Realmshift: Triad Ascendancy.

Rune Wars VI

[ARKANE]

The sun beats down, warming my face as I step inside the vast arena. The final day of the Rune Wars has arrived, sooner than we expected. The air buzzes with anticipation, and the crowd's energy feels almost electric."I never thought we'd make it this far!" Beatrice exclaims, her excitement contagious. Only one match stands between us and becoming one of the top ten teams, securing a rune for each of us.Silver murmurs softly, "I wonder if we've done well enough for first or second place."Grey chuckles beside us. "Guess we'll find out. So, who's up for this last match? They left it open for us to choose who fights for the team," he says, looking between us, clearly relishing the suspense. But before he can say more, I press my hand over his mouth, silencing him with a smirk."I'll go. You two have had your fun—I only got to fight some loser." Before Grey can protest, I stride forward, feeling the weight of the arena's gaze on me. With a confident grin, I step onto the battleground and claim my spot as our final fighter.

The announcer's voice thunders through the arena, each word rippling across the crowd and setting the stands alight with anticipation. "AND NOW, THE FINAL FIGHT OF THE RUNE WARS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! IN THIS CLASH BETWEEN TWO INCREDIBLE TEAMS, WE HAVE A MATCH THAT PROMISES TO BE AS THRILLING AS ANY WE'VE SEEN THIS TOURNAMENT!" The crowd roars in response, the excitement was palpable, almost humming in the air."ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ARENA, REPRESENTING THE ADVENTURER'S GUILD, WE HAVE ARKANE!" The cheers swell as I step forward, feeling the weight of countless eyes watching my every move."AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, MARCO BEAUMONT, HEIR TO THE HOUSE OF BEAUMONT!" Marco's entrance is met with an equally thunderous ovation, his family name carrying a legacy the crowd knows well.The announcer's voice crescendos. "NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO—LET THE FINAL MATCH BEGIN!"

Leaping into the air, I activate my Sharingan, and the world sharpens into focus. Mana signatures flare around me, each unique in color and energy. I draw my blade, infusing it with mana as Bladesong Precision courses through me. With a swift motion, I cut through the space between us, aiming a deadly slash at his midsection. But Marco is quick. He drops low, sliding beneath the strike just before it lands, and lunges upward with his sword poised to strike. Anticipating his move, I thrust my hand upward, releasing a powerful beam of mana that propels me down, narrowly dodging his blade. Mid-fall, I unleash a series of mana blasts, each hurtling toward him. Caught off guard in mid-air, he takes the hits head-on, unable to dodge.When the dust settles, his clothes are scorched, fragments trailing smoke, but he emerges largely unharmed, having shielded himself with mana just in time. A confident smirk stretches across his face as he brushes off the damage."You're going to have to try harder than that," he taunts.

I smirk back, sensing Marco's sudden movement behind me. He's so fast that his speed sends a gust through the air, whipping my clothes. But with my Sharingan, his approach is as clear as daylight. Just before he can strike, I catch his wrist, halting his advance. I retaliate, thrusting my blade toward him, but he deftly deflects with his sword. Our blades clash, filling the air with a shower of sparks."You're fast," I say, catching his gaze. I let a grin spread across my face. "But I'm faster." In a flash, I vanish and reappear behind him, aiming another strike. His eyes widen, and he barely manages to block. I disappear again, reappearing in different spots, pressing him with relentless attacks. He struggles to keep up, his blocks growing slower as fatigue sets in.Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he leaps into the air and mutters a spell I don't recognize. Instantly, the ground trembles and tiles from the arena floor begin to rise around us, suspended by his magic. Hovering mid-air, Marco channels his power as the tiles compress and form dense, floating orbs, each one charged with his mana and ready to strike.

"GRAVITY MANIPULATION!" someone in the crowd shouts, their voice brimming with excitement. The words hit me, and a realization clicks—I remember Silver's warning about Marco's family. They're known for gravity manipulation, able to control the weight and movement of objects around them, using it both as an offense and a defense.Marco raises a hand, and, in an instant, the floating rocks rain down on me at incredible speed. Sharpening my focus, I meet each projectile with precision, slicing through massive chunks, cleaving them in half, or blasting them apart with bursts of mana. We lock in this deadly dance, him hurling stones and me cutting them down until I notice his movements slowing. His breaths are heavier, his posture less steady; this technique takes its toll.A smirk forms as I spot my opening. Using one of the boulders he sent my way as a platform, I launch myself mid-air, closing the distance at blinding speed. Too fatigued to respond, Marco can't adjust the gravity in time to deflect my approach. My blade strikes true, sinking into his abdomen, and blood spills from his mouth as he gasps, his balance faltering. We both crash down to the ground, his weight dragging us in a heap.As I regain my footing, ready to confirm his defeat, Marco staggers to his feet, his face pale but defiant. Suddenly, I feel myself lifted, weightless, pulled upward as he glares at me, blood now trickling from his nose. He's visibly drained, his mana core nearly empty, yet he scrapes together what little power he has left, desperately trying to keep his gravity magic active.