Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 36 - 35- Status

[Attempt: 418th]

[Total time spent: 45 hours 18 min]

Adrian was inside the Time Chamber, carefully assessing the mana points of the training doll—which varies every single time—and building runes based on those mana points.

Adrian was not like other Runesmiths—which he himself hadn’t realized yet. He knows only perfection or nothing.

More than three hundred times, he has successfully inscribed the runes, yet, according to him, his success rate was only about 40%.

Reason? He doesn’t count those attempts which don’t provide him with satisfactory results. And when he talks about satisfaction, it means pure perfection.

That’s what makes him different from others.

Runes and a human are two nails, and Runesmith creates the perfect channel to connect them. Some feel tying a loose knot is hefty enough since connecting the two subjects is the main point here. However, Adrian believed unless the wire is tightly tied to both points with several knots keeping them at their places, the binding isn’t done.

Just like right now, he was moving toward his seventeenth attempt today and the past fourteen continuous attempts have been successful.

"Huuh~" Wiping the sweat off his forehead he kept his other hand on the mana point—which was at the navel of the training doll.

He was drawing the rune on a wooden stick—taking just any weapon he could get his hands on.

The last thread was pulled from the subject’s toe and once the thread reached the weapon, Adrian bound the mana core to the rune he had already inscribed.

The more mana points, the more runes are required. However, following the book’s instruction Adrian has just quartered the requirement. That’s why, twelve mana points only took three runic characters.

Once the thread was attached, the rune glowed and Adrian held his breath

If a rune is overloaded with several threads, either it affects the subject or the weapon.

Adrian would know if either of them is affected.

He waited and waited; his breath caught in his throat, and he kept looking at the rune.

Finally, after a long ten seconds of gap,

[Congratulations, host. You have successfully mastered the Third Thread.]

Adrian heaved a sigh as the rune gave a soft glow and the weapon didn’t burst.

He leaned back, resting his weight on his heels, and his head dropped.

He finally did it...after learning and practicing for so long....five hours daily inside the chamber and seven hours outside...he has been doing it regularly for the past ten days.

After more than one hundred and twenty hours he finally achieved it.

’I so wanna celebrate right now...’ However, he was too tired to move right now. Before starting with his experiments he trained with his sword for about an hour. The training with Ariana in the morning, followed by the question and answer round with the students, wore him down.

[Congratulations, host!]

[You have earned a thousand points!]

Adrian opened his eyes and looked at the system screen.

It was....too quick. It’s like he reincarnated into this world twenty-five days ago...and he has already reached the first threshold of his progression.

"So, I can now unlock the Shop feature?" Adrian asked as he curled his legs and wrapped his arms around his knees.

[Indeed, you can. However, the System has an offer to make.]

[Unlock Stats: 1000 EXP]

[Unlock Shop: 1000 EXP]

[Note: Choosing any of the two would make the other option unavailable until the Host doesn’t unlock the last reward—Cross-dimensional Chat Group.]

Adrian was taken aback by the offer.

"Is this status...something which records my strength, endurance, and other things?"

[Indeed, host. The status screen would measure the Host’s current physical and magical prowess and achievements.]

Adrian’s brows elevated—this was something he was expecting to see when he woke up in this world. After all, a system means something that could be regularly useful for their host.

And at the moment, when Adrian was still struggling to land a hit on Ariana, needs a measuring tool that could tell him which field he needed to work in.

But then again, if he chooses to have the Status screen, he would lose the opportunity to unlock the Shop feature for a long time.

"What the Shop can offer me?"

[Advanced weapons, potions, scrolls, ancient runes(for study), and some other things.]

Adrian drew a sharp breath...that sounds tempting.

He thought carefully...this was quite a difficult choice.

His obsession with runes and reading different materials was pushing him to take the second option.

....however, "I will go with the Status option."

He can’t survive in this world with just knowledge. He needs strength to survive. And to train better, he needs the status screen.

[Command Accepted!]

[Status screen is being prepared!]

[Time needed: 30 minutes]

Adrian sighed...he just hoped that this decision wouldn’t turn out to be lame or unnecessary.

Without another thought, he told the system, "Send me back."

.....

[Around twenty minutes later]

Adrian was sitting in his office—fresh out of the bath.

He has taken his time to just sit in the warm bath to let his muscles relax.

He returned to his office since he had some work to finish.

They would be leaving for the venue of the quiz tomorrow—which was actually the Third Tower from where Sir Albec and others came that day.

Naturally, Adrian would be leaving with others and the first round of the quiz would start tomorrow evening.

It would be a three-day trip, even if they don’t qualify for the second round.

Adrian had already packed his bags, so there was nothing else he had to do other than sleep soundly once he returned to his room.

"Elana...ah, yeah." He was arranging the question papers he had made yesterday for every student.

Just when his eyes landed on the last paper, and to whom it was dedicated, Adrian paused.

Michael Ashenford—the son of Count Ashenford.

Academic genius. Great swordsman and a very good person...or so what others think of him.

However, he is actually quite a dark person, someone who deems others beneath him.

Generally, Adrian would have ignored him or played along with his pretense of being a good kid...but Michael would be playing a key role in the upcoming arc.

Not with his knowledge but with his participation in the heist after the contest.

Yes, after the contest, a group of criminals and evil god worshippers, with the help of Michael, would steal all the equipment that the students would make in the third round and even kidnap Sylvie.

Michael reveals his true face, Allen saves her, and the Princess’ interest shifts from Adrian to Allen in no time.

That’s how things would have happened if only Adrian had left the school by now.

But since he has shifted the plot, ’I need to be wary of this kid.’

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.