Chapter 490: Mutual Provocation

Fire crows fused with the "Pain" disease? That's possible? If I switch to the "Hunter" pathway, could I achieve something similar? Is this the unique, bizarre ability fusion that comes from switching pathways? Franca thought to herself, coughing while feeling both surprised, solemn, and a hint of excitement born from anticipation.

Although she was forced out of her stealth state, she was already very close to the female Anthony. She raised her left hand and aimed the "Ring of Discipline" she wore on her thumb at that mirror-person.

But in reality, Franca did not use "Mental Piercing"; this was merely a feint she performed to confuse the target and any hidden enemies.

She had just noticed the battle on Lu Mian's side and suspected that the female Anthony also possessed a "Mirror Substitute," meaning "Mental Piercing" might not yield the desired effect.

Since that was the case, it was better to inflict a negative status that wouldn't trigger a "Mirror Substitute."

The "Beatrice's Necklace" hanging on Franca's chest reflected the surrounding firelight, fully awakening the female Anthony's desire for achievement.

She had long since discovered that these "mirror-people" were hostile and resentful toward their real-world counterparts, possessing an intense desire to prove themselves.

The desire for achievement was their greatest weakness.

When the female Anthony heard two coughs right beside her, she, as a "Psychiatrist," made the same choice as her male counterpart.

Unable to dodge subsequent attacks at such close range, she turned her body halfway and looked toward Franca and Jenna, whose figures had emerged.

Her pupils turned vertical and pale gold.

"Intimidation"!

Unlike the male Anthony, the female Anthony chose "Intimidation" because there were two attackers, and this ability could affect both targets simultaneously.

An aura reminiscent of a dragon, a creature at the top of the food chain, descended instantly. Both Franca and Jenna couldn't help but show fear, their bodies trembling.

One froze in place, while the other attempted to flee toward the nearest gray-white stone pillar to hide behind it.

However, before the female Anthony used Intimidation, the coughing Jenna also launched an attack. She threw the blood-stained half-cloak she had been carrying, letting the "Bone Flute" and the wooden box roll to the target's feet.

With her other hand, she pulled the trigger of her revolver, sending a yellow bullet wreathed in black flames flying toward the female Anthony.

At this moment, she was affected by "Intimidation," and her right hand shook along with her body, causing the bullet to inevitably miss its mark.

With a *bang*, the mirror-Gardner Martin was nearly struck by the stray bullet.

Fortunately, he had been moving and maneuvering, and he took the opportunity to dive to the ground, dodging the bullet before rolling into another shadow and vanishing.

Unharmed, the female Anthony's eyes seemed to burn with fire. She abandoned the idea of following up with "Mania" on the intimidated Franca and instead fixed her gaze on the coughing, moving male version of herself.

*Thump, thump, thump*, she ran toward him, needing to defeat the male Anthony to prove herself.

At this moment, behind the frozen Franca and the running Jenna, two figures materialized—the male Franca and male Jenna who had hidden using their abilities earlier.

The former lunged at Franca's back with a sleeve sword tipped with black flames, stabbing with all his might, while the latter stared viciously at Jenna's back and pulled the trigger.

With two *crack* sounds, Franca and Jenna's bodies shattered like mirrors, allowing them to break free from the "Intimidation," though their throat irritation remained, forcing them to endure the discomfort and cough occasionally while fighting the male Franca and male Jenna.

Lu Mian's throat was also itching, and his head, already accustomed to enduring high heat, felt feverish.

As a "Monk," this level of disease wasn't enough to break his endurance. He looked at the female Lu Mian not far away, and red flames wreathed his body, forming a fireball that he launched at her.

The female Lu Mian, with blood vessels still bulging on her face, sneered and vanished from her spot once more.

"Spirit World Traversal" again!

Her figure materialized behind the rapidly moving Anthony, seemingly determined to kill this "Psychiatrist" at all costs.

At this moment, the fireball Lu Mian had launched dissipated prematurely, turning into streaks of light.

Within the light, Lu Mian's figure flashed, and he "teleported" right beside Anthony.

He had been feinting earlier, waiting for the female Lu Mian to use "Spirit World Traversal" so he could follow right behind and intercept her!

To achieve this, Lu Mian had not only kept the fireball in an unstable state but also borrowed the power of the "Liar" earring to enhance his control over flames.

He appeared beside Anthony, barely slower than the female Lu Mian, and immediately clenched his hands, covered in iron-black gauntlets, and rained blows upon the "mirror-self."

A flurry of punches!

Simultaneously, Lu Mian simulated the desire he wanted to see in his mind:

The desire to replace the real person!

This desire was easier to trigger and would be easier to detonate later!

Lu Mian, already wearing the "Torture" gauntlets, hoped to use this state—which might not be negated by a "Mirror Substitute"—to influence the target, causing the "mirror-self" to briefly lose the ability to fight.

With a *bang*, Lu Mian's left and right punches were blocked by the female Lu Mian, but she had no gauntlets, and her forearms were pierced by the short spikes on the "Torture" gauntlets, drawing blood.

Her eyes became increasingly resentful and vicious, as if she wished Lu Mian would die the very next second.

She completely abandoned her lock on Anthony.

*Bang, bang, bang*, Lu Mian threw punch after punch, interrupting the "mirror-self's" attempts to use other abilities.

He kept mocking her:

"Yo, no 'Torture' gauntlets?

"Are you that weak, unable to even mirror a Beyonder item that isn't even at the demigod level?"

Lu Mian did this firstly to vent his emotions, and secondly to provoke his female self, increasing the probability of the "Torture" gauntlets detonating her desires and emotions.

The female Lu Mian didn't hide her rage. While blocking the punches, she also retorted with a mocking tone:

"Trash!

"If you had discovered Aurora's abnormality earlier, the problem might have been solved.

"Trash! If it were me, I definitely would have done better than you!"

Lu Mian's mind buzzed. Even as a "Monk," he was "provoked."

This was the deep-seated annoyance and guilt he had always hidden, one of the roots of all his pain.

His eyes turned bloodshot, and feelings of shame and intense self-destructive impulses surged from the bottom of his heart.

He attacked even more frantically, wanting to sink his spirit into his right hand to see what would happen if he unleashed the aura of the "Blood Emperor" here, in the mirror-world of the Fourth Epoch Trier. What would it attract?

At that point, everyone here, as well as the corrupted Beyonders like Voisin Sanson in other areas, would all die—they would all die together!

At this moment, Lu Mian's thoughts suddenly cleared. His emotions and impulses were brushed away like a gentle breeze, and he heard the melodious tune Aurora loved to hum in his ears. He quickly calmed down.

"Pacify!"

The "Pacify" ability from the "Psychiatrist" Anthony.

While Lu Mian was raining blows on the female Lu Mian, Anthony had distanced himself and was circling the area where Lu Mian was fighting, dodging the pursuit of his female counterpart. Whenever he saw his companion's emotions going awry, he immediately cast "Pacify."

Meanwhile, the female Anthony, influenced by "Beatrice's Necklace," had eyes only for the real version of herself and completely ignored the female Lu Mian's plight.

Lu Mian suppressed his self-destructive impulses. Looking around, he saw the female Lu Mian swaying under his violent attacks, her expression twisted. He saw Franca and Jenna coughing more and more severely, to the point where it affected their ability to use powers, forcing them to use another "Mirror Substitute" after being cornered by their male counterparts.

Franca was still okay, but Jenna likely had only one "Mirror Substitute" left.

Seeing this, Lu Mian, whose forehead was already burning hot, felt a mix of worry, tension, and confusion.

Where was the mirror-Gardner?

In this situation, whether he attacked Franca, Jenna, or himself and Anthony, the results would be excellent—he could even kill one of them in a single blow, as he was a "Reaper."

But the mirror-Gardner hadn't launched a single attack; only his echoing mocking laughter proved he was still here, still trying to persuade them to give up and hand over the black statue.

"Hmph!"

Seizing the moment when Lu Mian's offensive slowed, the female Lu Mian, pushed to her limit, used "Hiss-Ha."

Two white lights struck Lu Mian, and his vision went black, experiencing the same sensation as the many enemies before him.

*Crack! *

A mirror shattered on Franca's body, and Lu Mian's figure materialized beside her.

As his thoughts recovered, several ideas flashed through his mind:

"After spreading the disease with the plague crows, the mirror-Gardner hasn't used any other offensive abilities, only hiding in shadows or vanishing...

"No, it didn't start from spreading the disease; it started from the appearance of the male Franca and the other 'mirror-people'...

"Why isn't he attacking?

"My mirror-self doesn't have the 'Torture' gauntlets, and probably doesn't have the 'Blood Emperor' aura, the 'Fool's' seal, or Termiboros... The 'Torture' gauntlets were made from the branches of the 'Shadow Tree'...

"This mirror-world is clearly very dangerous and terrifying; it shouldn't be unable to mirror even the 'Torture' gauntlets..."

Suddenly, Lu Mian thought of a reason:

These four "mirror-people" weren't naturally generated by the mirror-world of the Fourth Epoch Trier, but were created by the mirror-Gardner Martin using his special connection to this place!

This was equivalent to an ability!

The mirror-Gardner wasn't attacking because he was struggling to maintain the four "mirror-people." He had no capacity to attack and could only hide himself, using his voice to interfere with his enemies and influence their fighting will!

As these thoughts raced through his mind, a smile appeared on Lu Mian's face.

He dodged the male Franca's attack and the female Lu Mian's "teleportation," then took out the "True Eye" he had obtained from Bouvard, putting the strange, flesh-like monocle to his eye.

This could see through illusions, see the truth, and see the radiance of spirituality!

(End of chapter)