Ch.73Midterms of Doom (3)

“Our brother’s treasure!! The Orc Harem Deck!!”

Hoeta proudly laid out the deck on the floor.

Elementary schooler trait) Puts everything on the floor.

He didn’t consider dirt or the floor dirty at all.

Back in elementary school, kids who were good at knucklebones had hands blackened with dirt. That was proof of their strength. When I played knucklebones for stakes, I’d check their hands. If someone’s hands were extremely black, it meant they were damn strong, so I wouldn’t challenge them recklessly.

By employing the strategy of only facing opponents I could beat, I became the school knucklebones champion. Ah… I miss those days.

————

Anyway, I looked up what an Orc Harem Deck was.

The deck’s storyline went something like this: A powerful orc warrior takes wives from various races and builds a harem.

The ace of the deck was the Orc Warrior, a typical power-up deck where the warrior’s attack power increases based on the number of wives on the field. As a bonus, he gained elemental resistance depending on his wives’ attributes.

It supposedly had decent damage output too. When the field spell “Orgy Harem Party” was activated, the attack power of the Orc Warrior and his wives would get pumped up.

Explaining it like this makes me dizzy. Is it really okay to sell this to children? The thought did cross my mind.

Anyway, while it sounds like a good deck, no new cards had been released for it in over 5 years. In short, it was an abandoned deck. It was completely outdated for the current dueling environment.

“I want to win with this deck!!!”

Hoeta’s eyes sparkled.

“No. That’s impossible.”

I cut him off bluntly. I guarantee it. He’d get beaten before he could even set up his strategy.

“Well… I agree with Shota. We had a few practice matches. Hoeta’s record is 1 win, 4 losses. And that one win was just because he got lucky with his draws.”

Sasitsu recounted the depressing record.

“I have to win with this… Otherwise… I won’t be able to face my brother who went abroad to study!”

Hoeta suddenly started playing the sympathy card. Here we go. The melodrama typical of otaku stories.

“My brother’s… life changed because of this deck. He shed his former pathetic self and declared he would become an alpha male with a harem like the Orc Warrior, then left to study abroad!!! He’s changing over there!! I need to support him with this deck!!!”

Hoeta shouted.

Something about it… if you just went with the mood, it might sound touching… but there were quite a few things to nitpick.

“I see. So you don’t want to change the deck.”

That’s what I said.

“Yeah. It’s been troublesome because he won’t listen no matter how much we try to persuade him.”

Sasitsu sighed as he spoke.

“Even a master can’t do what can’t be done!”

Hoeta shouted. Pretty stubborn for a kid.

So, I have to be the one to persuade him, huh? Sasitsu… it’s not that he lacks conversational skills, but his cool-guy persona acts like a sandbag. He’s just not good at persuading.

“Hoeta. Your brother is changing while studying abroad, right? You’ve also changed as you’ve grown older since last year.”

That’s what I said.

“Yeah!! I’ve changed!! I used to only like women’s breasts, but now I prefer butts!!”

Hoeta smiled brightly while saying something crazy.

Are all kids these days… like this? I honestly wondered. The future of Japan… is it really okay like this?

“Anyway, everything changes. This deck has to change too.”

I brought the conversation back to the original point.

“But…”

Hoeta immediately showed resistance to my words.

“Doesn’t this deck symbolize your brother? It’s a precious deck containing your brother’s determination. Your brother is desperately trying to adapt to his environment and change. Shouldn’t this deck also change to follow your brother’s example?”

I immediately said something that sounded plausible. I’m a web novel writer by profession. Making up convincing nonsense is my specialty.

“Y-you’re right…”

Surprisingly, Hoeta was convinced.

“Shota… you’re really good at persuading people with plausible-sounding words.”

Umi whispered to Eri.

“Well, I fell for Shota too, so I can’t say much… but he’s pretty good at manipulating people’s hearts. Cutting through with words.”

Eri agreed.

“Hehehe. But if you listen carefully, it’s funny how there’s absolutely no substance to what he says.”

Taiga chuckled.

Hey, ladies, keep it down over there. You’re interfering with my work.

“That’s right!! Then… it’s okay to add a few cards, right?”

Hoeta immediately accepted.

“Yeah. That’s fine. Your brother would be happy about it too, even while getting double eyelid surgery.”

I nodded and said.

“Then let’s add some essential spell and trap cards.”

Sasitsu, finally relieved that the conversation was progressing, started adding cards that were essentially mandatory in the current meta. He packed in search cards, draw cards, hand traps, and more.

This would definitely strengthen the deck… but it would still be weak.

“Don’t you have something like a Millennium Puzzle?”

I asked Hoeta. Couldn’t the Pharaoh duel for him? He’s really good at proxy dueling. But what was that story again? Did he get banned for a thousand years for proxy dueling in the past and got trapped in the puzzle? Or was it something else? I wasn’t sure.

“Bro, what are you talking about?”

Hoeta tilted his head in confusion.

“Nothing. Never mind.”

I shook my head.

Anyway, about 30 productive minutes of studying and testing the deck were about to pass.

“Hmph. How pitiful to see you trying to make a trash deck work.”

A cheeky voice that pierced our ears rang out.

We immediately turned our heads.

A cute girl with blonde hair in bun rolls was standing there. She was incredibly pretty. She’d probably break many men’s hearts when she grew up.

Moreover, she was accompanied by two bodyguards in black suits.

This kid… she’s obviously rich!!! The kind of rich kid you’d see in manga.

That’s right!! A golden brat!!!! A golden youngster!!!

“Ah… Madoka…”

Hoeta immediately made a frightened expression.

“Hehehe. I can’t believe you still haven’t thrown away that garbage deck. I have to admire your persistence. To think you’d actually register for the tournament with that deck.”

The girl called Madoka approached Hoeta with a smile.

Then, Madoka tried to kick the deck Hoeta had laid on the ground. It was a malicious move intended to scatter the cards.

“Ah…!!”

Hoeta seemed flustered and tried to stop Madoka, but it was too late.

Thwack-!!

In the end, I had to intervene. I immediately raised my hand to block Madoka’s kick.

Honestly, it was pretty cool. Admit it?

“You… what are you doing, you skinny nobody?”

Madoka looked at me as if she couldn’t understand.

“What are you doing? Trying to kick someone else’s precious cards.”

I cast a glance at Madoka.

“You… you don’t seem to understand the situation. Do you know who I am?”

Madoka asked.

“No idea. Bun rolls, go back to the bakery quietly.”

“B-bun rolls?!!! You must have been born with such a vulgar sensibility to not appreciate the beauty of this hairstyle!!!”

Madoka got angry.

“This is a precious deck left by Hoeta’s brother. Who taught you to do such things?”

I stood up and said.

Click-!

At that moment, the bodyguards took out two batons from their suits. They were electric stun batons. No… even for bodyguards, that’s too much. They carry these around?

“Let me tell you, since you seem ignorant. I am Madoka Kujo. The daughter of Kunami, Japan’s number one corporation!! This card game!! This school!! They all belong to my daddy!!”

Madoka started to ride the beat of power.

“So what?”

I stood up straight. Honestly, I was a bit scared… but Hoeta was looking at me like I was some kind of hero. I couldn’t back down with that kind of direct gaze on me.

“My daddy is a big shot in this Emoshita City!! He can socially bury someone like you in an instant!!”

Madoka jumped up and down.

“Wow!! So scary!!! What should I do!!!!”

When faced with such cheap provocation, I can’t help but respond with cheap provocation of my own. But… it wasn’t just provocation. I was genuinely scared. You shouldn’t mess with big corporations…!

“Then I’ll show you my power properly. Hey!! You two!! Beat up that annoying man!!!”

Madoka shouted.

“Try reporting assault or calling the police. Let’s see whose side your precious law enforcement takes? Oh, you’re too stupid to understand, aren’t you? You loooooser!!!”

Madoka smiled vilely.

This rotten brat…!!!

Whoosh-!!!

At that moment, the two bodyguards rushed toward me with their stun batons.

Alright. You drew your sword first, then.

Swish-!!

I stepped back to avoid the incoming stun batons.

Immediately after, I quickly drew the bamboo sword attached to the side of my bag. It was a bamboo sword I had brought to go to kendo practice later.

“Hyaaaaaaah!!!!”

The bodyguards were definitely strong. However, they were no match for me now.

Swoosh-!! Swish-!!

I quickly closed the distance and swung a continuous strike.

After a few seconds of silence.

“Ugh… gasp!!!”

“Gack!!!”

Both bodyguards foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

“Th-this can’t be…!!”

Madoka immediately cowered.

Crack-!

The bulletproof vest on one of the bodyguard’s chest shattered and scattered. That was enough to instill visual fear in this damn brat.

“Wh-what are you…?!”

Madoka backed away from me.

“…….”

I walked toward Madoka with an expressionless face. It was quite a visual threat.

“I-if you touch me, you’ll wear an electronic ankle bracelet for the rest of your life!! You sex offender!! Pervert!!”

Madoka screamed at the top of her lungs.

“I was going to let it slide… but you really are a brat with no manners.”

I lowered my bamboo sword and said.

I had planned to ignore her since she wasn’t in the original game, but I changed my mind.

“Are you also entering the tournament? Then let’s have a match.”

I said bluntly.

“A-a match…?”

Madoka tried to maintain a domineering expression, but she seemed quite frightened.

“If Hoeta beats you, I’ll give your butt a full swing. Enough to leave a bruise on your backside.”

My belief is that kids need to be spanked to be corrected.

I wanted to give her a full swing across the face, but that would be too harsh… so I compromised with the butt.

“I… want Shota to spank my butt too…”

Umi said something creepy behind me, but I desperately ignored it.

Anyway.

“M-my butt…?!! How vulgar!!!”

Madoka shouted with a reddened face.

“What? Scared?”

I grinned and said.

“H-hmph!! As if!!! Then… if I win, I get to set my own conditions, right?”

Madoka immediately flared up and shouted.

“Yeah. That’s right.”

I answered calmly.

“Fine. Then… you!! If I win, you’ll become my exclusive slave!! A slave who also serves as a bodyguard!!!”

Madoka smiled sadistically as she spoke.

“Hahahahaha!! Alright!!! Then it’s a match!!!!”

Caught up in the moment, I shouted loudly.

And so, the incident took a strange turn.