Today was the day.Renjiro was going to fight for one of the last 3 spots in the tournament.
He,Ren and Kenji were gathered at the dressing room inside The Divine Crucible.
"Guys don't worry we will win!"
"Yeah let's not forget that we trained so much for this moment!"
Then some guy came in.
"Huh what are you doing here shitheads?" he said
"What do you mean? We are here for the fight for one of the spots!" said Ren
"Yeah and you can't just barge in and say that we should get out." replied Renjiro
"Haha you have the balls to talk to me like that,huh?"
"Do you know who I am? Im the son of Mr.Fujikawa! Takuma Fujikawa!"
Mr.Fujikawa was the most successful man in Hoshikawa,having multiple businesses and being the Ceo of the Hoshigane Corp.-the main supplier of Shinketsu crystals.
"And what? Just because your father is Mr.Fujikawa,doesn't mean that you can talk so cocky,brat!" said Renjiro
Those words light up Takuma's anger.But he kept himself calm,because he knew that if he had released his inner anger,he would've killed Renjiro.
"Huh,so you do have the balls to talk like that you little brat? I will show you who I am when we fight!"
"Yeah we will see you scumbag!"
Takuma then left the room leaving nothing but anger inside Renjiro and the others.
"That cocky brat,he will fucking pay for his high ego!" said Renjiro
Then,masked guys came in.They carried white robes with stripes around them.Those striped resembled each Shōin.
These were the tournament uniforms.They were made to show its user's Shōin.
Renjiro's robe had long sharp striped around its chest,Ren's robe had thin crimson stripes around the shoulders and for Kenji's one-he had green curly vine-like stripes around the back.
They quickly put them on.
Then the commentator's voice was heard:
"Now for the first fight of the day,the fight that fill one of the last 3 spots!
Please welcome the Blood Shōin user-Ren Itsuki!"
"It's my turn-watch me win boys!"
"Do your best Ren,we are behind you!"
Ren then left the dressing room going for the arena.Just when he was about to enter he saw a giant poster.
The Divine Crucible's laws are absolute.
1.Once a player entered the arena,he can't retreat or run away
2.Fights must end only when the opponent can no longer fight
3.No killing,unless it cannot be avoided
4.No Shinketsu crystals
5.Shadow and Light Shōin are absolutely forbidden-if a user possesses one,he will be erased.
6.If one of the laws above are broken-the punishment is absolute death.
7.The Gods can't save you.
"Absolute death? Are u serious!" said Ren
"And wait…The Gods? Does that mean..no.."
The rules were harsh but there wasn't a confirmed death penalty since the tournament began.
Ren then entered the arena.It was a giant Coliseum with tall walls and an isolated center where the fights would take place.
The crows were going crazy chanting Ren's name.
Ren itself was confused that so many people knew him.
Then the commentator announced tue players.
"The Blood Shōin genius-Ren Itsuki will take the left side!"
"And for his opponent-The Earth Shōin wielder-Rikuya Ishiguro! He will take the right side!"
"An Earth user? I'm unlucky indeed then! This will be fun!" Ren said
"Now you all know the rules! If a participant violates them,he will receive the ultimate punishment-Vaporizing by the Holy Light beam!"
"And now…let the first fight of the day begin!"
The crowd erupted in joyous applause.They were witnessing the first battle of the year,and the matchup was insane!
Then it all started.
Ren wasn't the defensive type of guy.He instantly used his Ketsumyaku Sōjū.
Invisible threads spread from the ground targeting Rikuya's bloodstream.His chest stiffened as Ren smirked.
"Got you!"
But then Rikuya slammed his hand into the ground.He absorbed the hard stone that was underneath and fused it with his body.He had harden his body to the point where his bloodstream was not moving.
This ability was called Kōkashin.The Earth Shōin signature move.That ability was the reason why Earth counters Blood.
The Blood users always had fought with invisible threads which targeted the inner part of the body.Thats why the Earth Shōin is the hardest counter of the Blood Shōin.
"Guh! I gotta use different types of attacks,I can't pierce him!"
"I got an idea! Will he be able to counter harden blood?"
Ren's final stage 1 ability was to make a hard blood fists that can break even hard materials.But for him to use it,he had to understand how the blood works,meaning-he had to balance the amount of blood in his body to use it.
Ren closed his eyes for a second, breathing heavy. The crowd was roaring but all he heard was his own heartbeat. Rikuya's body was still solid stone, his veins locked up tight.
"Tch… blood can get anywhere… even in rocks," Ren muttered.
Rikuya smirked.
"You won't scratch me. Blood users always lose to Earth."
Ren didn't even answer. Instead, he dragged his thumb across his forearm. Blood spilled out, dripping onto the arena floor. The crowd gasped. He wasn't panicking—he was feeding his Shōin.
The blood crawled up his fists, hardening into jagged crimson gauntlets that glowed faintly under the light.
"Don't overdo it….balance the flow."
"Seiketsu Kengan…"
Ren shot forward, smashing through a wall of spikes Rikuya raised. The stone shattered instantly.
Rikuya's eyes widened. "What the hell!?"
Ren didn't stop. His fists hammered into Rikuya's stone skin again and again. Each punch cracked the earth armor little by little, but Ren could feel his own body getting weaker. His vision blurred for a moment, his chest burning.
Rikuya roared, slamming both hands to the ground. The entire arena shook as a huge wall of stone rose up to crush Ren.
"Die here, Blood brat!"
Ren bit his lip so hard it bled. This is it. One more hit.
He forced all his blood into his right fist until it glowed a deep, dangerous red, the gauntlet shaking like it was about to explode.
"Break, dammit!!"
His punch connected with the wall—
BOOOOM!
The entire coliseum shook as the stone wall exploded into pieces. Dust covered everything. The crowd went silent for a moment.
When it cleared, Rikuya was on one knee, his hardened arms cracked and bleeding. Ren stood across from him, panting, both fists shredded and dripping.
The referee raised his hand.
"The winner… Ren Itsuki!!"
The coliseum went crazy, the crowd chanting Ren's name.
Ren grinned weakly, raising his fist. "Unlucky…? Doesn't feel like it."
Back in the tunnel, Kenji was laughing. "Holy crap, Ren, that was insane!"
Renjiro smirked but kept his eyes sharp. "He won… but if he keeps fighting like that, he won't last long."
Ren waved them off with a tired smile as medics rushed him.
Meanwhile, up in the stands, Takuma Fujikawa leaned forward, smirking. He wasn't looking at Ren at all. His eyes locked on Renjiro.
"That idiot actually won," Takuma muttered. "Good. Makes it even better when I crush his friend."
The commentator's voice boomed again:
"Ladies and gentlemen! The next fight will decide the second challenger for the last three spots! Get ready!"
Renjiro's fists tightened. He already knew who was coming next.