After listening to all my explanations about the magic I had cast on them, Yeonha, Nayun, Suho and Hajin approached their respective doppelgängers, staring them in the face. Their gazes were a mixture of curiosity, caution and a certain discomfort.
The doppelgängers were perfect copies, each reflecting ideal versions of their originals.
Their postures were firm, their gazes determined and confident, as if they were ready for any challenge.
The resemblance was uncanny, and it was understandable that the presence of these replicas caused the foursome a certain fear.
"Hey! Theo... Are you sure it's okay for us to fight in here? They're not really going to use magical power against us, are they?"
I looked at Suho, who had a worried look on his face.
His sense of justice and discipline were unquestionable. He clearly didn't want to break Cube's rules, which forbade the use of magical power inside the facility without authorization.
The fact that they were about to face copies of themselves, created by magic, made it all the more uncomfortable for him.
"Don't worry, today is just a little test. They won't be using magical power."
I said calmly, trying to reassure him. Although these doppelgängers were creations of my magic, they were nothing more than that. If I instructed them not to use magic, they simply wouldn't be able to, not even if they gained a form of consciousness of their own.
The truth was that I had planned to take them to train in one of my dimensions later on, or simply to go somewhere empty here in the world, so that they could fight using everything they had, but as today was just a small test, I decided to take it easy.
Suho sighed, still looking a little suspicious, but nodded, accepting my words.
Next to him, Nayun was gripping the handle of her training sword, her eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and defiance. Unlike Suho, she seemed eager to test her skills against her own idealized version.
Yeonha, for her part, remained observant, assessing the situation with a calm expression as she held her whip.
Hajin didn't say anything either, just stared at his doppelgänger with an indescribable expression.
I clapped my hands, getting everyone's attention.
"If you're all ready, let's begin. Remember, this is a training battle. Test your skills, try out new strategies and, above all, devour everything and learn a lot from this combat."
With a nod, the four took their positions, and their doppelgängers did the same.
The air around them became tense.
At my signal, the copies with weapons in hand advanced with precision and speed, and the battle began. The sound of blows being exchanged echoed through the training space, and the real ones challenged their own limitations in front of their ideal selves.
The movements were quick and precise.
Nayun attacked with precise blows, his sword cutting through the air in a perfect arc, but his copy responded with the same dexterity.
Yeonha used her whip with agility, trying to disarm her replica, who mirrored every action with coldness.
Suho made quick, powerful slashes with his sword, each impact reverberating around the training ground, while his copy responded with the same skill, making the duel a battle of pure strength and technique.
Hajin, for his part, moved strategically, firing with surgical precision, trying to catch his copy off guard, but the latter anticipated each of his shots, deflecting and fighting back with an emotionless expression.
The little training session was over, and everyone went back to their dormitories.
After a quick shower, I was now sitting on the sofa, drying Nayun's wet hair.
She was leaning slightly against me, her eyes closed in a mixture of tiredness and comfort.
The soft smell of the shampoo she was using filled the air, a sweet and refreshing blend that suited her. Her soft hair flowed between my fingers, and a slight smile appeared on my lips at the sight of her tranquil expression.
After an intense day, that moment of peace was more than welcome for her.
"You're quiet today."
I commented, gently running the towel through the strands of her loose hair.
"Was training harder than you thought?"
She opened her eyes slowly, staring at me for a moment before sighing.
"Not exactly. It was strange fighting against... myself. It was like facing everything I want to be, but am not yet."
I nodded, understanding his sentiment.
"That's good. It means you have somewhere to grow. The important thing is to learn from it."
"Heh! Until a few days ago I wanted to be an archer, but now, I was being beaten up by a version of myself using a sword, what a funny irony, huh!"
Not only her, but Hajin, Yeonha and Suho were the same, they couldn't even scratch the clothes of their doppelgängers.
Their expressions when they left were very funny to watch.
"Well, that just proves that you have talent with the sword too."
Nayun snorted, crossing his arms.
"Or maybe I'm just horrible at both and haven't realized it yet."
Horrible? What nonsense are you talking?
I shook my head, lightly squeezing his cheek.
"Not at all. You're only halfway there. If your copy was that strong, it means that potential is already inside you. You just need to reach out and devour it, the poor Djinn in the museum is dead proof of that."
, it was a magic that could bring her potential self into reality. And if she was able to create such a strong version of herself even using a sword, it only showed that that was her true path, and not archery.
Nayun frowned, but then smiled, looking a little more relaxed.
"You always have an answer ready for me, don't you?"
"Of course, it's part of my charm."
She laughed and settled down, resting her head on my shoulder. We stood there in silence for a few moments.
She murmured, and turned to face me.
"For drying your hair?"
I smiled, feeling her arms wrap around the back of my neck.
"I'll always be here to make you understand things when it's hard, Nayun."
Our gazes met, and for a moment we stood there staring at each other, making no movement.
But that moment was short.
Nayun moved closer, her lips hovering close to mine before she finally kissed me. A soft touch at first, but one that soon deepened, warming the silent moment between us.
With one hand, I held her by the waist and the other I used to hold her head, pulling her a little closer as her warmth mixed with mine.
But before the moment could deepen any further, I released her lips and asked:
"Do you want to go to the bedroom?"
She nodded, already knowing what we were going to do for the next few minutes.
I took her hand and pulled her into my arms.
Nayun looked up, her rosy cheeks showing her embarrassment.
Looking at her, only one thought crossed my mind.
'Heh! I think it's time to wear those cosplay's.'