Chapter 47 : Chapter 47
Chapter 47 : Self-Reflection
Sal was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.
It had been quite a while since he had woken up, but judging by the lack of light coming through the glass wall, Saturday evening seemed to have long passed.
The conversation he had with the Headmaster kept replaying in his mind.
'What exactly were the side effects that Upgrade and the team members reported?'
Thinking about it, it was only natural that their bodies didn't have time to adapt to the new abilities.
The fact that Upgrade was suddenly able to manipulate Essence and activate the combat suit was a warning sign in itself.
But in that moment, all Sal had seen was their joy and excitement.
Sal closed his eyes and recalled other ability users he had encountered.
'If I had untied the knots of someone with an explosive ability, could that person have been seriously injured or even died? If I had amplified a speedster's ability, could their body have handled the new speed?'
These gloomy thoughts eventually led to a truth he had long ignored.
Didn't the Healer say there was damage to his eyes when she treated him?
Didn't that mean his body was breaking down because of his ability?
What on earth was the Skill Tuning Chamber the Headmaster mentioned, and could it help someone like him?
Sighing, Sal tossed and turned before burying his face in the pillow.
The excitement of becoming rich had long subsided, leaving only emptiness behind.
It had barely been a week, yet he was swept away by his new abilities.
Being able to craft Legend rank items was, of course, a tremendous achievement.
Thinking of the Argento Auction House, he knew he could jump back into the family business and amass immense wealth.
Lying in bed, Sal chewed on that thought alone.
'Was money really my true motivation?'
He had some ambition, but not enough to establish his own guild.
That was something for those who were inherently strong and born leaders.
"Because that's a job for the Saviors."
Groaning to himself, Sal reluctantly left his cozy bed and stood up.
The tablet on the desk caught his eye, but he had no intention of checking it right now.
He still needed to organize his thoughts.
With that thought, he kicked his clothes aside and headed for the shower.
"Alright, let's go."
Sal braced himself and turned on the cold water, thrusting his body under it.
Sharp breaths escaped him involuntarily as the icy stream hit his skin.
Sal placed both hands against the wall, looked down at his toes, and steadied his breathing.
Then, he voiced the question that had been haunting him since the moment he arrived at the Academy.
"Do I really want to become a hero?"
Clenching his jaw to stop his teeth from chattering, Sal tried to answer that question.
From the start, he intended to learn his ability properly and be recognized as an appraiser or analyst.
He had come to the Academy believing he would open a branch of the Argento Auction House and live comfortably.
But now he had an ability that could help others.
He had no choice but to rethink his future.
'Could I sleep soundly at night living as an auctioneer? Knowing that my power could help thousands of heroes fight monsters?'
Working as a crafter was satisfying, but it was just suppressing his true ability.
Sal turned the shower dial further, making the water even colder.
Taking a deep breath, he realized he had never truly thought about his future.
'Just two weeks ago, I never even imagined I would become a crafter... and now it's become my main path? The Mythos Crafter ability didn't even exist before I created it. So why am I letting that skill determine my future?'
Turning off the shower, Sal stood there for a moment, catching his breath.
He had become crushed by the expectations suddenly placed upon him.
Originally, his ability was Skill Master, not Mythos Crafter.
Sal recalled the expression on Upgrade's face when he unleashed her ability.
Of course, the guilt about the side effects still remained, but the pure joy and wonder on her face was a scene he would never forget.
It was something he had created with his own power.
It wasn't a patchwork of stolen skills.
Sal took a towel from the rack.
Then, suddenly, the idea of becoming a Guild Master as a Supporter class made him laugh hollowly, and he stopped drying himself.
Supporters don't become leaders.
They advise, support, assist... they are responsible for everything in the background.
He had been confining himself within the box of a Supporter.
Simply because it was the path his parents had walked, and his ability seemed to fall into that category.
Even at this moment, the abilities of Crafting and Skill Master clearly belonged to the Supporter class.
Upgrade's lecture had given him a great stimulus.
He felt the clear boundaries between job classes among the students.
The Supporter class was considered inferior to other classes simply because of their numbers.
As if, while numerous useful roles and positions existed for the future of humanity, the Supporter class was a miscellaneous category for people who weren't immediately needed.
As that thought solidified, Sal gritted his teeth.
Attackers, Defenders, Controllers, Healers.
These were all valuable resources that guild scouts drooled over.
On the other hand, Supporters were beings barely picked at the very end of recruitment.
Of course, Mythos Crafter was such a unique skill that it might rise to the top of the recruitment list.
'But what about me as an appraiser? Would guilds choose me? or would they choose Dominic Walters of the Defender class? What about Hannah? She's also a Defender class... Will she get into a guild before me?'
Sal had spent his life learning to appraise the value of objects, but now he was appraising the value of people.
'Did Quest think the same thing? Is that why the Savior Class was created? To provide a stage for talented Supporters to prove their capabilities? Why didn't Upgrade belong to one of the top guilds? She is clearly a hero and possesses tremendous ability as a crafter... Is it really best for her talent to be used to teach others?'
Sal's indifference was gradually turning into irritation as he thought about the gap between classes.
With a towel wrapped around his waist, he found the tablet on his desk and opened the guild directory.
After adjusting the filters by function, his expression grew darker as he looked at the search results.
Active Guild Count: 384
Sort By: (Function: Supporter) (Status: Active) (Academy Approved: Yes) (Open for Recruitment: Yes)
Search Results: Total 13
1. Agricultural Essence (Grade 4)
- Agriculture / Food & Beverage Service
2. Amplitude (Grade 4)
- Skill Assessment Service
3. Evaluator (Grade 4)
- Appraisal Service
4. Bureau (Grade 3)
- Administration / Research Service
5. Conscription (Grade 4)
- Hero Recruitment / Talent Scout Service
6. Fabrication Corp (Grade 3)
- Crafting / Commission Service
7. Credit Floor (Grade 3)
- Auction / Appraisal / Commission Service
8. Domain Repair (Grade 3)
- Construction / Restoration Service
9. Halo Kit (Grade 4)
- Emergency Treatment Service
10. Premier Recruit (Grade 5)
- Hero Recruitment / Talent Scout Service
11. Traverser (Grade 4)
- Delivery / Transport Service
12. Utility+ (Grade 4)
- Crafting / Commission Service
13. Wreckers (Grade 3)
- Demolition / Construction / Restoration Service
Sal looked at the list with disbelief.
Even with over 300 active guilds registered, there were only thirteen Supporter class guilds that were viable options for graduates.
There might be many companies or businesses that hired Supporter personnel, but these were the only ones that granted them the title of hero.
Sal tried changing the filters this way and that, hoping for different results, but the situation was even more disappointing.
It was truly a harsh competitive environment for the Supporter class.
How long had he been scrolling through the guild list?
Even so, his mood did not improve.
Eventually, he put down the tablet, returned to bed, and lay down staring at the ceiling.
If he had been engulfed in guilt earlier, this time was a little different.
Quest was a figure who, as a Supporter class hero himself, had established an academy for the next generation of heroes.
And that Quest had advised Sal to consider the Guild Master track.
Sal felt like he could finally understand the reason why.
Biting his lip and shaking his head, Sal fell into thought again.
Then he mulled over the question he had asked himself earlier.
Did he really want to become a hero in the first place?
Sal pondered deeply about his future.
***
"How could you forget to eat all day?"
Divinity asked incredulously, but Sal just shrugged as he stacked his empty trays.
"After the interview with the Headmaster, I went to my room and slept... woke up... and just slept again."
Sal mumbled as naturally as possible words that even he couldn't accept.
Divinity shook her head as she placed her half-eaten salad on his tray.
"Did you stay up all night again? You're going to completely burn out if you keep doing that!"
Her face was full of worry.
"I know. I'm going to take it slow. How much time do we have left?"
Divinity took out her tablet, checked quickly, and said.
"We should get going now to arrive on time."
She looked at Sal with a slightly sheepish smile.
"Are you nervous? I'm a little nervous."
Sal waved his hand back and forth and answered vaguely.
"A little? I still feel dazed from the conversation with Headmaster Quest."
Divinity playfully nudged his side with her elbow.
"You have nothing to worry about. The side effects are just a little headache and fatigue setting in quickly. Now that the threshold is higher thanks to you, we just need to relearn it. And from now on, I just have to sit in the Skill Tuning Chamber and do nothing but endure. It's a total piece of cake!"
Sal smiled.
"Wait a second. The Headmaster mentioned it, but I don't know what it is. What exactly is a Skill Tuning Chamber?"
Divinity looked at him with a mix of amusement and disbelief in her eyes.
"I can't tell if you're bragging that your ability is all-natural right now, or if you genuinely don't know?"
But seeing the 100% pure blank expression on Sal's face, Divinity burst into laughter.
"Remember the space where we fought during combat class? The one that blocked all Essence and prevented us from using abilities."
Sal shuddered.
Divinity smiled slightly at his reaction.
"The Skill Tuning Chamber is the complete opposite of that. It's a small, one-person space filled with Essence. I've been using it for years. It helps increase Essence control and see deeper into the future. The Headmaster is probably trying to make our bodies catch up with our abilities. Essence can be used to strengthen the body itself, but finding the balance is key."
Just as Sal was about to ask another question, Divinity spoke first.
"We have a skills class tomorrow morning, right? You'll probably learn more about the Skill Tuning Chamber there. Anyway, what's your favorite class you've taken so far? And why is it the Crafting class?"
She laughed as they walked together toward the Skylounge.
"I like the Crafting class. Upgrade is fantastic, too. But the most interesting one so far is the Administration class. I'm also looking forward to the Analysis class."
Divinity shook her head without a word, but Sal didn't let it slide.
"What? Why are you like that? Tell me."
She glanced at him with an expression asking if he really wanted to know.
But Sal was already full of curiosity and couldn't back down.
Divinity sighed.
"Remember when you created the Mythos Crafter ability? In countless hypothetical scenarios of the future, we used to talk about the best abilities. In the end, it was concluded that Upgrade's skill was your favorite, right?"
Sal nodded slowly.
He wondered where she was leading the conversation.
Divinity pointed at him with a playful yet serious expression.
"So don't blame me later if you see that person's ability and get shocked. You were the one who decided you liked Upgrade's ability more than his."
Sal had more than one or two questions.
Seeing his expression, Divinity eventually burst out laughing, breaking her fake solemnity.
When he kept pressing her, she laughed and told him to calm down.
"You mentioned the Analysis class. I don't know who the instructor for that class is either. But that person's ability is really similar to Appraisal. In hypothetical futures, you always excitedly said that ability would create tremendous synergy with yours. But at the same time, you said you hesitated because it was too familiar territory."
Divinity raised a finger and pointed at him accusingly.
"So don't blame me if you get excited and explode with admiration later. Got it? Mythos Crafter is way cooler! You're definitely going to make something amazing in the future. I'm sure of it!"
With those words, Divinity stepped into the elevator with a smile, and Sal followed her laughing.
Divinity looked at Sal with a slight eyebrow raise.
"I mean it! I don't even need to see the future. You're going to use this ability for amazing things. Believe me!"
Sal shrugged and smiled brightly.
He didn't really answer until the elevator reached its destination.
"Wait. Why are you smiling? Did you make something already?"
Sal turned his head and smirked at Divinity.
"Weren't you curious why I untied the knots for Upgrade, Martin, and Gosha?"
Instead of answering, Divinity pointed to Sal's Epic rank shirt, pants, and gloves.
And Sal felt like he could see the gears turning in her head.
She seemed to realize just now that she had misunderstood something.
"A request came in from the Reavers Guild. Well... technically for Mythos. Originally, they just wanted me to tweak a sniper rifle, but things got a bit bigger when the Mythos Crafter ability found a way to create an evolution attribute."
Enjoying the surprise and shock on Divinity's face, Sal wanted to add one more punch.
As the elevator doors opened revealing the Skylounge, Sal added one last remark.
"For your information, it's Legend rank."