The sky was crimson, illuminated by countless fires raging across the ruins of a vast city—one that felt as though it did not belong to this world. Structures lay in collapse, broken weapons littered the ground, and the air was thick with the scent of burning and death.

  In the midst of this devastation, a lone figure floated above the ruins, a silhouette of pure blackness against the blood-red sky. It was featureless, like an abyss given form, yet its eyes—if they could be called that—shone an eerie white, piercing through the void.

  It opened its mouth, and a distorted voice echoed through the silence.

  "...Wa...ke..."

  The voice was neither a whisper nor a roar. It was something unnatural, something that sent shivers crawling down the spine.

  Luan awoke with a sharp gasp, his body drenched in cold sweat. His breath came ragged as he clutched his chest, heart pounding in his ears. He blinked rapidly, his mind struggling to shake off the vivid remnants of the dream.

  "W... what was that...?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

  His room was dimly lit, the pale glow of the early morning sun creeping through the wooden shutters. He exhaled deeply, trying to steady his nerves. It wasn't the first time he'd had strange dreams, but this one—this one felt different. It felt real.

  He glanced at the worn-out calendar pinned to the wall. A month had passed since he began his training. His body was noticeably different now—his muscles more defined, his endurance greater than before. But no matter how much he pushed himself, no matter how strong he became, there was still a weight pressing down on him.

  The weight of knowing he could not use magic.

  But today was a step forward. Today, he would take the first step in learning rune magic.

  Luan sat up, shaking off the lingering unease from his dream. He turned to the small pouch resting on his desk—the money he had earned working at the local inn. He had been saving for this moment.

  "Right... I need to head to Eldris and buy that book on runes."

  The main city of Lionheart County, Eldris, was a bustling hub of activity. The streets were alive with merchants advertising their wares, adventurers discussing their latest quests, and citizens going about their daily routines. People of various races filled the roads—humans, elves, and demihumans alike. Some had animalistic features, tails flicking behind them or ears twitching at the sounds of the marketplace.

  Luan weaved through the crowd, heading straight for the bookstore he had visited before. The store itself was small, tucked between two larger buildings, its wooden sign barely holding on to its hinges. He pushed the door open, the familiar scent of parchment and ink filling his nostrils.

  Behind the counter, an old man looked up, his face crinkling into a frown. "You're back, you brat."

  Luan smirked. "Yeah, old man. I'm back. Did you find the book on runes like I asked?"

  The shopkeeper grumbled but turned to a nearby shelf, reaching for a thick, dust-covered tome. "Hmph. No one really buys stuff like this anymore. It's been gathering dust for years. Here."

  Luan's eyes lit up as he took the book, flipping through the aged pages. It contained detailed illustrations of rune structures, explanations on how to inscribe them, and theories on their applications.

  "Thank you! Here’s the money," Luan said, reaching for his pouch.

  The old man waved a hand dismissively. "Forget it. Just take it. Consider it a favor."

  Luan blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

  "I was just going to toss it out anyway. Besides, it's rare to see young ones interested in lost arts. Now get out of here before I change my mind, damn brat."

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Luan chuckled, tucking the book under his arm. "Heh, thanks, old man."

  As he stepped out into the bustling streets, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

  He was rushing home when he heard a familiar voice

  “If it isn’t the null loser…what’s got you so excited huh? Find some kind of false for your weak self?”

  Luan turned around and gritted his teeth ”…Leon…..leave me alone im not here to fight”

  “Fight? Hahaha if we fought for real I could burn you to ashes in a instant”..suddenly leons eyes fell on the book luan was holding…

  “oho?.....books?” leon spoke amused he flicked his finger the book went out of luan’s hand and went to leon’s hand

  “HEY…GIVE THAT BACK” luan exclaimed but the guards around leon held luan down.

  Leon opened the book

  “rune magic? Seriously? AHAHAHAHA I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED…your using rune magic? The ones that are used by servents? What did you think just because rune magic doesn’t require magic from your body you will be able to use it and become strong?” leon said laughing he tossed the book on the ground and spoke.

  “Go ahead hold onto your false hope and struggle like the rat you are luan….”he smirked

  “your not worthy of my interest anymore” with that he left

  Luan got up from the ground taking the book from the ground and dusting it

  “…he will pay……one day I will surpass him” he said gritting his teeth. His eyes flashing anger

  “Just you wait leon.”

  He ran home and went straight to his room.

  “alright..lets see…..what this is about”

  He began reading, his eyes scanning the intricate diagrams and descriptions.

  Modern rune magic was primarily used for convenience. Workers inscribed runes on their bodies to enhance strength for physically demanding tasks, and merchants used them to preserve goods. By using a mana pen, one could draw a rune, allowing it to absorb ambient mana and activate for a limited time. The better the craftsmanship of the rune, the longer it lasted.

  As he read, a thought began to form in his mind.

  Most of the runes followed a fixed structure, with only slight modifications to create different effects. What if… he combined two different rune types? Would it be possible to create something new?

  Excitement surged through him. But then, he paused, frowning. According to the text, attempts at combining runes had always resulted in failure. The conflicting energies would clash and destabilize, leading to destruction rather than enhancement.

  Luan clenched his fists. "Then I'll find a way to make it work." His grip on the book tightened, his nails digging into the cover. "I'm done letting people decide my limits."

  For years, he had been told what he couldn’t do. That he was useless. That he was powerless.

  But now, with this book in hand, he had found a path forward. And he would walk it—no matter what.

  He followed the instructions carefully, his hands steady as he prepared to draw his first combination rune.

  ‘Vi’—the rune of strength.

  ‘Celeritas’—the rune of speed.

  He studied their structures, memorizing the way their circuits were made.

  "I see… every rune has a base and circuits. The base collects mana from the surroundings, and the circuits direct the mana according to its function. What if… I add the circuit of the speed rune onto the strength rune along with its own circuit?" His eyes narrowed in thought. "The book says the rune will explode, but… I have to try."

  With that, he picked up his mana pen and began to draw. The first step was the base—a simple yet crucial component. Without it, the rune wouldn’t be able to gather mana at all.

  Next, he carefully inscribed the circuits, starting with the strength rune’s natural pattern. Everything remained stable. Then, he hesitated for a brief moment before proceeding to add the speed circuit.

  The moment the new circuit touched the rune, sparks erupted from the lines, crackling with unstable energy. The rune pulsed angrily, as if resisting its very existence.

  But just as the sparks reached their peak, they suddenly dispersed.

  Luan's breath caught in his throat. He had expected the rune to explode at this point, just as the book warned. But it didn't.

  His hands shook slightly, but he continued. He completed the full circuit, and the rune turned a deep, glowing red. Sparks erupted again, wild and uncontrollable, but then—

  A familiar feeling washed over him.

  The same feeling he had whenever he tried gathering mana, only for it to disperse around him. The sensation of something shifting, something unexplainable.

  Suddenly, the rune stabilized.

  A bright blue glow radiated from the paper, the pulsing energy now smooth and steady.

  Luan stared at it in disbelief. "I… I did it? I actually did it?"

  He hesitantly picked up the rune and pressed the paper against his palm. His eyes darted back to the book for further instructions.

  "To activate the rune, simply press where the base connects to the circuit to allow the collected mana to flow."

  He took a deep breath and did exactly that.

  A surge of energy exploded through his body. His veins felt as though they were brimming with raw power. His muscles tensed, his entire being vibrating with newfound strength.

  For the first time in his life, he felt it.

  Mana coursing through him.

  He clenched his fist and threw a punch. The air itself seemed to ripple from the force, a faint shockwave trembling through the room.

  "…W-Woah. This… this is equal to a… two-core knight’s power…!"

  His excitement was short-lived.

  A few minutes later, the paper disintegrated into ashes in his palm, the rune vanishing completely. Luan's eyes widened in confusion.

  "What…? Why did the paper burn away? Typically, the rune itself disappears, not the medium it’s inscribed on…"

  He stared at the remnants of the experiment, deep in thought.

  Something was different about his rune. And he was going to find out why.