Instantly, two strong auras erupted at the same time. The sheer pressure coming from them made the trees shake violently and the rather calm lake became a chaotic mess of waves hitting each other.
Acht and his copy gazed at each other with cold looks. They both hated each other to the core even though they should've been the same person. How ironic!
"This is your last chance, Acht. Leave this world immediately, you are not cut out to live here." The copy said as he unsheathed his sword. He had the same clothes and equipment that Acht had so it was natural that he would have the same short sword that Acht possessed.
Acht didn't react to his words at first but then shook his head slowly.
"Come and take it from my dead body."
*Swish*
Suddenly, both of them moved at the same time, their bodies vanished from their place and appeared a few centimeters away from each other.
*Cling*
Then, their swords collided mid-air, a loud clunking sound was created and both swords vibrated from the impact.
Acht tried to overpower him but he obviously failed since both of them had the same physical strength.
So, he jumped back and dashed at him again. The copy made the same action and the swords collided again. It was as if Acht was fighting with a mirror of himself. They were both simply in perfect sync in their moves.
'I can't beat him with direct confrontation. I have to find another way.' He thought as he kept moving around and clashing with the copy continuously.
Their silhouettes appeared as if they were blinking and appearing in different places at the same time.
"It's useless!" The copy shouted with all of his powers as they held their swords tightly. He then tried to send a sneaky attack to Acht with his left leg.
The other dodged it easily and sent a kick to his face. The copy also dodged the attack fairly easily.
They were both refraining from using their gifts since it was their trump card and they wanted to use it at the right moment.
"Hah." Acht made a small growl as he jumped in the air and slashed down at the copy with all of his strength.
"No, you don't." The copy yelled with anger.
He then ran at him and jumped to his level. He then stabbed with his sword toward his neck. It was a very fast attack. But, when the sword was a few centimeters away from Acht's neck, he felt the cold aura that closed up on him along with a sense of imminent danger.
The copy looked down and he saw Acht's blade nearly slicing his abdomen in half. He clenched his teeth and changed his sword's trajectory.
*CLUNG*
A strong shockwave made the lake shake even harder. Strong gushes of wind attacked the duo and made them fly away from each other.
Acht calmly looked down and instead of adjusting his position to land, he looked at his copy and used his gift.
Instantly, The copy felt the gravity around him increase by folds, and his speed of falling increased.
'Fuck!' He cursed as he also used gravity to return it to normal. This made him lose the time he previously had to land properly.
"Ugh." The copy made a small groan of pain as he landed on his back. A cloud of dust covered the place where he landed and made him cough slightly. He felt a strong pain in his chest.
Acht was no better than his counterpart, he also landed roughly on his back.
"You fucking bastard!!" The copy was enraged at this point. He was already at his wit's end when his first plan didn't work and now had to deal with the tenacious boy in front of him.
"Just give up and die!" He shouted.
Acht on the other hand was way calmer than his copy, he kept a cold expression that lacked any emotions. He had already seen through his copy and how he thought.
'As I expected. We aren't completely identical.' He thought to himself.
They indeed had the same strength, the same skills, and the same style of fighting. But, the copy lacked something that Acht had.
He lacked the level-headed thinking that Acht had. Fighting for a few minutes and suffering a minor injury made him lose his composure and become furious.
"Stop whining like a bitch and fight." He responded with a calm look as he helped himself stand up.
Acht had come to one conclusion from this confrontation he had now.
'I will have to make him lose his focus!'
Then, he charged at him again with even more vigor and energy. His eyes shined with a strong light as they met those of the copy that lacked the resolve that Acht had.
One other difference between them that Acht ignored is that the copy lacked the desire to win that Acht had. He didn't seem that obsessed with the idea of winning as much as the idea of reaping the benefits. As for Acht, he was dead set on trampling on his opponents. Getting some benefits because of it is nothing but a bonus.
*Clang* *Clang* *Clang*
A series of attacks followed Acht's arrival near the copy. He decided to go all out and corner him.
"Come on! Where is all that bluff you've had before?! Where is that confidence." He spoke as he stabbed and slashed madly. His speed was beyond what humans are capable of.
The copy was in a difficult position as he could only defend himself. His feet started retreating as he had to accept all of the sword slashes and kicks Acht sent toward him.
'Shit! Why am I only defending?! We are equals in power!'
He clenched his teeth and tried to turn the tables. His only bet was on his gift. He had to make Acht's moves slower so he could have time to attack him.
Then, as he was about to use gravity. Acht smiled slightly as he looked at the copy coldly.
"Too predictable."
*Swish*
Then, without any hesitation, he reduced the gravity around him and immediately vanished from his place.
'Shit! I put my guard down for a moment!' the copy cursed under his breath.
The next moment, Acht appeared again. This time, he appeared behind the copy, exactly in his blind spot.
"It's over." He muttered as he stabbed with his sword. He was aiming for his heart.
The copy didn't have the time to react and dodge. He felt the sense of death closing up on him.
'Dammit!!!' He cursed with his teeth gritted to the point where they threatened to break at any moment.
That was when something totally unexpected happened.
*RUMBLE*
The sky darkened and thick, gray clouds filled the previously starry night sky.
Then, in one single moment. A huge thunderbolt fell down from the deepest parts of the clouds and hit the ground where Acht and the copy stood.
*BOOOOOOMMMMMMMM*
A loud explosion sent the whole forest into chaos. Birds of all kinds flew away from the trees as they shook violently.
The sound alone was deafening to the ears and the strong shockwave of the thunderbolt could fry anyone to a crisp.
It took a few minutes for the explosion to subside and reveal what was behind the veil of dirt created by it.
"Cough! Cough! Cough! UGH!!" Acht groaned as he laid down on the ground. There were many burning marks on his body and some were even deep enough that his skin was destroyed and muscles were revealed.
"What happened?" He asked with clear confusion and shock. He was very close to killing the copy but lightning struck him at the last moment.
He didn't believe it was a coincidence since the chances of that happening are near impossible. He also didn't believe that it was the doing of another person since that kind of power shouldn't be possessed by anyone in the hunter exam.
After taking a breather and drinking a potion to heal himself and relieve the tormenting pain in his body. He looked at where the copy should be.
He was also alive and was even in a better state than that of his counterpart. That meant that the thunderbolt specifically targeted Acht and not the copy.
Seeing this opportunity, the copy stood and tried to run away into the forest. He thought that he could take advantage of the thick trees and the narrow passages of the forest.
Acht saw it and cursed under his breath. He will deal with this mysterious lightning strike later. He lost his golden chance of killing the copy and that irritated him slightly.
"Run as far as you can. You will still end up dead." He shouted as he followed after him and swiftly entered the forest again.
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