Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

"You want to discuss prophecy and Destiny with me?"

Jenkins stopped in his tracks, looking somewhat surprised.

It had been a very, very long time since anyone had sought him out to discuss such topics.

Although Jenkins had long since given up on the Path of the Extraordinary, adopting the attitude of a slacker, he was actually doing quite well in academic circles. He was particularly accomplished in archaeology and considered a highly respected archaeologist.

But few people knew that Jenkins was actually an expert in the fields of Divination, prophecy, and Destiny—an authority even greater than in his archaeological work.

But ever since a prophecy he had made—one he regretted to this very day—he had quietly "retired from the scene." He refused all matters related to the subject and settled into his life as an archaeologist, content to be forgotten by that world.

So Jenkins never expected that someone from Radiant City would actually seek him out to discuss this, and for a moment, he hesitated.

The student at his side noticed his predicament and, ever perceptive, said:

"Shall I turn him away for you?"

But Jenkins shook his head.

"No, that won't be necessary. Please arrange a time and place to meet with him."

He then offered a reason, as if to convince himself:

"The fact that he came to me about this means he's already visited my old friends in the city. In this world, only those few old coots still remember my past. I'd rather not give them another reason to laugh at me for refusing and running away."

His words left the student stunned. He felt that the mentor he spent every day with had truly changed.

Just a few days ago, he would have certainly refused such a meeting.

Fortunately, it was a positive, optimistic change. The student felt happy for Jenkins and hurried off to make the arrangements.

About two hours later, in a study that was modestly furnished but immaculately clean, Jenkins met Mr. Hoyland from Radiant City.

The two men shook hands politely, each getting a rough measure of the other's power.

'Tier Six,' Jenkins mused. 'System unknown, but it doesn't seem to be Veto, the one popular in Radiant City. But that doesn't mean much, only that he values his privacy.'

His guest's appearance was in the classic gentlemanly style popular in Radiant City—monocle, pocket watch, polite bearing, and Walking Stick. He looked exceptionally elegant and respectable, a world apart from the robed figures common in Eternal City.

But despite his attire, his speaking style was remarkably direct. The moment he sat down, he got straight to the point.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me, Professor Jenkins. To be frank, I've been in Eternal City for some time now, but I still haven't found the answers I'm looking for. If you can resolve my doubts, I have prepared a small gift in return."

As he spoke, he tilted his head to gesture at the attendant behind him. The man produced a black briefcase, placed it on the table, and opened it for a brief display.

It was stuffed with Gold bars and jewels, instantly filling the study with a brilliant gleam.

Jenkins, however, furrowed his brow. He knew that earning such a fortune would not be easy.

"It seems your problem is quite thorny, Mr. Hoyland..."

Hoyland smiled, took a light sip of the tea offered by the student, and said:

"I'm confident it will be no great challenge for you. After all, the masters of the Option Sect I visited previously were unable to help me, but they all recommended you—a master of the Path Sect."

The current prevailing understanding of Destiny leans toward positive, proactive, and ambitious themes: "Strive to change your Destiny," "Never submit to Destiny," "Seize Destiny by the throat." The common belief is that Destiny is malleable and can be altered.

There are also more passive views, like "character determines one's Destiny," but the core idea remains similar, as character can also be changed. The overall outlook is still positive.

Of course, some pessimistic views hold that every person's Destiny is already written and cannot be defied.

There are even more dangerous theories suggesting that so-called Destiny is merely the plaything of certain beings in High Positions, and that a person's entire life is nothing more than a script They have written.

Fortunately, such views have little traction. The general Cognition of Destiny remains optimistic.

Within these optimistic schools of thought, many believe Destiny is not some ethereal, unpredictable force, but rather a tangible, objective law or natural phenomenon that can be observed, analyzed, and even precisely understood.

Thus, the study of prophecy was born. Through various methods of Mysticism, people attempted to glimpse Destiny and the future, deriving various techniques for prophecy from the system of Divination.

Divination can indeed make simple predictions about the future, but it can only determine a general tendency through various Omens. It's incredibly vague, and the interpretation of these Omens is highly subjective, with no standard procedure or correct answer.

Furthermore, its effects are short-lived, only able to predict trends for the next one to three days.

Thus, Divination is mainly used to uncover answers about things that have already happened, whereas prophecy is more focused on peering into the distant future.

Among the schools of thought related to prophecy, some focus on the micro level. They believe a person's life is filled with numerous "options," like forks in the road. If one could foresee these options and make the right choices, they could set themselves on a path to a relatively successful life.

This is the so-called Option Sect.

The Path Sect, to which Jenkins belongs, focuses on the macro level. They believe Destiny isn't changed by a few choices, but is comprised of distinct paths leading to different outcomes. If you start on the wrong path, no amount of subsequent choices will matter; you can only try to switch paths, which requires immense effort.

For example, imagine a recent civil engineering graduate feeling lost about his future. The Option Sect might tell him that on a specific day, he can interview with a particular company to secure a respectable job.

The Path Sect, on the other hand, would tell him that if he doesn't want to spend his life doing manual labor on construction sites, he'd better find a way to switch to the finance industry.

Thus, neither sect is definitively superior; one focuses on the short term, the other on the long term. Each has its own merits and drawbacks.

Of course, this is all because humanity's grasp of Mysticism and prophecy remains insufficient to see Destiny with greater clarity and practicality.

Legend has it that those who reach the level of a Saint can glimpse the destined path of every Extraordinary Being within their system, allowing them to offer guidance and warnings.

But no one has ever confirmed this rumor, so for now, it remains a fantasy on the level of pulp fiction.

Jenkins, for his part, certainly didn't believe it.

If Saints were truly that powerful, wouldn't Eighth Tier beings be a dime a dozen and Tier Seven beings utterly worthless?

Why else would humanity be trapped in a mere six cities? Shouldn't they have launched a counterattack long ago and restored the Era of Brilliance?

Besides, beyond such logical deductions, Jenkins had more definitive proof—

He had once been in very close contact with the Redemption Saint and had helped Him with a prophecy—a monumental one concerning the overall Destiny and future of humanity.

And for that insane act, Jenkins had paid an excruciating price.

If a Saint were truly so powerful, able to grasp the Destiny of every Extraordinary Being in their system, why would He have needed his help—a deed that ultimately cost Jenkins his family and left him ruined?

"So, why don't you start by telling me about your situation," Jenkins said. "Of course, you can choose to conceal information or speak in generalities, but that may affect my final judgment."

To his surprise, Hoyland was completely frank.

"I won't hide a thing. In truth, I am a Tier Six Guide of the Suffering system. In Radiant City, I lead an Association that is considered illegal, and I'm currently wanted by the Saint's Grace Court. Hmm... would you like to know the price on my head?"

At these words, Jenkins's student nearly jumped out of his skin. His face went completely white, and he inwardly cursed himself for bringing a wolf into their home.

He'd never imagined that this respectable-looking gentleman was a wanted criminal. And a Tier Six wanted criminal, at that! 'If this man decided to attack, he and his mentor wouldn't stand a chance.'

But to the student's surprise, Jenkins simply smiled, picked up a pen and paper, and began taking notes on what Hoyland had said.

Hoyland laughed as well.

"Your reaction is much as I expected. You aren't afraid of me, nor do you seem repulsed."

"Because before Destiny, all are equal," Jenkins answered calmly.

"You truly are one who gazes into Destiny..."

Hoyland then continued, describing his recent circumstances and ordeals. He stressed that he had an incredibly powerful and terrifying Mentor, but he did not mention his name or the specifics of their relationship, only summarizing the situation.

"In his eyes, I feel I'm nothing more than a source of nourishment, to be killed and absorbed at any moment. He always insists that he dislikes killing, but the terror of his methods has become a nightmare I can't escape."

Then, he finally posed the question he sought an answer for:

"As you can see, I live constantly in my Mentor's shadow. I want to be free of him, and I am willing to pay any price to do so."

"What did those old coots from the Option Sect say?"

"They advised me to turn myself in, or to disband my Association and live in obscurity, far from the Path of the Extraordinary."

"And what if I reach the same conclusion?" Jenkins set down his pen and looked up.