His very being was unraveling.
Every fiber of his existence was being rewritten, reshaped, reforged into something beyond human.
And then—
The marrow.
A deep, pulsing ache erupted from the very core of his bones. The pain wasn't just physical; it reached into something deeper, something primal.
Uhh...It hurts, Ash thought as he clenched his fist and suppressed his scream.
The Rune's energy invaded him, seeping into the very essence of his body.
His blood boiled.
It wasn't an exaggeration. The liquid flowing through his veins sizzled, carrying the foreign power to every cell, every muscle, every vein. His organs quivered, his nerves ignited, his skin burned from the inside out.
His cells shuddered.
For a moment, they resisted. The Human body wasn't meant to endure something like this.
But resistance was futile. The foreign energy was relentless, breaking apart his very foundation, shattering him on a microscopic level—only to rebuild him.
Stronger.
Purer.
And more efficient.
Then the impurities surfaced.
Black, tar-like substances oozed from his pores, coating his skin in a sickly film.
They hissed as they met the open air, evaporating into foul-smelling vapor, as if the world itself rejected their existence.
And then, it stopped.
The pain.
The burning.
Everything.
For the first time, his body felt still—no searing agony, no tearing flesh, just an eerie, unnatural calm.
Is it over…?
Ash hesitated, his mind sluggish from the ordeal. Slowly, he tried to push himself up, but—
[Protective Override Activated]
His entire body again fell to ground.
Why is it activating now? Did something go wrong?
A flicker of unease crept into his thoughts, but before he could dwell on it, his Trait—[Codex of Creation]—ignited.
And just like that—another process began.
A hum, deep and ancient, resonated through his very being. Not a sound, but a sensation. A subtle vibration that tugged at something beyond himself.
And then, suddenly—
The Runes in his body awoke.
Rune of Life.
Rune of Stability.
Rune of Knowledge.
Rune of Balance
Each one pulsed, as if roused from a long slumber.
They started to resonate together, and then—
The Rune of Life, which had already bolstered him once, now awakened again.
Life energy rushed through his blood, twisting through his blood like molten gold. His blood—once crimson—now held a faint golden hue, glowing faintly beneath his skin.
Every drop brimmed with something beyond vitality.
It was endurance, an unyielding force that rejected decay, defied mortality, and carved itself into his very existence.
Whatever is happening, it is so comfortable...
Then came the Rune of Stability.
Its influence didn't simply settle—it invaded him.
His very bones trembled. Then, like iron meeting a forge, they solidified—unyielding yet flexible. No longer bound by the imperfections of a natural form, no longer brittle, no longer fragile.
The golden hue that had seeped into his blood now faintly lined his bones, turning them into something beyond human.
The thought slipped through his mind, casual, almost indifferent, as if his very bones hadn't just been reforged into something beyond human.
And then—Knowledge.
It flooded him.
Not in words, not in visions, but in understanding. His mind did not break under the weight of new knowledge—it expanded.
His grasp over mana, over his own existence, over the forces within him sharpened to a terrifying degree.
Did this information just come out of nowhere? What the hell is happening?
Ash frowned. The sudden influx of knowledge made no sense.
Before he could make sense of it, the energies of the four Runes stirred.
Then, all at once—
They rushed toward his cores.
And at that moment—
They converged.
Both his cores shuddered.
Golden patterns bloomed across his White Mana Core—a core so pure, so untouched by impurities, that it rivaled that of a Mythical Rank individual.
As the golden symbols and intricate patterns etched themselves onto both his cores, the Rune, having completed its work, slowly faded into slumber once more.
His mana core looked breathtaking.
Like a luminous white moon, its surface veined with delicate golden lines, intricate and mesmerizing. Each marking pulsated with an ethereal glow, perfectly synchronized with the boundless power now woven into his very being.
These weren't just marks.
They were Power of Runes.
Etched into his very core.
Surrounding mana rushed toward him, drawn to him as if he had become its very center. It compressed, refined—each unit of mana perfectly condensed into both his cores.
His reserves expanded, swelling beyond limits he didn't even know existed.
As the final traces of the transformation settled, Ash let out a slow breath.
That was painful… but so fucking wonderful.
Ash tried to stand.
His hand pressed against the ground.
Then—
CRACK.
The stone beneath him fractured.
Shit
He stilled, glancing around.
Did anyone hear—
BOOM!!!
His head snapped toward the battlefield, just in time to see Ray swinging his sword like a mad beast—his blade carving through the air in a merciless arc.
A sickening sound followed.
Blood sprayed, painting the ground in crimson.
A severed arm flew through the air, spiraling before it crashed onto the ground.
Then—
A scream.
A raw, agonized shriek filled the surroundings.
Leira—no, the Demon—clutched the bleeding stump where her arm had been, eyes wide with horror and pain.
And then—
Ray collapsed as the after effects of Overclock and using Void severance finally came,
Ash sighed.
Sigh… what a pain in the ass.
With a flicker of motion, he merged into the darkness, reappearing beside Ray's fallen body.
He expected an immediate attack. Instead, the Demon's face twisted in something… unexpected.
Fear.
Ash tilted his head.
Huh?
Is she… scared?
Wait. Shouldn't the roles be reversed?
I should be the one feeling fear, right…?
Then it clicked.
Oh… right. I'm immune to fear.
His gaze lingered on her trembling frame.
Then why… is she looking at me like that?
Looks like the Rune of Balance must've done more than just strengthen me.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the strange weight of his own presence.
Let's see what it is.
'Status.'
***
<STATUS>
Name- Ash Burn
Race- Human
Age- 12
Class- Magic Swordsman (Unique)
Rank- Novice (F-Rank)-(75%)
Affinity- Lightning, Life
<ATTRIBUTES>
Strength- 140
Agility- 140
Vitality- 140
Intelligence- 140
Stamina- 140
Mana- 140
Charm- 140
<TRAIT & SKILLS>
Traits:
-Codex of Creation (F-Rank)
-Primordial Core (Incomplete)
Skills:
-Omni Thought
<RUNES>
-Rune of Stability
-Rune of Knowledge
-Rune of Life
-Rune of Balance
***
How is this even possible…?
Ash's eyes narrowed as he stared at his status screen, his mind racing to make sense of the absurd numbers in front of him.
According to what he knew, the Rune of Balance was supposed to equalize his lower stats to match his highest one.
My highest stat was Mana—around 70 stat points.
Logically, that meant all his other stats should have been adjusted to 70. Not a single point more.
Yet…
140…?
His fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled down, his heartbeat drumming in his ears.
Something wasn't right.
And then he saw it.
A change in his Trait section.
[Primordial Core]
This is my second Trait…
A strange unease crept up his spine.
With a deep breath, he tapped on the Trait, his eyes sharpening as the description unfolded before him.
**
Trait Name: Primordial Core (Incomplete)
Rank: ??
Description: A mysterious core with no recorded data. It is the first of its kind, and its properties, abilities, and potential remain entirely unknown. Completing the core will unlock more abilities.
-Any damage inflicted upon the core is automatically restored over time, rendering it truly unbreakable.
-Enhances all mana-based attacks and spells, doubling their potency while transforming mana in the core to its most purest form.
[Locked]
[Locked]
***
His heart skipped a beat.
The moment his eyes landed on the description, a jolt of disbelief shot through him, and he nearly shouted.
That… that doesn't make any sense.
Every instinct in his body rejected what he was seeing.
Core damage was supposed to be irreversible. A death sentence for any Awakened. Once a core was shattered, the person was as good as crippled, their connection to mana severed forever.
And yet—
His core could regenerate.
His pulse pounded in his ears. If this was real—if his core could heal itself—then he had something no one else in the world did.
His breath came out uneven as his gaze trailed further down. Another line caught his attention, sending a fresh wave of confusion crashing over him.
Mana-based attacks and spells power is doubled.
His brows furrowed.
What does that even mean…?
Spells didn't just double in power like that. There were amplifications, multipliers, catalysts—but raw, unfiltered doubling? That was something entirely different.
He had no way of knowing what it actually meant.
Because this wasn't something he had ever accounted for.
His eyes drifted to the word next to his trait.
Incomplete..??
The word lingered in his mind like an unspoken promise. If it was incomplete, then that meant it could still evolve.
If I absorb more Runes… will it complete itself?
A shiver of excitement crept into his veins. If this trait was already bending the known laws of mana, what would happen when it reached its true form?
His thoughts drifted to the Rune of Life. Even now, he could hardly believe it.
After absorbing it, he had gained Life Affinity—an affinity so rare that it only appeared once in a millennium. And even then, it was exclusive to Elves, to those destined to become the caretakers of the World Tree and leader of their Race.
Yet here he was. A human. With Life Affinity.
I'm getting shock after shock today…
With a tired sigh, he scrolled further down and opened the description of the Runes.
**
Rune: Rune of Stability
Description:
-Grants the ability to maintain equilibrium despite conflicting and opposing energies in the body, ensuring seamless flow and control in volatile situations. (Passive)
-Improves mana flow efficiency by 50%, ensuring smoother and more potent magical output. (Passive)
-Calms the mind, preventing emotional turmoil and overpowering negative feelings, allowing one to maintain clarity and focus even in high-stress scenarios. (Passive)
**
Rune: Rune of Knowledge
Description:
-Grants the user photographic memory, allowing them to recall even the smallest details without causing mental strain. (Passive)
-Enables the user to decipher and comprehend all forms of written text, including ancient and encrypted languages. (Passive)
-Grants immunity to all forms of mental interference, such as illusions, mind control, memory alteration, fear, and telepathic intrusion. (Passive)
**
Rune: Rune of Life
Description:
-Grants absolute immunity to any curse, decay, dark, death and corruption-based magic and spells. (Passive)
-Provides limitless regeneration as long as the brain remains intact, with no cost of mana.(Passive)
**
Rune: Rune of Balance
Description:
-The Rune of Balance permanently equalizes all the user's stats to their highest value, ensuring rapid and balanced growth.(Passive)
-Any increase in a single stat will automatically raise all other stats to match, preventing weaknesses and maintaining absolute harmony in power. (Passive)
***
A/N: Now that Ash's stats will be in perfect harmony, should I introduce a single term to represent all his stats collectively, or should I keep them separate as they are? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!