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My name is Zachary. I'm a 20-year-old sophomore at Kirin University. This year, I had the honor of representing my school in the national competition. We made it to the quarterfinals! Our captain Holden—who is basically a human-shaped monster—just got turned into barbecue by our opponent.
Now it's my turn.
What do I do? WHAT DO I DO!? Waiting online for advice, this is URGENT!
Despite Holden's dramatic exit, the match continued. Kirin's remaining players were leagues below their captain, though still respectable silver-levels. Without his trump cards, Russell would have struggled to achieve a perfect sweep. So after demolishing Kirin's third player with casual efficiency, he made a strategic decision.
"I forfeit the fourth match," he announced, shocking everyone.
No point wasting energy on cannon fodder. My teammates need their participation trophies too.
His mental scan confirmed the last two Kirin players were manageable. Time to let the supporting cast have their moment in the spotlight.
Returning to the prep area, Russell dropped onto the bench beside Hazel.
"Senior Sister, Master Frank won't hold a grudge about me nearly killing his student, right?"
Hazel sat like an ice sculpture given life—beautiful, untouchable, and radiating an aura that said 'approach at your own risk.'
"Frank won't care," she said simply.
Russell relaxed. If a Diamond-level cardmaker said it was fine, it was fine. She had the perspective to know these things.
The remaining matches played out predictably. Jean and Grant handled Kirin's last two players with workmanlike efficiency—no drama, no near-death experiences, just competent cardmaking.
"First quarterfinal match: Northgate University defeats Kirin University!"
Coach Carter practically levitated with joy. "Semi-finals! After all these years! Could we actually win it all?" His eyes locked onto Russell with desperate hope. "Russell..."
"Coach, I'll do my best," Russell interrupted, though his tone suggested 'my best' meant 'casually annihilate everyone.'
The second quarterfinal featured Daming Science & Technology University versus Shandong University.
Shandong's captain revealed his trump card, and Russell nearly choked.
"Is that... Confucius?"
The 'Great Sage and Teacher' stood on the platform—except instead of a scholarly elder dispensing wisdom, this Confucius was built like a bodybuilder who'd discovered steroids and protein powder simultaneously.
'When words fail, fists prevail,' right? Physical philosophy at its finest.
The muscular sage's combat philosophy was indeed well-organized—organize your opponents into neat piles of unconscious bodies. Unfortunately, divine beings weren't interested in attending his lecture series. Daming Science & Technology won without breaking a sweat.
The third match—Northwestern Tech versus Wuhan University—started predictably until Wuhan's captain, Lake, revealed something special.
A bitter-faced middle-aged woman in white linen appeared, clutching a brush and petition paper. She wrote frantically, then hurled the paper skyward.
"May Heaven help me!"
The paper ignited spontaneously. Dark clouds gathered with unnatural speed.
Russell nudged Lucian. "Looks like your weather control."
"It's completely different," Lucian frowned. "This feels... wrong. Heavier."
An invisible pressure descended on everyone's hearts. The three silver robots facing the divine judge developed hairline cracks, spreading like ice on a warming lake.
Russell straightened. "Did he actually summon Heaven?"
Impossible. 'Heaven' in Chinese mythology isn't a person—it's a principle, like the Dao itself. Omniscient, omnipotent, and definitely not answerable to silver-level cardmakers.
Unless... the brush and petition are prop cards? He's borrowing power, not commanding it.
"Northwestern's done for," someone muttered.
But Northwestern's captain, Anson, smiled serenely. "Sorry, but I promised to take my team to the finals. And promises... matter."
His teammates wiped away tears. "Captain, don't waste your trump card on us..."
Then Russell noticed something crucial. "The destroyed robots didn't dissipate."
Indeed, while two robots had shattered under Heaven's pressure, their fragments remained solid, scattered across the arena floor.
A cold, mechanical voice echoed through the stadium:
"Weapon Module: [Celestial Phenomenon: Sun, Moon, and Star] loading initiated."
"Defense Module: [Force Field: God-Stop] loading initiated."
The fragments flew up, merging with the surviving robot. The struggling machine transformed, sprouting a massive silver vortex device crackling with contained lightning.
"Loading complete. Combat Mode: Normal."
Red light blazed in its optical sensors. A subtle hum filled the air, and suddenly the oppressive pressure vanished.
"God-Stop?" Russell marveled. "An anti-divinity field? That's brilliantly specific."
The vortex device erupted with dark blue energy, piercing the clouds.
"Day."
A miniature sun materialized above the field, banishing the darkness.
Russell's mental probe confirmed it—just energy mimicking solar properties, not an actual star or mythological construct.
"Power level between Silver Arm and Caliburn," he assessed. "Question is duration."
The answer came immediately.
What followed could only be described poetically: The mushroom cloud rises straight, while the setting sun glows round.
Light and heat exploded outward. Without the barrier's protection, half the audience would've been permanently blinded. Lake's divine judge simply... ceased to exist.
"Didn't get to see Moon or Star modes," Russell said with genuine disappointment. "Though if that's just Day, I'm curious about the full arsenal."
"Anson..." Russell watched the young captain surrounded by tearful teammates. "Interesting."
Lucian looked worried. "This year's dark horses are insane."
"Good thing we have our own insanity," Grant muttered, glancing at Russell.
Semi-final bracket:
Northgate vs. Daming Science & Technology
Northwestern Tech vs. Major University
Carter's face fell. "The defending champions? Our luck is cursed."
Their tournament path had been brutal: River City, Imperial College, Capital University, Kirin, and now the defending champions. Only River City had been easy.
Russell shrugged. Champions didn't choose their opponents—they beat everyone.
Late that night, Russell's phone buzzed.
Extricating himself from a tangle of soft limbs and golden hair—Unohana made an excellent pillow—he checked the message.
[Misty]: My lord, notify me when you return to Northgate. New developments require discussion.
Translation: The Society has plans for the soon-to-be Gold-level cardmaker.
"My performance was too eye-catching," he sighed. Gold-level meant middle management in the Society hierarchy. No more comfortable neglect.
Best case scenario: They'd assign him to run some backwater city, giving him room to maneuver. Worst case... well, he'd burn that bridge when he came to it.
[Russell]: Understood.
He slipped back into bed, troubled. Unohana stirred, sensing his distress. Her hand stroked his hair gently, humming a wordless melody in the darkness.
"Semi-finals already," he murmured. "Time flies when you're crushing dreams."
June 30th - Semi-finals Day
The stadium buzzed with anticipation.
"Northgate versus defending champions!"
"If Science & Technology wins, it's back-to-back championships. Has that ever happened?"
"Russell's strong but his teammates..."
"Individual champion for sure, but team competition?"
The debate raged while teams strategized.
"I'll test their strength first," Grant volunteered.
Russell agreed. No point revealing everything immediately.
Science & Technology sent out Sienna, last year's champion member. Intelligence said she used a single card: [Frost Mother • Unknown Giant].
Then she summoned her cards.
Two cards. Two giants—male and female—towering over the arena.
Russell shot upright. "Bond cards."
As arctic wind filled the stadium, Russell connected the dots. They'd studied the Eddas after learning about Science & Technology's Norse theme. Now he recognized them.
The grandson of primordial giant Ymir. Progenitor of the Frost Giants.
[Frost Noah • Bergelmir].
The defending champions had been holding back too.
(End of Chapter)
PLZ THROW POWERSTONES.
Next target reach 500 powerstones for bonus chapter.