Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 615: Duality of Rune-Tech Glyph II

Alex was never one to let a prime opportunity slip away.

The subsequent two months in his secluded retreat focused solely on delving into the twin essence of Rune-Tech’s glyph system.

Outwardly, these glyphs clearly resembled runes.

However, deeper inspection revealed traits that runes, with their fixed and mechanical essence, simply couldn’t have.

It felt like two clashing forces merged perfectly into one entity.

A perfect duality.

Alex couldn’t pretend to grasp fully how the Universe pulled off such a paradox and kept it working.

Still, by comparing it to familiar dualities—like the wave-particle behavior of electrons and photons, plus mass-energy equivalence—he started building a solid model.

’Electrons, photons (light)... matter itself,’ Alex pondered. ’They show both wave and particle traits.’

’But not at the same time.’

’Instead, what’s observed hinges on the observer’s viewpoint.’

He pressed on,

’Basically, matter holds both qualities—but reveals just one depending on the moment.’

His reflections grew profound.

’This pattern repeats in various cosmic dualities.’

’Mass acts as concentrated energy, energy as spread-out mass.’

’Yet, based on the observation frame, it’s seen as mass or energy—never both together.’

A burst of realization ignited in his thoughts.

’If I apply this to Rune-Tech’s dual glyph trait... then both sides don’t need to activate simultaneously.’

’I just have to set up scenarios where the glyph shows its runic side or sigil side as needed.’

Armed with this clear path, Alex dove into trials.

Every test brought fresh insights.

Bit by bit, he honed his method—

Discarding needlessly elaborate setups for something much simpler... nearly instinctive.

’Deep down, Rune Tattoos boil down to vast formations squeezed into one Greater Rune inscribed on the skin.’

’Those formations consist of various rune circuits—separate roles—linked to create one overall result.’

He halted briefly.

Soon, a fresh concept surfaced.

’So... why not split the formation’s base circuits into two separate layers?’

His gaze sparkled subtly.

’Parts that connect to the body—needing to adjust to its ever-shifting states—ought to use the glyph’s Sigil aspect.’

’Whereas sections generating the desired outcomes... should rely on the Runic aspect.’

’Theoretically, this lets Rune Tattoos adjust better to bodily shifts... and control effects more precisely,’ Alex reflected. ’Thus easing the burden on the user.’

He stopped, weighing the downsides.

’It’ll probably sacrifice maximum power.’

’But that’s fine. These tattoos exist to aid the wearer—not damage them for strength.’

A subtle grin crossed his face.

’Sure, the drop in max power stings a bit, but it unlocks new options.’

’Less stress means adding features the body couldn’t handle before.’

This ’streamlined’ method greatly sped up Alex’s progress.

First, he tested it on his basic Rune Tattoos—

Strength, Agility, Speed, Defence, Vitality, Endurance, and Perception.

All received an overhaul.

To his astonishment, it went far smoother than anticipated.

No full redesign required.

He simply directed certain circuit parts to mimic Sigil behavior.

That captured the core idea.

Naturally, execution involved more detail, but at heart, that’s what he achieved.

OmniRune’s swift simulation validated his theory.

The revamped Rune Tattoos displayed 5–15% less peak performance.

Yet they cut 20% of the strain on the user’s body.

And boosted adaptability and reaction by 50%.

Alex’s eyes brightened.

’This... exceeds my hopes.’

He stroked his chin in contemplation.

’Now, I don’t have to restrict Rune Tattoos to passive or trigger-based modes.’

’Activation options are way more versatile.’

OmniRune’s analysis soon uncovered another perk—

Rune slot limits.

’This suggests I can relax some early safety limits. That releases space for more upgrades.’

Excitement gleamed in his eyes.

’Maybe channel that extra space to offset the power dip.’

He hesitated—

Then dismissed it with a head shake.

’Better gather more info first.’

’Plenty of time ahead.’

All the same, this breakthrough thrilled him completely.

Conveniently, he already envisioned his next pair of Rune Tattoos.

Those plans had hit roadblocks before—

Chiefly from the runes’ extreme adaptability demands.

With this advance, Alex felt ready to realize them at last.

Over a third of his seclusion went into perfecting and realizing these visions.

Unexpectedly, lessons from Heavenly Venerable’s research, plus alchemy trial revelations, sparked crucial ideas, driving things ahead during potential dead ends.

The extraction, concentration, and balancing of plant essences in potions; their interplay with the body after ingestion—the Heavenly Venerable’s Heaven–Earth–Man body tempering theory—

Though unrelated directly to Rune Tattoo tech, Alex drew clever analogies and wove their principles into his work.

At last, after three straight months of nonstop study and fierce testing—

Alex triumphed.

Ultimately, he crafted two functional versions of his planned design.

’Pity they only work for warriors.’

’Tried for mage or warlock types, but all attempts flopped hard.’

He let out a sigh.

’No time left for more fiddling. Time to follow Baron Luth Belloc’s intel.’

He stretched gently, releasing the stiffness from prolonged labor.

’So, just enough time to etch these Rune Tattoos onto their destined users.’

’Alright... better summon those two and wrap this up.’

Alex dispatched a message.

Soon, Mogal and Kavakan showed up outside his sealed seclusion chamber.

"Come in." Alex’s voice echoed from inside.

Upon stepping in, they found him at a workbench, amid a chaotic but neatly arranged pile of tools and supplies.

Two chairs waited across from him.

"Take a seat. We have a lot to discuss." Alex stated evenly.

The mighty Dravo tribe barbarian and the battle-mad weretiger shared a quick look—

Then sat down.

Alex leaned in a touch.

With precise detail, the Runemaster displayed two Rune Tattoo patterns from his Beta Bracer and started detailing the fresh designs tailored just for them.

"These are called the Chains of Unyielding... and the Mark of Slaughter."

***