Confronted by the demon's sudden appearance, Azrael calmly retreated several steps, assessing the threat level with his emerald eyes.
"Don't be so nervous. I mean no harm," the cloaked demon said, noticing Azrael's defensive stance. "But you wouldn't be comfortable just letting him go like that, would you?"
The demon gestured toward the captured enemy. "Why don't you leave a few of your men here to guard him, and we can talk somewhere else?"
Azrael remained silent for a moment, uncertainty flickering across his features as he tried to decipher the demon's intentions. After careful consideration, he finally nodded. "All right."
He sensed that, although the demon was powerful, Ulquiorra could handle it. Should a battle erupt, his Cuatro Espada could manage the situation.
In an instant, Azrael vanished from his position, leading the cloaked demon away from the settlement. He was prepared to eliminate any demons in the town if the conversation turned violent.
Soon, they reached the maximum distance at which Azrael could control his Shadowkhan army. Uncertain if they were being monitored by long-range detection methods, he chose not to dispose of the previously captured demon immediately. Once their discussion concluded, he would leave quickly.
The cloaked demon's opening words caught Azrael off guard. "I noticed you back in the Royal City.
You're the strongest outsider I've ever encountered."
Azrael's brow furrowed deeply. He hadn't sensed this being's presence during his time in the Royal City—a concerning oversight.
"I told you not to be nervous. I mean no harm." Sensing Azrael's growing tension, the cloaked demon chuckled softly. To demonstrate his sincerity, he removed his hood to reveal his true appearance.
Azrael started at the sight before him. The figure was a man with an ancient, weathered face that contrasted starkly with his tall, robust physique.
"Surprising, isn't it?" The hooded demon sighed heavily. "I never expected to survive this long myself.
"Those fools in the Royal City probably wouldn't recognize me anymore."
However, Azrael ignored the weight behind those words and asked directly, "What do you want from me?"
He still remembered the fundamental lesson from his academy textbooks: Never trust demons unconditionally.
Azrael refused to lower his guard based on mere words.
Hearing this, the demon shook his head slightly. "My name is Gulan. I know you won't trust me immediately, but I have a way to make you less defensive."
A flicker of doubt arose in Azrael's heart. Then, he heard Gulan continue, "World Devourer, I—"
Azrael stared at Gulan in astonishment. He had no idea why the man had suddenly launched into what sounded like an incoherent outburst.
Seeing Azrael's confused reaction, Gulan looked equally surprised. "You don't even know His name?"
"The World Devourer is the mastermind behind the erosion of your world."
"What?"
Only then did Gulan realize that the final characters of the name had been censored. He had been so focused on his emotional outburst that he hadn't noticed this crucial detail.
"So that's how it works." Gulan's expression immediately became complex as he stared intently at the young man before him, as if seeing someone else's reflection. "You carry a heavy burden as well."
Azrael looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Upon hearing this, Gulan gazed at him quietly. "I wasn't the one who blocked his name.
"World-Devouring—"
Azrael remained skeptical of Gulan's claims. After all, the demon could say anything he wanted. However, "World-Devouring **" was the first time he'd heard such a term. In other secret realms, even when demons mentioned their mastermind, they typically used vague references or proxies.
Logically, it made no sense, yet his head should have exploded from the forbidden knowledge.
Only then did Azrael realize that Gulan's head hadn't exploded. "How are you unaffected?"
A trace of sadness crossed Gulan's weathered face, but he quickly concealed it. "It's simply a gift from my mother."
He then abruptly changed the subject. "Tell me about your world."
"You've probably noticed that secret realms have been appearing more frequently lately, haven't you?"
Hearing this, Azrael was genuinely surprised. "How could you possibly know that?"
Based on Leon's previous statements, Azrael could reasonably conclude that this secret realm had only manifested recently. Logically, Gulan shouldn't possess such extensive knowledge about the outside world.
"Of course we know. We've been to your world as well," Gulan sneered bitterly, then spoke with grave seriousness. "Do you think the World Devouring Entity is only targeting your realm?"
Upon hearing this revelation, Azrael suddenly felt an ominous premonition wash over him.
"The World Devouring Entity is conducting simultaneous invasions..."
Across multiple worlds."
The sudden influx of overwhelming information left Azrael feeling dizzy. He never expected to gain such staggering intelligence in a secret realm he had accidentally discovered.
Then again, considering Gulan's previous statement, perhaps this encounter wasn't accidental after all.
After a moment, Azrael steadied himself. "So, because some worlds have already fallen, He can redirect more power toward conquering ours?"
Earth had always been plagued by numerous weak secret realms. If Gulan was right and the mastermind was invading multiple worlds simultaneously, then those weaker realms wouldn't be able to resist for long. Destruction would be inevitable.
However, a sardonic smile crossed Gulan's face. "It's not destruction; it's transformation."
Though, for many, there's no meaningful difference," he said, prodding the ground beneath his feet with his rusted sword. "Just like this place."
After a moment of contemplative silence, Azrael asked, "So, what exactly did you want to discuss with me?"
Gulan studied him intently before posing another question. "You should have those two swords from Adam, right?"
Can you show them to me?"
Hearing this, Azrael hesitated briefly, but ultimately decided to withdraw the two longswords, which had been reduced to scrap metal. He didn't understand why this man mentioned Adams's two swords specifically, but he had already condensed their power into raw materials. Two pieces of scrap metal wouldn't pose a significant threat.
With this reasoning, the dimmed blades of the King's Sword and Starry Sky Holy Sword materialized and embedded themselves in the mud before him.
Seeing the two swords in their current state, Gulan's eyes flashed with astonishment. He stepped forward and gently caressed the Starry Sky Holy Sword. "I'm sorry you were controlled by the descendants of that traitor."
As he finished speaking, the Starry Sky Holy Sword trembled slightly, as if responding to his words.
Then, Gulan turned his attention to the King's Sword. Anger and deep sadness flickered across his features, but ultimately, he said nothing, only releasing a heavy sigh.
After several moments, the elderly man composed himself and addressed Azrael. "As I suspected, you can extract and absorb the abilities of others for your own use.
"How remarkable," he mused. Then, his expression grew deadly serious. "I want to propose a deal with you."
Azrael's wariness intensified. Although this man had revealed substantial information without having his head explode at the hands of the World Devourer, which largely validated his identity, Azrael remained cautious about any proposed bargains.
Ignoring the young man's obvious suspicion, Gulan continued, "The deal is this: You and I will work together to break out of this secret realm. Then, you will lead me to whoever rules your world."
"The payment is this sword in my possession."
What do you say?"
To demonstrate his sincerity, Gulan tossed the rusted sword to Azrael. "You can test its abilities first."
However, Azrael remained motionless, every alarm bell in his mind ringing at maximum volume. After all, Gulan's proposal sounded suspiciously manipulative.
As if sensing Azrael's refusal, the elderly man sighed and tore off his cloak. A luminescent body appeared before Azrael's eyes. Even more striking than the radiant form was the massive cavity in his abdomen where a glass-like sphere nestled securely.
Azrael stared in bewilderment, unsure why Gulan had suddenly decided to expose himself so dramatically.
Just as he was about to voice his confusion, a sudden vibration emanated from a card in his mind, prompting Azrael to summon her forth.
Azrael looked puzzled but released Shiraori nonetheless.
"Azrael, what's the matter? Why did you call me out?" she asked, her spider legs clicking against the ground.
"Didn't you tell me to summon you?"
"?
The man and the spider stared at each other, confused.
Then, an inexplicable vibration occurred, and a cell phone materialized in Gulan's hand.
Azrael's eyes widened in recognition; it was identical to the phone that had appeared when Shiraori's [Ruler: Wisdom] ability had activated.
Before he could say anything, the phone began to ring.
Gulan's face showed surprise briefly, but then, as if realizing something crucial, he answered the call. "I agree to your proposal."
After receiving a response from the other end, the old man remained silent for a long time before saying, "Understood."
Then, under Azrael's shocked gaze, Gulan forcibly extracted the sphere from his abdomen.
The next moment, both the phone and the orb vanished completely.
Azrael sensed that, as Gulan removed the sphere, his aura was deteriorating rapidly, bringing him to the verge of death.
Despite his weakened state, however, Gulan's eyes sparkled with newfound clarity in his final moments. "It seems you're like me after all.
"I hope you don't follow the same path I did."
"Wait!" Azrael shouted urgently. "Why did you choose me?"
Gulan didn't answer his question directly. Instead, he glanced toward Shiraori, who was observing from a distance. "You're a good person."
With those final words, the elderly man fell silent forever.
"What?!"
Azrael stared blankly at Gulan's now lifeless form. The situation had completely spiraled beyond his control with Shiraori's unexpected involvement.
"Hey, snap out of it, Azrael."
At that moment, a pale spider leg waved in front of the young man's face.
Ignoring the playful spider, Azrael pursed his lips and picked up the rusted sword beside Gulan's body. He needed answers.
He already suspected who had been on the other end of the phone call, but he needed more information to confirm his theory.
Soon, the material essence of the Rusted Sword appeared in Azrael's hands.
Emerald-grade [Blade of the Savior] (colored).
He stared in amazement at the shimmering material in his grasp. It was the first time the young man had encountered material of such extraordinary quality; he had previously believed colored materials were impossible to obtain.
"Could this weapon have once been a Sovereign-level artifact?"
Azrael looked at the discarded Rusted Sword in disbelief. Then, he turned his attention to Gulan's corpse.
"Impossible."
Azrael swallowed hard and condensed the material essence from Gulan's remains:
The emerald-grade Holy Sword of Destiny (Colored) emerged.
It had the same radiant color as the Blade of the Savior.
"As expected."
Azrael was momentarily speechless. These two exceptional materials would undoubtedly allow him to upgrade Artoria and the Silver Arm to emerald-grade status.
After considering this possibility, he carefully stored the materials and stood in contemplative silence before sighing deeply. He dug a proper grave and buried Gulan alongside the three swords.
It was a final gesture of respect for the kindhearted man who had gifted him two invaluable treasures for no apparent reason. Indeed, Gulan had been reclassified from the demon category to the ally category in Azrael's assessment.
After cleaning up the area briefly, he hurriedly located a secluded cave to upgrade his two cards. Inside the cavern, Azrael's expression was solemn as he watched the Silver Arm and Pure White Knight Princess floating before him.
This was his first attempt at upgrading cards with colored materials, which this time involved two extraordinary components. He hoped the final result would exceed his expectations.
Azrael enveloped his mental energy around the two cards and the six materials. In a brilliant flash, he found himself transported to the mysterious crafting space.
[Please continue writing your story.]
In the mystical dimension, Azrael ignored the messages that surfaced in his consciousness and silently contemplated the tranquil environment.
After a moment, he began crafting the legendary card.
Artoria, having completed her destined journey, successfully inherited the throne of Britain.
However, by that time, the kingdom was facing turmoil from both internal and external threats. To maintain order and legitimacy, Artoria was forced to conceal her gender and marry Guinevere as king.
Of course, her honest nature compelled her to confess everything to the queen on their wedding night. Though deeply disappointed by the deception, Guinevere chose to forgive her husband-king.
Later, Lancelot, the chief knight of the Round Table, discovered the apparent discord between the royal couple. He personally approached the queen, hoping to alleviate the king's burden.
It was during this time that Lancelot discovered Artoria's true identity. Thus began his forbidden love affair with Queen Guinevere.
Despite the complications in her marriage, Artoria ascended to greatness through valor and diligent leadership. She guided the Knights of the Round Table to countless victories. No enemy could stand against the kingdom's righteous sword.
However, during a battle in which she violated the principles of chivalry, her original sword, Caliburn, shattered completely.
Merlin then brought her to the sacred lake, where he obtained the holy sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake.
When asked by Merlin to choose between the sword and its scabbard, Artoria chose the weapon of conquest.
Perhaps due to this decision, the scabbard, Avalon, ultimately departed from the king's side.
Even so, Excalibur, the holy sword born from the planet's core, still possessed incredible power. To restrain its overwhelming force, Artoria and the Knights of the Round Table placed thirteen binding restrictions upon it.
However, resentment grew among Artoria's knights over time. Artoria had become cold and calculating, weighing every situation's gains and losses as if devoid of human emotion.
Until one day when a Knight of the Round Table named Tristan declared, "King Arthur, you do not understand the human heart."
The king's position was fundamentally shaken.
In the tenth year of Artoria's reign, Lancelot's relationship with Guinevere was exposed, forcing the greatest knight to defect. Just as Guinevere was about to be executed for adultery, however, Lancelot returned and rescued her.
From that moment forward, the Knights of the Round Table stood on the verge of complete collapse.
Meanwhile, Artoria's half-sister Morgan created the artificial human Mordred using Artoria's genetic material. Mordred adored her supposed "father" so intensely that, after becoming a Knight of the Round Table, she confronted Artoria directly.
Unfortunately, Artoria was merely shocked by the revelation. The perfect king understood the dire consequences of revealing her identity as a woman to the kingdom.
Facing Mordred's demand to be acknowledged as heir, Artoria refused.
However, she bore no personal grudge against Mordred. Instead, she entrusted Mordred with the responsibility of protecting the kingdom while she was away on campaign, attempting to guide her wayward "son."
Mordred betrayed this trust, however, gathering rebellious nobles and launching a devastating civil war.
By the time Artoria returned from her expedition, she was utterly exhausted. She ultimately used the holy spear Rhongomyniad to end the conflict known as the Battle of Camlann.
After this final battle, Artoria knew her strength was spent. The lonely king, who had sacrificed everything for her empire, had finally fallen.
In the end, she simply instructed Sir Bedivere to return the holy sword Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake, thus ending her own life with dignity.
With the extensive card-creation process complete, Azrael returned to reality, looking mentally drained but expectant.
However, as he prepared to collect the cards, he froze in surprise. Only a single card floated before him: Artoria's transformed state.
"What happened to the other one?"
Azrael asked in confusion as he drew Artoria's image into his consciousness. Then, his eyes widened in absolute amazement.
[Knight King Artoria]
Rank: Emerald
Quality: Colored
Category: Creature
Skills:
[Mana Burst]: Temporarily reinforces weapons and body with magical energy, dramatically increasing attack power and movement speed.
Wind King Barrier - Invisible Air: Wraps compressed wind around the blade to form a magical sheath that conceals the weapon while enhancing attack power and accuracy. When released, she can unleash the concentrated air as the "Wind King Hammer."
[Holy Sword Excalibur]: One of Artoria's most powerful weapons, it is the pinnacle of holy swords. Born from the planet itself, it is one of the ultimate divinely crafted weapons. It transforms the wielder's magical energy into concentrated beams of light capable of destroying a city.
[Thirteen Restraints - Round Table Decision]: Due to the immense power of Excalibur, Artoria and her Knights of the Round Table imposed thirteen binding restrictions on it to restrain its full potential. With each restraint removed, Excalibur becomes exponentially more powerful. At full release, it can obliterate fortress-sized targets.
Traits:
Intuition, Red Dragon Bloodline, and Holy Sword Mastery.
[King of Perfection]: Having endured the crucible of blood and fire, Artoria has become the perfect king in the hearts of all of Britain. Her presence significantly enhances the abilities of allied cards and doubles the effectiveness of buffs received by cards with the Knights of the Round Table bond.
[Lonely Journey]: The King of Perfection is also the King of Solitude. Her heart, tempered like steel, has grown accustomed to isolation, rendering her immune to emotional manipulation and psychological effects.
Description: The perfect king of loneliness and wielder of the planet's holy sword of stars.
Advancement: Silver Rank [Pure White Knight Princess Artoria] → Emerald Rank [Knight King Artoria] → Master Rank [Lion King Artoria].
Bond Effects:
When deployed with the Lancelot series, activates the Knights of the Round Table enhancement. When appearing with the Morgan series, activates the Sisterly Bonds effect. When summoned alongside Mordred and related characters, can activate the "Your Majesty, Please Acknowledge Me as Crown Prince!" special interaction.
"Colored quality?!"
A voice mixed with disbelief and pure ecstasy echoed through the cave and reverberated off the stone walls as Azrael marveled at his greatest creation yet.