What should you be most careful about when dealing with a doppelganger?
Some say it’s the ability to copy a strong someone.
Others claim it’s their relentless vitality that never dies.
But both are wrong.
“The greatest danger of a doppelganger is ‘yourself’.”
Is the person you’re facing really you?
What if I’m the one who’s mistaken?
A trivial doubt becomes suspicion, and the moment that suspicion turns into certainty…
It will devour you and turn you into a fake.
■
Lily watches Tia’s eyes tremble in her hand.
That figure is definitely herself, Tia.
Why am I standing there looking so wicked?
Could it be…
“I also created a fake?”
“You must be the fake! Demon!”
Tia, in the middle of the spell, shouted.
The crimson spell emitted an even more intense red light, and Tia, standing within it, looked almost like a demon.
The Tia who descended from the hand frowned upon seeing that Tia.
“Who’s calling who a demon…?”
“What?”
“Look at yourself right now. To anyone, you look like a demon.”
With bloodshot eyes and an expression twisted by evil.
Even the red light wrapped around her scarred body.
To anyone, Tia in the middle of the spell looked like a fake.
The red Tia gritted her teeth.
“Don’t joke. Do you think that’ll deceive me into making you the real one?”
“Real? Ah… so you saved me because you believed I was real.”
Because you believed the bakery daughter ‘Tia’ was your true self.
“So that’s why you didn’t kill me when I ran away.”
Tia chuckled at the red Tia.
“What’s so funny…?”
“It was strange. Until the hero came, I didn’t go home, but the fakes were saying, ‘Tia is with her family.’”
At first, I was suspicious.
Could it be that I too have already had a fake made?
While I wandered around avoiding my family, house, and village, did a fake take my place?
But there was no way out.
I felt like I wouldn’t last a second there.
Wandering like that, I entered a cave, and while trying to take a quick nap, I pondered.
“What am I?”
Is this living correctly?
Is this really what Tia should be?
No, what even was Tia in the first place?
The girl named Tia.
An ordinary bakery daughter, with above-average looks, dressed quite well for a small village.
Two or three friends.
Of those, one friend was even among the two who didn’t exist…
“…….”
In the end, Tia abandoned her thoughts.
She felt like she would lose herself if she kept thinking.
’Ugh…’
Tears fell.
“…If the hero hadn’t come on time, I might have really lost my mind.”
Yeah, maybe…
“I might have thought, ‘Is it possible that I’m a fake, just like you?'”
“…Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m really relieved. If you were even a moment later, I could have lost myself.”
“DON’T TALK NONSENSE!!!!”
Swoosh.
The spell is starting.
Truth distinguishes from falsehood.
The red Tia’s hand ignites.
“What do you know!!! I’ve lost my family, my friends, I’ve lost everything!!!!!”
“……”
“You just fled comfortably, huh? What’s changed by cowering and running away?! While you did that, I…! I…”
Ah, ha ha ha ha…
It’s breaking.
That which mimicked Tia. No, maybe it really is Tia, is shattering.
The copycat, who simply felt hunger, met a friend.
The friend was nice, and the cake was nice too.
So, they ate the cake.
The copycat was happy. Contentedly, it dove back into the darkness.
And the copycat saw.
‘Hahaha~’
Even in the dark night, the bountiful house continues to shine, along with the only friend living there.
It was envy.
“You are…”
“I’m sorry.”
“…?”
“For running away and leaving you.”
Tia approached slowly.
Tears flowed from the half-burned red Tia’s eyes.
“I was scared. That everything would vanish, replaced by a fake.”
It was disgusting and terrifying.
So, it fled.
‘Leaving my old friend behind. Without even thinking of searching for them.’
Back then, no one had died.
“Tell me. You were that friend, right?”
“……I am.”
“Hurry.”
Just two more steps, and I could meet red Tia.
Red Tia shook her head.
“…Tia. I am. I am Tia, so I’m not that thing.”
“You…”
“I am…”
Thud.
“I AM TIAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”
“AAAAAH!!!”
A red hand lunged at Tia.
To be precise, a spear flew and sliced through the hand just before it could strike.
Tia, narrowly escaping death by the thickness of a paper, trembled on the floor.
“Why…”
“Just because the appearance changes and the personality changes, it doesn’t mean the essence does too.”
The copycat, eager to take everything from Tia.
Copied every mindset, personality, and appearance Tia possessed, but in the end, it is still just a copycat.
Given the situation, it wouldn’t admit to being a ‘fake’ or accept ‘death’.
The red Tia. No, the copycat glared at me with a sinister gaze.
Glaring.
“It wasn’t an angel…”
“That’s right. It’s not an angel.”
That damn angel is definitely not here.
[Is the boss fight starting?]
[Wait, this isn’t the kid I was carrying around.]
[Hahaha!]
[I thought Cave Tia was a fake.]
[Turns out neither of them are fake.]
[You can’t compare it to something like an angel, haha!]
[Sniff sniff, damn fire land.]
[Let’s finish this right away.]
Perhaps due to the spell’s influence, the copycat’s body completely ignited into flames.
The copycat, looking like an avatar of malice, moved its hand.
Whoosh.
Flames swept forward.
I lightly stabbed the flames with my spear and safely placed Tia far away.
Still dazed, she was stuttering.
“Stay hidden.”
“Ah… um, hang in there!”
Tia hurriedly clenched her fist.
Seeing her like that, I smiled and returned to the battlefield.
The blazing copycat fired its second burst of flames.
Flames slicing from both sides.
The spear twisted, and intense rotation began.
The roar of the spear pierced through the flames and struck the enemy.
“Kreeeek!!!”
Desperately, the copycat transformed into a massive rock.
Since it can’t imitate non-living things, it’s probably a type of golem.
The golem’s hand slammed down onto the ground.
Bam.
The solid stone arm of the golem was cleanly severed.
The copycat, writhing in pain, transformed into a gigantic ogre.
But it meant nothing.
“That won’t be enough.”
Unless it’s an ancient dragon of forgotten times, no matter how strong the body you borrow, it means nothing.
The celestial and demon races wouldn’t even be able to find it, let alone lend it.
[Not even a match.]
[This is ridiculous, haha!]
[You should’ve brought something like Raizaka.]
[But I guess that’s not possible, huh?]
The copycat, exhausted from facing numerous races, gasped for breath.
If there’s nothing more to show…
“I guess this is your limit. ‘Fake.'”
Crack.
“I’m not a fake…”
“If you’re not a fake, then what should I call you? Your reason for existence is simply mimicking others. So you are a fake.”
“……”
“Then.”
The spear is launched.
The copycat stands still, giving up on dodging.
The spear, rushing forward with incredible speed, was effortlessly deflected.
[?]
[?]
[That thing.]
[No way this is happening?]
[Lololololol!]
[?????]
The smoke that filled the battlefield began to settle.
As it cleared, the silhouette of the woman who effortlessly deflected the spear was revealed.
It reveals itself.
Even I can’t take my eyes off her beauty and appearance.
With a spear containing immense magical power and a body that skillfully wields it.
‘Lily Elbrite.’
Her violet eyes flashed coldly.
“Now things are starting to get interesting.”
[The dungeon’s difficulty level is rapidly changing!]
[The level of the boss, Hungry Copycat, is being readjusted.]
Beep.
[Lv.101]
■
[Would you like to enter the Copycat’s house?]
I thought about it ever since I first saw the word “copycat.”
‘Maybe this will be possible.’
To successfully finish the mock siege war, I need to achieve a third job change and regain the Holy power.
However, no matter how busy I am, I doubt I can defeat 15 bosses over level 40 within the timeframe.
The only remaining option is to hunt a ‘world boss.’
So, I tried to capture the Spirit of Darkness in the highlands of the blue forest, but it didn’t count.
It’s hard to find anymore, and even if I do, I have no confidence in capturing it entirely without some kind of opportunity.
I decided to use ‘myself’.
I provoke the Copycat.
I continue to provoke it, revealing its true identity, then push it further into a corner.
‘Until it mimics a ‘stronger entity’ to survive.’
“It’s creepy.”
Just facing her made me tense up, gripping the spear tightly, and my whole body tingled.
It’s been a long time since I felt this sensation.
This is the first time I’m feeling it since coming to Deoen.
‘Thrilling.’
I split the spear.
Seventeen sharp shining spears.
‘Lily’ is definitely not an easy opponent.
With dozens of spears, I charged at her.
Kwon aaaaang─!!!!
“Ugh…!”
A massive weapon that appeared out of nowhere slammed into my body.
I flew and crashed into a corner of a nearby house.
[?]
[Huh]
[ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ]
[Lily vs. Lily ㄷㄷ]
[Wow, crazy lineup ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[If I lose, do I lose my spot to Lily? ㅋ?]
[Lily, don’t lose!!!]
[Anyone just win ㅋㅋㅋ]
[Just blow them away ㄷㄷ]
[Crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Thud…
“…Right. This is Lily.”
Lily needs to use the hammer.
Beep!
[Danger! A world boss-level entity (下) has appeared.]
[If you cannot clear this dungeon, the world boss, ‘Lily Elbrite,’ will appear in the world!]
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