[Rune Bonding System Activated.]
“Go ahead, Cole. I’ll follow behind,” Sun Tie muttered. “Grab the sword. I suspect it will keep the fire for a couple of minutes.”
“Okay,” the old man replied, and they left the place. Sun Tie finally had time to read the messages, but this time, he read and listened. The voice spoke inside his head, with no intonation—just words.
Congratulations. You are now able to bond runes.
Runes are part of the essence of the planets integrated. You can now transform three different runes into a new powerful one, just as your doomed planets will become a new thriving one.
Choose wisely, as this process cannot be undone, and Bonded Runes do not level up.
Keep discovering, experimenting, and building your new world. And, most importantly, survive.
The voice fell silent again, but the words kept ringing in Sun Tie’s brain. God expected them to build a new home for them. Is it just a gigantic, sick game?
Hate boiled inside the young master; he felt fooled by this strange entity. He felt used and manipulated and, worse, constantly watched.
All the items he had received until this moment seemed to push him towards the sword, and even though Sun Tie didn’t regret choosing the sword path, he felt no joy in realizing the extent of the god’s will and power.
After obtaining revenge and reclaiming his cultivation core, Sun Tie would see what he could do against this all-mighty God.
Initiate Rune Bonding?
[Y/N?]
Sun Tie mentally replied yes, and the system offered him one option: to bond the three runes he had equipped.
[Fire Boar Spirit - lvl 2]
[Rememberance Rune - lvl 1]
[Dull Mana Rune - lvl 6]
Bond Runes? You will only be able to see the results after the bonding.
[Y/N?]
Sun Tie thought about it for a few seconds while they walked, the light from the sword diminishing and his mind drifting. Should he wait and see if he could find runes with better synergies? Or should he work with what he had?
The young master didn’t want to face another life-and-death situation unprepared, so he created a new, powerful rune to perhaps avoid a terrible death.
As he mentally said yes, a burst of light erupted from his heart, illuminating the entire cave and causing Cole to stop in his tracks and look back at Sun Tie, worry in his eyes.
“What’s that?” Cole asked, shielding his eyes with one hand.
“A new toy,” Sun Tie replied, watching his new rune appear before his eyes, floating in the air. It had the shape of a diamond but didn’t reflect the light; instead, it slightly absorbed it.
It was beautiful.
Sun Tie took it in his hand, and Cole leaned close to examine it.
“I can still see Jackie in it,” Cole said, returning and resuming his walk. “What does it do?”
Sun Tie read the system message aloud for Cole to hear.
[Ember Echo Bonded Rune] - Rare - lvl max.
+4 STR
+4 DEX
+4 VIT
Passive Effect: Sword or unarmed hits have a 1% chance of becoming an [Echo Strike].
[Echo Strikes] now cause [Ember Chains]. The powerful strike will irradiate nearby enemies, causing flame damage.
Active Effect:
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[Rage of the Fire Boar Spirit]: Upon activation, the flames of the Fire Boar will consume the owner’s blade for as long as they desire.
Description: The [Ember Echo Bonded Rune] blends the powers of the [Dull Mana Rune], [Rune of the Fire Boar], and [Remembrance Rune] to give its user a fiery and echoing attack ability. When used, it allows attacks to carry the burning power of the Fire Boar, with each hit leaving behind a faint, ghostly echo. The flickering firelight might reveal brief glimpses of the user’s memories, providing whispers of guidance and insight.
“Seems fancy,” Cole said, not looking back.
“Everything seems fancy to you.”
“It doesn’t seem fancy?”
“Yes, it does,” Sun Tie said with a smile. The rune had been better than he thought. It encapsulated everything powerfully, and he was pleased with his decisions.
It was finally time to look at his system messages, stats, and skills.
[You have slain Vampire Life-Eater lvl 10]
[You have slain Vampire Life-Eater lvl 09]
Description: Vampires are one of the common sentient species from Umbraheim. They are powerful, strong, and charming. These beings can be lordly and savage, depending on how well-fed they are.
A few messages about his nonexistent runes remained, but the young master brushed them aside and kept scrolling down. Managing the strange display in front of his eyes was becoming easy.
You have earned a new title
[Outerworld Slayer] - Slay sentient beings from two different planets. +5 STR
- Mission Updates -
Kill 15 enemies (12/15). Reward EXP and Uncommon Treasure Chest.
Kill 5 Umbraheim hostile life-forms (3/5): Reward: EXP and an Uncommon Treasure Chest.
Sun Tie hadn’t gained new levels, even after killing two powerful enemies. The bar was getting higher now, and Sun Tie felt he needed to do more to thrive.
It was time for him to check his status finally.
- Status -
Name
Sun Tie
Level
10
Title
[Shattered One];[Pathfinder of the New World];[Peacemaker];[Outerworlder Slayer].
Race
Human (Eternal Wind)
Class
Swordsman
Runes
(1/3)
[Ember Echo Bonded Rune] - Rare - lvl max.
Skills
[Combat Dexterity], [Swift Strike], [Combat Strenght], [Identify], [Stealth], [Mighty Strike], [Focus], [Swordsman Gripp], [Whirlwind Strike], [Blade Mana Flow].
Health Points
220/220
Mana Points
230/230
Strength
29
Dexterity
27
Vitality
22
Endurance
15
Intelligence
23
Luck
12
Sun Tie was impressed with his stats and felt good about them; he was stronger, faster, and far more powerful compared to the beginning of his journey, and his status was proof of it.
However, the [Swordsman] written beside his class caught his eye more. He had accepted it. As a last resort, but still, he chose it. And the blade Cole carried in front of him was proof of it. Sun Tie analyzed it again, as he had done several times before.
[Rusted Sword]:
+3 DEX
+3 INT
Description: Once a blade of unmatched elegance, this wakizashi now bears the marks of time with its rusted exterior. Yet, beneath the corrosion lies a secret: the blade remains as sharp as the day it was forged.
Sun Tie saw a new light on the horizon as he closed the screen. Cole handed the blade to Sun Tie, and he sheathed it in the belt he had gotten with the [Rusted Sword]. A strange red hue came from the little hole in the not-so-distant cave wall.
The humidity was diminishing as they reached the exit, and Sun Tie was eager to breathe fresh air again. At the end of the cave, they crouched and kept walking until the exit.
As Sun Tie got up, he attested they finally saw the light in their new world. In front of him, two moons were close together. One smaller than the other, Sun Tie recognized the one he had contemplated repeatedly throughout the years.
Yellow and small, it shone brightly in the sky—full and beautiful. And close to it was the other one, full but larger than Sun Tie’s moon and with a white light on it. Sun Tie didn’t need Cole to tell him that was his moon; the recognition was stamped on his face.
Neither Sun Tie’s nor Cole’s moon explained the red light the young master could see covering them. The youth's eyes glanced over the place, and he saw James close to the kid, with Sofia embracing the boy. All three of them were looking at the distance, in the direction of the ominous mountain in the distance.
Above it, Sun Tie could see a gigantic moon, the biggest he had ever seen, full like his own but as big as the mountain it was covering.
When he closed his eyes, the red light emanating from the giant circle was strong enough to leave a mark on Sun Tie’s vision. Upon close inspection, the young master could see clearly that the sight discomforted the boy.
“The blood moon. A new dawn of death,” The boy said, and Sofia’s arms tightened around his body.
“It’s fine,” Sofia said, crouching at the boy's side.
“I know, miss. I just wish they couldn’t fight today,” the kid said, looking up to meet Sofia's eyes.
“Who?” Sofia asked.
“The demons who fight our masters,” the boy replied, and a shiver ran through Sun Tie’s spine.
As the young master prepared to walk towards the kid and talk to him, they heard a noise from the jungle.
Heavy steps broke the silence as two oversized silhouettes came into view.