Shuna also knew that people with black hair and black eyes were indeed rare—at least in her short life, she had only seen herself.
This did not mean that the black-haired, black-eyed man in front of her had any relation to her.
What made her think so was that she felt from the man in front of her…
A “sense of similarity” that transcended “magical circuits,” “body structure,” and “similarity of moves,” like the monsters that were often produced as if they were replicated in the dungeon. Although there were many differences between them, it seemed that “from the bottom layer of the world, they were consistent.”
The monster in front of her clearly came from the dungeon side.
Perhaps he was indeed someone who was “substantially” similar to herself in some way.
“Mister… sir? Can you talk? Can we communicate? Would you like to introduce yourself first?”
“Shu. But the name is not important. You can consider me…” The dagger he twirled flashed under the spotlight. “In the memory of someone named ‘Will,’ he considered me the strongest monster.”
“Oh? With what you said, can I take it that you are the existence he fears the most?”
“…Your description is not accurate, and even deviates excessively, because he probably doesn’t fear me. To use a more precise definition, this emotion is closer to hating me.”
“Alright, I understand. Anyway, skipping these things, to put it simply, if I kill you here, it means I’ve cleared this floor, right? Then, I can walk out of here with great strides.”
“Yes. This is the 20th floor of ‘Zero Demon City.’ As the BOSS floor, after defeating the BOSS, you can leave with the loot.”
Shuna probably understood.
The person in front of her “did not exist,” at least in this world, you probably couldn’t find his “soul.”
He was indeed the materialization of Will’s memory. Rather than fighting Shuna, he was fighting Will’s memory.
But…
Damn it, why did this guy’s way of thinking and even his preparations for battle mirror hers exactly?
Whether it was the description of a certain definition or the emphasis on the concept of clearing the dungeon, even the rhythm of twirling the dagger was very consistent.
Shuna pretended to chat to gain information, but in reality, she was buying time to observe his weapon usage and the magical buffs on him.
But it was clear that he was also pretending to answer her questions to observe Shuna’s equivalent.
The two of them were like the inner and outer sides of a mirror. If one moved outside the mirror, the one inside would definitely make the same move.
“But I still want to hear your explanation of your existence. For example, why do you have this name?”
“Because the ‘protagonist’ in the story, the character created in this image, was named here. There is no other reason.”
“The protagonist in the story… what a strange way to put it. Oh my, he who lived a life of glory, would also hate the ‘protagonist’?”
“Probably because making me die a miserable death… or live a miserable life, is one of the reasons he can continue to live in this world.”
Neither of them attacked, circling each other face-to-face in their original spots.
Shuna stood in the shadows, while he stood in the spotlight.
The sound of the dagger cutting through the air alternated like running pulleys, as if sharp blades were about to be drawn at any moment.
Shuna not only had her own reasons but had also guessed the other party’s reasons.
Because both of them were “cautious” people, when they were unsure of the opponent’s strength, they would not act rashly.
The only difference…
Shuna noticed. Compared to herself, who was “more carefree” and “happier,” the other party was practically overflowing with “negative” emotions.
If anything, he exuded a strange aura of deep-seated bitterness, and his eyes lacked the brilliance she had.
This point made her feel a little disgusted. She rarely felt such a deep sense of disgust.
Perhaps it was because…
He was too similar to her. Even if she didn’t “empathize,” seeing someone with whom she shared some “essence” wear an expression as if a hundred friends had died…
It would still make her wonder if she would one day become like him?
“You should have realized that continuing like this will lead nowhere,” Shuna pulled out a coin with her other hand and flicked it between her fingers. “How about this, when the coin lands, regardless of whether we’ve seen the opponent’s strength clearly or not, we both attack.”
“…Okay.”
He hesitated, but he wouldn’t refuse—Shuna knew this well because she would do the same thing.
“Then, get ready—”
Shu Ling Meng Ba Shan Liu Jiu Liu ⑺ Jiu Wu 紦 Na threw the coin high into the air.
The coin, from the darkness without spotlights, soared high above both their heads and shot into the beam of light.
But…
Clearly, they had “thought of the same thing” again.
Neither of them waited for the coin to land; they attacked immediately!
First, the throat.
Their most common way of facing “humanoid monsters” or “humans,” aiming for the vulnerable throat to achieve a swift kill.
But…
A palm block.
Sharp eyes could completely predict the opponent’s actions, blocking with an ice armor that had been layered an unknown number of times, and she was sure she could block it.
Next, a second dagger was drawn from her leg, aimed at the opponent’s wrist—
*Clang.*
The sound of colliding daggers echoed through the darkness. Undoubtedly, their thoughts had collided again.
Shadows under the spotlight kept clashing, flame magic and freezing magic intertwined, every strike was a deadly and fierce blow…
Within the short minute of dialogue, both of them had mentally rehearsed the magic and close-combat methods they would use when facing each other head-on.
To launch them in these short two or three seconds!
…
*Clang, clang, clang.*
The moment the coin landed, the room returned to silence.
The two also separated with a relay of daggers with extreme coordination.
“Mmm hmm…”
“…”
Even their breathing was not ragged. Clearly, for both of them, this was just a simple “probe.”
Of course, it was a probe that could take the opponent’s life.
Shuna confirmed that the person in front of her was indeed her “other self.”
The way they attacked, even the feints were identical, making it a difficult enemy to “defeat”—because the way you thought to defeat them would also be thought of by them.
But she didn’t want this person to win.
Thinking this, Shuna tightened her grip on the dagger.
“There’s no point in continuing. You should have realized that similar strength doesn’t mean victory, but a consistent way of thinking means an eternal draw. Continuing like this will only exhaust each other’s stamina.”
Shu sighed and spoke.
“How about this…” He also took out a coin and placed it in his palm. “Let’s decide the outcome with a coin toss. Heads I win, tails you win.”
It was different.
Shuna’s eyes widened.
This point was completely different from her.
She couldn’t accept a single “outcome”—because she valued the “process” more.
She… couldn’t accept avoiding the entire battle with a coin toss and only getting the “result.”
“You don’t want to win? Since we are so similar, you should know that in dungeon battles, no one intends to decide the winner, right?”
“…Yes. I actually thought so too. But… I admit, you want to get out of here more than I do. We both have our reasons for ‘winning in the dungeon,’ but you and I seem to be very different in many ways.”
“Different?”
“It seems you haven’t noticed. Because I only have the reason to continue, only the goal of wanting to see the outcome of the battle, because…”
His tone was very negative. Without waiting for Shuna’s agreement, he raised his hand and tossed the coin.
The coin reflected the spotlight, spinning in circles, reaching its highest point, and began to fall.
“You—!”
She did not acknowledge this kind of “win or lose.”
Because she would not accept the outcome of being unable to leave here.
For her, there was only one “result.”
Will was waiting for her, but no matter what, she wanted to confirm the consequences she saw in his memory, no matter what, she wanted to see him, no matter what, she wanted to—
Tell him in person why she had always stayed by his side, why she had saved him time and time again, why she had gotten closer to him little by little.
Even more, she wanted to stand with him in the deepest part of the dungeon!
The other party didn’t move.
Shuna had already acted, and from a distance of a few steps, she slit his throat.
*Clang, clang, clang.*
The coin landed.
It was heads.
Of course, at this moment, the win or loss was not decided by the coin toss.
“You lost. Because I don’t want this kind of victory. I must get out of here.”
Shuna gave a thumbs-down, taunting the enemy in front of her.
“You—you’re wrong. You and I are not completely the same. You and I… are completely different.”
Large drops of black blood dripped from his throat onto the ground. Yet, he did not fall, nor did he cover his throat to stop the bleeding or express pain. He merely lowered his head, looking at the coin.
Then, he nodded, a slight smile forming at the corner of his lips.
“How disgusting. I didn’t expect… that someone would smile at me even after losing…”
He nodded, as if looking at a “junior,” or perhaps his past self, and then, with his last bit of strength, he sidestepped, clearing a path.
Behind him was the door leading out of the dungeon.
He mouthed words, then, as the “enemy” of the dungeon, he disappeared into it.
What was he…
What was he saying just now?
—”You are luckier than me. Cherish it.”
Something was wrong.
Shuna walked forward step by step, savoring the actions of her “reflection in the mirror.”
The biggest difference between him and her…
Could it be…
“Wait… wait a moment, I… I think I understand—you… why you…”
She looked back, and before her, only…
A piece of “loot” remained. It looked like the dagger he had just used, not much different from the one in her hand.
Shuna picked it up, and it seemed she understood the difference between them at this moment.
It was…
Whether the person who told you the reason still had the chance to stand by your side.
Whether you were the one… who had not yet experienced “loss.”
