THE RUNESMITH

“Yer want us ta get through there?”

“Yeah, can you do it?”

“Hah! Does a bar wench know how ta fill a bloody tankard?”

“I’ll take that as a yes then.”

“Aye, stand back ‘n watch!”

Within a darkened dungeon, a group of dwarves stood in front of an unassuming wall. Next to them was an armored man, the leader of the expedition, Roland. In the previous chamber, they had left behind a troop of humanoid obsidian golems, the same type he had faced before. However, the previous main boss was missing and had been replaced by a standard large-sized humanoid golem that had fallen to him with little effort.

Afterward, he had guided the dwarven workers to the wall, the same with an unusual mana flow behind it. Now, they were swinging their pickaxes against the stone. They were made from dwarven steel, the same material he used on Robert’s runic exo-armor, and it wasn’t going too well.

“By tha old one’s beard… what is this made o’?”

To his annoyance, they could not make it budge. Even with the high-quality tools they wielded, they left behind only small marks. He had hoped they would be able to break through eventually, but this would clearly take longer than expected. Then there was the issue of depth, which was entirely unknown. They might need to tunnel through tens of meters or even a hundred.

Roland crossed his arms, deep in thought as the sound of pickaxes striking stone echoed through the dimly lit chamber. The dwarves grunted and cursed under their breath, their normally unshakable confidence beginning to waver as their efforts barely scratched the surface of the strange wall.

“Bah, I ain’t never seen rock this tough!” 

One of the dwarves spat, wiping his brow. 

“It’s like hittin’ a bloody mountain’s bedrock.”

“We might ‘ave ta get tha golems down ‘ere—this one ain’t goin’ down easy!”

Roland knelt beside the wall, pressing his palm against its surface. He could feel mana pulsating through it, an energy that almost made his fingers tingle. It was certainly different from the other dungeon walls, which were usually easy to get through. It was as if the dungeon had reinforced this section specifically, ensuring no one could pass. But what was it trying to hide?

‘Is it really just the dungeon core? Or could it be something more? The other core wasn’t this well-defended… but not all dungeons are the same.’

Roland watched as the dwarves struggled to break through the wall, their progress painfully slow. After thirty minutes of effort, they had managed to create only a tiny hole, but at a cost. Their pickaxes had bent out of shape, their tips worn down to uselessness. Yet, the workers remained undeterred, pressing on without hesitation. The damaged tools could easily be reforged by the blacksmiths accompanying the expedition, and if necessary, mining golems could be deployed through the teleportation gate now stationed here.

‘Robert was supposed to attempt the ascension trial again… maybe this time he’ll succeed.’

After ensuring the workers were managing well, Roland turned and made his way back to the main chamber. Inside, he found other members of the expedition, along with his golems, diligently gathering obsidian stones that were the remnants of defeated monster golems. There was still an abundance of them, and once reforged, they would strengthen their forces once more.

The boss chamber reset every two weeks, meaning they would have to withdraw before then, only to return when it was time to clear it again. Despite knowing this, neither Roland nor the others were willing to take unnecessary risks. He was the only one here capable of safely clearing out the boss chamber. While Armand, Lobelia, and a few other Tier 3 class holders were present, none were as powerful as he was at the moment.

To mitigate this risk, they had put a safeguard in place. A series of wedges would keep the massive boss chamber door from fully closing. As Roland moved toward it, several dwarves worked alongside him, driving metal bars into position to hold the door open. Even if they had miscalculated the reset timing and the boss attempted to respawn a few days early, this precaution would ensure a safe retreat. Now that his primary task was nearly complete, it also guaranteed that he could leave without issue.

‘This sure has become a grand operation, hasn’t it?’

Roland strode through the center of the chamber, and everyone who saw him bowed their heads in respect. When he set out to free himself from the noble life and build something of his own, he never expected to find himself in a position like this. He almost felt like the head of a construction firm, inspecting the progress of his workers.

Stepping outside the boss chamber, he saw even more people hard at work, assembling upgraded turrets along the dungeon ceiling. There were at least a hundred individuals involved in this project, one that he had proposed and was funding alongside Arthur. It was a massive undertaking, and somewhere deep inside, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

However, he did not have time to stop and admire their progress. There were still many other matters to attend to, one of the most pressing being his brother’s ascension trial. It had already dragged on for over a month. Robert had failed twice and continued to struggle, though he was making slow progress. With each failure, he regained fragments of his lost memories. This knowledge allowed them to prepare countermeasures for his future opponents and refine the rune composition of his weapons and armor to maximize his chances of success.

At first glance, the test seemed simple. In reality, it was anything but easy. Each iteration of Robert’s trial introduced subtle variations, making absolute preparation impossible. While the enemies remained the same, their order shifted. Some were left out entirely, while others appeared in later stages, stronger and more skilled, with enhanced runes. It was as if the trial itself recognized that Roland was helping his brother retain more information than he was supposed to. The shifting conditions made it clear that this challenge was not just about strength but also adaptability and perseverance.

“Agni, keep everyone safe until I get back.”

All the monsters on this floor had been cleared, but that didn’t stop some infernal skeletons from respawning on a timer. Agni was still their best weapon against the undead. The wolf whimpered slightly when he noticed Roland moving toward the teleporter. However, after a few reassuring words, he turned back and perched on a higher ledge to oversee the assembly.

The gate, built into the dungeon wall, shimmered to life as Roland linked it to his workshop and stepped through. On the other side, Robert and Lucille were already waiting for him.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, this time for sure…”

At first, Roland thought his brother was in low spirits. But even after failing for the sixth time, Robert still wanted to try again. If he failed now, the wait for his next attempt would stretch to thirty-two days, double the sixteen-day wait after his last failure. The longer one failed during the Tier 3 class trial, the longer the wait time became. It was a trap that many fell into, eventually forcing them to settle for a lesser class.

As the wait time increased, people often reconsidered their goals, but Robert remained determined to pursue this elusive class, even though Roland had tried to dissuade him after the last failure. Each time, he seemed to get closer and closer to victory. If Roland were in Robert’s shoes, he would probably do the same, as giving up now, so close to the end, would be maddening.

“We adjusted the rune configuration to fit the new parameters as well as we could. Now it is all up to you. Good luck.”

Robert nodded at Roland’s words and grasped the ascension crystal with his hand. Each time his brother returned, he analyzed his memories to prepare runes that fit his needs. He even gathered some skill books to boost intelligence and others to help him remember rune structures. Still, he had to be the one to describe everything to the runesmith within the ascension trial and be able to identify his opponent’s rune combinations to achieve victory.

“Take care, this time for sure!”

Lucille grasped Robert’s hand, and both took a seat. Roland, on the other hand, remained standing with his gaze fixed on the ascension crystal. There was another reason he had insisted that his brother attempt the ascension trial from within his workshop. This strange crystal had the power to grant classes, shaping people’s strength and determining their entire lives within this enigmatic world.

Sebastian, along with every sensor at his disposal, was meticulously recording each instance of Robert activating his ascension space. This provided a perfect opportunity to study the phenomenon, and Robert’s repeated failures only made data collection easier. However, the results remained inconclusive. There were fluctuations in mana surrounding the crystal and wavelengths resembling divine magic, but he lacked the necessary knowledge to interpret them. 

For now, this mystery was beyond his grasp. Perhaps only by advancing further in his class or his understanding of the world would the secrets of the ascension crystal be revealed. If he could one day decipher its mechanisms and remove the forced class randomization that dictated a person’s first class, he could change the very fabric of society. 

While this was a grand idea, he knew that some people in this world would resist such a change. The vast majority held management or production classes, such as farmer or merchant. Given the choice, most would likely push their children toward battle classes, as in a world filled with monsters, power was the most valuable asset.

However, if the entire population became warriors, mages, and priests, the balance of the world could collapse. The number of monsters might not be enough to sustain so many combatants, dungeons could become overrun, and food production might decline, leading to societal instability. At least, that was one possibility. He could not predict with certainty how people would react. Not everyone sought to become a powerful adventurer or knight—some simply wished to live in peace. If a humble farmer’s class were considered prestigious, many would likely choose that path, even if it meant sacrificing personal power.

‘Well, there he goes… Let’s hope this is the last time. I don’t think there are any more improvements I can make to his runes.’

Robert’s head slumped forward, caught gently by Lucille’s hands. In just a few seconds, he would return, and this time, Roland hoped he would come back stronger.

******

‘I’m back… Can I really do it? Should I just give up and go with Sword Champion?… Will I even be able to do that? Maybe I was never supposed to become anything other than a High or Expert Knight…’

Robert slumped his shoulders as he stood at the entrance to the trial, moping in silence. The towering doors around him seemed to taunt him. He let out a long breath, trying to steady his nerves. His failures weighed heavily on his mind, but he could not afford to let doubt creep in now. He had come too far, and giving up was not an option.

‘No. I will not back down now. I can do this. I will do this.’

Straightening his back, he clenched his fists and stepped forward. The trial had changed slightly each time, but he had begun to recognize a pattern. He had almost cleared it in his last attempt. Each time he returned, he made more progress. Each time his brother and Lucille adjusted his runes to help him. He could not let all their effort and his own go to waste. This time, he would succeed.

The door leading to the trial grounds creaked open. He walked through, and the test began anew. Just as before, the same events unfolded. He met the lord, conducted all the research he could, and was eventually brought to the runesmith to select his runes. This time, however, he had a precise method for describing them. The majority were buffing runes, designed to grant him bursts of overwhelming speed, strength, and defense. It was a battle style he had practiced with his younger brother, and he was confident it would allow him to finally clear the trial.

Just as before, he faced the black knight wielding a two-handed sword. This opponent was the only true constant in the trial, always appearing as the final challenger of the first jousting bracket. By now, defeating him had become routine.

Then came another day with new opponents, including a knight clad in silvery armor wielding two swords. He had lost to this man twice before finally overcoming him, but now the fight felt like nothing more than a bump in the road.

Each time he defeated the fifth opponent, he was granted a brief reprieve to adjust or recharge his runes. The plan was simple: keep the current runes but continue adding free charges, strengthening their structure, and repairing any damage. In his third attempt, he had failed because the runesmith had been unable to fix the runes that had been slashed and burned. This time, everything was progressing smoothly. The damage he sustained remained within acceptable limits.

‘This is it…’

The third part of the trial was the final stage, at least according to the lord of this space. He had reached it twice before and failed, once to the fighters within and another time to the opponent standing before him now. His last challenger was a man clad in gold. The runes on his armor pulsed with power, far beyond what a tier-two class holder should be capable of wielding. He was the final test, the wall standing between Robert and the strange class he sought.

His enemy mirrored his equipment, holding a heater shield and a longsword. It was as if he were facing a shadow, one that was stronger, more agile, and much better at dueling. Arcs of golden lightning exploded every time his golden sword collided with Robert’s scratched-up shield. The mana shield enchantment barely held on as he tried to read the flow of the runes within his enemy.

“Read the flow of mana, Robert.”

“How am I supposed to do that? I’m not a mage…”

He remembered a training session with his younger brother, who had sparred with him several times to help him prepare for this trial. His brother kept urging him to focus on the runes and read the flow, but Robert had no idea how to do it.

“Ascension trials are different. If it’s what I think it is, once you focus on the flow, you should be able to sense it, so get used to this… it will make it easier when the time comes.”

The image of his brother repeatedly smacking him with a dull sword was replaced by the golden sword before him. He could now see the runes, sparks flying everywhere. Mana flowed through them, powering them, making them produce various effects. Robert was slower, weaker, and his stamina was running low. If this continued, he would lose again, and then he would have to wait over a month to try again.

His body sped up as the runes on his armor flared to life. The lightning sword nicked his helmet, sending it flying off into the distance, where it collided with the wall. Time seemed to slow as he focused, his eyes glowing with indignation. He was about to lose again, and all the hours of training he had undergone rushed through his mind. Then, suddenly, something changed.

Something clicked within his mind. His eyes shimmered slightly as he finally became able to perceive the flow of mana within his opponent’s runes. They resembled tiny capillaries flowing through his entire armor, and he could see the larger runic structures flare up each time his opponent was about to activate one of their effects.

Robert’s breath steadied as the world around him seemed to slow. For the first time, he wasn’t just reacting, he was anticipating. The golden knight before him shifted his stance, his sword pulsing with power, but now Robert saw the mana flow before the strike even happened.

‘There it is.’

A surge of golden lightning coursed through the runes on the knight’s blade, forming a pattern Robert now recognized. It was a high-speed thrust technique that had caught him off guard before, but now he saw its activation. There were several patterns he could previously not predict but by seeing which runes were starting to activate, he knew exactly what the knight would do. His opponent pushed forward, the blade blurring in the air, but Robert’s body was already moving.

With a sharp pivot, he sidestepped just enough to let the blade pass by, the crackling energy grazed his shoulder but did not land a decisive blow. His own runes flared as he brought his longsword down in a counter-strike, his perception allowing him to adjust his aim at the last moment. His blade struck the enemy’s shoulder plate, right between some critical points of the golden runes. The metal dented, disturbing the flow of mana and disabling parts of his enemy’s armor.

The golden knight staggered back, his pristine armor now marred by Robert’s strike. For the first time in the battle, his opponent seemed shaken. The pulsing runes across his body flickered unevenly, disrupted by the precise impact. Robert had learned from his past failures, but more importantly, he had gained something invaluable, Runic Mana Perception.

‘So this is what Roland meant… I can see it now.’

His opponent lunged, another burst of lightning surging through the sword’s runes, but Robert had already shifted his stance. He saw the golden veins flare in a familiar pattern, a faint followed by a downward arc meant to punish a hasty dodge. But Robert was already a step ahead.

After miraculously dodging the incoming attack, Robert surged forward. His whole armor glowed with runic might as he activated all the remaining charges on it. With a powerful upward swing, he struck just as the golden knight tried to bring his sword down. The impact sent a shockwave through the arena, and the knight staggered. His sword slipped from his grasp, and the runes flickered and began to dim. Then, with a powerful kick to the chest, Robert finally brought his opponent to his knees. The knight’s helmet flew into the air, revealing a face that mirrored Robert’s as if he were truly fighting his own evil twin.

“I yield…”

The man resembling him spoke out, and silence fell upon the trial grounds…

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