The Runesmith

Roland stood before the collection of unfinished armor sets, his gaze shifting from the fiery crimson of Rune Salamander to the partially completed green suit before him. The concept of elemental runic armor had been on his mind for some time, and with Robert successfully reaching Tier 3, he finally had some peace of mind to focus on his work.

For the last couple of weeks, he had been stretching himself thin. He still needed to periodically visit the academy and deliver lectures. While this allowed him access to the Headmistress's private library, his progress was slow. The knowledge there was at the pinnacle of Tier 3 and even extended into Tier 4, making it difficult to understand. The worst part was that she would not lend him the books, so he had to rely on his memory. Since she discovered that he could record information using his helmet, she had forbidden its use to prevent sensitive knowledge from leaving the library.

Then of course there was the dungeon project, which was still not quite finished. The workers were doing their best, but a few more turrets still needed to be assembled and installed. And then there was the elusive wall. The miners had been working on it for a month, yet they still had not reached the end. Only the increasing magnitude of the mana signature convinced him to keep going. It also turned out to be a good decision to delegate the task to others since handling it alone with his golems would have taken far too much time.

There was also the upcoming culling event, which could start at any moment, along with a few other personal matters he wanted to attend to. One of them was getting Elodia out of the shop and into a more engaging field. The school project had already been approved by Arthur, but it would still take time to convince certain people in the city. A free school system was unprecedented, and they needed to plan it carefully before moving forward. There was a lot of work to do, but at the moment, he just wanted to craft.

Roland turned his attention back to the three unfinished armor sets. While Rune Salamander was nearing completion, the other three, designed for wind, water, and earth, were still works in progress. Each needed to be tailored not only to its element but also to the specific metal alloy it would be composed of. The armor would greatly enhance spell power, but the composition of the alloy would affect its properties in different ways. Each set would have varying density, weight, and mana conductivity, which would ultimately influence its final form.

"Let's get to work."

After making up his mind, he walked over to the elevator. Once inside, he pressed a button on the side that would take him to the main runesmithing workshop. This area had been expanded and improved after the previous cultist attack had destroyed his home.

The doors slid open silently, and he stepped forward. In front of him was a shield of reddish mana, but he did not stop. He walked straight through it, his body passing effortlessly to the other side. The moment he emerged, a massive surge of heat crashed against his face.

"As warm as ever."

There it was—his new and improved runic smelter. It brought him back to the time when he was just starting out. Back then, he had to take an old rune smelter design and modify it to work with aether metals and deep iron. Compared to those early days, this place felt like it was a hundred years ahead. The technological advances he had made were staggering.

First of all, the most prominent part of this setup was the multiple Crucibles. They were covered in glowing runic symbols that shimmered with various shades of elemental mana, each corresponding to the ore inside. There was one for Ignisium, one for Tidemetal, another for Galeite, and the largest of all was dedicated to Terranite, the heaviest and densest of the elemental ores. Roland had crafted this system with meticulous care, ensuring that each ore was smelted at the perfect temperature to maintain its elemental integrity while blending it with other metals like mithril and etherium.

This was only part of the setup. Below each crucible filled with molten metal was a funnel system, along with an open-air network of carved channels leading to the center of the smelting room. In the middle, a previously prepared cast was waiting to be filled.

"Aye, Boss, are you ready?"

"Yes, but wouldn't it be better if you stood behind the heat protector?"

"Nah, I'm fine. How else will I level up my heat resistance skills?"

Roland was not alone. Bernir was already waiting. He was wearing a thick leather apron along with some fire-resistant gloves and goggles, ready to assist in the final forging process. Roland smirked slightly but didn't push the issue further. He knew Bernir was dedicated to improving himself and growing alongside the workshop.

"Alright, let's begin. We'll start by working on the galeite."

With a flick of his wrist, Bernir activated the rune control panel before him. The runes embedded in the smelter began to pulse. The crucible containing the Galeite started glowing with a greenish hue, while the rest of the elemental crucibles remained dormant. Instead, a crucible filled with pure silver mithril reacted, releasing its molten contents into the funnel system to fill the carved pathways on the ground.

The entire chamber lit up as the runic symbols along the pathways activated. They resembled intricate circuitry, guiding the flow of metal toward the center. The alloys moved in carefully timed sequences, merging at precise junctures before finally reaching the mold in the middle. Every detail had been meticulously calculated to ensure the perfect blend.

The mixture of various metals flowed smoothly into the mold. Steam escaped in hissing bursts, accompanied by a greenish smoke that swirled into the air, creating a sudden gust of wind. For the final step, the mold was lifted by sturdy chains and carefully moved over to a special vat filled with an alchemical solution—one that had cost a small fortune.

As the mold was submerged, it reacted instantly, sizzling and bubbling as if dropped into boiling oil. The process took about a minute, and once complete, Bernir hoisted the mold back up and carried it over to a large slab of granite-like stone.

"Let's see how it turned out. Open it up."

"Aye."

Bernir stepped forward, resting the heavy sledgehammer on his shoulder before taking aim. With a powerful swing, he brought it down onto the mold, shattering it into fragments. A rush of green vapour escaped from within, swirling around the newly revealed armor piece. The galeite alloy shimmered faintly under the light, its ethereal glow accentuating the sleek contours of the metal. Roland stepped forward, brushing away the residual dust with his gloved hand before carefully lifting the piece. It was still warm to the touch, but the heat did not bother him.

The base structure was solid, and its aerodynamic design was immediately apparent. Unlike the thicker, flame-forged Rune Salamander armor, this piece was much more lightweight, with plating shaped into subtle curves. The galeite alloy required a relatively thin construction to maintain its wind-enhancing properties. Making it too thick would diminish its natural buffing effect. This armor was built for agility and was barely classified as plate mail. It was probably ideal for aerial maneuverability.

"Looks good so far."

Roland said, inspecting the surface for any imperfections.

"No major cracks or deformities. The mithril blend held up well. We'll let it cool completely before proceeding."

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The piece he was holding was part of the cuisse, which protected his thigh. The mold had come out almost perfect, needing only some smoothing in a few places before being polished. This process was similar to bronze smelting but required much higher temperatures and extensive magical preparations.

Normal tools could not handle the hardness of a mithril-enhanced alloy, and the elemental mana it produced could make regular smiths ill. Only magical craftsmen like him, who could shield themselves from such effects, were allowed to work with these materials.

He chose this method because, when working with tier-three materials, shaping parts from ingots by hammering was nearly impossible and unsuitable for many alloys. They were no longer dealing with steel or iron, which could be easily heated and forged into any shape. These higher-tier metals were far too hard, and once extracted from the ore, any further processing would only weaken their internal structure.

"Good, let's put on the finishing touches."

Although the mold had been prepared to produce an almost perfect piece, it still required further processing. To refine it, he could use various tools to cut away excess material or polish it to a smooth green sheen. Roland had even created something resembling a lathe machine from his original world, but this particular thigh piece for his armor did not require it. Instead, he had Bernir carefully position the piece onto a runic workbench, where Roland could refine its shape further.

The bench featured adjustable clamps that held the metal steady while the runes inscribed on it helped manage the mana within. Roland picked up a specially designed chisel and used it to remove any protruding deformities, focusing mainly on a small section where the metal had entered the mold and was still jutting out. As he worked, flecks of green-tinted metal dust floated into the air, along with small chunks that Bernir carefully collected and saved for future use.

After finishing the initial refinement, Roland moved the piece to a secondary station where he polished it with something resembling a grinding wheel, though this one was infused with runic energy to handle the hardness of the material. The wheel spun rapidly while dispersing faint sparkles of green with each pass over the armor piece. Roland applied just the right amount of pressure, making sure not to compromise the structural integrity of the alloy.

Although he could skip much of the hammering and shorten the production process, he still needed to stay focused. If he cut off even a millimeter too much or ground it down too thin, he would create weak spots in the thin sheath of metal, potentially affecting the runic conductivity of the final product. After careful refinement, the result was a sleek, aerodynamic piece that would fit seamlessly into the rest of the armor.

"That went smoothly. Now for the initial rune structures."

"Aye. What do you want me to do with these shavings?"

"Save them. If we smelt them quickly enough, we can preserve most of their wind elemental properties. We'll use them to forge weapons for the soldiers—the knight commanders could use better ones."

"Sure thing."

Roland set the refined thigh piece aside and moved to a separate workstation where the first layer of runes would be inscribed. A variety of runesmithing hammers were laid out before him. Even though he had used runic variants of tools from modern times to speed up the process, runesmithing still required him to strike the piece with a hammer and channel his mana into it. It was the most effective way to use the skill, and attempts to build custom engraving tools had always failed. The hammer remained the runesmith's best tool.

After selecting one of the hammers, he placed the green metal onto an anvil and began swinging. The rhythmic sound of the hammer striking the metal filled the air, each blow releasing a burst of mana, imprinting intricate runes onto the smooth surface of the armor. Roland's focus sharpened as he channeled his energy into each stroke, his skill as a runesmith evident in the precision of his movements.

The first layer of runes was crucial. These foundational runes formed the framework of the armor. They were like the circulatory system of a human body, required to pump blood throughout. In this case, the rune traces and pathways would transport mana most efficiently.

'...'

His mind was empty, completely focused on the runic structures. This allowed him to forget about the problems he was facing, if only for a moment. He was at peace. The weight of the world seemed to fade away from his shoulders. The rhythmic clang of his hammer striking the metal was like a heartbeat, steady and soothing. Each hit formed a delicate rune, and the progress in his craft provided comfort. But even here, in the midst of his work, Roland couldn't escape the feeling of being pulled in too many directions at once.

He set the hammer down, wiping his brow with the back of his hand, and gazed at the intricate pattern of runes slowly taking shape. It was the only time he felt truly at peace, yet it didn't last long. The thoughts crept back in, like unwanted shadows.

'The dungeon farm isn't done yet, the same with that wall and many other things…'

His mind quickly shifted back to the upcoming culling event. It was a reminder of the ever-looming dangers that could disrupt everything. Roland had always prided himself on staying ahead of the curve and this would not change. Soon, he increased the pace of his work, his hammer striking fiercer than before as the gentle crafting session was sped up.

"Boss? You alright there?"

Bernir's voice broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. He was generating quite a bit of sparks while hitting the new alloy.

"Yes, I'm fine. This piece is finished; let's move on to the next one."

"If you say so…"

Bernir nodded, although his expression remained uncertain. They brought out another mold and repeated the process several times. Over time, the second armor began to take shape, and once all the pieces were assembled and the runic structures combined, he was able to name this set as well.

Name:

Rune Zephyr Helmet

Classification:

Rare [ - ]

Durability:

90/90

Armor Rating

B+

Set Bonus

( 2 ) - [ + 15 Agility ]

( 4 ) - [ + 15 Intelligence ]

( 6 ) - [ + All Runic Wind Spells deal 31% more damage ]

"I'm getting better at making these…"

The wind suit was ready, and at least two more remained. The next one would either be made with tidemetal or terranite, two metals with opposite qualities. One was heavy and unyielding, while the other was soft and malleable. However, before he could continue with his work, he received a message from Sebastian.

"Sir."

"What is it, Sebastian?"

"A message from the dwarven miners has arrived. They wish for you to return to the dungeon."

"Did they manage to get through the wall?"

He asked while putting the Zephyr set away, placing the helmet he had taken back into the now assembled display case. He wasn't sure what to expect from that tunnel attempt, but whatever lay behind it had to have some significance.

"They didn't say."

"Of course they didn't…"

The green-runed helmet stopped moving as he called it back. Along with all the other pieces of the new runic armor, it flew in his direction. He was already wearing his old Rune Mark II, which was close to becoming a Mark III due to all the modifications it had undergone. Along with Zephyr, the Salamander armor also moved into his spatial storage before he stepped toward the teleportation gate chamber. Now he had two elemental armors with him, ready to use if he encountered enemies weak to those elements.

Roland took a deep breath as he approached the teleportation gate, its swirling blue energy casting an eerie glow over the chamber. He could still feel the residual warmth from the forges clinging to his armor, but that was quickly replaced by the cool air of the dungeon as he arrived there in just a moment.

"Sir, welcome back."

Came the voice of one of the dwarven supervisors.

"The miners are waiting for you at the excavation site."

He nodded without asking. His armor connected to all the turrets and cameras inside the last dungeon level, and there didn't seem to be any trouble, or at least not yet. He moved forward and sidestepped the attack from Agni, who launched himself at him the moment he emerged from the dungeon teleportation chamber.

"Agni, stay here."

"Awooo…"

With a disappointed whimper, Agni remained in the main dungeon area while he made his way toward the boss chamber. Once inside, he saw some dwarven workers hauling sharp rocks out into the open, but most of them were gathered around the newly created tunnel leading to the strange mana signature he had discovered.

'I wonder what's on the other side…'

He wondered to himself as he quickly shuffled forward. Whatever lay beyond that wall was a mystery, but he could already feel it as the mana readings were off the charts. There had to be something big there…