Farah''s POV


    I slowly wake up from the deep slumber.


    -Where am I? (Farah)


    The last thing that I remember before I lost my consciousness was a ball of light that appeared.


    -You have awakened, successor. (???)


    In front of me, the ball of light is talking to me.


    -Finally, you have paid attention to me, successor. (???)


    -You are talking to me? (Farah)


    -Who can I talk to aside from you? (???)


    -... Were you the one that saved me? (Farah)


    The ball of light answers back in a monotone voice.


    -Right, I was the one saving you from the hand of the outer god and those "filths." (???)


    -What do you mean by that? (Farah)


    -I have taken you out of the body of those parasites. (???)


    -Parasites? (Farah)


    -They are the four existences that stay within you. Therefore, I have taken you out and left them behind. (???)


    The moment I heard the statement of the thing in front of me, I became angry and asked it back.


    -They are not parasites. They are my friends. (Farah)


    -Successor, you shouldn''t waste your energy on those mortal feelings. (???)


    -I want to get back to my friend''s place. (Farah)


    I glare at the ball of light.


    -I don''t want to listen to the one that calls my friend "filth." (Farah)


    The ball of light seems to ignore my opinion and continues talking.


    -Are you upset because you lost your body, successor? (???)


    -Eh? (Farah)


    I look down at my body and find out that it is transparent.


    -What? (Farah)


    -Don''t be so upset about that, successor. You will get a brand-new body once you finish the trial. (???)


    -... Return me to my body! (Farah)


    The ball of light ignores me.


    -You have no right to command over me, successor. I''m a part of "her" will. (???)


    The ball of light continues.


    -It''s a fair price to get absolute power. You always want more strength, don''t you? (???)


    -I want the power to protect everything I have, but not to exchange everything for power. (Farah)


    -Your demand is unreasonable. (???)


    -You! (Farah)


    -Let''s start the first trial. (???)


    The ball of light disappears and leaves me alone in the white space.


    -Stolas and everyone else, I hope they are alright. (Farah)


    I grasp my hand and talk to myself.


    -There is no Death and the others. This time, I''m truly alone. (Farah)


    In the middle of the white space, a person suddenly appears from nowhere.


    -Who are you? (Farah)


    The person raises her face and looks at me.


    -Eh, why do you have my face? (Farah)


    The other "me" doesn''t reply and starts shooting the magic at me.


    -Huh? (Farah)


    I tried to cast magic to defend, but nothing came out at all.


    -Urgh! (Farah)


    I can still feel the pain when her magic pierces through.


    -That really hurts. (Farah)


    I try to activate another skill, but nothing responds.


    -Then how can I win against my clone at this rate. (Farah)


    The clone of mine keeps attacking me for a while. I have no option but to dodge and tank the magic. The pain keeps accumulating, and it''s painful enough for me to lose consciousness.


    -Her attacks are really terrible. (Farah)


    I finally reach my limit and fall to the ground.


    -I can''t stand it anymore. (Farah)


    What will happen if I lose my consciousness now? I stare at my body, which has become more transparent.


    -If I lose now, I think I will die for real. (Farah)


    I shake my head and raise one again.


    -I won''t lose here and now. (Farah)


    I stare at the clone of mine.


    -I am going to defeat you. (Farah)


    >Your soul has been refined.


    A random stat +1.


    The change will take place once you regain your body.


    I run to the clone of mine with all my might. The clone of mine fires magic at me and pushes me away.


    -It''s painful to take the magic directly. (Farah)


    I think the only way to win this trial is to defeat my clone.


    -But I can''t even reach her. (Farah)


    I sharpen my sense and try to dodge the magic coming from the clone. I avoided the first two fire lances that came at me, but got hit by the third one.


    -I think my dodging skill has improved. (Farah)


    The moment I thought so, the attacks of the clone became fiercer. The clone starts casting intermediate and advanced magics more frequently.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    It hurts, but I can still keep going.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    I have become familiar with the pain.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    I am able to reduce the distance between me and the clone by half.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    I got blasted away by the clone''s compound magic.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    The clone uses complicated magic I have never seen before. If I copy the clone technique, can I use it once I return to my body?


    ...


    >Your soul has been refined.


    This notification marks the 100th time that my soul successfully refined. I stare at the clone of me, who is currently casting magic composed of 5 different elements.


    -It hurts. (Farah)


    I got blown away when that magic hit me. And what comes along with it is the tremendous pain.


    -So I can use magic like that. (Farah)


    A complicated magic circle is formed under the clone''s place. In the process of fighting with the clone, I keep observing and trying to learn the clone''s technique.


    >Your soul has been refined.


    You can no longer gain stats this way.


    You can now use magic in your soul''s form.


    I smile at the clone.


    -It''s time for my counterattack! (Farah)


    Madeus