He stared at the options for a long moment, his expression blank, as if he were hoping one would simply vanish.

"Why do systems always do this?" he muttered to himself. "Can't I just tick both boxes and call it a day?"

As usual, the System remained silent.

Sage sighed and straightened up, rubbing his chin as he began to think things through seriously.

A Knight. That option was straightforward. Knights formed the backbone of this world's combat forces. They absorbed mana into their bodies, fortifying their muscles, bones, and organs until they became living weapons.

Strong, durable, reliable, Knights could charge headfirst into battle, shrug off wounds that would incapacitate ordinary people, and keep fighting until their enemies fell.

The advantages were clear: high survivability, explosive close-range power, and a simple combat style, hit harder and endure longer.

But then Sage's gaze drifted downward.

That was also the problem.

"Too much effort," he said flatly.

Being a Knight meant relentless physical training: endless conditioning involving running, striking, breaking down and rebuilding the body over and over again. It meant bleeding, sweating, and willingly putting himself in harm's way.

He imagined charging at a magical beast twice his size with sword raised, bones creaking under impact,and then envisioned getting hit.

"Nope," he said immediately. "Absolutely not."

Knights fought up close; they got punched, stabbed,and yes,they even got bitten.

Sage valued his life; more specifically, he valued not feeling pain.

Shaking his head, he turned his thoughts to the last option: A Mage.

Now that… that was different. Mages cultivated mana in its purest form through incantations and control. Instead of reinforcing their bodies like Knights did, they bent the world around them, fire, wind, lightning; destruction delivered from a distance.

The image that came to Sage's mind was crystal clear: enemies rushing toward him while he stood far away casting spells.

"That," he said with satisfaction, "is how you fight."

The advantages piled up quickly: long-range combat capabilities, battlefield control, high burst damage, all requiring less physical strain on the body.

And then there was the part that truly mattered: Status.

Mages were rare, far rarer than Knights. Mana affinity, mental capacity, elemental resonance; most people failed at least one of these requirements. As a result, Mages naturally commanded more respect.

Nobles sought them out; organizations valued them; even Warriors thought twice before offending a Mage. Influence followed power, and Mages wielded both effectively.

Sage nodded slowly. "Higher pay? More respect? Less manual labor?"

It sounded almost too good to be true. Of course there were downsides:

Mages were inherently fragile. Their physical bodies were weaker than those of warriors, and if an enemy managed to close the distance, things could escalate quickly.

Casting spells demanded intense focus, time, and mental stamina. If a Mage ran low on mana, they could find themselves utterly defenseless.

Learning magic was no simple task either. It involved formulas, control, and precision; one mispronounced incantation could lead to disastrous consequences.

Sage frowned slightly at the thought. "That part's annoying."

But then he leaned back and smiled. "Still better than getting punched in the face."

He weighed the two paths one last time.

Knights trained their bodies until they broke down. They stood on the front lines and took hits, often.

Mages, on the other hand, honed their minds. They hung back and cast spells while letting others take the brunt of the damage.

The choice felt less like a decision and more like common sense.

"Besides," Sage added quietly, "I'm lazy… but I'm not stupid."

If the System was going to push him to become stronger whether he wanted it or not, he might as well choose a path that suited his lifestyle: minimal movement for maximum effect.

And if being a Mage meant gaining more influence, leverage, and protection from others? Even better. Sage glanced at the System interface one last time, his expression settling into calm certainty.

"Alright," he said firmly. "I choose Mage."

Sage sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of his bedroom, his back straight and palms resting lightly on his knees.

The room was enveloped in that peculiar quiet that often precedes something significant. Outside, the sounds of the Guild had faded away; inside, even the air seemed to hold its breath.

The moment his decision finalized...

[Path Selection Confirmed: Mage]

The System's cold chime rang out again,this time sharper,carrying weight with it.

[Talent Upgrade In Progress…]

[Elemental Affinities Detected…]

[Fire Affinity: Acquired]

[Wind Affinity: Acquired]

[Lightning Affinity: Acquired]

Sage froze in place immediately. His eyes widened as disbelief washed over him; three affinities?

"Three…?" he whispered in shock.

For a fleeting moment, his mind went blank before filling with disbelief and something dangerously close to emotion. His lips trembled slightly as he spoke again.

"System…" he said softly, mist gathering in his eyes. "Is this because you didn't let me choose both paths? Is this your way of compensating me?"

The room fell silent for half a heartbeat before responding:

[Host, please do not flatter yourself.]

[This outcome is within standard upgrade parameters.]

Sage stared ahead in stunned silence. "…Wow," he muttered flatly. "You really know how to kill a moment."

Yet, despite the System's harsh wording, a smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth. He rolled his eyes and exhaled through his nose.

"Yeah, yeah. 'Standard parameters.' Sure."

He chose not to press the issue further. Whether the System wanted to acknowledge it or not, he knew this was anything but ordinary. Three affinities, fire, wind, and lightning,weren't typically granted so casually, especially not to someone like him whose talent was considered lackluster.

Before he could dwell on it for too long, the System chimed in again.

[Recommendation Detected. For maximum efficiency, Host may consume Mana Veins Expansion Potion concurrently with Talent Upgrade.]

[Synchronized activation will allow optimal mana intake.]

[Outcome: Direct advancement to 1-Star Beginner Mage.]

Sage's brows lifted slightly in surprise. "Straight to one star…?" he murmured.

His gaze drifted to the small crystal vial resting beside him on the floor. Inside was a translucent liquid that shimmered faintly, threads of light weaving through it like liquid starlight.

The Mana Veins Expansion Potion.

He picked it up and turned it slowly between his fingers. "So basically," he said thoughtfully, "you're telling me I can suffer once instead of twice?"

[Correct Host.] The system replied.

Sage uncorked the vial and drank its contents in one smooth motion.

The effect was immediate. As soon as the liquid slid down his throat, it exploded into pressure, not heat but an overwhelming force surging through his body along invisible paths he'd never been aware of before.

His mana veins, thin and fragile channels. were suddenly flooded and stretched, torn open and reforged in an instant.

Sage clenched his teeth as pain blossomed through his limbs.

"Hah…!"

It wasn't sharp agony but a deep grinding sensation akin to muscles tearing themselves apart just to grow stronger.

At that moment, the System's voice echoed once more.

[Talent Upgrade Commencing.]

The air in the room shifted dramatically.

Mana from the surrounding space stirred around him.

Faint streams of energy began to materialize from all directions. Wisps at first,barely visible, but rapidly growing more defined with each passing second.

A flicker of crimson light ignited near his chest, pulsing like a heartbeat. Fire mana flowed toward him in slow spirals, warm and fierce, carrying raw destructive intent with it.

Emerald currents followed from the edges of the room; wind mana moved softly yet sharply, whispering as it brushed against his skin like invisible blades.

Then came lightning: thin strands of violet-blue light snapped into existence with sharp crackles, dancing wildly through the air before being drawn toward Sage's body, obedient yet volatile with energy ready to unleash chaos.

Sage's breath grew shallow as these three forces converged upon him. They didn't clash; they flowed seamlessly into him.

Fire surged through his chest, wind coiled around his limbs, and lightning coursed along his spine. His body transformed into a conduit, mana flooding in as his newly expanded veins eagerly absorbed every drop.

Within him, something stirred. Sage's consciousness dove inward, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he stood at the heart of an immense storm, flames roaring, winds howling, thunder ripping apart the sky, yet none of it touched him.

[Mana Veins Expansion: Complete.]

[Talent Upgrade: Complete.]

[Mana Absorption Stabilizing…]

Then, just like that, the pressure lifted.

Sage gasped for air as if he'd just resurfaced from underwater. Sweat soaked his back; his hair clung to his forehead while his body trembled with residual energy.

[Advancement Achieved.]

[Rank Updated: 1-Star Beginner Mage.]

Silence enveloped the room. Slowly opening his eyes, Sage noticed that while the world appeared unchanged, it felt entirely different.

He could sense it now, mana, not as something distant or abstract but as a vibrant presence surrounding him, flowing and alive.

He raised one hand slightly; without thinking about it, a tiny spark of lightning flickered between his fingers before vanishing.

"…Oh," he murmured softly.

A lazy grin spread across his face as he leaned back and let himself fall onto the floor.

"Worth it."

For the first time since arriving in this world, Sage truly felt alive.

He might not be strong yet, but he had potential. And for someone like him, that was far more dangerous.

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