The battlefield lay in ruins—mountains reduced to rubble, trees torn from their roots, and deep craters scarred the earth. The sky above was darkened by dust and swirling energy, casting an ominous shadow over the destruction.
Shin stood in the center of it all, his chest rising and falling steadily, body battered but unyielding. His left eye burned with a sinister glow—an intense swirl of black and crimson energy flickering like a flame.
A slow, confident smirk crept across his face.
"Alright..." he muttered, his voice dripping with power.
The Hero and Demon King clones, both bloodied and bruised, staggered to their feet. Their shirts hung in tatters, their bodies marked by deep cuts and bruises.
"You've been holding back..." Shin chuckled, rolling his neck. "But now..."
His left eye pulsed.
FWOOM!
A surge of red and black aura erupted from him, spiraling like a storm. Sparks of dark energy crackled around his fists.
"Thank you for your fighting skills."
The clones froze.
"W-What did you say?" the Hero clone stammered.
"I've copied everything." Shin's left eye glowed brighter. "Every punch. Every kick. Every movement. It's all mine now."
Before they could react—
BOOM!
Shin vanished in a blur.
CRACK!
His fist collided with the Hero clone's jaw, sending him crashing into the dirt.
WHOOSH!
He twisted mid-air, his leg snapping out in a vicious roundhouse that slammed into the Demon King clone's ribs.
THOOM!
The Demon King clone was hurled across the battlefield, smashing through boulders.
"H-How is he so fast?!" the Hero clone gasped, wiping blood from his lip.
"He's using our own moves against us!" the Demon King clone roared, clutching his side.
But Shin wasn't done.
He lunged forward, fists a blur.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Each strike was calculated, flawless—a perfect mimicry of their own techniques, but executed with terrifying precision.
A feint to the left, a brutal uppercut to the gut.
A spin to avoid a punch, followed by a crushing elbow to the spine.
The clones couldn't keep up.
"This… this is impossible!" the Hero clone coughed, spitting blood.
"You taught me well," Shin sneered, grabbing the Hero by the throat and slamming him into the ground.
He turned to the Demon King clone.
"Let's end this."
FWOOSH!
His left eye blazed, and dark energy spiraled into his palm.
A beam of pure black and red energy ignited, thin at first—then rapidly expanding.
It roared like a beast, tearing through the air.
SHRAAAKOOOOOOM!
The beam engulfed both clones in a torrent of destruction. Mountains disintegrated in its path, the ground split apart, and the very air trembled.
The clones' screams were drowned out as the energy devoured them, erasing everything in its path.
When the light faded, only silence remained.
The Hero and Demon King clones were gone—erased.
Shin exhaled slowly, letting the remaining energy flicker out from his hand.
"I know you're watching me."
He lifted his hand, summoning a small, dark dart—spinning with black and crimson energy.
Without hesitation, he hurled it into the shadows.
THOOM!
The dart soared like a missile, piercing through the air and exploding mid-flight.
From the explosion, a thin, dark mist dispersed.
A presence was gone.
"A spy, huh?" Shin muttered. "That dart gathers information on enemies... and destroys them."
Far away, deep within a dark fortress, the real Demon King sat upon his throne, a faint grin on his face.
"Oh, that sucked," he chuckled, resting his chin on his fist.
But suddenly, Shin's left eye flickered again.
FLASH!
His vision expanded, racing through darkness, piercing through layers of magic until—
The Demon King's cold smile appeared.
"Trying to find me?"
The Demon King raised his palm.
"Disappear."
FWOOM!
A surge of dark energy shot out, severing the connection.
Shin's vision snapped back.
"Hah... the Demon King spying on me? That's new."
He shook his head, letting out a soft laugh. "I don't care."
Dropping to the ground, Shin sat with a relaxed sigh.
But then—
WHOOSH!
"Shin!"
Miko and Kuro burst through the treeline, panic in their eyes.
"We heard a loud noise—" Miko's words caught in he's throat.
They froze, staring at the destruction.
Mountains obliterated. Trees reduced to ash. Craters everywhere.
"W-What... happened here?" Kuro stammered.
Shin casually waved them off. "Oh, I was just training."
Both stared at him in disbelief.
"TRAINING?!"
Before they could argue—
WHOOSH!
A powerful wind swept through the area.
From the sky descended Elder Ralnor, hands behind his back, his long robes fluttering.
"Impressive," he said calmly, his sharp eyes scanning the devastation. "A destructive power indeed. You've learned some new tricks, haven't you?"
Shin grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
Ralnor raised his palm slowly.
A green light formed above it, glowing brighter.
The light expanded, spreading across the entire battlefield.
FWOOM!
Mountains slowly reformed. Trees regrew, craters filled, and the land was restored to its original state.
Miko and Kuro's jaws dropped.
"T-That's impossible..." Miko gasped.
Shin blinked, amazed. "You can restore entire landscapes?"
Ralnor smiled faintly. "Every destructive force must have its counterbalance. Now then..."
He turned, narrowing his gaze at Shin.
"You've grown, but the path ahead is darker than you know. Be prepared."
Shin's smirk faded, replaced by a focused glare.
"I will be."
The winds howled, carrying away the remnants of battle.
But the war was far from over.