Adrian stared in amazent at the sudden appearance of the purple half-giant manifesting around Azrael's card.
After a mont of stunned silence, he chuckled softly. "As expected of you, Azrael!"
The high-level Lore Cardians in the guest seats fell silent as they watched the scene below unfold. The appearance of such a powerful manifestation in a Silver-level tournant was unprecedented.
Then a heated discussion erupted among them.
Lioren, ignoring the noisy voices behind him, spoke in a cryptic tone. "No wonder you have such confidence in Azrael, Master Lucian. So you had this trump card prepared all along."
Hearing this, Lucian gave a wry smile. He couldn't take credit for his disciple's hidden abilities. His confidence was simply because the opponent wasn't his disciple, nothing more, nothing less.
At this mont, Tempest couldn't help but sigh. "Victor's loss to Azrael wasn't unfair at all."
That assessnt was absolutely correct. After the battle with Victor, Azrael had revealed several more unused cards, proving that Victor never had a real chance. It was simply a matter of forcing Azrael to reveal a few of his hidden trump cards.
Only Finn touched his chin and muttered hesitantly, "Law of Heaven and Earth?"
But he quickly dismissed that assumption. The Law of Heaven and Earth technique enlarged the main body itself, while this manifestation generated a separate energy form entirely.
"But why is it only half-ford?" he wondered aloud.
Lioren chuckled, as if hearing Finn's question. "Of course, it's because it's not yet complete."
"It seems this Azrael card can be upgraded even further."
In the Pixar University bench, Oliver and the others felt their hearts nearly stop when they saw Adrian use his Venue Card to construct the giant robot.
They hadn't expected their opponent to have been hiding such a devastating trick all along, not even revealing it in the matches leading up to the finals.
But fortunately, there was Azrael.
On the field, with the appearance of Sasuke's Susanoo, the atmosphere instantly beca electric with tension.
Lily's right hand radiated golden light as she tightly grasped the holy sword newly condensed from her [Silver Arm]. The blade humd with divine energy, ready to strike.
Not far away, Nelliel and Unohana stood silently, weapons in hand, observing the massive [Final Annihilation Weapon Type I] with calculating eyes.
The three female warriors ford a subtle but effective encirclent around the giant robot.
At that mont, Sasuke, having activated his Susanoo, naturally couldn't continue pretending to be re support. With a light leap that carried him dozens of ters, he arrived beside Lily.
The purple Susanoo, wielding a massive chakra-forged longsword, swung gently in a testing motion. The movent sent a roaring gust of wind surging toward the towering silver-white robot.
But Adrian's trump card, the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I], clearly wouldn't be defeated by such a simple probing attack.
A pale blue defensive barrier materialized instantly, blocking Susanoo's wind pressure with ease.
The scattered winds tore through the ground around the barrier, leaving deep gouges in the arena floor.
In the stands, the audience watched this mythical spectacle in complete silence. The sight of a purple energy giant facing off against a massive chanical robot was sothing that belonged in legends, not a student tournant.
After a long pause, soone in the crowd murmured, almost groaning, "What kind of monsters are these?"
He was referring to both the Susanoo and the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I]. This scene was a rare sight even in previous national tournants. It wasn't every year that two top-tier Silver-rank Lore Cardians with such overwhelming power faced off in the finals.
Sasuke, as the primary attacker, had already committed to the offensive.
The purple half-giant raised its longsword high and brought it down in a devastating vertical slash aid directly at the giant silver-white robot's head.
The attack was blocked by the pale blue barrier once again, and the terrifying force of impact sent dust and debris flying in all directions.
Lily and the other two warriors, taking advantage of the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I] being occupied with defending against Susanoo's assault, successfully advanced to positions flanking the massive construct.
But just as they moved into striking range, crimson light flashed ominously in the robot's optical sensors.
"Deploying Combat Cluster [Dog Pack]," announced a cold, chanical voice.
Silver blocks detached from various points on the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I]. The mont these modules touched the ground, they transford into sleek canine robots, each bristling with weapons and sensors.
The pack of robot dogs imdiately pounced toward Lily, Nelliel, and Unohana with predatory precision.
With no other choice, the three warriors were forced to deal with the imdiate threat of the chanical pack before they could continue their assault on the main target.
Sasuke, of course, wasn't idle during this exchange. The longsword in Susanoo's hands danced through the air with deadly grace.
Dark flas, Amaterasu, shot out in multiple directions from the blade, each streak of black fire seeking to burn through the robot's defenses.
Blazing white laser beams scorched across the surface of Susanoo in retaliation, but the attacks barely left marks on the purple chakra construct.
As the ultimate Mangekyō Sharingan technique combining both offense and defense, Sasuke paid little attention to his opponent's counterattacks. The Susanoo was designed to withstand far worse punishnt.
"Tsk, like trying to crack a turtle shell," Adrian muttered in frustration.
The Susanoo that Sasuke currently manifested was still incomplete, neither the perfect form he would later achieve with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan nor the overwhelming power he would eventually wield alongside other abilities. Therefore, despite the purple half-giant's relentless attacks, it couldn't seem to break through the robot's defensive barrier.
An awkward stalemate developed on the battlefield, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.
"Looks like we're deadlocked," Adrian observed, his face growing increasingly pale. He knew that any further delay would only lead to his inevitable defeat.
He was now completely draining his ntal energy to forcibly maintain the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I]. Using so many high-level disposable cards simultaneously was an enormous burden for any Lore Cardian, even with Venue Cards helping to alleviate much of the pressure.
On the field, the battle platform looked like a war zone, torn apart by the clash between two giant combatants.
The [Pack of Dogs] was finally eliminated by the combined efforts of Lily, Nelliel, and Unohana, freeing them to focus on the primary target once more.
"If we want to break through that barrier in one decisive blow," Lily said quietly, watching the relentless purple giant continue its assault, "then we need to coordinate our attacks perfectly."
She looked at Unohana and Nelliel beside her, and both won nodded in silent understanding.
Sasuke naturally grasped the strategy the three warriors had in mind.
The next mont, Susanoo prepared to deliver another crushing blow, but just as the pale blue barrier began to form, the giant suddenly shifted its attack trajectory.
Instead of striking the barrier, Susanoo's blade carved through empty air, creating an opening for the three won.
Lily, Nelliel, and Unohana appeared in the gap, their weapons blazing with power.
A torrent of golden divine energy, a double-headed lance wreathed in crimson spiritual power, and a roaring blade technique, all three attacks converged on the exact sa point of the barrier.
"Crack... crack..."
The delicate sound of fracturing energy resonated through the arena, audible even over the chaos of battle.
Adrian's face turned ashen as he realized he couldn't withstand this coordinated assault.
"BOOM!"
As expected, a deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield as the pale blue defensive barrier suddenly shattered into countless glimring fragnts that scattered like falling stars.
Smoke and dust billowed outward, obscuring everyone's vision for crucial seconds.
But in the blink of an eye, the dust cloud was swept away by a powerful gust.
It was Sasuke's doing.
The mont the defensive barrier shattered, Susanoo had already moved with lightning speed, approaching the now-vulnerable giant silver-white robot.
A shrill whistle cut through the air as Sasuke's face twisted into a devilish, confident smile.
"SLASH!"
The purple chakra sword tore through the chest armor of the [Final Annihilation Weapon Type I] like paper, and the robot's scarlet optical sensors suddenly dimd and went dark.
Azrael breathed a deep sigh of relief. "We won!"
At this point, Adrian had no chance of a coback. The [Final Annihilation Weapon Type I] was completely disabled.
"If it weren't for facing specifically, you might have actually succeeded," Azrael said, turning to look at Adrian with genuine respect.
Strangely, Adrian's face showed no sign of defeat or disappointnt. Instead, he revealed a sense of profound relief. "As expected."
"In the end, the wild dog couldn't defeat the genius, could it?"
He looked directly at Azrael. "You won, Azrael."
"I lost."
As those words left his lips, Adrian's previously weakened aura suddenly surged with new power.
He had achieved a breakthrough to Gold Level.
Azrael stared at Adrian with complete bewildernt. "Wait, seriously? A breakthrough at the last minute?! What kind of protagonist energy is this?!"
For now, Azrael didn't have to worry about what would happen if he broke through to Gold Level during the Individual Competition. After all, there was soone right next to him who had just done exactly that.
Fortunately, a Lore Cardian's ntal strength breakthrough alone was of limited imdiate use. Adrian didn't have matching Gold Level cards to take full advantage of his new power. The only real difference between him and a Silver-level player was his greatly increased ntal capacity.
If he had broken through while the barrier was still intact, Azrael might have faced so real trouble. But now that the [Final Annihilation Weapon Type I] was half-destroyed, even an Erald-level Lore Cardian wouldn't be able to salvage the situation.
Adrian stared blankly at his palms, feeling the new power flowing through him. "Why now?"
He couldn't comprehend the timing of this change. Looking up at the silver-white robot still struggling to maintain basic functions, he whispered, "Was it you?"
"Yes."
"I understand now."
"Let's do this together."
"Partner."
With his enhanced hearing, Azrael could clearly make out Adrian's muttered conversation. "Oh no, why are you bonding with the robot now?"
"Are you seriously trying to pull off so kind of 'Machine Spirit' miracle?"
Taking a deep breath, Azrael suppressed his growing concern. "Well, I guess that makes the villain in this story!"
The wind ruffled Azrael's hair, revealing his normally calm expression now marked by tension.
A close observer would have noticed the subtle twitch in his eyes.
On the field, the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I] had stopped resisting Azrael's cards' attacks on its damaged fra.
"Systems analysis indicates this unit has lost combat capability," the robot announced in its feminine AI voice.
"Activating Final Protocol."
"Final Protocol activation complete."
"Good night, Owner."
As the chanical voice faded, the red light in the battered giant robot's optical sensors slowly dimd to black.
Azrael's pupils contracted as he sensed sothing was terribly wrong.
But it was already too late.
Destruction descended like a tidal wave. A terrifying energy surge erupted silently, engulfing everything within the arena in a sphere of annihilation.
Azrael's face went pale as he felt Fubuki frantically drawing upon his ntal energy reserves.
Black and white energy waves rolled outward, silently obliterating everything in their path. Even particles of dust in the air dissolved into nothingness upon contact.
On the sidelines, another of Azrael's cards extended tendrils to support his suddenly unsteady body.
"You've got to be kidding ," Azrael muttered through gritted teeth.
"How could I possibly lose to sothing as abstract as 'bonds'?"
In terms of dedication and effort, Azrael believed he could rival anyone in the world. Never mind questions about seeing Los Angeles at 3 AM, Azrael ditated every single day and regularly saw Velkairos's skyline at 3 AM during his training sessions!
"And if we're talking about bonds, I have those too!"
When it ca to connections with his cards, could anyone claim a deeper bond than soone who constantly battled alongside his team like they were pokémon partners?
Absolutely not!
With that thought, his ntal state suddenly stabilized and Azrael achieved his own breakthrough to Gold Level, just like Adrian.
Adrian showed a rare expression of surprise, then sighed with genuine admiration. "You're truly extraordinary, Azrael."
Adrian's form began to fade, consud by the overwhelming forces his final gambit had unleashed, leaving only scattered motes of light where he had stood.
His bond with the machine, impressive as it was, had been overwheld by Azrael's deeper connections.
In the arena, the black and white energy gradually dissipated, revealing a massive crater where the battlefield had been.
Floating in mid-air were a short-haired woman manipulating telekinetic forces and a black-haired boy maintaining his purple half-giant construct.
It was Fubuki and Sasuke, the last two standing.
Sasuke couldn't fly on his own, so Fubuki was using her telekinesis to keep both of them airborne. Otherwise, they would have fallen into the deep pit that now occupied most of the arena floor.
Although the [Final Annihilation Armant Type I]'s self-destruction had co suddenly, Fubuki had reacted with supernatural speed. She imdiately used her psychokinetic powers to shield everyone she could from the blast.
However, the explosion was so powerful that, considering Azrael's ntal energy limitations, she had no choice but to prioritize protecting only Sasuke among the fighters.
Fubuki had focused on keeping Sasuke alive because she knew that if her telekinetic barriers failed, Sasuke's Susanoo could withstand the explosion long enough for her to recover. It was a calculated risk that had paid off.
Fortunately, Azrael's breakthrough had replenished her ntal energy reserves at the critical mont, preventing a complete catastrophe.
Azrael, standing safely on the sidelines, breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally... we won."
He closed his eyes briefly, looking up at the azure sky above with a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.
That had been genuinely terrifying. He'd almost been defeated by the power of friendship and determination, but in the end, his own bonds had proven stronger.
anwhile, the audience in the stands gradually recovered from their shock and awe.
"Is it over?" soone asked uncertainly.
"Is it really over?"
They remained unsure. The day's events had been so dramatic that many had thought Azrael might actually lose when the robot began its self-destruction sequence.
"It's over! Azrael won!" soone finally shouted with confidence.
"Holy hell, he still had cards that could survive that kind of attack?! I thought it was going to be a draw!"
"That purple giant's defense is absolutely insane. Combined with his other defensive abilities, there's no way any Silver-level attack could break through, right?"
"Azrael is the pride of Velkairos!"
"Actually, Azrael attends Pixar University," soone corrected.
"...What?"
Elsewhere, in front of television screens across the country, fans were celebrating.
Gabi, ho for sumr vacation, frantically shook his father's arm. "Dad, look! Azrael won! Azrael actually won!"
Gustav smiled helplessly. "I can see that, Gabi."
The young man on the screen was soone she'd watched grow from a Black Iron-level Lore Cardian to his current incredible level.
"You really did it, Azrael," she murmured with pride.
In another location, a young man with distinctive hair styling quietly watched the screen. "Azrael..."
"I'll catch up to you."
It was Victor. After watching the finals, he finally understood the true gap between himself and Azrael.
If Azrael had allowed Sasuke to summon his full Susanoo during their match, could Victor really have fought on equal terms?
The answer was clearly no.
Taking a deep breath, he picked up his luggage and turned off the TV. "I'll go find my own path to strength."
"Wait for . The day I defeat you won't be far away."
He still rembered Tempest's words about finding one's own way forward.
At the PU preparation area, Oliver felt as if he were living in a dream. He had never truly believed that his long-cherished wish would co true.
Azrael had actually brought PU back to championship glory.
Yagami, standing beside him, was flushed with excitent. He now felt that recruiting Azrael to PU was the single best decision he'd made in his entire career as university president.
Kevaugn and the others trembled with excitent as they looked at each other. Even Jea-Min, who usually maintained a stoic expression, couldn't suppress her emotions.
Winning without having to lift a finger themselves, it felt incredible!
Only Alice remained calm among the group. In her opinion, wasn't it only natural for her junior to win?
However, unlike the celebration happening throughout the venue, the atmosphere in the VIP guest seats had grown serious. They weren't particularly concerned about the outco of the finals anymore.
Sothing far more significant had occurred.
The question now was: what should be done about Azrael and Adrian, both of whom had broken through to Gold Level during the finals?
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