Having broken through the 99th floor and reached the 100th floor, Arthur faced the doppelgangers of himself waiting beyond the boss room and imdiately regretted all the hard work he’d put in during the vacation.
The person he was before the vacation and the person he had beco after were entirely different, just like the doppelganger blocking his path was a completely different entity.
“Is there even ti to think about anything else?”
“Damn!”
What was even more frustrating was that the doppelgangers perfectly pierced through the weaknesses of their group.
For example, when Arthur is cornered to the point of losing his composure, he can no longer lead or give commands. Simply balancing both magic and swordsmanship is exhausting enough that he can’t even pay attention to his surroundings.
Knowing this, the doppelganger that imitated Freya directed its focus on Arthur, silencing him by taking control of his movents.
Freya was also in a difficult situation.
Her swordsmanship was undeniably strong. There were fewer things she couldn’t defeat than there were things she could.
However, when she couldn’t unleash her sword’s full strength in a fight, her power diminished accordingly.
The doppelgangers had relentlessly targeted this weakness.
Through Joy’s magic, they had continuously avoided situations where she could clash with them in sword combat.
Even so, Freya fought with everything she had, desperately trying to swing her sword despite the constant interference, but every ti, Fabius’ divine magic blocked her path.
Fabius' divine magic, which had been a source of strength for them until now, had beco their biggest obstacle in the current battle.
Joy wasn’t much better off either.
While Joy had grown accustod to close combat through her training with the Allen Knights, that training was always ant to buy ti for her to unleash large-scale spells.
Arthur, who had the skill to sowhat hold his own against Freya, found it impossible to maintain his composure when Joy used her magic and charged at him.
With all of them barely managing to hold on in such a disadvantaged position, the reason the front lines hadn’t collapsed yet was because of Fabius.
Even though all the doppelgangers showed equal or greater strength than the originals, Fabius’ doppelganger couldn’t replicate him perfectly.
The level of divine magic it used seed similar, but the results were drastically different.
Fabius, knowing this, did everything he could to turn the tide with his power, but as ti went on, the defeat seed inevitable.
The enemy had a perfect strategy to defeat them, while they had no strategy of their own.
In fact, the very idea of having a strategy was ridiculous.
Who would even think about how to defeat themselves?
After a long series of exhausting battles, Arthur and his group eventually lost.
However, their mood wasn’t as dark as one might expect. They had lost because of an unforeseen situation.
Now that they knew what was waiting for them on the 100th floor, things were different.
If they knew they were facing their own doppelgangers, they would be able to prepare a fitting strategy.
What was even more hopeful for Arthur’s group was that, for so reason, Fabius had overwheld his doppelganger.
If even one of them could completely surpass their doppelganger, then they could craft a strategy to win. Arthur was confident that, should they fight again, they could defeat the doppelgangers.
“But, if the thing waiting for us on the 100th floor is ourselves, does that an the Lady of Allen will have to face herself?”
Just before they entered the dungeon again, Joy suddenly spoke, causing the group to halt in their tracks.
“I suppose so.”
“Seeing the Lady of Allen fight herself…”
“I don’t know much, but it sounds like it’ll be interesting.”
Arthur agreed entirely with Freya’s statent.
Lucy fighting herself, mocking and laughing at each other… He couldn’t wait to see that.
That damn girl needs to face soone like herself. Only then will she understand how much everyone around her has been looking out for her.
“...Huh.”
While everyone shared similar thoughts, Fabius’ eyes suddenly widened.
“What’s the matter, Saintess?”
“If my guess is correct, the doppelganger of the Lady of Allen will be much weaker than the Lady herself. I can’t explain it exactly, but I’m sure of it.”
“aning?”
“It ans that the Lady of Allen should be able to easily defeat her doppelganger.”
Knowing that Fabius wouldn’t speak without a reason, Arthur imdiately urged the group forward and they rushed into the dungeon.
Now that Lucy Allen had reached the 100th floor, they had no ti to waste.
“Are you okay? If you keep frowning like that, you’ll turn into a granny even faster.”
Seeing the doppelganger taunting him, I let out a long sigh.
Charging in and smashing that little brat to pieces would be no difficult task.
That doppelganger couldn’t possibly beat since it couldn’t replicate the divine power of the gods.
But…
If I charge in now, it would feel like I’m losing!
I’d be falling into the trap of responding to the taunt!
I don’t want to lose a verbal battle to such a cheeky little brat!
“Puhuhu ♡ What’s the problem? ♡ Even if I beco an old hag, I’ll still be much prettier than a fake like you ♡”
“You like old won more than young people, huh? Hehe, such a unique taste.”
“Didn’t you not understand my words because your brain is stiff? ♡ Since you don’t have any thoughts of your own, I’ll explain this specially ♡ What I’m saying is that you, made by so pathetic fool, cannot beat ♡”
The doppelganger in front of was trying to mimic but didn’t get everything right.
There were many flaws in the doppelganger.
My sharp aesthetic sense clearly pointed out these imperfections.
“The eyes are rough ♡ the nose is flat ♡ the fingers are all bumpy ♡ and I can’t even stand your voice ♡ How can you not even notice these differences? ♡ Whoever made you and you ♡ clearly have no taste ~ ♡”
As I straightened my shoulders and laughed, the doppelganger clenched its lips and glared at .
Heh. You think you can win a verbal fight against , a sugaki, when you can’t even replicate my skills properly?
Just admit defeat and whine like the little brat you are.
“Hmm. The cute older sister has great taste, huh?”
“Oh, so you’ve finally figured it out? ♡ You give up quickly ♡ You should learn so manners for your survival.”
“If you’re such an older sister, you must realize there’s sothing that makes and you fundantally different! Why are you ignoring it? Pretending that reality doesn’t change?”
Sothing different? What could be different? This is just nonsense…
Ah.
Ahhhh!
“What? Did you just realize it? Puhaha. Cute older sister, are you too small to see above?”
The decisive difference between and the doppelganger?
It was the difference in height.
The doppelganger Lucy was about half a head taller than and had longer arms and legs!
I had so many insults ready, and I could pick apart the doppelganger based on aesthetics and weaknesses.
But I couldn’t say anything.
...I’ll be honest.
I’m jealous!
I’m so jealous!
The doppelganger isn’t that much taller than ! It’s just a few centiters!
But that makes it worse! The subtle change feels so real that it pisses off!
Ahhh! If I had that much height, I could look down on soone like Freya!
I’m angry! Why does this doppelganger have sothing I don’t have?!
“Jealous? Do you want to grow like ?”
Damn.
“Maybe the reason I’m not as pretty as you is because I breathe the air above you. If I were down where you are, I’d have beco as pretty as you.”
Damn it.
“I’ll give you my height if you want. I’d like to live at the lower level, like you do. Why not take it? Oh, you can’t, right? You’ll just have to look up at people for the rest of your life.”
Dammit.
“Shut. Up.”
In the end, unable to take it anymore, I dashed forward, receiving the doppelganger’s mocking laugh.
“You little sister are so small-minded! You got so mad from just a little tease.”
The doppelganger raised its shield mockingly, but that shield was nothing like mine. It was a simple piece of equipnt, and the divine magic supporting it was just the kind used by regular priests.
At that mont, when I thought I could easily smash the shield, the doppelganger’s shield suddenly emanated magical power.
Ting!
After the shock, the doppelganger was pushed back, and after stabilizing its trembling hands, it forced a smile.
“Really~! It’s because your heart is as small as you are that you’re not growing! Little sister!”
“Sorry~ ♡ Seeing this pathetic little brat trying to mimic is so unpleasant I can’t stand it ♡ How can you be so ugly, the more I look at you ♡ In a way, it’s really amazing ♡”
I countered its taunts with my own as I analyzed the doppelganger’s movents.
The one who created my doppelganger knew it wouldn’t be perfect.
That’s why they made it use magic.
Just by making its height taller than mine, they knew I’d be sensitive about it.
It’s clear now.
The person who made my doppelganger is soone close to .
I ran forward, thinking of the suspects, and clashed with the doppelganger.
I could easily overpower it, but I didn’t want to.
I wanted to narrow down the suspects by studying its movents.
I wasn’t wrong.
The way the doppelganger moved reminded of when I first learned to wield my mace with my grandfather.
It even had all my old habits.
With that, there could only be one suspect.
“Pathetic jerk ♡”
Only one person could know this well.
He’s the bastard who used to clash swords with countless tis but hasn’t been around recently because he’s too busy.
Cal.
You bastard. Just wait.
The mont I leave this dungeon, I’m coming for you.
I’ll tear apart your knight’s honor today.
I clenched my teeth and took a deep breath, channeling divine power throughout my body.
It was ti to destroy the doppelganger.
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