(Robin's POV):
We're currently in the central room and started resting up. Grace and Jay were sitting right in front of me asking for some lessons in leadership. These two, guess they want to have something to know in case they have to battle without me.
"So, you guys have to ensure about the maintenance of formation. Think about making a formation you have to maintain against a one-sided attack, pincer attack, surround defense, positioning observation, analysis formation, and boss-monster formation. It depends on when you need the defensive member to be in the front or not. Sometimes, you need to have the two assassins like Ridley and Rylle to be in the front. There's also when you're running away, the most suitable for the front would be Jay and Ridley. Rylle will be needed to use his smoke in the backline along with your great defensive abilities Grace. You two got it so far?"
"T-that's quite a lot..." - Jay
"Yep, I think I could manage." - Grace
Jay seems to have trouble processing while Grace managed to do it just fine. Well, Jay is still talented after all, probably just a little slow when it comes to processing everything.
"Just make sure to not panic and it will all smoothly get through even if you're underleveled."
"U-underleveled?! What do you mean?" - Jay
"The thing here is that, monsters have a set AI. They will either attack with brute force, enrage, or use powerful magic which will be a trump card."
"I see, what happens then?" - Jay
"Well, at that point you guys can pretty much get through it just fine. Anyways, let's continue to the last room?"
Jay nodded and called out Ridley and Rylle. Grace stood up and started stretching.
"Alright, the last room we go. I have a bad feeling so you guys should hold these."
I took out a four bracelets which I had Karl enchant with signals. These bracelets will send me a signal if one person enters a state of pain or when there's influence in their minds. If either occurs, I'll get signals sent to my bracelet which lights up when I get one.
"So far, the dungeon hasn't separated us yet. So this last room either is a psychological or mental one or we end up separated."
"I see, what will this do?" - Grace
"Basically a way to know if someone gets hurt while separated. It's a sensor Denzel and Karl crafted."
"Ooh, why are you giving us this?" - Jay
"Insurance."
I'm somewhat worried since I have a feeling that they might end up facing their past. I've read and played enough stuff to know at least that much.
We entered the area as a group and has been moved to a large room with a single chest.
"Doesn't look too different, just don't let your guard down guys."
Everyone nodded in response, Jay and Ridley were slightly nervous while the other two somewhat stayed calm. When I opened the chest, we were immediately blinded by sudden light trapped from this chest.
"Cheh! I knew this would happen!"
I wasn't blinded but when I checked around, everyone had disappeared while getting a feeling of being transported.
Figures, guess we'll have to fight as a separate group huh?
I ended up standing in a creepy hallway that looks like it came from a horror game. This alone gives me enough creeps that it might be something that involves going through a horror game in real life. Actually, I'm gonna break the first rule of horror games...
I looked back and ended up seeing nothing, I lit up a small light source from Heaven's Beacon just to create some form of light. The small light gave me enough vision to see around the area.
I walked down the narrow hallway and ended up seeing a large area in front of me. The second I entered the area, the door closed behind me. I then started to hear a voice resonating within the room. It was a familiar voice that resembled to mine.
"Greetings, have you come to meet your past?" - ???
Never mind, it's a mirror of me, the opposite reflection of me.
"The fuck you want?"
"I want you to remember what you're living for." - Mirror
Wearing the same armor as me, the same gear, and the same equipment. This dungeon has some tricks up their sleeve when it comes to getting over things. Looks like this will be the dangerous battle we have to face all alone.
"Don't you think May would be with Denzel if you left them all alone."
!!!
I just heard something that somehow snapped me open.
"Shut up you fucker..."
"She'll be taken away by your friend!" - Mirror
"Shut your mouth you reflection!"
"Heh, I'm impressed that you can still talk like that. You still have some leftover business in your house, isolated prince." - Mirror
"I swear to god if you keep bringing up shit..."
This is bad, I might actually snap...
"You're denying quite well, I guess it's the tru-" - Mirror
I interrupted by firing a weak searing laser. Since I'm fighting myself, I should keep an eye to any form of mistakes here.
"Interrupting yourself huh? You turned to a wimp since you've become a proper leader." - Mirror
"Want me to prove it with your death? Let's begin, me."
"Interesting, let the battle commence, me." - Mirror
I brought out Mana Breaker and Mana Phaseblade for this mirror. We then dashed forward to begin clashing.
(POV Shift: Ridley's POV):
Uwah, a dark and creepy hallway. This might be troublesome but I should step forward. I shouldn't worry much since this bracelet technically tells Robin when one of us gets damaged or hurt in any way.
I walked down the dark hallway without being able to see anything. I simply just moved forward just by feeling the hallway. After a while, I ended up in an open room where the lights start shining and lighting up the room. When I noticed, I saw a person standing right in the exit.
"Hello there, how is your life going right now?" - ???
The voice was familiar, but I responded normally as if I nothing bad is going to happen.
"Eh, I think it's going pretty good and exciting."
"Without your mother?" - ???
The person revealed his face and it looks exactly like me, the only difference is the eye color being black and red while oozing off a dark aura. The last words he said triggered something in my mind.
"C-can you forget about that?"
"Eh? Forget what? Did I say something?" - Mirror
"Wait, I also forgot... Anyways, what am I going to do here? Defeat myself?"
"Ah! Yeah, you're supposed to get over your own problems and face yourself. Shall we battle?" - Mirror
"Heh, fine. Don't you dare forget we're in combat and space out alright?"
I took out a pair of daggers and formed a ready stance. The mirror took the same stance in the distance and also prepared to battle.
With the opportunity, I dashed forward and tried to end it pretty quickly. My reflection also dashed forward and we ended up clashing the daggers. When a powerful sound of clashing metal resounded throughout the area, a huge part of the ground starts raising up creating a maze arena. My forte huh?
Immediately I phased through the ground to change my location. I then went out in between two walls and ended up in a long hallway.
"Come out, come out wherever you are~ Wait, pretty sure this line came from somewhere." - Mirror
Same thinking, but I can't joke around here where my life might be in trouble.
"That didn't work, I guess a different one should be brought out then." - Mirror
I moved closer to where the voice was heard while navigating through the maze. I moved silently while phasing through the walls. When I got close enough, I heard the footsteps coming from behind me. Nice trick, I also use that on my friends. Guess I should play around too huh?
"I'm wondering about where you are." - Mirror
I moved my presence up so he would hear my voice from above instead.
"Me? I'm everywhere so, good luck!"
"Sneaky prick." - Mirror
I dashed through the wall and tried to slash him down.
"You think I'd also fall for my own trick?!" - Mirror
"Khh!"
My attacks simply passed through the reflection of me which made me change my phasing on instinct. The reflection tried to do the one kick I landed against Robin during the evaluation.
"Heh, I'll do you a better one. Why'd you think that work against me?"
"Heh, ahahaha~! We really are comedians!" - Mirror
"Hahahaha! Well, too bad you have to go."
That joke gave me a chance since the mirror forgot that we're in combat. I also somewhat forgot telling him that but I just remembered when he started joking around. After he landed on back hand spring, I threw the dagger which struck the heart without a chance to recover.
"Kheh! You got me there, but it's not over yet!" - Mirror
The mirror took out the dagger and dashed back through a wall. I gave chase but I didn't see my reflection anywhere.
Oh boy, what am I supposed to do again?
The clone appeared from one corner and tried to throw one dagger. I put too much focus on dodging which got the second dagger to strike me in the shoulder.
"Khh!"
"Aw man, only the shoulder? Well that's too bad, you win man." - Mirror
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"You heard it, you win. I swear, we're bizarre people but I guess you've grown, me." - Mirror
"What's gonna happen now?"
"Well, I'll disappear along with the walls of course. The entrance will open and you'll be able to rest." - Mirror
"I see... Wait! Did I win?"
"You joker of course you did! Now go!" - Mirror
After some time, the walls had disappeared and I collected the dagger I owned. I started walking to the exit with a somewhat satisfied face.