Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Adrian sat inside the Time Chamber, sliding a ring onto a chain he planned to wear around his neck.

He never liked wearing rings on his fingers, so this way he could carry them both without upsetting anyone—or looking like some flirt pretending to be single.

"Okay, System, are we ready?"

[Yes, host. The system has prepared all necessary measures in case your life is put at risk.]

Adrian gave a short hum. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

He had been failing to enter the head of the experimental doll. Unlike before, he couldn't reach its Gate the way he once reached its brain during the third thread.

Frustrated, Adrian decided to test it on himself.

Why risk it when he hadn't even mastered the basics yet?

Simple—he wanted to visit Raven as soon as possible and learn more about mana.

Now, it wasn't just about him anymore.

If he could learn what independent magic was, how it worked, and how to control it, he could pass that knowledge on to the other two anomalies—Annabelle and Elana.

But to do that, he needed to finish the first two steps of the fifth thread:

First, enter the subconscious state.

Second, find the Gate's location.

Easy to say. Not so easy to do.

He sat cross-legged in the silent chamber.

The silence was perfect for what he was about to attempt.

Adrian pressed his index finger against his forehead.

His mana slowly sank back into his body.

Resonance? Not needed. That would save time.

A piece of his consciousness slipped into his own mind.

Hard to explain? Think of it like being hungry, yet choosing to tear off your own flesh to feed yourself.

The difference was—Adrian wasn't hurting himself. At least, not yet.

But if he failed, or pushed his mind too far, he would lose consciousness.

That was why the System mattered.

If things went wrong, it would drag him out of the Time Chamber immediately. Ariana was waiting outside, already prepared. Of course, he had told her what he planned to do.

'Focus.' He centered his thoughts.

Eyes shut, he could now see it—

His own brain.

At first, everything was dark.

Then, slowly, the outline of his own brain came into view, glowing faintly with streaks of light running through it like tiny rivers. Each pulse was his mana flowing—alive and restless.

Adrian drifted closer. The more he focused, the louder the sounds became. A steady hum, like the beating of a distant drum. The rhythm belonged to him, yet it felt foreign, as if something else lurked beneath it.

Adrian was accustomed to this sight of coming across this hive of body and mana.

The scene before him began to shift. The brain dissolved into streams of light that twisted around him like endless threads, some bright, some dim, and others flickering like they were on the verge of vanishing.

"Threads…" Adrian muttered.

[Yes. These represent the paths of your magic. Follow them carefully. One of them will lead to your Gate.]

Adrian reached out. The threads recoiled at first, like snakes refusing his touch, before one stopped—vibrating as if it recognized him.

"This one…"

He grabbed it, and at once, his consciousness was pulled deeper.

Memories of the past began to stir as Adrian drew closer to his Hive.

He pushed them aside. He had no choice.

If he got stuck here, that would be the end.

Exhaustion weighed on him. His consciousness slipped into darkness, but he clung to the thread.

He had to see it—the part of the mind that never stopped feeding the body with magic.

The very place where magic split into two paths: one under conscious control, and the other regulated by the Hive.

Drip Drip

Without noticing, blood trickled from his nose.

[Alert: The host is nearing his limits.]

The deeper he went, the heavier the strain grew on his mind.

It wasn't just that he was exploring his own mind—it was that the very mind doing the exploring was also the one being explored.

Adrian felt he was close.

Close to that point of division.

And just when he thought he glimpsed light after what felt like hours in the dark—

[Alert: The Host is being forcibly evicted from the Time Chamber.]

Adrian let out a grunt, finding himself back on a soft bed.

When he opened his eyes, his vision burned red, as though blood covered his eyeballs.

For a moment, he couldn't hear a thing—even though he could see Ariana's lips moving, calling out to him.

He lifted his head slightly, lips moving weakly.

Ariana caught the words he was trying to say and, without hesitation, grabbed a vial of potion.

She uncorked it quickly, then tried to part his lips—only to realize his teeth were clenched tight. There was a real risk of him choking.

Without wasting a second, she tipped the liquid into her own mouth, then pressed her lips against his.

Slowly, carefully, she let the potion flow down his throat, making sure not to overwhelm him all at once.

Bit by bit, color returned to his face. His breathing steadied, though still shallow.

When it was done, Ariana pulled back, watching him heave faintly for air. She waited until he seemed stable before asking softly, "Are you feeling better now?"

Adrian gave a weak nod. "Yeah." He tried to push himself up, but—

"Stay right there." Ariana pressed her palm against his chest, holding him down firmly. "Don't move yet."

Adrian let out a long sigh. "How do I look?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Like a reckless fool."

Adrian managed a chuckle. "Still within the danger I planned for."

Ariana growled, "You are telling me you predicted this much danger yet you assured me that not a single droplet of blood would be wasted?"

Adrian blinked then a sheepish smile extended his lips, "I-ou!" He tried to speak but his cheek was suddenly pinched.

"Just shut up. Who told you to push yourself this far? Is it really worth it, Adrian?"

Adrian heaved a sigh and first pulled her in his arms.

Hugging her warm body, he softly patted her back and said, "It's important, Ariana. My magic is increasing but my control is still lacking. I need to master Mana as soon as I can to counter the dangers which they might propose."

"Don't speak so many words to make yourself sound reasonable." She complained, though her voice carries a little less sharpness.

Adrian warmly smiled at her, "Well, until I have you, I know I can be a little reckless."

Ariana groaned, but before she could say anything, he kissed her, silencing the girl.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.