Hero of Darkness

After the fake Atreus failed to land a surprise attack on Kahn, the latter blocked it and declared that the opponent wasn't brave enough.

What did those words mean?

Those who lived under the illusion that their life is messed up because of their background, their heritage, their upbringing and how the world was unfair around them often never acknowledged the fact that even if all these things were true, there was always a way to get out of it and turn their life for better.

Obviously, the negative voice in their mind often told them that things will be too hard or other people will be hurt if they tried to change and whatnot… there was always the self-talk that made people give up because the change was hard and it would cause a lot of pain in the process.

However, there were very few people who embraced that hardship and pain. They were willing to endure that obstacle and suffering to become a better version of themselves.

From a stoic and disciplined person's perspective… those were actually Brave people.

The duplicate of Kahn tried to mimic the old habits and thought patterns that had brought misery to his past life, attempting to assert its similarity to Kahn's previous self.

But the current Kahn had evolved beyond that mindset. Through his trials and tribulations, he had come to realize the true nature of bravery: embracing change, confronting pain, and persevering through adversity to achieve genuine self-improvement.

This made Kahn speak the controversial but undeniable truth that he had come to realize himself at this stage of his new life.

"It's funny that you think you can make me relive the past using my guilt and failures to trap me in some sort of illusion." spoke Kahn in a grim tone.

Bang!

He banged his head against the fake Atreus and made a job, a horizontal hook and kicked the opponent in the waist, instantly cracking his bones.

"ARRGH!!" wailed the fake Atreus.

And at the same time, the green gas that the fake Atreus had inhaled also started working.

This was Kahn's potent form of Neurotoxin Venom.

His neurotoxic venom was so strong that the opponent could barely move other than keeping his eyes open, breathing and speaking.

"So you're supposed to be a Chaos Element user?

Man, I am disappointed." Kahn remarked, his tone holding a mixture of resignation and assessment.

He continued, "Although I guess it's not entirely your fault. Maximus is an exceptional leader who understands how to nullify an enemy's advantage even before the actual confrontation begins."

"My approach is a bit different. I excel in rapid adaptation and counterattacks, and I tend to thrive when the fight isn't under the eyes of a large audience.

This way, I can unleash my abilities without as many restrictions, and I have a broader range of skills at my disposal to dismantle opponents more efficiently." elaborated Kahn.

With these words, Kahn conveyed his recognition of Maximus's strategic prowess while highlighting his own combat style and preference for more private battles that allow him to fully exploit his capabilities.

"So… this is not the real body, I presume?" Kahn's words held a tone of deduction as he attempted to unravel the nature of the Chimera before him.

"Who… who are you? How can you tell so quickly?" The imposter, appearing intrigued and somewhat startled, questioned.

"Well, considering the entire region is structured as a grand formation and your illusion techniques are remarkably intricate, it's only natural for someone with an affinity for both Artificing and Magic, like myself, to be fascinated by your skills." Kahn's response was analytical and appreciative in a way.

He too was genuinely fascinated by this pure talent and mastery.

"However, achieving the level of realism you've demonstrated and delving into the minds of others requires more than just an illusion technique.

There must be a catalyst that directly permeates their psyche and a strong linchpin allowing the caster to infiltrate and manipulate the targets' minds repeatedly." He continued.

"Therefore, I speculate that you're somehow linked to the original caster and constitute a part of the primary body.

Such a connection would be the only plausible explanation for how this formation can affect multiple targets simultaneously." Kahn concluded with an astute observation. 

"The previous Darkness Assassin guy was also the same as you. His specialty became his demise when he faced me." Kahn stated with a confident air.

In response, the neutralized opponent's voice was filled with rage as he demanded...

"You bastard! Are you the one who killed Zolvik?!"

Kahn's reply was cold and matter-of-fact, "So what if I am? It's not like you will remember anything or what I tell you will be shared with the original body.

You're just an extension of the caster's mind, not his real consciousness in the first place. You're not a living being.

You're just a replica that contains all the memories of the original body that will cease to exist as soon as I kill you."

Having discerned the truth behind the existence of this false Atreus, Kahn had grasped the intricacies of this illusion technique.

Unlike methods that might establish shared consciousness with the original caster, this approach employed linchpins formed from the caster's memories.

These linchpins acted within the formation, simultaneously targeting various individuals' minds.

Such a safeguard ensured that the original caster's consciousness remained isolated and protected.

"You bastard! Don't look down on me…" grumbled the false Atreus, his voice filled with indignation.

"Hey, hey! Watch that mouth of yours.

Is that a way to talk with a fellow practitioner?" Kahn berated him, though a playful smile played on his lips.

"Fellow Practitioner? Of what?" questioned the intruder with confusion.

"Although mine doesn't use such deep and well-crafted illusion formation and can't affect multiple targets at the same time…" Kahn's smile took on a wicked edge…

"It works perfectly on a single target." Kahn stated, and in an instant, his eyes glowed yellow.

Before the defeated impostor could react, he succumbed to Kahn's own Lucid Reality.

Yes, at this moment…

Kahn was using an illusion technique on the guy who cast an illusion on him inside an illusion formation.

This was like a dream within a dream, within a dream… Kahn's own version of Inception.