[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-power-of-runes":3,"chapter-power-of-runes-power-of-runes-chapter-15":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Power of Runes",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1106180,1443,"Chapter 15 15: Unexpected Encounter (2)","power-of-runes-chapter-15",15,"\u003Cp>Ethan Smirk returned , but this time it lacked usual arrogance,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he vanished from where he was standing,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Shit, I didn't want to fight.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Ash could react, a fist slammed into his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain exploded through his ribs, raw and searing. His breath hitched—his vision blurred for a fraction of a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body staggered back, the impact nearly sending him to his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ethan didn't give him time to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another strike came—a fist aimed straight at his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash barely managed to tilt his head, the punch grazing past him. His instincts screamed at him to counter, and he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four lightning spheres crackled to life around him—bright, destructive, hungry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he hurled them straight at Ethan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He vanished again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Fuck—I forgot this bastard has a Shadow based trait. And with the sun down and the moon up, his Assassin class is at its peak,' Ash seethed internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning orbs slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the clearing. Dirt and dust erupted into the air, obscuring the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough… cough…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash spat blood, wincing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That hurt like hell.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn't stop. He had no choice but to use the temporary cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand crackled with lightning as he sprinted through the dust, heading straight for where Ethan had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no one there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash's eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Right. He has a concealment trait too. And it's high rank.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Unless I'm stronger than him, I won't be able to sense him.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—his instincts screamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rolled to the side—just in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A kick whistled past the space where he had stood a second ago, slamming into the ground with a force that cracked the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice cut through the clearing as the dust settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you quite sensitive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan emerged from the haze, his red eyes glinting in amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't you think you should use some kind of handicap?\" he asked, keeping his voice measured. \"You're obviously stronger than me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan scoffed. \"I believe one should fight with everything they have. And I'm not some chivalrous fool who cares about honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash remained silent for a moment, then exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why are you even fighting me? You already said I'm weak. There's no reason for you to bother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was unsteady, but he forced the words out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body screamed in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every muscle burned, his strength drained, his vision hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just needed a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Guess, I have no choice...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—he gritted his teeth and forced mana into his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His limbs tingled as energy surged through them. The trembling in his stance faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strength returned, his breath steadied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I can move for at least 10 more minutes before my mana is exhausted. After that, I won't be able to fight.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's gaze darkened. \"You already know why.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash felt a flicker of irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He's getting on my nerves…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Now? Now, I don't care what happens.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash took a defensive stance, his gaze cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—he smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From what I remember,\" he said casually, \"I didn't touch your mother after that fateful night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A split second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all it took.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's expression snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body blurred—moving instantly—a fist heading straight for Ash's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time—Ash was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blocked the strike with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Surprise, motherfucker,\" he spat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash lunged, driving his knee toward Ethan's crotch. But Ethan vanished once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk, it should have connected,\" muttered Ash under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fury exploded in Ethan's voice as he reappeared, red-faced and shouting, \"Bastard, how dare you attack someone in that region! Don't you have any shame?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Dumbass', Ash thought, his mind racing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... believe…One… should fight… with everything… they have...And…I'm… not some chivalrous fool… who cares about shame…\", he transferred his words back to him with a weak voice,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's face twisted in anger. His red eyes burned with fury, his entire body trembling with unrestrained rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's voice cracked with rage. \"This—this bastard! First, he was traveling with Melissa, my fiancée, and now he's asking what he did wrong?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Oh'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So that's why this guy was after me.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, that? \"I was... just taking a lift... if you know what that means.\" Ash replied matter-of-factly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And besides, I.....was forcefully taken by them. That bitch—oops, I mean, Melissia—is unreasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was forced, you know… and I have no interest in a girl who doesn't use her brain,\" Ash added, his voice trailing off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan was so enraged he couldn't form another word; instead, he vanished once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ash was not able to react,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's fist connected with Ash's face—blood and a tooth erupted as Ash was sent flying backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind spun; his body lost control, slamming violently into a tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact shattered the trunk, pinning Ash against the splintered wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkness overtook him as,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lost consciousness..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the control room, Elva sat with legs crossed, her eyes fixed on the live feed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her usually unreadable expression flickered for a moment as she watched Ash crash into the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch,\" she murmured, tapping her nails rhythmically against the armrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew he was reckless from his previous verbal sparring... I was hoping he'd have some hidden weapon up his sleeve, but look at him—knocked out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She let out a slow breath, her fingers twitching ever so slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commentators were talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The audience was probably cheering or gasping in shock at the things Ash Said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a waste\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her Violets flickered to another figure on the screen—Ray Dawson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you going to intervene or just watch? she wondered with a playful yet commanding glint in her eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small, enigmatic smile played on her lips as she remarked softly, \"Hmm… it's getting interesting. The fight is just beginning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>**\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray stood on the edge of the battlefield, golden eyes glowing under the moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His grip on the hilt of his sword tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't planned to interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not his fight after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had more important things to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>**\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>> [Quest: Reach the Mountain]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>> Objective: FIND ?????\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>> Reward: New Affinity Unlock\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>**\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers twitched. His heart pounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had told himself that he wouldn't get involved. That he couldn't save everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, looking at the bloodied figure pinned against a shattered tree…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something inside him cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he saw another boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A younger one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory was suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His parents, reaching for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And him—too weak to do anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His breathing turned ragged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demons had taken everything from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had sworn never to let it happen again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they opened again, they burned with resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Now I have power—I must help the weak. And from their previous exchange, Ethan's actions have been utterly unreasonable'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a flash, Ray leaped from his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blade sang as it left its sheath—the moonlight catching its razor-sharp edge and glinting brilliantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan barely had time to react before vanishing into the shadows, his movements seamless as he slipped away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, Ethan reappeared a short distance from Ray, blood gushing from his chest in steady, alarming waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk, one loser coming to save another loser,\" Ethan muttered, his tone laced with bitter amusement and underlying pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray remained Silent, watching the blood coming out of his chest in waves,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"—What? Not gonna reply?\" Ethan snapped, his voice rising in anger as he tried to mask his own vulnerability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray merely shifted his weight, then stepped toward Ash, who lay unconscious nearby\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I am glad healing potions were allowed in the test' he thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retrieved a healing potion from his inventory and carefully administered it to Ash's prone form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost immediately, the healing potion surged through Ash's injuries, knitting flesh and bone back together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing the opportunity, Ethan also downed a healing potion, he took out from his space ring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His bleeding stopped, and his composure returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That was close. He's clearly still at novice rank—then why the hell couldn't I sense his attack earlier? Does he also have perfect foundation?' Ethan's mind churned with frustrated curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could dwell further, Ray's calm, measured voice cut through the tension:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are strong, but that doesn't mean you should bully the weak. If you want to fight like a man, fight someone of your own rank.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray advanced slowly toward Ethan, mana swirling around him like a luminous aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is he breaking through right now?' Ethan wondered, releasing his Apprentice Rank aura as he prepared himself for a true contest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's change places, shall we? There are injured people here,\" Ray muttered, his voice strained but firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on Ray, who stood there, mana swirling around him like a gathering storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air crackled with tension, a silent challenge hanging between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, without a word, Ethan turned and started walking toward a different part of the forest, his figure melting into the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ray exhaled, his golden eyes narrowing before he followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence settled over the clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>",1543,"2026-06-03T11:25:58.029Z","2026-06-03T11:26:07.394Z",1,"novelbin.me","d3d77466c91901ddf8d0b81ed25f3f4f6ae02c8c6647634b49663ba6a4785a2f","power-of-runes-chapter-16","power-of-runes-chapter-14",452,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fpower-of-runes-cover.jpg"]