Abeth stared at Alaika.
Confused.
Hurt.
“…Why?”
Kal folded his arms.
“It’s confusing, isn’t it? Why don’t you explain, Alaika?”
Alaika’s voice was calm.
“…I am one of the Visitors. By Kal’s order, I entered as a new reincarnation. My mission was to observe you.”
“Our target.”
Abeth’s breathing grew unstable.
“…Why? What did I ever do to you?”
Alaika’s eyes hardened.
“I never wanted to hand my freedom to someone else. I refuse to let Creators judge me. Kal is the only one who can give us true freedom.”
Abeth looked at Kal.
“…Kal. So that’s your name. What do you want from me?”
While speaking, she secretly activated her Copy Ability, slowly regenerating her wound.
Kal noticed.
“What do I want?”
He smiled.
“Your Copy Ability.”
Abeth froze.
“…My power? For what?”
Kal’s eyes sharpened.
“With it, I will become a complete Creator.”
Abeth’s heart skipped.
“Reincarnations can’t become Creators!”
“That’s what we were told,” Kal replied calmly. “But the truth is different.”
He stepped closer.
“There are three requirements.”
“First — a powerful body.”
“Second — a stable energy source.”
“Third — Copy Ability.”
His smile widened.
“And now, I can obtain the final piece.”
Abeth clenched her fists.
“What will you do with Creator power?”
Kal answered without hesitation.
“I will create a world only for reincarnations.”
“A world without Creators.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“A world where we rule.”
Alaika stepped forward.
“You can join us. Leave the ones who chained you with training. They never gave you freedom.”
Abeth shook her head.
“It may be hard now… but we’ll build a place together. Not against Creators — with them.”
Her voice steadied.
“I trust Zaraf.”
Kal scoffed.
“That one? What can he possibly do?”
Alaika’s voice sharpened.
“Don’t trust them. Trust your own kind.”
Abeth slowly stood up despite the bleeding.
“Trust my own kind…?”
She looked at Alaika.
“The kind who stabbed me from behind?”
Alaika fell silent.
Abeth turned to Kal.
“One more thing. In your world… what will you do with characters?”
Kal shrugged.
“You mean NPCs?”
He smirked.
“They’ll exist for our enjoyment. Playthings. Nothing more.”
Alaika’s expression shifted slightly.
Abeth smiled faintly.
“My kind… huh.”
She lifted her head.
“I’ve made my decision.”
Kal’s eyes grew serious.
“Then answer me. Join us… or die here.”
Abeth’s gaze burned.
“I will never stand with someone who sees characters as toys.”
Kal clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Alaika. Bring her to me.”
Abeth looked at Alaika.
“So our friendship was a lie?”
Alaika hesitated.
“…Not completely.”
Her grip tightened on the knife.
“But for freedom… I’ll kill you if I must.”
Abeth’s eyes lost their softness.
“You were the one who deactivated the barrier.”
“Yes.”
Alaika raised her blade.
“Surrender. Or die.”
Abeth whispered,
“Then come at me.”
The Fight
Alaika dashed forward.
Abeth activated Copy Ability—
A circular shield formed around her.
The blade struck—
But didn’t pierce.
Alaika stepped back instantly.
Abeth switched abilities.
A burst of fire exploded outward.
Kal dodged easily.
“You can handle her, right?” he said calmly.
Alaika nodded.
“She told me all her abilities.”
She rushed in again.
Close combat.
Fast.
Precise.
Abeth tried to dodge—
But the blade cut her again, near the first wound.
Blood spilled.
She pushed Alaika back and pressed her hand against her injury.
But Alaika gave her no time.
Another attack.
Another slash.
Abeth jumped back—
But Alaika was trained for close combat.
Strike.
Kick.
Cut.
Abeth fell to her knees, coughing blood.
Alaika pointed the knife at her.
“So? Will you surrender?”
Kal watched from afar, smiling.
Abeth looked at the blood on her hands.
(Am I going to die…?)
Then—
She remembered.
“If you return… I have something to tell you.”
Her promise to Zaraf.
Her grip tightened.
She forced herself up.
“I made a promise.”
Her eyes began glowing faint white.
“I can’t die yet.”
Alaika’s face twisted.
“Then I’ll kill you properly this time.”
She rushed forward—
But stopped mid-step.
Her body froze.
Abeth’s eyes now glowed completely white.
Inside her mind—
(What is Copy Ability… really?)
Shin’s words echoed:
“You can copy any ability.”
(In Imaginary Worlds, Creators also possess this kind of power… but they can’t use it across worlds. So they don’t rely on it.)
(But I can.)
Her breathing slowed.
(I can use it in every world.)
(Then what am I actually copying?)
Power?
Energy?
Concept?
She looked at Alaika.
(Do I copy abilities… or do I copy the source of abilities?)
The white glow intensified.
Kal’s smile slowly faded.
“…What is she doing?”
After a second, Alaika pulled her knife to attack, but suddenly Abeth vanished before her eyes. Alaika was shocked, and before she could even think, she was hit in the back and went flying.
She stood up but felt that her chest bones were broken.
She didn’t understand how she did that.
Abeth looked at her coldly and suddenly used her teleport power, appearing directly in front of her. In a second, she changed her power to strengthen herself physically and punched her in the face.
A hard one.
The ground broke.
The impact echoed.
Alaika went flying, crashing into a building, and went unconscious.
Before Abeth could take a breath… a presence.
Kal was standing behind her.
Before she could use teleport, Kal stabbed her again with his hand.
At that moment, she didn’t feel pain because of the blood loss. She grabbed him, used her flying power, and jumped into the sky to throw him down from above. But midway, Kal was able to free himself physically because Abeth could only use one ability at a time, so her physical strength was normal.
Abeth tried to catch him again, but because of her exhaustion and blood loss, she started to feel dizzy and fell from the sky. Her eyes closed.
(Thinking: It’s sad… I won’t be able to meet him again.)
But suddenly—
She felt it.
A warm wind around her.
Her falling speed slowed.
When she opened her eyes, she saw wind all around her in the air, and when she noticed who was actually carrying her, it was Zaraf.
She smiled after seeing him and said,
“You have come, as always… Brother.”
