Victor steeled himself as he ventured deeper into the Dark Canyon. Every step carried him further into an environment that seemed designed to kill him in the most painful ways possible.
The elevated spiky cliffs above him blocked out most of the light, casting deep shadows that stretched like claws across the uneven ground.
The deeper he walked, the higher the sense of danger.
But Victor couldn't back down. It was either this or he went back to Lingyun Town.
The canyon floor was uneven, littered with cracks and sinkholes that could easily snap a leg if he wasn't careful.
But that wasn't the worst part.
As he moved forward, a putrid scent suddenly filled the air.
Victor gagged. "Ugh, what the hell is that?"
A system notification flashed.
[ System Warning: Toxic Air Detected ]
Extended exposure will cause stamina depletion and gradual paralysis.
Use a resistance method or leave the area immediately.
"Oh, that's just lovely."
The fog-like toxin slithered through the air, barely visible. The entire area was laced with it.
His breathing quickened.
"I need to get out of this spot fast," he muttered while activating Wind Dash to quickly maneuver past the contaminated zone.
He sprinted forward but his body felt slightly heavier the longer he stayed.
Just as his legs started numbing, the air cleared, and he stumbled out of the toxic zone while panting.
Victor collapsed against a rock before wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Okay… this place might be worse than the Misty Paths..."
And that was just the beginning.
Victor pushed forward, but the terrain only got worse.
Ahead of him was an expanse of rough stone grounds, riddled with countless circular holes that disappeared into darkness.
They varied in size—some as small as a fist, others big enough to swallow an entire house.
Victor crouched and tossed a small rock into one of the holes.
His stomach dropped. "Yeah… let's not fall in there."
As he stepped carefully, a low vibration pulsed through the ground.
Victor's eyes darted around.
Then—the holes began to shift.
Some closed, while others opened up randomly, reshuffling the landscape.
Victor stared with a horrified look. "Oh, come on. A shifting death maze?!"
There was only one way through—he had to time his movements perfectly.
Victor took a deep breath and then moved.
He dashed across the unstable ground, using Shifting Mirage Steps to create afterimages, making it harder for the terrain to predict his movement since it was like the surroundings were alive.
He barely made it across before a massive hole swallowed the area behind him.
Victor collapsed onto solid ground while laughing breathlessly. "The Dark Canyon? More like the Death Canyon."
As Victor pressed onward, the sound of flowing water reached his ears.
He followed the sound, stepping through the rocky passage until he emerged into a clearing.
Before him stretched a vast, still lake. Its waters were dark yet strangely reflective.
Victor walked up to the edge and crouched to examine the water.
Despite the murky depths, his reflection was crystal clear—as if he were staring into a perfect mirror.
His reflection raised a hand, but he hadn't moved.
Victor shot up with his heart pounding.
"Okay. Nope. Absolutely not."
The reflection stood on its own and stared back at him.
Then it stepped forward as if it was about to climb out of the water.
The canyon fell into absolute silence.
Victor gritted his teeth.
"…Alright. I'm not waiting around to see what happens next!"
Victor backed away from the water and then went around it before resuming his journey.
Meanwhile, behind him, the surface of the lake vibrated as small ripples spread outward in an unnatural rhythm. The reflection he had seen before—the one that had smiled when he hadn't—began to distort.
Then, it stepped out.
Like a phantom phasing through glass, the figure emerged from the water, taking solid form.
Victor didn't notice it at first.
It wasn't until the hairs on his neck stood on end that he froze in place.
Slowly, he turned around.
A perfect replica of him.
Same height. Same face. Same outfit.
But its eyes… they were hollow—emotionless, like a predator wearing his skin.
Victor's eyes widened.
The clone charged at him.
Victor barely had time to react before a fist shot toward his face. He dodged, but just barely, causing the wind from the attack to brush past his cheek.
"I knew there was something about that water!"
The fight began instantly.
Victor unsheathed his sword, slashing horizontally, but the clone mirrored his move exactly, blocking the strike with perfect timing.
They exchanged blows— parrying each other's strikes flawlessly.
Every movement countered each other.
Victor kicked—his replica kicked back.
Victor used Phantom Mirage Step—his replica vanished into afterimages as well.
Victor spun mid-air and launched a Shadow Crescent Strike—but the replica met it with an identical Shadow Crescent Strike, canceling it out.
The moment Victor landed, a punch slammed into his gut.
"Argh—!" He staggered backward as blood sprayed from his mouth.
His replica didn't hesitate.
He landed another strike—this time a palm strike to the chest—sent Victor flying backward as his body crashed against the canyon floor.
His limbs ached as he slowly raised his head with a disgruntled expression.
"Shit… it's copying everything I do…"
The replica tilted its head. Its expression was still empty as if it were waiting for him to try again.
Victor panted while gripping his sword tightly.
"This thing knows my every move… it's like fighting a mirror. How do I beat something that can predict everything I do?"
'That's it... perhaps that might work...'