After the discussion with his teacher concluded, Azrael prepared to purchase a manor adjacent to his senior sister's estate. The arrangement would provide both protection and privacy, a delicate balance that suited his complex circumstances perfectly.
However, Alice's identity as a Diamond-level Lore Cardian was hardly a secret, and the surrounding properties had naturally been claimed by wealthy and influential families seeking proximity to such power.
Fortunately, after Azrael revealed his status as Master Lucian's disciple, the current owners sensibly agreed to sell their manor. Of course, Azrael paid the full market price, he had no intention of resorting to theft or extortion against those who hadn't provoked him.
"Senior Sister, I'll be heading home now," Azrael said, bidding farewell to Alice after finalizing the arrangements.
Returning to his new residence, Azrael found himself genuinely impressed by the grandeur. This marked the first time in either of his lives that he'd owned such an expansive mansion. The scale and luxury would provide ample space for training, experimentation, and the various activities his unique lifestyle demanded.
"Clean everything thoroughly and check for potential security risks," he commanded his Shadowkhan as they materialized around him.
The "security risks" he referenced naturally included surveillance devices of any kind. Azrael had no desire to become the unwitting star of compromising recordings that could be used against him.
The spectral warriors bowed respectfully before retrieving housekeeping supplies from the shadow realm. Within moments, they'd transformed from ethereal guardians into surprisingly efficient domestic staff.
With a slight sigh, Azrael retrieved the materials Fredrika had provided during their recent meeting. The familiar weight of the envelope reminded him of the opportunities it represented, not just for creating new cards, but for strengthening existing ones.
Summoning the card belonging to Shinobu, Azrael gently traced its surface with his fingertips. Shinobu had been his first sister card, after all, and their bond carried special significance that transcended mere tactical considerations.
He found himself hesitating about whether to modify her established story. The canonical journey of Shinobu after parting from Lord Kiss-Shot in the original work hadn't exactly been pleasant. Her experiences were marked by tragedy, loss, and centuries of guilt that shaped her into the complex character fans knew and loved.
"Should I adapt it?" Azrael wondered aloud, studying the card with conflicted emotions.
Without question, following the original storyline represented the safest approach to card modification. Established narratives carried inherent power and consistency that could enhance a card's capabilities. But safety wasn't his only consideration, not when it came to someone he cared about.
Azrael's expression gradually solidified with determination as he reached his decision. When it came to family, and Shinobu was family in every way that mattered, he wouldn't allow unnecessary suffering if he could prevent it.
As the materials resonated with the card, reality blurred around him, and he found himself transported to the mysterious space where all creation began.
[Please begin crafting your story.]
[After bidding farewell to Lord Kiss-Shot, Shinobu embarked on a solitary journey across distant lands.]
[During her travels, she came to a small kingdom and encountered a girl named Seishirou.]
[The girl, Seishirou, was the heir to a family known as "Oddity Killers." For reasons she kept to herself, Shinobu concealed her true nature from the other party, claiming instead to be a minor deity.]
[As an "Oddity Killer," Seishirou had known nothing in her life except hunting monsters and supernatural threats. Her existence had been one of constant vigilance, endless training, and solitary warfare against the darkness that plagued humanity.]
[The appearance of Shinobu was like a ray of golden sunlight falling upon her gray and colorless heart, bringing warmth to places that had known only cold duty.]
[After a year of companionship, the two became close friends who could share anything, hopes, fears, dreams, and the burdens that came with their respective natures.]
[Unfortunately, happiness proved fleeting.]
[When facing the monstrous entity known as "Darkness," Seishirou was defeated despite her legendary skills. The creature consumed her entirely, leaving behind only a severed right hand as evidence of her existence.]
[Shinobu witnessed this tragedy and fell into a rage that shook the very foundations of the kingdom.]
[The vampire, no longer constrained by her initial youthful limitations, had matured into an existence that ordinary monsters could never hope to resist. Moreover, Shinobu possessed the rare ability to absorb oddity energy, making her a natural predator of supernatural beings.]
[After a fierce battle that left the landscape scarred and the very air thick with spiritual residue, Shinobu successfully defeated the monster that had claimed her dearest friend.]
[But unfortunately, Seishirou would never return.]
[Shinobu briefly considered transforming her friend into a vampire thrall, a process that would restore her to a semblance of life.]
[However, in the end, she chose to respect her friend's wishes expressed before death. Seishirou had lived her entire existence fighting monsters, she would have found becoming one herself to be a fate worse than death. Even though vampirization would bring her back, Shinobu couldn't bear to defile her friend's memory in such a way.]
In Azrael's assessment, the greatest tragedy of the original Shinobu had been her decision to transform her best friend into a vampire. Her friend had dedicated her life to hunting monsters, and facing the reality of becoming the very thing she'd fought against proved unbearable. Unable to accept her new nature, she'd forged the demon blade Kokoro-Watari from her own flesh and blood, ultimately choosing death over undeath despite her love for Shinobu.
For four hundred years afterward, Shinobu had carried both resentment and guilt about that choice, never knowing whether she'd acted from love or selfishness. This internal conflict had been the root source of her eternal torment.
[Picking up the relic Kokoro-Watari left behind by her friend, Shinobu chose to inherit her name and mission.]
[From that day forward, the Oddity Killer Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Shinobu, whose very name struck terror into the hearts of supernatural beings, appeared in this world.]
"It's finished," Azrael whispered softly, watching as the card floated before him, now pulsing with enhanced power.
After integrating Shinobu back into his consciousness, he began carefully examining her updated specifications.
[Oddity Killer·Shinobu]
Rank: Silver
Quality: Red
Category: Biological
Skills:
[Concealment]: Advanced stealth capabilities that render detection nearly impossible.
[Enhanced Vision]: Supernatural sight that pierces illusions and darkness.
[Instantaneous Regeneration]: Rapid healing that can restore severed limbs within moments.
[Superhuman Strength]: As a vampire who has reached maturity, Shinobu's physical power continues growing stronger. Shattering stone and metal presents no challenge.
[Energy Absorption]: A rare ability awakened by few vampires, allowing her to drain opponents' life force and spiritual energy to replenish herself.
[Thrall Creation]: As a vampire of the highest caliber, Shinobu naturally possesses the ability to transform other creatures into her species. However, she prefers the term "family" to "thrall."
Transformation Limit: 0/1
Traits:
[Vampire Lord]: Commands absolute authority over lesser vampires and undead entities. [Demonic Allure]: Entities below Bronze-level cannot resist Shinobu's supernatural charm and will willingly offer their lives.
[Oddity Killer]: Having inherited her friend's name and mission, Shinobu has become an existence that makes supernatural beings tremble in fear. Provides significant intimidation effects and greatly increased attack power when facing demons of equivalent level.
Introduction: A treasure that already exists in this world.
Advancement Route: Bronze [Fledgling Vampire·Shinobu] → Silver [Oddity Killer·Shinobu] → ??? [???]
Bonds:
When appearing alongside [Kiss-Shot] series cards, activates the [Vampire Lord] effect.
"More skills and enhanced traits," Azrael smiled with satisfaction. He'd originally expected Shinobu's upgrade to simply strengthen her existing abilities, but the transformation had exceeded his most optimistic projections.
"Though the [Thrall Creation] ability description is practically giving away my intentions," he muttered with slight embarrassment.
Fortunately, when he'd first created Shinobu, Azrael had possessed the foresight to remove the traditional vampire weakness to sunlight. Otherwise, her practical utility would have been severely limited in this world.
"And her advancement route has changed as well."
Azrael scratched his head thoughtfully. He remembered that Shinobu's next advancement should have been the Diamond-level [Iron-Blooded, Hot-Blooded, Cold-Blooded Vampire·Shinobu]. Now that progression had been replaced with question marks.
"Must be due to my modifications," he reasoned. "In that case, I might be able to integrate abilities from other vampire characters later on."
Having resolved the mystery to his satisfaction, Azrael dismissed his concerns and immediately summoned Shinobu.
The Shinobu who appeared before him had become noticeably more mature than her previous incarnation. Most obviously, her height had increased to 182 centimeters, making her equivalent to Azrael's current stature.
Of course, other aspects of her development had been equally... pronounced.
Azrael stepped forward and gently took Shinobu's hand, his voice carrying sincere emotion. "I'm ready, Shinobu."
"I'll be with you until the very end."
As he spoke, her crimson lips found his neck with practiced grace.
Morning sunlight filtered through expensive curtains as Azrael opened his eyes to find golden hair scattered across silk pillows. He couldn't suppress a helpless smile at the sight.
After Shinobu had completed his transformation into her thrall the previous evening, she'd been unable to contain her accumulated emotions any longer. The bonding process itself had been intensely intimate, creating a connection that transcended mere physical sensation.
What followed had been an enthusiastic and prolonged celebration of their enhanced relationship. As expected of a vampire, Shinobu's stamina had proven truly impressive.
They'd battled until both were thoroughly exhausted, though neither could claim decisive victory.
With a contented sigh, Azrael gently returned Shinobu to his consciousness before examining his own transformed state.
"I never expected to become a vampire in this lifetime," he mused while studying his reflection in an ornate mirror.
His appearance remained fundamentally unchanged, though his skin had acquired a subtle pallor that wasn't as pronounced as the vampires depicted in movies and television.
"The physical enhancement is substantial, though."
Azrael flexed his hand experimentally, then clenched it into a rapid fist. The harsh whistling of displaced air echoed through the room with impressive force.
"Feels like I've reached the threshold of Silver-level physical capability."
He estimated his enhanced strength with growing satisfaction. While technically called vampirization, the process felt more like his spiritual power had used the card connection to strengthen his physical form. Since he lacked the ability to create thralls independently, the transformation represented pure personal enhancement.
"Not bad. Combined with Pride, my survival capabilities have improved dramatically."
Most importantly, as Shinobu's level increased in the future, his own physical enhancement should grow correspondingly stronger.
"Buzz~"
The vibration of his phone interrupted his self-assessment. Azrael checked the screen to see who was messaging him so early.
[Fredrika: Master, there's something urgent that requires your immediate attention.]
"The Crimson Oath Society wants to give me more benefits?" Azrael blinked with pleasant surprise.
He genuinely enjoyed receiving unexpected advantages from the organization. After all, the materials he'd just used had transformed Shinobu significantly while granting him substantial personal enhancement as well.
After pocketing his phone, Azrael summoned his Shadowkhan for transportation to the Velvet Springhouse.
Moments later, Fredrika found herself staring at Azrael's transformed appearance with undisguised confusion. Something about his presence seemed fundamentally different today, an unsettling beauty that hadn't been there before.
"What's the matter?" Azrael's voice snapped her from her distracted observations.
Fredrika remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Master, I'm not sure how to tell you this."
"The Mizuno family has contacted us with a request for your assassination."
Silence fell over the office like a suffocating blanket.
After several tense heartbeats, Azrael responded with remarkable calm. "And? Are you planning to reject their offer?"
Fredrika nodded quickly. "Of course. While we maintain some connections with the Imperial Court, they're merely insignificant cooperative arrangements. The Mizuno family is delusional if they think we'd act against you."
Azrael considered this development carefully before asking, "Did the Court contact you directly?"
Fredrika shook her head emphatically. "The highest-ranking person they can reach is only a Gold-level Lore Cardian in Pixar City who belongs to our organization. My identity has never been exposed to them."
Azrael nodded with understanding. If Fredrika's position had been compromised, his frequent visits to the Velvet Springhouse would have been impossible to conceal.
"Have that person accept the contract," Azrael declared after brief consideration.
Fredrika's eyes widened with comprehension. "Master, you want to stage a false assassination?"
Azrael confirmed her deduction with a slight nod. Rather than allowing the Mizuno family to harbor grudges indefinitely, it would be better to cooperate with the Crimson Oath Society in an elaborate deception. With his current authority within the organization, an ordinary member couldn't genuinely harm him anyway.
"I'll instruct him to accept the assignment immediately," Fredrika agreed without hesitation.
While Fredrika lowered her head to contact their operative, Azrael's expression grew thoughtful as he contemplated the broader implications of this development.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Pixar City, a man named Magnus was reviewing his current circumstances with professional detachment.
Magnus, male, 48 years old, publicly known as a watchmaker in Pixar City. Of course, this was merely his cover identity. Everything about his current appearance, including his face, was fabricated through sophisticated illusion techniques.
Secretly, he was a Gold-level Lore Cardian affiliated with the Crimson Oath Society, though he'd never met his ultimate superior who remained shrouded in mystery.
Now that same unknown boss had instructed him to accept the Mizuno family's contract to assassinate the recently famous Azrael.
"Tsk. This identity will be useless afterward," Magnus clicked his tongue in annoyance, gathering his belongings into his storage card while preparing to meet with the Mizuno family.
He harbored no doubts about his ability to eliminate Azrael. After all, his target was merely a Silver-level Lore Cardian while he commanded Gold-level power. Though this particular Silver-level practitioner had displayed alarming capabilities, the fundamental power gap remained decisive.
If he hadn't been trapped by Crimson Oath Society contracts in his youth, Magnus could have secured lucrative employment anywhere with his current Gold-level status. The organization's binding agreements had severely limited his career options.
A short time later, the properly disguised Magnus appeared at the Mizuno family manor, which was still undergoing reconstruction after recent damage.
After sending a message through secure channels, Ottarl emerged alongside Crowley shortly afterward.
"This way, please, Mr. Magnus," Ottarl said with forced courtesy.
Magnus followed the father and son to a study that had been partially restored from whatever catastrophe had befallen their estate.
After dismissing the servants, Ottarl whispered urgently, "Mr. Magnus, your presence suggests the Society has agreed to my family's request?"
Magnus nodded curtly, but before Ottarl could continue speaking, he interjected with businesslike efficiency. "The Society is indeed willing to act, but your payment must be provided in advance."
"And I understand Azrael has recently relocated near his senior sister's residence?"
Ottarl materialized a suitcase from thin air and handed it to Magnus. "The full payment is here. Mr. Magnus can verify the contents."
"As for Alice..." Ottarl's expression darkened as he mentioned the Diamond-level practitioner.
He hadn't anticipated Master Lucian's foresight in predicting they would approach the Crimson Oath Society. The protective arrangement complicated their assassination plans significantly.
After a moment of tense silence, Ottarl gritted his teeth with determination. "Don't worry, Mr. Magnus. If Alice doesn't return by tomorrow evening, proceed with the operation."
Seeing that the Mizuno family appeared well-prepared, Magnus nodded with professional satisfaction. "Acceptable. I have no further questions."
"However, let me be clear, if I detect Alice's spiritual signature in the area, I'll withdraw immediately without completing the contract."
With all arrangements confirmed, Ottarl smiled with vicious anticipation. "Then I wish us a successful operation."
Magnus rolled his eyes at the man's theatrical behavior and vanished from the Mizuno estate using his transportation techniques.
Once the assassin had departed, Crowley voiced his lingering concerns. "Father, can Alice really be lured away from the city?"
Ottarl's features were shrouded in shadow as he asked an apparently unrelated question. "Son, do you know why Lioren has remained in Shudoria Province for so long?"
Crowley blinked with confusion. "Wasn't he suppressing the Sovereign-level secret realm that appeared there?"
"Have you ever wondered why a realm of that magnitude manifested in Shudoria Province immediately after he achieved Sovereign-level status?"
Crowley's initial puzzlement transformed into horrified understanding as a terrifying possibility occurred to him.
Seeing his son's recognition, a hideous smile spread across Ottarl's face. "You're beginning to comprehend the situation."
Before Crowley could voice his thoughts, Ottarl delivered a sharp slap. "What are you thinking? I wouldn't dare attempt such a thing alone."
"We're merely creating sufficient disturbance to draw Alice away from the city."
Hearing this clarification, Crowley relaxed slightly, though anticipation of Azrael's imminent demise made him visibly excited.
However, Crowley retained enough intelligence to recognize the obvious flaw in their plan. "Father, won't Master Lucian immediately suspect our involvement when this happens?"
Ottarl's response carried cold calculation. "We'll blame everything on the Crimson Oath Society."
"After all, they're the ones providing us with the techniques and expertise to make this work."
The following evening, Magnus surveyed the brightly illuminated manor where his target resided and couldn't suppress his skepticism. "What exactly is the Mizuno family playing at now? This seems like they're just wasting my time."
Just as he prepared to abandon the mission, a powerful spiritual disturbance swept across the entire city of Pixar.
"They're really going all-out, aren't they?" Magnus muttered with grudging respect.
Sensing Alice's formidable aura rapidly moving away from the city center, he sighed with professional resignation and began approaching Azrael's residence.
"Such a shame," he reflected with dark humor. "You won't live to be so ostentatious in your next life."
The assassin advanced through the darkness, completely unaware that his target held authority over the very organization that employed him. The irony of the situation would have been amusing if the consequences weren't potentially so dire.
But Magnus was about to discover that some prey was far more dangerous than it appeared, and that the Crimson Oath Society protected its own interests with lethal efficiency, regardless of who stood in their way.