Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 249: Chapter 237: Entering the Talent Illusion Realm Again, Official-Level Mage Talent: Power of Confluence

[Integration Seal (Perfect) LV. 1: Costs a minimum of 100 Mana Value to cast the Dharma Seal. You may freely decide the Dharma Seal’s effects. When casting a Dharma Seal with three or more effects simultaneously, you gain the ”Integration” effect.]

[Integration: Dharma Seal effects are increased by 50%. 20% chance to ignore the enemy’s abnormal status Resistance.]

[Currently Possessed Dharma Seal Effects: Balance, Order, Anti-Magic, Slow, Confusion]

——

’Just as I expected. The Dharma Seals I learned previously have been integrated as well.’

A hint of satisfaction touched Jon’s eyes as he read the new Skill’s description.

Before finalizing the ”final draft” just now, he hadn’t limited himself to the effects of the basic Three Dharma Seals. Instead, he had reserved some space in the model, hoping this Perfect Level Magic would have broader developmental prospects, much like Dragon Flame Dance.

Now, it seemed his decision had undoubtedly been the right one.

Now, when he cast a single Dharma Seal, he could simultaneously suppress an enemy’s Attributes, order, speed, and Spirit. If his opponent had no way to counter it, they would be utterly helpless.

In the future, he could continue to integrate more Dharma Seal-type Magic as he learned them, giving him more options to handle different situations.

’And this ”Integration” effect... a 50% boost to its effects and a 20% chance to ignore Resistance. It’s definitely worthy of a Perfect Level Skill...’

’With this, I won’t be completely helpless even when facing some high-level enemies...’

Jon hadn’t forgotten that old schemer who had ambushed him.

Why had he gone to such lengths for this trip to Trulane County—hiding his name, wearing a disguise, hiring help, and even claiming to be a consultant for the Morton family?

Wasn’t it all to keep a low profile and avoid attracting the kind of attention that would lead to another sneak attack from a high-level Professional?

Given that guy’s style—always hiding, with no dignity befitting a powerful expert—Jon had no doubt he would have gone after the people around him if not for the Old Dwarf and the Elf Mage stationed at Grent Manor.

At this thought, Jon couldn’t help but flick his fingers, his gaze fixed on the soft glimmer of Magic Power at their tips.

’As long as that son of a bitch is alive, I’ll never know a day of peace...’

’I have to find a way to root him out and kill him...’

If anyone else knew what he was thinking, they would probably laugh their heads off.

After all, the power curve for Professionals was exponential. The higher one climbed, the larger the gap between each level became.

At the Apprentice Level, someone with powerful Skills and Talents could indeed trade blows with, or even defeat, a weaker Official Level Professional. Jon himself was a classic example.

But things were completely different at the Advanced Level.

Any Advanced Level Professional who had passed the elemental trials could completely disregard threats from anyone below their level.

This was a ”fundamental” gap in power, one that couldn’t be bridged by common tricks.

But for Jon, that wasn’t entirely true.

Who said you had to do the killing yourself? Was it not still killing if you used a borrowed blade?

The knowledge he possessed from his life as a ”player” was his greatest weapon.

Some places that seemed safe could be turned into inescapable deathtraps—even for an Advanced Level expert—if certain conditions were met.

There were mysterious, wandering monsters that, if they set their sights on you, would leave you half-dead, if not worse.

There were also powerful Magic Items, ancient curses of unknown origin...

The only limit was his imagination!

’The top priority now is to find out that bastard’s true identity.’

He quickly ran through a mental list of all the Advanced Level Professionals he knew of who were active in the early days around the Harvia Empire. After filtering out those with transparent backgrounds and then eliminating the ones who were confirmed good guys, there weren’t many targets left.

’Everything leaves a trace... You just wait...’

After adding this task to his agenda, Jon extinguished the Magic Power at his fingertips and turned his gaze to the flashing prompt on his system interface.

[The Talent Illusion Realm has been opened. Please select your Official Level Talent.]

Just as he’d thought back when he first arrived in this world and obtained [Heart of Balance], his second Profession also granted him the chance to choose a Talent upon reaching the Official Level.

But...

’I hope it’s not another huge ordeal this time...’

Jon took a deep breath, suppressing the apprehension he felt toward that brilliant starry sky—a feeling born from his last experience. He then confirmed his selection to enter the Talent Illusion Realm.

The familiar sensation of weightlessness and spatial displacement washed over him as the boundless starry sky enveloped him once more.

Countless ”comets” with long, luminous tails streaked silently across the deep, dark canvas, each one representing an Official Level Talent—a path toward greater power.

This time, the vast, cold, soul-shaking voice he had anticipated did not resound.

There were no whispers to ”witness the end,” no oppressive presence from the terrifying giant eye made of a galactic black hole.

The sea of stars was serene. Only the points of light, each symbolizing a Talent, flowed on in eternal silence.

The tension in Jon’s heart suddenly eased, and he almost let out a sigh of relief.

’It seems... the strange event that occurred during my Warrior advancement was an exception after all...’

He mused to himself. While he didn’t let his guard down completely, the immense pressure of facing that unknown existence had largely dissipated.

At the very least, the starry sky before him was a ”familiar” sight, one that fell within the scope of his experience as a player.

Once he had calmed down, Jon immediately focused all his mental energy on the most important task at hand: choosing the Official Level Talent that best suited his current path.

He reached out his hand, and his will stirred.

A nearby ”comet” radiating a verdant light was immediately pulled by an unseen force, slowly diverging from its original path and drifting toward his palm.

The light then coalesced into a clear line of descriptive text.

[Nature Affinity: Nature Element Affinity +5, +30% effect when casting Nature-type Magic.]

’A must-have for a speed-leveling Archdruid build... Not the right path for me.’

Jon shook his head slightly and flicked his finger. The mass of green light shot away like an arrow released from a bow, turning back into a speck of light that merged into the flowing star cluster and vanished.

His gaze shifted to another comet, one as scorching as fire, its trajectory wild and unrestrained.

[Soul-Scorching Flame: Your Flame Magic deals an additional 10% soul-burning damage and 10% true damage.]

’One of the strongest optional damage talents for a Fire Mage at the Official Level... A shame, but not what I need...’

He let it go, and the Fire Meteor shot away.

Then another, and another.

Jon searched patiently through the sea of stars, like an experienced jeweler selecting the one perfect gem.

One by one, he pulled in Talent comets of various shapes and attributes, examining and evaluating each before ”releasing” them back into the stellar river.

He already had a clear goal in mind: a Talent that would perfectly complement his Dual Professions path, a build centered around [Heart of Balance] and allocating all his points into Constitution.

Time trickled by during his silent search.

Finally, a plain-looking gray comet caught his attention.

It lacked a dazzling brilliance or chaotic energy fluctuations. Its flight path was smooth and reserved.

But when Jon’s will made contact with it, an indescribable sense of ”resonance” bloomed within him.

His will locked onto it, and the grayish-white comet obediently fell into his ”palm.”

The light coalesced, and the Talent’s effects appeared before his eyes!

[Power of Confluence: 30% of all damage taken is absorbed by your Magic Power Value. When you consume Magic Power Value, you gain a Magic Shield equal to the amount spent. While the Shield is active, you gain Magic Strength equal to 5% of the Shield Value.]

”This is the one!”