NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51: TST [52]
Morgan froze. She stopped in her tracks and looked up to see a woman dressed in a black robe.
In the dim light, she could just make out the woman's full lips beneath the hood.
"Big sis, it's not safe around here at night. You shouldn't stay out too long," Morgan said sweetly, slipping into the voice of a little child.
A soft laugh echoed from the darkness as the woman stepped forward, pulling back her hood to reveal a striking face. A streak of purple eyeshadow at the corner of her eyes gave her an added flair.
"Thanks for the warning, little one. But you don't have to worry—I'm here for you."
"For me? What for?" Morgan asked in surprise.
"Why? To challenge you to a Shadow Game, of course."
Hannah's lips curled into a chilling smile. She raised her arm from within the robe, revealing a strange Duel Disk.
A dark aura began to spread from beneath her feet.
'A Shadow Duelist?!'
Morgan's eyes sharpened, her gaze fixed on Hannah, a question rising in her heart.
Why would a Shadow Duelist come after her? In this world, she was just a child. She shouldn't have caught their attention yet.
That moment of confusion made her forget to act like a kid.
And Hannah caught it all.
"Those eyes… they're not something a child shows when facing a Shadow Duelist. You really aren't ordinary."
Hannah chuckled. A normal child, if they learned her true identity, would have bolted in fear.
Regardless, in Morgan's eyes, there was a flicker of fighting spirit.
To still want to fight when facing a Shadow Duelist—that was something even many pro duelists couldn't muster. It could only mean Morgan had confidence in her strength.
"What do the Shadow Duelists want from me? I don't remember ever crossing paths with you," Morgan said in a low voice.
"All talented duelists are our targets," Hannah said, licking her lips. "You mean you haven't heard? The name of the mysterious 'SunshineStriker' has spread across the entire Duelist world."
Morgan blinked. Wasn't… that the name of her Virtual Duel ID?
Seeing the confused look on Morgan's face, Hannah looked surprised herself.
"You truly didn't know?"
"Undefeated all the way to Platinum rank… you're a legend now!"
"Every major club is hunting for you. If your info hadn't been put up for auction, even I would've been left in the dark. Who would've guessed the legendary mysterious duelist... was just a kid."
She tossed Morgan the file Alban had compiled.
Morgan caught it and skimmed a few lines, her brow immediately furrowing.
"You said my info was auctioned off?"
"That's right. All the clubs were outbidding each other. The final price reached over 100 million. They were more insane than us Shadow Duelists."
Hannah laughed and shook her head.
Morgan was burning with fury. Her personal information was supposed to be private… even a leak would be intolerable, let alone being sold off like merchandise.
Sure, technically, they were bidding on data, but the true target was her.
Duelists being traded like goods… it might be an unspoken rule in this world, but Morgan couldn't accept it. Especially not when it happened to her.
Her expression darkened. She reached into her backpack and strapped on her Duel Disk.
"So... you're the one I'll be dueling?"
"Oho, that look in your eyes is terrifying. I did want to duel you, but unfortunately, your opponent today isn't me."
Hannah said with a shrug. From the shadows behind her, a gaunt man stepped out.
His face was twisted with bulging veins and bloodshot eyes. He was thrilled.
His scrawny frame was bound with chains far too heavy for his size, giving him a wild, deranged appearance.
"You must be dying to know who sold your info, right? Well, big sis brought him here just for you!"
Hannah pointed at the man. "And I even turned him into a Shadow Duelist. Isn't that satisfying? Go ahead, thank me."
Morgan squinted at the man. He looked very familiar.
The moment Alban saw Morgan, his whole body began to tremble.
It was all because of this brat that he had caught the attention of the Shadow Duelists, and that he had been tortured.
Yet, he didn't die. He clawed his way out of hell on pure obsession.
All for revenge on Morgan!
"I finally found you! If I hadn't met you, I never would've ended up like this!"
Alban's mind, twisted by inhuman torment, now clung only to obsession and denial. He didn't want to admit that greed had led him here, so he blamed Morgan for everything.
If he were still the same cowardly duelist from before, revenge would be impossible.
But now, with the power of a Shadow Duelist, he could no longer hold back his thirst for vengeance.
At the same time, his lecherous gaze swept across Hannah's curvaceous figure.
One day, he would make her pay, too.
Noticing his look, Hannah glared at him in disgust, then turned back to Morgan.
"Little sis, he's your opponent today. I'm sure you don't mind? Unfortunately, big sis has things to do. I'll be taking my leave for now."
She gave Morgan a reluctant glance, wrapped herself in her robe, and vanished into the night.
The dark alley was left with only Morgan's stormy eyes and Alban's heavy, labored breathing.
...
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