─……
─…Huh?
─Yes?
At that moment, silence fell.
Even a veteran who had built up quite a career in commentary was left speechless.
The match was clearly nearing its end.
Lily was strong, but ultimately, she was also someone who could face death, and after the professionals’ efforts, they had successfully pushed her to the brink.
There were many troubles and doubts, but with an unwavering heart, it was a target that could one day be reached.
And finally, when Baekseol knocked on that door…
Everyone died.
‘It’s as if that hope never existed from the start.’
“…Lady Lily?”
“It’s a fight against time.”
On the screen, Lily was dazzlingly on fire.
White flames, Lily using Sacred Transformation.
Her blue eyes flickered, and the ground crushed beneath the overwhelming power.
Power erupted, and simultaneously, the copycat mimicking her body was also crumbling.
She was using power excessively.
If this continued, the copycat would definitely die.
The flames of Sacred Transformation couldn’t be extinguished carelessly.
Sacred Transformation wasn’t a fire you could just turn off and on so easily.
“You’ll die soon. Not that state.”
“…Really? You don’t look so good.”
“Of course.”
Why is it called Sacred Transformation?
Even Celestials must be pushed to the brink of their souls’ destruction to use it.
It’s a technique used only when it’s determined that one cannot overcome the situation without using Sacred Transformation.
After using it, the survival rate for Celestials barely exceeds 3%.
Once Lily’s condition was exposed on the screen, the commentators finally began to speak up.
They carried on with commentary as if everything was still under control, as if that seemingly failed finals was all part of the plan.
I silently thanked the commentators for their hard work.
At least they were trying to make it sound good.
‘This finals has already gone to hell.’
“Can… this be salvaged…?”
“Things have gone a bit far, haven’t they?”
Even I thought it no longer resembled the ‘DCK’ finals.
It felt more like a chaotic bloodbath show led by a copycat imitating Lily.
“Lady Lily isn’t at fault. She didn’t threaten to be released or anything.”
They summoned her without her consent after all.
Yena seemed slightly disgruntled and spoke bluntly.
It certainly didn’t seem right to pin the blame on me.
I had merely come to watch, and Deoen was reanimating the boss I lost, recycling it.
From my point of view, I might be innocent, but there are plenty of people in the world eager to destroy others for no reason.
Regardless of the truth, they would hound me as if they found prey.
“…Should I turn on the broadcast?”
“Now? Are you planning to make it even worse…?”
“No. Just the relay.”
That might help with firefighting, I thought.
Yena shook her head.
“Eh. That would only fan the flames. Just leave it be. If there’s someone hounding, I’ll make some statements!”
“Look. If there’s anyone trying to deny the facts, let me express my honest opinion!”
“I really believe it.”
“…Please put some soul into it.”
“I’m serious.”
Yena is a reliable person.
To be serious, Yena turned her head and cleared her throat unnecessarily.
“…By the way, there isn’t like a phase three, is there? That would really be a disaster.”
“You can’t use that.”
“Oh… what?”
Thank goodness it’s impossible.
That should never come out forever.
■
“Wow…”
Choco grabbed the spear.
Grabbed it.
Grab…
“Oh, come on!”
Just die already!
How long are you planning to keep this up!
“Pathetic.”
“You’re really dead!”
Keeps dying. Still charges in.
The copycat isn’t invincible.
Wounds are bleeding due to numerous attacks, unable to regenerate.
And from the ninth resurrection, the end began to come into view.
“……”
The movement noticeably decreased, and no longer did their voice scratch at the nerves.
Screech─!
The damage from the spear increased significantly compared to before.
Wounds from gunfire and arrows are also increasing.
The attack power is still strong, but they finally reached the long-awaited end.
“Good! Now just die!”
“Wait.”
“? What? Why.”
The sixteenth attempt.
Choco halted in front of Lily, who would die with just one more poke.
The one stopping him was his cousin Leiter, a huge fan of Lily.
Choco frowned at Leiter’s unexpected intervention.
“I don’t have time. I don’t know when Baekseol will kill.”
“I know. Why wouldn’t I?”
“…So, you aren’t actually saying to hold back because it’s Lady Lily, right?”
Choco asked, thinking there was no way he could be that crazy, and thankfully he wasn’t.
He was rather observing the situation more calmly.
“When the copycat becomes Lady Lily, if they’re cornered, they power up.”
“…What?”
“If it reaches the point of dying, they become overwhelmingly stronger. It’s not even comparable to now.”
Choco felt a chill at Leiter’s words.
They can get stronger from there?
Are you out of your mind?
“Why didn’t you say that earlier?”
“There was no need to instill fear beforehand. Besides, Lady Lily isn’t weak enough to hesitate with her attacks out of fear of dying.”
“……”
If they hadn’t given their all, they definitely wouldn’t have pushed so hard.
Of course, while wasting time, WoW would have gained the upper hand.
“When they power up, the body of the copycat starts to gradually disintegrate. It’s probably a penalty for drawing excessive strength. Few know this, so the opponent probably won’t either.”
“…How do you know that?”
“It’s basic knowledge as a fan of Lady Lily.”
That was a fact he learned by rewatching LilyTube videos dozens of times a day.
Leiter said proudly, and Choco felt words welling up in his throat but could only shake his head.
But I couldn’t bring myself to say it and just shook my head.
“…Alright, otaku. You deserve recognition today.”
“Can you do just one thing for me?”
“Then… first, we need to transform and delay as much as possible while consuming energy.”
Asa, Sky, and Gunner are still in the resurrection aura state.
If we hadn’t heard about the penalty, everyone would have joined forces after resurrecting, but now it’s different.
‘We’ll use resurrection as a safe place.’
One by one, they resurrect and continue to aim for Lily’s energy consumption.
Choco scatters the holy grail and grabs the Golden Spear.
The Copycat looks back at herself with exhausted eyes.
“I’m the one who will win.”
As soon as the spear flew, she died.
■
I’m burning away.
My body and soul are burning.
Even though I’ve experienced this twice, I still can’t adapt to this ‘Sacred Transformation.’
My body shatters like being swept away by immense power, and my soul rings a bell, but I’m gradually getting used to using the power.
I kill the mage shooting arrows, and I also kill the woman shooting Cheol pieces with a strange stick.
I kill the warrior wielding a shield and eliminate the annoying ones.
I kill. I keep killing.
It still hasn’t ended.
Especially since they don’t come all at once, but one by one, the consumption of power is immense.
At this rate, I’ll get eaten by the Sacred Transformation and die.
Now half of my body is burned away.
‘I don’t want to… I don’t want to die…!’
I want to live.
I don’t want to live as a fake, but I want to avoid dying as a fake even more.
What else could there be?
What is there besides the ‘Sacred Transformation’ that brings forth immense power?
I need a way to survive, to prove that I’m real.
To sever those ‘immortal’ like existences.
I smash another enemy with my hammer.
Crack… I can’t even muster any strength in my hands now.
A way…
‘…!’
Found it.
In the deepest part of my memory.
It’s hidden as if tightly wrapped, but searching through memories is a piece of cake for the Copycat.
The Copycat unravels the layered seals and retrieves a memory.
This should be enough.
Power strong enough to sever ‘immortality.’
The cost is greater than before, but if I can use it just once…
-Using it will kill me.
“…?”
-No, I won’t die. I’ll just fall into a short sleep. For her.
And for me.
A mysterious voice buzzes in my head.
It’s a voice I’ve never heard before.
But it’s so familiar that I missed the enemy I was about to kill.
Whoosh!
Thanks to that, my wounds have increased, but that’s not the important part.
‘Like Lily Elbrite’s ‘childhood’…’
-My Master is truly unkind. You should have blocked things like this well; why leave regrets behind? Seriously.
“Who is it?”
This voice. I’ve never heard it in my memory.
No matter how much I sift through all my memories, I can never find this voice, yet it sounds so familiar.
As I sank into confusion, the voice let out a soft laugh.
Listening closely, it didn’t seem like just one voice.
Multiple voices echoed from afar.
– “Wait a sec. I need to sort things out. I’ll play with you later, okay?”
The voice paused, as if to comfort someone, then continued.
– “So, is this what you wanted?”
The voice conjured a person in the copycat’s mind.
Tia.
Brown braided hair and orange eyes.
The well-dressed Bakery Daughter, Tia.
In an instant, the copycat’s eyes trembled.
– “I can give you what you want. But it might not be the life you desire. You might even have to stay trapped for a while.”
‘I want a life…’
– “Yeah. But you won’t be bored. Oh, hey! Wait a sec, Uncle! Hey! White chubby one! Don’t eat that! I made it!”
Crash! The area beyond the voice echoed.
It echoed.
Echoed…
‘A life like a friend…’
Can I do it again?
Relive that memory once more?
– “Huh… You’re big like a bear. So, the choice is…”
‘I’ll do it.’
I want to live.
I want to play with my friends.
Above all…
“I want to eat cake.”
– “…Alright. Happy birthday, Tia.”
Welcome to Lily’s sanctuary.
Tia smiled widely.
■
“…?”
“……”
The copycat stopped.
The overwhelming force of the rampage seemed to have been released, and there she stood, looking at me normally.
What is this?
“What’s this, oppa?”
“…I don’t know about this either.”
I remain cautious.
Now that the rampage has ceased, it might be easier to catch her, but she is Lily.
Who knows what tricks she might pull to kill us all?
Lily opens her eyes.
Unlike the expressionless or serious face from earlier, she looks rather joyful.
With a mischievous air, Lily stretches and pulls out a spellbook.
“Alright… shall we sort this out?”
Of course, the finale has to be a showdown between the protagonists.
A chill sweeps through.
The crimson spellbook is frozen white, and her blue hair turns white as well.
“…Baekseol?”
“One. We should end this with some fun, right?”
Is this how it’s done?
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