How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

"You, why can you use Seo's technique?" Riley demanded, his voice laced with both frustration and confusion.

The other Riley tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "I believe you already know the answer…."

Riley inwardly clicked his tongue, the irritation bubbling beneath his calm façade.

As always, this version of himself had a knack for being cryptic, answering in riddles instead of providing direct answers.

If he truly intended to help, why not just say it outright?

But Riley couldn't ignore the nagging thoughts forming in his mind.

He had been grappling with them ever since those strange dreams began—a connection to memories that weren't his own, yet felt undeniably real.

A world where he and Snow had fallen in love but met a tragic end.

A world where he ended up with Rose, only for disaster to strike once more.

A world where everything went perfectly, only to be shattered by the end of his love Liyana.

The variations were endless, each memory fragmented yet vivid, each world influenced by his choices—or by someone who shared his essence.

But through the chaos of those memories, one thing was clear: all of them bore his mark.

His decisions, his actions, his relationships—they shaped the course of each world.

And now, facing this version of himself, the truth became undeniable.

'The fact that he can use Seo's sword technique can only mean one thing…'

Riley clenched his jaw, the realization hitting him like a bolt of lightning.

He was probably a version of Riley who had ended up with Seo.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It wasn't the possibility itself that troubled him but the implications of what that meant.

If this other Riley had chosen Seo, what kind of life had he led? What mistakes had he made, and what lessons had he learned that brought him here, to this moment?

Although he had doubted at first, Riley now fully grasped the truth—other versions of himself truly existed.

He had come to accept this as fact, but seeing it unfold in real-time, rather than as dreams, illusions, or abstract trials, was still deeply surreal.

"What sort of end did you suffer?"

The question slipped out of Riley's mouth almost unconsciously, his voice a mixture of curiosity and trepidation as he narrowly dodged another strike.

The other Riley didn't respond.

He simply pressed forward, his relentless attacks forcing Riley further on the defensive.

But in that brief instant, Riley caught a flicker—a slight, almost imperceptible reaction.

It was there.

That reaction didn't take long to manifest into something tangible.

The other Riley shifted his stance, and Riley's eyes widened in recognition.

He couldn't mistake it—the movement was all too familiar. It was deliberate, precise, and hauntingly reminiscent.

He wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

The Hidden Blade Technique of Seo was laid bare before him.

The other Riley slid his sword back into its scabbard, his grip fluid and calculated as he adopted the unmistakable quick-draw stance.

It was a technique Riley had seen Seo practice countless times, a style that required immense speed and precision to execute properly.

'He's not holding back anymore…'

Before Riley could even fully process what was happening, a blinding white flash erupted before his eyes.

In the same moment, streaks of grey lightning crackled across the battlefield, the sheer force of it tearing through the air and shaking the ground beneath him.

'Fuck!'

Riley's instincts screamed at him to act, but he was out of potions, out of time, and, seemingly, out of options.

He had no other choice.

He raised his sword, bracing himself to tank the oncoming strike.

With a desperate shout, he expanded his aura to its absolute limit, wrapping it around him like a shield.

CLANNGGG!!!

The impact was deafening.

Sparks flew in all directions as the force of the blow sent a shockwave rippling outward, tearing through the ground and scattering debris like a violent storm.

Riley's feet skidded back several meters, his knees buckling under the strain of absorbing the attack.

His arms trembled, his sword vibrating wildly in his hands from the sheer power behind the strike.

A sharp pain shot through his wrists, and he felt the metallic tang of blood on his tongue as his body struggled to withstand the assault.

When the dust began to settle, Riley looked up to see the other Riley standing still, his sword once again sheathed, as though the devastating attack had cost him nothing at all.

It all happened within milliseconds, the sheer speed of the exchange leaving Riley's mind racing to keep up. He could feel it instinctively—it wasn't over yet.

The other Riley seamlessly shifted into another martial stance, one Riley recognized all too well.

It was yet another move from the Secret Hidden Blade Technique, but this time, the focus wasn't on the blade.

It was the footwork.

[Heavenly Step Technique]

A martial art that defied reason, allowing its user to blend so effortlessly with their surroundings that it felt as if they were no more than a pebble in the vast landscape.

The technique erased all presence, creating an unnerving sensation.

The moment an opponent lost focus, even for an instant, their attacker would vanish entirely from perception.

Riley clenched his teeth. "At least let me catch my breath, you bastard!" he yelled, though he knew it wouldn't make a difference.

His thoughts ran wild as his opponent's figure began to blur into the environment.

'This fucker is seriously trying to kill me now.'

The Heavenly Step Technique on its own wasn't inherently lethal—it was its utility that made it dangerous.

But when combined with the first form of the Hidden Blade Technique, [Blue Moon], it became a death sentence.

[Blue Moon] was an executioner's move, a precise and devastating strike that exploited any hesitation or lapse in awareness.

With the Heavenly Step Technique to increase his movements to the absolute extreme, the other Riley could unleash it without warning.

Adrenaline surged through Riley's veins, his survival instincts screaming louder than his thoughts. His body moved on its own, every fiber of his being devoted to staying alive.

FLASHHH!!!!

Then it happened.

A flash of motion too fast for his eyes to fully register—a strike that came at an angle Riley couldn't predict. He barely managed to react, his blade rising in a desperate attempt to block.

Their clash sent ripples of energy tearing through the air.

Sparks erupted where their weapons met, and the force of the impact caused an explosive burst of mana and aura to cascade outward.

The ground beneath their feet cracked and splintered, and a high-pitched hum of raw power filled the battlefield.

Riley's mind scrambled to comprehend what had just happened.

His arms shook violently from the force of the clash, his grip on his sword faltering for a moment.

The sheer power behind the other Riley's strikes was suffocating, his precision and speed unrelenting.

Their gazes locked, and for the first time, Riley truly saw it—the madness in his counterpart's eyes.

'This guy… he's insane.'

There was no doubt now. The other Riley wasn't just testing him anymore.

...…

As their battle of swords continued, Riley gritted his teeth, bracing himself against the sheer force of the other Riley's slash one again.

The clash of their blades sent shockwaves through the air, but Riley didn't relent.

He forced his aura to surge, drawing deeply from his reserves as he manipulated the storm raging above.

[Skill: Raging Storms]

[Note: Skill effect may harm the user. Great caution is advised.]

The warning echoed faintly in his mind, but Riley ignored it. He didn't have the luxury of caution.

The lightning strikes summoned by the skill were unpredictable, with no guarantee of sparing him in their chaotic descent.

And yet, none of that mattered now.

A bolt of lightning crashed to the ground behind the other Riley, the sheer intensity causing the earth to tremble.

But instead of being caught off guard, the other Riley reacted with inhuman precision, casually swinging his blade without even turning around.

The lightning split apart mid-air, its energy dissipating into harmless sparks.

The sight made Riley's heart sink, but he refused to hesitate.

His blood boiled as he poured even more mana into his body, concentrating it in his legs.

His heart thudded heavily in his chest, slowing down as his perception of time accelerated.

[Skill: Blink Step]

In an instant, Riley's form blurred, his body propelled forward with incredible speed.

The strain of overusing his mana began to take its toll—his muscles screamed in protest, and his mind felt like it was on the verge of snapping under the pressure.

But he didn't stop.

'He'll notice,' Riley thought grimly, his mind racing.

The other Riley's awareness was unparalleled.

Even with his back turned, Riley knew he would sense the attack coming.

Their earlier exchanges had already proven that the gap between their skill levels was vast.

Yet, that didn't mean Riley was entirely at a disadvantage.

Not when an opening, no matter how fleeting, presented itself.

'Now or never.'

This was his one chance, a sliver of opportunity that demanded a gamble.

As he closed the distance, his aura flared wildly, the storm above responding to his growing intensity.

[Time Stop]

Activating the skill once more, Riley felt a sharp, wrenching pain deep within him as blood forced its way out of his mouth.

His body was on the verge of collapse, yet he pushed forward, leaping into the air with a desperate, calculated precision.

[Note: User is utilizing a celestial-level skill beyond their current capacity. Repeated usage has triggered life force compensation.]

[Note: The divine energy within you is continually repairing your soul...]

The system's warnings rang in his ears, but Riley paid them no heed. His focus was singular, his resolve unbreakable.

In the frozen stillness of the world around him, his golden aura flared to life, swirling and crackling as divine energy coursed through him. Discover more stories at empire

Although the energy was a mere imitation of true mastery, it was enough for now.

His blade gleamed with golden light, the divine energy imbued within it radiating a brilliance that felt almost holy.

Time, or the lack thereof, became his ally.

The other Riley, caught in the suspended moment, could do nothing but remain frozen in place.

This was Riley's chance—a fleeting, dangerous gamble that demanded everything he had left.

Twisting his body mid-air, he aligned his blade with his opponent's back, his movements precise and deliberate.

'This has to work...'

Forcing his trembling hands to steady, Riley adjusted his stance, recalling the technique he had witnessed so many times before, executed with unparalleled grace by others.

'Hidden Blade Technique... First Form…"'

With a surge of energy, he unleashed it.

[BLUE MOON!]

SWIIISHHH!!!

The air trembled and cracked as Riley's blade carved through it, his golden aura exploding into a radiant crescent beam that shot forth like a shooting star against the night sky.

The attack tore through the stillness, striking the other Riley with a luminescent arc that illuminated the battlefield.

For a moment, everything felt silent—timeless.

The other Riley's reflexes were as sharp as ever.

Even in the split second before time resumed, his greyish aura erupted around him, forming a protective barrier like before.

But this time...

Riley felt it.

He felt the resistance, the weight of his blade breaking through that defense, cutting through the protective aura.

His attack had connected.

The luminescent crescent beam dissipated into the air, its brilliance fading into flickering sparks.