I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 64: Chimera

The trio took a moment to recover from their recent battles. Ayla, her body riddled with wounds, struggled to walk and had to lean heavily on Vale’s shoulder for support as her injuries slowly healed.

Vale wasn’t faring much better. He had exhausted every drop of mana essence to defeat the two doppelgangers and was running on fumes. Even summoning his weapon felt like a monumental effort. Without devouring a few mana crystals, using his blade’s enchantment—let alone tapping into his unique ability—was impossible.

Klein was arguably in the best shape of the three. His mana reserves were still decent, though he hadn’t fully recovered from his clash with the Rat King. Each step brought a fresh wave of pain, but the student gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

The group was in worse shape than ever before—since the beginning of their trial, they’d never been this battered. A heavy frown settled on Vale’s face. He understood the danger all too well. If they ran into another monster now, it could be the end.

Maybe that’s why the sight waiting around the next corner froze them in their tracks.

They blinked, weary eyes wide with disbelief, as the sound of steel meeting steel rang out ahead. Two towering figures clashed in a relentless duel. And at the centre of it all stood Dain—grinning like a madman as he exchanged blow after blow with his own doppelganger. He blocked, parried, and took hits before giving them right back—completely immersed in the chaos. It looked as if he was having the time of his life.

His strength was overwhelming. Even from a distance, the trio could feel the raw surge of mana essence pouring from his body with every strike.

"Dain?" Vale called out, still stunned by the surreal sight of their classmate enjoying a fight against himself.

But Dain didn’t hear him. Eyes locked on his mirror image, he extended his arm. A glint of metal appeared at his fingertips—a coin. At the exact moment, the doppelganger mimicked the motion. Two coins spun into the air, their metallic clink echoing in the corridor.

Unbeknownst to the group, it was the fourth time Dain had flipped his coin. A wide grin spread across his face, like a gambler watching the reels of a slot machine—except this time, only one of the coins hit the jackpot.

The doppelganger froze.

Then, without warning, it shattered into thousands of icy shards, scattering like glass across the stone floor.

Dain let out a deep, satisfied chuckle. But his laughter came to a halt when he noticed the others standing at the edge of the corridor.

"You made it, my friends!" his voice boomed, that same wide grin still tugging at his lips.

The three stared back at him, dishevelled and bloodied, barely standing. In stark contrast, Dain looked untouched, brimming with energy, and ready for the next fight—all while the rest of them struggled to breathe through the pain.

After their brief reunion, Dain explained that he’d been locked in a relentless duel with his doppelganger ever since the group had vanished from his sight. The others, in turn, gave a short recount of their harrowing encounters. Rather than worry, the massive student’s eyes lit up with excitement.

"We should keep going!" he said eagerly, already walking ahead. "Maybe I’ll get to fight one of your doppelgangers next!"

Vale let out a long sigh and shook his head at Dain’s boundless enthusiasm.

"We need to find a way out," he said grimly. "If there’s no limit to how many doppelgangers we’ll face, we won’t survive much longer."

A heavy silence followed. Unlike Dain, the rest of them needed mana crystals to replenish their strength—and even he wasn’t invincible. If he lost a coin flip, that would mean his death. Relying on luck and brute force wasn’t a strategy. They needed an escape.

For the next hour, the group wandered the endless maze, their frustration growing stronger with each step. But amid the aimless trudging, they found a small relief. The calm gave them time to recover their mana essence, if only partially.

With a portion of his mana restored, Vale felt more confident facing whatever lay ahead—but the labyrinth didn’t relent. Turn after turn revealed only more jagged ice and thick, choking fog. No landmarks. No clues. Just the same cold void stretching on forever.

Vale considered using his relic—but it would consume all of his recovered essence. He decided against it. Feeling hopeless was dangerous anywhere, but in the Demon Realm, it could be fatal.

Then, after countless more turns, the path finally opened up.

They emerged into a vast, open chamber hidden in the heart of the maze. The group moved in cautiously, their nerves on edge. Instinct screamed at them to turn back, but there was nothing to turn back to. The only way was forward.

At the center of the space stood a massive, oval shard of ice—so pristine and reflective it resembled a mirror. Their distorted reflections shimmered across its smooth surface.

Each of them paused, briefly captivated by their own image. Ayla noted how much longer her hair had grown. Vale realised he’d gotten a bit taller. Klein smiled faintly—his reflection no longer that of a lanky student, but of someone who looked more like a warrior.

Dain gave his reflection barely a glance before circling the structure, unconcerned.

Then, a sharp, echoing crack split the air.

A jagged fracture slithered across the shard’s surface like a bolt of lightning. Before anyone could react, the mirror-like ice shattered, exploding outward in a flurry of shards.

And from within a towering figure emerged.

The group’s eyes widened.

It was roughly Dain’s size, with jet-black hair. In one hand, it gripped a sword identical to Vale’s Hellfire, and the other was clad in a gleaming silver gauntlet. Its violet eyes gleamed at them. Its features were human, but twisted and uncanny. It was as if a chimera of the four students had merged into something sinister.

Then came the wave of weakness.

Vale staggered slightly. The sensation was sickeningly familiar.

"A debuff!" he gasped, realisation crashing down on him.

But before anyone could react, the creature surged forward—its massive frame moving with terrifying speed, as if it had become weightless.