At dusk, the setting sun''s afterglow draped the land like a delicate veil, casting a golden hue over the world.


    Buck and Veronica climbed back into the carriage, slowly leaving the outskirts of the southern city. The gravely injured Lucio had been left behind. Veronica still harbored resentment toward the mustached hunter for his previous arrogance, her mood filled with irritation.


    However, Buck displayed his usual kindness, thoughtfully administering a healing potion to Lucio before departing. It seemed that Lucio’s bones had been shattered by the monster’s devastating blow, and even as Buck turned to leave, the man remained on the ground, unable to move.


    Lucio''s gaze toward Buck had changed dramatically. He found it hard to believe that the person who had displayed such overwhelming power in battle was merely a first-rank hunter still in his apprenticeship.


    …


    Inside the carriage, the elegant décor and the faint scent of leather from the plush seats created an atmosphere of comfort. Buck leaned back against the soft cushions, fully indulging in the moment of relaxation.


    For the first time after a battle, he felt a deep sense of ease and contentment. The malicious spirits that once rampaged within him were now subdued, tamed under the immense power of the goddess''s blessing, rendered as harmless as lambs.


    Even when channeling his psionic energy, he no longer suffered from their backlash. The long-lost tranquility filled him with silent reverence for the Sun Goddess’s divine might. As he reflected, he became aware of the cracked, ethereal wings of light within him, gently unfurling and radiating a warm, soul-soothing power.


    Seated across from him, Veronica furrowed her brows slightly, gathering her thoughts before speaking.


    "Among the stolen alchemical potions, a portion of enhancement elixirs is missing. I suspect Dick consumed them. You must understand—without the protection of divine rituals, an ordinary person recklessly ingesting such potions would inevitably transform into a monster. Apart from those, the missing items also include the Alchemy Master''s prized Liquid Thunder, as well as the enigmatic Roaring Essence of Galalon Grass."


    "What is that?" Buck had little knowledge of these obscure alchemical concoctions, another subject he would need to study in depth in the future. Tilting his head slightly, he asked in confusion.


    "As far as I know, the essence of Galalon Grass has the remarkable effect of temporarily awakening psionic energy, but its duration is extremely short. I suspect it was designed to grant ordinary people a fleeting moment of psionic power," Veronica explained softly, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze. "And with that power, they could activate forbidden artifacts."


    Buck raised an eyebrow. "You''re saying Dick used the Twin Soul Mirror?"


    "No," Veronica shook her head. "Your earlier assumption was correct. The one who used the Twin Soul Mirror was not Dick—it was his teacher, Julius, the Alchemy Master."


    …


    Night had fallen. The dark sky stretched like a vast expanse of black silk, studded with stars that glimmered like embedded gemstones. Buck and Veronica returned to the docks. The harbor was eerily silent, save for the gentle lapping of waves against the shore.


    Moving with the stealth of shadows, they slipped unnoticed onto a small boat and rowed through the still waters toward Julius''s ship.


    Upon boarding, an unsettling silence enveloped them. The deck was devoid of life, so still it was almost unnerving. Even the alchemy workshop within the ship’s cabin was deathly quiet, as if time itself had frozen in place. The once-thundering steam engine at the stern had also ceased its rumbling, leaving the entire vessel adrift like an isolated island in the middle of the river, exuding an ominous and enigmatic aura.


    Veronica felt a twinge of anxiety. According to her calculations, tonight marked the critical turning point of their mission. Yet, Buck remained utterly composed, his expression unbothered. He had always been fearless—given his absurdly high vitality, even if every explosive on the ship detonated simultaneously, he was confident he wouldn’t die.


    However, the thought of the Alchemy Master’s terrifying Liquid Thunder did cause a flicker of doubt in his mind.


    Just then, a faint sound broke the oppressive silence from the rear of the ship.


    Buck and Veronica exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting an unspoken understanding before they swiftly made their way toward the source of the disturbance.


    The door leading to the stern burst open as a disheveled old man stumbled in—none other than Julius himself. His face was twisted in agony, his features contorted as if enduring unbearable torment.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He staggered into the cabin, crashing heavily against the wall before collapsing onto the floor, his trembling lips muttering fragmented, incoherent words:


    "Impossible… I am the real one… I am… How can this be…? I invented it! It was me!"


    Buck and Veronica stood at the opposite end of the room, halting their steps in cautious vigilance.


    Then, something even stranger happened.


    From the doorway behind Julius, another figure slowly stepped into view.


    This man was dressed in an impeccably tailored dark red suit, his striking white hair identical to that of Julius. In fact, his entire appearance was indistinguishable from the alchemist kneeling on the ground. Or rather, he was simply another Julius.


    In his hands, he held a mirror that emanated an air of mystery—the very object Buck and Veronica had been desperately searching for—the Fourth-Tier Forbidden Relic, Twin Soul Mirror.


    Upon seeing the two hunters inside the cabin, the Julius holding the mirror paused slightly, seemingly surprised. However, he did not falter in his movements. With steady and measured steps, he advanced toward the other Julius, who remained kneeling on the floor, dazed and lost.


    “Stop.”


    Veronica reacted instantly, drawing her gun in a swift motion. The barrel aimed directly at the Julius with the mirror as her eyes narrowed, exuding both resolve and vigilance.


    “Two… Lord Julius, I believe I am owed a reasonable explanation.”


    “There is nothing to explain,” the Julius holding the mirror replied, halting his steps under the threat of her gun. Yet, his expression remained unfazed, his voice calm and steady. “And, young hunters, take heed—there is only one Julius here.”


    “No! I am Julius! It’s me!”


    The elder alchemist on the floor suddenly struggled, his voice hoarse with desperation. He tried to force himself up, but the moment his eyes fell upon the eerie, glowing mirror in his counterpart’s hands, his entire body froze. It was as if an invisible spell had bound him in place.


    “Well then, since there’s only one Julius,” Buck said, his lips curling into a cold smile as he pulled out his gun, “I’ll just make you two into one.”


    The Julius holding the mirror glanced at the two hunters, who seemed ready to pull the trigger at any moment. He sighed in exasperation and took a step back.


    “What a hassle. Fine, what kind of explanation do you want?”


    “Perhaps you could start by explaining why there are two of you,” Buck took a step forward, his sharp gaze locked onto Julius.


    The old alchemist rolled his eyes in annoyance, then pointed a finger at his kneeling counterpart.


    “He’s a clone I created using the Twin Soul Mirror. It’s that simple.”


    “The Twin Soul Mirror shouldn’t possess that kind of power,” Veronica countered without hesitation.


    “That’s because you’re ignorant.” The Julius with the mirror tapped his temple with a smirk. “This mirror was sealed away by the Kingsley family for centuries. No one understands its powers better than they do.”


    He tilted his chin up slightly, his tone laced with arrogance.


    “And unlike you fools, I actually know how to use my brain.”


    “You merely experimented on your apprentice, Dick.” Buck lowered his gun slightly, stepping forward with measured strides, pressing the alchemist further. “So tell me, why did you do this? Stealing a forbidden relic from the Count’s estate, using it without permission—you do realize this crime could strip you of everything, don’t you?”


    “Or… it could give me everything.”


    Julius remained unperturbed, his expression unwavering.


    “I never experimented on my apprentice. I merely entrusted the mirror to him for safekeeping. He was the one who grew curious, used it recklessly, and ended up creating his own doppelg?nger. And then, of course, he turned himself into a monster. Curiosity is a foolish thing.”


    “As for why I used the mirror…”


    Julius paused, a glint of fervent passion flickering in his eyes—a fire burning deep within.


    “It’s because I needed a second mind as brilliant as mine.”


    Buck suddenly noticed that this Julius looked just as exhausted as the one on the ground. The only difference was that this one wore an expression of both satisfaction and exhilaration, as if he had just accomplished something monumental.


    “I gambled, and I won,” Julius continued. “My clone didn’t disappoint me. He successfully refined Liquid Lightning—a crucial breakthrough I never had the time to complete. And now, with this invention…”


    Julius let out a slow breath before shaking his head.


    “There’s no point in explaining further. All you need to know is that he was a temporary existence—a creation to assist me in my work. And now that his task is complete… I must reclaim what was never meant to exist.”


    “Hold on.”


    Buck stepped between the two Julius figures, his expression unreadable as he scrutinized them both.


    “How do I know you’re the real one?” He narrowed his eyes. “Can you prove it?”


    “Are you blind?” Julius deadpanned. “I’m the one holding the mirror. He’s the one on the floor. What more proof do you need? Shall I let you shoot me and see if I shatter into glass fragments?”


    Truth be told, Buck had considered exactly that.


    The situation was riddled with inconsistencies. This Julius had appeared suddenly, while the other seemed completely unaware that he was merely a copy. Under such circumstances, Buck was inclined to believe that the man on the floor was the true Julius.


    But then, Julius dispelled all doubt.


    With a slow, deliberate motion, he raised the ancient mirror and tilted it toward his kneeling counterpart.


    And Buck saw nothing.


    The mirror did not reflect the Julius on the floor.


    “See?” Julius said flatly. “He has no soul.”


    ......


    By the time Buck and Veronica set foot on solid ground once more, the night had deepened into a profound silence. The eerie scenes they had just witnessed replayed over and over in their minds.


    That clone—created by a Forbidden Relic—had disintegrated into crystalline shards the moment he approached the Twin Soul Mirror. In a swirl of twisted light and his final, anguished cries, he was sucked into the mirror’s depths.


    Julius had then tossed the mirror to them without hesitation.


    “It’s of no use to me anymore. Take it.”


    Now, Twin Soul Mirror rested securely in Veronica’s hands. Yet one question continued to gnaw at Buck’s mind.


    Julius was, by all accounts, an ordinary man who had never stepped onto the path of the supernatural. He hadn’t taken any alchemical enhancers.


    So how had he wielded the mirror?


    Buck pondered this for a moment, then dismissed the thought.


    There was something far more important for him to focus on now.


    His gaze drifted toward the ancient mirror in Veronica’s grasp, and a strange feeling stirred within him—a premonition.


    This relic…


    It might just prove crucial to his future.