Chapter 22

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3rd POV*

Lawrence and Anastashia stared at the fake with dull look on their eyes. It was like staring at a clown making a fool of himself. You may ask why they are doing that? The reason is simple. The fake Lawrence flexed himself showing the muscles that Lawrence has hidden all along.

"How is it? I have been looking forward to gaining this kind of physique, to think that you have one. This is really the best!" He boasted showing the body that could be compared to Greek Gods. He was pretty proud flexing the body that wasn't his in the first place. 

Fake Lawrence then moved in a way that made him looked like he was drunk. ".. What the fuck is that supposed to be?" Lawrence asked in utter disgust staring at this show while Anastashia just giggled in amusement. She doesn't see this expression much on Lawrence so this is a great treat for her.

"Uuh? Don't you move like this when fighting an enemy? I remember you always has that swag in whatever you do, I am doing it pretty good right?" The fake smiled handsomely as if sure of what he is doing. This just gained a thick vein appearing on Lawrence's head. "I look cool not fool!" He shouted bringing his feet down to the fake.

The foot connected with the fake's face sending him flying. That simple kick punched through his skin breaking some bones on the process. "Ow! Ow! Hey what was that for!" The fake complained but his face was already healing. This made Lawrence and Ana surprise as they didn't think that this guy could replicate Lawrence's body capabilities.

"Its my turn!" The fake said putting force on his legs. Well, he underestimated the power dwelling on it making him plunge himself on the wall. "This is painful to watch.." Lawrence commented with lost look on his eyes, "Hehe, isn't he cute? I have never seen a clumsy Lawrence before! Make sure to play with him first Lawrence, I want to see more~!" 

Anastashia's words made Lawrence shudder. Seeing more of that idiocy? He feels like he would not last any more minute staring at his body making a mess. "Ouch, give me a second. I'll control my power hnnnnnnn!!" The fake returned as he began groaning loudly making Lawrence embarrassed.

Like how could there be such a stupid way of controlling power? Lawrence took a step forward and bitch slapped the fake one so hard that it literally uprooted most of his teeths. "Stop doing that. Its disgusting!" Lawrence shouted. The fake dropped to the ground as blood poured out from his mouth. He looked too pathetic right now, some snot even dripped from his nose.

"Oh my, I take back my word. This Lawrence is too bratty for my taste. He's not even worthy" Anastashia lost all of her interest seeing the scene. Now all she wanted to do is kill this bastard for defiling the image of Lawrence. She was about to step up and fight when Lawrence stopped her. "What is the matter Lawrence? It should be easy for me to handle him right?" she asked.

Lawrence raised his eyebrows at the sudden change of temperament from the fake one. "Earlier I would no doubt affirm your words but now.. that is questionable" Lawrence said, he watched as the fake stood up wiping the blood from his mouth. The jolliness from earlier was gone, it was replaced with utter seriousness. Lawrence widened his eyes when the fake one suddenly appeared beside him.

He immediately raised his arm to deflect the incoming attack and threw his counter. The fake one flew again but this time it managed to control its body immediately descending the air. "He adapted now? Does that mean he need more information about the person he need to replicate? Now that's cool" Lawrence said dodging the fist that was aimed at his head.

Even though the enemy now is gradually reaching his physical capabilities, he was still calm and rational. He used minimal effort to dodge every attacks that the man threw and occasionally do a counterattack. Their battle was too destructive that the building was threatening to collapse. Anastashia is just watching it with excited eyes.

Two Lawrence was far too generous for her! Lawrence observed the opponent before turning disappointed, "You.. despite copying my physical capability, you can't replicate my experience and talent right? You're falling behind man" Lawrence stated noticing the obvious gap between them. And here he is thinking that someone might really be able to hold against him.

The fake felt cold hearing his words as it was too accurate. He couldn't copy Lawrence's experience making his movements looks like an amateur. The talent part is that Lawrence is constantly getting stronger from each fight yet the fake hasn't improve ever since he copied his initial strength. "Shut up! This doesn't warrant your victory!" The fake shouted.

He refused to be looked down like this, especially when he tastes this forbidden power that can hold against Heroic Spirits. It was far too intoxicating that his pride soared through the roof. He is now feeling confident that he can handle any opponents easily and maybe even Araya! 

"Did you get high from the new power? Sigh, even more disappointing. I thought you would also my mindset but it seems like I was overestimating you, or maybe I am just unique and my mindset can't be copied?" Lawrence made a thinking gesture as if contemplating something difficult. "Also.. it does warrant my victory" Lawrence grinned as he used Necrophos' Ultimate again.

A large scythe appeared above the fake's head with his body being bounded by something he can't escape from. "W-What is this?!" He asked in panic. His new strength should be able to escape almost anything yet he can't even move from this mere bindings. "I see, you don't know about skills. That's enough disappointment" Lawrence shook his head in dismay.

The scythe fell cutting off the fake's existence. Lawrence stared at somewhere with heavy face before erasing any negative thoughts. "Shiki, I leave everything to you" he said and was about to walk back when he saw that Anastashia was already gone. He scratched the back of his head wondering where that girl go.

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Araya Souren who sensed the death of one of his pawns gritted his teeth. "Useless! He can't even last 5 minutes and he's already dead!" He cursed. Araya tried reviving the guy but to his surprise, he couldn't do it. There was a weird respawn time appearing on his head as if telling him that he need to wait. "What is this!?" He shouted in anger.

Now he was being pressured by Ryougi Shiki who was already familiar with his moves, he can't find a perfect chance to do a critical damage and make her unconscious. "Stop shouting its annoying" Shiki said slashing her dagger at him. Araya's instinct screamed as he raised his left arm to block the attack.

"Sigh, I don't know why… I should be happy with someone like you here being my challenged.." Shiki began talking to herself while sighing. Her face then gained a realization look as she stared at him boredly. "I see, I cannot enjoy this battle as I could not even stand your mere presence. It is sickening to the point that I wanted to kill you right now" Shiki nodded her head convinced about her reasoning.

"That give me more reason to kill you right now" Shiki looked at her dagger then made a decision. "Stop!" Araya's shout made her halt, she looked at him confused and understood what happened when she saw the person being held by Araya. "And here I thought it was something important" Shiki dismissed the thing immediately. 

"Don't pretend Ryougi. You might act like you hate this woman but you are just stalling time for her to escape right? Unfortunately that won't happen" Araya used his tentacles like magecraft to held Anastashia in the air. This is his last resort because he could not afford messing with the other one.

He could not even make Lawrence budge so he decided to use this useless baggage with them. "Hah? My help is not necessary at all" Shiki snorted with Araya feeling a deep danger on his side. He didn't hesitate to abandon his plan and run away but alas it was too late. "Hmph, fall before me" Anastashia snorted raising her hand. She used her jewel to turn Araya's magecraft to useless.

If Araya is a normal magus who mastered Bounded Field, Anastashia is a genius who delved into deep magecraft. She can easily recreate the magecraft of Araya because of her initial talent which is to be able to comprehend any magecraft at one glance and use it. This made Anastashia infamous within the Clock Tower branch of Mage Association. Her talent is too unreasonable!

"Don't you dare run away!" Anastashia used the same tentacle like spell to bind Araya's feet. However she underestimated his control over this building as his figure instantly vanished. He teleported far away from their place. Araya huffed in exhaustion, his plans were getting destroyed one after another. The person he manipulated to be the diversion became dead.

Now the Counter Guardians will really stop him if he tried entering the ROOT. The fake being not there to take the Counter Guardian's attention would mean that they will focus more on him. This made it hard to reach ROOT. "This is getting out of hand. I need to escape from here" Araya muttered however he wasn't able to react when something cut through his right arm.

"You still has that thought? You think you could escape this place?" Shiki menacingly stared at Araya. She can't fathom how this man thought too little of them, he didn't even consider them being stronger than usual and just proceeded with his plan anyway. 

Araya ignored Shiki and teleported again but to his surprise, Shiki seemed to know wherever he goes as she would always dashed to it. 'That thing huh?' Araya remembered the two staff like things that Shiki plunged on the ground in the beginning. He cursed himself for ignoring that major thing.

"Give up Araya. There is no place for you to run anymore" Shiki's voice rang throughout the whole place. It made Araya angry because she was casually ignoring the efforts he placed into placing everything to action. He spent years planning this one only for it to be destroyed within minutes.

"Shut up Ryougi. I still haven't lost yet" Araya said as he casted another Shuku at Shiki. Though this time Shiki grabbed an item from his pocket which granted her red shield. That shield bounced off the Shuku hitting Araya on the process. "That cursed thing!" Of course Araya recognized the item as it was the same one that prevented him from taking Ryougi's body 2 years ago.

He still remember how helpless he was trying to retrieve her body. "Hm? Right, I do remember you trying to do something to my unconscious body before. You must have encountered this thing right? Unlucky you" Shiki smiled at Araya's misfortune. 

"Time to end this Araya" Shiki said opening her Mystic Eyes again. Araya's figure vanished as he got outside of the building. His falling figure was immediately catched up by Shiki who just did a free fall while grinning. "Ryougi Shiki!!" Araya opened his hand forming a barrier magecraft intending to shield against her.

He initially wanted to burrow her under the collapsing building but Shiki's blink dagger became useful in that situation. Shiki hasten her fall with determination, she doesn't want to see this abomination anymore. His mere presence is causing her disturbance.

"Drop dead" Shiki stated with her dagger plunging at Araya's chest. The lump of Lines got cut as the two fell into the ground. Araya's body created a crater however he could not even stand anymore. He is sensing his imminent death coming so he just wholly accepted it. 

He gave Shiki a one last stare, "Its your win Ryougi.." that was his last words as his body crumbled into dust. Silence descended on the place with Shiki just hollowly staring at Araya. "That's done." She muttered before leaving the place.

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