A magnificent azure beast head emerged from the storm clouds above the battlefield, its ethereal form crackling with lighting.
With a devastating strike from Sasuke's outstretched hand, a colossal dragon formed of pure lightning engulfed the two primordial giants standing on the arena floor below.
Blinding white light seared everyone's vision while the deafening roar of thunder filled their ears, reverberating through the very foundations of the arena.
Mikeala, positioned at the sidelines observing the battle, stared in stunned disbelief at the catastrophic scene unfolding before her eyes.
The brilliant lightning made her face turn ashen pale with shock.
"What... what is this power?"
For a long moment, she struggled to accept the devastating reality before her eyes.
She had successfully withstood Azrael's most powerful previous attack and stood only one step away from claiming her second consecutive championship victory for Mingke University.
The sweet combination of triumph and glory should have brought her dreamlike euphoria. But why had everything turned out like this instead?
After what felt like an eternity, the towering pillar of divine lightning gradually dissipated into nothingness. Bergelmir and his frost giant wife had vanished completely, leaving behind only a vast, smoking crater where they once stood.
Without question, they had returned to Mikeala's consciousness, with absolutely no possibility of survival in this physical world.
The ancient frost giant had ultimately perished beneath the massive lightning dragon, much like how the mighty god of light in Norse mythology had succumbed to a mere sprig of mistletoe. There was a profound sense of fateful irony in their destruction.
Surely they never imagined that even in this world of Lore Cardians, they would still face the same thunderous divine punishment that had once threatened their ancient kind in ages past.
Meanwhile, Oliver, seated in the Pixar University reserve area, finally understood with crystal clarity why Azrael had sent him out earlier for that seemingly random test.
Azrael had needed the dark storm clouds gathered by Oliver's powerful dragon snake to create the proper atmospheric conditions, enabling him to unleash an attack that would have been impossible for Sasuke to perform under normal circumstances.
Even without Oliver's carefully prepared storm clouds, Sasuke could still use advanced Fire Release techniques to generate cumulonimbus clouds, but the preparation time would have been far from ideal for such a devastating technique.
Hope blazed anew in the hearts of the Pixar University supporters throughout the arena.
"He actually turned the tide."
"Azrael did it!"
Alice was the only one among the spectators to glance meaningfully at Sasuke's imposing form. As a Diamond-rank Lore Cardian specializing in advanced lightning techniques, she naturally recognized the terrifying power of [Lightning Release: Kirin], despite its numerous strategic limitations.
Unleashing an attack far beyond one's current power level was theoretically impossible without paying a truly significant price in return.
The environmental requirements and casting delay were relatively minor costs compared to the potential alternatives that could have been demanded.
On the sidelines, Mikeala pressed her pale lips together tightly, remaining silent for a long, contemplative moment before asking in a hoarse voice, "Did you calculate this outcome from the very beginning?"
Her earlier arrogance had completely evaporated. Despite her deep reluctance, she was forced to accept the harsh reality before her.
She hadn't anticipated her opponent launching two such devastatingly powerful attacks in rapid succession.
But it was far too late now to change anything.
All her careful calculations and strategic planning meant absolutely nothing in the face of such overwhelming power.
Azrael chuckled softly but offered no direct answer to her question.
He had naturally prepared contingencies for both possible scenarios, judging his opponent by his own standards. If he knew his adversary possessed a method to counter him yet still revealed an apparent weakness, it meant they either had a countermeasure prepared or the weakness wasn't genuine at all.
Mikeala, as if her very soul had been drained away completely, returned to the Mingke University bench with slightly hunched shoulders and defeated posture.
The remaining four players on the Mingke University bench offered a few words of comfort before Mikeala looked at Azrael with a grim, resigned expression.
They hadn't expected such a promising and advantageous situation to take such a sudden and utterly devastating turn. Mikeala had been eliminated without even managing to inflict any meaningful damage on Azrael cards whatsoever.
If enduring two extraordinarily powerful attacks counted as any form of success, then Mikeala had achieved that much at least.
Unfortunately, based on Azrael's careful observations from previous tournament rounds, the remaining four players from Mingke University didn't possess the same exceptional defensive capabilities as the formidable Lúr.
In the packed stands, the audience finally recovered from witnessing that absolutely mythical spectacle of power.
"I knew Azrael could win this!"
"It's easy to say that in hindsight, but did I hear the name of that attack correctly? Was it really Kirin?"
"It was probably just a technique name, right? Nothing more significant than that."
"Either way, the entire situation has completely reversed in Pixar's favor. And Azrael's card definitely has far more abilities than just that. People online were saying he was just a weakling, barely above average strength."
"That's completely meaningless speculation now. A refrigerator just needs to be able to cool things effectively, right? And if Azrael hadn't revealed this ability, who would have known he possessed that devastating power?"
"Fair point."
The excited chatter broke out again throughout the stands, but thankfully, the intimidating presence of high-ranking Lore Cardians prevented any full-blown physical conflicts.
In the distinguished guest seats, Finn accidentally plucked out two more strands of his carefully groomed beard, but he couldn't care less about that trivial matter now. "You knew about this all along, didn't you?" he asked Yuichi directly.
Yuichi, standing nearby with crossed arms, was somewhat exasperated. "You're a Diamond-level Lore Cardian, after all. How can these youngsters fight relying solely on their physical eyes alone?"
"If you had just used your mental power to investigate properly, you would have been able to see it clearly, wouldn't you?"
He had noticed Azrael secretly preparing this ultimate technique when he first appeared on the battlefield earlier.
After all, while Azrael could effectively hide it from Mikeala, a fellow Silver-level Lore Cardian, he certainly couldn't conceal it from a Diamond-level Lore Cardian like Yuichi.
Finn muttered defensively, "Isn't passive observation for greater immersion in the experience? What's the point if you already know everything beforehand?"
Yuichi resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes. "But that lightning technique shouldn't have any direct connection to those mysterious eyes of his."
"Hmm?" Finn raised an eyebrow curiously. "I thought it was still being channeled through those eyes somehow."
"Come to think of it, this card displayed a similar lightning ability before in previous matches, right?"
In previous tournament matches, they had discovered that Amaterasu was being cast through the Sharingan, and they had carefully noted its unusual properties.
However, in subsequent battles, Sasuke hadn't displayed any particularly unusual behavior, merely using the black flames for supplementary attacks.
The occasional lightning technique, similar to basic palm thunder, hadn't been particularly noteworthy or remarkable.
But Yuichi sensed something was fundamentally amiss, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What exactly is he still hiding from us?"
On the sidelines, Olek calmed his inner panic and composed himself with visible effort.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, he forced himself to walk confidently to the battle platform.
"Pixar University still has three players remaining, including Azrael. If I can somehow defeat him, our school still has a fighting chance this year."
"I will protect everything that Mingke University stands for and represents."
With this firm determination, Olek cast his determined gaze across the expansive battlefield.
However, upon seeing that Azrael's cards were largely unscathed and ready for battle, he couldn't help but gasp audibly.
In tense silence, Nine Virtues Mountain God - Changcheng and the Nine-Tailed Goat materialized on the stage with divine radiance.
A gentle, nine-colored divine light rippled across the entire battlefield like water.
However, in the blink of an eye, that peaceful scene was violently shattered.
A golden holy sword wreathed in menacing black flames slashed directly at the mountain god who was within its leopard-tailed, humanoid form.
Nel's double-headed lance had also reached the goat with lightning speed.
Nine-colored divine light flickered desperately, and Lily's expression remained completely unchanged. Every strike of the holy sword in her silver-armored hand was accompanied by surging winds.
The goat was chased across the entire battlefield by the relentless, pursuing antelope.
"Are they all just running away because they're too afraid to fight properly?" Azrael couldn't help but complain as he observed the scene. "What a completely pointless struggle."
In his professional opinion, the overall quality of Olek's cards was far inferior to Mikeala's impressive lineup. If he were to compare the gap between them to Pixar University's own roster, it would probably be equivalent to the difference between himself and Oliver.
Mikeala had been the true strategic core of Mingke University, while Olek was merely a supporting player at best.
Soon, the battle's momentum shifted decisively in favor of Pixar University.
Azrael's field contained far more than just Lily and Neloo ready for combat.
First, the goat was pierced through its limbs by a plummeting iron pillar from above, then pinned helplessly to the ground by the lance that followed.
After the goat vanished in shimmering particles of light, the mountain god with its leopard's tail and human torso, unable to withstand the relentless assault any longer, quickly dissolved into complete nothingness.
Olek's face darkened considerably with defeat. By this point, he probably realized that Mingke University's chances of winning a second consecutive championship this year were completely over.
Looking at Azrael, who appeared completely calm and untroubled nearby, he felt a crushing wave of frustration.
"Can one person really be this overwhelmingly powerful against everyone?"
"Last year, we won the championship through teamwork and unity among friends."
Last year, Olek had been a passionate young man who believed wholeheartedly in "friendship and bonds," winning the championship with the invaluable help of his teammates.
But this year, Azrael, Victor, Adrian, and even Mikeala, who had once been a similarly skilled competitor, had left him far behind in the dust.
It wasn't until Mingke University's third-ranked player stepped forward and patted him gently on the shoulder that Olek regained his composure.
Facing his concerned teammate, Olek wanted to offer words of encouragement, but he opened his mouth only to find himself completely speechless, ultimately returning to the reserve area in defeated silence.
While the two previous attacks had seemed impressively devastating, Azrael's mental energy hadn't been significantly depleted at all.
Furthermore, since Olek's skill level was comparable to Oliver's capabilities, Azrael remained completely unfazed when facing the remaining three Mingke University players.
"Team semifinals, first match: Pixar University versus Mingke University. Pixar University wins decisively!"
As the referee announced the final results, the Mingke University students hung their heads low in complete defeat.
If someone had told them before the national competition that Mingke University would lose to Pixar University, who was last year's underdog team, they would have dismissed it as absolute madness.
And the primary reason Pixar University had undergone such a dramatic transformation in just one year was simply because they had recruited a talented student named Azrael.
In the stands, the animated discussion had already begun when Azrael defeated Olek.
"Is Pixar University really going to win the championship this year?"
"The probability is quite high now. It depends on whether Northern University of Science and Technology has any hidden trump cards remaining. Based on what we've seen so far, Pixar University's victory seems almost certain."
"Azrael doesn't even look like a Silver-level Lore Cardian anymore. He's not actually a Gold-level Lore Cardian pretending to be weaker, is he?"
As soon as this was voiced, many in the audience rolled their eyes at the speaker.
They didn't know if Azrael was Gold-level, but surely the high-ranking Lore Cardians in the guest seats would know, wouldn't they?
"Is Azrael going to achieve a double championship? It seems like no one can beat him in the individual competition either."
"I think so too, honestly."
"You're getting way ahead of yourselves. He hasn't even played in the team finals yet, and you're already claiming he'll win the double championship. Why don't you just say Azrael will win five championships in a row?"
"That's ridiculous."
Due to the provocative nature of these comments, conflicts soon erupted between Azrael's passionate supporters and stubborn detractors.
Azrael had no idea that in this new world, he would develop dedicated fan clubs.
In his previous life, a bunch of old anime nerds would just hound him persistently for his sketches, then return a few minutes later with their harsh critiques.
Just as the Pixar University match concluded and the camera focused directly on Azrael, a young man wrapped in white bandages lay in a hospital bed, quietly watching Azrael's profile on the television screen.
"Azrael..."
"I wasn't strong enough to truly satisfy you in battle."
After a moment of contemplative silence, he looked at the middle-aged man with graying hair beside him. "Teacher, after the national competition ends, I want to go to the front lines."
The middle-aged man simply replied calmly, "You can make your own decisions about that."
"It's just that I don't think you need to rush into combat right now."
On the sidelines, Oliver's usually composed face lit up with an excited, genuine smile. Now, he was just one step away from realizing his lifelong dream. "Azrael, thank you so much."
Azrael waved dismissively, signaling Oliver not to be overly formal with him. He had also contributed significantly to today's victory.
Azrael had created Sasuke precisely because Oliver's dragon snake could rapidly gather storm clouds.
And since he happened to have the right materials available, he had crafted Sasuke accordingly.
Now, he was merely revealing a trump card he had long prepared for the national competition.
Just then, an elderly man approached them with a warm, genuine smile.
Upon seeing his distinguished face, Azrael and the others instantly recognized him.
It was Yagami, President of Pixar University himself.
When Chisaki had previously mentioned that the president would be attending the match, they had been surprised to see him during the previous round. Now, they were equally surprised to see him approach them directly.
"You all performed excellently today," Yagami said warmly to everyone in the Pixar University Battle Club, "especially you, Azrael."
"Without you, we probably would have been eliminated long ago."
Azrael didn't take the praise too seriously, simply saying modestly, "It's all thanks to the school's excellent instruction and support."
Yagami's face bloomed into a huge smile filled with pride.
Even as the Pixar University group chatted amongst themselves, preparations were underway for the next match: Northern University of Science and Technology versus Chongqing University.
Chongqing University, a formidable opponent, had pushed Northern University of Science and Technology to the very brink of elimination.
However, after Adrian's robot transformed into the same configuration it had used in the previous round, Chongqing University inevitably fell into decline.
But this time, the weapon activated by Adrian's card differed significantly from the previous encounter.
"Moon," announced an emotionless female voice as cold, clear light cast stark shadows across the battlefield.
A pale white beam pierced directly through Chongqing University captain's card with precision.
Azrael's eyes narrowed with interest. "Laser weapon technology?"
While Moon's instantaneous burst wasn't as powerful as Sun's devastating output, its sustained output was far superior.
He began considering carefully how he would respond if facing Moon himself in battle.
"Blizzard should provide adequate defense, but I still don't know what Star is capable of."
So far, Adrian's Astronomical Phenomenon: Sun, Moon, and Star had only revealed Sun and Moon; Star remained completely unknown.
Azrael and his team were unable to gather any useful intelligence regarding Adrian's hidden card.
Moments later, Northern University of Science and Technology defeated Chongqing University decisively.
This meant that this dark horse team, a major upset from the tournament's beginning, had achieved something unprecedented: reaching the finals.
Listening to the thunderous cheers echoing throughout the arena, Azrael chuckled to Oliver and the other three. "It feels like we've become the villains somehow."
Looking down at Adrian, surrounded by teachers and students from Northern University of Science and Technology, Azrael maintained his confident smile.
"Adrian, let's see how far you can go against me."
"After all, I still have one more hidden card to reveal."