched the strongest beast with a perfect neck shot, then wounded another with a chest shot. The satisfaction he felt was profound-not from the violence itself, but from the perfect execution of the hunt. This wasn't just skill; it was instinct.
This natural aptitude became dramatically apparent during a night watch when three human attackers ambushed him. In that life-or-death moment, something awakened within Jake. His senses heightened to supernatural levels-he caught an arrow shot at him from behind, dodged attacks as if he had eyes in the back of his head, and killed all three higher-level attackers with brutal efficiency.
When his colleagues found him standing blood-covered over the carnage, Jake's casual response-"I won"-disturbed them deeply. But Jake was too busy checking his system notifications to notice their unease. The battle had awakened his bloodline ability: [Bloodline of the Primal Hunter]-a unique innate power enhancing his instincts, spatial awareness, danger perception, and granting +5% to Perception.
"This isn't just a game mechanic," Jake realized as he felt the new awareness spreading through his consciousness. "This is who I was always meant to be."
The bloodline awakening marked Jake's first step on a path fundamentally different from his companions. While they struggled to adapt to this new reality, Jake was thriving in it-as if he'd finally found the environment where he truly belonged.
Глава 4
Betrayal and the Path of Solitude
As the tutorial progressed, tensions grew between Jake and his companions. His reckless behavior during a boar attack led to Joanna losing her leg, creating a rift in the group. When confronted, Jake defended his actions by pointing out the harsh reality-nearly 100 people had already died in the tutorial, and the group needed to adapt or perish.
The breaking point came when they encountered Richard's group-a larger, more organized faction of survivors led by a former security professional. Richard demanded Caroline, their healer, join his group, making it clear her "recruitment" was non-negotiable. While the others debated their limited options, Jake made a shocking decision.
With unexpected confidence, Jake approached Richard directly, asking his level. When Richard revealed he was level 9, Jake expressed disappointment, then brazenly introduced himself as "Mr. Eat Shit" and declared he was leaving the group. Despite being physically smaller, Jake's predatory demeanor visibly unnerved Richard as he warned him to treat Jake's colleagues well or face deadly consequences.
"They seem to have misunderstood something," Jake thought as he departed into the forest, noticing Richard had already dispatched trackers to follow him. "I am the one hunting them."
What followed was a masterclass in ambush tactics. Jake eliminated Richard's hunting party one by one, culminating in an intense archery duel with Nicholas, Richard's right-hand man. Despite Nicholas's superior training and strength, Jake's heightened perception and bloodline abilities gave him the edge, allowing him to set a trap that ended with Nicholas's death.
This victory came at a cost-not physical, but spiritual. Jake was disturbed not by guilt over killing, but by his lack of it. Through introspection, he realized he didn't enjoy killing itself, but rather the challenge and thrill of the hunt. He'd always been driven by overcoming obstacles, not their aftermath.
"I don't want to be a murderer," Jake reflected while cremating Nicholas's body with surprising respect. "But I won't hesitate to hunt those who hunt me."
With this resolution, Jake embraced solitude, venturing deeper into the forest to hunt alone and grow stronger-a decision that would ultimately save his life when misunderstandings and manipulations turned the other survivors against him.
Глава 5
The Challenge Dungeon and the Malefic Viper
Jake's solitary path led him to a cave entrance hidden in a hillside. Following his intuition down a spiraling path filled with glowing blue mushrooms, he discovered a wooden door-the entrance to a Challenge Dungeon only accessible to those in the top 5% of tutorial points.
Inside, Jake faced increasingly difficult tests. First navigating halls of acid-tipped spikes using his danger sense, then collecting silver mushrooms while dodging more frequent traps, and finally crossing platforms floating above toxic water with his stats reduced to baseline levels.
The final challenge required courage-running across platforms that collapsed behind him despite his danger sense screaming warnings. His bravery unlocked a hidden bonus room containing a mural showing a snake's evolution from consuming mushrooms to becoming a powerful wyvern that devastated its world before finally breaking through the heavens to become a dragon.
The dungeon's final chamber presented Jake with a life-changing choice: become an Alchemist of the Malefic Viper or reject the profession. A spike pierced his hand, injecting poison into his veins with a challenge to cure himself within 30 days. Jake accepted without hesitation, gaining a profession specializing in creating poisons along with five skills: Herbology, Brew Potion, Concoct Poison, Toxicology, and the rare Malefic Viper's Poison.
"This is perfect," Jake thought as he examined his new abilities. "Not just power, but knowledge-the most dangerous weapon of all."
In the dungeon's library, Jake discovered books on alchemy fundamentals. Reading with remarkable speed, he learned about herb processing, equipment usage, and potion creation. After several failed attempts and twelve hours of work, Jake successfully crafted his first [Mana Potion (Inferior)], leveling up his Alchemist profession.
What Jake didn't realize was that his choice had caught the attention of something ancient and powerful. During his profession evolution, Jake was transported to a strange dark plane where he met a scaled man with snake-like eyes who revealed himself to be the Malefic Viper-not just a snake-turned-dragon as depicted in murals, but a god.
"You're the first human to complete my Challenge Dungeon in centuries," the deity admitted with surprising candor. "Most die horribly. I designed it as a joke, honestly."
Despite this revelation, Jake wasn't angry-he found the challenge more exciting knowing the stakes were real. Their conversation turned unexpectedly deep when the Viper shared his loneliness and the burden of immortality. Jake offered simple but genuine advice about finding new paths when old ones fail, surprisingly comforting the god.
This unusual friendship would prove crucial when the Malefic Viper granted Jake his True Blessing, elevating his powers beyond what normal tutorial participants could achieve.
Глава 6
Faction War and Manufactured Enemies
While Jake focused on his personal growth, the remaining survivors organized into factions led by Richard and a rival named Hayden. Through manipulation and deceit, Richard convinced the others that Jake was responsible for various murders and attacks, making him the perfect scapegoat for the increasing violence between groups.
Jacob, Jake's former supervisor, found himself reluctantly mediating between the faction leaders. Though he privately doubted Jake would commit the murders attributed to him, the political reality made Jake a convenient common enemy. "Jake was a private loner with uncanny combat abilities," Jacob explained to Hayden. "After killing three higher-level attackers in a single night, he appeared covered in blood and smiling."
What nobody suspected was that William, a teenage sociopath with metal manipulation abilities, was the true killer. Richard had been manipulating William, using him as a weapon against rivals while planning to "put down the mad dog" once his usefulness ended. However, William harbored his own agenda, having secretly allied with The Smith, a craftsman whose family Richard had murdered.
The factional tensions eventually erupted into all-out war, with Richard's forces battling Hayden's in a chaotic slaughter that decimated both sides. When the dust settled, less than fifty combatants remained from the original 1,200 tutorial participants.
In a shocking twist, William betrayed Richard, unleashing a devastating "Vortex of Steel" that shredded the remaining fighters. As Richard lay dying, William revealed that Richard had merely been a pawn in his plans all along. "You never understood," William laughed maniacally. "I was never your weapon-you were mine."
Глава 7
Evolution and the Path to Power
Throughout the tutorial, Jake focused relentlessly on improving his abilities, driven by an innate understanding that survival meant constant advancement. His Archer class evolved into "Ambitious Hunter," a rare specialization that not only resonated with his Primal Hunter bloodline but perfectly matched his relentless drive to seek worthy challenges. The evolution granted him significantly upgraded skills: "Hunter's Sight" replaced "Archer's Eye," offering enhanced perception and the ability to track prey across vast distances. The rare "Big Game Hunter" skill provided substantial bonuses when fighting higher-level enemies, particularly useful against apex predators and dungeon bosses.
His Alchemist profession underwent an equally impressive transformation, evolving to "Prodigious Alchemist of the Malefic Viper" - a title that commanded respect among other practitioners. This evolution came with impressive stat bonuses, particularly to Intelligence and Wisdom, while granting him two powerful new skills: Alchemical Flame, which could create controllable magical fire, and Touch of the Malefic Viper, allowing him to imbue weapons with deadly toxins. These abilities synergized perfectly with his hunting style, enabling him to tackle increasingly dangerous prey.
Most significantly, his racial evolution progressed from Human (G) to Human (F) and eventually Human (E), each stage representing a fundamental improvement in his being. The transitions brought increased stat gains - particularly in Strength and Agility - and unlocked new abilities like enhanced night vision and improved toxin resistance, crucial advantages in his chosen path as a hunter.
Jake's methodical approach to growth led him to discover the Badger's Den dungeon, where he systematically hunted increasingly powerful Venomfang Badgers. Starting with level 40 specimens, he worked his way up through the hierarchy, learning their patterns and developing specific strategies for each variant. This culminated in facing the Den Mother - a fearsome level 82 beast that guarded the dungeon's most valuable rewards. Despite the creature's impressive power, regenerative abilities, and pack tactics, Jake's specialized skills and carefully planned strategy proved decisive. The victory earned him his first Tutorial Quest: The Beast Lords, which revealed an intricate power structure where four legendary Beast Lords guarded ancient dungeons at the command of a mysterious King.
The crafting of his Venomfang dagger from the Den Mother's fang represented more than just a powerful weapon - it symbolized Jake's evolution from survivor to hunter. "This is what I've been looking for," Jake realized as he examined the gleaming weapon, its edge capable of delivering both physical and toxic damage. "Not just survival, but mastery - becoming the apex predator in this new world." The dagger would serve as both tool and reminder of his growing power, each victory bringing him closer to his ultimate goal of domination in this harsh new reality.
Глава 8
Hope in the Darkness
As the tutorial neared its end, only a handful of survivors remained from the original thousands. Jacob, haunted by the faces of colleagues he'd failed to protect, found himself at a crossroads. The weight of leadership had taken its toll - each death etched into his consciousness like a permanent scar. When the system presented him with a class evolution option for "Augur of Hope," he initially hesitated. This support class, focused on guiding and protecting others rather than direct combat, seemed at odds with the brutal reality they faced.
Upon accepting his evolution, Jacob was transported to a realm that defied comprehension - an impossibly vast hall that seemed to stretch beyond the boundaries of space itself. Here, he encountered "The Holy Mother," a being of such overwhelming perfection that his mind struggled to process her presence. Her radiance filled the hall with a warmth that reminded him of sunrise on Earth, a memory that felt centuries old.
The evolution granted Jacob a legendary skill called "One More Light" - a rarity tier so exceptional that even the system's most knowledgeable players had never encountered it. Though its exact function remained shrouded in mystery, Jacob noticed subtle changes. His presence seemed to strengthen others' resolve, and in moments of despair, those near him found renewed determination. Small wounds began healing faster in his vicinity, and his allies reported clearer thinking during crisis situations.
Meanwhile, Jake continued his solitary path through the tutorial's challenges, having embraced a fundamental truth: power wasn't just desirable in this new reality - it was essential for survival. A vivid dream forced him to confront his core motivation. In it, he relived every betrayal he'd ever experienced, from childhood disappointments to adult treacheries. The dream revealed that his pursuit of power wasn't rooted in a desire for violence or dominion over others, but in a deep-seated need to prevent betrayal.
When a mysterious entity - appearing as a shifting shadow with gleaming eyes - attempted to manipulate Jake by probing his past trauma, it found no purchase. Jake's clarity about his motivations had become his shield. He didn't want to rule or destroy; he simply wanted to possess strength so formidable that others would think twice before turning against him or those he chose to protect.
As the tutorial entered its final phase, Jake methodically prepared for his confrontations with the remaining Beast Lords. Each one represented not just a challenge to overcome, but a step toward understanding the tutorial's true purpose. His stat screen now displayed numbers that would have seemed impossible weeks ago, and his skill list had grown from basic abilities to an arsenal of specialized techniques.
"Whatever comes next," Jake thought as he reviewed his combat loadout one final time, "I'll face it on my terms - not as prey, but as the hunter I was always meant to be." The air around him crackled with barely contained power, a physical manifestation of how far he'd come from those first chaotic days of the tutorial.
Глава 9
The Transformation of Identity
Perhaps the most profound aspect of Jake's journey was how completely he embraced his new identity. Unlike many of his colleagues who clung desperately to memories of their former lives, Jake discovered that the System's arrival felt like coming home-as if his previous existence had been the artificial construct, and this dangerous new reality was where he truly belonged.
"I don't miss it," Jake realized one night while brewing potions in his makeshift laboratory. "The meetings, the reports, the endless cycle of meaningless work-it was all just killing time until this moment."
His enhanced abilities weren't just external powers granted by the System; they were expressions of his true nature finally unleashed. His Bloodline of the Primal Hunter wasn't a random assignment but a recognition of something that had always been dormant within him-a perfect attunement to the art of the hunt that transcended mere skill.
Even his choice of alchemy and poison-crafting reflected this transformation. Where others saw only danger in the toxic mushrooms and plants of the tutorial world, Jake saw opportunity-ingredients to be understood, mastered, and wielded. His willingness to consume poisons to build immunity through his Palate of the Malefic Viper skill demonstrated his commitment to this new path, regardless of temporary discomfort.
"We're not going back," Jake thought as he watched the tutorial's survivor count continue to dwindle. "This isn't a test or a game-it's evolution. Those who adapt will thrive; those who don't will perish."
In embracing this harsh truth while others denied it, Jake had already won the most important battle of the tutorial-the one against his own human limitations. Whatever the multiverse held in store after the tutorial's conclusion, Jake Thayne was ready to face it not as a displaced office worker, but as the Primal Hunter-a title earned through blood, poison, and the unrelenting pursuit of power.
Глава 10
The Inevitable Confrontation
As the tutorial neared its conclusion, Jake knew a final confrontation was inevitable. The misunderstandings and manipulations had painted him as the tutorial's villain, and the remaining survivors would seek him out-either for revenge or to eliminate a perceived threat before entering the wider multiverse.
When Jacob, Bertram, and Caroline arranged a meeting, Jake cautiously agreed despite his bitter feelings about their earlier betrayal. The meeting quickly revealed itself as a trap when Richard and Hayden appeared with dozens of attackers, surrounding Jake with magical barriers and elemental attacks.
In that desperate moment, Jake unleashed an unprecedented explosion of mana, shattering the fire whips binding him and sending attackers flying backward. Though wounded and weakened, he demonstrated the deadly effectiveness of his poisons when a charging warrior collapsed after being struck in the face with a vial, his skin peeling away and rotting before healers could intervene.
The battle culminated with Jake being impaled by Hayden's flaming spear, which burned his internal organs. With his last strength, Jake grabbed his attacker, causing the man's flesh to necrotize from his touch. Stumbling away, Jake reached a mysterious barrier and passed through it into what seemed like another world.
Though gravely injured, Jake wasn't finished. His soul traveled through the karmic bond created by the Malefic Viper's blessing, allowing him to recover while his body healed. The Viper warned this method was dangerous; if someone killed his physical form while his soul was separated, he would die permanently.
"You've made powerful enemies," the snake-god observed. "But you've also gained something more valuable-knowledge of who you can truly trust in this new reality."
As Jake prepared to return to the tutorial world, he reflected on everything he'd learned and accomplished. From a corporate office worker to a poisoner, hunter, and survivor, his journey had transformed him in ways he could never have imagined. Whatever challenges awaited in the final days of the tutorial and beyond, Jake was ready to face them-not just to survive, but to thrive in this dangerous new multiverse.
Глава 11
Legacy of the Primal Hunter
The tutorial's conclusion left the multiverse forever changed. Of the original 1,200 participants, fewer than 50 survived-each transformed by their experiences into something more than human. Some, like Jacob with his Augur of Hope class, found purpose in guiding others. Others, like William, descended into madness and destruction, becoming cautionary tales about power without restraint.
But Jake Thayne-the Primal Hunter, the Prodigious Alchemist of the Malefic Viper, holder of a Primordial's True Blessing-carved a unique path. Neither hero nor villain in the traditional sense, Jake represented something more primal: adaptation in its purest form. His journey demonstrated that survival in this new reality wasn't about clinging to old identities or moral frameworks, but about embracing change and finding strength in one's true nature.
As the barriers between worlds thinned and the survivors prepared to enter the wider multiverse, Jake stood at the threshold of limitless possibility. With his evolved human race, specialized class, and mastery of deadly poisons, he was no longer defined by his past but by the hunter he had become.
"This is just the beginning," Jake thought as he examined the rare Venomfang dagger crafted from the Den Mother's fang. The weapon symbolized his journey-forged from danger, honed through struggle, and deadly in the right hands. Like the snake in the ancient mural that evolved from mushroom-eater to dragon, Jake's path of evolution stretched endlessly before him, limited only by his ambition and will to hunt ever more challenging prey.
In a multiverse governed by the System, where gods watched and wagered on mortal fates, the Primal Hunter had announced his presence. And somewhere in the cosmic expanse, the Malefic Viper smiled, knowing his investment in this peculiar human would yield dividends beyond measure in the great game of the gods.
