Under the pitch-black night, several stealthy figures scaled steep cliffs carved by relentless waves.
"Do we really have to find a place like this to climb?" one of them muttered, struggling against the rocky face.
"Fool! You want to go through the harbor? We've already explored the nearby coastline, this is the most suitable landing spot," another hissed back.
"So why did the higher-ups send us minions to gather intelligence first? Aren't they afraid we'll be exposed? And the captain said his wife is giving birth today... since when does he have a wife?"
"Who knows? But I heard from the captain of the neighboring ship that the Kings seem to have started a war with another country out there."
"No wonder. Oh, we're almost at the top."
As their chatter died down, the figures hauled themselves over the cliff's edge with practiced effort.
But as they emerged onto solid ground, they found a young man standing several steps away, his features obscured by darkness, watching them in complete silence.
"What were you talking about just now?" the young man asked, his gentle voice carrying through the night air and making their hair stand on end. "Can you tell me?"
"Who's there?! Attack!" one of them roared.
Several cold flashes of steel cut through the darkness.
However, the expected scene of blades piercing flesh never materialized. The young man standing before them simply extended his index finger, effortlessly blocking their coordinated assault.
"What?!"
Before they could comprehend what had occurred, a shrill scream suddenly rang out.
"Thud."
Several headless bodies collapsed helplessly to the ground. In an instant, only one figure remained from the original group.
The sound of saliva being swallowed echoed in the silence. The sole survivor's legs trembled violently as he watched the young man casually flick blood from his finger onto the ground.
He hadn't even seen what happened in that split second. All he knew was that in one moment, his companions had begun their unwitting cosplay as headless horsemen.
Even his cousin-in-law, the battle captain of the adjacent ship, couldn't have achieved such overwhelming devastation!
"Now then, can you speak?" the young man sighed, looking almost apologetically at the last survivor.
The man's voice quavered as he stammered, "I-I-I'll tell you everything! Please don't kill me!"
But Azrael stopped him with a raised hand. A white spider and a short, white-haired girl appeared beside him in the darkness.
"Leave it to you, Frieren."
The white-haired elf nodded slightly, raising her ruby-tipped staff.
"Zoltraak."
Her cold voice rang out as a concentrated beam of dark energy erupted from her staff's tip.
"BOOM!"
The distant sea surface exploded in a towering plume of water.
Witnessing this display, Shiraori vanished from sight.
When she reappeared, a lifeless corpse was skewered on her razor-sharp forelimbs.
"Is that... the captain?" The survivor's pupils constricted as he stared at the body thrown carelessly to the ground.
He recognized the corpse immediately.
It was their ship's captain.
"But didn't the captain say he had something important to handle today? He gave us free rein..."
He couldn't piece it together, and terror prevented him from thinking any further.
The white-haired girl had effortlessly eliminated someone of the captain's caliber. Clearly, the young man before him commanded power beyond his wildest nightmares.
"Sir, here's what I know, "
The man unloaded every piece of intelligence he possessed.
Azrael gazed thoughtfully at yet another headless corpse before him.
The last survivor wasn't responsible for this death; his head had simply exploded mid-sentence.
"Tsk, again," Azrael clicked his tongue in irritation.
These corpses were undoubtedly demons in their former lives, the same malevolent aura he had sensed earlier at the abandoned factory.
The reason for the survivor's sudden cranial detonation was simple: he had spoken of forbidden knowledge, triggering a taboo curse placed by their supreme overlord.
Still, the man had revealed valuable intelligence before his demise.
His faction boasted seven powerful beings known as Kings, with even more formidable entities called Overlords ruling above them. However, only four Kings had arrived this time, the remaining three Kings and the Overlords were yet to make their appearance.
The deceased claimed to serve as a combatant under Sword King Garthy, one of the Seven Kings. The captain had dispatched them ahead for reconnaissance.
That same captain was now the demon corpse eliminated by Frieren's devastating spell.
Azrael had detected the enemy's rapid retreat from the coastline, prompting Frieren's preemptive strike.
Furthermore, the four Kings appeared to be currently engaged in warfare with a nation on the opposite side, leaving them unable to focus on this region.
No additional information had been available before the informant's head exploded.
"Why do I feel a sense of familiarity?" Azrael murmured after processing the intelligence.
He felt an odd recognition, as if he had encountered similar demons somewhere before.
Examining the Iron-rank [Pirate Combatant] and Bronze-rank [Elite Pirate] cards in his hands, Azrael fell into contemplation.
A moment later, recollection struck him, a secret realm he had experienced during his Bronze-rank Lore Cardian days:
[Black Flag].
"What was that demon's name again?" he wondered aloud.
"Right, Moore."
"Didn't he mention something about a king when he died?"
At the time, Azrael had dismissed it as hallucination. But now, seeing the materials in his possession that bore striking resemblance to those from [Black Flag], coupled with the unusually expansive map discovered there, he suspected these recent demons shared origins with that realm.
"So they belong to the same world?" he concluded with growing certainty.
These demons were definitely connected to Black Flag.
"I just don't know where this secret realm manifests."
Sighing, he collected the demon corpses and returned to the abandoned factory.
Since these demons had rowed close to Donglai, the secret realm could only exist somewhere at sea.
"And they're at war with another country," he reasoned.
"Korea?"
Considering the geography, it was the only nation positioned near Donglai.
"So there must be at least Emerald-level monsters in this secret realm."
Azrael possessed rough knowledge of Korea's situation since Li Gang's appearance in Donglai. The nation's strongest practitioners were Diamond-level Lore Cardians, and their territory had been steadily shrinking in recent years, practically teetering on the edge of extinction.
Decades ago, the Empire of Aetherlight might have provided assistance. But now, with the empire facing its own dire northern situation, how could they spare resources for such a distant vassal?
Korea's survival until now was largely thanks to imperial support.
Therefore, if this newly discovered secret realm contained Emerald-level monsters, combined with Korea's existing defensive capabilities, it wasn't inconceivable for them to hold their own against an entire nation.
After brief deliberation, Azrael decided to contact Godfrey. The newly discovered secret realm directly threatened Donglai, but his current status made direct notification to the association problematic. Better to call the security director and let him handle the situation.
Godfrey could claim credit for the discovery through his subordinates.
"Never mind which of his men supposedly found it."
Soon, the middle-aged man with his characteristic expressionless demeanor arrived at the scene.
Godfrey was momentarily stunned, then whispered, "Sir, who has offended you? Do you want me to arrange for them to be... dealt with?"
Azrael glanced at him sharply. "Don't make it sound like we're villains. Our goal in the Crimson Oath Society is to promote love and peace, not to dwell on violence."
"Examine them again."
Godfrey fell silent after hearing Azrael's rebuke. He had been a member of the Crimson Oath Society for years, how had he never known the organization possessed such noble objectives?
Eventually, he carefully sensed the aura emanating from the headless bodies.
"Demons?" he confirmed.
Seeing recognition dawn, Azrael nodded. "I discovered them along the coastline tonight."
He provided Godfrey with full details and his strategic analysis.
Godfrey's frown deepened. "I understand, sir. I'll handle this situation."
Having dealt with the demon threat, Azrael patted the middle-aged man's shoulder. "This location is no longer secure. Find a new meeting place and inform me later via sub-phone."
With that declaration, light flashed around him as he vanished from the abandoned factory.
Godfrey remained alone, staring silently at the corpses.
Early morning found Azrael stretching his stiff muscles awake.
Glancing at the white-haired elf beside him and her peculiar sleeping position, he couldn't suppress a slight smile.
His cool index finger gently poked her smooth cheek.
"Stop it..." came a drowsy, disgruntled murmur.
Frieren narrowed her eyes and pulled the thin blanket tighter around herself.
Ignoring the white-haired ancient elf's morning lethargy, Azrael completed his morning routine. He had to rush to work.
Such was the life of working people. Even Azrael, now a Gold-level Lore Cardian, couldn't escape the "Early Morning Rule."
Arriving at headquarters, he encountered a familiar figure standing outside the Vice President's office.
Godfrey.
However, this time he was accompanied by Diesel, Director of the Secret Realm Office.
"Good morning, President Azrael," both middle-aged men greeted him in unison.
"Good morning," Azrael replied with a slight nod, fully aware of their purpose. "What can I do for you?"
Godfrey responded formally, "President Azrael, our personnel have discovered unknown demon corpses along the coastline. Preliminary assessment suggests a secret realm has manifested somewhere at sea, but we cannot determine the exact location."
As expected, this was precisely what Azrael had assigned Godfrey to handle.
He sighed and pinched his temples, feigning a headache. "Have you consulted Guild Master Kavach?"
Both Godfrey and Diesel remained silent momentarily before speaking. "Yes, Guild Master Kavach directed us to consult with you."
Though anticipated, Azrael couldn't help feeling irritation rise in his chest.
"Tsk. Why don't I handle everything around here?"
Since Azrael's arrival in Donglai, he had been managing virtually all operations while Kavach had become completely absent.
Godfrey and Diesel wisely ignored the Vice President's complaints.
"Let's go. Take me to the scene."
"Yes, sir."
They boarded the association's official vehicle and, accompanied by several Lore Cardians, departed for the location.
Though summer persisted, the early morning coastal breeze carried a chill.
The association's Lore Cardians paid no mind to the temperature and had already established a security perimeter around the area, despite the location's relative isolation.
Glancing imperceptibly toward the distant abandoned factory, Azrael turned to Godfrey. "Are there any surveillance cameras in this vicinity?"
Godfrey hesitated, then replied, "The coastal cameras are all in disrepair, so no footage is available."
Azrael nodded. He was merely maintaining his cover.
Besides, Shiraori would never have chosen a location with functioning surveillance.
"That complicates matters." Azrael was about to mention the lack of leads when he looked toward the distant horizon.
Dozens of massive steel warships were steadily approaching Donglai.
Both Godfrey and Diesel had naturally noticed the unusual naval movement in the distance.
"Demons?" they wondered aloud.
Their confusion was understandable. The demons the association had discovered that morning used small wooden vessels, a stark contrast to the steel warships approaching from afar.
It was reasonable that they couldn't immediately assess the threat.
As everyone present watched the approaching fleet,
"BOOM!"
The deafening roar of naval artillery echoed across the shore.
Pitch-black projectiles flew at tremendous velocity from the distance.
"Incoming!" Godfrey's cold voice reached every Lore Cardian present.
Azrael's cards materialized beside him instantly.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū."
A transparent barrier appeared before them, intercepting a cannonball about to strike their position.
"BOOM!"
The violent explosion erupted, sending a crimson mushroom cloud slowly rising into the sky.
But blocking a single projectile wasn't sufficient. Over a dozen giant warships in the distance had unleashed a coordinated barrage of multiple shells.
Azrael's cards weren't the only defensive measures present, the remaining Lore Cardians stepped forward to intercept the additional incoming projectiles.
And Azrael possessed more than just Aizen's abilities.
With Fubuki's assistance, Misaka successfully positioned herself before an incoming cannonball.
"Finally, I can use something other than coins," the brown-haired electromaster flexed her right hand and gently placed her palm against the massive projectile's surface.
As violent electrical current carved furrows through the surrounding ground, the giant cannonball, wrapped in an orange electromagnetic field, rocketed back at exponentially greater speed.
"WHOOSH!"
A deafening sonic boom echoed across the ocean as circular shock waves formed, instantly splitting the undulating waters.
The railgun operated on electromagnetic principles but typically used coins for portability. Now, with enemy ordnance as ammunition, the results were devastating.
Behind them, the lower-ranked Lore Cardians watched their vice president's counterattack with obvious excitement.
"Incredible..."
But just as they began to celebrate, their voices caught in their throats as silence fell.
Before their astonished eyes, a roaring sword pressure whistled forth, colliding violently with Misaka's returning projectile.
The next moment, the cannonball was cleaved in two.
"BOOM!"
The explosion's shockwave swept across the shoreline, whipping everyone's hair in the violent wind.
The lower-ranked Lore Cardians present stared in stunned silence at the scene.
Azrael, Godfrey, and Diesel frowned as they focused on the massive steel vessel that had generated the sword pressure.
A young man stood proudly at the ship's bow, sword gleaming in his grasp.
There was no doubt, that devastating attack had originated from him.
"Such formidable strength," Azrael murmured with growing concern.
The giant steel warship now stood less than three kilometers from the coastline, easily within range of his spiritual detection.
The enemy's power was undeniably impressive.
Using Lanie as a reference point, this opponent possessed at least one full tier of superiority over her capabilities.
"Fortunately, he's not Emerald-level," Azrael assessed with relief.
At that moment, the sword-wielding young man's confident voice carried across the water to reach everyone's ears.
"Surrender now, and I, Sword King Garthy, might spare your lives."