Perfect Avatar
Chapter 164: Conclusion: A trial of two Doras (2)

Chapter 164: Conclusion: A trial of two Doras (2)

As soon as they stepped through the portal, they found themselves in a different, yet strangely familiar setting.

On one side stood the members of Shining Sword, the Knights, the nobles, and Kraims, while Dora and Leon stood face to face in the center of it all.

Watching as the illusions clashed, Dora crossed his arms with a sardonic smile.

"Oh, interesting, so people challenged us way before. What led to this battle?"

Marie briefly glanced at him before turning her attention back to the fight.

"A battle to determine the future of Shining Sword, the team we assembled from your home village."

While the fake Dora’s eyes twitched, the real Dora found it utterly amusing and couldn’t resist letting out a giggle.

"... We are from a simple village? How unexpected."

All eyes turned to him with concern written on their faces after he made that statement. Following this, the battle grew more intense, with the old Dora playing with Leon, much to the delight of the new Dora.

"Hm, exactly, no need to go all out against an ant. Remind us of our battle against that fairy guy."

With a grin on his face, he paid no attention to the surprised expressions on the faces of the others. Their eyes darted towards Hope, but the young boy remained unfazed, lost in the sigh of his past self chanting to Leon.

"Enough of that, let’s move on to the comparison. Nothing unexpected here, so let’s continue. The victory undoubtedly belongs to Dora, yet it’s regrettable that the destiny of Shining Sword had to be sealed in battle. This turn of events occurred due to the older Dora’s playful nature, leading his rivals to underestimate him. If we were in their position, the blond joke would never engage in combat with us, fully aware of our strengths. He would willingly concede defeat."

"Why did he still fight?" The fake Dora asked all of a sudden.

A tinge of intrigue danced in their gazes as they observed him, while the new Dora couldn’t help but roll his eyes in jest.

"We just said, because the old Dora..."

"No, that old Dora was much stronger than him, and yet he still fought. I thought of the previous Dora’s description so I know he was cruel, yet this Leon still fought him."

"What’s so hard to understand?! He underestimates Dora!"

"You don’t underestimate someone stronger than you! Think about it."

With an intense gaze, the new Dora appeared ready to pounce on the deceptive figure before him

However, he managed to compose himself and gracefully folded his arms behind his back. Meanwhile, Freya’s gaze fell upon Leon, who lay sprawled on the ground, a myriad of thoughts flooded her mind, contemplating the situation at hand.

"Maybe he had no other choice? He was a despicable and selfish man, maybe he understood that without Shining Sword he was nothing."

As her gaze fell upon the two Doras, she couldn’t help but be taken aback by the unexpected sight of a genuine, heartfelt smile gracing the face of the imposter Dora. The warmth emanating from that smile was a delightful surprise, a silent token of appreciation that left her speechless.

"In that case, he would have still challenged you, whether you were stronger or not."

"Kss... or not? What difference does it make? The result would still be the same."

"... could you illustrate it? With your illusions?"

Dora snarled at his doppelganger before clicking his fingers. The scenery shifted, revealing him standing opposite Leon. The fight erupted and concluded in a blink of an eye, no attack, no voice, only one flash and everyone flinched in shock as Leon evaporated into a scarlet mist without a chance to draw breath.

The sight left everyone in disbelief, their mouths quivering, and their gazes widening. The fake Dora clenched his jaw and shifted his attention to Sin, nonchalantly applauding.

"You would have killed him."

"Yeah, it was a duel, why are you surprised?"

"... Do you think that because it’s a duel, you have to kill your opponent?"

The Sin shook his head in surprise and narrowed his eyes.

"What are you saying? It’s a duel, a duel always ends in death! Don’t you learn anything?"

"Look at their faces, no one here expected this result!"

Dora shifted his eyes towards his companions, each one frozen in disbelief. Lilith and Marie quivered, while Cid nervously gulped.

"... Why everyone... Candace, this is how a duel should go, right?"

He gave a pleading look to the dean, the latter giving him a saddened smile.

(So that’s how it is...)

"We don’t understand, this is how it should be, this is what you told us, we fight, we kill, we take the soul stone! Why is there a problem now?"

"Because that’s the definition of a living weapon, the real Dora should be human."

Casting a bewildered glance, The Sin observed him, while the latter quietly trailed behind.

"Let’s move on to the next phase, this isn’t over, is it?"

"Wait, that’s too easy! Maybe we’re not acting like the old Dora, but what we meant is, we’re a better version!"

He shifted his gaze towards Candace, yet the dean remained fixated on the counterfeit Dora, her eyes unwavering.

"... Which side are you on?... It’s... It’s not just our trial by the way, how would YOU have handled this situation?"

Coming to a halt, the fake Dora shut his eyes and briefly glanced at Marie and Lilith.

"I would have declined the fight," he admitted.

Their eyes instinctively gravitated towards his, creating an ethereal connection between the trio. The two young women, their expressions a tapestry of confusion and surprise, were visibly caught off guard by the unexpected answer.

Their faces contorted in surprise, struggling to comprehend his words. The Sin initially caught off guard, emitted a faint laugh.

"... What a joke, so you would have fled? Your cowardice never fails to impress us."

"Why do I have to fight for someone’s else interest?"

He faced them in defiance, his gaze tense.

"Everyone knew that he was stronger, so why did he fight? What I’m seeing is that it might be true that he was a cruel person, but if one of you, Liliana or Morgiana had just refused Leon despite his insistence, then Dora wouldn’t have done anything. This fight happened because you couldn’t decide what you wanted yourselves."

Marie and Lilith stared at him, motionless. He exhaled deeply and pivoted away from them, muttering...

"None of you were that evil, why do you keep on that path."

Candace’s eyes grew wide as she glanced over at him. The Sin absentmindedly scratched his head, while Freya simultaneously came to a sudden realization.

"... Liliana? Morgiana? Who was that?"

"Let’s just move on."

"Hey, We have the feeling that you’re playing us..."

"I remember that you said that these people would decide whether you are the real Dora or a fake, is it wise to waste your time here?"

"Urgh... and since when we’re losing?"

In a seamless synchrony, he shadowed his steps, until they vanished into the depths of yet another imperceptible barrier, leaving no evidence of their presence.

Left in the wake of their departure, the others stood rooted to the spot, a lingering feeling of being left behind enveloping them. Gradually, one by one, they began to unravel the anomaly in the fake Dora’s speech.

Lilith scanned the room, her keen eyes catching the subtle changes in their expressions.

"Um... Is something wrong? Why aren’t we moving?"

Worry clouded Mercy’s eyes as she replied.

"... Have you or Marie talked about Liliana and Morgiana since your return?"

****

In two distinct cities, located miles apart, a parallel event unfolded simultaneously.

As the train came to a halt, a young woman emerged with long black hair cascading down her back, her gaze sweeping across the populated platform.

Veiled by a pale mask, she concealed her visage, unaware that it only heightened curiosity, transforming her into a formidable ghost with each passing moment.

Lost in thought, she held a letter in her hand while her eyes searched the far-off unknown.

At the precise instant when darkness engulfed the town of Mistrallon, a train came to a halt, releasing a solitary figure onto the desolate platform.

The woman’s arrival seemed to bring with it an aura of melancholy as if the town itself had been waiting for her sorrowful presence.

Confused and disoriented, she found herself trapped in an unfamiliar realm, surrounded by opulence that was far beyond her reach.

She scanned her surroundings, desperately searching for a familiar face. Suddenly, a little girl appeared by her side, offering a glimmer of warmth as she held her hand in this lonely place.

"Mom, can we stay a little? I’m tired of taking the train."

"Don’t worry, we’ve arrived. This should be the place."

The girl’s eyes grew wide, her lips curved into a forced smile,

"Really? So we’ll finally see Dora? We’ll see him, right mom??" The woman’s tired eyes smiled at her as she embraced her.

"Yes... this time we will see your brother."