Sylas walked through the third and second ranked in a bit of a daze, his mind roaming elsewhere. He consumed and learned from the next two challenges that appeared, but his thoughts just felt like they were in another world, another stratosphere.
He was starting to feel like this was probably why it was so difficult to ascend to higher levels of Rune Creation.
All things being equal, Sylas didn't actually think that reaching his current level was actually all that hard in the first place. He had virtually no guidance, and certainly no other Rune Masters to learn from on the Mortal Plane, and yet he had still managed to reach this stage in under two years.
He didn't just make it to the F-tier either, but all the way to the D-tier.
When he looked at things like that, it was hard to say that things had been "difficult".
The main crux of the problem, though, was that he already felt like the hill toward the C-tier was just so much taller, and that would only be exponentially more true of the B-tier.
And the reason it would always be like this is because his vision, his thought process, his way of viewing things was too limited.
Valelith looked up from her book, the faint golden slit between her brows fluctuating just the slightest bit.
A man had suddenly appeared in her private room, and he didn't even seem to be paying much attention to her. It was like his thoughts were elsewhere.
She not only noticed Sylas before he truly appeared, but she realized what was happening immediately.
The tower was using her to test a D-tier?
Her eyes narrowed. Who was this man? A human? Why would the tower deem her, the undisputed number one C-tier Rune Master of their generation, the right person to test this man.
It felt…
Foolish.
And yet, she didn't react with rage. Instead, she felt curious.
The test didn't begin, likely because Sylas was still lost in thought. So, she just silently observed him, the flicker of curiosity in her eyes growing deeper and deeper.
Sylas' Will was unfathomably deep. His Charisma was drawing and had such a strong pull on it that the golden light splitting her forehead widened just the slightest bit as though to resist it.
It didn't even feel like she was looking at a Rune Master. Sylas' Will spilled out with such a wild arrogance it hardly seemed to have the control of a Rune Master in the first place.
It felt like she was looking at a wild, roaring flame, whereas her own Will was more accurately described akin to the slit in her forehead. Subtle, soft, controlled, and yet with defined, strong edges.
'Fascinating… Such a weak Rune Master and yet the tower chose me?'
Vaelith slowly stood to her feet. Her wings ripped, her dress unfurling in an array of Runes that changed its color from a dull, uninteresting grey to a pristine white. The color flipped almost like the scales of a dragon, the world whining and beautifying as though to lay out a red carpet for her movement.
As though she had known exactly when Sylas would snap out of his thoughts, she stood across from him at exactly three meters of separation, taking her last step to click her heels together the moment he looked up.
Her insight and attention to detail was simply untouchable.
And Sylas could feel it just by looking at her. Her Will was the strongest he had seen of all the others. She could not possibly match him, but she was just on the verge of forming a Fragmented Infinite Will.
Their gazes met and both their eyes remained placid and unmoved.
While Sylas was observing her, she was getting the first good look at his eyes, and she couldn't help but shake her head. There were few Races who could match the Thryskai in ocular techniques. She knew one when she saw it, and she especially knew a weak one when she saw it.
They said that the eyes were the window to the soul. It could be said that the most efficient method of emitting your Will to the world was, in fact, the eyes.
But Sylas' own was hindered in such a way. It was no wonder his Will was so poorly controlled, he had yet to refine a proper method of use. Nor had he spent the time to learn how Rune Masters who didn't have powerful Genes or Professions to make up the gaps for them moved forward.
There was a huge gap in his knowledge.
It only took the few minutes that Sylas was here, but Vaelith understood basically everything about him already.
A strong talent, of exceptional Will and Charisma, maybe even more arrogant than he was talented, but lacking in foundation. If he won, it would be through raw power.
But he was no better Rune Master than her.
In fact, he wasn't a match for any of the top ten in pure Rune Mastery comprehension.
The only gap in her character profile of Sylas was his comprehension. How strong was it?
Well, there were other things. But those seemed less important compared to what was at hand.
"Might I ask who you are?" Vaelith asked, her voice soft and akin to a spring breeze. It was undeniably gentle and soothing.
"Sylas Grimblade."
"That is not a name I have heard before." She replied calmly. "Then, shall we begin, Sylas Grimblade?"
The world shifted in aura and substance.
The moment there was the slightest shift of energy in the air, Vaelith's brows tore open into a blinding, concentrated beam of golden light.
From the very start, she didn't hold back in the slightest.
But neither did Sylas. He felt a challenge in the look that was in Vaelith's eyes, a strong arrogance that was buried deep within her bones.
It was muted, calm, and subtle. But he could feel it as he could feel all Pride.
He wanted to win this with his Rune Mastery first and foremost.
Chi.
The Rune shattered, but Sylas' Will hadn't even moved yet.
Vaelith had done it.
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