episode_0014

“……Indeed. The reason you developed your strategy, even giving me cards, was this.”

I did think it might come, given it was a Fire Attribute and Spirit Deck, but it really did come. It has weaknesses in that it doesn’t have any particular resistance and its ATK isn’t particularly high for an ace monster, but even so, it’s overwhelmingly powerful. Unless it’s a Fire Attribute theme, Special Summoning, an act that is the core of basic development for any deck, is completely sealed. With a Normal Summon, which can only be done once, a 2200 ATK can never be surpassed. At best, you might barely break through with only monsters that had demerits and were used back in the [Legacy] era, and even then, additional development is only possible after destroying it via the Battle Phase. Taking advantage of the fact that it has no resistance, destroying it with magic or flipping the card itself to negate its continuous effect is the best method, but-

‘……I wasn’t able to draw a card to break through.’

Unfortunately, the cards drawn with [Earth Absorber] were all cards used for development. Difficult to use even if I get the turn now that Special Summoning is sealed.

“I will enter the Battle Phase. Brace yourself.”

Elphelt, who finished her development, declared the start of the Battle Phase,

“[Spirit of Bursting Flame Elflare], burn the enemy!! Following that, [Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire] also attacks consecutively!!”

The two monsters on my field were destroyed by the high ATK ace monster summoned earlier, and my field became completely empty, and,

“Purify, [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire]!!”

The flame of [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] scorched me directly.

“Guh……!!”

“Kyaaaak!!”

Arianna and I groaned, receiving that flame.

*Beep-beep-beep-beep-!!*

Of course, it wasn’t physically hot. But the damage steadily accumulated, and my HP dropped to 5300.

“She completely overturned the field and even got a direct attack!!”

“Special Summoning is sealed!! That guy, who only has WATER attributes, is finished now!!”

“As expected of Lady Elphelt!! I believed in you!!”

The spectators sent out a roar-like cheer. I instinctively lowered the arm I had raised and calmly examined Elphelt’s field.

‘The troublesome thing on that field isn’t just [Flame Lord].’

On Elphelt’s field, reacting to the opponent’s monster’s summon, there was a monster that destroyed that monster along with itself. It’s [Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire].

‘You’re quite good, Elphelt!’

Avoiding Special Summoning, even if I Normal Summon one card, it will be immediately destroyed. It’s a field I saw often several years ago, even in my past life, to the point of being nostalgic.

“With this, it’s the end of my turn.”

Elphelt, with a refreshed and confident expression, declared the end of her turn.

I took a deep breath and looked at my hand.

Although I had many cards in my hand now, there was no way to break through Elphelt’s field. All I could do was, at best, Normal Summon a monster with 1800 ATK, and that was it.

‘I have no choice but to believe in the next draw.’

It’s the same as when facing the Goblin. Everything depends on the next single card.

“H-Hang in there, Sir Knight Rider……!!”

Listening to Arianna’s cheering, I drew one card.

*Flash!*

Holding the drawn card high, I looked up at it.

“……Field.”

That was,

“Thank you for clearing it completely.”

which can only be used under the condition that the field is completely empty,

“Trap Card, activate [Earth Shackles] from my hand.”

In this situation, it was the best breakthrough card.

“I will negate the effect of [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] during this turn.”

“Wh-What did you say……?!”

*Clang-clang-clang, Keeng!!*

“!!!”

Black chains erupted from the ground and violently wrapped around [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire]. [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] resisted in confusion but couldn’t break free from the chains and was plunged into the ground just like that.

“~~!!!!”

Even its angry cry was muffled as the chains wrapped around its mouth, and the divine flame, the holy fire, that filled the field vanished.

“Activate a Trap Card from your hand?! Is that possible?!”

“I-I’ve heard of it. A Trap that can be activated when no cards remain on the field……!”

“O-Only despicable cards packed into the deck. You damn baaaaaastard!!”

In this situation where Elphelt’s powerful ace was neutralized so simply with just one card, the spectators buzzed greatly.

‘Could it be that even this card was being suppressed? There’s a limit to everything, no matter what.’

I can roughly guess who is using what kind of deck and for what purpose they created this environment.

“……Truly, it surpasses imagination.”

Although Elphelt frowned, she calmly waited for my next move.

“I activate the Magic Card [Abyssnite Resurrection], I will Special Summon 1 lower-level [Abyssnite] monster from my Graveyard. The card I am summoning is [Abyssnite Salmon].”

I, who had released the shackles of Special Summoning, began the development of [Abyssnite].

Elphelt, without a word, but sharply, gazed at my development.

‘You’re waiting.’

Elphelt was waiting. For the moment a monster exceeding 2200 ATK appears, specifically, for the moment a monster that can suppress [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] appears. The moment such a monster appears, to clear it with [Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire]’s effect that destroys itself and the opponent together and get the turn back.

‘Compared to the last game where she wasted [Thunderclap], it’s a completely different calmness.’

[Earth Shackles] will be released when this turn ends. If I can’t defeat [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] and end up passing the turn, its continuous effect will revive, and Special Summons other than Fire Attribute will be sealed again. I was lucky to negate it once just now, but a second time is impossible. If I can’t destroy [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] this turn, there is no future for me. Elphelt knew that and waited. For the moment I summon a monster with 2200 or more ATK that can destroy [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire], the moment she could destroy it and break my winning momentum.

‘Compared to the last game where she was flustered, she’s like a different person. But…….’

The reason I chose [Abyssnite] over other strong WATER Attribute themes had one big reason.

That a certain degree of development is possible even without using the Normal Summon right.

If you use it, there’s stronger development, but even without using it, you can get decent results. You can increase the number of monsters on the field.

‘This time, you waited too long.’

To summon the true ace of my deck.

“This card, it seems it’s time to show it to everyone.”

I held my ace monster, [Ice Mirror Marius], which I had held since my starting hand, high.

『When Normal Summoning this card, you must Tribute three monsters on your field.』

From the card held high, a fierce blizzard raged.

“I didn’t think about a summon chant or anything like that. I’ll discuss it with him later.”

LV.4 [Ice Mirror Marius] WATER/Warrior ATK 4000 DEF 3500

“Whether it’s divine flame or scorching flame, extinguish them all, [Ice Mirror Marius]!!!”

Tributing three lower-level [Abyssnite] monsters on my field, I summoned [Ice Mirror Marius].

*Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle!!*

“Whoooa?! A blizzard on the field!!”

“Wait a minute. Did you just say Ice Mirror? Surely not the Ice Mirror from the [Four Mirrors]?!”

“Ah, beautiful. Beautifuuuul!!!”

A giant blizzard covered the field. I, who summoned it, stumbled from the wind pressure that felt like it would blow me away, and Arianna also screamed and clung to my waist.

As the storm subsided and I lifted my head,

“Standing on a Duel Field feels like this, huh.”

The first card I ever got and the only Legend Card in this world.

“I like it.”

[Ice Mirror Marius] stood, exuding its majesty.

“I-Ice Mirror……. That’s, that legendary, legendary Legend Card……?”

“The last Knight of the [Four Mirrors] that hadn’t been found all this time……!!!”

“Ah, beautiful. Beautifuuuul!!!”

At its appearance, the spectators were shocked, astonished, and moved, and,

“I-I waited for this moment!! I knew you’d come!! I was expecting it, you know!!”

Although Elphelt trembled at its majesty, as if she had been waiting,

“[Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire]’s effect activate!!”

She activated [Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire]’s effect, which she had been holding back all this time.

“……Huh?”

But the effect did not activate.

[Spirit of Scorching Flame Hellfire], frozen in its form as it was, couldn’t move even slightly.

“A-activated. I activated it, but…… why?”

“[Ice Mirror Marius]’s continuous effect.”

At my words, Elphelt confirmed [Ice Mirror Marius]’s continuous effect and froze in shock right there.

『Monsters on the field with ATK less than or equal to this card’s ATK have their effects negated.』

The monster effect, which had been waiting for a chance all along, lost even the chance to be used.

Exceeding [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire], the strongest lock befitting a Legend Card. That was [Ice Mirror Marius]’s continuous effect.

“Even if it’s ATK less than or equal to, that card’s ATK is 4000, isn’t it?……”

“Are there even any cards that aren’t negated within that range?”

“This is the [Four Mirrors]……. the power of a Legend Card…….”

The spectators were astonished and trembled at that overwhelming lock.

“This time……. Did I wait too long again……?”

Elphelt laughed emptily, sensing her end, and looked at me.

Following that, I additionally developed [Abyssnite] on the field. Thanks to my hand increasing with [Earth Absorber], I could forcibly secure a certain number of monsters.

“Wait, does that continuous effect also negate monsters on his own field?”

“I-Is that so. If so, there might still be a possibility for the game to continue……!!”

However, all the [Abyssnite] monsters I developed froze along with Elphelt’s monsters as soon as they appeared on the field, their effects were negated, and I couldn’t develop any further. Simply lining them up was the limit.

“I’ll enter the Battle Phase.”

Of course, that’s enough, though.

“Designating [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire] as [Ice Mirror Marius]’s attack target, I will activate its second effect.”

[Ice Mirror Marius] raised its hand high.

*Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle……!!!*

Simultaneously, a fierce blizzard, more intense than when it first appeared on the field, erupted and-

“Wh-What is it. What on earth is happening!!”

“They’re breaking!! The monsters on the field, all of them!! Both sides!!”

Without distinction between friend and foe, excluding [Ice Mirror Marius] and [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire], which was designated as the attack target, all the frozen monsters shattered into ice fragments. All the shattered fragments gathered in Marius’s raised hand and- became a giant ice spear.

『Destroy all monsters on the field other than this card and the monster designated as the attack target. And this card gains ATK equal to the combined ATK of the monsters destroyed by this effect.』

“6, 6500, 9000, 11000, and more……!!”

Marius’s giant ice spear took shape, becoming longer, sharper, and more fearsomely.

“1, 14000……?”

“What is that, ridiculous, monster……”

“…….”

Finally, Marius’s ATK reached 14000. An ATK that can deal 11800 damage, even after destroying [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire], whose ATK is 2200.

*Sliiiiide…….*

“It feels like executing a bound person, so I feel a bit sorry.”

[Ice Mirror Marius] raised the giant, sharp ice spear high, and,

“Vanish.”

“~~~~!!!”

While bound by chains, it pierced the chest of [Flame Lord, Spirit King of Holy Fire], who was looking up in despair.