Chapter 1255 Real VS Copy [4]

His soul felt covered. Protected, like there was an additional layer surrounding the connections between himself and his undead.

Michael couldn't properly identify what it was, but it was probably the special protection of this trial.

After all, when the explosions killed his undead, he didn't receive a soul backlash.

Normally, the sudden destruction of multiple powerful undead should have produced at least some disturbance through their connection. Here, there was none.

Combined with the Origin Battlefield's earlier message…

[Death and damages done in this match will be void after it ends.]

Michael understood. His undead weren't truly being permanently destroyed. At least, their loss here wouldn't follow him outside.

Michael's eyes became cold.

"Fine."

His hesitation disappeared.

He pointed toward the center of the battlefield. The wounded undead reacted at once.

Michael's voice dropped.

"Explode."

Across the battlefield, the reflected Michael's expression changed for the first time.

Michael saw it and smiled.

"Your turn."

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The first wave detonated. Several Rank Three undead exploded simultaneously. The combined blast tore open the battlefield.

Then a wounded Rank Four joined them. The resulting explosion was so violent that the black mist of Death Ground was temporarily blown apart over an enormous area. Water rose into the sky like an inverted ocean. Several reflected undead vanished inside the destruction.

Michael felt no backlash, and his smile widened even more.

"So I was right."

Another group detonated.

BOOM!

BOOOOOOM!

The nature of the battle changed.

It was no longer simply undead trading blows against identical opponents. Now both sides were turning their own losses into weapons. An undead that lost an arm wasn't merely weakened. It had become potential ammunition.

Michael watched several of his injured undead rush toward their reflections. One grabbed its counterpart around the waist. The reflected undead tried to pull away, but it was too late.

The real undead's body expanded.

BOOOOOOM!

Michael's eyes flickered.

"This skill…"

Though he admitted he had underestimated it, he felt it was a pity this skill couldn't be used in real life, since sacrificing his own undead like this would cost him far more than it could ever be worth here.

"Wait! Why do I need to use my own undead? Didn't I just transport a whole group of undead from the Netherworld?"

An idea sprouted in Michael's mind. Though those creatures were currently weak, their existence gave him an idea for the future.

At this point, even after all the destruction both sides had caused, neither Michael held any meaningful advantage. The battlefield had only become even more devastated. Several powerful undead on both sides had been completely destroyed, while many others were injured to varying degrees.

But the balance remained. If Michael destroyed ten undead, his reflection usually destroyed around the same number. If one of his stronger undead managed to push ahead, the copied version would eventually answer with something equally troublesome. In terms of raw force, they were still nearly identical.

However, Michael had noticed one difference.

When it came to command, the reflected side was good. Its coordination was frighteningly accurate, making Michael picture an image of his future self, given enough time to learn.

The other side's command wasn't enough to create a decisive advantage. But it existed.

At this point, Michael knew he had to bring out the big guns.

The dark mist spreading from Death Ground began retreating rapidly. Within seconds, the entire field of death energy collapsed back toward Michael before disappearing completely.

The reflected Michael did the same.

Michael wasn't surprised, as he had already expected that. Based on his experience with this copy, it wasn't like it was reading his mind. It was more like it responded to whatever he did, matching him move for move. This reminded him of a saying: that we are our own worst enemy.

Michael's expression became serious.

The air around him changed as he drew upon his Law. This was part of why he had withdrawn Death Ground, since he couldn't sustain two such massive drains of energy simultaneously.

Michael's eyes glowed faintly as his attention locked onto two targets.

The Undead High Drake and the Bone Dragon.

The same two undead he had once used together during his battle against the female Demigod. That battle had taught him something extremely important. There were certain combinations of traits that didn't merely make an undead stronger but caused a qualitative change.

When he had layered those particular traits during that fight, the result had gone far beyond what Michael originally expected. Putting together the temporary external enhancement Michael possessed at the time, the two undead had been able to toy with a dignified Demigod.

Michael had never forgotten that scene. He wanted to reproduce it ever since.

The situation now was different, as he no longer had that temporary external support. But he did have something he hadn't possessed back then.

[Universal Pioneer.]

Its passive effect increased the effectiveness of his Law by two hundred and fifty percent anywhere within the universe.

If he were in Aurora, this would have been a four-hundred-and-fifty-percent boost.

Michael's eyes brightened.

Though lower, a two-hundred-and-fifty-percent boost, alongside the qualitative change from his Law, should still be powerful, right?

That removed one of the biggest uncertainties.

Michael didn't hesitate. His first target was the Undead High Drake, as he once again applied the traits of Beginning and Lucky onto it.

Michael didn't stop. His attention moved to the Bone Dragon. The enormous skeletal dragon was currently locked against its copied counterpart, claws and jaws crashing repeatedly. Michael's Law wrapped around it and gave it the traits of the Undead High Drake and Beginning.

The changes came at once.

Midair, both the Undead High Drake and the Bone Dragon suddenly swelled. Their sizes exploded upward alongside their auras. The overwhelming pressure they released rolled across the battlefield in waves, forcing even nearby Rank Four undead to stagger away.

Michael's eyes widened even more, a wide smile spreading across his face.

Beginning had already reached Demigod-level battle prowess through his repeated destruction and rebirth. Yet the pressure now coming from the High Drake and Bone Dragon… was stronger.

Far stronger.