Return of the Legendary Runesmith

"From the left corner, we have the one and only, Allen!!" The voice of the commentator rang through the arena.

Because of the recent victory of Runebound, the audience was quite loud. Cheering and crying his name as Allen took his spot.

"From the right corner, we have the elegant beauty, Layla!"

Allen spotted the pink haired girl walking towards him, her staff bound behind her back.

There were numerous supporters of hers too. And the strange part, she has supporter from the other academies too.

"You can do it, lady Ladyla!"

"You have got this!!"

"Go go, Princess!!"

Then it struck him. She is actually the Princess of the nation. That's why she's so popular.

Well, she was beautiful but what matters here is the strength.

"I have heard about you," Said the pink head.

Allen's brows went up, "Oh? That's a surprise."

The girl grinned, "Well, based on the results I might invite you to a tea party."

Allen wryly smiled, "I'd be honoured."

Soon, the referee stepped forward and explained the same rules as before.

And then, he asked, "Participants, ready?"

Layla pulled her staff and got into the stance before giving a nod.

Allen pulled his sword and held it with both of his hands before giving a firm nod.

For a moment, everything turned silent for the two. Then,

"BEGIN!"

"AND THEY BEGIN!"

Allen shot forward, flames igniting in his wake.

WHOOSH!

"Here comes Allen with that signature flame dash! That's speed you feel from the stands!"

Layla barely had time to block as Allen's sword came crashing down. The impact sent sparks flying. She gritted her teeth and stepped back, staff spinning defensively.

"He's not giving her room to breathe!"

Allen pressed on. He slashed, twisted, kicked, then ignited the ground beneath her.

BOOM!

Flames burst like fireworks.

The audience gasped.

"Did she just disappear?!"

Out from behind the smoke, Layla slid out, soaked but intact. She'd cast a water shield just in time.

Allen grinned. "Thought you'd melt."

"Not today."

She swung her staff in a wide arc, releasing a slicing crescent of water.

Allen deflected it with a fiery slash, steam bursting around them.

"Such control from both of them! But Allen clearly holds the edge right now!"

He advanced again. Flame bursts erupted beneath his steps, propelling him faster.

He twisted mid-air—

FLARE DIVE!

His sword erupted as he came down like a comet.

Layla slammed her staff to the ground.

GEYSER RISE!

A towering pillar of water exploded from below her, cushioning the impact and throwing Allen off course.

"He blocked it?! He blocked that?!"

Allen tumbled, rolled, and sprang up, breathing hard.

But now Layla was moving.

She spun her staff once, twice, the blue glow deepening. Water circled around her feet and rose up, forming ribbons that danced with her every step.

Allen charged.

She met him.

Their weapons clashed, steel and sapphire.

CRASH!

CLANG!

SPLASH!

The arena floor turned to wet embers—his flames mixing with her flood.

"They're at it again! Pure instinct now!"

Allen tried a feint—low to high. Layla ducked and hit him square in the ribs with a pulse of water. He staggered, coughing.

"Layla's finding her rhythm! Look at that precision!"

Allen wiped his mouth and shouted—

"INFERNAL SURGE!"

A stream of fire burst from his sword, roaring forward.

Layla's eyes sharpened.

"AQUA CURTAIN!"

A wall of water rose just in time. The flames struck, and the field erupted in steam.

The stands were on their feet now, barely able to see.

A moment of silence.

Then—

CRACK!

A water whip cut through the steam, striking Allen hard. He stumbled.

"She's coming in hot now!"

Layla leapt from the mist, spinning midair.

HYDRO SHOCK!

She slammed her staff to the ground, sending a pulse of water energy that rippled out.

Allen was too slow.

The blast hit him square, sending him sliding back nearly twenty feet, digging his heels into the stone to stay upright.

"He's reeling! Layla's turned the tables!"

The crowd gasped, then roared.

Layla didn't stop.

"AQUA CHAINS!"

Fluid tendrils shot from the ground, wrapping around Allen's boots. He growled and ignited his aura, burning them off—but Layla was already mid-cast.

TWIN JETS!

Two streams of water shot from her staff like coiled serpents. Allen ducked one, deflected the other—but she was already closing in.

Staff versus sword again.

She matched his blade with the staff's shaft, twisting and snapping like a dancer with a spear.

Allen's swings began to slow.

"She's wearing him down!"

He jumped back, breathing heavy, flames flickering weaker.

Layla twirled her staff, drenched but unshaken.

The crowd chanted:

"LAY-LA! LAY-LA! LAY-LA!"

Allen lifted his sword again—but this time, his smirk had faded.

The fire was still burning—but the tide had turned.

And everyone in the stadium could feel it.

"This…is it?" Brendon muttered to himself as he witnessed the scene on the arena.

Allen was breathing roughly and he looked in no position to chant any more spells.

"His opponent is well versed in spell chanting." Altia muttered under her breath.

If it had been about just pure combat, Allen might have won by now. But…she has an upper hand in sorcery.

"Is this the end?! Is the swordsman going to give up?!" the commentator's voice rang across the deafening silence.

However—

Much to everyone's shock—Allen moved.

He lifted his sword slowly, but with purpose. The runes etched across its body began to glow—not with flame, but with radiant golden light. Sunlight itself seemed to rush toward him, converging onto the blade.

The sky shimmered.

Gasps filled the arena.

"What is this?! A sudden twist?! Is the dual-awakened finally going to use his other side?"

Layla's eyes widened.

"No… I won't let you," she whispered, slamming the base of her staff into the ground.

"PHANTOM FALL!"

The air trembled. Behind her, a massive tidal wave burst upward, towering and spiraling like a water dragon. The pressure sent gusts flying into the stands, making students shield their eyes.

Then, with a deafening crash, the wave surged toward Allen like a liquid avalanche.

And yet—

Slice!

A sharp arc of golden light tore through the heart of the wave, splitting it in two like a blade through silk. Steam erupted as the water hissed against the radiant heat.

Layla's eyes locked onto him—

He was above her.

Midair, both hands gripping his glowing blade, eyes fierce as a star. Sunlight bathed his body, and the sword radiated like a falling sun.

"SOLAR THRUST!"

A spear of light erupted from his blade as he descended.

BOOOM!

The impact struck directly. Blinding light filled the entire field. The sound of the explosion was deafening, as if the heavens had cracked open.

Layla let out a silent gasp.

Her body was flung backward, spiraling midair as flames and light scorched through her cloak and armor, burning cloth and searing skin. Smoke trailed from her body as she slammed onto the far side of the arena wall, collapsing into the rubble.

She didn't move.

The entire coliseum fell silent.

A moment passed.

"L-Layla is… down!" the commentator finally cried out. "She's down!! What a comeback! What a finish!! The swordsman has turned it around with a divine strike!"

Medics rushed in.

The sunlight faded from Allen's sword, and he dropped to one knee, chest heaving, sweat rolling down his jaw.

But he didn't look away from her—

Until the announcer confirmed:

"Layla is unconscious! The battle is over!"

And with that, the stadium erupted.

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.