Chapter 6: The Clone Who Remembers
"You're late," the clone said again, stepping fully into view.
Kael instinctively raised his broken blade. The figure was identical—same eyes, same face, even the scar that had just appeared on Kael's cheek after his last battle.
But his aura… was ancient.
"You're me," Kael said, low. "From another simulation?"
"No. I'm the first you," the clone replied, expression unreadable. "The one who survived all the simulations and woke up."
Kael's grip tightened. "If you survived, why are you here?"
The clone didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out a stone tablet, glowing with faint runes.
> [System Override Code Fragment: Recovered]
Host Permission Required to Integrate.
Kael's system buzzed in his head. Warnings flashed.
> Warning: Unknown entity attempting to inject system code.
Proceed at your own risk.
"Why should I trust you?" Kael asked, suspicious.
"Because they're lying to you," the clone said. "The simulations… they're not tests. They're shackles. Every memory they give you? Edited. Every skill? Restricted. You're a prisoner, Kael. And I'm the version who broke out."
Kael felt his breath hitch. Part of him wanted to dismiss it. But deep inside… the pieces were falling into place.
---
The clone stepped closer, holding the tablet out.
"Touch it. Accept the override. Or keep playing their game until your real self is erased."
Kael hesitated. His system flared with resistance.
> System Message: Host proximity to anomaly triggering instability.
Abort interaction? Y/N
Before he could decide, the sky above them cracked.
Literally cracked—like glass breaking.
---
A massive surge of energy exploded in the distance. Black lightning tore through the sky, and a figure descended—wrapped in robes stitched with golden symbols. Its face was masked, voice emotionless:
> "Unauthorized clone detected. Termination protocol initiated."
The clone snarled. "Too late. The truth's already begun to unravel."
He threw the tablet at Kael—just as the masked figure raised a glowing hand.
> [Simulation Lockdown Engaged]
System Freeze Imminent.
Kael's world slowed.
In that fraction of a second, he caught the tablet. His mind split with information—glimpses of other lives, other Kaels, all screaming the same thing:
Wake up.
---
Then everything turned white.
A full reboot.
Kael awoke in a forest. Quiet. Peaceful. Like nothing had happened.
> [Simulation #2: Rebirth in the Mystic Realm]
Objective: Become Sect Disciple within 3 days.
New Identity: Wandering Cultivator (Common Talent)
But Kael just sat there, heart pounding.
He opened his hand.
The stone tablet was still there.
And engraved on it, a single line:
> "Break the cycle. Find the Origin Core."
---
And yet, as Kael stared at the strange new world around him, a single question echoed louder than any system prompt—
"Why does this place feel so painfully familiar?"
He didn't know that just beyond the peach grove, someone was waiting.
Someone who still remembered him… even when he forgot everything.