The Runesmith

"There they go... Now it's up to Robert."

Roland stood in a somewhat secluded spot in the arena stands. The other spectators, consisting of lesser nobles, merchants, and their guards, had spread out in both directions to avoid him. It was an odd sight, watching these people fear him, but at least it gave him some peace. His gaze settled on his sister, who was clutching her hands near her heart, and his stepmother, mirroring the same anxious gesture. The time for the duel had arrived, and now there was nothing Roland could do to help his brother. If he tried anything, the mages would instantly notice the shift in his mana and likely call off the duel in Graham’s favor.

Eventually, his eyes turned to Gerhard and his status, something Roland was already familiar with. His class was a mouthful, but it wasn’t particularly impressive - though not terrible either. This man was likely similar to Emmerson, the first Knight Commander he fought, but at a much lower level. However, Gerhard’s abilities had been artificially boosted by the red crystals, a fact Roland wished he could bring up.

"As if anyone would believe me at this point" 

There were side effects to using those blood gems to enhance one’s skills, but with enough money, it was possible to minimize or even eliminate them. People who took them tended to become more irritable and violent which was hardly enough for a formal accusation. The debuff caused by the crystals would eventually disappear, leaving no trace, though it often left lasting effects on the person’s mind.

‘He has no last name. Graham probably chose him as an expendable pawn. Even if Gerhard were caught, Graham could just claim he acted on his own and that it was Leopold who gave him the crystals.’

Finally, Roland's gaze shifted to Robert, who was clad in his latest creation, the "Rune Power Armor Prototype." The Rune Power Armor Prototype that Robert wore was a not only a testament to Roland’s craftsmanship but also to Arion’s ingenuity. The height of the user was close to two meters and with the addition of the armor that put Robert at two meters twenty.  Each section of the armor was seamlessly interlocked, giving him the appearance of an imposing iron sentinel.

The armor's core structure was crafted from Dwarven Steel, renowned for its durability and compatibility with enchantments. Its matte black finish absorbed light rather than reflecting it, giving it an eerie, foreboding presence in the arena. Many mistook Robert for a dark knight or even an iron golem monster at first glance. The most striking feature was the chest piece, with angular ridges and an embossed rune circle at its center, faintly glowing with pale blue magical energy.

The shoulders were rounded yet bulky, designed to protect the joints beneath, while the legs were similarly reinforced for maximum defense. However, the true weak point of the design lay in the back - the backpack housing several large runic batteries. These cylindrical batteries were welded shut to prevent them from dislodging during combat, which limited the suit's operational time but provided an additional layer of protection.

All of this was tied together with a simple but crucial design philosophy: protection and power without sacrificing mobility. Roland had designed the armor to be the ultimate balance of strength and speed, taking into account Robert’s natural fighting style.

As an addition, his brother was handed the large mithril sword he had received from Emmerson, along with the black mithril tower shield he had retrieved from the Albrook dungeon. Armed with these two bulky weapons, Robert would have to defeat his opponent, who was protected by his own set of enchanted mithril armor.

‘Good, he came equipped with that armor and the weapons, everything is going according to plan, now just Robert needs to do it…’

A dome of transparent blue energy enveloped the entire arena. Mages stationed at the four corners maintained the barrier, continuously supplying it with their mana. Even a Tier 3 attack wouldn’t be able to penetrate it. Roland could feel the weight of eyes on him as nearly all of Graham’s men were watching, Leopold included. The time for the duel had finally arrived, and now everyone was waiting for the Count to give the signal.

Count Graham’s hand hovered in the air as the anticipation in the arena reached its peak. Every noble, merchant, and knight in attendance held their breath, eyes trained on the two figures standing at the center of the magical dome. On one side, Sir Gerhard, the seasoned knight and champion of House De Vere, stood poised, his gleaming sword raised in a display of strength. On the other, Robert Arden, his towering figure encased in the experimental runic power armor, remained still as if waiting for the right moment to strike.

*****

‘So this is it... I can do this... no, I shall…’

Robert's heart pounded in his chest as he waited for the signal. His life flashed through his mind once more as he locked eyes with the man he was destined to face - a Tier 3 class holder, the very tier he aspired to reach. Though he had made rapid progress on the battlefield, this opponent was far superior in power, strength, and experience. Without the buffing spells his brother had cast on him, his knees would likely be trembling at this very moment.

Finally, with a sharp flick of his wrist, Count Graham signaled the start of the match. His voice, amplified by his personal mage, boomed through the arena.

“Let the duel begin!”

Sir Gerhard moved first, his body a blur of motion. Despite the weight of his mithril armor, he charged forward with the grace and speed of a well-trained warrior. His sword imbued with runic enchantments, crackled with lightning elemental power as he brought it down in a vicious arc aimed directly at Robert’s head.

For a moment, Robert froze as the man charged at him, clearly intent on ending the fight sooner rather than later. It wasn’t the sudden movement that made him hesitate, but rather the flashing red display in front of his eyes, warning him just before the man truly made his move. Without this magical contraption, Robert would have undoubtedly been decapitated on the spot. But as the attack was about to connect, he forced his body into a defensive stance, raising his massive shield just in time to absorb the blow.

This ingenious device had been something Robert was still trying to get used to after only a few days of practice. Roland called it a graphical interface, though the term meant little to him. One side of the display showed a miniature version of his power armor, while a strange white aura would form around his opponent before the battle began. As soon as his enemy moved, the parts of their body used for the attack would flash red, along with the corresponding part of Robert’s armor, indicating where the blow would land.

Even with this system in place, his reaction time was limited. A Tier 3 knight's speed was at least twice his own. On top of that, feints were always a problem. The runic machine could detect the true strike, but it left him with an even smaller window to react. He had practiced with his brother playing the role of his opponent, but even now, he hadn’t fully mastered this strange system.

The arena erupted in shock as Robert narrowly blocked Sir Gerhard’s lightning-fast strike with his massive black mithril tower shield. The crackling energy from Gerhard's sword collided violently with Robert’s defenses, sending sparks flying. The force of the blow was immense, and the lightning energy traveled through the eternity of his frame. The display informed him about the amount of damage he took but it was quite minimal.

To everyone's surprise, the massive suit of armor absorbed the powerful strike from the Tier 3 knight without buckling. It stood firmly rooted to the ground, as if the blow was nothing. But Gerhard didn’t relent. He unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, each one faster and more forceful than the last, powered by his enchanted armor.

Robert found himself on the defensive, retreating while using his enormous tower shield to protect himself. The sword Gerhard wielded was sharp, but ill-suited for cutting through the thick, heavily armored frame of Robert’s power armor. Even when Robert couldn’t raise his shield in time, the strikes left only minor nicks and scratches on the dense dwarven metal, which was built to withstand much worse.

"Impressive, boy, but how long can you hold up against me, if the only thing you can do is defend yourself? Sooner or later your armor will break!"

The man's eyes, visible through his helmet, flashed red as he continued his relentless assault. Each strike was accompanied by a burst of crackling lightning energy. To the crowd, it looked like a one-sided confrontation, with Robert’s massive suit of armor seemingly offering little resistance. It appeared as though the fight would soon be over. However, a plan was quietly unfolding.Robert had been well-informed about his opponent, as well as the equipment he was using. He wasn’t up against a true Magic Swordsman, but rather someone whose mana pool couldn’t keep up with the flashy, enchanted gear they wore.

‘He had twenty charges and he isn’t using them sparingly, just like Roland said… this Gerhard likes to be flashy.’

He wasn’t sure where his brother got the information but the man before him was an open book. Roland presented him with his opponent's personality traits along with what weapons he would be using before the bout even started. Now after the fight had been going for a few minutes, it was finally time for a counterattack. The time for conserving power was no more and he would finally show everyone that he was not here to die by this man’s hand.

The sword slashed against his tower shield again, followed by a flurry of blows, one even connecting with the side of Robert's helmet. But the interface inside his visor alerted him to where the next strike would land. This time, he was ready. It was finally time for a true exchange of blows. Though his swordsmanship was inferior to his opponent’s, the marvel of his armor made up for his shortcomings.

As the enemy's strike nicked his joint, trying to exploit a weak point, Robert’s own massive mithril blade came down on the opponent's teardrop-shaped shield. The impact sent the man flying to the side and the crowd gasped in surprise.

“What power!” 

“Can a Tier 2 knight really be capable of that?”

While Robert's power armor sustained minor damage, it was worth it. The sheer force he could generate in this prototype was astonishing, clearly surpassing what his opponent could muster. The added weight and power of his equipment made it impossible for the smaller shield to absorb the blow without serious consequences.

Sir Gerhard’s body skidded across the arena floor, his shield slightly warped from the impact. He scrambled to his feet, shocked by the massive blow he just received. His left arm felt numb and he was off balance. He gritted his teeth together and glanced back at his opponent who was charging forward at a speed previously not shown. The armor’s legs moving at long strides to bridge the distance in just a few movements. 

“You just got lucky!”

The man shouted while charging back into the fray, in his mind, backing off would be disgracing both his name and the lords. Robert watched as Sir Gerhard recovered quickly, charging back with fury in his eyes. He could feel the weight of the crowd’s expectations, their eyes glued to the unfolding duel. The man before him, despite his overconfidence, was no ordinary opponent. But Robert was no longer the hesitant, uncertain young man he had been before this duel. The brief success of his counterattack had sparked something inside him, a realization of his own strength and the incredible potential of the power armor he now commanded.

Gerhard rushed forward again, sword raised high, but Robert was prepared. The graphical interface in his visor flashed red, warning him of the exact angle of the attack. With a swift movement, he brought up his massive tower shield, the enchanted mithril edge catching the blow with a loud clang. The sound echoed through the arena, but this time, Robert didn’t just defend. As Gerhard’s blade met his shield, Robert pivoted, using the momentum to swing his enormous sword in a wide arc.

Gerhard barely managed to leap back, his sword deflecting the blow at the last second. The force of Robert’s strike sent a shockwave through the air, kicking up a cloud of dust. The crowd gasped as they witnessed the raw power behind Robert’s attack. 

“You’re better than I thought! But you only delay the inevitable!”

Gerhard growled, circling Robert like a predator stalking its prey. He realized that while his opponent might have the advantage in strength and power, he was superior in speed. Another exchange of blows followed, but to the knight’s surprise, even with his agility, he couldn’t land a meaningful strike. Each time one of his precise attacks was about to connect, Robert would either deflect it or force him back with the swing of his massive sword. It felt as if Robert could anticipate his every move, reacting with uncanny precision before Gerhard even made up his mind about his next strike.

“The Azure Lion Knight’s order must have exaggerated about the strength of their knights, if this is all you can muster.”

Robert had finally found a good rhythm and even felt confident enough to mock his opponent, an action that the knight did not appreciate. Sir Gerhard’s face flushed with anger beneath his helm, his strikes growing wilder as his frustration mounted. The seemingly impenetrable defense of Robert’s armor, combined with the unexpected strength of his counterattacks, was starting to wear on the seasoned knight. The crowd's reactions were a mixture of awe and disbelief and the rage on count Graham’s face was starting to show.

“You fool, what are you doing, get this duel over with this instant!”

The man shouted out from his balcony while slamming his hand down onto the large chair that he was sitting on. The other knights and nobility flinched at Count Graham’s outburst but remained silent.

"You dare mock me and my order?!"

Gerhard roared, his voice echoing through the barrier. His sword rained down, now encased in spirit energy rather than lightning, as the charges on his blade had already been depleted. Eventually, he retreated a few steps, cast aside his shield, and drew a large enchanted mithril mace from his left side.

“Even that shield will crack under this!” 

With renewed vigor and a weapon imbued with magical charges, he rushed in again. The runes on the mace began to glow bright orange, and he could feel the weight and power of his strike intensifying. He was certain that when it collided with the shield, the enchantment would tear it from his opponent's metallic grasp. However, just before the mace made contact, he heard Robert say something in a hushed tone, words that would alter the course of the confrontation.

“...Activate the enchantment inhibitor.”

The moment his mace collided with the shield, an explosion of magical energies was expected. The runic enchantment on the mace was an advanced version of impact and explosive runes, designed to be highly effective against opponents encased in thick metal. However, for some reason, the runes' intensity diminished, and instead of a powerful explosion, only a minor one occurred.

To make matters worse, his opponent had anticipated this outcome with perfect precision. The massive shield parried the blow, sending Gerhard's hand that was still gripping the mace, reeling back. To make things worse, the defensive runes on his mithril armor were also going pale. They were made to react whenever he was struck by heavier blows but now it seemed like they weren’t working.

“Ha!”

Robert shouted as he swung his blade at the off-balance Gerhard. Seeing the incoming attack, Gerhard contorted his body to evade the strike and used both his weapons to defend himself. It was still possible for him to block the attack if he could accurately predict the blade's path.

“Too simple!” 

Gerhard shouted back, raising his defenses at what he believed to be the right moment. However, just before his defense could fully engage, a few runes on Robert’s blade began to glow. They emitted a sharp, resonant clang before propelling the blade forward with increased speed. The enhanced strike collided forcefully with Gerhard's chest plate, sending the man flying while the audience silently watched at something that should not have been possible.