The Runesmith
chapter-397

“Shit… This is a bad idea…”

“But if I don’t do something…”

The ceiling above rumbled as the frantic Bernir searched for a suitable weapon for the occasion. The testing facility housed numerous runic devices capable of harming even the most formidable monsters and causing significant damage to city blocks. However, amidst the current chaos, he found it challenging to make a choice.

“I don't think this will be much help..."

Bernir raised a substantial object known as the runic rifle, a creation of his boss. He was uncertain about how it worked but understood that it could be used to fend off monsters or intruders. The device featured a trigger button that required no mana usage, and a replaceable battery cartridge could be inserted into its center, eliminating the need for the bulky battery backpack he typically wore. This innovative design reduced the weight and enhanced mobility, though it came at the cost of a more limited charge.

Under normal circumstances, this equipment might have sufficed against typical intruders. However, they now faced a formidable challenge in the form of abyssal cultists and undead monsters. Bernir could envision himself managing to eliminate a few undead or regular cultists before needing to rely on assistance from Roland. As he sifted through the array of cutting-edge weapons, he couldn't help but curse his role as a non-combatant. He recognized his limited utility, and even if these weapons were potent, he understood that the moment he was spotted by a capable combatant, he would become a burden.

“Maybe I should just leave…”

Bernir's thoughts wavered as he considered the people he had ushered through the escape tunnels. They had loaded the sleeping guests onto a cart, which safely transported them to their refuge. The exit presented fewer complications than the entrance, and it could be unlocked using a runic card that Roland had given him. So, when his assistance was no longer required below, he made the decision to slip away and offer his help above.

“Bernir, what are you doing here?”

“W-what!?”

While he contemplated the viability of his plan, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and a voice called out to him. Startled, he accidentally fired the weapon he was holding and tumbled to the ground. As he spun around, the person behind him leaped back in terror, letting out a scream as she made her presence known.

“Misus? W-what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? I should ask you the same question…”

Before him stood Elodia, who had recently become Roland's wife. Her clothes looked different and she was wearing a backpack that was similar to the ones used for runic batteries. Her wedding gown had been replaced by a sturdy leather armor adorned with metallic components and inscribed with runes. It was evident that this suit had been crafted by Roland, although Bernir was unaware of its specific purpose.

“I just wanted to help… but what about you? This is not the way to the escape tunnel.”

“I uh…’

She averted her gaze, and Bernir narrowed his eyes. It was immediately apparent to him that she likely had the exact same idea. This palace served as the storage and testing ground for the multitude of runic weapons and was the best area to gear up before ascending the elevator.

“Haha, I see we both had the same silly plan…”

“What do you mean silly?”

“Well…”

Before Bernir could respond to the question, the entire place began to tremble. The reinforced ceiling, which had been meticulously prepared for such situations, started to crack, and even sizable boulders began to fall. The two hurriedly moved about, attempting to evade the collapsing surroundings.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know, we should check.”

“Aye! I almost forgot.”

Fortunately, they didn't need to speculate about the situation. Golemic eyes, functioning much like modern-day cameras, were strategically positioned throughout the entire compound. Roland had set up multiple stations from which a person could view real-time feeds from these runic cameras. One of these stations was nearby, and the two hurriedly made their way there to check on their allies.

“T-this doesn’t look good…”

Although it took them about half a minute to locate a functioning golemic camera, they eventually unveiled the truth. They observed a grotesque, otherworldly creature swatting everyone aside, and even Roland in his formidable armor was no match for it. As they watched the battle unfold, they quickly realized that the situation above ground was dire, and the group was likely facing a losing battle.

“I… I think we’ll need something bigger than these…”

Bernir glanced at the small magical gun he had initially chosen and tossed it aside. It was evident that if even a group of tier 3 class holders couldn't handle a creature of that magnitude, then the two of them would only be a hindrance.

“Can we really do nothing but wait here? Where are those soldiers?”

Elodia frowned, as she had fulfilled her role by summoning the knights. Afterward, she gathered a few items from the panic room and made her way to this location. She understood that it went against Roland's wishes, but she couldn't simply stay there. If there was anything she could do to assist, she was willing, but at the moment, it seemed like there was nothing she could do besides running.

“Is there really nothing, Bernir?”

“Uh…”

Her gaze met Bernir's as he struggled to find a solution. There were numerous items in this testing facility, but none of them appeared powerful enough to be of any assistance. They could attempt to gather all the magical explosives to create a smoke screen, but that seemed limited in effectiveness. However, as he surveyed the area, his eyes fell upon the large exoskeleton he had been learning to operate recently.

“Wait… there might be something… with that thing, it might be possible…”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there was one experimental weapon the boss created but he said it was too dangerous to test here so we never went through it…”

Bernir knew that it wasn’t the greatest idea but the weapon in question was the best bet. How Roland explained it to him and how he treated it, gave the idea some merit. If it was something that could destroy the whole testing facility, then perhaps it would be powerful enough to destroy that strange horror above ground. Soon he sprinted over to the specific item that was covered with a gray piece of cloth, with one strong yank it was revealed to them.

“This is it?”

“Yes.”

“But isn’t it too big, how will we get it outside?”

“Leave it to me, with the exoskeleton I can do it! But…”

“But? Is there a problem?”

Elodia inquired as Bernir studied the peculiar piece of equipment surrounded by a tangle of wires. It had a slot for what appeared to be an iron rod in the center and resembled a cannon but with a design unlike anything she had ever seen.

"Yeah, the exoskeleton is quite loud. I doubt we can sneak it in without drawing attention. Besides, I'm not sure we'd even have enough time to aim it at anything..."

Bernir replied, his concerns about the device's practicality evident. The device was meant to fire the iron rod in the center at a target before it, but it currently appeared as nothing more than a stationary, oversized cannon barrel. He would likely need to manually aim it with the assistance of the exosuit. Given the creature's ferocious long-range attacks with its tentacles, it would likely prove to be a formidable adversary, making quick work of them if they appeared outside.

“I think we can do it! Look here.”

Elodia on the other hand seemed to be pumped up. She pressed a side button that was on the runic backpack she was wearing. The moment she did, her whole form started blurring and Bernir could no longer perceive her presence. Then after one second passed she started to appear before him again and he quickly understood what she was planning.

“That’s great! With that I can carry out the weapon and the monster will not see me! Quickly, I need to install it onto the exosuit!”

Now the plan started to finally unfold but before he could grab the backpack, Elodia shook her head around.

“No, it won’t work without this armor, I’ll just come with you.”

“But Misus… the Boss …”

“I’m coming with you, there is no time!”

“Uh… but … “

He could see the determination in her eyes and realized that he wouldn't be able to dissuade her from this decision. Normally, it might have been better for him to handle this task alone and avoid putting more people at risk in this dangerous mission. However, with their friends rapidly losing ground above, there was no time to spare. After a little back and forth, he finally relented and activated the exoskeleton that would allow him to carry the large strange cannon above ground.

The plan was set into motion. Bernir operated the exoskeleton, bearing the weight of the massive cannon as they made their way toward one of the emergency exits. As they traversed the workshop, they had to deal with collateral damage and the occasional emergence of strange black tentacles. The elevator was nonfunctional, but fortunately, another exit remained intact, allowing Bernir to transport the weapon.

Inside the invisibility spell, the two couldn't communicate with each other. All sound was suppressed, and they moved quickly, aware that their invisibility wouldn't last forever. Finally, they emerged outside, only to witness the Eldritch Horror battering Roland and pinning him to the ground. While the situation remained dire, for some inexplicable reason, the monstrosity seemed to take its time in toying with its opponents during combat. This unexpected respite allowed them a precious moment to prepare themselves.

Just in the nick of time, as the protective spell concealing their approach was about to falter, Bernir managed to position the cannon and aim it at the monster. It had paused in front of Roland, its tentacles playing with him, near enough for their plan to take effect. With a flick of a lever, the peculiar cannon sprung to life. The noise it generated was partially muffled by the fading spell, but eventually, the monster sensed something amiss. Yet, by that point, it was already too late.

………..

Roland heard a strange sound from the distance right around the time that the creature halted with its killing move. His eye socket was on the verge of being pierced, but then an explosion occurred from the side. He also noticed his wife and assistant materializing seemingly out of thin air. Even though he wanted to shout at them to run, the situation might finally be turning in his favor.

As the monster prepared to leap away, Roland seized the tentacle that was right before his eyes. Simultaneously, as Bernir and Elodia executed their plan, he channeled all of his mana reserves to send a surge of electricity coursing through the creature's body. He knew it wouldn't kill the creature, but if it could halt it for even a moment, perhaps they could find a way to survive this encounter.

Struggling to keep his vision focused on the unfolding situation, Roland was aware of the weapon his assistant had employed. It was an experimental rail gun he had been working on recently. By incorporating an electricity rune into the system and surrounding it with magically conductive wiring, he had achieved some success. Although the weapon in question hadn't been thoroughly tested, it appeared to work, with the drawback being that it self-destructed immediately after launching the iron rod projectile at the monster.

Despite his desire to check on Elodia's well-being after the blast, the writhing monster in front of him demanded his full attention. Even as he infused it with electrical energy, it continued to thrash about and delivered a few more blows to his already battered body. Nevertheless, he managed to restrain the monster long enough for the rail to hit its mark.

The projectile's speed was truly remarkable, and it brought with it an electrifying aura of mana. Upon impact, an immense burst of electrical energy and heat engulfed the area. Roland, who was nearby, was forcefully thrown back, with some of the creature's tentacles being torn out and flung alongside him. The monster convulsed, emitting an ear-piercing screech, before the smoke and dirt enveloped the entire vicinity.

“We did it! Ha, take that you smelly bastard!”

Bernir's joyful shout from the side brought relief to Roland, assuring him that his assistant was unharmed. The rail continued to soar, even after piercing the monstrosity, creating a sizable hole in the nearby wall. This suggested that it had successfully penetrated the monster's tough exterior, raising hopes that it might finally put an end to this nightmare.

“Why did you two come here, get out of here!”

Roland had no intention of waiting for the dust to settle. The two individuals he had desperately hoped to keep safe from the creature had just arrived. While they might have saved him from this abomination, it was far too early to let down their guard.

“But…”

“Just go!”

He shouted at Elodia who called out from behind Bernir who had apparently protected her from the blast with the help of the suit.The dust slowly began to clear, revealing the aftermath of the powerful railgun blast. The monstrous Eldritch Horror was on the ground, its tentacles twitching and smoldering from the intense electrical discharge. Smoke and steam emanated from its charred form as it lay motionless, showing signs of severe damage.

For a moment, it truly seemed that the monster was defeated but Roland knew better. If it had been done in by the blast, then he would be getting experience points already. There were two possibilities, either it was not yet dead but would soon succumb to its wounds or the battle was not over yet.

“Shit…”

It was the latter; the monster abruptly shot up into the air, using its numerous appendages to push itself off the ground. It had a massive hole in the middle of its body, but the core that anchored it wasn't completely obliterated. The black, pulsating heart with multiple eyes had been cracked, but more than half of it remained intact. Despite being wounded, the creature was far from dead.

“Get away, now! It’s aiming for you!”

He shouted in a desperate tone, attempting to muster some power. However, his body betrayed him, and his wobbly legs could only propel him forward into a feeble crawl. His head jolted up to see a mass of sharp appendages descending on both of them. Shortly, he heard one of them scream, the voice belonging to Bernir, who had borne the brunt of the creature's assault. The large exoskeleton he was in became the main target, and soon, parts of it were scattered in all directions, while Roland struggled to maintain his focus.

“No!”

Roland could only scream as the monster descended on his loved ones, the two people he held dear the most in this strange world. However, he could only bite his lower lip, inflicting pain to prevent himself from losing consciousness. His gaze remained fixed on the source of their predicament, the Eldritch Horror that had caused all this chaos. Shortly, the screams of his wife followed, but he was unsure of what had unfolded, as a new force materialized moments later.

The area illuminated once more in a golden glow as a brilliant energy bolt, resembling a spear of light, collided with the monstrosity. It had originated from outside the compound and was soon followed by more spears of light. They all descended upon the monster, embedding themselves in its grotesque form.

The sounds of people shouting from outside and the approach of heavily armored individuals reached his ears. He recognized the clank of heavy armor and knew that help from outside had arrived. However, his focus was elsewhere, and he began to frantically crawl in the direction where Elodia and Bernir had been standing. His body wasn't entirely responsive, but he was determined to reach them at any cost.

While the Eldritch Horror focused on the new arrivals he had ample time to make his way there. With each step he took, the more his body ached but he pushed through the pain, his heart pounding in his chest as he desperately searched for any sign of his loved ones. As he drew closer to the spot where they had been attacked, he found a few scattered pieces of the exoskeleton and some torn clothing.

Panic gripped his heart as he feared the worst. He called out their names, his voice hoarse and filled with desperation, but there was no response. The chaos around him continued as the battle raged on, with the golden energy bolts striking the Eldritch Horror repeatedly, causing it to convulse and emit ear-piercing shrieks.

Just as he was about to lose hope, he heard a faint moan coming from beneath a pile of debris. With renewed strength, he began to dig through the wreckage, uncovering first Elodia who had been injured but was alive. He breathed out a sigh of relief but soon realized that something was wrong. Not far from her, there was a small pool of blood and in it a severed arm…