God of Destruction: Living Among Mortals

"It's getting really boring now," Nova said, as the minutes elapsed into what felt like hours. "The other Adventurers aren't even close to giving up. Well, neither am I. There are only what, five or four left?"

"Three actually, as another one just fainted." The duplicate responded with closed eyes, then opened them. "There are now only three left. Congratulations, you're in the top three. Sucks that you have to be strictly number one to win the trial."

"Yeah, it does suck, but then again, it's just experience in how to control the flow of mana and energy coursing through my body. I was willing to take this trial as a way to practice staying longer in the Ability Chamber while controlling my mana flow. So, honestly, it's a win-win situation for me."

"Interesting, I would guess the other participants were probably forced to do this trial, rather than choose on their own. Or maybe they had the short end of the stick."

"Yeah, probably,"

The two looked in the distance, as the chaos and destruction in the Ability Chamber were coming to an end. As if reverting to a more peaceful chaotic background, rather than a free-for-all.

Outside Nova's Ability Chamber, in the real world, the misty, gray fog was thickening, making the other two contestants in it have a tougher time, even though they were controlling and practicing their meditation. They were both also in their own Ability Chambers, yet that wasn't as beneficial to them as it was to Nova.

The other two participants were from Kuwait and India. Their bodies were sweating under the extreme fatigue and mental strain that the fog had illuminated them through thus far. While Nova's body was calmer and at rest. Almost as if the fog wasn't even fazing him.

Nova, on the other hand, was steady. His body barely moved. He looked asleep, but his mind was sharp, focused completely on maintaining balance. Everything he took was measured, like each inhale and exhale was a part of a cycle to avoid the fog that harbored death itself.

The fog deepened and pressed harder now. It wasn't just thick; it felt heavy, like a mountain had embedded itself amongst the three remaining participants. The fog started to cling to his skin, the coldness numbing his limbs.

His chest rose on and off, falling slowly each time, as if his body refused to give the fog any sign of weakness. Inside the Ability Chamber, Nova stood with his duplicate.

"You're doing very well," the duplicate said, its arms crossed as it watched Nova's breathing sync with the rhythm of the Chamber. "Your flow's stable. The fog can't pull as much energy from you anymore."

"It still hurts," Nova whispered, pressing a hand against his chest. "It's like my lungs are filling with stone. Every second, it gets a little harder to breathe."

"That's good," the duplicate said simply. "That means you're adapting. The fog can only drain what your body refuses to accept. Once you stop fighting it, you'll start to control it."

Nova raised an eyebrow. "Control it? You make it sound like the fog's alive."

"It might as well be," the duplicate replied. "Everything in this trial seems to have a will of its own. Even death."

Nova chuckled softly, though it sounded more like a tired sigh. "You always know how to make things sound worse."

The duplicate smirked. "Just keeping it real."

In the real world, the fog thickened further. The sound of someone collapsing echoed faintly from the distance, a dull thud swallowed by the mist. Nova opened one eye, then closed it again. He didn't need to see who it was.

"Down to two," he said quietly.

The duplicate nodded. "Just you and the other one left."

Nova focused again, steadying his breathing. He could faintly sense the other Adventurer, the one from India, still holding on, their mana flickering like a weak candle. It was impressive, honestly. Most would've given up long ago.

He wanted to respect that effort, even if it meant more pain for himself. Minutes passed. Then more. The silence grew so deep that even Nova's own heartbeat started to sound distant. The fatigue crept in slowly, like water filling a sinking ship. His limbs grew heavy. His thoughts began to blur.

The duplicate stepped closer. "Don't drift too far. You've got maybe two minutes before your body starts to shut down."

Nova exhaled, shaking his head slowly. "No… I'm fine. I can still go on."

He wasn't sure if that was true. His body trembled slightly, a small, involuntary twitch that made his arms feel foreign. The fog was no longer around him; it was inside him.

The duplicate could sense it too. "You're absorbing it without realizing. Careful now."

Nova looked at him, eyes dull but steady. "What happens if I let it in?"

The duplicate hesitated, then said quietly, "Then it becomes a part of you."

"Good," Nova whispered.

The duplicate frowned. "That's not what I-"

But it was too late. Nova's breathing slowed even more. The fog entered his body fully now, merging with his mana, twisting through his veins like dark threads of smoke. The pain was sharp at first, then numb, almost comforting.

In the Chamber, the chaos began to move again, reacting to Nova's choice. The once-fading destruction returned in small ripples, drawn to him as though he were its center. His duplicate watched silently, realizing what Nova had done.

Outside, the fog started to clear, just a little. Enough for the observers to see one figure still sitting upright amidst the gray. Everyone else was gone.

Nova remained motionless, eyes half-open, a faint shimmer in his pupils like flickering ash. He had won.

But inside, his duplicate stared at him with quiet concern. "You passed the trial," he said softly. "But you let the fog in. You let it change you."

Nova smiled weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe change is what I needed."