After the maze closed for the third time, it would be permanently sealed. New challenges could only begin at the next Battle Festival—which was just one week away. Everyone was busy preparing.

Clearly, the dungeon’s designer had soaked up way too many xuanhuan and cultivation novels. The whole setup screamed old-school xuanhuan flavor: young talents scrambling for treasures, hidden manuals, snagging overpowered loot, then sparring it out… So why force it into fantasy instead of just writing xuanhuan?

Two days of intense training passed. By the end, Mylora had already grasped how to diffuse Gravity Rune energy.

"𐱅𐰭𐰃!"

She thrust the Rune Shortsword into the floor. Violet-black, ripple-like lightning spread across the ground, covering an irregular circular zone.

Torina tentatively stepped inside—

"Whoa…"

The moment her foot touched down, it felt noticeably heavier. Once both feet were in, her whole body weighed down—as if lugging several invisible barbells.

---

Gravity Rune Skill: Gravity Field

Increases or decreases gravity affecting objects within a designated area.

---

"How was it?"

"Not bad! Can you crank the gravity higher?"

"Let me try—Hah!!"

Mylora channeled energy through the blade. Torina’s legs buckled; her knees slammed onto the floor.

"Solid. If I’d stepped in unguarded, gravity would’ve dropped me to my knees… *if* I was unguarded, that is—and—"

"Huff… hah."

The gravity effect vanished moments later. Mylora leaned on her knees, panting heavily before catching her breath.

"A little taxing. Still not smooth yet."

"Practice fixes that. What about ‘inversion’? You mentioned flipping gravity vertically."

"Made progress… Try attacking me? Use your ice-throwing skill."

"It’s *Ice Arrow*! ‘Throwing ice chunks’ sounds so uncool… Ready?"

Torina stepped back, summoned her Ice Rune, and flicked her wrist. A slender, sharp ice shard shot toward Mylora—

"𐰼𐰜⁚𐰋"

Mylora jammed her sword into the floor. Inverted gravity ripped a tile upward, blocking the shard. The ice itself seemed gripped by gravity—clattering to the ground instead of piercing through.

"Whoa! You’ve already crafted a defense move?"

"Mm! But this is the limit for now. Master gravity fully, and I could twist the field around my body to deflect any attack…"

---

Basic Gravity Rune Skill: Stone Defense

Manipulate gravity to lift solid objects (e.g., stones) from the ground, gather them around the body, and block incoming attacks.

---

"This is already great. You’ve got melee enchantment, defense, and area debuffs covered."

"What next…?"

"How did that Rune Wraith you fought attack?" Patti, watching nearby, asked.

"Hmm… It altered gravity in zones—strengthened, weakened, flipped directions—and even hurled stones ripped from the ground. So cool."

"Oh? A ranged projectile skill? I can coach you."

"Really? Thank you!"

---

Basic Gravity Rune Skill: Gravity Toss

Lift heavy objects (e.g., stones) via gravity manipulation and hurl them at enemies.

---

Tossing objects with gravity sounded simple—but controlling it was surprisingly tricky. Mylora could tweak gravity direction slightly within a small zone, but only in basic ways: intensify/weaken without shifting direction, or flip it straight up-down. This skill demanded lifting the object with anti-gravity, *instantly* redirecting gravity forward, and pouring in strong, continuous force for a swift launch.

She drilled all day. Torina stayed by her side.

Mylora, who’d never formally studied magic, had mastered an entirely new magical system from zero in just three days. Her talent was utterly terrifying—and truly worthy of the title *Phoenix Overlord*.

But…

"…Is this really enough?" Mylora murmured.

"…Yeah. Not quite," Torina nodded.

Gravity Rune, weight shifts, Gravity Toss—they *sounded* flashy. Truth was? Specialized buffs and chucking rocks. Control range was narrow, damage output unremarkable, and the weight-alter buffs only worked as a surprise tactic. Future potential? Huge. Current limits? Time. No matter the talent, training hours were scarce.

Any other way to compensate…?

What about swordplay training alongside Rune magic?

"Ah! Got it!!"

Mylora slapped her fair, soft, smooth thigh and pulled out—the Fungal King Greatsword!

"Why bring *that* out?"

"The greatsword! Weight reduction! From now on, ‘too heavy to wield’ doesn’t exist for me!"

"Oh… Right!"

She cast a weight-reduction buff on the life-sized, thick blade—and lifted it one-handed with ease! Swung it vigorously, whooshing through the air!

"But greatswords rely on weight for impact. Won’t lightening it weaken the blow?" Patti cautioned.

"Like *this*!"

Mylora raised the sword high. Mid-swing downward, she canceled weight reduction and switched to weight increase—

BOOM!!!!

The suddenly heavier blade cratered the floor. The already massive weight, amplified by the buff, spoke volumes.

"As long as I can toggle weight shifts seamlessly—"

She swung both shortsword and greatsword together. Movements messy but imposing. Boost damage on downward strikes *and* create disorienting contrasts: a greatsword that *looked* heavy but swung light, a shortsword that *seemed* light but weighed tons—messing with opponents’ judgment.

"Ooh, so cool!" Patti clapped enthusiastically.

"Undeniably cool… but… hmm…"

Torina fell deep in thought.

First: in the original story, the protagonist *only* wielded a greatsword later—never dual-wielding big and small blades.

Second: no time for Mylora to invent a new dual-wield style. Better to adapt an existing one.

House Dewell had a rapier-and-parrying-dagger style. Even Earth from her past life had equivalents. But shortsword + greatsword? Worlds apart from dagger + rapier. That style wouldn’t fit. What now…?

"…Ah!"

There *was* one.

"Mylora, keep practicing here. Patti, help her build resistance against ranged attacks. I’ll… be right back."

…

…

…

Half an hour later—

"Hi, Sister Molly~"

"…Huh?"

Torina appeared at Molly’s doorstep, silvery smile in place, arms full of bags.