Power of Runes

A/N:

Hello, dear readers! As promised, here's the mass release! 🎉 It's a total of 8 chapters this time. I know I initially planned for more, so let me explain why.

I recently made some changes to the Privilege chapters. For example, for the SAINT tier, it was previously 1,000 coins for 15 chapters, but starting tomorrow, it will increase to 20 chapters. So, 5 of the chapters I wrote went into that.

I actually wrote 13 chapters in just 2.5 days, which completely fried my brain. 😅 I really hope you'll support me with power stones—it keeps me going after all this effort!

Thank you so much for sticking with me. Enjoy the chapters! ❤️

***

"Sigh, that totally drained me....."

Ash thought as he slumped on the ground, his stamina and both of his cores utterly drained.

When he raised his head, the scene around him looked nothing less than hell itself. The ground was soaked in greenish blood, its foul stench heavy in the air, while the corpses of monsters were stacked like grotesque mounds. From Bloodshrooms to poisonous dogs and even those plant-like creatures, none had been spared. Most of the weaker beasts had already fallen to Ray, but the majority of the Bloodshrooms were cut down by Ash's presence.

Ray served as a constant distraction, drawing their attention with reckless precision, while Ash appeared behind the creatures and shattered their orbs with lightning. At times he even threw himself forward as bait, allowing Ray to finish the strike.

It had been brutal, but together, through timing and desperation, they had wiped out every monster in this dreadful land.

Finally..... the task given to us is complete. Now I can get the privilege to skip classes and even choose to learn directly from anyone I want...

A small smile touched his face at that thought, but it quickly faded when something else crossed his mind. He turned his head slightly to the side.

Not too far away, Ray was also sprawled on the ground, his chest rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath. Beside him, Aetheris was planted into the earth, its blade gleaming faintly under the dim light, standing like a silent guardian.

Should I tell him.....?

Ash's gaze lingered as the question echoed in his head. Should he tell Ray about the death of the Lord Beasts, the strange crack that had appeared, and above all, the presence he had felt hidden beyond it?

But I don't think he will believe me...

As Ash was caught in thought, Ray suddenly sensed his stare. He frowned, his tired voice rough with irritation. "WHAT??"

Ash sighed softly and looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.

He is a lost cause.....

That deliberate silence only seemed to push Ray's temper further. With a deeper frown, he asked again, sharper this time, "Just tell me what you want to say!!!"

Ash finally turned back to him. His lips parted, hesitation written all over his face, but after a moment he simply muttered, "Nothing, I was thinking that we should leave now."

Ray raised his eyebrows, confusion flashing across his face. "We still have to kill the boss monster in the deeper region."

Ash shook his head with a tired certainty. "I don't think I will be able to kill it or even stand against it. I would rather let the Saints handle what's left. You know I don't want to die this young. The massacre we've caused here is more than enough to pass the exam and earn the privileges. Though knowing that damned principal, he might still say something like..... 'technically you did not complete the task, so no privilege.' If he says that, then damn him and damn this academy. I will just do whatever I want after that."

Frustration spilled out with his words, more than he had intended. Noticing the strange look Ray gave him, Ash cleared his throat and continued, "What I meant was..... I don't think either you or me are in any condition to kill the monster in the center."

The clearing fell silent. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air, and the faint crackle of dying sparks from Ash's lightning was the only sound that remained. Both of them sat there, neither speaking further, the weight of unspoken thoughts pressing down on them.

"And how did you decide that, if you can't kill something, I can..." Ray spoke with a mocking edge to his tone, his eyes narrowing as if daring Ash to challenge his words.

Ash smiled lightly, a trace of amusement flickering in his expression.

"Are you saying you can kill the monster in the center?" Ash asked in a voice that carried both provocation and curiosity, as if he wanted to peel back the truth hidden inside Ray's confidence.

"Yeah, I can," Ray answered, his voice steady, not showing even a hint of hesitation.

Ash leaned in slightly, his smile stretching wider, "Will you make a bet with me then?"

{Wait, don't do that. Aren't you seeing how confident he is? There is definitely something shady about this, do not make a bet.}

Yeah I know, but think about it. Remember what Major said about this artifact that cages the entire arena, that only a Legendary rank person can break free..... yet it has not broken until now. That can only mean the monster is either at the peak of Grandmaster rank, or there are many of them together. But didn't you once say there is nothing unkillable? I should at least try, otherwise it would go against your very words.

Aetheris went silent after hearing that, but still added one last reminder, a note of caution lingering in his tone.

{But be careful with what you do...}

Yeah.

"I will," Ray replied firmly.

Ash's lips curved into a smile, gleeful and sly. "Fine, if you say so... you should."

Nice, he fell too easily.....

Ash had originally been thinking of telling him everything, to simply lay the truth bare, but then he changed his mind. There was a high chance Ray would not believe him anyway, and might still go on to check the center regardless. So instead of wasting words, why not add the weight of a bet into the mix?

I would make him owe me, and then I could use that to gain something from him. Damn, I cannot seem to decide what I will ask for. Should I demand a powerful defensive artifact from the system shop, or should I ask for something entirely different.....?

Countless possibilities circled in his thoughts, but before any decision could settle, he stood up and stepped closer to Ray, pulling something from his soul vault. With a sly grin that spoke of both mischief and calculation, he presented him with a Saint Rank mana contract he had found inside the dragon's treasury.

Ray looked at the glowing parchment with narrowed eyes. "What's that...?" he asked suspiciously.

"What else? A mana contract," Ash replied smoothly, smiling like a shady businessman who had just cornered his client.

---

[Few hours later]

"Is it here...?" Ray asked while gazing at the endless stretch of dead monsters scattered before him. The ground was stained in pitch black, the plants and trees twisted into lifeless husks, and even the air itself carried the stench of corruption.

The poison here was so potent that he had been forced to abandon his wind aura and instead cloak himself in light aura just to move freely. It burned against his body like a searing white flame, streams of white fumes rising from every inch of his skin, and every breath felt heavier, yet his figure appeared almost ethereal under the glow.

The sight was striking, almost majestic, as if he had stepped into the role of some attention-grabbing protagonist carved straight out of legend.

Would you look at that... isn't he looking exactly like one of those chosen ones who walk straight into destiny? I can almost guess what will happen next. He will march forward, grab the attention of the beast inside, and then be sucked into the crack, only to explore a whole new world waiting beyond.

If I were the Author, I might have shaped the story that way as well. It is a cliché path, but an easy one. Yet I do not like that kind of development..... it drags the plot, consumes too many chapters, and becomes a hassle.

Besides, if Ray were to die, I do not know what the system would do. Would it detach itself and find another host? Most likely me. I doubt there is anyone else it would even consider.....

But I do not want the system. Who knows what restrictions it might bind me with? I would rather die freely than become chained to it.

Ash's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Ray's glowing form. While he himself had Absolute Concealment and Transcendent Step to retreat at any moment if things went wrong, Ray had none of that. Instead, he was shining like a beacon in the middle of a corrupted wasteland, practically screaming for danger to notice him.

That is why... let's give him that.

"Here," Ash spoke as he tossed something toward Ray.

Ray caught it instantly and studied it carefully. What he held was a strange metallic sphere, its surface engraved with intricate runic symbols that glowed faintly with a deep violet light, each flicker carrying a sense of weight and mystery.

"It is my anchor. To be precise, I altered it in such a way that it can be used in reverse, but only if the anchor is made from something that can be broken. It functions through a process similar to backtracking…"

Ash went on with a long and detailed explanation, his tone calm but filled with the kind of seriousness that made his words stretch like threads one had to follow carefully.

He had made total 3 anchors and distributed two of them to Elysia and Eric, the little unicorn. While he used the last one right now.

"In short, if you destroy that ball, it will teleport you to wherever I am. The only restriction is that the distance cannot be too great. So keep it with you, and I know you will end up using it… unless you want to die."

Did he really give me such a long explanation just to say something that simple? Is he a psycho or something…..

Even so, Ray quietly tucked the orb away. Because of his space affinity, he could sense how much space mana was sealed within the sphere. The amount was immense, more than enough for a proper teleportation, so there was little reason to doubt its function.

Though it would be a lie to say he was not nervous. The way Ash had behaved, combined with the unsettling sight of the countless corpses lying around earlier, had left his instincts on edge. At the very least, having a backup retreat plan was reassuring, even if it did not completely still the unease gnawing at his chest.

{Where did your courage go? I feel you are going to lose… and very miserably…..}

Shut up. I am not scared, only nervous. Besides, look at the positive side, if I win this, Ash will have no choice but to answer all my questions without hiding anything. That way I can finally learn everything he has been keeping from me…..

{You should have asked for the Runes instead…..}

As if he would hand them over.

Still… this is the first time I am hearing you mention Runes. Did you regain more of your memories or something?

{Nothing like that. I just have the feeling they are extremely important….. and powerful too…..}

"I will be going then," Ray muttered, his voice firm even though his thoughts remained restless, and he stepped forward into the heavy silence.

As he moved farther from Ash, his surroundings remained quiet and ordinary at first glance, but he stayed cautious with each step. He avoided making even the faintest sound, not wanting to risk waking anything that might be sleeping in the unseen dark.

Ray's aura of light continued to burn against the oppressive poison saturating the air, making him glow like a beacon that stood out too clearly in the surrounding gloom. No matter how careful he was, he felt painfully exposed, as if every shadow had its eyes on him.

Minutes passed, though each one dragged as if stretched thin. After nearly five minutes of walking like that, Ray reached an open clearing, and the first sight that met his eyes froze him in place.

The ground was littered with corpses. Ten lord beasts, each one a terrifying existence on its own, now lay slain and hollow. Their monstrous bodies were broken and lifeless, the air still heavy with the stench of their decay.

Ray's stomach tightened, dread clawing through his chest as his instincts screamed louder than ever. His body reacted before his mind, pulling back every trace of aura, even if it meant letting the poisonous air seep into him. It was better to endure the poison quietly than to draw attention with his light.

What in the world is this…..

His heart pounded violently, each beat striking against his ribs so hard it felt like it might burst out. His breathing grew shallow, his body trembling despite his desperate attempts to steady himself.

{Run. Turn back right now!!! No… no, use that anchor, crush it! Whatever it is, you cannot face it. That thing is a Semi Divine beast. You cannot survive against it….. Run now…..}

Heeding Aetheris's frantic cry, Ray pulled out the anchor Ash had given him. His fingers clenched around the sphere as he prepared to crush it, his body shaking with urgency. But before he could act, his entire body froze.

From the edge of his vision, he caught sight of something. A figure… peeking through a narrow crack in space itself.

And in that instant, a single thought filled his mind completely.

I am going to die…..

****