Volume 11 Chapter 29 Self-Control
Gyurvi stood facing Fake Wade, recalling their strategy.
"What was it...? If Fake says something like 'Brahma', I can just interfere with all my might, right?"
Doing so would prevent Fake Wade from finding the real one. That's what Real Wade had said.
"Just prioritize surviving, and I'll take care of the rest," he added.
"If that's the case, it's easy peasy. Do you think I'm a pushover?"
Gyurvi sneered, gazing up at Fake Wade standing on top of a ruined building.
Fake Wade stared back at Gyurvi, seemingly searching for an opening.
Then, he opened his mouth.
"Brahm――"
"Ah, I see! It's like this!"
Gyurvi suddenly conjured a tornado, attacking the Fake. The Fake quickly closed its mouth and dodged, then opened it again to say "Brahm".
But Gyurvi was prepared for that. He triggered another tornado, swiftly closing in and attacking the fake from close range.
"You're not listening, are you? That's how it is with people like you."
He set the tornado ablaze. The resulting inferno was a storm of roaring flames.
"!?"
The fake was blown away by the unavoidable massive attack.
If a human were to take that attack, they'd be torn apart and charred to a crisp. That's how powerful it was.
However, some sort of magic was cast around the fake, allowing it to merely scorch its clothes and hair tips.
"Tch, you've got quite the sturdy defense, don't you..."
"...Gyurvi, that attack just now..."
The fake gazed at Gyurvi with an expression as if it had realized something. Gyurvi thought for a moment, deciding that it didn't matter if the fake knew or not.
"Well, I suppose that's true. Let's use a few methods I've been avoiding."
Gyurvi clenched his fists, enveloped by 3 attributes: Rock, Ice, and Storm.
"Wade, I don't think I can win against you in a fistfight, but..."
Gyurvi burst out laughing.
"With these 3, I can at least break through your defenses, right?"
Gyurvi charged forward with the wind, his fists flying.
"――――"
The fake froze, but Gyurvi used his magical power to push through and land a hit.
n the next instant, the fake barely dodged. Gyurvi's storm-infused fist shattered the fake's clothes and skin, leaving him vulnerable.
"Not yet, fake! I'll keep going!"
Gyurvi launched a relentless assault, raining down punches on the fake. The fake tried to counter with Brahma, but the difficulty of dodging left him speechless.
"Ahh! You're really annoying, Gyurvi!"
The fake threw a punch, and Gyurvi, knowing its power, desperately dodged. "Ahh, that was close!" he exclaimed while avoiding the attack and counterattacking. However, the fake dodged again.
"You think you can dodge this easily, Gyurvi?"
The fake's movements became swifter, as if he had given up on saying "Brahma." This was bad news, Gyurvi thought, but he kept pushing forward.
Rapid-fire punches, rapid-fire punches, rapid-fire punches! Gyurvi was a seasoned veteran, aware of his limits. And that limit wasn't here yet. He could still attack. More, more, more―――
"Hey."
And the moment the fake's tone dropped, Gyurvi sensed his limit.
"Enough already, this―――!?"
"Aaah, take that! You fake!"
"Ah, you, wait a minute!"
Gyurvi flipped around and quickly put some distance between them. But he didn't get far enough away, and stopped at a certain point, turning his heels around.
He could tell the fake was getting frustrated. He clicked his tongue and said, "Well, I suppose..." as he readied his left hand.
"This is how it's gonna be... Watch this!"
The fake slapped his left hand. A massive amount of crystal swords were released.
"Object Point Shift! You can't escape now, Gyurvi!"
"Hah! The fake, you forgot, didn't you!?"
Gyurvi stuck his hand into his bosom. What he pulled out was a sword that was clearly not meant to fit inside――a single, enormous sword.
It was a terrifying sword. It was dyed a deep red and had countless thorns growing from it. As Gyurvi readied himself, the sword stretched and shrunk, and let out a whip-like crack as it was swung.
"I don't want the real deal to see this. I'll crush you quickly."
―――Living Sword, Bloody Mary.
The ominous sword wielded by Gyurvi destroyed all the crystal swords in an instant. As Gyurvi made his escape amidst the crystal fragments, the fake growled.
"This is the last of those crystal swords. Let's settle this quickly!"
On the other hand, as Gyurvi fled, he sheathed his sword with a slight tremble. The real deal didn't saw it, right? He glanced around, but for now, the real Wade's movements were nowhere to be seen.
The fake chased after Gyurvi, who whispered "Good" and put even more distance between them.
"Hah hah hah! Take this, you fake!"
Mixing in some taunts, he attacked with a whirlwind of flames. While the fake's defense couldn't penetrate the force, the dazzling effect and provocative impact were still there.
Indeed, the fake one was furious. With a greatsword in hand, he swung it to dispel the flames and glared at Gyurvi with a menacing grin.
"Alright, alright...! I've finally understood. Then, I'll ride it out. Gyurvi, I've always wanted to see the true extent of your power...!"
The fake one took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
His sharp killing intent pierced Gyurvi. Even if he tried to escape with all his might, he knew he couldn't escape.
In other words, it was here.
This was the moment of truth.
"Do your best, Wade."
"Ah, you've finally driven me out, you fake bastard!"
The fake one focused on Gyurvi, meaning he had finally driven the real Wade out of his consciousness.
There, a gigantic greatsword, comparable to a tower, swung down at an incredible speed that couldn't be followed by the eye.
* * *
Gyurvi's task was to thoroughly interfere if Ajna Chakra was about to be used, and to prioritize surviving.
Just do that, and somehow, it'll work out.
"I'll trust Gyurvi."
Muttering to myself, I watched the battle between Gyurvi and the fake one from a distance.
My plan was to escape once.
In a battle between myself and myself, I wouldn't think of running away from myself. Or rather, the idea of running away from myself has never occurred to me throughout my life.
'That's why. He'll be shaken if he realize you've escaped. He believe there's a strategy and will continue to be on guard. Therefore, he can't put in his full effort against me, and hos concentration will be scattered.'
Gyurvi said that. Indeed, even now, as I watch from a distance, the fake one's movements lacked precision.
In other words, Gyurvi's plan has been perfectly caught. And from here on, it's a battle to win.
"Our target is... getting tired of being on guard, isn't it?"
I know myself. Right after I welcomed Toxy into my party, I was called a "boar" for charging in headfirst. Fundamentally, I'm the type who wants to focus on the enemy right in front of me.
So, while fighting Gyurvi, if he keep being on guard against myself, it won't work out. He'll definitely get bored halfway through. He wants to fight Gyurvi seriously, and that's what I'm thinking more and more.
And the moment his consciousness is completely focused on Gyurvi, I'll strike. If I hit that moment with a big technique, I can finish it off with momentum.
And that's exactly what's happening now.
"This is where you die!"
"UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
I swung down my Durandal, cutting the fake in 2. With gravity magic at full power and shape manipulation added to my Durandal, it can easily break through Repulsion.
But it's not enough to just cut it in 2. As long as Anahata Chakra exists, he can revive infinitely.
And...
I have a pretty strong magic concept attack.
"Deep Gravity."
With just a single gesture and incantation, the Anahata Chakra inside the fake is shattered. The fake tries to revive its Chakra in a panic, but it can't.
"You can't revive, I told you!"
Gyurvi's flame whirlwind blows away the fake's true words. Even with Repulsion protecting it, it creates a tiny opening.
That's when I jump in. As long as Repulsion is there, I won't get hit by the flame whirlwind. So I can dive into the flames and get close to the fake!
"Yo, Fake! I've come to finish you off!"
"Guh, You...!"
Despite having lost his right half from the shoulder down, Fake still managed to swing his fist with his Durandal gauntlet. I dodged it and countered with a blow to his head.
"Gah...!"
"Whoops, I forgot! Deep Gravity!"
I activated my Ajna and Sahasrara Chakras, combining them to destroy the two Chakras residing in Fake's head.
The multiple concept constructs that protected and empowered me were broken, leaving Fake on the brink of defeat. I took another step forward, preparing to deliver the final blow―――
But then I remembered.
Even so, I'm still me.
―――Without a word, Fake's Anahata Chakra revived.
"You think I can die with just this?!"
Fake roared, regaining control of his entire body. His fist, now empowered, crushed my elbow joint.
"Gih...!"
"You're the real deal, huh? You think I can lose to pathetic guy in a situation like this?! I won't lose, and neither will you, you idiot!"
Fake grabbed my arm, used gravity magic on me, and flung me into the air like a ball.
As I floated there, Fake approached me, his eyes bloodshot, his body drenched in blood, his fists clenched in anticipation of victory.
"Oh, please."
I used gravity magic to stop myself mid-air, and with my secretly summoned greatsword, I pierced Fake.
"Gahah!"
"Certainly, I won't lose in a situation like this, that's for sure. But the one who put me in this predicament is none other than myself, after all!"
I left Durandal lodged in Fake's body, then grasped him with my hand, which was clad in the Durandal gauntlet.
We're falling from the sky, and I'm punching the fake repeatedly.
"I know! I know how much I need to take to lose! I'll die from Sieg's merciless consecutive punches! I'll die even if I'm hit directly! I'm a lot weaker than I thought, huh?"
Punch, punch, punch! I'm punching the fake, and at the same time, I'm pulling out its internal organs, peeling off its skin, and tearing its muscles.
Since the fake is fighting back, I'll finish it off with my left fist. My left hand, infused with magic. And then, a crystal sword appears.
Three crystal swords appear inside the fake. That alone would be enough to kill a normal person. But I won't show any mercy.
"Gaah, you're the real deal, you."
"Deep Gravity."
I break the Anahata Chakra again, and I kick the fake away. The fake falls, and I use gravity magic to stay suspended in mid-air.
And then, I say...
"Explode, crystal sword."
A massive amount of crystals inside the fake destroy it from the inside out.
The fake, now a crystal cluster, lets out a loud, intense sound and a shockwave as it falls to the ground.
"...phew. I guess that's the end of it."
I wipe off my cold sweat, and slowly land on the ground. Then, I take a look at the fake's state.
The fake, surprisingly, is still barely alive. Despite losing all its Chakra and having its body torn apart, its head is still intact, looking at me with a cold, calm gaze.
"...it's like you're saying someone else's business, but aren't you pretty tough?"
"It's you too."
"You can't say anything back, huh?"
I shrug my shoulders. Gyurvi also rushes over, asking "How was it?!"
"I probably won. It's my win, so it's only natural, right?"
"Brahma... no way, can't activate Chakra. You win, I guess, real deal."
"Yeah! But it's still impossible, right? You're still alive in this miserable state?"
Gyurvi looked at the fake's appearance and was taken aback. I let out a sigh and thought.
"But, if it turns out like this, I'll definitely die, which is kinda scary. I was trying to be tough, but lately, my defense has been broken a lot."
"Wade, that's because you're always fighting monsters!"
Gyurvi said, and I laughed. The fake also smiled.
Then, the fake opened its mouth.
"...Real deal. I thought about why I lost to you, but what do you think?"
"Huh? ...Is it because of Gyurvi?"
My claim that Gyurvi's strategy led to my victory was a great success. The fake laughed at that.
"No, that's not it. I thought about the flow of events up until now, and even if Gyurvi had become my enemy, you would've still won by using Gyurvi as a foothold to exploit my weaknesses."
"...What are you saying? We're completely even, you and I."
"No, we're not."
The fake said, looking at me with a dying gaze, and continued.
"There's one thing that I don't have, but you do. One thing that can never be obtained by a fake."
"...What is it?"
"Fate."
The fake's words left me speechless.
"Fate doesn't reside in a fake. You get it? From the moment I appeared as a fake, I've always had this... 'something's off' feeling."
"Is that so? And then..."
"Was I strong? This is your natural strength, real deal. But at the same time, I lacked fate. Fate decided the outcome. I only realized it after I lost. If not, I would've lost anyway. It's like that."
The fake one laughs. With an excited tone, enjoying the thrilling battle.
"Still, it was fun. Really fun. You too, right, real deal? It was tough, but at the same time, it was a thrilling fight that doesn't come around often."
"...Yeah, it was fun."
I nod. It was fun. Even though we were evenly matched no matter what we did, the frustration was refreshing.
"The real deal. You'll keep winning. That's just how fate works. You might not have a sense of it, but I, who've lost, can understand that privilege."
The fake one says, and continues.
"If a fate stronger than yours stands in your way, no matter how hard you struggle, you'll definitely lose."
At those words, I get a chill down my spine.
The fake one says, narrowing its eyes.
"Fate is scary..."
The fake one's body disperses into light particles.
At the same time, I realize that the Domain Control surrounding us has disappeared.
"Kyrie, did they eat the leader Chiero...?"
"I don't know. But it's settled, anyway. Wade, let's go back and check the situation. I'm tired."
Gyurvi and I exchange a glance, and with magic, we fly up and re-enter the clock tower. Then, we infiltrate through the large hole and call out, "Kyrie!"
"What happened after that?! I barely managed to take him down... Kyrie?"
I search for Kyrie. In the clock tower's simple, gear-turning space with a plain floor.
But there's no one there.
No Kyrie, no leader Chiero, no one.
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