Bloodline Evolution: I Can Choose Opposing Paths-Chapter 16: Sun City Regionals: Quarter-Finals (1)

The moment they stepped onto the arena platform, Aren already felt it.

Bennet stood at the center of the opposing team, hands clasped behind his back, expression relaxed to the point of arrogance. His robes were immaculate, also well-tailored and traditional.

Do Young Masters just love wearing traditional clothes for the flex?

Aren pushed the thought aside, gazing at the two figures behind him

They were twins, both with the same mohawk haircut, same lanky build, and same arched posture. Though not identical, as one leaned slightly forward while the other, slightly back.

Neither spoke.

"They’ve been doing this every match," Luna said quietly beside Aren.

Her eyes never left the twins.

"Doing what?" Aren asked.

"The twins don’t fight," she said. "At least, not directly."

Aren’s gaze sharpened.

"They rotate," Luna continued. "One supports Bennet while the other rests. Then they switch. Perfect timing every time."

"Support-types then?"

"Heavy enhancements too, particularly to strength and endurance." Luna nodded. "Enough that Bennet can fight recklessly without consequences."

Aren looked back at Bennet.

The man smiled faintly, as if he could hear them.

"So if one of them gets tired—" Aren asked.

"The other one steps in," she replied. "In perfect timing as well."

Aren exhaled slowly.

So that was the team’s core.

Though the more he thought, the more it didn’t make sense. How did they make it all the way to the quarterfinals on such a weird strategy? And worse yet, all the other teams couldn’t find any weaknesses?

He waved the thought away, thinking simply is the right choice.

"Then let’s time our attack," Aren said. "When they rotate, we target the tired one."

Luna’s lips curved slightly. "That was my thought too."

They didn’t get to discuss more as the referee’s voice echoed across the arena.

"Quarterfinal Match D—begin!"

Aren’s team quickly activated their Bloodlines as the floor flooded with ether.

Yet, Bennet strolled up to them casually with his arms out, completely unfazed.

"You’re strong," he said, voice even.

His gaze passed over Luna first, then Lily, before settling on Aren.

"Stronger than most teams that make it this far."

The arena quieted to hear his next words.

"I was planning to save this for the semifinals," Bennet continued. "Maybe even the finals."

He smiled faintly.

"But strength deserves respect."

One of the twins shifted, just slightly.

Bennet raised a hand. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"So I’ll use it here."

Aren felt it then. A massive surge of ether condensed behind him.

Bennet met his eyes.

"You’re strong," he repeated.

"But I’m stronger."

A massive shockwave rolled across the arena. Aren lowered his stance and stood his ground. His eyes flicked immediately to the twins.

They were doing some sort of ritualistic dance, preparation for a technique that Aren recognized immediately.

Fusion Arts—which was only possible when both Bloodlines were extremely compatible with each other.

Shit, I should’ve seen this coming.

He dashed forward, but it was too late. A second shockwave rolled through the arena as the brothers put their hands together. ether surged through the arena before their Bloodlines revealed themselves.

His boots skidded against the concrete arena, but his eyes were focused on them.

It was clear as day what their Bloodlines were.

The Yin-Yang Knot, a Support-type Bloodline that is most commonly seen in twins.

But how are they able to use Fusion Arts with only two Lines?

The answer revealed itself to Aren immediately, as both twins collapsed on the floor, their energy flowing into Bennet as he rolled his shoulders.

"Jack Miles and Jake Miles, disqualified!" the referee’s voice rang out.

Bennet rolled his shoulders once.

A simple motion.

But the air around him shifted, pressure emitting outward, like heat radiating outward when opening a forge’s door.

"Let’s not waste time," he said.

Bennet exhaled and summoned his Bloodline.

Vermillion Cauldron.

Two massive cauldrons manifested behind him in a flash of deep crimson light, their surfaces etched with faint runes. They didn’t slam into the arena or hover dramatically.

Instead, they broke apart.

Metal rang like a thousand chimes as the cauldrons disassembled midair, plates and segments snapping and breaking apart into pieces. They wrapped around his arms, shoulders, and torso.

"Perfect," Bennet said softly.

Then he blitzed forward. The distance between them collapsed in an instant. The arena floor cracked beneath his feet as he launched forward at full speed, leaving trails of flames behind.

Aren’s eyes widened as he directed water ether, forcing the flow into his right arm as scales of condensed blue light formed over his forearm and fist.

Dragon Gauntlet.

The punch came down on him like a collapsing mountain.

Aren met it head-on.

The impact detonated through the arena.

A shockwave blasted outward as water and fire collided, the Dragon Gauntlet boiling under the strain as Aren skidded backward, boots carving trenches through the platform.

For half a second, his knees threatened to buckle.

But the punch didn’t break through.

Aren gritted his teeth, muscles screaming as he locked his arm in place and caught Bennet’s arm.

Bennet’s eyes flickered, just briefly.

Surprise.

Of all people, Aren was the one matchup he hadn’t expected to stop him cleanly.

"Not bad," Bennet muttered. "But you weren’t the main target."

A sharp metallic hiss erupted from his back.

Plates of vermilion armor along his shoulders broke apart, segments unlocking and peeling away from his body.

The pieces spun outward before reforming into a cauldron.

Above them, Luna was already airborne.

She had lifted herself moments earlier, boots no longer touching the arena as frost gathered beneath her feet. Thin trails of ice shimmered around her, the temperature dropping sharply as she prepared to exert control from above.

His gaze flicked upward.

"Too obvious, Pretty Girl," he said calmly.

The half-formed vermilion cauldron shot into the air like a meteor, fire roaring as it expanded mid-flight. Its shadow swallowed Luna just as she reacted, ice flaring violently as she tried to pull away.

Too late.

The cauldron snapped shut around her with a thunderous clang.

"Luna!" Lily shouted.

The massive construct hung in the air for a split second, then plummeted to the ground with Luna still inside.

Bennet smiled.

He dipped low, snapping a kick toward Aren’s knees.

Aren saw it and twisted away and realized a fraction too late that he had let go of Bennet’s fist.

Bennet vanished.

The next instant, he reappeared beside the cauldron and kicked.

The cauldron hurtled sideways, smashing across the arena with Luna trapped inside.

Aren realized instantly what he was trying to do.

Just as the cauldron was approaching the edge, water ether surged again as he dashed after it, arriving just in time to slam his shoulder against the cauldron’s side.

His feet dug against concrete as Aren used all of his power to push against the cauldron’s momentum.

Vines grew underneath him, anchoring his foot, support from Lily.

Aren skidded to a stop, muscles screaming as the cauldron’s momentum finally died, his heels hanging just inches from the edge of the arena.

The vermilion cauldron shuddered once.

Then the runes etched across its surface dimmed, flickering as the construct began to lose cohesion. Cracks of red light spread along its body before it collapsed inward, dissolving into motes of fading fire.

Luna tumbled free.

She hit the ground hard, rolling once before coming to a stop on her side.

"—kh!"

She coughed, sharp and ragged, one hand braced against the arena floor. Frost that normally gathered around her failed to form, her breath coming uneven as she tried to push herself upright.

"Tch," Aren clicked his tongue.

Cauldrons were well known as Controller-types that could drain an opponent’s ether while trapped inside...and Bennet was making full advantage of that fact.

But he didn’t have time to say anything.

Didn’t even have time to take a step.

The air above him ignited.

Aren’s head snapped up just in time to see Bennet already in motion, armor plates peeling away and reassembling mid-leap. A cauldron formed above him as he rose.

"TAKE THIS!"

Bennet reached the apex of his jump and slammed both hands downward.

The cauldron shot downward like a meteor.

The arena ruptured beneath Aren as the weight smashed into him, the Dragon Gauntlet flickering under the strain. Pain tore through his arms as his footing vanished, heels scraping uselessly against the broken edge of the platform.

The world tilted.

Balance slipped.

And Aren felt himself falling backward—