The Path to Rune Magic

The weight of the Rune Magic theory book in my hands was heavier than I had anticipated, both in its physicality and its significance. The hallway felt long and silent as I walked, every step echoing in the vast orphanage corridors. My heart raced with a mix of excitement and frustration, knowing that this was a step closer to the power I desperately craved—but also aware of the limitations that continued to hold me back.

Reincarnation into this world had brought me many unexpected challenges. I was Austin now, not Alex from Earth. But even though I knew this world like the back of my hand—thanks to my memories of the novel—I had never expected the barriers that came with this body. The locked Element Master ability gnawed at me, preventing me from using elemental magic like the fire or wind mages I'd seen here. And while I had the Human Sage divine ability, which allowed me to learn any skill with superhuman intelligence, it wasn't enough.

I pushed open the door to my small room in the orphanage and closed it behind me, resting my back against the cool wood. The voices in my head from earlier—Shela's derision, Joseph's concern—echoed in the silence. I couldn't wait for them to see what I could achieve. I couldn't let them hold me back any longer.

I tossed the book onto the small table by my bed and sat down, staring at the cover. "Introduction to Rune Theory and Basic Applications," it read in simple letters. It wasn't impressive, but I knew that what lay inside was far more valuable than any simple title could convey. I flipped it open, the pages worn but still crisp, the faint smell of old parchment filling the room.

My fingers traced the words as I began reading the first section. "Rune Magic is the art of manipulating mana by inscribing specific symbols that alter its properties. The simplest runes are those like Ignite haste and barrier, which transforms mana into flames without the need for elemental affinity…"

I paused. This was exactly what I needed. With Rune Magic, I could bypass my inability to use elemental powers. If I could master this, I wouldn't need to rely on the locked Element Master ability. I could still fight at the level of those with elemental magic, using pure mana manipulation. The idea alone filled me with hope.

But as I delved deeper into the text, the complexity of the theory hit me like a wall. The inscriptions required precise control over one's mana flow, and even the slightest error could cause the spell to backfire, potentially injuring or even killing the user. I'd never practiced Rune Magic before. My frustration simmered again. I knew I was capable of learning this, but the process was slow and tedious. Every sentence I read only reminded me of how far I still had to go.

I closed the book and leaned back in my chair. The memories of my old life as Alex felt distant now. Back on Earth, I had been a reader of this world's story, just a spectator. But now I was part of it, and things were much harder than they'd seemed when I was just reading words on a page. I rubbed my temples. My reincarnation gave me knowledge, but it didn't give me strength. That, I had to earn.

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The next few days passed in a blur of study and failed attempts. Rune Magic wasn't as straightforward as I'd hoped. The basic Ignite rune, which should've been simple, proved to be far more difficult than expected. Every time I tried to draw the rune with mana in the air, the lines would flicker and dissipate before I could complete the symbol.

My frustration grew. Human Sage, my divine ability, let me understand the theory perfectly, but it couldn't speed up my actual mana control. My mana was too wild, too unfocused, and the lack of elemental affinity made it even harder to stabilize the energy for something like Ignite. My chest tightened with every failure.

One evening, after yet another failed attempt, I found myself pacing in the dim light of my room. I couldn't keep failing like this. I was better than this. I knew I was. I could learn anything—anything!—with my Human Sage ability. So why wasn't this working? My eyes burned with the weight of exhaustion and anger. I slammed my fist against the desk, the frustration spilling out.

"Why?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible. "Why am I not getting this?"

That's when I heard it again—the voice. Soft, maternal, just like during my fight with Roger.

"Patience, Austin… This is only the beginning."

I froze, my breath caught in my throat. I turned my head, scanning the empty room, but there was no one. The voice had been inside me, within my mind, and yet it felt so real. The same maternal voice that had guided me before. Who was she? Why was she speaking to me now?

"You cannot force strength, Austin. You must grow into it. Let your mana flow naturally, without fighting it."

Her words struck something deep within me, calming the turbulent emotions that had been bubbling up for days. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. The voice was right. I was trying to force the rune to work. I was letting my frustration cloud my control.

I sat back down, my mind clearer than it had been since I'd started this journey. I opened the book once more, rereading the section on mana flow. "Rune Magic requires a calm, steady flow of mana. Let the mana guide you, not the other way around…"

This time, when I reached out with my mana, I didn't force it. I let it flow from my core naturally, like a river finding its way. My fingers moved through the air, tracing the lines of the rune. Slowly, carefully, I shaped the mana into the symbol for Ignite.

And then… the air in front of me shimmered. A small flame, no bigger than a candle's flame, flickered to life at the tip of my finger. My eyes widened in shock. It had worked. After days of failure, I had finally done it. The flame danced in the air, delicate and fragile, but it was real.

I grinned, the weight of my earlier frustration lifting. This was just the beginning. If I could master this, I could master anything. I extinguished the flame, letting the room fall into darkness again. But this time, the darkness didn't bother me.

Yes I did it even though it lack distructuve power but I did it yes... Now I need to Focus

---

The following morning, I made my way back to the training grounds, my steps lighter than they'd been in days. The sun was barely up, but I didn't care. I was eager to continue my practice, to refine the control I'd just begun to grasp.

I found a secluded spot at the edge of the grounds and sat down, my legs crossed as I steadied my breathing. I closed my eyes and let my mana flow through me, visualizing the rune in my mind. Ignite. I could do it again. I knew I could.

As the mana coiled through my body, I felt it respond more easily this time. It was as if the breakthrough last night had unlocked something within me, something I hadn't even realized I'd been missing. The rune came together faster, the flame more stable.

I repeated the process over and over, each time growing more confident in my control. And with every successful attempt, my excitement grew. This was power. This was what I'd been missing all along.

But even as I reveled in my newfound ability, a nagging thought remained at the back of my mind. The voice. That maternal voice. Who was it? And why did it keep guiding me?

Later that evening, as I sat in my room once again, I couldn't shake the feeling that something larger was at play here. My reincarnation, my abilities, this world—it was all connected, but I didn't have the answers yet.

The book on Rune Magic sat open in front of me, but my mind was elsewhere. I needed to know more. Not just about magic, but about myself. About who I really was in this world. And I had a feeling that the answers I sought wouldn't be found in any book.

What do I do

Status open

Name: Austin Rosford

Age: 10

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Potential: Locked

Level: 10

Rank: F+

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Attributes

Strength: 35

Agility: 25

Mana: 30

Endurance: 35

Vitality: 30

Intelligence: 40

Charm: 15

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Ability: You can inherit a system if you come into contact with a system

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Talent: Human Sage [Divine]

You are born with the power of a human sage. You can learn everything faster than anyone else.

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Martial Arts Skills

Low-level mana breathing (Progress: 20%)

Celestial Body Arts (Progress: 15%)

Vajrastava manual (Incomplete)(progress 20%)

Mana Core: Rank 1

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Innate Skills

Element Master [Divine] (Locked)

This ability allows its user to control all elements in any way, but certain conditions must be met to unlock this ability.

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Magic skill:

Rune Magic basic progress (1%):Ignite -Progress (5%)

Wow I learn basic of rune magic and now I can create Ignite rune but that's it

My Ignite rune lack distructuve power

I need to practice more so teacher shela I am coming

Ok thank you guy's 🙏🙏