I woke up to scratching.
Not loud. Not frantic. Just the slow, deliberate kind. Like something testing the barricade.
I held my breath and reached for the Phantom Edge. The moment I touched it, the blade shimmered, almost reacting to my tension. I didn't move. Didn't blink.
Eventually, the scratching faded. Whatever it was had moved on.
I exhaled and started the day. No breakfast. No peace. Just a sword, a robe, and a ticking death curse.
---
The ruins were more complex than I thought. Twisting hallways. Half-collapsed bridges. Vines crawling like veins across cracked walls.
I moved faster in the Silent Lotus Robes, quieter too. The fabric whispered instead of rustled. The boots gripped the stone without echo.
At some point, I caught a scent on the air. Copper. Blood.
And I wasn't wrong.
---
After following the direction of the scent I encountered a Feral Ironclaw
It looked like a mutated wolverine—twice the size, plated in jagged bone, red eyes foaming with rage.
It barreled at me from the shadows of a broken hallway.
Too fast.
I activated [Ghost Pulse], phasing just as its claws raked through where I was. I came out the other side of its charge, crouched, heart pounding.
No time to think. I raised my palm.
"[Dark Nebula]."
The air around me rippled, then bled black. My arm darkened, veins glowing violet as the energy surged through the Phantom Edge. The blade hissed, coated now in soul-eating void. But I could also feel it losing durability.
I slashed. I had to make this quick.
It roared. Not from pain but from fear.
The cut burned deeper than it should have. The Nebula stripped away its natural armor, slicing through soul and sinew.
It turned to run.
I let it. One second. Two. Then a [Flash Step].
Right behind it. Sword raised.
The next blow wasn't flashy. It didn't need to be.
---
[You have slain an enemy.]
[+50 EXP]
[EXP: 50/200]
---
I stared at the corpse. The bone armor still smoked from the Nebula's energy.
That skill… it felt different. Not just destructive—hungry. Like it wanted more.
My arm burned. Propably a side effect of the skill. It quickly became clear that [Dark Nebula] was a double edged sword.
I moved on.
---
Midday hit hard. Three suns. Zero shade. The ruins shimmered with heat. I found shelter under a collapsed arch and nearly stepped into a trap.
Spikes. Poisoned tips. And strung beside it was bells made of monster teeth.
Someone, or something, was protecting this area.
I made a detour.
But not far enough.
---
Later during my exploration trip I encountered a Mirror Wraith
This one didn't charge. It watched. Moved when I moved. Shifted when I shifted.
And then it became me.
Same height. Same robes. Same sword. Same smirk.
"Oh come on."
We clashed. Hard.
I tried [Flash Step], it did too. I used [Quick Counter], and it predicted it.
But it didn't have one thing:
[Dark Nebula].
I surged power into my sword and activated the skill. Black smoke twisted around the blade again, seeping into the air like tendrils.
The Wraith hesitated. That was all I needed.
I lunged. Struck once. It faded into static, screaming silently.
---
[You have slain an elite enemy: Mirror Wraith]
[+80 EXP]
[EXP: 130/200]
Bonus: Phantom Edge has absorbed a new form
– Stored Form: Mirror Blade
– Buff: Temporarily copy one blade art from an enemy in combat.
– Copied art will be stored for 24 hours.
---
By nightfall, I had circled back toward the outer ruins. My body ached. Star Stream low. But I'd found something worthwhile.
A hidden chamber behind a cracked statue. Inside: a fountain. Still flowing. The water glowed faintly blue.
I dipped my hand in. Cool. Clean. Restorative.
---
[You have discovered: Minor Recovery Spring]
Restores Star Stream over time while nearby
Safe Zone: Medium
---
I sat down. Let the water do its work. My robes soaked up the cold. The Phantom Edge rested beside me, slowly shifting its reflection between forms.