The air inside the boxing gym was heavy with the smell of sweat and chalk. Mikey's arm was healed, but his progress had been slowed—every punch felt like a reminder of his weakness, of the moment Kang snapped his bone like a twig.
His uncle, arms folded, studied him. "Mikey, your punches… they're strong. But strength alone won't win against killers like Kang. You need more."
Mikey looked up, drenched in sweat. "More?"
His uncle stepped forward, his eyes sharp. "I'll teach you the move I swore never to use in the ring. It's brutal… dangerous. But in a fight where your life is on the line, it's what you'll need."
Mikey's heart pounded. "What's it called?"
His uncle raised his fists, demonstrating a stance. His entire body coiled like a spring, the air tightening around him. Then—BOOM—he exploded forward with a punch so fast it cracked the heavy bag's chain. The whole gym rattled.
"The Dempsey Phantom. A weaving, continuous rush where every punch multiplies in force until your opponent's body gives out. It's a storm they can't escape."
Mikey's eyes widened. For the first time, he felt like he was staring at something beyond boxing. Something terrifying.
Meanwhile, across town, Jin stood barefoot in his master's dojang. His cocky grin was still there, but even he felt a twinge of seriousness today. His master circled him, sharp eyes locked onto his every movement.
"Jin, your kicks are sharp. Your speed, terrifying. But arrogance blinds you. Against someone like Kang, pure taekwondo won't be enough. You need a weapon."
Jin smirked. "So what, old man? You gonna give me a cheat code?"
The master chuckled. Then, in a blur, his foot whipped forward. Not once, not twice—three strikes in a single breath, all aimed at different points. The air cracked like thunder.
"This… is the Heavenly Triple Kick. A technique that only the deadliest fighters of our lineage could master. One strike to break the guard, one to crush the body, and one to end it."
Jin's cocky grin grew wider, his eyes gleaming. "Now we're talking."
The master leaned in close, his voice low. "But beware—your Copy ability already strains your vision. Combine it with this, and you may go blind even faster. Power always demands a price."
Jin scoffed, but deep down, he felt it. A dangerous thrill.
The chapter closes with Mikey weaving punches in the gym, each faster than the last, and Jin kicking in the empty dojang, the sound of his strikes like gunshots.
Both had stepped into a new world of technique. Both knew Kang was growing stronger somewhere out there. The question wasn't if they'd clash again.
It was when.