Rui racked his brain as he thought of a solution. He couldn't rely on the VOID algorithm. He couldn't really rely on his techniques alone. Their physical parameters were identical.
WHOOSH
Rui barely managed to evade a strike. ('The only difference lies in mind that is controlling the mental bodies if the second hypothesis is correct.')
If that was the case, then Rui very well might have a tactical advantage. If not, then he could reasonably be assured that the first hypothesis was true. After all, what were the odds that the symbiote that was not supposed to be genuinely intelligent or actually sentient had the same degree of tactical intelligence as him?
He highly doubted that it was able to gain somehow gain access to his tactical capability either. That would require a degree of supernatural absurdity that was too ridiculous even by the standards of this world. His tactical capability was a product of his consciousness operating on his memories and senses. If the symbiote was able to access that, then it would no doubt have already won by now.
BAM!
Rui reeled from a powerful Flowing Canon crashing into his guard as he was marginally outmaneuvered by the shadow clone. ('But how can I possibly out-strategize a superior version of myself?')
It didn't help that he was truly not accustomed to the VOID algorithm being this ineffective in battle. Because the VOID algorithms being used by both sides were identical, they more or less canceled each other out and their effect was not really felt. This meant that this was a fight where Rui was practically fighting without any help from the VOID algorithm.
When was the last time that genuinely happened? He couldn't even remember. He had always used the VOID algorithm in at least a minor capacity ever since he discovered his Martial Path nearly three years ago.
The psychological discomfort and inexperience with such a situation were also hindering him. At this rate, the disadvantages would snowball and he would most certainly lose.
('Tsk.') He tutted mentally. ('This is even worse than when the VOID algorithm is incompatible with my oppon-')
Rui's eyes widened as an idea flashed across his mind, taking root as he began fleshing it out. ('Interesting, this might work.')
He leaped backward, immediately chased by the shadow clone. Then he paused before rushing straightforwardly at the shadow clone. Rui threw a targeted sweeping kick at his shadow clone.
The shadow clone stepped back, avoiding it.
Yet;
BAM!
An invisible Tempestuous Ripple slammed into it, flinging it far away. It swiftly got up, yet Rui had immediately arrived. He launched a low sweeping kick, which the clone leaped to avoid.
Yet the sweeping kick disappeared.
It was a feint.
BAM!!
A powerful blow from Rui crashed into the symbiote midair, flinging it into the distance.
All of a sudden, the tables had turned!
('I was right!') Rui grinned. ('It can borrow my Martial Art. But it cannot borrow the intelligence or the tactics that I use to compensate for the flaws in my Martial Art!')
Rui's Martial Art had not yet achieved maturity. Despite having mastered twenty-three techniques, it was still not yet mature. Furthermore, there was the matter of the VOID algorithm. Although he had made significant progress with the VOID algorithm's viability thanks to his extreme mastery of the Mind Palace technique, he had yet to make significant progress in the other major problem of the VOID algorithm.
Its incompatibility with the fantastical Martial Art of the world of Gaia. He had yet to fix the issue. There were times when the VOID algorithm was largely helpless. In those times, he compensated for its shortcomings with improvised corrections in the calculations and estimations that were roughly accurate enough to work decently enough, albeit still far from what the VOID algorithm was supposed to be capable of ideally.
Using the VOID algorithm blindly could potentially be dangerous. Rui never mindlessly accepted the results spat out by the adaptive evolution model. He relied on quick thinking and instincts, Primordial Instinct, to judge how compatible the VOID algorithm was and how accurate the adapted style it outputted was.
This was not something that could be copied or stolen by the Mindmirror Symbiote, in all likelihood. And he was being proven right by the second.
If that was indeed the case, then it could be exploited. Rui knew the VOID algorithm inside-out, and upside-down. He knew exactly where all of its shortcomings were, and what all the risks due to those shortcomings were. The shadow clone of himself did not compensate for the shortcomings the way Rui did when he fought with it.
That meant as long Rui used the right moves at the right time, he would be able to cause a disadvantage to the shadow clone.
The key was to use techniques that were the most supernatural and impossible by Earth's standards. The more it diverged from anything Earth had, the less accurate the counters the shadow clone used were, as far as being the most suited to countering and adapting to his moves.
Moves like Tempestuous Ripple, Phantom Step, and Stinger were most effective because they diverged significantly from anything on Earth. There was no such thing as a wind blast caused by launching a dense pocket of air that was caused by a combination of breathing techniques and body movements in the combat sports of Earth.
Likewise, Phantom Step and Stinger were also absolutely otherworldly by MMA standards. His other offensive techniques were much closer in concept to MMA techniques, unfortunately. Techniques like Blink were also absurd by Earth standards, but it wasn't useful against the shadow clone. Neither of them had blinked in the battle.
Still, these three techniques gave him a fighting chance. He had already taken significant damage and his mental fatigue and strain were only snowballing. These three techniques were the only thing between him and inevitable defeat. He would need to apply them to the very best he could.
