NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40: TST [40]
Morgan had no idea what Viviana was thinking, nor did she pay much attention to the girl on stage. With Jade and Isla constantly vying for her attention, she had no mental energy to spare.
Suddenly, Viviana froze on stage, and the crowd below erupted with excitement.
Jade scowled at the scene and hugged Morgan's shoulder, pouting.
"Hmph, what's so great about her? Morgan would look way better in an outfit like that!"
"Obviously!" Isla chimed in. "Let's go to the fashion district later. I'm picking out Morgan's clothes from head to toe."
"..."
Morgan was speechless.
She had a bad feeling about this.
Then Viviana seemed to snap out of it. With a bright smile and a cutesy voice, she announced:
"Alright! Time to pick our next challenger!"
"Same as always—whoever catches the Crystal Bloom Ball gets to duel!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd as they all raised their hands in anticipation.
With a thump, the ball cannon on stage fired, launching a ruby-colored bloom ball into the air amid a flurry of confetti.
After a few tumbles, the ball landed squarely in Morgan's arms, nearly knocking her deck out of her hands.
"Who got it? Who has the ball?!"
"Damn it, I got a mouthful of paper and didn't even see the ball!"
"Whoever caught the ball, I'll buy it off you! Name your price!"
"There! Over there! She's got it!"
All eyes snapped toward Morgan, everyone locking onto the ruby-colored bloom ball in her arms.
Morgan stared blankly at it, convinced someone had aimed for her on purpose.
Before the crowd could fully react, Viviana beamed and said:
"Would the lucky duelist who caught the bloom ball please come up on stage? Viviana accepts your challenge!"
"And if you win, you'll earn a spot in the Junior Division of the Duelist League!"
'A league invitation?'
That got Morgan's attention. She'd been wondering where to earn more Duel Points, and now one had just landed in her lap.
However, what really caught her interest was the Junior Division's championship prize:
A Custom D-Wheel.
Not a placeholder Duel Skateboard, but a real D-Wheel! With one of those, she could duel on a motorcycle!
Plus, her [Calm Mind LV4] would finally shine!
With that in mind, Morgan didn't hesitate. She took the bloom ball and walked up onto the stage.
Viviana greeted her with her signature smile, forming a heart shape with her hands.
"What a cute duelist~ What's your name?"
"Morgan."
She gave a curt reply, slipping on the Duel Disk offered by the staff and inserting her Eldlich deck with a sly smile.
"No need for small talk. Can we start now?"
Down below, Jade had finally muscled her way through the crowd. She clasped her chubby cheeks in delight.
"Ugh, Morgan gets so cold when she duels... I love it!"
Isla nodded in agreement, squeezing her legs together, her cheeks flushed.
It was clear their feelings for Morgan had shifted into something far more intense.
Seeing Morgan's attitude, Viviana dropped her smile and assumed the focused demeanor of a true duelist. Her gem-inlaid Duel Disk lit up with a crimson glow.
Morgan did the same, their Life Points displayed above them.
"Duel!"
They each drew five cards. A screen lit up nearby, displaying a digital coin toss.
Viviana won the toss and took the first turn.
"My turn, draw!"
She gently drew a card, as if afraid of damaging it.
A smile spread across her face. She had drawn her best partner: [Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus].
She decided to test Morgan with it.
"I Normal Summon [Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus] in Attack Position!"
[Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus] Level 4│ATK 1800
The azure-winged unicorn reappeared on the field. Unlike a normal virtual projection, its intelligent eyes gave it a lifelike presence.
"Then I activate the Continuous Spell [Crystal Tree]!"
A magical tree with ruby roots and branches glowing with gem light emerged on the field.
"I end my turn."
Viviana smiled.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. Going first, and she only summoned one monster?
But then Morgan understood.
Crystal Beasts may look flashy—even capable of sending seven Crystal Beasts to the Graveyard at once…
Even so, whether in her past life or this one, their strength was questionable at best.
How Viviana managed to win so many duels with this deck was beyond her. Still, if Viviana wasn't going to build her board, Morgan wouldn't hold back.
She smiled again. A beam of sunlight streamed through the glass ceiling, casting a holy glow over her face.
"My turn. Draw!"
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]