Chapter 25:
Illusion
The Conqueror
Chapter 25– Illusion Shadow
The dungeon's air was thick with dust and magic. Stones crumbled beneath Shinra's boots as he and Lizz advanced, careful to avoid the unstable floor.
The magical moon above flickered faintly, casting shifting shadows that seemed alive—breathing, watching, waiting.
Every step echoed strangely, like time itself was stretching and compressing around them.
---
Ahead, a faint doorway shimmered in the haze. Shinra's pulse quickened as he stepped closer. Lizz was at his shoulder, tail twitching nervously.
Then—bones clattered.
A massive skeleton emerged from the doorway, its glowing red eyes burning with malice. Jagged claws scraped the stone floor as its towering frame advanced, each step shaking the chamber.
"Lizz… stay sharp," Shinra muttered, tightening his grip on the katana.
The skeletal boss lunged. Too fast.
Shinra barely rolled aside, its claws grazing his shoulder. Pain flared hot, stealing his breath.
Lizz spat fire, flames engulfing its ribcage. Smoke curled, but the monster only laughed—a hollow, echoing sound that scraped against Shinra's chest.
---
The fight was brutal. Every strike rattled his arms. Every dodge pushed him to the edge.
The skeleton's shadow-infused slashes threw him against the wall twice. His ribs screamed, his chest burned, and his knees trembled.
Meanwhile, Lizz was trapped—shadowy tendrils coiled around her wings and limbs. She thrashed, claws scraping stone, but couldn't move.
"Lizz!" Shinra staggered forward, katana sparking with weak lightning. He unleashed a yellow slash—only for the skeleton to absorb it.
"Damn it…!"
But even trapped, Lizz's mana reached him. Her will pressed into his veins, strengthening his stance.
Shinra's blade began to glow. Fire and lightning fused, heat shimmering around him. A miniature sun burst above the dungeon, burning for only five seconds—but it was enough.
The skeleton faltered. Its shadows weakened.
Shinra roared, blade igniting molten red. One strike, two, three—neck, waist, legs.
The creature collapsed into powder with a final bone-rattling shriek.
Silence.
Only a faint blue ring remained, glowing in the dust.
---
Shinra picked it up, turning it over in his hand. The gem pulsed faintly.
But on the wall nearby, something else shifted.
Words shimmered faintly:
"The more you stay, the faster time moves."
Lizz's voice was low. "Time… feels twisted here."
"Yeah," Shinra muttered, trying to steady his breath. "But nothing else is here. Just the ring."
He tugged at a book on the shelf. Nothing moved. Even the air seemed heavy.
Then—click.
His boot had pressed a hidden button.
The wall groaned, splitting apart to reveal a narrow corridor beyond.
---
The tunnel twisted like a maze. Shadows pooled in the corners. The haze thickened, distorting everything.
Shapes flickered in Shinra's vision. Then they stepped forward—doppelgangers.
Copies of himself and Lizz. Weapons drawn. Eyes blazing with uncanny light.
The fight was relentless. Every strike he made, his double mirrored. Every flame Lizz breathed, the copy countered. The corridor pulsed with chaos, illusion and reality twisting together.
And then—worse.
His parents appeared.
---
Shinra froze. His chest clenched. Their faces were pale, ghostlike… but familiar.
"Mother…? Father…?"
He staggered back, breath shaking. Memories crashed into him—warmth, laughter, the fleeting moments of childhood.
But the visions changed. His father's hands stretched forward, skeletal fingers gripping Shinra's throat.
Crack.
Pain exploded down his spine. His scream tore through the chamber.
"Shinra! Fight it!" Lizz's voice pierced the haze, but she felt so far away.
Shinra's blade swung wildly. Tears streaked his face as the illusions whispered guilt into his ears.
"No! Leave me alone!"
His mana flared, flames and lightning intertwining. Each desperate strike shattered fragments of the phantoms.
With one final scream, he slashed down. The illusions burst into shards of light and shadow, fading into silence.
---
Shinra collapsed to his knees, chest heaving. Tears and blood mixed on his face.
Lizz pressed against him, her warmth grounding him as the dungeon returned to stillness.
Then, the wall cracked. A massive door appeared, glowing faintly with an inscription:
"Only those who conquer themselves can pass into the heart of the past."
Shinra raised a trembling hand.
The instant his fingers touched the door, light engulfed him. The roar of magic swallowed Lizz's warning cry.
And then—black.
Nothing.
The dungeon's air was thick with dust and magic. Stones crumbled beneath Shinra's boots as he and Lizz advanced, careful to avoid the unstable floor.
The magical moon above flickered faintly, casting shifting shadows that seemed alive—breathing, watching, waiting.
Every step echoed strangely, like time itself was stretching and compressing around them.
---
Ahead, a faint doorway shimmered in the haze. Shinra's pulse quickened as he stepped closer. Lizz was at his shoulder, tail twitching nervously.
Then—bones clattered.
A massive skeleton emerged from the doorway, its glowing red eyes burning with malice. Jagged claws scraped the stone floor as its towering frame advanced, each step shaking the chamber.
"Lizz… stay sharp," Shinra muttered, tightening his grip on the katana.
The skeletal boss lunged. Too fast.
Shinra barely rolled aside, its claws grazing his shoulder. Pain flared hot, stealing his breath.
Lizz spat fire, flames engulfing its ribcage. Smoke curled, but the monster only laughed—a hollow, echoing sound that scraped against Shinra's chest.
---
The fight was brutal. Every strike rattled his arms. Every dodge pushed him to the edge.
The skeleton's shadow-infused slashes threw him against the wall twice. His ribs screamed, his chest burned, and his knees trembled.
Meanwhile, Lizz was trapped—shadowy tendrils coiled around her wings and limbs. She thrashed, claws scraping stone, but couldn't move.
"Lizz!" Shinra staggered forward, katana sparking with weak lightning. He unleashed a yellow slash—only for the skeleton to absorb it.
"Damn it…!"
But even trapped, Lizz's mana reached him. Her will pressed into his veins, strengthening his stance.
Shinra's blade began to glow. Fire and lightning fused, heat shimmering around him. A miniature sun burst above the dungeon, burning for only five seconds—but it was enough.
The skeleton faltered. Its shadows weakened.
Shinra roared, blade igniting molten red. One strike, two, three—neck, waist, legs.
The creature collapsed into powder with a final bone-rattling shriek.
Silence.
Only a faint blue ring remained, glowing in the dust.
---
Shinra picked it up, turning it over in his hand. The gem pulsed faintly.
But on the wall nearby, something else shifted.
Words shimmered faintly:
"The more you stay, the faster time moves."
Lizz's voice was low. "Time… feels twisted here."
"Yeah," Shinra muttered, trying to steady his breath. "But nothing else is here. Just the ring."
He tugged at a book on the shelf. Nothing moved. Even the air seemed heavy.
Then—click.
His boot had pressed a hidden button.
The wall groaned, splitting apart to reveal a narrow corridor beyond.
---
The tunnel twisted like a maze. Shadows pooled in the corners. The haze thickened, distorting everything.
Shapes flickered in Shinra's vision. Then they stepped forward—doppelgangers.
Copies of himself and Lizz. Weapons drawn. Eyes blazing with uncanny light.
The fight was relentless. Every strike he made, his double mirrored. Every flame Lizz breathed, the copy countered. The corridor pulsed with chaos, illusion and reality twisting together.
And then—worse.
His parents appeared.
---
Shinra froze. His chest clenched. Their faces were pale, ghostlike… but familiar.
"Mother…? Father…?"
He staggered back, breath shaking. Memories crashed into him—warmth, laughter, the fleeting moments of childhood.
But the visions changed. His father's hands stretched forward, skeletal fingers gripping Shinra's throat.
Crack.
Pain exploded down his spine. His scream tore through the chamber.
"Shinra! Fight it!" Lizz's voice pierced the haze, but she felt so far away.
Shinra's blade swung wildly. Tears streaked his face as the illusions whispered guilt into his ears.
"No! Leave me alone!"
His mana flared, flames and lightning intertwining. Each desperate strike shattered fragments of the phantoms.
With one final scream, he slashed down. The illusions burst into shards of light and shadow, fading into silence.
---
Shinra collapsed to his knees, chest heaving. Tears and blood mixed on his face.
Lizz pressed against him, her warmth grounding him as the dungeon returned to stillness.
Then, the wall cracked. A massive door appeared, glowing faintly with an inscription:
"Only those who conquer themselves can pass into the heart of the past."
Shinra raised a trembling hand.
The instant his fingers touched the door, light engulfed him. The roar of magic swallowed Lizz's warning cry.
And then—black.
Nothing.
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