The courtyard behind Bran's apartment had become their training ground.
Cracked concrete, scorched walls, and scattered debris bore witness to hours of relentless practice. The faint hum of the Runic System lingered in the air, resonating between Bran and Lina as they faced each other once more.
"Again," Bran said, breathing heavily.
Lina raised her glowing hands, a soft blue light forming around her fingers. "You're pushing too hard," she replied. "Your body hasn't fully recovered."
"It won't matter if I'm not ready next time," Bran shot back.
The system pulsed faintly.
"Quest Active: Training with Ally."
"Objective: Improve synergy and control."
"Reward: Rune Points +3, Knowledge +1."
They moved.
Bran stepped forward—
"Veyr Ignis…"
Flames ignited in his palm, sharper now, more controlled than before.
Lina reacted instantly, her voice steady as her energy surged.
A soft blue glow wrapped around Bran's arm, stabilizing the heat, preventing backlash.
"Focus your output," she said. "You're leaking energy again."
Bran adjusted mid-cast, the flames condensing instead of flaring wildly.
Better.
More precise.
Hours passed.
They trained relentlessly—attack, defend, heal, repeat.
Bran tested combinations:
"Aeris Ventus…"
Wind surged, boosting his movement.
"Veyr Ignis… Aeris Ventus…"
A controlled Ember Strike spiraled outward.
Lina matched his rhythm, her healing becoming faster, sharper, more instinctive. Small cuts vanished almost instantly now, and her stamina lasted longer with each attempt.
They were improving.
But not fast enough.
Bran exhaled and opened his status window.
Status — Bran (Level 4)
Health: 92/100
Stamina: 58/100
Mana: 55/55
Strength: 15 ⚠️ (High Cost)
Speed: 17
Perception: 19
Endurance: 16
Intelligence: 15 ⚠️ (High Cost)
Luck: 13
Runes Known: Ignis, Ventus
Abilities: Ember Strike, Fire Cyclone, Flame Barrier
Rune Points (RP): 18
Runic Rank: C-Tier
System Note:
Rune Points can be allocated to enhance stats or advance Runic Rank. Higher-tier progression requires significantly more Rune Points. Some attributes demand greater investment.
Bran frowned slightly. "Still not enough…"
Before Lina could respond—
A roar tore through the air.
Deep. Violent. Wrong.
They both froze.
"Alert: Portal Beast detected."
"Threat Level: Above Player Capability."
The ground trembled.
A massive figure crashed through the street entrance, tearing through a broken fence as if it didn't exist.
The beast was enormous.
Black armored plates covered its body, jagged and uneven, with glowing red veins pulsing beneath the surface. Its claws gouged into the ground as it inhaled sharply, locking onto them.
Lina's voice dropped. "Bran… that's not like the last one."
"I know."
It moved first.
Fast.
Too fast.
Bran reacted—
"Aeris Ventus!"
Wind surged beneath his feet as he dodged sideways.
The beast's claw slammed into the ground where he had been standing, shattering concrete.
"Split!" Bran shouted.
Lina moved immediately, circling to the side, her hands glowing.
Bran countered—
"Veyr Ignis… Aeris Ventus…"
Ember Strike spiraled forward, striking the beast's side.
It barely flinched.
The system pulsed sharply:
"Observation: Enemy exceeds current level."
"Defeating stronger targets yields increased Rune Points."
"Tactical coordination required."
The beast lunged again.
This time, it caught Bran.
A claw tore across his side—
Pain exploded through him.
He crashed to the ground, blood staining his shirt.
"Health: 92 → 61."
"Bran!" Lina shouted.
Her hands flared—
A pulse of blue energy surged into him.
Warmth spread through his body as the wound began to close.
"Stay focused!" Bran grunted, forcing himself up.
They couldn't lose rhythm.
If they did—
They'd die.
The fight intensified.
Bran attacked, Lina supported.
Every mistake cost them.
Every hit mattered.
The beast adapted quickly.
Its tail lashed out—
Bran blocked partially, but the force sent him flying again.
"Health: 61 → 34."
He hit the ground hard, vision blurring.
Lina rushed forward, hands glowing brighter than before.
"I've got you—just stay still!"
Her energy surged, stronger this time.
More controlled.
More deliberate.
The wounds closed faster.
Bran's breathing steadied.
"…You're getting better," he said weakly.
"Don't talk," she snapped. "Fight."
They moved again.
This time—together.
Bran created an opening.
"Veyr Ignis!"
A burst of flame forced the beast's head back—
Lina followed instantly, channeling energy into Bran's arm.
"Now!"
"Aeris Ventus… Veyr Ignis!"
The attack condensed.
Focused.
Precise.
The strike hit clean.
The beast staggered.
Then collapsed.
Silence.
Bran dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
Lina stood beside him, her glow fading slightly.
"We… did it," she whispered.
The system pulsed powerfully.
"Quest Complete: Portal Beast Defeated."
"Reward: Rune Points +15."
"Bonus: Higher-level enemy defeated."
"Additional Rune Points awarded."
"Total Rune Points Gained: +22."
A faint glow emerged from the beast's body.
A shard.
Crimson.
Pulsing.
Bran picked it up carefully.
"A beast crystal…"
Lina tilted her head. "What does it do?"
Bran shook his head. "I don't know… but it's important."
He slipped it into his coat.
His status window updated.
Status — Bran (Level 5)
Health: 48/100
Stamina: 35/100
Mana: 60/60 (+5 overflow)
Strength: 16 (+1) ⚠️ (High Cost)
Speed: 17
Perception: 19
Endurance: 17 (+1)
Intelligence: 15 ⚠️ (High Cost)
Luck: 13
Runes Known: Ignis, Ventus
Abilities: Ember Strike, Fire Cyclone, Flame Barrier, Fire Burst
Rune Points (RP): 40
Runic Rank: C-Tier
Bran exhaled slowly. "So it's true… stronger enemies give more Rune Points."
Lina nodded. "Which means… we need to be careful what we fight."
Above them, unseen—
Kael watched.
Arms crossed.
Eyes sharp.
"…Still rough," he muttered. "But improving."
His gaze lingered on Bran.
"…Not ready yet."
Then he disappeared into the shadows.
Back in the courtyard, the tension slowly faded.
For the first time since the fight began, silence returned.
Lina sat down, exhausted. "We actually survived that…"
Bran let out a small breath. "Barely."
The system pulsed faintly.
But this time—
It felt different.
Unsteady.
Bran frowned.
"Did you feel that?"
Lina looked up. "Feel what?"
The air shifted.
Subtly.
Almost unnoticeable.
Then—
A distant distortion rippled across the sky.
Like something tearing… just beyond sight.
Bran's expression hardened.
"…Something's wrong."
Lina stood slowly, unease creeping into her voice.
"Bran… I don't like this."
The system flickered.
For just a moment.
Then went silent.
Bran's grip tightened.
The beast crystal in his pocket pulsed faintly.
The air felt heavier.
Colder.
And somewhere—
Something was watching.