The world became a blur of greens and browns as Adam plummeted. Crimson fire erupted from his legs, not a gentle push, but a violent expulsion of energy, a furious geyser of flame that bucked him in mid-air. He inverted, legs now pointing earthward, becoming a living rocket, a controlled inferno burning beneath him, momentarily defying gravity. For a breathless instant, he hung suspended, a human comet trailing incandescent streaks against the bruised purple of the fading light. The air itself crackled with the raw power, the scent of burning ozone sharp and acrid in his nostrils.

"That devastating punch…" he rasped, the words torn from him by the searing pain that lanced through his muscles. It was intense, but familiar, the familiar burn of overexertion quickly fading under his body's natural regeneration. "...that man is a unique power holder," he added, his voice a low, guttural growl.

His precarious balance, however, failed him. A far more powerful surge of fire, this time uncontrolled, erupted from his other leg. It wasn't a controlled burn; it was an explosion, a volcanic eruption of energy that sent him spinning wildly. He became a fiery gyroscope, a blazing projectile hurtling towards the dense, unforgiving forest. The impact was a brutal symphony of destruction. Branches exploded in a furious shower of splinters, trees screamed in protest as they buckled and splintered under the force of his descent, the air thick with the sharp crackle of burning wood and the sickening thoom of repeated impacts. He tore through the undergrowth, a destructive whirlwind of fire and pulverized wood.

The impact with the forest floor was a bone-jarring shock, a brutal collision that should have shattered him. Yet, he was instantly upright, his body miraculously unharmed. He surveyed the scene: a ravaged landscape of splintered wood, smoking earth, and the unsettling stillness that followed the maelstrom of his fall. He found no immediate pursuers, only the silent, smoking testament to his power.

He realized, with a grim satisfaction, that the fall had been completely without effect. A slow smile spread across his face. "If that had been the me from before all this," he murmured, the words half-lost in the oppressive silence of the shadowed forest, "I'd be dead." The sound of distant explosions, the thunderous roar of other battles, drifted to him through the dense canopy.

Then he saw her. A figure with short, silver hair, concealed within the dense undergrowth, was in plain view from his position behind her. She was clearly tense, her body coiled like a spring.

"Hey," he called out, his voice carrying unexpectedly clearly through the stillness.

The girl eaked, whirling around, her eyes wide with terror. She extended a hand, fingers splayed, as if poised to unleash some kind of energy blast.

"Don't come near me!" she hissed, her voice high-pitched and trembling, laced with a desperate urgency.

Adam immediately backed away, raising his hands in a clear gesture of peace, palms open, a silent indication that he meant her no harm.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Adam said, his voice calm and reassuring, a stark contrast to the girl's frantic energy.

"You think I'm stupid?!" she retorted, her hand still outstretched, her stance unwavering. Her voice, though still high-pitched, held a note of defiance that belied her fear. "That's what this whole tournament is for!" she spat, her words laced with bitter cynicism.

"You don't have to fight me," Adam said, his voice low and steady. "They only need ten people out of this round, remember?"

"What are you trying to say?" she asked, suspicion coloring her tone.

Adam lowered his hands slowly, a gesture of non-aggression. "We could work together as a team."

"A...a team?" she echoed, lowering her hand slightly, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

"Yeah," Adam confirmed, "We'll just need to have each other's backs until this is over."

"How do I know I can trust you?" she asked, suspicion still clinging to her voice.

"There are too many opponents out there to take on by yourself," Adam said, his gaze unwavering. "I ran into a Unique power holder back there—I don't think anyone can take on power holders like that alone. We have a much higher chance of surviving if we team up."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"You still haven't given me a reason to trust you," she countered, her voice still wary.

Adam met her gaze directly. "If I wanted to knock you out, I could have done it while you weren't looking, when I first spotted you."

She considered this, her expression softening. "I guess that's true," she conceded, finally lowering her guard completely.

"Does that mean you trust me now?" Adam asked.

"No," she replied swiftly. "If you pull any tricks, I'll hit you."

"Okay, so—" Adam's words were cut short by the terrifying whoosh of a silver axe, aimed directly at the girl's head. In a heartbeat, Adam's eyes flared orange. His feet ignited, propelling him forward in a burst of flame that consumed his shoes. He grabbed the girl, yanking her out of the way just as the axe whistled past. They both fell, Adam landing on top of her.

As he pushed himself up, using his arms for leverage, he realized his hands were pinning her wrists to the ground.

Her cheeks flushed crimson, a furious blush that spread rapidly across her face, replacing the earlier fear with a simmering anger that sparked in her eyes.

In the stadium, a roar of cheers erupted from the crowd. Tilda, barely registering the excitement, held a can of soda, her gaze fixed on the large screen. As she watched the scene, her cheeks flushed crimson, her expression shifting from initial surprise to annoyance. With a sudden, forceful squeeze, she crushed the can, sending soda spraying everywhere.

Embarrassment flooded her face. "Uh, sorry," she stammered, as some of the liquid landed on Eddie's shirt. She fumbled to help him clean up the spill.

Eddie chuckled, "Whoa, don't worry about it. It's fine, it was just an accident."

Adam was already on his feet. His gaze, sharp and alert, scanned the surrounding trees, searching for the source of the attack. The girl wasted no time. With a snarl, she launched herself at him, her fist a blur of motion aimed directly at his jaw. Adam reacted instantly, intercepting her fist before it could land. Despite the stopped blow, the sheer force of her punch sent a powerful gust of wind rippling his jacket, momentarily lifting it from his body. The air itself crackled with the barely contained power of her strike.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you," the girl hissed, her voice tight with barely controlled fury, even as her fist remained trapped in Adam's grasp.

"What do you mean?" Adam replied, genuinely confused. "I was trying to help you."

"Liar," she spat, muscles bunching as she strained against his grip, attempting to yank her hand free. But Adam's hold remained firm, unyielding.

Then, with terrifying speed, Adam spotted it – a whistling arrow, aimed directly at the girl's temple. Without hesitation, he used the leverage of her trapped hand to pull her violently aside. The arrow thudded harmlessly into the tree trunk where her head had been a moment before. The sudden, powerful yank, however, sent the girl tumbling, her body spinning uncontrollably before she slammed into the thick bark of another tree with a sickening thud. Dust and leaves erupted around her as she crumpled to the ground.

Adam's eyes darted to the source of the arrow, his expression hardening.

He saw a man roughly his age holding a crossbow. He fire several shots at Adam. At ran towards him his bare feet catching fire as he ran. To his surprise the speed of these arrows we're abnormal. He Easley dodge bullets but these arrows we're faster than them. He quickly slid his knees on the grassy ground as he slid on it. He reached him quickly using his hand to push himself forward while spinning. His legs spun aimed at the attacker's gut but quickly materialized a shield in front of him which connected with Adam's leg. As soon as it connected his foot let out an explosion that destroys the shield send the man reeling back his legs skidding in to the ground.

The girl pushed herself up, her eyes wide with a mixture of alarm and dawning understanding as she watched Adam, a human inferno, propel himself towards the crossbowman. The crossbowman, having recovered from the initial blast, stood firm, his expression a mask of grim determination. Before Adam could reach him, a change rippled across the crossbowman's body. His hands, previously normal, now gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen, transforming into solid steel

Adam closed the distance in a heartbeat, his flaming fists a blur of motion. The first blow landed with a deafening *CRACK*, Adam's fiery fist connecting with the crossbowman's steel-hard hand. Sparks erupted, showering the air with incandescent particles as the two forces collided. The crossbowman retaliated, his steel fist a hammer blow aimed at Adam's jaw. Adam, however, was ready. He sidestepped the attack with practiced ease, his body a whirlwind of motion, and countered with a devastating uppercut that sent a shockwave through the air.

The fight became a brutal ballet of fire and steel. Each blow was a thunderclap, each parry a shower of sparks. Adam's flaming fists moved with impossible speed, each strike imbued with the raw power of his flames. The crossbowman, his hands unyielding weapons, met each attack with stoic resistance, his movements precise and deadly. He blocked a haymaker aimed at his ribs, the force of the blow shaking his arms. He countered with a vicious jab aimed at Adam's solar plexus, which Adam deflected with a flick of his wrist, the heat of his flames scorching the crossbowman's steel hand. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the intensity of their clash, the sounds of their battle echoing through the forest. The ground trembled beneath their feet with each impact. Dust and debris swirled around them, obscuring their movements in a chaotic dance of destruction.