Russell cleared off his desk and carefully laid out the three material cards and the blank template.
In this world, Cardmakers could forge many types of cards—Creature Cards, Equipment Cards, and more complex types like Chain Cards and Legion Cards. But for Russell, those were far-off dreams.
Today, he was focused on one thing only: his first Creature Card.
He closed his eyes and summoned the image from his mind.
"It has to be you."
With the school's issued sketch stylus in hand, he began outlining the figure on the blank card—sharp black hair, a calm face, and a strange reddish birthmark across the forehead.
Once he finished, Russell leaned back and exhaled deeply. The drawing had drained a surprising amount of mental energy.
And yet, this was only the beginning.
He stacked the materials with the blank card and slowly channeled his mental force over them.
Suddenly, his surroundings vanished.
He found himself floating in a void.
A message echoed through the silence:
"Begin writing your story."
Russell focused and began constructing the tale etched into his memory.
[Yoriichi Tsugikuni, born during Japan's Warring States period. Twin brother to Michikatsu Tsugikuni.]
[Feared by his father for the mysterious birthmark on his forehead, but deeply loved by his brother.]
[At age seven, he displayed incredible talent with the sword. Their father named him heir.]
[Unwilling to rob his brother of that future, Yoriichi left home quietly.]
[He lived peacefully with a kind woman named Uta, whom he later married.]
[While assisting an old man on the road, he returned too late—Uta and their unborn child had been slaughtered by a demon.]
[He sat beside their bodies for ten days in silence.]
[Eventually, he met the Demon Slayer Corps and joined them to hunt demons.]
[Yoriichi created the original Breathing Styles, which became the foundation of all sword techniques.]
[He confronted Muzan Kibutsuji, the first demon, and nearly killed him, forcing Muzan to flee in terror.]
[Moved by the story of Tamayo, one of Muzan's servants, Yoriichi spared her.]
[Because of this—and his brother Michikatsu's betrayal to become the demon Kokushibo—Yoriichi was banished from the Corps.]
[Later, he befriended Sumiyoshi's family and passed on the legacy of Sun Breathing.]
[At eighty, Yoriichi faced his demon brother in one final duel. He struck a fatal blow—but died before he could finish him.]
When the story concluded, a quiet pulse of energy signaled its acceptance.
Russell opened his eyes back in his room—and for a split second, he saw twisted demonic shapes flickering into view. Their presence was paralyzing.
Then a figure emerged.
A calm, black-haired swordsman with deep crimson eyes and a glowing katana.
He stepped between Russell and the darkness.
[Demon Hunter – Yoriichi Tsugikuni]
Rank: Black Iron
Rarity: Purple (Common → Uncommon → Rare → Epic → Purple → Gold → Crimson → Mythic)
Type: Creature
Abilities:
🩸 Crimson Blade – Ignites the sword's edge through intense focus and force. Extremely effective against demonic or shadow-based enemies, greatly limiting their regeneration.
🌅 Sun Breathing – Enhances respiratory and circulatory power to push the user's body to near-demonic physical capability in short bursts.
🔍 Transparent World – Allows the user to perceive enemies' internal rhythms—muscle movements, breath cycles, and blood flow—enabling near-perfect dodging and reaction speed.
Trait:
🔥 Mark of the Slayer – When activated, boosts all physical attributes dramatically.
Profile: A swordsman of unmatched skill, driven by loss and bound by honor.
Synergy: When deployed alongside Kokushibo (Michikatsu Tsugikuni), activate special ability: Blood-Bound Legacy.
Russell stared at the finished card, barely breathing.
"I actually did it…"
He'd made a Purple-tier card. On his first try.
He knew the result partly came from luck—the synergy between his chosen materials and the story was unusually strong. But even so, he'd pulled it off.
There was no doubt now: this card was real.
He touched the card to his forehead and pushed a trace of his mental energy into it.
The card dissolved into a shimmer of light, embedding itself in his consciousness.
Russell mentally reached for the image—and the figure appeared before him.
A swordsman in deep red-and-black attire, katana resting against the wall. Silent. Powerful.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Russell pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and sent it directly to his advisor.
To: Mr. Willis
Message: "Sir, I made a card. Purple rarity."
[Photo attached]
At that very moment, Mr. Willis nearly dropped his coffee.
"Purple? Seriously?"
Even getting into the top class at Edenridge High only required crafting a Blue-tier card.
For Russell—an average student—to claim a Purple-tier card was almost unbelievable.
He replied cautiously:
"Are you sure? If you fail the verification test, you'll lose your certification chance permanently."
"I'm sure," Russell messaged back. "I'll take the test first thing tomorrow."
Willis frowned but nodded to himself.
"Alright. Come find me after morning announcements. If you pass… welcome to the Elite Track."
Russell set the phone down, feeling the tension finally ease from his shoulders.
He glanced once more at Yoriichi.
"This is it. My first step."
Then the emergency alert system interrupted the broadcast from the still-humming TV:
"⚠️ Alert: Rift Zone 'Devil's Nest' has entered critical instability. All residents near Sector 7 must evacuate to designated shelters immediately. Repeat: Critical instability in Devil's Nest. Seek shelter now."
Russell's eyes narrowed.
"Of course something had to go wrong…"
And with that, his quiet evening was over.