His shadow stared back at him.
Lucian Veylor—ruler of the system, god of the new world—stood before himself.
But the figure wasn’t a reflection.
It wasn’t a mirror.
It was an alternative.
---
“Look at yourself, Lucian. How much have you erased... just to become perfect?”
The shadow smiled—not like an enemy, but like a successor.
Someone who had been waiting to take over.
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[Anomaly Detected: Mirror Entity – “True Lucian”]
[Threat Level: Unclassified]
[Soul Similarity: 99.97%]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Lucian stared at the entity without fear.
“You're not me.”
“You're just... a possibility I killed before it was born.”
But the entity laughed.
“No, Lucian. I am you... without doubt.”
“I am the throne... without burden.”
---
The sky began to crack.
Not from light—but from uncertainty.
The dimension they stood in—it wasn’t the world, nor the system.
It was a soul arena.
This battle wasn’t to win.
It was to survive as the true one.
---
“The system won’t help you here,” the shadow whispered.
“Because the system... is me.”
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[WARNING]
[System Access Diverted to Entity “True Lucian”]
[Control: 71% and rising]
[Option: Initiate Absolute Soul Duel]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Lucian smirked.
“Finally... a worthy opponent.”
He stepped forward—and the world reacted.
The buildings of his past collapsed, the memories he had erased resurfaced:
Cries, betrayals, laughter that never returned.
All of them—turned into weapons.
---
True Lucian struck first.
One punch: infused with the betrayal of Null.
One kick: replaying the ache of losing Lucille.
But Lucian didn’t flinch.
He took it all.
“You think memories weaken me? No... it’s those memories that remind me why I can’t retreat.”
---
This soul duel wasn’t about brute strength—
It was about self-awareness.
Who truly deserved to remain as Lucian Veylor?
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[System: Status Unstable]
[Dominant Identity: Undetermined]
[Integration Rate: 89% and fluctuating rapidly]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
“You wanted to erase the pain,” the shadow whispered.
“But it’s the pain that made me perfect. Because I no longer need it.”
Lucian inhaled.
“And that’s your weakness.”
“Because you can’t tell pain apart from meaning.”
---
A surge of energy swept through the arena.
Fragments of memories spun into spears, knives, and emotional blades.
Lucian grasped one memory—the moment his father dragged him into the abyss.
He hurled it at True Lucian.
---
“If I could survive that... then I don’t need you to protect me from the past.”
---
The strike landed directly.
The shadow staggered—cracks appeared on its body, as if its image of perfection had fractured.
And at that moment...
---
╔════════════════════════════════════╗
[System: Identity Equilibrium Disrupted]
[New Option Unlocked: “True Self Domination”]
[Warning: Risk of Permanent Emotional Loss – 99%]
╚════════════════════════════════════╝
---
Lucian stared at the choice.
“If I choose this, I might never feel anything again.”
“But if I don’t... I could lose everything.”
---
And as always...
He chose power.
But this time... not to dominate.
This time—
To be the only one worthy of carrying it all.
---
“I am Lucian Veylor. And I... will sit upon this throne—without reflecting anyone.”
---
TO BE CONTINUED...