Perhaps it was due to the death of the commanding demon who had been leading their defensive efforts, but no further organized attacks materialized against the front lines while Azrael and his companions maintained their watch. The battlefield remained eerily quiet, as if the enemy forces had simply vanished into the crimson-tinged landscape.
When the shift change finally arrived, the incoming Lore Cardian Masters stood frozen in bewilderment at the sight before them. Azrael, Keith, and Hisham sat calmly with vintage teacups in their hands, looking more like aristocrats enjoying an afternoon social gathering than warriors fresh from a life-or-death battle.
"Was the assignment really this easy today?" one of the replacement fighters muttered, unable to reconcile the peaceful scene with their expectations of a brutal warzone.
The three companions exchanged knowing glances but offered no detailed explanations. Some experiences were simply too extraordinary to convey through words alone.
After completing the formal handover procedures, Azrael's team made their way back through the devastated terrain toward the main encampment. The journey provided stark reminders of the battle's intensity, scorched earth stretched in all directions, punctuated by craters that bore witness to supernatural forces beyond normal comprehension.
Upon reaching the temporary command post, they were immediately informed that their mission had concluded successfully and evacuation clearance had been granted.
"That's it?" Azrael asked with genuine confusion, having expected a prolonged campaign requiring weeks of sustained combat.
Keith, drawing upon his greater experience with such operations, provided helpful context. "Azrael, you're misunderstanding the scope of our involvement. The legion forces we joined represent only one aspect of the Association's comprehensive strategy."
He gestured toward the distant peaks where occasional flashes of light suggested ongoing conflicts. "Elite teams have been conducting decapitation strikes against high-value targets throughout the realm. Based on our rapid withdrawal orders, I'd say their objectives have been achieved and the enemy command structure has collapsed."
The explanation made perfect sense from a strategic perspective. Standard protocol would normally convert cleared secret realms into training facilities for student practitioners, but given the current crisis and the realm's elevated threat level, complete eradication represented the more prudent choice.
Azrael immediately thought of Alice, his senior sister who had been conspicuously absent from the university since the crisis began. Her Diamond-level capabilities and preference for decisive action made her an ideal candidate for such specialized missions.
"It can't be easy for Senior Sister," he murmured with genuine sympathy.
Despite Alice's seemingly cold and distant demeanor in public settings, Azrael had spent enough time with her to understand the social anxiety that drove such defensive behavior. She wasn't genuinely aloof, she simply struggled with interpersonal communication and used emotional distance as a protective mechanism.
If this were my previous world, Azrael mused with dark amusement, she'd probably earn some ridiculous title like 'The Frozen Lightning Empress' or something equally melodramatic.
Following Keith's lead, the group retraced their path through the realm's twisted landscape toward the dimensional gateway that would return them to their own world. The familiar sight of the reality-tearing rift came as a welcome relief after hours spent in an environment where the very air carried the metallic tang of supernatural violence.
Stepping through the portal back into normal space, Azrael paused to observe the night sky above, its familiar constellations providing a stark contrast to the blood-red heavens they'd left behind.
"I never expected my first legion-scale battle to conclude so quickly," he admitted, still processing the day's events.
While the experience had certainly provided its share of heart-stopping moments, the overall outcome exceeded his most optimistic expectations. More importantly, he'd gained valuable insight into Fubuki's defensive limitations and capabilities under genuine combat conditions.
Keith scratched his head with obvious bewilderment. "This was definitely the fastest resolution I've ever experienced. Usually these operations drag on for weeks or even months."
However, the rapid conclusion clearly demonstrated the Association's commitment to decisive action. With high-level leadership undoubtedly aware of the secret realms' true nature and the accelerating frequency of their manifestation, swift eradication represented the most strategically sound approach.
Based on intelligence Azrael had gathered from ancient texts and his master's group communications, these dimensional intrusions likely represented the remnants of conquered worlds, civilizations that had fallen to the same forces now threatening their reality.
The terrifying implication was that their own world, if it succumbed to similar corruption, would probably emerge as the most powerful secret realm yet encountered. The concentration of Master-level practitioners and advanced magical systems would create a nightmare scenario for any future civilization unlucky enough to face such opposition.
"Let's hope that day never comes," Azrael thought with a suppressed shudder.
The prospect of being reduced to a mindless puppet, forever bound to serve malevolent entities, represented a fate worse than simple death. Even achieving Sovereign-level advancement would prove meaningless if such corruption took hold.
After completing the mandatory mission debriefing and registration procedures, Azrael bid farewell to his temporary teammates and made his way home through the pre-dawn darkness. Despite the brief duration of their partnership, he'd developed genuine respect for both Keith's practical experience and Hisham's quiet competence.
Returning to his apartment, Azrael immediately headed for the bathroom to wash away the grime and stress of battle. The luxury of hot water and clean clothes felt almost decadent after hours spent in a realm where survival took absolute priority over comfort.
His spacious bedroom beckoned invitingly, its custom-designed bed representing one of his more indulgent purchases. The oversized mattress and premium construction served multiple purposes, providing both physical comfort and the perfect stage for his more intimate activities with his summoned companions.
After settling into the soft embrace of expensive bedding, Azrael lay quietly for several minutes, allowing the day's tension to gradually fade from his enhanced physique. However, just as he prepared to begin his evening meditation routine, he recalled the promise he'd made to Fubuki during their desperate defense against the gold-level demon.
A knowing smile spread across his features as he reached a delightfully wicked decision.
"Tonight calls for a comprehensive celebration," he announced to the empty room, his voice carrying anticipatory satisfaction.
Without further hesitation, he summoned all of his female cards simultaneously, their elegant forms materializing around the luxurious bed with practiced grace.
"Nami," he called out with playful intensity, "let's see how my Rod of Storms compares to your Clima-Tact in close-quarters combat."
The navigator's cheeks flushed prettily as she understood the innuendo, her eyes sparkling with amused anticipation.
"Shinobu," Azrael continued with mock seriousness, "gentle nibbling only, no actual puncturing. We've discussed proper technique before."
The vampire princess giggled melodiously while allowing her fangs to gleam in the ambient lighting, a predatory smile promising delightful dangers ahead.
"Retsu," he said, turning toward the Bleach captain with theatrical solemnity, "I wonder if your healing techniques could handle Yachiru of intense magical energy transfer?"
Unohana's serene expression never wavered, though the subtle upturn of her lips suggested thorough approval of his creative medical terminology.
"Artoria," Azrael addressed the Knight Princess with exaggerated reverence, "my sweet and noble protector, I promise to provide the most comprehensive mana restoration you've ever experienced."
The blonde knight's face immediately turned crimson, her hands clasping nervously at her armor as shy excitement warred with royal dignity.
"And Fubuki," he concluded with obvious satisfaction, meeting the psychic beauty's challenging gaze, "I want you to demonstrate your telekinetic precision by taking complete control of your own movements tonight."
The Hell Blizzard's emerald eyes flashed with competitive fire as she accepted the unspoken challenge, her lips curving in a smile that promised creative applications of supernatural abilities.
What followed was an evening of passionate celebration that would have exhausted any normal human male within the first hour. Fortunately, Azrael's enhanced constitution and the unique nature of his magical energy sharing created an experience of unprecedented intensity and duration.
Several days had passed since the successful completion of Azrael's first major mission, and Pixar University had yet to announce the resumption of regular classes. The extended break provided a welcome opportunity for rest and recovery, though Azrael suspected administrative challenges related to the recent crisis were causing delays.
During his post-celebration meditation the following evening, he'd made an important discovery, his mental energy capacity had expanded enough to accommodate another Silver-level card. The intense experience of channeling Artoria's Caliburn technique while simultaneously maintaining multiple active summons had apparently pushed his spiritual development beyond its previous limitations.
However, without the Association's point rewards deposited into his account, he lacked the resources necessary for immediate card creation. Patience had never been his strongest virtue, but the wait would undoubtedly prove worthwhile.
"The timing should be perfect by now," Azrael mused while reviewing financial news on his phone during lunch.
His Shadowkhan had prepared another excellent meal, their culinary skills having improved dramatically through dedicated practice. Having supernatural servants capable of handling domestic duties freed his time for more important pursuits, namely, planning his next strategic advancement.
As if summoned by his thoughts, his phone chimed with an incoming notification.
[Alert: New point balance available for review]
Excitement surged through Azrael's chest as he immediately accessed the Association's rewards platform. The displayed number caused him to blink several times, certain his eyes were deceiving him.
"Fifteen thousand points?!" he exclaimed in genuine shock.
The amount exceeded his wildest expectations by an enormous margin. His previous practical training exercise had earned a modest two thousand points, making this windfall equivalent to more than seven standard missions.
After the initial surprise faded, logical analysis provided perspective. "This total must include rewards from multiple sources," he reasoned aloud. "The civilian evacuation mission, the support operations during the dimensional breach, and the secret realm battle itself."
Conservative estimates suggested the escort and support missions had contributed roughly five thousand points combined, meaning the secret realm operation alone had generated a massive ten thousand point reward. Such generosity reflected both the Association's fair compensation policies and the genuine value of his contributions during the crisis.
"Perfect timing," Azrael grinned with satisfaction. "I need exactly one more premium material to complete my next project."
While he theoretically possessed more resources than strictly necessary, experience had taught him that excess points were investments in future opportunities. Materials would become available, techniques would require upgrades, and unexpected situations would demand rapid adaptation.
"I should also consider when my capacity will expand again," he reflected thoughtfully. "Plus my equipment card inventory is running dangerously low. After creating Nel, some utility items might prove valuable."
The abundance of points also raised intriguing possibilities for more ambitious projects. "With this kind of wealth, I could potentially acquire venue card materials directly. Hueco Mundo would provide excellent synergy with my existing Bleach system cards."
Opening the materials marketplace, Azrael began systematically searching for components that would complement his existing collection. His requirements were specific but flexible, quality mattered more than perfect matches.
After several minutes of careful browsing, he discovered exactly what he'd been hoping to find.
Silver-level [Cannibal Antelope] (Red Quality) - 6,100 points
The material description matched his existing [Man-eating Antelope] specimen almost perfectly, differing only in its superior grade. Such consistency strongly suggested both components had originated from the same dimensional realm, quite possibly from creatures he'd observed during the legion battle.
"Red quality," Azrael whispered with growing excitement. "I've never even seen materials of this grade before."
The implications were staggering. While he'd originally planned to create a relatively modest version of Little Nel due to material limitations, red-quality components opened up far more ambitious possibilities. Perhaps he could even incorporate a weakened version of her Resurrección transformation, an ability the canonical character had never possessed.
"This changes everything," he murmured while reviewing the material specifications one final time.
Without hesitation, he authorized the purchase, watching his point balance decrease by a significant but acceptable amount. The crisp notification sound confirmed the transaction's completion, and Azrael felt a familiar thrill of anticipation.
His next card creation would be special indeed, powerful enough to contribute meaningfully to his growing collection while establishing foundations for future developments within the Hueco Mundo system.
The hunt for greater strength continued, and Nel Tu would be his next weapon in the eternal struggle for survival and dominance.