Ranks

Chapter 34: Ranks

Beatrice had indeed been affected.

And someday in the future, would she come back and kill him, her "master"?

Sulu said self-deprecatingly, "As expected, 99 percent of mutated rituals end badly! What should I do?"

"Simple!"

Rhode's expression was resolute. "Find her and kill her before she grows strong! Wipe out all the corruption and the seed!"

The bomb I set off is ultimately mine to deal with!

Sulu smiled bitterly to himself. "How do I find her?"

"You conducted the ritual, so there must be a mystical connection and a sense of resonance between the two of you!" Rhode said.

Sulu immediately recalled the Pentagram brand on Beatrice's forehead. Once she had gone beyond a certain distance, he had completely lost that sense of resonance.

He hesitated, then explained what had happened.

Rhode thought it was perfectly normal. "You're too weak. Naturally, you'll lose the connection when she gets too far away... Or she might deliberately 'block' it until she's fully grown. If you want to catch her, you have to strengthen yourself. For instance... become a true supernatural!"

"Sure!" Sulu agreed at once, then noticed the surprise on Rhode's face.

"You agreed?" Rhode's mouth fell open.

"Yes, I agreed. Is there a problem?"

"When you were little, you were so resistant..." Rhode rubbed his hands together.

That's because I'm a different person now. Besides, if you don't become a professional, is there any way to survive in this world?

Sulu rolled his eyes inwardly. "I'm grown up now... Tell me about ranks and the supernatural."

"Sure!"

Rhode thought for a moment, then said, "Supernatural power has always existed in this world, whether during the 'Twilight' or the 'Dawn.' Those who wield supernatural power are called 'supernaturals,' or 'professionals'!"

"Then how do you become a professional?"

Sulu asked eagerly.

"It's simple... through 'advancement' and 'changing professions'!" Rhode smiled and explained, "We call the supernatural paths in this world 'profession paths.' Only after obtaining a first-tier profession can you truly be considered a 'supernatural'!"

"In the mystical world, we divide profession paths into several ranks: first-tier 'Supernatural,' second-tier 'Elite,' third-tier 'Expert,' and fourth-tier 'Master'... The Supernatural tier means their nature has transcended that of ordinary people. Second-tier Elites are the cream of the crop among supernaturals. Experts have conducted in-depth research in their respective fields, while Masters have mastered all the knowledge of a particular school."

"That's easy enough to understand. What comes after the fourth tier?" Sulu pressed.

"Isn't the fourth tier enough?" Rhode said, astonished. "During the Twilight of the Gods, Masters were the true pinnacle... As for the fifth and sixth tiers, they're legends. They're myths!"

"Then how do you obtain a first-tier profession?"

"There are all sorts of ways, depending on the 'profession path' you choose. Take our family's Witch Hunter path, for instance. Its first-tier profession is [Demon Contractor], which requires performing a ritual called 'Gaze into the Abyss.' A first-tier [Apprentice] has to complete the transformation of mystical power, while a [Soldier] must undergo arduous training to awaken their body's potential and break through... Others need to take special potions. But overall, the most common methods are performing rituals, training, taking potions, or asking certain beings for help..."

"[Apprentice] and [Soldier]?" Sulu's ears perked up. He seemed to have heard Donald mention Soldier, but Donald hadn't been willing to say much about it.

"They're the two most widespread first-tier professions. One studies spellcasting, while the other focuses on physical strength... They represent two different broad paths..." Rhode looked Sulu in the eye. "What do you think profession paths come from?"

"Are they bestowed by the gods? Or do we discover them ourselves?" Sulu ventured.

"Exactly. But the knowledge bestowed by the gods makes up only a tiny portion. There are countless professions in the world today, and most were discovered by us humans through learning from supernatural beings and mystical powers, as well as through all sorts of crazy experimentation... Perhaps in ancient times there were only a handful of profession paths, but today there are so many that even the most learned supernatural might not be able to count them all. Some vanished into history, while others flourished... But!"

Rhode spoke more emphatically, making his meaning clear. "Only the most widespread paths offer a chance to reach the summit!"

"The summit?"

"Let me put it this way. Profession path systems are like trees. [Soldier] and [Apprentice] are the two with the thickest trunks, and they have countless branches. For instance, when an [Apprentice] advances to the second tier, they can choose the Enchantment branch and become an [Alchemy Apprentice], delve into the power of spells and become a [Spell-Toucher], or study Arcane and become an [Arcane Scholar]! These are all second-tier professions branching off the [Apprentice] path. There are even more at the third tier... The more branches there are, the more options you'll have in the future! The [Soldier] path is the same. You can become a second-tier [Swordsman], a [Ranger], or a [Gunfighter], a profession that's only recently become popular... The more branches there are, the stronger the tree grows, and the higher its peak will be compared to other professions... As long as you don't take a wrong turn!"

"But..." Rhode continued. "Some first-tier professions have very few branches. The [Witch Hunter], for example, has only two choices: light and darkness. You can either resist or fall!"

Sulu suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness.

His intuition told him that Rhode didn't want him to follow in the family's footsteps.

"I understand... When choosing a profession path, you have to aim for the highest tier. Paths with more branches give you more options, and offer you a greater chance of success in the future."

Sulu nodded gravely.

"Exactly. Some obscure professions have either lost their traditions or become impossible to advance in because their requirements can't be met. They're dead ends... Take the legendary [Dragon Shepherd], for example. To advance, you have to tame a Great Dragon! Seven Gods above! If you can't find a dragon, you'll be stuck there forever!"

Rhode sighed. "Throughout the history of the mystical world, countless geniuses have created all kinds of secret professions, but only a few have truly made it to the end... I'm warning you: choose carefully. You can take on multiple professions, but if you waste a lot of energy on a profession you can't advance in, you'll have less chance of reaching the higher tiers..."

"Take on multiple professions?"

Sulu's ears perked up. He'd just heard something incredibly exciting. "Can you take on multiple professions?"

"Of course. As long as their attributes don't conflict, you can take on ten professions if you want. No one will stop you, because your rank is always determined by your highest profession, and the gap between each rank is terrifying."

Rhode shrugged. "People only have so much energy, after all, and the rules of many professions conflict with one another. Taking on multiple professions does more harm than good... I once heard of a bizarre fellow who took on five professions and ended up stuck at the first tier forever. Having more professions gave him a wider range of abilities, and he might even have been able to hold his own against a second-tier Elite, but he'd never have stood a chance against a third-tier Expert."

"I just thought that if I can take on multiple professions, then even if I choose the wrong path, I'll still have another chance."

Sulu smiled.

Their conversation had taught him a lot.

"It's still best not to choose the wrong path. Even a genius might not get very far along a profession path..." Rhode cautioned him gravely.

"How far can a profession path go?"

Sulu suddenly sighed. "From what you've said, the Witch Hunter path in your family only reaches the fourth-tier Master rank!"

"Isn't the fourth tier enough?"

Rhode's expression was a little odd. "Besides... a [Demon Hunting Master] can still advance further, but they need help from the Goddess Church. I saw it in the family records: one of the Portley Family's ancestors became a sixth-tier [Guardian of God]!"

"What comes after the sixth tier?"

Sulu suddenly asked.

Rhode froze for a moment, then put on a stern expression. "I won't discuss such a blasphemous question with you!"

In fact, you've already answered me. Blasphemy, is it?

Sulu pondered. Perhaps the summit of the profession ranks can touch the realm of the gods?!