The preliminaries flew by in a blur of diocre matches. Since the first day, Azrael hadn't faced a single challenging opponent; the strongest card he'd encountered was barely a black iron blue grade. He hadn't needed to summon Luffy or Kaneki once.
Now, with sixty-four players advancing to the main competition, Azrael studied the tournant bracket with growing suspicion. The seeded players who had dominated the preliminaries were conveniently separated into different sections. Too convenient, he thought. There was definitely so behind-the-scenes manipulation at play.
The guest section buzzed with activity as VIPs filled the premium seats. Representatives from the Cardian Master Association sat with senior executives from Novex Financial and various social celebrities and dia personalities. The Elite Elite Talent Cup had clearly caught Velkairos's attention, though Azrael wondered if their interest stemd from genuine sporting enthusiasm or sothing more calculated.
"Director Gustav, I didn't expect the Cardian Master Association to send you as their representative," said one of Novex Financial's executives with a practiced smile as he extended his hand in greeting. "They must really value our partnership."
Gustav, Azrael's acquaintance and the Association's representative, returned the handshake with equal diplomacy. Given his knowledge of the Crimson Oath Society situation, his presence made perfect sense. It was better to have soone already in the loop than to risk exposing sensitive information to newcors.
"Hello, everyone! I'm your host, Killian, and welco to the Elite Elite Talent Cup, exclusively sponsored by Novex Financial!"
The energetic voice bood across the arena, drawing enthusiastic whistles and cheers from the crowd. Azrael recognized the na; Killian was a popular streaming personality known for his card duel comntary. Novex Financial had spared no expense in bringing him in.
With Killian's animated introductions and warm-up banter, the main competition officially began. Azrael was scheduled for the seventh match, which gave him ti to observe and prepare.
"Our first battle features Levi from Ardenne High School!" Killian announced, his voice carrying perfectly through the arena's sound system. "Look at that distinctive blonde hair! Our young contestant certainly knows how to make an impression!"
Azrael's eyes snapped to the large display screen when a familiar figure appeared. Levi strutted across the battle platform, arms raised high, playing to the crowd with shaless enthusiasm.
"According to Lin's own declaration, Levi is wielding a black, iron-grade, gold-quality Patrol Sea Warrior Yaksha," Killian continued, barely containing his amusent. "Truly, a hero erges from youth!"
Azrael closed his eyes with a knowing smirk. Of course, Levi would announce his card's details to the entire arena. So things never changed; the boy loved his spotlight monts more than he loved tactical advantage.
"There's nothing worth watching here," Azrael muttered, settling back into a ditation pose. He had his own match to prepare for.
The minutes ticked by as Azrael deepened his ntal focus. His talent for psychic ditation continued to amaze him; each session revealed new depths of concentration he hadn't known were possible. The background noise of the crowd's reactions and the comntary faded to a distant hum.
"Seventh match participants, please prepare for entry."
The backstage announcent cut through Azrael's trance. He exhaled slowly, feeling the familiar calm that ca after deep ditation. Then he stood and adjusted his clothes. It was ti to make his real debut.
The doors to the waiting area slid open with chanical precision, and brilliant sunlight flooded his vision. The roar of thousands of spectators hit him like a physical wave, but he kept his steady, confident steps as he walked toward the battle platform.
"Approaching from the right side, we have Azrael from Silverbrook High School!" Killian's comntary followed Azrael's every step. "His preliminary performance was absolutely dominant. Let's see if he can maintain that montum in the main event!"
The arena's massive display screen ca alive with highlight footage from Azrael's preliminary matches. The crowd watched as Yoriichi sliced cleanly through a golden retriever card with one fluid motion of his katana, the blade gleaming under the arena lights.
"Poor Spirit Dog!" soone shouted from the stands. "What did those dogs ever do to deserve this treatnt?"
"That's so serious power, cutting through my golden retriever like butter! I surrender!" another voice called out, triggering waves of laughter throughout the audience.
The absurdity of using children's cartoon cards in a serious competition wasn't lost on anyone. Most ordinary citizens used Spirit Dog cards for ho security, so seeing them in tournant play was both amusing and slightly tragic.
Azrael's opponent took her position on the opposite side of the platform as Killian's voice rang out again:
"Representing Ardenne High School, we have Sheryll!"
The referee moved to center court, his whistle gleaming in the afternoon sun. The shrill blast of the whistle signaled the beginning of the match, and Azrael's mind raced through his strategic options.
"The Association needs to claim first place," he thought. "That ans I need to grab Novex Financial's and, more importantly, the Crimson Oath Society's attention."
In that case...
A figure materialized in front of Azrael with dramatic flair: a black-haired teenager wearing a distinctive straw hat and red vest. The crowd's murmur turned to stunned silence when they realized that this wasn't the sa card as in the preliminary footage.
Azrael had summoned Luffy directly.
His bronze-level, red-quality trump card was more than enough to attract the society's interest. It was a calculated risk, using himself as bait to draw out his enemies.
Even Killian stumbled over his words before recovering his professional composure. "Well, this is unexpected! Our contestant, Azrael, has revealed a completely different card from his preliminary matches!"
"This confirms that Azrael has at least two combat-ready cards at his disposal," Killian continued, his excitent building. "Sheryll is going to have her work cut out for her!"
From a tactical perspective, Killian's analysis was sound: two cards versus one gave Azrael a significant advantage. However, the audience was more skeptical.
"Intelligence card alert!" soone called out mockingly.
"My brain card!" another voice added, using the popular slang term for obviously weak cards used as cannon fodder.
The dismissive comnts died instantly as Luffy raised his right hand. Countless fist-shaped afterimages exploded across the battlefield in a devastating display of speed and power. The air itself seed to vibrate under the assault's intensity.
The arena fell dead silent. Even the caras focused on the battle platform's surface, revealing deep craters and spiderweb cracks in the reinforced concrete. Anyone who questioned whether their face was tougher than military-grade flooring received an imdiate answer.
Sheryll stood frozen in terror, her face drained of all color. As a sheltered student from an elite academy, she had never witnessed such an overwhelmingly destructive force. Her card had been obliterated in the opening barrage and reduced to scattered light particles before she could register the attack.
"Azrael wins!"
The referee's declaration shattered the oppressive silence like a gunshot. The arena erupted into chaos.
"Holy shit, did you see that?! A purple-grade card got one-shotted!"
"I take back everything I said about intelligence cards! That thing has to be gold quality, at least!"
Does anyone know where that card originated? I've never seen it in any mythology database!"
"It's so cool. I want one!"
The crowd's energy reached a fever pitch as they processed what they had witnessed. This wasn't just any victory; it was the most decisive demolition in the main competition of the tournant.
Up in the VIP section, the guests could clearly identify Luffy as a bronze-level card, which made the display even more shocking.
"Monster," soone whispered involuntarily.
The Novex Financial executives sat in stunned silence before one of them turned to Gustav with forced casualness. "Director Gustav, if I recall correctly, your daughter attends Silverbrook High School, doesn't she?"
Gustav glanced at the executive, his expression carefully neutral. "Yes, Azrael is Gabi's classmate."
He paused, then added with deliberate emphasis, "Quite remarkable, really. For an orphan to reach this level speaks to exceptional talent and determination."
The Novex Financial executive's eyes lit up with barely concealed excitent. "Well, that certainly makes him—"
"a genius with unlimited potential," he finished, his smile growing wider.
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