I know this move!
Takson recognized the shift in their stance instantly. It was the same technique Stell had used to dismantle his guard during their one and only sparring match.
Because he knew it, he didn't try to block everything. He abandoned defense on his left side entirely and threw his entire weight against the clone attacking from the right.
BANG!!!
Yes! I blocked it!
The impact was bone-shattering, but he used it. He rode the force of the blow, letting it launch him sideways, narrowly escaping the axe of the second clone that sliced through the air where his neck had been a microsecond before.
He flew through the air and smashed into the wall.
Crash!
The stone crumbled, burying him in a cloud of dust and debris.
"Hss... that smarts."
He looked down at his hands. The skin between his thumb and forefinger had split open, blood slicking the grip of his axe. But he was alive. He ignored the screaming pain in his arms and tightened his grip.
Flash.
A white light pierced the dust cloud.
The third clone had joined the fray. It ignored the lack of visibility, its sensors locking onto him instantly. A massive lance tore through the smoke, aiming straight for his chest.
Takson couldn't see it, but his instincts screamed. He threw himself to the side, rolling out of the rubble just as the lance pulverized the wall where he had been standing.
But the enemy wasn't finished.
The other two clones raised their hands. They knew his trick. They knew his shield reflected projectiles.
So they didn't fire at him. They fired at the ground.
"Explosion Magic."
BOOM! BOOM!
Two massive blasts erupted at his feet. His shield was useless against the omnidirectional shockwave.
"Gwah!"
He was tossed into the air like a ragdoll. He tumbled, bouncing painfully across the stone floor before coming to a stop near the far wall. His axe clattered away, out of reach.
He tried to lift his head, but his vision was swimming in a sea of red. Blood ran down his face, blinding him. Through the haze, he saw the three clones walking slowly towards him, weapons raised.
He was done. His body was broken, his mana exhausted. He was a candle in the wind, about to be snuffed out.
Well, he thought, his head slumping back against the cold stone. At least Teacher can bring me back.
He felt no fear of death, only a slight regret at his loss. He knew Stell was an angel; resurrection was well within her power. He relaxed his body, accepting his fate.
Time to rest...
He closed his eyes.
But it seemed someone wasn't ready to let him sleep.
Suddenly, he felt a hand grab him by the collar and hoist him into the air. At the same time, a warm, golden energy flooded his system. The pain in his chest vanished. His broken bones knit together. The fatigue evaporated.
In a split second, he was back to peak condition.
Then, a familiar, emotionless voice spoke right next to his ear.
"Reminder: Takson, it is not time to rest yet."
Huh?!
Takson's eyes snapped open.
Standing around him were four figures. Identical to Stell. Identical to the enemies. But he knew them instantly.
They were his teacher's clones.
"Notice: We have received orders from the Command Unit to provide assistance," one of them stated. "Please prepare for combat."
The voice was cold, the eyes empty, but to Takson, it was the warmest sound in the world.
Teacher sent help! Tears of gratitude welled up in his eyes.
"Yes, ma'am!" he shouted.
One of the clones tossed his battle-axe back to him. He caught it, feeling the familiar weight in his hands.
The enemy clones barely had time to react. The four friendly units moved with a speed that defied logic. They blurred into motion, engaging two of the enemy copies. It was a brutal, efficient dismantling. In seconds, they had grappled the two hostiles and dragged them away into the darkness, removing them from the equation.
Leaving Takson alone with the last one.
He looked at the remaining enemy clone. It stood there, its axe raised, seemingly confused by the sudden turn of events.
"Looks like they left you for me," Takson said, a savage grin spreading across his face. "Sorry, but I need to vent a little."
He cracked his neck. He was fully healed, full of energy, and very, very angry.
"You guys had fun beating me up earlier, didn't you?"
He stepped forward, his muscles swelling, straining against the fabric of his cleric robes.
"You dare to wear her face and attack me?" He raised his axe high. "Prepare yourself, you cheap knock-off!"
He leaped.
CRASH!
His axe smashed into the clone's hastily raised shield, the force of his anger driving the blow.
Rumble...
The labyrinth shook again, dust trickling down from the stone ceiling.
Stell stood motionless before the massive, ornate doors of the final chamber. Her eyes, glowing faintly, were focused on a stream of data only she could see.
Throughout the dungeon, her clones were efficiently hunting down the remaining copies. The cleanup operation was proceeding ahead of schedule.
Takson has received the support package.
She nodded to herself. His performance against the three clones had been satisfactory. He had held his ground, used his head, and fought with the desperation of a cornered beast. It was a good test.
But a test that ends in death is a failure for the teacher.
That was why she had intervened. She had sent her clones not just to save him, but to even the odds. They had healed his wounds, restored his stamina, and most importantly, applied a temporary enchantment to his battle-axe: "Mana Breaker."
Now, he faced a single opponent. A one-on-one duel. This was the final exam.
"Finish it," she whispered to the empty corridor.
Once he won, and she calculated a 99% probability that he would, she would enter the boss room and end this farce.
….
If you want to read 20+ chapters ahead and unpublished fanfics you can check out my patreon or just take a visit.
[P].[A].[T].[R].[E].[O].[N]
http://patreon.com/Kazuma_trash
&
you can join my discord server: https://discord.gg/5Y7uZ2kN2Y
Or in short just click in join via invite link in your discord and enter this code: 5Y7uZ2kN2Y