Raising A Few Wives in a Beast Apocalypse

Raya's trial ground...

"Blargh!" Raya, who hadn't moved for a few seconds, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

She then weakly got back to her feet. While she was in her dragon form. Her body had shrunk from its giant size. She was just five metres long and reached around four metres in height.

She was just an infant Eastern dragon, so she looked somewhat like a wingless Western dragon...

(A/N: You know, like Raya from Raya. That's definitely not what inspired her name... I'm not that unoriginal, I swear! (^_^)

Anyway, after she got to her feet. She looked toward the cave. Her eyes were still full of disbelief. Which seemed to overwhelm even the pain she felt.

Her eyes widened even further when she confirmed that she didn't see wrongly. A beast was reflected in her eyes. A beast quite familiar to her.

It had flaming yellow eyes, snow-white scales, pitch black fur going down its spine and deer-like antlers among other familiar features. Even the very aura was the same.

That's right, the beast Raya was seeing was herself. Well, not exactly herself, but a doppelganger. Every feature was on point!

If she wasn't the one seeing the doppelganger, she would have definitely thought that it was her. That's how convincing the copy was.

It was a rather eerie sight, to be honest. If she had human skin, her whole body would have long been covered in goosebumps. Just like Muku...

The doppelganger was slowly making its way towards her. She was so creeped out that she would take a step back for each step forward the copy took.

Which, of course, made her bump into a few trees. That didn't stop her, she would just adjust her position and continue retreating.

"Don't be afraid little one. It's just a test. It's the last part of your trial which I organised after some thought. Your talent is so great I had to think outside the box. I worked it out and realised that you were pretty much guaranteed to win against any opponent I could send unless they had absolute power. Which would make the whole trial pointless. So..." Mrs C's voice rang in the forest.

"You chose to have me face myself?" Raya continued Mrs C's statement. Hearing Mrs C's voice had calmed her down. It helped her get over the chilling experience. She had never been so creeped out before, in her whole life.

"Yes! Aren't I the smartest? Who, apart from themselves, can be a genius's greatest foe? No one, that's who! Especially you. The only way you can shine even brighter than the brightest light is by outshining yourself. Of course, if you can succeed by literally beating yourself... You won't be disappointed by the reward" Mrs C continued speaking. Her tone sounded a lot prouder than usual.

"Umm, I guess that makes sense... However, can you tell me what the copy can do if you don't mind? And can you please make it stop for a bit? Its slow approach is really creeping out," Raya spoke.

"I think it would be easier to tell you what it can't do. This is because it can do and think of anything you've ever thought of up to this point. What it can't do is go beyond those thoughts. So, the only way to defeat it is by thinking outside of your usual box... Since, you know, it has access to the whole box" Mrs C replied.

Her reply made Raya almost faint on the spot. It was the worst news she could hear.

As someone who had to survive on her own from the start, Raya had to do a lot of thinking. She also had the time for it in between her rare hunts.

For that reason, she had thought of anything related to fighting that she could. She was probably the first beast in The Beast Forest to create fighting techniques. She also studied all the creatures around her, to identify their weaknesses. While doing so, she, of course, studied herself.

Which was a good thing at the time since she would know better what needed to be protected. At the very least, in the modern era, no beast did such a thing.

She was definitely an oddball. Which made her even more despised by those around her. Adding to the hate she received for her bloodline...

In retrospect, her being a genius might not have just been because she was born lucky. She definitely put in the work.

Anyway, all that didn't matter. What mattered was that her opponent literally knew her completely inside and out. All her moves, strengths, tendencies and most importantly weaknesses...

She was definitely screwed. Her face would have gone pale from the realisation if she were human.

"Umm... Can I surrender?" Raya instantly gave up. She saw no way out. The best she could hope for in the fight was a draw. And that would also come at a steep price. She didn't see the point of paying when the reward was only for a situation where she won.

"There was, you and Muku both shared a single chance to surrender. Unfortunately, he used it first... A few minutes ago even. So, there's no other option but to fight" Mrs C gave Raya a lazy and clearly made-up reason as to why Raya couldn't back down.

"Right. Okay, that makes sense. I completely understand" Raya spoke bleakly.

Though she knew that it wasn't Muku's fault. She still cursed him out in her head. She had to vent in some way, after all. And there was no way she would curse Mrs C. Even in her head...

"Good that you understand. I've always liked smart children. Anyway, the fight will start in 3... 2... 1..." Mrs C replied shamelessly then immediately got things moving.

"Fight!" She shouted exaggeratedly at the end.

Boom!

The copy instantly exploded forward. And as if mocking Raya. It used her special method for a short speed burst.

Even though she had already been told about it. Raya was still surprised. Seeing and hearing were different from knowing, after all. Then...

Bang!

Boom!

Raya took a dragon slap to the face. Her body spun into the distance before crashing into another tree.

While she wasn't in her best mental state. It was undeniable that the copy was owning her. From the cave to now, she has been receiving without sending at all.

"Pathetic... How are you the real me? I'm clearly better" Fake Raya spoke... Apparently, she could talk!

"What the..."

Bang!

Raya was about to express her disbelief when she received another attack. Her body flew into the distance again.

"Tsk, why are you surprised by my ability to talk. You idiot? I'm a replica of you, so obviously I can talk" Fake Raya spoke in a disdainful tone.

Although, she had taken a cheap shot on Raya that time. What she said made sense. Raya shouldn't have been surprised by something so obvious.

But she was... Did Fake Raya know that she would be surprised? Was her familiarity with Raya already showing results? And on a psychological level no less.

"Huff! You've certainly had your fun. Now it's my turn..." Raya, who had finally managed to collect herself, spoke as she got up.

The fire in her eyes that had gone out when she first saw Fake Raya was rekindled.

Boom!

She used the same speed burst move that Fake Raya used before. In less than a second, she was in front of Fake Raya. Her right claw was stretched out ready to return the favour.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!....

Unfortunately for her, Fake Raya wasn't distracted like she was before. So, she clearly saw everything coming. Which allowed her to react appropriately.

Fake Raya managed to easily block off each and every one of Raya's attacks. She did it so easily it was almost like Raya was fighting with her own mirror image.

And unless you're Patrick Star, there's no way you can beat up your mirror image...

"Roooar!" Raya roared in frustration as she retreated back.

Fake Raya didn't pursue. She just looked on with a smug look on her dragonic face. If she could smile like humans, she would probably be grinning from ear to ear.

"Pathetic... Not even a single blow landed. You really can't beat yourself after all. Just give up if you can't do it. Stop wasting everyone's time" Fake Raya rubbed salt into the wound of Raya's frustration.

"Shut up! Tsk... Aren't you supposed to be like me? Since when was I so chatty mid-battle? You're ruining my reputation in front of Mrs C you arrogant loudmouth!" Raya spat out curses at Fake Raya.

"Oh please, we both know that you're very capable of doing what I'm doing. You've thought about it after all. You just never got the chance to implement it. And how do I know that?... Oh wait, I'm yo..." Fake Raya was busy retorting when...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Boom!

Raya took the chance when she was distracted and made her move. She didn't stop at one though. She did a triple combo before backing off.

Fake Raya hit hard into a tree as a result. She finally tasted her own medicine.

"Well played..." Fake Raya complimented Raya while getting up.

"Well, you're not the only one who knows me inside and out..." Raya replied with a happy glint in her eyes.

It seems the trial wasn't impossible after all. If she plays her cards well. She might really be able to beat herself up...