Card Chapter 2: Demon Slayer (Patreon)

Russell cleared the tabletop, then laid the three material cards and the blank card out in order.

Among the cards a Card Crafter can make, the two basic categories are Creature Cards and Item Cards.

Above those are the more complicated Chain Cards, Legion Cards, and so on—but those are far beyond Russell for now.

At the moment he was aiming to craft a single Creature Card.

Recalling the figure that had flashed through his mind, Russell took a deep breath. “All right—you’re the one.”

He picked up the standard‑issue stylus the school had given every student and slowly sketched, on the white card stock, a black‑haired young man whose forehead bore a strange red‑brown birthmark.

A long while later the drawing was finished; Russell exhaled, feeling a significant drain on his stamina.

But the most critical step was still to come.

Stacking the four items together, he carefully let his mental power seep over them.

Suddenly he found himself standing in a void.

From the darkness an instruction echoed:

Please begin composing your story.

…

[Tsugikuni Yoriichi—a man of the Sengoku era, twin brother of Tsugikuni Michikatsu.

Because he was born with a bizarre mark on his forehead, his father despised him.

Yoriichi and his brother loved each other deeply.
At age seven, Yoriichi displayed astounding talent with the sword; their father planned to hand the clan to him.

Unwilling to usurp his brother’s place, Yoriichi bade him farewell and ran away from home.
After leaving, he met a girl named Uta; the two began living together.

At eighteen, Yoriichi married Uta.

While Uta was pregnant, Yoriichi went out to fetch a midwife; on the road he helped an old man and returned too late—Uta had been slaughtered by a demon.

Yoriichi sat in shock before the carnage for ten days.

Only when he encountered demon‑slayer swordsmen did he stir.

For revenge he joined the Demon‑Slayer Corps and taught its members his own Breathing Technique.

During one mission, in a bamboo grove, Yoriichi discovered the progenitor demon Kibutsuji Muzan and Muzan’s subordinate Tamayo. Yoriichi’s overwhelming power terrified Muzan; even so, the demon king’s vitality let Muzan escape. Tamayo’s tragic past moved Yoriichi, and he chose to let her go.

After the mission, Yoriichi was expelled from the Corps for sparing Tamayo, and because his brother Michikatsu had defected—slaying the Corps leader and joining Muzan.

Wandering, Yoriichi met the Kamado family. Through their friendship he gradually opened his heart.

He taught Kamado the Sun Breathing style; Kamado vowed it would be passed down forever.

At eighty years old, Yoriichi encountered his now‑demonic brother—who had taken the name Kokushibō.

Yoriichi swung his blade and struck Michikatsu’s neck before the latter could react.

Yet Yoriichi did not deliver a second strike—his own life had reached its end.]

…

Story complete, Russell waited silently for judgment.

Before long he sensed, in that unseen realm, that the narrative had been accepted.

His consciousness returned to the small room.

Before him seemed to loom one ravenous demon after another. As their aura froze him in place, a youth wielding a long blade appeared.

Crimson eyes glimmered with blood‑red light; a fiery blade cut the demons down.

…

[Demon Slayer - Tsugikuni Yoriichi]

Tier: Black‑Iron
Quality: Purple (White → Green → Blue → Purple → Gold → Red → Rainbow)
Type: Creature

Skills

Scarlet Blade: By applying tremendous grip strength or by clashing weapons, the sword’s temperature rises, turning it into a “Scarlet Blade.” Greatly increases damage to Demon‑type foes and slows their regeneration at the struck area.

Sun Breathing: Enhances heart‑and‑lung function, letting the blood absorb vast amounts of oxygen in moments; explosively boosts physical abilities for a short time, granting stamina on par with demons.

Transparent World: While in this state, the user’s ability to foresee movements and evade attacks is dramatically heightened; he can also see the rise and fall of an opponent’s lungs and the flow of their blood vessels.

Trait

Mark: When the forehead mark activates, all physical attributes increase sharply.

Introduction: A vowed avenger who will not rest until every demon is slain.

Synergy: When fielded together with any [Tsugikuni Michikatsu]‑series card, unlocks Brotherly Bond.

…

Holding his breath, Russell suppressed his excitement and gently grasped the card. “It worked!”

[Note: The same story, combined with different‑grade materials, will produce different cards. A card made from higher‑grade materials will never stay at its base form, while some cards are inherently unable to ascend—their potential is exhausted.]

Clearly, the materials Russell used fit this story perfectly.

He had succeeded in crafting Yoriichi, though the low‑tier ingredients meant his strength was far below the original legend.

Russell lightly pressed the card to his forehead; a wisp of light flowed into his mind.

Inside his consciousness he touched the card with a thread of mental power.

Instantly, beside him materialized a black‑and‑crimson‑haired man holding a katana—Yoriichi himself.

Yoriichi glanced around, nodded to Russell, and leaned against the wall with eyes closed, resting.

Russell inhaled, hurriedly took out his phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to his homeroom teacher Wang Ming.

Russell: “Mr. Wang, I made a card—purple quality!” [Photo]

At that moment Wang Ming stared at the message in shock.

Purple?

Entry to Shanghai No. 1 High School’s honors class only requires a Black‑Iron blue‑quality card.
Producing a purple‑quality card makes you a seed candidate for elite training.

In class Russell was merely mid‑tier; producing blue was uncertain, let alone purple. Suspicious, Wang Ming replied:

“Russell, are you sure? If you fail the official inspection, you’ll lose your Card Crafter qualification forever.”

Russell: “Really. As soon as school starts tomorrow I can take the test.”

The kid probably isn’t lying; even if he fooled me, he can’t fake the test tomorrow.

After thinking a moment, Wang Ming sent another message:

“All right—come find me when term starts tomorrow, I’ll take you to the inspection.
If you pass, you’ll join the honors class.”

Russell: “Got it, thank you, Mr. Wang!”

Putting away his phone, Russell studied Yoriichi before him.

He had to admit—the man looked impressive. Expressionless, neither joy nor sorrow, the red‑brown mark on his forehead stood out strikingly.

Exhaling, Russell felt he had taken a solid first step in this world.

Just then, the television—still on—flashed a red emergency bulletin:

“Unknown mutation detected in the ‘Demon Nest’ rift. All citizens, please proceed at once to the nearest shelter.

Repeat: Unknown mutation in ‘Demon Nest.’ All citizens, please evacuate to the nearest shelter immediately.”