Power of Runes-Chapter 93: Elixir of Life

[Ethan Nightshade Pov]

He was a prodigy—at least, that’s what everyone used to call him when he was little.

And he liked it.

From an early age, he was good at most things. When he awakened with the Assassin class, he easily learned all the basic techniques and quickly picked up advanced ones as well.

Everything seemed to come naturally to him.

And then, he got engaged to Melissia.

The moment he saw her for the first time, he had fallen for her—not just for her beauty, which was undeniable, but also for the grace and warmth she carried with her.

Her smile, her voice, her very presence had etched itself deep into his heart.

Everything in his life was going well... until he entered the academy.

That was where it all changed.

He witnessed a moment that shattered everything he believed in. Melissia—the girl he loved, the one he thought he was meant to be with—was looking at a boy named Ray Dawson with eyes that sparkled like stars.

Eyes that had never looked at him the same way.

That was the thought that hit him hardest.

For the first time, he began to question everything. He had never even considered the possibility that she might not feel the same way about him.

In reality, their engagement was nothing more than a promise made by their parents.

An agreement..

Their engagement had been scheduled to be official at the age of fifteen, with marriage planned at twenty.

The whole world believed they were bound together, especially after Saint Lucian himself had publicly acknowledged it.

But now, watching her trying to impress Ray, that illusion crumbled. His heart cracked, and in its place, resentment slowly began to build.

That was the moment Ethan decided that the boy named Ray Dawson needed to disappear.

But things rarely go the way one plans.

The very next day, Saint Nichole—the revered principal of the academy—personally accepted Ray as his disciple.

No one else in the academy knew about this sudden development, but Ethan had his sources.

His family had informed him directly, warning him not to provoke Ray or make him an enemy under any circumstances.

So, he stayed quiet. He didn’t act. He buried his frustration and anger deep within.

In truth, it was Ash’s interference that caused Ray to become Nichole’s disciple ahead of schedule.

Because of that one change, the confrontation between Ethan and Ray that had been destined to happen never came to pass.

In the original story, they were meant to clash multiple times. It was through those conflicts that Ray would’ve slowly come to realize Melissia’s feelings for him.

But that version of the story never unfolded.

Instead, Ray unintentionally distanced himself from Melissia.

That, in a strange twist of fate, became Ethan’s blessing.

Ray never seemed interested in her—his affection for Elysia was obvious to the entire academy, clear as daylight.

And then, one day, Melissia stopped approaching Ray altogether.

Ethan had felt a quiet joy then, thinking she had finally given up on that fruitless pursuit.

Because of that, his relationship with Ray became a little less tense. Not exactly friendly, but no longer openly hostile either.

Then came the demon attack on the academy.

In that moment of chaos, Ethan had thought, If I could defeat them, I could become famous. I could finally stand out in the academy. Everyone would know my name.

His thinking was naive, the kind of ambition born from youthful pride. But in the end, he was still just a child, clinging to a dream of recognition.

Reality, however, was far less kind.

He fought with everything he had—every ounce of strength, every skill he knew—and still, he lost consciousness in the middle of the battle.

When he woke up, the demons had already escaped. No one could tell who had protected the academy in their absence.

I’m weak.

I couldn’t even stay awake. I couldn’t protect anyone.

That thought echoed in his mind over and over, carving deep into his heart. And from that point on, his resolve to become stronger burned brighter than ever.

Later that day, as he wandered outside to clear his head, he saw something that twisted his heart all over again—Melissia and Ash walking together into a nearby café.

Seeing her with him brought back painful memories of the demon attack—how Ash had fought so fiercely, how he had held his ground against a demon when even Ethan had fallen.

He couldn’t deny it—Ash had grown frighteningly fast.

It was just the other day that Ethan had beaten him during the entrance exam without much effort.

And yet now, Ash was standing tall, standing firm, holding back real monsters.

What terrifying growth.

Ethan was genuinely shocked, even impressed. But as he remembered how Ash’s potential had been rated low, a different emotion began to rise—one that drowned out all admiration.

Anger and Disgust.

How dare he try to get close to Melissia.

He thought those words bitterly as he watched them walk out of the café, Melissia smiling like an idiot, her face glowing with laughter.

His heart—already cracked—was now torn apart.

That was when he made his decision.

He would kill him.

There was no powerful figure behind Ash, no one to protect him like Ray had.

Ash Burn...

***

[Ray Dawson Pov]

"What? Elysia is still unconscious?!"

Ray’s voice rang with disbelief as he heard the news from the nurse who had just brought him food.

Without another thought, he dropped everything and dashed out of the room, the tray clattering behind him. His heart was pounding louder than his footsteps as he ran through the corridor, each step a blur of worry and fear.

{Sigh... when will he outgrow this pathetic impulsiveness...}

Aetheris grumbled inside his mind but didn’t bother to stop him this time.

Ray soon reached the corridor, but something caught his eye—

The door to the room next to Elysia’s was shattered, splinters of wood scattered across the hallway.

Still, he paid it no mind.

All his thoughts were locked onto Room No. 235.

As he pushed open the door, a quiet scene unfolded before him—a small crowd had gathered around Elysia, who lay peacefully on the bed, her face pale but serene.

Grace, Amelia, Lyra, and even Aurora were all present, standing silently around her, their expressions clouded with concern.

At the sound of the door creaking open, they turned toward Ray, their eyes briefly meeting his before drifting back to the figure seated closest to Elysia’s bed.

It was Alice.

She sat beside Elysia with a casual air, her legs crossed as she read from a holographic comic screen, a quiet chuckle occasionally escaping her lips as if nothing around her demanded worry.

Despite the tension in the room, none of the girls said anything to her directly.

But from their expressions, it was clear—they were all troubled. Deep down, they knew the truth.

She was a Saint.

But no one dared voice it aloud.

No one except—

"Who the hell sits and reads comics near an unconscious patient?!" Ray shouted, marching forward without a second thought.

The room froze. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

In an instant, all the girls shared the same internal reaction.

Did he just...?

Oh gods, he actually said it.

He’s gonna die.

This is it. Goodbye, Ray.

Even Aetheris, usually composed and haughty, snapped in his mind.

{YOU ABSOLUTE MORON—THAT’S A SAINT YOU’RE TALKING TO! IF YOU VALUE YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE, APOLOGIZE IMMEDIATELY!}

Ray felt his body stiffen at the scream in his mind, the blood draining from his face as realization crashed over him like a wave.

The woman closed her comic screen slowly, placing it aside, her eyes locking onto Ray’s with amusement.

"Hehehe... this academy really is something else," she said with a soft, eerie giggle.

"One student dares curse at a Saint, another dares yell at her. It’s been a while since things were this entertaining."

Her gaze sharpened as she leaned slightly forward.

"You’re Ray Dawson, aren’t you?"

Ray swallowed and nodded stiffly. "Y-Yes..."

"Mmm... you’re an interesting one. A good seed indeed."

Ray didn’t know how to respond to that, so he bowed slightly, flustered. "I apologize. I didn’t know who you were."

Alice shrugged nonchalantly. "It’s fine. I don’t mind a bit of excitement."

Just then, Grace, who had been silent until now, stepped forward and asked the question on everyone’s mind.

"Can you tell us now... why she isn’t waking up?"

Ray’s heart skipped a beat as his attention snapped back to Elysia.

Alice glanced at the sleeping girl beside her, then spoke with a calm, clinical voice.

"She’s injured. If her condition isn’t healed within six months... she’ll die."

The words struck like a thunderclap.

Everyone went pale.

"W-What do you mean by that...?" Ray asked, his voice trembling as he stepped closer to the bed, trying to reach for Elysia’s hand.

But Alice stopped him with a firm hand.

"Don’t touch her. You might hurt her more."

Ray frowned. "But I would never harm her!"

Alice looked him dead in the eyes and replied coldly, "Never be too sure of yourself."

There was a long silence. Then Grace spoke again, more hesitantly this time.

"Was even my mother unable to heal her...?"

Alice nodded.

"Yes. Not even the Saint of Light could do it."

Grace went quiet. If even her mother—Saint Myra—had failed, then the situation was far more serious than they had imagined.

Elysia...

She bit her lip, clenching her fists.

Her heart ached. Elysia had been her first friend—her closest friend.

Elysia was her first real companion, someone who stood by her even when no one else did.

Her heart was aching at the thought of her dying.

Ray, meanwhile, was in turmoil. Panic, confusion, and desperation whirled inside his mind.

Then he remembered the one thing that might help—his system.

Scan Elysia. Check if there’s anything in the Store that can help heal her, he commanded silently.

In response, a faint, invisible wave of energy radiated from him. Neither Alice nor the others sensed it—it was a hidden function of the system.

[Scanning...]

[Scan Complete.]

[Item Detected: ’Elixir of Life’ – Capable of fully healing the target.]

Ray’s heart leapt with joy. But just as he was about to celebrate, the system dropped the bombshell.

[Item Cost: 10,000,00 System Points]

His smile froze.

How many points do I even have right now?

[Current Points: Less than 10,000]

Can I earn 10,000,00 points within 6 months?

[Even if host completes all available quests, it would still be nearly impossible to gather that many points in six months. Due to host’s current strength, high-difficulty quests that give large amounts of points are also inaccessible.]

Ray bit his lip.

Then what would my strength need to be... to collect that many points?

There was a long pause.

Then the system replied.

[...]

[If host reaches Expert Rank, it will be possible to gather that amount of points within 5 months.]

[But reaching that level will require extreme effort, sacrifice, and discipline.]

Ray clenched his fists.

Expert Rank, huh...

Two whole ranks above me...

He looked at Elysia once more—her face so peaceful, so fragile.

And in that moment, something inside him shifted.

***