Chapter 239 - The Path Taken (2/2)
”That's good to hear!” Argentum responded to Blob's words before letting out a cackle. After that, he noticed the aura of slight uncertainty radiating from Blob after its response, prompting him to ponder over it for a bit. Thinking that it might be related to its evolution, which it meant by it breaking through its limit at any time, he then asked him, ”What's wrong? Is there something wrong with breaking through your limits?”
”There's no problem with that all,” Blob said as it radiated an aura of denial. ”It's just that…I have three paths of power to choose from.”
”Oh?” Argentum was slightly intrigued by this, remembering that Aurus's Allies weren't like that, only having a single path of evolution they could take. It was then that he remembered that Blob was a companion made from a skill and not from the system, which meant that Blob was different from them.
Nevertheless, he wanted to help Blob out so he asked it, ”Could you let me see the choices you have?”
”Sure,” Blob replied succinctly in response to Argentum's words before a mass of energy started forming at the center of its body. This mass of energy was then shot out towards Argentum's body, bringing along an influx of information which Argentum processed in his mind. After doing so, he then asked the system if it could show the information he had just received through a holographic screen, to which the system instantly complied with as a holographic screen appeared in front of his field of vision not long after.
Whoosh!
'I'm more used to see information in this manner,' Argentum thought to himself before putting his full focus on the choices Blob had when it came to evolving. Surprisingly, the choices Blob had were akin to the choices Aurus had when he was evolving from C-grade Inanimate to B-grade Inanimate from his memories. Of course, that was excluding the Special class he had access to.
________
Possible evolution paths:
[Lesser Flame Spirit of Power]
[Lesser Flame Spirit of Defense]
[Lesser Flame Spirit of Magic]
________
From the names alone, Argentum already had a hunch on what these paths entailed. He did not need the system to bring up the specific information of each class because of it. He then muttered to himself, thinking out loud, ”A path of becoming specialized in close-combat, a path of becoming specialized in defense, and a path of becoming specialized in ranged magical warfare.”
As he pondered over these three choices some more, Argentum soon realized that he could not choose the ideal path for Blob to choose. If these choices were his own evolution choices, then it would be a different matter since he had an idea on what path he had. Indeed, the reason why he could not choose Blob's ideal path was because he did not know what kind of path Blob wanted to take.
Closing the holographic screen in front of his field of vision, Argentum noticed that Blob was looking at him with slight expectation. In response to it, he only let out an awkward chuckle as he said, ”I'm sorry for getting your hopes up for a bit. It seems I cannot make a choice for you on what evolution path you want to take.”
”I see…” Blob said in response to his words in understanding, before going ahead and pondering over something for a bit. After sometime,it looked at Argentum and asked it, ”Well, could you guide me on what's the best path to take instead?”
”Guide…” Argentum muttered this word before letting out a light chuckle. Although he was not able to choose a path for Blob since he did not know what it would like to become, he was fine with guiding Blob to make a decision. In other words, he was fine with making Blob realizing the path of power it wanted to traverse.
”First off, what kind of power do you want to have?” Argentum asked Blob. He then added, ”Do you want to use a power that allows you to deal damage to others with your body, or do you want to use a power that allows you to protect others with your body? Perhaps you want a power that allows you to deal damage from afar?”
”Hmm…” Blob pondered over Argentum's words for a bit before saying, ”To be honest, I don't know. All of them seem like a good path to take. How about you, Argentum? What path did you take?”
”The path that allows me to deal damage from afar,” Argentum unhesitatingly replied. ”With such a power, I could protect those precious to me, as well as kill those commit great evils while being far away from them.”
”I see,” Blob said in response to his reply, maintaining silence for a bit. After some time, it could not help but let out an awkward chuckle, saying, ”It's actually hard to choose a path to take. I just realized.”
”Take your time. No rush,” Argentum said in response to Blob's words, feeling that Blob might feel constrained in its choices with Argentum around. While looking at Blob, a thought surfaced on his mind, thinking that it would be a good question that could guide Blob in its choice.
”Here's another question, Blob,” he said to attract Blob's attention. ”What do you want to do?”
”Well that…” Blob replied, only for it to stop midway as it pondered over it. After a minute or so, Blob then said, ”I would like to be of use to Argentum and stay by your side. Is that…a wrong answer?”
”There's no wrong answers.” Argentum chuckled in response. ”I kind of appreciate that you feel that way, Blob.”
In response to his words, Blob radiated an aura of happiness as it continued to ponder over it. Eventually, around ten minutes or so have passed. At this moment, an aura of conviction and determination radiated from Blob as it focused its sense of vision towards Argentum.
Noticing this, Argentum radiated an aura of slight expectation, asking it, ”Have you made your decision?”
”Yes,” Blob replied. ”I've chosen—”
Just as Blob was about to tell Argentum its choice, he interrupted it by saying, ”Don't tell me your choice right now. Tell me after you evolve.”
At first, Blob was quite confused as to why Argentum did not want it to be said, but then, it realized after a moment of pondering, letting out a chuckle as it said, ”Alright then. I'll go and evolve now.”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
After that, a great mass of Fire energy particles started to manifest around Blob's body, intensifying the aura that it was radiating from the start. Fortunately, they were quite far away from the other Fire Slimes so Argentum did not have to worry about alerting them.
Ding!
As he continued to look at Blob's evolution, a notification sound resounded in his mind, prompting him to open up the notification screen soon after. He then went ahead and skimmed through it, radiating an aura of slight shock, which was soon replaced with glee as he muttered, ”So that's your choice, huh.”
”I respect that.”
'Blob is in the process of evolution!'
'Blob has chosen the path of…'