Return of the Legendary Runesmith

CRACK BOOOOM

The rock exploded under the violent thunder Annabelle unleashed.

When the dust cleared, a dark gallery stretched before her, leading into the enemy base.

Two red dots glowed in the darkness.

"YOU'RE DEAD!" a woman roared, charging with her battle axe raised high.

Annabelle ducked calmly under the strike and drove her elbow into the woman's side.

"Khuk!" The redhead grunted. She can't break my reinforced body, she believed, but— spurt! Blood sprayed from her nose, her eyes reddening in shock. Her ribs had fractured.

She turned her head slowly toward the raven-haired girl, her voice trembling. "Just… how strong are you?"

Annabelle didn't answer.

She shot forward, her hand aimed for the woman's throat. But the axe was suddenly dropped, the loss of weight letting the redhead leap back.

Annabelle snarled, rising to her feet. Her aura flared, making the gallery feel smaller, heavier.

The woman gave a wry smile. "Unlucky you… crossing paths with me."

Then her form melted into the shadows, her laughter echoing as she vanished completely.

Annabelle's eyes flicked left—

WOOSH

Wind brushed past her cheek. A fist nearly grazed her as she twisted away at the last instant.

She countered with a roundhouse kick, but her leg struck nothing but empty air.

"Kuku… you think you can touch me so easily?"

The voice came from her right—

DHAK!

A fist slammed into her back, knocking her forward.

"You're up against someone twice your age. Show some respect."

Annabelle growled as a kick struck the back of her knee, but she refused to fall.

'This is getting annoying.' She had already suffered humiliation at the hands of the Fallen God. She couldn't afford another setback—not when it would mean disappointing her Darling.

Sclinch

She drew a short sword from her belt. Its blade was wavy, icy blue, etched with glowing runes.

Her plan B. A new resolve she had forged after reuniting with her Darling.

"What's that? A toy to wave around?" the woman mocked, her voice dripping with scorn. "Why not just kneel and surrender? After that crushing defeat against our liege, you must already be broken."

A vein twitched on Annabelle's forehead. Her chant faltered.

She couldn't go easy anymore.

The redhead's eyes narrowed as she spotted her prey crouch low. Annabelle dragged the wavy blade across the ground, etching a glowing circle as words slipped from her lips.

"Void Sphere."

A translucent orb burst forth, expanding at a terrifying pace.

The Acolyte's instincts screamed, but she was too slow. The sphere swallowed her whole—

"Haah!"

Her breath was ripped away. Panic set in as her lungs burned, every gasp stolen before it could form. Her head spun, her control over her spell shattered.

'W-What is this?! They said she could only use one element! Why is she—aghh!'

Desperation clawed at her as she staggered and broke into a frantic run, trying to escape the suffocating pressure.

But then—

"Choose wisely who you provoke."

Annabelle's cold eyes glimmered at her side.

The redhead's body went slack. She tilted, stumbled—

Thud. Thud.

She hit the ground hard, her upper body collapsing first, her legs crumpling after.

Annabelle huffed, wiping her blade clean on the fallen woman's shirt.

That was when—

[Annabelle, are you there?]

Her darling's voice called.

Her heart jolted.

In a hurry, she fumbled for her communicator, only to drop it in her panic.

"Ah—yes, yes!" She quickly snatched it back up, answering with a flustered tone.

[Have you reached the location?]

Annabelle rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing at the thickening darkness ahead.

A thought tugged at her mind. "I've reached… but darling, it's too quiet. I can't shake the feeling most of the Acolytes have already left."

Elsewhere, Ruby and Ariana felt the same. It made sense—while Annabelle had been fighting the Fallen God, the Acolytes likely started their evacuation.

Surrounding the base any longer seemed pointless.

But then—

[The one we need is here. Just trust me.]

Her doubts vanished with those words.

Without hesitation, she planted a small pyramid-shaped artifact into the ground and reported, "I'm in position."

A brief silence followed.

[Alright then… erect the barrier in 3… 2… 1!]

As the count reached one, Annabelle poured her mana into the artifact.

Vwooom!

Blue energy erupted upward, piercing through the ceiling.

Annabelle hurried outside and looked up—her eyes widening in awe as a massive barrier began forming, wrapping around the entire hill.

'Forgelet… damn.' She couldn't help but praise the dwarf in her heart.

....

Adrian stood at the peak of the hill, the wind whipping against his coat, his body swaying ever so slightly. Below, the base lay wrapped in the glow of the rising blue barrier.

His eyes narrowed. It was sealed.

He drew his revolver and leveled it beneath his feet.

The others had done their part. Now, it was his turn. No one would leave this place alive.

THAK

The silenced revolver whispered, the bullet tearing the air before vanishing into a small blue portal that opened right under him. In the next instant, Adrian's body phased through the rocky surface.

He dropped like a spear. Arms steady, legs locked, his revolver glinting coldly in the dim light.

Below, a crowd of Acolytes awaited him. Their eyes widened as his shadow grew larger with every passing second.

Adrian's gaze turned sharp, his finger resting on the trigger as he aimed at the ground where he would land.

The Acolytes panicked. Some chose to attack first, their chants ringing out as blazing spells shot upward toward him.

But Adrian never intended to target the ground.

Thak!

One bullet tore the silence.

Faster than their spells, it ripped through the air and struck an Acolyte in the chest.

"Huh—?!" The man gasped, but in the blink of an eye, his body twisted unnaturally.

He was no longer standing. He was suspended high in the sky—right in the path of the incoming barrage.

BOOOOOM

The spells collided with him all at once. A thunderous explosion split the night, the man's body bursting apart in a spray of blood and smoke. Flesh and bone scattered, sizzling, before evaporating in the heat.

Shock froze the others for a heartbeat.

Then, dread sank in.

Adrian landed with a calm thud, revolver still raised, his expression colder than stone.

All around him—more than a hundred Acolytes stared, their formation broken as they scrambled back.

Calmly pressing the bridge of his specs as he called out, "A piece of information or your death, choose one."

A few Acolytes already hurled fireballs and mud spikes at him, ready to end the intruder.

Adrian heaved a sigh as he pulled an axe from his Time Chamber and with a swift swing, he completely dismantled the spells.

"Guess, you have made your decision."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please leave a comment or review.