We circled around each other, warily. I haven't even activated any of my abilities yet, so has he. I have to preserve my innate spirit, he also seems to be careful with not wasting too much of it— since what's happening outside, is unkown to us at the moment.
It was still difficult to accept for me. That I was somehow transported into a pocket dimension. It was fascinating and I had an urge to explore it, but I held back these impulses. Right now, what really mattered, was killing this duplicate and seeing if the mysterious number one of the Nihileth would keep his word.
My eyes locked with his.
No words were exchanged.
Narrowing my eyes, I clenched my calves and rushed forward, closing the distance with speed comparable to peak human capability. [Fool's Rapier] was raised upward, I swung it down like a hammer, increasing it's weight by tons. By now, I had managed to master my control over the innate spirit to a certain extent, where I can use the [FeatherMountain] skill with ease.
As if expecting this, my duplicate side-stepped with grace, lifting up his own [Fool's Rapier] clashing it with mine, increasing the weight of his own.
**CLANG!**
Returning the weight back to normal, I smoothly slid the [Fool's Rapier] back to my side, after it had met with my duplicate's own one in a smooth clang. Instinctively, I made distance.
However, this time, it was my duplicate who took the initiative. Jumping forward, he outstretched the [Fool's Rapier] and began swiftly probing stabs towards me, which I had to dodge and block using my own Rapier in quick succession, a bit overwhelmed.
To momentarily deal with it, I had activated [Probability Pryer], to be able to dodge much more easily. But it seemed my duplicate was able to predict this, then moved away, not wasting energy on trying to attack me with [Probability Pryer] active.
Clenching my jaw in frustration, I deactivated it and once again rushed forward, meeting my duplicate in a fierce clash of metal. He moved with grace, each step refined, his face concentrated, his brows knitted. I was having a difficult time following, being pushed back to the defensive, like always. My legs backing up, as I struggled to stop the assault.
However, at the same time, I was learning. I was trying to learn and mimic the moves my duplicate was making. Even though this was dangerous, letting so many attacks hit, my tunic already being torn, I still went for it.
The more I bled, the stronger I got, as well. This didn't only apply to me, but the effect was stronger for me, as my duplicate only had a cheap copy of a [Fool's Rapier] compared to my real one.
After a clash of metal, both our Rapier's pressed against each other, I was trying to push him back using my strengh and he was trying to push me back using his strength, our faces becoming close enough to talk.
But no words were exchanged. Only looks of pure hatred and determination was shared between us.
Once again, I increased the weight of [Fool's Rapier] the same way my duplicate did, as we tried pressing against each other, trying to overpower one another. Grunting, I released the skill and jumped back, the momentum from my sudden release and him still pushing, sending him flying forward.
"Ugh!"
I heard him grumble.
I didn't hesitate to capitalize on this. Without any hesitation, I kicked him in the face, sending him flying backwards. From the glow in his eyes, I had realized that he activated [Probability Pryer] but it didn't matter, not when he was still dazed and couldn't properly use it.
"Ahh!"
I cried out punching him straight in the abdomen, sending spit flying from his mouth. Then, powering my leg with the stored fury— which wasn't much, but enough— my feet met his chest in a perfect reverse kick, sending him flying backwards.
'Now's the time….'
I didn't want to wait any longer. [The Zone] was activated, along with [Probability Pryer] it's times to go all out now.
The moment it was activated, I felt my mind becoming clear and foggy. The same contradicting sensations filled my senses, bringing me to the best height of pleasure I could ask for— this is what it's like existing in the borderline between sanity and insanity. It's euphoria.
"Hmph!"
With my Rapier, I rushed forward, and while he was still stunned, I tried decapitating his neck with a single strike.
However, he came to his senses just before the attack. Now with [Probability Pryer] and [The Zone] active just like me, he was able to dodge my attack with ease. My eyebrows shot up to my hairline, as I grunted and jumped backwards, circling my duplicate and revaluating him, using this brief movement to take a breather.
"Not bad for a cheap copy."
I taunted, wiping my mouth clean of blood. I wasn't that injured, but there was some bleeding here and there. Which only boosted my strengh, so I didn't really pay them any mind.
My duplicate growled.
"I'll be the real one once I'm done with you."
I chuckled mockingly.
"Let's see if that really happens, buddy."
He almost fell for my provocations, but he held himself together. Silently, he observed my every movement, seemingly thinking deeply in his head. Formulating a plan, maybe? I wasn't sure. At the moment, I couldn't let him think of a neat trick to defeat me.
I didn't want to prolong the fight, but I also didn't want to end it too quickly either. There is so much I could learn from my duplicate, so much sword techniques and ways of manipulating innate spirit, even I didn't know of yet.
Not wasting anymore time, I clenched down at my calves once more and rushed forward. Once again, caught in a furious clash of swords with the duplicate. His eyes were following each of my movements, predicting me with ease, the same way I was predicting him.
I grumbled.
'How annoying it is trying to fight someone with foresight….was this how Dorian felt?'
I was watching his movements closely. Each step he made. Each swing of [Fool's Rapier] and the way his eyes moved. Right now, this duplicate was my master and I was his student. Even if he didn't know it yet.
Another slash went right to my chest, but I didn't care. All I did was grimace once, then went back to being stone-faced, meeting each probing stab of his Rapier with my own. Naturally, I wasn't the only one being injured. Even he was suffering alot from this prolonged clash of metal.
Throughout watching his movements, I began to realize something. He is simply far reliant on [Probability Pryer] the way his eyes moved, as if expecting a probability to present itself, so he could move out the way or dodge, then counter, gave it a way. My mind worked, thinking of ways I could possibly take advantage of this. How can I exploit this?
Just as that thought came, my eyes brightened in enlightment.
'The same way Dorian did it….you just need to overwhelm me with an immense amount of probabilities.'
Immediately after, I pulled away and let my feet stumble unsteady on the ground, my arm carrying [Fool's Rapier] flying up, leaving myself vulnerable. This was, of course, just an act to bait him.
My duplicate didn't take it. Instead, he wisely jumped back and made distance between us, eyeing me warily, still with [Probability Pryer] active. By now, I had turned it off to save innate spirit, while also turning off [The Zone] which obstructed rational thought.
"…..You're looking at me strange."
I blinked in surprise, then laughed.
"Oh? Was I?"
Without saying anything else, I jumped forward towards him. This time, I didn't straight up attack. Rather, I kept [Fool's Rapier] in a postion where I could of attacked— went for his chest, while also being able to go for his neck and crotch. But I didn't. I stood still, right before him.
Just as I expected, my duplicate saw too many probabilities at once and his brain was overwhelmed. Even as I did nothing, even as I didn't attack, the probabilities still showed themselves to my duplicate, confusing him. I can see panic slowly creeping up into his expression, but of course, I didn't attack and instead pulled away.
That was an experiment.
'Now I understand the true nature of [Probability Pryer]….'
I used to think that it showed all outcomes of what could happen, the probability of them. It's still the same, but instead, these probabilities are influenced by intention. If someone fought me without the intention of fighting me, [Probability Pryer] wouldn't even register any attacks— so, when I had intention of attacking him all over the place, [Probability Pryer] would show all of them. The blessing itself responds to intent, with intent comes the outcome.
'This is a fatal mistake nobody else must figure out…'
I thought to myself seriously. [Probability Pryer] was powerful, but still had very serious weakness and limitations. Such as this. Perhaps, if I get enough Abyssal Fragments, I may be able to get an evolution of it by evolving my blessing? I could only hope.
"What did you do."
My duplicate asked, facing me with a terrifying glare. I smirked at him and shrugged.
"An experiment."
He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, now looking at me warily. Is he second guessing fighting me now? I would appreciate it if he was, but it didn't seem like it, as he quickly got into a stance, preparing for another round of clashing.
This time, however, he didn't have [Probability Pryer] active. I wondered why, but didn't think too much about it. Activating [The Zone] once again, a blissful sigh escaped my lips, as I got into a stance.
He rushed forwards towards me, the same way I did to him. I raised [Fool's Rapier] this time, swinging it awkwardly from the side, while using [FeatherMountain] to increase it's weight. The speed was great, the force was even greater. So, when my duplicate managed to block, he was sent stumbling back.
That didn't deter him, though. Instead, he seemed prepared for it. Just as I was about to go for another strike, a probbing stab to the chest, he suddenly raised his hand and caught my blade with his bare fingers, blood staining it.
He grinned at me, noticing my surprise. Without hesitation, I dismissed [Fool's Rapier] and attempted to summon it again, but the delay was too great. He was on me, stabbing me through the chest using his Rapier.
"Ugh!"
A muffled groan escaped my lips, as I spat blood. The duplicate showed no mercy, thrusting in and out, slicing my chest using the [Fool's Rapier] with a dark gleeful grin on his face.
I didn't let the pain deter me, as I immediately focused my energy on summoning [Fool's Rapier] once again. Activating [Probability Pryer] and augmenting the Rapier with what's remaining of my fury, I felt it be empowered.
The duplicate noticed this and was about to move away, but I grabbed his blade, that was still plunged into my chest, using my free hand, stopping him. He didn't hesitate to dismiss the blade, but the momentary surprise was enough.
[Fool's Rapier] now weighing tons upon tons, while augmenting with a decent amount of fury, came swinging down to the helpless duplicate of mine that stood frozen on the spot, the delay of dismissing and trying to summon [Fool's Rapier] A little too long for him to save himself.
He can't dodge. He isn't fast enough. He can't block. There is nothing to block with. The only thing he could do was tank it.
Making up his mind, My duplicate turned his body, moving his head out of the way, letting my [Fool's Rapier] that was almost as heavy as an anvil, drop down on his shoulder.
I heard a scream as it made contact.
Swiftly slicing through the skin, slicing deep into his shoulder that I reached his lungs. It went down and down, until I felt my Rapier hit the floor, cleaving right through my duplicate.
I heard him moan, as he tried moving out of the way, but the right side of his body, where his shoulder was, has been completey sliced off his body, exposing his inner organs.
"You…."
It was terrifying. A terrifying and disgusting sight. And yet, I smiled in victory.
"Another win for me."
Then, without any hesitation, I sliced his throat using [Fool's Rapier] he was in no condition to be dodging. So, it ended quickly.
I stand there, watching as the corpse of my duplicate fell to the floor, going limp and returning to his true form as a Nihileth— the void-like beings with milky drops littered over their body. At the same time, I heard the voice.
"….Well, that was unexpected."