"As long as you like it. Wanna stay the night at this fabulous place, Master Ginro?" Kintaro asked.

"Unfortunately, Master Kenzaki. I am not a man of lust."

"Pity."

Carter left with Tenmaru and the two of them returned to the pagoda.

Taro the monk noticed immediately the smell of lipstick and cosmetic powder on Carter and Tenmaru.

Tenmaru scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Going to a flowery place, Master Ginro?" Taro asked.

Carter nodded, "Master Kenzaki did invite us there to talk."

Carter did not elaborate further and went inside.

"We did not do anything." Tenmaru explained.

Taro chuckled, "I know. Master Ginro wouldn’t let you."

In the guest room, Carter got the original page out and looked at it again. The word formed in his mind and slowly embedded into the skin.

[Spiritual Invoker learned "Rin" Sacred Word (Skill)]

"Hmm. Interesting. I thought it would be an ability but it became a skill instead."

"Rin." Carter activated its power. The power of his mind flooded out and enhanced the strength of this body.

Because Carter had Primal Spiritualization, Rin not only raised his strength but also the strength of his Zodiac projection.

"It is much more limited than Adrenaline though... The only aspect it is affecting is strength. But it has a different power."

Carter looked over to the fire on the candle. He opened his mouth. The fire flew to him and he swallowed it down.

"Rin" allowed him to absorb fire and used its element. He really didn’t need it as Invoker could already conjure and manipulate element.

But it did have its usefulness. Carter clenched his fist and fired appeared around it. It was orange at first, using the normal power of Invoker, then it changed to blue.

Carter smiled gently.

’This ability can stack with Elemental Formation. It can also stack with Adrenaline and other abilities. This thing is very precious.’

Carter switched to other skins, each spent time with the original page to acquire the "Rin" Skill.

[Carter Hayes learned "Rin" Sacred Word (Skill)]

["Rin" has been added to Host]

[Shrine Maiden learned "Rin" Sacred Word (Skill)]

[Eldritch Skeleton Knight learned "Rin" Sacred Word (Skill)]

[Shadow Apothecary learned "Rin" Sacred Word (Skill)]

[...]*

Everything was going fine, until Carter equipped the Eldritch Knight. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

[ZENEROS BLACKBURN EQUIPPED]

The black swordsman stared at the original page and absorbed its power. But instead of the "Rin" Sacred Word, he gained an entirely different ability.

- Sacred Fire Soul: You may temporarily imbue your Eldritch Arms with fire element. If you do, all abilities and attacks of that Eldritch Arms would contain fire element.

’A mutated ability? Nice.’

Carter used Sacred Fire Soul on Iganu. The black sleek blade suddenly had an orange hue on it. He didn’t test further because it would annoy Tenmaru and the monk.

’I wonder if it’s possible to grant the Eldritch Knight an enlightenment skill similar to Shrine Maiden and Spiritual Invoker...’

Shrine Maiden had Transcension. Spiritual Invoker had Primal Spiritualization.

Carter would need an Invoker Skin and a Shrine Maiden Skin to try and achieve the same effect on Zeneros.

’I don’t have any Invoker Skin left though. Well. I guest we’re going to meditate tonight.’

[SPIRITUAL INVOKER EQUIPPED]

Carter returned as the silver-haired man and practiced Primal Art.

Primal Art was not as calming as Mirror Art. It required the practitioner to fight with an imaginary beast in their mind. It grew their power and skill at the same time.

[Synchronization +0.1%]

[Synchronization +0.1%]

[Synchron...]

Carter did in until morning.

[Total Synchronization Gain]: 311.1%

[Current Synchronization]: 311.1%

[Gain x2 Twin Invoker Token]

Because Carter fused the Silver Invoker into Spiritual Invoker, all of its previous Synchronization disappeared. He had to start from the beginning. This made it more difficult to gain a Champion Seed but also allowed him to gain more levels and retain a new skill.

’Hmm. Isn’t this an exploit? If I keep fusing a skin but use Mental Art to raise it to 100%. I will keep gaining level. There is a limitation to this method though. I stop receiving level from skins lower than my current rank. So a Minor Elite Skin could only be reused three times before it reached Champion.’

Carter was tempted into doing that. But that would simply a waste of resources. He didn’t have unlimited Skin Shards to try something like that.

[Host gains 27 STAR Level]

[Host is now a 4 Star (4/10) Elite]

[Please choose an aspect to retain]

’Hmm. What should I pick?’

From the experience with Shrine Maiden, Carter knew that Primal Spiritualization was the core power of Ginro Musashi. But he was worrying that it might be in conflict with Transcension.

’Probably nothing to worry about. I never have a mutation before. Every times I get someone, I’d get its basic power.’

[Primal Spiritualization is retained]

This time, Carter was wrong.

[WARNING]

[Transcension and Primal Spiritualization is conflicting]

’Goddammit!’

The two power stirred within his soul.

[ZENEROS BLACKBURN EQUIPPED]

Carter immediately switched to his most powerful skin to with whatever was coming. The two aspect of a human, the act of ascending to the higher realm - Transcension, and the act of descending to your basic primal instinct - Primal Spiritualization, collided.

They fought at each other and tore Carter’s body apart. His flesh was slowly disintegrating in an alarming rate.

’I might have done an incredible stupid thing!’

Even when in pain, he kept his mouth shut so that Tenmaru and Taro wouldn’t notice what was happening.

Carter disappeared from existence.

At the same time, back in Eldritch Arms, the statue of the Eldritch Knight glowed brightly in the night. This was the statue that General Dragovic made for Zeneros Blackburn after he was killed.

It was a portrait of Zeneros when he wore the white robe. Suddenly, an armor appeared around him and golden power of the Aether shined brightly.

Piper was leading Emily to the statue to see the man that saved the world, only to be shocked at what was happening.

Many visitors knelt down at the statue.

"He’s alive!"

"The savior is alive!"

"Praise the Knight!"

The statue of the white swordsman transformed into the Raven Knight. A replica of Iganu slammed down next to the statue as it picked it up.

Zeneros Blackburn felt like he was coming back to life within the statue.