Iris frowned as she jumped away from Lily, who didn't pursue and slowly walked back, standing at the same place she came into existence. They had been fighting for three hours, but Iris could never defeat Lily. No matter what she did, Lily would copy it to perfection, using the same strength and speed.

Unlike when Iris was facing the three White Puppets, where she could sacrifice parts of herself to quickly take down her enemies, Lily had the same powerset as Iris and knew every move Iris could do. Iris also lost more than a third of her body mass, which she couldn't recover in a short time.

Fortunately, Lily wouldn't attack when Iris rested, but she would also rest to recover her strength. If Iris tried to do the same trick as with the White Puppets, she would perish with Lily.

"Lily, why don't we stop here?" Iris said. "You can't defeat me. I can't defeat you. Why must we do this? There are many wonders in this world, many wonders you haven't seen. Don't you think it's a pity if either of us were to fall here?"

"Lady Iris, I know your intention, but no one can oppose the imperial decree. I might have your power and manner, but I also have within me the command of the late emperor." Lily placed her fist on her chest, strengthening her back. "To die seeing a miracle of the Destined One is the greatest honour of our age. I won't regret becoming the soil beneath your path."

"You have my emotions and knowledge. If we cooperate, we can get out of this together. We hate getting restrained, our fate decided by others. Why should we act according to their whims when we can cooperate and overcome them?"

"Lady Iris, you might possess the qualification, but I do not. The imperial family was majestic and awe-inspiring. Even if they have fallen, only the Destined Ones could overcome them. I could only follow their decree."

Iris didn't speak and sat on the floor, leaning onto the wall. The coldness of the metallic surface soothed her heated membrane, cooling her anxious mind. She had used almost every idea she could think, but Lily was her clone and so could do everything she did.

They had fought and stopped to chat a few times. There was no sign that this would change. However, each time, Iris would gain something. There was still hope.

Lily also sat down and rested, closing her eyes, her thoughts unknowable. Despite having her own consciousness, she imitated Iris on everything and liked to do it too. If she stood before Iris's family, she could easily pass off as Iris and no one would suspect a thing. Only Pallorn, who could sense faith, would notice the imitation.

When Iris glanced at Lily, she felt like seeing herself in the mirror. She felt like she was getting toyed by herself. For once, she understood how others felt when they had to deal with her.

After having ample rest, Iris got up and walked towards Lily, who did the same. Both had recovered their body mass and were at their peak, their power equal, their style identical.

Stepping into the battle range, Iris abruptly broke into a sprint, her body ruptured into countless tendrils and arms. She violently crashed against Lily, who effortlessly mirrored her actions, fighting tendrils with tendrils, arms with arms. They tangled and merged; their mind resisted each other, trying to dominate and control the other Slime Girl.

Their power was equal, both suffering the same pain, shrinking at the same rate. They would die together or exhaust themselves until they couldn't battle anymore.

The deadlock continued until Iris retreated, annoyed by Lily's playful expression.

"Lily, don't you feel that you're neglecting your creativity by copying me?" Iris said. "With my knowledge, you can innovate and build upon the foundation. We will battle with body and spirit."

"Lady Iris, I dare not boast my mastery in front of you." Lily elegantly bowed, smiling. "No matter how hard I try, I can never create miracles. There is no shame in imitating the great, for imitation is the greatest form of respect."

"You are good with your words, Lily. You are also smart and rebellious. We are so alike, which is why you should know you can trust me."

"You are also good with your words, Lady Iris. We are so alike, which is why I know we can't go against the rules. I know you won't change your mind, like how I won't change mine."

"We are in a stalemate; we should compromise. How can I reach the middle ground with you, Lily? I don't want either of us to fall here."

"How about this? Forget about going forwards and return whence you came. I shall accompany you and be your best friend. Though the sisters are good at toying with your body, they can't be compared to me, who knows everything about you, everything."

Iris's eyes shone as she stopped talking and averted her gaze. Her mind drifted into the realm of imagination, connecting dots, weighing benefits and sacrifices. Lily was her clone and had her knowledge as well as her disposition. No amount of bargaining and convincing would be enough. They couldn't compromise. They both knew this.

Lily also fell silent and fell into deep thought. Though she was a clone of Iris, she had her desires and feelings. As Iris organised her information, Lily also did so. She didn't just want to stop Iris from advancing but repel her. If she could do so, she would receive a great reward from the imperial family.

That was the rule, the enticement for the clone to do their very best. No one could go against it, not even the Overseer.

"Lily, you said that you admire me and will express it by sincerely imitating my every move," Iris said. "Is that an empty promise, or is it the ironclad rule?"

"You should've guessed it already. I am you; we never make any empty promises, for they are precious beyond all worth, too precious."

"Only the Destined One can enter the sacred mausoleum and meet the imperial family," Iris said. "I now understand why that is so."

Lily frowned as she slowly retreated from Iris. A strange premonition manifested in her mind, her apprehension rising.

"Do tell me, Lady Iris. My knowledge is the same as yours, yet I can't find a way to pass this trial," she said.

"This is because you forgot one crucial fact: I am the Destined One." Iris smiled as her gaze turned sharp. The arrogant air exuded from her demeanour, the air of madness accumulated through two lifetimes. "You are right. It is impossible to pass this test, which is why I will, for turning impossible into possible is the trail of I, the Destined One!"

Iris flung a broken arrow towards Lily and retrieved another one. Though their shafts had been broken, their sharp tips remained intact. While staring at Lily, Iris raised her hand, solemn lunacy radiating from her eyes.

Lily trembled, but she still caught the broken arrow and raised her hand, staring at Iris. She was Iris's clone, and she had to do everything Iris did. That was the rule. None could break it.

"Lady Iris, are you sure about this?" Lily said. "This is suicide. It will benefit none of us. If you wish to intimidate me and stop at the last second, I will know and stop in time."

"This is where we differ, Lily. You have my knowledge and disposition, but you lack my most significant aspect."

"Do tell me what I lack, Lady Iris."

Iris giggled. Her expression abruptly dissolved into dullness, which revealed the carefree, determined resolve. When Lily saw it, she immediately knew that Iris wasn't joking and would stab her core, stab it the hardest she could, the fastest she could. No one, not even her family, could stop her.

"Lily, you lack the fleeting dream, the numbing regret, the illusionary hope. You are born within here and have nothing to care for. I can't fail here, not for me, but for family, for the promises."

Silence permeated the corridor before Lily sighed, her mind turning resolute.

"Very well, Lady Iris. I shall witness your miracle. Life or death, it will be decided by the next moment."

Almost like Lily was commanding Iris, she drove the tip of the arrow into herself, tearing apart her smooth membrane, pushing against her condensed slime, heading towards her precious, fragile core.

The impact resounded nowhere and shook nothing, spreading only the tiniest crack on her core. It halted for a moment before it rapidly enlarged, covering the entire core, leaking out milky light. The arrow broke into countless pieces, scattered inside the slime, disintegrating into ashes.

Lily quivered as her legs burst into a puddle of slime. She weakly fell on the floor, kneeling with her hands clenching her breasts, gripping until her fingernails pierced her membrane. The milky light permeated her inside, slowly seeping through the torn membrane. She gasped for breath, but nothing could fill her body.

Throughout the entire process, she kept staring at Iris, who also stabbed her own core.

Like how Lily did it, Iris penetrated through her slime and shattered her arrow against the Shadow Heart Core. A torrent of pain ruptured inside her body as she instantly combusted into a rain of slime, her scream echoing despite having no mouth. Her wail was sharp and haunting, almost magical.

Her deep blue slime flashed, turning pink, orange, purple, and many other colours as she reformed and collapsed and reformed, repeating the process countless times. Every time she reformed, she would scream until her chest burst, then did it again and again.

Compared to Lily's silent suffering, Iris was pathetic, crawling, kicking, rolling, screaming. She cried the tears of slime and bit her lips until they exploded, yet the pain never lessened. Her sensitive slime seared every time she touched something. Her mind ached every time she thought.

To her, the world was ending. The confusion was devouring her, her mind rapidly shutting down. She refused to move, to think, to feel.

"Iris, listen, it's going to pass," a soft, familiar voice rang. "I'm here with you, beside you, always. Come, let me support you. My embrace will heal you."

A purple silhouette knelt in front of Iris, gently taking her arms, pulling her up. A soothing scent lingered around Iris as she touched the smooth, slippery hand. Her mind trembled as she ignored the pain and raised her head. Her teary eyes stared at the playful face, the teasing purple eyes, and the snaky temper.

"Vilia, please don't leave me," Iris said. "It hurts, Vilia. It hurts so much. You need to stay with me. I need you."

"You are strong, Iris. I know you will overcome this. Your future is beyond this." Vilia supported Iris and smiled. "If you want me to stay with you forevermore, become strong and take me by force. I'll be waiting."

The pain had already disappeared, and with it, Vilia. She dissolved into blue slime, which gradually flowed towards Iris, merging with her.

"You saved me once again, Vilia," Iris mumbled. "I'm sorry I failed you again. I'll definitely bring you back. Just wait."

Iris's mind returned to its initial state, calm and stable as an ocean. She looked at the Shadow Heart Core. It sustained no lasting damage; a mere arrow couldn't scratch it.

When she turned to Lily, she only saw a puddle of slime mixed with fragments of the core and strange milky liquid, glowing in soft radiance.

She won her reckless gamble, but she felt no joy. Only endless sorrow remained in her longing heart.