Level Up Legacy

After teleporting for the third time, Julia wanted to vomit. However, Grandmaster Yuvan pulled her through the alleys away from their teleportation point and into the underground array system he has been in charge of maintaining. Then, the two of them walked for several kilometers before finding the hidden entrance that led to Grandmaster Yuvan\'s pavilion.

The two sat in the grass-covered garden for several minutes, huffing and catching their breath. Several leaps through space would take their toll on anyone, even the most powerful. This had nothing to do with physical ability but the quality of teleportation runes.

"This should cover our tails for now," said Yuvan as he turned toward her. "We need to treat your wounds now, lest they scar. Let us go inside."

Julia nodded as she tried to rise, but her legs betrayed her, and she fell to the ground. Yuvan hurried to help her stand and walked her into the house before letting her lie on a couch. Then, he started using positions to heal her wounds.

"How did Runera become like this?" asked Julia as the pain of her closing wounds made her eyes tear. She closed them and pressed her lips against each other. "I never thought our citizens could do such a thing."

"Runera is a place of science and profit, so our citizens can be the most selfish humans," said Yuvan as he removed another flask\'s lid. "And when humans have their livelihood threatened, they get quite hateful. Your guild declared war against them, so what did you think would happen?"

Julia turned silent because she was indeed being naïve. The moment she leaves Runera to join Arthur, she has already betrayed her people\'s hopes. Their reaction was normal.

"Tell me, Grandmaster…."

"Call me Yuvan," said the gentleman with a smile as he focused on her wounds to heal them. "I am not your mentor anymore, and our statuses might have flipped, given how influential you have become."

"I am still the same old me," said Julia with a smile as she shook her head. "He still makes all decisions."

"Arthur Silvera gave you his most powerful artifact, the Runic Dome, which is enough proof of his trust," said Yuvan as he poured the liquid. Julia grimaced, but he hurried to rub it over her wound, making her scream. "We cannot let these wounds scar."

"How is my father?" asked Julia as she stared at the white-porcelain tiles of his ceiling. "I came here without a plan, hoping to rescue him. I doubt they would hurt him, but…."

"Do not assume Runera is the same as you have once known it to be, Julia," said Yuvan with sadness. "Everything changed once that Ghost Ruler appeared. Everyone has started acting strange as if a monster possessed them."

Julia remembered how Marcel acted. Although he has always been a spoiled brat, he has never been this deranged. His face looked twisted and sadistic, enjoying her humiliation and torture.

"I never noticed this when I was here," muttered Julia with a frown. "It must have happened after I left Runera, and it might be connected to the events that led us to that point. The corpses we found underground might be connected to this."

"Runera still suspects Arthur Silvera of that incident, and this might have been a part of the reasons that they wanted Ilios to stop using his artifacts. Mistletoe is also a prime suspect, but we cannot chase shadows."

"Arthur did not do it. If he did, why would he pick a fight with Runera? We even told the envoys about a traitor being in Runera because we have traced the puppeteer to a group of people."

"A group of people?" asked Yuvan with a frown. He stopped his treatment since most of her wounds had healed. The rest would take time to disappear, as white scars all over her body.

"…the family and honorable heads."

Yuvan was arranging the flasks, and his hands paused. He turned toward Julia with raised brows as if he could not believe it. After all, one of the heads wouldn\'t need to betray Runera. Their position already gave them everything they desired.

"I know how it might sound, but we have a strong suspicion that it is one of the family heads," said Julia with a frown as she rose from the couch. "I need to save my father before that person manages to make Runera do the unimaginable."

"The unimaginable?" asked Yuvan after a brief silence. Julia was silent before taking out a letter she had received from Runera. It was an explicit threat that they would harm her father if she did not do as asked. "Is this the reason that you came to Runera?"

"I could not do anything other than present myself to them," said Julia as she clenched her fist. "Arthur was right to declare war on this city. It might have been rotting for a long time without us realizing it. If not for you, I would have been tortured for information."

"I arrived as soon as I heard of your recklessness," muttered Yuvan with a sigh. "You should have told me that you were coming to Runera. I would have advised against it since already enough people are working to save your father."

"It would not matter if my refusal killed him," said Julia as she pocketed the letter and rose. "I am grateful for the help I received, but running away might have been a mistake. I should have remained there."

Julia was wounded and humiliated at that moment, and her weakness made her run away from Marcel. However, now that her mind cleared again, she found that her father was in danger, even if it hurt.

"I did not save you to send you back," said Yuvan with a shake. "You need to trust me that we will not let your father die. He is one of the pillars of Runera, and killing him would be akin to self-destruction."

"I do not trust others with my father\'s life," said Julia as she rose from her spot. "Before I left Ascent, I stored enough elemental attacks to kill an astra-ranker. Runera could test me, but I will take one with me."

"I know about your ability better than anyone, Julia," said Yuvan with a frown as he rose to hold her back. "Releasing that amount of stored energy would kill an astra-ranker and kill you in the process."

"It is a last resort in case things go south," said Julia with a smile. "I have burdened you with my actions, Master Yuvan. However, I must ask that you help me find my father."

"You apologized for your actions, not your mistakes," said Yuvan with a smile. "Does that mean your relationship with Arthur Silvera was not a mistake?"

Julia was caught off guard by the question since she was careless with her words. After a few moments, she could not help but smile.

"For the past few years, my pride was in being the youngest runemaster. After I stood on his side and witnessed his feats, my pride became the trust he places in me."

"You have matured a lot, Julia," said Yuvan before he held her shoulder with a smile. "Even if you did not ask me, I would have helped your father. He is a man I respect and why I made you my disciple."

"I am the luckiest for that," smiled Julia. Yuvan nodded, let go of her, and went through another of his house. Then, he returned with a giant scroll, which he spread on the table. "Is this the underground map?"

"Runera asked me to stay here after the last incident because someone snuck into the ruins using the underground arrays. I was asked to create golems to protect the arrays and notify them of any intruders. This allowed me to find their weaknesses and different hidden doors."

"I never knew there was a map of the underground labyrinth," said Julia with amazement as she studied the layout. "How did you obtain this?"

"I drew this using the golems I created. I never knew when the day would come when we would need them, but I guess they arrived sooner than expected. This right here is the prison, right next to the ruins. If we want to go there, we must enter… through here," said Yuvan while pointing at the map.

"A different entrance than the one inside your garden?" asked Julia with confusion. "Is there a specific reason?"

"I had to do my job, and the golems I created are too powerful for us to handle. I have yet to create ones on this route, so this is the safest route we have."