Ch 42 : First Difficult Mission

Early in the morning, Auron eagerly walked to the classroom, clutching the Grimoire he had finished for Walter. He was excited to see Walter's reaction; it was the final piece to complete his friends' training.

In the Spell Training Ground, Auron found Walter and quickly approached him. Walter had been feeling disheartened lately, especially as he watched his friends grow stronger with their new Grimoires.

"I finally finished your Grimoire, Walter. This one focuses on body refinement," Auron said, handing the booklet to Walter. "It will help you inherit traits from the Terra Guardian heavenly rune, making your bones and muscles denser and enhancing your resilience without making you bulky."

Walter's eyes welled up with tears as he hugged Auron tightly. "Thank you so much," he whispered.

"It's okay," Auron reassured him. "Sorry it took so long. Finding a suitable Grimoire for Augmenters is challenging. But this one will be perfect for you."

Alice, Thyra, and Eliot gathered around, moved by Walter's emotion. They felt a pang of sympathy seeing him so moved.

"Ugh, what a crybaby," Auron muttered with a mix of annoyance and pity. "Alright, let's get everyone back on track."

"Now that everyone has their Heavenly Rune sets and Grimoires, I want you all to create a unique spell based on your heavenly rune," Auron announced. "Spells in the market are often derived from heavenly runes, so crafting your own will make your spells more compatible and powerful."

He demonstrated his own unique spell by conjuring a tiny flaming lance that blazed with extreme heat and destructive power before it vanished. "That's one of my unique spells. I can't demonstrate it fully here; it's too destructive and would attract unwanted attention from instructors."

Alice's eyes sparkled. "That's amazing, Auron. Can you teach me how to create a spell like that?"

The others voiced their interest too.

"No, I can't teach you," Auron said firmly. "A unique spell is meant to be just that—unique. Sharing it would defeat its purpose. But I can offer guidance based on your heavenly runes."

He turned to Alice. "For you, since your rune relates to the sun, focus on direct, explosive spells. Orbs could be a great shape for your spells—they match the sun's characteristics."

"Thyra," he continued, addressing her next. "With your wind rune, think about creating something concealed and sharp. Hidden wind edges could work well."

"Eliot," Auron said, "your rune's tide intent suggests you should develop defensive spells that use waves to disperse force. Healing spells might also be beneficial, but I'm not as familiar with them."

"Walter," Auron concluded, "stick to refining your body and perfecting your combat art for now. I'm not the best with combat arts, so focus on what you do best."

With renewed motivation, his friends set off to explore and create their unique spells, inspired by Auron's guidance and their own potential.

Ever since they had changed their heavenly runes, Auron's friends had significantly upgraded their spell arsenals.

Alice had incorporated Ember Bolt and Fire Burst into her repertoire. Thanks to the enhancement from the Blazing Sun, these spells had become even more devastating, radiating with the sun's intense brightness.

Thyra had mastered Zephyr Bolt and Wind Cutter. Leveraging her concealed mana traits, these spells had become exceptionally lethal, as they were nearly impossible to detect until it was too late.

Eliot, benefiting from increased comprehension through the Soul Harmonization Art, had refined his use of Aqua Net and Water Mending. He also added Water Shield and Binding Wave to his arsenal. The effect of his Guardian Tide on Binding Wave was especially formidable, with the spell's restrictive abilities creating a nearly inescapable wave of water that trapped enemies from all sides.

Walter had made impressive progress with his body refinement. He was now capable of handling 35 kg of weight and had honed his hammer skills to perfection. His strikes were as heavy as a mountain, and he could seamlessly switch between offense and defense using both his hammer and shield. With the support of the Grimoire, his combat abilities were reaching new heights.

Together, their enhanced skills and newly acquired spells made them a formidable team, each one growing stronger and more adept in their respective areas.

That weekend, Auron and his friends embarked on a demanding mission to test their skills in real combat. Although they frequently trained at the Combat Tower, the stakes in a real encounter were much higher, with the potential for serious injury or even death.

Their target was a goblin encampment located at the edge of the Dead Water Hollow swamp. Although the outer area was relatively free of poisonous miasma, they carried antidotes as a precaution. Recent attacks by these goblins on several caravans had resulted in numerous casualties, and despite warnings from the Trading Hall clerk, Auron and his team, backed by Sir Baldwin's endorsement, took on the mission. Sir Baldwin believed their skills were sufficient to handle the goblin threat.

Perched high on the branches, Auron used Shadow Glide to silently scout the encampment. After counting the goblins, he noted that there were more than anticipated—twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty in total. Using his Mystical Eyes, he detected no dangerous auras except for a slightly stronger presence in the main camp, which was likely the goblin champion. Confident in their ability to handle the situation, Auron decided they were ready to proceed.

For this mission, the team adjusted their formation to leverage their individual strengths. Auron and Walter would take the front line, with Auron utilizing his explosive combat arts to engage and disrupt the goblin forces. His powerful attacks would draw the enemy's attention, while Walter, with his hammer and shield, would act as the defender, absorbing and deflecting attacks to protect Auron and manage crowd control.

In the back line, Alice would serve as the team's artillery, using her powerful spells like Ember Bolt and Fire Burst to deliver high damage from a distance. Thyra, as the assassin, would employ her concealed wind spells, such as Zephyr Bolt and Wind Cutter, to eliminate key targets stealthily. Eliot, focusing on support, would use spells like Binding Wave and Water Shield to restrain enemies, provide defensive support, and assist his teammates.

With their roles defined and strategy in place, Auron and his friends were prepared to tackle the goblin encampment and complete their mission efficiently.

They approached the camp silently, following the path Auron had carefully marked. When they reached the right moment, they struck with the swiftness of lightning. The team burst into the camp, their coordinated assault catching the goblins completely off guard.