Chapter 144: Illusion Clone? Please, the Other Me!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: Illusion Clone? Please, the Other Me!
"Mm, okay!"
I nodded firmly. Since Sister Bai had already made the choice for me, there was no need to be coy.
Why stand on ceremony with Sister Bai?
So, I closed my eyes and let my mind sink into the depths of my consciousness. The Illusion Clone spell was a bit different from my other spells; it actually came with its own introduction and instruction manual.
This significantly cut down the time I’d have to spend fumbling around on my own.
Unfortunately, the manual didn't include the internal mechanics of the spell, much like how a smartphone's user guide doesn't come with the blueprints for its microchips.
As the name suggested, Illusion Clone was an illusion-type spell.
However, it didn't rely on illusory power to create a physical phantom. Instead, once cast, it functioned by "implanting" a result into the target.
The spell primarily used an illusion medium to perform this implantation, forcing the target into a state of being "under an illusion."
A spell like this had major limitations. The Illusion Clone could only be seen by the victim, and it couldn't perform any substantive actions—it couldn't cast spells, it couldn't attack, it couldn't do anything at all.
But its advantages were also significant. For instance, it had a low mana cost and there was no limit to the number of clones you could create, though making too many might cause the target to "see through" the trick and break free from the effect prematurely.
Another advantage of this Illusion Clone was that it was incredibly realistic! An enemy wouldn't be able to distinguish the fake from the real one based on things like stiff movements, robotic behavior, or a vacant stare.
After all, the whole thing was essentially "filled in" by the victim's own brain. Their mind would automatically rationalize any inconsistencies. The only way to be sure was to actually hit the clone.
You could say this spell was incredibly obnoxious!
Of course, it wasn't impossible to defend against. Specific mental spells, dispels, purifications, or mind magic could all break the illusion.
But how could a freshman have so many tricks up their sleeve?
Without the right countermeasure, they were bound to suffer.
Furthermore, because the Illusion Clone lacked any direct offensive capability, all its "stat points" were poured into the illusion itself, making the "implantation" very easy to pull off!
So easy, in fact... that just a single glance at it could trigger the effect!
I looked at the mark on my palm that resembled a rune.
I hadn't studied Runology yet—it was beyond my current level—but these runes appeared frequently in rituals, sometimes as decoration, sometimes as the core.
Now that I had finished casting the Illusion Clone spell, a strange sensation washed over me the moment I looked at the mark, as if something had happened.
But on second thought, nothing seemed different... except for the "other me" standing right in front of me.
"Eh?"
The sight startled me, but I quickly realized this was the Illusion Clone I saw because I was under the spell!
My first impression was... realism. It was too real!
From the way her body swayed and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, to her clothes, her temperament, and her expression... Was this how I looked to others?
"Of course it is, my dear original. Don't look at me with such a shocked expression." Suddenly, the clone spoke, her voice reaching my ears.
"You can talk?" I stared intently at the clone. I didn't seem to have much control over her. Could this spell not be manually operated?
If that was the case, its utility was a bit lackluster; it could only serve as a nuisance to distract others.
As for modifying the spell... sorry, this was a brand-new field. I had zero fundamental knowledge of the illusion domain. At this moment, I really missed Teacher Ji Niang.
If I asked her, she would probably use her authority to download all sorts of analytical papers on illusions for me, giving me a basic understanding of the spell.
But she wasn't here. If I went to the library myself, it might take half a day just to find something, and even then, it might not be what I needed.
It would be a waste of both time and knowledge.
"No, no, no~ You're the one talking. You're under an illusion, can't you tell? But... our Sister Bai is waiting for you." The Illusion Clone leaned against me with zero sense of personal space, draping an arm over my shoulder and pointing toward Sister Bai nearby.
"Xiao Han, what's wrong? You've started talking to yourself. You didn't fall under your own illusion, did you?" Sister Bai walked over, asking with a smile.
"Uh..." I turned my head to look at the face that was identical to mine, then gave Sister Bai an awkward smile. "As it turns out, I think I did..."
"Really? Then give me one too. Is it this?" Sister Bai pointed at the mark on my hand, her curiosity piqued.
"Um... Sister Bai, you don't see it yet?" I held up my hand. Since I was already under the spell, Sister Bai had to join me!
Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing to be the only one!
"No. It seems my resistance to illusions is quite high. After all, I have done specific resistance training," Sister Bai explained.
"I see... that makes sense." I nodded. After all, just seeing the medium only gave a chance of falling under the spell. If I actively brought the medium into contact with an individual, the probability would skyrocket!
"Sister Bai, don't move. Let me try it on you!" As I spoke, I pressed the illusion medium toward Sister Bai.
I wondered if everyone saw a different clone, or if it was a shared one.
Since this seemed like a spell targeted at individuals, they should be different, right?
I looked at the long instruction manual again. Many things were explained clearly; I just hadn't had the time to read them all yet.
As I reached the end, I finally found what I was looking for.
Everyone under the illusion sees the same clone because the spell creates a fixed illusory entity that actually exists within the spell's framework.
The medium simply allows the target to perceive the Illusion Clone's existence!
So that was the simple principle behind it?
Once I understood, I looked over at my clone. She was currently chatting up a storm with Sister Bai!
And that clone had even fewer inhibitions than I did. Perhaps that was me—but a version of me with no reservations!
"Sister Bai!" I called out.
"Hmm? Oh, Xiao Han. Sorry, haha. This clone is actually quite interesting. I didn't expect her to be such a good conversationalist... It's possible the clone reflects my own perceptions. You aren't usually this chatty, Xiao Han." Bai Yu snapped out of it immediately, dispelling the Illusion Clone with a quick strike. She came over to explain, seemingly afraid I might misunderstand.
"Sorry, I didn't mean you're bad at talking, I just meant..."
"No need to explain, Sister Bai. I've never been good at small talk." I interrupted her. I didn't need to hear the explanation; I had a clear sense of self.
Either you were good at talking or you weren't.
"Sister Bai, what do you think of this spell?" I proactively steered the conversation, forcefully ending that potentially awkward development.
"Hmm... I'd say this spell is indeed very powerful. I tried my best to distinguish the difference between you two just now, but... it was difficult. Even if you know you're under an illusion, seeing through it is quite a challenge," Bai Yu said, speaking from personal experience.
Bai Yu had the Illusion Clone spell herself, but she hadn't developed it much. She had many options, and she didn't know much about the illusion domain, but she understood that this kind of spell was most effective in the early stages.
Freshmen without special preparations would basically have no way to deal with such a tactic. So, after much thought, Bai Yu had decided to give this spell away.
Later, when Bai Yu planned to organize and streamline her own abilities again, she would see if Xiao Han wanted whatever was left over.
Of course, there was a reason Bai Yu wasn't in a rush to prepare spells. The time between the start of school and the Freshman Competition was so short that, in her mind, mastering a spell wasn't as good as having an alchemy item you could use right out of the box.
Alchemy items were allowed in the Freshman Competition. As long as you could use them, external items were considered part of your own strength.
Don't forget, the Witch Four-Piece Set given for free to new students were also alchemy items.
If one really wanted to argue that external items weren't one's own power, then couldn't mana sources and spellbooks also be classified as external?
Strength was strength. What you lacked, you simply didn't have. No one in the transcendent world was going to talk to you about "fairness."
At the freshman stage, the Witch Four-Piece Set was sufficient, so Bai Yu had specifically prepared something else.
A pair of bracers to protect the wrists. Because this pair of alchemy items actually consisted of two separate pieces, it had two effects—or rather, two solidified spells.
One was a Body Strengthening Spell, used to enhance physical fitness across the board, providing a comprehensive boost to strength, reflexes, and other physical attributes.
The other was a transformation spell: Cat-person Transformation. Once cast, it granted the racial traits of a cat-person, drastically increasing agility and making the body as supple and nimble as a feline's. Furthermore, these two spells could be stacked, making them even more effective in practice.
From Bai Yu's perspective, these two spells were undoubtedly the best configuration, especially for a freshman.
A freshman's frail body stood in stark contrast to the powerful destructive force of their spells. Therefore, one couldn't blindly pursue magical power in combat; one's own physical strength was also vital. At the very least, when a spell came flying your way, "taking it head-on" shouldn't be your only option.
As I was carefully summarizing the information Sister Bai had given me about the spell, I saw her walking toward me with something in her hand.
"Sister Bai, is something wrong?" I looked up and asked.
"Oh, it's nothing. You have your match the day after tomorrow, Xiao Han. I'm still a bit worried about you, so I prepared this for you as well. I hope you'll be safe on the field."
"Eh? Honestly, don't worry so much. You've already given me so many things, Sister Bai. I'm starting to feel embarrassed taking them all."