--
TJ stared at an empty space for quite some time.
Atlanta was gone. But before she left, she reminded him to take care of himself and to keep his boons a secret from others if he wants to keep his life. As for how he'd fake his boons? That's up to him. She said it shouldn't be that hard given how boons could be anything. She trusted him to figure out something.
TJ wanted to laugh but couldn't. It's ironic how he felt so blessed but also afraid of luck.
He's not stupid. He knows that the world of the professionals was intense and cutthroat. Who you think is an ally could instantly become your competitor under the right circumstances. The waters of the professional world run deep and are very murky. That kind of environment is hostile to a noob like him.
Therefore, he absolutely cannot reveal this to anybody. Another person knowing it was already an immense risk, even if that somebody was Atlanta—the AI goddess herself.
Sighing to himself, he thought that maybe he was thinking a little too much about this. Faking a boon shouldn't be that difficult; he just needs an inspiration. Besides, it hasn't even been a day since he awakened; he can't be stressing out this early into his career.
Beep!
TJ was awakened by a single beep coming from his smartphone. He initially thought that Atlanta had returned, but he was wrong. If she did, then he'd be hearing her voice now.
Instead, it was an alert he received from the group chat.
**
[Lily]: Hey, I heard from Sieg that you went home early. Is everything okay? Did you get a bad boon?
[TJ]: I'm alright; my boon is also fine. I went home because I didn't see the point in staying. There's no class after the awakening anyway, and it's too hot outside.
[Sieg]: Classic TJ.
[TJ]: You know it. wink
[Lily]: Hmph! You should've said something then. I was worried for nothing!
[TJ]: Well, I'm sorry. I'll bring you popsicles next time.
[Lily]: Promise?
[TJ]: Promise.
[Sieg]: Hey, man. What archetype and class did you get again? I think I was too excited about mine that I forgot you telling me yours. (Sorry, btw.)
[TJ]: Combat Type, Warrior Class. You? (Don't sweat it.)
[Sieg]: Nice! Me too! I guess we'll be in the same class.
[TJ]: No guessing. We will be. There's only one class for Warriors. And I have no doubt that our trainer will be Mr. Eden.
[Sieg]: Oof! On second thought, maybe I don't want to be a Warrior.
[TJ]: Too late, Big Guy. You can't change professions until you reach the Apprentice Rank.
[Lily]: Aren't you guys curious about my archetype and class too?
[TJ]: Combat Type, Fusion Class.
[Lily]: 0_0!! How did you know?
[TJ]: You told me while hyperventilating.
[TJ]: You were so happy because it's literally perfect for you. You even said that you're one step closer to becoming a real Magical Girl.
[Sieg]: I heard it too...and also maybe the entire campus. You were too excited, after all.
[Lily]: AKSNFKSNDIF!!!
[Lily]: So that's why everybody was looking at me weirdly?
[Lily]: Oh no! I can't show my face to them anymore?
[Sieg]: Aww, it's okay. It's adorable, actually.
[Lily]: For real? >_<
[Sieg]: Yes, for real.
[TJ]: Thumbs-up
**
Rolling his eyes and leaving those two to flirt in the chat, TJ got up to drink some water.
The Combat Profession Archetype is divided into three classes: Warrior, Caster, and Fusion Class.
It's pretty straightforward, actually.
[Warriors] are the front-liners. They are often seen engaging monsters up close and personal. They are heavily focused on their physical capabilities. They invest in their bodies because it's what's going to give them the most benefit for their Professional Career.
Warriors rarely use spells. Mostly because compared to casters, their energy capacity isn't that much. They may be able to cast a buff or two at the start of a challenging fight, but that's it. And you best believe that it'd take hours, if not days, for them to regenerate the amount of mana they spent. This can change once they're stronger, but this isn't their priority.
What Warriors rely on is [combat techniques]; it doesn't require too much mana, sometimes just depending on their stamina and endurance. Unlike spells or skills, though, combat techniques must be performed and mastered to unleash their true effectiveness, and that requires a lot of effort to do.
For [Casters], magic is love. Magic is life. Casters are darlings of Mana. They are born with an abundance of it and have the physique that regenerates it at an acceptable pace, allowing them to cast spells multiple times.
Contrary to popular belief, Casters aren't so fickle physically. They understand that their bodies are the vessel for mana, which they need to cast spells; therefore, they take good care of them. They just look frail because the way they strengthen their bodies is different from how Warriors do it.
But in terms of physical growth, there's no way they could actually compare to Warrior. And that's fine; their physique isn't their strongest suit anyway. They need to put more focus on their ability to sense and use mana. The more proficient they are, the easier it will be for them to use spells and skills in fights.
And then, there are the [Fusion Class]—said to be the best of both worlds. They have the potential to be as tough and powerful as Warriors and are also blessed with abundant mana like Casters.
The Fusion Class sounds cool and all, and it could be, but most Fusion Pros will say that, because of their advantages, the challenges they'd face equalize that. They will shoulder more burdens, be placed under immense pressure under expectations, and be expected to perform well, which could either make or break their spirit.
Power isn't free. Those in the Fusion Class don't have the luxury of choice or to prioritize. They must improve both their physique and mana capabilities, or else they won't progress much. Neglect one side a little too much, and they'd risk experiencing an imbalance, which will hinder them from their path to ascend the professional ladder.
The Lifestyle Profession Archetype doesn't have any subcategories. The same goes for the Hybrid Archetype, too.
As far as TJ knew, there were Lifestyle Professionals than Combat Professionals. Obviously, the Hybrid Professionals are rarer. He just doesn't have an idea of what exactly the criteria are that are affecting the ratio, as it wasn't taught in school or publicized anywhere.
Being a Combat Professional was risky. Being a Warrior was even more so. But even if TJ were to remain mediocre, despite his abundant blessings, he would still have more opportunities and chances to improve his living standards with this class.
Lily being eligible for a Fusion Class was impressive, though. If the ratio were to be referred to, then it's possible that she might be the only one who awakened to the Fusion Class in this year's batch of newly awakened students.
With her potential, she could be anything she wanted to. But knowing Lily since they were little, TJ knew that she's already made a choice.
She'd become a [Magical Girl]. And no, that's not a gag; she's not joking either.
The [Magical Girl] Class was a legitimate profession. Rare, but legit. And the reason why Lily was too happy to awaken to the Fusion Class was because the profession she's aiming at requires her to be of the Fusion Class.
There were ways to become a Magical Girl, even if one were to awaken as a Warrior, but they're complicated to accomplish. Being in the Fusion Class undoubtedly saves Lily a lot of time.
So long as she works hard and fulfills the right conditions, she could transition into her desired class as soon as she reaches the Apprentice Rank.
"..."
TJ got lost in his own thoughts for a bit.
With the awakening ceremony over, his life was about to get really hectic, especially since he's Warrior.
Tomorrow will be the last day of this school year's first semester. Typically, they would have a short vacation around this time, but it's different for graduating students like him.
They will be required to attend the Novice Training Camp, where they'd start learning hands-on lessons on their professional archetypes. For Warriors like TJ, this means a lot of training and combat exercises.
The ones they did in the previous years don't really count. It's PE, not actual combat training.
More importantly, TJ has to start planning for his future. He too wants to transition to another class as soon as he reaches the Apprentice Rank because the actual profession he's aiming for is said to be difficult to pursue.
Initially, TJ only dreamt of it. He was convinced that he'd awaken to the Lifestyle Profession, so he never thought it'd be possible. But Lady Luck smiled upon him and bestowed him wonderful chances and gifts, which blew the door wide open for him.
All he needed to do was to reach and enter it.
And even if it were to be an uphill battle, TJ was determined to see it through.