Sokram’s smile wavered as he scratched the back of his head, meeting Savannah’s unwavering gaze. “Heh, I can’t decide if your skepticism or your faith is more flattering.”

Savannah merely shrugged. “Flattery won’t keep my team alive.”

She was truly unwilling to risk her team’s safety unless his plan proved foolproof.

But Sokram said something that caught her off guard. “You and Amber will play a big part in this plan. And don’t worry, the rest of the team won’t get a single scratch.”

Savannah and the others looked intrigued, their silence urging him to continue.

Seeing their expectant faces, Sokram began explaining. “Do you want to learn how to inscribe runes? Because they’ll play a big part in this plan…”

He went on to detail his strategy, pointing out that they hadn’t encountered a single female boar or any Uncommon Level boar.

This wasn’t just because Kazzah had requested the weakest targets; it was also due to the boars’ behavior during mating season.

These boars typically traveled in groups of four, always of the same gender.

However, this changed during their mating season. When a group of male boars encountered a group of females, the males would fight among themselves.

The females, naturally stronger, would allow only the strongest male to join them, and he would mate with all the females in the group.

The male would remain with them until the offspring were born and weaned, after which he would take the male piglets, leaving the females with their mothers.

Sokram’s plan leveraged this knowledge, along with Savannah’s class and Amber’s eagerness to learn new magic.

It was the perfect opportunity to solidify his position as the new team captain.

The plan was simple: Sokram would create runestones to ensure the team’s safety.

He already had the necessary materials, which he’d purchased from the magic shop before the mission.

He would teach Savannah a ritualistic runic spell, and Amber would learn a supporting spell to help Sokram deal with the female boars quickly. Meanwhile, the team would hold back the male boar.

If they hadn’t defeated it by the time Sokram finished with the females, he would assist them.

However, as Sokram explained his plan, he sensed lingering skepticism. “Well, I’m confident in Amber and Savannah’s talent. I’m sure they can learn the spells by the end of the night. As for the runestones that’ll help you, I can show you. Just give me a few minutes.”

“Alright, but first, let’s find a good spot to set up camp,” Savannah suggested, noting the team’s exhaustion from the day’s hunt.

They found a suitable campsite near the road they’d used to reach the area.

A cluster of trees and a small hill provided enough coverage while limiting potential escape routes.

They had brought supplies, so they wouldn’t starve even after Kazzah took the boars they’d hunted.

Experienced hunters are always prepared for extended expeditions, and this team was no exception.

While Kan and Nora prepared food from their shared supplies, some of the girls went to rest, as they would take the late guard shifts.

Savannah and Amber volunteered for the first shift, as Sokram assured them they could learn the spells without losing sleep.

Sokram sat beside Savannah and pulled out a moonstone, a bottle of Tier 6 monster blood, silver dust, dusted mithril, and a few more ingredients from his Void Glove.

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He carefully mixed them into a bowl, and suddenly, the mixture caused an almost imperceptible shift in the ambient mana.

“When you see the ambient mana stir like this, you’ll know that this Magi Infusion Solution is ready,” Sokram explained, his gaze switching between the two girls, who nodded quietly.

“Place your hand over mine,” Sokram said, his voice calm but firm. “Feel the flow of my mana as I engrave the rune. Let it guide you, like a river carving its path through stone.”

“Can I learn it too?” Amber asked, her eyes pleading with hope.

“Sure, but not now. We need to focus on the plan. Today, I’ll teach you the spell you need to learn for tomorrow. Let me show Savannah this first,” Sokram replied.

He noted that Amber’s eagerness didn’t fade despite his refusal and inwardly approved her determination.

Patience was a virtue the most talented mages couldn’t afford to lack.

He turned back to Savannah and took her hand without hesitation, placing it over his own. “Focus now. You’ll need to infuse your mana into the Infusion Solution. If you add too much, it can explode because of the residual Chaos Energy in the monster’s blood. But if you use too little, you’ll waste it.”

“Where did you get all of this?” Savannah asked, trying not to blush as her hand rested on his.

“At the magic shop near the south gates. It was quite cheap. I guess the owner didn’t know its true value, or he would’ve tripled the price,” Sokram said, meeting her eyes.

Her fingers trembled slightly against his, and Sokram hid a knowing smile.

For all her confidence in battle, she was surprisingly unsteady in moments like these.

Seeing her struggle to maintain eye contact, Sokram softened his tone. “Take a deep breath. Calm your heart. Don’t worry about wasting it. Focus on my mana flow for now. Ready?”

Savannah nodded, exhaling deeply to steady her nerves.

Sokram guided her hand with practiced ease as he explained, “This is a defensive rune. To inscribe or engrave one, you must grasp more than just the design of the runic word; you need to understand the essence it represents."

He paused, letting his words sink in, and continued his lecture, "Unlike most magic that relies on cold logic and precise calculation, Runic Magic is born from intent. It flows from the heart, not the mind. The rune’s meaning must resonate within you, allowing your mana to follow that understanding and shape the Magi that empowers it. Without a sharp mind and a steady heart, the rune will reject your mana, and the inscription will fail.”

As he spoke, he dipped two fingers into the small bowl. Using Force, he held the solution that coated his fingers, ensuring it was enough to draw the rune. Savannah noticed his mastery; not a single drop fell as he lifted his fingers.

The moment Sokram’s finger touched the moonstone, his mana flow intensified.

He concentrated his mana at the point where the solution met the stone, causing it to seep deeper into it.

His hands moved with practiced ease, drawing an intricate symbol over the moonstone.

The crimson solution flowed like ink from a pen, forming the rune with perfect precision.

Once the drawing of the rune was complete, Sokram fed more mana into the moonstone. “This Runic Word means Shield. At this point, think about what a shield means to you. Whether it’s to protect or defend someone else, yourself, or something. The stronger the intent, the more powerful the runestone.”

As he spoke, the white moonstone took on an azure hue. ‘Damn, that’s all I can do at my current Tier and Level of Existence? Pathetic,’ Sokram thought, masking his disappointment.

But Savannah, who knew a little about runestones, was amazed. “You can make azure runestones?!”

Her eyes widened in awe. “Do you have any idea how valuable these are? You could become rich overnight selling these!”

Her words drew the attention of the others.

Kan and Nora approached, Kiana paused her tent setup, and Lucy and Lara dashed out of theirs.

“This isn’t a true azure runestone. It still counts as a white runestone. If it were truly azure, the entire stone would’ve turned that color. I doubt I could get more than fifty gold for this one,” Sokram said dismissively, brushing off Savannah’s praise.

But the others knew better; such a runestone could fetch at least seventy gold.

Sokram placed a hand on Savannah’s shoulder, his gaze steady and encouraging. “But with your class and innate talent, once you master this and reach the Uncommon Level, even at Tier 1, you’ll be able to make true azure runestones. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even surpass me one day.”

He stood up, having dropped that bombshell, and turned to the team with a smirk. “So, who still has the energy to test this one?”

They exchanged glances, a mix of curiosity and doubt flickering in their eyes. “All you have to do is attack me until the stone breaks. Don’t hold back. I want you all to see what this runestone can really do. Sound good?”

Relief washed over them.

He wasn’t using them as test subjects but needed their strength instead. But then he surprised and irked them by sitting back and pulling out a blank scroll and a pen.

As he began writing, he said, “Come on, you guys can start. The runestone is already active.”

Kiana, still seething from earlier, saw her chance.

Gripping her sword tightly, she lunged at Sokram with a furious cry, swinging with all her might.

“Clang!”

Her sword stopped half a meter from Sokram, the runestone barely vibrating.

Sokram didn’t even flinch as he continued writing. “Right, Amber, use your magic too. It’ll be good for you guys to see the runestone’s magic defense.”

His nonchalant tone fired up the team.

Kan hurried back to check on the food and grab his blades, Nora and Lara retrieved their weapons from their spatial rings, and Lucy dashed to her tent for her bow.