Power of Runes-Chapter 79: Twin Calamity Subjugation (9)

A/N: Sorry, I really delayed the Chapter today 😭 I'm only uploading one Chapter right now, but it's around 4k words—so think of it as two Chapters combined! I could've split it into two 2k ones, but I figured dropping it as one long ride would be better.

Again, sorry for the delay—I usually try to upload as soon as I finish writing. If you wanna stay updated, feel free to hop into the Discord! People there often ask when the next Chapter's dropping, and I usually share an approximate time based on my schedule. Hope you enjoy this chunky one! 🙌

***

Few moments ago...

"YOU FILTHY BUGS!!!"

Zerak's roar shook the hall like thunder splitting the sky. Unlike Miraak, whose strength lay in ranged combat, Zerak was a wall of muscle and raw destruction, born to dominate the close-range battlefield.

Together, they were a nightmare: one rained destruction from afar while the other broke bones face-to-face. Their synergy was a storm no one had weathered before.

But now—

It was a mistake.

Zerak thought, regret and anger boiling in his chest. Seeing his brother injured stirred a fury from deep within—an unnatural rage.

We should not have underestimated these human cubs.

His arrogance was the mistake. Because of it, they split up to fight individually. But now, with Miraak wounded, something deeper had awakened inside him.

"LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT DESPAIR IS, YOU PUNY BUGS!!!"

His voice thundered like a collapsing mountain. In the next moment, a red-black aura erupted from him, bursting into a wave of demonic shockwaves that cracked the air itself.

His muscles swelled subtly, his skin pulsing with veins glowing crimson, like molten metal racing beneath flesh.

And then—he vanished.

Without a sound, he reappeared near Ray and punched straight into his face. The strike was so devastating, so full of raw power, that if it had landed cleanly, Ray's head would've been reduced to nothing but blood mist.

But due to pure instinct, Ray intercepted the punch with his sword. The force surged through the sword and into Ray's body like a tsunami.

If it had been any ordinary sword, it would've shattered into shards—and Ray would've died.

But, it clearly was not.

{HOW DARE THIS INSECT HIT ME}

Aetheris's voice roared in Ray's mind, but even it's fury was eclipsed by the pain that bloomed through Ray's nerves. He was flung like a rag doll, tumbling across the cracked floor.

Tiles shattered beneath him, the ground splitting open from the brutal velocity of his fall, but Zerak didn't stop.

His momentum never faltered. He vanished again—and before anyone could track his movement—

He turned into a black and red streak of light, reappearing right in front of Irvin, claws extended, gleaming with demonic energy that pulsed like thick mist.

Seeing the claws aimed at his head, Irvin's mind went blank. No matter how much courage he mustered, he was still just a boy. How could anyone expect him to stand firm in the face of death?

"Move, idiot!"

Ethan's voice ripped through the air from a distance, his daggers already spinning with dark energy, but the space between them was still too great.

Just as the claws reached Irvin's head, a blade gleaming with silver energy deflected them—just slightly—enough for them to miss.

(A/N: If I make a mistake about Moon color or moon energy color, do tell me, 'cause I forgot what color I initially decided.)

Elysia had entered the battle, her hand gripping Irvin's collar as she dragged him away from Zerak with all the strength she could muster.

I can't read the thoughts of anyone here...

Elysia thought grimly. She realized what that meant. Even though she had the power to read minds, she also used it to gauge the power level of others.

I'm the weakest here.

Her lips pressed into a line, fingers trembling ever so slightly on her blade. But her gaze flicked toward Ash. Watching him fight sparked a fire in her heart.

So what? Let's do it.

Zerak's eyes locked onto her. His head tilted, movements slow and deliberate, like a predator taking interest in a new target.

The attack she had deviated could only be called luck. Even she knew, she couldn't fully deflect that strike—just shift it slightly to save Irvin.

Irvin slowly started coming out of his shock.

"I... I... surviv—ed," he whispered, eyes wide, fists clenched.

At the same time, Ethan appeared next to Zerak, whose gaze was still fixed on Elysia—the one who had interfered with his attack.

His daggers were wreathed like flames of shadow and darkness, casting an eerie glow across the cracked ground.

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

This was no ordinary attack—it was his strongest technique.

"CONSECUTIVE FLAMING STRIKES!!"

The daggers danced like fireflies in a storm, each movement a blur, each strike aimed with lethal precision. Shadows erupted with every impact as he slashed again and again.

But Zerak didn't even glance at Ethan. Whether he noticed or chose to ignore it—he didn't react.

The dagger strikes landed all over Zerak's body. Dark flames and shadows licked across his skin. But when the move ended—There was not a single scratch.

Zerak stood unscathed.

How is this possible...?

That was the only thought in Ethan's head. Even Ray had managed to make him bleed. But Ethan's attack—his strongest attack—did nothing.

Am... I worse than Ray...?

He was shocked. But beyond that, he felt something deeper—raw fear.

Fear of a monster that couldn't be hurt.

Zerak literally ignored Ethan and stepped toward Elysia.

He spoke with a deep voice, filled with anger.

"Hey, you damn ladybug." (A/N: Hehe lol.)

"You know, I've got a damn good memory. Even if I'm just the close-range brute and don't use my brain like my brother, I remember faces."

His voice dropped, venom thick in every syllable.

"And I remember—you weren't one of the ones who were awake after my brother cast the Curse of Sleep."

Sweat trickled down Elysia's brow. Her breathing slowed. The air around her tightened, like reality itself was shrinking beneath Zerak's killing intent.

Am... I scared?

She didn't have the answer. When she'd stepped forward, it was with the hope of helping—lightening the burden on Ash's shoulders. She didn't think it would be easy, but this... this was something else.

It's not easy at all.

She bit her lip until it bled. Her hands trembled. But her eyes—her eyes sought Ash again, he was still fighting with the other demon.

But still... How can I back away now? He's still fighting over there... and wouldn't he still be fighting even if I hadn't gotten the Mind Reader skill? If I hadn't figured out the truth...

If she hadn't guessed Ash's identity—he would still be fighting, all alone. That thought made her sad and angry.

That anger burned away her fear.

She took a deep breath and faced Zerak again—only to freeze as she saw him follow her gaze... and then glance at Ash.

"Looks like you were with that FUCKING bug, who is fighting my brother," Zerak hissed, voice venomous.

"Then won't he feel the same pain if I do the same to you?"

But Elysia just stared back, silent.

"Are you ignoring me? ME?!"

"HAHAHAHA!"

He laughed—but in the next moment, Elysia's blade flashed forward. A silver arc of moon mana surged through the air, followed by more slashes.

SLASH

SLASH

SLASH

SLASH

Each attack met Zerak's body—yet only a thin line of red appeared, and even that seemed like a concession made by the Moon Mana itself.

"Hehe." A light chuckle escaped his lips.

With a slow, mocking backhand, he swung at Elysia. His movement sluggish—like he wanted her to fight back. Wanted her to feel fear, Despair.

She knew—somehow—that if she tried to dodge, she'd still be struck. So instead, she reinforced her body, flooding her limbs and blade with every drop of mana she could gather, bracing for impact.

But then—

Before the blow landed, Irvin appeared in front of her.

He threw himself between them, body armored in stone and metal conjured from his Earth affinity. But Zerak's hand suddenly surged in speed, striking with terrible force.

Irvin was launched like a cannonball, blood spraying from his lips.

Ethan interfered too, locking Zerak's legs in shadows. Zerak shattered them easily, but his momentum broke for a moment.

Still—the attack hit Elysia's blade.

The blade in her hand snapped in two.

The blow hit her.

She was lifted into the air like a doll, blood bursting from her nose, ears, mouth—her bones cracking beneath the force—before she was flung across the hall like debris.

Ethan appeared behind Zerak, daggers lunging toward his neck. Even in despair—his blades didn't stop.

But a single backhand slap sent him flying too.

Zerak looked around slowly, his breaths sharp and heavy in the quiet aftermath. Every single person who had dared to stand against him was now on the ground.

Their bodies were motionless, groaning in pain or unconscious.

There were still one or two students left standing, but they were rooted in place, too afraid to even move a finger. Fear had turned them into statues.

He turned his attention towards Elysia, ready to move towards her.

But before he could take a single step, a voice rang out behind him.

"Where... are you going... Demon?"

The words were quiet and strained, but something about them sent a chill down Zerak's spine. He stopped walking and turned toward the source of the voice.

What he saw was not what he had expected.

A boy stood in the middle of debris. His body, which had been bloodied and broken just moments ago, was now completely healed.

In one hand, he held an empty potion bottle, and in the other, a sword with a black and green blade.

The edges of the weapon shimmered with a faint glow, like something ancient was slowly waking inside it.

Golden bug

There was something unnatural about him now. His body was surrounded by a strange aura that pulsed in slow, heavy waves, almost like a heartbeat made of energy. His eyes weren't sharp or focused.

They were clouded, distant, like fog had settled over them. Yet they still stared straight at Zerak.

Zerak's lips curled into a cruel smile as he watched Ray unleash his unusual power. He could feel it—the raw surge of energy, chaotic and untamed, a force that threatened to reshape this world.

This was the right choice, coming here to end him, Zerak thought, a dark satisfaction spreading through him.

Such power, still in its infancy, but it will grow. And when it does...

His eyes narrowed, watching Ray's power ripple through the air like a wild storm, an unpredictable force that could eventually become a thorn in the path of his majesty, The Demon King.

That's why he must be crushed. Before he gets any stronger.

The thought settled deep in his gut, cold and final. Ray's power was still weak, but it wouldn't stay that way.

He could already taste the potential—dangerous, alluring.

The prospect of controlling it, of absorbing it... it thrilled him. But a part of Zerak knew that this power, if left unchecked, would become a threat.

A real threat.

One that could one day rival the majestic darkness of his lord.

No. That will never happen. Not while I stand in his way.

Inside Ray's mind, the sword stirred with a faint hiss of disappointment.

{Tsk... kids these days really are too weak-minded. He lost control over his emotions right at the end.}

{But this...power he's using... is he overloading his core with mana just to get a temporary boost in strength? That's a suicidal move. You need perfect control to pull that off without shattering your core. How is he managing that when his mind isn't even stable right now?}

The sword continued to mutter, half judging, half intrigued, watching the boy stand against a demon with cracked control and a burning will.

Ray had activated Overclock.

**

[ Skill: Overclock]

- Temporarily increases all stats by 90% for 5 minutes, After 5 minutes are over the body will suffer a backlash, and the user will lose consciousness for a week.

**

Hmm...he's stronger than before, but....still weak.

Zerak thought, noticing the change in him.

Even with all the power flowing through him, Ray remained quiet. His body trembled with the surge of raw power surging through his veins, but it wasn't for long.

He moved forward, faster than the eye could track.

When he reappeared, he was right in front of Zerak, his blade already raised.

[Aura Blade: Space]

The moment Ray swung, the space around the sword bent and twisted. Like mirrors shattering, his single movement split into dozens more.

One strike became five. Five became twenty. And all of them converged at once, layered on top of each other, aiming directly for Zerak's chest.

It wasn't swordsmanship anymore.

It was like watching space itself attacking.

Zerak reacted instantly as his instincts screamed, crossing both his arms to block the attack, just like before. His muscles tensed. His aura surged.

But he had forgotten one crucial thing.

Earlier, Ray's blade had left a deep cut on his forearms—And now, every single overlapping strike was aimed directly at that old wound. The first slash reopened it. The second widened it. The third dug deeper.

The rest didn't even give him time to flinch.

The attacks weren't just fast—they were merciless.

Flesh split. Blood flew into the air in short bursts.

The demon's arms, once tough enough to block spells and steel alike, now looked torn and bruised, covered in ragged scratches that were growing worse by the second.

Zerak grunted, stumbling backward. His arms shook as he tried to hold them up, but the pain made his movements stiff and uneven. His expression twisted—not in fear, but in something close to disbelief.

This boy had hurt him. Again.

And this time, it wasn't by luck.

It was skill.

Ray's grip tightened as the sword in his hand pulsed once more. His eyes—though still clouded by the effect of madness in his mind—were locked on his opponent.

There was no emotion left on his face.

Only the stillness of someone moving on pure instinct, driven by hatred itself to kill the enemy,

{A/N: Don't you all think Ray is more useful after he loses to emotions. I think though. I feel like he will become Zenitsu like this, xD}

The black and greenish sword buzzed quietly in his palm, analyzing everything Ray was doing.

Ray's body was adapting in real time. His swordplay was now more faster, tighter and more precise.

His instincts felt sharper, it was the effect of his trait— Limitless Growth.

That allowed him to evolve under pressure, that demanded growth in the face of overwhelming odds.

{What in the forgotten heavens is this boy? His form just now—it shouldn't be possible without years of combat. Yet he pulled it off mid-swing. Hmm... impressive. Maybe I've finally found a master worth wielding. Though... his emotions are still a mess.}

But, Ray didn't stop.

Ray's sword moved again, as if the blade itself had a mind of its own.

[Void Severance]

With a sudden crack in the air, the attack tore through space, hurtling toward Zerak.

For a moment, Zerak seemed caught off guard, but he quickly dodged, narrowly escaping the strike.

Still,

Ray didn't pause.

He only fought, his every strike driven by the surge of power coursing through his body.

The battle continued like that—chaotic, unpredictable.

Sometimes, Ray was the one injured, his body taking the brunt of the fight.

Other times, Zerak found himself cornered, struggling to keep up with the relentless assault.

It felt like an endless back-and-forth, both of them caught in a deadly rhythm.

But anybody watching the fight could see it clearly, Ray's body was weakening, his energy slowly draining away.

He just recovered a week ago from the damage his core suffered, but now not that much time has passed, and he was putting pressure on it again.

Still, he pushed on.

Every attack he launched felt slower than the last, but he kept going.

Another slash, another wound.

But no matter how hard he fought, it didn't change the fact that his body was giving up.

The power from his skill had already worn off, earlier than the actual time as if to save him from cracking his core.

Ray stumbled, his vision blurring. His legs gave way beneath him, and in the next moment, he collapsed onto the cold ground.

{What? HEY, wake up, brat! A swordsman doesn't lose consciousness in the middle of a fight! WAKE UP!}

Aetheris's voice roared in his mind, filled with urgency and frustration.

***

[Elysia Pov]

Elysia crumpled to the ground, the world spinning in jagged fragments around her.

Her body felt like a shattered mirror, each shard of pain reflecting the brutal truth of her weakness.

Blood seeped between her fingers, slick and warm, staining the earth beneath her.

It hurts, but not as painful as dying.

She thought, mockingly.

But it wasn't the pain that consumed her—it was the helplessness, the suffocating, crushing weight of knowing she had failed.

I am so weak.

Even after training for all those hours, she was still weak. It never hit her this hard before, because she had always believed that with more practice, she would grow stronger.

But after learning about Ash, she felt like, What the hell had I been doing until now? She used to think he was just training too hard, without understanding the deeper reason behind it.

Was it despair and helplessness that drove you that hard to train..?

Her vision blurred as a cloud of nausea swirled in her stomach, darkening her world.

She blinked, trying to force herself back into focus, but the edges of her sight trembled like flickering candlelight.

The battle raged on around her, but in her mind, it was all distant, muffled—like watching someone else's nightmare through glass.

"Pull yourself together," she whispered, but her voice was so weak, so broken, that even she didn't believe the words.

Elysia reached for the healing potion from her space ring, her fingers trembling, and uncorked the bottle with shaking hands.

She lifted it to her lips, the liquid burning its way down her throat, cool but almost suffocating in its intensity.

A pulse of energy bloomed inside her, spreading warmth into the rawness of her flesh.

She felt the potion's effects settle in her veins, like a gentle tide pushing back against the force of her wounds, but it wasn't enough.

Her chest tightened, and a ragged breath left her lips as she slumped back against the rough stone behind her.

She closed her eyes for a moment, her head heavy, every movement like wading through thick fog.

This is not the time for rest. If I am not strong enough to help directly, I should help indirectly.

She couldn't let herself fall here.

Not when everything was at stake.

Elysia opened her eyes, forcing herself to rise, her limbs trembling, but still moving, her hands braced against the rocks for support.

With a pained exhale, she let her gaze drift toward the chaos unfolding ahead. She could still see Ray fighting, struggling, pushing forward with everything he had.

Her gaze moved, and she saw Ash also struggling to injure the demon deeply.

Her hands clenched into fists, blood still dripping between her fingers, but her resolve solidified.

***

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

"Keep attacking! Otherwise, your heads might fall when the parents of those kids arrive!" Leonard, Ash's class close combat instructor, bellowed, his voice cutting through the cacophony of battle.

He swung his sword with a powerful arc, the blade crackling with raw energy that should have reduced anything in its path to rubble.

But as it collided with the barrier, it only made the air shimmer, causing no more than a brief tremor.

The energy inside his strike could obliterate entire cities, but the barrier held firm, as though it were laughing at their efforts.

What the hell is this barrier...?

Leonard's frustration boiled over, his eyes wild with disbelief.

He didn't know what kind of magic had woven it, but it was something beyond their understanding. Beyond anything they had ever encountered.

He wasn't alone in his helplessness.

All the instructors, guards, and caretakers had converged on the barrier, their weapons clashing against it in vain, their desperation mounting with every failed attempt.

Fear was in the air, palpable and suffocating.

What will happen when the Saints of Humanity arrive and demand an explanation for the safety of their children?

The weight of the thought pressed down on their chests. If even one child died, the consequences would be catastrophic.

No one in this academy would escape the wrath of the Saints.

"Keep attacking..." Leonard barked, his voice strained with urgency. "We need to rescue kids at all costs!"

"Rescue the kids!" shouted another voice, cracking under the pressure.

The air was thick with tension as Elva watched from her vantage point atop the semi-circle barrier, her usual personality was nowhere to be seen.

The situation was serious, so was she.

Her gaze swept across the frantic scene below, taking in the chaos that swirled like a storm of rage and fear. The sounds of weapons striking the barrier, of shouts and panicked orders, created a dissonant symphony of desperation.

It's impossible to break it from the outside.

The barrier was too perfect, too absolute. Its presence felt as though it were made of a substance that defied comprehension.

Without a Saint-ranked individual breaking the barrier was nothing more than a futile dream.

After all, she had tried every spell she knew, but the barrier didn't even budge.

But there's no such thing as an unbreakable barrier.

Elva's mind raced, caught between the grim reality of their situation and the stubborn whisper of defiance that ran through her veins.

Everything born in this world, no matter how grand, must eventually meet its end. Even the greatest powers could be undone by time or the right force. Nothing could stay static forever.

No barrier is invincible.

But the question remained: How?

Already, half an hour had passed since the barrier went up. She had no idea what was happening inside.

The thought of the children trapped inside, vulnerable to whatever horrors might be lurking beyond the barrier, gnawed at her.

I'm pathetic.

She blamed herself, gnawing on the thought that if only she were stronger, if only she were a Saint... she could tear this thing down with ease. But...

That's impossible.

The bitter truth of it hit her like a cold wave. She was nowhere near ready, nowhere near strong enough.

Just as she was about to spiral further into her self-doubt, her gaze shifted upward. Something caught her eye—a flash in the sky above, a burst of light and flames.

At first, she thought it was just another effect of the ongoing chaos, but then her eyes locked onto the message that was burning brightly against the sky:

{I KNOW HOW TO OPEN THE BARRIER}

Her breath hitched in her throat. A shiver ran down her spine.

She focused all her energy, squinting against the smoke and haze in the air, desperately trying to decipher the source of the message.

And then, she saw it. The person responsible for the words was none other than—

Melissia...?

***