NOVEL NEXT Chapter 105: TST [105]
Nina suddenly drew a card from her Deck, and after just one glance, a relaxed smile appeared on her face.
Under such pressure, she had finally drawn a card that could give her hope for a comeback. Her Deck did have effects that could target the opponent's Set cards and monsters. As long as she could take out Traptrix Sera—the key resource engine in Morgan's field—there was still a chance.
However, with Traptrix Rafflesia on Morgan's field, while it had Xyz Materials, she couldn't target the other Traptrix monsters Morgan controlled. Thus, Nina's targets could only be Rafflesia and the three Set cards.
"I activate the Spell Card, Springans Watch, from my hand!"
"If Great Sand Sea - Gold Golgonda is on the field, I can add 1 Springans monster from my Deck to my hand, then send 1 Springans monster from my Deck to the Graveyard!"
This card was extremely useful with Golgonda present—it could both search a monster and send one to the Graveyard.
Springans monsters generally had effects that let them jump from the Graveyard onto the field as Xyz Material for monsters with the same archetype name.
Nina straightened her back. Even though her chest was as flat as a runway—less than Morgan's—she could only boost her confidence through her posture.
Her Duel Disk made the sound of searching cards. She pulled out two chosen cards, sending one to the Graveyard and adding the other to her hand.
"I send Springans Brothers to the Graveyard, and add Springans Captain Sargas to my hand from the Deck!"
Seeing Nina's move, Isla frowned. From the chain of plays last turn, she had basically grasped the nature of Nina's Deck.
Since Nina's monsters could become Xyz Materials from the Graveyard, this send-to-Graveyard effect was surely setting up for an Xyz Monster's effect.
As for what effect… Isla could already guess. Morgan's field was quite clear.
With Morgan's monsters already having higher ATK, the only real uncertainty came from the three face-down cards. Targeting the backrow first was the obvious choice.
Especially with one of them already revealed as Floodgate Trap Hole.
Now it was just a matter of how Nina could bait Morgan into using Floodgate Trap Hole before she fully committed.
But would Morgan fall for it?
Isla smiled faintly. She thought not.
Rowe, meanwhile, looked at Morgan helplessly. It was as if from the very start, Morgan had never taken her seriously. None of these moves had appeared in her duel with Morgan before; even so, she had been completely unable to fight back.
Rowe bit her lip, unwilling to accept it. She had improved so much since the Duelist League match, yet the gap between her and Morgan was still so great.
How much harder would she have to work to catch up to a genius like that?
Her eyes clouded with doubt.
At this moment, after a brief pause, Nina began her next chain. Naturally, she also wanted to bait out Morgan's Trap Cards.
So she made a probing Summon.
"I Normal Summon Springans Rockey in Attack Position!"
A red missile dropped from the sky. Upon landing, it vented a large amount of gas to cushion the impact. Then it split open, revealing a humanoid machine with a red warhead for a head.
[Springans Rockey] Level 4│ATK 1800/DEF 800
"When Springans Rockey is Normal Summoned, I can add 1 Springans monster from my Graveyard to my hand!"
She did have monsters in the Graveyard. Last turn, her Tally-ho! Springans had been negated by Morgan's Ash Blossom after detaching two Xyz Materials.
Thus, her Gigantic Sargas had no Xyz Materials.
"I add Springans Branga from my Graveyard to my hand!"
Nina glanced nervously at Morgan, her lips pale. Summoning Rockey hadn't drawn out Floodgate Trap Hole. She could only hope Morgan didn't realize the core of her combos.
"I activate the effect of the Field Spell, Great Sand Sea - Gold Golgonda!"
"If I control no Springans Xyz Monsters, I can discard 1 Springans card from my hand; Special Summon 1 Springans Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck!"
"I Special Summon Springans Ship - Exblowrer in Defense Position!"
A massive mechanical ship burst from the sand sea, painted red and adorned with a snarling shark emblem.
[Springans Ship - Exblowrer] Rank 8│ATK 1600/DEF 2500
With its successful Summon, Nina's heart seemed to settle a bit, though she looked at Morgan in confusion. This was her key monster's Summon… why wasn't Morgan activating a Trap?
Was she not paying attention, or did she simply not care?
Nina shook her head. Either way, she had to push forward.
Exblowrer's effect also required Xyz Materials, but being Summoned by Golgonda meant it had none. She needed to attach other monsters underneath it.
Which she had already prepared for.
"I activate the effects of Springans Branga, Springans Brothers, and Springans Captain Sargas!"
"I attach all three of them under Springans Ship - Exblowrer as Xyz Materials!"
Instantly, Exblowrer had three Xyz Materials.
Still, that wasn't enough!
"I activate the effect of Springans Rockey on my field!"
"If this card is in my hand, on the field, or in the Graveyard, it can be attached as Xyz Material to a Springans Xyz Monster I control!"
Rockey slid underneath Exblowrer as a fourth Xyz Material. Now Nina could freely destroy Morgan's cards.
Everything ready, Nina declared, "I activate the effect of Springans Ship - Exblowrer…"
Abruptly, just then, Morgan suddenly smiled.
Nina's heart sank—but then she realized her Summon was already complete. Morgan had missed the timing to use Floodgate Trap Hole, right?
Why be afraid?
Yet the next moment made her eyes widen. Morgan didn't touch Floodgate Trap Hole—instead, she flipped her other two Set cards.
"I activate Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare!"
"When a monster Special Summoned this turn activates its effect: negate that effect, and destroy it!"
"Then I chain Compulsory Evacuation Device to return 1 monster on your field to the hand!"
Nina froze. She only had two monsters on her field.
These two face-downs completely wiped her field.
"..."
Isla was speechless. Morgan had just played another mind game… by revealing Floodgate Trap Hole, she made Nina wary and distracted her from the other face-downs, luring her into Summoning.
Then, at the moment of effect activation, she flipped the other two, clearing the board.
Truly underhanded!
Isla looked sympathetically at Nina, who was now questioning her life… yet another poor duelist poisoned by Morgan's tactics.
Rowe lowered her head. Even she could easily fall into that return-and-destroy chain, let alone someone dueling Morgan for the first time.
The other Rare Card Hunters gaped. Their leader's attack had been stopped dead in its tracks.
As duelists, they understood the situation evidently—they'd run into a tough opponent.
And the only outcome against such a wall… was unemployment.
They had once been D-Wheel mechanics, but when their club shut down, they had nowhere to go.
Seeing Nina's dueling talent, they pooled money to buy a powerful Deck and became Rare Card Hunters.
But they hadn't been at it long before running into the brick wall that was Morgan.
Talk about bad luck.
At that moment, Morgan's chain resolved. Compulsory Evacuation Device returned Gigantic "Champion" Sargas to the Deck.
Then Springans Ship - Exblowrer was destroyed by Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare.
Nina's field was wiped clean. She stood pale and motionless for a moment before gritting her teeth and deciding on one last act of resistance.
She still had one Trap Card from her first turn Set.
"I activate the Trap Card, Springans Call!"
"Special Summon 1 Springans monster from my Graveyard!"
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]