Chapter 47: Chapter 45

“...Shit.”

Yuuji clicked his tongue at the person standing before him. The figure’s onyx-black hair was messy and swayed gently as it moved, but the cruel stare born from its deep brown eyes made Yuuji’s hair stand on edge.

The two of them stood at a distance in an empty world lit by a million dazzling stars in the sky. There was no ground beneath their feet, but instead a silvery water that splashed when they moved as if they were walking across the surface of a lake.

It looked like a lean young man and held a strong posture. The sturdy overcoat that protected its body was obsidian black, with threads of gold that weaved through the leather like rivers of light.

It was a mirror image of himself, though the way his double carried itself was somewhat different, and when it spoke to him with his own voice the sound echoed within his mind.

“Am I really so careless? To think I would fall for such a childish trap as this.”
“...”
“Say something at least. I know your thoughts better than you do.”
“...”

He refused to fall for the provocations of this mimic. Trying to replicate him was a way to get into his mind, but he wouldn’t fall for it - he was stronger than that.

“Take a look at yourself. What have you become, really?”
“-!?”

Yuuji’s eyes sharpened, and the figure shot a menacing glare back at him. His mind stirred for a moment, but he shook the thoughts away and prepared for battle.

“Such a disappointment. So be it.”
“Minamoto no Yorimitsu-”
“-Doujigiri!”

The two spoke in unison, as they dashed forward for the attack. Yuuji’s surprise attack was read with ease, as the clone parried with a shining tachi of its own, moving to block the swing before it had even been thrown.

*CLANG*

The two blades collided and flickered as blows were exchanged at lightning speed. Every attack Yuuji attempted was effortlessly dealt with, and followed up with a retaliation he struggled to deflect in turn.

He leapt backwards to disengage, while the figure waited confidently in place. It wasn’t even trying, it seemed.

“...You aren’t just an imposter.”
“You should have already known that. You’re getting dull, Reaper.”

The bitter words stung his heart as he knew they came from his own mouth. Thoughts he had ignored and worries he had dismissed now rose to the surface where he couldn’t hide them.

He didn’t have much time to think, as the duplicate sped towards him like a bullet, water splashing beneath its fleeting steps. It was a closing move he knew well, but it felt so much faster than he remembered.

*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*

His hands trembled as he fought off the weighty blows. The strength behind each swing was clear with intent - if he didn’t act fast, he would die.

“Too many thoughts, too much noise. Kill or be killed, it has always been our way.”
“...Damn!”

Yuuji shouted in anger as the brutal assault continued to rain down without halt. The savage swings felt as though they were filled with endless rage, but when he stared into his own eyes all he saw was a suffocating emptiness.

“A blade that cannot kill has no purpose. Demons, humans - any who threaten humanity cannot be spared. You are a shell of your former self.”
“Shut… the fuck up!”

The voice screamed within his head, and he couldn’t drown it out no matter what he tried. Without a moment to think, his instincts began to take over his body, and his arms moved to protect himself from incoming attacks faster than he could process. Finally, the barrage let up, and the attacker jumped backwards as it watched him carefully.

“It’s about time. So you finally woke up?”
“...”

Yuuji gritted his teeth. Surrendering to his raw impulses kept him alive, but the thought that he was becoming more and more like the person before him made his skin crawl. He wasn’t like that - not anymore.

“Scáthach. Gáe Bulg!”

His favoured sword evaporated, and from the glimmering dust, a long golden shaft began to form. A leaf-shaped blade materialised at its edge, and in the place of wings, three rows of jagged barbs jutted out from the spearhead. The shining golden threads on his clothes seemed to ripple once again, and his body relaxed as his movements flowed smoothly like water.

“...A pity. You have lost your way."

Even with his change in weapon, the double did not seem concerned. Staring down its nose condescendingly, it waited for him to make the first move once again.

“Fuu…”

Yuuji took a deep breath to steady his hand. Lowering his stance, both hands gripped his spear tightly, and the tip pointed straight at his opponent. The reach advantage he now had would be his most vital asset, but it was at the sacrifice of some proficiency, and his mirror clearly believed that the loss was too great.

He stepped forward as his muscles tensed, unleashing a split-second thrust that tore through the air. As the speartip travelled it seemed to hum with power, but even that was not enough.

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*CLANG*

The clone swung hard, knocking the spear aside. Rather than pressing a counterattack, it stepped backwards, and before it could move again Yuuji lunged once more. Extending his front leg further out, he relinquished his double-handed grip and pushed his full reach with only a single arm. It was a foolish and risky strike for a polearm user, but in that moment he wasn’t a spearman - he was a fencer.

*CLANG* *CLANG* *Splash* *Splash*

“-!?”

He twisted the spear shaft as it hurtled forward with all his might, and the shimmering sword was gripped by the spear barbs, wrenching both weapons away from their hosts. For the first time since they had begun battling, the mimic let out a gasp in surprise, but it wasn’t over yet.

“HAAAH!”

Yuuji kicked off the ground and let out a ferocious cry as he whirled in the air, swinging down with a heavy heel kick aimed directly at the unarmed figure’s torso.

“Perseu-!”

Its words were cut short as the heel of Yuuji’s boot crashed into its raised arms, causing a loud *CRACK* and sending it clattering to the floor. Yuuji reeled in pain too, as he felt his ankle swell when he landed from the shoddily imitated kick his body wasn’t ready for.

*Splash* *Splash* *Splash*

The double rolled across the ground and recovered with a twirl, quickly regaining its composure. It stared at him furiously, as its left arm which took the brunt of the attack lay limp by its side.

“Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Doujigiri.”
“Haa… haa… Perseus, Aegis!”

The mirror summoned its sword once more, as Yuuji called out his shield. The stinging pain in his foot made it hard to stand, and he prepared himself for a defensive battle as his opponent began to approach.

“Even with the advantage, you didn’t aim to kill. What purpose does this strength serve, if you don’t have the resolve to use it?”
“...I won’t kill anymore. I’m more than just a weapon.”
“We are, and always will be, the Reaper.”

*CLANG*

With coldness in its words, the mimic swung towards him, the blade clattering against his shield. The blow was deflected, but it pushed Yuuji to place his weight on his broken ankle, and he groaned in pain.

“There’s… more to life… than that!”
“What life do we deserve? You are in a world you don’t belong. Come back.”

*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*

The sword pummelled Yuuji’s shield until finally his leg gave way and he fell to one knee. The clone showed no sign of stopping as it swung until his arm was numb from the violent impacts, maintaining its soulless stare that chilled him to his core.

Sensing the fight was over the figure kicked the shield to the side, and with practised movements, sliced right through Yuuji’s arm with a single swing, tearing it away from his body as it landed with a splash.

“GAAAAH-!”
“Your feelings for her will be your end. Let this childish dream die.”

It stared at him as blood poured from his wound, turning the silvery plane a deep, murky red. He gasped for air and faced his reflection as it stood with its blade ready.

“...”
“...”

The two exchanged no more words as the sword of light was raised high, and Yuuji closed his eyes, thinking back to the girl that had occupied his thoughts these recent months.

*CRACK*

A roaring crash echoed from around them, and as Yuuji’s eyes fluttered open once more, he saw the distant starscape crack and fracture around them. The fissures quickly spread, and the whole sky began to shake.

He looked towards his mirror, and its face was blurry and warped.

“~~~”

*CRACK*

He didn’t hear the words it spoke, but even without sound, he knew their meaning.

The world around them shattered, and he was left in the darkness of the school classroom.

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