After the exhaustion from his work at Neuralis Core and pondering the incredible potential Eidolon had begun to show, Zen let himself sink into a deep sleep. His mind was still circling the "possibility" of fusing runic principles with AI technology, especially the rune Ƨ (Solen), whose mysterious power he could feel but not yet fully comprehend. He longed to understand it more deeply. Perhaps... an experience from a dream world could provide the answer he was searching for.
...
Dim light filtered through a dense canopy of trees. The scent of damp earth and dry leaves drifted to his nose. Zen "awoke" in the dream. Around him was an unfamiliar primeval forest. He looked around in surprise.
(Zen's thoughts): "What forest is this...? Doesn't look familiar at all... And how did I end up here?"
Suddenly! A sound like a clash of energy—BOOM!—erupted not far away, along with a flash of light and a faint tremor that reached him. Zen (in a form like a hologram, intangible and invisible) moved toward the sound, a mix of curiosity and excitement guiding him.
As he drew closer, his eyes widened in astonishment. A moderately sized clearing had been carved out in the middle of the forest. A small, simply built log cabin stood to one side. And in the center of the clearing, a tall, slender young man was standing, panting slightly. Small beads of sweat clung to his black-and-blue hair, which was tied back carelessly. His sharp face, once youthful, now possessed the maturity of a young man—it was Xu Yianzi! But he looked much older and stronger than the last time Zen had "seen" him in the dream, as if several years had passed. From a boy of about seventeen or eighteen, he now looked like a man in his early twenties.
(Zen's thoughts, surprised and beginning to understand): "Hey! That's Xu Yianzi! Oh... so this is still his world, huh? But he moved from the clan to the forest? He looks so much stronger! And that sound just now... was he using power from the runes? I can't believe it's possible!"
Zen tried to focus, calling the name out with his thoughts: "Xu Yianzi..."
Xu Yianzi's body flinched slightly. He spun around, looking about excitedly, his eyes wide with hope.
Xu Yianzi (speaking aloud, his voice trembling but full of respect): "Master! Is that your voice, Master! Where are you? I... I have always felt you watching over me... I am so glad you have returned!" He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply, even though he couldn't see where the one he called "Master" was.
(Zen's thoughts, baffled but secretly pleased): "Master? He's calling me that again? Well, whatever... He seems to be doing well. And he's gotten a lot stronger, too."
Xu Yianzi (looking up, his eyes sparkling): "Master! Ever since you showed me the way of the runes, I have secluded myself in this forest to train all these years. I have tried to understand each of the runes you left traces of for me—ᚠ (Fehu), ᚢ (Uruz), ᚦ (Thurisaz), and ᚨ (Ansuz), as well as the mysterious rune Ƨ (Solen)!"
He began to enthusiastically recount his training: "The Uruz rune (ᚢ), I found that it incredibly enhances my strength and endurance! I also use the Fehu rune (ᚠ) in conjunction with it; it speeds up the recovery of my life force and stamina, allowing me to train longer!" "As for the Thurisaz rune (ᚦ), in the beginning, I accidentally destroyed quite a few things around me." (He pointed to a large nearby tree, which was scorched and bore the marks of a powerful impact). "But now, I have begun to understand its 'essence.' It is the 'power of impact' and 'breaking limits.' I've tried using it to create a temporary 'energy shield' and to release it as a concussive wave! The 'boom' you heard just now, Master, was my own experiment!"
He took a deep breath, his eyes shining with determination. "And the Ansuz rune (ᚨ)... I feel it is the most important of all in this learning. It's like a 'key' that helps me 'communicate' with and 'understand' the deeper meanings of the other runes."
Xu Yianzi paused for a moment, his gaze turning to the Ƨ (Solen) symbol he had drawn on a large wooden plank, his eyes filled with wonder. "But Master... the rune Ƨ – Solen... it is so mysterious and filled with a power I cannot yet fathom. I feel an 'endless possibility' from it, as if it could 'change' absolutely everything if I truly understood it."
(Zen's thoughts, scratching his head): "Damn... I'm still confused about this Solen rune myself, aren't I? I just made it up on a whim, what am I supposed to teach this kid!?"
Zen (communicating mentally, trying to maintain his masterly composure): "Uh... Xu Yianzi... the power of the Solen rune is vast and complex... It requires an understanding of the 'essence' of all things and a 'resonance' on a spiritual level... For now, continue to train and understand it on your own... When the time is right... you will comprehend it yourself."
Xu Yianzi (his eyes shining with hope): "Yes, Master! I will do my best! Oh! Master, please watch my training for a moment! I want you to see how far I've progressed!"
With that, Xu Yianzi took a firm stance. He took out a mid-grade Yuan Stone, held it in his hand, and gathered his concentration and willpower.
"Starting with the Thurisaz rune (ᚦ) by itself!" He used the hand holding the stone to quickly draw the Thurisaz symbol in mid-air. The symbol appeared as a faint, dark grey line of light before he thrust his palm forward. "Stone-Shattering Wave!" A wave of energy, visible as a dense mass of compressed air, shot out and struck a medium-sized stone slab set up as a practice target, causing it to crack and slide back slightly.
(Zen's thoughts): "Whoa. Can runes really do that!?"
"Next... is combining it with the Solen rune (Ƨ), Master!" Xu Yianzi took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the same stone target with even greater focus. He took out another Yuan Stone (perhaps a larger or higher-grade one), clenching it tightly, his mind focused on the image of a "simulated mountain formed from energy." The hand holding the stone began to draw the Thurisaz rune (ᚦ) in the air again, but this time, he immediately followed it by drawing the Solen rune (Ƨ), which shone with a radiant light, overlapping the first symbol. The energy around him seemed to stir.
"Appear! Mountain Breaker!" With a shout, he slammed his palm forward!
This time, it wasn't just a formless wave of energy that shot out. It was the "visage of a small mountain formed from dark grey energy, tinged with the glow of the Solen rune!" It looked far more solid and powerful than the first attack. When the "energy mountain" slammed into the stone target, the resulting sound was much louder than before. The stone slab was instantly pulverized into dust!
(Zen's thoughts, completely stunned): "HOLY SHT! What the hell was that! An actual mountain appeared! This... this isn't just normal energy anymore! The Solen rune... it can turn 'thought' into tangible 'power'!?*
Xu Yianzi was panting slightly, but his face was filled with pride. "How was it, Master! This is what I discovered from trying to understand the Solen rune! The more I focus and 'believe' in the image I create in my mind, the more powerful and concrete the resulting energy becomes!"
He continued to demonstrate, first using the Uruz rune (ᚢ) by itself, which briefly made his body look stronger, and then comparing it to using Uruz (ᚢ) combined with Solen (Ƨ). For the combined version, he imagined a "stone-plate armor," and a faint, rock-like brown light appeared on his skin, a palpable feeling of toughness radiating from him, even if only for a short time.
(Zen's thoughts, trying to compose himself): "This... this has gone much further than I thought... Is this kid a genius, or did I accidentally awaken something strange...?"
Zen (communicating mentally, trying to keep his voice as normal as possible): "Uh... umm... very impressive, Xu Yianzi... y-you've progressed very far indeed... Continue your training... This path is still long..."
Zen's mind was filled with awe, shock, and a genuine respect for Xu Yianzi's determination and ability to apply these concepts. He might not fully understand how his "voice" had become a "Master" to Xu Yianzi, but one thing was certain: this young man was now walking the path of the runes on his own, with incredible and astonishing strength.