Magister Insanity

Upon the activation of the sequence ability [Mirror Body], an agonizing pain assaulted me without delay.

It felt as if my mind were being ripped apart and split in two. However, I wasn't a complete novice.

Armed with the memories of Blasphemer Kael, I had prepared for this step. I quickly envisioned an image of myself in a semi-transparent form, guiding my thoughts into it and delving deep into its consciousness. Slowly, I summoned the power needed to bring it into existence.

The air around me seemed to thrum as the semi-transparent figure shimmered and wavered, struggling to hold its shape. My vision blurred, and every nerve in my body screamed as if resisting the intrusion of this new presence.

A bead of sweat ran down my temple, but I forced myself to stay focused.

Steady… control it…

Gradually, the figure solidified, its outline sharpening until it mirrored me perfectly: midnight-blue hair, dark eyes and the familiar lean build. Even the smallest details like height, posture, facial features were flawlessly replicated, without a hint of disorder.

Now, a version of me sat cross-legged directly in front of me.

This wasn't like having a twin. Twins share similarities, yes, but there are always differences. Parents can tell their own children apart for a reason.

This… was different. Profoundly so.

A perfect replica.

I blinked.

He blinked as well.

I reached out my hand. Instinctively, he mirrored the motion.

Then I dropped it.

He dropped his in response.

Studying my replica, I stroked my chin and nodded with a satisfied grin.

"Yes… the Mirror Bound was a success. And on my very first attempt, no less."

According to Kael's memories, he hadn't been so fortunate. The intricacies of the Mirror Body often shattered the mind into two distinct halves. How to explain it? It resembled something akin to a hive mind, a single entity's will spread across multiple vessels.

Such was the nature of the Mirror Body. It was a vessel I could control, like a puppeteer moving a doll with invisible strings.

However, the burden of that connection was nothing to take lightly. Even now, my brain was processing two separate streams of information at once. Strangely, there was no chaos. Everything flowed seamlessly, thanks to a trick I had gleaned from Kael's memories.

Bless his soul!

Had I attempted the Mirror Body without preparation, I would have collapsed from sensory overload, just as Kael once had. To counter this, I was forced to divide my mind into two halves.

Simply put, it was much like using my shadow perception, so it wasn't difficult to grasp.

Curious… I wonder if he could be considered his own being. The runes said the clone would inherit all my attributes, so it would clearly be different from Kael.

Intrigued, I summoned the runes.

Mirror Bond: Nameless

Bond Rank: Lesser

Bond Class: Fiend

Bond Attributes: [Photographic Memory], [Divinity], [Starless].

I blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. The mirror bond truly possessed all of my attributes, even the Spark of Divinity. What business did a clone have wandering around with a spark of divinity coursing through its veins?!

A shiver of unease ran through me. Surely… the clone wouldn't develop a mind of its own and wander off, right?

I'd read far too many stories to be naive about the kind of development that could lead to.

No! Clear your mind! Such a thing won't happen! Becoming anxious won't do you any good!

Shaking my head, I refocused on the runes and studied them carefully.

Photographic Memory Attribute Description: [The Bond can retain information with perfect clarity.]

Divinity Attribute Description: [Created by Black Solace, the Bond carries a fragment of divinity.]

Starless Attribute Description: [The Bond bears a muted presence like its creator, moving with unnatural fluidity and experiencing accelerated recovery when enveloped in darkness.]

Everything here was essentially identical to my own, the only difference being that his was slightly abbreviated.

But there was something else that caught my attention.

What's this?

Tilting my head, I read the next line of runes.

Mirror Bond Description: [Born of Black Solace, it shares the same unnatural body as its Master. However, it lacks a name. It is unsightly and wretched for any being to walk this world without a proper name. Give it a name, and unlock the full potential of the Mirror Bond.]

Huh? I'm supposed to name the clone? What's this business with giving it a name?

...Wait, is this one of those unique scenarios?

When that thought surfaced, I began to examine the matter more deeply.

Come to think of it, everything here relied on the concept of names. For example, all three paths of Sorcery made use of names to produce their effects. The path of Spell used idols, which naturally carried names, to channel power. The path of Runes relied on rune languages, and the path of Alchemy operated in a similar way.

Even the Murmur addressed individuals by their Mythic Codes, which were, in essence, special names inscribed upon their souls. Those without one were simply referred to as "nameless."

Everything revolved around names. This was true even back on Earth. It was rare to find a person, animal, insect, or object without a name.

Names carried immense power. Anything without a name naturally lacked both meaning and strength.

Could this be why Kael's clone always lagged in power? Because he never gave it a name?

Even if that were the case, there was little he could have done. His curse allowed him to summon the clone for only ten minutes at a time, severely limiting the ability's potential. Some curses existed simply to nerf their wielders.

Unfortunately, that was his fate. Still, the way he circumvented the curse to gain experience quickly was clever, even inspiring.

On the other hand, this was not a problem for me. Thanks to Skyweave, I had already confirmed that any ability consumed and extracted by the Soul Devouring Shadow would lose its original flaws and limitations.

This meant I could use Mirror Body to its full potential and summon the clone whenever I wished.

All that remained was to give this clone a name.

I looked at the oblivious clone with a thoughtful expression, trying to settle on a fitting name.

"What to do? What to do? Which name should I give you? Tsk. Naming something is hard when there are just too many options. Could I name you after an anime character?"

I tilted my head, considered it briefly, then dismissed the idea.

"Nah, I don't want to get sued over copyright. Otherwise, I could call you Sonic or Flash. Maybe Goku or Sun Wukong? Hmm… since you're linked to the shadow like me, Shadow would fit, but it sounds too edgy. If I wanted to be poetic, I might go with Sunless, but there's already another bastard with that name. What to do? This is really difficult."

Clicking my tongue, I sifted through countless names in my mind.

A few minutes later, a decision struck me like a flash of lightning.

My eyes gleamed as I proclaimed with pride:

"Aha! I've found the perfect name. From this day forward, you shall be known as Starfallen. I, Black Solace, hereby bestow upon you this name!"

The name 'Starfallen' was inspired by the concept of a celestial being that has descended from its lofty place, carrying both the brilliance of the stars and the weight of the fall. It reflected the duality of the Mirror Bond — radiant in potential, yet bound to shadow and darkness. Quite the fitting name for a companion born from my essence.

Hehe… I really am a genius!

Grinning like an idiot, I was abruptly interrupted by a voice whispering in my ear.

[You have bestowed the name "Starfallen" upon your reflection!]

[You have used the Mystery of Names!]

[Awakening Mirror Bond Ability...]

My smile vanished instantly. I stared into the empty air, completely astonished.

[Your Mirror Bond has awakened the ability, Song of Requiem.]