"Tsk."
Azrael clicked his tongue in disappointment as he gazed down at the lifeless corpse sprawled before him. The twisted remains of what had once been human lay motionless in the crater his devastating attack had carved deep into the school grounds.
"Now we can only wait for the Association to come clean this mess up," he muttered under his breath, pulling out his phone to carefully document the scene.
The camera clicked sharply as he captured the evidence from multiple angles, then quickly opened the family group chat with practiced efficiency.
[A Loving Family]
[Azrael: (Photo) Onefold Doctrine member eliminated.]
Within mere moments, his teacher responded with characteristic swiftness.
[Lucian: Azrael, where are you right now?]
[Azrael: Silverbrook High School. This Onefold Doctrine operative walked straight into my crosshairs like a complete amateur.]
[Azrael: But I don't know the specific situation across Velkairos. There's been no unusual activity in the surrounding residential areas that I can detect.]
His Third Senior Brother, Corey, jumped into the conversation with his characteristic boundless enthusiasm and complete disregard for proper punctuation.
[Corey: Junior Brother, are you okay? This Onefold Doctrine has been giving Senior Brother and the others a real headache up north. I didn't expect them to make it all the way to Velkairos this time]
Azrael smiled slightly at his senior brother's familiar typing style, finding comfort in the consistency.
[Azrael: Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. This one wasn't particularly strong, I dealt with him without much difficulty or effort.]
[Azrael: It's just frustrating that when I tried to interrogate him for information, he immediately self-destructed.]
After a moment's careful consideration, Azrael added another message with growing unease.
[Azrael: The way he died feels remarkably similar to the demons I encountered in that secret realm.]
[Armani: The Onefold Doctrine has been thoroughly corrupted by demonic influence. They call themselves human, but 'demons' is a far more accurate description.]
[Armani: They have the same fundamental restrictions as the demons we've faced before, we can't extract useful information from them.]
[Jacob: Exactly. And they can't use cards either, just like their demonic counterparts.]
That crucial explanation finally made complete sense of what Azrael had observed during the battle. The Onefold Doctrine member had fought him using only crude physical combat techniques, never once attempting to summon a card or utilize any mystical abilities.
It wasn't that he didn't want to use cards—he simply couldn't access that power.
"So most of these Onefold Doctrine members can't become Lore Cardians," Azrael mused aloud thoughtfully. After all, who would willingly choose to become a half-human, half-demon monstrosity if they could walk the prestigious path of a Lore Cardian instead?
[Jacob: But be extremely careful, Junior Brother. There are still a small number of actual Lore Cardians present within the Onefold Doctrine ranks, and they're far more dangerous than these flesh-puppet monsters.]
Flesh-puppet monsters? Azrael paused at the disturbing term, then realized it was probably the Association's official designation for these corrupted beings.
[Azrael: Understood completely, Senior Brother. I'll remain vigilant and cautious.]
[Lucian: I checked with Principal Kang, the situation in Velkairos is relatively stable overall. They were aware of the movements in Suzhou, so they managed to respond quickly and effectively.]
[Lucian: The Onefold Doctrine's primary objective appears to be opening secret realms within major population centers. The flesh-puppet you encountered attacked the school specifically to draw the Association's attention and divide their forces strategically.]
Azrael's eyes widened as he processed his teacher's tactical assessment. "I was wondering why he didn't just strike directly at the main building immediately."
The insidious strategy became crystal clear now. The creature had deliberately landed at the school gates and delayed its assault, forcing the Association's Lore Cardians to worry about potential civilian casualties. If they had truly intended to massacre students immediately, the responding Lore Cardians could have simply unleashed their full destructive power without any restraint.
But why target a school specifically? The answer was grimly obvious—these high school students represented the nation's future generation of Lore Cardians. Eliminating them would significantly weaken the next generation's potential and capabilities.
"Azrael! How's the current situation?"
A voice called out urgently from the edge of the crater. Azrael looked up to see a dense crowd of administrators, teachers, and students gathered around the pit's rim, all staring down at him with a complex mixture of awe and genuine concern.
He quickly stored his cards and leaped effortlessly back to ground level with fluid grace.
"Everything's under control now. Everyone can return to their normal activities safely," he announced to the assembled crowd with reassuring authority.
Principal Kang cleared his throat authoritatively. "Attention, homeroom teachers, please manage your students responsibly. No large gatherings permitted."
"Aww!" The students groaned in collective disappointment. They still had countless burning questions for the legendary Azrael Shen, but Principal Kang's stern expression brooked absolutely no argument.
Ultimately, they could only return reluctantly to their classrooms to wait for the Association's official Lore Cardians to arrive and handle the cleanup procedure.
Just as Principal Kang was about to inquire about the specific details, a massive white wolf descended from the sky with graceful precision.
Several teachers instinctively stepped back in visible alarm—after just witnessing a werewolf-like monster, another large wolf was understandably concerning.
"Don't worry about it," Azrael called out reassuringly. "It's a Lore Cardian from the Association."
Principal Kang and the other staff members visibly relaxed their tense postures.
"Micheal! It's you again, long time no see!"
The newcomer was Azrael's old friend Micheal, a talented junior from the Card Design Department at Velkairos University.
"Is that really...?" A disheveled voice emerged from the wolf's back. A young man with hair resembling a bird's nest poked his head up, squinting suspiciously. "Azrael?"
"It really is you," Micheal said with a mixture of amazement and resignation as he dismounted gracefully. "I watched the livestream of your recent match. The last time we met, you were still a Black Iron-rank Lore Cardian who needed Director Gustav's help to clean up the mess of eliminating a Crimson Oath member."
He paused meaningfully, shaking his head in disbelief. "Now you've completely surpassed me. I mean, I couldn't even defeat Crowley in direct combat."
Azrael grinned mischievously and turned his attention to the massive white wolf. "Hey there, Delila! Come here!"
He hadn't forgotten how this wolf had thoroughly terrified him during their first encounter. A little playful payback was definitely in order.
Delila initially prepared to maintain her aloof dignity, but one glance at Azrael's intimidating expression and the enormous crater nearby made her quickly reconsider. Her tail quickly tucked between her legs as she lowered her head submissively.
Of course, this deference was largely due to Delila's respect for the friendship between her partner and Azrael. Otherwise, she would have attacked the presumptuous human immediately.
"Wuuu!" the white wolf whined pathetically.
"Don't tease her unnecessarily," Micheal said helplessly. He was beginning to suspect that the rising star from Pixar University held grudges. "It was just a harmless prank when we first met."
"Alright, let's get down to serious business," Azrael said, withdrawing his hand and gesturing toward the crater. "That thing down there is a flesh-puppet from the Onefold Doctrine. I assume you were properly briefed before arrival?"
"Indeed. Thanks to your swift intervention, we avoided potential casualties," Micheal replied, his demeanor becoming serious. "I'll file a comprehensive report with the Association. There should be merit points awarded for this."
While rewards were always welcome, Azrael's actions hadn't been motivated by personal gain. "What about the rest of Velkairos? How's the overall situation?"
Micheal's expression darkened considerably. "Although the Association responded promptly, I'm afraid the final casualty count won't be optimistic."
Azrael sighed quietly. When his teacher had described the situation as "relatively good," she had meant that the Onefold Doctrine hadn't achieved their primary objectives, not that there were no losses.
"I'll take the corpse with me for thorough analysis. Will you accompany me back to the Association?" Micheal asked hopefully. "President Lian would probably be delighted to see you again."
The mention of Lian, that persistent thorn in the Crimson Oath Society's side, made Azrael wonder about the secret organization's stance regarding the Onefold Doctrine. However, after a moment's consideration, he shook his head decisively.
"I'll have to pass. I'm just making a brief stop in Velkairos, I need to return to Pixar soon."
"I'll handle the Association report for you then," Micheal said with a dismissive wave.
"It's a small matter. Thank you for saving me a troublesome fight."
Without further delay, Micheal descended into the crater to collect the flesh-puppet's remains. After exchanging final farewells with Azrael, he departed Silverbrook High School on his white wolf companion.
Watching them disappear into the distance, Azrael turned to address the school officials. "Principal Kang, Miss Victoria, Mr. Calvin, I should be leaving as well."
Principal Kang clearly hoped Azrael would stay to give an inspirational lecture to the students, but he understood that the young Lore Cardian was only visiting his former classmates and teachers.
"Take care on your journey, Azrael. Please come back to visit the school when you have time."
Honestly, Silverbrook High School had treated Azrael well since his arrival in this world. The scholarships he'd received had helped him pay off the online loan debts left by the original Azrael.
He felt genuine gratitude toward the institution.
"I will," he promised sincerely.
As soon as the words left his lips, a black and red figure shot through the clouds, leaving a contrail as it streaked westward toward Pixar.
"A golden scale is not meant for a pond, it transforms into a dragon when it encounters wind and clouds," Principal Kang murmured as Azrael vanished from sight.
"Principal, that saying is rather outdated these days," one of the teachers commented.
"What would you prefer? 'Don't look down on a poor youth'?" Principal Kang replied dryly.
Azrael flew swiftly back to Pixar, and as the familiar scent of osmanthus flowers from the nearby manor reached his senses, he felt a surge of security and belonging.
After dispatching his ghost soldiers to handle cleanup duties, he prepared to report his safe return.
[Azrael: I'm back in Pixar safely.]
[Jacob: 😊]
[Azrael: Teacher, how are the other cities faring?]
[Lucian: Not well at all. Some cities have been overrun by the Onefold Doctrine, and several secret realms have manifested directly in urban areas.]
[Lucian: Fortunately, none of the secret realms are high-level. At most, we're looking at limited casualties.]
Azrael exhaled in relief. "No high-level secret realms, that's something, at least."
High-level and low-level secret realms were entirely different beasts. If high-level secret realms had appeared in coastal cities, they would eventually become like Velkairos, requiring constant surveillance by high-level Lore Cardians and placing enormous strain on Association resources.
[Lucian: Interestingly, the Crimson Oath Society also took action to suppress the Onefold Doctrine around Velkairos.]
Azrael blinked in surprise. Despite being the Sixth Master of the Crimson Oath Society, they kept him completely in the dark about their operations.
"The Crimson Oath Society definitely has ulterior motives. I just don't understand their strategy."
Part of him hoped the Crimson Oath Society would reform itself, making him a legitimate heir apparent with an unmatched background. But that was clearly impossible. Their actions suggested they were planning a major operation in Velkairos and wouldn't tolerate interference from other factions.
"Time is running out," Azrael muttered.
Since his arrival in this world, events seemed to be accelerating rapidly, with major incidents occurring one after another.
"No point in overthinking it. Let's focus on creating the next card."
Suppressing his concerns, Azrael prepared to work on his next project. But first, he needed rest—he hadn't slept since Friday night.
The next morning, Azrael carefully extracted himself from Women's sleepy embrace.
"Card creation time!" he announced to himself enthusiastically.
He had already drafted comprehensive plans for the next item card. Since it was primarily intended for Artoria, it had to be a sword.
Initially, he'd considered weapons from various game universes, but after careful deliberation, he realized most of these weapons came with their own skill sets and weren't suitable for Lily's needs.
He'd also contemplated legendary swords from cultivation novels, but those were overpowered for his current requirements—there was no need to force a weakened version.
Other famous blades were either inappropriate for Lily's fighting style or too powerful to craft successfully.
Finally, Azrael had settled on a weapon that was absolutely perfect for Lily's situation.
"I hope I have enough points," he murmured, opening the points exchange website.
[Universal Prosthetic] (Gold), 2,100 points
[Sword of Radiance] (Red), 5,800 points
[Portable Sealing Array] (Purple), 900 points
"This is a massive investment. It has to succeed."
Even Azrael felt nervous looking at his remaining 220 points after this purchase.
He envisioned this creation as more than just an item card—it might determine Lily's future advancement path.
[Please begin your story.]
[The Silver Arm, according to legend, is a divine prosthetic limb forged by Nuada, the Celtic god of war, to replace his lost right arm.]
[But this was merely a legend.]
[After the Battle of Camlann, King Arthur lay gravely wounded and dying.]
[With her final breath approaching, she gave her last command to Sir Bedivere, the knight who remained loyal to the very end.]
["Bedivere, listen carefully."]
["Take my sword. Beyond these blood-stained hills lies a sacred lake."]
["Cast my sword into its depths."]
["Return to me when the deed is done and tell me what you witnessed."]
[The king, knowing her fate, spoke these final words.]
[Bedivere understood that returning the holy sword Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake would seal the king's death.]
[Therefore, he lied twice, claiming he had successfully returned the sword, but the king saw through his deception each time.]
[On the third attempt, Bedivere hesitated for a long time beside the lake, ultimately unable to cast away the sacred blade.]
[When he returned still carrying the holy sword, the king had vanished.]
[Bedivere knew that without returning Excalibur, the king could neither die nor find peace.]
[Therefore, he embarked on an eternal journey to find his king, carrying the holy sword as both burden and purpose.]
[Along his wandering path, Bedivere encountered Merlin, the Flower Magician.]
[With Merlin's mystical aid, the holy sword Excalibur was successfully integrated into Bedivere's silver right arm.]
[Thus was born the Silver Arm.]
[The unreturned holy sword, Excalibur incarnate.]
"Yes!" Azrael exclaimed in triumph as he watched the card materialize before him, glowing with ethereal light.
He could feel the immense power emanating from the card in his mind, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.
"This one's for you, Lily."
[The Unreturned Holy Sword: Silver Arm]
Rank: Silver
Quality: Red
Category: Item
Skills:
[Sword-Bearer's Silver Arm]: Passive ability. When equipped with the Silver Arm, the host can actively summon the holy sword Excalibur to manifest as a tangible blade in their hand.
[Flash of the Silver Arm]: Launches a devastating attack by releasing the True Name, essentially a limited release of Excalibur's power.
Note: After activation, the Silver Arm enters an overheating state for thirty minutes. During overheating, bonus attributes are significantly reduced.
Note: Can only be activated once per hour.
Features:
[Holy Sword Enhancement]: The holy sword Excalibur, residing within the Silver Arm, significantly strengthens the host's physical capabilities.
Advancement: Silver Rank [Unreturned Holy Sword: Silver Arm] → Emerald Rank [Holy Sword: Excalibur]
Chain: Can form chain combinations with the card [Bedivere].
Can form chain combinations with the card [Artoria].
Already activated chain effect with the card [Pure White Knight Princess: Artoria].
Chain Effect: When [Pure White Knight Princess: Artoria] wields [Unreturned Holy Sword: Silver Arm], the power of [Flash of the Silver Arm] is enhanced, and the amplification of [Holy Sword Enhancement] is also increased.
Note: When this card is upgraded to [Holy Sword: Excalibur], deploying this card during the advancement of [Pure White Knight Princess: Artoria] will significantly strengthen her evolution.
Note: Chain effects remain active after deployment.
Bond: When paired with cards like [Unbroken Lake Light], activates the effect [Gift of the Lake Fairy].
When paired with [Distant Utopia: Avalon], activates the effect [Sword and Scabbard].
After reviewing the card's complete specifications, Azrael stared in amazement.
"Chain cards are this powerful?!"
This was his first successful creation of a chain card that synergized with his existing cards, and the results exceeded his wildest expectations.