That true projection had been created using his 'Reality' Origin Element, allowing him to manipulate reality more easily by forcing it to accept a copy of himself as real and project it anywhere on Earth. As a result, the projection's power matched that of his true body, with the added advantage of being shielded from real harm. However, its destruction after his defeat by Albert had significantly weakened his strength.
The clone he now used was a form of regular projection magic. While more advanced than the typical projections employed by average mages, his version of projection appears indistinguishable from his true body to anyone observing. It lacked the magical potency ro cast the spell compared to the 'True Projection' he had used before.