21 Aerial walk
It was past morning when Zatiel finally awoke. As he began to assess his body's condition, he was pleasantly surprised.
'Excellent! The quantity of my abyss aura remains unchanged from yesterday, but now it courses with increased speed and power through my body. Being a Neo-Demon certainly has its surprises,' Zatiel was thrilled as he noticed the improvements in his physique.
His major concern regarding rune crafting was the extensive time and energy it required, fearing it would decelerate the enhancement of his abyss aura. However, he discovered that utilizing his energy to create runes had a favorable impact on his aura.
Although it didn't increase the aura, if the aura operates faster and stronger, it enables him to exhibit superior combat capabilities and also accelerates its rate of augmentation. This was only attainable due to the extraordinary adaptability of a Neo-Demon's constitution.
'I should craft another two Secondary Consciousness runes: one for Little EZ, one for me, and the last to sell, repeating this process for the other rank 0 runes,' Zatiel planned his day while consuming the hearts of some magical creatures.
After replenishing his energy, he promptly resumed his work. Having already created a rune previously, the process was somewhat smoother this time. The procedures remained identical: refining the material, preparing the pen, and inscribing the rune according to the schematic.
Despite fatigue, he didn't require bed rest to rejuvenate his energy. A few hours of meditation restored him to optimal condition. By noon, the third rune was completed.
Zatiel couldn't suppress a modicum of pride as he examined the runes. It was impressive for an apprentice to craft three peak Rank 0 Runes flawlessly, but this feeling quickly evaporated as he regained focus.
'No matter how proficient I become, these are mere rank 0 runes; I mustn't become complacent with such minor accomplishments.'
Zatiel has always maintained stringent standards for himself. Any other runemaster witnessing his demeanor would have been irate. After all, apprentices typically struggle to craft the simplest of rank 0 runes, with a mere 20% success rate; Zatiel crafting three peak rank 0 runes consecutively without a single failure was nothing short of extraordinary.
Runes, like most entities in the universe, are categorized into ranks, and so are runemasters. Crafting rank 0 runes doesn't confer the title of runemaster. However, to become a Rank 0 Runemaster, one must be able to craft peak Rank 0 Runes with a 30% success rate.
To advance to ranks 1 to 3 as a Runemaster, one must craft runes of the corresponding rank, regardless of complexity, maintaining a 20% success rate. To ascend to Rank 1 Runemaster, proficiency in rune crafting and attaining rank 1 life-form are requisites due to the immense energy involved, but exceptions are not unheard of, with prodigies defying these implicit norms.
'I should craft the other rune by day's end,' Zatiel thought, having rested adequately, and began assembling the materials for the second chosen rune.
The rune, named Aerial Walk, a peak Rank 0 Rune, grants the ability to traverse air as if it were solid ground, offering a mobility advantage over conventional flight spells.
Two core components of this rune were the claws of harpies and the hearts of rat-men, synonymous with wind and earth energies, respectively. Understanding the principles becomes increasingly vital as one ascends the ranks, establishing a solid foundation, a practice all true runemasters adhere to.
...
In his laboratory, Ezequiel was engrossed in magical crafting, surrounded by fractured weapons, armor, and jewels. His determination remained unbroken despite the countless failures.
Unbeknownst to him, Zatiel was observing, his warm gaze fixed on Ezequiel's concentrated efforts.
Zatiel's easy access to Ezequiel's secured abode was due to a mutual trust seldom seen among apprentices. The quantity of Ezequiel's errors didn't disappoint Zatiel; on the contrary, it made him prouder.
"BRAT, WAKE UP!" Zatiel suddenly shouted, startling Ezequiel into defensive readiness, who relaxed upon recognizing his visitor and felt a bit silly as Zatiel chuckled.
They discussed Ezequiel's endeavor into magical crafting, and despite the challenges, Ezequiel didn't want to disappoint his master. Zatiel reassured him, "Remember, Little EZ, success is not final; failure is not fatal; it's the courage to continue that count. A million failures mean nothing as long as you persevere; you will never disappoint me."
