Chapter 55: Testing The Rune
However, before he stepped out the door, Lana spoke once more.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Use the rune carefully. Since you're arcane cortex has been destroyed, I linked the core of the Bloodblade to you flesh, blood and muscles. Once the arcane energy in your body is exhausted and you keep on activating the rune, your flesh, blood and muscles would be used to power the rune until you're sucked dried with nothing left."
Tron paused at the door's entrance with a squinted look on his face. He nodded his head and then left.
•••
Tron stood alone in the dimly lit training chamber, the air thick with anticipation. His eyes locked onto the practice dummy across the room, a crude figure of wood and straw, but his mind was elsewhere, focused on the ethereal feeling just beneath his skin.
His wrists throbbed in time with his heartbeat, the Blood Blade rune pulsating faintly with a malevolent crimson light.
It was time to test the Blood Blade Rune.
Taking a deep breath, Tron slowly raised his left hand, palm facing outward. The rune seemed to pulse in response, as the energy thrummed within his wrist
"Blood," he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath, but it was enough.
The effect was immediate. The rune on his wrist flared to life like a flame, the crimson lines burning brighter as the word resonated through his room like an incantation.
It was as if a dam had burst inside him, releasing a torrent of arcane energy that surged through his body, flowing toward the rune like a river of fire. The power pulsed through the lines of the rune, illuminating the intricate patterns with an intense, almost blinding light.
Tron gritted his teeth as the energy coursed through him, filling him with a sensation that was equal parts pain and exhilaration. The rune drew deeply on the arcane energy within his flesh like a vampire.
its lines glowing fiercely as they channeled the magic, forming a perfect, mystical circle on his wrist.
The energy surged outward from the center of the rune, passing through every carved lines, looking almost mechanical.
As he slapped his palm forward, the air rumbled and space almost ruptured as the arcane energy merged.
It started as a thin wisp of crimson mist, almost imperceptible, but quickly grew denser, thicker, as more energy was pulled from the rune.
The mist twisted and churned, gathering mass and form as it condensed into a more solid shape. Tron could feel the power building, the air around his palm vibrating with the raw intensity of the magic.
The mist began to take on shape, elongating into a blade-like form, the edges sharpening as it solidified. It was as if the energy itself was being forged into a weapon, a deadly extension of his will.
With a sudden, violent burst, the mist solidified completely, transforming into a crimson blade nearly half a meter long. The blade hovered just inches from his palm, glowing with a fierce inner light that made the entire room seem to pulse with energy.
It was a weapon born of blood and magic, its surface smooth and reflective like polished steel, but it radiated a chill that was almost unbearable, the air around it twisting with the intensity of its power.
Tron's eyes narrowed as he focused on the dummy. With a thought, he slapped his palm forward, and it responded instantly.
The crimson blade shot out from his palm like a bullet, leaving a trail of fiery red light like that of a comet.
The speed was so fast, the air shrieked as multiple air barriers shattered like glass, producing sonic booms in the air that echoed in the room.
In a fraction of a second, the blade reached the dummy.
"BANG!!!"
The
The crimson edge of the blade sliced through the straw and wood as though it were nothing more than paper, severing the dummy cleanly in half. The top half of the figure slid off, thudding heavily to the ground, the straw smoldering slightly where the blade had passed.
The blade hung in the air for a moment, its form wavering, almost as if it were reluctant to disperse.
Then, just as quickly as it had been conjured, the energy dissipated. The crimson light flickered and died, the blade dissolving into mist that evaporated into the ether, leaving behind only the faint scent of burning wood and the charred remains of the dummy.
Tron stood there, his breathing heavy, his hand still outstretched. The rune on his wrist dimmed, the fierce glow fading until it was entirely dull. The room was silent, save for the crackling of the destroyed dummy.
He flexed his fingers, the residual warmth of the magic still lingering on his palm. The power of the Blood Blade was undeniable, even Tron hadn't expected it to be so powerful.
According to his calculations, that dummy was almost indestructible below the Apprentice level. Which means the power of the rune had surpassed his normal strength.
Tron couldn't imagine just how destructive the rune would be once he integrates it into his normal fighting style. Below the Acolyte level, he would be undefeated.
Tron also noticed something, the amount of mana saturated in his muscles had been reduced by a whole half. Which means he would only be able to use the attack twice in the future and only if the situation is very dire.
Risking a third attack shouldn't even be on his mind at all since his flesh blood and bones would be used instead to power up the rune. At that moment, he might actually truly die.
But then an idea suddenly came into Tron's mind.
With the System, his cells adapts to any level of damage his body receives as long it doesn't kill him. Which meant his body grows stronger the more devastating the damage he receive is.
And generally, the rune possess roughly the strength of a Rank one magus. Which meant that once the arcane energy within is flesh has been drained by the rune, his body would be drained off which would deal damage equivalent to a rank one magus attack to his flesh, improving his strength in the process.
Using this hack, he would actually be able to increase his strength in another way instead of depending directly on the daily quests and battle.