episode_0015

“Kyaaaak!!”

As if unable to bear watching, Arianna screamed, and at the same moment, [Ice Mirror Marius]’s spear pierced the chest of [Spirit King of Divine Flame, Flamelord].

Kwa-jik……. Pa-jik, Pa-jik-pa-jik……. Ka-ang!

[Spirit King of Divine Flame, Flamelord] froze solid white from its pierced chest, as if glass were cracking, and shattered into pieces just like that.

Ttii-dii-dii-dii-dii-dii-dik-!! Ki-ing!

And the excess damage directly hit Elfelt, her Life Points, which were 8000, became 0 in an instant, and her health counter turned into dust of light.

“I, I won. I actually won…….”

Arianna lifted her head and trembled as she watched the health counter scatter, turning into dust of light. I, too, trembled with a strong lingering feeling and exhaled the breath I had been holding.

“I defeated that strong Elfelt 2-0.”

“That outsider, what exactly is their identity……?”

“Damn it. If something like this happens, damnnnnn it……!!”

Amidst the onlookers’ admiration, shock, and frustration,

[DUEL END] [2-0]

A phrase announcing victory appeared high in the sky, and the energy of the Duel Field that had covered the Central Plaza and its surroundings vanished.

The duel between me and Elfelt concluded with my 2-0 victory.

“……Haaaah.”

Elfelt pulled her deck out from her cleavage and put it back, sighing deeply with her head bowed.

“It’s my defeat. A complete defeat.”

And unexpectedly, she said with a smile. Rather, her face seemed somewhat relieved.

“Such a desperate……. heart-pounding……. And, a duel that even feels refreshing like this was my first.”

I was slightly worried that she might be too upset, but it seems Elfelt also enjoyed the duel quite a bit.

“I had fun too. Let’s do it again next time.”

“Next time, I won’t be easy on you, even more so.”

Elfelt said as she strongly held the hand I offered. Her warm hand was slightly damp with sweat.

“U, um. Just a moment. Aren’t you supposed to say something to me too……?”

From behind, Arianna asked with an anxious expression, clutching my sleeve. Now that I think about it, this duel was originally for the purpose of helping Arianna build her deck. Although I had half-forgotten.

“Sorry. I was having too much fun dueling. Since I won, let’s try building a deck together later.”

“Yes, yes! ……Somehow, I’m happy, but it’s somehow different from what I expected…….”

While I was catching my breath in the lingering aftermath of the duel, applause began to be heard from among the onlookers who had become quiet.

“That was a great duel!!! Please do it again sometime!!!”

“Lady Elfelt, you lost but you were cool!!”

“I don’t know who you are, but [Ice Mirror Marius] was incredibly beautiful!!!”

The applause, small at first, gradually grew louder, turning into cheers and thunderous applause. I felt a little embarrassed by the reaction, which was overwhelmingly larger than when I won the hall tournament in the past. Honestly, boos are more comfortable.

“……But there’s one thing I can’t understand no matter how much I think about it.”

Amidst the applause, Elfelt put her hand on her chin and furrowed her brow.

“Yeah. What is it? If it’s about card effects or something like that, feel free to ask.”

Perhaps she had questions about effect processing or something during the duel. The winner has a duty to listen to the loser’s questions. At least, I think so.

“Why was I…….”

After pausing for a moment, Elfelt,

“Completely unaware of such powerful cards?”

She asked with her brow furrowed as much as possible, as if genuinely unable to understand.

“The existence of such powerful cards, capable of interfering with the opponent’s development at any time……. Why was I completely unaware? I don’t understand that.”

“About that.”

I turned my head,

“The cause won’t be that far away.”

I answered while looking at the noble who had been booing from the building above and was now completely silent, and the plump professor on the first floor below him whose face had turned pale.

“But I can’t hide it anymore.”

*

-It was something that happened on the morning of the day I had given up everything and was about to go back.

Two years after entering the Duel Academy, I felt like I couldn’t go on like this.

Because the days continued where I simply couldn’t defeat the pompous noble kid in the same class.

“Why can’t you win? There are two reasons. You can’t go first. Your cards are weak!”

If I asked for a way to win, I would only get such mocking answers. Not only me, but my classmates from commoner backgrounds who didn’t have expensive cards were always in that situation.

In the repetition of helpless defeats without being able to do anything, there were countless times when it was severe enough that it wasn’t even my turn.

“Look, it’s obvious I’ve already won, shouldn’t you just surrender quickly?”

“……Yes.”

By the time I would die from the effect damage of the noble who went first without even getting my first turn after going second, I had started to wonder why I was even dueling.

Agonizing over whether there was any way to change that, I found that card at the village card shop.

‘It can stop the opponent from searching for cards? Isn’t this an incredibly powerful card……?!’

It was the card [Spirit of the Lock], which could stop the opponent from drawing or searching for a card from their deck once per turn, at any time.

That card felt like a ray of hope to me.

‘With this card, I can stop that annoying development, that loop……!!’

As a result of testing while meticulously writing down logs in my notebook, including 3 copies of [Spirit of the Lock] overwhelmingly increased the probability of winning against the decks of those nobles who had been tormenting us commoners until now.

Not to the point of guaranteed victory, but at least to the point where the duel could be established.

‘I can do it. I can win!! With this, I can put those guys in their place!!’

Adding [Earth Absorber], which I found additionally, that allows me to draw one card whenever the opponent Special Summons, clearly gave me a chance to win. I wouldn’t have to duel anymore where I only lost helplessly.

Excited, I immediately obtained 3 copies of each and put them in my deck. I used the scholarship I received from studying hard, and even pulled from the next semester’s tuition. My heart pounded.

Imagining what if everyone was surprised that such cards existed and praised me as a genius, I went into a duel with a deck filled with 3 copies of [Spirit of the Lock] and 3 copies of [Earth Absorber] each.

However,

“This bastard.”

The reality was the opposite.

“How dare you impudently interfere with the first turn?! Where did you get such dirty cards?!”

What came back was insults and lynching.

“Do you want to win so badly that you even use these unsportsmanlike cards? Did you sell your soul to win?”

Even though they’re not forbidden cards. You guys are using those decks to win, aren’t you? Even though you’re using decks that kill the opponent while preventing them from doing anything.

“Hmm. Isn’t it unavoidable? Cards that make you feel bad always exist, you see.”

Cards that make you feel bad, you say. For me, losing feels the worst. Does that mean if the opponent feels bad, I shouldn’t even try to win in the first place? Do I have to duel while catering to the opponent’s feelings?

Insults during the duel, and afterwards, dark physical violence followed. Even when I complained to the professor, I was just told that the parties involved in the duel should resolve it amongst themselves.

Ultimately, I,

‘I hate duels now.’

I had to remove the 6 cards I had excitedly obtained from my deck with my own hands again.

Because if I used them more, the bruises on my face would only increase. Because my textbooks would simply disappear.

‘I don’t want to do it anymore…….’

After that day, I became unsure of what I was allowed to put in my deck.

Unable to find a reason to be here anymore, I gave up everything, left a withdrawal letter, and was about to return to my hometown.

Just before leaving the school gate with the small amount of luggage I had,

“Let’s prepare for the duel. The rules are [Official], Life 8000. Best of 3.”

“Okay. No problem.”

An outsider I had never seen before entered and started a duel with the Prefect in the Central Plaza.

‘……The Prefect is a noble anyway. They must have been in cahoots.’

Suddenly, the thought occurred to me, what if I had asked the Prefect for help? But it was already in the past anyway.

I decided to watch a duel one last time before leaving, and,

“Nullified by [Spirit of the Lock].”

I saw an unbelievable duel.

The outsider confidently used [Spirit of the Lock] without any hesitation.

“Shut uuuuuuuup!! What’s wrong with using cards that aren’t even forbidden?! If you’re just an onlooker, shut up and watch!!”

He confidently got angry at the person sending boos. And without caring, he proceeded with the duel, and,

“It’s my victory.”

He won.

He magnificently grasped the form of victory that I had most wanted.

“Discarding [Earth Absorber] to activate, I’ll draw 1 card whenever a Special Summon is made.”

In the next match, he not only used that but also [Earth Absorber].

‘As expected, it’s strong. It’s an incredibly strong card. I, I…….’

That duel was as if,

‘I wasn’t wrong……!!!’

It was as if it was telling me that I was right, that I wasn’t wrong.

The outsider won the duel. Using another powerful card I didn’t know about called [Earth Shackles], and overwhelming the Prefect with [Ice Mirror Marius], one of the [4 Mirrors] never discovered until now, he received everyone’s praise.

No one picked a fight about [Spirit of the Lock], or [Earth Absorber] or anything like that. They simply cheered, enthusiastic about the match.

As if that existence was permitted. As if it was naturally allowed to be used.

“Thank you……!!”

When I came to my senses, I was on my knees, shedding tears profusely. Words of gratitude burst from my mouth before I could think.

“Truly, truly……. Truly thank you!!!”

I resolved. To duel again.

To proceed again on the path I believed was right, never to stop again.