The Runesmith

Chapter 701 – Second Form.

“Now thatʼs quite the sight... He really is ablaze.”

Roland looked at Agni through his helmetʼs visor. If he wasnʼt wearing his salamander armor, which offered the best protection against heat, he would probably be sweating by now. Before him stood a large, intimidating beast that looked like a walking volcano.

The weightless divine flames of Agniʼs previous Solar Wolf form had vanished, replaced by a much heavier appearance. Thick ruby plates now covered much more of his body than before, while his paws remained perpetually engulfed in flames that made the ground beneath them sizzle from the intense heat.

Just as the description had stated, the horn on his forehead was spiral-shaped and closely resembled that of a unicorn. Most of his fur had been replaced by sharp-looking red gemstones that refracted the crimson light radiating from his body. Something resembling liquid fire flowed through the cracks between the crystalline plates, glowing brightly and releasing even more heat into the surroundings.

“Woof!”

Agni barked, and the sound reverberated throughout the chamber. The intensity was nowhere near as overwhelming as when the miniature sun had appeared during his transformation, but Roland could still feel it. If left unchecked, the heat generated here would certainly affect the surrounding environment.

“Is there something you can do about those flames, like with your other form?”

He asked as he stepped closer. While his armor protected him from the heat, things would become far more complicated if Agni couldnʼt suppress his flames in this form. Bringing him into settlements would be impossible if wooden buildings started catching fire and innocent people were injured simply because they lacked fire resistance skills.

Agni tilted his large, ruby-covered head, his glowing yellow eyes blinking as he processed the question. He let out a low huff, sending a small puff of black smoke from his nostrils before closing his eyes in concentration.

The liquid fire flowing between his ruby plates began to pulse, and the brilliant crimson glow gradually darkened. The flames surrounding his paws slowly receded, shrinking considerably without ever disappearing completely. His aura flickered for a few moments as the heat steadily subsided until Roland finally felt safe enough to reach out and touch him.

“Itʼs still warm, but you wonʼt burn anyone if you suppress it this much. Can you keep it like this?”

“Worf!”

Agni nodded, nearly poking Roland in the shoulder with his elongated horn, which was almost twice the length of the one from his previous form.

“Hey! Be careful. Youʼre going to poke someoneʼs eye out with that!”

His wolf let out a soft whine at the scolding, but he was smart enough to realize he was at fault.

“Maybe it would be better if you stayed here for a while and learned to control your flames. If I introduced you to Millie, thereʼs no telling what that girl would do.”

“Woof!?”

Agni was clearly unhappy with that decision, but Roland wasnʼt comfortable letting his high-tier three beast roam freely just yet. His level was tremendous, and he was a walking fire hazard. It was obvious that his flames were influenced by his emotions. Even now, the fire around his paws blazed more after Roland told him he would be confined to the workshop.

“It’s just temporary, and you seem to have more control in your main form, so for now you’ll have to stay in it when interacting with others.” 

While his wolf jumped around like an eager puppy after hearing that, he examined his body more closely. His size had increased slightly, though not by much, and most of the change seemed to come from the thicker ruby plates covering his body. Then there was another personal skill that this form had received. 

Ruby Blaze L1

Active Skill

This skill causes the user to forcefully erupt with the accumulated heat stored within the body, instantly projecting a massive wave of ruby projectiles and superheated plasma in all directions.

After the skill is used, the ruby outer shell is removed, lowering defenses but increasing speed.

It was quite an interesting skill. Roland noticed that Agni was much more heavily armored now, and his defenses had likely increased. However, the skill could also be used to shed that armor and transform into a more agile form. The only problem was that it seemed difficult to use effectively.

‘Will it just spray ruby shards and fire energy in every direction, or can it be controlled?’

If the skill couldnʼt be aimed at enemies alone, then friendly fire would become a serious issue. Luckily, they had some time to perform a few tests, and everyone who could be harmed was still outside the compound.

“Alright, letʼs give your new skills a test. This chamber is already partially melted.”

Some of the runes had been damaged during the evolution and then repaired by Rolandʼs skill, which had lowered their grade. It was the best place to find out whether Agniʼs explosive skill could be controlled.

“Awooo!”

“I see youʼre eager too, so letʼs start with Ruby Blaze.”

“Woof!”

Agni shifted into a stance that looked ready to activate the skill immediately, but Roland quickly waved a hand at him.

“Just let me get out of this room first. Iʼll observe you through the cameras. Do you really want to impale your master with those rubies of yours?”

The wolf snorted, baring his white teeth in what looked like a grin. Even though he resembled a volcanic monster on the outside, beneath the ruby armor, his body was still made of ordinary flesh.

“Okay, now you can do it.”

It took Roland a moment to open the thick doors and step outside. The cameras were protected behind glass-like casings made from the same material he had received in a trade after the incident at the Valerian estate.

“Awooo!”

Agni immediately let out a howl as he activated his new skill, and Roland kept his eyes fixed on one of the monitors outside the chamber. The cracks between Agniʼs ruby plates began to glow with a blinding light. The liquid fire flowing beneath his crystalline armor surged, changing from a subdued crimson to a brilliant, scorching red. The wolf tensed his muscles, digging his massive paws into the metallic floor as the accumulated heat reached a critical point.

‘It takes a moment to activate, but that will probably improve as the skill levels up.’

Roland analyzed the skillʼs performance, and its first weakness was immediately apparent. It took several seconds for the heat to build up, but Agni was not completely exposed during that time. A massive surge of flames engulfed his body, forming something akin to a veil of mana that appeared capable of deflecting incoming attacks. Then, as the gathered energy reached its peak, everything exploded.

Ruby crystals were sent flying in all directions, striking the reinforced walls with loud metallic clangs. They embedded themselves deep into the heavy alloy plating. At the same time, a wave of superheated plasma expanded outward, instantly scorching the already battered vault and melting the surface layer of the floor into molten sludge.

The heat signature on the monitors spiked to dangerous levels before the cooling shafts activated once more to vent the excess heat. Even after the thermal energy was dispersed and the walls began to cool, they remained riddled with chunks of organic ruby crystal embedded in the alloy.

‘That’s quite deadly, and the initial heat burst is stronger than during the evolution.’

While the miniaturized sun produced more energy over the ten minutes it remained active, this burst of blaze energy was a far more focused attack that would probably eviscerate anyone standing close to Agni when he used the skill. However, just as Roland had expected, it was also highly indiscriminate and, if left uncontrolled, could easily injure people more than a hundred meters away.

‘A third form, huh? This one looks quite agile.’

After the heat subsided, another form emerged from beneath the thick layer of ruby plating. Agni resembled his previous form, with fewer rubies covering his body but far more fire surrounding it.

”Try running around in this form, Agni, and use some of your magic.”

”Awoo!”

Agni did not hesitate. He blurred across the partially melted floor, his movements much faster than they had been moments earlier or in his previous evolutionary form. Without the heavy crystalline armor weighing him down, he moved like a streak of living red light. He zipped from one corner of the reinforced vault to the other, leaving faint trails of embers in his wake that quickly vanished into the cooling vents.

‘His agility was always his forte, and in this form it seems to have reached a new level.’

Roland observed as he tracked the test. One thing quickly became apparent. After a short while, the rubies that had been blown away began to slowly grow back. After nearly fifteen minutes, Agni had recovered roughly half of the lost plating, at which point another change occurred as he received a new skill.

‘Now thatʼs a new one...ʼ

Ruby-Body Control L1

Active Skill

This skill regulates the size and length of the rubies that grow across the userʼs body.

It was a skill that allowed Agni to halt the regeneration of his ruby armor or encourage it to grow even further. After several tests, it became possible to remain in either the heavily armored or the more agile ruby form by using the Ruby Body Control skill without having to detonate the armor in a blazing explosion. It was also possible to use the Ruby Blaze skill while wearing less armor, though doing so drastically reduced its destructive power.

”Hm, that should be enough for today. If you stay like this, the others should be safe around you.”

“Woof!”

Thanks to his newly gained ability to control his ruby coating, Agni was even able to dull the sharpness of the crystals, making them safe for children. The flames were also completely under his control, receding until they became nothing more than a warm layer covering his dark crimson paws.

There was a downside to this ruby control skill. Once the outer layer had formed and the process stopped, it became difficult for Agni to make further alterations. There seemed to be a window of around half an hour before the rubies fully hardened and could no longer be reshaped. As a result, Agni had to completely shed the existing layer using the previous explosive skill before creating a stronger, more battle-ready suit of ruby armor.

”Well then, everyone should be back by now, so letʼs introduce you to the others!”

”Werf!?”

They had spent several hours inside the bunker chamber, which had now been left in ruins. As before, the horn on Agniʼs body could conjure a variety of spells and fire a crimson beam in the direction it was pointing. Earlier, it had drilled a massive hole straight through the metal alloy wall.

As they made their way back toward the elevator, Roland reflected that it was finally time for him to push his own growth further. His levels had stopped increasing for several reasons, one of them being the amount of time he devoted to the institute and the golem. Now that Agni had evolved, Roland planned to return to the dungeon alone to maximize his experience gain. His companion would probably dislike the idea, but he would have little room to complain.

”M-Master... is that?”

”Yes, it is. He looks a bit different now, but this is Agni.”

Millie, his one and only disciple, stared at Agniʼs evolved form with stars in her eyes. She had always loved animals, so the transformation left her utterly astonished. The rubies covering his coat looked smoother than before, catching and refracting the sunlight with a brilliant crimson shimmer.

”Can I... can I pet him?”

Millie asked, her hands twitching with anticipation. Whenever she was presented with an animal to pet, she became impossible to restrain. Roland simply nodded.

”Go ahead, but be careful around his horn and his paws. This new form is more volatile than the previous one.”

Roland pointed to the tiny glowing embers drifting from Agniʼs body. Although they resembled small flames, they were magical in nature and could be controlled so they would not burn the skin.

”So be careful when you touch those areas...”

Before Roland could finish his warning, Millie had already lunged forward, burying her face deep into the thick, crimson-tipped mane around Agniʼs neck. The wolf let out a contented huff, his massive tail thumping against the ground outside with enough force to send faint vibrations through the floor. He seemed completely delighted by the attention, tilting his head to give her easier access to his favorite scratching spots behind his ears.

Even with her face buried in his ruby-covered mane, Millie knew better than to press in too hard, so she escaped without a scratch. Still, Agniʼs transformation had made him much harder to pet, and it took considerably more force for him to feel the scratches, even behind his ears.

”This might be a good opportunity. Millie, could you step away for a moment?”

”Aww... do I have to? Look, his leg is about to give in!”

She pointed at Agniʼs hind leg, which had already begun twitching as she rubbed his belly. Roland merely tilted his head, and Millie finally relented.

”Fine then, Master...”

She looked disappointed at first, but after Roland revealed what he had in mind, her excitement returned almost instantly.

”Transform into your other form, Agni.”

”Awoo!”

The howl began as a deep, powerful cry, but as flames blossomed around him, the sound became strangely melodic. His ruby form was engulfed in orange fire, which quickly settled into a mantle of shimmering golden embers.

“Oh... something is happening, Master!”

Millie watched, captivated by the transformation that soon filled the compound with a warm, gentle light. The flame energies were overwhelmed by divine power, and instead of a wave of scorching heat, a soothing breeze swept across the yard.

The heavy ruby plates dissolved into the soft, shimmering golden flame coat of the Solar Wolfʼs divine form. The intimidating crystalline structure vanished completely, replaced by a radiant, majestic grace that seemed to banish fatigue from the surrounding area.

Millie let out a soft gasp, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. It was not only the breathtaking sight that left her spellbound. The soothing aura washing over her was just as remarkable. Every ache in her body, along with all her stress and discomfort, vanished almost instantly.

“Heʼs so... majestic... but also... soft and fluffy looking... c-can I pet him?”

“Sure. The flames wonʼt burn you. Just donʼt overdo it. Iʼm not sure what will happen if you pet him too hard.”

Roland replied as he watched his eager disciple approach with slow, careful steps. This time was different. Instead of rushing forward, she seemed almost afraid to touch him, not because she feared hurting him, but because she worried he might disappear like a ghost the moment she made contact.

“Woof!”

“Agni... this flame fur... Itʼs so soft... softer than any material Iʼve ever touched before!”

Millie buried her hands in the divine, almost weightless fur. The golden embers parted around her fingers like warm liquid, radiating a comforting heat. Agni leaned into her touch, his tongue lolling from his mouth in pure bliss.

“Youʼre such a good boy!”

She pressed her face against the wolf as she hugged him. Without the ruby plates covering him, he looked both safe and irresistibly comfortable.

‘A noble beast huh…’

Roland watched as the so-called noble Solar Wolf rolled onto his back and began behaving like an overgrown puppy. One of his hind legs started kicking furiously after Millie found just the right spot, and his tail thumped happily against the ground.

‘I wonder what those priests would say if they saw their holy beast like this…’

That was one of the biggest issues on Rolandʼs mind. The Sunlight Wolf was gone, replaced by this new Solar Wolf. The evolution description still identified him as a companion animal, so Roland assumed little would change, but now that Agni had reached this stage, he could easily attract the churchʼs attention.

‘It would be wise to hide this for now…’

Agni had advanced to a much higher level in a remarkably short time. No one besides the people Roland trusted knew about his evolution, and Millie did not understand the church well enough to recognize the potential complications. For most people, this would become a serious problem, but Roland already had a possible solution.

‘With the research I conducted on illusion magic at the academy, I should be able to fool anyone below tier four…’

It should not be too difficult. If Agni wore specially crafted armor or a rune-inscribed harness, Roland could easily explain away any oddities. The disguise would conceal his current appearance and present him as the lesser-evolved Sunlight Wolf. It would buy Roland time to consider his next move and hopefully keep the zealots from asking too many questions.

“Such a good boy. Yes, you are!”

Rolandʼs thoughts were interrupted by another round of enthusiastic tail thumping.

“I think heʼs had enough, Millie. If you keep going, youʼll spoil him.”

“Awww...”

She pouted but did not argue. Instead, she planted a big smooch on Agniʼs nose before reluctantly stepping away.

“Now, I need your help with a few things while youʼre here.”

“Of course, Master!”

She sprang to her feet with renewed enthusiasm, and soon the trio headed deeper into the workshop to tackle several projects at once.