I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 153 Totem Walker

Harua, bathed in the warmth of spring, still retained the last vestiges of spring's gentleness. The evening breeze rustled through the treetops. Under the moonlight, DuPont briefly pondered the druid's question, only to realize it was utterly absurd: "What does it have to do with me that someone is planning to marry the dean? Auntie, don't talk nonsense."

"The mage profession is hard to define, not to mention that if you're interested, you can check your attribute values. After determining your physical talents, you are clearly a potential investment worth making. What's more, besides being a 2nd-level mage, you are also a proper barbarian. Although these two professions don't match at all, this only shows that your potential is limitless."

“Normally, no one would talk about potential; only fools would believe that.” Man Shi wiped his greasy mouth. “Potential is the most ridiculous thing. You can just talk a big game about it and claim that someone with a little potential has the potential to reach a high level.”

In reality, out of 100 professionals, perhaps only one will succeed. Attribute values ​​and levels—things that can be tested—are the most reliable indicators. Anyone with a brain will believe in these; only a fool would believe in vague, intangible potential.

"Yes, while rankings are crude and fail to demonstrate a person's true combat strength, they are the simplest indicator. Genius is the least valuable title."

The druid's gaze turned wistful as he spoke: "I wonder how many geniuses have fallen before they can become full-fledged professionals. And every adventure and mission will eliminate most of the professionals. Their strength and experience will gradually grow, and eventually they will become guardians of their respective regions."

"Although there may be various tests and difficulties in this process, you will also learn a lot of useful knowledge and encounter many things that are hard to let go of." She looked at the carefree savage who was still eating and drinking beside her: "It is much better than living a mediocre life. When you encounter some unavoidable disasters in the future, you will have more extra choices."

“Most importantly, although you can’t be considered a veteran of countless battles, you are still a practical fighter.” Man Shi walked to the barrel next to him, took out a cool and refreshing wine from his spatial bag, and found it to be quite delicious.

"Most professionals are different from mages. They don't have the ability to become high-level just by having enough intelligence and resources. Even warlocks, who rely purely on talent, need some life-and-death experiences to activate the power imprinted deep in their blood. Otherwise, they can only be a handyman in a circus for the rest of their lives. You could say that if you're just a good boy, you definitely won't awaken the barbarian talent."

"You're already thinking about advancing, which means you've clearly hit the threshold. If you find the answer, it'll be around level 3 barbarian. It's already remarkable for a boy under 15 to become a level 6 professional. If you become a level 7 professional, nobody would believe it. If word got out, it would be enough for nobles and even mage families to fight tooth and nail for you. You'd definitely be qualified for a marriage alliance with the moon elves."

You could even say that if you're arrogant enough, you might consider whether she's good enough for you. After all, apart from Queen Moonflower, the Moon Elf royal family doesn't have any legendary figures. Several of their older, more capable children have died young, and the new generation is relatively young, so there probably aren't any high-ranking talents left. If you were also an elf, they would definitely consider a marriage alliance with you. As for now, there's a chance, but don't get your hopes up too high.

DuPont chuckled after hearing this. "I'm indeed level 9 now, not level 7. But even level 7 is astonishing. I should keep a low profile. By the way, Master, where do you think I, as a barbarian, should advance to?"

“Normally, it would be a berserker, unleashing the power of the body to kill the opponent as quickly as possible. Attack is the best defense, and the barbarian’s only creed is to attack. But since you are a mage, it would be a waste for you to go down this path. The inability to focus will have a significant impact. Even if you learn the old system from Lavoisier, it can only be used as a last resort.”

“My woman once recommended you to become a World Tree Walker. Once you reach the high-level threshold, your weapon's attack range will increase by three meters. If you become a high-level walker, you can also use the roots of the World Tree to teleport. But I think you probably don't have much time to waste on this. After all, your perception ability is really inadequate. Unless you can get your hands on the Book of Knowledge, you might not even be able to sense the will of the World Tree and will never reach the high level in this lifetime.”

“Fans worship gods, but even among barbarians, this is a minority. You mages have nothing to do with piety either. You're not a barbarian and you don't have ancestors, so after thinking it over, I think choosing totem warrior is the most suitable for you.”

“Becoming a Totem Warrior means you’ve integrated into the Way of Nature. You’ll gain the ability to cast two spells: Beast Sense and Animal Communicator, and choose a spirit as your guardian.” Man Shi said, taking out three badges. “The Wolf Totem will allow you to keenly spot the enemy’s weaknesses, making your parries and counterattacks even more powerful. If you can hold them off, your teammates can easily exploit their weaknesses and launch surprise attacks, making you the leader of the team.”

"The totem carving focuses on agility, making it harder for enemies to hit you, and enhances your physique so that even when you are on the move, your aura will not be affected, allowing you to move freely across the battlefield."

"The bear totem is even simpler and more direct. Your berserk state will not only have strong physical resistance, but also resistance to any damage except for mind damage. Basically, all damage will be halved when it hits you, improving your survivability in various dangerous environments." "For you, the wolf totem is probably the least useful. After all, even if you have good melee abilities, a mage is still a mage, and it's best to avoid melee combat with enemies as much as possible."

"Both the totem and the bear totem have their advantages and disadvantages for you. They both improve your survivability. However, agility is not your forte. I feel that the bear totem is more suitable for you. In critical moments, you can activate Berserk and withstand even the Holy Slash and Death Finger. I have used this ability to kill many guys who were very confident in themselves. I can turn their heads off with a backhand axe. What do you think?"

DuPont nodded. There aren't many spells that can damage the mind. The most famous one is probably the Mind Flayer in the underground, but it's actually very hard to encounter. This spell, which can reduce any damage by half, is indeed powerful enough.

He grabbed the badge with a bear's head engraved on it from the table: "How can I obtain this ability?"

"First, you have to fight a powerful brown bear or polar bear hand-to-hand. The bigger the bear, the better. And you can't use any magic to cause damage. You can only beat it into submission with your fists and feet." Man Shi swallowed a mouthful of beer. He hadn't spoken this much in a long time.

"Secondly, hone your endurance. You must be as resilient as a bear. You will have to complete an expedition by your own strength, without using any magical equipment or magic."

The conditions sound quite demanding: "How long will it take to complete this task?"

“Normally it would take three days to a week. You’re smarter, so it should be faster, but the main question is whether you can beat the bear.”

Man Shi pointed to the badge: "A strong and powerful brown bear may have greater strength and agility than a young white dragon. Its swift attacks and sharp claws can cause fatal injuries if you are not careful. Of course, my woman may help you find a bear that is easier to talk to and less ferocious, but to gain its approval, you must truly defeat it, not cheat or use tricks."

DuPont nodded after hearing this, but he wasn't afraid. Even without magical equipment, his physique was not to be underestimated. This bear couldn't fly or breathe fire, so he wasn't afraid of it: "Tomorrow is a holiday, so why don't we go straight there?"

Manshi looked at the druid, who nodded: "Okay, then let's start with the endurance test. Hmm, your barrel is pretty good, 100 liters a barrel, plus the weight of the barrel, it's over 200 pounds a barrel, carrying two should be enough to get to Damai Village."

"Huh?" DuPont was shocked. This endurance test seemed a bit harsh: "I have to carry these two big barrels of wine for more than 10 miles? Even if my back can take it, my arms can't."

"Why have you suddenly become so clumsy, child?" The druid pulled out a carrying pole. "If you carry it yourself, your arms won't get tired."

"Huh? This carrying pole can support more than 400 pounds? That's unlikely."

DuPont looked like he'd seen a ghost, but then he saw a flash of light in the druid's hand, and a surge of new power flowed into the carrying pole, which was originally just an ordinary pole and began to glow with a bright green light: "Are you stupid? I know the Oak Stick Technique. This thing is now considered a magical weapon, there's absolutely no problem with it."

DuPont: "."

(End of this chapter)