Chapter 18 - Battle Against the Self

  Akari barely had time to react.

  Her dark reflection moved with impossible speed, a blur of shadows against the endless white void.

  A blade materialized in its grip—an exact copy of hers, but black as night, pulsing with eerie red veins.

  It swung.

  Akari twisted, barely dodging as the dark sword slashed past her cheek, the wind of its strike cutting like a blade itself.

  > System Notification: Trial of the Veil - Shadow Confrontation

  Defeat your reflection. Failure results in Oblivion.

  Oblivion?

  Her heart pounded. No second chances.

  She had to win.

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  Akari struck first, bringing her sword down in a fast, precise arc.

  Clang!

  The shadow blocked with ease, its movements perfectly mirroring hers.

  Then—it countered.

  A lightning-fast lunge.

  Akari barely brought her sword up in time. The impact sent a shockwave through her arms, nearly knocking the weapon from her grip.

  Her reflection smirked.

  > “You are weak.”

  Akari gritted her teeth. “Shut up.”

  She pushed forward, swinging again—but every move was met with an identical attack.

  A perfect copy.

  A mockery of herself.

  No matter what she did, it matched her perfectly.

  A realization hit her like ice water.

  I can’t win like this.

  If she fought the way she always had—she would lose.

  She needed to change. To break the pattern.

  She took a deep breath.

  And let go.

  The shadow lunged again, aiming straight for her heart.

  Instead of blocking, Akari stepped into the attack.

  Her reflection hesitated.

  A moment of uncertainty.

  And that—was all she needed.

  With a fierce twist, she dropped low and slashed upward, her blade carving a brutal arc through the shadow’s chest.

  A direct hit.

  The reflection staggered, dark mist spilling from the wound.

  Its void-like eyes widened in shock.

  > “Impossible.”

  Akari didn’t let it recover.

  With a final strike, she drove her sword through its core.

  The reflection let out a silent scream—its form cracking like glass—

  And then—

  It shattered.

  The void trembled.

  The pressure in Akari’s chest vanished.

  > Trial of the Veil Completed.

  Your Shadow has been conquered.

  Veilbound Awakening: 100%

  A surge of power exploded within her, unlike anything she had felt before.

  Her body felt… different. Lighter. Stronger.

  The void collapsed around her, dissolving into swirling white mist—

  And then—

  She opened her eyes.

  She was somewhere new.

  A real world. A land bathed in soft silver light, filled with ruins and distant towers.

  > You have entered the Veilbound Realm.

  Akari exhaled.

  She had survived.

  But this… was only the beginning.