From Mimic to World's strongest daughter

Chapter 40

Y/n's POV

As I was staring at my reflection in the ice, its colors reversed from what mine were before stepping through the ice. "So what's it going to be, little monster? Accept that you will be nothing more than a mere copy of the ones you pretend to love or become the thing you've always been? A monster?" my copy asked. The copy summoned a copy of the rifle that Papa had made for me before pulling the trigger, firing a shot towards me. I used Quickstep to avoid getting hit by the bullet appearing behind the copy. "Is there something wrong with being a copy? That's all I've ever been. Although given what Papa suggested about this labyrinth, you're the feelings I've never accepted. The desire to be someone without being their copy." I commented, looking at the back of my copy.

"You knew the trial of this labyrinth?" I nodded before stepping away from the copy of me. "I know there's still one desire deep in your heart that you've never truly accepted. And that desire will only lead me to get stronger the longer you don't accept it." The copy used Quickstep to get away from me before firing at me again. I summoned my rifle and fired as well, our bullets stopping each other with direct hits. The copy had vanished from sight before it spoke again. "That desire. To be truly one of them. To finally truly believe that you can be called their child." The copy's voice echoed around the room as I walked to a spot that had more cover for me to hide behind. "That's the one thing that you can't let go of. The fear of Papa finally seeing you as the monster you are." The copy just kept talking about how the fear of my being seen only as a monster would be my downfall. Its voice kept bouncing around the walls as my monster sense allowed me to sense where it was. I used Quickstep again this time, using the pistol that Papa had made for me before pointing it at the head of the copy. "So what if it was the only fear I had? That Mama and Papa both still love me for being the monster I am is a thing that keeps the fear away from my heart." I commented before pulling the trigger on my pistol and killing the copy.

The copy's body started fading away into light as it turned over, looking up at me. "You accepted that fear? Is that why my monster sense didn't work on you? My, what a monster we are. Accepting the greatest fear in our heart just because two people love you enough." The copy said, as its chest was the next part to fade. I smiled as I put my guns back in storage. "It's not just those two. I have Kaori, Shizuku, Tio and Shea. Each of them loves me just as much as Mama and Papa. So, no, I won't accept that I'm just a monster copying people to find love. I'll become the monster able to find love by finding the people who accept me for who I am now and forever." The copy looked stunned before it smiled at me before it finally faded into the air. The door appeared on the other side of the ice pillar where my copy had come from before I started walking through it. As I was walking through, I could hear something happening a ways away from me. It sounded as if a battle was happening on the other side of the ice. I entered another room, finding Kouki and his reflection facing each other. "Why do all the girls scramble to shower Nagumo with affection when he doesn't even care about other people? They all treat him as if he's the hero. But that title is ours. Nobody gets to be the hero except us." His reflection said.

"I've never... That's not true! I don't think that. Stop twisting my thoughts." Kouki demanded.

"You don't need to pretend with me. Besides, I think our guest might beg to differ with you on that opinion." The reflection commented before gesturing towards me. Kouki turned to look, seeing me standing there by the door that I had just come through. "Shall we ask her opinion on whether we're the hero or if Nagumo is?" The reflection asked. Kouki hesitated as he looked at the ground. I sighed before shaking my head. "So this is what it's like for you? No wonder you were the first to get affected by this trial." I commented, shaking my head as I heard two gasps. I looked up, and seeing both Kouki and his reflection shocked. "What's that supposed to mean?" Kouki asked.