Elion studied the figure standing before him with narrowed eyes, searching for even the smallest discrepancy. There should have been something, but he found nothing; The copy looked exactly like him and not merely similar.

The same height, the same sharp features, the same tied-back hair, with a few loose strands falling over his forehead. The same clothes, the same relaxed posture that suggested he was entirely unbothered by whatever strange situation the trial had placed him in.

Even the smirk was irritatingly familiar. Elion folded his arms across his chest, "So," he said slowly. "You are me."

The duplicate tilted his head slightly, "That depends on how deeply you want to think about it."

Elion raised a brow, "I would rather not think too deeply about anything involving another man who looks exactly like me."

The duplicate chuckled, "Still hiding behind jokes whenever something makes you uncomfortable."

Elion’s expression remained unchanged. "I am not uncomfortable."

"Of course not." The copy took a slow step forward.

The invisible surface beneath his feet rippled faintly, sending a wave of pale light spreading through the star-filled void.

"You have faced death more times than you can count," the duplicate continued. "You have fought Demons, nobles, Mages far beyond your level, and even the ruler of an entire race of people. Yet somehow, standing before yourself is what finally makes you cautious."

Elion stared at himself and shrugged, "Can you blame me? I am quite formidable."

The duplicate laughed lightly, "That, we can agree on."

The two of them stood silently beneath the endless sea of stars as a familiar chorus of layered female voices echoed through the void.

[The Second Trial Has Begun.]

[Trial Type: Self-Reflection.]

[Objective: Defeat Yourself.]

Elion looked toward the translucent notification floating before him, then slowly turned his attention back toward the copy standing opposite him.

The duplicate spread his arms slightly.

"Well," he said. "There you have it."

Elion’s eyes narrowed, "Defeat myself?"

"That seems straightforward enough."

"Nothing involving these damned trials has ever been straightforward."

The duplicate smiled

Elion reached toward his storage, and Kurogoroshi appeared in his hand with a faint hum.

’Happy to see that I still have access to it.’ It would have been quite tragic if the trial decided to restrict access to his storage, but if he could use Kuro, then that probably meant this copy would also have a copy of the blade as well.

The moment the black blade emerged, the stillness surrounding the void changed. A cold pressure spread outward from the weapon, and faint crimson ripples moved along its edge like blood flowing beneath the surface of the steel.

The duplicate looked down at the sword. His smile widened as a second Kurogoroshi appeared in his own hand.

Elion’s brow twitched, ’Just as I thought.’

"That feels like cheating," Elion said.

The duplicate rested the blade casually against one shoulder, "Well, I am you, remember?"

"No. You are just a shameless imitation."

"And yet you look and sound offended."

"Because I am."

Elion’s gaze sharpened, "Very offended."

The duplicate’s smile faded slightly, and the aura surrounding it changed visibly.

Mana began flowing around his body in smooth, dense waves, spreading outward through the endless void. Fire, water, earth, illusion, and blood magic intertwined around him in faint currents of coloured light.

Elion’s expression hardened.

The copy had access to his affinities.

No, not just his affinities, but also exact same skills. The duplicate’s eyes darkened as cold wisps of smoke curled faintly from their corners.

Elion felt Kurogoroshi hum in warning, and then his copy vanished. He moved instinctively.

Clang!

Two black blades collided, and a violent shockwave exploded outward, rippling through the star-filled expanse and sending streaks of pale light racing into the distance.

Elion’s arms trembled faintly from the impact.

The duplicate was strong, far stronger than any ordinary opponent at his level. Naturally. He possessed Elion’s stats.

His swordsmanship, his abilities, and his battle instincts. The duplicate smiled faintly from the other side of the crossed blades.

"You are slower than I expected."

Elion’s eyes narrowed as the copy twisted his wrist.

Kurogoroshi scraped against the copied blade, releasing a shrill metallic scream as the duplicate stepped forward and drove one knee toward Elion’s ribs.

Elion shifted his weight and brought his elbow down.

Bang!

The two strikes collided, and the force pushed them apart.

Elion slid backward several metres, his boots cutting faint trails of light across the invisible surface beneath him.

The duplicate did the same. For a heartbeat, both of them remained still, and then they moved again. Their bodies blurred with motion.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of steel colliding echoed repeatedly across the void as the two figures traded blows faster than the eye could follow.

Elion slashed toward the duplicate’s throat.

The copy leaned back just far enough for the blade to pass above his skin before returning a thrust toward Elion’s chest.

Elion twisted aside, but the blade grazed his tunic right before he brought his blade to block. Sparks scattered into the darkness.

He stepped inward and drove his shoulder against the duplicate’s chest, forcing him backward before following with a diagonal cut aimed at his waist.

The copy raised Kurogoroshi.

Clang!

The strike was blocked, but Elion did not stop. His left hand flashed forward, and fire magic erupted from his palm.

Boom!

A violent blast of crimson flame engulfed the duplicate at point-blank range. The explosion pushed the two of them apart and sent a wave of heat spreading through the otherwise empty void.

Elion landed lightly as smoke drifted from his extended hand. The flames parted as the duplicate stepped forward. His clothes were scorched slightly, but a thin layer of water mana wrapped around his body, extinguishing the remaining fire before it could spread any farther.

He looked toward Elion, "Soooo Predictable."

Elion smiled faintly, "Was that supposed to hurt my feelings?"

"Not really, just letting you know."

Earth magic surged beneath Elion’s feet.

The invisible surface cracked, and stone pillars burst upward from nothing, surrounding him from every direction.

Elion raised one hand.

"Substitute."

The stone closed around his body.

Crack!

The image shattered, and Elion reappeared behind the duplicate, Kurogoroshi already descending toward his neck.

The copy ducked low far too quickly than what anyone else would have been capable of, making Elion’s pupils narrow.

The duplicate swept one leg across the ground, catching Elion’s ankle and throwing off his balance before driving an open palm into his stomach.

Bang!

Elion flew backward. His body struck one of the stone pillars and tore through it completely, scattering broken fragments of rock across the void.

The pieces floated weightlessly for a moment before fading into pale light. Elion twisted in mid-air and landed on one knee with a dull ache spreading through his stomach.

Nothing serious, but it was definitely annoying.