After completing his mission, Azrael navigated through his shadow realm and returned to a restroom within a bustling shopping mall. Appearing directly on the main street would have been far too conspicuous, especially after his recent activities.
Fortunately, the dense population of the suburban district provided adequate cover for his discreet materialization. Without such urban camouflage, concealing his movents would have proven significantly more challenging.
Resuming his ordinary appearance, Azrael made a show of washing his hands and adjusting his clothing before erging from the facilities. After checking his reflection in the mirror and ensuring his presentation appeared normal, he exited the mall and located a nearby shared bicycle for his return journey.
The van's exhaust pipe belched black smoke as it rumbled along the urban thoroughfare, its aged engine straining against the morning traffic.
"You returned at the perfect ti yesterday," Chisaki observed casually from the driver's seat, his attention split between navigation and conversation. "According to my contacts, martial law was implented throughout the whole eastern district late last night."
The Battle Club mbers exchanged concerned glances from their seats. "Any inside information, Professor Chisaki?" one student inquired with obvious curiosity.
Chisaki shook his head dismissively. "My source only ntioned the martial law declaration. No additional details were provided."
Azrael listened to the discussion with carefully maintained composure, fully aware that his recent activities had likely triggered the governntal response. The timing was hardly coincidental.
After continuing their conversation throughout the journey, the van eventually arrived at Suzhou University's main entrance, where an unexpected sight awaited them.
Crowds of students had gathered beyond the university gates, their numbers far exceeding anything Azrael had anticipated for a simple inter-university battle.
"This many Battle Club mbers?" Azrael asked Chisaki, genuine skepticism coloring his voice as he surveyed the assembled masses.
Chisaki appeared equally bewildered by the turnout. "I have no idea what's causing this gathering. We'll discover the truth soon enough."
The group disembarked from their transportation, and Azrael's appearance before the assembled crowd imdiately triggered an eruption of excited exclamations.
"It's really him! The legendary Azrael is here in person!" voices called out from multiple directions.
Azrael turned toward his companions with a confused expression. "Am I so kind of celebrity?"
He directed this question at those around him, though his attempt at telepathic communication predictably failed. Normal humans lacked the enhanced perception necessary for such ntal exchanges.
Oliver smiled warmly and clapped Azrael's shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie. "Azrael, you've beco the public face of Pixar University's Battle Club."
"How about taking the lead position and going last in today's matches?" Oliver suggested with obvious enthusiasm. "It would be excellent practice for all of us."
Azrael agreed to the proposal without hesitation. After his decisive victory over Crowley, Oliver had begun treating him with the deference typically reserved for a club president, a developnt Azrael found both amusing and strategically useful.
A perceptive individual recognizes genuine talent when encountered, and Azrael harbored no objections to working alongside soone who demonstrated such wisdom.
Behind them, Sun-Myun observed the growing rapport between the two strongest mbers with barely concealed resentnt, his expression darkening as he watched their easy interaction.
Soon, a thin, middle-aged man approached their group with obvious recognition. "It's been too long, Chisaki."
Chisaki gestured toward the students surrounding them with obvious exasperation. "Ronnie, what exactly is happening here?"
The middle-aged instructor, identified as Ronnie, offered an embarrassed smile. "One of our more talkative club mbers spread news of your visit, and this was the inevitable result."
Chisaki rolled his eyes at this explanation, clearly regretting the complications such publicity would create.
Ronnie turned his attention toward Azrael, who stood observing the proceedings with calm interest. "You must be Azrael. Thank you for agreeing to provide guidance today."
"This is simply a discussion and exchange between peers," Azrael replied with diplomatic humility. "We're all here to improve together."
His response carried no trace of arrogance, Azrael genuinely viewed these encounters as mutual learning opportunities rather than demonstrations of superiority.
Five students, four young won and one male, gathered around Ronnie, clearly representing Suzhou University's core Battle Club mbership.
"Now that everyone has assembled, let's proceed," Ronnie announced with renewed authority. "I've already secured an appropriate venue from the university administration."
He led the combined group toward Suzhou University's designated Battle Arena, with Azrael noting the continued attention from his hosts throughout their journey.
The stolen glances and whispered conversations had beco routine since his confrontation with Crowley. The constant scrutiny no longer bothered him significantly, fa was simply another aspect of power that required proper managent.
"I imagine Master Lucian experiences this constantly," Azrael mused with dark amusent. Such attention must be exhausting for soone of his stature.
Upon reaching their destination, a protective barrier slowly materialized around the combat area under Ronnie's expert manipulation.
Azrael's enhanced senses imdiately detected the barrier's superior construction compared to Southeast University's defensive asures. Although still gold-level in classification, this barrier possessed noticeably greater structural integrity and energy density.
He wondered if Chisaki had specifically requested enhanced protection given the participants' demonstrated capabilities.
According to their pre-arranged strategy, Azrael's team had agreed that Oliver would compete second-to-last while Azrael himself would serve as their final representative. This arrangent provided their three remaining mbers with valuable practical experience.
Otherwise, if Azrael had opened the competition, his overwhelming abilities might have prevented his teammates from participating aningfully.
"Their skills are disappointingly weak," Azrael observed with growing concern as he watched the initial matches unfold.
Having never witnessed his other three teammates in serious combat, he'd lacked clear understanding of their actual capabilities. Today's battles provided unwelco clarity about their limitations.
None of them possessed particularly impressive strength. Jea-Min demonstrated acceptable competence at best, while the other two perford significantly below acceptable standards for national competition.
"Without your presence this year, the university would have essentially forfeited the national tournant," Oliver's voice carried from beside him, his tone mixing resignation with newfound hope.
As a sophomore, Oliver possessed intimate knowledge of his fellow competitors' true abilities.
Jea-Min might qualify as nationally competitive, but Sun-Myun and Choi-Gyu were clearly included to et minimum team requirents rather than contribute aningful victories.
"However, with you as our anchor, I believe we can achieve sothing significant," Oliver continued with growing enthusiasm.
Through various ups and downs, Azrael wasn't particularly surprised that prestigious Pixar University had reached such depths. Athletic programs experienced cyclical periods of success and failure across all competitive venues.
A single year of poor performance wasn't catastrophic in the broader context.
"Hopefully so expert will erge during our remaining preparation ti," Azrael replied diplomatically.
Oliver fell silent after hearing this response. He wanted to explain to his talented junior that not everyone possessed Azrael's extraordinary gifts, but such conversations seed pointless.
In Card Making, progress often occurred at glacial pace requiring years of dedicated effort.
While Sun-Myun and Choi-Gyu might appear underdeveloped, both had accumulated substantial experience at Silver-level. Most newly promoted Silver-level competitors would struggle against their accumulated expertise.
"My turn," Oliver announced, patting Azrael's shoulder before stepping toward the combat area.
With Oliver's entrance into battle, the contest's montum shifted dramatically in Pixar University's favor.
Sharp thunderclaps echoed across the arena as his signature techniques manifested with devastating effect.
Minutes later, Suzhou University's final representative also approached the battlefield's edge.
However, rather than imdiately summoning her cards for combat, she turned toward Ronnie, who was engaged in quiet conversation with Chisaki. "Professor Ronnie, I'd like to challenge Azrael directly. Would that be acceptable?"
Before Ronnie could formulate a response, Oliver interjected with protective authority. "If you want to challenge Azrael, you must defeat first."
Azure lightning illuminated Oliver's features as he spoke, lending his words additional dramatic weight.
"Pixar University Battle Club mber, Oliver. Please provide guidance."
Ronnie and Chisaki exchanged aningful glances from the sidelines before Ronnie addressed his student firmly. "Emma, don't create unnecessary complications."
"If you truly wish to face Azrael, prove your worthiness by defeating Oliver first."
Azrael watched this exchange with growing bemusent, uncertain how he'd beco the center of such competitive attention.
"Fa brings its own complications," he reflected with wry amusent.
However, he could sense that Oliver's protective stance stemd from genuine belief rather than re posturing or anger.
"I seem to be accumulating more loyal followers," Azrael mused privately.
In a world where extraordinary abilities determined social hierarchy, Azrael's demonstrated strength and potential had naturally attracted individuals willing to follow his leadership.
Perhaps in ordinary circumstances, building such loyalty would require careful attention to mutual interests and political maneuvering. But in this reality, raw power remained the ultimate arbiter of influence and respect.
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