Regardless of what Azrael was thinking, Memphis and his companion saw that the matter had been resolved and didn't linger any longer.
As for missions, Azrael had just joined the Crimson Oath Society, so he naturally wouldn't be assigned any tasks yet. The two men simply told him to wait for notification before taking their leave.
After seeing them off, Azrael couldn't help but breathe a deep sigh of relief. "Finally, they're gone."
Honestly, today's experience had been far too intense. He still hadn't fully recovered from the shock of it all. The weight of nearly being exposed as an illegal Lore Cardian pressed heavily on his mind.
Settling onto his sofa, he summoned his personal cards. Luffy and the others wore expressions of unwillingness and shame. They were clearly frustrated by their inability to help during the confrontation.
Seeing their dejected faces, Azrael waved his hands dismissively. "Don't blame yourselves. This was my own carelessness."
He meant every word. The events of recent days had made him overconfident. As a struggling artist in his previous life, he had never experienced the intoxicating feeling of being praised and recognized. Today's close call, however, had been a harsh reality check.
"It's better to rely on yourself than on others," Azrael thought grimly. "No matter how powerful Master Lucian is, what does that really matter to me? Even if he could avenge me, so what? I'd still be dead."
In this world of extraordinary beings, this moment crystallized a crucial realization: Lore Cardians lived dangerously. Whether they were association-approved or operating illegally, they all walked a razor's edge.
The root of the problem was simple. Azrael wasn't strong enough. Had he been a gold-ranked Lore Cardian, the Crimson Oath Society wouldn't have dared approach him so brazenly.
Still, the final outcome wasn't entirely bad. The Crimson Oath Society's contract couldn't truly restrict him, so he essentially gained valuable materials for free.
"Lian," Azrael muttered, thinking of the traitor. The corruption within the Velkairos City Lore Cardian Association was deeper than he'd imagined. Such a significant mole had operated undetected for who knows how long. God only knew how many other traitors lurked in the shadows.
For now, he could trust only Lucian and Dareth with gold-level intelligence. If those two betrayed him, Velkairos City might as well surrender entirely.
Pushing aside these troubling thoughts, Azrael examined the materials in his hand: The bronze-level Individual Combat Armor in purple quality was quite interesting.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and browsed the trading website. After searching, he found exactly what he needed: A bronze-level Portable Power Furnace and Primary Artificial Intelligence, both purple quality.
The two bronze-level materials cost just over one million Empyrean Dollars in total. Azrael immediately placed the order. The market for mechanical materials remained relatively weak due to the prevalent atmosphere of gods, ghosts, and monsters in the Empire of Aetherlight, though demand was better in Lighthouse Country.
He planned to create the famous Mark 3 from Marvel, a design that balanced comfort, safety, and speed perfectly for his current situation. Who said American comics weren't worthy of two-dimensional status?
Azrael had studied the design extensively. More importantly, the Mark 3's power and performance clearly fell within bronze-level parameters.
Jeju delivered the materials to Azrael's house with their usual efficiency. Following his memories, Azrael carefully drew sleek, silver metal armor onto the card.
[Please start compiling your story.]
Azrael began crafting the card's narrative with practiced precision.
Mark 3 was created by Tony Stark, the famous weapons distributor of Stark Industries.
Standing two meters tall and weighing ninety kilograms, the Mark 3 represents a significant advancement over its predecessors.
Unlike the crude appearance of the Mark 1, the Mark 3 boasts major aesthetic improvements. Its streamlined design is visually pleasing, and the silver finish is elegantly understated.
Azrael deliberately changed the original red and gold coloring to silver, which was far less conspicuous for his purposes. Minor modifications that didn't affect the core essence fell within acceptable parameters.
Unlike the Mark 2, which had freezing issues at high altitudes, the Mark 3 has completely resolved this problem.
Its high-quality power source provides extended operational endurance.
Obviously, Azrael couldn't replicate the Ark Reactor yet, so he made the necessary adjustments.
The Mark 3's excellent weapon systems provide sufficient firepower when facing danger.
Its maximum flight speed can reach [...]
Just as Azrael was about to enter the standard speed of 2,740 kilometers per hour, an inexplicable voice warned him that entering such a figure would cause the card creation to fail.
"1,000?" Azrael tested mentally.
"No," the mysterious voice continued.
"500?"
"Still no."
"Two hundred?"
When he received no negative response, Azrael nervously wrote it in.
[Two hundred kilometers per hour.]
The excellent artificial intelligence system eliminates the wearer's need to aim and control the flight.
Creating something like Jarvis was impossible at his current level. An AI of Jarvis's sophistication would require gold-rank materials and expertise.
As consciousness returned to reality, Azrael stared at the completed card with mixed feelings. His experience in the mysterious space made him wonder if he might be the biological son of that realm.
Then again, he was definitely human.
As far as he knew, other Lore Cardians received no feedback during creation; they relied entirely on their own judgment. Otherwise, failure rates wouldn't be so high among practitioners.
How many could bargain with the mysterious forces like he could?
Unfortunately, no one could answer Azrael's questions. If others knew about his unique experience, they would be green with envy.
Still, he understood why flight speed was limited to 200 kilometers per hour. After all, his power reactor wasn't original Ark technology. If it could truly reach nearly 3,000 kilometers per hour, he might as well have the card wear the armor and become a human missile.
"Two hundred kilometers per hour isn't exactly slow," Azrael mused, glancing at Yoriichi.
The swordsman visibly shuddered under Azrael's calculating gaze. Those particular looks always suggested that his master was plotting something troublesome.
The idea of cards wearing mechas did hold appeal. Imagine Nika Luffy or Six Paths Naruto piloting a Gurren Lagann–style machine. Though, that would be impossibly overpowered and require spiral power to function.
If such a creation were possible, Azrael would pilot it himself. After all, in the finale of that series, combatants literally threw galaxies at each other.
Then there was EVA! Imagine an enemy finally breaking through an Evangelion's AT field, only to find Nika Luffy or Six Paths Naruto inside. Azrael didn't dare contemplate such a scenario fully.
However, EVA would count as either a prop or a biological card, each of which presents unique challenges.
Setting aside these wild fantasies, Azrael began examining his new creation's specifications.
[Mark 3]
Rank: Bronze
Quality: Gold
Category:
Category: Prop
Skills:
Firepower System: Arc Pulse Cannon, Micro Missiles, Decoy Flares, and Dual Shoulder Six-Barrel Mini Cannons.
Features:
Enhanced composite armor: Excellent metallic plating provides superior defensive protection for the wearer
[Artificial Intelligence]: Though relatively basic, this AI system offers valuable assistance to the operator.
[Power Furnace]: A compact, portable power source that provides up to one hour of operation and is rechargeable via mental energy.
Chain: Can form combination cards with Tony Stark.
"There's actually a battery life limitation," Azrael noted with mild surprise. He hadn't initially considered this constraint, but the ability to recharge using mental energy was a significant advantage.
Without hesitation, Azrael summoned the Mark 3 and activated it. The silver armor materialized and enveloped him instantly, fitting like a second skin.
A soft, feminine voice spoke directly into his ears through the helmet's communication system.
"At your service, my master."