The Runesmith

"Did you see that? What happened?"

"I don't know… Did his enchantment malfunction or did he not activate it correctly?"

A few merchants murmured among themselves as they saw Gerhard flung to the side. His chest plate had been dented by a strike from a large sword, but the mithril armor held firm. The onlookers noticed his confidence when attacking; his swing was wide and forceful, leaving him open for his opponent's devastating blow. Although the armor remained intact, the impact sent him rolling for tens of meters, ending with a collision against the arena wall.

The audience erupted in a mix of murmurs and gasps, trying to make sense of what they'd just witnessed. The other knights, seated in the stands, exchanged uneasy glances. It was becoming clear that this duel was not following the rules of conventional combat, at least not for Sir Gerhard.

Up in the stands, Count Graham's face twisted with a mix of rage and disbelief. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his chair, eyes burning holes into the two combatants. The plan had been for Gerhard to win decisively and no one had expected Robert, a mere Tier 2 knight in a strange new armor, to stand a chance against a seasoned Tier 3 warrior like Gerhard. But the tide of the battle had shifted, and one person in the audience knew why.

Roland allowed himself a small smile, though it went unnoticed due to his helmet. Everything was unfolding just as he had calculated. The rune system he had designed wasn't just for protection and power, it included specialized enchantments like the rune inhibitor, which could disrupt or nullify certain magical energies within a set range. Gerhard had unwittingly walked right into his trap.

His skill at dispelling enemy enchantments was quite extensive, but creating a device to mimic it wasn't easy. There were limitations, and only thanks to his thorough espionage before the arena fight was he able to succeed. Roland knew exactly what type of armor Robert's opponent would be wearing and the magics it relied on. The combatants from the other side were restricted from using overly powerful magical equipment, a fact Roland cleverly exploited. It was one thing to develop a smart system that could target enchantments during combat, but quite another if he knew in advance what to target.

Gerhard possessed a full set of mithril armor with only basic shielding enchantments. His weapons were similar: his sword carried a limited lightning discharge spell that wasn't quite of the highest tier, and his mace had an enhanced impact rune that was more of a pseudo-tier 3 enchantment. Roland had advised Robert to defend himself during the first half of the duel, frustrating his opponent with his defensive stance. Then, once his foe grew reckless, he would activate the enchantment inhibition system and use the confusion to launch a counterattack.

"Get up!"

Count Graham's voice erupted from his seat on the balcony, his facade beginning to show cracks. The calm and composed demeanor he was known for was crumbling before his peers. The mask of nobility and refinement was quickly slipping away as his champion, Sir Gerhard, struggled to recover from the shocking turn of events.

Gerhard, on the other hand, was still reeling. His pride, as much as his body, had taken a severe blow. Slowly, he pulled himself to his feet, clutching his dented chest plate. His breathing was ragged, and his eyes darted between Robert and the arena wall he'd collided with moments before. For the first time since the duel began, doubt crept into his mind. His enchanted mace, the tool he thought would easily break through Robert's defenses, had been rendered useless. Worse, the crowd's murmurs and the look of confusion in his fellow knights' eyes sent a wave of humiliation through him.

His opponent was already charging toward him, and after taking the hit, he had lost his grip on one of his weapons. Now, he was left with only the mace, which had failed to activate its impact rune. However, for some reason, the enchantment on it was quickly springing back to life, offering a glimmer of hope that it might work if he tried again. His grip tightened around the handle, the enchanted glow flickering back into existence.

"You think this is over, boy?!"

Gerhard growled through clenched teeth, his voice dripping with venom.

"I've faced better warriors than you and never lost! I will not be defeated by a whelp!"

Robert didn't respond, instead he focused on the graphical display that continued feeding him data about Gerhard's movements. His confidence was solidifying, and he began to believe he could win against someone of a higher tier. His trust in his brother had been strong from the start, but even he hadn't anticipated his brother's genius. The tide of battle was turning in his favor, and he needed to seize the moment that had presented itself.

"This whelp is already grown!"

Roland watched the exchange between the two with bated breath. While the plan had worked and his brother was now able to attack, the battle had not been won. He had already managed to analyze Gerhard's capabilities and the power armor only leveled the playing field. The two were about equal to each other and the enchantment inhibitor couldn't be used too much as it would drain the armor's batteries. However, his brother wasn't only his armor, he was a man that had honed his skills in battles against other nations while the man he was facing was more of a career knight.

The "Noble Blade" class Robert was using focused on two-handed swordplay. Although his skills were lacking compared to the Tier 3 knight, momentum was on his side. Roland watched as his brother discarded his tower shield and gripped the large blade, its hilt extending to accommodate his now larger hands as he lunged forward. His steps sounded mechanical, the ground sinking slightly under the weight of his power armor. Finally, the two collided in a furious exchange of blows.

Gerhard's mace came crashing down, its enchantment glowing brightly once again, but Robert was prepared. With the heavy, two-handed mithril sword in his grip, he met the attack head-on. The impact shook the ground, sending a reverberating clang throughout the arena. Robert's armor held firm, absorbing the brunt of the strike, but the sheer force of Gerhard's blow caused sparks to fly from the contact point.

"You're nothing without that armor!"

Gerhard spat, his voice desperate now as the audience watched in stunned silence. His confidence had waned, but his fury had not. He lashed out again, his strikes fast and brutal, but Robert's system continued feeding him crucial data, helping him predict and deflect the attacks with his massive sword. Eventually, allowing him to get used to his opponent's form, parry and land blows of his own.

The blade he held was imbued with several enchantments, all specifically designed to counter his opponent. Even when the enchanted mace regained its magical power, the magic could be absorbed by the runic enhancements on the sword. Within his display, Robert could choose between several modes: offensive, defensive, and all-rounder. By focusing his gaze on a particular part of the display, he could switch modes after a brief moment. Once the blade was set to offensive mode, its attacks became lighter and more powerful as they neared their target.

Robert grunted as Gerhard's mace met his blade with a violent clang, but instead of flinching, he pushed back with all his might. His power armor's joints whined in protest, but the runic power armor did its work, boosting his strength far beyond what Gerhard could have anticipated. For a brief moment, their weapons locked, the clashing energies between them sending ripples of mana through the arena's air.

"You think this armor is all I have?"

Gerhard sneered at the comment, to him he was fighting against the magical contraption and not really the man inside who was nothing more than an inexperienced fighter. Even now he was not taking him seriously and that would be his downfall. He tried twisting his mace in an attempt to get free but his opponent was faster. Using the momentum from the clash, he twisted his body and pulled his blade away, forcing Gerhard to stumble forward slightly.

With a quick pivot, Robert struck. His mithril sword moved with shocking speed for something so large and heavy, arcing through the air and slamming against Gerhard's exposed side once more. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed once again, but this time Gerhard couldn't hide the grunt of pain. His armor had already been damaged and now the enchantment was also no more. He felt a metallic taste in his mouth as blood started to spill out from within his helmet.

The audience watched in awe as the once-cocky knight staggered backward, his mace dipping low. The enchanted armor's runes started dimming as the traces between them had been cut. From his seat, Count Graham's expression shifted from barely controlled fury to outright panic. He could see it now that Gerhard was losing. His carefully prepared plan of wining quickly and showing off was unraveling before his eyes.

"What is he doing?! He can't lose to him! Not here, not now!"

Roland was pleased to see Graham panicking, but it was too soon to celebrate. The battle had been raging for quite some time, and the operational time of his power armor was starting to dwindle. The more runic enchantments Robert activated, the faster he would find himself unable to move. Once the power ran out, his armor would become nothing more than a heavy, immobile target. He worried about his brother, who was still inexperienced and might lose himself in the heat of the confrontation without realizing the danger. Fortunately, Roland had prepared for such a moment. Suddenly, a sharp beeping noise echoed inside Robert's helmet, snapping him back to reality.

"Warning, power reserves below thirty percent."

The sharp beeping reverberated through Robert's helmet, jolting him from the rush of adrenaline and confidence that had been building. His breaths were heavy, his heart pounding in his chest, but the warning message was impossible to ignore. Thirty percent. It wasn't as bad as he feared, but it was a reminder that the clock was ticking. His armor wouldn't last forever, and Gerhard was far from finished.

Gerhard, visibly shaken but not yet defeated. He raised his visor that uncovered his face and spat out a glob of blood onto the ground. His stance wavered slightly, but the fury in his eyes had not dimmed. The knight was driven by pride, and with Count Graham's wrathful gaze boring down on him from the balcony, retreat wasn't an option. He threw the mace he was holding to the side as unbeknownst to Robert, he also had a plan. After the exchange of blows, the two ended up close to where he lost his sword, the main weapon he liked to use.

The man was a "Spirit Master Sword Knight" and could only display his full power when wielding a sword. Part of Roland's plan had been to disarm Gerhard, preventing him from using his most potent skills. But now Gerhard had regained his main weapon. He raised the sword into the air, and it became enveloped in a pulsating orange aura, expanding its size. The size of the spirit blade reflected the wielder's skill level, and its immense magnitude was likely due to the blood crystal doping.

As Gerhard's sword expanded with the pulsating orange aura, the crowd fell into a stunned silence. His spirit blade now towered over him, glowing with a fierce intensity that left no doubt about the raw power it contained. Even Robert, with his superior armor and cutting-edge enchantments, felt a hint of apprehension as he watched the weapon's spirit aura ripple through the air. He had been told about Gerhard's Spirit Master abilities, but seeing it in person was another matter entirely.

"Are you man enough to face me, whelp?"

The Knight pointed the glowing blade forward, as if issuing a challenge. It was clear he intended to finish the duel with this final move. The skill he was using was a lesser version of the aura blade, but it was still likely powerful enough to cut through Robert's power armor. This was clearly a provocation, meant to pressure Robert into a quick response, as Gerhard didn't have enough mana or stamina to sustain the skill for long. While the blood crystals could raise the skill by a few levels, they couldn't boost the man's base stats.

"Of course, are you?"

"Hmph! You will regret that!"

Robert responded almost instantly, which came as no surprise to Gerhard. In his eyes, the boy he faced was still immature and easy to provoke, just like the other knights under his command. But Gerhard, a knight commander, was different from them. He knew that if he continued to fight conventionally, he would surely lose. However, if he could land just one hit with his spirit blade, victory would be his. In a direct confrontation, he was confident in the destructive power of his attacks.

The two took their stances, Robert holding his large mithril sword which was now dwarfed by the immense aura blade Gerhard was holding. The crowd, the nobles, and even the workers, held their breath, waiting to see how this climactic moment would unfold. Robert's breathing steadied as he inched his metallic foot forward and watched his opponent do the same. His gaze glanced to one of the flashing icons on his display as he got ready to unleash his last trump card.

Both men exploded into a charge, Gerhard roared, the immense spirit blade swinging downward in a fiery arc, intending to cleave Robert and his armor in two. The knight moved with everything he had, throwing the last of his strength into this single, decisive blow. It was fast, faster than Robert expected but his visor flashed, marking the trajectory with a red outline.

At the last second, right before the clash could commence, a blinding light erupted from Robert's chest. The runes glowed with an intensity rarely seen, enveloping the entire arena in a flash of white light. The audience screamed as their vision was temporarily taken from them. Everyone, except for one person in the stands, was caught off guard by the sudden burst of light - one of the planned strategies all along.

Two grunts and a scream echoed from within the blinding light as the confrontation continued. Roland, who had known to shield his eyes, watched the exchange unfold. Blinded by the light, Gerhard flinched and momentarily lost track of his opponent, who remained focused amidst the chaos. The spell was designed to blind everyone in the vicinity, but Robert, having prepared, was unaffected. All he had to do was follow the indicators on the screen to land the last devastating hit.

Soon the light dispersed and everyone gasped as the scene before them came into focus. The dust had settled, and the arena lay still. At the center of it, Robert stood tall, his power armor glowing faintly, the runes slowly dimming after their final burst. His mithril sword was embedded deep in Gerhard's chest plate, piercing through the once-imposing knight commander's armor.

Gerhard's enormous spirit blade had dissipated, its fiery orange aura flickering out as he dropped to his knees, eyes wide in disbelief. His hand, still clutching the hilt of his now-ordinary sword, trembled before he released it entirely, the weapon clattering onto the ground. Blood seeped from his mouth as he gasped for air, the last vestiges of his strength fading rapidly.

The arena, once filled with the roar of battle, now echoed with an eerie silence. The crowd, still recovering from the blinding flash, stared in shock at the fallen knight who had seemed unstoppable. Robert's blade was now pointed directly at his opponent's face in a victorious stance, ready to decapitate him at a moment's notice.

"Count Laurence, I think the battle is over, it would be better to announce the victor, unless you wish Sir. Gerhard to die."

"Oh… Of course, you are right, Professor."

While everyone was still trying to understand what happened, Roland quickly addressed Laurence. His brother had critically injured his opponent but his power armor's battery was almost gone. If this duel didn't end now, it could end badly for his brother.

"The duel is concluded! Robert Arden is victorious and now a free man!"

The declaration hung in the air for several moments before the audience processed the words. Only a small group of young women were cheering with tears coming down their eyes. They did it, the duel was over and now that Count Laurance announced the victor, Graham could not do anything about it. This confrontation had been won but to Roland's surprise, this was not quite over.

"Shit… Release the mana barrier, NOW!"

He screamed while rushing forward after seeing a red glint in Gerhard's eyes. His whole face flushed red with bulging veins and his eyes widened in rage. The man overtaken by his emotion grasped his sword once more and ignored the verdict. His body barely moving but still capable of battle. Robert on the other hand saw the light inside of his visor go out as all the power had been drained during the confrontation.

"NO! This isn't over!"

Robert could barely move in the heavy armor he now found himself trapped inside, and the previous exchange had left an opening near his chest. With one well-aimed thrust, Gerhard would be able to pierce through the armor entirely, delivering a direct blow to his body and likely killing him in the process.

Roland slammed his hand against the barrier, quickly shattering its defenses, but not quickly enough to cast a spell that could save his brother. He could only shout and watch helplessly as the silvery blade approached the immobilized power armor. Just as all hope seemed lost, something miraculous happened. From an unknown location, a massive spear flew through the air and struck Gerhard square in the midsection.

The spear tore through Gerhard's midsection with a sickening crunch, halting his final attack and propelling him off the ground. He was flung in the direction where Roland stood, flying straight through the gap in the mana shield. Roland had to quickly step aside as Gerhard crashed into the arena stands, sending up a cloud of dust. Glancing into the distance, Roland spotted a large figure approaching. The man wore a gleaming suit of silvery armor, with a massive wolf engraved on his chest…