[{"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-625":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},148330,246,"Chapter 624: Illusionary Gaze","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-625",625,"\u003Cp>CH624 Illusionary Gaze\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group soon relocated to the BattleBane training grounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex, Eleanore, and Udara remained on one side of the arena, while Dalton and Lady Rosa took position on the opposite end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, Dalton issued a series of firm instructions to the training guild members, ordering them to clear the area in preparation for the duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It still came down to a fight after all,\" Eleanore muttered under her breath. \"You could have simply accepted the duel from the start if this was where it was going to lead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It couldn’t be helped. The plan required me to fight him anyway,\" Alex replied calmly. \"I just couldn’t accept immediately without first impressing upon him that you are an outstanding alchemist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And who exactly told you to go around releasing your Intent?\" Eleanore shot back, clearly restraining herself from rolling her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That one’s on me. I’m still getting used to it,\" Alex admitted without resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will you be able to achieve the desired result under these stipulations? Most of your spells are effectively unusable,\" Udara cautioned, her tone more practical than concerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’ll work out somehow,\" Alex said with a casual shrug. \"Besides, I’m also curious to see how far my physical combat abilities have improved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spellcasting—or rather, OmniRune’s spellcasting—had already reached Grade 8, placing his effective casting ability at the level of a Class 4 spellcaster— the Great Mage level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Alex had memorised a number of Grade 9 spells—and even possessed the theoretical frameworks for several Grade 10 spells stored within OmniRune’s archives—OmniRune itself could not execute them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such Grand Mage-level spells required a deep comprehension of underlying planar concepts to function properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Alex had yet to come into contact with those higher-order concepts, his spellcasting remained naturally capped at Grade 8.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This limitation persisted despite the fact that OmniRune could, in theory, construct the necessary spell formations—and that Alex himself possessed sufficient mana capacity to fuel at least one such spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’The universe maintains its balance. Nature is inherently fair.’ The thought surfaced unbidden in Alex’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’No wonder there was no need to restrict OmniRune’s spellcasting potential. There’s already a system in place that prevents it from exceeding Grade 8... which is still two full grades beyond what I should be capable of at the Elite level.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Maybe when I get OmniRune to develop its consciousness, it can begin comprehending those concept independent of me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A universal rule that couldn’t be broken was that only beings with a consciousness—or rather, some form of sentience—could ponder into less Planar concepts, never mind the Planar Laws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex shook his head lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed those idle thoughts aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze settled once more on his opponent across the arena, who had just finished issuing orders to his men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex wasn’t entirely certain he could face a Combat Master in pure physical combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well... it’s not as though I have no chance at all,\" Alex muttered under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was fairly certain he could take on anyone below the Veteran rank in a purely physical confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton Asheton, however, was a two-star Combat Master—which, in Pangean terms, placed him at the early stage of the Veteran rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only one stage above Alex’s comfort zone, so he was reasonably confident he could at least hold his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’You won’t know unless you try,’ he told himself inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Fortune favours the bold.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cast a reassuring glance towards his wives before stepping forward, making his way towards the weapon rack positioned at the edge of the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s eyebrows lifted slightly in amusement as he unexpectedly spotted a metal rod among the displayed weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Looks like there are fellow rod enthusiasts in BattleBane,’ he mused with a faint chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He wouldn’t... would he?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Udara glanced at him suspiciously when she noticed him pause in front of the rod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, contrary to her expectation, Alex did not pick it up. Instead, he selected a half-moon war axe with a long shaft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He casually balanced the weapon across his palm before spinning it lightly, adjusting his grip in small increments until he instinctively located its centre of balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze then flicked briefly towards a longsword resting on the rack. After a few seconds of quiet deliberation, he decided to take it along as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deciding factor was the belt hoist mounted nearby, which he used to secure the sword neatly at his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the war axe now resting across his shoulders, Alex walked onto the arena floor at an unhurried pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both he and Dalton soon met at the centre of the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can still concede if you lack confidence. There is no shame in surrendering to a stronger opponent,\" Dalton said coolly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is also no shame in losing to one,\" Alex replied evenly. \"In that case, I might as well test my luck. Opportunities to face a stronger opponent—and to truly let loose—don’t come often.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton’s eyes narrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You had best defend yourself well. Since I am the weaker party in this exchange, do not expect me to hold back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha... I wouldn’t have it any other way,\" Dalton laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his greatsword with one hand, pointing it towards Alex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come,\" he taunted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calm Madness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, his ruby-red eyes deepened into a vivid crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was not all—his pupils developed a faint golden rim along their circumference, giving them an eerie, almost otherworldly appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of Alex’s confidence in facing a Veteran in a purely physical duel—without relying on powerful spells—lay precisely in his Truth-Seeker Eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the most significant growth he had experienced upon advancing to the Elite stage, following the Heaven–Earth Concordance Trials, was the changes of these very eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like many things, Alex only came to truly understand this special ability after the trials—particularly the Heavenly Venerable’s trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Truth-Seeker Eyes were not an ability born of his bloodline, nor were they something the original Alex Fury had possessed from birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Merlin, they were a unique ability born directly from Alex’s soul itself, with each of its capabilities—or ’sights’—being shaped by the nature of his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Alex believed he understood Merlin’s explanation. However, it was only after studying one of the Heavenly Venerable’s documents that he realised just how shallow that understanding had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body was the vessel of the soul. And like all things in the universe, there existed a delicate balance between the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body needed to be strong enough to bear the soul, while a weak soul could not inhabit a body that was too powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Balance was everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Alex’s situation was... unusual. His soul was exceptionally strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Merlin, his twin bloodlines—though initially problematic—were the very reason his body had been able to withstand the burden of his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of causing his body to collapse under the strain, a unique phenomenon had occurred. A portion of his soul’s excess energy had overflowed beyond the limits of its vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet rather than dissipating, that excess energy had instead altered the vessel itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This phenomenon was what ultimately gave rise to Alex’s Truth-Seeker Eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Alex’s Truth-Seeker Eyes were not born from the nature of his body, but from that of his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his... was an inquisitive soul—one that sought out the hidden truths of the world in order to comprehend them and, ultimately, apply them to his own needs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only natural, then, that the power born from such a soul would be one that aided his understanding of the world around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enhanced Vision. Eidetic Memory. Spirit Sight. Phantom Sight... each of these ocular abilities supported his relentless pursuit of knowledge and the concealed truths the world had to offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, beyond these, as though recognising the inherent dangers of that very pursuit, the Truth-Seeker Eyes had also granted him abilities meant to preserve his life, so that he might continue seeking knowledge— Death Perception. Spirit Sight Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, after undergoing the Heaven–Earth Concordance Trial—and confronting yet another vulnerability within himself—the Truth-Seeker Eyes had evolved once more, granting him two new abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One had emerged as a direct response to the conditions of the trial itself, while the other was born from the deeper changes his soul had undergone during that process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex smiled faintly as he lowered his body into an unorthodox stance, his war axe extended forward from his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It resembled the thrusting posture of a spear more than the typical stance suited for a war axe, which was designed primarily for slashing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton frowned slightly, a hint of confusion crossing his face. Still, he did not believe Alex foolish enough to mishandle a weapon he had chosen himself. Maintaining his guard, he carefully observed Alex’s every movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That... proved to be his mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a sudden burst, he lunged forward, thrusting with the war axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton reacted instantly, moving to parry the incoming strike aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, in the very next moment, his eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It’s light?!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of his blade meeting the war axe was... wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—at the instant of contact, he felt nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His greatsword passed cleanly through the thrusting axe as though it were an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His battle-honed instincts roared to life, and he leapt backwards without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that fleeting instant, he felt a violent rush of air brush past his torso as something narrowly missed him before slamming heavily into the ground behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton counterattacked on instinct, forcing Alex to retreat as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men quickly widened the distance between them once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalton stared at Alex, shock and confusion etched plainly across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex, on the other hand, maintained his usual faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But within his mind, the name of his Truth-Seeker Eyes’ newest ability echoed clearly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Illusionary Gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>",1653,"2026-05-29T03:49:40.912Z","2026-06-01T04:29:07.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","ebf9660571dfa6d1b770519ba689c7e04db1ae629bbb844de58835d253a24ac1","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-626","re-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-chapter-624",692,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fre-tales-of-the-rune-tech-sage-cover.jpg"]