NOVEL NEXT Chapter 110: TST [110]
The card arced through the air. Morgan glanced at it once, then added it to her hand.
Though HERO combos were somewhat elaborate, there were really only a few starting points and fixed routes. Morgan's current hand contained several monsters that could start the combo—she could practically call them one-card starters.
After scanning her hand, she thought for a moment before deciding her next chain of plays.
"I Normal Summon Vision HERO Vyon in Attack Position!"
A humanoid figure clad in a purple bodysuit appeared on Morgan's field, armored from head to toe. A single, massive eye on its helmet glowed with a deep crimson light.
[Vision HERO Vyon] Level 4│ATK 1000/DEF 1200
This card was the core of the HERO Deck. It had two effects—one to send cards to the Graveyard, and one to search Polymerization—both crucial for HERO strategies. Without mistakes, Vyon could be the key to a one-card HERO combo.
Disappointed sighs rippled through the stands. Most spectators knew the plight of HERO decks; seeing Morgan's monster, they had already decided the duel's outcome.
"She looked so confident… I thought she had some powerful deck, but it's just HERO?"
"With a deck this overused and underpowered, she wants to beat the Director's Karakuris? Dream on."
"What a waste. This duel will be over fast."
"True… though I don't recognize that particular HERO. Is it even in the archetype?"
Isla was angry but couldn't refute them. HERO was widely agreed to be weak. She couldn't understand why Morgan would bring it to such an important duel. For a promotion match, Trickstars would have been far safer.
Did Morgan have a way to strengthen HERO?
Isla couldn't figure it out, but she still supported Morgan unconditionally.
Hannah, watching from the stands, was also puzzled. She remembered Morgan running Trickstars… how had she switched to HERO in a year?
In her mind, HERO was a deck boys liked, one that faded away due to lack of power.
Still, Morgan often surprised her.
Charles, seeing Morgan's monster, felt nothing but disdain.
To him, HERO was a child's toy. The fact that no one had ever become a pro using HERO proved it.
On this serious stage, HERO had no place.
He resolved then and there—Morgan would not enter the senior division.
"I activate Vision HERO Vyon's effect!"
"When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: send 1 HERO monster from your Deck to the Graveyard."
Morgan's Duel Disk emitted the sound of searching. A card slid out; she drew it and sent it to the Graveyard.
Her target was another HERO core: Elemental HERO Shadow Mist.
This card's effect triggered when sent to the Graveyard.
"I activate the effect of Elemental HERO Shadow Mist in my Graveyard!"
"If this card is sent to the Graveyard: add 1 HERO monster from your Deck to your hand, except Shadow Mist."
"I add Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier to my hand!"
Charles began to sense something was off.
Sending with Vyon, then searching with Shadow Mist… Morgan's plays were smooth, nothing like the clunky, fusion-dependent HERO decks he'd expected.
His view of her shifted. This candidate wasn't as simple as he'd thought. Still, potential didn't mean he'd go easy—he'd seen too many so-called prodigies burn out.
Better they live in mediocrity than die chasing glory.
He used to be like the other young teachers, pouring effort into nurturing gifted duelists. But none of his protégés had met a good end—smeared and quitting, broken by minor losses, or even turning Shadow Duelist.
Since then, he'd stopped wanting greatness for them. He just wanted students to enjoy dueling safely. It clashed with Duel Academy's ideals, so he used every means to fail as many as possible.
Even so, he was curious about Morgan. Her earlier move showed real skill—she'd be a fine duelist even without HERO.
"Next, I activate Vyon's second effect!"
"Banish Elemental HERO Shadow Mist from my Graveyard: add 1 Polymerization from my Deck to my hand!"
At last, Morgan held the key card for a fusion deck—Polymerization.
In HERO decks, you always max out on this and other fusion cards.
But to the crowd's surprise, she hadn't drawn it… She'd searched it. Did HERO even have a monster that could do that?
Apparently not—or it wouldn't be a bottom-tier deck.
The way they looked at Morgan began to change.
Even Rowe rubbed her head in puzzlement. Something about Morgan's deck felt… off.
"I activate the Spell Card—Polymerization!"
"I fuse Vision HERO Vyon and Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier from my field to Fusion Summon!"
"Elemental HERO Sunrise!"
...
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