> [Deploying Clone No.2 – Sync Rate: 92%]
[Mission: Solo Clear – B-Rank Dungeon / Type: Forgotten Cathedral]
[Time Limit: None]
[Objective: Observe dungeon shifts linked to Tower Resonance]
The clone opened its eyes inside the decaying hall of an ancient cathedral.
Black-stained glass. Shattered pews. Cracked marble. The air was thick with corrupted mana. Shadows moved between pillars, whispering in tongues that made even monsters tremble.
Rael, through the clone, cracked his neck and stepped forward.
His aura was suppressed. His presence invisible. But even so, the dungeon stirred.
Something old was watching.
---
The first wave came fast—Ghoul Paladins and Wailing Priests.
They didn't stand a chance.
Rael moved like a ghost.
Each strike was precise. Cold. Efficient.
> [Skill Used: Phantom Edge]
[Critical Hit ×5]
[Monsters Eliminated: 11]
He weaved between enemies like he was dancing with the dead, every step a calculated echo of the real Rael's intent. This wasn't training.
This was extermination.
---
By the time he reached the cathedral's altar, the true boss emerged.
A female Hunter stood there—tall, armored in red-plated gear, a halberd slung across her back. Her face was sharp, her eyes cold, and her aura…
Familiar.
Rael's clone narrowed its eyes.
> [Scan Initiated]
[Name: Aeris Talvora]
[Rank: A]
[Affiliation: Crimson Dawn Guild]
[Status: Tower Returnee – 68%]
[Connection: Former Ally / Participated in MC's Death]
His clone stood still, processing.
Aeris.
One of the few who hadn't raised her blade in betrayal…
…but didn't stop the others either.
She noticed him.
"You," she said, taking a step forward, halberd now in hand. "You're not listed in the registry. And yet you cleared half this dungeon already."
Rael didn't answer.
Her gaze narrowed. "That skillset… that movement… You fight like—"
She stopped breathing.
"…Rael?"
The clone tilted its head.
"You remember."
Her voice shook. "That's not possible. You died. I watched you die."
He didn't respond.
She stepped back, grip tightening.
"I didn't… I didn't want it to happen like that. I tried to stop them. You have to believe me."
The clone's eyes dimmed. "You hesitated. That was enough."
Silence hung heavy.
Then she raised her halberd.
"I won't let you walk out of here. If the Tower brought you back—if you're really him—then they'll be hunting you. I can't risk you falling into the wrong hands."
> [Warning: Combat Initiated – Enemy Threat Level Rising]
[System Permission: Override Restrictions?]
[Override: Granted]
Rael's aura flared.
Just a taste of his real power—enough to shake the entire cathedral.
Aeris flinched. "You've gotten stronger…"
"No," Rael said quietly. "You're just weak in comparison."
And then he moved.
---
The battle was short.
She was skilled.
But Rael had fought gods.
His blade stopped an inch from her throat.
"I don't need revenge right now," he said coldly. "But remember this moment."
He leaned close, his voice a whisper in her ear.
"The next time we meet—I won't stop."
> [Clone Recall Activated]
[Memory Syncing with Original Body…]
---
Back in his apartment, Rael opened his eyes.
Selene stood across the room, quiet.
"You saw her?" she asked.
Rael nodded.
"Aeris."
Selene's expression didn't change. "Will you kill her?"
"Eventually."
He looked at his hand—still trembling slightly from holding back the urge to finish it.
"But not until she understands what fear really feels like."