Felia, the leader of the group, looked at her companions, determination gleaming in her eyes.

They were the first group to face the Imps so she noticed the nervousness of her members.

It was understandable as they were all being watched by hundreds of people and even their Headmasters. They felt quite pressured, especially after knowing that they only earned 150 points in the Overall Rankings at the moment. They are currently at the bottom of the Rankings…

Although only two days passed, a total of 12 contests of varying levels had been completed.

Only the students from the 7th-year batch were able to get some points for them.

“Stay focused, everyone. Don’t think about the audience for now. We need to be prepared for their deceptions. Remember, our runic weapons are our strongest defense against their tricks.”

Marcus nodded, gripping his runic bow tightly. “I agree, Felia. Let’s make sure our attacks are filled with Runic Aura… We can’t afford to fall for their illusions. If one shows signs of being drawn to their charm, don’t hesitate to use the Alarm Rune.”

Elara, known for her agility in the group, twirled her runic daggers in her hands. “I’ll be ready to strike whenever an opportunity presents itself. Just give me that opening and I’ll kill them.”

The three exchanged glances as they readied themselves.

Soon, the signal was given and the battle commenced.

The Imps were freed in their cage and launched their savage attacks, accompanied by illusions that aimed to deceive the Runecasters.

The surroundings twirled with energy as the Runecasters focused their attention on breaking the illusions…

Felia brandished her runic staff, tracing intricate patterns in the air. The symbols glowed brightly, forming a protective shield around the group.

“Stay within the runic barrier! It will help us see through their illusions…” She reminded, her voice determined.

She had to remind them about this. Even though they were already aware of it, the Imps could affect their critical thinking and decision-making. Voicing out some of their moves could be helpful in the battle.

Marcus notched an arrow on his runic bow, his eyes scanning the battlefield. “Keep an eye out for any inconsistencies. Their illusions will have subtle flaws. That’s our cue to strike…” he advised, his voice steady and focused.

Elara weaved through the chaos, her runic daggers poised for action. While she was moving around, she continued looking for an opportunity to strike the Imps.

As the Imps continued their onslaught of Illusions and Disguise within the smokescreen they created, the Runecasters remained vigilant.

They watched for any slight inconsistencies in the Imps’ movements, their keen eyes trained to see beyond the illusions.

Of course, they weren’t just watching as they were also throwing Spells and cutting through the illusions of beasts, humans, warriors, and even birds that were trying to distract them…

The Imps would also try to disguise themselves as a member of their group and try to get closer to them. However, the smokescreen wasn’t enough to block and vision and locate their real members. It was thanks to the special Runic Barrier they had prepared for this event.

Soon, Felia unleashed a powerful runic spell, causing the ground to tremble beneath the Imps.

The symbols she inscribed danced with energy, disrupting the Imps’ attempts at deception.

“Expose their true forms!” She commanded, her voice resolute.

Whatever rune it was, it drained a lot of her energy as her face paled…

Nevertheless, this was an opportunity!

Marcus took aim, his runic arrows guided by his unwavering focus. With each shot, a well-placed arrow found its mark, piercing through the Imps’ illusions and almost hitting the head of one of the Imps!

“Eeekk!”

The Imp was surely scared that it moved away from its previous position.

“Your tricks won’t protect you forever!” He declared loudly. This was his way of ensuring that his mind wouldn’t get affected by the Imps deception.

After all, they were informed that their minds should remain unwavering according to their seniors. 𝙡𝒊𝒃𝒆.𝙘

Elara finally moved with the intention to kill. She wielded her runic daggers slashing through the air.

She anticipated the Imps’ movements, her keen instincts guiding her attacks…

The battle reached its climax as the Runecasters coordinated their attacks, exploiting the Imps’ vulnerabilities.

‘Indeed, physical combat is the best against the Imps as long as you can break through their illusions… I guess the organizers are going easy with the fourth-year batch, huh…’ Vale mused as he could already tell that the battle was about to end.

With each strike of their runic weapons, the illusions that were hastily made shattered, revealing the true Imps.

The Imps, caught off guard by the Runecasters’ resilience, desperately tried to survive…

But the combined might of Felia, Marcus, and Elara proved too much. The runic powers of their weapons overwhelmed the Imps, leaving them defeated and vulnerable.

Eeeekkk!

With one last cry, the Imps dropped to the ground, lifeless…

The stage erupted with applause as the audience enjoyed the battle and felt happy at the death of the disgusting Imps…

The three Runecasters stood side by side, their chests heaving with exertion but their spirits soaring as they appreciated the audience cheering for them.

‘So Runic Weapons were just some sort of Mystical Items with special or controlled abilities?’ Vale mused as he recalled all the Runic Weapons that were used and the Runic Pistol he had seen outside.

Vale had to do his own research even though he already heard plenty of things from his seniors and the Professors.

After all, he doesn’t know his first opponent for tomorrow’s Clash of Champions.

‘I guess Senior Anderson and the others are worrying too much… I don’t think these kids already learned Spell Fusion in their respective Path.’ Vale silently thought as he believed that no one could beat him in tomorrow’s duel…

If they could beat him, it’s probably because they were disguised as young students or they also had a system that’s better than his Divine Extraction System…

As he was thinking of this, he soon heard Maya’s group being called to take the stage…

The source of this content is 𝒃𝙖.𝙘