Chapter 623: Orders Before Faces

Chalk lines formed three distinct concentric stations across the subterranean training court beneath the garrison barracks.

In the center of the illuminated ring stood Hajin and his exact spiritual duplicate, facing each other with folded arms.

Aria floated between the chalk boundaries, her crystalline wings shedding soft starlight as she projected complex neural diagrams.

"The issue is not physical mana transfer," the divine fairy explained, tapping a glowing node in her floating projection.

"Your single clone possesses your complete sword technique, your physical parameters, and your tactical reflexes."

"Then why did the synchronization collapse during the second simulation?" he asked, scratching his chin in thoughtful contemplation.

"You attempted to steer its footwork manually while parrying simulated arrows yourself," she answered with a stern, analytical glare.

"A clone cannot operate as a remote-controlled puppet when split across two separate tactical hubs."

"You must issue clear standing orders and allow the duplicate to solve local variables independently."

The clone grinned, its split-colored eyes gleaming with the exact same confident swagger as the original summoner.

"Listen to the lady, boss," the clone chuckled, rolling its shoulders with loose, effortless poise.

"Give me a mission objective and let me cook, instead of micromanaging every single step I take!"

"Fine, smart aleck," Hajin laughed, drawing a practice saber from the weapons rack along the perimeter.

"Your objective is to flank around the moving obstacle and tag the northern marker within four seconds."

"I will intercept the center lane and block whatever targets Ferra launches into the corridor."

"Understood... northern marker tagged in three seconds flat," the duplicate responded, sinking into an explosive sprinter’s stance.

Across the wide court, Ferra stood beside a mechanical trip-hammer loaded with round wooden training spheres.

"Releasing the rolling barricade on three!" the smith shouted, pulling the firing cord with a sharp jerk.

"Two... one... mark!"

A trio of weighted wooden rollers swung across the court on steel pendulum cables, sweeping across the center lane.

Hajin resisted the subconscious urge to micromanage his duplicate’s trajectory, focusing entirely on his own defensive arc.

He drove forward in a lightning dash, parrying two incoming training spheres with crisp, ringing deflections of his blade.

Meanwhile, the clone did not charge in a straight line or wait for mental guidance through their spiritual tether.

It vaulted off the side wall, caught the swinging cable with one hand, and swung cleanly over the rolling barricade.

With a fluid mid-air twist, the duplicate landed behind the obstacle and struck the northern chalk marker with its palm.

[ Tactical simulation: Local decision protocol verified ]

[ Execution interval: 2.84 seconds ]

[ Command independence: Optimal performance ]

"Now that was clean execution!" the clone cheered, pointing its thumb at the glowing marker on the wall.

"Told you I could handle the footwork if you stopped breathing down my neck!"

"Do not let success get to your head," Aria cautioned, adjusting the floating neural projection with a wave of her wand.

"That test involved only two distinct positions... your true challenge requires holding three separate hubs simultaneously."

"Can the current tether handle a third node?" Hajin asked, walking over to examine the diagnostic readings.

"Not without severe harmonic degradation," Aria warned, shrinking the floating diagram down to a pulsing tripartite knot.

"If you attempt to project a third body right now, your soul circuit will fracture under the recursive strain."

"That is why this research trial exists... to condition your spiritual meridians before the third body manifests."

Rumi and Nari trotted into the circle, dragging a massive bronze test armature equipped with simulated mana conduits.

"We set up the third station fixture," the elder twin reported, wiping chalk dust from her cheek.

"It mimics the harmonic resistance of the viaduct blast gate, but it cannot move or make tactical decisions."

"Every time we pulse mana through this prototype, the feedback spikes right into our host’s spiritual core," the younger twin added.

"It feels like someone is hammering a hot spike into the center of my skull," Hajin admitted with a wry chuckle.

"That sensation is your consciousness adapting to distributed spatial awareness," Aria explained, nodding with scholarly approval.

"When you hold three bodies, your mind must process three separate sensory feeds without experiencing mental vertigo."

Ferra connected her portable diagnostic meter to the brass fixture, shaking her head as the needle vibrated violently.

"The conduit strain is thirty percent higher than your single-clone threshold," the smith warned, looking up with concern.

"If you force a second clone into existence without completing the proper structural trials, your spirit circuits will burn out."

He walked over to the brass armature, placing his hand against the metal casing to feel the turbulent vibrations.

"Then we open the three-body research trial properly," he decided, looking Aria directly in the eye.

"We take zero shortcuts and avoid reckless power surges... we build the third anchor from the ground up."

Aria nodded with quiet approval, her miniature hands weaving intricate golden runes across the air above the training court.

[ System notification: Sovereign research trial initialized ]

[ Project classification: Tri-heart resonance protocol ]

[ Objective: Stable stabilization of three independent physical avatars ]

[ Ring distribution requirement: Two physical Rings per avatar ]

[ Safety protocol: Explicit abort signal active ]

"The research trial is officially engaged," the fairy announced, her voice echoing with ancient celestial solemnity.

"The second duplicate remains firmly locked until you satisfy every synchronization threshold on the live field."

"If your spiritual strain exceeds safe parameters for more than three seconds, the trial automatically aborts."

"Clear rules and measurable stakes," he grinned, clenching his fist as golden light danced along his six equipped Rings.

"Just the way I like it."

High above the subterranean training court, the celestial stream broadcast erupted with ecstatic cheering and floodlights of superchats.

[ Seoul_Tactician: "THREE BODIES INCOMING! Hajin is about to unlock the ultimate clone army technique!" ]

[ StarlightScholar: "The banter between Hajin and his clone is hilarious, they have the exact same cocky attitude!" ]

[ IronVanguard: "Aria laying down the law with safety aborts, she is the best little researcher in the cosmos!" ]

[ HearthKeeper: "Two Rings per body across three avatars... the tactical flexibility is going to be completely insane!" ]

[ ShadowMage44: "That forward station is exposed. If the clone goes alone, who covers its return route?" ]

The duplicate stepped up beside Hajin, extending its fist with a confident, knowing smile across its face.

"Tomorrow we take this coordination into the real fight," the clone said, bumping its knuckles against the summoner’s hand.

"Do not let the enemy lieutenant get past your guard, boss."

"Worry about your own flank," he replied with a smirk, turning toward the racks to inspect their blades.

"If you get cut down by an ordinary foot soldier, I will never let you hear the end of it!"

"Not a chance in hell," the duplicate laughed, spinning its practice saber with effortless precision.

"I will hold the eastern ridge and push their scouts into your kill zone," the clone added, sheathing the weapon with a sharp snap.

"Make sure you hit them with everything you have before their reinforcements arrive!"

"They will not know what hit them," the original answered with absolute confidence.

"If the western signal fails, do you wait for me?" Hajin asked the duplicate before the test ended.

"No. I hold the last safe station and send our people back by the route we marked," the clone answered.

Hajin nodded, pleased that the answer came from a standing order rather than a command whispered into his own mind.

The foundation was laid, the trial was unlocked, and tomorrow’s battlefield would put their newfound independence to the ultimate test.