Chapter 303 - Remember what I taught you (Patreon)

Duplicating Mirror (Arcane) - This mirror can replicate any object up to its rarity, vanishing after a single use. Its power offers a unique opportunity for duplication, but with the caveat of its irreplaceable nature, making its selection a critical decision.

Okay, I don't know what I was expecting, but this isn't it.

“Train for a bit,” I give another mana stone to Vega and turn to the mirror.

So, the rarity after epic is arcane, and this mirror can duplicate any item up to arcane rarity. The unfortunate thing is that I don't think there is anything of that rarity I could get my hands on on this floor.

Maybe I should try moving it and take it to the next floor with me. I bet some opportunities would arise there.

The mirror itself is a bit taller than me and wide as my unfurled arms, so it wouldn't be such a big problem. I touch it carefully and then try to move it.

It doesn't move.

I use [Tether]. I use [Mana Domain]. I strengthen my body, I use mana arms. I try to push it with kinetic energy. The same as before with the door, the goddamn mirror doesn't flinch.

With a sigh, I sit in front of it and think while looking at my reflection.

Should I duplicate the Voidsteel slicer? It's upper epic rarity, and I bet there are people in Hell difficulty that would kill for it. Yet, I still can't help but feel something akin to regret, feeling it would be a waste.

I examine the mirror for a bit more.

There are some delicate tiniest inscriptions I haven't seen up until now. It's hard to even perceive them, and I have no fucking idea how they work or what they do. The mirror itself also could be made from glass or from a thin piece of metal that is extremely polished. Heck, for what I know, maybe it's made of some reflective turd from a Calamity rank monster.

Also, the mirror quest says this.

Side quest: Locate the mirror

Reward: ???

It most likely means that whatever I copy will be my reward, that being the reason for the three question marks.

I wonder if I would be able to duplicate Biscuit if he was here. Just the thought of two future Absolutes by my side fills me with bliss. Or maybe… I pause my thought here, the gears in my head spinning.

Maybe… would that work?

Probably? Maybe? Logically it could work, the description doesn't exclude it.

Oh my.

I quickly check the timer until Vega returns to her world, and it says almost three days.

Too little time.

Slightly annoyed, I return to examining the item in front of me.

***

When the timer shows 3 days remaining, a new message pops up from the system.

Congratulations, you have protected your disciple and raised their level. In three days, you will be offered a choice. You can proceed to the next floor or continue on the 5th floor for three more weeks with gradually increasing danger.

If staying is your choice, after 3 days, your disciple will spend a week in their world. Subsequently, they'll return to the 5th floor for two additional weeks.

While the master-disciple relationship is crucial, it isn't enforced by the system.

Your choice will be respected, free from penalties should you decide to proceed to the next floor.

After reading the message, I open the Community to curse at my group members for not letting me know. Every word of mine, even with the tiniest hint at the fact about two choices, gets censored.

That probably explains why they didn't say anything, but it still annoys me, and while Biscuit shouts something about the food, I bully the others.

***

The time slowly ticks down, and when just a short time remains for Vega to return, I stop with the training and let her rest. She also seems to be realizing that the time is coming closer, so it's hard for her to focus.

I already prepared a small bag for her. Together, we made it old and dirty-looking, the same with her clothes. We hid a few mana stones, and she refused to give up on items I gave her, carefully storing them inside the bag in a hidden compartment.

There is still a chance that someone might notice the good items on her, and her being such a low level would put a target on her back instead of helping her.

So, I do not give her any powerful items. I also do not create inscriptions on her skin with paint or give her mana stones with warriors' effects. As I decided during the end of the 4th floor, I'm careful with my help to let her grow on her own. I have decided to trust in the training I gave her and in her own abilities.

One moment I think I'm doing the right thing, and another, I want to buy her an epic item or give her plenty of valuables. It's annoying, it's difficult, and I'm not used to these kinds of feelings.

The fact that the system offers two options is also an interesting one. Partially, it also makes sense. You can send your disciple for a week away to the moment before their death. The disciple will either die or survive thanks to their training. Then the disciple can use what they learned in their world and return a week later with feedback and to learn more.

Yes, the system said the relationship between master and disciple is important, and it was shown often by titles such as Champion's disciple or Absolute's disciple. But it's somewhat weird and almost nice to offer such an option.

It also can end up being disadvantageous as the people that pick the first option will start the 6th floor 3 weeks earlier. But it might equal the chance to spend 1 week on the 5th floor without a disciple and examine it.

For me, it's perfect, more than perfect.

There is the mirror and my idea to use it. There is the Bastion, the Sanctuary, Veil Guardian, acidic danger noodle, and sleeping giga danger noodle.

I like that a lot and not because of the fact I will spend more time with this silly half-demon.

Damn it.

That's how they get you, they act all cute, innocent, and weak. They need protection, they act similarly, and grow closer to you. Then before you know it, you are attached.

Even disciples are dangerous here.

While looking at how she nervously steps from foot to foot, I also think about how she compares to me from the 1st floor.

Her level is higher, her skill levels are higher, and she has knowledge I didn't have back then, all specially prepared for her and her build.

She is strong, and I'm sure she would be able to take on most of the group 4 from the 1st floor. Somehow, I still think I wouldn't lose against her. Vega is wild, and she is the type that will scratch and bite when pushed into a corner. She is a fighter. But Nat from the 1st floor was even wilder. Someone who would sacrifice his limbs, his body without hesitation just to get a nice hit in.

Now that I think about it, I did something similar to my leg not long ago, so maybe it's not a good comparison. There is no way I'm as dumb as nearly a year younger me, nope.

“Master,” Vega moves closer and then sticks her head out towards me.

For a moment, I stay here confused, and then hesitantly, I grab her tiny black horn and shake her head.

She giggles, clearly enjoying it.

Then she opens her hand, and a nearly transparent mana orb floats out. I can sense the kinetic energy inside. The orb floats slowly and heads outside the room, where it receives a signal from Vega, and its surface shrinks, compressing the kinetic energy inside. Following that, the kinetic energy pushes against it, expands, and tears the orb apart in a small explosion.

Its damage is small, even smaller than if she had used her body. But it's a first step, and my disciple seems happy. Very happy.

"Good job," I say as I pull on her horn and gently shake her head.

I do realize how much our relationship has changed. How the way she treats me and the way I treat her changed.

Why it's so easy to let my guard down in front of someone Iike her?

I get on both my knees and carefully put my hands around her and pull her into a hug.

At first, she freezes, her small body barely moving, only her heart beating like a scared little animal.

When I'm about to let her go, thinking I might have misunderstood, she puts her hands around me and hugs me as well. She holds me with all the strength her tiny arms are able to produce, her head burrowed near my neck and her pointy horns poking bottom of my chin.

For a long time, she refuses to let go, and when she does, she looks awkwardly towards the ground.

“Remember what I taught you, okay? Stay safe, and I will see you in a week.”

Still refusing to look up, I notice that her ears are red, “Will do so, master, so wait for me,”

“Sure.”

“Will you really be here when I return?”

“Yes.”

“You won't… leave me?”

“You should know me at least a bit after the last few weeks.” As the time moves closer, I notice she becomes more and more nervous, but she will be fine. She is strong.

Finally, the countdown stops, and Vega looks towards a spot in the air. From the way her eyes move, the object she is looking at is as big as a door. It reminds me too much of Myrra that was unable to see the entrance to the 5th floor. In the same way now, I can't see the entrance leading back to her world. Its surprisingly disturbing.

“Minion, my punishment ended, so I don't have to call you by your name anymore,” I say as she takes a step.

She turns to me and after a moment of hesitation a smile appears on her face, “Master is dumb, same as me. I'll be back, and you'll call me Vega again!”

Without saying anything else, she passes through the invisible entrance, and a new message pops up.

Congratulations for protecting your disciple. According to how your disciple does, you will receive ??? after leaving the Floor.

Would you like to continue to the 6th floor or stay on the 5th floor?

Warning! If you decide to stay on the 5th floor, you will have to wait a week until your disciple is summoned back. Then you will have to protect your disciple for another 2 weeks in harsher conditions! If your disciple dies you will fail your floor quest, and receive severe punishment.

Warning! If you decide to enter the 6th floor, your connection to your disciple will be severed. Your disciple can also choose to sever the connection between you. If the connection is cut, you will lose some opportunities.

Choose wisely!

“Why are you giving us options out of nowhere,” I mumble and pick the 1st option. “The more floors we pass, the more informative and nice you are.”

As always, the system doesn't answer, and I just close the windows.

Overall, I like it. There is so much to do and so many quests to complete, and without Vega… I weaken the hold [Focus] has on some of my emotions, and my mood changes.

Now that she is gone, it feels like that bit of warmth, the flame I had to protect, is gone too, and I can go back to my usual self.

While looking in the mirror, I take out conductive paint and start drawing on my forehead, around my eyes, on every free spot on my head. It takes a while, but I try to do it as precisely as possible. After that, even more, I paint on my skin. That takes even longer.

When everything is ready, a small orb of mana forms nearby, quickly compressed, focused to a much smaller size turning to black mana. The familiar pressure threatens to take over my mana, but I just grab it into my hand, it absorbing it inside my body through the inscriptions that disappear.

I take a part of that mana and use it to strengthen my body. The black mana flows through my circuits, and the healing passive activates as well. I generate even more heat and send it towards my head.

Then I take another part of black mana and use it to [Focus], and at the same time, I activate my trait while looking at the mirror.

The colors disappear, the world slows down to a crawl. My thoughts spin wildly. My immensely strengthened [Focus] works in tandem with Mana Wavelength Iris, sorting and processing collected information.

I long since wondered what my specialty is. Is it my Primordial energies? My mana projectiles? Multiple kinds of bombs? Disrupting opponents' mana? The redistribution of absorbed energies? There are plenty of powerful options in front of me, and my build is mostly jack of all trades but master of none.

But there is something I was thinking of.

The world I see through my eyes is beautiful, so full of information and options. In it, even an arcane grade item in front of me is possible to peek at. I see the inscriptions, and with it comes a tiniest bit of understanding.

My eyes are powerful, it's a really strong trait, and with the combination of my [Focus] that processes that information and black mana that powers it all, this could be what will allow me to be a master of many skills instead of only partially understanding them.

I won't give up on any of my skills to specialize in one, no, I will keep them all, and all of them will become powerful enough to be considered specializations. Bleeding, hurting, I will pull my body through to the point I want to reach.

The black mana is finally spent, and replacing it come the after-effects. My vision blurs, my head spins, and I'm barely capable of controlling my mana to generate some thermal energy.

In the corner of the room, I cough dryly and press the nails into my skin until my palms bleed, waiting for the aftereffects to fade away.

I have seen it, and it seems that my plan will be possible.

The mirror in front of me, well, I found a really fun use for it. Let's see what the system will say.

***

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