In the suffocating darkness of the cramped room, Koga's eyes snapped open as consciousness clawed its way back to him. The cold floor beneath him sent an uncomfortable chill through his bones as he struggled to push himself upright.
"Why the hell was I sleeping on the floor?" He pressed a palm against his throbbing forehead and winced at the dull ache pulsing behind his temples.
His gaze drifted across the room until it landed on the motionless form sprawled nearby. The thin man's body lay twisted at an unnatural angle, blood pooling beneath his head like a dark halo.
"Right, right. I got drowsy after dealing with this bastard, so I decided to rest for a bit." Koga's voice carried an unsettling casualness as he stared at the corpse, completely oblivious to how absurd his explanation sounded. The gaps in his memory didn't seem to register at all.
Then, a realization struck him, making his blood run cold.
"Wait, why is my vampire ability on cooldown?"
The moment the thought crossed his mind, a sharp pain lanced through his skull like a red-hot needle. He clutched his head, gritting his teeth against the sudden agony.
"Oh yeah, that's right. The skinny fuck fought back before I killed him." Koga nodded to himself, accepting this fabricated memory without question. It never occurred to him that a normal person shouldn't have been able to resist a vampire's supernatural strength.
"Time to head to the Crimson Oath Society meeting point."
Shaking off his lingering confusion, Koga prepared to leave the bloodstained room. What he could never know was that deep within his mind, an ethereal, six-tailed fox phantom watched everything unfold through his eyes. Its snow-white form gleamed with otherworldly intelligence.
The night air whipped through Azrael's hair as he settled into the passenger seat of Gustav's sleek sports car. He had to admit that he was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the ride was; all of those online reviews from his previous life complaining about sports car ergonomics had apparently been exaggerated.
The Velkairos skyline blurred past them in streams of neon and glass as they made their way through the bustling city streets. Within minutes, they pulled up to the imposing headquarters of the Velkairos Cardian Master Association. Its towering form cut a sharp silhouette against the star-scattered sky.
Azrael followed Gustav through the marble lobby and into the elevator that whisked them up to the top floor. Soon enough, he found himself standing in the same familiar office facing the same distinguished figures he had met before.
Lucian's weathered face brightened with genuine warmth when he spotted Azrael. "Student Azrael, what a pleasure to see you again."
"Master Lucian, the honor is mine." Azrael inclined his head respectfully, though he sensed that this wasn't just a social call.
Dareth wasted no time cutting through the pleasantries. "Student Azrael, Director Gustav has briefed us on tonight's incident. Your handling of those Crimson Oath Society thugs was exemplary—exactly the kind of quick thinking and decisive action we expect from promising young Cardian Masters."
Azrael kept a modest expression, though he knew the truth internally. Without Luffy's timely intervention, he would have been dead meat. All of his other abilities were on cooldown, leaving him virtually defenseless against supernatural threats.
"In recognition of your service to the Association," Dareth continued, "we've decided to award you two million Ming Empyrean dollars."
Two million. Azrael's eyes widened slightly; that was enough to purchase high-grade golden bronze materials, with some left over. Still, something told him that this generous reward wasn't the real reason they'd summoned him at such a late hour.
"Thank you for the Association's generosity," Azrael replied diplomatically. "I'll continue working hard to prove myself worthy of your investment."
Both Dareth and Lucian exchanged amused glances at his formal response. The kid might be young, but he already spoke like a seasoned politician.
"Actually, Student Azrael," Dareth said, his expression growing serious, "we have a proposition for you. The association needs you to participate in the upcoming Talent Cup competition, and we need you to win first place."
Azrael blinked, caught off guard by the directness of the request. "If the association requires it, I'll certainly do my best, but—" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I'm just a high school student. Surely there are more experienced Cardian Masters who would be better suited for such an important task?"
Why send a teenager to handle something this crucial?" he wondered. "Unless there's some catch I'm missing."
Dareth chuckled, seeming to read his thoughts. "The Talent Cup has strict eligibility requirements. Only senior high school students can participate. Rather than scrambling to find someone unfamiliar with recent events, it makes more sense to rely on you directly."
What Dareth didn't mention was the more pressing reality. Azrael was the only bronze-level high school student in all of Velkairos. His victory was practically guaranteed.
"Of course, the association won't leave you empty-handed for this favor," Dareth added quickly, as if worried Azrael might decline. "Win first place, and regardless of your performance on the Greenridge Province Unified Examination in two months, I personally guarantee your acceptance into Velkairos University's Lore Cardian Department."
The offer hit Azrael like a thunderbolt. The Lore Cardian departments of major universities were elite institutions, comparable to military academies in their selectivity and prestige. They existed solely to train the future leadership of the Cardian Master Association. Graduates were virtually guaranteed high-ranking positions upon completing their studies.
Acceptance into Velkairos University's program would set him up for life. "Director Azrael" had a nice ring to it.
"President Yan is too kind," Azrael managed, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Velkairos University's reputation speaks for itself. I'd be honored to serve the association in this capacity."
Dareth's satisfied smile confirmed the deal was struck. He conveniently ignored Azrael's slip of the tongue about the university's name.
"Speaking of which," Lucian interjected, barely containing his curiosity, "would you mind showing us this bronze-level card of yours? Director Gustav mentioned that you achieved a breakthrough, but he didn't provide specifics."
Without hesitation, Azrael summoned Luffy into existence. The rubber-bodied pirate materialized with his trademark goofy grin, radiating an aura of barely contained power.
Lucian's composed expression cracked with astonishment. "This is extraordinary."
As a master Lore Cardian, Lucian could instantly recognize the ultra-high red quality emanating from Luffy. The craftsmanship was flawless, far beyond what anyone should expect from a novice, bronze-level creator.
Dareth stood speechless, his mouth hanging slightly open. They had both reviewed Azrael's file before this meeting and knew that he had only gathered his materials that day. Even with premium components, a purple-quality card would have been an impressive achievement.
Instead, they were looking at a red-quality masterpiece created on Azrael's first day as a bronze-level Cardian Master.
After a long moment of stunned silence, Lucian spoke with newfound gravity. "Student Azrael, I'd like to make you an additional offer. Win first place in the Talent Cup, place in the top three in the Greenridge Province Unified Examination, and choose Nanjing University for your higher education. Do that, and I'll accept you as my personal disciple."
The room went dead quiet. Lucian, the Duke of Haiguo and one of the Empire of Aetherlight's three Master Lore Cardians, hadn't accepted a new apprentice in years. His previous disciples had all been at least emerald-level when he accepted them, and many had gone on to achieve diamond rank or higher. Some whispered that master level itself wasn't beyond reach for his students.
Dareth shot Azrael urgent looks, practically pleading with his eyes for the young man to accept. Even though Azrael was from Velkairos, having a connection to Lucian would benefit the entire local association.
Standing beside Azrael, Gustav gave his sleeve a subtle tug, a clear signal to accept the offer.
Azrael felt dizzy from the magnitude of what was being offered: Studying under the Dread King himself would be an incredible opportunity. The master's custom cards were legendary, and in the Empire of Aetherlight, only master-level Lore Cardians could create the specialized cards required for noble titles. It was one of the Empire's methods for ensuring loyalty among its most powerful citizens.
"Master Lucian, I'm deeply honored by your offer," Azrael said, his voice steady despite his racing heart. "I swear I won't disappoint your expectations."
Both men visibly relaxed, having feared that Azrael might refuse such an incredible opportunity.
But Azrael wasn't finished. "President Yan, if I manage to secure first place, I have one additional request. I'd like the association to grant me another entry into the Black Flag secret realm. That would mean more to me than any other reward."