NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1022: Whetstone (2).
Cain sucked in a deep breath.
As his thoughts whirled around, he kept the breath in his lungs for a while, then he exhaled slowly.
This was a breathing exercise to better his control...
He was more or less a jack of all trades, not fitting into a single category.
He could cast spells like a mage-type, heal himself and others like a healer, could use long range attacks like a Ranger and gunslinger, could tank a lot of heavy hits like a bruiser, and could deal a crap ton of damage as a regular fighter.
His armory comprised of several types of weapons and armor which he could utilize.
His skills, spells, and abilities were all varied as well.
Even the {Divine Essence of Metallurgy}, which in essence, wasn't a combat skill, reflected his nature;
Ever shifting, never conforming to a standard.
The {Divine Essence of Metallurgy} showed the presence of change in something that could be rigid, after all.
He paused his all over the place thoughts for a moment,
'Perhaps it is time to choose.'
What exactly did he want to be?
Choosing a single path, would give him more focus and direction, as well as increase his avenues of growth while still giving him some sort of uniformity.
A singular path to focus on.
'But what could that path be?'
Right now, there were two main routes to take;
The unkillable juggernaut route, and the world-shattering glass cannon route.
Although there was a lot of nuance behind them, that was the gist of it.
'The main issue, is the sheer number of skills and spells, I suppose. If I can focus on combining them into more compact, but more powerful forms, maybe I can narrow the possibilities down. But that would only work for my skills. The spells on the other hand...'
He paused for a moment then sighed mentally.
Of course it wouldn't be so easy.
After all, each and every one of his current skills were acquired through unique circumstances. Trying to piece them all together would turn his skill set into a Frankenstein-esque patchwork mess.
He shook his head,
'The problem isn't having too many skills. It's having so many skills as varied as they are right now.'
Sure, that came with a few bonuses of its own, but at the same time...
He could use Mana, Ki, Demon Matter, and Spirit. He seriously doubted there was any being in existence that could use that many energy sources all at once.
It was simply too overwhelming.
Suddenly, Cain froze.
'Combining all energy sources...'
He frowned.
He had done something like that before.
Well, not quite.
Instead, he had caused a single type of energy to undergo metamorphosis and become something else. Something unique only to himself.
He had turned the Devil Essence within him into a new form of energy that consumed Devil Essence; Demon Matter.
And while that was not the same as combining two strains of mystical energy to turn them both into a whole new singular existence, it sure came damn close.
'It is way too farfetched.'
The more he thought about it, the more he was certain something like that couldn't work.
After all, Mana, Ki, Demon Matter, whatever they may be, were all different in nature and make.
The same way even though oil and water were both liquids, they were not the same thing. They also couldn't mix, which made them incompatible.
He was yet to know if mana and Ki could be mixed together, but something told him the results would be much worse than mixing water and oil together.
Perhaps even dangerously so...
Even after thinking about it for a while, he couldn't quite come to a resolution that satisfied him.
And so, he did what he had always done when stumbling on a difficult path,
'System, what should I do?'
{Replying to Host: The host's dilemma is a unique one. Most beings that find a connection to the 'system' possess affinities for singular paths. And as such, the skills, spells, and abilities they develop have a semblance of uniformity for the most part. The host, on the other hand, possesses multiple affinities for various pathways, none of which can be greater, or lesser than the other}.
Cain pressed his lips together,
'Then, what should I do?'
The system was silent for a moment.
{Replying to Host: Congratulations to Host; You have received a Quest!}
Cain's eyes widened.
Suddenly, a wide array of system prompts appeared right in the air before him.
The most notable one, however, was the prompt that contained the details of the quest;
***
{Quest Description}: The host is at a crossroads, seeking a singular path. To provide direction, the following quest has been generated;
{Stage 1}: Endure thirty days without the use of Mana or Spirit.
Reward: 100,000 Free Attribute Points distributed among all physical stats, weighted by the host's performance throughout the quest, and a hidden reward revealed only upon completion.
{Stage 2}: Endure thirty days without the use of Ki or Demon Matter.
Reward: A fivefold multiplier to the proficiency growth of all Mana- and Spirit-based spells and skills, and a hidden reward revealed only upon completion.
Note: Both stages will be undertaken sequentially. The host may decide the order in which they are attempted.
Would the host like to choose which stage to begin with?
***
Cain froze.
This was certainly... something.
The last quest the system had given him, he had completed rather dutifully. Throughout and ever since the inception of mana onto Urbus, he had received no more than a handful of system quests. He was sure there had been no more than five of them.
And now, the system had suddenly generated a quest for something that seemed so... inconsequential.
He pursed his lips.
The system truly was strange and mysterious. To the point where it was a bit concerning sometimes.
However, the more he thought about it, the more he figured this was a rather ingenious way to help him resolve his struggle.