Power of Runes

As Ash was lost in thought, the fight between Saint Nichole and the semi-divine beast was in full swing.

The Saint, with his lean yet broad frame and golden, blazing eyes, never stood in one place. He moved constantly, his steps precise and fluid, while the attacks of the beast failed to find their mark. The window it had to strike from was small, but Saint Nichole's movements had no such restrictions.

From the space crack, only a glowing, diamond-shaped eye could be seen, radiating a strange, almost hypnotic energy. The fight appeared simple at first glance—Nichole attempting to reach the crack while the beast attacked—but there was another battle happening, invisible to anyone. The clash of domains.

Nichole's domain extended over everything around him, bending space and energy to his will. Yet as it neared the crack, something seemed to repel his domain, as if he had struck something immovable. No matter how much energy and will he poured into his domain, which had the power to devastate an entire city from rock to rock, it was dismissed as if it were the play of a child.

And not only that...

...My attacks are not working at all...

No matter what he tried, not a single strike succeeded. His domain bent around the space crack as if a dam had been placed in the middle of a flowing river. The crack acted as a barrier, forcing his energy to part around it.

At the end, he even fused with his domain, increasing his power several times over, but even that immense surge did not accomplish anything.

Instead, the crack appeared to have widened slightly.

Did it really widen?

He was not entirely sure, as the enlargement was extremely subtle, detectable only when he moved close; otherwise, even he might not have sensed it. After fighting for so long, his energy was nearly depleted, and he began a careful, measured retreat.

Ash's presence was not required for every retreat, only for emergencies where the situation could turn deadly.

As Nichole withdrew, his body slick with sweat and streaked with blood, steam rose from him in the cold air, giving him the appearance of having been freshly cooked.

He inhaled deeply, eyes scanning for Ash, who remained lost in thought but still attentive, his Omni thought working like a finely tuned engine.

Ash met his gaze, silent, as if asking, 'What now?'_

Nichole let out a long, weary sigh. Even with the crack slightly widening and the pressing urgency of the situation, the grime and exhaustion clinging to his body demanded attention first.

A bath would have to come before he could continue any strategic action.

***

Ash saw the Principal retreating, so he stood up as well. It was time to leave. His work for today was done, and what happened next was not something he needed to concern himself with.

Though I know, somehow I will end up getting entangled in all this…

He moved slowly toward the exit on foot. The space around the crack was unstable, and there was a real risk of mis-teleportation, so using teleportation here was impossible. Ash's anchor was the only thing that worked perfectly, and his Transcendent Step functioned normally, though the same could not be said for anyone else.

Ash's skill had been made directly from the Rune of Space, while others' abilities were not. That was the difference.

He refrained from using teleportation, not because he needed to, but because he did not want anyone to realize he could slip away even in destabilized space. Walking on foot was safer and kept him inconspicuous.

The entire area had changed considerably since the last time he had seen it. All the monsters that Ash and Ray had killed were cleared, and around the space crack were machines, destructive weapons, and scattered tents. Hundreds of awakened beings were stationed here, their vigilance creating a fortified perimeter.

It had become a priority zone in the otherwise untamed forest.

..But what are the demons doing… for space to destabilize this much…

Ash did not know, but whatever was happening was definitely different from the novel. Whatever scheme Orin, the son of the Demon King, was executing, Ash was not prepared for it.

Dwarves… Elves… humans… unicorns…

Looking at the pattern, it seemed as if the demons were targeting all the races, or at least attempting to.

The Demonic Heart Ash had found in the Eleventh Continent had deactivated the shield protecting the world. The dwarves were constructing something mysterious, the Unicorn King's daughter had been killed at an early age, and a prophecy of calamity had been told when the stars and moon blessed people were born in the same era.

All the races Ash had encountered were entangled in this vicious cycle in one way or another. How they were connected, he could not say for certain, though he had a vague idea from what the Whisperer had told him. Nothing more.

As Ash continued forward, he noticed someone familiar.

Ray Dawson.

Ray was moving in a different direction, his expression serious and focused, which stirred Ash's curiosity.

Where is he going…?

Normally, Ash would not have cared where Ray went. It was none of his business. But this time, Ray was heading toward a prohibited zone, a place where entry was forbidden. The land had been poisoned during the dungeon break and had not yet recovered.

Some areas had been made safe, with tube-like structures filtering out the poison, allowing people to walk safely. But even with those, it was still not a safe place, so everyone had to wear gas masks and full body suits, almost everyone. Ash was not included in that; the same was true for Saint Nichole and Ray, and some others.

Ash's Hundred Poison Immunity had not evolved further. Though he felt no pain or burning now, he assumed it would take a far more potent poison to trigger evolution.

Putting that aside, Ash followed Ray quietly, activating Absolute Concealment to move without being detected.

When Ray reached an empty area, nothing but scorched, dark land and poisonous air surrounded him. He stopped and scanned the surroundings. Ash swiftly activated his Phase spell, as if anticipating Ray's next move.

Ray swung his sword in a wide, sweeping arc, cutting everything in the vicinity. The strike extended to the sky above and the ground below, the energy scattering in all directions. The attack passed through Ash's body, draining his one core due to the immense power behind it, but it was worth it. After the strike, Ray lowered his guard slightly.

He must have asked Aetheris to sense the surroundings as well…

Ray pulled out his phone, pacing in small, uneven circles across the scarred, poisoned land. His shoulders were tense, fists clenched tightly at his sides, and his eyes flicked repeatedly toward the dark, twisted ground. His voice was tight, carrying both frustration and urgency.

"I want to enter the crack. Can you help me?"

.....

"I am not mad, it is quite important. After entering it, the space will close. And I have a way to survive."

Ray's eyes narrowed, scanning the poisoned soil beneath his boots and the shattered trees around him, as if measuring the risk in the twisted landscape.

"Yes… I know… I know it's dangerous… I am not blind to what's inside the crack."

He ran a hand through his hair, strands falling into his eyes, and muttered under his breath, "I get it… I know you'll think I'm reckless… I know you think I don't understand the risk… but I have no choice. I have to do this now."

Another pause, teeth clenched tightly, and he balled his fists before loosening them slowly.

"Yes… I know it's unstable… I know the Semi Divine Beast is there… I know it can anticipate anything I do… I am not ignorant… but waiting will cost more than risking it."

Ray rubbed his temple with the back of his hand, eyes closing briefly, his voice dropping to a near whisper, weighted with desperation, "I hear you… I hear every warning… I know you'd scold me if you could see me now… but I have to do it. Please, I need your help."

He turned slightly, scanning the horizon where the poisonous mist curled like smoke over the deadened land, before continuing, "Of course, the crack will not lead to the beast itself. It's some sort of space entanglement, where one side leads to here, but if someone from this side enters, it will lead to somewhere else."

Ray's hands trembled faintly as he gripped the phone tighter, shoulders hunched, eyes darting toward the dangerous expanse before him. "I can't tell how I know that, but please just help me enter. It's my life. I can decide what I have to do with it...."

But the other person hung up the phone...

He put his phone down finally, breathing shallow and sharp, his movements stiff with frustration.

After a long moment, he turned and left the place swiftly, boots crunching against the poisoned earth. Before vanishing from sight, Ash caught him mutter under his breath, voice heavy with exasperation, "....What a crazy quest I have gotten...."

****

Curious…

Ash narrowed his eyes, watching Ray's figure retreating across the scarred, poisoned land, every movement sharp and deliberate.

Entering the crack… space will lead to somewhere else… and a quest…

A slow, knowing smile spread across Ash's face as he pieced the fragments together, the corners of his lips twitching with a mix of amusement and anticipation.

Don't tell me…

He tilted his head slightly, eyes glinting with curiosity and a spark of excitement, already sensing how this unexpected turn might play into the chaos he thrived in.

****

A/N: Hey everyone, I just wanted to say sorry for being so inconsistent with posting chapters lately. I know it's frustrating, and honestly, stuff keeps coming up every time I try to get back on track. I'm slowly finding my rhythm again, so don't worry, I'm getting there.

The chapters I missed? I promise I'll get them out—either as extra chapters or in a big release so nothing gets skipped. I really appreciate all of you sticking around, being patient, and still reading even when updates are delayed.

Thanks for supporting me, and I hope you keep enjoying the story. I'm working on making it even better for you.