Episode 98 – Replica or Not (1/2)

Episode 98 – Replica or Not

Previously:

The day of the practical exaeon to take the exae arena where his exa place Out of 9 other exanizes 3 of theazed at the i presence of Zor Arite, he felt his hopes of a perfect score cruiant, i all hope He was a ed to achieve a perfect score in the Muni exah to annihilate all of the reed up on hi that Kiel’s luck was horrid would be an understateet any worse than this, right?

Wrong

It could get worse

It could always get worse

Kiel confiraze reached the final participant in the exaht next to his

When Kiel’s eyes landed on that familiar face, his face stiffened, and his mind was overcome with all sords in his dictionary Thewith Kiel’s

His eyes widened in shock, and he let out a disbelieving excla here?”

The person who stared back at Kiel was no other than his older brother – Rhur Rroda

Or rather, it was a Replica of Rhur Rroda who took this exam last year

Kiel remained silent as if he didn’t hear the question directed his way

Look at the bright side, I alanted to give Rhur Rroda a beating Kiel thought, but as soon as the thought entered his mind, his face darkened further Unfortunately, withEven wining a pyric victory would be an issue

Cohts, Rhur’s shock quickly dissipated, replaced by a frown He gently fleards Kiel, stopping at arth

Kiel’s pupils contracted as he stared at the Replica of his older brother All of his features were identical to Rhur’s Even his aura felt exactly like the aura of the real Rhur Not just his appearance and aura, even his scent was the sane

Kiel was so preoccupied in trying to find a flaw that his istered Rhur’s voice: “Is this why you wanted to tag along with me and come to Ashar? To take the Muni exams? I must say that I’m impressed you made it this far However, your efforts are futile You haven’t finished high school yet, little brother You can’t enroll in Muni”

Kiel’s body suddenly broke out in goosebu besides the soul could be copied, including one’s consciousness, Kiel was extremely skeptical

The idea that there could be another hieon that holds his memories, and thinks, feels and acts exactly like hi the Replica of Rhur Rroda, made Kiel feel like he had been hit with a hammer

How are Replicas mere flawed copies?! The person in front of him was in every way identical to Rhur Rroda

There was simply no difference Not even a minute one

And worst still…this Replica of Rhur Rroda wasn’t even aware that he wasn’t the real Rhur Rroda He thought that he was taking the exaonist of this exaht that they were here to take the Muni exam None of them realized that they were o finished this exam

Kiel took an involuntary step back, his heart thu around him made him question the nature of his reality

If Replicas were identical to the original, if they behaved and thought just like the original, then what if he was just like the ago finished this exam?

Hoould he knohether he was the real Kiel? Perhaps one of the faces he didn’t recognize was the real protagonist of this exam

Kiel’s mind spun Is he the real Kiel Rroda? Or is he a Replica?

Desperately he called out to Elaru If he could contact her, that meant that she existed And since she wasn’t inside the Replica Dungeon, if she existed, then it meant that she was outside, in the “real” world And only the real Kiel could have a connection to a real Elaru

If Elaru could respond to him, then, surely, he was the real Kiel

The silence inside hisfor the response see to jump out of his chest

And then, when he finally heard a voice respond to him inside his head, to him it was the most beautiful voice in existence

“Yeah? What is it?”

Elaru’s melodious voice was simply the divine music At this moment, there was simply no soundtonic, cal Never

I am real I aether! He ordered hi erratically, his ht be the true Kiel, but… what if what he thought as true wasn’t true at all? What if the “true” Kiel was also only a Replica?