A Definite Future

An alchemist blacksmith is an esteemed title for those capable of crafting enchanted equipment.

Only blacksmiths with a certain mysterious craft, combined with the alchemical potions of an alchemist or the special abilities of a mage, can forge enchanted gear.

Hence, they are referred to as alchemist blacksmiths. However, alchemist blacksmiths are limited to creating armor and weapon-type enchanted gear. Jewelry, staves, cloth garments, leather, and leather armor are not within the scope of a blacksmith's expertise.

Previously, when Cecilia heard Sean claiming to be able to craft enchanted gear, she merely treated it as a joke.

After spending over a month with Sean without witnessing him even touch a hammer, let alone forge a piece of equipment, she couldn't believe it.

However, now she could clearly sense that Charles' sword had undergone enhancement, and it was undeniable for Cecilia.

Cecilia sheathed the sword and whispered, "Sean, it's best if no one discovers your identity as an alchemist blacksmith. Alchemist blacksmiths are never free."

Although Cecilia had dropped hints before, she persisted in not revealing everything, and Sean didn't inquire either.

He was content knowing that her background was not ordinary.

So, when Cecilia voiced her reminder, Sean wasn't surprised. In fact, he felt deeply moved because he understood that once a blacksmith's alchemical abilities were discovered by nobles, they would inevitably be controlled.

While it might not mean much to others, for Sean, losing his freedom was a terrible prospect.

Cecilia's reminder indicated that she regarded Sean as family.

Rubbing her head, Sean smiled and said, "I'll be careful... But you should also take care of the Crimson Flame. If knowledgeable people spot it, there could be trouble."

"I understand." Cecilia tightly held the velvet box in her hand, and her face once again revealed excitement when she thought of the Crimson Flame.

It was no wonder Cecilia was enthralled by it.

The Crimson Flame was an extremely rare and exquisite gem. It was created by refining a ruby through special processes and infusing it with the fire element from the cores of fire-based magical beasts and the magical energy from mana crystals.

Only skilled alchemists could create such a magical gem. The higher the grade of the magical beast core used, the better the fusion of elemental power and magical energy, resulting in a higher-quality gem.

Only gems infused with fifth-tier or higher cores could be called Crimson Flame. Those infused with cores below fifth-tier were called Scarlet Hearts.

The Crimson Flame Cecilia held in her hand emitted magical energy but showed no trace of fire elemental fluctuations.

This indicated that the fire element within the gem had been perfectly condensed, signifying a high-quality Crimson Flame.

However, using such special magical gems required specific methods. Roen, for example, was unaware of these special techniques and had no knowledge of the gem's origins.

He had suspicions that it might be a Crimson Flame or Scarlet Heart, but since he had no prior exposure and no references for comparison, he had no opportunity to learn more.

As for taking this gemstone to ask the great mages of the Kingdom of Portoroa, Roen would never do so unless he had been hit by a door. So there is a reason why this gemstone ended up in Sean's hands.

After chatting with Cecilia for a while and seeing her eager expression, Sean smiled and let her try the effect of the Crimson Flame.

Cecilia, who was already distracted, naturally ran off with joy upon hearing this. After tidying up a bit, Sean left the inn and headed towards a temple in the city.

The temple was not particularly grand, but it exuded a solemn atmosphere. Inside the temple stood a stone statue about one zhang tall, depicting an old man opening a book with delicate craftsmanship.

This carving technique emphasized delicacy, with each carving position meticulously crafted. It required the sculptor to have a high level of patience, but once the carving was completed, the sculpture gave a remarkably realistic illusion.

This statue was said to be the incarnation of the God of Wisdom when he walked the earth.

And this temple was naturally the Temple of Wisdom, but on the Miracle Continent, this temple had become a simple educational site.

People learned to read here, and knowledge was no longer the exclusive domain of the nobles.

However, for the players of the game, the greatest significance of the Temple of Wisdom was to initiate the first-tier profession of Scholar.

At this moment, Sean came here naturally to initiate the first-tier profession of Scholar.

One of the most appealing aspects of the game "Miracle" was the diversity of professions, especially the requirements for many special and hidden professions.

Developing a single profession would certainly result in an early formation of combat capability, but it would become a bottleneck that restricted further development in the later stages.

In contrast, special and hidden professions were two entirely different concepts.

Starting from the third-tier professions, they were divided into three types of career advancement: normal advancement, special advancement, and hidden advancement.

For example, the "Knight Apprentice" and the "Mage Apprentice" could become "Knight" and "Mage," respectively, as long as their profession level reached ten and they received the approval of their mentors.

This category belonged to normal advancement.

The advantage of normal advancement was that it formed combat capability very quickly, allowing for a certain degree of foundation in the early stages.

However, the disadvantage was that the professional abilities were relatively average, and a transition was required in the later stages to continue development.

On the other hand, special advancement referred to the powerful advanced professions within the same category.

These professions had relatively unique advancement requirements. For example, to become a "Heavy Armored Knight," the advancer must be a citizen of the Kingdom of Portoroa and have a level five in the "Warrior" or "Knight Apprentice" professions, both of which belonged to the "Physical" category.

Of course, some advanced professions did not require national identity, such as the fourth-tier profession "Elemental Mage," which required a level three "Mage" and a level seven "Elementalist," both of which were third-tier "Casting" professions.

The advantage of these advanced professions was that once they were fully developed, their combat capability was extremely strong.

Typically, one could surpass two normal professions of the same level. Even when facing a higher-level profession, as long as it was not a special or hidden advanced profession, there was still a fighting chance.

However, the disadvantage was that they took longer to develop and couldn't unleash the combat power possessed by special advanced professions in the early stages.

As for hidden advancement, even in the game, it was a rare opportunity that only a few lucky players could find.

The advantage of these professions was their unparalleled combat power or auxiliary abilities.

However, their disadvantage was also apparent: their growth rate was even slower than that of special advanced professions because these advanced professions involved cross-class development.

Just like now, Sean was preparing to initiate the third-tier profession.

Seal Engraver Swordsman.

This third-tier profession, Seal Engraver Swordsman, requires a Warrior profession level of 7 and a Scholar profession level of 3.

Additionally, completion of a trial task is necessary for successful employment.

The main characteristic of this profession is the ability to enhance combat power using seal engraving.

When the seal's power is unleashed, it can even rival opponents of the fourth-tier special advanced professions.

Initially, Sean didn't plan on pursuing this profession.

However, after accidentally activating the secret sword technique, Mystic Swordsmanship, in the Starfall Forest, he realized that "swordsmanship" was not just a game mechanic, but a skill that could be mastered.

This revelation led Sean to consider becoming a swordsman.

However, the Swordsman profession was a normal advancement within the third tier, lacking significant combat power, which contradicted Sean's initial career goals.

After days of contemplation, Sean finally remembered a hidden advanced swordsman profession available in the Tindes region.

Today, after confirming that the gemstone in Roen's possession was indeed the Crimson Flame, Sean decided to pursue this hidden advanced swordsman profession.

While Cecilia meditated in their room at the inn, Sean made his way to the Temple of Wisdom.

This temple was open to all, regardless of religious beliefs or affiliation with the God of Wisdom.

As long as Sean engaged in a simple conversation, he could successfully initiate the Scholar profession at the Temple of Wisdom.

It was a legitimate profession initiation point, unlike those found in the wilderness or other locations, and had no strange requirements or personal attributes.

However, there was a distinction between initiating a new profession and multi-classing. Multi-classing involved pursuing a second profession within the same category.

For example, now that Sean was a Warrior, if he wanted to multi-class as a Knight Apprentice, his Warrior profession level would need to be at least 5.

Then, he would need to learn from and become the apprentice of a knight, possibly requiring the expenditure of proficiency points. Multi-classing professions could never surpass the primary profession, although players could choose which profession to prioritize.

This aspect demonstrated the high degree of freedom in the game "Miracle."

Initiating a new profession opened up a new direction for the second profession.

The available options were the Physical category for mercenaries, the Casting category for scholars, and the Divine Magic category for priests. Similarly, reaching level 5 in the primary profession was a requirement, but the penalty for initiating a new profession was more severe compared to multi-classing.

This explained why the growth rate of hidden professions was slower than that of special advanced professions.

Moreover, due to having two different types of professions, the skill bar would be divided into primary and non-primary skills, which posed a challenge for Sean.

However, in order to maximize his strength, he had no choice but to proceed in this manner. Sean realized that his future career path might not be able to perfectly replicate his development in the game.