NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32: Choosing the Path
"Now sit cross-legged below," Linda ordered.
Merlin didn't argue and obeyed, sitting cross-legged.
Linda reached out and touched his head. His eyes closed as she channeled her mana into his body.
Whoosh!
A bright blue light flashed, and Merlin felt warmth flood through him. At the same time, however, he also felt as though he was being scrutinized, as if Linda were peering inside him.
A moment of panic surged in him; he whispered, 'She won't discover the existence of the system, will she?'
"[Don't worry, Master. I am the supreme existence, and no living being can trace me within your body.]" The system's soothing voice echoed in his mind.
Merlin sighed in relief, his anxiety melting away. Yet those words made him feel as though he had stumbled upon a great secret.
'Supreme existence, huh? Does that mean you're very powerful, system?' he asked playfully.
"[Ahem! Don't praise me like that, Master. It's embarrassing.]" the system replied shyly, its face flushed.
System: (,,¬﹏¬,,)
Merlin rolled his eyes. He didn't know whether the system was male or female, but in his mind it was definitely a man. Its shy demeanor—plus the blush on its face—for some reason only made him feel disgusted.
Had the system known what he was thinking, it would have scolded him, saying, "[Master, you are so cruel!]"
The blue light slowly faded, and Linda withdrew her hand.
Her gaze toward Merlin was now filled with admiration.
"I didn't expect that behind your annoying demeanor in the past lay such a terrifying talent. A-level talent is extremely rare—even at the Academy of Saint Freya. Livia and Ardhis are really lucky to have you, Merlin," Linda praised sincerely.
She had just examined Merlin's body and discovered his talent was level A. Admittedly, compared to level S, level A was nothing.
Still, it was among the highest levels, and only a handful of people possessed it. Not only was the dragon spirit he awakened immeasurable, but his own talent was equally terrifying.
With proper training, Linda was confident Merlin would grow into an extremely powerful figure in the future.
Merlin merely smiled at her praise. Of course, that talent was the one he had awakened last night. Without it, he doubted Linda would be saying such things.
In truth, the original Merlin had been useless and completely without talent.
"By the way, after examining your body, I found that your mana supply is very large—larger than most children your age. So, I'll give you two choices: do you want to grow up as a fighter or a mage?"
Linda's question caught Merlin off guard. He didn't answer immediately, falling into contemplation.
'Which one should I choose?' he wondered silently.
In this world, specialties were divided into two: melee and ranged. Melee included fighters, swordsmen, spearmen, and the like.
Meanwhile, ranged included archers, mages, and several other branches. Mages themselves, of course, had further paths such as diviners, healers, and more.
In short, there were countless choices he could consider. Yet, for the past few days, he had already been leaning toward one path—melee.
He wanted to be like an assassin—killing swiftly, just like in the movies. Besides, he already had the Primodium Twin Daggers, which were perfect for the path he had in mind.
But before he could speak, a mission panel suddenly appeared in front of him.
"[Ding! A new mission has been released! Choose to specialize as a mage! Reward: 10,000 system points and 1x A-level healing potion!]"
Merlin froze. 'System, what's wrong with you? Why would you give me a mission like this?'
It wasn't that he disliked such an easy mission, but the reasoning behind it made him doubtful and uneasy. He was sure missions like this didn't appear without cause.
"[Ahem! Don't be so suspicious, Master. I just think you're very suited to be a mage. Imagine it like this—if you become a mage, you can fly and rain down fireballs from the sky! Or better yet, summon hundreds of thunderbolts from the clouds! Isn't that amazing?]" The system's voice was filled with excitement.
The corners of Merlin's mouth twitched.
'Your reasoning is too far-fetched, system. Do you really think I'll be fooled?'
Even so, he had no intention of pressing for the real reason.
Aside from the fact that the system wouldn't answer, knowing too much in his current weakened state would only make things harder for him.
After all, the mind was one of the foundations of strength. If it were burdened and distracted, it would only hold him back from rising.
Snapping out of his reverie, he looked at Linda standing before him and replied, "I want to grow up as a mage!"
"[Ding! Congratulations, Master, for completing the mission of choosing to become a mage! Reward: 10,000 system points and 1x A-rank healing potion. Would you like to receive it now? Yes/No.]"
Merlin chose "No" without hesitation, and the system panel vanished from sight.
"Good!" Linda couldn't help but smile. "To be honest, I was really hoping you'd choose to be a mage. The mana in your body is plentiful, and you have A-level talent. I'm sure you'll become the strongest mage after me."
Her high praise left Merlin a little embarrassed. By now, he was beginning to understand why the system had given him that mission.
'Could it be related to Linda?' He wondered silently.
"Alright, let's begin. Close your eyes and feel the mana flowing through your body. If you manage to sense it, let me know."
Linda's voice pulled him from his thoughts. Merlin nodded and did exactly as she instructed.
Linda took a few steps back, watching with interest as Merlin sank into meditation.
"How long will it take him to feel it? An hour? Two? Or maybe a whole day? I'm curious to find out…" A playful smile curved her lips.