The night was cool, a gentle breeze rustling through the training grounds. Mary and Lela sat on a stone bench, their weapons resting beside them. Their muscles ached, but their minds were restless. Loosie's words lingered—your abilities are tied to your understanding of yourselves.
Lela turned her gaze to the sky. "We're strong… but we're still missing something."
Mary exhaled slowly. "Yeah. It's not just about power. We need to refine our instincts."
Loosie strolled over, hands behind her head. "Good. You're thinking like real warriors now."
Mary shot her a look. "So, what's next? More sparring?"
Loosie chuckled. "Not this time. You're gonna fight yourselves."
Lela frowned. "What?"
Loosie pointed to the center of the training ground, where glowing sigils formed a summoning circle. "This is an ancient method used to break limits. These runes will create a mirror image of you—one that fights without hesitation, without fear, without mercy."
Mary's hand tightened around Saber of Mist. "A fight against ourselves, huh?"
Loosie's grin widened. "Exactly. If you wanna master your skills, you need to surpass your own instincts."
The Mirror Battle
The sigils pulsed with energy, and two figures emerged—perfect copies of Mary and Lela, their eyes glowing faintly. They held the same weapons, the same postures, but there was no hesitation in their stances.
Mary felt a chill. So this is me… without limits. The mirrored Lela spun Gáe Bolg in a fluid motion. "We won't hold back," she stated, voice cold.
The real Lela grinned. "Good. Neither will we."
Loosie clapped. "BEGIN!"
Lela vs. Mirror Lela
Lela lunged first, thrusting Gáe Bolg with lightning speed. But Mirror Lela anticipated it, deflecting the strike effortlessly and countering with a spinning sweep aimed at Lela's legs. Lela barely dodged, heart pounding. She fights like me… but faster.
The mirrored version didn't waste a second. She activated Angel Bolt, divine lightning crackling around her spear. Lela gritted her teeth and activated her own—two bolts of pure energy collided, sending a shockwave through the field.
Lela skidded back, breathing heavily. She's fighting smarter than I am…
She needed to change tactics. Instead of going for direct attacks, she feinted, pretending to thrust before quickly switching to a side swing. Mirror Lela faltered for a split second—just enough time. Lela drove Gáe Bolg forward, landing a clean hit on her mirror's side. The clone staggered, flickering as cracks formed along its body. A grin tugged at Lela's lips. I got you.
Mary vs. Mirror Mary
Mary wasted no time. She activated Mist Blade, sending three simultaneous slashes toward her counterpart. Mirror Mary didn't flinch. She dodged the first slash, parried the second, and countered with a blindingly fast strike aimed at Mary's ribs.
Mary barely twisted in time to avoid it. She read my attack pattern immediately. The clone's strikes were relentless, each movement sharper, faster. Mary blocked a downward swing but felt her arms shake from the impact.
She's more precise than me. Stronger. Then she realized—she's not hesitating at all. Mary had been holding back, worrying about openings, about defense. Her mirror fought with absolute intent. She took a deep breath. I need to do the same.
She switched her grip on Saber of Mist and lunged forward, faster than she had ever moved before. Instead of attacking directly, she let go of fear.
Her blade moved in unpredictable arcs, flowing like mist itself. Mirror Mary tried to counter, but Mary was already inside her defenses.
She struck. The mirror staggered, flickering as fractures ran across its form. The Breakthrough Both clones shattered at the same time, dissipating into the air. Mary and Lela stood in silence, panting.
Loosie whistled. "Now that was impressive."
Lela wiped sweat from her forehead. "That was… insane."
Mary sheathed her sword. "But it worked. We fought without limits."
Loosie smirked. "And now, you're ready for the real challenge."
Lela raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Loosie turned, her voice suddenly serious. "You've mastered yourselves. Now it's time to test that against something real."
A low rumble echoed through the air. In the distance, shadows stirred. Something powerful was coming.
Mary and Lela exchanged glances.
The real battle was about to begin.