I inspected the orb in my hand. It had what I assumed was large amounts of mana in it.
“A stone key, a cloak, an arrow, and now an orb. Key items are pretty varied in shape it seems. I wonder what the key item for the last trial will be.”
I slowly lowered the orb into my lap and leaned back.
“It is called Trial of Mirror so it must be some kind of mirror.”
Aurora spoke up.
“Probably. Blanche, how much do we have?”
Just one more trial and we wouldn’t have to worry about the 24-hour limit.
“A little it under 9 hours.”
She answered. Hmm. We were awake for more than 15 hours and most of the time was spent fighting. Everyone must be tired. Even with our reinforced and trained bodies had their limit after all.
“Alright, we will rest for 3 hours. We can take it a little bit easy. The next trial is something that can only be taken individually and only one of us has to enter to get the key item. To get it one has to defeat a reflection that has the same skills, same items, and same stats. You only have to take it if you want it. I know some of you would not miss the chance to battle against an equal but I prefer if you rested.”
I looked at my companions. Thalia was the first one to raise her hand.
“If that’s the case, I will be resting. My skill set is not fit to fight and I would rather save my energy for healing you after you exit the trial.”
I nodded, appreciating her pragmatism. Aurora was the next one to speak up.
“Fighting against a copy sounds interesting but I will pass. I will also save my energy for the next floor.”
I looked at Blanche and Artemeni. Blanche tilted her head thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing as she weighed the option. “I’m tempted," she said, “It will be an interesting experience to fight against myself.”
I nodded my head. Considering her personality she would take every chance she has to improve. I could respect that. I turned my attention to Artemeni. She was looking at me with eyes shining bright with excitement. She smirked and clenched her fists, looking like she could barely contain herself.
“If you allow it, I’ll want to take on the trial, Champion.”
I chuckled. Considering I roughly thought the same, I had no right to object.
“Alright then,” I said, sitting up straighter and shifting my gaze to each of them in turn. “Once we’re rested, I, Blanche, and Artemeni will take on the Trial of Mirror. I want you both to be careful.”
Blanche nodded, her face set in quiet determination, while Artemeni grinned even wider. I closed my eyes, trying to relax and feel my soul boundary. Thanks to getting it as a skill, I was aware of it nearly always. Perhaps Enhanced Perception also helped. The calming sensation of soul boundary awareness washed over me, a steadying presence amid the ceaseless energy of the trials. With my eyes closed, I let the hum of mana in my core settle, feeling it flow through each limb like cool water.
“An ocean.”
That was the impression I got from my soul. G?kb?rü’s was somewhat intertwined with it like two rivers flowing into each other. It was smaller than mine, at least I think so. Souls didn’t exist in “space” so big or small meant little.
I took a few steady breaths, feeling my mana settle, flowing in steady currents, pooling and then receding, just like tides against a shore. The trials had put a heavy toll on all of us, but I could feel my resolve steadying. Despite the exhaustion, there was a sense of excitement in the air, a buzz of anticipation for the challenge that lay ahead.
After what felt like mere moments, Blanche tapped me lightly on the shoulder, her voice soft but determined. “Time’s up, Champion.”
I opened my eyes, feeling refreshed. Three hours had passed like minutes, but they were enough. I looked around, noticing the determined gleam in Blanche’s eyes and the unmistakable eagerness in Artemeni’s expression. She was practically vibrating with excitement, her fists clenched and her whole posture radiating fierce energy.
“Alright,” I said, standing up and feeling the mana pulse within me, “let’s get this done.”
I moved towards the last altar and put my hand to it.
The world around us shifted and twisted just like the previous trials, the colors bleeding into one another like paint in water. When the blur of light and shadow receded, I found myself in a vast chamber, its high ceiling disappearing into the darkness above. The walls were adorned with intricate mirrors, each reflecting not only my images but a multitude of myself—distorted, exaggerated, and sometimes utterly alien.
“That’s not creepy at all.”
I muttered to myself. I was alone, Blanche and Artemeni nowhere to be found.
“Bark!”
What? I looked down and saw G?kb?rü exit out of my shadow.
“Wait a minute. I thought this trial could only be taken individually.”
Perhaps it was because I was soul-bonded to him?
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I am glad you are with me, buddy.”
I leaned down and patted his head.
(To complete the trial you must defeat your reflection.)
I straightened up, scanning the chamber once more. In an instant, one of the mirrors shimmered, the surface rippling like disturbed water. From it emerged my reflection, along with G?kb?rü’s. He wore a cold expression on his face with eyes devoid of joy.
G?kb?rü growled and his expression answered the same.
“You are here.”
The reflection spoke up.
“You can speak?”
I asked as we started to circle each other. Each step taking us the same distance, each step staying in the air for the same duration. The reflection shot me a condescending look.
“Of course, I can speak. I am you.”
The reflection’s voice dripped with indifference.
“So, that means that you will let me win?”
I smiled. The reflection’s gaze hardened, a flicker of annoyance breaking through its otherwise stoic facade. “You think you can win? You’re just a shadow of what you could be.”
I tilted my head.
“And what the hell that does mean?”
The reflection’s face stayed as hostile as ever while his voice dripped with disdain. "It means you''re weak, clinging to your failures. You let your past affect your choices. You do not live in today, let alone in the future.”
I narrowed my eyes, feeling my grip tighten around the handle of my sword.
“You are supposed to take lessons from the past, copy. Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.”
The reflection narrowed his eyes just like me.
“Huh. Funny how you talk about the past repeating itself. Isn’t that what you are so afraid of? Losing everyone, everything, and blaming yourself for an eternity again?”
I clicked my tongue. My reflection''s words cut deeper than any weapon could. The harsh truth behind them lingered like a wound reopening, bleeding regret and fear. G?kb?rü growled low, his gaze fixed on his own double, mirroring my own contempt for the shade before me.
"Afraid?" I repeated, a cold edge sharpening my voice. “Yeah, that’s right. I am afraid.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.I looked at my own blade, half of my face being reflected on it.
“But I am still here, aren’t I? Depressed, afraid, and not confident. I am still here and walking, continuing.”
I pointed my sacred sword toward the reflection.
“Enough talking. Let’s get down to business.”
He mirrored my movements, pointing his blade towards me. At the same time, we lunged towards each other, our swords clashing in the middle. G?kb?rü and his reflection also moved together with us, biting each other.
The clash reverberated through the chamber, echoing off the mirrored walls as if the entire room were a bell struck with raw energy. My reflection’s strength matched mine blow for blow, each parry and strike mirroring my own, creating a brutal symphony of steel against steel. Each impact felt like facing a relentless wave, one that knew my every move, every weakness.
G?kb?rü’s snarls and growls mixed with his reflections, their fangs clashing, tearing into fur and flesh with the primal ferocity of two beasts locked in a duel for dominance. G?kb?rü’s sapphire eyes gleamed fiercely, unwavering, even as he took a bite to the flank. His spirit and sheer defiance mirrored mine.
“You are saying that you are moving forward yet you keep looking back! What is the point of moving forward if the only thing you can see is your past!”
The reflection took a step back at the same time as me. Armor Collapsing Claw and mana ran across both of our blades. We swung them at the same time, our mana clashing in the middle and exploding.
“You talk a little bit too much. Am I really that talkative?”
The reflection straightened, brushing a hand along the hilt of his sword as if contemplating his next move. “You really think these little acts of defiance mean you’ve changed?” He tilted his head, his cold, mocking stare piercing through me. “You walk forward, yes, but not out of strength. It’s the force of habit, of desperation—a hollow march to delay the inevitable.”
I felt something stab my insides. I knew that he was right. Like a shark swimming to not sink. I took on duties to not think about my past, my old dead world. I was eager to accept Morrigan’s letter. I was happy that I could help Ama and Arslan. Because I knew that without something to focus on, I would fall back to nothingness.
“If you are really me, you should know that I have regularly had conversations like this in my head. Do you think hearing them out will change anything?”
With a scoff, the reflection tightened his grip on his sword. I could see his body transforming. He was using Beastification. If he was truly like me he would follow it with Monstrous Strength and Ferocity of Wolf King. I did the same. The reflection’s muscles bulged, and his eyes gleamed with a feral, cold light, just as mine did when I tapped into my own power. Both of us, transformed into our hybrid states, faced each other in mirrored, savage intensity.
“You hide behind that dammed sarcasm when you are cornered. Every time.”
He growled, lunging forward. I activated Mana Erupt, pouring energy into my movements and forcing myself faster than I’d ever pushed in combat. My blade whipped towards his shoulder with lethal speed, but he matched it with his burst of Mana Erupt, deflecting the blow just enough to avoid a direct hit. The ground beneath us splintered, sending shards of stone scattering.
“What else do you want me to say, man? I know my fear, I know my flaws and I am trying to overcome them! What else I am supposed to do, lie down and die?”
The reflection sneered, pushing against me with all his strength, our blades grinding against each other in a clash of stubborn wills.
“You don’t get it, do you?” His voice dripped with disdain. “This isn’t about lying down and dying—it’s about facing who you are, the parts you keep hiding behind those empty missions and battles.” His eyes narrowed, sharp with accusation. “You cling to the past, pretending you’re ready for the future, yet you’re too scared to confront the pieces of yourself you’d rather forget.”
I gritted my teeth, feeling a familiar frustration surge through me. "So what if I do? Everyone has scars, things they regret. That’s what makes us human.” I braced myself, pushing him back with a surge of my Monstrous Strength, catching a brief edge as he staggered.
But my reflection recovered quickly, rolling back into a defensive stance, eyes still gleaming with that maddeningly cold clarity. “You don’t get it, do you? Why didn’t you ask for Nocturna’s help during the invasion to defend the barrier? Why did you try to stop Morrigan by yourself instead of asking for help? Why do you volunteer to take the hits even when it is not necessary?”
"Because that''s my duty!"
I barked.
“Duty? Who gave you that duty then? Nobody. Nobody except yourself. And why did you give yourself that duty?”
The question hung in the air, laced with accusation, piercing deeper than any blade could. I gritted my teeth, the words caught in my throat. The truth was there, lodged somewhere in the crevices of my soul, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to pull it out.
“It’s because…” I started, my voice wavering as I tightened my grip on my sword, feeling the familiar weight steady me. “Because I can’t stand by and watch people suffer—not when I can do something about it.”
The reflection sneered, tilting his head with that infuriating, cold amusement. “Is that really it? Or are you just trying to make up for the ones you couldn’t save?”
His words struck like a blow to the gut, nearly knocking the air from my lungs. I could feel the old memories clawing their way back, unwanted yet ever-present, like shadows lurking beneath the surface. Faces I couldn’t forget. Moments I wished I could erase.
“Does it even matter?”
I took a deep breath.
“Does the reason for fighting really matter? Or perhaps couldn’t my reason be both the past and future?”
I asked. I knew that my past affected me greatly but was it the only reason why I fought? Would past me try to raise beastkin out of their shackles? Would he try to play political games to gain allies? Would he try to enjoy the same world he was trying to save? The reflection''s sneer faded, and he tilted his head, assessing me with a glimmer of something almost resembling understanding.
“I don’t know. Could it be?”
He answered my question with his own. The reflection’s sneer faded as he seemed to sense my resolve solidifying. His stance shifted, becoming less aggressive and more guarded.
“You are the only one who can decide that. But only if you defeat me.”
“Very well then.”
…
My sword pierced the reflection’s heart. We have been fighting for over an hour now. My body was covered with so many wounds that my healing couldn’t keep up with it but so was his. Both of us used every skill and every item we had but I was the superior one. And now, with his heart gone, it was over. He shattered into glimmering fragments with a sad smile, dissolving into the chamber’s dim light.
(Full Combat Mastery ranked up to B rank. Your repertoire of combat techniques expands greatly.)
(Soulboundry Awareness ranked up to D rank. You can sense fluctuations in mana and the emotional resonance of souls.)
(Rapid Healing ranked up to A rank. You have acquired the best healing capabilities within your race.)
(Beastification ranked up to D rank. Your ability to connect your instincts grows.)
Beside me, G?kb?rü’s reflection met the same fate, disappearing into wisps of shadow as G?kb?rü let out a triumphant bark. The weight of the battle lifted, leaving a profound silence in its wake. I stood there, breathing heavily.
(You completed Trial of Mirrors.)