An Unprecedented Technique. Nothing is beyond replication.
A universal ability belonging to the technical category, All-Rounder.
A specialized expansion ability for imitation, Thousand Variations.
While imitation is achievable with just these, it is the Authority of Observation that grants it wings.
From the moment I faced my second iteration, I have not rested in gathering its data.
The movement of pupils, the shift of ankles, the transfer of weight on the ground, the movement of shoulders, the rotation of wrists, and the slightest twitch of fingers.
The analysis of muscle bundles within the body, the torsion of the skeleton—all this information is synthesized to predict and counter the next move.
The fact that I’m still being overpowered despite this is absurd...
In short, I’ve not only acquired sufficient data to activate expansion abilities—I’ve gathered more than enough.
Expansion Ability of All-Rounder
Thousand Variations - Serpent Tail Surpassing the Spear Wall
The spear traced an unusual trajectory. It moved dynamically, like a serpent slithering across the ground, though it initially pierced forward in a straight line.
A movement that defies the laws of physics head-on.
Just before the spear’s tip pierced the second iteration’s nape, the spearhead was effortlessly caught in its hand. As expected, I’m still no match for the original.
- Crackle!
White and red auras clashed fiercely, grinding against each other.
The shockwave tore the ground asunder and sliced through the air.
- Crunch! The balance of aura shifted. The grip of the second iteration’s hand was shredded. The white aura overwhelmed the red.
‘In terms of aura power, I’m superior.’
The second iteration isn’t one of the high-spec loops. Even with the blessing of growth, it cannot compare to the loops where specs were elevated through every trick and secret technique.
In other words, its physical capabilities and the quantity and quality of its mana are inferior.
This is especially true now when my growth is proceeding smoothly.
But above all, something about the second iteration’s specs feels off. Even though it once lost, this second iteration, which could stand against a second-level entity, can currently hold its own against me in battle.
The second iteration twisted its wrist, deflecting my attack. As I pursued, both of its hands left afterimages, moving like lightning.
- Grab!
The second iteration’s deft hand pierced through my defenses, seizing my left wrist.
The captured arm was pulled forward. My body lifted into the air, driven by a strength of unknown origin.
The second iteration immediately extended its opposite hand, twisting its body.
Expansion Ability of Ten Thousand Techniques
Raging Torrent Muscle and Bone Extraction
- Crrrrk!
Using my captured left arm as a fulcrum, my body twisted. If this continued, my entire frame would contort like a twisted rag, and my bones would be wrenched out.
- Clench! For a moment, the second iteration’s grip seized only empty air.
The Proof of Protection originally trapped in its grasp disassembled. Its pristine white structure dissolved into shimmering light, while the golden circuitry that remained retracted into my shoulder in reverse sequence.
I exploited the brief opening in its movement.
Using the rotation imposed on my body, I swung the spear I was holding.
The second iteration retreated without hesitation. Of course, it had no reason to meet my attack head-on.
‘Authority Manifestation, Space.’
- Woom! The second iteration’s movement abruptly halted. Then, as if drawn by an opposite magnetic pole, it was pulled toward me.
The spear shaft, hurtling forward while slicing through the air, struck the second iteration’s forearm.
Expansion Ability of All-Rounder
Thousand Variations - Resonance Strike
- Boom! A massive vibration exploded. I funneled every ounce of that vibration into the second iteration’s body. Its arm swelled grotesquely.
Even amidst all this, the second iteration didn’t so much as blink, though its body trembled.
Just before the resonance explosion triggered, the second iteration stomped the ground.
- Crack! The earth beneath its feet shattered. The shock dissipated into the fractured terrain, and its glowing legs flashed ominously.
- Thud!
‘Damn...’
In an instant, my head spun. My jaw took the brunt of a kick that pulverized the spear into fragments.
‘Damn it, is this also an expansion ability?’
I clung desperately to consciousness. Steadying my body mid-air, I retrieved the Proof of Protection and twisted into a defensive stance.
‘Intermediate Magic: Gale Wind.’
Magic materialized behind me. It summoned countless razor-sharp slashes, harnessing the surrounding winds.
The elemental spirits attuned to the attack, amplifying its force.
The spirit of wind enhanced the slashes, guiding them toward their target.
‘Mana Slashes.’
Parallel chanting.
With mana alone, I forged precise slashes, aiming them between the air currents based on observed data.
The second iteration, relentlessly pursuing me, reacted to the dual assaults.
It avoided most of the Mana Slashes, which were difficult to control post-launch.
Meanwhile, it used aura-clad hands to deflect the wind slashes, whose power was comparatively weaker but had tracking capabilities.
With fluid hand movements, its aura surged like waves. The wind slashes, caught in the turbulent currents, twisted unnaturally and collided with one another.
No damage was sustained.
Instead, the second iteration expended a beat.
While it approached, countering the countless slashes and interference from the ground, I brought my palms together. Mana poured thickly into the gap between my hands.
‘Homogenization: Guhwa Flames.’
- Whoosh!
Simplified Guhwa Flames ignited in my palms.
Emotions surged—anxiety and doubt swirled within me. I harnessed these emotions as fuel for the flames.
Roughly molding them into the shape of a spear, I gripped it tightly.
The fire spirit hurled itself into the spear, intensifying the blaze.
Normally, even a spirit would suffer damage and be forcibly unsummoned, but through precise control, I ensured it recognized me as an ally.
Twisting my body mid-air, I leapt off the void, coiling my extended form tightly before spinning, flinging the fiery spear.
A textbook javelin throw.
The blazing inferno tore across the air, painting the ground red as if a meteor had fallen.
Simultaneously, I moved the spirits of lightning and earth.
- Crackle! Thunder roared in a clear sky. The lightning spirit, having stored mana overhead, unleashed a storm of bolts.
The earth spirit embedded within the ground stirred.
The ground erupted in jagged upheavals, destabilizing the terrain, while pointed stalagmites shot upward.
The Guhwa Flame surged forward. The earth spiked upward, and lightning rained down.
Even the second iteration couldn’t ignore this onslaught, halting in its tracks. As the ground quaked violently and spikes jutted skyward, it remained calm, leaping upward.
Opening one hand wide, it condensed aura into a long blade in its grasp.
Slashing madly in all directions, it tore apart everything around it.
Expansion Ability of Ten Thousand Techniques
Threefold Celestial Blade
Chaotic Stabs in Mid-Air
With every slash of the aura blade, the marks lingered visibly in the air. Like crimson scars, the wounds spread in every direction, leaving trails of blood-red fissures.
Wielding the aura blade with incredible speed, the second iteration filled the area around it with slashes.
The fiery spear, lightning storm, and countless stalagmites collided with the barrier of slashes.
- BOOM!
The lightning coursed through the earth. The explosion from the Guhwa Flames consumed the entire area, including the blade barrier.
The temperature of the area surged dramatically.
The densely packed terrain melted helplessly, and the raging flames whipped up a violent gale, causing my tattered robes to flutter wildly.
Eventually, the flames subsided.
Amidst the still-burning embers clinging to the ground, the second iteration landed unscathed.
“......”
“......”
A brief silence followed.
Only the faint crackling of the remaining embers from the Guhwa Flames could be heard as the second iteration stared at me.
Eyes dark and lifeless, like a dead fish.
Eyes that, like mine, were unsettling and displeasing.
The second iteration—clearly a character I had designed and played as in the game.
Yet, here it stood before me, wielding weapons of destruction.
The second iteration is here. Faced with it directly, a single thought came to mind.
If the second iteration exists...
Then perhaps other iterations exist as well. The first, the third, the fourth, the fifth...
The ninth iteration that roamed, slaughtering and devouring people.
The tenth iteration that committed mass murder to recharge its blood supply.
The eleventh iteration that pillaged factions and institutions without hesitation, treating lives as tools for growth.
The twelfth iteration that established colonies to secure sacrifices...
'...This thought is for later.'
A pointless idea.
At the very least, it’s not something to worry about right now.
I buried the intrusive thoughts and furrowed my brows, replaying the battle in my mind.
A clash of offense and defense that lasted only a fleeting moment.
The intensity was high, but the actual time elapsed was remarkably short.
To sum it up, I was thoroughly beaten.
The damage on my side had significantly accumulated, while the opponent remained largely unscathed.
Was it a mistake to show off a technique I had just imitated? I ended up getting countered, taking hits without any real advantage.
Even though I hadn’t fully utilized Homogenization yet, trying to break through the second iteration’s defense would only lead to further damage on my part.
Fundamentally, the gap in skill was overwhelming. To put it mildly, I was barely hanging on to dear life.
A short-term fight puts me at a severe disadvantage.
According to the original game’s information, the second iteration is even more fragile than I am.
If I land a single clean hit with Guhwa Flames, victory is mine.
In reality, the second iteration had just expended resources to deal with the Guhwa Flames.
However, the second iteration is also a glass cannon.
If I get struck by a high-power expansion ability—like the one it first hit me with—and my body gets severed, I’d die all the same.
Breaking through that array of expansion abilities and landing a decisive blow on the second iteration is no easy feat.
‘Would a long-term battle favor me?’
A long-term battle could tilt the odds in my favor.
Based on the original game data and my observations, the second iteration lacks stamina and mana.
Its physical attributes are disproportionately poor compared to its skill level, and its mana is similarly limited.
In fact, even now, the second iteration’s aura is losing ground to mine, despite me being just a first-year at Siyoram Academy.
Our physical capabilities are roughly on par. Though my wounds are worsening, they can regenerate.
If I bring out Guhwa Flames, Taesan, or even a basic body enhancement, I can surpass the second iteration’s physical abilities.
The second iteration is conserving its mana.
It doesn’t envelop its entire body with aura but instead manifests and dispels it around its limbs as needed to save energy.
‘The second iteration lacks the resources for a prolonged battle.’
That was also true in the original game. The second iteration’s specs were insufficient, requiring meticulous precision in every move.
Didn’t the second iteration ultimately fall to attrition and relentless sieges?
In contrast, I can handle a long fight.
My mana reserves are vast. I have plenty of surplus mana and can replenish it by drawing from the ambient mana around me.
I can even bombard it with indiscriminate attacks from above by using elementalization.
My stamina is sufficient. If necessary, I can use Homogenization to combine Taesan and Changae.
Above all, I have the Authority of Observation, All-Rounder, and Mana Affinity.
As time passes, I can collect more data on the second iteration and grow stronger.
A prolonged battle favors me.
“......”
The second iteration seemed to realize this as well. It began to move.
The second iteration’s heart pounded violently. Boom! The vibrations traveled even to where I stood.
The intervals between beats shortened. Its heart raced like mad, forcibly activating its body.
- Crack... The muscles within its body expanded. A chilling cracking noise came from its clenched fists.
The already muscular second iteration’s frame swelled considerably.
Expansion Ability of Ten Thousand Techniques
Path of Asura
A self-buff expansion ability. Its effect is the amplification of physical attributes.
Immediately afterward, it spread its arms wide to either side.
It looked as though it was surrendering... or giving up in enlightenment.
But I couldn’t think of it that way.
- Rumble...
An intangible aura surged from the second iteration. Its distinct presence rapidly expanded, showing no signs of stopping.
Finally, the formless aura took on shape and color.
Aura manifested in its hands, shaping into weapons.
One hand gripped a sword, the other a long blade.
And then—
From its shoulders, a mirage-like pair of arms appeared, gripping a long-handled axe and hammer.
From its waist, yet another pair of arms emerged, clutching a spear and a great scythe.
Expansion Ability of Ten Thousand Techniques
One Face, Six Arms
Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.
One face.
Six arms.
Like a legendary Asura, three pairs of arms materialized.
Even now, the second iteration stared at me with its dark, abyssal eyes, holding aura-forged weapons in its grasp.
I, dumbfounded, moved my lips soundlessly like a goldfish, before grimacing and deploying the Authority of Space and Proof of Protection.
[“A bastard who’s at least thirty harassing a student—what a joke.”]
Immediately after—
Expansion Abilities of Ten Thousand Techniques
Mid-Summer Decimation: Setting Sun, Azure Dragon’s End
Inferior Blade: Dragon-Claw Slash
Dominating Strike: Skull Splitter
Resonance Strike
Serpent Tail Surpassing the Spear Wall
Perimeter Harvest: Cervical Severance
Six expansion abilities rained down at once.
.
.
.
F***. That hurts.
How many times have I died now?
[“The Blessing of Growth” assists your growth.]
[“The Special Growth Blessing” assists your growth.]
[“The Tower Entry Growth Blessing” assists your growth.]
...
[“The Curse of a Short-Lived Beauty” assists your growth.]
[“The Curse of Solitude” assists your growth.]
[“The Curse of Silence” assists your growth.]
...
[The unique ability “All-Rounder” is growing rapidly.]
[The unique ability “Mana Affinity” is growing.]
...
[The Tower Lord of Harmony expresses doubt: “Is this really okay?”]
[The Tower Lord of Knowledge lowers their gaze.]
[The Tower Lord of Growth nods solemnly in agreement.]