Footsteps sounded out through the mountain.

Seo-jun’s Reflection ran as fast as it could.

Although it was merely a reflection, it had inherited much of the original Seo-jun’s memories, instincts, and way of thinking.

The only difference was that those memories had been altered.

Every important choice had led to the most favorable outcome and every mistake the original committed had been corrected.

His entire path had been optimized by the [Mother of Reflection].

Yet despite all those differences, there was one conclusion both versions shared.

That "red angel" was dangerous...

No matter the cost... It had to kill him.

A feeling resembling fear quietly surfaced within the Reflection’s mind.

It could not speak due to the restrictions of only being a reflection, but it could still form its own thoughts and emotions.

With a wave of spiritual energy, it immediately ordered every nearby spirit under its control to converge upon Adam’s location.

The more time that man was given, the worse the situation would become.

The Reflection quickly changed direction and sprinted toward the nearest temple.

It intended to replenish the spiritual energy it had consumed.

As it arrived however... It suddenly stopped.

The once peaceful temple had completely changed.

Black flowers had spread across every inch of the stone pathway.

Their roots crawled along the ancient walls while wilted petals drifted through the air like ashes.

Even the sacred prayer ropes hanging beneath the shrine gates had become stained with dark vines.

The Reflection immediately understood the ploy that was being committed here.

It seems that those stream hunters intended to corrupt the spiritual energy around the temples.

If it absorbed the energy within this temple, the corruption carried by those flowers would spread throughout its own spiritual body.

Rather than recovering its strength, it would slowly poison itself from within.

Without the slightest hesitation, it abandoned the temple and rushed toward another.

Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.

Just then, figures stepped out from between the trees.

Five... ten... dozens.

Every single one looked exactly like Seo-jun.

Their robes and faces matched his equally.

Even their expressions were nearly identical.

The Reflection immediately realized something.

These weren’t spirits under its control!

They belonged to the original!

The fake Seo-juns slowly tilted their heads in unison.

Then they began speaking.

SpeaktomeSpeaktomeSpeaktomeSpeaktome...

WhoAreYouWhoAreYouWhoAreYouWhoAreYou...

WElookTHesameWElookTHesameWElookTHesame...

Their voices overlapped into an unnatural chorus.

The Reflection refused to give an answer as it stayed silent.

Among shamans or even among the public, there had always been warnings that had been passed down for generations.

Never answer something that wears your face!

Different lands gave them different names.

Some called them doppelgangers.

Others knew them as vardøgers, fetches, wandering imitation spirits, or even skin walkers.

Regardless of what they were called, the rule remained the same.

Never acknowledge them!

The moment one responded... The spirit would no longer remain a mere imitation.

By recognizing its individuality, one would unknowingly affirm its state of "existence".

In many old legends, those who accepted or conversed with their own double eventually found themselves replaced, as though the spirit had stolen the right to exist in their place.

To shamans, this was not simply superstition.

Acknowledgment itself possessed power!

Just as Stream Hunters strengthened their own state of existence through growth and recognition through [Experience Points], these strange spirits became more real the more their victims accepted them as separate beings.

To speak to them was to feed them.

The Reflection calmly reached into its sleeve.

A talisman appeared between its fingers.

Golden symbols immediately illuminated the paper.

Without stopping its stride, it flicked the talisman forward.

The paper split into dozens of glowing strips that scattered through the forest like streaks of light.

The moment they touched the imitation spirits—

Fwoosh!

Brilliant spiritual flames erupted.

One after another, the false Seo-juns dissolved into white ash before disappearing completely, their distorted voices fading into silence.

Without looking back, the Reflection continued running deeper into the mountains.

Suddenly, it came to an abrupt stop.

Several shadows hid among the trees ahead.

Without hesitation, the Reflection pulled out another talisman and infused it with spiritual energy.

The paper ignited as a burst of brilliant light exploded in every direction.

The shadows immediately scattered, attempting to retreat into the darkness.

However, no matter how quick they were, they could not outrun light itself.

The blinding radiance swept across the forest, forcing every hidden shadow into view.

The Reflection’s expression remained calm, but inwardly, it had already reached a conclusion...

This was the second time it had nearly been ambushed.

Its location had somehow been compromised.

Someone... was tracking it.

The Reflection immediately pulled out another talisman.

Closing its eyes, it pressed the paper against its forehead as spiritual energy spread through the surrounding area.

Moments later, its eyes suddenly flew open.

Shock flashed across its face.

It slowly lowered its gaze.

Its own shadow... was moving!

A shadowy creature had quietly hidden itself within it all this time.

Without hesitation, the Reflection attempted to force it out.

However, the creature reacted first.

Its dark arms suddenly shot upward, tightly grabbing onto the Reflection’s body.

Fwoosh!

The protective talismans attached to the Reflection immediately activated.

Spiritual flames erupted from its robes, engulfing both itself and the shadow creature.

The creature shrieked as its body burned away.

The Reflection didn’t stop its movements after realizing the amount of danger it was in.

It immediately attempted to flee once more.

But... its feet refused to move!

The Reflection’s pupils contracted.

It slowly raised its head to the area in front of it.

Standing several meters ahead was a little girl.

Guin silently looked at it, her expression calm despite her young age.

There wasn’t a trace of the shy, timid, and awkward girl Adam had come to know.

Her face was emotionless, her brows relaxed, and her eyes remained steady as they quietly watched the Reflection.

The Reflection instinctively froze for a brief moment.

That expression...

It reminded it of the crimson-winged man.

The same indifferent face.

The same calm eyes that looked at enemies as though they had already been defeated.

Somehow, without even realizing it, Guin had begun imitating the expression Adam always wore in battle.

A transparent barrier surrounded the Reflection’s body.

[Absolute Stasis]

Its movements had been halted.

Realizing the danger it was in, the Reflection immediately clacked its teeth together twice.

Click. Click.

Ancient symbols rapidly spread across its body.

This was the activation method for its teleportation technique.

Its body gradually became translucent as it prepared to swap places with one of its distant spirits.

Everything was proceeding perfectly...

Then— Snip.

The spiritual symbols covering its body suddenly stopped.

Its expression froze.

The teleportation failed before it could even activate.

It felt as though the invisible link connecting it to its summoned spirit had suddenly been "cut" apart.

The Reflection instinctively looked upward.

A lone figure descended from the sky.

Adam.

The crimson wings behind his back slowly beat against the wind as he looked down at the trapped Reflection.

After witnessing the Reflection use its teleportation once before, Adam had already begun thinking of a way to stop it.

Earlier, the Reflection had used the connection between Adam and his blood monkey against him, sending purification through that link.

That single moment had inspired him.

If connections could transmit power, then they could also be severed.

The moment the Reflection activated its teleportation, Adam used [Authority of Disconnection].

Rather than trying to locate the exact spirit Seo-jun intended to switch places with, Adam temporarily severed every spiritual connection linking the Reflection to its summoned spirits.

Although it lasted for only an instant, that instant was enough.

It was no different from interrupting a mage mid-cast, causing the spell to collapse before it could fully take shape.

Of course, if the true owner of [Authority of Disconnection] had been standing here, they likely could have severed every connection effortlessly for a much longer period of time.

Adam, however, could not do that.

His understanding of [Disconnection] remained shallow as his state of existence had not been built upon it.

The Reflection failed to understand why its teleportation had stopped.

Before it could think any further—

Shkk! Shkk! Shkk!

Dozens of crimson spears pierced through its body from every direction.

Blood erupted into the air as the Reflection staggered backward.

Another volley followed immediately after.

There was nowhere left to dodge.

The Reflection’s body gradually became covered in cracks, spreading across its entire form like shattered glass.

A second later—

Crash!

Its body exploded into countless mirror fragments that scattered across the mountainside before slowly fading into particles of light.

In its final moments, the Reflection didn’t think about its defeat.

Instead, it could only imagine its grandfather standing before the ruined temples, sighing at the sight of the withered black flowers that had stained the sacred grounds.

’...He would’ve been angry.’

[Reflection: Shaman of Borrowed Lives has been defeated.]

[Rewards and Experience Points will be distributed after all Reflections have been eliminated.]

[Preparing the Next Reflection...]

[Time Remaining: 20 Minutes]