When all the rewards were divided amongst the top 100 people, their bodies were moved to another space forcefully. Yasenia blinked and looked around. The change of space was so quick that she didn't even have time to blink. 'Seeing the surroundings change so suddenly is a strange experience.'
Her brain quickly processed what had happened and took in her surroundings. 'A dark space… no, an arena. I can see the white floor stretching quite far. Above me… There is nothing. Just black space. Yet, it's not dark. It feels as if I am illuminated by daylight even when there is no source of light anywhere.'
She was confused. Such a simple space for the third trial was quite… unique. 'This is also the last one, right?'
As she was pondering to herself, she heard the voice of the trial maker once again.
"Welcome to the third and last trial. This trial is separated into two parts. You will now climb the [Perfection Stairs] for 10 days. Only the eight people who climb the farthest will be eligible to fight among each other in a final tournament. The winner of that tournament will become the owner of the [Star Breaker Realm Bead]."
Yasenia crossed her arms under her abundant bosom. The weight on her arms calmed her mind and helped her think. 'I need to climb some stairs… But I can't see the steps. The white arena around me is perfectly flat.'
She looked down and stomped four times, each one stronger than the last.
Bam! Bang! BANG! BOOM!
Yasenia's hair fluttered with the shockwave of her stomps, but the floor remained unscathed. 'Not even a single scratch. That's dangerous. Colliding against the floor will be dangerous if it doesn't crumble. I should avoid flying as much as I can and fight on the ground.'
After waiting for a few seconds, Yasenia didn't wait anymore. 'If it is something that I need to climb, I must find it quickly. Waiting this time around won't work.'
The second she took one step, Yasenia stopped, her eyes fixed in front of her with incredible wariness. All her muscles were tense, while her skin was filled with goosebumps.
'That's…'
Opposite to Yasenia, there was another Yasenia.
'...me?'
The copy was basically opposite to Yasenia. She had clear white hair, sapphire-like slit eyes, and dark yet smooth skin. The woman's lips arched faintly as she extended her hand and summoned a copy of Draheart. Behind the copy, another Dramel appeared, while Soluna also manifested by the copy's side.
The only difference between them was that Yasenia and the copy had opposite colors. What was black would be white, what was gold would be deep blue, and what was silver would be metallic black.
'The trial is named [Perfection Stairs]... With the image in front of me, the objective is clear. It is designed to face your own self and climb the stairs of perfection.' Her eyes narrowed. 'However, perfection is not achievable… That's a pipe dream for people who set limits for themselves. There will always be something to improve as long as you search hard and long enough.'
As she pondered, she knew that she didn't have time. 'Thankfully, the copy is not attacking right away. She is just looking at me with… quite a seductive smirk. Do I smile like that when I fight enemies?'
Yasenia became a bit self-conscious. 'More than asking for a fight, it feels as if I am asking to get seduced…'
She coughed once, getting rid of unnecessary thoughts. Then, she also summoned Draheart, Dramel, and Soluna. Soluna looked at the other side and exclaimed. "Wow! Another me! Another Yasenia!" Her cheeks blushed slightly as she shyly squirmed. "Are we going to do some kind of strange play today?"
The dragoness almost choked. "Love, please get a bit serious. Our opponent seems to be a copy of ourselves. While I am not aware to what point they can copy us, we must be careful. If that's us, but with thousands of years of experience, we might be done."
Soluna's eyes changed as she turned serious. Yasenia smiled. "Relax. Thankfully, they don't seem to have the items I've taken from my spatial ring. I can detect Mom's [Death Law] or anything opposite to that energy."
Hearing her words, Soluna clenched her fists. "Leave that Soluna to me! I'll make sure it doesn't get involved in your battle!"
Soluna flew to the sky, and as if knowing her intentions, the other Soluna also flew up. The dragoness didn't look up, her eyes constantly fixed on herself. 'If I show even a momentary opening, she will take advantage of it.'
"Dramel, sing to your heart's content."
"Alright~." The Pipa flew above Yasenia, and the copy did the same. Then, both sides began playing opposite tunes. If Dramel's melody was fast-paced and vigorous, with a gorgeous cadence that would motivate someone, the clone used her chords to spread a lullaby-like melody.
Nevertheless, regardless of the sound, the effects on Yasenia and the copy were identical. They strengthened the allies and weakened the opponents.
When the effects fell upon her, Yasenia's eyes shifted. 'I still feel stronger. That means that the opposite Dramel is weaker than mine.'
Tightly holding Draheart, Yasenia stepped forward with her right foot and slashed forward.
The Copy mimicked Yasenia.
Energy surged around both dragons, perfectly moving through their meridians and pouring into Draheart.
"[Celestial Sunder]."
"[Celestial Sunder]."
A blue sword light and a golden sword light burst forth, colliding in the middle.
BOOM!
Yasenia's tensed heart relaxed a bit when she noticed her [Celestial Sunder] being stronger than the other side's. The copy raised her hand, summoning a quick barrier to block the remaining energy.
Yasenia didn't lose that opportunity and used [Pegasus Gallop] to shoot forward.
After the copy blocked [Celestial Sunder], she noticed Yasenia appearing right in front of her, energies billowing around her body.
"[Shattering The Heavens]."
"[Celestial Aegis], [Celestial Cosmos Dress]."
Brutal offense and sturdy defense met.
BOOM!!!
The shockwave was beyond what Yasenia expected because [Celestial Aegis] was too sturdy. This cut her follow-up opportunity, so she took the chance to increase her own strength.
"[Celestial Cosmos Dress], [Celestial Dragon Body]."
"[Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary], [Celestial Dragon Body]."
Whoosh!
The surroundings were engulfed in both Yasenia's auras, enveloping everything with ridiculous pressure. However, [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary] slowly stripped away Yasenia's strength.
That skill was the defensive skill from the inheritance, which created a "sanctuary" where enemy energies would deteriorate and cease to exist over time. Even spirits would dissolve under its influence. 'I can't let the copy get the advantage. I need to push.'
"[Pegasus Gallop], [Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Third Form: Comet Descent]."
"[Immortal Breaker Body], [Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Fifth Form: Nebula Ripple]."
The copy's bodily strength skyrocketed as she prepared to defend, while Yasenia flew up and then fell from the heavens with incredible speed and momentum.
When Comet Descent struck, the copy easily blocked Draheart with her own. Then, taking advantage of her physical strength advantage, the copy moved forward and slashed upward.
"[Firmament Shaking Arc]."
Yasenia's pupils thinned. "[Celestial Aegis], [Celestial Tyrant Soul Unshackled]."
The copy's vertical slash carried incredibly powerful bodily strength, while Yasenia focused on strengthening her spiritual and soul areas.
BANG!
Celestial Aegis blocked the copy's strike, and Yasenia answered instantly.
"[Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave]."
"[Heavenly Constellation Steps, Third Sky: Orion's Shield], [Celestial Sunder]."
Our dragoness's face changed, becoming slightly ugly.
Starlight gathered in front of the copy, creating a shield after the footwork technique, and stars aligned. Simultaneously, Celestial Sunder manifested and rushed at Yasenia. 'I need to defend against [Celestial Sunder]!'
Her mind turned, and her tail moved instead of her arms. "[Celestial Sunder]!"
The copy's faintly smiling face didn't disappear; instead, it widened. "[Ursa's Grasp], [Shattering The Heavens]!"
The copy reached Yasenia's peak physical strengthening and rushed forward, ignoring the Celestial Sunder while the copy of Draheart swung down. Yasenia's golden eyes widened. 'She wants to tank Sunder in order to gain the advantage because she is weaker than me?'
Her own lips unconsciously arched. 'This is… So fun!'
"[Celestial Aegis], [Orion's Shield]!"
BOOM!!!
Both sides exploded, and the copy's aura continued to skyrocket. "[Celestial Tyrant Soul Unshackled], Firmament Soul Sword]!"
Yasenia, in the distance, grinned. "[Immortal Breaker Body], [Firmament Soul Sword]."
With that, the only difference in buffs between the two was the Ursa's Grasp the copy had used. Even then, that small difference was not significant because Yasenia was originally stronger. Their current strengths were equal.
That allowed Yasenia to ignore Ursa's Grasp and rush at her copy.
"[Pegasus Gallop], [Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave]!"
"[Pegasus Gallop], [Firmament Shaking Arc]!"
Yasenia, with her soul side boosted, used her soul sword skill. Meanwhile, the copy used the marginally stronger body-cultivation skill due to Ursa's Grasp influence.
The attacks collided in the middle, but a damaging shockwave of soul and body energies exploded outward. Nevertheless, both dragons ignored the damage from the shockwave and rushed at each other with mimicked grins.
Draheart and Draheart tore arcs through the air, colliding right in the middle.
CLANG!
Yasenia's muscles strained, being pushed back marginally by the copy. However, her soul aura exploded outward, disturbing the copy's concentration for a fraction of a second. That gave Yasenia maneuvering time to shift her weight and sneak Draheart into the side of the copy.
The copy didn't panic; her tail flashed, [Celestial Sunder] coated around it. Yet, Yasenia's gaze didn't falter. Like a predator who had her prey do what she wanted, Yasenia's attack suddenly changed.
Forcefully, spinning to the side, her tail struck the copy's Draheart, and she kicked the copy's stomach.
BOOM!
The copy flew back, her smirking expression showing hints of pain. Yasenia took a deep breath.
"[Celestial Dragon Breath]."
The copy's sapphire eyes shifted. "[Empyrean Cosmos Dragon Transformation]!"
ROAR!
ROAR!
Both dragon roars shattered the sky, while Yasenia's attack exploded in the place where the copy changed.
From the explosion, the copy's heavily injured expression rushed at Yasenia at ridiculous speed. She was using Pegasus Gallop.
Yasenia's face changed slightly. 'My resistance in Dragon form is somewhat ridiculous. However, the match is over.'
When the copy appeared in front of Yasenia, slashing at her with its claw, Yasenia stepped forward and appeared below her own body, slashing upward.
"[Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave]."
The copy's ethereal dragon voice echoed. "[Orion Shield]."
Yasenia's sword struck the [Orion Shield] that appeared below her belly. Yet, she was not flustered. While Draheart pushed against Orion Shield, her tail was piercing upward with incomparable momentum. "[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Seventh Form: Astral Convergence]."
The final skill of her martial art exploded, piercing through [Orion Shield] and hitting right in the middle of her dragon body.
BOOM!
The copy streaked to the sky while looking down. "[Celestial Dragon Breath]."
The dragon opened its maw, but Yasenia responded even faster. "[Celestial Dragon Roar]!"
ROAR!
The shockwave of the roar opened all the soul injuries, disrupting the copy's Celestial Dragon Breath. As blood exploded from the copy, Yasenia took advantage to deploy [Celestial Aegis] and block the Celestial Dragon Breath partially.
From then on, Yasenia slowly stretched her advantage, eventually killing her copy.