Chapter 558: Rune Duel.

The Runesmith

Transmute Rune [ Temporary ]

Active Skill

This skill allows the changing of runes at the cost of mana. The more a rune is transmuted, the more it will deteriorate.

Lucille looked at the skill she received. She knew that when she failed the trial, the skill knowledge would disappear, so she had to make the most of it while still accessing its intricacies. Every rune she adjusted, every fragment she transmuted, was another step closer to fully comprehending the very essence of runic magic.

She took a deep breath, focusing her mind as she gently placed her hands over a fractured rune on the automaton’s chest. The old rune flickered, unstable from seemingly years of neglect. She channeled her mana to activate her new skill to transmute the rune, to change it back to what it used to be, something that should be only in the realm of a runesmith.

It was a fascinating feeling. She could sense the rune shifting under her influence. The edges expanded, merging with a nearby unused runic component to restore this part of the automaton’s integrity. The moment she let go, the rune stabilized before her and reintegrated into the golem’s structure.

“How… how magnificent!”

Her hands trembled slightly as she gazed at her handiwork. Most of the rune was intact, and she had only needed to recreate a few parts, yet this was beyond what a Rune Mage should be capable of. She could not stop her eyes from sparkling. She had seen runesmiths use their hammers to shape runes onto metal before, but now she could do something similar.

However, she immediately noticed a glaring weakness in this skill. To transmute a rune, one had to be there in the first place. She spotted several dead spots on the automaton before her, areas she could not affect with this new ability. It was impossible for her to create a rune from nothing as the skill only worked on pre-existing runic structures that were not too damaged. It seemed that to pass this trial she would need to not only restore the damaged runes but also modify them enough to make the golem function with fewer.

Lucille steadied her breathing as she moved her hands across the automaton’s fractured surface, her mind rapidly analyzing each broken rune. The Transmute Rune skill pulsed through her fingertips, allowing her to reshape the old symbols, but she knew she had to be precise. Every alteration drained her mana, and she could already feel the strain creeping in.

The automaton was massive, its frame carved from obsidian-like metal that pulsed faintly with residual energy. It stood frozen, lifeless, waiting for her to complete its restoration. The runes covering its form were quite elaborate but she had seen far more complicated ones before. Roland, whom she now considered a mentor, had allowed her to study his designs. Thanks to that experience, this task was still within her capabilities.

She selected the most salvageable runes first, modifying their structure to compensate for missing components. Where an entire rune had been lost, she adjusted the surrounding ones to create a functional approximation. It was delicate work, requiring both her knowledge and intuition. Every decision had consequences as a single misstep could destabilize the entire array.

Time slipped away as she worked. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she adjusted another sequence. Her mana reserves were depleting at an alarming rate but she could not rest as just like with any of the other tests, there was a timer. The automaton’s chestplate held the most complex runic matrix, and she hesitated before making the final modification. A flicker of doubt entered her mind but when she remembered all the knowledge and help she received recently, it faded away.

“No.”

She muttered under her breath, shaking off the thought.

“I’ve come too far to fail now.”

Gathering the last of her energy, she pushed forward, transmuting the final sequence. The moment her hands left the automaton’s surface, a bright light filled the chamber. The runes blazed to life, spreading in deep blue arcs across its body. The once-broken lines now shone brilliantly, seamlessly interwoven into a new, functional design.

Lucille took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. The automaton’s fingers twitched. Then its eyes ignited with a deep crimson glow. With a metallic groan, it straightened, dust falling from its immense form as its systems fully activated.

The chamber trembled as the obsidian construct took its first step forward, the runes along its surface shifting slightly as if adjusting to its restored form. The weight of its movements sent vibrations through the ground, but Lucille stood firm, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the face of her triumph.

“I did it… Those runes were made by me.”

She whispered, hardly believing her own words. The golem was proof that she could create her own runic structures, shape them to her will, and achieve something that would normally require a runesmith. However, she was unsure of what would happen next. The golem seemed to have a will of its own, and the true purpose of its creation remained hidden from her. Even the main control matrix had been concealed, preventing her from fully understanding its design.

Slowly, the golem turned toward the wall behind it. The chamber had no doors or tunnels leading out, and the entrance she had used had vanished the moment she stepped inside. It raised its massive hand, the dark metal and stone groaning as it moved. Pieces chipped away from its joints, but it pressed forward. After a long wind-up, it threw a powerful punch. Its fist struck the wall, sending chunks of rock flying and revealing a hidden path beyond.

Lucille coughed as the dust settled, revealing a passage beyond the shattered wall. She took a hesitant step forward, her exhaustion giving way to curiosity. The golem, now inert, stood like a silent sentinel beside the ruined wall, its task seemingly complete.

With cautious steps, she entered the passage. The moment she crossed the threshold, runic symbols flared to life, casting a soft glow along the walls. These runes were simple and far less intricate than the ones she had worked on before. Yet, as she continued their light began to pulse as if indicating that she was getting closer to the exit.

The path led to a massive, circular chamber. At its center, a square platform loomed, made out of pure white marble. On the far side, a robed figure stood. At first, it seemed like a living person but as she approached it revealed its true nature, an autonomous puppet.

“It’s not over yet.”

She mumbled to herself as she approached the large marble platform. This was already her fourth trial, yet she felt no fear. Instead, she was eager to see what this place would challenge her with next. The Transmute Rune skill was still with her, which likely meant she would need to use it again to progress.

“Oh?”

The moment her foot touched the platform, something shifted. Directly in front of her, the ground began to move. A small stand emerged from within, with a wooden top with strange silvery cards resting on it. Each card was identical, with a single rune inscribed on its surface.

There were small indents in the wood, each perfectly shaped to hold one of the cards. Along the sides, small openings contained a bit of the same silvery metal the cards were made from. It seemed that she was meant to insert the cards into the designated places, but for what purpose and in what order?

“These runes... they aren’t complete, and they’re all the same...”

After examining the cards, she realized that none of the runes were fully formed. They appeared like unfinished runes, lacking a proper purpose, just waiting to be shaped into something new. It quickly became clear that she was likely meant to transmute these cards into proper runes.

Almost as if on cue, her question was about to be answered. The automaton mage on the other side of the large platform started moving. The book it was holding began glowing and shifting pages. Once it came to a halt, a rune started to form above its head. It was a slow process and quite deliberate. Lucille could tell that it was forming into a flame spell meant for attacking.

“Wait a moment…”

This was quite surprising, and the test was not giving her much time to react. Her instincts told her to erect a mana barrier, but there was a problem. Regular spells could not be cast. This trial's spells seemed to be engulfed in specialized anti-magic that only allowed runic spells to take effect. This meant she had only one way to defend herself, and that was probably what this part of the ascension trial was about.

Lucille’s hands trembled as she hastily picked up one of the silver cards. The unfinished rune upon it glowed faintly, waiting to be shaped. Her mind raced as she attempted to transmute the rune into a shield spell before the automaton mage unleashed its fiery attack.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she channeled her mana into the card. The rune flickered and shifted, its lines extending and twisting under her guidance. Yet, this task wasn’t so easy, to assemble a strong enough shield more of the cards were needed. Once one was complete she set it down on the wooden stand and reached for another card.

The automaton’s spell was nearing completion, its fiery glow intensifying as the rune above its head solidified into a completed incantation. This was not an easy task, she needed to focus on the creation of the runes, place them in the correct order and also devise the correct defensive spell. To make things harder, the timer for this quest was quite short as even before she could grasp the last card, the heat in the area reached the apex.

“No wait!”

Her hands fumbled as she was about to settle the last card for her defensive spell. It dropped for a moment into the wrong slot, and that was enough for her to fail. The automaton mage released its spell. A massive wave of fire roared toward her, its searing heat consuming the air around it.

Lucille flinched as she tried to place her card down, yet just as the defensive spell was forming, the wave of heat collided with her body. She had no time to dodge and felt her body seared and turned to charcoal before waking up in Robert’s arms. She had failed once more.

“Ahh… n-no, don’t take it away!”

She knew she had failed and instantly noticed something was missing. Roland was also there, helping her retain her memories, but the knowledge of the new skill she had gained had already faded. While she had managed to pass the third test on the first try, it seemed the fourth one would be the hardest. She did not usually participate in battles actively, as she was mostly placed in a support role. Warriors and knights would keep enemies away from her while she cast her freezing or runic spells. Here, on the other hand, there was no one to protect her or give her enough time to focus. If she wanted to pass this trial, she would need to practice.

“It’s okay, calm down… wait, where are you going?”

“To do research and practice!”

Robert tried to reassure her that everything was alright, but this was no time to rest. She instantly jumped up from her seat and took off running. It was clear that she needed to understand the best applications for combat runes and how to counter spells directly.

While she could no longer use the ‘Transmute Rune’ skill, the feeling of it still lingered. She just needed to hold on to it and do more research. She had two weeks to retake her trial, and then a month if she failed again. Time was running out, and if she failed once or twice more, earning this class would become nearly impossible. But she would not give up. No, she could not give up anymore. Even if it took years, she needed to get her hands on that one skill. It was something she could no longer go on without.

The next two weeks were spent training her battle skills with rune magic. Roland helped her decide on the best rune compositions for both offensive and defensive spells. With his guidance, she perfected the runic structures and minimized them for the upcoming trial.

When she returned, the previous trials felt almost too simple. More than a month had already passed, and her training was paying off. She quickly made her way back to the third and fourth trials, and now, the rematch with the runic automaton was upon her.

This time, she was ready. She placed the right cards together, forming a mana shield just in time. Her opponent unleashed the flaming spell once again, but this time, the shield deflected it with ease. That was when the true nature of the trial became clear to her. After launching its attack, the automaton stopped moving, as if waiting for her to retaliate. And, of course, she did.

She swiftly assembled the cards to generate a proper attack spell, an enhanced tier two Pinnacle Ice Blast, a technique she had perfected with Roland’s help. The air crackled with energy as Lucille finalized her spell. The rune-etched silver cards pulsed with mana, linking together to form the spell structure. The effect materialized above her head in a manner similar to the runic construct and soon the spell surged forward.

The hit connected, freezing her opponent solid. However, this was not the end. A glow flickered over the automaton’s body and within moments the ice dissolved. Then, a new development caught her eye. Behind her opponent, an entrance appeared adorned with glowing runes. As soon as she landed the first hit, one of the runes lit up. It was clear now that if she wanted to progress she would need to light all of them.

‘This feels easy but I must heed Sir Roland’s advice, these tests sometimes have hidden variables.’

A new spell of a different element began forming, and naturally, it would be easy to defend against if she used the same defensive spell. However, during the assembly, she took a bit longer, using more cards than she needed to. Just as she expected, there was a problem with using the exact same spell. The test rejected it and would not allow it to form. She quickly exchanged one of the cards so that a newly adjusted defensive spell could take shape before being hit by a lightning elemental attack.

Lucille was glad that she had people watching out for her. Otherwise, she would have failed this test once more. With the second spell defended against, she launched a new attacking spell at her opponent. The test focused on transmuting runes without relying on the same spell repeatedly. She just needed to determine what type of attacking spell the golemic enemy would use, adjust her shield accordingly, and then strike with an element her opponent was weak against, just as she had done previously.

Lucille continued her assault, adapting quickly to each new spell the automaton mage cast. Fire, lightning, wind, and earth, each element required a different strategy and a different rune configuration. The constraints of the trial forced her to think swiftly, to reshape her runes in real-time without hesitation. As the battle progressed, she felt the Transmute Rune skill evolving, becoming second nature.

The final rune on the door ignited as she landed her last successful spell, an advanced Ice Spear spell. The automaton shuddered, its glowing eyes dimming as it ceased movement. The runes lining the walls pulsed once before vanishing, and the door slowly swung open, revealing a long, dark corridor ahead. Was this the end of the trial or was there still something more to do? She didn’t know but she moved forward, her eyes furrowed and focused.

She stepped forward, her face becoming illuminated by the dim glow of embedded runes along the corridor. As she proceeded, the air grew lighter, and a gentle breeze brushed against her face. Soon, the passage ended, revealing a vast landscape before her. A giant landmass stretched in all directions, with her standing at an elevated spot that resembled the top of a magical tower.

"Could this be... the last one?"

Before her stood something resembling a podium, similar to the ones professors used during lectures. Above it, a complex rune floated in the air. It was unlike any she had encountered during the ascension trial. This was a tier-3 rune, created in a three-dimensional space, far beyond anything she had been able to use before. This truly seemed to be the final challenge. She just needed to complete this one rune, and the ascension trial would be over...