“Huak, huak…”
Bratt Lloyd’s training space, especially the indoor training room, was strong.
A duel between two masters was going on, and both of these people had far exceeded the average level of masters.
Basically, the ground and walls weren’t as hard as steel, but they would keep repairing as they broke down. Nevertheless, the present landscape was completely ruined.
The walls were filled with cracks. There were craters all over the place. Like an earthquake had occurred. It seemed as if it was a scene which would happen if a meteor fell.
The final fight between Bratt Lloyd and Bratt Lloyd.
Right.
This was the final fight. The blood-stained clone spoke as he stretched out on the ground.
“Phew… whoa… woah… defeat… I admit it.”
“Uh, really?”
“Then? Do you think it is a lie? I have to be shameless… to… ugh… not admit it even now. You know too, right?”
“Right. I am you.”
“Right. And I am you.”
The clone and Bratt nodded their heads.
Right. It didn’t matter whether the clone was defeated or not at all. The tip of his sword was touching his opponent’s chin.
He won. Bratt had truly transcended himself.
“Congratulations on accomplishing this.”
The clone congratulated him.
It was a calm tone but there were a lot of emotions buried in. Even though it was a clone, he was Bratt too. There was no such thing as looking at his opponent as just an opponent.
Rather, he thought that if he could break the limits of his body, he could overcome the limit of being an alter ego and become the ‘real’ Bratt. And there were times he hoped for that as well.
‘But I failed too many times.’
5 years ago.
3 years ago.
And a year ago, a week ago. He didn’t get to do it.
This was what it meant to conquer oneself.
It might seem reachable but not at the same time. Even if you pushed to the limit there was a fine line which couldn’t be crossed… a cruel fate.
And so Bratt felt amazing to him.
The man who broke past his own limit.
He shattered his destiny and accomplished a miracle.
It was truly a chance that sorcery gave him, but he earned it through his own skills. And that made him respect it.
Because it was bigger than the pain of his defeat, the clone acknowledged the opponent once again.
“Bratt Lloyd, you really are a wonderful guy.”
“… of course. You are too.”
Bratt Lloyd nodded.
He didn’t want to dismiss this out of luck. This task, it was cruel and brutal and something he couldn’t get done by depending on others.
It took a lot of time for him to admit it, and even after admitting it, it took some time for him to gain courage to do it.
But he did.
Just like when he was a child and let go of his arrogance in Krono.
Like he had laid down his pride at Warrior’s Festival before entering the sorcery sphere. Bratt put down another thing which was holding him back. And pushed past his limits.
…he thought for a moment, and looked at the clone.
“Do you have something else to say?”
“…”
The clone said nothing. Their harsh breathing calmed down. and their bodies recovered fast. Although he was defeated by his own self, he was strong too.
Perhaps with another realization he gained in the current battle, he could have asked to fight another time.
‘And then I will get knocked down again.’
It wasn’t scary or troublesome.
Without taking his eyes off his opponent, he pulled out his sword again and took a stance. As if he was indicating his opponent to come at him.
Smile.
Seeing that, Bratt smiled.
And immediately, rushed towards him again.
Shhh!
“…!”
Startled, Bratt took two steps back. It was a response to the force coming from the body opposite him, and he decided to admit it and retreat. It was a completely different movement than before.
Wooo!
And the sword was swung. From top to bottom. It was a simple yet subtle movement to the opponent. However, it didn’t stop.
Rather, it became something soft as water and moved ahead, and even Bratt who broke past the wall couldn’t avoid it.
With a pounding heart, he exhaled. It was to push the opponent away.
As a result, what he wanted didn’t happen, and the things he feared didn’t happen either.
The clone, which had turned into particles finer than a wave, permeated into Bratt’s body.
Whik!
It wasn’t simply a culmination of aura. It was talent and skill.
It was a combination of hard work and effort. Along with the experiences accumulated one after another, the particles deeply melted into the soul of the main body of Bratt.
Bratt closed his eyes as he felt ultimate enlightenment. And sat down.
And some time passed.
Blink.
In the eyes of the blue haired swordsman who came to senses, a light shone.
“… Hmm.”
Bratt Lloyd stood up and checked himself. He moved his body and drew his sword as he swung it a few times.
There was no extreme movement. He knew exactly which muscles he didn’t need to move. It was the gift of his ego that had broken his limit for him.
However, there was something worrisome… a last piece of advice. In a way, it was a message close to concern.
But.
‘… I mean, it is something I have been thinking about a lot.’
There was no way he wouldn’t have done what his alter ego had thought about.
Because they were the same person.
Of course, he wasn’t going to ignore the advice. Rather, he spent enough time looking back on himself. In that way, he remembered the last words of the clone, restored his realization, and looked back at all the battles he had fought over the years.
Finally, as he thought, Bratt shook his head.
‘I cannot be alone.’
He needed a worthy opponent.
Naturally, he wanted someone stronger. The moment he thought so far, the portal appeared.
Chin!
“… time to leave.”
Bratt mumbled.
Right. There was no need to be here anymore. The quest was done, and his helper had disappeared. All that remains was to return to reality.
Phew.
He took a short breath and entered the portal without hesitation.
After a while.
“…”
He smiled.
A familiar sky
A familiar wall.
A similarly familiar yard that couldn’t be compared with the training ground he spent the last 10 years.
He didn’t care about any of that, and only the person in the center caught his eye.
With her silver hair fluttering, she looked at him with enlarged eyes… a friend… and a rival too.
But there was something he didn’t see before.
Memories with her flashed through his mind.
The pain of Krono’s final evaluation.
In the Land of Proof, the silver aura of the opponent he had met by chance.
After that, Ilya Lindsay’s splendid growth, it all went through his mind.
However, he smiled.
He was confident. Even as he faced her sword which moved on its own, Bratt didn’t lose his confidence.
Woong!
The blue haired swordsman who overcame more difficult opponents than anyone else raised a wonderful energy that resembled the sea.
‘I see. Bratt is like me. One quest and one helper…’
After a fierce battle ended.
Ilya and Bratt sat down together in the yard after a 10 year gap. Meanwhile, the ruined land was naturally restored.
This was a world in a sorcery sphere, so this was bound to happen. Rather, Bratt’s story was more interesting.
It was that he had himself as his helper. It was a quest that ended when you defeated your clone.
‘… in the end, it is never easy.’
Rather, it might be the most difficult quest in the world, Ilay thought carefully.
Dion Lindsay, the great hero from 400 years ago, and the Demon Dragon King who was the closest to the Demon King title, clearly were difficult enemies, but since they were different entities from ‘yourself’, there was enough hope that the gap would be narrowed.
But with Bratt it was different.
The battles must have been difficult and troublesome. It was a strange ordeal and it was not odd for someone to collapse under the anxiety of not being able to overcome himself.
It made her feel good to see her friend who didn’t give in and came back stronger and cooler.
With an honest heart, she felt like she could praise him all day. But she didn’t want to do it, because of Bratt Lloyd’s expression.
He seemed to know better about what he had accomplished.
Beyond that, he had the attitude that screamed that those around him should look up to him!
“Why are you looking at me without a word?”
“…”
“Normally, I am good-looking, but seeing me much better than my older self must have been increadible… you are speechless right? This… you can’t think of a word to describe the perfect me?”
“…”
Ilya looked away from Bratt.
If possible, she didn’t want to look at him again, because she really thought that it was horrible to stay with this guy alone. She shut her eyes.
And heard Bratt’s words again.
“I see, I understand. It cannot be helped.”
“…what?”
“I know. The fact that there is a halo behind my head. It would be difficult to look at me you’re your eyes open. I should have known this.”
“…”
‘Please, someone else come.’
Biting her lip, Ilya Lindsay eagerly sought her other friends. It was fine even if it was Judith and not Airn.
If only it meant to take down this idiot. If only this guy’s mouth could be stopped!
Ching!
Did her longing heart’s wish work?
There was a crack in air. A solid line split to either side and a person appeared. A woman with red hair fluttering wildly and a confident expression.
Judith.
Ilya cheered.
‘Phew, thank God!’
She too had changed from 10 years ago. And like when she met Bratt, it seemed like they were much closer now.
However, what was more urgent than that was Bratt’s silence. Ilya looked at Judith with excitement.
This hot-tempered girl could shut his mouth right away!
As she was thinking, Judith, who looked at her lover, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him.
“…”
And kissed.
This time, well, it made Bratt go silent, and Ilya’s wish came true. Sure, the way it was done wasn’t satisfactory.
Sighing, she turned back.
It was heartbreaking for her to see the affection of these two lovers. She wanted to purify her mind by looking at the clear sky.
And then the fourth portal appeared.
Ching!
Tak
“..”
“…”
There was no need for words.
There was no need for anything. Ilya Lindsay approached him like the wind, faster than her emotions burst out and embraced her lover.
Airn wasn’t confused.
He smiled softly and said,
“You’ve worked hard, all of you.”
At last, the four had gathered again.
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