With and Without You (AetherxAyaka)

Chapter 39: Adapt

It was right in front of him.

He was so sure that he had it.

He finally managed to sneak up on a boar, a rather large one at that.

As he had gotten closer, Aether grown more confident that his target would make his first meal of the day.

Only for his thinking to cloud his judgment.

The wild boar had known he was there, it was used to obstructions to its natural habitat. It had adapted through instincts in order to out cun any hillichurls or human whom planned on feasting.

Had it not changed in the name of survival, it would have died out some time ago.

If Aether had only reflected on this sooner, would he have anticipated the trashing he was in for.

By the snap of a twig, the boar had stomped the ground with all its might. His knees felt week as the wild boar smashed itself into him, leaving a sore pang in his rib cage.

Winded on the ground, Aether tried to grasp the boat, but failed. It had kicked free only to summoned the attention of a creature whom would make for a perfect distraction.

An electric whopper flower.

Before he knew it, his satisfying lunch had gotten away and he was left to deal with a trouble some creature.  Of course it wasn't impossible to beat, even on an empty stomach.

It was a creature based off of deception in order to make up for its weakness in over all mobility and strength.

That's not to say it didn't have its own challenges. Afterall, being a creature on such a harsh island had made it particularly stubborn against his blade.

Still, it was no Raiden Shogun.

He had woke up a some time ago, hoping that resting would replenish the energy his body had spent so much of his strength in his fight with the eternal God of Inazuma.

Though really it wasn't a fight.

It was more a scrabble for survival, clinging onto his instincts and battle experience to dodge the sheer power of someone whom was vastly more significant.

It was one sided.

She was fighting for something she strongly believed in, some goal she had upheld for more years than mortals live. While, Aether on the other hand, had only recently started believing the cause he had been fighting for.

Not to mention, she was a literal God whom had honed her skills far more than him. Aether's skills of the blade was superb, but nothing compared to the Shogun. She elegantly and swiftly put herself in a constant offensive with her ranged polearm and even sometimes, her swift electric katana. Not to mention her even faster speed and reaction time.

The Shogun had not only counteracted anything he threw at her, but she had also adapted to his combative style.

He highly doubted that she had encountered someone capable of using multiple elements, let alone master them.

The Shogun had ambition, strength, speed, integrity, and a godly perception.

Aether sighed as he rested on a stone, examining the small sparks he had sent from his hand.

If he had any hope of besting her, he needed to understand his electric power more.

Wind wouldn't stop her electric attacks.

Geo may work, but it's slow and limited in the ways it can reach her.

That only left his recently adapted ability to discharge electrical current from his body.