*Internal Anonymous Chat Group for the “Dark Deck”*

【I heard we’re getting some new recruits soon】 

【What tier are they? I hope this new card is more durable. The R card that came last time only looked tough, but it snapped right away—no fun at all】

【Hey, hey, hey, you guys, tone it down a bit. Don’t break the new guy. This recruit was personally chosen by the boss. He’s even staying up all day just for this guy and plans to set up a whole new office area for him】

【Holy crap, direct hire by the boss? What’s this new hire’s background?】

【So the boss actually handles hiring besides being busy drinking and getting into fights?】

【…Don’t even get me started on the boss. It seems like none of you care about anything besides fighting. Haven’t any of you noticed the Dark deck’s job posting? That Executive Assistant position—the Boss personally set it up.】

【I just checked it out—the benefits are pretty good.】

【This administrative position? Is it any good?】

【Didn’t you guys see the latest card log the boss posted? It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the boss make that kind of expression—it’s so creepy. I can’t believe “gentle” is even a word to describe it. Holy crap, that scared the hell out of me.】

【Me too—it’s the kind of thing that’ll give me nightmares】

【Why isn’t anyone mentioning that copy? It feels a little off somehow】

【That’s totally not something the Boss would say】

【But the Boss seems pretty satisfied with it. I walked past his desk today and saw him smiling at his all-in-one card every now and then… It was so creepy. I’ve never seen the boss laugh like that before… 】

【I saw it too. All the flame patterns on the Boss’s body were glowing. Didn’t the Boss lose a match today? I suspect the Boss might be furious… If all else fails, why not go over to the “light deck” next door and pick a fight with that bird guy? Otherwise, I’m really worried that one day, while I’m working, the Boss might strangle me to death】

【…….. Huh?】

【Holy crap, why didn’t you say the boss lost today sooner?! Then I’m taking the night off!】

【That’s terrifying. I suddenly feel a little sick. I’m taking the night off too.】

【Me too】

As soon as the Demon King stepped out of the dungeon, he immediately set to work preparing an office for Tang Mian. At the same time, he took a moment to check the comments on the card log: Comment No. 1 from a subordinate:

【The boss is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous!】

The Demon King nodded. 

Comment from Underling #2:

【Guys, I’m betting the Boss is gonna knock that bird guy next door out of the game in the next round. Who’s with me, who’s against it?!】

The Demon King was pleased.

Unknown Player A’s comment:

【There’s melancholy in his eyes】

Demon King: “?” Am I feeling melancholy too? 

Unknown Player B commented:

【This is the first time I’ve realized the Demon King is actually this handsome. Holy crap!】

Demon King: “?” What do you mean “actually”?! I’m this ruggedly handsome—Tang Mian said so. 

Comment from Unknown Player C:

【Guys, in this screenshot, the Demon King looks even more handsome than an angel—it’s exactly as handsome as I expected!】

Someone replied to this comment: 【Makes total sense—the Demon King rarely shows off his model in everyday scenes, so when he sprees up, he far exceeds expectations. But this shot is definitely handsome—no arguments there】

The Demon King simply couldn’t keep up with all the comments praising him.

Demon King: “!” Damn! This feels so good! So this is how great it feels to show off! Just how long has that bird guy next door been living the good life like this?! 

Comment by Unknown Player D:

【So, can someone kind enough please tell me what this text means? I see the co-creation section hides a collaboration partner—a mysterious card. Is this a Demon King ship?】 

Someone replied below:

【I’m totally into the copy—it’s actually pretty sweet】

【At first glance, I thought it was a card art from a dating sim—that image is especially beautiful】

Demon King:“?”

Copy? What copy?

He’d just glanced at it casually and seemed to have caught a few lines of text, but he was usually too lazy to read… Wait a minute.

Could it be…. Could these words actually be a conversation Tang Mian had secretly imagined in his heart with him?!

His demon tail, swaying unconsciously, sparked a cluster of flames that flared up, exploded, and died out—like the world’s tiniest fireworks display.

This feeling—a state of chaos and panic, a complete breakdown of morale—was something the Demon King had never experienced in any of his battles. 

No! Where’s the military strategist?! 

Demon King: “Bro, I need to tell you something—it looks like Tang Mian has a crush on me.”

Battle Angel:“?”

Battle Angel: “Does Tang Mian know?”

Demon King: “Hey! Go check my social media feed—that’s what all the players are saying!”

Battle Angel: “You’re reading too much into it.”

The angel’s halo illuminated the Battle Angel, who stood like a sculpted thinker.

The Demon King recited them by heart: “‘If you’re scared, don’t come to places like this,’ ‘Stay behind me—don’t get so close, the fire will hurt you’—I never said any of that—it was all written by Tang Mian. What do you think, bro?”

Battle Angel: “We can totally say things like that to friends, subordinates, and players.”

Battle Angel: “Players might misunderstand them, because they don’t know you. Influenced by that photo of yours, they’ll think these sentences have a different meaning.

Battle Angel: “But as your longtime brother, I know that in your eyes there’s nothing but a thirst for battle and the pursuit of victory—your resolve and fighting spirit can’t be obscured by any amount of fog.” 

Demon King: “Damn it!”

Demon King: “You’re right, bro. Then it’s all good.”

Demon King: “By the way, buddy, Tang Mian hasn’t replied to my message in ages. What’s that about? Does he think I don’t speak nicely enough? Only he would…”

“These N cards are so finicky. Tsk.”

Battle Angel: “How long has it been since he replied?”

Demon King: “He hasn’t been back since he posted the card log.”

The Battle Angel glanced at the posting time of the Demon King’s card log.

Wait a minute.

At this hour, Baby… seemed to be chatting with me. ^^3

Battle Angel: “As an N card, using him in high-difficulty dungeons is extremely taxing—especially in dungeons like Mist Forest that involve Sanity. As soon as he returns to the card space, he’ll probably fall into a deep sleep before long.”

Demon King: “Holy crap! Bro, you’re spot-on with the details! I totally didn’t think of that!”

The Battle Angel nodded.

As everyone knows, when Sanity drops, people start rambling.

And since the little guy had just exited the dungeon not long ago, he’d already engaged in a discussion about art with him—it’s quite possible.

Either way, he shouldn’t have left without a word just now—even just saying hello before leaving would’ve been fine; that’s the bare minimum of etiquette. 

Demon King: “Bro, you tell me—if I don’t sound nice enough when I talk, do you think I should do what the players do and add a ‘Baby’ nickname that Tang Mian likes?” As he typed out the nickname “Baby,” the Demon King wagged his demonic tail like a dog.

Battle Cards would never refer to their adult companions as “baby,” but Tang Mian was different—though the Demon King couldn’t quite put his finger on exactly why. He just thought, “Whoa, damn, the term ‘baby’ fits Tang Mian so perfectly!” 

Battle Angel:“?”

Battle Angel: “Is this really the SSR Demon King I know—the Bloodthirsty Warrior, the Flame King, the embodiment of both majesty and wisdom?” 

Demon King: “Damn it! Bro, you’ve got me all wrong! That nickname’s way too sappy—I’m not about to call him that! But didn’t that N card guy tell someone earlier, saying they wanted to be called ‘Baby’ when they first met?!”

Battle Angel: “So even an SSR Demon King follows trends? Everyone else calls him ‘Baby,’ so you call him ‘Baby’ too—isn’t that just way too cliché? Besides, this isn’t your first time meeting. Why not come up with a nickname that reflects the relationship between the two of you?”

Demon King: “Damn! You really think of everything, bro!” 

Demon King: “So what should I call him…wife?”

Battle Angel replied calmly, “Brother.”

Demon King:“？”

Battle Angel: “That’s exactly how we Battle Cards refer to the cards we truly care about. Think about it—haven’t you ever called any card ‘Bro’? You’ve fought side by side with him in dungeons, and that’s deepened your bond. What could be more fitting than a nickname imbued with the spirit of battle? Once you use that nickname, countless memories will flood back.”

After convincing his brother, the Battle Angel immediately opened the chat window with Tang Mian.

Battle Angel: “Sorry to keep you waiting, Baby. I just went out to grab some breakfast. I hope I’m not disturbing your rest by messaging you now?” 

Tang Mian: “Archangel, you’re too kind! I just finished breakfast myself.” 

Battle Angel: “What a coincidence. That idea you just mentioned is great, Baby. The only thing is, I think the Demon King looks a bit out of place dressed like that^^” 

Tang Mian: “Huh? How is that out of place? The Demon King has a great figure, and his dark skin paired with a pink apron creates a really striking contrast.”

Battle Angel: “Because the Demon King can’t control his facial expressions, doesn’t know how to pose, has a short temper, and tends to burn his apron. No matter how good Baby’s suggestions are, it’s truly a bit of a shame that there isn’t a card character with a great figure, excellent poise, and exceptional taste to bring them to life.”

Tang Mian sniffed: 【I think I faintly smell a hint of tea】

System: 【Do you want to buy some tea?】

Tang Mian held up a finger and shook it gently twice, then analyzed the situation seriously:

【It seems that the Battle Angel and the Demon King, as SSR-tier characters of the same rank, have taken their rivalry to a fever pitch for the sake of the players. The fact that the Battle Angel performs this tea ceremony even when not facing players clearly reveals his true feelings.】

System: 【?】 I don’t get it.

But Tang Mian hasn’t yet decided which deck he’ll use in the future. Not long ago, he analyzed the Battle Angel tournament-level deck—and the language he used wasn’t exactly flattering.

If he were to go along with the Battle Angel’s analysis of the Demon King’s “jock” persona right now, and the two of them were to cross-check their accounts like that in the future, he probably wouldn’t have a place at the Demon King’s anymore.

Tang Mian: “Sorry, boss! I’ve got a few things to take care of right now, so I can’t reply to your message just yet!”

Battle Angel: “Okay, sweetie, your work comes first, but if you’re too tired, make sure to get some rest—your health is the most important thing ^^”. 

Tang Mian: “I’m all rested now! I’m planning to tackle the arena quest! (Picture)”

In the photo, Tang Mian is holding a short dagger, carrying a small knapsack on her back, with a talisman featuring red characters on a yellow background stuck to her forehead. His green eyes are bright, his expression serious, and his chest thrust out—he’s ready to set off with a confident stride.