The fall left his body numb, pain spreading across his back as Edward struggled to breathe. The impact had knocked the air out of his lungs, leaving him gasping on the cold stone floor.
"…fuck…"
His voice came out low and rough.
Cold stone pressed against his palms as he forced himself up, his fingers tightening around the wooden sword as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. His arms trembled slightly, but he held on.
"Still breathing… good enough."
For a moment, everything was still. Too still.
Then he felt it.
A presence.
Close. Too close.
A slow, heavy breath echoed in front of him. The air grew warmer, thicker, making it harder to breathe. Edward didn't move. He didn't need to.
He already knew.
He wasn't alone.
His eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, just enough to make out two faint lights staring back at him.
Eyes.
The creature stepped forward, its shape forming out of shadow. It was massive, far larger than anything he had faced before. Its body looked wrong—uneven, unnatural, like something that didn't belong in this world.
Edward exhaled quietly, his lips pulling into a faint smirk despite the situation.
"…yeah. I definitely made a bad decision."
His grip on the wooden sword tightened.
"But it's fine."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll deal with it."
The monster didn't rush. It simply watched him, standing there as if it had all the time in the world. Like it was enjoying this moment.
Edward's gaze hardened slightly.
"What are you waiting for… come on."
Running wasn't an option. Fighting it directly… even worse.
His mind moved quickly, cutting through panic before it could take hold. The creature's body looked too tough. The wooden sword wouldn't pierce it normally.
But something was off.
Its breathing wasn't steady. Its movements weren't clean.
Wounded?
Or weakened by this place?
"…good. That means I have a chance.Not everything needed strength."
Sometimes—timing was enough.
The creature leaned closer, its breath brushing against his face.
That was it.
Edward moved.
He pushed forward suddenly, ignoring the pain screaming through his body. His arm drove upward with everything he had left, the wooden sword striking straight into the creature's eye.
A violent scream tore through the darkness.
The monster jerked back, thrashing wildly, but Edward didn't let go. His hands locked around the sword as he forced it deeper.
The creature slammed against the ground, its strength shaking his entire body.
Still, he held on.
If he let go—he would die.
"Not happening…"
His arms trembled, his strength fading fast.
Then he shifted his footing and drove his leg forward, kicking hard against the creature's head, forcing the blade deeper.
The scream broke.
Cracked.
Faded.
The thrashing slowed.
The breath turned uneven… then stopped.
The creature collapsed.
Silence followed.
Edward stayed where he was for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady his breathing. Slowly, he pulled the wooden sword free and stepped back.
The body didn't move.
It was over.
"…that's it?"
He let out a quiet breath, running a hand through his hair.
"I'm still alive."
For a few seconds, nothing happened. No sound. No movement. Just him… and the stillness.
Then—
A voice spoke.
[Aspirant…]
[You have slain a Tainted Lord: Shadow Wretch]
[Evaluation in progress…]
Edward froze. His eyes shifted slightly, scanning the darkness.
"…what?"
There was no direction to the voice. It wasn't in front of him or behind him. It simply existed.
[You have achieved an impossible feat]
[Blood has been offered upon the ancient altar]
[An unknown entity has acknowledged your presence]
[Unknown entity's blessing has been granted]
Edward exhaled slowly, a faint grin forming despite the situation.
"…I'm just trying not to die."
He shook his head slightly.
"Guess that's not enough anymore."
[Final Appraisal Complete]
[Your feats exceed expected parameters]
[Recognition granted]
Edward's grip tightened slightly around the wooden sword. He didn't panic. Didn't shout. Didn't question.
He simply listened.
Whatever this was… it wasn't speaking to the world.
It was speaking to him.
[You have been bestowed a Ruin Name ]
[Ruin Name: ∎∎—forge—∎∎]
[Status: Fragment — Unrecognized]
The words lingered in the darkness—broken, incomplete, wrong.
Edward stared ahead, his expression calm, but his eyes sharper than before.
"…Ruin Name."
He didn't understand it. Not yet.
But one thing was certain.
Something had changed.
And whatever it was…
It wasn't normal.