Bolen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Bolen (伯伦)
Species/Race	Human 252
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Bronze City Night Watch
Occupation/Role	Knowledge Extraordinary; Inscription Advisor; Ancient Large-scale Inscriptionist; Kael's teacher 233 235 282
Status	Alive; detected as a Believer following his contact with the Weird Inscription copper wall, though he displays no corruption; departed Bronze City for Night Watcher Headquarters in Triumphal City with Kael and the injured Franz 260 310 313
First Appearance	199

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Second Rank	233	Revealed himself as an Ancient Large-scale Inscriptionist at the threshold of the Third Rank.
Third Rank	259 260	Advanced after suffering Mental Erosion while probing the Weird Inscription copper wall. He awakened able to draw Weird Inscriptions without paper and was subsequently identified as a Believer, without signs of corruption.

Appearance

Bolen is an elderly man who habitually walks with a cane and keeps a leather-bound notebook and inscription tools close at hand. Before his advancement, he was described as gaunt, brown-haired, and visibly hunched from exhaustion; afterward, his posture straightened and his complexion noticeably improved. 232 252 259

• Short brown hair and a wrinkled, gaunt face. 252 259
• Uses a cane both for support and as an inscriptional focus. 244 296
• Carries rubbing paper, charcoal pencils, brushes, and other inscription tools. 199 237
• His cane was damaged by corrosive black liquid during the battle against the Gray Covenant, then repaired. 300 303
• Following his overdrawn use of Bronze City's power, his complexion remained poor and his pace slow during his recovery, though his condition gradually improved. 303
• Travels by carriage when departing Bronze City, sitting beside the driver while Kael accompanies Franz's stretcher. 313

Personality

Bolen is intensely curious about inscriptions, particularly ancient structures that others consider too dangerous to study. Discovering the Copper Pillars visibly overwhelms him, yet he continues investigating even after repeated Sanity loss and exhaustion. 199 235 251

He is methodical and careful in his conclusions. During his Copper Sheet analysis, he distinguishes confirmed findings from hypotheses and recommends outside specialists where his own knowledge is insufficient. 249

Bolen is stern with Kael but deeply protective of him. His usual calm breaks when Kael is contaminated, and he repeatedly warns both Kael and Lu Yuan about the dangers of their chosen paths and Bronze City itself. He is especially alarmed by Kael's decision to specialize in Dark Inscription Studies, which he considers exceptionally dangerous. 285 291 310 311

Following his advancement, Bolen becomes more contemplative about the consequences of his research. He is unsettled by the possibility that he accidentally worshipped the existence behind the copper wall, but remains rational after finding no evidence of mental corruption or loss of Sanity. 260

He is also willing to act as a warning voice even when doing so conflicts with his own curiosity. Although he wants to return to the Pipe Network, he urges Lu Yuan to leave Bronze City and eventually decides to depart when Headquarters begins pressuring the Branch. 285 310 311

Abilities & Skills

Ancient Large-scale Inscription Studies

Bolen specializes in the orthodox branch of Ancient Large-scale Inscription Studies, covering large inscription arrays, city-defense seals, and conduction systems. 233

• Identifies foundation-level conduction structures and distinguishes primitive Copper Pillar inscriptions from the city wall runes. 199
• Can assess and temporarily restore surface-level conduction structures, though deeper damage remains beyond his ability to repair. 202
• Repaired damaged Conduction Veins by reconnecting their inscribed patterns. 203
• Assesses inscription clarity, engraving depth, and viable anchor points before beginning repairs to damaged conduction structures. 203
• Determined that the four Copper Pillars beneath Bronze City form a complete sealing system. 237
• Deciphered the Copper Sheet as part of the same inscription system as the pillars and identified City Hall's lowest level as the seal's core. 249
• Warned that the complete Copper Sheet might serve as a means of opening the City Hall seal. 249
• Analyzed Lu Yuan's linked set of nine Ghoul Brain Cores, recognizing that their modified inscriptions formed a complete circuit and warning that leaked Eerie Aura could cause contamination. 260
• Can prepare large-scale inscriptions in advance along a route, creating fallback measures for retreat or delaying pursuing enemies. 296
• Can use the large-scale system to create Inscription Silver Sheets that invoke a limited portion of Bronze City's defensive power. 310 311

Third-Rank Inscriptions

After advancing, Bolen can produce more powerful and flexible inscriptions, including Weird Inscriptions drawn directly without paper. 259

• Sealed passage entrances and created temporary barriers against Mycelium and Ghouls. 215 293
• Immobilized and burned a Wood-type Aberration with a Third Rank Inscription. 290
• Created protective inscriptions that filtered spores and reduced the effects of hostile airborne contamination. 296 299
• Used inscriptions to accelerate the burning of a retreat route during a battle between Fourth Rank combatants. 296
• Activated an isolation inscription array to help Lu Yuan expose and treat the Forest Seed's contamination of Kael. 292
• Can directly draw Weird Inscriptions without relying on paper as a medium. 259
• His inscriptions can be placed on clothing and other surfaces to provide immediate protection against airborne pollutants. 296
• Can activate multiple inscription layers with precise control, including carefully opening and restoring the isolation array around the Seed. 292 293

Bronze City Resonance

As a Third Order master who has remained in Bronze City long-term, Bolen has formed a partial resonance with the city's inscription network. 311

• Can sense major changes in the load borne by Bronze City's defensive inscriptions. 311
• Can borrow a portion of Bronze City's power through this connection. 299 311
• Assisted Lu Yuan in unleashing a deep-blue beam that destroyed an altar and severely injured Gray Covenant member “9.” 299
• Created Inscription Silver Sheets that function as a limited backdoor to Bronze City's defensive inscriptions. 310 311
• Can maintain a high degree of self-preservation while borrowing Bronze City's power on the city's own territory, though the strain remains severe. 303
• Detected that Bronze City's inscription network was overloaded and that a large amount of defensive capacity was being diverted elsewhere, possibly to maintain the Tower of Erudition's Sea of Knowledge opening. 311

Inscription Analysis and Detection

Bolen combines technical observation with specialized inscriptional methods to investigate structures and contamination.

• Detects the presence and condition of Copper Pillars through his cane. 244
• Creates highly accurate rune rubbings for later study. 237 251
• Recognized abnormal stability in contaminated copper pipes, indicating an external controller or alternate pollution source. 204
• Found plant fiber traces in Gray Covenant Molting material, creating a potential lead for identifying their accomplices. 249
• Can use inscriptions to survey hidden areas for immediate danger, including the concealed underground hall beneath Hoffman Freight's warehouse. 294
• Identified that the Seed's knowledge-density structure was unrelated to the Copper Pillar sealing system. 249
• Can determine whether damage to an inscription structure is superficial or extends into deeper layers. 202 203
• Can identify disturbances in soil and buried copper systems by combining physical observation with cane-based detection. 244
• His improved understanding after reaching the Third Rank allows him to attempt further analysis of the inscriptions near the copper wall. 260 281

Cane Combat

Despite his age, Bolen is capable in close combat when threatened.

• Swiftly incapacitated a Gray Covenant member with repeated cane strikes after the Sealing Disk suppressed extraordinary abilities. 243
• Uses his cane as both a weapon and a channel for inscriptions. 244 296
• Can react quickly enough to activate inscriptions immediately when attacked by hostile vines. 296
• Can use the cane to strike the Stone Tablet and trigger or stabilize inscription arrays. 291 292

Limitations

• His inscriptions can be temporary and material-dependent; the Water Collection Chamber seal had limited durability against Mycelium corrosion. 215
• Prolonged inscription work and Pipe Network expeditions leave him mentally and physically exhausted. 235 290
• Direct exposure to high-level Weird Inscriptions nearly depleted his Sanity and caused Mental Erosion, resulting in a coma. 251 252
• Ancient Large-scale Inscription Studies carry a Knowledge Curse that hinders advancement in other directions, making specialization exceptionally demanding. 233
• Even as a Third Rank Inscriptionist, he cannot directly contend with Fourth Rank combatants and instead focuses on protection, control, and escape support. 296
• Borrowing Bronze City's power placed him under extreme strain and caused him to collapse after the attack on “9.” 299
• The overdrawn use of his inscriptions and Bronze City's power temporarily depleted his vitality, leaving his inscriptions unable to fully recover for several days. 303
• His age and limited stamina remain significant weaknesses even after advancing; prolonged combat causes his hands to shake and leaves him visibly pale. 290
• His resonance with Bronze City's inscription network is dependent on remaining connected to the city and does not eliminate the risks of overdraw. 299 311

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Inscription Cane — His primary support tool, combat weapon, and inscriptional focus. 243 244 296
• Copper-Bristle Brush — Used to clear fungal layers and expose inscription patterns on Copper Pillars. 199
• Leather-bound Notebook — Contains his research notes and inscription analyses. 232 249
• Portable Inscription Toolkit — A field kit containing tools for basic inscription analysis, including rubbing paper. 251
• Rubbing Paper and Charcoal Pencils — Used to copy inscriptions from pillars and bronze walls. 237 251
• Three Inscription Silver Sheets — Given to Lu Yuan before Bolen's departure; they can temporarily bypass or invoke part of Bronze City's defensive inscription system. Each sheet has three uses, for a total of nine uses when employed separately. 310 311
• Dwarf Copper Coin — Bolen explains that Lu Yuan's coin signifies recognition by the Dwarf race. It can divert the attention of a Weird and compel a Dwarf to perform one service, such as teaching an inscription, forging an item, or providing a degree of protection. 285

Relationships

• Lu Yuan — Fellow Night Watcher, collaborator, and recipient of Bolen's inscription guidance. Bolen advises him on inscription paths, investigates Bronze City's mysteries alongside him, entrusts him with further Pipe Network rubbings, warns him to leave Bronze City, and gives him three Inscription Silver Sheets before departing. 233 260 285 310 311
• Kael — Apprentice. Bolen trains him in Inscription Studies, disciplines him strictly, and reacts fiercely when Kael is contaminated. He is proud when Kael finally becomes an Inscription Studies Extraordinary, but is alarmed when Kael chooses Dark Inscription Studies and Weird Inscription Studies. He warns Kael that Dark Inscription Studies is more dangerous than Weird Inscription Studies and urges him to remember the risks before leaving. 199 282 285 291 310 311
• Klaus — Night Watch superior who relies on Bolen's analysis of the Copper Sheet, Copper Pillars, and Bronze City's overloaded defensive inscriptions. Klaus also blocks Bolen from independently approaching the sealed Tower of Erudition incident. 249 311
• Reke — Pipe Network expedition companion. Reke helped evacuate Bolen after the copper wall's Weird Inscriptions put him into a coma and later saved him from Gray Covenant attacks. 252 300
• Green — Dwarf inscription master with whom Bolen discussed the Dwarf race's role in Bronze City's sealing systems. Green was surprised by Bolen's advancement to the Third Rank, confirmed that Dwarves had built sealing inscriptions for the Tower of Erudition, and mentioned that the Ascension Society had also hired Dwarves. 284 285
• Franz — Injured Night Watch captain whom Bolen escorts to Headquarters for treatment upon leaving Bronze City. 310 313
• Glock — Night Watch captain who coordinates with Bolen during the Conduction Vein repairs and underground investigations. 202 203 235 236
• The Dwarf race — Bolen respects their inscriptional expertise but distrusts their recruitment practices and warns Lu Yuan not to accept a Dwarf's recommended path without considering the Dwarf's self-interest. 233 285

Story Role / Major Arcs

Copper Pillar and Pipe Network Investigation

• Bolen first identifies inscriptions on a Copper Pillar as a primitive, foundation-level conduction structure rather than ordinary city-wall runes. He concludes that the pillar is the “heart” of a far larger system. 199
• He agrees to repair a damaged surface conduction structure in the North Textile District, though he cautions that a temporary repair cannot address deeper-layer damage. 202
• In the North Textile District, he repairs three damaged Conduction Vein sections and helps reveal that their power is being redirected toward an underground contamination source. 203
• He identifies the abnormal, precisely controlled flow of contaminated energy as evidence that the reverse contamination is not natural. 204
• He assists in the Water Collection Chamber operation by carving a copper frame, sealing passages, and supporting the effort to destroy the Mycelium core. 214 215
• Though weakened by earlier expeditions, he insists on joining the operation beneath the Copper Pillar. 235
• His rubbings and deductions establish that four matching Copper Pillars beneath Bronze City form a complete seal. 237
• He remains mentally fixated on the Pipe Network's inscriptions even while exhausted, repeatedly discussing the conduction structure and the distribution of the Copper Pillar's veins. 200 216
• After reaching the Third Rank, he proposes returning to the Pipe Network with Lu Yuan and possibly Klaus to investigate the inscriptions near the copper wall more deeply. 260 281

Gray Covenant Investigation

• Bolen escapes the Gray Covenant ambush with Lu Yuan while suffering severe Sanity loss from the Pipe Network's anomalous effects. 241
• When attacked after the Sealing Disk suppresses extraordinary abilities, he proves capable of disabling an opponent with his cane. 243
• He spends three days analyzing the recovered Copper Sheet, concluding that it likely functions as a transit token within the sealing system and that the complete sheet may open the City Hall seal. 249
• He also establishes that the Seed is unrelated to the Copper Pillar seal and discovers plant fibers in Gray Covenant Molting material. 249
• His analysis leads Klaus to seal the original evidence and investigate the possibility that someone inside Bronze City is helping the Gray Covenant Leader evade detection. 249

Mental Erosion and Advancement

• Bolen investigates a massive bronze wall covered in Weird Inscriptions beneath City Hall, warning Lu Yuan to incapacitate and extract him if his condition deteriorates. 251
• His attempt to probe the wall triggers Mental Erosion and leaves him comatose with consciousness trauma. 252
• Lu Yuan carries him out of the Pipe Network after knocking him unconscious, while Reke assists with the evacuation. 252
• He awakens having advanced to the Third Rank. Bolen recalls seeing a vision of a rotating sun and countless people worshipping it immediately before losing consciousness. 259 260
• Although Lu Yuan's detection identifies him as a Believer after the incident, Bolen shows no corruption and believes he may have unknowingly worshipped something in the vision. 260
• Following his advancement, he suspects that Bronze City itself may be alive and seeks to return to the copper wall for further study. 260
• He theorizes that the Copper Pillars are conduction devices rather than the city's power source, with the existence behind the copper wall supplying power to Bronze City's inscription network. 260

Dwarf Warnings and Departure Preparations

• Bolen meets the Dwarf Green to discuss the Bronze City's problems and confirms that Dwarves were involved in constructing sealing inscriptions for the Tower of Erudition. 284 285
• He learns that the Ascension Society has also hired Dwarves, suggesting that multiple locations beneath Bronze City may be experiencing serious sealing problems. 285
• Bolen explains that the Dwarves possess a rare ability to seal Weird and corruption, and that their presence generally indicates the risk of large-scale contamination. 285
• He advises Lu Yuan to leave Bronze City as soon as possible and pushes him to complete the Pipe Network investigation before the situation worsens. 285
• He explains the significance and uses of Lu Yuan's Dwarf Copper Coin, including its ability to draw a Dwarf's aid. 285
• He reacts with concern when Kael's specialization slate reveals Dark Inscription Studies and Weird Inscription Studies, warning that Dark Inscription Studies is extremely obscure and dangerous. 285
• After Kael confirms his decision to pursue Dark Inscription Studies, Bolen prepares to leave with him and Franz rather than wait for Headquarters' specialist to arrive. 310

Final Bronze City Operations

• Bolen supports Lu Yuan's group during the Wood-type Aberration incident, using Third Rank inscriptions to restrain and burn the enemy. 290
• When Kael and Milo are contaminated by spores, Bolen erects an isolation inscription while Lu Yuan treats them. 291 293
• He nearly loses control when Kael is contaminated, covering his cane and arm with glowing inscription patterns before confronting the source of the contamination. 291
• He helps expose the Forest Seed's effects on Kael by activating the Branch's isolation inscription array at Lu Yuan's direction. 292
• He leaves protective inscriptions on the route into the hidden underground hall, allowing the group to ignite a retreat path during the battle against “9.” 296
• He lends Bronze City's power during the battle against “9,” but collapses from the strain and becomes vulnerable to a subsequent attack. 299 300
• Reke saves him from a killing blow by intercepting Gray Covenant member Q's corrosive attack. 300
• He gradually recovers after the battle, while his repaired cane and depleted inscriptions require further time to return to normal. 303
• Before departing for Headquarters, Bolen gives Lu Yuan three Inscription Silver Sheets and warns that Bronze City's inscription network is overloaded and may be diverting substantial defensive capacity toward the Tower of Erudition's Sea of Knowledge opening. 310 311
• He accepts Kael's confirmed decision to pursue Dark Inscription Studies and asks Lu Yuan to send further Pipe Network inscription rubbings to Night Watcher Headquarters. 310
• Bolen leaves Bronze City with Kael and the injured Franz in a carriage bound for Night Watcher Headquarters in Triumphal City. 310 313

Notable Quotes

“This is not a conduction structure. The wall Runes on the surface... are merely the extremities. This is the heart.” 199

“I suspect that the Bronze City might be alive.” 260

“After crawling around out there for so many years, you juniors still think you can treat an old man like a soft persimmon?!” 243

“I advise you to leave Bronze City as soon as possible, too.” 285

“Stay safe.” 311