Power of Runes

Just as the tension reached its peak, and was about to explode, Ray dismissed his weapon....and took a deep breath.

And then, looking at Ash with the same intensity as before, he asked, "..What are the powers of the demon..?"

Hearing that question, Ash smiled faintly as he thought, a wise choice...

Just like that, Ash recruited Ray to save the Dwarven Continent.

**

Dwarven Continent.

At the very edge of the human continent, there stood various mountains that stretched far and wide as if they had no visible end..., sprawling so endlessly that they seemed to touch the skies themselves.

These mountains had long become a haven for ores, hidden ruins, and rich mineral veins—mines that sustained the dwarves for centuries.

And right at the edge of that land, two fifteen-year-old boys were standing quietly.

Both were draped in black clothing, layered with gloves, cloaks, and masks that completely hid their identities. The only visible difference between the two was in their outfits—one wore plain black garments with a barely perceptible white sheen glowing softly beneath the surface, while the other's clothes were inscribed with mysterious runic symbols that shimmered faintly when touched by light.

"...I don't understand, why are we even wearing the masks...?" Ray asked in a frustrated tone, already second-guessing his choices. Just hearing what kind of demon they were going to fight had shaken him enough... or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, the kind of creature.

And now, on top of that, they had to wear these uncomfortable outfits that didn't make things any better.

"..To hide our identity, of course.." Ash replied instantly, not even pausing for a moment.

"From whom..?"

"Demons. Although I doubt our actions will stay hidden for long... it's just... cool... I think..."

Ray stopped mid-step and stared at Ash, blinking as if he was seeing him for the first time in his life.

Noticing that look, Ash awkwardly coughed and quickly shifted his focus, "You remember everything I told you, right?"

"Yeah..!!!" Ray replied, his voice a little annoyed. Not liking the fact that he was together with Ash.

Before coming here, Ash had already explained everything to Ray—about the Hollow Mother and the Hollowborn, the mind and body control, and the risks they carried. Of course, he left out the part about why he was really here... to obtain the Rune.

And to make sure Ray stayed safe and immune against the Hollowborn's influence, he had asked if Ray still had any system points left. If he did, then he should purchase a skill that could block the parasitic invasion and eliminate them.

But if Ray didn't have any points remaining, Ash had planned to visit the Elven Continent for making Ray some sort of charm instead. In the end, Ray purchased the skill from the shop.

The skill Ray purchased worked through life mana. It was a active skill that consumed a lot of mana as Ray did not have life affinity so the burden was quite high, but its toll could be made bearable with the help of the Indomitable Mantle skill.

Although there was no ability in Indomitable Mantle skill that converted that absorbed force into mana, but Ash told Ray that his skill is more versatile than it appears, and the absorbed force can be converted into mana.

And then with some practice, he was indeed able to do it.

That was the reason Ray's body had a faint white sheen —the skill was already partially charged and running beneath his skin.

The name of the skill Ray purchased was Life Breath.

It wasn't a too powerful ability, but it was enough to confirm Ray's basic safety against the Hollowborn's effects.

Otherwise, things could quickly become horrifying—if Ray were to get controlled like a puppet and start attacking Ash under the Hollow Mother's influence...

It would become a pain in the ass to handle the situation like that.....I just hope, with Ray here... everything will go well... and luck will shine today...

Ash had not gone to the Elven Kingdom for help, despite what he had told the Whisperer. He could use life mana himself, and there was no need to disturb the newly crowned Elf Queen. Besides, Ash seriously doubted her help would have made much difference when Ray was already standing beside him.

They didn't waste much time wandering around either. Once they reached a safe point, Ash grabbed Ray by the shoulder, and the two of them began teleporting from place to place.

When they finally reached a point near the city, they waited there quietly for Ash's mana to recover...before finally stepping toward their destination.

**

As soon as Ash appeared in the city again, he once more felt that same nagging sense of danger and unease, the same discomfort.... even though nothing was near them.

Even Ray immediately shifted into serious mode. His body language subtly changed, becoming tense and alert, as if he was ready to face an invisible enemy lurking in the air.

Ignoring him, Ash gazed at the city below. They were standing on one of the rocks protruding from the side walls of the underground city. The city looked the same... nothing seemed different from what he remembered.

The buildings where he was attacked were still damaged and the large water tank at the other end remained just as twisted and disfigured.

Taking a deep breath, Ash activated his Elemental Sight.

He remembered what the Whisperer had told him—that Hollowborns could only be seen by someone who was able to perceive the true flow of mana in the environment.

And when he heard that back then... the only skill that came to his mind was Elemental Sight.

From what he knew and had experienced, Elemental Sight allowed him to perceive the movement of mana in the surroundings. He could see the mana particles, the way they danced and moved around, how they twisted and flowed through space.

And so, he wanted to try it... to see if it would work here as well.

A small eye-shaped symbol appeared on Ash's glabella, glowing faintly. His vision shifted instantly.

The sensation of that change was strange... different from what he had felt when using Snow's X-Ray vision. This time, it wasn't just about looking deeper... it was like gazing at the very breath of the world, the hidden reality beneath everything.

And what he saw…

Curse it all... what the fuck is this...

In this colorful world revealed by Elemental Sight, the entire underground area was drowned in an overwhelming Shadow. No matter where his eyes moved, there was only darkness, spreading endlessly, as if a massive black blanket had been thrown over the entire city, suffocating everything beneath it.

But that wasn't all.

Thread-like black beings were also squirming nearby. They were tiny, almost imperceptible, but Ash could feel them clearly now.

They were trying to creep through the small patches of his visible skin, even trying to enter through his breath. But each time they entered, they were eliminated instantly, burned away by Life mana within him.

The Hollowborns were far too small for him to fully see. Their shapes were lost in the shadows. What Elemental Sight showed him wasn't their actual appearance—it was only the faint, demonic energy they carried within them.

That energy... it's the same one I felt when the heads and hearts of the dwarves exploded back then...

But then, just as he processed that thought, everything shifted.

Ash suddenly felt as if time slowed down, and a chill that had nothing to do with temperature ran down his spine.

Because he felt it.

He felt millions of gazes fall on him all at once... eyes filled with nothing but pure, overwhelming murderous intent.

In truth, there was only one.

Hidden somewhere deep within the endless darkness, the Hollow Mother had locked her gaze onto him. But the sheer depth of that one gaze was so oppressive, so vast and unnatural, that it created the illusion that countless Hollowborns were watching him, crawling under his skin, pressing down on his very soul.

The pressure was unbearable. His body stiffened, his thoughts trembled for a moment, and his face slowly turned grim...

Ah... damn... I never thought they would sense even this.....

Activating Absolute Concealment, Ash teleported away with Ray to the opposite end this time, and as soon as he reappeared, he noticed something strange—the place he had just appeared became completely clear of Hollowborns, as if his sudden movement had repelled them, pushing them away with some invisible force.

And then, something clicked inside his mind, like a distant switch being flipped in the background of his thoughts.

I see, the Hollow Mother can't see me, it was just sensing the place where its children were being cleared... and creating a gap in its huge curtain of darkness...

It wasn't sensing me directly, it was sensing the movement of its own children...

"...What happened?" Ray asked, his voice cautious and alert, because he had clearly noticed how Ash suddenly became tense and alert, as if something unexpected had happened.

But...

"Nothing, focus on the task..." Ash muttered under his breath, not wanting to go into details just yet.

The reason Ash had returned to this city again was simple—Ash wanted to check if the Hollow Mother was actually hiding in this city.

And now, with the help of Elemental Sight, the process would become much easier. If she really was here, then there would be no need to travel all the way to the central city.

But if not, then Ash would simply trace the Hollow Mother through her children, through the Hollowborns, by sensing the same twisted energy they carried.

The plan was simple. Nothing too complex.

And thus, they quietly went to work on it.

***