The corridor behind the fallen creature was narrow, ancient — built not of stone or metal, but of forgotten code. The very walls whispered in broken scripts, half-glitched, half-alive.
Jiwoon stepped forward first. The torchlights ignited on their own as he passed.
Vera and Kaelya followed silently.
"This place wasn't made by the System," Kaelya muttered.
"No," Jiwoon replied. "It was made to contain it."
⸻
The Mirrors
The hallway widened into a chamber — filled with floating mirrors.
Each reflected a different version of Jiwoon.
One smiled. One screamed. One was cloaked in white robes, peaceful. Another… wore a crown of thorns, covered in blood.
Vera stepped forward cautiously.
"Are these… memories?"
"No," Jiwoon said, voice low.
"They're possibilities."
⸻
[System Notification]
Warning: External interference detected.
Domain: Unknown. Authority Level: Null.
Do you wish to proceed?
"Yes," Jiwoon whispered.
⸻
The Reversal Mirror
At the end of the room was a tall, fractured mirror — black glass webbed with golden cracks.
It didn't reflect Jiwoon.
It watched him.
"You shouldn't be here," it said.
"And yet… you always return."
Vera drew her weapon. "That mirror just spoke."
Kaelya narrowed her eyes. "That's not a mirror. It's a seal."
The black glass rippled — and from within, a figure stepped out.
It looked like Jiwoon.
But older. And… broken.
"I remember this moment," it said.
"When I thought I could still fight it."
Jiwoon didn't flinch.
"You're me. From what timeline?"
"All of them," the reflection answered.
"Every path where you failed."
⸻
Battle Without Blades
The room warped. Reality shifted sideways.
Jiwoon stood face-to-face with himself — not fighting with fists, but with truths.
Every doubt. Every mistake. Every time he wanted to give up… struck at him through his double.
"You're not strong because you endure," it hissed.
"You're strong because you pretend to be."
Jiwoon staggered. Blood trickled from his nose.
Then he stood tall again.
"Then let me pretend… until the end."
His hand burst into dark light. The double lunged — but this time, Jiwoon didn't block.
He absorbed it.
⸻
[System Update]
Corrupted Identity Neutralized.
Unlocked: Emotional Anchor – "Will of Self"
Stability increased: 42% → 63%
New Pathway Unlocked: The Center of the Labyrinth
⸻
Jiwoon turned to Vera and Kaelya.
"Let's keep going."
But as they walked into the next passage, the fractured mirror behind them whispered one last thing:
"The final test… is not to fight what's outside."
"It's to forgive what's inside."