The chamber shimmered like molten silver.
Each pair stepped cautiously into separate corridors, the air thick with a metallic hum.
Arai gripped Rabubagu, her double-faced blade gleaming.
"Something's… off," she whispered, scanning the shadows.
Mei's eyes narrowed. "No enemy yet… but stay alert. This chamber is different."
Shizuma and Daigo entered another corridor, fists ready.
Kaito and Jenres moved cautiously into their section.
Corjaudo stumbled into his own, alone, trembling.
The corridors appeared empty… until shadows shifted unnaturally.
Arai and Mei – First Encounter
A sudden ripple of air made Arai spin.
From the darkness, a figure emerged.
Cold. Silent. Deadly.
A clone of Chronos, glowing with the Time Fragment.
Mei's eyes widened. "So… this is him."
The clone struck instantly.
WHOOSH!
Arai swung Rabubagu, twin edges slicing the air.
Mei followed immediately with a precise strike.
CRASH! The clone blocked effortlessly.
A ripple of temporal energy reversed their motions mid-swing, sending them back a step.
"He erases every strike!" Arai hissed.
Mei ducked another blow. "We can't attack blindly. Observe, adapt… then strike."
The clone moved unpredictably, phasing in and out like smoke.
Arai slashed. Mei feinted. Together, they landed a hit that made the clone flicker slightly.
"Did you see that?" Arai said, eyes narrowing.
Mei nodded, determination burning. "There's a weakness… somewhere. We just have to find it."
They pressed forward, landing several blows, dodging almost imperceptible attacks, coordinating perfectly.
CRASH! The clone struck back, forcing Mei to roll under a swipe that would have cleaved her in half.
Arai countered with a horizontal slash, striking the clone's side.
It staggered—but vanished instantly, reappearing above them in a flash.
Shizuma and Daigo – Facing Their Clone
Shizuma and Daigo's corridor erupted in chaos as their clone attacked.
Feints, rapid strikes, and coordinated counters were all neutralized by the clone's time-warped abilities.
THWACK! Daigo's punch rebounded violently, sending him sliding back.
Shizuma spun, kicking, but the clone vanished and reappeared behind him.
"This isn't ordinary combat," Shizuma said coldly. "Every attack can fail instantly. We have to adapt."
Daigo's fists clenched. "Trial and error… observation… only that will work."
Kaito and Jenres – Chaotic Strategy
Kaito and Jenres' clone struck immediately, attacking with blinding speed.
Flips, punches, kicks—all vanished mid-air.
"AGHHH!" Jenres yelled. "It's like hitting air!"
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "We can't fight normally. Watch, test, adapt… only then might we survive."
Corjaudo Solo – Instincts vs. Clone
Corjaudo crouched behind a fractured pillar.
A faint shimmer drew his eye.
A clone appeared before him.
Fear surged through him.
Instinct screamed: run.
But he gripped a jagged shard of glass.
He lunged blindly.
The shard grazed the clone—not enough to harm.
A faint flicker ran through the clone.
Corjaudo froze. His action had triggered something subtle—but he didn't understand it.
Arai noticed it during her fight. "Wait… that's something!"
Mei dodged a strike, countering with a quick slash.
Her strikes landed, forcing the clone to stagger.
Arai parried and struck alongside her, landing several successful hits.
CRASH! The clone retaliated, its blade cutting through the air with deadly precision.
Mei gasped but kept fighting, parrying, striking, even managing a powerful blow that made the clone flicker.
"We… we can do this," Mei whispered, raising her weapon once more.
Arai nodded, fists clenched, ready to counter the next attack.
The clone vanished and reappeared mid-air.
SLASH!
A precise strike hit Mei's side.
She stumbled, blood flowing freely.
"Arai… survive… don't stop…" she whispered, her hand slipping from Arai's shoulder.
Arai lunged to protect her, but the clone disappeared again, forcing her to retreat.
Mei's knees hit the floor. Her eyes softened. "You… must… finish it…"
With a final shudder, she collapsed.
Arai sank to her knees, Rabubagu clattering beside her, rage and grief igniting in her chest.
Observation and Realization
Even in grief, Arai's mind raced.
Trial, error, observation… the clone's pattern could still be studied.
Shizuma and Daigo, Kaito and Jenres, and Corjaudo continued fighting, unaware of Mei's fate.
The clones moved, struck, vanished, and reversed time—only for themselves.
No weak points revealed.
Subtle clues appeared: flickers, shimmers, reactions to precise attacks.
Tick… tick… tick…
The chamber pulsed in rhythm with the clones' power.
Observation. Instinct. Adaptation.
These were the only weapons left.
And now, Arai's grief burned into fury and determination.
She would survive.
She would learn.
And she would avenge Mei.
TO BE CONTINUED...