What to do with Yeonbada.
Initially, after much deliberation, I had decided on two courses of action.
The best option and the next-best option.
The best option was to reconcile with her through conversation and go our separate ways, each living our own lives.
Without distinguishing between the original body and the clone body.
*I don't know what happened over the past three years, but Yeonbada has her own identity by now. It's unlikely she'd want to return to Haneul at this point, so it's better to guarantee her current life instead.*
Perhaps that was the only way for me, Yeonhaneul, Hong Yena—who wasn't present—and Yeonbada to avoid hurting one another.
That's what I had thought.
Of course, if she acknowledged that she was a clone and wished to return to Yeonhaneul, I couldn't have asked for more.
But if…
she refused to speak with us and kept insisting she was the original, then as the next-best option…
*I'm sorry to Bada, but it can't be helped. I'll have no choice but to force her to return to Haneul.*
Yeonbada is Yeonhaneul too.
I know that.
But my heart couldn't help leaning more toward Yeonhaneul.
Because I had spent more time with her.
So much so that I was prepared to harm Yeonbada myself if it was for Yeonhaneul's sake.
*Three years ago, I couldn't do a thing. I just had to watch over Haneul. Foolishly, helplessly…*
Because of that, Yeonhaneul had been tormented for a long time by the experience of killing herself.
Even now…
*I won't let that happen again.*
So I had intended to face Yeonbada myself if it came down to it…
I never imagined Yeonhaneul would step forward to do it herself.
"Are you really okay with this?"
At the Gray Gate, Western Inn I—the dueling ground agreed upon by Yeonhaneul and Yeonbada.
With the crumbling inn as our backdrop, I asked Yeonhaneul as we entered the world that stretched out into a barren wasteland.
She, turning her back to face the match, answered without hesitation.
"Yeah, I'm fine. So don't worry."
"…."
Yeonhaneul's eyes were resolute.
It didn't seem like I could stop her.
I had tried to talk her out of the match even now, but in the end, I let out a sigh.
I had to resign myself and accept it.
"Fine, I get it. It can't be helped. I have to trust my childhood friend, what else can I do…."
"Huh? Look at you. Am I still just a childhood friend to you?"
"I have to trust my girlfriend, what else can I do."
"Yeah!"
Yeonhaneul giggled.
Even facing an important match, she didn't seem nervous at all.
That must have meant she was confident.
I urged her.
"You have to win. Don't lose."
"Yeah, I'll definitely win and come back."
Yeonhaneul declared.
Soon, the match began.
* * *
Even if they had spent different amounts of time, Yeonhaneul and Yeonbada's foundation was the same.
For example, in terms of combat techniques, they both utilized physical techniques learned at the swordsmanship hall of the Singeom Doga and magic learned from Hong Yena.
Therefore, petty tricks to deceive the opponent's eyes didn't work.
The two chose to clash head-on without holding back.
*To think they'd go at it like this from the start….*
Generally, battles between mages are decided by who can cast magic faster and neutralize the opponent's spells.
In other words, the key was mana control and understanding.
There was less emphasis on fighting by exchanging physical blows.
But the fight between Yeonhaneul and Yeonbada was different.
As if by agreement, they cast body-strengthening magic on themselves and crashed directly into each other.
Giving up the ranged advantage of mages.
It was truly a head-on battle.
*Haneul, and Bada too… Both of them are really dead set….*
Without an inch of hesitation, revealing their intent to kill.
The two threw punches with all their might, kicked, and swung giant iron maces.
All the while reading each other's movements and responding skillfully.
The exchanges continued nonstop.
Fiercely, savagely.
*In terms of martial arts, they're evenly matched. Overall, Haneul's physical abilities are a bit higher, so she's slightly ahead, but…*
Unfortunately, that was all.
It was not enough to decide victory or defeat.
Of course, if Yeonhaneul dragged out the fight, her chances of winning would increase…
But Yeonbada wouldn't allow that.
She would try to exploit an opening in Yeonhaneul somehow before it turned into a contest of stamina.
Sure enough, she launched a counterattack from her defensive position.
The moment Yeonhaneul raised her iron mace to strike, Yeonbada pulled something from her pocket and threw it.
Swish!
"…!"
It was a throwing knife.
It seemed she had learned the art of concealed weapons during the past three years.
In any case, Yeonhaneul halted her attack and dodged in a hurry.
Yeonbada didn't miss that opening and leaped forward before Yeonhaneul could regain her stance.
Putting her weight behind it, she kicked fiercely.
Thud!
Yeonhaneul quickly raised her arm to block.
She was pushed backward by the force.
Yeonbada immediately closed the distance.
"Die."
"…!"
From top to bottom.
Leaving an afterimage with her red eyes, she brought the iron mace down.
The iron mace crashed into the ground.
A deafening roar erupted, fragments flew, and a cloud of dust billowed up.
A single direct hit would have been enough to leave one's body shattered.
Depending on the circumstances, one could be crushed on the spot.
*Haneul…*
There was no way Yeonhaneul had been hit.
Believing so without a shred of doubt, I strained my eyes to see through the dust cloud.
But in the cratered ground, there was only Sanullim—her main weapon—and Yeonbada.
As for where she was…
She had widened her distance from Yeonbada and moved beyond the dust cloud.
Fwoosh!
Yeonhaneul activated a spell.
4th-tier Dark Magic, Eclipse Raid.
Multiple magic circles appeared in the sky, dropping black bombardments toward Yeonbada.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
To a degree incomparable to before.
The ground shook violently.
Each bombardment from above caused the ground to explode, sending up clouds of dust.
There was no time to cast a defensive spell in the midst of it.
Yeonbada ran blindly across the ground to escape the bombardment.
Then Yeonhaneul waved her hand, adjusting the bombardment's range.
*It won't be easy to escape from that.*
Ruthless.
From Yeonbada's perspective, being chased like that would naturally make her curse.
Unless she broke through this situation, she stood no chance of winning.
Right then.
"Device Off."
The iron mace Yeonbada held reverted into a metal plate.
Then she pulled her arm back and assumed a throwing posture.
"Device On."
She threw the metal plate at Yeonhaneul.
The metal plate regained its original form mid-flight.
Swoosh!
"…!"
The iron mace threatened Yeonhaneul.
She had no choice but to cancel her spell to evade the mace.
It was an opportunity for Yeonbada.
Fwing!
To obstruct Yeonhaneul from casting dangerous magic.
Yeonbada, clasping her index fingers together, rapid-fired 2nd-tier wind element magic.
In response, Yeonhaneul grabbed the iron mace that had fallen nearby and swung it.
The wind bullets scattered.
Yeonhaneul immediately chased after Yeonbada.
Yeonbada kept her in check with the same magic and quickly circled toward the pit.
Inside the pit was Sanullim.
Kwa-aaang!
Wielding each other's weapons.
The two fought.
The iron mace and Sanullim collided head-on.
The impact, which made the air screech, was transmitted inevitably through their hands.
Their bodies trembled visibly even from afar.
It must have been excruciating from the vibration.
Yet the two ignored it and began trading blows the moment they released their weapons.
They slapped cheeks, clawed with nails, and even grabbed each other's hair.
It was a scene of pure malice.
"They're both… fighting so frighteningly…."
"I agree. No mercy whatsoever."
"Ugh… just watching makes me feel like I'm the one getting hit… If they keep this up, they'll get scars on their faces…."
"Mages should fight like mages, what is this? Those crazy bitches…."
"Faces and hair are off-limits… Ugh, that must hurt…."
"…."
Friends like Ganghanbyeol, Yonghaerang, Risa, Minarin, Goeunbi, and the others were horrified.
I felt the same way.
Regardless, Yeonhaneul and Yeonbada fought, rolling across the ground.
Immediately after, they let go of each other's collars and distanced themselves.
The moment they grabbed their own weapons…
Kwa-aaang!
They clashed head-on once more.
Like that…
Yeonhaneul and Yeonbada did not retreat, fighting nearly evenly matched.
It was a chaotic battle that seemed like it would never end.
But as time passed, the tide gradually turned in Yeonhaneul's favor.
Moreover.
Yeonhaneul unleashed the power she had been hiding.
She spread massive wings, with rabbit ears at their center.
By doing so, her magic was enhanced, and the burden of casting high-tier magic was reduced.
A favorable environment was created, allowing her to wield 5th-tier magic.
Relatively, Yeonbada, who was at the 4th-tier, was inevitably placed at a greater disadvantage.
In the end.
"This ends now."
Yeonbada couldn't turn the tide.
Yeonhaneul traced her hand through the air.
───!!!
Above Yeonbada, who was kneeling under the pressure of a gravitational field.
Black light fell like a carpet bombing.
That settled it.
It was Yeonhaneul's victory, and Yeonbada's defeat.
* * *
She had known all along.
That she couldn't defeat Yeonhaneul.
Even so, the reason she had appeared before Yeonhaneul and recklessly challenged her to a duel was because she had lost all hope in life.
Because she would have to keep living alone, lonely, with no one to rely on.
Because she would have to live with a heart full of resentment, unable to win Dogyeonu's heart.
If that was the case…
She would rather die.
She no longer wanted to live.
"…."
Yeonbada opened her eyes.
She was looking up at the sky.
Lying flat on the ground.
"Ah…."
She had no strength in her body.
She couldn't move a single finger.
In the end, Yeonbada had to accept it.
She lost.
She let out a short sigh.
"Are you conscious?"
"…."
"I won."
Yeonhaneul, with disheveled hair and claw marks on her cheek.
There were bloodstains at the corners of her mouth.
Starting with her in that wretched state, Dogyeonu and the others entered Yeonbada's vision.
Yeonbada closed her eyes briefly.
Soon, having caught her breath, she spoke with cracked lips.
"Kill me."
"…."
Still, it was a relief.
That she could see Dogyeonu at the end…
Yeonbada directed her gaze toward him and let out a bitter smile.
She decided to quietly wait for death like this.
But no matter how much time passed, Yeonhaneul didn't try to kill her.
Yeonbada furrowed her brow.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you killing me? Don't tell me you're suddenly scared to kill me and getting weak-minded? Don't hesitate. You and I cannot coexist."
"Yeah, I'm not hesitating? I've killed my clones so many times; I'm not scared of killing one more of you."
"…Then stop looking down on me and just kill me already."
Yeonbada protested in a trembling voice.
Yeonhaneul smirked.
As if… treating a child.
"Why do I have to kill you?"
"What? Are you serious? Did you forget our bet?"
"I remember. We agreed that the one who won the fight would become the real one."
"Yes! And the loser…."
"…would die, is what you decided on your own. I never agreed to that."
"What the… Don't tell me… Are you saying you'll let me live?"
"Yeah."
"Are you crazy? Are you pitying me? Who said I wanted that? I'd rather you kill me than pity me. Why should I accept your pity? I don't want to live as a fake Yeonhaneul anymore."
"Yeah, I am pitying you. So I'll forgive you for coating your concealed weapon with poison too. Anyway… most poisons don't work on me anymore."
"…What?"
"Isn't how to treat the loser entirely up to the winner? So whether I pity you or not, you have no right to complain."
"Who do you think you are…."
"Me? The real Yeonhaneul. And you are…."
"…."
"My little sister."
"…What?"
Strength was gradually returning to her.
Because of that, if Yeonhaneul had mocked her with her wounded mouth, calling her a fake Yeonhaneul, Yeonbada had intended to hit her to vent her anger instead.
But out of nowhere, little sister…?
Yeonbada doubted her own ears.
Yeonhaneul was giggling.
"Why would you be a fake Yeonhaneul? You have a different name. That makes you real too."
"…."
"Yeonbada. It's a good name. It goes well with my name, like sisters. It's a really pretty name. Let's get along well from now on."
Yeonhaneul extended her hand.
Yeonbada simply stared blankly at her radiant smile.
Eventually.
"Hic…"
Yeonbada's face contorted.
She shed tears.
Overcome with emotion, she cried sorrowfully.
Hesitating, she reached out her hand.
Then, as if she couldn't stand it, Yeonhaneul quickly snatched her hand.
The two held hands.
"Please take care of me, Bada."
"…Yeah, Unni."
Following Yeonhaneul's lead.
Yeonbada, sniffling repeatedly, slowly raised herself up.
I became the childhood friend of the mid-boss.