"Po!" Shoma activated his Sacred Word. The blades held on his body sank into his skin and he became a porcupine with blades.

Carter squinted his eyes gently. ’Steel manipulation? Po isn’t just focusing the body into a single aspect like I thought it was. What actually is it?’

"Hiken! Eight Paths Blade Style!"

Shoma jumped toward Carter and attacked. Three of the blades came at Carter as different angles. His throat, his chest and his stomach. Normally this wouldn’t be possible but because the blades stuck onto Shoma’s skin and the fact that he could manipulate it to an extent, made it possible.

"Turtle Style - Rock Shell!" A green turtle appeared behind Carter. As the blades came into contact with him, bright green barrier blocked them like a turtle shell would.

"Snake Style - Sliding Steps!" Carter continued to slip through all of Shoma’s attacks like a slimy boneless snake.

He was on the defense this time, trying to learn about what fueled the Sacred Word and Shoma’s own style.

"Is all you know dodging? Come and face me!" Shoma shouted. He chased Carter and attacked him relentlessly but Carter kept slipped past him just by a single strand of hair.

"Spider Style - Venom Poke!"

Carter’s fingers bent slight as he noticed a gap in Shoma’s attack. He struck into the small empty area behind Shoma’s shoulder. His fingers sank into Shoma’s skin and immediately darkened the area round it.

Shoma grunted and spun, slicing the blades at Carter at the same time.

Shoma’s attack was also his defense. The blades didn’t leave a lot of room to counter-attack. That was the beauty of Steel Blade Style and how it gained so much followers in a short time.

"Turtle Style! Bear Style! Rock Strike!" The turtle and the bear appeared at the same time.

The turtle hardened his palm and the bear enhanced his strength. He slapped at Shoma’s stomach, breaking through the blade with his thick turtle barrier and sent Shoma flying.

Shoma spun in the air, grabbing one of his broken blades and put it in his mouth.

"Huh?" Carter noticed that.

Shoma crunched the blade like it was some sort of delicious food and swallow it. His body partially turned into metal and the blade fused more into him.

He was an artificial porcupine. And now he looked more like a natural one.

Shoma knelt down. "Hiken - Gray Saw!"

Shoma’s speed enhanced. He bolted at Carter while constantly spinning like a mini tornado.

’This one is creative.’

"Boar Style! Ox Style! Enraged Savage Charge!" Carter chose to respond with the stupidest but most align measure of the character. He rammed straight at Elder Shoma and causes both of them to be pushed back.

Shoma stumbled on his legs but regained his balance. He was only a little disoriented. But Carter, Carter was hurt badly with many cuts on him.

"I was expecting you to do exactly that..." Kintaro mumbled to himself.

"What a stupid way to react." Shoma said.

"I had to test!" The silver-haired man grinned like a crazy man. Smoke came out of his body as he healed in a speed that everyone noticed.

"Self-Regeneration? That’s a rare ability." Some Fighter commented.

Self Heal was not uncommon in this world.

"Let me get serious for a moment." Carter cracked his neck. Then he lowered his body down like a tiger would.

’Spiritual Transference...’

"Tiger Form!"

The projection of the Tiger appeared behind him. Then it fused into him. Carter grew claws and orange fur. The silver-haired turned bright orange. Three marks of whiskers appeared on his cheeks. His teeth grew sharper and hid body enlarged even more than before.

Shoma was shocked. He wasn’t the only one that could change.

’Adrenaline!’

The thick red aura blasted out of Carter.

"That?!" Shoma had heard Tenmaru talked about the red aura. He didn’t think it was true.

Carter turned into a shadow in the day, leaving only a faint orange streak behind him. Shoma couldn’t react in time. When he understood what happened, Carter had already given him a flying knee to the stomach, sending him flying to the sky.

Carter jumped up and appeared on top of him. The silver-haired man spun and axe-kicked Shoma in the head, sending him onto the ground below.

The Arena cracked and sank to the ground. Dust was sent flying.

A few officials and important people stood up in surprise, fearing for their lives. The Fighters sat still.

Carter aimed his upped body down and bolted into that hole. His punch flew like a missile and punched into that gaping circle.

Elder Shoma reached out. His hands were now fully metal and he caught Carter’s punch.

"You’re quite strong, Musashi. I’ll give you that."

Shoma clenched Carter’s fist and pulled him down. Using the concealment of the dust, Shoma threw a cloud of poison at Carter then kicked him in the stomach.

The poison worked his way into his system.

Carter frowned. Shoma picked an excellent opportunity to play his trick. It was dishonorable but it wasn’t against the rule so even if Carter said something, it wouldn’t change anything.

"What’s the matter? Feeling tired now?" Shoma climbed out of the hole and chuckled.

Carter shook his head and laughed. "Child play."

The poison was pushed out of his system in purple smoke. Spiritual Invoker might not have Evaporative Decompression anymore but the host himself still had it.

’Spiritual Transference... Mind and Body as one...

The projection of the Tiger appeared again. His mine enhanced his body and his body strengthened his mind. He became even more animalistic than before.

Carter let out a deep tiger growl. Then his red aura became thicker.

’Ten times!’ He was just playing the game. If he really wanted to kill Shoma, a simple thirty times enhancement would finish the job.

Adrenaline might be crude and basic. But it was one damn good of an ability. It was always useful in every situation.

Shoma also changed. The blade grew longer and his entire body became the sleek color of steel.

All the blades fused into one giant broad sword that Shoma wielded on his shoulder.

"Hiken! Metal Bond!"

Shoma swung his sword.