Creation Of All Things

Adam cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders like he was just warming up. He let the cheers settle—just enough to make sure everyone was listening—before raising a hand.

"While I'm here…" His voice was calm, almost lazy, but the weight behind it was undeniable. "Might as well keep going."

The stadium went dead silent.

Aurora's eyes flickered with interest. Joshua damn near choked on his own breath. "Yo, what?!"

Adam smirked, tilting his head toward the massive floating leaderboard above the arena. His name was sitting right at the top of the Newcomer Rankings, glowing in bold gold letters.

"That was fun and all," he said, stretching his arms, "but I'm not stopping here. Let's keep it moving—I'm climbing that board."

The stadium lost its mind.

"HE'S NOT DONE?!"

"BRO WANTS SMOKE WITH EVERYBODY!"

Joshua slammed his hands on the railing. "You just fought, dude! Take a nap or something!"

Aurora chuckled. "Nah… this is getting good."

RANKING SYSTEM

The leaderboard pulsed, shifting into clear view above the arena.

NEWCOMER RANKINGS (For fresh blood—new students who just entered the arena scene.)

1st: Adam Dhark (just promoted)

2nd: Aurora Ashborne

3rd: Joshua Jeremiah

Adam had just claimed the top spot after bodying Cain. But this was only the first tier.

The board shimmered again, shifting to reveal the next level.

ELITE RANKINGS (For those who crushed the Newcomer tier and earned a real seat at the table.)

1st: ???

2nd: ???

3rd: ???

No names. Just mystery.

Unlike the Newcomer Rankings, the Elite board didn't display its champions—it only revealed them when someone was worthy. These were the ones who had already stomped their way to the top, the fighters who had wrecked every opponent before them.

The stadium lights flared, illuminating a massive ranking pillar rising from the ground. Carved from ancient obsidian, pulsing with golden runes, it was a symbol of dominance. The higher the name, the stronger the fighter.

Joshua gulped, staring at Adam. "Bro's actually serious…"

Aurora's violet eyes gleamed. "Looks like he's about to shake up the whole system."

Adam shoved his hands into his pockets, looking straight at the officials or instructors. "So?" He smirked. "Who's next?"

Silence.

Then—

BOOOOM!

The ranking pillar rumbled.

The next opponent had accepted.

The ground shook. The ranking pillar pulsed, golden runes flaring to life like a beast awakening from slumber.

The crowd barely had time to process what was happening before a voice—deep, mechanical, and undeniable—boomed across the stadium.

[MATCH CONFIRMED: ADAM DHARK vs. KROZAK THE DEVOURER]

A hush fell over the arena. Then—chaos.

"Yo, KROZAK?! The KROZAK?!"

"Nah, Adam's actually fighting a monster now—LMAO!"

Joshua's jaw dropped. "Bro… WHAT?!"

Aurora remained expressionless. Her violet eyes flicked toward the opposite side of the arena, where the air rippled with heat.

And then—

THUMP.

A massive, hulking figure stepped forward from the shadows of the ranking pillar.

Eight feet tall. Heavy, plated black exoskeleton, sharp like a predator's armor. Six glowing crimson eyes. Twin sets of arms, each ending in jagged, clawed fingers. His mouth split open—too wide, too full of needle-like teeth—as a low, guttural chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest.

Krozak the Devourer.

An Abyssal Titan.

A species so rare they were considered walking calamities.

The crowd backed up instinctively.

"Why's a Titan even in the Academy?!"

"Forget that—why's he in the rankings?!"

Joshua ran a hand through his hair, stress levels skyrocketing. "Yo, Adam, maybe this is the one you walk away from?"

Adam just rolled his shoulders, popping his neck with a bored expression. "Nah." He cracked a smirk. "I like the name. Devourer? Sounds fun."

Krozak tilted his head, mandibles clicking in amusement. "HUMAN… YOU WILL BE A FINE MEAL." His voice was ancient, like something dredged up from the depths of the abyss.

The mechanical voice returned.

[MATCH START!]

BOOOOM!

The arena exploded into action. Krozak vanished—a blur of black and crimson.

And Adam?

He just smiled.

Then he moved.

A shockwave ripped through the arena.

Krozak disappeared, moving faster than anything his size had any right to. His six glowing eyes locked onto Adam, and then—

BOOM!

A black blur crashed down, claws ripping through the air.

Adam tilted his head. Just enough.

The claws missed by a hair. The impact behind them? Not so much.

KRRA-KOOOM!

The entire stage cracked beneath Krozak's strike. Dust shot up like an explosion, obscuring everything.

"WHAT THE HELL, HE'S FAST AS HELL FOR HIS SIZE!"

"IS ADAM EVEN—"

A shockwave blasted the dust away.

Adam stood there. Untouched.

Krozak's mandibles clicked. "Hm. Quick prey."

Then his exoskeleton ignited.

Black flames burst from his body, licking across his armor like a living entity. The air around him twisted from sheer heat.

Abyssal Titans.

They didn't just fight. They adapted.

Krozak lunged again, but this time, he didn't go for a direct attack.

Instead—

He disappeared into the shadows.

Joshua's hands clenched the railing. "Oh hell no—"

SHING!

A clawed hand erupted from Adam's own shadow.

Then another.

And another.

Dozens of abyssal limbs stretched out like a monstrous swarm, aiming to rip Adam apart from all sides.

And then—

BOOOOOM!

A wave of golden energy blasted outward from Adam's body. The abyssal limbs disintegrated on contact.

Krozak re-emerged, skidding backward across the ruined stage. His six eyes flickered with something close to… confusion. "…What was that?"

Adam cracked his knuckles. "My turn."

The air changed.

The very ground beneath him seemed to bow under an unseen force.

His eyes turned gold.

Ancient, radiant markings crawled up his arms and neck, burning like battle-hardened scars. A golden aura—thick, suffocating, absolute—erupted around him, distorting reality itself.

The spectators felt it.

It wasn't mana.

It wasn't ki.

It was something else.

War God's Supremacy.

A bloodline trait. Something only he had.

Krozak's instincts screamed. Move. Now.

But it was too late.

Adam vanished.

No blur. No flash. Just gone.

And then—

CRACK!

Krozak's body bent as Adam's fist buried itself in his gut. The force behind it?

Enough to make the entire stadium tremble.

Krozak's six eyes widened.

"GGGHHHAAAARGH!"

A massive shockwave erupted, sending Krozak flying like a meteor.

The crowd screamed.

Joshua's hands were on his head. "BRO JUST LAUNCHED A TITAN."

Aurora's lips parted slightly. Just for a second. "Interesting."

Krozak slammed into the far wall of the arena, leaving a crater in his wake.

Silence.

Then—

The wall shattered as Krozak stood up, armor cracked, blood dripping from his mandibles. His six eyes burned with fury.

"…GOOD."* His voice was deeper now, more primal. "I WILL ENJOY THIS FIGHT, HUMAN."

His black flames erupted, doubling in size. The abyss around him pulsed.

The fight was just getting started.