Watching the vampire gradually dissolve into particles of light, the cockscomb-headed youth's face twisted with panic. "Impossible! Why didn't your card die?"
He couldn't comprehend how his bronze-level blue card had been utterly defeated by what appeared to be a mere black iron-level summon.
What he didn't realize was that Kaneki wasn't just an ordinary black iron card; it was a red-quality summon with the devastating High-Speed Regeneration ability. Had he known this crucial detail, he never would have been so brazenly confident.
Desperation took hold, and the cockscomb youth frantically began summoning every black iron-level card he had crafted in his early days as a Lore Cardian. One after another, they materialized on the battlefield, but it was futile.
Each one crumbled before Kaneki's terrifying centipede kagune; the crimson tendrils cut through them like paper. The air filled with the sound of cards dissolving back into essence.
"Spare me!" Seeing that he had exhausted his entire deck, the cockscomb youth dropped to his knees with a heavy thud. "Please! As long as you don't kill me, I'll give you important information that could change everything!"
Kaneki turned his head slightly, his ghoulish gaze seeking Azrael's direction.
Azrael remained silent for a long moment, considering the offer. Then he slowly shook his head.
The next instant, the cockscomb youth was crushed into a crimson stain on the concrete.
Azrael had no interest in whatever "important information" Kaneki claimed to possess. Information like that usually came with dangerous strings attached, and he had more pressing concerns right now. Aunt Suzy was still lying unconscious in the stairwell, her condition unknown.
Cory had collapsed, his body trembling as he stared at the bloody remains of his former ally. He'd never imagined the arrogant Cockscomb could be defeated so easily, so brutally.
A surge of resentment toward his dead accomplice flashed through Cory's mind. However, as Azrael's footsteps approached, that anger instantly transformed into raw, primal terror.
"Azrael, please let me go," Cory stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. "I swear I'll never do anything like this again! I've learned my lesson!"
Azrael studied Cory's pathetic state with cold indifference. "You don't know you're wrong. You just know you're about to die."
This blunt declaration sent Cory into a hysterical frenzy. "Killing is against the law! Azrael! You can't just murder people!"
Hearing Cory invoke the law so shamelessly drew a bitter laugh from Azrael. "Did you consider it was against the law when you killed your parents? When you brought Crimson Oath here to kill me, did you think about the legal consequences?"
Azrael's voice grew colder with each word. "Besides, when card artists are fighting dangerous criminals, we can't always hold back. Accidents happen. I'm sure the Cardian Master Association will understand the circumstances."
He turned away dismissively. "Finish it, Kaneki."
Ignoring the disturbing sound of "1000-7" counting down behind him, Azrael began to consider his next moves. The immediate threat was over, but the aftermath would be complicated.
He could wait for the Cardian Master Association to arrive and handle the cleanup, but that would mean being taken in for questioning. Even if he were eventually released, the investigation would waste precious time, which he couldn't afford to lose.
After tonight's events, he knew he'd end up on the Crimson Oath's blacklist. The organization wouldn't let this slide.
Azrael had never felt such an urgent hunger for power. He needed bronze-level cards, silver-level cards—even Sovereign-level cards, if he could get them. Only with real strength could he protect himself and the people he cared about.
Setting aside those distant dreams for now, Azrael focused on more immediate concerns. As a high school student and a registered Black Iron-level Lore Cardian with the Association, he couldn't ignore their rules and regulations, no matter how talented he was.
After considering his options, only one path seemed viable—he needed help.
Azrael pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts, evaluating each possibility.
Calvin, his former homeroom teacher, was quickly dismissed. While Calvin had always done his best for his students, dealing with Crimson Oath assassins was far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary class teacher.
Victoria, his current homeroom teacher, was more promising. After more than a month in her class, Azrael could see that she was genuinely dedicated to her students. As the teacher of Silverbrook High School's elite class, she probably had useful connections.
Azrael marked her as a potential option and continued scrolling.
Next was Lian, president of the Nirvale District Cardian Master Association. Azrael had obtained Lian's contact information during their previous interview; Lian had provided it to facilitate future communication. The man certainly had influence, but Azrael hesitated to contact him.
The cockscomb youth had located Cory, a witness to the secret realm incident, with suspicious accuracy. This suggested that there was a mole in the Crimson Oath Society, or worse, in the Association itself.
Azrael couldn't bring himself to trust anyone in the official organization right now.
However, Lucian would be different. Azrael believed that a master Lore Cardian of Lucian's caliber wouldn't have any reason to defect to the Crimson Oath.
Unfortunately, Lucian hadn't given Azrael any contact information during yesterday's meeting.
Finally, his finger stopped on Gabi's name.
After a moment's consideration, Azrael dialed the number. "Hello? Gabi? This is Azrael."
"Here's what happened."
Soon after, a sleek, black sports car pulled up to the XingfuEmpyrean Dollars Community.
A lean, middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped out of the vehicle. He surveyed the courtyard of the residential complex, which was damaged. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes.
The black sports car transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the man's forehead—clearly a high-level summoning card returning to its owner.
The bespectacled man approached Azrael with quick, purposeful steps. "You must be Azrael. I'm Gabi's father, Gustav. Just call me Uncle Gustav."
Azrael had called Gabi for several strategic reasons. She was the one who had warned him about Cory in the first place. As a victim of the secret realm incident herself, it was unlikely that her father was a Crimson Oath mole.
Unless the organization was ruthless enough to use someone's daughter as bait, which seemed unlikely, even for them.
"Hello, Uncle Gustav," Azrael said respectfully. "Gabi should have explained the situation to you."
Gustav nodded, but his expression remained cautious. "She did, but you claimed you killed a bronze-level Crimson Oath Lore Cardian. I'd like to see the card you used to accomplish that."
Azrael understood immediately. Gustav was being careful, making sure that this wasn't an elaborate trap orchestrated by Azrael and the Crimson Oath.
Without hesitation, Kaneki materialized beside Azrael.
Gustav's pupils contracted slightly as he sensed the summon's aura. "Gold quality? No more than that. This is red quality."
As a gold-level Lore Cardian, Gustav could easily assess Kaneki's grade and rarity.
Seeing the ghoul's imposing presence, everything suddenly made sense to Gustav. He now understood exactly how Azrael had defeated a bronze-level opponent.
"Remarkable," Gustav murmured approvingly. "This was made from the materials I had Gabi give you yesterday, wasn't it? I didn't expect you to finish it so quickly. Young people these days truly are formidable."
Azrael's extraordinary talent reminded Gustav of the Pillar of the Empire of Aetherlight: the only Sovereign-level Lore Cardian in the nation, Eternal Light Leon.
But he quickly dismissed that comparison. After all, the Azrael standing before him was still just a promising black iron-level Lore Cardian.
"When the Association investigators arrive," Gustav said, "I'll tell them that I eliminated both the Crimson Oath and Cory."
Azrael looked puzzled, unsure why Gustav would want to cover for him.
Seeing Azrael's confusion, Gustav smiled knowingly. "You're probably wondering why I'd do this. It's not just to protect you; it's also for—"