Shockwaves rippled through the forest, tearing bark from the trees as Adam and his opponent unleashed a flurry of blows. The air crackled with energy, and their fists collided with a thunderous crack, sending shockwaves radiating outward, shaking the very ground beneath them. Adam clenched his jaw, frustration boiling within him. "Damn it," he thought, "I know I'm faster—way faster—but these shackles are evening the odds." He launched another fiery punch, flames licking around his fist like a living creature. Yet, his opponent, with a swift and graceful movement, dodged to the side, whipping his head left. In that moment, a silver-crimson blade materialized in his hand, glinting ominously in the filtered sunlight. He swung it upward, the blade slicing through the air with lethal precision, carving a deep gash across Adam's chest as Adam leaped back, pain igniting in his side.

The girl, her heart racing, spotted the man charging toward Adam. Without hesitating, she extended her hand. From the earth, a thick, pillar-like log erupted, shooting upward with impressive force, aimed directly at the man. The solid wood slammed into his stomach, launching him through the air like a ragdoll. He crashed through trees, splintering branches and sending debris flying in all directions, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

Adam, momentarily startled by the sudden blow to his opponent, turned to see the girl approaching him. “That was you, right?” he asked, a mix of surprise and gratitude in his voice.

“Yeah, I’m a nature-type powerholder,” she replied, her expression serious as she surveyed the chaos around them, the remnants of their battle scattering like leaves in the wind. “Is that why you were hiding in the forest?” Adam asked, his gaze fixed on her with a newfound respect.

“Yeah,” she admitted, a hint of vulnerability in her tone. “I have a significant advantage here. I’m a superior powerholder, but fighting out in the open wouldn’t be wise. I’d be overwhelmed.”

“What do you mean? I’m also a superior powerholder,” Adam countered, his brow furrowing.

“What!? But the way you were moving… you seemed like a higher-grade superior,” she replied, her eyes wide with disbelief. Adam frowned, confusion clouding his mind. “Is there something like that?”

"What do you mean, I have—" Her words were abruptly cut short as a flurry of icicles sprang from the shadows behind them, aimed directly at Adam. With a desperate cry, she hurled herself forward, shoving him hard enough to send him sprawling onto his back in the soft grass. She barely had time to scramble backward before the icy projectiles whizzed past, embedding themselves with sharp thwacks into the trees beyond, splintering wood and sending shards flying like deadly confetti.

In an instant, the world around them transformed. The forest floor, once a vibrant carpet of lush green grass and wildflowers, became a treacherous expanse of glistening ice, its surface reflecting the dim light filtering through the canopy. Both Adam and Iris found themselves trapped, their hands and legs encased in a freezing grip. A bone-deep chill shot through Iris, the icy tendrils numbing her fingers and toes with alarming speed. The cold was not just uncomfortable; it seared through her limbs like a raging storm, threatening to steal away her strength.

Adam, however, reacted with terrifying speed. A wave of heat emanated from his hands, the warmth radiating like a sun breaking through the clouds. With a ferocious intensity, he melted the ice encasing his limbs, steam rising around him as the frost surrendered to his will. He sprang to his feet, a figure of controlled power amidst the frozen landscape, every move exuding confidence. With purposeful strides, he moved toward Iris, the ice beneath his feet dissolving with each step, leaving a trail of steaming water that shimmered like liquid silver. He knelt beside her, his warmth enveloping her like a protective cocoon.

"Seems we've acquired another opponent," he said, his voice steady and calm despite the perilous turn of events. His hands worked swiftly, melting the ice that held Iris captive. "May I have your name?"

"Iris," she replied, her voice slightly breathless from the cold, her cheeks flushed with both the chill and the adrenaline. "And yours?"

"Adam," he replied, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees, ever vigilant for signs of their unseen attacker.

Suddenly, a woman plummeted from the sky, landing heavily several meters in front of them. Tiny droplets, like shards of ice, erupted from her body, scattering in every direction like a rain of frozen daggers. A thick, chilling fog emanated from her form, spreading rapidly outward, swallowing the light and casting a pall over the battlefield. Adam and Iris recoiled as a sudden metallic clang echoed around them, reverberating through the trees.

"Damn it, it's an Aqua powerholder," Iris hissed, urgency tightening her voice. Vines erupted from her body, sprouting from her hands and arms, green tendrils weaving through the air like living serpents. With a powerful heave, she flung her hands upward, the vines snaking toward a thick, sturdy tree behind them, hooking onto its trunk with surprising strength. She hauled herself upward, climbing swiftly and silently into the branches, her heart pounding as she gained height.

Adam looked up at her, utterly bewildered. "What's she doing? Is she running away?" he muttered, his gaze shifting back to the swirling fog. The image of the woman—her long, pure white hair cascading like a waterfall and a face that seemed to belong to someone in their mid-twenties—etched itself in his mind. He opened his palm, and a spark ignited, quickly blossoming into a small fireball that steadily grew in size, illuminating his features in a fierce glow. He swiveled, using the growing orb of fire to pierce the fog, creating a small, clear space around himself. Yet beyond the immediate vicinity of the flame, the chilling fog remained impenetrable, obscuring everything from view.

From her perch atop the tree, Iris saw that the fog only cloaked the forest. She spotted figures fighting outside, their movements frantic yet desperate, though they seemed fewer in number. Clenching her fists, she felt strong bark beginning to grow from her knuckles, enveloping her arms in a protective layer. Doubt flickered in her mind, a nervous flutter that twisted her stomach. She hesitated, torn between the instinct to flee and the need to help Adam. After all, he had saved her from the metal powerholder.

Inside the fog, Adam hurled the fireball he had conjured. Its light vanished into the distance as if being swallowed whole, before exploding against a tree and igniting it, flames licking the bark and spreading to nearby trunks. The fog began to clear around the fire, revealing a small sanctuary of warmth. “Should I just burn this whole forest down?” he wondered, grappling with the destructive thought. Suddenly, the trees that were ablaze froze, encased in a thick layer of ice.

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Then, from the churning heart of the fog, a figure emerged that sent a jolt of icy dread through Adam. It was the man he'd faced earlier, but utterly transformed. No longer flesh and blood, he was a terrifying statue of polished steel, every line of his musculature, every contour of his face, rendered in gleaming, inhuman metal. Before Adam could react, the metallic man moved with terrifying speed, delivering a powerful shoulder-first charge—a devastating spear tackle—that slammed into Adam's chest. The force of the blow drove Adam backward, the metallic man maintaining the tackle as he propelled Adam into the immense trunk of a towering oak. The tree groaned under the combined weight and impact; its leaves rustling in a sudden, violent tremor. High above, the trees themselves shuddered from the force of the blow, causing Iris to instinctively leap to a thicker branch on a neighboring tree, the fog too thick for her to see the attack clearly.

Adam gasped, a groan escaping his lips as searing pain shot through his chest. Even as the metallic man held him pinned against the tree, Adam reacted on pure instinct, his foot unleashing a concentrated burst of energy, aiming a powerful knee strike at the steel man's midsection. The impact, however, produced only a shower of insignificant sparks; it was as if he'd struck an unyielding wall of adamantium. The metallic man looked down at him, his silver hair strangely matted and distorted by the fog, his features oddly warped, yet his eyes held a chilling clarity. Only his pupils were different, glowing with an unnerving, bright gray light. "He looks pissed off," Adam thought, a cold dread settling in his stomach.

With a quick reflex, Adam unleashed an explosion from his legs mid-air, twisting himself to land on his feet. He looked up, ready to charge at his opponent, but froze in horror as he realized his legs were covered in ice, locking him in place like a statue.

From her vantage point, Iris spotted a figure racing toward Adam through the fog. “Gotcha!” she muttered, adrenaline surging. The woman charging at Adam suddenly stumbled, nearly falling as green roots shot out from the icy ground, ensnaring her legs. Without a moment's hesitation, Iris leaped into action, using the roots sprouting from her arms to grab onto the tree behind the woman, pulling with all her might. She shot down from above, entering a kicking position mid-air. The woman sensed the danger and crossed her arms, forming an ice shield. Iris kicked with all her strength, shattering the barrier and sending the woman crashing into the tree behind her.

The woman quickly regained her footing, adopting a fighting stance as grass erupted around her feet, wrapping her in a tight embrace. But the grass froze, and she stepped from it as it shattered.

Meanwhile, spectators in the stadium watched intently as the scene shifted back to Adam and Iris, the tension palpable in the air. Split screens displayed the chaos of battle, occasionally switching to other locations every few minutes. With each transition, Tilda grew more anxious, her heart racing as she desperately wanted to see what was happening to Adam.

Back in the forest, Adam got into a racing position, his legs still imprisoned in ice. The man charged at him, each heavy step echoing with a metallic clang, a relentless predator closing in. Adam's limbs erupted with a wave of energy, flames exploding outward as he propelled himself forward. His entire body ignited, engulfed in a brilliant inferno as he spun mid-air, transforming into a swirling fiery spear. His head collided with the man’s chest, forcing the air from his lungs and sending him coughing blood, the blow creating a shockwave that resonated through the forest.

The explosion cleared the fog, revealing the devastation around them, sending the man flying into the trees with tremendous force, splintering wood and scattering debris.

Eddie, watching from the stadium, choked on his drink and began hitting his chest, panic etched across his face. "Hey, what's wrong?" Tilda asked, her concern evident.

"Nothing! That bastard stole my move!" he exclaimed, annoyance boiling over. "Now when I do it, people are gonna think I copied him!" His voice was laced with frustration, the competitive spirit igniting within him.

"It's okay; I think it's cooler when you do it," she said, a bright smile lighting up her face, trying to reassure him.

"Really?" he asked, shifting his focus back to the screen with a small grin forming. Tilda smiled back, her attention returning to the fight, their shared excitement momentarily easing his frustration.

Inside the forest, Adam landed on all fours, slowly rising to his feet, his vision still blurry. Blood trickled down his left temple, mixing with sweat. "Damn it, how does Eddie do it? I feel like my head just cracked." His injury began to heal as he walked over to his fallen opponent, surveying the devastation he had wrought. Trees lay shattered and uprooted, remnants of their fierce battle. He spotted the man in his normal form, unconscious and vulnerable on the ground. But just as relief washed over him, he heard sounds behind him—grunts and groans of combat echoing through the fog, a reminder that the fight was far from over.

Suddenly, a familiar, piercing pain shot through Adam’s stomach, seizing him in shock. He looked down to see four blades protruding from his torso, glistening ominously. Blood spilled from his mouth as he turned to face the source of his torment. To his surprise, it was the man again, standing tall, his body shimmering with a metallic sheen once more. Adam grimaced, yanking the two blades from his back, the pain sharp and brutal as he pulled out the last two, feeling his regeneration kick in again, warmth flooding through his body.

"If I didn't have these damn shackles, I would have finished him already," he muttered, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I’m stronger than you." His eyes glowed a brilliant red, the heat of anger igniting a fire within him. He felt a surge of determination, frustration mingling with a fierce resolve. "Since the beginning of this fight, you haven't said a word," he muttered.

. "I should burn the whole forest down," Adam growled, his skin glowing a fierce red, radiating heat like a living furnace. The air around him shimmered with intensity as he prepared to unleash hell.

Meanwhile, Iris was locked in a fierce battle with the aqua powerholder. Massive trees erupted from the ground, their trunks twisting and bending as they lunged toward her opponent. The woman, with a grace that belied her formidable power, shot out of harm's way with incredible speed. In an instant, she formed an ice sword in her hand, the blade glistening ominously in the dim light of sunset as she thrust it toward Iris.

But Iris was quicker. She sidestepped at the last moment, her instincts kicking in. With fierce determination, she launched her wood-covered fist straight at the woman’s face. The aqua powerholder instinctively covered her face with a shield of ice just in time to absorb the blow, but the impact was still tremendous, forcing her back.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them erupted in a chaotic display of jagged ice spikes, shooting upward like the talons of a beast. One of the spiky projectiles pierced Iris’s shoulder as she leaped away, pain flaring through her, but she didn’t falter.

In retaliation, Iris summoned poison ivy from the earth, thick green vines slithering toward her opponent with sinister intent. The ivy coiled around the woman, attempting to ensnare her. But the aqua powerholder reacted quickly, freezing the vines mid-attack, causing them to shatter into frozen shards that scattered across the ground.

Before Iris could regroup, the very tree she had been perched upon began to sprout icy spikes, threatening to ensnare her once more. With no time to lose, she jumped to another tree, but all the surrounding foliage had transformed into grotesque, spiky ice sculptures, glinting ominously in the fading light.

“There is nowhere to run now,” the woman taunted, her voice cold and sharp as she leaped into the air, aiming to strike Iris mid-flight.

Reacting instinctively, Iris unleashed a flurry of seeds from her hands. They shot toward the woman, quickly sprouting into towering trees that reached skyward with relentless force. The massive trunks crashed down, pinning the woman to the ground with a thunderous impact, her icy shield cracking under the pressure.

Iris landed atop one of the trees, her heart racing as she felt an intense surge of energy coursing through her. But when she glanced to her left, her eyes widened in horror as she spotted a massive wave of fire barreling toward her, its flames licking hungrily at the air.