Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 501 - 500- Questions?

A new era. Total dominance. Mana for all, power for all.

It sounded almost too good to be true. For those who had lived their lives being dismissed as powerless, as bottom feeders, this was a chance to rise in rank, improve their circumstances, whether financial or emotional, and no longer depend on others for their safety.

The idea was so noble that even entertaining doubt felt like a crime.

But could something truly be that perfect, and at the same time so desirable to the masses?

Naturally, Clark knew that presenting it without allowing questions would only invite suspicion.

He wasn’t here to avoid scrutiny. He had held this exhibition to answer it.

"As such," Clark announced, "I would like to give everyone listening to my voice a chance to ask me anything about this armament. I promise complete transparency, down to every detail."

Clark knew that, no matter how many geniuses sat before him, none of them could tune the fifth thread. The same applied to Adrian.

As such, the chances of replicating his masterpiece were absolutely nil.

Nor were they so knowledgeable to go into details about it. As such, he was prepared for any question.

The first hand rose from the left side, belonging to a special guest.

"Sir Dowman, please," Clark said, introducing the man to the audience.

Everyone turned towards the man, some with mild displeasure since in their eyes, even questioning such a masterpiece was a crime.

That got Adrian smiling wryly but he turned to focus on Bowman instead.

The man held a voice-enhancing artifact and asked, "How exactly does this work? As everyone knows, an armament tuned to a specific subject can only be used by that person."

Adrian hummed quietly, curious to see whether his suspicion was correct.

The audience leaned forward in their seats, waiting for the answer.

Clark smiled and addressed the crowd. "This is possible because of a discovery I made within the fifth thread."

He continued, explaining it simply, "There is a place in our brain that regulates the flow of mana in the body. It works involuntarily, continuously supplying magic. I have named it the Cortex."

Lifting the sword in his hand, he added, "I have tied a thread between the Cortex of an awakened individual and this armament."

Adrian hummed. So it’s true. He has used the Gate to empower the armament.

Another question followed, "What about the awakened? Can they use another weapon while someone else is using the one tuned to them?"

Clark answered calmly, "A strong warrior’s Cortex is potent enough to support multiple bindings. So yes, they would still be able to use an armament of their own."

That response earned Clark several appreciative nods and a wave of surprised murmurs from the crowd.

Anyone who had taken even the most basic classes in runesmithing knew the universal rule: using multiple armaments simultaneously was dangerous for the subject.

Yet here, through his mastery of the fifth thread, Clark had shattered those long-held theories.

And that was precisely what placed Borodicus Clark in a league of his own.

Then another question followed, "What about the longevity of the armament and the load on the subject?"

That was something Adrian was genuinely interested in.

He leaned forward in his seat, eyes fixed on the man on the stage who had yet to lose his composure.

It might not have been on everyone’s mind, but once the question was voiced, the audience became aware of it as well.

Of course, it was a serious concern.

But Clark had an answer ready. "Runes don’t fade over time, especially when I am the one engraving them." He let out a brief chuckle before continuing, "That said, the material itself won’t last forever."

He elaborated further. "The armament is forged from a specific material that gradually loses its metallic properties. Its toughness, its edge, everything will degrade with time. The rate of that degradation depends on how frequently it is used. If you only keep it for emergencies, the armament will last a very long time."

He concluded calmly, "In this way, we can control the load on the subject and circulate the armaments efficiently, allowing us to provide this creation to every single one of you."

Once he finished speaking, the hall erupted into appreciative applause.

Not only had he addressed public safety, he had also shown consideration toward not overburdening the subject.

Clark nodded in acknowledgment. Then he spoke again, his voice gradually quieting the crowd. "Are there any more questions?"

His gaze shifted to a specific individual as he added, "Mister Adrian. I would be very interested in your thoughts on this. And if there is anything you are still unclear about."

The voice enhancing artifact was soon passed to Adrian.

All eyes turned toward the bespectacled man, who remained seated there, calm and composed.

Adrian hummed before rising from his seat.

"If you don’t mind, Sir Clark, may I inspect the armament before deciding whether I have any concerns about it?"

Clark’s smile widened as he nodded without hesitation. "Of course. In fact, I’ve been hoping someone would come see it up close."

Adrian returned the nod and stepped away from the balcony, making his way down the stairs toward the stage.

On the other side, Allen couldn’t help but mutter, "Professor Adrian doesn’t seem to be getting much love from the audience." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Olivia hadn’t noticed, but Sylvie had been hearing the murmurs ever since Adrian’s name was mentioned.

"Well, apparently they’re uncomfortable with the creation being inspected by someone who could actually find a flaw in it," the princess muttered, her voice heavy.

The words reaching her ears were far from kind.

Olivia clasped her hands nervously. "I... hope Professor Adrian doesn’t find any demerits in the armament. If he does, these people might stop whispering and start saying things openly."

Sylvie scoffed. "Then they should be ready for retaliation."

Allen nodded. "You’re right. While I respect Sir Clark’s creativity, Professor Adrian has every right to point out anything he finds wrong."

Not so long after, Adrian reached the stage.

Everyone turned silent as the two men shook hands.

"I hope this doesn’t disappoint you." Clark said with a brief smile before he stepped back and handed the sword to Adrian.

The brown-haired man sighed and glanced at the displeased faced down the stage. Shaking his head, he decided to focus on what he came here for.

The artifact.

Alright, it’s time for evaluation.

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A/N:- Thank you for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please leave a review.