The Runic Alchemist

Damian put down the two blocks of stone after returning from the city gate to the camp where they had begun doing this from. Sam was also with him. The people who managed to do this before them were mainly pugilists and some other exceptional kids, 40 in total. They stood together as a group and watched as others struggled to carry the stone back with various tricks and techniques.

At last when the 100th kid came in the camp the second ranker pugilist captain stopped the test and told everyone to gather regardless of their results. After some discussion amongst themselves the three captains of this newly formed unit announced the names who had passed for the second test.

The first hundreds were unquestionably there as promised but many others who tried using good spells or were just a few meters away in dragging or lifting the stone block to the camp also passed, recognizing their efforts. It was good to see that it was not about passing the test at all cost instead the way one does it was also recognized as a good effort.

In total some 170 were selected and 30 something were told to try again some other day. Damian did not know whether they changed the tests everyday or not but it was a simple task so there wasn't much to do as preparations.

Then the mage captain came forward and explained the next test they were going to do. Now things were getting more complex. The first test was more like it was made for pugilist and by the description of this second test it seemed more of a brain teaser than body flexing type.

The mage captain coughed twice to get everyone's attention then pointing to the side where some soldiers had a strange bracers in their hands which they showed to the group he spoke up,

"I am Royce of the Kalaredium mage academy and captain in this unit. The things I showed you are a runic tools to create a shield. Not everyone on the battlefield has these costly tools but many do. For your test you will form a 10 man team and your goal will be to destroy the fruit safe behind this shield. You cannot go around the shield or anywhere near 10 meters of it.

Weapons of all kinds are allowed. Remember the goal is to destroy or cut down the fruit."

Now this one was pretty clever one. Even if most people knew basic spells they won't get past the shield unless it was something they could make it go above it which again required proficiency in control of the spell. Damian doubted anyone had mastered aura blade here but pugilists could send their aura and spirit punch to break the shield.

Damian pitied the Spellswords, they were dealt the worst hand here.

Damian got Sam and picked any random 8 people nearby. Damian had managed to do good in first test so people had no complaints and readily accepted to be in their team, Sam had pissed some people off but that was not that big a deal to people who just wanted to pass the test and enlist in the army.

Once everyone had formed teams, the soldiers were also finished with their preparations in which they activated the shield and left the tool on the chair behind which was an apple like green fruit. There was also a line drawn on the ground which they were not to cross no matter what.

Damian and his group got into the position and after the test started they just looked at their target like many others. Some pugilists had already started punching away and making a lot of noise but mages and Spellswords were just observing and thinking a most efficient solution that would do the job.

"Can't we just blast the shield with the combination of those blade spells..?" Sam asked from besides Damian while looking at the shield which was just solid thick air.

Damian was fascinated by the thing. He had already seen the runic circle forming the shield and hurriedly copied it down when the soldiers were preparing it. When the mage captain was busy explaining the rules. There were many ways Damian could do this but he didn't want to reveal his weird spells to people so a normal solution was required.

"We will run out of mana.. Basic spells won't do.." A mage in their team said while looking intently at the shield.

"A combination of punches and spell should work... No..? At least they will see our effort.." A pugilist guy said and some other pugilists and Spellswords nodded. Mages were hesitating though and still trying to think of a solution.

"What is the spell that all our mages know..?" Damian asked.

Everyone looked at him then after a while ending the a prolonged silence one mage said,

"Fire ball.."

"Air blade" Another joined.

"Fire ball"

"Water ball"

"Fire ball"

Damian looked at the two guys who had said air blade and water ball and asked,

"Can you guys do fire ball..?"

"Hmmhphh.. Of course.."

"It's the most basic spell.. Little one.. But it won't do. Even if we all do it together."

"It won't if we do it randomly, but combining it and pointing it in one single spot will break it enough for us to destroy the target.." Damian explained.

"Combine..?"

"Is this guy insane..?"

"It could be done if someone uses mana thread to manipulate all our spells... and we give him authority.."

"Exactly! impossible.."

"What is it that we got to lose..? If I fail only one fire ball spell will be wasted... Which we will be wasting anyway in blasting the thing.." Damian reasoned.

"Are you saying that you can do it..?" The guy who explained the method before looked at Damian with doubt in his eyes.

Damian had noticed the guy before too. He came with the stone at the very end with a water whip spell tying the stone with it and dragging it. He must have used up a lot of his mana, but it was commendable that he managed his mana so well which lasted for such a long time.

"What was your name again..?" Damian asked.

"Yovan" The teenage boy said. He looked 15 or 16 at most.

"Yovan, My friend, all a man can do is try.. Right..?"

"Uhm.. I guess one spell won't cost much..." He said looking away.

"Well then, let's do it.. Pugilists stay ready to punch through the opening and destroy the target.." Damian said to all. Some nodded, some just ignored him. Most just smiled finding the situation amusing. Damian didn't really need them but it was necessary to look like a normal guy for anyone watching and keeping an eye on them.

Spreading out just behind the line drawn. All mages and Spellswords took position and pugilists stood behind them. Some Spellswords could also do fire ball so Damian had added them too. All in all 6 were doing the spell Damian one handling it and two pugilist behind them. Damian stood in the middle and nodded once lightly. All around him chanting started and red runic circle started to take shape.

Before the circles could fully form and the fireballs could be transformed from the raw mana Damian extended 6 mana threads and controlled the aim and the parameters of the spell, just leaving the mana input to the user.

It was only possible because they were giving him authority over their spell, otherwise doing this without authority was so hard Damian could use up all of his mana and wouldn't succeed no matter what. But with authority this spell was his to manipulate as he wished. And the best part, this wouldn't even look suspicious to anyone, good mana control was considered talent but not a bloodline one.

It was a sign of a good mage and high intelligence.

Damian made all 6 fire ball concentrate in one thin beam of blinding hot fire, increasing intensity and speed a bit too. The people around him stopped chanting and just focused on releasing mana.

Six laser like hot beams of fire launched from besides Damian and crashed into the thick air shield, slowly but surely melting it down and making a big enough hole in it, with pugilist unleashing their punches Damian also changed the trajectory and burned the green fruit to charcoal.

Only after that did he release the spell and the people around him fell on their knees breathing heavily while looking at the hole in the shattered air shield and Damian who did not even sweat one drop.

Damian looked around himself it seemed like they were the only team that passed the test yet. Damian observed others who were spamming the spells on the shield or using weird angles to somehow reach their target, all of which had just started though. They had finished a bit too early.

Damian had trained his hearing to be exceptional and he could notice sounds and voices from pretty far away, admitted not using the ability in a noisy city had made him dull but he still picked up the words that were said from some distance away behind his back where the three captains were standing together and observing the children taking tests.

"Did you see that..? That kid just used mana thread to combine 6 spells..!!"

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