System, show me my current stats.

A window appeared:

=====

[STATUS]

Host: Lucas Estellan

Villain Level: Novice Villain – Rank F

Age: 17

Race: Human

Rank: Copper (Low-Stage) [UNSTABLE]

Villain Points: 13

Health: C

Mana: C

Strength: C-

Intelligence: C+

Agility: B-

Charisma: E+

Luck: F-

Overall Grade: C

=====

My stats jumped significantly. Having a core really boosted everything. Imagine if it was the Dragon Core.

"Lucas!" Raymond shouted. "Behind you!"

Lucas spun around. One of the Veronicas had circled around and her blade was already descending toward his neck.

Time seemed to slow.

In the game, this was where the tutorial would explain combat mechanics.

How to channel mana into your weapon for enhanced strikes. How to reinforce your body with mana for increased speed and durability.

But this wasn't a game anymore.

Lucas moved on pure instinct.

Mana flooded into his legs, and suddenly he was gone. He moved faster than he'd ever moved before.

He ducked under the blade and his sword came up in a counterattack. He poured Mana into the blade to enhance it's strength, and when it connected with Veronica's weapon, sparks exploded from the impact.

The Veronica stumbled back, with a shocked expression.

Thank you, video game muscle memory, Lucas thought.

"Oh?" All eight Veronicas spoke at once. "You actually managed to channel mana properly on your first try? Aren't you a talented little boy. That usually takes weeks of practice. Are you sure you don't want to join the Legion?"

"As I said, I'd rather die." Lucas said.

"Don't be so hasty. A talented young man such as yourself would rank up quite fast in the Legion.

You could have everything you ever wanted. Wealth, game, power, women. You could even have me if you want." She said in what Lucas assumed was supposed to be a seductive voice.

It only made him disgusted.

"I'm not interested."

"Too bad. I'd have loved for a talented young man like yourself to have your way with me but we can't all get what we want, can we?

After all, you want to leave here alive but you won't be getting what you wish for." She said with a shrug.

"Shut the hell up!"

"If you wish." The Veronica said.

The other three Veronicas surrounding his group attacked simultaneously.

One went for Charlotte. Another for Raymond. The third for Marie and Lydia.

"Charlotte!" Lucas shouted, but he was too far away.

Then Timmy, the little boy Lucas had saved, did something unexpected.

He thrust his hands forward, and a wave of mana burst from his palms.

It wasn't a spell or even a proper technique. Just pure Mana.

The Veronica attacking Charlotte was blown backward, crashing into the alley wall.

Everyone froze.

"What..." Lydia stared at the boy. "Timmy, are you...?"

"I don't know!" The kid was crying, looking at his own hands in terror. "It just happened! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

A natural talent, Lucas realized. The kid has massive mana reserves and it's manifesting under stress. If he survives this, he's going to be a monster when he's older.

But there was no time to dwell on it. The Veronicas had stopped playing entirely.

"Enough," all eight said in a voice that dripped with killing intent. "I was going to toy with you longer, but you're all too interesting to leave alive. Lord Melrion would want specimens like you captured and studied, but I think I'll just kill you instead. Less paperwork."

Lord Melrion? That name wasn't in the game. Is he one of the Legion's Generals?

The eight Veronicas moved as one. Four remained focused on Damion, Zacard, and Celeste.

The other four rushed onto Lucas's group.

Lucas surged Mana around his body from his newly formed core flared. He pushed the mana through his body using it to reinforce his muscles and accelerate his perception.

I can see their movements more clearly now. Not perfectly, but better. I might actually survive this for more than five seconds.

He met the first Veronica's strike with his own blade. The clash sent shockwaves through the alley and cracked the cobblestones beneath their feet.

But he was still outmatched.

The Veronica's next three strikes came too fast for him to fully block. One of them grazed his shoulder, drawing blood. Another one nearly took off his ear.

"Lucas, duck!"

He dropped flat just as Lydia's dagger flew over his head which forced the Veronica to dodge.

"Thanks!" Lucas said, standing up.

I need to think strategically. I can't beat her in a straight fight. None of us can, except maybe Celeste. But she's busy with her own opponents.

Raymond was on the ground, his sword knocked away, scrambling backward as another Veronica advanced on him with a sadistic smile.

"Raymond!" Lucas shouted.

He channeled mana into his legs and launched himself forward.

He crashed into the Veronica from the side. They tumbled together, and Lucas managed to get his blade against her throat.

For a moment, he thought he had her.

Then she smiled.

"Cute," the Veronica said.

Her body suddenly became insubstantial, like smoke. Lucas's blade passed through her harmlessly, and she reformed behind him.

What the hell? She can turn intangible too?

A foot slammed into his back, sending him flying. He hit the alley wall hard enough to crack the brick.

Great. Just great. He thought as he pushed himself up. He could taste the blood in his mouth from the force.

I thought people only coughed up blood in those shitty xianxia novels.

Lucas suddenly felt a pain in his Core. It was getting closer and closer to destabilizing.

I need to end this fast.

But how? How could they possibly win this?

The problem was simple: Veronica's ability to create perfect copies meant she effectively had eight times the combat power of a single fighter.

Even if each copy had the same strength as the original, having eight of them was overwhelming.

There has to be a weakness. Every ability has a weakness. In the game, boss fights always had patterns, gimmicks, something you could exploit. Nothing is flawless.

Lucas watched the Veronicas move. All eight of them were fighting with identical styles, identical techniques. When one of them dodged left, they all would dodge left when faced with their next attack.

When one used a certain attack, the others were sure to follow.

They're not just copies. They're connected.... somehow. Now, if I could just figure out how.

"System," Lucas thought, "use Analyze on all eight Veronicas. Look for differences, inconsistencies, anything that might tell us which one is real."

[Analyzing...]

[Result: All eight entities register as identical. No distinguishable differences in mana signature, physical composition, or combat ability detected.]

Dammit. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

Another Veronica attacked. Lucas barely managed to parry in time at her overwhelming speed.

I'm running out of time. We're all running out of time.

That's when he noticed something. One of the Veronicas fighting Celeste took a solid hit to the ribs. The woman staggered, blood spraying...

And the other seven Veronicas all flinched at the exact same moment.

They share damage? Or at least sensation?

If they shared damage, that would make sense why Veronica was being so cautious despite her overwhelming advantage. A fatal blow to any copy might kill or seriously injure all of them.

But if they didn't share damage, only sensation...

Then we need to hit all of them at once. Overwhelm her ability to process the pain and create an opening.

"Everyone!" Lucas shouted. "Hit them all at the same time! Coordinated strike!"

"What?" Marie yelled back. "We can barely hit one of them!"

"Just trust me! On my mark!" Lucas shouted, gathering mana.

Please let me be right. Please let this work.

"NOW!"

Lucas channeled every bit of mana he could safely use from his unstable core and thrust his sword into the ground.

The mana exploded outward in a shockwave. It was so powerful all eight Veronicas raised their hands to cover their faces.

In that split second of distraction:

Damion's golden blade extended, striking three Veronicas at once.

Zacard's lightning spear stabbed out fast and hit two more.

Celeste's with a heavy swing hit three as well.

Eight attacks hit eight Veronicas at the exact same moment.

And all eight women screamed.

They staggered. Blood poured from cuts on multiple bodies. One Veronica's arm hung useless. Another collapsed to one knee.

They DO share damage! We can win this!

But Lucas's celebration was premature.

Because as the Veronicas recovered, their faces twisted with rage and suddenly there weren't eight of them anymore.

There were twelve.

"You think you've figured out my ability?" All twelve Veronicas said in a voice that promised death. "You know nothing."

Lucas's core pulsed painfully. It was even less stable than before.

This is bad. This is very, very bad.

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