Under the pitch-black night sky, Zoro streaked across the battlefield like a green meteor, his Three Sword Style technique cutting through the air with lethal precision. His overwhelming presence pierced the battlefield, causing the very air to tremble with anticipation.
Kavach's heart sank as he witnessed this display, a sense of foreboding rising within him. "No way..."
But remembering that his own ace card was also Red-quality, he felt marginally reassured. "At least he can't be instantly killed, right?"
Coming to his senses, he realized he was merely scaring himself unnecessarily. "As long as we can hold them off until reinforcements arrive, that should be sufficient. The Association's backup forces should be arriving soon."
Kavach wasn't referring to the Gold-rank Lore Cardians like Azrael, but rather the lower-ranked Lore Cardians within the Association's ranks. While those lower-tier Lore Cardian Masters might prove useless against Emerald-ranked opponents, they could still inflict meaningful damage against Gold-ranked Crimson Oath Society members.
He presumed that those Crimson Oath fanatics wouldn't choose to fight to the bitter end against such overwhelming odds.
Meanwhile, Memphis, already battered and wounded on the battlefield, naturally sensed the terrifying power emanating from Zoro's Three Sword Style ultimate technique and immediately sought to support Carl in the upcoming clash.
Unfortunately, a jet-black beam of energy narrowly missed him, leaving a smoldering crater in the ground where he had been standing moments before.
Looking up, he saw the white-haired millennium elf mage gazing calmly at him with ancient, calculating eyes.
"Tsk." Memphis cursed under his breath.
He knew that in this critical situation, Carl would have to face the green-haired swordsman's hidden attack alone.
Taking a deep breath, Memphis gathered his remaining strength and faced Frieren once again, steel resolve in his eyes.
Now, facing Zoro's Three Sword Style ultimate technique, Carl's expression grew increasingly serious as he assessed the incoming threat.
He naturally understood why the green-haired swordsman had suddenly launched such a devastating attack. As an assassination attempt, it was natural to want to end the fight with a single, decisive strike.
Gazing at the green-haired demon of war, now almost within striking range, Carl took a deep breath and raised the crimson divine sword in his hand, the blade obscuring half of his face in dramatic shadows.
Simultaneously, the ethereal female figure behind him performed the same movement, their actions perfectly synchronized.
The blades of the two divine swords now reflected faces distinct from those of one person and one soul, ice and fire unified in purpose.
The next moment erupted in spectacular violence.
"Flame Dance!"
"Ice Storm!"
The overlapping battle cries of a man and a woman suddenly echoed across the entire battlefield, their voices harmonizing in deadly intent.
Crimson flames and dark blue ice intertwined in a mesmerizing display, the opposing elements blending perfectly in defiance of natural law.
A dreamlike sword light slashed downward through the night air, piercing cold alternating with searing heat in rapid succession.
Witnessing this spectacular display, Azrael, concealed in the shadows, couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Where did these discount versions of legendary ice and fire swords come from?"
He could understand why this world might have developed abilities resembling those from his previous life's knowledge. Just as an infinite number of monkeys randomly typing on keyboards might eventually reproduce every book in existence, so too could the powers of ice and fire manifest as highly sought-after abilities in any magical world.
Fortunately, these weren't the authentic legendary divine swords Azrael was familiar with, otherwise he'd probably be dealing with an entirely different level of threat tonight.
Even so, the sword light emanating from Carl's combined technique was not to be underestimated by any measure.
All the Lore Cardians present, save for Azrael and Kavach, felt an involuntary chill run down their spines as they sensed the terrifying presence radiating from the clash.
Meanwhile, Godfrey, maintaining his carefully constructed Diesel identity, felt a pang of bitterness wash over him, a nagging sensation that tonight's operation might ultimately end in failure despite their careful planning.
But as everyone watched with bated breath, awaiting the outcome of this spectacular confrontation, Carl's expression suddenly shifted to one of alarm. "Not good!"
The brilliant sword light that was supposed to engulf and obliterate Zoro paused dramatically in mid-air before splitting cleanly in two, revealing the unharmed swordsman within.
Carl finally understood the true meaning behind the green-haired swordsman's earlier declaration.
The green-haired swordsman, now visible to everyone, was covered in burns and frostbite from forcing his way through the combined ice and fire technique, but his eyes shone with a frightening brilliance that spoke of unwavering determination.
"Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
As he landed with tremendous force, Zoro stomped the ground hard, instantly propelling himself forward and arriving before Carl in the blink of an eye.
Seeing the three pitch-black swords threatening to devour the surrounding light itself, Carl thrust his crimson blade forward again, desperately attempting to block Zoro's relentless assault.
Unfortunately, Zoro, intent on complete annihilation, launched the attack with the resolve of mutual destruction, completely unconcerned with the sword wind tearing his own body apart.
"Ding!"
The metallic clash rang out as Carl successfully blocked the initial strike, his expression brightening with momentary relief.
At the same moment, the ethereal female figure behind him swung at Zoro with fluid grace, wielding a flowing ice slash with the intent of severing the green-haired swordsman cleanly in half.
"Clang!"
A sound like the clashing of steel against iron echoed across the battlefield, and both Carl and the female figure behind him shared a look of complete astonishment.
At that critical moment, under everyone's stunned gaze, Zoro's pitch-black right arm had firmly blocked the icy blue divine sword, using his Armament Haki-enhanced limb as an impromptu shield.
Completely ignoring the longsword that had pierced his flesh and pressed against his arm bone, Zoro's lips curled into a predatory grin that belonged more to a demon than a man. "Looks like I've won this round."
His voice, carrying the finality of a death knell from the depths of hell itself, resounded ominously in Carl's ears.
"What?!" Carl's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Three Sword Style: Sanzen Sekai!"
The pitch-black longsword transformed into a ferocious dragon made of pure cutting intent, devouring Carl in one devastating gulp.
Everyone present stared in stunned silence at Zoro, who had already moved to a position directly behind his fallen opponent.
"Shh..."
Carl remained motionless for a heartbeat, his mind unable to process what had just occurred.
Then, with a single explosive breath, he erupted in a cloud of crimson blood.
"Thud!"
A dull, final sound echoed across the battlefield as the ace card belonging to the president of the Donglai Cardian Master Association silently dissipated into particles of light.
Kavach's face contorted in horror as he watched the scene unfold, unable to believe what he was witnessing with his own eyes.
But the [Crazy Sword: Flame Silence] card that was now entering its cooldown period reminded him with crystalline clarity, his death was fast approaching.
"Diesel! Azrael!"
A shrill cry, completely saturated with primal fear, echoed across the entire battlefield.
The Association president was desperately pleading for salvation from his supposed comrades.
Perhaps they truly were his allies.
But without Carl to intercept him, who could possibly stop the green-haired swordsman who now resembled nothing less than a god of death incarnate?
Seeing Zoro charging at him almost without pause, his three swords gleaming with murderous intent, Kavach used both hands and feet to tumble backwards in a panic.
Unfortunately, although his body had been enhanced through various card effects, he was not a close-quarters combat specialist like Tempest, so there was absolutely no way he could outrun a determined Zoro.
In just a few desperate breaths, the green-haired swordsman, now resembling a demon emerged straight from hell, covered in blood both his own and his enemies', was directly behind the fleeing president.
Sensing the absolutely terrifying aura emanating from behind him, Kavach's legs gave way completely and he collapsed among the ruins.
Meanwhile, Memphis attempted to rescue his summoner, but this desperate maneuver undoubtedly left him fatally vulnerable. He was ultimately annihilated by one of Frieren's devastating Zoltraak spells.
Just when Kavach felt his situation was utterly hopeless, his enhanced mental senses picked up the distinctive presence of Vice President Azrael.
Turning his head frantically, he spotted Azrael standing in the distance, silently observing the unfolding carnage with an unreadable expression.
"Save me! Azrael!" Kavach cried out desperately, grasping at what seemed like his only lifeline.
However, in his terror-stricken eyes, the young Vice President merely shrugged with apparent helplessness, his gesture conveying a sense of resigned inevitability.
Kavach could see Azrael's lips moving, forming what appeared to be words of... farewell?
Before the doomed president could process the young man's cryptic message, Zoro's blade had already completed its deadly arc.
Zoro had no interest in engaging in dramatic dialogue with the man before him; his brief exchange with Carl had been merely out of mutual respect between fellow swordsmen.
Thus, the president of the Donglai Cardian Master Association met his end.
Witnessing this decisive conclusion, Diesel immediately disengaged from his battle with Godfrey and quickly reached Azrael's protective position.
Azrael's two visible cards no longer engaged with Shiraori in active combat, but instead took defensive positions around him, as if genuinely fearing that the Crimson Oath Society members might launch a surprise attack.
However, after watching Aizen and Misaka smoothly disengage from the battle and retreat to safety, Diesel's eyes flickered with unspoken understanding, though he ultimately said nothing about the convenient timing.
After all, he had just executed the exact same strategic withdrawal moments earlier.
"President Azrael," Diesel whispered urgently, "shouldn't we consider a tactical retreat at this point?"
"After all, President Kavach is dead," he continued, casting a fearful glance toward the three formidable cards standing before the distant figure of Godfrey.
Apart from Zoro, who remained standing despite being covered in what should have been mortal wounds, both Frieren and Shiraori, while not completely unscathed in the experienced Lore Cardian's assessment, were definitely still capable of continued combat.
And who could be certain that the green-haired card truly possessed so little remaining combat power?
After all, Zoro had already sustained numerous injuries during his initial clash with President Kavach's ace card, yet had still managed to achieve victory through sheer determination.
So while it might superficially appear to be a balanced two-versus-two situation, the actual balance of power was heavily skewed in favor of their opponents.
Diesel was genuinely afraid that the Crimson Oath Society's fanatics would choose to continue this deadly engagement.
If the young man standing beside him also perished in tonight's conflict, the entire Donglai region would be utterly doomed.
In the distance, Godfrey and Crowley weren't dwelling on these tactical considerations. Instead, a profound sense of relief washed over both men.
"We've finally completed the mission assigned by Sixth Master," they thought simultaneously, their hearts still trembling from the dramatic fluctuations in the battlefield's momentum.
Fortunately, Azrael's cards had ultimately prevailed against all odds.
Crowley, feeling a certain sense of relief mixed with healthy respect, gazed at the three diverse and powerful cards arrayed before him.
He felt genuinely grateful that he was a member of the Crimson Oath Society rather than their opponent, otherwise he would have been facing these terrifying entities tonight.
The middle-aged man with the typically expressionless face had no desire whatsoever to risk his life against Frieren's devastating killing magic and Zoro's legendary blades.
Godfrey, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully at Frieren and Zoro before murmuring quietly, "These two powerful allies..."
"If I remember correctly from the intelligence reports, they prefer certain foods and beverages?" he mused, uncertain whether there would be another operation requiring their cooperation.
He decided to procure some of the legendary figures' favorite consumables after tonight's successful mission concluded. "Many small gifts can build lasting appreciation," he reasoned pragmatically. "This approach should help ensure the three masters provide protection for my continued safety."
And just like that, the devastated battlefield suddenly fell into an eerie, almost supernatural silence.
After several tense moments passed, Azrael frowned slightly as he observed the squid-masked figure in the distance. "What is this guy waiting for?"
According to his carefully planned script, Crowley should simply deliver a few appropriately threatening words and then make his strategic withdrawal.
As for why they wouldn't immediately attack Azrael and his remaining allies, well, did anyone really want to attempt understanding the twisted thought processes of these Crimson Oath Society fanatics?
As if sensing Azrael's penetrating gaze, Crowley's heart trembled involuntarily beneath his concealing mask.
But just as he opened his mouth to deliver his planned exit lines, a voice that Azrael found somewhat familiar rang out clearly across the battlefield.
"Hey, Crimson Oath Society! Do you want to join forces to eliminate these Association lapdogs once and for all?"
It was Li Gang from the Onefold Doctrine sect.
After experiencing the catastrophic monster invasion along the coast and witnessing the dramatic assassinations of both the president and vice president, these previously hidden extremists from the Onefold Doctrine had finally decided they could no longer remain passive observers.
"President!" Diesel's face changed drastically at this unexpected development, and he immediately moved to pull the young man beside him toward safety.
However, Azrael calmly stretched out his hand to halt Diesel's panicked retreat.
"Tonight brings an unexpected opportunity," Azrael thought to himself, his mind already calculating the potential advantages of this new variable.
The pieces were falling into place exactly as he had hoped.