Chapter 278: Chapter 277- Don’t do that again

One of those nights, Adrian was exhausted. He had spent hours buried in the endless books about the fifth thread inside the Time Chamber. His head felt heavy, his eyes sore. Finally, he decided to take a break.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he leaned against the stool and lazily opened the chat window.

It was late—so late Idiot wasn’t online. The others were quiet too. Only one name glowed. Valor.

Valor: [Hey, Avirin. Studying?]

Adrian took a sip of his coffee. “Yeah. What about you?”

[Just finished training. Was cleaning my weapons.]

Adrian hummed. That sounded just like him. From what Adrian had learned, Valor was a warrior to the core. Unlike Dark Knight—who had been forced into the battlefield when humanity was at the edge of extinction—Valor’s world was different. Safer. Peaceful enough for him to live in comfort if he wanted to.

But he didn’t. Valor fought because he wanted to. Not for survival, not for duty—simply because it was who he was. A born warrior.

Adrian tapped his fingers on the cup, then sat up straighter.

“You once told me not to use the relic you sent me—not to activate the technique you imbued in it. Why?”

Relics were a mystery to him. In this world, they were rare—so rare that the Tower locked away every piece they found in its vaults. Adrian’s understanding barely scratched the surface.

A message popped up.

[Relics aren’t like weapons or armaments, Avirin. They’re not made by inscribing runes or weaving spells. A relic is born when a part of your soul settles into an object.]

Adrian blinked, confused. “Your soul? I don’t get it.”

[Alright, let me explain it simply. Take the sword handle I gave you. I used that sword for thirteen years. My father gave it to me with one condition—until I mastered Crescent Severance, I wasn’t allowed to change weapons.]

Adrian raised his brows. “And it took you thirteen years to learn that technique?” No wonder it was so overpowered.

[Ah… well, technically I learned it in a week. But that’s not the point.]

Adrian rolled his eyes, muttering, “Show-off.”

[Listen. I kept that sword by my side every day—through training, through battles, through everything. I swung it until my hands bled. I trusted it when my life was on the line. For thirteen years, that blade carried my victories, my failures, my passion. It became a part of me.]

[One day, the blade broke. But by then, the steel no longer mattered. What remained wasn’t just broken metal—it held the weight of my soul. That’s what a relic is. Not magic. Not runes. It’s will. A piece of you that refuses to disappear.]

Adrian leaned back, silent for a moment. The explanation hit deeper than he expected. “So… it’s not about enchantments at all. It’s about the bond. About leaving behind a piece of yourself.”

[Exactly.]

Valor’s next words came slower.

[That’s why I warned you. When you use that relic, you’re not just borrowing a sword. You’re drawing on me—on my soul. Relics carry a burden. They demand respect. That’s why, I told you to just try to replicate the technique rather than using the relic since it might affect you adversely.]

…at that moment, Adrian had decided to heed Valor’s warning and never draw upon the relic.

But now—things had spiraled far beyond his control.

Strapping the broken handle to his hip, Adrian shut his eyes.

The air shifted.

Spade froze as the flow of mana erupted. It swelled, higher and higher, a crushing tide that smothered the breath from his lungs.

It wasn’t just him—every living soul felt it. The roaring dragon circling the sky faltered mid-cry. Duke Nolan stiffened, his eyes widening. Across the arena, the Acolytes all turned toward the single man blazing like a star.

The radiance pouring out of Adrian was blinding.

’This is bad. I need to—’

Spade’s thoughts were cut short. His vision lurched, tilting violently. A searing heat flared in his gut—then he realized.

The Runesmith had drawn the blade.

Spade’s legs were still rooted in place. But his upper body was no longer attached. It toppled forward with a sickening weight, hitting the ground with an ugly **THUD**, his eyes frozen wide.

Behind him, the dragon screamed once, before its massive body collapsed out of the sky.

**CRASH**

The beast’s corpse struck the earth like a mountain falling.

And then—

**CRUMBLE**

The arena’s towering spire split clean through, the top half sliding off as if it had been nothing but paper. It fell with a deafening roar, smashing into the stands and sending stone and screams scattering alike.

Blood. Dust. Shattered cries.

All from a single swing.

“Puah!” Adrian spat, blood splattering across the grass as he fell to his knees.

The relic slipped from his trembling hand.

Every muscle screamed in agony, his vision blurred, and the world spun around him. He had never unleashed that kind of force before—his body simply wasn’t ready. His senses dulled, and darkness nipped at the edges of his mind.

Through the haze, he caught sight of someone rushing toward him.

“Adrian?! Talk to me!” Ruby’s arms wrapped around him, her face twisted with fear.

Blue veins pulsed angrily along his neck and arms. His skin had gone deathly pale, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Elana froze where she stood, her heart dropping. Tears welled up unbidden. She had never—never—seen him like this.

“Miss Vermillion,” Allen’s voice cut in, steady but urgent. “He’s pointing at something.”

Ruby followed Adrian’s faint gesture, spotting a cartridge lying on the ground—it looked like a refill for the strange artifact he always carried.

She quickly snatched it up and pulled out the revolver Adrian had entrusted to her.

“Do I… shoot you with it?” she asked, her voice shaking.

Adrian gave the faintest nod.

Ruby bit her lip, fumbling with the weapon. She had no idea how to reload it—today was the first time she’d even touched the thing.

Before she could panic further, Elana snatched the revolver from her hands. Ruby gasped.

“Wait, what are you doing—?!”

With practiced motion, Elana gripped the muzzle and snapped the artifact open—not breaking it, but unlocking the chamber.

Ruby froze mid-shout, realization dawning.

Elana deftly removed the used round, slid in the cartridge Adrian had pointed at, and pressed the chamber back into place.

She had watched him countless times before—studied every little movement without anyone noticing. And now, that quiet habit was saving his life.

Her hands trembled as she raised the revolver and leveled it at Adrian.

“Please… please…” she whispered, almost a prayer, before squeezing the trigger.

*THWACK!*

A burst of blinding light engulfed Adrian’s body. For a heartbeat, no one moved, breaths caught in their throats.

Then—

“Guh… that was a very bad experience.” Adrian groaned, color already returning to his face as the veins faded beneath his skin.

Just as he got up, someone slammed into him.

Adrian heaved a sigh as he felt Elana shaking.

“Don’t do that…again…please.” She requested in a shaky voice.

Adrian smiled as he patted her back, “Mm, I won’t.”

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