I sat with Oli to my left and Muni to my right. Jani sat next to Oli. I asked addressing all of them.

"So, have you guys decided what to do next? Like which soul beast or what to do? Where to go?"

"My father has collected a fire hearted barbet for me. They are these birds, about the size of length from elbow to fingertip when fully grown. They are very intelligent species known for their ability to identify any berries or trees that are useful." Jani was the first to answer. "They are usually fire elemental. So, I don't have a problem with affinity. Moreover, they have a skill that's useful in alchemy. It's called identify, I could get details of any fruit I decided to identify, like what are their benefits and uses."

Barbets are these small birds that you could find commonly, they are even in the eastern forest. Alchemists are the only ones that usually find them appropriate. All others don't even bother them. These birds are around 30 – 40 cm in height. Even the smallest I have seen was some 15 – 20 cm. You could see them all around the middle part of the forest. They are usually earth or wind elemental. Some rare ones also have fire and lightning. They have never recorded to have other elements. They have small long beaks compared to normal birds but this makes them very dexterous in picking things, especially from gaps in the trees. Sometimes people mistake them for woodpeckers, especially crowned woodpeckers. They like berries and leaves, unlike woodpeckers that eat worms and bugs. Barbets usually have skills like quick flight, swerve, dexterous beak, and identify.

"Does identify work on living animals?" I asked Jani. She shook her head saying no. I turned to Muni "What about you?"

"My parents have obtained 4 soul beasts. After I select 1 remaining goes to the family or storage for my younger brother and sisters. They have acquired an earthen dark bear, wind sparrow, green-eyed monkey of fire element and maned bartaffe of the lightning element. My choice is the bartaffe. It's got this great skill called warcry. When utilised at maximum level it can even stun enemies with the assistance of lightning." Muni replied energetically.

"Yeah, bartaffe would suit great for you because of the uncanny association with you both in looks and character. Man, I got to give it to your parents they really know their son, huh" Oli started to tease Muni combining it with a giggle to assist.

"Yeah, yeah, ha-ha very funny, great joke miss jokester" Muni retorted.

"What about you, Oli?" I asked the laughing maniac.

"Since my parents are very rich. They told me to find my own. So, if the school doesn't give me one, I have to find and kill one" Oli replied.

"Which beasts are on your list," I asked her

"You know something like an earthen dark bear, stonefur buffalo, hunchback bull, twin trunked elephant, cooper toothed boar or brown eagle" she listed

"That's a very specific list but there are no plants or tree-based beasts on the list. That group have a lot of them with earth element affinity. There are also rodents that are not on your list." I told Oli.

"The ones I named are the ones whose skills I like but I don't know many. We only learn a few in school, didn't we? I have 2 rodents on my list green-scaled or copper nail varanus, but finding them is hard. What about you?" she replied

"Nothing on my list. All my calculations didn't match my result. Be it the elemental or force affinity. I didn't expect this to happen. So basically, I have to find one, but since I got 4 elements, I would love to link with something that is a dual element as my Primo. If you guys have any suggestions I'm open to suggestions. My idea is to get something that either increases my movement speed or helps me in being better at hiding. Dark affinity is first on my list. Any beast with darkness affinity would be better. What about your profession preference and how do want to do it? University or adventuring"

"My choice is set for years. I'm going to be an alchemist. As you guys know my fighting, as well as battle sense, is close to nothing so it would be better if I focus on my alchemy. I don't think I'll go adventuring. Alchemy is generally better in a safer environment. So, I'm sure I prefer university. If I don't get into any then maybe full-time adventuring maybe my choice. I would love to go to Taxila or Nalandha" Jani said looking at the horizon.

Nalandha and Taxila are both top universities in the empire. Especially for non-combat professions and researchers. It is a gold mine of knowledge for those subjects.

"I don't know, my mind is a mess," Muni said looking at us "I'm confused, sometimes I want to learn from a university and sometimes I just want to run around the world fighting better and better warriors and exploring the vast world. But if I ended up going to University, I would prefer either Kaanch university of martial arts or Naga university. What about you?" He asked me

"Me, I don't know either. I prefer adventuring more. I only know one thing I would not return here for a long time. I believe it would be best if I go to Naga university. I heard they have the best aatma oriented classes. But my heart is saying I will learn more through travels and open competitions." I said. I and Muni looked at Oli.

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Oli gave me this look and said "I don't have much opinion. Where ever you go I will be there. If you want to study, I will join that university. If you are travelling, I will be accompanying you. That's it"

"Oh Lord Lovitus, save this poor soul" Muni suddenly prayed.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Oli jumped and pointed her finger at Muni, who looked around.

"I think it's getting dark; don't you think?" he said looking at me

I laughed and said "I think we could think about it and make a choice after school tomorrow. We have to see if there is any soul beast that suits Oli. I also need a soul beast to make a pact with. I'm sure we need to register at the adventurer association. Let's do that decide tomorrow."

"I and Jani have to register at Alchemy Guild also. You also register at beast taming guild" Oli chimed in.

"We can do that after tomorrow's school. It's getting dark, let's head home" I said.

After reaching home I sat down in front of a box and opened it. There was a picture of me and my parents. A few years ago, a travelling artist stopped in the market once and we had it drawn. He was on his way to Muzaris a port town west of our village. It's a 3-week trip. This picture was drawn 3 – 4 months before my parents died.

I sat looking at the picture for a few moments. My eyes started to tear and I spoke in a cracked voice "Papa, Mama, you saw the ceremony, didn't you? I know you did. You saw how my elements and force affinity lit up the whole stage. I got 4 affinities; can you believe it. 4, haaah. If you guys were here both of you would be jumping in joy. You know, after the ceremony when everybody was talking to their families, I almost broke down. Then I remembered you saying 'we will always be with you.' I felt you guys near me. I felt like you guys were hugging me for a moment before I joined them. I have the highest number of affinities this time and am probably the only one with all three force affinities. But nobody took it seriously, as I have aatma as my primary. Most of them didn't even care that I have near-perfect capacity. What a world, huh. Imagine if I was some noble child, they would be fawning over me. It doesn't matter. I am going to open your presents now."

He said that and opened a smaller box that was kept inside the box. He opened it and there were 2 things that were covered inside a cloth. One was a soul bead 'so, you got me a soul beast huh, wonder which beast is it'. The other thing was a ring. I looked through it by sending mana, ki and aatma. It allowed aatma, it was a beast ring. I looked inside it. There was no soul beast inside the ring. Since both my parents were mana users, they didn't think I would be an aatma user. It was a small ring that could only contain 1 soul beast.

"So, a place for my primo huh. Wonder what the soul beast would be in that soul bead. Let's check that tomorrow at school or the adventurer association." I put the soul bead back into the box and put the box inside my dimensional ring and put the beast ring on my right hand.

The next morning, I joined Oli and the others. As we were walking to the school I turned to Oli

"Hey Oli, yesterday I checked the gift my parents left me and I found a soul beast. So, if it's an earth or water elemental you take it. Since I don't have any use for it anyway, you use it anyways you want. It could ease your 1st merging right" I offered her the box.

"You keep it until school, I didn't bring my ring. If it's something useful we can use it, otherwise you just save it," she said as she continued walking.

"Hey, if it's not earth or water elemental you could exchange it with my father or adventurer association or with someone else in our school. You said you like earthen dark bear right. If you exchange the soul beast my father wouldn't have any problem, would it?" Muni said cheerfully.

"Yeah, let's do that," I also chimed in.

Oli stopped in her tracks and was about to refute the offer when I interrupted and said "Don't fret it. I have no use for it. You need a soul bead. If it is useful use it, otherwise exchange it. That's that. Come on now, we don't need to be late for the class.

Oli stood in place like a statue for a moment with a small smile plastered on her face. She shook her head and walked forward. Jani joined her with a small smile on her face. She looked at Jani who had a smile on her face "oh, stop will you"

"He always knows how to make you blush," Jani said to Oli.

"Yeah, and yours just opens his mouth to say stupid stuff. I mean he is always with him and never learned anything" Oli continued walking along with Jani while looking at the clueless boys.

"Who knows. I think he is leaking his stupidity to the other but sometimes he does do things" Jani stated. "Let's see what happens in future"