Chapter 1252 Real Vs Copy [1]

Since he had already decided to use every challenge available to him this month, there was no reason to stop simply because the Origin Battlefield had unexpectedly returned one.

Michael's gaze moved away from the Top 10 and settled much closer.

[41. Kaelith Vorn]

Ten ranks above his. The maximum jump he could make through an ordinary ranking challenge.

Michael selected the name.

[Ranking Challenge Issued.]

[You have entered a new ranking threshold.]

[Special Ranking Mechanism Available.]

"Again?" Michael's eyes narrowed.

The panel expanded.

[You are attempting to advance within the upper rankings of the Fourth Layer Battlefield Ranking.]

[Choose your advancement method.]

[Option 1: Top 50 Gatekeeper Trial]

[Challenge a combat construct generated according to the average combat standards of Awakeners ranked between 11 and 50.]

[Your final performance will be evaluated.]

[Upon completion, you may be assigned an appropriate ranking between Rank 11 and Rank 50.]

[Failure or voluntary withdrawal will not reduce your current ranking.]

[Option 2: Direct Ranking Challenge]

[Continue through the standard Battlefield Ranking challenge system.]

[Standard Battlefield Ranking rules will apply.]

Michael stared at the panel.

It seemed the Origin Battlefield had divided the upper rankings into another bracket. Ranks 51 through 100 had one Gatekeeper. Ranks 11 through 50 had another.

Which naturally meant…

Michael's gaze shifted toward the first ten names on the ranking list.

There was probably another threshold waiting there. Perhaps a Gatekeeper specifically for entering the Top 10.

Michael's attention returned to Option One.

This time, there was no hesitation caused by suspicion. He already understood what the system was doing. The Gatekeeper wasn't merely an obstacle. It was a way for the Origin Battlefield to correct the inaccuracies in its ranking without forcing an obviously misplaced Awakener to spend several months challenging upward ten positions at a time.

If his strength belonged somewhere higher, it would put him there. If it didn't, he would remain Rank 51.

What Michael was unsure of was whether this special mechanism only applied to the Top 100 and Top 50, or if there was now one for the Top 200, 300, 500, or even Top 1000.

[Top 50 Gatekeeper Trial Selected.]

[Generating Gatekeeper.]

[Since you're challenging a high rank, the difficulty of this match is at its highest difficulty.]

[Death and damages done in this match will be void after it ends. Please battle to your heart's content, dear Awakener.]

"Hmmm? Why does it sound more "real"?"

Reading the last message on the panel again Michael's eyes slowly brightened.

"So I really can go all out?!"

This was much more interesting than all his other matches.

For once, he could actually test everything without calculating the cost of failure afterward.

The scenery around him changed.

Michael immediately an enormous pressure gathering around him. Far heavier than the presence of the previous Gatekeeper.

Michael's casual expression disappeared.

"Yeah…"

Darkness rolled from his body as one undead presence after another began appearing around him.

Beginning.

The High Drake.

Then hundreds more. Thousands.

Michael stared ahead as the pressure continued rising.

"This one definitely isn't going to be easy."

The world around Michael finally settled.

The first thing he noticed was the body of water surrounding him.

An endless expanse of black, perfectly still water stretched in every direction, reflecting almost nothing from the equally dark sky above. There was no horizon to speak of, water and darkness simply bled into each other, and the silence felt just as absolute above as below.

Michael stood on the surface as though it were solid ground, his undead spread behind him in a vast formation.

Michael looked ahead.

Several hundred meters away, the black water moved.

Something began rising from beneath the surface.

A head appeared.

Michael's eyes narrowed.

The figure continued emerging until it stood completely above the water.

"W-what is this?!" Michael was shocked by the sight ahead of him, because the person standing across from him was… him.

Long black hair. Green eyes.

Same face. Same height. Same body.

Even the expression was disturbingly familiar.

The figure across from him stared back with the exact same cold focus.

Michael's gaze moved over it more carefully.

The resemblance wasn't merely superficial. Even the pressure it gave off.

It was all his.

Just as he got ready to act, the water around the replica moved again.

Hundreds of disturbances appeared across the black surface as bodies began rising from the water one after another.

A massive figure emerged behind the false Michael.

It was Beginning in its human form.

Another shape followed.

The High Drake in its human form as well, just like it was beside him.

Undead after undead rose from beneath the black water, each one taking the exact shape of something standing behind Michael.

The same bodies. The same sizes. The same appearances. The same formations.

Within moments, an entire army stood opposite him.

Michael looked behind himself. Then back ahead.

The two forces mirrored one another across the endless black ocean. Even the smallest details were there. The undead he had summoned only moments earlier were now reproduced across from him.

Michael's eyes narrowed.

"So that's what highest difficulty means?"

A panel appeared.

[Top 50 Gatekeeper Trial]

[Highest Difficulty Active.]

[Gatekeeper Form Generated.]

[Combat Model: Challenger Reflection.]

Michael stared at the last line for a few seconds longer as more information appeared.

[The Gatekeeper will reproduce the combat force, abilities, combat habits, and demonstrated capabilities of the challenger.]

[The reflected force will scale according to the combat standards required for ranks 11-50.]

Michael's expression became strange, and he looked toward the false version of himself.

Though the current situation was very eerie, he felt a faint chill of excitement run through him. This was different from fighting some strange race with abilities he had never encountered.

Michael slowly smiled.

"Interesting."

The copied Michael smiled too. Exactly the same way.

For a brief moment, neither side moved as battle intent continued to rise on both sides, thickening the still air over the black water until it felt almost solid enough to cut.