Is That My Alter Ego

1 – Concept

“….Status window.”

[ Name: Venice / Age: 20 / Male ]

[Unique Ability: Cloning (???): You can summon your clone. The form and abilities of the clone are random, and you can control it as if it were your own body.

You do not feel any pain that your clone experiences! If the clone is killed or destroyed, you can retrieve it!]

What the… A real status window has appeared.

Confused yet half excited and half curious, I muttered ‘status window’, and a blue window really popped up before my eyes.

“Wow. Did I really come to another world?”

I had simply gone to sleep and woken up as usual, but an unfamiliar ceiling caught my eye.

Strange wooden houses and beds, and an odd sensation inside my body. The songs of birds from outside the window, a sound hard to come by in the forest of apartments.

It seems I have come to another world overnight.

“But then… am I Venice? This body…”

[Name: Venice / Age: 20 / Male]

According to the status window, it seemed like the name of this body was Venice.

“Hmm. Well…”

Reincarnation into another world, a phenomenon I’d only heard about, happened to me. But…

“No phone, no internet, no computer… How am I supposed to live without any fun?”

I’m a typical internet addict. Except for sleeping hours, I’ve never been away from the internet for more than 10 minutes.

But now, to live in a world where nothing familiar exists? For the rest of my life?!

“Ugh….”

Already, it feels like darkness is closing in front of my eyes. What kind of life am I supposed to live?

“Ah, the status window.”

[Unique Ability: Shadow Summoner(???) – You can summon your shadow. The form and abilities of the shadow are random, and you can control it like your own body.

You won’t feel the pain the shadow experiences! If the shadow dies or is destroyed, the user can recall it!]

Lying on the bed, groaning, I suddenly summoned the status window at the idea that popped into my head.

Shadow Summoner.

“If I use this well, can’t I do something like a full-dive game?”

As a gaming addict, I had always dreamt of experiencing a full-dive, a sensation with all five senses.

A shadow that feels like my own body. Isn’t this basically a full-dive? And it doesn’t even feel pain?!

“Alright. There’s nothing else to do anyway. Let’s give it a try.”

Having maintained top rankings in all the games I played, I was confident in controlling something.

“But how do I summon it?”

[To summon a doppelgänger, just say ‘Doppelgänger Summon!’]

…Is anyone listening to me? Anyway, thanks.

“Doppelgänger Summon.”

From a bucket that seemed to hold something, it felt as if a bit of that something had slipped away, a sensation starting from deep within my chest.

“Did it work? But where did my doppelgänger go?”

I felt sure I had summoned it, but there was no sign of the doppelgänger anywhere in the house.

[Doppelgängers are randomly generated somewhere on the continent! Their appearance and abilities are random as well! To merge with your doppelgänger, just say ‘Merge.’ Once you do, your current body will fall asleep, and you’ll wake up in the doppelgänger’s body! To wake up from the sleep, just say ‘Unmerge.’]

Aha. So that’s how it works.

“Then I should try it right away. ‘Merge.'”

As soon as I finished speaking, my eyelids started to close suddenly, as if I had been drugged with a sleeping pill. An irresistible sleepiness overwhelmed me, and I surrendered to its deep embrace.

[Have a great time!]

***

“…Huh.”

I bolted upright in a plush bed. The room was definitely not the one I was just in, so it seemed like the merge was successful.

“Status Window.”

The delicate voice of a young boy was gone, replaced only by the deep voice of a man.

[ Name: Venis / Age: 29 / Male ]

[Unique Ability (Magic Eye): You can see magic. You can see the trajectory of magic and use it more smoothly.

Unique Ability (Talent Perception): You can perceive the talent of others. You can instantly understand their unique abilities and potential.

Unique Ability (Superior Physique): Your body is like one sculpted by the gods! Stamina, strength, situational judgment…. All physical abilities are greatly enhanced!]

“….Wow. This is crazy.”

The body possessed a staggering three unique abilities. And each of these abilities was unbelievably overpowered.

How can a clone have better abilities than the original?

“Anyway, I feel incredibly powerful.”

Thanks to my ‘Superior Physique’, a unique ability, my body was brimming with strength. I felt like I could easily lift a car right now.

“Ugh.”

I got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

“….Oh.”

In the bathroom mirror, there reflected a man whose sharp and fierce appearance would make anyone passing by acknowledge his handsomeness.

With hair as black as the night sky and eyes red as if soaked in blood.

At the same time, his well-defined muscles and scars accentuated his wild charm.

….But what era is this? What kind of bathroom has a sink and a flush toilet?

And there’s even a shower hose?

Anyway, I returned to the bed.

“Huh. What’s this?”

Next to the soft bed, on the small lamp-lit nightstand, lay a piece of paper. A letter?

I picked up the paper and began to read each word.

– Greetings, Commander. You are hereby appointed as the 6th Commander of the ‘Ska Mercenary Group’ as of today.

Please arrive at the ‘Ska Mercenary Group’ headquarters by 12 o’clock, dressed and poised in a manner befitting the dignity of a Commander. Thank you.

-Scar Mercenary Corps Vice Commander, Seris.

From the characters, a chilling aura emanated, truly concise and neat writing. The person named Seris who wrote this is probably very strict.

“Commander of the Scar Mercenary Corps?”

According to the letter, it seemed like I had been appointed as the 6th commander of the ‘Scar Mercenary Corps.’ Mercenary Corps? Is there such a thing?

Ding-

[This world is a place where magic, abilities, and monsters coexist. Due to the overflowing monsters, those who suffer damages have increased, leading to the formation of mercenary corps specialized in exterminating monsters.

You, who once ruled the entire empire, must now fulfill the duty as the 6th commander of the dwindling ‘Scar Mercenary Corps’!]

Oh… so that’s how it is. It feels like the starting point of a game. Is this getting more interesting?

“But what time is it now?”

Certainly, the letter said to come to the base by 12, but the clock… oh, there it is.

11:29.

“….Huh?”

I rubbed my eyes again and looked at the clock, but cruelly, it pointed to ’11:30.’

“……I’m late!!”

I don’t even know the geography here properly. There’s only 30 minutes left.

Rumble, tumble- thud, thud!

“Hurry…. Hurry..!”

I quickly put on my clothes, wore shoes, and headed out the door.

“Wow…”

As I stepped outside the door, the appearance of a fantasy world village, reminiscent of various animations and games, unfolded.

People clad in various weapons and armors, and merchants hawking their wares to them.

“Ack. This isn’t the right time.”

Though captivated by the fascinating sight, it wasn’t the moment for that.

[….Leria Village 13-8.]

On the back of the letter sent by the vice-captain, there seemed to be an address for the Ska Mercenary Group’s base.

‘…Is this Leria Village?’

I was learning the name of this village for the first time. Where exactly is 13-8?

I should ask someone passing by.

“…Ah! Are you a customer? Welcome!”

Approaching a woman selling fruit nearby, I moved closer.

‘Ah, yes. I was wondering if you know where building 13-8 is? It’s my first time in this village…’

I intended to ask the woman politely about the location. However…

“…Tell me the location of this place.”

What I meant to say came out severely compressed, shooting sharply towards the woman.

It was as if my body, against my will, naturally changed the way I spoke.

‘What, what’s that?”

“…………..”

[If your actions or speech do not align with the personality type of the avatar, they may be automatically corrected!]

Do I have to speak and act according to the avatar’s concept when others are watching?

It surely did as I pleased when I was alone at home earlier. This status window seemed to be incredibly strict about its concept.

“Ah… yes… If you go straight from that fountain over there, on the left, you’ll find the path…”

I involuntarily adopt a dignified attitude towards the woman. Without meeting her eyes, she shivers and guides me on my way.

“Um, thank you. That’ll do for now.”

“Yes…”

‘…I’m sorry!’

Internally, I apologized to the woman. Not that it would reach her… anyway.

I slowly started walking towards the path the woman had pointed out.

‘No! It’s too late now! Run!’

Whether it was because of this damn concept, I couldn’t bring myself to run.

Probably because my appearance and personality didn’t match the concept, the status window thought it would be absurd and unfitting to run wildly.

Contrary to my urgent situation, my body, grotesquely, took its time to carefully observe the surroundings as I moved forward.

In this way, I demonstrated the spectacle of covering less than 300 meters in over 15 minutes.

‘Finally arrived…!’

From a distance, in front of a large building at the training ground, I saw soldiers lined up. That place probably seemed to be the headquarters of the ‘Scar Mercenary Corps.’

“You arrived right on time.”

“….Hmm.”

As I reached there, a beautiful woman with a cold impression greeted me.

“Nice to meet you, Commander. I’m Seris, the vice-commander of the ‘Scar Mercenary Corps.'”