Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 510 - 509- Help

The first thing Adrian saw when his vision cleared was a vast hall.

It was wide and long, almost as large as the gymnasium back at the academy.

The next thing he noticed was the sheer number of people. Hundreds of them, all busy with their work.

They were crafting tools, some weapons, some not.

The temperature was not what he had expected.

Then his eyes fell on the cooling artifacts embedded into the walls. They were familiar, designs he himself had created in the past.

"Thanks to you," a voice came from behind, "we can provide a workable environment for the backbone of our society."

Adrian turned and saw a beautiful woman in her early thirties, perhaps even younger, walking toward him.

Her flame-like red hair spilled over her shoulders like a burning curtain. Sharp gray eyes were fixed on him, assessing him without restraint.

She exuded a commanding presence, the kind that could not be ignored in any room.

"Scarlette," Adrian said, extending his hand.

The woman smiled, brushed past the formality, and pulled him into a hug. "You are finally here, Avirin. And please, call me Iris."

Adrian returned the hug, a little taken aback by the familiarity. "You can call me Avirin or Adrian, whichever you prefer." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Iris soon stepped back and said, "Then I will call you Adrian. That is who you are now."

Adrian smiled politely and nodded. Turning his attention to the crowd, he asked, "These are your runesmiths, I assume?"

Iris hummed in acknowledgment. "Yes. They have been preparing artifacts and armaments nonstop for the past four days to build shelters for the citizens."

Adrian blinked in surprise. "Shelters? You mean..."

Iris nodded grimly. "It has become impossible for non-awakened people to survive in the natural climate. We are building shelters like these across the world to keep them safe."

Adrian’s expression hardened. "You cannot possibly save them all, can you?"

Iris bit her lower lip before shaking her head. "No. But we have to try. We have to do something."

Adrian let out a slow breath, realizing how heavy the burden must be for her, watching her people die while being unable to change everything.

After a brief pause, he asked, "What about the awakened ones?"

Iris nodded. "They are managing to survive somehow, though they are unable to do physical labor, especially the non-combatants."

After a moment, she added, "In this time of crisis, all seven great nations have gathered here in Baleheria, and Dolneim, the two nations farthest from the disaster."

Adrian crossed his arms. "And what is the total population this nation is holding right now?"

Iris hesitated before answering. "Twenty million."

The number was small when compared to the world’s total population, yet when packed into a single nation, it felt suffocating.

Adrian asked, "How many shelters have you arranged for the non-awakened?"

"At the moment, three thousand," Iris replied.

Adrian hummed in understanding before saying, "I prepared an artifact a few days ago that might help."

As he spoke, he pulled several items from his inventory.

Almost instantly, a small pile of objects resembling lamps formed before them.

"Adrian... this?" Iris murmured.

He explained, "A single one of these can regulate the temperature of a hall this large. There are only a hundred right now, but I can make more. For that, you need to assemble a team of skilled runesmiths for me, immediately."

Iris’s gaze wavered, her heart swelling with emotion.

She stepped forward and hugged Adrian once more.

Her shoulders trembled as she spoke, "Adrian... thank you. Thank you..."

In an entire year of conversation, he had never seen her this emotional.

Adrian gently patted her back. "If I cannot be of help in a time of crisis, then what is the worth of our friendship?"

Iris sniffled before stepping back.

Adrian wiped her tears with his thumb and said, "Now, now. Do not appear weak before those who depend on you."

Iris nodded. "You can trust me on that."

She then turned toward the crowd and said, "Issac, bring your men here."

From the corner of the room, a guard flinched, snapped to attention, and marched out of the hall.

Meanwhile, she added, "Nathan, bring your team here."

One of the runesmiths slowly turned toward Iris, his dull eyes blinking as he noticed the man standing beside her.

"Who... is that, commander?" he asked.

Iris grinned. "The man you have been idolizing these past few months."

The young boy’s eyes lit up as he looked at Adrian again, this time with sparkles in them.

Adrian chuckled. "I have created nothing more than these small artifacts for you. What is all the hype about?"

"Fufu. They admire what they cannot compete with or replicate," Iris said. "Your creations are like a towering mountain to them, something they wish to conquer before they die."

Adrian shook his head. As he thought, in worlds where survival was the only thought drilled into one’s mind since childhood, crafts like runesmithing rarely flourished.

Just like in Raven’s world. They had suffered famine for so long that runesmithing had never developed beyond a very early stage.

And Adrian could not blame them. Under such circumstances, even he would have focused on survival rather than honing his skills.

While the two spoke, Nathan gathered his people. A small team of seven assembled and stood before Adrian.

"Come on, introduce yourselves," Iris urged.

One after another, they gave brief introductions.

One thing Adrian noticed immediately was their shared nervousness.

They stared at him as if he were some sort of celebrity.

Adrian did not know what had earned him such recognition, but he hoped it would not interfere with their work.

Then Iris said, "You will be working under him. Listen carefully to his instructions. Ask Issac for any materials you need, and stay focused on the task."

The last part was delivered in a firm tone, snapping them out of their daze as they straightened up at once.

Adrian then turned towards Iris and said, "I want to inspect the site. When can we leave?"

Iris’s expression turned sober as she said, "Adrian...it would be dangerous approaching that place."

The brown-haired man told her, "All these things these people are doing and the support I brought is just a temporary measure, Iris. If we don’t remove the problem from the root, no artifact in the world could save your people from their doom."

Iris lowered her gaze. The harsh reality never left her head but his words reminded her that this relief she felt would not last long.

After a brief pause, she gave him a firm nod and said, "In an hour, I will come and pick you."