The Golem Mage Chapter 4: System

Alec's POV:

"You're such a show-off," I remarked to the elderly man right after the Golem set me down from its grasp.

"Whatever you say," he shot back, refusing to let his grandchildren get the upper hand, It was obvious he felt no shame whatsoever about the spectacle he'd staged in the Awakening Hall; summoning the Golem was purely for bragging rights.

"You really caught me off guard, I didn't anticipate you possessing dual elements, especially both at such impressive affinity levels," he continued.

"Is that meant to be impressive?" I inquired.

"In a High Tier Clan, it's nothing special, but for Mid-Tier Clans such as ours, it absolutely secures your status as the young master of the Gordon family.

Starting today, everyone will obey you. In this world that's gradually forsaking its heavenly laws, staying united is far wiser than dividing," my grandfather clarified.

"I'm relieved if it shifts how they view me; I was beginning to believe they despised me," I confessed.

"Rubbish! Anyway, forget the past, from this day forward, you'll be trained to lead the upcoming generation. That's the Gordon family tradition. Oh, and speaking of which, I've got a gift for you tied to those promises you made earlier," he declared, dashing away before I could protest.

While awaiting his return, I spent the moments examining the Golem positioned in front of me. Even though it looked vacant right then, my gut feeling suggested differently; I felt sure it was genuinely smart and appeared to know who I was.

Moreover, it seemed linked to the old man through thoughts, Setting it apart from the typical golems scattered around the courtyard, this one stood out distinctly. Its form was remarkably sleek, free from the usual lumps and coarseness seen in earth element Golems or clay Golems.

The whole exterior gleamed in a solid brown hue. That polished finish showed it had undergone endless refinements throughout the years; it had accompanied the old man for ages.

Exuding an aura of command and a formidable presence, gazing upon it was like facing a battle-hardened commander who'd survived innumerable conflicts.

"Ahem, I hope you're prepared, lad, for this is the most precious item I cherish," the elderly man announced upon his return, carrying two books that cut short my inspection.

"Harold, give us some privacy first," the old man instructed the Golem, which responded with a nod and strode off. This revelation stunned me yet again; the Golem's intelligence had clearly advanced to an exceptional level.

My grandfather faced me and handed over the pair of books.

"This contains the accumulated wisdom from all prior patriarchs of the Gordon family, myself included, covering all essentials for golem crafting," he described, handing me the volume marked "Gordon's Golems Knowledge".

Just as he prepared to pass the second book, he delved deeper into his explanation.

"Notice how this single page is massive enough to pass as an entire volume. Legend has it, it originates from a skill book that birthed the Gordon family's Golem arts. With our shallow comprehension, we've handed it down across generations to every young master in the Clan."

"Yet, it appears the book only discloses and unveils its deeper mysteries to its selected bearer. The Gordon family has stalled in advancing Golem creations since it isn't a path we forged ourselves."

"Still, it's deeply woven with our earth elements, and back in the apocalypse era when the gods appeared to bless us, it was the route our Gordon mages followed. Reflecting now, every family that developed their own skill has refined it into something uniquely flawless."

"Thus, the golem techniques lingered merely as a legacy, unable to progress without proper access. We remain ignorant of its true potential, but as this generation's young master, the duty to uphold it and transmit it to your successor now falls to you," my grandfather elaborated, a hint of sorrow flickering in his gaze.

I realized then that family members opting for alternative mage paths were regarded as disloyal. Beginners on the Golem Path who lacked the talent to master it switched to other routes in pursuit of achievement.

The primary mage paths numbered three: battle mage, wizard/witch mage, and summoning mage. Deviators from the golem path selected one of these or combined them, since those alternatives were more commonly recognized and simpler to impart to descendants.

"Take this," the elderly man urged, settling the golem skill book into my grasp.

As soon as the book touched my hand, a display like a screen materialized before my vision.

[Congratulations on Discovering the Trigger to Activate the System at Last]

[Would you like to use the God Skill Scroll to reshape the system? Y/N]

A wave of confusion washed over me upon witnessing the system-like interface emerge in my sight. In all the reincarnation and transmigration comics I'd devoured, protagonists invariably had a system at their disposal.

Yet, ever since entering this body, none had come my way. I'd never pinned hopes on being a destined hero or lead character, but after fourteen years, fate had surprisingly led me to a means of igniting this eagerly anticipated system.

I felt confident that reforming the system via the Golem God Scroll would bind my abilities to Golems or spawn golem-centric skills. Though becoming a golem mage hadn't crossed my mind much, this route presented itself as my sole choice.

Securing another God Skill Scroll seemed improbable, nor could I count on rival families sharing their exclusive mage arts. Resolved firmly, I promptly selected "Y-yes."

"Assimilating... 30%."

"Assimilating... 45%."

"Assimilating... 80%."

"Assimilating... 100%."

[Greetings, host now online. Kindly await one hour while the system restarts and calibrates to the fresh data integrated.]

When I averted my gaze from the system, I saw my grandfather gripping my shoulders firmly, his features twisted in anxiety.

"What's the matter with you? You zoned out completely and began gesturing wildly at nothing. Did something odd happen when I handed you our ancestral skill?" he queried, concern lining his expression.

"I'm worn out and need some rest. Catch you soon," I responded, devising a reason to slip away from him. Once the system fully activated in an hour, I intended to delve into its features in depth.

I had no desire to appear strange once more, interacting with my system that others perceived as mere air-swiping, since it dawned on me that only I could perceive and get the system alerts.