Lían appeared once again.
His body immediately stumbled backward.
His breathing was frantic.
His eyes darted around the endless white world.
The copy stood several meters away.
It slowly lowered its sword.
"...You're panicking."
Lían froze.
The copy continued.
"...You're not thinking."
"...You're allowing fear to control your body."
Lían clenched his fists.
"I—"
The copy disappeared.
Lían's eyes widened.
He instinctively turned.
Too late.
**Slash.**
His vision spun.
Darkness swallowed everything.
...
...
Lían appeared again.
He immediately stumbled forward.
His feet splashed into the water.
The copy stood before him.
"...Again."
Lían's body trembled.
"No..."
The copy moved.
Lían turned and ran.
He didn't even think.
He simply ran.
Water splashed beneath his feet as he desperately tried to create distance.
The copy watched him flee.
Then—
it appeared directly in front of him.
Lían's eyes widened.
The sword descended.
...
...
Lían appeared again.
He remained standing in the water.
His breathing was heavy.
His eyes were wet.
The copy looked at him quietly.
"...You couldn't even use what you just learned."
Lían stared.
"...What?"
The copy pointed toward the water beneath his feet.
"...You're standing inside the water."
Lían lowered his gaze.
Only then did he realize it.
He had completely forgotten about the lesson.
The copy continued.
"...You were supposed to learn how to move across it."
"...Instead of fighting, you chose to run."
Lían's lips trembled.
"I..."
The copy's expression remained indifferent.
"...Escaping isn't a bad choice."
Lían slowly looked up.
The copy continued.
"...If escaping gives you a better chance of surviving, then escape."
"...But why are you escaping now?"
Silence.
"...You have nothing to lose."
Lían's expression slowly changed.
The copy pointed its sword toward him.
"...You already know I cannot permanently harm you."
"...You already know that you will return."
"...This is an opportunity for you."
Its gaze remained fixed upon him.
"...So why aren't you using it?"
Lían remained silent.
His small hands slowly tightened into fists.
The copy continued.
"...You said you wanted to become stronger."
"...You said you would use me to your benefit."
"...Then why aren't you doing that?"
Silence stretched across the endless water.
The copy lowered its sword slightly.
"...Fear is useful."
"...It tells you that something is dangerous."
"...But allowing fear to make every decision for you..."
"...is useless."
Lían stared at the copy.
His breathing gradually became steadier.
The copy continued.
"...I won't stop."
"...Not until you defeat me."
"...Or until your mind approaches the point where continuing would cause actual harm."
A pause.
"...If that is what you seek..."
The copy slowly raised its sword.
"...Then stand there."
Lían blinked.
"...What?"
"...Stand still."
The sword pointed directly at him.
"...Do nothing."
"...Don't run."
"...Don't scream."
"...Don't close your eyes."
"...And let fear decide your actions."
Lían's body trembled.
The copy took one step forward.
Its sword remained pointed directly at Lían.
"...And I will continue killing you."
Lían stared at it.
"...What?"
"Until you reach your limit."
The copy's voice remained calm.
"I will stop only when continuing would cause actual harm to your mind."
Lían's expression tightened.
"...And what exactly are you asking me to do?"
The copy answered without hesitation.
"Ignore the pain."
Lían's eyes widened.
"...Ignore it?"
"Yes."
The copy raised its sword slightly.
"You already know the pain isn't permanent."
"You already know that you will return."
"So what are you afraid of?"
Lían's lips parted.
The answer came immediately.
"...The pain."
The copy stared at him.
"And?"
Lían's small hands trembled.
"...You want to just stand here and keep dying."
The copy tilted its head slightly.
"Isn't that what you've been doing this entire time?"
Silence.
Lían froze.
The copy continued.
"Every time you were killed..."
"You panicked."
"You ran."
"You screamed."
"You forgot everything you had just learned."
"And now you're telling me you're afraid of dying?"
Lían remained silent.
The copy slowly lowered its sword.
"If that isn't what you've been doing this entire time..."
"...then what difference does it make?"
Lían's expression changed.
The copy suddenly moved.
It lunged forward.
The sword descended.
**CLANG!!**
The sound echoed across the endless white.
Lían's eyes widened.
His short sword had risen just in time.
The two blades collided directly before his face.
His arms trembled violently beneath the impact.
The copy stared at him.
Lían gritted his teeth.
"...I'm not going to just stand there."
The copy said nothing.
Lían's breathing was still uneven.
His legs trembled.
His hands trembled.
His entire body was practically screaming at him to run.
*...Just thinking about standing there and letting it kill me...*
*...My entire body freezes.*
His grip tightened around the sword.
*It's right, though.*
*The pain is real.*
*I know that.*
*But I didn't really die.*
*I panicked.*
*I was afraid.*
His eyes flickered.
*Even now...*
*I'm still afraid.*
He could still remember the sensation.
The blade cutting through his body.
The sudden pain.
The darkness.
His small body trembled again.
*I don't want to feel that pain.*
*But...*
His gaze hardened slightly.
*I also want to become stronger.*
The copy slowly pushed against his blade.
Lían's feet slid backward across the water.
The copy watched him.
"...At least now..."
"...I can assume you won't run."
Lían swallowed.
"...Yeah... I guess so."
The copy's sword slowly withdrew.
Lían steadied himself.
His breathing remained heavy.
Then—
he looked toward the tiny white lizard hovering in the distance.
"...Master."
Lizarius' golden eyes remained fixed upon him.
Lían's expression became serious.
"As you foretold, if what you do ends up benefiting me..."
His grip tightened around the sword.
"...then I'll use you to the best of my ability."
Silence.
The copy moved.
Lían's pupils contracted.
The sword flashed.
**SHING—!**
Blood scattered across the endless white.
Darkness consumed his vision.
...
...
Lían reappeared.
He stumbled forward.
His hand immediately tightened around his sword.
The pain was already fading.
He was still trembling.
But this time—
he didn't run.
Lían stood upon the water.
His small feet trembled slightly against the surface.
He tightened his grip around the short sword.
His breathing remained uneven.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Inhaled.
Then—
exhaled.
"...Focus."
His voice was quiet.
His fingers tightened around the sword.
*I need to fight back.*
He opened his eyes.
The copy stood several meters away.
Its sword was lowered.
Waiting.
Lían swallowed.
His body still remembered the pain.
Every time the blade had cut through him.
Every time darkness had swallowed his vision.
Every time he had returned...
only to die again.
His legs still wanted to move.
To run.
But—
he remained where he was.
*I can't keep running.*
*If I want to become stronger...*
*I have to fight.*
His gaze slowly sharpened.
*And somehow...*
*I have to kill it.*
The copy stared at him for several seconds.
Then—
a faint smile appeared on its face.
"...Good."
Its sword slowly rose.
"Now..."
"...Come at me."