She grasped Rio's wrist and pulled him away from the reporters, leaving the crowd stunned and speechless.
Others might have been afraid to make such bold statements, but Nyla didn't care. She was neither afraid of the Havenglow family nor the world, and she had complete confidence in Rio's strength.
As the boy returned to the Land of Asura and the Empress Villa, Helia gave him a new battle art technique that she believed would be beneficial for his upcoming fight against Lily.
Since Rio didn't have any black-stage battle art techniques, he was delighted to acquire this new skill.
In the solitude of the battle arena, he diligently practiced the battle art technique, resolute to be well-prepared for his match against Lily the next day.
Meanwhile, In the human world, the news of Rio's encounter with the reporters spread rapidly, igniting a storm of controversy and heated debate.
People everywhere discussed the situation, painting Rio as ungrateful, arrogant, and selfish for daring to challenge Lily. Their beloved "goddess" was being disrespected by someone they saw as an adopted upstart, someone far younger than her and less worthy of admiration.
Rio's reputation plummeted as public opinion turned against him. The hatred directed at him reached new heights, as people started burning his posters in a show of vehement protest, indignant at what they perceived to be his insult towards their cherished Goddess Lily.
***
The day of the semi-finals had arrived, and the atmosphere in the battle arena was electric, filled with so much fervor.
Rio and Lily, two children of the strongest Havenglow family, walked toward the center of the arena, ready to face off against each other.
Numerous high-ranking officials and influential figures filled the audience, eagerly awaiting the start of the battle. The crowd was three times its usual size, making the semi-final match feel more like the grand finale.
The entire human world was buzzing with anticipation, excited to witness the clash between the two talented members of the Havenglow family who never ceased to astonish them.
Yet, amidst the excitement, there were those in the audience who booed Rio, their disdain for him evident after his recent arrogant statement and defiance of expectations.
In the Dhovrix country, people gathered around television screens, tuning in to watch the broadcast of the semi-finals. They were curious about the young boy who had defied the government's wishes and insisted on challenging Lily Havenglow, the prodigy who was preordained to represent humanity in the finals.
As Rio stood in the arena, facing Lily, their gazes locked. Memories of his conversation with Second Mother surfaced in his mind, causing him to hesitate and adding a layer of emotional turmoil to the battle that was about to begin.
He couldn't shake the information that Second Mother had told him, leaving him dumbstruck and uncertain.
An hour ago...
As Rio and Nyla prepared to leave their apartment, Rio glanced at his phone and noticed numerous missed calls from Second Mother. As he continued to stare at the screen, his phone rang once more, and he hastily answered the call.
After a few questions and answers, an emotional conversation ensued between the boy and Second Mother, her voice laden with concern, "Rio, your grandfather has asked me to relay his message to you. He wishes for you to forfeit the battle against Lily," she spoke softly, her worry evident in her tone.
Rio's heart ached at her request, but he couldn't bring himself to accept it. The idea that he should forfeit the battle for the sake of their true heir, Lily, simply because he was adopted, left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. I have to fight." His voice remained calm as he spoke, but inwardly, his respect for the Havenglow family began to wane.
She persisted, her tone trembling, "Please, child, consider not fighting her. Even I wish you shouldn't fight her. It's not right for the two of you to battle like this."
Her voice carried a concealed anguish that Rio couldn't understand. She alone knew a secret she had yet to reveal to him, awaiting the right moment. But Rio's decision to challenge Lily had only complicated matters further.
His resolve remained firm as he replied, "Nyla forfeited her battle for me, and I want to get the victory for her. I have to refuse your request."
Aliyah hesitated and took a deep breath before speaking in an enigmatic tone, "There is a reason why I don't want you to fight her, my child... There's something important you should know, little Rio," she said with a voice full of motherly love and concern, as she didn't want them to fight and harm each other.
At her words, Rio's expression furrowed, sensing that something significant was about to be revealed.
"Lily is the girl you were meant to marry. Your Mother had promised that her unborn child--that is, you--would take care of Lily in the future. You two were supposed to be married when you grew up."
Rio's eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the earth-shattering revelation.
After that, Second Mother ended the call before suggesting that Rio should carefully consider his decision regarding the upcoming battle with his prearranged future wife, whom he was supposed to marry because of his mother's promise.
As Rio stared at Lily, twenty meters away from him in the battle arena, his mind raced with a thousand questions. His Second Mother's revelation had hit him hard, and he struggled to comprehend the weight of his mother's promise.
How could he marry Lily and fulfill his mother's wish when he was already married to Lia and Nyla?
Would Lia be willing to accept Lily, and would Lily accept Lia?
How would he reveal that his wife was the Asura Empress?
A knot formed in his stomach as he thought about the aftermath of the battle. He hoped that they wouldn't harm each other and ruin any chance of a future bonding. The stakes were high, and the outcome of this battle could change everything.
He could hear the cheers of the excited crowd, eager to witness the clash between the two most talented members of the Havenglow family and the pride of humanity, filling the atmosphere with fervor.
Little did the audience or anyone know that the battle about to begin would be the catalyst for a shocking turn of events that would change everything...
====////====
[SnowNote]
So, in the second chapter that I published today, we left off with Rio about to face off against Nyla, and that was a pretty good cliffhanger, right?
Well, I thought to myself, "How can I make this even better?"
So, I came up with the ending we have now.
But, I want to know what you guys think! Did you like the first cliffhanger or this one better?
Let me know in the comments!
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A dozen hours remained. If we can maintain our trending ranking for another 20 hours, the book will enter the top 25 in the original ranking.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to paul_coy, Ayce_o_Spade, Battling_Dragon, ThePurplePacman, and Ian_8757 for their unwavering support of this novel. Their generous gifts over the past few days have helped the novel maintain its trending rank among other top books.
I also want to extend my sincerest appreciation to all those who read the novel every day. Your support and encouragement are truly invaluable. May God bless us all...
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I'll add the important character images on the:
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