After the huge battle between Pax and Kai, everyone in the crowd was floored. Pax was brought into the infirmary; he was on the verge of death. After this fight, Selene was released and went back into the arena. She learned about Pax's victory and celebrated with everyone else. Meanwhile, Shifter could not care less about Kai’s death. Shifter only has one goal in mind. To kill Blake. Everyone gets into their positions as the announcer gets back on.

  [Announcer: Welcome to the fourth round of the Ascended Crucible! Are you guys ready???]

  The crowd yells in enjoyment. Selene is sitting right next to Peak, on her other side is supposed to be Pax, who is still in the infirmary. Curiously, however, she senses someone sitting next to her. Selene looks at the person sitting in Pax’s seat. It’s Truth. Selene immediately gets anxious.

  [Selene: Truth?!?! What are you doing here?!?]

  Selene’s outburst makes the other vassals look and see what is going on.

  [Harpstein: Truth?!?]

  [Peak: The big boss!]

  [Azarath: What the hell!]

  Everyone is surprised as Truth gives them a smile. Truth starts to explain.

  [Truth: After that crazy last round, I couldn’t seem to stand still! Plus, I owe it to Darwin to see Blake’s fight up close. That Shifter guy is quite interesting as well. Don’t you agree?]

  [Selene: I don’t care about any of the other enemies. I have confidence in Blake. Considering I fought Bracken before, I have confidence in him as well.] Peak jumps up.

  [Peak: Yeah, no way Blake loses against this man! Blake is, like, super smart!]

  Selene looks at Truth.

  [Selene: Will the audience even be able to see Bracken?] Truth laughs.

  [Truth: My barriers reveal all. Don’t worry. After all, if they paid for a ticket, they should be able to see the full fight.]

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  [Announcer: For our first fighter, he is a mystery. Born from an unregistered special grade, he should have the same potential as his father! With his mysterious monster partner, he is forced to reckon with! Give it up for… Blake Everhart!]

  Blake enters the arena with Bracken closely behind. The audience falls silent at the sight of the massive creature trailing Blake. Bracken turns to the crowd, flashing a mischievous grin, effectively frightening away any supporters Blake may have had.

  [Announcer: Our second fighter comes from Aurorium! He is a part of the assassin division of Aurorium Great Guild! He can be anyone at any time! Once you find out who he is… You are already dead! Give it up for… Shifter Morioka.]

  Shifter walks into the arena with a big smile on his face. He skips around a little with his dead eyes. The audience is confused. They don’t really like either fighter, so they don’t know who to cheer for.

  [Shifter: I have been waiting for this day ever since you humiliated me!] Shifter laughs out loud to himself while brandishing a small knife. Blake sighs.

  [Blake: I wouldn’t say humiliated is the right word. Plus, Selene was there with me as well, so why are you targeting me?] Shifter looks at him for a second.

  [Shifter: You are right, I don’t really hold a grudge against you. It’s just… I was contracted to assassinate you! I like to have a little fun with my prey!]

  Blake looks surprised.

  [Blake: Someone contracted you?] Shifter looks to the side.

  [Shifter: Yeah, it didn’t seem like they knew you personally. They hated your dad, though. So that is probably the reason. Enough talk, let's get this fight started!]

  [Announcer let the fight between Blake Everhart vs Shifter Morioka… Commence!]

  Blake's first action is to desummon Bracken. Surprising Shifter.

  [Blake: Bracken takes too much power from me. Until I can confirm he is needed, you will be dealing with only me.] Shifter laughs.

  [Shifter: I don’t think you should be taking me lightly…]

  Suddenly, something pierces Blake's back. He turns around and sees a spike coming out of the ground.

  『Environmental Transformation』

  Blake quickly rips the spike out and jumps back. As he does, a bunch of rubble around him turns into spikes.

  『Cell Manipulation: Bloodflow』

  Blake enhances blood circulation to his legs and sidesteps the spikes. He swiftly tosses his axe upward and uses the chain to pull it down onto Shifter, creating a deep slash across Shifter's chest. In response, Shifter gathers dirt and transforms it into fresh skin, healing the wound.

  [Blake: Don’t you have to touch something in order to transform it? So, how did you make those rocks turn into spikes?] Shifter lets out a chuckle.

  [Shifter: It is simple, is it not? The arena is not closed after fights.] Blake immediately realizes what happened.

  [Blake: You did not?!?]

  [Shifter: I did! During the 15 minutes between rounds, I touched everything in this arena! Every piece of rock and rubble is now my weapon!]

  Blake quickly hits the ground around him with his axe and flail. Smashing it. A giant smoke screen arises around him. Blake feels something in the smokescreen. Suddenly, he gets slashed across the chest. He looks down at the wound.

  *Blake: Shifter? No, these are… Claw marks?*

  Blake feels the presence behind him. Blake quickly turns to block, but it is too late. The claws get closer to his face.

  Klank

  Blake opens his eyes.

  [Blake: Bracken!]

  Bracken smiles.

  [Bracken: Sorry for summoning myself. I couldn't handle seeing ya get ur ass beat! So I will beat their asses!]

  The smoke clears. Revealing a large bipedal dog. It has white and black fur and extremely sharp claws.

  『Demon Dog: Combination』

  [Shifter: Hahaha! I will now defeat you with the ability given to me by my generous guild headmaster!]

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  *Blake: Given?*

  Before Blake can think any more, Bracken and the Demon Dog start to exchange blows.

  *Blake: Hey, Bracken. Keep the dog handled. We will go 70/30 in my favor for now. Shifter is extremely weak physically. So, I should be able to land a decisive blow if I can get close.

  Bracken: Copy!*

  Blake goes to jump at Shifter. However, he feels something pulling him down. He looks down to see multiple frogs holding him in place. Even worse, he sees a giant electrical bird heading to his location.

  『Thunderbird』

  Thinking quickly, Blake spins his flail and launches it at the bird. The flail strikes the side of Thunderbird's head, killing the bird instantly. Blake grabs his axe and cuts the tongues off his body. He looks forward when a giant snake grabs Blake and throws him into the wall. The snake continues at Blake. To counter this, Blake positions his axe in the snake's mouth. The snake runs at the axe and cuts itself in half.

  [Shifter: Oh? Try this one.]

  Blake quickly jumps forward, and something runs where he was standing. Blake turns, but it's already gone. This creature is circling the arena and continuously gaining speed.

  *Blake: I see. This creature is like Unstoppable. No matter.*

  Shifter is laughing until his smile fades. He turns around and sees Blake coming out of his shadow.

  『Shadow Manipulation』

  Blake quickly launches his flail and axe in a pincer attack on Shifter. It works, and the flail smashes into Shifter's head while the axe slices through Shifter's body. Said body goes flying and lies motionless on the ground.

  Blake gets hit by the creature running around the arena. It is now so fast that Blake can barely see it.

  [Blake: I guess you are still active even after defeating your master.]

  Blake gets hit all over, but he comes up with a plan. Blake stands still and closes his eyes.

  [Blake: There!]

  Blake jumps to the side as a bull comes through. Blake catches the bull's neck on his chain. Blake digs his feet into the ground and starts to use his chain to suffocate the bull.

  [Blake: Just die, dammit!]

  The bull has built up so much momentum that it almost breaks the chain, but before the bull can make it any further, his head gets chopped off.

  [Blake: Bracken!]

  Bracken walks up. The body of the Demon Dog is visible behind him.

  [Bracken: That damn dog was stronger than I thought. Ya already know I had to hit em with it!]

  Blake looks over at Shifter's body. A giant animal is next to it.

  *Blake: A deer?*

  [Bracken: Watch out!]

  Bracken quickly pushes Blake out of the way of a spike. It impales Bracken's chest. Bracken quickly pulls the spike out, and his chest regenerates. Shifter gets up as the wounds on his body disappear.

  [Shifter: This great deer. It has a pleasant healing aura. Taking care of me will not be that easy!]

  Without skipping a beat, Bracken immediately cuts off the deer's head and goes to cut off Shifters as well.

  『Rabbit Flee and Heavy Elephant』

  A large multitude of rabbits appears, and Shifter disappears into the mess. Bracken looks around, but before he can move, a giant elephant lands on top of him. Pinning him to the ground.

  Shifter is now between Blake and the pinned Bracken.

  [Shifter: Come on, that’s not nice. I will have to punish you with the strongest… With this treasure, I summon.]

  Shifter makes a hand sign, and a giant beast starts to materialize behind Shifter. Seeing what is going on, Bracken starts to cut through the elephant to escape. Blake uses blood flow again and launches himself at Shifter.

  『Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Tekio』

  Shifter jumps back as he summons in Tekio. The shikigami itself is a towering, muscular humanoid figure with four wings protruding from its eye sockets and a tail-like appendage extending from the back of its head. Hovering just above this is a large eight-handled wheel. A blade is attached to its forearm.

  Tekio lets out a scream and grabs Bracken's head. Easily throwing him into a wall. Blake quickly launches a barrage of flail and axe and cuts Tekio all over. With a final smash to the head, Tekio falls.

  *Blake: It couldn’t have been that simple. Shifter is still grinning. He senses something.*

  Click, Click.

  A clicking noise rings out as Tekio rises again. Tekio charges at Blake. Blake fires another round, but all his shots merely ricochet off the creature this time.

  [Blake: What the hell?!?]

  Tekio launches a haymaker and hits Blake square in the face. Blood comes out of his face and hits Tekio as he flies into the wall. Blake looks up from the wall and smiles.

  『Cell Manipulation: Singularity』

  The blood on Tekio's face bubbles and then bursts. Click. The wheel atop his head rotates as he remains unharmed. Blake is taken aback, but soon comes to a realization.

  *Blake: Bracken. We will switch to 50/50. We are dealing with a monster here. This thing can adapt to any attack it is hit with.

  Bracken: That shit is bused what the fuck.

  Blake: I'm guessing he can only adapt to eight attacks. His wheel turns when he adapts. He only has eight points on the wheel. He has already adapted three times. One for my axe, one for my flail, and one for cell manipulation. That leaves five more times he can adapt.

  Bracken: Shifter won’t let it get to that point, gang. Let me fight Tekio on my own. I have a plan.*

  Hearing Bracken having a plan worries Blake, but he has no choice but to trust it. Blake turns to Shifter. The arena is thoroughly destroyed at this point. This means the rubble that Shifter touches beforehand is useless. In a one-on-one fight, Blake should easily be able to win and help Bracken. Even at 50 percent. Shifter starts to laugh intensely.

  [Shifter: I have been waiting for this moment! Truth! You are an idiot!]

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  Truth gets up from Pax’s seat and stares into the arena.

  [Truth: No way, how did he pass the ability exam with no one noticing he had this?!?!]

  The vassals look at Truth in confusion.

  [Truth: Just watch.]

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  Shifter puts both of his hands together and makes a hand sign.

  『Territorial Encroachment: The Void』

  Shadows burst forth and covered the two of them completely. Sending them into Shifter's shadowy black domain. Blake starts to sink into the ground; he looks down to see hundreds of black frogs climbing his body.

  [Shifter: It is over. Goodbye!]

  A bunch of Thunderbirds gather in the sky. Taking turns ramming into Blake. The electricity coming off of them makes Blake fade in and out of consciousness.

  *Blake: This is it, huh?*

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  Outside of the territory, Bracken dodges Tekios' attacks. Bracken slices Tekio across the chest. Click. The wheel turns again. Tekio has four adaptations left. Tekio quickly jumps at Bracken and cuts his arm off. Bracken tries to regenerate it, but it just won’t regenerate.

  *Bracken: What the fuck! Is it that damn sword! It’s super effective against true gangsters like me!*

  Bracken summons tentacles from his back, which all pierce Tekios' chest. Click. Tekio effortlessly cuts all the tentacles.

  [Bracken: You are officially my opp! I will deal with you like a true gangster!]

  Bracken pulls out a blue headband and puts it on.

  『Crip Bracken』

  Bracken is filled with the power of the Crips as he charges and slashes Tekio all over. He is about to deal a blow to Tekios' head when… Click. A red headband forms on Tekios's head.

  『Blood Tekio』

  The power of the blood gang flows into Tekio as it slices Brackens's leg. Two adaptations left. Bracken summons a pistol with a switch on it.

  『6ix 9ine』

  Bracken shoots a load of bullets into Tekio. Click. Tekio is now bulletproof and easily gets in front of Bracken. Tekio stabs Bracken in the chest with his sword of extermination. Bracken leans into it and gives Tekio a pat on the back.

  [Bracken: You are mad strong. I admit that you defeated me. I still have one more in me, though.]

  In his one arm behind Tekio’s back, Bracken is holding a grenade.

  [Bracken: GET NUKED BITCH!]

  A giant explosion envelops both of them. Bracken's body falls to the ground and starts to disintegrate. Click. Tekio stands above Bracken, unharmed.

  *Bracken: Damn, this man is a beast… That's eight, though… I did my job. It is up to you, Blake!*

  ____________________________________________________________________________

  *Blake: No, I won't let it end like this! I need to try something!*

  Something Aric told him flashes in his head.

  *Blake: I will try it!*

  Blake puts his mouth to the floor of the territory. Shifter looks on in absolute horror as Blake starts to suck the entire territory into his mouth. It shatters, and Blake smiles at Shifter.

  [Shifter: You… Are you a shadow dragon slayer?!?]

  Blake smiles with the same smile Shifter had on his face the entire fight.

  [Blake: Yeah. That is the first time I ate a shadow, though. I feel reinvigorated and powerful. I think I can finally do it now.]

  Blake jumps into the sky and takes a deep breath.

  Shifter touches the ground, and the entire arena flashes.

  [Shifter: If I am going to die, so will you! I will turn this whole arena into a bomb and kill everyone, including the audience!]

  The entire colosseum flashes before immediately… Nothing happens. Shifter looks around in confusion.

  [HAHAHAHA!]

  Shifter looks to the audience and sees Truth laughing at him.

  [Truth: You called me dumb! Look at you. Do you know why there is no rule against attacking the audience? It is impossible! The barriers automatically nullify any ability that goes through them, dumbass!]

  Shifter looks back at Blake.

  [Blake: This move is about to do. My mentor tried to teach me it many times. I was never able to pull it off, though. Now I know how to do it. Thank you, Shifter. This battle has made me stronger. Now, get a taste of my ultimate move!]

  Shifter looks worried for a second before quickly pointing at Blake.

  [Shifter: Tekio, kill him!]

  Tekio jumps at Blake. Blake takes a deep inhale before looking at Tekio and Shifter and releasing.

  『The Roar of the Shadow Dragon』

  A beam of pure shadow energy immediately evaporates Tekio and heads toward Shifter.

  [Shifter: YOU BASTARD!]

  Shifter screams as the blast hits him directly. A large explosion fills the arena when it dissipates, and Blake is on one knee. Shifter is gone, evaporated by the blast, just like his shikigami.

  [Announcer: The winner of round four is… Blake Everhart!]

  The crowd goes wild as applause rings out. Blake looks up and sees a small black orb. It looks lost as it slowly approaches Blake. It touches Blake's chest and phases into him. A large shock immediately runs through Blake, and he falls unconscious.