Kairos fiddled with the three items he chose. The chopsticks he first picked has runic inscriptions for detection and counteracting poisons.

The runes invoked the true name of silver that detests all toxins and strengthens their detection ability.

Complemented with earth runes, it also converts a small portion of the user’s blood to absorb and flush out any poisons accidentally ingested. Not only is this pair of chopsticks potentially lifesaving, but it also aids the body in removing the impurities from the food they consume.

Although its detoxification ability could not handle every poisonous substance in the world, what makes this utensil truly unique is its ability to contain large amount of deadly poisons. Combining the detection and absorption ability, it can segregate toxins and protect one’s body until the poison is properly treated.

“As long as one does not consume the top hundred untreatable poison, this pair of chopsticks will properly protect the practitioner.”

Kairos wrote down his conclusion on his report, but he had derived a frightening idea in his mind.

“What if I use the segregated poisons to power my immolation finger technique? Can I turn those foreign substances into pure energy, and make it my own?”

A smile appeared on his face after some thought. His immolation finger technique absorbs the energy of its target to turn into a great implosion. Flesh, blood, bones, and of course poison, could all be used for the implosion.

With exceptional control, instead of unleashing the energy into a fiery bang, it might be possible to reabsorb the energy.

Even after his initial research, this Runic Engraving class has already given him much more than he expected, and Kairos moved onto his second selected item. The giant mining pick.

This item is covered from head to toe with powerful rock splitting runes.

The primary function of the tool is to break apart the stubborn earth and uncover the ores within. Without a doubt, even a powerful armour will find it difficult to last a few blows from this pick.

Unfortunately, because it isn’t versatile, it is not a rune favoured on the battlefield.

Kairos traced his fingers across the Heavy Mountain Steel. The tool itself is not made from any high-class metal, but the weight made it invaluable for breaking apart hard surfaces.

“Bulky, cumbersome and blunt. This mining pick can become a splendid weapon,” Kairos whispered to no one in particular.

His attention moved on to the last item he picked. The Entropy Adjustment jar.

The basic function of the jar itself is nothing special, merely to store warm food and keep them fresh.

However, the runes engraved on it is the most significant among the three items, in fact, of all the items he saw during class, this is the one with the most unique Runes on it. Kairos has not hesitated to choose this. From what he guessed, it is definitely something beyond the Mortal Realm’s engraving arts.

“These runes prevent heat from dissipating but just how?”

He had really wanted to study the silverware for replicating its effects. If a practitioner’s Ki does not dissipate, a lot of wasted energy could be saved.

And, if the power of unleashed martial techniques could be retained, the potential is unimaginable.

By utility alone, he would have great use for the runes.

After studying on it a while, he wrote a report of his findings to be submitted. Unlike the other students that tried their best to impress the teacher, Kairos had to do the opposite and try his best to make his work believable.

Without question, the ability to analyse using his Veritable Sight is far more advanced than his peers.

Having created the Star Rune Weapons, he is already rather familiar with engraving. However, that doesn’t mean there weren’t much to learn anymore.

Besides the runes used to invoke the different elements and the key to activate them, there are many embellishments on the objects that bring about different functions.

Spirit Ores to activate the runes. Materials with unique properties to enhance runic effects, like the silver on the chopsticks used for poison detection, or the weight of the Heavy Mountain Iron for breaking apart rocks. Or even pointless inscriptions made with no other purpose in mind than to prevent replication.

It took him a while, but he was able to recreate the basic effects from the three items, and he even learned how to prevent others from copying his inscription. Although it is not yet to the level he could immediately use them in battle, he feels that with more knowledge, he will be able to improve the design towards that goal.

After handing in his report, and when moving to his next class, Kairos was challenged by Lux Cixton.

To revenge the humiliation that the Steel Rose family suffered in the trade war, and for his older cousin, Von Cixton, the 14-year-old wanted to take him down right away.

Because there is still some time until their next class, Kairos accepted the duel, and they immediately went to the closest combat area. An open field near the auditorium. This is merely his second challenge since school started four days ago. With over 500 students in total, Kairos’ current pace is still too slow to complete his challenges within the allotted time.

However, because most of the students will accumulate five losses and be struck off the list, the actual amount of challenges he needs to go through is much lesser.

Those that actively challenge others are actually the minority. If one was severely wounded in a challenge, the chance to be forfeited would greatly increase because no one will wait for an opponent to recover.

Duel requests will swarm in on those wounded, and if by three days nothing was accepted, it will result in a loss.

Of course, most students will not want to fight anyone, so that they could preserve their strength till they reach the final phase of the tournament. Which is why the Academy had set the rule that every week a challenge must be completed, that way, the number of participants will steadily decrease for this combat tournament.

When every challenge has been completed, the final phase of the competition will begin for those that still remains in the tournament. At that time, the Academy will give them an assignment to decide which student will take the top position.

This means that the most important thing in the combat tournament isn’t to gather the most wins, but to not be forfeited until the end. At that time, depending on the assignment given by the academy, anyone can have a chance to get the top prize.

Of course, Kairos who is aiming for the Artificial Weapon Soul do not plan to lose anymore, he had already fought Calculus to a draw, and things do not look good for him.

Lux stood calmly before Kairos. He had composure, unlike most opponents he had met before.

The two struck badges without a word, forming the tournament barrier, and the perimeter of their battle ring.

“Golem body: Woodland Guardian!” Lux shouted and along with his words, enchanted wood sprout quickly from the ground around him. It completely covered him, turning him into a five-meters tall giant, with him embedded in the middle.

Kairos rushed over so quickly he left shadows of afterimages in his wake, then with a single punch, he shattered a large hole in the wooden golem’s torso, revealing Lux’s face that is full of shock.

He had not known any techniques that could so easily part his defences, and of course, he had not heard of the Astral Cataclysm that managed to turn even the testing block into dust.

But Lux quickly recovered from his shock and took a great step backwards. As he retreated, the hole in his armour began repairing itself with new branches that grew to replace what Kairos destroyed.

Kairos gave chase ferociously, not allowing Lux the time to recover. If the golem could be restored, then to win all he needs is to break the armour quicker than it can repair itself.

He caught up with Lux and threw out Astral Cataclysm repeatedly, widening the hole he made on the armour. Every attack cost Kairos a hefty amount of stamina. For anyone else, after throwing out a few such punches, it would cause the person feel faint from exhausting. But for Kairos who was trained in Silent Lambs Empire, from being chased day and night by their soldiers, it was a tolerable amount of tiredness.

In an actual battle, the stamina usage would not be an issue, because Lux would be already dead. But since Kairos could not kill his opponent for a mere competition, he resisted hitting Lux directly with his Astral Cataclysm.

Unfortunately, his other attacking skill, the Immolation Finger, is just as deadly, while his Formless offensive stance will require him to be too close to the living wood armour and risk making him entangled.

Lux looked in horror as he looked at the golem body he is so confident of is slowly being ripped away. No matter how fast he repaired the damages, the destruction that Kairos creates only increased.

His Living Wood armour is made of a highly resilient material. Those he had faced before could hardly chip off a single piece.

He remembered a swordsman that prided himself as the strongest offensive managed to break off a limb with a flurry of attacks, but in exchange, because of how durable the wood is, that person ran out of energy and was sorely defeated. But the most despairing thing for his opponents is that, after they had given their all to break through a small hole on his armour, they will discover that his regrowth speed is fast enough to repair anything they tried. Even an entire limb could be replaced in a matter of seconds.

That is also why Lux is so flabbergasted with what Kairos is doing. Every strike caused a significant portion of his golem to turn into dust.

“Damn it, this kid isn’t human. I can close a crack almost immediately, but what do you want me to do with a huge gaping hole?!”

A few well-aimed punches from Kairos forced Lux fleeing across the open field as cold sweat ran down his forehead.

Left without a choice, he was forced to activate one of his trump cards.

“Golem body: Molten Walker!”

Immediately, searing hot rocks, lava and flame covered his body replacing his previous golem.

Kairos who was about to send out another Astral Cataclysm had to restrain his fist and back away. Touching this burning pile of stones barehanded is impossible.

“Wood element, earth element and fire element? This guy is pretty talented.”