Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 524 - 523- Sorry for the rejection

The arena trembled under the rhythm of feet striking stone.

The boy moved first.

Black hair clung to his forehead, damp with sweat, eyes sharp and burning with refusal. He lunged forward, feet snapping against the ground in a tight, efficient pattern. No wasted motion. No hesitation. His right fist cut through the air, fast and direct, aimed straight for Adrian’s jaw.

Adrian tilted his head just briefly.

The punch grazed fabric and nothing more. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Before the boy’s heel even settled, he twisted, driving his left fist toward Adrian’s ribs. It was a good combination. Clean and brutal. The kind that broke through careless guards.

Adrian stepped inside the arc at the last possible heartbeat. The boy felt the shift of air as his strike missed by a breath. Two fingers tapped against his shoulder.

A shallow strike.

Not enough to injure. Enough to remind.

The boy gritted his teeth and pushed harder.

His feet accelerated. Light and hurried. He closed distance again, slipping low before springing upward with a rising punch meant for Adrian’s chin. Adrian leaned back just enough for knuckles to skim past his throat. The boy’s knee followed immediately, a sharp upward thrust toward the abdomen.

Adrian pivoted.

The knee met empty space.

A palm brushed across the boy’s side, grazing his ribs. Another shallow hit. Quick and way too measured for the boy’s comfort.

The boy staggered half a step but recovered instantly. His breathing grew heavier, but his eyes sharpened. He adjusted his rhythm. Instead of charging straight in, he feinted left, then burst right, feet blurring as he attempted to flank.

Good.

Adrian allowed him to come closer this time.

A straight punch shot toward Adrian’s chest. It almost landed. Almost.

Adrian’s body shifted like smoke slipping between fingers. The boy’s fist pressed against cloth for a fleeting second before Adrian rotated his shoulder and redirected the momentum. His knuckles skimmed across the boy’s forearm in response. Not a strike meant to hurt. A correction.

The boy hissed and spun with a hook.

Adrian ducked under it at the last instant. His elbow touched the boy’s back lightly as he passed.

Another shallow mark.

Frustration crept into the boy’s movements. His punches grew heavier. Strong. Driven by raw force. He advanced relentlessly, each step pounding the ground as he tried to overwhelm his instructor with speed and power.

For a heartbeat, he nearly succeeded.

A rapid three strike combination forced Adrian backward. The final straight punch tore through the air and brushed Adrian’s cheek, just barely.

The arena fell silent.

Adrian’s eyes flickered with faint approval.

Then he moved.

He slipped past the boy’s guard and delivered three quick, shallow taps. Shoulder. Ribs. Thigh.

Each landed clean.

Each stopped short of damage.

The boy stumbled, chest heaving, fists trembling at his sides. Adrian stood before him untouched, and calm.

However, before the boy could continue, Adrian spoke calmly, "The assessment ends here, Antonio. You may return."

The boy let out a long breath, dissatisfaction evident in his eyes. Still, he gave a short nod and walked away without protest.

Adrian sighed and rolled his neck to ease the stiffness.

When he looked toward the hall again, three arenas were still occupied. His own round was already over, and there was no reason for him to stay any longer.

He decided to retire for the day.

On his way to the changing room, he ran into Rylie, who immediately asked, "Are you unwell? You seemed a little sluggish out there."

Adrian could hardly admit that even during the match, part of his mind had been occupied with Runesmithing.

From a warrior’s standpoint, that would sound disrespectful. Yet Adrian knew where his true priorities lay.

"Just a little tired," he replied as they entered the preparation room.

"Hmm. Makes sense. You went to Antonmine yesterday, didn’t you?"

"How did you—" Adrian paused, then understood. "It was in the newspaper?"

Rylie nodded. "Your entire argument declaring Clark’s creation ineffective was quoted word for word."

"I never called it ineffective," Adrian corrected. Sitting down, he removed his shoes and added, "I said it was flawed."

Rylie shrugged. "That does not change the fact that Clark faced his first rejection. In his entire life. Honestly, only you could pull that off, Sir Adrian. Questioning something crafted by the greatest Runesmith alive."

Adrian gave a wry smile and shook his head. After a brief hesitation, he asked in a quieter tone, "Was there anything else reported about Antonmine?"

Rylie hummed thoughtfully. "Nothing major. Though I did hear there was an ambush. An entire building was destroyed by some unseen force."

No wonder there had been no mention of it since morning. It seemed Clark’s death had not been made public yet. Was it being suppressed by Antonmine’s government, or perhaps by the Tower?

What unsettled him more was Ruby’s identity. She was a Tower Master now, and every move she made would be scrutinized under a harsher light.

She needed to restrain herself, remain discreet, and keep a low profile whenever she was not acting in her official capacity.

Though, in truth, he was in no position to lecture her. She possessed far more knowledge and experience in such matters than he did.

"What are your plans now, Professor Adrian? Care to join me for dinner?"

Adrian offered an apologetic smile and lowered his head slightly. "I am sorry, Sir Rylie, but I have work to attend to."

The instructor blinked in alarm. "Why are you bowing all of a sudden?"

Urged by the man’s reaction, Adrian straightened up and replied, "It feels wrong rejecting you every time. I am simply overwhelmed at the moment. Even during meals, my thoughts refuse to rest. So I hope you can understand."

Rylie chuckled and gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Do not worry about it, Professor. We are friends, not just colleagues." He nodded once before adding, "Still, if you ever feel exhausted and need to let it out, I can always be your drinking partner."

Adrian laughed softly. "I will take you up on that offer someday. Perhaps sooner than you expect."

Not so long after, Adrian left the preparation room, heading to his office where he would work on some files, then meet Ariana and then return to the Time Chamber to continue his studies.

Yesterday, he had succeeded in measuring the mana frequency of the training doll...maybe once in ten times? But that still could be regarded as development.

Thinking about what he would do the first thing once returning, he took a turn around the corridor and suddenly lost his balance.

His head turned fuzzy, eyes darkening.

’Fuck...’ His head was heavy and he was about to fall to his knees, maybe exhaustion or lack of sleep being the cause.

But just then, someone supported him from the side, "Professor,"

Adrian glanced at her and found a familiar girl standing there.

It was Sylvie.