Clang!
The sound of the two fire magic swords colliding loudly echoed in the covenant room. Mariel didn't ask any more questions, instead, she slammed her sword into the clone's side, causing the ground to shake throughout the area.
"Is that all you got?" Mariel's clone asked with a smile.
"Definitely not!" Mariel became enraged as she continued to pound her sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Take it!" Mariel used wind magic to create a huge whirlwind and hit the clone of Mariel.
"Take this!" the clone of Mariel said as she cast a spiral wind spell and slammed into a huge whirlwind until the two forces separated and disappeared in front of them.
However, Mariel began to attack at first as she conjured another whirlwind and entered the center, crashing into the clone of Mariel below. She also conjured four more whirlwinds to surround the clone of Mariel, preventing her from escaping anywhere.
Mariel, the clone one, smiled and closed her eyes. Suddenly, a large wind-elemental dragon appeared, flapping its wings, and causing a huge whirlwind to blow towards the others whirlwind and Mariel until her body fell to the ground.
"How is that possible? Being able to break my moves with such ease." Mariel said in surprise.
"Show it all to me, your skills and talents. These are just 10% of the power I use, darling." the cloned Mariel challenged in a disdainful tone.
"Then I'll use all of my utmost power." Mariel boosted her fire magic power to its maximum level and slammed the power of the Infernal Flame Sword at the opponent with all her might.
The cloned Mariel continued to embroider the Dragon Slayer Sword on the ground and stood unafraid while watching the infernal fire sword magic approaching her, then a strange icicle appeared around her body.
"Ice armor!" The cloned Mariel said as her body transformed into ice. Then the fire sword magic that was hit couldn't do any harm to the ice armor that covered her body but that's not enough, the fire sword magic completely disintegrates into hot steam.
"I used all my power but still couldn't defeat you." Mariel said with exhaustion.
"Come to me. Try harder, darling." the cloned Mariel said, winking seductively at the other.
"Definitely!" Mariel rushed forward and changed her magic into streams of water, alternating with fire, wind, and ice, slashing at the opponent without stopping but it couldn't even cause any injury to the cloned Mariel.
"Why is it like this? It shouldn't be possible." Mariel said. Her confidence gradually deteriorated.
No matter how many attacks Mariel used, how many skills are being used at all. The cloned Mariel was able to resist easily, without any signs of losing at all.
Mariel fought until she was at her limit, but the opponent used her sword slung over her left shoulder and was staring at Mariel with a pitiful expression.
"You are really hopeless. Now it's my turn!" The look in the cloned Mariel's eyes suddenly became angry and the cruel aura made Mariel tremble slightly in fear.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Mariel's clone slammed the power of various elemental magic swords at Mariel and made her almost unable to resist. Both of Mariel's hands began to bleed because of wounds from receiving the fierce sword attacks.
"Oops!" Mariel cried out in pain because the cloned of Mariel was teleported close to her and used her leg to kick her in the right ribcage until she flew quite a distance.
Mariel fell to the ground and because of the kick just now was very strong. She was unable to stand and the pain in the right ribcage shook her brain to the point of bringing tears to his eyes.
"Do you think you're good now? Do you think there's anyone who can fight against you now?" the cloned Mariel asked loudly.
Mariel stared at her opponent with anger, but she admits that her skills still can't compete with the cloned Mariel. It was like herself with a superior swordsman now.
"Or are you a ghost?" Mariel asked teasingly.
"Lol, I'm not a ghost, darling. I am you." The cloned Mariel laughed as if she knew what the other person was thinking.
"Wha, what?...I'm just Mariel. There aren't any twins of me anywhere." Mariel said while she was stunned by the answer.
"Yes...I am you. And they're no twins anywhere. If you have perseverance, be more diligent in practicing your skills. You might be like me in the future, believe me. From now on, keep practicing for becoming even stronger." the cloned Mariel said to encourage others for success in their goals.
"Yes, I'll try my best. I promised." Mariel said as she stood but still had some pain.
"When you train yourself to become more skilled, coming into this room, because I will be your opponent all the time, darling." the cloned Mariel said.
"Thank you for your advice this time." Mariel said.
"Before we finished, I have one more lesson that I would like to teach you." the cloned Mariel said with a terrifying look in her eyes, staring intently at Mariel like a hunter seeing the prey in front of her.
"W.. Wait!" Mariel said while her body trembled like never happened before.
Mariel's clone gradually transformed into an illusionary figure: Dark Cloned Mariel. The clothes gradually disappeared and were replaced by black skin with glistening snake scales arranged in her body. Eyes like those of a vicious serpent and frighteningly sharp, with a smile that almost reached both ears.
"....." Mariel was shocked by what she saw in front of her. Is this the illusionary shadow body which learned from Apophis?
"This is Apophis' Illusory Shadow Technique but there is something greater than this." Dark Cloned Mariel said.
"This is already very cruel. Is there something more superior?" Mariel said in fear.
Dark Cloned Mariel, the illusionary form, she didn't answer any more. Instead, she smiled and put the Dragon Slayer Sword into her body. Then she spread out her 10 sharp claws and activated the dark magic to the utmost.
"I will teach you that how frightening was this illusory form when you were unconscious and unable to recognize such events that were happening last few days. So, let's see how the killer assassin has to lose to this technique. Lol." The Cloned Dark Mariel spoke and immediately rushed towards the opponent.
Mariel's eyes widened in utter shock. Dark magic was raging against her in all directions and there was almost no way to escape.
Ah!!!!!
The cries of pain burst out non-stop in this covenant room, along with laughter of satisfaction of them.
The sound of Mariel's body falling to the ground with serious wounds all over her body that had been cut by claws until there were 5 countless long wounds. Blood flowed out and covered the ground as she breathed heavily.
"Darling, are you satisfied now? This is the nightmare of the Illusory Shadow form that releases with full power." The Cloned Dark Mariel straddled over Mariel's body and leaned down to whisper in the left ear of Mariel, who was lying exhausted and almost unable to fight.
"You are really strong." Mariel said, coughing up blood.
"I am you. Are you satisfied with this kind of limitless power? But let me warn you that this amount of power cannot compete with Lord demons or gods. It's still a long way to be able like them." The Cloned Dark Mariel warned her.
"Just this power, I can hardly fight." Mariel said.
"Don't be afraid, remember this moment and go back to training. Three years is a very short time but in the wide world outside, there are still many dangers waiting for you. If you weren't strong enough, you would only be a skilled swordswoman in the end and you aren't the goddess of war that you had hoped for." The Cloned Dark Mariel said as she bent down, face to face, and kissed the other as giving encouragement. Immediately, the wounds on Mariel's body healed completely as if nothing had happened. The blood disappeared until the ground was completely dry. Mariel's Qi immediately returned to normal too.
"Why doesn't it seem like I'm injured at all?" Mariel stood up and said in confusion.
"This is the miracle of the Covenant Room. After completing the training, everything would return to normal, but what you had returned to be an invaluable experience that can't be found anywhere else. Have you seen the good points of the monthly outstanding room yet?" The Cloned Dark Mariel said.
"I have to own this room every month. Training with you is better than training with other men in the Advanced Swordsman Club." Mariel praised.
"That's right, because you're not like anyone else. Your determination will lead you to your ultimate goal. Try your best, darling." The Cloned Dark Mariel said, walked over and caressed the other's cheek affectionately. Then the Cloned Dark Mariel gradually disappeared in front of her.
Suddenly, light lit up the covenant room and a stone plinth with an old book was placed in the center of the room as before.
"Thank you for using the Covenant Room. That's the end of tonight, Mariel. Take the rest and we'll meet again next time." a mysterious voice said goodbye.
Mariel put the Dragon Slayer Sword back into her body and bowed humbly to the old book stand.
"Thank you for this experience. I will go back and practice to be even better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." Mariel said, walking out of the room as the door slowly closed.
Mariel walked out of the building to prepare to go back to rest at the female student dormitory but in the corner of the building appeared someone standing peeking at her with satisfaction.
"The first mission is approaching." Principal Hector said in a good mood.
"No way!" A voice came from behind of Hector.
"I thought that you had gone to bed early. My dear, Elizabeth." Hector shook his head in boredom and turned to look at her who was slowly approaching.
"You are self-centered! Don't you remember what happened to your former student last time?" Elizabeth reminded him.
"This time might not be the same. This girl is very similar to Victor." Hector said.
"I'll go with you!" Elizabeth said while deciding.
"Are you going to put Mariel on probation?" Hector asked curiously.
"I'm going to put you on probation!" Elizabeth immediately shouted back.
"I'm just an old man who wants to teach my students with care." Hector said in a good mood.
"And this causes many students to be disabled or die. Nevertheless, it always happens when I'm not around with you. However, this time I will not allow that to happen again. Let's go back to your room!" Elizabeth commanded.
"There must be a way to make her unconscious." Hector mentally thought of a plan to block Elizabeth from following along, then he immediately followed Elizabeth back to the principal's office in another building.
Mariel returned to her room to find that her other two friends were already asleep. So, she tried to make the noise as little as possible by closing the door gently. Then she slowly went into the bathroom to take a shower and change into pajamas, and she fell asleep on the sofa exhausted.