181 – Game of Nymphs and Darkness #5
“This is the ‘Pyramid of Night’ that we took from Atlas.”
Seo Ye-rim, ranked 19th among S-rankers, presented a pyramid model about the size of her palm. It was a crystal-crafted artifact that looked exceedingly valuable.
Ssss-.
She could also feel a sinister magical energy rising from her palm.
A magic item found in rifts.
Seo Ye-rim could tell that it was an object so remarkable that it could be called a national treasure.
“What is this, anyway?”
Seo Ye-rim asked.
Then, the Egyptian S-ranker “Priest – Teto,” who was looking at the monitor, gripped his staff tightly and explained in a gentle voice.
“It is one of five relics that seal gods. It was discovered in the T-rank rift ‘Reverse Pyramid’ located deep underground in the Valley of the Kings. This ‘Pyramid of Night’ has the effect of absorbing and storing human souls, or mana.”
An object that forcibly takes away the mana possessed by humans.
Seo Ye-rim frowned at the existence of such an item.
“To lure criminals with such a dangerous object to Korea and wipe them out at once—disguising it as a tournament, no less. You’re quite the wicked person.”
“I express my utmost gratitude for the help from Korea and the corporations. The Egyptian government and Dual Stone will never forget this favor. It will surely bring forth positive winds for future exchanges.”
Seo Ye-rim felt a sense of displeasure with the calm and gentle Teto.
To begin with, this ‘Dual Stone’ card game was the same.
“They say the cards are based on tablets discovered in the pyramids? They also claim that they hold some magical effects. To spread such things so carelessly and play games…”
Among the ancient magic found in rifts, there were many effects that were not clearly defined.
Is it really all right to spread a card game derived from such things worldwide?
“…”
Seo Ye-rim looked at Teto with narrow eyes.
If he did something suspicious, she would step in and give him a lesson.
As she was thinking that, Teto spoke.
“The greatest threat is the grave robber using the ‘Ankh of the Serpent.’ The ‘Ankh of the Serpent’ can trap or materialize souls inside cards and tablets. Even all those sealed nightmares…”
# # #
The surrounding space twisted and was engulfed in darkness.
It felt as if it were night.
I realized that this space resembled a kind of rift.
A rift cut off from the outside.
“What’s going on?”
I tensed up.
At that moment, a woman holding a peculiar key cackled.
“Then it’s my turn…! I will summon the 1-cost card ‘Mummy Seed’…!”
Plop-.
From the card presented by the woman, a pale spirit seemed to spring out, transforming into a zombie wrapped in bandages, appearing right in front of me.
It was far too vivid to simply be called augmented reality, with even the smell of decaying flesh being surreal.
Seeing that, Inoi quickly spoke.
“Ahh…! I felt a mysterious magical energy from these cards, and it turns out to be true…! These ‘Dual Stone’ cards were created based on the magic of something that actually exists…!”
“Of course…! That peculiar key is definitely a tool to unleash the magic contained in the cards, to materialize it…! It must be extremely expensive…!”
“Perhaps that key could also summon the tailed nymph trapped on the tablet…! I’m so tempted…!”
To materialize cards?
Such an item exists?
It must certainly be something that could be described as a national treasure, or even divine.
“Yes, the Ankh I possess, the ‘Ankh of the Serpent,’ is an object capable of releasing the sealed tablets and cards. Although it is constrained to the rules of this card game…!”
Clack-.
The woman who identified herself as Ankh pulled out another 0-cost card.
“I will also summon the 0-cost card ‘Ruffian Gang – Kim Dal-geon.’ And then I will end my turn.”
A 0-cost card.
Despite its low cost, it had an attack power and defense of 100/100, with no additional effects.
However-.
I was astonished at the sight of the materialized card.
“P-please save me…! What is this…! Where am I…! Eek…!”
It looked so much like Kim Dal-geon, one of the gang juniors that Lee Jin-A had mentioned earlier.
Wasn’t he reported missing?
“That’s not a regular card, is it? Can it be used even if it’s not an official card?”
“Yes, it is possible in this game of darkness. And I can turn the losers in battle into cards. If I bring down this card, it will inflict significant damage on the soul of that ruffian.”
Is this for real?
What kind of cheat item is that?
“I’ve done quite a bit of research on you, Haildo. You’re an honorable human, right? Do you think you can defeat this card? And can you defeat my cards?”
From the words of the woman with snake-like narrow eyes, I could deduce some information.
Most of her cards were likely based on real ‘humans.’
“Haildo, what kind of effects will your cute animals have as cards? I’m really looking forward to it. They will surely be wonderful rare cards. Don’t worry. I will cherish them. Precious—.”
It was truly a dire situation.
I had no choice but to pull out my ‘deck’ that I completed a long time ago, back in elementary school.
It’s been a while since I last played Dual Stone, hasn’t it?
“Haildo, you, the just one, won’t be able to defeat my monsters.”
“Hah….”
I looked at the cards in my hand.
It felt like old memories were surfacing.
Clack-.
I pulled out a card from my hand and placed it on the field.
“I activate the 1-cost magic card, ‘Slime Trap that Melts Clothes’…! The effect deals 200 points of damage directly to the opponent….”
“W-what?”
Ankh looked surprised.
Soon, my card seemed to materialize and clung to Ankh’s body.
“Gyyyiiinnnng.”
Sizzle-.
The acidic slime clung to Ankh’s body.
“Eeeek!”
Ankh screamed as she saw her rider suit melting away across her body. I never thought it would materialize.
Incredible!
Sizzle-.
As the rider suit melted away, Ankh’s bronzed figure began to be revealed.
What was astonishing was that some strange hieroglyphics were tattooed on her body like markings.
“D-don’t look…!”
Ankh, who had maintained a high-handed attitude until now, was frantically trying to cover her body with her arms and hands.
Regardless, I looked at my card.
“It’s still my turn.”
Clack-.
I played another card.
It was the 0-cost magic card ‘bl**d Sacrifice.’
“This card allows me to substitute the cost of the card I play this turn by sacrificing 1000 of my health for each cost. With my health at 5000, I can play up to 4 costs—.”
“Hah, that’s foolish! If your life diminishes, you’ll literally feel the pain as if your soul is being struck! Can you bear the agony of your soul when you are unaccustomed to the game of darkness…!?”
Clack-.
I placed the 3-cost magic card ‘Creeping Tentacle’ on the field.
My life dropped to 3000.
It was dizzying, but it was bearable compared to what I thought.
However, Ankh seemed unable to withstand it.
“Eek! W-what’s going on?”
Swish-.
The materialized tentacles bound Ankh’s arms and legs.
“Ahh! That is a truly heinous torture card…! The house owner must have handled a torture deck…! Such cowardly and vile cards…!”
Indeed, the card I played, ‘Creeping Tentacle,’ inflicted 1000 damage for each card the opponent used in the next turn.
I primarily operated torture decks that hindered the opponent’s control or inflicted damage like this back in elementary school.
“Ankh, I don’t need to face your monsters. Most of my 35 cards are burn cards that deal direct damage to the opponent, not field monsters. It’s your turn.”
“You coward! You filthy human! Pervert! Degenerate! Haildo, all this time, you’ve been a facade of lies and hypocrisy! You filthy human!”
“No, this is all fair play according to the rules.”
# # #
Ankh felt horrified with the tentacles wrapped around her body.
Second turn.
Ankh examined her hand.
“0-Level: Archaeologist Amy
Effect: Search for one card from the deck and place it on top of the deck.
Attack/Defense: 100/100”
“0-Level: Grave Robber Robber
Effect: Randomly send one card from the opponent’s hand to the graveyard.
Attack/Defense: 200/0”
“1-Level: F-Rank Awakened Laura
Effect: ‘Ambush,’ you can attack the opponent immediately when summoned.
Attack/Defense: 200/200”
“……”
Ankh primarily used a ‘Minion Deck’ that dominated the field by utilizing 0-cost cards. They were innocent hostage cards made from the stolen souls.
People could not attack such human cards, and they often fell victim to Ankh’s one-sided assault.
‘But now the situation is unfavorable…!’
Against Ankh, who operated like a squirrel deck, quickly dominating the field with low-cost cards, ‘Creeping Tentacle,’ which inflicted damage equal to the number of used cards, was a counter card without question.
“Alright, Ankh. It’s your turn now. You will incur 1000 damage for each card you use this turn.”
Second turn.
The available cost was 2.
If she played two 0-cost 0-level cards, she would take 2000 damage.
However, it felt risky to do nothing and pass the turn.
Haildo.
I couldn’t predict what cards that handsome man might use next to inflict ‘torture’ upon Ankh’s soul.
‘What a cowardly man Haildo is! I thought he’d have an honest field-fighting deck! What a miscalculation! This devious man! This lowly being!’
Sweat poured down Ankh’s body.
‘If I could only draw that card… If I could draw that card known as the God Card… If I could draw that card that summons a monster by sacrificing field monsters instead…!’
Ankh grinned as she attacked Haildo with ‘Mummy Seed’ and ‘Kim Dal-geon’ before passing the turn.
“Ugh! It hurts!”
The tentacles that had wrapped around Ankh’s body vanished after a turn had passed.
Feeling her arms and legs were free, Ankh provocatively taunted Haildo.
“Haildo, your energy is down to just under 2000. I have 4800.”
“I know. It’s my second turn. I will…, use the coin token granted to the second player. The second player receives one token card that can recover a 1-cost with a 0-cost, right?”
Haildo used the ‘Coin’ card and generated 3 costs.
As Ankh watched nervously, wondering what he was attempting, Haildo played a 0-cost magic card.
“I will use ‘Transfer.’ It’s a card that allows me to carry over my leftover costs to the next turn.”
“What? Hah, how foolish!”
3 costs.
Ankh laid out all the cards she had on the field.
“0-Level: Archaeologist Amy
Effect: Search for one card from the deck and place it on top of the deck.
Attack/Defense: 100/100”
Using the above card allowed her to place the ‘Priestess of the Serpent God’ card on top of her deck.
The Priestess of the Serpent God was a 10-level card a special summon could be called out by sacrificing 3 monsters on the field.
The effect was terrifying and powerful.
For it would inflict 3000 damage on the opponent immediately upon its summoning.
‘Next turn. If I simply summon that card, Haildo, you’re finished! No matter what you do this 3rd turn, I will end you!’
Ankh snickered.
Now it was Haildo’s turn.
On the 3rd turn, Haildo played a card from his hand.
“I have 3 costs carried over from the last turn. So, I have a total of 6 costs. The card I will now play is the monster card, ‘Masturbating Crazy Skull.’”
“Th-that card…!”
# # #
Back in elementary school.
I obtained a rare card.
Its name was ‘Masturbating Crazy Skull,’ and it was a tremendously powerful card. However, at that young age, I had one specific question.
‘What is m*sturbation?’
I didn’t know what it was.
So, during class, I had asked my teacher, Ms. Kim Ye-ppeum, “Teacher, what is m*sturbation?” She blushed deeply and scolded me, saying, “Il-do! Don’t tease the teacher!” as she confiscated my entire deck.
Looking back now, it was an incredibly embarrassing moment.
I can’t believe this is a true story.
It’s a real story. And I still cannot comprehend why the card was named that way.
“Where do I smell the aroma of a past recollection…!”
Anyway.
In the end, this ‘Masturbating Crazy Skull’ was a knock-off card of a card called ‘Great God Juji.’
Just like the usual pirated knock-off cards, it boasted powerful performance.
“But, in the rules of darkness, it’s supposed to be usable even if it’s not a regular card, right? Ankh, the cards you made are recognized as real cards. So, this should be usable too.”
“……!!!”
“0-Level: Masturbating Crazy Skull
Effect: Consume all costs in hand to deal 1000 damage to the opponent for each cost spent.
Attack/Defense: 0/0”
The costs available to me were 6.
A multiple of 6 was 6000, and Ankh’s health was 4800.
In other words, this game signified my victory.
Gooooo-.
The Great God began to manifest.
With its mighty and powerful appearance, Ankh clutched her face and screamed.
“Th-this can’t be…! St-stop…! Eeeeeek…!”
Ankh’s life dropped to 0.
Saliva dripped from Ankh’s mouth, she sweated profusely as if caught in the rain, trembling like a shocked frog, and ultimately collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, the Nymphs shouted as if it were their time to shine.
“Let’s beat that guy up…!”
“I think this Coris also agrees…!”
“Of course…! Let’s also steal that expensive-looking Ankh…!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-.
The Nymphs battered Ankh, while the rift that seemed to envelop me shattered with a crash.
This signified one thing.
It meant my victory, Haildo.
“Justice triumphs after all.”
