“Mirror of the Seed”

Dust and silence filled the ancient chamber as Kyota stared at the figure before him. The man wore no armor, no weapon—only a dark version of Kyota's own robes. His cursed marks pulsed white instead of black, and his eyes glowed an eerie violet. His voice still echoed, cold and steady:

"I am what you could have become... if the world had abandoned you."

Kyota clenched his fists. "You look like me."

"I am you," the reflection said. "Born from the same seed, shaped by a different soil. While you bathed in sunlight, I grew in rot. In shadow."

Yuki stepped closer, her mana flaring blue. "Kyota… who is he?"

The wizard's eyes widened. "I've heard of this… in the ancient records. Soul Splinters. Cursed duplicates born through extreme elemental imbalance… but it's impossible without powerful dark magic."

The reflection chuckled. "'Impossible' is what the Black Root thrives in."

Kyota's heart tightened. "Are you with them?"

"I am them," the reflection said. "I am their creation. The Black Root is not a person. It's not an army. It's a sickness. A will. A curse buried beneath your world."

He raised a hand. From the stone floor, black tendrils sprouted—spidery roots slithering up the walls and ceiling like a living corruption.

"They feed on mana. On sorrow. On pain. They've been waiting… growing in silence for centuries. But now, they're ready. And I—we—will tear the balance apart."

Kyota lowered his stance. The cursed marks on his skin shimmered faintly. "Then let's start with you."

The wind screamed to life around him as his aura ignited—cold blue flames spiraling into a vortex. The ring of elemental energy formed behind him once again, the five points of Zenshiki Enjin glowing brighter than ever.

The reflection cracked his neck, stepping forward. "So be it."

They clashed.

First came the air—Kyota dashed in, fast as thunder. His fist, wrapped in blue flame, crashed into the reflection's forearm with a shattering boom. The impact sent both of them sliding backward, their feet dragging grooves into the stone.

The reflection grinned. "You fight like you believe in something."

Kyota didn't answer. He launched forward again—this time mixing fire and wind. A fiery cyclone formed around his leg as he kicked upward. The reflection blocked it with a wall of earth summoned instantly. The fire melted through the rock, but Kyota's strike was absorbed—barely.

The reflection retaliated. His cursed marks surged with violet energy. A lance of black lightning tore through the chamber, splitting the ceiling. Kyota countered with a blast of water and wind, and the elemental clashed, throwing Yuki and the wizard to the walls. Stones cracked, and the air grew heavy.

Yuki shielded herself and the wizard. "We have to help!"

"No," the wizard said, gripping her shoulder. "This is Kyota's battle. That thing… it's connected to his soul. If we interfere, we might break the balance."

The reflection spun, sending a whip of thorned roots at Kyota. Kyota ducked and threw a bolt of lightning that curved mid-air—striking the reflection in the chest. The clone staggered, coughing blood—but laughed.

"This pain… I welcome it. Pain means I exist."

He threw his hand upward. From the cracked earth below, giant root-like chains erupted and wrapped around Kyota's legs and arms.

Kyota struggled—then stilled.

Blue flames erupted from his skin, burning the roots into ash. He raised his hand and spoke, calm and cold: "You want pain?"

From the five elemental points of Zenshiki Enjin, a sphere of compressed aura began forming. It glowed with dangerous intensity.

"I'll show you balance."

The reflection's smile dropped. "What—"

Kyota slammed his hands together. "Kenseijō: All Nature Burial!"

The energy sphere exploded into a storm—fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning surging in perfect harmony. It wasn't destruction—it was purity. The roots died. The corrupted stone melted clean. The reflection screamed as the storm engulfed him, his body flung against the far wall.

Silence fell.

Smoke and heat lingered. Kyota dropped to one knee, panting. His vision blurred.

But it wasn't over.

The reflection emerged from the smoke, body scorched, one arm hanging useless—but still alive.

"Not… bad," he muttered. His voice was weaker. "But I'm not just magic. I'm anchored to you."

Kyota's breath caught. "What…?"

The wizard's voice echoed, full of fear: "He wasn't lying. Kyota—he is part of your soul. Some dark version, maybe a curse from birth, maybe a clone born from a powerful spell… but if you kill him the wrong way…"

"…You die too," the reflection finished.

Kyota froze. "So this is your plan? Tie your life to mine and try to outlast me?"

"No," the reflection said, limping forward. "I want you to understand. To feel what I feel. To accept that you're not just light and honor and strength. You have darkness too."

Kyota's jaw tightened. "I've seen darkness. But I don't let it define me."

"That's your weakness," the reflection spat. "You deny it. I embrace it. I am the fear you bury, the doubt you hide. The monster you'll one day become… unless you accept me."

Kyota stood. "I won't accept a twisted version of myself."

He raised his fists again. But this time… his aura was calmer. The flames were gone. The ring behind him changed shape—it slowed, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Yuki gasped. "Kyota… he's entering true balance."

Kyota stepped forward.

And he didn't attack.

He walked to his reflection, eyes locked.

The reflection raised his good arm to strike—but Kyota caught it. He pulled the reflection into a tight grip.

"I'm not running from my shadow," Kyota said. "I'm embracing it. You're part of me, and I'll carry you. But you don't control me."

The reflection trembled. "What… what are you doing?"

Kyota's cursed marks glowed alongside the reflection's. Blue met violet. Fire met void. A spiral of energy surrounded them—two halves pulling together.

The reflection screamed. "No! If you do this—! You'll lose your power!"

"Then I'll find it again," Kyota said. "But I won't lose myself."

With a final burst of mana, Kyota pulled the reflection into himself. The energy surged like a storm, throwing Yuki and the wizard to the ground.

Then—

Silence.

Kyota collapsed.

His body was cold. Still. The cursed marks faded. The gray in his hair vanished.

Yuki screamed, running to him. "Kyota! No—!"

The wizard knelt beside him, checking his pulse. His face changed.

"He's alive," the wizard whispered. "But… something's changed."

Kyota's eyes opened slowly. They were still blue—but deeper now. Wiser.

"I saw him," he whispered. "Inside. He wasn't a monster. He was a scared child."

Yuki held his hand. "You saved him… and yourself."

The chamber around them began to crumble. The curse was broken.

The wizard stood, face grim. "We must leave. But this battle… it's only the beginning. The Black Root now knows your strength. They won't stop."

Kyota stood, slowly. "Then we'll be ready."

As they stepped out of the ruins, the sky above the forest darkened.

In a faraway place, a figure watched through a pool of black water. Hooded. Unseen.

"So the seed has awakened. Good. Let's see what grows."