Chapter 3: Clone Slot Unlocked
The sword vanished as suddenly as it appeared, fading into black mist with a faint hum.
Kael sat frozen, staring at his hand.
No one had entered his room. No spell had been cast. No hallucination.
Just raw, impossible power—power he couldn't begin to understand.
Still panting, he looked around. The mirror on the wall was normal again, as if it had never warped or whispered. But something inside him was permanently different. He could feel it in his bones. Like a sleeping beast that had just opened one eye.
Then the voice returned—calm, mechanical, and terrifyingly casual.
[You have unlocked your first Clone Slot.]
[Clones can access a fragment of your power and be sent into past lives or alternate timelines to gather experience, skills, and hidden knowledge.]
Kael blinked. "Clones? What kind of nonsense—?"
[Clone Simulation Activated.]
[Would you like to deploy your first clone into a Past Life: Assassin Path, Mercenary Path, or Cultivator Path?]
He hesitated.
Three paths? He barely understood this system. And now he was supposed to choose a life path for a version of himself?
He glanced at his reflection again—still unsure whether he was going insane or chosen.
"…Cultivator Path."
The room dimmed.
His vision blurred—and suddenly, he saw himself standing in a dark forest. Or rather, a version of himself. Younger, leaner, with long hair tied back in a simple cord. He wore simple robes, but the energy around him crackled faintly.
Kael staggered back. "That's… me?"
[Clone successfully deployed.]
[Estimated return: 3 hours.]
[Clone Objectives: Survive the Forbidden Mountain, obtain at least one cultivation technique.]
Kael exhaled sharply, nerves shot.
He was alone again, but no longer helpless. He had a system. A sword. A memory of battle. And now—a version of himself hunting power across timelines.
But then, his eyes widened as the system displayed something new.
[Warning: Your presence has been detected.]
[Unknown Observer: ??? is now watching.]
Kael froze. "What?"
Suddenly, every light in the room dimmed.
A chill swept through the air, and a symbol—a circle of black thorns wrapped around a bleeding eye—briefly flashed across the mirror.
[The Heavenly Anomaly smiles.]
Then it vanished.
Kael's heart thumped in his chest like a war drum.
Not only was he gaining power—but someone, or something, had just noticed.
This wasn't just about simulation anymore.
Something had awakened with him.
And it might already be hunting him.
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"Thanks for reading! If you liked the start, drop a comment or power stone/vote—Chapter 4 drops in tomorrow.''