Power of Runes
Chapter 202: Moon Essence Awakening

Chapter 202: Moon Essence Awakening

She is pathetically weak...

Aurora thought to herself as she watched the ongoing fight from above. A slight frown tugged at the corner of her lips.

Although she had expected Elysia to lose the battle, especially given the difference in their ranks, what truly disappointed her wasn’t the outcome itself. It was the way the fight was unfolding.

There was no resistance, no thrill, no clash worth holding one’s breath for. It felt dull and lifeless, almost like watching a routine spar without any real stakes.

I hoped to see something spectacular, something that would make this moment exciting... but this is just too boring to keep watching.

She had genuinely been looking forward to seeing someone else who, like her, was blessed by a celestial phenomenon.

She had imagined Elysia channeling some radiant and mysterious power drawn from the Moon, showing a glimpse of brilliance that only those touched by the stars could wield.

It would have been something beautiful to witness. But now, watching the fight, all those expectations quietly crumbled.

Still, the reason Aurora had come wasn’t just for this match. Duel was just an excuse, after all she has already saw Elysia fight when the demons evaded, though she was hoping to see at least some growth.

She in fact came for Ash. When the demons attacked the Academy, it was him who faced the frontlines of the battle. It was him who stood firm and carried the weight of the chaos.

At the very least, he had proven himself to be more reliable than Ray, who was so often spoken of as if he were the strongest among the students.

She wanted to meet him and get to know him at least.

Just as she let out a quiet sigh and prepared to turn away from the fight, a voice suddenly rang through the air.

It was clear, calm, and completely devoid of emotion. It didn’t rise above the usual volume, and yet it cut through the surrounding chatter like a blade.

"Why are they fighting? Is this a part of some official test, or is there another reason behind this battle?"

The words caught everyone off guard. The heads of nearly every student and instructor present turned at once toward the source of the voice. A shared wave of surprise rippled through the group. Their eyes widened, not just because of the question, but because of who had spoken it.

Ash was standing there.

No one had seen him arrive. A moment ago, that spot had been completely empty. There had been no sound of footsteps, no shift in mana. It was as if he had simply appeared in the blink of an eye.

Before the silence could stretch on too long or become uncomfortable, Instructor Leonard stepped forward. There was a glint of curiosity in his gaze, and a wide grin that said he had been waiting for something like this to happen.

"Oh, Ash, you’re here," Leonard said with a wide grin stretching across his face, his eyes gleaming like someone about to witness something spectacular, something thrilling enough to forget the formalities of the moment.

"Instructor Leonard, it’s good to see you again," Ash replied with a calm and light voice, his tone carrying a faint warmth, though his eyes remained distant, not quite focused on anything in particular.

"Yes, yes, it’s good to see you again too, haha," Leonard chuckled heartily. He wasn’t just being polite — after all, they’d sparred almost every day for over a month. That kind of physical connection, that mutual understanding forged through sweat and bruises, had erased most of the formal distance between them.

Before Leonard could open his mouth to say anything more, Ash’s voice cut in again, gentle but firm.

"Instructor, can you please tell me why they’re fighting?"

Leonard opened his mouth, already mid-thought. "Oh, them? I heard—"

But his words were suddenly interrupted by another voice, sharp and a little rushed.

"Wait, Instructor!!!"

Both Ash and Leonard turned toward the sound, only to find Grace walking toward them, her steps brisk, her face filled with urgency.

"Sorry for cutting in, Instructor," she said, her tone a little breathless but polite, "but can I please explain it to him instead?"

Leonard gave a half-hearted wave of his hand and shrugged, as if it wasn’t worth arguing over. "Fine, whatever," he said. But his gaze didn’t move from Ash even for a second. He was silently observing — watching the way Ash stood, the subtle movement of his shoulders, the shift of his weight. It made Ash feel strangely uncomfortable, as if something inside him was being evaluated.

Feeling that gaze crawl across his skin, Ash shifted slightly, his body instinctively tensing. He turned his eyes to Grace and nodded. "Tell me."

"Basically..."

Grace began to explain everything — the whole chain of events, every twist and turn. She spoke of how Ray had confessed his feelings to Elysia, how she had rejected him, how Elysia had openly admitted that she liked Ash, and how that had escalated into the current duel. She even mentioned, although cautiously, her guess that Elysia had stepped in because she thought Ray was going to challenge Ash instead.

Ash stood silently, listening to every word. Not a single emotion passed across his face. When Grace finished speaking, he simply closed his eyes.

A heavy silence settled around them like mist. Every student from Class 1S, along with several instructors and onlookers from other classes, kept their eyes locked on him. Even though no one said a word, it was clear from their faces — they were waiting. Waiting to see what Ash would do. Waiting for his reaction. After all, whether he liked it or not, this entire situation had his name written all over it.

So... Ray was planning to challenge me to a duel. And because of that, Elysia stepped in to fight in my place.

A sigh escaped his lips, but it didn’t lighten the weight in his chest. He clenched his fists, but his blood, bones, and muscles were so dense with raw strength that not even a trace of whiteness showed in his knuckles.

She must have thought she was dragging me into another fight... and that’s why she’s standing there now, fighting in my place. Damn it... she really hasn’t changed at all, has she?

His jaw clenched so tightly that a slight tremble passed through it, but he said nothing.

But still... why do I feel like... I should just go down there and beat the hell out of—

Before that thought could form into something more dangerous, gasps and hushed whispers echoed through the crowd, snapping his attention back.

His eyes flew open.

He looked toward the Arena.

And what he saw made his eyes widen in disbelief.

Really...?

***

Due to Elysia’s emotions growing more chaotic and unstable, her attacks became wild and reckless. She swung her blade again and again without pausing, as if trying to drown out her thoughts through the sheer force of her strikes.

With each swing, her momentum built, and her attacks grew faster, almost blurring as she pushed herself beyond her limits.

She had unknowingly entered a flow state, a realm of instinct and power where everything else faded into the background.

Just then, the moon mana that had been gathering around her blade shuddered violently. Her hands paused mid-swing, her breathing ragged. She was lucky—because Ray, for some reason, had not taken the opening to strike. He simply stood there, looking at her with a warm and oddly gentle gaze, one that didn’t suit a battle.

I will gouge his eyes out. Why the hell is he looking at her like that... bastard...

Ash cursed inwardly as he observed the scene unfold before him. Still, he felt a strange relief. At least the opponent Elysia was facing wasn’t someone cold enough to strike her at such a vulnerable moment.

His gaze lingered on Elysia. Sigh... she is going to awaken those powers much earlier than she did in the novel... looks like I ended up changing something else again...

Suddenly, the moon mana erupted from her body, no longer just surrounding her blade but enveloping her entire form. It flowed like a celestial stream, wrapping her in a cocoon of shimmering silver light that stood out beneath the heavy, dark clouds overhead.

And then, after what felt like five long minutes, the moon essence began to retreat. The light dimmed, and the shimmering veil dispersed, revealing Elysia standing still—yet entirely different. The aura that now surrounded her body was terrifyingly calm but alarmingly lethal, like a predator waiting for the right moment to strike.

What the... ?

Ray’s thoughts darkened as he stared at her with a furrowed brow. Just a moment ago, he had been treating her like a child playing with a sword. Now, an unknown pressure weighed on him. For the first time, he felt a genuine sense of danger.

What is this feeling...?

His body moved before his mind could catch up. He instinctively took a defensive stance, and the moment he did, gasps spread among the crowd watching from the stands.

Of course, he can sense the danger...

Ash narrowed his eyes. The truth was, he himself was sensing a level of threat from Elysia that even Ray probably couldn’t fully comprehend.

Because the first ability of Moon Essence was not a physical enhancement or flashy elemental burst—it was a soul-based attack.

It didn’t matter whether someone used aura shields or powerful defense techniques. As long as the attack connected, even if it hit your blade or armor, your soul would bear the damage. The only way to survive such an attack was to dodge it completely.

And the reason Ray, despite having a higher rank, was instinctively backing off was because Elysia’s soul was overwhelmingly strong. After all, it belonged to a transmigrated soul, one that carried more weight and power than anyone here could imagine.

As for Ash, the reason he felt even more threatened... was far more personal.

Because soul attacks were the one thing that could truly kill him.

What an irony...

***