Steel clashed with steel as Nam lunged at his doppelgänger—Echo-Nam—whose movements mirrored his with unnerving precision. Every strike he made was parried. Every tactic, anticipated. It was like fighting a shadow that knew him better than he knew himself.
Lan and the others watched from the edge of the platform, unable to interfere. Each time someone tried to move forward, the space around them warped, looping them back to the same spot.
"This fight… it's personal," Bao muttered. "The abyss is forcing him to confront himself."
Nam growled, sweat pouring down his brow. "You're not real."
Echo-Nam grinned darkly. "No. I'm worse. I'm the part of you that believes you can't win. I'm the reason you hesitate."
The chamber darkened, the memory-echoes growing louder around them—screams, fire, betrayal.
"You let them die," Echo-Nam whispered. "All of them. And you'll do it again."
Nam faltered for a second. That was all it took. Echo-Nam slashed across his chest, knocking him to the ground.
Lan screamed. "NAM!"
But Nam didn't rise.
Instead… he laughed.
Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, blood trickling down his side. "You're right. I did fail. I did hesitate. I did run."
The chamber shook as he stood tall. "But I came back. I chose to face this. And I'll keep choosing to fight, even if I fail again."
Light exploded from his body—his Echo responding not to anger, but acceptance.
Echo-Nam staggered, flickered… and dissolved into dust.
The illusions vanished.
The floating platforms aligned, forming a path forward.
A deep voice echoed once more through the chamber:
"The gate opens for those who confront their truth."
Nam turned back to the team, bloodied but stronger than ever. "Let's end this."