Rearing Demons
Chapter 124: Voluin Rune

Chapter 124: Voluin Rune

For the next few hours, Yur channeled his essence through his body, not to strengthen it, but to cloak it, shielding himself from the oppressive gravity of the island.

Luckily, with his near-infinite essence pool, he could maintain the cloak for extended periods. The only problem was doing anything else while keeping it stable.

Closing his eyes, he began weaving runes using the Basic Ritual words he had learned.

He wasn’t crafting a new ritual, but layering the runes in a way that would autonomously pull essence into his body. That way, he wouldn’t need to focus on channeling it manually.

If I place the primary rune over my heart... my blood can carry the essence through my body with each pump.

It was clever, but Yur paused.

What type of essence should I use?

Through Mal’s memories, he understood essence had tiers, not just of purity, but structure. Some were gentle, others violent. Some were slow-burning, others explosive.

Origin Essence, the most powerful of them all, was paradoxically impure, not because it was tainted, but because it was everything at once. Containing all essence types, it was chaotic by nature, overwhelming even for top-level cultivators.

Even Mal had hesitated to use it.

But Yur wasn’t like others. He was the first of his kind.

If I can master Origin Essence... I’ll surpass them all.

His encounter with Demon Lord Krinli had left him rattled. The memory of being stripped of thought, of will, of breath—it suffocated him.

He had no control.

None.

"Zul... Mal built me to be something beyond human or demon. There has to be a way. My bloodline is uncharted."

[Host is able to work directly with Origin Essence. However, control is another matter!]

"I figured as much. It’s control that matters now."

He had already used Origin Essence—when creating his Ashen Veil, but he had done it instinctively. He needed more than instinct.

[As an Ashkavaal, Rituals are the most compatible method of control!]

[Rituals shape essence into obedience!]

"Then... can you help me create a ritual that contains Origin Essence?"

[Negative. Host is currently too weak.]

[Creating Quest...]

[Complete!]

[Quest: Learn how to create Origin Runes]

"Origin Runes..." he whispered. It was his first real lead.

There were no other clues, but it was enough. A path was forming.

He decided, for now, to use demonic essence instead. It was volatile, but stable enough for sustained use.

He crafted several runes to attract and circulate it. Zul assisted—refining designs, correcting angles, optimizing flow—while Yur laid the foundation.

Once placed throughout his body, the runes synced with his bloodstream, guiding essence like currents through a river.

The cloak around his body solidified.

Finally, he stood. The weight still pressed down on him, but it was manageable.

"The longer I stay in this gravity, the more my body will adapt."

With a nod, he began to walk toward the distant volcano.

Flight was impossible here—his wings too burdened to lift him for long—so walking was his only option.

————————————————————————

Yur walked for what felt like hours. Yet, the mountain ahead remained just as distant as when he’d begun. Like chasing the moon—it never grew closer.

Frustrated but cautious, Yur kept his emotions steady. The last thing he wanted was to spiral again.

Raaaa!

A sudden roar echoed through the trees.

He ducked behind a massive root, peeking out.

There—grooming itself in the center of the clearing—was a creature of ethereal beauty.

Its fur shimmered like a galaxy in motion, deep blues and violet streaks gliding across its pelt. Its face resembled a feline’s, with wide eyes and an oddly adorable charm.

Long, floppy ears curled like a rabbit’s. Behind it, three celestial tails lazily drifted in the air.

[Rank 4 Being Detected!]

"Rank 4?" Yur whispered in disbelief.

That was rare for Glythoria. Nearly everything here exceeded Zul’s detection.

[Warning!]

[Rank 4 beings in Glythoria are more powerful than Rank 5s in Zulmasharr and Afloria.]

Is it because of the essence here?

[Correct.]

[Glythorian creatures cultivate higher-tier essence naturally.]

He frowned, watching the creature. By back home’s standards, his current strength was overwhelming—but in this realm, he was still just a bug.

"Zul, scan the area. Any other creatures nearby?"

[Scanning...]

[Complete!]

[No other threats detected!]

Nodding, Yur slowly stepped into the open. The creature lifted its head, ears twitching. Its eyes locked on him.

Yur raised his hand and calmly spoke in Kha’Zaruun:

⩇ Hh Eh Ll Ll Oh

{Hello.}

He hoped the ritual language might work for communication, or, at the very least, show he meant no harm.

The creature tilted its head again... and resumed grooming.

Guess that’s not a no.

Yur held still, not daring to provoke it. He had no desire to kill such a being.

Then, something unusual happened.

The Glythari began to move.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, emerged from the trees—flitting joyously around the creature.

But they weren’t moving randomly.

Yur narrowed his eyes.

They were forming shapes. Symbols. Runes.

"What...?" They spiraled through the air, forming overlapping rings and sigils he didn’t recognize.

[The Glythari are forming the Voluin Rune: a binding sigil for forging Familiar Contracts.]

"Voluin Rune..." Yur murmured.

It hovered around the beast like a luminous halo. Yet the creature—unbothered—continued licking its paw, uninterested in the spectacle.

"What do I do now?" He didn’t understand the full rune, nor how to complete it. But he knew what this meant: the Glythari were giving him a chance.

A familiar—one of Glythoria. A guide. A guardian. A symbol of belonging.

Zul’s voice cut in:

[Host must offer blood to begin the process.]

Without hesitation, Yur bit into his palm. Blood welled, dripping from his hand.

Instantly, the Glythari shimmered brighter.

A golden thread of light slithered from the swarm and wrapped around Yur’s bleeding palm, drawing the blood toward the glowing rune.

Yur’s eyes sharpened.

[Warning!]

[If the Rune fails, the creature will attack!]

He understood the risk. Still... he stood his ground. The clearing turned silent.

The Glythari spiraled in perfect unison, their bodies like sparks in a star-forged dance.

The rune ignited. Light enveloped the beast.

And then—

Raaaa!!

A blinding flash exploded from the rune.