“Ethan, don’t let Jordan’s words get to you.”
After Jordan’s group left, Miles still looked annoyed. He thumped his chest and spoke as if he had just made an incredibly serious vow. “You’ve still got me, don’t you? As long as I have food to eat in the future, I absolutely won’t let you go hungry.”
Ethan laughed. “It was just noise. I’m not petty enough to hold a grudge.”
Just then, the last student stepped out of the Awakening Circle. The Profession Awakening Ceremony for Ethan’s class officially came to an end.
Claire Donovan smoothed down her hair, which had been tousled by the mana during the awakening, and stepped forward. As the conversations gradually quieted, she looked over the faces of the students who had just completed the most important milestone of their high-school years.
“Everyone, today’s Profession Awakening Ceremony has come to an end. Congratulations to all of you on completing high school and officially setting out on your professional paths.”
Claire didn’t speak loudly, but her voice was clear enough for the entire group to hear.
“Those who awakened civilian or production professions can begin choosing professional training programs, apprenticeships, or enter the workforce directly. Those with combat and support professions who wish to gain experience before enrolling in school can register to use the managed training grounds and low-level hunting zones. I’ve reminded you about the safety regulations many times. Don’t assume you can ignore them just because you’ve awakened.”
She paused briefly before continuing. “The Profession Aptitude Assessment will take place seven days from now at Chicago’s regional assessment center. Representatives from universities, specialized academies, and several recruiting organizations will be there. If you want to continue pursuing an advanced professional path, don’t forget the date.”
Claire’s gaze swept across every student.
“Finally, the profession you awakened today is very important, but it does not determine your entire life. The kind of person you become will also depend on what you do from tomorrow onward.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere became chaotic. Some of the students who had just awakened combat professions had already begun discussing leveling grounds and starting equipment. Those with support professions also gathered in groups, exchanging thoughts about party compositions and the schools they planned to apply to. Some were thrilled because their results had far exceeded expectations, while others fell silent because the professions they had awakened were completely different from the plans they had spent years preparing for.
Several students with civilian and production professions quickly called their families to share the news. Others packed up their belongings and left the school with unreadable expressions.
Ethan’s parents both belonged to this group. Daniel Mercer was a Chef, while Laura Mercer was a Blacksmith. Both of them had to work on Profession Awakening Day and couldn’t come to school to witness it.
Ethan and Miles said goodbye at the gates of Lakefront High School. Miles still had to go home and prepare for his leveling plans, while Ethan only wanted to find a secluded place to examine his body after Limitless Amplification.
The Mercer family home was in East Side, one of Chicago’s old working-class neighborhoods. Many of the buildings here had stood through several generations of residents. The infrastructure was no longer new, and most families in the area worked in civilian, production, or service jobs. It wasn’t the city’s most comfortable neighborhood, but the rent was still within the means of families with ordinary incomes.
Calumet Court Apartments was no different.
Ethan’s family lived in Unit 504, a small apartment with two bedrooms and a living room. On the way home, Ethan had assumed he would still be the first one there today. But as soon as he opened the door, he smelled the delicious aroma of hot food coming from the kitchen.
“Ethan’s home?”
The kitchen door opened, and Laura Mercer stepped out with a bowl of food in her hands. She was dressed simply, her black hair tied neatly behind her head, and her skin was healthily tanned from years of working in a hot environment. Her face still retained a youthful quality, but her hands, covered in thick calluses, showed that a Blacksmith’s work was never easy.
“Today’s your awakening day. Your father and I were allowed to leave work an hour early to celebrate.”
Ethan looked at the dining table, nearly covered with dishes, and immediately felt his stomach react before his mind did.
“It smells great. Did Dad make all this himself?”
He changed his shoes, casually grabbed a piece of meat from the table and popped it into his mouth, then set his schoolbag down on the sofa.
Laura immediately looked over. “Wash your hands before you eat. You’ve graduated from high school, but you still reach for the plates the moment you get home.”
“I know.”
Ethan answered quickly and went straight into the kitchen.
Daniel Mercer stood in front of the stove, steadily stirring the pan. He was considerably thinner than Ethan and wore a pair of brown-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose. A few wrinkles had become visible at the corners of his eyes, and silver strands had begun to appear in his dark hair.
Without turning all the way around, Daniel knew his son had entered.
“Ms. Donovan already sent us the results of your awakening.”
He tilted his head toward Ethan while keeping an eye on the pan in front of him.
“It isn’t the Warrior you wanted, but a Life Priest is still an extremely rare magic-system support profession. Don’t get discouraged by the advancement requirements.”
Ethan leaned against the edge of the kitchen counter and said with a smile, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m not that easy to discourage.”
He paused briefly before continuing. “Besides, I can still reach Level 10. Once I start leveling, even materials from low-level monsters will be worth something. At least I’m not planning to sit at home and complain.”
That was only a tiny part of the truth.
Ethan had no intention of telling his parents about Limitless Amplification. An ability that could amplify a Level 1 awakener’s entire Profession Profile to the point where four Forbidden Spells appeared was far beyond what an ordinary family could handle.
If other people noticed that secret, the danger wouldn’t be aimed at him alone.
The less Daniel and Laura knew, the safer they would be.
Daniel looked at him for several seconds, then nodded. “It’s good that you can think that way.”
He turned off the stove and poured the last dish onto a plate. “Go wash your hands and eat.”
Dinner that night was much more lavish than usual. Daniel had prepared several meat dishes that the family rarely bought all at once. No one talked much about Ethan’s nearly impossible advancement requirements. Daniel asked about his classmates, Laura asked about the ceremony, and Ethan shared a few unimportant stories from school while avoiding everything related to Limitless Amplification.
After dinner, Ethan was about to return to his room to continue getting used to his amplified body when Daniel called him back.
“Ethan, wait a moment.”
He turned around.
“Your mother and I have something to give you.”
Ethan was slightly surprised.
His family wasn’t poor, but most of Daniel and Laura’s income went toward rent, living expenses, and fixed costs. Ethan hadn’t thought they would have prepared an additional graduation gift.
Daniel went into the other bedroom. A moment later, he returned with a long box covered in a thin layer of dust. The surface was old, and the edges bore signs of wear from the passage of time.
Ethan looked at the box. “What is this?”
“Something the Mercer family left behind.”
Laura took a cloth and wiped the dust from the lid.
Ethan was even more surprised. “A family heirloom?”
“You could call it that.”
Daniel set the box on the table and unlocked it.
Inside were two items arranged neatly on faded lining: a medium-length blue-and-brown staff and a white magic cloak.
Ethan immediately recognized the type of equipment.
“Equipment for magic users?”
Daniel nodded. “Gold-grade.”
Ethan looked at him.
Those two words alone were enough to raise the value of the box to an entirely different level.
Daniel seemed to guess what he was thinking and laughed. “Don’t look at how our family lives now and assume the Mercers have always lived this way. More than a century ago, several people in the family awakened with considerable strength in Chicago. This equipment was passed down from that time.”
He touched the edge of the box.
“But in the generations that followed, no one awakened a suitable profession to use it. No one in the family wanted to sell it, so it was simply stored away.”
Laura looked at Ethan. “Now that you’ve awakened as a Life Priest, even though you aren’t a pure Mage, your profession still uses mana and is compatible with magic-system equipment. Keeping it in the box for another hundred years wouldn’t mean anything.”
Daniel pushed the box toward him.
“Take it.”
Ethan was silent for several seconds before reaching out and lifting the staff and cloak.
He understood the value of a Gold-grade equipment set very well. Given his family’s current circumstances, Daniel and Laura absolutely couldn’t afford to buy two equivalent items on the open market. If they sold them, the proceeds would be enough to make their lives considerably more comfortable.
Yet they had kept the equipment until today and handed it over to him.
Ethan tightened his grip slightly on the staff.
“Thank you, Mom and Dad.”
Laura laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair as she had when Ethan was little. “You’re our son. What are you thanking us for?”
Daniel merely said, “If you’re going leveling tomorrow, take them with you. These two aren’t a complete set anymore, but they’re still far better than ordinary equipment for a newly awakened person.”
“Okay.”
Ethan nodded, unable to hide his excitement this time.
He carried the box back to his room, closed the door, and only then took out the two pieces of equipment.
The cloak fit him better than he had expected. After putting it on, Ethan held the staff and tried channeling mana into both items. Since awakening as a Life Priest, controlling mana had become almost instinctive. Without any lengthy training process, his Profession Profile had already given him the basic ability to operate compatible equipment.
The moment the mana touched the two items, information appeared.
「Name: Cloak of Benevolence」
「Type: Cloak」
「Quality: Gold」
「Effect: When equipped, creates a magic shield capable of absorbing damage in the user’s place. The shield’s maximum capacity is equal to 5% of the user’s current health limit.」
Ethan switched to the staff.
「Name: Staff of Benevolence」
「Type: Staff」
「Quality: Gold」
「Effect: Carries Earth and Lightning elemental resonance. Increases Earth-attribute damage effectiveness by 8%. When a compatible attack is activated, there is a 10% chance of triggering an additional instance of Lightning-attribute damage.」
Ethan read both descriptions again.
One defensive item and one offensive enhancement.
For someone who had just awakened at Level 1, this equipment set was almost extravagantly good.
But Ethan was not an ordinary Level 1 awakener.
He looked at the two items in his hands, and an idea immediately appeared.
If the Profession Profile could be amplified, then equipment he owned could naturally become a target as well.
Ethan focused his consciousness.
“Amplify this equipment set.”
The familiar interface appeared.
「A target belonging to the user has been detected.」
「The Mage’s Benevolence Set has been recognized as a unified equipment structure.」
「Limitless Amplification can be performed.」
Ethan didn’t hesitate.
“Proceed.”
「Limitless Amplification beginning.」
No light spilled out of the room, and no violent mana fluctuations erupted. The two pieces of equipment in Ethan’s hands only trembled slightly for a moment. Afterward, the sensation of channeling mana through them changed immediately.
「Amplification complete.」
Ethan checked the cloak first.
「Name: Cloak of Truth」
「Type: Cloak」
「Quality: Legendary」
「Evolved from: Cloak of Benevolence」
「Effect: Creates a magic shield capable of absorbing damage in the user’s place. The shield’s maximum capacity is equal to 100% of the user’s current health limit.」
「Note: The equipment’s defensive structure has reached its current amplification limit.」
Ethan’s expression changed immediately.
From 5% to 100%.
Limitless Amplification didn’t simply multiply the old effect by ten thousand. It had directly pushed the cloak’s defensive structure to the limit the equipment itself could withstand.
He immediately checked the staff.
「Name: Staff of Truth」
「Type: Staff」
「Quality: Legendary」
「Evolved from: Staff of Benevolence」
「Effect: Carries Earth and Lightning elemental resonance. Whenever the user activates a compatible attack or skill, it guarantees an additional instance of Earth- or Lightning-attribute resonance.」
「Note: Activation chance has reached the 100% limit.」
Ethan stood motionless in his room, looking at the two pieces of equipment once again.
Legendary.
This quality was so rare that most ordinary awakeners could only see it in auction catalogs, loot records, or the equipment of high-level powerhouses. As far as Ethan knew, even among those who had reached around Level 70 and entered the Supreme Rank, many still might not possess a suitable Legendary item.
Yet he had just transformed two Gold-grade family heirlooms into a Legendary set right there in his bedroom.
Ethan couldn’t help laughing.
This time, he had truly stumbled onto a tremendous gift.
What interested him most was still the Cloak of Truth. After amplifying his Profession Profile, Ethan’s body had become far stronger than before, but he still hadn’t had a chance to determine its true limits. The cloak now created an additional shield with durability equal to his entire current survivability.
In other words, to truly injure Ethan, someone would first have to break through this shield.
Based on what he knew about the gap between Ranks, Ethan estimated that for quite some time, most awakeners below Diamond Rank would have a hard time piercing both the shield and his body, which had been enhanced by Limitless Amplification.
Of course, that was only a guess.
He still hadn’t tested his true strength, much less learned how the shield would react to special types of damage.
But this defensive ability alone was enough to change a great many things.
Ethan looked at the Staff of Truth in his hand and gave his wrist a slight twist. The staff wasn’t heavy, but with his current physical attributes, using it as a close-combat weapon would be no trouble at all.
A Life Priest with four Forbidden Spells, a body transformed by Limitless Amplification, Legendary equipment draped over his shoulders, and a staff in hand as he charged into close combat.
Imagining that scene, Ethan laughed again.
Tomorrow, he could start leveling.