75. Condensation Rune

Runes are unique to Valoran.

Summoners created runes to enhance the combat power of heroes by observing and studying creation runes.

Although there are seven runes in the world, the summoners only copied five - precision, dominance, wizardry, determination, and enlightenment.

However, summoners are only people after all, not the entire world of Runeterra. Even imitation runes cannot withstand them all.

Summoners can only choose one main rune and one auxiliary rune.

But there are not only twenty combinations and building runes is not done in one go.

Each type of rune is to be built gradually. They are cornerstone runes, advanced runes, and two ordinary runes. The combination of these is the true appearance of the runes.

What has always made Aurelius hesitate has never been the choice of runes, but the positioning of Obscurus's future development direction.

In his eyes, there is only witchcraft and determination. It's just a matter of who is in charge.

Ignoring other runes is not because other runes are not strong, but because only these two runes can exert the greatest value on him.

What are his specialties? Why can these two runes bring out the greatest value?

What is he? A wizard. A powerful wizard, a highly talented wizard. What these wizards have in common is that as long as they are not killed or have any accidents, their lifespans are extremely long!

And it just so happens that among the witchcraft and determination runes, there are two common runes:

Sorcery Department - Gathering Storm: Spell strength or attack power will continue to increase over time.

Resolute - Overgrowth: Absorb the vitality of nearby dead non-heroic life forms to strengthen itself.

The former increases damage and the latter increases vitality to make it less likely to die. These are the only rune effects that can grow infinitely.

These two runes are a must for Aurelius. Since they don't belong to the same series, the main and secondary runes that Aurelius can choose are only the witchcraft system and the resolute system.

"Since we are a magic warrior, let the magic department take the lead."

After determining the main and secondary runes, Aurelius began to screen other runes to be matched.

The main department is witchcraft, and the cornerstone rune Aurelius decided to choose is the magical life - Aery.

This is an ancient pure magical life, and [Summon: Aery] can create it. Aery is somewhat like a salamander, born from fire and perishing when consumed by the flames. Since being summoned, Aery's existence has relied on the life of his summoner.

This enchanting little creature has spent his entire existence pursuing magic. When faced with an adversary, Aery will swiftly catch up and deliver a devastating blow to safeguard his allies, even transforming into a protective shield to shield them from harm.

Thankfully, Aery's fate is intertwined with that of his summoner. As long as the summoner remains alive, Aery will persist. He may experience periods of weakness, but he will swiftly rejuvenate with the aid of the summoner's magical powers.

Opting to summon Aery yields several advantages. Alongside Aery, there are also Arcane Comet and Phase Rush at one's disposal.

Arcane Comet can indeed bolster attacks like Alley can, but it cannot provide defense and possesses lengthier intervals between uses. Despite boasting a higher damage output than Alley, its applicability is relatively straightforward. After careful deliberation, Aurelius ultimately selected Aery.

As for Phase Rush, it was also dismissed. While the acceleration effect aligns splendidly with the image of a nimble, magically attuned warrior envisioned by Aurelius, the requirement of three consecutive hits is far too formidable. Aurelius did not possess the confidence to execute such precise strikes with his sword. Furthermore, the cooldown period is not brief, and the duration is disappointingly short. Consequently, Aurelius abandoned this option.

Regarding advanced runes, Aurelius opted for the more versatile mana flow tie, which increases his mana reserves and expedites recovery, proving to be quite practical.

Amongst the two standard runes, Gathering Storm is an indisputable choice, while the other, Aurelius selected Transcendence. This rune smooths mana consumption and reduces intervals between skill activations, demonstrating notable growth potential. Upon reaching the maximum level, the cooldown time can be reduced by nearly a third, representing a significant enhancement.

For secondary runes, there are no mandatory choices. Any two alternatives from the available runes can be selected.

Overgrowth is essential, while the other must be Resolute.

After careful consideration, Aurelius chose [Explosion] as his second secondary rune.

[Explosion] perpetually charges any non-vital object within three seconds, leading to substantial destruction.

In the realm of the game, it serves as a tower-devastating artifact, but in reality, it appears that this ability may be utilized in combat as well.

For instance... During a magical duel, one could exploit the opportunity to strike the opponent's wand a few times.

It is akin to an enhanced version of Expelliarmus.

Following the selection of runes, Aurelius informed Nagini...

"Nagini, I will be going into seclusion for approximately ten days, so please do not worry about me."

"Seclusion? What does that entail?" Nagini questioned, puzzled.

"I must remain in solitude within my chamber to study magic. This is of utmost importance. Please refrain from disturbing me or anyone else," Aurelius emphasized. This point is extremely important. While constructing runes can be done in stages, each stage is an irreversible and interconnected process. 

Any disruption to a rune during construction can have serious consequences, including the permanent loss of at least one rune. This was completely unacceptable to Aurelius. Therefore, he asked Nagini and Zouwu to protect him. Additionally, he arranged some magic to provide further assurance.

Nagini understood the seriousness of Aurelius's request and nodded solemnly, saying, "Okay, I won't let anyone disturb you."

"Thank you," Aurelius replied. He then returned to his room and closed the door. He began setting up magic traps.

What makes wizard spells interesting is that their effects are not fixed. After studying for days, Aurelius discovered that magic can be divided into several categories based on how it is performed. These categories include spells, rituals, potions, alchemy, spirit, soul, and life. However, many of these are Aurelius's speculations and have not been mentioned by anyone else before. There are still many imperfections in this theory, which will be discussed later.

Nevertheless, Aurelius believes that magic spells can be transformed into these different types. In his theory, magic traps are considered a form of alchemy. This means using specially crafted inanimate objects to activate magical effects.

This time, Aurelius conducted a small test. He even placed death curses on the doorways and windows, ensuring protection against any unwelcome intruders with Avada Kedavra. Although its power has significantly diminished, Aurelius's proficiency in dark magic is still sufficient.

Most of the traps were completed, providing Aurelius with valuable experience and material for his theories. However, this is not the main point. Once safety is assured, it is time to begin condensing the runes!