Another Gift

I can't believe it. The mighty Minotaur is on one knee and yelling in pain.

This seems... Doable!

The Minotaur swing its weapon while still on its knee. It was much slower now I could even see it coming!

Dodging to the right and then quickly launching myself towards the Minotaur, it barely had time to react.

Your neck is mine!

[ «Flicker» ] [ «Pierce» ]

Even I could barely see it but with the help of Battle Instinct, The Minotaur head was severed and flew off into the air.

[ You received 40 gold coins for slaying a Minotaur ]

[ You leveled up ]

[ Status: Kaiden ]

[ Level: 5 ( 8 ) ]

[ STR: 9 ] ( +1 )

[ DEF: 4 ]

[ DEX: 11 ] ( +2 )

[ SPD: 12 ] ( +2 )

[ END: 9 ] ( +1 )

[ INT: 5 ]

[ LCK: 5 ]

Whew, my head is spinning. That was way too fast. I'm pretty sure Battle Aura also help enhance my speed along with Sprint. It could also be that my Speed stat has grown a bit since last time.

Aside from that...

The lifeless Minotaur body, with its head on the ground... Holy shit, I did this? Hell yeah!

Sh- should I take a picture? Holy, am I that op?

"Ah..."

Oh? The woman came back. Didn't she run away?

"I thought I told you guys to run away?"

"Yea... But we're too scared to go off on our own so... We came back"

That's fair, but isn't that dangerous? If I didn't kill it... Oh well, I did kill it so it's fine.

Now that she's here.

"Excuse me, can you take my picture?"

"Eh?"

She made a bewildered expression as if saying "Shouldn't we run?"

But come on now, I killed a Minotaur without using an offensive spell. Most of them on the internet require a whole magic unit to take one of these boys down.

I grab the Minotaur's head in my hand and pose like a satisfied hunter and his game for the day.

"Thank you!"

"Ye- yea, sure"

Damn, my picture goes hard! Should I post this to rub it on those magic users? Shii why not?

I posted it on my main account where I would show my face from time to time. Shouldn't be a problem right? Everybody is doing it and I can't miss the opportunity to be acknowledged!

"Um... Shouldn't we go now? It's getting dark"

Ah, I forgot about them. I will just post this real quick.

"Just killed a Minotaur using my own hand and skill. Feels good. #No_Magic #Solo #100%Skill"

Does this sound egotistical? Maybe, but who cares? Posted.

Alright, let's go now.

We didn't meet with any issues on our way to the hospital shelter, and soon we met them.

The road nearby was illuminated with one of those portable street lamps thingy (I don't what they're called). A few military jeeps are also present with a few military personnel.

We approach them slowly with our hands in the air. At first, they point their gun at us and then stop when they realise we are human.

Just like the stadium shelter, we are given a physical check-up first and then given a few questions to determine if we can see the blue screen.

"Alright, so you can see it after a goblin raid happened in your college right?"

"Yep"

"Ok please wait for a moment"

Hmm... something is different.

"Can you fill in this document for us? It required those who awakened"

Awakened? Now that's a classic one to call us.

"Sure, but what're this going to be used for?"

"So we could register you as an awakened and you will be notified when the government asks for assistance with handling the monster"

"Eh? You guys already made that kind of system?"

"It was recently created actually. The military is doing a good job with the monster but it seems like it's getting tougher to control the amount of monsters that appear"

"I see. So when can I expect anything to be notified?"

"About a week or less, depending on the situation, but you shouldn't expect it to be so soon"

That is what the man in the suit told me. So many things are happening on the first day.

Currently, it's 7 pm. The skinning process should end anytime soon. I already received my Special Skill so I doubt I will receive another one. There's no reason to be thinking about it, so I went to look for my parents.

I asked one of the staff and she said they might be in one of the waiting halls on the top floor. The hospital itself is really big, no wonder they turn this into a shelter.

I called them and my mom told me they were in an emergency room because Dad got hit with an arrow. He's fine and already stitched him up and now just waiting in there with other patients.

I entered the room and soon hit with the smell of medicine. It's much stronger than I remembered, perhaps it's because of my stat?

"Kaiden!"

"Hey Mom, glad you guys are fine, how are you doing Dad?"

"I'm good, just an arrow or two won't kill me"

I know it hurts like hell, I've been tagged with one you know?

"By the way son, can you explain this?"

"Hm? Explain what?"

He pulled out his phone and showed me a picture of me... Holding the Minotaur head. Oops. I forgot they follow my main account. Am I dumb?

"Ahaha, well uh... You see, it's kinda hard to explain"

I actually didn't know how to explain. Unless they know about the blue screen.

"... How did you manage to kill it?" My mom suddenly added.

Oh well, what's the harm in explaining it to them?

A few minutes went by as I explained everything that had happened, except the fact that I could regress when I died or the fact that I took on a goblin army by myself.

It's not like they don't like me doing it, but they don't like that I'm risking my life, saying that I'm their only child so I shouldn't do something stupid. And they are right.

"Right, the government might called me to assist them fighting monster"

"They're asking a child doing that?"

"I'm 19 dad, and I could took on a Minotaur remember?"

"Doesn't mean you should risk your life more than necessary. It's not your responsibility to be doing all this"

"... Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm going to sleep now..."

"We had our own sleeping bag kaiden"

I take the sleeping bag and went for one of the sleeping hall made by the hospital staff.

There's a lot of people. I wonder how many of them are Awakened. They should receive a special skill anytime soon. Since I already have one, I should just sleep.

I'm more tired than usual, I guess elixir doesn't fix the need to sleep. I'm so tired in fact, I just fallen asleep the moment I entered my sleeping bag. It feels comfortable even though it shouldn't be. Oh well, goodnight.

***

Huh? What is happening...

[ You have been given a Special Skill for surviving the Skinning Process ]

[ The Gods had decided your gift ]

I got up and ran as fast as I can to the rooftop.

No way, a glitch? I got 2 special skill? Wouldn't this make me insanely OP?

When I reached the rooftop, first I looked around, no one is here. Alright.

[ You have been given the special skill "Perfect Mirror" ]

Perfect Mirror? What skill is this.

[ Special Skill: Perfect Mirror ]

[ Ability: Create a clone of yourself to help you in battle. You and your clone are counted as one, using it won't affect the amount of Stat points you get. ( The amount of clone you can make increase everytime your intelligence went up by 10 ) ]

Huh, so I could create a party by myself and it won't even effect my growth, this actually sounds good.

[ Status: Kaiden ]

[ Special Skill: The Will Of A Cat ]

( Usage: 7/9 ) ( Refill in: 26 hours )

[ Special Skill: Perfect Mirror ]

( Usage: 1/1 ) ( Refill in: X )

[ Level: 5 ( 8 ) ]

[ STR: 9 ]

[ DEF: 4 ]

[ DEX: 11 ]

[ SPD: 12 ]

[ END: 9 ]

[ INT: 5 ]

[ LCK: 5 ]

I could only create for now.

I had a few knowledge about using a clone thanks to game and popular media, so let's run a few experiment first.

... Do I have so say it out loud?

"Perfect Mirror?"

A clone suddenly appeared out of thin air accompanied by a bright light on the ground.

It's my clone, and he's naked! Oh god if someone sees us! Oh right I bring extra set of clothes from home, I put it inside my inventory.

My clone is no longer naked, alright first thing first.

"Can you talk?"

"Yes sir"

"... Do you have any opinion on your current condition?"

"No sir"

"Ok, can I give orders then?"

"Yes sir"

How monotones, not like I care, I actually like it. I expected it to be a bit of a punk, thankfully he's just a more obedient version of myself.

"Alright, do some push up!"

He did some push up without complaint. This experiment will figure out 2 thing.

1. Will it consumes my energy to maintain form and function or only when casting it.

2. To find out if I can increase my stat using this clone. This would be an actual cheat.

...by the way, this guy just did more push up than I thought I could. And no stat increase as well. So it's a no i guess.

[ Fatigue: 27 ]

I should've checked this earlier, but I'm guessing it didn't consume any energy after being summoned. 27... About 30 energy per casting?

Now, next one.

"Can you use a skill?"

"Yes sir"

Yes?! Goodness me this brings so much opportunity!

"Alright! Use Flicker! Make sure you don't fall off the hospital!"

The clone roll his eyes and get into a stance.

He disappeared, almost like he's teleported. The sounds of him landing on the far right just moments before I realized he disappeared made me flinch.

Wow, so that how fast I go, but I didn't even use sprint to enhance it, I must be crazy fast by this time.

"Are you fine?"

"Yes sir"

"Are you not tired or anything?"

"No sir"

Hmm did it copy 100% of me? Even my stat and skill?... Shouldn't I just asked him?

"By the way, did you copy my stat as well?"

"Yes sir, but only 75%"

I see I see, perhaps it's to prevent the clone getting stronger than the caster.

Alright, second last, if this work, then my next step might actually be possible.

I closed my eyes with a thought of taking control of the clone.

When I did so, my vision change. There's a fine, handsome, and fashionable man right infront me. That's me!

Alright, I can have the clone vision, can I control the clone itself?

I was able raised the clone hand, but my original body also did the same thing.

That's weird.

I control the clone to walk around and my original body did the same.

I need practice...

2 hours later, I managed to get the hang of it. My body is currently sitting while controlling the clone to walk around. This feels natural now.

Alright, this mean the next step possible.

... Wait, what if I killed my self? If I jumped now, I would regress back and I can still keep this skill, and when the skinning process went by again, I can get another one! And if do it again and again, I might actually be the most broken Awakened!

... Hah, as if. There's no possibility that would happen, it might ended up with me losing "Perfect Mirror" in exchange for that silly reason. Not only that, I might not be as lucky and be in this hospital again. Better not to...

You know what? Who cares!

CANNON BALL!!!

[ .... You are dead ]

I woke up in the hospital, the same time that I just woke up this morning, oh so my checkpoint are reset here... Whoops.

***

Not only I didn't get another special skill I wasted my Cat lives. Well worth the shot I guess, it's not like a major loss too.

[ Status: Kaiden ]

[ Special Skill: The Will Of A Cat ]

( Usage: 6/9 ) ( Refill in: 26 hours )

[ Special Skill: Perfect Mirror ]

( Usage: 0/1 ) ( Refill in: 24 hours )

[ Level: 1 ( 8 ) ]

[ STR: 9 ]

[ DEF: 4 ]

[ DEX: 11 ]

[ SPD: 12 ]

[ END: 9 ]

[ INT: 5 ]

[ LCK: 5 ]

Yep, no loss at all. ( Except for the gold )

Anyhow, I have send my clone to go out and hunt monster, this time to figure out if I can level up using only the clone.

Something that I have figured out is that the clone range is unlimited. He's currently in the city where I killed the Minotaur and I could still take control of him.

Something is strange tho, the Minotaur corpse is gone. No sign of it being eaten, drag or burn, it's just disappeared. Flying monster perhaps? But there's no sign of the Minotaur being picked up.

I checked the internet and flying monster like giant bird, giant hornet and flying ants could be found in some parts of some city, but the city where the Minotaur has none that they know of.

If I had guess, it could be the work of someone with special skill. But what kind of skill?

Don't tell me there's someone with necromancer ability, I might cry if i found an undead Minotaur even if they're an ally.

Anyway, the city is now infested with monster, not even exaggerating. Some part of the town has been occupied by one or two race of monster and they're also getting very territorial with each other. Don't tell me they killed all the human here.

My clone mission is to just investigate the surrounding area and help people who needs it.

I give the clone a cap and a mask to hide his face. I also gave it my iron sword. Let's see what he can do.

"Ahhh!"

Oh? Sounds like someone needs a hero! Clone! Go for it!

"Yes sir"

Looks like it's a group of people trying to escape, they're surrounded by skeletons soldiers.

There's 3 cop among them and desperately trying to land a shot on the skeleton, but their shield is too thick for the cops gun.

They're some who's using a sword, most likely an Awakened, but they aren't any braver. To be fair, it's a lot of skeletons.

Alright then, kill all the skeletons, and fight viciously.

"Yes sir"

He ambushed the skeletons from behind, not giving them a chance to notice his existence.

He went ahead rushed them without fear, killing them with one swing. The clone fighting style seems very calculated, it's like if I made a perfect decision everytime, and just as I ordered him, he fight very viciously.

Soon, all of the skeletons is wiped out, without the clone using a single Skill. If this was me, I would've at least turn on "Sprint".

[ You received 39 gold coins for slaying 13 skeletons soldiers ]

I didn't level up, but at least I got more gold coin.

"Thank you! We are saved!"

".... Right"

"W- where are you going? You can join us to the shelter!"

Damn, it might take half a day to reach here without using a skill...

"... I will clear the way for you"

"Huh? Clear the way? You're not going with us?"

"..... No, but make sure you take this route I'm going to show you. Just be careful"

"Alright..."

Clearing some route for a safe travels is good enough.... But I don't feel like controlling him for too long, my head is kinda dizzy from his fight.

Can you do what you just did on your own? I mean killing monsters, savings people you found and clears the way for them. Inform me if something bad happen.

"Yes sir"

Oh by the way, what would happen if your Fatigue reached 100?

"I will die and disappear sir"

.... I see. Just do what you can then.