Chapter 174: Dark Demon's First Round
[Card Name: Golden Beast]
[Type: Spirit Card]
[Level: ★★★]
[Race: Machine Species]
[Attribute: Steel]
[Magic Power: 1000]
[Attack: 1300]
[Defense: 1500]
[Ultimate Skill: Golden Devour]
The Golden Beast belongs to the Ancient Machine Species, conceptually a product of forgotten technology, similar to Golem, but unlike Golem, its entire body is a mechanical construct.
Strictly speaking, Golden Beasts refined by Magic Guide technology are not the same life form as true Golden Beasts, because they do not possess a "mechanical core."
The "mechanical core" is the heart of all Ancient Machine Species.
As time has progressed to today, the world's last remaining mechanical core is preserved in a certain museum.
Golden Beasts refined by Magic Guide technology, however, use the special life mechanism of Magic Guide Cards to replace the mechanical core, which also makes them different from true Golden Beasts.
Emma's Golden Beast primarily focused on Defense in its stats, but its Attack Power should not be underestimated either.
Under Emma's command, the Golden Beast stretched its limbs and in a flash, dashed towards the Red Team's Summoning Zone.
Immediately after, Dark began to cast his second Normal Summoning Technique!
Shortly after the Golden Beast began to move, Dark had already completed his summon.
A wisp of white light emerged from the second Magic Guide Card in his hand.
Under Dark's deliberate guidance, this white light descended upon Shuckle's shell.
And then materialized.
It was none other than [Trash Slime]!
Previously, Dark had instinctively considered the stronger [Magic Beast: Eevee] as the template, leading him to believe that after [Shuckle]'s weakness was exposed, it would be difficult to protect a one-star Magic Guide Spirit serving as a sacrifice.
That thought itself was correct.
But if [Magic Beast: Eevee] was replaced with [Trash Slime]…
Shuckle could completely protect it!
Because Trash Slime's volume, when condensed, is even smaller than an apple!
As long as the Trash Slime was hidden inside its shell, it would be completely safe!
After all, this was a real duel, not just playing cards in a game.
By breaking through the inherent mindset of card games, one could discover many exploitable points.
Under Dark's command,
The Trash Slime "slurped" and burrowed into Shuckle's shell.
This "strong-strong" alliance, merging into one, utterly bewildered the audience, professors, and Emma on the player stand!
So much so that even the Golden Beast halted its steps.
It widened its eyes, desperately trying to figure out how to execute its master's task with its 2.0 Intelligence Level.
The result, needless to say.
If it could figure that out, its Intelligence Level wouldn't be 2.0!
With Sacrifice Summoning now unstoppable.
As Emma drew a Magic Guide Card from her hand, she immediately gave the Golden Beast a new command: "Bypass Shuckle, attack the Magic Guide Orb directly!"
Upon receiving its master's new command, the Golden Beast immediately lifted its head, roared to refresh itself, and then leaped abruptly, restarting its charge!
But Shuckle was summoned directly in front of the Magic Guide Orb.
In its normal stance, Shuckle is 0.6 meters tall.
The Magic Guide Orb's initial height is 1 meter.
It only needed to stretch its neck as much as possible, or support its body with its tentacles, to relatively easily reach the Magic Guide Orb.
However, the Magic Guide Orb has a diameter of 0.3 meters, equivalent to a small Eevee's height. A Magic Guide Orb with its Life Barrier extended would be even larger!
So touching the Magic Guide Orb was just the beginning; pulling it down required a different kind of effort.
The Magic Guide Orb's "Floating Trait" is based on applying a "psychic force" to itself, keeping it fixed in a certain position in the air.
To move it, one would need to counteract this psychic force.
Fortunately, the output of this psychic force isn't strong.
Even without using [Power Trick], Shuckle could pull the Magic Guide Orb down.
And then hide it behind itself.
The practical significance of this hiding was actually not great, as it was exposed from all sides.
But it could induce the Golden Beast to approach Shuckle.
And Shuckle could precisely time it to deliver a fierce punch to the Golden Beast!
This punch might not take down the Golden Beast, but at least it could buy time.
The Magic Guide Orb's Life Barrier has a Magic Power value of 1000.
The strength of a three-star Magic Guide Spirit conventionally peaks at 1500.
After [Power Share], only 750 remained.
The Magic Guide Orb's Life Barrier could completely withstand one hit without shattering.
This bought more time.
If that wasn't enough.
Shuckle could even forcefully throw the Magic Guide Orb into the air!
Surely this Golden Beast can't fly, right?
Shuckle's eyes shimmered with psychic light, and as the Golden Beast approached, it immediately used [Power Share].
Both the Golden Beast's and Shuckle's Attack Power became 650.
Then Shuckle used [Power Trick] again, switching its Attack and Defense.
Its tentacles immediately grew thicker and larger, even showing muscle contours!
But the Golden Beast suddenly made a leap, soaring right over its head.
"Bap-bi!"
Shuckle abruptly tilted its head back, its head turning 180° with the Golden Beast, only to see this half-mechanical species land on its forepaws with extremely fluid motion, twist with momentum, and suddenly open its gaping maw, fiercely biting towards the Magic Guide Orb!
"Crack!"
The Golden Beast's sharp teeth pierced the Life Barrier, and clear cracks appeared on the barrier.
[1000→400]
In haste, Shuckle extended a tentacle and pulled forcefully. The moment it flung the Magic Guide Orb away, it coiled another tentacle upwards—to hammer!
"BOOM!"
With this hammer blow, the Golden Beast's massive head suddenly recoiled!
Its Magic Power plummeted!
But relying on its full-mechanical, heavy metal construction, the Golden Beast stubbornly endured without being knocked away.
Then it ferociously backhanded a claw strike towards Shuckle!
At the same time.
Emma completed her second Normal Summoning Technique, and a winged gold coin appeared in the Blue Team's Summoning Zone.
Not long after.
Dark's Sacrifice Summoning Technique was also finally complete.
Shuckle, which had been confronting the Golden Beast, suddenly dissolved into light, and the pink-ribboned spirit leaped out from the Sacrifice Summoning light array.
Sylveon, appearing once more, caused a commotion among the spectators.
Only Emma's expression became less pleasant.
But she remained calm.
With a flick of her finger, the winged gold coin suddenly accelerated, crossing the field like a golden streak, heading straight for the Golden Beast!
At this moment.
Sylveon had just appeared, and upon looking up, saw the ferocious-looking Golden Beast!
The height difference between them was double, and the size difference was even greater.
But it was the Golden Beast that appeared tense!
Sylveon slightly parted its lips, and a note of music already leaked out.
"Doo-doo~ Doo-doo-doo-doo…"
The Golden Beast instinctively took a step back.
Emma, on the Blue Team's player stand, suddenly roared: "Cover your ears!"
The Golden Beast's mechanical ears immediately folded downwards, unable to hear a sound.
Its already depleted Magic Power value immediately halted its decline!
"Indeed!"
Seeing this, Emma regained her confidence.
She immediately shouted: "Gold Coin Bug, Parasite!"
The rapidly flying winged gold coin "splatted" onto the Golden Beast's spine!
Then its body sank, actually integrating itself into the Golden Beast's golden shell.
Immediately after, the Golden Beast raised its head and roared. From both sides of its body, two masses of liquid metal abruptly emerged, forming armor that covered its entire body, and astonishingly, transformed into a pair of golden wings!
The Golden Beast could really fly now!
[Card Name: Gold Coin Bug]
[Type: Spirit Card]
[Level: ★]
[Race: Machine Species]
[Attribute: Steel]
[Magic Power: 100]
[Attack: 0]
[Defense: 100]
[Ultimate Skill: Golden Parasite]
The Gold Coin Bug, with 0 Attack Power, was so fragile it seemed a single slap could kill it.
But after using its ultimate skill [Golden Parasite], it could grant the parasitized target an increase of 300 Magic Power and 300 Defense!
More importantly, it could grant the parasitized target a pair of golden wings!
These wings come with an ultimate skill—[Feather Arrow]!
[Card Name: Golden Beast (Golden Parasite)]
[Type: Spirit Card]
[Level: ★★★]
[Race: Machine Species]
[Attribute: Steel]
[Magic Power: 1300]
[Attack: 1300]
[Defense: 1800]
[Ultimate Skill: Golden Devour, Feather Arrow]
Its Magic Power cap increased by three hundred, its Defense value surpassed the conventional peak achievable by three-stars, and its mobility surged!
This Golden Beast now strikingly displayed some of the grandeur of a four-star Magic Guide Spirit!
And its Magic Power value, which had already bottomed out, also recovered to a relatively healthy state due to the increased cap.
Once the psychic effect of [Power Share] gradually disappeared, its threat level would skyrocket even further!
"Whoosh!"
Sylveon stopped singing.
In front of a Machine Species, the effect of [Charming Body] would be greatly reduced.
Sylveon, with an Attack Power of only 1700, would find it difficult to break through the Golden Beast's Defense.
Furthermore, the compatibility between Fairy-type and Steel-type is not good.
The only remaining advantage was that Sylveon's Defense was as high as 1300, which also happened to be a state difficult for the Golden Beast to break through!
Dark's thoughts raced.
It seemed Emma was using the winged gold coin's ultimate skill in public for the first time.
The so-called Gold Coin Bug was, strikingly, a Magic Guide Spirit whose function was extremely similar to that of equipped item cards.
With the Gold Coin Bug's parasitism, the Golden Beast now possessed the strength to contend with Sylveon.
Fortunately, Dark had already anticipated the possibility of this situation.
So, in his deck of only five cards, he had also prepared a [Gatomon]!
However, before performing the second Sacrifice Summoning, he still needed to make some attempts.
"Moon Power!"
Moonlight immediately cascaded from Sylveon's forehead.
It slightly parted its mouth, and the sparkling light quickly gathered within, forming a sphere of moonlight, which it then powerfully unleashed!
The light sphere burst open the moment it exited, transforming into a slightly wider beam.
Its target was, strikingly, the Blue Team's Magic Guide Orb!
People always tend to forget that shattering the Magic Guide Orb's Life Barrier is the initial objective of a duel.
But Emma clearly had not forgotten!
The Golden Beast had already made its move when Sylveon began to charge its power. By the time [Moon Power] was unleashed, it had already flown in, flapping its wings, blocking the beam's path!
The Golden Beast, having endured the Fairy-type ultimate skill, stood completely still amidst the moonlight's punishment, thanks to its substantial 1800 Defense and the Steel-type's partial immunity to Fairy-type skills.
Sylveon slightly frowned, letting out a short cry.
Then it sharply lowered its head, pouncing like the wind towards the Golden Beast directly in front of it!
The Golden Beast, which had descended from the air to block [Moon Power], was violently struck in the head by Sylveon before it could even take flight!
Its head was not covered by the liquid metal generated when the Gold Coin Bug parasitized it, so its Defense Power remained its original 1300—this was another difference between reality and a game!
The Golden Beast's Magic Power value plummeted again.
Critically wounded in an instant!
It quickly flapped its wings and flew high, dodging Sylveon's finishing blow.
After Sylveon's attack missed, it took the opportunity to pounce towards the Blue Team's Magic Guide Orb.
And at this very moment.
Dark noticed something amiss and immediately said: "Defend!"
Sylveon pivoted on its toes, like a ballerina on stage, twirling and twisting, decisively abandoning its target, and obeying its master's command to guard the Red Team's Magic Guide Orb.
In the sky above.
The Golden Beast abruptly flapped its wings, and from that mass of golden wings, feathers immediately stood up.
Almost synchronized with Emma's shout.
The Golden Beast shot out one golden feather arrow from each side!
However, two flashes of golden light merely shot and hit Sylveon, which had flown in to form a shield!
However, Sylveon, with a Magic Power value as high as 1900, merely landed lightly, indicating it was a mere trifle.
With a gentle shake, it shrugged off the golden feathers.
The Golden Beast, having unleashed its Feather Arrows, was depleted of magic power, with only a sliver of health remaining.
Emma looked at the data displayed on the [Golden Beast] Magic Guide Card, feeling increasingly urgent.
The pressure Dark exerted on her during the duel was incomparable to any previous student.
Yet Dark, across from her, remained calm and composed.
While anticipating what countermeasures Emma still had, he was also waiting for the Sacrifice Summoning's cooldown to finish.
"Tick-tock!"
The offense and defense, so tight it was suffocating, had only lasted half a minute.
The duel entered its second round.
Emma began to draw cards.
But both sides' summoning techniques were still on cooldown.
...
Just then, Sylveon extended its ribbons, surprisingly coiling up the two golden feathers on the ground!
Then its gaze sharpened.
Without Dark's command, it violently swung its ribbons, using one of the golden feathers as a projectile.
→Direct shot at the Golden Beast!
"Whoosh!"
The Golden Beast, with only a sliver of health left, almost instinctively used its golden wings, which had reached their peak Defense, to block.
At this moment, Sylveon seized the opening and shot the second golden feather towards the Blue Team's Magic Guide Orb!
"Crack!"
The golden-yellow feather, carrying the power contained within its 1700 Attack Power, forcefully pierced through the Blue Team's Magic Guide Orb's Life Barrier!
...
Emma looked at the [Golden Coffer] in her hand, her face pale as ash.
...
"Battle End!"
"Winner: Dark Demon."
...
[End Phase]
Dark gestured.
Sylveon immediately split into three beams of light, each burrowing into one of the three Magic Guide Spirit Cards.
Such is a Magic Guide Duel.
When there's a vast difference in strength, a single round can determine the victor!
"Still a bit too young."
Dark glanced at Emma, muttering.
"The most fundamental reason first-year students struggle to defeat upperclassmen is always summoning speed."
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