"Luminous Judgment,"

  Time seemed to slow for Runebelle. As the blinding radiance of Abner's Luminous Judgment enveloped Runebelle, she reflected on the journey that had brought them to this point.

  ‘Roselle...’ Runebelle's thoughts lingered on her older sister. ‘She didn't judge me for my appearance, like so many others had in my past life. Instead, she accepted me for who I was, and she became my teacher and now...she is the sister that I never had...’

  Runebelle's thoughts delved down deeper. 'Risebelle...’ she thought with the image of her blue haired sister. 'She is the leader among us, and I... I admired her strength. She was always so focused on our survival and the mission, and I followed her orders without question.'

  The flashback brought her to a particularly vivid memory. She had been watching from behind a tree as Risebelle and Roselle stood in the middle of the forest speaking in hushed voices. Then, Risebelle’s hand had twitched—and before she knew it, she was ruffling Roselle’s golden hair. Roselle had frozen in shock, then flustered into a wide-eyed realization. Risebelle had denied it, of course, but Runebelle had seen it. She had felt something stir within her in that moment that was strange yet familiar.

  She had longed for that warmth.

  She had longed for it to be her.

  What she had forgotten—what her mind had obscured until now—was what came next.

  Risebelle had turned her head with her sharp eyes meeting Runebelle’s, pinning her in place. Runebelle had expected her to scowl but instead, Risebelle sighed and gestured her forward.

  “Come on, don’t just stand there,” she had muttered.

  Runebelle had hesitated, but her feet had carried her forward step by step until she stood right before Risebelle.

  And then, a hand rested atop her head that settled into her hair with an awkward gentleness. Runebelle’s whole body had stiffened in shock. It wasn’t a mistake, wasn’t the wind. Risebelle had patted her head. Just like she had done for Roselle.

  Runebelle had felt warmth she never knew she needed. Risebelle had grumbled something under her breath about them being too sentimental, but Runebelle barely registered it. The sensation, the acknowledgment, the gesture of acceptance—it had been enough.

  And now, standing amidst the searing light of Abner’s divine magic, Runebelle clung to that feeling of belonging. To the realization that, even as the world burned around her, she was no longer alone.

  A small, fragile smile tugged at her lips, even as the light threatened to consume her.

  ‘So this... is what it means to have sisters.’

  The blinding light of Luminous Judgment finally faded, but the battle was far from over. The battlefield rumbled beneath them as Abner's relentless attacks continued. The summoned pillars, constructed from Runebelle’s magic into a giant tower stood firm against the divine onslaught, yet cracks had begun to form.

  Roselle rang out with her eyes shining with something bordering on awe. “This is incredible.”

  Risebelle nodded with a smirk. “Not bad, Runebelle. Not bad at all.”

  The words hit deeper than Runebelle expected. Praise from both of them? A warmth flickered within her that steadied her resolve.’ They’re counting on me.’

  The combined energy of her three-element fusion was exhausting, draining her faster than she had anticipated, but she clenched her fists.

  ‘I won’t let them down. I’m going to—‘

  “LUMINOUS JUDGMENT!”

  Abner thundered across the battlefield once more.

  A second wave of divine light descended like a vengeful sun, slamming into her tower with the force of a god’s decree. The entire structure trembled violently, the magical pillars groaning under the strain. She stretched out her senses—and there it was.

  Her mana reserves were draining at an alarming rate. The fusion of three elements at once was consuming more energy than her body could handle.

  Panic crept in, but she forced it down; however, the cracks in her defenses deepened, and Abner was not letting up.

  "Oh..." Runebelle whispered softly to herself.

  [System Message]

  Magic Reserves: 5%

  WARNING: Insufficient Magic to maintain pillars. Immediate cessation is advised to prevent Magical Rupture.

  The message displayed in Runebelle's internal system was an undeniable and sobering reality. ‘I've never been below 100% Magic... this feeling…is new to me…’

  The pillar surrounding Runebelle and her sister wavered, and the Overpowering force of Abner's Luminous Judgment bore down upon her. She sucked in a shallow breath. “I… I can’t do it after all…”

  But—

  There was one thing she could do.

  Her lips parted in quiet resignation. ‘Roselle… Risebelle… I’m sorry.’

  They wouldn’t hear her. They wouldn’t know.

  But that was fine.

  A final surge of magic burned through her veins. She willed the last of her energy into two new pillars, sending them crashing into her sisters—forcefully ejecting them from the collapsing tower and flinging them deep into the Mystical Forest, far from harm’s reach.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Runebelle could feel her sisters slipping away, beyond her reach. “…At least this time, I was able to protect my sisters…please…survive…”

  And then, the world turned white for her.

  In present time, Roselle’s body was enveloped in a swirling storm of dark and volatile energy. The once-red lightning that crackled around her had transformed into a vortex of darkness. Her memories clashed with the present that overwhelmed reason.

  She remembered her awakening in the lab. Dr. Kintovar’s face holding pride and excitement hovered in her mind. The moment she had first opened her eyes to that world, bound by artificial warmth and clinical observation.

  “You are Roselle, Codenamed: Project Mage,” Dr. Kintovar had said with finality.

  That name. That identity. The title that had marked her existence from the very beginning.

  Then the world outside had taught her what it meant to be feared. She had tried to exist among them and planned to talk things out with them but, the Mages had sought to eliminate her on sight. They spoke only a few words before their magic came violently and she had been left with no choice.

  The first time she had fired the cannon, it had been in self-defense. Or so she had told herself.

  But the truth was… the power had always been intoxicating.

  Her pulse thundered in her. Her body began to shift, taking on a form unlike any before.

  A small purple jacket manifested around her shoulders. A deep purple skirt flared around her legs, Earrings shaped like violet lightning bolts dangled from her ears, pulsing in tandem with her magic’s fury. Her massive cannon—once a towering weapon of destruction—condensed into a medium-sized version which glowed with purple energy. In her other hand, a purple blade shimmering with malevolent acid appeared.

  And then—her body transformed.

  Her once-childlike frame grew taller, leaner, shifting into adolescence. Her fingers clenched into fists, testing the power surging through her new form. The hat upon her head was black with streaks of glowing violet.

  She was the storm. The human executioner. The reckoning.

  Then, the final confirmation:

  [[System Message]]

  Lifeforce: 200%

  Magic Level: 300%

  DANGER: Magic capacity has reached its absolute limit. Catastrophic consequences imminent.

  Transformation timer: ???

  The moment the transformation stabilized, Roselle lifted her gaze to meet Abner’s. Her once-bright blue eyes were now a deep, crackling purple. She barely felt like herself—no, this was something beyond her. The power hummed beneath her skin, waiting to be unleashed.

  Risebelle, standing a short distance away took an uneasy step forward. She had witnessed Roselle’s power before, but this—this was far different.

  “Roselle… what did you do?” Risebelle spoke with an edge of concern.

  Abner narrowed his eyes. His cocky demeanor faltered just slightly. “What is this?” His tone was no longer laced with amusement—it was edged with something closer to unease. “What happened to you?”

  Roselle’s lips parted and spoke with a strange duality. The tone of her voice was deeper. “Elemental Fusion,” she commanded.

  Responding to her very will, the system activated instantly:

  [System Message]

  Elemental Fusion Initiated

  A deafening crack split the air, and in an instant, a blinding flash of purple lightning engulfed Roselle. The ground beneath her feet fractured, and a shockwave of raw elemental force rippled outward, bending the trees and scattering debris.

  Her clothes morphed, twisting and reforming into a free-flowing ensemble of deep purple. The fabric moved as if alive, flickering like flames, embodying the essence of fire. Ice crystals materialized along the edges like diamonds. Along the hem, intricate patterns of stone and earth formed. Every element wove together in perfect harmony, reflected in the swirling energy that coiled around her like a sentient storm.

  Roselle exhaled slowly. She flexed her fingers, watching as sparks of fire and arcs of electricity crackled between them.

  When she turned her gaze back to Abner, she saw it—a flicker of fear in his eyes.

  And for the first time since this battle began… she smiled.

  In an instant, she closed the distance, leaving only a blur of crackling purple in her wake. Her blade arced through the air, aimed directly at Abner’s chest.

  Abner twisted his body to avoid the slash by mere inches, but before he could counter, Roselle was already upon him again. Another slash. Then another. He dodged, backpedaling rapidly to stay ahead of the relentless assault. A flick of his wrist summoned a shimmering golden barrier in an attempt to shield himself.

  The moment Roselle’s sword connected with it, however—hissing. The barrier’s edges began to corrode. The toxic properties of her weapon seeped into the energy, eating away at it like acid on glass.

  Abner’s eyes widened. ‘Acid magic within a blade? I-Impossible.’

  With a final slash, the barrier shattered. The feedback sent a jolt through his body, and he gasped.

  “This—this is—!”

  Roselle didn’t let him finish. She stomped the ground and raw earth magic surged through her veins. In an instant, a jagged pillar of stone erupted from beneath Abner’s feet which slammed into his torso and launching him skyward.

  Roselle lifted her sword high.

  Lightning crackled at its edge. Fire danced in tandem.

  Then she swung.

  A devastating arc of fire and electricity tore through the battlefield, consuming everything in its path.

  Abner, still midair threw up a desperate wall of light, but the moment Roselle’s attack made contact—

  It collapsed.

  The fire and lightning crashed into him like a divine judgment.

  Abner’s scream split the air. He was engulfed in the furious storm of elements.

  Abner gritted his teeth after the onslaught, forcing himself to steady his breathing. The pain still coursed through his body, but he had very little time to recover—Roselle was already coming at him again.

  His hands moved on instinct.

  “Luminous Radiance!” he roared.

  From above, the Luminous Beacon responded. A brilliant light flared to life, illuminating the battlefield with divine intensity. The sheer radiance threatened to blind everything in sight.

  And yet—

  Roselle was already there.

  Abner’s heart nearly stopped. “She moved through it?!”

  There had been no hesitation. No flinch. No moment of struggle against the light.

  She was right in front of him and Roselle’s eyes held an eerie calm before she released a violent storm of pure purple lightning that swallowed Abner whole.

  “Aghhh—!”

  The energy tore through his radiant aura as if it were nothing but paper. The malevolent force latched onto his very being, burning, crushing, and devouring his defenses in its relentless grip.

  Abner barely had time to cry out before the technique was completely snuffed out—Luminous Radiance was undone before it could even begin.

  And Roselle was not finished.

  Drawing upon the fire energy coursing through her transformed body, she raised her hands. Then—pillars of flame erupted into existence.

  These infernos raged with the wrath of lightning. Jagged spikes of earth burst through the fire’s core, forming a hellish landscape of destruction.

  The pillars surged forward, closing in on Abner like vengeful titans ready to consume him whole.

  Abner trembled with astonishment and disbelief at the incredible display of power before him. "This... this level of magic, especially from one of Kintovar's creations, it shouldn't be possible!"

  Risebelle stood frozen on the side with her blue eyes wide. This… this wasn’t the Roselle from before.

  A minute ago, Abner’s techniques had been overwhelming her, forcing her to struggle. But now—

  Roselle wasn’t struggling. She was dominating. The battlefield belonged to her.

  Risebelle’s breath hitched while watching Abner get hurled backward from Roselle’s might. She clenched her fists.

  “What the hell…?” she muttered under her breath. “Since when could that idiot do that?”

  There was no answer.

  Just Roselle, standing in the middle of her storm with confidence who spoke with coldness towards Abner. “I am Project mage, the human executioner.”