Explosions rocked the obsidian floor, each blast powerful enough to level an entire street.
Bubbles were weak—fragile, fleeting things—but when layered by the hundreds, each protected and compressed with mana, they became terrifying weapons. And when raw, chaotic mana filled their cores, they became bombs.
One Bubble Bomb after another detonated. Shockwaves of wind and mana lashed out, sending shallow waters hurtling skyward in shimmering sprays.
Two figures flew apart again and again, each shielded by bubbles, only to conjure new ones to trampoline back into the fray. They hurtled at each other like twin meteors, clashing over and over.
This deadly dance had gone on for what felt like an hour, River trying to break through to the portal, River No.2 blocking him with unerring precision.
Each time they collided, Bubble Bombs burst, launching them away in opposite directions. Yet the portal itself, like the serene moon above, remained unmoved. Its swirling blue edges rotated lazily, utterly indifferent to the chaos erupting around it.
River had lost count of his attempts. Countless times he'd lunged for the portal, only to be met by his perfect double. Countless times they'd hurled each other back with matching fury.
River No.2 mirrored him flawlessly, reading his every move, anticipating each feint, matching his mana control blow for blow.
It was like fighting a mirror—one that knew his every thought, his every breath.
As they clashed once more, the explosion sent them spiraling. River crashed into the shallow water, his protective bubble bursting. Pain knifed through him, his vision blurring.
"Sh*t… this is impossible," River hissed, wiping blood from his chin. His body throbbed with agony, each breath ragged and sharp.
His clothes—already torn to rags by the Smokey Wolves—had been shredded further, burned and sliced by the constant blasts. Fresh wounds wept blood across his battered skin.
He glanced down, letting out a bitter, humorless laugh. Trying to beat himself was like trying to punch a brick wall that hit back.
"This fight is pointless…" he muttered, voice hoarse. He brought up his Status Screen, eyes narrowing at the sight.
STATUS SCREEN
Name: River Faelan
Skill: Bubblecrafter [Tap to see details]
Class: Mage
Level: 7
Experience Points: 121 / 780
Status Points: 0
Title(s): None
BASE STATS
HP: 36 / 100
MP: 41 / 100
STR: 11
AGI: 10
INT: 15
WIS: 14
VIT: 10
DEX: 8
His health hovered dangerously low. He couldn't keep throwing himself at the portal and expect to survive.
"If I keep this up, I'm dead," River whispered, a deep frown creasing his bruised face. "I need a different approach."
He scanned his surroundings warily, eyes darting to his clone, who now stood once again before the portal. River No.2 floated down in a giant bubble, which popped gently as he landed with eerie grace. His twin's black, unwavering eyes locked onto River.
"D*mn," River groaned, shaking his head. "I never realized how annoying my own face could be."
Summoning a bouncing bubble beneath him, he leapt forward, propelled in a graceful arc back toward the portal. He landed just a few feet from his double.
Up close, River's frustration deepened. He glared into his own face, so alike it was uncanny. But then he caught sight of the clone's injuries: deep cuts, burns, blood oozing from wounds identical to his own.
A grim smile tugged at his lips. The clone mirrored his damage perfectly—even down to the bruises and blood.
But while River gasped for breath, his clone stood eerily silent, unfazed by the wounds that should have dropped any normal human.
River clenched his jaw, fury flashing in his eyes. He was done holding back.
"One more time," he growled, glaring coldly at his clone. "At this point, I don't give a damn about that portal. I just want to blow your smug face apart!"
It felt surreal—like swearing to kill himself—but River's rage had boiled past reason. He was determined to erase that mirrored gaze once and for all.
With a sharp breath, he stepped forward and conjured ten Bubble Bombs, each hovering around him like deadly sentinels. He had lowered their power to match an average D-rank Hunter's attack—enough to conserve his dwindling mana while still packing lethal force.
Killing intent surged like a storm. River dashed forward, eyes locked on his double's cold stare.
Time seemed to slow. River's gaze met his clone's, and in those black, unblinking eyes, he saw himself—saw the madness of trying to kill his own reflection.
He staggered mid-step, eyes widening. The Bubble Bombs began to churn, their compressed mana stirring into dangerous instability.
A chilling realization stabbed through him like ice.
"This motherf*cker…" River hissed, heart pounding. "Don't tell me… I was right from the start?"
He clenched his fists, willing the raging bubbles to calm. They shimmered under the moonlight, refracting rainbow hues as their lethal energy settled into harmless orbs.
He'd sensed something was off from the beginning. This couldn't be as simple as forcing his way past the clone. The Quest was meant to test his mind, not his strength—yet here he was, caught in a cycle of violence, driven by pride and frustration.
Seeing a perfect copy of himself—using his abilities, matching his every move—had pushed all the wrong buttons in his heart. Any Hunter with an ego would feel the same. But River had always prided himself on being better than that.
He took a deep breath, forcing calm over his raging thoughts.
The harmless bubbles popped one by one, leaving only silence in their wake.
River studied his double's wounds, then turned his eyes to the portal. It looked exactly like the one he'd entered—identical down to the smallest ripple of its swirling blue edges. He extended his senses, feeling the mana flowing through it, comparing it to what he remembered.
"This can't be as straightforward as it looks," he muttered. "Quests like this always need you to think sideways."
A plan began to form—a desperate, reckless idea.
"If this works, this Quest is truly a piece of sh*t," River growled, determination flaring in his eyes.
He conjured a single Bubble Bomb, layering thousands of bubbles around it, mana and chaotic air seething inside like a brewing tempest. His MP plummeted to 5, dizziness crashing over him in nauseating waves. He bit down hard, forcing himself to stay upright.
He pushed the Bubble Bomb forward, aiming it at his clone's chest.
Simultaneously, River No.2 mirrored him perfectly, creating an identical bomb and sending it toward River.
River took one final, steadying breath—and snapped his fingers.
A blinding white light engulfed the world.
Bang!