23 Lightning Giant

"WAIT!"

An apprentice, draped in a magic robe far too large for her frame and wrapped in bandages, sprinted towards Zatiel. Her entire body was concealed, and her gender was only discernible by the tone of her voice.

Usually, Zatiel would disregard such scenes, but assessing the apprentice's condition piqued his interest. It wasn't allure that caught his attention; instead, she emitted a fetid odor, and despite tightly wound bandages, pus occasionally seeped through.

'A consequence of an experiment gone awry?' Zatiel pondered the likely cause of her state, witnessing glimpses of mutated skin beneath the bandages, yet his expression remained stoic. It is quite common to witness such bodily mutations due to misadventures in elemental experimentation, turning apprentices into living specimens for the Magi and subjects to perpetual torment.

"How can I assist you?" Zatiel inquired.

"Could you possibly be a runemaster?" The apprentice's voice wavered, but her eyes were brimming with hope.

Zatiel hesitated before nodding. Murmurs rippled through the gathering crowd, while old Hal beamed, anticipating profitable collaboration even with a rank 0 runemaster.

"EXCELLENT! I need you to craft this for me!" The apprentice, overtaken by exhilaration, thrust a parchment at Zatiel.

"Is that an order?" Zatiel's gaze turned icy, a stern warning against imposing demands.

"I apologize... it's just... I have yearned for this chance for so long," the apprentice adopted a submissive posture, bowing respectfully, hope lingering in her eyes.

Reviewing the parchment's contents, Zatiel realized why her hopes were tethered to him. "You are slightly overestimating a rank 0 runemaster's abilities."

The parchment outlined a diagram for a high-grade rank 1 rune, 'Transfiguration'. While possible for him, crafting it would consume immense energy; to other runemasters of his rank, it would be unattainable.

"Is it truly unattainable?" Desperation laced her words, realizing this might be her only chance.

"Enough with the woeful expression; I can craft it provided you have something valuable in exchange," Zatiel compromised.

"Absolutely, I assure you it will be worthwhile!" The concealed smile beneath her bandages returned.

"This isn't the place for negotiations," Zatiel gestured around to the gathered crowd, and the trio relocated to the second floor.

Once secluded, Zatiel turned to Ezequiel. "Little EZ, focus on your creations. I'll provide you with the matrix for a weapon; practice it."

Ezequiel delved into the information, surprised by its potential usability even for rank 1 life forms. "I'll start immediately!"

Ezequiel promptly left, eager to attempt crafting such a formidable weapon.

"That child," Zatiel could only smile at the boy's enthusiasm.

The woman noticed the warmth in Zatiel's eyes but chose not to inquire about their relationship, fearing it might irritate him.

"Follow me," Zatiel instructed, leading the woman to his house and into his laboratory.

The laboratory was cluttered, filled with items and magical creature skins. Equipment lay abandoned on the floor, dirt covering every surface; the room was in total disarray.

"You've been robbed!" The woman concluded from the state of the room, as, to her, it seemed implausible for a runemaster, who prides themselves on precision, to be so disorderly.

A hint of blush stained Zatiel's cheeks at her words. His messiness wasn't due to a robbery; he was simply disorganized by nature, a habit from his demonic days. Yet for crucial matters, he was meticulous and dedicated.

"What robbery? This is just how I live. By the way, you haven't mentioned your name yet."

"Oh, yes, my name is Sophia," she replied, not daring to mention the disorder again.

"Alright, Sophia, let's discuss business. The rune you desire is a challenging Rank 1 Rune, requiring a substantial amount of time; hence, the price will be significant."

Sophia understood the gravity of the situation and became gravely serious.

"I know the location of a highly potent, ancient Magus's laboratory," she offered, scrutinizing Zatiel's face for any reaction but found him unmoved.

"I can't just take your word for it."

Sophia, with a determined glance, produced a tube containing a drop of blood. It vanished from her hand, only to appear in Zatiel's, who inspected it with fervor.

'So powerful! If he wants me dead…' Fear coursed through her veins.

Zatiel was too engrossed in the blood to notice her fear. Analysis confirmed his suspicions.

[Bip... Analyzing blood. Most accurate match: Lightning Giant.]

"Hahaha, excellent!" Zatiel laughed. 'This is precisely what I need to advance to rank 1.'

Upon calming down, he noticed Sophia's fearful expression. "Apologies for my excitement," Zatiel returned the tube to her, advising her to keep it concealed, for any Magus would kill for it.

Sophia hastily secured the tube. "Thanks."

"Let's settle on the laboratory's location and the blood for the rune. However, you'll also need to assist with my experiments," Zatiel declared, a concealed smile playing on his lips.

Fear overwhelmed Sophia. Her current state was the result of experiments. "What... must I do?" She was ready to endure any torment for this opportunity.

"Simple. You will clean this place."