The townhouse fell into unnatural silence.
Autumn's eyes widened in terror, but no sound escaped her lips.
Black and crimson tentacles slithered across the floor toward the kitchen, retrieving a gleaming kitchen blade with serpentine precision.
"Ding-ling."
The crisp sound of steel striking tile echoed through the room, reaching Autumn's ears like a death knell. Fear crashed over her in suffocating waves.
The silver blade caught the light, reflecting her frozen expression in its polished surface.
"Yes," came her voice, mechanical, empty, utterly not her own.
Against her will, Autumn's hand grasped the blade from the floor. The blade bit deep into her wrist, parting flesh and severing arteries in a single, deliberate stroke.
Blood dripped steadily from her fingertips onto the pristine tiles below.
She had chosen death by exsanguination, or rather, the choice had been made for her.
Azrael observed the scene with clinical detachment, his expression never wavering from its mask of calm indifference.
Initially, he had debated whether to keep the old woman as a useful pawn or dispose of her outright. However, after reading those two messages, Autumn's fate had been sealed beyond any possibility of reprieve.
As Shiraori had so accurately stated, the youthful-looking crone before him was irredeemably evil, a corruption that ran deeper than mere moral flexibility.
The two cards Autumn possessed held no value for Azrael's purposes. How could such crude instruments compare to the binding force of the Crimson Oath Society's contracts? Even now, he remained uncertain of Jin's true limitations, at what level of Lore Cardian mastery might those compulsive agreements finally fail?
Azrael had reached a definitive conclusion. Rather than attempting to create another card to forcibly separate the two binding effects, he should have eliminated Autumn as an unstable variable from the very beginning.
After all, he had never publicly demonstrated cards capable of mental domination or behavioral control.
Even if he had revealed such abilities, the consequences would be minimal. Autumn harbored malicious intent against him. Even if everyone suspected Azrael's involvement in her demise, would any dare confront him directly?
She was an unregistered, illegal Lore Cardian operating outside the Association's oversight, her death would raise fewer questions than her continued existence.
Of course, Azrael had made every possible preparation for the inevitable investigation.
Godfrey's suspicions would undoubtedly resurface once Autumn's body was discovered. The Director of Public Security possessed both the authority and the paranoia necessary to pursue uncomfortable truths.
But Azrael already possessed a rough blueprint for Aizen's creation, the perfect solution to such persistent inquiries.
First, the newly acquired Gold-rank [Cold Deceiver] (Red quality) material, representing the hypnotic power of Kyōka Suigetsu's complete sensory manipulation.
Second, the demon from the secret realm invasion, the captured [Spellcaster] that had descended from whatever hellish dimension lay beyond the spatial rift.
"Can't it simply be classified as a Kidō technique?" Azrael mused, considering the technical classifications involved in the card's construction.
He needed only to obtain purple-quality or higher material from the secret realm to complete the formula. Specifically, a material representing Aizen's immense spiritual pressure, the overwhelming force that had made him one of the most feared beings in Soul Society.
Aizen's reiatsu was undeniably the most powerful among all Shinigami captains, and after being enhanced by the Hōgyoku, it reached truly outrageous levels. Only Yhwach and the statistical anomaly known as Kurosaki Ichigo could claim to surpass him.
Of course, there was also that monster's offspring, the super-statistical anomaly, Kurosaki Ichigo himself.
Did anyone truly comprehend the significance of Emperor Ichigo single-handedly defeating Yhwach? The power scaling involved defied conventional understanding.
Thinking of the original storyline's absurd power creep, Azrael's mouth twitched in bemused irritation.
He had already calculated how to obtain the necessary materials. Nearly a month had passed since accepting his position with the Association, and his 10,000-point salary would soon be distributed.
Combined with the bonus points earned from thwarting the demon invasion, he would possess more than enough to exchange for gold-quality or higher materials from the Association's treasury.
Once Aizen was successfully created, he need only find the appropriate moment to demonstrate Kyōka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis to the right audience.
Primarily Godfrey, naturally. The man's suspicious nature would become his greatest weakness.
Returning from his strategic contemplation, Azrael observed that Autumn was approaching her final moments.
She slumped against the sofa's armrest, her severed left wrist dangling limply beside the cushions. Her eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, already beginning to glaze with approaching death.
This quiet sensation of life ebbing away possessed an unpleasant intimacy, even she had never employed such a lingering method to dispose of her own unwanted pawns.
Azrael maintained his silent vigil over the scene.
It wasn't compassion that held his attention; he wondered whether his apparent immunity to the contract's control made him unique, or if Autumn's current fate might eventually become his own.
"I must continue advancing in power and distance myself from the Crimson Oath Society as quickly as possible," he resolved silently.
While his current identity as Bruce within the organization facilitated certain unsavory operations, Azrael understood the hierarchy of importance. If he truly required operatives for dirty work, he could easily create a [Myriad Betrayal-Severing Blade] to shatter Jin's contracts and recruit personnel directly from the Society's ranks.
Jin's binding originated with Hermes, while the "Myriad Betrayal-Severing Blade" represented the divine manifestation of the treacherous witch Medea. Both drew their power from Greek mythology, where fate held supreme importance.
Unfair contracts would be severed by betrayal's blade, a concept as inevitable as the pattern by which three generations of Greek gods (Uranus, Kronos, and Zeus) were each overthrown by their own rebellious sons.
Observing that the old woman had ceased breathing entirely, Azrael released a soft sigh. "Let's depart."
"Wait, wait," Shiraori quickly scuttled to the light switch, plunging the living room into complete darkness. "Perfect. Whoever discovers her first will be absolutely terrified."
A suicide victim's corpse seated in a pitch-black living room, the scene possessed all the hallmarks of a classic horror movie opening.
That is, provided the first person to discover the body wasn't a professional Lore Cardian.
Otherwise, the result would be immediate cremation, burial, and funeral arrangements.
After all, Lore Cardians maintained extensive collections of underworld-themed cards, similar to those employed by practitioners in TaoEmpyrean Dollars City.
Through Shiraori's spatial magic, the man and spider vanished from the villa entirely.
Only silence remained in the empty house, broken solely by the rhythmic sound of dripping liquid.
"Tick-tick. Tick-tick."
"Vice President, I'll return to rest now," Director Diesel announced to the young man supervising the large-scale fortification construction.
Three days had passed since the demonic invasion began.
For seventy-two consecutive hours, civil engineering specialists had worked in rotating shifts to construct the defensive barriers. If not for the specialized enchantments required to withstand demonic assaults, conventional construction methods could have completed the project within a single day.
"Understood. I'll maintain oversight here. Director Diesel, get some proper rest," Azrael replied with professional courtesy.
"I believe we're approaching completion. After that, we'll need to organize the team for secret realm insertion and entrance seizure."
Diesel nodded his acknowledgment before disappearing through spatial translocation.
Azrael stretched his legs in the spartanly furnished field office, then settled into a folding chair to continue reading "One Hundred and Eight Tentacle Writing Techniques v3.04 Revised Edition", a surprisingly comprehensive manual on advanced narrative construction.
Nothing particularly significant had occurred during the past three days of preparation.
Under Azrael's careful management, the Crimson Oath Society had maintained an extremely low profile, avoiding any actions that might attract unwanted attention during this sensitive period.
The Onefold Doctrine had similarly remained dormant, as if the illegal organization had never established any presence in Donglai whatsoever.
Azrael suspected they were conserving their strength, waiting for some pivotal moment to reveal their hand.
Autumn hadn't contacted him during the past several days, and while Director Diesel appeared puzzled by her absence, he refrained from making inquiries.
"So no one has yet discovered that old woman's demise," Azrael reflected with dark amusement.
He recalled the square-faced middle-aged man's casual mention that his son seemed less attentive to Autumn since their recent conversation.
Azrael understood the reason behind this behavioral shift, though he couldn't bring himself to explain it openly.
"And then there's this persistent mystery..."
"It's been considerable time, yet President Kavach hasn't made a single appearance."
The situation struck him as highly irregular. Even granting that Kavach had initially remained at headquarters due to concerns about regional destabilization, the current stabilized circumstances should have warranted at least one inspection visit.
For the Guild Master to completely avoid the most significant crisis in recent memory seemed excessive, bordering on negligent.
Since Kavach held ultimate authority, Azrael possessed no leverage to demand explanations.
"President, the fortifications are approaching completion. Would you care to conduct an inspection?" A Silver-level Lore Cardian hurried into the field office, bowing respectfully while addressing Azrael with proper deference.
Azrael closed his manual and responded, "Very well. Let's assess the progress."
He possessed limited expertise in defensive architecture; the most he could contribute was releasing his mental energy to evaluate structural integrity. Normally, such technical inspections fell under Director Diesel's purview as head of the Secret Realm Office.
However, since his subordinates had already submitted their report and he had no other pressing obligations, a field inspection seemed reasonable.
Exiting the office compound, Azrael encountered the exhausted civil engineering specialists engaged in quiet conversation.
The construction teams on this world possessed remarkable capabilities, though they appeared genuinely fatigued after days of continuous labor. Fortunately, the Association compensated them generously, with no instances of wage withholding or contractual disputes.
After all, these professionals truly understood the devastating potential of earth-moving techniques when improperly applied.
"You should all be aware of the current situation," an elderly figure with a long, white beard stated calmly within a vast underground hall.
Hearing this, a middle-aged demon asked with obvious confusion, "Isn't the agreed date still some time in the future? How has the timeline accelerated so dramatically?"
The elderly demon, known as the Grand Speaker, replied with measured calm, "I lack that information. The Supreme Being's directive simply commanded immediate preparation."
"The situation developed with such sudden urgency that I had time only to gather a modest conjurer army and rush to the dimensional entrance."
"You are aware of what transpired next."
"Only one in ten of our vanguard survived."
The middle-aged demon fell silent momentarily before speaking with cold suspicion, "Is the Grand Speaker suggesting that organized forces specifically targeted our emergence?"
The Grand Speaker simply shook his head. "I cannot confirm such speculation."
"However, according to reports from the surviving spellcasters, they encountered formidable opposition comparable to our own military strength immediately upon dimensional breach."
"The enemy forces appeared to be guarding the entrance from the very beginning of our incursion."
These words undoubtedly confirmed the middle-aged demon's darkest suspicions about a coordinated ambush.
The assembly fell into troubled silence.
After several long moments, the Grand Speaker spoke in a resonant voice, "The Spellcaster legions have assembled at the dimensional threshold. We require only parliamentary approval before initiating our assault on the material realm."
"I now call for a formal vote on whether to launch our invasion of the outside world."
With this declaration, the Grand Speaker raised his right hand decisively. "Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
The voting concluded swiftly with overwhelming support.
The Grand Speaker struck the gavel before him, announcing in his deep voice, "Twenty-seven votes in favor, four opposed, and one abstention."
"The resolution is adopted."
"Now, all members return to your respective domains and prepare for war."
Witnessing this decisive result, the assembled Spellcasters responded in unison, "Yes!"
"Director Godfrey, Director Diesel, the time has arrived. We must begin our insertion," Azrael announced to the two middle-aged men beside him, gazing at the vast spatial rift that dominated the secret realm entrance.
Behind their leadership position stood a formidable army of Lore Cardians, representing the strongest force available to a modest city like Donglai.
Upon hearing this directive, Director Diesel spoke without hesitation, "My card will conduct the initial reconnaissance."
His card collection specialized in the resilient [Zombie] series. Gold-level cards within this classification could manifest the formidable [Flying Zombie], a creature of considerable combat effectiveness.
The series also included [Wandering Corpse], [Unbreakable Bones], and the legendary [Drought Demon], renowned for its ability to render vast territories barren.
However, the [Drought Demon] remained highly dependent on individual interpretation; even non-Zombie-based cards could theoretically manifest this entity.
The primary reason for this flexibility lay in the numerous mythological references to the [Drought Demon]. For instance, the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" actually referenced it as [Heavenly Maiden Ba], a name suggesting no connection to undead creatures, though their abilities remained remarkably similar.
Diesel's [Flying Zombie] possessed both offensive and escape capabilities, with exceptionally strong survival instincts. The creature even gained enhanced power under moonlight, a standard ability within the [Zombie] series, though additional capabilities depended on the storytelling elements incorporated during card creation.
Azrael couldn't summon Shiraori to conduct detailed analysis at this moment without revealing his hidden cards, so he simply nodded his approval. "Proceed."
At midday, a burly, pale-faced humanoid figure materialized before Director Diesel, shrouded in a dark aura that seemed to absorb surrounding light.
This was his signature card, [Flying Zombie], a creature Azrael had previously observed during their joint operations.
Clearly, Diesel's zombie possessed no weakness to sunlight exposure, a critical flaw that no competent Lore Cardian would permit in their primary combat cards.
Based on Azrael's earlier observations, this card demonstrated considerable power, definitely gold-quality classification, designed specifically for sustained battlefield engagement.
The pale-faced figure nodded acknowledgment to its master before suddenly rushing into the dimensional rift.
The assembled Lore Cardians maintained tense silence, awaiting the scouting results.
After several long minutes, Director Diesel's complexion paled dramatically as a battered figure came flying backward from the entrance, his zombie, badly damaged.
The [Flying Zombie]'s normally sturdy body was now covered in grievous wounds, with half its head barely attached to its neck.
Fortunately, such injuries represented minor inconveniences for undead creatures.
"What's the situation inside?" Director Godfrey asked in a cold voice, glancing at the rapidly regenerating Flying Zombie.
He had clearly sensed something deeply troubling in the creature's condition.
Diesel shook his head gravely. "Penetrating the interior will prove... challenging."
"A massive demon army has already assembled at the dimensional threshold."
"Ada was overwhelmed by coordinated assault the moment he crossed over."
Recalling the images his card had transmitted, the square-faced middle-aged man's expression turned increasingly grim.
His Flying Zombie, designated Ada, had barely entered the secret realm before being subjected to a devastating barrage of multicolored magical attacks from numerous opponents.
Fortunately, most of these assaults couldn't penetrate Ada's supernatural defenses, allowing his tactical withdrawal.
Under normal circumstances, when a Gold-level secret realm manifested, an Emerald-level Lore Cardian would conduct the initial insertion.
Once an Emerald-level practitioner cleared the entrance and established a secure foothold, supporting forces would follow in organized waves.
The critical problem was Donglai's complete lack of Emerald-level Lore Cardians. Even requesting assistance from neighboring cities might not guarantee availability of such high-ranking specialists.
Director Diesel continued his grim assessment, "The most concerning factor is that the demons inside appear to be actively attempting to invade our material realm."
Azrael maintained thoughtful silence.
He had already considered this possibility the moment he learned of the massive demon army concentrating at the dimensional threshold.
Their current need was simple: a card with sufficient defensive capabilities to instantly eliminate the minor demons and create a breach for Donglai's forces to exploit.
Azrael possessed such a card, Shiraori.
However, as one of Azrael's disguised assets, Shiraori couldn't be revealed to the public without compromising his entire carefully constructed identity.
Misaka possessed devastating attack capabilities and excellent area-of-effect techniques, but her defensive abilities remained somewhat limited.
Deploying her in this situation would likely result in a tactical cooldown period, potentially fatal in sustained combat.
After brief consideration, Azrael reached his decision, "We'll withdraw to the fortifications and maintain defensive positions."
"If circumstances become desperate, I'll request assistance from my mentor."
Both Godfrey and Diesel initially appeared stunned, then their mouths fell open in recognition.
They both understood who Azrael's teacher was, the master Lore Cardian [Dread King] Lucian, whose reputation preceded him in professional circles.
But was it truly necessary to disturb such a distinguished figure for merely a gold-level secret realm crisis?
Azrael correctly interpreted their expressions, "What are you thinking?"
"At most, my senior disciple would respond."
"Let's observe whether any opportunities develop."
The two middle-aged directors remained silent. What kind of opportunities could possibly manifest under current circumstances?
Unless the young man before them suddenly produced a card capable of completely rewriting the tactical situation.
Azrael made this statement because he naturally possessed precisely such a contingency.
As long as he could obtain purple-quality [Spellcaster] material from the secret realm, he could initiate Aizen's creation process.
If that approach failed, he would make do with the blue-quality material already in his possession.
The pieces were falling into place, one way or another, he would emerge from this crisis significantly stronger than before.