Chapter 17: Mirror Match

Alden's vision snapped back into focus just before he slammed into the floor. His Overclock surged violently, cushioning some of the impact, but his entire body ached from the blow.

Null stood above him, completely composed. Unrushed. Unbothered.

They had knocked him across the room twice and hadn't even broken a sweat.

Alden coughed, forcing himself to his feet. His Overclock was still active, but something about it felt… off.

Like it wasn't responding fast enough.

Null tilted their head slightly. "You recover quickly."

Alden wiped his lip. "Yeah. I'm really good at getting hit."

Felix groaned from the wall. "Dude, not a skill to be proud of."

Iris, still unsteady, forced herself to stand. "Alden—he's not just fast. He's canceling abilities."

Alden's stomach dropped. "What?"

"I tried teleporting—it glitched out." Iris's eyes flicked toward Null. "It wasn't the suppression field. It was him."

Alden's chest tightened.

Null didn't just copy powers.

They could shut them down.

Alden took a slow step forward, trying to keep his stance light, controlled. Think. Analyze. Adapt.

Null was calm, methodical. Their movements weren't wasted. They only struck when necessary.

And now they were waiting.

Testing him.

Alden took a breath. His Overclock buzzed against his skin, ready to react—

And then Null moved.

One second, they were standing still.

The next—they were directly in front of Alden.

Alden barely had time to twist his body, dodging the first strike by inches. Overclock screamed in his veins, pushing him into motion—

But Null was already adjusting.

A sharp knee drove into Alden's ribs.

Pain exploded through his body. Overclock kicked in too late.

He staggered back, but Null followed instantly, their elbow snapping toward his temple—

Alden's instincts screamed—duck.

He dropped low, the attack whiffing past his head. He threw a counterstrike—his fist lashed out, Overclock charging into his muscles—

Null caught his wrist.

Alden's entire arm locked up.

His Overclock flickered violently.

Null's fingers tightened, and for a split second—Alden felt his entire body reject itself.

His breath caught. This isn't normal.

Null's eyes didn't waver. "You still don't understand."

Alden tried to pull away, but Null twisted his wrist effortlessly, flipping him over their shoulder.

Alden hit the ground hard, the impact rattling his bones.

Iris teleported behind Null, daggers flashing—

Null didn't even turn around.

They flicked their wrist—and Iris's body glitched out of sync.

Iris gasped, her form flickering like a broken hologram.

Alden's eyes widened. "Iris—!"

She tried to move—but her body wasn't responding.

Null finally turned toward her, speaking with quiet detachment. "Your power is unstable. It's inefficient."

Iris gritted her teeth, struggling to move. "Get out of my head, creep."

Null didn't react. They simply let go.

Iris staggered back, panting heavily.

Null turned back to Alden. "Your friends are weaker than you."

Felix snorted. "Okay, rude."

Null continued. "But even you are incomplete."

Alden forced himself back up. His ribs throbbed from the impact, but he ignored it.

"Yeah?" He exhaled sharply. "You don't seem that much better."

Null blinked. "Is that what you think?"

Alden's Overclock burned hotter.

Null was fast. Precise. But they weren't unbeatable.

If Overclock was about optimization, then he had to think differently.

Stop reacting. Start controlling.

Alden shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity.

Null watched. Studied.

Then Alden moved first.

This time, he didn't just run at Null.

He vanished.

Null's eyes widened.

Alden reappeared behind them, striking for the ribs—

Null countered instantly.

Their palm snapped toward his head—

Alden was already moving.

He twisted out of range, Overclock perfectly synced. His foot slammed into Null's side—and for the first time, they staggered.

Alden's pulse spiked.

It worked.

But before he could capitalize—Null moved differently.

They shifted their entire body mid-motion, rolling with the impact instead of resisting it.

Alden's eyes narrowed.

Null wasn't just adapting to Overclock.

They were mirroring his exact process.

Alden's Overclock was rewriting him in real-time.

Null was doing the same thing.

Specter's voice came through the intercom. "Now you see."

Alden gritted his teeth.

"This isn't just a fight," Specter continued. "It's a reflection."

Null blinked out of existence—

Then reappeared right in front of Alden.

Alden barely got his arms up in time.

Null's palm struck his chest—

And for the first time—Overclock didn't respond.

Alden's vision blurred. His entire body locked up, frozen mid-motion.

His muscles burned. His breath hitched.

Null had shut him down completely.

Alden's mind screamed. Move. Fight. React.

But nothing happened.

Null tilted their head. "You can't win against yourself."

Alden's legs buckled.

His Overclock flickered—

Then—it failed completely.

Everything went dark.