He barely had time to register the message.
Because the very instant it appeared—
The clone moved.
It just vanished—and reappeared right in front of him, daggers drawn and slashing in a perfect arc.
It moved exactly like he would, from the stance down to the attack.
And it had already closed the distance in less than a second.
"—Tch!"
Riley barely brought his dagger up in time to parry the strike—steel clashing against steel with a sharp metallic ring.
The sheer force of it sent a jolt up his arm.
And as their blades locked—
He stared into his own twisted reflection.
That grin was still there.
Riley's teeth clenched as he held his blade steady against the shadow clone's.
He knew better than anyone how strong he was, and letting up for even a moment could be dire.
'It's just as strong as me…' he thought grimly. 'Maybe even a little stronger!'
His instincts suddenly screamed at him, warning him of another incoming strike.
