The Lupine System

Decision Made

Mike let out a long exhale as he took a deep breath.

A soldier, a specialist, or someone the world fears or follows.

He stared at the three badges as he let his mind wander.

'Solaris Academy is immediately out.' He thought.

He had no interest in joining the military. Not that he wasn't loyal to humanity or anything, but he simply didn't see himself fighting on the frontlines against Lizardmen regularly. Moreover, there would be a huge lack of freedom if he joined the military, something that didn't appeal to him in the slightest.

He did see how it could be attractive, though. If one wanted to chase glory, then joining the military and racking up merits was one such way to do it. Especially if they did well.

But it simply didn't appeal to him that much.

Which left Seeker and Eventide.

Both choices greatly appealed to Mike, he had to admit that much.

The choice to do what you wanted was something he desired, and he preferred not to be tied down with responsibilities. Both of these schools offered that choice.

'Seeker Academy seems like the most obvious choice, however, from the way it sounds, it isn't as well-funded as the other two. Solaris, being a military school, should be supported by humanity as a whole, while Eventide is being supported by the Apex Families, so the resources they have at their disposal should be the most among the three. I doubt it's poor, but I question their level of resource allocation compared to the other two, especially considering that they rely on sponsorships. If the students they receive aren't that talented, I doubt they could acquire enough resources.' He mused.

'However, it would do someone like me good, as it doesn't seem to be as much of a political arena compared to Eventide. Eventide, while most likely being the most funded of the three, is a place where the next generation of individuals from the different families would flock. Politics, factions, power dynamics, all of this would probably be a common theme within the school. If I were to join them, chances are that some people would try and force me to join their group or faction, and refusal to do so would most likely result in conflicts. Moreover, favoritism is likely to be an issue.' He leaned back into his chair as he closed his eyes to think.

'However, if I join Eventide, I would have a far easier time forging connections between individuals, and if I make the right friends or acquaintances, I could potentially have access to things like information. Furthermore, a school like that will probably be filled with all sorts of advanced techniques and training methods unique to the different families. Their abilities are powerful, but they must have the accompanying techniques to bolster them. I could gain access to such things if I joined them.'

'But on the other hand, the freedom offered by Seeker is just that much better. Since my ability was obtained from an ability orb, I'll be under far more scrutiny if I join Eventide. After all, powerhouses like the Apex Families will always be seeking to increase their power, and a new, never-before-seen ability that may be considerably potent could pique their interest enough for them to hound me. They will be doing a whole lot to recruit me into their fold. Something that will be less of a concern if I join Seeker.' He tilted his head.

'At the end of the day, the big question is what I want.' He closed his eyes.

'Do I want to be an independent individual, or do I want to join a powerful family? What exactly do I want for my future with this power of mine?' He considered silently.

Mike did a self-analysis.

'I want more.' That was his first thought.

He'd been granted an olive branch by the system, a second chance at life. He would have died in that ravine if not for it, and now, he wanted more. He genuinely wanted to excel, to use everything he'd been given to the fullest extent and reach.

Moreover, he wanted to see just how far he could go.

'How could I compare to those young geniuses from the different families? Someone like me who was lucky and barely managed to get something interesting. How will it compare to those kids who have been receiving formal training and resources from birth? Which of us would be better?' He asked himself, and he felt a faint sense of excitement that rapidly grew.

'Moreover, the system said it wants to continue the Lupine lineage. A school like Eventide, it's bound to be filled with outcasts. People who are seen as rejects by their families. Those should be good candidates to recruit.' A faint smile crept on his face.

He took a deep breath before opening his eyes.

"I choose Eventide." He said, and Gerald's brows rose, but his smile didn't vanish.

"Oh? I was sure you'd pick Seeker. Care to shed some light on your reasoning?" He asked, and Mike responded calmly.

"The pros outweigh the cons. To me anyway. The sort of resources I can receive at Eventide surpass the other schools. Plus, I'm a bit curious," A glint appeared in his eyes. "How would a commoner like me fare against proud young masters and talents that have been trained since birth?" Gerald chuckled at this.

"Interesting mindset you have there. Seems like you aren't as meek as I thought. Alright, I'll respect your choice. I will send forth the application immediately.: Gerald said calmly, giving no indication of whether he approved or not.

"How long will it take?" Mike asked curiously.

"A few days, give or take. Which suits you just fine since you'll be put on a ship heading there shortly, and by the time you arrive, everything should have been sorted out." Gerald explained, and Mike blinked.

'Well, that was easy?' He thought, not quite believing that things had proceeded so smoothly. Gerald noticed this and chuckled.

"Naturally, you won't just be able to enter the school once you arrive. There will be an assessment to see what grade your ability is. You will have a bit of grace since you got your ability from an ability orb, meaning you lack formal training. So instead of going through the usual testing, it will be more of them just seeing the potential your ability has, and then you will be assigned classes based on that." Mike nodded in understanding.

"I see. So, will I be let in regardless of what grade my ability is? Or is there a certain threshold I need to reach before I'm allowed entry?" He inquired curiously.

"The latter. Your ability needs to be at least a D+ grade before they will allow you entry, which shouldn't be an issue. While I'm not the best at ascertaining ability grades, I get the feeling yours is in the C to A grade range." Gerald said with a thoughtful expression.

Mike nodded as he started to think as well.

'Not sure how to feel about that.' He said inwardly. The system already graded his Primal Surge Aura as B+. Ability grades were another thing he wasn't too clear on, but he had some general knowledge.

F: Trash, barely useful. Most non-combatants or unstable abilities.

E: Weak, common among civilians or low-level fighters. Usually has a narrow use.

D: Basic, entry-level combat ability. Often seen in cadets or rookies.

C: Trained: Reliable and balanced. Most standard military personnel and specialists are around here.

B: Advanced, high-performance, versatile, or strong abilities. Rare among younger people.

A: Elite, unique, or potent abilities that usually define fighting styles or reputations.

S: Apex, rare, often-feared abilities. Often tied to high-level families and require immediate nurturing.

There were also the sub grades being minus (–), plain, and plus (+). A minus ability was often seen as unstable and barely met the criteria for an ability grade. Plain was of the expected level of potency, and plus meant it was above expectations and high for its grade while also not quite reaching the standard for the grade above

This was the general knowledge given out. He had no idea how potent any of these would be. But he guessed he was somewhat decent when it came to his ability and his talent.

'Hm. Now that I think about it, if a B+ grade ability is considered talented, then the Lizardman must be pretty pissed that I killed one of their talents.' He sighed inwardly.

He also had a lot of questions regarding the Lizardmen. He wasn't stupid. How did they know the chamber was there? What were they going to do with him?

'Would they be looking for me?' It was a recurring thought he had.

'Which is another reason why I need to get stronger. If that is the case, I need to be able to defend myself.' He exhaled.

"So, when do I get going?" He finally asked.

"I was waiting for you to sort out your thoughts. You can start going now." Mike blinked, surprised, something Gerald noticed.

"Don't be too shocked. With the number of evacuees, there are ships going all over the place. It's not hard to find one heading towards the planet Eventide is located." He shrugged.

"We just need to get you some proper clothes, and you can be on your way." Hearing this, Mike blinked, then smile slightly, pleasantly surprised.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to going quickly. If he could get going quickly–

GROWL

Mike blinked, then his face turned beet red.

Gerald barked a laugh.

"Ah, alright. I suppose we can get you something to eat first."