Chapter 5: The Unexpected Vocation

"Hey kid, you're here, huh?" an old man in his 50s, wearing a poncho and sleeping under a tree, greeted me as I entered his house.

"Of course I'm here. Where else should I be?" I replied, finding a spot under the tree and taking a seat.

I first met the old man when I was seven years old. At that time, my parents thought it would be alright to leave me alone occasionally, considering I was already attending primary school. Initially, I cried in their absence, but as time went on, I grew more understanding of their work and became sensible enough to wait for them patiently at home.

It was during this period that I encountered the old man. I didn't know his real name, so I simply called him Master—a fitting title for someone with his wisdom and skills.

When I first laid eyes on him, I was captivated by his age, yet he possessed an incredible strength. Sometimes he could lift a tree with a single hand, and other times he could jump ten meters high. To me, it seemed like magic, and I was convinced that he must be a powerful mage. So, I approached him and asked to become his disciple.

He agreed to take me under his wing, but the training I received was far from what I had expected. It focused primarily on physical exercises—running, weight training, yoga, and even martial arts sparring with him. Thanks to this rigorous training, I could confidently claim to have the toughest physique in school, even if it went unnoticed by others.

One intriguing aspect of this training was that, despite building my body, my appearance never transformed. As long as I kept my clothes on, no one would suspect the immense strength that lay within.

"So, what happened to you today?" Master asked, noticing my troubled mood.

"Nothing much. I just discovered that I'm now a cripple. I don't have a mana crystal inside me," I confessed, though it pained me to admit it.

Master had been a constant presence in my life, far longer than my own parents. I turned to him whenever I faced difficulties, and he had become a father figure to me. I hoped he wouldn't be disappointed in me for failing to become a mage.

"Hahahahaha!" Master burst into laughter upon hearing my words.

"Why are you laughing? I'm serious!" I pleaded, desperate to have a serious conversation with him.

"I'm laughing because of your incredible misfortune. Can you imagine the odds of something like that happening? It's even rarer than being a one-in-a-million genius, and yet, here you are. Isn't that funny?" he chuckled.

I fell silent, waiting for his laughter to subside and for him to speak with earnestness.

"Okay, enough joking around. So, now that your path as a magician is over, what do you plan to do?" Master asked, his tone serious.

His question left me at a loss for words. I didn't know how to respond.

Seeing my perplexed expression, Master seemed to understand my inner turmoil. "Now, tell me, William, what are the various vocations that exist in this world?"

I was taken aback by his question, as it seemed rather basic. Although everyone was referred to as a magician, there were countless branches of magic, resulting in a myriad of vocations such as magic swordsman, warlocks, beast masters, spirit magicians, and many more. "Master, are you making fun of me? How can I not know something so elementary? Even children are aware of this," I replied, frustrated.

"Then tell me, what is my vocation?" he challenged.

Once again, I found myself stumped. I had never known Master's vocation, partly because I had never asked him, but also because he had never displayed the characteristics associated with any vocation I was aware of.

"What is your vocation, Master?" I asked, genuinely curious and unaware of what awaited me.

Wearing a smug expression, Master responded with just one word, "Warrior."

"But, Master, I've never heard of such a vocation," I admitted, my confusion deepening.

"Idiot! Of course you haven't. There's no vocation like this within the magician branch," he declared, his tone filled with conviction.

His words only served to heighten my confusion. How could a vocation not be part of the magician branch? After all, every vocation was essentially an application of magic. At their core, they were all connected to magic.

Then, a realization struck me. It was an inconceivable notion unless...

"Hahaha, as expected of my disciple. You've grasped the truth," Master chuckled, a mischievous smile on his face. Yet, I had little time for his amusement, as the revelation that had unfolded in my mind carried far greater significance.

After comprehending Master's words, I came to understand that this was an opportunity—a chance to alter my predetermined fate.