Chapter 625: Three Separate Decisions

Three raised plinths formed an equilateral triangle across the vaulted testing chamber deep beneath the garrison foundation.

On each plinth rested one of the captured bronze control plates, glowing softly with harmonic resonance under Aria’s guidance.

Hajin stood on the southern plinth, taking a slow, steady breath as sovereign light pulsed along his spiritual meridians.

Beside him, two identical spiritual figures materialized in twin flashes of sovereign mana, their eyes opening with sharp awareness.

Six physical Rings hovered between the three bodies, neatly dividing themselves into three balanced pairs of rings.

Two rings settled onto the original summoner’s hand, a second set bound to the first clone, and the remaining pair equipped to the second prototype.

"Listen carefully to the trial parameters," Aria announced, hovering above the center of the triangular formation.

"Each avatar holds an independent command station five kilometers apart across the subterranean testing grounds."

"You cannot solve this trial by micromanaging all three perspectives from a single conscious throne."

"Each body must make its own local tactical choice to keep the harmonic circuit stable for twelve full minutes."

"Understood," Hajin replied, looking at his two duplicates with complete confidence and trust.

"Clone One holds the western aqueduct valve, Clone Two holds the eastern ventilation shaft, and I anchor the central nexus."

"Sounds like an easy stroll in the park," Clone One chuckled, rolling its shoulders with practiced swagger.

"Do not jinx us before we even leave the room," Clone Two countered with an identical grin across its face.

"Move out on three... two... one... mark!"

In three explosive bursts of movement, the three bodies dashed in separate directions through the reinforced tunnels.

Hajin remained at the central nexus, channeling steady mana into the control plate while monitoring his spiritual load.

Through the spiritual tether, he felt two distant nodes establish their anchors at the outer perimeter terminals.

[ Station one: Western aqueduct valve engaged ]

[ Station two: Eastern ventilation hub engaged ]

[ Station three: Central resonator online ]

[ Harmonic circuit: 100% stability achieved ]

A sudden simulated disruption pulsed through the underground network, sending phantom shockwaves vibrating across the plinths.

A simulated horde of shadowy automatons charged down the western aqueduct, threatening to sever Clone One’s terminal.

Hajin felt the instinctive mental urge to reach out and guide the duplicate’s sword arm through their shared soul.

He forced himself to restrain that impulse, leaving the duplicate to evaluate the threat with its own local judgment.

Instead of fighting the automatons head-on, Clone One pulled a release lever, flooding the aqueduct floor with sluice water.

The rushing torrent swept the shadowy automatons off their feet, allowing the clone to hold the terminal without taking damage.

[ Station one: Local problem solved independently ]

[ Harmonic synchronization: Flawless ]

"Nice improvisation on the water gate!" Hajin mentally cheered across the tether, impressed by the quick thinking.

"Told you to trust my instincts, boss," Clone One transmitted back with a smug chuckle.

Suddenly, Aria severed the communication tether to Station Two with a deliberate wave of her glowing wand.

"Station Two signal lost!" the fairy announced in a ringing voice, simulating total spatial isolation.

"Host command tether disconnected... failure imminent unless local autonomy functions!"

Hajin’s mental link to the eastern ventilation hub went completely dead, leaving him blind to Clone Two’s situation.

In an ordinary summoning contract, losing sensory connection would cause a construct to collapse into raw spirit dust.

Yet Clone Two did not panic, dissolve, or invent an unassigned objective outside its designated operational zone.

Remembering its standing orders, the second duplicate held its defensive stance, parrying simulated probes within its five-meter perimeter.

When the clock hit the twelve-minute threshold, Clone Two withdrew cleanly along the predetermined extraction route.

The reinforced vault doors slid open with a deep rumble as both duplicates walked back onto the central plinth.

[ Trial: Tri-heart protocol verified ]

[ Second clone pattern stabilized: Three physical avatars available ]

[ Deployment scope: 5 kilometers range / 12 minutes duration (prepared network) ]

[ Standard field deployment: 1 kilometer range / 8 minutes duration ]

[ Ring allocation protocol: 2 + 2 + 2 configuration authorized ]

A massive wave of exhaustion slammed into Hajin’s spiritual core as the intense mental strain rebounded into his chest.

His knees buckled slightly, but both clones reached out simultaneously, catching his shoulders with steady, supportive hands.

"Sit down before you faceplant into the floor, boss," Clone One laughed, easing the summoner onto a bench.

"Tri-heart processing burns through sugar faster than running an uphill marathon," Clone Two added with a smirk.

Aria floated down, offering Hajin a small vial of concentrated fruit nectar to replenish his depleted glucose reserves.

"Drink this slowly," she instructed, her tiny face beaming with profound scholarly satisfaction.

"You successfully decoupled your executive authority, allowing three distinct physical bodies to operate with absolute independence."

"Two available clones," he whispered, wiping sweet nectar from his lips as his breathing gradually steadied.

"Three bodies total... six physical rings divided equally in pairs across our ranks."

"How does the spiritual strain feel now?" Aria asked, checking the glowing meridian chart hovering in her hands.

"The feedback settled into a steady hum," he replied, flexing his fingers with newfound confidence.

"It feels like I expanded my peripheral vision into three separate panoramic angles without losing focus."

"That is the tri-heart resonance stabilizing within your soul core," she explained, nodding with satisfaction.

"Tomorrow on the battlefield, you will be able to orchestrate triple pincer maneuvers that leave the enemy completely helpless."

High above the subterranean testing hall, the celestial stream broadcast erupted into wild hysteria and deafening cheers.

[ Seoul_Tactician: "Three bodies available! He can finally cover all three stations if the circuit holds!" ]

[ StarlightScholar: "Look at the clones catching him when he got tired, that was such an epic moment!" ]

[ IronVanguard: "Five kilometers range on prepared networks! That covers entire regional battlefields!" ]

[ HearthKeeper: "Two rings per body is the perfect balance, each avatar is a walking calamity!" ]

[ ShadowMage44: "Juna has spotted trouble on the dark convoy road. Those wagons still need a guard!" ]

The vault doors swung wide as Juna strode into the testing chamber, her silver glaive gleaming under the lantern light.

"Is the summoner still in one piece?" she asked, resting the shaft of her polearm across her armored shoulder.

"Better than one piece," Hajin replied with a broad grin, waving his hand toward his two identical duplicates.

"I have three pieces now... and we are ready to clear that darkened convoy cut for you tomorrow morning."

"Good," she smiled fiercely, her wolf tail swishing with eager anticipation.

"That convoy carries an escort my glaive is ready to cut down to the last man!"

"We will secure the high road and keep the civilian wagons safe," Clone One promised, saluting with its saber.

"And I will watch the rear approach so nobody gets behind your advance," Clone Two added with a confident wink.

Juna chuckled softly in the quiet hall, her eyes gleaming with pure predatory excitement under her silver bangs.

"With three summoners watching the roads, those Choral smugglers do not stand a prayer."

"What happens if one station goes dark?" Aria asked, keeping her palm above the third bronze plate.

"The nearest body withdraws, and the others hold their exits," Hajin answered.

Clone One objected to the timing and marked a shorter path on the floor, while Clone Two tested the route against the twelve-minute limit.

"Neither of you waited for my answer," Hajin said.

"That is what the trial needed to prove," Aria said, closing the control plate.

Hajin watched both projections reach for their assigned gear before the clock expired, then called them back while the test chamber remained safe.

The three bodies stood side by side, united in purpose as the next phase of the campaign began.