The large stature man walked inside the tavern. And there he met Tenmaru.

"Master Ginro!" Tenmaru stood up and smiled. He noticed the difference in the silver-haired man. He was more savage than before. There was a certain wildness within him.

Carter approached Tenmaru, "So you succeeded my task."

"You really did know, Master Ginro. May I ask how?" Tenmaru said.

"Fate has told me." Carter said.

"The disciples of your Sect really are holy." Tenmaru sighed in admiration.

Tenmaru was about to leave without Carter but Shoma stood up.

"So you are the great Ginro Musashi. The charlatan that this ignorant fool has been looking for the last few days." Elder Shoma said sarcastically.

Carter turned toward him. His eyes didn’t hide the contempt he had toward the man.

"Who even are you?" The silver-haired man said.

Elder Shoma clenched his fist. "Don’t kid yourself now. Everyone in Kyoma knows about Elder Shoma. Acting like you didn’t know me changes nothing."

"Let’s go, Tenmaru. We don’t need to waste our time with weaklings." Carter ignored the man and walked out of the tavern.

Tenmaru followed him.

Elder Shoma slammed the table. "How dare you disrespect me?"

Shoma looked over to one of his disciples, he was also an Elite.

"Teach that scar face a lesson!"

The disciple stood up and approached Carter from behind. He drew his sword.

Carter’s ears twitched and he stopped his feet.

"Hornet Style." Carter mumbled.

Tenmaru looked at him in confusion. ’Hornet Style? What kind of Buki is this?’

The disciple slashed his sword at Carter’s back. Tenmaru saw it but he wasn’t even concerned. He was confidence that a man like Musashi needed not afraid of this weakling.

"Needle Sting!" A projection of a Hornet appeared on top of Carter. His entire body shifted 180 degrees and the bystanders didn’t even see how he moved.

Carter’s index finger shot at the blade of the disciple. It broke the blade in two and sent another strip of energy into the disciple.

He went flying and knocked over the table of Elder Shoma. A visible gaping hole now lay on the shoulder of the disciple.

"I have shown mercy. Do not make me spill blood." Carter squinted his eyes. The silver-haired man looked like a predator holding himself back. His eyes screamed death.

"Argh..." The Elite disciple couldn’t move. His shoulder burner like he was just stung by a hornet.

"How dare you attacked a disciple of the Black Steel Sect?!"

The other disciples drew their swords.

"Heh." The silver-haired man laughed. "The outcome is the same with all of you. Do you really want to seek death that much."

Elder Shoma didn’t say anything this time. As arrogant as he was, he had eyes. That attack, whatever it was, was not weak. Even he wasn’t sure he could react that fast and avoided the attack.

"Back off!" Elder Shoma said. "You’re here for the Chuuchi Tournament, yes? Join it and we settle this matters on the arena."

The silver-haired man lifted his chin slightly. "Finally, proper courage. If you think I dishonor your sect, come and find me in the Tournament."

Carter left with Tenmaru. This time, no one stopped them.

"You were so cool, Master Musashi!" Tenmaru’s eyes were filled with glowing admiration.

"Calm down, Tenmaru. We must never let our emotion take control." Carter said.

"You’re right, Master Ginro!" Tenmaru nodded. His expression dissipating.

"You’re joining the Chuuchi Tournaments?" Carter said.

Tenmaru shook his head, "Not really. There are so many Elite Fighters in it. I doubt I have any chance of winning."

"Isn’t there two different brackets? One for Awaken and the other for Elite?"

"There is?" Tenmaru widened his eyes.

"Come. Let’s register to the Tournament. The battle can also help me gaze your current level."

"So you will accept me as your student?" Tenmaru said.

"I promised you, didn’t I?"

"Please accept a bow from me, Master Ginro!"

"We’ll do the formality later."

They arrived in the Chuuchi Tournament. It was a large stone structure with high ceiling. No one was registering at the counter anymore, most had done it already.

Carter approached the counter.

The personnel there took one look at him and picked up his pen.

"Name?"

"Ginro Musashi."

"Type of fighter?"

"Hands and feet."

"I’ll put down Unarmed then."

"Place of origins?"

"Sabaku Village. Enzan Kingdom."

The personnel raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Enzan? You’re very far from home, huh? Why did you leave Enzan?"

"What does a Fighter like me do in a Kingdom of traders and craftsmen? Only here that I can show my true primal self." The silver-haired man smiled, revealing his questionable sharp teeth.

"A savage man... You’re fit right in. You are registered."

"My student also wants to partake."

Tenmaru walked up and informed his fake name also. In this ancient society, a name and place of origins were enough to register most official processes. It wasn’t that difficult like in Eldritch Arms or the Industrial Revolution Corrupted Corps.

"You must be competing in the Awaken Bracket, then?" The personnel said.

"That’s right."

"You are registered. Good luck, you two."

With that, Carter and Tenmaru had set one foot on ruining this large tournament that Ryuja had poured a lot of effort into making.

Ryuja was their enemy sooner or later. It was inevitable. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Where are you staying, Tenmaru?"

"At an inn, Master Ginro. Why?"

"Follow me."

The silver-haired man took out a particular gold coin. He flipped it to the air.

The coin froze in mid-air and trembled gently. Then it spun. The blank surface of it suddenly formed new patterns on it.

When it landed back to Carter’s palm, it had pointed to a direction.

"What was that?" Tenmaru couldn’t help bus asked.

"Divination. All disciples of the Heavenly Sky Sect must learn this craft."

They didn’t return to Tenmaru’s temporary inn and followed the guide of the coin. It led them to an ancient looking pagoda.

The place had only one building and the roof had a huge hole on top of it.

"We’re staying here, tonight?" Tenmaru said.

"Don’t underestimate it. It is still a place of religion. The gods are always watching."

Tenmaru covered his mouth and looked up. Then he nodded in understanding.

The two of them entered the pagoda. A lonely large statue of Buddha sat on the altar.

"What can I help you with, strangers?" A bald monk was swiping leaves in the courtyard.