Extra's Path To Demon King-Chapter 45: Runic Sorcery

At that time, every participant is allowed to study without needing to pay anything. Unfortunately, that time isn’t now. The other’s reading there shot him surprised glances, but most of them snickered and shook their heads. They did not believe that such a little kid would be able to learn anything.

Usually, everyone who tries to attempt the test is at least 21-22 years old. The reason behind that is that almost every magic field is extremely complicated. Especially Rune magic. Axel read all the covers and found the book he should start reading first.

The book was called ’Introduction to Runic Sorcery.’

Axel started reading it immediately as he sat down at one of the tables. Thankfully, the book was written in the common literary language of the empire. There are many things explained in the book.

The first question is, what is a Rune? The book explained, Runes are an expression of concepts or can be called a pure expression of power. They are symbols that affect the world most fundamentally. It is especially because of how deeply they can affect the world that makes them quite complicated to study, to a certain extent.

Those who use Runic sorcery are called by various names like Runic Sorcerer, Rune engravers, Runecrafter, Runemaster, or Runecaster. A big reason why people are less inclined to choose this path is that the study of runes is extremely complicated and hard to advance in. Compared to the other magic or warrior paths one can follow to grow stronger, this is one of the most difficult ones. Especially at the start, Runemasters are quite weak on their own.

So, this is a letdown for most of them to choose this path. It also stated that those who continue to work hard in this particular field. They can wield much greater power later on, as long as they can advance to the later stages as a mage.

There were examples of multiple powerful figures that existed in the past, in ancient times. They were able to empower themselves and their weapons much greater than their peers on the other paths of magic. A runemaster on the higher stages can easily fight against multiple powerful beings at the same level without much hindrance.

The book declared Runic Sorcery as the greatest path in magic as it compounds the power of the user exponentially as they advance. Though Axel himself took those flowery words with a pinch of salt. The books in the runic tower’s area would obviously overglorify their own field.

But the field is indeed promising. He then continued to read the technicalities. Those that would be useful for him in the actual test. Runic Sorcery basically had 4 key elements to it.

[1] Runic Language

[2] Runic Energy

[3] Runic Direction

[4] Runic Form

All four of these together create runes that are actually useful. Runic sorcery at its basic stages is literally weapon enchantment. That is the best role they can play at the basic levels.

Runic language was basically the primary characters or glyphs that were used to engrave or draw the runes. They were the symbols.

Runic energy is self-explanatory, while runic direction is the thought or intent behind creating the runes. The greater your willpower, the more perfectly you can draw the symbols, and the effectiveness of the runes goes upwards.

As for Runic Form, it is the glue that holds Runic language, energy, and direction together as it finally forms the effective rune into reality. There were more complicated details as well, like there were multiple levels for each of the 4 key elements.

There were also the symbols of the Runic language. Which caused him headaches as he looked at it. It was also hard for him to memorize. Their pronunciation is impossible to say with your mouth. As if something was blocking him from saying those names aloud.

His entire mind became focused, trying to memorize those basic symbols and their corresponding meanings. When he looked around for a moment and to his surprise, everyone else was looking at him with visible astonishment and disbelief.

Axel was more confused as his headache worsened, but he didn’t mind it too much. As he glanced towards them, the ones who were also preparing for the test were similar to him. One of them pointed their fingers behind. He turned around and saw the old librarian looking at him with a smile.

Axel’s eyes narrowed, thinking if he had done something wrong. The librarian opened his mouth as he started speaking, "Young man, do you know what you have done?"

The words of the librarian increased the tension within him, Axel answered with some hesitation, "I apologize, sir librarian, but did I do something wrong?"

"Wrong? Oh no, far from it, little one, do you realize how long you have been staring at the Runic Language symbols?" stated the old Librarian.

"I am sorry, but I don’t know," replied Axel promptly.

"Oh, but this one knows, and do you realize how big of a feat that is? Especially considering your age," asked the old man. But Axel only kept looking at him, confused.

"No one, none in the history of magic civilization, even in ancient times, has ever been able to stare at the Runic Symbols for such a long time and not lose consciousness, at their first try," exclaimed the old man thunderously.

The moment he said that statement aloud, the world itself seemed to pause, and in the silent library, his loud voice echoed multiple times and reached the ears of every mage or normal human within the library. Everyone looked at Axel with profound shock, unable to contain their emotions.

The ones near Axel showed boundless jealousy towards him, while many others looked at him with wonder. Some expressed curiosity, while others seemed excited.

Axel’s eyes widened hearing that statement, he could not help but ask, "Sir, I apologize if I am being rude, but are you sure? There is no way someone as normal as me could have such an achievement."

"Could it be the opposite, and I have been able to keep looking at it for the shortest amount of time. So, the sir is making fun of me?" questioned Axel skeptically, not believing the old man’s statement.

The old man was stunned hearing the words of the little kid, and he could not help but burst out laughing. He said, "Oh, little one, it seems your knowledge about Runic Sorcery is quite shallow. Let me take you to the vice tower master. Follow me."

The old man started walking out of the outer library while Axel followed him, but the shock in his heart was extremely intense. He couldn’t believe it. No, he didn’t want to believe it. There was no fucking way he could be so damn lucky to be insanely talented towards Runic Sorcery just by chance. How could his luck turn out to be so good?

So, he suppressed his excitement as he followed the old librarian into the main tower. Just as he was about to set foot into the gate of the main runic tower. Something stopped him. A transparent wall blocked his path.

The librarian clicked his tongue as he ordered the two guards at the entrance to disable the blockage. But just as they were about to ask who the little boy was, the old man showed a cold expression as he stated, "The boy is with me. Since when do the guards have the right to question me?"

The two guards immediately knelt down as he begged for forgiveness. The blockage was removed as he walked right behind the old man. But his attention was everywhere but on the old man. The internal space was again much wider than what looked outside the tower. It looked like a world of its own, inside.

Countless books and magazines floated in the air, a single circular staircase went higher and higher. There seems to be no walls in the tower inside. Only the blue sky. All the bookshelves were floating, while mages seemed to be able to step on the air itself on each level.

The staircase went higher and higher as he was unable to see the top part where it would end. He could not help but gawk at that majestic sight of runic ingenuity that left him utterly dumbfounded. An inevitable yearning to learn and know everything about the runic sorcery seeped into his very being.

The librarian chuckled, seeing the little boy’s eyes twinkling like stars. he had already sent a message to the vice tower master about the monstrously talented boy that appeared, and he was waiting for the two of them.

The librarian took out something from his pocket as he pressed on it, a magic lift engraved with complicated runes came down from above at an insane speed. But it did not crash into the ground, the lift slowed down as it approached the ground.

The two of them stepped inside of it, as everyone else who was busy doing their own things suddenly turned their attention this way, many shot astonished gazes at Axel for being able to step onto that lift, which was exclusively for the use of the tower master and vice tower master as well as few other higher ups.