368 Rune
Sylas backed away from the edge of the valley he was peeking over. After some thought, he started to dig into the thick snow around him and buried himself in a small cave within.
The Mancer Wand hovered before Sylas and he closed his eyes, focusing everything he had on it after summoning the Basilisk King.
The Basilisk King played the role of protector while Sylas focused. It was about time he found out the true use of the Mancer Wand.
To get here, it could be said that he took advantage of a loophole of sorts. But now...
Sylas took a breath and <Maddened Enlightenment> activated on its own. It was so subtle that Sylas didn't even notice. Under normal circumstances, he might have. But at the moment, his mind had been pulled into a world of fluttering ice-blue snowflakes.
'An illusion?'
It didn't feel real, but at the same time his body couldn't help but shiver.
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>[Basic Affinities]
[Ice (Bronze)]
[Poison (Bronze)]
[Ice-Poison (Common)]
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Sylas remembered the affinities his Class had given him. Was this what this world was supposed to improve?
'No, it's something more complicated than that...'
This world wasn't as organized as the Rune practicing world he had been in before. There was no structure, and seemingly no beginning and end.
Recalling the description of the Mancer Wand, he understood... somewhat. He was supposed to rely on himself to find the path. It would allow him to sense his Path of the Mancer more clearly, but how far he managed to take it was entirely reliant on himself.
Sylas came to a stop, his brows furrowed.
'... Runes.'
Sylas activated Enchanted Scholar, but it didn't work. The world was still the same blanket of ice blue.
'Is it because I'm not technically in my body right now?' Sylas frowned.
Enchanted Scholar allowed Sylas to see Runes, but it was a Gene first and foremost. It was a literal part of his body. But right now, this was a projection of his mind, it was impossible to use.
He hadn't thought about it before, but to think Genes actually had such a limitation.
'Does Rune Breath have such a limitation?'
Sylas never tried to use Rune Breath without activating Enchanted Scholar at the same time. But... technically speaking it shouldn't need the latter.
With that thought, Sylas tried.
A flashbang went off in his mind and it was as though a star had just exploded right before his eyes.
Too much. It was too much too quickly, and he felt that his mind was rapidly draining. He hurriedly activated <Maddened Enlightenment>, only to realize that it was already active.
Activating Rune Breath in this state almost felt like he had just poured alcohol into an open wound. Normally, his body was like his shield of skin, but right now, it wasn't here, so there was no filter as the Runes practically acted on him directly.
That was when Sylas understood something.
Runes and his mind... or his soul, maybe? They were both made out of the same substance. That was the only reason such a thing was possible.
The moment Sylas had this thought, the world fell into silence and the Runes around him became even more obedient.
Sylas didn't know what happened exactly, but he knew that he had had a breakthrough.
He had stepped from Rune Breath to Rune Soul.