SSS-Class Profession: The Path to Mastery
Chapter 339: Choices and Consequences

Chapter 339: Choices and Consequences

With my System fully restored and these incredible new rewards at my disposal, I found myself facing a decision that could fundamentally reshape my capabilities. The Job Integration Protocol offered me access to any job title I’d previously observed, and as I scrolled through the available options, each one brought back memories of the people who’d wielded them.

Job Switcher was Mark’s title. The ability to switch freely between different job without the usual restrictions. It was undeniably useful, allowing for incredible versatility in any situation. But something about the impermanence bothered me. I’d built my identity around mastering and truly understanding each profession I took on. The idea of constantly switching felt... hollow. Like being an expert in everything but a master of nothing.

Job Inverter is Sienna’s unique ability to reverse the effects and applications of her current job and skills. Fascinating from a theoretical standpoint, and I’d seen how devastatingly effective it could be in the right circumstances. But here was the issue: I could already copy Sienna’s skills directly when needed. More importantly, the job was incredibly situational. Its effectiveness depended entirely on having the right opposing force to invert against. Too specialized for my needs.

Alexis had the Job Merger title, and this one immediately caught my attention for multiple reasons. First, it would allow me to combine my current jobs together for exponentially greater effect rather than simply running them in parallel. But more importantly, it addressed a persistent problem I’d been dealing with: overheating from having too many jobs at the same time.

Alexis had claimed that the bitumen vial had fixed my overheating issues, but I hadn’t fully tested this theory yet. Having Job Merger as a backup safety measure would significantly reduce the risk of system overload. The ability to consolidate multiple jobs into streamlined combinations would be invaluable as my collection of skills continued to grow.

Job Maxer is likely Camille’s title, allowing her to temporarily boost all skills to level 10. The power implications were staggering. Combined with Full Profession Sync, I would be essentially invincible for about ten minutes. But that word "temporarily" was exactly the problem. I’d learned to be wary of abilities that provided massive short-term benefits followed by equally massive drawbacks. I was building a foundation for long-term success, not looking for flashy tricks that would leave me vulnerable afterward.

Portfolio Copier is definitely Evelyn’s ability, allowing her to duplicate any of my organized skill portfolios. But obviously, I had no need to copy my own jobs and skills. The very concept is nonsensical and redundant.

System Scanner - I was confident this belonged to 3830, providing an advanced scanning ability that revealed information like job titles and system messages. Massively useful for intelligence gathering and strategic planning. However, there was a significant limitation: job titles were still relatively rare. In the World Leaders meeting, only Valeska had shown clear signs of possessing one. Even if someone like the World President had a job title, it would likely be quite some time before I encountered him in person. The utility was too situational for immediate needs.

System Disabler - 3829’s ability, allowing targeted disruption of others’ System connections. Theoretically powerful, but it suffered from the same line-of-sight limitations that made it impractical. It required either direct visual contact or knowledge of someone’s specific location, and the more general the targeting area, the weaker the effect became. Another situational ability that wouldn’t provide consistent value.

Siren Job - The final option, almost certainly Valeska’s supernatural ability to influence and persuade others without their conscious awareness. I’d experienced its effects firsthand and understood both its power and its limitations. More importantly, I’d proven that it could be overcome through sufficient willpower and skills. I had already beaten her and so with Instinct at level 9, I doubt that the job title would work on me anymore.

As I weighed each option, the choice became increasingly clear. Job Merger offered the most comprehensive benefits with the fewest drawbacks. It would enhance my existing capabilities rather than replacing them, provide crucial safety measures for system management, and scale effectively as my skills continued to expand.

The aircraft’s engines were winding down as I made my selection. Job Merger it was.

The moment I confirmed the choice, I felt a subtle shift in how my System interface organized itself. New options appeared for combining and consolidating job classifications, though I decided to wait until I was home to experiment with actually merging anything. Things like these needed careful thought and planning.

"We’re here," Anthony announced, though the change in engine noise had already made that obvious. Through the aircraft windows, I could see the familiar landscape of Canadian countryside passing below as we made our final approach.

"Good timing," I said, closing my System interface and turning my attention back to the present moment. "I’m ready to face whatever’s waiting for us."

Famous last words, as it turned out.

As we disembarked from the aircraft, I expected to see the usual small crowd of airport personnel and perhaps a few reporters who’d been tipped off about our arrival. What I definitely didn’t expect was the scene that greeted us as we walked across the tarmac.

Hundreds of people had gathered outside the airport terminal. The crowd stretched from the building’s entrance all the way to the parking structures, a sea of faces turned in our direction. Many were holding signs supporting my candidacy, others were simply cheering and applauding as we appeared.

But what caught my attention most was the podium that had been set up near the terminal entrance, complete with microphones and what looked like a small media platform for cameras and reporters.

"Did you know about this?" I asked Anthony, gesturing toward the unexpected reception.

He was already scanning the crowd with professional alertness, his security instincts activated by the large gathering. "No, but I should have anticipated it. The news coverage of the Geneva vote has been extensive. People are excited about what this means."

Evelyn moved closer to my other side, her Psychological Insight probably picking up on the intentions that the crowd had for me. "They’re expecting a speech," she said quietly. "I can hear people discussing what you might say."

As we walked closer to the terminal, the crowd’s energy became more apparent. These weren’t just curious onlookers—they were genuine supporters who had taken time out of their day to welcome home someone they saw as a potential agent of change. The responsibility of that expectation settled on my shoulders like a familiar weight.

Airport security was doing their best to maintain order, but it was clear they hadn’t been prepared for a crowd of this size. A path had been cleared from our aircraft to the terminal entrance, with security barriers creating a corridor through the gathered people.

"Mr. Vale!" someone called out from the crowd. "What’s your next move?"

"Does this mark the beginning of your official candidacy?" shouted another voice.

The questions came from multiple directions, creating a cacophony of curiosity and excitement that made it impossible to address any single inquiry. But the energy was infectious—these people weren’t here out of obligation or political calculation. They were here because they believed in the possibility of real change.

As we approached the podium, a man in an expensive suit materialized beside us. I didn’t recognize him immediately, but his confident demeanor and professional appearance suggested he was someone from the Canadian government’s communications department.

"Mr. Vale," he said, extending his hand. "James Morrison, Deputy Communications Director. We set this up when we learned about the crowd gathering. Thought you might want to say a few words before heading home."

I shook his hand, appreciating the foresight even if the surprise had thrown me off balance. "I wasn’t expecting this, but thank you for organizing it."

"The people deserve to hear from you directly," Morrison replied. "After what happened in Geneva, there’s a lot of anticipation about what comes next."

He was right, of course. These people had invested their hope and energy in supporting me, and they deserved acknowledgment of that commitment. More practically, this was an opportunity to control the narrative before others had a chance to spin the Geneva results in directions I might not prefer.

Anthony appeared at my elbow, having completed his quick security assessment. "Crowd’s friendly but large," he reported quietly. "Airport security has things under control, but we should keep this relatively brief."

I nodded, then looked toward the podium. The crowd had noticed our approach, and the noise level was building as people realized I was about to address them directly.

This wasn’t how I’d planned to spend my first moments back in Canada, but leadership often meant adapting to unexpected circumstances. As I reached for the microphone, I found myself genuinely curious about what I was going to say.

The crowd fell silent as I stepped up to the podium, their anticipation almost palpable in the evening air.