"Cease your idle chatter," Kenley commanded, brandishing his Imperial Officer's Saber and assuming a poised and formidable sword stance.
"Oh, why resort to violence right from the onset? You possess a system, and so do I. What is yours is mine, and what is mine is yours. There is not a single secret of yours that can elude my knowledge. Human hailing from Earth, do not delude yourself into thinking you have any privacy in my presence. I am, without a doubt, the one who knows you best in this world," the shadow of Kenley, an exact replica of himself, drawled leisurely.
Kenley narrowed his eyes. "Naturally, you would know. For you are the demon within my heart and the projection of my innermost being. My memories are your memories, and thus, you are inherently privy to my secrets."
"Are you not the least bit curious as to why the Mother Goddess has dragged us into this world?" the shadow of Kenley suddenly queried with a sly smile playing on his lips.
Kenley was momentarily taken aback, finding himself unable to discern, even for a brief moment, whether the words of this shadow were true or false. Although there were projections of players in the game, those "selves" were bereft of the ability to speak.
However, this "self" before him was distinctly different. Not only could it articulate words, but it was also capable of thought and inquiry, rendering the situation rather intriguing.
"What, do you claim to know the answer?" Kenley arched an eyebrow inquisitively.
"Most certainly. I am not only cognizant of why the Mother Goddess brought us into this world but also of why only we possess the system and are able to perceive the truth of this world," the shadow of Kenley responded, his smile widening.
"Since you are aware of the truth, why do you withhold it? Are you attempting to deceive me?"
"Because the opportune moment has not yet arrived," the shadow of Kenley chuckled softly.
"A juvenile ploy."
"Is that so? If you deem it a ploy, then why did you even bother to inquire of me? Is it not you who is being naive?" the shadow of Kenley continued to taunt.
"You talk far too much!"
With those words still ringing in the air, Kenley activated three buffs and charged forward with a resolute rush!
"Blunt Strike!"
However, the shadow of Kenley sprang up with a sudden, agile leap, executing an ultimate counterattack that effortlessly nullified Kenley's offensive maneuver!
What an astonishingly rapid reaction! As expected of the demon born from his own psyche, it had even replicated his lightning-fast reflexes.
"You naive version of myself, are you so eager to determine the victor between us? Are you not curious about the reasons behind your arrival here, why the Mother Goddess has bestowed upon you such special favor, or why Tia's encounter with you was so fortuitously timed?"
Kenley paid no heed to his taunts and persisted with his onslaught.
"Three-Blade Swift Slash!"
He unleashed the Double Three-Blade Swift Slash in an instant. Even his own shadow would have found it nigh impossible to evade this area-of-effect attack.
"Ultimate Counterattack!" The shadow of Kenley executed a terrifying ultimate counterattack, deftly blocking every single beam of sword light!
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A truly formidable adversary.
After all, the opponent's equipment was an exact duplicate of his own, and their skills were identical. This was, without a doubt, the most arduous battle Kenley had ever encountered thus far.
Not a single drop of the opponent's HP had been depleted. He needed to devise a strategy to vanquish this foe.
"Do you think you are the sole master of this move?" the shadow of Kenley sneered. His body lunged forward like a ferocious cheetah on the prowl, and a Double Three-Blade Swift Slash was unleashed directly at Kenley!
"Bang! Bang!"
Kenley responded with a cold snort and immediately executed an ultimate counterattack, blocking all six beams of sword light with astonishing dexterity. His reaction speed was truly terrifying, as if he had been transported back to the grand stage of the world, once again standing atop its highest peak.
"Wandering Blossom!" In the blink of an eye, Kenley's figure vanished from his original position. Then, he thrust diagonally to the left, aiming for the vulnerable area beneath the shadow of Kenley's arm.
"Hey!" The shadow of Kenley deftly sidestepped, evading the attack with ease.
Kenley furrowed his brow in consternation. This was significantly more challenging than any encounter in the game. Although the phantoms in the game were also capable of employing these skills, none of them had replicated his reaction speed to the extent that this shadow had. How was he supposed to overcome such an opponent?
The most formidable adversary one could ever face was, indeed, oneself.
"Surrender. You are incapable of vanquishing me," the shadow of Kenley drawled nonchalantly.
"How can you be so certain?" Kenley maintained his composure, intent on employing a move that was not listed in his skill repertoire to test whether this entity could defend against it.
"Bloom Initiation!"
With a crisp sound, the shadow of Kenley was caught completely off guard and was struck!
HP - 240
"It appears you are not entirely invincible," Kenley thought to himself, secretly relieved. As he had suspected, this phantom was only capable of using the skills listed in his inventory. If it had been able to execute the moves from his memories as well, it would have been truly insurmountable.
"Damn you, you have enraged me." The shadow of Kenley was visibly incensed. He leaped backward with a sudden jerk and raised his Imperial Officer's Saber high into the air. A radiant, sacred glow suddenly enveloped his body.
"A skill of the Honorary Paladin? The Solar Armor?" Kenley recalled that he had not yet allocated any skill points to this particular skill. How could the shadow possibly know how to use it?
The Solar Armor skill was, in Kenley's opinion, ineffective in this context. He had little affinity for it, which was why he had chosen not to expend any skill points on it.
Nevertheless, the skill was undeniably magnificent, especially when the golden-hued armor, resplendent with light, adorned the body. It exuded a captivating beauty, reminiscent of a heroic figure descending from the heavens.
[Solar Armor: Summons an armor composed of light elements to envelop the body, providing ten seconds of light-elemental defense. The defense value is equivalent to 50% of the current total intelligence, with a cooldown period of fifteen seconds.]
This was rather ironic. As a warrior who primarily relied on strength, being required to enhance himself using his intelligence stat was not to Kenley's liking, which explained his lack of enthusiasm for this skill.
Bang! Kenley couldn't be bothered to watch this fool's display any longer and swung his sword with a powerful strike!
HP - 1
What?! Kenley was jolted, completely taken aback by the unexpected outcome!
"How is this even possible?!" This was the first time something had occurred that was beyond Kenley's expectations.
"What, did you think this was a useless skill?" the shadow of Kenley chuckled maliciously.
"Do you possess a high intelligence stat?" Kenley furrowed his brow in confusion.
"No, you are mistaken, my true self. This world is both a game and a reality. Do you truly believe that the Solar Armor is merely a simple defensive skill?"
"Elaborate," Kenley said, halting his attack, intent on extracting more information from his adversary.
"Do you think I would divulge my advantages to you? In your dreams!" With those words, the shadow of Kenley launched a "Wandering Blossom" attack!
Kenley deftly sidestepped, evading the attack with ease.
"Do you think I genuinely wish to listen to your explanations? I am grateful for the reminder. I will conduct my own research upon my return," Kenley retorted. He was solely focused on the ongoing battle and had no desire to waste time engaging in a war of words.
After speaking, Kenley's gaze hardened once again. He immediately executed the second move of "Flower's Slumber." Even with the protection of the Solar Armor, the shadow of Kenley would still be affected by the stun.
Three beams of sword light flashed, and with three consecutive bangs, indeed, the shadow of Kenley was caught off guard and struck once more.