The next day, the Survival Studies professor dragged me aside after class.
"Boy," he said, "I think it's about time we went on a field trip."
"A field trip? This early, old man?"
"Why, of course. Now come along."
He tossed a blade my way—black, light, probably made from some mystic ore.
We headed to his office first, where he collected a few weird objects.
"So, old man, why bring these?"
"Oh, you'll see."
Afterward, we made our way to the hunting grounds far outside Nebula. Trees twisted with green leaves and faintly glowing blue veins traced their bark. Bioluminescent fauna blinked softly in the underbrush.
We stepped over a log and arrived at some ruins—ancient, weathered, and humming with quiet power. Stones etched with runes stood upright, like a gateway to something beyond.
The old man unpacked his sack and laid the objects in a careful formation:
– A [Skull of an Eldritch Horror] to the left
– A [Scythe Shard] to the right
– A [Bottle of Shadow] at the back
– A [Death Lily] at the front
– A strip of cloth from a [Level 5 Reaper]
In the center, a crystal pulsed with a faint purple light.
He etched glowing runes into the soil beside it.
"You remember yesterday's lesson on ancient civilizations, right?"
"Of course. We talked about the Hunter tribe from the Ashburn Deserts."
"You remember well." He paused and pointed toward the formation. "Do you recall their most noticeable trait?"
"You said it was the markings—those tattoos that appear on their bodies... Rune Circles!"
"My, what an astounding memory you have."
"Wait… Are we going to inscribe a Rune into my body?"
"Yes, boy. Now sit in the center. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly."
I followed his instructions.
Runes were powerful—they could double your strength and even grant a unique trait. Of course, the stronger the rune, the nastier the drawbacks. But still... it was worth it.
Most Seekers didn't even know about runes. This would be a game-changer.
The professor spoke up again.
"This may hurt."
"Wait—what!?"
A brilliant purple light exploded around me. Blinding.
I couldn't move. Every muscle locked up as an electric pain surged through my body.
This was worse than that Willpower test.
A scream tore out of my throat.
Sweat pooled on my skin as the Rune burned itself into my flesh. A massive tattoo etched across my torso—black as void, stretching from my collarbone to my side.
Each line scorched.
I couldn't breathe. My vision flashed white. My head throbbed.
How long had it been? A minute? An hour? The pain blurred time.
One wrong twitch and I would black out.
The professor observed quietly from the side.
He scribbled something into his notebook.
"Hmm. What astounding willpower. The average Seeker would've passed out. This is equal to… 4.9 Pain Tolerance."
The light began to fade after two minutes. My muscles spasmed. My thoughts were still hazy.
"It was a success," the professor said, lifting my shirt and examining the mark.
My HUD blinked to life:
---
New Trait Added: [Rune of Death]
You hold absolute power against the living.
Effects:
+20% Stamina
+10% Strength
+5% Fear chance to enemies weaker than you
+5% Soul Damage on all attacks against living creatures
New Skill Unlocked: [Dark Nebula]
Enhance your body or weapon with Soul Damage. Also negates Spiritual Attacks.
Negative Effect: [Terminal Illness]
You have been cursed by the [Origin]. You must kill strong foes to expand your life force.
---
"Now that's useful," I muttered, blinking through the residual pain. "But that's a nasty side effect…"
Cursed...
"Hmm, seems you now bear one of the Primordial Runes," he said.
"Primordial Runes?"
"Why yes—one of the first runes to ever exist. You've inherited the one that was thought lost."
"Wait. Seriously?"
"I had designed the ritual to grant a Soul-variant rune, but I didn't expect it to be this one—[Rune of Death]."
"Is it strong?"
"Hmm… Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you."
I forced myself to focus.
"In ancient times, there were seven Primordial Runes:
– Death, the Rune of Soul
– War, the Rune of Power
– Sun, the Rune of Nature and Life
– Moon, the Rune of Knowledge and Evolution
– Calamity, the Rune of Destruction
– Genesis, the Rune of Creation
– Drakken, the Rune of Dragons"
He glanced at his notes.
"What makes Primordial Runes unique is that only one person in the Tower can wield each one at a time. Now that you've been marked, no one else can receive it—unless you die, and someone performs the ritual again."
"A blessing or a curse," I murmured, looking down at the dark mark burned into my skin.
I see… If I want to live long, I'll have to keep this hidden.
"Okay," the professor continued, straightening up, "now on to the main topic of today's lecture: wilderness survival."
He handed me a battered notebook.
"This is your lifeline. The Rune was a final gift. From here on, you must survive on your own."
"Survive where?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He pointed behind me.
The ruins had activated. A glowing blue portal shimmered to life, humming with otherworldly energy. I felt its pull—a strange magnetic draw.
"That gate. Your trial begins now."
He smiled. "One week. Reach Level 5. That is your goal. Don't worry about your friends. I already made a cover story for you."
Wow. He's meticulous.
"Ah. And don't worry about getting back. Just find the portal. It is a beam of light. Near the maze."
Beam of light, got it.