I Was Born With A Bloodline That Ended The World-Chapter 101: be careful what you wish for

Rhian moved the blade closer, the edge pressing against her collarbone. The cool bite of steel broke the skin in a thin, sharp line, and he felt her body stiffen as the cold metal met flesh.

Anya didn’t move back. She didn’t flinch or try to break away. Instead, she tilted her head back slightly, her mismatched eyes catching his with a flicker of respect.

She smiled faintly, a quiet acceptance in her eyes. Her fingers loosened around the twin blades of ice she held, the weapons dissolving into water that hissed against the ground.

She exhaled. "That’s enough," she said softly, her voice carrying just enough for him to hear.

The match was done. She had ended it herself, her pride yielding to the sharp finality of the blade’s touch. Rhian lowered his weapon, his breathing steady and his eyes still locked on hers.

He hadn’t wanted to draw blood, but he knew she wouldn’t have accepted anything less than a fight pushed to the limit. They both understood that. They always had.

The referee stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "Winner, Rhian Locke."

The crowd erupted into cheers, the noise a sudden, echoing wave that washed over the ring. But in that moment, it was just Rhian and Anya. The rest of it faded away.

Rhian gave a small nod, his expression softening just a fraction. She returned it with a faint, rueful smile, her hand moving to the small cut on her shoulder as she straightened up.

She stepped back, the fight done, her respect earned. Rhian watched her go, his own thoughts turning inward.

He knew from the start that he had the edge.

He could feel it in the way the fight moved, in the rhythm of their clashes and the weight of each strike.

But he also knew that it wasn’t just about strength or power. It was about control, about pushing to the edge without letting himself slip.

As the noise of the crowd grew louder, he let the moment settle. The next fight would come soon enough.

The event carried on, the air thick with anticipation as each match pushed the tension higher.

The crowd’s cheers rose and fell like waves, every victory and every defeat adding to the electric atmosphere.

Only six matches remained now.

Rhian and Nia had been fighting with a fierce determination, each of them carving a path through their opponents with clean, decisive victories.

Neither had yet been forced to show everything they could do, though it was clear to everyone watching that they were getting closer and closer to unleashing it all.

It felt like they were on a collision course with each other. A promise of a final clash that everyone wanted to see.

But while their matches had been intense, there was one other fighter who had made every victory look almost effortless.

Justin.

Every time he stepped into the ring, the crowd seemed to swell with excitement. But the matches themselves were quick, brutal, and almost clinical.

His movements were precise, each strike measured and final.

His dual nature, both mystical and physical, gave him a versatility that no one else seemed able to counter.

No one had come close to making him break a sweat. His calm, almost bored expression as he walked away from each fight was unsettling.

Even the instructors watching from the side looked uneasy, as if they knew that they were witnessing someone playing a completely different game.

Rhian watched him closely, his jaw set as he leaned against the wall near Nia between matches.

They shared a look, both of them silently agreeing that Justin was the real wall standing in their way.

Nia shifted her weight, her eyes locked on the next match in the ring. "He’s not even trying," she said under her breath.

Rhian didn’t answer right away. He was too busy watching Justin’s eyes, the way they barely changed from one opponent to the next. "Yeah," he finally said. "But he will, when he has to."

She nodded, but there was a spark of something like impatience in her expression. "I hope he does. I want to see what he’s really capable of."

Rhian almost smiled at that. He knew exactly what she meant. And he felt it too. The hunger to push, to find the limits, not just of themselves, but of the ones who stood at the top.

For now, they watched. The crowd cheered, the fights continued, and the tension only grew thicker with every match that passed.

But it seemed that both Rhian and Nia would get what they wanted, a chance to test themselves in the final stages of the tournament.

As if on cue, the announcer’s voice cut through the noise, the excitement in his tone unmistakable. "JUSTIN HARMAN VS. NIA CENTRIS!"

Rhian’s eyes widened as he met Nia’s gaze. For a moment, she looked surprised too, her lips parting in a brief moment of shock.

But that didn’t last. Her expression hardened, her shoulders squared as she stepped forward, her eyes locked on the arena.

Rhian felt his heart quicken.

There was a hush that fell over the crowd after the announcement, a heavy silence that lasted just a breath before it exploded into excited whispers.

Rhian’s eyes locked with Nia’s. She looked surprised for a split second, her eyes widening as the reality of it set in.

But almost immediately, that look of shock vanished, replaced by a hard, focused determination.

Justin was already stepping forward, his expression calm and unbothered. His short blonde hair caught the light as he moved, his posture loose and confident, as if this was just another routine fight to him.

Rhian watched Nia take a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she stepped into the ring.

She didn’t look back at him, and he didn’t expect her to. He knew that right now, her world was narrowed down to the man in front of her.

For a moment, Rhian felt a twinge of worry. He knew how strong Justin was. He’d seen it, felt it in the way the crowd shifted every time Justin took the stage.

But he also knew Nia. She was fierce, stubborn, and smarter than most gave her credit for. And she wouldn’t back down, not now, not ever.

The announcer’s voice cut through the buzz of the crowd again, crisp and loud. "BEGIN!"

Rhian leaned forward, his heart hammering in his chest as he watched the first few movements.

He was curious, maybe even a little excited. He wanted to see how Nia would handle someone like Justin.