My Deck Is Made Up Of OP Anime Characters

In a matter of heartbeats, Victor had closed the distance to Nami, his massive ring-handled broadsword slicing through the air with devastating momentum. The sheer weight of the blade created visible wind disturbances as it descended in a crushing arc toward the orange-haired navigator.

Azrael had specifically instructed Luffy not to reveal Gear Third unless absolutely necessary, so the rubber pirate maintained his restraint even as his precious crewmate faced mortal danger. In any typical Shonen scenario, Luffy would have escalated to his most devastating techniques, but tactical considerations demanded patience over impulse.

Nami raised her metal staff in desperate defense, her navigator's instincts screaming warnings of the impossible odds she faced. Despite her limited combat experience, she refused to give in without a fight. The staff trembled in her grip as she braced for impact, knowing that her weapon was woefully inadequate against Victor's overwhelming martial prowess.

The collision lasted barely a moment.

Victor's broadsword sliced through the air with surgical precision, its razor edge catching the lights of the arena as it swept past Nami's futile guard. Metal clanged against metal for the briefest of moments, then the navigator's form dissolved into scattered motes of light, returning to Azrael's consciousness as her defeat became absolute.

"NAMI!"

Luffy's voice erupted from behind Victor, carrying a fury that seemed to make the very air vibrate with murderous intent. The pirate's usual jovial demeanor was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous and primal, a rage that burned with the intensity of molten steel.

Victor barely gave the outburst a dismissive glance, his tactical mind already calculating the next phase of his attack. "That should break their bond effect," he muttered with cold satisfaction, preparing to coordinate with his spectral tiger for a decisive strike against Yoriichi.

But as he turned to survey the battlefield, Victor caught a glimpse of Azrael's expression on the sidelines and felt the first stirrings of genuine unease creep up his spine. The young Lore Cardian's face showed nothing but calm confidence, as if Nami's elimination had gone exactly according to plan.

What does this expression mean? Doubt crept into Victor's mind like ice water through his veins. His battlefield instincts, honed by years of rigorous martial training, suddenly screamed warnings he couldn't quite articulate.

Before Victor could process this growing sense of wrongness, a terrifying roar erupted from directly behind him, not the bestial roar of his tiger demon, but something far more human and infinitely more dangerous.

In the elevated representative section of the university, the assembled academics had a bird's-eye view of the unfolding disaster, allowing them to understand the true situation far better than the combatants below.

"Victor is still too young," the Beijing University representative sighed with genuine regret, shaking his head as he watched the tactical disaster unfold on the arena floor. "Experience cannot be taught overnight, no matter how talented the student."

The Vaelcrest Institute representative nodded grimly. "Azrael's bond mechanics were never publicly demonstrated before this tournament, so Victor's ignorance is understandable," he conceded with academic fairness. "But a true warrior should have exercised caution regardless of unknown variables."

The Beijing representative privately disagreed with such a lenient assessment. A competent warrior should have tested unknown abilities with expendable resources rather than committing personally, he thought with clinical detachment. Victor's impetuosity revealed dangerous gaps in his strategic thinking.

However, the tactical error wasn't entirely inexcusable given Victor's current limitations. With only a single biological card to support his personal combat style, his options for cautious probing were severely limited. Most Lore Cardians would have deployed multiple units to test the enemy's capabilities, a luxury Victor's specialized approach simply couldn't afford.

The Pixar University representative remained conspicuously silent during this analytical discussion, his attention focused on the battlefield developments with barely concealed satisfaction. Fortunately, the administration has approved Azrael's maximum scholarship package, he thought with relief. However, after this performance, even that might require an upward adjustment.

The specifics of any increased offers would have to wait until private negotiations could begin after the tournament. For now, he was content to watch Azrael systematically destroy what many had considered his most dangerous opponent.

On the arena floor, Victor heard the ominous movement behind him and turned to assess the threat. What he discovered completely defied his understanding of normal map combat dynamics.

Where Luffy had stood moments before was now a figure of pure rage, muscles swollen with increased blood flow, skin flushed with crimson from Gear Second activation, and eyes blazing with a protective fury that transcended rational thought. Steam rose from his body in writhing tendrils, creating an aura of barely contained violence.

"Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling!"

The words rose from Luffy's throat like a battle cry from the depths of hell itself. His fists became a blur of movement too fast for normal vision to follow, each blow leaving crimson afterimages as they converged on Victor's position with devastating precision. The air itself seemed to scream under the assault.

"What?!"

Victor's battle-hardened reflexes managed only the most basic defensive posture, throwing his armored forearms up to shield his face before the onslaught struck with the force of an artillery barrage. The enhanced blows slammed into his guard with such tremendous force that his entire body was thrown backward like a rag doll.

BOOM!

The impact crater where Victor landed was so large that an entire corner of the reinforced arena floor collapsed into rubble and twisted metal. Dust clouds billowed outward from the point of impact, temporarily obscuring the results of Luffy's devastating attack as debris rained down like hail.

From the settling dust came a faint, painful cough, proof that Victor had somehow survived the murderous barrage, though his condition remained disturbingly unknown.

"Damn... I've been completely outmaneuvered," Victor's voice emerged from the cloud of dust, carrying the bitter realization of tactical defeat. His understanding of the bond mechanics had come far too late to prevent this disastrous reversal.

The enhancement triggered by Nami's elimination hadn't just strengthened Luffy's physical parameters, it had transformed him into something approaching a Bronze-level Apex Predator, his abilities elevated to match Yoriichi's Shikai release in terms of raw destructive potential. The Berserker state had unleashed a power beyond normal limits.

"But I can still fight!" Victor declared with stubborn determination, trying to pit his warrior's pride against impossible odds. Blood trickled from beneath his torn armor, but his spirit remained unbroken.

Luffy showed no intention of taking a break. Steam continued to rise from his enhanced form as he locked on to Victor's position with predatory focus, his rage-fueled mind dedicated entirely to avenging his fallen navigator. The berserker's rage had consumed all rational thought, leaving only the primal need to protect his crew.

"Gomu Gomu no Jet Rocket!"

The crimson figure lunged forward like a human cannonball, his fist drawn back for what would undoubtedly be a killing blow. Spectators throughout the arena held their breath as they witnessed what appeared to be an execution in progress, the sheer violence exceeding normal tournament expectations.

The attack never connected.

"Semifinal match: Azrael wins!" the referee announced with practiced authority, his intervention having blocked Luffy's attack at the last possible moment. The official's barrier technique created a shimmering wall of energy between the Berserker Pirate and his intended target.

Shocked murmurs rippled through the student sections as confusion replaced anticipation. "What's happening? The match wasn't over yet!" several voices shouted, expressing the confusion that gripped most of the spectators, who couldn't understand the sudden intervention.

When the dust finally settled enough to reveal Victor's current condition, the referee's decisive judgment became crystal clear to all present.

The martial artist remained technically conscious and capable of movement, but his equipment cards had completely dissipated, leaving him vulnerable and defensively naked. His armor hung in twisted fragments around wounds that painted abstract patterns on his exposed skin. Only an iron will and ingrained combat conditioning kept him upright against the wall of the arena.

Had the referee not intervened, Luffy's final attack would have ended with Victor's death and the subsequent automatic release of his tiger demon through their severed bond link.

Instead of allowing such a tragedy to occur during an academic competition, the official had simply declared Azrael's victory based on the inevitability of the outcome. The match was effectively over the moment Victor lost his defenses.

Azrael accepted the result with quiet satisfaction, though he admitted to being mildly surprised by the ease of his triumph. His original strategic calculations had assumed the need to use Luffy's Gear Third techniques to overcome Victor's formidable abilities.

The effects of the Bond proved more decisive than I had anticipated, Azrael mused quietly. The Berserker enhancement to all of Luffy's parameters had increased his abilities to rival Yoriichi's Shikai, enough raw power to overwhelm even talented opponents with sheer force.

"Cardmakers should never engage in personal combat without overwhelming certainty," Azrael concluded grimly, filing the lesson away for future reference. Victor's tactical approach had impressive benefits, but the risks were simply too catastrophic for anyone without absolute confidence in their abilities.

Medical personnel swarmed the arena floor, carefully loading the semi-conscious Victor onto a stretcher for emergency treatment. His breathing was labored but steady, indicating no life-threatening injuries despite the devastating attack. Before disappearing from view, the defeated warrior managed a final glance at Azrael, an expression that mixed grudging respect with bitter disappointment at his own strategic failure.

Azrael barely acknowledged the gesture, his analytical mind already processing the tactical information he'd gathered. The bond effect had provided about thirty percent improvement in all parameters, bringing Luffy's skills to the threshold of Bronze-level mastery. Further improvement would require either the activation of the third gear or an upgrade to silver quality.

Nick was truly unfortunate, Azrael reflected with sympathy for his former classmate. Before the Keemo Tree could show any bond effects, Yoriichi's type advantage had eliminated it through overwhelming elemental superiority. At least Victor had experienced Azrael's full arsenal before succumbing.

Conversely, Victor's loss was due more to lack of preparation than lack of skill. His martial prowess remained truly formidable, enough to challenge or even defeat the enhanced Luffy in direct confrontation with proper strategic awareness and defensive positioning.

The critical mistake had been allowing Luffy to break free of the ghostly restraints and launch his surprise attack. With proper anticipation and defensive measures, Victor could have withstood the initial fury and possibly claimed victory through sustained combat.

As Azrael returned his cards to his mental space, he felt the familiar satisfaction of another tactical puzzle solved. The end of the tournament was now all but assured; none of the remaining opponents possessed the skills to challenge his assembled arsenal.

In the university representative section, premature celebrations had already begun as the academics accepted Azrael's inevitable championship.

"The first place winner of the first Greenridge Province Unified Exam should definitely be this Azrael," the Aurora University representative declared with confident satisfaction. None of them harbored any illusions about the chances of the remaining contestants; the two survivors from the other semi-final lacked the strength to challenge even the defeated Victor, let alone Azrael's overwhelming collection.

Unanimous nods rippled through the assembled representatives as they accepted this assessment without reservation. The tournament was now a mere formality.

"Though I must admit, his binding-triggering mechanism is truly unusual," the Riverock University representative observed with academic curiosity. "Death rattle effects are remarkably rare among Lore Cardian practitioners."

The comment sparked a wide-ranging discussion among the assembled scholars, most of whom had never encountered such specialized mechanics in their long careers. The concept of cards growing stronger through the sacrifice of allies was both intriguing and disturbing.

"Its Bond enhancement seems a bit excessive, though," the Ludao University representative noted thoughtfully, touching his chin as he considered the strategic implications. "Thirty percent across all parameters is unprecedented for a Bronze-level mechanic."

The Pixar University representative used this opening to provide crucial context. "Did you notice that his cards lose rational thought when the effect is triggered?" he pointed out with deliberate emphasis, highlighting the significant drawback.

The observation brought instant silence to the group as they considered the tactical ramifications. In normal Lore Cardian duels, the temporary loss of reason was an acceptable trade-off for improved combat parameters. In Wilderness encounters, however, where direct attacks on Lore Cardians were allowed, such effects became potentially suicidal.

Cards that abandoned their protective duties to pursue berserker attacks could leave their masters fatally exposed to enemy counterattacks, a vulnerability that made the enhancement far less appealing than initial impressions suggested.

Despite this significant drawback, most representatives privately admitted that they would gladly accept such bond effects if given the choice. The raw power increase was simply too valuable to refuse, and adequate defenses could be provided by alternative cards in any comprehensive deck.

The discussion gradually died down as each representative retreated into private thoughts about recruiting strategies and competitive offers. With Azrael's championship now essentially assured, the time had come to formulate offers attractive enough to secure his future services.

The real competition was just beginning, not on the arena floor, but in the conference rooms where institutional power would determine Azrael's ultimate fate. Every university wanted a piece of the prodigy who had just demonstrated skills beyond the normal expectations of the Bronze level.