Ch.77Midterm Exams of Doom (7)

The auditorium of Oubashi Elementary School was the venue for the tournament.

But one shouldn’t imagine an ordinary school auditorium.

As if flaunting the financial power of a private school sponsored by a famous corporation, it was insanely spacious.

It reminded me of the university auditorium where LCK matches were held in my original world.

Cameras were rolling everywhere. Apparently, the event was being livestreamed on YouTube.

“Hoeta. Feeling nervous?”

I asked Hoeta.

“Nervous… yes, I am. But when I look at this deck, I feel even more courage.”

Hoeta replied with a smile.

“Everyone entrusted their hearts to this deck. It’s the ultimate hodgepodge deck, filled with everyone’s feelings.”

Hoeta said with a smile.

“Hmph. I suppose so.”

I grinned.

Hoeta had properly stood up against Madoka, and the kids who supported him had each entrusted him with a precious card. Hoeta wanted to use all those cards, and Sasitsu and I ran all sorts of simulations to make sure the deck would function, cramming all the cards in.

It was, in other words, the ultimate hodgepodge deck.

“Right. Go win.”

I patted Hoeta on the shoulder.

“Yes!!!!”

Hoeta shouted with a bright smile.

That’s when it happened.

“Heheheh. How brave of you not to run away. I’ll commend that courage.”

A group of distinctive-looking kids appeared.

Yes, they were the Four Heavenly Kings of Oubashi Elementary’s duel club.

“I wonder if you’ll even make it past the preliminaries?”

“Hahaha! It would be so pathetic if you got eliminated in the preliminaries after all this.”

All four of them burst into laughter.

“Well… I’ll be waiting in the main tournament. Hope you make it. Otherwise, it won’t be fun.”

One of the Four Kings said, pushing up his glasses.

“Kekeke!!!”

Soon after, they returned to their seats, laughing in a villainous manner.

“Really… such stereotypical villains.”

I said. Even for an otaku game world, it was incredibly clichéd. Even modern shonen manga doesn’t create villains this obvious.

“Well… they’re the ones who should be worried about making it past the preliminaries.”

Sasitsu said with indifferent eyes.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I thought the Four Kings of Oubashi Elementary would breeze through the preliminaries.

“Well… you’ll see.”

Sasitsu gave a bitter smile.

Anyway, we returned to the spectator seats. From there, we couldn’t interfere with the players in any way. There was nothing more we could do. All that remained was… to cheer for Hoeta.

“Card games, huh. I don’t know much about them.”

Umi made a bored expression.

“Sorry. Please bear with it a little longer. My life as a slave is at stake here.”

I said with a bitter smile.

“Seriously… why did you make such a dangerous bet?”

Eri said, puffing her cheeks. She looked so cute with her puffed cheeks that I kissed her.

“If that kid loses, let’s just dunk him. We’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget.”

Taiga said ominously as she sat on my lap.

“Hoeta will win.”

I said, fondling Taiga’s chest as she sat on my lap.

“Why? I don’t know much about card games, but… honestly, his chances aren’t high, right? That deck is trash, isn’t it?”

Umi said, nibbling on my ear. It seemed she wanted to pass the time with displays of affection since the event was boring.

“That’s not what matters.”

I firmly grasped Taiga’s chest with emotion.

“Kyahng?!”

Taiga immediately made a cute sound.

“It’s about the bond with the cards.”

I said.

“Shota… you’re saying otaku things again.”

Umi said with cold eyes. After that, I immediately slipped my hand inside Umi’s clothes and fondled her chest. She instantly made a pleased expression.

Just as I was thoroughly enjoying the harem situation…

“Excuse me… there are many children here, so excessive displays of affection are…”

A staff member approached us and gave a warning.

“Ah. Yes. I apologize.”

I immediately apologized.

Anyway, the tournament began.

That’s when it happened.

“Hmph. Enjoying your last moments of freedom in your girlfriends’ arms before becoming my slave? Pathetic.”

Madoka approached me.

“Hey. You’re a player. You shouldn’t be in the spectator seats.”

I said to Madoka.

“This tournament is hosted by my father. Whatever I do is the law.”

Madoka said, twirling her twin buns.

“Ah. I see. How impressive.”

I immediately clapped my hands.

“Ugh… that indifferent attitude again…”

Madoka seemed dissatisfied with my reaction.

“Run along, kid. Don’t disturb the adults’ play.”

I said, deliberately putting my arms around Umi and Eri’s waists on either side of me.

“Hmph!! You can talk high and mighty now, but that’s only for now! When you become my slave, I’ll train you to be obedient!! You pa~~~~thetic!!!”

Madoka shouted and ran back to the arena. Her face was extremely red.

You’re the pathetic one, kid.

Anyway, the matches began.

——–

“Player Hoeta!!!!! Achieves three consecutive victories!!!”

The announcer’s voice was heard.

Hoeta was quickly racking up three consecutive wins.

“Wow!!!! To think he’d achieve this level of victory with an unsupported Orc Harem deck!!!! The boom of dream decks is coming back!!!”

The famous comedian invited as the MC shouted loudly.

“He’s strong.”

I said.

“Well… we did run simulations.”

Sasitsu said. That’s right. We focused entirely on utility to ensure the deck would function even if the hand was bad. If he got the first turn, he would just go aggressive, and if he got the second turn, he could somehow hold out with trap cards. We created an extremely defensive deck.

Sasitsu certainly increased the deck’s efficiency using his experience as a former duelist. Additionally, I persuaded Hoeta to make changes to the deck.

Hoeta modified his deck, and now it’s unstoppable.

“Madoka is… also strong, as expected.”

She had five different decks. Moreover, they were all expensive meta decks that were hard to counter. Her game understanding was impressive, as she varied her decks according to her opponents. Madoka was also on a winning streak.

“So where are the Four Kings…?”

I looked around.

But I couldn’t find the Four Kings in the arena.

That’s when some elementary school kids quietly walked to the spectator seats and sat near us.

It was the Four Kings.

“Hey!! Did you guys get eliminated in the preliminaries?!!”

I couldn’t help but taunt them. Why did you talk big if this was going to happen?!!! I thought you’d make it to the main tournament with all that confidence!!!

“I, I wasn’t feeling well…”

“I got unlucky! That’s all!”

They seemed embarrassed, as their faces turned tomato red.

“I expected as much.”

Sasitsu said.

“R-really?”

“The decks they used were all overpowered decks with over 60% win rates. Konami nerfed them. Their core cards were banned or restricted.”

Sasitsu showed us the official site’s patch notes.

“Ah…”

It seemed they were only strong because they used overpowered decks, but their actual dueling skills were nothing special.

“Still, eliminated in the preliminaries… you’re not the Four Kings, you’re the Four Beggars…”

At my words, the Four Kings’ expressions froze with humiliation.

Anyway, the main players, including Hoeta and Madoka, advanced to the main tournament. Well, there were no major surprises.

———

After that, the matches progressed quickly. It was surprisingly entertaining to watch.

“Ah… that’s not how you do it.”

“Hmm… Cotton-ton here?”

Sasitsu kept giving annoying commentary from the side. This is why otakus… they become chatty as soon as they know something.

Of course, only Sasitsu and I, who knew the rules to some extent, understood the fun of these duels.

My girlfriends started dozing off while touching my body like a comfort doll.

Soon, my girlfriends fell asleep in my arms. Even while sleeping, they kept kissing my cheeks. I stroked them while watching the matches.

Soon, the finals approached.

“Ahhh!!! The finalists are Hoeta and!!!! Madoka!!!!”

At the announcer’s shout, people cheered.

The match between an extraordinary boy who reached the finals with a dream deck and the traditional powerhouse Madoka was an interesting subject.

“Now!! The final match will introduce the new hologram duel system created by Konami!! A system where card monsters appear as holograms!! It’s cutting-edge technology that hasn’t been commercialized yet!!!!! This is its first public demonstration!!!!!!”

At the announcer’s shout, my eyes widened.

S-such… a dream technology exists?

“Now!! Fair and square!!! Follow the rules!!! Du-u-u-u-el!!!!!!!!!”

The announcer shouted with a volume worthy of a professional esports caster.

Soon, Hoeta and Madoka stood on the field.

“Draw!!”

Hoeta, who got the first turn, immediately drew a card.

“I summon Pot Man to the field!!! When this card is successfully normal summoned and there are no other monster cards on the field!! I draw one additional card!!”

Hoeta immediately summoned a monster to the field.

Fwoosh-!!!

When Hoeta placed the card on the mechanical field, a man trapped in a pot actually appeared on the field. Yes, the monster was summoned as a hologram.

Seeing that, I couldn’t hold back my tears.

“Kieeeeeeek!!!!! Why wasn’t there something this cool when I was a kid!!!!!!!”

I couldn’t contain my frustration. If something like this had existed… my childhood would have been more enjoyable!!!! I was born too early…!!!

“Shota… I understand that feeling.”

Sasitsu also wiped away a tear as he patted my shoulder. A sense of camaraderie formed between us. I felt our friendship deepen.

Anyway, the duel proceeded within the real hologram.

“Heheheh. I activate the ritual spell ‘Virgin Theory of Psyche’!!!! I send ‘School Girl Virgin Layla’ and ‘Awakened Unicorn’ from the field to the graveyard to summon Unicorn Warrior!!!!”

Madoka said with a voice full of triumph.

Fwoosh-!!

With those words, a muscular figure wearing a unicorn mask appeared. By the way… the card concepts are quite bizarre. Is this really appropriate for children?

Honestly, the duel was not easy.

As the duel dragged on, Hoeta’s life points were gradually whittled away. And Hoeta hadn’t been able to land any effective hits against Madoka.

Madoka was using the Unicorn deck, the current meta deck.

“Damn… Unicorn Warrior has been summoned.”

Sasitsu clicked his tongue.

“W-what’s happening?”

Being ignorant about duels, I asked Sasitsu.

“Once that’s summoned, it’s completely Madoka’s pace.”

Sasitsu closed his eyes tightly.

“Shota… well, being a slave to a corporate heiress might not be so bad. At least you won’t starve.”

Sasitsu immediately entered resignation mode.

“No!! It’s not over yet!!!”

I immediately cried out.

Hang in there!! Hoeta!!! Please!!!!

I started praying desperately. We can’t lose like this!!!