Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 396: Calm Before the Madness I

CH396 Calm Before the Madness I

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After breakfast, the expedition members dispersed to occupy themselves in their own ways.

Mogal immediately launched into a strict physical training regimen. According to the barbarian, this rigorous exercise regimen right after a heavy meal helped him ’convert the strength of his hunted game into his own strength’ — the Dravo Barbarian Tribe’s signature ascension method.

Kavakan did the opposite. He simply lay down where he had eaten. Anyone unfamiliar would assume he was napping, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Like Mogal, the weretiger was cultivating — just in a very different manner.

The loud, rhythmic pounding of his heart, audible even a few feet away, was proof enough. Through the Call of the Wild method, Kavakan could accelerate digestion and direct the resulting energy into specific parts of his body.

Not only did this let him consciously temper select regions of his physique, but it also allowed him to boost recovery speed or even hyper-focus healing on a particular limb when necessary.

Sugud, meanwhile, wasn’t training his body or energy. Instead, the Arcane Mechanical Engineer found a flat patch of ground near the camp where he set up a makeshift workstation and immediately began tinkering with another one of his odd contraptions.

The Fury soldiers took to sparring or practicing sword drills, giving Eleanor ample opportunity to stretch her limbs as she healed the scrapes, sprains, overextensions and other injuries that inevitably followed.

Mordor joined them for a series of sword duels against the soldiers, his orcish strength clashing against their disciplined forms.

The earlier gloom hanging over the group—lingering grief for their fallen comrades—had lifted somewhat. It hadn’t disappeared, but it had been pushed down for the moment, buried beneath the urgency of survival and the challenges ahead.

Zora was actually the freest of all.

She lounged beside Alex, relaxed and completely at ease, taking in the sights of the camp and the gentle rustling of the valley’s greenery. Fen, in his cub form, slept peacefully on her lap, his snowy fur rising and falling as he digested the hearty meal he had devoured earlier.

Zora absentmindedly stroked his fur, her calm presence providing a quiet centre amid the controlled chaos of the camp.

Alex, for his part, had returned to partially casting spells for OmniRune to scan and cross-reference. This time he lingered much longer on each spell, trying to feel out the hidden patternto them.

Whether he was actually gaining anything from the exercise or simply wasting time... even he couldn’t tell.

Fortunately, just as frustration began to simmer from the lack of clear progress, Alex sensed Senu’s presence circling back. And not just Senu — Udara was returning as well.

Alex opened his eyes from meditation.

”The scout party is returning,” he said quietly to Zora beside him.

Zora nodded and rose to her feet, still cradling Fen in her arm. She beckoned a Fury soldier over to assist her, but before he could reach her, the scout party arrived.

To Alex’s surprise, Senu was perched comfortably on Udara’s shoulder.

He raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed.

’When had those two become so close?’

Then he shrugged.

’All the better.’

He was hardly the most attentive beast master — if his wives took on some of the responsibility of keeping his companions placated and satisfied (and less likely to rebel), he couldn’t complain.

Besides, just as Fen gravitated to Zora due to their shared Ice affinity, Senu likely felt a natural closeness to Udara due to their shared Darkness affinity.

That... or the Queen Eagle simply preferred Udara because she spent more time with her than Alex’s other wives.

Udara, Silver, and Kron Belloc approached Alex, while Havel and the two Fury scouts followed Zora’s gesture toward the camp’s centre where breakfast awaited.

”I heard you went out scouting. How was it?” Alex asked with his trademark soft smile.

Alas, that smile did not have the universal calming or welcoming effect he intended.

To Kron, that smile belonged to a silver-haired devil — a reminder of the ’gentle’ psychological execution Alex had performed on him the previous night.

To Silver, still cautious about fully trusting this noble, the smile was simply... standard noble behaviour. Nothing more, nothing less.

”There is no impending threat at the moment,” Udara reported. ”We also managed to confirm our location.”

She glanced toward Kron.

The captive-turned-reluctant guide cleared his throat before speaking.

”We are presently within the territory of Baron Leland Helton, located south of the Luxen Duchy of the Holy Lumeria Empire.”

”Let me guess — the Lumeria Empire is the territory of fanatical worshippers of Juror,” Alex commented.

”Indeed. This empire is the primary territory illuminated by the light of Lord Juror and his loyal followers,” Kron answered.

”It seems you still have some veneration for Juror,” Alex observed.

Kron gave a wry smile.

”Don’t worry. I understand this has been second nature to you all your life. The moment you fully comprehend the truth won’t be too far away,” Alex assured him — or perhaps teased him.

”As long as I live that long,” Kron muttered self-mockingly.

”As long as we all live that long,” Alex chuckled.

”What do you want us to do now, Lord Alex?” Silver asked.

”You don’t need to call me ’Lord’. It makes it sound like I’m a Navi.” Alex waved her off. ”I prefer ’young master’ or ’commander’.”

Silver simply nodded. Titles weren’t her concern — only his orders.

”Well, first, we need to leave Lumeria. Since Juror issued a prophecy, it won’t be long before the empire starts actively searching for us — depending on how xenophobic Juror is,” Alex muttered aloud.

He turned back to Kron.

”You mentioned yesterday that every major territory and nation has a Navi they worship. Is there truly no major power or territory that isn’t beholden to one?”

”According to what I’ve heard, every nation worships a deity. And unlike Lumeria, most have more than one,” Kron replied.

”Are you sure?” Alex pressed.

To Alex’s understanding, Navi were usually territorial and extremely competitive for worshippers. It seemed odd that they would share lands so easily. He had expected Lumeria’s single-deity dominance to be the norm, not the exception.

Are the Navi of Verdantis really that chill with one another?’ Alex wondered.

”That’s what I’ve read in books. I’ve never actually left the Lumeria Empire myself,” Kron admitted.

Then something seemed to click in his memory.

”My father told me about his travels to the Celahan Empire. They don’t worship deities... but rather the spirits of their deceased ancestors.”

Alex’s eyes lit up sharply at that revelation — the intensity of his gaze sending an involuntary shiver crawling down Kron’s spine.

**2**