CHAPTER 47 — The Rune Island(2)
Soon the students were standing at the outskirts of Rune Island in organized rows.
The island stretched endlessly ahead of them beneath the bright sky. Massive forests covered most of the land while enormous rocky cliffs rose at different points like the backs of sleeping giants. Strange colored lights occasionally flickered deep inside the island, glowing faintly between the trees and caves.
At the front—
Instructor Valeria stood alongside the other instructors.
The wind brushed past her long dark hair as she crossed her arms and looked over the students.
"So students," she began, her voice loud enough to reach every row. "This is your second lesson for wand and staff creation."
The students immediately became attentive.
"As you all already know, Rune Island is filled with monsters and Rune Dungeons."
She slowly walked forward while speaking.
"Your task is simple. Gather either monster cores or Runes."
A brief pause followed before she continued.
"Monster cores are stable condensed mana sources formed inside monsters."
Her gaze swept across the students.
"But Runes are far more valuable."
Several students straightened slightly at those words.
Valeria raised one hand there were five small crystal-like stones were floating on her palm.
A crimson Rune.
A blue Rune.
A silver Rune.
A brown Rune.
And a yellow Rune.
Each one glowed beautifully beneath the sunlight.
"Runes are naturally formed elemental mana crystallizations," Valeria explained calmly. "Unlike ordinary mana stones or mana crystals, Runes possess elemental affinity within their structure itself."
The floating crystals slowly rotated in the air.
"The red Rune is Flame."
"The blue Rune is Water."
"The silver Rune is Wind."
"The brown Rune is Earth."
"And the yellow Rune is Thunder."
The students stared attentively at the floating crystals.
"When embedded into wands or staffs, these Runes improve elemental channeling tremendously."
Valeria closed her fist and the Runes disappeared.
"The deeper the color of a Rune is, the purer it becomes."
A brief silence followed.
"And naturally..."
Her lips curved slightly.
"The purer the Rune—"
"The more valuable it is."
Several students visibly became excited hearing that.
Valeria then took a deep breath before commanding loudly.
"So what are you waiting for?"
Her sharp eyes swept across the rows.
"Go."
The moment her words fell—
The students immediately began moving toward the island.
---
Rune Island was strange in every possible way.
Rather than a normal island, it looked like a gigantic ecosystem built from mana itself.
Dense forests stretched endlessly while enormous dungeon entrances could be seen carved into cliffs and mountainsides. Strange glowing plants grew between rocks, illuminating certain areas with soft elemental colors. Some rivers shimmered unnaturally beneath the sunlight while enormous ancient trees towered high enough to cover entire sections of the sky.
And beyond all that—
A gigantic wall-like mountain stood near the edge of the island like a natural barrier separating the inner regions.
Students spread across the island quickly.
Some groups immediately headed toward the dungeons while others chose to remain outside and hunt monsters roaming the forests.
Most students had already formed teams.
Some were large.
Some were small.
But by now many groups looked less like ordinary student teams—
And more like political factions.
Rowan simply stood there awkwardly while looking around.
He genuinely had no idea where to go.
"What are you standing around for?"
"Ehh—?!"
Rowan jumped slightly at the sudden voice behind him.
He turned around and saw Ritvik standing there.
"Uhh... nothing," Rowan replied awkwardly. "I was just admiring the scenery."
Then Rowan noticed something strange.
Ritvik was subtly trying to hide behind him.
Rowan blinked.
"...Why are you standing behind me like that?"
Ritvik glanced somewhere ahead while trying to lower his presence.
Rowan followed his gaze.
At some distance away—
Seraphine stood alongside a group of students, seemingly discussing something with crossed arms while her long crimson hair swayed like burning flames beneath the sunlight.
"...Is it because of her?" Rowan asked.
Ritvik immediately hid more behind Rowan's shoulder.
"I just don't wanna get involved with that red-haired tyrantess."
"Well..." Rowan shrugged. "I don't think she would even let you join her group anyway."
"Who knows," Ritvik muttered nervously. "Some crazy nonsense might happen and suddenly I get forced into joining."
Meanwhile—
Inside Seraphine's group—
She frowned slightly while counting the students around her.
"Hey... I think we're short one person."
Ritvik's entire body stiffened.
Immediately he hid behind Rowan even more.
Sighhh...
Rowan let out a tired breath while staring ahead.
'Hmm...?'
Suddenly a familiar figure passed nearby.
"Hey! Damon!"
Rowan raised his hand immediately.
Damon turned.
"Oh... hello. Your name was..." He paused briefly. "Yeah. Rowan."
He tilted his head slightly.
"What is it?"
"Ugh... nothing." Rowan rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "You suddenly disappeared after the tree garden lesson and then I never saw you again. I was starting to think I took that lesson with a ghost or something."
"Hahaha..."
Damon chuckled lightly before placing a hand on Rowan's shoulder.
"See? I'm not a ghost."
He smiled casually.
"And you know how long academy classes and training sessions are. We hardly get time to meet people outside lessons."
"Hah... ha..." Rowan laughed awkwardly.
Then—
His gaze shifted toward someone beside Damon.
A green-haired boy from Damon's group stared at Rowan silently.
The boy's hair was a deep emerald shade that almost glowed beneath the sunlight.
'Seriously...' Rowan thought internally while staring. 'Do people really have this many hair colors?'
'Back in my town everyone just had black hair.'
'Ever since coming here I've seen red, silver, golden, green...'
'Is this actually normal?'
"Anyway, we're leaving now," Damon said while stepping back toward his group.
"Yeah, see you later."
Rowan waved casually.
"You know him?" Ritvik asked from behind.
"Yeah," Rowan replied. "He was my partner during the tree lesson."
Then Rowan suddenly frowned.
"Wait... do you know him too?"
Ritvik nodded calmly.
"Yeah. He's one of the three unaffiliated students who won their groups during Arena Dual."
"Huh? Really?"
"Yeah."
Before Rowan could say more—
Another familiar person approached them.
"Hey, Sarina. What's up?" Ritvik asked casually.
Sarina simply waved one hand lightly in response.
"Looks like even you didn't get into a group," Ritvik commented.
Sarina quietly looked ahead.
Groups of students could be seen gathering everywhere across the island.
Some prepared to enter Rune Dungeons together.
Others formed hunting teams for monsters.
But by this point most groups already carried political tension beneath the surface.
Joining one faction could easily make another faction dislike you.
Sarina's gaze drifted across the crowds.
Then—
A blond-haired boy waved enthusiastically toward her from afar.
Zephyr.
The moment she saw him—
Her mood visibly worsened.
Rowan and Ritvik both stared at her suddenly sour expression.
"Hey!" Rowan suddenly said. "Why don't the three of us just form a group together?"
"...?"
"—?"
Both Sarina and Ritvik looked at him simultaneously.
Rowan awkwardly rubbed the back of his head under their stares.
"I mean... it sounds easier that way."
Ritvik was the first to respond.
"Sounds good."
He nodded.
"I'm in."
Then he looked toward Sarina.
"What about you?"
She remained silent briefly before giving a small nod.
"Okay. I'm in too."
Ritvik then looked back toward Rowan.
"So what are we doing first?"
Rowan took a deep breath while staring across the massive island.
"Hmm..."
He looked around thoughtfully.
"Maybe admire the scenery first."
Ritvik stared at him blankly.
"Do you seriously think we came here to admire scenery?"
"...No?"
"Then?"
"...For Runes and monster cores."
"Then start moving already."
Ritvik pushed Rowan from behind while beginning to walk.
"Oh?"
He glanced at Sarina behind him.
"Hey! Sarina."
Sarina turned toward him.
"What are you doing just standing here alone?"
"I was deciding which dungeon to enter," she replied calmly. "There are too many choices."
"Hah... no need to worry about that. It's not like—"
Ritvik casually waved his hand while speaking.
But suddenly—
He froze mid-sentence.
"Wait—!"
His eyes widened instantly.
"Yeah... we have to hurry before all the good dungeons get taken!"
Before either Rowan or Sarina could react—
Ritvik grabbed both of their arms and immediately started dragging them away.
"Hey wait—?!"
"Ritvik—!"
Their words fell on deaf ears as Ritvik kept dragging them.
---
CHAPTER ENDS