Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 519 - 518- The only way

"But why?" Anyone who looked at him could tell that Adrian was deeply frustrated.

And he had every reason to be.

Recently, the system had been rejecting most of his requests, even though similar ones had been approved in the past.

Just like now. When he asked if he could bring Elana, or any ice user, into the Time Chamber, the system rejected him outright.

"Why don’t you understand? The situation at Iris’s place is critical. Unless you want all those people to die, you have to let me bring someone here."

The tool he intended to create required an ice user to stay near him for a prolonged period.

He had considered Elana at first, but ultimately decided to choose someone from Iris’s planet, since that same person would also need to operate the tool later.

His plan was to shorten the distance between what was currently considered the survival zone and the mutant plant.

He would advance while creating forcefields, allowing him to steadily close in on the source of the planet’s extreme heat.

The plan should work. From his observations, the plant did not seem aware of anyone approaching it, otherwise it would have resisted. Or perhaps it was simply too proud to care.

Regardless, Adrian’s first priority was to reach the plant. Only then could he decide how to take it down.

But for that, he needed an ice user.

[Host, please try to understand. The Time Chamber is poisonous to anyone other than the host. Anyone brought here would suffer soul damage. Their consciousness would be split, and the wound would be irreparable.]

Adrian calmed himself, though the frustration still lingered.

He had heard something similar in the past as well. Adrian was protected by the system, and he was not exactly a normal human who could be affected by the Time Chamber’s fundamental nature.

"Though you are being quite rude these days, system," he complained.

[...]

There was no response.

Adrian let out a sigh.

If his calculations were correct, those people would not last more than a week.

Sooner or later, the heat would pierce through every wall, every defense. His artifacts would be rendered useless, because no matter how perfectly they were crafted, everything had its limits.

Even during the few hours he had spent on that planet, he could feel the temperature rising.

And that was what worried him the most.

The speed at which it was escalating.

Leaning back in his seat, he muttered, "Should I skip the assessment and focus on the artifacts?" He wondered.

His immediate concern was the final exams of the third year. He was one of the few capable of testing students in actual combat, which was why he had delayed his other plans. But was an exam more important than saving an entire planet?

Of course not.

"I’ll tell them I can’t join for the rest of the exams," he decided, shaking his head. He knew his loved ones would worry, knowing he would be gone for several days. Still, it had to be done.

With the decision made, he was about to step out of the Time Chamber when suddenly,

[Host, the system would suggest mastering the fifth thread.]

Adrian frowned. "Again with that?"

Just then, something dropped before him out of nowhere.

It was a book.

Adrian flinched for a moment, then leaned forward and picked it up.

There was no doubt it had been given by the system.

As he flipped it open, he saw something completely unexpected.

[Sixth Tier Spell]

[Nephilim]

Adrian’s lips parted in shock.

He blinked and read it again. Then a third time.

Finally, he slumped back into his seat and asked the system, "Is this... really possible? A sixth tier spell. Does that even exist?"

[The procedure is written there, host. You will need to tune a perfect fifth grade armament and hand that tool to a strong warrior.]

Adrian let out a long sigh.

The fifth thread was something he could only tune for someone who truly trusted him.

A single mistake, and the subject would lose their ability to use mana. Worse, they might even die.

That left him with only one ice user.

Elana.

"But what’s the point of tuning an armament for Elana if I can’t bring her to Iris’s planet?" He clicked his tongue. Once again, another problem.

This time, however, the system was generous.

[You can bring the subject Elana to the host Iris’s world for a short duration.]

Adrian grinned. Now that was something good to hear.

Still, before saying anything to Elana, there was a first step he could not avoid.

Learning the fifth thread.

°°°°°°°

CLANG

Ruby exhaled sharply as the blade she had thrown lodged itself into the wall, just a few inches from her head.

It was not just this attack. Everything they had tried, every strike, every projectile, had been reflected the moment it struck the barrier surrounding the man.

Tiffany had already suffered a shoulder injury, and it did not look like she could continue the fight.

That left Ruby alone.

She was not worried. If she failed, there were others waiting outside who would step in and finish the job.

Still, that was a last resort she knew she would not need.

She had dealt with sorcerers before. She had killed hundreds of them to reach where she stood now.

Years of experience had taught her one thing. No matter how dire the situation looked, never lose your calm.

And that was exactly what she was doing.

Stay calm. Finish him.

"What’s wrong? Are you already surrendering?" the red-cloaked man asked, his lips curling into a grin. "I thought you were confident enough to send your ally away, believing you could deal with me alone."

Ruby hummed. "That hasn’t changed. But before you die, mind telling me something? The source of your knowledge. Who’s supplying you with information on ancient magic?"

The acolyte’s expression faltered for a brief moment. He clearly had not expected her to be aware of ancient magic.

"You know too much to be allowed to live."

As he spoke, a dark crimson spell circle formed beside him.

Dark orange energy gathered at its core, and then,

KILBOOONK

It fired like a laser, shooting straight toward the unmoving woman.

The acolyte grimaced as the beam passed through what he assumed was her face, only to realize too late that it had been an illusion.

The projectile tore through the barrier enclosing the room and smashed into the wall beyond.

CRUMBLE

Ruby moved in a blur. Lifting Tiffany with one arm, she hurled her through a small opening in the barrier just before it sealed shut once more.

The acolyte burst into laughter. "How foolish. Trying to save your ally, you locked yourself in here with me. Phahaha. How benevolent of you."

Ruby’s lips curved into a dangerous smile as her aura shifted, an instinctive warning that put the man on guard.

She crouched and placed a flat disc onto the floor before speaking. "You’re right about everything but one thing."

As she moved, she planted similar discs around the room, one in every corner, and one placed dangerously close to the acolyte himself.

When she straightened, she stood inches away from the magician and spoke with a calm smile.

"It’s not me who’s trapped here with you. It’s you who won’t be able to escape me now."

As those words faded, the room was engulfed in loud cries.

**KRRRIIIIIII**

Ruby fell to the ground, covering her ears.

Loud reverberation of sound blasted through the room, breaking the window, fracturing the barrier.

The barrier around the Acolyte returns the damage but when the cries were slamming from every side, he was affected by it as well.

"Gaaahhh!" He covered his ears, trying to withstand the screeching noise.

However, "Fuck this!" He finally stood on his feet, the barrier gone now.

With a quick flicker, he destroyed the two discs before him.

Turning towards the others, he used telekinesis to crumble every tool of agony one after another.

However, as he dealt with the sound, something seeped through his skin.

Darkness.

His body turned stiff.

He looked down at the red haired woman.

Ruby looked up, her ears bleeding, face pale but a menacing smile lifting the edges of her lips.

Getting up, she staggered on her feet but that didn’t stop her from saying, "Try not to kill yourself now."

The Acolyte was no longer looking at her...but his biggest fear.

"M-Ma..." he fell to his knees, body trembling in utter horror.

Ruby chuckled and shook her head.

Just then,

*CRACKLE*

Thunder roared from the above floor before a wave ran through the building.

"What?!" Ruby’s eyes widened as she felt the ground rumbling. Dust began to fall and whole place started to groan.

Did Annabelle just split the building in half?!

....

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been reading the story so far, I believe you must have dropped a review already.

Sorry, only a single Chapter today.