> [Dual-Wielding Mastery]
>
> [Anyone can dream of wielding two weapons to outspeed and overpower their foes. However, some can master this skill through grit and obstacles put themselves. Because of this unique way of fighting, this [Advanced Mastery] has 10 different styles to complement their preferred weaponry.]
I see. It would make sense why they made this [Mastery] "advanced". Dual-wielding weapons being OP aside, it offers several styles depending on the weapons I'm currently equipped with. Luckily for me, I don't need to grind for new skills to try them out since that strange Deus-Ex-Machina moment let me offer most of them for this battle. Although...
> [This [Mastery] isn't released yet! You are the first player to unlock it before the first expansion in this battle! Stay tuned for more details.]
It would be more helpful if it would stop shilling itself for one second. I appreciate that I can try to unlock it at the next update, though.
[Wind Edge!]
My eyes widen as I turn around to get myself back in the battle. But it's too late as the blade of wind quickly pushes me a few feet away from the fakes. It doesn't cut me in half (thankfully), but there goes my fully restored [HP].
[I'm not letting you live, you cheating faker!] The fake Kazu screams at me. [You've insulted my brother for the last time!]
Yeah, I need to take care of that puppet who calls himself my real little brother. If Kazu was here, he would have been insulted by his remarks by now. I might as well do him a favor and shut him up for good.
"Try me, you real faker," I declare as I slowly stand up from that last attack. "That attack is my gift. Now let's see if you can hit me again. If you're lucky, of course."
I take a deep breath. After reading through my skillset for my new [Mastery], I know what I can use first.
"[Varius Stance]!"
A red aura starts to envelop my body as I let it move by itself in a strange sword dance with my sword and dagger. [Varius Stance] is actually a skill that lets me access a special set of skills depending on my weaponry. Since I'm currently wielding a sword and dagger (and I'm not gonna try with my bow), this is the only skill I can use at the moment. But I have no complaints since this is all sudden. Besides, it's all I need since it offers more than [SPD] buffs.
[Bastard! You're not going to dodge this too easily! [Tracking Aim]!]
My fake fires a [Spiral Arrow] with that skill. He's right. I can't dodge it. But I can block it.
"[Varius Art: Crazy Parry]!"
I twirl my dagger around before I use its blade to block the arrow before it can hit me. After that, I use my sword to cut the steel arrow in half, negating it completely.
[What?!]
I grinned once I see my doppelganger's shock after I took care of his arrow. "My turn."
I take one step forward and dash toward the doppelgangers. I would try another [Varius Art], but I have other plans in mind.
[You won't take one more step! [Twister Trap]!]
The fake Kazu raises his staff and before I know it, I'm trapped in another tornado that starts to scratch me again. I would have not bothered seeing the notice again. But...
> [NOTICE]
>
> [You are currently trapped in the tornado created by the [Twister Trap]. You will start losing 5 [HP] per second unless you can escape or the tornado expires in 3 minutes.]
"Three instead of five," I mutter before I mentally close the window. "You really want to copy my brother so bad, that you managed to overwrite him with stronger magic. Too bad you should have done that before my fake! [Aftershock]!"
I swing my sword as hard as I can, just enough to dispel the tornado again.
> [NOTICE]
>
> [Due to the force of the attack, the effects of [Twister Trap] have been canceled.]
Unlike last time, the resulting attack creates a backlash that almost blows us away. I can see the fake Kazu shielding his eyes from the dust blowing through him. This next attack may be brutal, but it's time for me to take out a problem as I freefall toward him.
"[Backstab]."
As soon as I land on my two feet, I turn my head and let my dagger stab into the imposter wearing my brother's face.
> [CRITICAL!]
I flinch as I hear him cough while stabbing in deeper just in case.
[H-How...] I hear the fake Kazu mutter while coughing. [T-That's impossible...]
Seeing that notice and hearing his voice stutter in pain are not helping my guilt a bit, but I have to remind myself that he's not Kazu. The real Kazu wouldn't doubt me and himself when it came to [Isekai Online]. And this proves my point.
"I think it's time for you to stop lying to yourself. Game over."
It's not a lie. He took two [Aftershock] attacks earlier when I escaped his [Twister Trap] beforehand.
> [Imperfect Shadow Doll,
>
> [HP: 101/760]
I know he's not a perfect copy, but he might have the same horrendous defense as Kazu. I don't want to prolong this, though. I close my eyes and swing my sword to his neck.
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> [You have defeated [Imperfect Shadow Doll,
I don't want to open my eyes after seeing that notice that appeared even through my eyelids. What's done is done, but I rather wait for the body to disappear than see it. I hope the day when I have to do the same to my real brother never comes. That copy was nothing more than a representation of my doubts and now that I conquer it, it's time to face the manifestation of my failures next.
[W-What have you done?! K-Kazu! KAZU!!!]
I turn around just as I open my eyes to see my copy on his knees while trying to grab shadow wisps that seem to emerge from the fake Kazu's body. I know the feeling after seeing someone who has my brother's face. But seeing him like this makes me disgusted at his hypocritical reaction.
"Why don't you drop the act already? You know you only made him play with my feelings. Sorry to say that it didn't work and it's time for you to stop playing and start fighting fair and square."
[F-Fair? What do you mean by "fair"?!]
His head is still hung from the loss of his puppet brother, but my eyes widen to see a red aura start to gather around his body. This reminds me too much of that last fight. If it is the same, then...
[You killed my brother. You never accept that you're a faker. And now you're telling me to "play fair"?! I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you! IwontforgiveyouIwon'tforgiveyouIwontforgiveyou...]
The red wisps slowly turn into a mix of purple and black as they began to form around my doppelganger. I seriously have a bad feeling about this, but it was a matter of time until he snapped whether I lower his [HP] in half or not.
[I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, BASTAAAAAARDDDDDD!!!]
> [WARNING]
>
> [Your opponent, [Shadow Doppelganger],
>
> Their [ATK] and [SPD] have been increased by 50%.]
I feel a strong wind coming from my copy as he's now enveloped in a black and purple aura with his red eyes glowing and the white sclera turned black. Guess that means the real fight starts here. Now that I got rid of his manipulative tricks, it's nothing but spells and blades from here.
[I'M GONNA KILL YOU, FAKER. ONCE I'M DONE WITH YOU, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO IMPERSONATE ME AGAIN!]
"You can try, jerk," I smirk at his dumb accusations now that they fall flat without his puppet. "But like I said, you have to hit me if you want to kill me."
[DAMN YOUUUUU!!!! [FATAL STAB]!!!]
And it didn't take long for him to start charging in with his sword like a rampaging bull. I'm surprised he didn't use his bow and arrows for the final bout. I'm guessing that he's so consumed by anger, that it might affect his aim or his desire to kill me is at an all-time high. Thanks to his [SPD] buff though, I can't cast another [Bluster Speed] in time. However, I still have a minute and a half for the [Varius Stance's] buffs. While the stance itself is nearly permanent until the battle is finished, I have a boost with my [SPD] and critical rate. Besides, I still have some aces along with my temporary ones.
"[Parry]."
I let my arm raise the sword before my fake's reaches my shoulder. Now that I know this attack has a guaranteed hit on my weak point, there is a chance I can block it instead of counter it. To my surprise, it works.
[WHAT?!]
"Followed by [Backstab]!"
I jump to the back and stab him in the back. Simple, but brutal.
[ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!] My doppelganger screams as he tries to struggle out while I try to keep my dagger in for a few more seconds. [I'LL KILL YOU!!! YOU'RE NOT REAL!!! I'M THE REAL WIND!!! THE REAL WIND NEVER KILLS HIS OLDER BROTHER!]
"That's true. I would never let him get anywhere dangerous or sacrifice him for my own benefit. However, what you did was nothing more than emotional manipulation. You used your puppet as your trophy, mocking anyone who truly cared for others so you can satisfy your ego, and disregard their feelings just so you can treat them as slaves... You're worse than my bullies. You're nothing more than my childish thoughts after I ran away from my brother after that incident! I was ashamed. Of not talking to my brother out of fear. Out of paranoia that someone like them would harm me and Kazu. I tried to close my emotions, tried to protect him once I found my purpose at the cost of my life goals. In the end, I learned that I don't need to protect someone to be a big brother. A real big brother is someone who looks up to and encourages their little sibling to find their path by sharing the same courage and determination that you show to them! And a real little brother is someone willing to push past their boundaries to fight with the same strength as their brother's."
[SHUT UUUUPPPPP!!! [CYCLONE FORCE]!!!]
Ugh... I can feel a stronger gust of wind pushing me a few feet away from him. He's not willing to let me get closer to him. Then I have to make do with what I have to deal with his stubbornness.
“Spirit of Sylph, hear my call. Create the wind that is gathering all around me. Help me release the gale to push back my foes! [Gale Force]!”
I release my gust of wind in the opposite direction. I don't know how physics works in this game, but I know from the TV shows that I watched that if you hit a tornado with another one in an opposite direction. I wish it would work here, but...
> [WARNING]
>
> [Your [Gale Force] has been overpowered by your opponent's [Cyclone Force]. The effects have been dispersed.]
>
> This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Dammit... Looks like that skill isn't enough to stop the cyclone. I can't level up my [Wind Mastery] in 30 seconds, but I might be able to create more if I want to win in the battle of attrition.
“Spirit of Sylph, hear our call. Trap our enemies into the gale of storms and imbue our weaponry with your blessings! [Tempest Blow]!”
I summon a small tornado around us as I feel another strong gust trying to disperse it like the last time.
[Dumbass! You know my [Wind] spells are stronger than yours! SO DON'T EXPECT THEM TO SAVE YOUR ASS THIS TIME!]
I groan at his insult again. I get the obvious, but that's only half of my plan.
“Spirit of Sylph, I ask for your aid. Grant me the power of the wind to outrun and defeat my opponents! [Bluster Speed]!”
At least this gives me another excuse to buff myself with it again. But I need one more! That cooldown is so damn slow and I don't know if I can keep my dagger for much longer!
[I TOLD YOU IT'S USELESS!!! YOU CAN NEVER OVERPOWER MY CYCLONE!]
I grin once I see the cooldown end right in front of me. "I know. I'm just making one more for my bomb."
At that point, my doppelganger tilts his head. [What bomb?]
That's all I need for the coup de grace.
“Spirit of Sylph, hear my call. Create the wind that is gathering all around me. Help me release the gale to push back my foes! [Gale Force]!”
With one more gust of wind by my side, all of the requirements have been fulfilled. And the trigger is my smile and this final spell.
"This bomb."
> [Your desperation has unlocked another hint of your past.]
"[Wind Sickle]."
I don't know why I suddenly say this without chanting an incantation, but I don't care. I finally pull out my dagger from my doppelganger, right before my spells start to collide with his tornado, and my [Wind Sickle] triggers the final part of my plan.
Realistically, there is no way a natural tornado could collide with another in an opposite direction. And creating more wind simply sucks one into the other and mainly creates new ones from the force of the spin. So what if a tornado absorbs my wind and forces it to throw up in a small room with a single wind blade of mana?
> [The amount of [Wind Mana] has exceeded the [Cyclone Force]. The effects have expired and a recoil is in effect.]
It creates a gust bomb that causes both of us to fly off in different directions. Yeah, that's not how wind and tornadoes work in real life. But at least it works... (God, I hope Kazu won't replicate it for my sake...)
Sure, it's counterintuitive since I'm now far away from my copy. But I'm going to end this fight one way or another!
> [Because you have switched weapons that are incompatible with the stance, your [Varius Stance] has been deactivated.]
Don't worry, I will be back in that stance in just a moment. Besides, with my doppelganger defenseless, I need a few shots to weaken him further.
"[Twin Arrow Shot]!"
I fire at him with [Steel Arrows] first. They don't hurt a lot and they miss easily thanks to the wind even with my [Compound Bow's] adjustments. But it gives me a bit of decent damage. Of course, he is not happy when one of them hits him in the chest.
> [Shadow Doppelganger,
>
> [HP: 843/1260]
[ARGH!!! BASTARD!!!]
Yeah, like I let you insult me again. I jump to a wall nearby to get a bit closer to him and take out another new arrow I made by myself.
"[Tracking Aim]!"
I release the arrow, made from iron this time. It's too heavy to fly long-range like the [Blunt Steel Arrows]. Who knew my test arrows would come in handy for this fight?
> [Shadow Doppelganger,
>
> [HP: 791/1260]
[STOP IT!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME?!]
I heard you. But I already don't care.
"[Corkscrew Pierce]!"
[CRITICAL!]
----------------------------------------
[Shadow Doppelganger,
[HP: 667/1260]
[ARGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!]
That last one is my trusted [Spiral Arrow]. I did waste a lot, but again, it was worth it. With the wind dying down, I switch out my bow and arrows with my sword and dagger.
"[Varius Stance]!" I shout as I spin myself toward the falling copy. I only have a few [SP] left, so all I do is a flurry of normal slashes on him followed by an upper kick that sends him in the air for a few more seconds. "Now where was I? Oh, yes!"
I hop on the wall again and jump above my copy with a grin on my face. "[Varius Art...]"
I twirl around my blades and thrust both of them into his chest.
"[...Sneering Stab]!"
I push my blades deeper and deeper into my copy's chest. He's not a real person, yet I can see him coughing out what seemed to be black blood. I also see it seeping out of his stab wounds.
> [You inflicted [Shadow Doppelganger,
Looks like the description of this skill isn't just for flavor. When I hit him with my skill, it inflicted him with a stronger version of [Bleeding]. Even with that skill, it's not enough to put him down on time.
> [WARNING]
>
> [You [SP] is now at 30%! If you use a skill with an insufficient amount of [SP], 10% of your [HP] will be drained to cover the [SP] cost.]
Well, it's not like I'm granted a near-infinite amount of [SP]. I'm lucky that most of my skills only cost me low costs, but I guess I'm going to run out soon. But with this distance, I can use the final skill I was granted by my strange skill. It's a big cost, but it's enough to satisfy my catharsis.
[L-Let me...go...] I turn and see tears starting to come out from my copy's red eyes. [I-I'm supposed...to be the real...Wind... I-I don't want to die...! I don't want...to be a fake...any longer!]
So that's his true nature. I was wondering why he kept calling himself the "real deal". But it might be something to do with how he exists as a [Shadow Doppelganger]. No matter the reason lore-wise, I feel a bit sorry for him. But it is too late for me to get sentimental. I've made my decision and I will stick by it until the end.
"The feeling's mutual. But it's already over," I declare quietly. "Checkmate."
Just before we hit the floor, I pull my blades from his chest and jump away as I prepare my final attack.
[NO! PLEASE!!! DON'T DO THIS!!!]
I take a deep breath, knowing his pleas won't change my mind. "[Varius Art...]"
[I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THIS LIFE!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!!!!]
"[...Loki's Dance]."
I resign myself as soon as I declare that final skill. Because the moment I do so, I lose control of my body and let it start swinging my blades at the falling doppelganger. At the first 4 double slashes, my movements are slow. But after that, my speed gradually increases until I see my arms flailing around like an octopus to the point they look like they disappear in thin air. If [Flurry of Blades] is a skill that grants you multiple attacks at once, this skill is like a masochist version of it. The base [ATK] power itself is weak and the [SP] consumption is high, but I can get 10-20 attacks in quick succession in return. Not only that, I have 5 guaranteed chances to deal a critical hit and a 5% chance of [Bleeding].
With these OP effects, I have a feeling I won't be able to get this when this [Mastery] officially releases. But seeing it in action is enough to make me fear and amaze myself. It's to the point I ignore that I’m coughing up blood.
[STOP!!!]
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> [HP: 520/1260]
>
> [HP: 490/1260]
[STOP!!!!!!]
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> [HP: 310/1260]
>
> [HP: 281/1260]
>
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> [HP: 301/1260]
[STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP...!!!!!]
> [HP: 240/1260]
>
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> [HP: 192/1260]
>
> [CRITICAL!]
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> [That attack is automatically blocked by [Clash Block].]
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> [HP: 132/1260]
[IT HURTS!!!! STOP ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!]
...
By the time I'm back on the ground, I pant as I collapse to my knees and barely grasp my weapon's handles. That warning window wasn't joking when I look at my [HP] and [SP].
> [HP: 81/630]
>
> [SP: 0/310]
I'm surprised that despite the seemingly low [SP], I never seem to have a problem running out during a long battle. I guess that's the difference between a [Mastery] and an advanced one. And I almost ran out of my [HP] that I recovered earlier just to deal with that final suicidal attack. But despite that...
> [Shadow Doppelganger,
>
> [HP: 31/1260]
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> [Due to
That bastard has managed to survive my barrage with his [Clash Block]. Not like it helped him in the end anyway, considering that the last skill can only block one powerful or critical attack unlike [Counter Slash]. Heck, he has managed to delay the inevitable just by refusing to die like a normal monster. I have to give him credit, though. Out of all bosses, mobs, and players who dared to cross me, he is stupidly determined to live despite there being no way to defy it.
[W-Why...?] I turn to my doppelganger. To my surprise, I see tears starting to run from his eyes. [What's the crime of my existence? I can only exist to copy somebody. To steal their lives in order to survive. Dealing with weaklings is fine and all, but I'm not allowed to kill them permanently when I'm supposed to do so to keep existing! What's the point of my existence when I would just die under those bastards anyway?!]
Now he's making excuses? Again, I feel bad. But I'm not a forgiving person. Not after what he did to piss me off.
"Then tell me this: If you want to live so badly, do you have any regrets about stealing other people's lives out of spite and jealousy?"
I wait for his answer. Yet all he can respond is silence with his eyes vacantly staring from me to the walls of this dark room.
"I understand your plight. You have a reason to exist and you were forced to follow it. You only want to survive. But your actions cannot be forgiven that easily and the same goes for me. Until you learn what survival and the meaning of life are, you will remain in this dark room fulfilling your purpose. That is why I’m refraining myself from dealing the final blow."
[Y-You...]
I wish I could. But I'm out of breath and he already had enough pain to learn from his sins.
[In the end, you are you.]
To my shock, my doppelganger's body starts to disintegrate into small light orbs. It isn't until I see his [HP] that I realize the inevitable is coming.
> [HP: 21/1260]
[That fighting style... I cannot replicate it no matter how hard I try. I guess that means that you've become a different person. Someone who cannot be your past that I copied.] My copy raised his arm right in front of me. [Wind. Do not forget the changes in your heart. You found your path and the motivation to move forward to it.]
> [HP: 11/1260]
[Most importantly, you have shown me want mercy and true humanity is.]
He weakly approaches me and puts something in my hand. I can't say anything about it, but do I have a right to do so?
> [HP: 1/1260]
[You have a right to change the world or help them. I hope in my next life, I will find a more worthy opponent who will show me this warmth. I leave everything to you, Wind...]
> [HP: 0/1260]
With the final ping from the window, my [Shadow Doppelganger] disappears in pure white light and as the world starts to turn white, I realize something.
This scenario is part of the game. Everything is not real.
Yet why am I crying about it?
> [You have defeated the [Shadow Doppelganger].]
----------------------------------------
> Current Quest: Test of Courage ***
>
> Type: [Hidden]
>
> Status: In Progress
>
> Party Members:
>
> [Wind]
----------------------------------------
Wind's Masteries
[Archery] Level 23
[Woodcrafting] Level 10
[Swordsmanship] Level 24
[Cooking] Level 9
[Wind] Level 17
[Physical Enhancement] Level 18
[Hunting] Level 17
[Blacksmithing] Level 18
[Dagger] Level 8
----------------------------------------
> [Thank you for trying out the [Dual-Wielding Mastery] demo! Enjoy your adventures in
>
> [Your rewards will be distributed shortly after the [Hidden Quest].]