"Just be more amongst people?" Shang asked.
Teacher Mervin nodded. "As long as you retain some kind of social life, it should be fine."
Shang looked at teacher Loran. "That sounds different from what he said."
Teacher Loran looked to the side.
"What did he say?" teacher Mervin asked.
"He said that he isn't willing to teach someone that doesn't care about their own life, and he also left a cryptic comment. He said that my life is not only my own," Shang answered.
"I do agree with that," teacher Mervin said calmly. "However, that is several steps in the future. It is essentially the end goal."
"Could you elaborate?" Shang asked.
"If you are more amongst people, you will learn to care for more people, and more people will care for you. At that point, you might not want to risk your life as much. If you die, your close ones will suffer as well. In that sense, your life is not only your own."
"However, it is understandable that this is only a hypothetical for you right now. First, you need to get more amongst people. Then, eventually, you won't want to risk your life as much since you don't want your close ones to feel pain."
"You also would want to see them again. If you died, you wouldn't be able to talk to them anymore. If you died, you would never feel love again."
"In short, your survival will take priority over your goal, which isn't counterproductive to achieving your goal. After all, a dead person can't become the most powerful being in existence."
Shang remained silent.
"But in the end, it is all up to you. Maybe you won't feel the desire to be close with others after trying it. Maybe your goal still far outweighs their happiness."
"However, without trying it, you can never be certain."
pᴀɴdᴀ nᴏveʟ "So, even if you might be disappointed, at least you will have more clarity about your goals and what you want in life."
"In the end, it's all up to you. It's your decision. I only suggest that you try it, and I won't force you. Even if you decide to ignore everything I said today, our relationship won't change."
"You are one of my students."
"I am one of your teachers."
"And that will remain the same."
Shang only looked to the side as his mind tried to find out what his own thoughts were on that subject.
Should he?
Shouldn't he?
"That is all I wanted to say," teacher Mervin said. "I hope you won't look too bad on teacher Loran. He only wanted to help you, but he did it in a very clumsy way. I think the best way forward is to pretend that you two have not talked today."
Two seconds of silence passed.
"It's fine," Shang said as he looked at teacher Loran. "Let's forget about today."
Teacher Loran only snorted and left without saying anything.
Shang had known teacher Loran for long enough to know that he felt embarrassed. His snort was his way of agreeing and apologizing.
"Now that that's over, let me help you with getting your beasts to the Academy. The legitimacy of your kills is not in question today, which means you can earn Contribution Points with them," teacher Mervin said.
Shang nodded.
Teacher Mervin grabbed the beast sacks.
"Teacher Mervin," Shang said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you," Shang said. "You gave me a lot to think about."
"No thanks necessary," teacher Mervin said calmly. "This is why I am a teacher."
Shang only nodded absentmindedly.
After that, Shang stood up and followed behind teacher Mervin. Without teacher Mervin, Shang would have needed to roll the Crag Lizard all the way to Warrior's Paradise, which would have taken a long time.
Some minutes later, the Storm Eagle returned.
As it passed over them, teacher Mervin took hold of Shang's hand so that he wouldn't be flung into the distance. After all, the two of them were already on the road to Warrior's Paradise, which was essentially a gigantic cliff.
During the journey, the two of them mostly remained silent, but Shang had still asked one question.
"Teacher Mervin, why are you so different from the first time I saw you?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" teacher Mervin asked calmly.
"During my exam, you laughed and joked a lot," Shang said.
"Shang, there are different sides to people," teacher Mervin answered. "During their shift, a commander of the guards might be the strictest person one can imagine, but if you meet the same commander in a bar later, you would see them laughing without end."
"Back then, you weren't part of my students, and it wasn't important what you thought of me."
"Now, it is important."
Shang looked to the front.
"Is it truly important what others think of you?" Shang asked.
"For yourself? No. For others? Yes," teacher Mervin answered.
That answer confused Shang a bit. "Could you elaborate?" he asked.
"I don't care what strangers think of me," teacher Mervin explained. "Their thoughts can't impact my life. Even if the entire school believes me to be an old drunkard without any merits, my life won't change."
"However, if I am not perceived to be someone experienced, the others won't listen to me when I want to teach them something."
"So, for me, it doesn't matter. However, if I want to have the ability to teach and help others, it matters."
Some seconds of silence passed.
"So, it's all about helping others?" Shang asked.
"That is why I am a teacher," teacher Mervin said. "If I wouldn't want to help others, I would have become a high-ranking officer somewhere. My job would be less stressful, and I wouldn't have to be present every day."
"For many people, their own power and legacy are the most important. However, if I can positively influence several people's lives, isn't that a sort of power or legacy as well?"
Then, the two of them fell into silence again.
Shang weighed his options as he traveled to the Warrior's Academy while teacher Mervin gave Shang the space to think for himself.
The two of them arrived at the Exchange Hall, and teacher Mervin acted as the clerk since the other clerks were still in the Farm Line due to the Day of Chaos.
Shang received a total of 10,000 Contribution Points for his kills.
In the past, it had been an issue for Shang to deliver his killed General Stage beasts to the academy. After all, it was very difficult to believe that someone at the Soldier Stage managed to kill one.
The academy was filled with progeny from rich families, and this was all to stop them from playing the system. The Academy rewarded growth and accomplishments, not wealth.
After that, the two of them split up.
Shang went back to his room and sat on his bed.
He still wasn't sure if he should follow teacher Mervin's advice.
Teacher Mervin's advice was definitely applicable to basically every warrior out there.
However, Shang wasn't just any warrior.
Just finding a team of hunters was already a big issue for Shang.
Shang had a unique Affinity that he couldn't allow anyone to learn of. People with a Darkness and Light Affinity were already highly sought after by different Magic families. Even teacher Niria kept her Darkness Affinity a secret, and she was a powerful Commander Stage warrior.
If Shang joined a team of hunters, he would have to keep everything a secret, which would mean that he couldn't even give his all in the hunt.
On top of that, Shang wouldn't get an opportunity to test and train with his full power.
Then, there was the procedure.
The procedure would take place very soon. In fact, it would take place tomorrow.
Yes, tomorrow was the day for the procedure.
The results of the procedure might also be under scrutiny, and basically anything could happen.
Shang could become a celebrity.
Shang might gain another secret no one was allowed to know.
Maybe the procedure would change Shang's appearance?
Maybe it would change his power so that no one was allowed to see any of it?
Basically anything could happen.
Because of all these reasons, it wasn't certain that following teacher Mervin's advice would be the best course of action. After all, teacher Mervin hadn't known all the information about Shang before making a decision.
'I should wait for tomorrow.'
'I can still decide later.'
After that, Shang stood up from his bed and took out Sword.
"Let's do our daily routine," Shang said.
Sword didn't answer.
Sword had turned out to be rather taciturn, and it only talked when it found it necessary.
In a way, it was similar to Shang.
Shang also didn't speak a lot.