“Then why did you choose to become a mental cultivator, master?” Osric asked, trying to make sense of his decision. “Among the three, I find the upper core to be the least useful of the lot.”

“Again, you’re right,” Elysian agreed, nodding his head. “For most people, both the lower and middle cores are the most useful.”

“Then why did you…”

“I said for most people, I didn’t say for everyone,” Elysian interjected, trying to get his point across. “There is no right or wrong choice among these cores. Their usefulness depends on the person. For example, close-range fighters—the vanguards—those who fight face-to-face with the enemy will find the lower core to be more suited to them, while those mid-to-long-range fighters, who rely more on their abilities, will find the middle core more useful.”

“You have a point, master,” Osric agreed. “But I’ve noticed that those who have higher aura reserves, which according to you are spirit cultivators…”

“Wait, I wanted to correct you there. We are not sure those people are spirit cultivators,” Elysian immediately said, clarifying things. “Having a higher aura reserve doesn’t necessarily mean that their primary is the middle core. If all things are equal, I mean their talent, potential, age, body—I mean everything. If one chooses the middle core while another person chooses either the higher or lower core, then the primary middle core user will have three times more aura reserves than either of the two.”

“The ratio is 100:30:30.”

“Correct.”

“Young master, does that mean if I’m a spirit cultivator, the amount of my aura is not the same as the other spirit cultivators?” Bran asked as he pondered it more.

“That’s right, big fella. I think that's not surprising, right? For example, compared to us and other children, you are a lot bigger and stronger than us. So it's not surprising that in terms of cultivation, people have a varying degree of talent,” Elysian explained. “That means that even if you become a spirit cultivator, a body or mental cultivator might still have higher aura capacity and regeneration than you.”

“Hmm… Yeah, that makes sense,” Bran responded, sighing as he considered the noble’s words more.

“Back to my question earlier, master. You said that all types of cultivators have their strengths depending on their suitability to the person and their situation,” Osric remarked.

“You’ve put that nicely,” Elysian responded, smiling at him. “Yes, that's correct.”

“However, I’ve noticed that in the military, my superiors value cultivators that have a higher level of aura,” Osric stated. “Does that mean that I should choose the middle core, then?”

“That choice is yours, my friend,” Elysian answered, shrugging. “Pick whatever you think is right. Don’t choose based on what others say. You might regret it later, trust me. Just think of what kind of cultivator you want to become. If you’re the type that fights the enemy head-on, then it’s wise to become a body cultivator. However, it doesn’t mean that a spirit cultivator can’t be a close range fighter. It's just that it’s more logical that the body cultivators take the vanguard position.”

Osric instantly grew quiet. It was clear that he wasn't sure of the path he should take.

“I want to expound more on why many, in this place, prefer spirit cultivators over body cultivators,” Elysian said, trying to help the older boy. “I don’t know if this will help you, and I’m now going to go deeper than necessary. As I said earlier, people in most places don’t know these categories. Also, they don’t know that they can choose what type of cultivators they want to be. Most of the time, people just let nature take its course. If you let that happen, the majority of people will become body cultivators, while a third will become spirit cultivators, and an even smaller portion of that will be like me, a mental cultivator. This means that spirit cultivators are rarer than body cultivators.”

“So, it’s about scarcity, not because spirit cultivators are more powerful than the others,” Osric muttered, nodding his head in understanding.

“Correct. At the end of the day, it’s about supply and demand. Because spirit cultivators are rare and they are in demand, their value typically increases. In the case of body cultivators, they are also in demand, but there are plenty of cultivators to fill that demand, so their value is much lower,” Elysian remarked, sighing. “Well, that’s how I see it. Also, you’re working for me. You don’t need to worry about what Cedric or Lucas will say. Your only concern is how to become better than you are now so that you’ll serve me better. No matter what path you take, I’ll respect your decision, because you know yourself better than me.”

“Okay. Thank you, master,” Osric said, smiling at the noble with more certainty than before. “I’m curious, though. If the body and spirit cultivators are taking the close-to-long range positions, then what about the mental cultivators?”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

‘In Northcrest, where there is constant war, mental cultivators are least useful. This is more abundant in the east where it’s more peaceful. The battles there are not in the open field but in the dark, subtle political maneuvering in palaces.’

“That’s harder to answer, but in most cases, they’re least useful in a fight,” Elysian honestly stated, pondering more on how to respond. “Hmm… If we base it on my cultivation choice, my fights will be more focused on a different battlefield than yours. This means that you need to become a lot stronger to defend me so that I can stay alive,” he continued, chuckling at himself..

Osric and Bran, however, did not laugh. “Don’t worry, young master. I will defend you,” Bran said with resolve in his eyes.

“I don’t know if I’ll be stronger than you, master. I’ve seen you fight,” Osric said bluntly, staring him in the eyes. “I know you’re hiding something, and I know there might be some secrets as to why you choose that path. I won’t ask your reasons because I don’t have a right. However, like the big fella here, I’ll do my best to protect you.”

“Good. That’s good to hear from both of you,” Elysian said, laughing happily as he patted them on the arm. “Okay. So have you now decided what type of cultivator you want to be?”

“Yes,” Osric replied, nodding his head. There was now certainty in his eyes, unlike before, where hesitation had plagued it. “I’ll be a body cultivator.”

‘Hmm… Interesting. I thought he would choose the middle core.’

“A body cultivator?” Elysian muttered, nodding his head as he envisioned the older boy as that type of cultivator. “You seemed to be leaning towards becoming a spirit cultivator earlier. What changed?”

“Yes. Well, I like to fight people up close. I like to be the aggressor in a fight and not just hang back, attacking from afar,” Osric explained, nodding to himself, satisfied with his decision. “Also, if I fight from a distance, how will I defend you, master? My job is your personal security, so I need to face the enemy head-on. I can’t do that if I become a spirit cultivator.”

“You make sense. Good, I like the reasoning behind your decision,” Elysian said, smiling at the soldier before turning to his servant. “What about you, big fella?”

“Spirit cultivator,” Bran assuredly said, grinning at the noble.

“Did you think it through? You said earlier that you wanted to be a mental cultivator like me. Now, you want to be a spirit cultivator.”

“Well, I don’t like to be a mental cultivator because it seems that I need to think a lot,” Bran explained, considering the reason behind his choice. “So, I choose to become a spirit cultivator instead.”

‘That’s not necessarily true. All these types require a lot of thinking if you want to be good at it. But I’m happy he reconsidered his earlier choice. He isn’t really suited to be a psionic user. Being a spirit cultivator is much better. Hmm… With his size and strength, a body cultivator is a much better choice.

Though I wouldn’t force him according to my preference, it’s my duty as his friend to make him think this carefully, or else he might regret it in the future.’

“Why did you make that choice, big fella?” Elysian asked, carefully studying the older boy’s grinning face. “Why not a body cultivator like Osric, here? With your stature and strength, you’ll be a terrifying titan that few would dare contend with.”

“The master is right, big fella,” Osric agreed, nodding to the noble’s words. “We can fight together side-by-side. I bet no one would dare fight us if you’re with me.”

“Look, even Osric here agrees with me,” Elysian added, trying his best to make his servant reconsider his choice.

Bran just looked down at the floor, trying to avoid their eyes. “Uhmm… I don’t want to fight close to anyone, young master. I’m afraid…” he said hesitantly as he tried to find an excuse. “Hmm… If they get closer to you, young master, I can defend you while supporting those in front with my abilities.”

‘Hmm… He is blessed with a powerful body fit to be a soldier, but his mentality is far from being a fighter. In time, his personality might change, but maybe this is who he truly is.

I already pushed him far enough when he killed that thug. I can’t do that again.

As I said to them, I will respect whatever their decision. It’s their life, after all. I’m just here to advise them.

Hmm… Now that I think about it, this might not be too bad. Let’s see.’

image [https://i.imgur.com/AZ9l5mt.png]

‘I’m happy to talk to you again, Eye.

Well, seeing his status again makes me think that a body cultivator is really suited to this big oaf. I don’t know what Metallic Veins does, but anything related to metal is often good for close combat. He also has a very rare Bloodline. This actually changes the equation. With the metallic Veins trait, I bet he will have an element of metal or earth in him. Though these elements are often suited to vanguards, they are also often used by those caster types that fight mid-range. Also, those who have elements need more energy capacity to power their abilities. So, this might not really be a bad thing.

Yeah, being a close to mid-range fighter might not be too bad for him. The worst thing that could happen is forcing him to fight in a position he did not want.’

“Well, it’s your choice, big fella,” Elysian said, sighing. “Remember, you must take responsibility for that choice. You must find ways to improve yourself in that position.”

“Okay,” Bran responded, nodding his head while grinning widely.

“I want to warn you, though. This doesn’t mean you won’t fight in close combat. In groups, you’ll be in mid-range, but in one-on-one fights, I highly doubt you’ll have the mobility to keep the necessary distance against your opponent,” Elysian bluntly stated as the servant sighed at the challenge he would face. “Knowing that, if you still want to be a spirit cultivator, then I’ll accept your decision.”

“I still want to be a spirit cultivator, young master,” Bran responded with resolve in his eyes.

“Fine,” Elysian consented, nodding his head at the older boy. “Let’s do this, are you ready now, Osric?”

“I’m ready,” the soldier said, breathing deeply as he prepared himself.

“What did I tell you earlier?”

“I’ll clear my mind. Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel the energy around me.”