The first lesson was clear.
Runes could not merge from afar.
You could not form two complete runes and then try to link them afterward. The attempt would collapse instantly. Failure began the moment the connection formed.
The second lesson followed.
You could never tamper with a rune's core.
Every rune contained two parts: the inner core and the outer pattern. The core was sacred. Even derivative wind runes, Ron suspected, all shared the same heart. Only the outer design could be changed and intertwined. That was the key to true fusion.
Ron was glad he had started with two runes. Two were already dangerous enough. If he failed with three, he would not survive the backlash. Even when he managed to contain the chaos, the resulting wind blast still threw him straight into the sea. Ironically, that worked to his advantage it counted as progress toward his "accidental overboard" achievements.
Splash.
Splash.
Splash.
After three more dives into the ocean, his spirit energy was drained. He stopped, sat down cross-legged, and entered meditation to restore it.
The achievement required the fall to be accidental, so he couldn't just jump in on purpose. He even found himself hoping for more failed attempts, anything to keep earning points.
When his mind was calm again, he resumed. One failure after another, wind detonating, his body blown into the sea, crawling back up, drenched but determined.
Finally, on the tenth fall, the sound he had been waiting for rang in his mind.
[Achievement Unlocked: Unlucky Man — Reward: 2 Achievement Points]
It was his first time seeing a reward of two points. Clearly, this one was rare. The stronger he became, the harder it would be to meet the "accidental" condition. He might never get this chance again.
The system chimed again.
[Total Achievement Points: 10. Rune Extraction Unlocked.]
With the two new points, his total reached eleven. Just as he predicted, ten points granted another rune draw.
Ron climbed back onto the ship but did not start right away. He meditated once more, clearing away the fatigue and the ache in his head. Only when his energy flowed smoothly again did he open the system's profession interface.
The rune extraction screen appeared before him, gleaming with light.
The outer circle displayed the four basic elements: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire.
But this time, a new inner ring appeared ,three glowing symbols arranged in a triangle. The top mark was purple lightning. The lower-left was crystalline blue, likely Ice. The lower-right, shaped like a shield, pulsed with faint gold light. Defense magic, perhaps.
No doubt these three were advanced runes, greater than the basics.
As he wondered which one he might draw, the symbols began to flicker in sequence. All but the Wind symbol pulsed and dimmed one by one.
When the flashing stopped, the light settled on the Fire rune.
[You have obtained the Fire Element Rune.]
A flicker of disappointment touched him, it wasn't one of the advanced ones. But the feeling faded quickly. His current spiritual strength was not enough to master high-tier runes anyway. Fire was perfect. Wind and Fire complemented each other well. Better synergy than Earth, and far safer than Water, especially here in the East Blue where fighting fishmen with water would be suicide.
Light gathered before him. Fine lines of energy spun and wove together into a glowing pattern distinct from the wind rune. The sigil pulsed once and faded into his core.
Opening his stats, Ron read the new display:
Profession: Mage- Supreme Archmage
Magic Imprint: Basic (Spirit +5)
Runes Owned: Fire Rune, Wind Rune
Total Achievement Points: 11
He poured the two new points into Spirit. His total spiritual power now hovered around twenty-five, and his Wind Blades had become nearly effortless. At full focus, he could cast ten in a row.
"Fire magic," he murmured, smiling faintly. "Let's give it a try."
He closed his eyes, forming the rune in his mind. The pattern came together perfectly on the first attempt. Five seconds later, his palm glowed red.
A sphere of fire bloomed into existence.
The air trembled.
A blazing fireball, twice the size of a man's head, shot forward. It streaked across the deck and slammed into the ocean.
A roar of steam and flame burst upward before the waves swallowed it whole.
[You have mastered Fire Magic: Level One — Fireball Spell.]
Ron stared at the rippling sea and clenched his hand, feeling the lingering warmth at his fingertips.
Wind cut sharp. Fire burned fierce. Together, they could shatter any obstacle.
Once he unlocked the next layer of runes, the leap in power would be immense. When that time came, even Arlong would fall before him.
The sea breeze brushed his face, carrying the faint scent of salt and smoke. Ron closed his eyes for a moment, letting the rhythm of the waves sync with his heartbeat.
The next stage of his journey had just begun.
______________________________
If you're enjoying this story and want to read more advanced chapters, you can support me on Patreon: patreon.com/PurgatorialPoet. Your support helps keep the translations coming faster.