Tutorial II (10)–Tower....
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"Okay, so your class is Runic Scribe. What will be your main attributes?" Melissa asked, her voice still tinged with nervousness, but steadier than before.
"INT and DEX," I replied without hesitation.
My voice cut through the low murmurs around us. I had already made up my mind long before this moment.
Melissa nodded and tapped something on her glowing tablet.
"Alright. Here you go."
As soon as she confirmed the selection—
Ding!
A deep chime echoed in the air.
The wind suddenly stilled.
And then—
[Your class has been chosen: Runic Scribe!]
A beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping me in radiant, pulsating white-blue energy.
The temperature around me dropped.
It wasn’t cold—it was sharp, like the air itself had become aware.
[Setting INT and DEX as your main attributes…]
I felt it immediately.
The light surged into my chest like a heartbeat, and my body reacted violently.
My muscles tensed and relaxed.
My veins glowed faintly with blue lines—no, not veins… they were runes.
Tiny, flickering runes crawling just beneath my skin.
[Allocating attribute boost: +5 INT, +5 DEX.]
[Your level has been reset. Returning to Level 1.]
The air felt heavier around me.
[As a Runic Scribe, you are attuned to ancient knowledge.]
[You’ve learned passive skill: Rune Mastery!]
[You’ve learned passive skill: Runeblood!]
[You’ve learned active skill: Rune Engraving!]
[Congratulations!]
The light slowly faded, but the changes remained.
My fingertips shimmered faintly, tiny runes dancing around the nails before vanishing.
My clothing had subtly shifted—threaded with faint symbols that pulsed with mana.
My eyes, reflected on a nearby shard of metal, had taken on a deeper hue—my irises glowing with a faint indigo light.
It felt like my thoughts were sharper, clearer—like I could see connections in the air itself.
The wind whispered meanings.
The soil beneath me hummed softly.
Everything had become more defined, more aware.
I raised my hand.
The air shimmered slightly around it.
A thread of rune energy flickered into view. Just raw, unshaped potential—but it was there.
Waiting to be etched. Waiting to be cast.
I smirked.
‘Status Window.’
As the thought crossed my mind, the familiar blue screen materialized before me, clearer than ever.
--
[Player Status Window]
Name: Rago
Class: Rune Scribe
Level: 1
Affiliation: None
Trait:
- Cold-blooded
Core Attributes:
- Strength (STR): 70
- Agility (AGI): 68
- Intelligence (INT): 75
- Vitality (VIT): 60
- Dexterity (DEX): 73
- Endurance (END): 60
Additional Attributes:
- Perception (PER): 30
-Willpower (WIL): 20
-LUCK : 10
Combat Stats:
- HP: 2,400/ 2,400
- MP: 2,250 / 2,250
- Fatigue: 2
Skills
Innate Skill:
- Glimmering Eyes (Unique)
Passive Skills:
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-Ironblood Regeneration
-Lunar nemesis
-Runeblood
-Rune Mastery
Active Skills:
-Umbral Howl
-Fall of dusk
-Eclipse
-Rune Engraving
Titles: Wolfslayer, Moon eater.
Progression & Resources
- Tower Points (TP): 3,620
- Status Points: 0
---
[Rune Mastery]
Type: Passive
Mana Consumption: None
Cooldown: None
Proficiency: 0%
Effect: Reduces mana consumption of all rune-based abilities.
Shortens the time required to carve or activate runes.
Enhances the succes rate, potency and complexity of rune effects depending on user skill, proficiency and understanding .
Description:
A foundational skill bestowed upon those who tread the path of runes.
Rune Mastery governs your control over rune languages and structures.
As your proficiency rises, so does your ability to compress, combine, and innovate rune formations.
It is both the pillar and the gate to higher runic arts.
---
[Runeblood]
Type: Passive
Mana Consumption: None
Cooldown: None
Effect: regenerate 0.5% MP/sec near active runes, magic fields, or enchanted areas.
Description: Your blood carries residual magic, allowing passive mana regeneration in the presence of ambient mana.
---
[Rune Engraving]
Type: Active
Mana Consumption: Varies based on rune complexity
Cooldown: None
Effect: Allows the user to engrave runes onto the surface of a substance, object, or even living beings.
Description:
The power of every rune lies in its structure, precision, and intent.
Using this skill, the user channels mana into their fingers or a chosen tool to carve magical symbols onto various mediums—metal, stone, wood, flesh, or bone.
The results depend on the type of rune etched—enhancing durability, imbuing elemental effects, or invoking curses.
Failure to maintain mana flow may lead to incomplete, unstable, or backfiring runes
---
I looked through the skills.
The Rune Mastery was the core of all.
Success Rate, effectiveness and all other things depends upon it.
The Rune Engraving was the skill used to engrave the runes.
I glanced at the Status Window once more, noting the numbers.
Level: 1.
Yet, the status points I held were not those of a beginner.
The Tower didn’t strip you of your accumulated power—it only reset the leveling counter.
A system design that encouraged experienced players to evolve into their class path without losing their edge.
I was a Level 1 Runic Scribe.
But my stats?
They reflected the blood, sweat, and bodies I'd torn through to get here—Level 30’s worth of growth.
It gave me a massive edge.
And even better—thanks to the low requirement of EXP at early levels, I would level rapidly.
‘Now it’s time to move onto the next step!’
I thought, my heart steady but excited.
Without wasting a second, I moved toward a shaded corner of the grounds, away from the busy crowd.
The area was quieter now.
The crowd of players that had once buzzed with curiosity and anxiety had thinned out—most had already chosen their classes and rushed off toward the Tower’s entrance like hounds let loose.
But not me.
I found a large rock near the edge of a stone outcrop and sat down beside it.
The sun was still high, its warmth spreading over the landscape, but I barely noticed it.
My thoughts were elsewhere.
Rune-based classes.
They were powerful in their own right, but very few people picked them—especially among the battle-hungry masses.
And for good reason.
Runes take time to prepare.
Time you don’t have when monsters are charging at you with bloodlust.
That’s why many considered them “production” classes—meant for crafters, smiths, or those who wanted to play support roles.
But I knew better.
I knew the true potential of Runes.
I pulled out a handful of small, smooth stones from the dirt around me.
They were nothing special—just ordinary rocks scattered across the land.
But in the hands of a Runic users, even something that mundane could become a weapon.
‘This is how it begins.’
I took a deep breath, steadied my hand, and focused.
[Rune Engraving: Active!]
A pale blue glow lit up the tip of my index finger, humming with magic.
It was warm—like holding a candle flame on your fingertip without being burned.
I pressed it against the first stone.
The light pulsed, and slowly, I began to move.
Swish. Sssk. Swss.
Each stroke was precise.
Each symbol was deliberate.
And then—
[Success! You’ve crafted a Lesser Fire Rune!]
The rune on the stone flickered faintly—its lines glowing with ember-like heat.
A ready-to-use rune.
Compact, one-time-use magic.
I smiled.
This was a Runestone—the very heart of a Runecaster’s combat strategy.
You engrave the rune in advance.
When the moment comes, you inject mana—and boom.
Instant magic.
They were essentially magic scrolls or skill orbs.
One-time use, but extremely versatile.
Fire, Ice, Shock, Shielding, Traps, Alarms—you name it.
I continued.
One stone.
Then another.
Then ten more.
---
Time passed.
The sun crawled across the sky, slowly leaning westward.
[Your mana is below 5%]
I drank a small mana potion and kept going.
My fingers ached from the constant movement, and sweat dotted my brow.
But I didn’t stop.
I kept picking up stones.
Kept carving.
Kept creating.
---
[You have crafted: Lesser Ice Rune!]
[You have crafted: Lesser Explosion Rune!]
[You have crafted: Lesser Slow Rune!]
---
Night fell.
A cold breeze swept across the empty field.
The stars began to blink above, and torchlights around the plaza began to flicker to life.
But I kept working.
Most of the other players were long gone.
They had rushed into the Tower, eager to level up or explore their new powers.
But I remained behind.
Grinding.
Preparing.
Forging a foundation no one could see yet.
---
The first night passed.
The second followed.
And the third.
Each day, I followed a strict routine.
Gather stones early in the morning.
I scouted new areas around the outer plaza, picking the smoothest, flattest and various kinds of rocks I could find.
Engrave runes—fire, ice, blast, shock, trap, barrier.
I experimented with shapes and combinations.
Failed a few.
Drink mana potions when necessary.
I rationed them carefully—using lower-grade ones unless completely out of MP.
Rest when fatigue grew too high.
If I ignored it, my hands would tremble too much to carve properly.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
---
[Rune Engraving Success Rate increased by 5% due to repetition and experience.]
[Your hands grow steadier. Focus deepens. You gain: +2 DEX]
[Mana consumption for lesser runes slightly decreased due to repeated practice.]
[You’ve crafted your first Intermediate Rune: Flame Spike Rune!]
[+1 INT]
---
By the end of the fourth day, my stone stash had grown to three pouches full.
But more importantly...
[Runic Mastery has reached 30% Proficiency!]
[You’ve obtained active skill: Quick Engraving!]
My eyes lit up.
---
[Skill: Quick Engraving]
Type: Active
Mana Consumption: 100
Cooldown: 30 minutes
Effect: Temporarily reduces the time required to engrave a rune by 40% for 10 seconds.
Description: When the battlefield allows no time for careful work, Quick Engraving becomes the Rune Scribe's lifeline.
By sacrificing fine-tuned control, the user may etch functional, temporary runes on-the-fly.
These runes last only a short duration but can be placed in seconds—ideal for traps, instant weapon boosts, or emergency seals.
Overuse without proper discipline may result in mana backlash or rune instability
---
“Good!”
I muttered aloud, rising to my feet.
My legs ached slightly from sitting so long, and my knuckles cracked as I stretched.
My body was tired, but my heart burned with excitement.
I had built something in these four days.
Not just runes.
Not just skills.
Momentum.
The easy EXP of the early Tower floors...
The unprepared players...
The mindless rushers...
I was ready to leave them all behind.
But before I entered the Tower—before I crossed that threshold—there was one last thing left to do.
---
[Western Hills]
The sun had already climbed above the eastern ridges, casting golden light over the rugged terrain of the western hills.
The sky was clear, and a gentle breeze rolled over the open land, swaying the tall grass and rustling the sparse trees that dotted the area.
It was quiet…
Until a cry echoed across the sky.
"FaaaAAHH!"
A sharp, almost melodious screech rang out like a trumpet call.
My eyes lifted.
And there he was.
The Rainbow Peacock.
Majestic. Enormous. Deadly.
He soared across the sky with wide, powerful wings that shimmered in every color imaginable—vivid stripes of crimson, emerald, sapphire, and gold flowing like liquid light every time he flapped.
Each beat of his wings stirred the air with visible force, creating shimmering trails behind him.
His tail spread out like a fan behind him, long and elegant, glowing with radiant hues.
He glided across the hills and then began his descent—swooping down toward the far edge of a cliff where a massive nest lay perched atop stone pillars and twisted branches.
Bones, feathers, and pieces of hunted creatures were scattered all around it.
This was his lair.
He landed gracefully, talons scratching into the rocky edge as he folded his wings.
The moment he settled into his nest—
Zzzp—!!
A spark of blue flickered in the air around him.
At first, it was subtle—just a flicker of light dancing near his feathers.
But within seconds, the sparks intensified and began crawling across his body like flowing currents of lightning.
Not strong enough to hurt…
…but more than enough to stop him.
[Lesser Rune of Paralysis – Activated!]
[Lesser Rune of Paralysis – Activated!]
[Lesser Rune of Paralysis – Activated!]
[Lesser Rune of Paralysis – Activated!]
[Lesser Rune of Paralysis – Activated!]
The effect was immediate.
His wings froze mid-stretch.
His head jerked slightly, eyes widening in confusion and alarm.
His talons clawed against the stone, trying to push off into the air—but he couldn’t move. Not properly.
He let out a screech, but his body was sluggish, delayed by the immobilizing effects of the rune.
That was my cue.
I stepped out from behind a jagged boulder near the nest, crouched low and steady.
In my hands—I held a long, sharpened iron spear reinforced with basic enhancement runes.
I had personally etched them in last night.
‘Now!’
I sprinted forward.
The ground rushed beneath me as the Rainbow Peacock twisted and turned its head in a panic.
He tried to rise, flapping his wings awkwardly, but his limbs were unresponsive, slow.
I jumped—and thrust the spear forward with all my weight.
STAB!
The tip sank deep into his side, just under the wing.
He let out a cry of pain and flapped wildly, trying to shake me off.
Blood splashed.
His feathers shimmered like a shattered prism under the sunlight, glowing even as they were stained red.
I held tight, keeping pressure on the spear as he thrashed violently.
The paralysis rune was starting to weaken, and his movements were becoming more frantic.
He beat his wings desperately, managing a single short leap into the air—but crashed back down, slamming into the stone with a screech that echoed through the valley.
That was the opening I needed.
I yanked the spear back and drove it in again—this time at the base of his neck.
The fight lasted a few more seconds. He clawed, struggled, flailed…
…and then stilled.
[You have slain the boss of west Rainbow Peacock!]
[You’ve gained a lot of TP!]
[You’ve gained a lot Exp!]
[You’ve leveled up!]
[Congratulations! You’ve have slained all four bosses!]
[Your fire, water, ground and wind resistance has increased!]
I fell to my knees, breathing heavily.
The spear clattered beside me.
My palms were sore from gripping too hard. My body was bruised, my mana nearly gone.
But I had won.
The mighty Rainbow Peacock—guardian of the western hills—was no more.
As I rested, a flash of blue light appeared in front of me.
A familiar being appeared.
Gilbert, the Tower’s lackey.
“Congratulations!” he said with his usual smug voice. “You’ve hunted all four regional bosses!”
I exhaled slowly, nodding.
I had already taken down the Earth Snake two days ago.
That one was easier—just a bit of bait meat, and then overwhelming force with multiple Explosion and Pierce Runes planted around its den.
Now… all four were slain.
Gilbert grinned.
“As a reward for completing the secret challenge, and based on your class—”
He waved his hand, and a glowing interface appeared before me.
[Class-Based Hidden Reward: Choose one of Highest-Grade Runestone!]
‘A hidden reward?’ I blinked. ‘I didn’t know there was one.’
But then again, I had only assisted in building the Tower system.
I didn’t have access to all the secrets.
I looked at the options.
Three powerful runestones, each gleaming with golden-blue engravings:
- Explosion Rune– Highest-grade destruction rune. Massive AoE.
- Rune of Light – Highest-grade blinding rune. Burns away dark energies.
- Rune of Healing – Highest-grade recovery rune. Restores severe injuries and mana over time.
I hesitated only for a moment before selecting—
[Rune of Healing – Acquired!]
I smiled.
Healing was rare for rune users—and this one would be invaluable later.
Gilbert saluted.
“Good luck in the Tower!”
And with that, he vanished in a flash of light.
'Hoo! I should go now!'
I stood up and turned back for one last look at the hills.
The wind blew softly.
The nest was quiet now.
The feathers of the Peacock glimmered under the sun, lifeless but still beautiful.
‘Now… it’s time.’
I walked toward the glowing portal at the center of the field.
[You are entering the 1st Floor of the Tower.]
[Good luck, Player!]
And with a flash of blue light—I was gone.
