Realmshift: Triad Ascendancy.

Rune Wars IV

[SILVER]

The stadium buzzed with raw energy, the audience an ocean of cheers and excited murmurs. Amidst the deafening noise, the atmosphere around Grey seemed oddly serene. His demeanor had shifted, his focus locked onto his opponent with an intensity that was almost inhuman. His eyes, now entirely pitch-black, were devoid of the usual flickers of emotion—no anger, no anticipation, just pure, calculating calm.Alaric's stance tightened, the sheen of sweat on his long black hair catching the arena's bright lights. His golden knuckles, pulsating with mana, glimmered dangerously. Despite the wear from the relentless back-and-forth exchanges, he still exuded an air of confidence. After all, he was known for reaching the end of these Rune Wars for the past three years.

Alaric lunged without warning, his golden mana-knuckles aimed squarely at Grey's midsection. The attack was fast, precise—a clear attempt to break through Grey's defenses with raw power. But in that instant, Grey was already gone.Alaric's fist cut through empty air as Grey reappeared above him. It was so quick that to most in the audience, it looked like teleportation. Grey seized the moment, grabbing Alaric's head with an iron grip and propelling himself upward with a forceful leap. High in the air, Grey pivoted, gathering momentum before stomping down on Alaric's back, driving him into the stone arena with a thunderous crash. The impact was like a detonation, sending a gust of wind across the stadium and leaving Alaric embedded in the fractured ground.Beside me, Arkane's eyes spun with the distinctive pattern of her Sharingan, the red irises flaring as she analyzed Grey's movements and mana reserves. "His reserves...are almost empty," she muttered, her voice barely audible over the roaring crowd. "He has around a quarter of his mana left. How was his attack so powerful?"

I could see her unease, but there was something else too—fascination. As for me, I tried to keep my face neutral, but it was hard to ignore the tension tightening in my chest. I wasn't sure how long Grey could maintain this level of intensity. Alaric didn't waste time. Even pinned in the ground, he fought to his feet with a grunt of effort, his golden knuckles reforming as he pulled on the last dregs of his mana. His aura flared, bright and intense, signaling his final gambit. He moved faster than before, his desperation fueling a brutal combination of punches aimed to overwhelm Grey.

But something had changed in Grey.

His body moved effortlessly, his limbs reacting with an almost supernatural precision. Each strike Alaric threw was met with a seamless dodge. Grey weaved through the barrage like he was dancing, his posture relaxed, almost casual. Yet his expression remained devoid of emotion, the black in his eyes reflecting the dim stadium lights. Arkane's eyes widened, and I saw the subtle shift in her demeanor. She knew, just as I did, what we were witnessing. It was that 'Ultra instinct' state that he had. 
The fight seemed almost one-sided now. Alaric's relentless punches and kicks were becoming more desperate, each missed blow punctuated by his frustration. His golden knuckles glowed brilliantly, fueled by the last reserves of his mana. His eyes were wild, darting from side to side, trying to track Grey's impossibly swift movements.But Grey flowed around every strike like water, each motion precise and minimal. He didn't waste an ounce of energy, each dodge coming at the exact moment it needed to, with his body always perfectly positioned to counter if needed. It wasn't just speed—it was efficiency, control, and a sense of awareness that seemed almost otherworldly.

The crowd's roar had dulled to a murmur, a confused buzz spreading as the audience struggled to understand what they were witnessing. Alaric, who had dominated so many others with those powerful golden knuckles, now looked as though he were fighting a ghost.Desperation gave birth to recklessness. Alaric poured what was left of his mana into a single, all-or-nothing attack. His golden aura flared violently, his knuckles gleaming like molten metal as he swung wide in a strike meant to end everything.Grey, however, had already anticipated it.