Chapter 15: Me vs Me ( II ): No Mercy

{Feigning Weakness: Dance begins}

For two agonizing minutes, Jin-Seok played the part of the overwhelmed victim. He allowed the clone to drive him back, to land glancing blows, to believe it held every advantage. The performance required perfect precision—too much resistance would reveal his deception, too little would end the fight prematurely.

The clone grew increasingly confident, its attacks becoming showier, more brutal.

"Look at you! Stumbling around like a child with his first sword. Is this the prodigy everyone's whispering about? You're an embarrassment!"

Jin-Seok's retreat brought him near the weapon racks. In one fluid motion, he grabbed a secondary blade and spun, his entire demeanor shifting like a switch had been flipped.

The sudden reversal caught the clone completely off guard. Jin-Seok's dual-wielding assault was poetry in motion—each blade complementing the other in devastating harmony. The clone found itself giving ground for the first time, its earlier arrogance evaporating.

"Is that all you've got?" Jin-Seok's voice carried a dangerous edge. "I expected more... from me."

---

Escalation

{The True Fight Begins}

The clone's expression darkened, its features twisting into something genuinely unsettling.

"You fool. I'm the perfected version of you—no feelings to cloud my judgment, no weakness to exploit. Just raw power and absolute ruthlessness!"

What followed was a display of martial artistry that would have left observers speechless. Both fighters moved with inhuman grace, their weapons singing deadly songs as they clashed again and again. The clone fought with mechanical precision, every movement calculated for maximum efficiency. But Jin-Seok fought with something more—an intuitive understanding of combat that transcended mere technique.

Even so, the clone's relentless aggression began to tell. Its stamina seemed unlimited, its focus absolute. Jin-Seok found himself giving ground again, this time genuinely struggling against his perfect mirror.

A particularly vicious exchange sent both fighters skidding across the obsidian floor, creating momentary distance between them.

---

Uninvited Commentary

{Enter Aris}

Jin-Seok straightened slowly, his breathing controlled despite the exertion.

"It's time to get serious."

The clone's laugh was genuinely maniacal.

"Who are you even talking to? Have you finally snapped completely?"

Aris materialized beside Jin-Seok with his characteristic timing.

"Finish this quickly. I can't even look at him anymore."

"You do realize he's also me, right?" Jin-Seok replied conversationally.

"Yeah, but he's worse. His face when he fights... it's disgusting." Aris wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Also, you're too nice sometimes—it's frankly irritating."

The clone's patience finally snapped.

"Stop ignoring me, damn it! I'm your opponent!"

Jin-Seok studied his duplicate's expression—the wild eyes, the twisted grin, the way its features contorted with each violent thought. Then he deliberately mimicked the look, exaggerating it until it became a caricature.

"Oh? Like this?" Jin-Seok's voice dripped with mocking humor.

The clone's fury was incandescent.

"How dare you—"

---

The Grandfather Gambit

{Aris Unleashed}

The two fighters circled each other like predators, their previous clash having taught both valuable lessons. Jin-Seok broke the tension with a seemingly casual question.

"However much you know about me and what I've done until now... do you know him?"

The clone's grip tightened on its weapon.

"Him who? Your grandfather?"

Jin-Seok's smile was barely visible behind his mask.

"No. Your grandfather."

"What are you—"

The transformation was instantaneous. Jin-Seok's entire presence shifted as Aris's power flowed through him, their synchronization so perfect it seemed like they'd become a single entity. His movements gained an otherworldly fluidity, his strikes carrying the weight of ancient technique refined over millennia.

The clone's confidence shattered like glass. This wasn't the opponent it had prepared for—this was something beyond its understanding, beyond its ability to replicate.

"That's not your power!" The clone's voice cracked with desperation. "I know your limits! Your strength! Your skills! This—this isn't you!"

Jin-Seok appeared behind the clone in a flash step that defied perception.

"Aw, figured it out? You got cocky because I went easy on you."

The hidden dagger slid between the clone's ribs with surgical precision, finding the heart with unerring accuracy. The duplicate's eyes widened in shock, its mouth opening to speak words that would never come.

It was only as the head slid from the shoulders that the clone seemed to realize what had happened.

---

Aftermath and Reflection

{A Conversation in the Quiet}

Jin-Seok stared down at his other self, an odd mixture of satisfaction and unease churning in his stomach.

"Weird. Killing myself like that... and why did I say it like that? 'Your grandfather?' It feels strange."

Aris reappeared with a sardonic grin.

"If I'm his grandfather, I'm yours too, mockingly speaking."

"I know you're ancient and should be in a museum," Jin-Seok retorted. "You don't have to remind me every time we have this conversation."

"Museum? I prefer 'priceless artifact,' thank you very much."

---

System Revelation

{The Reward of Victory}

Their banter was interrupted by the system notification materializing in golden script:

---

✅ Clone Arena Trial Cleared – Nightmare Mode

> [System Notification]

You have achieved an unprecedented feat.

Newbie Zone Trial – Clone Arena Cleared (Nightmare Difficulty)

▸ Clear Time: 7 minutes 11 seconds

▸ Trial Type: 1v1 – Clone Match (Nightmare)

You have shattered the existing record.

Previous Record: 34 minutes 27 seconds

Record Holder (Hidden): ???

▸ Reward: Title – One Who Faces Himself

▸ Effect: +10% Strength, +5% resistance to mental debuffs

Do you wish to leave your name in the Tower Records?

[Yes] / [No]

---

Jin-Seok frowned at the notification.

"Why isn't it showing the system rewards properly?"

A second prompt pulsed into view, this time haloed in deep violet light:

> [Legacy System Prompt]

Reveal your name and make history — Gain a random skill

Hide your name — Gain +1000 Legacy Points

"Oh, this time it's a random skill," Jin-Seok mused. "Looks like we need to pass on the points, Aris."

Aris's interest was clearly piqued.

"Well, I'm not in a rush since it's a skill reward. I can wait, and I'm genuinely curious about what ability you'll receive."

Jin-Seok selected [Reveal] without hesitation.

---

Legacy Broadcast

{His Name Echoes Through the Tower}

[Tower Broadcast – All Climbers, All Floors]

> A new record has been set in the Newbie Zone Trial (Clone Arena – Nightmare Mode).

Challenger: Ryu Jin-Seok

Clear Time: 7 minutes 11 seconds

Previous Record: 34 minutes 27 seconds

> [Legacy System Prompt]

✅ You have chosen to reveal your name.

▸ Reward: 1x Random Skill (Clone Type)

The system interface began to spin, cycling through possibilities with mesmerizing light patterns. After several seconds, it settled on a result that made both Jin-Seok and Aris lean forward with interest.

---

New Power Unlocked

> [Skill Acquired: Shadow Reflection]

Rank: C

Type: Clone

Effect: Create a temporary shadow clone that mimics the user's basic attack.

▸ Clone possesses 50% of user's physical capabilities and disappears after taking significant damage.

Cooldown: 10 minutes

Note: Clone becomes more sophisticated and durable as user's mastery increases.

---

"Now that's interesting," Aris observed, his ancient eyes gleaming with approval.

"A genuine combat clone. Crude compared to what you just faced, but with considerable potential for growth."

Jin-Seok flexed his fingers, feeling the new ability settling into his repertoire like a puzzle piece finding its place.

"Forty percent of my capabilities... that's not insignificant. Combined with proper timing..."

"You could create openings that would be impossible otherwise," Aris finished. "Or use it as a decoy while you position for the killing blow. Very versatile."

"The cooldown is manageable too. Ten minutes between uses means I could potentially use it twice in a longer battle."

Aris nodded approvingly.

"The system's generosity continues to surprise me. First the titles, now a skill that could prove genuinely useful in the trials ahead."

Jin-Seok looked back at the fading remains of his clone, already dissipating into motes of dark energy. The trial had been more revealing than he'd expected—not just of his capabilities, but of the darkness that lurked beneath his controlled exterior.

---

Final Reflection

{More Than a Mirror}

"The real question," he murmured, "is whether I'm more like the original... or the copy."

As if reading his thoughts, Aris placed a spectral hand on his shoulder.

"The copy had all your potential but none of your restraint. Remember that distinction—it may prove important in the trials to come."

The arena began to dissolve around them, reality reasserting itself as the trial concluded. Whatever challenges awaited in the next phase, Jin-Seok now carried with him not just new power, but a deeper understanding of the duality that existed within his own soul.

The Tower, it seemed, was determined to test every aspect of those who dared to climb its heights—including the aspects they preferred to keep hidden.

--------------

And so, Jin-Seok clears yet another harrowing trial—

Not by brute strength alone...

But by mastering the art of deception,

Facing his darker self,

And unlocking a sliver more of the vast Legacy hidden within him.

In the Clone Arena, it wasn't just a mirror he shattered—

It was the illusion of perfection,

The myth of control.

—

With the skill "Shadow Reflection" now added to his arsenal,

And the title "One Who Faces Himself" etched into his record,

Jin-Seok takes one more step forward—

Not just up the Tower...

But deeper into the mystery of who he truly is.

—

But questions remain.

What is the true difference between the real and the reflection?

When pushed far enough...

Will even Jin-Seok know where the line ends?

As the arena fades,

And the Legacy System hums with quiet, radiant power...

One thing becomes clear:

> This was only a glimpse of what lies ahead.

The Tower watches.

The Legacy deepens.

And the true dance… has only just begun.

---

Next time, on Legacy of the Lost:

The Fifth Trial Looms...

And it may not be a battle of blades—

But of time, trust, and truth.

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{An Original Series by Celestial Raven}