Reactive Adaptation

"You can bleed us to the brink of death, crush every bone in our bodies, it only makes us more powerful!"

― Vegeta to Cui, Dragon Ball Z

The ability to develop adaptations, powers, or skills in response to immediate threats. Not to be confused with Evolution.

Also Called

Instant Adaptation
Instant Evolution
Nemesis
Reactive Evolution
Spontaneous Adaptation
Self-Modification
Zenkai (Dragon Ball series)

Capabilities

The users can either instantly develop powers or abilities to deal with threats or their bodies dynamically learn from experience. Depending on the user's control of the power or genetic structure, the reactive effects can be permanent or temporary.

For example, after a certain situation, the user's skin may become tougher. They may display increased IQ after a difficult test or fortified emotions after a personal argument. The user may be able to read different languages after moments of looking them up or be able to withstand a constant bombardment of radiation. Some users may develop Enhanced Durability after being shot, or grow Dermal Armor, or gain the opposite power of their opponent.

In some instances, a magical object may express similar powers.

Applications

Acquired Immunity
Adaptive Appearance
Adaptive Augmentation
Defeat Adaptation
Defense Adaptation
Limitation Transcendence
Power Immunity in terms of adapting and becoming immune to that threat
Power Opposition
Reactive Invulnerability
Reactionary Immunity
Reactionary Replication
Skill Adaptation

Variations

Adaptive Attacks: The users' attacks/techniques are capable of adapting.
Adaptive Movement: The user's movements are capable of adapting.
Adaptive Resistance: The user develops a resistance to something that has affected them, most commonly after taking damage.
Adaptive Resurrection
Advantage Adaptation: The user adapts to their opponent by developing an advantage over them.
Biological Manipulation: Users reactively enhance their bodies in multiple ways usually encompassing one of the personal enhancements.
Body Adaptation: Adapt to being in another body.
Chaos Adaptation: The users reactively adapt to any kind of chaos put in front of them.
Course Adaptation: The users can adapt to any course or path of movement and become better at them.
Damage Memorization: The users memorize the damage their bodies take, thus rendering themselves immune to the same attack or move twice.
Dermal Adaptation: The users reactively change the texture, color, and density of their skin to suit the situation.
Environmental Adaptation: The users reactively alter or shift their bodies in order to survive in their surroundings.
Mind Manipulation: The users reactively alter their own minds and control their positive or negative effects, perhaps even turning on other Mental Abilities.
Physical Force Adaptation: The users reactively adapt to physical forces.
Physical Law Adaptation: The users reactively adapt to any kind of physical laws.
Reactive Attribute Enhancement: The users reactively develop enhancements for situations, combat or tasks.
Supersede: Reactively and automatically enter an even higher level when confronted with a stronger adversary.
Self-Adaptation:The user has control over their own adaptations.
Self-Adaptive Power: The users abilities are able to adapt themselves.
Situational Speed: The user is literally as fast as they need to be at any given moment.
Situational Strength: The user is literally as powerful as they need to be at any given moment.
Society Adaptation: Adapt to different societies.
Sensory Adaptation: The user can adapt to sensory situations.
Strategy Adaptation: The user can adapt to different strategies and tricks.
Superior Adaptation: Adapt to utterly anything and everything.

Examples

Aquatic Breathing after being submerged in water.
Atmospheric Adaptation to changing gases.
Damage Memorization to render oneself immune to certain types of attacks, such as limb severing.
Elasticity to fit through small openings.
Enhanced Durability before being hit by a semi.
Enhanced Intelligence in against mentally incomprehensible threats.
Enhanced Strength when being attacked by foes of great numbers.
Fire Immunity when exposed to flames.
Flight when falling off of a cliff.
Night Vision after being in the dark for a few seconds.
Omnilingualism when attempting to read or listening to a different language.
Teleportation if confronted by a force much stronger than oneself.
Being able to survive without oxygen and being able to withstand the vacuum of space.
Becoming pure energy.

Associations

Adaptation Manipulation
Adaptive Armor
Adaptive Regeneration
Adaptive Shield Construction
Adaptive Weaponry
Immortality
Invulnerability
Shapeshifting
It may evolve into Evolution, unlocking more adaptations and abilities.
If combined with Evolution, one may gain Superior Adaptation.
If combined with Self-Resurrection, one may gain Adaptive Resurrection.
If combined with Precognition, one may gain Preemptive Adaptation.

Limitations

Adaptations may only be temporary.
Cannot function against users of Adaptation Immunity.
Can be defeated or even die before the adaptation even takes place.
Certain hidden threats may not be reacted to.
May be vulnerable to Downgrading.
New adaptations may grow naturally or be produced as a monstrosity.
Learning some adaptations may negate other adaptations (e.g. learning to breathe water may prevent breathing air).
Some adaptations may be in conjunction with weaknesses, even downright detrimental outside the object of adaptation.
Some reactions may have a delayed response.
Some threats may be beyond the extent of what the user can adapt to.
The extent and speed of adaptations may vary between users.
The users may or may not be able to control these adaptations.
Usually dependent upon a direct threat to the person, resulting in responsive action.

Known Users

Anime/Manga/Manhwa

The Tyrant (Akame ga Kill)
Wielders of Incursio (Akame ga Kill)
Gozu (Area D)
Tomura Shigaraki (My Hero Academia/Boku no Hero Academia)
Priscilla (Claymore)
Various Characters (Dragon Ball Series)
Sachiel (Evangelion)
Wall Eehto (Fairy Tail)
Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
Kars (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part II: Battle Tendency);after becoming the Ultimate Life Form
ACT Stand Users (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Requiem Stand Users (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Arceus (Pokémon)
Haru Glory (Rave Master)
Gale Raregroove/King (Rave Master)
Lucia Raregroove (Rave Master)
Hideauze (Suisei no Gargantia)
Garo/Garou (One-Punch Man)
Arcueid Brunestud (TYPE-MOON)
Angeloids (Sora No Otoshimono); via Pandora Mode