Whizzing through the dark city streets, Hwoarang zipped past several vehicles. His eyes suddenly widened upon seeing a dark figure ahead of him. The bike skidded as he attempted stop. With a gleeful and wicked smile, Devil Jin outstretched his hand to send a wave of power forth, causing an explosion. Hwoarang fell to the ground and rolled several feet. Surrounded and unharmed by the flames of his destruction, Devil Jin slowly stepped forward. The smile had disappeared from his face. Now, two haunting glowing eyes carefully watched their prey.

Jin awoke with a startled breath and sat up in bed. Another nightmare. He had a match with Hwoarang today. Foreshadowing? the darker voice inside teased. Jin grimaced. “Shutup,” Jin muttered aloud. Devil retreated without argument. Jin took uneasy notice of the spirit’s willingness to obey. He had his own suspicions for why and had been distantly thinking over Devil’s suggestion from earlier.

As things were, Jin was stuck with that thing. He himself had little desire for the Mishima Zaibatsu. He revered the organization as an enemy ever since Heihachi betrayed him. It was something to be destroyed along with his grandfather. Taking it for himself had never even crossed his mind. But then again, Jin also knew it was a vast resource. It was power. He thought back to the echoing words from his nightmares, “Power is everything,” and how much it haunted him that he didn’t know who really said them. He had little knowledge of his devil gene. He knew it existed and that he was losing control. He needed something, anything, to give him some power to fight Devil. Deep down, he knew what Devil wanted. Hell on earth. He could sense still another distant voice commanding the desired destruction. Something out there wanted Jin to act. Jinpachi?

No answer came to him. No choice but to move forward with the day.

Later that day, Jin arrived at the assigned place, a damaged temple area, to meet Hwoarang for their match.  He took notice of a large fallen tree to the right as he passed through a broken doorway. A stone path littered with several leaves led to an entrance. Hwoarang had arrived first and stood still as he analyzed his rival.

They had not met since during the third tournament. Back then, Jin had won, and upon Hwoarang’s defeat, he had agreed to an eventual rematch. Jin did not want to fight, not after the nightmare from earlier, not if he could somehow avoid it. Silence passed as neither spoke right away. Finally, Jin decided to start. “I’m sorry, I can’t keep our promise. Things are a bit different now.”

“What?! Are you saying there’s somebody out there stronger than me?” Hwoarang asked, disgruntled at Jin trying now of all times to back down.

“That’s not what I’m saying. I have family problems I have to deal with,” Jin explained. Not that it would matter to his opponent.

Even more annoyed, Hwoarang insisted, “Deal with that later! Let’s go!” He prepared his stance, ready to fight.

Jin eyed him carefully and nervously. “You give me no choice.” He pictured his devil form’s fangs grinning knowingly at what was about to happen. Stay back.

Hwoarang wasted no time charging in for his assault on Jin with a flurry of kicks. Jin blocked as best he could. His opponent was in top form, and Jin was not. He attacked when he saw openings, but Hwoarang was just as quick to defend. “I see you’ve changed your style. But it’s not helping you,” his rival mocked.

Jin said nothing as he tried to concentrate on the match. Let me out. Devil demanded. Stay back. Jin repeated to his inner demon. I’m hungry. My time is now. Let me out.

Jin took another kick to the face and fell back. He was fighting two battles now, and he could not possibly keep up with both. They were wearing him down. He was not strong enough. The match continued until its inevitable conclusion.

Hwoarang defeated Jin. The orange-haired youth looked down at Jin’s unconscious body and half-smiled to himself. Seemed a little too easy, but the job was done. Finally. But then…I told you, you were nothing without me. Devil’s voice hissed from within. Smoke started to rise around Jin’s shoulders, his sweat sizzling from the heat enveloping his body. The temple started to burn with flames shooting up all around in various spots. Hwoarang nervously glanced around at the changing scenery. What was going on?

Power. He needed more power to move forward. Frustrated and hopeless, Jin let out a monstrous scream, not in his own mind but completely aloud, releasing a gust of wind with it, knocking a startled Hwoarang off his feet.

When Hwoarang looked up, he could not believe his eyes. A clawed hand, mutated from Jin’s arm guard, unshielded the creature’s face. “I will teach you the true meaning of fear!” it viciously hissed at him. Two black-feathered wings had sprouted from Jin’s back. He had changed in other ways too. Dark markings over his chest. Horns coming out of his head. This thing was…a devil.

Hwoarang stumbled back from the shock for a moment and then tried to stand, but the demon had already leapt at him to attack. Its strength and speed were clearly on a completely different level than Jin or himself. After a few harsh blows, it grabbed Hwoarang’s face, dangling the defeated young Korean’s body from his hand. Devil Jin gritted his teeth and hissed again.

Broken and beaten, Hwoarang felt truly afraid for his life. Was it really going to kill him? He felt himself slipping away into unconsciousness. That’s enough. He’s out of the way now. Killing him would have consequences to stop me from reaching Jinpachi. Jin’s voice reasoned to his evil self inside.

The demon ruthlessly threw Hwoarang’s body down, annoyed, but the human voice was right. Jinpachi was the real target now. He eyed the other boy’s body with contempt in his eyes. Then he smiled. Then he started to laugh in an increasingly high-pitched cackle. And then the devil features left Jin’s body in an instant.

I finally have you, Jin Kazama.

Power is everything. They are my words now. I will do whatever it takes to get the power I need to get rid of you. Even if that means using you.

Challenge accepted. Let’s go.