Creation Of All Things

The arena cracked beneath Krozak's feet as he launched forward, a living storm of claws and black fire. His exoskeleton gleamed under the blazing stadium lights, and his six eyes pulsed with raw killing intent.

BOOOM!

A single stomp shattered the ground as he closed the distance in a blink. His twin sets of arms blurred, each clawed strike aiming to tear Adam apart from every angle.

Adam didn't move.

Not until the very last second.

WHOOSH!

He weaved through the onslaught, twisting and shifting just enough for every attack to miss by mere inches. Krozak's claws slashed through empty air, carving deep gashes into the arena floor instead.

"Stand still, human!"

Adam smirked. "Nah."

BANG!

His fist slammed into Krozak's ribs, golden energy detonating on impact. The Abyssal Titan lurched back, skidding across the ground as his exoskeleton cracked even further.

But he wasn't done.

Before Adam could follow up—

SWOOSH!

Krozak's second set of arms moved in.

A blur of black claws lashed out, forcing Adam to lean back just in time to avoid his throat being torn open. But the attack wasn't meant to hit.

It was a setup.

CRACK!

A tail—jagged, armored, and covered in abyssal flames—whipped forward from behind Krozak, striking Adam's side with bone-crushing force.

Adam shot backward like a bullet, slamming through a series of stone pillars before finally skidding to a stop.

Joshua flinched. "OHHH SH—"

Aurora's gaze sharpened. "That's a problem."

Krozak didn't give Adam a second to breathe.

His flames roared to life, the black inferno twisting into something even darker—something deeper. The shadows around the arena bent unnaturally, drawn into him like a vortex.

Then—

FOOOM!

The abyss itself erupted forward.

A wave of black fire, seething with chaotic energy, surged toward Adam like a tidal wave, threatening to swallow him whole.

The audience gasped.

And then—

BOOOOOOM!

A golden explosion tore through the abyssal flames, splitting them in half. The entire stadium shook as Adam emerged from the smoke, dusting off his shirt like he hadn't just been hit by a Titan.

"…Cute."

His voice was casual. Too casual.

Golden energy crackled around him like a raging inferno, his War God's Supremacy flaring even brighter. The pressure in the air doubled. No—tripled.

Krozak's six eyes narrowed.

Then—

They moved.

BOOM!

Fist met claw.

Blow after blow.

The two blurred across the battlefield, striking at speeds that left afterimages behind. Krozak's claws sliced through the air, barely missing Adam's throat. Adam's elbow cracked against Krozak's jaw, sending him staggering.

The crowd could barely keep up.

The impact of every clash sent shockwaves through the arena, splintering the ground beneath them. Pillars shattered. The ranking pillar trembled. Even the floating leaderboard flickered under the sheer force of their battle.

Adam ducked under a razor-sharp claw, spun mid-air, and slammed a golden-imbued kick straight into Krozak's torso.

BANG!

Krozak flew backward—

But then—

WHOOSH!

He vanished into the abyss.

Adam's eyes flicked around, his senses sharp.

Silence.

Then—

SHING!

A black claw shot out from the shadows behind him.

Adam tilted his head. Just enough.

WHOOSH!

The attack missed by millimeters.

But another one was already coming.

From below.

And from the side.

And from—

BOOOOOOM!

A golden shockwave exploded from Adam's body, ripping through the abyssal hands. The entire battlefield was swallowed by the light for a brief moment, forcing even the audience to shield their eyes.

As the smoke cleared—

Adam and Krozak stood at a distance, finally separated.

Both breathing heavier than before.

Both analyzing each other.

Krozak rolled his shoulders, his mandibles clicking in amusement. His exoskeleton was cracked, pieces of armor chipped away, but his six eyes still burned with fury.

Adam wiped a small trail of blood from his lip, grinning.

"You good?" he asked, stretching his arms. "Or are we just getting started?"

Krozak let out a deep, guttural laugh.

"Oh, human… We are FAR from finished."

Their next clash was going to be even worse.

Even louder.

Even deadlier.

And the entire stadium could feel it.

Adam barely spared Krozak a glance as he turned toward the instructors' section. His smirk deepened, sharp and amused, but something about it made the air turn ice-cold.

His golden eyes gleamed under the arena lights. "When you said get stronger or perish in Origin Academy," he asked casually, tilting his head, "does that mean we can kill each other?"

Silence.

Not just from the officials—everyone froze.

A shiver ran through the stadium.

Joshua's breath hitched. "Bro… what the hell?"

Aurora's fingers twitched, but her expression remained unreadable.

Even Krozak, still burning with abyssal flames, paused. His six eyes narrowed.

Up in the stands, one of the instructors finally shifted. He wore a long black coat, his face hidden behind a sleek metal mask. His voice came through, smooth but laced with something sharp.

"Only if you can get away with it."

The crowd erupted.

"WHAT?!"

"Nah, this school is actually insane—"

Joshua grabbed his head. "This ain't even a school, this is a damn battle royale—"

Adam laughed. Just once. Low and entertained.

Adam's thoughts raced.

So I can collect subordinates here…? The so-called Children of the Universe…?

His golden eyes gleamed.

If I can kill them and claim them as loot—just like I did with Wraith—then by the time I leave this place…

I'll be unstoppable.

A grin stretched across his face.

[Yes, Host,] the system chimed in. [But not all students here are Children of the Universe. Most are just freakishly strong and deemed worthy of Origin Academy.]

Adam barely heard the second half. His gaze lifted to the sky, a mad glint in his eyes.

Then—

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

His laughter erupted, deep and wild, shaking the air itself.

BOOOOOOM!

The sky rumbled. Thunder crashed as if the heavens themselves were laughing with him. The arena trembled, and for a split second, the entire Academy felt that presence.

Every student. Every instructor. Every being in that moment had the same thought—

"What the hell is this monster?!"

Adam ran a hand through his hair, his smirk never fading. Then, between his laughter, he finally spoke—

"YOU FOOLS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID—"

His voice carried across the entire Academy, bold and unwavering—

"THIS ENTIRE ACADEMY IS NOW MY LOOT!"

The words hung in the air. Heavy. Absolute.

No one knew whether to be terrified or impressed.

But one thing was certain—

Adam wasn't joking.