The Runesmith

Chapter 661: Two Colors.

“More than one color? What do you mean?”

Roland stood still while Bernir circled him. His gaze scrutinized every inch of Roland’s body, and for a moment, Roland wondered if the anomaly was caused by the armor he was wearing. By now, he understood how his assistant’s new skill worked, as he had analyzed it during the ascension trial.

From what he had learned, this newfound soul energy existed within everything in the world, even in rocks, much like mana. Every item emitted a residual soul aura, and Bernir’s Soul Smith class could identify it through various colors. It was possible that the crafted armor, inscribed with runes and forged from a mixed alloy, was interfering with the reading.

“Wait, let me take off my suit of armor first.”

“Aye, that might be a good idea, Boss!”

The armor he wore was the old red set that most people recognized him by. As the pieces began to detach with the help of his magic, he was reminded of the earlier models. Back then, he had needed Bernir’s help to put it on, and after difficult battles the belts and leather straps often came loose and had to be replaced. Now he simply wore a silvergrace suit, to which the armor attached itself and lifted away with ease.

“How’s that?”

“It’s still strange. The color usually settles after a while, but it just won’t for you, Boss. It’s like there’s this pale white aura over another color that’s trying to push through, but it can’t.”

Bernir scratched his beard as he continued examining Roland.

“That is peculiar…”

‘I wonder what it could be.’

Roland remained silent, though he had a theory about what was happening. Thanks to the Spiritualist, he knew his soul did not originate from this world. That was the true reason he had no elemental affinities, which were supposedly granted to each soul at creation. The pale white light Bernir saw was therefore not surprising. The existence of another color beneath it, however, was.

“What color would you say the secondary one is?”

“It looks bluish. It’s hard to tell. All that white feels like it’s suppressing it. Bah, you’re full of surprises, Boss. I wonder what it means.”

While his assistant chuckled, Roland was deep in thought. Only one explanation made sense, something he had deliberately ignored since arriving in this world. When he was younger, he had sensed a strange presence, something that nudged him in certain directions. Now Bernir’s observation suggested there truly was something beneath the surface, and that he might not be alone after all.

“You’ve been awfully quiet, Boss. Did you figure it out?”

“I’m not sure. I would need to do some research, or consult someone I would rather not involve…”

The fastest way to resolve this issue would be to meet with the Spiritualist Witch. She had shed some light on his existence before, but their conversation had been interrupted by Yavenna. The problem was that he could not fully trust either of them, so it would be best to figure things out on his own. With Bernir here, who had gained soul related powers, that might be possible.

“Or...”

Roland mumbled, then glanced at Bernir, who flinched slightly.

“Or?”

“Why don’t you stay here a while. Let’s perform some tests first.”

“Aye, I knew that look.”

Bernir chuckled as Roland stepped away to gather some tools.

“Good. Step onto the examination platform first.”

“Aye.”

Without further delay, the two got to work. Roland already had a routine for this type of procedure. He was able to attune to magical wavelengths and even copy divine spells through his techniques. First, he needed to determine whether it was possible to copy any of Bernir’s skills or at least understand how they interacted with what people called souls.

Thanks to his extensive research while developing runic prosthetics, he had gained some understanding of how to detect souls. However, the technology was far from perfect, as he could not sense any presence other than his own. Bernir, on the other hand, could perceive them with his new senses even though he had only just reached tier three.

The platform Bernir stood on was connected to Sebastian, who performed several scans. Magic runes activated beneath it, and light rose from the base to the top as Bernir remained perfectly still.

“Is it supposed to make my beard itch?”

“Just stay still.”

“Aye…”

As the examination continued, Roland reviewed the latest reports. One was from Robert, who needed his sword repaired after a hard-fought battle. The train had also arrived safely, and the dwarves were already manufacturing passenger carts.

Everything in Aldbourne was moving in the right direction, but a small problem remained. The width of the underground tunnel was not consistent. In some sections, it was wide enough to accommodate two sets of tracks side by side, while in others it allowed only one. This meant they would need to install railroad switches and develop a system to prevent trains traveling in opposite directions from colliding, something he and the dwarven union would eventually have to address.

For now, a single train would suffice. Fortunately, the area near the cities was wider than usual, as it had been the point where most of the monsters had emerged. A train station would be built there, complete with a mechanism to rotate the carts, and the locomotive would be assembled on site, though that would require additional time and capital.

“So, how is it?”

“These things do not move that quickly, Bernir. It is going to take some time to analyze everything.”

Roland studied the panels filled with data that his assistant could not understand. Although both of them were now tier three craftsmen, their specializations differed.

“Could you bring out that white hammer now?”

“Aye.”

From all the energies that this Soul Smith class could produce, the white soul hammer was the most unique. It was formed from something like solidified energy, capable of affecting real matter while not being a truly physical construct. If Bernir lost focus, the hammer would simply pass through objects, and he could not sustain it for long.

“Interesting…”

“Isn’t it? Wait till you see me make something!”

“What can you make?”

“Uh… not that much at the moment. Getting the correct materials is rather troublesome.”

Roland nodded. Assembling the right ingredients was not easy outside the ascension space. There, the world system provided various viable combinations. In the real world, things were far more complicated, and Bernir had to build his own library of materials from scratch. It seemed that soul resonance did not function the same way here as it had in the ascension trial world.

“Don’t worry. Just make a list of what you think you can use and experiment slowly. These things are usually difficult at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, a new world will open up.”

“Oh? You think so? Was it the same with runes?”

“Yes. You should have seen me when I first tried to figure them out. I was terrible.”

Roland had been fortunate to start using runes early thanks to the Runic Mana Scribe class. Bernir was only just beginning his life as a Soul Smith, a profession about which little was known, though it was clearly powerful. It would likely take years to truly master, but with his help and Sebastian’s, the process could be accelerated. Roland had already identified one area where immediate assistance could be provided.

“That hammer… how long can you use it?”

“Not that long. I start getting dizzy after about half an hour and have to stop, but I almost made it to forty minutes now!”

The first major issue with this class appeared to be stamina. Without the white Soulsmith Hammer active, Bernir could not infuse objects with soul energy. However, the readings Roland obtained from it were not far off from other energy sources, ones that could be enhanced and reinforced through magic.

“Give me a moment.”

An idea formed in his mind, and Roland turned to the wall of blacksmithing hammers in his workshop. Over the years, he had built an extensive collection. Hammers of every shape and size lined the wall.

“This one is the closest. What do you think?”

Bernir looked confused as he was handed a smithing hammer to inspect. Its size was almost identical to the white light construct he could wield.

“Aye, it is.”

“Great. This will not take long, but in the meantime, try smithing or smelting something while Sebastian records your progress.”

“Aye!”

Soon, the two craftsmen were working diligently. Bernir gathered his materials and took over the smelter, since part of his craft required precise material distribution. Alchemy also played a role in his profession, and he was already considering asking Rastix to assist him in the future.

Roland, on the other hand, simply picked up one of his runesmithing hammers and got to work. After several strikes, rune inscriptions began to appear. At his current level, a task like this would not take more than an hour. The composition of the runes was pristine and masterfully crafted, but the internal runic operating systems still required extensive customization and adjustment.

“This should do it.”

“Oh, you are already done, boss? I have not even started hammering!”

Bernir seemed slightly disappointed that he could not keep up with Roland’s pace, but there were nearly a hundred levels between them. It was a gap that could not be easily bridged. Still, Roland hoped this new invention would help his assistant close it.

“So, what do you want me to do with this, boss?”

“Just hold it normally and try activating your Soulsmith Hammer skill.”

“You want me to use my skill on this hammer?”

Roland nodded. That was exactly the plan. Bernir returned the gesture, then stretched out his prosthetic hand and activated his skill. The white hammer flashed into existence and perfectly matched the shape of the real tool, overlapping it slightly.

“Hm?”

The runes on the hammer began to glow as Roland fed them a portion of his magic. As they activated, the white light tightened around the tool, wrapping it like a second layer of skin. Bernir’s eyes widened as the effect took shape, though he still was not entirely sure what was happening.

“Now try soulsmithing with this hammer instead. Tell me how it feels.”

“Aye.”

Bernir moved quickly, his preparations already complete. He had smelted an alloy ingot from tier two materials, as this was only a test. Once everything was properly heated, he began working as usual and used Soul Infusion during the process.

Roland watched from the side as sparks flew. Everything was recorded, from the faint flicker of white light to the large and powerful swings of the prosthetic hand. It did not take Bernir long to shape the ingot into a reasonably sized blade without a proper hilt, and the difference Roland had been looking for was finally there.

“This… I don’t feel as tired anymore. I think I could make another one and beat my past record easily. What did you do, boss?”

“In short, this hammer, when used with your skill, will offset some of the drain on your soul energy. However, the conversion rate still needs some work.”

Sweat appeared on Roland’s brow as he poured his own mana into the tool. Even with his enormous pool of magical energy, after twenty minutes it had dropped below fifty percent.

“It’s inefficient, but with more data, we can improve it. So let’s gather more of it.”

“Aye, boss!”

Roland’s workaholic tendencies could not be restrained. Even though he had just returned from the institute, this took priority. Bernir was still a diamond in the rough. For now, he could only enhance certain specific skills, mostly common ones with limited practical value. Roland needed to help him gain more experience and continue developing.

The Soulsmith class required further research, and Roland was already sending his people to pursue it. At present, Bernir did not seem to possess skills that allowed him to identify the specific abilities of others, but that might change in time. If Roland could help him enhance his runesmithing and other rune-related skills, their armor and even their golems would improve significantly, not only for Roland but for everyone involved.

His primary focus remained on the mana phantoms and their use of golemic limbs. He could already create power armor and larger constructs that, in theory, could be piloted from within, much like Robert had done. If these suits could be equipped with skills that reduced the mana cost of runic magic, even lesser knights and ordinary soldiers would be able to operate them. The demand for rune batteries would decrease, allowing him to produce stronger and more advanced frames for his creations.

‘It would be ideal to finish this before the competition begins. I need to win that golem competition at all costs.’

The two continued their work, though progress remained slow and difficult. Eventually, Bernir turned in for the day. Roland spent the night at home with his wife, and early the next morning, after making sure to eat breakfast, he and Agni set out for the dungeon once more. Only a few days remained before the hidden ruin opened, and he needed to determine whether he could enter it ahead of the others.

“Woof.”

“Let’s not make too much noise, Agni.”

“Werf!”

“...”

It did not take him long to arrive at a place he had never truly explored before. It was known by several names, most commonly the Great Plains or the Drake Plains. Lesser dragons called Drakes lived there. They were wingless monsters that walked on four legs, with somewhat wolf-like builds and bodies covered in thick scales. Like true dragons, they could unleash fiery breath, and their strength was on the higher end within this dungeon.

“This place is really spacious…”

The grass was nearly three meters tall, high enough to conceal his entire body. Monsters peered through the swaying blades, golden slit eyes reflecting the faint glow of the Dungeon’s artificial sky. Roland crouched lower, his black suit blending into the environment as he concealed both himself and Agni.

“For now, let’s just get through here. It’s too early to take this place on.”

These monsters were not as easy to handle as the ones he had faced before. One reason was their herd mentality, which kept them moving in packs. Another was the wide open terrain. If a fight broke out, other Drakes would quickly join in. While that might have been good for farming experience, Roland was not sure he could handle too many of them alone at his current level. Most of them ranged from level two hundred fifty to three hundred. Rare boss variants also wandered the meadow, which made it a place most adventurers preferred to avoid.

Agni whimpered as a large Drake passed about fifty meters away. It gradually moved closer, yet even when it was only ten meters from them, it showed no sign of seeing or smelling their presence.

“See, Agni? That’s why you always come prepared.”

“Woof?”

The wolf tilted his head, clearly confused, but as always, Roland had planned ahead. This place might have seemed like a perfect way to get himself killed, yet there was a method to cross it without casting a single battle spell.

“Okay, the trail is shifting. Stay close, Agni. We are moving.”

Roland started running at a steady pace. Thanks to his concealment and sound-reducing spells, he was able to move through the meadow while keeping his body hidden behind the tall grass.

To anyone watching from a distance, he appeared to be moving in a strange zigzag pattern, sometimes even stepping back a few paces before advancing again. There was a method to the chaos. Hidden magical currents ran through the field, and he needed to stay directly on top of them to avoid detection.

The currents were faint and normally required professional trackers to sense them. Their purpose was simple. They caused the grass to sway violently, masking his movements.

Even with a powerful concealment spell, it was impossible to hide completely in the grass. Many believed it offered perfect cover, but that was far from the truth. When someone moved, the grass shifted with them, alerting the drakes to their position. The only way to counter this was to move in a precise pattern that made the grass twitch in a way the drakes ignored. Thanks to the multiple golem devices embedded in the ceiling, he could observe everything on his map.

‘Good progress. Already halfway there.’

Things were going smoothly. He was on track to reach the Draconic Ruins before the others. Then, to his surprise, the overhead cameras picked up something else. Movement near the edge of the field.

‘Another group?’

A large party of adventurers was approaching the plains, clearly from the stronghold. As far as he knew, the expedition was not scheduled to begin yet. Either he had been given faulty information, or the adventurers had decided to advance ahead of schedule. In any case, he was already too deep into the field to turn back now.