On the second day of Nightshade Cang's enrolment, a shocking news spread through Dongyun Academy like wildfire.
-The new recruit of the Magic Club had challenged the Swordsmanship Club!
Everyone thought it was a joke. Since the Magic Club's demise, they had no official members. And yet, they dared to challenge one of the Four Great Clubs?
The duel took place in the Academy's central training arena, where a crowd of students had gathered to witness the spectacle.
"Nightshade Cang? Never heard of him."
"How does he have the nerve to challenge the Swordsmanship Club?"
"Not to mention... his opponent is Kazekiri Ryou..."
At the mention of that name, the audience let out a collective gasp.
Kazekiri Ryou, one of the elite members of the Swordsmanship Club, was known as the Blade of the Gale - his katana was as swift as the wind and undefeated to this day.
"Hey, mage."
Kazekiri stood in the centre of the arena, his katana trembling slightly in his hand - a sign that he was already gaining momentum.
"Are you serious, or are you just here for the laughs?"
Across from him, Nightshade Cang grinned as he snapped his fingers and a playing card appeared between them.
"Serious? Of course."
With a flick, the card spun in the air, catching the sunlight as if it were a blade itself.
"Now I'll show you how magic fights."
Kazekiri stood still, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana, his gaze as sharp as his blade. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the fight to begin.
"Nightshade Cang, is it?" Kazekiri chuckled, his tone laced with contempt. "I heard the Magic Club was already a relic of the past. And yet you dare to stand here in front of the Swordsmanship Club?"
Nightshade Cang just smiled, his fingers deftly flicking a card into view, its surface gleaming under the lights.
"Magic really isn't meant for combat."
Kazekiri slowly unsheathed his katana, the blade slicing through the air with a crisp hum.
"But I'll show you personally - against overwhelming magic.
Kazekiri stood still, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana, his gaze as sharp as his blade. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the fight to begin.
"Nightshade Cang, is it?" Kazekiri chuckled, his tone laced with contempt. "I heard the Magic Club was already a relic of the past. And yet you dare to stand here in front of the Swordsmanship Club?"
Nightshade Cang just smiled, his fingers deftly flicking a card into view, its surface gleaming under the lights.
"Magic really isn't meant for combat."
Kazekiri slowly unsheathed his katana, the blade slicing through the air with a crisp hum.
"But I'll show you personally - against overwhelming speed and cutting edge, your tricks are meaningless."
The referee raised his hand and announced, "Begin!"
-Whoosh!
Almost before the words were spoken, Kazekiri vanished!
Nightshade Cang's pupils contracted. A blade of wind rushed towards him. Instinctively, he dodged, but... His sleeve was ripped open, and a faint cut appeared on his arm.
"Too fast!" There were gasps from the audience.
"So this is the Blade of the Gale? The Magic Club has no chance..."
Nightshade Cang looked down at his wound, took a deep breath and smiled - a glimmer of excitement flashing in his eyes.
"I see..."
"You're still smiling?" Kazekiri sneered, lowering his stance as his katana locked on to Nightshade Cang.
"You can't dodge my blade anymore."
-Gale Dance!
Kazekiri exploded forward like a gust of wind, his katana slicing through the air. Shadows of his blade engulfed Nightshade Cang, carrying the momentum to rip everything apart!
But at that moment, a gleam flashed in Nightshade Cang's eyes. His fingers trembled, scattering a flurry of playing cards - Phantom Mirage.
Slash! Kazekiri's katana struck Nightshade Cang's chest - but in the next instant, his form dissipated like mist.
"-What?!" Kazekiri's pupils shrank.
"Did I see wrong?"
He instinctively took a step back, then snapped his head around - only to find Nightshade Cang standing there.
"What you cut," Nightshade Cang whispered, flipping another card into his hand, "was just an illusion."
Kazekiri gritted his teeth. "Stop joking!"
He lunged forward, his sword striking - but Nightshade Cang's hand was already in motion. Playing cards shot forward like daggers - Magic Slice.
Clink! Clink! Rip - Kazekiri's sleeve and belt were sliced. Fragments of cloth fluttered in the air as his movement stalled for a split second.
"What?!" Cold sweat ran down Kazekiri's back.
For the first time, he realised - these seemingly ordinary playing cards had become weapons that could rival a blade!
Nightshade Cang smiled faintly as the last card twirled through the air and landed in his palm.
"You've already lost."
Kazekiri's eyes widened. His sword had been deflected by only a few centimetres, just enough to render his attack useless.
"Damn..." He clenched his fist but had to admit - he had lost.
The referee raised his hand high and declared - "Winner - Magic Club, Nightshade Cang!"
-The arena fell silent for a second before erupting into chaos!
"The Magic Club won?! Are you kidding me?!"
"What the hell did that guy just do?"
"He actually defeated one of the core members of the Swordsmanship Club with playing cards?"
Amidst the shocked voices, Nightshade Cang simply smiled, tucked his cards away, and stepped off the stage.
-From that moment on, the name of the Magic Club would be etched in everyone's minds.
初战,疾风之刃!
夜见苍入学的第二天,一条消息迅速传遍整个东云学园.
——魔术部的新人,挑战了剑术部!
所有人都以为这是个笑话.自魔术部衰败以来,他们连正式成员都没有,竟然敢主动向四大社团之一的剑术部下战书?
挑战战设在学园中央的演武场,周围挤满了围观的学生.
"夜见苍?没听说过这号人物."
"他凭什么挑战剑术部?"
"更何况,他的对手是风切凌..."
听到这个名字,围观者们纷纷倒吸一口凉气.
风切凌,剑术部的精锐成员,被誉为疾风之刃,他的太刀快如疾风,至今未尝一败.
"喂,魔术师."
风切凌站在擂台中央,手中太刀微微颤动,那是他蓄势待发的征兆.
"你是认真的,还是来搞笑的?"
夜见苍站在他对面,嘴角扬起一抹笑意,手中轻轻一翻,一张扑克牌出现在指间.
"认真?当然."
他轻轻一弹,扑克牌在空中旋转,映射着阳光,宛如一柄飞舞的利刃.
"接下来,我会让你看看——魔术,是如何战斗的."
擂台之上,风切凌静静地站立着,他的手搭在腰间的太刀上,眼神锐利如刀.四周的观众屏息凝视,等待战斗的开始.
"夜见苍...是吧?"风切凌轻轻笑了笑,语气中带着一丝轻蔑,"我听说魔术部早就废了,你居然还敢站出来挑战我们剑术部?"
夜见苍只是微微一笑,手指翻动,一张扑克牌凭空出现在他的指尖,在灯光下反射出寒光.
"魔术,的确不是战斗用的东西."风切凌缓缓抽出太刀,刀锋划破空气,发出清脆的嗡鸣声,"但我会亲自证明,在绝对的速度和锋芒面前,你的戏法毫无意义."
裁判高举手臂,宣布:"战斗开始!"
——嗖!
几乎在声音落下的瞬间,风切凌的身影已经消失!
夜见苍瞳孔微缩,一股凌厉的剑气扑面而来,他本能地侧身闪避,但还是慢了一步,"嗤——" 一声,他的袖口被剑气撕裂,一道浅浅的血痕出现在手臂上.
"好快!"观众席上传来惊呼声.
"这就是剑术部的疾风之刃吗?魔术部根本不可能赢吧..."
夜见苍低头看了看手臂上的血痕,深吸了一口气,露出一抹兴奋的微笑.
"原来如此..."
"还笑得出来?"风切凌冷笑,身体微微下沉,剑锋再次指向夜见苍,"你已经无法躲开我的剑了."
——"疾风乱舞!"
风切凌的身影如同疾风般爆发,太刀划破空气,数道剑影笼罩夜见苍,带着割裂一切的气势!
夜见苍眼中闪过一道精光,他的手指微微一抖,数张扑克牌瞬间洒出,宛如闪烁的星光,漫天飞舞!
——"幻影残像."
"砰!"风切凌的剑斩中了夜见苍的胸口,然而,下一秒,那道身影竟然如同泡影般溃散!
"什么?!"风切凌瞳孔一缩.
"看错了吗?"
他下意识地后退一步,猛地回头,夜见苍竟然站在擂台的另一边,嘴角挂着一抹神秘的笑意.
"你砍中的,只是光影而已."夜见苍轻轻一弹手指,一张扑克牌从袖口滑落,他的声音宛如低语,"魔术,最擅长的就是让人看见'不存在的东西'."
风切凌咬紧牙关:"少开玩笑!"
他猛地踏前一步,剑光如电,直取夜见苍的要害!
然而,夜见苍的手中已然翻飞出数张扑克牌,他手腕一抖,几张纸牌宛如暗器般射出——
——"魔术切割."
"叮!""叮!""嗤——"
风切凌的袖口,腰带在瞬间被切断,衣物的碎片缓缓飘落,他的动作在刹那间出现了一丝停滞.
"什么?!"风切凌瞪大双眼,冷汗瞬间流下.
他终于意识到,这些看似普通的扑克牌,在夜见苍手里,却变成了足以对抗剑锋的武器!
夜见苍微微一笑,手中的纸牌如流星般洒落,他双指轻轻一抬,最后一张扑克牌在空中旋转,缓缓落入他的掌心.
"你已经输了."
风切凌猛然意识到,他的剑...竟然被夜见苍的纸牌打偏了几厘米,而这短短的偏差,已经让他的攻击彻底失去作用.
"可恶..."风切凌握紧拳头,但他不得不承认,自己已经输了.
裁判高举手臂,大声宣布——
"胜者——魔术部,夜见苍!"
——全场寂静了一秒,接着爆发出惊天动地的喧嚣!
"魔术部赢了?!开什么玩笑!"
"那个夜见苍...刚刚到底做了什么?"
"他居然能用扑克牌打败剑术部的核心成员?!"
在众人的惊叹声中,夜见苍只是微微一笑,将手中的扑克牌收起,转身走下擂台.
——从这一刻起,魔术部的名字,已经被所有人铭记.