Reincarnated into a Doomed Novel as an Unknown Extra-Chapter 70: The Fifth Challenge

I took the core out of the duchess’ head and scanned it. It was unlike any core I had seen before.

Instead of taking the shape of a perfect sphere, it took the shape of a dodecahedron.

I tried to absorb it normally, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know if that was because of my new core or this core was simply special, but I gave up in the end.

I decided that breaking it would be a waste, so I put it in my abyssal pocket. All the remaining souls with me weren’t enough to make a change anyway, so it was better to leave them for emergencies.

*Ding!*

I heard a familiar sound as a small screen materialized in front of me.

[Your reward is ready! Press for more details]

I clicked on the air immediately as I began to read my reward.

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[Vessel of the Abyssal Soul]

Description: A vessel made specifically for abyssal souls. Strong enough to hold the full potential of the abyssal core and merge perfectly with the soul.

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’That’s...’

Made specifically for abyssal souls?

I clicked on the screen in the air, and immediately, the vessel materialized. It didn’t look special. Just a white doll without any features.

Turning into my spectral form, I brought my hand close to it, and suddenly, the doll turned into liquid as it covered my entire soul.

I relaxed myself and let the power seep into me. A warm current flowed as it reduced the coldness of my soul slightly.

I slowly started to grow addicted to the feeling of power.

When the warm feeling disappeared, I looked at a broken mirror on the wall.

I saw a handsome boy, no older than 16 years old. His white skin was so pale as if he was dead. He had short, silky, white hair and held a pitch black katana in his hand.

His expressionless face stared at me with his sharp, cold eyes. His eyes had a pitch black sclera and pupil, with blackish blue iris separating them. Above his head, there was a blackish blue halo floating.

I was dazed and amazed by my new look, especially the halo that reminded me of the one that Braham had.

I moved it a little, then it returned to its place with a rapid speed as if it teleported.

I tried all my different abilities, from my spectral form to my affinities and devouring. Thankfully, nothing changed.

In fact, I felt that they were stronger than before, especially my vision that wasn’t cloudy anymore.

And most importantly, I...

"I 𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐..."

A terrifying sound came out of my mouth. It was too strange, but at least I could speak now.

The next moment, I unsheathed Yamato and pierced my stomach.

*Crack!*

No blood came out. Ignoring the pain, I felt like stabbing a crystal wall.

I took Yamato out of my body, and immediately, the cracks healed and my body returned new. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Then my eyes widened slightly as I noticed that my body was naked. I wasn’t a soul anymore.

And... people were probably watching.

I used my darkness to cover my body slightly. It wasn’t perfect, but better than nothing.

I kept using my body for an entire day to get used to it. Once I felt myself ready, I moved to the portal.

It was supposed to be the last challenge according to them. I just had to endure this one more time.

I couldn’t hesitate now.

•••

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[Challenge Objective: Surpass yourself]

[You are standing beside the end. Prove that you didn’t reach this point by sheer luck and leave this hell as the only winner]

[You have 5 minutes before the challenge starts]

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"..."

Surpass myself? Like... Do I just get stronger and pass...?

I scanned my environment, and was left speechless. There was no environment. Only darkness I could see.

I moved rapidly ahead, expecting that I’d crash into a barrier, but no matter how much I ran, nothing happened, as if I was running in an endless void.

I finally gave up and unsheathed Yamato, waiting for the challenge to start.

After a minute, I heard the sound of the challenge start as a figure emerged from the darkness.

He looked at me with cold, pitch black eyes, with only his iris the colour of blackish blue.

He had a white pale skin and short white hair, holding a sheathed pitch black katana in his hand.

He was a copy of me, but I couldn’t sense a soul inside of him. Only a will existed there.

So that was the meaning of surpassing yourself... it was literal.

The copy suddenly smirked at me as he spoke: "Nice to meet Ỳ̡̛̀̕͢͢͡ờ̷͜͟u̸̷͟͜͝."

Instead of replying, I pointed Yamato at him and unleashed a beam of cold fire, but he did the same.

*BOOM!*

The 2 beams hit each as they both disappeared, with the force of the impact pushing us.

The other Yami suddenly chuckled.

"Ỳ̡̛̀̕͢͢͡ờ̷͜͟u̸̷͟͜͝ don’t seem to like t͡a͞l̛k̷i͞n̡g͝, do you?"

We both charged at each other as our swords clashed.

*Clank!*

Blackish blue fire spread across the dark place as we attacked each other with the same moves.

Whenever I stabbed, he stabbed. Whenever I slashed, he slashed. Whenever I switched my affinity, he matched it as if he was my shadow.

None of us was injured, and none of us seemed to get tired. It was truly frustrating.

"What with that look on your face. From the m͞e͡m̷o͞r͢i̷e͝s̡ I have, you seemed to smile more often."

"Is this all you got?!"

"Don’t you miss seeing the b̀͢͞l̷̡͠u̕͝͝ę̛ sky? I bet those people you buried are missing it too."

He kept talking endlessly, maybe trying to distract me.

He cursed me, insulted my friends and master, tried to remind me of my weakness, and even said what my next attacks would be.

but I ignored everything.

My entire focus was on cutting his neck and maybe crushing his jaw too.

*BAM!*

Our legs met as they crushed each other. I turned into a parrot and flew away immediately.

Flickering to our humanoid forms, we observed each other as our legs began to heal.

I couldn’t fight like this for a long time. Even though I wasn’t getting tired in this body, my mental power wasn’t infinite.

’But if he can do everything I can... then how to kill it?’

That question kept echoing in my mind as our swords clashed again.