Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2837: Corey’s Pride

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Three Mischief Encampment

”So the laws governing its abilities apply to its targets, the aggressors, too? Do you actually know those laws? And are you certain about attacking Sandalphon with your extra-concentrated vapor venom after it kills Konjur?”

The more the Field Marshal learned about Sandalphon, the more a quiet unease settled in. Perhaps they should stand down. If it were only her, she would have carried the mission through even at the cost of her life. But Corey was involved.

After confirming that the Emissary of Light was not present here, she reported back to her young lord, who had made one thing clear: their lives took priority over the mission. And if Corey showed even a hint of suicidal resolve, she was to knock some sense into her if needed and drag her to safety.

From where Corey stood, all she saw was an opportunity to prove her boss and best friend wrong. From where the Field Marshal stood, all she saw was confirmation that her young lord’s concerns had been justified. Corey’s plan wouldn’t help them. If anything, it might make things worse.

She blamed herself. She should never have supported Corey in going against her young lord.

”Yeah, I know a few... I think it should be fine, as long as we kill it.”

Corey stared at the Sandalphon like a predator stalking its prey, quietly activating her conjoin rune to thicken the concentration of her vapor venom. The moment she saw Konjur facing a Sandalphon, she didn’t hesitate or weigh alternatives like the Field Marshal had. She shut everything else out and locked onto her plan with single-minded resolve.

”Corey, honey, have you really thought this through?” the Field Marshal asked, her voice soft but edged with urgency as she tried to steer Corey away from a reckless move. ”I know you feel like you need to prove yourself to Wyatt so he’ll see you as his best friend too. But trust me, as far as I know, you’re already the only one he considers his best friend. No one else even comes close.”

”What are you going on about? You make me sound like some pitiful child, desperate for approval and friendship. This isn’t about Wyatt. This is about me. Do you even know who I am... or who I was?

”I was Princess Corey Stuart, the one who ended the Zhangguo Royal Family in a single day and saved the world by sacrificing her own life. I was Commander Corey Park, who built her own forces and stood against a top Noble-class Dark Faction—now an average semi-ruler-class faction—the Seven Princes of Hell.

”And now... I’m Corey Bright. I’m destined for greatness. Today, by killing the cultist Konjur and the deceitful devil Peyote, my name will once again echo through the darkest corners of the Dark Realm, heralding the rise of Corey Bright.”

For the first time, Corey laid bare a pride she had long kept buried. She was no longer the girl weighed down by her past and present. She stood as someone moving toward a future she believed in completely, with nothing held back, her heart worn openly for all to see.

”Kid, have you been smoking Lil’ Baem’s vapor venom? Please, stop. Don’t make a habit of it.”

”Laugh all you want. You’ll understand when you’re serving me.”

The Field Marshal couldn’t help but give the girl a second look. She didn’t doubt Corey’s strength—if raw power were all it took to stay on top, the world would already belong to the strongest beings alive. But power alone wasn’t enough. Staying there demanded the right mindset. Corey clearly lacked that... though for her age, she was still far ahead of her peers.

”What about Wyatt? Will he be serving you like me as well?”

”No. I’ll help him fulfill his dream under my rule.”

”And what’s that?”

”A slow, quiet life. Away from the race.”

The Field Marshal’s lips curved slightly. ”Well, look at you. A loyal friend.”

Listening to the Field Marshal, Corey’s cheeks and neck flushed red, and she hurriedly snapped, ”Stop making me say embarrassing things, or I’ll dock your wages.”

”Kid, don’t count me out just yet. Only the future will tell who ends up serving whom.”

Their boss’s dream wasn’t a secret. All his closest confidants knew that world domination had never been his true goal. So it wasn’t surprising that the more ambitious ones—like Corey—were already imagining what would come after he chose to step down. Only those who truly believed in him and his vision could think that far ahead.

”This won’t do. They’re locked in a stalemate. Konjur is exploiting the laws governing Sandalphon’s abilities, stretching the fight as long as possible by turning it into a battle of attrition. He’s betting everything on the idea that Peyote won’t be able to sustain his materialized illusion longer than his faith reserves can sustain him. At this point, it’s a contest between Peyote’s stamina and Konjur’s reserves of faith—and we both know who’ll win. Damn it... if the Sandalphon doesn’t find a way to break the stalemate, Peyote will be killed by Konjur sooner or later.”

Corey’s face darkened seeing that battle was not going as she had predicted. The battlefield was being controlled by Konjur. Corey felt second hand embarrassment for Peyote, the latter was losing despite having a tremendous advantage using Sandalphon against a Faith user.

”We have to intervene, if this continues, Konjure will kill Peyote and we will be back to square one.”

”Bolas Supernova!”

Without waiting for the Field Marshal’s response, Corey conjured three suns the size of basketballs above her palm. They spun rapidly, each pursuing the other in a relentless circular chase, held together by magnetic force. The air around them warped faintly, heat rippling outward as their rotation intensified.

With a sharp flick of her wrist, she hurled them toward Konjur.

He was too occupied to notice at first—his entire focus locked on maintaining his position, careful not to turn his back on the Sandalphon or trigger any of the unseen laws governing its abilities.