In the elevated viewing area reserved exclusively for university representatives, the academic tensions that had been simmering throughout the tournament finally boiled over.
The Beijing University representative leaned back in his chair, his weathered features etched with genuine disappointment. "Too bad about Vali," he muttered, shaking his head slowly. "If he hadn't drawn Azrael in the first round, that young man could have easily gone several more rounds. Maybe even reached the semifinals."
The Pixar University representative kept his eyes on the notebook in his lap, scribbling observations with practiced efficiency as he nodded in apparent agreement. "Bad luck," he replied without looking up, though he was mentally calculating how to spin this narrative. "Who could have predicted that Azrael's cards would be such perfect counters? This level of type advantage is almost unfair."
He deliberately emphasized the role of luck over skill, for his superiors had already informed him that Azrael would become Master Lucian's personal student. As far as Pixar University was concerned, Azrael was already one of them. In situations like this, downplaying a recruit's dominance helped prevent other institutions from making aggressive counteroffers or attempting to poach talent.
The other representatives in the section weren't entirely convinced by this assessment, but they had their own agendas to pursue. Several of them were already making mental notes to approach Vali after today's games. A student who could reach this level of the Provincial Exam clearly had considerable potential, even in defeat.
"Speaking of Azrael's cards," the Velkairos University representative interjected, leaning forward with obvious interest. "That Straw Hat Pirate's complete immunity to lightning damage is truly remarkable. I've never seen anything like it at the Bronze level."
The comment sent a wave of contemplative silence through the assembled academics. Lightning-based abilities appeared in virtually every major mythological framework: the Chinese thunder gods, the Greek Zeus, the Norse Thor, the Hindu Indra. The universality of electrical powers in Cardian lore meant that immunity to such attacks provided an enormous tactical advantage in countless potential match-ups.
After a long pause, the Aurora University representative cleared his throat diplomatically. "From what we observed, it appeared to be immunity to most electrical damage rather than complete negation," he offered with academic precision. "Still, even partial resistance at this level is extraordinary."
That's still absolutely outrageous, every other representative thought privately. Partial immunity might sound more reasonable than complete invulnerability, but in practice, it turned Luffy into a tough counter against an entire category of God-level cards. Thunder Gods that had dominated the tournament scene for years were suddenly neutralized by a Bronze-level Pirate.
"And this is supposedly only a Bronze level," someone whispered, though the comment was clearly heard in the quiet section.
The Kyoto University representative, who had been watching the match with intense concentration, raised another point of concern. "Did anyone else notice the final moment when his card became virtually invulnerable to death itself? That wasn't just durability, that was something approaching true immortality."
This observation caused the Ludao University representative to adjust his glasses thoughtfully. "I watched that sequence closely, and I think you're wrong about the nature of the ability," he said with the confidence of someone who prided himself on technical accuracy. "It was not Death Immunity. The card naturally dissipated after the battle ended, rather than being recalled by Azrael, suggesting that it had taken fatal damage but continued to fight through some sort of battle continuity effect."
The term "battle continuation" resonated with several representatives who were familiar with more esoteric Lore Cardian theories, though they wouldn't have used that exact phrase in academic circles.
Hearing this technical discussion, the Pixar University representative shot a furtive glance at his Ludao counterpart. Why does that guy have to be so observant? he thought with mild irritation. The more detailed analysis these other universities did, the more likely they were to realize Azrael's true potential and make competing offers.
But since the conversation had come this far, it would look suspicious to abruptly change the subject. Better to steer the discussion into safer waters while providing just enough information to maintain credibility.
"Is this really the typical level of performance we should expect from Bronze cards?" asked the Aurora University representative, voicing the question that had been on everyone's mind.
"I'm afraid this card is almost certainly at least gold quality," the Pixar University representative replied, deliberately underestimating what his private intelligence suggested was actually red quality. "The combination of abilities we witnessed would be difficult to achieve with anything less."
The other representatives exchanged meaningful glances at this assessment. Each of them had decades of experience in evaluating the quality of cards, and not one of them believed that Luffy was just a gold level. The performance they'd witnessed, the electrical immunity, the apparent continuation of battle, the overwhelming physical prowess, and the seamless coordination with the mysterious Soul Reaper all pointed to something far more extraordinary.
What university representative here has such poor evaluation skills?" several academics privately wondered about their Pixar colleague, though diplomatic protocols prevented them from voicing such criticism directly.
Fortunately for the increasingly uncomfortable Pixar representative, the arena's public address system crackled to life, signaling that the next match was about to begin. The assembled academics gratefully turned their attention to the field below, bringing the awkward analysis session to a natural conclusion.
Back in the Silverbrook High School section, Azrael found himself the center of attention in a very different way. More than a dozen pairs of eyes followed his movements as he returned to his seat, each gaze carrying a mixture of awe, curiosity, and something approaching reverence.
The students around him weren't naive about power levels; as Iron-level Lore Cardians themselves, they were only one step away from Bronze. This proximity to Azrael's current level meant that they could truly comprehend what they'd just witnessed, rather than dismiss it as incomprehensible high-level combat.
Had two masters fought in this arena, the students might have felt impressed but emotionally detached from the conflict. Bronze-level combat, however, was an attainable goal. With dedicated effort and perhaps six months of focused development, some of them could reach Azrael's current level.
This closeness made Azrael's dominance both inspiring and terrifying. He wasn't some untouchable legend, he was a classmate who had simply advanced along the same path they all walked.
Miss Victoria approached Azrael with the warm smile of a teacher who sees her student exceed all expectations. "Azrael," she said with genuine pride, "you have officially surpassed your teacher's abilities. I can't wait to see how much more you grow in the future."
As a Bronze-level Lore Cardian herself, Miss Victoria understood exactly how significant Azrael's current strength had become. Watching a student she'd personally taught reach and then surpass her own abilities filled her with a special satisfaction that only educators truly experience.
Azrael felt a genuine surge of gratitude toward his teacher. Throughout his time at Silverbrook High School, Miss Victoria had been consistently supportive, providing excellent classroom instruction while accommodating his frequent absences without complaint or excessive questioning.
Her behavior stood in stark contrast to Azrael's college experience from his previous life, where a counselor had refused to approve emergency leave even when his father required surgery, forcing Azrael to choose between family obligations and academic penalties.
"Victoria," Azrael replied with sincere appreciation, "without your guidance and instruction, I would never have achieved the results I have today.
This response had real meaning beyond mere courtesy. While Azrael's other cards drew heavily on the fictional knowledge of his past life, Yoriichi's development had been directly influenced by the combat theory and Lore Cardian principles he'd learned at Silverbrook High School.
Miss Victoria's expression softened at Azrael's words, and she gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder before returning to her supervisory duties, allowing him to settle back into his seat and watch the fights unfold.
As Azrael watched the ongoing competition, various creature and equipment cards clashing in displays of tactical complexity, his mind inevitably turned to strategic analysis of his own deck.
"My creature cards are adequate for now," he mused quietly, mentally cataloging his current lineup. "But I'm seriously lacking in equipment and support cards."
The recent battle had exposed a critical weakness in his current approach. When that corpse-holder had unleashed his lightning attacks, Azrael had been reminded of an uncomfortable truth: Lore Cardian duels prohibited direct attacks on opposing Lore Cardians, but wilderness encounters operated under no such restrictions.
Had this area-of-effect lightning attack occurred during a real mission, Azrael might have been killed instantly, despite the victory of his cards. The card makers didn't have the protagonist immunity frames found in the anime; they were just as vulnerable to stray magical artillery as any other human.
While his Crimson Oath Society persona benefited from Mark 3's protective systems, his official student identity remained dangerously exposed. With university admission looming and mandatory secret realm expeditions on the horizon, this defensive gap represented a critical flaw in his long-term survival strategy.
The demons inhabiting the secret realms would not honor dueling conventions or limit themselves to single-target attacks.
"The question is whether to focus on creature cards or equipment," Azrael mused. Several possibilities immediately popped into his mind: symbiotic creatures like Venom that could provide both offense and defense, or legendary artifacts like the Rho Aias that specialized in protection.
Kamen Rider transformation belts also appealed, offering both defensive capabilities and the potential for dramatic power-ups when circumstances demanded it.
"One great advantage of equipment cards is their portability," Azrael realized. "Even if my active cards were eliminated, surviving members could inherit and use the equipment."
Azrael favored defensive strategies over direct confrontation; shooting from cover suited his personality far better than charging into melee. Equipment cards could provide the layered protection necessary for such tactical approaches.
Unfortunately, no matter how far-reaching Azrael's plans were, one harsh reality limited all of his aspirations: his account balance showed only 120,000 Empyrean Dollars remaining. That amount might cover the materials for a single Black Iron level card, but nothing of the quality he really needed.
"I'll have to wait until after the Provincial Trials," Azrael sighed inwardly, accepting the limitations of his current financial situation.
At least he would be out of immediate danger until the tournament ended. The controlled environment of the tournament meant that he would have several days to plan and possibly acquire additional resources before facing real combat again.
Beside him, Gabi noticed Azrael's pensive expression, wondering why he seemed troubled despite his decisive victory. Had she known the true source of his concern, that he was mentally designing his next wave of supernatural allies while most students were struggling to afford their first Bronze-level card, she might have challenged him to a duel right then and there.
Most of the Provincial Examinees couldn't even create Bronze-level cards, while Azrael was casually planning additions to his already formidable collection. The disparity in resources would have been infuriating to anyone else aware of the real situation.
"We're growing apart, Azrael," Gabi thought with a mixture of admiration and determination. She understood that after the Provincial Examination, Azrael would likely remain in Pixar to await early admission to the University, rather than return to Velkairos to finish high school.
Their paths diverged, and the gap in their abilities grew wider with each passing day.
"But I will catch up to you eventually," she silently promised, her competitive spirit flaring. "No matter how far ahead you are, I won't give up."
Had Azrael been aware of Gabi's thoughts, he probably would have muttered something about meeting yet another Sakura-type character determined to chase after an increasingly powerful protagonist. The parallels to certain anime tropes were becoming uncomfortably obvious.
Instead, he focused on the arena below, where the next round of elimination matches was beginning to showcase the true depth of talent that had emerged from across Greenridge Province. The competition was far from over, and each upcoming match would reveal new tactics and hidden skills among the remaining competitors.
Azrael's own path to the championship would only become more challenging from this point on.