The forest trembled, trees swaying as the intense pressure between Shin and the Hero and Demon King clones thickened. Dust and leaves danced in the air. Shin stood, panting, sweat dripping from his chin.
"Hah… you're holding back, aren't you?" Shin growled, narrowing his eyes.
The Hero clone smirked, his golden aura flickering. "Heh, so you noticed."
The Demon King clone chuckled darkly, his crimson eyes gleaming. "We were just getting warmed up."
Shin smirked, cracking his neck. "Knew it."
But then he paused, holding up a hand. "Wait a minute."
The clones froze, blinking.
Shin turned on his heel and sprinted away.
"…What the hell is he doing?" the Demon King muttered.
In the distance, Shin skidded to a stop in a wide clearing.
"Time to push it further," Shin muttered. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and ripped it off, tossing it aside. His lean muscles glistened under the sunlight, but he wasn't satisfied.
"Not enough."
Shin dropped to the ground and began hammering out push-ups.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Faster. Harder. Sweat poured down his body.
He flipped over, blasting out sit-ups.
WHOOSH. WHOOSH.
Muscles burned, but Shin didn't stop.
"More."
He sprinted toward a massive tree, wrapping his hands around the trunk.
CRACK!
With a grunt, he ripped it from the ground and lifted it above his head like a dumbbell.
THUD. THUD.
He started squatting with the tree, up and down, his muscles straining and veins bulging.
"Faster."
Grabbing another tree, Shin held both trunks—one in each hand—and began curling them like oversized dumbbells.
CRACK. SNAP.
The wood groaned under his grip.
His breathing was ragged, his body drenched in sweat. Shin's abs carved deeper, his chest tightening, back muscles flexing with every movement.
His lean, sculpted form glistened under the light—abs sharp and well-defined, arms thick and powerful.
"Good."
He sprinted across the forest, a blur of motion, trees and rocks vanishing behind him.
Every movement burned itself into his muscles. Every dodge, every strike from the Hero and Demon King was etched into his body.
Sweat dripped from his chin. His breath came in heavy, ragged gasps.
Shin finally stopped, rolling his shoulders.
"Now… I'm ready."
He grabbed his black compression shirt, pulling it over his chiseled torso.
THUD. THUD.
Dark energy coiled around his fists.
With a snap of his fingers, black and silver brass knuckles formed over his hands, etched with glowing crimson runes.
He clenched his fists.
"Let's start."
Shin blurred forward, air ripping apart as he closed the gap.
WHOOSH!
The Hero and Demon King grinned.
BAM!
Shin's brass-covered fist slammed into the Hero's guard, the force shaking the ground.
BOOM!
Before the Demon King could counter, Shin pivoted, driving his knee into his side.
THUD!
The Demon King grunted, sliding back.
WHOOSH!
The Hero dashed in, fist cocked back.
SMACK!
Shin ducked, delivering an uppercut to the Hero's ribs.
CRACK!
The Hero gasped, staggered.
But the Demon King was already there.
BAM!
A monstrous punch smashed into Shin's guard, launching him through the trees.
CRASH!
Shin flipped midair, skidding across the ground.
He wiped blood from his lip, smirking.
"Now this is a fight."
WHOOSH!
Both clones charged.
Shin met them head-on.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Fists collided, shockwaves splitting the air.
THUD! – Shin's knee drove into the Hero's gut.
CRACK! – The Demon King's elbow smashed into Shin's back.
WHOOSH! – Shin twisted, slamming his fist into the Demon King's jaw.
SMACK! – The Hero's spinning kick slammed into Shin's side.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The forest shook as they exchanged blow after blow.
Shin ducked under the Hero's strike, launching a devastating uppercut.
CRACK!
The Hero flew back, smashing through trees.
But the Demon King lunged, his fist glowing red.
BOOM!
Shin blocked, brass knuckles sparking against the punch.
"Too slow!"
Shin twisted, driving a brutal hook into the Demon King's ribs.
CRACK!
The Demon King coughed, staggering.
WHOOSH!
The Hero returned, both hands glowing.
Shin smirked, slipping between them.
BAM! BAM!
Left hook to the Hero. Right cross to the Demon King.
Both reeled back.
"Come on!" Shin roared, his aura exploding.
WHOOSH!
They attacked in unison.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The forest erupted into chaos—trees splintering, rocks shattering, shockwaves blasting through the air.
Fists. Kicks. Knees. Elbows.
Every strike was faster, stronger.
THUD! Shin's brass knuckles cracked against bone.
SMACK! The Hero's spinning kick nearly took Shin's head off.
BAM! The Demon King's hammer fist dented the ground where Shin had been.
Shin slipped between their strikes, delivering blow after blow.
But they adapted.
The Hero's speed increased, his strikes sharper.
The Demon King's power swelled, every punch heavier.
CRASH! Shin was slammed into the ground, coughing.
"Not enough..."
His body screamed in pain, but Shin pushed up, panting.
His eyes burned.
He grinned.
"AGAIN!"
And they clashed once more.
Fists met flesh. Bones cracked.
Shockwaves tore through the air.
Neither side yielded.
This was beyond a fight.
This was war.