Second World

Peniel informed Jack that learning a rune technique wasn't the same as learning normal skills where one only needed to click the book's interface. Accepting to learn a rune technique would take the user into a learning space, which was a separate dimension. There, the user must memorize all the rune symbols scattered around the space. Afterward, the user would have to practice forming the runes.

Apparently, this process was the same as when one learned a mega spell. The difference was, a rune technique had more runes to be memorized, but it was smaller and less complicated than the runes of magic spells. Still, each one was a different rune, so memorizing all of them was a problem if one didn't have a good memory. Luckily, Jack's intelligence stat was high enough to let him memorize all of them easily.

There was a total of thirty runes that Jack had to memorize when he entered the learning space. Peniel said that the more runes to be learned from a rune technique, the more powerful it was. The most powerful rune technique had fifty runes, while the weakest one had twenty runes.

Jack took around three hours to memorize and practice forming the rune until he met the least required time in forming the rune, which was twenty seconds. And that was already achieved by him using multi-rune forming with his hundred synchronous thoughts.

"Hey, Peniel. What if I keep on failing to reach the required time? Will I stay inside that learning space indefinitely?" Jack asked after he was out.

"No," Peniel answered. "You only have a twelve-hour limit to learn. If you are still unable to reach the required time. You will be considered failed and sent out."

"What will happen to the book if that happened?" Jack asked.

"It will vanish," Peniel answered.

Jack was having a cold sweat. Luckily, he had succeeded. Otherwise, the book would have been wasted. Jack complained about why Peniel didn't tell him this from the start.

"I don't want you to be under pressure, you blockhead!" The Fairy returned.

Jack didn't bother to argue with her. He checked the description of his rune technique in his status window.

*

Infernal Cleansing Flame (Rune technique)

Imbue the power of the infernal cleansing flame into a non-magical weapon, dealing fire and light damage. Power is unleashed when the weapon successfully strikes a target.

Cooldown: 1 hour

*

"Huh? No description of how much damage is inflicted. No level as well," Jack remarked.

"Rune technique doesn't have a level," Peniel explained. "Nor does it have a star proficiency. It is already at its best right from the start. The problem is more about if you can complete the runes preparation and land your hit. There is only a one-second interval after you complete all thirty runes preparation. If you don't land a hit in that one second, the prepared power will disperse."

"Damn! Then I prefer Arlcard's Unrelenting Purgatory," Jack said.

Unrelenting Purgatory was Arlcard's rune technique. The one Arlcard had used to kill Aubelard and Garland.

"His rune technique hit an enemy from range. Mine is a melee. Where can I find an enemy stupid enough to run at me after seeing me preparing this rune technique? Unless it is by catching someone by surprise like what Themos did to Mason, this technique is practically unusable!"

"Then don't use it," Peniel simply shrugged. Combat was not her department.

"Hey, speaking about Arlcard. Do you know how much longer he will be in that cocoon state?" Jack asked.

"Can be minutes, can be days, can even be months," Peniel answered.

"Why don't you just say I don't know?" Jack complained. "What about this rune technique's damage? I can't tell how powerful this rune technique is."

"Remember the working of runestones?" Peniel asked instead.

"Yeah. What about it? Wait…? Are you telling me a rune technique's damage is influenced by freakin' willpower?" Jack asked.

Peniel made a gesture that Jack had guessed correctly.

"Bloody hell! What a troublesome technique. Not only will I need to concentrate to form the runes fast, have a headache about how to land the hit, and now I also have to focus on exerting my willpower to drive up the damage. Even with my hundred synchronous thoughts, that is a chore!"

"No one says rune technique is an easy technique," Peniel shrugged. "Arlcard would have used it every chance if it is easy. But even if your willpower is at its lowest, the inflicted damage by a rune technique will still be more than your most powerful skill. Perhaps even rivaling your Lightning God Barrage. Probably even more if you inject enough willpower into it."

"Ah, whatever. Let's just train to complete the rune process fast first."

Jack brandished his Storm Breaker and activated the technique. He was inside the Time Chamber and there was currently no one, so he didn't worry about hitting anybody. He concentrated on forming the runes. Numerous small runes started appearing around his body. When all thirty runes were formed, they all converged into his sword.

Jack's mana sense could sense his sword being covered by intense energy. But since there was no target to hit, the skill ended after one second just as Peniel said. The cooldown started.

"If you are disrupted during the rune forming, the cooldown will not start. You can repeat the technique immediately," Peniel informed. "But if you completed the rune process, then the technique will be considered as being executed, even if you hit no one. You will have to wait one hour again before you can use the technique."

"Like I said, troublesome technique. I still need almost twenty seconds to complete the rune process. Well, let's check out the other loots."

Jack turned his attention to the second loot, which was an accessory.

*

Ring of Inheritance (Unique accessory)

Wisdom +24

All elemental resistances +10

If damaged, heal 2000 HP every 5 minutes

Inherited Will (active ability): Cleanse all status effects and recover 30% HP for self and allies within a 10-meter radius, cooldown: 3 hours

*

Jack immediately replaced his rare-grade Swift Ice Ring with this new one. Now, both his rings were unique grades. This ring gave him great surviving abilities. The healing effect of the ring was as if he drank a free greater healing potion every five minutes.

The third loot was a unique-grade consumable.

*

Suppression Crystal (Unique consumable)

Lowers a target by one grade and ten levels.

Range: 10 meters

Duration: 6 hours

*

Peniel informed Jack that this consumable was similar to the Draconic Suppression Crystal that Wong and the others targeted during the world tournament. Except this one wasn't limited to one type of monster. But in exchange, the suppression lasted only six hours.

To Jack, six hours were more than enough for one battle. He was more worried about the range. If he was required to use this item, that meant the opponent was very powerful. Ten meters was too short a distance against such an opponent.

Jack stored the crystal in his inventory.

The fourth item was an unknown grade. It was an old key. The description classified it as a special item without a grade. The name was Themisphere Legacy Key. Considering the name, it was a rather important item. The description only said that the key was to open a secret chamber reserved for Themisphere royal family. It didn't describe where to use it, though.

"Do you know where is the keyhole I can use this mysterious key on?" Jack asked Peniel, to which Peniel answered by shaking her head.

"Well. I'll probably just ask this palace's inhabitants after the coronation," Jack said.

Jack spent the rest of the night inside the Time Chamber training his sword art as well as practicing his rune technique whenever it was off cooldown. He also slept inside there and trained again when he woke up. When he calculated that it should be morning already outside. He exited the time chamber and teleported to Thereath then headed directly to the palace.

Every native who saw him walk by bowed their heads.

"Crap… Walking around the city will be very different from now on," he lamented.

Patrolling guards who happened to walk by even came to him when they saw him. Jack didn't have the heart to chase them away, so he let them escort him to the palace.

Inside the palace, the preparation was almost complete. Everyone had been working overtime last night because they didn't want to let down the Goddess. Jack was escorted into the king's chamber. He could see the red carpet along the way. He remembered when he was rehearsing the coronation. Someone would come to fetch him and they would walk along this red carpet to the throne room where he would be crowned.

Jack felt very weird about how fate had turned out. He was practicing escorting the prince a week ago. Now, he will be the one who was escorted. He felt sad instead of excited. He wished that things never changed, that it was still him who escorted Prince Alonzo to the throne room.

But he knew dwelling on the past was useless. He took a deep breath. This was his task now. He would have to do it to the best of his abilities. He swore he would bring Themisphere to a new height!