My Deck Is Made Up Of OP Anime Characters

"Azrael, congratulations on becoming a main member!" The voices of Harold and Arnald broke through Azrael's post-battle contemplation, their expressions a complex mixture of awe and bewilderment.

Azrael turned to face the twin brothers, noting how they seemed to regard him with newfound respect tinged with wariness. The casual familiarity they'd shared over the past few days had shifted into something more formal, more careful.

"Lucky break," Azrael replied with a modest shrug, unconsciously echoing a catchphrase he'd heard somewhere before. The words felt oddly appropriate, though he knew his victory had been anything but luck.

The mountaintop training platform bore the scars of their battle like a war zone, massive craters where Luffy's enlarged fists had struck, deep gouges carved by Yoriichi's flaming blade, and an entire section that had simply collapsed under the force of Unohana's final attack. The destruction was so extensive that professional maintenance crews from Pixar University would need days to restore it to usable condition.

Fortunately, repair costs weren't his responsibility. As Harold had mentioned, sophomore practical combat classes often produced similar levels of devastation. The university had budgeted for such contingencies.

Word of a freshman defeating Kevaugn spread through the Card Making Department like wildfire. Within hours, every student knew the basic details of the battle, though the specifics varied wildly depending on who was telling the story. Some versions painted Azrael as a prodigy beyond compare, while others focused on the terrifying nature of his Silver-level card's transformation.

The information Azrael had revealed during the fight was now common knowledge throughout their program. His bond effects, Yoriichi's Shikai release, Luffy's enlarged attacks, and most memorably, Unohana's shift from gentle healer to murderous combatant, all of it had been witnessed by dozens of students who would undoubtedly spread every detail.

However, since Kevaugn's defeat had been so decisive, no other students seemed eager to challenge Azrael's newly earned position. The psychological impact of watching a main member get completely overwhelmed served as an effective deterrent.

"It probably won't be long before someone works up the courage to test me," Azrael mused privately. Ambitious students would eventually convince themselves they could exploit whatever weaknesses they thought they'd observed.

The days following his Battle Club victory were filled with theoretical coursework that proved far more engaging than Azrael had anticipated. It was during these lectures that he first learned comprehensive details about the mysterious card type known as Venue Cards.

He'd heard passing references to such cards before but had never encountered one directly. The reason became clear during his first specialized lecture on the subject, only Silver-level Lore Cardians and above could effectively utilize venue cards, and the critical core materials required for their creation could only be obtained from Silver-tier secret realms or higher.

Consequently, high school curricula simply didn't include venue card instruction. There was no point teaching students about tools they couldn't access for years.

Professor Chen, a stern woman whose lectures were renowned for their thoroughness, explained the fundamental principles with academic precision. "For any Silver-level Lore Cardian with access to appropriate materials, venue cards represent the optimal strategic investment. The amplification effects alone justify their priority status."

Azrael leaned forward with genuine interest as she continued.

"Venue cards don't transport combatants to alternate dimensions, despite common misconceptions. Instead, they establish environmental conditions that enhance specific card types or series within a designated area. The effects can be dramatic, a properly matched venue card can double or even triple the effective power of compatible entities."

The tactical implications were staggering. Azrael's mind immediately raced through possibilities for his own card collection.

"Furthermore," Professor Chen added with a meaningful glance toward the more advanced students, "certain venue cards trigger special bonuses when the number of series cards reaches specific thresholds. For example, underworld system cards paired with appropriate infernal venues, or Dragon cards enhanced by oceanic environments."

Azrael's pulse quickened as he considered how such effects might interact with his Bleach series cards. If he could create a Soul Society venue...

"The creation process for venue cards differs fundamentally from biological or equipment cards," the professor continued. "Rather than requiring detailed narrative construction, the mysterious space analyzes your provided materials and chosen card system, then automatically generates the corresponding venue. The Lore Cardian's role becomes one of selection rather than creation."

This revelation fascinated Azrael. The mysterious space would handle the complex world-building aspects automatically, removing one of the major barriers to venue card development.

"However," Professor Chen's tone carried a warning note, "venue cards don't manifest at maximum power upon creation. They require continuous material investment over time to reach their full potential. A Silver-level Lore Cardian with only basic materials might generate the foundation of an underworld venue, but developing it into a true infernal realm would require Gold or Emerald-tier resources."

Like building a house versus building a palace, Azrael thought, filing away this crucial limitation. Start with what you can afford, then expand as resources allow.

Saturday morning arrived with crisp winter air and crystalline sunshine streaming through Azrael's apartment windows. After completing his morning meditation routine, he reached for his phone to handle the necessary arrangements for his planned expedition.

[Azrael: Senior Sister, I'm planning to enter the self-selected secret realm the university promised. I might not return in time for Monday classes, so I'm requesting a two-day absence.]

Alice's response came within minutes, characteristically brief but supportive.

[Alice: Approved. 😊]

Seeing her quick reply, Azrael sent a message to the admissions coordinator who had been handling his university integration.

[Azrael: Mr. Andrew, I'd like to access the welfare secret realm the university promised. Who should I contact for arrangements?]

[Andrew: Planning to enter a secret realm already, Azrael?]

[Andrew: Ah, you've reached Silver level. That explains the timing.]

[Andrew: Come to campus and find me. I'm in the office today.]

[Andrew: [Location attached]]

Azrael quickly prepared for the journey, ensuring Pride was properly integrated and his equipment secure. The prospect of entering his first welfare secret realm filled him with anticipation, not just for the materials he hoped to obtain, but for the chance to test his abilities in genuine combat conditions.

The address Andrew had provided led to an administrative building Azrael hadn't visited before, its modern architecture contrasting sharply with the traditional aesthetic of most campus structures. After navigating several corridors lined with official portraits and academic awards, he found the correct office.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

Andrew's familiar voice carried clearly through the heavy door. Azrael entered to find the middle-aged administrator reviewing documents at an imposing desk that spoke to his significant authority within the university hierarchy.

"Mr. Andrew, I'm here as requested," Azrael said respectfully from the doorway.

Andrew looked up with a welcoming smile, setting aside his paperwork with practiced efficiency. "Don't be so formal, Azrael. Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable."

As Azrael settled into the plush reception sofa, Andrew retrieved a tablet from his desk and handed it over with obvious satisfaction. "Every secret realm controlled by the Association and the Imperial Court is catalogued here. Take your time browsing, the filtering options should help narrow your search."

Accepting the device, Azrael was impressed by the comprehensive interface. Sorting options included difficulty level, material types, environmental conditions, and estimated completion time. The database was clearly designed for serious academic use rather than casual browsing.

"Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold..." Azrael's voice trailed off as he noticed the categories. Looking up at Andrew with curiosity, he asked, "Mr. Andrew, why aren't there any Emerald-level secret realms listed?"

Andrew wasn't surprised by the question. With an ordinary student, he might have deflected, but Azrael's status as Master Lucian's disciple meant such information wasn't restricted. "Throughout the entire Empire of Aetherlight, the highest-tier secret realms under direct control are Gold-level. There are several reasons for this limitation."

He leaned back in his chair, assuming the posture of an educator explaining complex geopolitics to a promising student.

"First, inland regions simply don't generate secret realms of extremely high classification. The most powerful dimensional anomalies occur along coastal borders and frontier territories where demon activity creates the necessary environmental conditions."

"Second, maintaining permanent oversight of Emerald-tier realms isn't practically feasible given our current resource allocation. Unlike Gold and Silver installations where we can station appropriate personnel, Emerald realms would require Master-level supervision. The Empire's Lore Cardians are already stretched thin across existing obligations."

"Even our Gold-level facilities operate with minimal safety margins," Andrew concluded with obvious concern. "Complete control is rare, most installations rely on containment rather than domination."

Azrael nodded thoughtfully, processing the implications. Yesterday's demonstration of Unohana's power had given him perspective on Silver-level capabilities. If Gold-level entities were proportionally stronger, the resources required to contain them would indeed be staggering.

No wonder the security measures seem so extensive, he reflected. If the captive demons ever coordinated a breakout attempt, it would be catastrophic.

As for his card creation plans, Azrael had been developing ideas throughout the week. Unohana Retsu already provided healing, ranged attacks, and close combat capabilities, a remarkably complete toolkit that made additional creature cards less urgent.

His current objective was creating his first venue card, leveraging the synergies he'd been building across his existing roster.

Two series dominated his collection: One Piece and Bleach. For the One Piece system, obvious venue options included the Going Merry or Thousand Sunny ships. However, with Luffy and Zoro still at Bronze level, ship-based venues seemed premature. Following Professor Chen's guidelines, he should wait until his crew reached Gold level before investing in major nautical venues.

The Bleach series offered more immediate possibilities. His first instinct pointed toward the Soul Society, a vast spiritual realm that would enhance both Yoriichi and Unohana while providing framework for future Shinigami additions.

An alternative was the Soul King Palace, but that seemed premature given his current power level. According to the stories he'd crafted for his existing cards, the Soul Society represented a more accessible target. The Soul King Palace would likely require Squad Zero-level cards to properly manifest.

Of course, specific details would depend entirely on the materials he could actually obtain. Secret realms capable of producing venue card cores remained frustratingly rare.

Suppressing his racing thoughts, Azrael focused on the tablet's search functions. Since he had clear objectives, he immediately set the filtering conditions to display only secret realms that produced venue card core materials.

The results were disappointingly sparse:

[Dung Demon] Secret Realm - produces [Creeping Nest] cores [Omega] Secret Realm - produces [City of Life] cores

[Sentinel] Secret Realm - produces [Fortress Wall] cores

Very few options met his criteria, but one entry immediately captured his attention:

Silver-level [Night Banquet] Secret Realm - produces Silver-level venue material [Return of the Dead]

This was exactly what Azrael had been hoping to find. Among all available secret realms that produced venue card cores, this one aligned perfectly with his requirements. The death-themed material would synergize beautifully with both his Shinigami cards and provide foundation for future underworld expansions.

"This one," Azrael decided, turning the tablet back toward Andrew.

Andrew glanced at the selection and smiled with obvious approval. "Student Azrael, you're truly worthy of being Master Lucian's apprentice. I expected you'd choose this particular realm."

Azrael blinked in momentary confusion before understanding dawned. Of course, Andrew assumed he was following Master Lucian's underworld specialization. The [Return of the Dead] material was indeed perfectly suited for death-powered cards generating venue effects. From an outside perspective, it seemed like obvious career path alignment.

Rather than complicate matters with explanations about his actual card systems, Azrael simply smiled and nodded noncommittally. Let Andrew maintain his assumptions.

After several minutes of tablet manipulation, Andrew looked up with satisfaction. "Everything's arranged, Azrael. Tomorrow you can report to the government office in Azraelxia District with your Lore Cardian certification. They'll handle the final authorization and transport arrangements."

This instruction puzzled Azrael immediately. "Government office? Shouldn't I be reporting to the Cardian Master Association?"