After all this time, I was getting quite used to getting knocked out. Not that I’m happy with how often it keeps happening.

  Like usual I was back in my old room. Same familiar set up with the door to leave practically mocking me there. But before I could even consider opening it, I needed to retrace my steps and remember what had happened before I was knocked out.

  Thinking about it for a minute, I recalled facing the awesome Weapon Trinity Masters with me and Mordred against their leader. How even with both of our strengths combined we barely were able to turn the tide of battle.

  I also remembered one of the main reasons I was knocked out was because I had decided to test using my [Material Forge] to reshape his reflective crystal. Just the simple act of trying was enough to almost drain me completely. I would have to keep note of that for any future encounters. Especially more powerful opponents.

  Then I started to panic when I remembered that Mordred was almost ready to activate [Bloody Rage]! As well as our opponent’s stats!

  That’s right… Because I saw all this, I did something I thought I would never do in this new life…

  “I made us retreat…”

  Without realizing it I had already kicked down a chair in frustration. “Why?! Why would I call our retreat like that?! I don’t care if the enemy was that strong! There was no way I was going to run away like that?!”

  Suddenly, I heard a voice coming out of the door. “Are you sure about that?”

  That threw me for a loop. After all, there shouldn’t be anyone else here. For some reason I could quickly tell that it wasn’t just some kind of illusion my mind is doing to me. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m the only one here. This IS my mind space after all!

  “Who’s there?!” I quickly asked, readying myself for a potential mental attack.

  It was then that the door outside the room had opened. I kept a close eye to see who would possibly be able to enter here. But my guard lowered the second I saw who the mysterious intruder was.

  It was….

  Me?!!!

  “W-what the Inferno?!” I screamed, baffled.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “I should ask you the same thing!”

  It was no mistake. I had plenty of time to look at myself in multiple reflections. I recognize the same red scales that a kobold was known for. But even more so, I was familiar with all of the small scratches to them, more specifically at my left arm from all of the times I had endured in all my battles.

  The only difference was his expression, the way his body language speaks to me was completely different then the way I present myself. I mean how can it not be?! He was acting weirdly, timid and meek. He had his head lowered as if he didn’t want to meet me on eye level. This reminded me of how my fellow kobolds would typically act.

  Finally, after the initial shock I decided to talk with this copy of mine. “Who are you?”

  He took a second, trying to find the right words to speak before he answered. “I’m the original. At least I’m pretty sure I am.”

  What a strange answer. “You don’t sound so sure to me. And what do you mean by original?”

  He shook his head as he started to rub the temple with one claw. “I…I think I was the one kobold on this body before you came along.”

  Now that was interesting. What exactly did he mean by that?

  “It’s exactly what I said.”

  I took a step back in surprise. “You can read my thoughts?!”

  My look alike tilted his head in confusion. “Because we’re in our head. Of course I can hear your thoughts.”

  I shook my head on my claw in frustration. This was going nowhere. I decided it was best to just let my copy continue to speak.

  Noticing that I wasn’t going to interrupt him my doppelganger continued his explanation.

  “What I meant earlier was that before you arrived it was my body back at the caves.”

  Wait…. what?

  “Based on that look on your face I guess you never noticed. Did you think that you simply transformed into a kobold or something?”

  I…. couldn’t help but scratch my cheek in embarrassment. I wanted to deny that but since I knew he could hear my thoughts that wasn’t an option. I noticed myself observing my own body, as if I couldn’t quite believe it. Then again when I think about it back then I only remembered was waking up in this body. Does that mean this entire time I’ve been possessing his body?

  “Mmmmm I don’t think it’s that. It’s kind of hard to explain but right now for some reason it feels more like both our body rather than you invading mine? Like, the idea of it being just mine doesn’t feel right from the start?....”

  Now that he mentions it, I kind of feel the same? I never really felt like it was wrong for me to be like this. Heck, when I try to think of myself as some kind of body snatcher it never sat right with me.

  “I feel like I read about something like this in one of my stories I used to read.”

  He raised a claw up as if he was trying to answer a question. “Oh you mean those books with pictures you were fond of in your old world?”

  My eyes widen from his response. “Wait, you know where I used to be from?”

  “Of course, I do have access to your memories too. They feel like mine after all.”

  Like his??? So does that mean-

  “Are our souls fused or something like that?” I said as the thought crossed my mind.

  He could only shrug in response. Seems like something else that needs to be answered later down the line. With this other me situation I had nearly forgotten about my current predicament.

  “Getting back to earlier. What do you mean am I sure?”

  My double began to explain, the look on their face was serious. “Right. I was asking you if you are sure you wouldn’t run away? More specifically, don’t you think it was a good idea that you did?”

  I couldn’t help but to take offense to that, I countered back in frustration. “Of course! That’s just a cowardly way out! How am I supposed to conquer this world if they see I ran away from a fight and thought I was scared!”

  My double continued to give me a serious stare down. Letting me argue back until I was done before he answered back. “But you were, weren’t you?”

  ..He was seriously annoying me to my limits now. I could feel myself beginning to bare my fangs, barely keeping myself from exploding. “Now you listen here! There was nothing there that sca-”

  But before I could finish my argument, he countered back with a single sentence that instantly silenced me.

  “And what about those that follow you?”

  I wanted to respond. To say something like ‘what about them’ or something. And yet the words didn’t come out of my mouth. But why? As if he could read my mind, or in this case BECAUSE he could read my mind he answered.

  “Because you actually cared enough about them to worry about their safety, right?”

  I could only back down as I clicked my tongue in annoyed acceptance. I replied back without directly answering his question. “They can take care of themselves.”

  “Yes, I know. I have been watching them too, you know. All of our henchmen are quite strong on their own and reliable too. I doubt our goal of world conquest would have been as this successful without them.” He said as if they were just as much his as mine.

  “Stop acting like they’re your henchmen.” I argued.

  But he countered back. “You said earlier we could be fused or something? They might as well be. But as I was saying, you do care about them as well as everyone else that follows you. Why else did you call them off when those soldiers used those [Stout Black Root] to power up?”

  I was silent since I didn’t have a comeback to that claim. He continued. “And stop pretending like you aren’t scared! I could sense it each and every time! Those ‘Kobold Instincts’ you pretend is your own body reacting is me reminding you of your own fears!”

  I was taken aback. So what he was saying was… “...that was you? Do you know how often that gets in my way?!”

  He gave me no moment to argue back. “You mean all the times you ACTUALLY paid attention, and it saved our butt? Yeah, that’s right!”

  My copy then walked closer to me; his expression filled with frustration. “Maybe some of them would have survive that kind of strength but you weren’t sure yourself. Face it, you were scared.”

  Suddenly, I could feel my own emotion well up like a volcano. “THAT IS A LIE!!”

  “Then why are your arms shaking?”

  Having brought up my arms, I couldn’t help but notice them. Indeed, both of my claws were shaking. My breathing started to grow short, and this only increased as I thought back to the battle before.

  What…. Was it true?

  Was I…. actually afraid?