God of Destruction: Living Among Mortals

Adam had entered his trial, another arena, though this one centered around more all-out destruction and one-on-one battle, with a time limit. If the Adventurers weren't able to knock their opponents unconscious in the time limit, or if no battle happened, then it would automatically count as a tie, and then they would have to redo their trial.

Adam was teleported instantly to his match, where he faced an Adventurer with water manipulation. The water manipulator instantly lunged at him, Adam baffled as he thought there was a grace period before the match began, just all around him, he saw utter destruction.

Even though he was technically in a match, it was more like a free-for-all, since there was no divider between the different matches. Adam dodged the water manipulator, only to collide with another Adventurer, who was stretching out his arms.

The water manipulator instantly closed the gap, which Adam wasn't ready for. Adam summoned his claws, his skin hardening, his senses sharpening, as he dodged the incoming water attack from the water manipulator.

The water manipulator summoned a bunch of water from a nearby river stream, which was conveniently placed so that all the water manipulators in the arena could use the water stream to their advantage.

Adam barely dodged the whip of water that lashed toward him, the cold spray hitting his face. His claws flicked out instinctively, but the water parted around them, leaving him with nothing but a wet sleeve.

The water manipulator smirked, raising his hands again. "You're slow, D-rank," he said casually, sending another whip of water at Adam's midsection.

Adam barely rolled to the side, feeling the sting as it grazed his arm. He could feel his skin toughening, muscles coiling with instinct, but it wasn't enough to block the full force.

He tried to focus, summoning his Adaptive Hide again. His claws lengthened slightly, and his skin shimmered with a faint, scale-like hardness.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to give him a better grip on the dirt beneath his feet as he lunged. The water manipulator didn't wait; he shifted the stream from the nearby river, swirling it into a spinning barrier between them.

Adam skidded to a stop, claws scraping against the arena floor. The water barrier caught him off guard, slamming him back several feet. His body ached where it hit, and he realized quickly that this fight was going to be harder than he'd imagined.

He wiped the sweat from his eyes, breathing heavily. "Okay… think," he muttered to himself.

The instinctual reflexes of Adaptive Hide helped him react, but they didn't solve the problem: he was outmatched. The water manipulator's control was precise, calculated. Every attack had a purpose. Adam, on the other hand, was just trying to survive.

The opponent formed a whip in one hand, lashing it at Adam again. Adam ducked and rolled, claws slashing instinctively at the water whip. It shattered into droplets, but the momentum still knocked him off balance.

He landed hard on one knee, winded. The crowd, or what could be heard of it over the destruction around, was cheering, but Adam barely noticed. Every second felt like a test of endurance.

The water manipulator didn't hesitate. He raised his free hand and created a small wave that surged toward Adam. Adam's instincts kicked in, his skin hardening as he braced himself.

The wave hit him squarely, knocking him back and leaving a wet, aching trail across his torso. He staggered to his feet, coughing, water dripping from his hair.

"You're… persistent," the water manipulator said, almost amused. "For a D-rank."

He waved his hand again, and the water split into several tendrils, each snapping toward Adam like whips. Adam's Adaptive Hide flared again, claws extending, muscles coiling, senses sharpening. He dodged a few, felt a sting from one across his shoulder, and barely managed to knock another aside with his claws.

Every dodge took effort. Every movement required him to anticipate, to react instantly. He was slower, less skilled, and clearly the weaker fighter. He knew it. And yet, he kept moving, kept countering where he could.

Adam spotted a momentary weakness. The water manipulator had focused too much on the tendrils and left a small opening near the ground.

Adam lunged, claws aimed at the manipulator's ankle. He connected, just a scratch, but the water user barely flinched, using his other hand to blast a jet of water that sent Adam flying backward.

Adam hit the ground hard, scraping his arm. He groaned, tasting blood and mud. His body screamed at him to stop, but he forced himself up. He reminded himself that this was just a trial, a test. Survive long enough, and maybe he could last a little longer.

The water manipulator smirked, summoning a small wall of water to push Adam back. "You're too predictable," he said. "D-ranks just don't learn fast enough."

Another whip of water shot toward Adam, and this time, Adam rolled under it, catching his balance just in time. His claws raked the wet dirt as he spun, keeping his body low. Adaptive Hide flared, forming temporary ridges along his arms and legs for extra defense.

Adam saw his chance. The manipulator's focus was on controlling the water around him, and Adam noticed a small pool near the edge of the arena.

If he could knock the water back into it, maybe he could slow his opponent. With a sudden burst, Adam lunged, claws swinging at the base of the wave closest to him. He connected, shattering part of the stream, and it splashed harmlessly into the small pool.

The manipulator's eyes widened in surprise. "Not bad," he said, redirecting his focus.

He formed a whip from the river again, faster this time. Adam barely dodged, twisting awkwardly and scraping a knee. Pain shot up his leg, but he forced himself forward. Every bruise, every scratch, every hit was building up, but he couldn't stop, he couldn't back down, he had to win.