Boom!

Edmond's body hit the ground with a thunderous crash, the impact rattling his bones. His chest heaved as he coughed out a mouthful of blood, the metallic taste coating his tongue while pain coursed through his body like fire. His organs churned as if twisted by invisible hands, each breath dragging a groan from his throat. The only thing keeping him alive was the protective layer of his carbon-fiber combat wear, its reinforced weave absorbing the brunt of the troll's devastating strike. Without it, he would have been nothing more than a broken corpse on the dirt.

The towering troll loomed over him, shadows cast by its massive frame stretching across the ground. Its breath steamed in the cool air, a constant mist that smelled of iron and frost. Leaning down, it gripped Edmond by the throat with one massive, clawed hand. Its eyes glimmered with cruel amusement, menace flickering within the pale glow.

"Tell me," the troll rumbled, its guttural voice thick with arrogance, "how do you all leave your stronghold? I am curious about that." The pressure on Edmond's neck increased slightly, enough to remind him how fragile he was in comparison.

Edmond coughed violently, his vision blurring at the edges. His hands twitched toward his backpack, mind racing. "Go to hell, bastard!" he spat, though his words came out ragged, more bravado than strength.

The troll chuckled, the sound deep and grating. "Still defiant, are you? You haven't learned your fate." Its grip tightened again, fingers digging into the protective fabric as it squeezed his windpipe. The pressure wasn't enough to snap his neck outright, but it was more than enough to strangle him, each gasp of air harder to claw back than the last.

Edmond's lungs burned, his face twisted in pain as his throat struggled against the unyielding strength crushing it. His vision dimmed, darkness creeping closer.

"So?" the troll asked, tilting its head with mock curiosity. "Are you ready to talk?"

"Gjsknsi…" Edmond's voice came out broken, his mouth trying to form words that barely escaped past the constriction.

The troll leaned closer, loosening its grip just slightly. "Saying something?" it asked, the cruel smirk widening across its face.

Edmond's lips curled into a defiant snarl. "Go to hell!" he shouted, his words clear this time.

His jaw snapped shut, biting down hard on the hidden device lodged beneath his upper molar. A faint click echoed inside his mouth, followed by a pulse of energy that shot directly into the dimensional stabilizer linked to his backpack.

The device was his last resort. A disruptor, designed to destabilize the delicate fabric of the pocket dimension stored in the pack. Once triggered, it would rupture violently, tearing itself apart in a catastrophic explosion. Edmond had always known it was his trump card, meant for a moment exactly like this, when escape was impossible and death was certain. If he was going to die, he would make sure he dragged a troll with him.

The troll's eyes widened as it realized too late what had happened. "You bast_" it roared, hurling Edmond away as fast as its arm could swing. But the throw came too late.

The explosion ripped reality apart with a deafening roar. A surge of light and force swallowed both Edmond and the troll, fire tearing through the air in every direction. The impact tore into the troll's flesh, shredding its body in an instant.

Edmond felt the fire consume him as well. Flesh peeled, bones crumbled, every nerve screaming as he was ripped apart. Yet through the agony, a smile spread across his bloodied lips. He had done it. At least one more troll would die with him. It was a small victory, but one he embraced in his final moments.

He closed his eyes, surrendering to the inferno. Mother… I hope you smile when I see you again. Father, don't blame yourself. Don't drown in grief. Move on. Live. Those were his last thoughts as the explosion devoured him whole.

And then—

"Origin point."

The voice was calm, steady, but its weight carried through the air like a command etched into existence itself. It was a voice that demanded attention. A voice that silenced the very flow of the world. Even time seemed to freeze, bowing before it.

But it didn't just stop.

Time rewound.

The raging explosion reversed itself, fire and shockwaves collapsing inward as though sucked back into a void. The ruined backpack knit itself together piece by piece, fragments of metal reforming into their untouched state. Edmond's body, moments ago torn apart, reassembled with each second unraveling backward. Shredded flesh stitched back together, blood retreating into his veins, his broken body becoming whole.

It was as though the world had been placed on rewind, dragging everything back to the instant before the explosion.

Edmond gasped as his senses returned. He found himself once again in the troll's grip, its massive hand still locked around his throat. Only now there was no pain, no choking pressure, nothing but the phantom memory of it.

His wide eyes shifted, drawn instinctively toward the source of the voice. There he saw a figure standing a short distance away.

A young man.

He wore a black fitted jacket over casual jeans, his attire striking in its simplicity. Around his neck hung a pendant, purely ornamental, adding a faint flair to his otherwise effortless style. His face was youthful yet commanding, smooth features glowing faintly under the light. Long, white hair cascaded softly down his shoulders, catching the air with every faint movement.

But it wasn't his appearance alone that seized Edmond's attention. It was his presence. The young man radiated authority, the kind that crushed resistance without raising a hand. His mere existence pulled every eye to him, even the troll that still clutched Edmond's neck.

As if compelled by an unseen force, the troll's grip slackened. Edmond fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"So," the young man spoke, his voice calm yet edged with authority, "anyone care to explain what's going on here?" His gaze fixed on Edmond, sharp and piercing, as though peeling back layers of his soul.

"Who are you?" another troll demanded, its voice carrying unease despite its size. One of the creatures forming the encircling net dared to step forward. Despite its intellect, it could not discern the depth of the man's power, only that it was suffocatingly far beyond its own.

"I'm the one asking the questions here," the young man replied.

And in the very moment his words ended, the troll's head erupted. Its skull shattered into fragments, flesh and bone scattering across the ground. Silence followed. The kind that came with horror. Neither Edmond nor the other trolls saw how it happened. They only knew one thing: the man hadn't moved.

Yet one of their own was gone, killed in a blink.

"Now," the young man continued as though nothing had occurred, "care to explain to me what's going on?" His gaze had not left Edmond.

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