Chapter 983 - 982: Before The Blessing

Rowan had expected his martial talent to be the most unusual thing about him. He hadn’t imagined finding a physique in his status window, much less the Heavenly-Demonic Dual-Meridian Physique.

He wanted to smile. Then he remembered Blackmoon’s eyes, and how his father’s sword had broken against it when he tried to stab it.

That demon wasn’t ordinary either.

Being told he had potential hadn’t made Rowan capable of facing him. He would be foolish to forget how much stronger Blackmoon was.

But he had something to work with now. His martial talent and this physique gave him a reason to believe he could eventually close that gap.

’Mum. Dad. I might be able to do it.’

"Rowan."

Celeste waited until he looked up.

"Be careful who you tell about your physique. And don’t show your entire status window so readily."

"I know," he replied. "I showed you because I trust you."

"I’m glad you do." Her smile faded a little. "But take your time before trusting anyone else. People can be kind to you and still betray you."

Rowan nodded.

"I understand."

"Good. Before you choose a Blessing, let’s go through the rest of your status window. You know about levels and ranks already."

She pointed toward his empty Class entry.

"You’ll receive a class when you reach E-rank. What you do and achieve during F-rank determines both the kind of class you receive and its grade."

"So the System watches what I do?" Rowan asked.

"And what you accomplish with it. The grades of Classes are Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Legendary, and Mythic. Your time at F-rank matters. Don’t treat it as something to rush through."

Rowan glanced toward Sir Luke, who nodded in agreement.

"What about affiliation?" Rowan asked. "I’m staying with you, but it says None."

"You’re our guest. You haven’t formally joined an organisation," Celeste explained. "Official membership can change that entry. So can formal recognition by a sufficiently senior member."

"Can it than one?"

"Yes. There isn’t a fixed limit, but be careful. Some affiliations are difficult to remove and can be used against you."

Rowan frowned.

"How?"

"That deserves a longer conversation. For now, don’t accept a connection with another organization without understanding what it means or assume leaving will be simple."

Rowan nodded in understanding.

"Alright."

Her finger moved down the window.

"Titles are difficult to earn. The System grants them for accomplishments it considers worthy."

Rowan read his title, Returned from Death, and touched his shirt.

"I wonder what he does," he murmured.

"You can check it out later," Sir Luke said.

Celeste continued without dwelling on it.

She moved to his talent.

"Very few humans awaken with a recognised talent. Peerless Martial Insight is certainly a powerful one."

Adrian chuckled.

"Martin could have told us that without a System."

Rowan smiled sheepishly.

"Bloodlines are another matter," Celeste said. "Descendants of Gods or Demi-Gods sometimes inherit their bloodlines, although having the right ancestor doesn’t guarantee it. Luck plays a part."

"And mine says Nil."

"Because you don’t possess one. You may obtain a bloodline later, through a System reward or from a God or Demi-God."

Rowan studied the empty entry before looking at his attributes.

"Are those numbers good?"

"For an unawakened human, ten is the normal limit in each physical and mental attribute," Celeste explained. "Your training and medicinal bath made a considerable difference. Without them, I would have expected your physical attributes to fall between the range of one to four."

She considered him.

"And four is generous."

Rowan looked offended.

"I was that weak?"

"Yes."

Celeste, Sir Luke, and Adrian answered together.

His mouth twitched. Whatever he had intended to say, he decided to keep it to himself.

Celeste suppressed a laugh and pointed to Strength.

"Your strength is seven. That measures the force your body can produce. Whether it’s lifting, pushing, striking, and so on."

Sir Luke tapped Rowan’s forearm.

"It’s the reason Martin could knock your sword aside even when you understood his technique."

Rowan nodded reluctantly.

"Agility is eight," Celeste continued. "That’s how quickly you can move and change direction. Dexterity is six. It concerns coordination and precise control, especially when handling a weapon or performing delicate movements."

"So moving quickly isn’t the same as moving properly?" Rowan asked.

"You’ve had enough lessons to know that," Luke replied with folded arms.

"And Constitution, at eight, reflects how well your body endures exertion, resists injury, and recovers," Celeste added. "It matters when you train, even if Strength is the number you want to raise first."

Rowan flexed his hands. He could remember every one of those weaknesses being corrected in the yard.

"Your mental attributes are more surprising," Celeste said. "Well-prepared children from elite families often reach ten across their physical attributes before awakening. Their mental attributes can be much lower. Some remain below five unless they’ve trained those as well."

She leaned closer.

"You have ten in Perception and Willpower. Intelligence is twenty."

"Is Perception why I notice people’s movements?" Rowan asked.

"It measures how clearly you sense and distinguish things. Yes, that would help. Your talent probably contributed a great deal to it."

Rowan looked at Intelligence.

"What about that one?"

"It concerns your energy. How much energy you possess, how it flows, and how effectively you can direct it. A high value helps, but you must still learn control."

Her eyes moved to his physique.

"I believe yours reached twenty because you have two separate energies. Your physique has allowed you to exceed the ordinary limit."

Sir Luke frowned thoughtfully.

"I expected both energies to share the same capacity. Five points’ worth of Aether and five of demonic energy, for example."

"Apparently, each has the full amount," Celeste replied. "Ten for Aether and ten for demonic energy."

Rowan sat forward.

"Then I have twice as much?"

"Compared with someone at equivalent development who has one energy reserve, yes. As you grow, those two full reserves should continue giving you that advantage."

Luke studied his student before adding, "Provided you learn to use them properly."

"I will, Master."

Celeste returned to the final mental attribute.

"Willpower reflects your ability to stay focused, resist mental strain, and keep acting when fear or pain interferes. Your experiences, beliefs, and state of mind all influence it."

She glanced at his hands.

"I suspect enduring the training helped. So did what you’ve already survived."

Rowan didn’t answer. He was remembering the two energies trapped in his fist and he also recalled Blackmoon.

Celeste gave him a little time before continuing.

"Your affinity, though... that genuinely surprised me."

He looked at his affinity- Fire (B).

"Is B grade bad?"

"No. Having it before choosing a Blessing is what’s strange."

She pointed toward the unselected entry of his Blessing.

"Humans ordinarily gain elemental affinities through their Blessings. The connection comes from the patron granting it. You haven’t received yours."

"But do some people have affinities without one? Without a patron?"

"Very rarely. The cases I’ve heard of involved an exceptionally strong natural affinity. S-grade, or A-grade at the very least. Not B grade."

Rowan looked between her and Luke.

"Then why do I have one?"

"Your physique may be responsible," Luke suddenly said. "Demons can be born with affinities and use elemental magic unlike us who relies on Blessings. That’s an advantage they have over us."

He nodded toward Rowan’s Energy entry.

"Perhaps your demonic pathways allow that kind of direct connection. The demonic energy may have helped your Fire affinity awaken."

"That could explain it," Celeste agreed. "But we’re guessing. There’s too much about your physique we don’t understand."

Rowan resisted the urge to test whether he could make a flame. But after everything that had happened tonight, he preferred to finish listening first.

"What about the skills?" He asked.

"The System can grant them as rewards. You can also acquire them through skill books or by learning and developing the abilities yourself," Celeste said.

She read the three names.

"Combat Observation and Mental Rehearsal are most likely developed from your talent. Also, if you use your talent more, it may reveal more abilities and give you more skills in the future."

"So I haven’t discovered everything it can do?"

"Probably not. You only started receiving proper instruction recently."

Adrian shook his head with a wry smile.

"I’m very sure Martin would be very delighted to hear there’s more to this kid’s martial talent."

Rowan grinned, then caught Celeste looking at the next entry.

"Speaking of Martin and lessons," she said, "you’ve stolen my Radiant Cross Art."

His grin vanished.

"I didn’t mean to steal it, Saintess."

"Expert proficiency in a High-grade art, too. After watching me for a few minutes." She sighed with exaggerated disappointment. "Do you know how unfair that feels?"

"I’m sorry."

Celeste laughed at his embarrassed face.

"I’m teasing you, Rowan. You can keep it."

She pointed at the word- Expert.

"That’s proficiency, not the art’s grade. The stages of proficiency are Basic, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, Master, Transcendent, and Perfected. Some skills display proficiency beside them too."

"And mine is really Expert?"

"According to the System. It’s probably low because you used it without a gun."

"Your body still has to support it," Luke reminded him. "That word doesn’t give you permission to ignore a martial arts’ requirements."

Rowan nodded quickly.

"I haven’t forgotten, Master."

"Good."

Celeste checked the remaining entries, then settled back beside him.

"That covers what you need to know about your status for now."

Rowan looked at Blessing: Not selected.

Celeste followed his attention.

"Now, you’ll have to choose your Blessing."