Mirror of Blood, Chains of Sin
Lucien stood frozen, the torchlight flickering off his sweat-slicked skin, his breath ragged. The man bound to the obsidian throne—the so-called clone—had his face. His body. His grin.
But the thing that stared back at him?
It wasn't human anymore.
The clone's voice dripped with mockery. "I remember the warmth of Lilith's thighs… and the taste of your first kill. Do you?"
Lucien's fists clenched.
> [Blood Clone Analysis Complete]
Codename: Subject #02 – Rejected Vessel of the Scarlet Mark]
Stability: Degraded | Threat Level: Catastrophic]
Lilith moved beside Lucien, drawing her curved blade. "What the hell is that thing?"
He growled low. "A failed version of me. One the system made first… then locked away."
The clone tilted his head. His silver chains groaned with tension. "You took my place. My powers. My pleasure."
He grinned, fangs gleaming. "Time to give it back."
The tomb rumbled.
Chains snapped like silk.
And the Blood Clone leapt, straight for Lucien.
---
Their bodies collided with a violent shockwave that knocked Lilith off her feet.
Lucien roared, slamming his fist into the clone's ribs. But the bastard didn't even flinch. Instead, he raked crimson claws across Lucien's chest, drawing blood.
> [Warning: Hostile Shares 90% of Your Abilities]
[Initiating Shadow Duel – Winner Absorbs Power of the Other]
The clone smirked, licking Lucien's blood off his hand. "Still tastes like desperation."
They clashed again.
Lucien tackled him into a stone pillar, shattering it.
"You're just a fragment!" Lucien spat.
"Maybe," the clone grinned, "but I remember everything. Especially her."
His gaze slid to Lilith.
Lilith's face darkened. "Try me, freak."
She vanished and reappeared behind the clone, blade slicing upward. The clone twisted, catching her wrist mid-air and slamming her to the floor.
Lucien's rage exploded.
> [Skill Unlocked – Crimson Surge: Temporarily boost speed, strength, and lust affinity. Warning: Use may trigger bloodlust state.]
He activated it without hesitation.
His vision tinged red.
In an instant, he blurred forward and grabbed the clone by the throat, slamming him through three tomb walls.
---
Meanwhile, Above Ground…
Inquisitor Seraphiel stood at the entrance of the tomb.
Long silver hair cascaded over her white-and-gold armor, her spear humming with divine heat. Her followers—holy executioners in cloaks of ash—surrounded her, hands on hilts.
A scout returned. "We found blood. It's still fresh."
Seraphiel's crimson-painted lips curved into a cruel smile. "Then he's close. Prepare the purification flame."
"But my lady—" one soldier began.
She turned to him.
He burst into holy fire without a word.
Her voice was cold. "I said prepare."
---
Back Below…
Lucien straddled the clone, pummeling his face in a blur of crimson fists. Each blow cracked bone, but the bastard kept laughing, even as blood poured from his mouth.
"You're strong… but not ready," he rasped.
Lucien roared and drove his knee into the clone's sternum—
But the clone vanished into a pool of blood.
Lucien staggered.
> [Enemy Used: Blood Slip – High-Speed Transference via Liquid Medium]
A hand shot from the wall behind him—grabbing his neck.
The clone whispered, "Let me show you what I became when the system broke me."
And then… he kissed Lucien.
Blood-to-blood.
Lucien froze, mind assaulted by visions.
A dungeon of screaming women.
Flames licking flesh in pleasure and pain.
A throne made of bones.
And Lilith—tied, moaning, begging—for death or more.
Lucien wrenched away, gasping.
> [Trait Absorbed: Blood Mirror – Temporary Shared Memories With Hostile Entity]
He staggered backward.
"You sick—"
The clone licked his lips. "We're the same. You'll get there soon."
Lilith appeared behind him. "Not if I carve his heart out now."
But just as she lunged—
The ceiling exploded.
---
Seraphiel descended like a goddess of judgment, her spear glowing with pure flame.
"Found you," she said softly.
Lucien's eyes widened. His system screamed in red text.
> [Boss Encounter – Inquisitor Seraphiel: The Virgin Flame]
Class: Arch-Huntress of the Holy Executioners]
Weakness: Unknown | Immunity: All Lust Skills | Status: Untouched Virgin – Divine Shield Active]
The air froze.
The clone grinned. "Oh. She's here for both of us."
Seraphiel pointed her spear between Lucien and the clone. "Two corrupted seeds. I'll cleanse both."
The clone snarled, "Not before I take what's mine!"
He lunged—only for Seraphiel to move faster.
One second, he was mid-air.
The next—he was skewered through the gut.
A blast of holy light exploded outward. The clone screamed, body dissolving into smoke.
But Seraphiel wasn't done.
She turned to Lucien.
He readied himself.
Lilith appeared at his side, blade drawn. "We can't win this."
"I know," Lucien growled. "We run."
But Seraphiel was already above them again.
"You're not going anywhere."
She threw her spear.
Lilith grabbed Lucien—and kissed him hard.
Their bodies vanished in a blur of shadow just as the spear pierced the floor, exploding the chamber in divine flame.
---
They reappeared deep beneath the city, gasping, burned, and bleeding.
Lilith's shirt was torn, her chest heaving as she pulled away from the kiss.
Lucien looked dazed. "You kissed me…"
"Shut up. I needed a shadow anchor."
"You still kissed me."
She blushed—barely. "You taste like danger and blood. It was… distracting."
Lucien grinned despite the pain.
But then he looked at his hand.
It was smoking.
> [Warning: Holy Contamination Detected – Purity Burn]
His veins glowed with golden cracks.
"She marked me," he hissed.
---
Meanwhile… in a cathedral far away...
Seraphiel stood alone in front of a bloodstained altar.
She dropped to her knees and whispered, "He was stronger than expected."
A voice echoed from the darkness.
"You let him escape. Again."
She gritted her teeth. "Next time, I won't spare his soul."
The voice chuckled. "Make sure you don't lose your purity before then. Or your power will vanish."
Seraphiel's eyes flared. "He won't touch me."
"Good," the voice said. "Because if he does… he becomes the next god."