Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!
Chapter 45: Runes Hall

His nerdy side, enthusiastic about technology and the like, took over his mind, unconsciously raising the tips of his lips as his face slowly moved sideways.

Faced with holograms, enormous screens showing what looked like movies, elevators in one corner of the lobby, automatic doors here and there, and cleaning robots moving around, the boy looked at this world differently for a moment.

'This... Runes can do all that?' His fists clenched, and his heart raced in his chest. The exhilarating sensation urged him to explore these technologies further, prompting him to ask one question after another.

'Liam Porter's memoirs showed a feudal world where even the rich and noble didn't live so differently from the citizens of my pre-Industrial Revolution homeland... But this?'

Gulp!

'I am reminded of modernity on Earth by these things! How do they work? Can runes be used to create various devices? However, if such capabilities exist, why does the world seem underdeveloped?'

Amid his question, Liam ignored the surroundings, where several groups of Runemasters, different from the people he had already seen in the city, chatted or went their ways.

Yet, upon closer inspection, he would observe more impeccably attired individuals, their eyes filled with confidence and superiority, and a few even emanating an air of arrogance.

"Initiate Liam Porter, welcome to the Runes Hall," a red-haired woman said as she approached him, bringing his attention back to reality.

Liam looked at the person in front of him; a woman dressed in a blue dress, a feathered hat on her head, and a beautiful smile on her face. She was obviously an outer disciple like himself.

For a moment, his gaze lingered on the graceful curves of the red-haired woman, admiring her feminine allure.

He put his questions aside and looked at her with interest. "What's your name, miss?" he asked, his confident voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and mischief.

Liam made sure his logical side prevailed over his irrational impulses. However, when he had his first encounter with a woman in this location, his heart started pounding and his thoughts started racing uncontrollably.

He knew he needed a new partner for his dual cultivation. Seeing someone as beautiful as the green-eyed woman in front of him, who stood at 1.7 meters tall with a well-proportioned body, stirred his instinctive side.

Observing Liam's black eyes, the woman dressed in blue easily discerned his worldly longing. Just a moment ago, he appeared completely out of place, like a rural person encountering modern society for the very first time. His demeanor now resembled that of a predator, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to capture his prey.

She watched with interest, but put the game aside to talk about what mattered. "My name is Ann Reed. I'm here on behalf of the Runes Hall Lord, Commander Eliakim Badders.

Have you read about the rules and divisions of the sect? Do you know what the Runes Hall is?" she asked, before explaining why she was standing before him.

"Yes. The Runes Hall is like several other halls in the sect. It focuses on the development of one's specialty, in this case, runes and the path of Runemasters. I imagine this is where I will learn and develop my skills related to it."

He quoted what he already knew and could imagine from his understanding of this place.

She nodded as she gestured for him to accompany her.

"You're right. You'll learn the way of a Runemaster here. In your Promotion Exam, we found that you have the potential to recognize and understand deep patterns. Therefore, starting tomorrow, you will be part of the group commanded by Lord Badders."

She stopped speaking when they reached a large glass wall from where they could see several Spirit Masters manipulating mana to form complicated runes and connect them to various artifacts.

Liam watched in silence as the members of the Runes Hall engraved runes on objects, giving ordinary items special properties.

"The primary goal of Runemasters is to alter reality, create mechanisms and models that don't exist in nature, to make life easier for the Spirit Masters. But our profession is so broad that there are really no limits to what we can do.

Some of us can use runes to create powerful amulets. Others can use their runes on animals and become professional tamers. There are those who can use runes on living creatures, cast curses on them and be called witches. The possibilities are endless, Initiate Porter. The limit of a Runemaster is their own imagination and understanding of reality.

There is a great demand for Runemasters, so any talent with even the slightest potential must be honed and taken to the next level. Few on the continent have the aptitude for it, so be grateful. From now on, you're part of a select group."

She touched one of Liam's shoulders, smiling as she spoke in a confident, eager tone, giving him the sense of pride she herself felt at being a Runemaster.

Liam controlled his physical impulses as he listened to Ann's eloquent words, following her down a corridor, but still observing his surroundings, passing a library area, training rooms, rune-writing rooms, and classrooms.

"Today you need not worry about learning anything. This is just a first introduction. But know that tomorrow you will begin your activities, starting as an apprentice Runemaster with my group."

He looked over her shoulder and asked, "Do outer disciples teach other outer disciples?"

"No, but senior professionals do that with apprentices." She smiled as she looked sideways at him, curious to see him in action.

It wasn't common for novices in the sect to have a cultivation level as high as his. Even though she was arrogant and skeptical of others, Ann couldn't ignore the interesting signals coming from Liam.

She explained, "You will be under my tutelage until you learn the basics and graduate as a Second Class Runemaster. After that, Lord Badders will welcome you into his group and you'll learn some tips from him."

Professionals were classified in the same way as artifacts and resources. For example, someone who could make First Cass pills would be a First Class Alchemist.

Liam wasn't a Runemaster yet, so he would have to become a First Class and then a Second Class Runemaster to get out from under Ann's wing.

"Lord Badders? What rank is he?" Liam asked curiously, not imagining he would be under the direct supervision of the hall leader soon after becoming a Second Class Runemaster.

Ann understood Liam's doubt. "He's a Fourth Class Runemaster. Anyway, you'll have to replace out from him why you're joining his group after going through me... Whatever the reason, thank your lucky stars. Most of us only get advice from Lord Badders once a month."

Liam detected a subtle note of envy in Ann's voice, curious and excited about this opportunity on the one hand, but worried on the other.

'Sigh. There are no free lunches in this world. I have to prepare myself for the problem of getting easily what others can't get, even with hard work.'

He kept his expression unchanged, pretending he was just looking at Ann's beautiful body.

"It really is a great luck," he murmured to her. "As lucky as to be led by a beautiful woman."

Her gaze changed, letting go for a moment of the envy she felt for this normal-looking young man.

"By the way, is Miss Reed single?"

"Oh? Are you thinking about it? You better be worried about your own neck, Initiate Porter. If you survive your first few weeks here, I might give you a chance." She teased as she walked away from him.

"That sounds like a challenge." He stayed, looking at her with a smile on his face.

"Survive, get stronger, and beat me at my profession. When you've done that, I'll consider talking about that... Anyway, meet me in the room to your right tomorrow at 8am. Don't be late." She disappeared as soon as she said those words.

"Fascinating," he remained in his position, enjoying the charm of the senior who would be his teacher the following day.