[Runemaster]

[Order: Second]

[Rank: Epic]

[Level: MAX]

[Details: Master of runic language, you possess the ability to inscribe Active Skill Runes. +200% Inscription Speed and Stability. +200% Rune Duration and Effect Potency.]

Moon’s eyes remained closed as the skill integrated into his mind. The knowledge unfolded layer by layer, each piece clicking into place.

’Active Skill Runes...’

Moon could now store skills inside runes. A rune that didn’t just explode or shield or conceal, but one that cast a spell on his behalf. A second pair of hands that could unleash his own abilities independently.

The possibilities made his heart race.

Luckily, materials weren’t an issue. Lukas and Frey had both carried decent supplies on them, far more than Moon’s own stockpile which had been depleted days ago from constant use. Between the two Runesmiths’ inventories, Moon had enough to experiment freely a few times.

He sat down, laid out the materials, and got to work whilst Mirage watched him with curious eyes.

The process was different from standard rune inscription. The base layer was similar, but embedding an active skill required an additional framework that could contain and release the stored energy on command. The framework was intricate, demanding pin-point accuracy at every junction point. One misaligned connection and the skill would misfire or dissipate entirely.

Half an hour later, Moon held the completed rune in his hand. A small chip etched with dense, layered script that shone with dim purple light.

"Rather expensive." Moon muttered, tallying the material cost in his head. Roughly one million dollars worth of resources for a single skill rune. His standard runes cost less than a tenth of that. "These aren’t something I can mass produce..."

But the investment would be worth it if the output matched what he expected. If it didn’t, it wasn’t worth the production time and resources.

He had stored Thunderclap Raiju inside the rune. If he was going to spend this much on a single inscription, the skill needed to be his strongest. Anything less would be a waste of materials.

Moon pocketed the rune and went hunting.

It didn’t take long to find a suitable target. A Stoneback Gorilla stood in a rocky clearing ahead, its massive body hunched over a beast carcass it was feeding on. Sharp stone spikes jutted from its back and shoulders like a natural suit of armor, each one thick enough to deflect most weapons.

Level 37 — one of the stronger beasts Moon had encountered on the island.

Moon dismounted Mirage and approached on foot. The gorilla sensed him before he got within fifty meters. It abandoned its meal and turned, its deep-set eyes locking onto him. A low growl vibrated through the ground beneath Moon’s feet.

The beast didn’t waste time on pleasantries, charging towards Moon with an intent to devour him whole. An extra meal was never frowned upon on this island, all food was welcome.

Moon met it head-on, running with his sword in his hands. He sidestepped the gorilla’s first swing, a massive fist that cratered the stone where he had been standing, and drove his sword into the gap between the spikes on its shoulder.

The blade bit deep but the gorilla barely flinched. It swung its other arm in a backhand that forced Moon to disengage for a moment before re-engaging.

They traded blows for a full minute. Moon tested the creature’s reactions, its speed, its defensive patterns. The stone spikes made it nearly impossible to attack from behind, and its raw physical power meant every blocked hit sent shortwaves through his arms.

’Good enough’.

Moon channeled Thunderclap Raiju in his left hand. At the same time, his right hand reached into his pocket and gripped the skill rune.

He released the Raiju from his hand.

The purple wolf rushed toward the gorilla’s chest.

The gorilla crossed its arms to absorb the hit, its stone spikes angling forward to break the attack’s momentum.

A smile broke out on Moon’s face.

He threw his skill rune to the right of the beast. The rune flew through the air, powered by Moon’s strength. Once it was within five meters of the gorilla, Moon activated the skill rune.

A second purple Raiju erupted from the chip and streaked toward the gorilla from a completely different angle.

The gorilla was tunnel visioned on the the first wolf. Bracing for one impact, it never saw the second coming.

Both wolves struck simultaneously. The first slammed into its crossed arms and detonated, purple lightning flooding across its upper body and locking its muscles rigid. The second hit the unprotected flesh of its inner thigh and tore through, the chain lightning surging upward through its torso from below.

The gorilla’s body seized from two directions at once. Its arms dropped. Its legs buckled. The double surge of soul-scarring lightning met in the center of its chest, and the combined current was more than anything its body could withstand.

The creature toppled backward and hit the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath it. Its stone spikes shattered on impact, already weakened by the lightning.

Its eyes remained wide open, but there was nothing behind them anymore.

[You have killed the Level 37 Stoneback Gorilla]

[You have gained 560 Lives]

Moon stared at the corpse. Two simultaneous Raiju from different angles. One cast by hand, one released from a rune. The target had no chance to defend against both.

"This is a good combo. But it certainly has its downsides." Moon muttered, closing his eyes. He could feel the dent in his mana reserves, it was rather noticeable.The rune skill consumed double the mana of a normal cast.

It made sense, but it was disappointing nonetheless. To create the skill rune, Moon had to channel the full cost of Thunderclap Raiju into the inscription during the crafting process.

That was the first payment. Then, when he activated the rune, the rune drew the same amount of mana from him again to fuel the release.

Two full casts worth of mana for a single rune skill. Using it alongside a normal Thunderclap Raiju meant he was spending triple the mana of one attack to land two.

But the benefit was just as obvious.

If Moon created the rune skills beforehand, during rest periods or downtime when his mana was full, the first cost was already paid. The skill sat inside the rune, dormant, waiting. When he activated it in combat, the rune would only draw the standard casting cost. No different from casting the spell normally.

Except there would be no casting time where enemies could interrupt or anticipate the attack. The rune released instantly the moment it was activated. And because it came from his rune, the element of surprise was incredibly powerful.

"If I prepare them in advance, the cost is the same as a normal cast." Moon nodded to himself. "The real value is the instant release and the surprise factor. Those alone are worth the material cost, but the issue remains...it’s too expensive to create. I can only create a few dozens of them at a time."

He pulled out more materials from his ring and began crafting a second rune skill on the spot. He wasn’t going into the pavilion without a dozen of these in stock.