The early June weather had already turned scorching hot throughout the northern reaches of the Empire of Aetherlight.
By this time, residents of Beijing had long since switched to light, short-sleeved clothing to combat the relentless sweltering heat that pressed down upon the imperial capital like a suffocating blanket.
"Still as imposing as ever," exclaimed a bald, middle-aged man at Beijing Central Railway Station, shielding his eyes from the blazing sun as he gazed up at the towering skyline that stretched endlessly toward the cloudless horizon.
Behind him stood five young men, each wearing expressions that ranged from nervous anticipation to steely, determined resolve. The weight of their shared mission hung heavy in the humid air between them.
"We're back again," murmured Oliver, his carefully slicked-back hair gleaming like polished metal in the harsh sunlight as he held Choi-Gyu's hand with trembling fingers. "I have to win this year. I won't accept anything less than complete victory."
Last year, he had followed his sophomore seniors to Beijing to participate in the national competition, his heart filled with hope and burning ambition. Unfortunately, Pixar University had proven to be a disappointingly weak team, suffering complete annihilation in both individual and team competitions—a humiliation that still burned like acid in his memory, corroding his confidence with every passing day.
"Let's go. Time to head to our designated base," Chisaki announced with practiced authority, summoning his minivan with a graceful, experienced gesture. The vehicle materialized in a shimmering cascade of blue light as he called out to Azrael and the other four anxious students clustered behind him.
Accompanied by the van's oddly cheerful musical jingle that seemed almost mocking in the tense atmosphere, they drove through the bustling streets toward a towering hotel that dominated the skyline like a monolithic sentinel, its shadow falling across entire city blocks.
Hotels of this extraordinary height were extremely rare throughout the Empire of Aetherlight. Due to the ever-present threat of demons that could manifest anywhere without warning, materializing from dimensional rifts like nightmares given form, no one knew if a building might one day suffer the same catastrophic fate as the 9/11 incident from Earth's tragic history. The devastating collapse had become a cautionary tale passed down through generations of Lore Cardians, a stark reminder of how quickly civilization's greatest achievements could crumble to dust.
Therefore, typical building heights were strictly limited to approximately ten stories by imperial decree. Any structure that exceeded this reasonable limit was either an official government facility protected by advanced defensive systems or staffed exclusively by high-ranking Lore Cardians capable of repelling aerial demon attacks with devastating counterstrikes.
Oliver, having been here before during last year's competition, wasn't particularly surprised by the impressive sight. Seeing Azrael and the other three newcomers craning their necks to stare up at the imposing structure with undisguised awe, he explained with the confident air of a seasoned veteran, "This hotel was jointly funded by the imperial court and the prestigious Cardian Master Association. It serves as the primary base of operations for students during the national competition."
"During normal times, it's open to wealthy civilians as an exclusive luxury establishment," he added, watching their expressions of growing amazement and intimidation.
Azrael understood the implications immediately. No wonder the spiritual energy around this particular area felt so dense and intricately complex, like layers of invisible power woven together in incomprehensible patterns. Through his enhanced senses, he couldn't even detect the true power levels of the Lore Cardians residing in some of the upper floors, their auras were either expertly concealed behind sophisticated barriers or far beyond his current ability to perceive and analyze.
It seemed the Northern Capital's imperial administration had chosen to concentrate all the participating students in one heavily fortified location for easier management and comprehensive protection. After all, nearly every young genius in the entire Empire of Aetherlight was now gathered within the capital's fortified walls. The loss of even a single promising student to demon attack or sabotage would represent a devastating blow to the empire's future strength and stability.
As they spoke in hushed tones, Chisaki had already approached the ornate front desk with its gleaming marble surface, his official documentation in hand as he completed the check-in process with practiced efficiency born from years of experience.
"Let's go to our usual quarters on the eighteenth floor," he announced, distributing individual room cards to Azrael and the other three students as they reached the polished elevator bank with its golden fixtures.
"We at Pixar University have been assigned to the eighteenth floor for years now," Oliver whispered conspiratorially as they waited for the elevator, his voice barely audible above the hotel's ambient noise. "Last year, Jinghua University was stationed on the same floor, and it should be the identical arrangement this year."
The elevator chimed with a melodious ding that echoed through the marble lobby, and the polished steel doors slid open with silent, mechanical precision.
Azrael's sharp eyes immediately took in the luxurious corridor beyond—deep crimson carpet stretched endlessly in both directions like rivers of spilled wine, while golden fixtures cast warm, honeyed light across walls adorned with intricate tapestries depicting famous battles from the empire's glorious and blood-soaked history.
"Hey, Old Chisaki! You finally made it!"
The moment the Pixar University group stepped off the elevator onto the plush carpeting, they were immediately intercepted by a cluster of people who had clearly been waiting patiently for their anticipated arrival.
"Representatives from Jinghua University," Azrael observed silently to himself, recognizing their identities without needing Oliver's whispered confirmation or explanation.
"Old Fang, it's been far too long since our last encounter," Chisaki said with genuine warmth, extending his weathered hand in greeting to a distinguished middle-aged man who appeared to be the rival group's experienced leader.
Old Fang returned the handshake with a politician's calculated smile that never quite reached his calculating eyes, but his analytical gaze immediately shifted to Azrael, who was positioned directly behind Chisaki like a loyal shadow. "This must be Pixar University's much-talked-about secret weapon this year, am I correct?"
"I witnessed that absolutely spectacular fight a few weeks ago," he continued, his tone carefully neutral and diplomatically measured. "The young man certainly demonstrated most impressive capabilities that exceeded all expectations."
Azrael acknowledged the backhanded compliment with a modest chuckle but remained diplomatically silent, keenly aware that any response could be interpreted as either dangerous arrogance or revealing weakness by these seasoned, calculating competitors.
The students flanking Old Fang subjected Azrael to intense, predatory scrutiny, their sharp eyes analyzing everything from his relaxed posture to his carefully concealed equipment with the focused attention of experienced predators sizing up potentially dangerous prey.
However, to everyone's genuine surprise, no provocative challenges or deliberately embarrassing incidents occurred during their brief, tense encounter. The electric tension remained palpable but carefully controlled as both groups maintained their professional facades like actors in a high-stakes performance.
The unexpected restraint made perfect sense upon careful reflection. Given the extraordinary prowess Azrael had demonstrated in recent public battles that had become legendary throughout the empire, any university that took the national competition seriously would undoubtedly mark him as a primary threat requiring careful study and comprehensive strategic planning.
Besides, unlike regional competitions where average students might participate merely for valuable experience, the national tournament featured only the absolute elite, no one present could be dismissed as a mere spectator or easy target for intimidation.
"Jinghua has maintained consistently strong performance over the years," Chisaki remarked thoughtfully after the rival team departed with measured steps. "Last year, they achieved an impressive third place in the team competition, and one of their individual contestants even reached the prestigious top eight."
His expression grew noticeably more serious as he turned to face his attentive students. "I sincerely hope we can surpass their outstanding performance this year."
Azrael and the other four nodded solemnly, their faces reflecting the crushing weight of expectation and responsibility. Having traveled this far and sacrificed so much to reach this pivotal point, none of them harbored any intention of settling for disappointing mediocrity. Each was determined to push themselves far beyond their perceived limits in relentless pursuit of victory.
Sensing the heavy atmosphere settling over his increasingly anxious students like a suffocating fog, Chisaki briefly considered offering Azrael some reassuring words about having another precious opportunity next year if things didn't go according to their carefully laid plans. However, he wisely held his tongue.
This represented Oliver and the other three seniors' final chance to compete at the national level. If they failed to achieve something truly meaningful here, next year's tournament would be completely irrelevant to their futures, they would have graduated and moved on to professional careers or mandatory military service.
Offering such hollow platitudes at this critical moment would only serve to undermine his students' fighting spirit and hard-earned determination.
He believed Azrael possessed the necessary mental fortitude to handle enormous pressure without requiring constant reassurance and encouragement.
Unfortunately, Chisaki remained completely unaware that Azrael had already reached the dangerous threshold of Gold rank and was rapidly running out of precious time to achieve his breakthrough while remaining eligible for competition. Once Azrael successfully advanced to Gold rank, the strict tournament regulations would automatically prohibit him from participating in next year's nationals.
According to Master Calvin's careful predictions, Azrael would likely be assigned to a small or medium-sized city for advanced training and real-world experience once he achieved his inevitable promotion.
After securing their luggage in their assigned rooms, the Pixar University team set out for the primary battle arena to familiarize themselves with the imposing venue and observe the intense competition environment.
During their journey through the capital's crowded streets, Azrael observed an impressive variety of unusual transportation methods: Lore Cardians riding massive wolves with gleaming fangs, armored warhorses that snorted steam, sleek motorcycles that hovered effortlessly above the ground, and even magnificent birds large enough to carry human passengers through the sky.
This diverse display served as compelling evidence that the concentration of powerful Lore Cardians in Beijing far exceeded anything he had witnessed in the two previous cities where he had lived and trained.
As the urban clamor gradually faded from their immediate surroundings, replaced by an almost reverent quiet, a vast circular structure appeared before them, so massive it seemed to dwarf everything else in the vicinity like a colossus from ancient legend.
"It's absolutely enormous!" Azrael exclaimed in genuine surprise, his voice betraying his complete amazement and growing intimidation.
He had never expected a national tournament arena to be constructed on such an overwhelming, almost incomprehensible scale. The building appeared large enough to accommodate epic competitions between Gold or even legendary Emerald rank Lore Cardians, power levels that could reshape entire landscapes with their earth-shaking battles.
The other passengers in the van shared his profound astonishment, their faces reflecting similar degrees of awe and growing intimidation.
Chisaki, as the most experienced member of their group, had led several battle clubs to this venue over the years. His familiarity with Beijing's grandeur had long since evolved into casual indifference, though he still remembered his own first impression of the arena's overwhelming scale.
However, once they entered the facility proper through its massive bronze doors, Azrael immediately understood the logical reasoning behind such massive construction.
The arena wasn't a single battleground, it contained dozens of individual combat venues of varying sizes, each carefully designed to accommodate different types of competitions and power levels.
Since the national competition attracted thousands of ambitious participants from across the vast empire, conducting matches one at a time would prove logistically impossible. The tournament's efficiency depended entirely on the ability to host multiple simultaneous battles across numerous specialized venues.
When the field eventually narrowed to the final competitors through elimination, these smaller arenas could be reconfigured and combined into a single, massive stage worthy of the championship rounds—the moment when the national competition would truly reach its climactic peak.
At this relatively early stage, the venue already hosted a significant number of people scattered throughout its various sections and elevated observation areas.
Among the diverse crowd, Azrael's attention was immediately drawn to the most conspicuous figure present, a striking female Lore Cardian who sat perched casually on the broad shoulders of a towering, muscular man whose proportions bordered on the superhuman.
Oliver followed Azrael's curious gaze and shook his head with a mixture of recognition and weary resignation. "She's from Beijing University."
"That girl competed in last year's national competition, though her individual performance ranked near the bottom of Beijing University's elite battle club roster. As for that muscleman carrying her..." Oliver paused, searching for appropriately diplomatic phrasing.
"I understand," Azrael replied simply, cutting off the potentially awkward explanation.
Oliver blinked in surprise, not expecting Azrael to have any prior knowledge of Beijing University's unusual participants.
In reality, Azrael was recalling the female Lore Cardian who supposedly favored riding muscular men that Michael had mentioned to him during his early days in this strange world. He hadn't expected to encounter her so soon, especially in such a prominent venue.
'Your social circle really is complicated,' Azrael thought to himself with mild amusement.
However, upon further reflection about his own frequent summoning of various female cards for battle situations, Azrael felt a sense of understanding and kinship. 'We're both collectors of specialized cards, so I suppose mutual respect is appropriate.'
Still, there remained a significant tactical difference between their approaches. While Azrael primarily utilized cards like Artoria, which possessed tremendous defensive and offensive capabilities, the Beijing University student appeared to favor cards that prioritized physical enhancement and brute force applications.
Considering the type matchups, Azrael's steel-type cards would possess natural resistances against the opponent's likely fighting-type strategies, though he acknowledged that raw power could sometimes overcome theoretical advantages. (Pokemon Reference)
The thought of potential future battles sparked genuine interest rather than concern, he looked forward to testing his tactical approaches against such a dramatically different combat philosophy.
"Alright, that concludes our comprehensive venue tour," Chisaki announced, his authoritative voice carrying clearly across their group. "Now let's return to the hotel. I need to brief all of you about several universities that require your particular attention during this national competition."
His suddenly serious tone immediately refocused everyone's attention on the strategic challenges ahead.
The group returned to the hotel in contemplative silence, each member processing the overwhelming scale and intensity of the competition they were about to face.
Back in Chisaki's spacious room with its panoramic view of the capital, he solemnly retrieved five tablets from his storage card and distributed them to his students with the gravity of a general issuing crucial battle plans.
"All the critical intelligence is contained within these devices," he explained as the students began examining their tablets with growing concentration. "Study everything carefully, your success may depend on understanding these vital details."
As his students became absorbed in reviewing the comprehensive data files, Chisaki's voice took on the tone of a seasoned strategist sharing hard-won wisdom accumulated over decades of competition.
"Due to the unique structure of the National Competition format, each university's relative strength fluctuates dramatically from year to year, so you'll need to make real-time assessments and adaptations during actual battles."
The tournament's reliance on undergraduate participants created an inherently unstable competitive environment. Since junior-year students were required to begin specialized fieldwork and practical training, the core membership of virtually every university's battle club consisted exclusively of freshmen and sophomores.
This meant that team compositions underwent radical transformations every single year, with entire rosters being replaced as students graduated or advanced to higher levels of training.
"It's entirely possible for the previous year's champions to find themselves eliminated before reaching the quarterfinals," Chisaki continued, his expression growing more intense. "Conversely, universities that performed poorly in past tournaments can suddenly emerge as dominant forces due to exceptional new recruits."
The inherent unpredictability contributed enormously to the competition's massive television ratings and devoted public following. Audiences thrived on dramatic reversals and unexpected outcomes, no one wanted to watch the same predictable schools dominating year after year.
Additionally, the creative diversity of Lore Cardian abilities meant that completely novel and unprecedented strategies appeared regularly. While these innovative approaches might not always prove tactically superior, they invariably provided spectacular entertainment value.
"Furthermore, since team competitions precede individual battles in the schedule..." Chisaki paused, directing a meaningful look toward Azrael.
Azrael immediately grasped the implication. The scheduling meant that many Lore Cardians would face strategic decisions about revealing their most powerful abilities early in team battles versus concealing their trump cards for potential use in individual competitions where personal glory was at stake.
He nodded silently to indicate his understanding of these complex tactical considerations.
However, Chisaki's expression suddenly darkened, as though he had just recalled an unpleasant memory or concerning piece of intelligence.
After taking a moment to compose himself, Chisaki ran his weathered fingers through his thinning hair and continued his briefing with renewed focus.
"Let's begin with Jinghua University, our neighbors on this very floor."
"They achieved third place last year and are undoubtedly determined to improve upon that performance this time. However, since their main contributors have advanced to junior status, this year's entire roster consists of completely new competitors."
"Detailed information about their known capabilities is included in your files for thorough review."
"My personal assessment suggests they probably lack the depth to repeat last year's success."
Azrael carefully studied the relevant sections in his tablet and found himself agreeing with Chisaki's evaluation. The cards and abilities that Jinghua's battle club had revealed during preliminary matches appeared rather conventional and uninspiring.
Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced Demons, various minor supernatural generals from folklore...
The revealed strategies seemed so straightforward that Azrael was confident even Oliver and the other seniors could handle them without significant difficulty.
"Next, we have last year's champions and this year's defending titleholders: Mingke University."
Chisaki's tone grew noticeably more serious as he shifted to this topic.
"Two of their key players from last year were freshmen, which means they're definitely competing again this year with an additional year of experience and training."
His expression became grim as he delivered his honest assessment. "To be completely frank, defeating them will be extremely difficult. Even with Azrael's exceptional abilities, we might not have sufficient strength to overcome their team."
Azrael located the relevant intelligence files and studied the detailed profiles of the two individuals Chisaki had specifically mentioned.
Olek - Male, specializes in cards derived from exotic beasts described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, often incorporating his own creative modifications to traditional mythological creatures. His demonstrated strength from last year's competition included summoning legendary creatures like the Qilin, the Nine-tailed Fox, and various other supernatural entities from ancient Chinese mythology.
Mikeala - Female, employs cards that appear to be derived from the Norse epic poems collectively known as the Edda. Her tactical approach draws heavily from Norse mythology, featuring characters and abilities inspired by gods, heroes, and monsters from Scandinavian tradition.
Studying these two formidable opponents, Azrael couldn't help but express his admiration, "As expected of Mingke University's elite students, their foundation in mythological knowledge is absolutely extraordinary."
Most ordinary Lore Cardians simply didn't have access to the comprehensive mythological systems originating from outside the Empire of Aetherlight. Their education typically relied on sources like the "World Mythology Atlas Revised Edition 4.8," which contained only relatively well-known foreign deities such as the Twelve Gods of Olympus and the Egyptian Ennead.
More detailed and specialized accounts like the complete Classic of Mountains and Seas or the Norse Edda collections were definitely not included in standard educational materials available to the general population.
In the current global situation, while the Empire of Aetherlight maintained some diplomatic and trade relationships with surviving foreign nations, such exchanges rarely penetrated to the grassroots level where most citizens lived and worked.
The advanced technological innovations Azrael had observed throughout his travels were actually developments acquired through exploration of secret realms and dimensional rifts, having no connection to foreign nations or their research. After all, if secret realms could produce materials sophisticated enough to create [Universal Prosthetic Limbs], Azrael wouldn't be surprised if secret realms inspired by Cybertron or even the complete Transformers universes might eventually be discovered.
If such technologically advanced secret realms truly existed, Azrael's collection of various armor and robot cards could potentially be enhanced using materials and knowledge acquired from those sources.
"Additionally, we need to pay close attention to Jida University this year," Chisaki said, directing his attention specifically toward Azrael. "There's someone competing there whom you've encountered before."
Azrael felt genuinely surprised by this revelation, not expecting to have any personal connections among Jida's roster.
Chisaki didn't keep him in suspense, "Victor. Do you remember him?"
"After the Greenridge Province Unified Examination concluded, Master Tempest accepted him as a personal disciple and brought him to Jida for advanced training."
The name immediately triggered Azrael's memory of the young martial artist whose dreams of hand-to-hand combat prowess had been thoroughly shattered by Luffy's overwhelming Gear 3rd during the provincial examination tournament.
"Master Tempest's fighting philosophy and techniques align perfectly with Victor's natural inclinations," Chisaki continued with obvious concern. "Although we haven't been able to gather specific intelligence about his current capabilities, I suspect he represents a formidable challenge that we cannot afford to underestimate."
[Fighting God] Tempest lived up to his fearsome reputation as a Lore Cardian who favored direct physical combat above all other tactical approaches. His mastery of hand-to-hand fighting techniques had reached legendary status throughout the empire.
Indeed, few people dared to dismiss physical combat as primitive or ineffective when speaking in Tempest's presence, his personal achievements had silenced such criticism permanently.
After all, he had conquered the entire Northern Territory using nothing more than his own fists and martial prowess, establishing a military record that inspired both fear and respect across the empire.
Under Tempest's intensive personal tutelage, Victor had likely undergone tremendous growth and development, experiencing a qualitative transformation that elevated him far beyond his previous capabilities.
"What's next? A physical confrontation between my cards and a martial arts master?" Azrael mused silently, his mind already analyzing the potential tactical scenarios.
Actually, Azrael wasn't particularly weak in close-quarters combat himself. His physical abilities had been enhanced through multiple sources: vampire blood granted by Shinobu, the genetic improvements provided by Pride, and various other augmentations that allowed him to leverage extensive combat experience accumulated through countless battles.
The primary reason he rarely engaged in personal physical combat was simply that his summoned cards possessed such overwhelming power that direct intervention was usually unnecessary.
However, if any opponent mistakenly assumed Azrael was a fragile support-type Lore Cardian who relied entirely on his cards for protection, they would receive a truly unpleasant surprise when confronted by his terrifying physical capabilities.
"Other prestigious universities like Peking University, Exelsior University, and Tiova University also deserve serious consideration and cannot be dismissed lightly," Chisaki continued his comprehensive briefing.
"However, our team's strength this year means we genuinely possess a fighting chance against any opponent. I hope everyone will work together with complete dedication to achieve the best possible ranking."
After delivering his lengthy strategic overview, Chisaki concluded with a note of cautious optimism.
His personal expectation for this year's team competition was to reach the semi-finals, which would represent a significant achievement for Pixar University. The goal was ambitious but realistic, particularly if Azrael continued developing his abilities without breaking through to Gold rank and becoming ineligible for future competitions.
Regarding the individual tournament, Chisaki believed Azrael possessed a legitimate chance to compete for the championship title, provided that no extraordinary dark horse candidates emerged unexpectedly from the field.
Such sudden breakthrough performers appeared virtually every year in the competition. Students who had seemed like ordinary freshmen the previous year would sometimes experience dramatic enlightenment and advancement, suddenly finding themselves far ahead of their peers in Lore Cardian development and strategic thinking.
In many ways, Azrael himself represented exactly this type of phenomenon. After all, the original host of his body had shown no particular talent or promise before his third year of high school, when everything changed dramatically.
Unlike those natural prodigies, however, Azrael possessed unique advantages in both card copying abilities and innovative tactical approaches that set him apart from conventional development patterns.
"Alright, everyone should return to your rooms and get proper rest," Chisaki announced, seeing that all five students had absorbed the essential information from their briefing materials. "Don't forget, tomorrow's opening ceremony is mandatory attendance for all participants."
As his students filed out toward their individual rooms, Chisaki released a quiet sigh and whispered to himself, "I truly hope we can achieve something meaningful this year."
The weight of expectation, hope, and years of careful preparation settled heavily on his shoulders as he contemplated the challenges ahead and the potential for both triumph and heartbreak that awaited his team in the days to come.