Rui did his very best to exploit the flaws and shortcomings in the VOID algorithm. Exchange after exchange, he abused them to the best he could. The disadvantage he had accumulated prior was slowly starting to get mitigated.

The biggest problem was that his shadow clone self didn't really seem to be capable of taking damage. Even if Rui pounded it with a barrage of powerful attacks, it would get up, walk it off and continue as if nothing happened. Whereas any damage Rui took didn't magically disappear, he retained all of it. Even if his new tactic allowed him to outplay his opponent, the lack of damage and fatigue on his opponent's part meant that none of it ever stuck.

Rui had to work harder and harder each time he wanted to overwhelm his opponent.

But what did it matter? His opponent simply got back up and continued fighting with the same ferocity as before. Rui's combat kept getting duller and duller.

It only snowballed even further as time passed.

BOOM!!

Rui grimaced as a powerful Flowing Canon flung him away. He crashed into his immediate surroundings, getting up quickly.

An eternity had passed. He felt as though he was going insane with all this endless fighting. He was bleeding profusely and panting heavily in exhaustion. He felt his mental body going limp with fatigue.

Yet, he didn't give up.

He grabbed the incoming attack from his shadow clone, using Flow Flux to throw him off. He launched a Tempestuous Ripple, blasting the shadow clone of his with a wind blast. His shadow clone swiftly recovered launching another attack.

BAM!

Rui grimaced as the attack crashed into his abdomen, unguarded.

PEW!Belonging to .

The Stinger slammed into his clone's head. Yet, Rui wasn't done. He launched a barrage of attacks that bypassed the VOID algorithm via its flaws and shortcomings.

BOOM!

A final attack landed on the shadow clone, flinging him away.

Rui collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Every ounce of his mental body was in pain, he could barely move as he gasped for air.

WHOOSH

The shadow clone had arrived, launching a powerful attack at Rui.

('Shit... Is this how it ends?') He struggled to put up a guard.

The attack warped the very world around them with the sheer power it had. Rui could feel the tiniest hint of haste and panic from the shadow clone.

As though it didn't have any time left.

The attack was just about to crash into him.

Rui had gritted his teeth with his head tucked, bracing for the impact.

...

Nothing happened.

"Huh?" His eyebrows knitted in confusion. He raised his head as he leaped back.

There was nothing.

He looked around in suspicion. ('Where did he go?')

Then, the illusory work crumbled as darkness enveloped his senses yet again.

He opened his eyes. An expression of shock molded onto his face as the familiar white ceiling of the operating room entered his field of vision along with doctor Heela and a set of nurses tending to him.

"Apprentice Quarrier?" She asked as she flashed his eyes with a flashlight device. "Pupils are reactive. Apprentice Quarrier? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm back!" He exclaimed with elation and ecstasy.

"Congratulations." Doctor Heela said to him. "The procedure was a success. You successfully resisted the mental takeover phase."

Rui felt exhausted beyond anything he ever had.

"We'll be conducting a few tests just to make su-" She paused when she heard a snoring sound.

He had fallen asleep on the spot. His eyelids were too heavy and his mind was too tired to even try staying awake after it had confirmed it was safe. He didn't even experience a single dream as his mind tucked away silently, taking some much-needed rest.

He woke up later feeling fresher than he ever had. Not even potions were this invigorating. He got up in his bed slowly, before looking around.

('I've been moved to a different room.') He mused as a nurse popped into his room, noticing he was awake.

"Apprentice Quarrier, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"Great." He replied. "How long was I asleep?"

"Fourteen hours." She replied. "Your mind needed an immense amount of rest after the incredibly strenuous ten minutes. We've steadily injected highly nourishing and healing potions into your body that would allow your brain and mind to naturally recover."

"I see..." He murmured before perking up at something she said. "Wait, ten minutes? You mean the bonding procedure lasted ten minutes?"

"Correct." She replied.

Rui squinted in confusion. His sense of time must have been extremely messed up. That fight had lasted many days, at the very least.

To think that all of that had actually happened in ten minutes tops.

"Doctor Heela has been notified of your awakening. She'll be here shortly." The nurse informed. "Would you like anything? A glass of water?"

Rui nodded absentmindedly, absorbed in thought. "Please do."

Soon, doctor Heela entered his room with a smile. "I heard you had woken up. Feeling good?"

"Much better than I expected, yes."

"That's good news." She nodded. "We conducted a few tests, and there is no abnormality. The secondary brain is still dormant, acclimatizing to its circumstances. Soon, it will become active and you will be able to feel it. It is recommended you do not begin training with it for at least a few days. Your mind is still not done recovering and the once you begin training and the flux of information exchange between the brains increases it will strain your brain more than it normally would be."

Rui nodded. "Will do."

Soon the conversation ended after the doctor rattled off some instructions and answered some questions.

"You'll be discharged tomorrow after some more supervision. Be sure to rest as much as possible, do not strain your mind in any way."

Rui nodded, bidding her goodbye as she left the room.

He closed his eyes, turning his attention inside himself. He flinched when he felt the presence of a dormant entity connected to his own.

"This... is the secondary brain?" He murmured in wonder.