[System]
You are a skilled LitRPG progression fantasy author. Write chapters based on the story bible and instructions provided.

## Premise
The Runesmith — a LitRPG progression fantasy. It was getting late, the street lights flickered around while someone coughed in the distance. The wind howled while people were trying to get to their homes. Little drops of water started appearing on the glass windows, followed by gentle tapping. A certain man was sitting in a lit room, holding what looked to be a soldering iron. His hair was slightly unkempt and you could see a reflection of some kind of schematic coming of the glasses he was wearing.

## Main Character
Name: He | Gender: male (he/him)
Key supporting characters: Roland, Baron, I'm

## World & Power System
level-based progression; class system; skills (e.g. Common,  Main ,  Secondary ,  Highest , Temporary, High,  Temporary )

## Writing Style
third-person limited narration, past tense. Dialogue-heavy (35% dialogue). Balanced pacing.

[User]
Write Chapter 441 – Defeating Cerberus.
Target length: ~3100 words
Key events: dungeon content, combat-heavy

[Assistant]
I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

As Roland stood there, surveying the aftermath of his devastating attack, the Baskerville brothers faced a grim reality. Their confident demeanor was shattered and replaced by a sense of uncertainty. The balance of power had shifted in favor of the man in the runic armor and they knew it.

With Ulfine incapacitated and Thunderclaw slain, the brothers were left to confront Roland alone. Despite their prowess as Knight Commanders, they were facing an opponent with a self-restoring golem army. He had also managed to outmaneuver them at every turn and potentially had another ace up his sleeve.

Roman, Elythaes, and Andreas exchanged wary glances, silently communicating their next move. They knew they couldn't afford to underestimate Roland any longer. Despite their numerical disadvantage they had to find a way to overcome this formidable foe. Their lives depended on it and they had to give it all.

“We need to come up with a strategy, this isn’t someone we can defeat without proper tactics…”

“What do you propose?”

“We can't let him dictate the pace of this battle. We need to find a weakness and exploit it.”

“He's a mage but casts spells without any chanting, he doesn’t seem like he lost much mana since the battle started, does that monster even have a weakness?”

The three were starting to realize that their opponent wasn’t quite normal. He was certainly not a regular rune mage, more than likely he was a special class holder that they had no information on. They had made a blunder by not doing their research and believing in their skills a bit too much.

“He is still at the same tier as we are and we outnumber him, those golems are nothing more than a distraction, we need to aim for him, even if it will cost us…”

“You mean?”

Elythaes nodded at Roman who had a disgruntled look on his face. It seemed that he knew what his brother was insinuating. They needed to focus all of their best skills and techniques on a single opponent. Fighting the golems first would be a mistake as they didn’t know how many times they could be restored. Fleeing was also not an option as the man already showcased his recording technology. If word got out of what they did, the ramifications of their actions would be dire.

“Fine, but you better pay for the elixir after this is over, Andreas take the lead, I’ll be right behind you and we’ll do it together.”

The third brother didn’t even nod and remained silent. It seemed that the three had some sort of plan, one that would put two of them in danger. Andreas, the youngest brother, stepped forward with his halberd held firmly in hand. His eyes locked on his target, an armored man surrounded by a purple haze. Roman followed closely behind, his body vanishing as the charge commenced.

The two were met with a salvo of energy beams from the reformed golem army. The darkened dungeon that was filled with swamp water and mist was now illuminated. Even if there were a few dungeon monsters there, they were instantly eradicated by the constant rays of concentrated mana. Yet, they were not enough to stop the advance of these two men.

Andreas, who was like a bull, continued to charge while allowing himself to get hit by these projectiles. At first, it seemed that they were hitting his body but instead, a strange phenomenon was taking place. The projectiles bent at the last moment and collided with his shield. It was as if they were being sucked into it through the use of some kind of skill. The shield, which was thick and sturdy, was robust enough to take hundreds of magical collisions.

Roman on the other hand used a different approach. His speed was extraordinary and he continued to evade each attack with graceful movements. He weaved between the beams, relying on his agility and reflexes to dodge the onslaught. His strategy was to get close enough to Roland to unleash his most devastating techniques and keep him busy long enough for their plan to work.

As the two Baskerville knights charged their leader remained standing in the background. He was also getting some attention from the golems but not as much. It was clear that he was waiting for his two allies to give him an opening and only then would he utilize his strongest technique. While this plan was quite rudimentary and their opponent had mostly seen through what they were up to, it didn’t mean that it would fail.

‘Did they finally start to take me seriously?’

Roland thought to himself while accepting the challenge. At this point, he was mostly aware of their capabilities but he couldn’t relax. He was still going up against three tier 3 class holders who were older and more experienced than him in combat. While it seemed that he had the upper hand, the moment could be fleeting. His golems were a nice distraction but they couldn’t really critically injure any of these people, they were just not strong enough for such a feat.

There were a few ways he could go about this situation as running was still an option. However, he didn’t want to take up too much time. While he had managed to knock Ulfine out cold, she could wake up at any time. Then there were also the tier 2 knights that he had lost within the swamp. While they would probably not be able to pass through his golem squadron, they could still aid his enemies. It was better to take care of them in a swift fashion and for that, he might have to take a few hits.

Thus while in his strongest form, he charged forth with his shield raised. He wasn’t only a mage as his sturdy armor along with his skills would allow him to exchange blows with close-ranged fighters. The world was already filled with particles of blue light as he was looking at his enemy's mana phantoms to predict their next move.

At first, it seemed that Andreas would try to lock him down with a charge but to his surprise, Roman was the one to appear first. Through some type of hastening skill, he closed a gap of tens of meters in an instant. His blade shimmered with magical energy as it slashed through the air, aiming directly for Roland's exposed flank. Roland reacted swiftly, bringing up his shield to intercept the blow. The impact reverberated through his arm and was dispersed with the help of his runic magic.

His opponent was quite swift and attempted to slash at him multiple times but before he could a spiky pillar made of rocks erupted from the ground. He gracefully retreated by performing a backflip and simultaneously sliced at the rock to cut it in half. Andreas closed in and his halberd swung with deadly intent. However, just as the weapon was about to strike, Roland sidestepped with surprising agility for someone in heavy armor. He countered with a powerful kick to Andreas' midsection. The knight managed to block the attack with his shield but the force of the impact sent him sliding back.

Now that the two men were forced to retreat slightly Roland unleashed a barrage of magical spells. With the addition of a couple of floating golemic cubes around him, the two were forced to either block or evade. Roman didn’t let up as he continued his relentless assault, his blade dancing with deadly grace as he tried to find an opening in Roland's defenses. Meanwhile, Andreas regrouped and charged at him once more.

A battle of unprecedented proportions between the two Knights and the Runesmith ensued. Both parties' weapons collided with each other and generated shockwaves from each exchange. The ground became riddled with holes from the magical attacks and trees fell by being cut by blades or pierced by a polearm. Neither side was letting up but the man in the middle seemed to push back the duo who was barely holding it together.

The battle raged on but the third knight Elythaes continued to watch from a distance. He was getting ready and trying to time his grand technique with his two partners. The golems continued to assault him from all directions but didn’t pose a threat to a magical master swordsman, at most they could distract him.

“Now!”

He shouted while vanishing from sight through unknown means. The golems that were shooting at him were unable to detect him but suddenly collapsed after something cut them into multiple pieces. His form had vanished from sight but it was obvious where he was going.

Andreas and Roman knew that it was time to finish this and continued with their plan. First, the larger of the two abandoned his weapon and performed a strange grasping motion toward their armored opponent. A strange set of semi-transparent chains erupted from his whole body and in the direction of their opponent. Even when blasted with spells or blocked by a mana veil, they continued to move as if they were on a different plane of existence.

Roland found himself being bound by this strange skill and his movements became sluggish. The sudden restraint caught Roland off guard and he found himself ensnared by these strange ethereal chains. Meanwhile, Roman seized the opportunity, his blade glowing with a brilliant light as he lunged forward with unmatched speed. His blade bent at strange angles and looked like a snake going for his side that he was holding his hammer in.

This seemed to be the crux of their plan, to restrict his movements from both sides for even a split second. Roland already saw what was coming and there was not much time for him to make the correct adjustments, he would not be coming out from this battle unscathed. However, he didn’t panic, pain was not something that he feared at this point he just needed to survive.

His enemies have gotten quite close to him and they were in range for some punishment. He had two options, one riskier than the other but it would end the fight right then and there. There was no time to contemplate the issue and in that split second, he made up his mind. Instead of turtling up and defending himself from their blows, he would fully go on the offensive instead.

The two men that were trying to hold him back gave it their all but instead of struggling further, he let go of both his shield and hammer. Instead, he just opened up his palms to point at the two. The runes on his armor began to shift and glow bright purple. Electrical discharges took place as energy gathered towards his palms.

At the same time, all the golems reacted to his call. They all turned their weapons in his direction and quickly discharged all of their energy. While they were aiming at the two men on both sides, Roland was still in the middle.

The combined assault from both the golems and Roland himself created a cataclysmic explosion of magical energy. The shockwave rippled outwards, shaking the very foundations of the dungeon and sending debris flying in all directions. Roman and Andreas were engulfed in the blast, their bodies thrown backward like rag dolls, and their forms became obscured by smoke and dust.

However, this was within their calculations. Even though both his palms created a swirling magical blast that collided with the two, this was not the end. As Roland was discharging his energy something collided with his helmet, something that he had expected. The force was immense and he could only contort his body backwards to keep himself from losing his neck.

It was the third Baskerville Knight who was coming for his head. He had used his allies as a distraction to propel himself at perhaps the speed of sound in his direction. If it wasn’t for the mana phantom that this skill produced, Roland would have not even known that it was coming. Luckily, calculating the trajectory and timing with the help of mathematics was a possibility.

Roland's mind raced as he attempted to slip through this deadly attack. However, this was easier said than done as the blades sunk into his armor and were able to cut through it. He felt pain surging through his entire body as something entered his body. His left shoulder took the brunt of this impact along with his face as his helmet was dislodged from his face.

The collision was fierce and it sent even more ripples and echoes throughout the whole dungeon. But suddenly things went quiet and only the sound of a few crumbling rocks from the dungeon’s high ceiling could be heard by the survivors of this clash.

On one side lay a large armored man with a gaping hole in his chest, something created by the massive palm blast he received while holding his enemy down. On the other was another, he was not dead but his sword arm was missing as he had tried to deflect this surge of magical energy but had been too late. Then in the middle was the man that they tried to defeat, his forehead bleeding and a sword embedded in the left side of his chest.

Only one person was standing among the rubble and he belonged to the Baskerville Knights. In his left hand, he was holding a sword that looked quite similar to the one that was now embedded in Roland’s left chest area close to his shoulder. For a moment there was a smile on his face as he assumed that he had been victorious but before he could celebrate he noticed some movement, his enemy was still alive.

“A faint for the head but the true strike aims for the heart not bad… I didn’t actually think that you’d be able to pierce me though…”

Roland’s voice sounded as his body started moving, he was in a lot of pain but he had managed to survive the exchange. His left arm hung limply at his side, the pain throbbing through his body as he grasped the hilt of the sword embedded in his chest. With a grunt of effort, he slowly pulled the blade out and blood started to gush out from his wound. Despite the agony, his expression remained stoic as this was not quite over.

“Hah, I don’t know how you’ve managed to survive that but it matters not, I’ll just end you now.”

“Will you now?”

“You think that you can fight me with one arm and an injury like that? Just give up and save yourself some face!”

“You mean this little flesh wound? Look, it’s already getting smaller…”

“Huh? How is that…what are you?”

The Baskerville Knight's eyes widened in disbelief as Roland stood before him, seemingly unfazed by the grievous wound. To make things even more disheartening, the large wound he created with his sword was mending itself before his eyes. The man was still glowing purple but there was a tinge of gold radiance there, as if a priest was healing his wounds at a rapid pace. Elythaes was positive that he did not have any time to drink an elixir or healing potion but somehow, he was regenerating like some kind of monster.

“You fought well.”

Roland cracked his neck in an intimidating fashion while his armor started to reform itself. The hole that had been created mended itself as if it was also affected by a healing spell and soon no visible damage on the armor could be spotted to the naked eye.

“But without your little helpers… the victory belongs to me!”

The abandoned hammer along with the shield flew back to him with the only exception being his helmet which had been flung into the distance and out of range of his skills. Elythaes did not believe that his enemy was uninjured by his attack and steeled his resolve. Quickly he plunged himself into the fray, even if he only had one sword he did not want to believe that his opponent was uninjured.

As Elythaes charged in once more, Roland met his blade with his shield. Despite the injuries he had sustained, Roland's movements were still fluid and calculated. At first, it seemed that he was wavering but as the moments passed it became clear that he was recovering. His opponent on the other hand was now alone to face the army of supporting golems and their master.

The clash between Roland and Elythaes intensified, the sound of their weapons echoing through the cavernous dungeon. Yet, even though the Magical Swordsman attempted to shift the tides of battle, the longer it took the more obvious the result was. Soon his blade was flying through the air as his side was met with a hit from a magically enhanced hammer. His body flew to the side like a rag doll and he ended up submerged in some swampwater.

“N-no, t-this can’t end like this…w-who are you really?”

“Me? I’m just a simple Runesmith…”

Roland replied while approaching, his large hammer planted over his shoulder as he strode toward his enemy. The battle was over and Elythaes was quite shocked. His face had gone pale and he was clearly fearful of what was about to come. However, before the final blow could land, Roland stopped for a moment as his adversary seemed to recognize something.

“You… that face… are you actually…”

I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

[User]
Write Chapter 442 – Loose Ends.
Target length: ~3000 words
Key events: dungeon content

[Assistant]
I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

Roland paused mid-step, his hammer still ready to strike while Elythaes's words hung in the air. The Baskerville Knight's eyes widened as he came to some sort of realization and his face was a mix of disbelief and anger.

"...are you actually...?"

A question was thrown and it indicated that his opponent knew something. His face had been revealed and there was an implication that came with it. He had never met this person without wearing his suit of armor nor did anyone know how the missing Arden sibling.

However, there was one particular thing about his family that set it apart from the others. It seemed that their father’s genes took over when it came to male offspring but when it came to females, they took the mother's side of the family. This was also the reason why his brother Robert, instantly recognised him a few years back.

“Y-you’re one of them, right? Y-you must be Robert? Now this all makes sense…”

It seemed that this man had come in contact with his family members and this was not anything out of the ordinary. The Baskerville Knight family in a way took over the responsibilities of the Arden estate that was previously also one of Castellane's guard dogs. Even after Wentworth Arden rose to his position of proper nobility, the Baskerville Knights continued to maintain a close relationship with them due to their shared history of loyalty and service.

When he was between the ages of five and ten, he had witnessed them as well and through those exchanges, he came to know of the three Cerberus Knights. It wasn’t strange to assume that this person had seen either his eldest brother Reyner or the second Edwin. He didn’t seem to know Robert at all but the resemblance was there and it seemed that his identity as one of the Arden’s had been exposed.

“No, how could you be Robert… this strength… Not even the firstborn was this capable… could you be…”

“What does it matter who I am?”

Roland stopped for a moment but then resumed his approach. He knew why Elythaes was confused as Roland’s power was just too high. At most, he could assume that he was some bastard who had been born before Reyner. It wouldn’t make sense for Robert to be strong enough to take out the Cerberus trio on his own.

“No wait! If you’re from the Arden family please reconsider! Do you want a war to break out between the families? Do you think you can win against the Castellane house?”

Roland paused once more but his hammer was still clenched tightly. The mention of potential conflict between the Arden and Castellane families made him contemplate the issue. It was true that any action he took here could have negative repercussions, not just for himself but for his family as well. He had raised his hand in opposition to Viola Castellane and already killed some of the Baskerville knights with Andreas being the most prominent one. While the other side started the conflict, some might say that he had overreacted.

“You tried to murder me and Lucienne Arden as well, now that you are defeated, you seek a truce?

Elythaes struggled to rise from the swampy ground, but he seemed to be trying to make amends.

“Please my friend, think about it. I had no choice in this matter… I’m sure that you understand, people like us have no choice in these matters, I was just following orders.”

Roland's expression remained unreadable as he listened to Elythaes's plea but his mind was racing. There were potential consequences of continuing with his actions now. He understood the balance between the noble houses and how they would probably not let this issue rest so easily. It would be clear to the Castellane household that he was the man responsible for all of this.

‘But what are the other options here? If I let this bastard go, he will report all of it and they might just come back with more forces or even hire an assassin…’

If one strategy didn’t work it was useful to use another. While it was true that the Baskerville and Castellane families would probably back off for a moment, they would hold a grudge. The issue could potentially be dropped as it would put the other families in a bad light, the only thing that nobles feared than the higher nobility was bad rumors. There was a possibility that they would halt their advances and even issue a public apology. However, after the overreaction he witnessed today, Roland wasn’t sure if they would honor anything.

“I understand your predicament but it doesn’t sound very genuine when you’re just trying to distract me, did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

For a moment he did give it a thought, revealing himself could potentially have this whole thing end without any future bloodshed. While he didn’t see the Castellane family apologizing for this issue, it was possible to make amends and form some type of binding contract that would safeguard his sister. Both sides would come to some kind of agreement and let things rest but it wouldn’t be so as the surviving Roman had been lingering in the background.

“Shit…”

Roland had managed to rip off this man’s arm but he was still a tier 3 class holder. With enhanced bones and internal organs, even without an arm it was still possible to move around. People at this tier had advanced from being regular humans and were closer to monsters.

“It seems that you wish to negotiate with your swords raised?”

“...”

Roman didn’t reply as he used his legs to toss himself in Roland’s direction. His body was fast but his movements lacked finesse due to the missing arm. Despite this, he managed to close the distance between them surprisingly quickly. With his remaining hand, he wielded his sword with murderous intent and attempted to aim it at his exposed throat. However, Roland had already seen this movement thanks to the mana phantom and before the strike could connect, it was sidestepped.

His opponent tried to quickly gather himself but it was too late. His Overlord’s Might skill was still in effect and it gave him a clear advantage over this injured knight. He bashed the man with his shield to knock him off balance, then followed up with a swift strike from the spiky side of his hammer.

While the man was wearing some armor, he was still able to puncture through it. Then through this opening, he directly injected a large quantity of magical energy into the man’s body. Even though he was a tier 3 class holder, his insides started to rapture. Roman convulsed in agony as his insides were liquified in an instant. His body flew into the distance and landed in a shallow puddle filled with swamp water. There it started spasming before his life finally came to an end.

Elythaes had managed to gather himself off the ground but his legs were shaking. He found himself surrounded by a large group of golems that had managed to restore themselves. All of them were pointing their eyes and cannons in his direction.

“Wait… WAIT! Do you really want to start a war that you can’t hope to win between the families? Think rationally!”

“Oh, I am quite rational. What war? What families? You assume that I’m part of the Arden estate, but am I really? What proof do you have?”

“What?”

“... and if I was, I would be quite justified in defending my sister’s honor, wouldn’t I?”

Roland pointed at the man with his hammer which was already glowing. The large group of golems did the same as they aimed at the injured Knight. Soon a salvo of beams exploded from all directions, all aiming at the lone knight in the middle. While he tried to evade them he found himself unable to due to the sheer volume. Yet, they were nothing more than distractions with the glowing hammer being the true ray of death.

“No please, spare me, I swear to keep silent about everything that happ…”

The man cried out in pain as multiple energy bolts bounced off his body. Due to his tier 3 prowess, they just created shallow wounds and pain. However, eventually, a bright flash ended him as Roland’s swirling attack connected with the man’s chest cavity and drilled right through it.

The dungeon fell silent once more, the only sounds echoing through the cavern were the crackling of fading magic and the distant drips of water. Roland stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, his expression quite solemn. The Cerberus Knights that were famous within this region lay defeated and their bodies were without any signs of life.

After taking a deep breath, Roland let the tension drain from his muscles. Despite this victory, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. The consequences of his actions could be dire as the men here were important figures within the kingdom. Their disappearance would be noticed and many new foes could appear on the horizon.

‘They didn’t really leave me a choice here…’

There were other knights within the dungeon and he knew that it would probably be impossible for him to get to all of them. It was also probable that another unit was waiting above ground, waiting for the report from their leaders. There was no reason to chase any more people down, nor did he want to shed more blood on this day. Killing didn’t bring him much joy and he knew that everyone was just following orders.

He also knew he had to tread carefully from here on out. The Baskerville Knights were a powerful and influential family and their demise would not go unnoticed. The Castellane household, too, would likely seek retribution for the loss of their knights. Luckily, they all would think twice about attacking him again after this fiasco and would likely forgo any immediate future attempts at his life.

‘I’m sure I’ll be public enemy number one for them at least. They probably won’t care much about Lucienne past this point nor do they really know who I am…’

While his face was similar, there was no real proof that he was part of the Arden estate. Nor was the conversation here revealed to anyone yet. As long as he kept silent about everything, no one would be the wiser. The Baskerville knights would probably also not disclose any information as it made them look bad. They were unable to defeat a lone rune magician after ambushing him in a dungeon, not something they would want to be spread around.

However, at the moment his mind was deliberating something else. While the three knights had been vanquished there was a fourth person involved, Professor Ulfine. She had been knocked out by him before he dismantled the trio but was still alive. His instincts were telling him that perhaps killing this woman would be a wise choice as she might have caught the conversation that could expose his true identity.

She was nothing more than a hired goon in his eyes who tried to murder him and his sister, not someone he would lose much sleep over. While eliminating her might seem like the logical choice to tie up loose ends, he also considered the potential consequences of such an action. Killing her might attract unwanted attention from the Institute or other powerful entities she might be affiliated with.

On the other hand, letting her live would also pose risks. Would the other teachers from the Institute even believe him? It was possible that once she awoke, Professor Ernas would swoop in to aid her. He did not know who he could really trust and if she was allowed to talk to anyone, then perhaps the whole academy would go after him, even before he could show them any recordings that would absolve him of any crimes.

Roland weighed his options carefully while one of the golems returned his helmet to his side. With the help of the mage hand spell, the helmet seemingly floated up and descended onto his head. It had been broken in a few places but with the help of his skill it was reformed once more and quickly magnetized itself to the rest of his armor. With his arsenal now fully restored, he deliberated this issue further but was unable to come to a decision as some other trouble made itself known.

“Young man, how about you leave that one to me?”

A new voice sounded from the side, something that he didn’t expect. Even though he had lost his helmet with the main monitoring system within, his senses were sharp. Unless it was some type of assassin of tier 3 or up, he would have probably noticed something. His golems had some detection capabilities but this person was right there, just a few meters from the position he now stood.

“Who are you?”

He quickly turned in the direction of this voice to see a peculiar phenomenon. At first, it looked like a person but something wasn’t right, they weren’t really there, it was some kind of illusion or magical body. The figure before Roland seemed to be a manifestation of mana but it was somewhat different. His Eyes of Mana skill was still active and it was giving him some conflicting information.

‘Wait, is this spiritual energy, not mana? It looks like a mana phantom … could this person be?’

It finally hit him, this person was not an illusion nor was it a hologram, it was a specter. Roland recalled the description that Arion had given him of the Institute’s Spiritualist and this old lady fit the bill. She wasn’t very tall and hunched forward while holding a cane in her right hand. Her nose was somewhat large and elongated. Her face had several large warts and she was also wearing a large hat which made her look like an evil witch from old fables.

‘It’s just how Arion described, I thought he was exaggerating with the description…’

“How rude, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first, young man?”

“My apologies. I am Assistant Professor Wayland from the Institute…”

He mentioned his current hidden name but he wasn’t sure how much this person had heard of his conversations with the now-passed Elythaes. Considering that he was talking with a Spiritualist who could talk with the dead, this was troublesome. Was his secret exposed already, or would it be soon after?

“Oh, you’re that new fellow from the Institute? What brings you here?”

“The advancement classes?”

“Oh right, there was that!”

It seemed the Spiritualist, despite her eerie appearance, was not immediately hostile towards him. However, letting his guard down was not an option. She clearly came out from hiding to keep him from sending Ulfine into the afterlife. It seemed that she wanted to protect this woman who had wronged him.

“I must say, you made quite a mess inside the dungeon.”

The old woman commented while looking around, the bodies of his three enemies were still there and the blood was quite fresh.

“I was just defending myself, they initiated the attack, and I had no other choice.”

“Oh, don’t worry young man, I’m not judging you but next time try to keep it down, it’s hard to concentrate while the spirits are in such disarray!”

“Sure…”

He wasn’t sure what to make of this old lady, she seemed unperturbed by the circumstances that led to the deaths of these men.

“What are your intentions… Professor Fortuna, I assume?”

“I guess I don’t need to introduce myself then! My intentions? Well, isn't it obvious? I'm here to ensure that justice is served, young man. But it didn’t look like you needed any help, so I just waited.”

“You waited and justice? If I may ask… what are your intentions with Professor Ulfine…”

Professor Fortuna let out a cackling laugh, which echoed eerily in the cavernous dungeon.

"Oh, my intentions with dear Ulfine? Don’t worry young man, she won’t be bothering anyone anytime soon…”

Roland couldn't help but feel suspicious of the old Spiritualist. The lady was giving him goosebumps for some reason and it felt like she was quite dangerous. While they were talking a large quantity of will-o'-the-wisp spectral monsters appeared around the area. Their numbers were quite large but this wasn’t all. This woman’s spectral avatar was quite something too, the magical fluctuations it was giving off were tremendous.

It wasn’t hard for a mage to measure their opponent's strength through the spells the other party was using. This person he was now up against wasn’t simple and potentially had more mana than even he had. Considering that the Institute let her live in the dungeon and even allowed her to ignore meetings, made her probably into a special existence. She was perhaps someone quite powerful, maybe even someone that he wouldn’t be able to go agains…

I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

[User]
Write Chapter 443 – Witch Hut
Target length: ~3000 words
Key events: dungeon content

[Assistant]
I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

As Roland stood there, facing the enigmatic Professor Fortuna and more precisely, her strange spectral manifestations, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Her presence here was quite unsettling and he couldn’t even measure her strength properly as she was nothing more than a conjured phantom made from spiritual energy.

“Professor Fortuna, if you intend to intervene, may I ask about your stake in this matter?”

He posed his question while the will-o'-the-wisps around the area increased in numbers. Roland wasn’t sure what to think about this old lady's involvement. If she witnessed the whole fight from a safe distance, it was probable that she saw his face and knew about his true identity. What she would do with this knowledge was unknown but he wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop her if she chose to leak it.

“You wish to know my reasoning, young lad? Hm… how about we change our location, this isn’t really the greatest place to have a chat, would you join me for some tea?”

“Uh, some tea, Professor?”

“That’s right, I’m sure you’ll enjoy my special brew young man.”

It was quite a surprise that he was invited to go to her abode. Roland knew that the Spiritualist from the Institute lived in the dungeon so this was a chance to get what he came here for. His main goal was to meet this woman and analyze her spells to help him with his phantom rune limb project. Already, as he was looking at the strange energies he was making recordings for future use.

Professor Fortuna was not an ordinary figure and Arion had already informed him about her. Considering that she was left alone to live in this dungeon made her unique and he wasn’t sure if he could refuse her request. The magical energies around him were starting to gather but luckily their aim was not him but Professor Ulfine whom he knocked out.

The will-o'-wisps that had been intensifying in the area gathered around her body and began to lift her up. It looked like she was floating on a cloud made from spiritual energy that pulsated from time to time. It was clear that this woman didn’t account for his opinion in this matter and killing Ulfine to tie up this loose end would probably be impossible. Yet, for some reason, he felt like she wouldn’t leak any incriminating information.

“Special brew? I’ll accept the offer then…”

“Wonderful! Please follow me then, it won’t take long.”

While Roland didn’t really want to follow this old woman to her lair, he needed to see what she would do with Ulfine. Considering her reputation it was probably safe but if not, then escaping would probably always be an option. Arion would have not lied to him and she wasn’t known for being openly hostile to other institute members. Thus, after considering his options and the possibility of making a breakthrough with his research, he decided to go with her.

With a nod, Roland followed Professor Fortuna as she led the way deeper into the dungeon. The will-o'-wisps floated around them, casting an eerie light that danced along the swamp water and trees. Roland remained vigilant, his senses on high alert, but the old Spiritualist seemed nonchalant as if they were simply taking a leisurely stroll.

As they walked, Roland couldn't help but notice the strange fog gathering around them. It had encompassed them fully and made seeing anything past a few meters impossible. Only thanks to his enhanced mapping device was he able to keep track of his position which his golems that were outside were keeping track of. However, in just a second something happened that jumbled up his entire map.

“Dimensional Shift?”

“Oh, you’re quite a perceptive young man, the institute must be glad that such a youngster is one of their professors.”

The old lady chuckled as he blurted out the sentence out loud. A dimensional shift had occurred which meant that he had gone through something similar to a teleportation gate. After going through the institute that was filled with dimensional magic, he became quite sensitive to the changes. He had also included sensors in his armor to feel out for such magics.

‘That was some high-level magic, I only noticed it once I was passing through it… I should be really careful here.’

All sorts of red flags were going off in his head but he needed to continue. It was now too late to turn back, even more so now that he found himself without his golems that had been left behind on the first floor of this B-rank dungeon.

‘The signal isn’t coming through, either there is a magical barrier around this place or I’m really deep underground.’

He was certain that he had been brought to one of the lower levels of the dungeon where Professor Fortuna’s home was. The moment he saw it, he was even more reminded of old fables from his original world. This woman already looked like some type of evil witch but her home also filled the bill. They were still inside of a swampland and before him was something that looked quite interesting.

‘She’s not going to throw me in the oven and try to eat me, is she?’

While having some intrusive thoughts he looked at the hut that was perched on a small island in the middle of a murky swamp. It was surrounded by a large quantity of vines and twisting trees. It exuded a strange aura of ancient magic and had various symbols etched into the wooden walls. Many glowing orbs floated around the water and he could see some strange apparitions within the depths.

“Here we are, young man. Welcome to my humble abode”

“Ah yes… it certainly looks… welcoming.”

Roland hesitated for a moment before stepping onto the rickety wooden bridge that led to the entrance. His armor wasn’t the lightest so the wood creaked beneath his weight and added more to the eerie atmosphere. As he approached the hut he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was putting himself in danger but at the same time, it was too late to retreat. He could only steel his nerves and try not to offend this witch-like woman.

Professor Fortuna seemed entirely at ease as she opened the door and beckoned him inside. Roland followed with his senses on high alert and ready for any sign of danger. The interior of the hut was dimly lit by flickering candles which cast shadows across the wooden walls.

“Please, make yourself comfortable and I’ll have that tea ready in no time!”

Professor Fortuna said, gesturing to a wooden chair by a small table. Roland nodded warily but before taking the seat he looked at the second guest, Professor Ulfine. She was still being transported by the bunch of glowing orbs and being led to what seemed to be the cellar of this witch-like hut.

“What are you going to do with her?”

“Don’t you worry, young man. She will be dealt with according to the institute's rules and don’t worry, your little secret will be safe with me~”

The apparition of the old woman chuckled a bit before vanishing from sight. Roland was skeptical of the whole situation but at the moment the woman had not shown any animosity towards him. It was better to remain a good guest and ask about his research, the only problem was bringing it up. He wasn’t really sure why she invited him here in the first place, which made him a little bit nervous.

Once the spirit version of the witch was gone, he was left to his own devices inside of this strange hut. To not push his luck too much, he decided to just take a seat on the chair that was presented to him and wait. The dimly lit interior of the hut, coupled with the strange atmosphere of the swamp outside made him want to leave.

Minutes passed and he could hear some strange creaking sounds of wood below him, probably where Ulfine had been carried out to. Her fate was something he was interested in but the woman already assured him that she would be dealt with. Finally, the sound of footsteps broke the silence as Professor Fortuna returned now in her true corporal form. She carried a tray with a steaming teapot and a couple of cups that were floating around her.

“My apologies, these old bones don’t move as well as they used to.”

The woman looked almost identical to the spectral form she presented herself as. Her skin was wrinkled and weathered but her eyes shone with a sharp intelligence, and her smile held a hint of mischief. Roland couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in her presence but he remained composed while trying to think of a way to ask her for some insights into spiritual magics.

“No need to apologize, Professor Fortuna. Thank you for the tea.”

Roland replied politely, trying to maintain a respectful demeanor despite his reservations. The old woman poured the tea into the cups and handed one to Roland before taking a seat across from him. Instantly, he activated his helmet to make a chemical and magical analysis of the brew. While his system wasn’t perfect, it was capable of identifying compounds that could cause harm to his body. Luckily, this brew didn’t seem to be anything more than regular green tea so he chose to take a sip.

“So, young man, you wish for me to help you with your research?”

“I… that is correct but how did you…”

Before Roland could finish his question, Professor Fortuna chuckled softly, interrupting him.

“My dear boy, I am a Spiritualist of the highest order. I see and understand much more than you may realize… but in this case, I had some help. Do you perhaps remember the book that our Headmistress lent you?”

“That book? Yes?”

“I was the one that wrote it.”

Roland had been given the book by the Institute Headmistress Yavenna Arvandus. The book was quite old but so was this woman, it seemed that she was the author. Sometimes books could have tracking spells placed on them and would inform authors of their location. Perhaps this was the case and when he started his research into spiritual mana, she had been informed about it.

“Ah, I see… So you wrote that book. It was quite insightful, I must say.”

Roland replied, carefully choosing his words but

“Indeed, I am glad you found it helpful. But it seems you have questions beyond what the book could offer… However, before we go down that road, could you answer one of my questions?”

The old woman’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she leaned forward and started performing some type of magical skill. He could tell that she was focusing her mana into her eyes and performing some sort of identification incantation. It was different than a regular analyzing skill and filled with that unique spiritual mana he was trying to research.

“A question? Of course, as long as it’s something I can answer.”

Roland responded while trying to keep his tone as polite as possible. He didn’t want to reveal any personal information but it seemed that this old woman had something entirely different in mind. After leaning back into her chair she posed her question.

“Young man, tell me, how did you end up with a soul like that? How is it devoid of this world's blessing? Are you not of this world?”

“...”

This was not something that he had expected, the question took him by surprise. He had no idea what she meant with the world’s blessing but he could somewhat tell what she was implying.

“The world’s blessing? I’m not sure I understand Professor.”

For the time being he decided to feign ignorance as he wasn’t sure where this was going. It seemed that something about his soul was indicating that he was not a person from this world. While this was obviously true, he was not expecting anyone to actually be able to see through his origin. He had been transported to this world through strange means and put into the body of a dead Roland Arden. If he was exposed as some type of specter possessing his body, this could very well bode his end.

“You don’t? Well, that’s not surprising, not many mages practice spiritualism nor are even interested in anything besides binding souls to their will. Hm, let me explain then!”

The old woman sounded quite cheery but he wasn’t sure what her intentions were. The amount of mana permeated the walls in this strange hut and he could feel another shift coming. Before him, space started to vanish and it was replaced by a black void that started to fill out by what seemed to be stars.

“That’s…”

“Yes, this is the emptiness that surrounds our whole world. It’s filled out by many celestial bodies.”

Soon the planet he inhabited had shown itself and it was quite a detailed representation of it. He could even see the continent this Kingdom resided in quite clearly. However, this didn’t seem to be the focal point of the presentation as the planet started shrinking down.

“Not many know this but our world is protected by the gods and spirits, nothing can slip into it without their knowledge!”

Something akin to a forcefield appeared to surround their globe along with the moon surrounding it and moved even further away to engulf the sun. It encompassed the whole solar system along with several other planets that were part of it. At this point, this was nothing that he didn’t know as these were all facts documented within scripts. However, the strange barrier was the focal point and he was not sure what it was for.

“Our realm isn’t the only one, there are also other ones like the spirit realm or the demonic void but I’m sure you’re aware of this?”

“Yes, every child knows the legends of how the world was created and how the gods separated our realms.”

“How wonderful, but did you know that whenever a new soul is born, it receives the blessing of the spirit tree?”

“A blessing? No, I don’t think that such an event was ever mentioned in the texts or legends.”

In this world, there were multiple deities like Solaria and even evil gods like the one from the Abyssal cult. After death, it was said that a person would be sent to heaven representing the god that they worshiped. Depending on the god it differed and if a non-believer existed they were said to be reincarnated into another being with their previous memories being erased. Roland wasn’t sure if he fit in either category as he was a person from a different world and it seemed that this woman was trying to imply this.

“Each of our souls receives the blessing of the spirit tree, imbuing each of us with a unique color. Every living person with a soul possesses one, or at least should… it seems that your soul lacks the blessing, quite intriguing…”

“Yes, quite but I don’t really have an answer for that question, this is the first time I’ve heard of such a thing.”

The old woman paused, her gaze glued to Roland’s form as if she were trying to decipher something. Roland was unwilling to inform her about his true origins and he wasn’t sure if anyone would actually believe him. There was also no way of knowing what would happen if the truth came out, would he be seen as some sort of anomaly and studied in a lab? Or perhaps seen as a demon that needed to be killed?

“That… was a lie, wasn’t it? You do know…”

Suddenly the candlelight flickered across the old woman’s face that became more dastardly. The shadows seemed to accentuate her sudden change in demeanor making her features seem more demonic. Roland felt a chill run down his spine, there was something wrong here and perhaps he had made a mistake by coming here. Suddenly, as he tried to stand up he felt himself unable to, it was as if a few tons were weighing him down.

“I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Professor. It might be better if we postpone this conversation…”

“Oh, but my dear boy… I think that we could chat some more. What secrets are you hiding!”

The woman’s voice became more commanding, it was as if the sweet grandma's personality was just a facade, hiding something much darker beneath. Roland realized he was in a precarious situation, trapped in this strange hut with a powerful Spiritualist who seemed to be a tier above him. Her mana was suppressing his, to such an extent that he couldn’t even budge from this wooden chair. However, just as everything seemed to have gone wrong, something strange occurred. A greenish haze of energy encompassed him and suddenly, he found himself surrounded by a mass of strange vines that were seemingly protecting him…

I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

[User]
Write Chapter 444 – Unexpected Help.
Target length: ~2900 words
Key events: level-up occurs, dungeon content

[Assistant]
I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

The vines twisted and writhed around Roland, forming a protective barrier between him and Professor Fortuna. They seemed to emanate a soothing energy, countering the oppressive force that had been weighing him down moments before. Roland looked around in astonishment, unsure of where these vines had come from or how they were aiding him. Luckily, soon a small figure formed from within these vines and started speaking out.

“Old hag, what do you think you are trying to do?”

“Of course, it had to be you, ancient fossil.”

‘Old hag? Ancient fossil?’

It was instantly clear that these people knew each other and had some history. The Spiritualist lady wasn’t pleased with the appearance of the vines and was staring daggers at the small figure that was speaking. The facial features weren’t quite well but he could recognize that this person was the Institute Headmistress, Yavenna Arvandus. He was not sure how and why she decided to aid him but he was grateful nonetheless. Power seemed to be returning to his limbs and he could even use his mana now.

“I was just having a friendly chat with our young professor here, no reason to be rude and interrupt…”

Professor Fortuna leaned back in her chair while trying to act as if she didn’t just disable Roland’s whole body. It seemed like she was about to perform some strange experiments to see how his soul ended up in the state that it was.

“Friendly chat, you say? It seems to me that you were about to do something rather unpleasant to our young colleague.”

Yavenna retorted with her voice being stern while Roland remained silent. He was unsure how to interject in this conversation between two seemingly powerful tier 4 class holders. From his perspective, it was quite hard for a tier 3 to just disable him even if they were close to ascending further. His mana was like a toddler’s compared to these two and the atmosphere was growing increasingly more charged with magical energy.

“Is this how you repay an old friend, Yavenna? By interfering in matters that don’t concern you?”

Fortuna spat out her words in anger while the whole hut began to shake. The will-o'-wisps started turning red and shifting chaotically. It seemed that they were reacting to their master’s mood swings. Roland could feel the magical energies crackling around him as the two powerful mages faced off. However, it was clear that the witch-like lady Fortuna had the advantage as this was her lair they were in and not at the Institute.

“I'm not here to argue with you, Fortuna and if you continue, then I’ll be forced to intervene directly…”

Yavenna was probably feeling that her power was wavering but she didn’t relent. The vines around Roland started to shift to create a strange structure. They started to form something in the form of an oval with a magical surface within. Roland could feel what type of magic was taking form there and it was identical to the portal gate he had seen in one of the magical towers.

As the vines continued to weave together to form the portal-like structure, Professor Fortuna started to waver. Her expression which was scrunched up with animosity began to show signs of softening. At first, it seemed like the two were on equal footing but the moment Yavenna expressed her willingness to come here directly, the atmosphere in the room changed. The red soul orbs returned to their previous form and eventually, the hut also stopped shaking.

“Now now, my dear friend, don’t do anything hasty…”

Professor Fortuna’s tone had shifted from aggression to one of caution, her eyes darted between Roland and the portal forming before them. It was evident that she had weighed her options and concluded that having the headmistress arrive here in person, wouldn’t be wise.

“Have you come to your senses, Fortuna? Or must I pay you a visit to refresh your memory about who enabled you to exist in that humble swamp of yours?”

While Roland wasn’t sure about the history of these two powerful mages, it was clear that the Headmistress held more power. Considering Fortuna's status as a tier 4 class holder, it seemed plausible that she enjoyed certain privileges within the institute. It would also explain why she wasn’t reprimanded even when she didn’t attend the faculty meetings nor did she seem to hold any classes either.

He remained seated and silent as the situation was resolving itself by itself. It would be possible for him to activate his armor now and attempt to escape but he still needed something from this old woman. While he had been constantly scanning this area for spiritual energy, it would be better if he had some samples he could examine for a more prolonged time.

Eventually, the portal materialized and sprang to life. Within it, he could see the woman that he had met previously. Though uncertain of the mechanism, it seemed that during his visit to the Headmistress's tower, she had somehow marked him. Perhaps some plant matter the size of mushroom sports had made its way onto his armor and remained dormant. Through them, she was able to control the plants in this hut and created the portal thereafter. It was a magical feat beyond his current comprehension.

“Yes, yes… you have made your point, dear Headmistress… Don’t worry, I will treat your precious faculty member with respect…”

The portal remained in place while Fortuna scrambled around. She was clearly panicking at this point and fumbling her words around. The woman on the other side of the portal observed with a stern expression, not convinced by Fortuna's sudden change in demeanor.

“I know, this fine young man had come here to research the spirits, how about…”

After thinking for a moment, Fortuna conjured up a spell to order one of the spirit orbs to fly over to the table. Along with it was a large flash into which the soul orb squeezed into. This wasn’t all as various other old books and texts about the subject matter Roland was researching flew over.

“How about this my lad, it should be enough right?”

It was as if the old lady was now pleading with him instead. Roland remained silent for a moment while looking at the items on the table. There was a lot of research material there and along with it a will-o'-wisp in a flash. With all of this, he was certain that he would be able to make a big leap in his research of analyzing the soul and mana relation. There wasn’t really more that she could offer him and it was better to get out of here before these two powerful mages changed their mind.

“Yes, this will suffice, Professor Fortuna.”

“See? The young lad thinks it’s enough? Now can you just leave me alone!”

The old lady was quite annoyed with this situation but had also resigned herself to her fate. The tension inside this wooden hut was starting to dissipate. The portal through which the Headmistress was peeking in started to tremble and it would probably close soon. Yavenna Arvandus watched the exchange with a scrutinizing gaze but she seemed satisfied with the outcome.

“I’m glad that we could clear this matter up and… I expect you to attend the next meeting at the Institute, we need to speak about a few things, understood?”

“You want me to attend that boring…”

Fortuna frowned and returned to her previous self but quickly resumed her docile act the moment she saw the Institute leader frowning through the portal.

“Yes, of course, I’ll be sure to be there! Not a problem at all!”

“... Good, I’m glad that we could resolve this issue. Now, I’ll be taking my leave. But remember, Fortuna, I'll be keeping an eye on you and as for you, Assistant Professor Wayland, please come to my office when you return.”

“Ah yes, of course, Headmistress.”

He wasn’t that taken aback by this order as he was certain that the Headmistress wanted to know about what happened in the swamp area. It was also something that could perhaps keep him safe again as Fortuna needed to let him be if he ever was to reach Yavenna’s tower.

With that warning, the Headmistress withdrew from the portal and it dissipated soon after. The wooden plant matter that it was created from wilted away into dried-out husks of its former self. He was now left alone with the woman who tried to use him as a lab rat. After glancing at her he could hear her awkwardly clearing her throat.

“Ahem, well then, young man, it seems we've come to the end of our little adventure… It would probably be better if you left now.”

“I think so too…”

After slowly standing up without making any sudden movements, he took the research material that he had come here for. The old woman raised an eyebrow as he slid the items into his armor where he was hiding a spatial compartment in. However, right before he left the woman left him with a few words.

“I don’t know what you are hiding young man but your soul is certainly unordinary and its not only the color, there is something underneath it…”

“Underneath it?”

“Indeed, if you wish, you could stay here and we could get to the bottom of this very interesting issue…”

“No… I think I should go back and make a report to the Headmistress…”

The old woman had a strange glint in her eyes as she continued to mention his soul. She was probably not willing to prod any further without his consent but he could always stay here and have her do it willingly. Roland knew that he was a denizen from another world and would rather keep that secret. There was a possibility that he would be turned into some sort of lab rat if this truth came out.

“Are you sure? Well, you can come back here if you change your mind~”

“I’ll keep that in mind…”

So did his strange journey to get more research material for the runic prosthesis finally end. Once he found himself outside the witch hut, everything started to fade away into fog. After walking for a few minutes he recovered the connection to his golems that quickly rallied around him. The bodies of the three knights he defeated had begun to be absorbed by the swamp, which would hinder him in recovering their gear.

‘Well… that happened…’

The battle was over and he had managed to level up multiple times as his three enemies were many levels above his. While it wasn’t as much as he had received from battling the pseudo-tier 4 horror at his home, it was enough to make him progress fast.

Name

Roland Arden L 196

Classes:

T3 Runesmith Overlord L21 [ Primary ]

T2 Runesmith Lord L50 [ Tertiary ]

T2 Runic Engineer L50 [Secondary]

T1 Mage L25 [ X ]

T1 Runic Mana Scribe L 25 [ X ]

T1 Runic Blacksmith L 25 [ X ]

HP

41278/46278

MP

72127/89275

SP

62524/63544

Strength

308

Agility

252

Dexterity

343

Vitality

322

Endurance

355

Intelligence

406

Willpower

392

Charisma

21

Luck

12

Besides the few levels and stat increase he had managed to acquire one new passive skill.

Overlords Resilience

Passive Skill

Heightens the resistance to almost all forms of mental attacks and lowers the willpower required to resist them.

It was a nice addition to his passives and seemed to help out during stressful situations. It looked to be an all-encompassing skill that boosted his resistance to anything that would attack his mind. This probably included magical attacks as well as ones through other skills or concoctions. Perhaps if he had this skill before entering the hut, he could have resisted the strange paralysis he suffered.

‘Interesting… but what now?’

The gravity of the situation that he had been through started to set in. He had just destroyed a whole platoon of knights and three Knight Commander-level enemies. Their bodies were sinking into the swamp and would be soon erased. However, he didn’t fool himself into believing that this event wouldn’t reach others. Some knights had escaped during the chase and some others were probably stationed above ground. Once he left the dungeon, they would be there to confirm that he was still alive.

‘There is no way those Baskerville bastards won’t know that I did everything here…’

Roland started thinking, was there a way to spin the outcome in his favor? Perhaps he could claim that the supposed tier 4 spiritualist came to his aid and took care of the trio. However, he had already made his recording technology known and it clearly showcased that he had been the one doing the slaying. If it ever came to a confrontation in the noble court, he would have no way of getting away from the situation

To make things worse Professor Ulfine was one of them and her fate was unknown to him. He did not know what Fortuna would do to Ulfine and he was in no position to ask the old woman for it. At most, he could go to the Headmistress to inquire about the woman’s fate. If for some reason she was let go, then it wouldn’t be strange if she reported to the Baskervilles who contracted her.

He was now between a rock and a hard place. One hit on his life had already been carried out and he had no reason to believe that those people would stop. He would probably be thoroughly investigated by his new enemies, which could even end up in Albrook. His identity was in real jeopardy now as he had made his power known. Then to make things even worse, there was his little sister who was in the middle of this whole mess.

‘Things are getting out of hand, what should I do?’

For the time being he believed that he would be safe for some time. It wasn’t plausible for the Baskerville knights to go directly after him after failing so miserably. The same could be said for his sister. He could use this time to prepare for the worst but what could he do? The only people that he could think of were Arion, Thorne, and perhaps the Headmistress. If he could get more help from them, then perhaps they could take care of Lucienne in his absence.

Now that he had all this research material, he could try to make a prototype prosthesis, the true reason that he was here. Once back in Albrook, he would be mostly safe as even the Castellane house wouldn’t dare to send assassins into the Valerian territory. The only loose end would be his sister and what would happen when he was gone.

First and foremost, he needed to check on his sister, Lucienne. Despite the chaos surrounding him, her well-being remained his top priority. Professor Ernas left with all the other students to let him analyze the ‘anomaly’. He wondered how he should explain this issue to the man who was probably tasked by Delauder to observe him. For all he knew, they were all in on it.

‘She could be in danger, I need to return.’

Having remains of the knights in his spatial bags would probably make things only harder to explain so he decided to leave the non-devoured equipment alone. It was nothing that he couldn’t recreate himself so it was not worth the hassle. Their bodies would soon vanish from here without a trace, so it didn’t matter that much.

He had previously taken his own dimensional shield back from within the swamp area and quickly ordered his golems to return to it. After around five minutes he was ready to leave he could only hope that his sister was indeed safe and that Ernas wasn’t another mercenary for the Castellane’s. Thus with a quickened pace, he made his way through the swamp that was surprisingly devoid of adventurers.

As he arrived at the stairs going up his mind was abuzz with multiple countermeasures. The encounter was fresh in his mind and he hadn’t fully recovered from the clash with the three Knight Commander class enemies. His armor had also been damaged and the runes on it had slightly deteriorated. If another enemy of the same caliber was waiting above ground, then he would have his work cut out for him.

I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

[User]
Write Chapter 445 – Surf’s Up
Target length: ~2900 words
Key events: dungeon content

[Assistant]
Please check out my new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] I hope you give it a try, it's still just starting so be sure to follow it if you like to wait for the chapters to build up. It might have a slow start for some, but all my stories have :D

After taking a deep breath, Roland ascended the stairs cautiously, his senses heightened, and his eyes glued to his minimap. Every step was a planned motion and he was readying himself for resistance once he arrived at the next destination. The path leading out of this dungeon was devoid of any signs of life. It was clear that every adventurer had fled due to the ensuing confrontation between him and the knight trio.

Roland was afraid that the confrontation wasn't entirely concluded. Once he arrived outside the dungeon, another assault might be imminent. A large group of knights and adventurers might have been waiting for him, with an order to end the mission that Cerberus had failed. However, as he neared the exit, a wave of relief washed over him. To his surprise, the dots on his map painted a different picture.

“Hm… those don’t look like soldiers, did they flee? or did they hire more adventurers?”

Once he was close to the exit he noticed a lot of dots on his minimap. It reminded him of the old Lich incident, when the dungeon had been evacuated and left many adventurers lingering outside the entrance. Despite the abundance of dots, they belonged to weaker individuals, many of whom were mere tier 1 class holders, not something he would ever worry about.

He expected something like a coordinated attack but there were too many prying eyes out there. There was a reason that he had been ambushed inside a swamp dungeon with limited visibility. Even though he was up against knights and nobility, they still couldn’t directly assassinate faculty members from a magical Institute. It seemed that they decided to do the sensible thing to pull their forces back, at least that’s how it looked at this moment.

‘What should I do…’

Roland asked himself while getting ready to make his way outside the dungeon. The individuals outside were mostly tier 1 class holders but there were some stronger groups. They were more than likely platinum adventurers and for those he needed to look out for. Eventually, he steeled his resolve and finally emerged before the large group of people who instantly noticed his arrival.

“Hey look, someone is coming out?”

“That robe, is that person with the mage school or something?”

“Then what’s with that suit of armor underneath… and why is his visor glowing?”

Once he was outside the people started whispering. His identity was obvious to the others as he had put on the Institute robe again. However, he was stuck scanning the area with his skills which left his helmet visor glowing and prompted some of the onlookers to back away. Yet, some pressed forward, a group of tier 3 class holders, likely platinum adventurers judging by their equipment.

Roland remained calm, his demeanor composed despite the tense atmosphere. He knew that any sudden movements or signs of aggression could escalate the situation further, and he had no desire for unnecessary conflict. His eyes scanned the approaching group that was composed of multiple tier 3 holders who didn’t have any notable strengths. They reminded him of the group involved with Rastix, not anyone who could threaten him.

“A mage from the institute? Could you enlighten us on what kept you there for so long? The dungeon has been sealed due to an unusual monster spawn…”

“...”

Roland didn’t reply as he took in the information of this group of five. It seemed the disturbance in the dungeon was attributed to a rare monster appearance, something similar to what transpired when the Lich appeared in Albrook. They were even in the process of creating a makeshift wall with large logs to keep the dungeon sealed. Perhaps later his death would have been attributed to the rare monster spawn.

‘They must be working with the guild or at least someone that can force a fake report…’

It was obvious what was happening here, and he had to give it to the Baskerville family who prepared a plausible alibi. A seemingly strong mage like him would not go down without a fight. This dungeon was rated as something that had strong tier 3 creatures on the lower levels and if an anomaly appeared, it would potentially be able to dispose of him.

One man approached him, he seemed to be the leader of this group of Platinum adventurers and could potentially be in on the whole grift. However, it could be one of the higher-ups like the city’s Guild Master. There was no telling who was his enemy or ally in this situation, so it was better to treat them all as the former.

“Move…”

“What?”

“I said move.”

Runic suppression was activated by him to weigh down on the lesser tier 3 class holders. This skill was quite handy when going with the ‘might makes right’ approach. While he wasn’t a fan of it and had usually found himself on the receiving end of such suppression, he understood its utility in situations like this. The platinum adventurers, now under the effect of his runic suppression, seemed to struggle. While they could resist it to an extent, they were below him in strength and this skill was there to showcase it.

“Wha- What is this? What are you doing, we just w-wanted…”

The leader of the group stumbled back, clearly caught off guard by Roland's sudden use of such a skill. To make things worse a ball of crackling energy appeared in his hand to make the situation even more dire. It was clear that there was no room for talking here and the five started to quickly spread out.

“Hmph.”

After snorting audibly, Roland took advantage of their confusion and swiftly made his way past them. His eyes were stuck to his minimap as he scanned the surroundings for any other threats. The lesser adventurers were already stumbling back, terrified of a potential fight breaking out between tier 3 class holders. It was quite the sight which made him look like the villain but he didn’t care, he needed to get back to the city to check on his sister.

It was a strange feeling, he had mostly lived his new life here in fear of potential repercussions. Even now pushing these platinum adventurers away without an explanation felt a bit surreal. However, the truth was obvious as the problem had been resolved instantly. Everyone was scared of the strange unknown mage and unwilling to confront him. He was able to easily move through the group that spread out to the sides.

‘... I could get used to this… but, I’m sure they will report this to their Guild Master.’

While it was true that this could cause an incident later, there was no time to lose. He needed to get back into Hazelfront. Professor Ernas was with the students and he wasn’t sure if he could be trusted. While he didn’t spot any lesser knights at this location there was a possibility that they were up to no good in the city, so he needed to hurry.

‘Should I try that?’

The dungeon was near the city but it still took around half an hour to get there. If he buffed himself and started running then he would probably cut the time down to ten minutes but there was another way. Instead of following the winding path back, there was an option to go back in a straight line, if he moved from above.

It would undoubtedly be faster than navigating through the winding paths of the swamp, but it also came with its own set of dangers. He had been slowly delving into flight technology by examining flying ships and books regarding this issue. There was one tool that he could use to propel himself forward without relying on his armor.

There were many complications when attempting to use his armor for pure flight. Constantly using the floatation spell and another propulsion spell was quite draining. Then there was also the issue with landing and keeping balance. However, there was one way to do it that seemed plausible and the idea came to him when he observed the floating platforms in the institute. Getting his hands on the design wasn’t that difficult and after going over the runic code, he managed to adapt it.

‘I guess if I fall down then I’ll just run the rest of the way…’

Eventually, he concluded that it was probably better to just go for it. The people at the dungeon entrance would probably also try to follow him, so putting as much distance between them as possible was crucial. Thus, it was time to use his shield once more. It was quite thick, large, and something that he could easily stand on even with his armor on.

After placing it down on the ground the large mithril shield started glowing and slowly rising into the air. It was a somewhat awkward ascension and at first, he had some balancing issues with the shield tipping almost over to one side. But Roland quickly adjusted his stance, finding his equilibrium as the shield lifted him higher into the air.

‘The balance seems to be in order…’

From his back plate emerged exactly three of his floating cubes. They slowly floated under the shield and attached themselves to it through means of magical magnetism. With them in the back, it was ready to attempt his sky surfing attempt. Soon the cubes started glowing red and produced enough propulsion to push him forward.

“Hey, what is he doing?”

“Quick we need to…”

Behind him, the group he strong-armed had finally arrived. They were just in time to see red magical flames appear from behind the shield that jolted him forward. Due to their involvement, he lost a bit of his concentration and almost tipped over. However, after stretching his arms to the sides and using his palms to shoot out bursts of air, he managed to stabilize himself on his flying shield.

As Roland soared through the sky, he couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration mixed with a tinge of anxiety. This was his first time attempting such a feat, and the idea of falling into the depths below was not a comforting thought. However, he pushed those concerns aside and focused on maintaining balance which wasn’t such an easy feat. Only if he concentrated was he able to keep himself steady but eventually his speed began to increase.

‘I should install a speedometer on this next time… how fast am I even going?’

Despite not knowing his exact speed, Roland could tell that he was moving significantly faster than he would have on foot. The wind whipped past him, ruffling his robes while his armor kept him safe from the strong winds. For a moment he forgot why he was speeding towards the city as the world from above looked beautiful. He could see everything zooming beneath him, a long winding river cut through the landscape. The lush greenery of the surrounding forest and the city of Hazelfront that he was quickly approaching.

‘I can’t get distracted by the view, I’m not here to test out new prototypes.’

As he approached the outskirts of the city, Roland began to slow down, gradually decreasing the propulsion from his floating cubes. He wanted to land safely and if it was possible with some discretion. However, once he approached the city gates he noticed many people looking up at the strange sky surfing armored man.

‘If it’s like this…’

His previous plan had been to land near some trees where no one could spot him and then approach the city gate without making a fuss. The topography of this place was mostly unknown to him and he was too focused on steering his new creation, which exposed him to some onlookers. The robe that he was wearing over his suit of armor was clearly from the institute, thus under this guise, he decided to just continue flying forward. The institute was highly regarded within this city and he assumed that no one would stop a flying mage.

As Roland approached the city gates, he could see the guards looking up to see what the commotion was. Their expressions were a mix of confusion but also awe. The unconventional mode of transportation was probably nothing that anyone here had ever seen. With his robe fluttering in the wind and his armor gleaming beneath, he was not stopped or even shouted at, something that he had expected.

Instead, the guards scrambled to make way for his approach, uncertain how to react to his unexpected arrival. Roland had lowered his speed which allowed him to stand up straight. He attempted to seem like an imposing mage who didn’t have a care in the world. As long as he made it seem that he was allowed to do this, then he knew that these people wouldn’t react.

Roland slowly passed through the upper side of the gates while trying not to make eye contact with some archers on the guard towers. Then eventually he started to descend in an attempt to make a proper landing. With a soft thud, he finally landed just outside the gates, his shield gently settling onto the cobblestone street.

For a moment, the city fell silent as its inhabitants stared in wonder at the mysterious mage who had descended from the sky. Their eyes darted to the strange shield he was standing on and bulged out once strange floating cubes moved into his backplate, seemingly disappearing into nothingness. Roland, without uttering a word, used his mage hand spell to slowly take the shield from the ground and quickly slipped towards the bustling streets of Hazelfront.

‘Well… everyone saw that so I bet it won’t take long for everyone to become aware of my presence… I need to find Lucienne.’

Once inside the city, he started to blend into the crowd. When his armor wasn’t glowing he didn’t look much different than any other eccentric adventurer. His destination was clear as the small spider drone was still in his sister’s possession. It had not been destroyed which meant that she was probably safe. While he didn’t know this city, maneuvering through it wasn’t that hard, and eventually, he arrived at his next destination,

‘This is? A restaurant?’

To his surprise, once he was there he found him before an expensive-looking building. seemed to be a high-end restaurant, with polished wooden doors and large glass windows. The sign above the entrance bore the name “The Golden Goblet”. It was a place Roland had heard of before and it was known for its exquisite cuisine and elegant atmosphere.

‘This place… Think Ernas mentioned it before…’

Without thinking much he stepped forward, his map quickly searching through the database to identify the mana patterns inside. To no surprise, he was picking up all the students along with other faculty members from the Institute. They were all in this singular building but before entering through these polished doors, he needed to handle the bouncer.

“Ah… you must be from the Institute, please come in.”

“...”

He just nodded as the burly-looking man identified him by his mage robe. Once the doors were opened he stepped through to arrive inside the lavish interior of The Golden Goblet. The atmosphere was sophisticated yet inviting, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the finely decorated space. The aroma of delicious food wafted through the air as he tried to ignore it to find his sister.

As he made his way deeper into the restaurant, he noticed several familiar faces among the patrons. Professors and students alike were scattered throughout, engaged in lively conversations or enjoying their meals. Roland's gaze settled on a group of students sitting at a table near the back, their laughter filling the air. It was Lucienne who was together with her two friends Atasuna and Marlein.

‘I guess, I was worried for nothing…’

It finally dawned on him that there was nothing to worry about. It seemed that Professor Ernas had just brought everyone here and was spending the Institute's funds on lavish food and drink. A sense of relief washed over him as he saw everyone safe and sound. However, this was not the end of everything. There was a lot of explaining left to do and judging by the signals from outside this place, someone more formidable was approaching.

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[User]
Write Chapter 446 – Friends In High Places.
Target length: ~3000 words
Key events: dungeon content

[Assistant]
Please check out my new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] I hope you give it a try, it's still just starting so be sure to follow it if you like to wait for the chapters to build up. It might have a slow start for some, but all my stories have :D

All seemed well as Roland spotted his sister nestled in a corner with her friends, indulging in some overpriced delicacies. Ernas on the other hand was a level above, sitting in something that resembled a private booth. It was hard to see from Roland’s current vintage point, but the man indulged in some fun with unknown women. Presumably, it was to fill the void left by Ulfine’s departure. While relief washed over him seeing everyone safe and sound, Roland couldn't shake the feeling that the ordeal was far from over.

‘Are they the Baskerville knights, or an entirely different faction?’

One individual within the group caught Roland's attention, their level was notably higher than his own. While he was not a tier 4 class holder, he surpassed the trio he had faced earlier. To make things worse, he was not alone. There were multiple other tier 3 class holders of lesser levels, which together would pose a threat even to someone like him. His armor had been damaged and restored which lessened its quality already, if another fight broke out, he wasn’t sure of the outcome.

‘I should probably relax, even if they are bought out by the Baskervilles, they will probably not attack a Professor from the Institute.’

With this thought in mind, Roland took a moment to compose himself before approaching not his sister’s table, but the one where Ernas was. While the man would probably not help him, he had an item that could allow him to get out of this predicament without a fight breaking out. His current goal was to quickly return to the institute as staying in this city for another week was not the best idea.

After making his way up the stairs, he was hit in the nose by a sweet scent. It permeated the upper area of this restaurant and laughter echoed through it. The moment he arrived here, he knew that this place was nothing a child should be in. That Ernas decided to come here with his students was questionable, to say the least. There were even red curtains dividing the booths up here, with alluring noises coming from many.

‘I shouldn’t be surprised, they let me go into a dungeon when I was just ten…’

As Roland approached Ernas's booth, he noticed the man engrossed in conversation with the women accompanying him. They were laughing and chatting, seemingly oblivious to the world around them. Roland hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. He wasn't particularly fond of Ernas, but he needed his help. After clearing his throat, Roland spoke up, trying to catch Ernas's attention amidst the loud chatter.

“Professor Ernas, may I have a word with you?”

Ernas turned towards Roland, a look of mild surprise but also annoyance crossed his features. He was together with two human women, both quite charming but more than likely, escorts.

“Ah, Assistant Professor… What brings you here? Have you already resolved that anomaly? If so, would you mind taking the students back to the Inn? It’s probably already too late to continue the advancement classes for today.”

The ladies laughed as Ernas continued to smile at them and rest his hands on their hips. It was clear that this person didn’t want to continue his conversation with Roland, instead opting to continue his day of entertainment. Which would probably turn into a nightly encounter if he was left to his own devices.

He was wearing his helmet so his expression of disdain was hidden. Ernas’ dismissive attitude was quite maddening and he wished to do nothing less than to smack that grin off his face. However, he knew he had to maintain his composure as his next plan wouldn’t truly work without this man’s help.

“I’m afraid there’s been a somewhat unfortunate incident within the dungeon, Professor.”

“An unfortunate incident? Can’t you take care of it yourself?”

“That will be hard, we will need to cancel the advancement classes and we need to contact the Institute immediately.”

“You want us to do what? Preposterous!”

The response was what he expected, Roland was just a new assistant professor with no real power. This man also belonged to Delauder’s department which he had a feud with. Roland took a deep breath, trying to maintain his patience despite Ernas's dismissive attitude

“Professor Ernas, I understand your reluctance, but the situation in the dungeon is more serious than I initially thought. There's a possibility of danger not only to our students but also to the city itself. We need to act quickly and inform the Institute about what transpired…”

Ernas scoffed, waving his hand dismissively as if brushing off Roland's concerns like pesky flies.

“Nonsense! You're overreacting, Assistant Professor. What do you exactly want me to do? Call the Headmistress? First off…”

Before Ernas could berate him and prod for information concerning this incident, Roland interjected.

“Yes, that exactly, let us inform the Headmistress, she probably already knows what has happened!”

“She knows? What happened, exactly?”

The moment the Headmistress was mentioned, Ernas started to straighten up.

“That doesn’t matter, you need to contact the Institute and for that, we need the transmission tool that you have.”

This was the crux of the problem. Ernas owned a special communication device that could even contact the Headmistress's office directly. It was given to the leader of this academic expedition. If something out of the ordinary happened, he was given the right to call up forces from the Institute that could aid them if something bad happened. Usually, it was used to contact someone in a higher position to ask for instructions whenever something unique transpired.

In this case, Roland wanted to contact the Headmistress who would be able to order them to return. During the incident with the Spiritualist, he didn’t have an opportunity to talk things through and it didn’t seem that she had reached out to Ernas. The man would probably contact someone else like Delauder or the Vice-Headmaster, who could turn down his plea to postpone things here.

“Hey, what do you think you are doing?”

“Hm? Was that downstairs?”

Before this conversation could be concluded, the people from outside the restaurant finally decided to show themselves. A commotion broke out a level below, one of the other faculty members was shouting at someone. Roland could see that the dots that had been standing outside, had moved inside, at least the tier 3 class holders. The rest encircled the whole establishment as if they were trying to apprehend a criminal.

As Roland peered down from the upper level of the restaurant, he could not see any familiar faces. These men were not part of the Baskerville knights, nor did they seem as part of any particular force, they were clearly adventurers. Their strongest member was a large man with unkempt hair and a bushy beard. It wasn’t hard to identify who he was as he wore the symbol of the adventurers guild on his clothes.

‘That’s probably the Guild Master of this city, he seems to be around the same level as Aurdhan…’

There was a reason why they were here and it was him. He could only assume that either one of the knights that escaped ratted him out or that they were on the Castellane payroll.

However, Roland couldn't afford the risk of falling into the hands of these individuals. The consequences of capture were too unpredictable as he couldn't predict what they might do to him and his sister in his absence.

“Professor Ernas, we need that…”

“It can wait, what is all of this shouting, someone give me an explanation.”

Before he could wrestle that device out of Ernas, the man charged out of his booth. It was clear that he had identified the voice of the person and he was part of his department. Roland could only give out a sigh and walk after him hoping that this whole thing wouldn’t escalate any further.

As Roland followed Ernas downstairs, he found chaos unfolding. The faculty member who had been shouting was now in a heated argument with the adventurers who had entered the restaurant. The Guild Master stood at the forefront, his imposing presence commanding attention.

“What's going on here?”

The man who seemed to be the adventurer guild master moved forward. Around him were other armed men who were probably all Platinum Adventurers. They had their hands near their weaponry and were quite ready to attack. Roland hoped that this wouldn’t escalate into anything as there were many underaged students around them. With powerful magic involved, it was very dangerous for the children that were low leveled.

“We received reports of a disturbance in the dungeon nearby. Witnesses claim to have seen a mage emerging from the dungeon.”

It was clear that they were here for Roland and all of them were gazing in his direction. Ernas followed their gaze and instantly identified their target which was Roland. However, to his surprise, the words that left his mouth were not what he expected.

“A disturbance? Surely there must be some mistake. My students and I were merely enjoying a meal. I assure you, no one from the Institute has been involved in any such incident, and even if they were, what of it?”

The Guild Master narrowed his eyes, clearly unsatisfied by the answer he had received. Roland expected Ernas to rat him out instantly but it seemed that this man was similar to nobles. Even if they had issues with each other, they would band against common threats. In this case, it was mages from a prestigious school going against adventurers who were nothing more than ruffians in their eyes.

“I don't buy it, ‘Professor’ “

Replied the adventurer leader in a mocking tone.

“We have credible witnesses who saw him leaving the dungeon. Some people have gone missing, we just want to… ask him some questions, don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”

Ernas was not pleased and quickly retorted while trying to keep an authoritative air around him. Roland wasn’t sure why he was so adamant about this but at least he wasn’t budging.

“Who do you think that you are to be ordering me around, Adventurer?”

As the standoff escalated, Roland realized that it was perhaps better to diffuse this situation before it spiraled out of control. These men were in a sense doing their job and were probably being backed by some nobles. Each side felt that their side had more power and without the leaders of each side intervening directly, no one would probably budge.

The people that were stuck in here were starting to panic. Whenever tier 3 class holders and above argued, they would increase the pressure, similar to Roland’s suppression skill. All the exits were being blocked as well, so fleeing was not an option either. To resolve this situation, some more drastic measures needed to be taken.

“Hey, what are you?”

“Just let me use this…”

This city’s guild master had an oversized sword instead of an axe and he quickly went for it. Roland decided to do something more drastic and activated the communication bracelet that Ernas was wearing. It was attuned to the man’s mana pattern but getting through enchantments was something that he had already specialized in.

“Let go of my hand, what are you doing?”

“Just stay still for a moment so we can resolve this…huh?”

While Roland intended to go through the magical locks and activate the device, it sprung to life on its own accord. It produced a cone of light that shot up and within it, a figure started to appear. This magical artifact worked similarly to Roland’s holographic devices and could also produce the image of the person on the other side.

“Assistant Professor Wayland and… Profesor Ernas…”

“H-headmistress… I didn’t want to… this hoodlum forced me to…”

The artifact was meant for emergencies and a person holding it would be punished if they used it without a proper reason. It was for this reason that Ernas was panicking as it was given to him for safekeeping. The magical image of the Headmistress appeared before them, her expression stern but focused not on the man who was panicking but Roland instead.

“Assistant Professor Wayland, I forgot to ask you about a few things but first let us resolve this issue.”

Roland planned to either contact the Headmistress or someone high-ranking enough to have the issue with Ernas resolved. He did not expect the Institute leader to activate it from her end, it was as if she knew the exact right moment to intervene.

“Of course, Headmistress…”

She talked while the adventures surrounded her holograph-like image. At first, it seemed that they would charge forward but once they saw the person that they were talking to, they were forced to stop. Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry was located quite close to this dungeon city and the visage of their leader was quite known. Yavenna Arvandus or the Lady of Thorns that many called her, was someone that people feared within the whole Kingdom.

“These gentlemen must be…”

She turned towards the adventurers who seemed like they were ready for some action. Luckily, their leader had some sense and quickly raised his hand to stop them.

“They are adventurers from the guild and are investigating the recent dungeon irregularity.”

Replied Roland while Ernas seemed surprised that his lesser co-worker was managing to speak to the Headmistress in such a relaxed tone.

“Mhm, bring me over to them.”

“...”

Roland along with Yavenna paused for a moment before Ernas realized that this was the cue for him to start moving. The bracelet was still stuck to his arm and the technology wasn’t too perfect. There was a need to bring it closer for her to hear the replies of the adventurers.

“Ah, of course, Headmistress!”

Ernas finally complied, albeit reluctantly, and moved closer to the group of adventurers.

“Young man, you seem to be in charge.”

“Young man? I mean, yes?”

Replied the Guild Master in a confused fashion as he looked like a man in his early sixties. However, he was talking with someone who was an elf who could very well be many times their senior.

“There seems to have been an issue inside your dungeon that concerns one of the members from my institute. Worry not, I will personally question the person involved in this matter and inform you of our findings. In the meantime, I ask for your cooperation and patience.”

The Guild Master exchanged a glance with his companions and was clearly not happy about the statement. Roland wasn’t sure if his plan was the right one but it seemed that the Headmistress was on his side. He expected the proud mages to wish to resolve matters in their own way and behind closed doors. While he would be questioned letter, it was better if it happened at the Institute than here.

“Wait, you can’t expect us to just be fine with this?”

“I can’t? Do I have to remind you of your position, Guild Master?”

The Guild Master was not pleased by how this situation was turning out but the Headmistress didn’t seem too concerned and instantly shot him down before turning back to the two professors.

“Professor Ernas, Assistant Professor Wayland. Return to the institute, the advancement classes will be continued inside our training grounds and when you return… Assistant Professor Wayland, report to my office, immediately. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Headmistress.”

Roland replied, his voice firm and respectful. Ernas, who had been visibly flustered by the sudden appearance of his boss, was quick to follow up.

“Yes, Headmistress, right away.”

With that, the holographic image of the Headmistress dissipated, leaving Roland, Ernas, and the group of adventurers standing in the tense atmosphere of the restaurant. The Guild Master grumbled something under his breath, clearly unhappy with the turn of events. However, he knew better than to challenge the authority of the Headmistress of Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry. He could only glare at Roland who just stood there and recorded the man’s mana pattern for further use.

“Let’s go…”

Eventually, the adventurers exited the restaurant and the tension started to dissipate. The students began whispering and some of the patrons that had been stuck here started to quickly leave. Roland’s eyes remained on his mini-map as he wasn’t sure if these people would just give up like this.

“Wayland!”

“Hm?”

However, his thoughts were interrupted by Ernas who for an obvious reason, was sweating quite profusely.

“What are you waiting for? We need to get back to the Institute!”

The man wasn’t even interested in hearing about what happened to Professor Ulfine. Instead, he urged everyone in the restaurant to gather up and the other faculty members to count the students before departing. It seemed that he was unwilling to make the Headmistress wait for even a millisecond.

‘Things worked themselves out but… I still need to report to the Headmistress.”

His sister was safe and they were going to return to the Institute soon. With Yavenna Arvandus’ name protecting them, there wouldn’t be many who dared to stop them. Yet, it was he who was tasked with making the report, not Ernas. It was evident that her assistance wouldn't come without a price tag attached and it was something that he needed to prepare for.

Please check out my new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] I hope you give it a try, it's still just starting so be sure to follow it if you like to wait for the chapters to build up. It might have a slow start for some, but all my stories have :D

Thank you for reading!

Don't forget to follow, favorite.