Chapter 20: Professionals, Paths, Profession Tiers
"Then let me briefly explain the basic knowledge of a professional to you."
Gron closed the door, casually pulled out a chair, and gestured for Gauss to sit with him.
"In this world, there exist all sorts of races, which I suppose you’ve observed in your daily life. The most common are dwarves, gnomes, half-elves, and half-beastmen. These races are not much different from us humans, except for some external physical appearances."
"But there are also some special races, like the dragonborn, elves, beastmen, mermaids, banshees, giant dragons, etc., who are inherently endowed with extraordinary powers, a gift from their bloodlines."
"Besides the innate power carried by races, those who develop remarkable abilities through acquired practice are called professionals."
"Through countless people forging ahead, many unknown professional paths have been explored, most of which have disappeared into the dust of history, waiting for those destined to unearth them. The most common mainstream professional paths, however, have been passed down through generations."
Gauss listened very intently.
He knew having the opportunity for such an imparted experience was very rare, needing to find a professional who was willing to teach everything without reservation.
"Warriors, warlocks, mages, rangers, druids, wanderers..."
"These mainstream professions have the highest stability and a relatively high ceiling, making them suitable for advancement by various races."
"This suitability is relative; in reality, crossing from an ordinary person to a professional is still a very difficult process."
"Out of ten adventurers with decent aptitude, maybe only one can become a professional, or even fewer."
"I suppose, Gauss, you’ve also come into contact with some preliminary skills of the professionals, such as sword skills, combat skills, and magic."
As Gron spoke, he felt a bit parched, so he poured a glass of water for both himself and Gauss, looking at Gauss with determined eyes.
Gauss nodded.
There wasn’t anything to hide.
Since Boss Gron was willing to impart knowledge about professionals without compensation, it would be impolite to withhold information.
"Yes, I have now mastered a 0th Ring trick, ’Mage’s Hand’, and, um, a 1st-level spell ’Magic Missile’.
"Cough, cough—"
Originally drinking water calmly, Gron was immediately choked by the water.
"It seems your talent is better than I imagined."
After calming himself, his expression towards Gauss became more complex.
"Did you suddenly master these two spells after awakening your magic power?"
Gauss nodded.
Though it was a reward from the Adventurer’s Handbook, it was indeed quite sudden.
Gron seemed to have confirmed something, with an expression as if it was just as expected.
"You are quite lucky and talented, perhaps unaware of where your magic comes from."
No, I understand. Gauss thought to himself, but he didn’t interrupt Gron.
"Some say this kind of sudden enlightenment is a gift from the gods, while others claim that our world is inherently filled with various combat skills and magical power heritages, but most people in their lifetime never encounter it. Occasionally, there are lucky people like you who are given the chance to inherit."
"Apart from sudden enlightenment, most people need to learn combat skills and spells through books or instruction from other professionals, and with a lot of practice, they have the chance to master them."
Gron speculated that Gauss achieved enlightenment in spells and didn’t learn them subsequently because he lacked the resources to study magic.
"So, boss, does mastering skills like combat skills or spells make one a professional?"
"No, no, it’s not that simple," Gron shook his head. "This is just the first step, the most basic threshold. We often call this stage a professional apprentice."
"To become a formal professional, first, you need to practice your chosen skills to a very proficient level."
"How proficient, there’s no quantitative standard; it depends on individual perception."
"When you practice the skills to a suitable extent, you will feel the existence of a mysterious power from the surrounding world guiding you."
"This guidance is called a professional path."
"The professional path will condense an invisible existence within your body, the Profession Tier."
"The Profession Tier is the source of a professional’s power. To this day, we still can’t give it a concrete definition."
"The mainstream view is that it’s a rule product formed by this world. When we embark on the professional path and continuously dedicate ourselves, we can slowly grow stronger."
Gauss listened with an understanding that was half-clear, but he couldn’t help feeling joy in his heart. His Adventurer’s Handbook could quantify skills, giving him an unmatched advantage.
"So what I need to do now is to practice a spell to extreme proficiency, and then I’ll receive guidance to embark on the mage’s professional path?"
"Simply put, that’s the principle, but in reality, it’s not that straightforward." Gron nodded. "To practice skills to the guidance stage requires a substantial amount of time, and many people can’t achieve it in their lifetime."
"That’s when master instruction is needed."
"And even if you reach the guidance stage, there are still some difficulties."
"The professional path will subtly transform the quasi-professional’s body. Some people can’t adapt to this transformation and may need magic potions, reagents, a profession-changing ceremony, and some special treasures for assistance. The specific methods of advancement assistance vary depending on the profession and individual body differences. Only when the Profession Tier is fully condensed can one be considered to have become a 1st-level professional."
"Becoming a professional normally takes one to two years at a minimum, or several decades at a maximum."
...
"Thank you, Boss Gron!"
As Gauss prepared to stand up and leave, his mind was already filled with a wealth of knowledge about professionals.
He stood up and bowed deeply to Gron.
In this world, nobody is good to you without reason.
Even if Gron had a good personality, the knowledge of professionals is generally something professionals are unwilling to teach others for free.
Simply put, professional cultivation requires some external resources, be it armor, weapons, or auxiliary cultivation drugs.
And resources are limited, teaching and guiding another professional essentially means gaining another competitor.
Gron probably saw potential in him and wanted to cultivate a good relationship, or maybe his past short work experience here helped. In any case, Gron shared many professional secrets with him.
For instance, if he wanted to become a mage, having a magic wand would be ideal.
A magic wand greatly enhances a mage, not only in terms of battle strength but also in daily cultivation, as it can speed up practicing spells.
And the Life Magic Stone he took out was a kind of material to make a magic wand.
Towards the end, Gron seemed to realize he was saying too much and quickly added that he heard it from a professional friend.
Gauss naturally wouldn’t expose him.
Both of them tacitly maintained this familiarity.
"Boss, I’ll take my leave now."
"Alright, come back and see me if you get a chance in the future."
Gron waved his hand, watching Gauss’s distant figure with a dazed sight.
It was as if he saw himself decades ago, setting out with ambition.
At that time, he was also full of spirit and ambition.
Professionals, or rather adventurers, are truly extraordinary people, living lives in the pursuit of excitement that others dare not tread upon.
"Boss! I’ve decided. I want to become an adventurer like Gauss! I don’t want to forge iron anymore!"
"Marlin...to possibly say something that might sadden you."
"I think a blacksmith suits you better."