Avince watched as Professor Mira Solandis carefully laid out the materials for his rune-crafting task: a treated leather patch for drawing the rune and his own two unattuned monster cores. Mira’s gaze was steady as she addressed him.
“Remember, Avince, rune crafting is about precision, not speed. Any error in the design or mana infusion can ruin the entire piece. Take your time.”
Avince nodded, studying the rune template Mira had provided. It was a complex pattern, carefully designed to channel mana efficiently. He felt the weight of the unattuned core in his hand, feeling the soft but steady hum of mana energy within it. His choice of the Channeling Rune was strategic; it required unattuned cores, and he happened to have two, thanks to his last dungeon run. But using cores for this type of crafting was no joke—they had to be inserted at the exact moment of mana flow to avoid the rune fragmenting or worse, exploding.
He prepared to start, taking a deep breath to steady himself. The first step was to draw the rune lines across the leather. With every line, he felt his mana flow through his fingertips and into the etching, each stroke demanding absolute focus. His thoughts briefly wandered as he worked, imagining how challenging it would be to design his own runes from scratch—another layer of mastery he hadn’t even begun to reach.
The lines were intricate, with tight curls and precise intersections that needed flawless alignment. He moved carefully, feeling the mana lines pulse with a soft glow as he drew them out. It was demanding, far more than he’d anticipated, and he could sense his mana reserves draining steadily as he worked.
He managed to reach the final stage, which was infusing the core to activate the rune. As he carefully channeled his mana to place the core, he felt a slip—an almost imperceptible loss of focus. His hand hesitated, and the energy faltered. The lines of the rune began to waver, faint traces of mana seeping out in unstable pulses. Gritting his teeth, Avince pulled back his mana, stopping just before it could damage the leather. Though he hadn’t succeeded, at least he hadn’t ruined the medium.
With a sigh, he cleaned off the residual mana traces, wiping down the leather to remove any lingering energy that might interfere with a second attempt. He took out the second core and felt its warmth. He couldn’t afford another mistake, not when he had just one core left.
Drawing another deep breath, he began again, each line more careful than the last. He focused solely on the flow of mana, feeling it resonate through his fingertips as he etched the lines with greater clarity and control. The pattern held steady this time, a faint hum filling the air as he reached the final line. Finally, he pressed the core into the design, releasing his mana in a steady pulse, infusing the rune fully.
A spark of energy rippled over the leather, and he felt the rune solidify beneath his touch. It was done—a fully crafted Rank 3 Channeling Rune. Relief washed over him as he lifted his hands and admired his work.
“Impressive, Avince,” Mira said, a satisfied smile on her face. “Not everyone can manage a Rank 3 rune on their first try—well, first successful try,” she added with a small laugh.
“Thank you, Professor.” He felt a mixture of pride and exhaustion. Crafting runes was no small feat, and he’d done it. “I’d like to keep this one, if possible,” he said.
Mira nodded. “Certainly. For students who successfully craft their own runes, we allow them to purchase the piece. This one will cost 15,000 Alliance credits for the leather alone.”
Avince grimaced slightly at the price but agreed, aware that rune crafting came with a hefty price tag. With the core factored in, he’d spent nearly 17,000 Alliance credits on this project alone. For a crafted rune, the usual cost would easily double that, since the engraver’s expertise was worth as much as the materials. Adding it to a piece of equipment was even riskier due to the chance of failure. Rune crafting was not a cheap business.
Thanking Mira, Avince tucked the rune carefully into his bag before heading out to find Erica. They planned to meet in the tournament arena, where the final matches were underway.
As he entered the packed arena, the energy was electric. He quickly spotted Erica in the stands, her focus on the fighters as they warmed up for the championship match. She waved as he approached, and he took the seat beside her.
“Perfect timing! The semifinals are just starting,” Erica said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Avince settled beside her, feeling the crowd's energy surging around them. The excitement was palpable, with students cheering on their favorite fighters. They watched a few more rounds, each competitor showcasing unique abilities and skills, giving Avince a renewed sense of how diverse and powerful his peers really were.
“Some of these guys are incredible,” he murmured, more to himself than to Erica.
She nodded. “Hard to believe we’re all in the same academy, right?”
As the semifinals concluded and the arena prepared for the final match, the atmosphere grew even more intense. Avince could sense the anticipation buzzing around them. The announcer's voice echoed through the arena, calling out, “And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for—the final match between Long Xiaofei and Cel Maldour!”
The two fighters took their positions on the field: Long Xiaofei, a lithe young woman with a calm but intense expression, and Cel Maldour, who held a long spear with a confident stance. Avince recognized both names. Long Xiaofei was known for her rare azure dragon bloodline, an ability that gifted her not only with enchanced physical capabilities but also with potent wind magic. Her clan had kept their bloodline pure for generations,It also ensured that most in their clan awakened a strong ability at the age of 6, giving them plenty of time to train so her power was expected to be formidable.
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Cel, on the other hand, wielded a unique ability—Resonant Frequency. Avince had heard of it but never seen it in action. Erica explained that it disrupted opponents' movements, breaking their rhythm and coordination.
‘It was a strong ability’ Avince thought. But there was a downside—Like his own ability, Cel’s ability wasn’t a direct boost to his power. In a setting where Cel has teammates to help him, he would be much, much stronger. But in a 1v1 situation like this, even with his incredible spear mastery, he’s at a disadvantage against those with ability that directly gives them raw firepower.
As the match began, Cel Maldour moved with fluid precision, his stance calm and focused as he advanced toward Xiaofei. His Resonant Frequency ability wasn’t overt; its effect was subtle, manifesting as slight disruptions in Xiaofei’s movements. Her steps faltered occasionally, and her rhythm seemed just a fraction off—a difference small enough that only those watching closely, like Avince and Erica, might have noticed.
“Cel’s good,” Avince whispered. “He’s not just going for power; he’s reading her moves and controlling the flow.”
Xiaofei’s gaze hardened as she caught onto the disruption, but Cel didn’t give her a chance to recover. His spear moved with practiced precision, striking her with hard, accurate blows that should have rattled any opponent. Each impact landed solidly, sending shockwaves through her defenses, yet Xiaofei absorbed the hits, her body barely reacting. It was as though her draconic physique rendered her impervious to his strength.
“He’s relentless,” Erica murmured, watching as Cel landed another heavy blow that should have pushed Xiaofei back. “But she’s… barely flinching.”
Cel’s brow furrowed, and he adjusted his stance, launching a series of faster, even sharper strikes. His ability, subtly weakening her balance and focus, was now at full power, making Xiaofei's movements slightly jerky. He landed a hit against her shoulder, followed quickly by another to her side, each one landing clean, yet Xiaofei held her ground, her expression unyielding as she absorbed the force.
Finally, Xiaofei shifted tactics. With a swift exhalation, azure energy flared around her, surrounding her like a dragon's aura, pushing back the influence of Cel’s ability. She moved forward with renewed power, her eyes locking onto him as if daring him to continue.
Cel didn’t back down. He adjusted his grip on the spear, his strikes coming faster, each one a study in discipline and finesse. He was clearly the more technical fighter, evading her blows with narrow margins and using his spear to counter with devastating accuracy. Every time she advanced, he met her with a quick, heavy jab or strike, pushing her back a step.
But despite the impact, Xiaofei remained unshaken. Her aura intensified, azure energy coiling around her, and a fierce, almost primal focus filled her eyes. The crowd held its breath as she stepped forward, absorbing another one of Cel's powerful strikes with nothing more than a flinch. Then, her energy surged, and she closed the distance, landing a solid, sweeping kick that sent Cel reeling back.
The crowd gasped as Cel struggled to maintain his footing, his expression fierce but strained. He steadied himself, breathing hard but determined, as he prepared to counter her next move.
However, Xiaofei gave him no time to react, pressing her advantage. She unleashed her strength with each strike, and the force of her blows combined with the gusts of wind emanating from her aura created a relentless assault.
Knowing he’s getting pushed back, Cel summoned every bit of his strength and technique, landing two more hard hits, one to her ribs and another to her leg. But Xiaofei merely growled, pushing forward through the pain as if it were nothing.
Then, with a burst of energy, Xiaofei leaped into the air, the power of her draconic bloodline manifesting in a massive wave of wind. She brought her hands together, channeling a torrent of energy that she launched directly toward Cel. The attack roared toward him, a gale of force and power that threatened to overwhelm him.
But Cel stood his ground, digging in his heels and focusing all his strength. He managed to brace himself against the onslaught, and in a moment of clarity, he redirected the energy. With a swift motion, he countered with a thrust of his spear, aiming for Xiaofei’s midsection. The unexpected attack connected, grazing her side and drawing a wince of pain from her.
Xiaofei's eyes flared with surprise and anger as she felt the sting of the blow. Fueled by a surge of adrenaline, she unleashed her wind power with even greater intensity, her aura flaring wildly around her. “You’re strong,” she growled, a fierce determination in her voice as she gathered her energy for a powerful final strike.
In an instant, she summoned another fierce gale, this one even more powerful than before. The air crackled with energy as she focused all her strength into one last move, a swirling vortex of wind spiraling around her. The arena trembled under the sheer force of her attack, and the crowd gasped as the winds whipped into a frenzy.
The referee stepped in, sensing the danger as the swirling vortex surged toward Cel. “That’s enough!” he called out, swiftly neutralizing the force of the blast to prevent any serious injury. The air settled, and the crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and gasps, stunned by the sheer intensity of the match.
Avince exhaled, heart racing as he realized how close it had come to disaster. “That was incredible,” he said, looking at Erica, who nodded, equally impressed.
Despite the ferocity of the battle, both fighters stood, panting heavily, their eyes locked in mutual respect even amid the tension of the moment.
Avince exhaled, realizing he’d been holding his breath. “Cel almost had her… She’s just unstoppable,” he said, feeling a strange mix of awe and admiration for both fighters.
Erica nodded, her eyes wide. “If only he had that same physical power… But he’s incredible.”
As the dust settled, the crowd roared, and the announcer declared Xiaofei the winner. Avince and Erica exchanged glances, both impressed and a little awed by the display.
“He’s skilled, but Xiaofei’s power is just too much,” Avince remarked. “It’s hard to compete when you’re facing someone with both raw power and an innate ability.”
Erica nodded, watching as Cel left the stage, his face set in frustration. It was clear he wasn’t pleased with the outcome, though Xiaofei acknowledged his skill with a respectful nod. Despite the fierce competition, she seemed to hold no ill will.
“That was intense,” Erica said. “Watching matches like these really shows how much potential there is in our academy.”
Avince agreed, feeling a mixture of inspiration and uncertainty. The talent around him was staggering, a testament to the dedication and hard work of his peers. He couldn’t help but wonder how he might measure up against fighters like Xiaofei and Cel, especially considering their prowess in combat.
As he watched the crowds still loud from their excitement, his thoughts drifted to the recent orc he’d faced in the dungeon. That brute had easily overwhelmed him, but these two—they could probably beat it. That made them C-rank fighters at least, capable of handling challenges beyond what he had already faced.