Scolding an Expert in His Own Field

The runes necessary for Runecrafting weren't just random symbols. All of them had values and meanings behind the symbol that they represent. Calvin came to know the ancient lost art of Runecrafting when he stumbled upon a ruin.

After conquering that ruin, he found a book that contained a Runic Table, a character encoding standard for Runecrafinng with runic symbols representing a certain type of instruction.

Carefully compiling those symbols together into a cohesive instruction was called threading.

The cohesive instruction formed after threading was called a logical thread.

The grand formation that Calvin and Kevin needed to escape from this place undetected required 512 logical threads.

It was indeed quite difficult to squeeze 512 logical threads in a small piece of paper such as the page of a small notebook.

Such a feat could be considered as impossible.

Technically, it could be achieved.

But carving that many symbols in such a small piece of paper required, not only accuracy but also utmost precision.

Runic symbols were delicate, a single mistake would destroy everything.

Yet, Calvin planned on squeezing several thousands of runic symbols in just a small piece of paper while making sure that every instruction was accurate while keeping everything cohesive? That was too ambitious even for him!

Kevin clicked his tongue.

"Even if you can carve all of those runic symbols in that piece of paper, how can you make sure that the formation will work? It will collapse! Even if we'll say that you did everything right. If the vessel or the foundation itself, which is that piece of paper can't endure the influx of mana from activating the grand formation..."

"Everything would be for naught!"

Kevin was right.

Calvin was basically trying to fit an entire ocean in a cup.

It was such a ridiculous and absurd idea that Kevin couldn't help but take a mocking tone.

Calvin merely smiled towards Kevin's accusations.

"Yes, it will collapse."

"But what is the reason for its collapse?"

"The influx of mana that's too much to handle for the foundation, right?"

"Then, imagine this..."

Calvin revealed a mysterious smile.

"What if we create a logical thread whose function is regulating the influx of mana within the safety limits?"

"What...?"

"What did you say?"

Kevin revealed an astonished look.

This was the first time that he heard such a proposal.

Indeed, what would happen if another logical thread was added whose function was dedicated to keeping the influx of mana within safety limits? In other words, that logical thread would be akin to an automatic mana regulator!

But...

"Is something like that really possible? Can you even combine that additional logical threads with the other threads to form a cohesive whole?"

"Of course! I've always remembered this phrase. Nothing is impossible in this world. If you think that something seems to be impossible. It's only caused by your lack of imagination." Calvin lightly chuckled, "In this case, to make sure that our foundation won't collapse. I will be adding an additional logical thread. Does that make sense?"

Kevin pondered.

Calvin's words sounded like bullshit but it seemed to make sense.

However...

"Can I ask something?"

"What is it?"

Kevin stared right at Calvin and asked, "Have you ever tried this method with other formations before?"

Calvin lightly shook his head, "Of course not! This is the first time that I will be inscribing an additional logical thread that's more than the recommended number of threads. But rest assured. Runecrafting is an art that follows logic. So long as the flow of our runes are cohesive and actually makes sense, nothing bad will happen."

"What? This is your first time? How reckless! What if everything collapses?"

"Then, I guess I failed. I won't be able to take you out of this place and I'll probably become a slave to Fivecent. Or maybe I would be executed and die without a tomb since I know too much about their company already." Calvin casually said in a matter-of-factly voice.

Hearing him, Kevin was now angry.

"How can you be so reckless! This is my one and only chance of escaping! Since you already know about your fate if you got captured by them, why are you acting like this? Be more prudent, will you?!" Kevin scolded.

Calvin chuckled, "Don't be so worried, all right? And also, you said something wrong. I know of my fate if I was to be captured by them, but can you really guarantee that I will be captured? Remember to not put your cart before the horse!"

"You..."

"Why are you being so arrogant?"

"Am I?"

"I'm just being confident, that's all."

Calvin shrugged, "If you want to make this successful, then you must cooperate with me, all right? If not, then I don't really mind leaving you here and escaping on my own. Even though you are powerful, it's not as if you're the only ancient notebook in existence for those of the Writer Profession. I can just choose someone else."

"You..."

"Why are you like this?"

Kevin felt wronged and humiliated.

Calvin could see his frustration as he continued, "This is why I want you to do my best. Can you do it? There's a lot of fishes in the ocean, yet I deliberately chose you..."

"That goes to say that you are more valuable than the other ancient notebooks. I want to escape with you, but if you won't cooperate and everything goes to shit, then I won't hesitate to leave you here. I will escape on my own."

"It's just not worth it."

"My life is far valuable than an ancient notebook like you."

"That is why if you want to successfully escape from this place. Cooperate with me, or be left alone."

Calvin gave an ultimatum.

Kevin fell silent.

In the end, he surrendered and vowed to do whatever Calvin wanted him to do as long as the two of them could escape.

Of course, he also promised to be Calvin's Blessed Artifact after all of these.

"Good choice. I won't disappoint you!"

Calvin gave a thumbs-up.

"Shut up! Just do what you need to do now!"

"All right, calm down..."

Calvin chuckled once more.

Afterwards, he raised the piece of paper that he had in his right hand, and solemnly prayed.

"Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

"The Magister of Light and the commander of compassion..."

"I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

"Let this paper in my hand be imbued with your Divinity. Oh, your lowly servant wishes..."

An indescribable presence appeared out of nowhere. It descended onto the shoulders of both Kevin and Calvin as the two of them turned silent. The pressure seemed to be confused as to what it was doing in this damned place, but when it saw Calvin solemnly praying for its blessing...

The pressure turned into a barely imperceptible ray of light. It flew towards the paper that Calvin had in his hand and vanished into the paper as if it was a stone dropped into the ocean.

"Success!" Kevin almost leaped in joy.

Although he was confused as to why such an unscrupulous person like Calvin worshipped the Goddess of Compassion and Light, he didn't think too much into it for he was too happy seeing that the paper they needed for the formation was successfully made.

Now, Calvin only needed to inscribe the necessary logical threads onto the paper.

But...

"Ivan... It's too small..."

Kevin couldn't help but comment.

Taking a closer look at the paper, he really did find it too small for the 512 logical threads necessary for the formation.

"I told you to not worry about it..." Calvin turned to look at him and revealed a bitter smile.

But he didn't explain anymore.

He reckoned that it was much better for Kevin to see the truth than for him to use words.

He fetched a needle from the first-aid kit that was in the kit for some reason.

"A needle? What are you going to use that for?" Kevin asked once more.

Calvin replied, "Usually, one draws the symbols necessary for Runecrafting with their fingers. But that takes too much space. If we want to be efficient and save space, I can only use a needle to inscribe those runes. I can't use my finger since I probably won't be able to inscribe even ten logical threads with how big my fingers are."

"You're going to draw those runes with a needle?! Have you gone mad? Those runes are delicate and a single deviation with its size and shape can instantly ruin the formation once it's activated! How can you ensure that you'll be able to write those runes exactly as how they are supposed to be?!"

"Damn, you are being too reckless! This is why I said to pick a bigger piece of paper!" Kevin scolded once more.

"Have you forgotten that the bigger the piece of paper would be, the greater sacrifice that I need to make to the goddess for her to bless the paper? As for how can I ensure that the runes would be exactly as how they are supposed to be..."

Calvin revealed a confident smile and turned to look at Kevin before answering, "With my decades of experience in Runecrafting, of course!"