Kairo approached Luve, armed with his lance. Luve was not a terrain officer. Most of her life had been spent in low-intensity conflicts, Sam getting her ready for a safer post. A conflict of such intensity was more than what her nerves could hold, causing her to be paralyzed in front of Kairo's bloody figure. Despite the arbalest still pointed at him, she had no zeal to aim anymore.
"I…" she tried to speak.
Kairo was faster. With a clean sweep of his hands, Luve fell onto his left arm, unconscious. Although she tried to get the Card of Origin with the other, she had no real intention of killing me. Like Rellion or the Collector. She was doing this for her brother, Kairo thought.
The wolf she was riding had a very unique vibe to it that made Kairo feel apprehensive about its abilities. Yet Luve had not attacked with her real power and only tried to paralyze him. Otherwise, she would have aimed for the head, not the shoulder.
He was frustrated and angry at her actions but could not resolve himself to harm her. Still, he could not leave her conscious in this place. Otherwise, she might try again in desperation.
Setting her down near the fountain, Kairo swept his gaze back to the battlefield. Although his situation had been dire, it didn't mean the combat was over. The captains had once more gathered around him, this time well determined not to leave him.
"We are all here, Kairo. We've got this," Nyx said at his side.
Kairo nodded, happy to see everyone was safe. Above them, the water rain had finally stopped when Draco was defeated by the four-star officer, who too returned to their side.
"He won't be able to pose any problem anymore. We can arrest him after all of this is finished," the four-star officer said, his voice slightly pale like he had been through a marathon.
"Don't relax until we get Kairo out of this," Mirele said. She alone had been taking the biggest part of the assault even though she tried to hide it.
Kairo could see she too was beginning to hit the borders. It wasn't that the enemies were particularly tough for the captains, but mostly that card magic was very gluttonous in aura. Even with the aura booster, there was a limit to how much one could take.
On the other side of the battlefield…
Rellion stood up from the debris, face covered in blood. Kairo didn't know how, but he had miraculously survived Wind Slayer. He used the Four Corner Divination to move his body before the full impact, Kairo thought.
Still, in another part, the Collector had already risen back to his feet. He didn't launch an attack immediately. Instead, he murmured a few things to his people and they all began retreating.
Kairo smiled at the scene. "That's it. All you can do is flee in front of the Card Mage Police," he said out loud. All around them, the enemies were finally retreating, leaving a wide open space in front of them. The members of the OBH all disappeared as fast as they had appeared.
After Luve was defeated, Sam took his daughter too and retreated. Although they could not get the card Kairo possessed, there was still the one on the Island of Card Fossil. This one no one had control over yet—thus, they had not lost completely. Still, Sam didn't leave the battlefield and simply ordered his people to take his daughter away.
They are waiting for something, Kairo quickly noticed. The Collector had returned to his perched spot, an annoyed expression on his face. He didn't stow his cards back in fear… no, something is coming… Selis! Kairo's heart skipped a beat.
From her shadows, the underground Card Mage boss appeared in front of everyone. Around her, Kairo could feel that aura that made people want to bend to their knees. In her eyes he couldn't see death like with the Surgeon or Corry—instead, there was nothing in them.
"I must admit it. I knew it the very first day we met on that train," Selis said.
"Unfortunately, I didn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you leave," Kairo replied. Given how dangerous she was, he regretted not risking his life that day to take her down. She was too much of a threat to be left to roam freely. Still, Kairo wasn't delusional—this was the underground card master boss. Even ten of him at that time, and with that little understanding of card magic, would not have been enough.
"You have that potential. The potential to challenge all of us with your card magic. Mirror cards, double-face cards, switch cards… you have it all, Kairo. Only the most unique cards that have ever existed. Has your father talked to you about the Mage Awakening?" Selis asked.
Then she tilted her head cutely to the side. "No, let me guess—he didn't, right? He hates the fact that we can uncover the truth of card magic. He hates the idea that its secrets can be unveiled. And that's why the Card Mage Police have become too much of a hindrance."
She knows about the Mage Awakening too. But what does she mean with all of that? The more he listened, the more Kairo felt this woman was mysterious. He had only recently learned about the Mage Awakening, but she seemed to know way more than he did.
"I don't care what you think about my father. He has always done what was right for everyone. Even if it wasn't easy, he did it," Kairo said.
His father had erased his memories, led the Card Mage Police for several years already, and maintained order as a pillar of the system in card magic. Kairo only now understood how big the burden on his shoulders had been. Even if he resented him somewhat, he could not entirely blame him.
"Well, it's over. Today it ends. A mixture of the Surgeon's genius, the result from Project Limit Breaker—and today, we have achieved one of our goals. Come to me, Harid." She whistled with her fingers. It was like a master calling its pet.
Kairo didn't know why, but he instinctively took a step back. A figure could be seen flying in the air—or more precisely, shooting downwards toward them. What a loud thud. His feet anchored into the ground. It was like Harid had turned into a bulldozer, his athletic build weighing more than a thousand stones. The earth around Selis and the others curved inward, sending ripples of energy toward Kairo and the others.
What immense power, Kairo thought. "What have you done, Selis?" he asked, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
"Nothing special. Just tried to see how much we ignored about card magic. We have created a living counter card. See it for yourself, Kairo." Selis pointed at Kairo, a beautiful smile on her face. "Destroy," she said.
Crack…
Kairo's face darkened when he saw the fist of Harid inches away from his face. Behind him, a wave of lightning had been left by his blinding movement.
"Nyx, use Angel Ascend to take Kairo out of this place," Danzan said, his voice unusually serious.
He had been the only one fast enough to react, catching Harid's fist between his own. With a subtle flip of his foot on the ground, he rotated like an elice. Danzan sent his foot crashing into Harid's rib cage. The impact caused Harid's body to tether backward, sent rocking like a stone ricocheting in water.
"The Mad Lightning… very impressive. But don't count on it," Selis smiled.
What followed next was a series of continuous impacts in front of them. Each time, the ripple behind Danzan moved downward, connecting with the ground. His body would move at that blinding speed, matching that of Harid. Their fists caused the houses around to tremble and fissure after every clash.
He is faster than Danzan… no, Danzan's magic seems to be shrinking back, Kairo's face darkened. The ripple zone was reducing again and again, such that Danzan could barely use his faster-out-of-meter around him. The Echo Tear was formidable within the range where the ripple moved. Out of that range, Danzan was just another card mage like all the others—vulnerable.
The peculiarity with counter cards was that, when two cards were counter to each other, they would naturally repel and cause their magic to nullify each other.
Selis and her people claimed to have created a living counter card using Harid as a test subject. Kairo wasn't surprised, knowing how much of a fanatic Harid was. For the Surgeon, he would have done anything. If he was right, Harid now had the ability to nullify all forms of card magic—making him essentially an invincible weapon in their world