Chapter 84: The Case of the Missing Clone

Morning arrived, and with it came an annoying realization.

I lost contact with my clone.

Yep. Lost contact. I mean, she's still out there—I can feel her being somewhere. But where exactly? Not a clue. It's like trying to find one sock after doing laundry. You know it exists somewhere in the house, but where? No Idea.

(　＾∇＾)

So, what am I doing now, you ask?

...Well, it turns out I haven't learned my lesson. I'm now looking for my clone. Alone.

Yeah, I know. I'm an idiot.

Especially after what happened yesterday. Me and the other ogres got chewed off because we were too reckless. We did fight in the square amd may or may not have accidentally destroyed the place so I can see why they were angry.

And before you say anything, yes, I left Titan and Leah again. But this time, I left behind another clone! Pretty smart, huh? That's progress.

Still, I have this nagging feeling I'm forgetting something... probably nothing important. Right?

---

Currently, I'm flying over the forest, scanning the landscape for any clues about where my clone might've gone.

"System, are you sure this is where she was last seen?"

[System Response:

Yes. Judging from the mana residue, your clone was indeed here. However, she disappeared shortly afterward.]

"Can't you just... call her back? She's made of my mana, after all."

[System Response:

If it were that simple, Host, I wouldn't have raised an alarm. Her disappearance is strange. Even I can't locate her right now.]

Ugh. Fine, smarty-pants system.

With a huff, I resumed my search. The area wasn't as dense with trees as the northern part of the forest, but the western side had its own challenges—twisting vines, giant boulders, and narrow paths that all seemed to lead to dead ends. It felt less like a forest and more like some kind of ancient ruin.

Then I saw it.

About five kilometers away, there was a cliff. It didn't just look out of place not because for some reason there's a cliff out of nowhere in the middle of the forest.

Literally! It just stood there, nothing was on the left or the right or anything. It was just alone and high also—it felt wrong.

The air around it was heavy, and there was a distinct fluctuation of mana that made my skin crawl. It was like seeing a jar full of squirming maggots. Gross.

Trusting my gut (which has never steered me wrong, except for that one time with expired milk back on earth), I decided to investigate the cliff.

---

When I arrived, the cliff looked even weirder up close. The stone surface was covered in glowing runes, intricate and far more advanced than anything I'd seen before. It reminded me of the runes Jia had carved into the walls back at camp—but these were on a whole other level.

"System, what am I looking at?"

[System Inspection:

Loading...Loading...Loading... Complete.

Name: Enrai's Laboratory

Type: Dungeon

Rank: C

Warning: Do not touch anything inside!!]

A dungeon? Oh, great. That's exactly what I needed today.

"Alright," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Time to bring out the clones."

What? You can't expect me not to bring back up?

---

Ten minutes later, I had an army of ten clones standing around me, each one looking just as unimpressed with me as I was with them.

"So," Clone #1 said, crossing her arms. "What's the plan?"

"We go in, find the missing clone, and get out," I explained.

"Sounds easy," Clone #2 muttered sarcastically.

Clone #3 raised a hand. "What if we get ambushed?"

"Then you fight," I replied.

"And if we die?" Clone #4 asked.

"Then I'll make more of you!"

The clones collectively groaned, muttering things like "slave driver" and "no respect for her own clones."

"Hey!" I snapped. "You're all me, so technically, this is just self-care."

Clone #5 snorted. "Self-care, my ass."

Rolling my eyes, I marched toward the entrance, my reluctant army following behind me.

They're all me, so they'll be fine~

---

The dungeon was... unsettling to say in the least.

The walls were lined with glowing runes, casting an eerie blue light over everything. The air was thick with mana just like the dungeon we went into before and every step echoed unnaturally, as if the place were alive.

"Okay, this is creepy," Clone #6 whispered.

"No kidding," Clone #7 muttered, sticking close to the group.

We moved cautiously, my clones fanning out to check for traps or signs of the missing clone. So far, nothing seemed out of place—aside from the entire dungeon, of course.

Then we reached a large chamber at the center of the dungeon.

In the middle of the room was a glowing crystal, pulsating with dark energy. Surrounding it were strange mechanical constructs, all dormant but exuding an ominous presence.

"This doesn't look ominous at all," Clone #8 said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

As if on cue, the crystal flared to life, and the constructs began to stir. Their eyes lit up with a sinister red glow, and the air was suddenly filled with the sound of turning gears and grinding metal.

"Oh, great," Clone #9 muttered. "Here we go again."

"Alright, Me's," I said, stepping forward. "Let's do this. Remember, we're here to find our missing sister!"

"And not die," Clone #10 added dryly.

"Same difference," I shot back.

The first construct lunged, its massive claws slicing through the air with the force of a guillotine. Clone #3 barely managed to dodge, tumbling to the side before retaliating with Spore Burst, an explosion of golden spores that engulfed the construct. Its movements faltered as the spores began to eat away at its joints.

"Everybody, prepare for battle!" I shouted, summoning a sword made of ice using Ice Magic. I'm not gonna use my katana on this things, besides Ice magic might level up if I keep using it.

My clones moved in unison. Clone #1 activated Frostbound Aura, a chilling mist enveloping her that slowed nearby constructs, giving Clone #4 time to strike.

Clone #4 pounced, biting down hard on a construct's arm with Bite, and tore away a chunk of its metallic frame.

The fuck? Bite still work on these things? Won't they break my teeths?!

Another construct lunged at me, its claws glowing with ominous energy. I sidestepped, firing Glacier Spikes from beneath its feet.

The ground erupted with sharp, icy stalagmites, impaling the construct and freezing its movements.

"Me! The crystal is their power source!" Clone#7's voice rang inside the room. "Destroy it!"

"Got it!" I snapped, narrowly avoiding a construct that charged me from the side. Its claws grazed my shoulder, but Regeneration kicked in, sealing the wound almost instantly.

More constructs poured from hidden alcoves, their red eyes glowing with murderous intent.

Clone #5 unleashed Spore Cloud, a thick fog of spores that spread across the battlefield, blinding the constructs and slowing their attacks.

Clone #6 used the opportunity to summon a barrage of illusions with Illusion, creating dozens of fake clones to confuse the enemy.

"Cover me!" I shouted, spotting the crystal at the center of the room.

"Got it!" Clone #2 yelled, hurling a bolt of Shadow Magic that struck a construct in the chest, momentarily disorienting it.

Clone #7 followed up with Frostburn, her mana-infused blade glowing blue as it slashed through the construct's weakened armor, leaving behind frost-coated scorch marks.

No wonder successful people said everything would have been over if they had another version of themselves~

While my clones held the constructs at bay, I charged forward, activating Foresight to predict and evade the incoming attacks. The crystal pulsed ominously, emitting a high-pitched noise that made my skin crawl.

"Not today," I muttered. Summoning every ounce of mana I had left, I channeled Ice Magic and Spore Manipulation into a single, devastating attack. Tendrils of ice and spores coiled together in my hands, forming a crackling orb of energy.

"Rasenggun" Just kidding. This makes me feel like that oranged haired ninja from that one anime right now, hahaha (〃＾▽＾〃)

Anyway, the constructs seemed to sense what I was about to do. They broke away from my clones, rushing toward me in a last-ditch effort to protect the crystal.

"Take them down!" Clone #8 screamed, leaping onto a construct and sinking her sword into it's neck.

Clone #9 fired off a flurry of Spore Burst explosions, scattering the constructs like bowling pins.

With the path clear, I released the orb of mana directly at the crystal.

The impact was blinding. Ice, spores, and raw energy exploded outward, shattering the crystal in a deafening crack. The constructs froze mid-movement, their red eyes dimming before they collapsed into lifeless heaps.

I landed in the center of the room, panting as the glow of the shattered crystal faded.

"Well," I said, surveying the wreckage. "That wasn't so bad."

Clone #2 gave me a flat look. "Speak for yourself. I'm down an arm."

As we regrouped, a faint noise echoed from deeper within the dungeon. It wasn't the hum of mana or the creaking of machinery—it was laughter.

I frowned, gripping my icy sword. "Guess we're not done yet."

Little Theater:

Clone #6: "So, uh… who wants to go first?"

Clone #8: *steps back* "Not it."

Aria: *sighs* "You're all useless. Fine, I'll lead. But if this turns out to be some weird haunted dungeon, I'm quitting being the protagonist of this story. *points at the author*"

Author: "No promises!"