"How could I possibly..." She shook her head hard, trying to push those horrible images out of her mind.
She forced herself to stop thinking. She braced her body and tried to sit up.
"Hm?"
Ilya froze.
She began to check her body.
"This... how is this possible?!" The Ilya clone covered her mouth. Her blue eyes filled with tears of horror and shame. Her entire body shook like a leaf in the wind. She was [Level 119]. She had a unique hidden class and ninety-nine [World Class Items]. She was supposed to be a legend looking down on all living things. She never imagined she would encounter such... such disgusting and strange methods!
And the attacker... seemed to be a woman?! (The clone did not realize the original body was watching.)
Even though she was angry and ashamed, she started to think like a top-tier player. Her mind raced:
'It wasn't a direct magic attack or a mental shock. None of my defensive items or skills activated. Only my ring, [Covenant · Cocoon of Reincarnation], gave a short warning before going silent... This means the attack was very special. It ignored my normal defenses.'
'It targeted... my basic human structure and nervous system? In the game, I was an "NPC" made of data. I didn't have real flesh or nerves, so I was immune. But in this world, this body is real human flesh and blood. No matter how strong a [Valkyrie] is, the base of this body is still human...'
She lightly pinched her cheek. She felt a sharp pain.
"So that's how it is..." she whispered bitterly. "Because I have a real human body, I have human weaknesses. The opponent's ability targets biological desires. It might even interfere with my DNA and brain structure. This... this is way beyond the skills in [YGGDRASIL]!"
Also, her eye was turning black. Her [Divine Realm Insight] showed that her vision system was infected by an unknown energy. It carried the properties of "charm" and "dominance." This was likely the work of the attacker as well. If she didn't fix the source, would her eye—or even more of her body—continue to turn black?
Pain, anger, and shame fought inside her heart. Finally, after failing to fix her body herself, her survival instinct won. She was afraid of this unknown threat.
She had to find help.
Gritting her teeth, she ignored the pain and moved to the mirror.
In the mirror, the girl's blonde hair was a mess. One eye was as blue as the sea, but the other was being taken over by darkness. It looked like a crack on fine porcelain, ruining her beauty.
Ilya looked at herself. She felt as if an icy hand were squeezing her heart.
She turned to leave the room, but she hesitated at the door. Could she go out like this? With a black eye? What if someone saw how pale she was?
The pressure in her mind pushed her forward. From her [Dimensional Folding] pouch, she pulled out a large, dark hooded cloak. She wrapped herself tightly to hide her abnormal eye.
(At that moment, in another dimension, the true Ilya—the original body—woke up. She blinked. Using her [Divine Realm Insight], she already knew everything that had happened. A smile appeared on her face: Who would have thought there were such boring and vulgar ways to attack?)
The clone opened the door. The hallway was empty.
Fortunately, the inn lobby was quiet in the early morning. There were only a few sleepy workers. Ilya kept her head down, using the hood to cover her face. She quickly crossed the lobby and reached the street.
Morning in the capital of the [Bahamas Empire] had already begun. But Ilya didn't care about the view. Her blue (and blackened) eyes searched the shop signs on the street.
A tailor? A clothing store? A doctor? Or... was there a place with a holy symbol for healing?
The chaos in her mind burned like fire. For a moment, she even thought about using the resurrection power of her ring. She could destroy her current self and then grow a new brain while she was invincible.
But... she immediately stopped that thought. Using such a rare item for a "minor nuisance" would be a total disgrace! Also, the immunity after resurrection only lasted sixty hours. If the enemy's power was still active, it might come back later.
Just as her mind felt like a mess, she saw a small shop on a corner. There were beautiful flowers outside. The sign said "Ivy's Little Flower House." It was a small, family-run shop. A young girl with twin tails was watering the plants and humming a song.
The girl looked about fourteen or fifteen. She had a round face and bright, innocent eyes. Most importantly, she was female, and she looked simple and clean.
This was the place.
Ilya took a deep breath. She adjusted her hood and walked toward the flower shop.
(Meanwhile, the original Ilya watched this and yawned. She found this very funny. She looked at the two figures hiding in the shadows—[Albedo] and [Rubedo]. She could have seen through them instantly, but she chose not to.)
(Watching ants struggle and plan is quite interesting. Last night, I already used a World Item to see the future of this world. That ending... The original Ilya smiled.)
"Welcome! Dear guest, what flowers would you like? We have fresh irises and white roses!" The girl—Ivy—heard footsteps and turned around. She had a bright smile and a clear voice.
Ilya didn't look at the flowers. She reached into her pouch and took out a high-quality [Gemstone]. It was a magical jewel valuable enough to support a family for years. She placed it on the table.
"I'll take all the flowers in the shop." Ilya's voice was low and shaky. "Also... I have a private request. I need your help. I will pay you more when it is done."
Ivy stared at the gemstone. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open. She had never seen anything so valuable! She looked at Ilya in a panic. Even though the guest was hidden by a cloak, her voice was pleasant and she smelled wonderful.
(Is she a noble lady? Or a legendary mage?) Ivy's heart hammered. She was excited and scared. The guest didn't seem bad, but she was very mysterious.
"M-May I ask what kind of help?" Ivy asked nervously.
Ilya bit her lip. She took out several gold coins and pushed them toward Ivy. She explained the situation in a very low voice.
Ivy's face turned bright red instantly. She looked at Ilya with surprise, sympathy, and deep embarrassment.
(Oh my god... t-this...) Ivy's mind was a mess. But she looked at the gemstone and the gold coins. She thought about how hard her parents worked. She decided to help. (Calm down, Ivy! She's a woman, I'm a woman! I'm just helping a sister in trouble! And the pay is so good.)
"I... I understand." Ivy tried to stay steady. "P-Please follow me to the back. I'll hang the 'Closed' sign."
Ivy led Ilya through the shop into a clean little room. The room was simple and smelled like flowers.
The door closed. They were alone.
Ilya pulled back her hood. She revealed her messy blonde hair and her half-black eye. Ivy flinched, but Ilya's tired eyes made her feel better.
"Quickly... as fast as possible." Ilya was in pain. She took out a white, glowing tool from her pouch. It looked like a small, beautiful knife. This was a tool that could perform "Absolute Purification." It would fix her without causing too much harm.
"Use this. Do exactly what I said. Don't hesitate." Ilya handed the tool to Ivy.
Ivy took the tool. It felt warm and peaceful. Her hands were shaking. This is helping a sister, she told herself.
She gathered her courage...
Five minutes later...
"T-There's one more... right?" Ivy whispered.
"...Yes," Ilya responded softly.
Ivy worked again, taking even more time.
At that moment—
In the void, the original Ilya sat up.
"That's about enough," she whispered.
She tapped her finger. In the next second, she turned into white light and merged into the body of the clone in the small room.
The two minds became one.
The clone's messy thoughts became clear instantly. She blinked and smiled. It was a look of calm power.
"I see," she said in her heart.
The memories overlapped. The clone's pain and shame merged with the original's calm observation. She finally understood: she was a clone, the "self" that was attacked was just a lure, and her real self had been watching the whole time.
She didn't deal with the items yet. Ilya walked to a mirror. She stared coldly at her reflection. She took out a blue crystal called the [Tear of Pure Origin]. It was a powerful healing item. She pressed it against her black eye.
A soft blue light appeared. The darkness in her eye melted away. In a few seconds, her eye was blue again.
Only then did Ilya relax.
Then, a terrifying fury filled her heart. It was much stronger than the shame she felt before.
She didn't scream. She didn't cry. Her face became pale and icy. Her blue eyes were cold enough to freeze a soul.
Very well.
You like playing dirty?
You like using brain-control?
You like marking people and polluting their minds?
I will play with you until the very end.
With a thought, her dress vanished. A brilliant silver light burst from her body!
[Valkyrie's Aegis]—the silver full-body armor—appeared and wrapped around her. This was one of her strongest [World Items]. Its defense was absolute. It could block almost any magic or strange ability. As long as she wore this, her human body was protected.
As the armor activated, her blonde hair turned into a cold, silver color, like moonlight. She looked like a [Valkyrie] from a legend. She was beautiful and terrifying.
She exhaled a cold breath.
In the room, Ivy was stunned. She watched as the "noble lady" transformed into a holy warrior in silver armor. Even her hair had changed.
(This sister... who is she? Is she a Goddess?) Ivy's mind was a mess.
"T-Today's events..." Ivy stammered.
Ilya turned her head. Her cold gaze fell on Ivy, making the girl shiver.
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