Progression Time

Book Recap

The Primal Hunter

Book 16 Recap· Released

TL;DR

Jake finishes his diplomatic mission to the Pantheon of Life, makes it official with the goddess Artemis, brings home a new friend and gets a new bow. A Nevermore reunion party, a Level 320 profession skill pick and an assassination attempt fill the middle. The trip home through the void goes wrong, and the book closes with Jake back at the Order and training with the Malefic Viper.

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I · The Main Plot

Where We Start

Jake is in the Pantheon of Life on his diplomatic mission, back from a successful hunting trip that had one assassination attempt by a major multiversal faction, with a new friend in tow (blurb). Chapter 1 is 'Friends in High Places' (overall ch. 1139).

Major Plot Points & Spoilers

  1. Settling in (ch. 1 to 13): 'Little Fella' (ch. 2), 'Secrets Disclosed', 'Girl Scary', 'Mask & Bow', 'The Future of the Multiverse', 'Two Small Sprouts', 'Expansion Plans', 'A Bloody Hard Time', 'The Power of Blood', 'A Burst of Venom', 'Return of the King 2: Gold Edition' and 'A Life of Two Masks' (ch. 13). The wiki dates a Mask of the Golden Forest King to ch. 1151.
  2. Nevermore reunion (ch. 14 to 16): 'Nevermore Party Party Invites', 'Quite a Unique Party' and 'A Proper Reunion Party'. The blurb says a full Nevermore reunion party is on the cards if all goes well.
  3. Politics and romance (ch. 17 to 27): 'New Attack & Two Matters to Address', 'Perplexing Plots Across the Milky Way', 'Laying Much Groundwork', 'Change', 'Royal Decree', 'Relationship' (ch. 26) and 'A Successful Diplomatic Mission' (ch. 27). The wiki's relationship page says Jake and the goddess Artemis agree to become a couple at ch. 1164, which is Book 16, ch. 26. It adds that the Pantheon and Order issue a Declaration of Friendship.
  4. Skill pick and bow (ch. 28 to 38): a Level 320 profession skill selection (ch. 28), 'Undesired Recognition', 'Invocation Experimentation' and 'An Application That Has to be Tested'. 'A Companion for Life' (ch. 34), 'A Bow for a Bright Future' (ch. 35) and a celebration. The wiki records a Mythical profession skill, Heretic-Chosen's Invocation of the Malefic Viper, picked at ch. 1167, and a Mythical bow, the Apex Hunter's Bow of the World Tree, at ch. 1172.
  5. Ritual and companions (ch. 39 to 57): 'Not One Calm Day', 'A Ritual Performed in Haste' (ch. 41), 'The Result of the Ritual', 'Planeswarper', 'Seeker', 'Operation Moonfall', 'Long Range Archery', 'A Peculiar Visitor', 'Divine & Dangerous Oddballs', 'Vortex Lance', 'Jasper, A Blessed Little Guy' (ch. 53), 'Minaga the Messenger' (ch. 54), 'Nightmare of the Olthorn' and 'Job Transfer'. The wiki's Jasper page describes a Shimmerfur Warpsnatcher Jake meets in a Pantheon hunting ground, takes with him via a ritual and helps get a Divine Blessing from 'the Seeker'. The ritual chapters may correspond, but the wiki page is the only source and does not give chapters.
  6. The void (ch. 58 to 69): 'Trouble in the Void', 'An Una-Void-Able Gamble', 'An Extremely Perplexing Situation', 'Unexplainable Motives & Culprits', 'Maybe Kidnapping Isn't That Bad', 'Knowledge Gap', 'The Older & Wiser Friend', 'A Long-awaited Conversation' and 'Emotions Are Complicated'. The wiki's Artemis page says the group was ambushed returning to the Order, Artemis fought gods far stronger than herself, and a plan by Jake led to the rescue. Culprits are not named in our sources.
  7. Back at the Order (ch. 70 to 77): 'Back In the Saddle', 'Healthy For You.', 'The Calm Before the Lesson', 'A Chosen's Lesson', 'Mental Fortitude Training', 'Evaluating Feedback', 'Wine Bottle of Beer' and the final chapter, 'Light' (ch. 77, overall ch. 1215).

Where the Book Leaves Off

Jake is back at the Order of the Malefic Viper after the void ambush. The last chapter titles ('A Chosen's Lesson', 'Mental Fortitude Training', 'Evaluating Feedback') point to lessons and training. The book's last chapter is 'Light', but we could not verify the final scene or any cliffhanger. Note: the void trip is NOT the end of the book. It happens around chapters 58 to 69, so the 'will surely not go smoothly' line in the blurb refers to the middle of the book.

II · Characters & Personal Progression

Romantic & Personal Status

Jake and Artemis become an official couple. The wiki records the agreement at ch. 1164 (Book 16, 'Relationship'). Artemis notes that, as a god and a mortal, exclusivity is not expected, but she asks for the right to bear Jake's firstborn. Per the wiki, the Malefic Viper also gifts her a Transcendent-level elixir that lets her break through to Godqueen; the chapter is not specified. Carmen remains listed as a friend-with-benefits.

Inner Circle Check-In

  • Artemis: Pantheon of Life goddess of hunting and archery, now Jake's partner. She fought to protect the group in the void ambush per the wiki.
  • Jasper: Shimmerfur Warpsnatcher who comes home with Jake. 'Jasper, A Blessed Little Guy' is ch. 53, and the Seeker's Divine Blessing arrives via the Viper's help. The wiki is the only source for Jasper as the blurb's 'new friend'.
  • The Malefic Viper (Villy): 'The Older & Wiser Friend' (ch. 64) and 'A Long-awaited Conversation' (ch. 65) are the Viper-focused chapters. The wiki says he discusses multiversal relationships with Jake and gives Artemis a 'shovel talk', but it does not place those scenes to a chapter.
  • Nevermore party: Reunited in ch. 14 to 16. Individual members' news is unverified.

Key New Faces & Factions

Oras the All-Seeingunknown

Cover star of Book 16 per the wiki. Referenced in 'Knowledge Gap' (ch. 63). His role is unverified.

Jasperally

Shimmerfur Warpsnatcher with space and aura-sensing abilities. Per the wiki he is helped to B-grade and given a Divine Blessing.

Minaga (as 'Messenger')neutral

Ch. 54. The Unique Lifeform who engineers Nevermore returns with a message. Content unverified.

The void ambushersenemy

Gods far stronger than Artemis, per the wiki. The culprits' identity and motives are unresolved in our sources ('Unexplainable Motives & Culprits').

III · End-of-Book Stats & Power Gains

Current Rank / Grade

C-grade. The wiki's Status sheet at ch. 1195 (Book 16, ch. 57) reads Race Level 329, Class Level 332, Profession Level 327, with HP 344,062, MP 584,734, Perception 64,921, Agility 49,928, Strength 40,033 and Wisdom 37,423. That is 20 chapters before the end of the book. Final levels are unverified. No grade evolution is recorded within this book's chapter range, so Jake ends it as a C-grade.

Dao / Path / Class Evolution

No grade, class or profession evolution. The Level 320 profession skill pick at ch. 1167 is Heretic-Chosen's Invocation of the Malefic Viper (Mythical), a skill that lets him invoke an aspect of the Viper to empower a Legacy skill. Between the ch. 1051 and ch. 1195 sheets (Books 14 to 16, so not all in this book) the class skills Archery of Expanding Horizons rise Epic to Ancient and Fangs of Man Ancient to Legendary, and Event Horizon (Mythical, from Book 15) appears.

Major Skill & Body Gains

  • Heretic-Chosen's Invocation of the Malefic Viper (Mythical profession skill, ch. 1167).
  • Apex Hunter's Bow of the World Tree (Mythical, ch. 1172), formed by Nature's Attendant from a system gift and a branch of the World Tree. It's soulbound and near-indestructible, with an 'Apex Hunter' enchantment.
  • Mask of the Golden Forest King (Unique, ch. 1151), which boosts nobility abilities and raises max mana by 25%.
  • Unblemished Arcane Arrows of the Horizon (Legendary class skill) appears on the ch. 1195 sheet but not the ch. 1051 one; the book it landed in is unverified.
  • Alchemy: Weak Humanoidsbane Poison (Epic, ch. 1208).

IV · Extras: Empire, Gear & World State

Territory & Faction Upgrades

The Order and the Pantheon of Life issue a Declaration of Friendship (wiki), and the mission is declared a success at ch. 27. Jake's home state is the Order of the Malefic Viper, where the book ends.

Signature Gear & Vessels

  • Apex Hunter's Bow of the World Tree (Mythical)
  • Mask of the Golden Forest King (Unique)
  • Umbral Cloak (Legendary, from Book 15) and Voidblade Katar (Legendary, from Book 13) remain on his equipment list

Ticking Clocks

  • The void ambush. Who sent gods after Jake's group, and why, is unresolved: chapter titles call the motives and culprits 'unexplainable'.
  • The multiversal faction behind the assassination attempt on the Pantheon hunting trip. The blurb names no faction.
  • Jake's level climb (class 332, profession 327 at ch. 1195). A grade evolution is the logical next step, and the wiki's Exalted Prima page says the Seat of the Exalted Prima event is slated for when the top 93rd-universe denizens reach B-grade.