Chapter 47: When Light Burned the Flesh!

Chapter 47: When Light Burned the Flesh!Edwin stared at the glowing rune in his palm. "You should activate it, absorb whatever energy lies within, and learn what it has to offer," Mr. Orwen said firmly. Then he stepped back and smiled faintly. "Be careful. This is no small thing." Edwin nodded slowly, gripping the rune tightly. "...Thank you, sir." Without another word, he turned and left the office, the Spirit Rune glowing softly in his hand. In His Private training room! After leaving Professor Orwen’s office, Edwin walked quietly through the academy grounds. The sky outside was bright, and most students were busy training on their day. He didn’t speak to anyone as he made his way to his training room. He closed the door behind him, locking it. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Spirit Rune—the glowing stone tablet that Professor Orwen had returned to him. It still shimmered faintly in his palm, warm to the touch, as if it was breathing. Edwin sat down cross-legged on the floor, placed the rune in front of him, and took a deep breath. "...Let’s do this," he whispered. He placed both hands around the rune, closed his eyes, and focused. First, he poured a stream of his mana into the stone. A soft hum echoed in the room as golden lines began to glow brighter across the surface. Then, with a sharp breath, Edwin bit the tip of his finger and let a few drops of blood drip onto the rune. The moment his blood touched the stone—it reacted. Flash! A bright golden light exploded from the rune, lighting up the entire room. The markings on the stone began to move, twisting and reshaping like they were alive. Then—something unexpected happened. The rune rose into the air and began to float above his hands. Suddenly, the light shot toward him—straight into his chest. "Ahhh!" Edwin screamed, falling back as intense pain surged through his body. It felt like fire was rushing through his veins. His body trembled violently. His hands clenched into fists. His heart raced, and his vision blurred. The power from the rune was trying to merge with his soul, and it burned like liquid fire inside him. He gasped, curling forward, sweat pouring down his face. His bones ached. His muscles twitched. The pain wasn’t just physical—it felt like something ancient and powerful was digging into his spirit. Still, Edwin didn’t let go. He held onto the feeling, letting the light enter deeper, even though it felt like he was going to be torn apart. Slowly... the light began to calm. The golden glow dimmed, and the rune cracked—then crumbled to dust in his hand. But the energy didn’t vanish. It had merged with him. Edwin lay on the floor, gasping for air, his shirt soaked with sweat. His body still tingled. Something had changed inside him. "...It’s inside me now," he whispered, eyes wide. Though the pain had faded, the power remained—quiet but strong, like a spark waiting to be unleashed. Whatever the Spirit Rune had given him—it might be something. After Awakening from the Spirit Rune! Edwin’s eyes slowly open. The ceiling above him was familiar—it was inside his training room. But for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he was still dreaming or awake. His vision was hazy, and the sunlight streaming through the window stung his eyes. His entire body felt sore, like he had been crushed under a mountain. His limbs were stiff, his muscles aching with every breath. He blinked again. "Where... am I?" he whispered hoarsely. The last thing he remembered was pouring all his mana into the Spirit Rune... and then adding a drop of his blood. Then, the explosion of light—blinding and golden—had filled the room. He had crushed the rune in his hand, and what followed felt like his soul was on fire. A burning sensation had torn through his body, like every nerve was being lit from within. It wasn’t just pain—it was unbearable, like something ancient and powerful was forcing its way into his body and mind. And then... nothing. He had blacked out. Now, as he slowly sat up, his hands trembling, Edwin realized he had been unconscious for a long time. His breath was shaky. His heart still thumped loudly in his chest. He glanced at the wall—and his eyes widened. The stone wall was cracked. The wall was cracked badly, and the cracks are branching out everywhere, looking like a spider web pattern. Swords were scattered across the room. The desk had large marks left, and even the edge of the dumbbell frame looks bent. "What... happened?" he murmured, barely able to believe the destruction around him. Then he noticed them. Two people standing quietly in the corner of the room. It was Jin and Elysia. They had been watching over him, staying silent the entire time. "You’re finally awake," Jin said, stepping forward slowly. Edwin turned his head to him, still dazed. "What... are you doing here?" Elysia crossed her arms. "We heard screaming. From all the way down the hall." Jin nodded. "It sounded like someone was being tortured. We rushed over, and the door wasn’t even locked." "We came in... and saw you thrashing on the ground," Elysia added. "You were covered in golden light, and your body was shaking. The walls cracked when you punched them." "You weren’t in control," Jin said seriously. "It looked like your body was going wild... like it was rejecting something—or trying to accept something way too strong." "We tried to stop you," Elysia added, "but the strength you have in the room was too intense. It was like a storm." "Eventually," Jin said, "you stopped moving. We thought you..." He paused, not finishing the sentence. "But then we noticed you were still breathing," Elysia continued softly. "So we waited. We didn’t want to move you too soon." Edwin stared at his hands. They were bruised and slightly burned—still shaking. There were cuts across his knuckles from when he had slammed them into the wall without knowing.