Shang didn't know what he should think about the dean's words, but for now, the dean's words made a lot of sense.
"And what do you mean with reaching the same level of power as the Mages?" Shang asked.
"Basis of power per Realm," the dean answered. "Do you know what a Mana Source is?"
"Yes," Shang said. "When I met Duke Whirlwind, he told me about them."
The dean nodded.
"Then tell me, why would Apprentices need something above their own level to reach said level? Are they unable to reach it themselves?" the dean asked.
Shang frowned. "Probably not. It's probably possible to also become an Adept without one."
"Correct, it is possible," the dean said. "However, if an Apprentice doesn't absorb a Mana Source, they will reach the Adept Realm without having an intrinsic connection to their Affinity. This makes casting spells harder, take longer, and waste more Mana."
"With a lot of practice, said Adept can overcome these limitations, but that will take at least three additional decades, and that's assuming that the Adept with the Mana Source doesn't practice at all. As long as the Adept with the Mana Source actually trains their abilities, the gap will only widen."
"As you know, the Mages are supreme in this world. Us warriors don't even count as second-class citizens in their eyes. Why?"
"Because any random Adept can beat over 90% of the warriors at their same level. A matchup between an Adept and a warrior in the General Stage will end with the Adept winning 19 out of 20 times. Only the most elite warriors can take on an average Mage."
When Shang heard that, he took a deep breath.
That was a terrifying statistic. Sure enough, the Mages reigned supreme.
"Even worse, the gap only widens in the Third Realm. In general, it needs a team of at least three elite warriors in the Commander Stage to kill an average Mage."
"This gigantic gap exists mainly due to the Mana Sources. Without the Mana Sources, we warriors could take on the Mages on an almost even playing field," the dean explained.
"And you're trying to create something similar for warriors, I assume?" Shang commented.
The dean nodded.
"Bloodline Injection," the dean said.
"Bloodline Injection?" Shang asked with a raised eyebrow. "Like a blood transfusion?"
"Similar but not entirely the same," the dean explained. "We don't only replace the blood but also the marrow."
Shang took a deep breath when he heard that.
"The marrow?" he asked, his voice shaking a bit.
The dean nodded again, and he looked at Shang. "Your resistance to pain is the most important aspect."
Shang felt a hole open up in his chest.
Replacing someone's marrow.
Such a procedure would go beyond painful, and Shang guessed that, since the resistance to pain was so important, they couldn't do it under anesthesia.
"What do you get out of this?" Shang asked. "Not only does such a procedure have a very low chance of success, even if it has succeeded before, but I also don't understand what's in it for you."
"You did say that everything is fine as long as it increases your own power, right?"
The dean looked at Shang neutrally.
"Pride, knowledge, and revenge," the dean said.
"Pride, because I can say that I managed to elevate the world of warriors. I'm just a human, and just like every other human, I want my name to never be forgotten."
"Knowledge, because understanding more about the body of a warrior might allow me to further increase my strength."
"Revenge," the dean's eyes became cold, "I want the Mages to be thrown off their thrones."
Shang raised an eyebrow. "You had problems with Mages?"
"That's none of your concern," the dean said coldly. "What's of your concern is your compliance."
"You do want to become more powerful, right?" the dean commented. "The God wouldn't have sent me someone without any lust for power."
Shang looked with an evaluating expression at the dean. "I'm obviously interested. However, I don't trust you."
"You don't have to trust me," the dean answered directly. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have already killed you. Additionally, your survival is paramount to my plans. If you can't survive, my theorized method hasn't been proven yet."
"I'm not helping you. I'm helping myself, and you are simply an additional beneficiary of my help."
Shang definitely didn't like how the dean talked to him.
However, for some reason, Shang felt something he hadn't expected he would feel.
Respect.
Shang had no goodwill towards the dean, but he respected him.
Why?
Because, as far as Shang could tell, the dean wasn't someone that lied. Additionally, he hadn't even been vague with his answers.
He had been very direct, and instead of sneakily evading some questions, he had either fully answered them or directly told Shang that it was none of his business.
This was something Shang could respect.
However, for some reason, Shang still couldn't stand the dean. Shang wasn't certain why.
He just didn't like him.
Clank.
Shang heard something and looked at the table.
pᴀɴdᴀ nᴏveʟ His sword had returned. The silent sound had been the sword touching the table a bit while slowly flying towards Shang.
Shang put forward his hand and touched the sword.
Then, his eyes widened.
Shang could feel feelings coming off the sword!
"Our weapons have Spirits in them," the dean said. "The more powerful they become, the smarter they become. I would suggest that you find any Rank Two metal to strengthen your sword. Having an intelligent weapon will help you in your training."
Shang only barely heard the dean since he was preoccupied with his weapon.
What was his sword feeling?
Curiosity.
Closeness.
It was like the sword had met Shang for the first time, but for some reason, it felt very close to him.
It was like a child looking at its parents for the first time.
"When will you be ready for the procedure?" the dean asked, pulling Shang out of his thoughts.
Shang looked over, and his brows furrowed.
"Getting cold feet?" the dean asked emotionlessly.
"No, it's not that," Shang said.
"Then what? I don't have all day," the dean nearly growled.
Shang wasn't certain if he should tell the dean his thoughts, but in the end, he decided that he would go all in.
"I want an Affinity," Shang said.
The dean raised an eyebrow.
"I saw your disciple, and I believe that the path of a Magic Warrior is more fitting for me. However, the God hasn't given me an Affinity."
"So, is there a way to get an Affinity?" Shang asked.
"No," the dean answered directly. "Affinities are based on the soul of a person. If you wanted an Affinity, you would need to switch souls with someone that has one, and switching souls literally means switching bodies. In short, you would enter the body of the other person, but you would still not have an affinity."
Shang released a sigh.
When the dean saw that, a cold gleam shone in his eyes. "You lied," he commented with a cold voice.
"I had to," Shang said. "As I've said, I don't trust you. Because of that, I wanted to make sure that my Affinity couldn't benefit your power."
For a while, the dean only looked at Shang.
Then, he snorted.
"Smart," he commented. "Alright, so what is this Affinity about?"
Shang took another deep breath, and then, he decided to tell the dean everything he knew about his Affinity.
He even told the dean about the Pure Mana Source he had absorbed.
When the dean heard the details, he scratched his chin.
"It's definitely not an Ice Affinity," he said. "Additionally, you said that the God told you that it's a special Affinity. With his capabilities, it could be a unique one that doesn't even exist in nature."
The dean looked at Shang. "However, he wouldn't give you something useless. I guess that there is a way for you to unlock this Affinity by mixing different Mana Sources. If you want to take advantage of your Affinity, you maybe need to absorb another Mana Source to create a perfect mix."
"Let's try that out."
SHING!
Shang's eyes widened in shock.
What!?
The dean was so rich!?
Just now, the dean had taken out eight Pure Mana Sources with different affinities!
"You can keep whatever you can absorb, but I want to be paid back in the future," the dean said.
Shang looked at the Mana Sources.
Then, he looked at the dean.
"Deal!"