Chapter 83 – Battle Between Mortals [1]
The arena had gone silent.
Ruby Hale and Ken Xiao stood at opposite ends of the sand-pit, eyes locked, the tension between them so sharp it could cut steel.
Ken's lips curved into a strange, almost mocking smile. His voice was calm but laced with challenge.
"Draw your weapon."
Ruby said nothing. She simply lowered her stance, one leg sliding back, fists rising, body tightening like a coiled spring. She needed no words—her intent radiated clearly enough.
Ken chuckled quietly to himself and flicked his eyes toward the floating countdown.
3… 2… 1… Start.
The gong sounded, and in the blink of an eye, Ruby vanished from her spot.
Boom!
She appeared in front of Ken with blistering speed, a blur of motion. Ken's reflexes snapped into action; he raised his arm across his face as a shield. But Ruby feinted at the last second—her fist darted sideways and crashed squarely into his jaw.
CRACK!
Ken's body whipped to the side, launching across the arena like a ragdoll. Gasps echoed from the stands.
Ruby didn't give him time to recover. She leapt high, her body twisting midair, and descended with a devastating punch aimed at his midsection.
THOOM!
Her fist buried itself in his gut, and Ken's body folded violently. He slammed into the sand below like a sack of grain, the ground exploding around him.
The arena shook. The audience roared.
Ruby landed lightly, eyes sharp, ready to finish it. She lunged forward, raising her knee for a killing strike straight to his face—
But Ken rolled away at the last instant. Her knee slammed into the sand with an explosive thud, shards of stone flying outward.
Ken staggered upright, blood streaking his lips, his head tilted as though his neck barely held. Still, his eyes burned with focus. He darted behind Ruby, his movements ragged yet precise.
BAM!
His fist smashed into her cheek. Ruby's vision sparked white. The blow was like being hit by a freight train. Blood sprayed from her nose, and for a moment, her footing faltered.
But she refused to fall.
Ruby roared, pivoted, and drove her fist into his torso again—this time hammering the same spot on his liver she had struck before.
THUD!
Ken gagged, the impact ripping the air from his lungs. Pain seared through his ribs, but desperation fueled him. He countered with a spinning kick, forcing Ruby back.
The exchange exploded from there.
Punches. Kicks. Dodges. Blocks.
Each strike landed with enough force to rattle bones. The sound was thunder—boom, crack, thud, slam—a storm of violence unleashed in the pit. Their silhouettes blurred, movements so fast that many in the crowd couldn't keep up.
Some trainees gawked with wide eyes, mouths open.
"W-what the hell… I can't even see them move!"
The clash lit the arena like fireworks, each impact a blazing spark.
Above, Verina Hale leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. She was utterly engrossed. Ruby, the daughter of the former president, fought with ferocity that reminded her of Lucien Hale himself. The same fire, the same fearlessness—it was like seeing his shadow brought back to life.
---
Ken surged in again. His fist slammed against Ruby's arm, and the crack of bone echoed. Her forearm split under the pressure, blood pouring down her wrist. Ruby gritted her teeth against the agony, her vision blurring for a moment as her eyes flicked to her broken arm.
That single heartbeat of distraction was all Ken needed.
He roared, essence flooding into his fist, a shimmering aura wrapping around his knuckles.
BOOOOM!
The punch detonated against Ruby's chest, the shockwave ripping through the arena. Ruby's body was flung backward, her bun snapping loose. Black hair unfurled wildly, whipping around her face as she skidded across the sand.
The crowd erupted in chaos. Minji and James sat frozen, their knuckles white, eyes wide with worry. Neither spoke—but their faces betrayed everything.
Ruby lay limp for a moment, her chest heaving, blood dripping down her chin.
A trainee near the front leaned close to his friend, whispering,
"Why aren't they using their bloodlines?"
"You don't know?" the other whispered back, almost scandalized. "Ruby still not awakened her bloodline transformation."
The first boy's eyes widened. "Wait… what? You're telling me she's been dominating the rankings without a bloodline?!"
"And Ken Xiao…" the whisper dropped lower, "…he's holding back. If he activates his bloodline, it won't be a fair fight."
---
Down below, Ruby's vision swam. Darkness crept at the edges of her mind, tempting her to give in.
But her will was iron.
She forced herself up, staggering forward, eyes blazing with raw defiance. Blood dripped down her chin, but she didn't care. Her knees bent, toes digging into the cracked arena floor. Then—she lunged.
Her one good arm lashed out like a whip.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A storm of punches hammered toward Ken, each strike so fast the crowd could barely track her.
Ken twisted, forearm snapping up to block, body jerking as he countered with vicious hooks and low kicks. His strikes carried precision, his aura flaring with every movement—but Ruby's frenzy was overwhelming.
Her fist crashed into his ribs.
Ken hissed, pain flashing in his eyes.
He retaliated instantly—an elbow slicing toward her temple.
Ruby ducked, the strike grazing her hair, and came up with a brutal uppercut that rocked Ken's jaw and sent spit and blood flying into the air.
The arena gasped.
Ken staggered back one step. Ruby didn't let him breathe. She sprinted forward, spinning on her heel— THWACK! A roundhouse kick slammed across his face, the shockwave rattling the barrier walls.
Ken's head snapped sideways. He skidded across the ground, boots grinding sparks against the stone. But before Ruby could finish, Ken's hand shot out, clutching her ankle mid-swing.
He snarled.
And with a roar, he swung her like a ragdoll, slamming her body against the arena floor with an impact so violent the ground cracked beneath her.
"RUBY!" someone shouted from the stands, panic bleeding into their voice.
Dust plumed. For a heartbeat, it seemed like she wouldn't rise.
But then—
She rolled, bloodied and coughing, and shot forward again. Her knees trembled, her broken arm hung useless, but her glare could have burned through steel.
Their fists collided.
CRACK!
Both landed clean on each other's faces at the same time.
Blood sprayed. Skulls rattled. Neither stepped back.
Ken's eyes locked with Ruby's—and froze.
In her gaze burned something primal. A fury. A rage so terrifying it looked almost divine. Her bloodied face twisted into a snarl, her teeth red, her eyes alive with the essence of war.
It wasn't human anymore.
It was as if a goddess of battle had descended into her flesh.
Ken's instincts screamed danger. For the first time in his life—he felt fear.
And then—
BOOOOM!
Ken's bloodline erupted. His aura flared violently, bending the air itself. Gravity warped. The entire arena shuddered as the weight of a collapsing mountain poured into the battlefield.
Spectators gasped, their seats trembling. Some clutched their chests, struggling to breathe as the oppressive force bled outward.
Ruby's body slammed into the ground with a sickening thud. Her limbs spasmed, her chest crushed by invisible pressure. Bones creaked. Her lips split with blood as her scream tore through the arena.
Ken's hair whipped in the distorted air, his veins glowing faintly with unleashed essence. He raised his hand, ready to finish it—his expression calm, almost merciless.
But then—
"STOP!"
The referee blurred into existence, aura flaring just enough to resist Ken's gravity. His voice thundered like a war drum.
"Match over! Ken Xiao—victory!"
The arena roared. Some with awe. Some with disbelief. Others with silent horror at what they had just witnessed.
Ken lowered his hand, chest heaving. Ruby lay pinned, her body trembling, yet her eyes still burned with that unyielding fury—as if even defeat couldn't silence her will.
Above, Verina Hale closed her eyes briefly, disappointment flickering across her face at Ruby's defeat. But when she opened them again, her gaze lingered on Ken.
Gravity control… and a bloodline transformation yet untapped.
Normally, when both parents possess powerful and dominant bloodlines, the child usually inherits the stronger one. However, in rare cases, the child undergoes a bloodline transformation of the dominant bloodline while simultaneously inheriting the bloodline ability of the submissive one.
Ken had already undergone his bloodline transformation—right in front of Verina Hale's eyes. From his back, a pair of jet-black wings had erupted, their presence radiating an overwhelming, oppressive aura.
What confirmed Verina even more was that Ken's bloodline ability showed no visible physical change to his body, yet its sheer power was undeniable. She knew for certain this wasn't merely his elemental affinity. Elemental affinity was almost negligible—barely a one percent chance of appearing so potent. No… this was something far greater.
To be continued…