CH693 Alex’s Troubles II

***

’What I’ve actually done with Spirit Magic is transfer the burden of controlling a conjured spell-form from myself onto another entity. In the case of the Five-Clawed Divine Dragon, that entity was AetherKindle.’

’Unfortunately, AetherKindle is currently the only entity I can think of that’s capable of doing this. Ideally, I would have preferred for OmniRune to autonomously control the spell constructs after they are conjured. But that clearly won’t work. OmniRune still relies upon my own mental energy and cognitive processing, which ultimately makes it no different from me manually controlling the spell-form myself. That completely defeats the purpose behind Spirit Magic.’

Another thought surfaced in his mind.

’There also appears to be a limitation regarding which entities can commandeer specific spells. AetherKindle only functioned properly because it shares a fire-aligned nature with the [Five-Clawed Divine Dragon], which itself is fundamentally a fire-type spell construct.

’If I attempted the same thing using a water-aligned spell, AetherKindle would most likely fail to control it properly—it simply wouldn’t understand what it was handling.

’Or at least... that’s the impression AetherKindle conveyed back to me.’

Alex straightened slightly in his chair, his index finger rhythmically tapping against the tabletop.

’Another important factor... commandeering the spell-form seems to establish some form of shared sensory connection between the controlling entity and the construct itself,’ Alex analysed inwardly.

His thoughts drifted back to the moment Brock Peyton had severed the Divine Dragon’s arm.

AetherKindle had screamed as though it had genuinely experienced pain.

’That reaction shouldn’t logically occur. The Divine Dragon is nothing more than a conjured construct composed of mana—which is precisely why AetherKindle was able to regenerate the limb afterwards.

’But if there’s some kind of trauma transfer occurring between the construct and the commandeering entity... then I’ll need to exercise extreme caution when developing or using this method further.’

His tapping halted briefly as another idea surfaced.

A moment later, the rhythmic tapping resumed once more as he worked through the implications.

’It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Spirit Magic relies upon some form of metaphysical entity to commandeer the conjured spell-form. In that case, unless I can acquire a sufficiently diverse roster of such entities... Spirit Magic, in its current state, will remain severely limited.’

Alex let out a long sigh as he rubbed his temples.

"In that case, I suppose Spirit Magic is a dead end for now," he muttered aloud. "Better to shelve it and focus my time on something more productive."

He was not pleased with that conclusion.

The method clearly possessed enormous potential. Unfortunately, in its current state, there were simply too many limiting variables outside his control.

Persisting stubbornly would only waste time he could not afford to lose.

Shaking his head lightly, Alex forced his thoughts onto other matters.

’Another area worth focusing on is the [Zaxan’s Transmutation] Formation. I should be able to further refine the conversion process while ensuring the resulting essence maintains the highest possible purity.

’But beyond that... there may be a deeper connection hidden within the formation itself—possibly even a pathway towards true Energy Transmutation.’

Alex narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

’That line of research would consume a tremendous amount of time... but even so, it would still be a far better investment than attempting to brute-force Spirit Magic in its current condition.’

Yet after reaching that conclusion, Alex paused.

A moment later, he shook his head once more.

’No... there’s something even more urgent than that.’

Resting his chin against his hand, his thoughts shifted again.

’Rune Tattoo Soldiers... and Rune Tattoo Sets.’

’I’ve already begun gathering individuals with innate aptitudes suited for Rune Tattoo compatibility. However, not all of them possess exceptional cultivation talent. That creates a problem regarding their place within what is supposed to become an elite force.’

Alex frowned slightly.

’The opinions of outsiders don’t matter much to me. But I can’t completely ignore the psychological impact those opinions may have on the people I’ve chosen—especially those with weaker cultivation potential.

’Standing beside monsters and prodigies day after day may eventually erode their confidence... or worse, leave them believing they’ll never truly belong.’

He had already attempted to address that issue.

Alex had explained his broader vision to them and even presented figures like Kavakan and Mogal as examples—proof that overwhelming talent was not the only path to strength.

But he knew words alone were insufficient.

’Unless I can produce actual Rune Soldiers and demonstrate tangible results, their doubts won’t truly disappear.’

However, that thought immediately led Alex towards another concern—one that might represent a fundamental flaw within Rune Tattoos themselves.

’Fortuna alone currently has sixty members. And expanded, that number would rise to three hundred. But I’m only one person.

’Even at maximum efficiency, I might only be able to produce a single Rune Tattoo Set per day. At that rate, it would take a significant amount of time to equip even three hundred people. And that’s assuming standardised sets.

"If customised variants become necessary, the process would slow down even further. There’s only so much I can produce alone within a reasonable timeframe.’

Alex rubbed his head vigorously in frustration.

’I really had to create a magical platform that only I can use...’ he sighed bitterly.

’There has to be a way to duplicate or mass-produce Rune Tattoo Sets while preserving their intended functionality. Whether now or later, I need to solve that problem if I want Rune Tattoos to ever become as widespread as I envision.’

The more he thought about it, however, the fewer answers he could find.

He wanted nothing more than to push the issue aside for now, but he knew he could not ignore it indefinitely. As he had already concluded, delaying the matter for too long could eventually create instability within the party itself—even if the likelihood remained relatively small.

"Sigh..."

Alex slumped forward onto the table, releasing a long, exhausted breath.

"So much to do... and nowhere near enough time."

Knock. Knock.

Alex was still mulling over his research priorities when the sound interrupted his thoughts. He immediately straightened back into a seated position.

The frustration, uncertainty, and fatigue that had been visible moments earlier vanished almost instantly.

In their place returned the calm confidence and gentle smile he habitually wore before his wives and subordinates.

"Come in," he called.

A moment later, Eleanore and Sugud entered the room.

The instant Alex saw their expressions, he sighed inwardly.

They were almost certainly about to add even more to his already overwhelming workload.

’No rest for the weary...’

***