Chapter 9: Chapter 9 – Five Runes and the Weight of Power (2)

Eternia didn’t turn around.

She already knew.

Her mana detection had sensed them earlier.

Four people.

Waiting.

Watching.

"...I was wondering when you’d come out," she said calmly.

Behind her stood four children wearing the robes of the Sinclair main family.

Pure-blood candidates.

Their expressions twisted with hostility.

One of them sneered.

"So the bastard girl finally finished."

Another laughed.

"You’re stronger than we expected."

"But that rune belongs to us now."

The tallest boy stepped forward. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"And we’ll make sure you never compete again."

His eyes gleamed cruelly.

"We’ll cripple you."

"Take your runes."

"And leave you here."

Eternia slowly turned around.

Her expression calm.

Even amused.

"...Four against one?"

She smiled faintly.

"That saves me time."

The boys frowned.

"What?"

Eternia raised her staff.

Mana surged.

Three magic circles appeared instantly.

The four boys froze.

"Three circles at once?!"

"That’s impossible!"

Even trained mages struggled to maintain two.

Three required exceptional control.

Eternia spoke calmly.

"Stone Pebble."

"Small Flame."

"Wind Push."

Fusion erupted.

"Lava Burst."

BOOM.

The explosion sent two of them flying backward instantly.

The others rushed forward.

The chamber erupted into chaos.

Spells flashed across the air.

Stone shattered.

Fire exploded.

Eternia moved like a dancer through the battlefield.

Her staff guided every spell with flawless precision.

Triple casting.

Constant fusion.

Relentless pressure.

The four pure-blood candidates were stunned.

Their formation collapsed instantly.

Within minutes—

All four lay defeated.

Groaning.

Unable to stand.

Eternia calmly collected the golden runes they carried.

"...Two... three... four... five."

Five runes rested in her hand.

She slipped them into her storage ring.

"...That should do."

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the exit.

Circulating her mana to delay the backlash of Ancient magic.

Eventually the twisting corridors opened into bright sunlight.

The arena entrance stood ahead.

Eternia stepped out.

But someone was already there.

Standing quietly near the gate.

Etherius Sinclair.

Her twin brother.

His staff rested against his shoulder as if he had been waiting.

When Eternia stepped outside—

Their eyes met.

Silver and blue locked together.

Mana stirred faintly between them.

Neither spoke.

But the message was clear.

The trial inside the labyrinth had only been the beginning.

The real battle between them...

was still ahead.