Location: Mirror Realm – Training Grounds
Back in the Mirror Realm, we find Tristan in the thick of his training. Emma had thrown both adventurers straight into the trials she designed—and sealed off any escape routes. Each of them now faced a powerful reflection of themselves, created by Len Rose. A true test of strength and growth, meant to push them past their limits.
The wind was thick and heavy, making movement nearly impossible. But within the mountain, narrow caves offered shelter from the violent storms outside.
"Damn, the wind only seems to get stronger... and worse, it's locking up my movements," Tristan thought to himself, ducking deeper into the safety of the rocky passage.
Outside, his replica moved freely through the chaos—graceful, patient, waiting to strike.
"That thing's waiting out there... so I'll be safe in here for now," Tristan muttered in his head. "Was taking the Instinct Blade from me really necessary though? Who am I kidding—Emma's right. I can't keep depending on it."
SYSTEM
Tristan scrolled through the training options the system laid out before him. Each fighting style focused on specific stats that would enhance the effectiveness of his weapons and gear. The interface pulsed in front of his eyes, displaying a breakdown of paths.
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Available Fighting Styles:
• Dual Blade – Agility Focus
• Greatsword – Strength Focus
• Spear – Intelligence Focus
• Chain Blade – Agility & Intelligence Focus
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"Huh? Chain Blade? When did that pop up?" Tristan raised an eyebrow—then it clicked.
"Wait... I remember using that serpent. Does this mean the more creatures and items I collect, the more I can craft?"
The system responded to his thoughts with a soft flicker.
FORMULAS
"Looks like I only needed the tail for the weapon—good to know. The rest of it can go toward the armor I want."
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Lightning Blades (Lvl. 1 → 45)
Type: Chain Blade
Skill – Lightning Strike
Unleash lightning-speed chain attacks while charging the blades with electrical energy.
Stats:
• STR: 38
• AGI: 65
• INT: 50
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"Let me take off these gloves... The stat boosts are great, but they're holding back my evolution," Tristan muttered, unclasping them and slipping them into his inventory. The air against his bare hands felt electric.
"Alright... time to use these stat points."
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Tristan's Stat Chart:
• STR: 15 → 15
• AGI: 20 → 35
• INT: 14 → 24
Stat Points Remaining: 25 → 0
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"Looks like these fighting styles come with physical training regimens too… makes practice easier," Tristan said with a growing grin. "They even give stat points. Things might actually get easier from here on out."
He paused, staring into the swirling storm beyond the cave.
"I wonder how Daran's holding up…"
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Sea of Stars – Daran's Trial
In the Sea of Stars, Daran fought to survive against his reflection. Unlike Tristan, his system didn't focus on blades or raw aggression. His approach—his path—had to be different. Tactical. Calculated. Adaptable.
But even now, his reflection held the advantage. It moved like it had already mastered the flow of the realm, each attack more coordinated than the last.
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Daran's Stat Chart:
• STR: 15 → 25
• AGI: 11 → 16
• INT: 20 → 30
Stat Points Remaining: 25 → 0 (+30 banked)
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"Shit, I can't seem to shake this thing…" Daran muttered as blades rained down on him from all angles. "It's relentless... even after using my stat points, it's still overpowering me."
He gritted his teeth, leaping from star to star, keeping just ahead of the barrage. Each impact of his boots sent ripples through the glowing water below.
What is it doing that I'm not? It's my reflection... but it's so much stronger.
The Sea of Stars wasn't just beautiful—it was deadly. The water was dense, slowing movements and weighing him down. But it had a subtle current—a flow. Drifting with it allowed him to move more freely, and the stars floating throughout were stable and cold, perfect as brief platforms in combat.
"I'm glad Len explained this to me... otherwise, this would be way harder than it already is," Daran muttered, ducking behind one of the stars to break line of sight.
SYSTEM
My reflection doesn't even seem to be using a bow to fire all those 'Blades of Life Sense'... Daran thought. It's not drawing arrows—it's directing them... like extensions of itself.
His frustration peaked. Veins tensed. Every breath was tight.
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SYSTEM: Skill Unlocked – Weapon Bind
A skill that binds the weapon to the wielder's body, enhancing control and responsiveness.
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Weapon Bind... that's it! That has to be what it's using... But how does it know how to activate that skill?
Before he could spiral into doubt, another alert hit him.
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ENCHANTMENT: Mind Builder
Grants the user access to unlockable skills, enchantments, and enhanced battle awareness.
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So that's how it did it… it had help.
"ENCHANT," Daran whispered.
In an instant, his mind lit up.
The flood was overwhelming—like years of training compressed into seconds. Diagrams, enchantment paths, weapon links, and movement routines flashed through his head like muscle memory he never knew he had.
He clenched his fist. The runes along his arm lit up in a vibrant green glow.
Let's test this out.
He summoned the Green String Bow, locking eyes with the reflection as he activated the skill.
Weapon Bind: Active
The moment he stepped back into open space, his reflection was already moving—expecting the clash.
They collided mid-air.
Both now wielded the same skill, dancing across the stars with bound weapons and mirrored aggression. Daran's reflection twisted blade projections with every motion, firing in multiple directions at once. Daran moved fast, using each star as a makeshift barrier, shielding himself as he navigated the arena.
"Search!" he commanded, firing off enchanted arrows that swerved in midair, locking on to his reflection's energy signature.
They followed perfectly—almost too perfectly.
Each one was deflected.
His reflection parried and redirected every single blade.
"Damn... I'm gonna need something better to break through that defense."
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Daran's Stat Chart:
• STR: 25 → 35
• AGI: 16 → 26
• INT: 30 → 40
Stat Points Remaining: 30 → 0 (+5 banked)
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