First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130: Calm Before the Storm

"Yes, you can only practice making a few runes on this parchment at max. But you—you on the other hand, were making nine. Of course, it will explode." She softly chuckled.

Orion spread out his hand, "Then what am I supposed to do? I feel like I’m doing it the right way, but I can’t be sure."

She gave a wry smile. "You weren’t wrong in your formation—it’s just that the medium wasn’t made to handle your scale of output. This is why real Affinity Runes are formed directly inside the Sea of Consciousness. There, your mana capacity sets the limits, not the material."

"...Then what should I do?" he blinked.

She reached into her desk and handed him a stack of high-grade training parchment, laced with mana-stabilizing veins. "Try again with these. They won’t explode... unless you do something really wrong."

Orion grinned, feeling like a weight had lifted off his chest. "Thanks, Grandma."

"Of course," she said gently, her smile softening. "Now go. I expect you to burn that beard of your grandpa when you form your affinity rune."

Orion speechlessly looked at her and shook his head, "Then I will head back and practice with these."

Saying that, he quickly exited the room before she asked him to burn off Eldric’s hair as well.

***

As he reached his door, Orion exhaled and stepped inside. Feeling at ease, he gently placed the fresh stack of high-grade parchment on his desk, the surface now cleaned and fresh by Fiora after the last few attempts.

[Master got an upgrade~! Look at those thick, beautiful pages! They won’t betray you like those weaklings from earlier. (๑>◡<๑)]

’Or maybe I won’t overload them this time,’ Orion replied with a chuckle.

He rolled his shoulders, cracking his knuckles before settling into his chair once again. The parchment had a faint shimmer under the mana lamp’s glow, its texture much denser and smoother than the brittle Common Grade pages.

Orion ran a thumb along the edge—sturdy, resilient, and pulsing faintly with stabilizing veins of blue ink.

"Alright," he murmured to himself. "No explosions this time."

He began the process anew, every movement steady and confident. The Structural Layer formed with ease, the nine Primary Runes settling around the circular frame like celestial bodies in a perfect orbit. Mana circuits flowed like blood vessels, linking each rune with seamless symmetry.

Then came the Runic Language, scribed gently with precision, followed by the Formation Layer, the shimmering dome painted softly over the entire structure.

He poured mana into the formation with delicate control—enough to activate the formation. The parchment glowed.

And then... it stabilized.

The Affinity Rune pulsed gently on the page, resonating softly but without releasing power. No combustion. No mana backlash. Just soft, warm glow—perfectly stable.

Orion leaned back, eyes flashing brightly.

[Wooooo!! It’s alive~! It didn’t explode!! You did it, Master!! (つ✧ω✧)つ]

He laughed quietly, a real, heartfelt sound. ’Not bad at all.’

He practiced again. Then again. With every repetition, the movements became cleaner, smoother, more instinctual—his mana refining with each attempt, until the act of creation became second nature.

By the fourth complete rune, he was breathing rhythmically, his heartbeat steady with a calm mind.

Knock knock.

A gentle voice floated in from the other side of the door. "Master, it’s time for dinner," Rina called out.

Orion blinked and looked out the window. The sun had nearly set.

"Alright," he said, standing and brushing his hands off. "It’s time for dinner already, huh?"

Taking one last glance at the softly glowing runes on his desk, he smiled and turned around to leave.

***

Orion pushed open the doors and smiled seeing Selene sitting at her usual spot. Noticing him, she gestured for him to come forward and sit down.