Thump!
Seven's heart thumped so loudly as though just the sound alone could break through his ribcage containing it.
Another system interface appeared before him.
This time, it was not a translation of what the figure said but the activation of the system.
|| Protagonist System Activated ||
He frowned.
After all, the system rarely shows up and 'it' showing up now means that this is not an easy predicament nor it was no longer something the natural order could overlook.
|| Anomaly Quest: Death is NOT the End ||
|| Preparation Time: 7 Days ||
|| Objective: Defeat the other YOU ||
|| Reward: ??? ||
|| Failure: Character Erasure ||
"...What's with the reward?"
It was just a bunch of question marks as usual, but right now it was not something to dwell on.
Now, in the middle of the void, there are two identical figures standing apart and the only light was coming from the golden glow of their left eyes.
Seven Hart.
And Seven Hart.
Hff…
He took a deep breath and assumed a stance. Though, he did not have a sword in hand.
'Sword.'
He thought.
A sword appeared right in his grasp.
But he was not surprised.
After all, almost every single thing one could think of is possible within the realms of the Gods, and getting surprised by a mere weapon summoning is what a country-bumpkin character would do.
Thirst.
Hunger.
Fatigue.
Those mortal things are not applicable inside the realm.
Thus, it was…
"...Training ground."
A perfect training ground for his frail body to train and be familiar with the sword.
Seven days.
That was all the time he had.
Step.
As usual, he pivoted on his back heel and allowed his weight to shift evenly across both legs.
His left foot slid half a pace backward while his right foot edged forward and turned slightly inward, opening his stance just enough for balance without sacrificing readiness.
He raised the sword and angled it across his body with the blade tilted diagonally downward directed not at his opponent's chest, but at the space between them.
He placed his left hand on the pommel with reversed grip while the right hand gripped the hilt firmly near the guard.
The doppelganger did the same.
Exactly the same.
"It's… copying me?"
It was obvious that the doppelganger copied his every move from head to toe.
And so, it was no use looking into the doppelganger's eyes given that it had no action of its own.
Instead, he locked his gaze onto the limbs so he could see the exact direction of the movement without fully depending on the second-future vision of the artifact.
Step.
He stepped forward.
It was a single stride that barely disturbed the rippling water beneath his feet. But the instant his foot landed, the other Seven moved too, matching his exact pace and the exact angle.
Slash!
He swung his sword in a horizontal arc.
And so did the other Seven.
It mirrored the strike, edge for edge, motion for motion, as if they already rehearsed the move together countless times.
Clang—!!
The swords met.
The sound rang through the void like a bell and soft ripples spiraled across the water surface beneath them.
Seven pushed forward, twisting his wrist, attempting to slide the blade down and go for a clean opening.
But then again, the other Seven did the same twist, the same slide, and the same angle.
Screech—!!
Their blades screeched as they locked at the midpoint and grinded against each other with equal force.
"The fud—"
Slash!
He feinted to the right, pivoted his heel, and slashed out from the left instead in a low sweep that meant to catch the knees.
But the other Seven had already done the same.
Their movements synced like marionettes controlled by the same person.
Clang!
Clang! Cla—!!
Whatever Seven attempted— a shoulder feint, a rising slash, a backward step into a lunging thrust— the doppelganger, the other Seven, responded with the exact same rhythm, the same tempo, and the same intent.
'This… isn't a fight.'
Seven thought as he took a step back.
Instead of a fight, it felt more that of a choreographed dance that required a pair.
Haah…
He panted.
Though fatigue was not applicable inside the realm, it does not mean he would not be disoriented from exchanges of movement that did not seem to end.
On the other hand, the doppelganger stood in the same manner and was also panting.
"...?"
Seven lowered his blade an inch.
The other did the same.
He tilted his head.
So did the other.
He narrowed his eyes.
And so did the…
'How do I beat myself?'
He thought.
'...If every move I make is given away before I even finish thinking it?'
Hff…
He took a long and slow breath.
Slowly, he relaxed his posture entirely, dropped his arms to his sides, and let the sword's tip kiss the surface of the shallow water.
And just as expected… the other did the same.
Seven took a step forward.
Step.
Step. Step.
He did not think of a planned move nor a planned swing.
Slash! Slash!
Clang! Cla—
Slash!
But a messy, improvised flick of the wrist and a shifting step that broke every rule of form he knew. His elbow angled awkwardly. His foot landed too early. His blade's arc was crooked.
|| Talent: Highly Unpredictable ||
As the swords met countless times, he noticed slight glitch on the doppelganger's outline as if trying hard to copy his every movement.
Slash!
Slash! Sla—
Seven smiled.
In this moment, it finally seemed that his talent was not completely useless and he thought that it was undoubtedly the best talent to ever exist in this world.
Clang! Cla—
He did not stop.
He slashed all he wanted, no matter his stance or direction and he just slashed everywhere, and the doppelganger did the same but always a second late.
Slash!
He grazed the shoulder, though there was no wound as it simply faded like he did not graze it at all.
Thrust!
He stabbed the abdomen, though it also vanished right after.
Spin!
Thrust!
It was an unorthodox combo of attacks as he swerved at impossible angles, as if physics was just a suggestion in this realm.
Now, his sword was just an inch away from the doppelganger's heart.
All of a sudden, it dodged.
It ducked and let the blade pass clean overhead.
Then it twisted sharply and did the exact opposite of what Seven had expected it would do and drove its elbow backward into Seven's chest.
Seven stumbled back.
"What?"
He gasped.
But the doppelganger offered no response and only straightened its stance.
Its golden eye shimmered and this time, yet the glow was no longer just a passive gleam. It flared. Bright. Even brighter than his.
Seven frowned, and he found the answer.
It was not just imitating him.
It watched.
It analyzed.
It learned.
It had seen him diverge from form, use improvisation, and now it had added that variable into itself.
He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
"So you were just pretending, huh?"
The other Seven tilted its head like it was deciding what parts of Seven to keep… and which to discard.
But then, without breaking eye contact, it slowly ran a hand through its hair. The motion was smooth and looked exactly the way Seven did just a seconds ago.
"...You've got to be kidding me."