With the Rune fragment in his hands, Ash once again activated the Eye of Omniscience.
And then a screen appeared in front of him.
**
Item Name: Fragment of a Rune
True Name: Rune of Wish
Description: A fragment of a once complete Rune, born from the longing of the heart and the weight of unfulfilled desires of ##$@##. It whispers promises of impossible dreams, yet hides a truth within its quiet gleam. Every wish casts a shadow, and every hope demands a toll from the one who dares to ask.
Effects:
- Can fulfill 1 wish, be it anything.
Limitation:
- The greater the wish, the greater the price that must be paid.
- Wishes may manifest indirectly, carrying unforeseen consequences that can twist the intended result.
Note: This Rune is broken into four fragments. Only when all fragments are reunited will its true power awaken.
---
Ash was utterly baffled by what he was seeing. He even rubbed his eyes, even though this was only his soul body, instinctively trying to confirm whether he was hallucinating.
It took a full minute for him to truly accept that what he was seeing was real.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Ash laughed like a madman inside his soul space. His laughter echoed loudly, spreading throughout the vast and silent expanse around him.
"THAT DAMNED MISFORTUNE FINALLY LEFT ME!!!!!"
For the first time in a long while, Ash felt genuine happiness rise from his chest. The description of the Rune addressed the very problem that had cornered him, as if fate itself had finally loosened its grip on him.
After a while, his laughter slowly faded, and his breathing steadied as he regained his composure.
He had celebrated. That was enough.
Now, he could not afford to let emotions interfere with progress.
Emotions were chains. Once entangled in them, escaping their hold became extremely difficult.
His gaze returned to the description, and his attention fixed on a particular line.
’Born from the longing of the heart and the weight of unfulfilled desires of ##$@##.’
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly. He understood at once that the censored portion was not an error.
It had to be the name of an entity whose existence could not be spoken openly. Otherwise, there was no reason for it to be hidden so thoroughly.
Does that mean all the Runes were somehow born from this entity?
The thought lingered, and another question naturally followed.
Will this entity someday come to reclaim the Runes? No. If it possesses the power to create Runes, then reclaiming them should be effortless.
His reasoning did not stop there.
But what if it cannot move just like the whisperer?
Logically, if some Big Boss cannot act directly, then its subordinates would act in its place.
"WAIT!!!"
Ash’s eyes widened as realization struck him with sudden force.
Ray’s system is collecting the Runes. Even in the novel, Ray gathered them without comprehending them. I always questioned the true purpose behind the system.
What if the system was sent by this entity to retrieve the Runes?
A chill ran through Ash’s spine, sharp and unsettling.
His thoughts spiraled further.
What if this entity is also the one manipulating fate itself, trying to erase me so it can reclaim the Runes I possess?
Goosebumps rose across his skin, even within his soul body.
No. No. I need to calm down.
Ash forced his thoughts to slow.
If it were truly that absolute, I would already be dead. And if it requires a system to act on its behalf, then it truly cannot move on its own.
The conclusions he had reached were still only theories.
Yet they fit together far too perfectly to be dismissed as coincidence.
Ash did not know whether his assumptions were correct or not, but one thing was certain.
He felt that he was standing dangerously close to the truth.
In fact, it was not the first time Ash had seen something censored. Weren’t his bloodlines censored too?
Ash lingered on that thought for a while, turning it over in his mind, before choosing to move forward.
I have already vowed to go against everything. I might as well add this unknown entity to the list too.
He had no further clues beyond this point, and there was no value in sinking deeper into speculation. Rather than wasting energy on despair or fear, it was better to grow stronger and prepare himself to face whatever awaited him.
With his mind calm and steady, Ash first poured a drop of his blood from the vial onto the shard, then spoke in a low voice.
"Rune of Wish."
The fragment instantly disintegrated and fused into his soul, leaving no trace behind.
Ash opened his status window and checked the information. The description remained unchanged, but there were no instructions explaining how to proceed.
After a brief pause, he spoke again.
"I want to make a wish."
Instantly, a pitch black screen appeared before him, words of gold slowly forming upon it.
**
Wish:
Sacrifice:
Remaining Wishes: 1
Note: Collect more fragments to increase the wish count.
**
Ash stared at the screen as his thoughts momentarily stilled, only to erupt into a storm of possibilities.
What should I wish for..?
He could directly wish for limitless potential, or he could choose to awaken his bloodlines fully without any risk. Either option was tempting, and he was certain that wishes related to his own body would not demand an unbearable price.
Let me see what it asks for first. I will decide only after that.
After a moment of thought, he formed his wish in his mind.
**
Wish: I wish to return back to the day when I transmigrated.
Sacrifice: In your next life, all memories of your current life will be erased along with 90% of your lifespan.
Remaining Wishes: 1
**
"What’s even the point of going back then?"
Ash spoke aloud as his teeth clenched together.
In truth, this wish had only been a test, but even so, the cost was far too heavy.
It was just an experiment anyway. Even if I returned, my potential would still be the same.
Without hesitation, he formed another wish.
**
Wish: I wish my potential will become limitless, allowing no limits to block me.
Sacrifice: 50 years of lifespan.
Remaining Wishes: 1
**
Ash’s eyes narrowed slightly as he read the price, yet he remained silent. He changed the wish once more.
**
Wish: I wish my three bloodlines will awaken fully and increase my powers and potential.
Sacrifice: 70 years of lifespan and 1 Primordial Core.
Remaining Wishes:
**
The price this time was even steeper.
Only twenty more years added, and it even demands a Primordial Core.
"First choice it is then."
Ash made his decision without hesitation. He did not know the exact length of his lifespan, but that hardly mattered. As long as he continued to rise in rank, his lifespan would naturally increase.
He reverted his wish to the previous one and confirmed it.
Instantly, both his body and soul trembled.
Golden brilliance flooded his vision, and within that light he felt a warm current surge through his body and soul simultaneously. At the same time, he sensed his Soul Tree absorbing something unseen, while his physical body subtly strengthened.
Moments later, the light faded, and the screen before him changed.
**
WISH FULL FILLED!!!
Remaining Wishes: 0
**
Standing within his Soul Space, Ash did not immediately feel any obvious change.
To be certain, he opened his status window to confirm.
**
[Status]
Name – Ash Burn
Race – Human
Age – 16
Class – Magic Swordsman (Unique)
Rank – Expert (C- Rank) – (0%)
Affinity – Lightning, Life, Death, Space, Time.
---
[Attributes]
Strength – 601
Agility – 601
Vitality – 601
Intelligence – 601
Stamina – 601
Charm – 601
Mana – 601 (X 2)
---
[Traits]
- Codex of Creation (Expert)
- Primordial Core (Completion: 48%) (Rank- Immeasurable)
[Skills]
- Omni Thought
- Hundred Poison Immunity
- Absolute Concealment
- Transcendent Step
- Soul Vault
- Soul Library
- Eye of Omniscience
---
[Runes]
- Rune of Stability
- Rune of Knowledge
- Rune of Life
- Rune of Balance
- Rune of Concealment
- Rune of Death
- Rune of Space
- Rune of Harmony
- Rune of Truth
- Rune of Time
- Rune of Wish (Fragment) x 1
***
[Magic Circle Replacement]
Novice - Rune of Knowledge
Apprentice - Rune of Life
Adept - Rune of Concealment
Expert - Rune of Truth
***
[Soul Bound]
-Eclipse
-Primordial Serpent
****
"What the hell? It increased my rank instead of increasing my potential?"
But before Ash could curse any further, another window appeared in front of him.
It was the Codex of Creation, his trait.
His trait had also risen to Expert rank, as it was a growth type trait. Ash briefly noted that change, then his gaze shifted to the number of skill creation chances, which had increased to 4.
Right after that, his attention was drawn to a newly unlocked ability that appeared as a result of his trait ranking up.
**
‣ Rune Reformation: Allows the user to reconstruct their body using suitable materials, reshaping and adjusting it as desired. The scope of transformation is limited only by imagination and available resources. However, the process follows the principle of equal exchange. Every change demands a corresponding price, and nothing can be gained without something being given in return.
**
"Holy shit!!"
Ash cursed under his breath.
Is this what I think it is...?
His mind immediately ignited with possibilities. His Soul Vault was filled with countless materials, treasures, and things he had stolen over time, so many that he had never bothered to count them properly.
If I can use them all...
The price did not scare him. He had already accepted that nothing in this world came without cost, and if this ability worked the way he thought it did, then any price would be worth paying.
"Looks like my wish was fulfilled indirectly rather than directly."
He was not surprised. The limitations of the Rune of Wish had already made that outcome clear.
But then, without warning, a heavy sense of lethargy washed over him.
It was subtle, yet unmistakable.
Which was strange, because Ash was not that tired.
Is this the side effect of losing lifespan? he thought to himself as he prepared to leave his Soul Space and return to his body to check properly.
The moment his consciousness returned to his physical body, his breath hitched.
His eyes widened in horror.
"FUCK!!!"
---
A/N - Cliff hanger!! hehehe