Chapter 480 - 479: Silver Ash Rune

Chapter 480: Chapter 479: Silver Ash Rune

On the ebony background, silver-gray runes were neatly inscribed. The lines flowed smoothly and the turns were natural, a world apart from the Fire Drawing Rune she had previously drawn on yellow rune paper with gasoline.

The instant the last trace of ink seeped into the rune paper, the paper trembled lightly.

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze locked onto the rune.

The tremor was slight, like ripples on water stirred by a breeze. But in this room, with its doors and windows tightly shut and not a hint of wind, the tremor stood out starkly.

After the tremor, the silver-gray runes on the paper’s surface suddenly lit up.

A silver light ignited at the first stroke, flowing downward along the rune’s path. It paused for an instant at each turn before continuing onward, streaming through winding curves, past sharp corners, and over the gentle press of the final stroke.

The silver light flowed so slowly that Seraphina Sinclair could see every single detail.

As the silver light passed, the ink, which had been resting on the surface, sank completely into the paper and merged with its ebony fibers.

The silver light finished tracing the final stroke of the rune. The entire sheet of paper gave a gentle shudder, and a ring of invisible energy radiated outward. It was completely silent, but Seraphina Sinclair felt the wave of energy stir her hair, causing it to lift slightly.

Before she could react, the rune began to transform:

A silver-gray light rose from the runes. It coalesced an inch above the paper, sketching itself into existence and gradually taking shape.

The next second.

A phantom of a silver-gray flame hovered quietly above the rune paper.

Seraphina Sinclair held her breath, watching the phantom flame. It wasn’t hot, nor did it flicker. It simply hung there, silent and still, like a frozen, silver snowflake.

But Seraphina Sinclair could sense that this seemingly quiet flame held a kind of Strength she had never encountered before.

She knew, with absolute certainty, that this rune was a success!

[Successfully crafted Unknown Rune (Naming required)]

[Effect: Upon use, summons a silver-gray Cold Flame that lasts for thirty seconds. The flame does not possess a high-temperature burning trait, but it can directly burn intangible things such as spirit bodies, Soul Bodies, and curses. It is ineffective against physical targets but deals double damage to Spirit-type Monsters. While the flame is active, the user is immune to Spiritual Attacks.]

’A Cold Flame? And it can directly burn spirit bodies and Soul Bodies?’

’Forget its powerful offensive effects—it even grants immunity to Spiritual Attacks while it’s active!’

’This is just...’

Seraphina Sinclair racked her brain but couldn’t find the right word to describe it. In the end, she just gave a thumbs-up and uttered a single word: "Nice!"

’Guess it’s true what they say. You don’t appreciate learning until you find yourself at a loss for words!’

Seraphina Sinclair read on:

[Evaluation: Fire is not merely for burning matter. There is another kind of fire, one that can burn that which should not exist.]

"Burn that which should not exist."

She repeated the phrase softly, a wide grin spreading across her face.

’Thirty seconds. It’s not long, but it’s not short, either.’

’But in a critical moment—if I ran into The Ashenbone Lord again, for example—I could just slap this rune on it. It could do its thing, I’d do mine, and we’d see who breaks first.’

’As for the name...’

"World-purifying Fire Rune?"

She mumbled the name to herself, then shook her head.

’Too edgy.’

’The processed powder is silver, and this rune has the power to burn everything to cinders. I should just call it...’

"The Silver Ash Rune!"

Once the naming was successful, Seraphina Sinclair finally saw the rune’s rank: C-.

’A C-?’

She was pleasantly surprised by the rank.

’The powder was a D-level material, after all. The ability to craft a C-rank rune must be entirely thanks to the Ebony Rune Parchment from Little Mushroom.’

Seraphina Sinclair held the newly formed Silver Ash Rune, turning it over and over in her hands as if it were a priceless treasure.

’A C- Level rune.’

’And this was based on the pattern of the Fire Drawing Rune. If that worked, there’s no reason other rune patterns shouldn’t. Even the Gale Rune from the Wind-stepping Boots might be possible!’

’This Silver Ash Rune was great, but it still used the pattern from a Fire Drawing Rune. If I could use the Gale Rune to create a completely new rune...’

Seraphina Sinclair’s breath hitched.

’That would prove my theory is sound. In the future, whenever I find a rune pattern, I can create a corresponding rune from it!’

’Even if the chances of me finding new rune patterns on my own are slim, there are still all those survivors on the regional channel!’

’With the secure trade system, I’m not worried about failing to get my hands on what I want.’

’At that point, there will truly be no limit to the runes I can create!’

But that was enough daydreaming for now.

Seraphina Sinclair’s expression turned serious. She picked up her old Green Jade Rune Brush and traced the Gale Rune pattern on paper a few times to re-familiarize herself with it. Only then did she switch to the Silver Stream Rune Pen.

After activating Water Stopping, Seraphina Sinclair took another moment to calm her heart before dipping the pen into the [Processed Powder] and touching it to the Ebony Rune Parchment.

The first stroke of the Gale Rune was a smooth, rounded arc.

The pen tip glided across the surface, laying down a fluid line. The silver-gray ink stood out with exceptional clarity against the ebony background.

She continued with the second stroke, then the third.

Then came a turning point in the pattern.

The specific pause-and-press stroke she could never get right on the yellow rune paper now emerged naturally from the tip of the Silver Stream Rune Pen.

As the tip reached the turning point, the drag from the paper suddenly increased for an instant. It was as if an invisible hand pressed down on the nib, forcing it to pause at that juncture for a perfect, fleeting moment.

Then, obeying Seraphina Sinclair’s will, it continued on.

Seraphina Sinclair’s pupils constricted. ’This isn’t my work—or rather, not entirely.’

’This is something the rune paper and I are creating together!’

One by one, silver-gray lines spread across the Ebony Rune Parchment, weaving into an increasingly complex pattern.

The turns, intersections, and spirals she had seen on the Wind-stepping Boots were now being recreated under her pen, one after another.

Seraphina Sinclair’s heart began to race, but her hand remained perfectly steady, the state of Water Stopping still active.

Finally, she drew the last stroke.

The moment the silver-gray ink had completely seeped into the paper, Seraphina Sinclair held her breath.

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Seraphina Sinclair frowned, staring at the Ebony Rune Parchment on the table, now covered in runes.

It lay there quietly. There was no tremor, no flow of silver light, and certainly no phantom hovering above it.

It was completely different from the spectacle that had accompanied the creation of the Silver Ash Rune.

"Did it fail?"

She murmured to herself and reached out to pick it up. But in the next second, the entire sheet of paper lifted as if caught by a gust of wind, floating in mid-air.

The phenomenon was brief. By the time the paper fluttered back down, the smile on Seraphina Sinclair’s face had already vanished.

She eagerly checked the rune’s effects.

But after reading the description, her brow slowly furrowed.

Seraphina Sinclair held the rune paper, her expression tinged with confusion.

’It’s a success, but... are these effects right?’

’Then again... I can’t say there’s a problem with them, either.’