Kitae Kim picked himself up off the ground, his figure hunched as he inspected the wound on his stomach. His clothes had been torn open, the remaining fabric clinging tightly to his blood-marred skin.
"What monstrous strength," he muttered under his breath.
But the world didn't give him time to breathe.
His senses screamed an instant later. His eyes locked onto the flying figure—what was left of Apollo.
His left arm still dangled loosely, flapping in the wind like discarded flesh. The sheer brutality of it made even Kitae take a step back. He raised his axe, the blade poised as a shield against Apollo's next assault.
It was pointless.
The knee tore through the air, smashing into the sharp edge of the axe—and instead of the knee getting cut, the weapon shattered. The metal fragmented into pieces, scattering like brittle glass.
Kitae could barely blink in time. The knee continued on its path of destruction, crashing squarely into his nose—again.
Blood exploded from the wound. His face twisted under the impact, but this time, he was ready.
With a savage grin, he twisted his hips, his left fist rocketing out like a cannon toward Apollo's broken arm. Aimed to finish it—to cripple him permanently.
But this wasn't Apollo anymore.
This was Shuten-Doji—the King of All Oni.
A fist intercepted Kitae's blow. Steam hissed off Apollo's knuckles as he blocked the attack cleanly, his expression calm and resolute. Without pause, he pulled back, settling into a stance that made Kitae's eyes narrow in disbelief.
It was familiar.
Apollo couldn't copy Kitae's martial art—not completely. Not without strength mastery. His imitations would be pale, unfitting echoes of his own raw, instinctive style.
But Shuten-Doji was different.
He copied Kitae's move perfectly.
His right fist lashed out, crashing against Kitae's hand. A concussive boom accompanied the impact, and blood sprayed from the strike point.
Kitae's body trembled. His skin felt like it was crawling with thousands of ants. His face went pale.
"That... wasn't like mine."
His breath hitched. And then, the horrifying truth sank in.
Apollo hadn't just copied his technique.
He had improved it.
His eyes widened in disbelief. For the first time in this fight, true shock settled in his bones.
He remembered the words of a man he once scoffed at—Gapryong Kim.
"When a UI user goes into that state, he fights like a savage beast. Nothing—and I mean nothing—I can teach you will prepare you for that."
The memory cut through the haze. His breath turned cold. His muscles tensed.
"I'll kill you," Kitae growled.
He tossed aside his broken axe and charged.
His fists moved with tight, brutal precision. His intent was simple.
Destruction.
That was the core of his path. It always had been.
Kitae Kim loved to destroy. Every bone he broke, every life he shattered—it all fed the beast inside him. It was joy. It was him.
He pressed forward, ignoring the screaming pain in his body.
'He's injured.'
The strategy formed in his mind—quick, clean, final.
But as his fist moved toward Apollo's face, the man shifted—barely.
And Kitae's punch passed through empty air.
Then it came.
A force, primal and devastating, slammed into him.
He was flung across the ground like a ragdoll.
His vision spun. And through it, he saw the figure of Apollo stalking forward.
Kitae roared, a guttural cry from the depths of his soul.
"I am Kitae Kim! The one destined to rule!"
His fist collided with Apollo.
And for a moment, hope surged in him.
'I don't need your cursed power, Gapryong Kim! I'll never—'
But that hope shattered on impact.
Apollo had shifted—again—his monstrous body absorbing and redirecting the force with terrifying efficiency.
Kitae stared in disbelief.
The technique. The same one Apollo used earlier. But now, enhanced. Refined. Stronger.
His dark green eyes locked onto Kitae's—cold, emotionless, and overwhelming.
'He used it... instinctively. And now that he's stronger, My punch barely scratched him.'
For the first time in his life—Kitae Kim felt fear.
A backfist crashed into him. His body screamed in agony. Blood spewed from his mouth like a ruptured fountain. His vision blurred.
He saw Apollo walking toward him. Calm. Composed.
And in that quiet moment, Kitae Kim saw a truth he never wanted to believe.
There were people in this world he couldn't beat.
'So Gapryong Kim wasn't the only one…'
But something else surfaced—something darker than fear.
Jealousy.
His fists clenched. His face twisted in fury.
'First Gapryong… and now you.'
His mouth opened, and a quiet curse left his lips:
"Your special techniques… your different states… it's as if the heavens favor you."
He stood—not out of duty, not for pride.
But out of spite.
His blood pulsed. Something black coiled in his heart.
'All my life, I tried to copy your technique. The Overcome. But it wasn't enough. My talent… it wasn't enough.'
He locked eyes with Apollo.
'And now, another one. Another blessed by the heavens.'
"I'll destroy you both," his words a declaration to himself and his world.
"No matter what it takes."
Kitae Kim surged with power.
And through sheer hatred—he broke his limits.
...........
A villain is a person as well, with motivations and back story aligning their paths.
Lets see who survives ;)