Having played Pokémon extensively in his previous life, Azrael naturally understood the critical importance of weather control for certain team compositions. When the right conditions were established, entire strategies could either flourish or crumble based on environmental factors alone.
Unfortunately, Sun-Myun and the others lacked this fundamental understanding. While they recognized Oliver's cards as formidable, they remained ignorant about the specific mechanics that made his combination so devastatingly effective.
Now, watching their teammate's carefully constructed weather advantage being stolen by their opponent, the situation had transformed into a catastrophic opening gambit. The elaborate setup Oliver had invested precious time and energy to establish was now working against him with cruel efficiency.
According to Azrael's tactical analysis, Oliver's entire combat system revolved around maintaining environmental control. Without that foundation, his remaining cards would struggle to achieve their intended synergy.
Oliver himself had obviously reached the same grim conclusion.
Dark waves surged toward the Taoist priest like a malevolent tsunami, carrying the concentrated fury of someone whose strategy had been completely undermined. Although the heroic warrior no longer possessed lightning enhancement, his raw physical capabilities remained formidable enough to pose genuine threats.
Unfortunately, dense volleys of crackling electricity bombarded the space around the Taoist priest in rapid succession, each bolt intercepting Oliver's desperate counterattacks with supernatural precision. The coordinated defense created an impenetrable barrier of electrical discharge that rendered conventional assault utterly futile.
Under the Taoist priest's mystical influence, every lightning strike had acquired a distinctive golden radiance that spoke of divine blessing and enhanced power. The transformation elevated what should have been Oliver's advantage into his opponent's weapon.
The battlefield now presented a study in stark contrasts. On one side stood the Taoist priest, serene and unmoved despite the chaos surrounding him, his expression carrying the tranquil confidence of someone who commanded absolute mastery over the elements. On the other side, Oliver's heroic warrior fought with increasingly desperate fury, surrounded by the crackling aftermath of divine retribution.
Within moments, Oliver's remaining two cards began dissolving under the Taoist priest's coldly impassive gaze, their forms fragmenting into dissipating spiritual energy as their connection to their summoner was severed through overwhelming force.
"It appears we've claimed victory, Old Chai," Surge announced with undisguised smugness, his satisfaction evident as he observed the dust settling over the battlefield.
Although Chisaki understood this was merely training competition, he still responded with visible irritation darkening his features. "Winning a single match hardly warrants such arrogance."
Sun-Myun and Choi-Gyu exchanged pale looks of dismay before voicing their defeatist conclusions. "It's hopeless," Sun-Myun muttered with obvious despair. "If Brother Oliver can't defeat him, what chance do the rest of us have?"
Choi-Gyu nodded in grim agreement, her confidence visibly shattered by witnessing their strongest member's decisive defeat.
Hearing such pathetic surrender from his own teammates, Azrael couldn't suppress his internal frustration. How can students from Pixar University possess such complete lack of fighting spirit?
Moreover, these two individuals held main member positions within the Battle Club. If this represented their mental fortitude during competition, they had no business participating in national tournaments and should return home immediately rather than embarrass their institution.
Fortunately, not all five members had embraced such defeatist attitudes. In Azrael's assessment, both Jea-Min and Oliver retained the competitive drive necessary for meaningful victory.
Despite his loss, Oliver showed no signs of particular depression. He simply approached his teammates and offered a straightforward acknowledgment. "I apologize for the defeat."
He made no excuses about opponent targeting or unfavorable matchups. A loss was a loss, requiring no elaborate justification or deflection of responsibility. Such basic awareness spoke well of his character, if not his tactical preparation.
Before the others could respond to his admission, Sun-Myun interjected with obvious complaint. "Brother Oliver, you were far too careless out there. How could you lose so decisively? What are the rest of us supposed to accomplish now?"
His tone carried accusation and blame rather than support or strategic analysis.
Before Oliver could formulate a response, Choi-Gyu's anger flared. "If you think you can do better, prove it!"
Sun-Myun immediately fell silent, recognizing the challenge for what it was, an invitation to demonstrate capabilities he clearly lacked.
After directing a pointed glance toward Sun-Myun, Oliver dismissed him entirely and focused on his remaining teammates. "Who will compete next?"
Seeing Oliver's deliberate exclusion, Sun-Myun's face flushed with embarrassment, though he was wise enough to maintain his silence.
When Oliver posed his question about the next participant, Sun-Myun immediately adopted the defensive posture of someone hoping to avoid notice. The hypocrisy was staggering, despite his criticism of Oliver's performance, he possessed no desire to face the opponent who had defeated their strongest member.
While he would eventually be forced to participate, he had no intention of volunteering as the second combatant.
After considering the tactical situation carefully, Azrael stepped forward. "I'll take the second match."
Oliver studied Azrael with obvious surprise, his expression shifting between concern and curiosity about his junior colleague's unexpected confidence.
After a moment of contemplative silence, Oliver addressed him directly. "You observed the previous battle, Junior Azrael. The optimal strategy now requires swift, decisive action."
His gaze shifted toward Hisham, who sat in meditation to restore his depleted mental energy. "The problem is that opponent's knight card poses significant defensive challenges..."
Oliver's words trailed off with obvious hesitation, clearly doubting whether Azrael possessed the capability to penetrate such formidable protection quickly enough to matter.
When Jea-Min witnessed Azrael volunteering for the dangerous second position, she offered tactical counsel. "Focus on providing us with better intelligence about their capabilities. As long as our subsequent participants can eliminate the opposition, we'll maintain competitive viability."
Her approach was pragmatic, using Azrael as an information-gathering sacrifice to benefit later combatants.
Sun-Myun's cold voice cut through their strategic discussion. "I doubt he'll even manage to gather useful intelligence before being eliminated."
The callous dismissal triggered Oliver's stern response. "Shut up!" he commanded with sharp authority.
Azrael felt increasingly exasperated by his teammate's defeatist attitude. The situation was far from hopeless, yet certain individuals seemed determined to surrender before attempting genuine resistance. Such behavior would have been embarrassing in any context, but among university students representing their institution, it bordered on pathetic.
Ignoring Sun-Myun's negativity, Azrael positioned himself at the battlefield's edge with calm determination.
Surge observed this newcomer with obvious interest. "Old Chai, I just noticed your Battle Club has acquired new main members."
Chisaki nodded confirmation before adding crucial context. "He's Master Lucian's disciple."
Surge's expression registered genuine surprise. "Is this the Azrael who dominated the provincial examination in Greenridge Province?"
He had obviously heard reports about Azrael's exceptional performance during those assessments.
However, Surge's initial surprise quickly transformed into confident dismissal. "Even Master Lucian's disciple will taste the bitterness of defeat today."
His words carried complete pessimism about Azrael's chances. Perhaps the young prodigy could defeat one opponent, but could he possibly overcome the remaining four members of Southeast University's team? With five opponents versus four defenders, and missing what Surge considered Pixar University's strongest combatant, the mathematical advantage clearly favored his institution.
Chisaki remained diplomatically silent rather than engaging with such premature declarations. Privately, he harbored serious doubts about Azrael's prospects against Hisham's enhanced capabilities.
After seizing weather control from Oliver, the Taoist priest card had achieved unprecedented empowerment that would be extremely difficult to overcome through conventional tactics.
On the battlefield, Azrael had already summoned Unohana Retsu and Artoria with practiced efficiency. Simultaneously, the massive circular shadow of Soul Society began manifesting behind Unohana's position, its imposing architecture creating an aura of ancient authority.
"A venue card?!" Multiple surprised voices erupted from Southeast University's viewing platform.
Such powerful artifacts remained remarkably rare among freshman and sophomore students. Witnessing one deployed by someone so young challenged their assumptions about normal advancement patterns.
Surge glanced toward Chisaki with grudging acknowledgment. "Old Chai has been hiding some impressive assets."
Despite this admission, he maintained confidence that Pixar University would ultimately fail to achieve victory today.
In the arena, having observed Oliver's previous tactical errors, Azrael refused to allow his cards to advance rashly without proper preparation. The lessons from that devastating defeat were clear, underestimating the opposition's capabilities led to swift elimination.
Studying the massive tower shield that had again materialized before both the knight and Taoist priest, Unohana Retsu and Artoria exchanged meaningful glances. Their tactical coordination, honed through countless previous battles, allowed them to formulate countermeasures with remarkable speed.
"The pride of heaven, the iron wall, the dragon walks, the lion roars, the tiger roars, the wolf runs, and cuts off the sky and earth before it collapses," Unohana began her rapid incantation, spiritual energy building around her position with visible intensity.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū!"
A massive transparent barrier instantly materialized above both Artoria and Unohana's positions, its crystalline surface gleaming with supernatural resilience. The defensive wall created immediate protection against the aerial bombardment that had devastated Oliver's forces.
Terrifying volleys of blue-gold lightning hammered the spiritual barrier in rapid succession, each impact sending visible tremors through the crystalline structure. Within moments, hairline cracks began spreading across the transparent surface.
What devastating attack power! Azrael thought with genuine concern. During his underground complex expedition, dozens of Silver-level demons attacking in coordination had failed to breach Dankū's defenses. Even when enhanced by Soul Society's empowerment, the barrier was showing structural failure under this assault.
The power differential was genuinely alarming.
From the sidelines, every member of Pixar University's delegation watched with obvious dismay as their newest representative appeared trapped under overwhelming offensive pressure.
Oliver felt crushing guilt as he observed the situation. "If the storm weather hadn't been stolen by our opponent, Junior Azrael wouldn't face such impossible circumstances."
In the eyes of his teammates, Azrael's two cards resembled helpless targets with no meaningful defensive options. The systematic bombardment appeared to be merely a prelude to inevitable elimination.
Chisaki sighed with resigned acceptance. "Jea-Min, prepare for the third match."
Before his words fully concluded, his eyes widened with shock as he witnessed something that defied his expectations entirely.
Not only Chisaki, but every person present, including Hisham on the opposing sideline, displayed identical expressions of stunned amazement.
At that moment, in addition to the thunderous roar of electrical bombardment filling the battlefield, a clear girl's voice rang out with crystalline authority.
"Caliburn!"
While Azrael's teammates perceived him as a helpless target facing inevitable defeat, his own tactical assessment viewed Hisham's supposedly dominant cards as equally vulnerable sitting targets.
The golden radiance that erupted from Artoria's blade cut through the arena's oppressive atmosphere like divine judgment made manifest. The brilliant pillar of concentrated energy pierced upward through the storm clouds with devastating force, instantly overwhelming every defensive measure their opponents had established.
What followed would reshape everyone's understanding of what Silver-level cards could accomplish when wielded by someone who truly comprehended their potential.