The Runesmith

Chapter 727 – Golem Finals Start.

“Did I overdo it? Maybe I should have let them have more fun…”

Roland thought to himself after watching the energetic group disappear down the stone corridor. Their noisy footsteps slowly faded, leaving him alone in the quiet briefing room. He reached up and removed the portable screen he had placed there, storing it in his spatial rune along with the holographic map he had presented.

He looked at the cubes for a moment, which reminded him of an old model he had once created for Arthur. Now, the technology had advanced so much that it could fit into his pocket without requiring many moving parts. It was a testament to how far he had progressed.

‘I’d still rather get back to my workshop, though… Just a few more days and it’s over.’

Teaching teenagers was far more exhausting than crafting high-tier runic gear. When he was forging armor or inscribing intricate magical circuits, the materials reacted logically. They followed rigid laws, ones that he could predict. Youthful students, on the other hand, were unpredictable, impulsive, and far too prone to emotional outbursts.

Because of this, he always found himself pushing for a fast resolution, speaking quickly and cramming in as much material as he thought they could handle. The rest was reinforced through notes, which he could write almost as quickly as a printer at this point.

The addition of the mana storm made things much more complicated, but it also reminded him of the times when he had lived in his old world. Back then, he had played several games based around the battle royale concept, where the map gradually constricted around the players to force them into confrontation. The concept here was remarkably similar, and this was one of those rare cases where wasting countless hours playing games had actually paid off.

In the notebooks he had given them, he had included various tactics that should potentially work, considering how similar the situation was. One of the main tactics was to avoid high traffic areas where too many teams were likely to gather, or at least be prepared for another group to attack after hearing a fight break out. It was one of the most annoying experiences he had encountered in those games, winning a confrontation only to be shot in the back by a new team that had arrived afterward.

‘I should probably get going. The golem fight will begin before the treasure hunt, but they’ll be spacing out the matches, so we should finish around the same time.’

The treasure hunt was one of, if not the most popular event of the convocation. It had been scheduled as the crowning jewel of the event and also awarded the most points to each school. It was possible for Starbloom to take the victory if they managed to win, and Roland knew those nobles would try something. This time, however, confrontation was inevitable, as there would be nowhere to hide. By the end, every treasure hunt team would have to confront the others.

Roland finished gathering his runic equipment and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, his heavy armored boots echoing against the stone walls. He glanced at his display. Xandar was still in the lead, though not by much. His bet with the Archmagus was seemingly in the bag.

He continued on his way. With the semifinals of the treasure hunt now over, a lot more people were out and about, making it much easier for him to place some of his sensors. He couldn’t activate them yet, though. They were more of a precaution for later, rigged to melt once he left this sanctuary. If anyone discovered them afterward, the consequences could be dire.

He eventually returned to the golem storage facility, where the Runic Mobile Armor stood waiting. There were a few repairs that needed to be made, but they were limited to the runes. The metal itself had held up remarkably well.

‘The only real wear is in the legs. Robert really likes to move around.’

He looked down at the lower body and feet of the machine. Even though the sword and flying drones were the more flashy aspects of the RMA, none of it would be possible without the solid foundation provided by its legs. There was also more to them than met the eye, something the other craftsmen had yet to notice.

“Good. It should be fine, but there are still three battles remaining.”

He moved over to the side, where the large box the golem had arrived in still stood. Inside were several replacement parts, another shield, a spare sword, and something that looked as though it had come from an entirely different world.

It was a type of weapon that did not truly exist in this world, at least not at this size. However, considering the specifications of the opponents he would be facing, it was possible that it would need to be added to the RMA's arsenal sooner rather than later.

Thus, it was time for a small upgrade to its equipment. Roland moved the weapon out himself, relying on his enhanced strength and magic. It was not something an ordinary person could hope to lift and would probably have required a crane to move in the modern world.

It would not be used as a primary weapon. Instead, it would be strapped to the RMA's back for the time being. If Robert needed to use it, he could switch to it during combat, or even abandon it entirely if the additional weight became a problem. It added another layer to his combat capabilities, though as a knight, Robert was not particularly experienced with this type of weapon.

‘It took him a while to get used to it, and he still isn't very good with it. The internal program should help him manage it, though.’

Roland muttered to himself as he secured the additional heavy mounting brackets to the back of the massive frame. A soft metallic click resonated through the quiet storage bay as the secondary locking pins engaged, instantly connecting the weapon to the golem's main mana conduit.

A long black barrel protruded from the back where Roland had attached the new piece of equipment. He fiddled with it for a moment, listening to the sounds of locking gears and metal scraping against metal. He applied oil to several points to prevent further friction before stepping back. With everything finally in place, he nodded.

“The ejection mechanism should be fine. Now for a proper field test.”

Heavy footsteps sounded near the entrance of the storage facility. The door slid open, revealing Robert wearing his pilot suit and helmet. The knight stopped in his tracks as his eyes fell upon the new addition strapped to the golem's back.

"Is that... what I think it is, Brother?"

Robert asked. His expression was hidden beneath the helmet, but the nervousness in his voice was unmistakable.

“Yes. I know you aren't used to it, but you'll need every advantage you can get.”

Roland moved closer and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

“Why don't you get inside and familiarize yourself with the system again? Make sure you can use it properly before the next battle. I expect the difficulty to increase from here on out. Only the best remain.”

He already knew which teams had managed to advance into the top eight. Ironspire Collegium was among them, as expected, and even Starbloom's golem had made it through.

Although Starbloom did not place much importance on this particular competition, their creation was still state of the art. Roland had a sinking suspicion that they would be their next opponents. Soon, he would discover that everything was proceeding exactly as he had expected.

This time around, it wouldn’t be random placements that no one was sure about. The event would be shown to more people, complete with a full bracket listing their next opponents. His gaze swept over to the Ironspire Collegium, which, unsurprisingly, sat at the top of the bracket with the number one beside their name. They, on the other hand, were right at the bottom with the number eight. That meant that if they won both of their next matches, they would meet that orb golem in the finals.

‘I thought so, and number seven is Starbloom. Someone has a skewed sense of humour.’

When it came to the current rivalries, Xandar and Starbloom were their main competition. Their points were close to each other, but Xandar was edging them out slightly. If their current rivals managed to win the golem competition, or at least knock them out before they could reach the finals, they would gain a significant number of points. If they did the same in the treasure hunt, it was possible for them to claim first place in the end. It was that close.

Roland looked up from the bracket projection on the screen and glanced back at his brother. The weapon mounted on the frame looked strange atop the sleek lines of the runic unit, yet the balance was there thanks to the counterweight he had added. Some of its speed would be lost, but it was a modular design that could be altered during combat depending on the situation.

"The match against Starbloom will begin in twenty minutes," Roland stated calmly.

At the same time, he brought up a detailed schematic of the enemy golem, complete with an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

"Their golem relies on its superior attacking power, mobility, and armour. Its pathfinding capabilities are also quite advanced. There aren’t many weaknesses in the design that you can exploit besides aiming for the usual targets. Then there is the high-output shield, which will protect it from the support drone’s armament. It might be best to use the other weapon first and whittle down the shield before engaging it in close combat."

Roland offered his advice, but most of it was up to Robert, who was piloting the Runic Mobile Armor. Even though he was given guidance on the screen, he always had the choice to ignore it. If the predictions failed, he would be the one who needed to adapt.

“I’ll see you at the arena. This time, it’s going to be a bit different from before. The layout will change, so you’ll also need to adapt to the environment.”

He said this while walking out of the golem storage area and heading toward the arena where the fight would take place. Previously, the matches had taken place in random arenas covered in either dirt or stone, allowing for little more than direct confrontations. This time, however, things would be different. Paying attention to the environment around them would be just as important as the opponent itself.

Soon, Roland arrived at the arena. It was larger than the previous ones, and the controller booth had been raised higher, overlooking an area filled with multiple large columns, boulders, broken logs, and other obstacles scattered throughout the battlefield.

It looked as though they were inside an old ruined temple that had collapsed over a thousand years ago, leaving behind overgrown fragments and scattered debris.

Nature had partially reclaimed the crumbling remains of the temple, wrapping thick vines around cracked pillars and hiding moss-covered roots between fallen flagstones. The environment was designed to restrict fast, linear movement, forcing the golems to maneuver with care rather than relying purely on brute force and speed.

That was one of the reasons he had implemented the new weapon. Moving in close enough to use the sword would be difficult in an environment like this.

Roland leaned over the railing of the elevated viewing stand, adjusting his focus as the opposing team entered from the opening platform in the ground. Starbloom Academy had pulled out all the stops for their construct.

This time, the golem was humanoid. Its armor was thick, similar to the general models they had already battled, but it had been enhanced to the absolute apex. This was the best golem money could buy, and it was clear that Starbloom had money to spend.

It had a sleek, dark frame, broad shoulders, and small mana cannons mounted on each one, both with a limited range of movement. The plating was thick and left barely any weak points. The torso was slightly pointed, designed so that thrusting attacks would be forcefully guided away from its vital points, similar to the way a suit of plate armor was constructed.

Its entire body was reinforced with numerous runic enchantments, many of which Roland doubted he could improve upon. It was clear that whoever had worked on it, or perhaps the team of runesmiths behind it, was exceptionally gifted. The outer dark shell pulsed with faint, visible runic traces. A shield was held in one hand, while a lance rested in the other as its primary weapon. It looked quite gallant, like a cavalry knight missing its horse.

Robert was next to arrive, the golems apparently emerging in the reverse order of their brackets. The announcer continued to babble as always, but Roland ignored him. He was already analyzing the terrain, looking for the most effective ambush positions where he could make use of the newly attached armament.

“Brother, wouldn’t it be easier to just start the fight with the new armament?”

Robert asked as his platform rose and came to a stop with a hiss.

“It might, but I also want to test the weapon exchange mechanism. Best to do it now, before the final fight.”

The white knight golem emerged, holding a shield in its left hand and a sword in its right. The bell rang to signal the start of the fight, and Robert immediately pressed one of the buttons on his console. 

The weapon mounted on the golem’s back shot into the air for a moment. The sword in his hand was thrown up as well, and the two weapons exchanged places. A magnetic force pulled the blade toward the specific slot on the Runic Mobile Armor’s back, where it snapped securely into the rear mounting bracket with a loud metallic click.

At the same time, the long, black-barreled weapon rotated smoothly into the white golem’s waiting right hand. The sudden weapon swap was completed seamlessly in less than a second.

The Starbloom operator across the field barely had time to register the unexpected shift before the massive frame of the Runic Mobile Armor had changed its equipment. It was now holding what looked like a large rifle that did not belong in this world.

The weapon looked somewhat blocky, with a thick, rectangular receiver forged from a dark, matte alloy. It formed the core structural component of the weapon, housing the internal mechanisms, firing controls, and connections to the runic power source while binding the barrel and stock together.

Atop the upper casing sat a prominent square scope frame housing a bright yellow optical sensor that pulsed with internal mana. Further down the long barrel was a small secondary grip mounted on a swivel joint, designed to give the pilot a stable two-handed hold when tracking fast targets and making precise adjustments. A blocky rune battery cell was locked into the lower frame near the trigger housing.

The Starbloom golem controller hesitated for a moment, wondering if the weapon was supposed to be something akin to a mana cannon. If it was, then they did not seem particularly worried. Mana cannons were usually secondary armaments, as their power output was not particularly impressive. Mana shields and thick armor plating could usually defend against them with relative ease. Basing an entire weapon around such technology and abandoning a sword seemed ridiculous. Soon, however, they would learn just how wrong that assumption was.

Robert adjusted his grip and held the weapon in one hand. Thanks to the golem's powerful grip, it did not need to be held with both hands, and his left hand was better used to control the shield. His enemy fired its shoulder cannons, but the incoming shots were blocked by the shield and the shield mana generators surrounding the frame.

In a sudden movement, he jolted to the left, the rifle in his hand snapping toward the enemy golem as the aim assist within his cockpit helped him make the necessary adjustments. Robert was not a sniper. He was a knight, and the sword was the weapon he handled best. Fortunately, he did not need to do much. He simply aimed and pulled the trigger once.

A loud shock shattered the silence of the overgrown arena as a bright beam of condensed magical energy surged from the dark barrel. The recoil drove the white golem back half a step, but its reinforced leg hydraulics absorbed the force effortlessly.

The beam of energy had a strange shape, swirling into a spiral as it gathered more power. It struck the mana shield surrounding the enemy golem, but to everyone's surprise, it did not simply bounce off or disperse. Instead, it punched straight through, tearing through the defensive barrier before striking the shoulder and shattering the mounted mana cannon on the right side instantly…