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Goblin Chapter 20: Professionals, Paths, and Ranks....
🕑 Added 2025-07-16 15:11:56 +0000 UTC"Alright, I’ll give you a basic rundown on what it means to become a professional adventurer."
Gron closed the door behind them and pulled out a chair, gesturing for Gauss to sit across from him.
"In this world," he began, "there are all kinds of intelligent races—you’ve probably seen most of them already. Gnomes, dwarves, halflings, half-orcs... physically they’re a little different from us humans, but biologically, we’re not that far apart."
"Then there are the more exotic races—dragonkin, elves, beastfolk, merfolk, banshees, even dragons. These beings are born with power. Their strength comes directly from their bloodline."
"But aside from innate racial traits, there are also people who gain extraordinary powers through training and development. These people are what we call Professionals."
"Over generations, countless people have explored and refined paths toward power. Most of those paths have been lost to history, waiting for someone with the luck or talent to rediscover them. The more common, mainstream classes are the ones that survived—passed down through time."
Gauss listened intently.
He knew how rare it was to get this kind of insight—especially from someone who clearly knew what he was talking about.
"Warrior, sorcerer, mage, ranger, druid, rogue..."
"These are the most stable and widely practiced paths. Their systems are refined, and most races can pursue them effectively."
"Of course, I say 'effective,' but truth is—crossing the threshold from ordinary person to professional is extremely difficult."
"Out of ten adventurers with decent potential, maybe one makes it to professional level. Sometimes not even that."
Gron poured them each a glass of water and gave Gauss a sharp look.
"You’ve already learned a few starter-level skills, right? Sword techniques, combat arts, spells—something along those lines?"
Gauss nodded.
No point hiding it. Gron had already offered him all this knowledge without asking for anything in return. It would’ve been rude to keep secrets.
"Yeah. I’ve already learned one Cantrip: Mage Hand. And also a Level 1 Spell: Magic Missile."
"Cough—!"
Gron choked on his water.
"...So your talent is even better than I thought."
Once he recovered, he looked at Gauss with a more complicated expression.
"You probably awakened mana on your own, then suddenly just... grasped those spells out of nowhere, didn’t you?"
Gauss nodded again. That was pretty much exactly what had happened—even if the spells technically came from the Adventurer's Manual.
Gron seemed to take that as confirmation.
"You’re a lucky one. And probably more gifted than you realize. You may not know where your magic came from—"
I do, Gauss thought silently.
"—but some believe that kind of sudden insight is a gift from the gods. Others say this world is filled with scattered remnants of combat techniques and magic systems—just waiting to be picked up by the right person. Every now and then, someone gets chosen."
"For everyone else, though? Learning a skill takes books, training, and months of practice."
Gron assumed Gauss had awakened into his magic by sheer luck. After all, most people who learn spells do so from mentors or manuals—neither of which Gauss had.
"So, mastering spells or combat techniques makes you a professional?"
"Nope," Gron said flatly, shaking his head. "That’s just step one—the very first threshold. We usually call that phase a professional apprentice."
"To become a full-fledged professional, you have to take the skill you’ve chosen and train it to a very high level of mastery."
"How high? There’s no fixed standard—it depends on you."
"Once you reach that point, something strange happens. You’ll start to feel a kind of force around you… something pulling you forward."
"We call it a Class Path. That force begins to shape your body, your mind—it condenses into something we refer to as a Class Core."
"We still don’t fully understand what that is. Some say it’s a product of this world’s natural laws—an invisible framework that guides those who’ve earned it."
"But one thing is clear: the more you follow your class path, the stronger you’ll become."
Gauss didn’t fully understand everything, but his heart was pounding with excitement.
His Adventurer’s Manual let him track skill progress numerically. He had a distinct edge most people didn’t have.
"So if I just train one spell to mastery, I’ll eventually receive that guidance and start down the path of a mage?"
"In theory, yes," Gron nodded. "But don’t underestimate how hard that is. Most people train their entire lives and never reach that level."
"That’s why having a teacher helps. A good one can cut years off your path."
"And even if you reach that threshold, there are other challenges ahead."
"The class path starts transforming your body—subtly but deeply. Some people can’t handle it. That’s where you might need help: potions, rituals, special artifacts—whatever your body and class requires to stabilize the transformation."
"Only when your class core fully crystallizes do you officially become a Level 1 Professional."
"For some, that takes a year. For others, decades."
"Thank you, Master Gron!"
When Gauss stood up to leave, his head was buzzing with new information.
He bowed deeply.
In this world, no one shares knowledge without a reason. Even kind people like Gron didn’t offer lessons for free—especially not on something as sacred as class training.
Why?
Because becoming a professional takes resources—gear, weapons, potions.
And resources are limited. Teaching someone else meant creating competition.
That Gron had shared so much meant he saw something in Gauss—or maybe he just remembered the kid who once worked in his shop and wanted to do him a favor.
Either way, Gron told him things few others would:
Like how a mage’s wand wasn’t just for spellcasting—it was also a powerful training tool. A proper wand could significantly enhance spell control and accelerate daily practice.
And that Life Mana Stone Gauss had found?
It was a core material for crafting a wand.
At the end, Gron seemed to realize he’d said too much. He quickly added that he’d only heard it from “a friend who was a professional.”
Gauss didn’t call him out.
They both smiled and let it slide.
"I’ll get going now, Master Gron."
"Alright. Come visit again sometime."
Gron waved, watching Gauss’s back as he walked away.
His expression turned distant.
For a second, it was like he was looking at a younger version of himself—full of ambition, chasing the unknown.
That’s what professionals were, after all.
People who lived dangerously because they wanted more from life.
“Master Gron!” Marlin’s voice snapped him back to the present.
“I’ve decided! I want to be an adventurer too! I’m done with forging!”
Gron sighed.
"Marlin... I’m going to say something you might not like."
"I think being a blacksmith suits you better."
