Renjiro had his way to the Fear Shrine where Kyokage awaited him.
On his way he saw Ren and Kenji battling each other.
"Hey guys what are you doing?" asked Renjiro
"Oh,nothing really,we just decided to test our new skills! But without hurting ourselves of course!"
"Where are you going Renjiro?" then asked Ken
"To the Fear Shrine. I gotta talk with Kyokage."
"Sounds interesting,good luck Renjiro!"
After that he continued his walk to the shrine.
Later on,he arrived.The Fear shrine was standing right in front of him.Its dark and spooky aura made Renjiro tremble,but he was stronger now.He could withstand the pressure.
He entered.The whole shrine bloomed with fear that a mere human cannot withstand.
"This place is huge!"
Then he saw him.The Fear God stood right there.
"Do you have a reason to be here?" said Kyokage
His divine presence and voice made Renjiro shake uncontrollably.
"I do. I want to know more about your brother."
"My brother?"
"Yes,I wanna know about him,so I can become his descendant.The next Metal God."
His mark then appeared.It shined in its silver colours spreading around his forearm.
"Huh,why now?" curiously said Renjiro
"Oh,a metal Shōin? Interesting!"
The Fear God looked amazed from Renjiro's mark.
"You do know how rare your Shōin is,right?"
"Yeah Kazehime told me.She is the one who sent me here."
"That damn Kazehime."
"Okay I will tell you about my brother."
Then Renjiro and Kyokage teleported to an ancient temple where two gods fought before a thousand years ago.
"It was a normal day,when my brother came up to me saying that we should talk. He told me about how this world isn't fair and how he had a plan to destroy it for good."
"I asked him why? He said that he didn't agree with Kojin's philosophy of how we should live.So I decided to destroy that world and create another where I'am the God!"
"With those words I told him:You are not my brother anymore!"
"I attacked him.I couldn't listen to him.He then he used it.The forbidden Metal attack.
Shūmatsu Hagane:Tenpenchii.
Tetsukami could extract all Shinketsu around and fuse it with his core.He splits open the sky making steel meteors and monoliths raining .When landing,they leave a molten metal that can destroy everything to molecular level.
"I was petrified when I saw him using it,so I knew I had to end everything with one attack.So I used Mugen Hōkō-rhe endless beam of fear that leaves nothing behind."
"When I used it I felt disgraceful to my brother.He didn't deserve it.But I didn't have any other choice.He had to die."
Those words made Renjiro even more sure that he will become the next Metal God.Tetsukami's actions disgust Renjiro,so he had to become a God who can be trusted.
"Is that all you wanted to hear,mortal?" asked Kyokage
"One more thing. Can I meditate here?"
"Yeah you can,but be careful about Tetsukami's spirit.He lays somewhere here."
"Yes i will be careful.Thank you!"
With that Kyokage left leaving a portal to the shrine,that Renjiro can use after he's over with his meditation.
He began meditating.He closed his eyes,crossed his legs,put all the energy in his mind.Then he saw it.
The manifestation of his inner Shōin.
Created by Shinketsu,his inner mind looked distorted.That was because he wasn't controlled properly.He didn't know what form to take.
Renjiro uses all his Shinketsu to try to shape his inner mind and make it stable.Just when he thought it was done,Tetsukami's spirit appeared.
It embraces Renjiro saying that he was weak,that his Shōin is nothing but a tattoo.
He was gaslighting him into thinking that he didn't exist.
But Renjiro was ready.Kyokage's words made him stronger and able to handle Tetsukami's words.
But Tetsukami wasn't done yet.His spirit possessed Renjiro's inner mind,making him unstable.
He started panicking and the inner mind began to disappear-the same fate awaited his Shōin.
Kyokage felt something uneasy.He came to check on Renjiro and when he saw him being embraced by Tetsukami's spirit,he felt something he hadn't felt since a thousand years ago.
His brother's spirit was stronger than ever.He knew he had to erase him once again so he used Shūmatsu Heidan-a colossal black spear created by fear and terror,that can tear dimensions if not used correctly.On contact,it creates a chain reaction that melts both body and soul,leaving only ashes.
He threw the spear at Tetsukami,and the moment, the spear connected-Tetsukami disappeared.He was gone.Forever.
Renjiro felt relieved and began forming his inner mind again,this time-successful.
He became one with it,meaning-He could now use his Shōin on command.
"Thank you Kyokage,if it wasn't for your help I would have been dead! How can I repay you?" asked Renjiro
"Become a successful Metal God." replied Kyokage
"I will!"
With now awakened Shōin,Renjiro was one step closer to the tournament requirements.
3 days left.
Renjiro went training on its own.The place-the ruins of the ex Metal Shrine.
He took a breath.His mind-focused on his Shinketsu.
Then it appeared.His Metal Shōin glowed with silver light,wrapped around his forearm.It wasn't fully awakened,but it was still stage 1.
He felt a powerful wave coming out from the mark.
He stretched his hand,thinking of creating a katana from unbreakable steel.
1 second later-the katana shined in his hand,glowing in dark silver.
He managed to manifest a weapon on his will for the first time.Then he manifested a shield.After that-2 daggers.
Then he decided to experiment with his ability.He thought of a hundred swords raining from the sky.Sounds crazy!
But in that same moment,he saw them.A hundred dark swords falling down from the sky like a rain.
None of them hurt him.He was invulnerable to his ability.
"That's awesome! Imagine how many things I can create!"
Little did he know that if he kept evolving his Shōin,he could use divine like abilities that can rip dimensions! But that's for later.
For now he was happy with his progress.He knew that the tournament would be hard,almost impossible-but he had a dream.
To marry the girl of his dreams-Akari.
The next day,he went to university with Ren and Kenji.
"So,Renjiro,you told us that you finally awakened your Shōin,right?"
"Yeah and it's ability is awesome! I can create weapons on my will."
"That really is awesome! Do you know what I can do?" asked Ren
"I can manipulate the target's blood vessels! And with that I can turn his Shinketsu cells into a mini bomb! It's insane!" said Ren
"Wow, you will crush them in the tournament!" said amazed Renjiro
"Well,I can't use them properly,but I will learn it!"
Then they proceeded to walk to their university.
Renjiro was about to enter,when a gentle hand touched his shoulder.
"Hey,Renjiro! Do you…thought about joining the tournament?"
It was Akari.
Renjiro curiously and embarrassed told her:
"Uhm,y-yeah… I wanted to test my might."
He didn't want her to know his real reason to join.He was too embarrassed.
"You know that the winner gets to marry me,right?"
"Y-y-yeah… I know."
"Then I will cheer for you <3."
Those words made Renjiro uncomfortable.He didn't believe what he just heard.It was impossible.The girl of his dreams to root for him in the tournament??
But now,he was even more determined and confident that he will win it.
For her,and for his sake of becoming the next Metal God.