The buzz around SyncStrike hadn't slowed. If anything, the storm was growing. Clips of Overdrive failures were trending everywhere, spawning compilations of the funniest wipeouts and the most flawless clears. Commentators speculated about whether this was still a rhythm game or something entirely new.
And in the middle of all that noise, Runestone risked fading into the background.
Theo couldn't allow it.
The GCS pulsed in his apartment like a second heartbeat. He hadn't slept much since finalizing the Projection Combat prototype. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the sapphire drake rising from the arena floor, its wings blotting out the battlefield, its roar vibrating through his bones.
Now came the real challenge: turning that spark into something players could actually touch.
[Runestone Development Status]• Archetype Updates: Pending (Lightborne Paladins, Abyssal Tides, Emberforge Legion)• Projection Combat: Prototype functional (Tier scaling incomplete)• Mana Reserves: 981 units available
Theo stretched his hands over the console, fingers trembling with anticipation.
"Alright," he whispered. "Time to give them a show."
Mana surged through the workshop, pulling up layers of holographic code. He selected the archetype grid first, opening Lightborne Paladins.
Golden armor took shape, radiant knights marching across a field of glowing runes. Their shields locked into formation, absorbing dark projectiles before converting the impact into shimmering streams of mana. Theo smirked.
"Defense that rewards patience. They'll either love it or hate it."
He shifted to Abyssal Tides. The battlefield darkened, waves crashing against unseen shores. Shadows bled into every corner of the arena, swallowing units whole before releasing them in another spot. One knight stumbled forward, confused, as the water swallowed him again.
"Tricksters. This will tilt so many players."
Finally, Emberforge Legion. Sparks burst across the field as mechanical soldiers charged forward, each blow leaving scorch marks behind. But after too many strikes, their cores glowed unstable red, one detonating in a burst that damaged friend and foe alike.
Theo grimaced. "Risk and reward. High ceiling, high disaster."
With the archetypes stabilized, he linked them to Projection Combat. Mana poured into the grid.
[Projection System Integration]• Common Summon: Minor Construct (1–2 meters)• Rare Summon: Medium Entity (3–5 meters)• Legendary Summon: Major Projection (10+ meters, stage-altering effects)• Tier-Based Cost Scaling: Active• Player Sensory Load Safeguards: 60%
He tested the system. A Lightborne Paladin card flared, projecting a knight who towered three meters high. His shield gleamed, slamming into the field with a resounding echo. The projection flickered at the edges but held steady.
Next, an Abyssal Leviathan card. The arena itself flooded, a serpent of black water rising and snapping its jaws. Theo shivered. The scale was breathtaking, and yet the system's mana draw nearly spiked red.
"Okay… keep that limited to high-ranked matches. Don't want to melt players' brains."
The Emberforge Legion came last. Ten warriors materialized, blazing in sync. The battlefield rattled as they charged, each swing leaving fire in the air. One overheated and detonated, shaking the chamber.
Theo coughed, waving away the smoke. "Maybe tone down the explosions…"
He adjusted values, stabilizing the projections. His hands hurt from the constant weaving, but he couldn't stop now.
Runestone wasn't just getting stronger—it was transforming.
Hours later, he opened the editor for Patch Notes.
[Runestone Patch 2.0 – Coliseum Awakens]• New Archetypes: Lightborne Paladins, Abyssal Tides, Emberforge Legion• Projection Combat enabled (Ranked Matches only)• Tier-based scaling for projections (Common → Legendary)• Visual/Audio safeguards for Player Core integration• Quality of Life fixes (deck UI improvements, mana curve balancing)• Bug fixes
Theo hesitated over the "Deploy" button. SyncStrike had stolen the spotlight these last days. This was his chance to pull eyes back to Runestone.
He pressed it.
[Deployment confirmed. Patch 2.0 scheduled: 19:00 PST.]
Theo leaned back in his chair, exhausted but smiling. "Your turn, Runestone. Show them your teeth."
When the update went live, the first reactions came within minutes.
[User: DeckMaster42] "HOLY SHIT, my Paladin just stood up and blocked a fireball like an actual knight?? Projection battles are insane!!"
[User: AbyssHunter] "Tried Abyssal Tides. The whole arena flooded and my cards disappeared into shadows. I legit screamed. 10/10."
[User: ForgeFanatic] "Emberforge Legion is busted. Exploded half my board but it looked so badass I don't even care."
Clips spread fast. Players posted shaky footage of Legendary projections shaking entire arenas. The sapphire drake Theo had first conjured became an instant icon, screenshots of it circulating with captions like "Runestone just went Yu-Gi-Oh IRL."
Natalie, who had been grinding SyncStrike since the day before, stopped mid-song when the notifications rolled in. Curious, she swapped games and loaded Runestone.
The lobby hadn't changed much—still the serene stone coliseum, banners fluttering above. But when she entered a Ranked Duel, the difference hit her like a hammer.
Her opponent summoned a Lightborne Paladin card, and a massive golden knight rose before her, its shield gleaming. She nearly dropped her hand in shock.
"What the hell?!" she laughed, covering her mouth. "That's not just a card… that's—"
Before she could finish, her Abyssal Leviathan card activated. The battlefield flooded, water curling around her legs, projections of serpents swirling through the tide. The knight clashed with them, shield glowing underwater.
Natalie's heart pounded. This wasn't just strategy anymore—it was theater. Every move felt monumental, every summon a declaration of power.
She lost the match, badly. But she didn't care. Her fingers trembled with excitement as she hit "Rematch."
Owen discovered the update a little later. Unlike Natalie, he didn't react with shock or laughter. He simply sat still, watching as projections clashed in his duel.
The Paladins' shields gleamed. The Abyssal waters warped the arena. The Emberforge soldiers detonated in flashes of fire.
He narrowed his eyes. "So… this is how you answer SyncStrike."
He leaned forward, analyzing the mana costs, the recovery times, the pacing of projection battles. His lips curled into a thin smile. "Interesting. Not spectacle for its own sake… but a layer of mind games. He's raising the stakes without breaking the core."
For Owen, it wasn't about being dazzled. It was about recognizing genius.
By the end of the first night, Whisper exploded.
[User: ManaGrind] "Projection combat is a game changer. Never seen anything like it."
[User: BeatFreak] "SyncStrike is hype, but Runestone is epic. Watching a dragon rise out of the field gave me chills."
[User: GlowstickQueen] "Can't we just admit both games are GOATED?!"
Debates raged. SyncStrike players argued rhythm combat was the real revolution.