Chapter 182
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SPLASH-
The sensation of cold water instantly awakens the foggy mind.
Eyes snap open.
In the murky water, shimmering moonlight, blood spreading like watercolor.
Struggling, I soon emerged from the water.
Ah
My mind quickly cleared.
This is the pond where I encountered Laplace.
I was in the midst of experiencing my 278th defeat from the Mirror Sentinel.
I gritted my teeth.
I expected it wouldnt be easy. But I didnt expect it to be this impossible.
The Mirror Sentinel was formidable.
Even a simple comparison of power would put him at about 80% of my full strength.
On the other hand, no matter how much I amplified the abilities of the kids, it was a struggle to reach 50%.
Moreover, the guy, a wooden figure, showed no fear or complacency.
Its like theres no gap.
It felt more like calculating an answer than engaging in combat.
With such a clear power gap and no way to introduce variables, the answer of defeat couldnt be changed.
I felt powerless for the first time in a long while.
How can I win this?
CLINK-
Until I reached the ground, he didnt move, staring at me with that vacant face.
The moment I grab my weapon, the battle will resume.
It wasnt easy to throw myself into a fight where defeat and pain were inevitable.
Indeed Its an unfair fight.
Didnt Laplace give me an impossible task from the start?
Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind.
So far, Ive fought by adapting my abilities to the battlefield.
Especially when training the kids, Ive done so even more.
Like when I faced necromancers in the factory or when we were surrounded by other exploration teams in the abyss.
But this time, I had to defeat an overwhelmingly strong opponent using only one of the kids abilities.
This wasnt a combat style advantageous for someone like me, a copycat.
Its more akin to the battle style of a martial artis.
In the moment when my grip loosened.
The prophecy from a few days ago echoed in my mind.
You must achieve the task within 18 days and leave the Great Forest.
If not
You will die at the hands of the traitor in the Dawn Knights, along with some of your disciples.
Unknown dangers were looming closer every moment.
Theres no time for complaints.
THUD-
I lowered my sword.
This time, I brandished Umbra, the shadow spear.
Theres no need to open Valbers void space.
Thanks to past duels, all 17 weapons of Valber were pinned to nearby walls.
This time, Ill try Geralds spear technique in the counterattack.
THUMP-
As I raised my weapon, the Mirror Sentinel approached with a huge wooden sword modeled after Black Hope.
His demeanor is neither fierce nor lively, but rather calm.
But how ruthless he could be will be explained soon.
SWOOSH-!
I watched as a chunk of flesh from my shoulder flew off.
Simultaneously, Umbra grazes past the Sentinels side.
A bitter laughter escapes my lips.
Still, progress is progress.
On the first day, I lost an arm with just one blow, but now, its not that severe.
THUD-!
Next, I deflected the descending greatsword with my neck guard.
Feeling my body jar with the impact, I manage to evade somehow.
SWOOSH-!
Another attack crossed paths.
This time, about half of my left ankle was severed.
Followed by a stab that pierced my chest simultaneously.
Guh
THUMP-
As I fell into a state of combat incapacity, the Guardian took a step back.
I gasped for breath, focusing on recovery.
For the first time in a while, curses spill from my mouth.
Damn test.
Frustration and anger churn within.
It was due to a fundamental doubt about my abilities.
Polymorph, replication, mimicry.
Can I truly reach the desired level fulfill what this world expects of me with nothing but these fake abilities?
THUD-
THUD-
Lost in such thoughts, I gazed at the blood flowing from the tip of the Mirror Sentinels sword.
A sense of dj vu washed over me.
It was a familiar scenario.
Recalling the struggles in the hideout to earn the qualifications of the double.
Ted had mercilessly knocked me down.
How does complaining help in a given situation?
What you must do remains the same.
Give your best.
He had said such things to me.
I shifted my gaze around.
Upon regaining my senses, I found my hand tightly clutching the bow.
This time, its Evergreens archery.
THUMP-
The Mirror Sentinel approached.
.
.
.
572nd, its my 572nd defeat.
I had no choice but to count the times obsessively.
If I didnt even do that, all these defeats seemed meaningless.
SWOOSH-
I coughed up blood as I collapsed to the ground.
The approaching Mirror Sentinel swept me into the pond.
A chill pierced to the heart.
My foggy mind began to clear again.
What day is it today?
Probably more than ten days had passed.
Theres no time.
Of course, there was progress.
A race that used to end in 30 seconds now lasted over 5 minutes.
It was now possible to leave marks on the Guardians body.
But it was still far from enough.
If time were infinite, I could gradually strive for victory, but I had less than a week left.
PUFF-
I caught my breath and rose to my feet again.
In the moment when I reflexively searched for the next weapon to use,
I sensed someones presence.
Laplace
He stood at the edge of the pond.
As our gazes met, he stepped back as if not to interfere.
Laplace occasionally visited, observing me as I struggled against the Mirror Sentinel.
But he never said anything.
Just observed with his characteristic gaze.
Eyes that seemed to accept fate and observe, regardless of the fate of humanity, of heroes, of the world.
Thats why I had let his visits pass without any expectations.
But now, with less than half the deadline left for the task,
I felt restless.
How many days are left?
Ten days plus one.
I see.
Six days left.
I stared at the setting sun, feeling it slip away.
Although the pond was inside the World Tree, strangely, there was morning, night, sunrise, and sunset.
I continued my questioning.
Do you think I can complete the task within the deadline?
It would be difficult as it is now.
Is that a prophecy?
No, unfortunately, there are no more prophecies left for you.
Well, thats fortunate. Since its not foreseen.
Laplace smiled faintly and shook his head.
Its an insight anyone can have. Youve never defeated the Mirror Sentinel.
His words sounded mocking, and I frowned.
Even the slightest hint of relaxation was leaving me.
In fact, it was natural.
According to the prophecy, not only my life but also the lives of the children were at stake in this task.
As the situation tilted more and more, it was more surprising that I could laugh.
What did I expect?
I turned away from Laplace.
Time was precious.
I was determined to fight again.
Thats when it happened.
Child, what do you think seasons are?
Laplace continued as if not expecting an answer.
My steps halted.
Seasons are your essence, your wind, your own technique that touches your roots, he continued.
My own technique.
Why are you so impatient when you already know the answer?
I couldnt just ignore his significant words.
But Laplace was already gone, leaving behind only echoing words.
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Even though I already knew.
Those words echoed in my ears as they slowly departed.
I stood there for a moment, silently staring at the spot where he had left.
Was he giving me advice?
For now, I stopped turning back to the Mirror Sentinel.
There would be no clear benefit in fighting again immediately.
It would be wiser to ponder his words now.
My own technique Mine.
What I had.
What only I had.
It was undoubtedly replication.
I grimaced again.
But how could replication become my own?
It was originally just mimicking others.
Its a contradiction.
In frustration, I reviewed each battle one by one.
The childrens abilities poured out into the air.
KWA-GA-GA-GAK-!
Ice pillars shot up, arrows imbued with wind attributes hit, scattering fragments.
Precision swordsmanship using detection, deceptive spear techniques, and attacks imbued with madness followed.
Perhaps due to the training of life and death that had continued for days, the switching of abilities was much smoother and quicker than usual.
But still, from start to finish, nothing was truly mine.
But as always, from the beginning to the end, nothing was truly mine.
I stared at the chaos before me.
Huh?
I realized something was different than usual, at that moment.
Before the realization could dissipate from my mind, I hurriedly leaped forward.
And I examined the traces left by the attacks.
Signs of destruction much stronger than usual.
Why? Why
A clue was forming.
Since coming to the pond, I recalled Laplaces consecutive words.
A technique that touches your essence, your spirit, your origin.
Why are you so impatient, when you already know the answer?
The most urgent task for you to achieve your goal is the completion of your technique.
If you dont complete it within 18 days
The technique you seek to complete is nothing but the coordination of replications.
He clearly didnt ask me to develop a new technique.
He just told me to complete the technique.
I stood still.
My season is already
Technique, essence, origin, wind.
What were those of the Doppelgngers?
Thoughts continued endlessly.
The deepest root of humanity is survival.
Therefore, they acquire essential movements for survival, like walking or breathing, from the beginning.
It was undoubtedly in that realm that the replications of the Doppelgngers existed.
From the moment replication encapsulated someone elses essence, it became my ability.
Why did I consider it someone elses?
No human starts from the beginning to the end with full cognition of every movement like walking or breathing.
They dont move considering joints and muscles separately.
They dont distinguish between opening their mouth, inhaling, and exhaling.
And neither should I have.
There was a sudden thunderbolt in my mind.
Understanding for replication.
What should have come next was infinite application through understanding.
It wasnt just about simple coordination or switching.
The completion Laplace mentioned was precisely
I burst into laughter out of incredulity.
Despite emphasizing cooperation to the children, I forgot.
There was no more hesitation.
I faced the Mirror Sentinel.
It was time to discern the truth of this realization.
For once, even in front of the one who had bestowed countless defeats upon me, there was no trembling.
Perhaps it was instinctively recognized.
My own original.
This was the right way to create it.
I grabbed a weapon from the ground without bothering to choose.
It didnt matter which one I picked.
* * *
Since the beginning of the Heros journey to complete the technique,
Laplaces observation had been constant.
To him, who had lived for decades longer than any human, tens of days were almost fleeting moments.
Yet, he acknowledged that he would remember these recent days vividly.
On the 17th night.
The given time raced fiercely towards its end.
But the nature of the duel unfolding at the edge of that end was distinctly different from before.
KWA-GA-GA-GAK-!
The Mirror Sentinels body wavered from the Heros attack.
Its sturdy surface was already adorned with numerous marks.
The wooden doll, once imposing, now offered no significant response to the Heros onslaught.
It was only natural.
The changes wrought by the Heros techniques were truly infinite, to the point where even exaggeration would not suffice.
Has he finally realized?
It was a scene difficult to define with words.
It felt as though countless metals were being poured into a furnace and melded into one.
The abilities replicated by the Hero were mixed evenly, blending into one.
Laplace chuckled softly.
So this is what it means to be a furnace
Of course, according to the conditions of the task, the Hero was only supposed to use one ability.
Switching between abilities was not allowed.
But
Thats clearly just one ability.
Using the essences together all at once.
Creating something new by blending abilities together, no one could dispute that it was all one.
It was a somewhat wicked test prepared by someone who enjoys wordplay.
I didnt expect him to pass.
Laplace chuckled again.
His smile emerged as he watched the Hero, who was now driving the Mirror Sentinel towards the pond.
Now I understand why he had faith.
In truth, until a few days ago, Laplace had predicted the Heros failure.
He had completely misunderstood the direction and had limitations in his nature. I didnt expect him to realize with just a few words.
He had no intention of defending the Hero.
Even if he failed the task and terrible consequences befell him, Laplace thought it was the fate of the world, not something he needed to intervene in.
But in the end, the Hero succeeded.
With patience and concentration unseen even by Laplace, who had lived through the long years.
Splash!
The Hero finally pushed the fallen Mirror Sentinel into the pond.
A bright smile adorned his face, but his body was covered in terrible wounds.
The blood from his wounds trickled down softly, forming rivulets that gently bent and flowed towards the pond.
Beneath them, dried bloodstains, likely from long ago, formed layers.
Anyone would have succumbed to the pain and defeat that had crushed him for tens of days.
But the Hero kept fighting.
He fell, but rose again.
He fought again, and fell again.
Laplace looked at the pond, now tinged with a deep red, and gazed solely at the standing Hero.
And then, he made his own prophecy.
Your potential is truly infinite.
Just as humans create countless miracles with their small and finite bodies,
he would be able to realize that infinity through his essences.
As if responding to Laplaces gaze, the Heros eyes seemed to write a comment before him.
In the furnace, the firewood flared up brightly.
The user has acquired a season.
Season: Infinite Style
As the sole technique of the true inheritor, replication by anyone other than the user is impossible.
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