The ground trembled.
From afar, Fortis raised both of his arms, his steel-hard muscles swelling like metal balloons ready to explode.
Fortis: STEVE! I am Fortis, the man whose muscles cannot be compared to anyone else!
Steve: Wow… those muscles look insane. Alright then, let's test them!
Steve lowered his stance, preparing for battle.
Fortis: GET READY! HUFTT… TITAN KNUCKLE!!!
DARRR!!!
Fortis shot forward. The floor beneath him shattered like glass. The massive punch tore through the air Steve ducked just in time.
The gust from that punch obliterated everything behind Steve.
BOOMM!!
Steve: This guy's insane!
Fortis took a deep breath, his body expanding.
Fortis: Infinite pump!!
His muscles swelled with an unreal pump, the air thickened under the pressure, and the arena shook violently.
Fortis: Fortis Bosooka!
Fortis launched his punch. The fist was so powerful and so fast that dodging was impossible.
BRUKK!
Steve was thrown far back, tumbling across the ground repeatedly. He dug his fingers into the earth to slow down, stood up, and wiped the blood from his nose.
From a distance, Fortis was posing like a professional bodybuilder.
Fortis: Looks like you didn't drink your PWO, Steve! Muscle flex intimidation!!!
A wave of muscle aura burst out, generating a violent wind that blasted the surroundings.
Steve: What? just posing can create power like that?! How is he not an S-Class Hunter?!
Fortis walked forward slowly, preparing to attack again then charged like an unstoppable bulldozer.
Fortis: Super Iron Charge!
Steve: Enough. That's enough testing your strength!!!
Steve clenched his fist tightly, channeling pure darkness into it.
BAM!
Their attacks collided. Both remained standing firm, but everything around them was destroyed.
Fortis froze, eyes widening.
Fortis: You… didn't get blown away?!
Steve: Playtime is over.
Fortis leaped high into the sky, his shadow covering the arena.
Fortis: Colossal Meteor!
His arm came crashing down like a falling giant meteor.
DOOONNGG!!
Dust covered the arena, cracks spread everywhere.
When the dust finally cleared… Steve stood calmly, brushing off his shoulder.
Steve: That's it?
Fortis: What!… You're still alive?!
Steve vanished instantly.
DUP!
Suddenly, Steve was right in front of Fortis.
Fortis: Huh?
Steve tapped Fortis' chest with a soft punch but the effect was like being blasted by a cannon.
BAAAMM!
Fortis' massive body was sent flying, rolling across the ground multiple times.
From afar, Kregt simply muttered,
Kregt: Hmm.
Fortis stood back up, laughing while holding his chest.
Fortis: HAHAHA STEVE! YOU ARE VERY, VERY STRONG!!! I LIKE IT!
Steve: O…kay? Thanks?
Fortis: Kregt! Give me the protein!!
Kregt threw him a bottle of protein.
Fortis chugged it instantly.
His body stretched, surging with sudden explosive energy.
Fortis: Brutal! Consume protein!! No more holding back!
Steve smirked.
Steve: Alright. I'll get serious for the first time here.
Pure darkness surged from Steve's body, coating him completely. The atmosphere of the arena turned grim.
Pulchra, Gens, and Kregt froze in place.
Fortis and Steve shouted together: "LET'S BEGIN!!"