The Veilwalker

Alex stared at the sorry figure of his clone as it got back to its feet. And despite the kick it received, it still had a taunting smile on his face.

"Hehe… That one was on me, Alex. I should have known better. I am you after all."

Alex watched in silence as his clone got back up and recalled his spear. The two similar beings stared at each other with one's expression being serious and the other one with a sneer.

"That won't happen again. I can assure you,"

The clone muttered and as if by an agreement, Alex and the clone disappeared from where they stood.

*CLANG!*

The two fighters clashed in the centre as they generated a powerful gust of wind that obliterated the rock underneath them.

Alex exchanged fast-paced and complex spear techniques with his clone as they shifted through the empty space at breakneck speed, each trying to overpower the other with their spears, kicks and punches. Enjoy new tales from empire

They utilize everything in their arsenal besides their mana

At a glance, Alex and the clone appeared to be evenly matched, but he could tell that the clone was stronger both physically and technique-wise.

Heck, he even noticed the clone use his own moves far better than he did!

'The clone's techniques are more sophisticated than mine, and am being pushed back more and more!'

"You've noticed, haven't you? I told you Alexander, this is as far as you go. I know everything about your techniques, tricks and trump cards."

The clone sneered as it continued to push Alex back the more they clashed. Even after multiple exchanges, he hadn't been able to land another hit after that kick he delivered earlier.

Alex could only grit his teeth in frustration, yet his eyes burned with fierce defiance.

"What's more, I'm stronger!"

Abruptly, the clone deflected Alex's spear back as it created an opening for a strike to his front.

'Shit!'

He watched with trembling eyes as the clone flashed him a vicious smile as it brandished its spear and delivered a thrust towards his chest, aiming directly where his heart was.

It wasted no time in trying to kill Alex after it decided to conclude the fight.

Alex watched the tip of the spear close in on his heart and even if the clone was stronger and faster, Alex wasn't done.

His eyes shone with the light of his mana as he condensed a defensive ward around the area where his chest was located. He knew the armour wouldn't be enough to stop such a powerful thrust.

"Like I said, I know everything about you."

He heard the clone mutter in a low tone as the assault it launched abruptly changed trajectory and went for his stomach.

With wide eyes, Alex stared at the clone as blood dripped from the point the spear pierced. Blood leaked from the corner of his lips shortly after.

It was a critical hit that could end him.

"Again, I know you."

With the spear in its right hand, it delivered a kick to Alex's gut. The spear came out with a splash of blood as Alex was sent tumbling back before coming to a stop several meters away from the clone.

"With your low mana, I knew you'd choose to condense your mana at the spot the attack targeted, ignoring the rest of your body.

"That was your first mistake, Alex."

Alex coughed up blood as he lay on his stomach with his hands for support, blood spilling from the wound he received. He slowly turned to look at the clone as it approached with deliberately slow steps, blood dripping from the tip of his weapon.

'He's right. I tend to use my mana sparingly because I know how limited it is. Ha… If only. But my first mistake?'

His confused gaze only broadened the smile on the clone's face as it realized his words had gotten to him.

"Exactly, your first mistake. Your second one…."

The clone instantly stormed at him and then delivered a kick to his side worsening his injury as he was sent barreling across the rough ground.

Alex groaned in pain as his gut hurt like hell and the spilling blood increased its outflow. Lying on his back, his eyes lingered on the dark space above him.

'Is this the end? No…., I am giving up too easily. Just because I want to conserve my mana doesn't mean I should not use it at all.'

He tended to rely on his physical abilities whenever he was in a fight that didn't require him to use mana to win, a weakness he was now realizing.

"…. was thinking you could defeat me with physical abilities alone."

The clone continued its lecture. But his words caught Alex's attention as he was just thinking about the same thing. His eyes turned to the clone, observing as it approached.

'Why is it not taking the to eliminate him?'

Of course, he appreciated its lecture and time-wasting efforts, but it didn't make any sense. Was it something he did as well? The answer eluded him as he hadn't really wasted time on his opponent before.

This was not to say his heart wasn't racing out of his chest. But he tried as much as possible not to show it on his face, appearing calm on the surface and to anyone who looked at him.

As his thoughts spun to understand the actions of the clone, he used his mana like a scalpel to patch himself up and stop the bleeding.

But his margin of free time was up, and the moment Alex finished his patchwork, the clone moved again. It speedily approached and when it covered half the distance, it leapt into the air and then aimed his spear at Alex.

Alex instantly knew what was coming and wasted no time as he swiftly got out of the way.

*BOOOOOM!*

The clone's spear impacted heavily at the sport Alex laid just moments ago as a small crater resulted from the powerful throw.

"It's useless. Just give in!"

The clone landed moments later as it grabbed its spear and stormed after him.

'Enough holding back!'

With a resolute expression, Alex channelled his mana through his weapon and blazed towards the clone.

"Hahaha…. Finally decided to go all out, huh?! Too bad, I can do the same!"

It replicated Alex's action as its own spear glowed brightly and when they clashed again, the resulting impact was far stronger than anything their fight had caused.

As the sphere of light spread out increasing the size of the crater, the two fighters remained at its entre and exchanged blows rapidly.

The clone had a taunting smile on his face while Alex carried a frustrated one.

'Nothing has changed, we just got added mana to the mix!'

He was unable to see any opening from the clone's techniques and combat prowess. He was better than he was in every aspect

'Tch! At this rate, I'll lose my life!'

His frustration grew as time passed with no change in sight. He could not see a way to defeat the clone, and it seemed the clone was just toying with him.

'Is this how some of my opponents feel whenever I fight them?! Knowing that they could be defeated at any moment and all I did was toy with them?!'

The realization was not a pleasant one as it almost brought him to tears. And the sneering look the clone gave him did not help matters either.

'Come on, think. How do you defeat you?'

He never thought he would one day ponder a way to defeat himself. It was an entirely new perspective to him, one that he must find very soon or die in the process.