Anime Card System

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Zane, Caleb, and Yara moved with practiced efficiency, leading Russell through a heavily fortified military checkpoint and into a restricted zone under martial law. This was the entrance to the [Black Flag] secret realm.

"Zane, you're here," a guard called out. He clearly recognized the team leader, but protocol was protocol. He meticulously checked their documents and authorizations before waving them through.

After clearing the final checkpoint, the four of them stood before a shimmering, unstable tear in reality. Zane pulled four sets of tattered, grimy pirate uniforms from a duffel bag he'd retrieved from the jeep, tossing one to Russell. "Put it on."

Russell didn't hesitate. He stripped off his own clothes and quickly changed into the pirate gear, ignoring the faint, lingering smell of sweat and seawater. Seeing Russell's straightforward compliance, a flicker of approval crossed Zane's eyes, though his stoic expression remained unchanged.

"Let's move."

Following the veteran team, Russell stepped through the shimmering portal.

The world dissolved and reformed in an instant. The sterile, metallic scent of the military base was replaced by the sharp, salty tang of the sea. A humid breeze blew across his face, telling him without a doubt that he had arrived in [Black Flag].

"Come on, kid. Stop daydreaming," Zane said, clapping Russell on the shoulder and jolting him back to the present. He pointed toward a large, menacing ship anchored just off the coast.

It was a classic pirate vessel, a galleon with dark, weathered wood and a tattered flag bearing a skull and crossbones flapping ominously from its mast. Russell wanted to ask how they had acquired it, but he clamped down on the question, not wanting to seem like a complete novice.

Caleb, however, seemed to read his mind. "We, uh… liberated it during our last visit," he said with a wry smile. "Zane will probably fill you in on the details in a bit."

"Thanks, Caleb," Russell replied, nodding gratefully.

"By the way," Caleb added, "do you have a flying mount? If not, I can give you a lift. The ship's anchored a ways out to avoid running aground." The last time they were here, Caleb had been forced to ferry the team to shore one by one.

Russell nodded. "I have a bird creature card. You don't need to worry about me." As he spoke, he summoned Pidgeot, who appeared with a powerful cry.

The moment they saw the majestic bird, the eyes of Zane and the others lit up. In low-level realms, unless you were facing flying-type demons, air superiority was a massive tactical advantage.

Soon, all four of them were on the deck of the ship. The wood was stained with dark, dried bloodstains, so numerous they seemed to be part of the design. Russell felt his stomach churn at the coppery smell that hung in the air, but the three veterans were completely unfazed, walking straight toward the captain's cabin.

Inside, Zane unrolled a huge, salt-stained map onto a large wooden table. Before explaining the mission, he took a moment to bring Russell up to speed.

"Alright, Russell, you weren't here for the initial recon, so let me give you the rundown," Zane began, his voice all business. "Originally, there were three major pirate factions in [Black Flag]: the [Dead Bones], the [Red Rose], and the [Night Owls]. But recently, a fourth power has emerged, calling themselves the [Black Flag], and they're now the strongest group in the archipelago."

As he spoke, he drew a large circle on the map, then drew four smaller, overlapping circles within it.

"This big circle represents the known boundaries of this secret realm. These smaller ones are the spheres of influence for the four pirate crews."

Russell looked at the vast, empty ocean surrounding the landmasses on the map. "Zane, are all these other areas unexplored?"

Zane shook his head. "Sometimes you find this in secret realms. It's like the world's creator just… stopped. If you try to sail to the edge of the map, you hit an invisible wall you can't pass. Just assume the rest of this is imaginary space."

Ignoring Russell's reaction, Zane tapped the map. "Last time we were here, we discovered that these four groups were moving towards a full-blown alliance, with the [Black Flag] crew at the center of it all—hence the name we gave the realm. Today, they're holding a summit on that island right there." He pointed to an island ominously shaped like a skull. "Skull Island."

"Our mission is to sneak into that meeting and get a solid estimate of the combined strength of the four pirate factions."

Russell didn't need to ask about a language barrier. He knew from his studies that any demon from a secret realm that could speak would be miraculously understood by humans from Blue Star, and vice-versa. In the early days, this bizarre phenomenon led to the rise of the "coexistence faction," who believed peace was possible. But generations of bloodshed and betrayal proved it was just another layer of the world's deep, profound malice towards humanity.

"By the way," Zane said, looking up from the map as if a thought had just struck him. "I'll need intel on your cards, Russell. You don't have to give me specific abilities, just their general strengths and quality."

Without a word, Russell summoned both Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kaneki Ken into the cramped cabin. "A purple card and a red card," he stated simply. "Both are combat specialists."

Red card.

The three veterans stared, then exchanged a look of pure shock. Before the mission, Marcus had told them Russell was a genius, but they had assumed that meant a gold card at best. On paper alone, this student's power level was already higher than Caleb's or Yara's. The way they looked at him changed instantly, their professional demeanor now tinged with genuine seriousness. A talent like this wasn't just a rookie to be babysat; he was a priceless asset of the Association.

After a moment of silence, Zane spoke, his tone completely different. "Alright, kid. New plan. If things go sideways, you summon your mount and you get out of here. Don't worry about the three of us. That's an order."

Caleb and Yara said nothing, their silence a form of agreement.

Russell didn't give a direct answer. "Don't say things like that, Zane. We're just gathering intel. We won't be that unlucky."

A faint smile touched the lips of the three veterans. The kid was right. As long as their cover wasn't blown, there would be no direct conflict. The risk was manageable; otherwise, the Association would never have approved bringing a student along. Besides, as a senior bronze-level cardmaker, Zane was confident he could handle most situations in a realm of this level, as long as he wasn't completely surrounded.

Navigating the large ship with a crew of four was difficult, but thankfully they only had to guide it toward Skull Island. As the island loomed closer, Zane didn't approach directly. He drew a wicked-looking knife. "Our cover story is that our ship was attacked by Blue Star humans on the way here. All hands lost except the four of us. We need to look the part."

He expertly sliced several deep-looking but superficial wounds across his own arms and legs. "Don't worry, kid. Caleb's main card is a healer. He can patch up minor wounds like this once we're on the island."

Before Russell could fully process it, Zane grabbed his arm and drew the blade across it, creating several bloody cuts. The three of them were veterans, skilled at making themselves look horrifically injured without sustaining any real damage. Russell, however, was a student. Zane had to do it for him.

It was the first real injury of this kind Russell had ever sustained. A sharp gasp of pain escaped his lips, but he immediately bit it back, his face pale.

Yara watched him, her brow raised in grudging respect. "Kid's got some nerve," she muttered under her breath.

Following the signals from a pirate patrol on Skull Island, Zane steered their battered ship towards the shore. A squad captain on duty saw the four of them, covered in blood, and his hand immediately went to his cutlass. "Stop! Halt right there! What crew are you with?!"

Zane put on a pained, subservient smile. "We're with the [Dry Bones] pirates, sir!"

The captain's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "[Dry Bones]? But the crew from [Dry Bones] is already here."

(End of Chapter)

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Isekai Animator

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