Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Things unfolded just as they should have.

The referee confirmed that only Averis had used a third-grade armament—Elana had not. And because her opponent was caught cheating, Elana was rightfully declared the winner.

With that, Runebound Academy officially qualified for the second—and final—round: the team battle.

Joy filled the air around the team. Every student and guardian who had come to support Runebound wore bright, relieved smiles as they returned to their rooms.

After the first two rounds, most had resigned themselves to the academy's usual fate—another quiet, unnoticed defeat.

But Altia, Allen, and finally Elana… changed everything.

They turned the tide.

They won.

Runebound won.

"Haah… I can't even describe how good I feel right now," Aries said, standing at the center of the room with her hands on her hips. "Even though I lost my match, it doesn't sting as much since the team pulled through."

They were all gathered in Adrian's room, celebrating the hard-earned victory.

Brendon nodded from the side. "Honestly… the regret is still there. But it's lighter now. Not like how it felt when the referee raised his hand and declared Blackthorn the winner."

Both Aries and Brendon had taken their defeats hard—but thanks to the others, their expressions had softened. The bitterness had dulled.

Allen raised his glass. "Cheers—to our efforts… and to Sir Adrian's guidance!"

Everyone clinked their glasses together, their smiles wide and genuine.

Even Elana joined in—her usual calm replaced with quiet joy after being praised by her favorite professor.

Meanwhile, Adrian leaned against the wall near the door, watching his students with a calm, proud gaze.

"You have five days," he finally said, his voice cutting through the noise. "Use them well."

All heads turned toward him.

"I want each of you to reflect on your solo matches. Think hard about what went wrong. Don't let the results cloud your judgment—I'm talking to everyone here."

There would be a one-day break before the other two teams fought their solo rounds.

Then, three days later, the group stage would begin.

A battle of endurance—held in the wild. A survival challenge. Brutal, raw, and unpredictable.

They had time, yes—but Adrian wanted that time used, not wasted.

He walked over and took a seat beside Altia on the couch. The room quieted as he leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with his students.

"The others have now seen both your strengths and your weaknesses," he said. "And make no mistake—during the team battles, they will exploit every flaw they noticed."

His voice dropped slightly, carrying weight.

"This is no longer about winning or losing a single match. That part's done. It's time to shift your focus—to the grand stage ahead."

He looked at each of them, eyes sharp and steady.

"A stage that will decide whether all our efforts… actually mean anything at all."

Everyone wore a serious look as they gave a firm, unified nod.

Adrian took the last sip of his coffee before standing up.

"Well, you've all done well today. I won't take that away from you," he said, his tone lighter now. "So relax. Eat something good. Get some rest. Starting tomorrow morning, we train. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," they echoed almost in unison.

Moments later, one by one, the students began to leave the room. Elana lingered near the door for a brief second—her lips parted like she wanted to say something—but after a hesitant pause, she simply followed Aries out without a word.

Adrian let out a long breath and loosened the collar of his shirt.

The room finally fell quiet.

Despite the calm exterior he had maintained all day, the truth was—he'd been tense throughout the entire contest. Beneath that composed demeanor, nerves had gnawed at him.

So much had been on the line. Not just his reputation, but the pride of his students. The effort they'd all poured into this preparation.

Everything came down to those last three matches.

Especially Altia's.

Adrian couldn't shake the thought—if Averis had been matched against Altia instead of Elana, things could've ended very differently. Even without using that overwhelming spell—Infernal Cataclysm—Averis had enough raw power to give Altia serious trouble.

So yes… fortune had favored them today.

And he wasn't foolish enough to pretend otherwise.

"Ah… heavens," Adrian muttered under his breath as the warm water embraced his bare skin.

He slowly lowered himself into the bathing pool until the water reached his chest. His eyes fluttered shut as he finally allowed himself a moment to relax.

The tension from the day melted away—bit by bit—like ice meeting fire.

After a few quiet minutes, he opened the dimensional group chat.

A handful of members were online—including Idiot.

Adrian asked,

"Are you safe?"

Idiot: [Yes, Darling! I just finished eating, and now I'm going to take a nap.]

Adrian tilted his head.

"Why this odd pattern?"

It wasn't even properly dark outside yet, and she was already going down for a nap?

She responded quickly.

Idiot: [I'm taking short naps so I can always stay active and available. You know… in case something happens.]

Adrian made a small sound of understanding.

So that's why.

He was about to respond when another message popped up.

Raven: [Don't only talk to her, dear! I'm here too, you know~]

A wild Raven had entered the chat.

Adrian let out a quiet, wry smile.

"Hello, Raven."

Idiot: [You don't have to be polite with her, darling. Just ignore her existence.]

Raven: [Hey, you! Mind your—]

Forgelet: [Whoa, ladies. Please don't pollute the chat. I need to talk to Avirin.]

Another ping.

This time, it was Forgelet—and she'd directly mentioned Adrian.

Adrian: "Have you decided what you're going to ask from me?"

He had taken supplies and resources from her recently, all to better prepare for the arc they were entering.

So yes—he was expecting her request.

And probably… bracing for it too.

There was an instant response,

Forgelet: [I need tracking devices. Ten of them. Something which let me know where the person has gone in a limited time without letting them know. So yes, make the device barely visible. And this time, I won't be able to provide you with material. I am sorry.]

Adrian hummed in understanding. He has Heartstone which he got from Scarlette during their last trade.

But the problem was, "I need someone with Darkness element."

Idiot: [Oh, Ruby is visiting the venue tomorrow—wait, she told me to not tell you! Darling, please forget I said anything.]

Adrian wryly smiled. That name suits her.

But still, with Ruby here, he might be able to make what Forgelet needs.

"Okay, Forgelet. I will make your tracking device."

Forgelet: [Thanks a bunch.]

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.