NOVEL WEB Chapter 260 – The Chamber of Shattered Mirrors
Dabi's eyes met his own reflection—a version of himself with eyes that burned like collapsing stars and an aura that dripped with unspoken sorrow and fury. The mirrored Dabi sneered, his voice echoing in a dissonant timbre: "You claim to master space, but can you master the void within?"
For a moment, the confrontation seemed too surreal. Then, with a sharp, collective battle cry, the doppelgängers lunged forward. The team instinctively sprang into action.
Zen was the first to engage, his dual swords slashing through the air. His mirrored counterpart moved in perfect sync, blocking his every strike.
"Hey, if you're going to mimic me, at least try to be original!" Zen shouted, exchanging rapid blows with his phantom. Sparks flew as steel clashed against spectral metal, and Zen's quick wit was matched by his lightning-fast footwork.
Yet, as the duel wore on, he began to notice that each time he landed a blow, his reflection countered with an intensity that mirrored his own hidden frustrations.
Jeni moved gracefully into the fray, her ice daggers whirling as she attacked the dark figure bearing her likeness. The mirrored Jeni was cunning, summoning ice from the depths of her inner frost.
Their blades of ice and steel clashed, sending shards of glacial energy scattering across the chamber. "I always knew you had a cold streak, but this is ridiculous!" Jeni taunted, her voice echoing with both humor and determination. In between strikes, she couldn't help but tease, "You call that technique? I'm pretty sure I could freeze you in half if I really tried!"
Kiba faced a massive reflection of himself, one that seemed to channel his every doubt and fear. The mirrored Kiba's water aura was turbulent, like a raging storm, and with each punch they exchanged, droplets of water splashed about as if a tempest raged within.
"I don't need to fight myself to know I'm strong," Kiba grumbled, delivering a heavy blow that sent his reflection staggering—only for it to recover with a furious roar. "Damn it, I already have enough problems with real enemies!"
Althea, ever the nurturer in the midst of chaos, engaged her phantom with precise, measured strikes of her own magic. Her mirrored self, however, wore an expression of quiet despair, as if embodying all the emotional burdens she carried.
"I'm not sure I recognize you," Althea murmured softly as she deflected a spectral blow, her healing energy intertwining with her offensive magic. "But I promise, even your darkest reflection cannot break the bonds we share."
There was a tenderness in her tone, and she couldn't resist adding, "And if you ever need someone to help carry your burdens, you know where to find me."
Dabi, meanwhile, faced his own doppelgänger in the center of the chamber. Their duel was unlike any other; it was a battle of wills as much as a clash of powers. Dabi's mastery over space allowed him to bend the very air, creating distortions that blurred the lines between him and his mirror image.
Each time his phantom countered, Dabi felt as if it were drawing out his hidden pain—the weight of past failures, the bitterness of sacrifices made along the way. The mirrored Dabi laughed darkly, his voice echoing, "Is that all you've got? Your strength is built on the illusions of control."
The battle raged, and Dabi's team fought their mirrored counterparts with all the might they possessed. Each strike, each parry, was not only a physical contest but also a symbolic struggle against the inner demons that these illusions represented. Amid the clash of weapons and the burst of elemental powers, moments of levity surfaced.
At one point, Zen found himself locked in combat with his reflection, and after a particularly clumsy exchange—where Zen's own foot tripped him up, sending him sprawling—he couldn't help but quip, "You know, if you ever decide to take a day off, I'd love to see you try not to trip over your own ego!" His laughter, though tinged with the adrenaline of battle, lightened the moment even as he swiftly recovered and resumed fighting.
Jeni, amidst her icy duel, paused for a heartbeat as she managed to land a playful jab at her dark mirror. "I always thought you were too serious," she teased, her breath visible in the cool air.
"Maybe you should try smiling more—if nothing else, it might scare off the other reflections!" Her words, though aimed at her phantom, were directed at Dabi as well, and the subtle flirtation in her tone sent a spark of warmth through him despite the cold intensity of their battle.
Althea, fighting gracefully yet firmly against the mirror that represented her inner sorrow, allowed herself a tender smile as she exchanged a look with Dabi.
"I think," she said softly as she parried another spectral strike, "that these reflections are trying to show us that our true strength lies not just in our abilities, but in our willingness to embrace our vulnerabilities." Her eyes met Dabi's, and in that glance was a promise of unwavering support.
Back at the center, Dabi's duel with his darker self intensified. Each time he unleashed his spatial distortions, his reflection countered with equal force—a mirror image that seemed to draw upon every ounce of his hidden anguish.
Dabi gritted his teeth, recalling the system mission's directive: clear the dimensional gate and defeat the final guardian to ascend to Grandmaster status. He knew that if he could overcome this trial, he would not only progress further but also grow as a warrior and as a person.
The chamber trembled with the clashing of wills. Slowly, as Dabi pushed himself to break free of his mirror's relentless onslaught, a breakthrough began to occur.
He realized that to defeat his phantom, he must accept all parts of himself—the brilliance and the darkness, the triumphs and the failures. In a moment of profound clarity, Dabi relaxed his guard ever so slightly and allowed his inner strength to surge forth unimpeded.
"Enough!" he bellowed, his voice echoing powerfully throughout the chamber. In that instant, the space around him shimmered with a blinding brilliance.
His doppelgänger faltered, as if struck by the sheer force of his resolve. Dabi's hands, glowing with the raw energy of his mastery over space, moved with purpose as he channeled every bit of his power into a single, decisive strike.
The impact reverberated through the chamber, shattering the illusion of his darker self into countless fragments that dissipated like falling stars.
The moment his phantom crumbled, the remaining mirrored figures—the twisted echoes of his teammates—began to waver.
One by one, they faltered and then faded away into shimmering motes of light, their malevolent forms dissolving under the weight of acceptance and unity.
A profound silence fell over the Chamber of Shattered Mirrors, broken only by the soft hum of residual energy and the labored breaths of Dabi and his companions.
Dabi opened his eyes, meeting the gaze of his team. Zen's eyes sparkled with a mixture of relief and mischief as he quipped, "Now that's what I call a self-reflection!" His comment, though light-hearted, was met with appreciative smiles from everyone.
Jeni stepped forward, a teasing lilt in her voice as she looked up at Dabi. "I always knew you had it in you, Dabi. It seems your inner light can outshine even your darkest doubts." Her flirtatious tone made him blush ever so slightly—a rare display of emotion from the usually stoic warrior.
Althea moved closer, her expression soft and admiring. "Your strength lies not only in your mastery over space but in your willingness to embrace every part of yourself. That is true power." Her gentle words resonated deeply with Dabi, reinforcing the bond they shared.
Kiba clapped Dabi on the shoulder, his gruff voice filled with pride. "We're one step closer to clearing this damn gate. Let's keep moving before these mirrors decide to play tricks on us again."
With the shattered reflections lingering only as memories in the flickering light of the chamber, the team gathered themselves. The atmosphere had shifted from one of inner torment to a shared sense of unity and purpose.
Dabi, now feeling lighter and more resolute, consulted his mental system interface. The mission was still clear: survive the temple's trials, secure the final guardian's defeat, and ultimately clear the dimensional gate. Every trial overcome brought him closer to unlocking his full potential—a level that would allow him to ascend to Grandmaster status.
"We've proven our strength—and our capacity to face our own inner demons," Dabi said, his voice resonating with quiet determination. "Now, let's press forward. The next trial awaits, and we must not waver."
Zen, ever the jester, grinned. "I'm ready if you are, boss. And hey—if another mirror shows up, just remember: no one's as charming as you."
Jeni offered a conspiratorial smile as she adjusted her daggers. "Keep up that confidence, Dabi. It might just be the key to winning our next battle." Her words, both playful and sincere, bolstered his spirit.
Althea linked arms with him once more. "Let's go, together. The path to the final guardian lies ahead, and we'll face it side by side."