[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage":3,"chapter-re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-529":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},148242,246,"Chapter 528: Divine Descent","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-529",529,"\u003Cp>CH528 Divine Descent\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Descent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the characteristics Spirits and Navi shared was that they did not normally reside within the material dimension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To better absorb, digest, and harness faith energy, such beings dwelled in a higher-energy plane where faith energy resided— so to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In many ways, one could argue they were bound there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, becoming a being of faith usually meant remaking one’s existence into faith itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once that transformation occurred, their bodies naturally shifted away from the material realm and into that higher plane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were, however, methods to bypass this limitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One way was to convert a portion of the material world into an area dense with faith energy—essentially sanctifying it with divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such conditions, a Navi or Spirit could briefly manifest where worship was strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, just as the Ancestral Spirit of the Copper-skin Orcs, Manrak, had done back at Camp Red Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second method was more extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ’miracle’ known as Divine Descent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This process involved the Navi or Spirit descending into a suitable medium capable of bearing its divine energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most commonly, that meant a statue long worshipped and repeatedly washed in divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a devout believer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the first method, Divine Descent was temporary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, by occupying something that already existed in the physical world, the faith being or entity could exert far greater influence. The restrictions placed upon them were significantly lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was a price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depending on the difference in strength between the divine entity and its vessel, the medium would deteriorate over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, it would fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when it did, the host died, while the faith being was forced back into the higher dimension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Descent was also never without drawbacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one, faith beings were almost always limited to a rank lower than their true might whenever they manifested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they became mortal... killable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirits, whose nature was truer and more aligned with the beliefs of their followers, possessed ways to naturally mitigate the first, rank strength, weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Navi, on the other hand -being the cunning foxes they were- almost always prepared methods to escape the second —true death— drawback whenever they descended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Alex and his wives, the kobolds’ Ancestral Spirit had descended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had originally attempted to possess the kobold shaman. However, because of Udara’s sudden strike, the Spirit panicked and rushed its defence, essentially breaking the vessel before it could properly stabilise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left without an alternative, it had no choice but to settle into the statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years of worship and careful cultivation of faith had elevated the ancestral spirit to the Saint rank in strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But under Divine Descent, it was confined to the Veteran level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex smiled when he saw the energy signature radiating from the vengeful entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he glanced at the women beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them was at the Elite rank—technically weaker than the Spirit—yet Alex wouldn’t have wanted to face this hurdle with any other team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"AHH!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, rocks of various sizes tore themselves free and shot toward Alex and his wives. They moved to dodge, only to realise the attack wasn’t meant for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, the stones slammed together at the cavern entrance, sealing the path and locking them inside with the Spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry,\" Alex said as he walked forward, \"we weren’t planning on running anyway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speak for yourself,\" Zora grumbled behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex almost tripped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eleanore and Udara couldn’t help but chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Abyssal Conqueror’s Step: First Step – Ghost Step]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking his head, Alex accelerated and closed the distance, striking first before the Spirit could organise another move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit quickly gripped its stop club and struck out as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in a while, Alex was clearly overpowered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit blocked and shoved him back with brute force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seemingly unconvinced, Alex rushed in again the moment the Spirit shifted its footing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once more— he was thrown back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It’s stronger than me, as expected. Its size and rank aren’t just for decoration.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’But it has no technique. It’s just swinging power around.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A more experienced fighter would have used the knockback to chain into a follow-up attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex dashed forward again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed, with Zora—a far superior orthodox spellcaster—present, he abandoned the idea of casting and instead committed himself to melee, keeping the Spirit occupied and limiting its room to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without a word, his wives understood Alex’s intention and moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zora didn’t waste time on lesser spells. She trusted Alex to keep the Spirit occupied, so she committed fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the cadence of her chant, it was obvious she was preparing a Special Warfare spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eleanore immediately layered buffs onto Alex and Udara. She deliberately left Zora untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Special Warfare magic demanded absolute concentration and control, empowering her now would only disrupt the delicate balance she needed to maintain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the surge, Alex pushed further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit stepped forward to meet him head-on once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at the last instant, Alex’s strike changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Draconic Baton elongated to nearly two metres and whipped low, smashing toward the Spirit’s feet. Instinctively, the creature aborted its attack and dragged its legs back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that retreat— an opening appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Alex immediately seized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Mana Bolt]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snapped his hand up, and OmniRune fired the spell instantly toward the Spirit’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spirit had no choice but to take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana flooded its eyelids, the coating absorbing the blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Spirit failed to realise—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it was bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With its vision shut, it never saw Udara emerge from its shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Weapon Coating]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Backstab]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her twin shortswords, blazing with mana, plunged into its back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura coating around the Spirit’s body shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the blades stalled, unable to pierce through the dense flesh beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Udara abandoned the attempt immediately. The Spirit’s club was already sweeping backward in a panicked counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She disengaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Alex moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again he targeted the limbs, forcing the Spirit to defend, locking its posture, limiting its options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Lightning Lance]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bolt appeared in the air behind the Spirit aggroed by Alex. It screamed toward the Spirit’s exposed back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Alex was a fraction too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana surged again across the Spirit’s hide, the Aura coating reforming just in time to blunt the direct hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or so it believed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skrrr!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the barrier stopped penetration, it couldn’t cancel the spell’s effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Electricity tore through the Spirit’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its muscles spasmed, and its movements locked— for the briefest instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Special Warfare (Grade 7) Spell: Yin Ice Lance]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive, human-sized spell formation bloomed before Zora.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From it, surprising, a lance only the size of an arm shot forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Abyssal Conqueror’s Step: Third Step – Wraith’s Crossing]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Alex saw the trajectory, he withdrew in a streak of lightning. Udara had already retreated to Zora’s side with [Shadow Dash].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yin Ice Lance struck the paralysed Spirit squarely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its Aura Coating resisted— for only a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yin spread to it, rendering it frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lance then pierced through the frozen obstruction to its target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike [Ice Fall], which exploded out its energy to maximise its area of effect, [Ice Lance] compressed everything into a single, merciless point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear of frost punched clean through the Spirit’s corporeal body, leaving a gaping hole in its chest before embedding itself into the cavern wall and flash-freezing it in thick layers of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Spirit’s... well, spirit... could not escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin froze flesh and soul alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kobold ancestral spirit died without understanding how a weaker spellcaster could deliver an attack that erased both body and essence in one strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Alex moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Protected by AetherKindle’s flames, he rushed to the towering, three-metre sculpture of ice. He leapt and grabbed the frozen head—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—then the world changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his eyes, the phantom of a mystical tree manifested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its roots lifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then plunged into the statue’s skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under his wives’ stunned gazes, the tree devoured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the divine energy remaining within the vessel flowed out like a tide, drawn into the ancient phantom without resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in death, the kobold spirit was stripped clean of all it had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again... it really had no further use for anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once finished, the tree withdrew, shrinking back into the glowing mark on the back of Alex’s palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later— the mark vanished as if it had never existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex lowered his hand and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It worked... all according to plan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before satisfaction could bloom any further, he turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three women stood there, arms folded, eyes narrowed and waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alex Fury...\" Zora began slowly. \"You have some explaining to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s heart skipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Damn.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’They’re pissed.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>",1461,"2026-05-29T03:49:35.273Z","2026-06-01T04:29:07.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","ea551d66148b02f5606a59308b2997c397b5d29ab947eded78c2ecd9adee706e","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-530","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-528",692,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fre-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-cover.jpg"]