NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: TST [42]
Although Morgan didn't want to admit it, locking down the opponent with an Underworld deck was undeniably satisfying.
It was like a freezing wind blowing through the Flaming Mountains while crawling uphill—piercing to the bone, yet strangely refreshing.
And now, she had completed such a strategy with her Eldlich deck.
Though compared to ordinary setups, this one was rather special.
Viviana stared at the card in her hand with frustration. With [Imperial Order] active, it might as well be garbage.
Her deck did include Trap Cards capable of destroying [Imperial Order], but she hadn't drawn them yet. Even if she did, she couldn't activate them this turn—she'd have to Set them and wait.
Who knew what might happen in the meantime?
Crystal Beasts were limited in number and generally low in Attack. The only one capable of taking down Morgan's monster was Rainbow Dragon.
Despite all that, the summoning conditions for Rainbow Dragon were harsh—she couldn't summon it yet.
For now, Viviana could only go on the defensive.
"I change Sapphire Pegasus to Defense Position!"
Sapphire Pegasus folded its wings, taking a defensive stance.
There was one silver lining for Viviana—Morgan had already paid 1000 Life Points to activate [Skill Drain], and [Imperial Order] required her to pay 700 LP during each Standby Phase.
That meant 1400 LP for every full turn cycle.
Though Morgan still had 7000 LP, it wouldn't last forever.
If she could stall long enough, Morgan would self-destruct.
"I Set one card and end my turn!"
Viviana set a card. Although she had decided on her tactic, the worry on her face didn't fade.
It made sense in theory, but would Morgan really give her time to stall?
Thinking that, Viviana sneaked a glance at Morgan, only to see the girl smiling brightly—a smile completely at odds with what she was doing.
It looked exactly like the art on [Skill Drain].
A chill ran down her spine.
Despite only a few turns having passed, the crowd below was beginning to realize something was off.
"What's going on? Viviana seems kind of cornered!"
"That's brutal… her opponent shut down monster effects and Spell Cards in one go!"
"Still, she's bleeding LP to maintain it. She won't last long. In the end, Sweetheart Viviana will win!"
"Yeah! Go, Sweetheart! Viviana Sweetheart will definitely triumph!"
Amid the flood of cheers, Jade and Isla were distinctly out of place, stunned by the unified chants.
However, they quickly snapped out of it.
"Geez! What's with all the yelling? Scared me half to death!" Jade looked around at the frenzied crowd with a shudder. "Did they get their souls sucked out? Why are they so obsessed with that Viviana woman?"
"Maybe that's the power of an idol…" Isla sighed.
Then Jade's face twisted in frustration.
"Sweetheart, huh? What's the big deal? I can be a sweetheart too!"
"Morgan Sweetheart, go for it! You have to win!"
In the next second, Jade joined the cheering masses.
"..."
Morgan glanced their way.
'Please, shut up!'
'This is way too embarrassing!'
She genuinely had no idea how Viviana could keep a straight face through all this.
"My turn—draw!"
As she drew, her Life Points dropped by 700.
Morgan casually glanced at the card she drew. Right now, all she wanted was to end this duel fast.
If she kept dragging it out, she'd eventually have to destroy her own [Imperial Order] to lift the lockdown.
"I switch [Eldlich the Golden Lord] to Attack Position!
Then I activate my face-down card—[Eldlixir of Scarlet Sanguine]!"
Seeing the card, Viviana immediately felt something was wrong. After all, it was a card with the same "Eldlixir" suffix as the one Morgan had used earlier to summon Eldlich.
As she expected, the effect was similar.
"Special Summon 1 Zombie monster from my Deck or Graveyard!
I summon another [Eldlich the Golden Lord]!"
Two Eldlich monsters now stood side by side on the field. Viviana's face went pale. That was a total of 5000 Attack Points—far beyond what her Sapphire Pegasus could handle.
To make matters worse, Morgan flipped her last face-down card.
Like a cold-blooded card-flipping machine, she declared: "Activate [Conquistador of the Golden Land]!
This card becomes a Normal Monster (Zombie / LIGHT / Level 5 / ATK 500 / DEF 1800) and is Special Summoned to the Monster Zone.
If I control Eldlich the Golden Lord, I can also destroy 1 face-up card on the field."
A cavalryman mounted on an undead warhorse appeared on the field, eyes glowing with an ominous red light.
"I destroy your [Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus]!"
With a charge, the rider obliterated Sapphire Pegasus. Viviana now faced Morgan's trio of monsters alone.
Seeing her trusted companion destroyed while she could do nothing… an overwhelming sense of helplessness surged in Viviana's chest.
Especially with the oppressive aura those three terrifying monsters radiated.
Tears welled in Viviana's eyes, her vision blurring. She tried her best to hold back the sobs, but still let out a quiet whimper.
Just a few turns in, and Morgan had already made her cry.
...
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