"Huh?"
The mana wrapping itself around my hand glistened before my eyes. It was a sight I couldn't see before. I had a slight hunch that I could control mana far better than before.
No, rather than a hunch, it was just instinct.
It was calling out to me. So I tried it.
[Igrit]
Blue mana caught onto my hand and moulded itself, but its shape was more sophisticated. It had morphed into an ethereal and formless gauntlet that could only be seen when one fully concentrated on it.
I flexed my fingers, and the mana stretched along with it.
"Mana Sorcery." I pursed my lips and used [Insight] to examine it.
-
Mana Sorcery: Rank (F)
Type: Unique Magic
Description: A spell that weaves and controls mana to its full potential using intent.
-
I was left speechless.
Had I unlocked [Mana Sorcery] because I had fully learned the four axis spells? The four spells were said to represent the four basic branches of magic. If that truly was the case, then perhaps [Insight] had allowed me to comprehend the basics of each branch while using the spell, resulting in enlightenment. Which ultimately led to learning [Mana Sorcery].
It was the first magic I had learned on my own, which meant that it was a completely new experience. A magic that I hadn't based on someone's knowledge, but synthesised from my own mind.
Exciting. Very exciting.
I wasn't sure of its limits, but seeing that it enhanced [Igrit], I could only assume that having it was better for my mana control.
However, the description of the spell had really caught my eye.
Weave and control mana based on intent?
That basically meant I could do pretty much anything if I used my intent effectively.
I took in a breath, wiggling my fingers as my thoughts raced. The faint silhouette of the gauntlet faded from my hand, leaving mana dancing at my fingertips. Despite having endless possibilities before me, I found myself at a loss for what to try first.
The irony certainly wasn't lost on me, and I couldn't help but chuckle. For an inexplicable reason, memories of the entrance test flashed before my eyes—the endurance test, the written exam, and finally the spar.
"The spar." I looked down at my hand, "Could I also..."
I stretched my hand to the side, palm facing outwards.
[Mana Sorcery: Spear]
Blue threads of mana sprouted from my palms and wove tightly into a long shaft that settled comfortably into my palm. The threads continued spinning along their length, gradually twisting into the shape of a spearhead.
It's so light.
I took a proper stance and thrust forward.
[Sevenfold Strike]
The spear cut through the air with lethal precision, but the lack of weight made it feel insubstantial.
Structurally, it was perfectly balanced and easy to wield. However, its lightweight body just wasn't suitable for combat.
"Guess it's not the time to be using conjured weapons yet." I sighed and released the spear, which dissolved into thin air.
Though the spear wasn't as effective as I'd hoped, the realisation that I could create almost anything was overwhelming and exhilarating. With enough focus and intent, I could make anything come to life.
"What else can I make?" I muttered, my mind already racing with possibilities.
Having used a spear for quite a while, I was somewhat biased. The best armament to pair with a spear was always a shield. However, shields are bulky, difficult to use and slowed me down. None of those qualities paired well with my methodical fighting style.
But now.
[Mana Sorcery: Shield]
Mana flowed from my forearm in elegant streams, stitching together into a round shield that hummed with energy. The shield looked thin, but when I tapped my knuckles against it, it rang like metal.
With a thought, I dismissed the shield. The spell was useful. If I used a lightweight shield that I could summon at will, my fighting style would undoubtedly evolve.
Each creation I tried felt more natural than the last, as if my understanding deepened with every attempt. But for now, mastering my magic was more important than trying new things. It didn't matter what I could create if I couldn't use what I had effectively.
Yet, unlocking [Mana Sorcery] had left behind quite a peculiar taste. In the game, I had always relied on using runic sorcery to cater to my adaptive style.
The fact that I had managed to get my hands on something similar was outstanding. Unfortunately, the rest of my skillset left much to be desired. The bulk of skills were based on the runebearer class.
But I didn't even know the first thing about runes in this world. How would one even go about using runes here? I couldn't possibly remember or recall every rune that I used in the game. So I couldn't just go about sketching runes and hoped they worked.
Because just like magic, runes probably had a real principle in this world.
Which was something I was entirely unaware of. The one thing I did know was that in the game, the rune bearer class was something the player only unlocked after the early game. As far as I could recall, the class was available once the player encountered a specific runic tablet deep in the Twisted Forests of the Badlands.
I paused.
Maybe there was a way to find out more about runic knowledge.
I sighed.
I should've done this earlier.
***
The Academy library was as quiet as usual. I approached the desk and found Delkira hunched over a stack of withered papers scattered around him, and a single empty cup.
"Ah, Noah." He chimed without looking up. His voice carried a peculiar tone, as if he was both delighted and tired of seeing me. "This warm afternoon light is quite the time to get some reading done. Don't you think?"
His eyes peered at me, peeking above the pair of spectacles he'd decoratively placed on his nose. " So, what'll it be today? More magical fundamentals? Or maybe you're searching for something new? Something exciting?"
"You always seem to know what I'm up to for the day." I rested my hands on the desk.
"Time has a way of teaching you its rhythm." His eyes held that ever-mischevious glint as he perked up. "Tea? I've just received this excellent blend, farmed in the North."
"No thanks. But as you said, I am looking for something special. Rune Magic."
For just a moment, something flickered across Delkira's expression, perhaps it was surprise, or maybe recognition. But it was gone a split second later, replaced by his characteristic smile.
"Runes." He repeated, the world rolling off his tongue, "What is it that you're looking for?"
"Everything. How they work, what they're used for, how they're used."
Delkira nodded and hummed in thought. He turned to the back, and his hands brushed through a row of books, not settling on any of the spines. It was as if he were attempting to rustle his mind awake.
A moment later, he raised his hand and a book dove from the third floor, swooping down into his palm.
"Ah. Perfect. Let's see here." He settled back into his chair and flipped the pages, studying the catalogue. "We've got some old texts here. Designs for the runic lights throughout the Academy—the ones that were used in the past to illuminate the corridors and classrooms. They're fairly simple but quite outdated."
As his finger trailed down the catalogue, a frown settled on his brow, "Unfortunately. But most runic knowledge has been considered lost for quite a few centuries. It is possible that some books were preserved at another major library."
Delkira glanced up at me, "Perhaps you might learn more in the Frost Hold in the North. Or the Obsidian Keep in the east."
"Lost," I murmured.
As expected.
"Was there a reason it was lost?"
"That," Delkira said with a mysterious smile, "is truly the question of the century." He pushed the catalogue aside. "So? What'll it be?"
If the only thing I could access were practical designs for a runic light, it might just be possible to break down and reverse engineer the runes.
"I'll take it."
"Third floor. You'll find the book on the fifth shelf." He smiled and waved me off.
-
I climbed to the third floor of the library and began my search. The book was exactly where Delkira had directed me to—a slim volume tucked between theoretical treatises on illumination magic and practical guides to enchantment.
The book itself was older than I'd expected. Its pages were yellowed with age, but the diagrams were still crisp and clear. Each runic light required a specific combination of symbols: one for light, another for duration, and a third for mana efficiency. The connecting lines between the runes followed precise geometric patterns that seemed to channel energy in deliberate flows.
What struck me most was how logical it all felt. Unlike traditional spellcasting, which required intuitive mana manipulation, runes operated on clear principles. Each symbol had a defined meaning, and each connection served a specific purpose. It was like reading a blueprint.
However, even though it was for such a simple application, the amount of runes being used seemed overly complex. I couldn't make sense of it at all. It was similar to reading a language I didn't know.
I found a quiet corner and settled down with the book, determined to understand not just the theory but the practical application. I traced the diagrams with my finger, trying to reverse-engineer what each rune actually meant.
The light rune appeared to be a circle with radiating lines; it was a simple enough concept. But the duration rune was more complex, featuring interlocking spirals that suggested some kind of temporal connection. The efficiency rune was the most puzzling: a geometric pattern that seemed to loop back on itself in ways that defied easy interpretation.
Even with [Insight], I couldn't decipher it completely. After spending a few hours, the patterns began to become something familiar. I could differentiate a few distinct edges, but no matter how I approached it, completely comprehending them seemed frustratingly out of reach.
By the time I closed the book, the afternoon sun had ducked behind a blanket of clouds, and long shadows streaked through the library's windows. My head ached slightly from the concentrated effort, but I felt like I'd grasped the fundamentals, even if the deeper mysteries still eluded me.
[Intelligence increased E --> D]
After that concentrated effort, the notification brought a smile to my face.
I turned and walked to the stairs to descend from the third floor when I nearly collided with someone coming up the stairs.
A second-year student with blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. It was someone I recognised immediately. But what caught my attention first was the thick book in his hands.
"You're the guy who threw Darius out on the first day," I said, the same moment he pointed at me.
"Ah, were you among the first years trying to trespass on the sparring facility?"
We both shared a brief pause at the simultaneous recognition.
"Simon Cole," he extended his hand.
"Noah Reed," I shook it, but my eyes kept drifting to his book. The cover was worn leather with faded gold lettering I couldn't quite make out.
"Shouldn't you be in class?" Simon asked, though his tone was more curious than accusatory.
"Professor, let us out early," I replied, then gestured toward his book. "What are you studying?"
Simon held up the tome with a frustrated expression. "Barrier integration. Second-year coursework that's making me question my life choices."
My curiosity piqued. "Mind if I take a look?"
He shrugged and opened to the page that had been troubling him. A complex diagram showed a star pattern inscribed within a circle, with numbered nodes at each intersection. The text below described it as a "Three-Way Turtle Barrier."
For some reason, the solution felt obvious.
"You should draw a line connecting the first node to the eighth node," I said without thinking.
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Why would you think you know second-year barrier spells?"
I shrugged. "The answer just felt right."
As I gave Simon another glance, something extraordinary happened. [Insight] triggered, and a translucent window floated in front of me.
-
Name: Simon Cole
Rank: ???
[Stats]
Strength: ??
Agility: ??
Constitution: ??
Intelligence: ??
Perception: ??
Charisma: ??
[Skills]
??
[Magic]
??
-
I blinked hard, startled. This had never happened before, because I'd never been able to see anyone else's stat information. The display flickered and remained, question marks obscuring most details but confirming that my [Insight] now worked on him.
This was a change I hadn't expected.
Did [Insight] change because my intelligence increased?
"What are you looking at?" Simon asked, following my gaze upward with confusion.
I shook my head quickly. "Nothing. Just... tired from studying. Good luck with your work."
Without another word, I continued down the stairs, leaving Simon staring after me with a puzzled expression.
-
Weird kid
Simon watched Noah disappear around the corner. But as he looked back at the barrier puzzle, he found himself mentally tracing the line Noah had suggested.
First node to eighth node...
Could it actually work?
Simon frowned, glancing once more toward the stairwell where Noah had vanished.