The Clash of Power - The Self in the Mirror
"The next match is about to begin," the mysterious figure waved his hand. The once solid cabin floor beneath everyone's feet now writhed and expanded like a living thing, bulging upward with dull groans of wood and piercing screeches of twisting metal. At the core of the ghost ship—the center of the cabin—an immense fighting arena was forcibly stretched and reshaped by some unknowable force. A colossal combat ring took shape under the illumination of eerie blue phosphorescence and ghastly green ghost flames. The surface of the ring wasn't smooth wood but was covered in uneven scars and charred burns, as if recounting countless untold brutal battles.
The area around the ring wasn't empty. Thousands upon thousands of ghosts in various forms emerged densely from the darkest corners of the ship, awakened from the dust of history. They had no physical bodies, only translucent outlines—some pale as mist, others black as ink, or bearing gruesome shadows from their lives. They layered upon each other, filling every inch of space above the ring, forming a suffocating wall of specters. There was no clamor, only the cold soul fires flickering in countless hollow eye sockets, and the silent convergence of their thoughts creating a chilling gaze that could freeze the soul. The air was thick with the scent of rust, decayed seawater, and the unique ozone odor of soul energy. An invisible pressure of tension and frenzy weighed heavily on every living person's heart.
"The fifth match, the test—strength!" The mysterious figure's voice, with its peculiar metallic quality, pierced through the specters' silent stares, echoing clearly throughout the cabin. His form hovered at the edge of the ring, the hem of his cloak seemingly merging into the surrounding shadows. "The rules are simple: one-on-one combat, a pure clash of strength, no fancy tricks. The first to fall or voluntarily surrender—loses!"
At this moment, Kayla strode forward with her powerful legs, each step resounding dully on the ring as she walked toward the center of the arena that resembled the maw of an abyss. The "Thunder Claws" on her arms seemed to sense their owner's surging fighting spirit, with the embedded runes lighting up one by one. The left claw was encircled by leaping blue-white electric arcs, crackling faintly, with lightning dancing at the claw tips; the right claw emanated bone-chilling cold, visible frost mist condensing and swirling on the blades, instantly freezing the moisture in the air into tiny ice crystals that fell. Ice and thunder, two utterly opposing yet equally violent forces, formed a dangerous energy field around her.
Just as Kayla stood firm, her muscles tensed and ready to face the unknown opponent, the wall of specters rippled violently. A figure silently separated from the dense, translucent bodies and slowly descended onto the other end of the ring. As that figure gradually became clear under the eerie blue ghost fire, the onlookers—Fa, Arya, TISK, Salsa, Rex, Yuyuer, Zhamisi—all drew in sharp breaths of cold air.
It was Kayla!
Or more precisely, a "duplicate" of Kayla composed purely of flowing shadows and ominous ghostly light. It possessed an identical tall and muscular beastman physique, the same sharp beast-like eyes, even the distinctive old scar on her cheek was exactly the same. What was most unsettling was that its arms were also equipped with a pair of "Thunder Claws" flickering with lightning and frost, with energy fluctuations identical to Kayla's original! This black spectral Kayla crouched slightly, assuming a battle starting stance identical to Kayla's, its eyes made of ghostly light burning with the same near-mad fighting desire as Kayla herself.
"A battle of strength—fight until one side surrenders." The mysterious figure's voice rang out again, this time with an undisguised hint of amusement, as if enjoying a meticulously arranged drama. "No need for surprise, warrior. This is a manifestation of your memories and the deepest combat instincts in your soul, materialized by the power of this ship. It possesses all your combat skills, muscle memory, strength levels, and even..." the voice paused, "...your fanaticism and obsession with battle. In other words, what you'll face is your mirror reflection, the perfect—you."
After the initial shock, Kayla showed no fear; instead, she grinned a nearly ferocious and wild smile, revealing sharp fangs. "Ha! The me in the mirror? Interesting! Damn interesting!" Her laughter rolled through the cabin like muffled thunder, carrying primal savagery and excitement. "I've been beating others every day; today I finally get to taste my own fists! I want to see just how strong I, Kayla... really am!"
Before her words faded, Kayla's figure suddenly blurred! "Boom!" With an explosive sound, the wooden boards under her feet instantly charred and shattered. She transformed into a streak of blue-white lightning tearing through the air, her speed so fast it was nearly impossible for the naked eye to catch, charging forward with unstoppable momentum, her Thunder Claws aimed straight at the duplicate's face! Violent lightning gathered at the claw tips, compressed into a blinding white point of light—it was her signature opening thrust: "Thunder Fang Thrust"!
Almost in the same microsecond, the spectral Kayla on the opposite side moved! Without the slightest delay, it similarly turned into a black streak of lightning shadow mixed with ice crystal shards, charging head-on with the exact same trajectory, speed, and posture! At its "Thunder Fang Thrust" claw tips, however, condensed ominous deep purple lightning.
"Clang—!!!"
The two pairs of Thunder Claws—one blue-white, one purple-black—wrapped in destructive energy, collided precisely at the center of the ring! Time seemed to freeze in that moment. There was no earth-shattering explosion; instead, a teeth-gritting, piercing screech of metal friction and energy annihilation! A blinding burst of intense light erupted from the impact point, instantly engulfing both figures. Amid the glare, countless tiny blue-white electric serpents and deep purple arcs splashed wildly like out-of-control pythons, intertwining and annihilating! At the same time, extreme cold frost power erupted and clashed from the impact! Visible ice-blue shock rings mixed with frozen ice shards and scattered lightning fragments rippled outward like waves, freezing a thick layer of white frost along the ring's edges. Spectators too close were swept by this mixed impact, emitting silent shrieks as their forms rippled violently.
As the light dimmed slightly, the two figures separated briefly before clashing again. Kayla's left claw flickered with lightning, delivering a heavy "Thunder Fist" toward the duplicate's ribs; the duplicate instinctively sidestepped, using its right claw wreathed in frost for a precise "Frost Claw Block," while its left claw countered with an "Ice Crack Claw" laced with biting cold wind, aiming straight for Kayla's heart. As if anticipating this, Kayla twisted her waist at an impossible angle, her right claw erupting with lightning for a "Thunderstorm Claw" to clash head-on!
"Bang! Clang! Boom!"
Each collision was a duet of thunder and ice, a pure contest of strength against strength. Their movements were as fast as lightning, fierce as a raging storm, with seamless transitions like one person fighting with both hands. Kayla unleashed her "Thunder Frost Double Strike"—left claw paralyzing with lightning, right claw freezing with frost, fierce and domineering; the duplicate immediately countered with the identical "Thunder Frost Double Strike," matching power, angle, and timing like a mirror! Ice crystals and lightning fragments exploded and scattered constantly amid their intertwining figures, quickly covering the ring with charred craters and condensed icicles. Their breathing rhythms, battle roars, even the muscle tremors and grunts upon being hit, were astonishingly synchronized. This wasn't just a clash of power; it was a perfect self-replication and synchronized dance, though this dance was filled with lethal intent.
"This... this is like watching Kayla fight herself!" TISK gripped his Earthshaker Warhammer tightly, his beard trembling with tension. "No flaws at all!"
"Too eerie..." Salsa curled up in her mechanical cat shell, her cat eyes flickering with ghostly light. "Even the tiniest habitual movements are the same... like another Kayla stepping out from the shadows."
"Pure replication and synchronization of strength..." Rex's electronic eyes scanned the battlefield at high speed, emitting a faint hum. "Energy readings, movement patterns, muscle output... completely identical. Theoretically, this is an endless war of attrition like a perpetual motion machine."
The more Kayla fought, the more shocked she became, yet the more exhilarated. She tried changing tactics, using more cunning angles and unexpected bursts. But no matter how she varied, the black reflection always reacted in sync, as if her thoughts and muscle memory were read by the opponent in the instant before she moved. Every attack was perfectly blocked or dodged, every defense met with an equal counter. This feeling was maddening, yet it ignited a deeper fighting spirit in her bones.
"Roar—!!!" Frustrated by the stalemate, Kayla let out a deafening bellow, her muscles bulging, bones cracking with pops. Thick beast fur pierced through her skin, her body expanding and growing visibly! Her head elongated and deformed, fangs protruding, claws becoming even larger and sharper. In mere breaths, she transformed from a strong female beastman into a nearly four-meter-long raging giant leopard wrapped in blue-white lightning and frost mist! The "Frost Thunder Giant Leopard" form!
"Awoo—!!!" Almost at the exact moment she completed her transformation, the spectral Kayla let out an identical roar. Black shadows surged and expanded like boiling ink, instantly coalescing into a "Shadow Phantom Giant Leopard" of equal size, composed of flowing shadows and ghostly light, with claws and fangs flickering deep purple lightning and dark blue ice crystals!
The two colossal beasts occupied most of the ring. What had seemed spacious now felt cramped. Without hesitation, both beasts pawed the ground simultaneously, their massive bodies pouncing with crushing momentum!
"Boom!!!"
The pure physical collision triggered an even more violent tremor! The entire ghost ship seemed to groan under this barbaric impact. The cabin walls were struck by stray lightning, leaving charred marks; ice chunks and splintered wood rained from the ceiling. Though the spectral spectators were intangible, their soul fires flickered and rippled violently from the raging energy impacts, as if silently cheering or fearing this pure destructive power.
The battle had escalated to its most brutal and primal stage. Claws slashed, drawing sprays of "blood" simulated by energy—Kayla's was hot red, while the duplicate's was cold, flowing dark shadows. Lightning scorch marks and frostbite wounds covered the beasts' fur. Kayla's giant leopard shoulder was torn open deeply by the shadow phantom's fangs, the wound charred and flesh curled from lightning; the shadow phantom's abdomen was gashed by Kayla's thunder claws, spilling not organs but roiling dark shadow energy, yet the pain seemed equally real. Intense agony stimulated their nerves, making their attacks even more frenzied.
Time passed amid violent energy fluctuations and savage collisions. Half an hour? An hour? In this selfless slaughter, time lost meaning. When the two beasts staggered apart after another full-force clash, the ring was in ruins, covered in deep pits, ice layers, scorch marks, and energy residue. They panted heavily like broken bellows, hot white steam and cold black mist spewing from their muzzles. Kayla reverted to her female beastman form, covered in blood with dozens of wounds large and small, her left arm hanging limply from a severe bone injury, her right eyebrow split with blood covering half her face, but she still stood tall, the light on her Thunder Claws dim but unextinguished. The spectral Kayla also returned to human form, its shadow body torn and fractured in places, edges constantly dissipating black mist like a candle in the wind, but its fighting spirit still burned fiercely through those ghostly eyes.
Dead even! Utterly dead even! Whether in strength, speed, skill, endurance, or even fighting will and madness, it was like the two ends of a perfectly balanced scale. Every time Kayla thought she found a breakthrough, the duplicate synchronized to compensate; every time the duplicate seemed to gain the upper hand, Kayla pulled back with tenacious will and beast-like instinct. This was a flawless duel, a deadlock destined to drag both into the abyss of exhaustion.
"Enough! Kayla! Stop!" Fa, who had been watching the battlefield intently, suddenly shouted sharply, her right eye stinging slightly from overconcentration, with an imperceptible silver glow flowing in the depths of her pupil. She tried to discern the duplicate's energy core or weakness, but the feedback was only a chaotic fluctuation completely identical to Kayla's own. "This is pointless! You'll both perish together! Their powers are completely synchronized; there'll never be a winner!" Her voice carried urgency, piercing through the energy screeches.
Arya gripped her Storm Bow tightly, her fingertips white from force, light elements gathering and dispersing at her tips; faced with this pure mirror power, her magic had no way to intervene. TISK muttered curses under his breath, calculating if he could use his Earthshaker Warhammer to forcibly interrupt this synchronized cycle. Rex's drone swarm circled around, his core processor frantically computing countless intervention scenarios, but the data feedback showed extremely high risks and unpredictable chain reactions. Yuyuer and Zhamisi huddled together, their faces filled with worry. Salsa's soul form slightly protruded from her cat shell, sensing the raging and synchronized energy field, also helpless.
Amid the heavy panting, Kayla heard Fa's call. She lifted her face smeared with blood and sweat, her gaze piercing through the energy dust lingering on the ring, staring intently at the equally battered, unyielding black reflection opposite. That face, identical to her own, was now covered in "wounds" made of shadows, its eyes burning with the same unyielding flame.
Looking at this "mirror," at the equally wild, persistent, and never-bowing "self" within, a thought flashed through Kayla's battle-boiled mind like lightning. She felt no anger, no frustration; instead... she grinned, revealing a mix of blood foam, fatigue, and a strangely enlightened wild smile. The grin pulled at her facial wounds, making her hiss, yet it remained brilliant.
"Ha... haha..." Her laughter started hoarse, then grew loud, echoing through the now-silent cabin, overpowering the specters' silent ripples. "I get it... I finally get it!" She raised her still-mobile right arm, pointing at the duplicate, declaring loudly and clearly:
"I surrender..." She paused, her smile growing even brighter, carrying a sense of relief and pride. "No! This fight was too damn satisfying! We—it's a draw!"
This sudden declaration stunned everyone. Fa's anxious expression froze on her face, Arya's worried gaze turned to surprise, TISK's mouth gaped open, Rex's electronic eyes flickered with analytical light, Yuyuer and Zhamisi exchanged glances.
Even more astonishing, the moment Kayla shouted "draw," the duplicate's ghostly eyes, burning with fighting intent, saw the violent flames recede like ebbing tides. Its tense battle stance relaxed, and it slowly, clearly nodded at Kayla herself. The motion was no longer that of a ruthless fighting machine but like a warrior with its own will, acknowledging an equal opponent. Immediately after, its form began to turn transparent and blurry, disintegrating from the edges like a sandcastle, drifting apart. The shadows and ghostly light composing its body rose in threads, reintegrating into the boundless wall of specters around, finally vanishing without a trace, leaving only the lingering cold aura and scattered unextinguished ghostly lights on the ring.
On the ring, only Kayla remained, covered in blood yet standing straight, her face bearing that strange smile. The densely packed spectral spectators' soul fires rippled violently, as if silently discussing this unexpected outcome. The heavy, suffocating pressure of battle dissipated like a receding tide.
The mysterious figure hovering at the ring's edge watched all this quietly. The shadows of his cloak concealed all expressions. After a moment of silence, his voice rang out again, the hint of amusement seeming to fade, replaced by an indescribable... scrutiny?
"...Unexpected." The mysterious figure spoke slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet cabin. "Surrender and draw... this too is a manifestation of strength, a recognition and... transcendence of one's limits." He paused, as if choosing his words, and finally declared:
"This match—a draw!"
As the voice settled, the wall of specters around the ring seemed to receive a command, silently retreating and fading, reintegrating into the cabin's shadows and mists. The massive ring let out a low rumble, slowly sinking and contracting, reverting to the original cabin floor. Only the countless battle traces left on the ring—charred craters, condensed frost, deep claw marks and gouges, and the puddle of blood mixed with ice water at Kayla's feet—silently recounted the thrilling, evenly matched "battle of self" that had just occurred. In the air, the lingering ozone scent of lightning intertwined with the cold aura of souls, lingering for a long time.