Roselle and Risebelle fully recovered their energy thanks to Princess Anitina's specially prepared food. They rejoined Kintovar, Haras, and Juliana in the stands. The crowd's cheers and excitement filled the arena, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

  Kintovar welcomed her creations with a warm smile. "You did wonderfully out there, both of you," she praised, her orange hair cascading down her back.

  Haras spoke with enthusiasm. "Wow that was an amazing fight! You two were fantastic!"

  Juliana nodded in agreement with the others.

  Roselle and Risebelle settled into their seats. Their attention turned to the ongoing battle in the arena below. The clash between Runebelle and Mui had already begun. Mui, wasted no time and dashed forward, reaching for her shoulder pads, which concealed an arsenal of needles. She hurled the needles at Runebelle, who quickly assessed the situation.

  Runebelle's quick reflexes allowed her to narrowly evade the barrage of needles. While doing so, she fired off rapid shots from her small cannon. Mui gracefully maneuvered herself around the shots. She closed the gap between them and swung her blade. Runebelle reacted swiftly, raising one hand to summon a pillar of fire that clashed with Mui's weapon.

  Mui stepped back, then launched another round of needles at Runebelle. Runebelle quickly raised another pillar of fire. The fiery barrier intercepted the needles, causing them to harmlessly burn up.

  Mui closed the gap between her and Runebelle again and attempted to strike at her. Mui was once again met with a flame pillar.

  Mui eyed Runebelle with a smile. Her gaze shifted to her own blade, which began to glow with an aura that went from light to dark.

  Runebelle watched with curiosity. “Is that sword magic?”

  Mui didn't respond with words. With a swift, graceful motion, she cut through the pillar of fire that stood between them, slicing it down the middle with her aura-coated blade.

  Capitalizing on the opening, Mui released another volley of needles. Runebelle reacted quickly, dodging the majority of them with nimble footwork. However, one needle found its mark, piercing her shoulder with a sharp sting.

  Runebelle winced but maintained her composure, instinctively raising her cannon in response.

  However, she began to feel dizzy. Her vision blurred slightly. She thought, ‘What…what’s…wait…’

  Mui, with a sly smile said, “That’s right. My needles carry a potent poison, designed to slow down even the swiftest of opponents. It seems you're feeling its effects now. They're designed to slow down even the swiftest opponents, giving me an edge in battle."

  Runebelle steadied herself, trying to focus despite the growing lethargy. ‘Poison, huh,’ she thought

  Mui continued. "And just to be clear, I haven't used Sword Magic yet. What you saw was me channeling my natural affinity for dark magic through my blade. It allows me to momentarily strengthen it. It’s something any skilled swordsman can do with enough practice."

  Runebelle turned her cannon toward herself, leaving both the audience and Mui in confusion. Then, without hesitation, she fired a shot, and the energy engulfed her. The poison's effects seemed to diminish, and some of her vitality returned.

  Runebelle explained, "My cannon has healing rounds that I can use. They're meant for emergencies, like this poison. But I can't use them too often. Once my cannon charge runs low, I won't have that option anymore until I recharge my cannon charge."

  Mui's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "A cannon with healing rounds? That's an interesting twist.”

  Suddenly, Mui unleashed a volley of needles, but instead of aiming directly at Runebelle, she targeted the ground around her. The needles embedded themselves into the arena floor, creating a perimeter around Runebelle.

  ‘What is she up to now,’ Runebelle thought, eyeing the needles warily.

  Runebelle prepared to attack, but Mui quickly unsheathed a hidden blade from her boots and threw it toward Runebelle who moved carefully to avoid it. The blade hit the ground with a sharp metallic sound. The ground trembled, and a series of small explosions created a web of cracks in the arena floor.

  Runebelle found herself surrounded by the ruptured ground.

  Mui discarded her sword and focused on her needles, throwing them at Runebelle one after another.

  “You see,” Mui called out over the noise of battle, “I’ve placed small explosive devices created by our tech team on my needles. With my skills, I’ve planted them precisely, making it difficult for you to move freely.”

  Runebelle winced as needle after needle struck her, but she quickly countered by using her healing shots on herself. Despite the barrage, she managed to regain some control over her movements and began to move through the chaos.

  Using the smoke that appeared after the explosion from the needles to her advantage, Runebelle tried to disappear into the swirling haze, hoping to gain the element of surprise, but Mui chuckled softly and said, “Bad move. Some of the explosive needles are still in the ground. I didn’t detonate them all.”

  Before Runebelle could react, she stepped on one of the explosive needles, triggering a sudden detonation. The force of the blast sent her stumbling backward, momentarily disoriented by the shockwave.

  Regaining her balance, Runebelle grimaced.

  Mui eyed her shoulder pads. A Single needle dropped out from one of them and she picked it up from the ground." Oh," she remarked with a playful smirk, "looks like I only have one needle left."

  With a flick of her wrist, Mui surrounded the needle with her dark aura. "I’m going to make this one count."

  Mui advanced swiftly. She wielded the needle like a blade. Runebelle’s eyes widened. She knew she wouldn’t be fast enough to summon a pillar in time to block the attack. Her instincts kicked in, and she immediately raised her small cannon to defend herself.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  The two clashed. Mui’s aura blade meeting the barrel of Runebelle’s cannon with a sharp metallic clang. Sparks flew as the two forces collided, the impact echoing across the arena.

  Runebelle fired her cannon at close range, hoping to disrupt Mui’s rhythm. Mui deftly dodged to the side. Mui saw an opening to jab at Runebelle after her fire, but she managed to turn just in time, using her cannon to deflect Mui's needle with a sharp clang. Remembering one of Roselle’s tactics, she swiftly angled her cannon to knock Mui away. The impact sent Mui hurtling backward, skidding across the arena floor.

  Runebelle took a deep breath, then said, “You should be all out of needles now, Mui…What’s your next move?”

  Mui got to her feet gracefully, brushing off the dust from her fall. She smirked and assumed a stance. Her body was relaxed but poised, as if daring Runebelle to make the first move. “You’ll see soon enough.”

  Runebelle held her cannon at the ready. The crowd watched in hushed anticipation for a minute.

  Runebelle’s tightened her grip on the cannon, whispering to herself, “I have to be careful. Mui’s up to something. “She studied Mui’s relaxed yet poised stance, trying to read her opponent’s intentions. ’What’s your game, Mui? She’s baiting me, but why?’

  Runebelle’s eyes narrowed. She launched a volley of energy shots toward Mui from her position. Mui responded with agility that seemed almost effortless.

  Mui darted across the arena. Her gaze was fixated on the spot where her discarded sword lay. Seeing her intention, Runebelle quickly adjusted her aim, firing rapidly to keep Mui from reaching her weapon.

  The shots forced Mui to change direction, flipping back gracefully to avoid the oncoming blasts. She landed to the ground across from Runebelle. She and Runebelle found themselves back in their original positions.

  Mui held a faint smile on her lips. Runebelle's gaze sharpened.

  A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Runebelle's gloomy face. “I’ve figured you out,” Runebelle muttered under her breath. “You want that sword. But I’m not going to make it that easy.”

  Runebelle took the opportunity to fire off shots from her cannon at Mui and advance toward her; however, Mui, with a sly grin, cautioned, "Runebelle, you shouldn't have moved towards me..."

  Mui's discarded sword began to glow with dark energy, and from it, threads of energy extended to each needle that had been thrown earlier. These threads wove a complex web, forming a thousand needle cages that surrounded Runebelle.

  Mui raised one hand filled with dark energy and said, "Runebelle, you thought I was out of needles and that you’d be free from them. But you couldn’t be more wrong."

  The announcer boomed through the arena, "Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on this spectacular display! Muiler G’s infamous 'Needle Cage' technique is about to make its grand entrance! It’s a move that’s earned her a reputation for being as stunning as she is lethal!"

  The crowd watched in awe. The deadly needle cage surrounded Runebelle.

  In the stands, Roselle and Risebelle exchanged concerned glances Runebelle was in. Kintovar, on the other hand, seemed to watch with a calm and collected demeanor. Haras exclaimed with widened eyes, "Oh no! If that attack connects, our little Runebelle might be finished!"

  The thousands of needles closed in from all directions. Runebelle summoned a towering pillar of fire, ice, and earth around herself in a desperate attempt to shield against the deadly barrage. The rain of needles descended upon the protective barrier, striking it with relentless force, but the fusion of elements held, creating a formidable defense.

  Mui dashed and grabbed her sword. She then uttered, "Kyosa." The blade responded with a dark, ominous glow. She struck with incredible speed and precision, piercing through the elemental pillar and Runebelle's chest. The shock of the razor-sharp blade's penetration left Runebelle gasping in pain.

  But Mui’s assault didn’t stop there. She caught incoming needles mid-air and drove them into Runebelle's arms and legs. The needles found their target, pinning her to the ground with torturous accuracy. Runebelle’s cries of pain echoed through the arena.

  Despite the intense pain and immobilization, Runebelle summoned her cannon with trembling hands. She struggled hard to move against the sea of needles.

  Suddenly, a system message flashed before her eyes.

  [[System message]]

  Lifeforce: 25%

  Warning: Gradual drain from poisonous effects.

  How to counter: A very potent healing shot is required.

  Runebelle aimed the cannon with all her remaining strength. She fired a healing shot, but the effect was feeble and inadequate against the poison draining her life. The cannon’s beam flickered weakly, failing to counteract the venomous effects.

  Runebelle whispered to herself, "I have no choice. I can't let this poison defeat me. I won't disappoint Kintovar, or my Sisters...”

  Runebelle's gaze locked onto her older sister, Roselle, who sat in the stands with a look of deep concern on her face.

  Runebelle's thoughts drifted back to the memories of her first encounters with Roselle. She remembered the day when she was just activated, lying dormant in the glass tank. Roselle, her older sister was there with her face pressed against the glass.

  Roselle had been whispering encouragements that Runebelle could barely comprehend. Roselle guided Runebelle through the basics of using their own type of magic.

  Even when Runebelle’s gloom threatened to overshadow her spirit, Roselle never faltered. She made every effort to bring a smile to her sister’s face. One promise stood out among the myriad of memories: Roselle’s vow, spoken with heartfelt sincerity. “Until the days where you can smile normally, I’ll always be at your side.”

  Runebelle's thoughts caused a radiant aura began to envelop her. A humming energy surrounded her, reminiscent of the power exhibited by Roselle and Risebelle during their battle.

  The vibrations intensified, and the needles that pinned her down began to shake. With a burst of strength, she pushed against the ground, shattering the needles, sending shards flying in all directions. Her body surged with newfound energy which allowed her to get back on her feet.

  The entire Grand Arena began to vibrate and shake. A greenish energy enveloped her, and her eyes blazed with power.

  Mui's eyes widened in shock. She muttered in disbelief, "What... how?"

  The arena erupted with excitement. The announcer boomed, "Folks, it looks like Runebelle has tapped into an astonishing well of strength! Buckle up, ‘cause it looks like we’re in for a wild ride!"

  As Runebelle stood in the arena, the overwhelming sadness she carried within her was released.

  "Project Rune Transformation!"

  In an explosion of green energy, Runebelle’s body underwent a dramatic change. Her appearance shifted from that of a child to that of a confident teenager. Her hair turned a vibrant shade of green, matching the energy radiating from her. Her once-gloomy eyes took on a brilliant green hue. She found herself armed with two small guns and a large needle.

  [System Message]

  Lifeforce: 300%

  Magic level: 400%

  A confident smile graced Runebelles face. The sadness that had once been her burden now surged around her.

  The announcer burst through the arena with excitement. “"Well, I reckon we’ve just seen another one of the most mind-boggling transformation in this tournament’s history, folks! Runebelle, our previously somber young fighter, has undergone a spectacular metamorphosis! Her gloom’s turned into a force of nature, and I reckon Mui’s gonna her hands full with this one!”

  In the stands, Roselle’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "There it is. Runebelle's transformation is so cool!"

  Risebelle, however, remained with her arms folded, and her gaze lowered. “Yeah, yeah. It’s something, but you’re only saying that cause you’re not the one fighting against it.”

  Roselle pouted. “Oh, come on! Can’t you say something nice about her? Just a little bit?”

  Risebelle thought for a moment, then said, “Well… She’s got a nicer hair color than ours. There, are you happy?”

  Roselle raised an eyebrow and prodded, “Seriously? You can do better than that!”

  Risebelle rolled her eyes and tried again. “Alright, alright. She’s got great eyes too. Happy now?”

  Roselle’s eyes softened. “That’s more like it.”

  Risebelle noticed Roselle’s reaction and asked, “Don’t like the compliment, do you?”

  Roselle shook her head with a small smile. “I do… it’s nice to hear you say something kind about someone once in a while.”

  Will Runebelle’s transformation be the game changer in this battle?