---
The battles were relentless.
Leon fought the shadow Jin over and over again, each duel testing the limits of his endurance, strength, and patience. Every time he stepped forward, sword in hand, he was met with the same crushing defeat.
The first few attempts were outright humiliating. The shadow Jin's mana-coated strikes easily overwhelmed Leon, battering his body and sending him into the darkness of death. Each death was sharp and excruciating, the pain lingering even after his body respawned fresh and uninjured.
"Okay, focus this time," Leon muttered, his hands trembling as he gripped his sword after yet another revival.
But no matter how hard he tried, the results didn't change.
By the 50th battle, Leon had learned how to block most of Jin's attacks. His reflexes were sharper, his footing steadier, but he still couldn't keep up with the shadow's mana-enhanced strikes.
By the 100th battle, Leon had learned to predict Jin's movements. He could dodge, counter, and even land a few strikes of his own. But each blow he delivered seemed insignificant, as Jin's superior strength and speed always regained control of the fight.
And yet, Leon didn't stop.
With each death, he grew stronger. His body adjusted to the strain, his muscles remembered the weight of the sword, and his mind sharpened with experience.
By the 200th battle, Leon could match Jin blow for blow, though he was still pushed to his limits. "I'm getting closer," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow after another defeat.
By the 300th battle, Leon felt something shift. His movements were no longer reactive but instinctual. He began to anticipate Jin's attacks before they even happened.
Even so, Jin's mana coating still gave it the edge. Leon's lack of mana made every clash a grueling test of endurance. His arms burned, his legs felt like they would give out, and the pain of death haunted him each time he fell.
But he didn't stop.
---
And then, the 370th battle began.
Leon stood in the vast white expanse, his sword in hand, his body tense but steady. The shadow Jin stood across from him, silent and still, just as it had every time before.
"This time… I've got you," Leon muttered, determination blazing in his eyes.
The shadow moved first, closing the distance in a flash, its sword arcing toward Leon's shoulder. But Leon was ready.
Clang!
Their blades collided, and for the first time, Leon didn't feel overpowered. He twisted his wrist, redirecting Jin's sword away from his body, and stepped forward, slashing upward toward the shadow's chest.
The strike landed cleanly, forcing Jin to stumble back.
"You're not so scary anymore, Egghead!" Leon taunted, pressing the attack.
The shadow regained its footing and retaliated with a powerful downward slash. Leon sidestepped the blow, spinning around Jin's flank, and delivered a precise strike to its side.
Each clash felt different now. Leon wasn't just surviving—he was winning. His movements were fluid, his strikes precise, and for the first time, he could see the cracks in Jin's technique.
The battle raged on, their swords dancing in a furious exchange of blows. Leon's arms burned with effort, but his resolve didn't waver. He parried a strike, countered with a quick thrust, and then dodged a sweeping horizontal slash.
"You're slowing down, Egghead," Leon said with a grin, sweat dripping down his face. "Or maybe I'm just getting better!"
The shadow Jin faltered under Leon's relentless assault. With a final burst of speed, Leon stepped inside its guard and swung his sword in a diagonal arc, cutting through the shadow's torso.
The shadow staggered, its form flickering as light began to consume it.
Leon took a step back, panting heavily but grinning from ear to ear. "Finally… I did it."
The shadow Jin dissolved into particles of light, vanishing into the void.
"I WON!" Leon shouted, throwing his arms into the air. His laughter echoed through the white room as he dropped to his knees, exhausted but triumphant.
Suddenly, his injuries vanished, his body restored to its pristine state. Leon blinked in surprise, then let out a laugh.
"So, I even get healed after winning, huh? That's a nice bonus," he said, flexing his fingers.
But then he noticed movement. The particles of light from the defeated Jin began to reassemble, slowly forming the shadowy figure once again.
Leon stood up, gripping his sword tightly. A manic grin spread across his face.
"You're back, huh? Good," he said, walking toward the shadow. "This time, I'm not just going to win—I'm going to dominate. No injuries, no setbacks, nothing. Let's go, Egghead!"
By the 400th match, Leon had fought shadow Jin so many times that the pain of defeat and the sweetness of victory were etched into his very soul. Every fight had taught him something new, each death sharpening his instincts and his skills. But even after winning 262 out of 400 matches, it wasn't enough for him.
Leon sat on the ground, his body drenched in sweat, his hand trembling as he gripped his sword. His eyes, however, burned with determination.
"This isn't enough," he muttered. "If I can't dominate Jin, how the hell am I going to face the other four? Especially Panya…"
He glanced to his right, where the four other shadows stood like silent sentinels, their forms unmoving yet oppressive. Leon's gaze lingered on the largest one—Panya. Even in shadow form, it exuded an aura of dominance that made Leon's skin crawl.
"Three of them are no stronger than Jin," Leon thought, wiping the blood from his lips. "But Panya... that bastard's going to be a nightmare. If I can't beat Jin flawlessly, I have no chance against him."
He forced himself to his feet, gripping his sword tightly. Shadow Jin reformed in front of him, its mana-coated blade gleaming with an eerie light. Leon's lips curled into a determined grin.
"Alright, Egghead," Leon said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "This time, I'm going to crush you. No mistakes, no injuries, just total dominance."
Jin seemed to acknowledge the challenge, raising its sword as if to accept.
Leon's heart pounded in his chest as he launched forward, his feet kicking up faint ripples in the endless white void.
---
Match 401: The Grind Begins
The fight began with a deafening clash of swords.
Leon swung diagonally toward Jin's shoulder, only for the shadow to block with precision. Sparks flew as their blades scraped against each other, the mana coating on Jin's sword humming ominously.
Leon feinted left, then twisted his body into a spinning slash aimed at Jin's ribs. Jin dodged by a hair's breadth and retaliated with a thrust that nearly pierced Leon's chest.
"Hah! Not this time!" Leon shouted, parrying the attack and countering with a kick to Jin's stomach. The shadow staggered backward, but recovered almost instantly, its glowing eyes locking onto Leon with eerie focus.
The battle raged on for minutes, each clash of blades a test of endurance and skill. Leon ducked under a horizontal slash, rolling to the side and retaliating with a quick upward strike that grazed Jin's arm.
But the shadow wasn't easy to outmaneuver. It pressed forward with relentless aggression, forcing Leon onto the defensive.
"Come on… come on…" Leon muttered through gritted teeth, his arms straining as he blocked another heavy strike.
Finally, he saw an opening—a brief pause in Jin's assault. Leon surged forward, delivering a powerful slash to the shadow's side. Jin dissolved into light particles, and Leon collapsed to his knees, panting.
"One down…" he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
But as always, Jin reformed.
---
The Next 299 Matches Refining Perfection
The battles became a blur of blood, sweat, and adrenaline. Each match brought Leon closer to mastery, his victories growing more decisive with every fight.
In the 450th match, Leon began experimenting with feints, luring Jin into overcommitting to its attacks. A subtle shift of his stance would bait the shadow into striking, only for Leon to sidestep and counter with a swift blow.
By the 500th match, Leon's footwork was as sharp as his blade. He danced around Jin's strikes with ease, slipping past its defenses and landing clean hits.
In the 650th match, Leon discovered how to exploit Jin's reliance on mana coating. By forcing the shadow to block repeatedly, he drained its energy, leaving it vulnerable to a decisive strike.
But even with these victories, Leon wasn't satisfied. For every match he won, he replayed his mistakes in his mind, vowing to correct them in the next fight.
---
Match 999 Near Perfection
"Alright, Egghead," Leon said, his voice steady but laced with exhaustion. "This is it. One more win, and I'll have you completely figured out."
The fight began with an intensity unlike any before. Leon charged forward, his blade moving like a blur as he unleashed a flurry of attacks. Jin matched him blow for blow, their swords clashing in a shower of sparks.
Leon's movements were fluid and precise, each strike calculated to exploit Jin's weaknesses. He ducked under a horizontal slash, spinning around to deliver a powerful kick to the shadow's knee.
Jin stumbled, and Leon seized the opportunity. He stepped forward, his sword arcing in a perfect diagonal slash that struck Jin's shoulder.
The shadow retaliated with a mana-enhanced thrust, but Leon sidestepped and delivered a finishing blow to its chest.
Jin dissolved into light particles, and Leon stood victorious, breathing heavily but unscathed.
---
Match 1000 Flawless Victory
By the time the 1000th match began, Leon was a different fighter. Every movement, every strike, every block was executed with flawless precision.
Jin lunged at him with a powerful downward slash, but Leon sidestepped effortlessly, countering with a quick strike to its side. The shadow spun around to retaliate, but Leon was already moving, his blade slicing through the air in a fluid arc.
The fight lasted less than a minute.
Leon stood over the fading particles of shadow Jin, his chest heaving with exhilaration. For the first time, he had won without a single scratch.
"Flawless," Leon said, a grin spreading across his face. He threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the white void. "I did it! Total dominance! Hahaha!"
As Jin reformed yet again, Leon looked toward the remaining four shadows. His smile faded, replaced by a steely determination.
"One down," he muttered. "Four to go."
He tightened his grip on his sword and took a step forward.
Before Leon could even take a single step toward the four remaining figures, the ground beneath him trembled. Suddenly, a swirling black vortex appeared out of nowhere, pulling at him with an irresistible force.
"What the—?! No, no, no! What's happening now?!" Leon shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring noise of the vortex.
The pull grew stronger, lifting him off the ground despite his desperate attempts to resist. His sword slipped from his grip, disappearing into the vortex. "Damn it! Not like this!" he screamed as the void swallowed him whole.
---
Leon blinked.
The deafening roar of the vortex was gone, replaced by a deafening silence. He groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up. The floor beneath him felt oddly familiar—smooth, solid wood instead of the endless white void.
"What the hell?" he muttered, looking around. His eyes widened as realization struck him. He was back in his room.
The messy pile of books on his desk, the creaky old chair, the small window letting in rays of sunlight—it was all exactly as he had left it before entering that strange, white space. His sword, however, was nowhere to be seen.
Leon stood up, his heart pounding as he tried to process what had just happened. "Was it… all a dream?" he wondered aloud, his voice shaky. "No, it couldn't have been. That pain, those fights... they were too real."
He glanced down at his hands, expecting to see the callouses and scars from his countless battles with shadow Jin, but his skin was unblemished. Confused, he ran to the small mirror by his bed and inspected his reflection. His face, his body—everything looked untouched, like the battles had never happened.
But something deep inside him told him otherwise. His body might look the same, but his instincts were sharper, his mind clearer, and he could still feel the lingering echo of each battle in his bones.
Leon staggered back onto his bed, running a hand through his hair. "What the hell was that place? And why am I back here now?"
As he lay there, staring at the ceiling, one thought gnawed at him.
"The shadows… the other four… they're still waiting for me," he whispered. "I need to get back."
But how?